Dive Newsletter

Hello Divers!

Just in time for the Holiday Season, SSDS, has a lot of new items for that favorite diver on your list.  From now until the end of the year all of our new SeaLife DC 1400 packages are 15% off!  You won't be able to touch this price anywhere and you will also get a camera class for free with Mark Tant with the purchase of any of these packages here.  This new 14-megapixel camera combines diver-friendly design and six underwater color modes for sharp, colorful photos and HD video - underwater or on land.The SeaLife DC1400 is the easiest digital camera to use underwater, EVER.  The camera features five widespread “piano key” controls, a large shutter button, and a fingertip-control lever that allows scrolling through menus or zooming in and out without releasing your grip from the camera.

From now until the end of the year with every purchase of a wrist computer, SSDS will throw in a free transmitter.  This is a $450 item so if you or a loved one is considering an upgrade to an air integrated dive computer, it is a great time to do it.

We also have just received a new shipment of our custom made headlights.  These are the heavy duty lights that we designed and have been selling the past few months.  They have a great warranty and have been no trouble so far on our Artifact, Fossil and Bering Sea Gold dives!  Since those are harsh diving environments that should tell you that they are made for it. 

My Dad, Steve, has published his book about his adventures each Summer diving for Gold in Alaska.  Dad has a gold camp on the Bering Sea near Nome Alaska and has been featured in American Digger Magazine, on The Outdoor Channel's Prospecting America and Gold Fever and the BBC's Arctic with Bruce Parry as well as others. Several of our divers have learned how to find gold themselves from Dad while staying with him in his camp.  We have copies of his book here at SSDS for purchase or you can e-mail us if you want one.

Southern Skin Divers Supply will be the first SCUBA School to turn 60 in 2013 and we just got in our new 60th Anniversary t-shirts.   These are the same comfort colors that we have been selling for a few years and with the same logo on the front that you see in the black and white photos of Bill and Bob Tant on our wall at The SCUBA School.  They also feature a 60th Anniversary Seal on the  right sleeve and come in men's and ladies sizes.

Trips

Dec 8th & 9th Panama City, FL Flounder trip  

Forrest has taken groups the past couple of weeks on some Flounder trips and we will have one more before the season is over.  These are great trips to take juniors on since it is usually shallow water and a speargun is not necessary.  Fresh flounder is great to eat and they are plentiful right now!

December 29th, 2012-January 5th, 2013, Utila Honduras Our Dive the New Year In trip this year will be on the Honduran Island of Utila. We have taken a couple of really good Liveaboard trips to Utila the past two years but this year we have decided to privately rent the entire La Guna Beach Resort! Not only will we be celebrating the New Year but we will also be the first SCUBA School ring in the big 60! We still have some spaces so come join the fun. Our package includes all meals, 3 boat dives each day, unlimited shore diving and snorkeling, horseback riding and kayak use, and Nitrox use for the week.

January 18th - 20th, 2013 Crystal River, Rainbow River manatee trip  This weekend we will be doing two days of diving and snorkeling with the Manatee in Crystal River as well as drift diving down the Rainbow River.  These giant Mammals enjoy the constant 72 degree water temp during the winter time, making this the best time of year to see them.  Kids and non divers are welcome to come on this one.

June 8th - 15th, 2013 Turks and Caicos Liveaboard What would make a better Christmas present than an all inclusive 5 dive a day Caribbean trip on board your own private vessel.  I had the opportunity to dive with this operation in September and it was one of the best overall crew, boat, food and diving I have been on.  It also is a piece of cake to get to Provo from Birmingham or Atlanta.  We are taking deposits and still have half of the spots available.

Continuing Education

December 1st, 9:30 am at The SCUBA School

Enriched Air NITROX 

Have you ever dreamed of having longer no-decompression limits to take pictures or explore a wreck? Did you ever want to be safer while diving, reducing the potential risk of decompression sickness?  Nitrox is the key. Due to the reduced fraction of nitrogen in your breathing gas, your body will have less work and the de-saturation times will be reduced.  In your ENRICHED AIR NITROX program you will learn all the necessary rules for planning dives with Nitrox and using Nitrox in a safe way. An important key point in the entire program is analyzing your own tank prior to any Nitrox dive.

December 1st, 12:30 pm at The SCUBA School - Spearfishing Clinic

Those of you that are enrolled in the NITROX Course might want to consider the Spearfishing Clinic that starts immediately afterwards. NITROX works well with most of the spearfishing that we participate in. Forrest, who teaches both of these courses here at The SCUBA School, is ranked among the top competitors in the Alabama Spearfishing Association as are several of his former students. In this class you will learn skills necessary to participate in and become a successful spearfisher.


Forrest Phillips
Southern Skin Divers Supply
4515 5th Ave South
Birmingham, AL   35222
205-595-3052