The New and Improved Surf-fur Water Parka!
Oct/100
We just got the production sample in of our new “improved” Surf-fur water parka and it is to DIE for!!! I don’t want to give too much away, but it is warmer, more functional and the best quality stitching and snaps ever!! I think we are ready to roll!
Take Action Against Plastic
Sep/100
I just heard on the radio today that California alone uses 19 BILLION plastic bags a year. If you are as tired as I am of seeing these bags on the beach, or surfing past one out in the ocean, please visit the site below and take action. Send a letter to your Senator and let him know how you feel about plastic. The bill to ban plastic bags in California was not passed today. However, we can all still do whatever we can on a daily basis to cut down on plastic use.
http://www.riseaboveplastics.org/
Write to your Senator. Click on the link that reads “Click here for more info” and it will take you to the page of your local senator. You just need to fill in your name and send it off. It takes two seconds…maybe three.
New Customer Feedback on The Surf-fur
May/100
Taken from Scuba Gadget…link below
http://blog.wetcatscuba.com/?p=842#more-842
Surf-fur for Divers
For those of you who dive the Pacific Northwest, or other cool climes, you know that even though you may be warm and cozy during the dive in your heavy undergarments and dry suits, before and after can get chilly. Also, in the cold or crowded parking lot of the dive site, you may need to don or doff garments to get ready. There might be no changing facility available or your car may be packed tight with gear making changing clothes a bit tricky. The Surf-fur™, a full length light-weight coat with “Zen Changing Pockets™” (slits inside the pockets) to enable access to the under-layers, may be your answer.
Made by a company called Heatlab, The Surf-fur™ is a mid-calf length coat. Made of two layers of soft polyester fleece with an inner membrane of Polytetrafluoroethylene, the coat is advertised as windproof, water-resistant, breathable and warm. To test these claims, I recently took a Surf-fur™ out for a spin in Egmont, British Columbia, Canada.
We had been assured that the weather at the Strong Water retreat, in Egmont, BC, would be mild and sunny during our four day stay. Instead we were greeted with cold rain and early spring temps of high 40s to low 50s. I whipped out my Surf-fur™ and put it on.
It has a row of snaps down the front. A generous hood. When all snapped up and hood in place, I was fully protected from the rain. My dive buddies suggested that we further test the water resistance of the coat by pouring water on the arm (what a bunch of kidders, these guys). We did and no water got inside. When it got windy, the coat kept the wind out. On one dive in particular, I was quite cold after I surfaced. I put the coat on and was instantly warm. It really does a great job at providing insulation.
I started to really like my Surf-fur™ and found it hard to part with it on this trip. It kept me warm and dry when walking to and from the boat. It provided warmth and protection when walking down to the hot tub at night in my swim suit. It made a soft seat at dinner. A cozy blanket at night. When it was windy, I was warm. Cold, I was cozy, Rainy, I was dry. In short, this coat does the job promised.
Although boat coats are normally used in temperate climates by wet suit divers we found that this coat would provide a great hypothermia safety net at any latitude.
A few minor issues
Here are a few minor things that I did not like about the coat: Not a fan of snaps, but I did see the value of having snaps over zippers for durability. When the hood was in place and the coat was not snapped at the top, the hood obscured my vision. Be sure to have the top snaps snapped so that you can still see. When I stuffed things in the pockets, a couple of times they fell through the Zen Changing Pockets to the ground. It is made in China so you need to inspect for defects. We found one Velcro patch that was not sewn properly on a small inner pocket and it pulled off the coat.
I’ll be trying it out on the boat going to and from the dive sites in Palau this fall. While Palau is MUCH warmer than the Pacific Northwest, a boat coat is recommended on the dive charter because divers can get cold on the moving boat in between dives. We’ll let you know how the Surf-fur™ handles the tropics. It performed beautifully in the Northwest and will get a lot of use beyond diving. We give it a 4.5 our of 5 star rating.
How I Became a Waterman Part II
Oct/090
Lobster season came and went, probably in perfect time. Lobsterring had worn me out – too much of a good thing isn’t always that good.
