Editorial
To Buddy or Not to Buddy
By Alex Brylske Photo by Joseph C. Dovala
A funny thing happened to me this past weekend. I was on a dive charter that included mostly tourists from up north who were escaping the ravages of winter. As is common, some were couples while others were alone. The couples of course had their buddy assignment covered. The singles were a different matter. So, the divemaster proceeded to assign buddies to those on board who had none. As this is standard operating procedure, I went about my business thinking nothing of it. But my attention was soon drawn to a rather heated discussion between the captain and one of the lone divers. The diver in question was vehemently refusing to dive with a stranger, insisting that he be allowed to dive solo. (He also apparently produced a card verifying a "solo diver certification.) The captain would hear none of it and broke off the confrontation with the ultimatum that "you either dive with a buddy or you're not diving from this boat. Begrudgingly, the diver agreed.
After the dive, the angry would-be solo diver was more than eager to talk, so I spoke to him about the incident. It turned out that, indeed, he had taken a course in solo diving and said that he rarely ever dived with a buddy. His rationale was, in my view, quite solid and involved two premises. First, he resented having to dive with someone who he believed was less qualified than he was. He saw it as, in his words, "a baby-sitting assignment for which I had to pay. He went on to cite several examples from past experience where he had to assist less qualified buddies with problems, thus ruining his own dive.
Second, and more importantly to him, what he enjoyed about diving most was the solitude, and that experience was spoiled by having an "intruder (buddy) along for the ride. He also believed that, in most cases, people delude themselves into thinking that, just because you have a buddy, you're safer than if you don't. According to him, even if a buddy pair stays close enough to realize that the other has a problem (which he thought rarely happened), they probably wouldn't be prepared to render any useful assistance, anyway. "Divers never practice emergency skills once they get out of training, he insisted, "so good luck if you ever really need a buddy's help in an emergency.
I have to admit that the only two people who I personally enjoy diving with, and welcome as buddies, are my wife and my best friend. Anyone else is just an imposition and, frankly, I too would prefer to go it alone. I know for many of you reading this, that's heresy, but I'm willing to wager that more folks subscribe to the sans buddy position than we realize. So, I'm eager to hear what you readers think. I'll let you know the result in a few months. Meanwhile, whether you dive with a buddy or you don't, safety requires prudent, sensible decision making. And it requires that you regularly practice what to do in an emergency, too. So, before opting out of the buddy system, particularly, make sure you know what you're doing.
buddy lines
'The Shepherdess'
a Dive Pioneer
'The Shepherdess' a Dive Pioneer
I read with great interest the article on women and diving in your December 2009 issue ["Diving Beyond Small and Pink: Women and the Sport of Scuba Diving]. Being married to a 2001 WDHOF (Women's Diving Hall of Fame) inductee, I know how much women involvement has steadily grown over time.
In your list of pioneers, one name was omitted, as is often the case. Simone Melchior Cousteau, Jacques-Yves Cousteau's first wife, was indeed the first woman to try scuba as we know it.
With her two sons and her husband, she discovered a world almost totally unknown. Capt. Cousteau's wife is the connection that made the cooperation of Émile Gagnan and Jacques-Yves Cousteau possible through her father's involvement at Air Liquide, the mother corporation of what would eventually be U.S. Divers/Aqualung.
She is the person who has spent the longest time aboard Calypso. Jacques-Yves Cousteau had to travel all over; "la Bergère (the shepherdess), as she was affectionately dubbed by the crew, helped the team achieve the tasks dreamed by her husband. One can probably infer that without Simone Melchior Cousteau, Jacques-Yves Cousteau's life would have been much different.
Unassuming, camera-shy, Simone Melchior Cousteau deserves the greatest recognition as a true pioneer among women scuba divers.
Michel Gilbert
St-Hubert, Quebec, Canada
Editor's note: For more information about Simone Melchior Cousteau, see www.oceanfutures.org/about/
cousteau-family/simone-melchior-cousteau.
Scouting Led to Diving
In the January 2010 issue I was immediately struck by the article on Page 19, "Scuba Diving is Latest Merit Badge for Boy Scouts.
It interested me because the lack of such a badge is what got me into scuba diving. It was 1956 and our Explorer Post in Baltimore, Maryland, was undertaking a specialty program. We chose scuba diving and with the help of some returning Korean
War "frogmen, we made full wet suits from rolls of neoprene, poured our own lead weights and acquired/made other equipment as best we could. Anyone recall fire extinguisher tanks converted to scuba tanks, "horse collars with CO2 cartridges, "beaver tails on wet suits, J-valves, and squirting cornstarch into your suit to make it slip on easier? It was diving with no gauges or BCs [buoyancy compensators]. After making our suits, we trained in pools, local quarries (very cold) and the Chesapeake Bay. Then the Boy Scouts said they thought we were going
to be skin diving, not scuba diving, and they discontinued our program. Some of us, already hooked,
continued anyway.
Over the years I dove whenever I could by demonstrating my skills until it came down to needing a c-card or repeating the resort course and limiting what I could do. So in 1984, I got certified and have progressed to master diver with about 350 logged dives. My trips have taken me all over the world and they continue to provide me with wonderful memories.
