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"Sea Stories" at The Explorers Club!

On Saturday, November 14, 2009, the Explorers Club will host its fifth annual Sea Stories, a day focused on ocean exploration and conservation. Topics range from protecting the ocean to discovering a Spanish galleon to researching large sharks to searching for a lost submarine in the Mediterranean to cave diving on rebreathers.

This once-yearly is a must for ocean lovers, explorers and would-be explorers alike! The price of admission includes, breakfast, lunch and a reception at the end where you can talk to the presenters. You will not want to miss this!

Where:
The Explorers Club
46 E 70th Street
New York, NY
212.628.8383

When:
Saturday, November 14, 9:00am

IMPORTANT (please follow these directions to RSVP):

Make your reservation by emailing the Club – reservations@explorers.org or by calling: 212.628.8383. http://www.explorers.org

Please book in advance as tickets will not be sold at the door. Attire: smart casual (no jeans, t-shirts).

On Saturday, November 14, 2009, the Explorers Club will host its fifth annual Sea Stories, a day focused on ocean exploration and conservation. Topics range from protecting the ocean to discovering a Spanish galleon to researching large sharks to searching for a lost submarine in the Mediterranean to cave diving on rebreathers.
Starts at 9 am at the Explorers Club (46 East 70th Street, New York City) with coffee and a continental breakfast. The presentations begin at 10 am. The $60 admission includes lunch (served at noon) as well as a reception at 5 pm (beer, wine and soda). Please book in advance as tickets will not be sold at the door. Attire: smart casual (no jeans, t-shirts).

The presenters will include:

Jill Heinerth – “Into the Planet Using Closed Circuit Rebreathers.”
As a pioneer in the use of closed-circuit rebreathers, Ms. Heinerth will share her experiences exploring caves inside Antarctic icebergs, volcanoes and karst terrain around the world.
An award-winning filmmaker, Ms. Heinerth co-wrote, produced, and appeared in Water’s Journey, the PBS documentary series that takes viewers on travels through the world’s greatest water systems. Some of Ms. Heinerth’s numerous professional diving, photographic and filmmaking awards include being named a “Living Legend” by Sport Diver magazine, being inducted into the Women Diver’s Hall of Fame and being honored as Canadian Technical Diver of the Year.

Edward Von der Porten – “The Galleon San Felipe.”

Mr. Von der Porten shares the saga of the galleon San Felipe through eight Mexican – U.S. expeditions along the desert shore of Baja California to discover and reconstruct the tragic fate of the Spanish galleon San Felipe, lost without trace in 1576 with a cargo of Ming porcelain.

Mr. Von der Porten is a naval historian, nautical archeologist, former director of the Treasure Island Museum, and educator. He is the author of numerous technical reports and magazine and newspaper articles on maritime and archaeological subjects, and three text books.

Dr. Gregory Skomal – “Ocean Travelers: Tracking the World's Biggest Sharks.”

Dr. Skomal is an accomplished marine biologist, underwater explorer, photographer, aquarist, and author. He currently heads up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. Dr. Skomal will highlight the ecology and life history of the world's largest sharks with new technologies to examine the migrations of basking, Greenland, great white, porbeagle, and whale sharks.

Dr. Skomal wrote dozens of scientific research papers and appeared in a number of film and television documentaries, including programs for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, ESPN, and numerous television networks. He is the author of The Shark Handbook as well as eleven books on aquarium keeping.

Ty Sawyer – “How to Save the Seas.”

Mr. Sawyer is the Editorial Director of ISLANDS magazine and the Bonnier Dive Group, which includes, Sport Diver, Scuba Diver and the Undersea Journal. He has been on dozens undersea exploratory adventures. Mr. Sawyer is also a frequent on the Travel Channel.

Mr. Sawyer’s award winning writing and photography have been seen in numerous publications, such as Caribbean Travel & Life, National Geographic Traveler, Outdoor Photographer as well as newspapers and books. Mr. Sawyer won the Henry Lawson award for the best travel story written on Australia in 2006 and the 2008 Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Excellence Award for Best Feature Story and Feature Photography in 2007.

David Jourdan - “Never Forgotten – The Search and Discovery of Israel’s Lost Submarine Dakar.”

Just after midnight on January 25, 1968, the Israeli Navy’s newly commissioned submarine Dakar transmitted her last communication before she disappeared in the Mediterranean Sea without a trace. Author Mr. Jourdan will take us on his deep sea search for the missing 287-foot submarine and her sixty-nine officers and crew.