April 2009 set in and the summer was approaching. I met my buddy Brian in Ocean Beach for a morning surf session filled with perfect 3 ft mushy san diego waves. At least the breakfast across from the Pier was good! On the way home we drove past the spear shack in OB (619-226-2406). Cindy urged me to stop and take a look. I am glad we did. For whatever reason I hadn’t considered building on the lobster diving and working on spear fishing / free diving but after talking to Mark, a super cool guy, I committed to taking his free diving class. I also talked to my buddy Chris who agreed to try the class out as well.
Our schedules didn’t match up for a few months but we finally joined Mark for the free diving/spear fishing excursion in early August. We were joined by 2 others on the boat. After meeting at Mark’s in Point Loma we drove to Mission Bay and launched by about 10 a.m. On an early August sunday. Mark provided everything including the spear guns. We just had to bring lunch. It was a great deal for $100!
So we anchored in 35 ft off of boomers beach in La Jolla. Mark says alright, let’s start by swimming to shore and back two times! What?! I think we all said “you’re kidding right?”, but Mark was already half in the water and raring to go. That was the toughest probably 2 mile swim I have ever done (the only one too)!
It set the tone for the day. Mark did not mess around, he highlighted the importance of safety, breathing, and technique. I learned more that afternoon then I did the previous year. I thought I would be the one with the short breathhold while the others were excelling but after using Mark’s techniques I blew myself away with comfortable breathholds of one and a half minutes to 35 ft followed by dives to 55 ft with ease! We finished the day by learning the ins and outs of spearing which was cool. Mark is a patient and experienced waterman and I would recommend his class to anyone short of an expert freediver.
So that did it. I was hooked. Not only with the challenges of free diving but also the excitement of spear fishing. In the following weeks I came across an excellent website: www.spearboard.com . This is a great forum for spear fishers (spearos) and the place where I have excellent my learning curve.
With the tips I learned at spearboard I went out and started to get my gear together. I started with a spetton excell mask ($52 ebay) and a spetton flexa snokel ($21 ebay). Now these were recommended on spearboard and I like them very much. Although I now know that Mark at the spear shack will match any internet pricing and has the best top of the line gear(I also bought from the spearshack a cressi lince mask and hammerhead snorkel, both of which are very much similar to the spetton products – although I slightly prefer the spetton versions)! I also bought freediving fins(cressi 2000, $50) used from ebay and those have worked great. I had to get the neoprene booties from the spearshack to wear with the fins. I already had weight belts from the year before (I use 4 lbs with my 3/2 and 8 lbs with my 4/3). …but the best purchase was the Ray Odor Pole Spear($55) I bought from Ray Odor’s site.
I wanted to start with a spear gun but the good advice I read was to learn with a pole spear because it is much easier to load between shots(just place the band in between thumb and finger and stretch the band!), it teaches one how to approach fish, and generally just helps one to become comfortable in the spear fishing arena. The pole spear has excellent follow through because of it’s weight but the deceleration is so fast that you need to be within 5′ of the fish to spear it! The spear came ready to use from Ray, although I did buy a separate tip($15 approx) to put on the spear.
So I am all geared up and ready to go at this point, but where to go and what to do? That’s when I turned to spearboard to introduce myself. It turns out that spearboard is not only a great place to talk and learn spear fishing, etc, but a great place to team up with like minded people and go diving.
My first few free dives with the spear I did by myself. I went out locally in Leucadia off of Beacon’s beach. I kicked out to the kelp and proceeded to take a look around with my new spear. I quickly realized I had two problems. Problem #1: what happens if I shoot the pole spear and lose sight of it, won’t I potentially lose it?
Problem #2: sharks! Swimming in open water by myself is spooky. Swimming with a spear is just a little comforting and making it out to the kelp is just a little comforting as well. …but it’s constantly in the back of my head! More on sharks later.
So problem #1 I solved really quick when I posted the question on spear board. The answer was “don’t let go of the spear”. What?!? Sure enough I tried it out next time. Naturally when you shoot the spear your hand grabs onto the rubber band. Therefore you never worry about losing it, just pay attention to grabbing the rubber band and all is good. It actually feels natural!
So at this point I feel a little comfortable with the spear and I feel increasingly comfortable in the water. My next step is to start spearing fish. …but where to go and what to do?
