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

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

auction

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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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Scuba Divers Make Donation to Bonaventure Boys' Home in Grand Cayman

Eric Keibler Presents CheckEric Keibler, Managing Director of Oceanic Ventures presented a check for $3,630 to Jennifer Leach-Tippetts, Facility Manager for the Bonaventure Boys Home in Grand Cayman.  This donation was made possible by the generous donations from our friends, sponsors and staff at a weekend of rebreather diving in Houston.  During the presentation, Eric explained that Oceanic Ventures and the Oceanic Ventures Foundation wanted to give back to the communities that they travel to for diving.  Ann Keibler started encouraging clients and staff to bring school supplies with them in their luggage to donate to local schools.  She said, “It was a fun way to meet people and give back to the community!  It also helps you to leave a little room to buy some things to help support the local economy where you are visiting.”  Over the years this simple idea morphed into a program to help support schools and communities in diving locations like the Philippines or Grand Cayman.

To help the Bonaventure Boys’ Home, Oceanic Ventures and Innerspace Systems hosted a weekend of rebreather diving events March 29 – April 3, 2012 in Houston, Texas. The program included lectures, pool demos of a new recreational rebreather the Pathfinder plus a benefit dinner with keynote speaker Leon Scamerhorn, CEO and founder of Innerspace Systems.  While the organizations wanted to introduce the new Pathfinder Rebreather System to the diving community in Houston, they also wanted to use the event to raise funds for the Bonaventure Boys’ home. Grand Cayman has been the leading destination for rebreather divers with the first Inner Space Rebreather event hosted by Divetech in 2004 and now its ninth year in 2012.

Eric says, “Rebreathers are the latest trend in diving enabling divers to discover the underwater world in relative silence without disturbing the fish. This allows you to get closer to the fish and other creatures. Photographers find them to be a wonderful tool and a enjoyable way to go diving.” According to Ann Keibler, “this was a fun event that will allow divers to experience what it is like to dive silently underwater with no bubbles while helping out children. We chose the Bonaventure Boys Home as our charity due to the fantastic work they do and our continued visits to Grand Cayman and Divetech.”

The Bonaventure Boys’ Home is a not for profit government funded Foundation that is a part of The CAYS Foundation (Children and Youth Services) in Grand Cayman. The Boy’s Home serves at risks boys and families that need help to achieve their full potential. Jennifer Leach-Tippetts, Bonaventure Boys’ Home Facility Manager commented “We appreciate donation to help fund extra programmes and supplies for our residents and we greatly appreciate the donation Oceanic Venture Foundation is able to give to The Bonaventure Boys’ Home. The monies raised will be used to purchase recreational equipment, resident outings, summer camp fees, clothing and shoes, rewards for incentive programmes and/or bedroom furniture for parents’ homes in preparation for transition.”

We especially want to thak all of the people who made this possible.  Were it not for their generous support, nothing would have happened.  Those people we would like to specifically thank are:

We are also in the news at:

Bonaventure Boys Home in Grand Cayman
Here is a look at the weekend’s event:

 
 
 
 

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Dinner and Rebreather Diving with Leon Scamahorn

Christa Landowski On a Pathfiner Rebreather
Christa Landowski On a Pathfiner Rebreather

Last week was a busy week at Oceanic Ventures.  Leon Scamahorn, CEO of Innerspace Systems Corporation, was on town on a whirlwind tour.  He was in town to help us introduce the new Pathfinder Rebreather.  This new diving rebreather was designed with a recreational diver in mind.  It is small and compact and features a radial scrubber and their new ISCan electronics.

Dave and I got to try the new pathfinder rebreather during Eric’s Megalodon crossover training program with Leon and both Dave and I also did the Pathfinder Instructor Crossover program.  Diving this new rebreather is awesome!  It is light weight, simple to use and the electronics are state of the art.  Additionally, the ISCan electronics is based on the CAN bus technology invented by BOSH for the auto and aerospace industries.  This technology allows for dimple additions of optional devises like depth transducers and computers as well as allowing for in-field changing of components. 

The technology behind the unit is cool but it retains the breathing characteristics of the Megalodon rebreathers including their water trapping capabilities and set-point tracking.  But the Pathfinder, with its smaller packaging is ideal for a traveling, recreational diver or even a more advanced diver doing some light technical diving.

Of course, Dave and I were not the only people to get to try this new unit; twenty-four divers contributed $50.00 to the Oceanic Ventures Foundation to try the Pathfinder as well as the Megalodon rebreathers.  They were treated to an introduction and orientation from the man of the hour, Leon Scamahorn who explained his diving and manufacturing philosophy and the thinking that went into these rebreathers.  In talking to these divers afterwards, the $5,500 Pathfinder was of real interest and a few are even considering purchasing one of the rebreathers in the next few months.  It looks like Dave and I will be busy!

