Archive for March, 2010
March 30, 2010 at 5:55 PM · Filed under Scuba Diving Classes
Scuba is a special experience for a child, a once in a lifetime memory that your child will never forget! The children are introduced to a new underwater world. They are taught to safely explore while snorkeling or scuba diving!
Sassy Snorkelers 5-7 yrs of age-
Lets your child experience the underwater world. The kids have a blast learning to snorkel while playing underwater games. (flotation devices for non-swimmers). It’s easy, fun, and safe!
BUBBLEMAKER – 8 yrs + (duration 1.5 hrs)
The children learn to scuba dive in less than six feet of water.
This program is an introduction to the thrill of breathing underwater; we play games and other fun activities in the pool.
The colorful Bubblemaker emblems, decals, towels and toys along with a distinctive recognition certificate and card make the experience one to remember. This is a great way to include the little ones in your family vacation. Everyone returns home with exciting stories to share.
Celebrate a birthday by throwing a memorable, exciting Bubblemaker party with friends and family. It’s fun, easy and safe.
SEAL TEAM PROGRAM 8 yrs + (duration: 2 days)
Join the PADI Seal Team and discover a world of underwater fun and adventure built around action-packed Aqua Missions. What is an Aqua Mission? It’s an underwater pool adventure where kids learn scuba activities and how to float underwater like an Astronaut.
The program teaches kids about diving through fun, learning activities until they are ready to enroll in the PADI Junior Scuba Diver or Open Water Diver course.
Children are required to complete the first five of 15 Aqua Mission, watch a PADI Seal Video, answer questions, and complete a pool dive.
Upon successful completion of the first five Aqua Missions, students become PADI Seal Team members. Upon successful completion of 10 additional specialty Aqua Missions, students become Master Seal Team members.
DISCOVER SCUBA (10 + years old)
There is nothing like breathing underwater for the very first time. After a few minutes of awestruck wonder, most participants realize how easy scuba diving really is. The biggest challenge instructors have is coaxing kids out of the water at the end of the program. This is a great way to try scuba before signing up for the Jr. Open Water Course. We supply all the gear to help you experience scuba diving. It’s so fun!
JR OPEN WATER
The most popular dive program in the world! This is a lifetime of adventure for anyone 10- 14 yrs of age, in good health, reasonably fit, and comfortable in the water.
PADI Open Water Diver
This course is for anyone 15 and up; the most popular program in the world. You receive a life time certification recognized in more than 175 countries. As a certified Open Water Diver you have the freedom to dive with a buddy independent of a professional.
Your underwater adventure can begin today!
March 25, 2010 at 8:50 AM · Filed under Uncategorized
We journey 250 miles south of Los Cabos into the eastern Pacific Ocean to the Revillagigedos Islands—more commonly known as the Socorro Islands—to dance with the Giant Pacific manta ray, cavort with dolphins, dodge seven different species of sharks and thrill to an occasional lucky interaction with the migrating humpback whale population. This is remote, adventure diving at its finest.
The Sea of Cortez is one of the youngest and most fertile seas on earth, containing over 850 species of reef fish, as well as the famous flying mobulas and an assortment of schooling pelagics and tropicals. We’ve been diving the Sea of Cortez for over 25 years, and we call it home.
In August and September, we follow the ultimate apex predator to Guadalupe Island, 180 miles offshore. This is rapidly becoming the world’s best location to dive in custom-built shark cages with great white sharks. Enjoy the rush of going eye to eye with a 16′ great white shark.
You ready to go diving?
March 18, 2010 at 8:09 AM · Filed under Professional Scuba
Jacques-Yves was born in Saint-Andre-de-Dubzac, France, to Daniel and Elizabeth Cousteau on June 11, 1910. Cousteau always loved the water and in his early teens, he became interested in machines. At the age of 11, Cousteau built a model crane and at 13, he built a battery-operated car. Also in his early teens, Cousteau became fascinated with films. He saved his money and bought a home movie camera.
In high school, Cousteau became bored with school and began to cause trouble. As a result, his parents sent him to a strict boarding school. Cousteau excelled in this new environment and upon graduation, he entered the Ecole Navale (Naval Academy) in Brest. In 1933, Cousteau joined the French Navy as a gunnery officer. It was during this time that he began his underwater explorations and began working on a breathing machine for longer dives.
