Dive & Travel Expo 2012: Come To The Tacoma Show!

Making our 5th straight appearance at the Dive & Travel Show in Tacoma, Washington, Kathryn and I will be participating in this year's show. On Saturday at 12PM we are scheduled to present our seminar, "Shoot Like A Pro - Tips & Tricks For Improving Your Underwater Photography."

The Philippines ~ Ohh, Yeah Baby!!!

Didn't see this one coming a few months ago, but like General Douglas MacArthur, Kathryn and I did say, "We shall return." Yes, The Philippines once again looms on our horizon. We booked our flights today!

The Facebook Wars.

And the win goes to the Wonder Spouse!  :)

Scuba Diving Legend Stan Waterman: A Class Act!

February 18, 2012. I felt like I won the proverbial lottery on this day at Our World Underwater in Chicago. As a room emcee, it was my distinct pleasure to introduce diving legend, Stan Waterman, before one of his seminars to a packed room of attendees. What a fine gentleman and a true raconteur he is, as well as being a warm and gracious man. By any measure, he is a class act! After his presentation, I asked Stan if he would agree to pose for photo with me. I handed my camera to another photographer in the room so the moment was captured for posterity. Good times!

Chicago, Chicago I'll Show You Around - We Love It!

February 16, 2012: Today was an absolutely fabulous sunny day in Chicago. Kathryn and I spent the day strolling along Michigan Avenue and stopped in for the afternoon tea service at a fine establishment called, Russian Tea Time, in Chicago's Grant Park District.

Snapped this picture of Kathryn near the Michigan Avenue Bridge when she was not expecting it.

Yup, I just had to pose for this one. ;)

We were flying on Valentine's Day, so stopped in for afternoon tea at one of Kathryn's favourite tea lobbies, Chicago's legendary, Drake Hotel. Simply, divine!

Valentines Day 2012: A Clearer Future, Morning, Evening, Nights With You!

February 14, 2012 -  A Happy Valentines Day to my adorable and loving wife, Kathryn!

While every day spent with you is like Valentine's Day, today I will blatantly steal a quote from the movie, "Meet Joe Black," that could just as easily be written on my soul from me, to you.

"Take love, multiply it by infinity and take it to the depths of forever... and you still have only a glimpse of how I feel for you."

Thank You!, my darling young one for being all I've ever dreamed of finding in another person and ohhh sooooo very much more. Happy "5th" Valentine's Day, lover!  XOXO

Sipping Mai Tai's at Hawaii's famed "Pink Palace",

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

Campbell River, British Columbia - In The Realm Of The Giant Pacific Octopus.

Northwest Dive News published our story, "Campbell River, British Columbia - In The Realm Of The Pacific Octopus," in their February 2012 issue. One of our images also appeared as the magazine's cover shot.

A Double Header With Dive News Network: "Cozumel - A Holiday On A Holiday."

Dive News Network just published our story, “Cozumel - A Holiday On A Holiday” in their February 2012 edition of Northeast Dive News & Midwest Dive News. This issue of Midwest Dive News will be widely circulated at Our World Underwater in Chicago later this month.

Our World Underwater 2012 - "Won't You Please Come To Chicago!"

“From the bottom of the ocean


To the mountains on the moon


Won't you please come to Chicago


No one else can take your place”



- lyric from CHICAGO by CSN&Y



OUR WORLD UNDERWATER 2012 in Chicago is now less than one month away. If you believe the Mayans have accurately "predicted" the end of the world on December 21, 2012 with one of their calendars, then this will surely be the last Chicago Dive Show you will have the opportunity to attend. This annual consumer dive show features two excellent Film Festivals, over 80 Seminars and Workshops and Special Events, including an Art Fair for the adults and the Radio Disney Road Crew Show for the kids at the Show on Saturday.



Kathryn and I are presenting three seminars:



• Shoot Like an Underwater Pro: Tips for Getting Your Images Published in Scuba Diving Magazines.
• 

Working with U/W Models: Tips & Tricks for U/W Models & Photographers.


• Descent into the Maelstrom – British Columbia’s Nakwakto Rapids.



For more information, go to the OUR WORLD UNDERWATER website: http://ourworldunderwater.com

The Alaskan Ronquil: Bathymaster Caeruleofasciatus.

Alaskan Ronquils inhabit rocky reefs and retreats into holes or crevices. They are found only in North Pacific and Arctic waters and are most closely related to eelpouts and prowfish. The name, ronquil, derives from the Spanish ronquillo meaning "slightly hoarse". The family name Bathymasteridae can be translated from the Greek to mean "deep searcher". Not sure what this has to do with this particular ronquil that I photographed on an Alaskan shipwreck other than I was pumped to see my first one.

Whispering Words Of Wisdom.

Great words of wisdom. I would add, "Strive to be noble and, by your words and deeds, make those who love you, proud."

 

"Do One Thing Everyday That Scares You." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt.

Randomly came across this today and liked the message it conveys...

Seeing Red - Light & Motion's Sola 600 Dive Light!

Canada's DIVER Magazine published our review of Light & Motion's SOLA 600 Dive Light on their October 2011 issue. The review is now posted on DIVER's website at the following link:

www.divermag.com/seeing-red

James Dean As Jett!

Throughout my entire lifetime, people have often asked, "Where does your name come from?"

My first name, Jett, comes from the name Jett Rink, a character James Dean portrayed in the 1956 movie, "Giant", which also starred Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor in an epic tale of a multi-generational Texas cattle baron family led by Hudson and Taylor. "Giant" was the last of James Dean's three films as a leading actor, and earned him his second and last Academy Award nomination – he was tragically killed in a car accident before the film was released. Nick Adams was called in to do some voice-over dubbing for Dean's role.

Following his untimely death, Dean was nominated for two Oscars – one for "Giant" and one for "Rebel Without A Cause". In 2005, the film "Giant" was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Underwater Council Of British Columbia: Dropped Weight Replacement Program.

The Underwater Council of British Columbia (UCBC) recently implemented a FREE weight replacement program for any diver who drops their weights in an emergency situation. Establishing positive buoyancy at the surface is one of the most important things you can do to survive a diving emergency. Please note the fine print:

 

"Requests to replace lost weights can only be accepted from certified divers who are current residents of British Columbia (proof required). Weight will be replaced at no cost to the individual but UCBC request consent to publish for educational purposes, a report detailing events and conditions that led to the emergency situation."

Please share this and help UCBC spread the word to all your buddies. More details about this program can be found at:   www3.telus.net/smeixner/ucbc/weights

Cressi Sub - Travel Light Buoyancy Compensator.

Picked up a Cressi Sub Travel Light BC before leaving for our Cozumel adventure and I've got to say I'm really very pleased with it. Apart from packing up small, it performs well above and below the surface.

Caribbean Puffer Fish - Up To 1,200 Times More Poisonous Than Cyanide.

Although they look cute, Puffer fish are generally believed to be the second–most poisonous vertebrates in the world, after the golden poison frog. Certain internal organs, such as liver, and sometimes the skin, are highly toxic to most animals when eaten.

Almost all puffer fish contain tetrodotoxin, a substance that makes them foul tasting and often lethal to fish. To humans, tetrodotoxin is deadly, up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide. The toxin paralyzes the muscles, including the muscles in our diaphragm, which is essential for breathing. The victim eventually dies of asphyxiation. It is estimated there is enough toxin in one puffer fish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote.

Symbiotic Fish Behavior.

Witnessed a lot of symbiotic fish behavior during our Christmas trip to Cozumel. Kathryn and I did one dive in front of the resort over the eel grass bottom and photographed numerous fish species. This Puddingwife wrasse was being closely shadowed by this Bar Jack. The Bar Jack is using the wrasse for cover to be able to get close to unsuspecting prey species. This is similar to what trumpetfish do.

Feliz Año Nuevo 2012 From Cozumel!

Feliz Año Nuevo 2012! to all our friends and family. We'll be in downtown San Miguel, Cozumel tonight ringing in the new year. Have a safe New Year's Eve and we hope 2012 brings you much joy, success & happiness!

Christmas in Cozumel - The Gifts Are Underwater!

Palancar Reef is Cozumel’s most famous diving attraction with massive housed-sized coral buttresses. Palancar’s reef structure is comprised of a three and a half mile long stretch of patch reefs, sand channels, impressive drop-offs and towering coral ramparts, the peaks of which rise to within 60 to 100 feet of the surface.  The walls of these monolithic edifices are honeycombed with tunnels, ballroom-sized caverns and passageways.  Look over the edge of Palancar’s abyssal drop-off and you will be gazing at the Undersea Temple of the Mayan Gods, the 3,000 foot ocean trench that separates Cozumel from the Yucatan Peninsula.

 Juvenile Spotted Drum - They're a bitch to photograph!

Nassau Grouper - famed underwater photographer, Stephen Frink, kindly commented on this image: "Outstanding composition, Jett. Makes you want to be there."

 Palancar Reef

 Splendid Toadfsh - they are indigenous to Cozumel and not easy to find.

 Kathryn's photo of Jett at work.

 Kathryn diving Palancar Reef.

 Kathryn diving Palancar Reef.

Christmas Eve in Cozumel - Midnight Mass.

Cozumel, Mexico: December 24, 2011: The alter at the beautiful Cathedral of Corpus Christi in San Miguel, Cozumel. I took the family here for Midnight Mass. Though the service was entirely in Spanish, everyone enjoyed the once in a lifetime experience. The church was beautifully decorated and there were children dressed for their Christmas pageant, with little Mary, Joseph and Angels & Shepherds.

Feliz Navidad! - Christmas In Cozumel 2011

 

As I was taking this picture of my mom and Kathryn on Christmas Eve with one of the local police officers on Cozumel's main street, I was thinking, "Yup, if I had an Uzi submachine gun, I'd hang it over my chest for all the world to see too!"