Paranoia Alert: PADI Turns Over Database to FBI

If you learned to scuba dive in the past 3 years, then chances are, the government has most of the data you provided to PADI. In an effort to fight terrorists, the FBI has requested the Professional Association of Diving Instructors for the names, addresses and other information of almost every US Citizen who got their c-card since 2006. This was reported in a study by the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) entitled “The Surveillance-Industrial Complex”, which highlights the various ways in which private companies have released possibly sensitive data to the government, to aid them on their “war on terror”.

This raises many issues about privacy, especially since PADI gave up the data voluntarily, without any subpoena or court order. According the PADI spokesperson and Vice President of Industry Relations Jeff Nadler that there were reports that mentioned rigging underwater explosions was mentioned in one of the training manuals, which was what triggered the search for the data.

“The biggest surprise is the aggressiveness with which the government is pursuing the concept of data mining,” said Jay Stanley, who wrote the report. “It really does make real the scenarios that privacy advocates have been worried about for decades. We are in the process of making every American a suspect.”

Bonne Terre Mine: A Unique Diving Experience

It was the French who first discovered the rich lead sources in Missouri and began mining operations in the area. In 1865, the St. Joseph Lead Company built the Bonne Terre (”Good Earth”) Mine and dug a large mining complex beneath the earth. After a hundred years, the lead ran out and the owners simply left. With the pumps shut downs the man-made caverns filled with cold water, flooding the entire mine. For years, it was left abandoned until Doug and Cathy Georgens bought the mine and transformed it into THE mid-west diving destination. There is practically no marine life inside the mine (or Billion Gallon Lake, as they like to call it). The main attraction is the various historical artifacts - ranging from simple shovels and tools to mine carts, tracks and even an old steam locomotive. What’s fascinating is that even though Missouri has 2 seasons, the water remains at a constant 58F temperature year-round. The entire cavern is lit up with over 500,000 watts of light and visibility is 100 feet.

This eerily beautiful dive site has been hailed by National Geographic Magazine as one of America’s Top Ten Adventures and has attracted even well-known ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau. West End Diving in Missouri conducts weekend dives year round. For more information, visit the official website here.

Nature’s Scuba Divers: The Water Spider

Even before man attempted to conquer the ocean, nature already had its own scuba divers. The water spider, or argyroneta aquatica, is an arachnid that spends its entire life underwater. They don’t have gills, but rather, they use their silk to create an air bubble. The spider brings the bubble with them underwater, which acts as a “scuba tank”, though is quite similar to the aqua-lung. The oxygen is replenished via osmotic pressure, allowing for the exchange of gases (intake of oxygen and expelling of carbon dioxide) through the thin membrane.  Occasionally, the spider will go up to the surface to replenish their air supplies. The web spun air bubble often resembles a bell, thus earning the spider the nickname “diving bell spider”.

Aside from hiding from predators, the female spider also uses the bubble to catch prey (like a web), lay her eggs and even raise her young. Male spiders also create the air cocoons, though theirs tend to be smaller, allowing them to move faster and hunt.

Video of the Week: Don’t Mess with a Titan Triggerfish!

Triggerfish may be beautiful, but they are quite deadly! They may look harmless, but they have been known to attack divers, especially during mating season. The diver in this video got a little too close to the titan triggerfish during lunchtime and got to feel the wrath of this fish!

UPDATE: US, Canada and UK Remove Mexico Travel Warnings

Officials from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom are among the list of 10 countries who have lifted the travel ban to Mexico. The virulent outbreak of the H1N1 or swine flu earlier this month caused panic around the world, with various health organizations asking travelers to avoid all but essential travel to the country in an effort to stop the spread of the sickness. As of the time of writing, the World Health Organization has counted 86 deaths from the flu.

Resorts in the affected area wasted not time in creating “Flu Free” guarantees and promotions. Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Azul Hotels by Karisma, Secrets and Dreams Resorts & Spas are only some of the properties that are offering deep discounts and are so confident that they are “Flu Free” that they offer free trips to those who get infected during their vacation. To view the complete story, visit the CDNN network here.

