GirlDiver

The First Day of Being a BagLady

2010-01-06T06:15:00.000-08:00

I believe in authenticity. And sometimes, I fall short. Sometimes I KNOW the right thing to do, will tell others how to do it, yet I'm not living the part myself.

Today I realized, as I was reading one of my eco-blogs I subscribe to, that I haven't taken the simplest step to reduce our trash. And that's the "reusable shopping bag". I've purchased a couple, sure...but at the store I still answer the question "paper or plastic" with whichever bag works best for me that day.

I live in Seattle, where eco-conciousness is at the nations peak. People bike to work, use reusable bottles and cups and we almost had a tax placed on plastic bags in grocery stores by the Seattle mayor to reduce use of the things. There really is no excuse for my behaviour, so it's gotta stop.

This year, I'm trying to become more responsible on a whole lot of fronts, and the environmental front is one of them.

Today is the day I start to answer, "Um...that's ok. I brought mine."

You Go Girl!

2010-01-04T08:28:00.000-08:00

"YOU GO GIRL!" These three words are the newest addition to my "Motivation Wall" at GirlDiver World Headquarters. But not motivation for me...rather...to remind myself to always focus on becoming a motivator and cheerleader for others.

As 2010 comes in, I am finding my "place" in the larger world. The world beyond hoisting a tank on my back and leading divers down the stairs to the waters edge. Oh, don't get me wrong...I will still be teaching this year (as that's what puts the skip in my step), but I want to look beyond simply teaching scuba skills, when really, what I'm doing is offering my students (male and female) the ability to transcend their fears and become a part of a world only 1% of the world gets to explore.

Several times per year we teach a women's only scuba class. And I love these. The overall attitude of a womens only class is so much more encouraging and supportive for the women involved than a co-ed class. And I can say that, in spite of the fact that we have some of the most supportive co-ed scuba class experiences in the Seattle area. All egos are left at the door, and we cheer each other to the depths.

"You Go Girl", while a trendy phrase in today's conversations, is an attitude I will embody in 2010. "You Go Girl"...as a cheer for the little and BIG things the women in my life, both in scuba and out, accomplish.

How are you making a difference today as a cheerleader in your area of influence? I'd love to hear your thoughts below...

Life Lesson #3

2009-11-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

Stay Calm When it All Falls Apart

Serena is one of my favorite teen students. She's 13 years old and a daredevil. Not that I've seen the daredevil side of her...for me, she was happy, polite and obedient, but her mother reports she's a bit of a daredevil.

We had finished her sisters certification dive and the waters were starting to get a bit rough. But this was the big day, and Serena was fine to go into the waves. When we entered the water, the surge was enough that I had Serena lay back in "relaxation pose #1" . I donned her fins for her, while she kept her regulator in her mouth. We descended beneath the churning sea and spent a half hour watching sea critters frolic on the floor of the Sound.

The ascent. Ouch. Our entry point, a set of stairs, was completely blocked by crashing waves and logs strewn across the waters surface. The waves were large, Serena was calm. I quickly thought of the other exit...the beach. As I spotted a large log coming straight for us, only a couple waves away, I looked at Serena (regulator still in mouth) and said, "Drop down and follow me."

We descended back to the calm of the bottom, swam around two piers, and re-emerged in deeper water in front of the beach entrance. Walking out was not an option, as the waves would hit Serena in the waist from the shore. I decided we'd low crawl. I explained to Serena we would swim into the shallows, then crawl on our hands and knees up onto the beach. She said sure, and down we went.

(Note: For divers from Northern California, this is how they dive...but in the Puget Sound, we don't get real waves. )

We hit the beach, began to crawl, but Serena being 13 could only make it halfway out, and without the water's lift helping her along, she crashed into the sand. She lay there, tossed and toppled by each wave, regulator still in her mouth, while her instructor unclipped her BCD clips so she could crawl out without the gear. Unclipped...up the shore she went.

At no point in the entire exit did Serena show any panic. No fear. Just calm. I was very thankful that day it was Serena, the daredevil, who simply trusted that all would be ok and her instructor would take care of the rest. While our exit was rough, it was emotionally uneventful and much easier to manage due to the calm when it all fell apart.

Sometimes in life, we need to stay calm when it's all falling apart. Look for another way out and realize that there may be challenges with the second option as well. But remaining focused on the outcome will assure that while the journey's tough, the ending will be satisfying.

I'd love to hear any examples of how you've stayed calm in the face of danger...we can all learn from others and grow stronger! Leave a comment below:

Life Lesson #2

2009-11-11T14:52:00.000-08:00

Slow Down

There is a rhythm to the water, and the thickness of the body slows every movement, whether our breathing, our reach, our kick or vision. If we try to overpower the water, we become tired. Overexerted. We don't find the ease others speak of.

If we move as the water allows us, we slow down. It's not the same timing as Terra time, but we are no longer on Terra. We are in another world, and when in that world, we must adapt to the culture.

In my own life, I tend to hurry everything. Appointments are overbooked and sometimes family time becomes a task, not a pleasure. Instead of enjoying the pathway of life, I tend to focus on the end goal. Rushing to reach it, and becoming exhausted and frustrated in the process. Terra time.

When I bring Lesson #2 to land, I learn to move slower. It doesn't matter if you get to the end of the reef, it's what you see on the way. When I slow down, I notice the magical moments I would miss if I was always running as fast as I can. Sitting, as my granddaughter MacKenzie sleeps for two hours, without worrying about all of the things I could be accomplishing if I weren't waiting. Instead, focusing on the child resting peacefully, without a care, on grandma's couch. Knowing these moments, like those of my children's youth, are precious few and soon will be gone.

To move slow. To realize the end of the reef is not the most important part of the journey. It's the moments along the way. And if the end of the reef is not reached, there will still be enriching moments found in the crags and crevices explored on the journey. Unexpected surprises one would have missed, if only the end was in sight.

How do you take time to "be slow and in the moment" in your daily life? Comment below:

Life Lesson #1

2009-10-31T06:39:00.000-07:00

Be in the Moment

I've often told students that diving is an extreme stress reliever because you can't take your problems underwater with you. No matter what kind of a day you've had, the problems are hydrophobic and don't seem to be able to follow you beneath the sea. When you enter the sea, you enter another world, where all that is, is what's right there.

In the water, the most important thing we do is to pay attention. Pay attention to your air gauge (air is important underwater!), to the sites around you and to your buddy. I've heard many divers say one of the things they love about scuba is it forces them to focus on the present moment. They can't allow their mind to wander underwater. The feeling of focusing on what's in front of you and what you need to do to make it safely back is very freeing. In that very moment, there's nothing but you, the sea and your plan.

If you misread the water in a current, or don't adjust your buoyancy to fit with the water (which is bigger and heavier than you), the water will let you know immediately. If we mess up our buoyancy or get into a situation that's risky, it's not the sea that is out to get us. We can't blame the water for our mistakes, lack of focus or bad timing. We are forced to take responsibility for the decisions we've made up to that point, and then work to find a way to fix them.

