Summer 2007 Scuba News Letter What's In This Newsletter?   An Update from UBS Dive Center    Wreck Week Updates   Your Photos  UBS Coral Reef  Moving    Introducing Platinum Dive Trips   Congratulations to you!   Your Comments   What’s Happening at UBS? Since I last wrote to you we have had some staff changes. Scott who a lot of you dived with as he was with UBS for over 5 years decided it was time for him to move on. He is now back in Canada and the last we heard he was working on an oil rig. (If you get this Scott, drop us a line so I can update everyone as to your whereabouts and happenings) Jai who was the face of UBS on the docks for those of you who rent equipment to take with you on your charter yachts, has become an entrepreneur in his own right. He has built some apartments in the West End of Tortola and a beachfront cottage in Josiah’s Bay, which he is renting as a vacation property. James recently has moved back to the UK and is back working in his original profession of advertising. He assures us that he is not leaving diving behind all together and that I have to keep a spot available at UBS for him. So we hope to see him back in a few years when he gets the urge to teach again!! He want’s to let everyone know that he is still getting wet and he has been diving in Brighton, so if anyone gets the urge……….. We have had some additions to the team here so there are a couple of new faces and I know you will have great dives with them and lots of laughs and fun times. Dawn Clerkson hails from Kent in South East England. After catching the dive bug while vacationing in Cyprus in 1999, then taking her Open Water course in the Red Sea, Egypt, she left the corporate lifestyle and the bright lights of London behind for a trip to Australia in 2001 where she worked her way up to Instructor level. She then worked for several dive centers and live-aboards on the Great Barrier Reef in northern Queensland before leaving Australia for the Gulf of Thailand where she spent the next year instructing out of Koh Smaui. She moved to the British Virgin Islands in March 2004. Her most memorable dive experiences are the wreck of the SS Yongala in Australia, the wreck of the President Coolidge in Vanuatu, the Ribbon Reefs to the north of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, kelp diving in the Poor Knights Islands of New Zealand, the pristine waters of the Perhentian Islands, Malaysia and several encounters with whale sharks in the Gulf of Thailand. Dawn joined UBS Dive Center in October of 2006. We were very lucky to convince her to join our team from one of the other BVI dive operators! She is a very calm and patient dive leader, perfect for novice and experienced divers alike. Scott McIntyre had worked in the BVI with Blue Water Divers before he decided to join our team. It is a little confusing as he is a Canadian and as was the other Scott, so we do sometimes have a hard time working out exactly which "Canadian Scott" people are taking about!!! He has had plenty of diving and teaching experience not only in the BVI but also in Canada, Thailand, Turks and Caicos Islands, Crete, Antigua, and St Marten. Obviously Kathryn and Tony are still here….. UBS Dive Center is running three exclusively private dive boats daily and we are still the only dive company in the BVI that is completely private and not just small mixed groups. We have increased our rental equipment program considerably and we are still based at our home at Harbor View Marina in the East End of Tortola. The other changes have been in our Marina have been that the restaurant upstairs has moved to Josiah’s bay and is now called Secret Garden. In their place is and oriental restaurant that is also very good. We have built a swimming pool in the marina and there are now 4 hotel rooms too. The docks are now all filled with the addition of Trade Wind Cruise Club, Pro Valor Charters and VPM Best Sail. So once again Harbour View Marina is a happening place. Tony and Kate spent a month in Alaska last summer diving, fishing and visiting friends. It was a fabulous trip but you must be warned that the water was not as warm as here in the BVI!!! There was a lot of really cool sea life though, seals, killer whales, lingcod, wolf eels and lots of kelp. UBS Dive Center Coral Moving Project. This year UBS has been involved in a large-scale project to mitigate the environmental damages incurred by the development of a new marina along Scrub Island’s coastline Our goal was to preserve the fragile coral reefs and sea grass meadows from the impact of development by relocating them to other sites. Coral reefs, which are among