Under Construction

So I suppose we should open up this post with a big thank you to all of you.  Each and every one of you contributed in one manner or another to make this particular blog post possible.  Since 2009, when we opened, your continued support of us and our community focused diving program has allowed us to continue to grow and change into the dive shop we want to be.  This winter that support will allow us to expand once more into a space that is not only on the water here in Occoquan but also is three times the size of our current store.  This will allow us to not only expand our retail options but our services as well.  This, of course, means we will have the ability to give more back in the form of expanding our HSA and Wounded Warrior programs as well as increasing our support of Project Aware and marine conservation across the globe.  This is all because of you, Patriot Diver.  Thank you.

Now for the million dollar question: what is going on with the new shop?  So we have started construction at our new site and it has been moving along really well.  Merial’s own brother, Bill P., has been in charge of the design and the overall planning as well as devoting his weekends to the construction.  Meanwhile, Patriot Diver Gib O. has donated an astonishing 40 hours per week to the project!  We couldn’t pull this off without these guys.  They have been and continue to be an essential force behind this project.  Thanks, guys!

And they have done a ton of work already!  They have torn out walls and renovated the bathrooms.  They have installed new doors and worked on the plumbing.  Gib has even reworked the electrical throughout the building, taking a jumbled mess of wiring and turning it into a streamlined functional system.  The whole building has been noticeably improved and they aren’t done yet.  It is looking like we will be in the new space completely by the end of January.  So thank you all once again and we can’t wait to show you the new space!

Oh and if you want to take a look at it feel free to stop by the shop and ask a staff member to take you over.  The change really has been dramatic!

World Class Outdoor Gear

With winter finally starting to rear its frosty tendrils here in VA, the traditional wetsuit season is beginning to wind down.  Not being one to let a little thing like chilly water keep from my bliss, I’ve already broken out my 7mm EXO Body Glove suit.  It’s been my constant cold water companion for some time now and has kept me warm in some truly bone chilling dives.  As much as I love it, there are some serious draw backs to any 7mm suit.  It’s on the heavy side, stiff in the joints, and frankly, it’s got a nasty buoyant streak.  All of this can get a guy looking longingly at his thinner suits, his 3 and 5mms, wishing for warmer waters.  That’s where I was a few weeks ago until I met my Lavacore.

Lavacore is actually a brand of exposure suits that are designed to fit under your wetsuit or, in warmer waters, function as a stand-alone insulated dive skin.  There are a number of great cuts in the line including short and long sleeved shirts, hooded vests, full suits, pants, socks and gloves; essentially if it isn’t your face, Lavacore has something to cover it.  What makes Lavacore really special though is its warmth (2mm worth) without the buoyancy, all while maintaining the flexibility of a dive skin.  They have effectively moved exposure protection into the tried and true layering paradigm of other outdoor sports.  This shift is long overdue as a layering method provides improved temperature control while still maintaining flexibility and keeping overall encumbrance down.

I had heard all of this in one form or another before I tried out my full suit Lavacore for the first time and I was excited but a little skeptical.  The Lavacore suit just seemed too light to really provide all the warmth that it claimed.  So I figured I would start off with it in the pool.  The pool we tend to use most often checks in at a pleasant 72 degrees and I usually end up wearing my comfy full 3mm.  This time, though, I left the 3mm on the pool side and wore just my new Lavacore.  It was phenomenal.  The Lavacore had even more flexibility than my 3mm but still kept me just as comfortable in the warm pool waters.  Having passed its tests in the pool, I decided the next trial would be in our local quarry.  Water temp was about 62 degrees and so I slide into my Lavacore and pulled my 5mm on top of it.  Three dives later I was still toasty warm (even warmer than I had been in my 7mm in similar conditions) and I had none of the mobility issues that come along with rigidity imposed by 7mm suits.  Plus, when I finally got out of the water, I had no fear of stripping off my wetsuit as the Lavacore kept we warm and dried quickly even in the open air.  I didn’t so much as shiver once.  I was sold.  My Lavacore has become a staple of my dive gear, fit for use on any dive. 

Still, I started to wonder: Lavacore markets these suits to all sorts of sports.  Would the warmth of the suit hold up in some truly frigid non-aquatic conditions?  To test this out, I grabbed my eldest son and headed into Shenandoah National Park for a quick overnighter.  The day we arrived was brisk without being frigid; however, as night fell, that all changed.  With the sun down, what little heat it had brought quickly disappeared into the dark and soon our breath was freezing to the side of the tent.  In similar sleeping bags, my son and I stretched out to sleep away the cold.  Despite being clad in thermal underwear and sweats, he shivered away much of the night, never quite warm.  My Lavacore was up to the challenge though and I slept comfortably and soundly through the dark hours.  It even protected me from the biting wind and chill of the next day (which reached a whopping 22 degrees).

The Lavacore line is everything it claims to be and more.  As such, I would recommend it to every single diver and non-diver out there, pretty much anyone who finds themselves outside in the cold from time to time.  It’s a world-class garment and perfect for whatever nature throws at you.

What’s New for 2013?

Editor's Note:  Sorry for the delay in getting this posted but I just woke up from my Thanksgiving food coma.  I appreciate the patience.

Last week was DEMA (the Dive Equipment and Marketing Association trade show) in Las Vegas, the largest trade show in the diving community. It’s really a proverbial “Candy Land” for professional divers, dive stores, and resorts.  It’s the kind of thing hardcore divers look forward to all year.  All the new and in development gear is unveiled there by the who’s who of equipment vendors, wetting our appetites for the cool toys and breakthroughs in diving technology.  On top of that, all the most fantastic dive locations highlight their specials for the year and let out a siren’s call to anyone looking for that next great dive (which is pretty much all of us).  Finally, there is also a lot of learning going on as there is training galore offered in almost every facet of the industry.  It was a very busy week. 

So what does that mean to you?  There is so much to tell, but here are some of the highlights.

Atomic Aquatics unveiled a new regulator for divers on a budget. The Z3 will replace the Z2x and the eventually the Z2 regulators and retail for under $500, according to the scuttle-butt.  

