|
|
|
|
Enhancing Florida West Coast Sponge Population
|
ecology of foundational reef organisms. He received his B.S. in Biology from Tufts University in 2013 and his Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Ecology from the University of Florida in 2022. His professional experience includes positions at the New England Aquarium, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, and close collaboration with The Florida Aquarium, where he worked alongside partners to develop a leading coral restoration program.
Overseas Diving Update
Trips 2026 and beyond: These trips have become a little more complicated to arrange post Covid-19: say in 2022 airfare was plentiful. Now airfare - for most trips is the most limiting factor - especially in the Caribbean: the ability to arrange group airfares is going away and we need to rely more on individual airfares - that need to be purchased well in advance - say 10-11 months before the trips. Hence we need to go to an earlier trip announcement structure than we have been used to in the past. Also the weather patterns are changing - the "storm free season" is getting both smaller and more unreliable. Even ABC Islands are now occasionally hurricane prone I would like to get input from you - where you would like to go [I do not want to hear about where you think the club should go - but without you]. This could be both old and new destinations. Note: always think airfare - on full size planes and/or ferries. The very best option is multiple carriers - as that keeps the prices down. Exotic Trips: Mostly the pacific: We can consider going back to the places that are easiest to reach - Fiji and The Philippines (2 or 3 legs by plane) - or we can consider destinations further away - but we have to be careful about destinations too cumbersome to reach... Please share your interests... |
VP Overseas Diving
REMINDER, our meeting location has changed to the Pompano Beach Elks Lodge. The new room is large and much better acoustics than our previous location. The Lodge opens at 5:00 and they have food available, so please come and learn about our new location. The meeting will start at 7:00 since the Lodge closes at 9:00 and we need to be out of the building. We are required to prepare and clean up the space (part of the savings) so any help is appreciated. There is one aspect that we need to be aware of, because this is a private club only members (Elks) can purchase alcohol. Everybody else will need to pay cash as the bartender is working with us. Special thank you to Russ volunteering for adding events to our social activities, including Elks activities. As always, we would love members that are interested in helping or getting to know the club better to join the Board of Directors. We would enjoy some new blood and the perspective of new members. Our schedule is filling up with new Local Dives and Social Events, please come out and join your fellow members. We all joined the club for these activities and the friends we have made through the years. Happy diving, Chris Hardham Hospitality HutGreetings From The Hospitality Hut, At the August general meeting of the USA Dive Club, I am happy to announce there were two first-time guests in attendance. Mac Malik found us on the Internet. He was certified in 2013 in Belize. Mac has logged 55 dives while sightseeing and taking pictures. He is a Rescue diver and currently a Dive Master in training. Next, I introduced Shane Cutler who also found us on the Internet. Shane completed his Advanced Open Water certification in 2013 in the chilly waters of San Diego and has logged 600 dives. He enjoys beach dives and likes to lobster and collect shells and fish. I encourage you to visit our home page usadiveclub.org Please
click on the calendar and keep up to date on all the diving and
non-diving scheduled activities. You may also take a look at the photo
gallery and take a peek at past events. I wish you all Happy Diving. Clare Anthon Hospitality Coordinator
Educational BlogThis article represents the views of the author. The article has not been fact checked by myself, the Board of Directors or any member of the USA Dive Club. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. 10 Ways To Save Your LifeBy Jon Hardy | The trial was heading into its third week. At stake was nearly $8 million and the future of diving. I was the last witness, called as a diving liability expert for the defense. Preliminary questions and direct examination established my qualifications, knowledge of the case and my opinion that the defendants — dive store, boat and dive leaders — were not at fault. "So then, Mr. Hardy, in your expert opinion, who is negligent?" "Mr. Paulis, the plaintiff." "And how is he negligent for his own injuries?" "Mr. Paulis is an experienced certified diver, and as such has certain responsibilities that only he can fulfill. He failed in several significant ways to meet those responsibilities. "What are the specific responsibilities he failed to meet?" "Mr. Paulis was not fit for this dive. His medical condition, his heart trouble that he concealed from the dive leaders, his lifestyle and recent illness all added to his physical and mental stress, which, when combined with the cold and fatigue he encountered on this dive, set him up for an accident. During the dive, he swam away not only from the group and the dive leader, but also from his buddy, so when he encountered difficulties, there was nobody there to help. "Next, as the current increased, Mr. Paulis experienced difficulty swimming, breathing and controlling his buoyancy. Rather than pausing to regain control of the situation, he continued on until his level of stress was out of control, causing him to panic and begin an out-of-control ascent that led to an air embolism. "The equipment, environment and the others on this dive were not the cause of Mr. Paulis's accident. He was. Fortunately, others were available when he surfaced unconscious, and they gave the best possible emergency care. Mr. Paulis is lucky to be alive." And so it goes in case after case: Divers make mistakes, have accidents and then look for someone else to blame. Yes, there are cases where the dive leader, boat operator, store owner or manufacturer makes a mistake that harms the diver. That's why we have dive accident and liability insurance. But the vast majority of diving accidents are caused by diver error. These accidents lead