DiviNG EBER WARD - Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine

COMPLIMENTARY
www.midwestscubadiving.com
Winter 2006
Diving
Eber
Ward
Our World-Underwater
Common Ear Injuries
Nitrox: Air on the Side of Caution
Safety Stop: Bruce and Sue Longman

VOL . 1 NO. 3
8
8 MIDWEST EVENT
Our World-Underwater
By Pat Hammer, President OW-U
10 DIVING MEDICINE
Common Ear Injuries While Diving
By Bruce Delphia
ON THE COVER
13 SUNKEN TREASURES
Diving Eber Ward
By Larry Sanders
22
18 DIVING SCIENCE
Nitrox: Air on the Side of Caution
By Richard Talagas, Ph.D
22 SAFETY STOP
Bruce and Sue Longman
Midwest Scuba Sales Representatives
13
Visit us online at:
www.midwestscubadiving.com

...the Caribbean
of the Midwest!
TM
- 12-acre spring fed quarry
- Fish and underwater attractions
- 8 training platforms
- Easy access via beach entry
or covered docks (20’ x 40’)
- Picnic tables and dressing rooms
- Rental gear and tank refills
EDITORIAL
Captain Darrick Lorenzen, Publisher & Editor
captdarrick@midwestscubadiving.com
Brian Pautsch, Web Development, Graphic Art
bpautsch@midwestscubadiving.com
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Patrick Hammer
Recreational Training and Education
Captain Dale Bennett
Technical Training and Education
Thomas McDonald, Editorial Assistant
Elizabeth Wilczynski, Comptroller
Richard Talaga Ph.D
Diving Physics
Argonne National Laboratory
ADVERTISING SALES
773-732-8972
Captain Tim Taylor
Scientific Research and Exploration
NEWS BRIEFS & FEATURES
773-732-8972
Jessica Adams M.S.
Exercise Physiology and Diving Fitness
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND CLASSIFIEDS
815-344-7956
Captain Darrick Lorenzen
Travel Editor
Midwest Scuba Diving is published quarterly by Maximum Publications 4417 N. Riverdale, Johnsburg, Il., 60050. Copyright 2006 by Maximum Publications. All rights reserved. Subscription
rate U.S. possessions one year $29.95. All other countries one year $39.95. CONTRIBUTIONS. News, articles, information, and photos are enthusiastically encouraged and should be sent
to Captain Darrick Lorenzen 4417 N. Riverdale, Johnsburg, IL, 60050. All submissions become the property of Midwest Scuba Diving. Any material accepted is subject to such revision as is
necessary, in our sole discretion, to meet the requirements of this publication. The act of mailing materials shall constitute an express warranty by the contributor that the material is original
and in no way an infringement on the rights of others. Six weeks notice is required to change a subscriber’s address.
NOTICE: Scuba diving is a potentially dangerous activity. Persons engaging in this activity should be certified by a recognized training agency. You should always dive within your training
and personal limits. Information published in Midwest Scuba Diving is not a substitute for training and Midwest Scuba Diving is not responsible or liable for the contents of any information
or recommendations published herein.
Cover photograph and all Eber Ward underwater photos provided by Tom Wilson
2738 E. 2000 North Rd
Kankakee, IL 60901
815.939.7797
ehead@keynet.net
www.HaighQuarry.com
Events
February
9th - 11th
Our World-Underwater Show
One of the largest dive shows in North
America. This year’s show is expected
to have 200 booths and over 15,000
visitors. Don’t miss it!
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
Rosemont, Illinois
708.226.1614
http://www.ourworldunderwater.com
17th
“Dive Into the Past” Show
Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation
Society
This year, the feature presentation is
about the largest ever intentional shipsinking
project ever undertaken – the
Aircraft Carrier USS Oriskany Reef
Project.
Mounds View, Minnesota
http://www.glsps.org
24th
ScubaThon
Meramec Dolphins Scuba Club
St. Louis Community College at
Meramec (Campus Pool)
11333 Big Bend Blvd.
St. Louis, Missouri
Noon - Midnight
Scott Lesh at 314.984.7287
slesh@stlcc.edu
http://www.meramecdolphins.org
March
9th - 11th
Scubafest 2007
The highlight of this three-day scuba
event will be the Saturday evening
banquet ball, featuring keynote speaker
Gary Gentile.
Ohio Council of Skin & Scuba Divers, Inc.
Holiday Inn at Roberts Centre
Wilmington, Ohio
scubalaurag@yahoo.com
http://www.scubafest.org
23rd - 24th
8th Annual Ghost Ships Festival
Great Lakes Shipwreck Research
Foundation Inc. (GLSRF)
Four Points Sheraton Conf. Center
4747 South Howell Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
http://www.ghost-ships.org
Do you have an upcoming event you
would like to include in Midwest Scuba
Diving Magazine? Send an email to
events@midwestscubadiving.com
or call us at 773.732.8972.
WINTER 2006 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING

COMMENTARY
2006 was a pivotal year in my 30-year career as both a recreational and
commercial diver. An important goal was consummated in the publication
of Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine and the construction of our interactive
website forum. With your participation we have fashioned a powerful
and influential podium from which we can voice our opinions, share our
expertise and impact diving in the financially significant Midwest region.
“Information, Education, and Dive Safety” has now become a recognized
motto. I want to once again thank those individuals who initially stepped
up to support divers in the Midwest by investing in our publication and
website. Revenue from advertisers is being 100% reinvested. Our content
and quality will not be compromised. To get Midwest dive centers involved
in the publication and website we have developed a cooperative program
by which we will subsidize advertisements making it affordable for dive
centers to participate and get quality print ad exposure in our magazine and
on the website, not just a listing in a “Directory”. In 5 years, the number of
dive centers in the Midwest region has decreased by 50% from 400 stores to Captain Darrick Lorenzen (right) with Dan Patterson
approximately 200. The currently accepted business model used by the diving Training Director PSAI and Hal Watts at Forty Fathom
industry is not working. The marketplace is changing dramatically. Midwest
Grotto Ocala Florida, March 27, 2006
Scuba Diving Magazine strives to be at the forefront of this change. The subsidy program will positively impact training, travel and equipment
sales on the local level. We can show dive operators how to inexpensively use our website to promote their small businesses. Want to learn
more? Contact me at captdarrick@midwestscubadiving.com or 773-732-8972.
