great white shark adventure - Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine
great white shark adventure - Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine
great white shark adventure - Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
COMPLIMENTARY<br />
www.midwestscubadiving.com<br />
Fall 2007<br />
GREAT WHITE<br />
SHARK ADVENTURE
VOL . 2 NO. 3<br />
8 GREAT WHITE SHARK ADVENTURE<br />
By Nan E. Temple Talaga<br />
12<br />
12 REVERSE DIVE PROFILES<br />
By Dan Orr, DAN President and<br />
Chief Executive Officer<br />
16 SUNKEN TREASURES<br />
Dredge No. 6<br />
By Captain Dale Bennett<br />
20 MARTIN STEPANEK AND<br />
NIKI RODERICK<br />
Champion Freedivers Speak<br />
Out About Ocean Conservation<br />
By Suzannah Evans<br />
22 DESTINATION<br />
Puerto Rico<br />
Story by Michele Jarvey<br />
Photos by Carlos-Miguel Cruz<br />
22<br />
30 SAFETY STOP<br />
Dick Hecht<br />
A <strong>Midwest</strong> Diver You Should Know<br />
8<br />
Visit us online at:<br />
www.midwestscubadiving.com
...the Caribbean<br />
of the <strong>Midwest</strong>!<br />
TM<br />
- 12-acre spring fed quarry<br />
- Fish and underwater attractions<br />
- 8 training platforms<br />
- Easy access via beach entry<br />
or covered docks (20’ x 40’)<br />
- Picnic tables and dressing rooms<br />
- Rental gear and tank refills<br />
EDITORIAL<br />
Captain Darrick Lorenzen, Publisher & Editor<br />
captdarrick@midwestscubadiving.com<br />
Brian Pautsch, <strong>Magazine</strong> Designer & Webmaster<br />
bpautsch@midwestscubadiving.com<br />
ADVISORY COMMITTEE<br />
Patrick Hammer<br />
Recreational Training and Education<br />
Captain Dale Bennett<br />
Technical Training and Education<br />
Thomas McDonald, Editorial Assistant<br />
Elizabeth Wilczynski, Comptroller<br />
Richard Talaga Ph.D.<br />
<strong>Diving</strong> Physics<br />
Argonne National Laboratory<br />
ADVERTISING SALES<br />
773-732-8972<br />
Captain Tim Taylor<br />
Scientific Research and Exploration<br />
NEWS BRIEFS & FEATURES<br />
773-732-8972<br />
Jessica Adams M.S.<br />
Exercise Physiology and <strong>Diving</strong> Fitness<br />
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND CLASSIFIEDS<br />
815-344-7956<br />
Captain Darrick Lorenzen<br />
Travel Editor<br />
<strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> <strong>Diving</strong> is published quarterly by Maximum Publications 4417 N. Riverdale, Johnsburg, IL, 60050. Copyright 2006 by Maximum Publications. All rights reserved. Subscription<br />
rate U.S. possessions one year $29.95. All other countries one year $39.95. CONTRIBUTIONS. News, articles, information, and photos are enthusiastically encouraged and should be sent<br />
to Captain Darrick Lorenzen 4417 N. Riverdale, Johnsburg, IL, 60050. All submissions become the property of <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> <strong>Diving</strong>. Any material accepted is subject to such revision as is<br />
necessary, in our sole discretion, to meet the requirements of this publication. The act of mailing materials shall constitute an express warranty by the contributor that the material is original<br />
and in no way an infringement on the rights of others. Six weeks notice is required to change a subscriber’s address.<br />
NOTICE: <strong>Scuba</strong> diving is a potentially dangerous activity. Persons engaging in this activity should be certified by a recognized training agency. You should always dive within your training<br />
and personal limits. Information published in <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> <strong>Diving</strong> is not a substitute for training and <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> <strong>Diving</strong> is not responsible or liable for the contents of any information<br />
or recommendations published herein.<br />
2738 E. 2000 North Rd<br />
Kankakee, IL 60901<br />
815.939.7797<br />
tina@haighquarry.com<br />
www.HaighQuarry.com<br />
Events<br />
December<br />
6th<br />
Underwater Christmas Tree Trim<br />
Location: <strong>Scuba</strong> Emporium<br />
Contact: Harold Bach<br />
Phone: 1-800-778-DIVE<br />
Email: info@scubaemporium.com<br />
Website: www.scubaemporium.com<br />
January<br />
13th<br />
3rd Annual International Underwater<br />
Photo/Video Contest Deadline<br />
More than $50,000 in prizes will<br />
be awarded to photographers and<br />
videographers around the world.<br />
Deadline for submissions is Jan. 13,<br />
2008. Winners will be announced at<br />
the 2008 Our World Underwater Film<br />
Festival.<br />
Location: Rosemont, Illinois<br />
Email: contest@divephotoguide.com<br />
February<br />
15-17th<br />
Our World Underwater<br />
One of the largest dive shows in North<br />
America. This year’s show is expected<br />
to have 200 booths and over 15,000<br />
visitors. Don’t miss it!<br />
Location: Donald E. Stephens<br />
Convention Center, Rosemont, IL<br />
Phone: 708.226.1614<br />
Email: info@ourworldunderwater.com<br />
Website: www.ourworldunderwater.com<br />
23rd<br />
Into the Past 2008 - the Twin Cites<br />
Shipwreck <strong>Scuba</strong> Show<br />
Location: Mounds View, MN<br />
Contact: Steve Daniel<br />
Email: sdaniel@glsps.org<br />
Website: www.glsps.org<br />
Do you have an upcoming event you<br />
would like to include in <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong><br />
<strong>Diving</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>? Send an email to<br />
events@midwestscubadiving.com<br />
or call us at 773.732.8972.<br />
FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING
COMMENTARY<br />
Our World Underwater is being held at the Donald E.<br />
Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, February<br />
15th thru the 17th. Booths for exhibitors are still available.<br />
Detailed information about the show can be found at www.<br />
ourworldunderwater.com. <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> <strong>Diving</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
will once again attend OW-U, occupying corner booth #121.<br />
We will have “FREE” raffles for a Blackbeard’s Cruise,<br />
Freestyle watches, subscriptions to <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> <strong>Diving</strong><br />
<strong>Magazine</strong> and certificates for wreck diving <strong>adventure</strong>s aboard<br />
Captain Dale’s boat the M/V Enterprise. Many readers have<br />
contacted us requesting old copies of the magazine. If you are<br />
missing a back issue of our publication come by our booth<br />
and we will have it for you. We enjoy it when you stop by,<br />
say hello and give us your comments and suggestions. OW-U<br />
gives us a chance to catch up with old “buddies” and make<br />
some new friends. See you at the show!<br />
<strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> <strong>Diving</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> and our interactive website<br />
community has become the primary source for information<br />
concerning Great Lakes Shipwrecks. We are the only diving<br />
publication that has created and maintains an interactive<br />
forum for divers. We welcome your participation in the<br />
MSD forums at www.midwestscubadiving.com. Website<br />
Captain Darrick with Hal Watts and Stan Waterman at OW-U 2007<br />
traffic has substantially increased over the past year. Some popular and controversial threads in 2007 have included “Bonne Terre Mines” and “The Sorry<br />
State of Recreational Dive Training.” We have just completed a two-year research study, which indicates that every three months 4% of all dive centers<br />
close their doors to the general public. That is a 16% failure rate per year. For every 4 shops that close only 1 new shop opens. This means that there is net<br />
negative growth of 12% per year. In the last 5 years more than 50% of all dive shops in the <strong>Midwest</strong> region are no longer in business. This may make the<br />
existing shops stronger, but diversity, which benefits the recreational diver, no longer exists. Once again MSD needs to point out that the business model<br />
accepted by the dive industry is not working. Employees and representatives of the diving industry are only trying to justify their existence and their salaries<br />
by following the pack and perpetuating archaic business practices. Don’t let any aggressive industry representatives dictate your business plan. Research<br />
proves the representative is most likely wrong. You must think outside the box to survive. You must be creative. Dive shops and resorts can only increase<br />
their sales by cost effective marketing. If they don’t advertise they will close! Over the last two years <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> <strong>Diving</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> has reinvested 100%<br />
of its ad revenue into our cutting edge publication and website striving to provide low cost options for advertisers. We wish to passionately promote the<br />
sport that we love. Many of our advertisers have indicated that a <strong>great</strong> deal of business is generated from banner ad links on our site. Website banner ad links<br />
offer a very affordable advertising venue for operators on a limited budget who want maximum exposure. Banner ads cost only $720 for a full year! A dive<br />
center only has to generate two students from this ad type, over 12 months, to receive a 100% return on their investment. You are unable to get this type of<br />
