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

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

Ann Keibler

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Adventure Travel – Dive Mom's Travel Hints

My TSA defense mechanism or ..don’t let your things be molested in route.

My friend and fellow diver, Lauren has been asking for articles for a newsletter and I have been wanting to write a series of blog posts: “Tips for travelers; from a professional tour leader.” So here is the first in a series of articles for your reading enjoyment ; hopefully with one new idea to aid in your adventures and travels.
I often tell clients, you should be able to travel for 2 days or 2 weeks in only one check bag, a rolling carry-on and purse (i.e. back pack, lap top or camera bag) and still be able to bring with you your total diving system, all the clothes you need for a tropical vacation, and personal items. Remember divers like having their own equipment so, as a “regular traveler” it is even easier to pack!!!

Specter Pack-It Cubes available at Oceanic Ventures
Specter Pack-It Cubes available at Oceanic Ventures


One of the solutions to accomplishing this task is packing cubes; that simple square, or long zippered cloth and mesh bag popularized by Eagle Creek and sold by Oceanic Ventures, Inc. here in Houston. I have found that if all of my items are organized in cubes, tubes, and bags, they tend to arrive “un-molested” and organized. Not only do they provide you organization both in route and once you reach your destination; but you have helped prevent the TSA from handling all of your personal items one at a time. Picture this – the TSA officials all wear gloves. It is to protect themselves, not you. Those gloves do not get changed between “guests”, so they have passed through all your things after handling “42 billion” other travelers that shift. What I have found in both the TSA line in the terminal and in the TSA search of my checked bags, is that items packed in organization cubes, tended to stay in those cubes. At most the cube is handled and patted down, but seldom opened. And now only the cube is touched, not your personals items.
So here is how I use these cubes.
For your rolling carry bag:

  • Standard Cube or Packing Folder- change of clothes, and your night clothes. Fits on one cube.
    Standard Cube – my regulator, bathing suit, diving computer and mask. If you are not a diver, then that cube gets dedicated to the trip purpose; those things critical to the trip purpose.
  • Half Tube Cube or the SAC—all the electronic cords, charges et al
  • Half Tube Cube—left for other things you need.

For your “purse”, i.e. back pack, lap top case or tote bag:

  • Half Tube Cube—personal kit
  • Shoe Bag Cube—for documents
  • Pack-it Sack—the little “back of the seat” bag for long flights. I’ll send you my essentials list although that is a blog in itself! With new inflatable travel pillow (yes, we have those too!!)
  • Covered Half Cube—stack of foreign currency (For international travel to places requiring cash. I love to shop in local markets, and craft centers and that is better done in cash.)
  • Tube Cube—healthy snacks
  • Reusable—empty water bottle

For your checked bag:

  • Cubes—of all sizes and shapes depending on the purpose of travel.

Oceanic Ventures has two display racks of packing items on our small store!!! So here is my promise to you –before your next trip, make an appointment to stop by the store with your list of items you take on your trip. I will send you home with an arm load of packing accessories best suited for your travels. You can  bring back what you don’t need, and we charge you for the ones that you kept that you thought were useful. It is the way I learned to pack—everything went on the guest room bed, and I had brought a stack of organizers home from the store. Now I have my favorite ones—but somehow each trip I might just add a new one!!!
Enjoy………….Fair Winds and Safe Travels.

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Snakes – Conserving Wildlife and Protecting our World

seth tuba
Seth Providing Dinner Entertainment


Recently one of my young friends, Seth,  was talking to me about his “history changer project.”  Specifically, Seth’s concern and interest is in snakes.
You might ask, why would Ms. Ann care about snakes? Many of you may not know that I grew up in the desert. The desert I grew up in was the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, which is one of the great deserts of the world. It has a very unique ecosystem that contains a variety of endemic plants and animals, such as the Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) and Organ Pipe cactus (Stenocereus thurberi).

