ScubaMarco Club Aquarius   Captains Chronicles August ‘07 v6     

I’m short on time and even shorter on wit, so this newsletter will be brief and to the point(s). Point 1.)   What in the $@#*&%^# is going on with the weather?  I understand fluctuations on averages and periods extreme weather but our patterns are no longer patterns.  I know I’m closing in on 40 years (approx.) of walking this planet and compared to the number of years this planet has been subjected to varying weather, we’re talking a really small fraction.  I remember flying back from a summer vacation when I was about 14.  Being a long time southwest Florida resident (6 years) I was an expert on our summer time weather.  The gentleman sitting next to me was visiting the area for the first time and was in disbelief even after repeating myself, “yep, it will rain like mad 3 out of 4 days between 3 and 6 o’clock and then the sun will come back out.”We stepped of the plane about 5 PM to see a rainbow, feel the light rain, and walk across a storm drenched tarmac.  I remember the look and nod that guy gave me as we parted.  ‘Holy cow kid, you’re right’.  That’s how it was, summer after summer. The troubling thing to me now is that nobody can tell us how it is.  Lot’s of theories out there, most getting ripped apart by opposite theories.  Some maintain it’s natural long term fluctuations,man is vain to think that our behavior could possibly impact the weather.  Other’s quickly turn to scientific data and warn that we’re on the brink of annihilating ourselves.  It’s making me uneasy.I’m a simple, deep thinker: ‘must be better to act in a positive way to counter a perceived negative threat, than not act in hopes that the threat is just a misperception’. Last month my anxiety was due to changing personal and emotional situations. I wrote a poem and adopted the mantra “Weather the Whether”.   Luckily for you I don’t have time to write the poem conveying my current mind set: “Whether the Weather”.  Point 2.)   LET’S GO DIVING!!!       Diving - Local  July ‘07 The Scorpion IV made a couple trips to the Blue Hole (also known as the Black Hole and Naples Spring Hole) this July.  Lying 23.5 miles from Capri (Marco’s main) pass at a bearing of 255 degrees, it is several miles closer to Marco than Naples.  A classic, round sinkhole 80 feet in diameter in 70 feet of water provides an awesome site and is the only true ‘wall dive’ I’m aware of within at least 100 miles of here.  The first 20 feet is vertical limestone riddled with small cracks and crevices and covered with a large variety of colored sponges, bryozoans, and tunicates.  At 90 feet the wall becomes a roof and the gaping cavern shell disappears into the shadows.  The geology is intriguing, even overwhelming when a dose of nitrogen narcosis is added to the mix.  Expanding out then contouring back down, the hole swells to about 150 feet wide and is 220 feet deep on the outside.  In the middle a 40 foot high silt mound has formed from sediment sinking through the hole.  Yes there is a reasonably close tech dive in the Gulf. Awesome terrain is good, spectacular marine life is great.  The hole is always loaded with huge goliath grouper, sea turtles, schools of amberjack and spadefish, spot fin butterfly, and queen angels.  Anemones adorn the holes lip and arrow crabs and nudi-branchs are plentiful.  Fish orientate themselves to the roof at 90 feet and generally swim upside down, which is quirky cool.Grouper, snapper, damsels, and barracuda are generally present, and I’m always in suspense about what may swim into (or out of) that dark abyss below. The hole should be considered an advanced dive.  Previous deep experience and mastery of buoyancy control are a must.  The good news is that there is very little to no current in the hole.  However, beware of the thermocline, temperature drops 10 to 15 degrees about 15 feet into the hole.  Old tales state that the hole was easy to find before electronics as the active aquifer vented out fresh water that smoothed the gulf’s surface.  Newer tales tell of the hole becoming active and venting out fresh water when the water levels over southwest Florida approach flood stages. I set up for a dive by dropping my anchor into the hole.  