great white shark adventure - Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine

COMPLIMENTARY
www.midwestscubadiving.com
Fall 2007
GREAT WHITE
SHARK ADVENTURE

VOL . 2 NO. 3
8 GREAT WHITE SHARK ADVENTURE
By Nan E. Temple Talaga
12
12 REVERSE DIVE PROFILES
By Dan Orr, DAN President and
Chief Executive Officer
16 SUNKEN TREASURES
Dredge No. 6
By Captain Dale Bennett
20 MARTIN STEPANEK AND
NIKI RODERICK
Champion Freedivers Speak
Out About Ocean Conservation
By Suzannah Evans
22 DESTINATION
Puerto Rico
Story by Michele Jarvey
Photos by Carlos-Miguel Cruz
22
30 SAFETY STOP
Dick Hecht
A Midwest Diver You Should Know
8
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, Magazine Designer & Webmaster
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.
2738 E. 2000 North Rd
Kankakee, IL 60901
815.939.7797
tina@haighquarry.com
www.HaighQuarry.com
Events
December
6th
Underwater Christmas Tree Trim
Location: Scuba Emporium
Contact: Harold Bach
Phone: 1-800-778-DIVE
Email: info@scubaemporium.com
Website: www.scubaemporium.com
January
13th
3rd Annual International Underwater
Photo/Video Contest Deadline
More than $50,000 in prizes will
be awarded to photographers and
videographers around the world.
Deadline for submissions is Jan. 13,
2008. Winners will be announced at
the 2008 Our World Underwater Film
Festival.
Location: Rosemont, Illinois
Email: contest@divephotoguide.com
February
15-17th
Our World Underwater
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!
Location: Donald E. Stephens
Convention Center, Rosemont, IL
Phone: 708.226.1614
Email: info@ourworldunderwater.com
Website: www.ourworldunderwater.com
23rd
Into the Past 2008 - the Twin Cites
Shipwreck Scuba Show
Location: Mounds View, MN
Contact: Steve Daniel
Email: sdaniel@glsps.org
Website: www.glsps.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.
FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING

COMMENTARY
Our World Underwater is being held at the Donald E.
Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, February
15th thru the 17th. Booths for exhibitors are still available.
Detailed information about the show can be found at www.
ourworldunderwater.com. Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine
will once again attend OW-U, occupying corner booth #121.
We will have “FREE” raffles for a Blackbeard’s Cruise,
Freestyle watches, subscriptions to Midwest Scuba Diving
Magazine and certificates for wreck diving adventures aboard
Captain Dale’s boat the M/V Enterprise. Many readers have
contacted us requesting old copies of the magazine. If you are
missing a back issue of our publication come by our booth
and we will have it for you. We enjoy it when you stop by,
say hello and give us your comments and suggestions. OW-U
gives us a chance to catch up with old “buddies” and make
some new friends. See you at the show!
Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine and our interactive website
community has become the primary source for information
concerning Great Lakes Shipwrecks. We are the only diving
publication that has created and maintains an interactive
forum for divers. We welcome your participation in the
MSD forums at www.midwestscubadiving.com. Website
Captain Darrick with Hal Watts and Stan Waterman at OW-U 2007
traffic has substantially increased over the past year. Some popular and controversial threads in 2007 have included “Bonne Terre Mines” and “The Sorry
State of Recreational Dive Training.” We have just completed a two-year research study, which indicates that every three months 4% of all dive centers
close their doors to the general public. That is a 16% failure rate per year. For every 4 shops that close only 1 new shop opens. This means that there is net
negative growth of 12% per year. In the last 5 years more than 50% of all dive shops in the Midwest region are no longer in business. This may make the
existing shops stronger, but diversity, which benefits the recreational diver, no longer exists. Once again MSD needs to point out that the business model
accepted by the dive industry is not working. Employees and representatives of the diving industry are only trying to justify their existence and their salaries
by following the pack and perpetuating archaic business practices. Don’t let any aggressive industry representatives dictate your business plan. Research
proves the representative is most likely wrong. You must think outside the box to survive. You must be creative. Dive shops and resorts can only increase
their sales by cost effective marketing. If they don’t advertise they will close! Over the last two years Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine has reinvested 100%
of its ad revenue into our cutting edge publication and website striving to provide low cost options for advertisers. We wish to passionately promote the
sport that we love. Many of our advertisers have indicated that a great deal of business is generated from banner ad links on our site. Website banner ad links
offer a very affordable advertising venue for operators on a limited budget who want maximum exposure. Banner ads cost only $720 for a full year! A dive
center only has to generate two students from this ad type, over 12 months, to receive a 100% return on their investment. You are unable to get this type of
annual return on any other investment vehicle. Some cooperative programs that we have implemented make advertising “FREE” for qualified operators.
Every shop or resort should call to discuss these options. For advertising information contact Captain Darrick Lorenzen at 773-732-8972 or captdarrick@
midwestscubadiving.com.
Our Magazine has grown in size by 30% in the past year. We have increased the number of features in our publication to include five articles and
“Backscatter” which is a photographic forum using reader submissions. We are the only diving publication printing on 100# glossy stock. Diving is one of the
few mediums left that lends itself well to print publication. Diving is about beautiful images. Beautiful images should be printed on quality paper stock not
newsprint. MSD now distributes in 12 states reaching approximately 50% of the U.S. population. We maintain marketing agreements and sponsorships with
NAUI, DAN, Channel 11 WTTW Public Television and X-ray Online Magazine. Over the next 24 months, MSD is going to focus on developing a national
following among the diving community. MSD intends to expand our influence to include the major market areas of New York, Florida and California. We
have recently employed a sales staff in Los Angeles, California. MSD is going to have a more controversial presence in print and on our website. We are
immediately implementing two additional features called “Shark Attack” and “ Diving Fatality.” There is a lot of interest in sharks (just look at the success of
Shark Week on the Discovery Channel). MSD will publish news reports on “Diving Fatalities” with the intention of informing and educating the recreational
dive community about the safety issues causing the fatal accidents. Let us know what you think.
Snapshot: Captain Darrick Lorenzen
Dive safely,
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.
BBAC Midwest Scuba 1-3 Pg Ad 5/22/07 1:19 PM Page 1
Freeport,
Grand Bahama
Departures
$
899 per week
Play... Explore... Learn...
$
899 per week
Twice the Fun... Half the Cost!
Pirate’s Lady, Sea Explorer, and Morning Star
leave from Freeport, Grand Bahama, sailing
the crystal waters of the Bahamas on
weekly dive cruise adventures.
1-800-327-9600
www.blackbeard-cruises.com • sales@blackbeard-cruises.com
102 Feet of liveaboard luxury... leaving weekly from
Nassau to the unspoiled reefs and islands of the
Exumas. Diving, snorkeling, sea-kayaking,
fishing, birding, beaching...
Live a dream on your own yacht.
1-800-327-9600
www.aquacatcruises.com • sales@aquacatcruises.com
PADI Certification
Nitrox Certification
Rescue Diver Certifiction
Night Diving
Wreck Diving
Cavern and Cave Instruction
Search & Recovery
Dry Suit & MORE
Most of our training is done
at the Mermet Springs
underwater training facility
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Contact Ed Pavey
573-778-DIVE
MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007 FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING

GREAT WHITE SHARK ADVENTURE
When Richard and I got married in October
of 2000 we never dreamed that we’d be
celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary in the
cold waters of the Pacific peering through the
bars of a shark cage at the silent and hauntingly
beautiful form of a great white shark.
It all came about when we joined an Incredible
Adventures’ trip to the Farallon Island Marine
Sanctuary aboard the sixty-five foot vessel
Tamalpais based in Tiburon, a picturesque
bay side town just a few miles north of San
Francisco. In the fall months, from September
through mid-November, great white sharks
congregate in the waters off the Farallones
attracted by the seals, sea lions and their
favorite food source, baby elephant seals that
are there in abundance at this time of year.
We arrived at the dock at 5:30 a.m. where Greg
Barron of Incredible Adventures, Inc. and dive
instructor Francesca Koe greeted us warmly.
The friendly and efficient crew quickly sized
us up for wetsuits and made sure that all the
gear we’d need for a dip in the cold Pacific
was brought aboard. We joined the other
Great White Shark
Adventure
passengers in the spacious and comfortable
main cabin where we were encouraged to help
ourselves to a delicious array of coffee cakes,
muffins, bagels, fruit and beverages.
After a brief orientation to the boat and
safety procedures, we were free to roam the
Tamalpais on our own and enjoyed exploring
the two decks where there was plenty of inside
and outside viewing and lounging space.
By 6:00 a.m. we were underway, motoring
through the dark morning fog toward the
Golden Gate and the open ocean. As we
passed under the bridge we all looked up and
were awed by the beauty of the soft diffused
lights flickering against the massive vertical
support structures which rose from the black
water and disappeared into a misty shroud.
The trip out to the islands took about two and a
half hours. Peter Winch, the highly informed
naturalist on board, generously answered
questions and shared interesting information
about the natural history of the place we were
about to visit. Along the way we slowed down
By Nan E. Temple Talaga
to watch humpback whales spouting and
surfacing nearby, and we saw seals leaping
happily along on their own journeys.
When we arrived at the Farallones, we
circumnavigated the jagged, ruggedly beautiful
islands textured by cormorants, murres, gulls
and other birds along with the velvety brown
log-like forms of hundreds of sea lions lying
in repose along the sea cliff walls. The fishy
smell of guano was nothing, we were told,
compared to the overpowering odor of the
spring bird breeding season when practically
every square inch of the islands are covered
with nesting birds and the researchers must
wear rain ponchos and hard hats to protect
themselves.
We anchored on the south, leeward side of the
island near Saddle Rock. The shark cage, which
can accommodate eight divers and is said to be
the world’s largest, was quickly lowered into
the water and secured along the port side. The
top of the cage was at the surface while the
bottom reached down to a depth of about eight
feet. Decoys made from carpeting, resembled
baby elephant seals, and were placed in the
water suspended by lines. They bobbed on the
surface of the water, designed to attract their
most formidable predators, the great white
sharks. Chumming (or baiting) the water with
real bait is not allowed in the Farallones in an
effort to keep the natural ecosystem intact.
While there is a good likelihood of seeing
white sharks at this time of year, at least on
the surface, it was explained to us that there
is no guarantee that you will see one. After
all, this is a wild, natural environment and the
sharks are free to do as they please.
People prepared to enter the shark cage were
quickly trained to use the hookah system
for breathing underwater through regulators
attached to long hoses through which
compressed air is pumped from onboard. The
crew assisted each diver into the cage and
constantly supervised. Divers could enter
and exit the shark cage whenever they wanted
throughout the day. Hot chocolate and soup
along with plenty of good food were provided
to warm up chilly bodies. Fresh towels were
plentiful.
In the afternoon, while Richard and I were
donning our wetsuits preparing for our first
entry into the cage, we heard someone scream
“Shark! Shark! Shark!” When I looked out
a port side window there was a flurry of bird
activity about a hundred yards or more away
from the boat, and I spotted two black fins
breaking through the surface in the midst
of a swath of water that was bright red with
blood. Eyewitnesses told us that a great white
had just breached the surface with a seal in its
jaws, followed by an explosive balloon of red
blood bursting into the air.
The captain carefully maneuvered the
Tamalpais closer to the attack area and set
the anchor. Richard and I, along with two
members of a news crew from Fresno and
another diver from New York, went into the
shark cage for the first time. I was wearing a
7mm wetsuit with an attached hood and heavy
gloves and boots. The water felt coldest on my
head and feet, and I found myself breathing
hard for the first few minutes until I became
accustomed to the cold and the water in my
suit had a chance to warm up a bit. At first we
saw only water, which was fairly clear with
about 30 to 40 feet of visibility. Large round
white moon jellies drifted by, clearly visible
against the green blue color of the seawater.
The thirty pounds of weight I was wearing
had made me negatively buoyant, and I found
myself bouncing on my tiptoes against the
bottom of the cage as it moved with the waves
in the water. Richard was next to me looking
over the side of the cage toward the bottom
when he suddenly held his hand against his
forehead in a signal indicating shark. By the
time I looked far enough down in the direction
he had pointed there was nothing. I continued
scanning the area in front and beneath the cage
when I saw Richard pointing down again.
This time I saw the shark. It was there, big
and slightly on its side so that you could see
the light white underbelly and the dark back
meeting along the side of its massive body as
it gently moved from left to right just about 15
to 20 feet below us. Its mouth was closed and
it looked completely at ease and in control.
And then it was gone. We waited for a while
but it never came back. I guess it had seen
enough of us.
Our shark sighting was the only one from the
cage that day. There were only four of us
who happened to see it. The fifth person in
the cage, who so desperately wanted to see a
shark, missed it and was deeply disappointed.
Had I not seen the shark that day, I don’t think
I would have minded. I got to see a wild place
where humans don’t really belong and felt the
power of the natural forces that exist there.
But there was something in that moment when
I saw the white shark and he saw me, too that
will live in me forever.
We left the Farallones at about 2:30 heading
back for harbor. The smell of freshly baked
chocolate chip cookies wafted through the main
cabin followed by the third excellent meal of
the day. The time passed quickly as Richard
and I stood on the bow of the Tamalpais full
of energy and the experience of our beautiful
day, a fitting celebration of seven wonderful
years of married life. We talked easily with
other passengers who shared the day’s voyage
and when we looked back we saw a margin
of shimmering golden light along the horizon
CD’s
7
Pool & Scuba
We offer basic training through
advanced certifications and are
the best full service dive shop in
Northern Indiana. We have great
prices on all gear.
Call today for our
specials!
Phone: 574-295-7300
23672 Old US 20
Elkhart, IN 46516
MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007 FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING

GREAT WHITE SHARK ADVENTURE
where the clouds had lifted just above the
silhouetted profile of the Farallones. As we
approached the Golden Gate there were just
four of us standing on the bow watching the
fog work its magic on the cityscape. Four
little people momentarily bonded by a shared
experience with a solitary great white shark.
Snapshot:
Nan E. Temple Talaga
After graduating from the University
of Washington with a degree
in anthropology, Nan studied
photography and briefly worked as
a freelance writer and photographer
in Washington State. She later
became certified in elementary
education and worked as a teacher
for almost 20 years in the U.S. and
abroad. Seven years ago, Nan
moved to the Chicago area where
she and her husband, Richard,
signed up for scuba diving lessons
which has led them to one adventure
after another.
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
STEVE BROWN
Midwest sales representative for the
below product lines and supporter of
the development and introduction of
Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine. The
product lines he represents can be
found in Professional Dive Centers
throughout the Midwest.
563.940.1030 - Dealer inquiries only
Our World-Underwater 2008
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL
February 15-17, 2008
Weekend at a Glance
Friday – February 15, 2008
In-Depth Workshops 8:00am –5:00pm
Exhibition Hall 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Film Festival 8:30pm – 10:00pm
Saturday – February 16, 2008
In-Depth Workshops 8:00am – 5:00pm
Exhibition Hall 9:00am – 6:00pm
Seminars 9:00am – 5:00pm
Film Festival 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Sunday – February 17, 2008
In-Depth Workshops 8:00am – 4:00pm
Exhibition Hall 9:00am – 4:00pm
Seminars 9:00am – 4:00pm
Learn more at www.ourworldunderwater.com
Over 200 booths!
Meet John Chatterton and Richie
Kohler from Deep Sea Detectives
and Shadow Divers!
Contest prizes given away at
booths every day!
Book Signings Try Scuba in the Pool Visit Team Scuba Nascar Bid on Silent Auction items

Reverse
Dive Profiles
By Dan Orr, DAN
President and
Chief Executive Officer
The ‘Well-Known Facts’
DAN Discusses Repetitive
Diving and the Twist On
Reverse Dive Profiles
On a recent dive trip, I overheard two divers talking about
planning their second dive for the day. The first dive was a
spectacular drift dive over a gently sloping wall in the warm,
clear waters of the Caribbean. The divers had chosen to remain
shallower than the rest of the group in order to photograph a pair
of turtles doing their best to keep the local turtle population from
becoming endangered.
While moving to the next location, the divemaster announced that
the second dive would take place at a similar location. Since their
attention was focused elsewhere on the first dive, they wanted
to see and enjoy the wall on the upcoming dive. This, however,
created a dilemma. They had been taught, as most divers have,
that the deepest dive always had to be made first. As one of the
divers put it, “It is a well-known fact that you are likely to get
bent if you don’t make the deepest dive first.”
This well-known fact seems logical. A shallower second dive
would appear to be a form of decompression following a
relatively deep dive. This traditional wisdom was challenged in
October 1999, when a workshop* funded by AAUS (American
Academy of Underwater Sciences), DAN, DEMA (Diving
Equipment and Marketing Association), Dive Training magazine
and the Smithsonian was held at the Smithsonian Institution to
specifically address the issue of reverse dive profiles. Those
present at the workshop represented the recreational, military,
and research communities. The findings were as follows:
• Historically, neither the U.S. Navy nor the commercial sector
has prohibited reverse dive profiles.
• Reverse dive profiles are being performed in recreational,
scientific, commercial and military diving.
• The prohibition of reverse dive profiles by recreational
training organizations cannot be traced to any definite
diving experience that indicates an increased risk of DCS
(decompression sickness).
• No convincing evidence was presented that reverse dive
profiles within the no-decompression limits lead to a
measurable increase in the risk of DCS.
After reviewing and discussing all the evidence presented, these
representatives of the diving industry came to the following
conclusion:
“We find no reason for the diving communities to prohibit reverse
dive profiles for no-decompression dives less that 40 msw / 130
fsw and depth differentials less than 12 msw / 40 fsw.”
In the final analysis, however, it is up to you and your buddy to
plan your dive in a manner that suits your objectives and gives
you the greatest level of confidence that the risk of injury will be
minimal.
Remember, dive tables or dive computers have no supernatural
ability to protect you from injury due to DCS. I’ve heard Karl
Huggins, co-inventor of the EDGE, the first electronic dive
computer, say many times that there is no talisman, electronic or
otherwise, that creates a magical shield that protects divers from
DCS.
Dive tables and computers are tools, not unlike your regulator or
DIVING MEDICINE
buoyancy compensation device. They are based on mathematical
models, founded in theory, and designed to emulate body tissues,
but those tools cannot take into account the wide range of body
and tissue types, nor factors such as cold, fatigue and exertion,
that may change the diver’s susceptibility during a dive. Diving
researchers do not completely understand the exact mechanisms
of injury in regards to DCS. Even when divers use tables or
computers correctly, there is always a risk of DCS.
Divers can take the following steps to reduce the risk of DCS:
• Dive conservatively. Don’t push the limits. Many experts
believe that the closer one comes to the U.S. Navy nodecompression
limits, the greater the risk of DCS.
• Avoid minimum surface intervals. Surface intervals allow
offgassing of residual nitrogen. Increasing your surface
interval will reduce your nitrogen load and offer greater
benefit to the slower tissue compartments.
• Make slow ascents and make safety stops. Research has
shown that slow ascents and safety stops help to reduce
the size and quantity of gas bubbles in circulation. Many
researchers believe there is a relationship between gas bubbles
in circulation and the likelihood of DCS symptoms.
• Manage additional risks. If the risks change during the dive,
it may be wise for the diver to reduce bottom time or increase
the safety stop or both.
• Avoid cold and dehydration. By being properly hydrated
and using appropriate exposure protection, you can help
decrease DCS risks. Dehydration and cold may actually
increase risk of DCS by affecting the body’s blood flow,
which influences nitrogen exchange through respiration.
• Maintain a high level of personal fitness. Exercise tolerance
is essential to safe diving. Exhaustion may significantly
increase risk.
When it comes to your well-being and the safety of your diving
partner, don’t take anything for granted. Well-known facts, once
thought to be absolute, are regularly being challenged.
Some of these “well-known facts” have been with us for quite
some time, but I wouldn’t stake my life on them.
* Vann RD, Denoble PJ, Pollock NW. Reverse Dives And
Project Dive Exploration. Reverse Dive Profiles Workshop;
1999 Oct 29-30 2000; 1999: 181-187.
Snapshot: Dan Orr
Dan Orr has been diving for 40-plus years and has held
membership and leadership positions in many notable
diving organizations such as NAUI, PADI, ACUC, YMCA,
NASE, IAND, UHMS, NACD, AUAS, the Institute of Diving
and the Explorers Club. He is the recipient of numerous
awards such as AUAS’s NOGI Award for Sports/
Education, NAUI’s Leonard Greenstone Award for Diving
Safety, the Our World-Underwater Award and Beneath
the Sea’s Diver of the Year. He was named Chairman of
the Board of the Historical Diving Society for 2004 and
currently serves on the DEMA board of directors.