• Z3′s first stage will be seven-point fixed as opposed to a swivel, and will sport a no-front-cover ring, which is unique to the T3, the T2x, and now the Z3, but this was only something that was on their top-of-the-line regs.  So it’s a big deal that they have started including this feature on their entry-level regulators. The Z3 will be sold in black, with other color kits available in grey, red, blue, purple, pink and green. It should roll out onto the open market early 2013, so keep any eye out for it.  It’s going to pack a lot of bang for the buck.

During their storied 60 year history, Sherwood Scuba has never strayed from its simple credo: produce the most durable, reliably engineered products in the diving industry. And for the most part, with products like their Brute regulators, they’ve pulled off that surprisingly difficult goal.  So, what’s new from this powerhouse supplier in 2013?  

• The Amphos is poised to be a new favorite in computers.  With its easy to read display and 4-button set up, this sleek new toy will come in both stand-alone and Bluetooth/air integrated models.  To top it all off, this handy gadget should fall in the $400 - $500 price range, making it a lot of computer for very little cash.
• The SR-2 is set to take over the SR-1’s throne as the new standard in Sherwood regs.  
• The Blizzard regulator has a brand new look keeping it stylish while maintaining its status as cold water  workhorse. 
• The AXIS and LUNA BCDs will be sporting some brand new colors this year, keeping you diving in the designs you love with the features you can’t be without.

Lavacore has really stepped up their game with a set of new colors and designs for their tried and true apparel.  Plus, they have added a few new outfits that will keep you warm and going all day no matter what your sport is!  This is apparel for anyone who likes the outdoors, not just the diver.

GoPro, the maker of what may be the world’s most versatile HD cameras, announced the launch of their new Hero 3 with dive rated casing.  It features a large, flat glass lens that allows for maximum photo and video sharpness underwater in all resolutions and is waterproof to 197ft / 60m.  I’m calling it now: this is going to be the next must have for anyone who is serious about underwater photography. Get this:  Patriot just became an official GoPro dealer.  So pre-order your GoPro gear from them now.  It’s going to be hard keeping them on the shelves.  Seriously, don’t wait!  The number is 703-490-1175.  It’s cool.  I’ll wait while you make the call…  Oh and ask about the Underwater Photography specialty.  It will be worth it with your new toys, trust me.

And we’re back… Okay so we’ve hit on some of the big names but what about the really innovative stuff, the stuff that is decidedly out of the box?  Well, here are some highlights:

• The Watershot for IPhone 4/4S will let you dive to 130ft with phone, allowing you to take photos and video at depth.  Plus (just to prove that there is still an app for that) they are looking at unveiling in 2013 an optional sensor that will allow you to use your IPhone as a rudimentary dive computer.  Pretty impressive.  We are looking forward to seeing the Watershot in action.
• The Computer Controlled BCD is here and represents a step through the looking glass as far as a new era of BCD technology is concerned. The integrated computer system for this BCD allows you to program your dive with everything from max depth to max accent rate to neutral buoyancy.  They are heralding it as “cruise control for your dive”.  It’s not quite ready for primetime but should be up and coming in the next few years.  Of course, the down side is that the system is looking at opening with a retail price around $3000.  If it works it could do great things for HSA divers.  We’ll see…
• Here is one that we are really excited to see back, the Omega Amphibian Fin!  So essentially it’s a dive fin that that can be folded up around the boot pocket in order to make beach/dock/boat/rock crag/anything-that-involves-walking-in-dive-gear entries worlds easier.  No more flopping around in the shallows on one foot while you try to get your fins on (we’ve all been there)!  We love beautifully simple designs like this.

Okay so we’ve given you some of the highlights and shown off a lot of pretty awesome gear that is about to explode onto the market.  Just remember that this isn’t even a drop in the proverbial bucket as far as what is new and on its way.  This is just a taster, a delicious morsel of the kickass buffet of new diver gear.  Is your mouth watering yet?  Mine is!  Then keep checking back for updates as the new products roll out and test them out.  We’ll let you know what’s worth your buck and what’s not.  Stay tuned!

We prefer our sharks with fins, thank you very much!!!

Real talk for a second, the sharks we share our dive sites with need our help.  Each year roughly 100 million sharks around the globe are killed via a process called finning.  That is to say, commercial fishermen catch sharks and saw off their fins (I mean all of their fins, tail, dorsal, lateral, pretty much anything that sticks out off of the animal’s otherwise sleek body).  Then, said fishermen boot these still alive newly made amputees back into the ocean.  Now, I don’t know if any of you have ever tried to swim without using your arms or legs but it is not what one might describe as easy.  In fact, swimming after the removal of all of their fins proves impossible to the poor creatures and they sink to the bottom where they are eaten alive by scavengers.  That’s a pretty messed up way to go, isn’t it?  I mean it’s the kind of thing one might see if they made an undersea version of the Saw films. 

It is exactly that kind of imagery that might prompt a thoughtful sort of person to exclaim, “Why aren’t these people being arrested?!?!?!” (and if you are a Simpsons fan you might follow that up with a “*SOB* Won’t someone think of the children… I mean sharks!!!”)  It’s a good question with an unfortunate answer.  Shark finning isn’t illegal, or even regulated, the world round.  Even in the places where it is regulated, the legislation isn’t enough.  In fact, the regulations imposed by organizations like the EU are full of loopholes and the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) regulations only cover Whale Sharks, Great Whites, and Basking Sharks.  I mean they are awesome species but not the only fish in the sea, if you will excuse the bad pun.  Especially when anywhere between a fifth and third of all shark species are threatened with extinction. 

