Past Speakers of Big Apple Divers
Past speakers include Jill Heinerth, Stan Waterman, Michael Aw, Amos Nachoum, Christina Zenato, Jonathan Bird, Glenn Butler, John Chatterton, Herb Segars, Richie Kohler, David Concannon, Becky Kagan Schott, Bernie Chowdhury, Mike Emmerman, Edd Sorenson, and Gary Gentile, as well as many other divers, photographers, and explorers from around the world. Presentations often include films, mixed media or slides, and cover dive topics such as travel, safety, marine life, equipment and underwater adventure. There are also plenty of opportunities to socialize!
| Date | Speakers | Presentation | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July, 2024 | David Shiffman | Why Sharks Matter | Next month, we have Dr. David Shiffman joining us to discuss the world of shark science and conservation and stories from his research adventures worldwide. Dr. Shiffman is a Washington, DC-based marine conservation biologist who studies sharks and how to protect them. His writings have appeared in National Geographic, the Washington Post, Scientific American, and a monthly column in SCUBA Diving Magazine. | |
| June, 2024 | Dr. Stephen Tettelbach | New York Bay Scallops in Dire Straits | If you dive locally, you will find it almost impossible to find scallops on the local wrecks. Dr. Stephen Tettelbach, our next speaker and a shellfish ecologist and professor at Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Suffolk County has studied scallops for 45 years. Dr. Tettelbach conducted many lab and field experiments over 2500+ logged dives and concluded that the rising temperature and low levels of dissolved oxygen played a role in the decline of the scallops' population. He will speak about his latest work on selectively breeding Bay scallops to restore their population. | |
| May, 2024 | Alexis Rockman | Growing Up in the Big Apple | Alexis Rockman, a renowned American contemporary artist, will speak at the next club event. In this event, Alexis will tell us about how growing up in New York City shaped his paintings of future landscapes depicting the impact of climate change, species extinction, and evolution influenced by genetic engineering. Alexis's work has been exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and numerous galleries around the world. He also worked with Oscar-winning film director Ang Lee on watercolor concept paintings and visual sequences for the movie Life of Pi. | |
| April, 2024 | Roger Williams | Life on the Tropic of Cancer | Roger was an avid local Northeast Diver who has spent many hours exploring NY/NJ wrecks. About 6 years ago, he and his wife Nelly made the move to Mexico. They now own and operate XOC-Ha, a divers BnB near Akumal. In this presentation, Roger will reflect on some recent trends in the Mexican cave diving scene -- including some clarities of purpose defined among the community, some evolutions in philosophies. preferences of gear configurations, and unfortunately some disappointment with the loss of access due to the train and airport public works project and rampant development, and much more! | |
| March, 2024 | Becca Boring | 10 Days on Ebeye | After a spectacular trip to one of the world’s best wreck diving destinations - Bikini Atoll, Super Typhoon Mawar left a travel-weary group of divers stranded for ten days on one of the most densely populated and least visited places on earth. Ebeye Island, with no tourism infrastructure and little infrastructure in general, offered more than we could have imagined in the lessons we’ll all carry with us on future remote travel. | |
| February, 2024 | Robert Wianecki | Artifacts: Windows into the Past | Join Rob Wianecki, a local attorney and avid shipwreck diver, as he takes us on an underwater journey through time. His passion for exploration began in 7th grade with a book report on the legendary Andrea Doria. Ever since, he's been hooked, having logged dives in the Bahamas to the iconic Doria itself. Nowadays, you can find him crewing on the Ol’ Salty dive boat in New Jersey. In this event, Rob will bring real artifacts from Oregon to provide a different way of researching, locating and recovering artifacts! Oregon is a Scottish ship liner that sank in 1886 after colliding with a schooner. Rob will share stories about the thrill of discovery, the recovery of various artifacts that provide windows into the past, and the meticulous preservation of history. You might just be surprised by what lies beneath the waves! | |
| January, 2024 | Richard Simon | Discovery of the Defender in Long Island Sound | Richard is an accomplished explorer who has conducted many expeditions to famous sites like Andrea Doria and Lusitania. He's been fascinated by the story of the Defender for years -- an experimental submarine built in 1907 and later scuttled in Long Island Sound. Richard spent months going over sonar, underwater mapping surveys, and government documents to identify wreckage that matched the size of the submarine. On April 16, 2023, he finally led the discovery of The Defender. Join us to learn more and engage with Richard about his groundbreaking discovery in our backyard! | |
| November, 2023 | Tanasia Swift & Zoe Greenberg | The Billion Oyster Project | Billion Oyster Project is a nonprofit organization on a mission to restore oyster reefs to New York Harbor through public education initiatives. Why oysters? Their reefs provide habitat for many marine species, have the ability to filter water and help shield New York City shorelines from storm damage. Founded on the belief that restoration without education is temporary, and observing that learning outcomes improve when students have the opportunity to work on real restoration projects, Billion Oyster Project collaborates with public schools. The crew designs STEM curriculum for NYC schools through the lens of oyster restoration and engages Urban Assembly New York Harbor School students in large-scale restoration projects, collects discarded oyster shells from nearly 70 NYC restaurants, and engages the local community. The project has introduced 122 million oysters across 19 acres and 18 oyster restoration sites, with the help of 11,000 students and more than 15,000 volunteers. Join Billion Oyster Project Divers, Tanasia & Zoe as they walk us through the project, explain the goals and how they hope to achieve them. They’ll also talk about their end-of-season event which I’m told is an AWESOME party! | |
| October, 2023 | Chris St. Lawrence | Gotham Whale | From the Hudson to the Harbor, New York’s waterways have long had a reputation as toxic, polluted, hazards for marine life. But as environmental conditions have improved in recent decades, New Yorkers have seen the return of many species to our city’s waters — including seals, dolphins… and whales! Enter Gotham Whale: a local, citizen-science organization based in Staten Island, that studies, advocates for, and educates about whales and marine mammals in our area. Since their inception in 2006, Gotham Whale has been on the front lines of New York’s environmental recovery. Today, the team is most well-known for documenting and cataloging the population of Humpback whales - one of 6 whale species which feed in NYC’s nutrient-rich waters during the summer months. In a changing world and busy city, Gotham Whale works to breach the divide between man and nature for a better future by engaging everyday people in service of the environment. Gotham Whale videographer, Chris St. John will be presenting us with exclusive videos and photographs that he has captured of New York’s whale population and other marine life - join us to see more of these stunning images! | |
| September, 2023 | Michael Gerken | Stuck in Truk | Mike Gerken, Captain of the ‘Truk Odyssey’, spent 2 years during the Covid pandemic on lockdown in the Truk Lagoon, Micronesia. In 1944, US forces sank nearly 50 vessels of the Japanese Fleet while anchored in Truk and the wreckage of those vessels make this site one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world. Since Truk was closed to tourism during those first 2 years of the pandemic, Mike spent his time diving, shooting photos and video, and delivering vaccines to local residents. “Stuck in Truk” is a presentation of the amazing images he created during this unusual time - join us! Mike left the grind of the New York City corporate world in the late 90's to travel the world while working in the diving industry in a variety of capacities. Ten years ago Mike started ‘Evolution Dive Travel’ using his vast experience to organize and conduct custom dive excursions around the world including Truk Lagoon, Palau, Mexico and North Carolina. In 2003, Mike discovered his love of underwater photography and cinematography when he began working in Truk Lagoon and diving the famed Japanese WWII shipwrecks. He eventually went on to become captain of the ‘Truk Odyssey’ where you will presently find him part of the year tending to his guests and photographing the wrecks every chance he gets. In 2009, Mike became captain of the dive vessel ‘Midnight Express’ out of Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City, NC. It was here where he discovered his passion for sharks with the prolific sand tiger being the focal point of his photography. His documentary, “Wreck Denizends of North Carolina”, was completed in 2016 and is free to watch on You Tube. In 2014, Mike founded the "North Carolina Wreck•Shark Shootout"; a photo video contest where attendees come from around the world to compete for prizes and share a mutual love of photography, wrecks and sharks. Mike has written numerous articles that have been published in Alert Diver, Scuba Diving, Diver, Wreck Diver and Sport Diver magazines. In addition, he has two other documentary films to his credit, "The Wreck of the SS President Coolidge", released in 2006 and "The Wrecks of Truk Lagoon" released in 2011. Both have gone on to be collectibles for divers, history buffs and wreck diving enthusiasts. | |
| August, 2023 | Dr. Bridget Buxton | Underwater Archeology & Searching for the Lost City of Rhapta | Called by some ‘the African Atlantis’, the exact location of ancient Rhapta – the southernmost outpost of Roman trade in Africa – has long eluded explorers. Now, a team led by archaeologists of Dar es Salaam University in Tanzania has narrowed down the search to an area of mysterious sunken ruins on the remote island of Mafia. Dr. Buxton is currently in Tanzania, as a guest and observer of the project, since own expedition in Chagos led her to the same conclusion about Rhapta's location, but from a different set of clues. Dr. Buxton will share with us her research and any discoveries of the initial excavation. She will also present some of her discoveries from other underwater excavations in Israel, Turkey & Croatia. Originally from New Zealand, Dr. Bridget Buxton received her Ph.D. in Ancient History and Archaeology from the University of California, Berkeley, as a Fulbright and Regents Humanities Scholar. She currently serves as Professor of History and Underwater Archaeology at the University of Rhode Island and has archeological projects in Israel, Croatia, the Atlantic,and Indian Oceans. Her research has been featured in numerous documentaries and magazine publications, as well as scientific journals. As part of her career in underwater exploration and excavation, she is also active in the marine robotics community. | |
| June, 2023 | Martin Broen | Light In The Underworld: The Beauty & Secrets of The Cenotes in The Yucatan Peninsula | Martin is an award-winning photographer, technical diver, cave explorer, and a member of our very own dive club. He is passionate about capturing and sharing the beauty of this planet, and will share with us a presentation about his forthcoming book; “Light In The Underworld”, describing the beauty of the caves in the Yucatan Peninsula, the history of how they formed and the incredible natural effects you can find in them. Illustrated by many breathtaking, award-winning images. Originally from Argentina and currently based in New York, Martin works in Design and Innovation, which allows him to combine his knowledge of sustainability, with his passion for great natural encounters, underwater photography, and conservation. | |
| May, 2023 | Dan Lieb | e Tragedy Of The Schooner John K. Shaw | The John K. Shaw is said to be the first 3-masted schooner built right here in a shipyard on City Island, in 1872. Sadly, she was wrecked off the coast of New Jersey in February, 1884. Dan Lieb will share with us this story of a hit-and-run at sea, the discovery of the wreck, its exploration and identification, plus a surprise ending! The current president of the New Jersey Historical Divers Association, Inc. - a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of New Jersey shipwreck and maritime history - Dan has participated in dozens of archaeological investigations on wreck sites of the state of New Jersey and beyond. As a founding member and trustee of NJHDA, he has given countless presentations throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Delaware, on the topic of New Jersey shipwreck history, and is considered one of the foremost experts on the subject. He has personally identified fourteen wrecks off the New Jersey coast, appeared on the History Channel while investigating two sunken locomotives - some of the oldest to exist -in August 2014, led an expedition, along with Steve Nagiewicz, to map the Robert J. Walker, an historic shipwreck off Atlantic City. | |
| April, 2023 | Hans Walters & Nelson Torres | Saving Sharks In Our Own Backyard & Who Wants To Be An Aquarium Diver? | Did you know there are more than 2 dozen species of sharks in our local waters? Hans Walters - Curator, Animal Department & Field Scientist - will tell us about the most common ones- and the most endangered - along with the WCS’ conservation efforts. Hans has been with the World Conservation Society for over 36 years, and a SCUBA diver for over 45 years. As the Aquarium’s Animal Curator, he is responsible for overseeing daily care of the sharks, rays, sea turtles and associated fishes at the Aquarium. As a field scientist for WCS’ New York Seascape Program, he assists with studying movements and habitat use in sharks that swim through the New York Bight, the area of the Atlantic Ocean between Montauk NY and Cape May NJ. Wanna dive year round without leaving NYC? Join the NYA Volunteer Dive Team! Nelson Torres - Dive Safety Officer & Volunteer Coordinator - will describe the responsibilities and perks of diving at the New York Aquarium PLUS will be accepting applications to start in July 2023. Nelson joined WCS in May of 2022 as the Assistant Dive Safety Officer and last month was promoted to Dive Safety Officer and Volunteer Coordinator. He oversees the dive program and all dive operations at the aquarium. This includes scheduling dives, training staff and volunteers on correct maintenance protocols, maintaining dive gear, teaching CPR/O2 admin classes, and conducting courses for scientific diving through American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS). Prior to NYA, Nelson worked with Sea Life New Jersey as an Aquarist and Dive Safety Officer. | |
| March, 2023 | Renata Rojas | Mission To Titanic | Renata has been fascinated with the tragic story of RMS Titanic her whole life and has been dreaming of seeing it for more than 30 years. When a new, private, submersible company called Oceangate Inc. began organizing yearly expeditions to the famous shipwreck - which lies 12,000 feet down at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean - Renata signed on as a Mission Specialist in 2020 and 2022. She fulfilled her childhood dream on July 19, 2022 and visited the most famous shipwreck in history. Renata has produced a short film on her expedition as well as a presentation and slideshow and we are thrilled she will be sharing them with us! Born in Mexico City and based in New York City, Renata Rojas is a technical diver who started diving at age 12. Her world-wide experience includes caves, shipwreck, reef and ice diving She has traveled to some of the most remote places in the world, including Latin America, Galapagos, Newfoundland, Iceland, Greenland, the Maldives, The North Arctic and Australia’s great Barrier Reef. Renata works for a Spanish Bank in NYC but spends most weekends diving the shipwrecks off the coast of New York and New Jersey. She is a member of the Explorer’s Club in NY, where she has been involved in a number expeditions including; the Centennial submersible dives to the wreck of the Britannic in Greece, an expedition to document the historical wrecks of Newfoundland and several expeditions to the high Arctic to conduct outreach on Ocean Change for the local communities. Renata is also a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and a long time member and past president of Big Apple Divers. | |
| February, 2023 | Nikos Vardakas | Wreck Diving & Ghost Diving in Greece | The very long history of Greece is closely linked to its unique geographical location and the thousands of years of intense maritime activities around its coastline. This fact is highlighted by the numerous, historical, shipwrecks - both ancient and modern - which are still found submerged in its waters today. These shipwrecks showcase the diverse history in the areas of the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean Sea. They are monuments of global maritime heritage and have become havens for diverse marine life, which in recent times are targets for all types of fishing activity. Up to one million tons of abandoned fishing nets or ghost gear- enter our oceans every year. These nets are hazardous to navigation, to historical shipwrecks, and pose a particular threat to marine mammals - it is estimated that 650,00 die each year as a result of abandoned fishing nets. Ghost Diving, is a non-profit organization that is composed of volunteer technical scuba divers that remove these discarded nets, and has chapters worldwide. Nikos Vardakas is the coordinator of Ghost Diving: Greece and his presentation will describe all the Ghost Diving activities in Greece; including the removal of nets and fishing gear which directly impacts the preservation of the marine environment and the historic shipwrecks. Nikos started diving in 1999 and has been actively teaching since 2002 for numerous diving organizations. He is a Hypoxic Trimix instructor with SSI, as well as a Fundamentals instructor and the Greek representative for GUE. He is the founder and owner of Subalife Dive Center. Nikos is an accomplished diver, explorer and educator, offering quality scuba diving training with a strong environmental message. He strives to be an integral part of organizations that are facilitating real world change. After numerous exploration projects, Nikos is now highly focused on all aspects of wreck diving and the study of maritime heritage in Greece. In 2021 he became coordinator for Ghost Diving Greece and is dedicated to helping them on their global mission to remove lost fishing gear from the seas. | |
| January, 2023 | Jimmy Gadomski | The BermudaTriangle: Into Cursed Waters | Jimmy Gadomski is an accomplished underwater explorer, technical diver and technical dive instructor. He specializes in the identification and history of unknown shipwrecks, such as the Steamship Pulaski- which he named and oversaw the recovery of countless gold and silver coins, as well as other artifacts from the dive site - and the discovery of the cargo ship, Sandra, which had been missing for 71 years! This only scratches the surface of the shipwreck research and finds he has been a part of - as an experienced salvage diver, Jimmy’s work encompasses numerous wrecks that are outside the limits of normal recreational diving, reaching depths of up to 500 feet below the ocean surface. It is this experience and skill-set that led to his most recent achievements as part of an elite, five-member team exploring the area known as the Bermuda Triangle. Their work was documented by the History Channel for a six-part series entitled; 'The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters", and features headline-making discoveries including wreckage from a more recent tragic vessel, the space shuttle Challenger. Jimmy will take us through some of these historic finds during his exciting presentation, but you can watch all 6 episodes at www.history.com/shows/the-bermuda-triangle-into-cursed-waters | |
| November, 2022 | Gaelin Rosenwaks | Sperm Whales - The Gentle Goliaths of the Oceans | Gaelin Rosenwaks is a marine scientist, explorer, photographer, filmmaker, and founder of Global Ocean Exploration. In her presentation, she will take you on a journey exploring ocean's ecosystems around the globe, culminating with and highlighting her latest project on Sperm Whales. For centuries, we have been fascinated by the sperm whale—the world’s largest toothed predator. In "Sperm Whales:The Gentle Goliaths of the Oceans, you can experience an intimate underwater journey and connect with these majestic and gentle goliaths. In the waters off Dominica, Gaelin Rosenwaks observed—eye to eye— close matriarchal families while witnessing firsthand the bond between mother and child. Like elephants and humans, they take care of one another. Rosenwaks’s years as a marine biologist, diver, and underwater filmmaker and photographer prepared her to tell this beautifully stirring story with never-before-seen photographs of the world’s most marvelous ocean species. | |
