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

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

Eric Keibler

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Red Hat Day 2023

NOAA’s Marine Sanctuaries established Red Hat day as a way to celebrate our oceans and one of the people who introduced many of us to the “hidden world.” According to the Marine Sanctuaries personnel, “on June 25, 1997, the ocean lost a great advocate—Jacques Yves Cousteau. Rather than mourn the loss, we choose to celebrate the inspiration he provided to many of us in the field of ocean conservation today. Red Hat Day is now a National Marine Sanctuaries tradition. It’s a day to remember the wonderful films that gave us our first glimpses beneath the waves; the hypnotic, French-accented narrations that described the beauty of the underwater world; the new technology that made the ocean that much more accessible to future generations.“

So, like our friends at the Flower Gardens Marine Sanctuary, the staff at Oceanic Ventures celebrates our oceans and the awareness Jacques Cousteau helped create through his televison shows, movies and articles.

Here is our tribute for 2023…

Thank you to everyone who participated!

It is hot in Houston and getting people to pull out their watch caps in the summer takes some special persuading. We want to thank everyone who participated. We have a great staff and a lot of friends. You will notice a photo from Carla Durand from the El Presidente Intercontinental Hotel in Cozumel, Jona Dabocol from Master Liveaboards in the Philippines, Jesse Cancelmo, a professional photographer from Houston and Andrew Trent a sailor from Florida and the Bahamas.

Remember, if you want to participate, please send me your red had photo and I will add it…

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Memorial Day 2023

As we approach the Memorial Day Holiday, let’s remember those who fought and died for the freedom we enjoy everyday. These men and women believed in this country and paid a price to help assure that it survives. It is up to those of us here to assure their sacrifice is not forgotten and for us to do what we can to assure that freedom remains alive for future generations. We have a lot of things happening both on a local level and a national level as well as an international level that challenge our beliefs and liberty. And while we may not agree on all of the details, we all agree that freedom is important and that it is worth fighting for.

So take a moment this weekend to thank those who dreamed of being free or tyranny and established these United States; thank those who sacrificed it all to maintain that dream. And then enjoy your weekend living that dream.

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The Master Liveaboard BBQ Nothing but Fun!

If you watched the email or checked the calendar we has a really fun event. Mark and Alex, from Master Liveaboards, came into Houston for a visit and we all thought it would be fun to have a BBQ party in the backyard! And, that is exactly what we did.

The Menu for the evening included:

  • Indonesian Sambal Chicken,
  • Philippine BBQ Pork,
  • Sambal Tempe
  • fragrant rice,
  • grilled vegetables,
  • Green Beans steamed with with Thai chilies and lemon grass, and
  • Treebeard’s Butter Cake

Steve Jurbala, our own distiller, provided us with dome Boquerón Rum cocktails to go with the dinner menu.

Mark and Alex got the opportunity to tell some stories, talk about diving and invite people to go diving on one of their awesome dive vessels.

Want to see how the party went? Click on the video below…

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March 2023 Auction

If you missed the party with Alex and Mark from the Masterfleet you missed an awesome event. But if you attended, you may remember that we had some auction items but Sam and Dive Mom forgot to set out the bid sheets. So, everything is still up for auction until March 31, 2023!

So, how do you win one of the items? It is simple, think about your bid, send Dive Mom an email with “Bid for an awesome item “ along with the item description in the subject line and tell her what you would like to bid for the certificate or one of the other items. . So you know, there is a reserve on some of the items and Dive Mom cannot tell you what others are bidding. The bidding period opens 1 March 2023 and ends 31 March 2023.

Here are the items that are available for you to bid on…

Mark & Alex have donated a Gift Certificate that can be used for future bookings on trips or for on-board purchases. This is your opportunity to get a head start on future dive travel — remember we said new and future so this excludes our current year’s travel destinations. But what a way to jump into 2024!

Donated by Master Liveaboards  – Value $1,000

Dive Mom I want to enter a bid!

Mark Austin Streetlight Bowl

Previously on display in Houston galleries, Mark Austin’s hand-crafted glass bowls will bring a flare to your home with its coral-like design and one-of-a-kind shape! Mark Austin’s unique bowls are creatively made from melted down streetlights!

