Category Archives: Scuba Fun

Deadly Doubloons Is Ready……

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Ah, I had hoped to have this one out for summer reading and I suppose technically it is still summer. At any rate, Deadly Doubloons is now available. For those who are familiar with some of my characters, Chris Green first appeared in Shades of Truth, then had a more prominent role in Shades of Gold. She is the main character in Deadly Doubloons and her first adventure is one that I trust will be both intriguing and fun. Someone asked me the other day where I get my ideas. I think that like most authors, they come from bits of conversations, something you see and say, “Hmmm, what if I did such-and-such…

In the case of Deadly Doubloons, a friend who is an avid underwater photographer wanted me to feature a shady banker who was also semi-obesssed with treasure hunting. That was a good foundation that I then built upon. The end result is something that I hope others will enjoy as well.

A Dolphin Underwater….

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Where did the last two days go when I meant to post this? One of the many great things about diving is that it is not unusual to see dolphins as you travel to and from dive sites in tropical settings. There has also been a significant increase in the number of dolphin encounter programs that divers (and non-divers) can participate in. Those have a special thrill, but a chance encounter underwater with a dolphin is a treat that you don’t routinely get. (Well, not in most places.)

We were in Grand Bahama years ago, and in fact, had done the dolphin dive in Freeport. We were staying and diving on another part of the island and on our last dive of the trip, we were headed back to the boat when a single dolphin appeared, swam within a few yards, played around for almost a minute and then shot away. Naturally that was in our days before my husband took up underwater photography. Earlier this week we had dinner with friends in Key Largo who were down from Philadelphia and related this story as part of the usual, “where have you been diving?”, discussion that always arises when divers socialize. We also mentioned that we’ve never had that happen since. So yes, in one of those pleasantly ironic moments, my husband came home two days later and sure as the world, what had he seen that day? A dolphin underwater – again, no camera. He did have a couple of witnesses though who were as excited as he was. Ah, if only I had been along! Oh well, maybe my turn is coming up soon.

Watching Fish, Catching Fish….

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Winners in a local charity fishing tournament

A number of organizations here have major fishing tournaments each year as fundraising events; other tournaments are strictly for fun and profit. I grew up with freshwater cane pole fishing and mostly bass tournaments. I actually stopped fishing when I was 9 or 10, deciding that I had better ways to spend my Saturdays. (No fishing on Sundays because that was church and family visiting day). I didn’t mind putting the squiggly worms on a hook and there is something about reeling in a fish, but then you do have to clean them. Freshwater, cane pole fishing for eating-size bream, crappie, and catfish is different from rod and reel action and I never made it to that point.

You don’t have to make a choice between sport fishing (angling) and scuba diving, although most people do. The primary reason is because it takes approximately the same amount of time to do one as the other. As I discussed in my non-fiction book, Islands in the Sand: An Introduction to Artificial Reefs in the USA, I erroneously thought that the scuba community was on the forefront of artificial reef creation. I quickly learned that the sport fishing world had been at it as early as the 1950s and the scuba community were newcomers. Mixing divers and anglers together on the same reef can be a little tricky, although there are multiple ways to work it out. I cut this passage from the final version of the book, but one day when we were diving on the North Shore of Oahu, my husband and I were coming in from a shore dive, threading our way through the rocks, nearing the entry/exit point. I felt an odd tug on my right foot and couldn’t tell what was going on. I was having difficulty in moving forward and the tugging continued, so I paused, assuming my husband would look back and he did. He swam to me and  and despite his inclination to cut the line, he removed the hook from my bootie and tossed it aside instead. The woman casting from the ledge above us apparently was oblivious to the fact that she had snagged me instead of a fish.

Anyway, since diving and sport fishing are both huge activities here in South Florida, I’ve gotten to know several anglers and charter boat captains. The radio stations I usually listen to have a noon and 4:00 p.m. fishing report and it’s always fun to hear what they have to say. I still prefer diving to see fish, but I have gained a new appreciation for the sport. And yes, Florida has catch limits and regulations to help sustain the fish populations.

 

Too Long Out of The Water…..

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Scrawled File Fish on Reef

I really do try to dive as often as possible, yet the past year has seen a distinct drop-off in my underwater time. I admit that like many who live here year-round, I am spoiled about conditions. When the water temperature dips to 72 degrees, I have a tendency to hold off and when the wind is kicking up at 12+ knots, I usually weasel out. Even setting those parameters aside, I haven’t been out as often as I like, so last Saturday I agreed with my husband when one of our snow bird friends called to say they were going. I shut the computer off and went, and yes, I worked all day Sunday to make up for it, but that’s another post.

