Category Archive
The following is a list of all entries from the Diving category. Noteworthy entries are filed topmost.
Finally back in the water
After what seemed like an eternity (in reality, just over 2 months) I finally got back into the water and dived on Saturday morning at Maeda Misaki. I’m pretty sure it’s been the longest period I’ve ever been out of the water since I came to Okinawa, and as soon as I got in I realised how much I’d missed it. Met up with Brian at 7am at Maeda, and upon meeting we found out that parking to the dive site doesn’t actually open until 8am (shows how much we haven’t been diving!). On heading over to look at the conditions we were astonished though. It was probably the flattest I have ever seen the ocean off the coast of Maeda. There really wasn’t a single ripple in the water and was pretty breathtaking.
So 8am comes, the gates open up and typically, we are first into the water. That’s a great feeling, as you know that a lot of the more timid fish may still be around before everyone else jumps in and starts disturbing them. But man that water felt cold after 2 months being out of the loop! The official temperature was 22.7C in the water, but when that stuff hits the base of your spine it feels ice cold! But a bit of cold water wasn’t going to stop me diving so we descended and headed left along the wall. Saw a big (50-60cm) stonefish and some nice corals on what ended up being a deep dive (to around 34m). When we returned and came to the shallower waters we saw a cuttlefish too, which made my day as they really are my favourite marine animal. They just like like something not from this earth, with their colour changing and the way the propel themselves through the water.
So the 2nd dive of the day was even better, as we saw 3 of the things! Admittadly, one of them might have been the one we saw on the previous dive being spotted again, but it was still great. And I think we were watching 2 of them mating at one point. We spotted one cuttlefish which was pretty big and hovering close to the bottom. We went over and stayed a safe distance from it so as not to scare it off. Anyway, after about a minute it suddenly shot off at great speed and then we saw a smaller cuttlefish which must have been below the bigger one. Smaller cuttlefish then sauntered away with a post-coital glow to it (ok - so the very last part wasn’t strictly true!). I have to say at the end of this dive I was feeling pretty chilly. The water was a little cool and I had only had around 3 hours sleep the previous night so wasn’t full of energy. But I was back in the water for the first time in 2008 and am looking forward to getting back in once again this coming weekend. Until then, take care and dive safely.
Miyako fishermen, divers come to agreement on support fees
Fishermen don’t like divers messing in their waters, but divers contend their livelihood is made in the same ocean areas, leading to a years-long feud over who?fs right. Now, the two sides have compromised, and agreed to work together.
The Miyako Jima Fishermen’s Association, Irabu Island Fishermen’s Association, Ikema Island Fishermen’s Association, the Miyakojima Diving Work Association and the Miyakojima Marine Business Resort Association have signed a pact that seems to have both sides satisfied. More than 40 diving companies will pay the fishermen’s associations support money, a fee of Y500 per diver.
Most of the diving companies have been making the Y500 payments for quite a while, but some had balked at making the payments. They didn’t like the informal agreement, saying “this is a nonsense agreement. Why should we pay the fishermen’s associations? It’s not fair to us.”
The fishermen have been asking the Y500 fee as compensation for divers using the waters in which they make their livings. The new agreement formally decrees that the fees will be used only for exterminating poisonous crown of thorns starfish, and not go to the fishermen’s associations.
Dive companies say this is fair, as the money goes to protecting the natural environment and to promote the fishing industry.
Fishermen’s associations agree now that the diving companies are working with them to promote their industry while protecting the environment by getting rid of poisonous star fish. Both sides say they’re happy to share use of the oceans in southern Okinawa.
Oceanic & Aeris recall regulators due to drowning hazard
Forwarding some information to you out there as I know a fair few people who visit this site are divers themselves. It comes from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and without furter adue, here is the message in full:
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NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2007
Release #08-127
Firm’s Recall Hotline: (888) 636-9390
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
ROMI Recalls SCUBA Regulators Due to Drowning Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Oceanic and AERIS SCUBA Regulator First Stages
Units: About 6,000
Manufacturer: ROMI Enterprises, of San Leandro, Calif.
Hazard: An internal component that seals air between the high pressure first-stage and the intermediate pressure second-stage can fail. This can result in uncontrolled flow of air to the diver and pose a risk of serious injury or death.
Incidents/Injuries: ROMI has received two reports of units malfunctioning during diving and six reports of units malfunctioning while being tested by dealers prior to delivery to consumers. No injuries reported.
Description and Models: The recall involves the following regulator first stages:
Oceanic Regulator First Stages:
Model CDX5
Certain serial numbers from 30202856 through 51312641 and purchased from May 2006 through October 2007
Model FDX10
Certain serial numbers from 51408026 through 51411813 and purchased from May 2006 through October 2007
Models CDX, DXi, DX3, DX4, and TDX5
All serial numbers and serviced from May 2006 through October 2007
AERIS Regulator First Stages:
Model AT400
Certain serial numbers from 30200036 through 51311560 and purchased from May 2006 through October 2007
Balanced Diaphragm
All serial numbers and serviced from May 2006 through October 2007
The model and serial numbers are stamped on the side of the body or on the body’s rubber covering.