2006 was also pivotal in that I have reached the personal milestone of being one half a century old. It seems as though it was yesterday that I
was a 28-year-old diving supervisor in the Gulf of Mexico spending 150 days a year offshore. I spent my 50th birthday with friends and family
at Hal Watts Forty Fathom Grotto in Ocala Florida, performing a personal best by scuba diving 242-feet on air with world record holder and
personal friend Hal Watts. I ended 2006 diving with friends and family on New Years Eve at The Scuba Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. It is
a location that I have been diving for 30 years.
The winter season has arrived and diving operations have basically ceased in the Midwest region. There are some local options available
for the diver who just has to get wet. Mermet Springs is closed January but will open again in February 5 days a week. Haigh Quarry will
be open weekends beginning in March and open 7 days a week in April. Bonne Terre Mine is open year round. The really “hard core” in
Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan just drill through the ice and play underwater hockey with a tennis ball and sawed off hockey sticks. Our
demographic information indicates that Midwestern divers travel more than any other regional group (probably to escape the cold weather).
For those divers wishing to explore a more comfortable climate Blackbeards and Aqua Cat Cruises offers affordable liveaboard options in the
Bahamas. If you are looking for all-inclusive amenities, Small Hope Bay Lodge, Andros Island, Bahamas will help you plan your vacation.
Native Vacations offers Manatee safaris and eco tours in Crystal River, Florida. Interacting with these very large and gentle marine mammals in
the natural environment is a fabulous experience not to be missed. There is great cavern and cave diving in this region and advanced certified
divers can explore most of the sites. Many dive sites are suitable for entry-level divers or training, such as King Springs, Rainbow River and
the crystal clear waters of Ginnie Springs. The weather is predictably good in this region of Florida. A beautiful private home on Kings Bay is
available for rent from Native Vacations. For those who can’t get away or are interested in researching a variety of travel and training options,
or for those individuals considering a new equipment purchase, Our World-Underwater, one of the worlds largest consumer diving show and
forums, will be held at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont Illinois, February 9th through the 11th. Midwest Scuba Diving
Magazine will be at the show in booth #924. Stop by, say hello and register for the free drawings we will be holding throughout weekend. We
are very excited about spending time with our subscribers and meeting new divers and old friends at the show! For those of you who can’t
travel, make it to Our World-Underwater, or don’t want to dive in 40-degree water early season, Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine has partnered
with WTTW Channel 11 Public Television to sponsor the Cousteau Series on HDTV throughout the month of January. You can sit in the warm
comfort of your living room, visit exotic dive sites and dream of future travel. Enjoy!
Dive safely,
Snapshot: Captain Darrick Lorenzen
Career Highlights: Captain Darrick Lorenzen has over 30 years experience as a recreational and commercial diver. He is a
graduate of Florida Institute of Technology with a degree in Underwater Technology. He was an instructor to commercial oilfield
divers in saturation; mixed gas and bell bounce techniques. Captain Darrick is a United States Merchant Marine Officer and
was awarded the U.S. Public Service Commendation for personal courage and selfless initiative.
Captain Darrick’s deepest dive was a 10-day saturation to 550-feet with a team of 6 divers. The mission focused on the repair
of a severed 8-inch gas pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico.
Captain Darrick is passionate about deep wreck diving, photography and the Great Lakes.
MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING WINTER 2006 WINTER 2006 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING

Back in 1970, when diving was beginning
to gain momentum in the Midwest, a few
professional divers got together and figured a
great way to get more individuals involved in
diving was to have a scuba show. A local school
gymnasium was picked for the event. It was
designed as a forum for anyone interested in
the underwater world. At this show, you could
learn about dive training, dive equipment and
dive travel. From a few booths and a couple of
hundred people, Our World-Underwater, has
grown to be one of the largest dive shows in
North America. Today the show averages 200
booths and over 15,000 divers and friends.
OW-U has grown to be “the place” to meet
and greet many famous people in the SCUBA
industry. From a small program in a local
school, the forum expanded to hotels and
convention centers in downtown Chicago.
OW-U now uses the Donald E. Stephens
Convention Center in Rosemont Illinois, just
a few minutes away from O’Hare airport. The
show has experienced tremendous growth over
the years. Some of this growth can be attributed
to the location in Rosemont. People attending
can fly in to O’Hare and take a shuttle bus to
the hotels surrounding the convention center.
Once you have checked in to your hotel you
can walk comfortably through temperature-
Over 200 booths from dive shops and
manufacturers to vacation destinations
controlled walkways to the convention center.
Cold weather is not a big factor.
Dive retailers, who attend the show, look
to address the needs of both new and
experienced scuba divers. Some call it the
three E’s, EXPERIENCE, EQUIPMENT and
EDUCATION. This is what all divers are
looking for. OW-U fills the three E’s in two
ways. (1) You will have a great experience
and visit with many people from great dive
destinations. (2) You can view the latest and
most innovative gear displayed by diving
equipment manufacturers attending the show.
You also have many Midwest dive centers
displaying their products and services. The
entire package is completed by training
agencies introducing you to their educational
programs, both recreational and technical. The
staff at Our World-Underwater likes to look at
their three E’s as EXCITEMENT- the weekend
is a blast. ENJOYMENT- what a pleasure it is
to mingle with so many good divers. And of
course ENTHUSIASM- we all get so excited
when visiting with the many resorts, dive
destinations, and liveaboard dive vessels.
Back 37 years ago the show was in the spring
and kicked off the summer diving season.
Today, with much advancement in equipment,
training and travel, people are diving year
round in many Midwestern states. The show
was moved to February to give attendees a “first
chance” opportunity see newly introduced
equipment, and also look at destinations for
their spring trips. Having the show in February
also allows local divers a chance to research or
plan training options for continuing education
held during the summer months.
OUR WORLD-
UNDERWATER
By Patrick Hammer
President
Our World-Underwater
and was funded for many years by the OW-
U show. As the Our World- Underwater
Scholarship Society grew and expanded to
others parts of the world, the convention
also grew. The two companies ultimately
had different directions and plans for the
future. It was decided to amicably separate
and help contribute to the growth of diving,
from two different directions. The separation
was an important event, allowing the Our
Representatives for all types of gear will
be at Our World-Underwater all weekend
World-Underwater Scholarship Society to
continue helping people obtain their dreams;
and Our World-Underwater, the consumer
dive and travel show, the chance to support
Midwestern divers and assist in the growth
of the dive community. OW-U now focuses
their efforts on the Midwest. The Tim Early
Foundation was formed by OW-U as a not for
profit corporation, enhancing Midwest aquatic
education and awareness. Tim, a very close
friend of the shows producers and a lover
of the underwater world passed away from
cancer, but before doing so he passed along a
lot of knowledge to many grateful Instructors.