So there might be a few among you who might ask, “Okay, I mean sharks are cool and all but is it really a problem if we cut back on the population a bit?”  It is to this person among us that I say, yes.  It is a problem of colossal proportions.  See, the oceans are an ecosystem, like the rainforests or the deserts, and ecosystems are really just a web of interactions between living things and their environment.  All of the life in these ecosystems rely on one another to create a balance that allows them all to thrive.  Sharks play a crucial role in marine ecosystems as they are what is known as an apex predator, i.e. they are the top predator.  They keep populations of their prey animals healthy by thinning the herds (or in this case schools) which prevents overexpansion of prey populations (which would cause the whole school to starve) and weeds out the sick and weak prey so that they don’t reproduce and make sick and weak offspring.  Furthermore, we aren’t just cutting back shark populations a bit.  We are killing them off in the tens of millions, much much more than their reproductive rates can keep up with.  Bottom line is the oceans need sharks.

Okay so shark finning sucks.  And Patriot Scuba in conjunction with Project Aware is trying to put an end to this kind of douche baggery.  That is why throughout the month of November we will be running our own Finathon.  This is an event aimed at raising money to lobby worldwide for stricter and more comprehensive regulations on fishing for shark and consequently stop finning.  It works like this, throughout the month you can raise money for the cause by getting your friends, family, coworkers, random strangers to donate based on the distance you swim or walk through the water.  Then send us that cash either through our CrowdRise page (http://www.crowdrise.com/patriotscubafinathon/fundraiser/patriotscuba/updated) or via in store donation.  Alternately, you can always skip the swimming/walking part and just make a straight donation.  It’s the thought that counts. 

Still not sure where to start?  Patriot is hosting a Finathon event on Sunday, November 11^th at George Washington Rec Center from 10am to 1pm.  We are hoping to collectively swim 30 miles (the distance from the shop to the Rappahannock Quarry) and raise at least $300 (the sale price of a pound of shark fins) to donate to the cause.  So come out, show your support, and help us put an end to this truly disgusting practice. 

For more information about Shark Finning check out the following links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLmS4J_Gd40&feature=related

http://www.sharkwater.com/education.htm

http://www.projectaware.org/project/sharks-peril

Tales from the Tank: Warm thoughts for the winter 1: Diving In Mouse Ears

Hey folks!  Each week we want to bring you stories from our (and your) favorite dives!  So to kick things off we’re going to start Tales from the Tank with our Warm thoughts for the winter series.  So, send in those dive stories that make you feel warm when your dry suit leaks to diving@patriotscuba.com.  The best ones each month will win some kick ass Patriot Swag, just make sure you put “Tales from the Tank” in the subject line to enter.  Good luck and happy diving!

Diving in Mouse Ears: 

Okay, full disclosure: the mouse ears were metaphorical.  That said, they do call Disney World the happiest place on earth and the fact that you can log a dive there that you can do nowhere else in the world certainly adds credence to that claim.  I am, of course, talking about The Living Seas Aquarium at Epcot.  Now, I know what you are saying to yourselves right now, “An aquarium dive?  I can do those all over the place!”  And while that is technically true, calling this just an aquarium would be like calling a Porsche just a car, a moniker that were you to assert those who know would roll their eyes. 

This aquarium is special.  It’s a 25 foot dive with water so warm that you wouldn’t be surprised if you sweat in your shorty.  The visibility is the gold standard in clarity; you can float at the back of the tank and still see the restaurant voyeurs waving back at you through the 5.7 million gallons of water between you.  Plus it’s a great time to try out some different toys as the staff provide all of your gear for the dive, partly to maintain the health of the tank and partly to make sure you look good with all of those mouseketeers smooshing their faces against the glass. 

But none of those numbers and measurements are what really make a dive epic.  It’s the feel of the water slipping around you, the fluttering of your heart when nature reminds you that you aren’t alone, and the sheer and utter awe of experiencing something incredible for the first time.  I was 18 when I first dove this aquarium and it was a dive of a lot of firsts for me.  I had only been diving for about two years at this point and in that time had really only logged maybe ten dives.  I had cut my teeth diving in the Long Island Sound and, consequently, I thought Millbrook Quarry felt warm.  So you will understand my meaning when I tell you that the feeling of sliding my fins into that hot water defies description.  I could feel the heat enter my body seeping into my bones and joints, shattering the clenching that had been part of my preparation to slide into what I had never believed could be truly warm.  The decent was beyond compare as the salty wetness swattled me, depositing me gently on the bottom.

I had never dove with sharks before but now they glided past us, looping in lazy figure eights.  We had known this would happen; we had been briefed on it. The sharks swam the same route all day, every day.  You could get close, really, really close.  I’ll never forget the saucers staring out of my brother’s mask as a 10 foot sand tiger finned though the currentless water maybe six inches from our faces.  We could have blown bubbles in its face.  The deadly elegance with which it coursed through the brine around us cast an almost ominous presence.  Its eyes weren’t the dull stupid orbs that straddle the sides of shark heads during shark week but rather they were steely and aware.  They gave the hulking fish a look of powerful consciousness as though it were some ancient, timeless intelligence biding its time in this holding pattern.  Simply waiting.  But for what?

The sharks renewed my deepest respects for the power behind nature; however, they were not what grabbed me and consumed me with awe.  The laurels for that achievement could only go to the 400 pound green sea turtle that ruled that tank.  It was a reptile of monstrous proportions, boasting the kind of armored mass that made sea monsters plausible.  Watching this green hulk sail though the water with complete ease awakened a deep and primal awe in me, the likes of which are so rare these days.  In world where a picture and a caption of everything known to man is only seconds away on the internet, this feeling was foreign and captivating.  It bleed down from somewhere behind my eyes and filled me like a torrent.  All I wanted to do was follow that turtle, to drift along with it and watch it float its bulk though the salt.  Infinite grace in such an unlikely form.

With about 40 minutes of bottom time, the dive was over too soon and the world cold again even in the humid air above the water.  A towel is poor substitute for a warm sea’s gentle embrace.  Unfortunately, all priceless dives must end and necessarily we are once again thrust into the world.  Yet, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t endeavor to seek out the bliss of that perfect dive wherever we can.  So, if any of you are planning on diving the Florida Springs anytime soon then check out the The Living Seas Aquarium dive at Epcot.  You won’t regret it.

-Rob C.

Dispatches from the Patriot Scuba 2012 Roatan trip-my last trip with Patriot Scuba (at least for the time being).

