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

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

New Students

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New Scuba Divers

Photo of David and Morgan at hospital
Morgan Morris wtih her father David Morris

There is really something special about babies and our diving family has been expanding a lot over the past few months.  Oceanic Ventures is a family oriented dive store so we have a special appreciation for the new divers joining our diving family.  Remember it will only be a few years before they are ready for our Star Fish program and their first diving mask.  Ann is always quick to ask new parents when they will be bringing their new dive buddy to the dive store for a visit and a photo with her and maybe even “Al.”

Most recently, one our staff, David Morris and his wife Marissa brought Morgan Morris into the world. David even laughed that she was already becoming a nitrox diver because she was on elevated oxygen (i.e. nitrox) while in the incubator after her delivery.  She is still a few weeks away from her first visit here, but we are anxiously awaiting her arrival.

Another of our diving clients, Giles Adam brought his beautiful baby girl, Genevieve, who was born on 25 October, to the dive store to meet Dive Mom and to start learning where to buy her father some scuba Christmas gifts.  Giles is one of the members of  Team Ice Cold and went to Antarctica with us last March.

Genevieve Jane Adam
Genevieve Adam

Ann and Eric were also priviledged to serve as God Parents for Anna Coussirat, the daughter of long time customers and friends Dan and Angie Coussirat.

It is always special when children come to visit, especially the newest member of our family.  Congratlations on the birth of your children and we really look forward to their first Star Fish class!

anna coussirat
Anna Coussirat at her baptism

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Dive Around Texas 2011

The 2011 Dive Around Texas is about to come to an end! However, you still have time to get your dives. The basic rules are simple:

    • Dive in 4 different Texas diveing locations
    • Log at least 3 dives in each location for a total of 12 locations before September 30, 2011
    • Enroll in the Dive Around Texas Program with Oceanic Ventures
    • Receive a Dive Around Texas T-Shirt with your paid registration ($25.00)
    • Get an invitation to the free Recognition BarBQ in San MArcos Texas on October 2
    • Have your dives validated at Oceanic Ventures
    • Submitt a spreadsheet with your dives to Oceanic Ventures
    • Be eligible for some really great prizes donated by the sponsors

SPECIAL RULE FOR 2011: Because of the current conditons at many of the Texas diving locations as a result of the drought, you can still qualify for the Dive Around Texas if you have at least 12 dives from at least 2 different locations. Please make sure to get your dives validated by Oceanic Ventures.

You still have time to complete the dives. We have 2 upcoming dive dates with Oceanic Ventures staff:

  • September 17-18 Blue Lagoon with Wade Sparks and Vernon Dittrich
  • September 25 Mammouth Lake at David’s Lake Party and BarBQ

So, you have no excuse to finish your dives and enter the contest.

Send your spreadsheets to Ashton for inclusion in the Oceanic Ventures group submission (we are sending someone to the BarBQ to collect the prizes so even if you cannot attend the BarBQ, you can still win prizes!) 

Please RSVP to Ashton if you would like to attend the Bar BQ ASAP.

 

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More New Divers

This has been a busy week at Oceanic Ventures.  The week started off with new divers Kurt Kreiter, Emily Vacek and Will Kuers finishing their course with Pat and ended with Ray Walther, Aaron Walther and Josh Walther completing their certifications with Ed and Ann.  Congratulations to everyone and now the fun begins!
We had a pre-trip meeting for our September Truk trip.  We have thirteen divers headed over at the end of August for a week of technical diving on the deep wrecks and then we are teaming up with Matt Reed for another week of wreck diving on a more recreational charter.  Some of the people from the first week will remain for the second week but we also have some new people arriving for this week.
I am excited about returning to Truk.  This will be my sixth trip to Truk Lagoon.  Every time I tell myself, this will be the last trip, I should go somewhere else nest time, I find the lure of these wrecks, the warm water and the people I have met calling me back.  In preparing the trip information sheet for this year’s trip, I looked back through some of the earlier packets as well as the photographs from earlier trips.  A lot of friends have joined me on these trips over the years and it was fun to look back and see some much younger faces peering back at me.
Many of those people moved away and started diving in their new home waters; others like Eric & Patricia Bancroft are busy raising children and find little time for technical diving.  Still, there are a number of the people who remain active divers with us, exploring the hidden wonders in other exotic locations.
As we march steadily toward our twentieth year in business, I suspect we will be looking back at a number of old photographs and remembering trips and friends from the past.  We have trained a lot of divers over those years and have taken thousands of people all over the planet to look under the lapping blue waters.  We have been touched by the many special people we have met in those locations and our outlook on the world will be forever changed.
For our new divers, welcome to the family, for those from all of those past years…why don’t you write?????