deep blue scuba :: blog

New Celebrity workout, we have all known about.

2012-01-25T17:47:00.004-07:00

Hey everyone,
Blue here, I read an article recently about a new emerging trend many of us divers have known about for some time. It would seem some celebrities have been trying a new work out regiment that is as much fun and exciting as it is adventurous. The new work out is none other than a relaxing dive into the deep blue. As many divers already know when you climb out of the water you are left feeling hungry and tired, ready for a nap. This is due to the intense workout your body is receiving. During a 30 minute dive your body can burn up to 400 calories. While many of us don't have the luxury of diving in warm water we still jump in where ever we can. Even if it is just the pool you too can enjoy this fun and relaxing workout, so spread the word to your friends and family who are looking for a fun and relaxing workout. For anymore information on this subject check out the article I read at http://www.shape.com/blogs/shape-your-life/new-celebrity-fitness-trend-scuba-diving . Have fun and enjoy your workout.

From,
Deep Blue Scuba
http://www.DBSNM.com
(505)888-0808

Roatan, Honduras

2012-01-21T15:44:00.002-07:00

Hey everyone,
Deep Blue Scuba in Albuquerque New Mexico here. Our Trip is all planned out now. We are going to Roatan, Honduras from June 3-10. Should be a great trip with 6 days of diving. Any one interested in the trip or if you have any diving questions at all give us a call at the shop (505)888-0808 or email us at info@dbsnm.com. Also Good luck to our open water students this month who are out at Blue Hole finishing their certification this weekend. Be Safe and happy diving everyone.

Deep Blue Scuba
www.dbsnm.com
(505)888-0808

Things Are Moving Fast

2012-01-16T15:30:00.002-07:00

Hey everyone,
Things are really moving along and the year has just begun. We finally have our compressor up and running, so we will soon be pumping good clean air. Also we are going to be very busy with open water classes this year, so if you are looking to get in a class the sooner you contact us the better. This is looking to be a good year with our Honduras trip coming up in June. Stop by and say hello if you are in the neighborhood.

-Deep Blue

Diving Day Two and Three: Turks and Caicos, June 27 - June 28, 2011

2011-06-29T11:37:00.003-06:00

So we've been on a few dives across the island at this point. Lots of photos, etc., etc. Some really good dive sites -- like Ampitheater and the Library. Almost all of them are within site of the resort, which is nice: one doesn't have to wait hours and hours to get to the dive site.

Thanks to Riley and Angela for taking me out sailing and teaching me the basics. Sometimes I wonder why it is I'm not attracted to more mundane hobbies, like knitting. I dunno. But I think sailing is the next thing I want to learn about.

We're going to do a night dive, tonight, I believe. From my late-night snorkeling sessions, I'm aware that there area a TON of bioluminescent creatures in the water...waving your hand under the surface evokes an effect reminiscent of Tinkerbell in Peter Pan (the original, not cheesy one). If you can't see the slideshow below, click this link.

More pictures:

Diving Day 1 / Encounter with a mean fish

2011-06-26T15:43:00.003-06:00

Dive 1 today was great. Water was very, very calm and the visibility was excellent. After the first dive, we took an hour-plus surface interval to blow of some N2. Everyone went ashore, but I decided to go snorkeling, and and actually snorkeled out to within (what I'm guessing) was 500 yards of dive #2.
One thing I've really enjoyed thus far is that the reef provides a really shallow of platform, even 1000 to 1500 yards out, maybe more. So when snorkeling, you can pretty much "leapfrog" from reef fragment to reef fragment and be in fairly shallow water then whole time. This is what I was doing; looking, etc. I was also watching for boats, because I was pretty far out and not very visible. That's probably what led me to the only unpleasant part of the snorkeling experience.
I'd just checked to see if there were any boats in the vicinity and I was swimming further out when I noticed alot of the fish, even the bigger ones, swimming toward the shore. I thought it was, and I figured there was a shark or something larger out in deeper water chasing them in. I was wrong -- there wasn't a shark, and there wasn't anything in deeper water.
As I made my way over the edge of the next fragment of reef, I came face to face with a barracuda. A BIG one. So, now -- one of the worst things to do in ANY situation is to panic. So I didn't, I stayed cool. But I was instantly terrified: nearly a mile out to sea, no one around, and since I was snorkeling, I had no equipment on other than fins. No knife (although I doubt it would've helped to have it), no wetsuit...I felt pretty darned naked.
I turned around and started swimming away...and the blasted barracuda followed me. So I swam a little faster...and so did it. And it got close. Feeling a little freaked out, I started to swim FAST, and the damned thing circled me and started coming straight at my head. So I froze...and it froze. We must've played this little game for at least 100 yards before the stupid thing lost interest and swam away.
Needless to say, next time the fish are ALL swimming away from something, so will I.
By the time I made it back the boat, everyone was waiting on me...and we headed out for dive #2.
I did my own things on dive #2, and I'm glad because I had a chance to get some nice photos. Even saw a turtle, but it obviously was suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder because it swam away from me so fast I didn't even get a decent picture of it.
So those were the dives for today...contemplating a night dive, and definitely some more snorkeling. Pics are linked. Or will be once they upload. If you can't see the slideshow below, click this link.

