Your Gear - Your Lifeline.

Are you ready for the upcoming dive season?  What about your gear?  Has anything happened to it since you prepared it for winter storage several months ago?  When was the last time you had your gear serviced?
 

 Comfort, fit and performance of your scuba gear are all part of an enjoyable dive.   As part of our basic scuba certification, we all know that Scuba Cylinders require visual inspection every year and hydrostatic testing every five years.  What about regulators or Buoyancy Compensators (BCD’s)?  What about your basic snorkeling gear (mask, fins, snorkel)?  Also included in this big question is your wetsuit/drysuit.
 

Mask:  Does it still fit comfortably?  Was it protected from the elements while in storage?  Has something been pressing on it causing it to deform?  The last thing you want during a dive is to find that your mask will not seal.  Try it on now.  Is it comfortable?  Can you hold it on your face without using the strap by a gentle inhalation from your nose?

 

Fins: Examine the blade for signs of age and the foot pocket to ensure that it will not present ‘pressure points’ on your foot, which can cause fatigue or discomfort.

 

Snorkel: A simple device that allows you to swim with your head in the water.  What could possibly go wrong with such a simple thing?  Does it have a purge valve?  Is it a multi-part construction (more than one piece)?  Check the joints between the individual parts.  Examine the mouth piece for fatigue.  If you are able, make sure the purge valve is free of contaminants.

 

Scuba Cylinders: Look at the neck of the tank for the last hydrostatic test date.  If it will be 5 years since the last test during this dive season, then NOW would be a good time to get it hydro’d.  Look on the tank body for the date of the last visual inspection.  The tank cannot be filled after this date.  If it will be expiring during the dive season, then NOW would be a good time to have it inspected by a certified facility.

 

BCD’s: When was the last time you serviced your BCD?  There are many things you can do to maintain your own BCD.  Salt, sand, chlorine, can all have an effect.  Keeping it clean and dry between dives is a good start.  Take a moment and inflate your BC.  Go away and do something else and come back in a while and examine its status.  Is it still inflated the way that you left it?  If not, you might need to have it looked at.
 

Regulators: This device provides breathing air to you while you are enjoying your dive.  An annual inspection / servicing is a wise thing to do, and in many cases is a requirement for warranty purposes.  Unless you are certified to maintain your regulators, it is advisable to have a certified technician perform any service.

 

The Ajax Scuba Club has equipment available for members to use during courses and club dives.  This equipment requires regular maintenance.   Ajax Scuba Club uses trained professionals to service our rental equipment.    Likewise, you should get to know the fantastic folks at Dive Source in Oshawa, or Innerspace Divers Supply in Pickering.  Either of these fine dive shops can professionally service your gear. 

 

The Ajax Scuba Club would like to thank Brian Pollock of Dive Source for his generous support of our club this year.  It is most gratefully appreciated. 

 

 

 

 

 

REVOLUTION - the new film by Canadian Director Rob Stewart

Rob Stewart, the director and star of the acclaimed documentary Sharkwater, continues his remarkable journey with the stunning new release of Revolution.  Filmed over four years, this new project takes him through 15 countries in an effort to uncover the truth and find the secret to saving the world's ecosystems.

This film will debut in theatres on April 12, 2013 (Toronto included).   For a chance to win tickets to the premiere and a copy of Rob Stewart's new book "Save the Humans', please click here. 

 

Director, Rob Stewart

Ajax Scuba Club - Annual Spring General Meeting - Sunday April 14th, 2013

The next Spring General Meeting of the Ajax Scuba Club will be held on Sunday, April 14th from 1:00 - 5:00 pm.  Please note change of venue this year. 

Location:  The McLean Centre
                 Community Room 3
                 95 Magill Drive
                 Ajax, ON
                

As in the past, club members will have an opportunity to select their preferred dives for the upcoming dive season.  Dive charters are now being booked.  This meeting is also open to anyone not currently a member but who is interested in learning more about the club or who wishes to dive with us this year. 

 

In addition to the dive selection process, the Executive Committee will also provide attendees with updates including social events planned for the coming year. 

 

We encourage you to attend this important meeting on April 14th. 

Click here for map. 

Pat Doherty
Secretary,
Ajax Scuba Club

Save Ontario Shipwrecks Symposium

The Niagara Divers' Association will present its 19th Annual Shipwrecks Symposium, "Shipwrecks/2013" on Saturday, April 6, 2013 at Centennial High School, 240 Thorold Road, Welland, Ontario.

 

Cost is $49 per person, with lunch, refreshments and door prizes included.  This is an all-day event, running from 9:00 am till 5:00 pm. 

 

This year there will be eight primary multimedia presentations and a number of 5-minute shorts designed to introduce new topics and speakers.    This is a great opportunity to learn about our shipwrecks and meet some new diving friends. 

 

Please click on the link below the picture for further details and to register online. 

Click here for registration information

 

Meet Your Instructor - Paul Wood

Today let's introduce you to Paul Wood, an instructor with the Ajax Scuba Club.