| October, 2022 | Jennifer Sellitti and Joe Mazraani | On the Precipice of WWI: The Legacy of U-53 | Since childhood, Joe Mazraani has been fascinated by the sea, its creatures and the treasure that is the underwater world. Growing up in Lebanon, Joe spent his summers by the Mediterranean. He immigrated to the U.S. at age 15 and became a certified diver in the mid-90s. Joe quickly took to diving wrecks off the Northeast U.S. coast and instantly developed an obsession with exploring the sunken hulks that litter the approaches to New York Harbor. Today, Joe is president of Atlantic Wreck Salvage and operates the dive vessel Tenacious, which he specifically acquired and outfitted to accomplish several projects, including locating U-550, the last German U-boat known to rest in diveable North Atlantic waters, and other deep uncharted wrecks in the North Atlantic. In March of 2020, he was inducted as an associate member of the Boston Sea Rovers. Jennifer Sellitti manages topside operations during dive expeditions and conducts historical research on both the ships Tenacious dives and ships that are the subject of new projects for the team. She delivers presentations to dive clubs, community groups, and museums to help members of the public understand historical significance and importance of wreck diving and artifact recovery in the North Atlantic. Together, Joe, Jennifer and the D/V Tenacious team have discovered numerous shipwrecks and conduct regular expeditions to dive sites off the eastern seaboard. In addition to local expeditions, they have participated in expeditions to the wrecks of HMHS Britannic and Lusitania. Joe and Jennifer are both U.S.C.G. licensed ship captains. When they are not at sea, they are practicing criminal defense attorneys. In this presentation, Jenn and Joe will talk about how German U-53 Commander Hans Rose made an unannounced visit to the Commandant of the U.S. Second Naval District in Newport Harbor in the morning of October 7, 1916. America had not yet entered WWI. After a tense visit, Rose returned to his U-boat and sank five British and Norwegian ships in the waters South of Nantucket. Powerless to retaliate, the Americans could only watch as U-53 blew the Stephano, Strathdene, West Point, Bloomersdijk, and Christian Knudsen to the depths. D/V Tenacious and our partners have been locating, exploring, and documenting these historic wrecks. In September 2020, D/V Tenacious located the last remaining U-53 casualty, West Point, and dived her for the first time The crew returned in August of 2022 to document the wreck in a series of dives. Big Apple Divers audience will be the first to see underwater photos and videos from the 2022 expedition. | |
| September, 2022 | Glenn Butler | The Underwater Cold War - Nasa | Glenn is an accomplished author and diver. Glenn Butler’s book “Bending Atmospheres” has been a best seller in the technical, commercial and military dive community. This lecture was given at the Explorers Club recently and is about all the underwater technologies that developed out of a very public Space Race and simultaneously under great secrecy underwater. The talk has unique slides of the military and subsea research conducted in the 1960's. | |
| August, 2022 | Todd Kelly | Antarctica: What To Expect Diving and Adventuring Into The Southernmost Ice | Todd's talk will cover what travel is like, what diving is like and how to prepare for such an adventure in the antarctica. He will discuss what he expected going in, and what the reality of Antarctica really is. Todd, a.k.a. “Camera Man Todd” , is an two time Emmy Award winning underwater cinematographer. He has been a part of the Blue World Team since 2009, serving as both cameraman and General Counsel. Todd’s diving experience began in1979 in a lake in Pelham, New Hampshire. A few years later he received his open water certification at age twelve and Cave Diving certification in 1993. He spent many years in the film and video industry writing software for use in special effects and film editing. He has worked with many Academy Award winning special effects houses and contributed software tools used throughout the industry. | |
| July, 2022 | Peter Venoutsos | Surface Supplied Shipwreck Diving | Pete was scuba certified scuba in 1976, commercial diver certification in 1983. He has worked for several underwater engineering companies throughout his career. Some of the clients he has served were various individual state agency's, the federal government and the US Navy just to name a few. Pete has been an active speaker at regional dive shows such as Beneath the Sea, Boston Sea Rovers and Our World Underwater. He has been a long time friend and supporter of our club. Surface supplied diving is the oldest known method of exploring the underwater world. A group of historical minded divers traveled to Tobermory Ontario to dive the Mark V system on historical shipwrecks and to commemorate the one hundred year anniversary of the US Navy's use of the Mark V, probably the most widely recognized helmet of all. Featured in many Hollywood movies such as Men Of Honor starring Cuba Gooding Jr. | |
| June, 2022 | John Stella | The Mystery Of 58 Ancient Shipwrecks In Greece | A tiny Greek island in the northeast corner of the Aegean Sea just off Asia Minor was thrust into the international spotlight when a Greek Underwater Dive team conducted an underwater survey in 2015. There had long been rumors that had circulated for years that sponge divers had seen over the centuries an abundance of ancient shipwrecks on the seafloor. John Stella was one of those original dive team members that conducted the survey, and after 13 days, the team discovered 23 ancient shipwrecks, with the oldest shipwreck dating to 600 BC. John returned with the team in 2016, and an additional 22 ancient shipwrecks were found and documented. Further expeditions were in 2017 and 2018, and there are now 58 ancient shipwrecks that have been discovered and verified. John returned to the Island of Fournoi in September 2021 with a team that included 35 divers and several commercial dive vessels to start a new phase of the mission with the excavation of an ancient Byzantine shipwreck. National Geographic has called this discovery and location the "Ancient Shipwreck Capital of the World." John, a member of The Explorers Club, is the recipient of a 2021 Explorers Club and Discovery Grant and serves as Senior Dive Team Member and the mission's Technical Advisor. He will show a 15-minute documentary of the first two years' expedition and update us on the missions 2021 season. John carries the Explorers Flag # 69 on this mission! | |
| May, 2022 | Jhenelle Williams | Beyond The Snorkel | Being a diver is much more than exploring the world below, it’s a relationship with the marine ecosystem and identifying your role in protecting it. Jhénelle will be discussing her love for the ocean and how she bridges that relationship through analytical science. She hopes to ignite that curiosity in you to go beyond the snorkel to protect the ocean we all love. Being a diver is much more than exploring the world below, it’s a relationship with the marine ecosystem and identifying your role in protecting it. Jhénelle will be discussing her love for the ocean and how she bridges that relationship through analytical science. She hopes to ignite that curiosity in you to go beyond the snorkel to protect the ocean we all love. | |
| April, 2022 | John & Anita Ares | Humpback Whales of the Dominican Republic and Moorea, French Polynesia | For many people, swimming with Humpback Whales is a Bucket List trip. We will highlight the differences between two different Humpback Whale trips, starting with our 2002 liveaboard trip on the Turks and Caicos Aggressor in the Dominican Republic and finishing with the second land-based trip, a few months ago in Moorea. Most of the presentation will focus on the recent trip to Moorea.<br><br>Anita George-Ares bio: Anita is a Women Divers Hall of Fame inductee. She has master’s and doctoral degrees in marine biology. Her research at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum resulted in the discovery of five new fish species. She was a research diver for National Geographic's Sleeping Shark Expeditions in Mexico, the Mote Marine Laboratory Expedition in the Solomon Islands, and for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Rhode Island. Anita served as an industry technical representative for the United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre's Partnership for improving marine biodiversity data. Anita currently enjoys contributing articles and images for X-Ray International Dive Magazine.<br><br>John Ares bio: John has been diving since 1974, has a master’s degree in marine sciences, and is a former PADI Course Director. A professional photographer, John is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers. He was an Associate Editor and Photographer for Seafood America Magazine. His photographs have also been published in Aqua, the International Journal of Ichthyology, DivePhotoGuide, PADI Under Sea Journal, and American Photographer. John is a regular contributor to X-Ray International Dive Magazine. With his wife Anita, he has given numerous presentations at Beneath the Sea since 1997. | |
| March 2022 | Cristina Zenato | Exploration in the 21st Century | 2002 liveaboard trip on the Turks and Caicos Aggressor in the Dominican Republic and finishing with the second land-based trip, a few months ago in Moorea. Most of the presentation will focus on the recent trip to Moorea.<br><br>Anita George-Ares bio: Anita is a Women Divers Hall of Fame inductee. She has master’s and doctoral degrees in marine biology. Her research at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum resulted in the discovery of five new fish species. She was a research diver for National Geographic's Sleeping Shark Expeditions in Mexico, the Mote Marine Laboratory Expedition in the Solomon Islands, and for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Rhode Island. Anita served as an industry technical representative for the United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre's Partnership for improving marine biodiversity data. Anita currently enjoys contributing articles and images for X-Ray International Dive Magazine.<br><br>John Ares bio: John has been diving since 1974, has a master’s degree in marine sciences, and is a former PADI Course Director. A professional photographer, John is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers. He was an Associate Editor and Photographer for Seafood America Magazine. His photographs have also been published in Aqua, the International Journal of Ichthyology, DivePhotoGuide, PADI Under Sea Journal, and American Photographer. John is a regular contributor to X-Ray International Dive Magazine. With his wife Anita, he has given numerous presentations at Beneath the Sea since 1997. | |
| February 2022 | Sarah McAnulty | 300 Ways to See a Squid | Squid are some of the most dynamic, curious critters you'll encounter on a reef. Learn all about the social life of a squid, and why you witness such odd behaviors on your dives. Sarah will cover who you might encounter and where to find them along with a broad overview of cephalopods in this talk! <br><br> Dr. Sarah McAnulty is a squid biologist and science communicator. She received her Ph.D. in molecular and cell biology working on Hawaiian bobtail squid symbiosis in 2019. She is currently the executive director of Skype a Scientist, a non-profit that connects over 10,000 classrooms to scientists every year. Dr. McAnulty is a prolific science communicator, with an active presence on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, and Tiktok. She’s been featured by Nature, Forbes, NPR Shortwave, along with many others, for her work. | |
| January , 2022 | Bob Sherwood | Diving the 1000 Islands with Bob | Bob has more than 30 years of experience as an exploration diver, educator, and instructor trainer and is considered by his peers to be one of the top dive professionals in the World.Bob worked closely with Jarrod Jablonski during the formation of GUE and is a member of the GUE advisory board and the only GUE Instructor Trainer/Instructor Evaluator in the Northeast United States and Canada. He is the founder of the GUE affiliate Northeast Underwater Explorers.In 2011, Bob initiated and led a project to document the condition of the wreck of the A. E. Vickery, a popular dive site in the St. Lawrence River. This NEUE project is also supporting the efforts of Project Baseline.<br><br> Bob continues to share his passion for exploration, teaching, and community-building with divers from all walks of life, from professional athletes to open water divers, in the United States and abroad. Bob’s reputation as an accomplished dive instructor has resulted in invitations to train divers in Egypt, Italy, Russia, Slovenia, Japan, the Philippines, and Mexico. Students trained by Bob have gone on to become exploration divers, scientific divers, and GUE instructors. In this presentation, Bob will share his passion for diving the 1000 Islands and explain why you must get in your car and dive here. | |
| November, 2021 | John Chatterton | Finding Bannister | John Chatterton is one of the world’s most accomplished and well known shipwreck divers. He has worked with numerous television networks on more than 70 shipwreck projects for TV. Most recently he appeared on the History Channel’s, Mystery of Oak Island, and Confederate Gold series. His diving exploits have been chronicled in several books, including Shadow Divers, Pirate Hunters, and Titanic’s Last Secrets. His exploration of shipwrecks has included some of the most famous wrecks in the world, including the Andrea Doria, USS Arizona, the German submarine U-869, Atocha, Golden Fleece, Britannic, Lusitania, and Titanic. <br>John will be speaking about searching for, and finding the wreck of the Golden Fleece, the ship of the Pirate Joseph Bannister, which was sunk by the Royal Navy in 1687 in the waters of the Dominican Republic. The story of Bannister and the Golden Fleece was told in Robert Kurson’s bestseller, Pirate Hunters. | |
| October, 2021 | Gareth Lock | The Root Cause Of A Dive Incident Is Your Imagination | We would all like to find out the causes of diving incidents and accidents so that we can prevent them from happening to us and others. The problem is that we will find what we seek as we start looking for when it comes to causes. What if we took a wider view to find out what is really behind diving incidents and accidents? This thought provoking, and potentially challenging presentation, will give you an insight into what really causes adverse events in diving.Gareth Lock retired from the RAF in 2015 after a 25-year career involving front-line operations, flight instructing, flight trials, research and development, systems engineering and procurement. Just before he left the RAF, he certified as a technical diver, and ever since, has been trying to bring the tools, skills and knowledge from aviation, healthcare, nuclear, oil & gas and other high-risk domains into diving.<br>In 2016, he formed the Human Diver and started delivering HF training. In 2019 he published Under Pressure: Diving Deeper with Human Factors and in 2020 he produced and released 'If Only...' which told the story of a diving fatality through the lens of HF and a Just Culture. In September 2021, he organised and hosted the first-ever Human Factors in Diving Conference which had 27 speakers from around the globe presenting over two days.<br>His ultimate goal is that The Human Diver is only involved in high-level instructor development and that the materials he and his team currently teach are formally incorporated into training agency, commercial, military, public safety diving and scientific diving training materials. | |
| September, 2021 | Alice "SJ" Bennett | Lurking in the shadows – Capturing Moments In Underwater Cave Systems | For over 3 years, SJ Alice Bennett has been striving towards capturing a different angle of underwater cave systems. With a background in event and documentary photography, SJ has a passion for creating images that tell a story – that allow the viewer to relive the moment of capture, as it was experienced. Originally from the UK but brought up in Berlin, Germany SJ has had a camera in her hands since the age of 10. With an education in communication and graphic design as well as visual and motion design both with a focus on photography, it was only natural for her to combine those skill sets with her passion for diving when moving to Thailand in 2012. Even before getting cave certified in 2013, she knew she would be taking her camera into the caves. SJ moved to Mexico briefly in 2015 to refine her cave diving and underwater photography skills, and in 2017 settled in Tulum, Mexico full time. She works as a full-time freelancer offering land and underwater photography, print and digital design services, brand development as well as event design to businesses around the globe. When SJ is shooting in the extensive underwater cave systems of Mexico, she aims to capture not only the otherworldly beauty but the raw emotion of these unique environments. She feels it is important to draw awareness to these amazing places – that only a few are privileged enough to see first hand. Through her images, she hopes to both inspire and draw attention to the need to protect these stunning locations. | |
| August, 2021 | Bob Pecoraro | A Retiree's Guide To Warm Water Diving w Bob Pecoraro | Bob Pecoraro was born and raised in Staten Island, New York. He joined the Marine Corps after graduating from John Jay College. He became exposed to the undersea world while stationed in Hawaii in the 80's. He became a diver in 1987 and a PADI instructor in 1988. After returning to New York City in the 90's he became a NYC police officer in 1996. Bob joined the NYC's Scuba team in 1999 where he remained for 6 years as a public safety diver. He was a member of the NYC Sea Gypsies from 2011 to 2016. Bob retired from the police department in 2016 and moved to the Big Island of Hawaii. There he lives with his wife Debbie, diving most days locally or travelling abroad to some exotic destination. Bob's presentation will focus on warm, great viz diving both in Hawaii and abroad. | |
| July, 2021 | Charlie Fasano | Kuleana - Tiger Sharks of The Big Island of Hawaii with Charlie | The tiger sharks of the islands of Hawaii are island-transient animals, meaning they are known to swim inter-island on an almost daily basis. The Big Island of Hawaii is the youngest and least populated of all the islands so the reefs are the strongest of the islands.Hawaiians have devised “ahupua’a,” a system of land management that designates mountain to reef care to specific families. Within the ocean, sharks are greatly respected as fierce predators and known as the carriers of mana (spiritual power). With sharks holding so much spiritual importance in Hawaiian culture it is no surprise certain species are some families ‘aumakua. An ‘aumakua is a family's ancestor whose spirit has taken on a physical form such as a shark, other animals, or even an inanimate object. Those who have specific sharks as their ‘aumakua would feed and even pet the shark they believed to be their relative in return for protection. With the advent of global shark tourism, a new “kuleana,” responsibility, befalls on the scuba diver to ensure protection and deter abuse of these sharks. This is for the benefit of not only the sharks but of the community in ensuring both sides can benefit from these unique encounters. This presentation introduces the identification catalogue that assists in this local shark conservation effort. | |
| June, 2021 | Jimmy Gadomski | Deco for Gold: Using Decompression Procedures for Shipwreck Discovery | Daniele Pierone aka "Dani" was an active Sea Gypsies club member when she lived and went to Penn State University. Oftentimes she would make the 3 hour drive just to meet many of us at Dutch Springs. Today she lives and works in south Florida and many Sea Gypsies visit her and dive with her as she and Jimmy Gadomski run a charter boat. Jimmy will discuss how the Blue Water Ventures company used decompression procedures to aid the salvage industry with their recovery efforts of the Steamboat Pulaski off the coast of Wilmington, NC. He will cover the history of the sunken steamboat, and talk about some of the history behind recovered artifacts off of the Pulaski. He will discuss at length how technical diving is reshaping today's salvage efforts, and different obstacles the dive team faced in an ever changing offshore environment. He will also discuss some other shipwrecks worked by the team and explain the training environments based out of South Florida.<br><br>Jimmy Gadomski is a South Florida based captain and technical diving instructor. In 2017, he was captain of the Blue Water Rose salvage vessel out of the Carolinas. During this expedition, he discovered a candle stick holder with the name "SB Pulaski" engraved on the bottom, thus naming the sunken wreck. He also spent many years working with Pompano Dive Center as a boat captain, technical diving instructor, gas blender, and technical divemaster until they closed in early 2020. In addition, Jimmy has discovered numerous other artifacts on many known and unknown shipwrecks along the east coast and the Bahamas. He currently runs Florida Technical Diving, a company that organizes technical dive trips and classes out of South Florida. He continues to work on different projects which will inevitably lead to further shipwreck history and discovery. | |
