Membership blog

The Christmas Tree Worm is a marine animal distantly related to earthworms.  Could anything be more festive?

Click HERE and enjoy a short video about the beautiful Christmas Tree Worm.  What a fantastic photo.  It was captured by our talented Club Photographer, Laura Moran, during some local diving on the Loggerhead dive boat in beautiful Boynton Beach.  Doesn’t it just inspire us to dive in and explore?

This holiday season, treat yourself to something special.  Renew your membership in the USA Dive Club and enjoy the thrill of diving with great company.

No longer diving?  That’s totally fine.  We’re all about having fun together on land as well.  Lureen has some fantastic non-diving events in the works that you definitely won’t want to miss.

The best part?  Our annual membership dues haven’t gone up.  You can renew your individual membership for just $50, or if you’re a married couple or domestic partners, it’s only $90 total ($45 each).  Plus, if you have adult, dependent children who are certified divers and still live at home, they can join for FREE! 

Join us at our in-person meetings to connect and socialize with fellow dive enthusiasts and be entertained and educated by our guest speakers.  Feel free to bring along a friend or two—it’s a great way to make new memories together.  You won't regret it.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Here's a fun little fact from your Membership Coordinator to brighten your day. 

Did you know lionfish, sometimes called turkeyfish, have some pretty impressive—and venomous—spines?  They can pack quite a sting!  From the right angle, their beautiful fins look a lot like turkey feathers, which is where the cute nickname comes from. Click on the above link to learn more.

And for all you pescatarians out there, don’t worry—you can still enjoy your “turkey” by diving into some delicious lionfish. 

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter, and great food with friends and family.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Just a friendly reminder to keep this in mind: While you're out on Halloween and you come across a ghost, goblin, or haunted pumpkin, strike up a conversation about our fantastic sport of scuba diving. You never know, you might just be chatting with a ghostly scuba diver who's looking to join a club.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Hey everyone, 

I wanted to take a moment to recognize all the new members who have joined the USA Dive Club so far this year.  Whether you've been coming to meetings or participating in dives and local events, I want to thank you for being a part of our Club.  I know that some of you can't make it to the in-person meetings because you're living out of the area – shoutout to our out-of-towners; Sheila from Switzerland who went diving with the Club in the Solomon Islands; Nick from Ft. Myers trekking across the state for our local dives; Ryan from St Petersburg who traveled with us to Little Cayman; and Mark who tries to attend our meetings on Zoom.

To all our existing members, let's make an effort to attend more in-person meetings and get to know our new members.  It's also a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends.  When you come to the next meeting, take a moment to check out the "New Member" display board in the back of the room and learn a little bit about each new member.

I've put together a collage of some of our most recent members to help you match the names with the people.  Can't wait to see all of you at our next General Membership meeting! 

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Ronnie Guha discovered the USA Dive Club while searching the Internet with a Google Search.  Ronnie holds an Advanced Open Water certification from SSI and plans to further his diving education by taking the NITROX course by the end of the month.  

As a new diver with 14+ dives under his weight belt, Ronnie looks forward to adding more to his logbook by joining us on Ryan’s weekend local dives.  One of the perks of being a new diver is that the USA Dive Club offers those certified within 12 months of applying for membership, a “First Year Free” membership…and free is good!  Ronne has signed up for several Club dives and is looking forward to taking the plunge with us.

On the top of his wish list is diving the Great Barrier Reef, and when not diving, Ronnie enjoys music and swimming.

Please warmly welcome Ronnie when you see him at a meeting, on a dive, or at a social event.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Hey everyone!  Wishing you all a fantastic Fourth of July!  Just a friendly reminder to handle those firecrackers with caution.  It's always a great idea to kick back, relax, and enjoy a local fireworks display put on by the experts. 

With summer officially here, the call of "Dive...Dive...Dive..." is music to our ears!  Our new members are joining our experienced divers, and are diving into Ryan's awesome local dive program.  Many members are also signing up for the exciting overseas dives meticulously planned by Nils. 

So, what are you waiting for?  Get back on the dive boat and share the good news about our Club! 

And remember, we’ll see you in August. 

Nick Nash resides on the west coast of Florida, specifically the Fort Myers area.  He discovered the USA Dive Club while searching for a dive club on the Internet.  Although he is new to the sport, he has cherished the dream of becoming a scuba diver since childhood.  Therefore, he considers his first dive as his most memorable dive, having finally accomplished something he has wanted to do all his life.

He has a long list of diving destinations he would like to explore including the Red Sea, diving in Mexico while on a cruise vacation, visiting the Florida springs such as Devil's Den, diving with the grouper in West Palm Beach, and lobster hunting in the Keys or Miami. 

Nick spent eight years working as a nurse before making a recent career change. He is now a real estate sales associate and is working in property management.  Apart from scuba diving, Nick has a few other interests including a love of cars, particularly the Mercedes Benz.  He is also a fan of tattoos and dogs and helps animals whenever he can.  You can find Nick exercising at the gym, fishing, and taking nature walks.  Additionally, neurochemistry and psychology are some of his top interests. 

