editorial
Getting the Picture
 By Alex Brylske Photo by Joseph C. Dovala
You've undoubtedly heard the old saying that "a picture is worth a thousand words." As a writer, I'm not sure that I believe that entirely, but I will grant you that pictures are often the best way to cut quickly to the heart of a matter. That's the thesis of this month's feature by Linda Lee Walden, "Learning Through Observation: What's Wrong With This Picture?" When I first saw the accompanying images, I was reminded of those psychological tests in which subjects are asked to describe the story behind some depiction. Like all psychological tests, the photos in Linda's piece, as well as our cover series, made me think; which is, after all, the real purpose to any picture.
It's also hardly news that images tend to have a much stronger influence than words. While that wasn't always the case, it has certainly been so for those of us in the TV generation and beyond. We are a visually oriented culture that seems to be less and less influenced by words. Again, as a writer, I sometimes find that a sad state of affairs but nonetheless true. I marvel when I hear that, in generations past, people would remain spellbound for speeches or even lectures that lasted for hours. Today, without a mind-numbing array of images, you're lucky if you can hold someone's attention for as long as it takes to finish a cup of coffee. So, it's hardly surprising that some TV and Internet commercials are now a mere 15 seconds long. For those of us living in the image-rich Digital Age, the message is clear: Cut to the chase, show me a picture.
Of course, divers tend to be even more visually oriented than the general public because underwater, speech is impossible (and it takes forever to write on a slate, which you can never seem to find when you need one, anyway). Moreover, the whole reason we dive is to see what's down there, and this brings me to another conclusion I've made concerning divers. Though I can't prove it, I think that we tend to be more observant than most other folks.
Vision is a defining sense for human beings. In fact, that holds true for all primates. Evolutionary biologists tell us that superb color vision was a selective advantage for our ancestors in distinguishing ripe from unripe fruit in the jungle canopy. That's probably why, to us, color is often as vital to a memorable image as form. Imagine, for example, how much less likely you'd be to read this magazine if it was printed only in black and white.
I hope that, as your own diving experience increases, so too will your observation skills. Most importantly, learn to look beyond the immediate image to what's really going on before you. That's the first step in learning how not merely to respond to problems, but preventing them from happening. After all, a really good picture will do more than make you think; it will also teach you something. So remember, there's a lot to be said for what your mama probably told you about the best way to learn: Keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open.
buddy lines
Hi'ialakai Crew
Part of Discovery
I enjoy your magazine and especially enjoyed the article, "1837 Shipwreck Discovered Near Hawaii" ("Diving Notes and News," October 2008).
The article failed to mention the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) ship Hi'ialakai and its crew for their role in the discovery. The permanent officers and men on this ship are responsible for transporting various scientific and research groups from Hawaii to remote locations. We also assist them in their data collection by coordinating resources, running small boats and supervising diving operations. We are a little-known group. I try to get our contributions some exposure whenever possible. Soon our crew will be taking a trip to the Marianas Islands.
Thanks again for the good magazine!
ENS Kyle Ryan
Navigator, NOAA Ship Hi'ialakai
(Editor's note: More information about the Hi'ialakai and its work is available at www.moc.noaa.gov/hi/.)
Empathy for the Finless
I can relate to Lynn Laymon's admission to striding into the water without fins ("Donning Fins Safely: Your Technique Depends on Your Situation," Dive Training, December 2008).
I did the same thing this summer on a wonderful dive trip to Fiji. I slid off the dive platform and made it down 30 feet [9 m] before I realized that I didn't have my fins on. The dive group I was with had a good laugh and will never let me forget it, and I even got a new nickname.
Ole Finless One
Margaret Chinn
Via e-mail
Valve Turns, Hand Signals
Regarding the subject of backing off a valve a quarter of a turn, and opening a valve all the way and too far, I have a few observations and questions:
From cable TV and all the home renovation shows - lefty loosy, righty tighty. Always left (counterclockwise) opens, and right (clockwise) closes tight. (Hot- and cold-water valves are the exception, as they are operated by two hands, as a mirror image of each other. In is open, out is closed.)
If a valve can be damaged by opening it too far, then it is a poor design.
Selection of shut-off valves and throttling valves are different. If you need both, maybe you need two valves in a series.
What is backing off a quarter turn? Opening or closing? Miscommunication is important, especially underwater.
On a different subject, hand signals, divers are not the only ones who find them useful to communicate in their environment. Air Force personnel on aircraft carrier decks work in a noisy environment, where they cannot communicate with speech. They have some 200 standard hand signals. Construction workers use hand signals as well to communicate with crain operators.
I look forward to learning more about diving from your magazine.
David Hirschhorn
St. Louis
No Absolutes
I found Alex Brylske's story on decompression illness refreshing ("Bending the Mind: The Psychology of Decompression Illness," Dive Training, January 2009).
There is much we know about decompression illness and a lot more that is said about it but, like a lot subjects, we don't know everything. It's important to recognize that fact and be overly cautious when we are tempted to push our diving limits. Enjoy yourself underwater but play it safe and make sure you always have a next time.
