the File

APRIL 2002
A News Publication of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences
APRIL 2002
University of Hawaii Dive Team Completes
Fiji Deep Reef Fish Surveys Using MixedGas Rebreathers
David Pence and Richard L. Pyle
From January 28 to February 8, 2002, a team of divers conducted
American Academy
of Underwater Sciences
430 Nahant Road
Nahant, MA 01908
THE SLATE
AAUS Board of Directors and Officers
PRESIDENT
Mark Flahan
San Diego State University
College of Sciences
5500 Campanile Dr.
San Diego, CA 92182-4610
619-594-6799
Fax 619-594-7301
flahan@sciences.sdsu.edu
STATISTICS CHAIR, WEBMASTER, &
VIRTUAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Steve Sellers
Diving Safety Officer
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858-4353
252-328-4041
Fax 252-328-4050
sellerss@mail.ecu.edu
PRESIDENT-ELECT
William Dent
Diving Safety Officer
University of South Florida
4202 E. Fowler Ave., PED 214
Tampa, FL 33620
813-974-5018
Fax 813-974-4979
wdent@research.usf.edu
DIRECTOR & SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR
Gavin Wuttken
Diving Safety Officer
Volunteer Coordinator
Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940
831-648-4800
Fax 831-644-7597
gwuttken@mbayaq.org
SECRETARY
Vallorie Hodges
Diving Safety Officer
Oregon Coast Aquarium
2820 SE Ferry Slip Rd.
Newport, OR 97365
541-867-3474 x5302
edofleini@yahoo.com
valh@orcaq.org
TREASURER
Ted Maney
Marine Science Center
Northeastern University
East Point, Nahant, MA 01908
781-581-7370
Fax 781-581-6076
emaney@lynx.neu.edu
DIRECTOR & MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
Douglas E. Kesling, BSN, DMT–A
Training and Safety Coordinator
National Undersea Research Center
Univ. of North Carolina–Wilmington
5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane
Wilmington, NC 28409
910-962-2445
Fax 910-962-2410
keslingd@uncwil.edu
STANDARDS CHAIR
Samuel Sublett
Diving Safety Officer
University of Washington
Hall He
Seattle, WA 98195
206-543-7388
Fax 206-543-3351
sublett@u.washington.edu
DIRECTOR
Sherry A. Reed
Unit Dive Officer
Research Specialist
Smithsonian Marine Station
701 Seaway Dr.
Fort Pierce, FL 34949
561-465-6630 x144
Fax 561-461-8154
reed@sms.si.edu
EDITOR, THE SLATE
Walt Jaap
Florida Marine Research Institute
(Fish & Wildlife Conserv. Comm.)
100 8th Ave. SE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5095
727-896-8626 x1122
Fax 727-893-1270
Walt.Jaap@fwc.state.fl.us
AMERICAN ACADEMY
OF UNDERWATER SCIENCES
430 Nahant Road
Nahant, MA 01908
781-581-7370 x334
Fax 781-581-6076
aaus@neu.edu
www.aaus.org
the first mixed-gas rebreather dives for science under University of
Hawaii auspices, during an ichthyology expedition to Fiji. The objective of the project was to collect specimens of fish species from
the Fijian deep-reef environment.
The dive team consisted of four working divers: Richard Pyle, a PhD
candidate in the UH Zoology Department; David Pence, UH Diving
Safety Officer; and volunteer divers John Earle, an Associate Researcher with the Bishop Museum; and Lt. Joseph Dituri, USN. In addition, Athline Clark from the Hawaii DLNR Division of Aquatic
Resources served as support/safety diver. Air fill station, logistical support, vessels, and vessel operations were ably provided by the University of South Pacific Marine Science Laboratory in Suva.
located along a section of outer reef known locally as “Fish Patch,”
which has been the focus of extensive coral reef research over the
past 20 years. The site had several characteristics to recommend
it for this first project, including warm, calm water, a vertical reef wall
from 10 fsw to well past 700 fsw, and proximity to the USF Laboratory
and Fiji’s hyperbaric chamber (<2 hours site-to-station run time).
JOIN AAUS!
