I have been trying to find time to make these all year and just keep getting sidetracked. So, I decided to start to challenge myself each month with a project and this is the first one I chose –Canelés de Bordeaux. These are a small pastry that are caramelized on the outside and soft on the inside. Here is a recipe to get you started. Write a comment below or send me a note about how yours turned out. If you want to try mine, watch for the email and I will tell you when I will have them in the store.
Ok divers — BAKE!
Dumplings! Back from Taipei…
So, I guess I will have to make some! I found a link here with step-by-step instructions and a recipe. Of course, I am now a month behind at work so I ma not sure when I will have time to try it.
We had a great time on both trips and I promise to have a video and a trip report soon. In the meantime, if you feel like trying some dumplings and have a few to spare, remember I am at 5808 Newcastle, Bellaire, TX 77401 and I would love to try yours!
Fall Scuba Equipment Repair Special 2019
Leave your Diving System with us for Annual Service in November
and you get $50 Gift Card!!!
Have your equipment ready for the next trip!!!!
Leave your diving equipment with us between now and 6:00 PM Nov. 4, 2019. We will slosh, service, clean and complete the Annual CIP and BCP service. Then pick up your equipment any time after November 29, 2019. You will receive a $50 gift card to use on any new equipment in the store. Treat yourself to a new air delivery system bag, stock-up on Salt Away, Slosh, Silicone spray, invest in a back-up computer, a new Submersible pressure gauge, new camera or strobe, or anything you need for diving (except travel or repair.) Gift Card is valid from Dec. 1, 2019 – December 31, 2020.
Trade-Ins Count
Trade-in’s apply as service. If you decided that it is better to trade-in old system than service your equipment or trade a part of the system and service the rest, and you will receive the $50 Gift Card to use on your next visit.
Restrictions (There are always some)
One coupon per diver per complete system: BCD, first stage and two second stages. It can also include and AIR or battery change. For technical systems: BCD and two first stages and two second stages. For divers owning more than one total dive system, or for multiple system per family, the gift card is per total dive system described previously. Gift Card expires: December 31, 2020 and can only be used on regularly priced equipment or classes in the store. Does not apply to travel, repairs, or Club Membership.
Just Think About it
You get all of your equipment serviced and ready for your holiday or spring trip and you’ll have a $50.00 Gift Card to use to buy yourself a fun gift or two.
Have a Question?
Call or email Ann for a quote for your system annual service.
A Mediteranian Treat Recommended by Chef Eric
This past week I found some eggplants in the outside refrigerator that were about to go bad so I needed to find something to do with them. Then I remembered Madison’s favorite party contribution so I decided this was the perfect answer — Baba Ganosh. Madison’s go-to recipe for his version is in “My Paris Kitchen” by David Lebovitz. Fortunately, I have that cookbook as well so I was off to the races! This recipe lets you use one of my specialty kitchen gadgets — a culinary torch! It is far cleaner than using the flame on the stove and certainly much more fun. you can find this recipe on David’s website. You can also change the basic recipe by adding some other flavors like roasted peppers, cumin, black pepper or any other combination of spices you feel like using. My only caution is to use small amounts. you can always add more after you taste it. Thanks, Madison for the inspiration! My recommendation is to have it with some fresh pita bread, maybe a little wine and think about your next dive trip.
Bon Appetite!
Dive Mom, What's Next For Me?
“My course is done, what do I do next?” This is a question I am asked all of them time and the answer is dependent on a number of things. Where are you in your diving? In other words, are you a new diver, someone with a little diving experience or someone with years of experience? This is the first step in finding a pathway into your diving future. Another question to ask yourself is what do I really want to do? Do I want to enjoy the fish or dive deep into wrecks?
If you remember from your Open Water class, there are four things that help make you a safe comfortable diver. We called this the Diver Diamond. The four parts of the diamond are proper knowledge, skills, equipment and experience. Every level of diving requires a balance of these four things. So let’s look at some possible pathways.
New Open Water Diver
You have completed your open water program and if you took it from Oceanic Ventures, your program probably included a Computer Diving Specialty and a Nitrox specialty. These two specialties along with twelve dives qualify you as a Specialty Diver.
To help you progress in your diving, enrolling in one of our Specialty Diver Weekends will let you continue to work on your buoyancy and diving skills with one of our diving professionals and will give you more knowledge of diving. This program includes the following specialties:
- Navigation
- Search & Relocation
- Night & Limited Visibility Diving
You may also want to enroll in a Deep Diver specialty which you can complete on a trip. Completing this weekend will qualify you for your Advanced Open Water card (along with 24 logged dives). We offer this the second week/weekend of the month.
Again, this program is designed to help you develop additional skills and knowledge to make diving more fun and to let you gain a little more experience underwater. And let’s not forget, it is a fun weekend! The water stays relatively warm in Houston through November so it is great to do in the fall. While we continue to offer the programs during the winter months, you will have to add a Dry Suit Specialty to your Course selection.
Advanced Open Water Diver
Ok, you have some specialties and some diving under your belt so, where do you go from here? My recommendation is to enroll in a Stress & Rescue class. This program will help you build more confidence in your diving abilities and to recognize problems before the dive begins. One of our clients even commented that it “was worth the price of admission.”
Another factor is that with fifty logged dives, four specialties and Stress & Rescue you will be qualified for your Master Diver card!
Other Diving Interests
You may also be thinking about getting involved in more specialized diving areas like wreck or cave diving, Extended Range diving (staying down longer or going a little deeper) or going all out for Technical Diving. Each of these programs has a progression of courses that build on your advanced open water knowledge and skills. We offer these courses throughout the year so if you are interested, contact me and I will help you get enrolled in the proper set of courses. A good place to start this program is to enroll in a recreational side-mount program/advanced buoyancy class. It is the first step down the extended range path.
Other programs like photography can be done by divers at all levels. The main diving skill for photography is buoyancy – it is bad form to kill the coral around your subject. There are various levels of equipment which enable you to capture those memories and it depends on how technical you want to be (i.e. point-n-shoot vs housed SLR) and how much you want to invest. We can help you evaluate your wants and desires.
Some people want to get more involved in working with certified divers or new divers. Like technical diving, there is a progression of courses leading from Dive Guide to Dive Master to Specialty Instructor to Assistant Instructor to Open Water Instructor all the way up to an Instructor Trainer.
Conclusion
No matter where you are in your diving skills and education there are programs to help take you to the next level. The important thing is to keep diving and keep learning in order to maintain and improve your skills. If I can help in anyway, please leave me a comment or drop me a line.
New Scuba Instructors
It was a cold stormy night; the air was as thick as a rubber duck. The team was stuck inside wondering when the weather would break so they could go submerge in the tropical waters. It was at this point that the duo decided that they needed to expand their horizons, look beyond the Caribbean to the once blue waters of Beautiful Blue Lagoon in Pine Prairie Texas. They made the fatal phone call to Dive Mom and the dead was done… they were now on their way to becoming a certified Open Water Instructor!
The program was a lot of time listening to Eric espouse the virtues of Scuba Instruction while demonstrating their diving prowess and techniques to a variety of enlightened individuals. Through it all they maintained kept their eyes on the goal of joining the few proud souls who are privileged to impart scuba knowledge to the uninitiated.
This past Sunday, they realized their goal; they became Open Water Scuba Instructors! Congratulations Charles Alvarez and Zach Gay for becoming new Scuba Schools International Open Water Scuba Instructors!