Steve Nichols
Pasadena, California
Lionfish Threat
a Serious Matter
Thank you for clarifying the danger of lionfish in Caribbean waters. This invasive species is nothing but bad news for marine life, not to mention the ecological balance, and all divers need to take the threat seriously. Keep us posted on the latest developments.
Doug Erickson
White Plains, New York
dive observer
Bank Saves
Vandenberg For Divers
By Gene Gentrup
Photo caption:
The General Hoyt S. Vandenberg
moored at Colonna Shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia.
First State Bank of the Florida Keys purchased the General Hoyt S. Vandenberg at auction December 17, making it possible for the 524-foot decommissioned Air Force missile tracking vessel to be scuttled as an artificial reef off the Florida Keys.
Key West City Commissioner Bill Verge, a leader in the efforts to complete the long-awaited Vandenberg project, said the bank bid $1.35 million, topping other bidders, including those who wanted to purchase the vessel for its scrap value or for an artificial reef in other locations.
"First State Bank stepped up to the plate to protect the interests of the county, the city and everybody involved," said Verge, who attended the auction. "They thought it was the right thing to do."
The bank plans to give the ship's title to the city of Key West, which has helped promote the project as an economic development tool. The bank will be repaid from a pool of $8.2 million in federal, state and local funding available after the ship is sunk.
A federal judge ordered the auction of the ship after a contractor failed to complete payments to Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, for cleanup of the vessel. The proceedings, which lasted about 20 minutes, took place on the steps of the federal courthouse in Norfolk.
While the shipyard was originally owed $1.6 million, additional charges and the funds owed to other claimants brought the total debt to more than $2.2 million.
According to Verge, the $1.35 million will be placed in an escrow account and distributed to the claimants in proportion to their claims, satisfying the entire debt.
"The ship is now free and clear of all debts and obligations, and there's sufficient money to complete the project," Verge said.
Verge predicted the Vandenberg would be towed from Colonna's Shipyard to Key West in January, if weather conditions allow and Coast Guard permits are in place. The vessel's sink date has not yet been announced.
did not know
Slave Ship Discovered
Off Turks and Caicos Islands
Archaeologists have identified the wreck of the historic slave ship Trouvadore off the coast of East Caicos in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The discovery was made by Don Keith and Toni Carrell of Ships of Discovery, an underwater archaeology research institute. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research helped finance the project.
At the time it sailed, the Spanish vessel Trouvadore was participating in the slave trade, which had been outlawed in the British Indies, including the Turks and Caicos Islands. In 1841, after the vessel was grounded on a reef, Caicos authorities arrested the crew, and most of the 192 African survivors settled on Grand Turk Island.
Keith and Carrell believe the African survivors of the Trouvadore are the ancestors of a large portion of current residents in the Turks and Caicos Islands. For example, traditions on the islands have a recognizable African origin. The Turks and Caicos National Museum is recording these traditions through oral histories and educating the community about their ancestral history.
"What makes a people different and distinct is their unique history," said Keith, who has worked in the islands for 30 years. "The people of the Turks and Caicos have a direct line to this dramatic, historic event - it's how so many of them ended up being there. We hope this discovery will encourage the people of the Turks and Caicos to protect and research their local history, especially the history that remains underwater."
"Although the sinking of the Trouvadore was a major event on the island, the story was lost to history over the following century and a half," Carrell said. "After we uncovered records of the shipwreck several years ago, we were stunned to realize that Turks and Caicos residents had never heard of the shipwreck that brought their ancestors to the island."
In 2004, using historical accounts of where the Trouvadore went down, along with remote sensing and visual searches, archaeologists focused on a ship near a local landmark known as the Black Rock. Records showed the vessel had sunk at Breezy Point, about two miles (3.2 km) from the Black Rock Wreck location.
"But with the wind blowing constantly from the east, and a current running from that direction, the ship would have drifted," Keith said. "That could have happened after it was lightened by salvage, as well." Keith and his team used careful measurements of the hull, and after years of research to amass compelling circumstantial evidence, concluded in August that the Black Rock Wreck could only be the Trouvadore.
Keith and Carrell said they knew from the start it would be difficult to find artifacts to identify the ship. "People of these islands traditionally have used resources from sunken ships. There are houses built on Grand Turk from ship remains," Keith said. "We knew the ship had been salvaged upon sinking, and we weren't going to find a bell with 'Trouvadore 1841' on it."
The archaeologists learned about the Trouvadore while tracing the current locations of artifacts from the islands that were sold to museums in the United States and Europe more than a hundred years ago. Examining records about "African idols" that were sold, they found the account of the Trouvadore wreck.
Keith and his colleagues also discovered the wreck of the U.S. naval vessel Chippewa, lost in 1816. The researchers discovered a line of carronades, a unique type of cannon carried by the Chippewa, near the reef off Providenciales, which the vessel reportedly struck. The Chippewa and the Onkahye, sunk in 1848, were part of America's efforts to stop the African slave trade and piracy by patrolling the Caribbean. Keith plans to continue work on the Chippewa wreck site and hopes to discover the Onkahye nearby.
Expeditions Reveal Gulf of California's Deep-Sea Secrets,
Human Toll
Unprecedented details of vibrant sea life and ecosystems in the Gulf of California, including documentations of new species and marine animals previously never seen alive have been announced by scientists returning from expeditions in Mexico.
Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego said that the expeditions, which included surveys at unexplored depths, have revealed declines in sea-life populations and evidence that human "impacts" have stretched down deeply in the gulf.
In one expedition, researchers Exequiel Ezcurra (adjunct professor at Scripps Oceanography and former provost of the San Diego Natural History Museum), Brad Erisman (Scripps postdoctoral researcher) and Octavio Aburto-Oropeza (graduate student researcher) traveled on a three-person submarine to explore marine life in the Gulf of California's deep-sea reefs and around undersea mountains called seamounts.
The DeepSee submersible gave the researchers access to environments below 164 feet (50 m), into depths virtually unknown in the gulf because of their inaccessibility below scuba diving levels.
"Our investigation resulted in many new discoveries, which included new species of invertebrates and possibly fishes," Erisman said. "Similarly, we collected and observed species that had not been recorded in the gulf, had never been observed alive or had never been observed at such depths."
Scientists at universities in Mexico are now conducting detailed genetic and morphological (form and structure) investigations to determine the species status of various animals.
With the excitement of discovery came signs of human "impacts" in the gulf's depths, and, in particular, signals that overfishing has decimated ecosystems. Large schools of fish documented in earlier expeditions at locations such as El Bajo seamount have vanished. The researchers also say depths at comparable areas, such as Cocos Island off Costa Rica, reveal much more marine life and healthier ecosystems than those studied in the Gulf of California that are affected by fishing and pollution.
"The human impacts in shallow areas have been well documented, but our observations make it clear that we are reaching down deeper and modifying the deeper ecosystems and their communities as well," Aburto-Oropeza said. "We have lots of evidence of ghost nets with trapped animals at many depths, along with pollution, including beer cans, in each deep location we studied."
The researchers hope their findings will reach beyond scientific circles and be incorporated into conservation and management plans to restore healthy marine life populations and promote sustainable fisheries in the gulf.
Although the evidence of human encroachment was plentiful, the researchers also traveled to remote locations where sea populations thrived, destinations where human impacts are reduced or virtually nonexistent. Such was the case at Las Animas, a seamount tucked halfway between Loreto and La Paz. At its location buffered from urban influence, Las Animas suffers minimally from fishing and human activities.
There the researchers found booming fish populations, an extraordinarily rich variety of red snapper species, unique shrimp species and possibly new species of sea urchins and cucumbers.
During a separate expedition completed in October, Erisman and Aburto-Oropeza studied marine life at Cabo Pulmo, a protected national park near the southern tip of the Baja peninsula. Here again the researchers documented a "biodiversity hotspot" with thriving fish populations and a rich mix of sea life in the absence of human environmental pressures. They witnessed large tiger sharks, now a rarity in Baja California.
Erisman and Aburto-Oropeza say Las Animas and Cabo Pulmo, contrasted by the relatively depleted sea life witnessed at locations such as El Bajo, are examples of "shifting baselines," the concept promoted by Jeremy Jackson, director of the Scripps Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, and others. The term describes the deterioration of standards and failing to realize how much has changed over years and generations.
"At Las Animas and Cabo Pulmo, we have seen that if you leave areas without human pressure, the elements of the environment will allow them to rebound to a previous, more healthy ecosystem state," Aburto-Oropeza said.
"These expeditions far exceeded what we expected," Erisman said. "From the first dive, the results escalated in success as I witnessed a hundred times more organisms than I expected. It was amazing and we are excited about the possibilities."
The custom-built DeepSee submersible, owned by expedition co-leader Steve Drogin, a San Diego photographer and marine explorer, allowed the scientists to survey marine life with its 360-degree-view glass dome. The researchers concentrated on marine life between 164 and 984 feet (50 and 300 m), although DeepSee can reach 1,500 feet (475 m).
Another discovery came in September on a separate expedition when Drogin and his colleagues discovered a hydrothermal vent just south of Loreto at a depth of 450 feet (136 m). Drogin reported dramatic views around the vent and water temperatures reaching 266 degrees Fahrenheit (130 degrees Celsius).
"It felt to me like walking into the middle of a forest fire, with flames shooting out. It was very dramatic," Drogin said.
Hurricane Season Brought Above-
Normal Activity
For the first time on record, six consecutive tropical cyclones (Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike) made landfall on the U.S. mainland and a record three major hurricanes (Gustav, Ike and Paloma) struck Cuba.
That according to the federal government's recap of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June through November.
The 2008 Atlantic season was also the first to have a major hurricane (Category 3) form in five consecutive months (July: Bertha, August: Gustav, September: Ike, October: Omar, November: Paloma).
Sixteen storms formed this season, in line with the 14-18 predicted. Eight hurricanes formed, within the seven to 10 forecast, and five developed into major hurricanes at Category 3 strength or higher, in the range of three to six that forecasters said was likely. An average season has 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.
"This year's hurricane season continues the current active hurricane era and is the 10th season to produce above-normal activity in the past 14 years," said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.
Overall, the season is tied as the fourth most active in terms of named storms (16) and major hurricanes (five), and is tied as the fifth most active in terms of hurricanes (eight) since 1944, which was the first year aircraft missions flew into tropical storms and hurricanes.