If I drop 90 feet without hitting the bottom, I know the anchors in the hole.  Winds and seas dictate how much scope I play out, always enough to be safe and hopefully comfortable.  We descend down the anchor line and get neutrally buoyant before going over the lip.  My profile is to drop to 95 feet and to make a loop around at the roof area.  My second loop is a gradual ascent back to the lip.  Depending upon air supply and gas saturation a third loop around the lip is a nice way to wrap it up.  The anchor line becomes our ascent line making for an easy safety stop.  Call the shop for a hole drop! Diving - Clubs Scuba Marco Club Aquarius will meet this Thursday, the 2nd of August, 6 PM @ Scuba Marco.That’s either TODAY or TOMORROW for those that are time-space continuum challenged.   Any food ideas?  The beverages always work themselves out.  Bring the kids, or just come entertain mine.  Jessi will be giving free hugs, just think what signing up for the Cayman trip might get you?????        Diving - Travel Continuing  the GRAND CAYMAN ‘WE’RE ABOUT TO LOSE OUR ASS SPECIAL’: Save $100 per person when booking at least 2 people!!!Just $1545 gets you a jet ride from Miami to G.C. the 20th of October, a shuttle to the Sunset House from the airport where you will find your air-conditioned home for the next 7 nights, 5 days of boat diving (unlimited shore), a cooked to order breakfast every morning, 2 nights of all you can drink frolicking (parties in my room), a shuttle back to the airport and a jet ride to Miami on the 27th of October..  Receive a free 20 minute massage upon booking (see Jessi).  C’mon!!!Check out www.sunsethouse.com and go find some extra bling.  Please help us avoid burning our proverbial ass.Thanks to all who are going to the Cay Sal Banks.  I’m actually excited for this one.  We have personalized luggage tags and more info here at the shop, drop by Thursday.  The Nekton ‘Pilot’ won’t be floating on gravy, nor will it be on acid water.  And that’s OK, saltwater works fine.   Diving - Advanced Open WaterTaking SSI’s advanced certification class is a fun and easy way to start down your road to diving independence.  We focus on 4 specialty dives (some of the more popular are; Navigation, Deep, Wreck, Night, Boat, Equipment Specialist, and Spearfishing).  Read the manuals, bring your answers to the questions to the class session (1 1/2 hours), do the dives (or show me your logbook with qualifying dives within the specialty) and get your card!  We will conductADVANCED OPEN-WATER CLASSES the 2nd THURSDAY EACH MONTH @ 6 PM.You must have <24 dives to earn the rating, but can do the training prior to accumulating dives.Cost is $150 for the books, classroom, and c-card, plus the regular cost of diving (if needed).      Diving - Stress & RescueVery helpful and a lot of fun is the general critique of this SSI specialty course.  This course is required to earn the Master Diver rating (the highest recreational certification).  Its also required to enter the professional arena (Dive Control Specialist and Instructor.  Anybody want to teach?Please see me if so!  The course involves reading  the manual, bring your answers to the questions to the class session (1 1/2 hours) and then 2 water sessions (1 in the pool, 1 in the gulf) where we review self rescue, practice search patterns, then act out rescue scenarios. We will conduct STRESS & RESCUE CLASSES the 3rd THURSDAY EACH MONTH @ 6 PM.Cost is $295 for the book, classroom, pool & boat training, and c-card.. Diving - Enriched Air Nitrox What is it???   Enriched Air Nitrox is a shallow water breathing gas with a higher oxygen level than air. Nitrox is NOT for deep dives, a common mis-perception.   It is perfect for repetitive dives in the 50 - 100 foot range.  The higher oxygen means less nitrogen, which reduces your chances for Decompression Sickness. Reducing nitrogen means you have longer bottom times at shallower depths. That gives you more time to hunt for lobster, spearfish or that perfect picture. The Nitrox course involves reading through the manual, learning the Nitrox tables, and a class session.  We will conduct NITROX CLASSES the 4th THURSDAY EACH MONTH @ 6 PM.  Cost is $125 for the book, tables, class and c-card.   

PEACE / LOVE / HAPPINESS > Be a kelp hugger, trees involve gravity, yuck!