annual return on any other investment vehicle. Some cooperative programs that we have implemented make advertising “FREE” for qualified operators.<br />
Every shop or resort should call to discuss these options. For advertising information contact Captain Darrick Lorenzen at 773-732-8972 or captdarrick@<br />
midwestscubadiving.com.<br />
Our <strong>Magazine</strong> has grown in size by 30% in the past year. We have increased the number of features in our publication to include five articles and<br />
“Backscatter” which is a photographic forum using reader submissions. We are the only diving publication printing on 100# glossy stock. <strong>Diving</strong> is one of the<br />
few mediums left that lends itself well to print publication. <strong>Diving</strong> is about beautiful images. Beautiful images should be printed on quality paper stock not<br />
newsprint. MSD now distributes in 12 states reaching approximately 50% of the U.S. population. We maintain marketing agreements and sponsorships with<br />
NAUI, DAN, Channel 11 WTTW Public Television and X-ray Online <strong>Magazine</strong>. Over the next 24 months, MSD is going to focus on developing a national<br />
following among the diving community. MSD intends to expand our influence to include the major market areas of New York, Florida and California. We<br />
have recently employed a sales staff in Los Angeles, California. MSD is going to have a more controversial presence in print and on our website. We are<br />
immediately implementing two additional features called “Shark Attack” and “ <strong>Diving</strong> Fatality.” There is a lot of interest in <strong>shark</strong>s (just look at the success of<br />
Shark Week on the Discovery Channel). MSD will publish news reports on “<strong>Diving</strong> Fatalities” with the intention of informing and educating the recreational<br />
dive community about the safety issues causing the fatal accidents. Let us know what you think.<br />
Snapshot: Captain Darrick Lorenzen<br />
Dive safely,<br />
Career Highlights: Captain Darrick Lorenzen has over 30 years experience as a recreational and commercial diver. He is a<br />
graduate of Florida Institute of Technology with a degree in Underwater Technology. He was an instructor to commercial oilfield<br />
divers in saturation; mixed gas and bell bounce techniques. Captain Darrick is a United States Merchant Marine Officer and<br />
was awarded the U.S. Public Service Commendation for personal courage and selfless initiative.<br />
Captain Darrick’s deepest dive was a 10-day saturation to 550-feet with a team of 6 divers. The mission focused on the repair<br />
of a severed 8-inch gas pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico.<br />
Captain Darrick is passionate about deep wreck diving, photography and the Great Lakes.<br />
BBAC <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> 1-3 Pg Ad 5/22/07 1:19 PM Page 1<br />
Freeport,<br />
Grand Bahama<br />
Departures<br />
$<br />
899 per week<br />
Play... Explore... Learn...<br />
$<br />
899 per week<br />
Twice the Fun... Half the Cost!<br />
Pirate’s Lady, Sea Explorer, and Morning Star<br />
leave from Freeport, Grand Bahama, sailing<br />
the crystal waters of the Bahamas on<br />
weekly dive cruise <strong>adventure</strong>s.<br />
1-800-327-9600<br />
www.blackbeard-cruises.com • sales@blackbeard-cruises.com<br />
102 Feet of liveaboard luxury... leaving weekly from<br />
Nassau to the unspoiled reefs and islands of the<br />
Exumas. <strong>Diving</strong>, snorkeling, sea-kayaking,<br />
fishing, birding, beaching...<br />
Live a dream on your own yacht.<br />
1-800-327-9600<br />
www.aquacatcruises.com • sales@aquacatcruises.com<br />
PADI Certification<br />
Nitrox Certification<br />
Rescue Diver Certifiction<br />
Night <strong>Diving</strong><br />
Wreck <strong>Diving</strong><br />
Cavern and Cave Instruction<br />
Search & Recovery<br />
Dry Suit & MORE<br />
Most of our training is done<br />
at the Mermet Springs<br />
underwater training facility<br />
Poplar Bluff, Missouri<br />
Contact Ed Pavey<br />
573-778-DIVE<br />
MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007 FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING
GREAT WHITE SHARK ADVENTURE<br />
When Richard and I got married in October<br />
of 2000 we never dreamed that we’d be<br />
celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary in the<br />
cold waters of the Pacific peering through the<br />
bars of a <strong>shark</strong> cage at the silent and hauntingly<br />
beautiful form of a <strong>great</strong> <strong>white</strong> <strong>shark</strong>.<br />
It all came about when we joined an Incredible<br />
Adventures’ trip to the Farallon Island Marine<br />
Sanctuary aboard the sixty-five foot vessel<br />
Tamalpais based in Tiburon, a picturesque<br />
bay side town just a few miles north of San<br />
Francisco. In the fall months, from September<br />
through mid-November, <strong>great</strong> <strong>white</strong> <strong>shark</strong>s<br />
congregate in the waters off the Farallones<br />
attracted by the seals, sea lions and their<br />
favorite food source, baby elephant seals that<br />
are there in abundance at this time of year.<br />
We arrived at the dock at 5:30 a.m. where Greg<br />
Barron of Incredible Adventures, Inc. and dive<br />
instructor Francesca Koe greeted us warmly.<br />
The friendly and efficient crew quickly sized<br />
us up for wetsuits and made sure that all the<br />
gear we’d need for a dip in the cold Pacific<br />
was brought aboard. We joined the other<br />
Great White Shark<br />
Adventure<br />
passengers in the spacious and comfortable<br />
main cabin where we were encouraged to help<br />
ourselves to a delicious array of coffee cakes,<br />
muffins, bagels, fruit and beverages.<br />
After a brief orientation to the boat and<br />
safety procedures, we were free to roam the<br />
Tamalpais on our own and enjoyed exploring<br />
the two decks where there was plenty of inside<br />
and outside viewing and lounging space.<br />
By 6:00 a.m. we were underway, motoring<br />
through the dark morning fog toward the<br />
Golden Gate and the open ocean. As we<br />
passed under the bridge we all looked up and<br />
were awed by the beauty of the soft diffused<br />
lights flickering against the massive vertical<br />
support structures which rose from the black<br />
water and disappeared into a misty shroud.<br />
The trip out to the islands took about two and a<br />
half hours. Peter Winch, the highly informed<br />
naturalist on board, generously answered<br />
questions and shared interesting information<br />
about the natural history of the place we were<br />
about to visit. Along the way we slowed down<br />
By Nan E. Temple Talaga<br />
to watch humpback whales spouting and<br />
surfacing nearby, and we saw seals leaping<br />
happily along on their own journeys.<br />
When we arrived at the Farallones, we<br />
circumnavigated the jagged, ruggedly beautiful<br />
islands textured by cormorants, murres, gulls<br />
and other birds along with the velvety brown<br />
log-like forms of hundreds of sea lions lying<br />
in repose along the sea cliff walls. The fishy<br />
smell of guano was nothing, we were told,<br />
compared to the overpowering odor of the<br />
spring bird breeding season when practically<br />
every square inch of the islands are covered<br />
with nesting birds and the researchers must<br />
wear rain ponchos and hard hats to protect<br />
themselves.<br />
We anchored on the south, leeward side of the<br />
island near Saddle Rock. The <strong>shark</strong> cage, which<br />
can accommodate eight divers and is said to be<br />
the world’s largest, was quickly lowered into<br />
the water and secured along the port side. The<br />
top of the cage was at the surface while the<br />
bottom reached down to a depth of about eight<br />
feet. Decoys made from carpeting, resembled<br />
baby elephant seals, and were placed in the<br />
water suspended by lines. They bobbed on the<br />
surface of the water, designed to attract their<br />
most formidable predators, the <strong>great</strong> <strong>white</strong><br />
<strong>shark</strong>s. Chumming (or baiting) the water with<br />
real bait is not allowed in the Farallones in an<br />
effort to keep the natural ecosystem intact.<br />
While there is a good likelihood of seeing<br />
<strong>white</strong> <strong>shark</strong>s at this time of year, at least on<br />
the surface, it was explained to us that there<br />
is no guarantee that you will see one. After<br />
all, this is a wild, natural environment and the<br />
<strong>shark</strong>s are free to do as they please.<br />
People prepared to enter the <strong>shark</strong> cage were<br />
quickly trained to use the hookah system<br />
for breathing underwater through regulators<br />
attached to long hoses through which<br />
compressed air is pumped from onboard. The<br />
crew assisted each diver into the cage and<br />
constantly supervised. Divers could enter<br />
and exit the <strong>shark</strong> cage whenever they wanted<br />
throughout the day. Hot chocolate and soup<br />
along with plenty of good food were provided<br />
to warm up chilly bodies. Fresh towels were<br />
plentiful.<br />
In the afternoon, while Richard and I were<br />
donning our wetsuits preparing for our first<br />
entry into the cage, we heard someone scream<br />
“Shark! Shark! Shark!” When I looked out<br />
a port side window there was a flurry of bird<br />
activity about a hundred yards or more away<br />