Voted #1 Scuba Training Agency in the Midwest.
“The safest and most comprehensive
curriculum of any training agency”.
Sports Marketing Research 2005
Public & Private Manatee Safaris,
Eco Tours, Sunset Cruises & More!
You choose the activity and we take
care of the arrangements
773.732.8972
www.divemaxscuba.com
EXPLORE
A WHOLE NEW WORLD
w w w . n a t i v e v a c a t i o n s . c o m
Private Rental Home Available
Crystal River, Florida
Specializing in Sales, Service, Trips & Instruction
Open Water Classes start every six weeks.
PADI Specialty Classes start weekly
15% OFF
New
Equipment
Purchase
over $100
With SAVE coupon only.
Expires 063006.
Upcoming Trips
* Bahamas Liveaboard
* Cozumel
* Florida Keys
* Cayman Brac
In-house service on Full-Face AGA Masks and
most manufacturers – Fast turnaround
Visit or Call DJ’s for in-store package specials
Public Safety Divers – Call for select pricing on
equipment, classes & service. Ask about our
Public Safety Maintenance Program
Looking to lose a few pounds???
Ask about our special weight loss program!
For monthly specials, trip & store information,
visit us on the web at www.djscuba.com
Tower Plaza
7840 Ogden Ave #9
Lyons, IL 60534
708-442-4388
SHERWOOD & TUSA SALE!
All in-stock Sherwood and Tusa dive gear is 30% OFF while
supplied last! That means Regulators starting at $224.00,
BCs starting at $262.50, Dive Computers starting at $315
and Masks starting at $45.50!
ALL 30% OFF while supplies last!
UPCOMING CLASSES
Basic Scuba: Classes start every other weekend.
Local Open: Water training starts end of May!
Advanced: Do your class now, do your dives locally or on a trip.
Nitrox: Classes every 1st Saturday of month from 8am to 2pm, or
Monday & Wednesday evening at the end of the month.
Rescue: Completed in one weekend!
Solo Diver: Classroom, Pool & Open Water.
Master Diver: Prerequisite-Advanced Diver or concurrently with
Advanced Diver. Ship Wreck Survey & Penetration.
The Illinois Institute of Diving
438 Roosevelt Rd, Glen Ellyn, IL
1-800-HOW-TO-DIVE - 630-469-3483
www.800howdive.com - diving@800howdive.com
FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING 15

Rediscovering
Dredge No. 6
By Captain Dale Bennett
incredible story of the sinking of No. 6 Dredge
would be told.
One October day in 2001, Bud Selvick
with his daughter, Lorraine, made a trip to
Milwaukee to revisit the memory of the night
Dredge No. 6 sank. They met Jerry Guyer
and Dave Manchester and reclaimed the
watch Bud’s father lost forty-five years earlier
when a proud vessel and nine men went to the
bottom of the lake. Captain Ed Selvick has
since passed away, but his watch will help
keep his memory alive for future generations
of the Selvick family. Bud and his father had
lived through that night and Bud’s memory of
the incident was as clear as if it had happened
yesterday.
On a Wednesday morning in June of 2000 the
dive charter boat, Len-Der, made its way southsouthwest
from Milwaukee harbor toward a
popular dive site. Captain Jerry Guyer, the
owner, was at the helm as the boat made the
hour-long trip to the wreck then known as
“Dredge 906.” Among the divers on board
were Dave Manchester and Roy Garland.
Dave and Roy were planning to assist Jerry by
replacing the lost mooring line on the wreck,
but what they were about to discover would
open the door to a whole new understanding
of this shipwreck.
This dredge has always been popular with
divers because of its unique configuration. It
is a steel barge with a large house containing
a boiler and machinery for the steam shovel.
It rests upside-down on its spuds in seventyfive
feet of water. “Spuds” are massive steel
columns that can be lowered to the lake floor
to anchor the barge in position while it is
engaged in dredging operations. When in
the retracted position, they normally stick up
into the air. The wreck is suspended above
the bottom on its retracted spuds almost like a
table on legs. The steam shovel with its arm,
boom, wheels, cable and winches is splayed
out over the bottom.
On this day, Dave and Roy tied the new
mooring line to one of the retracted spuds and
then swam down over the edge of the upturned
barge to investigate the crane arm and shovel
which rests on the bottom, off of the bow, to
the north. In the wreckage of the dredging
equipment Roy spied something shiny. He
couldn’t reach it but he pointed it out to Dave.
At first he could not reach it, but after a couple
of tries, Dave was able to maneuver himself
down through the wreckage and reach into
where the treasure rested in a tangled nest of
twisted metal. He retrieved the object and
brushed it off. It turned out to be a gold watch.
Thinking that it may have been dropped by
another diver, he put it in his pocket. It was
not until everyone was back on the deck of
Len-Der that he discovered the inscription on
the back of the watch, “To Ed Selvick, from
Dredge No. 6.”
The watch was proof that the shipwreck
everyone had been calling “Dredge 906” was
actually named “Dredge No. 6.” So how is
it that “Dredge No. 6” came to be known as
“Dredge 906”? Every shipwreck list and article
we have found has published the wrong name.
The story we have heard is that when the Coast
Guard received the initial radio call about the
sinking, they thought they heard, “nine oh six”
when what was spoken over the radio was,
“number six.” “906” was substituted for “No.
6”. We now know, without a doubt, that “No.
6” is the correct name for this wreck. The
watch also puts a very real and personal face
on the disaster witnessed by this wreck.
The Selvick family name is a familiar one
to those involved in Great Lakes shipping.
Jerry remembered that there were Selvicks,
and perhaps an Ed Selvick, living in the
Sturgeon Bay area. All agreed that it would be
appropriate to look up the owner of the watch
and return it to him if possible. It would not be
until October of the next year, however, that
the watch would be returned and the rest of the
On Thursday, May 22nd, 1956 No. 6 Dredge,
owned by Fitzsimmons & Connell Dredge &
Dock Co. of Chicago, was operating off of Oak
Creek, Wisconsin. A new Wisconsin Electric
coal-fired power plant had recently come
on-line, and they had been hired to dredge
out the harbor so that coal deliveries could
be made by water. It was the usual practice
for the crew to live on the vessel, around the
clock, until the job was completed. There was
space aboard for more than twenty-five men
and a cook, but on this day, there were only
19 people on board. The barge was under the
command of Captain Ed Selvick. His son,
Ed junior, also known as Bud, and seventeen
others completed the crew.
The weather, Thursday, was becoming
progressively worse. The harbor at Oak Creek
is unprotected by breakwaters so the barge
was taking the full force of the storm. Late
in the day, it became obvious that she was
in trouble, and the decision was made to tow
the barge to the safety of Milwaukee Harbor.
The Tug, E. James Fusik, began towing the
110-foot barge northward. The weather was
quickly deteriorating. Soon there were fifty
knot winds and the waves rose to fifteen feet.
By 2:00 AM on May 23rd, they had made it to
within seven miles of the breakwater entrance,
about halfway. Waves were washing over the
decks and the equipment rooms were filling
with water. The pumps were not keeping up
with Lake Michigan’s onslaught and the boiler
was in danger of exploding. The barge began
to list badly to one side. The crewmen, many
of whom had been asleep in their bunks, were
ordered to don their lifejackets and report
on deck. Suddenly, a cable which secured
the shovel boom parted with a bang. Eighty
thousand pounds of dredging equipment
was violently thrown over to one side. The
equipment kept moving and the rest of the
barge followed. As the vessel rolled over
and sank, the crew leapt into the frigid spring
water. It all happened in just a few seconds.
The tug’s crew quickly threw off the tow lines
and turned their boat around to try to save the
men in the water. They were able to pick up
ten survivors and three bodies. Four more
bodies were found the next day; two were
never recovered.
Almost from the day she sank, Dredge No.
6 has been a popular destination for Lake
Michigan divers, and even more so in recent
years, since the visibility of the lake has
increased dramatically with the introduction of
exotic species of filter feeders, such as zebra
mussels. The sheer size of the shovel and
crane is awe-inspiring. The shovel itself looks
as if it is big enough to pick up a Volkswagen.
The deck areas around the perimeter of the
barge are easily explored by experienced
divers. For divers with advanced training in
penetration, the equipment and boiler rooms
are very interesting, though a little disorienting.
Because everything is upside-down, ladders
that once descended into the lower levels of
the engine room and boiler room areas now
extend upward into these spaces. Smaller
tool rooms and coal bunkers, complete with
coal, can be found along the sides. These
areas can also be explored, but can be rather
16 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007