Travel to Turks & Caicos Islands

2011-06-26T04:57:00.004-06:00

At the airport early -- 4:00 AM. Hadn't slept the night before, what with Nelmy having a one-woman party in my living room. Just kidding, Nelmy.

But I hadn't slept, and I didn't sleep this night either because I was afraid I would oversleep and miss the flight. Regardless, I had plenty of time to sleep on the plane.

Dallas was unremarkable. For the most part, so was Provenciales. When it came time to get to Grand Turk (we're staying at Bohio Resort on Grand Turk), the air shuttle company informed us we were all overweight, and so was our baggage. I think Enrique sold one of his children to pay for overage fees. Not sure what we'll do on the way back...I'd sell one of my siblings, but it would be a hard sell given no refunds.

Anyhow, I spent most of the evening snorkeling in the water. I also slept by the beach, awakened only by the pre-dawn rain and the sun itself. Beautiful. Photos follow. If you can't see the slideshow below, click this link.

Turks & Caicos: Two Days and Counting

2011-06-23T01:08:00.003-06:00

Two days and counting! Got the equipment together and tested at the dive check on Sunday, which was a good time.

The Turks and Caicos islands are of the top-rated Caribbean destinations for diving. There's something like 65 kilometers of coral reefs, according to http://www.turksandcaicostourism.com/scuba-diving.html. According to that same site, the water temperature is 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Sounds perfect!

My only regret is that I don't have a good underwater camera to take -- Enrique doesn't know it yet, but I'm planning on using his. ALOT.

So, more to come. I plan on blogging about the entire trip from start to finish; we'll see how successful I am in that regard...I tend to be exhausted at the end of a day of diving, which is good: it means I've had fun.

Seems like everyone's claustrophobic...

2011-06-14T00:19:00.000-06:00

I had dinner at my dad's house tonight. I'm taking my little brother to the "give scuba a try" event this Sunday. He's excited, and so am I: I've been waiting for a couple of years now for him to be old enough to dive with me. I invited my dad and his wife, and his wife's declination is what got me thinking about this post.

It seems like alot of people are afraid of diving because they can't see underwater and they can't breathe. Some say they're claustrophobic; others have a fear of drowning. I have a fear of drowning too, and yet here I am! I think people don't stop to realize that with scuba gear, you're breathing and seeing underwater -- the water becomes just a medium through which you move, through which you can see. Like air, but thicker, I guess. It's not confining at all...in fact, it's a bit liberating, because in scuba gear, you can move in three planes (x, z, and y) instead of just two (x and z) like on the surface. It's like flying...just...underwater.

Grand Opening!

2011-06-12T17:44:00.004-06:00

Wow, what a day. Busy, which is good. The showroom is in good order, and the loose ends are close to being tied up. BIG thanks to Michael, the Albas, Kiko, and Sergio for the help!

From Deep Blue Scuba Grand Opening

Grand Opening

2011-06-08T09:29:00.001-06:00

So, we're preparing for the Grand Opening. The shop's really looking good...I need to get some photos up. Enrique's been talking about putting in a pool for confined water dives...that would be awesome! (Wonder if he'll let me swim laps in it?)

At any rate, between the grand opening, getting things together for the Turks & Caicos trip, and regular work, life is crazy! I'd love to get away to Blue Hole for a weekend...time doesn't seem to permit right now.

June 11 (the Grand Opening) is just around the corner...

Website up and running!

2011-05-31T18:19:00.000-06:00

Well, the Deep Blue Scuba website is up and running! One of our goals has been to provide Albuquerque / New Mexico / the southwest United States some good information not only about SCUBA in general, but also PADI.