the most dense and varied ecosystems in the world, are also some of the most fragile, and as divers a subject close to all our hearts. They thrive in warm water with stable salinity and are very susceptible to changes in climate, over-fishing, pollution, and sedimentation. Although global warming is the most widespread threat to reefs, the immediate problem of sedimentation and pollution caused by the development on Scrub Island was the impetus for our project. Sea grass meadows, also prolific in the area and host to a variety of life, including sea turtles, are also in danger. Sea grass meadows, in addition to being important eco systems, also play a pivotal role in preventing underwater erosion. Without them, sand from the sea floor can be swept away by water movements and deposited in other places, such as in harbors and channels, where it can become a navigational hazard. Mainsail Development Group, the developers of the island, had the area surveyed by The Department of Conservation and Fisheries, VIPM and Applied Technology Management (ATM), who enlisted our expertise to carry out the relocation project. With the help of local marine biologists, we have moved between 750 and 1200 pieces of coral reef. The coral was moved from two areas and relocated to three nearby sites, where it was attached with a fast-setting, non-separable concrete mortar mix to pre-existing barren substrate. The sea grass was taken from the most dense and viable beds and replanted in nearby barren areas of similar depth and conditions. Although coral is sensitive, so far the success rate for the coral relocation project has been about 90%.     Tony and Kate Moving a 1300lb coral head away from the construction site.     One of our coral stashes, this one is mainly Brain Coral.     Tony and Scott moving the corals on a special stretcher.     Tony making the special cement mixture to attach corals to their new homes.     The difficult low visability task of attaching the corals underwater with cement.   Wreck Week  Update. The fall of 2006 saw the first annual UBS wreck week. It was a great success with Shark Bate Dive Club from Colorado. http://www.sharkbaitdiveclub.com/ We had a full week of diving and not just wrecks, everyone completed the Wreck Diver Specialty course but we also completed the Naturalist Specialty course too. This year we are planning on the Wreck Week being from October 20th through the 27th. The places are limited to 15 divers so start to make your plans now!     Your Photos   I had a very hard time finding the best of the best of your photos to choose from this time. It seems that a lot of you have found the underwater photo bug. Being divers we all know that we all like equipment and the more gear we have is directly related to how much fun we have!!!  Several years ago any photos that sent me were all on film, now they are almost exclusively all digital. Seeing this growing trend and being an amateur photographer myself I decided to buy myself and underwater camera so I could join in the fun too. It did not take me long to realize that they are exceptionally expensive. Thinking along the lines that owning a dive center should have it’s advantages in this area, I started to look into buying or supplying underwater cameras and housings.  UBS Dive Center is now a dealer for Sea Life. This means that I can order you any pieces, parts, accessories, cameras hosings, stobes etc… I am not doing this to make money, I just want you to keep sending me your pictures so I can put them in the gallery on our web site, so apart from the shipping and handling fees you can get the best rates anywhere through me..         For More pictures go to,  http://www.scubabvi.com/html/gallery.html   INTRODUCING UBS Dive Center, Platinum Dive Experience. Starting in November of 2006 UBS Dive Center has started to offer a Platinum Dive experience for the divers who expect and desire their dive trip to be above even the quality that UBS Dive Center offers to all its guests. This trip is a never forget dive experience that will set’s the level of quality and service for all dive trips in years to come. We are using the same outstanding service, equipment, quality of tours and instructors that you have come to know and expect from the premier dive company of the BVI and are adding in some extra luxuries along the way.  