editorial
THE TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS
By Alex Brylske
As sea creatures, humans don't fare very well. In fact, our lungs as well as the various other holes and air-filled structures in our body make surviving at depth quite a challenge for us. The way we overcome these terrestrial limits is, of course, through technology and training. The training part is what this publication is all about, and the technology of diving is a subject that we commonly address, as is the case in this month's feature on gearing up for diving, "Fit, Function and FUN: Selecting and Using New Scuba Equipment."
Gaining a thorough understanding of how diving technology works and how to use it is one of the most vital educational objectives of anyone wishing to become a diver. And imparting this knowledge is one of the most vital roles of a scuba instructor. Learning about the equipment of diving, however, is only one of several subjects that compete for a student's attention in an entry-level diver training course. Topics such as physics, physiology and the aquatic environment are just as important, so training curricula attempt to balance what would-be divers need to know about the subject matter of diving within the time available to teach them.
I in no way mean to imply that diver training courses give short shrift to the topic of equipment. It's just that there's a limited amount of time that students spend in training, and there's lots to accomplish. Fortunately, when it comes to learning about diving technology there's another educational resource available to students, but it's one that some don't take advantage of to the fullest extent. That resource is your local dive center.
Professional dive centers are far more than just places where you show up to take your class. Even the old term "dive shop" really doesn't do them - or you - justice because their job is a whole lot more than to just sell you gear. They're actually centers of learning and dissemination of information. They and their staff serve the needs of all divers, regardless of background and interest. They are the "laboratories" where novices and seasoned experts alike can come to learn, especially about the more in-depth aspects of equipment technology that there's just not enough time to address in most training courses. What's more, it's their full-time business to remain up to date on diving's most cutting-edge and innovative products and services. It also helps that, unlike your class, this experience is one-on-one. In a phrase - like the Geek Squad - when it comes to diving, professional dive centers are the "technology experts."
Learning about diving technology is one of the most important and, to many, interesting aspects of the diving experience; and we try to do all that we can to advance that objective within the pages of this magazine. But there's a world of difference between reading about something and actually handling it, wearing it or using it. Firsthand experience is something that the printed word just can't accomplish. But, thankfully, there is a place where you can handle, wear, use and come to understand the technology that makes diving both possible and safe, and that place is your local dive center. So, when it comes to learning more about diving, make sure to use all the resources available, including the one that's right down the street.













buddy lines
FEARS ABOUT FEAR
While I applaud your addressing the important topic of fear ("Fear Factor: A Physiological Perspective," October 2007), I am concerned that your article may perpetuate the same anecdotal misconceptions about fear that have existed for the last century. For example, the fight or flight response is actually the fight, flight, freeze or faint response. When viewed in this larger context the parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for the freeze and faint responses) is the dominant aspect of the emergency response system and is not simply relegated to a recovery system as you indicated. This is a significant distinction, as the most common modern stress response is to freeze (e.g., motorists never touch their brakes, skydivers never deploy their reserve chute, pilots don't eject from a burning aircraft).
Further, while you did outline the stress response rather completely, the majority of the items you mentioned are largely irrelevant to someone attempting to survive such a situation. Do we really care that our digestion decreases, or that our immune system is suppressed, or that we sweat, or evacuate our bladder? More important is that we lose the ability to perform both fine and complex motor skills, the passage of time is distorted, and the ability to make rational decisions is interrupted. Our perception is further altered by auditory exclusion. You briefly mentioned pupil dilation and that it causes blurred vision but the visual problems are much more far-reaching than that. Near vision is disrupted, depth perception is lost, and our visual field narrows (tunnel vision).
While fear was once thought to be an emotion it is now more widely accepted as a cognition. Again, this is a very important distinction when attempting to control individual reaction under stress.
Your research was right on but it largely reflected the dogmatic views of fear and the stress reaction.
Burt Yaroch
Fort Worth, Texas

Diving Career of a Different Sort
I am a huge enthusiast of your magazine and recommend it to all my students.
I have read with great interest your features on careers in the diving industry and I thought I would bring another one to your attention. Though it is not a job in high demand, it is one that I think most divers would find interesting.
I am an "artist handler" with Cirque du Soleil's production of "O" based in Las Vegas. As an artist handler, I am responsible for the safety of the artists in the production. I am also responsible for swimming the artists on and off stage while they breathe off scuba, setting up props for scenes, and "catching" artists as they perform, and setting them up for their next act.
The biggest feature of the show is the "stage." It is 100 feet by 80 feet [30 m by 24 m], 25 feet [7.5 m] deep and houses seven hydraulic platforms that can be moved from 17 feet [5 m] below the surface to above the surface of the water if needed.
I would love to see an article written on our unique job for without us, it would be difficult to stage such an elaborate production.
Rob
Las Vegas

Dental Adhesives
I recently read your issue regarding "Dental Issues for Divers" (No Dumb Questions, September 2007). I have seen other articles regarding this issue but never have I seen dental adhesives mentioned. I have both top and bottom dentures and every time I dive I use "Fixodent," a dental adhesive. I use it to prevent the possibility of choking and possible loss of the denture while diving.
I only use the adhesive while diving and it works great for a full day of diving. I feel confident and very safe using it. There are several other brands out there; I'm sure they all work as well. I think it would be good for your readers to learn of this. I enjoy your magazine every chance I get to read it. Hope I have been of help.
Jim Kelly
Via e-mail