to legal actions and increased insurance costs for all. Most sadly, they lead to needless suffering and loss. After more than 25 years of investigating scuba accidents and testifying in trials all across the U.S., I've come to believe that most accidents can be prevented. How? Below are 10 guidelines distilled from my involvement in hundreds of scuba accident investigations as well as from my experience as a dive instructor for nearly 40 years. Their purpose is to save lives. They are what I firmly believe instructors should emphasize in training courses. Save Your Life: Have Good Overall FitnessRich swam over to his buddy, signaling frantically to share air. As the two share air, the buddy looks at Rich's pressure gauge. It still shows 1,500 psi. Suddenly Rich rejects his buddy's alternate air source and bolts for the surface, arriving unconscious and not breathing. Aggressive CPR brings him around, but he dies at the recompression chamber. An autopsy reveals a major heart attack, while the investigation uncovers a lifestyle that created a high risk of heart problems. Several studies have indicated that 20 to 35 percent of all scuba fatalities result from heart and circulatory problems. Prior lifestyle and medical conditions set the stage, while the mental and physical stresses of diving trigger the event, usually in middle-aged men. Because the accident occurs in or under water, it is usually fatal and officially listed as a drowning. Other fitness concerns include recent illness, the stresses of cold and fatigue, use of drugs and alcohol, and respiratory problems, including smoking. The keys to fitness are clear: eat well, exercise, get rest, and avoid stress and harmful habits. Easy to say, tough to do. What's easy, however, is for all divers, especially middle-aged men, to have a regular medical exam to determine whether they're fit for the stresses of diving. The small investment of time and money required for an annual physical is a big favor to yourself and everyone who cares about you — and could prevent as many as one-third of all scuba fatalities. Save Your Life: Dive With Others & Know When and Where to DiveWhile driving along the coast, Jan and Dave spot a beautiful cove. The surf's up, but it looks diveable to the experienced couple. They are alone as they climb down the cliff and prepare to dive. The swim out to the rock is easy, but then a large wave overwhelms them. When they bob back up to the surface Dave is unconscious and not breathing. Jan is trained in rescue, but it's too much for her. Alone in the water, she struggles to help Dave as he dies. Diving solo or separated from other divers does not cause accidents, but it does mean that if something goes wrong, additional help is not available. Diving on organized trips, with dive clubs or dive stores, from dive boats or dive resorts, in dive classes or under other supervision ensures that dive professionals and emergency support equipment are available if a problem arises. Experience clearly demonstrates that when a dive leader is present, a potentially fatal accident often becomes a near-miss or a lesser injury. Diving with support and supervision is particularly important when you are new to diving or have been away from diving for a while. Knowing when and where to dive takes skill and experience. One of diving's most important safety rules is that every diver has the right to make a "no dive" decision at any time before or during a dive, and that other divers will respect this decision regardless of whether it is based on environmental conditions, fitness, equipment or the planned dive activity. The bottom line: Know when to say no; know when to say enough. For the remainder of this article use this link: | Membership
As you probably know, our General Membership meetings have moved to the Pompano Beach Elks Lodge. If you haven’t joined us at our new spot yet, we’d love to see you there soon—you’re in for a real treat. Everyone’s been enjoying the food and drinks before the meeting, and the acoustics make every presentation clear and enjoyable. We’ve seen more folks showing up in person.
So come on by, take a seat at the bar or join a table, and enjoy a relaxed evening filled with good food, fun times, great company, and educational presentations. We hope you’ll join us soon. We’d love for you to check out our extensive Photo Gallery, where you can dive into all the fun from our social events and diving adventures. We update the albums regularly, so there’s always something fresh for you to enjoy. Happy diving, everyone. Let’s keep the good vibes going!
Social EventsChanging Seas III On Wednesday, July 30th, eight USA Dive Club members and guests including Kim W, Daryl J, Carrol F and Bob H, Kathi M, Jeanne B, along with Russ and Julie M, gathered at NOVA's Halmos College of Arts & Sciences on Dania Beach for a free screening of Changing Seas: Whales In A Plastic Ocean presented by South Florida PBS. After the screening, we gathered for complimentary snacks, wine and beer in the college cafeteria.
Changing Seas IV On Wednesday, August 6th, four USA Dive Club members including Kathi M, Kim W, along with Julie and Russ M, gathered at NOVA's Halmos College of Arts & Sciences on Dania Beach for a free screening of Changing Seas: The Elephant Seals of Año Nuevo presented by South Florida PBS. After the screening, we gathered for complimentary snacks, wine and beer in the college cafeteria.
Sip, Sip, Hooray II On Tuesday, August 19th, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, thirteen USA members and guests enjoyed our 2nd scheduled Sip, Sip Hooray Happy Hour at the Black Rock Bar & Grill in Fort Lauderdale. The group included Clare A, Pat S, Ronnie F, Kathy and John F, Julie and Russ M, Mike and Margie H, Lisa K, Kim W, along with Frank and Joanne M. Drinks were discounted and snacks were in abundance.
Don't miss out on socializing with your fellow USAers at our next social event. You'll be amazed at how enjoyable it can be. Russ Manhold, Event Coordinator Local Diving
Overseas Dive Trips
|
.jpg)
LOBSTER POT
USA's Lobster Pot drawings Include CASH prizes, and a variety of PRIZES donated by Sponsors or Club Members.
Funds from ticket donations help to support our many club activities. Congratulations to all our Lobster Pot participants. Be sure to visit our Local dive shops who support us and say 'Thanks'.
© Copyright Under Sea Adventurers Dive Club 2025 |