| May, 2021 | Natalie Gibb | Cave Curious | Cave diving has a reputation as the world's most dangerous sport, but is that really true? As a cave diving instructor, I prepare divers to safely enjoy into some of the most gorgeous and remote places on the planet. As a cave explorer and photographer, I map new dive sites and share the spectacular images with others. My students go on to independently venture to Mexico's most remote caves, participate in science projects, create their own imagery, and even explore and map new caves. If you are cave curious, or just want to see a totally new part of the planet with no intention of ever diving there, join me for an image-rich talk about everything cave. Natalie Gibb's passion in life is underwater cave exploration and conservation. With her exploration partner Vincent Rouquette-Cathala, she has led her team to discover over 20 previously unknown cave systems in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, mapping more than 80 kilometers of cave passageways. She is a public speaker, author, photographer and videographer, and a member of the Woman Diver's Hall of Fame. Natalie is co-owner of Under the Jungle, a cave diver training center in Mexico, and a TDI Full Cave Instructor. This presentation caters more to the non cave diver than the fellow club member that frequently dares to explore what lies beneath our feet in Mexico. Natalie will use this presentation to share her passion and answer the what's, why's and how's when it comes to cave diving and share her passion with everyone in this presentation. | |
| April, 2021 | Erik Petkovic | Lost Tales of Death and Survival | Through Erik’s unique storytelling, relive some of the most harrowing tales never told of shipwreck and rescue. These stories, which have been lost to history, are now brought out of the depths and being presented like only Erik can. Through a mixture of archival, historical, and underwater photographs, Erik pieces together these remarkable tales of death and survival. | |
| March, 2021 | Brian Raymond | Cameras and Conservation | This presentation will give you a bird's eye look at Brian Raymond's life on the water. Brian started out as a commercial fisherman and the basis of this presentation is what prompted him to leave that industry. He fell in love with sharks and later got deeply embedded into underwater photography with an emphasis on sharks and ocean conservation. This presentation will show you where Brian is going with his photography and he will be sharing many of his underwater images throughout his talk. | |
| February, 2021 | Shane Gross | See The Underwater World From Shane Gross' Eyes | Shane Gross is a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist who has spent the last decade in The Bahamas documenting the beauty and fragility of the islands. He has had success in many international photography competitions including the renowned Wildlife Photographer of the year, Nature photographer of the Year and Underwater Photographer of the Year. His first book, Bahamas Underwater, will be available for purchase soon and copies will be donated to many schools in The Bahamas. Join us as Shane will be talking about Diving, Photography and Conservation and showing you the underwater world from his eyes. He will share some of his favourite images, the stories behind them and discuss some of the ways divers can help the oceans. | |
| January , 2021 | Glenn Butler | Bending Atmospheres - A Journey From Inner to Outer Space | Our first speaker of 2021 will be Glenn Butler, the author of a new book entitled "Bending Atmospheres." Glenn's presentation will cover his real life experience of the Russian / American "Underwater" Cold War and how it influenced advances in mixed gas, NOAA NITROX 32-36% tables, underwater habitats, Technical / Scientific Diving and the use of NITROX to help repair the Hubble Space Telescope. Glenn will also cover the National Geographic sponsored "SixGill Shark / Giant Squid" Beebe anniversary expedition to Bermuda and the documentation of the US Navy warships HAMILTON and SCOURGE sunk in 1812 in Lake Ontario. Glenn is a long-time NYC Sea Gypsies member and Explorers Club Resident Fellow with 40+ years of experience in Commercial, Military, and Scientific Diving operations and Expeditions. Today, Glenn's core business is Hospital-based wound care and hyperbaric medicine services for both elective and emergency treatment for decompression illness and Carbon Monoxide poisoning. His company, Life Support Technologies, also provides Life Safety Engineering and Hyperbaric Services to major construction projects such as the East Side Access Train Tunnels and Marine Safety for the new Tappan Zee Bridge Project. He has 12 Patents and 48 related scientific publications. | |
| November, 2020 | Edd Sorenson | Cave Adventures- Rescue and Recovery! | Edd Sorenson is a technical cave diver known throughout the world for numerous rescues of lost or trapped divers in the underwater caves of Florida, particularly in the Vortex Springs. Back in 1996 he was on vacation in Florida to do a wreck dive on the Spiegel Grove which got blown out. He found himself doing a cavern dive at Ginnie Springs and fell in love. Edd was rebreather certified in 1997 and full cave certified in 1998. Over the next few years he evolved as one of the most well known Instructor Trainers for several training agencies. Edd is famous for his three rescues in 2012, when he rescued 4 people in Jackson County, Florida. He is also known for his more recent work in the Dominical Republic where he recovered 2 divers from Italy who were lost for 17 days inside of the Dudu Lagoon cave system. There are plenty more successful rescues under Edd's belt. In this presentation he is going to share his experiences, talk about training and go over what it takes to be a well trained and efficient cave diver. | |
| October, 2020 | Roger Williams | Cave Diving is Bloody Stupid | Roger Williams isn't interested in many things that aren't dive related. Anything non-technical dive related is on shaky ground with him. Roger is an avid local Northeast Diver who has spent many hours exploring NY/NJ wrecks. When Roger lived in Brooklyn a few years ago he was the Dive Safety Officer for the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Coney Island Aquarium. For years he would tell people diving the wrecks of the Northeast was the best diving in the world until he found his heart in cave diving. The rest is history. He and his wife Nelly, own and operate XOC-Ha which is a divers BnB near akumal, Mexico which is also referred to as "Cave Country". Roger teaches cave, tech and CCR diving while Nelly creates sorcery in the kitchen for their guests. Roger will take us on a journey through his eyes of some beautiful caves in Mexico. If you ever see him staring off into space and ask, "What are you thinking?" He would probably say "safety, balance, stability and team problem solving". And you would probably respond..." I meant what are you thinking about ordering for dinner!" This basically sums up Roger in a nutshell! You can visit Roger at www.XOC-Ha.com | |
| September, 2020 | Joe Mazraani, Jen Sellitti and Joseph St.Amand | Diving The U550 and The Pan penn In Our Backyard | D/V Tenacious is a N.J. based dive vessel that locates, dives and salvages shipwrecks in the North Atlantic. Tenacious and her crew have discovered numerous wrecks in the waters off the coast of N.Y and N.J.. The most celebrated find is the U-550, the last german U - boat known to rest in diveable North Atlantic waters. The vessel is owned by Atlantic Wreck Salvage, operated by Joe Mazraani and Jennifer Sellitti and with the help of Joseph St.Amand they have been chronicled in the books "Where Divers Dare, "The Hunt For The Last U-Boat" and have been published in many dive publications worldwide. In 1941, German U-boat 550 and the SS Pan pennsylvania, the largest oil tanker in the world at the time, fought a battle more than 100 miles off of Montauk. Neither ship survived. For years, shipwreck hunters have been looking for the U-550. In 2012, Joe Mazraani, Joseph St.Amand and the crew of the D/V Tenacious discovered both the U-550 and Pan Pennsylvania's massive stern resting in about 300 feet of water. Since then, the crew of the Tenacious have been diving, documenting and exploring both shipwrecks and every dive reveals another piece of history. Through firsthand accounts, historical research/documents and information gathered from the shipwrecks, Joe Mazraani, Jennifer Sellitti and Joseph St.Amand tell the story of the battle and will give an overview of the 2020 Pan Penn and U-550 expedition while sharing dive footage, photos and sonar images of both wrecks as they tell their story. | |
| August, 2020 | Cristina Zenato | Misconceptions About Technical Diving | Christina has been scuba diving for over 25 years. She is an avid ocean and cave explorer and known to many as the Shark Expert. Christina is currently a course director, advanced cave diving instructor, mixed gas and rebreather instructor. One of her passions in life is ocean conservation. Christina currently teaches multiple courses in recreational and technical diving. She is known for her special relationship with her local sharks as well as a big advocate for shark protection. In 2019 she founded the not for profit People of The water, www.pownonprofit.org which was organized for the purpose of spreading education, training, research and studies related to the water, ocean and environmental issues affecting both the people and the animals of various environments. During this presentation Cristina will explain some of the fundamental differences between technical and recreational diving addressing the frequent misconceptions she receives as a technical and cave diving instructor, hoping to open the interest and understanding of a discipline that will grant us further access into new places in this underwater world. | |
| July, 2020 | Christopher Drew | Adventure & Archaeology: A Modern Expedition | Christopher Drew is a research diver and videographer with Dive Voyager Expeditions, owner of ScubaTech Productions, NBCUniversal production engineer, and recent Stevens graduate. He loves instructing, surveying, and filming everything from local shipwrecks to expeditions worldwide, and knows that every dive will uncover both history and adventure! Peek behind the curtain of a modern expedition team as you learn about the mission, art, skills, and technology used in today's shipwreck survey and video production. By the end of the evening, you'll also have a set of skills to pursue from home and use on your next dive adventure! | |
| June, 2020 | Gareth Lock | If Only...Why a Fatal Rebreather Tragedy Has Lessons For Us All, Not Just In Diving | Gareth Lock has spent the last 8 years focusing on the role of human factors and non-technical in diving successes and failures. He developed his initial knowledge during 25 years in the Royal Air Force as a flight instructor and systems engineer, and enhanced this with research as part of a PhD. Taking this knowledge and theory, he has combined that with his technical diving training (GUE Tech 2, JJ-CCR Mod 1) to create a series of training programmes designed to improve diving safety and diver performance under the banner of The Human Diver. Since 2016 he has trained more than 300 divers face-to-face and had more than 1000 people subscribe to his online class. Classes have been attended by recreational and technical divers and instructors and members of government organisations. He has published numerous papers and articles on human factors, non-technical skills and a Just Culture in diving and in March 2019, he took this one step further when he published his first book ‘Under Pressure: Diving Deeper with Human Factors' which uses a mixture of case studies, theory and practical exercises to improve diving safety. He is currently involved in a number of research projects as well as producing a documentary which views a diving fatality through the lens of human factors and a Just Culture. | |
| June, 2020 | Matthew Meier | The Solomon Islands - 75 Years after the Battle of Guadalcanal | Mathew Meier is an award winning commercial photographer specializing in underwater and nature as well as architectural and product photography. His images have been published in books, magazines and ad campaigns as well as displayed in art galleries, museums and private collections. For the past ten years Mathew has served as a contributing editor, photographer and travel writer for X-Ray International Dive Magazine. Based in San Diego, he is available for assignment work and his photographs may be purchased as fine art prints and licensed for commercial and editorial usage. www.MatthewMeierPhoto.com | |
| May, 2020 | Ron Watkins | Humpback Whales - Exciting Encounters With One Of The Largest Mammals | Humpback whales migrate each year to the warm water around Moorea to give birth and raise their calves before heading back to Antarctica to feed. Observing, listening, learning about and photographing these once endangered magnificent enormous mammals and their complex social structure and interactions is an amazing experience. This presentation will highlight the photography and insight over three years of spending time with these beautiful animals and feature unique facts about the humpback like when the USA launched a humpback into space! Ron is a photographer, writer, and photography instructor specializing in the underwater world. He is a Photo Pro with Backscatter Photo & Video leading photo workshops and reviewing equipment. With his photography, he tries to capture people's attention and educate them about an unfamiliar species, the important role a species plays, the challenges that it may be facing or raise awareness of the fragile ecosystems that all life depends on. He is also a Shark Ambassador for Sharks4Kids which focuses on creating the worlds next generation of shark advocates. Ron has been an accomplished award-winning photographer for over 20 years and most recently winning awards in the prestigious Nature's Best International Awards, Underwater Photographer of the Year, Sharkcon, Beneath the Sea and this year as a member of Team USA, won the The World Shootout for the second time. His imagery and stories have been featured internationally in print and online publications including Alert Diver, Scuba Diving Magazine, Ocean Geographic, Scuba Diver Ocean Planet, Dive Photo Guide and Unterwasser in Germany to name a few. Ron and his wife Manomi are NYC Sea Gypsies and leave their French Bulldog Bodhi and Emma the Cat at home to sneak into the city from their home in New Hope, PA to attend meetings. | |
| March, 2020 | Nuno Gomes | One man, two Guinness World Records and thousands of hours underwater. | Planning the dive and diving the plan is essential for survival. Nuno Gomes's story also includes some of his more interesting deeper dives from around the world. His real life adventures include dives from Johannesburg, South Africa to Dahab, Egypt. This presentation will take you on a journey following Nuno from Lisbon, Portugal where he was born to New York where he now calls home. He also likes to dive Dutch! | |
| February, 2020 | Danny Rivera | Scuba Diving Long Island and You, It's Just Like The Caribbean, Kinda, Sometimes | Danny Rivera is the owner of Good Life Divers, He is an avid local diver, technical diving instructor and amateur photographer. He is also the acclaimed author of his best selling book, “SCUBA DIVE LONG ISLAND.” When not underwater or working at Good Life Divers, Danny works as a full-time paramedic and stay-at-home dad to his two suspiciously blonde children. In this presentation, Danny will attempt to dispel some of your preconceived notions that diving in the New York area, specifically, Long Island is not worth your time or effort. Through videos, pictures and interpretive dance, he will undoubtedly, sway your opinions and beliefs regarding what lies under the ocean's surface in our own backyard. Come with him on this magical journey around some of Long Island's best dive sites, and see what you have been missing. Now is your opportunity to ask anything you ever wanted to know about diving locally but were too afraid to ask, or feel free to come just to yell profanities. Danny invites you to learn why he sometimes un-ironically even compares diving here in NY to the Caribbean. | |
| January, 2020 | Anita George-Ares & John Ares | The Maldives: A Unique Dive Destination | Anita has a Doctorate degree in Marine Biology and has consulted for Academia, Government, and Industry. She participated as a research diver on National Geographic and Mote Marine Laboratory expeditions. She discovered five new species of fish while doing research at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Anita has dived in 22 countries and was inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame. John is a professional photographer and has a Master's degree in Marine Sciences. While he has many photographic specialties, his passion is underwater photography. John, an alumni PADI Course Director, teaches numerous Underwater Photography and Photoshop courses. John's photographs and articles have appeared in many publications. | |
| November, 2019 | Kliment Kolosov | Diving Russia | Kliment Kolosov (aka Klim) has been the edito- in-chief of the Russian diving magazine Ultimate Depth since 2012. He has also organized the Moscow Dive Show since 2016. He is an avid diver and underwater photographer. Beside warm water diving, he has traveled the High Arctic and the Antarctic, and several other cold water destinations including Kamchatka in the Russian Far East, as well as Okinawa and Yonaguni. He is a member of the Royal Geographical Society. Klim has a passion to share Russia's underwater beauty with divers and photographers from around the world. | |
| October, 2019 | Bruce Konefe | First Hand Experience of The Thai Rescue | On June 23rd, 2018, twelve kids and their soccer coach were reported missing while hiking . Bruce was immediately contacted and asked if he would be willing to help in the rescue. He arrived at the cave in Thailand on the next day - one of the very first of the highly trained and experienced cave divers to arrive, before the US Military, Australian police and the UK divers. Bruce played a vital role in training and preparing the Thai Navy Seals - who had no cave diving experience - to help with the rescue. He also worked tirelessly on the logistics of the operation. Eventually the kids and their coach were found and brought to safety. This is his first hand account of that harrowing time. | |
| September, 2019 | Glen Butler | Tales Of An Open Ocean | In 1986, Glenn Butler led a 35 man salvage effort to the wreck of the White Star Liner RMS Republic. The Republic was lost in 1909 after a collision, sinking 60 miles south of Nantucket in 270 feet of water, during an attempt to tow the damaged ship to port. The expedition was mounted to document the wreck and recover artifacts (possibly including a US Navy payroll). A four man dive team spent thirty days doing saturation diving on the wreck, with up to 16 hours bottom time per day. Several thousand items were salvaged, including the Bursar's safe, and an actual operational original Edison Light Bulb. In many very important ways, the uneventful sinking of the Republic set the technical, business and political stage for the Titanic disaster three years later. The complete and safe transfer of Republic passengers to other vessels allowed the White Star Liner owner J.P. Morgan to persuade congress and the US Navy to delay pending legislation requiring every ship entering US waters to have a lifeboat seat for each passenger. Carrying extra “Steerage” passengers below deck was a very profitable business, and such a law would have made this impractical. The Republic was the first ship to use the new Marconi Radio to send an SOS, and the salvage was the first time that liquid oxygen and helium was used for diving operations offshore. Glenn Butler has 45+ years' experience in commercial and military mixed gas diving research, construction and salvage operations. Glenn Butler's company, Life Support Technologies, Inc. is a NASA and DOD contractor that also provides specialized wound care and hyperbaric medical services in hospitals for patients with non-healing wounds, Carbon monoxide poisoning and decompression illness. The safety division has provided marine safety and training services to the Tappan Zee Bridge construction project and the Hyperbaric Tunnel Boring Support the East Side Access Project connecting the LI Railroad with Grand Central Station. Glenn holds multiple patents and has published over fifty articles. | |