Bell attributes this year's above-normal season to conditions that include:
An ongoing multi-decadal signal. This combination of ocean and atmospheric conditions has spawned increased hurricane activity since 1995.
Lingering La Ni¤a effects. Although the La Ni¤a that began in the fall of 2007 ended in June, its influence of light wind shear lingered.
Warmer tropical Atlantic Ocean temperatures. On average, the tropical Atlantic was about 1.0 degree Fahrenheit above normal during the peak of the season.
NOAA's National Hurricane Center is conducting comprehensive post-event assessments of each named storm of the season. Some of the early noteworthy findings include:
Bertha was a tropical cyclone for 17 days (July 3-20), making it the longest-lived July storm on record in the Atlantic basin.
Fay is the only storm on record to make landfall four times in the state of Florida, and to prompt tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings for the state's entire coastline (at various times during its August life span).
Paloma, reaching Category 4 status with top winds of 145 mph, is the second strongest November hurricane on record behind Lenny in 1999 with top winds of 155 mph.
NOAA will issue its initial 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Outlook in May, prior to the official start of the season on June 1.
EVENTS
OUR WORLD-
UNDERWATER
FEBRUARY 20-22
The 39th annual dive and travel exposition is scheduled for February 20-22 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
Workshops covering everything from equipment repair to treasure hunting are scheduled, and a film festival also will be staged.
An early bird weekend pass is available for $65 and includes admission to exhibits, the Friday and Saturday film festivals, seminars and a show T-shirt. Admission to workshops is not included. For more information, call (800) 778-3483 or visit www.ourworldunderwater.com.
UNDERWATER
INTERVENTION
MARCH 3-5
Underwater Intervention will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Underwater Intervention is the combined annual conference of the Association of Diving Contractors International and the ROV Committee of the Marine Technology Society.
Events include a job fair, speakers, seminars, exhibits and an awards dinner. For additional details, call (800) 316-2188 or visit www.UnderwaterIntervention.com.
55TH ANNUAL
INTERNATIONAL
UNDERWATER CLINIC AND FILM FESTIVAL MARCH 6-8
The 2009 Boston Sea Rovers show will be held at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston.
Highlights of the clinic include more than 40 seminars covering everything from the marine environment to advanced diving techniques, an evening film festival, and, with more than 60 booths, the largest annual display of dive equipment and services in New England.
Tickets at the door for the evening show are $25 per person, and tickets for the clinic Saturday, which includes exhibits and programs, are $25. On Sunday, admission is $20, children under 12 are free, and admission for students with valid ID and senior citizens is $15.
Day events are set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The Saturday film festival is scheduled from 8 to 10:30 p.m. and will be held at the John Hancock Hall, two blocks from the hotel. For more information, call (617) 424-9899 or visit www.bostonsearovers.com.
WRECK EXPLORER
TO ADDRESS
CALIFORNIA CLUB
Shipwreck explorer Patrick Clyne is scheduled to address the California Wreck Divers Annual Banquet, scheduled for March 7 at the Hacienda Hotel in El Segundo, California.
Clyne was executive vice president and for more than 35 years involved in all aspects of Mel Fisher enterprises, including the recovery projects of the Spanish galleons Atocha and Santa Margarita. He has been the chief videographer for nearly all of the expeditions, as well as captain of Fisher's largest salvage vessel. His photos have appeared in dozens of books and magazines, and his video footage has been featured on numerous television productions including National Geographic, A&E, Discovery Channel. The Learning Channel and BBC.
For more information about the banquet, call Steve Lawson at (949) 462-0462 or visit cawreckdivers.org.
OHIO SCUBAFEST MARCH 20-22
Ohio ScubaFest 2009 and 50th Annual OCSSDI Banquet Ball will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in North Columbus, Ohio.
ScubaFest is a regional show created and staffed by volunteers and is associated with the Ohio Council of Skin and Scuba Divers Inc. The weekend includes the Underwater Photography & Video Competition, exhibits, presentations, and a Saturday night banquet with a keynote speaker.
Check out www.scubafest.org for more details.
GHOST SHIPS FESTIVAL MARCH 20-21
A man who says he has found four scuttled British warships that served during the War of 1812 is scheduled to speak during the annual Ghost Ships Festival, scheduled for March 20-21 in Milwaukee.
Shipwreck hunter and diver Dr. Kenn Feigelman says he found the ships this past summer in Lake Ontario. The vessels were part of the British naval squadron that battled the Americans trying to take portions of Canada. His presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, March 20, and will include high-definition footage of one of the vessels.
On Saturday, March 21, Feigelman will discuss the Marysburgh Vortex, an area of Lake Ontario that's often referred to as the Bermuda Triangle of the Great Lakes. It's believed that more than 450 ships have sunk in the eastern portion of the Lake. Feigelman will also share raw footage of a recently discovered "mystery schooner" that's believed to be from the 18th century.
Feigelman is working with PBS to produce a series of 13 episodes on underwater exploration.
The festival will include presentations about other shipwrecks as well.
The 10th annual festival will be open from 3 to 9 p.m. March 20 and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 21 at the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport & Convention Center, across from the Milwaukee airport in Wisconsin (formerly the Four Points Sheraton). Advance tickets are $20 and day-of tickets are $25. To purchase a ticket or for more information, visit ghostships.org or send an e-mail to info@ghost-ships.org. Those interested in hotel accommodations can contact the Sheraton at (414) 481-8000 and ask for the Ghost Ships room discount.
