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

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

Eric Keibler

by

Scuba In Your Home Begins

Remote Classroom Session is About to Begin

Last evening we began our Scuba in Your Home series with an Advanced Open Water program utilizing our Virtual Classroom so students could attend from their secret bunkers around Texas. Oceanic Ventures has operated this virtual classroom for a number of years but we have used it primarily for technical diver training for students located outside of the Houston area.

But with the onset of the COVID-19 situation, we are expanding its use to our other diving programs. The water in the area is still cold so we aren’t missing on any diving yet and when the water warms up, we should be past this current shelter in place order. So, the students are getting a bit of a jump on the season.

We are offering a range of classes through our Scuba In Your Home Program. Some of the classes are Navigation, Night Diving, Search & Relocation, Nitrox, Deep Diver, Stress & Rescue, Science of Diving and Dive Guide. We will be adding some additional classes over the next few weeks. You can see the schedule for the rest of the week by going here. If you missed a session, no problem, we can help you make it up. This is a fun way to keep thinking about diving while you are staying at safe at home.

To receive more information on a program or to enroll in a program just call or email Dive Mom and she will open the on-line learning educational materials and send you the link for the virtual classroom.

by

Lunch & Learn Sessions

Need something relaxing and entertaining to take you mind off the day or to keep your younger divers entertained? The we have the perfect solution — our exclusive Lunch & Learn sessions are back! Come spend an hour with us and learn something more about the underwater world.

DayTimeProgramDescription
Monday1:00 – 2:00Turtle EcologyHave you ever wanted to know more about turtles?  Come join us and learn more.
Tuesday1:00 – 2:00Reef Fish IdentificationHave you ever wanted to know the name of a fish?  Maybe you want to know how to find out.  Join us as we discuss how to identify fish underwater.
Wednesday1:00 – 2:00Sharks!Sharks are more than Jaws, come find out more about these spectacular creatures
Thursday1:00 – 2:00CoralsCorals are more than meets the eye, come see what you may have been missing.
Friday1:00 – 2:00Wreck Diving
& Exploration		Join Eric as he discusses what it is like to dive and explore underwater wrecks underwater,

The Lunch and Learn sessions are free for Club Aquarius Social Club members. Please RSVP with Dive Mom to receive your code and instructions for our Virtual Classroom. If you can, please let us know by Sunday which sessions you would like to attend so we can plan for it.

Not a member yet? You can join here.

by

You Can Count on Us!

We are in the life support business and you’re the health and safety of our clients and staff are always a priority to us and that will not change as we monitor the COVID-19 situation. Our role and responsibility during this time is the ensure the health and well-being of all who visit our facility, while also supporting local health officials and government leaders as they work to lessen the impact of the virus.


We are taking an active role in keeping our clients and staff safe. We care for our staff and always want them to stay home when they are sick, especially now. We know that frequent handwashing is important and our staff are participating in washing their hands frequently with soap for at least 20 seconds and rinsing and drying thoroughly with a single use paper towel. We encourage our clients to do the same here and at home.


We have set out hand sanitizers throughout the facility and we will be wiping down frequently touched surfaces throughout the day.

We are still offering our programs in our classroom but you may also participate in a course using our virtual classroom in your own home of office. Just ask and we will send you a code to enter the room.


We want everyone to feel comfortable in our facility. We are privileged to serve you and the Texas community and we look forward to seeing you soon.

One if the things we found is that there is a lot of confusion surrounding the Coronavirus. Recently we found a very good video that has the facts about the virus and the whys behind the suggestions for dealing with it. Here is the video we found.

by

Australia is Burning

Everyone has seen the headlines — “Australia is burning!” “Bush Fires Threatening all Areas of Australia” But, what people forget is that Australia is a large country and not all of it is burning! In fact, the fires, while horrible for those people living in or near these areas, are only in a small portion of the country. And, like the California fires, they have displaced people and wildlife but once under control, and extinguished, there is new growth coing back almost immediately.

The Australian department of Tourism created a few videos hoping to let people know that things are returning to normal and that they are open and ready for business. Here is one of those videos.

by

New Video – Who We Are

Ann’s round table had an assignment for each of their members — at the meeting you are hosting, you need to tell the group more about what it is you do. In true executive fashion, Ann assembled a team (ok, a team of one additional person) to develop a summary of what Oceanic Ventures does. The following video resulted from that team meeting.

Please shoot over to YouTube and tell us what you think. And, while you are there, please subscribe to the channel.

by

Chef Eric Recommends a Peanut Butter Cup Tart

Ann was bored the other evening and while this is hard to believe, she started watching a cooking show! One receipe that caught my attention was a Peanut Butter Cup tart. It looked just like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup with a crust. And for those of you who know me — I love chocolate! Send me a note about how yours turns out or better yet, bring over a slice! So here is Martha’s recipe (Recipe courtesy of Martha Bakes)…

Make Martha Stewart’s Peanut Butter Cup Tart from the Impressive Chocolate Desserts episode of Martha Bakes.

Yield: Makes one 10-in tart

Course: Dessert
Theme: Family Friendly

Yield: Makes one 10-in tartCourse: Dessert
Theme: Family Friendly

  • Crust:
    • 35 chocolate wafers (8 ounces), broken into pieces
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
    • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
    • Pinch of kosher salt
  • Filling:
    • 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
    • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
    • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
    • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • Pinch of kosher salt
  • Topping:
    • 10 ounces semisweet (55 to 61 percent cacao) chocolate, chopped
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
    • Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)
    • Peanut brittle, chopped, for serving (optional)
  1. Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse wafers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add butter, granulated sugar, and salt; process until well combined. Press mixture firmly into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Bake until crust is fragrant, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
  2. Filling: Sift confectioners’ sugar into a large bowl; set aside. Combine butter, cream, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until butter and peanut butter are just melted. Pour over confectioners’ sugar in bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour into cooled crust and spread to edges with a small offset spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface, and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
  3. Topping: Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat; pour over chocolate mixture. Let stand 5 minutes until chocolate has softened, then stir together with a rubber spatula until emulsified. Let cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until ganache is thick, glossy, and just holds a line but is still pourable, 30 to 40 minutes.
  4. Place tart on a revolving cake stand. Pour ganache into center of tart and carefully spread just shy of the edges. Using a small offset spatula held at an angle, create a spiral pattern in the top of the tart by spinning cake stand while slowly sliding spatula out from the center of the tart to the edge. Let stand at room temperature until ganache has set, about 1 hour. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream and peanut brittle, if desired. Tart is best served the same day but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.