Page 12 - AlertDiver_Summer2011_web

FROM THE SAFETY STOP // L E T T E R S F R O M M E M B E R S

Letters

Visit With Care

I caught up on the latest issue of Alert Diver on the flight back to Atlanta after a week of incredible diving on Cayman Brac. I read Brandon Cole’s article on the Galapagos with the jealousy of a thirsty man watching someone drinking cold water. I then read with equal zeal Doug Perrine’s essay on Hawaii. I was struck by the warning messages written into those environments, especially the marine segments divers are so dependent upon. The Galapagos have been treasured as a fountainhead of life throughout contemporary history; and as many sensitive marine zones have experienced, they, too, will suffer without responsible visitors. These places require a commitment to something more important than sunscreen-slathered tourism revenue or neon-washed developments. Thank you for another memorable issue.

— Jason G. Grimes, via email

Mark Your Exit

When night diving from a remote shore without artificial light (I am presuming all boats would have their running lights on), a light such as a Coleman lantern or automobile headlights placed at the entry point makes one’s exit from the dive much easier; it lights the exit itself and can be seen by a surfaced diver a long way away. Even when there are visible lights on shore, one must remember to look back at that shore to note the shape of the lights, any visible shoreline objects like buildings or light poles and any lights right near the exit before submerging on a night dive.

— Matt Andrews, via email

A Most Unusual Wreck

I was wondering what the name of the wreck is on Page 8 of the Spring 2011 Alert Diver and where I could find out more about it. Thanks!

— Natalie Glore, via email

DAN’s response:

That shot prompted a double-take from many readers. Here is the extended caption from the photographer, Liz Harlin:

“The photo was taken in Nono Lagoon in the Solomon Islands. This tuna boat ran into the reef and then slid down the drop-off until it came to rest upright on a deep ledge. It’s a disorientating sight. The first photographs I took didn’t include a diver or the water’s surface, and the results were disappointing; I failed to convey the strangeness of the scene. What I needed were recognizable references to contrast with the shipwreck’s unusual position. On my next dive I photographed my dive buddy as he explored the wreck. His bubbles, streaming up to the ocean’s surface, provided the vertical reference I needed to highlight the wreck’s unique position.”

Kudos

I have been reading Alert Diver for the last three years (since I started diving again and re-upped my DAN ® membership). The magazine is superb! The editorial quality is way up there. It’s written for adults! Chock full of information. Smart! Authoritative! Geeky! Geographic-esque. Fabulous images! Great mix of articles! I always find one or more interesting pieces to read. And I always learn something.

— Michael Menduno, via Facebook

Seasickness Solution

On a liveaboard trip to Australia a few years ago, I used oral scopolamine for the first time, and it saved my vacation. It is called Scopace here in the United States and is available by prescription. I had immediate reversal of motion-sickness symptoms and was able to participate in everything for the rest of the trip. After that I went on a seven-day sailing and diving trip in the British Virgin Islands; I would never have considered that before. I rarely take two tablets (the maximum dose) and often get by on a half tablet. I had to coax my doctor to find it; it wasn’t on his list of prescription meds, but he was able to find it and prescribe it for me. I’ve been using it on dive trips for the last four years now and can’t imagine all those boat rides without it. The availability of oral scopolamine doesn’t seem to be widely known, but as you can tell, I think people ought to be aware of it. Ask your doc!

— Lisa Evans, Fort Collins, Colo.

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