2009 DOG RALLY& DEMO TOUR
ANNOUNCED
Date and locations for this year's tour are March 21 in San Diego at a site to be announced; April 4-5 at Alabama Blue Water Adventures, Pelham, Alabama; April 18-19 at Windy Point, Austin, Texas; April 25-26, Dewey Short Dam Site, Branson, Missouri; May 2-3 at Stage Fort Park, Gloucester, Massachusetts; May 16-17 at Dutch Springs, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; May 29-31 at Gilboa Quarry, Findlay, Ohio; June 6-7 at Pearl Lake, South Beloit, Illinois; and June 13-14 at Wazee Lake, Black River Falls, Wisconsin.
Summer events are August 21-23 at Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport, Oregon; August 29-30 at Les Davis Oier, Seattle/Tacoma, Washington; and September 12-13 at Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada at a site to be announced.
Fall events will be staged September 26-27 at Mermet Springs, Metropolis, Illinois; October 3-4 at Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park, Portland, Connecticut; October 24-25 at Lake Rawlings, Rawlings, Virginia; November 14-15 at Manatee Springs, Chiefland, Florida; November 21-22 at Clear Springs Scuba Park, Terrell, Texas.
BENEATH THE SEA MARCH 27-29
The 33rd Annual Undersea Dive & Travel Exposition is scheduled for March 27-29 at the New Jersey Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.
The weekend consumer show will include more than 60 workshops and seminars and nearly 400 exhibitors.
In addition, Ocean Pals, Beneath the Sea's environmental education program for children, on Sunday, March 29, honors the winners of its 2009 poster contest and hosts a party for children. For more information on Ocean Pals, take a look at www.beneaththesea.org/v2006/ ocean_pals.html.
Another big part of the weekend is The Women Divers Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The organization also presents a series of events. Visit www.wdhof.org for additional details.
Need more information? Call (800) 536-EXPO or check out www.beneaththesea.org.
KIDS SEA CAMP
DATES ANNOUNCED
This year's Kids Sea Camp dates and sites: July 4-11 and July 11-18 at Cobalt Coast Resort & Dive Tech in Grand Cayman; July 18-25, July 25 to August 1, and August 1-8 at Anthony's Key Resort in Roatan, Honduras; June 13-20, June 20-27 and August 8-15 at Buddy Dive & Beach Resort in Bonaire; June 27 to July 4 at Kontiki Beach & Ocean Encounters in Cura‡ao; August 15-22 at Pelican Bay-Unexso in Grand Bahama; June 18-25 on the Galapagos Adventure Aggressor Fleet; and August 1-8 on the El Ocotal-Bill Beards in Costa Rica Eco Adventure.
For details about each Kids Sea Camp, call (800) 934-3483 or visit www.kidsseacamp.com.
BOOKS
'GUARDIAN'S KEEP'
"Guardian's Keep" is the third dive adventure novel in the Mike Scott series by Eric Douglas.
In this story, Dr. Francesca DeMarco, a beautiful archaeologist, is searching an underwater site on the Adriatic Coast of Italy. Chasing stories of a mysterious group of Guardians, she runs into roadblocks as someone tries to keep her from discovering the truth. News photographer Mike Scott is sent to do a story on the project, but when he and DeMarco are nearly killed in the process he decides to help her discover who is behind the attacks.
To unlock the mystery of the Guardians, they have to overcome a group of fanatics bent to stop them at any costs. If they are successful, they might just find a religious artifact lost when the Romans overran the Temple in Jerusalem. If not, they might be locked away in a tomb for the rest of their lives.
Douglas's first novel was set at Sunset House on Grand Cayman and described dives off Sunset Reef, including a dive with the Sunset House Mermaid. The second novel, "Flooding Hollywood," takes place off the coast of Southern California and Catalina Island.
Douglas is the training director for Divers Alert Network in Durham, North Carolina. For more information about the book, visit your local dive shop or e-mail eric@booksbyeric.com.
always learning
The Other Quarter:
Experiencing Terra Firma
Story and photos by Marty Snyderman
When I hear someone mention any type of marine creature my head whips around and my ears perk up. I can't help it and, frankly, I don't want to help it. I love to dive, and I love learning about and photographing marine wildlife.
I suppose an author's love affair with diving doesn't come as much of a surprise to anyone reading an article in Dive Training magazine, but what might surprise some people is that one aspect of my diving-centric life that I have truly come to appreciate the most has nothing to do with water or marine life. It has to do with people, cultures and topside exploration in other lands.
The Earth is often referred to as "Planet Ocean," as nearly three-quarters of it is underwater. When I first got certified way back in the early 1970s I was looking for a way to explore that watery 75 percent. I didn't think much about the other quarter - all of the topside adventures that would go hand in hand with any future dive travels. If I had been asked, I would have probably said that traveling to places I wanted to dive was part of the price of admission, not an added benefit.