One of the threats to the health of the beautiful Saguaro cactus was people killing snakes. As the snake population decreased, the cactus mouse (which is the size of a field mouse) population increased.  These little mice like to eat holes in the base of the mighty cactus, which is not healthy for the cactus.
From the time I first started hiking and rock climbing in Arizona, I learned that when you saw a rattlesnake, you backed up and went the other way; but it was important you did not kill them.

My friend Seth is trying to protect one of his favorite creatures…the snake. Please look at his History Changer Brochure   Let’s help him spread the word!!!!

Ann Keibler Avatar


 

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The Scuba Diving Neighborhood in Houston

Future Scuba Diver Vanessa Cleaning Windows at Merlot's Barbershop
Vanessa Cleaning Windows at Merlot’s Barbershop

Recently, I drove in the parking lot and watched Vanessa helping her Father get ready for the day’s activities.  She was working hard and having fun in front of Merlot’s Barber Shop, which is a new tenant near the Scuba store and run by master barber, Ronnie.

A New Look for the Scuba Diving Facility and Surrounding Businesses.

Oceanic Ventures has been in the same location for twenty-five years and if you haven’t been here recently, you might not recognize the building.  The West University Office Suites Building was sold last year and the new owners decided the property needed a little improvement.  So they have repainted the building, updated the lighting, put in new landscaping, and re-striped the parking lot.  This biggest change was the actual appearance of the property.  It has gone from the natural red brick facade to an updated, painted white brick.  It was such a change that one of our clients remarked that he “drove right past the building; it just didn’t look like the right place.”

A Real Neighborhood Destination For Scuba Divers and Friends

Oceanic Ventures Scuba Diving Facility in White
The White Building

One of the things that happened since the renovation is the addition of new businesses to the complex.  The older established businesses like Nails by Kim (and Alternations), Mr. K’s Watch Repair, Ruth’s Electrolysis, Ed Wilson (Hypnotherapy) and Republic State Mortgage have been joined by some other small businesses.  The complex now boasts eight hair salons, one barber, two tailors, three nail salons, a formal & bridal dress shop, a watch repair facility, a new watch dealer, a pet acupuncture specialist, a motivational and hypno-therapy counselor and one extra special Scuba Diving Shop.

Why are we excited about all of this activity here?  Well it means that small businesses is alive and well in Houston and are in evidence at 2715 Bissonnet.

So, fellow divers, you can come by and spoil yourself with a manicure and pedicure, get a trim and shave, have your watch battery changed (Mr. K still only charges $5.00 for most batteries in non-dive watches) and come talk about diving while looking at new dive computers all without having to move your car.  And, if you like, we have adult beverages on hand or our friends over at Tony K’s liquors across the street can help you find the right libation for your day at the complex.  And, if you are hungry, remember Pink’s Pizza is across the street!

If you have not been around for a while, come by and see us.  You might even get lucky and find Vanessa cleaning the windows and singing while she works.

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Puffy Clouds in a Blue Sky, Hydrilla Fairy Forests and Fresh Water Sponges – Scuba Diving in Texas

