Scuba Shack Radio

The PADI Rescue Diver course is an extremely challenging and rewarding evolution. Our course consisted of knowledge development - done through a thorough and comprehensive electronic learning, a review of that material through a virtual meeting, an intense pool session to demonstrate and practice rescue exercises and the open water practical scenario. The class also introduced teamwork among the r...

Regulator pressure is a critical component of your regulator maintenance. Every year you should have your regulator's pressures checked and adjusted whether you are having an inspection or overhaul. The intermediate pressure (IP) of the first stage should be within manufacturer specification which is normally between 125 and 150 PSI. If you have an unbalanced first stage, the intermediate pressure...

Scuba air quality is imperative in diving. Scuba grade air must adhere to the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) standards. The standard for scuba is Grade E and outlines the limits for contaminants in that air. Ensuring that your air meets these standard uses a three prong approach. The compressor must have routine maintenance, proper filtering and periodic testing. The third annual Project AWARE w...

We recently incorporated the delayed surface marker buoy adventure dive in our advanced open water class. Listen to our reasoning and how beneficial this was to both our students and instructors. Being able to deploy your surface marker buoy from depth is an important skill to have. Plastic bag laws work. There are 8 states that currently have statewide plastic bag laws. These states are Californi...

ER Fenimore Johnson had a company named FENJOHN that build and sold underwater photography equipment along with a wide array of scuba diving equipment. The company was based out of Ardmore, PA. The 1954 catalog featured the FENJOHN Bantam 16mm underwater motion picture camera for the hefty price of $1990 ($19,010 in 2020 dollars). By 1956, the catalog had a lot more equipment listed. He was distri...

In 1948 LCDR Fenimore Johnson again uses his expertise in underwater photography to work with the Navy's Underwater Demolition team. The Navy doesn't really believe that the divers can do all the things they report that they are doing. That is where Fen Johnson comes in. He will document their work using both film and photographs. This ground-breaking work is the visual evidence the Navy needs to...

ER Fenimore Johnson was a pioneer in underwater photography. He was born in 1899. His father was the founder of the Victor Talking Machine Company. Fen Johnson worked for the company until it merged with RCA in 1927. Fen got involved in diving using a Miller and Dunn shallow water helmet first to clear lines around the propeller of his yacht and later to do underwater photography. His company Mech...

Amy Lee is REEF's (Reef Environmental Education Foundation) Engagement and Communications Manager. In this episode I had a chance to catch up with Amy and chat a little about her background, her work at REEF, her recognition as the 2019 DEMA Wavemaker and some of her favorite dive destinations. Amy has been with REEF since 2014 and is an avid fish surveyor and fish identification expert.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there On this special episode of Scuba Shack Radio I sit down with Peter Katz - PADI Master Instructor to talk about his trip to the Maldives. Peter was fortunate to get his trip to the Maldives completed just before the pandemic lockdown. We talk about his adventure onboard the Emperor Explorer, the diving, the routine, the food and how he got out to the oth...

Every diver should have a save-a-dive kit and your kit should be tailored to your gear and your configuration. Every diver should have o-rings in their kit. Tank valve o-rings and hose o-rings are very important. You should have a spare mask strap but make sure it fits your mask. If you have replaceable fin straps - ensure you have the right ones. Additionally, you should carry a spare regulator m...

Wireless underwater communications for scuba divers have come a long way since the 1970s. Today there are a number of options if you are ready to go the full-face mask route, whether it be an AGA, Spectrum, Kirby-Morgan, Guardian or G-Diver. Your options include the Ocean Reef GSM G-Diver, Divelink's COM-FF or the OTS Buddy Phone - D2. They all operate with 1/2 watt power and can have ranges betwe...

Your Emergency Action Plan is an important part of your preparedness in the event of something going wrong. It consists of information regarding where you will be diving. Things like the location of hospitals, hyperbaric chambers, or other facilities. Your plan also should include equipment. Do you have a first-aid kit and is it up to date. Is your emergency oxygen kit in working order and do you...

A dive flag is a very important piece of your safety equipment especially when shore diving. A dive flag let's boat traffic know that you are in the area. A flag must be within 50 feet of you and be able to be seen from 100 yards away. It should also be flying and 3 feet above the surface. You need to check out the specific regulations for where you are diving. You will need to be proficient in ha...

