Long time no blog! Sorry.

I know it's been a while since I last posted a blog but with spring break and restocking the store for summer, I have been so busy.  The only trips we have gone on was West Palm for a dive to Shark Canyon with Jim Abernethy Scuba Adventures.

We had a great group come with us and I met a few new divers that actually made a video of this dive.  It's posted on you tube but click the link below and you can see it straight from here:

Click Here to See Shark Canyon

I was a great time for some of our divers that made this trip.  A few had never dove in the ocean before, so they were a bit afraid BEFORE they entered the water.  Our first dive was on the Princess Anne, which was a wreck dive.  It was definitely an Advanced dive to about 100 feet.  This was our introduction to the ocean. LOL  Everyone had a great first dive and most of the butterflies were gone.  After our students get certified, since we only go into the fresh water springs, the first dive in the ocean is usually very intimidating. 

With the first dive of the day down, everyone had time for for drinks, snacks and some fresh pineapple.  The seas weren't very calm and we had two or three seasick divers but were ready to get back into the water, with or without the sharks.  All of us got geared back up and went into the water at Shark Canyon.  Immediately we descended with sharks swimming along the bottom.  As we got down the the theater, which is the location where all of the divers take a knee, we were surrounded by Reef Sharks, Black Tips and a Nurse Shark.  We all lifted off the bottom and continued on the drift dive.  Once we left the theater, the sharks didn't have any interest in us.  As we all made our ascent and got back onto the charter boat, everyone had an excitment about them.  Diving with the sharks had a wonderful impact on all of the divers.  Instead of being filled with fear, everyone had an exciting feeling inside and diving with the sharks, made them all understand how majestic these creatures really are.

Our next dive adventure is coming up on April 21st.  Be sure to check back with us to see what other exciting adventures we blog about.

Happy Diving!!!

February West Palm Beach Check-out dives.

This was a great dive.  Of course we went out with Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventure out of Lake Park, FL and everyone was absolutely awesome! 

We had two groups diving this weekend.  One group, all experienced divers and then a group of students.  The veteran divers were in the first group and followed their guide Lindsey.  Ryan and I had the students and other divers that were doing their first ocean dive since being certified.  We were in group two and our guide was Brian.

The first dive site was on "The Toy Box" which drifted to "The Playpen".  We dropped in and started our decent down to the 60ft bottom.  Ryan and I had our plan and it worked just as we thought.  We had five students in our group and from past experiences, we knew that the guys would probably have no problem equilizing, so I took them down.  They made it down with little effort and as soon as Vince, Roger and Blaine were settled, we immediately did their last Open Water skill which was a mask removal and replacement.   Our dive guide, Brian, wanted in on that action so he did a removal as well and everyone laugh.  Ryan had to fix some issues with Tori and Ashley on the surface before bringing them down so I started my group on our way.  The current was a bit of a challenge but everyone pushed through to the north side of the wreck so we could get out of that current.  Once we were on the backside, we were greeted by two lionfish and a couple of the students saw a turtle.  Being their first time in the ocean, they were all very excited.  We started to drift north over the seabed and spotted a stingray swimming by.  As we arrived at "The Playpen" we did a quick air check and we had just enough time the look around a few minutes before we had to make our ascent.

Ryans dive wasn't as eventful.  After he got all the weight situated on the girls, they headed to the bottom.  He could see "The Toy Box" wreck as they floated over it and finally made it to the bottom.  As they slid along the bottom, from the current pushing them, a barracuda swam by and he didn't want to startle Tori and Ashley so he didn't show them but they saw it anyways and didn't react.  They all then came upon a tire on the ocean floor and grabbed it to stop their slide and proceeded with the mask removal and replacement.  They both did great and then they drifted into "The Playpen".  Ryan, at the time, didn't realize that's what they were on.  He thought it was another wreck but didn't know what one.  They tooled around and saw lionfish, snapper, grunts and multiple reef fish. 