I get only two dive trips a year now and I am 69 years old. Technically, I have been diving in six decades and next year will make it seven. My intention is to keep diving until my body and mind tell me it's time to scuttle the gear … but that's not soon hopefully.
Thanks for a great magazine and the chance to recall how it all got started for me.
Lynn Hammond
Canton, Georgia
Scouts and Scuba
I was perusing your January issue and just finished reading the two letters regarding typos in the November issue. Then I turned to the next page about the new Boy Scout scuba merit badge ["'Scuba Diving' is Latest Merit Badge for Boy Scouts]. One of the other new merit badges being introduced next year is Geocaching, not Geocoaching as you listed.
Your article did not make it clear that "Earn an Open Water Diver Certification is a requirement for the merit badge. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has recognized various training agencies for quite a while as being authorized to conduct the previously available Scuba BSA award.
BSA is always looking for qualified adults to serve as merit badge counselors. Contact your local Boy Scout council to find out how you can sign up as a scuba merit badge counselor.
Mike Meenehan
National Capital Area
Boy Scouts of America
Aquatics Committee
Fairfax, Virginia
Addendum to Scuba
Unit Assembly
I'm happy to see that you began the new year in the usual and accustomed manner with an excellent January issue.
Lynn Laymon's article, "Assembling the Scuba Unit With Ease, was no exception to the remaining content. However, I would encourage several, but in my opinion crucial, additions to Step Five:
One, prior to placing the pressure gauge face down, check to make sure that the gauge needle is centered on "0. Any reading above "0 prior to pressurization indicates a defective gauge that will mislead a diver regarding remaining air once pressurized.
Two, upon turning off the air to await "gear up time, the scuba unit should immediately be depressurized. If you fail to do so, the gauge pressure will indicate that the unit is still pressurized. This could mislead a diver to enter the water with the first stage valve in a closed position. Unfortunately this is not an error that will normally be discovered during a buddy check, as one or two breaths of air off a second stage will not be sufficient to clear the system.
I am looking forward to more great issues in 2010.
Jerry Effenberger
Via e-mail
Photo Choice Questioned
I truly enjoy your magazine. However, I was upset (as was my husband) to see the picture of a diver touching a whale shark ["A Fish as Big as a Whale: The Whale Shark, Dive Training, December 2009]. Your magazine stresses proper dive techniques, and touching a whale shark would seem to fly in the face of that.
Sara A. Austin
York, Pennsylvania
dive observer
A California bill that would ease liability questions about diving on state-approved artificial reefs recently moved closer to passage.
On January 19, the California State Assembly approved AB 634, which was written by Diane Harkey (R-Dana Point). The measure then moved to the California State Senate and at press time awaits assignment to a Senate committee.
If approved by the Senate and signed by the governor, AB 634 would remove a major stumbling block to establishing artificial reefs in state waters. Government agencies have been reluctant to permit artificial reefs, fearing they would be held legally liable if a diving accident occurred on a reef in their jurisdiction.
AB 634 is designed to protect state and local agencies from legal liability.
The bill is sponsored by California Ships to Reefs, a nonprofit organization that has worked with state governmental agencies to lay the groundwork for artificial reef projects along the state's coast.
The reefs are created by sinking decommissioned military or retired commercial vessels in certain locations after they have been stripped and cleaned. Supporters say the new habitats for ocean creatures quickly
create new diving and fishing sites, and recreational opportunities bring needed revenue to local businesses.
"This is a pivotal time, said Joel Geldin, California Ships to Reefs chairman and CEO. "To get this bill through the legislature and on the governor's desk, we need supporters to tell their representatives how important AB 634 is. We recommend people call, fax and e-mail their representatives.
"Artificial reefing is a proven success in other states, such as Florida, and internationally, as in British Columbia, Geldin said. "California can enjoy these benefits too, giving the diving and fishing industries the boost they need, while bringing millions of dollars into many parts of the state's economy.
Californians wanting to know how to contact their state senator can visit www.sen.ca.gov.
California Ships to Reefs seeks to reef surplus ships as artificial reefs, bringing diving and fishing tourism to local ports in California.
For further information, visit the organization's Web site at http://californiashipstoreefs.org or contact state Governmental Relations Committee Chairman Dean Rewerts at (530) 906-6465.
COLD WEATHER BOOSTS
MANATEE COUNT
After nearly two weeks of record cold weather in Florida that made spotting easier, biologists counted an all-time-high number of manatees during the annual synoptic survey the week of January 11.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute reported a preliminary count of 5,067 manatees statewide. A team of 21 observers from 10 organizations counted 2,779 manatees on Florida's East Coast and 2,288 on the West Coast. The final numbers will be available at the end of February, following verification of the survey data.
This year's count exceeded the previous high count from 2009 by more than 1,200 animals. The survey conditions were favorable for aerial observations in both years, but were especially favorable this year as a result of the extended period of cold weather.
"This year's high count reflects the influence that weather has on aerial survey results, said FWC biologist Holly Edwards. "The record-breaking cold temperatures helped to bring many more manatees to the warm-water sites than in previous years. In addition, the calm, clear weather conditions on the days of the survey helped us to see and count record numbers.
