Undercurrent Online Update
for Subscribers

For Subscriber David Denson Whiteside (with username 'dwhitesi' exp: 2024-08-20', at dwhite95815@hotmail.com )
April 17, 2013

No doubt, you received our review of Precious Island on the first day of this month. We received scores of responses to our review, and we've put a few online for you to read. Click here

Consider Cathay Pacific's Premium Economy Class. Techsperts blogger and frequent flyer Phil Baker explains why. "An LAX-to-Hong Kong flight costs about $1,600 round trip, $700 more than economy. The seats looked just like what you'd find on first class on many domestic airlines. Foot room was plentiful, and the well-cushioned seats reclined to almost 45 degrees. The seat was comfortable enough that I was able to sleep for seven hours, and had no backache at the end of the flight Food service was similar to business class. One of the benefits of this ticket was that it could be cancelled or changed for a $50 right up to flight time. Premium economy class is available on many of Cathay's long routes to Australia, Asia and Europe."

Our undercover travel writers visit New Caledonia, Indonesia's Komodo Island and Belize's Turneffe Reef . . . the when, why and how much to tip on your dive trip . . . can scuba diving really burn 400 calories per hour? . . a researcher takes 47 dive computers underwater and finds that the numbers shown on the screen can vary widely . . . and much more.

While we divers wonder if there is any virgin diving left, it looks like National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Enric Sala may have found it: the remote islands of Desventuradas, hundreds of miles off the coast of Chile. Besides not finding one single underwater photo of the islands, Sala offers this up as evidence from a dive he did in February: "A shadow zoomed in; it was a curious Juan Fernandez sea lion. It swam between us, fast as lightning, with huge eyes like a character in a Japanese cartoon, looking at us surprised. It had probably never seen a human underwater before." Read Sala's Desventuradas Expedition Blog

The ones they're growing, that is. To help repair Bonaire's damaged reefs, the dive resort is in charge of the Bonaire Coral Restoration Project, launched last summer, in partnership with the Coral Restoration Foundation. So far, it has put in two underwater coral nurseries, primarily staghorn and elkhorn coral, one near Klein Bonaire, and another just off the resort dock. Buddy Dive's dive operations manager Martin Cicilia told the Carib Journal that they're growing fast. "Every four months we take pictures, and we see a big difference." He says Buddy Dive guests and other interested divers can "adopt" a coral, with a specific number for each section in the nursery. "You can see something you donate to, and how it grows during the year. It won't be back as it used to be a long time ago. But we can make an effort to make it work again."

By paying extra for these cool US postage stamps, you make a contribution to save marine turtles and protect their habitat. Featuring the graphic of an Amur tiger cub, the "Save Vanishing Species" first-class stamp benefits five specific animal conservation funds. Net proceeds go to the US Fish and Wildlife Service to support the Multinational Species Conservation Funds (besides turtles, other animals being protected are elephants, great apes, rhinoceroses and tigers). So far, $1.74 million has been raised. Help out by buying these stamps

A new video came could inspire kids to become divers and get out into the open ocean. Infinite Scuba is an all-ages game for both Windows and Mac downloads. Players explore a shipwreck in Chuuk Lagoon to search for fish, coral and WWII artifacts, each of which unlocks a page of local history or dive science. They can earn dive certifications, which unlocks additional challenges. Infinite Scuba costs $10 and can be downloaded at www.infinitescuba.com

The University of Toledo student scuba diving club broke the world record last week for longest continual time underwater between a group of divers in an enclosed environment. Twenty-five 25 divers spent nine days taking turns underwater in a 330-gallon tote housed on UT's campus in the student union. The session started April 1, around 6:20 p.m., and lasted until April 9 at 3:30 a.m. The previous world record was six days and 21 hours, which this group surpassed by three hours. Zech Hites, a sophomore mechanical engineering major logged over 24 hours under the water. "I didn't mind the sensory deprivation," he told the Independent Collegiate. "It was the lack of sleep that was really hard to deal with." But did they pee in their wetsuits?

WaterDog Golf is looking for divers to retrieve golf balls (you get eight cent for each ball you find) from ponds at golf courses. You must be able to "work in limited visibility conditions, normally less than 30 feet, for extended periods of time." WaterDog needs divers in New England through November, and in the South year round. You must have an openwater certification, your own dive gear and transport, and know how to conduct yourself on a golf course (no screaming "Fore!" when you come up for air with the golf balls). WaterDog estimates an average daily yield of at least 3,000 balls, equaling $240 a day. Apply online at www.golfballdiving.com

Ben Davison, editor/publisher

Contact Ben

Website News

We opened up our Diver's Forum to encourage more divers to particpate in the discussions there. So now you can post or reply to a topic without logging in or even registering (however all such posts will await approval from one of our moderators). Join the discussions in the Undercurrent community -- ask a question, or give an answer.

*** Do Not Reply to This Email -- This Address is NOT monitored ***

You have received this message because you are a current subscriber/Online Member and/or are a current paid subscriber to the former print edition of Undercurrent . To manage your account settings, visit our Account Center.