from the boat, and I spotted two black fins<br />
breaking through the surface in the midst<br />
of a swath of water that was bright red with<br />
blood. Eyewitnesses told us that a <strong>great</strong> <strong>white</strong><br />
had just breached the surface with a seal in its<br />
jaws, followed by an explosive balloon of red<br />
blood bursting into the air.<br />
The captain carefully maneuvered the<br />
Tamalpais closer to the attack area and set<br />
the anchor. Richard and I, along with two<br />
members of a news crew from Fresno and<br />
another diver from New York, went into the<br />
<strong>shark</strong> cage for the first time. I was wearing a<br />
7mm wetsuit with an attached hood and heavy<br />
gloves and boots. The water felt coldest on my<br />
head and feet, and I found myself breathing<br />
hard for the first few minutes until I became<br />
accustomed to the cold and the water in my<br />
suit had a chance to warm up a bit. At first we<br />
saw only water, which was fairly clear with<br />
about 30 to 40 feet of visibility. Large round<br />
<strong>white</strong> moon jellies drifted by, clearly visible<br />
against the green blue color of the seawater.<br />
The thirty pounds of weight I was wearing<br />
had made me negatively buoyant, and I found<br />
myself bouncing on my tiptoes against the<br />
bottom of the cage as it moved with the waves<br />
in the water. Richard was next to me looking<br />
over the side of the cage toward the bottom<br />
when he suddenly held his hand against his<br />
forehead in a signal indicating <strong>shark</strong>. By the<br />
time I looked far enough down in the direction<br />
he had pointed there was nothing. I continued<br />
scanning the area in front and beneath the cage<br />
when I saw Richard pointing down again.<br />
This time I saw the <strong>shark</strong>. It was there, big<br />
and slightly on its side so that you could see<br />
the light <strong>white</strong> underbelly and the dark back<br />
meeting along the side of its massive body as<br />
it gently moved from left to right just about 15<br />
to 20 feet below us. Its mouth was closed and<br />
it looked completely at ease and in control.<br />
And then it was gone. We waited for a while<br />
but it never came back. I guess it had seen<br />
enough of us.<br />
Our <strong>shark</strong> sighting was the only one from the<br />
cage that day. There were only four of us<br />
who happened to see it. The fifth person in<br />
the cage, who so desperately wanted to see a<br />
<strong>shark</strong>, missed it and was deeply disappointed.<br />
Had I not seen the <strong>shark</strong> that day, I don’t think<br />
I would have minded. I got to see a wild place<br />
where humans don’t really belong and felt the<br />
power of the natural forces that exist there.<br />
But there was something in that moment when<br />
I saw the <strong>white</strong> <strong>shark</strong> and he saw me, too that<br />
will live in me forever.<br />
We left the Farallones at about 2:30 heading<br />
back for harbor. The smell of freshly baked<br />
chocolate chip cookies wafted through the main<br />
cabin followed by the third excellent meal of<br />
the day. The time passed quickly as Richard<br />
and I stood on the bow of the Tamalpais full<br />
of energy and the experience of our beautiful<br />
day, a fitting celebration of seven wonderful<br />
years of married life. We talked easily with<br />
other passengers who shared the day’s voyage<br />
and when we looked back we saw a margin<br />
of shimmering golden light along the horizon<br />
CD’s<br />
7<br />
Pool & <strong>Scuba</strong><br />
We offer basic training through<br />
advanced certifications and are<br />
the best full service dive shop in<br />
Northern Indiana. We have <strong>great</strong><br />
prices on all gear.<br />
Call today for our<br />
specials!<br />
Phone: 574-295-7300<br />
23672 Old US 20<br />
Elkhart, IN 46516<br />
MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007 FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING
GREAT WHITE SHARK ADVENTURE<br />
where the clouds had lifted just above the<br />
silhouetted profile of the Farallones. As we<br />
approached the Golden Gate there were just<br />
four of us standing on the bow watching the<br />
fog work its magic on the cityscape. Four<br />
little people momentarily bonded by a shared<br />
experience with a solitary <strong>great</strong> <strong>white</strong> <strong>shark</strong>.<br />
Snapshot:<br />
Nan E. Temple Talaga<br />
After graduating from the University<br />
of Washington with a degree<br />
in anthropology, Nan studied<br />
photography and briefly worked as<br />
a freelance writer and photographer<br />
in Washington State. She later<br />
became certified in elementary<br />
education and worked as a teacher<br />
for almost 20 years in the U.S. and<br />
abroad. Seven years ago, Nan<br />
moved to the Chicago area where<br />
she and her husband, Richard,<br />
signed up for scuba diving lessons<br />
which has led them to one <strong>adventure</strong><br />
after another.<br />
Captain Dale Bennett<br />
Will take you <strong>Diving</strong> on<br />
Lake Michigan or Teach You How!<br />
Charters and Training Info:<br />
P: 847.640.8113 C: 847.431.8113<br />
www.captaindales.com<br />
Novice to<br />
Technical to<br />
Tri-Mix<br />
STEVE BROWN<br />
<strong>Midwest</strong> sales representative for the<br />
below product lines and supporter of<br />
the development and introduction of<br />
<strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> <strong>Diving</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>. The<br />
product lines he represents can be<br />
found in Professional Dive Centers<br />
throughout the <strong>Midwest</strong>.<br />
563.940.1030 - Dealer inquiries only<br />
Our World-Underwater 2008<br />
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL<br />
February 15-17, 2008<br />
Weekend at a Glance<br />
Friday – February 15, 2008<br />
In-Depth Workshops 8:00am –5:00pm<br />
Exhibition Hall 5:00pm – 9:00pm<br />
Film Festival 8:30pm – 10:00pm<br />
Saturday – February 16, 2008<br />
In-Depth Workshops 8:00am – 5:00pm<br />
Exhibition Hall 9:00am – 6:00pm<br />
Seminars 9:00am – 5:00pm<br />
Film Festival 7:00pm – 9:00pm<br />
Sunday – February 17, 2008<br />
In-Depth Workshops 8:00am – 4:00pm<br />
Exhibition Hall 9:00am – 4:00pm<br />
Seminars 9:00am – 4:00pm<br />
Learn more at www.ourworldunderwater.com<br />
Over 200 booths!<br />
Meet John Chatterton and Richie<br />
Kohler from Deep Sea Detectives<br />
and Shadow Divers!<br />
Contest prizes given away at<br />
booths every day!<br />
Book Signings Try <strong>Scuba</strong> in the Pool Visit Team <strong>Scuba</strong> Nascar Bid on Silent Auction items
Reverse<br />
Dive Profiles<br />
By Dan Orr, DAN<br />
President and<br />
Chief Executive Officer<br />
The ‘Well-Known Facts’<br />
DAN Discusses Repetitive<br />
<strong>Diving</strong> and the Twist On<br />
Reverse Dive Profiles<br />
On a recent dive trip, I overheard two divers talking about<br />
planning their second dive for the day. The first dive was a<br />
spectacular drift dive over a gently sloping wall in the warm,<br />
clear waters of the Caribbean. The divers had chosen to remain<br />
shallower than the rest of the group in order to photograph a pair<br />
of turtles doing their best to keep the local turtle population from<br />
becoming endangered.<br />
While moving to the next location, the divemaster announced that<br />
the second dive would take place at a similar location. Since their<br />
attention was focused elsewhere on the first dive, they wanted<br />
to see and enjoy the wall on the upcoming dive. This, however,<br />
created a dilemma. They had been taught, as most divers have,<br />
that the deepest dive always had to be made first. As one of the<br />
divers put it, “It is a well-known fact that you are likely to get<br />
bent if you don’t make the deepest dive first.”<br />
This well-known fact seems logical. A shallower second dive<br />
would appear to be a form of decompression following a<br />
relatively deep dive. This traditional wisdom was challenged in<br />
October 1999, when a workshop* funded by AAUS (American<br />
Academy of Underwater Sciences), DAN, DEMA (<strong>Diving</strong><br />
Equipment and Marketing Association), Dive Training magazine<br />
and the Smithsonian was held at the Smithsonian Institution to<br />
specifically address the issue of reverse dive profiles. Those<br />
present at the workshop represented the recreational, military,<br />
and research communities. The findings were as follows:<br />
• Historically, neither the U.S. Navy nor the commercial sector<br />
has prohibited reverse dive profiles.<br />
• Reverse dive profiles are being performed in recreational,<br />
scientific, commercial and military diving.<br />
• The prohibition of reverse dive profiles by recreational<br />
training organizations cannot be traced to any definite<br />
diving experience that indicates an increased risk of DCS<br />
(decompression sickness).<br />
• No convincing evidence was presented that reverse dive<br />
profiles within the no-decompression limits lead to a<br />
measurable increase in the risk of DCS.<br />
After reviewing and discussing all the evidence presented, these<br />
representatives of the diving industry came to the following<br />
conclusion:<br />
“We find no reason for the diving communities to prohibit reverse<br />
dive profiles for no-decompression dives less that 40 msw / 130<br />