State Department Web Site
I was reading the September issue of Dive Training magazine, and was very excited to see the online travel registration service with the State Department article (Dive Traveler: "Foreign Service: State Department Help for Citizen Travelers"). I am an IT consultant on the team that built this Web site and maintains it. The article was well-written, and I was glad to see the great promotion of this service to your readers.
However, the Web link you have listed is incorrect.The correct Web site is https://travelregistration.state.gov/
ibrs/ui/. The incorrect one you listed has a ".asp" at the end and is outdated.
This summer we changed the specific site link with a new version of the Web site. If readers try to go to the site you have listed, they will receive a "Page Not Found" message, and may think the system is down.
Amy L. Adams
McLean, Virginia

Spearfishing Objection
I am (was) a subscriber to your magazine trying to learn something from the superficial articles you have written. But on your last October 2007 issue you reach the top with ["The Underwater Hunter: The History and How-to of Responsible Spearfishing"]! We didn't deserve this! Spearfishing! And with cylinders on the back! Please, cancel my subscription!
Cylon
Brazil








dive observer
UNUSUAL DISCOVERIES MADE IN THE 'CORAL TRIANGLE'
By Gene Gentrup
U.S.and Philippine scientists may have discovered new marine species in what they call the world's most biologically diverse region.
Larry Madin, who led the Inner Space Speciation Project in the Celebes Sea south of the Philippines, recently returned to one of the world's deep-ocean basins in search of organisms that may have been isolated there for millions of years.
Madin, of the Massachusetts-based Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), said the Celebes Sea is at the heart of the "coral triangle" bordered by the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia - a region recognized by scientists as having the greatest degree of biological diversity of the coral reef community of fish and other marine life.
The team was able to explore to a depth of 9,186 feet (2,800 m) using a remotely operated camera. The deepest part of the Celebes Sea is 16,500 feet (5,000 m).
Madin led the project that involved WHOI and National Geographic in cooperation with the Philippine government, which also provided the exploration ship.
The expedition included more than two dozen U.S. and Philippine scientists and a group from National Geographic - including underwater photographer Emory Kristof, who teamed with noted underwater explorer Robert Ballard of WHOI in 1985 to find the wreckage of the Titanic.
The team spent about two weeks in the Celebes Sea off Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines' southernmost provincial archipelago, about 687 miles (1,100 km) south of Manila.
Madin said the team collected about 100 different specimens, including several possibly newly discovered species. One was a nearly transparent sea cucumber, which could swim by bending its elongated body. Another was an unusually black jellyfish that was found near the bottom of the sea. But perhaps the most striking creature discovered was a spiny orange-colored worm that had 10 tentacles like a squid, he said.
He said it would take more research in the United States to determine whether the species they have brought back are newly discovered.
Madin said the Celebes Sea, being surrounded by islands and shallow reefs, is partially isolated from the rest of the world's oceans and may have been more isolated millions of years ago, leading scientists to believe that "there may be groups of organisms that have been contained and kept within" the basin since then.
More information about the project is available at http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/07philippines/welcome.html.

White House Leader Tours
Vandenberg Keys Artificial Reef Project
A White House official recently took a close-up look at the 524-foot-long Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, the latest ship-to-reef project of the dive industry.
James Connaughton, the chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality joined other federal and Florida officials October 8 to examine a decommissioned U.S. Air Force missile-tracking ship being prepared to be intentionally sunk as an artificial reef off Key West, in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
The ship once tracked Mercury and Gemini space liftoffs and was a movie set in "Virus," a 1999 release that starred Jamie Lee Curtis, William Baldwin and Donald Sutherland.
The $5-million-plus project is scheduled to culminate in the late spring of 2008, with the vessel's scuttling about six miles (9.6 km) south of Key West. Once sunk, it should provide new habitat for marine life, a recreational venue for divers and fishermen and an "underwater classroom" for marine science students.
"We have a huge set of ships from World War II and beyond that are now destined for scrap," Connaughton said. "By taking ships like the Vandenberg and instead turning them into an artificial reef, we create a new conservation opportunity for marine wildlife and also generate economic activity."
Connaughton joined key project stakeholders at a Norfolk, Virginia, shipyard for the event, dubbed "Visit Vandenberg." Other attendees included project officials from Reefmakers and Artificial Reefs of the Keys, marine scientists, educators, veterans who served on the ship during World War II and civilians who immigrated to the United States on the Vandenberg during its original incarnation as the General Harry Taylor.
Decommissioned in 1984, the Vandenberg had been in "mothballs" among many ships retired at the James River Naval Reserve Fleet in Fort Eustis, Virginia.
Prior to the sinking, workers must rid the Vandenberg of all environmental hazards, ranging from petroleum products to PCPs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Among items that must be removed from the vessel are 800,000 feet (242,424 m) of cable. More than 50,000 man-hours of work will be necessary, but the result, according to project officials, will be a diversified structure that should appeal to divers of all skill levels.
The addition of the Vandenberg, in about 140 feet (42 m) of water, will anchor the lower end of a dive environment that Keys dive shop owners are calling the "Florida Keys Wreck Trek." At the top, off Key Largo, is the former U.S. Navy Landing Ship Dock Spiegel Grove, currently the second-largest ship in the world ever to be scuttled as an artificial reef. The aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, sunk off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, is the largest.
To commemorate the scheduled arrival of the newest artificial reef in the region, the Florida Keys & Key West has created a collector's lapel pin featuring Key West artist David Harrison Wright's interpretation of what the former U.S. Air Force missile-tracking ship Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg should look like after it is scuttled in the Keys marine sanctuary.
For more details on the Vandenberg, visit www.bigshipwrecks.com.