Tim was a true lover of lakes and rivers in
the Midwest region; his favorite was Lake
Michigan. His passion for the underwater
world was radiating. As a way to raise money
for grants, aquatic programs and education,
Our World-Underwater continues to donate
to the Foundation and reviews grant request
monthly. OW-U believes that by supporting
this large and financially significant region
the dive community will flourish. As a direct
result the dive industry will grow. Funds for the
Foundation and the programs it supports are
raised at the show. It was the OW-U, through
the Tim Early Foundation, that raised the
$125,000 needed to sink the 200-foot vessel,
Straits of Mackinac. This is one of the best
dives in Lake Michigan off Chicago. Today
the Foundation assists in funding research and
education as well as local studies in Midwest
lakes and waterways.
Another great aspect of the show is the Our
World-Underwater Achievement Award.
The first was awarded back in 1971 to the
Cousteaus. Through the years many wonderful
individuals have earned the award, such as
Stan Waterman, Rick Freshee, Dr. Sylvia
Earle, Lloyd Bridges, Dan Orr, and many
others. This award is given out yearly to those
that go the extra distance to help the growth
of diving and educate others. Who knows one
day you may earn the award!
OW-U has grown from the support of local
divers, and dive stores. OW-U will always
strive to address the needs of the Midwestern
dive community. Since its inception volunteers
have organized the show. Without these
volunteers the show would not succeed. When
you’re at the convention center this year, if
you meet a volunteer, please thank them for
their great job. Heck, if you see them at the
bar offer them a drink! This kind act would
mean a lot.
The OW-U film festival and seminars attract
people from all over the World. No other
show offers so much with a weekend pass.
Many big names in diving got their start on
the stages of OW-U. The Friday and Saturday
night film festival attracts over one thousand
dive enthusiasts. Wait till we publish the
itinerary for this year! Saturday and Sunday
can be spent in the seminar rooms learning
about marine life and shipwrecks as well as
many other great topics. So plan to stay the
weekend. See you at the show!
w w w . n a t i v e v a c a t i o n s . c o m
MIDWEST EVENT
Be sure to pick up the free brochures.
A lot of the booths give away prizes all
weekend. Be sure to sign up!
Snapshot: Pat Hammer
Pat Hammer is owner of the Scuba
Emporium at 16336 S. 104 Ave.
Orland Park Illinois. He is a PADI
Course Director and has been in the
diving business since 1974.Pat can
be reached at 1-800-778-DIVE
Patrick@scubaemporium.com
www.scubaemporium.com
As the show became successful a Scholarship
was formed to help assist exceptional divers Be sure to visit Midwest Scuba
who wished to fulfill a dream. The Our World- Diving Magazine at booth #924.
Underwater Scholarship Society was formed We’ll be giving away prizes!
MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING WINTER 2006 WINTER 2006 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING
Public & Private Manatee Safaris,
Eco Tours, Sunset Cruises & More!
You choose the activity and we take
care of the arrangements
Private Rental Home Available
Crystal River, Florida

Common Ear
Injuries While
Diving
By Bruce Delphia
NOTE: No article can give you the same degree
of information as an experienced medical
practitioner. DAN recommends that a trained
medical practitioner examine individuals with
any ear discomfort as soon as possible after
the complaint develops.
What’s the most frequent diving injury:
Decompression illness? Jellyfish stings?
Backaches from lifting tanks?
It’s ear injuries, as you may have already
guessed. The most common injury divers
experience is some form of barotrauma to the
ear or sinuses. Barotrauma literally means
injury from pressure: baro (pressure) + trauma
(injury), and in this article we’ll concentrate
on ear injuries.
This type of injury can happen for a variety
of reasons, but generally it develops when the
pressure in the middle ear is not equal to the
pressure of the outside environment as the
diver descends in the water column. * Because
of the rapid relative gas volume change as the
diver descends at the beginning of the dive,
the first 14 feet (4.2 meters) of the descent is
where the ear is at most risk of injury.
*Barotrauma of ascent can also occur. It
happens when gases in the middle ear expand
with ascent, causing tissue damage similar
to barotrauma of descent. This malady is
less common, because, in all probability,
any blockage will usually be felt first upon
descent.
ANATOMY of the EAR
No discussion of any part of the human body
is complete without a working knowledge of
10 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING WINTER 2006
the anatomy of that part. The ear is made up
of three compartments: the external ear, the
middle ear and the inner ear.
The Auricle and the External Ear Canal
The auricle (pinna) is the first and most obvious
view of the ear: it’s what we generally refer to
as the ear, although it is just the outside section
of it. Funnel-shaped and mostly cartilage
covered by a thin layer of skin, it channels
sound (and water) into the ear.
Directly behind the tragus, the cartilaginous
prominence in front of the external opening
of the ear, the ear canal curves inwards
approximately 24 millimeters in the average
adult. The outer portion of the ear canal
contains the glands that produce earwax
(cerumen). The inner portion of the ear is
covered by thin, hairless skin. Pressure on this
area can cause pain.
The Middle Ear
The tympanic membrane (eardrum) is
located at the inner end of the ear canal and
separates the external ear from the middle
ear. The middle ear is an air-filled space that
contains the ossicles -- three tiny bones that
conduct sound. (Many of us learned them
as the hammer, anvil and stirrup: in medical
terminology they are the malleus, incus, and
stapes.
The eustachian tubes, one in each ear, connect
the middle ear and the back of the throat
(nasopharynx). They keep the middle ear
“equalized” by keeping the air pressure on both
sides of the eardrum the same. Because they
are surrounded by cartilaginous tissue they
don’t allow for expansion. Because of this, a
diver must equalize his or her ears by gently
“opening” the tubes — that is, by introducing
air through them and into the middle ear.
The Inner Ear
Separating the middle ear from the inner
ear is two of the thinnest membranes in the
human body, the round and oval windows.
These membranes embody one of the reasons
divers are taught to gently blow to equalize
their middle ears: damage to the round or
oval windows may cause a leakage of fluid
(perilymph) from the inner to the middle ear.
This can cause a ringing or roaring in the
ears, and even hearing loss. Window rupture
can also cause severe vertigo and vomiting,
a dangerous — even deadly — combination
when underwater.
COMMON EAR INJURIES
Associated With SCUBA DIVING
Otitis external (swimmers ear)
This is an inflammation of the external ear
caused by infection. Some people are prone
to developing this kind of infection, while
others have never had a brush with it. For the
unfortunate few, when the ear remains moist
from immersion in the water, this moisture,
coupled with the warmth of the body, creates
an inviting growth for many microorganisms,
especially opportunistic bacteria.
