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495 Easton Rd - Route 611 - Horsham PA 19044 - (215) 672-4180
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Underwater World Newsletter
April, 2004
Click here to see past newsletters and informative articles
ANNUAL FLEA MARKET
April 17, 2004
Buy or Sell Used Gear ** Rental Equipment Sale
Special Packages & Closeouts
Special Manufacturer Rebates
Win a Dive in the Shark Tank at the New Jersey State Aquarium
10:00am -- 6:00pm
Closeouts & Rentals
Rental Regulators - $75Rental BCs - $50 - $75
Rental Wetsuits - $25 - $50
Accessories -- $5.00 and up
New Wetsuits -- $50 - $195
Closeout BCs - as little as $150.00
Soft Weight Belts -- 50% off
Store Stock Only
No Additional Discounts
Instant Rebates
Aqualung Legend LX Regulator
Aqualung Legend Regulator
Apex 200 Regulator
$100.00 Instant Rebate
Aqualung Titan LX Regulator
$75.00 Back Instantly
Add A Latitude BC -- Only $375.00
Store Stock Only
No Additional Discounts
$$$$ FLEA MARKET $$$$
Travel
It looks like a little competition is coming to the airways in Philadelphia. With Southwest about to move into Philly, US Air seems to be coming up with some great deals. As we are always working on the best deals we can get for you, I can assure you that we will adjust the cost of our trips if we can manage to make use of some of these fares. We get nothing from the airlines, no commission, no free passes for our group leaders, nothing. So we are more than happy to get you the best air prices we can find. That way you have more money to spend on dive gear. Look at some of the trips we have planned and let’s all hope we see some good air fares in the near future.
Little Cayman – April 24 – May 1
I have two favorite places to dive in the Caribbean -- Bonaire and Little Cayman. We are headed to Little Cayman shortly. We are sorry you are going to miss out. Although.... I think I can get one more person on the trip. Call me now.
Cozumel – May 1 – 8 (or just a long weekend)
If you are looking for a Springtime vacation. Try our May Cozumel trip. As you may know, we always run an October Cozumel
trip, but we have decided that there may be many of our customers for whom October is not the best time. So we are offering
both a May and an October trip. We will be staying at Reef Club, an all-inclusive resort, on both of these trips and both
trips will be led by our most experienced Cozumel hand – Rich Mampe. We will also be giving you the opportunity to just
make this trip a long weekend. You could leave Philadelphia with our group and spend 3 days diving, then depart for home
on Wednesday. The cost of the trip is $1450 for the week long trip and $995 for the long weekend.
Diving With The Minke Whales -- July 10 - 26
Here, again, we have a great group heading to Australia and Paupa New Guinea with us in July. This is a return trip to Australia with some more fabulous diving planned. We have chartered Mike Ball's SuperSport for a trip off the Australian Coast. We will fly into Lizard Island to start our trip, boarding the Supersport, and heading out to sea to intercept the Minke Whales. They are generally found in this area during that time. We will also be diving the Cod Hole, off Lizard Island. You will dive with 300-pound Potato Cod, feeding them by hand. We will then sail along the Great Barrier Reef back to Cairns and catch a flight over to Paupa New Guinea. We will then board the Paradise Sport for a week of diving in the Kaveing area. This is the area where Al had lived last year. Great Stuff. You will also have the opportunity to do some touring in Australia, but we don't have that planned yet. We have sold 18 of the 22 available spots and have to release the remaining spots shortly. Make a decision.
North Carolina -- August 6 - 8
The best wreck diving in this hemisphere is right off the North Carolina coast. And we have a trip scheduled to visit some of these great wrecks. We will be heading to Morehead City, NC on Friday, August 6th (or earlier). We have rooms reserved at the Hampton Inn and a boat chartered for both Saturday and Sunday. It is also possible to go down earlier as some of our people are planning on diving Friday as well. The cost of the trip is $350, the same as last year. You can stay Thursday and dive Friday for only $150 additional. Same price as the last two years and a great deal.
Bonaire – August 14 – 21
It is family month in Bonaire and we are heading back. We have a group at Lion’s Dive as well as another group at Buddy Dive this year. Both resorts are on the beach with good diving right off the dock. To get your heart racing, try a night dive right off the dock. There are a couple of big tarpon that will trail along behind you while you are diving. The flash of silver as your light hits them will get your attention. We stay in condos with a full living room, dining room and kitchen. It is a great way to do a trip. Diving includes 6 boat dives and unlimited beach diving. Kids 12 and under can stay free in your condo. Call and ask me for details. The trip includes air, condos, diving, and rental cars. We have 50 spots sold. I am not even sure that I can still get you a spot, but I’ll give it a try. This just shows you how popular our trips are. The price of the trip is $1550. Let me know soon if you are interested.