U.S. RECORD SET IN
'DYNAMIC APNEA NO FINS'
Wes Lapp, a member of The United States Apnea Association (USAA), recently set a new U.S. record in the freediving discipline of "Dynamic Apnea No Fins" (DNF), with a dive of 125 meters (412.5 feet) on September 30. Lapp surpassed the previous record of 117 meters (386 feet) held by Deron Verbeck set in Maribor, Slovenia, during this year's AIDA Indoor (pool) World Championships in July.
Lapp set the U.S. record during the Canadian Association for Freediving and Apnea's (CAFA) Western Regional Championships. The competition took place in a 25-meter pool at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Two AIDA judges validated Lapp's performance.
Lapp's unusual technique involves sculling with his hands at his side, and he does not kick once he has pushed off the side of the pool. Most athletes use breaststroke techniques.
DNF involves swimming without fins in a pool, with the athlete holding their breath swimming as far as they can. Distance is measured with the use of a metered tape measure. The pool must be at least 25 meters (82.5 feet) long for the performance to be valid. Other freediving disciplines include tests in depth and time.
For more information about the USAA, the U.S. National Freediving Team, visit www.usfreediving.org.

RARE ALBINO RATFISH CAUGHT IN PUGET SOUND
An albino ratfish captured off the coast of Washington has some researchers buzzing.
While collecting samples of aquatic life to better understand the food web of Puget Sound, a University of Washington doctoral student captured the ghostly, mutant ratfish off Whidbey Island. Both the curator of the University of Washington's 7.2 million-specimen fish collection and a fish and wildlife biologist with more than 20 years of sampling fish in Puget Sound said they have never seen such a thing.
"The typical ratfish in Puget Sound is brown or black with a smattering of white spots so it blends in with the sediments," said Jon Reum, the aquatic and fishery sciences doctoral student who found the fish.
The fish was almost pure white with a crystalline layer near the surface of its skin that gave it a silvery sheen. "It must have been like a beacon," says Ted Pietsch, University of Washington professor of fisheries and aquatic sciences and curator of the school's fish collection. "Why didn't it get eaten, long before this, by some predator, for example, by a spiny dogfish so common in Puget Sound and that love to devour ratfish?" The foot-long female may have been 2 or 3 years old, Reum and Pietsch said, making her a teenager in the ratfish world. She was caught in about 200 feet (61 m) of water. Puget Sound is the second-largest estuary in the Contintental United States after Chesapeake Bay.
Albinos, found among mammals, fishes, birds, reptiles and amphibians, have a gene mutation that keeps them from making the pigment melanin. The condition is rare in sea life, Pietsch says. He could find only a handful of sightings of albino sharks, and none of albino ratfish, though ratfish are common and abundant in many places around the world. Puget Sound, for example, is filled with a greater number of ratfish than any other fish, Reum says. In the June survey that turned up the albino specimen, researchers counted 7,100 ratfish compared with 2,300 English sole, the second most prevalent fish in that sampling.
"I've seen tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of ratfish in my career, and have not seen a completely albino one before," says Wayne Palsson, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist who studies groundfish populations in Puget Sound.
Palsson says the only other pure albino marine organism of any kind that he's seen in Puget Sound was a sea cucumber collected near the university's Friday Harbor Laboratories in the '90s. Ratfish are probably so-called because they have tails that are exceptionally long and streamerlike. To move through the water, they flap large, wing-like pectoral fins on their sides. There are 33 species around the world, but only one is found in Puget Sound, the white-spotted ratfish. They can grow as long as 3 feet (1 m). Like sharks and rays, ratfish have skeletons composed of cartilage instead of bone. After the albino ratfish was caught the researchers attempted to keep her alive in a bucket of water but, in spite of boards placed over the top, the fish managed to flip out of the bucket onto the deck during the night. She is now preserved and part of the UW Fish Collection.
For more information, visit http://uwnews.washington.edu/ni/article.asp?articleID=36703.

DUNLEAVY COMPLETES 53RD BLUE WHALE MURAL
Ocean Artist David Dunleavy recently completed his 53rd mural featuring life-size blue whales. He completed the project in five days on the exterior walls of the Fudge Kitchen in Ocean City, New Jersey.
The mural measures 32 by 135 feet (10 by 41 m), features a cow blue whale measuring 100 feet (30 m) and her newborn calf 23 feet (7 m) long, with an endangered hawksbills sea turtle.
Dunleavy's painted murals range from the Eastern Seaboard from Atlantic City to the Florida Keys, the Bahamas Islands, and the largest mural in Australia at the Melbourne Aquarium. Like Dunleavy's previous walls, the Ocean City mural is designed to increase global awareness of the blue whales and other endangered species and stewardship, mainly in children. For more information, visit www.daviddunleavy.com.