| August, 2019 | Jill Heinerth | Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver | The official release date and book launch by publisher Harper Collins of Jill Heinerth's book: Into the Planet - My Life as a Cave Diver. Hear Jill talk at our meeting about her incredible life experiences - growing up, ascending to the elite ranks of diving, sometimes in the face of resistance, bias, and challenges, about becoming Jill, and how this book came to be. Prepare to be surprised! The book is an Amazon Best Book of the Month selection in the Biographies and Memoirs category. It has gotten great pre-release reviews. Jill will not only be speaking at our meeting but also joining us at Happy Hour downstairs beginning at 5:30 PM. She looks forward to meeting and chatting. Jill has been a great friend of the Club for many years. She has an incredibly busy schedule, yet has always found the time to come speak at our meetings. Now, busier than ever and on the verge of breaking out nationally and internationally well beyond the dive community, she has chosen the NYC Sea Gypsies for her official book launch. She had many offers for the launch and chose us. Let's show up in large numbers and show our support. Jill is a remarkable person who has led an amazing life, yet always kept her feet on the ground, so to speak. She is very approachable and great fun to talk to and also listen to her presentations. | |
| July, 2019 | Captain Kirby Kurkomelis | The Discovery of The Thunderbolt XP-47B War Bird In Our Backyard | The Underwater Classroom team, underwater explores (divers) consisting of Captain Kirby Kurkomelis, Di Dieter, Elias Vazquez, Bill Cadden and Anatoliy Maryuk, and Charlie Lampasso on the dive boat “Deep Rapture” have discovered the underwater plane wreckage of the Republic Thunderbolt XP-47B War Bird which crashed in Long Island Sound, New York on August 4, 1942 at 11:30 AM The sole Republic XP-47B Thunderbolt, 40-3051, War Bird operating out of the Republic plant at Farmingdale, New York, was lost when the pilot Gilmer Fillmore, interrupted wheel retraction, leaving the tail wheel in the superchargers' exhaust gases. This set the tire alight which ignited the magnesium hub. When the burning unit retracted into the fuselage, it severed the tail unit control rods, forcing the pilot, Fillmore Fil Gilmer, a former naval aviator and test pilot to bail out of the airframe, sending the XP-47 crashing in the waters of Long Island Sound. Loss of prototype went unpublicized and classified during the early stage of the World War ll. Nothing was ever found of the wreckage. The plane was lost for 75 years until now. | |
| June, 2019 | Gaelin Rosenwaks | Tales of an Open Ocean | Gaelin Rosenwaks will be taking us on a journey from Antarctica to the Arctic, Palau, and points in between ending with her latest expedition diving the Blue Hole in Belize with submarines. During this talk, Gaelin will also be presenting her short film, Coral: Glimmer of Hope which was an official selection for the International Ocean Film Festival. This beautifully shot and inspiring film showcases scientists in Palau studying how temperature stresses coral, and how some species might contain the secret of adaptation and survival. Gaelin Rosenwaks is a marine scientist, explorer, photographer and filmmaker. She began her career working in Antarctica researching over-wintering patterns of Southern Ocean zooplankton after which she earned her Master's Degree researching the migratory movements of Giant Bluefin Tunas. Alarmed by the changes happening in the oceans, Gaelin founded Global Ocean Exploration, Inc. to share her passion for ocean exploration, marine conservation, and fishing through film, photography, writing and adventure. She now participates and conducts expeditions in every ocean to alert the public not only to the challenges facing the oceans, but also to what science is doing to understand these changes. | |
| May, 2019 | Mike Rothschild & Sandra Clopp | Local Diving: The Underwater World In our Backyard | In the New York City area, we are lucky to live on the edge of a marine environment that is host to a spectacular underwater ecosystem, as well as hundreds of historically significant shipwrecks, many within recreational diving depths. Our speakers will share with you their love of the ocean and our local diving community through film and images. This talk will certainly be enjoyed by our members who are already local divers, but it is aimed at those who love diving but who haven't yet been able to do it close to home. Why wait for 1-2 trips a year, with all of the expenses of travel, lodging & missing work? First class diving is just a short drive away Michael Rothschild is the current dive chair and former president of the NYC Sea Gypsies. He is an avid photographer and videographer, and (along with Larry Cohen) he runs the New York Underwater Photographic Society. He is a technical rebreather diver and a pediatric otolaryngologist. Michael lectures frequently on underwater photography, local diving and scuba related ENT problems at Beneath the Sea, the LIDA film festival, the Sea Gypsies, and a number of local dive shops. More information is at dive.rothschilddesign.com. Sandra Clopp is the owner of Urban Manta, a TDI technical diving training facility based in Manhattan. She has been diving since the year 2000 and has 1,300 dives all over the world. When not teaching, she loves diving her rebreathers and doing all sorts of underwater videography and photography, including macro, shipwrecks, ice diving, cave diving, shark diving, etc. Sandra is a Kiss Rebreathers Ambassador. She is currently involved in cave survey projects with Kiss in the Mexican cenotes of Cozumel. Sandra@UrbanManta.com | |
| April, 2019 | Cristina Zenato | We Are An Island In the Universe | In this presentation, Cristina imagines the Bahamas as islands on the island of Earth in the much larger universe. From her work in the Bahamas, Cristina has learned that the equilibrium on & around an island is fragile—the slightest variation may affect the entire ecosystem. The protection of sharks is linked to protecting the ocean which is, in turn, linked to protecting the island itself with its mangrove creeks, submerged caves, & pine forest. | |
| March, 2019 | Aron Arngrimsson | The Nuclear Ghost Fleet of Bikini Atoll | Aron will be presenting in depth about one of the most mysterious ghost fleets out there which was blown up by an underwater nuclear device in Operation Crossroads in the Marshall Islands. Among the ships sunk are the Nazi's Prinz Eugen, the USS Saratoga, & the IJN Nagato that launched the attack on Pearl Harbour just to name a few. Aron is co-founder of Team Blue Immersion. Contact: www.thedirtydozen.org | |
| February, 2019 | Peter Hunt | The Lost Intruder | In 1989, an A-6 Intruder attack jet crashed off Whidbey island, Washington, the cause is unknown. Despite an extensive search by four Navy ships, locating the aircraft wreckage proved 'futile' and cost prohibitive. Join former A-6 pilot and author of The Lost Intruder Peter Hunt as he battles Parkinson's disease to discover the aircraft 26 years later in an amazing tale of technical exploration and underwater detective work. | |
| January, 2019 | Michael AW | NYUPS Meeting: Michael Aw Behind the Image: The Art, the Adventures & the Techniques | Michael is an author, explorer and conservation photographer. His accolades include winning more than 65 international photographic awards and being named as one of the world's most influential nature photographers by Outdoor Photography. In 2013 he was the first Asian to be awarded a NOGI by the American Academy of Underwater Arts and Science. | |
| November, 2018 | John Stella | Ancient Shiprecks of the Fourni Islands: Out of the Blue | John Stella will premier the expedition documentary Out of the Blue, an amazing visual story of his first two underwater missions with the Greek Archaeological Dive Team. The team has found & documented 45 ancient shipwrecks over a two year period near Fourni Island, Greece, a location which National Geographic is now calling the Ancient Shipwreck Capital of the World. John just returned from Greece & will also update us on his latest mission there showing behind us the scene photos and his personal video collection. | |
| October, 2018 | Jonathan Bird and Todd Kelly | The Making of an Underwater Imax Film | Jonathan and Todd will discuss the process of filming underwater in giant screen format as well as some of the unique challenges of working in caves. Jonathan & Todd are currently in production on an OMNIMAX/IMAX film called Ancient Caves being released in Fall 2019 capturing extreme caving expeditions of a University Paleoclimatologist & her colleagues venturing into caves to retrieve geologic fingerprints that reveal the climate history of our planet for the last 500,000 years. Excerpts of the film will be shown as well as behind-the-scenes images & video. | |
| September, 2018 | Patricia PJ Jordan | The Turtles of Bunaken Island and More… | This presentation will introduce you to “The Turtles of Bunaken Island and More….”. Bunaken Island is located within Bunaken National Marine Park in Indonesia, off the northern coast of Sulawesi. It's one of the five biggest islands of Indonesia, near the center of the Coral Triangle that provides world-class diving and top-notch underwater photo opportunities. Bunaken Island offers divers an amazing variety of marine life from large pelagics to the smallest and most unusual other-worldly critters; but, in my estimation, the crown jewel of Bunaken Island is its thriving resident population of Green Sea Turtles as well as Hawksbill Turtles. Visit her website to enjoy her work – www.pjdives.com | |
| August, 2018 | Joseph Dituri, PhD, CDR, US Navy Saturation Diving Officer (ret) | The Greatest Library In the World and Why We Need to Save It | The Association for Marine Exploration will be showing us Sub 150 meter dives to find new species of fish and coral. This Chronicles a continuing expedition throughout the world to catch and catalog new species of fish and coral. | |
| July, 2018 | Mike Salvarezza and Chris Weaver | Completing the Circle: Circumnavigating the Philippine's Mindoro Island | The Philippines archipelago lies within the heart of the Coral Triangle as well as along the Pacific Ring of Fire. The islands are geologically active and biologically rich. For divers, the island of Mindoro offers a wealth of diverse dive opportunities. Circumnavigating this large island by liveaboard dive vessel gives divers the opportunity to explore it all! | |
| June, 2018 | Faith Ortins | Diving the Mid Atlantic Ridge: Exploring the Azores | Be prepared to add yet another destination to your bucket list as DUI's Faith Ortins presents on the beauty of the Azores. The variety of Azores diving is almost endless with the diverse marine life of the archipelago's crystal clear waters, off shore seamounts, caves, wrecks, and blue water. Faith Ortins has served DUI for over 20 years and has led several expeditions on every ocean and every continent including the Azores. During the June meeting, Faith will be presenting on this volcanic oasis in the middle of the Atlantic which was a mariner way station for centuries. It's position in the middle of the Gulf Stream also means it is home to an incredible array of underwater life from massive groupers to sharks and mantas all amid beautiful topography above and below the water. Faith is a member of The Women's Divers Hall of Fame. | |
| May, 2018 | Ron Watkins | Rare Big Marine Animal Encounters! Expect the Unexpected with Orcas in the Galapagos, and Salmon Sharks in Alaska | Ron Watkins is a professional photographer, writer, explorer, trip leader and photography instructor specializing in underwater and topside nature photography. Through his imagery, Ron is committed to raising awareness of the challenges facing our fragile ecosystems and threatened marine life in hopes of promoting conservation. | |
| April, 2018 | Gareth Lock | Dive Accidents and Fatalities: Why We Must Address the Human Factor in Diving | Dive accident analysis frequently ends with “Diver Error” or “Human Error”, an often-unilluminating conclusion. Diver Error is where Gareth Lock starts. He digs deeper, much deeper, to bring a new dimension to Dive Accident Analysis and what we can learn from accidents. Gareth Lock is an expert on “The Human in the System” in scuba diving and in oil and gas industry off-shore environments. | |
| March, 2018 | Amos Nachoum | In the Company of Ocean Giants | Amos Nachoum is the President of BigAnimals Expeditions, but first and foremost an explorer and a guide. Over the years, he's had the honor of leading many great expeditions for individual adventurers, and institutions like Apple, IBM, Microsoft, Discovery Channel, Armani, Disney, Colombia Pictures, and of course, National Geographic, with whom he was team leader for separate photo expeditions to document the Red Sea, Great White Sharks, and Killer Whales. A photographer, his photos and essays have appeared in hundreds of publications around the globe, and his photography has won Nikon, Communication Arts, and BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards. www.amosphotography.com. www.biganimals.com | |
| Februay, 2018 | Nick Fazah | The Benefits of Freediving | Nick became passionate about freediving while working on a dive boat in the Florida Keys back in 2004. He would use freediving to set the anchors and to check on the divers below. Nick became a competitive freediver and has been down to 280 feet on just a mono fin and regular mask. His passion is teaching the sport and is currently the SSI International Training Director as well as a certified scuba instructor but also runs one of the largest and most active freediving programs in the North East. | |
| January, 2018 | Natalie Gibb | Exploring Mexico's Underwater Caves | Natalie L. Gibb is one of Mexico's most experienced cave explorers and co-owner of Under The Jungle dive shop in the heart of Mexico's cave country on the Yucatan Peninsula. Join us as she shares photos, videos, and stories of exploration in the jungles of Mexico in a presentation that is aimed at all levels of divers and features stunning images of cenotes and caves. | |
| November, 2017 | Erick Higuera | Elections and Shark Week | Shark week's ERICK HIGUERA from Mexico will be in town for Sea Stories at the Explorers Club and has agreed to hang around for an extra day and present to the Sea Gypsies. This will be a different presentation than at the Explorers Club. Erick has spent over 20 years exploring the waters of the Gulf of California, Guadalupe Island, the Archipelago of Revillagigedo (Socorro Islands) and the Pacific coast of the Baja Peninsula, filming and photographing great white sharks, whales, dolphins, sailfish and other spectacles in the deep blue off Mexico's shores. He is a multi-award winning marine biologist, filmmaker and photographer whose credits include Discovery Channel, Shark Week, BBC, Shark BBC, BBC Blue Planet II, National Geographic, and the Netflix award-winning documentary México Pelágico. | |
| October, 2017 | Berna Tural | Plastic Pollution, Its Effect on Our Oceans, and Alternatives | AWARENESS , FACTS , EFFECTS, ALTERNATIVES, HOW IT AFFECTS YOU, WHAT IS BEING DONE BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, MICRO-PLASTICS, IMPACTS ON THE TROPICS (AND PRETTY FISH), ABOUT AN INTERESTING NYC PLASTIC AWARENESS PROJECT | |
| September, 2017 | Maureen and Stephen Langevin | The Island of Utila in the Honduras | Maureen and Stephen Langevin founded Dive Voyager Expeditions during 2009. Both are accomplished photojournalists who have produced numerous well received documentaries including Lost at Sea - the Texas Tower Disaster, the Search for the HMS Sylph, and Our Precious Ocean - the Cocos Islands. *** Short Talk on Local Wreck, The Algol | |
| August, 2017 | Joanna Lentini | Sea Lions and Marine Wildlife in the Beautiful Tropical Sea of Cortez | The Sea of Cortez lies between Baja California and Mexico and is one of the most diverse seas on the planet. Jacques Cousteau famously described it as “the world's aquarium”. Join international award-winning wildlife and underwater photographer Joanna Lentini to learn about the thrills and challenges of photographing the resident sea lion colony at Espiritu Santo National Reserve on the Baja Peninsula. The California sea lions at Los Islotes in the Sea of Cortez are essentially puppies of the sea—inquisitive, playful, and gentle creatures that will steal your heart. This particular region provides a plethora of close wildlife encounters and photographic opportunities ranging from whale sharks, dolphins, mobula rays, and even blue whales and is an ocean lovers paradise. One of Joanna's deepest passions is wildlife conservation, and through her images and writing she hopes to inspire others to form a greater appreciation of our natural planet and its wild places and creatures. Joanna is a certified Aquanaut, member of Canon Professional Services, OGXplorers, and the Ocean Artists Society | |
| July, 2017 | Christopher Paparo | From Plankton to Whales - Why Our Local Waters are Worth Protecting | We face many environmental challenges. The constant flow of negative news about our environment – fish kills, algae blooms, spills, beach closures, shellfish harvesting closures –sometimes creates a lack of enthusiasm among local communities to protect and care for our environment. Come explore with Chris Paparo and regain your enthusiasm for protecting our marine environment by learning about some of the fascinating life that inhabits our local waters. | |
| June, 2017 | Dan Hendrick | Saving Jamacia Bay | For many people, Jamaica Bay is the anonymous body of water we fly over when we go in and out of JFK Airport. For those who are more familiar with the Bay and its surrounding Queens and Brooklyn neighborhoods it is a remarkable and often ironic contradiction. Among other things, Jamaica Bay is: • New York City's largest open space – larger than Central Park, Prospect Park and Van Cortlandt Park combined • Home to the only national wildlife refuge in the country (and possibly the world) that is accessible by subway • A rich ecosystem that provides vital habitat for hundreds of migratory bird species as well as countless other flora and fauna | |
| May , 2017 | Jill Heinerth | National Geographic Digital Mapping Projects: Augmenting Realty | Jill Heinerth is internationally recognized as one of the world's great underwater explorers. She is a veteran of over 20 years of scientific diving, filming and photography, and exploration of submerged caves literally everywhere on the planet. Jill has made TV series for PBS, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, and the BBC, consulted on movies for directors including James Cameron, and published or produced numerous books and documentaries, including We Are Water, an innovative documentary and on-going project that promotes water literacy worldwide and highlights the fragile relationship between our modern society and our fresh water resources. Jill is an Explorer in Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society Fellow of The Explorers Club Explorer in Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society Recipient of the prestigious 2017 AUAS NOGI Award for Sports and Education | |
| April, 2017 | Joe Hoight Joe is a member of NOAA and spoke along with representatives from both the Wildlife Conservation Society and Divers Alliance | Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary proposal | The Wildlife Conservation Society - which operates New York City's zoos and aquarium- has submitted a proposal to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - NOAA - that a National Marine Sanctuary be established for the Hudson Canyon, which lies off our local shores. Join us on April 19th to learn about the Hudson Canyon, the National Marine Sanctuary program, the process of becoming a Sanctuary, how Sanctuaries are managed, and the many issues that are raised for conservationists, divers, boat captains, commercial and sport fishing, oil and gas exploration, and other interested groups. The NYC Sea Gypsies Club is neutral concerning this proposal. We take no position as an organization because our members have a variety of opinions concerning this proposal. So we are pleased to host this informative presentation and discussion so that our members can hear directly from these knowledgeable representatives. We are very grateful that representatives of the Wildlife Conservation Society and NOAA have agreed to spend some of their valuable time with us to give us the first-hand information about the Sanctuary program and answer our many questions. | |
| March, 2017 | Julie Ouimet and Michael Labreque | The Clipperton Atoll: Cursed by Isolation | The most isolated atoll on Earth – Clipperton. Uninhabited since 1945, lying in the Pacific Ocean some 800 miles southwest of Acapulco, in the heart of one of the most biodiverse and richest marine life regions in the world. Claimed – and colonized – at various times since the 1700s by France, Mexico, Britain, and a United States mining company, it has been a French territory since 1931, and the subject of the 1978 Jacques Cousteau TV special “Clipperton: The Island that Time Forgot.” During January 2016, Michel and Julie led an Explorers Club Flagged scientific expedition to Clipperton. Their goal: to assess the health of shark populations and the marine ecosystem, and tag sharks to attempt to establish migration patterns connected with the protected islands in the Eastern Tropical Pacific – Cocos, Galapagos, Malpelo, Coiba, and Revillagigedos. They found a lost island littered with the remains of colonization, along with evidence of long lining and intense illegal fishing – a unique ecosystem in crisis and in urgent need of protection; threatened by its very isolation. | |