Oh, boy, did I ever have a pleasant surprise coming my way. After getting certified I quickly began to head off to explore the undersea world, going to Mexico, the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and several Central American nations, and I soon learned that my topside travel adventures were the icing on the cake. I quickly discovered that I love to experience the world and to learn about other people, places, belief systems, and ways of thinking and living life. Through that process I have also learned a lot about myself.
Mexico, Central America
and the Caribbean
I was in my early 20s when I got my C-card. While I had made a few trips out of the country with a family member or a chaperone by that time in my life, I was still fairly wet behind the ears in terms of international travel. I suppose it was only natural to feel some anxiety about traveling to foreign lands, but I was so excited about getting the opportunity to dive in faraway tropical seas that nothing was going to slow me down.
So, off I went with a couple of friends in a pickup truck. We drove and camped our way from South Pittsburg, Tennessee, to Guatemala and back. My friends and I headed for Mexico's Yucatan coast where I went snorkeling and diving almost every day for six weeks, exploring coral reef communities that were just like the ones I had seen in Jacques Cousteau films. I saw everything from nurse sharks to groupers and lobsters to a world of colorful invertebrates that I didn't know existed. I even had an up-close-and-personal encounter with a sailfish.
The diving was magical, but no more so than my topside adventures. I had taken Spanish in school, and while I could ask directions to the closest library and conjugate some irregular verbs I was not fluent in the language. But I soon learned that it wasn't the quality of my Spanish as much as my attitude of trying to get along with the locals that was the bigger asset.
I quickly learned that as long as we were friendly and showed respect, the locals were quick to help. We communicated in broken Spanish, facial expressions and body language, and what we got in return was not just answers to questions or meals at restaurants. We connected with people. We laughed with the locals. Sometimes we were laughing at ourselves, sometimes at the locals and other times at the "joys of travel." I suppose every once in a while we even understood a joke in a foreign language.
But mostly, we just tried to have fun. We bartered for goods such as ponchos and hammocks, and we played sports with local school kids. I even took two baseball gloves and one baseball along, and often when we got to a new town we would go to the town square (zocalo) and play catch. Within minutes we'd hand one of the gloves to a local kid and he'd be trying to dazzle us with his best curveball. I acknowledged that effort by trying to do the same with my "unhittable" knuckleball.
The Jungles of Borneo
I have made hundreds of dive trips and visited more than 40 countries over the years, and while I can't say that any one trip stands out above all the rest, an experience I had in a Malaysian jungle in Borneo after a diving week in Sipadan is certainly one that stands apart in my mind. My guide was a thirtysomething Malaysian man named John. He was well-educated and well-spoken, qualities not uncommon for a tour guide.
What rocked my world was that as far as I could tell John knew as much as anyone could about life in the jungles of Borneo. That made perfect sense because he lived the first 13 years of his life in a society in which the concept of money did not exist.
Like everyone around him, John and his family lived off the land. John is a direct descendant of one of the last groups of people that westerners sometimes refer to as the wild men of Borneo, and he is completely at home in the jungle.
Over the course of a few days I got to know John a little. I learned that he is a staunch conservationist. John cherishes Malaysia's jungles. He also fears for their future, the future of jungle wildlife and the people that call the jungle their home as palm oil plantations and the developing world encroach at an alarming rate. When I compared where and how I was raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, to where and how John was raised in a jungle village in Borneo, it was difficult to believe that as different as our lives were at the start, in many respects we have arrived at very similar places. I love and want to protect the marine environment in the same way that John wants to protect the jungles of Borneo.
Singapore, Kuala Lampur and Hong Kong Asia
Asia is the continent of the 21st century. At least that is how it feels to me. In recent years dive-related travels have taken me to Singapore, Kuala Lampur (the capital of Malaysia) and Hong Kong, and I have had my personal view of Asia completely overhauled. I thought of Asia as a sleeping giant, as a power of the future, but today, if you ask me, this once sleeping giant is wide awake.
The just-mentioned cities are huge, with populations comparable to some of the larger cities in the United States, but they are far more modern, efficient and vibrant than I had ever imagined. Their mass transit systems work. Their airports work. Get off a plane and you clear immigration and customs in a matter of minutes. Walk to baggage claim and your luggage is waiting for you on the carousel. If you need help, there is someone you can ask that speaks at least some English.
So many of Asia's most highly publicized diving destinations are in remote areas where people still live in Third-World conditions. But that is not how life is in many major metropolitan areas. I think many Americans would be very surprised at the modernization of so many Asian communities and by the amount of commerce taking place. Asian nations are busy putting technology to work. Once again, I credit my diving-related travels for opening my eyes to the realities of the world we live in.
Today, whenever time and finances allow I try to take a side trip either before or after the diving portion of my trip. I highly recommend to anyone who can that you try and do the same. I think you'll be amazed at how much fun you will have, how easy it is to do, how much you will learn, and how quick so many people in foreign lands are to open their hearts and minds to you as long as you do the same.
no dumb questions
By Alex Brylske
Nitrox Diving,
Equalization Issues and Carbon Monoxide Concerns
Q:Reader Tom Cameron wrote with an important safety question involving the use of enriched-air nitrox. "I'm a 60-plus-year-old certified nitrox diver with nearly 200 enriched-air dives. I always program my computer for the gas mix - something I always self-analyze - pertaining to each dive. I obey the maximum operating depth (MOD) and adhere to the no-decompression limits. On ascent, if I've been below 60 feet [18 m], I do a one-minute stop at half the maximum depth, and always a three-minute safety stop. In fact, my procedure for the shallow stop involves one minute at 18 feet [5.5 m], one minute at 15 feet [4.5 m] and one minute at 12 feet [3.6 m]. Then, from 12 feet to the surface I'm slower than molasses; and if anyone is approaching the boat ladder, I hang at about 6 to 8 feet [1.8 to 2.4 m] and let them go. My question is this: I've read about diving nitrox on air tables or not on air tables. In the above example, which method am I employing?