fsw and depth differentials less than 12 msw / 40 fsw.”<br />
In the final analysis, however, it is up to you and your buddy to<br />
plan your dive in a manner that suits your objectives and gives<br />
you the <strong>great</strong>est level of confidence that the risk of injury will be<br />
minimal.<br />
Remember, dive tables or dive computers have no supernatural<br />
ability to protect you from injury due to DCS. I’ve heard Karl<br />
Huggins, co-inventor of the EDGE, the first electronic dive<br />
computer, say many times that there is no talisman, electronic or<br />
otherwise, that creates a magical shield that protects divers from<br />
DCS.<br />
Dive tables and computers are tools, not unlike your regulator or<br />
DIVING MEDICINE<br />
buoyancy compensation device. They are based on mathematical<br />
models, founded in theory, and designed to emulate body tissues,<br />
but those tools cannot take into account the wide range of body<br />
and tissue types, nor factors such as cold, fatigue and exertion,<br />
that may change the diver’s susceptibility during a dive. <strong>Diving</strong><br />
researchers do not completely understand the exact mechanisms<br />
of injury in regards to DCS. Even when divers use tables or<br />
computers correctly, there is always a risk of DCS.<br />
Divers can take the following steps to reduce the risk of DCS:<br />
• Dive conservatively. Don’t push the limits. Many experts<br />
believe that the closer one comes to the U.S. Navy nodecompression<br />
limits, the <strong>great</strong>er the risk of DCS.<br />
• Avoid minimum surface intervals. Surface intervals allow<br />
offgassing of residual nitrogen. Increasing your surface<br />
interval will reduce your nitrogen load and offer <strong>great</strong>er<br />
benefit to the slower tissue compartments.<br />
• Make slow ascents and make safety stops. Research has<br />
shown that slow ascents and safety stops help to reduce<br />
the size and quantity of gas bubbles in circulation. Many<br />
researchers believe there is a relationship between gas bubbles<br />
in circulation and the likelihood of DCS symptoms.<br />
• Manage additional risks. If the risks change during the dive,<br />
it may be wise for the diver to reduce bottom time or increase<br />
the safety stop or both.<br />
• Avoid cold and dehydration. By being properly hydrated<br />
and using appropriate exposure protection, you can help<br />
decrease DCS risks. Dehydration and cold may actually<br />
increase risk of DCS by affecting the body’s blood flow,<br />
which influences nitrogen exchange through respiration.<br />
• Maintain a high level of personal fitness. Exercise tolerance<br />
is essential to safe diving. Exhaustion may significantly<br />
increase risk.<br />
When it comes to your well-being and the safety of your diving<br />
partner, don’t take anything for granted. Well-known facts, once<br />
thought to be absolute, are regularly being challenged.<br />
Some of these “well-known facts” have been with us for quite<br />
some time, but I wouldn’t stake my life on them.<br />
* Vann RD, Denoble PJ, Pollock NW. Reverse Dives And<br />
Project Dive Exploration. Reverse Dive Profiles Workshop;<br />
1999 Oct 29-30 2000; 1999: 181-187.<br />
Snapshot: Dan Orr<br />
Dan Orr has been diving for 40-plus years and has held<br />
membership and leadership positions in many notable<br />
diving organizations such as NAUI, PADI, ACUC, YMCA,<br />
NASE, IAND, UHMS, NACD, AUAS, the Institute of <strong>Diving</strong><br />
and the Explorers Club. He is the recipient of numerous<br />
awards such as AUAS’s NOGI Award for Sports/<br />
Education, NAUI’s Leonard Greenstone Award for <strong>Diving</strong><br />
Safety, the Our World-Underwater Award and Beneath<br />
the Sea’s Diver of the Year. He was named Chairman of<br />
the Board of the Historical <strong>Diving</strong> Society for 2004 and<br />
currently serves on the DEMA board of directors.
Voted #1 <strong>Scuba</strong> Training Agency in the <strong>Midwest</strong>.<br />
“The safest and most comprehensive<br />
curriculum of any training agency”.<br />
Sports Marketing Research 2005<br />
<br />
<br />
Public & Private Manatee Safaris,<br />
Eco Tours, Sunset Cruises & More!<br />
You choose the activity and we take<br />
care of the arrangements<br />
773.732.8972<br />
www.divemaxscuba.com<br />
EXPLORE<br />
A WHOLE NEW WORLD<br />
w w w . n a t i v e v a c a t i o n s . c o m<br />
Private Rental Home Available<br />
Crystal River, Florida<br />
Specializing in Sales, Service, Trips & Instruction<br />
Open Water Classes start every six weeks.<br />
PADI Specialty Classes start weekly<br />
15% OFF<br />
New<br />
Equipment<br />
Purchase<br />
over $100<br />
With SAVE coupon only.<br />
Expires 063006.<br />
Upcoming Trips<br />
* Bahamas Liveaboard<br />
* Cozumel<br />
* Florida Keys<br />
* Cayman Brac<br />
In-house service on Full-Face AGA Masks and<br />
most manufacturers – Fast turnaround<br />
Visit or Call DJ’s for in-store package specials<br />
Public Safety Divers – Call for select pricing on<br />
equipment, classes & service. Ask about our<br />
Public Safety Maintenance Program<br />
Looking to lose a few pounds???<br />
Ask about our special weight loss program!<br />
For monthly specials, trip & store information,<br />
visit us on the web at www.djscuba.com<br />
Tower Plaza<br />
7840 Ogden Ave #9<br />
Lyons, IL 60534<br />
708-442-4388<br />
SHERWOOD & TUSA SALE!<br />
All in-stock Sherwood and Tusa dive gear is 30% OFF while<br />
supplied last! That means Regulators starting at $224.00,<br />
BCs starting at $262.50, Dive Computers starting at $315<br />
and Masks starting at $45.50!<br />
ALL 30% OFF while supplies last!<br />
UPCOMING CLASSES<br />
Basic <strong>Scuba</strong>: Classes start every other weekend.<br />
Local Open: Water training starts end of May!<br />
Advanced: Do your class now, do your dives locally or on a trip.<br />
Nitrox: Classes every 1st Saturday of month from 8am to 2pm, or<br />
Monday & Wednesday evening at the end of the month.<br />
Rescue: Completed in one weekend!<br />
Solo Diver: Classroom, Pool & Open Water.<br />
Master Diver: Prerequisite-Advanced Diver or concurrently with<br />
Advanced Diver. Ship Wreck Survey & Penetration.<br />
The Illinois Institute of <strong>Diving</strong><br />
438 Roosevelt Rd, Glen Ellyn, IL<br />
1-800-HOW-TO-DIVE - 630-469-3483<br />
www.800howdive.com - diving@800howdive.com<br />
FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING 15
Rediscovering<br />
Dredge No. 6<br />
By Captain Dale Bennett<br />
incredible story of the sinking of No. 6 Dredge<br />
would be told.<br />
One October day in 2001, Bud Selvick<br />
with his daughter, Lorraine, made a trip to<br />
Milwaukee to revisit the memory of the night<br />
Dredge No. 6 sank. They met Jerry Guyer<br />
and Dave Manchester and reclaimed the<br />
watch Bud’s father lost forty-five years earlier<br />
when a proud vessel and nine men went to the<br />
bottom of the lake. Captain Ed Selvick has<br />
since passed away, but his watch will help<br />
keep his memory alive for future generations<br />
of the Selvick family. Bud and his father had<br />
lived through that night and Bud’s memory of<br />
the incident was as clear as if it had happened<br />
yesterday.<br />
On a Wednesday morning in June of 2000 the<br />
dive charter boat, Len-Der, made its way southsouthwest<br />
from Milwaukee harbor toward a<br />
popular dive site. Captain Jerry Guyer, the<br />
owner, was at the helm as the boat made the<br />
hour-long trip to the wreck then known as<br />
“Dredge 906.” Among the divers on board<br />
were Dave Manchester and Roy Garland.<br />
Dave and Roy were planning to assist Jerry by<br />
replacing the lost mooring line on the wreck,<br />
but what they were about to discover would<br />
open the door to a whole new understanding<br />
of this shipwreck.<br />
This dredge has always been popular with<br />
divers because of its unique configuration. It<br />
is a steel barge with a large house containing<br />
a boiler and machinery for the steam shovel.<br />
It rests upside-down on its spuds in seventyfive<br />
feet of water. “Spuds” are massive steel<br />
columns that can be lowered to the lake floor<br />
to anchor the barge in position while it is<br />
engaged in dredging operations. When in<br />
the retracted position, they normally stick up<br />
into the air. The wreck is suspended above<br />
the bottom on its retracted spuds almost like a<br />
table on legs. The steam shovel with its arm,<br />
boom, wheels, cable and winches is splayed<br />
out over the bottom.<br />
On this day, Dave and Roy tied the new<br />
mooring line to one of the retracted spuds and<br />
then swam down over the edge of the upturned<br />
barge to investigate the crane arm and shovel<br />
which rests on the bottom, off of the bow, to<br />
the north. In the wreckage of the dredging<br />
equipment Roy spied something shiny. He<br />
couldn’t reach it but he pointed it out to Dave.<br />
At first he could not reach it, but after a couple<br />
of tries, Dave was able to maneuver himself<br />
down through the wreckage and reach into<br />
where the treasure rested in a tangled nest of<br />
twisted metal. He retrieved the object and<br />
brushed it off. It turned out to be a gold watch.<br />
Thinking that it may have been dropped by<br />
another diver, he put it in his pocket. It was<br />
not until everyone was back on the deck of<br />