SUNKEN TREASURES
tight fits. There are many entanglement hazards. Cables, chains,
and random pieces of metal stick out, seemingly just waiting to
grab the unwary diver. The visibility is usually quite good, but a
careless kick will raise clouds of silt that may take hours to clear or
settle out. Divers who venture into these areas should remember
that, in order to get out, they must descend before they can exit
and then ascend to the surface. Proper decompression planning,
gas planning, and line handling are essential for safe penetration
of Dredge No. 6.
Snapshot:
Captain Dale Bennett
Captain Dale Bennett is co-owner of the M/V
Enterprise and holds a 100 ton US Merchant Marine
master’s license. He has been diving Lake Michigan
shipwrecks since 1973. He is a TDI Instructor Trainer
and specializes in Advanced Wreck Diving and Mixed
Gas technical training. Captain Dale can be reached at
847.640.8113
dale@captaindales.com
www.captaindales.com
Dave Manchester on the M/V Enterprise
Featuiring Warm Water Pools
Scuba Emporium Alsip
12003 S. Cicero Ave.
Alsip, IL 60803
708-389-9410
Scuba Emporium Orland Park
16336 S. 104th Ave.
Orland Park, IL 60467
708-226-1614
1-800-778-DIVE
info@scubaemporium.com
See the Reefs &
Wrecks of Fort
Lauderdale
Scuba Emporium Florida
4678 North University Dr
Lauderhill, Fl 33351
954-572-2642
info@ScubaEmporiumFL.com
Looking for a Great Career? Warm Water Pools
Become a PADI Instructor Excellent Service
Superb Products
We have over 15 PADI IDC'
Outstanding
s for 2007
Stores
NEW
LOCATION
START IN ILLINOIS, FINISH IN FLORIDA!
Daily dive trips & 2 on weekends
Or take the full course in Illinois, Florida,
No one will offer you more!
St. Lucia, Jamaica or Arizona.
We specialize in Private and Customized Private IDC's Charters Available
and other course schedules on our 40’ dive boat
HAMMERTIME!
See the Reefs & Wrecks of Fort Lauderdale
No one will offer you more!
Daily dive trips & two on weekend's
Private Charters Available
HAMMERTIME CHARTERS
40 ft. dive boat
www.scubaemporium.com
START IN ILLINOIS, FINISH IN FLORIDA!
Or take the full course in Illinois, Florida, St. Lucia, Jamaica or Arizona.
We specialize in Private and Customized IDC’s and other course schedules
Looking for a Great Career?
Become a PADI Instructor
Scuba Emporium Alsip
12003 S. Cicero Ave.
Alsip, IL 60803
708-389-9410
www.scubaemporium.com
Scuba Emporium Orland Park
16336 S. 104th Ave.
Orland Park, IL 60467
708-226-1614 or 1-800-778-DIVE
info@scubaemporium.com
Scuba Emporium Florida
4678 North University Dr.
Lauderhill, FL 33351
954-572-2642
info@scubaemporiumFL.com