Sold at: The items were either sold or repaired at authorized Oceanic and AERIS retailers nationwide from May 2006 through October 2007. The items sold for between $300 and $500.
Manufactured in: United States and Taiwan
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled regulator first stages and take them to any authorized Oceanic or AERIS dealer for a free replacement part.
Consumer Contact: For further information or to determine if your specific unit is affected, contact ROMI toll-free at (888) 636-9390 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. Oceanic customers can send an e-mail to service@oceanicusa.com or visit the firm’s Web site at www.oceanicworldwide.com. AERIS customers can send an e-mail to info@diveaeris.com or visit the firm’s Web site at www.diveaeris.com
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08127.html
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15, 000 types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC’s web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov
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This is a large number of regulators so if you own any of these models or know anyone else who does, please pass on the information. Take care and dive safely.
Omega Drag Races 2007: Okinawa
The past weekend was a pretty successful and productive one. Friday was a Japanese public holiday due to it being Japanese Thanksgiving and so I decided to make use of the day off. So at 8am I met up with a dive student to finish her Advanced Open Water licence. She did very well and is a very competent diver. Couldn’t believe when I checked my logbook that it had been 5 weeks since I’d been in the water. No wonder I’d be getting withdrawal symptoms! The water has cooled down a little but it was really good to get back into the ocean. In addition, I managed to see 2 of my favourite marine creature: the cuttlefish. I think out of all the marine life you see, they look most like something not of this world. I’m always fascinated whenever I lay eyes on them, and this time was no different. It also felt good to get another diver signed off, and it means I’m only one more certification off improving my instructor status to Master Scuba Diver Instructor, which I’m pretty stoked about. Staying on the diving theme, Kadena Marina have also got into gear and have sent me a contract for working with them part time. I’ve got to finish reading it and making sure exactly what I’m signing but hopefully I’ll be able to get it back to them at the weekend and will be on their books some time in early December.
And then on Sunday I went to the Omega drag racing tournament in Nago yesterday as a spectator. I was so close to entering but decided that I really needed a new clutch (and a clue about how to do drag racing!) so I just decided to watch this time. Was good fun though, and the Japanese really know how to power up their cars. S13s, Skylines (a lot of them), and even an old skool Datsun was there doing runs, and some of them were hella-quick. But standing out from the pack were 2 Evos: an Evo I, and an Evo III, being driven by my friend here in Okinawa. It was the first event she’s entered in Japan and she was the first woman to ever enter this drag racing event. She certainly ruffled some feathers and after a slightly nervy start, came in 3rd place in her class. Not bad at all considering the majority of the car is stock and the track is slippery as ice (coral-based roads are killers in Okinawa). I think the Japanese drivers were mostly in a state of shock and shame that a foreign woman was keeping up (and beating) them! Just goes to show the early Evos can hold it with the best of them.
So without further adue, here are some shots of the event:
Good diving, bad air, and sad news
I finally have something to report, and so have a relatively meaningful entry in my blog for the first time in quite a while. And it’s diving related - something I need to get back to after plenty of stories about all things Japan in the past few months.
On Saturday, I and 9 other people got onto a boat at Ginowan for a dive trip out in the Kerama islands. I arranged this trip for everyone myself (the first dive trip I’ve tried to arrange) and out of the 12 people who said yes originally, I was quite pleased to find that 9 of them turned up. 2 people cancelled on me for no reason (24 and 48 hours before the trip respectively) and one person said they would come but never got back to me. The latter might have had to go out of the country on business at very short notice though so they will be excused. But everyone else turned up bright and early on a gorgeous looking day. I met up with Brian a little earlier than everyone else, just to chat about the week, get my intake of caffeine for the day and talk about what we’d be doing today.
Once we’d got everyone and all the equipment and tanks onto the boat, we headed out to the Kerama islands. For those of you that don’t know, the Keramas is a group of 22 islands lying around 20 miles west of Naha. Only 4 of these islands (Zamami, Tokashiki, Aka and Geruma) are inhabited. Around the Keramas is some of the best snorkelling and diving you can find anywhere in Asia, and I truly believe that. Visibility of at least 30m/100ft is the norm, as well as the chances to see sharks, eels, turtles and many more marine life. By boat, the trip is around 1 hour, and you’re crossing a bit of open ocean so the wind and waves can play a part. On our trip there was northeasterly winds resulting in a bit of swell coming across us as we travelled west. When we’d got to the dive site, a couple of the people were feeling a little seasick. I must remember next time to remind everyone to take seasickness medication. It’s one of those things that you learn to tell people after the first time. Won’t make that mistake again.