Leon was also the keynote speaker at our Club Aquarius meeting at the Black Labrador.  While his presentations at the demonstration were more technical, his evening presentation was centered more on people using their rebreathers.  Leon is passionate about diving and he focuses on having fun while diving.  Of course you cannot talk about InnerSpace Systems without a little technical history and product development, his presentation was mainly centered on people having fun while diving on his Company’s rebreathers.  As he said “look at those smiling faces, they are all having fun!”   For him that is the ultimate goal but he wants the fun to be done safely using the best life support equipment available – the Pathfinder and the Megalodon family of rebreathers.

Leon, the staff from Oceanic Ventures and our clients and friends donated their time and resources to help with the Oceanic Ventures Foundation and our goal of raising money for the Bonaventure Home For Boys in Grand Cayman.  We are still tabulating the results but it appears we raised over $2,500 for the home.  Thank you to everyone who helped with the event, donated items for the Sealed Bid Auction, bid on the items or paid to try the rebreathers in the pool  I know the group in Cayman will appreciate the gift!

Over the next few weeks we will be setting up schedules to get the new rebreather divers diving on their new rebreathers.  It will be a lot of fun.  As always, we have room for more divers…

Here are some of the highlights from the event.

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Diving Rebreather Event Planned in Houston March 29 – April 3

PRESS RELEASE: Oceanic Ventures and InnerSpace Systems are hosting a weekend of rebreather events March 29 – April 3, 2012. The program will include lectures, pool demos of a new recreational rebreather, the Pathfinder, and a benefit dinner with keynote speaker Leon Scamerhorn, CEO and founder of InnerSpace Systems.

PAthfinder RebreatherThe rebreather demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.  The benefit dinner will include a raffle, door prizes, and photo program of rebreather diving around the world.  All proceeds of the event will benefit Oceanic Ventures Foundation.  The focus of the event will be to help the Bonaventure Boys home in Grand Cayman.  Grand Cayman has been the leading destination for rebreather divers with the first rebreather only event, Zero Gravity in 2000 and was later replaced by Inner Space with Dive Tech, which is celebrating its ninth year in 2012.  There will be also be a silent auction and giveaways during the event.

Eric Keibler, Managing Director and Director of Education for Oceanic Ventures says, “rebreathers are the latest trend in diving enabling divers to discover the underwater world in relative silence without disturbing the fish.  This allows you to get closer to the fish and other creatures.  Photographers find them to be a wonderful tool and a enjoyable way to go diving.”  According to Ann Keibler, President of Oceanic Ventures, “this is a fun event that will allow divers to experience what it is like to dive silently underwater with no bubbles while helping out children.”

Details of the event will be announced soon.  You can contact Ann for more details.

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Weekend Winners!

This past weekend was a very busy one for the staff at Oceanic Ventures.  We had a lot going on with Santa’s visit and the first of our holiday auctions.
The holiday auction supports our school and community projects around the world.  We appreciate everyone who helped support the auction and our projects.  The high bidders were:

  • Gentleman’s Pleasure – Cigars & Vodka – Alex
  • Wine Lovers Special – Dutchman Family Winery – Eddie
  • Silly Fun – Vodka and Chocolate – Mark
  • Art for a Start – Watercolour Still Life – Mike
  • Girls Party – MaryKay Timewise Microderm kit and party – Lynn
  • Bubbles are for Wimps – Rebreather Experience – Joe
  • Beach Remembrances – Beach Bag and more – Dorothy

We are still working on the raffle, we need to sell 25 more tickets before we draw.
Other prizes for the weekend:

  • $50  Oceanic Ventures Adventure Gift Card – For anyone who came in during the sale and made a purchase – Mike H.
  • $500 Oceanic Ventures Adventure Gift Card – For anyone who makes a purchase from 1 November the 23 December you go into a drawing for the card – Ongoing
  • Door Prizes drawn please come in and pick up your t-shirts, hats, luggage tags, dive pins, etc. – Candy R, Marlena E, Eddie T., Mike C

You still have time to turn in your 2011 Holiday Wish Lists to be eligible for a special drawing.  even Rachel, Steve Jurbala’s daughter turned in her list!
Thank you to everyone who came by this weekend!
 

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Divers Support Schools & Communities

Sample Auction ItemsWith the holiday season fast approaching, it is time once again for our fall “Sealed Bid Auction” to support Oceanic Ventures efforts to help schools and communities in the places we dive.  This years auction has some really special items on it including wine, spirits, cigars, art, beauty items and a whole lot more.  To participate all you have to do is complete a bid sheet and email it to Ann or fax it to us.  The items are on dispay in the store and will be here through the close of the auction on Saturday afternoon (11 November 2011).
The assistance program started a number of years ago when Ann came up with this idea of helping schools by encuraging our trip participants to carry school supplies in their excess luggage space.  This prneuded the participants the opportunity to help a local school and left them space to bring back handicrafts made by the local people.  A real win-win for everyone.  Over the years, we have prneuded school supplies to small schools in the Philippines, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Honduras, Cozumel as well as adding running water and plumbing to a school in the Philippines.
It is a wonderful way to meet people and to share a little joy with some wonderful school children.  The auction helps prneude funds for continuing projects around the world.