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Misc. Article
New Depth World Record: 318.25m
A diver in South Africa has broken the world depth record for SCUBA.
On Friday, June 10, Nuno Gomes of South Africa dove to a depth of 318.25m (1,044 feet), breaking the 2003 record of 313m held by Mark Ellyatt. This was Gomes' second attempt at this world record - failing on his first attempt last year due to equipment failure.
The 52 year old engineer took 20 minutes to get down to that depth, and 12 hours to ascend.
Gomes now holds 2 world records: Deepest Sea dive and Deepest Cave Dive.
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Resort Review
CoCo View Resort (Hotel Review) - Roatan, Honduras
Hotel Name: CoCo View Resort
Address: CoCo View Resort, Roatan, Honduras
Phones:
Reservations: 1-800-510-8164
Physical Resort: 011-504-455-7500 or 011-504-455-7461
Email: ccv@cocoviewresort.com
Website: http://www.cocoviewresort.com
Type of Resort: Moderate - All Inclusive
Cost: (per night): $121.43/night per diver (includes meals, diving, room)
Check-in: 7/10
Comments on Check-in: Check-in was quick. They had staff waiting for us that took us to our room, and pointed to things (main office, lunch area) on the way. It almost seemed too quick. We just didn't get very much info and were left with some questions. Once escorted to our room, we found various forms on our bed waiting for us, but had little to no direction of where to deliver them. You could definitely infer what needed to be done, but I didn't feel overly welcomed or informed. Granted, we didn't have to stand in line to check-in, and our luggage had been delivered to our room, we felt that for a smaller resort, the check-in could have been a little friendlier.
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Dive Op Review
NEKTON BELIZE ~ March 12-19th 2005
I have been diving for over 10 years. This was my first "liveaboard" trip. I was very exited. I was going with a good buddy Divemaster named "Larry" and his "instructor" Buddy named Joe.
Continental offers a direct flight for me from Newark to Belize and even though we were 1/2 hr late departing, we quickly made it up in the air. Customs was a breeze entering.
We waited for the van for Nekton to pick us up and were met by Jeff, a young college student aged lad. Alex, the driver, picked up our bags and kept us company while we wated for the next plane to arrive an hour later... Not very cool , considering it was 90 + degrees out... SO I waited in the van..Nice and cool in there. They weren't making multiple runs to the airport as Gas prices were recently hiked.
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Dive Op Review
Dive Safaris (Dive Op Review) : St. Maarten
Dive Op Name: Dive Safaris
Address: Bobby's Marina, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, NA.
Phone: 011-599-545-3213
Email: divesafaris@caribserve.net
Website: http://www.diveguideint.com/divesafaris
http://www.thescubashop.net
http://www.divestmaarten.com
Staff Rating: 8.5/10
They, like most modern dive shops hire divemasters from around the world. They all seamed excited about diving and tried to be as courteous and accommodating as possible
They do a lot of cruise ship divers and if you don't let them know your interest they tend to point out the same eels, lobsters, stingrays and scorpion fish over and over, but they can be very helpful in helping find the stuff you are interested in (for me I'm on a macro kick). Sometimes it may be better to go out on the second boat and sometimes the first. If you are spending several days there talk to them they are very accommodating.
[ 1 Comment(s) ]
Resort Review
Divi Little Bay (Hotel Review) : St. Maarten
Hotel Name: Divi Little Bay
Address: Box 961 Little Bay Road
Phone: 011-599-54-22333 Toll free 1-800-367-3484
Email: divilittlebay@diviresorts.com
Web Site: http://www.divilittlebay.com/divilittlebay/resort.asp
Type of Resort: Moderate-All Inclusive (Economy, Moderate, Luxury, All-Inclusive)
Check in Rating: 3/10
We checked in just before Midnight and the person on duty couldn't find our reservations. After bumbling around a while he pulled his manager from the back office. Everything was confusing and they didn't try to communicate anything to us, so we just kind of stood there. The only bright side of this confusion was even though we took the cheaper rates "run of house" (their choice of room) we got nice beach view rooms.
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Tips & Tricks
Insurance: H2O or DEPP? Neither!!
Recently I bought some extra camera equipment, and decided to add up my total scuba equipment value. Over the past 3 years I have bought over $8,000 in scuba equipment!!
Since I am a DAN member, I decided to get a quote from their equipment insurance company, H2Oinsurance.com. My quote came to over $240.00/yr.
After a bit of investigation, I found that DEPP is another popular provider, and a post on Scuba Board asked for insurance comparisons between DEPP and H2O. Someone wondered about adding a provision to their homeowners policy to cover their equipment. One poster came in and offered up a new option... a State Farm Personal Articles policy.
I easily chose State Farm. Read on to see why.
[ 3 Comment(s) ]
Trip Report
Wreck Diving in North Carolina
Note: I began this report nearly two years ago but experienced some computer difficulties and set it aside were it was forgotten. I recently ran across a backup file and decided to finish and post it.
Steve
North Carolina June 2003
Although I had never really considered North Carolina as a dive destination I had read of the many wrecks located in the area. It was really my wife's idea she knows someone going to school there and wanted to check it out, of course she had no problem convincing me to go when I found out we would be right on the beach.
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Gear Review
RECALL: Uwatec 1995 Aladin Air X NitrOx Dive Computers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), UWATEC AG, of Hallwil, Switzerland, is voluntarily recalling about 390 dive computers manufactured in 1995 and sold under the model name Aladin Air X NitrOx . Software in the dive computers may inaccurately calculate desaturation times, resulting in possible decompression sickness under aggressive dive conditions.
UWATEC AG has received five reports of decompression sickness allegedly associated with the use of the 1995 dive computers.
This recall involves Aladin Air X NitrOx dive computers manufactured in 1995. The manufacture date is located on the back of the dive computer, in the lower right hand corner. The date code reads the number of the month followed by a decimal point and the year, for example, "01.95." The dive computers are blue and black with the words "Aladin" and "NitrOx" printed across the front. Aladin Air X NitrOx dive computers with date codes other than "95" are not included in this recall.
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Gear Review
RECALL: Cressi-Sub BC's
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of product: Cressi-sub Buoyancy Compensators
Units: About 1,000
Distributor: Cressi-sub USA, of Westwood, N.J.
Manufacturer: Cressi-sub S.p.A., of Genoa, Italy.
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Addict Giveaway
Free Scuba Addict Stickers!
For all of our members, I have FREE Stickers!
These are just a hair over 4"x5", and are full color. 
There is one catch. You need to send me a self addressed stamped envelope. Make sure the self addressed envelope is at least 4 1/8 inches by 5 1/8 inches so I dont have to fold the sticker (Most business letter envelopes are 4 1/4" which will work fine)
Members can see the address in the left column (under Bender). I will send your stickers the same day I get your envelope!
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