Smithsonian Ocean Site

The Smithsonian has a very cool website with all kinds of fascinating info on the ocean! Visit www.ocean.si.edu to see all the goodies and get your ocean fix!

Website Lets You "Watch" Marine Life Movements

Topp.org, the website of Tagging for Pacific Pelagics, allows viewers to "see" a variety of individual marine animals and track their movements. Track the movements of salmon sharks, shortfin mako sharks, northern elephant seals, and a black footed albatross, to name a few.

On the site, click on the icon of an animal to learn that individual's name. Click on the logo in the upper left corner of the screen to view the movements of the animal in almost real-time. You'll also see data on the surface temperature where the animal was swimming, as well as other data scientists are collecting with this ongoing project.

Also on the topp.org site, you can read up on the latest ocean news, follow the blog, see the photo of the day, and much more! For anyone interested in the ocean and marine life, this is a fun and informative site to check out.

Passport Fees to Increase

According to the May/June 2010 issue of Dive Center Business magazine, U.S. passport fees will be going up in the near future. The article says that the State Department did a cost-of-service study in 2009 and proposed the higher fees based on that study.

As an example of some of the price increases, an adult first-time passport will go from $100 to $135, and a renewal will jump from $75 to 110. Passports for those age under age 16 will go from $60 to $105.

No date has yet been set for the changes to go into effect. Please visit http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/fees/fees_837.html for updated information.

Jaws Shark Found in Junkyard

Well, it's not THE shark from Jaws, but it's a fourth mechanical shark made on the same mold as the original three that were used in the movie. The fourth one, named Bruce just like its predecessors, was recently located in a Los Angeles junkyard not far from Universal Studios. A 3D remake of Jaws is being considered, so the find came at just the right time.

Click here for a link to the full story.

Trips on the Schedule for 2010

The Belize trip was a great success, the Curacao trip was a blast, and the St. Lucia trip is going on right now. Husker Divers has all sorts of trips still to come in 2010, with some closer to home and others further afield. Check your calendar and see if one of these trips will work for you!

Bull Shoals, June 11-14. Bull Shoals offers something for everyone, whether you're a brand new diver needing your open water dives for certification or you're an experienced diver looking for fun and adventure. We dive from pontoon boats during the day, with multiple dives per day at a variety of sites.

Nassau, Bahamas July 17-21. This is a closer-to-home trip than our winter Caribbean trips, and features stellar diving. It's also a bit shorter trip, so you can make a long weekend of it and not have to schedule a whole week away.

Oahe Reservior, Pierre, South Dakota, August 6-9 and August 13-16. This trip has become so popular that we've taken two groups to South Dakota for the past few years! During the day you'll dive and spearfish from pontoon boats. At night, drop in to the Missouri River in the tailrace (the water flowing out of the dam) and let the current carry you downstream while your dive light shows you all the fish!

La Paz, Mexico, October 16-23. This is the trip to take if you want to play with sea lions and see lots of other larger marine life!

Cozumel, Mexico, January 22-29, 2011. Cozumel is a premier dive spot, and we're excited to be returning there! This trip is on the books, but details are still to be finalized. Stay tuned!

Dominica, February 19-27, 2011. This is a beautiful place to dive, and we're also super excited to be returning there! This trip is also on the books and awaiting finalization of details, so stay tuned!

Belize Trip a Great Success!

From January 23-30, twenty two travelers with Husker Divers went to Belize for a week of diving, sunshine, sand, and relaxation. The divers saw dolphins, stingrays, nurse sharks, eels, and a wide assortment of other marine life each morning when they went out on the boats for two dives. A night dive on Wednesday night was a hit, as well.

The three non-divers on the trip enjoyed relaxing on the beach and at the restaurant at Ramon's Village, where the group stayed. Shopping in San Pedro was also a hit, along with multiple options for meals at restaurants along the beach.

For you divers on the trip needing dive sites, they include the following:
Sunday: Shark Ray Alley (snorkeling), Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Mermaid's Lair
Monday: Buena Vista, Ramon's Canyons
Tuesday: Hol Chan Canyon, Piller Coral
Wednesday: Tackle Box, Cypress Reef, Hol Chan Marine Reserve (night dive)
Thursday: Esmerelda Canyons (chumming for Hulk the Eel and nurse sharks), B & D (Barry and Dixie)

Thanks to all who went on this trip! If you didn't have a chance to supply your name and contact info for the post-trip picture party, please contact the dive store or Linda with that info so we can contact you with the time and date of the party.

Caribbean Night

On Saturday, March 6th from 8-midnight, wear your LOUDEST Caribbean shirt and join us at First Avenue, located at 1st and Cornhusker in Lincoln, for a FUN evening of gambling (with "funny money" designed by us), eating, and Caribbean music. You'll receive LOTS AND LOTS of fun "Caribbean money" to "gamble" with. We'll have roulette, 21, craps, etc. We'll even have our own Caribbean disc jockey!

Since there's no real money and no actual prizes (gotta keep things legal), there is no age limit; bring the family! All proceeds will go to Dive Pirates, a non-profit organization of which Husker Divers is a chapter. Dive Pirates brings adaptive divers, which are divers with physical disabilities, into the mainstream diving community. Funds raised go to equip and train disabled divers, including war veterans who've lost a limb or have some other physical disability. ALL TICKETS are TAX DEDUCTIBLE!

Get your tickets for just $20 in advance from Husker Divers staff members or at the dive shop. Tickets will be $25 at the door. Donations are welcome if you're unable to attend this event. Also, if you have a business or know someone who does, and you or your business would like to contribute, we'll be sure to get your name out there and let people know about your business!

For more info, please contact the dive store at 402-420-6338 or at huskerdivers@prodigy.net. See you March 6th!!