March} 1992 Vol.2) No. 3 The Forum for North Atlantic Diving $1.95

• lS a

·- non-competitive • I. f. issue

ALSO: Bronx Queen The Drumelzier Who and What is ASDA? SubAqua Journal "SAFETYIs A NON-COMPETITIVEISSUE" 750West Broadway LongBeach, NY 11561 S.-16/889-1208 While attending the Resource Group workshop Dick Long , President of DUI made that statement. It was a couple of days before it really PUBLISHER/§_DITOR started to sink in. His context was in relation to dive equipment manufacturers but JOELD. SILVERSTEIN in thinking about it, there are times when divers risk their safety for "competitive ASSOCIATEPUBLISHER/ issues." MANAGINGEDITOR JAMESF. CLEARY Evelyn Dudas explained about in an interview with Robert Von ASSOCIATEEDITOR Maier, author of . "We hunt lobsters, flounder, and artifacts during MELISSAA. ORE NSTEIN the same dive - not necessarily with one diver being the bag person. We don't CONTRIBUTINGEDITORS enact the fairness act of share and share alike either. Possession is the divers DANIELBERG , KIRBYKURKOMELI S, delight. Who in this industry [sport] doesn't have an ego?" CAPT.HOWARD KLEI N, HILLARYVIDERS,Ph.D How often have you gone out diving and pushed it with inadequate gear, ARTS& ENTERTAINMENTEDITOR insufficient instruction, a dive partner you weren't quite so comfortable with, or JEFFREY]SILVERSTEIN just because you were already there? Recently, a dear friend came back from a SCIENCE/ MEDICAL EDITOR multi-week dive adventure with the news that he had suffered a skin hit (DCS) JEFFREYRU DELL, MD while away. When I asked how it happened he said, "I got greedy." ARTDIRECTOR ANNIEMEYERS As a dive instructor my opening statement to students begins with my goal. GRAPHICDESIGN "My goal is to make you comfortable - not only while diving but in being able to L.A.POMPO NIO say NO to a dive that you are not ready or prepared for." Once this level of CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS comfort is reached the rest is easy. TOMBAKER The of North Atlantic diving can vary, this issue covers three categories DENISEBERG - being too cold, not having enough air and blowing off your safety stops. With EDWARDBETTS the diving season about to open many divers are itching to be the first to the CAPT.STEVE BIELE NDA boats and on the wrecks. I can understand that - I'm one of them. For many it GLENNB UTLER has been almost six months since you have been in the water, for others maybe BERNIECHOWDHUR Y six days. Whichever group you fall into it is your responsibility this dive season to CECILIACO NNELLY be safe - to be a responsible diver- to be comfortable saying NO. HANKGARVI N RICHARDKOHLER Scuba diving is a non-competitive sport; there are no awards for running out of BARBLAN DER air first or swimming to the surface fastest or even for being the coldest diver on WARRENMACKE Y the boat. However, there are rewards in sharing your experiences with those that PETE&JACKIE NAWROCKY have never been below, watching their faces glow with excitement. There are DARRYLSTEINHAUSER rewards in sharing your knowledge and experience with the new kid, watching him grow to become self sufficient. There are rewards in coming home safely. Sub AquaJournal welcomesunsolicited materi­ Diving is fun when done in partnership with your friends and your environment. als, bothwritten and photographic. Submissionsand queries should be accompaniedb y a self-addressed New to the Journal is Barb Lander. This spunky woman hails from southern envelope to insure their return. All materialpub­ Pennsylvania where the nearest is two hours away, bringing her to the lishedbecom es propertyof TheSub Aqua Journal. Mailail editorialcorr espondenceand photographs Mud Hole where she is happy diving. Barb shares her love of cold water diving to the editor. with some tips on keeping warm. Bernie Chowdhur y helps us look at tank NOTICE: configurations and the best ways to carry the air that we rely on, comfortably. Diving is a potentially dangerousactivity. Person s seekingto engagein this activityshould be certified This brings us to Hank Garvin. When I first started diving I would pass him on by a reputabletraining agency. Once certified you the "hanchorline" on my way down and then find him in the same spot on my way shoulddiv e withinyour training and personallimits. up. Had he already done a second dive? What was he waiting for? Why was he Articlesand informationpublished in the SubAqua Journal are not a substitutefor educationor train­ there? Turn to page ten and find out. Captain Howard Klein takes time out of his ing. Sub AquaJournal is not responsibleor liable busy legislative battles to tell us what the American Sport Divers Association is for the contentsof any informationor recommenda­ doing to keep freedom in diving. Danny and Kirby continue to dive on wrecks that tionspublished herein. have interesting histories yet make us aware that every dive, whether deep or SUBSCRIPTIONRATES: Single copy $1.95 Annual subscription $21.95. shallow, has its challenges. Safety is the focus of this issue. Subscription outside of U.S.add $10.00 postage. Paidorder s U.S. fundsonly. Send requests to the cir­ culationd epartment. Entire contentsCopyright - 1992by : Joel D. Silverstein, Editor TheSilverstein Group. All rights reserved.