In 1937, Cousteau married Simone Melchoir, and they had two sons, Jean-Michel and Phillipe. Two years after their marriage, Cousteau fought for the French in World War II. He spent time as a spy and was awarded several medals. During the war, Cousteau still found time to continue his underwater work. In 1943, he and French engineer Emile Gagnan perfected the aqualung, which allowed a diver to stay underwater for several hours. Divers used the aqualung to located and remove enemy mines after World War II.
Cousteau was named a capitaine de corvette of the French navy in 1948, and two years later he became president of the French Oceanographic Campaigns. That same year, Cousteau purchased the ship Calypso to further his explorations. To finance his trips and increase public awareness of his undersea investigations, Cousteau produced numerous films and published many books. His films include The Silent World (1956) and World Without Sun (1966). Both won Academy Awards for best documentary. His books include The Living Sea (1963), Dolphins (1975), and Jacques Cousteau: The Ocean World (1985).
Because of his many projects, Cousteau retired from the French navy. In 1957, he became director of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, founded the Underseas Research Group at Toulon, and headed the Conshelf Saturation Dive Program. The Conshelf program was an experiment in which men lived and worked underwater for extended periods of time.
In 1968, Cousteau was asked to make a TV series. For the next 8 years, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau introduced the public to a world of sharks, whales, dolphins, sunken treasure, and coral reefs. In 1974, Cousteau started the Cousteau Society to protect ocean life. The membership of this non-profit group has grown to include more than 300,000 members worldwide. Cousteau was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Reagan in 1985 and in 1989, he was honored by France with membership in the French Academy.
On January 11, 1996 the Calypso sank in Singapore harbor. Cousteau died on June 25, 1997.
For more than four decades, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Jacques son, has dedicated himself and his vast experience to communicate to people of all nations and generations his love and concern for our water planet.
More recently, Jean-Michel has been involved with the Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort, an environmentally and culturally oriented family resort, conceived as a model to prove to the business community the economic benefits of environmental concern and design. In order to expand the impact of ecological tourism, he created L’Aventure Jean-Michel Cousteau, a flagship dive operation at the resort in Fiji. He is currently forming an action partnership to expand this ecologically responsible model to other sites.
Jean-Michel Cousteau (right) with wife Nancy Marr at the 2007 Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival Opening Night Gala.
In recognition of his many and diverse contributions to learning, Pepperdine University awarded Jean-Michel an Honorary Doctor’s Degree in Humane Letters in 1976. He has received DEMA’s 1994 Reaching Out Award and the 1995 NOGI Award from the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences. In 1996, Jean-Michel was awarded the SeaKeepers Award from Showboats International, and the John M. Olguin Marine Environment Award from the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. In 2003, he was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame and became a Trustee of the British Virgin Islands National Parks as well as being the first recipient of the Ocean Hero Award from Oceana. He has also received the Poseidon/Lifetime Achievement Award from Reef Check and been elected to the Global Green Board of Directors. In 2008, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Jules Verne Adventures and the National Marine Sanctuaries Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Cousteau’s name and works live on!
March 9, 2010 at 2:24 PM · Filed under Uncategorized
Welcome to the romantic islands of French Polynesia. Beautiful white sandy beach and warm blue waters where you can see various different colors of blues as you look out over the water.
Paradise is the word that comes to my mind when I think of the islands of French Polynesia. Where you find the lush rainforest of Moorea, the tranquil blue waters of Bora Bora and the atolls of Manihi, Fakarava and Rangiroa with fascinating passes. French Polynesia travel can satisfy any diver’s appetite.
Romance is alive on these islands. Stand out on your balcony at night and gaze upon a million stars. Or jump right from you bungalow into the crystal blue waters where you can snorkel with the colorful tropical fish.
I will never forget my first pass dive in Rangiroa , drifting along enjoying the sights and then 6 white tip sharks swam by, coming the other direction 4 spotted eagle rays, we turn into the pass and we saw a manta ray.
If it a honeymoon or a dive vacation Tahiti can offer it all, from easy relaxing dives to your exciting drift dives through the passes.
Not too many dives do you get to see so many creatures of that size.
It is said that there are more sharks then people in French Polynesia.