The dive instructors at North Suburban Scuba Instructors (NSSI), who have taught YScuba for over 15 years, have chosen NAUI as the new certifying association. Why NAUI?  “The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI Worldwide) has been teaching the world to dive safely since 1959. As the largest non-profit and most respected dive training and certifying organization in the world, NAUI offers a full range of training programs from Skin Diver through Instructor Course Director, with dozens of specialty courses including Nitrox and Technical diving. “

NSSI will still continue to teach at the North Suburban Y but there will be some advantages for new dive students:

• Shorter class time (7 weeks instead of 10)
• Better class materials (DVDs to accompany class lectures)
• Greater opportunity for additional training
• As always free refreshers session as needed.

The instructors and assistants at NSSI are excited to begin our affiliation with NAUI and look forward to another great 15 years of scuba instructions with our students.

Recently, Dave from TechLife sent me this link to Gizmodo, about the Pentax W60 waterproof camera.  The video on the link shows snorkelers swimming with a whale shark off the coast of Maui.  While the video sucks (due to the photographer), it does show how well the Pentax W60 works underwater (rated only down to 13 feet).  While the camera is not recommended for divers, it is perfect for those who snorkel a lot.

Malta is small group of 7 islands 58 miles off the southern coast of Sicily, in the Mediterranean Sea.  Many of us have been to a Stingray City type of park, but the Marine Adventure Park in Malta offers a different kind of experience.  The Idea behind the Marine Adventure Park which is being run on an experimental and on a trial run bases is to create an enriched habitat with a variety of Pelagic Fish species that are not protected by law, that are harmless to humans and which can co-exist together in an enclosed environment. The size of the fish held are not small but are at least one meter long as otherwise they could pass through the net mesh.

If you want to get an idea of your adventure watch the video of snorkelers feeding and diving with blue fin tuna and Barry the Barracuda.

I often answer questions while feeding the fish and marine life when diving at Shedd Aquarium.  One of the most frequently asked questions is, “aren’t you afraid to be diving with those hammerhead sharks?”  I generally answer the question in 2 parts.  First these are not hammerhead sharks, they are Bonnethead sharks, and no I am not afraid, we humans are not on their food chain.

The bonnethead, Sphyrna tiburo, also called shovelhead, is a smaller version of the hammerhead shark. Its odd-shaped head contains a multitude of electroreceptors to detect minute electromagnetic disturbances.

Like its hammerhead cousin, the bonnethead feeds by swimming across the sea floor, moving its head in an arc pattern like a metal detector.

Bonnetheads feed primarily on crustaceans, consisting mostly of blue crabs, but also eat shrimp, mollusks and small fishes. To expand its food choices, the shark has small, sharp teeth in front for grabbing soft prey, and flat, broad molars in back for crushing hard-shelled animals.

When its electroreceptors detect a meal hidden in the sand, the shark turns sharply and bites into the sediment. If it’s a crab, the shark uses its teeth to grind the shell, then uses suction to swallow the crab whole.

On average, bonnetheads are about 3 and a-half feet long. They range from New England, where they are rare, to the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, and from southern California to Ecuador. In spring, summer and fall, they are found off Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico.

Bonnetheads are not considered dangerous to humans. They usually swim in small groups of five to 15 individuals, though schools of hundreds or even thousands have been reported.

Science Magazine is reporting the conservation status of 845 zooxanthellate reef-building coral species have been assessed using IUCN Red List Criteria. Of the 704 species that could be assigned conservation status, 32.8% are in categories with elevated risk of extinction. Declines in abundance are associated with bleaching and diseases driven by elevated sea surface temperatures, with extinction risk further exacerbated by local-scale anthropogenic disturbances. The proportion of corals threatened with extinction has increased dramatically in recent decades and exceeds most terrestrial groups. The Caribbean has the largest proportion of corals in high extinction risk categories while the Coral Triangle (western Pacific) has the highest proportion of species in all categories of elevated extinction risk. Our results emphasize the widespread plight of coral reefs and the urgent need to enact conservation measures.

It is time to get OUR act together and save our oceans and the life in and around it.  Here are some organizations which you can volunteer to help in a variety of ways.  We can do it.

Reef

OCEAN RESEARCH & CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

MarineBio

Ocean Conservation Society

Great Lakes Forever

Please add to list by sending us a comment.  Let others know about any organization which you support to help save our oceans, lakes and waterways.

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 from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor as we work to keep citizens informed of the changing environment around them.”

NOAA has many programs is an information source for both divers and non-divers.  One of the many programs available is CoRis or Coral Reef Information System.  Anyone can find out information about the health of coral reefs throughout the world.  Nice information to know as you plan your next dive/snorkel trip.  NOAA also maintains the National Marine Fisheries Service, which monitors and informs the public about fish programs in the US including FishWatch that will help you as a consumer, make sensible decisions about eating sustainable seafood.  An example of this is the Right Bite program at Shedd Aquarium.

Did you know that NOAA also has an ocean website called Ocean Explorer?  Ocean Explorer offers a lot of information about our oceans (dah, the name).  This is one of my favorite sites.  In addition to current information you can even get lesson plans to teach whole units on our oceans from grades 5 - 12.

So now you know who NOAA is and what it does.  You can get involved by following such programs as Right Bite and teaching others about our oceans and what affect we as humans are having on them and the creatures that live in them.  I hope some part of NOAA becomes one of your favorite sites too.

Aruba http://youtube.com/watch?v=oOUN0QeOUqQ&feature=related

Bonaire http://youtube.com/watch?v=nEe9WWAvJ8c

Curacao http://youtube.com/watch?v=djx4tXy10sU

Do you remember the ABC song or maybe the Beach Boys Kokomo song?

Aruba, jamaica ooo I wanna take you
Bermuda, bahama come on pretty mama
Key largo, montego baby why dont we go
Jamaica……

Both The  ABC and Kokomo songs take us to the southern Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.  Often called the ABC islands, these 3 islands offer some of the best diving, snorkeling, and hot vacations spots in the world. 

Aruba is a hot spot for many topside vacationers.  Land adventures include jeep trips, museums, and a very active nightlife.  It has many dive sites including the 400-foot Antilla, the largest wreck in the Caribbean. 

B is Bonaire.  Most divers and snorkelers know Bonaire for it wonderful shore diving, healthy reefs and colorful marine life.  Bonaire created the 1st National Marine Park in the Caribbean, and this has kept the area around Bonaire as one of Scuba Diving Magazine’s top 5 dive areas in the world for many years.

The C is for Curacao.  This Dutch island which offers Carnival, colorful and bright Willemstad and good diving at sites such as The Tugboat.

So, if you really know your ABC’s it is off the Aruba, Bonaire or Curacao for 3 of the top vacation and dive areas in the Caribbean.

A dive light can be an essential part of your rescue equipment.  Scuba Diving.com compares many different lights ranging from about $20 to over $500.  My emergency b/u light is Princeton Tech XL which last for about 50 hours on 4-AA batteries.  I can use it to light my safety sausage, or have it on during a night dive, and it fits in my BCD pocket.  Every diver should have 3 pieces of resuce equipment with them even if they rent their equipment.  A b/u small flashlight, a safety sausage and a signaling device.  You can buy all of these items for under $50 and pack them on any dive trip.  All 3 items will fit in your BCD pockets and in that case of emergency, you can send a signal for rescue.

So the question is ……… WHAT’s IN YOUR POCKET?  Let us hear from you!