| February, 2017 | Christopher Drew | Adventure and Archaeology: The Mazotos Expedition | Join Christopher Drew as he reveals the story of the nearly 2400-year-old Mazotos shipwreck, located off the coast of Cyprus at a depth of 150 feet. Using never-before-seen footage from the Mazotos Expedition conducted with the University of Cyprus and the Nautical Archaeology Society, this presentation and video will unveil the incredible wrecksite, key artifacts, amphorae, and archaeological methods used to uncover her story. In addition, photogrammetric survey techniques will be introduced while also detailing how YOU can begin involvement in underwater archaeology projects worldwide! | |
| January, 2017 | Michael Salvarezza and Christopher Weaver | Attack on Coron Bay: Exploring World War II Shipwrecks in the Philippines | In the Second World War, the Philippines archipelago was the site of several fierce battles between American and Japanese forces. In one of these battles the US Navy launched a strike force of fighters and bombers to attack a Japanese supply fleet of up to 24 ships that were at anchor in Coron Bay on September 24, 1944. In a devastating aerial assault, the US Navy sent these ships to the bottom of Coron Bay. Today, many of these shipwrecks are accessible to SCUBA divers who wish to explore history and witness the tragedy of war first-hand. Join Eco-Photo Explorers as they explore the wrecks of Coron Bay, and penetrate deep inside these silent hulks to uncover the history of this battle and document their present condition. | |
| November, 2016 | Craig Howell | Expedition Diving Down Under | Australia diving is more than just the Great Barrier Reef. Craig will talk about his experience on some of Australia's deeper wrecks including the RMS Niagara that sits in 443' of water. This World War ll wreck was sunk with $136,000,000 worth of gold on board. He will also discuss the SS Ventnor (492'), SS William Dawes (460'), and the City of Rayville, a liberty ship that sits in 270' of water and was the first American casualty of World War II. Craig will also talk about cave diving down under. This includes the Tank cave, which is one of the longest single-entry caves in the world. He will cover Cocklebiddy, a cave system in the Nullarbor plains dessert. Craig will tell us about the challenging logistics of doing a 750' push at the Pearse Resurgence cave. Craig is a Tech diver from Melbourne, Australia, marathon runner | |
| October, 2016 | Anthony Tedeshi and Joe Mazraani | Where Divers Dare: The Hunt for the Last U-Boat, The U-550 Project | On April 16, 1944, the SS Pan Pennsylvania was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-550 off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts. In return, the sub was driven to the surface with depth charges and then sent to the bottom of the ocean by three destroyer escorts that were guarding the naval convoy. For more than 60 years the location of the U-boat wreck remained a mystery. In 2012, a team found it! This is the story of a 20-year quest to find this “Holy Grail” of deep-sea diving. | |
| Stepember, 2016 | Michael Rothchild, M.D. | Truk Lagoon | Truk Lagoon is on the bucket list for any wreck diver. Any one of the fifty or so wrecks in Truk would be a world class dive destination anywhere else, so having them all close at hand makes for an incredible trip. The clear, warm water with calm surface conditions and no current makes them all worth the long voyage. And contrary to a common misconception, many of these wrecks are absolutely within recreational depths, with plenty to see above 80 feet!This presentation will cover the military history of Truk Lagoon, the logistics of travel to Micronesia, accommodations, the wrecks themselves and the local sea life. About the speaker: Michael Rothschild is a pediatric otolaryngolgist in New York City and an avid scuba diver. He serves as a medical moderator for scubaboard.com, and has served as the dive chair and president of the NYC Sea Gypsies. He is also a published underwater photographer and videographer. Michael lectures frequently on diving and related topics at the Beneath the Sea conference, for B&H Photo, the Sierra Club and other organizations. | |
| August, 2016 | Glenn Butler | 31 Atmosphere Diving” and “The NYC Access Tunnel | Two talks in one! In 31 Atmosphere Diving, Glenn will tell us about about the Military Rapid Response team's work on classified weapons salvage including techniques for rapid 10 minute compressions to 1000 FSW. This will be followed by a brief history of the East Side Access Tunnel Project. We'll learn how hyperbaric tunnel-boring machines work and about connecting the Long Island Railroad and Grand Central Station. | |
| July, 2016 | Patricia PJ Jordan | Passport to Paridise | Located in the Coral Triangle, we will travel by boat to 3 sensational, distinctly different and totally diverse land-based dive locations in North Sulawesi, Indonesia: 1) Murex Manado will enchant you both at Bunaken Island with its dazzling, pristine walls, and famous turtles as well along the coast with its hard coral gardens and every conceivable type of marine life; 2) Remote and wild Murex Bangka Island with its white sand beach and lush environment will thrill you underwater with its kaleidoscopic reef colors, big table corals, schools of fish and pinnacles; 3) and in Lembeh Strait, that has the world's highest concentration of underwater biodiversity, and which is known as the critter capital of the world, you will be astonished by the underwater denizens who are in residence. This program will also feature some of the unusual wildlife found in Tangkoko National Reserve that can be visited on an afternoon land tour from Lembeh Resort. www.pjdives.com | |
| June, 2016 | Jennifor Idol | Diving 50 States: Behind the Journey | Jennifer Idol, the first woman to dive all 50 states, shares her photographic journey to help us see how our national underwater world is a treasure that we should care for and protect. Learn why she undertook this journey, how she completed the quest, and what she learned. “Expeditions are rewarding in both the journey and the destination. Jennifer Idol describes the abundance of diving opportunities in the U.S. while discovering much greater truths about the environment and her passion to protect it for future generations. Her book is a beautiful montage of great images and captivating stories held together with life lessons and personal enlightenment. I highly recommend following her journey and then diving into your own local diving.” | |
| May, 2016 | Martin Kraus, Joanna and John Lentini, and Arthur Vaccarino | Elysium: Artists for the Artic | In August 2015, an elite team of explorers in an expedition to the High Arctic to produce a feature documentary, a book, a series of exhibition worldwide and to augment a study being carried out by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The Mission of Elysium – Artists for the Arctic is to capture the panorama, flora and fauna of the high Arctic in a perspective no one has ever seen before. The Arctic region is regarded as one of the most enchanting wilderness regions of our planet, yet volatile and under severe threat from the warming of the world's climate. This expedition promises the most awe-inspiring and stunning visual interpretation ever seen of the Arctic. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the images of the Elysium Artists team shall inspire appreciation and love for the Arctic and a greater awareness of the impacts of climate change. Sixty expedition members were carefully selected for this unique benchmark expedition starting from Longyearbyen to North Spitsbergen, North and East Greenland and finishing at Keflavik, Iceland. Besides panoramas of glaciers, icebergs and snowy mountains, imagery will focus on polar bears, walruses, belugas, narwals, arctic foxes, auks, snowy owls, muskoxens, arctic hares, and fin and blue whales. www.martinkraus.com | |
| April, 2016 | Richie Kohler | The Mysterious Fate of the Britannic, Sister Ship to the Titanic | Since its loss 100 years ago, the wreck of Titanic has captured the fascination of people worldwide. In 2005, Kohler explored the iconic shipwreck looking for clues to explain the tragic sinking. The search for answers led Kohler to dive on Titanic's sister Britannic, which in a strange twist of fate, also sank surrounded in mystery. Kohler has spent the last decade unraveling the final Mystery of the Last Olympian. | |
| March, 2016 | David Concannon | Deep-diving expeditions, including Three Expeditions to the R.M.S. Titanic | David Concannon is an attorney and explorer with an international legal practice representing sports equipment manufacturers, adventurers and explorers. He is a Vice President of The Explorers Club in New York City, in charge of expedition-related activities and honors awarded by the Club. David is a veteran of several deep-diving expeditions, including three expeditions to the R.M.S. Titanic. From 2010 to 2013, David organized and led the expeditions that found and recovered the Apollo F-1 engines that launched men to the moon. The Apollo F-1 Project, the brainchild of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, recovered F-1 engines from Apollo 11, 12, 13 and 16. David will speak about his journey from the Jersey shore, where he saw his first shipwreck as a boy, to the Titanic, where he led the final expedition to explore with deep submersibles, to the pinnacle of space and ocean exploration. David is Vice President of Explorers Club in NYC, Attorney | |
| February, 2016 | Roger Williams | Saving the World with a Giant Stride off the Subway | Located in Coney Island and home to hundreds of fish species, sea lions, walrus, harbor seals, penguins, sharks, sharks, and more sharks, the NYA is the oldest continually operating aquarium in the country. One of the WCS' five parks, the Aquarium is part of the public-facing, education branch of a conservation organization whose mission is to save wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. The Aquarium is also home to the NYA Volunteer Dive Team (VDT), a 70-person squad of New Yorkers (and New Jerseyans) who contribute over 1,000 dives year to the mission of the WCS, cleaning exhibits, interacting with the public, and helping to spread the message of wildlife conservation. Roger will discuss diving at the Aquarium currently and in the years to come in the new Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibit. He'll also talk about some of the other projects the WCS and the VDT have been working on including the NY Seascape program focused on protection of local marine ecosystems and the dives for an ongoing joint project between the NYA and NOAA to update the National Marine Sanctuary Condition Report of the USS Monitor (http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/condition/monitor/welcome.html) shipwreck in North Carolina. Roger is a Dive Safety Officer at the WCS's New York Aquarium | |
| January, 2016 | Paula Marie Jerman and Mike Carew | Ice Diving in Lake George, NY: Frozen H2O | Have you ever wondered what it is like to dive under solid Ice? Tell someone you've been ice diving and you will likely get lots of questions: how cold is it? How do you get dressed? How do you get in? How do you dig the hole? Is it dark? How do you get out if something goes wrong? What do you see? Paula and Mike will tell us all about their ice diving adventures and be ready to answer all your questions. | |
| November, 2015 | Captain Denis Habza | Exporing the Long Island Sound | You ever wondered if there is anything to dive in the Long Island Sound? What is the visibility is like, any shipwrecks? How deep it is. Captain Denis Habza has explored it and will be telling us all about it. First, he will be giving us first a very brief introduction to Squalus Marine, what they do and why they do it. Then, there will be an interactive presentation with opportunities to explore various aspects of The Long Island Sound. There will be a short video and an item that illustrates the benefits of exploring where most only a few dare to do. Dan is a member of Squalus Marine Divers | |
| October, 2015 | Becky Kagan Scott | “Ghost Ships of the Great Lakes” | For hundreds of years ships have used the Great Lakes and for hundreds of years ships have collided with other ships in fog, burned in fires, storms or just vanished. The ships range from schooners to freighters and most of them sit on the lake bottom in the cold, fresh water just frozen in time. The names of the ships can still been seen on some of the wooden hulls, rigging on the masts that are still standing 70ft tall, and dozens of artifacts to be seen on each wreck. The lakes offer something for everyone from snorkeling to technical diving and each wreck has a story to tell. | |
| September, 2015 | Erika Bergman | “Return to Adventure: Submarines, Underwater Robots & more… ” | Submarine Piloting 101 - Join submarine pilot Erika Bergman as she takes you deep into the open sea. Discover an antique sunken aircraft and learn how it was captured in 3D it with sophisticated modern software. Come face to face with life in the deep ocean, and learn the ropes to prepare for a dive day. In addition to a brief Submarine Pilot Ground School, Erika will share her passion for expanding the future community of submarine pilots, through Girls Underwater Robot Camps. Then you will have an opportunity to get hands on experience with an OpenROV, and take it out for a spin in a nearby pond. Erika is a Sedna team member, Deep Sea Submersible Pilot and Robotics, and is editor of www.OpenExplorer.com; co-founder of Global Engineering & Exploration Counselors which provides a network of engineering camps to girls around the world. | |
| August, 2015 | Patricia PJ Jordan and Bob Pecoraro | “Crocodiles of Chinchorro Banks and More… “ | The state of Quintana Roo in Mexico is like heaven on earth for those who thrive on ocean adventure. The area is rife with opportunity for even the most discriminating divers and snorkelers. In the winter months, people flock to Cancun and Isla Mujeres for the opportunity to interact with the ocean's fastest fish, the Sailfish. In the summertime, they flock to those same waters for the opportunity to swim with the ocean's largest fish, the Whale Shark. In the fall and winter, massive Bull Sharks gather in Playa del Carmen to give birth and year round people come in droves to dive the beautiful reefs of Cozumel and the Cenotes that dot the landscape of the Riviera Maya. In the last several years a new adventure has developed in the far south of this ocean lover's paradise. In the town of Xcalak, not far from the Belize border, divers are gathering for the opportunity to dive the pristine reefs of Xcalak and Chinchorro Banks for the chance to photograph American Crocodiles, up close and personal, in the mangroves they call home. Patricia Jordan, aka PJ, and Bob Pecoraro both traveled to this pristine region of Mexico last August. They will share their experiences with you through photographs and video. PJ will talk in depth about the American Crocodile and her experiences at Chinchorro, and Bob will share some of his video and discuss some of the other wildlife encounters he had in this region, from Whale Sharks in Cancun to Manatees in Xcalak. | |
| July, 2015 | Joseph Dituri | In-Water Recompression: The Best Over-the-Counter Remedy for DCS | In-Water Recompression, wherein a diver returns to depth to “re-do” decompression stops or more decompression, often with 100% oxygen, is a controversial, yet proven method to rapidly treat DCS when access to a chamber is limited. In April 2014, leading dive physicians and internationally recognized experts gathered in San Diego, Calif., to discuss the use and practice of In-Water Recompression. CDR Dituri will discuss the consensus statement and list of guidelines that came from the invited speakers and input of dive industry professionals at this event. | |
| June, 2015 | Captain Bill Palmer | U-853 -The Last Battle of the Atlantic” | Out in the cold Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Rhode Island, lies the remains of what was once a feared and mighty hunter. Its's not a fish or shark, for that matter its not even a marine creature. It's what men feared the most when they went to sea aboard their vessel back in the World War II years. It's a German Submarine called a U-Boat. The U-853 was the last German submarine sunk in World War II. She was sunk with all hands just minutes before World War II ended. The once mighty hunter feared by all who put to sea, now lies in 130 feet of water off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island, her grave marked only by a circle on the nautical charts, DANGER Unexploded Depth Charges, May 1945. Captain Bill Palmer will show us his extensive research on this historical shipwreck and show an awesome video detailing the inside of this magnificent submarine. If time allows, we might even get to talk about the USS Bass which also lies in the waters of Block Island. | |
| May, 2015 | Faith Ortins | “Diving Tasmania” | Tasmania is an unexplored treasure above and below the water! Whether you like wrecks, deep walls, caverns, kelp or pretty reefs, there is something for you in Tasmania. Divers and non-divers alike will appreciate the unspoiled landscape and unique animals of Tasmania. Fair warning though, once you see this presentation, you will have a new destination to add to your bucket list! Faith is a member of The Women's Divers Hall of Fame, co-manages Blue Green Expeditions and is DUI Vice President/Sales Manager | |
| April, 2015 | Chris Paparo (aka The Fish Guy) | “An Underwater Journey of Long Island | The underwater journey of Long Island, will be full of underwater pictures and videos of marine life found around Long Island along with interesting facts about each of them. You can check them out as well in Facebook and Very similar to and Instagram feeds. | |
| March, 2015 | Jill Heinerth and Rick Stanley | “Newfoundland: Close Encounters with Whales and Icebergs” | Gentle giants, humpback whales migrate from the south to Newfoundland for a feeding frenzy on the herring and capelin of the nutrient-rich waters. Alongside them, icebergs break off of Greenland's glaciers to follow the Labrador current and make their way into the bays of shorelines of Newfoundland and Labrador. They are a living masterpiece as they melt and break up day to day. This presentation will include a slideshow of photos and awesome videos from both of our speakers. Rick Stanley is the owner of OceanQuest, Canada's award-winning dive center, the largest in Eastern Canada. Rick has been taking visitors on this experience for 15 years without incident. He will explain how it is done safely and with respect and how to have passive interactions with humpback whales. The Close Encounter Tour is one of Canada's Signature Experiences and is endorsed by the Canadian Tourism Commission. The presentation will also include a story of the economic benefits to remote coastal communities. Jill Heinerth will give us photographic insight on how to approach these gentle animals as well as the towering icebergs. | |
| Feburary, 2015 | Michael Salvarezza and Christopher P. Weaver | “Beneath the White Sea: Ice Diving in Russia's High Arctic” | The pristine wilderness of Russia's High Arctic presents unique and demanding challenges to SCUBA divers wishing to explore the frozen White Sea. In order to witness the silent beauty of the only inland sea to completely freeze in winter, divers must endure arduous travel logistics, harsh weather and bone-chilling cold. But beneath the ice lies a world of sublime beauty, filled with unearthly ice formations and unique wildlife. Journey with Eco-Photo Explorers as they dog sled across the fabled Lapland region of Finland and then venture out onto the ice in Russia for a unique and spellbinding experience. | |
| January, 2015 | Dan Lieb | The Robert J. Walker Shipwreck, Mapping Expedition | The Walker was a steamer with the Coast Survey (forerunner of today's NOAA) which wrecked off Atlantic City, New Jersey in June 1860. The wreck is approved as a National Historic Landmark and is also a memorial site commemorating the highest loss of life in this service. Dan will show us pictures and video of their mapping efforts and their expedition. This past summer, Messrs. Lieb and Nagiewicz planned, coordinated and executed a privately funded expedition to map the historic wreck site of the Robert J. Walker for NOAA's Office of Maritime Heritage. This is a unique collaboration for Northeast wreck divers, academic institutions (Richard Stockton College) and historical organizations and museums. Back by popular demand, we have invited Dan to tell us all about it. Dan is a founding member of the New Jersey Historical Divers Association, Inc. | |
| November, 2014 | Larry Cohen and Olga Torrey | “Malpelo: The Rock in the Middle of Nowhere” | Larry and Olga could be seen at almost every NYC Sea Gypsies meeting. Having them present in November, which happens to be Larry's birthday, has become a tradition. So is buying them drinks. This year their presentation is about Malpelo, a rock rising from the Pacific Ocean, two hundred and thirty miles from Panama. Known for sharks this is a world-class dive destination. Traveling to Malpelo through Panama is an adventure. Join Larry & Olga as they show images documenting the stunning marine-life and the variety of topside environments. | |