After an absurdly early departure from Washington which, amazingly, went off without a hitch, we had a layover in Atlanta. Desperately in need of caffeine, I ran into my friend Mirta in line for coffee. Seeing her felt like an appropriate bookend for this journey. She was on her way home to Roatan after visiting family in Italy with her new daughter. For many years Mirta has run the dive operation at a fantastic little resort called Las Rocas, which is tucked away at the quiet end of West Bay Beach on Roatan. Almost eight years ago, after a rough patch in life and on my first vacation in way too long, I wandered up to the dive shop at Las Rocas and asked Mirta if she had any room on the boat that morning. I was immediately made to feel welcome and within a few days of diving, and of not doing anything too stupid underwater, like family. The ten days I spent diving at Las Rocas mean a great deal to me as they really changed my life, and for the better.

The staff instructors, Willie and Arturo, both still good friends, were a blast to dive with and something of an inspiration. They are both extremely skilled professionals, but what got to me was the fact that they were doing what they loved most, doing it very well and sharing that enthusiasm with their customers. As Willie used to say, they were living a rich man's life without the hassles of getting rich. I had a good job, but I couldn't claim that. After I got home I spent the next few weeks in a bit of a fog, part of me not having returned to "normal" life at all. My head was still largely in Roatan, so I made a fateful decision to join it there. I called Mirta and asked if she would be willing to take me on as a Divemaster candidate. After two months of very hard work and very big fun, I came back to the States with my Divemaster program complete and, as they say, the rest is history.

Arriving in Roatan has always had the feeling of coming home and
this trip is no exception. The Patriot group couldn't be nicer, with dive experience ranging from beginner to expert. And CoCo View never disappoints. Nora met us at the airport and in no time we were comfortably set up in our rooms and getting ready for the mandatory checkout dive. Our days here include two boat dives per day, but on the way back in to the resort one can do what is called a drop-off dive where the boat drops you off at the end of one of the two house walls so that you can swim directly to the resort, usually with a stop at the Prince Albert, the excellent house wreck. The house walls, CoCo View wall and Newman's wall, are healthy and thriving. The Prince Albert was a freighter and can be very well enjoyed from the outside. For those with the training and experience, it also makes a wonderful penetration dive, either into the wheel house or from hold to hold in the main body of the ship. I have always loved diving wrecks and coming back to the Prince Albert is like seeing an old friend.

Over the past few days we have seen eels, rays, lobsters, toad fish, lion fish, crabs large and small, sharks, sea horses, puffer fish, blennies, gobies, cleaner shrimp, squid, octopus (octopi?, octopodes?, who knows)- you name it! John has been busy teaching up a storm with AOW and several specialties in the mix. I've watched-and I always love seeing it on these trips-as people get better and better and more comfortable underwater. Our guide, Eddie, has the most amazing set of eyes on him. He can spot the smallest, coolest animals without, apparently, even trying. On Wednesday we took a special three tank trip to the East end of Roatan where we dove the rarely visited and therefore pristine reefs there. The East end has hardly any development so we seemed to have the whole world to ourselves. After two great drift dives we had lunch and then swam to a tiny deserted island to pursue our private Robinson Crusoe fantasies. The dive operation here at CoCo View is really first rate, and we ended the afternoon with a nice wall dive and then a ride back on the fast boat to the resort. Wednesday's happy hour featured live music and half priced drinks, though a few intrepid souls denied themselves in favor of a night dive in search of the elusive nocturnal octopus, which was quickly located. The shore diving is unlimited and available 24/7-a dive glutton's delight. And for that reason CoCo view does attract plenty of dive gluttons.

The resort itself is simple but clean, well run and completely oriented to divers. The buffet meals are delicious, plentiful and varied and the staff will go out of their way to make sure everyone is satisfied. A couple of people in our group have special dietary needs and they have been met with the best of humor. People come back here year after year-the record being 120 visits by one person. Now that's a satisfied customer! My wife, Colleen, likes to describe it as an Adirondacks lodge plopped down in the Caribbean. Our rooms are on stilts over the water and we each have chairs and a hammock on our private deck.

But alas, all good things must come to an end. On Friday, slightly worn from a busy week of diving, night we had a rum punch party at the bar with a fantastic local guitarist. The guy could really play and had some serious rock star moves. Saturday morning came all too soon-bleary and thankfully rainy. Less than perfect weather makes leaving a little easier to take. After breezing through security and a wait in the lounge, we boarded the flight north and back to the normal world. Many thanks to Jeff and Merial for making this trip a reality. But above all, many thanks to Colleen, Victoria, Faith, Jose, Jennifer, Tim, Joanne, Earnie, Bret, Mike, John & Constance for being such great dive and travel companions to one of my favorite places on Earth. Let's do it again sometime!

-Miko

Diving for life

Let’s be completely candid for a minute.  While diving is statistically one of the safest sports out there, it comes with some inherent risks.  I mean, we make it seem pretty nonchalant but, bluntly put, we are underwater breathing compressed air.  Yet, we are never more acutely aware of this as when we take that first puff off of the regulator, when that first frenzy of bubbled breath rushes by our cheeks.  The irony, of course, is that this is when we are the safest divers, while we still respect the magnitude of the sport, while we are constantly remembering that SCUBA stands for self-contained UNDERWATER BREATHING apparatus and isn't just a funny word for a cool sport.  But as we dive more and more, as we learn that there is no need to be afraid or nervous, we lose some of that respect.  We forget that what we are doing is incredible; it begins to feel commonplace, almost the norm.  That is when the dangers of the sport begin to creep back in.  We lose the vigilance of the novice that kept us glued to the rules and to our tables.  We feel fortified in our skills, impregnable in our technique.  But the ugly truth is that we aren’t and it is in that state of mind that recklessness is born.  That’s when we get in over our heads (if you’ll excuse the bad pun) and into trouble.  Too often it takes a close call to remind us of the soft spots in our routines.