Mark Osherow was recommended to join the USA Dive Club by a friend.  He is a Master Diver with over 300 dives and holds 11 certifications.  Mark is excited to participate in the diving opportunities provided by the Club and is currently working towards completing his Divemaster certification. 

Mark cherishes every dive but Round Rock in Grand Cayman is his most memorable one.  When not diving, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading, swimming, cycling, and watching movies. 

He loves taking underwater videos and has uploaded some of his work on YouTube under the name @seadeepdivingFL. You are welcome to check them out. 

Jack Halpern was recommended to the USA Dive Club by other divers in the area.  A Bronx, NY native, he started diving in New York in 1963.  He holds YMCA and PADI Advanced Open Water diving certifications and has completed hundreds of dives, many of which were in cold, northern waters.  In 1996, Jack moved to Highland Beach, FL with his wife Joan, who is also a diver along with three of their children and two of their grandchildren.

His most memorable dive was in Tahiti on a ship with 350 other people, only a small number of whom were divers.  The divers would board tenders and go diving on the beautiful Tahitian reefs.  One of Jack’s favorite places is Looe Key Marine Sanctuary in the Florida Keys.

Jack is a mining engineer with two advanced degrees in geotechnical engineering.  His consulting business of over 50 years was interrupted in 2017 by Hurricane Irma, which flooded his home and convinced Jack it was time to retire.  After retiring, he joined the Guardian Ad Litem Program and cared for 10 foster children.

When not diving, Jack volunteers for the community in many capacities.  In the past, he was active for five years as Turtle “Handmaiden” for the northern 3/4 mile of Highland Beach.  Additionally, he is a board member of his condominium association and has been involved in various other commissions and citizens groups.  He also has a keen interest in the sport of archery.

Jack is looking forward to joining the Club activities and getting back to diving on a more regular basis.

The USA Dive Club is pleased to welcome Nick, Mark and Jack, as its newest members and wishes them an enjoyable experience with the club.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Gus Lowery is a returning member of the USA Dive Club.  Although previously an out-of-town member, he has decided to join again since he lives in the area. 

Gus was first certified in 2003 and holds Advanced Open Water, Rescue, and NITROX certifications.  His most memorable dive was the Bonaire Bridge, and he is eager to create more memories by diving in places such as Truk, Roatan, Cozumel, and the Bahamas. 

Besides diving, Gus is also interested in kayaking, bicycling, and sailboarding. 

The entire USA Dive Club is thrilled to welcome back Gus Lowery.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

John Fisher is a former member of the USA Dive Club.  Since he was last with us, he has achieved the rank of Master Diver with over 1,000 dives under his belt. 

One of John's most memorable dives was with mantas in the Maldives, an archipelagic state in South Asia situated in the Indian Ocean.  He enjoys wall diving, drift diving, and sightseeing.  John is planning to spend at least 10 days diving in the Pacific. 

We are delighted to welcome John back to the Club.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Remembering Dave Smith

I am saddened to inform all the members of the Club about the passing of our fellow member Dave Smith on January 12, 2024. Dave was a long-time member of our Club, joining us in January 1995.  He was a familiar face to many of us, always keen to participate in our monthly meetings, try his luck at the Lobster Pot, and attend social events.  Occasionally, Dave was a part of our overseas dives.

Fellow member, Russ Manhold, recently spoke to Dave's family.  They informed us that no obituary or memorial service is planned at this time.  However, if you are friends with Dave on Facebook, you may leave a message on his page, David Barclay Smith, which is being actively managed by his daughter.

In honor of Dave's memory, we have created a photo album that showcases his fond memories with the USA Dive Club.  We invite all of you to take a look at the album by clicking on the link below.

Remembering Dave Smith

Please keep Dave's family and loved ones in your thoughts during this difficult time.

Sheila Ott is currently residing in Switzerland and has recently become a member of the USA Dive Club.  She joined the Club to participate in our upcoming overseas dive trip to the Solomon Islands, a nation of hundreds of islands in the South Pacific.  We would like to express our gratitude to Lureen Ferretti, a fellow member of the USA Dive Club, for introducing Sheila to our community.

After diving in the Galapagos Islands, Sheila is excited to revisit them, but her most unforgettable diving experience was on Komodo Island in Indonesia.

Sheila is an alumni PADI Open Water Instructor and loves to capture photographs of the beauty and diversity of the underwater world while diving.  She has already logged an impressive 1,284 dives and is looking forward to increasing that number when she travels to the Solomon Islands with us this year.

Apart from traveling the world, Sheila is also interested in hiking and exploring new places.

Josh Leigh, resides in Ft. Lauderdale and discovered us on the Internet.  He has an Advanced Open Water certification and has completed more than 70 dives.

His most memorable diving experience was with bull sharks in Cabo Pulmo, Mexico.  When he's not diving, he enjoys losing himself in a good book.

Ryan Page joined the Club on the recommendation of a family member and resides in St. Petersburg, FL. 

Ryan is excited to join the Club's upcoming overseas dive trip to Little Cayman.  He holds an Open Water certification from PADI and dreams of diving on the Great Barrier Reef.

We are excited to welcome Sheila, Josh, and Ryan to the USA Dive Club family, and we look forward to exploring the wonders of the underwater world with them.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities