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Scubapro Recalls Some Aladin Square Computers
The Ocean's Experts Subscribe to Us; Why Don't You?
Have You Experienced Age Discrimination on a Dive Trip?
A Great Dive Site . . . in Texas Waters
What You're Missing in this Month's Issue
Got Some Good Photos of Albacore and Skipjack Tuna?
A New Liveaboard in the Solomons
Deep: A Fascinating Read
How is Climate Change Affecting the Reefs?
Watch Out for Lionfish Stings
Compasses and Quick-Connection Mounts May Not Mix
Coming Up in Undercurrent

Scubapro Recalls Some Aladin Square Computers:  September 19, 2014

Scubapro announced a recall of 204 Aladin Square dive computers, sold between March and June, because they pose a risk of decompression sickness to divers using them. After receiving four reports that the computers leaked and stopped working, Scubapro determined that there was fiber contamination on some circuit boards used in a single production lot (they say there have been no accidents or injuries). Aladin Square computers with serial numbers ending in 003 should go back to an authorized Scubapro dealer for a free replacement. The serial number is stamped in white on the back of the computer, and printed on labels affixed to the back and side of the packaging. For more information, go here, or call (877) 467-6675.

The Ocean's Experts Subscribe to Us; Why Don't You?:  September 19, 2014

Duane Silverstein is executive director of Seacology, which helps protect island habitats by offering villages a unique deal: if they agree to establish a marine reserve, Seacology provides funds for something the village needs, like a schoolhouse or health clinic. It was a joy to get an e-mail from Silverstein that he had just renewed his Undercurrent subscription. "It has been very helpful over many years, both for me as a diver and for Seacology." Join the pros who know about the oceans -- and get many of their news and tips from us. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Subscribe now here.

Have You Experienced Age Discrimination on a Dive Trip?:  September 19, 2014

While on a cruise aboard Royal Caribbean earlier this year, subscriber Jon Cheris (Wellsville, PA) learned that that the cruise line has maximum age and weight restrictions for booking dive trips. "The cruise line will not let you book if you are too 'old,' he wrote us. "Their maximum age limit ranges from 60 to 80, depending upon the country." So that got us wondering - are there dive operators that discriminate, consciously or not, against senior divers? Have you had an experience with a dive boat or resort that made you feel "too old?" If so, what happened, and what did you do about it? Send me your stories at BenDDavison@undercurrent.org

A Great Dive Site . . . in Texas Waters:  September 19, 2014

Ah, Texas -- oil wells, armadillos, Tex-Mex food, cowboys and coral reefs. Yes, coral reefs. While there are fine beaches, Texas is not a destination for shore divers. To get to the state's best diving, you must travel 111 miles east/southeast to the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary. And just as great: you get to do seven dives in 27 hours for just $645. Read our travelin' diver's review of the MV Fling from this month's issue - available on /

What You're Missing in this Month's Issue:  September 19, 2014

Ocean Hunter III, Palau: a rival to Raja Ampat for marvelous diving . . . the Indonesian island that's banning liveaboards from its waters . . . the dangers above the surface while on a dive trip . . . Hawaii snorkeler dies in rough waters: should his boat have gone out that day? . . . a fascinating read about freediving and big-animal behavior underwater . . . Air Fiji's snafu in the Solomon Islands . . . why you should stand up and speak out against fish-mauling divemasters . . . and much more.

Got Some Good Photos of Albacore and Skipjack Tuna?:  September 19, 2014

The Pacific Northwest Underwater Photographic Society wants to hear from you. We got an e-mail from the society's chief, Dan Clements, who wrote, "We have been contacted by a company interested in purchasing photos or videos of albacore and/or skipjack tuna. If you have in-water images of these fast-moving fish contact me at dan@e-Clements.com, and we will put you in touch with the company doing this project."

A New Liveaboard in the Solomons:  September 19, 2014

Solomon Island Dive Expeditions (SIDE) just launched the MV Solomon Star, a recentlyrefitted, steel-hulled catamaran, and is scheduling trips to the Florida Islands, Russell Islands and exploratory trips throughout the Central Province of Solomon Islands. Prices for a seven-night expedition start from $2,415, but SIDE is offering savings of up to $600 for the remainder of its 2014 trips. For more details, visit http://www.solomonsdiving.com . Should you book a trip, please file a reader report so we can share it with your fellow subscribers.

Deep: A Fascinating Read:  September 19, 2014

"Scuba diving is like driving a four-by-four through the woods, without your widows up, air conditioning on, music blasting . . . You're not only removed from the environment, you're disrupting it." When writer James Nestor heard this from a freediving researcher, he didn't disagree. So he overcame his fear of freediving, learned to go long and deep, and produced a fine new book, Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Oceans Tells Us about Ourselves, that any active or armchair scuba diver will surely relish. Nestor, a fine journalist (he has written for Outside, Men's Journal and the New York Times) with a keen eye, has produced the best underwater-focused book since Shadow Divers a decade ago. It's a fine adventure, and a thrilling ride all the way from the surface down to 28,000 feet, and back. Order it through us and you'll get Amazon's best price -- and our profits will go to save coral reefs.

How is Climate Change Affecting the Reefs?:  September 19, 2014

Just take a look at the Florida Keys. Late-summer water temperatures there were warmer by nearly two degrees Fahrenheit in the last several decades compared to a century earlier, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey. "Our analysis shows that corals in the study areas are now regularly experiencing temperatures above 84 degrees during July, August and September; average temperatures that were seldom reached 120 years ago," said Ilsa Kuffner, the study's lead author. "When corals are exposed to water temperatures above 84 degrees, they grow more slowly and, during extended exposure periods, can stop growing altogether or die." The study indicates that August is consistently the month when Florida's ocean temperatures peak.

Watch Out for Lionfish Stings:  September 19, 2014

Divers are making enormous efforts to reduce the mass of lionfish in Atlantic and Caribbean waters, but a can-do attitude and gloves can't prevent lionfish from defending themselves with their painful stings. Here's a report from the director of Cozumel's hyperbaric chamber about which divers are getting stung by lionfish, how and where, and what treatments work best. Read it free of charge at /

Compasses and Quick-Connection Mounts May Not Mix:  September 19, 2014

Pony bottle holder kits are handy in emergencies when divers need a quick tank-to-tank move, but Peg Hart (Beaufort, NC) found out they could wreak havoc on a diver's compass. "I got one of those new magnetic pony tank regulator gizmos, but if you dive with a compass, its magnet impacts your compass when the two are closer than 18 inches. My husband and I were headed in from a dive, and he was 90 degrees off my heading. Then we luckily realized what was going on. Don't buy these things if you dive with a compass -- too dangerous." Our veteran dive gear tester, John Bantin, agrees. "Yup, putting a large magnet, as used in some of these quick-disconnection mounts, in close proximity to a magnetic compass will completely negate its usefulness. Even trying to use a compass while diving on a steel wreck will prove it to be inaccurate."

Coming Up in Undercurrent:  September 19, 2014

Our undercover travelin' divers review diving in the Red Sea, Indonesia, Fiji and more . . . a new device to make freediving safer . . . why you should research weather conditions before you book a dive trip . . . more of John Bantin's advice on picking the right liveaboard for your needs . . . should a diver's certification certificate last forever?. . . and much more.

Ben Davison, editor/publisher
Contact Ben

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Note: Undercurrent is a registered 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization donating funds to help preserve coral reefs. Our travel writers never announce their purpose, are unknown to the destination, and receive no complimentary services or compensation from the dive operators or resort.

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