The goal of the synoptic survey is to count as many manatees as possible. The survey results provide researchers with a minimum number of manatees in Florida waters at the time of the survey. Synoptic results are not population estimates and should not be used to assess trends, the FWC says.
While this year's results do not mean the manatee population grew by more than 1,200 animals in a single year, they do tell researchers there are at least 5,000 manatees in Florida waters. The high count is consistent with models that show the manatee population is growing or stable in most areas of the state.
"Counting this many manatees is wonderful news, said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. "The high count this year shows that our long-term conservation efforts are working.
The cold weather that helped researchers obtain the record high count also highlighted the importance of warm-water habitat for the species. During the recent cold snap, biologists noted unusually large numbers of manatees gathered in the warm-water sites for extended periods. FWC researchers, managers and law enforcement officers closely monitored the large numbers of manatees dependent on these sites. To maintain the species into the future, the FWC will continue to monitor threats such as loss of warm-water habitat which, models indicate, can profoundly affect the manatee population.
For more information about manatees and synoptic surveys, visit http://research.MyFWC.com.
DELAWARE SINKS TWO VESSELS AS REEFS
Two retired oceangoing vessels were sunk January 16 over Delaware's artificial reefs as part of the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's artificial reef program.
The Atlantic Mist went down onto the Del-Jersey-Land Inshore Reef, Delaware's newest artificial reef, 26 miles (42 km) off the Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey coasts. The Del-Jersey-Land Inshore Reef is where later this year the ex-USS Arthur W. Radford, a Navy destroyer, will be put down as the largest vessel ever reefed on the East Coast.
The second sinking January 16 was the 78-foot (24-m) shrimper Frieda Marie, onto the Redbird Reef, which was named for the New York City "red bird subway cars that were previously sunk there.
For more information, see www.fw.
delaware.gov/Fisheries/Pages/DelJersey
LandReef.aspx.
FREIGHTER NEW SOUTH FLORIDA
DIVE SITE
Divers in Miami-Dade County, Florida, have a new attraction.
The 210-foot freighter Sea Taxi was sunk December 30 off Key Biscayne, Florida. The Miami-Dade Reef Guard Association, a group of divers led by Miami Beach dive operator Mike Beach, organized the project.
Miami-Dade County's largest artificial reef sunk for divers now rests in 100 feet (30 m) of water. The vessel has been renamed the Ophelia Brian after the daughter of donors from the Brian and Lavinia Snyder Foundation - avid divers who contributed funds for the project. Built in 1965 by the J.J. Sietas yard in Hamburg, Germany, and christened the Hoheburg, the vessel is a sister ship to two very popular, previously sunk Miami-Dade artificial reefs: the Ultra Freeze and the Deep Freeze. It's been renamed several times in the past 40 years, most recently called the Sea Taxi.
The organization plans to sell medallions and stickers for $10 apiece to raise funds for Miami-Dade County artificial reef and mooring buoy programs. For more information, call (305) 861-6277 or visit www.reefguard.org.
DEEP-SEA ERUPTION CAUGHT ON FILM
Oceanographers using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Jason discovered and recorded the first video and still images of a deep-sea volcano actively erupting molten lava on the seafloor.
Jason, designed and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts for the National Deep Submergence Facility, used a prototype, high-definition still and video camera to capture the powerful event nearly 4,000 feet (1,212 m) below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, in an area bounded by Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.
"I felt immense satisfaction at being able to bring [the science team] the virtual presence that Jason provides, says Jason expedition leader Alberto (Tito) Collasius Jr., who remotely piloted the ROV over the seafloor. "There were 15 exuberant scientists in the control van who all felt like they hit a home run.
Collasius led a team that operated the unmanned, tethered vehicle from a control van on the research vessel and used a joystick to "fly Jason over the seafloor to within 10 feet (3 m) of the erupting volcano. Its two robotic arms collected samples of rocks, hot spring waters, microbes and macro biological specimens.
Through its fiberoptic tether, Jason transmitted high-definition video of the eruption as it occurred. The unique camera system, developed and operated by the Advanced Imaging and Visualization Lab (AIVL) at WHOI, was installed on Jason for the expedition to acquire high-quality imagery of the seafloor. The AIVL designs, develops and operates high-resolution imaging systems for scientific monitoring, survey and entertainment purposes. AIVL imagery has been used in several IMAX films and hundreds of television programs and documentaries.
"Less than 24 hours after leaving port, we located the ongoing eruption and observed, for the first time, molten lava flowing across the deep-ocean seafloor, glowing bubbles three feet [0.9 m] across, and explosions of volcanic rock, said Joe Resing, a chemical oceanographer at the University of Washington and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), and chief scientist on the NOAA- and National Science Foundation-financed expedition.
For more than a decade, monitoring systems have allowed scientists to listen for seafloor eruptions but a time lag has always existed between hearing an eruption and assembling a team and a research vessel to see it. This has meant that scientists have always observed eruptions after the fact.