Mr. Jourdan, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a submariner with a Master’s degree in applied physics from John Hopkins University, is the founder and president of Nauticos LLC, a company devoted to the exploration of the deep oceans. He led many expeditions to discover historical shipwrecks and has appeared on the National Geographic and Discovery channels.

Dr. Charles Rawlings - “Portraits of Living Mollusks.”

Dr. Rawlings logged thousands of dives around the world and specializes in photographs of living mollusks. Dr. Rawlings has written multiple articles concerning mollusks, shot numerous cover photographs, won awards for his living shell photography, and photographed several species never photographed alive.

As the underwater world gradually deteriorates with shocking changes, Dr. Rawlings has a sense of urgency to document these wondrous living organisms in an attempt to educate the public about the splendors of the underwater world.

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NAUI ITC - INTRO SESSION

Thinking about taking your diving to the next level? Attend this free information session where NAUI Course Director Bernard Fuersich will map out the path for you to be come a NAUI instructor.

Why become an instructor?
There are many reasons to become an instructor. Scuba diving instructors have a wealth of employment options that can lead them to careers the world over. You will also take your diving skills to the next level, refining your underwater skills to a demonstration level, and learn presentation skills that have value in just about any career. You will also learn problem solving and other skills that you will be able to use for the rest of your life!

Why NAUI?

NAUI is the oldest and most respected dive association in existence. Founded in 1960 as a member-run not-for-profit dive training association (with Jacques Cousteau on the original board of directors), NAUI continues to lead the way in dive training and safety true to their slogan "Dive Safety Through Education." It furthermore provides instructors with world class training materials and academic freedom to teach diving that other dive associations do not.

More Details

This session is free of charge and will conclude with scheduling of initial course sessions for those who choose to participate in the ITC. It should last approximately one and a half hours.

ITC Pre-requisitesNAUI Divemaster or NAUI Assistant Instructor certifications OR must pass NAUI Instructor Prep program (this will require both Master and Rescue Diver certifications (NAUI or equivalent) before being able to enter).
At least 50 logged dives
Must pass the NAUI Instructor Pre-qualification exam
Must own your own equipment.

Start your adventure toward a career in scuba diving today!

COSTS FOR THE ITC

Cost of the course will vary, depending on how many people are in the class. Two to three students will cost $2,500 per person, and scale down from there. There is a maximum of six candidates per ITC.

Questions? Click here to send us an email!

The scoop:

Yes, most of us are certified divers in Oceanblue Divers, but perhaps you know someone that would like to try scuba diving before deciding to take a full course? Here's their opportunity! We'll provide all equipment, so all you need to do is bring yourself, a bathing suit and a towel and we'll put you in the water! No wetsuit is needed.

Oceanblue Divers will be offering a full NAUI Scuba Diver course (equivalent of PADI Open Water) in October (dates T.B.A. very soon). However, for a nominal fee, those who would like to try scuba can come put on a regulator and BC, mask, fins and snorkel and get underwater in a pool! Best of all, the fee for "Discover Scuba" can be applied to the cost of a full course, so those who participate in "Discover Scuba" can try it and not lose money if you decide to get certified, making it risk free!

When:
Saturday, November 20, 2:00pm

Where:
Waterside Plaza Health Club Pool

We'll be talking about diving, travel, showing videos, and generally having fun in the pool, so come on down, bring your friends and Discover Scuba!

Cost and Payment:Cost is $30.
Can be applied to the cost of a full course!
Payment can be made by check or credit card on-site the day of the event.

This month:

We're kicking the new year off right with award-winning photojournalist and videographer Becky Kagan!

Becky has been where a select few divers go to document some of the most interesting apex predators in the oceans, Tiger Sharks. See her bio below for more details, but suffice to say that her resume is packed with accomplishments both above and below the water. You won't want to miss this happy hour! Celebrate beginning another year of Oceanblue Happy Hours with us.

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Here's why you should come:

Come on down to Arctica for our October Happy Hour and:Learn about diving with some of the biggest predators in the sea, Tiger Sharks!
Sample the tasty drinks
Eat the tasty food
Meet the other divers
Have fun, fun, fun!