Champion Freedivers Speak Out
About Ocean Conservation
By Suzannah Evans
In Europe, the town of Náchod is about as
landlocked as you can get. Nestled in the Sudetes
mountain range in the Czech Republic,
near the Polish border, Náchod doesn’t seem
the likely hometown of a world champion
diver.
By the time he was a small child, however,
Martin Štěpánek had taken to the water. The
son of a competitive swimmer, Štěpánek saw
his first divers at the local pool when he was
seven years old. Impressed by their bulky
equipment, and the way they crawled along
the pool bottom, he knew he wanted to learn
to dive.
Now, at 30, Štěpánek has broken several
world records in freediving, an increasingly
popular sport around the world. Freediving,
or breath hold diving, is exactly what it
sounds like: divers go underwater without
the aid of any breathing equipment, relying
only on their lungs and wits to return them
to the surface. A variety of disciplines have
developed for competition, including diving
using a sled, diving with fins or a monofin,
and swimming for distance with and without
fins.
Štěpánek broke his first world record in 2001
in the discipline known as static apnea, holding
his breath for 8 minutes and 6 seconds.
Since then he’s excelled at diving hundreds
of feet with fins and carrying weight, a type
of competition known as constant ballast.
It was his desire to break the constant ballast
world record that took him to Dahar, Egypt
last summer. There, he would take on his
biggest challenge – and face his greatest
disappointment.
When he joined the scuba club in Náchod,
Štěpánek was the youngest of the boys. The
others grabbed the government-issued scuba
equipment before he could, and so Štěpánek
often found himself diving sans tank in the
pools, lakes, and quarries the club used for
practice. His favorite sport in the swim club
had been the 50-meter sprint, completed
underwater, and so he had a preternaturally
good breath-holding ability. Soon, this would
grow into the ability to equalize the pressure
in his ears without using his hands to close
his nose, key to diving great depths using the
breaststroke.
Keen with interest in nature, he studied
forestry engineering in school. “Probably if
I lived in a country with the ocean, I would
have studied oceanography,” Štěpánek
said. “Forest was the thing that we had at
the time.” He later got a degree in exercise
physiology in Prague. It wasn’t until he broke
the static apnea record that he pursued diving
as a professional career. Now located in Fort
Lauderdale, Štěpánek instructs free diving in
addition to training for competitions.
“I enjoy scuba diving as well, don’t get me
wrong,” Štěpánek said. “I find a lot more
freedom in freediving. To me, it’s the purest
way of connecting with the ocean because
you don’t wear any extra equipment that
separates you from the environment. Therefore
the experience you’re having out of it is
much more pure and more intense.”
That connection with the environment has led
Štěpánek to join the growing conservation
movement. In his travels around the world,
he has noticed a steady decline in marine life.
Even in his local Florida reef, he no longer
sees snapper and grouper.
“The locations that I’ve been diving ten years
ago and diving them now, they’re not the
same,” he said. “There’s so many less fish,
and the coral reef looks totally different. It’s
heartbreaking, literally.”
Štěpánek and Niki Roderick, his student and
diving partner, joined up with Oceana, the
world’s largest international oceans advocacy
group, as they were both gearing up for world
record attempts in Egypt. Štěpánek planned
to set a new constant ballast record, while
Roderick aimed to break the women’s variable
weight record by diving 403 feet while
being pulled feet first by a weighted sled.
From the start, however, their trip to the Red
Sea was plagued. Airport authorities hassled
the teammates over their diving equipment.
Roderick came down with the Egyptian flu,
and windy weather – unusual in the normally
calm Red Sea, which is why it’s a favorite
diving spot – prevented Štěpánek from training
for his world record attempt.
While Štěpánek has trained himself from his
youth to read his body, and to know its limits,
free diving has – not inaccurately – earned
a reputation as a dangerous sport. In 2002,
Audrey Mestre died during a world record attempt.
An investigation concluded that many
factors, including an unusually windy day,
led to her death. And, in early 2007, five-time
world champion Loic Leferme died when a
cable jammed on his ascent from a world-record
dive.
For amateur divers, perhaps the greatest
danger is shallow water blackout, a loss of
consciousness caused by a lack of oxygen
to the brain. Štěpánek says he doesn’t worry
about the dangers personally.
“If somebody is dumb enough to go out and
free dive by himself, hyperventilates and
stuff like that, yes, it can be dangerous and I
would call it the same as Russian roulette,”
Štěpánek said. “But if you go out there with
someone trained in the proper safety and
under supervision, it’s a pretty safe sport.”
Persistently choppy waters forced Štěpánek’s
team to move to a protected section of the
Red Sea known as the Blue Hole, an old underwater
cave that had lost its ceiling somewhere
along the way. At 300 feet, the Blue
Hole was not deep enough for Roderick’s
world record attempt, so it was scrapped;
Štěpánek had to alter his goal from a constant
ballast with fins record to constant ballast
without fins, a shorter distance to cover.
Incredibly, despite the change in plans and
the switch away from his favored discipline,
Štěpánek bested the world record, 269 feet,
by three feet. When he resurfaced, he was
exhilarated.
“I felt awesome, I felt great, because the
whole preparation and the challenges we
ran into, they were physically but also very
psychologically demanding,” he said. “I
felt crushed that I could not do what I came
there to do, and try to do this quick attempt
in something I wasn’t really prepared for.
And actually achieving that at the end and
squeezing every little last piece of oxygen
and energy out of me to complete the dive, it
just felt amazing.”
But the euphoria was not to last. Six weeks
MARTIN STEPANEK AND NIKI RODERICK
later, the International Association for the
Development of Freediving decided not to
recognize Štěpánek’s world record. A judges’
error in recording the event led to its invalidation.
Štěpánek is disappointed, but not defeated.
He still holds the world record in free immersion,
where the diver pulls himself along a
rope during the dive. Next year, he will dive
for the Czech Republic at the world championships,
and take another stab at the constant
ballast with fins record.
What he’d like more than anything is to get
more people in the water, learning the art of
freediving. The intimacy it provides divers
is one way to help preserve the oceans for
future generations – an environmentalist’s
bent that Štěpánek has had since he studied
forestry in the Czech Republic.
“Get people in the water and see what’s happening
– that’s what’s going to make them
think,” he said. “The reason [conservation is]
not happening in the past with our oceans is
that people don’t see it. The fish is far from
them. They only see it in a supermarket. So I
think this would help quite a bit, make people
realize, that it’s the time to do something.”
Snapshot: Suzannah Evans
Suzannah Evans is the editor for
Oceana. She prefers to stay on land.
20 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007

Destination Puerto Rico
Story by Michele Jarvey
Photos by Carlos-Miguel Cruz
About Puerto Rico:
The main island of Puerto Rico is approximately
100 miles long and 30 miles wide. It is a US
Territory; therefore the currency is the US
dollar, and a passport is not needed to travel
between the United States and Puerto Rico.
The main population is Latino and African
American with a scatter of transplants from
around the world including many snowbirds
and surfers wintering in tropical Puerto Rico.
Spanish is the predominate language although
most Puerto Ricans are fluent in English.
Recreational activities in Puerto Rico include
an abundance of spectacular beaches offering
swimming, snorkeling, world-class surfing,
and wind surfing. Along with phenomenal
scuba diving, the island also has many natural
and man-made attractions including whale
watching, fishing, sailing, hiking, horseback
riding, water parks, museums and theaters.
Diving Season:
Diving in Puerto Rico can be enjoyed year
round although optimal visibility and weather
predictability is March through May, and
again late September through mid-November.
In March through May the waves that draw
surfers from around the world are rare, the
rainy season has not started, and the water is
still cool enough that plankton and algae are
minimal. From late September through mid-
November the breaking waves are mostly
non-existent, the water is starting to cool off,
and the torrential downpours of the rainy
season and hurricane season are over so,
again, the visibility and weather predictability
is very favorable for the best possible diving
conditions.
The water temperature on the Caribbean side
of the island is 75° in the winter months to 84°
in the summer months. Visibility varies by
dive sight and the time of year so it can range
from 30 ft to over 200ft.
Generally the further you
get from the main island,
the better the visibility.
(River runoff from the
mountains tends to cloud
the visibility in the costal
waters.) Most of the dive
operations provide onboard
rinse tanks, fresh
drinking water, soft
drinks, snacks and lunch.
Dive charters generally
depart before 9:00 AM
and return no later than
2:00 PM to avoid the frequent afternoon rain
showers. Other than the wall diving at La
Parguera, most dives have an average depth
of 60 ft or less. Because of the numerous dive
sites to choose from, you will rarely see more
than one dive boat at a dive location.
The decompression chamber at the Hyperbaric
Medical Facility in San Juan is the largest in
Latin America and one of the best in the world:
787-281-2794/2797.
What You Can Expect to See Diving:
Puerto Rico is home to Caribbean diving at
its finest and on a clear day it seems like you
literally can see forever. The majority of the
dive sites are on the west end of the island
which ironically is the same general area that
hosts the annual surfboard competitions.
You will see many species of fish including
Banded Butterflyfish, French Angelfish,
Grey Angelfish, Blue Tang, Littlehead Porgy,
Doctorfish, Sand Diver, Red and Bluestriped
Lizardfish, Spotted Drum, Flounders,
Trumpetfish, Trunkfish, Queen Triggerfish,
Puffers, several varieties of Parrotfish,
Groupers, Damselfish, Grunts, Gobys,
Blennys, and many more.
The Spotted Moray is the most common eel
in this section of the Caribbean although local
divers have reported other eels. Nurse and Tiger
Sharks are abundant; however an occasional
Bull and Hammerhead have been reported.
The Southern Stingray and the Spotted Eagle
Ray inhabit this general area and occasionally
Bottlenosed Dauphins will follow boats to
the dive sites playing in the wake. The most
common Turtle is the Hawksbills, but Green
Turtles, Loggerheads and occasionally the
Leatherbacks are spotted.
Divers will be intrigued by the many varieties
of soft and hard corral, which remain
unmolested by humans and mostly unaffected
by hurricane activity. Although spear fishing
is legal several months of the year, the fish,
lobster, and crab population seems virtually
endless in Puerto Rican waters.
Preferred Dive Sites:
Desecheo Island is located off the western tip
of the main island and is about a 40 minute boat
ride (land access is not permitted). There are
several buoyed dive sites at Desecheo marking
various points of interest. One of the favorite
sites is Fan City, which is literally filled with
sea fans and soft coral. The Aquarium is loaded
with so many fish you really do feel like you
Wheel are inside a huge aquarium. Yellow Reef has
an awesome pinnacle to swim around and also
is the deepest (approximately 100 ft) moored
sight at Desecheo. Las Cuevas has some novice
caves and swim-throughs to explore and you
may see a Nurse Shark nestled in one of them.
Tiger Sharks are common around Desecheo
and occasionally a Hammerhead is spotted.
Culebra Island (7 miles long and 3 miles wide)
is located approximately 17 miles (1-2 hour
ferry ride) from the east end of the main island
of Puerto Rico and has some of the most
notorious diving with visibility comparable
only to Mona Island. Complementing the
fantastic visibility; sea fans and soft corals are
in pristine condition. Several dive sites have
guaranteed sightings of stingrays, huge lobster,
and crabs. It is not unusual to see turtles during
the dive or en-route to the dive destinations.
One of the dive sites has an amazing pinnacle
that if conditions are optimal you can dive all
the way around it through sea whips, soft and
hard corals, sponges, and many varieties of sea
life. Nurse and Tiger Sharks have been spotted
at several dive sites, but the best experience of
Culebra diving is the feeling you get of being
in a giant, well-populated aquarium. Culebra
also offers many beautiful beaches; three of
which are closed during the nesting season of
the Hawksbills and Green Sea Turtles. (Private
tours are available.)
La Parguera Wall is located on the Southwestern
side of Puerto Rico. It is a 22 mile wall with a
depth range of 30 ft to over 2000 ft. This is a
great wall dive and one of
the best places if you are
interested in deep diving,
but it usually has limited
visibility, which can be as
poor as 30 ft on an average
day. On the shallower
sections of the wall you
will see many varieties
of fish, some very large
lobster and even larger
crabs. It’s a fun dive and a
very short boat ride.
Mona Island is located
50 miles west of Puerto
Rico or an approximate 5 hour crossing on
open seas. Most charter services will schedule
trips to Mona only in the spring and summer
months because of the unpredictable seas
during other seasons. Mona is a mere 3 miles
wide and 4 miles long and other than diving,
offers snorkeling, fishing, and hiking. Mona
has no hotel facilities but does offer rustic
camping and limited bathroom facilities.
(No electricity or running water.) A permit
from the Department of Natural Resources
is needed which most charter services will
acquire for you. Mona takes preplanning and
a long boat ride on open water but the diving
is well worth the effort. The exceptional water
visibility (usually 200 ft), outstanding reef
condition, and abundant sea life make the trip
to Mona Island very attractive.
Other Attractions:
The East end (San Juan and vicinity) is the
more populated and modernized portion of

