September 2010 >> Archives
"Caribbean Diving – No Passport Required"
| In this issue... | September Coral Spawning |
The Keys are Oil-free
The Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill is not affecting the Florida Keys. Come enjoy our fabulous fall weather - perfect for diving and snorkeling! Looe Key Resort and Dive Center offers guests peace of mind with our oil spill cancellation policy for hotel and dive/snorkel trip bookings.
Please visit oursite for updates on the spill and it's effect on the Keys.
It's still going on!
All rooms 20% OFF internet published rates
September 1st - October 21st
(except Sept. 14 th - 19th)
*** ASK FOR the "INTERNET SPECIAL" RATE when making your reservation ***
Kokomo the Cat says "Happy Labor Day"
Come visit us for the Labor Day weekend September 4th - 6th!
The 2010 Lobster season is in FULL SWING and it's been a great season so far!
We have air fills and all of your "hunting supplies." We also rent scuba gear.Questions about gear prep, hunting regulations, online license purchase? Check out Lobster Season FAQ's
38th Annual Key West Poker Run
16 - 19th Sept 2010
Ride and play to benefit the Key West Rotary Club and the Diabetes Research Institute. You could win a Harley Davidson Sportster 883 Iron. Plus, don't miss the HUGE bike show on Saturday.
More info
It's a secret underwater orgy. You have to see it to believe it!
Every year, there is a mass spawning of the corals that occurs just after nightfall, a few days following the August and September full moons. The day and time of this spectacle depends on the species of coral. Montastraea (the predominant boulder coral in the Keys) spawns six to eight days after the full moon, about three hours after sunset. The branching corals - finger, staghorn and elkhorn - spawn three to five days after the full moon, about two hours after sunset.
The September full moon is on the 23 rd. Don't miss it...
Trick or Treat in Key Weird...
It kicks off with the full moon and ends on Halloween - this year's Fantasy Fest promises to be a doozy! Better book your accomodations early... Room rates
WOW! Blowout special on Puck Air Dive Computer
Look ma, fewer gauges! The air-integrated Puck Air Dive Computer combines your SPG (submersible pressure gauge) with your Dive Computer. Add a compass and you've got everything you need in a sleek two-gauge console. Get this deal before it's gone. Call for price (1-877-816-3483).
More about the Puck Air
Learn to dive in your jammies
Did you know that PADI now offers ONLINE instruction for Advanced Open Water Diver, as well as Open Water certifications? That's right - you can do the book work at your convenience, from the comfort of your home. Once you've completed the advanced open water course work online, you'll meet with one of our scuba instructors for a quick review and make five open water dives here in the beautiful Florida Keys. Learn more about
Gear Meister answers your gear questions...
"Health Care... for your Dive Gear"
Now that you’ve accumulated all of your own dive gear from authorized dealers, what happens if something goes wrong with it? Or, better yet, how do you prevent something from going wrong with it? The answer: take it to a manufacturer’s authorized service center - whether it’s still under warranty or not.
An ounce of prevention
First, let’s look at preventing things from going wrong with your gear. Every scuba gear manufacturer has a warranty and service program for their stuff. The warranty typically applies to the original owner, requires that the gear was bought from an authorized dealer, and requires the owner to have the gear (regulators and BCD’s) inspected and / or serviced at regular intervals - usually one year or two years.
I know. You're thinking: "That sounds pretty complicated. Do I really need to do all that?" Let’s look at the reasons behind those policies.
Authorized Dealers
First, a dive equipment manufacturer goes to a lot of time and expense to make sure that the product that goes to the public performs at least as well as they say it will. Only an authorized dealer receives the equipment directly from the maker and has the training, expertise, tools, and equipment to make sure it is in good working order before you walk out the door with it, including any changes or updates that may have come out since the initial manufacture. (An authorized retailer will also take the time to consult with you and make sure you get gear that fits well - an added bonus for safe and enjoyable diving.) Once it's yours, the manufacturer wants your gear to always work properly - so they recommend you get it inspected and serviced on a regular basis to prevent any problems.
What about equipment from a non-authorized dealer? Well, it may not be current or have the most current updates. It may be put together and tested improperly. It may even have been accumulated on the black market and repackaged for you. You just don’t know the real quality of the product you just spent your hard earned cash on.
In a nutshell, a manufacturer can’t be held responsible for equipment that comes from outside their control.
Authorized service centers
In order to keep their product working properly and safely for years to come, every manufacturer establishes authorized service centers. Every maker has their own specific details, but in general, to be an authorized service center, a shop must meet several requirements.