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Tiger Beach

Some people travel to the Bahamas for conch salad and boating, but were there for a whole different type of experience. We went to dive with sharks, but not just any type of shark, Tiger Sharks. Tiger Sharks are known as one of the most dangerous predators in the ocean. With their unmistakable brownish grey stripes, blunt nose and big dark eyes when one cruises by there is no question as to what it is. Our destination was Tiger Beach, a shallow 20ft deep sandbar located about 20 miles North of Grand Bahama. This area has a deep water drop off, a perfect habitat for the tiger shark. The area is also home to several other species of sharks such as Lemon sharks and Great Hammerheads. We set out with no chainmail, no cages only cameras to document these magnificent animals. The very curious 12-15 foot sharks come extremely close to divers creating great moments for underwater photography and video.

Bio:

Becky has always been attracted to water, but her curiosity about what lay beneath the waves really became an obsession from a young age. She always knew documenting the underwater world is what she wanted to do. Becky is a professional videographer both above and below the surface. As an award winning Photojournalist she has worked for major news networks including CBS and Fox News, shooting video in all types of situations from major hurricanes to the Presidential Election. She has over 15 years of dive experience logging thousands of hours underwater in various conditions and extreme environments. She's a NAUI Instructor, and holds certifications in Cave diving, Trimix, Nitrox, and several Rebreathers. Her projects have taken her all over the globe from shooting video of WWII wrecks in Truk Lagoon, beautiful walls in Fiji, Sharks in the Bahamas, to photographing the vast underground cave systems in Mexico. She has acquired a client list including National Geographic, The Military channel, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and the National Park Service using the latest in HD and 3-D technology. Becky’s still photographs and articles have been published in Advanced Diver Magazine, Dive Training, Books and used in advertising. She holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Tampa.

Becky was an underwater cameraman and Talent on the TV series "Quest for Sunken Warships" airing on the Military Channel & Discovery science. She's also worked on several projects with the National Park Service diving in Lake Mead documenting invasive Quagga muscles and a B-29 bomber that crash landed in the lake in 1948. Last year she released her first full length DVD "The Mill Pond Experience "exploring three of Marianna Florida's beautiful cave systems. She's currently working on several other "above the surface" documentaries for different production companies.

Teaching scuba for 10 years now she's worked in may facets of the dive industry from retail, education to the Shark dive Experience at the Florida Aquarium. One of the biggest rewards of her career has been sharing her passion of diving with others by introducing hundreds of students to the underwater world, and leading dive excursions around the globe.

Becky feels fortunate to be able to combine her two passions in life, photography and diving. She focuses on capturing extreme environments such as wreck penetration and caves, but also believes in conservation through education and there is no better way to educate someone about our underwater world than through compelling imagery. Having lived in Florida over 12 years, nothing makes Becky happier than creatively photographing and sharing the beautiful environments found in her backyard that she holds so dear to hear heart, from the Manatee's to the breathtaking beauty of light rays pouring into a submerged cavern.

NAUI NITROX DIVER*

Always been interested in getting your Nitrox certification but don't know that much about it?

Here's a short list of some of the reasons why people dive using Nitrox:Extend bottom time
Take on less nitrogen during your dives
Shorten surface intervals
Come up from your dives feeling fewer effects from nitrogen

Nitrox or EAN (Enriched Air Nitrox) used to only be for technical divers, but is now commonly used in recreational diving. NAUI was the first dive association to offer Nitrox training to recreational divers and they have always led the way in dive safety true to their slogan "Dive Safety Through Education"

True to our mission, Oceanblue Divers is offering a comprehensive NAUI Nitrox course that will go beyond the standard curriculum that is included in other courses, but for the same price!

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive the prestigious NAUI Nitrox Diver certification card. You will be diving with the confidence and knowledge that you are well trained and have experience relevant to your activities. At Oceanblue Divers we go by the adage that "more is more!" with regard to training.

Under instructor supervision and after completing one classroom session, students will go to Dutch Springs (schedule to be determined based on student availability) to complete two dives where tanks will be analyzed and M.O.D.'s (Maximum Operating Depths) will be determined according to the NAUI Nitrox tables.

Among the things you will learn in this course:What is Nitrox?
History of Nitrox
Why dive Nitrox
Common misconceptions about Nitrox
Gas properties, behaviors
Choosing the right blend for your dive
Gas analysis
Much more!

Cost and payment:

Course: $99
Materials: $57.95
Dives: $50 (will be charged upon booking)

*You must RSVP no later than October 6, 2009 as materials need to be ordered in advance.