A:So that everyone is on the same page, let me begin with a quick review of why enriched-air nitrox is used in diving. First, the term "enriched" means that the breathing mixture contains more oxygen than normal (normoxic) air. Typically, in recreational diving this is either 32 percent or 36 percent oxygen as opposed to the 21 percent in regular air. The reason more oxygen is added is simply to reduce the amount of nitrogen in the mixture. So, rather than the normal 79 percent nitrogen contained in the atmosphere, an EAN 32 mixture would have about 68 percent nitrogen, and an EAN 36 mixture about 64 percent nitrogen. In other words, when breathing either enriched-air mixture, a diver absorbs less nitrogen than if he made the same dive breathing normal air.
The original intent of enriched air was that, as less nitrogen was absorbed, a diver's bottom time could be extended proportionally. To determine exactly how much more bottom time was available, special nitrox tables were developed. Later, when dive computers came on the scene, their algorithms were programmed similarly to take into account the lower proportion of nitrogen to generate longer bottom times. As you indicate in your letter, this is what you are doing when you adjust your computer - using enriched air as a method to extend your bottom time beyond that allowed for an identical dive on regular air.
While enriched-air diving was designed as a means to get more bottom time, it soon became obvious that it could be used in another way. Rather than extend bottom times, it could provide an added margin of safety by using enriched air but basing the dive profile on regular air tables or a dive computer. In this case, the diver could build a "fudge factor" into the profile by assuming more nitrogen was absorbed than actually was the case. So, the less nitrogen, the less likelihood of developing decompression illness.
Given the obvious measures that you take to make your diving as safe as possible, I suggest that you consider this latter option and not set your computer to its nitrox mode. Instead, always assume that you're using good-old atmospheric air even if you're breathing nitrox. Additionally, as you're in my own age bracket, and older divers are at least theoretically assumed to be at greater risk of DCI than young divers, I think using the more conservative approach is also warranted. It's what I do.
Q:Roger Roth wrote in with more of a comment than a question about equalization. "Since I began diving, there are times when I have some trouble equalizing, especially since I've always had sinus problems. When I'm a little congested I do take Mucinex(r) (with no rebound effects by the end of the trip like Sudafed(r) used to give me) and I've learned how to equalize more often, especially in the beginning of a dive. On a recent trip, I seem to have noticed that if I descended headfirst or at least horizontally, equalizing seemed to be much easier and I've had noticeably fewer problems equalizing from the surface down. Could it be that any congestion in my sinuses moves to an area that might not block the equalization process in a head-down descent? If so, this information might help many divers that have problems equalizing."
A:I've suffered from chronic sinus problems my entire life, too, so I've always been especially interested in the topic of equalization, and over the years I've addressed the issue numerous times in this column. I've come to believe that, for those of us who have to struggle with it, mastering equalization is as much an art as it is a science. It requires a great deal of familiarity with just how your body deals with changes in pressure. One thing that I can say with certainty is that equalization has definitely gotten easier as I've gotten older. But whether this is due to my body somehow acclimating, or that I've simply gotten better at the technique, is anyone's guess.
I have also experimented with different body positions to assist equalization, including headfirst descents. In my case, it didn't seem to help. It's certainly plausible that it works for you due to shifting of mucus, but it could also be anatomical. Generally, a feet-first descent is more conducive to equalization but, as they say, you can't argue with success. My favorite technique, when I find it a challenge to equalize, is to move my head back and forth while wiggling my jaw. Yawning also helps, though you have to have excellent airway control when doing that underwater. I resort to pharmaceuticals only as a last resort, and Afrin(r) is my drug of choice. I've never tried Mucinex(r).
As you indicate, the key to effective equalization is to begin early, even before you feel the need. On days when I experience congestion, I always confirm that my ears will equalize even before I get in the water. With regard to sinuses, though it's a disgusting experience for my buddy, I've often found that removing my mask and blowing my nose can be helpful in getting a stubborn sinus to cooperate. (A word of caution here: Never attempt this technique unless you're absolutely and totally comfortable breathing underwater without a mask.)
Of course, the most important point to remember about equalization is to never push it. You can do some real damage, ranging from a ruptured sinus to hearing loss, if you can't equalize or do it too forcefully. Sometimes you just have to accept that Mother Nature doesn't intend for you to dive. So, when your sinuses or ears say no, accept it and just sit back and enjoy the scenery. You can always go diving another day.