Barotitis Media
(middle ear barotrauma, MEB)
This is by far the most frequently reported injury
among divers. People with barotitis media
generally develop symptoms immediately
following the dive, but delays of up to one day
or longer have been reported. When the diver
descends, the pressure can cause injury to the
middle ear. This overpressure of the middle
ear can cause serious fluid and blood to leak
into the middle ear, partially or completely
filling it.
Signs & Symptoms: A feeling of fullness in the
ear may develop, like the feeling of fluid inside
the ear. Muffled hearing and hearing loss are
other indications of middle ear barotrauma.
On examination with an otoscope (a special
device medical personnel use when examining
the ear) fluid may appear behind the tympanic
membrane, causing it to bulge and appear red.
In other cases, the eardrum may be retracted, or
sunk in. Either condition warrants immediate
medical attention.
Treatment: First and foremost, stop diving.
Also, if you have signs of MEB, you must
consider altitude changes — as with flying
— a concern. See a medical practitioner. The
combination of drugs and time usually allows
this injury to heal in a few days, but cases have
lasted up to several months. If you have been
on decongestant therapy for seven days and
have experienced little or no relief, it’s time
to see your otolaryngologist, an ear, nose and
throat (ENT) specialist.
INTERNATIONAL
DIVE MAGAZINE
www.xray-mag.com
Otitis Media (middle ear infection)
This is not a diving malady, but may look
the same as middle ear barotrauma to a
medical practitioner not trained in dive
medicine. Because the treatments can vary,
it is important to determine whether an ear
problem immediately following a dive outing
is signaling a pressure-related injury rather
than an infection.
Inner Ear Barotrauma
This injury generally occurs when divers
attempt to forcefully equalize their ears. This
“hard” blowing over-pressurizes the middle
ear and can result in implosive or explosive
damage to the round and oval windows.
Signs & Symptoms: Vertigo, vomiting, hearing
loss, loud tinnitus (a ringing or roaring sound
in the ear).
Treatment: Place the injured diver in a sitting
head-up position. Get the injured diver to
medical help right away, preferably to someone
knowledgeable in diving medicine since inner
ear barotrauma may be difficult to distinguish
from inner-ear decompression sickness.
Tympanic Membrane (TM) Rupture
Barotraumatic injuries to the ear may result
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DIVING MEDICINE
in perforation or rupture of the tympanic
membrane. This may occur in as little as 7 feet
(2.1 meters) of water.
Signs & Symptoms: Generally there is pain and
bleeding from the ear. This may not always be
the case, as a number of divers experiencing
traumatic TM ruptures have reported no
pain at all. Hearing loss and tinnitus may be
present, but not always. A discharge from the
ear of commingled perilymph fluid and blood
may be a sign of TM rupture.
Treatment: Go to the nearest medical
practitioner immediately for an examination.
Do not re-enter the water if you suspect TM
rupture: water entering the middle ear cavity
may cause severe and violent vertigo. Do not
put any drops of any kind in your ear, and do
not attempt to equalize your middle ears.
External Ear Canal Superficial Vessel Rupture
This occurs more often in divers who wear
hoods. Occasionally, the overpressure may
rupture a blood vessel inside the external ear
canal, causing minor bleeding.
Signs & Symptoms: A minute trace of blood
trickling from the ear canal can signal this
injury. Later, injured divers may find drops of
blood on their pillows or bedclothes.
www.xray-mag.com
WINTER 2006 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING 11

DIVING MEDICINE
Treatment: In order to distinguish between
this injury and other, more severe injuries, you
need to stop diving and seek evaluation by a
medical practitioner.
Getting An Earful, or Summing It Up
Ear injuries are the most common injuries
to divers. Permanent hearing loss may result
from barotrauma to the ears. The likelihood
of injuries is reduced by preventive measures
such as:
• properly equalizing;
• never diving with a cold or other congestion;
and
• aborting your dive if you cannot clear your
ears.
Several types of ear injuries can occur when
you’re diving. A qualified medical practitioner
should examine all of these injuries. If in doubt
regarding the practitioner’s knowledge of
diving medicine, bring this article with you or
encourage your doctor to call DAN Medicine
at +1-919-684-2948 for a consult.
To determine just what type of injury you may
have incurred and to understand its severity,
it’s helpful to have an otoscopic examination
of your ear by a qualified medical practitioner
knowledgeable in diving and emergency
medicine. In remote areas of the world or on
board liveaboard dive vessels you may have
to wait a while until you can get medical help.
DAN’s advice is to encourage you to get to a
medical facility as soon as possible.
Good diving to you, and keep your ears dry.
Snapshot: Bruce Delphia
Bruce Delphia, B. Sc., NREMT,
DMT-A is a nationally registered
Paramedic with 26 years
experience in pre-hospital
emergency medicine. He is also
certified by the National Board of
Diving and Hyperbaric Medical
Technology as an Advanced Diver
Medical Technician Instructor.
At DAN, Delphia served for
three years as a Dive Medic and
currently as a staff specialist in
DAN’s Training department.
LONGMAN & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Congratulations to
Bruce and Sue Longman
on their retirement
after 30 years.
Thanks for your help!
DIVING
EBER WARD
The weather in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
is capricious. In a few hours the weather can
vary on the Straits of Mackinac from dead
calm to fierce waves building with western
winds. We were very fortunate to have calm
seas and brilliant sunshine on our dive to the
Eber Ward.
The steam-powered freighter Eber Ward sits
upright 5 miles due west of the Mackinac
Bridge. It sank in April 1909 after encountering
early spring ice floes that opened her bow. For
her time, the Ward’s sturdy wood hull is very
long at 226 feet with a beam of 37 feet.
It is easiest to dive the bow and stern separately
because of the length. It is however, possible
to penetrate the wreck and move her entire
length inside the hull. Many diving scenarios
can be accomplished in a single dive.
My friend Jim Montcalm and I have visited
the Ward many times before. It is one of our
favorite wrecks in the Straits of Mackinac
Underwater Preserve. Today we are diving
on air with double 100 HP’s. We are planning
a dive profile that takes us first to the 140-
foot bottom and then rises gently up the hull
to the deck. We will try to minimize any
decompression.
