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See Turtles!

Sea Turtle Identification Guide  From Monique Mancilla and Daniel Ponce-Taylor  [singlepic id=669 w=320 h=240 float=center] Sea turtles are an almost common sight while diving. We like watching them, following them and admiring them. Those who carry a camera like to take pictures and hoping for that perfect angle. Those with a video camera like to film their majestic movements. While we see them from time to time, do we know how to identify the species when found? Here is bit of terminology to assist you in honing your turtle identification skills! Identifying Features of Sea Turtles: • Carapace: The upper part of the shell • Plastron: The underside of the shell protecting the belly • Scutes: The scales on the shell and body • Dorsal Ridges: The longitudinal ridges running down the top of the upper shell • Beak: The mouth To … Read entire article »

Filed under: Conservation, Diver, Divetalking, Education, extinction, Featured, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Report, Turtles

Indonesia 2012

The trip began on a Thursday, May 03, 2012. 24 hours later + 1 day (due to crossing over the international date line) I arrive in Indonesia. Saturday May 5, 2012 making my way from the airport to Lembah the trip was an experience. Cars zooming around motorcyclist, pedestrians skirting vehicles and vehicles dodging potholes. We reach the boat and are whisked off to the island where the hotel resides. Home for the next 7 days. Here is a short presentation of just a small number of photos I captured during the two weeks in Indonesia. [xr_video id=”434ea5a964bd42c8b17d2187f3f668fc” size=”md”] [nggallery id=43]   … Read entire article »

Filed under: Boats, Diver, Featured, ocean, Open Water, Photography, Reefs, Report, Stories, Travel, Trip Report

Missing Diver in Cozumel on March 28, 2012 UPDATE

Missing Diver in Cozumel on March 28, 2012 UPDATE

As of this day, 18 April 2012 I sadly report the diver that went missing on March 28, 2012 at Santa Rosa, Cozumel Mexico has not be located. As divers, we are always concerned for the well being of our fellow divers. We like to remain updated of any cause so that we may apply what we learn to become safer divers. Please take the time to read the follow-up posts from divers that were … Read entire article »

Filed under: Diver, Featured, Open Water, Reefs, Reference, Report, Rescue, Travel

Divers Direct Sponsors Multi-Location Beach and Reef Cleanup

Divers Direct Sponsors Multi-Location Beach and Reef Cleanup

Sunday, April 22nd FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Divers Direct, Florida’s largest retailer of SCUBA diving equipment, announces its 2nd annual “Scrub & Grub” beach and reef cleanup to benefit multiple locations throughout the state of Florida. This year’s event is being held on Earth Day (Sunday, April 22nd) to bring awareness to the importance of maintaining the health of the aquatic environment by engaging in “green” practices when enjoying this natural resource. Each of the Divers Direct store … Read entire article »

Filed under: Adv. Open Water, Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Diver, Earth, Events, Featured, ocean, Promotions, Reefs, Reference, Report, Volunteer

REEF internships now available

REEF internships now available

REEF internships now available The Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) has year-round internships available for certified SCUBA divers with an interest in protecting the marine environment. Interns present fish identification seminars to divers, conduct fish biodiversity surveys while diving, learn about lionfish biology, educate local communities about marine conservation issues and assist organizations such as the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Coral Restoration Foundation. Minimum qualifications for an internship include a current open-water SCUBA certification, previous … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Diver, Featured, Products, Reefs, Reference, Report, Volunteer

Missing Diver March 28, 2012 in Cozumel UPDATE

Missing Diver March 28, 2012 in Cozumel UPDATE

Click HERE to read original post. On March 29th, 2012 I received an email from a DM friend working the boats with Sand Dollar this morning regarding the missing diver off Santa Rosa. He writes: Today and Tomorrow will be the last days of rescue for the missing girl. I am sure she never made the surface, I told the captain 15 minutes after we couldn’t find her on the surface. We check other boats in … Read entire article »

Filed under: Diver, Emergency/FirstAid, Events, Featured, ocean, Open Water, Reefs, Reference, Report

Diver Lost in Cozumel March 28, 2012

On March 28, 2012 while diving Santa Rosa, Cristina Cassin fails to surface during an aborted dive. Currents have gotten strong and the dive was aborted. Upon surfacing, Cristina was not with the group. A call over the radio was made. Search and recovery is still occuring at this time. Here is the english translation for the link below. COZUMEL, March 28. – He lost a foreign tourist who was diving on the reef of Santa Rosa. The woman was with a group of divers when he made the sign that was to emerge to the surface, which he did, however, when the group ended the tour and got into the boat that carried them, the crew noticed that she was not . Escalante Genaro Medina, chief officer of Federal Maritime Ward (Remafe) of the … Read entire article »

Filed under: Boats, Diver, Featured, ocean, Open Water, Reference, Report, Rescue