[EDUCATION]
UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGYCOURSE BEGINS JAN. 31
The Maritime Archaeological and Historical Society (MAHS) is accepting applications for its "Introductory Course in Underwater Archaeology," which begins January 30, 2008.
The course consists of nine evening sessions (7:30 to 9) on Wednesdays at the McLean High School, Media Center, 1633 Davidson Road, McLean, Virginia, and a pool session. The cost of the course is $150. (Make checks payable to MAHS, P.O. Box 44382, L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, D.C., 20026.) Course texts, which are optional, are expected to cost about $25. The class is open to all interested persons and will be filled on a first-come basis. Directions to McLean High School are found at www.mahsnet.org.

SCIENTISTS TRY TO SAVE CORAL USING 'CRYOPRESERVATION'
U.S. scientists have launched a project in Puerto Rico designed to save threatened microscopic species.
The Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo recently acquired 12,000 microscopic Elkhorn coral larvae harvested by zoo scientists as part of an international collaborative program to save the species. The researchers hope to return the animals, once they are grown, to their wild ocean habitat.
Zoo reproductive scientist Mary Hagedorn and invertebrate keeper Mike Henley traveled to Puerto Rico in August to collect and artificially inseminate coral. Hagedorn is pioneering the cryopreservation of coral sperm and eggs, trying to create a genome resource bank that will help preserve the genetic diversity of coral.
Hagedorn, Henley and the team captured spawning coral gametes in nets during night dives, transferring them to a beach laboratory for research and artificial insemination.
"Conservation of a delicate underwater species is always a challenge," Hagedorn said. "We achieved some important milestones this year, including learning more about the larvae rearing process, and we were able to cryopreserve the endangered coral sperm.
"Given more research, this technique may become instrumental in helping re-establish healthy coral populations in the Caribbean."
For more information, visit http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Invertebrates/Conservation/Coral/elkhorn.cfm.



[EVENTS]
ENTRIES SOUGHT FOR 'BENEATH THE SEA' PHOTO, VIDEO CONTESTS
Beneath the Sea 2008 invites underwater photographers and videographers to its annual "Worldwide Underwater Photo/Video Competition."
The deadline is December 31 and prizes include a live-aboard trip to Fiji. For contest rules and an entry blank visit Beneath the Sea at www.beneaththesea.org. There you can see the images of previous winners, get a set of rules and regulations, and download an application form for this year's competition.
The winners of the Beneath the Sea 2008 Worldwide Photo/Video Competition will be announced at the Saturday Night Film Festival the weekend of Beneath the Sea's Ocean Adventure Exposition and Dive Travel Show, March 28-30, 2008, at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. In addition to the awards that each grand-prize winner will receive, there will be prizes for placing first, second and third.
There is a contest hotline, (718) 409-0240. For more information about Beneath the Sea, call (914) 664-4310, e-mail info@Beneaththesea.org, or visit www.Beneaththesea.org.

OUR WORLD-UNDERWATER SHOW ANNOUNCES 2008 DATES
The 38th annual Our World-Underwater Show is scheduled for February 15-17, 2008, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, in Rosemont, Illinois. The show features hundreds of booths on dive travel, equipment, environmental agencies, training and retailers.
A number of workshops covering various aspects of diving will be held throughout the weekend including equipment repair, dive medicine training, photography, videography, archaeology and treasure hunting. The popular film festival also will return.
The host hotel for the 2008 show is the newly renovated Hyatt Regency O'Hare, adjacent to the convention center. Rooms can be reserved directly from the show Web site or by calling direct (800) 233-1234. Callers should mention that they are registering for the Our World-Underwater Show to receive the show rate. For additional information contact Eileen@ourworldunderwater.com.

BOSTON SCUBA SHOW FEBRUARY 23
The 57th edition of the Boston Scuba Show is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. February 23, 2008, at Marlboro Holiday Inn and Resort, intersection of routes 495 and 20.
Featured will be author Jonathan Bird, showings of Kerry and Linda Hurd's film, "In the Tank With the Fish," Dave Clancy's "Squalus," and Chris and Fred Calhoun's "Between Two Wrecks." Alan Budreau will direct other presentations on in-water videography and "Scuba History 101."
Tickets to the event cost $20 and will be available at the door, or by writing to Cecile Christensen, 2 Ocean Ave. (1-H), Gloucester, MA 01930 (checks payable to Cecile Christensen). Parking is free. For more information, call (978) 525-3432.

BENEATH THE SEA
MARCH 28-30
Beneath the Sea's 32nd annual Ocean Adventure Exposition and Travel Show is scheduled for March 28-30, 2008, at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Ocean Pals, Beneath the Sea's environmental education program for children, on Sunday, March 30, honors the winners of its 2008 poster contest and hosts a party for children. For more information on Ocean Pals, visit www.
Beneaththesea.org/v2/ocean_pals.html.
Also planned: The Women Divers Hall of Fame, www.wdhof.org, will presents a series of events and their new inductees. For more information, call (914) 664-4310, e-mail info@Beneaththesea.org, or visit www.Beneaththesea.org.

