It was unusually cold on Sunday morning, but that didn’t stop more than 100 Texas divers from coming out to the Annual Dive Around Texas barbecue and prize give away in San Marcos. Many local divers and dive shops we’re represented, including Oceanic Ventures, Inc. Also, representatives from some of the certification agencies and manufacturers were there as well; some of the atendees were Eric Peterson with SSI, Tom Kurras with Cressi, Greg Gephart with Tusa, SEA&SEA, and Light and Motion.
We had a fun time, won some prizes—two of Oceanic Ventures’ own Steve Soulen won two Ikelite LED flashlights, and John Davis won a wetsuit. The barbecue lunch was great and it allowed us to swap dive stories with people from all over Texas, folks from Austin, Grapevine, San Marcos, and even Corpus Christi we’re all represented at the Dive Around Texas event.
I’m glad I got enough dives in, because the prizes we’re really great! And, I can’t wait to get even more local dives in for 2013, hope you can join me underwater in Texas!
Local Diving
Wade's Excellent Adventure Party
Wade and I were talking yesterday and we thought it was about time for some fun diving! As the conversation continued, Wade felt inspired. It seems that he has had a successful year hunting so far and he the urge to cook! So, he has offered to come up to the lake and throw a bar BQ to celebrate! He is prneuding the main course and everyone else attending is bringing the side dishes and dessert!
This is your opportunity to tase some of Wade’s cooking, enjoy the beautiful fall weather and go diving! All of your friends will be there (ok, maybe a few won’t really know about it until you tell them — so what are you waiting for?) This is also your opportunity to show off your cooking abilities by preparing a really delicious side dish or dessert for everyone to swoon over. Imagine an entire beach of gourmet chefs — it will be like an iron chef episode without all of the yelling!
In addition to the gourmet dining, you get to go diving too. To make things even more fun, Oceanic Ventures will be bringing door prizes to win and the Oceanic Ventures staff will be on hand to help you trim out and look good in the water.
- Buoyancy Clinic in the morning with Eric Keibler
- Open Water Class Dives with Alex Witchey
- Introduction to Free Diving with Madison Lee
- Navigation hints
- Equipment Configuration workshop
- Lunch by Chef Wade and the other Chefs attending
I think our plan looks pretty good! Now everyone else has to do is RSVP and come have fun! Here are the details:
- When: Sunday 14 October 2012
- Where: Beautiful Blue Lagoon
- Time: Festivities start at 9:00 am
Dry Suit Scuba Diving and DUI DOG Rally and Demo Days in Texas
But despite our living in the South, the lakes tend to cool down a bit. Dry suits are the way to dive year round and laugh at the cold. And, to make it even more special, DUI’s DOG Rally and Demo Days is coming up November 10-1, 2012 at Clear Springs Scuba Park. This is your opportunity to get certified to dive a dry suit, try out the complete line of products from DUI and get fed lunch all for one price! And, if you want to, you can even camp with the rest of our divers!
Sign-Up today and get ready for this winters diving marathon!
Dive Mom, I hate being cold and I want to dive! (please sign me up or send me some more information)
David's Annual BarBQ at the Lake
- Chef David In-Between Dives
Last year David celebrated is 100th dive in a year with a BarBQ at the lake. Well as things have a way of doing around here, David decided to make it an annual event! So, on Sunday 25 September from 10:00 to 4:00 David and some friends will be diving and cooking BarBQ at Mammouth Lake. The cost of the event is only $10.00 but here is what you will receive:
- A cylinder of air (must be picked up from Oceanic Ventures)
- Some of David’s famouns grilled treats
- Really cold water (bring your own cup or bottle – we are trying to help reduce the bottle trash in the world)
- Some really fun diving
- Door prizes!
You will still need to pay the admission at the lake but just think of the door prizes you could win. And yes you can bring other beverages of your own, just remember that your last dive is the one before you drank that adult beverage.
Last year we had a great turnout so we would like to make this year’s barBQ even bigger. Come join David and your fellow diver’s for a fun day at the lake!
If you have any questions, please contact David or Ashton.
Please RSVP if you will be attending.
Oceanic Ventures Team Trash – Trashfest Texas 2011
Oceanic Ventures and Club Aquarius are once again a sponsor of Trashfest We are sponsoring TEAM TRASH and we are looking for a few more divers to join our team of 8 divers who will join 400 other divers in scouring the Comal river looking for trash and prizes. If you have an interest in joining TEAM TRASH, please contact Ashton. As a member of TEAM TRASH, you will receive a free Oceanic Ventures t-shirt, specifically made for divers and have your admission to the event paid. Be sure to let Ashton know you want to participate since the team size is limited. The fee to join the team is free to Club Aquarius members and $8.00 for non-members. Remember, space is limited!
TrashFest is the nation’s oldest underwater cleanup campaign bringing together scuba divers to improve the quality of the Comal River in New Braunfels, Texas. The Comal River became famous when Ripley’s Believe It or Not featured it as the shortest river in the world. The 2.5-mile Comal River is one of the largest springs in Texas with 8 million gallons of water flowing through every hour. The water is pure, clear, about 73° – 85°F year round, and attracts thousands of tubers and tourists each year. After the tubing season winds down, divers from all over Texas and beyond gather to pull cans, shoes, sunglasses and other assorted trash and debris out of the river.
Since the first clean up in 1974*, more than 10,800 volunteers have removed more than:
- 205,000 pounds of trash
- 310,000 cans and bottles
- 353,400 pop-tops and bottle caps
- 7,200 sunglasses and shoes
- The above numbers include data from 1980-2010. No records available prior to 1980.
While cleaning up the Comal is the events top priority, TrashFest also:
- Raises public awareness of the aquatic environment in Texas
- Educates citizens about the sources of, and impact of, debris and litter in the aquatic environment
- Promotes recycling programs and community involvement
- Serves as a model for other river and aquatic cleanup programs around the country
- Involves young children and educates them about the importance of protecting our environment
This year, TrashFest will be held on Saturday on October 1, 2011.
Registration will be held at the Comal County Fairgrounds, and the trash weigh-in and collection will be at Prince Solms Park in New Braunfels, TX.
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.
