Houston's Premier Scuba and Dive Shop Oceanic Ventures Inc.

(713) 523-3483 (dive)
5808 Newcastle Drive
Houston, TX 77401

Archives for August 2014

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Scuba Diving Holiday – Panama City Scuba Diving Trip Update

We’ve made it to Panama City Beach!!   After checking into the hotel, we hit the new oyster bar across the street for a great dinner of oysters, shrimp and the “cheapest beer on the beach”. All of us ate too much and complained that it seems we can’t seem to find fresh seafood like this on our side of the gulf.
This morning we’re off to the famous Vortex Spring for a shake down dive and a picnic. Everyone is excited to cheek out the springs gin clear water and freshwater eels. Well Elizabeth seems more excited about the clear water than the eels.
This afternoon we get to the main event, Viola’s first saltwater dive! Everyone else is also looking forward to great artificial reefs that Panama City Beach has to offer.

As the group’s only photographer, I’ve been charged with getting a new profile picture for everyone’s Facebook account. So hopefully we’ll have so cool pictures to share by the end of the day.

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Off to Fiji, Scuba Diving Adventures in the Pacific.

And so it begins, like any journey it begins with a single step and then an aluminium tube hurtling through the air — going west to the beautiful waters of the Pacific.
Our merry band of travellers met at the Houston Intercontinental Airport to start our trip to the Republic of Fiji. Like almost any trip to the Pacific from Houston, our trip began with United Airlines; fortunately our flight was staffed by a large number of “ex-cons” or former Continental Employees which made it a pleasant flight rather than being trapped with a grumpy flight crew.
As we readied ourselves to be hurled into the sky, we were treated by none other than Captain Ron asking us to sit back and enjoy the ride. I wondered out loud if he was still wearing his eye patch. After an uneventful flight we landed at LAX ready for our baggage hike from the United Terminal to the International a Terminal. This was not altogether a light transfer since Ann and I had six checked bags and carry-ons too.
We are carrying children’s books and other donations for the Holy Cross School in Taveuni Fiji which is celebrating its 150 year anniversary while we are in Fiji. The books were donated by clients to give to the school. One special client donated a new laptop complete with reference software that does not require an internet connection. This was completely unexpected and is a special treat for this special school.
Bags checked, $300 poorer and we are ready for the next aluminum tube to deliver us to Fiji. Racing through the sky, we ate breakfast, dinner, snacks, watched movies (Veronica Mars for me), slept, wandered around, slept so,e more and then all if the sudden lights, and Fiji out the window. We are landing in Nadi. Forms filled out, lines snaked through, bags off the carrousel, more scanning, and the we are discussing our massive amounts of luggage with the customs agent. “Yes mam, scuba equipment and books for the Holy Cross school. No, they do not have much value because they are used. No, we have nothing else to declare (of course there were four bottles of Death’s Door Gin but that was within our allowance.
We finally broke free of the customs hall and then it was off to the domestic terminal for our transfer flight to Taviuni. You should have seen that poor agents face when we showed up with six bags and heavy carry-ons. Not to mention all of the other luggage our other guests had to transport. “We may not be able to get all of this on board; the weather is a little questionable and the pilot is carrying more fuel for the trip”. Hmmm more fuel or luggage interesting choice.
Somehow all of it made it on the plane and we are once again off in an aluminum tube. With turbos humming and blades spinning we are off to Taviuni.
As the island comes into view we are greater with lush green foliage and clear blue water. We pass over the resort with a beautiful sailboat anchored out front. After a beautiful landing we are once again moving massive amounts of luggage from the little counter to a truck and then we are off for a boat that will deliver us to the resort.
We are finally here!!

