Off To Bonaire For A Week!

Suzanne and I are heading to the beautiful island of Bonaire! It's our first trip to there and we can't wait to hit all of the shore diving action. We'll probably make a few boat dives off Klein Bonaire in the hopes of seeing sea turtles (Suzanne's favorite!). We might even do a boat dive on the windward (eastern) side for even better chances of seeing turtles.

We're bringing our Olympus C-5060 widezoom camera and Olympus PT-020 underwater housing and hope to take some fantastic underwater photos. It'll be our first time taking pictures underwater and we can't wait to share them with you! We'll be staying at the Divi Flamingo; expect a full review when we return!

Aventures in Wetsuit Hunting!

Suzanne gets cold in 80-82 degree F water (common in women), so we went shopping for wetsuit yesterday. Two stores and five wetsuits later, we ended up getting her an Aqua Lung Aquaflex 5mm wetsuit from Paragon Sports. Be forewarned! If you're shopping for a wetsuit, be prepared to break a sweat, sore fingertips, and in Suzanne's case, some minor abrasions from pulling up and correctly wearing the darn things!

Suzanne almost went for the Henderson Insta-Dry 3mm bodysuit. It is the closest thing to a drysuit without being a true drysuit on the market. The 3mm thickness gave her a little better mobility and it supposedly possesses the thermal capabilitie of a 5mm neoprene wetsuit. However, it costs $450, and the look of it is a bit too technical for her tastes. Also, it was the hardest wetsuit (by far) to don. Had Leisurepro had the Cressi Sub Castoro 3 in a small size in stock, I think we would have purchased it. At $130, it was the value play for a 5mm wetsuit.

Scuba Diving's 2005 Fin Review

Every scuba diver should own basic snorkel gear--dive mask, snorkel, and fins. If you've ever scuba dove without fins, then you know how important fins are and how dangerous the sport can be without them.

Choosing a dive fin can be a daunting process; there are many choices to choose from. Scuba Diving's 2005 Fin Review, featured in the October 2005 issue, includes both open-heel (pictured) and and full-foot fins. I hope this article will give you a better idea of what is available.

I prefer open-heel fins because it enables me to wear booties with soles. Not only do the booties keep my feet warm, but I can walk around the beach in them while shore diving. However, like any piece of scuba gear, the choice is yours. Talk to your LDS and decide what's best for you.

Remember to properly store your fins after you've rinsed them with fresh water and allowed them to dry. To prevent deformation, never store your fins in direct sunlight, stand them on their blades, or place anything on top of them.

A Great Reference For Your Scuba Library

Suzanne picked up this gem of a book while we were diving in Key West. We love the 12 identification groups at the beginning of the book where we can quickly view and decipher accurate 2D drawings of fish body shapes and go its corresponding pages. There are beautiful color photos of each fish, and useful information such as its distinctive features, its habitat and behavior, and its reaction to divers. Check it out!

Great Chinese Food At Wings!

Now celebrating over 10 years on Guam, my mother-in-law's Chinese restaurant, Wings, is still serving up delicious dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday! Check it out the next time you're on Guam and tell Jane (mother-in-law) or Doug (bra-in-law) that Jimmy and Suzanne sent you!

175A North Marine Drive
Tamuning, Guam 96913
(Next to JFK High School near the Airport Hotel)
Tel: (Coming Soon)

Dive Mask Roundup

Never underestimate the importance of a good mask. Like any other piece of scuba equipment, a less-than-perfect fit can sink your dive experience. Wide-view, full-face, small-face--the choices of dive masks can be dizzying to the ill-prepared. To help prepare you to make the best choice, take a look at Scuba Diving Magazine's online review of 47 dive masks.

Remember, mask fit is key. Do yourself a favor and head on over to your local dive shop (LDS) and physically try on masks. Ensure a good seal, a comfortable fit, and ask about incidentals such as strap and buckle design and prescription lens options. Unless you already know what mask you want exactly, buying a dive mask at your LDS is preferred over buying them online. In most cases, the few extra dollars saved from purchasing online is not worth the personalized service and attention of an LDS.

Guam--Your Gateway to Micronesia!

Hafa adai! At twice the size of Bonaire, most of Guam is probably the most underappreciated island, especially when compared to nearby Palau, Yap, and Truk. But explore the island in more detail and you'll discover the rich heritage of of the Chimorro culture and wonderful diving! More on visiting Guam...















The shopping and entertainment district in downtown Tumon is Guam's center of turism. The rest of the island is quite rural, but beautiful nonetheless. Dive it, discover it, love it!



My wife and I received our Open Water Certification in April 2004 at the Micronesian Divers Association (MDA). Our dive instructor was Andrea Altizer and she was excellent. We truly appreciated her attention to detail, patience, and terrific personality. We love you, Andrea, wherever you are! MDA ran an excellent shop and dive operation. Highly recommended!

Zap Dehydration Before it Sucks You Dry

My first breath from a scuba tank litterally sucked the moisture out of my mouth. The compressed air within a scuba tank must be bone dry to prevent equipment corrosion and to keep little nasties from growing in your tank. If you don't stay hydrated, you could suffer from cotton mouth, dry and irritated throat, elevated heart rate, and greater suceptibility to decompression sickness and injuries from dehydration. Check out the following link for more information on how to stay hydrated and make your next dive more enjoyable: no_more_scuba_dry_mouth!

Also, don't forget to replenish your electrolytes! On your next dive, bring a sports drink or some diluted fruit juice as a delicious refresher!

Diving Fun Under The Floridian Sun!

Suzanne and I are heading out to Sand Key off Key West. We're in the middle of our Advanced Open Water certification course, taught by Shane LaBeet of Subtropic Dive Center (both highly recommended!). We also dove Joe's Tug, Rock Key, and the Eastern Dry Rocks that day. For a good listing of the Floriday Key dive sites, check out this website: http://www.florida-keys.fl.us/divesite.htm

Where To Go For Scuba Diving Info...

We subscribe to Scuba Diving Magazine, which is a great source of gear and dive destination reviews, travel deals, instructional articles, and Suzanne's favorite, "Lessons For Life", which outlines dive accidents, close calls, and avoidance measures.

We are also members of the ScubaBoard forums. It features a wealth of information, a great forum search engine, and friendly members. Go ahead and explore the forums by clicking the link to the right!