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

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

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Accept the Master Diver Challenge

When Ann was certified, she was so excited about diving that she dove every opportunity she could get. Since she started a Scuba Boutique at around the same time, she had the opportunity to go diving a lot! In 2004 Ann wondered, “how could a new diver do 100 dives in their first year of diving?” She proceeded to look at how it could be done doing mostly local diving with one trip to Cozumel thrown in. Every year since then she has challenged our new divers to commit to the 100 Dive Challenge. To date only three people have successfully completed making 100 dives in their first year.

Ann Keibler, 100 Dives in 1990
David Morris
Susan Long Language Consultant

SSI loved the idea and the Master Diver Challenge was born. Since then, the Challenge has grown to become a national program where dives have the opportunity to win prizes including being eligible for a live aboard trip for 2.

So, while we still challenge our divers to meet the 100 Dive Challenge, we also challenge all of our divers to accept the Master Diver Challenge!

Oceanic Ventures has partnered with SSI to offer you the opportunity to become a Master Diver. SSI even partnered with the Aggressor Adventures to offer the winner of the 2020 SSI Master Diver Challenge an exclusive 7-night, all-expense* paid, trip for two onboard the Roatan Aggressor! On this exciting dive adventure, you will enjoy the best of the Bay Islands. These Islands have some of the best diving Honduras has to offer, with sheer walls, beautiful shallow reefs, spectacular wrecks and offshore seamounts. This trip is valued at over $6,190!

BECOME A MASTER DIVER IN 2020!

Join the growing ranks of the most exclusive Master Diver Program in diving and enter for a chance to win an exotic dive vacation.

EVERY DIVE COUNTS….

We love diving!  Every time you log your dive, your dive counts towards numerous SSI Recognition ratings, including the Master Diver rating. So whether you are diving as part of a Course or just for fun, each logged dive gets you one step closer to earning your Master Diver rating.

BECOMING A MASTER DIVER IS EASY AND FUN!

The Master Diver program is designed with you in mind. Choose from a wide variety of Specialty Courses and participate in those that you are interested in. To become a Master Diver, you need to complete a minimum of 5 Specialties with one being Diver Stress and Rescue and log over 50 dives. It is that easy!

Not an SSI Diver? No problem! Up to 2 Specialties from a recognized agency can count towards your 5 SSI Specialties. SSI Diver Stress and Rescue not included.

HOW DO I ENTER THE SSI MASTER DIVER CHALLENGE?

Divers certified as an SSI Master Diver between January 1 and December 31, 2020, are automatically entered to win. The Winner will be chosen on January 15, 2021.

WIN OTHER PRIZES TOO!

Every Diver who reaches the Master Diver Level in 2020 will receive a special Master Diver Challenge Coin! Divers who have already achieved their SSI Master Diver Rating can come buy their coin in March when they arrive.

SSI Master Diver Challenge Coin

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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.

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Travel Photography: Lighting Hints

I recently ran across a video from photographer Karl Taylor who has a series of YouTube videos and some on-line classes. In his video “Essential Skills that Will Transform You Photographs,” Karl introduces you to a few ways to look at lighting and how you can incorporate it into your photography.

He first defines light in to several categories. These primary light categories he uses are hard light, and soft light. You can think of hard light as direct light like that which comes from the sun. Hard light is a high contrast light producing defined shadows and well defined textures. Conversely, soft light is a low contrast light producing an even flat light and soft shadows.

Both types of light are found throughout the day when we are photographing and we just have to work with the light to produce the best image and one that conveys what you are trying to accomplish.

Karl uses a sunset photograph to both demonstrate the light and to show how to use it to create the image you are trying to create. He then moves indoors and again demonstrates how to use these two categories of light to create a portrait.

Watching the video will probably give you a few things to think about but the best way to understand how to utilize the different types of light is to go out and shoot some photographs around your own house or at a local park. See what using reflectors (remember you can make your own and even use a piece of paper as a reflector) can do to enhance your image.

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Valentines Day Is Coming

Love is in the air… and Dive Mom want you to get a full breath of it while it is here. But being a former floral assistant, she really things that roses on Valentines Day are over priced and a bit cliche’. Instead, why not give your sweetheart something that will give him/her a hug for months to come? What does she mean you ask? Well, a new wetsuit, hydroskin full suit, hydroskin shirt or a new swimsuit will remind them of you all year!

Remember, a tight fitting suit is like getting a hug the whole time you have it on. If your sweetheart already has everything, why not try a new Greenprene suit? It is a completely new technology with no neoprene. Or, there is always the more traditional suits and hydroskins.

If your sweetheart is not a diver or has all of his/her dive equipment then think about some travel accessories (bags, packing cubes, dry bags, etc) or even some Pure Fiji Spa products.

No matter what you need to make it a special day for your sweetheart, Dive Mom and the staff and Oceanic Ventures, can help you pull it off!

And, we don not want to forget you. We have a special something for you when you buy your Valentine a gift from your favorite Dive Facility! Call, email or come by and we will have it ready for you — we will even gift wrap it for you. What could be simpler?

Happy Valentines day!

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Club Aquarius Update

Guest Speaker Staci Willis, PhD

If you missed the January Club Aquarius Social Club meeting, you missed a fun and entertaining discussion of underwater archaeology using the Bajo de la Campana shipwreck as the backdrop. Dr. Staci Willis talked about her first experiences as an underwater research assistant and the adventures and mis-adventures she had while on the project. She laughed with everyone when she talked about her instruction on operating the air lift “…you open this valve to start the lift and you close it when you want to stop it; do you have any questions?” She had fun reliving her adventures while elucidating everyone on how a typical excavation works.

I am sure some of the forty or so divers would like to participate on a project for fun. Of course, she said that the volunteer spaces were small becasue of the need to utilize graduate students on the excavations but jokingly said “…if you donated a large sum to help fund the project, you can be assured of a position.”

Dive Mom also had fun giving out the $30.00 gift cards (in celebration of our 30th anniversary). Of course, the cards had a tight time limit — use them by January 31st!

We really want to thank Sean Beck and the staff at the Backstreet Cafe for making it a fun evening — and did I mention that the food was wonderful! And we also need to give a special thank you to Barbara and Steve Jurbala for helping us remember how much we love the Backstreet Cafe and for calling Sean to help arrange for the meetings. And no Club Meeting is complete without the help of Zaide, Coad, Meagan and the other staff members that help make these evenings a success.

Be sure to join us for future Club Aquarius Social Club Meetings. You can find a complete schedule of the meetings here.