SUBAQUAJOURNAL • MARC H 1992 • 2 r EARL y SEASON DIVING: ~

KEEPING WARM & SAFE byBarblander

Despite short days, long nights, and Using air in short bursts can help pre­ • Choose a boat with an enclosed and bone-chilling many divers vent such a free flow, further, environ­ heated cabin. Stay warm inside the are anxious to return to the water before mentally protected regulators are less boat when you're not in the water. "the full season" begins. Too short a prone to this type of freeze-up. • Plan your bottom time according to get-away to a tropical dive spot doesn't A good exposure suit becomes the surface . During the assuage the longing for the mud, rust, vitally important. Dry suits, of course, early season you cannot ascend above and bugs of a New York or New Jersey, are best. Users of shell-type dry suits a and do your decompres­ wreck. (vulcanized rubber, coated nylon, or sion stops in warmer water. Plan to be A few boats sail through winter, crushed neoprene) need to appreciate back on the boat before you have weather permitting, or resume a schedule that their suits are only as good as what reached the limit of your thermal in March, and many start in April, so you is worn underneath. There are many stamina. don't have to wait. Don't think about high-tech materials that provide ample the cold water - don 't think about the insulation for the frigid mid-winter • Cold water is a risk factor for DCS. chilly boat ride, sign up for a dive and water. Those who try to economize by Allow extra time to hang. Remember get the jump on the lobster and the arti­ wearing sweats or long-johns under a that the hang is the coldest part of the facts uncovered by winter storms. shell will not enjoy early season dive. You won't be generating heat by Seriously, diving doesn't have to have a diving since these garments provide lit­ swimming around. Don't get so cold short season for a prepared diver. tle thermal protection. that you succumb to the temptation of Regulators remain a primary Even with adequate exposure eliminating safety factors. You may element of diver preparation. Cold water protection cold water divers should take even want to consider an argon gas tends to make regulators susceptible to some added precautions: inflation system. Argon has better free-flow. In the first stage air moves thermal capacities than air. • Eat. (This is my favorite.) Your through the high chamber into • Drink hot beverages after you get metabolic rate increases to keep the intermediate pressure chamber via a out of the water. They will help warm warm. You need calories to fuel this minuscule port. Prolonged and rapid you up too. metabolic fire. movement of air through this port, such • Eat more. (Did I say this was my as filling a BC, dry suit, or lift bag can • Bring a thermos of warm water to favorite?) freeze the regulator's high pressure seat put in your gloves for the second dive. in an open position. The resulting (Starting warm is half of the battle, Keeping warm is the key to prevent­ free-flow can be exciting to say the least. and it feels great.) ing and preventing hypothermia is the key to safe diving. Hypothermia can be deadly, it impairs judgement, and that alone can be lethal on an East Coast wreck. Numbness of the extremities is the first sign of impending hypothermia, followed by uncontrollable shivering. If heat loss continues unconsciousness occurs, and it can possibly result in death. Early season diving has it s own ~ rewards. There are no crowds, the lob- ~ sters have recovered from the onslaught i" of summer divers and new treasures have .;: been uncovered by winter storms. So j drag your dive gear out of whatever cor­ ~ ner you stowed it in and go diving! Cl "> ~ Ul

Neoprene,rubber and Tri-laminate shell dry suits.

SUBAQUA JOURNAL• MARCH 1992 • 3 ByDaniel Berg

On December 20, 1989, a wood­ During the winter months, diving hulled fishing boat was cruising off off Long Island slows down drastically . Breezy Point when suddenly, the I get to enjoy an occasional beach dive Captain heard a loud thump. Within 15 but sea conditions and bitter cold tem­ minutes the boat had sunk, leaving nine­ peratures make getting offshore quite teen people floundering in bitter cold difficult. Returning from a dull beach water. The Coast Guard responded dive my wife, Denise , showed me a quickly to their distress call and was small newspaper report about a fishing able to rescue all passengers and crew boat that had sunk in bad weather off from the water within two hours. New Jersey. The boat was the Bronx Unfortunately, two of the victims died in Queen . I made a few phone calls and The Bronx Queen turned out to be the hospital, one from exposure, the soon found this was no common fishing the converted submarine chaser SC-635. other from a heart attack. boat as the paper led me to believe. She was 110 feet long , had a 15-foot beam and was built by Mantis Yacht Building Co. in Camden, NJ. The SC- 635 was launched on October 12, 1942, BENEATH THE SEA and commissioned on October 23. She displaced 116 tons and had a top speed The 16th Annual of eighteen knots. Sub chasers were not in service New York Oceans Exposition when America first entered World War II. Once operational as vital attack and International Underwater deterrents, these sleek, fast vessels would patrol the east coast forcing U-Boats to Film Festival spend much more time beneath the sur­ face, thus exhausting their batteries and March 27-28-29 1992 reducing their effectiveness. Although, as a group, the United States ' fleet of White Plains, New York over 400 sub chasers was credited with 25 Minutes North of Manhattan only one verified U-Boat sinking , it is accepted that they were effective in help­ POB 644, Rye, NY 10580 ing to curb the U-Boats ' menacing threat to our vessels. On October 19, 1945, (914) 793 -4469 SC-635 was transferred to the Coast Guard. She was later sold, converted into a fishing charter vessel and renamed the Bronx Queen. Now my cur iosity was arou sed . Within a few weeks I had obtained the DIVEINC. sunken wreck's location. With a little PADI 5 StarFac ility luck , Loran numbers would be all we 1So. Central Ave. (CornerofMerr ickRd) ValleyStream needed to locate the Bronx Queen. On Learn to Divei n our Indoor Heated Pool January 6, 1990, Rick Schwarz, Steve • Groupand private classes are run continuously Jonassen, Billy Campbell, Hank Garvin, • ProfessionalDivers • CertifiedInstruction Art Kirchner, Jozef Koppelman , Charlie • Equipment• Air• AllProducts Serviced in Store(ask about our guarantee) Guttilla, a hand full of other wreck • CompleteLine of Suits and Accessories - All Major Brands divers and I boarded a dive boat and • OpenMonda y - Sunday- MostMajor Credit Cards Accepted headed out to the wreck site. It was a beautiful winter day, sea conditions were 516872-4571 onl y one to two feet and the sun was