Cozumel – October 11 – 18
Our infamous Cozumel trip is scheduled again for October, 2004. And it is a pretty good deal to boot. We will once again be staying at the Reef Club with all meals, drinks, accommodations, and 5 days of diving included. Airfare is included as well. And the cost is only $1395!! This trip, too, often fills up, so don’t wait to make your reservation. You could well miss out. Cozumel is considered by many to have some of the best diving in the Caribbean. Don’t miss it.
n the Near Future
We are looking at a number of trips coming up. We will have a weekend trip to the Bahamas in October, and one to Cayman in December. We are looking at several possibilities for Thanksgiving week. Then there is Bonaire again over the winter, as well as Grand Turk (February or March) and we are considering either Galapagos or Truk, Palau, & Yap for next summer. We will keep you posted as things develop. Let us know what interests you and make sure that you check our website, www.diveunderwaterworld.com.
Travel Notes
It is important to remember that all prices are based on double occupancy and on current airfares.
Unfortunately airfares can change up until we actually purchase the tickets. (Then, of course, the
airlines charge a penalty for any changes, if they allow changes). This is usually not a problem,
but it can happen. Remember that on most trips you can supply your own airfare. Many people today
think that they can find cheaper airfares on the web, and that works fine for us. (See the following
article). Also please note that if you are signing up alone, we will try to line up a roommate for
you, however, if we cannot there will be an additional charge for a single supplement. Again, this
is not something under our control and we must pass this charge along. We also recommend trip
cancellation insurance. If you do need to cancel the trip, there may be penalties that are not
under our control.
Savin’ $$$$$$
Courses
Scuba DiverWe have Scuba Diver courses starting regularly throughout the area. Even if you have a friend who does not live in the neighborhood, remember that we teach courses from Quakertown to Newtown, from Abington to Doylestown. Why send them somewhere else when you know the quality of instruction that they will receive from Underwater World. Give us a call or check the web site at www.diveunderwaterworld.com.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Advanced Diver Course
Spring is here and Advanced Courses are about to start. If you have just completed your Scuba Diver course, have been away from diving for a while, or just want to hone your skills, then you should take the Advanced Scuba Diver Course. This course is one weekend, six dives. We will work on navigation, advanced buoyancy control, and night diving, as well as air consumption and a few other things, as time permits. Every diver should take this course. It is $125 and you can click here for dates
Rescue Diver -- June 19 & 20
This is another course that every diver should take. It is much more than teaching you how to rescue other divers. Diving is a really safe sport because we are very safety conscious. The trick is not to just be ready to react to a crisis, but to stop the crisis from occurring. We will teach you to recognize dangerous situations and how to manage them. We will teach you self-rescue and finally we will teach you how to rescue your buddy or another diver. You will want to have First Aid/CPR (see below). Also if you want an Advanced Rescue Diver card, you will need O2 Provider (also see below). You will be thrilled with this course. The fee is $175.
Master Diver Course -- June 3rd
This is the premier course for diving knowledge. With 6 – 7 class sessions and 5 days of diving, you will complete this course and feel really knowledgeable about diving. We will even take a trip to the recompression chamber at the University of Pennsylvania. The cost of this course is $250 and is one of the courses that you need to take on your way to becoming a Divemaster (or as an end in itself). The course will start on June 3rd, so sign up now.
Divemaster/Assistant Instructor Course -- June 29
If being a dive leader is what you want to do, this is the course that you need to take. What confuses people is the difference between Divemaster and Master Diver. A Master Diver is a diver who has achieved a level of diving recognized as a knowledgeable and experienced diver. A Divemaster is a leadership position, someone who runs the dives. You will need the Master Diver certification and Dive Rescue to become a Divemaster. If you plan on becoming an instructor, then you will want to take the Assistant Instructor add-on as well.
SPECIALITY COURSES
First Aid / CPR -- May 19 & 26
Not just for diving. If it has been a long time (or never) since you took a first aid/cpr course, you have no excuse. We
make it easy for you. It also allows you to get it out of the way so when you take our Rescue Course in June you are ready.
Size of the class is limited so sign up now.