"We saw a lot of interesting phenomena, but we never saw an eruption because it happens so quickly, said Robert Embley, a NOAA PMEL marine geologist and co-chief scientist on the expedition. "As geologists, you want to see the process in action. You learn a lot more about it watching the process.
The Jason team maneuvered the vehicle to give scientists an up-close view of the glowing red vents explosively ejecting lava into the sea - often not more than a few feet away from the exploding lava - and the ability to take samples.
Enhancing the experience was the ability to view the eruption in high-definition video. Designed to operate at depths of up to 23,100 feet (7,000 m), the unique still and video camera system acquired 30-60 still images per second, at the same time generating motion, high-def video at 30 frames per second. The system uses a high-definition zoom lens - nearly twice the focal length of Jason's present standard definition camera - that enables researchers to see up-close details of underwater areas of interest that they otherwise could not see.
"We were lucky to have those cameras on the vehicle. They are important to the science, said Tim Shank, a WHOI macro-biologist on the expedition. "We use the high-def cameras to try to identify species. They allow us to look at the morphology of the animals - some smaller than 3 or 4 inches [7.5 or 10 cm) long.
"In terms of understanding how the volcano is erupting, the high frame rate lets you stop the motion and look to see what is happening, Resing said. "You can see the processes better.
The National Science Foundation financed the installation of the camera system for this expedition. The system is being tested in advance of a permanent upgrade in 2010 to the cameras on Jason as well as the manned submersible Alvin. Maryann Keith, of WHOI's AIVL, Shank, and other scientists operated the camera system with the assistance of the Jason team during the expedition.
In addition to the benefits to science, the cameras will serve the added purpose of giving the public more access to seafloor discoveries.
"Seeing an eruption in high-definition video for the first time really brings it home for all of us, when we can see for ourselves the very exciting things happening on our planet, that we know so little about, Embley said.
GHOST SHIPS FESTIVAL MARCH 5-6
A team member from Odyssey Marine Exploration will be the keynote speaker at this year's Ghost Ships Festival, scheduled for March 5 in Milwaukee.
The 11th annual festival runs Friday, March 5 through Saturday, March 6 at the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport & Convention Center, across from the Milwaukee airport in Wisconsin (formerly the Four Points Sheraton).
The festival brings together Great Lakes maritime historians, authors and divers from throughout the country. It's an opportunity for the public to learn more about the maritime history of the world's largest inland lakes and see the wrecks that now lie below the surface. The festival includes films, workshops and seminars devoted to shipwrecks, diving and maritime history.
Odyssey Marine Exploration specializes in deep-ocean shipwreck exploration and has made numerous discoveries,
including:
• The 2003 discovery of the Civil War-era shipwreck SS Republic, from which more than 51,000 coins and nearly 14,000 artifacts were recovered.
• The 2007 discovery of more than 500,000 silver and gold coins, weighing 17 tons, from a Colonial-era, deep-ocean site code-named "Black Swan.
• The 2008 discovery of the HMS Victory, Admiral Sir John Balchin's flagship that perished in 1744.
Advance tickets are $20 and day-
of tickets are $25. To purchase a ticket
or for more information, visit ghostships.org or e-mail 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.
Other presentations at the festival include:
• "A Tale of Two Schooners. Travel underwater to explore the remains of two small, two-masted schooners, the William Tell and A.P. Dutton, which were discovered by Clive Cussler and his crew in a joint venture with the Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates.
• "The Wheelsmen. Hear first-person interviews from four men who survived famous storms and shipwrecks, including the Great Storm of 1913, the 1940 Armistice Day Storm and the sinking of the USS Escanaba and Cedarville.
• "The Grave of the M.H. Stuart. See high-definition video of Milwaukee's newest dive site. Discovered in the 1980s, the wreck of the steamer M.H. Stuart lay undocumented until the summer of 2009 when a team of divers secured extensive high-definition footage of the wreck.
• "Southeast Wisconsin's Top 10 Undiscovered Shipwrecks. Learn from maritime historian Brendon Baillod about the area's most noteworthy, undiscovered wrecks.
CALIFORNIA WRECK DIVERS BANQUET MARCH 6
Shipwreck explorer Gary Gentile is scheduled to address the California Wreck Divers during the group's annual banquet March 6 in El Segundo, California.
Gentile has discovered more than 40 shipwrecks, written more than 50 books and published more than 3,000 photographs. Gentile will share his experiences exploring the Lusitania, the luxury liner sunk by a German U-boat that led to the U.S. involvement in World War I.
The banquet is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Hacienda Hotel in El Segundo. For more information, call Steve Lawson at (949) 462-0462 or visit cawreckdivers.org.
BOSTON SEA ROVERS CLINIC MARCH 6-7
The Boston Sea Rovers 56th Annual International Clinic is set for March 6-7 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston.
Highlights of this year's event include a film festival scheduled for March 6 at the New England Aquarium's Simons IMAX Theater. The festival schedule includes underwater cinematographer Michael Pitts, who will be sharing footage taken from "Life, the BBC's latest natural history series; filmmaker and explorer Wes Skiles, who will show footage of cave expeditions; ocean activist Philippe Cousteau Jr., grandson of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, with footage from his latest projects; and Dr. Greg Skomal, who will present the results of his studies of the recently discovered great white shark population off Cape Cod.