Len-Der that he discovered the inscription on<br />
the back of the watch, “To Ed Selvick, from<br />
Dredge No. 6.”<br />
The watch was proof that the shipwreck<br />
everyone had been calling “Dredge 906” was<br />
actually named “Dredge No. 6.” So how is<br />
it that “Dredge No. 6” came to be known as<br />
“Dredge 906”? Every shipwreck list and article<br />
we have found has published the wrong name.<br />
The story we have heard is that when the Coast<br />
Guard received the initial radio call about the<br />
sinking, they thought they heard, “nine oh six”<br />
when what was spoken over the radio was,<br />
“number six.” “906” was substituted for “No.<br />
6”. We now know, without a doubt, that “No.<br />
6” is the correct name for this wreck. The<br />
watch also puts a very real and personal face<br />
on the disaster witnessed by this wreck.<br />
The Selvick family name is a familiar one<br />
to those involved in Great Lakes shipping.<br />
Jerry remembered that there were Selvicks,<br />
and perhaps an Ed Selvick, living in the<br />
Sturgeon Bay area. All agreed that it would be<br />
appropriate to look up the owner of the watch<br />
and return it to him if possible. It would not be<br />
until October of the next year, however, that<br />
the watch would be returned and the rest of the<br />
On Thursday, May 22nd, 1956 No. 6 Dredge,<br />
owned by Fitzsimmons & Connell Dredge &<br />
Dock Co. of Chicago, was operating off of Oak<br />
Creek, Wisconsin. A new Wisconsin Electric<br />
coal-fired power plant had recently come<br />
on-line, and they had been hired to dredge<br />
out the harbor so that coal deliveries could<br />
be made by water. It was the usual practice<br />
for the crew to live on the vessel, around the<br />
clock, until the job was completed. There was<br />
space aboard for more than twenty-five men<br />
and a cook, but on this day, there were only<br />
19 people on board. The barge was under the<br />
command of Captain Ed Selvick. His son,<br />
Ed junior, also known as Bud, and seventeen<br />
others completed the crew.<br />
The weather, Thursday, was becoming<br />
progressively worse. The harbor at Oak Creek<br />
is unprotected by breakwaters so the barge<br />
was taking the full force of the storm. Late<br />
in the day, it became obvious that she was<br />
in trouble, and the decision was made to tow<br />
the barge to the safety of Milwaukee Harbor.<br />
The Tug, E. James Fusik, began towing the<br />
110-foot barge northward. The weather was<br />
quickly deteriorating. Soon there were fifty<br />
knot winds and the waves rose to fifteen feet.<br />
By 2:00 AM on May 23rd, they had made it to<br />
within seven miles of the breakwater entrance,<br />
about halfway. Waves were washing over the<br />
decks and the equipment rooms were filling<br />
with water. The pumps were not keeping up<br />
with Lake Michigan’s onslaught and the boiler<br />
was in danger of exploding. The barge began<br />
to list badly to one side. The crewmen, many<br />
of whom had been asleep in their bunks, were<br />
ordered to don their lifejackets and report<br />
on deck. Suddenly, a cable which secured<br />
the shovel boom parted with a bang. Eighty<br />
thousand pounds of dredging equipment<br />
was violently thrown over to one side. The<br />
equipment kept moving and the rest of the<br />
barge followed. As the vessel rolled over<br />
and sank, the crew leapt into the frigid spring<br />
water. It all happened in just a few seconds.<br />
The tug’s crew quickly threw off the tow lines<br />
and turned their boat around to try to save the<br />
men in the water. They were able to pick up<br />
ten survivors and three bodies. Four more<br />
bodies were found the next day; two were<br />
never recovered.<br />
Almost from the day she sank, Dredge No.<br />
6 has been a popular destination for Lake<br />
Michigan divers, and even more so in recent<br />
years, since the visibility of the lake has<br />
increased dramatically with the introduction of<br />
exotic species of filter feeders, such as zebra<br />
mussels. The sheer size of the shovel and<br />
crane is awe-inspiring. The shovel itself looks<br />
as if it is big enough to pick up a Volkswagen.<br />
The deck areas around the perimeter of the<br />
barge are easily explored by experienced<br />
divers. For divers with advanced training in<br />
penetration, the equipment and boiler rooms<br />
are very interesting, though a little disorienting.<br />
Because everything is upside-down, ladders<br />
that once descended into the lower levels of<br />
the engine room and boiler room areas now<br />
extend upward into these spaces. Smaller<br />
tool rooms and coal bunkers, complete with<br />
coal, can be found along the sides. These<br />
areas can also be explored, but can be rather<br />
16 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007
SUNKEN TREASURES<br />
tight fits. There are many entanglement hazards. Cables, chains,<br />
and random pieces of metal stick out, seemingly just waiting to<br />
grab the unwary diver. The visibility is usually quite good, but a<br />
careless kick will raise clouds of silt that may take hours to clear or<br />
settle out. Divers who venture into these areas should remember<br />
that, in order to get out, they must descend before they can exit<br />
and then ascend to the surface. Proper decompression planning,<br />
gas planning, and line handling are essential for safe penetration<br />
of Dredge No. 6.<br />
Snapshot:<br />
Captain Dale Bennett<br />
Captain Dale Bennett is co-owner of the M/V<br />
Enterprise and holds a 100 ton US Merchant Marine<br />
master’s license. He has been diving Lake Michigan<br />
shipwrecks since 1973. He is a TDI Instructor Trainer<br />
and specializes in Advanced Wreck <strong>Diving</strong> and Mixed<br />
Gas technical training. Captain Dale can be reached at<br />
847.640.8113<br />
dale@captaindales.com<br />
www.captaindales.com<br />
Dave Manchester on the M/V Enterprise<br />
Featuiring Warm Water Pools<br />
<strong>Scuba</strong> Emporium Alsip<br />
12003 S. Cicero Ave.<br />
Alsip, IL 60803<br />
708-389-9410<br />
<strong>Scuba</strong> Emporium Orland Park<br />
16336 S. 104th Ave.<br />
Orland Park, IL 60467<br />
708-226-1614<br />
1-800-778-DIVE<br />
info@scubaemporium.com<br />
See the Reefs &<br />
Wrecks of Fort<br />
Lauderdale<br />
<strong>Scuba</strong> Emporium Florida<br />
4678 North University Dr<br />
Lauderhill, Fl 33351<br />
954-572-2642<br />
info@<strong>Scuba</strong>EmporiumFL.com<br />
Looking for a Great Career? Warm Water Pools<br />
Become a PADI Instructor Excellent Service<br />
Superb Products<br />
We have over 15 PADI IDC'<br />
Outstanding<br />
s for 2007<br />
Stores<br />
NEW<br />
LOCATION<br />
START IN ILLINOIS, FINISH IN FLORIDA!<br />
Daily dive trips & 2 on weekends<br />
Or take the full course in Illinois, Florida,<br />
No one will offer you more!<br />
St. Lucia, Jamaica or Arizona.<br />
We specialize in Private and Customized Private IDC's Charters Available<br />
and other course schedules on our 40’ dive boat<br />
HAMMERTIME!<br />
See the Reefs & Wrecks of Fort Lauderdale<br />
No one will offer you more!<br />
Daily dive trips & two on weekend's<br />
Private Charters Available<br />
HAMMERTIME CHARTERS<br />
40 ft. dive boat<br />
www.scubaemporium.com<br />
START IN ILLINOIS, FINISH IN FLORIDA!<br />
Or take the full course in Illinois, Florida, St. Lucia, Jamaica or Arizona.<br />
We specialize in Private and Customized IDC’s and other course schedules<br />
Looking for a Great Career?<br />
Become a PADI Instructor<br />
<strong>Scuba</strong> Emporium Alsip<br />
12003 S. Cicero Ave.<br />
Alsip, IL 60803<br />
708-389-9410<br />
www.scubaemporium.com<br />
<strong>Scuba</strong> Emporium Orland Park<br />
16336 S. 104th Ave.<br />
Orland Park, IL 60467<br />
708-226-1614 or 1-800-778-DIVE<br />
info@scubaemporium.com<br />
<strong>Scuba</strong> Emporium Florida<br />
4678 North University Dr.<br />
Lauderhill, FL 33351<br />
954-572-2642<br />
info@scubaemporiumFL.com
Champion Freedivers Speak Out<br />
About Ocean Conservation<br />
By Suzannah Evans<br />
In Europe, the town of Náchod is about as<br />
landlocked as you can get. Nestled in the Sudetes<br />
mountain range in the Czech Republic,<br />
near the Polish border, Náchod doesn’t seem<br />
the likely hometown of a world champion<br />
diver.<br />
By the time he was a small child, however,<br />
Martin Štěpánek had taken to the water. The<br />
son of a competitive swimmer, Štěpánek saw<br />
his first divers at the local pool when he was<br />
seven years old. Impressed by their bulky<br />
equipment, and the way they crawled along<br />
the pool bottom, he knew he wanted to learn<br />
to dive.<br />
Now, at 30, Štěpánek has broken several<br />
world records in freediving, an increasingly<br />
popular sport around the world. Freediving,<br />
or breath hold diving, is exactly what it<br />
sounds like: divers go underwater without<br />
the aid of any breathing equipment, relying<br />
only on their lungs and wits to return them<br />
to the surface. A variety of disciplines have<br />
developed for competition, including diving<br />
using a sled, diving with fins or a monofin,<br />
and swimming for distance with and without<br />
fins.<br />
Štěpánek broke his first world record in 2001<br />
in the discipline known as static apnea, holding<br />
his breath for 8 minutes and 6 seconds.<br />
Since then he’s excelled at diving hundreds<br />
of feet with fins and carrying weight, a type<br />