It was a beautiful day, although the current on the first dive did get your attention. I suppose I should consider it as more exercise. The second dive was calmer and we were by no means the only boat on Molassess Reef. It was not a day of spectacular finds with really only a huge eel tucked so far back under a ledge that my husband couldn’t get a good photo. Lots of barracuda though and enough angel fish to keep me happy. That means at least one queen, French, gray, and rock beauty. I have yet to see a blue angel even though I have heard other people claim sightings. There were several trumpet fish as well as abundant snappers of multiple types and the other standard reef inhabitants.

I could make a promise to myself to do better this year, but practically speaking, I will merely say that I will try to “get wet” more often.

History of Diving Museum…..

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History of Diving Museum, Islamorada, FL

As I mentioned in my last post, the continuing wind during our company’s visit kept us out of the water. We did go down to Key Largo for lunch at Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen, then over to look at the Wyland Wall, and in to buy snorkel gear for their upcoming trip to St John. We had plenty of time and so headed to the History of Diving Museum in Islamorada. I first visited the museum when researching Islands in the Sand: A History of Artificial Reefs in the USA. The museum had only recently opened and it has been a pleasure to watch the growth.

You can read more about the background of the museum at their website of http://www.divingmuseum.org but in essence, Drs. Joe and Sally Bauer of Ohio balanced their medical careers with passion for marine biology, SCUBA diving, and the history of diving. They began collecting dive helmets and other historic equipment, books, etc., and were interested in the evolution of diving from its earliest concept. Their research took them around the world and they became well-known for the depth and precision of their research, pulling together stories that had been almost lost to time. Their collections and reputations grew internationally and they finally decided to bring all of this together in a “retirement” to South Florida. In truth, it was not remotely a retirement, but rather a new career now dedicated to bringing to public view 4,000 years of man’s efforts to exist within the ocean realm.  It was an wonderful endeavor and the museum was opened in 2006 (I think). Sadly, Dr. Joseph Bauer passed away unexpectedly in 2007. His wife, Dr. Sally Bauer, coped with her grief, carried on the dream, and has crafted the museum with its unique collections into  a place where everyone who dives or has any interest in marine/maritime history should visit.

We are members of the museum and take friends and relatives whenever the opportunity presents, as well as attend numerous events throughout the year. The thing that strikes most people is to see the many (and sometimes truly strange) ways in which man attempted to achieve the ability to exist underwater. Most people don’t realize the connections that date back hundreds and even thousands of years. The museum, which also has a lovely exterior mural, has aspects that children also enjoy. It is not a large museum, and no, there aren’t any spectacular shark skeletons, but it is a place where almost everyone learns something new.

Underwater St Croix…..

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Rock Beauty on Reef in St Croix

There are more spectacular places to dive than St Croix, yet the island is a consistent and reliable enjoyable dive location. The fact that you have wall diving, shore diving, healthy reefs and half a dozen wrecks supported by multiple good dive centers/shops all combine to make this a favored spot for us. As with many islands, overfishing is an issue and so the larger fish such as big groupers and sizeable parrots have diminished during the 10+ years we have been coming to the island. Tropical fish are still plentiful and during our two days of diving this trip we saw rays, turtles, eels, and shrimp among other marine creatures and thankfully fewer of the invasive lionfish than on our previous trip. I am a sucker for the tiny garden eels and certainly get my fill when we drop into the water on the west side of the island.

I confess that we have never been diving on the East or South sides; we stay on North Shore and go west. There are also a few of the dive centers/shops we have not patronized, but that is not to say we wouldn’t – it’s just that you often establish relationships that you perpetuate. Saint Croix Blue Water Underwater Adventure (SCUBA) is fun, but Cane Bay, N2theBlue, and Anchor Dive all have aspects that divers can appreciate, and Dive Experience is a favorite of other people that we know.

It is an excellant place to first explore diving because there are plenty of shallow colorful reefs with profusion of corals, sponges, so many days when visibility underwater exceeds 70-80 feet and the temperature in winter stays in at least the high 70s. The boat rides to the dive sites (many that last 20 minutes or less) are scenic with the turquoise sky reflecting aquamarine and azure colors in the waters. You look to the mountains to see houses perched along the slopes, some at the very peaks where you can envision the panoramic views.

While this post is primarily about diving, I do want to mention Buck Island and the underwater trail. Buck Island is near the harbor of Christiansted and is a landmark of the East End. It is a protected area and both the underwater and topside tours are truly one of the “musts” of St Croix. Granted, the snorkel tours are usually crowded, but again, it is a very short boat ride and the protected status of the area means you will see some of the larger fish. Friends swear by Issacs Bay on the far side of the island between Udall Point (eastern most point in the U.S.) and Divi Casino and Resort. You can snorkel right from shore and they tell me that it is protected against rough water.