The American Academy of Underwater
Sciences exists to promote safe and
productive underwater scientific
exploration and to advance the state of
underwater technology The strength of
the AAUS is its membership, those
institutions and individuals that pursue
scientific objectives beneath the water
surface across the North American
continent and beyond. If you are
involved in scientific diving and
underwater exploration, you should be a
member of the American Academy of
Underwater Sciences.
Join the AAUS and be a part of the
scientific diving community. Learn and
benefit from communications with your
counterparts across the United States.
Participate in the annual AAUS
Symposium and workshops. Help create
for yourself, your associates and staff the
most efficient, productive, and safe
scientific diving program possible. For
membership information, contact
American Academy
of Underwater
Sciences
430 Nahant Road
Nahant, MA 01908
781-581-7370 ext 334
aaus@neu.edu.
Joe Dituri deploys rotenone for one of the shallower stations. (R.L. Pyle photo)
Dive apparatus used consisted of three of Cis-Lunar MK-5P (MK5P) closed-circuit, mixed-gas rebreathers. At depths below 100 fsw,
the divers breathed a dynamic Helium/Nitrogen trimix (diluent 70%
helium, 23% nitrogen, 7% oxygen), switching to nitrox mixtures (air diluent) upon ascent to 100 fsw and shallower. A PO2 setpoint of 1.4 atm
was maintained at all depths greater than 10 fsw. Upon ascent to
Safety Support Diver Athline Clark, Hawaii DLNR–DAR, and University of South Pathe10 fsw decompression stop on morning dives, one of the divers
cific vessel support staff. Facilities and operational support from USP was exwould switch from the MK-5P system to a Draeger LAR-5 oxygen receptional. (D. Pence photo)
breather to complete the final decompression time (usually 45 to 90 minutes).
Collection methods consisted of sysThis facilitated the timely preparation and
tematic rotenone stations at specific tarredeployment of the second MK-5P for
get depths. A pair of divers descended
the second dive team. Additional safety
to the target depth and spread the
equipment carried by each diver inchemical on a selected site. Fishes were
Still waiting for a renewal notice in the mail?
cluded line reels, lift bags, and approcollected using custom-designed, handAll 2002 membership renewals must be done
priate volumes of open-circuit bail-out
held net/container apparatus. Upon
ON-LINE at the AAUS Virtual Office.
breathing gas.
completion of the collection and return
Paper applications are no longer accepted by
Two collecting dives were made on
to moderate depths, the sample jars were
the AAUS Office. When completing the on-line
most
days, one in the morning and one
capped and sent to the surface by lift
membership, remember to fill in ALL the fields and
in the afternoon. Each dive consisted of
bag for sorting and cataloging by team
select a sponsor from the pull-down menu. You
one buddy-pair of divers. Working depths
ichthyologists.
will have to do this only one time—next year,
The site selected for this work was
renewals will be automatic.
continued on page 2
Need to Renew
for 2002?
Continued from page 1
varied from 130 to 350 fsw, and approximately 45 minutes per dive
were spent working at the collection site near the maximum depth.
The majority of collections were at depths greater than 180 fsw. Inwater times including decompression varied, depending on dive
depth, approximately from 2 to 5 hours in duration.
Results of the collections and the divers’ experiences were spec-
2002 AAUS
Member Benefits
Aquaflite Wetsuits—$10 off standard sizes, $20 off custom suits
Best Publishing—10% discount on most retail prices
Citizen Watch—HyperAqualand watches (contact Ted Maney for prices)
AAUS Publications—20% discount
Divers Alert Network (DAN)—Insurance coverage for scientific divers who
are DAN members, have purchased additional member insurance
coverage offered through DAN, and are diving under the auspices of
an AAUS Organizational Member.
Corporate Sponsors
2
Alaska SeaLife Center
PO Box 1329
301 Railway Ave.
Seward, AK 99664
www.alaskasealife.org
800-224-2525, 907-224-6300
Alaska Underwater
Science Foundation
825 W 8th Ave., Suite 200
Anchorage, AK 99501
Aqua Flite
2155 Verdugo Blvd., Ste. 121
Montrose, CA 91020
800-581-7916, Fax 626-791-1866
www.aquaflite.com
Best Publishing Company
2355 N. Steves Blvd.
PO Box 30100
Flagstaff, AZ 86003-0100
520-527-1055, Fax 520-526-0370
divebooks@bestpub.com
www.bestpub.com
Citizen Watch Company
of America, Inc.