The evening will also include an after-show reception aboard the 175-foot-long MV Majesty, which will be moored alongside the aquarium. For more information, phone (617) 424-9899 or see www.bostonsearovers.com.
OHIO SCUBAFEST MARCH 19-21
The Ohio ScubaFest and annual OCSSDI (Ohio Council of Skin and Scuba Divers Inc.) banquet is scheduled for March 19-21 at the Crowne Plaza Columbus Hotel in North Columbus, Ohio.
Featured speakers include Valerie van Heest and David Trotter. Each will make presentations on shipwrecks. Returning this year is Michael Brittsan, curator for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Presentations on dive destinations also are planned.
Workshops scheduled are "Photoshop Elements 6: The Basics and Beyond by Rich Lauer; "Simple Underwater Videography by Bill Margiotta; and "Underwater Archaeology by Carrie Sowden. Workshop fees range from $25 to $289.
Full descriptions of the workshops and more information about the show can be read at www.scubafest.org.
BENEATH THE SEA MARCH 26-28
The Beneath the Sea 34th Annual Undersea Dive & Travel Exposition is
scheduled for March 26-28 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.
The annual event will include more than 400 exhibitors, more than 50 seminars, a film festival, plus casual and formal parties.
Friday is Marine Careers Day when high school and college students from the New York metro area meet with dive industry leaders to discover what it takes to achieve success. Friday is also the day when the public service diving community meets for a series of updates on technique and equipment as presented by DAN (Divers Alert Network) and a team of knowledgeable presenters coordinated by Beneath the Sea Public Service Diving specialists.
Visitors will also have access to information on dive destinations, live-aboard dive boats, resorts and airlines. Divers interested in photography will learn tips on how to digitally edit video and digitally manipulate underwater slides.
For more details, call (800) 536-EXPO, e-mail info@Beneaththesea.org or visit www.beneaththesea.org.
Women Divers Hall of Fame marks 10th anniversary
The Women Divers Hall of Fame (WDHOF), an international honor society that recognizes the achievements of outstanding women divers from around the world, will celebrate its 10th anniversary March 26-28 during Beneath the Sea Expo festivities in Secaucus, New Jersey.
WDHOF, a nonprofit organization, was founded in 2000 by Beneath the Sea Inc., Hillary Viders, Ph.D., The Underwater Society of America, Women Underwater, The Women's Scuba Association and Capt. Kathy Weydig. More than 166 women are members of WDHOF.
A celebration of the 10-year milestone will begin on March 25 with a WDHOF Dinner Cruise aboard the Spirit of New Jersey. On March 26, WDHOF will have a 10th anniversary ceremony during the "Fish and Famous Reception hosted by Beneath the Sea. The annual New Member Induction Ceremony will be part of Beneath the Sea's Diver of the Year Awards Dinner held on March 27. To cap off the weekend, the WDHOF Sunday Brunch will recognize the new inductees and the scholarship and training grant recipients March 28.
For more details, visit the WDHOF Web site at www.wdhof.org or contact Bonnie Toth at bonnietoth@earthlink.net or Bobbie Scholley at ladynavydiver@aol.com.
2010 International Legends of Diving set for April 12-19
Pleased with the first "International Legends of Diving event held last year in The Bahamas, organizer Jeff Rice has announced that it will be staged again, April 12-19, 2010, but in Cozumel. Rice is managing director of Portage Quarry in Ohio, where he has staged "Legends of Diving events for the last few years.
Next year's international gathering will feature a Southern California flavor, with appearances by Bob Meistrell, owner and co-founder of Body Glove, and James Stewart, scientist and diving officer emeritus with Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Both will be recognized for their achievements in diving.
More information on the event is available at www.legendsofdiving.com.
QUARRY PLANS SECOND WORLD-RECORD ATTEMPT
Gilboa Quarry in Ottawa, Ohio, wants to break the world record for "Most Divers Submerged at One Time.
Plans are under way to attempt the feat July 17. The record, established last year in Indonesia, is 2,486. Last July, Gilboa Quarry registered 912 divers and had 794 divers submerged at once.
If you're interested in being part of the 2010 record attempt, visit www.divegilboa.com, e-mail scuba_fuz@hotmail.com or inquire at your local dive center.
JIM HAIGH DIVE JULY 25
The annual Jim Haigh Memorial Dive is scheduled for Sunday, July 25 at Haigh Quarry in Kankakee, Illinois.
The event will include door prizes, diving, raffles and music by Od Tapo Imi, which is billed as Chicago's premier steel drum band. Proceeds from the event benefit Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba (SUDS) and Diveheart Military Wounded (DMW).
For more detail, visit www.haighquarry.com or call (815) 939-7797.
no dumb questions
By Alex Brylske Photo by Joseph C. Dovala
Descent Rate
Advice, Diving After
Hip Replacement Surgery, Dive Computers for Kids
Q:Andrea Weiss asked me to settle a bet. "I hang around with a crowd of pretty avid divers. In fact, I'd call them obsessed. So it's common for our après-dive conversation to center on diving issues that most would never think of - the more obscure the better. One recent argument was how fast a diver should descend. Yes, descend, not ascend. We really couldn't find anything in print, so the controversy still whorls. Can you add anything to the mix?
