Westsylvania Divers

Mount Storm Dive Trip

On January, 13, 2007 the Westsylvania divers made a trip to Mount Storm, West Virginia for a winter dip in the warm waters of the VEPCO Power Plant’s cooling lake. Like most dive sites in this part of the country Mount Storm lake is man made and was created in 1962. Nearly 234, 000 gallons  of lake water per minute are pumped to cool the system which burns more than 15,000 tons of coal per day. At that rate the lake water is cycled through every 2.5 days. READ MORE HERE

The Future of the Caribbean Sea

Many of us have had the opportunity to visit the Caribbean, either through a scuba trip, a cruise, or from the stories of friends and family who have visited islands in the Caribbean. My images of the Caribbean are of blue water, white sands, and exquisite reef life. It was not until I started reading news articles that I realized my impressions of the Caribbean needed adjustment.  READ MORE HERE

Site Calendar

Hi all. I hope you have been enjoying some of the stories being posted on the site. There are a lot more articles on their way. I am trying to make sure there is at least something posted at least three times a week. Anyway, to the point. The site calendar located in the upper right hand corner of the site was a free add on from a company called Trumba. That free service is about to terminate and I am contemplating whether to renew the service. Is this something helpful or do you not use the list of special events/meetings. I should tell you that the service will cost the club a small portion.

Thoughts? Comment to this blog, call Kory at 814-695-4666 or email Kory at kory@mikesscuba.com Thanks all

Don't Feed the Fish

During the DEMA (Diving Equipment and Manufacturers Association) show this year there were several vendors who were selling fish feeding equipment. This plastic bottle allows the diver to squirt the food away from the divers so that divers may avoid accidentally being bitten and therefore enjoy the experience of feeding the fish. Bright idea? Not. READ MORE HERE

February Meeting Minutes

The Westsylvania Dive Club’s February meeting was held on Wednesday February 7, 2007.The meeting was called to order by club president Dave Smith.All officers were present except for vice president Tom Baer.We had fifteen people in attendance.

Under old business, the papers have been filed for incorporating the club since last January’s meeting. We held a second round of nominations for club officers and trustees. There were no nominations made. Without any nominations for new officers to vote on at next months meeting, the club voted unanimously to carry over the current officers and trustees to the next year.

Under new business, there will be a poker night at Mike's Scuba on Saturday February 17 at 5 pm. Dave Smith is bringing the cards and chips. There are no beverages at the game or food so BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverages) and also bring a snack.

The Saint Francis Scuba Club is holding their scuba Olympics on Sunday February 11 at the Stokes Gymnasium on the Saint Francis College Campus. It will be from 2 to 4 pm. There will be 5 events to compete in. If you are interested in representing your dive club, please email Kory to let him know. We will be meeting at Mike's Scuba at 12:30 pm prior to heading to Saint Francis.

The meeting was motioned to close. It was seconded, and unanimously approved.

See you at next months meeting.

The Wreck of the Hilma Hooker

One of Bonaire’s more famous ship wrecks is the Hilma Hooker, a ship whose name may have led to her demise. The Hooker was having some mechanical failure off the coast of Bonaire. So she was brought to the main pier where she sat for repairs. She was an old ship and her hull had a lot of small leaks. It was during this time that suspicion grew about the sort of cargo she was carrying. So the authorities demanded to see the cargo and sure enough, the Hilma Hooker was going to be known as a drug runner. They found almost a ton of Marijuana in a false bulkhead. The authorities removed the drugs and began the process of an investigation. READ MORE HERE

Hello everyone. We have been posting a series of articles on Bonaire as there are a number of people preparing for a trip in June. If there is something else you would like to read about please let me know. Right now our story blogs are appearing at 

http://www.storytrax.com

Bonaire Rich In Heritage

Bonaire; Indians, slaves, pirates, and criminals create a diverse culture on this island. The first inhabitants were the Caquetios, Indians believed to be descended from the Arawaks who came over to Bonaire from Venezuela. The Caquetios would have come over in hollowed out logs they would have used for fishing, an easy 17 mile trip. On a side note it was believed that the Arawaks were the first to have met Christopher Columbus. READ MORE HERE

Bon Bini!

Bon Bini! It is how they say welcome in Bonaire. Bonaire is a small island located in the southern Caribbean. It is often the B in the ABCs of the Caribbean; Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. Bonaire is quite unique in that it is considered a leader in the conservation of its natural environment namely its pioneering role in the conservation of its marine environment. It is because of this wise use of its natural resources that Bonaire is considered excellent scuba diving. Most magazines have heralded this small island as a well kept secret, unforgettable, and a divers paradise. READ MORE