Summer Time Update

It’s been a while since our last post, but we have not been idling by this summer. A lot has been happening at the Dive Shop. Adding 3 new instructors, Public Safety Training with ERDi, and the addition of nitrox are just tips of the iceberg with all that has been going on.

Let’s start with 3 new instructors. Regina, Chad Puckett, and Scott Fowler finished their SDI Open Water Instructor evaluation with flying colors. I also finished my Staff Instructor Trainer qualification. We are looking forward to adding more students in more places to the ever growing list of “Air Suck’n Dogs”.

Shannon McAteer of Richmond Hill, GA conducted an Advance Nitrox course in August. Four of us, that’s right including me, took the class. Man did I learn a lot more about Nitrox and the use of O2 in diving. I have a new out look for tec divers and the use of O2 in nearly every dive. This stuff is great if you like to dive 70’-130’. It cuts down on your surface interval without pushing NDL and PO2 limits. With this in mind we now have O2 at the shop for Nitrox mixing including 100% for those who are Advance Nitrox certified.

Speaking of certification we have taken the leap into online learning. We now offer Open Water Diver, Computer Nitrox Diver and Dive Master online academic classes. Call the shop, and Regina will provide you with an online login number, and you’re off and running with your next dive adventure. We also have Public Safety Diver classes online.

Public Safety Diver (PSD) has also hit the Waterdog Scuba shop in full force. We trained 15 PS Divers representing 3 different agencies. Appling County SO, Milan VFD and Jeff Davis VFD all participated in a 6 day course. We will offer more PSD classes next year. Training will include full-face mask and under water communication.

We have also taken on some new lines of dive equipment. Ocean Reef full-face mask, XS Scuba, Highland (tec) and Zeagle (tec/rec) have all been big hits for our divers this year. We also have a new full 2mm camo wet suit that has taken off with the spearos.

We have made many trips with Capt. Dan of Off Shore Dive Charters. Bobby Sears and Capt. Dan placed in the top 10 in a spear tournament this year. We will be booking more trips with Capt. Dan before the year is out, but don’t wait on us. Capt. Dan dives year around and 6 divers make a trip. So call him and setup your next trip.

We also made a new friend with our northern neighbors across the river…Savannah River that is. The Cooper River in South Carolina is full of artifacts and fossils, easy diving with no waves, and shallow water. Even though there are lots of sharks teeth there are no sharks…dang, I am still looking for my first shark.

Lots of our divers have been participating in our Annual Underwater Hunter of the Year contest. We have lots of photos to post, but we don’t want to give away the leader. Keep sending in those pictures, and we will let you know who wins at this year’s Shrimp Boil in November.

For those of you who are interested in upgrading your certification, look for upcoming classes. A Rescue Class will be held this September and a Dive Master Class in October. Remember you can always work on your Advanced when you make dives with an instructor at the springs or in the ocean.

Dive Safely…Dive Often!