A Monthly Magazine About Scuba Diving in the Northeast

Cover Photo by Warren Lo. Toronto, Ontario, boasts tremendous opportunities to explore the rich marine heritage in the Great Lakes. Warren Lo takes the time to explore as many wrecks in his home town of Toronto as possible and is rarely seen on a dive without a camera in hand. His pictures of these amazing shipwrecks have been showcased over the years in various publications, newspaper and television. For information or to see more images Warren has taken, please visit www.warrenlophotography.com.

This Month's Features

	Cow-Nose Rays By Ellsworth Boyd. Sharp-eyed Northeast divers may notice a visitor from Florida during the summer months when cow-nose rays commute up the Atlantic Seaboard to northern mating grounds. read more
	Get Your Piece of the Ocean By NEDN Staff. How would you like to have a piece of the ocean for your very own? Well, now you can through OceansForMe.com. read more
	Diving Into Long Island Waters By Bill Pfeiffer. The bays, inlets, and beaches of the Long Island area are a diver’s paradise with depths that are home to some of the more famous shipwrecks on the east coast. These waters which go from cold winter dives to warm summer dives beckon tropical fish to the area provide great locations for beginner and expert divers alike. read more
	Georgian Bay - A Wreck Diving Paradise By Alec Pierce. Heavy maritime traffic has made the bay one of the top freshwater wreck diving site in North America. Crystal clear water and the incredibly intact wrecks draw quite a crowd during summers. Accessible, located an hour and a half from Toronto and just a short six-hour drive from New York, Georgian Bay is a big draw for the divers throughout the region who seek affordable trips. read more
	International Legends of Diving By Jamie Farris. They are the trail blazers of the world’s waterways who explored new frontiers to make the way for generations of scuba divers to come. They are the International Legends of Diving and in April of this year they were honored for the work they have done and the things that they have accomplished. read more
	Rediscovering the Phillipines ByDenise Mattia. My expectations were great when I embarked on a 10-day trip to the Philippines, with plans to dive everything from World War II shipwrecks to lush coral reefs off islands that comprise the Philippines archipelago. I chose three of 7,107 islands, some barely break the surface of the water, that divide the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea from the Pacific Ocean. Any qualms about going such a distance disappeared the following morning, when I sank into the waters off Panglao Island. read more
	Wreck Facts By Ellsworth Boyd. Your wreck diving questions answered by the one and only Ellsworth Boyd! read more

What's Coming Up

Northeast

July
July 1: Wednesday Night Dives, meet at shop 5:30p.m., Divers Cove LLC, Essex, Conn., (860) 767-1960.
July 1: Dive Club Meeting, The Hammerheads Dive Club, 7:00 p.m., Salty Dog Eats & Drinks, Virginia Beach, Va., (757) 481-7949.
July 2: Thursday Lobster Dives, 6:30 p.m. at boat, Capt. Saam’s Scuba School LLC., Stamford, Conn., (203) 327-2822.
July 8: Princeton Tec Demo Days, all day at Dutch Springs Quarry, Bethlehem, Pa. www.dutchsprings.com.
July 8: Northeast Dive News editor Bob Sterner talks on Diving in Paradise, 7 p.m., New York City Sea Gypsies. www.seagypsies.org.
July 11: Dive Lake Sacandaga, N.Y. New York State Divers Association.
www.scubany.org.
July 20-26: Valcor Island, N.Y., camp and dive outing, New York State Divers Association. www.scubany.org.
July 21: Eco-Photo Explorers talk on Galapagos, 7-8:30 p.m., Brentwood, N.Y., Public Library. www.ecophotoexplorers.com.
July 22: Princeton Tec Demo Days, all day at Dutch Springs Quarry, Bethlehem, Pa. www.dutchsprings.com.
July 24-26: 4th Annual Lobsterpalooza, New England Aquarium Dive Club, Boston, www.neadc.org
July 25: Great Annual Fish Count, Stage Fort Park, Newport, R.I.
www.neadc.org.
July 25: Princeton Tec Demo Days, all day at Dutch Springs Quarry, Bethlehem, Pa. www.dutchsprings.com.
July 28: SECONN Social Gathering, 7:30p.m., SECONN Dive Club, Polish American Club, Montville, Conn., www.seconndivers.org.

September
Sept. 24: Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources-meeting 1:30 p.m., Boston, Mass., www.baystatecouncil.org.
Sept. 26-27: Archaeology Weekend at the Conservation Lab of Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, Vt. www.lcmm.org.

October
Oct. 3-4: DUI Dog Days, Brownstone Park, Portland, Conn., 866-860-0208.
Oct. 17-18: Storytelling Weekend at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, Vt. www.lcmm.org.