SUB AQUAJOURNAL• MARCH1992 • 4 shinning. We had no idea what type of conditions to expect or what we would LONGER and SAFER BOTTOM TIMES find on the site. The Bronx Queen had gone down in only thirty five feet of ~ The# 1 ANDI training and SafeAir© refill facility water very close to New York 's main the serious HI-TECH Training and Deep Rigcenter shipping channel. One of our main concerns was get­ Our system provides any gas mix used for diving ting to the wreck before she was wire e SafeAir©- Air-Tri-Mix - - Argon - dragged by the Army Corps of Serious about ? Come talk and train with the experts Engineers. Surely she would be declared a to navigation due to her high G island scuba centers • relief , shallow depth, and proximity to 74 Woodcleft Avenue Freeport NY 11520 i5 lt,a',~d the shipping channel. The next major ~ Voice 516-546-2030 - Fax 516-546-6010 consideration was the two to four-knot usually present in the area as well as notoriously poor visibility. Our only course was to dive at slack . If you're not diving with a DUI As one of the first divers to descend through the icy waters and reach the CF200X, you may not be getting all Bronx Queen, I found what every wreck diver dreams of; a virgin shipwreck . that has to offer... Portholes, fishing poles, and brass cage lamps were everywhere. She was laying To get the most out of your wreck diving, pick the on a sand bottom leaning about forty suit chosen by more active wreck divers than any degrees to her port side. The pilot house other, the DUI CF200X. This rugged, crushed neo­ had been torn away during her sinking and was scattered in the sand next to the prene suit is known for its outstanding fit and tough wreck. On her stern the name Bronx material. For more information, see your dealer Queen could easily be read. This was a for a 1992 catalog and a free dive to remember. Being first to explore video rental. a virgin shipwreck is a thrilling experi­ ence but hopefully not a once in a life­ time thrill. Since that first dive The Bronx Queen has changed drastically. When I returned in April with Captain Steve Bielenda, I thought we had anchored on the wrong wreck. Her wreckage looked as if it had been down for thirty years. continuedon page 6 the authority on dry suit diving

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SUBAQUAJOURNAL • MARCH 1992 • 5 BRONXQUEEN continuedfrom page5 DIVERS' RENDEZ-VOUS 79-07 Grand Avenue Elmhurst, NY 11373

Underwatersketch of the BronxQueen today by Dan Lieb and Dan Berg.

Marine growth covered everything­ running lantern. Artifacts can still be blackfish, starfish, lobsters and sea bass found by carefully searching through the Scuba Instruction inhabited her site, she had also broken stern section or by digging in the debris Equipment down dramatically. We speculated that field off her port side. she must have been wire dragged This is not the wreck to go wander­ Sales• Service• Rental because most of the wreckage had been ing on. Each diver should know exactly pulled off and lie in a debris field off her where their dive boat's anchor is located, (718) 478-4097 port side. and be able to return and ascend up that Divers will now find the scattered, anchor at the end of the dive. If you low-lying remains of the Bronx Queen were to come up away from the dive sitting in thirty-seven feet of water only boat, it would be impossible to swim a half-mile from the Ambrose Channel back against the current. 2-A buoy. Her bow section is separate Because of the currents and limited Undersea from the rest of the wreck and sits on its visibility, advanced training and experi­ Odyssey, LTD port side . Her huge diesel engines ence are highly recommended. Plan to 1 remain upright providing the highest dive at high slack which will give you The Educators" relief on the wreck where divers will the best opportunity for good visibility All levels of Qua lity Scub a find the greatest of fish. and calm water. With an interesting his­ Instruction and Specialties All that remains of her stern are some tory and never ending challenges the ribs and planking. Bronx Queen has become one of my Become a Safe, Confident, Divers have recovered all types of favorite shallow water wrecks to explore and Competent interesting and unique artifacts includ­ in an area called Wreck Valley. Ocean Diver ing ; rectangular brass portholes, cage Brooklyn & Queens lamps , anchors , brass valves , the brass letters off her stern , and her starboard Classes Private Instruction Atlantic Join the Fun Bunch on DIVE our Dive Trips to Tortola, B.V.I. Wreck Diving Aug. 22-29. 1992 the Join Odyssey Divers, our Club .. with Capt. Art Kirchner GRAVEYARD 21 years diving experience YMCA• PAD/ • CMAS• NAU/ of the Member Eastern Dive Boat Association Safety and Education on ATLANTIC are part of the Adventure MARGIE II Cape Hatteras Contact Di Dieter 36 Ft. USCG Certified 20 Passengers FOR INFORMATION CALL... North Carolina Director of Training 919-986-2460 201-361-3018 Teach's Lair Marina 112 Garrison Ave. 516 466-9068 Hatteras, N.C. Dover, NJ 07801

SUB AQUAJOURNAL• MARCH19 92 • 6 "Tosay diving is safeis a misnomer.Look up theword SAFEin a dictionarySay ingthat something is safe m eans there TANKING QD[2 is no risk involved Divinghas risks. Theykey is to manage ByBernie Chowdhury thoserisks so they are acceptable. " ButchHendricks, Lif e GuardSystems Inc.