1200 Wall St. W.
Lyndhurst, NJ 07071
201-438-8150
Fax 201-438-4161
Diving Unlimited Intl.
1148 Delevan Dr.
San Diego, CA 92102
800-325-8439, 619-236-1203
Fax 619-237-0378
kathyo@DUI-Online.com
www.dui-online.com
Farallon USA Inc.
1901 Montreal Rd. #105
Tucker, GA 30084
770-414-0550, Fax 770-414-4004
farallondpv@mindspring.com
www.farallonusa.com
GB Undersea
7301 West Judge Perez Dr.
Suite 406
Arabi, LA 70032 USA
504-544-8707, Fax 504-277-0107
info@gbundersea.com
www.gbundersea.com
Ronald Hanley
Awards sponsor, 2001
1637 E. Westwind
Tempe, AZ 85283
Immersed Magazine
Immersed / F.D.R. Station
PO Box 947
New York, NY 10150
914-469-1003, Fax 914-469-1005
immersed@immersed.com
www.immersed.com
UH Fiji Deep Reef Fish team diver Dave Pence explores cavern at 325 fsw in search
of new species. (R. Pyle photo)
Oceanic
2002 Davis St.
San Leandro, CA 94577-1211
510-562-0500
www.oceanicusa.com
Prince William Sound
Science Center
300 Breakwater Ave.
Cordova, AK 99574
www.pwssc.gen.ak.us
Trelleborg Viking, Inc.
170 West Rd., Ste. 1
Portsmouth, NH 03801
800-344-4458, 603-436-1236
Fax 603-436-1392
www.trelleborg.com/protective
“How’s Kevin?”
—AN UPDATE FROM DAVID PENCE
Dear Folks,
This is for those of you who know our friend and colleague Kevin Flanagan. As many
of you know, for the past 2 months Kevin has been fighting a battle with a seminoma
tumor in his chest . Most of this time, he has been in critical condition in ICU at Queens
hospital in Honolulu. There have been several times that the prognosis was very grave.
I am happy to tell you all that Kevin is doing very well at this point. He is completely
off the ventilators and most other machinery, and his kidneys and liver are functioning
strongly. He does have a tracheotomy tube in to breathe through, but he can
speak and is eating anything that sits still (Mexican and ice cream are the current
favorites, I am told). He is still pretty weak compared to the bear of a man we all
know, but he is now able to sit up on his own and stand with the aid of a walker. He
is attacking physical therapy like a demon, completing double sessions each day.
As of Monday, Kevin started the first of 4 chemotherapy treatments, each consisting of 1 week of drugs followed by 3 weeks of “recovery”. Those are slated to end
in late July. As of now. Kevin is still in ICU for control of infection, but there is a possibility that he will be moved to a normal room soon and even be allowed to go home
if things continue to progress smoothly. He is able to have visitors and really appreciates it, as he is getting a bit stir-crazy from confinement. He is in the process of obtaining an Internet account for his laptop, so folks can e-mail him directly. I’ll let you
know when and where.
One big concern is funds. His position here at UH continues, of course, but we’re
talking BIG money. His med insurance has a lifetime cap of $2 million that he may
very well hit before he is done. Additionally, both of his folks have taken off from their
jobs in California and moved to Honolulu to help him out. In order to let those of us
who have the means and inclination to help do so, a trust fund has been established
with the UH Federal Credit Union. Information summarized by Kevin’s friend Loren follows. If you wish, your assistance will be VERY much appreciated to help get our friend
back on his flippers. (Since this is a trust for an individual, donations are NOT tax-deductible)
The UH Federal Credit Union and Kev’s dad were able to finalize the trust fund for
Kevin yesterday. Donations would help Kev and the family cover the $2,000 max insurance copay and other costs. To donate, make checks payable to:
“Kevin C. Flanagan Beneficiary.” The trust account # is 43552. This number should be
included on the check as well. Checks may be dropped off at UHFCU branches or
sent to UH Federal Credit Union, PO Box 22070, Honolulu, HI 96823-2070
Those who want to donate platelets or blood in Kev’s name can do so through
the Hawaii Blood Bank. They have “Lei Cards” that can be mailed to Kevin and are
available at the Blood Bank front desk. His address is 2122 Lime St. #703, Honolulu,
HI 96826. For scheduling an appointment or locating a blood drive, see the following website: www.bbh.org. Someting similar is probably possible at most blood
banks on the mainland.