Equipment Specialist -- May 18, 25 & June 1
What makes your equipment tick? Or maybe a better question is what is that ticking sound my equipment is making. Take the
Equipment Specialist Course and you will be the expert. Okay, maybe not an expert, but you will be able to diagnose the
problem and determine whether it is something that you can repair in the field or if it has to come back to us. This is
a fun course and it can be very helpful the next rime you make the mistake of traveling without us.
Dry Suit - May 12, 19, & 22
This is a great way to extend your diving season or just make yourself more comfortable any time
of year. We will spend a night in the classroom, a night in the pool, and then go diving. the cost
of the course is $125.00 and we will credit that towards the purchase of a drysuit if you purchase
one within 60 days. That makes it a free course. We will be starting the next one on December 3rd.
Nitrox -- April 19, 21, & 22
Another way to get some learnin’ done over that winter months is to take our Nitrox Course. Two nights at the shop are
all you need to make you a Nitrox Diver. If you are not familiar with Nitrox, it is a great way to improve the safety
of your dives, allowing more bottom time and a greater margin of safety. If you plan on doing a live-aboard or just doing
multiple dives on consecutive days, this could be for you. And it is only $75 plus books. If you check around, you will
see that is half the price most places charge.
Underwater Photography -- June 2
The world of u/w photography is really changing. The Nikonos is no longer made and digital cameras are rapidly taking hold.
Of course, many of the techniques are still apply and that is one of the things that we will be covering in this 5 night
course. Our goal is to make you a better u/w photographer. We want you to be able to impress your friends and your mother
(so she stops bugging you about doing dangerous things). We will discuss the changing equipment as well as the nitty-gritty
of composing and producing a good photograph. It is a good way to hone your skills and to get back in the water during the
winter. It also makes a great gift for your dive buddy.
Rebreather Course -- June 9 - 11
Take the opportunity to try this intriguing technoloogy that will allow you up to 3 1/2 hours of diving on a 40 cubic foot
tank. That is the equivalant of two sets of double 95’s. And it is really fascinating. It is amazing how we have become
accustomed to the sounds and feeling of air being fed to us. With a rebreather, we are breathing warm, moist air with
almost no sound. Check it out. Two nights, two days diving.
Intro to Jersey Diving -- June 3 & 27
If you want to bring home some lobster (bugs), this is a
good course for you. You will learn about Boat Etiquette, Down Lines, Up Lines,
and Navigation. We will do 1 day of diving at beautiful Dutch Springs and 1 day
of boat diving off New Jersey. The cost is $125.00 and includes the boat dive.
DAN Oxygen Provider Course -- May 5
This one evening course provides you with the skills necessary to properly
provide oxygen in an emergency. You will not only learn technique, but you
will get a good idea of how oxygen affects the body and why it is such a
miracle drug when used in an emergency. The cost of the course is $100.00.
Scuba Camp
I can tell you, it is a wonderful thrill when you make that first dive with one of your children. It is so much fun to share the wonder that we have for the sport and see how enthusiastic and competent that our kids can be, it makes you wonder if these are the same kids we had above water. It is funny how introducing them to something serious brings out the maturity in them. This year’s camps will be held June 14 - 18 or August 16 - 20. The camp is held in Warrington at the Elbow Lane Day Camp. Call us for details or a brochure.
Boat Dives
We have a good number of New Jersey boat dives planned for this season. We have the Dina Dee chartered for June 27, July 25, August 14, September 19, and October 17. We are looking at some other boats and possibly a trip to Tobermory, Canada and one to the Great lakes. Make sure that you check our website, www.diveunderwaterworld.com for the latest schedule and get the lobster pot out.
Buddy Teams
Now, we don’t want you to think that we dabble in gossip, but..... Here is what we can confirm. With a heavy heart, we have to tell you that Joanne Kleish, who has worked for us for the last 4 years will be leaving the area to return to her home in Florida. She had moved here to help her aging mother and aunt. Now both of them have passed on and Joanne is ready to head to the sunny south and a home she left behind there. We are really going to miss her. She was a bundle energy who never stopped. I don’t think we will know all she did until she is gone. We had a party for her last week, but Ed told her it wasn’t a going-away party; it was an intervention. I don’t think it worked. We’ll just have to wish her the best of luck and tell her to stay by her phone so we can call with questions. On a brighter note, we want to congratulate everyone as we see people putting the shock of 9/11 behind them and getting back to travelling. We cannot forget 9/11 and we must be aware of the need for on-going security and vigilance, but the pressure is on the terrorists and they will be defeated as have the Nazis, the KKK, the Mafia, and more. They may never be completely gone, but they will become less and less significant. So join us on one of our upcoming trips. It is time to enjoy the wonderful life that we have.