| October, 2014 | Patricia PJ Jordan | The Philippines: Breathtaking Beauty Below | This program will show underwater views from three sensational Philippine dive locations: Porto Galera; Dumaguete; and Tubbataha Reef while aboard the live-aboard vessel, the Atlantis Azores. We will be underwater in the Philippine archipelago. Our first stop will be Puerto Galera built into the hills of Sabang Beach. This area was designated a “Man and Biosphere Reserve” by UNESCO in 1973 and has extremely diverse diving – including everything from macro creatures to coral reefs to schooling fish. Puerto Galera also provides access to Verde Island, another wonderful, day-trip dive location. From Puerto Galera, it is off to Tubbataha Reef on the Atlantis Azores live-aboard. Tubbataha, located in the Sulu Sea, is at the center of the widely-acclaimed and renowned Coral Triangle between Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and is known as one of Asia's best dive locations with 573 species of fish, 373 species of coral, 11 species of sharks, and a plethora of sea turtles. It is only permitted to dive at Tubbataha Reef from April to June, and Tubbataha is rarely visited because of its remote location that can only be accessed by a 10-hour boat trip. Our last stop will be Dumaguete. Dumaguete has some of the best muck diving in the world. I saw and photographed macro critters I had not even known existed before this trip. And, that's saying something. Also, Apo Island, a short day-trip from Dumaguete, has beautiful coral walls to dive along while observing all kinds of marine life. www.pjdives.com | |
| September, 2014 | Joe Romeiro | Sharks at Night | Can't get enough about Sharks after Shark Week? Join us next meeting with Joe Romeiro who will give us an amazing talk about Sharks. If you like diving with sharks in the day, step it up a notch and take the plunge at night!.. Come and Learn the techniques and challenges of filming sharks at Night. Joe will give us a first-hand look at diving with this creatures at night and show footage he has taken of Lemons, Tigers, Oceanic Whitetips, and Great Hammerheads all while diving at night Growing up in and around the water, Joe Romeiro developed a love for the ocean at a young age. After seeing his first shark when he was just 5 years old, he has been captivated by them ever since. | |
| August, 2014 | Michael Salvarezza and Christopher P. Weaver | “Bonne Terre Mine: Deep Earth Diving” | Bonne Terre Mine: Deep Earth Diving will be presented by the Eco-Photo Explorers Michael Salvarezza and Christopher P. Weaver (http://www.ecophotoexplorers.com) Bonne Terre Mine is a Massive underground caverns and mammoth architecture. The sunken remains of a working mineral mine, complete with equipment, rail tracks, ore carts, elevator shafts and even intact buildings. The mine is a billion gallon underground lake, with crystal clear water, and constant temperatures year round. And miles of underwater trails to explore. The Mine is an adventure for all divers and its right here in our own backyard. Located just 40 minutes south of St. Louis, in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, Bonne Terre Mine is a unique diving experience that will capture your imagination and beckon you back for more. It is truly like a Dive to the Center of the Earth. Join Eco-photo Explorers as they journey below ground to explore the underwater treasure that is Bonne Terre. www.ecophotoexplorers.com | |
| July, 2014 | Rick Morris | Finding Moby Dick | Sperm whales are the largest and least studied of the toothed whales and spend nearly 90% of their lives in the deep, dark depths of the ocean. Feeding primarily on squid they hunt by sonar and tend to swallow not chew their food only having teeth on the lower jaw. Females and juveniles are very unclear in their family behaviors while the mature males tend to roam the seas alone except during mating season. Hunted for the oil in their heads and the ambergris used in candles and perfume they were driven to near extinction but bans on whaling have given their population a second chance. So join award winning producer, Rick Morris as he takes us on a rare expedition to the island of Dominica In Search of Moby Dick, the first cut of his new documentary on these elusive creatures. | |
| June, 2014 | Dan Lieb | The Story of the Schooner John K. Shaw | Dan will tell us the story of the schooner John K. Shaw, wrecked with the loss of its entire crew of Manasquan men in February 1884, in what Lieb suggests may have been a “disastrous case of a hit-and-run at sea.” All were lost. Dan is a founding member and President, New Jersey Historical Divers Association | |
| May, 2014 | Gordon Chaplin | Return to the Reefs: A Diver's 50 year Odyssey | This is a story about returning to your childhood after 50 years, and quantifying the changes in the ocean. Seven years ago Gordon Chaplin was invited by scientists at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia -- his father's old institution -- to take part in a 50 year retrospective study of Bahamian coral reef fishes using his uniquely extensive archives as a baseline. These archives led to his classic text Fishes of the Bahamas and Adjacent Tropical Waters. The text was his sibling -- he grew up with it and knew the reefs as well as rooms in their childhood home. A silent film shot and screened by Chaplin's father in 1952 and featuring him as a child diving among living coral and plentiful fishes will be shown as a backdrop to the talk. It is one of the first underwater films ever made. | |
| April, 2014 | Peter Venoutsos | Scapa Flow | Scapa Flow is one of Britain's most historic stretches of water – located within the Orkney Islands, off the northeast coast of Scotland. Its sheltered waters have played an important role in travel, trade and conflict throughout the centuries – especially during both World Wars. Come and explore the remains of Germany's World War I fleet from Battleships to Cruisers. | |
| March, 2014 | Michael Gerken | Unique Diving in Palau and Wreck Denizens of North Carolina | Join us with Michael Gerken for this Sea Gypsies presentation on diving the less seen side of Palau as well as a preview of his new documentary on diving with sand tiger sharks titled, “Wreck Denizens of North Carolina” Unique Diving in Palau: Unique Diving Expeditions in Palau is a part of the famous Sam's Tours diving operation in Palau. Run by Paul Collins and Richard Barnden, Unique Diving specializes in small dive excursions to see the amazing fish aggregations and spawning events. Unique utilizes years of collected data to determine the exact dates, locations and times to dive and witness these rare events. Mike will show you video and still images that capture thousands of bumphead parrotfish, tens of thousands of red snappers spawning and much more. To see it is to believe it. Wreck Denizens of North Carolina: Mike will be giving a sneak preview of his new documentary, Wreck Denizens of North Carolina. In this film learn why diving with sand tiger sharks on the wrecks of the Outer Banks is a dive experience not worth missing. | |
| February, 2014 | Dr. David Charash | Recognizing Diving Emergencies | Have you ever had or witnessed a dive emergency? It is important for all divers, no matter what the level Have you ever had or witnessed a dive emergency? It is important for all divers that we know how to identify a medical problem during or after a dive, and know how to proceed. This goes equally for ourselves and for our fellow divers. We have invited Dr. David Charash to give us an overview of Diving Emergencies and how to recognize them. It will include subjects such as Decompression Illness/Sickness and Arterial Gas Embolism Recognition and treatment including the role of surface 02. Hyperbaric and in water recompression treatments will also be discussed. | |
| January, 2014 | John Ares and Dr. Anita Ares | Diving the Three Environments of North Sulawesi, Indonesia | We are starting the year on a high note with two of our most regarded members - John Ares and Dr. Anita Ares. Both are regulars at our monthly meetings as well as Staten Island Sports Divers. This time they will be telling us about their diving adventures in Sulawesi, and will be showing us their pictures and video. | |
| November, 2013 | Larry Cohen and Olga Torrey | Where in the World Are Larry and Olga | 2013 was a busy year for Sea Gypsy members Larry Cohen and Olga Torrey. Besides being fixtures on the local boats and at Dutch Springs, they explored the warm waters of Cuba, North Carolina and the cold waters of British Columbia and Lake Ontario. At the November 13th Sea Gypsies meeting come and celebrate a year of adventure and Larry's birthday (really on November 9th). Larry and Olga will show images and tell stories about their explorations close to home, entering a communist Island and on the other side of North America. See the octopus, wolf eels and strange macro life of British Columbia and the large shark and grouper populations of Cuba. Images will be shown of North Carolina shipwrecks and sharks. Local diving and Lake Ontario will also be covered. | |
| October, 2013 | Dr. David E. Guggenheim | Diving Cuba's Gardens of the Queen - Legally | For the first time ever, Americans can now legally travel to Cuba and dive in the Gardens of the Queen as part of a unique educational program led by Ocean Doctor, in partnership with Avalon Cuban Diving Centers. This program is licensed by the U.S. Treasury Department and focuses on marine research, conservation and ecotourism's impact on Cuban society. The Cuba Conservancy, a program of Ocean Doctor, is built on more than 12 years of work of Ocean Doctor president, Dr. David E. Guggenheim, who directs the program.Cuba Conservancy is working with the Cuban Center for the Study of Coastal Ecosystems (Centro de Investigaciones de Ecosistemas Costeros, CIEC) and the University of Havana's Center for Marine Research (Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, CIM) to study this unique ecosystem and its surrounding life support systems, such as the virtually unexplored Gulf of Ana Maria, in order to better understand why these marine ecosystems have been able to thrive in a world of corals that are dead and dying. We are also working with our Cuban partners to assess the economic and social value of such a healthy ecosystem. Finally, we are working to research and protect the unique and pristine ecosystems of Jardines de la Reina in order to ensure that these protections will endure in perpetuity, serve as a compelling model for marine protected areas worldwide, dramatically advance human understanding of how healthy coral reef ecosystems function, and yield critical insights to inform management decisions for protecting coral reefs globally. | |
| September, 2013 | Fred Barthes | Hardhat Diving and the Salvage of the Diamond Knot | Join us for a presentation on hardhat diving and the salvage of the M/V Diamond Knot by Fred Barthes. The presentation will include a full set of commercial dive gear (Hard Hat helmet), as well as various other pieces of equipment used in commercial diving. There will also be a demonstration on how a diver suits up in the hard hat and suit using a volunteer from those in attendance. | |
| August, 2013 | Michael Lavitt | An introduction to Northeast diving | If you've dived warm, clear water and are interested in trying Northeast diving, you should attend this meeting. Learn the simple steps that can make your first dive in the Northeast's waters fun, successful and safe, even if the conditions are less than perfect. | |
| July, 2013 | Tom McCarthy | A Comparison of Cave and Wreck Diving | This presentation is intended to examine several aspects of Cave Diving and Wreck Diving in an attempt to educate and invoke discussion with the audience. The lecture is designed for both experienced cave and/or wreck divers as well at those who are new or may have never participated in either. The new diver will enjoy the general overview and introduction of both types of diving while the experienced diver will hopefully walk away with some thought provoking ideas and concepts. The presentation is broken into three parts- Compare and Contrast, Standardization, and Rebreathers. | |
| June, 2013 | Patricia (PJ) Jordan | The Sassy South End of Bunaken | Patricia (PJ) has been travelling to Indonesia on dive trips since 1999 and has been diving in Bunaken National Marine Park north of Manado in north Sulawesi (one of Indonesia's five largest islands) at least 10 times. However she had never been diving in the southern end of Bunaken National Marine Park. But, all of that changed in the fall of 2011 when she did pay a visit to “The Sassy South End of Bunaken”after winning a stay at Minahasa Lagoon Resort in the Silent Auction at Beneath the Sea. Bunaken National Marine Park is an international dive destination and plays host to many divers, especially in and around Bunaken Island itself. However, the south end of the park experiences far fewer divers. In the south end of Bunaken, she was blown away with the diving finding unique, other-worldly critters including a newly-discovered pygmy sea-horse just recently named; dynamic schools of fish; and astounding underwater seascapes with healthy reefs and corals, all undamaged and in pristine condition. And on top of that, the dive sites were NEVER crowded!! PJ's presentation will be a “show-and-tell” describing, as always, the marine animals she photographed and the experiences she had. | |
| May, 2013 | Rick Morris | Infinite Oceans | Infinite Oceans” It was always though the oceans were infinite and inexhaustible. The reality, however, couldn't be further from the truth. “Infinite Oceans” explores the image of the changing seas as captured by some of the world's foremost film-makers and still photographers with contributions from authors, scientists, conservationists and experts. Includes interviews and imagery from David Doubilet, Howard Hall, Stan Waterman, as well as shark specialist Greg Skomal. Dive into this magical world beneath the wave with producer and cameraman Rick Morris and experience the reality for yourself…. “Nudi Mania” A short film, created for Dr. Sylvia Earle's Mission Blue project with Google Oceans, about the incredible diversity in a beautiful animal that lives in the sea, the Nudibranch. Travel to Anilao in the Philippines, a hot bed of aquatic biodiversity in the coral triangle and experience the most colorful critters in the ocean. Anilao was one of the primary locations for biodiversity studies conducted by the California Academy of Sciences. | |
| April, 2013 | John and Anita Ares | Diving Three Islands Of Hawaii | Hawaii's underwater diversity, including: The wrecks of Maui, numerous Sea Turtles and its signature site, Molokini Crater; On the Big Island, dive the Lava Tubes, see the Turtle Pinnacles cleaning station and Night Dive with the legendary Manta Rays; on Kauai, revel in lush underwater colors and unusual submerged formations. | |
| March, 2013 | Cristina Zenato | The Shark Whisperer | Cristina's love of exploration and caving is inspiring, yet it pales in comparison when it comes to her work with Sharks. Cristina has a natural ‘gift' with Sharks. Practicing a little known technique of rubbing and manipulating her fingers across the ampullae of Lorenzini all around a shark's head and face, she induces a tonic immobility. To the observer, this looks like a shark falling asleep right in her lap. Her ability to work with several types of shark in this manner has allowed her to study them up close, in the wild, with no stress from the usual hooks, gaffs, and undue pain some shark researchers have used. Cristina has researched shark behavior from the Bimini Shark Lab, South Africa, North Carolina, Florida and Mexico. She has observed the behaviors of Tigers, Great Whites, Lemons, Reefs, and Bulls. She has further developed her practice of tonic immobility, to remove hooks from shark's mouths, to remove parasites, and for her Awareness Campaign against shark finning and capture, for shark protection, and human education. | |
| February, 2013 | Richard Hyman | “Frogmen: The True Story of My Journeys With Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau and the Crew of Calypso | FROGMEN is an inspiring true adventure of a young man who pays homage to one of the greatest explorers and visionaries of all time. Richard Hyman first worked for Jacques Cousteau in 1973, at the age of eighteen. He drove a supply truck for Cousteau from Los Angeles to the Canadian wilderness and worked with Cree Native Americans building a cabin for the Cousteau team to winter in and film Beavers of the North Country. Subsequent journeys included diving in Florida's warm springs with manatee and off the panhandle with stone crabs. Months later he flew to Mexico's Yucatán and boarded Calypso, a relatively small and unsteady wooden ship, and camped on the uninhabited Contoy Island to study and film The Incredible Migration of the Spiny Lobsters. From there he sailed south along the 180-mileBelize Barrier Reef, filming the spawning of thousands of grouper, The Fish that Swallowed Jonah, and a visit from singer songwriter John Denver. On his final voyage, en route to Venezuela, he experienced treacherous dives on the USS Monitor shipwreck off North Carolina, skeletons inside wrecks off Martinique, and the death of Jacques Cousteau's son, Philippe. | |
| January, 2013 | Bernie Chowdhury | Off the Beaten Path | Sometimes a divers thirst for adventure and exploration forces them to go far off the beaten path, from the underwater caves of Iceland and the Ukraine, to the sunken wrecks of World War 2 in Norway and Newfoundland, and the exotic marine life of India's Andaman Islands. These destinations remain off the radar for most divers yet they each offer unique and fascinating insights into such areas as marine life, geology, history and science. They also all have spectacular dive sites. This entertaining and informative presentation includes above water and underwater still photography and videos. | |
| November, 2012 | Larry Cohen and Olga Torrey | Alaska, Both Below and Above the Waterline | Alaska is a hot tourist destination that is very cool (water temp 47 degrees Fahrenheit). Tourists travel by cruise ship and train to experience the splendor of this temperate rain forest. A few hardy explorers venture beneath the waterline to see wolf eels, salmon, a forest of giant Metridium anemones, and other amazing underwater scenes. Long time Sea Gypsy members Larry Cohen and Olga Torrey will show images that captured the beauty of this cold-water environment and the landscape above. | |
| October, 2012 | Maureen and Steve Langevine | Documentary: Lost at Sea: Texas Tower Disaster | Built in 1957, the five Texas Towers were intended to become part of the USA's advanced early warning system against Soviet bombers. Named for their resemblance to oil platforms found in the Gulf of Mexico, the towers were radar platforms designed to be placed out to sea. On January 15, 1961, the US coastguard raced through the darkness toward a tiny point 84 miles southeast of New York City. There, 28 crew members of Texas Tower 4 were waiting desperately to be evacuated from their station. As huge swells and high winds pounded the hull of the ship, their radios picked up a frantic transmission from the tower: “We're breaking up”. And with that, Texas Tower 4 and all of its occupants were pulled beneath the waves. In the summer of 2011, on a dive trip commemorating the 50th anniversary of the sinking, one of the divers failed to board the dive boat. This set off a 3 hour search for the missing diver, both above and below the water. History, personal accounts, and the fight for honor intertwined with the challenges of Northeast Wreck Diving are crafted into this entertaining documentary. | |
| September, 2012 | Herb Segars | Beneath the Garden State - Exploring Aquatic NJ | Beneath the Garden State: Exploring Aquatic New Jersey introduces the audience to the strange and beautiful animals found in the Atlantic waters off New Jersey. See the beauty of the one-half-inch long naked sea butterfly or the fascinating blue shark, sandbar shark and sand tiger shark. Watch a goosefish (monkfish) devour a black sea bass or see a sea star growing new arms. The subjects are familiar and not-so familiar. Visit New Jersey's artificial reefs made of army tanks, tug boats and large ships and see what a shipwreck looks like underwater. You will experience personal accounts of Herb Segars' thirty years of scuba diving and photographing in New Jersey. Whether you are a fisherman, scuba diver, surfer, beach lover, environmentalist or just someone who loves the ocean, this presentation is for you. | |