Paying attention and being accountable for our actions, thoughts and words in our daily life isn't always as easy. Often we try to shift the blame or focus our attention elsewhere. There may not be the immediate consequences when we act carelessly, like there is in scuba, however, there will be affects to our lives that can include drama, anger and unhappiness.

In the water, if we mess up once, we will definitely replay it in our head and do it differently the next time. I haven't met very many divers with the same "one time I did..." story, but I have met many people who get addicted to drama and blaming in their lives and repeat lifes lessons over and over again.

Being truthful with yourself, and others, about your mistakes gives an opportunity to change the course of the dive. Knowing when you're going into a challenging situation and letting those around you know this is more than you've taken on before. When you mess up, let others know. Just like "dive buddies", people really do want to help us through challenging situations. No one wants to see you drown, whether in water or on land. Even the best divers in the world dive with buddies.

What life mistake do you need to admit to, forgive yourself from and resolve to not repeat it again? Ok...no comments needed below for this one. :)

Lessons Learned from The Water

2009-10-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

Scuba has been the most integral part of my life for many years, but especially the past two, as I work, live and breathe scuba. One of the joys is the passion I feel, whether actually diving or simply sharing the experience with would be divers.

In the beginning of my journey in the sea, I was focused on learning the skills needed to dive safely and competently. Ok, let's be honest, alot of the time, I just didn't want to look like a dork. I struggled with alot of the gear issues in scuba, getting my fins on, adjusting my weight and achieving buoyancy. As my skills improved, I looked forward to doing more challenging dives and exploring new sites.

I focused on learning the skills leading me down the pathway to instructor. Teaching methods, theories of diving, inwater skills for students and marketing. I wasn't aware, then, of the life lessons the sea and scuba would teach me, and how much they would impact my life and personal growth. The sea continues to teach...and I continue to be it's student.

This series will look at the lessons of the sea. Lessons every scuba diver has experienced but maybe hasn't transferred into our land arena. To share scuba, for me, is to share the opportunity for others to experience transformation in their lives. It's not just a set of skills and looking at fish, but a visit to a place with many life lessons to learn. If we listen to the sea, she will speak to us.

Girl Scouts need water too!

2009-09-11T16:45:00.001-07:00

GirlDiver gets her first troop

My passion for exploration of the underwater world surpasses the ordinary "look at the fish" vision. I see scuba as not only a way to explore a little known environment, but also an esteem builder for women and girls.

This week, I scheduled my first Discover Scuba opportunity for a troop of Girl Scouts in Kirkland, WA. They'll spend one evening in a heated pool, experiencing what it's like to breath and move freely underwater.

For some, it will be easy...their tender age disallowing the fears age seems to instill. For others, this will be a challenge to attempt something they are not fully sure of. Will the regulator really give me air? Will I inhale water? Will I be able to do what all of my friends can do?

Scuba teaches lessons about trust.

Trusting your gear. Knowing it is serviced regularly and will operate to keep you alive in an environment you're not allowed to live in.

Trusting yourself. Knowing you can overcome any preconceived fears by trusting the rules that are there to protect you. For many, this is the most empowering part of certification.

Trusting others. Scuba is a "buddy sport". We are dependant on our buddy with our lives. We trust that our buddy has our best interest in heart, in a very major way. There's also the trust of the instructor that she won't ask anything of you that you're not capable of doing.

For the girls, it will be an unforgettable experience. Know any Girl Scouts ages 12 and up? This program is available to all girl groups!! Email us HERE for more info!

GirlDiver Tip...

2009-08-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

Toasty Toes

Tired of having nippy nubs on the ends of your feet? Try wearing 3mm neoprene socks under your wetboots for toasty toes at the end of a dive.

TEAM BODY GLOVE...they go surfing!

2009-08-28T04:51:00.000-07:00

One of the scariest things for me would be getting trapped under a wave without a regulator in my mouth. This is why I don't surf...YET. Someday, maybe I'll be able to play on the waves.

TEAM BODY GLOVE with Whale Shark in La Paz

2009-08-26T04:40:00.000-07:00

One of my goals is to spend 6 months in Egypt learning to freedive so I can spend 3 minutes under water in the Baja with one of these amazing creatures.

TEAM BODY GLOVE (surfers) go diving in La Paz Mexico

2009-08-24T04:33:00.000-07:00

First in a series of TEAM BODY GLOVE doing a surf/scuba vacation on the Baja. This is one of the top places on my list to go...so jealous!!

Super Funny...Wait for the Shark Piece!!

2009-08-22T06:38:00.000-07:00

2009-08-22T04:21:00.000-07:00

PADI Open Water classes count towards college credit. At GirlDiver, we LOVE college students! Why? Well...you know how to study (though the course materials are pretty easy...) AND you're totally up for new adventures. Spring Break? After college travel? Oh, and did we mention your scuba class counts for college credit?

See you in the water!

Surfer Holly Beck swims with Whale Shark

2009-08-21T03:45:00.000-07:00

PADI Tropical Referral

2009-08-16T05:20:00.000-07:00

Why sit in a classroom on vacation?

You've paid for the hotel, done the research on the top dive sites, dreamed of swimming beneath the sea, probably even finished the bookwork prior to coming, and now leave via taxi to the vacation dive center in your tropical paradise.

Meeting with your instructor, you review the completed bookwork going over your knowledge reviews, taking several short quizzes and one final exam which, itself takes approximately an hour to finish. Meanwhile, the tropical breeze is blowing outside and the sun is shining...outside.

Now you'll move to the pool. There are 20 basic skills you need to learn to dive. Whether PADI, NAUI, SSI or any other certification agency, we all teach the same things you need to know underwater. Your instructor will explain and demonstrate each skill, then have you try and demonstrate the skill until you show mastery at each one. A minimum of three to four hours will be required to complete the pool portion. Meanwhile, the tropical breeze is blowing and you hear the waves crashing...on the beach.

Usually the next day, you'll be taken out for your first two dives. One day wasted, spent in the class and pool, when your goal was to look at the fish.

In any locale throughout the United States, local dive instructors are available to do the "pre-work" at home so you can spend your hard earned and expensive vacation time IN the water, instead of in the classroom. Through evening or weekend courses, you are able to do the class and pool ahead of time, and quite often, more thoroughly than on vacation.

Who wants to sit through a class on vacation, when with a little pre-planning, you can start with your Open Water certification dives in paradise. Isn't this what you went on vacation for in the first place?

If you need recommendations for local instructors in your area, feel free to contact us and we'll be happy to refer you to a great instructor near you.

PADI Discover Scuba

2009-08-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Discover Scuba on your next tropical adventure.

The PADI Discover Scuba program allows you to scuba dive with only a brief orientation, quick pool session and small ratios between divemasters/instructors and participants. Typically, this is the "quickie course" offered at most dive resorts worldwide. It's designed to give tourists a "taste" of diving, just as they'll get a "taste" of parasailing, jet skiing, boating, sailing...or whatever else they sign up for as a day outing.

