Winter came......

Over a month ago I posted that winter was coming.  Well, it came!  Most reading this will already know that record low temperatures were experienced here in the Florida Keys and in Key Largo.   As I type we are not through with this weather and cold.  Very few souls have braved the cold air and water temps to scuba dive during these past weeks.  Most locals have dug out clothing that they wore in other lives and when they lived 'up North' in 'cold country'.   Pictured above are two examples! 

I was in a local dive store a couple days ago and was taken back by the fact that one of the sales reps was wearing a 'parka' (I question my spelling as it has been over 15 years since I've seen one, let alone spell it)!

I always carry a pocket camera and couldn't resist asking whether I could get a picture of this 'event'!  My models were great and agreed.  

It's been a month since my last blogpost.  So, missed an opportunity to wish everyone happy holidays and the best for 2010.  Right now am wishing it would warm up and soon so we can all get back in the water and truly enjoy our time there.  

Stay warm and healthy everybody!  lg

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FOOD!!!

I figured that if you are like me at all, and you likely are or you would not be reading 'my blog', that my titling this blogpost 'FOOD' would get your attention.

I'm a major food-a-holic and should weigh much more than I do because of it. I love food, both the eating of it and the cooking of it. So do most my friends and hopefully all of you reading this.

I'm proud to present in this blogpost 'Captain Pete's Banana Pepper Mustard'! This stuff ROCKS, guyz! Good-bye grey poupon. Because Capt Pete's Mustard is the real deal!

Captain Pete is a friend of mine here in Key Largo and is a boat captain who recently moved back to Key Largo from working in the Bahamas. And since then, started making this kick-ass mustard and makes it available to food-a-holics like me.

Capt Pete is just getting rolling with his mustard so it is not yet nationally distributed. But, if you are in Key Largo, you can get your jar of it at the Galley, just upstairs from Sharkey's Pub and next to Ocean Divers. If you are not in Key Largo, but, are coming, put getting a jar of this 'stuff' on your list. And while you are buying Capt. Pete's mustard, have some food at the Galley, dive with Ocean Divers and enjoy an adult beverage at Sharkeys afterwards. Thank me later!

Congrats Capt Pete on a great idea and recipe and best of luck with it.

lg

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Great Christmas Gift Idea!

Hello Everyone!

and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

I've been such a slacker with my blog lately so am going to try to fix that and beginning now.

I am going to make a 'plug' for what I think is a cool thing! Pictured above are two hand-made gel candles that are scented. The person who hand makes these is a friend of mine and also one of my students of scuba. She is very talented. She is also a very hard worker and makes these in addition to her full-time job and alongside of another part time job.

I have the two pictured above and they are very kewel. She buys shells and sand and the other materials and puts her loving touch to each candle by carefully placing each shell.

Some reading this might think it a bad thing to be using shells 'taken' from the Sea. However, to those who are; know that nothing was living in these shells at the time they were collected.

Additionally shells are beautiful things. But unless you live or travel to where they are found, you will never have the chance to see them. So, PC aside, these candles allow people who might enjoy shells, but, who do not get a chance to see shells, the opportunity to do so.

Also these candles help a very hard-working young woman earn her way in life! They make great candles for your own home and I believe a nice gift for Christmas for some one special in your life.

Here is the link so you can get these:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jennmak1979

Merry Christmas to Everyone!

lg

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Winter is coming to the Keys....

We do have 'seasons' here in Key Largo. From a scuba diver's and underwater photographer's perspective, I think two. Summer time, pictured above and winter. Not all our diving days are like the one pictured above, and 'winter' is coming.

We got a preview of it the past two weeks with winds blowing and gusting to over 30 mph. This built big waves to heights of 8 feet and taller. Given what I do, we do, these are not 'diving days', no matter how bad we would love to go. 'Winter' is like that.

Scuba diving is an outdoor recreational activity and like all other outdoor activities, our ability to recreate scuba diving is weather dependent. In other words it depends on the weather, whether we will be able to go scuba diving. I strongly disslike winter, the worst two months of it are January and February. It is windy, cold, big seas, reduced visibility and on many days, not very much, if any, fun.

This is a disappointment to me, as I love diving too. It is also a disappointment to those (some reading this) who come here to dive and the weather will not cooperate. So, when that happens what can a diver do?

The Florida Keys is essentially all about diving and fishing, or other 'on the water' activities. As such there is not a lot 'to do' if a person cannot get out on the water.

Because of this I am strained at times to recommend some other fun thing to do, because the build up of the Keys was to support these activities. So, mostly, we have restaurants, bars and places to stay. Not a lot goes on 'on-land'. Or is there?

As mentioned such weather happened recently and I found myself taking my own suggestions and recommendations on alternative activities. I discoverd I had a lot of fun and while not diving certainly took my mind off my not being able to dive.

Scroll down and check them out!

Take a road trip and explore the Keys!

and go shopping !!

Visit Dolphins Plus and interact with Dolphins!

Visit the History of Diving Museum!

Visit the Turtle Hospital!

Visit Mote Marine Research Lab!

and have a cookout with friends!

and hang out with fellow divers and friends and 'talk' diving!

or build a zoom ring gear for your favorite but unsupported lens!

or refresh some rusty Scuba Skills at the pool!

OR, just hang out by the pool!

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A real Thrill with an old Friend!

Two Fridays ago, I had the opportunity while conducting an advanced underwater photography course to dive with an old friend, Captain Spencer Slate, who 30 years ago started his dive center here in Key Largo. ( http://captainslate.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3&Itemid=7 )

In my opinion, Capt Slate is somewhat of, if not in fact, a legend or icon in the receational diving community. I won't list all his accomplishments or kudos or contributions for they are easy to find with a moderate effort and on-line. However, Captain Slate for years was the national director of the YMCA Scuba Program (now gone..) And among the things he did that made his mark was to conduct 'critter feeds'.

For some years, Slate has conducted a 'critter feed' and that was the occasion that brought me back to diving with him again. My student and I needed some 'action photography' and we found it during the 'critter feed dive' conducted by Captain Slate. It was a treat that he actually conducted the event and a bonus that another friend, Frazier Nevins, renowned UW videographer, was on the scene as well.

The event is very exciting and high voltage and entertaining. It is also educational in that Capt Slate uses the opportunity to educate and inform those joining him in this event. It was a thrill for me to dive again with my old friend and a thrill for my underwater photography student to experience this type of 'in your face' interaction with the critters that Slate conjurs up during these feeds.

I'd encourage anyone reading this to participate in this. They are conducted each Friday and Sunday and the link above gives more of the particulars. If any of you do, tell Slate that I sent ya!

All kinds of critters show up: beginning with Yellow-tail Snappers, then Black Groupers, then a Barracuda, not long after a good sized Goliath Grouper (aka Jewfish) and most times more than a couple Nurse Sharks! All of them eager for a handout !

lg

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Congrats to Clark M, underwater photographer

I had the fortunate opportunity to work with a creative young person, Clark, and teaching him about underwater photography here in Key Largo over Labor Day weekend. Clark more than successfully completed the performance requirements of PADI's specialty course: 'Underwater Photographer'.

I enjoy working with all my underwater photography students, whether in a 'formal' class setting or in a workshop or seminar-like environment. For some reason, however, and I am sure it is just me, the young(er) people coming to me, seem to have an element of creativity, that if I ever had it, it has faded with time and over the years. Clark is one among those of you with an imagination and a creative characteristic about him.

He has his humility so am only posting a couple of his shots and not his best works, as those are for him to share.

Good job, Clark and congrats! lg

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