What do you know about NOAA?  First, do you know what NOAA stands for? Second, do you know what NOAA does and third do you know how you can be part of NOAA?
NOAA is the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, a division of the US Department of Commerce.  “NOAA is an agency that enriches life through science. Our reach goes […]

 
As a safety and hazardous materials consultant, trainer, and a scuba diver, I am amazed how many people transport scuba tanks in their cars, vans and trucks illegally.  Scuba tanks or as the US DOT (Department of Transportation) classifies them PRESSURE CYLINDERS are regulated by the DOTs Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.  In small quantities […]

I served 4 years in the Air Force (Vietnam) and 2 years in the reserves and NEVER heard that the Air Force had ships.  Now as a scuba diver I learned they had a small fleet of ships.
KEY WEST ― Scuba divers and Key West hotel operators are circling May 15th on their calendars.
That’s the day […]

A while back, I used to swim over a mile a day. I would have had to swim another 35+ years to equal the feat of one Leatherback Turtle. 
The Chicago Tribune on Saturday, February 9 reported that scientists tracked a leatherback turtle that swam from Indonesia to Oregon and back to Hawaii in a 13,000-mile […]

The Chicago Tribrune reports, “Coral reefs around the world are struggling from a combination of assualts.  Decades of overfishing have removed fish and other animals that keep overgrowth of algae in check….”  As I reported back in September “Corals have been assessed and added to the IUCN Red List for the very first time.” 
Divers, […]

Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
The NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program has developed a colorful new printed guide and Web page for scuba diving enthusiasts about diving in our nation’s 13 national marine sanctuaries, home to some of America’s most spectacular underwater sights.
…
The new diving guide, introduced at the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association’s […]

I was recently reading this month’s edition of Scuba Diving Magazine.  As I turned to the Lessons for Life article, I was surprised to read it was about driving safety instead of scuba safety. 
As a safety consultant and trainer, I am always talking about safety both at and away from work.  The BLS (Bureau of Labor […]

What’s next?  The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans is in a dispute with none other than FEMA.  This dispute is about the Aquarium saving FEMA a little over half-million dollars.  FEMA agreed to pay the New Orleans Aquarium $616,000 to help restock fish lost during Hurricane Katrina, if the fish were bought through commercial suppliers.  Instead, the Aquarium […]

This summer, while completing the second phase of a two-year broad scientific survey of the waters around the Aleutian Islands, scientists have discovered what may be three new marine organisms. This year’s dives surveyed the western region of the Aleutians, from Attu to Amila Island, while last year’s assessment covered the eastern region.
During the […]

Like this picture?  It might not be here for long.
How many of you have heard of the “Red List?”  I recently became aware of The World Conservation Union’s Red List of Threatened Species.  Why should we as divers, snorkelers, swimmers or water enthusiast be aware?  Here is the reason:
First appearance of corals on the IUCN […]