When discussing wreck, deep (60 fsw plus) and high-tech diving - all of which are alive and well in the No rtheast - we mu st always ask; how do we man age the risks? One way is to evaluate our tank configurations and alternative sources. Let us approach this with a few assumptions : DcmandDacor! 1. regularly practices using all gear con fig­ TheUltimate inDiving Comfort. urations in a controlled setting . TheCaribbean ®BC,our newe st 2. The diver has the training to carry out the desired '. compen satordevice , dive plan. . embodiesDacor 's latest advance- 3. All double tank set-ups will have built in redundan­ cy. The tanks will be configured as either two singles, 1 mentsin di vingtechnology. or will have a dual valve manifold with dual first and Specificallyengineered tobe th e second stages. 'ultimateindivin g comfort,its At this point you 're prob ably asking yourself why exceptionallycompact design would anyone want to change their gear configuration? foldsaway neatly and is ideal for There are many reasons. Let's look at two scenarios. travel.A streamlineddesign that 1. You and your buddy are planning a penetration deliversboth umeslricted freedom dive of the U- 853 (German WW II sub off Montauk in 130 fsw). You decide that the pony bottle behind ofmovement under water and your doubles will hinder your planned exit from the superiorbuoyanc y versus forw ard torpedo loadin g hatch, you opt to wear it in competitivelow-proftl e jackets. "s tage " fashion , i.e., under your arm. Your buddy You shouldn't settlefor anythin g less. reject s this idea and wears his behind his doubles. During the dive, you and your buddy dig for artifacts in the forward torpedo room, as planned. When the visibility drops, you quickly and smoothly exit the loading hatch but your buddy can't get out because his pony keeps getting jammed on the hatch. He must retrace his path through the tight , silted-out U-boat to TheProfessional' s Choice. exit at the large damage hole fore of the conning tower. - 2. You have successfully been digging for artifacts in a small supply closet on the San Di ego (armored crusier off Fire Island 65-125 FSW). Two burly In Memory of Arnie Post, divers ask where the goodies were found-you tell Arnie Post an innovator in the world of diving past away on them. After a preliminary visit to the area, one of the Friday February 7, 1992 in Mt. Vernon NY. divers remarks, "How do you expect me to crawl into that closet with my pony bottle on?" They reject your In the early 1950's he was the first distributor for 's suggestion of carrying the pony stage fashion because "Aqua Lung" In fact Cousteau gave Arnie one of the first working prototypes, they don't have experience with it. Well no goodies which was later donated to the Underwater Exhibit at the USS Intrepid Museum. from the closet for those guys! Their decision to leave A leader in the dive industry, Arnie was one of the oldest established U.S. their gear in its current configuration was a very responsible one because they didn 't have experience Divers dealers in the nation. His store, Richard's Aqua Lung in New York City with other set-ups. served divers from all around the world for over forty years. In 1990 Arnie was Other reasons for changing gear configuration elected to the DEMA "Diver's Hall of Fame" for outstanding industry include planning deep dives , wreck penetrations and contribution.A gentle giant, he will be missed. or long exposure dives.

SUBAQUAJOURNAL • MARCH 1992 • 7 There are several possible gear set-ups, with various pros and cons, whichever set­ up(s) you choose, remember: diving isn't a question of safety, but of . What's acceptable to you? TANKCONFIGURATION OPTIONS

SINGLETANK PRO:Most familiar set-up/ basis for all instruction. CON:Provides no redundancyin event of air/gearfa ilure, Requiresleast amount of scubagear and instruction makingself-rescue difficult, especially when deep. Planningand conducting deep and penetration dives with onlyone tank is irresponsibleand dangerous. I.

SINGLESW/PONY ATTACHED PRO:Redundant tanks allow for selfrescue in air/gearfail­ CON:Pony provides extra on oneside, which may ureof primarysystem. Requires little instruction to under­ causea diverto roll to thatside. standproper set-up and use.This configuration is bare Tankmay swing and snag if notproperly secured. minimumfor responsibledivers. Requiressome instruct ionand practice before use in open water.

DOUBLETANKS ("DOUBLES") PRO:Plenty of air,good for self-rescueand helping anoth­ CON:Diver must select redundan t singlesor dualvalve er diverwho is outof air,especially on deepdives. Weight manifoldto haveback-ups 1s t and2nd stages. is balancedon diver's back. Canyou reach back and shut off eithervalve in an emer­ gency? Doyou wear a pressuregauge with each tank? Areyou goingto breathefrom just onetank, or switch back-and-forth? Morecomplexity (see above) Moreweight: can you climb up diveboat ladder with full gearwhen you are tired? Longerbottom times may require decompression stops.

DOUBLEW/PONY ON BACK PRO:All tankson backand out-of-the-way Pony may be CON:High profile; diver may not be able to enter/exitlow usedto carryoxygen enriched air for increasedoff-gassing areas. duringsafety/deco stop(s). Lotsof gear.How are you going to manageit all? If oxygenenriched air is in thepony the appropriate bail­ outgas should be mixed for deepest part of dive. DOUBLESW/PONY CARRIED "STAGE" FASHION (UNDER ARM) PRO:Low profi le, with ponyeasily accessible. Allows CON:Any stage bottle worn by divermust be secured so accessto lowareas. thatit doesnot hit diver in faceduring entry. Stagehoses must be secured to preventsnags.