Donated by Mark Austin – Value $275

Dive Mom I want to enter a bid!

Boquerón Caribbean Rum Bundle

It’s always a tropical if you’re stocked with Boquerón. Now, pickup a snazzy guayabera shirt to go along with it! Choose from a shirt size of MD, Lg or XL. Includes rum, shaker, and guayabera.

Donated by Steve & Barbara Jurbala- Value $65

Dive Mom I want to enter a bid!

Hand-woven Native Filipino Basket and Plate

The Philippines is bursting with traditions, experience it with this hand-weaved plate. The basket weaving of the Philippines is a lost art, akin to highly sought-after Navajo weaving. Sporting a beautifully intricate pattern, this set will bring a natural feel to any home.

Donated by Ann & Eric Keibler – Value $85

Dive Mom I want to enter a bid!

Solomon Island Money Necklace

The money necklaces of the Solomon Islands are not only beautiful, they’re also a form of payment! The shell currency of the Solomon Islands has been used in the region for hundreds of years. It began as a traditional  form of dowry, peace offerings, and also to be used as payments.

Donated by Oceanic Ventures Inc. – Value $100

Dive Mom I want to enter a bid!

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I was a diver BC and I am ready to go diving

So you were a diver “BC” (i.e. before children) and your children are now old enough that you would like to start diving again, right?  So what do you need to do to jump back into the water?  Well, the answer is not as straight forward as it might sound. 

What is the condition of my equipment?

The first thing to find your old equipment to see what is useable and what needs to be donated to the Smithsonian Museum.  Ok, maybe it is not that old, but, you need to determine if the seals and straps need to be replaced.  You may also want to look carefully at that wetsuit you have.  I have found that they seem to shrink in the closet, especially over the Thank and Christmas holidays.  Next, see if everything fits and if your mask seals on your face. 

Silicone tends to get harder as it ages so you mask may not seal the way it used to because the silicone is not as pliable.  A lot of people decide to get a new mask because the newer ones are low volume (reduced internal airspace) and tend to be more comfortable.  And while you are at it, you may want to look at a new snorkel with a purge valve instead of the simple “J” tube model in your bag.  Next examine your boots and fins. 

If you had your own air delivery system (regulator) it will need to be serviced.  Bring it in to your local dive shop (i.e. Oceanic Ventures) and let them help you decide if servicing is the best option or it trading it in towards a new unit would be more cost effective.  Remember, a unit stored for long periods of time may require more maintenance to bring it back to service and there are some models that can no longer be serviced.  The same thing goes for your Buoyancy Control Device.  It needs to be serviced as well.

Did you have a computer?  Some early models had volatile memory which means if the battery goes completely dead, they lost their programming.  If this is the case, changing the battery will not help, it has been “bricked.”  Other models had soldered batteries and they cannot be changed any longer.  But don’t despair, you can trade it in towards a new unit.

Just one comment on wetsuits.  Modern wetsuits are much more flexible and fit better than older suits.  Additionally, there are some other materials you may want to look at that provide warmth but don’t add buoyancy.

Did my certification expire?

Technically, diving certifications do not expire.  But, from a practical perspective, if you have not been diving in a while, reputable operators will require that you do at least a Scuba Skills Update or a scuba refresher.

The latest trend is to offer a staggered refresher depending on the length of time you have been out of the water.  Here is the breakdown for these programs:

  • Less than 2 Years – Scuba Skills Update program
    • · Online Educational Materials (Scuba Skills Update)
    • · Academic review session
    • · Open Water Skills Review in the pool
  • 3-5 Years – Scuba Skills Update program
    • · Online Educational Materials (Scuba Skills Update)
    • · Academic review session
    • · Open Water Skills Review in the pool
  • 5-7 Years – ReStart Diving Scuba Skills Update Program
    • · Online Educational Materials    (Scuba Skills Update)
    • · Academic review session
    • · Written Test
    • · Open Water Skills Review in the pool
  • 7 + Years – ReStart and ReLearn Diving Scuba Skills Update
    • · Online Educational Materials (Open Water Diver)
    • · Academic review session
    • · Written Test
    • · Open Water Skills Review in the pool – 1 to 3 sessions depending on your skills retention
    • · Open Water Skills Dives at the lake or on an Oceanic Ventures trip—2 dives required

 I can hear you asking, “why the different programs?”  Really, it is a safety thing.  If you haven’t been diving in seven years, how much of the content of your course do you remember?  How many things have changed since you learned to dive?  Remember those dive tables?  Do you know that we don’t use them much anymore and that dive planning is done using a dive computer?  Things change over time and the ReStart and Relearn style of programs update you on these changes and refresh your in the water diving skills so you will fee comfortable on your first trip back under the waves.