I think that is one of the best things about the Rescue Diver course.  It usually gets taken at a stage in our diving development where we need reminding why the rules exist, why those pesky tables matter.  Most of us, with any luck, will never have cause to use the skills we develop in the rescue diver course but what we will use is the self-awareness that comes with the course.  Ideally, Open Water should teach us to be aware of ourselves, Advanced Open Water should teach us to be aware of our surroundings, and Rescue Diver should teach us to be aware of the divers around us.  However, I find that most divers don’t really become self-aware until their rescue class.  Nothing highlights the effects of one’s own actions as effectively as showing how they can save a life.  The course forces you to see how your actions affect other divers, how drastic those effects can be, and by extension how lax standards put yourself and everyone around you at risk.

It is this self-awareness that truly keeps us safe.  Rescue should be a last resort.  Safety begins with self.  This is the biggest and most important lesson of the Rescue Diver course and consequently easily the one most students struggle with.  Learning how to tow a tired diver or deal with a panicked one is really the easy part; learning to master yourself in the water is far more daunting.  That is why so many rescue students get hung up on the gear removal while towing an unresponsive diver.  It forces you to become comfortable with your skills, to focus on a complicated task, and still keep yourself safe.  That is a lot to ask from any one diver so it comes as no surprise that the metamorphosis in a student who makes it through the course is palpable.  The shift in confidence is incredible but arguably the most impressive change is the renewed respect for the enormity of the sport.  They realize that rescue divers don’t make us safer because they can save the distressed.  They make us safer because they themselves are safer divers.  We should all be lucky.  We don’t just owe it to our buddy.  We owe it to ourselves.

Changing Lives

A few weeks ago, I was manning Patriot Scuba’s booth at the biannual Occoquan Craft Show.  It’s a big deal for the merchants in this area as it attracts tens of thousands of people from various walks of life though this otherwise quiet town.  It’s the kind of event where most people weave their way through the throngs of tented booths more often than not finding themselves in conversation with one merchant or another until the whole event takes on a social feel.  Our booth gets a lot of this social interaction as even non-divers find themselves wandering in out of curiosity.  That particular day, I greeted a passerby with our usual “Ready to start diving?” but received an unusual reply. 

“I wish,” she said through a sad sort of smile.  She could see the question forming in my eyes and preempted it with a rather sad story beginning with a gruesome car crash and a badly fractured spine and culminating in a bout with cancer that left this survivor with a permanent limp.  Her features were thick with the melancholy of possibilities lost, dreams of diving dying all over again in her eyes.  That’s when I mentioned the HSA (Handicapped Scuba Association).  The loss on her face cleared like so much fog as she took the medical forms from my hand.  The electric sensation of hope returning to once despondent features was palpable.  “Thank you,” she beamed tripping slightly on her words.  “I never thought – I never knew that I could still – Thank you.  Thank you so much.”

It is moments like this that keep me teaching.  Nothing compares to the feeling you get watching it all click with a student.  There are plenty of students that butt up against challenges in dive classes, fear of the water, low confidence or physical limitation.  Some overcome these faster than others but, regardless of what the challenge or how long it takes to overcome, watching that metamorphosis from struggling student to successful diver is awe inspiring.  A student who pushes through their perceived limitations and reaches a level of success they previously thought impossible is forever changed.  That sort of achievement liberates people from the shackles of their own self-imposed limitations and the change is tangible.  Changes like that permeate the lives of those students, giving them the confidence to succeed where once they met only failure.  I've had more than one new diver tell me that open water changed their lives, that they had more confidence at work, at home, in public.  They stand taller, breathe easier, and take on life with an easy smile.  I want to be a part of that change.  I want to help people grow like that. 

Teaching diving allows me to be a part of that experience.  So send me your wide-eyed students, send me your scared and your skittish.  Send me all of your “problem students” and your novice divers.  I’ll take them all just to see the look on their faces when can’t becomes can.  Every smile and look of astonished joy makes all the hard work worth it.  Scuba diving changes lives and that is why I teach.

Caitlin in the Keys - 2 days, 7 dives, 2 much to tell!

Another magnificent trip down to the Florida Keys where in 2 days I did 7 dives off of Key Largo, this time I was down there conducting a friend’s Advanced Open Water certification. The adrenaline starts flowing when the boat goes into full throttle and those wonderful blues of the Keys ocean water surrounds you. These conditions were a little different for my friend who had done his Open Water Certification at Stoney Cove in England, for those who do not know the two are miles apart, well quite literally.

We started off our first two dives in the afternoon on beautiful shallow reefs; the first was just an orientation dive followed by the first of the adventure dives, navigation! The only trouble we had with the navigation was trying to navigate through all the schools of fish on the dive site Snapper’s Ledge; numerous colorful species in such abundance made for a truly refreshing dive. A short break to grab a snack, rehydrate, and we were off on our sunset boat trip to our next dive site, the Benwood Wreck. Sweet, wreck night dive! As we descended, the waters still alight with the sun just above the horizon; we joined the numerous parrotfish, grunts, and porkfish that inhabit the wreck. The scene and atmosphere quickly changed, our flashlights on, it was time to slowly move over and around the wreck poking in to all the nooks and crannies. While many of the fish seen during the day were tucking themselves in for the night; those that hide away were coming out to play! There were lobsters shuffling in full view, crabs flexing their pincers, and a lucky octopus spotting! We returned to land under the full moon exhilarated by our dives.

The following morning our dive site was to be a double dip on the Spiegal Grove wreck, a 510-foot Navy transport ship sunk in 2002, for both our deep and wreck adventure dives. My friend looked at me with excitement during the deep adventure briefing about comparing the depth gauges at 100 ft; suspiciously as he performed the timed skill; and curiously when I asked him to look at my red soda can. During the dive he looked at me with even greater excitement when after comparing depth gauges a nurse shark appeared on the stern of the wreck! During our safety interval we debriefed the dive, and he expressed to me the difference he felt on the timed skill being slower underwater and that my red soda can was no longer red at depth. He now wore a look of understanding and anticipation to get back in for our wreck adventure. The visibility was about 80 ft. which made for another incredible dive on this fantastic wreck. We both noted that the current had picked up and used it to our advantage to navigate around the outside of the wreck. He was quick to point out all the dangers he saw along the way. We filled out our log books on the way back, pumping with adrenaline.