There are benefits and challenges to this type of experience. On the plus side, the program allows non-divers to get a small idea of how amazing the world is under the sea. For those of us who "sell" scuba for a living, we constantly struggle with words to give our land lubber friends an idea of what we see, feel and are under the water. The only way to understand scuba is to actually try scuba.

Instead of spending a few weeks prior to your vacation taking classroom, pool and diving in the local quarry, a Discover Scuba gives the opportunity to see if you like it, under close supervision by instructors, and if you find the mojo, you are usually encouraged to follow up with your local dive center on your return home to pursue full certification.

The downside to a Discover Scuba is you are limited in depth, scope and skills. As a Discover Scuba participant, you are limited to diving to 40 feet. This is not normally a problem, as the abundant region of life is where the sun can penetrate the water. Life needs light. The deeper you go with diving, the less life you'll see, so diving to 4o feet will still give you a great diversity of marine life to view.

You are given a short course in breathing off a regulator, clearing your flooded mask and finding/replacing your regulator (gives you air...important underwater) should it leave your mouth during the dive. Then, quickly, you are whisked away to peruse the waters offshore.

For those comfortable in water, this is usually a successful experience. However, the program is only as good as the instructional staff running it on any given day. Sometimes, the staff is committed to showcasing the underwater world and dedicated to sharing scuba. In this case, the experience for most is a good one. However, I hear from student after student about overweighting issues (too much weight will sink you too fast), participant/instructor ratios not followed or cattle boat operations that just wanted to get the divers out...in the water...and back so they could be off for the rest of the day. Many times these divers have scary stories to tell and who knows how many people are turned off of scuba by a bad experience at a resort course.

Is there a place for Discover Scuba? Yes. And its a powerful tool the scuba industry has to introduce would be divers to our sport. Used in this manner, it's great. But when it becomes nothing more than a quick money maker for a resort operation, the risks to the divers and impact on the sport are great.

Tropical Vacations

2009-08-14T04:43:00.001-07:00

What if I want to SCUBA on my next vacation?

As winter approaches, many will seek out the warmth of vacation spots like Maui, Cancun, Belize or Honduras. And each of those hot spots hold amazement both above AND below the water. While most people will choose to snorkel these sites, more people each year will take the plunge and join the fish on their level.

There are three ways to dive warm water destinations for the first time. In our posts this week, we'll be exploring the different ways to scuba while on vacation. Discover Scuba (a one time experience), Tropical Referral or Certification at destination options will be discussed.

Website Update - GirlDiver.com is back

2009-08-14T04:28:00.000-07:00

Website Update

My original web designer, Aaron Marth, of Marth Media, came to the rescue! He had a backup copy of the GirlDiver site from October 2006.

The site had since been redone by a student who changed the platform into a Xoops (yeah, no one else has really heard of it either) so I could work on it easier. On some levels, yes...I could. But on most levels, I was still challenged with keeping up the site and now was on a platform no one else knew how to work either.

Now, the site is back. And, I can work on it.

The blog: This has quickly out-optimized the website. So, I'll be keeping up the blog AND the site at the same time, so whoever finds me has multiple places to look.

Thanks for those sticking by in the last couple of weeks. It's been challenging for us all.

GirlDiver Site is Down...

2009-07-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

GirlDiver was hosted at a small hosting company, which, overnight...has disappeared. Along with the site. No answering of phone and all buttons on website (Contact Us) are de-functioned.

It's time for a new site anyway...so while we work on a new, updated and more relevant GirlDiver site, we will be posting our thoughts and upcoming events on our blogpage.

Thanks for continuing to follow us...

Cindy

Escape the Heat and Hit the Water

2009-07-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

Greetings!! As the temps heat up and you’re looking for a refreshing change of pace, now’s the time to enroll in a scuba class for the late summer or fall.

To help you along, we’re offering our BEAT THE HEAT specials on every session…available only to those who receive our mailings, whether on our list, or through YOU forwarding this to a potential scuba diver.

Discover Scuba
Absolutely FREE, we’re offering a Discover Scuba session at the Tukwila Pool on August 18. This is your chance to try scuba in the pool, or invite a non-diving friend to see what it’s all about. Pre-registration is required, as we are limited to six divers for this event.

What’s under the Sound???
Click here to see an underwater tour of Titlow Beach…one of GirlDivers favorite training sites

Scuba 101 – Open Water Class
This is your first look into the underwater realm. We’ll teach you dive safety, gear usage and take you on four dives in the Puget Sound. By the end of the class, you’re certified to dive to 60’ throughout the world. We offer daytime, evening and ONE WEEKEND courses…no more than 4 students in any one session, so space is limited. Look at our classes HERE

Register for any August Scuba 101 class and receive 20% off the Student Mask, Snorkel and Fin package. (normally $100).

Scuba 102 – Advanced Open Water
Already certified, but looking for more dive training? The GirlDiver Advanced Program, certified through PADI, offers training beyond the Open Water level. And while the diving is fun…you’ll learn skills needed to make you a more confident and competent diver. 5 dives (with an additional optional Night Dive) PLUS classroom. CLICK FOR A FULL DESCRIPTION

Register for our August Advanced Open Water (limited to 4 divers) and receive a free Mares Marker Beam dive lightstick for your tank.

Teen Programs
We’re offering two teen classes in August. The first is Scuba 101 Teen Summer Camp. Three days, from 9 – 3…full certification. We’ll be diving in fresh water AND salt water with an emphasis not only on safe diving, but on the science behind both diving and marine biology. August 4 – 6…2 openings left. ($279)

Scuba 102 for Teens – August 17 – 19 – Three days…6 dives. 9:00 – 3:00 (Must be Open Water certified). Again, with a emphasis on diving safety, science, marine biology and FUN!!

Limited to 4 students. ($279) REGISTER HERE!!

Also in August…
Dive Yoga Clinic – August 26 CLICK FOR MORE DETAILS

What's a good girl to wear?

2009-07-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

The pool session.

This is probably the first time since childhood swimming lessons you'll be asked to participate in a class in a bathing suit. And for those who are not avid swimmers or pageant models, this may be one of the toughest parts of your open water class.

The bathing suit. One piece? Two piece? Shirt over? Shorts over? Full wetsuit?

Ideally, if you have a light wetsuit (1mm or 3mm shorty or full) it's not a bad thing to wear in the pool. Though the pool is usually 82 - 86 degrees Fahrenheit, water pulls heat away from our body much faster than air, so women without extra insulation can become chilled during a two hour pool session.

Bikini? Not really the best bet. In the scuba industry, chances are you'll have a predominantly male staff working with you in the pool. Distraction for this group rates high when a female student dons a bikini. Let them focus on scuba instruction.

One piece. Much better choice than the bikini, however, you are going to be doing two skills which deserve some attention in this article.

The first skill, Alternate Airsource with ascent to the surface. You'll be giving the other person your alternate airsource, then reaching with your right hand to grab the shoulder strap of the BCD for ascent. This can be uncomfortable if matched with an unknown male student if too much cleavage is revealed.

The second skill, Tired Diver push, requires your buddy to fully inflate you and have you lie on your back while they put their regulator in their mouth, one of your feet on each of their shoulders and push you towards the edge. Their head is right in line for a stellar crotch shot, and now is not the time for any creepage or slippage from a bathing suit.