Breathing Techniques
Oct/090
I need to start out by saying- don’t ever try these techniques on your own without a dive buddy watching. Breathing techniques not only slow down your heart rate but also oxygenate the blood AND remove CO2 from the bloodstream. Why is this dangerous? Because CO2 is what tells the brain to take a breath. Less CO2 equals less brain signals which equals longer bottom time but also potential to stay down too long! …at least this is my understanding.
So now that we understand the fun aspects of breathing techniques let’s get down to the nuts and bolts 
. There were 4 techniques that we were taught by Mark. the advice was to try all 4 but also never perform hyperventillation as the last technique. Also these techniques can be done during the 4 minutes on the surface between dives.
Technique #1: hyperventillating. This is a series of short inhales and exhales, less then a second a piece, which quickly remove CO2 from the blood. These also cause lightheadedness so be careful. If trying these at all which I advise against, always do these as the first technique and only for approx 30 seconds.
Technique #2: deep breaths
Breath in and out in a slow controlled manner. All the way in till absolutely full, then all the way out pushing every last bit of air out. These take about 3 seconds for every inhales and about 3 seconds for every exhale. No faster then this pace. These are my preferred method.
Technique #3: hook breath
Inhale till lungs full and hold for about 4 seconds. Flex chest muscles by crossing forearms in front of chest then exhale. Repeat for one minute.
Technique #4: deep slow breaths
Similar to technique #2, these should be the final breaths. Take deep, slow, yoga type breaths which act to really slow the heart down and relax you. There is no pushing or over filling like technique #2.
Finally when you are ready to dive, inhale your breath using your stomach (diaphragm) and inhale as much as possible (see diagram below). This will fill your lower lungs. Finally fill your upper lungs by expanding your chest and capture as much air in the lungs as comfortable. DO NOT PACK BREATHS. If you do not know what packing is then don’t worry, there is no need for it and it can be dangerous.
…And the last step to a long breath hold is to kick out your snorkel mouthpiece! This causes the mammalian reflex when your lips are pursed and under water. This technique should help with a longer breath hold.
So that’s it! With these techniques you should be able to really increase your bottom time. Remember, CO2 is your friend, so if diving alone do not perform breath holding techniques.
Diving Saftey
Oct/090
Diving with scuba has it’s dangers. Likewise, diving with just a breath hold has it’s dangers too. The one thing that is most important is never dive alone. …and when I say dive I am referring to free diving where a person uses some type of breathe up exercise (a method of breathing that relaxes the heart rate while removing CO2 from the bloodstream and adding oxygen to the bloodstream) to maximize the time under water (bottom time) and hold for an extended period of time. Performing in this manner should be done with a partner because shallow water blackout is a possibility.
Hospitals in La Jolla…on a calm day
Article about blackout
http://www.divewise.org/articles/pollock_bh_review.pdf
Both divers should be trained in CPR and should dive with a few strategies in mind.
If the dives are not too deep and there is constant up and down then each diver should periodically look over in the other diver’s direction and make sure they have visual confirmation that they are moving. If the dives are deeper and the breath holding techniques are more deliberate then a one up one down system needs to be used where one diver is always watching the other diver dive from the surface (or following them down after 15 – 30 seconds to check on their progress). The time between long breath holds or deep dives must be at least four minutes, preferably and advisably four minutes. If the limits are pushed then shallow water blackout (SWB) is possible. This is where a diver passes out under water. Time is of the essence and the diver needs to be given CPR to revive them asap!
Please watch the following educational video on blackouts, it’s great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBnEIMTrgFk
Other things to consider for safety are:
- using the proper weight. The weight on the weight belt should be such that a diver is neutrally buoyant at fifteen feet. Theoretically the diver will not sink if they pass out on the way to the surface and would float to the surface if something was to occur.
- ensure weight belt can be easily undone and dropped in the event a quick ascent is necessary.
- research the dive location for hazards. For instance, one dive spot in particular where I look for lobster recently had a shark attach in less then 10′ of water. The shark was small and the damage minimal but one must be prepared to handle all situations. Also be prepared for surge and rocks.
- do not enter confined spaces under water. This is self explanatory, don’t get stuck because you may run out of air.
- be careful of man induced hazards: lobster traps and lines can catch on your equipment. Boats, kayaks, and surfboards can hurt! Consider diving with a dive float and/or flag to notify others that you are in the area.