Midwest

July
July 3: Bottom Breathers Dive Club Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Below H2O, Aurora, Ill., (630) 820-2531.
July 4-5: Digital Underwater Photography Contest, White Starr Quarry, Gibsonburg, Ohio, www.whitestarrquarry.com.
July 11: Annual picnic, Chicago Aquanauts Scuba Association, www.casascuba.org.
July 12: Underwater Treasure Hunt, 2 p.m. Spring Mill Pond, Aquatic Adventures of Michigan, Brighton, Mich., (810) 225-9868.
July 15: Hooky Dive for Chicago Aquanauts Scuba Association at Pearl Lake, Ill. www.casascuba.org.
July 16: Jazzin’ at the Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, 6-10 p.m., Atlantis Divers.
www.adscuba.org.
July 22: Diveheart Discover Scuba Program 6:30-8 p.m., Chicago-area pool to be announced later. Diveheart.com.
July 25: Diveheart Disability Pride Parade. Diveheart.com.
July 26: Jim Haigh Memorial Dive / Diver Appreciation Day, Haigh Quarry, Kankakee, Ill., www.haighquarry.com.

August
Aug. 8-9: Higgins Lake Weekend, Aquatic Adventures of Michigan, Brighton, Mich., (810) 225-9868.
Aug 15: 3rd Annual Trash & Treasure Hunt, South West Michigan Underwater Preserve fundraiser, register at Moby’s Dive Shop. Grand Rapids, Mich.,
(616) 364-5991.
Aug. 16: Lake Michigan Shipwrecks, Sea Level Diving, Crystal Lake, Ill.,
(815) 479-0996.
Aug. 19: Hooky Night Dive and Barbecue at Haigh Quarry, Chicago Aquanauts, www.casascuba.org.

September
Sept.12-13: Dive Rite Tech Tour, Haigh Quarry, Kankakee, Ill. www.haighquarry.com.
Sept. 13: Underwater Treasure Hunt, White Starr Quarry, Gibsonburg, Ohio, www.whitestarrquarry.com.
Sept. 19: Annual Clean Up Dive, Wazee Sports Center, Black River Falls, Ohio, (715) 284-5184.
Sept. 20: WIU Egg Hunt, Haigh Quarry, Kankakee, Ill., www.haighquarry.com.

October
Oct. 17: Underwater Pumpkin Carving Contest- 11 a.m. Spring Mill Pond, Aquatic Adventures of Michigan, Brighton, Mich., (810) 225-9868.
Oct. 24: Halloween Party, 6 p.m. Aquatic Adventures of Michigan, Brighton, Mich., (810) 225-9868.
Oct. 31: Underwater Pumpkin Carving Contest, White Starr Quarry, Gibsonburg, Ohio, www.whitestarrquarry.com.

November
Nov. 7: Underwater Turkey Hunt, 11 a.m. Union Lake, Aquatic Adventures of Michigan, Brighton, Mich., (810) 225-9868.

What's Going Down - Northeast

Divers Begin Exploring Vandenberg Wreck
A retired U.S. Air Force missile-tracking ship intentionally sunk to create an artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary has opened for public use. The 523-foot-long Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg that once tracked U.S. space launches off Cape Canaveral, monitored U.S. defense missile test launches and eavesdropped on Russian missile launches during the Cold War, is situated about seven miles south of Key West. The bottom of the ship’s hull rests on sand at depths between 140 and 150 feet. But the ship is so massive that the superstructure extends to about 45 feet below the surface.
For more info on the Vandenberg visit www.fla-keys.com.

Explorers Remember Spencer
The Explorers Club is formally recognizing Carl Spencer for his lifetime achievements. A member of the New York-based club, Spencer died at age 37 during a dangerous underwater filming mission. He suffered the bends on May 24 while diving in the Aegean Sea on the Britannic, a sister ship of the Titanic. Spencer was a highly regarded member of The Explorers Club, an international society of professional explorers founded in 1904. The Club will pay tribute to Spencer’s outstanding achievements and his substantial contributions to exploration. For info visit www.explorers.org

Travel Galapagos with Eco-Photo Explorers
In 1835, Charles Darwin reached the Galapagos Archipelago, a cluster of islands straddling the equator 600 miles off the west coast of Ecuador. His five weeks on these strange volcanic islands formed the basis for his theories on the evolution of species, concepts that shook the world in controversy that continues to this day. Today, the Galapagos Islands are a mixture of Ecuadorian National Parks, scientific research stations, bustling towns and a thriving tourist industry. Join the New York-based Eco-Photo Explorers as they dive the world renowned Darwin and Wolf Islands and take you along on other awe-inspiring adventures both above and below the waters of these enchanted islands. Travel logistics and diving details are posted at www.ecophotoexplorers.com

8th Annual Northeast Fish Count
The New England Aquarium Dive Club and The Reef Environmental Education Foundation will host the 8th annual Northeast Great Annual Fish Count event. The celebration will be centered at Stage Fort Park at Gloucester, Mass., and dives are planned at seven shore locations around Cape Ann, Mass., and Nubble Light, York, Maine. There will be a picnic, raffles and door prizes. Every survey form submitted after each dive will count as an entry into the raffles for each diver. More than 100 divers are expected to participate in the event. For info visit www.neadc.org