KIDS SEA CAMP
DATES ANNOUNCED
Kids Sea Camp has announced its 2008 itinerary. One location for the 2008 program is Honduras where campers can sign up for programs on July 19-26, July 26 to August 2, and August 2-9, all at Anthony's Key Resort. The trip includes meals, private boats for teen divers, unlimited diving and dive programs.
Another option is Teen Diver-Ocean Discovery Program, scheduled for July 5-12 and 12-19 in Grand Cayman, in partnership with Dive Tech and Cobalt Coast. Digital photography, wall diving, turtle releases, night diving, and a trip to Stingray City are planned.
For more information about the camps, call Kids Sea Camp at (800) 934-3483.



BOOKS
'AMERICAN WATERS'
Photographer Alex Kirkbride spent three years building a rare collection of water images from all 50 states now available in "American Waters," a coffeetable book with 164 color photographs.
Known for his creative approach, Kirkbride captured everything from the rare sight of a whale placenta to eerily still and beautiful shots of shipwrecks. His journey took him from the yellow rockweed of Clark Cove in Maine and the cranberry bogs in Massachusetts to Elvis Presley's swimming pool in Tennessee and the pink salmon of the Buskin River in Alaska.
Kirkbride's style is unusual. Consider this excerpt from the foreword by Jean-Michel Cousteau: "Anyone who picks up this volume expecting to see pretty travel photos is in for a surprise and a welcome one. Alex has the audacity to lead us into ponds and swimming pools and a variety of otherwise mundane places to show us art and nature framed by water."
The 9.75-inch-by-10.75-inch hardback book is 192 pages long and published by F+W Publications. For more information, ask about "American Waters" at your local dive shop or call (513) 531-2690.

'UNDERWATER CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION: A GUIDE FOR
LAW ENFORCEMENT'
The basic "how to" guide to underwater crime scene investigation and analysis is the collective effort of experts from the fields of criminology, forensic science, underwater archaeology, ocean engineering, and U.S. Navy diving.
Authors Thomas B. Kelley, H. Dale Nute, Michael A. Zinser and Mark Fuelner are from the Florida State University, Panama City, Underwater Crime Scene Investigation Team.
The book is filled with crime scene investigation (CSI) techniques for aquatic environments, and includes everything professionals working in the field need to know. It covers initial response, presearch organization, site investigative operations, post-search evaluation, protocols and promulgation. The text breaks down every detail of thorough organizing, evaluating and effective crime scene reporting, as well as the processes and procedures required for professional crime scene inquiry.
The 94-page spiral-bound paperback is arranged with colorful, informative photos, and easy-to-copy forms. For more information, visit your local dive shop or call Best Publishing Co. at (800) 468-1055.













always learning
DANGEROUS WATERS:
The Conservation Conversation
Story and photos by Marty Snyderman
Late one afternoon recently I went to my gym to work out and to pay for my membership for the next 12 months. In accepting my payment, a young man named Dennis, who was handling the paperwork, noticed that the T-shirt I was wearing was decorated with numerous diving company logos, and he asked if I was a diver. I said yes and that I work in the diving industry. Then he asked me if I liked to spearfish.
I told Dennis I used to enjoy spearfishing years ago, but these days it is something I am not interested in doing. To clarify my response I told Dennis I have a lot of respect for accomplished spearfishermen, and that I don't have any problems with spearfishing that abides by the law and that is done ethically, but it just isn't my thing anymore.
As our conversation continued I soon learned that Dennis is an avid, although relatively new and inexperienced, spearfisherman. When I asked Dennis what particular species he pursued, his answer - much to my dismay - was, "anything that swims, especially leopard sharks."
Anything that swims? His answer made my head swim. For several reasons. First, I had to ask myself if I thought he was serious and speaking literally when he said "anything that swims" because that would mean any species of any size at any time of the year. Of course, fish and game laws are in place to protect species and to prevent a "shoot anything with gills" mentality. Second, if his answer truly indicated a "spear anything, any time" way of thinking, I needed to decide if I was going to confront and attempt to educate him, or if I would just walk away. Third, even if I were to learn that Dennis is an ethical, law-abiding spearfisherman, I wanted to talk with him about the plight of sharks around the world.

Entering Dangerous Waters
I would never tell anyone that they should not spearfish or fish for sharks just because I happen to love sharks and am a staunch advocate for their preservation. Whether we're talking literally or figuratively, being a shark-hugger can be dangerous business. But I do want people to be aware that the reproductive biology of sharks and other cartilaginous fishes (rays and skates) is dramatically different from that of many bony fishes such as tunas, groupers, jacks and snappers. By comparison, bony fishes reach sexual maturity at a much younger age than sharks do, and they produce a lot more offspring. Yet, sharks are heavily sought after by commercial and sport fishermen. So it is important that everyone, especially those who exploit the resources, be aware of the laws that regulate shark fisheries and the serious threat that so many shark species face.
With so many species of sharks under siege in so many places around the world, it is all too easy for humans to wipe out a shark population in a given locale in no time flat. That is exactly what happened to the basking shark and angelshark populations in Southern California, and what is happening to a great many species of sharks worldwide.
A lot of "how should I respond" thoughts were careening around in my head as Dennis and I continued our exchange. I am well aware that I am not the self-appointed ocean police, but I also feel a responsibility to try to inform receptive people of ocean-related matters even though my thinking might represent a point of view different from theirs.
No doubt, it was an awkward situation for me. So, before getting too far ahead of myself, I decided to simply ask Dennis if he would explain what he meant when he told me he shoots "anything that swims" when he goes spearfishing.
As it turns out, Dennis was aware of fish and game regulations. He may have been following the letter of the law, but in my mind he wasn't doing enough to select specific species as his targets, and to match the type of spear gun, shaft and point to the species he tries to take.
To satisfy my own conscience I asked if I could talk with him for a few minutes. He acquiesced, so while trying my hardest to avoid coming across as a know-it-all, I proceeded to explain that in my opinion there is a much better, more responsible way for him to pursue spearfishing.
I told Dennis some things about fisheries management, why targeting specific species when spearfishing would likely help him be more successful, and why targeting is the right thing to do. I also talked with Dennis about the plight of sharks around the world.
Throughout our conversation I was thinking that when I was a twentysomething like Dennis I might not have listened to what some fiftysomething stranger had to say, especially if it was negative about the way I lived my life. I wondered if he was just being polite and hoping the conversation would end in a way that wouldn't cause me to cancel my gym membership. After a few minutes I asked Dennis to please think about what I had to say and headed into the weight room to start my workout.
As I walked away I wondered if what I'd just said had made any difference.