Q:A diver who asked to remain anonymous sent in a question that I believe has great implications for diving safety and, frankly, in researching a response, provided me with a whole new understanding of the problem. "On the last day of a live-aboard trip I was making a dive and began to feel very ill. Several divers on board had the flu, so I chalked it up to that and decided to call it quits. It was the end of the day, anyway, and I was only puttering around on a reef in about 20 feet [6 m] of water. However, when I got to the surface, things got worse. I was nauseated, lightheaded, had difficulty breathing and was generally unaware of my surroundings. The crew put me on oxygen, which helped, but didn't resolve the problem completely. I initially suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, but didn't notice the telltale cherry-red lips and nail beds. Most of those on board thought it was the flu, but I've had the flu before, and I don't believe that was my problem. The funny thing is, I've had contaminated air once before - it tasted bad - and this didn't have any taste at all. A further twist to the story is that some, but not all, of the divers on this dive were affected. This is why many were reluctant to believe that it was a contaminated air problem. Any ideas?"
A:After reading your account, my thought, too, was a contaminated air problem. I was lucky enough to make contact with an expert in the field, Dr. Peter Mouldey, and he was kind enough to not only give me his opinion on the matter, but to provide the most thorough and lucid explanation about air contamination that I've ever heard. Here's a synopsis of what Mouldey had to say.
He agreed that the problem was most likely your air, and not the flu. Compressors on board boats are often housed in small compartments with poor ventilation; and especially when they have long narrow intake pipes, the lubricating oil can "diesel" (ignite due to the heat produced at the top of the compression stroke without any spark for ignition). After this auto-ignition occurs you get partial combustion of the oil and the production of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and possibly some nitrogen dioxide. In addition, any hydrocarbons stored in the charcoal filter bed can be driven off into the air supply by the heat produced from combustion.
Mouldey also suspects that the compressor filtration cartridges might not have contained a catalyst (Hopcalite) that normally should oxidize the carbon monoxide to less dangerous carbon dioxide. Instead, the filter may have contained only a drying agent and activated charcoal. When the filters were relatively new and not moisture-saturated, the compressor oil burns and the gaseous volatiles, which normally might tip you off to a problem with their odor, are largely removed by the activated charcoal. That could be why there was no "bad taste," as you describe. The volatiles are removed and only the odorless and tasteless carbon monoxide remains. (By the way, a number of paramedics have told me that they have dealt with numerous cases of carbon monoxide poisoning and never once seen the supposedly classic "cherry-red lips and nail beds.")
Mouldey says that it's important to differentiate oil mist or condensable hydrocarbons from gaseous volatiles or noncondensable hydrocarbons. Most of the time you get that taste of oil mist in compressed air when the filters are completely saturated with condensate liquid at the end of their service life, and some of this oily moisture ends up in the breathing air.
From a physiological standpoint, oil mist typically ends up in the mouth or upper airways. However, gaseous hydrocarbons are extremely dangerous as they enter the bloodstream, and once they get to the brain, can result in impaired cognition. In fact, many of these volatile hydrocarbons act as anesthetics at depth, depending on type and concentration. Even at low levels of contamination one may be so impaired cognitively that making a decision to surface is not possible. Of course, in keeping with Henry and Dalton's laws, the longer you stay at depth or the deeper you go, the greater the impairment.
Finally, the fact that not all divers were affected was not at all surprising to Mouldey. If the tanks were filled off the banks then, yes, all the tanks should have had the same level of contaminants. However, that would not be so if they were filled directly from the compressor. How some tanks were contaminated while others were not depends on the temperature of the compressor's final stage, which becomes hottest. The tanks at the start of a filling session may not have been contaminated because the compressor was still cool. So, those who used tanks that were filled early didn't receive the contamination.
What this tells us is that dive operators must take care to properly install compressor systems, especially when they're in the closed quarters of a boat. And it's equally important to service their compressor systems regularly, as well as make sure that filtration systems are up to par and well maintained.
Dive Training Quiz
Test your knowledge of the information featured
in this month's issue of Dive Training.
marty snyderman photo
1. Another term for battery capacity is:
A. Burn time
B. Cathode
C. Leclanch‚ Cell
D. All of the above
2. Which type of light gives marine life a more natural, vibrant color?
A. Incandescent
B. Light-emitting diode
C. High-intensity discharge
3. Tiny white dots caused by strobe flash reflecting off the sand particles suspended in the water column is called:
A. Mirror mace
B. Flooded cell
C. Oxidation
D. Backscatter
4. Understanding the side effects of over-the-counter drugs is important before engaging in what activity?
A. Kayaking
B. Scuba diving
C. Frisbee golf
D. Swimming
5. When your regulator is dislodged from your mouth while diving, what is the first thing you should do?
A. Hold your breath and quickly reinsert the regulator into your mouth.
B. Grab your dive buddy's "safe-second" regulator.
C. Slowly exhale a continuous stream of small bubbles.
D. All of the above.
6. A method of teaching that incorporates real-world situations is called:
A. Scenario-based training
B. Classroom training
C. Corporate training
7. An EAN 32 mixture contains about how much nitrogen?
A. 32 percent
B. 62 percent
C. 68 percent
D. 72 percent
8. The biggest animal to have lived on earth is the:
A. Blue whale
B. Dinosaur
C. Amazon river dolphin
Answers: 1. A 2. B 3. D 4. B 5. C 6. A 7. C. 8. A
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