We moor first at the stern where we already
know the buoy is attached to the top of one of
the boilers. Entering the water and reaching 80
feet, we can see the deck of the stern coming
into focus. The remarkably level deck of the
Ward at 105 feet provides an excellent place
to pause and check our equipment. After we
look over our gear, we proceed to the rounded
stern, passing over the former location of the
deckhouse.
by Larry Sanders
we drop lower to visit an overturned lifeboat
lying on the starboard side to the rear of the
stern in about 140 feet of water. On some days,
it is obscured by poor visibility. Today, we can
easily see it. We cover the distance quickly
and hover above the small craft. The Ward had
2 lifeboats, one got clear as the Ward sank, but
the other was capsized and pulled under, as
a davit swung out and grabbed it. In the cold
April water, five men died of hypothermia
before the remaining lifeboat could reach
them.
Examining the lifeboat, we can see that it is
in an advanced stage of decay with the hull
collapsing downward. To the east of the
lifeboat is a china sink. Inside are eating
utensils divers have gathered over the years
and placed in it. Before Michigan’s preserve
laws, many other artifacts were removed from
Eber Ward’s bow
At the stern, we drop over about 10 feet.
Apparently, the hull blew out at this location,
as the Ward settled to the bottom. Below us
lies a large debris field. By shining light into
the stern opening, we can see debris scattered
about in a confused pile. Farther inside, we
can see the outline of the Ward’s steam engine.
Despite zebra mussels, the details are plainly
visible.
Eber Ward’s engine
We know the propeller and rudder lie
immediately below us. Before exploring them,
WINTER 2006 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING 13

SUNKEN TREASURES
SUNKEN TREASURES
Eber Ward’s propellar
this debris field.
In accordance with our plan, we begin to
ascend using the opportunity to survey more
details of the wreck. The very large propeller
leaves a gap large enough for us to swim
between it and the rudder. We can hear an
alarm - our computers telling us that we are
entering decompression. From this point, we
round the stern to her port side and can see
that the hull is virtually intact with no sign of
damage except at the stern. We also pass the
hull’s sealed side hatch openings that allowed
package cargo to be loaded from dockside.
At the deck, having risen to 105 feet, our
computers tell us that we have built up a
modest 4 minutes of deco time during our 20-
minute dive. Returning to the line at the boiler,
we ascend to our first stop. In a short time, we
are back on board our boat.
We spend a two-hour surface interval allowing
us to offgas, plan our next dive and move the
dive boat to the bow buoy. On this second dive
we want to stay above 120 feet and once again
minimize any decompression time. This is
much easier at the bow than at the stern. Most
of the interesting aspects of the bow can be
seen in a fairly compact area.
The seas have actually calmed down since our
first dive. Now, it is smooth as glass with no
surface current.
On dive two; we will make a brief penetration
of the bow to see some hand trucks and
wheelbarrows stored in the bow on the second
deck. Still lower lays another deck. Both decks
are accessible from 3 large deck hatches once
used to load cargo.
We enter the water and drop along the mooring
line to its terminus at the Samson post. Just
as at the stern, this ship’s hull and deck are
perfectly intact and lay almost exactly level
with the lake floor. A compass bearing shows
that the ship lies nearly north/south with the
bow facing south.
Approaching the deck we can see a pony
engine as well as a china toilet and bathtub
resting there. As a novelty, some divers pose
with these props for pictures.
From past dives, we know that the large hole
created by the ice is on the port side. Moving
over the rail to inspect it, the large “mushroom”
anchor comes into view still in its hawse pipe.
These anchors are not often seen on lake
steamers. They were used to provide a strong
hold on soft river bottom by offering a large
surface area combined with great weight.
Forward and below the anchor is a large hole
cut by ice allowing enough room for us to
enter. Our lights reveal an abundant number
of handles perhaps 4 feet tall rising from the
deck. These are the remains of hand trucks and
wheelbarrows used by the crew to load freight.
Inside the bow is also a capstan – an unusual
place to find one. Even without our lights, this
area is well lit by daylight entering the first of
three large hatch openings.
We begin rising to the main deck at 105 feet.
As we pass through the hatch, we can see the
unique power take off system once used to
drive loading equipment. This system, using
a long shaft and leather lined, horseshoe style
Ice damage to side of Eber Ward
brakes, is still intact running the length of the
ship just below her main deck.
Floating over the deck we can see the large
starboard-side wooden stock anchor resting in
its hawse pipe and the spare anchor on her deck.
Dominating the scene is a prominent capstan.
We can also see the portside passageway
probably used by the first mate to check for
flooding after the Ward struck ice. Beginning
our ascent, we are impressed by our view of
the Ward’s intact hull and deck. It looks like
she could sail again if only she could rise off
the bottom.
The focuses of our post dive debriefing are
the attractions we were unable to visit. We
didn’t inspect the bathtub off the port bow
resting on the bottom, and we never saw the
funnel lying on the starboard side. We didn’t
swim forward of the bow to look back at the
impressive, intact and panoramic bow with its
fatal wound. Most of all, we never penetrated
the hatch opening to the bottom deck to see
the electric light bulb still in its socket.
We reserve these explorations for our next
dives on this fabulous Midwest shipwreck, the
“Eber Ward”.
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SURVIVING CREW OF THE WARD FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
First Mate A. Gallino, Capt. Timese Lemay, Chief Engineer Frank Baldwin, 2nd Engineer
S. Shipman, Deckhand Augustus Palmer, Wheelsman Charles Lester, Steward
John Winterhaler and Wheelsman Frank Gutch. Not present was Mrs. Winterhaler,
the steward’s wife and cook.
GO ONLINE: Eber Ward Background Fact Sheet
Download online: http://www.midwestscubadiving.com/EberWard.pdf
It includes more historic photographs, registry & rig information, dimensions,
technical specifications, detailed history, and captain/crew member records.
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16 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING WINTER 2006 WINTER 2006 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING 17

DIVING SCIENCE
Nitrox: Air on the
Side of Caution
by RICHARD TALAGA PH.D
On a recent dive trip to Florida, a drift dive near
Palm Beach, the divemaster announced “This
will be a 30 minute dive for those diving on air
and a 40 minute dive for those of you diving
on Nitrox”. More and more divers are taking
certification courses to use Nitrox because,
among other benefits, it reduces nitrogen
exposure and allows divers to increase their
bottom time. So, what is Nitrox and what do
we need to know to use it safely? Instructors
report that students find some of the physics
concepts, as they are presented in Nitrox
courses, confusing. The goal of this article
is to clarify those concepts by presenting a
simple description of gas and gas pressure.
We’ll also work through some examples and
solve a few problems that Nitrox students
often encounter.
Nitrox is not just one type of gas. Rather,
it’s a family of gases composed of nitrogen
and oxygen. To extend bottom time, divers
use Nitrox blends with proportionately less
nitrogen and more oxygen than air. More
properly called Enriched Air Nitrox (EANx),
the proportion of oxygen and nitrogen is
custom-blended to fit a specific dive profile.