SNEAKBREATHE ... THESMALL WONDER!

So simple its ingenious. 'SWAY 596 Sunrise Highway DIVER Bayshore, NY 11706 516 / 665-7990 011.S.Dl~\m~·

SUBAQUAJOURNAL • MARCH 1992 • 8 ~,,s11,>® ~.--~..., ...... \/'> IISA

SUBSALVEPROFESSIONAL LIFT BAGS. ENGINEEREDFROM THE BOTTOMUP . The world's best underwater lift bogs, ovailoble in lift capacities from 100 lbs. to 50,000 lbs. call or write: SUBSALVE USA, P.O. Box 9307, Providence, RI 02940 Telephone (800 ) 466-6962 Fax (401) 941-8001 Singletank with pony bottle CORRECTION In the December 1991 Issue we reported on the Eastern Dive Boat Association, its history and accom­ plishments. In error we failed to rec­ ognize that in addition to Capt. George Hoffman being elected as Doubletanks with pony bottle in "Stagefashion." the first president in 1975, Capt. John SherwoodTanks, valves, Poseidon and Oceanic Lachenmeyer was elected the Regulatorscourtesy Island Scuba Centers EDBA's first treasurer and has held Freeport,NY. Photosby J. Silverstein. that position ever since.

ADVERTISE IN THE JOURNAL REACH THE NATION'S TOP DIVERS Call Jim Cleary at 51 6 / 889-1 208 Doubletanks with separate regulators Amphibian Probe

,tt(i~ "'~,.,.-~ 1. Amphibico Inc. 9563 Cote De Liesse Dorval Quebec, Canada H9P 1A3

~· Doubletanks with manifold and pony bottle I EXAMINE THE WRECK I BEFORE YOU GET WET. Planning your tank configuration is just as important as planning your dive Focus FREE LENS SYSTEM tables. This discussion is not intended to endorse a particular setup but to give SIMPLE OPERATION you a basis for designing your gear con­ figuration. Pick what you feel mo st comfortable with, stick with it. When the dive comes along that require s you to Low LICHTSENSITIVITY change your set up do it cautiously and then practice in a familiar setting before THE ULTIMATE IN going of to do that ''big" dive. PRE• Tel. (514) 63e-9910 Fax: (514) 636-8704

SUBAQUAJOURNAL • MARCH 199.2 • 9 Ocean Odyssey DIVE CENTRE 2345~- S. RodeoGulch Road, Santa Cruz,California 95062 DIVING DISCIPLINES RECREATIONALSCUBA TRAINING • Entry Leve l through instructor Hey dad, "Why's water wet?" "Why • Underwate r Efficiency do birds fly?" Remember those questions TECHNICALTRAINING we all asked our all-knowing fathers, Well, • Deep A ir/ 02 Decompression I've got another one for you. Hey dad, • Enriched Air EANx • Tri-mix Available Spring '92 "What's a safety stop?" "I don't know son, • Consultant Services ask the training agencies, it's their con­ cept" EQUIPMENT • Full Retail, Repair, Rental The "safety stop" came about because • Specialty-Cave, Deep, Video recreational divers were were supposed to • Air & Gas Station do decompression diving (oops, I said the • Portable EANx System "D" word). Ever since dive tables were CHARTERSABOARD XANADU created, divers have always tried to find the • Private Coastal Exploration • Technical Surface Support edge (to use a worn out phrase), push the Vessel for Deep air/ envelope. Once they started getting bent, • Research/Photo Excursions the training agencies felt the need to protect CAPTAIN"WINGS" divers and themselves - and rightly so. To stem the tide, no-decompression diving 408-475-DIVE~ Fax408-475-3526 became the, rock solid, unchangeable, fixed, permanent rule of law. Well, maybe! It seems some scientific types found this test called "Doppler," that ditions (they still aren't sure what condi­ THE revolutionized the entire idea of no-decom­ tions) silent bubbles get "noisy" and cause pression diving. Everyone realized that the decompression sick ness or the bends. SCUBA U.S. Navy dive tables had imperfections. However, tests also showed that people SHOPPE People doing no-decompression diving making ten or twenty foot decompression were still getting bent stops had no bubbles. Suffolk County's Oldest The tests showed that people diving This revelation caused quite a stir in PADI 5 Star Facility Navy table standards were coming up with all of the training agencies. They have said bubbles (called silent bubbles) in their for years that decompression diving was Apollo blood. The theory is that under some con- too dangerous to be done by us, the aver- Ocean Edge DUI Drysuits TIME-MIN US NAVY PADI DC I EM/SPORT Henderson 15 no-stop 3 min/15ft no-stop Oceanic 18 no-stop 3 min/15ft 5 min/1Oft Sherwood 20 no-stop 3 min/15ft 5 min/1Oft New Location 1870 C 26 3 min/ 10ft 15min/15ft 5 min/20ft emergencyonly 10min/10ft Route 112 Medford, NY 30 3 min/1 Oft 15min/15ft 10min/20ft 516 emergencyonly 10min/10ft

289-5555 PAD/Recreational Dive Planner does not provide times past 20 minfor 100tsw dives. Stop times were extrapolated from PAD! emergency deccompress,onprocedures and should not be used tor actual dive planning.