Dives Into Champlain’s Archaeology
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum will sponsor an archeology weekend Sept. 26-27. Nautical archaeologists will present on-water field trips, special demonstrations in the conservation lab, lectures and films. The field trips will include “Paddle to Prehistory” where museum archaeologists and ecologists team up to lead a canoe trip on Otter Creek and Dead Creek, identifying wildlife, interpreting the landscape, and teaching stone tool making. A nautical archaeologist will be a guide aboard a cruise boat, which will allow passengers to a shallow shipwreck without getting wet.
For info visit www.lcmm.org

NE Dive News Editor To See Gypsies
Look at scuba diving around the world with stops in Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, Cayman, Cozumel, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Honduras, North Carolina, Malaysia, Southern California, Thailand and the Yucatan. Diver News Editor Bob Sterner will be speak on “Diving In Paradise” at the New York City Sea Gypsies club at 7 p.m. on July 8 at Clancy’s in New York City. The talk is a pastiche of images and tales from his press trips around the world. For info visit www.seagypsies.org or www.sternereditorial.com

What's Going Down - Midwest

Aquatic Adventures Fetes 10th Picnic
Aquatic Adventures Inc will be celebrating their 10th Annual Picnic on Saturday, Aug 8 at Pearl Lake in South Beloit, Ill.. Everyone is invited to join them for food, games, diving, and prizes. For more info visit www.dive-aai.com

Y-kiki Grows in St. Louis
It has been said that the best time to grow a business is during a recession. The owners of Y-Kiki Divers in St. Louis, Mo., have taken this to heart. The store has just opened a second facility and there are big plans for the summer dive season. Y-Kiki Divers has been serving the St. Louis region for 20 years. Y-Kiki is owned by Ken and Valerie Elliott. The new store is located at 930 Bent Oak Court in Lake Saint Louis, Mo. For details, call (636) 240-3870 or visit www.y-kiki.com.

Indian Valley Has New Location
Indian Valley Scuba now has a new St. Louis, Mo., location. Located in the center of South County the new store offers the full range of Indian Valley Scuba training, equipment and travel opportunities to divers in the greater St. Louis area and beyond. Doors officially opened June 6. For info visit www.indianvalleyscuba.com

Treasure Hunt
There will be a treasure hunt at Spring Mill Pond near Brighton, Mich., from 2-5 p.m. on July 12. One of Aquatic Adventure’s most popular events is the underwater treasure hunt. Look for hidden gems that could win you cool prizes. There will be a picnic following the dive. Guests are asked to bring a dish to pass. Call today to sign-up at (810) 225-9868. For info visit www.aquaticadventuresofmi.com

Jim Haigh Memorial Dive Set
The 2009 Jim Haigh Memorial Dive has received donations for the raffle from a number of donators including Dick and Donna Kay Hecht, Marsha and Dirk Wyatt, Hampton Inn, DJ’s Scuba Locker, Our World Underwater, Scuba Emporium, SeaDive - Oceanways and Diving Unlimited International. The 2008 event raised $3,500 for the John G. Shedd Aquarium Volunteer Diver Equipment Maintenance Program. The 2009 Memorial Dive will be held July 26. To make a donation or for info visit www.haighquarry.com

Spear Fishing National Qualifiers
The first qualifying round for the MDC Spear fishermen 2010 Nationals took place June 21 at Bull Shoals in Pontiac, Mich. The qualifier will be held on Sunday after the Saturday Money Shoot held by Pontiac Cove Marina. The second qualifier will take place during the Bull Shoals, Lead Hill Charity Catfish Tournament on July 18-19. The third qualifier for the 2010 Nationals will take place Aug. 8-9tat a location to be determined. For info visit www.midwestdivingcouncil.org

Diver’s Realm Plans Beach Cleanup
For more than 30 years divers, their families and friends have joined Diver’s Realm to clean Redgranite Quarry. Diver’s come from Door County, Fond Du Lac, Oshkosh, Steven’s Point and the Fox Cities areas of Wisconsin. Cleanup is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sept. 19. In 2007 divers collected 768 pounds of garbage, a record so far. Divers fill their bags and bring the stuff to the surface. It is collected on a “Garbage Barge” and taken to shore. McDonald’s is supplying orange drink for the event. The Village of Redgranite provides Port-A-Potties on site. Diver’s Realm provides hot dogs and chips. Frequently divers bring other snacks to share. Divers help pick trash out of the water and non-divers collect trash around the quarry. For info visit www.diversrealm.com

5th Annual Underwater Treasure Hunt
Join Dive Inn of Port Huron, Mich., for their 5th annual Underwater Treasure Hunt. The hunt takes place Sunday July 26, registration starts at 9:00a.m., and the dive starts at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 11:00a.m. Following the dive there will be a picnic where the prizes will be announced. $20.00 a golf ball gives you a chance to win some excellent prizes including an Aqualung regulator, dive equipment, local dive trips and prizes from around town. All proceeds of the event will benefit Blue Water Hospice.

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