Most Nitrox gas mixes have 30% to 40%
oxygen. EAN 32, for example, is a Nitrox
gas with 32% oxygen and 68% nitrogen. Of
course the most common Nitrox gas with 21%
oxygen and 79% nitrogen is good old air.
If reducing nitrogen exposure is the goal,
why not remove all of the nitrogen and fill
the cylinder with pure oxygen? It turns out
that too much of a good thing is dangerous!
Overexposure to oxygen leads to a condition
known as oxygen toxicity, which can be
deadly. We can’t tolerate high concentrations
of oxygen in our system just as we can’t
tolerate high concentrations of nitrogen.
Oxygen toxicity is not an issue for divers if
they obey recreational diving limits. However,
Nitrox users are exposed to higher oxygen
concentrations and are trained to understand
oxygen exposure limits and to dive safely
within those limits.
The key to diving Nitrox safely is proper
planning to prevent overexposure to nitrogen
and oxygen. Divers with open water
certification already know how to use dive
tables, designed to prevent overexposure to
nitrogen when diving with air. Nitrox divers
also use dive tables that look like standard
air tables but that are specific to the nitrogen
fraction in their cylinder. Also, because the
oxygen fraction in EANx is greater than in air,
Nitrox divers must calculate their maximum
dive depth to keep oxygen exposure within
acceptable guidelines.
Nitrox calculations are easy but not necessarily
intuitive. If you have a picture of what’s
going on inside a gas container, the math will
make sense and calculations will be more
intuitive. Let’s get started by viewing gas
from a microscopic perspective: just a bunch
of molecules rattling around in a container.
It’s the molecules that are responsible for
gas pressure and different types of molecules
contribute their share to the total pressure.
That’s Dalton’s Law of partial pressure, which
we’ll use several times to illustrate Nitrox
calculations. Let’s enter the microscopic
world of gas molecules and have a look at
what’s going on.
Gas
A gas is a collection of molecules that are not
bound together. Because molecules aren’t
bound together they will quickly disperse
unless they are in some kind of container. In
some sense, molecules are like tiny ping-pong
balls. Imagine a bunch of ping-pong balls
rattling around in a lottery jar. If the glass
breaks, the ping-pong balls will fly out in all
directions, never to return. A gas has to be
kept inside something like a bottle, a balloon,
our lungs…you get the picture.
Air is a “mixed” gas composed of several
“pure” gases. Nitrogen and oxygen amount
to about 99% of air, followed by argon
(0.93%), carbon dioxide (0.038%) and other
trace gases. Since air is a mixed gas, its
molecules are not all alike. Techniques have
been developed to separate mixed gases into
their pure components, which can be packed
into cylinders for commercial use. Let’s look
at the main components of Nitrox: nitrogen
and oxygen. Nitrogen molecules are about
12% lighter than oxygen molecules and both
types of molecules are about the same size:
very small. An important difference between
oxygen and nitrogen is that their chemical
properties are different. Breathing pure
nitrogen won’t sustain life.
Nitrox contains mostly oxygen and nitrogen
molecules, along with trace amounts of other
types of molecules found in air. What are all
those molecules doing? They are moving
in random directions, with speeds averaging
close to a thousand miles per hour bouncing
off each other and off the walls of whatever
contains them. The hotter the gas, the faster
the molecular speeds. A gas is usually
characterized by its absolute temperature,
pressure and how much volume it occupies.
Temperature and volume are terms used by
people in every day life and need only a little
additional explanation, which we will get to a
bit later. Gas pressure, however, is a different
story.
Pressure
The pressure of a gas inside a container is
due to the constant barrage of molecules
bouncing off the container walls. There are so
many molecules hitting the walls at any time
that it doesn’t feel like the jerky pounding of
individual molecules. Instead, it feels like a
constant uniform force pushing outwards.
Molecules are distributed evenly throughout
the volume of the container, so that the
number of molecules bouncing off any square
inch patch of wall is the same as the number
of molecules bouncing off any other patch
on a different part of the wall. This constant
force per unit area is the gas pressure, often
expressed as the number of pounds per square
inch (psi). We conclude that gas pressure is
the same at all locations inside the cylinder.
Three factors affect gas pressure: the number
of molecules in the container, the container’s
volume and the gas temperature. Let’s see how
a change in any one of these factors changes
the pressure. Consider a rigid container,
like a SCUBA cylinder. If we add more gas
molecules into the container, the number of
molecules hitting the cylinder’s inner wall
increases, which raises the pressure. If the
volume does not change, the gas pressure is
proportional to the number of molecules in a
container.
Instead of adding more molecules, we could
heat the cylinder. Heating the cylinder also
heats the gas, so gas molecules have faster
speeds and hit the cylinder wall harder and
more frequently, thereby raising the pressure.
Cooling has the opposite effect and the
pressure is reduced. Gas pressure is directly
proportional to the absolute temperature.
This is known as Charles’ Law.
The third factor is volume. If we transfer all
of the gas molecules from a larger container to
a smaller container, the molecules now don’t
have to travel as far to bounce off a wall. They
hit the wall more frequently, thereby raising
the pressure. In addition, molecules are more
concentrated in the smaller volume, so there
are more molecules for every square inch
patch than before. This also has the effect
of raising the pressure. The end result: a
reduction of the volume causes an increase
of the pressure. Of course the converse
is also true: a bigger volume results in a
smaller pressure. In summary, gas pressure is
inversely proportional to the volume. This is
known as Boyle’s Law.
Gas Fraction, or FO2 and FN2
Since Nitrox comes in a variety of blends, you
have to know the exact percentage of oxygen
and nitrogen in the SCUBA cylinder you will
be using. Nitrox divers are required to measure
the oxygen content with an oxygen analyzer,
which displays fraction of oxygen, FO 2
as a
decimal fraction. For example, if the oxygen
fraction is 0.32, the cylinder contains EAN 32.
The fraction of nitrogen, FN 2
, contained in an
EAN 32 cylinder is equal to 0.68, since FO 2
+
FN 2
must equal 1.00. In other words, EAN 32
consists of 32% oxygen molecules and 68%
nitrogen molecules.
As Nitrox is used and cylinder pressure drops,
FO 2
and FN 2
do not change. Suppose that after
20 minutes of diving on EAN 32 your cylinder
pressure drops from 3,000 psi to 1,600 psi.