A:I'm not surprised you didn't find a lot of information on descent rates because it's an issue rarely addressed. But the topic does pop up here every once in a while. The focus is, and will probably always be, on the other end - ascent rates. I suspect that most divers are taught that it's OK to descend "as fast as you can comfortably equalize. And, frankly, there's not much to refute that advice. But there has been some discussion of descent rates over the years. For a long time the U.S. Navy Diving Manual specified a descent rate of no more than 75 feet per minute, but they never provided any physiological basis for the recommendation. (There's a similar story to the hallowed "60 feet per minute ascent also mandated by the U.S. Navy, but that's for another time.) Probably it was just a practical guide from the days when all diving was surface-supplied, and a tender controlled the descent rate.
Still, the descent rate issue doesn't end with the Navy's recommendation. In some circles it's actually quite controversial. For example, some decompression experts argue that divers should descend as rapidly as possible (100 feet or more per minute). The theory is that a quick descent to depth crushes gas micronuclei or what are more commonly called "gas seeds. It's believed that these seeds are the progenitors of decompression sickness, and grow into larger bubbles. Therefore, their reduction or elimination is thought to be one way to reduce the risk of bends. (Anecdotal evidence from commercial black coral divers in Hawaii seems to support this theory.) On the other side of the coin there's research indicating that divers making rapid descents are more likely to succumb to nitrogen narcosis than those who descend more slowly. So, take your pick.
As in most areas of diving physiology, we just don't know. I wish that I could be more definitive, but that's life. For me, I'll stick with descending at a rate quick enough that I can comfortably clear my ears, but not so quick that I risk losing my buddy. But you can bet your BC that I'll be a lot slower when ascending.
Q:Phil Mangiaracina writes with a question concerning a medical issue. "I am 39 years old and have done a lot of diving in the past decade, including more than 400 dives in warm and cold water ranging from British Columbia to Fiji. This past summer I had both hips replaced due to degenerative osteoarthritis. Five months after the surgery I have two new titanium hips, a range of motion that exceeds anything I had previously, and the continuous aching that I came to regard as a 'fact of life' has disappeared. Is there anything in the scientific literature that precludes a return to diving? Specifically, is there any higher incidence of DCS resulting from such an injury? I was surprised to learn that a 'heavy up' dose of antibiotics is required every time I visit the dentist because the hip replacements supposedly make me more prone to infections. This makes me concerned about an increased risk of DCS. Can you give me any guidance?
A:The Divers Alert Network (DAN) and other medical authorities have addressed this issue in the past. Let me provide an overview of their thoughts and recommendations. First of all, as you may already know, joints aren't affected directly by pressure because they're solid and contain no air spaces. The issue is whether scarring and alteration of blood flow from surgery might provide sites for nitrogen accumulation. Neither human nor animal research seems to support this idea, although it can't be ruled out theoretically.
Clearly, regardless of the type of exercise, the greatest concern after hip replacement surgery is for the surgical site and bone to be completely healed. DAN advises that diving is probably OK once your doctor releases you for full activity, and you can perform your exercises and daily living activities with full weight bearing and no difficulties, such as pain, swelling or stiffness. All and all, there's really not much difference between the physical demand placed on your hip during a topside workout or during scuba diving. So, decompression sickness is unlikely to be an issue as long as the area has an adequate blood flow to off-gas nitrogen.
Of course, as when recovering from any type of injury, there's simply no guarantee that you won't have an injury to your hip after returning to diving. However, remember that in diving risk is related to the amount of exposure - depth and time - to nitrogen. Many authorities would advise that, when you do return to diving, you should be a bit more conservative by not diving as deep, as long or as often as you might have before the procedure. On the plus side, it also might be heartening to know that a study published by the prestigious Mayo Clinic reported that more than 75 percent of orthopedic surgeons approved resumption of scuba diving following recovery from total hip replacement.
One form of DCI that does affect the joints specifically is called dysbaric osteonecrosis. Mainly it's seen in commercial divers. In fact, it's common enough to be considered an occupational disease for them. The disorder has not been well studied in recreational divers, but does seem to be more common in divers who don't carefully abide by decompression schedules, or fail to receive prompt treatment when recompression is indicated. So, there's yet another rationale for you to dive conservatively.
Aside from the decompression issue, it's probably a good idea to don and remove your scuba unit while in the water to avoid walking around with the extra weight or climbing boat ladders wearing heavy gear. When boat diving you might also consider asking for assistance when reboarding. That may seem unduly conservative to some, but it's your health we're talking about, and diving is just a sport.
Q:Vic Crespo had a question about computers and kids. "I know that kids are different from adults physiologically, so I've been researching what kind of dive computer might be best for my newly certified 12-year-old daughter. What I didn't expect was some input from a friend of mine who is an instructor. His advice was that kids shouldn't use dive computers at all, but instead use dive tables. His rationale is that there's no algorithm out there suited for kids, and the tables have a longer track record of success. It has me wondering, am I making the right decision to buy her a computer, or should I wait until she's older and follow my friend's advice?
