Fractured – Update
I was thinking that it has been awhile since I posted any update on the condition of my fractured vertebrae. To update you, back at the end of August, 2010 I was heading off shore with some fellow adventurers, Joe Kistel and Ed Kalakauskis, along with our captain Steve Shaw to film the state of Spike, a vessel we placed a year earlier. On the way out, we hit a pot-hole, for lack of a better picture and fell in and against this hole. Twice I was bounced from my seat and within seconds I was on all fours in agony and nauseous. Upon arrival at the ER and a CAT, it was found I fractured my T12 vertebrae and have a number of discs popped out of alignment. August 26, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Boats, Emergency/FirstAid, Report
TUFF-E-NUFF
The saga continues and TUFF-E-NUFF is proving to be TUFF but not E-NUFF for Joe Kistel, Ed Kalakauskis and I, Larry Davis. The three of us made TUFF-E-NUFF our home this past weekend. What a cleaning she got. Cutting more wires than we cared to, we cut and cut, pulled, snipped, sawed, unbolted, tugged, snipped and a few choice words. Here are some of the pictures from this past weekends, 12/4-5/2010 efforts. The slideshow [slideshow id=8] The images. Click on an image to enlarge the image. Click on the enlarged image to enlarge the enlarged image . [nggallery id=8] Individual pictures I thought I would elaborate to give you the sense of the reasons why the pictures exist. This first picture is the view the three of us had as we disembark TUFF-E-NUFF. The joke was unless we get back to shore … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Boats
TUFF-E-NUFF
Work on TUFF-E-NUFF, the 19th century tug (1895) is making great strides. Coast Guard inspection is coming this Monday December 6, 2010. We continue to remove loose debris, remove port holes, hatches, glass windows, cable, piping, porcelain (the thrown), wood, water, diesel, oil, mud and gunk as well as patch holes. So far the rudder has been removed and the screw is coming off this weekend. Hopefully by Sunday, she will be moved to a location off the sand bar and into deeper waters, where she will need to float for the inspection. Once she is certified for towing, off towards Port St. Lucie she will be heading as one of Florida’s last artificial reefs for 2010. If you live in or Near St. Mary’s Georgia and are willing to assist in preparing … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Boats
TUFF-E-NUFF
Saturday November 20, 2010 Joe Kistel and I, Larry Davis drove up to St. Marys, Georgia to TUFF-E-NUFF, the 105 year old tug built in 1895. We spend about 5 hours on the vessel, cleaning, removing stuff, and inspectiing the engine compartment. Here are some pictures from that day. You can see the amount of work there is and needs to get done. If you or anyone you know would like to get involved with creating an artificial reef, we would love to hear from you. Get a different perspective of what goes on to ready this vessel for her new home. This picture shows the amount of rust and silt built up. You can just make out the bolts in the center. In this next picture, you are looking aft, starboard side. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Boats, Events, Reefs, Reference, Report, Videography, Wrecks
Manatees with Dr. Quinton White
Last night I attended a presentation on the subject of Manatees. Though I live in Florida and Florida has manatees, the subject covered the Florida manatees as well as manatee sightings around the globe. In the pictures are Dr. Quinton White. Subject were very informative and kept me drawn into the slide presentation as well as the information being passed onto the audience. For example, a comparison of population growth during warm water vs. hour of light. Temperature follows hours of light. What was displayed were graphs which depicting the occurrence of population growth during longer daylight hours as well as an increase in water temperature. The graph displayed both equally, yet temperature showed a slight delay when compared to the light hours. Here is the link to the Jacksonville University Marine … Read entire article »
Latest News From ScubaExtreme
Rock on ScubaExtreme! November looks like a fun month. Pompano Nov. 13-14th. Free food at Ginnie! What else do you need? Yes, Friends. Email or call Scubaextreme for details. Winters coming upon us. If your hanging up your mask for the winter, first, your hanging it up too soon. We’re still diving! Get your training done before the outside weather gets too cold. Florida springs are a constant 72ish degrees F year round and one of the advantages of living in the Sunshine state, the Springs are crystal clear. Looking forward to seeing you in Pompano and Ginnie Springs this month. I know it’s been a long year for me. This is a nice way to end this year and begin the next. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Adv. Open Water, Boats, Diver, Events, Instructor, Open Water, Photography, Promotions, Reefs, Reference, Report, Travel, Trip Invitations
Florida Dive Show Dec 3,4 2010
Mark your Calendar December 3th & 4th, 2010 Question Email info@divechronicles.com Palm Beach County Convention Center Show Hours: Friday 5 PM – 8 PM Saturday 9AM – 5 PM Seashepherd will be coming to the show aka Whale Wars! Tickets are avialable at the show. Cost is $ 15.00 at the Door Stop by your local dive center to get a discount coupons saving you 50% off the gate admission … Read entire article »
Filed under: Adv. Open Water, Artificial Reefs, Boats, Convention, Diver, Emergency/FirstAid, Events, Master Diver, Open Water, Photography, Promotions, Reefs, Reference, Report, Rescue Diver, Specialties, Training, Travel, Videography, Wrecks
Buggery on the High Seas
I loaned out my video camera to a team member for todays dive offshore florida. When they returned the camera, they unknowningly left it recording while out at sea. Unfortunately there is no video because it is facing something that made the video dark, BUT the audio came out. Here is what the camera recorded. Sounds like a rough ride back for a few… 🙂 Listen to The Buggery No one on any boat was harmed during the making of this audio. Cheech and Chong: Pedro and Man at the drive in. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Boats, Events, Reefs, Reference, Report
Recent Post on facebook
I placed this post out under PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) Discussion Topics area this morning. Why are Instructors excluded from being a choice for students to select when registering/signing up elearning? a few years ago, PICs were available online except for Instructors. Now elearning is online and ALL Teaching Status Instructors are not listed as a contact for the prospective student. Take the total number of Teaching Status Instructors there are in the database. Divide the number of IRRAs into that number and tell me if the quotent is a realistic number? That number represents the number of instructors / IRRA. It’s over a 100 instructors / IRRA. What is the average number of Instructors / IRRA? Perhaps 10. Why is there such a deviation between the two numbers? Now, take that difference, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Adv. Open Water, Boats, Cave, Cavern, Divemaster, Diver, Emergency/FirstAid, Events, Fish, Instructor, Master Diver, Open Water, Photography, Reefs, Reference, Report, Rescue Diver, Specialties, Training, Travel, Videography, Wrecks
A Concrete Boat
The TISIRI Team once again is out looking at material for it’s candidacy as an artificial reef. We are contacted by Carl Blow,who informs us there is a concrete vessel parked outside his door. It didn’t take long for the team to assemble, head to St. Augustine, Fl. and catch a skif over to this vessel. Here are some pictures from our visit 14 Oct. 2010. We figured we were driving by this vessel on our way to Whitney Labs, so we stopped. As Carl Blow, St. Johns County Waterways Commissioner, Joe Kistel, Larry Davis, Ed Ed Kalakauskis, with TISIRI approach the boat. From the bow, I snap this shot of Carl Blow and Joe Kistel discussing the opportunity of this vessel as an artificial reef of the St. Augustine, florida coast line. Carl Blow … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Boats, Events, Photography, Reference, Report, Wrecks