DESTINATION PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico with many historical and natural
surroundings to offer.
Touring the authentic Spanish forts of Old San
Juan which date back to the early 1500’s gives
a humbling and historic insight to Puerto Rico
and allows visitors a glimpse of the turmoil
she was forced to go through to maintain her
freedom. El Morro is a six level fort with
140 ft of walls surrounding her, some as thick
as 15 feet. El Morro has a gray, castellated
lighthouse, which still functions today. San
Cristobal fort covers 27 acres with 150 ft of
walls enclosing moats, booby-trapped bridges,
and tunnels. When you succumb to the
protection of the fort’s massive stone walls you
will tend to forget you are near the progressive
city life of San Juan and will soon become
mesmerized with the charm and character
of Old San Juan. Walking the cobblestone
streets designed during the horse and buggy
era visitors admire the historic architecture,
cultural specialty shops, cathedrals, the local
pubs, and the indoor/outdoor venue offered in
the unique dining establishments.
It is this end of the island that is home to the
phenomenal El Yunque rainforest nestled in the
enchanted Luquillo Mountains. The El Yunque
trails are host to many breathtaking sights
including the unforgettable view from the Mt.
Britton Lookout Tower; the La Coca waterfall
that has an 85 ft drop with a natural wading/
swimming pool to cool off in. There are many
rare species of trees; some 1,000 years old,
and several hundred varieties of exotic plant
life including flowers encompassing every
spectrum of the rainbow. The highest point
is on the El Toror trail at 3,533 ft. Of the 13
official/maintained trails, some are paved and
provide easy passage however other trails are
unpaved and muddy, therefore, recommended
for those more adventurous hikers.
In the south central region of the island in a
community called Coamo are the Natural Hot
Mineral Baths. Several major hotel chains
have tried to purchase the springs, but the
island of Puerto Rico refused to sell, choosing
to keep the Baths free and open to the general
public. The Baths are legend to be medicinal
comprising of healing powers for many
ailments.
Cabo Rojo Lighthouse is in the southwestern
area of Puerto Rico and sits at the edge of a
200 ft cliff. The half moon shaped beach is
called La Playuela. This is a very rustic setting
so bring everything you need with you. The
view from the lighthouse is an awesome sight
surpassed only by the spectacular view from
the adjacent cliffs. The swimming and hiking
are great in this area, and the water is usually
crystal clear. The water is extremely salty at
this beach and leaves your skin feeling soft
and refreshed.
In the northwestern region of Puerto Rico are
the famous Camuy Caves. This is a guided
tour, which includes a trolley ride to the
sinkhole cave entrance. The beauty of the
limestone formations and spectacular stalactite
and stalagmite formations is enhanced by the
magnitude of the Caves. The underwater river
that flows through the caves into uncharted
territory rises and falls with the rains,
hurricanes, and volcanic activity.
In the northwestern section of Puerto Rico
the Bosque de Guajataca State Forest
covers approximately 2,286 acres and has
some excellent hiking trails, which are well
maintained but can be muddy and slippery
during the rainy season. This is a self-guided
tour, but the visitor’s station provides maps,
which outline the trails and points of interest.
If you plan to explore the beautiful stalactites
and stalagmite formations in the rustic El
Viento Cave, bring a flashlight and try not to
disturb the bats, they will not hurt you, but if
you have fruit or open food in your backpack,
they may fly around close to your head.
Not far from the Guajataca Forest is the
Gozalandia waterfall. The falls are a little
challenging to find, but when you get there you
will not be disappointed. Once at the entrance
it is a short but “adventurous” hike into the
falls. You can swim in the fresh water and try
your luck at rock climbing into the falls. There
are no facilities here, but I would not bring
anything that did not fit in a backpack, thus,
keeping your hands free. If it starts to rain, I
recommend heading back to your car because
the trail can become quite muddy.
On the western peak of Puerto Rico, Rincon
marks the dividing point of the calmer
Caribbean Sea and the more violent North
Atlantic Ocean. It is at this point (Maria’s
Beach/Rincon Lighthouse vicinity) that the
annual surfing competitions are held. The
Surf Season in Puerto Rico is mid-November
through March, but the prime season is
December through February.
Unobtrusive whale watching can be done from
the observation park at the Rincon Lighthouse,
but several charter operations do offer Whale
Watching cruises in the afternoon. Humpback
whales can be seen from late December through
March, but the peak Whale Watching season
is February. Local surfers, divers, and boaters
are accustomed to sharing the waterways with
these magnificent creatures.
The author wishes to extend the deepest
gratitude to Captain “Miami” Dave Offermann,
Captain Greg Carson, and Taino Divers of
Rincon, for answering my seemingly endless
questions without complaint.
Snapshot:
Michele Jarvey and
Carlos-Miguel Cruz
Michele Jarvey is a PADI Rescue
Diver and free lance writer who
produces health and diving related
brochures, newsletters, newspaper,
and magazine articles.
Contact Michele at
mmjarvey@gmail.com
Carlos-Miguel Cruz is a Dive
Instructor who owns and operates
Parcela en la bahia Estudios, an
independent photography business.
Along with still photos Carlos has
produced footage for fish farm
studies and documentaries.
Contact Carlos at
parcelaestudios@sprintpcs.com
Ultimately the Best!
We provide our clients with the Ultimate
in service, quality, and value. We personally
inspect every resort property and dive operation
in all 22 countries that we represent. We
are committed to providing our clients with an
honest, first-hand description of any location
of interest. We are the only dive-dedicated
travel wholesaler in the Midwest. Let our
team go overboard to provide you with the...
ULTIMATE DIVE VACATION!
Popular destinations include:
Caribbean Central & South America
Micronesia South/Southeast Asia
South Pacific Australia
1-800-737-DIVE (3483)
www.ultimatedivetravel.com
udive@ultimatedivetravel.com
1814 Harcourt Dr., Woodridge, IL 60517
INTERNATIONAL
DIVE MAGAZINE
www.xray-mag.com
Fun 2 Dive SCUBA
MANATEE SNORKELING
Small Classes
Full Day Tours
2 Charter Boats
THE FIRST & ONLY MULTI-NATIONAL DIVE MAGAZINE — WORLDWIDE SINCE 2004
Read by divers in over 80 countries and produced by dive editors on four continents
X-RAY MAG truly spans the globe, bringing you dive news from Siberia to Patagonia.
Dive Travel ▪ News ▪ Equipment ▪ Profiles
Science ▪ Dive Med ▪ Books ▪ Adventure
Underwater Photography ▪ Conservation
Marine Ecology ▪ Tech ▪ Wrecks & more!
X-RAY MAG is a full-format eco-friendly
bi-monthly digital magazine distributed
via the Internet to your email box in pdf
format — printing is optional, saving trees
Scuba Training
Rebreather Training
Referral Diver Training
Locations throughout Florida!
Visit us on the web: www.fun2dive.com
1-888-588-DIVE
3 - 4 - 8 - 3
www.xray-mag.com
25 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007