of competition known as constant ballast.<br />
It was his desire to break the constant ballast<br />
world record that took him to Dahar, Egypt<br />
last summer. There, he would take on his<br />
biggest challenge – and face his <strong>great</strong>est<br />
disappointment.<br />
When he joined the scuba club in Náchod,<br />
Štěpánek was the youngest of the boys. The<br />
others grabbed the government-issued scuba<br />
equipment before he could, and so Štěpánek<br />
often found himself diving sans tank in the<br />
pools, lakes, and quarries the club used for<br />
practice. His favorite sport in the swim club<br />
had been the 50-meter sprint, completed<br />
underwater, and so he had a preternaturally<br />
good breath-holding ability. Soon, this would<br />
grow into the ability to equalize the pressure<br />
in his ears without using his hands to close<br />
his nose, key to diving <strong>great</strong> depths using the<br />
breaststroke.<br />
Keen with interest in nature, he studied<br />
forestry engineering in school. “Probably if<br />
I lived in a country with the ocean, I would<br />
have studied oceanography,” Štěpánek<br />
said. “Forest was the thing that we had at<br />
the time.” He later got a degree in exercise<br />
physiology in Prague. It wasn’t until he broke<br />
the static apnea record that he pursued diving<br />
as a professional career. Now located in Fort<br />
Lauderdale, Štěpánek instructs free diving in<br />
addition to training for competitions.<br />
“I enjoy scuba diving as well, don’t get me<br />
wrong,” Štěpánek said. “I find a lot more<br />
freedom in freediving. To me, it’s the purest<br />
way of connecting with the ocean because<br />
you don’t wear any extra equipment that<br />
separates you from the environment. Therefore<br />
the experience you’re having out of it is<br />
much more pure and more intense.”<br />
That connection with the environment has led<br />
Štěpánek to join the growing conservation<br />
movement. In his travels around the world,<br />
he has noticed a steady decline in marine life.<br />
Even in his local Florida reef, he no longer<br />
sees snapper and grouper.<br />
“The locations that I’ve been diving ten years<br />
ago and diving them now, they’re not the<br />
same,” he said. “There’s so many less fish,<br />
and the coral reef looks totally different. It’s<br />
heartbreaking, literally.”<br />
Štěpánek and Niki Roderick, his student and<br />
diving partner, joined up with Oceana, the<br />
world’s largest international oceans advocacy<br />
group, as they were both gearing up for world<br />
record attempts in Egypt. Štěpánek planned<br />
to set a new constant ballast record, while<br />
Roderick aimed to break the women’s variable<br />
weight record by diving 403 feet while<br />
being pulled feet first by a weighted sled.<br />
From the start, however, their trip to the Red<br />
Sea was plagued. Airport authorities hassled<br />
the teammates over their diving equipment.<br />
Roderick came down with the Egyptian flu,<br />
and windy weather – unusual in the normally<br />
calm Red Sea, which is why it’s a favorite<br />
diving spot – prevented Štěpánek from training<br />
for his world record attempt.<br />
While Štěpánek has trained himself from his<br />
youth to read his body, and to know its limits,<br />
free diving has – not inaccurately – earned<br />
a reputation as a dangerous sport. In 2002,<br />
Audrey Mestre died during a world record attempt.<br />
An investigation concluded that many<br />
factors, including an unusually windy day,<br />
led to her death. And, in early 2007, five-time<br />
world champion Loic Leferme died when a<br />
cable jammed on his ascent from a world-record<br />
dive.<br />
For amateur divers, perhaps the <strong>great</strong>est<br />
danger is shallow water blackout, a loss of<br />
consciousness caused by a lack of oxygen<br />
to the brain. Štěpánek says he doesn’t worry<br />
about the dangers personally.<br />
“If somebody is dumb enough to go out and<br />
free dive by himself, hyperventilates and<br />
stuff like that, yes, it can be dangerous and I<br />
would call it the same as Russian roulette,”<br />
Štěpánek said. “But if you go out there with<br />
someone trained in the proper safety and<br />
under supervision, it’s a pretty safe sport.”<br />
Persistently choppy waters forced Štěpánek’s<br />
team to move to a protected section of the<br />
Red Sea known as the Blue Hole, an old underwater<br />
cave that had lost its ceiling somewhere<br />
along the way. At 300 feet, the Blue<br />
Hole was not deep enough for Roderick’s<br />
world record attempt, so it was scrapped;<br />
Štěpánek had to alter his goal from a constant<br />
ballast with fins record to constant ballast<br />
without fins, a shorter distance to cover.<br />
Incredibly, despite the change in plans and<br />
the switch away from his favored discipline,<br />
Štěpánek bested the world record, 269 feet,<br />
by three feet. When he resurfaced, he was<br />
exhilarated.<br />
“I felt awesome, I felt <strong>great</strong>, because the<br />
whole preparation and the challenges we<br />
ran into, they were physically but also very<br />
psychologically demanding,” he said. “I<br />
felt crushed that I could not do what I came<br />
there to do, and try to do this quick attempt<br />
in something I wasn’t really prepared for.<br />
And actually achieving that at the end and<br />
squeezing every little last piece of oxygen<br />
and energy out of me to complete the dive, it<br />
just felt amazing.”<br />
But the euphoria was not to last. Six weeks<br />
MARTIN STEPANEK AND NIKI RODERICK<br />
later, the International Association for the<br />
Development of Freediving decided not to<br />
recognize Štěpánek’s world record. A judges’<br />
error in recording the event led to its invalidation.<br />
Štěpánek is disappointed, but not defeated.<br />
He still holds the world record in free immersion,<br />
where the diver pulls himself along a<br />
rope during the dive. Next year, he will dive<br />
for the Czech Republic at the world championships,<br />
and take another stab at the constant<br />
ballast with fins record.<br />
What he’d like more than anything is to get<br />
more people in the water, learning the art of<br />
freediving. The intimacy it provides divers<br />
is one way to help preserve the oceans for<br />
future generations – an environmentalist’s<br />
bent that Štěpánek has had since he studied<br />
forestry in the Czech Republic.<br />
“Get people in the water and see what’s happening<br />
– that’s what’s going to make them<br />
think,” he said. “The reason [conservation is]<br />
not happening in the past with our oceans is<br />
that people don’t see it. The fish is far from<br />
them. They only see it in a supermarket. So I<br />
think this would help quite a bit, make people<br />
realize, that it’s the time to do something.”<br />
Snapshot: Suzannah Evans<br />
Suzannah Evans is the editor for<br />
Oceana. She prefers to stay on land.<br />
20 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007
Destination Puerto Rico<br />
Story by Michele Jarvey<br />
Photos by Carlos-Miguel Cruz<br />
About Puerto Rico:<br />
The main island of Puerto Rico is approximately<br />
100 miles long and 30 miles wide. It is a US<br />
Territory; therefore the currency is the US<br />
dollar, and a passport is not needed to travel<br />
between the United States and Puerto Rico.<br />
The main population is Latino and African<br />
American with a scatter of transplants from<br />
around the world including many snowbirds<br />
and surfers wintering in tropical Puerto Rico.<br />
Spanish is the predominate language although<br />
most Puerto Ricans are fluent in English.<br />
Recreational activities in Puerto Rico include<br />
an abundance of spectacular beaches offering<br />
swimming, snorkeling, world-class surfing,<br />
and wind surfing. Along with phenomenal<br />
scuba diving, the island also has many natural<br />
and man-made attractions including whale<br />
watching, fishing, sailing, hiking, horseback<br />
riding, water parks, museums and theaters.<br />
<strong>Diving</strong> Season:<br />
<strong>Diving</strong> in Puerto Rico can be enjoyed year<br />
round although optimal visibility and weather<br />
predictability is March through May, and<br />
again late September through mid-November.<br />
In March through May the waves that draw<br />
surfers from around the world are rare, the<br />
rainy season has not started, and the water is<br />
still cool enough that plankton and algae are<br />
minimal. From late September through mid-<br />
November the breaking waves are mostly<br />
non-existent, the water is starting to cool off,<br />
and the torrential downpours of the rainy<br />
season and hurricane season are over so,<br />
again, the visibility and weather predictability<br />
is very favorable for the best possible diving<br />
conditions.<br />
The water temperature on the Caribbean side<br />
of the island is 75° in the winter months to 84°<br />
in the summer months. Visibility varies by<br />
dive sight and the time of year so it can range<br />
from 30 ft to over 200ft.<br />
Generally the further you<br />
get from the main island,<br />
the better the visibility.<br />
(River runoff from the<br />
mountains tends to cloud<br />
the visibility in the costal<br />
waters.) Most of the dive<br />
operations provide onboard<br />
rinse tanks, fresh<br />
drinking water, soft<br />
drinks, snacks and lunch.<br />
