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A record crowd filled the SCUBA Show exhibit hall on Saturday, June 29. Photo by B. Hamblin.
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SCUBA Show 2002 Breaks Records
The 15th Annual SCUBA Show took place June 29 and 30 at the Long Beach Convention Center. It was the largest expo ever in the history of this, the largest dive expo in the western United States. The exhibit hall was packed with 57,000 square feet of diving exhibits. A total of 10,496 attended the event. Saturday records were broken with 6,043 underwater enthusiasts in attendance. Sunday’s attendance chimed in at 4,453.
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Ken Kurtis (left) and Billy Wright(right) were presented the California Scuba Service Award by Dale Sheckler (center) at the Casino Party Saturday evening of the Show.
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In addition to the exhibit hall, the continuous underwater film festival and seminars were very popular portions of the show.
Many attending participated in the exhibit hall pool/demo tank. Highlight of the weekend was the Saturday night Casino Party benefiting the Catalina Conservancy Divers. During the party, Ken Kurtis and Bill Wright were awarded the California Scuba Service Award for their leadership with the Catalina Chamber Day/Evening making it to become the largest benefit dive event in the U.S.
“We are very pleased with the growth jump that this year’s show has taken,” stated show producer Dale Sheckler. “I have never seen more enthusiasm in the attendees. It was an exciting show.”
Plans are already underway for SCUBA Show 2003, June 21-22 again at the Long Beach Convention Center. For the most up to date information, visit www.saintbrendan.com on the web.
NAUI RGBM Recreational Dive Tables Released
NAUI Worldwide has announced the release of new recreational dive tables, based on the highly acclaimed Reduced Gradient Bubble Model (RGBM). The RGBM decompression algorithm and tables have already changed the face of advanced and technical diving protocols. NAUI’s new recreational tables apply the RGBM modeling and technology to produce a set of tables designed especially for the recreational diver. The result is a very simple, easy-to-use, single table for repetitive no-decompression diving. Moreover, the correct physics of the RGBM reduces the effective decompression sickness risk for all levels of diving not restricted to technical diving only.
The new NAUI RGBM Dive Tables are “No-Calculation” tables that do not require use of pressure groups or residual nitrogen times, thus making repetitive dive planning extremely easy and straightforward. The new dive tables have also built in “Flying After Diving” rules that allow ascent to altitude 12 hours after a single dive, 15 hours after two dives, and 18 hours after the third dive. The fundamental NAUI RGBM Dive Table is valid for diving from sea level to 2000 feet. High altitude tables are available for ranges from 2000 feet to 6000 feet and from 6000 feet to 10,000 feet. Nitrox tables for sea level or altitude diving are also available.
According to Tim O’Leary, Director of NAUI Technical Operations, “These are certainly the simplest tables to use in recreational diving. They don’t rely on multiple tables involving variable surface intervals and residual nitrogen times. One table does it all. Yet with the RGBM modeling, they are some of the safest recreational tables available.”
NAUI Worldwide is the world’s oldest not-for-profit membership training agency organized solely to support and promote dive safety through education. Formed in 1960, NAUI Worldwide offers a full range of training programs from Skin Diver through Instructor Course Director, with dozens of specialty courses including nitrox and technical diving. Thousands of member Instructors, affiliated stores, resorts, and service centers are located in countries throughout the world. For further information on NAUI Worldwide affiliated stores, resorts, and certified diving instruction, contact NAUI Worldwide, (813) 628-6284, (800) 553-6284, or nauihq@nauiww.org.
Peace Trip Winners
At SCUBA Show 2002, held June 29 and 30, dive trips aboard the popular Peace were awarded to 14 lucky individuals, courtesy of Eric Bowman, the boat’s owner.
This 65-foot long, 22-feet wide dive boat based out of Ventura, sleeps 32 and has a large galley, sun deck, two air compressors, inflatable chase boat and a live game tank. In addition, other features of the Peace include hot showers, clothes dryer, color TV, VCR and a hot tub.
The 14 winners of trips aboard the Peace are: Jim Olarte, Dale Schnedberger, Lisa Marshall, Winnie Furmann, Bob Golding, Marcelo Sroka, Brian Johnson, Michael McDonald, Dan Dowell, Michael Hardwick, Rod Phillips, Stacy Stubna, Marc Goldberg, and Gary Disney.
Each winner is entitled to one free dive trip on any of the Peace’s mid-week, open-boat excursions.