Quick lunch break and we were back on the boat for the final adventure dive, one of my personal favorites, digital underwater photography at an ideal dive site: Molasses Reef. With its high profile coral heads and massive congregates of tropical marine life defining this popular reef, he was not short of subjects for his shots. Of course, I did my bit to provide subject matter; anyone who knows me knows I am not a big fan of having my photo taken. He did great, followed my instructions, and kept breathing and mindful of his buoyancy over the reefs. After a massive high 5 and congratulations to the new Advanced Open Water Diver the boat had moved us to another dive site. The final dive was just for fun, and it sure was! We leisurely made our way through the “channels” of coral taking in all the colors of the corals and fish.

Back on shore we were sad to log our final dive for the trip, but happy with our success and it was definitely worth the effort! The dive sites off of Key Largo once again produced amazing new memories for me. A special thanks to Horizon Divers and the wonderful staff for providing us both with a fantastic experience, I am looking forward to returning in the near future!

(Interested in a Florida Keys Trip?  Check out our Travel Page and join Caitlin in January! - http://www.patriotscuba.com/?page=travel)

Wounded Warrior Discover Scuba – by Eliseo Rodriguez

I recently had the opportunity to lead a group of individuals with Wounded Warrior Project assisted by Tim Cavanaugh, Don Lewis and Lisa Mucha. While their injuries were not visible, the scars left by events past are no less important.

The day began like any other with medical releases and other paperwork being reviewed, Discover Scuba Briefings and gear being fitted. In the water we practiced skills like regulator recovery and mask clearing. Once we finished going over skills and began the free swim, the value of SCUBA diving became immediately evident. Individuals suffering from PTSD experience symptoms including feeling numb or losing interest in things they used to care about, thinking that they are always in danger feeling anxious, jittery, or irritated and experiencing a sense of panic that something bad is about to happen. When we were underwater, and I had the opportunity to see these warriors enjoy the freedom and peace of mind that SCUBA diving offers, it was immediately clear that they were able to let down their guard. One was swimming around neutrally buoyant through a hula hoop chasing a toypedo. Another was casually lying on his back on the bottom of the pool enjoying the hypnotic rhythm of the sound of his bubbles and watching them on their journey upward to the surface where they would break and join the air above. This is what Scuba is all about. Complete serenity. The hustle and bustle of the dry world, all the worries and problems thrown at us by life are gone for those brief, cherished moments underwater.

When the experience came to an end, and we were packing away gear, I was thanked through smiles that were not there at the start of the day and asked when we could do this again. As Scuba divers we take a lot for granted. Being able to give these gentlemen that have given soo much a glimpse into our world left me completely humbled. It is said that our life should not be judged by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. This was one of those moments. So to those wounded warriors I say, “Thank you.”

If you would like to know more about Patriot Scuba’s Wounded Warrior Training program, contact Patriot Scuba at diving@patriotscuba.com or Wounded Warrior Project visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org

Eliseo E Rodriguez “Rod” is a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, HSA, DAN and EFR Instructor with Patriot Scuba as well as an Active Duty US Marine Gunnery Sergeant.

My Truk Odyssey - by Lisa Mucha

In August 2012, PATRIOT SCUBA's Miko Chavchavadze lead a trip to Truk Lagoon aboard the Truk Odyssey

"I have to admit, on the plane ride over to Chuuk, I wasn't fazed by the extensive time I spent either in the air or in random airports, as the long awaited opportunity of a life time had finally arrived. The anticipation outweighed the restlessness. When we finally landed in Guam at some ballistic hour of the morning and the airport was like a ghost town and I don’t think anyone minded because it was apparent everyone was tired. Eventually the short flight took off for Chuuk and we were on our way.

Once we landed in Chuuk, we were directed towards customs. I watched the locals gather together as we proceeded to go through customs, thinking to myself, how fortunate I was to be living the life I was living, in more ways than one. We were then quickly greeted at the airport by the boat captain, Nelson, and a few other staff. I’m not quite sure who because it was dark and there was a decent amount of locals standing around, who had just returned from Guam with coolers of food. Shortly then thereafter, we were aboard the bus and being driven through the impoverished streets of downtown Chuuk, if you could call it that. I'm not quite sure I would call it a road upon, which we traveled, but the driver was quite entertaining with his stories of the history of the island.

When we finally arrive at the Blue Lagoon resort, it was still hard to determine what we were about to experience, as the sun had long set. We were walking down this narrow path, through the palm trees to a small awaiting boat. Once we all climbed into the small craft in the dark of the night, the anticipation began to build as we could see the Odyssey in the distance lit up like a fortress perched upon the calm water. After everyone was aboard, paperwork was completed, and drink of choice was selected, everyone retired for the night.

I’m convinced I was the first person up that morning, and it had nothing to do with being on Eastern Standard Time. I woke up around 0530 and pulled back the curtain only to discover all was still black. The next hour seemed like a lifetime for me, but finally the sun came up and I ran up on deck for coffee. I hadn’t even considered breakfast until it became apparent we would be served breakfast made to order every morning by Tarsy and Poorly, the two crew who did all the cooking. Three meals a day and two snacks in between. The biggest commotion over snacks was when we were served fresh sushi, as John, Miko, Constance and I would race up to the dining room trying to beat everyone there. The food was fabulous! Maybe because it was made fresh every meal? Maybe it was because someone else was making it? Or maybe just because everything was made with care and tasted great.

After breakfast every morning we had our first dive brief, which was either given by Nelson, the boat Captain; or Todd, an instructor. They were incredibly informative, as it was almost like sitting in a history class. But I honestly have to say, not only did I learn so much about the wrecks I was going to dive, but also a few tips as to giving a dive brief. They were amazing. I can also say I was never board listening to anything said during the briefs either, as there was a plethora of information provided on every wreck we were diving. It almost sounded as if they had memorized the actual book of the Truk Lagoon history.