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Hello from Houston, Scuba Diving in Micronesia, Update 8

Jim With Sharks, photo by Katrina Adams
Jim With Sharks, photo by Katrina Adams
We have been home now for a week and I finally feel like I am back in the right time zone.
We had a fun time in Kosrae and got to experience life as eco-tourists for a week.  Of course, nothing ever really dried out and when I opened my bags, I knew what my Mother felt like when I returned from camp.  Holland laughed when we were talking about it and she said “i added Lysol to the laundry just to make sure that smell went away.”  It seems that when clothing is put away in a travel bag for 30 hours where it was exposed to sun on a runway, the belly of three jets and who know what else, it takes on a life of its own.  I had to fight the washing machine to just take the clothes — it was not in the mood for cleaning them.
Scuba diving in Kosrae is a little different from other Pacific destinations.  The reefs are made up of lots of hard corals with some soft corals.  My experience in other areas is that the soft corals are more abundant that the hard corals.  One of the more interesting coral formations is a spreading pillar coral which may explain some of the local legends about small cities underwater,
Of course, during my two week absence, Dive Mom saved up a lot of tasks for me including the bill paying and inventory functions of Oceanic Ventures and Eric and Ann, Inc.  This meant that I had a lot of accounting to do — which I hate.  I also have a lot of other demands on my time from students and clients needing equipment and a schedule for training.  Life just does not go on hold while traveling in the Pacific.
I have over 500 photographs from my stay in Kosrae to process and ??  I will be posting some of those soon.  I know that Holland and Steve have been working on their photographs from Chuuk because they have been posting them on Facebook.  And I must say, they took some really fun photographs.  I can’t wait to see what they turn in for the Photography Contest.
 
Keep checking back — I leave for Fiji on Thursday!

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Scuba Ranger Edouard Snorkels in Indonesia

edourd brandedDuring their summer vacation in Indonesia, Scuba Ranger Edouard put his snorkeling skills to use and spent a lot of time in the water with his family.  According to Edouard, “it was a blast!!”  His mother even commented that during his adventures he saw turtles for the first time underwater!  Dive Mom was heard saying that she “cant wait to hear more about his adventures at the next Scuba Ranger Club meeting this fall!!” 

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Ann Keibler Wins Award from Cayman Islands Department of Tourism for Adventure Travel

Ann Wins Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Tanks a Lot Promotion
Ann Wins Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Tanks a Lot Promotion
Ann Keibler won first place in the June Tanks a Lot Scuba Diving and travel Promotion which was awarded the end of July.  This is the second time in 2014, Ann has been awarded a prize by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism.  She was also the winner of prizes three times in 2013.  According to Ann, “we are a Cayman Islands Travel Specialist” and we love to send people to go diving there.  It is a fantastic place to go and get away and enjoy some truly spectacular scuba diving.”
Oceanic Ventures is a full service travel company specializing in adventure and scuba diving travel.  “we have contacts all over the world and know how to find the right destination and property for our clients. whether it is a backpacking, rafting type operation or a five star resort we can help you find the right fit.”
According the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, “the ‘T’anks A Lot,’ programme offers monthly cash prizes (up to $365!) and a chance to win the ultimate grand prize: use of a Porsche Cayman for one year to dive operators that show outstanding support for the destination’s dive industry. Renowned as the birthplace of recreational diving, the Cayman Islands is home to 365 diverse dive experiences and is lauded as the Caribbean’s premier dive destination.
According to Cayman Islands Director of Tourism Shomari Scott, the ‘T’anks A Lot’ programme was conceptualized as a fun way to keep dive centres focused on the destination, while at the same time offering a chance to win an exceptional prize. “Diving in the Cayman Islands is an unforgettable and extraordinary experience and we wanted to find an equally unforgettable and extraordinary way to show our appreciation to dive operators who recommend our Islands to their valued clients.  We feel that the chance to drive a Porsche Cayman for 365 days – which reflects our 365 dive sites – will certainly be memorable to the lucky winner and we encourage dive centres across the US to enter before the closing date of October 31st.  Every confirmed booking equals one entry into the grand prize drawing which gives every dive centre whether big or small a chance to win the Porsche.”   
Ann loves helping people and she is not afraid to tell anyone that she fully intends to be driving that Porsche next year!