The dive shop has been closed since mid-March. As we learn to be more virtual, I recently practiced doing a remote interview. I interviewed Donna who was in our dining room while I was in my office in the basement. We used the internet to conduct the interview and talked about how she is trying to keep things going while we are closed. The National Marine Life Center is a hospital to rehabilitate...

In this episode we discuss dive lights, the Plastic Redesign Initiative, and Your Next Dive takes us to Turks and Caicos where we will dive with Dive Provo. If you are going to do night dives you will need a good dive light. My choice for a primary dive light is the Light and Motion Solo 800 S/F. The Solo is a hand-mounted light with a spot and flood capability. In the flood mode you will get 70 m...

This is a special edition of Scuba Shack Radio. We took the podcast on the road to the Boston Sea Rovers 66th International Ocean Symposium and Film Festival where we had the opportunity to connect with some old friends and meet new folks across the dive industry. I want to thank my guests – Rob Kohl -  PADI Northeast Regional Manager, Les Corkhill - Atlantis Dive Resort, Patrick Flannigan – Ocean...

In this episode we discuss SAC rate, the state of solar power in the US, and Voit – an early scuba equipment company. Your surface air consumption (SAC) rate is an important consideration in planning and executing your dives. Your SAC rate tells you how much air you consume at the surface and when you are planning a dive you can determine the amount of gas you will use during that dive. It isn't d...

In this episode we discuss boat diving etiquette, the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and Sea Hunt – It's Still Alive – the Aquanettes. Boat diving is fun and convenient. Boats however are small and move around a lot and can present some challenges. With a little common sense and etiquette you can make it enjoyable for everyone. My number 1 rule for boat diving etiquette is to follow the boa...

In this episode we have our first interview with Ron, discuss the PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider course, and Your Next Dives takes us to Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas  in Nassau. From the very first day I started Scuba Shack Radio, Ron Weller – one of our dive instructors has been talking about getting guests on the show. For this 25th episode, I thought it was appropriate that Ron be my first guest....

In this episode we discuss dive travel insurance, the current state of wind power, and Scott Carpenter – Astronaut and Aquanaut. Who doesn't like a great scuba diving trip? As we know, we need to plan our trips well in advance and in many cases make a significant investment. Things happen and we should really protect that investment with trip insurance. There are a number of products out there to...

In this episode we discuss the PADI referral process, the North Atlantic Right Whale, and another installment of Sea Hunt – It's Still Alive. If you live in a part of the country or the world where it gets cold in the winter you might not think you can still learn to scuba dive. You can by doing something called a referral. Essentially, you do your confined water training with your local dive shop...

In this episode we discuss Sink the Stink, 4Ocean, and Your Next Dive takes you to Atlantis Dive Resort in Dumaguete Philippines. Sink the Stink is our go to product for cleaning our neoprene wetsuits and boots. The product is based on technology developed by Bob Denton based on work he had been doing for the oil and gas industry to remove contaminants using bacteria. As an avid diver Bob realized...

In this episode we discuss the Ikelite Olympus TG-6 package, stony coral tissue loss disease, and some history of New England diving. The Ikelite Olympus TG-6 package comes with the Olympus TG-6 camera, the Ikelite housing, the action tray II with left handle, RC1 TTL (Through the Lens) receiver, a fiber optic cord, the Ikelite DS51 strobe and the compact ball arm for quick release. The camera fea...

In this episode we discuss the Suunto SK-8 compass, Ballast – a five part podcast from Hakai Magazine and another installment of Sea Hunt – It's Still Alive. The Suunto SK-8 underwater compass is my compass of choice. The compass is billed as the world's most popular dive compass. The SK-8 is a liquid filled compass. Suunto claims that both the Northern and Southern hemisphere models can be used o...

In this episode we discuss our time at DEMA, clothing made from recycled plastic, and another installment of Your Next Dive – Little Cayman. Our three days at DEMA was packed. We had a chance to meet with all of our partners, look at new products, research various travel options, talk with organizations involved in ocean health and sustainability and meet some interesting people in the dive commun...