by Jeri L. Curley

We hit the road at O'dark thirty heading north to Crystal River. With each northern mile, the temperature dropped one to two degrees. Even though the GPS kept trying to get us to leave the toll roads, we made it to our destination with enough time to eat breakfast. Early this year, I broke down and bought a newer version of the Olympus Evolt and it didn't quite fit my underwater housing. The only thing that worked was the shutter release -- sort of. It doesn't quite hit full center, so I have to apply ample pressure to trigger the button. After I figured out the proper procedure for hitting the button, I started my paparazzi run at the Manatees. I set my camera to aperture priority, knowing that I wouldn't be able to make any changes mid-stream. I knew also that I'd end up with motion blur on some of my photos because my camera would choose the shutter speed for me. As expected, several shots had motion blur but I was very pleasantly surprised at a few shots that turned out better than I expected. Our day was spent at Kings Spring and Three Sisters where we observed and photographed dozens upon dozens of Manatees and their offspring. We even encountered Federal Law Enforcement Officers in the water who threatened to take away one of our member's camera for allowing the sanctuary line to drift across his hands. Security was tight around the sanctuary this year and there are talks of expanding the "no human" zones. It was a beautiful day and a fabulous experience. We left the water only when our memory cards were full!

(Read more for pictures)

Sharks are crucial to marine ecosystems. They maintain a balance in populations of prey species and keep the ocean healthy by removing ill or diseased animals. They are an important resource supporting local economies through fishing and as an attraction to dive tourists.

A study of reefs in the Northwestern Hawaii Islands found that apex predators, including sharks, comprise over half of the fish biomass compared to less than 10% on reefs that are fished. On the unaltered reefs the sharks are bigger and populations of all species are far greater. Additionally the unaltered reefs are home to a larger variety of other species than regularly fished reefs.

Today, sharks are in a global decline. Overfishing has reduced many shark populations around the world to levels that threaten their continued existence. Shark numbers have fallen by more than 80% in many cases, and the continued existence of some species is at immediate risk in some regions. European sharks are particularly in danger with about one third of the species threatened with extinction.

PADI members have started a new program to raise awareness of this issue called Project AWARE. Down Under Dive Club (DUDC) is supportive of this effort. You will see a new badge placed on the left column of the web site to show this support. Additionally, DUDC encourages members to sign a petition to show support for shark conservation.

The Down Under Dive Club is planning a trip to Fantasy Island Beach Resort in Roatan, Honduras. We have two diver slots left. It is slated to happen Saturday, September 8 - 15, 2012. The non-refundable $150 deposit should already be in to reserve your spot. There will be three additional payments of $550. The first payment is due February 28. The package will include air travel from Miami, FL. It will also include meals, drinks, and an airport shuttle to/from the resort. It will include 3 daily boat dives, one night dive, and unlimited shore dives. Nitrox is available for the boat dives for an extra fee of $100 for the trip. The resort offers complimentary Internet access.

For more information, contact Vicky Spang ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ). She needs the proper full name as it appears on the passport for each person going, now. Several members can offer first-hand testimonials about the excellent diving and beautiful resort facilities.

Save the Manatee Club (SMC) has a report on the manatees congregating at Blue Spring State Park and Tampa Electric Company's Manatee Viewing Center. They also mention that a  relatively mild winter is certain to improve things for manatees after too cold Florida winters took a severe toll on the population.

They are also suggesting a novel Valentine's Day present: use Adopt-A-Manatee program as a gift. Tax-deductible gift adoptions from Save the Manatee Club cost $25 and include a color photo, biography, and adoption certificate of the manatee who is chosen. Also included is a fact-filled membership handbook, subscriptions to the Club’s official quarterly newsletter, The Manatee Zone, and the bi-monthly e-newsletter, Paddle Tales, and a year’s membership in Save the Manatee Club. A personalized Valentine’s Day gift card comes with each adoption, and shipping is free within the United States. An 8-inch manatee plush toy is included with every gift adoption of $35 or more.

Save the Manatee Club (SMC) has installed webcams at Blue Spring State Park. The webcams allow millions of people around the globe to witness the manatees and hear SMC's conservation message.

Support for the webcams was made possible by a donation to SMC as a memorial gift in honor of the late Mrs. Norma Norton, a Florida resident who cared deeply for manatees.

This is the story of a diver told in cartoon and song.

Recently Jim Abernethy had a dive trip to the Bahamas. It resulted in a wonderful video from the trip.

Each year, U.S. Fish & Wildlife has increased restrictions on Manatee encounters because of a few unthinking people. YouTube video of a diver riding a Manatee prompted the restriction allowing your head to go under the surface to take a photo. Last year, Jeri Curley was told that the number of tickets handed out had doubled. These may very well be the last years of legally snorkeling with the giant, gentle creatures. She will be setting up two dates for our snorkel encounters. We will be heading up to Crystal River again to snorkel with the Manatees. This year will feature two trips (January 28 and February) to ensure that we have a chance to snorkel with them. Space is limited so sign up early. For more information, contact Jeri Curley ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).

Randy Jordan of Emerald Charters, who spoke to our club in 2010, made news recently. This time it was not for his Lion Tamer invention or other efforts in fighting the invasive species. He discovered a World War II aircraft deep underwater. This aircraft settled below recreational depths at 185 feet. There is still some research to determine what particular wreckage was found, but The Palm Beach Post reports that some progress has been made. Those technical divers willing to explore the aircraft, pay heed to this quote from that article:

"Any disturbance to a sunken Navy ship or aircraft wreck requires a permit under the Sunken Military Craft Act of 2004," Neyland wrote.