Texas Blue Sky and Puffy Clouds
Texas Blue Sky and Puffy Clouds (c) Ann Keibler

Madison and I decided that a Sunday afternoon at 288 Lake was just what was needed for the holiday weekend. It was a beautiful, picture perfect Texas blue sky day with just the right amount of white puffy clouds. We met on the back side of the lake at Ted’d favorite spot, where he also met us, continuing his work on the mapping project . The water was warm at the surface , 79 or 80 degrees f , and cool but nice 76 at depth. Visibility was awesome, at least two body lengths of Madison, so 12+ feet of clear !! The Hydrilla looked like a “Fairy Forest” dusted with soft powder on each of its star like leaf patterns. And as if each was placed at differing heights to make a perfect arrangement. It reminded me of the opening scene of the recent Oz mneue.
ANN HydrillaWe visited the boat that lives under the big red ball. The very curious blue gill “damsel” fish alternated between farming their algae and staring at us. The eyes are surrounded by a very thin iridescent coral pink colored ring. And they love to come stare at you if are holding still or the also like a nibble or two at your glove. They are occasionally chased away by the perch “barracuda”. It was too warm for the “penguins”. Madison said they had left when the viz was so bad this winter and it was starting to warm. But we did see what we think are the start of several patches of an encrusting light pinkish sponges. It had started to encrust around the wood support on the roof, around the broken out window near the port side cleat, and in one of the exposed cable bands on the aft port  roof. We had never seen a fresh water sponge but are fairly certain that is what is growing there.  The pattern is similar to encrusting sponges, they have the tell-tale mouth holes, and skeletal structure, texture, indicative of a sponge.
All and all it was a good day. We both got two 60 minute dives on one cylinder, swam the lake underwater, found new critters, and enjoyed Madison special lettuce and cheese sandwiches and dark chocolate.
How was your Sunday?
Come visit 288 Lake in June with me and Madison and meet the barracuda and damsel fish.

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Trip Report – Live Aboard Scuba Diving in Belize

Belize Adventurers Photo
The group aboard the Belize Sun Dancer

The Belize Sundancer Adventurers are on their way back to Houston, they are all sad to see their week of fun and adventures being replaced by emails and text messages.  (@#$%& Internet).  But despite the return of reality.  the trip was awesome with 26 dives, and over 35 hours of bottom time for all!!!

Looking back on the week there were some fun things and some memorable notes.  Karen loved her new second strobe, Steve loved his new strobe and tey both have the photos tp [rpve it.  Mike promised to have an awesome YouTube video for us of fish and divers including a feeding octopus on one of the night dives. ( You will have to wait for a future post to see this one — video takes a little time to assemble.)

 Zaide once again ran out of socks to lend everyone…thanks Z!!! (Alex will be stocking up on socks so everyone can have a pair.)  Gordon helped the new divers find their way back to the boat so they could lose track of boat “bus” stop and just enjoy the fish while Kris helped refresh Ann’s memory by looking in her logbook to see if they were correct that they had met the Cpatain, Eddy, on a past trip when he was the dive master of the Bay Island Aggressor when it was moved to Belize especially for our group.

Thinking about Half Moon Wall I found it even more beautiful than I remembered it from my last dive here in 2003.  Sofie arrived with only 6 dives and became an Advanced Open Water Diver on the trip!! Congratulations Sofie!!!  Steve completed his 100th  dive and Bill his 300th dive.  And speaking of Bill, he & Debbie learned to really like their new full face masks.  Bill was even hear to comment that Debbie did not talk as much as he thought she would but he was happy for the communications device when the shark went by; Bill didn’t miss it while he was taking photos of blennies.

Barbara and Barney were first in the water on all of the  dives save for one and met their goal of photographing spotted eagle rays.  Rich was awarded the best buddy for a photographer and he and Steve prompted Ann to offer a Marine Life Id course while on board.

Two cylinder man, John, and Sharkbait Karen were able to finish Ann’s fish-id check list on one dive, at 30 feet under the boat without mneung more than two feet.  Great Lion Fish Hunter Jess assisted by Mike suggessfully removed 35 lionfish from the reefs.  Steve commented that there were more little fish this year and less lion fish.  An autompsy of the lionfish showed why….their favorite meals were sergeant majors, juvineele runners, and gobies.

Chef Jerry feed us wonderful local Belzian dishes, fresh fish or stuffed pork chops, peanut butter chocolate chips bars, fluffy rich cheese cake, and even turkey dinner.  Karim, John Eddie and Jerry lead the dives, photographed the fish and the guests, and waited at the ladder for up to an hour for each guest to get out of the water after leading dives just to help take off our fins and hand up equipment.  Waiting at the “bus stop” for the hang bar to swing was almost as much fun the ride the bar for the safety stop.

The comment after tubing sums up the week: “Where are we going next year?”   This says it all…great time, good friends, aweomse crew, memorable vacation.

My only comment is why wait until next year?