SUBAQUAJOURNAL • MARCH 1992 • 10 age lunkhead diver. They felt the recre­ ational divers were incapable of performing Shouldn't this be your next certification card? the decompression procedures well enough to dive safely. A rmCBIPfl

SUBAQUA JOURNAL• MARCH1992 • 11 EVENTSCALENDAR Whoand MARCH 18 Prof. Henry Keats Whatis theAmerican Sport Diveinto History -Cruisers DiversAssociation? by Capt.Howard Klein contact: StatenIsland Sport Divers In 1979 some members of Congress ing to speak for the entire diving popula­ P.O.Box 140439 perceived that government should own, tion. It is estimated that there are over StatenIsland, NY 10314 control, and manage shipwrecks. This three million sport divers in the United perception was due, in part, to Mel States. Virtually every sport diver that I 27-29 The 16th Annual Fisher's success in finding the wreck of had spoken with was vehemently opposed BENEATHTHE SEA the Nuestra Senora de Atocha. More to government ownership of shipwrecks 1992New York Underwater significant than the actual find was the yet the Underwater Society of America Exposition& FilmFestival recovery of over 400 million dollars in testified that the divers favored such leg­ Over100 films, seminars, and gold, silver, precious stones and artifacts. islation. There seemed to be no voice for workshops.Equipment There was money in controlling ship­ the individual diver and no organization manufactures,dive shops, wrecks and the government wanted more willing to take the Underwater Society of diveclubs & more. than its fair share. America to task for its false representa­ contact:Beneath The Sea In its attempt to confiscate aban­ tion of the diving community. P.O.Box 644, Rye, NY 10580 doned shipwrecks Congress enlisted the After speaking and corresponding or forgeneral information call: aid of archaeologists, historic preserva­ 914/ 793-4469 with Mr. Armand Zighan, then Executive tionists, bureaucrats, and States' righters Vice President of US of A, I requested to make their argument for them. The that legislative director Anne Giesecke APRIL shipwreck management issue came to a be replaced due to her false testimony in 4 EDBA Artifact Exhibit head in 1987 when New Jersey Senator regard to sport diver representation and GrandOpening SUNY Maritime Bill Bradley introduced Senate Bill S858: that US of A reverse its position on the College/Maritime Museum Ft.Schuyler, Bronx, NY. The Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987. Abandoned Shipwreck Act. No response A newexhibit dedicated to the After a feeble battle within the div­ was received. It became apparent that Wrecksof the Atlantic. Learn ing community including sellouts by another organization had to be formed to aboutthe wrecks you love to both the Underwater Society of America accurately represent the position of sport diveon. Theexhibit includes and the Manufacturers divers. The unwillingness of an organi­ anextensive collection of Association (which included false testi­ zation to voice the truth was the catalyst artifactsand historical mony before the Committee on Parks and to the creation of the American Sport photographsof the USS San Public Lands by US of A's legislative Divers Association in 1989. Diego,SS Oregon, RC Mohawk, director, and false claims to congress by Since the passage of the law, ASDA AndreaDoria, Iberia and more. contact:Bonnie Frankel, DEMA) the Abandoned Shipwreck Act has been the only diving organization to 212/ 409-7218 of 1987 was signed into law by President challenge the Abandoned Shipwreck Act Ronald Reagan on April 28, 1988. in court. ASDA has taken on the govern­ The idea of the American Sport ment over the issue of private ownership HAVE AN EVENT YOU Divers Association was conceived in of artifacts with its participation in the WANT TO ANNOUNCE? 1988 during the turmoil of the shipwreck recovery of the bell from the CSS Sendtypewritten copy to the Journal by the 1st of the month prior to your legislation battle. It was unconscionable Alabama (United States of America vs. event.Please include a phone number that the Underwater Society of America, Richard Steinmetz). It squashed a pro­ and contactperson. with less than 2500 members, was claim- posed New York law that would have required a VIP inspection with every air EANX Nitrox EANX Nitrox fill [that would have made diving real TriMix and TriMix fun] The ASDA is in a pitched battle with NOAA over free access to the USS Monitor Marine Sanctuary and is on the verge of winning that battle. ASDA keeps you informed of what organiza­ tions are actually working for the diving community and which ones are only talking about it. These brief examples contain thou­ Lou Sarlo Gloucester, NJ sands of man hours of research, docu­ (609) 456-4316 FAX 456-0046 08030 mentation, testimony and dollars. [Have

SUBAQUAJOURNAL • MARCH 1992 • 12 you ever tried to fight city hall?] The American Sport Divers Association does not play the game of politics; we are results ori­ KeyWest ented. Our methods are hard hitting and direct; we feel that every American is at war with the government bureaucracy that drains HI TECH our resources and takes away our freedom. We stay focused on what affects you the sport diver. ASDA members are who we represent Center and who we work for. ASDA communicates to you through its own quarterly newsletter as well as this and An IndepthOperation Few Can Match other publication s. Our newsletter is, howev­ With over 15 years of experience, 3 1/2with mixed gas er, our main source for feedback. From time Training and onsite workshops deep diving, enriched air nitrox, special mix, to time our newsletter will include a question­ DPV's, specialty programsa nd !Ai D instructordevelopement. naire about issues , policies, and programs Specialc l1arters- High Tech Diving Equipment related to . The response to those questionnaires decides the actions of the "ComeTrain With Us!" ASDA on thos e issues , policies , and pro­ KEY WEST DIVER, MM4.5, U.S I , STOCK ISLAND, KEY WEST, FL 33040 grams . Our members directly decide how 800-873-4837 - 305-294-7177 - Fax 305-294-7612 they are to be represented. If you are tired of others making decisions on your behalf then the American Sport Divers Association may Don'tgel lost at sea; be foundwith Dive•Alert,the surface hold the answer to the way you want to be signalingdevice that emitsa loudblast ~eard up to a mile represented. When it comes to your personal away.Quick disconnect fittings allow easyintegration with freedom there are no free rides . It takes mostpower inflatorsand low pressurehoses. Model now availablefor SeaQuest ® AirSource. money to go to court and those we represent are our only source of income. How well you are legally represented depends on continued memberships and support. You can only get out of an organization what you put into it. If you are dedicated to your sport then come aboard. Keep freedom in diving!