Paul was first certified in 1999, and became a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor in 2004.  He has been certifying all our Open Water Students since then!   In addition to the Open Water course, Paul is certified to teach through PADI up to and including Assistant Instructor. 

 

 

Paul has lived in Ajax for over 50 years.  He is a past Rotarian and has owned community-based businesses.   In 2007, Paul had a vision to help raise funds for the Ajax/Pickering hospital.  He chaired a committee which came up with an idea to do a fundraiser with the help of the Ajax Scuba Club and local sponsors.   This scuba diving marathon and silent auction successfully raised over $8,000 for the hospital.  The money  raised  bought equipment for the new maternity ward. 

During his time as a club member, Paul has served as Dive Coordinator, Training Director, Promotions Director and President.  He has volunteered his time for many Ajax Santa Claus parades and helped to represent the club at Home Week events.

 

It's not surprising to see Paul's wife Audrey helping out with the instruction of courses taught at the club, since she is a Divemaster.  Their youngest of two daughters is also a certified diver.  Home away from home and favourite place to dive is Roatan, Honduras, which they have now visited six times.  Paul's other dive travels have also taken him to the Florida Keys, Bahamas, North Carolina, Nova Scotia & Cape Breton Island, the eastern coast of the United States, and the Great Lakes.   All of these locations allow Paul to capture great memories as an underwater videographer. 

 

Anybody contemplating learning to dive should know that Paul loves teaching scuba diving because he gets to see the look on a student's face when they master a skill for the first time!   We hope you get a chance to meet him soon, and experience this for yourself :) 

Come and see the Ajax Scuba Club at the Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show!

Once again, the Outdoor Adventure Show is making an appearance in Toronto on February 22, 23 & 24th, 2013.  If you've never been to this show before, this is a perfect opportunity to check it out! 

 

Located at the International Centre in Mississauga, this is Canada's largest adventure show with over 300 exhibits, + free parking.    There is something for every outdoor enthusiast here, whether under water or on land, and there is a dedicated area known as Scuba World just for us divers :)

The Ontario Underwater Council will have a booth at the show, staffed by volunteers from various dive clubs around Ontario.  Why not plan to come out and  meet the Ajax Scuba Club at this booth on Friday February 22 between 2:00 - 4:00 pm or Saturday February 23 between 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm.  We can answer any questions you may have about the Club and about diving in general.   While you're there don't forget to watch the famous scuba diving demos in the tank! 

This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about scuba diving and some of the world's best dive destinations.    Talk to the experts right at the show.  The Underwater Adventure Stage also hosts daily dive presentations (free with admission). 

 

Please visit the Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show's website for further information and don't forget to save yourself $2.00 per admission by purchasing your tickets online. 

 

 

  

Laura

Let's Get Wet! Learn To Dive Spring 2013

Have you always wondered what it would be like to scuba dive?  Like anything worth learning, this is definitely one skill worth learning well.  The Ajax Scuba Club has trained many men, women and children to learn to dive safely over the years.  Whether you yearn to dive the Great Lakes of Ontario, or the balmy waters of the Caribbean, we can get you started with our Spring 2013 Open Water Course.

 

The course consists of six weekly classroom and in-pool skill-building lessons, held at the Ajax Community Centre, 75 Centennial Road, Ajax ON  L1S 4S4.  Here are some important dates to keep in mind:

 

            Orientation Meeting - March 27th, 2013  7:00 pm

 

            Classes - April 7, 14, 21, 28, May 5 & 12 - 6:30 pm

 

Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to schedule your open water checkout dives either here in Ontario (date TBA but most likely end of May/beginning of June 2013) or you may do what's called a referral check out at your destination if you have booked a trip down south, once you complete the classes. 

 

The Ajax Scuba Club is a non-profit club - we exist to serve our members.  To that end, we contain our costs as much as possible without sacrificing the quality of our programs.  Our classes are designed to provide students with total support from our Instructors, in real time, face to face.  We think you'll agree that what we have to offer our students is terrific value for the money.  

 

The cost of the 2013 Spring Open Water Course is $380 and includes all instruction (classroom and in-pool), manual, use of club equipment for the duration of the course, and one year membership to the Club (a $60 value).   Additional costs are $75 for the open water certification dives.  All students will require their own personal gear (mask, fins, boots and snorkel) by the first class.  There are several local dive shops that can accommodate your needs.    

 

A non-refundable deposit of $100 is necessary in order to reserve your spot in the class.  Maximum class size is limited to 12, and this is a very popular course, so if you're interested or require further information, please contact our Training Director at 905-619-2159 or email training@ajaxscubaclub.on.ca today!    The last day to register for this class is March 14th, 2013 but don't delay, it will fill up quickly! 

Our next blog post will introduce you to our PADI Instructor, Paul Wood.  Stay tuned!

Laura

 

    

                                          Photo courtesy of PADI. 

                                          Students learning to scuba dive in the pool.