Kev also has been watching a lot DVDs on his computer and is accepting DVD
donations…the more zombie movies, the better. We hope to get him internet service soon as well.
Chemo has been going OK for the big guy so far. He is still eating enchiladas and
watching basketball. He has been doing some physical therapy and standing up
a little, and I’m sure shooting hoops is right around the corner!
Aloha,
Dave
Diving Safety Officer, University of Hawaii, www.hawaii.edu/ehso/diving
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Institute of Marine Science
200 O’Neill Bldg.
Fairbanks, AK 99775
University of Alaska
Sea Grant College Program
PO Box 755040
203 O’Neill Bldg.
Fairbanks, AK 99775
888-789-0090, Fax 907-474-6285
www.uaf.edu/seagrant
Mark Your Calendars!
22nd AAUS SYMPOSIUM and NDO MEETING, March 12–15, 2003
U.S.I.A. Underwater Equipment
Sales Corp.
1600 Railroad Ave.
PO Box 1071
St. Helens, OR 97051
503-366-0212, Fax 503-366-0816
www.usia.com
WetPlanet Productions
1916A Manoa Rd.
Honolulu, HI 96822
808-946-8736 (v/f)
hulamike@gte.net
www.DiveSlates.com
UH Fiji Deep Reef Fish diver scanning for fish specimens on reef wall. By illumination
in the light beam, small specimens were located as they drifted away. (R. Pyle
photo)
East Carolina University will be hosting a National Diving Officers Meeting on March
12th and 13th, 2003, followed by the 22nd AAUS Symposium on March 14th and 15th.
The meetings will be held in Greenville, North Carolina, not to be confused with that
other Greenville in that state on our southern border.
Details on the schedule, accommodations, directions, and registration will be available via the AAUS web site, www.aaus.org, in the near future. A call for papers should
be anticipated in early September 2002. Presenters will receive a reduced Symposium registration rate.
For more information, please contact Steven H. Sellers, Director of Diving & Water
Safety, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4353; 252-328-4041 (voice), 252328-4050 (fax), www.ecu.edu/diving.
AAUS Gear!
SHOW YOUR PRIDE AND COVER YOUR HIDE!
We are proud to announce that AAUS gear is now in
stock. All items carry the embroidered logo with AAUS
spelled out. For a look-see, go to www.aaus.org.
Golf Shirts
Top quality Jerzees, 100% cotton, 6.5-oz. piqué, short
sleeve. Medium through XXL: jade, maroon, navy,
red. XXXL: maroon, navy, red. Medium through
XXXL–$25.
Blue Denim Shirts
Camp Creek, short and long sleeve, 100% cotton,
button-down collar, one pocket, double-needle stitching. Medium through XXL–$25 for either sleeve length.
Relaxed-fit Baseball Caps
Tan or navy. AAUS logo on front. One size, adjustable
back-strap. $10.
Domestic shipping per item
Golf shirt–$5. Denim shirt–$6. Hats–$3. Multiple items–$6.
To purchase: send order and cash, check, money
order, or Visa info to AAUS, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant
MA, 01908. Fax: 781-581-6076.
AAUS Member
Organizations
Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation
Aquarium of the Americas
Aquatic Research Institute
Arizona State University
Aubrey Consulting Inc.
Bermuda Biological Station for Research
Broward County, FL, Dept. of Natural Resource Protection
California Department of Fish and Game
California State University
Caribbean Marine Research Center
Colorado Ocean Journey
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Duke University, School of the Environment
Duke/UNC Oceanographic Consortium
East Carolina University
Florida International University
Florida Marine Research Institute
Florida State University
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
Humboldt State University
Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific
Louisiana University Marine Consortium
Marine Biological Laboratory
MBC Applied Environmental Sciences
Minerals Management Service, USDI
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
Mote Marine Laboratory
New Zealand Natl. Inst. of Water & Atmospheric Research
Northeastern University
Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center
Oregon State University
Prince William Sound Science Center
R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc.