“BACKSCATTER”
Photo of green moray taken on a night dive in Belize, Hol Chan Marine
reserve by Dave “Redwood” Russell.
Scott Rexroat, Stacy Ward and Oscar Chico.
Photo of coral formation taken in Cypress Gardens, Belize by Dave
“Redwood” Russell.
Gear required to dive the Rosinco (190’) in Lake Michigan.
Photo of gray angelfish taken on a night dive in Belize, Hol Chan
Marine reserve by Dave “Redwood” Russell.
Captain Darrick and Steve Tisinai on the way out to dive the Rosinco.
FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING 27

“BACKSCATTER”
“BACKSCATTER”
Photo taken in Ginnie Springs by Karl Gehring
The rare Hippocrab.
The elusive Rhinofish.
Dick Hecht and Donna Maham at Haigh Quarry.
Manatees - Photo by Karl Gehring
Nan Talaga diving in the Midwest. Be sure to read her article “Great
White Shark Adventure“ on page 8.
Photo of an alligator taken by Karl Gehring in Silver Springs
“Backscatter”
Do you have underwater diving photos, pictures from top
side events, photos from scuba club gatherings or vacation
albums? We’d love to show them here in the “Backscatter”
section of the magazine.
Be sure to include your name, email address and a short
description describing the photo.
You can email them to:
captdarrick@midwestscubadiving.com
or mail them to:
Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine
4417 N. Riverdale
Johnsburg, IL 60050
28 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007
FALL 2007 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING 29

Safety Stop: Dick Hecht
Dick Hecht is an indispensable fixture at Haigh Quarry. Tina Haigh
told us that Dick is both her “right and left hand man” when it comes
to the operational aspects of running the quarry facility. Dick helps
Tina both above and below the water. He was born in Chicago 1934,
and lived in Oak Park, Illinois. After World War II Hecht moved to
Wauconda, Illinois. He served in the Army Reserves from 1950 until
1959. Dick was employed in the trades, first as a carpenter, then as
a construction superintendent for G.A. Johnson and Sons. He was in
charge of building the Lowes and Wal-Mart in the Kankakee, Illinois
area (where he now resides) and J.C. Whitney in Lasalle Peru, Illinois.
Hecht retired in 1995. He is in love with Donna Maham whom he met
12 years ago. Dick has four children, thirteen grandchildren and seven
great grandkids. He learned to dive in the early 1960’s using a double
hose regulator and steel 72-cu/ft scuba tank mounted on a backpack.
Hecht was certified by the YMCA in 1965 and was involved with the
Triton Dive Club in Park Ridge, Illinois. After a long layoff from diving
he reentered the sport in 1995 and became certified as a PADI diver.
Dick obtained Advanced, Rescue, Master Diver and Assistant Instructor
certifications. He is also certified as a Gas Blender and has Cavern
certification from the NSS. Dick is currently working to complete Full
Cave certification. In 2002, Hecht got involved in Technical
Diving and enrolled in a DIR fundamentals course. Later that
year, he made a 165-foot dive while vacationing in Hawaii. In
2001, Dick approached Tina Haigh with a barter agreement. He
would take on some operational responsibilities and Tina would
let him dive at her facility “no charge.” The relationship evolved
and Dick assumed more responsibility. He attended regulator
repair workshops for Apex, Diverite, Sherwood and Tusa.
Dick now repairs and maintains the rental equipment at Haigh
Quarry. He also cleans and repairs the underwater attractions at
the facility and maintains the air and nitrox systems. In 2004,
Dick volunteered as a diver at the John G. Shedd Aquarium in
Chicago, Illinois. His many jobs included feeding the fish in the
Oceanarium. Dick loves to “hold court” with the local divers in
the service area of the “pole barn” at Haigh Quarry. He believes
that sport diving is the “fountain of youth” and loves meeting,
interacting and diving with the people training at the quarry. One
of Dick’s proudest moments came recently when he signed off
on his grandson’s first dive. Dick Hecht is “a Midwest Scuba
Diver you should know!”