DIVERRIGHTS Do you know your rights as an American sport diver? Did you Dive L.I. Sound even know you had to? The American USCG approved. Sport Diver's Association is a non-profit organization of over 4500 individual members dedicated to keeping divers informed of all licenses, permits , fees regul ations, and restrictions that affect Year Round div ers. ASDA was founded in 1988 Instruction after the passage of the Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987 and exists to pre­ 5,000 PSI Fills serve the rights of all divers to enjoy our Dry Suit sport without restrictions. Specialists To become a member and receive their quarterly newsletter send $10 to: American Sport Divers Association 149 Springtime Lane Travel • Salvage • Levittown, NY 11758 City Isand, NY 516 / 735-2254 212/ 885-1588

SUBAQUA JOURNAL • MARCH 1992 • 13 KIRBY'SKORNER --:::::--- ~ ~ -- ~ --~ ---- TH I: - The storm will pass by ~~ng ... SS DRUMELZIER by KirbyKurkomelis Returning from an early day of off­ course in the rough seas, as he had many morning." Vainly the engines screamed shore diving we decided to spend the times before. The cabin was cold and in reverse tearing the hull apart. It would afternoon on a shallow wreck. Within damp with a sweet smell of tobacco. take four days for Captain and crew to all miles of any inlet lie many shipwrecks Lighting a pipe behind him was Captain be rescued as only a small life boat could scattered along New York's shores, giv­ Nicholson. With over 30 years of navigate close enough through the storm ing divers a chance to go back in time storms and treacherous journeying and powerful surf. when seafaring ships ruled the high seas. from the Indian ocean to Scandinavia, The cold water felt good against my Adventurous divers searching for lost Captain Nicholson cleared New York face. We checked the anchor against a treasurers can weigh anchor almost any­ harbor on a northeast course along the fast current. (Remember, always swim where in Long Island waters. shore of Long Island during the worst into the current at the beginning of your The SS Drumelzier (alias Fire Island storm of the year. dive so you can drift back with it at the or Quadrant Wreck) was a British freight Wave by wave in everlasting dark­ end when you're tired.) A lone bass steamship that left New York Harbor on ness the Drumelzier steamed forward, seemed to fly by us swimming east, head­ December 25, 1904. Sailing into a rag­ her crew wary of the superstition, "We ing for cover. Working our way west, I ing storm she ran aground on a Fire shouldn't have sailed on Christmas." encountered the shell of a wreck that was Island sand bar. The storm was to be the The engine's powerful vibrations felt as the Drumelzier. year's worst and claimed the body of the though it would explode. Blinding snow Her rudder quadrant can be found Drumelzier. Today her twisted and scat­ made steering the ship almost impossi­ easily and is visible at the surface at dead tered remains can be found a few hun­ ble. Waves began flooding the deck and low tide. With its strong currents, surges, dred yards south of Robert Moses State iced formed on the rails, sky and sea and plentiful ribs careless divers can be Park in 15 to 20 feet of water. merged into one. Cool sweat ran down injured at this site. I did have hopes of In the distance there was a divers Ekaberg' s face distorting his vision. finding some artifacts today buried down flag. Approaching the area, we With a sickening thud and sudden lurch beneath the few remaining hull plates and slowed down and drifted towards the his greatest fear came true. Grounded! around the sand bottom but I could hear wreck. We discussed our dive plan con­ Freezing snow and water were boats running overhead. Looking up I cerning the other divers on the site, look­ everywhere throwing cargo about, iron wondered if they were going to hit us. ing for their bubbles and any part of the and copper ore spilled into the sea. The We made sure to stay close to the ribs Drumelzier at the surface. masthead spilt in two on the deck and instead while cutting miles of fishing line Thinking about my shipwreck later, even the smokestack was torn that run rampant through the wreck. research I knew how Master helmsman as under as the keel flattened out. A little later into our dive still fight­ Martin Ekaberg must have felt that win­ Amidst bellows of the crew in the peri­ ing a fierce current, I signaled my partner ter night. Holding tight to the wheel phone as smoke flooded the lower decks that I was tired. This dive was not as easy while the waves broke over the bow, he Captain Nicholson stood fast urging, as usual. had to use all his strength to stay on "Courage men, the storm will pass by It was time to head back, this time with the current.