Then the time finally came………..the first dive! I couldn’t get off the boat fast enough and honestly? It didn’t matter who I dove with, I just wanted to get in the water. Oh the water! It was like bath water, even at almost 130 feet, it was still 85 degrees. The visibility was less than I had anticipated, but that did not faze me one bit, as we began our descent down to the first ship. Each dive was a lead dive by one of the crew members, which was fine by me, because I knew they would take us exactly where we wanted to go. As we slowly moved across the water, the only sound you could hear was our bubbles. Then there it was, the Kiyosumi, a passenger cargo ship. At that very moment I realized, everything I had read and all the research I had done and all the pictures I had looked at finally became reality for me. What was once a vibrant vessel was now a peaceful resting place, which had come to life in a different way. It was full of sea life, and vibrant colors, with something moving over every inch as I slowly moved around the stern. Initially, I couldn’t take enough photos. Then I realized I was so enthralled by everything I was seeing, my camera became just another piece of gear to me and I just began looking around. I can truly say I don’t regret not taking a thousand photos, because what I observed could never be duplicated in the artificial sense. There was a feeling of solace, as I hovered over the massive resting area to so many Japanese who lost their lives that day in 1944, as everything moved so gracefully with the gentle current. It almost felt surreal, as we slowly moved over and around the vessel. One of the most exciting things for me to see were the clown fish, as they intimately made their way through the carpet like sized sea anemones. Having owned a salt water fish tank, and observing their behavior in captivity, could not remotely compare to what I witnessed during this magnificent experience. Now I’m sure many are thinking, I traveled all this way to dive some of the most desired wrecks in the world and I’m talking about clown fish. Well yes, I was enthralled by them and part of the reason why, was because the ships I was diving were so large, it was hard to actually tell it was a ship until you started to move around inside the massive holds below, as that was when the ships actually came to life. Everything was so magnificently preserved despite lying on the bottom of the lagoon for some 68 years. Even though this was the final resting place for so many who lost their lives that day, it almost appeared to come alive before me as I gently glided through the engine rooms, the kitchens, the bath areas.

Every direction I turned there was a piece of life before me, whether it be a telephone, sake bottles, gas masks, shoes, rifles, medicine bottles or ammo. There was a sense of life around every corner and this feeling remained the same no matter what wreck we were diving for the day, whether it be Yamagiri, or the Unkai, or the Gosei, or the Rio de Janero, or the Hoki, or the Fugikawa, or the Nippo, or even the Heian, the feeling always remained the same. Where life had once capitulated, now, had blossomed into something so beautiful it would take most peoples’ breath away. These superstructures, which floated upon the surface, had come to their final resting places deep below the great big blue and to see history right before my very eyes is something I will never forget.

I will go back again someday, and I will dive the San Francisco, which lies between 165 and 210 fsw. Thank you to everyone I shared this experience with and to everyone who made this journey rememberable for me. "

Thanks for sharing Lisa!

Re-Living the Moment

Have you ever caught a glimpse of something that brought back a flood of memories? Whether it was an object, a person, a situation or a photo, if it was a good memory, the warmth and excitement returned immediately and you just felt good inside… What an awesome thing the human brain. Isn’t this why we take photographs? …To capture the moment? Life is constantly moving forward, whether we want it to or not. It is stressing, and it is easy to lose ourselves in the current of time forgetting those special moments and what they mean to us….unless we capture them and bring ourselves, if only momentarily back, back to the moments that make us smile. Those moments underwater are typically only shared with a small handful of people, and likely truly unique…capturing those are even more important

Take the picture!

How often have you either forgotten to take the picture or didn’t have camera out? Too many times for me to remember. But today is (should be) different. How often are you without your cell phone? Yes you want the awesome underwater camera (DC 1400 highly recommended), but your phone can be an underwater camera too! Courtesy of DryCase, your phone can take photos and video, potentially to 100ft!

Review the Pictures!

Now you can share immediately with your friends, with the world (Facebook), or for later (like Photobucket.com). You can even share it with your digital picture frame wirelessly, or synch with Facebook automatically! How cool is that…pictures from the past that you probably don’t even remember taking popping up on your Digital Picture Frame and eliciting those awesome memories!

Get Better at it!

Take a class, upgrade your camera system, add a flash or video light…Make it your passion to capture those special, unforgettable moments so that you can Re-Live them when you need them most!

Grand Bahama Dolphin Dive Adventure

By Jennifer and Jose Ferreira

I couldn’t believe it when I found out that Patriot Scuba, Jeff and Merial, set up a dive where we could dive with the dolphins. I come from an era where there was a TV show with a wonderful dolphin named “Flipper” that was very popular and it was my favorite as a child. I used to dream of owning my own dolphin one day but the thought never crossed my mind about being in their natural environment and diving in the clear blue water with them.

I had the great privilege of doing just that on our dive trip to the Grand Bahamas. It truly was the most surreal experience I have ever had. We went to the place where the dolphin are trained and cared for by a wonderful staff with UNEXSO. We had a briefing where we learned a little bit of history, the type of research the center performs, how to respect and interact with the dolphins, but most of all the hand signals we needed to know to interact with them on our dive. 

I was truly overwhelmed with the anticipation of diving with this dolphin and felt like a little kid waiting to open her Christmas presents. On our way to the dive site, the boat with the trainers was next to our dive boat and the dolphin (Koholo) was jumping in between the two boats. Once there I couldn’t wait to get into the water and play with Koholo. We all descended and formed a circle on the bottom of the ocean with about 15 ft. between all the divers. 

I remember watching Koholo interact with the other divers and then….it was my turn! I put my hand out in front of me and Koholo swam right up to me and stopped so that I could pet him. He turned his head and looked at me and while I was rubbing him he began closing his eyes just like a puppy does when you scratch them behind the ears. I was so excited I wanted to jump up and down but being that that’s impossible underwater I did a little wiggle dance. I took my regulator out of my mouth and Koholo gave me a kiss right on the mouth, again I did a little wiggle (which is now called my dolphin dance). Then as I lifted off the bottom of the ocean and put my right arm straight out to my side Koholo put his nose in the palm of my hand and spun me around several times. I was doing my dolphin dance all the way down to my resting spot on the bottom. On the video my husband, Jose, was taking you can hear him laughing under water through his regulator in the video. We had some time to swim freely with Koholo once all the divers had a chance to interact with him. He swam amongst us stopping to let us pet him, hug on him, and then he waved good-bye and swam away into to the clear blue.