On the surface, everyone was excited.  Talking about the dives and everything they saw.  Each comparing with the other.  They all admitted they were a little aprehensive prior to the dive but now they were all excited to be able to get back into the water for the second dive.  Just like the first dive, we seperated into two groups, with the veteran divers in the first group and the rest in the second.  This dive was to "Ron's Rock" and drifted into "Flower Garden", which are two reefs with tons of life.  The first group jumped and started their dive and we were next.  We all were given the ok to "Dive, dive, dive" and this time, everyone got down without a problem.  We were all in buddy groups of two, so we didn't have to ascend on our own and drifted along the reef, making note of eels, turtles and all the different species of fish.

At the end of the dive, role call was made and we all were accounted for.  Smiles all around and we all can't wait for the next time we dive together again.  If you want in on any of our dives, give us a call and we can get you booked for the next trip.  I might blog about you sometime and share your picture with everyone.

Hope you enjoyed reading about our adventure.  Happy Diving!

Time for a Night Dive!

Everyone is getting excited about our night dive coming up on Feb. 11th.  I know a few of our students are looking forward to getting in some Lobster hunting that night.  Night dives are very exciting if you have been 1 time or 100 times.  At first you may get a bit scared but remember, you are going to have your flashlights.  It's kind of like "walking around in the dark outside with a flashlight", per PADI.  We start our dive at dusk so you know where you are in the water as you descend.  The second dive is the best.  You have already been down for the dusk dive and now it's dark.  It's just awesome!

You are sure to see lobsters crawling along the bottom, crabs trying to find a meal and eels swimming along as well.  Most fish try to wedge themselves under a rock to sleep.  (yes fish sleep) The parrot fish put a bubble of mucus around them so they are more difficult for other creatures to eat them.  As you swim along you can see the other divers lights glowing in the distance.  Most of the time, you won't even notice them because you are to busy trying to find different fish and creatures.  If you cover your light and wave your hand in the water, you will see little sparks of light.  That light is caused by phosphorescent plankton bouncing off of each other.  Your own personal fireworks.

If you have never done a night dive or want to with our group one day, give us a call and we can set you up for our next trip.  We will have several pictures posted on our website after the dive so check back in to see all the great stuff we find.

Happy Diving and don't forget to feed the fish up top.  They are hungry little buggers. LOL

A Full Press for Sharks This Year | Project AWARE

A Full Press for Sharks This Year Project AWARE

Another beautiful dive with Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures in West Palm Beach

We headed down on Friday January 6, 2012 and stayed the night at a hotel so we could be bright and early for our dives set for Saturday morning.  Of course, we had the go out for some cocktails and a bit of dinner.  Pina Colada was my choice of drink.  Yummy!

Arriving at the shop around 7:30am, we needed to sign all the required forms before we could get head out for the day of diving.  "The Deep Obsession" is usually our boat of choice.  Our Captain was Jim Harris and crew was Lindsay, Susan and Fran.  We left the dock approximately 8:30am and we were set on a course for "The Corridors".  Upon arrival, all of us got set and ready to dive, dive, dive.  85ft dive and sinking down to our first wreck "The Mizpah" with 50-60 ft visibility.  Two students were doing one of four Wreck Certification dives and this wreck is the perfect one to get to see first.  Goliath Groupers make this wreck, one of the best to get to see first, along with many other fish including; Snapper, Angelfish and a Hawksbill turtle.   Drifting along 'The Corridors" we came upon the next wreck in the line of four.  Multiple variety of fish make this wreck their home and we were glad to get see them.  As we swam along, everyone had different consumptions of air so two by two, everyone went up for our surface interval.

With everyone all accounted for after role call, we proceeded to wait out our surface interval and rehydrate with fresh pineapple and drinks.  It was a beautiful sunny day in West Palm Beach and 76 degrees.  All the students were discussing everything they had seen on that dive.  Two groups from Discover Diving went into the water.  I headed up the first group with the experienced Advanced Open Water divers and Ryan headed up the second group with some of our Open Water students getting there first taste of an ocean dive, needed to get their Advanced Open Water Certificate.  Everyone had an awesome first dive.