Dive charters generally<br />
depart before 9:00 AM<br />
and return no later than<br />
2:00 PM to avoid the frequent afternoon rain<br />
showers. Other than the wall diving at La<br />
Parguera, most dives have an average depth<br />
of 60 ft or less. Because of the numerous dive<br />
sites to choose from, you will rarely see more<br />
than one dive boat at a dive location.<br />
The decompression chamber at the Hyperbaric<br />
Medical Facility in San Juan is the largest in<br />
Latin America and one of the best in the world:<br />
787-281-2794/2797.<br />
What You Can Expect to See <strong>Diving</strong>:<br />
Puerto Rico is home to Caribbean diving at<br />
its finest and on a clear day it seems like you<br />
literally can see forever. The majority of the<br />
dive sites are on the west end of the island<br />
which ironically is the same general area that<br />
hosts the annual surfboard competitions.<br />
You will see many species of fish including<br />
Banded Butterflyfish, French Angelfish,<br />
Grey Angelfish, Blue Tang, Littlehead Porgy,<br />
Doctorfish, Sand Diver, Red and Bluestriped<br />
Lizardfish, Spotted Drum, Flounders,<br />
Trumpetfish, Trunkfish, Queen Triggerfish,<br />
Puffers, several varieties of Parrotfish,<br />
Groupers, Damselfish, Grunts, Gobys,<br />
Blennys, and many more.<br />
The Spotted Moray is the most common eel<br />
in this section of the Caribbean although local<br />
divers have reported other eels. Nurse and Tiger<br />
Sharks are abundant; however an occasional<br />
Bull and Hammerhead have been reported.<br />
The Southern Stingray and the Spotted Eagle<br />
Ray inhabit this general area and occasionally<br />
Bottlenosed Dauphins will follow boats to<br />
the dive sites playing in the wake. The most<br />
common Turtle is the Hawksbills, but Green<br />
Turtles, Loggerheads and occasionally the<br />
Leatherbacks are spotted.<br />
Divers will be intrigued by the many varieties<br />
of soft and hard corral, which remain<br />
unmolested by humans and mostly unaffected<br />
by hurricane activity. Although spear fishing<br />
is legal several months of the year, the fish,<br />
lobster, and crab population seems virtually<br />
endless in Puerto Rican waters.<br />
Preferred Dive Sites:<br />
Desecheo Island is located off the western tip<br />
of the main island and is about a 40 minute boat<br />
ride (land access is not permitted). There are<br />
several buoyed dive sites at Desecheo marking<br />
various points of interest. One of the favorite<br />
sites is Fan City, which is literally filled with<br />
sea fans and soft coral. The Aquarium is loaded<br />
with so many fish you really do feel like you<br />
Wheel are inside a huge aquarium. Yellow Reef has<br />
an awesome pinnacle to swim around and also<br />
is the deepest (approximately 100 ft) moored<br />
sight at Desecheo. Las Cuevas has some novice<br />
caves and swim-throughs to explore and you<br />
may see a Nurse Shark nestled in one of them.<br />
Tiger Sharks are common around Desecheo<br />
and occasionally a Hammerhead is spotted.<br />
Culebra Island (7 miles long and 3 miles wide)<br />
is located approximately 17 miles (1-2 hour<br />
ferry ride) from the east end of the main island<br />
of Puerto Rico and has some of the most<br />
notorious diving with visibility comparable<br />
only to Mona Island. Complementing the<br />
fantastic visibility; sea fans and soft corals are<br />
in pristine condition. Several dive sites have<br />
guaranteed sightings of stingrays, huge lobster,<br />
and crabs. It is not unusual to see turtles during<br />
the dive or en-route to the dive destinations.<br />
One of the dive sites has an amazing pinnacle<br />
that if conditions are optimal you can dive all<br />
the way around it through sea whips, soft and<br />
hard corals, sponges, and many varieties of sea<br />
life. Nurse and Tiger Sharks have been spotted<br />
at several dive sites, but the best experience of<br />
Culebra diving is the feeling you get of being<br />
in a giant, well-populated aquarium. Culebra<br />
also offers many beautiful beaches; three of<br />
which are closed during the nesting season of<br />
the Hawksbills and Green Sea Turtles. (Private<br />
tours are available.)<br />
La Parguera Wall is located on the Southwestern<br />
side of Puerto Rico. It is a 22 mile wall with a<br />
depth range of 30 ft to over 2000 ft. This is a<br />
<strong>great</strong> wall dive and one of<br />
the best places if you are<br />
interested in deep diving,<br />
but it usually has limited<br />
visibility, which can be as<br />
poor as 30 ft on an average<br />
day. On the shallower<br />
sections of the wall you<br />
will see many varieties<br />
of fish, some very large<br />
lobster and even larger<br />
crabs. It’s a fun dive and a<br />
very short boat ride.<br />
Mona Island is located<br />
50 miles west of Puerto<br />
Rico or an approximate 5 hour crossing on<br />
open seas. Most charter services will schedule<br />
trips to Mona only in the spring and summer<br />
months because of the unpredictable seas<br />
during other seasons. Mona is a mere 3 miles<br />
wide and 4 miles long and other than diving,<br />
offers snorkeling, fishing, and hiking. Mona<br />
has no hotel facilities but does offer rustic<br />
camping and limited bathroom facilities.<br />
(No electricity or running water.) A permit<br />
from the Department of Natural Resources<br />
is needed which most charter services will<br />
acquire for you. Mona takes preplanning and<br />
a long boat ride on open water but the diving<br />
is well worth the effort. The exceptional water<br />
visibility (usually 200 ft), outstanding reef<br />
condition, and abundant sea life make the trip<br />
to Mona Island very attractive.<br />
Other Attractions:<br />
The East end (San Juan and vicinity) is the<br />
more populated and modernized portion of
DESTINATION PUERTO RICO<br />
Puerto Rico with many historical and natural<br />
surroundings to offer.<br />
Touring the authentic Spanish forts of Old San<br />
Juan which date back to the early 1500’s gives<br />
a humbling and historic insight to Puerto Rico<br />
and allows visitors a glimpse of the turmoil<br />
she was forced to go through to maintain her<br />
freedom. El Morro is a six level fort with<br />
140 ft of walls surrounding her, some as thick<br />
as 15 feet. El Morro has a gray, castellated<br />
lighthouse, which still functions today. San<br />
Cristobal fort covers 27 acres with 150 ft of<br />
walls enclosing moats, booby-trapped bridges,<br />
and tunnels. When you succumb to the<br />
protection of the fort’s massive stone walls you<br />
will tend to forget you are near the progressive<br />
city life of San Juan and will soon become<br />
mesmerized with the charm and character<br />
of Old San Juan. Walking the cobblestone<br />
streets designed during the horse and buggy<br />
era visitors admire the historic architecture,<br />
cultural specialty shops, cathedrals, the local<br />
pubs, and the indoor/outdoor venue offered in<br />
the unique dining establishments.<br />
It is this end of the island that is home to the<br />
phenomenal El Yunque rainforest nestled in the<br />
enchanted Luquillo Mountains. The El Yunque<br />
trails are host to many breathtaking sights<br />
including the unforgettable view from the Mt.<br />
Britton Lookout Tower; the La Coca waterfall<br />
that has an 85 ft drop with a natural wading/<br />
swimming pool to cool off in. There are many<br />
rare species of trees; some 1,000 years old,<br />
and several hundred varieties of exotic plant<br />
life including flowers encompassing every<br />
spectrum of the rainbow. The highest point<br />
is on the El Toror trail at 3,533 ft. Of the 13<br />
official/maintained trails, some are paved and<br />
provide easy passage however other trails are<br />
unpaved and muddy, therefore, recommended<br />
for those more adventurous hikers.<br />
In the south central region of the island in a<br />
community called Coamo are the Natural Hot<br />
Mineral Baths. Several major hotel chains<br />
have tried to purchase the springs, but the<br />
island of Puerto Rico refused to sell, choosing<br />
to keep the Baths free and open to the general<br />
public. The Baths are legend to be medicinal<br />
comprising of healing powers for many<br />
ailments.<br />
Cabo Rojo Lighthouse is in the southwestern<br />
area of Puerto Rico and sits at the edge of a<br />
200 ft cliff. The half moon shaped beach is<br />
called La Playuela. This is a very rustic setting<br />
so bring everything you need with you. The<br />
view from the lighthouse is an awesome sight<br />
surpassed only by the spectacular view from<br />
the adjacent cliffs. The swimming and hiking<br />
are <strong>great</strong> in this area, and the water is usually<br />
crystal clear. The water is extremely salty at<br />
this beach and leaves your skin feeling soft<br />
and refreshed.<br />
In the northwestern region of Puerto Rico are<br />
the famous Camuy Caves. This is a guided<br />
tour, which includes a trolley ride to the<br />
sinkhole cave entrance. The beauty of the<br />
limestone formations and spectacular stalactite<br />
and stalagmite formations is enhanced by the<br />
magnitude of the Caves. The underwater river<br />
that flows through the caves into uncharted<br />
territory rises and falls with the rains,<br />
hurricanes, and volcanic activity.<br />
In the northwestern section of Puerto Rico<br />
the Bosque de Guajataca State Forest<br />
