Florida Sea Base News

The Divemaster Academy is hosted each year by the Florida Sea Base.  The 2010 Brochure contains many of the details.  The Divemaster Academy (DMA) was started in 2004 by Capt. Bert Hubby, Milly McCoy, and me.  In previous years, the Florida Sea Base had a hard time finding scuba professionals (Divemasters and Instructors) with Scouting backgrounds or who were familiar with the Scouting culture.  We went through some difficult staffing times and dismissed several Divemasters who just could not get into the Scouting way of life.  I was able to convince the General Manager that while expensive, training Eagles Scouts to be Divemasters was easier than converting Divemasters into Scout role models.  And the Divemaster Academy was born.  The Florida Sea Base spends about $1,200 per candidate to train up to a maximum of 16 Divemasters at each Academy.  The Academy is held once a year, in December, when many of the interested, college attending applicants can attend.  The 2010 DMA dates are listed on the brochure.  The DMA is opened to basically anyone who meets the prerequisites, but Eagle Scouts and Gold Award recipients do get preference.  There are frequently more than 16 applicants so I review each application, conduct email and telephone interviews and do my best to select the top candidates.  Some years we have had as few as 6 or 7 candidates accepted into the program.  We are looking for QUALITY, not QUANTITY.  If accepted, the DMA is essentially free.  You will sign a contract agreeing to work the spring or summer season at the Florida Sea Base for the usual compensation (currently $265 per week plus room and board).  The Florida Sea Base provides everything except transportation, the membership fee which is paid to PADI and some other incidentals.  Again, refer to the brochure.  Also, in the very near future I plan to post Frequently Asked Questions about the DMA.  If you are interested in applying for the 2010 DMA please download the 2010 DMA application and mail it to the address on the application.  If you have questions, please email those to Divemaster.Academy@netbsa.org.  Please don’t submit your questions to this blog.  You can click for a copy of the Academy Application.

Yesterday’s weather was windy and rainy.  The sailors went sailing and the divers went diving but it was rough.  Invest 94 became Tropical Depression 5 at about 19:30 last night but as of 05:00 this morning it appears to be out of our lives and moving towards the Louisiana/Mississippi border.  Our radar is clear and the winds are down to 10 knots or less.  With only 13 days of program remaining, we have at least some chance of finishing this season with nice weather.  ”Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.”

I will be spending today in Miami.  Our BSA insurance is not “in network” in the Keys.  We get to drive 1.5 – 2 hours to see in network doctors.  A day of lost work, tolls, $36 in gas, parking, lunch, insurance co-pay, all add up to an expensive doctor’s visit.  By the time I drive up, see the doctor, and run a couple of errands I will do good to get back in time for dinner.  That’s part of the price you pay for living in paradise.  Even the nearest in network ER is on the mainland.  I don’t mean to sound like I’m whining.  I’m just telling the truth.

I’m going to get cleaned up and hit the highway (yeah Miami rush hour traffic!!!).

Capt. Steve
Aboard S/V Escape

Invest 91L has reached tropical depression status with a closed circulation and 35 mph winds.  The good news is the system is not forecasted to reach hurricane strength and it should travel between Bermuda and the Bahamas.

Credit National Hurricane Center

That’s all for now.  Thanks for reading.

Capt. Steve
Aboard S/V Escape

Good morning from the Florida Sea Base.  As noted in today’s headline, Capt. Rich and Capt. Steve (that’s me!) are at large on the high seas in the vicinity of the Florida Sea Base.  While we are not relieved of our daily responsibilities, our command posts have been relocated from the Program Office to BSA Adventure and BSA Explorer respectively for the remainder of the week as we substitute for the usual captains, Tom and Carl.  This is indeed a dangerous situation for the upper management of the Florida Sea Base as Capt. Rich and I are both enjoying being out of the office in mid-summer WAY too much.  Anyone out there interested in a Program Directors job?  And if Capt. Tom and Capt. Carl are reading this, you MIGHT have jobs when you get back but Capt. Rich and I may just have to relieve you for the remainder of the summer.

The water was flat and swimming pool clear yesterday.  The triple crew on BSA Explorer this week is from Missouri.  While this was for many their first saltwater dive, on the most bio-diverse reef in the Florida Keys with absolutely perfect conditions (calm seas, no current, 80 feet of visibility and sunny skies) the divers were very calm – almost complacent – as they returned aboard the boat.  I heard one kid say “that was awesome”.  We had to prod comments from most of the rest.  The dive staff for this crew includes Christy Clemenson, Harrison Plunkett and Kodiak Hengstebeck.  They need to get this crew fired up or I may leave them all at the dock this morning and go by myself!!!

Tropical Depression 2 made landfall in south Texas yesterday afternoon.  Flooding is already monumental in south Texas and northeastern Mexico from Hurricane Alex.  ”Devastating” is not a big enough word to describe the plight of the residents of these areas.  Remeber that the American Red Cross can always use you financial support.  The remainder of the tropics remain quiet for now.  Here is the forecast for Islamorada from the National Weather Service in Key West:

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 90. Southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 81. South southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

If you go back to my post on 27 June 2010 you will see a photo of the S/V Calypso Poet with serious mast damage.  I am VERY happy to report that the Poet is repaired and scheduled to resume her Coral Reef Adventure duties on Saturday.  Capt. Joey has been working like a mad-man to get her back in service.  Many other members of our seasonal staff and captains in our fleet have assisted with manpower and/or donations.  I would list them all if I could.  The effort to restore the Calypso Poet to the fleet has been “a family affair”.  Welcome back Capt. Joey!!!

My morning started at 05:30.  Basically I was praying, asking God (if it was His will) to let me fall back asleep for an hour; it was NOT His will.  So I got up an found that the forward air conditioner was not performing as it should.  By 05:40 I was in the engine room cleaning (mostly) mud and a little grass from the sea strainer that serves the a/c.  It seems to be working better now.  I didn’t sleep well last night so usually I would be a little grumpy.  But everything will probably be okay since I will be on the water instead of in the office.

Speaking of being on the water, I’ve got to remember to take some sun protection for my lips with me.  I can tell they are a little burned after being out for just four hours yesterday.  I think it was to years ago when my lips and the tops of my ears developed a sensitivity to the sun.  It seems strange to me but I bet a dermatologist could explain they reasons.  So sunscreen and a hat for the ears and sun balm for the lips today.  I’ll be reminding the crews from Missouri to reapply sunscreen frequently this week.  Missouri; isn’t that the “show me” state?

That’s all for now.  I still have a lot to do before we cast off.

Capt. Steve
Aboard S/V Escape