Rutgers University
Saint Mary’s College
San Diego State University
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Seattle University
Smithsonian Institution
Stanford University
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Texas State Aquarium
The Florida Aquarium
University of Alaska, Fairbanks
University of California at Berkeley
University of California at Davis
UCLA
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Southern California
University of Connecticut
University of Florida
University of Guam
University of Hawaii
University of Maine
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
University of Miami–RSMAS
University of New Hampshire
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
University of Rhode Island
University of South Florida
University of Texas at Austin
University of Washington
University System of Georgia
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
7
RECALL:
Maximus Regulators
Virtual Office Update Women Divers
Hall of Fame
B
By Steve Sellers
6
ecause most of the Organizational and Individual member application problems are boiling down to user error (i.e., people just
don’t like to read instructions, no matter how short), we have been
able to move forward to other areas of the AAUS Virtual Office (VO)
project. A visitor to www.aaus.org will find a new look to the web site
and new and different functions available to our OMs and individual members.
This new group of pages takes advantage of our online database
by displaying OM and IM information that has been input by the
membership. We have also taken the database/web page integration process a step further by placing the majority of the text displayed on the pages in its own database. This action allows for
creation of edit pages that permit the information to be changed
without the need for a “web master.” This integrated information concept will be the backbone of all of the pages and functions under
development for the AAUS web site.
One of the newest additions to the web site is a link entitled “Diving Safety Office.” This is a password-protected, DSO-only area of the
VO that has the potential for being an outstanding resource for
DSOs around the country and the world. A function currently available is the ability for DSOs to post questions and information for
other Diving Officers in the database. This process is different from
the old DSO list server in that the question posts to everyone on the
DSO list, but the responses go back only to the person posting the
question. But don’t despair, the rest of us are not left out of the information loop because questions or responses posted via this function are recorded for use in a frequently-asked-questions (FAQ)
page currently under development. Currently, persons posting a response to a question see any responses made prior to theirs when
they click into the “post response” page using the link provided in
the e-mail generated by the VO. These responses appear in chronological order, the oldest responses being at the top of the page just
under the question. Responders also have the ability to edit their responses by clicking into the response page again.
It should be noted that this question/response function is basic text
only and does not allow uploading of attachments, does not support line returns or special fonts such as underline or bold, and has
no way of spell-checking. Other functions are planned that will incorporate some of these abilities, but it should be remembered that
this entire project is being performed with volunteer labor.
Other web site functions under development include a job-postings page, a “what’s new this month” page, an online SLATE page
where past copies of The SLATE will be available in pdf format, and
a specialized BOD motion and discussion page where AAUS Board
members can make a motion and discuss a BOD issue without the
confusing line of e-mail messages that currently results. What we can
do with the web site is as limited as we want to make it. We are looking for your input into the type of information you want access to
and welcome your ideas and feedback.
AAUS Scholarships
The American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) will award
two $2500 scholarships to graduate students engaged in, or planning to begin, a research project in which diving is or will be used
as a principal research tool. One will be awarded to a Masters program student and one to a PhD candidate. Scholarship winners will
be announced October 1, 2002. Proposal deadline is June 30, 2002.
Applicants must fulfill the following requirements:
• Be an individual member of AAUS.
• Submit a proposal of 3 to 5 pages describing the research methods, significance of the research, and a budget (if part of a larger
budget, specify how AAUS funds will be spent).
• Agree to write an article for The Slate describing the proposed research.
• Present the results of the research at an AAUS symposium or scientific meeting within one year of the project’s completion.
• Submit a statement of support from a faculty advisor.
Submit your proposal on-line at: www.aaus.org. For more information, contact your home campus Diving Officer or Sherry Reed
at reed@sms.si.edu or 772-465-6630 ext. 144.
Sherry Reed
The Women Divers Hall of Fame is a multi-disciplinary, professional
honor society dedicated to recognizing and raising public awareness of the contributions of outstanding women divers around the
world who have contributed significantly to the exploration, understanding, safety, and enjoyment of our underwater world. These contributions span a wide variety of fields, including the arts, sciences,
medicine, sports, archaeology, media, safety, education, business,
environment, and conservation.
In March 2002, I was one of 16 women who were inducted into
this exclusive group. We joined the 120 women inducted during previous years who hail from 35 states, Canada, Mexico, Europe, the
Caribbean, and Australia.