First, the equipment technicians receive initial training and then recurrent training on the servicing of all the equipment in that manufacturer’s line.
Second, the shop must buy and maintain all the special tools to work on each specific piece of equipment.
Third, the shop must have a current set of service manuals and updates as provided by the manufacturer.
And, fourth, the shop must have and use only factory authorized service parts.
Each manufacturer uses different tools, settings, and parts on their equipment, so each shop must go through this same process for each manufacturer they service. Just because a shop is an authorized service center for Brand X does not mean that they are competent or authorized to service Brand Y.
What’s the real risk from going to an non-authorized service center? Quite a few, actually. And they’re all pretty important since they deal with your underwater life support system.
The technician may not be current (or even trained at all!) on your piece of gear. Yet, he’ll work on it based on his “best guess” on parameters and settings. Since manufactures do not sell their service parts, manuals, or tools to non-authorized service centers, your gear will probably be serviced using another manufacturer’s parts hoping that they will be “close enough”. The same goes for the proper tools. Using “close enough” can damage your equipment both functionally and cosmetically. And without the manuals and most recent updates, they’re just guessing on what to do and how to do it..
The practical reality? Most of the time, the equipment doesn’t function quite right, but it works out OK. Then again, we also regularly receive equipment in our repair shop that is not functioning properly – even though it was "just serviced by so-and-so" (a non-authorized service center) . Most of the time, the problem is relatively minor - due to an incorrect part or setting. But keep in mind that a minor problem can suddenly become catastrophic at depth! We’ve also seen regulators with major damage from using the improper tools and servicing techniques. In these cases, the owner was out the cost of a proper servicing and the additional cost to repair the damage caused by the non-authorized service center.
Finding them
Hopefully, you're thinking "Only an authorized service center will be touching my gear!. How do I find one?"
Start with the manufacturer’s website. Most now have a listing of authorized service centers that will point you in the right direction. If your manufacturer doesn’t post that information, you’ll have to ask some direct questions. Unfortunately, not all dive shops are completely transparent in this regard. Simply asking, “Can you service Brand X?” will not necessarily get the truth. You need to ask, “Are you a Brand X authorized service center?” Even if a specific shop was listed on the manufacturer’s website, the trained technician may have moved on, so you can also ask to see the technician’s current training certificate, just to make sure.
It may sound like a lot of trouble. But you probably wouldn’t take your car to the first auto shop you drove by on the highway. You would do a little homework first, and if possible, try to find a mechanic that specialized in your make. It should be just as important with your dive gear – maybe even more so since it is your life support system!
In the long run
it will be easier, cheaper, and safer. Food for thought...
Project AWARE
The underwater world needs heroes!
You can be one of them by championing the causes of the world’s most fragile and important aquatic ecosystems. Learn about some of the most pressing problems facing these vulnerable environments and everyday actions you can take to help conserve them. It’s informative, interesting and most importantly, you learn how to make a difference.
What You Learn
Prerequisites
There are no prerequesites for this specialty.
The Learning Materials You Need
"Our World, Our Water" peels back the curtain and takes you behind the scenes of our underwater world. Discover just how important our underwater eco-systems are and what you can do to help protect them.
Visit Project AWARE Foundation to download your copy today.
Schedule your class now! Call Looe Key Dive Center 1-877- 816-3483
or contact us by e-mailMore info about this specialty at PADI.com
Beautiful but deadly, the lionfish is an invasive exotic species native to the Indo-Pacific region which is increasing in numbers along the east coast of the United States as well as the Caribbean.
The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a predatory fish with few natural enemies that devours smaller indigenous reef fish at an alarming rate. It also poses a threat to divers and fishermen - the fins are tipped with venomous spines that inflict a painful sting. More about lionfish here
The first lionfish in the Lower Florida Keys were seen in January 2009. In an effort to control their numbers, there will be a series of Lionfish Derbies throughout the Florida Keys, starting in September. Entrants are eligible to win up to $10,000 in cash and prizes. Derby infoIf you see this fish, report it
Looe Key Creature of the Month
Queen conch, Strombus gigas
Once plentiful in the Florida Keys, the Queen conch was hunted almost to extinction. Thanks to conservation efforts, it is making a comeback. Look for the Queen conch (pronounced "konk") in sandy areas on the reef where it's orange shell may be obscured by alga growth. Approach it slowly and you might see it's mottled gray head with a large proboscis and long eye stalks! This creature moves about by scooting along on a long claw like foot.
Wondering where the conch in those "conch fritters" comes from? It is usually imported from the Caribbean.
photos by Will Fox and Diane Lundy