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Well here is another late edition of the newsletter. I usually promise people not to fill up their e-mail in box with junk when they sign up on the list. I have definitely been holding up my end of the bargain. However, I am going to make a distinct effort to get two monthly editions off on time. I'll be getting some help as Gordon has joined forces in writing up some of the literary masterpieces we send out cleverly disguised as a newsletter.
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New Technical Divers
We want to congratulate Rob Hill and Austin Lindsay on completing the "Tech-Trifecta" and becoming our newest tech divers! Rob and Austin completed their checkout dives in Lake Crescent and pretty much the whole Tacoma Scuba crew showed up to wish them well and get wet along with them.
After the long drive out to the peninsula, the soon to be certified tech divers double-checked their gear, ran their tables, suited up and splashed in. Accompanied by Randy, our resident tech instructor, the guys descended below the magic "130 foot" mark. After a brief tour of the lake bed at 150 feet, Rob and Austin successfully performed all their staged decompression stops and got back to the surface. After an appropriate surface interval, they went back and did it all over again!
Completing Tacoma Scuba's tech trifecta is a real accomplishment that requires dedication and tenacity. It means taking the first and most important step into an elite echelon of divers. . ."the few, the proud, the lab animals." Kudos to Rob and Austin and if you're ready to join them, Tacoma Scuba can make it happen.
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Trips
San Juan Trip De-Brief
Wally, continuing with his Pacific Coast tour after the Yukon expedition, took a team up to the San Juan Islands in late March. Departing from Tacoma Scuba's international headquarters, after a drive and short ferry trip the team arrived at beautiful, and spacious, Rendezvous Ranch in Friday Harbor. Naknek Charters run by Curt and Peggy Long, motored everyone out for multiple dives to Breakfast Rock pinnacle, Danger Reef Wall, the UW Research Wall and Bell Island. The diving was spectacular and Wally saw a gigantic Puget Sound King crab with a body the size a dinner plate. There were also some huge ling cod and tons of purple sea urchins. The whole team had a great time. Wally is planning a return trip soon so if you are interested drop Wally a line.
Technical Dive Trip
Heads Up to all the Tech guys out there. We are looking into running up to Canada in Aug or Sept, to get in some diving. Dates, locations, schedule and cost are yet to be determined. So like I said "Heads UP" reserve some time.
Local Stuff
With summer sneaking up on us, we are looking for some dive trips to go on. We are coming up very low on ideas. So... send in your ideas to info@tacomascubacenter.com and we'll take a look to see who wants to go where.
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Class Schedule
Open Water SCUBA Classes $349 inclusive
June: 1,3,8,10,12,13
July: 6,8,13,15,17,18
Advanced Open Water $299 includes all books.
Ongoing - Jump in anytime
Tech Trifecta - includes Advanced Nitrox, Decompression Procedures and Hyperoxic Helium. $900 includes books and fills
Classroom nights 7:30-10:00pm July 7,21,28, August 4
Diving Days July 10,11,24,25 August 8
Oxygen Provider (ASHI) $25
May 28 7:30 pm
June 18 7:30 pm
Nitrox (TDI) $149
Let us know when you want to do it.
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Weekly Shop Dives
Don't forget about our weekly Wednesday and Friday night shop dives. With spring now upon us, the days are getting longer. So our shop dives will be increasingly conducted in the daylight hours after many months of winter night-diving! No matter what your certification or comfort level, come on down to the shop and join us for a dive. We will always have a friendly Tacoma Scuba staff member on hand to organize the dive and make sure everyone who wants to go out can. If you have any questions, give us a call ahead of time.
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Tech Training
We know tech training isn't for everyone. Most of you are diving exactly the way you want to. You go where you want, when you want, and occasionally defy the SCUBA police. (at least when you think no one is looking) But... Have you ever wondered about decompression, Helium, and what is down below 130 anyway? That is where recreational diving ends and technical diving begins.
Intro to Tech: This is the "Intro" class. All you need to get in is an Advanced cert, and 25 dives. During the course of the class you will learn about technical equipment configurations, decompression and mixed gas theories.
Tech Trifecta: This is the meat and potatoes of technical diving. In this series of classes you will learn to use Nitrox mixtures with Oxygen levels ranging from 41-100%. You will learn how to perform in water decompression safely, and you will learn to use basic Hyperoxic Helium mixtures down to 150 feet.
Trimix: This is what everyone is looking for. Trimix is the class that takes you to 200 ft (basic) or 330 ft (advanced). After this, you are off the map so to say, and have reached the status of diving guinea pig. You will now be one of the few, the proud, the lab animals.
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As a final note, we are attempting to use Facebook to get more word out since the guy who writes this newsletter can be somewhat of a slacker. Actually now that Gordon is helping, I guess it is just the Editor who is slacking. Anyway we now have a Facebook page so click here  to go to our page and like, become a fan, add to favorites, or whatever you do these days.
Sincerely,
Joshua Hill
Tacoma SCUBA
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