FO 2
is still equal to 0.32 and FN 2
is still
equal to 0.68. This should be obvious if you
think about diving with air. Your air cylinder
contains 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen
18 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING WINTER 2006

DIVING SCIENCE
DIVING SCIENCE
regardless of how much air you have used.
Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures
Two hundred years ago the great chemist
John Dalton championed the atomic theory
of matter, against stiff opposition. It wasn’t
until a hundred years later that Albert Einstein
attributed the seemingly random motion of
atmospheric dust particles to collisions with
molecules. Only then did the entire scientific
community finally accept the atomic theory of
matter. One of Dalton’s lasting contributions
is his law of partial pressures, which he derived
using the paradigm of his atomic theory.
Nowadays, Dalton’s law seems to be almost
self-evident. It states that the pressure of a
mixed gas, a gas composed of several types of
pure gases, is equal to the sum of the “partial
pressures” of all of the component gases. For
example, if the pressure of EAN 50 is 3,000
psi, what is the partial pressure of nitrogen and
oxygen? Since we have been told the gas is
EAN 50, this means the oxygen fraction is 0.50
and the nitrogen fraction is 0.50. Dalton’s law
states that Partial Pressure = Gas Fraction x
Total Pressure, so the Nitrogen partial pressure
PN2 = 0.50 x 3,000 psi, or 1,500 psi. What’s
the partial pressure of oxygen? The correct
answer is 1,500 psi because there are as many
oxygen molecules as nitrogen molecules and
each type of molecule contributes the same
amount to the total pressure.
Note that each molecule imparts the same
average force to the wall of a container as
any other molecule, regardless of the type of
molecule it is. As long as there are an equal
number of nitrogen and oxygen molecules
the partial pressure of oxygen and nitrogen is
the same, regardless of their different masses.
Partial pressure depends on the number of
molecules of each component gas and on
nothing else.
Oxygen and Nitrogen in the Lungs
It’s finally time to calculate the amounts
of oxygen and nitrogen we breathe. This
depends on (1) the gas mixture in the SCUBA
cylinder and (2) the pressure of the inhaled
gas. We have already concluded that for a
given volume, in this case a person’s lung
capacity, the absolute gas pressure is directly
proportional to the amount of gas he has in his
lungs. We will use gas pressure as a measure
of the number of gas molecules contained in
the lungs. At sea level, absolute pressure in
the lungs is equal to atmospheric air pressure,
1 ATA. How much oxygen is in his lungs?
Remembering that the fraction of oxygen in
air is 21%, we use Dalton’s law to answer this
question:
PO2 = 0.21 x 1 ATA = 0.21 ATA.
There is 0.21 ATA of oxygen in his lungs. A
similar calculation shows that there is 0.79
ATA of nitrogen in his lungs.
If we don SCUBA gear and dive with air to
a depth of 99 fsw, the air we breathe has a
pressure of 4 ATA and it stands to reason that
the partial pressure of oxygen and nitrogen
will be multiplied by 4, resulting in 0.84 ATA
of oxygen and 3.16 ATA of nitrogen.
Here is how the calculation is done. To
determine the partial pressure of oxygen
(PO 2
), multiply FO 2
by the absolute ambient
pressure at depth, P. For our example
PO2 = 0.21 x 4 ATA = 0.84 ATA.
The same procedure applies to determining
nitrogen partial pressure: PN 2
= FN 2
x P, so
PN 2
= 0.79 x 4 ATA = 3.16 ATA of nitrogen.
The oxygen and nitrogen we breathe at 4 ATA
are highly concentrated. Think of drinking
concentrated orange juice right out of the
can without diluting it with water. Well, we
are doing something like that with the air we
breathe under water. The body can deal with
some amount of concentration, but it has its
limits.
Now consider Nitrox, which is designed to
reduce the nitrogen concentration at depth.
The price we pay, however, is to increase the
oxygen concentration, which can be tolerated
only up to a point. Let’s calculate oxygen and
nitrogen concentrations for Nitrox, as we did
for air. The procedure is exactly the same. A
cylinder of EAN 40 breathed at the surface has
PO 2
= 0.40 and PN 2
= 0.60. Notice that there is
almost twice the number of oxygen molecules
in your lungs as compared to air. In terms of
oxygen exposure, breathing EAN 40 at 1 ATA
is like breathing air at 2 ATA.
Now let’s dive on EAN 40 to 99 fsw, where
ambient pressure is 4 ATA. Partial pressure of
oxygen is 0.40 x 4 ATA= 1.60 ATA. According
to NOAA standards 1 , 1.6 ATA is the maximum
allowed exposure to oxygen and a diver must
limit dive time to less than 45 minutes to
stay within allowed exposure limits. Diving
deeper than 99 fsw on EAN 40 is not permitted
because of the risk of oxygen toxicity!
Maximum Operating Depth
Due to the increased risk of oxygen toxicity,
divers must be aware of their maximum
operating depth (MOD) when using Nitrox.
We have just seen that the maximum operating
depth for EAN 40 is 99 fsw, or 4 ATA. The
MOD for EAN 32 is greater (you can dive
deeper) because EAN 32 has a smaller oxygen
fraction than EAN 40. As an example, let’s
calculate the MOD for EAN 32. The first step
is to calculate what the total gas pressure is
when oxygen partial pressure is 1.6 ATA. The
second step is to relate the gas pressure to the
maximum operating depth.
Step one: determine the total gas pressure P
for EAN 32 if the oxygen partial pressure is
1.6 ATA. Using Dalton’s law
1.6 ATA = 0.32 x P
Following the rules of algebra, we can re-write
this equation
P = 1.6/0.32 ATA or P = 5 ATA
after doing the division.
Step two: how much seawater depth
corresponds to 5 ATA? We know that the
pressure at sea level is 1 ATA and every
additional 33 fsw increases the pressure by
one additional ATA. The pressure at 33 fsw
is 2 ATA, at 66 fsw it is 3 ATA, at 99 fsw is
4 ATA and at 132 fsw the pressure is 5 ATA.
Therefore the MOD for EAN 32 is 132 fsw.
The maximum oxygen partial pressure limit of
1.6 ATA is a NOAA standard. Some divers
choose to use more conservative oxygen
pressure limits, such as 1.5 or 1.4 ATA. The
MOD determined by using those limits will
give larger safety factors. To illustrate this,
let’s calculate the MOD for EAN 32 with a
maximum oxygen partial pressure limit of 1.5
ATA using the two-step process. Step one:
1.5 ATA = 0.32 x P.
Re-write this equation:
P=1.5/0.32 ATA or P= 4.7 ATA.