We are offering three different schedules for you to choose from, a morning start returning home in the late afternoon, a lunchtime trip arriving back after a sunset cruise, and a rendezvous trip. Each trip will be exclusively tailored to your personal requests and desires. You will experience the first class dive experience of UBS with:    Your Own Private Dive Boat Guaranteed - to be the largest boat in our fleet – Reef Chief With bathroom and changing room facilities  An Extra Hour Included In The Day 1) 9 am to 4:30 pm Morning Trips 2) 12 noon to 7:30 pm Sunset Trips 3) Your choice of times for a 5 hour Rendezvous Trip Your Choice Of Instructor  Two Dives Plus a Guided Snorkel Tour Your Choice whether you want all or some of the activities A Full Beach Picnic For The Morning Trip Hors d’oeuvres for the Sunset And Rendezvous Trips  Champagne  Your Choice Of Either Red or White Wine Full Cooler Of Soft Drinks and Beers   Platinum Day Trips   We will leave UBS Dive Center's Dock at Harbour View Marina at 9 am. You have the choice of two dives anywhere in the BVI from Norman Island all the way up the Island chain to Mountain Point on Virgin Gorda, including all the Dog Islands, Guana Island, Marina Cay and Camanoe Island. After the dives we go to a beach where we will set up a beach picnic complete with delicious salads, cold cut meats, cheeses, fresh bakery bread and deserts. You may be served on the boat if weather conditions prevent us from getting close to the beach with the boat.. An afternoon snorkel tour is a pleasant in water conclusion before we meander back up the sparkling blue waters of the BVI while you sip on Champagne and view the Island chain   Platinum Sunset Trip   If we move the day over so we leave  the UBS docks  after an early lunch we can do two dives of your choice before snorkeling and playing at a beach or shallow reef. As the sun starts to set enjoy Hors d’oeuvres on the boat with a glass of chilled wine. When the Caribbean sky paints its magnificent masterpiece of red, pink, purples and gold’s we will cruise the ocean while you sip on a glass of champagne. We will arrive back in enough time for you to get dressed and ready for dinner.   Platinum Rendezvous   A rendezvous dive trip does not have to be a rushed large mixed group experience, as you well know from UBS Dive Center's long time service record. We are now taking it one level higher. You still get the great rendezvous service with the addition of a mixed fruit and bakery fresh sweet surprise to enjoy with a chilled glass of champagne after your dives. Always the large boat, with your choice of instruction and a choice of rendezvous times from 9:30 am to noon. We can also move your day over to accommodate you for an afternoon and night dive.  The maximum number of guests per day is 6 and the price is $1000 total.   Congratulations As always, we are proud to list all of you that have successfully completed a couse with us since my last newsletter. Congratulations! Remember a good diver is always learning, keep your skills honed and continue your dive training with specialty and advanced courses.  Junior Scuba Diver Jessica Ockendn  Junior Open Water Diver Kelsey Neichin Jonas Neichin Tessa Groleske Garrett Johnson Caneron Mccarthy Kelly Mccarthy Amanda Putley Cecilia Bertz Ryan Miller Drew Wilson Michael Wilson Anna Morton Brooklyn Contraras  Junior Advanced Open Water Diver Peter Trinder Brandon Yale Emily Camuso  Open Water Diver Lawrence Sullivan James Hohorst Katherine hohrst Taylor pospichal Brad pospichal Kirsti Julian Dan Swanda Christopher Cooper Corey Prescott Rebecca Fox Jamie Bibby Hannah Welch Amal Maduro Pya Paintal Akaska Paintal David Gu Terrance Armstrong Heidi Lanier Angela Keel Karen Montgomery Andrea Worsford Chris Wordsford Trisha pope Jodi Sinden Kyle Groleske Laura Brook Jennifer Sachs Andreas Ruetter Jon Dingle Hahn Chung Matthew Robinson Jason Cahng Robert Owen Robber Kruse Sheri Kruse Julian Hicks Naoimi Hicks Julie Curtis James Weltz Jim Weltz Adam Weltz Sandy Dale Richard Dale Benjamine Dale Joseph Dale Cassandra Johnson Ross Judice James Marks Keneth Beers Scott Taylor Mike Tweed Amanda Haspert Theresa Mancarnen Catherine benson Jeff Biernaskie Matthew Leismaa Scott bobbins Yasmin Nibbe Tim Bleish Steve Wright Brian Millard Molly Fizpatrick Peter Trinder Brett Gage Lauren Gage Yasmin Salminiti Joe Torchia Andrew Whitman Richard Hood Catherine Buckwater William Buckwater Helen Buckwater Benjamin Morse Joseph Dorosky Adam Dorosky Sam Morse Aaron Hirsh Eric Naples Kim Naples Christopher Lawrence Drew Lawrence Adele Lawrence Michele Lawrence Rex Lawrence John Morton Chris Morton Sarah Morton Nina curtis Kevin Curtis Catherine Harrell Kenneth Ryan Audrey Denis Becca Fitzgerald Tim Fitzgerald  Advanced Open Water Diver Chris Howard Norrisa Johnson Steven Stanford Linda Stanford Gary Gastman Joe Camuso Oxygen Provider Mandy Wilson Wreck Diver