A:There's no doubt that there are physiologic differences between kids and adults. The problem is we really don't know to what degree these differences are relevant when it comes to decompression. Certainly, there are no dive computers out there that were developed for children, but neither were any dive tables. So, as in any field where we have so little information, the answer is being cautious and conservative. If your daughter is only 12, then I suspect she was certified under the restriction that she limit her diving to depths of 60 feet (18 m) or less. Make sure that she abides by that.
My own opinion is that, while it's true that dive computers weren't designed especially for kids, there's little rationale for not using them for that purpose. Perhaps the better question to ask rather than which is best for kids is, which are the more conservative models? I'm sure that your local dive center would be happy to have a lengthy conversation with you about that issue.
Still, your friend does have a point. The rules for use of dive tables - specifically, to consider the deepest depth achieved for the full bottom time of the dive - does impose a healthy safety factor that dive computers do not. Table use may also be a good idea in that it will keep your daughter familiar with dive planning procedures. Plus, she'll know what to do if, in the future, her dive computer ever goes on the fritz.
Regardless of what you decide, always keep in mind that your daughter isn't an adult and that warrants an extra-special admonition to be conservative with respect to decompression and all other aspects of dive planning. If you'd like a refresher on the various issues related to kid divers, take a look at a feature article that I wrote back in the August 2008 issue, "The Younger Diver: The Challenges and Concerns of Childhood Scuba. Ain't it fun being a dad?
Always Learning
Story and photos by Marty Snyderman
Underwater Reflections:
A Diver's Year in Review
A humpback whale launches itself out of the water, twists in midair with its pectoral flippers spread wide, and then crashes back into the sea shooting rivers of whitewater high into the air. Often a whale that breaches once will breach again, again and again. You never know how many times the whale will treat you to this awesome display of power, but every time I see a breach I find myself hoping for at least one more. It is a thrilling scene to witness, and one that I never tire of watching.
Even brief encounters with humpbacks are often followed by long moments of silence as people reflect upon the events they have witnessed. The introspective moments are palpable, and they always remind me of what a powerful experience it is for humans when we are in the presence of whales.
These are the thoughts running through my head as I finalize plans to return to Maui very soon to spend some more time with humpback whales. For most of my life February was just another winter month to get through before spring finally arrived, but in recent years February means a trip to Maui. And the chance to see humpback whales.
Since I saw the humpbacks in Maui last February, the same whales will have traveled north all the way to their Alaskan feeding grounds and then back to Maui, and I will have traveled the globe, diving in areas as widespread as Hawaii, California, Indonesia, Alaska, Curaçao and Fiji.
I suppose that as a new year/new decade begins it is only natural to spend a little time reflecting upon yet another year gone by and the many things I saw and learned because of my interest in the world's oceans and the creatures that live within.
California Dreaming
When I returned home to San Diego after my adventure with Maui's humpbacks I learned that our local waters were being invaded by uncountable numbers of common squid (also called market squid). In winter, common squid venture from deeper waters of the open sea into shallower, near-shore waters off the Southern California coast to mate and lay their eggs in the final days of their lives. A diver's dream come true, the presence of the squid attracts a host of scavengers and predators ranging from spiny lobsters and sea stars to sea lions, black sea bass, sharks, bat rays and more that come to feast on the dead and dying squid.
Common squid play a vital role in many oceanic food webs, and specialists tell us that their numbers have been greatly reduced in recent years, probably due to overfishing. Almost always, when I surface at the end of a dive with the squid, I am conflicted. I feel joy about the scene I just witnessed, and I am reminded about how many marine creatures have such uncertain and tenuous futures.
Gray Days
Lucky me, more whales! In March of last year I spent a week in Magdalena Bay on the west coast of Mexico's Baja peninsula photographing California gray whales. Diving in the bay is not allowed, but being with gray whales is the perfect elixir for every marine enthusiast.
Every year, almost every adult California gray whale makes a round-trip journey between their feeding grounds in Alaska's Bering Sea and the Chukchi Sea and the calving and mating grounds in a series of lagoons and bays along the Pacific coast of Mexico's Baja peninsula. During the 19th century, whalers discovered the breeding lagoons, and soon hunted gray whales to the brink of extinction. In fact, a result of
being hunted, the Korean stock is now extinct. It is not endangered or threatened. It is forever gone due to the greed and shortsightedness of humans.
Legally protected since 1946, the California gray whale has made a healthy comeback. That is highly comforting, but the disappearance of the Korean stock makes me keenly aware that despite the gray whale's size and power, their fate, like that of humpback whales, common squid and all other marine creatures, is inexorably linked to the actions and inactions of our species. That was the overriding thought that remained with me at the end of my gray whale expedition.
Kona, The Big Island
In May of last year I returned to Hawaii. The highlight of that trip was a night dive in the open sea over a bottom that is thousands of feet deep. Not many people explore the open sea in the middle of the day, much less in the black of night. The darkness, and the realization that even specialists know very little about life in the open ocean, makes open-water night dives exhilarating, to say the least.