Step two: 4.7 ATA is between depths of 132
fsw (5 ATA) and 99 fsw (4ATA). We have to
figure out how much additional water depth
beyond 99 fsw it takes to increase pressure by
0.7 ATA. One way to do this is to multiply
0.7 x 33 fsw to get 23.1 fsw and then to add
23.1 fsw to 99 fsw to get 122.1 fsw. Rounding
down, 122 fsw is the maximum operating
depth for EAN 32 with the more conservative
limit of 1.5ATA. This is 10 fsw shallower than
the NOAA limit.
By the way, what is the greatest depth we are
allowed to breathe pure compressed oxygen
safely? Using the NOAA limit of 1.6 ATA
for 45 minutes exposure and PO2 =1.0, use
Dalton’s law: 1.6 ATA = 1.0 x P. Solving for P,
we get P = 1.6 ATA. This pressure corresponds
to about 20 fsw, so the maximum allowable
depth for breathing pure pressurized oxygen is
20 fsw for a time period less than 45 minutes.
Nitrogen and the Dive Tables
Finally we get to the best part of using Nitrox,
which is to extend bottom time. Divers
accustomed to diving with air know to limit
their exposures to nitrogen by limiting dive
times in accordance with well-established
dive tables and dive computer algorithms. It
turns out that air dive tables can also be used
for diving with Nitrox by simply substituting
a calculated “equivalent air depth” (EAD)
for the actual depth. For example, if a diver
uses EAN 32 the nitrogen concentration in his
lungs at 99 fsw (4ATA) is
PN2 = 0.68 x 4 ATA, or 2.72 ATA.
If this diver were using air instead of EAN 32
he would experience the same partial pressure
of nitrogen (2.72 ATA) at a depth of only 81
fsw where the water pressure is 3.44 ATA. To
verify this, use Dalton’s law with FN2 = 0.79
for air:
PN2 = 0.79 x 3.44 ATA = 2.72 ATA.
This means that a diver’s nitrogen partial
pressure at 99 fsw using EAN 32 is the same
as if he were using air at 81 fsw. He could
use standard air dive tables to determine the
Nitrox dive plan using an equivalent air depth
of 81 fsw. (Since dive tables usually have
increments of 10 feet and his EAD is 81 fsw
for a 99-fsw-dive profile, he could use 80 fsw
as his EAD to plan the dive if he keeps his
actual dive profile shallower than 98 fsw).
Instead of using EAD with standard dive tables,
Nitrox divers also have available to them a
set of EAN dive tables and, of course, dive
computers with programmable FO 2
values.
Most of the calculations we have performed
here can be done with pencil and paper or with
a simple calculator. But remember, it’s always
important to double-check your calculations!
Then enjoy the diving.
References
1. Enriched Air Nitrox Diver; 5th edition
IANTD manual pg 6, by Dick Rutkowski
(1997)
Snapshot: R. Talaga Ph.D
Richard Talaga has a Ph.D in
physics from the University of
Chicago and is a Physist at the
Argonne National laboratory High
Energy Physics Division. Richard is
a NAUI Advanced Open Water Diver,
IANTD Nitrox diver, and is certified
in Extended Range Recreational
Diving through PSAI.
Captain Dale Bennett
Will take you Diving on
Lake Michigan or Teach You How!
Charters and Training Info:
P: 847.640.8113 C: 847.431.8113
www.captaindales.com
Novice to
Technical to
Tri-Mix

Bruce and Sue Longman
Midwest Scuba Sales Representatives
Bruce learned to dive at the Park Ridge, Illinois YMCA under the watchful
eyes of the Triton Scuba Club in the fall of 1961. He did his checkout
dives with Joe Strykowski at Racine Quarry in May of 1962. For several
years following certification there were hundreds of dives in the local
lakes and quarries, including several summers of diving in the Hayward,
Wisconsin area lakes.
Having begun a family in 1964, Sue quickly became a diver’s widow
until the kids were a little older and she was able to take the scuba
class at the Des Plaines, Illinois YMCA. Bruce was introduced to Great
Lakes shipwreck diving in 1965 with a dive on a 5 masted schooner, the
David Dows, which sank off Chicago. During that time a local Chicago
dive shop owner located the wreck of the side-wheeler Niagara off Port
Washington, Wisconsin. The Triton Dive Club were the first divers he
allowed to dive it. This became the driving force for Bruce to purchase
the first of many boats and dive more distant shipwrecks.
In the fall of 1974, Bruce answered an ad in the Chicago Tribune from
a California dive company looking for Midwest representation. What
began as part time representation in 1975 became full time in 1977,
with incorporation in 1991. He traveled 10 upper Midwest states calling
on dive stores. Sue held down the office while taking care of their two
daughters. From 1981 through the late 1990’s, Sue traveled 5 of their
10 Midwestern states calling on clients. Her travels were an incentive
to return and dive the shipwrecks at Isle Royale in Lake Superior. Sue’s
first dive there was in 1977. Bruce and Sue have made ten trips to
the Island to photograph, document, and video the most impressive
collection of freshwater shipwrecks in North America.
Bruce, along with several other Triton Dive Club members, became
some of the first PADI instructors in 1970. Bruce is PADI instructor
# 999. As the sales rep business grew, it became apparent that he
could not teach locally on a regular basis and still cover his Midwest
territory of authorized dealers. Consequently, he developed a program
with PADI co-founder Ralph Erickson to establish the PADI Emeritus
Instructor program, and Bruce holds the first issued Emeritus Instructor
certificate issued in 1980.
In 1995, Bruce was recognized for his dedication to the dive industry
and was inducted into the SSI Platinum Pro 5000 diver program,
joining hundreds of others who have made significant contributions to
the sport of diving.
In the photo above, Bruce and Sue receive the Our World-Underwater
Award in 2002 for “Those who have significantly contributed to the dive
industry or Our World-Underwater.”
Longman & Associates is known among Midwest dive retailers as a
dedicated sales organization. The well being, success and profitability
of their authorized dealers was foremost in Longman & Associates
business practices. Without successful retailers teaching, and selling
quality equipment, the sport of diving and the industry will not survive.
Over the years, Bruce & Sue developed solid and trusting relationships
with hundreds of their customers. The Longman’s straightforward line
of communication and honest sales presentations assured authorized
dealers of their belief, in not only the products they sold and the
companies they represented, but also the retailers they served.
It is with mixed emotions that Bruce & Sue leave the industry that has
been the focus of their lives for more than 30 years. They hope that
whoever follows in their tracks will carry on the dedication, honesty
and loyalty to the Midwest retailers that made their business so very
successful.
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