- use a dive watch. This way you can monitor time below and your surface time. I really recommend the timex helix dive watch for starting out only because this can be found on ebay for $20. …and here is the manual:
http://dl.owneriq.net/b/b35a87eb-9ce7-41a8-80bf-1925543e0c18.pdf
- knife. Use this to scare sharks away, and if nothing else to look cool while strapped on your leg.
- of course to keep warm before and after(and change under) you’ll need a surf-fur:
www.surf-fur.com
Some other good reads about free diving can be found here:
www.Divewise.org
How I Became A Waterman- Part 1
Sep/090
Lobster Diving
It was like when I learned to surf… I had known about it, I had seen it, and it made perfect sense that I should try it, but it never occurred to me to do so. Once I did try it there was no going back!
I am the kind of person who latches onto something and dives in “full throttle.” It consumes me to the point where I think about it every day. It’s like that song you like then play it over and over again until it just doesn’t sound good anymore. With watersports, there is no way to get tired of being in the water…being one with the water.
I thought it may be a good idea to chronicle my progression into being a waterman only because I put so much time and effort into researching (it is the engineer in me) and buying the right gear. My wife jokes that I make spreadsheets of the pros and cons of gear before purchasing (I only did that a few times). At this point, I’d say I am inthe beginner to intermediate stages of freediving/spearfishing and I will do my best to bring all events current and post them.
Our underwater adventures started about 9 years ago when my wife, Cindy, and I bid on scuba lessons at a silent auction and won. We were certified and entered the underwater world with awe, but it was never something that we were obsessed about like we were with surfing (our above water experience). I think it was because it took so long to get all the gear on for a dive and we always went with a group of people who were as slow as molasses to get dressed (sorry James, but you are really slow- you talk too much). We did buy all the equipment and the expensive extras that looked cool, but we never used all of them(read dive computer!). After a few trips to Catalina and some vacation dives, we were ready to get more hardcore! How about ditching the gear and just holding our breaths and get really close to the fish? How about getting in a tank and have sharks swimming around us? Can you rent a Submarine? Maybe we can freedive off the surfboard? I mean, who needs the boat?
Fast forward to Fall 2008. I am pretty sure we were at the beach and I saw a guy come in from a freedive with a lobster in a bag. “Your kidding me,” I said to myself, “anyone can just swim out and grab some dinner!” So, I rounded up some of the old dive gear…mask, snorkel, booties, fins, mesh bag, and gloves! I soon found out that this gear was obviously not enough to make the experience successful. So after a search on craigslist, I pickup a 4mm surfing wetsuit for $60, a neoprene hood from unrealfind.com for $25, traded a Surf-fur to Amy at the local Oceanside Dive Shop, visited Underwater Schools of America at www.usascuba.com for 2 weight belts with weights and I was ready to go. I also had to get a fishing license with a lobster card… about $40. The trick was in finding the lobster card since most places were sold out already. I ended up in PL by the airport at a local tackle store for that.
I started with a shore dive during the day. Lobster can be an elusive prize if you don’t know where to look. Good thing for me I am persistent. I started finding my groove half way into the season and towards the end I never came back in without, at least, one bagger. The trick with lobstering during the day is getting right down to the bottom. 5-10′ of depth proved to be all I needed. Rocks and reef are where it’s at- those are the key. Lobsters are curious crustations and they like to look at you. If you are patient and slow then they usually let you just grab quickly at their backs. The first few times I would get so excited and spook them back into their holes. Lobsters seem to rarely hole up in a spot where there is only one exit.
Don’t forget the gloves!! One day I left the gloves behind on accident. I got a hold of a good keeper and bagged it but I paid the price with slices all over my hand. I had to exit the water right after that! (I could have used my hand to catch a shark?) Lobstering is like fishing to me. It’s fun to explore new areas and see what you can find. I am constantly trying new spots.
Half way through the season, I pretty much mastered daytime lobster diving. then, I heard the real fun starts after the sun goes down. Those lobsters are out and about by the dozens socializing with their friends, ready to be nabbed by the first hungry diver. So, I buy a dive light. I think it was one of the cheaper models from leisurepro.com. It works great. I haven’t had the time to coordinate and wait for anyone else so all my dives have pretty much been alone. Let me tell you that the first night dive I did was pretty spooky! There is that constant thought of sharks in the back of your mind! Night diving is what they say it is for sure…the bugs come out! On more than 1 occassion I have grabbed 2 lobsters on 1 dive using both hands. The trick is trying to get those suckers into a regular mesh bag with a regular lock (more on that later). All you need to do is shine a light on a moving lobster and they freeze as if to say “pick me!”.