What if I can’t find my certification card?  Is it really necessary?

Your certification card is your proof that you completed the diver training.  In many cases, we can do some research and get a proof of certification from the training agencies.  If your certification was issued a long time ago, the records may no longer exist so obtaining a proof of certification may not be possible.  Additionally, if your certification was issued by one of the agencies that no longer exist, you wont be able to obtain one either.

But, if you were certified, through the Restart and Relearn program you can gain a new certification card.

So, what’s next?

The cool thing for “BC divers” is that their children and at an age where they can start appreciating the water and the cool things under the surface.  Children under ten can become avid snorkelers and fish ID specialists.  Starting at ten, children can get certified (if they are mature enough and as Dive Mom says “understand that no means no.”)  So, you will have some new dive partners to join you in those tropical locations.

The best thing is to gather everything up and come visit.  Your local dive professionals at Oceanic Ventures can help you find the right program and the right schedule to get back into the water.

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Holidays

Hot-Chocolate-and-treats-all-month-sm

Join us for Hot Chocolate, treats and Scuba each day in December

Do you feel nostalgic during the holidays?  Do childhood memories come drifting into your consciousness like leaves just floating by? While the holidays are a busy time for retail salespeople, like those of us here at Oceanic Ventures, we are not immune from these random thoughts entering our minds.

When I was in college, my father started taking my brother and me to the Odessa Country Club for hotdogs and beer served in the locker room bar.  It was a time for us to just hang-out and talk.  The topics of those conversations don’t really come to mind but the time we spent together does.  I am sure we talked about a lot of things from school to the future to what things had been going on at home while I was away.

I always worked a lot during the holiday season.  In high school, I worked at a retail store, and later I worked in accounting and retail through the season.  Things were always busy.  My Father has been gone for a long time but still, when I think about the holidays, it was the peaceful moments in time that stick in my memory.

Many other memories float up this time of year.  Ann and I were married in December and have spent a lot of holidays together now.  We have been with family, friends, and especially our adopted family on the holidays.  I remember big meals and small meals, big package events and small events too.

When Ann and I first got together, I found that she loves Christmas and finding that special something for everyone.  In fact, she is more of a multiple-gift person.  Running a dive store during the holidays makes it difficult to find time to really enjoy the season but she still finds a way to surprise everyone which makes the season special for her. 

This desire to find the right thing carries forward to our clients as well.  She tries to help everyone find that special something to sneak under the tree, put in a stocking or give as a gift during the season.  She says, “there is always something people would love to have, and helping their family or friends find the right thing is fun!”  I know coming from us it sounds like a sales line, but she really does enjoy helping people find the right thing.

Being in retail, the holidays are hectic and stressful.  Then there is the end of the year looming as we march through December.  Our obligations here make spending time with family and friends difficult.  Many of those friends just show up here rather than trying to find a time we can all get together outside of work hours.  It is a good thing we have a real family atmosphere and understanding friends!

Over the years, we have created a tradition of a Cozumel trip on or around our anniversary, December 3, and while it expands and contracts, people love joining us for a few days away from the hustle and bustle of the holidays at home.  It is relaxing and active at the same time.  Lots of diving with periods of downtime to reflect on life or to just unwind.  It is a fun holiday tradition for us and for our friends.

As I move forward through the years, I am sure new memories will embed in my mind and old ones will continue to float by.  I only hope that maybe, I have helped create a few memories that will float by for others I have met.  Maybe they will be bright like a sailboat in the holiday boat parade or just a glimmer illuminating the past like hotdogs with Dad.