My favorite outfit is a pair of board shorts with a rash guard top. I usually wear a swimsuit underneath, for added modesty, as a rash guard is not opaque enough without an undertop. The rash guard provides chest coverage, as well as preventing chaffing from the BCD straps. The board shorts make all underwater swimming free from the worry of a swimsuit out of place.
If a bikini is available, it's a great underlayer, as any needed stops at the restroom are easier in a two piece.

Size really DOES matter!!

2009-07-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes smaller is better.

In the world of scuba instruction, there are three varieties of instructional programs.

First, we have the MegaClasses. These classes are designed to push the maximum amount of students through a program in the least amount of time. There are limits imposed by certification agencies to number of students to instructors, but if you have more than 10 students in your class, it would fall into this category.

In the industry, these are lovingly referred to as “cattle boat operations”…whether or not there’s a boat involved. The idea is to offer lessons at a very low price to get people to try it out. While the price point is a plus, sometimes we need to look at value. It’s the reason there’s a Walmart and a Nordstroms…depending on your needs, you can shop at either place.

The second variety is the Small Classes. These are typically 4 – 6 students per class with the instructional facility offering more class times, rather than overfilling one session. You’ll pay a bit more for this instruction, however you’ll also receive more one on one attention by the instructor and dive staff. Studies show that students from these programs are more likely to continue diving after they finish their courses.

The third option is the Private Class. Ask any instructor, and they’ll tell you that if you’re able to do this, you’ll receive the best training for scuba in this fashion. As a private student, you’ll have the instructors undivided attention. You’ll progress at your own pace and won’t need to worry about holding the other students up…or waiting for the slowest one in the class. Often, if two people are looking to do a private course together, there is a discount for a semi-private class.

When learning to scuba dive, you are learning skills designed to help you survive in an environment not conducive to human life. These skills are essential for…well…keeping you alive. There are things in the world you should look for a bargain on…and then there are things you should look to a professional for.

Make sure your instructor is a full time professional instructor, not a hobby instructor. If you were going in for heart surgery, you’d want a surgeon who practiced full time, not a few times each year, right? Once again…this is your life support for underwater exploration. It’s ok to have a pizza delivery guy who is moonlighting from his retail job during the day…but do you really want a scuba instructor who just does it on the side?

Sometimes the “right way” is a little more money and a little more time. Scuba allows you to enter a world few will ever see. Thorough training is required to view it safely and confidently. Choose your training instructor wisely and you’ll have a splendid underwater experience.

Rental Gear 101

2009-07-16T21:24:00.000-07:00

Mask, snorkel, fins, hood, gloves, BCD, regulator, drysuit and tank...check!

One of the most frequent questions from would-be scuba divers is "how much does it cost to buy all of your equipment once you're certified?" And, depending on who you ask, the answer can sometimes deter one from taking the first step in exploring another world.

For the average diver, renting equipment at the beginning of your dive journey is an economical and intelligent way to go. Most scuba centers have rental departments and with a little forethought, you can enjoy the sport of scuba for the same price as any other one-day outdoor activity.

Forethought: Check out your local dive centers rental equipment. Visit three or four shops, compare pricing and actually LOOK at their gear.

How old is the equipment? Sure, the equipment will be "used", but if it appears more than a year old, you may want to keep shopping. Two years, on most rental equipment, is the max life. If the shop is managed properly, the daily rental rate should allow for upgrades every year or two on all of the vital rental equipment.

Is the equipment designed for local diving? If you're certified in a cold water environment, your instructor probably talked about weight integrated BCDs and how important it is to split your weights up, not wear a 30# weight belt that could slip off at depth. Are the BCD's weight integrated? Do the regulator sets come with a dive computer, or are you relegated to a gauge setup? Most dive centers have comparable rental pricing, so find the shop with the best (and safest) rental for your dollar.

Do your part. What size are you? How much weight do you wear? What size boot, hood, gloves? Some dive centers have the organizational ability to record all of this information, but the rental department in most locations is a "sideline" and, quite honestly, the staff doesn't usually have every customers size and weight recorded. If you're a frequent renter, ANY shop would be happy to keep a printed copy of your sizing and weight requirements so they can pull your gear with a simple phone call.

Scuba can be as costly of a sport (as can any other outdoor activity) as you'll allow. However, the undersea world is available to those who are wanting to start with baby steps first. Take the plunge, get certified. Daily rental rates generally run from $70-85 per day/weekend and offer the opportunity for a full day of diving beneath the waves in one of the most abundant ecosystems in the world.

I wake up today grateful

2009-06-20T05:35:00.000-07:00

I wake up today grateful to be alive and grateful to have this one day that lies ahead of me.

I wake up today grateful to have opportunities and commit myself to making the most of them.

I wake up today grateful to be able to work and will do everything possible to get results today.

I wake up grateful for my mental capabilities and will use my mind to solve problems.

I wake up today grateful for problems and will put attention on solving them, not causing them.

I wake up today grateful for my attitude and will use it to make others smile and commit to spreading good news, not bad news.

I wake up today grateful for the power of choice and use that power to choose how I act today.

I wake up today, grateful for even being grateful.

Green Travelers Fly Coach

2009-06-19T14:50:00.000-07:00

In an effort to save our oceans, we need to realize that oceans, earth and sky are all interconnected in one big bubble. This article came from http://www.cheapflights.com/ and I think it's a worthy read. One of my best friends uses recyclable shopping bags, yet refuses the idea of coach. Hmmm....

Sure, flying isn’t always on the top of every tree hugger’s list, but if you love to travel, it’s hard to avoid the convenience of jet-setting. Grabbing a cheap flight and hopping on a plane gets a bad wrap in the eyes of green groups, but for individuals intent on seeing the world, there are ways to achieve a happy medium of green travel.
The Union of Concerned Scientists have put together a summary of how to fly while keeping your conscience clean and green. The bottom line: You can bump up your green travel by flying coach rather than flying first class.
According to the scientists, since first class seating takes up more room than coach, your carbon footprint is technically reduced according to the amount of space you fill. Consider airplanes to be like any other form of public transportation – the more people you fit inside one vehicle, the more environmentally efficient you’re being. Because the average first class passenger takes up twice the area as a coach flier, the more spacious section reduces efficiency of the entire plane.
Arguments have been made against this calculation, stating that a formula for green travel should be based more on alternative fuels and lesser emissions, rather than each passengers impact, but the Union of Concerned Scientists stands by the simple rule: The more people in the vehicle, the more efficient the vehicle is.
While sitting in coach certainly makes a green travel statement, travelers can go the extra mile by booking flights with budget airlines with no first class section on the aircraft. These vessels actually lower emissions from 10-15 percent, compared to larger planes with roomy first class sections.
Green travelers often wonder whether or not it’s smarter to drive. Typical domestic planes can fit anywhere from 150-300 people. If each passenger drove to the destination, the exhaust emitted by that many cars driven for 500 miles would outweigh the emissions of one plane.
If you’re traveling solo, or with just one person, then you’re not ecologically utilizing the space in your car, therefore reducing efficiency. If you’re traveling with a group, you’ll likely use a larger vehicle like a van or an SUV, which are the biggest land culprits for carbon emission and air pollution. SUVs are proven to be five times worse for the environment than hybrid vehicles, and twice as bad as a typical sedan. So unless you plan on filling every seat of a small hybrid car, the Union of Concerned Scientist urges you take a greener travel option, and book a non-stop flight as a coach passenger.