One of the most unique features of diving in St Crox is that you can, in fact, make a shore dive to the wall from a couple of spots on the North Shore of the island. Now, it is a bit of a swim, but nothing overly strenuous if you take your time. And there is something about crossing reefs, then coming to the edge of the wall that extends down more than 12,000 feet. You can navigate along at whatever depth you are rated for/comfortable with, remembering to look out into the blue every so often in case something like, say a manta ray, is swooping in. Granted, that doesn’t happen often, but you might be in the right place at the right time.

You finish your dive/dives, whether shore or by boat, and if you want to grab lunch and a cold beer (or whatever) while still clad in swimsuit and a shirt, there is likely to be a beach bar or casual waterfront restaurant either next door or within a short distance. Beach bars and other dining choices will be the subject of the next post. Happy Diving!

 

 

One of Those Dives I Wish I’d Been On……

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A Small Goliath Grouper

I heard the chatter as I walked up to the dive shop to say hi to everyone and collect my husband for our lunch before we ran a couple of errands. It only took a moment to realize what they were talking about. “Two Goliath groupers at the safety stop, I mean hanging out at the safety stop,” my husband said. Then I caught part of another conversation “….Man, it was great, they were like right there practically in your face.” (For those who may not be familiar with a safety stop, it is as the name implies; literally hanging to a line or hovering for 3-5 minutes at a depth of 15-20 feet as a part of proper ascent procedures after a deep dive.) I have seen many interesting sights during safety stops, but never Goliath groupers.

The title of the recently released Groupers and Gun Mounts: Inside the USS Spiegel Grove, comes from the fact that Goliath groupers (also known as jewfish) are frequent visitors to the artificial wreck, the USS Spiegel Grove. As I mention in one part of the book, when divers meet a Goliath grouper in a passageway of the ship, the diver usually tucks back to give the grouper room to move. It is not that Goliath groupers are dangerous, it is merely that when you are facing a 200-400 pound fish that is between six and eight feet long, you tend to give them the right-of-way.

The group on this particular dive was part of the NASCAR crowd that had stayed for diving after completion of the final NASCAR weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It was their last day of diving for the trip, so the plan was a double-dip on the ship; getting in two dives with an approriate surface interval in between. Having that many Goliath groupers in such an up close and personal way was extra special. As NASCAR professionals, going far enough into the machine shop to see the lathe and milling machine was an additional treat that they enjoyed. During the second dive, they cruised  into the Executive Officer’s cabin and up onto the bridge. A big green moray was taking it easy underneath a plate on the deck as the group headed back to the mooring line. It was one of those great days with visibility nearing 90 feet and very little current – ideal conditions for diving the 510-foot ship in a leisurely manner. It would have been pretty much a perfect end to a dive vacation and it’s a dive that I do wish I’d been able to make. Ah well, maybe next time.

 

Scuba as a Buddy Sport…..

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Diving in the Turks and Caicos

Let me say first that scuba is not a sport for everyone. There are certain medical conditions or anxieties (such as fear of open water) that are not compatible. If you live somewhere like Arizona and don’t like to travel, then no, scuba is probably not of much interest. However, the current training options and better designed equipment combined with travel opportunites available through the internet and other sources have helped bring scuba from an extreme sport more into the mainstream. There are millions of certified divers from age 10 all the way through 80s and perhaps 90s (I can’t personally vouch for in the 90s). Since people often plan vacations for the holidays, especially to warm climates, I want to walk you through some fundamentals if you’ve ever considered trying scuba.

Two of the best indicators of if you would enjoy scuba (Self-contained breathing apparatus underwater) are if you like to snorkel and if you visit one of the big aquariums and think to yourself, “Wouldn’t it be cool to be inside the tank?” A lengthier explanation of scuba training is contained in the Short Story Archives on my web site, Going Under is a Good Thing: Try SCUBA, but the essentials are that you have classroom sessions, sessions in confined water such as a pool, and then sessions is open water such as the ocean, a lake, or a quarry. The classes enable you to become familiar with the principles of diving, the equipment, and how to physically dive. There are academic tests and performance tests, all under the watchful eye on an instructor, and there is a great emphasize on safety. While some of the material will be unfamiliar, good instructors are patient with explanations, go over things as many times as required and address any questions/anxieties in a professional way. Once you have completed your training, you are issued something called a Basic Certification (there are other terms as well) and you are considered qualified to dive on your own without a dive professional. I will say that personally, I believe most people who are genuinely brand new to diving don’t become genuinely comfortable with the equipment and procedures until they have completed 8-12 dives. By the way, that is my opinion and not supported by empirical data.

Something I want to point out is that part of what has made scuba more accessible is that there are many training options these days, to include on-line training for the academics and split location training that can be a wonderful choice for people who don’t live near a dive destination. The split training, usually called Referral, allows you to do academic and pool sessions in one place and open water training in another. You can train with your local dive shop and then go somewhere like Key Largo or perhaps to St Croix, or any other place that has a training agreement and complete your certification. If scuba is something that interests you, but you aren’t quite ready to go the distance, take a one-day introductory course often called Discover Scuba, or something along those lines. This gives you a whole day with an instuctor learning the  basics, trying the equipment, and having the experience of being in the open water. In most cases, you can then apply that one-day training against the full certification course if you choose to move forward.