| August, 2012 | Rick Morris | Film Presentation: 'Slyvia's Sea' and 'Cold as Ice' | Experience the world's oceans and their health through the eyes and words of Dr. Sylvia Earle, National Geographic Explorer in Residence. Perhaps the most prominent oceanographer and scientist since Cousteau, Dr. Earle provides her perspective on the current state of the oceans. Captured by award winning producer and cameraman/editor Rick Morris, this film uses lecture and personal interviews as well as stunning HD footage and music to enlighten the viewers on how Dr. Earle sees the aquatic world. Shot on location from the Arctic to the Philippines this short film will captivate all audiences from divers to non-diving audiences. An official selection for screening at the Blue Ocean Film Festival in Monterey, CA. “Cold as Ice”: Travel to the Arctic with award winning film maker Rick Morris as he joins a 5 week scientific expedition to investigate life on, in and under the polar ice cap. Experience, first hand, the effects of global climate change, life on a Coast Guard Ice Breaker and how marine science is conducted in one of the most challenging environments on the planet. For the first time this type of research was conducted in the Arctic Winter to provide a wider range of data. This was also the first science diving expedition to the arctic since a fatal accident in 2005. Polar bears and plankton, icebergs and whale harvests will keep the viewer captivated and challenged from beginning to end. Shot in HD with an outstanding soundtrack, this film won the NOAA sponsored Gray's Reef Film Festival in 2 categories… | |
| July, 2012 | Polina Reznikov | Papua New Guinea - Adventures in the 4th-world | If you're looking to satiate your wanderlust, the cultural diversity of Papua New Guinea is indisputably unparalleled. But for the travelling diver, will 2-¬Ω days of travel from the northeast coast of US be just as promising? Papua New Guinea (PNG) is located in the East Indian Triangle (a.k.a. coral triangle), which is considered the global epicenter of the highest marine biodiversity of tropical fish and coral. Situated directly north of Australia, PNG consists of roughly 600 islands. The island of New Britain is the largest and is where most of the underwater adventures in this presentation take place. | |
| June, 2012 | Fred Barthes | Diving from da Vinci to Pink Floyd | Northeast Dive Equipment Group, Join us for a presentation on the history of diving from Leonardo da Vinci to today by Fred Barthes. The presentation will include a full set of commercial dive gear (Hard Hat helmet), as well as various other pieces of equipment used in commercial diving. There will also be a demonstration on how a diver suits up in the hard hat and suit using a volunteer from those in attendance. On display will be 2 suits brought out from the museum for a limited time only. You can also find out when and where you can take some of the equipment out for a test dive yourself. | |
| May, 2012 | Faith Ortins | Expedition Antarctica | Faith Ortins of Diving Unlimited International (DUI) discusses an expedition to dive Antarctica. The frozen continent represents the pinnacle of exploration for both divers and non-divers alike. Explore its stark and surprising beauty with Faith Ortins as she takes you on a journey to discover new dive sites in one of the most remote places on the planet. In addition to a photographic essay of the expedition, Faith will discuss what it takes to plan and participate in polar diving. | |
| April, 2012 | John Ares | The Great White Sharks of Guadalupe Island | John Ares discusses diving with endangered Great White Sharks off of Guadalupe Island. The presentation will show you the results of making a dozen dives with seven large male and female great whites making close passes to the cages. The logistics and suggestions for photographing the sharks will be reviewed as well. | |
| March, 2012 | Nancy McGee | Presentation by Nancy McGee | Nancy McGee, member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame and owner of Island Time Scuba joins us all the way from Texas. Nancy McGee is an explorer and underwater filmmaker. She is an adrenaline junky, seeking opportunities to film the unusual and unique. Her film subjects include Humboldt squid, tiger sharks, an oceanic swimming elephant, and numerous species of whales. | |
| February, 2012 | Matt Weiss | The Life of an Underwater Photo Jounralist | Matt Weiss, the publisher and editor-in-chief of DivePhotoGuide.com will take you through a year of in the life of a photo journalist. From sailfish in Mexico, to humpbacks in South Africa, sharks in the Galapagos and remote reefs in Papua, Matt travelled to more than 10 top underwater photography and diving destinations in 2011. He will take a look back at the amazing year of diving while also exploring the less glamorous side of travel journalism. Every once in a while everything turns out perfectly, but more often bad visibility, inclement weather, or uncooperative wildlife make the task difficult. However, its during these difficult situations that you are forced to think differently – and that's when the most interesting experiences can happen. | |
| January, 2012 | Glenn Butler | Wreck of the RMS Republic | Join us as Glenn Butler discusses the wreck of the RMS Republic as well as the salvage and archeological work his team performed on it. | |
| November, 2011 | Larry Cohen | Exploring the wrecks of Truk Lagoon | Come join Larry Cohen to see images of these ghost ships. You will see images of airplanes, tanks, mines, bicycles, telegraphs, beer bottles, and more beer bottles that went down with the ships. During Word War II Truk Lagoon served as an anchorage for the Japanese Imperial Fleet. It was considered the most formidable of all Japanese strongholds in the Pacific. On the morning of February 17, 1944 American forces attacked Truk Lagoon in a three-day attack known as Operation Hailstone. The Japanese did get word of the impending attack and withdrew most of their warships. Even with this warning over seventy ships, mostly merchant ships, were sunk and 275 airplanes were shot down or destroyed. This made Truk one of the biggest ship and plane graveyards in the world. Also be sure to check out his website (http://www.liquidimagesuw.com/) | |
| October, 2011 | Gene Peterson | Discoveries and Recoveries | Join us for a fascinating review of some of Gene's four decades of wreck diving adventures. This will be a slide presentation of shipwrecks discovered and identified from North Carolina to Nova Scotia. These adventures have included discoveries of more than 30 undived wrecks, seven Andrea Doria expeditions, and over 25 expeditions to Nova Scotia and numerous wreck discovery adventures off the Delaware/Maryland/Virginia coast. With an in depth understanding of wreck history, Gene has recovered and preserved thousands of artifacts, including four helms, two bells, two telegraphs, four compass binacles, over one hundred portholes, plus diverse assorted artifacts including china and bottles. | |
| September, 2011 | Larry Cohen | Have drysuit and camera will travel | Underwater photographer and long time Sea Gypsies member Larry Cohen will take you to some of the best cold water diving destinations in the world. He will show you photos of the local wrecks of New Jersey and and New York as well as the attractions of Dutch springs. We will then head north to the wrecks of the St Lawrence River. Continuing north we will visit the whale bones, ice bergs, and wrecks of Newfoundland. Heading across the Atlantic we will see his images off the coast of Croatia. Heading back to the west coast of North America we will visit the California Channel islands, British Columbia and see a few photos from a recent trip to Alaska.Larry will talk about problems and solutions for successful underwater photography in cold water. Also be sure to check out his website (http://www.liquidimagesuw.com/) | |
| August, 2011 | Fred Barthes | Northeast Dive Equipment Group | Ever wonder what type of equipment commercial divers use? Find out when Fred Barthes of the Northeast Diving Equipment Group joins us to give a presentation on Hardhat Diving with surface supplied air. The presentation will include a full set of commercial dive gear (Hard Hat helmet), as well as various other pieces of equipment used in commercial diving. There will also be a demonstration on how a diver suits up in the hard hat and suit using a volunteer from those in attendance. On display will be 2 suits brought out from the museum for a limited time only. You can | |
| July, 2011 | Bernie Chowdhury | Controversial War Wrecks of Scapa Flow | Scapa Flow, in Scotland's Orkney Islands, is Europe's wreck diving Mecca. All level of diver, from cold water beginners through the most experienced technical divers, have plenty of historic - and controversial - wrecks to explore. The main attraction for divers continues to be the remnants of the German World War I High Seas Fleet, which fought in that war's major naval conflict, the Battle of Jutland. These wrecks include three dreadnought class battleships and four light cruisers | |
| June, 2011 | Evan and Maryann Kovacs | 3D Underwater From Around the World | Evan Kovacs has worked in 3D for the last 6 years filming hydrothermal vents, famous wrecks like the Titanic and Britannic, crystal caves, and numerous underwater cultural sites across the US. Join Evan Kovacs and his wife Maryann as they show rarely seen one-of-a-kind footage. Watch and listen as they take you through an immersive 3D experience (3D glasses will be provided) . | |
| May, 2011 | Peter Hess | Wrecks From the Atlantic to Mongolia | From the North Atlantic off Jersey and Long Island to Kodiak, Alaska to Lake Khovsgul, Mongolia, Peter Hess' passion is underwater history. And yet whenever a valuable find is made, it seems that some government agent is there to lay claim to the treasure. Maritime attorney and wreck diver, Peter will take the audience to astounding wrecks in locales both local and exotic--and tell just what it takes to make their finders keepers. | |
| April, 2011 | Stan Waterman | 5 time Emmy winner Stan Waterman | Stan Waterman has been at the forefront of scuba diving since its inception as a recreational sport both in this country and throughout the world. His attraction to the underwater world began as a schoolboy in 1936 when he first dived with a Japanese Ama diver's mask in Florida. In the 1950's, inspired by Jacques Cousteau's revolutionary invention of the Aqua Lung, Mr. Waterman acquired the first one in Maine and went on to pioneer scuba diving in that state. Between 1954 and 1958 he operated a dive business in the Bahamas with a boat he had built specially for diving. His first 16mm film on diving was produced during those years. For the next fifteen years, Mr. Waterman continued to record his worldwide journeys and exploits on film; most were ultimately purchased as television documentaries. In 1965 he took his entire family - wife and three children - to Tahiti. Their careers as television stars were launched when National Geographic purchased the rights to air his film of that year-long experience. In 1968 he collaborated with Peter Gimbel on the classic shark film, Blue Water, White Death. He was associate producer and underwater cameraman during the seven-month long production. However, he may be best know for his work in commercial film. He was co-director of underwater photography and second unit in the production of The Deep, based on Peter Benchley's best-selling novel. In other collaborations with his close friend and neighbor, Mr. Benchley, he was responsible for ten years' worth of productions for ABC's American Sportsman Show. More recent productions include documentaries for ABC's Spirit of Adventure series and the Expedition Earth series on ESPN. | |
| March, 2011 | Gary Gentile | Diving the Lusitania | In June of '94 Gary Gentile participated in an expedition to one of the most renowned shipwrecks in history, the Lusitania. Lying at a depth of 300 feet, the wreck is immersed in cold, dark water which is constantly swept by strong lunar tides. Underwater slides show the wreck as it exists today, broken and sagging. Portholes lie scattered about the hull and seabed. The remains of the wheelhouse, which slid off the hull as the superstructure collapsed throughout the years, lies exposed on the rocky bottom. Clearly visible among the debris are the telegraphs and helm station. Gary also discusses the various gas mixes used, the decompression procedures, boat access, and all phases of preparation for what was a complex and highly technical dive operation, and which was conducted in a remote corner of Ireland, where all expedition gases and equipment had to be delivered. For those interested in the state-of-the-art of technical diving today, this presentation is an eye opener. | |
| February, 2011 | Paul Mila | Close Encounters of A Gigantic Kind | Paul's presentation will feature encounters with humpback whales in Montauk Long Island, the Dominican Republic's Silver Bank, and the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga. The presentation also includes recent surface encounters with California Gray Whales in the lagoons of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. | |
| Januay, 2011 | Michael Gerken | North Carolina: Graveyard of the Atlantic | The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a world class dive destination that is a well kept secret to many sport divers in the US. The numerous shipwrecks located all along the coast are a big draw for wreck diving enthusiasts and sport divers in general. There are dozens of regular wreck sites to see in North Carolina offering a wide variety of diving. Those seeking to see a piece of maritime history desire to dive wrecks such as the USS Schurz, a US naval gunboat sunk in 1918 and the German U-Boat the U-352, sunk by the US Coast Guard Cutter Icarus in 1942. Others come to the Outer Banks to dive with the Sand Tiger Sharks which are ever present on the wrecks such as the USCGS Spar, a buoy tender sunk as part of the Artificial Reef program of NC in 2004. Mike will also be showing a short preview on his recently finished and much awaited documentary titled The Wrecks of Truk Lagoon. As previous captain of the dive vessel Truk Odyssey in Chuuk, Micronesia Mike collected over the span of five years until 2008 a comprehensive collection of UW footage of the dozens of Japanese wrecks sunk there by raiding US Planes during WWII. With this video footage and the use of rare archival film and still images The Wrecks of Truk Lagoon will demonstrate why today Truk has become a sport divers dream destination. Please visit Mike's web site at http://www.evolutionunderwater.com | |
| November, 2010 | Becky Kagan | Exploring N. America's most unforgiving underwater cave system | Weeki Wachee Cave is the most vicious, unforgiving and unique underwater cave system in North America. It has remained unexplored until now. Located just north of Tampa Florida it's Florida's oldest roadside attraction and now the deepest underwater cave system in the United States at over 400 feet deep! The passageways are so massive you could fly a jet plane through them, and still have room on both sides! A highly experienced team of Explorers is pushing the limits of rebreather technology in order to go deeper, stay longer, and explore this never before seen cave. Just to get into it divers risk their lives pulling themselves down a small fissure crack with water flow that is so strong it's like climbing through a fire hose. It took 15 of the most experienced technical divers 2 days to bring in the safety equipment, cameras, scooters, and powerful HID lights to capture a never seen before video. The exploration divers have been over a mile underground and its still going. Since their dives are at an average of 300 feet deep the decompression can take 12-18 hours. The divers are pushed to their limits in discovering new things and collecting scientific data every time they dive. Mother nature is working against the team, as rain falls the powerful flow becomes even stronger and the window of opportunity to dive this system closes fast! The team must get in before mother nature decides to render the Weeki Wachee undivable again for a year.... or possibly beyond our lifetimes. | |
| October, 2010 | Patricia (PJ) Jordan | Around the world in 80 dives | Travel with PJ to three very different dive sites on our planet. First, we head due SOUTH to the Cayman Islands. PJ had not been diving in the Cayman Islands for over 20 years and was delighted to find so many exciting dives AND photo opportunities – lots of turtles, some “oh-so-interesting” macro creatures rivaling those in Lembeh Strait (say WHAT?), wrecks, and refreshing wide-angle visions. But after a while, the lure of “distant diving” pulled PJ WEST to New Zealand (Go west, young woman, go west!) to dive both the famed Poor Knights and White Island which hosts a live volcano. There were scads of fish, and wonderful kelp forests, but the real draw for her was the brilliantly unbelievable colors. Time to head home. But, NO WAIT, she heard the siren call of Indonesia luring her NORTH to dive at Komodo Island. And, “yes”, the Komodo Dragon was waiting for her! But so were underwater creatures exhibiting strange behaviors that fascinated, as well as varied wide-angle perspectives. Finally, it was time to travel EAST to get back home so that she could share her globe-trotting dive experiences with the New York City Sea Gypsies. www.pjdives.com | |
| September, 2010 | Bernie Chowdhury | Dive Better, Dive Safer: Practical Advice & Tips | Whether you dive in 30 feet or in 300 feet, and whatever you aspire to do underwater, you can improve your dive performance, be a safer diver and have more fun. These practical tips from one of the world's leading technical diving instructors focuses on improving your fitness, your gear configuration, and your diving techniques so that you'll be better able to achieve your diving goals and have more enjoyment in the process. This slide and video presentation is geared to all diving ranges, and dive certification levels, from non-divers to instructors. Bernie Chowdhury is best known as the author of the critically acclaimed, internationally successful book, The Last Dive. He's also a past president of the Sea Gypsies, Explorers Club Fellow since 1995, Beneath the Sea's Diver of the Year (Education) in 2001 | |
| August, 2010 | Lenny Speregen | Sex, Lies, and Equipment Maintenance | Our very favorite technician, Lenny Speregen, will be lambasting again on how we should be taking care of our equipment. His presentation will include modifying our bathrooms to facilitate good maintenance habits, how to tell when it is time to bring in your regulators for service, long-tern and short-term equipment storage, drysuit maintenance and common misconceptions. Hear funny stories on the strange and horrid things Lenny finds in people's regulators. Lenny will also talk about the NY Harbor. Challenge your knowledge of NY waterways as Lenny poses trivia questions In 1979, Lenny attended Commercial Diving School in New York, and has worked in the recreational and commercial diving field. | |
| July, 2010 | Fred Barthes | Northeast Dive Equipment Group | Northeast Diving Equipment Group joins us to give a presentation on Hardhat Diving with surface supplied air. The presentation will include a full set of commercial dive gear (Hard Hat helmet), as well as various other pieces of equipment used in commercial diving. There will also be a demonstration on how a diver suits up in the hard hat and suit using a volunteer from those in attendance. | |
| June, 2010 | Jim & Pat Stayer | Lake Superior and The Wonders of the Maldives | Sea Gypsies Present a DOUBLE FEATURE by award-winning videographers Jim & Pat Stayer Lake Superior Many people know of the fabulous deep shipwrecks of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior, but did you know that there are many wrecks in less than 50 feet of water. Join Jim & Pat Stayer as they visit several of these shipwrecks. See newly discovered wrecks in under 25 feet of water complete with anchors, capstan, rigging, and other artifacts still lying on the bottom where they have been for well over a 100 years. The Stayers will also explore the Alex Nimick in under 25 feet of water complete with engine, windlass, and steam whistle. See what time and the shifting sand reveals as they revisit this wreck. Wonders of the Maldives The Maldives is a chain of 26 atolls stretching across the equator, in the Indian Ocean, southwest of India. This country is composed of over 1190 emerald islands, most of them uninhabited, and countless reefs and shallows that form a unique eco system that attracts an amazing diversity of marine life. Join the Stayers as they share their experiences traveling through the Maldives, from the seldom dove southern atolls to the more well known atolls of the north. Here enormous schools of fish surround you and mantas form trains, which maneuver ever so close to the camera lens. Watch as the mass mantas activity develops into a cyclone feeding frenzy. A whale shark also feasting on the krill soon joins the action. | |
| May, 2010 | John & Anita Ares | The Manatees of Crystal River, Florida | Swimming with Manatees is one of the top animal experiences in the world. If Whales are majestic, Dolphins are playful, and Sea Lions are mischievous, then Manatees are endearing. It is this adorable, innocent quality that may save this endangered species. With only about 5,000 surviving, they still face many threats, the most serious is collisions with boats. While recovering, the Manatee's fate is far from assured. Three hundred were lost this winter due to cold stress. This presentation will show how you can go swimming with the Manatees in Florida's Crystal River, 90 minutes North of Tampa and one of the only places in the world where this is legal. There were approximately 200 individuals near the Three Sisters Spring during our trip. The snorkeling experience is ironically, best done in the cold weather of January to March. | |