Some things I learned about lobster diving:
1) If it’s big enough to surf then it’s probably too murky to lobster dive.
2) If diving at night then a gage (for measuring the lobster) that attaches to your light is really important!
3) A good lobster bag is important! I have done plenty of research and spearboard.com was instrumental in helping me pick out a new bag. I just bought one that I am really looking forward to using. It has nylon sides mostly throughout with a mesh bottom to allow the water to drain. It has a little plastic clasp that you can open one-handed and put the lobster in with the other hand. I really wanted to get the Trident one-handed spring-loaded bag but it was a little more expensive and had a few poor reviews. Whatever you choose, the regular mesh bag with the steel clasp is not good because you need 2 hands to open -which is a challenge with a lobster in 1 hand!
So there is lobstering in a nutshell. I love to do it and can’t wait for this season to start.
Here is a shot from a fruitful dive last season…
Broad Ocean Conservation Goals Pose Significant New Challenges
Sep/090
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Ironically, areas that have the least amount of human impact are now becoming more accessible to humans due to climate change. A new management plan proposed by the Obama administration is aiming to make some big changes in federal ocean management. The plan sets a national goal of ocean resource protection and creates an ocean council to guide a new ecosystem- based approach. It addresses many areas of ocean policy including offshore energy exploration, agricultural runoff, general conservation, fisheries management and recreation of beachgoers like you! At its core, the new plan aims to set up a new National Ocean Council of top-level officials, who will then guide the new “ecosystem based” approach to ocean management. for the full story in the NY times, visit |
Don’t Eat Sharks And They Won’t Eat You
Sep/090
That is our motto over here at the lab. Since we spend so much time in the water, we want to make sure that Karma is on our side. We don’t eat sharks, period. We started to surf the web to see what is new and interesting in the area of saving sharks. Here is some awesome information that is just the tip of the shark fin… 
Despite the common myth that sharks are mindless “eating machines”, only a few shark species are dangerous to humans. Out of the hundreds of species, only 3 have been involved in a significant number of fatal, unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, tiger and bull sharks. In 2006, according to the International Shark Attack File, there were a total of 62 unprovoked attacks recorded worldwide, of which four were fatal. Considering the millions of beach-goers and recreational ocean users, this is an incredibly small number. In fact, you are more likely to be killed by a vending machine than by a shark.Sharks play a vital role in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems but their stocks are in serious trouble. More than one hundred million sharks are killed by fisheries every year. They are intentionally harvested for their fins, meat or liver oil, and they are incidentally caught as bycatch in fisheries targeting other species.
Sharks are highly migratory and regularly cross national boundaries. However, outside of Antarctica, there are no international limits on shark harvest. With increasing demand for shark fin soup, and little protection, sharks worldwide are at great risk.
Sharks generally rely on their superior sense of smell to find prey, but they also have the ability to sense movement and electrical fields created by prey. Their place in the marine food web is essential for a healthy ocean ecosystem.
The view of the shark as a solitary hunter, roaming the oceans in search of food is only true for a few species with most living far more sedentary lives on the ocean floor. Some sharks are highly social, remaining in large schools. Even solitary sharks meet to breed or on rich hunting grounds, which may lead them to cover thousands of miles in a year. Migration patterns in sharks may be even more complex than in birds, with many sharks covering entire ocean basins.
Several organizations are working in waters all over the world to protect and restore shark populations. Through their policy, science, legal and communications work, they are pushing for true international finning bans, species specific shark management and reduced shark bycatch, as well as decreasing the demand for shark products such as shark fin soup and cosmetic products containing squalene. The loss of sharks, many of which are top predators, will have devastating and unpredictable consequences for ocean ecosystems. Immediate action is needed to protect sharks.