The Big Payoff
Several days later when I walked into the gym, Dennis approached me. It was the first time I had seen him since our conversation. I expected him to tell me something about my membership. Instead, Dennis stuck out his hand and said, "I just want to say thank you." I suspected that he must have met his monthly sales quota, qualified for a bonus or something along those lines, but I couldn't be certain. Then, I asked him, "For what?"
To my delight and surprise, Dennis told me that as soon as he got off work the evening of our original conversation, he headed straight for the Internet to learn what he could about local fish and game regulations and the plight of sharks. Two days later he went to a local dive store to learn what he could do to become a more responsible spearfisherman.
The cynic in me fell on the floor. I told Dennis I sincerely appreciated what he had done, and then I asked him why he went to the trouble he went to. His reply: "You seemed to know what you were talking about, and you seemed like you really cared, so I thought I should at least look into what you had to say."
While trying to process what had happened, I asked Dennis one more question. Why was it he didn't know about the laws, good spearfishing practices and the plight of sharks long before we spoke? I elaborated by saying that I believe that many elementary- and junior high school-age kids are aware of these issues. He agreed. In response, Dennis said something that was simple, yet profound. He said, "I think I excuse myself sometimes. Deep down I probably knew better, but it was inconvenient to acknowledge it. My ego and laziness probably got the better of me. It always seems like conservation is something that big companies and governments need to take care of. I was guilty of thinking that I am just one person and it doesn't really matter what little ol' me does. That is not right." He went on to say, "I love the beach and the ocean, and I want to do the right things."
I really appreciated Dennis' honesty and forthrightness, and I have to give him a lot of credit for that. Dennis realized he could be and wanted to be a better person.
As this conversation ended and I headed into the gym to begin my workout I realized I was really on a high. I had a little more faith in humanity, the youth of the world and myself, and I found myself thinking that maybe there really can be a bright future for this planet and for the oceans. I hope so, anyway.
As I continued to think about all that had transpired, I found it enlightening that I had thought I was doing all of the educating, but in the end I learned at least as much from the younger, less ocean-experienced Dennis as he learned from me. I also reaffirmed my commitment to be involved even if it might sometimes have me treading dangerous waters.














no dumb questions

JAW PAIN AND DIVING, VACUUMING CORAL REEFS, TEACHING SCUBA
TO FAMILY MEMBERS
By Alex Brylske
Q:Craig Yamato sent in a question concerning his daughter. "You've addressed dental problems a few times in your past columns, and touched on a concern that seems to be having a great effect on my daughter. I'm an instructor and certified her as soon as she was old enough. The problem is that she suffers from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome, and holding a regulator in her mouth for any length of time is a problem. Her dentist has actually recommended that she stop scuba diving. However, he's not a diver, and before we consider anything that drastic, I want to find out as much as I can about whether there's anything we can do to relieve the problem. Both she and I would be deeply disappointed if she had to stop diving. Any advice?"


