Still getting adjusted to the time change (nine time zones) . . .
INDO TRIP REPORT, PIX, & VIDEOS ARE DONE - You should have received a link to all of them on Saturday evening. If you don't see it, you can go to our website home page (
www.reefseekers.com) and access everything from there. I'm especially pleased with the two videos, one of which gives you an idea of what it was like to dive Sahaung Reef in Bangka (amazing soft corals despite that it was a so-so day weatherwise) and if you like turtles, you got to check out "1 Dive, 36 Turtles" where it seemed everywhere we turned, there was another turtle. (And I'm sure I missed a few.)
COVID REARS ITS INFECTIOUS HEAD - Two of our people tested positive for COVID post-trip. Based on the timing, we think they got it after we left the resort and most likely on the plane. But the point is that, even if you're vaxxed, it's still out there, mutating every now and then, so be careful when you're traveling or find yourself around a lot of people you don't know, especially if it's an enclosed situation.
FLYING AFTER DIVING - Not because we just traveled but it was timely nonetheless, DAN just sent out a note about flying after diving. Although most people think the suggestion is to wait 24 hours, the actual recommendation is 18 hours after multi-day repetitive no-deco dives. (But obviously more is better.) If you did deco dives, deliberately or accidentally, then 24 is the recommendation. You can read the recommendations for yourself here:
DAN FLYING AFTER DIVING THOUGHTS.
MID-WEEK AVALON TRIP - We've got another one on the books for Wednesday but don't have anyone signed up as of yet. I'm going to put a 5PM Monday deadline on this not only so I can plan an alternative for me if no one wants to go, but also because I just checked on the Catalina Express booking site and they've only got SEVEN seats left on our preferred morning boat out of San Pedro. So we certainly can't go if there's no room left. If you're interested, give us a call at 310/652-4990 or send an e-mail to me here. Sounds like the GSBs are out in force, the water's warming up, but the viz sounds like it's been hit-or-miss. Still, how can you NOT have a good time when you go diving?
YAP STILL BECKONS - We're leaving September 9 (coming back September 22) and I've still got one full room (two people - or even perhaps a single) available at Manta Ray Bay Resort. Yap's a wonderfully magical place to dive where we'll get a combination of Manta Rays, Eagle Rays, various shark species, and even Mandarinfish over the course of the time we're there. Because it's land-based, it's easy to add you last-minute. Just give us a call or shoot us an e-mail for all the details and the pricing, as well as suggested air skeds. You can also find the trip report and pix from our last Yap trip on the website (scroll down to the middle of the page -
http://www.reefseekers.com/foreign_trips.html)
GEAR NEED SERVICING? - Robert Stark has been our repair guru for over 20 years now. That's because he not only enjoys working on regs, BCs, tanks, etc., but he's also very good at it. Our turn-around times are usually seven days or less, Robert's up-to-speed on all the main mfgs, we've generally got the needed parts in stock, and we've even got a dedicated repair line (310/947-8523) so you can contact Robert directly. Even if all you need is a bench check - which many times he can do while you wait - Robert's the guy to go to.
OXYGEN FROM THE OCEAN - While I was in school (yes, there really were schools when I was young), we were taught that most oxygen was generated by trees. We now know that was incorrect. In fact, most oxygen - anywhere from 50-70% - comes from the oceans as a waste product (how ironic is that?) of photosynthesis from marine plants and other organisms. In fairness, marine animals consume some of that so it doesn't always benefit humans. But now there's evidence that oxygen is being generated at extreme depths (13,000 feet deep) where sunlight doesn't penetrate. This was first observed back in 2013 and scientists thought their instruments were out of whack. They weren't. It's a profound discovery and scientists are just now trying to figure out what it all means. You can read more about it here:
OXYGEN FROM THE DEPTHS.
WHAT WATER ANALYSIS CAN REVEAL - One way in L.A. that they track levels of COVID infection is by measuring how much of it is present in wastewater. In fact, you can learn a lot about a population by analyzing the chemicals and other things found in wastewater generated by a civilization. In Brazil, looking at their waterways has produced a different concern: They've discovered high levels of cocaine as a pollutant. And that means that the cocaine starts getting into the bodies of the various marine creatures, eventually making its way to the top of the food chain. That would be sharks. I know it sounds like the plot for a bad sci-fi movie, but in Brazil, they've discovered that their Sharpnose Sharks have significant levels of cocaine in them and they've started to refer to them as "Cocaine Sharks." So for those of you who thought a Great White was the shark to be feared most in the ocean, you may want to recalibrate that notion when it comes up against a Cocaine Shark looking for his next fix.
And that'll do it for now. Have a great week and let's go diving soon!!!
- Ken