While taking a course with a buddy who may then be able to travel with you may be more enjoyable than going it alone, there are plenty of single divers who have a great time meeting new “buddies”. Scuba opens an extraorinary world to you and I would strongly encourage you to check out the training and travel opportunities that are literally all around you.

 

Scuba at Almost Any Age…..

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Rock Beauty while diving in Key Largo

It hardly seems as if it could have been a week since we returned from Orlando and the 2011 Diving  Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) show. There are consumer dive shows held all over the country throughout the year; shows where anyone with an interest in scuba diving can wander in to see equipment and products, hear about travel opportunities, and talk to people. DEMA, however, is the dive-industry show with access limited to professionals in all dive-related matters. This is where the latest in technology/products and training techniques are revealed, continuing education for dive professionals is available, travel agencies and tourism representatives show off what they have to offer for group travel. In some cases, there are people who have products that are easily transferbale to other aspects; the company that is making all reef-safe products such as sunscreen no doubt attends many outdoor activity shows. The multiple organizations that are working to prevent further damage and reverse damage to marine eco-systems are certainly not confined to the world of scuba divers. The sheer diversity of groups that are in attendance is part of what intrigues me as I move among the displays. It is the perfect place for me to find experts in areas that I write about and it was a treasure trove when I was doing research for Islands in the Sand: An Introduction to Artificial Reefs in the USA.

Since DEMA shows are about dive professionals, the age group starts around 18 and goes to whatever. It is not unusual to strike up a conversation with someone well into their 70s who can discuss the great technology strides in self-contained breathing apparatus (SCUBA) because they have personally gone from using rudimentary equipment of the early days to enjoying technological advances in today’s equipment. Something that you also hear is talk about multiple generations that are now a part of what was once an extreme sport. Three generations of divers within a family has become common and when you see adolescents, mom and/or dad, as well as grandmother and/or grandfather all diving together, it’s one of those things that makes you smile. As an instructor, my husband has seen the rise in grandparent-grandchild combination taking lessons, and this is often a topic in the seminars that he attends during the show.
Yes, the “Marketing” part of DEMA is to help promote scuba as a sport with all the associated equipment, products, and services, but most of the people involved in these products and services are (or have been ) avid divers. For the majority of us, it is about how best to share the wonder and excitement we have experienced with those who have not yet slipped beneath the water’s surface to temporarily exist within the fascinating underwater world.
It is easier than ever to learn to scuba dive, especially to take an introductory course where you learn the fundamentals under careful control of a dive professional. So think about adding this activity to your next appropriate vacation.

A Gathering of USS Spiegel Grove Veterans……..

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There is a fairly lengthy explanation on my web site about Gun Mounts and Groupers: Inside the USS Spiegel Grove, a new non-fiction book that will be out in November. The short version is that Don Altemus, a Miami banker and underwater photographer, kept after me until we finally sat down and worked out what seemed to be a logical approach to the book. There are two groups that have a special interest in the Spiegel Grove – those who served on her and those who embrace her today as an incredible artificial reef. Finding a way to bridge those two groups and keep a photo-heavy book at a reasonable price posed some difficulty. After much thought, the end result is a 53-page, soft cover book with 14 photos and 1 illustration. (Most of the photographs are from Don.) The book provides the essential history of the ship, the transformation into an artificial reef, and a level-by-level discussion of her as a dive destination today. In the process of writing the book, I was invited to be the guest speaker at the 2011 Spiegel Grove Reunion Association meeting in Jacksonville, Florida this past Saturday. My husband put together a video of several sections of the ship, and as it turned out, Don Altemus was able to join us.

There were approximately 50 people at the reunion; to include some who served on the Spiegel when she was first commissioned and at least one gentleman who was on the ship during her final active duty days. The men and their wives were so much fun and Don had gone to a great deal of trouble to have copies of some detailed engineering plans available. We spent most of Saturday with the plans spread out in the lounge of the hotel and a spiral-bound proof of the book so they could have some idea of what it would be like. Don and my husband were given some incredible insights into the workings of the ship from engineering and operational perspectives and I was treated to more great stories.The evening was enjoyable and after the presentation, I think that most of the attendees who had felt a pang of loss at the idea of their ship being deliberately sent to the bottom of the ocean came to see how highly regarded the Spiegel is now as an artificial reef. It was a rewarding experience for the three of us and we hope that we can sustain the relationship that we made with the group.

  Attendees to the 21st Spiegel Grove Reunion came from every part of the country for the multiple day event.