| April, 2010 | William Graham | Why cave dive, when all there is to see is wet rocks? | People often ask Why cave dive, when all there is to see is wet rocks? The answer is that it's the closest thing to being an astronaut, suspended in space in an alien landscape. The Mayans believed cenotes were gateways to the afterlife, and made sacrifices to them. They were the center of life. In northern Florida, we find stone tools and arrowheads in springs as the fresh water sustained life since the beginning of time. I'm sure you've all seen photos of the warning signs placed by the cave training agencies in cave entrances depicting the grim reaper. The fact is, divers cannot survive in this environment without cave diving training. The two main destinations for cave divers in N. America are N. Florida, and Mexico. Florida offers everything from huge caves with often roaring flows like Ginnie Springs to tiny side mount or no-mount passages, like Shangri La, and enormous no-flow caves like Hole in the Wall in Merritt's Mill Pond. Merritt's Mill Pond in Marianna, Florida is a very unique, most beautiful body of water in Florida. A Disneyland for cave divers it offers at least seven diveable caves, and likely more to be discovered. This presentation will discuss the importance of cave training, whether divers intend to cave dive or just expand their skills. Technical considerations in using closed circuit rebreathers in cave diving, sidemounting, and scootering will also be covered. But mostly, come and enjoy true tales about the beauty and thrill of cave diving. Bill holds certifications in cave diving, closed circuit rebreathers, and mixed gas decompression diving. | |
| March, 2010 | Lesley Avery Gould | Sea Sojourns | is the video to be shown this evening. This video was created to reduce your stress and entertain you. The evening will be interactive. Lesley will show sections of the video so you can experience how they work for each of you individually. | |
| February, 2010 | Lenny Speregen | An evening with a Commercial Diver and Equipment Guru | Our very favorite technician, Lenny Speregen, will be lambasting again on how we should be taking care of our equipment. His presentation will include modifying our bathrooms to facilitate good maintenance habits, how to tell when it is time to bring in your regulators for service, long-tern and short-term equipment storage, drysuit maintenance and common misconceptions. Hear funny stories on the strange and horrid things Lenny finds in people's regulators. Lenny will also talk about the history of the NY Harbor. Challenge your knowledge of NY waterways as Lenny poses trivia questions. Participate in tonight's event by donning a real commercial hardhat to play a “Telephone” game (and have your picture taken). The participant will be given text to read and have the message sent via a communications box to “topside” support. See if your crew properly interpreted your message. In 1979, Lenny attended Commercial Diving School in New York, and has worked in the recreational and commercial diving field. | |
| January, 2010 | Michael Gerken | The Wrecks of Truk Lagoon | Join Mike for a historical slideshow presentation and lecture on Truk Lagoon accompanied by a portfolio of Mike's underwater images which capture not only the steep history of the event that took place there but also stunning photos of the prolific marine life that inhabits the wreck of Truk. The Coolidge is a WWII casualty wreck that has earned much notoriety in the diving community world wide for its rich history and prolific marine life. Under his new photo and video company, Evolution Underwater Imaging LLC (http://www.evolutionunderwater.com/), Mike compiled the most comprehensive footage ever obtained of this famous shipwreck and produced a full length documentary titled, “The Wreck of the SS President Coolidge”. The video is presently distributed in Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu and the United States. Mike's second video documentary on Truk Lagoon is scheduled for release in late 2009. Michael was a relief captain on board the luxury live aboard Truk Aggressor II. | |
| Novemberr, 2009 | Sea Gypsies | Watching Episodes of: Sea Hunt | This is the classic TV program that was on the air from 1957 to 1961. The show followed the adventures of scuba diver Mike Nelson (Lloyd Bridges), an ex-Navy frogman turned freelance diver. During the show Mike Nelson out maneuvered villains, salvaged everything from a bicycle to a nuclear missile, rescued children trapped in a flooded cave, and even rescued a dog. The series served as a stepping-stone for some of Hollywood's most notable actors, including Leonard Nimoy, Robert Conrad, Bruce Dern, Larry Hagman and even Jack Nicholson. Bridges' own sons, Beau and Jeff also appeared on the show. One unusual aspect of the series was that at the end of each episode, Bridges made a plea to protect the oceans. The show influenced many young people, some seeing it for the first time in reruns to become divers. After Bridges was cast, he was given a crash course on scuba diving by Zale Parry. These days, Zale is a regular guest at dive shows including Beanth the Sea. So what undersea adventures will we see Mike Nelson taking part in? Join us this Wednesday to find out! | |
| October, 2009 | Jordon Glenn and Gordon Glenn, (accompanied by Patricia Jordan) | 2 boys, 1 metal cage: Great White sharks | What do you think it would be like if you were 9 years old, or even 12 years old, and your VERY FIRST experience underwater with a regulator in your mouth was in a partially-open, metal cage facing down Great White Sharks? Well, that was the experience of two brothers, Jordon Glenn, age 12, and Gordon Glenn, age 9, when they traveled 160 miles off the Pacific coast of Mexico to the small volcanic island of Guadelupe this past September to spend 7 nights aboard the Nautilus Explorer. The owner and operator of the boat, Mike Lever, ran a shark essay contest for three age groups (ages 4-6; 7-9; 10-12). The first prize in each age group would be a FREE SPOT on the boat. Jordan won the first prize and the free spot in his age category, and Gordon was a semi-finalist in his age category. The boys were accompanied on the trip by their grandmother, Sea Gypsy Patricia Jordan, a.k.a. PJ. This presentation will not only cover the fantastic experiences the boys had including the shark cages, face-to-face encounters with sea lions while snorkeling, and a visit from a Whale Shark, but also the 4-man film crew which decided to feature the boys in one of their 13 upcoming 30-minute dive shows to be aired on international television. We hope you will join us! | |
| September, 2009 | Jason Heller | Sardine Run | Visible by satellite, the Sardine Run is a unique feat of nature and largest species migration on earth. Between May and July each year the sardines migrate up the east coast of South Africa in mind blowing numbers. The sheer numbers create a feeding frenzy among schools of dolphins, sharks, whales, game fish and birds. Jason Heller just completed year one of a three year project photographing the Sardine Run and will be sharing the images and experience with us. Jason is an underwater video photographer, founder and publisher of DivePhotoGuide.com | |
| August, 2009 | Sea Gypsies | Sea Gypsies Members Night - video and slide presentation: The Ultimate Who's Been Diving? | We welcome members to show images or video from their favorite trip. Tell us what made it so memorable with pictures or video. Did you have an amusing, unique, or a hair raising moment? Have you captured an interesting behavior? Did you get close to a dolphin, whale, manta, or shark and got a picture of the experience? Did you squint at a tiny critter and got a really cool shot of it? A handful of entries will be selected to vary the destinations. We welcome our members to show and talk about their images and videos for approximately five (5) minutes. Please send your images to [masked]. If you'd like to show your video(s), please write a synopsis and indicate the length of the video, and email to [masked]. We are all looking forward to reliving your memorable dive moments. Come and join the fun. | |
| July, 2009 | Bob Sterner | Diving in Paradise: Caribbean, Thailand, Malaysia and Fiji | Shake off the chill of local water by hopping a jet to tropical lands of sunny beaches where clear blue warm waters are filled with brilliantly colored sea life. This presentation includes the best shots from trips throughout the Caribbean, Thailand, Malaysia and Fiji. Bob is a veteran journalist who edits Northeast Dive News and was co-publisher and editor of Immersed magazine | |
| June, 2009 | Mark Snyder | Images of the incredible diving in the Maldives | Although the Maldives are known the world over for the stunning beaches and azure waters that typify the tropical idyll, its life beneath the water's surface is becoming ever more respected by divers in the know. Scattered like rings across the Indian Ocean, the 26 atolls that comprise the Maldives are a diver's mecca. Encompassing channels, pinnacles and walls, the sites here have lyrical names that match their beauty. The Maldives have some excellent coral reefs, but it's the abundance of fish life throughout the country that sets it apart from other dive destinations. His work can be seen on his web site, http://www.starknakedfish.com . | |
| May, 2009 | Captains Steve and Maureen Langevin, and Bjoern Kils | Video Presentation: Pioneers of Northeast Wreck Diving | In 2008, Dive Voyagers completed their best and most inspirational video production to date! Their quest … to meet some of the Pioneers of Northeast Wreck Diving and find out what it was like diving 30 years ago. “We had the honor and the pleasure to interview four Pioneers that absolutely stole the show. They amazed and humored us with the many stories of shipwreck dives, retrieving artifacts, lobstering, and finding unexpected surprises on recently discovered shipwrecks. … for anyone interested in what it was like 30 years ago to dive on recently sunken or discovered shipwrecks where no diver had dived before … or hearing the many colorful, interesting, funny, and exciting stories told by the Pioneers themselves Captains Steve and Maureen Langevin, and Bjoern Kils of Dive Voyager Expeditions will present the inside scoop with candid scenes of the real Pioneers of Northeast Wreck Diving. Re-live amazing stories of what it was like to dive in the early days. Hear how they endured the hardships at the dawn of Northeast diving and influenced the sport so we can dive the many fantastic sites today in comfort and safety. You will see and hear from legends such as Capt Steve Bielenda from the well-known dive boat R/V Wahoo. Mike de Camp, also known as the Father of Northeast Wreck Diving as well as from Capt Paul Helpler, who discovered many wrecks and is still running his charter dive boat Venture III from Belmar, NJ. Finally, Gene Geer, early Scuba Instructor and Environmentalist, his concern for our environment contributed to stopping Ocean dumping. Together they took extreme risks to explore the many wrecks that lie just off our shores, forever changing the sport of diving in the Northeast. | |
| April, 2009 | Dan Crowel | Video Presentation | Dan Crowell is one of the most qualified divers in the country to talk to us about this subject. He has been exploring shipwrecks around the world for two decades. A pioneer of the early days of technical diving in the Northeast, he created the protocol for technical wreck diving in this region. Dan has been to the Andrea Doria more times than anyone in the world and is referred to as the Master of the Andrea Doria by Esquire magazine in a series on Men and Disasters. He was voted 2003 Explorer Of The Year by the Philadelphia Chapter of the Explorers Club for his discovery of the USS Murphy and his effort to tell this tragic story. As an underwater Explorer/Videographer, Dan shot amazing footage of some of the world's most interesting shipwrecks such as Titanic's sister ship Britannic, USS Monitor, U-869 (U-Who), and of course, Andrea Doria, among others. Dan was the Director of underwater photography for 20 episodes of the History Channel's Deep Sea Detective series. Dan co-produced a limited series for Discovery's Military Channel called “Quest for Sunken Warships”, also acting as the series' lead diver. Dan is a pioneer of the early days of technical diving in the Northeast; he created the protocol for technical wreck diving in this region. Dan has been to the Andrea Doria more times than anyone in the world | |
| March, 2009 | Dan Lieb | Shipwreck Identification | Mr. Lieb will be discussing the process used to identify an old shipwreck locally known as the Logwood Wreck. For years the wreck's identity had remained a mystery. Careful analysis of the historic record and a careful examination of the wreck site exposed evidence that led to the wrecks true identity. Now, the history of this site can be revealed Dan is the current president of the NJ Historical Divers Association, Inc. | |
| February, 2009 | John & Anita Ares | EYE TO EYE: The Humpback Whales of the Silver Banks | Imagine being told to jump off your Zodiac in front of a 45 foot long city bus approaching at 15 mph knowing it will not stop. This was the first of many encounters with the Humpback whales of the Silver Banks on a liveaboard adventure. The Silver Banks is a 144 sq. mile area that lies between the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Dominican Republic. January through March is the winter home of the Northwest Atlantic population of the Humpback whales. The presentation will showcase Moms, calves and escorts, dating couples, rowdy boys in hot pursuits of lone females, and the baritone of a whale song. | |
| January, 2009 | Pete Nawrocky | Shipwrecks, Living History | Shipwrecks are part of everyone's marine heritage. Marine organisms convert the rusting hulks into reefs in a short space of time. This Photo presentation will explore the differences in marine life found in colder Northern waters (NY/NJ) as compared to the local waters off of North Carolina specifically the Outer Banks. Pete is on staff at Dive-Rite and an avid underwater photographer | |
| November, 2008 | Anne L. Doubilet | Coral & Ice: From the Ends of the Earth | Stunning photography from the depths of the ocean to the top of the world highlighting two of the most important barometers of the health of our oceans. Shapes and patterns and colors occurring in nature present designs that rival the imagination. The turquoise glow of melting ice in the Arctic combines with the vibrant pink of soft coral under the Red Sea. They are images from a journey with Alice into Wonderland. This Wonderland is our planet Earth and is being documented by Ms. Doubilet, underwater explorer, photographer and writer. Coral & Ice was exhibited in April 2008 at the NYC National Arts Club and can be viewed on Anne website at http://www.annedoubilet.com . Concerned about the vanishing corals and melting icebergs she has witnessed in the past 30 years, the world-known photographer is committed to promoting conservation and awareness of the devastating changes on our planet through her work. Anne is an underwater explorer, writer and photographer www.annedoubilet.com | |
| October, 2008 | Larry Cohen & Polina Reznikov | Bell Island's WWII wrecks and the Iron Ore mine and Surrealism of Diving Icebergs and a Whale Graveyard | Larry's presentation will take you through the history of Bell Island's WWII wrecks and the Iron Ore mine, whose cargo they were transporting. Polina's presentation will focus on the surrealism of diving icebergs and a whale graveyard. Hear what it's like diving next to a moving ice giant and being caught in it's grip. | |
| September, 2008 | Glenn Butler | The Birth of NITROX and the Great Space Connection | Air is certainly not a bad gas mixture, just not a very good one for diving. Over the millenniums, oxygen and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations have been much higher and lower than today's 20.9% oxygen and 0.035% CO2. For humans to breathe safely at higher partial pressure than sea level, Air has too little oxygen for shallow diving and forces us to breath too much nitrogen diluent gas. Deeper, Air has too much oxygen and is potentially toxic - plus the nitrogen is narcotic. Commercial divers have solved these problems by mixing gases that allow them to control the ideal oxygen concentration (Partial Pressure) for a given depth and to use Helium or Hydrogen as inert gas diluents to prevent nitrogen narcosis. Commercial and military divers have also been adjusting the oxygen in Air for many years - NITROX is in fact, not new at all. When most divers think of NITROX or Oxygen Enriched Air, visions of Sport / Technical Diving in the early 90's and based on National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Enriched Air Nitrox (EAN) come to mind. The 32% and 36% oxygen tables were produced under a contract funded by NOAA in order to extend shallow water (less than 130 FSW) dives by underwater research teams. As this technology was published by NOAA. Several sport certification agencies and several new Technical diving certification groups were formed to invent NITROX and to re-invent the sport diving industry. As one of the divers and engineers involved in the development of NITROX, Glenn Butler shares his experience on the historical roots and politics of Oxygen Enriched Air diving. From early diving, underwater construction, military recovery, underwater habitats, technical sport diving and NASA astronaut training- NITROX has completely changed the way we dive. The talk utilizes many photos never seen before- a real historical adventure for all divers. | |
| August, 2008 | Alan Winick, Explorer | My Yellow Submarine, from Dream to Reality: A Love Story in Depth | The drive to propel ourselves into hostile environments seems to be programmed into our genes. Motivated by practical need, curiosity, or just as often by the sheer exhilaration of the challenge, we have colored our history with countless missions to bring the human presence to places humans are not naturally equipped to live. The undersea world is one of those hostile environments, not due to sharks, blue-ringed octopi, or the kraken, but to the simple fact that we cannot breathe underwater. Throughout recorded history we have invented methods, some successful, many wildly impractical, to venture beneath the surface. In 1968, steeped in the exploration buzz of “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau” and the Apollo Space Program, a 12-year-old boy living in a small apartment in Brooklyn, NY became obsessed with the dream of building his own submarine. Join us as featured speaker Alan Winick recounts the story of that boyhood dream come true. Starting with a brief survey of the history of underwater exploration, he shares anecdotes from the 30-year saga that would culminate in the successful launch of EXPLORER, his one-person submersible. The story explores the challenges, technical, social, and fiscal, that face a city kid with a crazy dream, and also examines the real science behind the design of underwater vehicles. Alan's story is an inspiration to adults and children alike, and may even hold the answer to why, in this age of cost-effective, remarkable underwater robots, there is still no substitute for direct human experience under the sea. | |
| July, 2008 | Mike Brygider | Papua New Guinea: Wrecks, Marine & Wildlife, and Wild People | PNG has such a varied marine environment that two of Mike's favorite-in-the-world dive sites can be reached from the shore. Port Moresby, known as the Most Dangerous City in the World, has friendly locals, and Birds-of-Paradise that come perch on your shoulder. In the water or out, anything could happen at any time. It's the Melanesian Wild West, and he'd love to get back. Mike has been diving about 20 years, and has been a member of the NYC Sea Gypsies 15 yrs. Mike dives the Northeast wrecks as well as the Caribbean, Chuuk, Palau, Bali, and PNG. His greatest interests seem to lie in sub - and tropical water marine life, behavior, interaction, and of course the pretty colors. He enjoys meeting people from the exotic places he visits, and speaks better Indonesian than Spanish, knows enough Tok Pisin not to offend anyone, as well as smatterings of Chuukese, Yapese, and some secret toadfish and toucan. Mike is an Adventurer and Commercial Photographer | |
| June, 2008 | David Rosenthal | Northeast Diving Adventure | Scuba Diving the Wrecks and Shores of Long Island, NY? Past president of the NYC Sea Gypsies, an inveterate local/NE diver, and a published writer and photographer, David Rosenthal has recently published a book on diving in and around Long Island. He is currently involved in projects cataloging large artifact collections and a survey of the changing state of the wreck of the USS San Diego. Northeast Diving Adventure' highlights what sets local diving apart from other types of diving, ways to enhance your local diving experience and some local maritime history. The training grounds for the best SCUBA divers in the world are right here; the shores and wrecks of Long Island, NY. David likes to say: 'Local Diving is like living the National Geographic and History channels!' as Gary Gentile says: 'Dare to do what others only dream about!' |