I want to thank the staff from UNEXSO in Port Lucaya Bay for a wonderful experience and great dives. To my husband Jose for introducing me to scuba diving and experiencing these great adventures together. To our fabulous dive club “Patriot Scuba” (Jeff and Merial) and our fellow dive buddies from this trip, Jeff, JP & Lynda, Lisa, Tom & Wanda, Jeff and Brian, which Jose and I consider to be family. 

A First Ocean Dive Experience - PATRIOT SCUBA’S Grand Bahama Trip

Bahamas Magic – by Lynda Pettigrew

My first ocean dive, my senses are on overload.  My vision narrows to the stern of the boat, and I think to myself, “I have to step off a boat?”  I try to tell myself that it’s no different than the pool.  Hands shaking, heart thudding, I look up and see I am surrounded by people who love me, and have faith in me.

Hands on my mask and regulator, holding my gauge tight, I take my step forward….piece of cake!  Make my way to the line, and with my friend, who happens to be my instructor, we descend.  I look down into the clearest water; I pull down the line, and see my best friend, my husband, and magic waiting for me.  I’m at the end of the line; I add a little air to my BCD, and let go.  I’m astounded by the colorful reef, the reds and purples, awed by the fish….and then we spot what I most wanted to see.  Sitting on the bottom, looking at all of us as he’s taking a rest, a sea turtle.  I was so thrilled, and I knew I was a lucky one.  I saw a turtle my first ocean dive, not many can say that.

We signed up for two special dives.  Our first experience was with a special friend, his name is Koholo, and he’s a dolphin.  Kneeling on the bottom, Koholo swims up and I find myself petting him.  I take my regulator out for a kiss, and then rising off the bottom he’s spinning me around.  What a joy!  Our second experience of the day, I was rather dreading.  Sharks.  My adrenaline level was through the roof, and I was the human statue.  I faced my fear; I came out of the water tooting my own horn.  I came back with plenty of air, I did not freak, and I know have a whole new respect for sharks.  A true life transforming dive, such beautiful creatures.  Bonus, I also won a bet……see you at the lake Virginia!

My week in the Bahamas was nothing short of spectacular, besides missing our daughter.  The UNEXSO shop and staff is top notch!  Last but not least, the Patriot Scuba Gang.  JP, Jeff, Lisa, Jennifer, Jose, Tom, Wanda, Mike, and Brian.  A wonderful group of people, I can’t wait to get in the water with them again.  I can’t wait for my next salt dive, but in the meantime I’ll be at Lake Rawlings.  Come join me!

Getting Into Diving Dry - by Caitlin Hale

Until recently in my diving career my equipment checklist has always been fairly short and simple. But my dive sites have slightly altered these days from the tropical weather and waters of past where neither really affected diving. Now both the water and outside temperature and the weather can be deal breakers for going for a dive. Now weather, unfortunately, I cannot do much about. So if the seas are too high or the wind is too strong, I am a little out of luck. As for the water and outside temperatures, I can do something about that! Just by adding a few things to that checklist and making that change from diving wet to diving dry.  And so add: dry suit (the shop’s hot pink number, you’ll never miss me), thermal undergarments, dry suit hose, hood, gloves, glove liners… the list just about tripled! Now that may seem a bit tedious to some but if you’re like me and would like to be able to dive year round pretty much no matter the water temperature I highly recommend diving dry.

In January of this year I decided to do my first dry suit dive at a local lake to see if I too could take advantage of the better visibility that could be offered by the winter months.  Although the outdoor temperature was very cold, I was fairly comfortable throughout the dive but there were components that I struggled with. It was quite humbling, I thought to myself “wow, that was awesome but I definitely need to work on this!”  I enrolled in the Dry suit specialty course in order to truly maximize my dive when using a dry suit. The course offers the opportunity to gain the knowledge of understanding the physiology and skills to safely don, dive with, doff and store a dry suit.  It also offers the chance to learn dry suit buoyancy skills; dry suit maintenance, storage, and basic repair; and undergarment (fleece or overall-type garments worn under the suit) options. 

My next dry suit dive came in March but this time I was extremely uncomfortable with the cold becoming too extreme for me to complete the dive. It left a lot of questions as to why this had happened.  I am definitely not one to be defeated when it comes to diving, but comfort and warmth are things I will not push the envelope on. I do not wish to become an unsafe diver because I became cold and tired which then affected my making decisions or, an emergency arises and I was forced to deal with it. After consulting with my fellow instructors and my doctor I found some answers/solutions and further understanding of my own body’s physiology. I discovered that being in cold environments I was already predisposed to difficulties as I have Reynaud’s disease (a condition that causes some areas of your body; such as your fingers, toes, the tip of your nose and your ears, to feel numb and cool in response to cold temperatures or stress.) In order to maintain core temperature, the body will standardly first restrict blood flow to the extremities, which manifests itself as cold hands and feet but in my case I have a much lowered tolerance to cold. This highlighted the issue for the need to get the right insulation for the conditions and the diver. Wherein an advantage to the dry suit lies: you can dive dry with an array of undergarments that range in thickness so a diver can match which undergarment to wear based upon them and the conditions they aspire to dive in. Which I think is neat that a person can customize that part based on water temperature and personal needs/conditions. Taking on board my proneness to cold, I armed myself with a new very thick thinsulate undergarment (the DUI Polartec® PowerStretch Pro® Jumpsuit) and successfully completed my dry suit specialty course this past weekend with complete comfort.

May is PADI’s dry suit specialty month! If you too would like to broaden your diving repertoire, sign up for this specialty! As I said to my instructor upon completion “Someone find me some butter because I am toasty!” (Corny I know!)