“If the currect trajectory of destruction to the world’s oceans continues unabated, by the year 2048, we can all look forward to a lifeless, putrid body of water lapping at what will be our scum-ridden, trash-covered seashores,”according to Keith Addis, Oceana board member who has been working to save our oceans for 20 years. However, he is optimistic about reversing the damage that has been done. “The most important issues to monitor are over-fishing, bottom trawling and climate change.Currently, we are removing half a billion pounds of protein a day form the oceans, two and a half times more than scientists say the oceans can sustain. To reverse the damage from what is essentially the industrial strip mining of the bottom of the ocean, essentially for a few shrimp, would take 125,000 years. And climate change, among other things, is increasingly acidifying the oceans to levels that are severly disrupting the aquatic food chain.”
What can you do? Eat only sustainably caught fish, check out some of the organizations below and donate to one or two in your name or give as Christmas presents, and or get involved.
Here are some great links;
*Flordia Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Department: shark attack files by region, ways to avoid a shark attack, stats, trends and analysis of shark attacks.
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks/ISAF/ISAF.htm
*Predators As Prey: Why Healthy Oceans Need Sharks. A current report from Oceana on the health of shark populations and why we need them in our oceans.
http://oceana.org/fileadmin/oceana/uploads/Sharks/Predators_as_Prey_FINAL_FINAL.pdf
* Top 10 most shark infested beaches in the world…according to Forbes.
www.forbestraveler.com/islands-beaches/shark-infested-beaches-story.html and click on the “slideshow” to view the
The best Shark movie ever written and directed by Rob Stewart, Biologist.
www.sharkwater.com to download movie.
www.SeaShepherd.org- one of our favorite organizations.
Reef Quest Center for Shark Research www.elasmo-research.org
Gearing Up For Watersports
Sep/090
Before going into the water, there are a few things to think about; Sun saftey, what to wear, and water saftey.
Sun Safety; make sure you are wearing sunscreen at all times. The best thing to do would be to put it on without your suit on. This does not mean to strip down to your birthday suit on the beach. This means put it on before you put your suit on (at home) and wait for it to dry before putting your bikini or board shorts back on.
Now that you are a waterman, you want to use a product that is safe for the ocean ( see June post “Dude, Only Wear Biodegradable Sunscreen in the Ocean”). Some of the most harmful ingredients that many sunscreens contain PABA, octinoxate, oxybenzone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, oils, chemicals or the preservative butylparaben. If your sunscreen has any of these ingredients, it is not safe for use in coral reefs. We found a really great one at L’Occatane- Sunscreen lotion high protection SPF30. It is a little more expensive ($26 for 5.1oz.), but it is not greesy and stays on like a champ. It also smells pretty good.
What to wear: A wetsuit keeps you warm by allowing a thin layer of water to form between you and the wetsuit, which your body heat quickly warms. They come in several different thicknesses. The first number represents the torso thickness, and the second number represents the thickness for the arms and legs. The most common one is the 3/2 (say “three two”) that can be worn all year long. The 4/3 is the next thickness that is used in Winter. The wetsuit should fit you snug while still allowing you to move freely. It should not be baggy or loose or it will fill up with water and….well…that wouldn’t be good. When putting it on, the zipper or opening goes in the BACK.
If it is warm enough to skin it (no wetsuit), make sure your board shorts and bathing suit tops are tied tight so they don’t fly off. If you are wearing a bathing suit, make sure you get one that is a little tight. You may want to even go down a size from your normal suit size. Waves and salt water tend to pull and stretch your suit out.
A rash guard (a nylon and lycra fitted shirt found in surf shops) is a good option for surfers to keep wax off your suit and chest hairs in tact. They are used to prevent chafing under a wetsuit and so your stomach won’t get irritated from the sand and wax combination on your board. For free divers and scubadivers, the rash guard prevents chafing around the neck when you are below the water looking around at all the beauty of the ocean world.
Water Safety; The most important thing before paddling or swimming out is to know how to swim. The second is to be respectful in the water. For surfers, make sure you practice paddling, turtle rolls, duck dives, and catching whitewater where there are no other surfers. Don’t go to the most popular spot where the waves are perfect and get in everyone’s way. When practicing, don’t let go of your board! Make sure the board is never parallel to the beach. Aim the nose toward the line-up or toward the beach. If a wave is ready to smash you, grab the part of the leash that attaches to the surfboard and push the tail of the board down below the water and hold your breath.
These are just the basics to get you ready to practice your skills.
Have fun!