A:Your daughter is hardly alone in her problem, Craig. In fact, dental experts who are knowledgeable about diving believe that a good portion of headaches many complain about after diving are from undiagnosed cases of TMJ syndrome either brought on or exacerbated by the standard scuba regulator mouthpiece. There was even an article about the problem published in the March 2001 issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Its author, Dr. Ross Hobson, is an orthodontist and professor at the United Kingdom's University of Newcastle. He's also an avid scuba diver.
The study involved six male subjects, each using three types of regulator mouthpieces - a standard rubber model, a semi-customized silicone model, and a fully customized molded mouthpiece that allowed the back teeth, as well as the front teeth, to grip. All subjects were between the ages of 25 and 35, and had no history of TMJ syndrome. Each bit on the mouthpieces for 45 minutes, about the length of an average dive. Tests of the different mouthpieces were separated by intervals of at least a week.
In the end, what the study found was hardly surprising. The standard rubber mouthpiece required twice as much effort to hold it in place as the fully customized silicone model, and caused twice as much pain. Lip numbness and jaw position - the latter determined by X-ray - were also worse with the standard mouthpiece. And with all three mouthpieces, muscle fatigue gradually got worse with time. Reiterating the result in an interview for the Internet site, WebMD, Hobson said, "The more diving they do, the worse the discomfort gets, [so] a customized mouthpiece increases comfort and decreases problems and should be worn whenever possible." He says that about half of all divers with TMJ syndrome experience pain while in the water, and the other half do sometime soon after leaving the water. Interestingly, no tooth pain was reported by any subject.
The study is anything but surprising because regulator mouthpiece design hasn't changed much since scuba diving began. The bite blocks are made of rubber or, more recently, silicone and are designed to be gripped only by the front (canine) and middle (premolar) teeth. This puts stress on the jaw joints and, according to some experts, causes inflammation in about two-thirds of divers. While this alone doesn't necessarily indicate full-blown TMJ syndrome, the condition can result if the stress continues. TMJ symptoms include headache, pain in the face or jaw, difficulty opening the mouth wide or chewing, and ringing in the ears.
According to Dr. Barbara Mousel, a Chicago-based dentist and scuba diver, the problem isn't just limited to those with TMJ syndrome. In any diver, she says, "Lip numbness and ear pain can be attributed to the commercial scuba mouthpiece." In the worst cases, standard mouthpieces can even make divers dizzy and disoriented by affecting the balance function of the ear. "I agree that the customized mouthpiece is the solution to many of these problems," Mousel said in the same WebMD interview. But she also said that the Hobson study left out one important factor - the effect of pulling on the high-pressure hose that's attached to the mouthpiece. The strain of constantly pulling sideways, she believes, may add significantly to TMJ strain. Experts agree that TMJ problems are like other joint injuries, and normally resolve with rest, hot or cold compresses, and aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs. But if this offers no relief, divers should see their dentist.
Fortunately, there have been a number of new products introduced recently to address the issue of jaw fatigue induced by regulator mouthpieces. I'd strongly advise that you consult with your local dive center to get an update on the new technology. A good dentist, who also has some background in diving medicine, might be helpful, too. Whatever the two of you do, don't give up without a fight.

Q:Mike Cioffi sent in a question about, believe it or not, vacuuming coral reefs. "I read on a National Geographic Web site about using huge vacuum cleaners called 'Super Suckers' to clean the mass amounts of algae that infest the reefs in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. I've never been there, but I've certainly seen lots of algae on the reefs of the Florida Keys and many other dive sites in the Caribbean. Why isn't this done at more places?"
A:The reason you haven't seen this technique used more extensively is because most scientists don't think it's a very good idea. Like many projects that are favored by politicians, it looks good in the press but the long-term effect is, at best, suspect.
A little research turned up an excellent review of the Kaneohe Bay "vacuum clearer" project by well-known coral reef expert Dr. Tom Goreau of the Global Coral Reef Alliance. Goreau emphasizes that merely removing algae from the surface of a coral reef does nothing but temporarily improve its appearance. While the overfishing of herbivorous fishes can be one factor, coral reefs are overrun by algae primarily because of high levels of nutrients, or what scientists call "eutrophication" (literally, "good food"). So, in the long run, any project that tries to rid algae from a coral reef is doomed to failure unless the high levels of nutrients responsible for fueling its rapid growth are identified and eliminated.
Actually, it's quite curious to me that Kaneohe Bay would be the site of such a project because that's where a lot of the seminal research on the effect of coral reef eutrophication has taken place. They, of all places, should know better. Algae began smothering the reefs of Kaneohe Bay 30 years ago from sewage that was dumped into it, a result of rising population around its shores. The algae died back dramatically several years later when the sewage outfall was removed. While things began to improve, it wasn't long before the algae returned. As it turned out, controlling the sewage alone wasn't enough. Continued development of the watershed lead to uncontrolled nonpoint nutrient pollution from golf courses, lawn fertilizers and runoff from impervious surfaces like roads and parking lots. These all elevated nutrient concentrations to a level where the nuisance algae were, once again, well fed.
Goreau points out that there are very few examples of algae being removed successfully. One such case comes from Jamaica where, rather than physically removing the algae, authorities eliminated all the land-based nutrients. As a result, the algae that once choked local reefs began to die back in a matter of weeks. Within two months, only a few dying clumps remained.
The nuisance algae that's now taking over large portions of the world's coral reefs comes primarily from artificially high nutrient levels caused by development and other human activities. The algae quickly starves when the naturally low-nutrient conditions are returned to the reef. "But no amount of sucking them [algae] off will work when they grow right back because they are overfertilized," Goreau says. So it appears that the only Super Suckers of Kaneohe Bay are the poor taxpayers who have to pay for the project. It's just another example of the public not only being duped, but hosed; and yet another shining example that there are no quick fixes to environmental problems.