2009-06-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

1. All time really is beach time. When I was in the corporate world, I ran 15 minutes ahead of any appointment on my hectic schedule. Traffic backups created a tight feeling in my chest and impatience for retail lines churned in my stomach. I was never late, no matter what.

But living now in the water world, I realize that all things will come in time. I try to schedule my students on the "ish" time frame. "We'll meet at the site at noonish". If I get there ahead, I can relax and watch the waves. If I'm running a few minutes late, I know they are there....watching the waves.

I once believed that being late was showing another person disrespect for their time...and still do. So, I announce ahead of time, to enjoy the moment, and if I'm not there on the dot, well, we're on 'beach time'. Often, my students will use the same phrase, and rather than being irritated, I smile, knowing I took the churn out of their stomach.

2. People, regardless of gender, all want to be princesses. One of the trademarks of GirlDiver is our 'Princess Treatment'. On dive number one, designed to do no skills...simply introduce students to the underwater world on one exploratory dive, we give Princess Treatment. We have the students enter the water, and after walking to the shore with 80 lbs. of gear on their back, lie floating on their backs in 'Relaxation Pose #1', allowing the muscles to relax into the water. Our dive team then puts their fins on their feet, like a princess. I've had police officers, special forces soldiers, engineers and truck drivers all rave they enjoyed being treated like a princess.

Everyone, in any walk of life, wants to feel pampered. If we can make them feel taken care of and special, everyones day is a little better.

3. Go with the current. It's an undertaking to swim against a current, so you should pick the times carefully, with prior research, before going up against a strong force. Come prepared for the battle. But don't choose that battle everyday. Often, it's nice to just relax into the current, and even though you may not think you want to go with it, your mind can be opened up to new things by relaxing and becoming one with it.

In life, pick your battles. Is it really worth saying something? Are you going to change that person, issue or world? Or are you just going to create a rift? Sometimes silence is golden and if you simply go for the ride, with eyes wide open, knowing the pitfalls, you may be able to learn something new.

Choosing your Scuba Gear - Part 2

2009-06-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Now that you've made your list of things you want to do in the new world underwater, it's time to make some SMART equipment choices. Your next step is information gathering.

Manufacturers websites and brochures can let you see what's available. Often, they will explain the function of the equipment, activities and temperatures it's rated for, and the benefits their particular brand provides. Sometimes this will help narrow down the field. If you're wanting to pursue deep wreck diving and a technical diving path, you'll save money at the start by purchasing a back plate and wing set up, rather than a BCD like you trained in your class with.

Watch your local area for DEMO DAYS. A small number of companies have stepped up to the plate (DUI, Bare, Dive Rite, Whites) to offer the diving public a chance to try out the equipment prior to purchase. Let's hope these events prove successful and more manufacturers choose this path.

If theres' a dive show in your area, take a full day and talk to manufacturers representatives about their products. The representatives are not only familiar with the line they carry, but with their competitors products as well. Representatives have a vested interest in steering you towards a good buying decision, not just "their favorite BCD" in the line.

Then there's your dive buddies. This is a channel I would avoid. Everyone will tell you they have the best gear. (Even though it's the ONLY gear they've ever tried) Here lies the opportunity for misinformation to sink in. Often divers buy what their instructor uses and this can have a causal effect that everyone in their circle dives the same drysuit, regardless of the quality of the suit in reality.

Also, professional instructors often receive financial rewards for a student purchasing through the shop. This can be good...or bad. A quality instructor will assure you have the proper gear for what YOU want it for. This builds a good, long term relationship with the student. But often, an instructor, no matter how good intentioned, will be limited to the selection in their shop, and may opt to interest you in slow moving items in the store, rather than direct you to a competitor.

Now, start to gather the information about the equipment. Next article, we'll talk about being a SMART SHOPPER.

How to buy Scuba Equipment - Part One

2009-06-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

The ideal way for a novice diver to purchase their own equipment is with a high limit credit card and the experience only seasoned divers have. Selecting a dive set up in a world you've just earned admission to is tough. Most start the search with misinformation, opinions from other divers and strangers recommendations. Poor buying decisions now can affect you later in time and money. With this in mind...let's look at making your first scuba gear purchases.

First, let me emphasize just how crucial your choice of gear is. Your personal safety and comfort depend on it. If your gear doesn't fit properly or isn't the right kit for conditions, you may find there are dives you opt out of or, worse yet, you choose to dive and accept too high of a risk by doing so.

The first step to making a smart buying decision is to consider the type of diving you will be doing. Try to think ahead. What underwater activities piqued your interest during your Open Water class? If your diving is going to be exclusively holiday diving in tropical locations, your gear will look much different than your classmates who opts to dive in the temperate local waters as well.

Where do you want your passion to take you? The equipment needs of someone who wants to delve deeply into fish identification is different than one who wants to explore wrecks at depth. Quality equipment, properly cared for, will last you many years, so its important to saving you money in the long run to take future diving plans into consideration now.

For the first step in your decision: Make a dream list of those places you want to go with your diving in the next 5 years. What classes do you wish to take? What environments are you most likely to be spending time in?

College Credit for PADI Classes

2009-05-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

When I was in college, I was not...well, shall we say, "athletically gifted". I've always lived by the philosophy, if it's flying at you, DUCK! So, volleyball, softball and basketball were never sports I spent very much time with.

I did take PE in college...one quarter of badmitton and two quarters of golf. This taught me to be savvy in the boardroom, as I wasn't going to be making any points on the course.

One of the reasons I'm a PADI Instructor is the high quality of educational materials PADI provides to the students. The PADI education department takes their position seriously, to the point, certain PADI courses are recommended by the American Council of Education f0r college credit.

According to the PADI website:

A university or college may use the ACE credit recommendations in a variety of ways. The institution may apply the credit to your major replacing a required course. They may also use the credit as a general elective to possibly waive a prerequisite course.

Universities and colleges that accept ACE credit recommendations for PADI or EFR courses typically handle them like transfer credit. Transfer credit is often awarded without an additional fee. This may save you tuition fees while at the same time allowing you to possibly meet graduation requirements.

For more information, check out the PADI site HERE , then sign up for the next GirlDiver scuba course for a college credit which really WILL open up a new world!

The 350 Project

2009-04-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

While this blog isn't really "scuba specific"...we are slated to lose 30% of our scuba stores during the downturn in the economy. I saw this on my morning perusal of the internet and want to share it.

This is the 350 Project.

3 - Think about which three independently owned businesses you’d miss most if they were gone. Stop in and say hello. Pick up a little something that will make someone smile. Your contribution is what keeps those businesses around.

