Regulator Recall
December 19, 2001
If you have a new Apeks ATX regulator you may have a serious
problem. It's been recalled and you should not use it until you return
it to your dealer for repair. The problem is related to the 2nd stage
front cover of the ATX 100, ATX 200 and all ATX flourescent yellow octopus
regulators. The serial numbers of the affected regulators fall between
109 0001 and 110 2580.
Ocean
Rover Discounts in Thailand
December 19, 2001
The new 100 ft. luxury liveaboard is operated by the venerable Fantasea
Divers in Thailand and is offering a special 10% discount
to Undercurrent readers on any of their Andaman Sea cruises
in the 2002 season. The cruises depart from Phuket and visit the famous
Similan islands, Richelieu Rock, the Burma Banks and the Mergui Archipelago
in Myanmar (Burma). The boat has eight double cabins with private bathrooms
and individually controlled air-conditioning. Readers report the layout
provides optimum ease of diving and serious photographers are well taken
care of. 12 experienced crew members, who helped design and build the
boat, look after a maximum of 16 divers. Discounted prices for 7-day
cruises would be $1860 and for 9 day cruises $2390. Thailand is safe
for American tourists and with good airfares these days, there's time
to jump on it. The discounts are valid only for Undercurrent
readers that book directly at info@ocean-rover.com
OR info@fantasea.net and mention
that you are an Undercurrent reader. For more details
visit www.fantasea.net
and/or www.ocean-rover.com
and check out the new Chapbook.
Are
the Oceanic Vortex Fins Fast?
December 19, 2001
Ten members of an Australian underwater hockey club ran speed tests,
measuring their own fins against the Vortex. Five swam faster with the
Vortex, five didn't. When you eyeball the results, the Vortex seemed
to help the slower swimmers slightly, (say an average of 2-3%) and slightly
slow the faster swimmers. While the Vortex might not get you anywhere
fast, nearly all the swimmers said it made their kicking seem easier
and they could maintain the kick longer. (Dive Log
Austrailasia, July 2001).
The
Best of the Galapagos December
19, 2001
Marc Bernardi tells us he has space on some upcoming trips and since
our experienced readers sing the praises of Galapagos diving and land
touring with his Aquatic Encounters and the Reina Silvia,
here’s a chance for the trip of a life time. Marc specializes in
Galapagos diving, featuring three days at the Northern Islands of Darwin
and Wolf, aboard the Reina Silvia. Divers typically swim with
hundreds (some say thousands) of hammerheads), massive pods of bottlenosed
dolphins, and about half the trips divers get in the water with Mr.
Big (the Whale Shark). For comments on what your fellow readers think
about Aquatic Encounters and the very comfortable Reina Silvia
go to our "Online Members Area"
or check out the 2002 Chapbook, which was mailed to print
subscribers last week [available online to Online
Members next month]. For complete info visit www.aquaticencounters.com.
His trips are a perfect balance of diving and land excursions, essential
to the complete Galapagos experience. DEC. 26, 2001 to JAN. 6, 2002
..... JAN. 2, 2002 to JAN. 13 ..... JAN. 9, 2002 to JAN. 20 ....JAN.16,
2002 to JAN. 27 ... MAY 22, 02 to JUNE 2, 02, MAY 29, 02 to JUNE 9,
02. Sign up as an Undercurrent reader and Marc will give
you a classic set of greeting cards, featuring his superb underwater
photography.
Exercise
During Decompression? December
19, 2001
An experiment was performed at Canada's Defence and Civil Institute
for Environmental Medicine involving 140 man dives to 45 meters for
30 minutes. There were four study groups: inactive on the bottom and
during decompression; inactive on the bottom but active exercise on
decompression; active exercise on the bottom and inactive during decompression;
active exercise on the bottom and on decompression. Active exercise
brought the heart rate to 130-150 beats per minute (mild, not vigorous
exercise) for 5 minutes followed by rest for 5 minutes. In comparing
the four groups, they found no differences in bubbling between the inactive
during decompression groups and no difference between the active during
decompression groups. However, there was a statistically significant
difference between the inactive during the bottom time and the active
during decompression groups, showing a much lower risk of decompression
illness,, i.e., exercise during decompression reduced bubbles and reduced
the risk of decompression illness. However, exercise during decompression
does not mean you can decrease your decompression time. (
From a presentation at the Great Lakes Chapter of the Underwater Hyperbaric
Medical Society by Louis Jankowski, PhD, Professor at McGill Universities
in Clinical Exercise Physiology. He is also a NAUI Course Director.)
Irian
Jaya and Elsewhere, with a Discount
December 19, 2001
Visit some very unusual waters on a superb liveaboard, a 115-foot all
wooden vessel with a spiffy crew that accommodates up to 16 divers and
specializes in underwater photography (E6 processor, camera workstations,
and 110/220V charging tables). Kararu Dive Voyages told us they
will give a 10% discount for Undercurrent
readers on cruises to three Indonesian destinations. Most unique:
a 9-night cruise (Feb 27- March 8) to Northwest Irian Jaya (which splits
the island with Papua New Guinea) with photographer Jim Watt (National
Geographic) who will present slides on his photographic techniques and
advise anyone who wants to produce the best of images. (Looking
for undived waters? You've got it. Irian Jaya is one of the world's
last pristine areas for marine and terrestrial wildlife with some of
the world's least explored islands. There's only one primitive land-based
operation around the entire province, so this is the only way to discover
it.)
If not this, then a 12-night cruise from Alor west by Flores and Komodo
and back to Bali (March 16 - 28 ) or a 7 night cruise from Bali to Komodo
and back to Bali (May 23-May 30). Sailing and diving back through the
Alor Strait and on through the Komodo National Park back to Bali, offers
the opportunity of diving some of the most varied marine habitats in
Indonesia. Larry Tackett and Denise Nielson Tackett will join the vessel
as photo pros on the May trip. Two exceptional photographers, they will
lecture on marine life and share their experience with those who want
it. A good write up in the 2002 Chapbook tells it all
about Kararu. To get more information and sign up, visit their website
at www.kararu.com
and email them at info@kararu.com
-- to get your discount, tell them Undercurrent sent you.
Small Hope Update
December 19, 2001
The folks at Small Hope Bay in the Bahamas tell us they are up and
running after Hurricane Michelle beat up on them. They are currently
diving from the Coakley House in Fresh Creek, 2 miles from Small Hope,
where they have built a new dock. "The beach patio area and solarium
are fine, now that we have done a bit of rebuilding. The office and
glass room did sustain damage, but are now as good as new. Actually
we got quite a bit of extra sand courtesy of 'Michelle'. Our beaches
are bigger and better than ever." http://www.smallhope.com.
(Note to the staff: please replace your funky rusty bikes with some
that will get people a good bit of exercise. But, we're not picking
on you. Half the resorts who advertise bikes offer a couple of junkers,
hardly enough to energetic guests).
560
Pages of Honest Reviews about 375 Dive Resorts and Liveaboards
December 19, 2001
That's what you'll get if you become a
subscriber to the print version of Undercurrent. The
560 page 2002 Travelin' Diver's Chapbook -- which came
off the press on December 14 -- is yours, FREE, if you sign
up now.
-- Ben
Davison,
editor/publisher
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