Q:Sarah Kincade sent a question that's never before been addressed in this column. "I've really been bitten by the diving bug, and the one thing that interests me the most isn't about technique or theory - it's issues involving personal relationships. I was wondering about whether the training organizations allow their instructors to teach family members - spouses, especially - or others with whom they have close personal relationships. And if it is allowed, how do instructors deal with this? I can see a real potential for problems."
A: First, Sarah, there is no prohibition about instructors teaching those with whom they have close personal relationships. In fact, aside from discussions among colleagues, I've never seen the issue addressed in any formal way. However, it is a subject on which dive professionals often hold strong opinions.
Some instructors have a blanket policy that they will not teach family members or close friends. A close instructor friend of mine, who abides by this "no family" policy, draws on personal experience as his rationale. He once tried teaching his wife but soon abandoned the effort. The reason was that she kept asking him, "Why do I need to know all this stuff when I'll always be with you?" Other "no friends or family" instructors maintain that they're just too close, and opt to refer their loved ones to other instructors whom they trust. However, many who have this policy will loosen it a bit when it comes to teaching courses beyond the entry-level Open Water certification.
Other instructors, myself included, have no problem - in fact, enjoy - teaching those who are closest to them. I, for example, have taught not only my wife, but my brother and my two nephews. And I've taught resort courses and led dives for my sister, sister-in-law and brother-in-law. Furthermore, I'd have absolutely no hesitancy about teaching any of my friends who had an interest in learning to dive.
To me, the real issue isn't one of relationship as it is motivation. For example, sometimes people - and not always wives - want to get certified solely because their "significant other" is a diver; and that's the absolute worst reason in the world to become a diver. Whether it's a relative or not, folks with that mind-set should be discouraged. Unfortunately, I've seen more than a few dive professionals and other avid divers encourage, or even intimidate, their partners who were afraid or had little or no interest in diving into enrolling in a scuba course. This isn't just a recipe for a disastrous relationship; it could well end up getting someone hurt or killed. After all, no matter what someone might assume, circumstances will arise where "...I'll always be with you" just isn't the case. Every diver must be competent and capable of acting independently. And the only way this can happen is if one truly wants to be a diver. When it comes to relationships, diving is like anything else, except the consequences of a wrong decision can be pretty unforgiving.














behind the lens
IN PRAISE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC DIVE PLAN
Story and photo by Marty Snyderman
When I began taking pictures underwater with a film camera more than 30 years ago, it took a lot of effort for underwater photographers to get subjects in focus and properly exposed. These days, in the digital era, we face additional challenges, such as needing to have at least some understanding of the difference between RAW images, JPEGs, and TIFFs. We need some know-how when it comes to Photoshop or other image manipulation software, and we need to understand things about computers, hard drives, RAM, and media, such as compact flash and microdrives.
Despite all the things we need to know, there is little doubt that digital media has made it far easier for today's photographers to create good images. But today there is so much emphasis on all things digital that many new underwater photographers fail to develop the skill and discipline of creating and following a photographic dive plan.
In short, too often underwater photographers enter the water without any idea about what they hope to accomplish. The problem with the failure to plan is that photographers end up counting on pure luck to create the pathway to success.
Experience has taught me that we tend to capture our most compelling images when we create and follow a photographic dive plan that is designed to accomplish a defined goal. In other words, we do best when we get into the water with our camera systems and our goals in sync, meaning we look to shoot animal portraits, wide-angle images showing a strobe-lit foreground subject and water color in the background, or silhouettes rather than jumping into the water and trying to photograph anything and everything we see.
Developing a photographic dive plan, especially when diving somewhere new to you, might seem difficult the first few times you try it. But I assure you, if you make the effort, creating a plan will soon get easier and become second nature. You can always deviate from your photographic plan during a dive, but it is likely that when you plan you will be more focused during your dive, and your image quality will improve.
The image of the kelp canopy that accompanies this piece illustrates my point. Usually when Southern California divers enter a kelp forest they head for the seafloor. But before I entered the water on this day I noticed that the flat, clean water and clear skies provided ideal conditions for photographing the canopy of giant kelp that floats on the surface. So I set up my camera system with a wide-angle lens and I removed my strobes so I could easily swim through the thick kelp just below the surface. I found a healthy-looking patch of kelp where rays of shimmering sunlight were peaking through the canopy, set a fast shutter speed (1/250th of a second), and took my shot.
No doubt about it, creating and following a plan worked here, and will be just as beneficial with other subjects and types of underwater images.

Dive Training Quiz
Test your knowledge of the information featured in this month's issue of Dive Training.
1. In an average year, the number of fatal shark attacks worldwide number:
A. 8-12
B. 40-60
C. 100-120
D. More than 200

2. Two important considerations when purchasing dive equipment are:
A. Your anticipated diving environment
B. Test diving the equipment
C. How good you look
D. A & B are correct

3. Lionfish envenomization is not life-threatening, except in individuals who might experience an allergic reaction.
A. True
B. False

4. Variables affecting buoyancy control include:
A. The amount and type of exposure protection worn.
B. Fresh water or salt water.
C. Size and composition of cylinder used.
D. All of the above

5. The I'M SAFE checklist, which is used to determine fitness for diving and is popular in the aviation field, is an acronym for:

A. Illness, Medication, Strain, Alcohol, Fitness and Execution
B. Illness, Medication, Stress, Accident, Fear and Extreme
C. Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue and Eating
D. None of the above

6. Residents of Palau often relax by chewing a concoction called:
A. Betelnut
B. Buuch
C. Coconut gum
D. A & B are correct

7. The phone service Skype is gaining popularity for what feature?
A. It's free.
B. Call waiting
C. Voicemail
D. Caribbean ringtones

8. Male jawfish that incubate eggs in their mouth are called:
A. Egg holders
B. Mouth brooders
C. Bigmouth fish
D. Egg carriers

9. Securing a mouthpiece to a second-stage regulator should be done using a:
A. Tie wrap
B. Twist-tie
C. Rubber band
D. Large paper clip