Charter the Dive Boat & Make Your Own Schedule

Underwater Update - 01/05/2007

Into the Future...
It's difficult to grasp how fast time is moving, isn't it? The holidays came and went. The New Year is has begun.

There are several projects expected to commence this year. It's the year of the Artificial Reef, so to speak. There is a plan to enhance Miami Beach's Wreck Trek by adding tons of limestone boulders to connect the sites on the trail; a plan to build a Reefball Wall to slow beach erosion; a plan to create a memorial reef, complete with cremated remains mixed in concrete for a permanent resting place. There is a plan to put mooring buoys on Miami-Dade dive sites.

There is an idea being 'floated' around by recreational diver and conceptual artist Ross Power to establish an underwater art gallery, focused on the value of eco-tourism to a coastal community.

Take a look at this video on YouTube, if you are interested: Sculptural Marine Habitat - Focus (on the Ocean):

Video is a comin'...
If you've visited this website during the year, you've noticed a shift toward video. Statistically, more than 60% of the households with an internet connection have broadband or DSL. There's not a successful business out there operating with a dial-up modem. So, we've been experimenting with video to show equipment, travel destinations, and, instruction. We'd like to know what you'd like to see. We'll be adding, and changing, content. And, offering some interesting 'art of the ocean realm.'

If you'd like to see 'something completely different,' take a look at Shawn Garner's Fluid Visions. If you didn't make it to the Florida Dive Show, you missed Pascal Lecocq's display. Pascal, aka Painter of Blue, places scuba divers in fantastic places. Pascal is celebrating 30 years of art in 2007. He'll be touring during the year, appearing at all major consumer dive shops. His website, if you'd like to buy one of his paintings, is www.pascal-lecocq.com. He lives in Fort Lauderdale.

The Florida Dive Show took place in the West Palm Beach Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday, December 2 and 3. Attendance was strong on Saturday. Sunday suffered from competition - the annual Palm Beach Marathon took place in the same area as the dive show. Exhibitors, however, were upbeat and, by all indications, willing to support another show next year. Michael Hastings of AquaVideo, an underwater camera housing manufacturer and Captain Rick Smith, who was representing Aqua-Medic, were among the 160 exhibitors. Rick, by the way, is the diver most responsible for the concept of the Miami Beach Wreck Trek. Like to see a clip of the army tanks and Rio Miami?  Tank and Tug. Tell Rick you saw him on 'YouTube.'

The DEMA Show, the annual dive industry convention, took place in Orlando in early November. Several video clips of products and organizations are available on OceanRealmOnline.  Our dive boat was on display during the convention, featured by the manufacturer, Canaveral Custom Boats. The DEMA Show is the dive industry event of the year during which manufacturers and travel suppliers meet dive store owners and staff, as well as independent dive instructors.

On November 14th, WLRN-Channel 17 in South Florida debuted a new documentary focused on the Key Largo Marine Sanctuary -  Saving Our Reefs. It's another attempt at getting people's attention regarding the demise of the coral reef system in the Florida Keys and wider Caribbean area. A couple of clips are posted on OceanRealmOnline. Click the Saving Our Reefs link under Ocean Realm Channel. The video was produced by Miami Beach-based VTM Productions.

New "Music" Video
Click here for the most recent Miami Dive Stop Video. This 2 minute clip features a soundtrack by Miami-based Papaloko and Loray Mistik.

Dive Travel 2007
We'd like some input regarding potential travel destinations for next year. We will meet with representatives of various dive resorts at the DEMA Show in November, then put out a schedule in December. Would you consider going on a liveaboard? How about a cruise ship? A quick trip to Cozumell? A week in Roatan? If you'd like to go on a dive trip to a specific location, please send me a note.

Wreckreational Diving
Miami-Dade County has several designated reef sites that lie parallel to the coast. The video on the opening page is now on Google Video. Go to www.video.google.com and type 'underwater Miami' in the search box. The clip is 7:30 with a soundtrack, but no narration.

From our dock at Haulover Park marina, you can dive the oil platforms, located just north of Golden Beach, or the Conception, located in the Sunny Isles reef site. A little to the south is the Miami Beach Wreck Trek, a relatively shallow (50-60 feet) trail of material with a pair of army tanks at its southern end. The Wreck Trek is part of the Anchorage reef site, which is deeper (80+), but contains a variety of ships, like the Rio Miami. Click here for a glimpse of an artificial reef with an attitude. The County is planning to do some work on the site in 2007. For more information on the Miami Beach Wreck Trek, check out www.MiamiBeachDiving.com.

The Anchorage site also contains a ship called the Tortuga, which was sunk during the closing sequence of the Cindy Crawford/Billy Baldwin epic, Fair Game. Beyond Government Cut is the Key Biscayne Special Management Zone with more than a dozen ships and barges, such as the Orion, Proteus and Doc DeMilly.

Dive Insurance...Don't Leave Home Without It
Would you go on a dive trip to Belize, Honduras or Tongo without dive insurance? If so, skip this item. If, however, you want to have coverage for any medical emergency that might arise.

Six-Pack Promotion
From now through the end of December, we'll give you a one year DiveAssure GOLD insurance plan when you buy six dive trips aboard the Aquavita I to be used in 2007. The insurance plan is good for the entire year, regardless of where you dive. The dive trips are aboard the Aquavita I based at Haulover Park Marina in Northeast Miami-Dade County. Six-Pack Promotion Price: $325. If you already have insurance, we'll give you an extra boat trip.

"Music Video"
The first 'video' (top of page) features a track from Queen. A new one, uses an Alan Parsons Project track and has some new underwater images. Most of what you will see is part of Greater Miami's artificial reef system. There are, however, shots of the Christ statue near Key Largo and the Simon Morris' mermaid, which sits near Sunset House on the island of Grand Cayman. The idea is to showcase underwater attractions and promote the idea of putting 'art' in an artificial reef. Click here to take a look.

Internet Special
Are you thinking of about buying a BC? If so, click on the yellow sign and see what he have to offer. It's the 'deal of the deep.' It's a weight-integrated BC with adjustable regulator, octopus (without tentacles) and a 3-gauge consol with compass, for only $699.00.  This offer is 'limited' by the quantity on hand, so if you are considering up-grading your dive equipment, call me.

Dive Boat
We're going out nearly every morning during the week, and twice on weekends. If you haven't been diving for a while, give me a call and we can discuss your options. A refresher course is quick, and in-expensive. In addition, we can arrange for special instruction, such as wreck diving and underwater photography.

Speaking of instruction, we have an open-water course beginning every few days. Private lessons are available to fit into your schedule. If you are certified, maybe it's time to upgrade your skills. We can arrange an instructor for all certification levels. We are a PADI teaching facility. We are delighted to work with other dive stores to complete a certification program with open-water checkout dives. Just let me know what you need!

Regards...Tony
305.940.0927

tony@miamidivestop.com