Many of the creatures I saw were gelatinous animals such as sea butterflies and comb jellies, but I also saw a host of larval creatures ranging from a slipper lobster to flatfishes. Specialists remind us that many species that inhabit Hawaii's reefs today first arrived eons ago as larval creatures that drifted in ocean currents from distant parts of the Indo-Pacific. Seeing so many larval creatures drifting in the open sea reminds me that the ways that we protect, exploit and abuse marine resources in local areas significantly affects the marine kingdom in areas as far apart as Indonesia and Hawaii.
The Whale Sharks
of Isla Holbox
In July I traveled to Isla Holbox, a small island in the Gulf of Mexico off the northeast coast of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, in the hopes of freediving with whale sharks. Whale sharks are filter feeders, and the animals we hoped to encounter are there pursuing dense concentrations of plankton. The concentrations result when nutrient-rich water from the adjacent Caribbean Sea spills into shallow areas in the Gulf of Mexico. Fortunately the fates were kind and I enjoyed a great week. I was able to get up close and personal with a number of whale sharks, cameras in hand.
While the local fishermen have known for many years that whale sharks often congregate near Isla Holbox in the summer, members of the scientific and diving communities have only learned of this phenomenon in recent years, a realization that makes me wonder how many other marine phenomena have yet to be discovered.
North to Alaska
I spent August camping with five friends in Prince William Sound, Alaska, where we went to photograph salmon sharks, a species not well known or often photographed. As their common name suggests, salmon sharks feed on salmon. This year the silver salmon essentially did not show up in Alaska as predicted and the pink salmon run was extremely light. No salmon meant no salmon sharks.
What we did get was rain. Lots and lots of rain. No doubt about it, Alaska can be a tough place, the kind that can reveal its magic or hand you your head in a flash. But despite the challenging conditions, we had a wonderful experience. Ultimately our filming efforts turned toward brown bears and the few pink salmon that did show up. It wasn't exactly what we expected when we planned our trip. As we were so bluntly reminded, wilderness is not something that mere humans can control, but it is something we can appreciate.
The Tropics
I spent the late summer and fall diving in Curaçao, Indonesia and Fiji. Like I said, I had a great year. No doubt, Curaçao's diving doesn't get the acclaim it deserves. The island is off the beaten path and doesn't get as much publicity as many diving destinations, but the diving is enjoyable, easily accessible and diverse, whether you want macro creatures, bigger fishes, turtles, dolphins or shipwrecks. My week in Curaçao reminded me that a lack of publicity does not mean that the diving is lacking, and that there are plenty of diving destinations that are off the beaten path that I might like to explore.
Indonesia is in the heart of the Coral Triangle, the epicenter of marine biodiversity, and the diving left me scratching my head in disbelief at the astonishing variety and forms of so many fishes and invertebrates. While making three to five dives a day for almost a solid month I saw something new on almost every dive. Trying to photograph so many species and even more adaptations and behaviors is an overwhelming task. That said, it is a task I would like to try for another month as soon as possible.
Fiji, too, made a lasting impression. In all my years of diving around the world I cannot remember seeing so many vividly colored soft corals. As an underwater photographer Fiji's reefs presented me with opportunity after opportunity. Fiji is a goldmine for underwater photographers and divers that simply want to enjoy the experience of exploring tropical reefs in all their glory.
As I take a look back on the diving and dive travel that I enjoyed in 2009, I am especially grateful for the new friends I made in places far from my home and for the things I saw and learned. I realize that oceans and my ability, our ability, to explore them are wonderful gifts that we should cherish and protect. That is a simple thought that reads like a cliché, but it is one I'll stand by for as long as I live.
Quiz
Test your knowledge of the information featured in this month's issue
of Dive Training.
1. In mollusks, the organ that surrounds the body and which in many species is capable of secreting a hard shell is called the:
A. Manicle.
B. Mignonette.
C. Miliary gland.
D. Mantle.
2. The bodies of all mollusks are separated into three parts:
A. The ganglia, the digestive tract
and the foot.
B. The head, foot and mantle.
C. The head, foot and visceral mass.
D. Fore, middle and aft.
3. Cuttlefish possess a near-white, hard, rather brittle, internal shell known as a:
A. Beak.
B. Breastplate.
C. Cuttlebone.
D. Coremium.
4. Dried cuttlebones are used as a supplement with caged birds such as parakeets as a dietary source of calcium.
A. True
B. False
5. A form of DCI often seen in commercial divers that affects the joints
is called.
A. Dysbaric osteonecrosis.
B. Diver's osteosarcoma
C. Degenerative osteoarthritis.
D. "Break bone disease.
6. Gas micronuclei or "gas seeds in a diver's bloodstream are believed to be the progenitors of decompression sickness.
A. True
B. False
7. Mangroves are a unique type of tree that grows:
A. In tropical and subtropical climates.
B. Where the sea meets the shore.
C. At a rate of one foot per day.
D. A and B are correct.
E. B and C are correct.
8. Part of what makes mangroves unique is their ability to survive in:
A. Salt water.
B. Brackish water.
C. Soil that is virtually devoid
of oxygen.
D. All of the above.
Answers:
1. D 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. A 6. A 7. D 8. D
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