50 - If just half the employed US population spent $50 each month in independently owned businesses, their purchases would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue. imagine the positive impact if 3/4 of the employed population did that.

68- For every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home.

1- The number of people it takes to start the trend…..you.

UW Photo Club - How to attract loyalists to your dive shop

2009-03-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

If I were to have a store...

The GirlDiver model will never have a "traditional shop". It's just not part of the plan. While I would, eventually, like to have a "learning center", we will not have a scuba store as the industry see's scuba stores.

One of my favorite stores in the Northwest is Underwater Sports Federal Way. These guys do alot of things very right. They hold club meetings on the same day every month, so people can attend, they offer trips locally and abroad, they have a knowledgeable staff that DIVE and instruct classes.

Their newest "done right" is the Underwater Photo Club. They had an initial meeting last fall, where pro photographers led the meeting. The group of fledgling uw photographer wanna-be's left the meeting dazed and confused. In the discussion of F Stops, white balance and aperture, most just wanted to know what the difference was between the all of buttons on the back of their cameras. This wasn't a college class.

In comes Britany Shelton, new instructor extraordinairre!! Britany has only been teaching scuba for a few months, so she doesn't know that you can only do things the way things have always been done. She wanted to learn more about underwater photography. So, she started the "one meeting club" up again. AND DECIDED TO LEAD IT.

I'll be the first to say that this is the blind leading the blind. But that's the reason for it's success.

As Britany sets out to educate herself on underwater photography, she invites the club to go along. Each month the club meets together for "the lesson". This is the culmination of one month of research for Brit...and she takes it very seriously. She becomes the expert at "the rule of thirds" or "white balance"...whatever the "lesson" is going to be.

They have the lesson, then receive an assignment. Maybe it's Sunflower Starfish. Over the next month, the group needs to shoot a Sunflower Starfish and try to make it different, or use the lesson, to achieve one stellar shot, which is then shared the next month at the PhotoShootOut.

I'm not into underwater photography, but if I were, this is the place I'd be. If you are, and you're in the Pacific Northwest, stop by to check this group out. It's how a Photo Club should be run! Good job Brit...and I LOVE your enthusiasm!!!

The 1 Thing All Women have in Common

2009-03-20T16:57:00.000-07:00

The one thing all women have in common: XX chromosones.

That's it...that's all. Other than that, we're all pretty individual.

I'm a female in the scuba world who likes land excursions. I don't want to dive five dives per day for seven days. I want two dives per day and an afternoon in the jungle. Or maybe five dives one day and the Mayan ruins the next.

Does that mean ALL women want land time? No.

One of my diving friends only dives tropical. She won't brave the chillier waters of the Puget Sound, no matter what I've tempted her with. It's too cold and the gear is too heavy.

Does that mean ALL women want to dive tropical and look at brightly colored fishies? No.

We're as different amongst ourselves as each of the sea creatures we gaze upon. And while the dive manufacturers have discovered that we exist, we are still seen as 1.

We don't all want pink on our BCD's and wetsuits. Though some of us do.

We don't all have a size 8 hips, chest and torso. Though some of us do.

Even amongst the size 8's, we are not the same.

The manufacturers who market to us are starting to come around. We'll know we've arrived as female divers when the "female specific" lines become a little more "female general" and see us as separate and uniquely built consumers who don't all fit into 1 mold.

MaST Program

2009-03-07T15:40:00.000-08:00

Today the water in the Puget Sound was choppy. Uh...no...it was downright surf like. And while California divers brave the surf and think nothing of it, my Advanced Open Water class chose not to breach the surf, rather, we did a bit of surface fish sighting.

The MaST program (Marine and Science Technologies) is a pet project of mine. Based at the old commercial training dock at Redondo Beach in Des Moines, Washington, it offers the public, both here and away, a look under the water of the Puget Sound.

I've been the Volunteer Dive Coordinator for the program and have gone on collection dives for tank residents. My interest in the center is two fold.

First, it offers kids, the most important generation in any time period, a chance to develop an appreciation for marine life and an understanding of why we need to preserve the marine habitats where we live.

My other interest is in building a program. The MaST program is headed towards having a diver in a full face mask with a camera film and talk to kids on the surface about the creatures they are encountering. Not only the kids dockside...but kids as far away as South Africa, via the technology that is available to us today.

For more information on this program see HERE or to get involved with help as an interpreter or diver, contact me and I'll get you placed in the program.

Scuba For Girls

2009-03-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

Why pink? Do you teach only women?

These are the two most asked questions of me on a daily basis.

My answer...it's pink so you know you're at the right site. Is Pink my favorite color? No...at least it wasn't prior to GirlDiver. But today, I seem to gravitate more towards pink items, except clothing.

Do I teach only women? In my ideal world, my classes would be filled with women wanting to learn to scuba dive with waitlists for any cancellations. It's not there yet.

And really, when I teach someone scuba, I am allowing them access to the wonders of the underwater world. I promise, no matter how large GirlDiver gets, I will never stop the boys from playing in the field.

Exploratory Diving

2009-03-03T16:25:00.000-08:00

I live on the edge of the Emerald Sea...otherwise known as the Puget Sound. We have "chosen" dive sites. The ones everyone goes to...and the ones that few know about.

I have to believe there are even MORE than that, though. So, my team and I went for a dive yesterday at Lincoln Park in Seattle. My friend, Kevin, had laid a cement block course there a few years back for a milk jug spearfishing course and I was bound and determined to find it. I think it may make a good course for a Search and Recovery class...but not sure.

My team was in place. Rhonda, Donald (photographer) and Matt. We donned our gear, engaged our snorkels and covered most of the south beach area. We found lots of sea lettuce (a favorite of mine, as it means spring is on it's way), california sea cucumbers and kelp crabs by the herds. I think the kelp crab were a bit amorous, as the ones not coupled were definitely ready to rumble.

We combed the area and didn't find the cement course. I may have to break down and ask for directions (ok, I sound like a guy now...)

We did get the chance to explore a new site, and for my team, it was a great learning experience in what goes on behind the scenes as we move to take our dive program to the next level.

Diving with Isaiah

2009-03-03T09:08:00.000-08:00

Isaiah is a 17 year old boy who likes to dive. Oh...he won't show it purposefully, as he needs to be cool. But...as an instructor, I can see it in his eyes.

He started with me as an Open Water student in my teen class, and for Christmas, his family pitched in an paid for his Advanced Open Water course.

This past weekend, we were going to do his Deep dive. Hit 100...find narcosis? But, at 60' deep, he was having a lot of flooding with his mask, and he was checking his air quite frequently.

I am BIG on "air underwater is important", so I expect my students to check their air. But he was acting nervous about it. I checked his gauge...still had 70% of his tank left.

We were swimming over a bottle field, so I changed our dive plan. We circled the bottles, and suddenly, I saw a purple trail of ink escape into the water in front of me.

I looked at Isaiah, as his eyes lit up and he excitedly pointed in the direction the squid had escaped to. The show had begun.

