Florida Sea Base News

1,135

Certainly not a magic number, but as I was logging in to the Florida Sea Base News admin site this morning I noticed that today’s post is number 1,135.  My first post was 19 October 2009.  I have missed a few days on occasion; I think it averages out to about 10 days per year that I have not posted.  While the readers have always been supportive, there have been times when others have not been pleased with my efforts.  Bull-headedness has gotten me through those times.  Some would call it dedication,  a couple of other people have another word for my efforts.

STAFF

Here we go boys and girls, our first significant arrival weekend of the 2013 spring program season.  One Scuba Liveaboard crew and four Coral Reef Sailing crews will arrive today.  Divemaster Paul Mangone checked in yesterday to bolster the spring scuba staff.  More sailing and scuba staff members will trickle in over the next week or two.  I will try to note their arrival, but sometimes I forget.

SAILING

The Sea Exploring crew that arrived Friday will board the Schooner Yankee at the Florida Sea Base dock this morning to begin their sail to Key West and then back to Marathon.  Another Sea Exploring crew and four Coral Reef crews will arrive this afternoon.  The normal routine for the Sea Exploring crews is to spend their arrival afternoon going through a shakedown/orientation process, spend the night in the dorm, and then start their sailing adventure the following morning.  The Coral Reef Sailing crews are able to leave the dock after dinner in the summer time.  But in the spring the sun sets too early for this to happen.  So they spend their first night on the boat at the dock and head out before breakfast the next morning.  Today’s Coral Reef Sailing crews will be aboard S/V Silent Harmony with Captain Guiseppe, S/V Misty Shoals with Captain Brian, S/V Chanticleer with Captain Scott and S/V Sprindrift with Captain Joe.

SCUBA

One Scuba Liveaboard crew arrives today.  They will spend the afternoon preparing for tomorrow’s departure; orientation, swim review, scuba gear check-out, and scuba review in the pool.  They will be led by Scuba Instructor Steven Raymond and Divemaster Jenna Burton.  The crew will sail on S/V Lady Nell II with Captain Drew Mead and S/V Adventure with Captain Hans Bockelman.

Project AWARE

There is a button on the top left of this site for Project AWARE.  This is a non-profit organization that originated as a part of PADI.  They are separate organizations now but still closely related. Please click HERE to read an appeal from Leonardo DiCaprio asking for signatures to help reduce the slaughter of sharks and rays.

WEATHER

Friday was much nicer than expect, a mild breeze, a ton of sunshine and and afternoon high of 70°F.  By dinner time many of the Minnesota crew that had arrived for Sea Exploring were already sunburned.  Today we are expecting a lot of sun, a little more wind (but not much) and a high of 76.

Capt. Steve Willis
Professional Scuba Bum™
Aboard S/V Escape