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ATLANTICWRECKS NEWYORK 1992 SPECIALTYDIVES SouthernCross* VentureIll* May 9 USSAlgo l Defiance* June 20 MoonlightCruise of Capt.PhilGalletta Capt.P auI Hepler AndreaDoria 240 Capt.Mike Carew Spectacular NYHarbor (516)587-3625 (908)928-4 519 Arondo 150 (212) 885-1588 July 5 USSAlgol Leavesfrom Babylon ManasquanInlet Asfalto 90 14 Overnighter- Pi nta, CONN. Divet heLI .Sound. lmaculata, Harvey's Woody BaldE agle 90 Leavesfrom City Island CaptBi ll's MysteryWreck Wahoo* OrbitDiver II* Black Warrior 35 Capt.Steve Bielenda Capt.Noel Vorol a BritishCorv ette 70 NorthernStar* Capt.Janet Bieser DiverOne* (203)33 3-DIVE Cindy 90 Capt.D arrel DeBuono Capt.Paul Pellegrino (516) 928-3849 Leavesfrom Bridgepor t (516) 366-4231 Leavesfrom Captree Coimbra 180 (212)863 -8799 MASS. LongIsland Sound Leavesfrom Captree April 5 USSSan Diego Fran S 70 12 USSSan Diego G&D 120 May 2 USSSan Diego GreyEagle* 26 USSSan D iego Gypsy 110 Eagle'sNest* 3 USSSan Diego 1992 SPECIALTYDIVES Capt.Er ik Takakijan Capt. HowardK lein 9 HyltonCastle May22 Lillian150' Yarmouthport Iberia 60 (516) 735-2254 10 USSSan D iego 23 TexasTower 80' - 180' (508)487-4089 lmmaculata 100 13 DryDock# 4 Leavesfrom Point Lookout 16 Kenosha June12 Coimbra180 ' Leavesfrom Bourne Marina KeagonTa nker 60 25 AndreaDoria 3 1/2 day April 5 PipeBa rge/Iberia 17 USSSan Diego Lillian 150 20 DryDock# 2 Expedition ScubaCharters* 26 LizzieD LizzieD 80 1992 SPECIALTY DIVES 23 USSSan D iego July 2 BlockIs land Subs Capt.Bu tchAmaral June 23 Lillian 24 Oregon U-853, USSBass Taunton Martin'sMisery 60 30 Baleana 25 LizzyD 9 AndreaDoria 3 1/2 day Masodinia 70 27 Hylton Castle (508)822-5 639 July 5 AquaWoman '92 Expedition Oregon 130 6 Ayuruoca 30 R.C.Mohawk 17 Virginia160' Sub Specialist 6 Pac 8 Texas Tower 31 USSSan D iego Leavesfrom Rhode Island Pilot Ship 90 14 Montauk/BlockIsl and NEWJERSEY PipeB arge 60 15 USSBass/ Grecian Rebel* NORTHCAROLINA BlueFathoms* RC.Mo hawk 110 16 U-853/ JohnPatrick Capt.Pat DeFeis Capt. TonyDonetz MargieII* Republic 240 Fitzgerald Capt.B ill Decoursey 28 NJOvernigh t - Arundo (908)572 -0185 Capt.Art Kirchner (718)897-2885 TexasTower 75-180 29 SSMohawk - Gulftrade- Daily,Weekends & Evenings CapeHatteras Tolten Leavesfrom Brooklyn (201)36 1-3018 U- 853 Sub 135 Aug. 6 Varangerovernight Leavesfrom Point Plesant USSALGO L 75-125 FLORIDAKEYS 7 Varangerove rnight SeaHawk* USSS an Diego 110 11 Virginia Porthole* Capt.Frank Persi co KeyWest Diver* USSTa rantula 135 25 Coimbra Capt.Duane Clause Capt.John Lachenmayer Capt.Bi ll Deans USST urner 50 JeanneII* (908)985-4887 "HighTech" D ive Center 6-10pm (7 18) 279-1345 WednsedayNile Dives USSBass 150 Capt. BiII Reddan KeyWes t Leavesfrom Freeport ManasquanInlet , 6 Pac Virginia 160 (718)332 -9574 (800)873- 4837 Yankee 120 Leavesfrom Brooklyn ShearwaterII* SeaLion* April 4 USSA lgol Capt.Jim McKoy LookerDiving 5 Iberia Capt.George Hoffman Capt.T im Taylor 11 Mystery Wreck (516)2 42-0529 EAS TERN Capt.Kevi n Brennan Daily Gulf Wreck Charters DIVE (6JBOAT 12 R.C.Mohaw k Fishing & DivingCharters (908)528-6298 ASSOClA T ION 18 British Corvette LeavesCaptree KeyWes t 19 Ambroselightship Leavesfrom Brielle (800)245-22 49 25 PipeBarge 26 Cindy Calltor reservationsall BoatsRequire a Valid Nationallyrecognized Certification Card

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Please indicate certifying agency 0 PADI O NAUI O SSI O PDIC O NASDS O YMCA 0 ANDI O IAND O CURE O HSA O NACD O Cl\lAS L------~ 03/92 SUBAQUA JOURNAL • MARCH 1992 • 15 I lOCAl HEROES: >] •• March 1992 ... 'I Eastern Dive Boat Association Elects new officers

CaptainHoward Klein has been spending the wintergetting the Eagle's Nestready for the busyseason.

Corresponding Secretary, Captain Ed Bogaert, Vice President, Captain Howard Klein, Treasurer, Captain John Lachenm eyer, President, Captain Steve Bielenda and Secretary , Captain Tony Donetz .

II J

I - ~ Jim Cacacewelcomes the SubAqua Journal to hisnew store The ScubaShoppe , on Route112 Medford,LI

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