We watched the little stubby squid as he changed colours, camoflauging himself so we wouldn't see him. Eventually, he shot a perfect "ink ring" and with that he was gone.

Back on shore, Isaiah wasn't disappointed in not completing the deep dive, rather he was excited to see the squid put on a display for us.

Sometimes I think we get too caught up in the "goal" of the dive, and we miss the delights along the path. It's not about going deep, or completing some random set of skills. We need to take the moments the underwater world gives us, and allow those to change the way we see the world.

What a difference a year makes!

2009-01-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

My friend, Sacha Blue, was clicking through her internet, unable to sleep...when over on my "GirlDiver MySpace Blog" she came across an entry written exactly one year ago today.

"It's snowing, sleeting, frigid...and I've got students out for Open Water dives. The instructor most responsible for my upbringing as a diver once said, "Instructors are never cold, tired or hungry." I don't agree.While I'm not going to whine to my students about it...I AM going to acknowledge that "Yes...we are cold and tired. And...the water will be here another day." I have a student who came over 500 miles for training with me. And he said he'd rather make the trip again than to get too cold. Cheers to him!My new goal...to have built a big enough instructional business by December, that in December and January, I'll take a bit of land time. One of my staff can take those classes.Someone else can tell the students that they're not cold in 35 degree weather."

While the significance to her was a bit different, I'm sitting in Mexico today with students in 80 degree water. I haven't built a big enough staff to take over classes, but I'm confident the staff is coming. I DO have staff now. Last year, Leigh Ann was my only staff, and now I have a complete team. And today....I won't be telling my students they are cold.

The List

2008-10-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

50 things to accomplish by Age 50. Deadline: October 1, 2017.

Build a million dollar business, not for the money, but more as a benchmark of serving others
Live on a sailboat
Live in a foreign country
Have Christmas in a snow laden cabin
Swim with Stellar Sea Lions in Hornby
Experience kite surfing
Learn to watercolor
Trek thru Nepal
Ride an elephant thru the jungle
Get my motorcycle endorsement
Buy a motorscooter
Spend the winter in Colorado
Raft the North Platte River
Canyoneer in Bryce Canyon
Ride the Seattle to Portland bike ride
Take Kiley to New York for Christmas
Take Micah to New Orleans for Jazz
Spend a stormy winters day at Kalaloch Lodge
Stay at the Bellagio
Learn to build websites
Get into photography for my own articles
Finish my quilt
Get dressed to the 9’s with a place to go on New Years Eve
Join the Tacoma Elks club
Girlfriend trip with Kathy
Return to Trinidad…skip Tobago
Eat bushrat and see the Zambezi in Zambia
Donate 20 classes to worthy causes
Dive the Bermuda Triangle
Put together a scuba program to help at-risk teen girls
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Volunteer 7 days straight at the Tacoma Rescue Mission at Christmas
Learn to both shoot and load a handgun
Create 20 web videos promoting scuba as a “fun” sport for women
Dive the Artic
Put together a “teen toy drive” for teens at the Family Shelter at Christmas
Dive Palau
GirlDiver West Coast Tour
Visit Indonesia
Blog for 50 days straight
Bike thru Vietnam
Attend a gala charity event
Ireland…pubs, dives and castles
Ride in a helicopter
Dive the North Carolina Wrecks
Ice Diving
Dive with an aggressive species of shark
Design and plant a yard…and stay there long enough to watch it bloom
Freedive
Thailand Girl Tour…massage, aromatherapy, yoga, culinary delights…oh, and a bit of diving too!

50 by 50

2008-10-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

My friend (and student) Sacha Blue introduced me to a new way of goal setting. A goal is simply a dream with a deadline, so Sacha, at 28 years old, came up with the 30 things she wished for by age 30. Her dream list can be found here.

I’ve passed thirty…and forty. So, luckily, I’ve a bit of time until I hit 50, and to undertake such a huge list, I’ll need the extra time.

A dream with a deadline. At 50, when I look back over my list, I’ll have amazing memories of adventures and people met along the way. Things accomplished that, perhaps, would have remained dreams, if not for the deadline.

To accomplish this list will be relatively easy…even though the list itself is pretty staggering. But if I break it down into chunks…yearly samplings of 5 or 6 things, then it becomes manageable. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Tomorrow I’ll post the list…but today…think about those things that need to go on your list. If you don’t make your own, please continue to check in on mine…as someday, hopefully you’ll join me on creating an amazing life.

The ones others watch on t.v.

Scuba Barbie?

2008-10-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

This past week was DEMA 2008. The industry convention where money is traded among the dive empires to offer new gear, travel and clothing to the masses.

I was there as an editor for XRay Magazine. (Love press badges!!) My assignment? What’s new and exciting in the world for GirlDivers?

It was this simple question that I posed to the seated gatekeepers at the front of the major equipment manufacturer displays. The two unsuspecting parties would look at each other, as if I were speaking Swahili, and repeat,”New and exciting for GirlDivers?”

After usually being redirected several times to any sales representative not protected by a meeting with a dealer, I would be shown a pink mask…a pair of pink fins or a BCD with a decidely male cut…oh, but it’s got pink trim!!

Really? Is that all it takes to sell us gear? Pink?

Now, I realize, my site is pink. And if you’ve gotten this far, you’re probably either a pink fan, or wondering if the rosiness of the site ever ends. But for this site, it’s a marketing thing. You know you’re on a “girl-focused” site because of the color. It’s a draw.

However, if the content of this site was just “general scuba”, well, then you might as well change the site colors back to basic black. The inner workings of the site, or the dive gear, must be true to the colors, or it’s just another attempt to fool us into thinking they care.

There were well over 500 vendors at DEMA. I was able to complete my assignment and find 6 things new and exciting in the dive world for girls. Stay tuned to XRay Magazine where the November issue will show the newest finds for girls.

New Sunscreen Ratings

2008-06-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

Last night my friend Kathy and I attended a skin event at Gene Juarez put on by Skin Authority. After an information session, accompanied by cheese and wine, we were treated to a glycolic acid peel and an infusion of antioxidants. We were then introduced to skin products that would help our individual issues.

My issue? Spending 20 hours per week in the water, either chlorine or salt, with sun baking my face…well, that’s my issue.

If you’ve read my article about skincare, you’ll know I’m well aware of the affects of the sun on aging and skin cancer. I write in the article about SPF, however, SPF only tells you how long you can stay in the sun without “burning” your skin layers.

We’re talking UVB rays, when we’re talking burning. They burn, they tan…they’re not only the BAD ones. It’s the UVA rays we need to be careful of, and until now, there was no way to tell if a sunscreen had the UVA protection.

Oh, they say they do. And they have the right ingredients so they “may”. However, we can tell if a sunscreen is a SPF 5 or an SPF 30, right? Not so with the UVA protectants, until now.
The FDA has come up with a 4 star rating system. All sunscreen manufacturers have until May 2009 to have their product tested and products relabeled.

What will the new labeling tell you?

The following outlines the sunscreen label changes:

A four-star rating and description on the main product label reflects the amount of UVA protection.