Specialty Course   Regina Mango-Judd James Judd Kendra Elrod Julie Longwell Jim Longwell Brandon Yale   Underwater Naturalist Specialty Course Regina Mango- Judd James Judd Kendra Elrod Julie Longwell Jim Longwell Medic First Responder Felicity Willings Russell Willings Christina Olsen Raind Olsen James Weltz The Staff Of Peter Island Resort: David Lake Abdon Dereira Sezilee Turnbull Sonia Richards Lawna Kirwan Lemuel Smith Tom Jones Burnell Turnbull Crystal Vanterpool The Staff of Conservation and Fisheries Department, Government of The BVI:   Loain Callwood Pearline George Marsha Frett Sandra Ambrose Derek Fahie Joel Dore Josah Marins Mark badger A.Crabbe Steve Glasgow Keiran Scatcliffe Terrance Watson Virgin Islands Search And Rescue: Martin Van Hornten William Simpson Simon Welch Chris Ruffel-Smith Tom Means Gerard Kraukman Sean Powell Sara Summers Rich White                     Once again, our utmost respect and thanks go out to all the volunteers of Virgin Islands Search and Rescue. We are continually keeping their certifications for the Medic First Responder certification current as part of UBS Dive Center's donation to the VISAR organization. These are only some of the new or re-certifications of the VISAR squad that we have done this year. Many other members are not listed above, as they were current in their certifications.  Your Comments   It is always special when we get an email from you when you have returned home from your vacation. It means so much to us that not only have we done a good job and that you were grateful of our efforts, but also that you have remembered us and taken the time to write a note and thank us when you have returned to your busy lives back in the “real word”. I normally put a few of your comments at the end of the newsletter but as I started to look through to choose some, I was spoiled for choice. So as a show of appreciation, we have added a page to the web site with all of the notes and letters you have sent us over the years: http://www.scubabvi.com/html/friends.html Kathryn, Robin and I wanted to let you know how much we appreciate your taking Sam and Dominic out for their first dives.  They haven't stopped talking about the trip... the large snapper... the squid... and how much fun they had with you on that day.  I had no idea that it would have made as great an impression on them as it did.  Thanks for taking such good care of the boys and teaching them to respect our oceans.  We'll hope these lessons get passed on. Michael and Robin Fayetteville, Arkansas    Kate & Tony, Just wanted to say thanks for making our dive trip work out so well. No problem with the equipment, and the briefing by Tony was superb! Tony really seemed to care that we understood everything, had great suggestions, and made it very enjoyable. Quite a contrast to the “island attitude, mon” ! We had some great dives, and did finally find wreck alley (saw u there). The Rhone was fantastic, should have done at least 2 dives on it. We should have followed Tony’s advice to do a rendezvous dive, and would very strongly recommend it to everyone. There is a lot to miss.   Thanks for your efforts, couldn’t think of a better place to go than UBS. You made it happen! We expect to be back next year. Look forward to seein’ you again. Feel free to use my comments and compliments with the qualification that I am a very picky guy, and you both made the grade! Regards,  Craig Crosby   Hey Katie   I thought i would drop you a quick note following Sundays dive. I have been out here for over a year now in various islands and have dived in a lot of the islands. I have to say that by far the best operation i have used is UBS. As you know i have wanted to dive the plane for nearly a year now and this was achieved on Sunday. You have a very professional operation operating there and as you said you arrive as clients and leave as friends. it seems certain in our case. i would like to come and dive with you again in the near future so long as i can find a buddy to come along with me.   Regards    Captain Steve Jones En'Less Sweet Water Marina Chagaramus Trinidad West Indies Heartfelt thanks back from the whole team at UBS Dive Center; we are so lucky to meet new guests every morning and every afternoon have new friends! keep safe and blowing bubbles and we all hope to see you soon. Kate, Tony, Dawn and Scott ( the other Canadian Scott) UBS Dive Center Tortola British Virgin Islands 284-494-0024 mail@scubabvi.com http.//www.scubabvi.com   PS. On a final note I had to show you this picture of Tony on a night dive with a puffer fish I don't know who is more shocked the fish or Tony!