For further information about the Peace, call (805) 984-2025, or visit their web site at http://www.peaceboat.com.
Cabrillo Aquarium Undergoing Massive Expansion
A $10 million expansion of Cabrillo Marine Aquarium has begun. The addition will nearly double the size of the facility and significantly expand its public education programs. The two-story expansion is scheduled to open in the fall of 2004, the culmination of years of long-range planning.
Long recognized as one the finest teaching aquariums in the world, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium can now look forward to state-of-the art facilities. The Exploration Center will have interactive exhibits and activity stations that include a “mud walk-through,” “crawl in” aquarium, and “ecological play” area.
The Aquatic Nursery will allow visitors to see scientific research in action with young scientists-in-training conducting projects under the guidance of Aquarium professional staff. In this lab setting, husbandry techniques will be taught and lessons learned on topics such as species survival, aquaculture, and captive breeding.
The Virginia Reid Moore Marine Research Library will offer quiet study space and books, periodicals, audiovisual, and computer resources for students, teachers, staff, volunteers, and the public. The S. Mark Taper Foundation Courtyard will provide serene landscaping and outdoor exhibits.
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium’s expansion will be paid for through a combination of public and private funding, including Proposition A-11 funds approved by Los Angeles County voters in 1996, Proposition K funds also approved in 1996 by Los Angeles City voters, and support from FRIENDS of Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, its private sector support group. Major supporters of the expansion project include the S. Mark Taper Foundation, Virginia Reid Moore, The Ahmanson Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Will J. Reid Foundation, and Weingart Foundation.
For more information about Cabrillo Marine Aquarium visit http://www.cabrilloaq.org on the web.
LAUPS Announces 40th Annual International Competition
The 40th Annual International Underwater Photographic Competition, sponsored by the Los Angeles Underwater Photographic Society, is underway. Entries are being accepted in 10 print, slide and video categories. The rules for digital entries have been completely revised and expanded offering exciting new opportunities. The deadline for entry is September 28, 2002. One of the oldest and largest contests of its kind, last year’s competition received entries from contestants representing 15 countries and 25 states.
This contest is only possible due to the generosity of industry sponsors. Best of show and first place awards have included liveaboard and land-based vacations from sponsors such as Milne Bay Charters, Aquasports, Nai’a Cruises Fiji, Big Blue Explorer, Bilikiki Cruises Ltd., Fantasea Divers, Mike Ball Diving, Undersea Hunter, Exotic Caye Beach Resort, Clavella Adventures, Optiquatics, Ed Robinson’s Diving Adventures and Nautilus Explorer.
Invaluable additional support has been provided by the Los Angeles Natural History Museum, Weldon Color Labs, Thermostatic Industries (TMO) and Art by Rogest.
Additional prizes are awarded to 4th place in each category and have included a valuable array of scuba and photo equipment donated from key sponsors including Sea & Sea, TMO, Pelican Products, American Diving, Dacor, Dive ‘N Surf, Darkroom, SubAquatic Camera Repair, Submersible Systems, Ultralight, Pelican, Zeagle Ikelite, Diving Unlimited Int., Backscatter, Ocean.com, Ron T. Karlsson, Discovery Video, Pauls Photo, Stan Waterman , Peace Dive Boat, Spectre Dive Boat and Visiting Catalina.com.
Entry forms, rules, information and a sponsor list are available from the Web site at http://www.laups.org. Additional information can be obtained by e-mail to info@LAUPS.org or by writing to LAUPS, P.O. Box 2401, Culver City, CA 90231.
Safe Anchoring Brochure
In an effort to provide an easy reference guide for boaters on safe anchoring techniques, Fortress Marine Anchors has created an informative brochure titled The Ultimate Guide to Safe Anchoring. This new guide also helps to dispel common myths regarding anchor weight in relation to holding power.
An overview of proper anchoring procedures is clearly outlined with graphs and charts in six critical areas. One valuable chart in the guide is a Horizontal Loads Table, which is published by the American Boat & Yacht Council. This chart is a good reference when determining the boat’s holding power requirements in different wind speeds. The guide also highlights important information on the use of adequate scope and useful tips for power-setting an anchor.
Fortress Marine Anchors also supplies this guide to US Power Squadrons and US Coast Guard Auxiliary branches for their boat safety courses. The Ultimate Guide to Safe Anchoring is available free by calling 800-825-6289 or 954-978-9988. It can also be requested or viewed on Fortress Marine Anchors’ web site, http://www.fortressanchors.com.