As the hour passed, it was time to gear up and drop into our second dive of the day, "Middle Reef".  Lots of ledges and places for sea life to hide.  Before we dropped in, we set up buddy groups, in hopes that we would all have someone to dive with.  Once again, my group dropped in first.  Visibility was dropping to about 30-40ft so once we got into the dive, everyone quickly split up.  It was just AJ and I drifting along.  We passed several spotted eels and a scorpion fish who thought he was cleverly disguised.  Finally caught up with Jack, taking pictures of a 8ft Green Moray Eel swimming around his area.  I had never seen one so big before and he or she was a beautiful sight.  Hopefully, someone got a picture of it so I can post it here.  We ascended and everyone was accounted for once again. 

All of us had our own stories to tell of that dive and we found out one of our students Steven, in the second group, shot a snapper after Ryan stunned him.  That same green moray eel we saw on our way past, was were they shot the snapper.  The moray was very interested in the snapper as well and swam right around Steven's legs.  Probably wanting a free meal. ha ha ha

We made it back to the dock by lunch and unloaded all of our gear.  It was a spectacular day and as always, Abernethy's crew was just as spectacular.  Be on the look out for many more of these dive trips getting set up with them.  They are definitely our go to dive shop for West Palm Beach.  A couple of our divers wanted to stay and do the afternoon dives so Ryan decided to join in on those dives as well.  It has been a while since we had such a great day for diving. 

Happy Diving! 

Hope Everyone Had A Great Christmas!

I know, I know, "Why haven't you posted anything since November 30th?"  Well, I have been busy. LOL

We had a dive trip scheduled for December 11th but that was cancelled due to weather.  The trip was rescheduled for the following weekend, December 18th.  We drove all the way down to West Palm Beach, signed all the release forms, went to the dock, unloaded the truck, loaded the boat and headed out to the 1st dive site.  We got out through the inlet and seas were around 10ft.  We promptly turned around and the captain let us off at Blue Heron Bridge to do a shallow dive.  At least the drive down wasn't a total loss. 

We have some pictures up on our Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDivingDiveCenter

The week before Christmas, we had to get all of our inventory in order before the rush. LOL  Other then that.  It has been pretty uneventful.  We have another dive trip scheduled for January 7th.  This trip is an advanced dive trip with spearfishing allowed.  If you want to join in on the fun, give us a call at the shop and reserve your space before all the seats fill up.  Looks to be a great trip and our last trip down to West Palm for a while.  The rest of January and first part of February are filled with classes so we will be limited on trips, early in the next year.

From all of us, to all of you:  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy Diving.

Christmas Diving Blues

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, celebrating with friends and family.  All of us here at Discover made lots of new memories for this year.  This year was Ryan's first Thanksgiving in his new house.  Made a turkey and everything. LOL  It was a little touch and go there for a couple of hours but it was a great success.  (He did leave one of the bags of gizzards in the bird but don't tell him I wrote that down here).  As for me, the family got together in Ocala where two of my relatives got stuck on a road that is meant to be a service road.  GPS told both of them to take this road but shortly after turning down the, sugar sand road, they were stuck.  To top of the bad to worse, there is no cell phone coverage where we were.  LOL  Yes, it was very eventful but all worked out and had a great family and friends gathering.

With Christmas right around the corner, most of us have had to put diving on hold.  Unhappy face :(  Don't let that stop YOU from diving.  Currently, the dive trip coming up on Sunday, December 4, 2011 going down to West Palm Beach, is full but hopefully we will have another dive trip down to West Palm before Christmas.  So keep up to date with us on trips and let us know you want to go.  Weather permitting, of course. 

Remember, just because it's begining to look (and feel) a lot like Christmas, we are still diving and doing non-diving classes.  Yep, non-diving.  We have a Nitrox, Coral Reef Conservation Specialty and EFR classes scheduled.  We have lots of specials going on this December too.  Just about everything in the shop will have a discount.  Yay!  So come in and take advantage of this before the holidays are over.  Also, remember we have gift cards too, just in case you have no idea what to get your dive buddies this year.

Happy Diving!