Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Cozumel Mexico

We are heading off to Mexico for a week. Come join us dive packages are available.

Friday, August 15, 2008

bullets found on the wreck of the Sherman off the coast of North Carolina.


bullets found on the wreck of the Sherman off the coast of North Carolina. 80 Ft of water. These are Civil war area.

Megalodon Sharks teeth


Megalodon Sharks teeth found in 113 ft of water off the coast of North Carolina. We will be going back to this site in the future.

Little Caymon

News from Little Cayman:

LITTLE CAYMAN, B.W.I. - August 6, 2008 - The Little Cayman Beach Resort will undergo an extensive renovation of guestrooms beginning this Fall. The renovation, scheduled for completion by Thanksgiving, is designed to capture the authentic charm and warmth of Little Cayman while enhancing the Resort experience for guests.

The design concepts of the renovation are the creation of J. Morgan Design Associates of Greenville, North Carolina, whose diverse projects are found throughout the Southeastern United States. "Incorporating the guests' feedback and staying true to the culture of Little Cayman and the Resort were the primary concerns of the renovation design", said Judy Morgan, the design creator. The project consists of three phases, each of which will correspond to a building of guest rooms, with the first phase scheduled to start on August 16th. Upon the completion of one building, the next phase will begin, designed with the intent of reducing any impact on the guests' experience. "Our goal is to minimize any inconvenience and intrusion on our guests and their activities during the renovation," said Jason Belport, Little Cayman Beach Resort's General Manager.

Each guestroom will receive a complete renovation including replacement of all flooring, wall coverings, entirely new bathroom from the floor up, and new furnishings. The design of each room is enhanced by tropical colors and Caribbean themed artwork, including pieces by Guy Harvey. Amenities for all rooms include new window treatments, ceiling fans, cabinetry, refrigerators, flat-screen televisions and beverage centers. Further upgrades and amenities are scheduled for the Oceanfront units. When asked about the guests' feedback on the room changes, Judy Morgan answered, "Our number one goal is to remain true to the Island, as guests expressed this as their highest concern; reflecting this simplicity and uniqueness was a priority in our renovation design. The natural beauty of Little Cayman has been an inspiration for all of our selections; function and the island lifestyle have been fused together in a way that reflects the personality of this beautiful Resort."

Little Cayman Beach Resort opened in June 1993 and has hosted thousands of individuals and groups who come to Little Cayman and discover the splendor of Bloody Bay Wall set in the tranquility of this small Caribbean island. The Resort, situated on a private beach on the Island's south shore, boasts 40 rooms, including 12 ocean front guestrooms, divided into three two-story buildings surrounded by lush tropical foliage and landscaped gardens. The property offers top rated facilities for guests, which include the Bird of Paradise Restaurant, Beach Nuts poolside bar, Mermaid's Boutique, the Nature Spa, and Mr. T's Fitness Center.

Also on property is the award winning Reef Divers, renowned for their 'Valet service'. Reef Divers provides a truly exceptional dive experience for all levels of divers, from beginners to advanced. "Fifteen years of creating the perfect dive resort is done by divers for divers. When you love what you do, it makes taking care of guests a pleasure. We are creating an environment that we know people want to experience when they travel," says Jason Belport.

New to the Resort in 2008 is our on-property Little Cayman Fishing; offering anglers a unique fishing experience on the flats, at Tarpon Lake, or off-shore in our new 28 foot Panga, the Reel JEM.

For more information, contact Kevin Alexander @ By The Shore 919-247-0356

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Diving the Coast of South Carolina. The Wreck of the Sherman. 6 of us dove this past Sunday 7-20-08 even with the tropical storm looming near Wilmington. The seas going out in the morning were about 6-8 ft and by the time we got in the water for the first dive the seas had calmed down to 2-4 and by the end of the second dive the seas were 1-2 ft. Both dives had 5-10 ft visiblity but that allowed me to find the bullets in the sand. So all in all the dives where very good.

The Sherman:

Originally a 200 ft. blockade-runner, this 120 year old post-Civil War wreck lies in 53 feet of water about 6 miles from Little River Inlet. It sank running guns between us and CUBA. Always surrounded by multitudes of marine life, the SHERMAN also offers a variety of artifacts for the careful hunter. US belt buckles, buttons, bottles and fossils have been found on this site



Sunday, July 6, 2008

New Diving Opportunity

Check out this new diving spot in florida.

http://www.flaquarium.org/

Brave New World!