Equipment Specials - Free Gift Cards
Come in and check out some of the special packages that we are offering. We have set up some special packages that will allow you to save money on the package and get a free gift card worth up to $100 for future purchases. And if you are in one of our Scuba Diver courses, you could double the value of the card. Or we have an Aeris package that will get you three free bags when you purchase the package. You get a wheeled travel bag, a mesh gear bag, and a sport backpack. It is over $200 worth of bags. Or you can receive up to $100 instant rebate on an Aqualung regulator. This is a great deal on some of the best regulators made. This is almost double what you could normally save on one of these regulators. Also check out our trade-in options. You can save up to $250 on a new computer. Great deals.
Seven Reasons To Travel This Year
It is easy to stay at home. Today, travelers face continuing economic uncertainty and security concerns. Many wonder if it is worth the expense and challenge of venturing to unfamilar places. Just in time, Arthur Frommer, the man who helped invent modern travel with his book, “Europe on $5 a Day”, has reasons we must set aside our doubts and go see the world. "Travel is not mere recreation," he said at a conference in New York. "It is not trivia. It is education and perhaps the most important education." Frommer, 75, had returned from his first trip to China, just 36 hours before speaking. He was fighting jet lag, but the former lawyer made a clear case. Travel teaches seven important lessons, he said. Read his list and feel the pull of the road.1. Travelers learn that all people in the world are basically alike.
“We all care about family and protecting our loved ones”, Frommer said. During his trip to China, he and his wife met an elderly woman. She didn't speak English, but when she saw Frommer's gray hair. She insisted they wait while she ran to get something. She returned a moment later with pictures of her grandchildren. He recalls sitting in a mud hut years earlier and hearing a young African mother confide her wish to learn to read. She wanted to understand government pamphlets about health care so she could protect her children. "Aside from all the exterior differences, we all share the basic urges and concerns," Frommer said.
2. Travelers discover that everyone regards himself or herself as wiser and better than other people in the world.
Once while visiting Amsterdam, Frommer spoke to a friend the day after a nationwide telethon had raised 60 million guilders (about $27.5 million) for cancer research. "Only in Holland!" the friend bragged. Frommer resisted a smile. "When you travel, you get rid of smug chauvinism," Frommer said. "All people believe themselves the best."
3. Travel makes us care about strangers.
A famine or disaster isn't distant, abstract suffering if you visited the region. "We become concerned for other people," Frommer said. "Travel makes it impossible to pay no heed to others."
4. Travel teaches that not everyone shares your beliefs.
In issues small and large - from child-rearing to politics - a traveler learns that there are many ways of thinking. "You become a larger person when you confront your opposite", Frommer said.
5. Travelers learn that there is more than one solution to a problem.
Whether it is suprise at learning about Asian medical practices in Hong Kong or seeing Scandinavia's liberal social policies at work, a traveller discovers that there are many ways to address the issue.
6. Travel teaches you to be a minority.
While traveling in Africa, Frommer was keenly aware that he was different. Even African-Americans are a minority in Africa, he said. Finding yourself suddenly the odd man out is healthy and eye-opening, Frommer said. "You become fully aware of whatever racist impulses exist in your own subconscious."
7. Travel teaches humility.
"You become a quieter American as a result of travel, and in my opinion a smarter and even, perhaps a more thoughtful one," Frommer said. Travel, he said, is something we all must do. "It is key in developing a civilized society." It is a worthy goal for a new year. May the coming years open new horizons for all of us.
ANNUAL FLEA MARKET
APRIL 17, 2004
Closeouts - Rental Equipment - Overstocks - Special Purchases
Rental Wetsuits - From $25.00
Rental Wetsuit Shorties - From $15.00
Rental Boots, Gloves, Hoods - $5.00
Used 72 cu. ft tanks - $25.00
Regulators - From $75.00
Oceanic OceanPro BC - $299.00
Select Seaquest BCs - 30% Off
Oceanic Delta III Regulator -- $350.00
Aeris Atmos 1 Computer Console -- $299.00
Gear Bags -- Up to 50% Off
Free hotdogs and drinks
Set up a table to sell your old equipment
Check out what everybody else is selling
Buy -- Sell -- Trade