Death of a good friend, my captain, Bill Newman

I was browsing my sent emails, cleaning up and came across this. Bringing tears to my eyes, I spend many consecutive weekends offshore with Bill. Man he knew the spots and placed you right on top of the wrecks. When you dropped in and hit the bottom, the objects were always right there. I miss Bill, his boat Seabeast. The memories will live my lifetime. Diver’s death investigated; friend says gas mix is crucial By DANA TREEN The Times-Union,  As investigators continued looking into the death of an experienced Jacksonville dive instructor and charter operator Saturday, a close friend on the boat when he died said his friend was using a sophisticated mix of gases that might be to blame. An autopsy today of William David Newman, 40, will determine whether the mixture that allows … Read entire article »

Filed under: Adv. Open Water, Artificial Reefs, Boats, Divemaster, Diver, Emergency/FirstAid, Events, Instructor, ocean, Open Water, Reference, Report, Rescue, Stories, Trip Report

DEMA WORKS WITH FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION (FWC) TO PLACE FAIR LICENSURE LANGUAGE IN FLORIDA BILL

DEMA WORKS WITH FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION (FWC) TO PLACE FAIR LICENSURE LANGUAGE IN FLORIDA BILL

Culmination of Effort That Began Last Year Clarifies Responsibility and Ensures Options for Divers and Dive Operators in Fishing and Lobster Licensing Law Following months of close collaboration with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), DEMA has succeeded in placing language regarding the licensure of dive charter vessels in Florida House Bill 7025. This Bill amends a previous law which would have forced dive charter operators to purchase a fishing and lobster license … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Boats, Conservation, Diver, Earth, Featured, ocean, Open Water, Reefs, Reference, Report

Underwater World Offshore Jacksonville Florida Event

Underwater World Offshore Jacksonville Florida Event

Thursday March 29th, 2012 @ 7PM Intuition Ale Works 720 King Street, Jacksonville, Fl. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Diver, Earth, Events, Featured, ocean, Open Water, Photography, Promotions, Reefs, Reference, Report, Volunteer

S.B. Filmmaker Mike DeGruy Killed in Helicopter Crash

Mike DeGruy, the internationally respected and unanimously liked documentarian of underwater nature films who called Santa Barbara home, died today in a helicopter crash in Australia just before 4 p.m. local time. He had just turned 60 years old at the end of December, and leaves behind his wife and two children. In charge of curating the “Reel Nature” sidebar of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival for the past decade, DeGruy was missing his first film fest in nine years, according to his Twitter page (twitter.com/mvdegruy). He was in Australia to work on his next project, and was slated to continue working sometime next week in Papau New Guinea. The crash, which also killed a pilot from Melbourne, occurred near the town of Nowra on the New South Wales coast, according … Read entire article »

Filed under: Diver, Events, Open Water, Photography, Reefs, Reference, Report

Diver Rescues Killer Whale

A scuba diver in New Zealand diver has rescued an orca, commonly known as a killer whale, he found trapped in a fisherman’s rope. New Zealand media report the whale had become entangled in a rope attached to a crayfish trap off the coast of Coromandel Peninsula. Diver Rhys Cochrane said the whale did not seem to mind when he swam down to cut the rope and said it swam away quickly once it was freed. He said several other whales had watched from a distance. New Zealand orca expert Ingrid Visser watched the video Cochrane had taken of the experience. She said whales are smart enough to know when you are trying to help them. Visser said she could see bite marks on the whale, indicating other whales had tried to free it. Visser … Read entire article »

Filed under: Diver, Events, Featured, Killer Whale, ocean, Open Water, Reference, Report, Rescue, Video, Whales

Conversations with History: Ocean Voyages with Sylvia Earle

I present to you Dr. Sylvia Earle … Read entire article »

Filed under: Conservation, Diver, Featured, Promotions, Reference, Report, Training

Scuba Extreme Adventure Sports & Travel

Scuba Extreme Adventure Sports & Travel It is the second annual Small Business Saturday, come show support for your local dive shop and remember everyone who comes in gets a FREE gift from us to show our appreciation! We will be in the store until 3:30 this afternoon. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Diver, Events, Featured, Instructor, Open Water, Photography, Promotions, Reefs, Reference, Report, Specialties, Training, Travel, Videography, Wrecks

Fridays dives at Blue Grotto, Williston FL

Here are a few pictures from todays dive. The strobe connector from the Nikonos dual port to the hot shoe on the camera disconnected in the decent. No strobes were available to me during the dive. All shots are taken without strobe and with all natural light.     … Read entire article »

Filed under: Adv. Open Water, Cavern, Diver, Events, Open Water, Photography, Report, Trip Report

Blue Grotto, Williston Fl. 11/27/2011

For those who are in reach of this dive site, a team of Divetalking divers are heading to Blue Grotto Sunday Nov 27, 2011 to enjoy the peace and the visibility that come to the springs this time of year. If you are available and willing to dive with us, please plan on joining us this Sunday Nov 27, 2011 at Blue Grotto in Williston Fl. We should be arriving shortly after 8AM. Look for the Black Toyota Tundra with the messed up bumpber. The Divetalking team will be setting up and hitting the spring as soon as eveyone present is suited up and ready to go. We plan to perform a couple of dives, shoot some film, hit the bottom and get narced out on Nitrox. If it’s been awhile … Read entire article »

Filed under: Cavern, Diver, Events, Featured, Master Diver, Open Water, Photography, Promotions, Report, Trip Invitations, Videography

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