“Sun protection factor” is now “sunburn protection factor.” The SPF rating continues to reflect the level of UVB protection. “UVB” is placed near the SPF rating on the main product label.
The highest SPF number increases from SPF 30 to SPF 50+.

Sunscreens must include the following warning: “UV exposure from the sun increases the risk of skin cancer, premature skin aging, and other skin damage. It is important to decrease UV exposure by limiting time in the sun, wearing protective clothing, and using a sunscreen.”
Sunscreen labels instruct users to apply the sunscreen “evenly” and “liberally” or “generously” and reapply at least every two hours “to avoid lowering protection.”

Skin Authority is the first line to have the 4 star rating…and it’s 4 stars.

My opinion? Well, I’ll give it a try. It’s water resistant, so I’ll be wearing it starting today, and reapplying after my dives.

I also picked up their vitamin C lip balm to add sun protection and healing to my lips. I can tell you that it tastes citrusy…and left my lips very hydrated!!

Shark Fin Soup

2008-03-10T05:47:00.000-07:00

My roommate came home from the Asian market today with a banana flower. This is the flower, that left to bloom and change, will eventually bear banana fruit. Not sure what we’re going to do with the banana flower, but I’m sure I’ll find it in a dish on a table near me soon.

She mentioned that she almost got a shark fin to make shark fin soup with. I gasped…

Now I know that my roommate does her part in helping the earth with recycling her garbage, using rainbarrels in our yard and putting the eggshells out for the slug control. But would she really purchase shark fins?

One of my favorite Save the Sharks organizations is WildAid out of California…and they report:
There are 400 species of shark, and many are used for their fins. Blue, hammerhead and silky sharks are the most highly traded in Hong Kong. Mako and thresher are also popular, and great white is also used. All these species are found off the California coast.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says over 100 million sharks, skates and rays are killed every year. We figure that’s just half the total, because another half is unreported. This total threatens sharks because they reproduce slowly, more like mammals than fish. Some sharks only have 1-2 pups every other year, and they may take nine or more years to mature.

Shark populations are quickly declining — the dusky-shark population in the U.S. Atlantic has declined 90 percent. Sharks are the apex predators that keep everything else in balance.

My friend, Shawna Meyer frolics among the Humboldt Squid with her boyfriend Scott Cassell (of Discovery Channel fame). They note that the fish populations are being devastated in larger areas all the time because the sharks aren’t around in big enough numbers to control the Humboldt Squid. The Humboldt will go through and eat everything in its path…and must be controlled by our larger, apex friends. Without sharks, the worlds oceans are in trouble.

I told my roommate “NO.” No shark fin soup…or I’ll take the recycling and throw it in the dumpster, use fresh water on the garden and leave the lights on needlessly.

The Girls Take it Tandem

2007-02-27T05:23:00.000-08:00

In the quest to give GirlDiver more credibility in the eyes of the female divers who do not adorn themselves with OPI nails and Sephora mascara, we’ve planned a series of dives that will allow us to delve into the more adventurous side of diving. And…as a bonus…ALL these dives will ROCK!

The first dive of the series was “Girls Taking It Tandem”. My GirlDiver staff member, LeighAnn called and said that Blake from NuCanoe had invited us to demo their new recreational kayaks which their R&D department had put “scuba thought” into. She wanted a time…and a photographer on site.

Kayak Diving? Was she crazy?

I had never tried it, but I was pretty sure that the experience was going to be a whole lot of work and I would be fully exhausted by the end of one dive. And HOW was I supposed to get back in the kayak “gracefully”??? Did I really want a photographer there when someone would have to haul me back into the watercraft…or watching me “tired diver tow” the kayak to shore because I wouldn’t be able to lift my bum back into the boat?

Well, LeighAnn is new to GirlDiver, so I couldn’t just shoot down her first suggestion.

We arrived at Les Davis Marine Park to find Blake waiting for us with a trailerload of kayaks. (At least we LOOK like we know what we’re doing to the passersby) Our chosen dive site, bordering Commencement Bay, had fresh glacial runoff clouding the top ten feet of water, but turned out great for the pictures on the surface. We got our gear together while Blake unloaded the kayaks and brought them to our cars.

I had done my homework on these vessels. Ninety pounds empty. Not being a kayaker, I underestimated the magic of the kayak cart. ”Load your gear into the kayak,” said Blake.
Blake had just got done giving me a pep talk about how easy kayak diving would be. He said the easiest re-entries into the boat he’d witnessed, so far, were done by petite women. So, while I thought loading more weight onto the already heavy boat was contraindicitive to moving it to the entry point, I obliged him. Afterall, it’s his idea, so if I can’t move it, well, he’s the rep…he can pull it.

90 lbs. of boat + 160 lbs. of gear. ”Go ahead and grab hold of the handle and just pull it,” he directed.

Wow. Not only did it move, it pivoted, and I was pulling this bad boy with my fingertips!

The entry to this site is a set of stairs, made for divers by divers, courtesy of the hard work of the dedicated group Washington Scuba Alliance. We positioned the kayak at the top of the stairs and slid the boat with all of the gear aboard into the water. Amazingly easy.

LeighAnn and I assembled the paddles, LeighAnn choosing an unfeathered (parallel) blade adjustment, and I angled mine to a 60 degree right hand control. For never kayaking together before, we did a great job of immediately synchronizing our paddle strokes and efficiently made our way around the dive site.

With our photographer in place, we moved to the middle of the site, threw our inflated gear (important to INFLATE your gear) over the side and individually splashed into the turquoise sea. Donning your dive kit in the water is a skill not often practiced, but with very little struggle, we were geared up and ready to descend.

After a great dive, we surfaced to find our kayak a short surface swim away. Returning to the mothership, we fully inflated our BCD’s, slipped easily out of the gear, and faced the kayak re-entry challenge.

Fully aware of where our photographer was, we moved to the opposite side of the boat, so that we wouldn’t have to look at any “bum over the side” shots. Blake promised that I’d just take ahold of the bench seat, and would “pop” up and out of the water. Maybe he underestimated my upper body strength?

“Just kick and pop into the kayak,” he coaxed. (Did he forget that my fins were already aboard…how much good would my drysuit boots be here?)

I kicked. I’m effortlessly boosted up! My arms locked at the elbows, I lean forward and move my legs ”semi-gracefully” into the kayak. My gear retrieval is more difficult, due to the BCD integrated with 28 lbs. of weight and a steel tank. But LeighAnn and I work as a team, and pull both of the units aboard, along with a full hull of water.

No problem with the flooded boat, as the kayak is unsinkable. We did bail out some of the water, but only to make better paddling time on the way back.

The review results? Kayak diving with NuCanoe’s new recreational kayak rocks! Easy entry. Provides an excellent platform to stage from. You can hang bottles, gear and current lines from the 21 attachment points on the boat. Adjustable seats let you decide where you’re storing your gear and where you’re paddling from. Optional paddle leashes ensure that you’re paddles will be there when you surface, and your fins will make it out to the dive. With the help of a kayak cart, your shore entry has never been easier, and a surface “paddle” beats a surface “swim” anyday.