Vandenberg All Set For Sinking On The 27th of May

May 27th is the set date for the Vandenberg’s sinking off the coast of Florida. The former missile tracking ship will be plunged some 140 feet deep, just 7 miles south off Key West. While some factors, such as weather could delay the project, the project’s organizers are confident that the much-anticipated sinking will finally push through. Officials have yet to set a time, but have stated that it will most likely be sometime in the morning.

The Vandenberg will become the largest intentionally sunk ship once the project has been completed. The site will not only serve as a world class sport diving spot, but will benefit the marine life with the addition of artificial reefs. The preparations for the scuttling have been intensive and included extensive cleaning to protect the natural ecosystem once it is fully sunk.

For more information, visit the official website at http://www.bigshipwrecks.com/

Featured Dive Group: Handicap Scuba Association

The Handicap Scuba Association is an international not-for-profit organization that specializes in bringing the sport of scuba diving to persons with disabilities. Since 1981, the group has been reaching out to the handicapped community, in hopes of “improving their physical and social well-being”.

What exactly is the difference when training people with disabilities? First, the standards of training have a higher degree of safety and must meet guidelines set by the HSA Physical Performance Standards. This training is extremely precise and specialized because it allows them to teach people with varying levels of disabilities.

There are also different levels of diving certifications. While the student gets an open water certification, he or she is given a “grade”, which designates how many people they must dive with. A level “C” diver, for example, must dive with 2 buddies, one of which must be certified as a rescue diver; a level “B” diver can dive with 2 able-bodied buddies; and an “A” level diver can dive with one buddy.

Scuba instructors and even buddies must also go through specialized training. Both receive almost the same type of training, though buddies are focused more on recreation, while instructors go through more rigorous training, including excercises which are designed to simulate disabilities, allowing the would-be instructors to experience what is would be like to dive as a person with disability.

The HSA has qualified instructors and trained dive buddies in over 45 countries around the world. There are about 4000 people in the network, half of which are qualified dive instructors. For more information, please visit their website.

Video of the Week: Bahamas Wreck Diving

This week’s featured videos is an awesome wreck diving video straight from the Bahamas!

Bizarre Scuba Activities

Every now and then it seems like some bored scuba diver will come up with new and wacky things to do while scuba diving. Whether it’s an underwater wedding, dinner party or even strapping a scuba device on their cat, these bizarre underwater activities seems to get crazier and weirder with each new stunt being thought up.

1) Will you be having the chicken or the fish? - Underwater Dinner Party

This one actually isn’t new, and many people have successfully pulled this one off.It is, however, pretty cool to see the lengths people will go to to make their own underwater dinner party as elaborate and complicated as they can.

2) I want to spend the rest of my life with you (hopefully, at least until my air runs out…) - Underwater Marriage Proposal…

Yawn…searching on YouTube, there are over 30 videos of underwater marriage proposals and countless of pictures on the web posted by happy brides. Sorry guys, if you thought that proposing to that special someone at 100 feet is an original idea…think again.

3) Is there a hand signal for “I do?” - Underwater Wedding

Of course, if your fiance proposed to you while scuba diving, then why not have the wedding under the sea as well?

4)  Does starch cost extra? - Underwater Ironing

This is just too bizarre for words…and yes, there is an entry in the Guinnes Book of World Records for this one.

5) Will they do certified mail too?  Underwater Post Office

Too bad there’s no video for this one, but it’s definitely a “you’ve got to see it to believe it” thing. Submerged off Hideaway Island in Vanuatu, the world’s only underwater post is manned for an hour a day and allows visitors to purchase specially made waterproof postcards and post them using a special embossing machine

Man-made Fins Propel Swimmers Through the Water

Ciamillo’s Lunocet fins will make you faster than Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps. The fins promise to propel swimmers up to speeds of 8 miles/hr, almost twice as fast as Phelps’ fastest clocked time of 5 miles/hr. The fins mimic the more efficient fins of dolphins and whales and can even push a swimmer out of the water.

While pictures are worth a thousand words - videos are even better:

Next Page »