Oh, my god! I've been lots of places and seen lots of things, but there is nothing to compare to the unique and beautiful world under the sea! The first time I went under I felt like I had been submerged into another dimension full of new creatures and life forms that I had never really seen before. Yes, I've seen films of these things, but being there in person is awesomely different and felt at an emotional and spiritual level! This is one of those "must do in my lifetime experiences" and I highly recommend giving scuba diving a try!!!
I really must say that Kevin was an incredible instructor--he was very patient with me, as unsure and nervous as I was in the beginning. He is very knowledgeable, adventuresome at times, cautious when necessary, and always attentive!
Thanks, Kevin for a great trip!
Vickie Penninger
www.thereikichannel.com
Sample Scuba Gear Checklist

Scuba Diving Wet Suit (for warm weather climates) & Scuba Diving Dry Suit (for cold weather climates)
Weight Belt and Weights (to help you stay underwater)
BCD (Buoyancy Control Device- holds your gear in place, lets you carry a tank with minimal effort, floats you at the surface and allows you to achieve neutral buoyancy at any depth. Look for one that fits snugly but doesn't squeeze you when inflated).
Scuba Regulator (one of the most important pieces of equipment used in scuba diving) and Octopus
Tanks (checked and filled)
Dive Gauge
Compass
Dive Watch (not just for checking the time, functions can range from depth gauge to an Oxygen limit bar)
Scuba Mask (remember- goggles apply more pressure the deeper underwater you go)
Scuba Computer (unlike the dive table, the scuba computer automatically calculates your nitrogen intake so you can better plan your decompression times)
Snorkel
Fins
Boots (for colder environments, dive boots are a must- you don't want to get cold feet out there)
Gloves
Mesh Bag
Dive Tools and Spare Parts/O-rings
C-Card (aka. Open Water Certification Card)
Logbook (to keep track of the number of dives you've made)
First Aid and Oxygen Kits (make sure you don't forget these)

By The Shore Scuba
Kevin Alexander
919-247-0356

Sunday, June 15, 2008

A few Q&A about SCUBA for beginners

A few questions people have asked about Scuba and the answers:
Q. What does it take to be able to go underwater and see cool stuff?
A.You need to have a willingness to have fun and be comfortable in the water. Be in medically fit shape

Q. What are the basic instructional requirements? How do I know I am getting good and safe instruction? What does it cost?

A. a Beginning student should be comfortable in the water and have a desire to learn. For students that are a little apprehensive, PADI allows the swimming requirement to be done with mask snorkel and Finks. The Basic cost of of the class is currently $299.00. Other costs are for your mask snorkel and fins which vary in costs

Q. If their is a certification what are the levels? How long does the certification last?

A Yes the beginning level is Open water and progresses to all levels thru instructor. I recommend that you go thru at least Rescue level this allows you to help yourself and others in the rare occassions that someone gets into a stressfull situation. The basic open water class can be complete in a 3 week format with a weekend for the open water experience. This can also be done in a weekend format as well.

Q. As a new student should I buy the equipment or rent it? If I can rent it where do I get it and how do I make sure it will work right for me? What does it cost?

A. As a new student I would buy my mask snorel and fins wihich I consider personal equipment. The life support equipment I would rent for a while unless you fall in love with the sport Like I did.
The cost be in the range of 800 - `1200 dollars. for good basic equipment.

Q. How do I keep scuba safe for me and my family?

A. To keep scuba safe you will need to dive with a good PADI instructor and follow the rules set forth in the open water class. This will lead to many fun family vacations ans times for years to come.

Q. Where are some near places to dive for beginners?

A. local quarries are a great place to go. In the Raleigh area Fanitisy Lake is a great place to keep your SCUBA skills current.

Q. Where are GREAT places to go to dive?

A. One my favorates is Cozumel I have been to Cozumel's world class diving over 40 plus times in the last 20 years most of the time as the group leader on a fun filled week/weekend of diving.
.

Q. What about instruction, do you offer that and how do I find out about it?

A. Yes I offer all levels of SCUBA from begining to advanced levels. I also offer Group lead and indivual trips. These are customized for all needs.

Q. What about guided trips, do you offer then and how do I find out about it?

A. Yes I do. These can proved to be a great time with new and old friends. We provide full packages from all inclusive to private homes with maid service and cheifs Please contact us for details.

Q. How can I reach you?

A. You can call me direct at 919-247-0356 or email me at scubakevin@nc.rr.com , I offer training in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill areas and special classes on-site around the world. My group trips involve from 10 to 20 people including special events such as underwater marriages.

- Kevin Alexander PADI Staff Instructor #22356 - 919-247-0356 or
email me at scubakevin@nc.rr.com

See all of SCUBA NEWS at http://bytheshorescuba.blogspot.com/

Friday, May 2, 2008

Welcome to SCUBA NEWS

I Started this blog to promote SCUBA to the general public and Promote Dive Travel and answer questions the folks have related to SCUBA. I have been a SCUBA instructor since May 0f 1985 and have certified to most levels of Scuba. I am a PADI Staff Instructor and can teach 13 different specialty class to include Underwater photographer Underwater Video Limited Visibility, Boat diver underwater Fish Identification, Coral Reef Identification, Marine Biology, Search and recovery, Deep Diver, Night Diver, Multi-Level Diver, Peek performance Buoyancy , and O2 Instructor. I am a PADI emergency First responder Instructor to Include CPR, AED. I also a DAN 02 instructor.


- Kevin Alexander PADI Staff Instructor #22356 - 919-247-0356 or
email me at scubakevin@nc.rr.com

See all of SCUBA NEWS at http://bytheshorescuba.blogspot.com/