covers approximately 2,286 acres and has<br />
some excellent hiking trails, which are well<br />
maintained but can be muddy and slippery<br />
during the rainy season. This is a self-guided<br />
tour, but the visitor’s station provides maps,<br />
which outline the trails and points of interest.<br />
If you plan to explore the beautiful stalactites<br />
and stalagmite formations in the rustic El<br />
Viento Cave, bring a flashlight and try not to<br />
disturb the bats, they will not hurt you, but if<br />
you have fruit or open food in your backpack,<br />
they may fly around close to your head.<br />
Not far from the Guajataca Forest is the<br />
Gozalandia waterfall. The falls are a little<br />
challenging to find, but when you get there you<br />
will not be disappointed. Once at the entrance<br />
it is a short but “adventurous” hike into the<br />
falls. You can swim in the fresh water and try<br />
your luck at rock climbing into the falls. There<br />
are no facilities here, but I would not bring<br />
anything that did not fit in a backpack, thus,<br />
keeping your hands free. If it starts to rain, I<br />
recommend heading back to your car because<br />
the trail can become quite muddy.<br />
On the western peak of Puerto Rico, Rincon<br />
marks the dividing point of the calmer<br />
Caribbean Sea and the more violent North<br />
Atlantic Ocean. It is at this point (Maria’s<br />
Beach/Rincon Lighthouse vicinity) that the<br />
annual surfing competitions are held. The<br />
Surf Season in Puerto Rico is mid-November<br />
through March, but the prime season is<br />
December through February.<br />
Unobtrusive whale watching can be done from<br />
the observation park at the Rincon Lighthouse,<br />
but several charter operations do offer Whale<br />
Watching cruises in the afternoon. Humpback<br />
whales can be seen from late December through<br />
March, but the peak Whale Watching season<br />
is February. Local surfers, divers, and boaters<br />
are accustomed to sharing the waterways with<br />
these magnificent creatures.<br />
The author wishes to extend the deepest<br />
gratitude to Captain “Miami” Dave Offermann,<br />
Captain Greg Carson, and Taino Divers of<br />
Rincon, for answering my seemingly endless<br />
questions without complaint.<br />
Snapshot:<br />
Michele Jarvey and<br />
Carlos-Miguel Cruz<br />
Michele Jarvey is a PADI Rescue<br />
Diver and free lance writer who<br />
produces health and diving related<br />
brochures, newsletters, newspaper,<br />
and magazine articles.<br />
Contact Michele at<br />
mmjarvey@gmail.com<br />
Carlos-Miguel Cruz is a Dive<br />
Instructor who owns and operates<br />
Parcela en la bahia Estudios, an<br />
independent photography business.<br />
Along with still photos Carlos has<br />
produced footage for fish farm<br />
studies and documentaries.<br />
Contact Carlos at<br />
parcelaestudios@sprintpcs.com<br />
Ultimately the Best!<br />
We provide our clients with the Ultimate<br />
in service, quality, and value. We personally<br />
inspect every resort property and dive operation<br />
in all 22 countries that we represent. We<br />
are committed to providing our clients with an<br />
honest, first-hand description of any location<br />
of interest. We are the only dive-dedicated<br />
travel wholesaler in the <strong>Midwest</strong>. Let our<br />
team go overboard to provide you with the...<br />
ULTIMATE DIVE VACATION!<br />
Popular destinations include:<br />
Caribbean Central & South America<br />
Micronesia South/Southeast Asia<br />
South Pacific Australia<br />
1-800-737-DIVE (3483)<br />
www.ultimatedivetravel.com<br />
udive@ultimatedivetravel.com<br />
1814 Harcourt Dr., Woodridge, IL 60517<br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
DIVE MAGAZINE<br />
www.xray-mag.com<br />
Fun 2 Dive SCUBA<br />
MANATEE SNORKELING<br />
Small Classes<br />
Full Day Tours<br />
2 Charter Boats<br />
THE FIRST & ONLY MULTI-NATIONAL DIVE MAGAZINE — WORLDWIDE SINCE 2004<br />
<br />
Read by divers in over 80 countries and produced by dive editors on four continents<br />
X-RAY MAG truly spans the globe, bringing you dive news from Siberia to Patagonia.<br />
Dive Travel ▪ News ▪ Equipment ▪ Profiles<br />
Science ▪ Dive Med ▪ Books ▪ Adventure<br />
Underwater Photography ▪ Conservation<br />
Marine Ecology ▪ Tech ▪ Wrecks & more!<br />
X-RAY MAG is a full-format eco-friendly<br />
bi-monthly digital magazine distributed<br />
via the Internet to your email box in pdf<br />
format — printing is optional, saving trees<br />
<strong>Scuba</strong> Training<br />
Rebreather Training<br />
Referral Diver Training<br />
Locations throughout Florida!<br />
Visit us on the web: www.fun2dive.com<br />
1-888-588-DIVE<br />
3 - 4 - 8 - 3<br />
<br />
www.xray-mag.com<br />
25 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007
“BACKSCATTER”<br />
Photo of green moray taken on a night dive in Belize, Hol Chan Marine<br />
reserve by Dave “Redwood” Russell.<br />
Scott Rexroat, Stacy Ward and Oscar Chico.<br />
Photo of coral formation taken in Cypress Gardens, Belize by Dave<br />
“Redwood” Russell.<br />
Gear required to dive the Rosinco (190’) in Lake Michigan.<br />
Photo of gray angelfish taken on a night dive in Belize, Hol Chan<br />
Marine reserve by Dave “Redwood” Russell.<br />
Captain Darrick and Steve Tisinai on the way out to dive the Rosinco.<br />
FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING 27
“BACKSCATTER”<br />
“BACKSCATTER”<br />
Photo taken in Ginnie Springs by Karl Gehring<br />
The rare Hippocrab.<br />
The elusive Rhinofish.<br />
Dick Hecht and Donna Maham at Haigh Quarry.<br />
Manatees - Photo by Karl Gehring<br />
Nan Talaga diving in the <strong>Midwest</strong>. Be sure to read her article “Great<br />
White Shark Adventure“ on page 8.<br />
Photo of an alligator taken by Karl Gehring in Silver Springs<br />
“Backscatter”<br />
Do you have underwater diving photos, pictures from top<br />
side events, photos from scuba club gatherings or vacation<br />
albums? We’d love to show them here in the “Backscatter”<br />
section of the magazine.<br />
Be sure to include your name, email address and a short<br />
description describing the photo.<br />
You can email them to:<br />
captdarrick@midwestscubadiving.com<br />
or mail them to:<br />
<strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong> <strong>Diving</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
4417 N. Riverdale<br />
Johnsburg, IL 60050<br />
28 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007<br />
FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING 29
Safety Stop: Dick Hecht<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Dick Hecht is an indispensable fixture at Haigh Quarry. Tina Haigh<br />
told us that Dick is both her “right and left hand man” when it comes<br />
to the operational aspects of running the quarry facility. Dick helps<br />
Tina both above and below the water. He was born in Chicago 1934,<br />
and lived in Oak Park, Illinois. After World War II Hecht moved to<br />
Wauconda, Illinois. He served in the Army Reserves from 1950 until<br />
1959. Dick was employed in the trades, first as a carpenter, then as<br />
a construction superintendent for G.A. Johnson and Sons. He was in<br />
charge of building the Lowes and Wal-Mart in the Kankakee, Illinois<br />
area (where he now resides) and J.C. Whitney in Lasalle Peru, Illinois.<br />
Hecht retired in 1995. He is in love with Donna Maham whom he met<br />
12 years ago. Dick has four children, thirteen grandchildren and seven<br />
<strong>great</strong> grandkids. He learned to dive in the early 1960’s using a double<br />
hose regulator and steel 72-cu/ft scuba tank mounted on a backpack.<br />
Hecht was certified by the YMCA in 1965 and was involved with the<br />
Triton Dive Club in Park Ridge, Illinois. After a long layoff from diving<br />
he reentered the sport in 1995 and became certified as a PADI diver.<br />
Dick obtained Advanced, Rescue, Master Diver and Assistant Instructor<br />
certifications. He is also certified as a Gas Blender and has Cavern<br />
certification from the NSS. Dick is currently working to complete Full<br />
Cave certification. In 2002, Hecht got involved in Technical<br />
<strong>Diving</strong> and enrolled in a DIR fundamentals course. Later that<br />
year, he made a 165-foot dive while vacationing in Hawaii. In<br />
2001, Dick approached Tina Haigh with a barter agreement. He<br />
would take on some operational responsibilities and Tina would<br />
let him dive at her facility “no charge.” The relationship evolved<br />
and Dick assumed more responsibility. He attended regulator<br />
repair workshops for Apex, Diverite, Sherwood and Tusa.<br />
Dick now repairs and maintains the rental equipment at Haigh<br />
Quarry. He also cleans and repairs the underwater attractions at<br />
the facility and maintains the air and nitrox systems. In 2004,<br />
Dick volunteered as a diver at the John G. Shedd Aquarium in<br />
Chicago, Illinois. His many jobs included feeding the fish in the<br />
Oceanarium. Dick loves to “hold court” with the local divers in<br />
the service area of the “pole barn” at Haigh Quarry. He believes<br />
that sport diving is the “fountain of youth” and loves meeting,<br />
interacting and diving with the people training at the quarry. One<br />
of Dick’s proudest moments came recently when he signed off<br />
on his grandson’s first dive. Dick Hecht is “a <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Scuba</strong><br />
Diver you should know!”