|
|
|
|
"Blackwater Creatures" by Linda Ianniello*** In Person Speaker ***Linda has been scuba diving and taking underwater images for over 30 years. Her favorite type of photography has always been macro photography, where half the challenge is finding the small, unusual subjects. When a local dive operator started doing “blackwater” dives she became interested. She was quickly hooked and has done 550 blackwater dives locally, in just under 10 years. These dives involve going approximately five miles off the coast and doing a night drift dive close to the Gulf Stream where the bottom is 700 to 750 feet deep. It is fascinating to find and photograph the animals that migrate vertically from the deep every night to feed, and those that spend their whole lives in the water column. Linda then strives to identify and learn more about them, with a lot of help from willing scientists. In return, the scientists are interested to see the subjects “in situ” rather than mangled after being collected in a net towed behind a boat. Linda will talk about the evolution of these dives and how much she has learned, and also how much she hopes to have contributed to science and education. These creatures, though small, all have a purpose and are necessary to the health of the ocean.
|
Overseas Diving Update
|
Trip Announcements: Trips 2026 and beyond: At this time we have open spots on both our trips for 2026 - first come, first serve basis... Urgent - deadline extended to the April Meeting: Riding Rock San Salvador, May 9-16, 2026 This trip has group airfare, arranged by RR: MIA to San Salvador $2,600 Full description and signup form: Riding Rock 2026 Statia, Jul 11-18, 2026 GOLDEN ROCK DIVE & NATURE RESORT. This trip announced with your own airfare: Miami to St Kitts, and then a private ferry. Let me know when you have the airfare and I will reserve you a spot $3,000 Full description and signup form: Statia 2026 2027: Tubbataha, Philippines, May 8-15, 2027 This is the most pristine spot in the Philippines - one of the few liveaboard spots in the world that sells at full price. We are going on the same boat as we used in 2025, Philippines Aggressor (I). Right now I only hold 16 spots - more can be added if we have the travelers. I am currently negotiating for a land based extension (will be a separate announcement - soon) Full description and signup form (March): Tubbataha 2027 |
VP Overseas Diving
HAPPY APRIL AND SPRING Hard to believe Spring has sprung already. The new year is progressing quickly, please continue to be active in our activities. If you have any requests or suggestions we would appreciate any ideas. 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. 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, I was enjoying the warm sunny days when another chilly spell appeared. Hopefully, the warm Florida sunshine will return very soon. At the March general meeting, I introduced guest Terri Coburn. She was brought to the club by member Robert. Terri is a Master Scuba Diver Teacher and enjoys all aspects of diving. Being certified in 1989, she has logged many dives. Terri has submitted her membership application and is now a member, welcome to the Club. 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 Local Diving
| Membership
Terri Coburn was introduced to the Under Sea Adventures Dive Club by our Historian and Hall of Fame member, Robert Shearer. He invited Terri to our recent General Membership meeting, and she joined the Club that same night. Terri was first certified in 1989. She went on to become a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor in 1985 and earned her Master Scuba Diver Trainer certification in 2006. Over the years, she has logged thousands of dives. Terri enjoys all kinds of scuba diving, and some of her favorite dives are right here at home off Pompano and Fort Lauderdale. She’d love to travel to more exotic destinations, such as the Philippines, and she fondly remembers a very special dive in Bora Bora with blacktip reef sharks. Closer to home, Terri looks forward to spending time in the Florida Keys, especially doing some wreck diving. Terri happily admits that her beagle, Molly, is her favorite traveling buddy. The USA Dive Club is excited to warmly welcome Terri as our newest member. 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!
Overseas Dive Trips
|
EDUCATIONAL blogTrouble at the SurfaceBy Jon Hardy Ed.'s note: The incidents described here are real. Names of locations and people have been changed or deleted. A middle-aged couple, Joe and Margaret Kirby, had recently been certified along with their teenage daughter, Becky. The family had made a few resort dives before signing up for their first really independent boat trip closer to home. The dive operator offered a dive guide for the day as the three were still novices, but they declined. The day was beautiful with rolling waves, clear skies and a moderate breeze. Complete briefings were conducted at the dock and on arrival at the dive site. The dive area was popular, and several dive boats had already arrived and taken the available mooring buoys. The boat carrying Joe, Margaret and Becky anchored beside the reef in a sandy area. All of the dive boats there that day had student divers on board and planned their dives within the skill level of these divers. After the student divers had entered the water, the Kirbys did likewise and made a free descent to the 40- to 60-foot depth range and, using a compass course, proceeded along the coral reef. At about 70 feet, Becky indicated she had some difficulty, so they all surfaced together. At the surface, they discovered that they were quite far from their own boat and that they had traveled opposite from their intended direction but were near another boat that was on a mooring. They signaled back to their boat, giving the OK signal and what appeared to be a "come get me" signal. The skipper, seeing the conflicting signals, sent the divemaster out to investigate, while he continued to bring the students on board. The divemaster swam out, made contact with the three divers and inflated all of their BCs, while evaluating the situation and making sure everyone was breathing OK. The divemaster provided reassurance while they waited for their boat to pick them up. Suddenly, Margaret, who was using her regulator to breathe on the surface, said she was out of air. A quick check of her pressure gauge showed 1,100 psi. She then dropped her regulator second stage from her mouth. The divemaster replaced it, and she dropped it again. At this point, he gave the emergency signal and started in-water mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The nearby dive boat dropped its mooring and was beside the divers in two to three minutes. Margaret was brought aboard and full CPR was administered during the rushed trip back to the dock, but to no avail. In the legal action against the dive boat, skipper, divemaster and dive business, the family claimed that:
NOAA had a continuously recording current meter on the reef at the site and depth of their dive, and, at the time of the accident, it recorded a variable current between zero and one-quarter of a knot. Many student dives were made at the same time and place with no accidents or incidents. The procedures outlined in the briefings for divers who surface away from the boat indicated that divers should inflate their BCs, signal the boat and wait for pick-up. Of course, the boat would not put multiple students at risk by running the propellers while they were surfacing. The divers did not follow the instructions to go down the anchor line and swim into the current; they incorrectly used their compass and went in the wrong direction. When they first surfaced, Margaret was not having a problem. When she claimed she was out of air at 1,100 psi, it was a clear indication of stress, over breathing or circulatory distress. The whole family was using private-label, mail-order BCs and regulators. The autopsy gave drowning as cause of death, due to a heart attack brought on by morbid obesity, coronary atherosclerosis and other medical problems. The court dismissed the case based on the waiver and release form signed by the victim. For the rest of this article, use this link. Trouble at the Surface | Scuba Diving |
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 2026 |