The founding members of this not-for-profit organization wanted
an opportunity to give back to a community that has truly enriched
their lives. The Women Divers Hall of Fame has become an honor
role of women dedicated to acting as mentor-ambassadors and uses
its combined resources to support careers and promote opportunities
for women in diving through their scholarships and worldwide network of industry contacts.
The Women Divers Hall of Fame provides educational and financial support for women of all ages, particularly those preparing
for professional careers in diving, through their scholarship program.
Four valuable scholarships are awarded annually.
For more information about the Women Divers Hall of Fame, including biographies of the inductees, scholarship opportunities, and
to nominate an outstanding woman, visit www.WDHOF.org.
THE SLATE ADVERTISEMENT RATE SCHEDULE
The Slate is published quarterly by the American Academy of Underwater
Sciences Board of Directors. Approximate publication dates are January, April, August, and November. The newsletter carries announcements, articles on scientific diving, research, safety, technical issue
updates, and book reviews. The current liaison is Walt Jaap. The AAUS
Board of Directors reserves the right to reject advertisements on the basis
of content and appropriateness to the mission of AAUS. The appearance
of an advertisement in The Slate does not represent AAUS endorsement of equipment or the sales firm. Advertisers should include a check
payable to AAUS.
Dave Pence examines Crinoid atop gorgonian at ~100 fsw during decompression stop after collecting deep-reef fish. Basic equipment configuration can be
seen, including light-battery pack, offboard heliox diluent cylinder, and 80 cu.
ft. open-circuit bail-out cylinder in butt-mount position. (R. Pyle photo)
tacular. A series of small reef caves and ledges in the 200–350 fsw
range yielded 450 lots of fishes, comprising 1,250 specimens representing nearly 200 species in at least 36 different families. In the
case of some of the new discoveries, it is unclear even which families they represent. Many of these species are already known to be
new to science, and undoubtedly many more will be identified as
such as team ichthyologists continue their investigations.
Divers exited the water each day excited about what they had
seen and eager to return. In addition to the collections, the silent
nature of the rebreathers allowed very close examination of a variety of otherwise skittish reef inhabitants. On one dive, the team had
the experience of being approached by a giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) weighing over 1,000 lb. During decompression on another dive, the divers were able to document on video
the mating behavior of a school of reef squid, from the initiation of
courtship to the eventual laying of eggs in the reef. The stealth afforded by the rebreathers allowed the divers to get so close that at
times the squid literally bumped into the dome port of the camera
housing as they were engaged in their spawning rituals.
The expedition was funded by grants from the National Science
Foundation and the National Geographic Society to Dr. David
Greenfield of the UH–Manoa Department of Zoology as part of a
larger project to develop a comprehensive list of the Fijian ichthyofauna. Samples from the fish collections will be incorporated into
the collections of the National Museum of Fiji and the Bernice P. Bishop
Museum in Honolulu.
DISPLAY ADS (Greyscale text & graphics. Need not be camera-ready;
see below.)
Display ad size
(in inches)
1⁄ 2
One issue
(US $)
page
$225
horiz. 8.75 x 7
vert. 4.25 x 14.25
1⁄4 page
$125
horiz. 8.75 x 3.375
vert. 4.25 x 7
1⁄ 8 page
$75
(vert. only) 4.25 x 3.375
Four issues
(US $)
$800
Corporate member
1 issue
4 issues
$200
$100
$350
$200
$50
$175
CLASSIFIED ADS (LIMITED TO AAUS MEMBERS)
Each member is entitled to one three-line classified ad per calendar year
at no charge. Additional classified ads are $10 per three lines. Ads for
sale of equipment, jobs, opportunities to dive on projects, and the like
are suggested.
Please send your advertisements (including check to AAUS) for The
Slate to
Walt Jaap, 273 Catalan Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33704
FAX: 727-894-6719; e-mail: wkjaap@worldnet.att.net
Direct questions regarding newsletter and ad production to
Llyn French, 727/896-8626 ext 1104 (FMRI–FWC); llyn.french@fwc.state.fl.us
Coral Disease Course
6–14 July, 2002
Diseases of Corals and Other Reef Organisms
Esther Peters and Robert Jonas
Mote Marine Laboratory’s Center for Tropical Research
Summerland Key, FL
This course is closing soon, but several spaces remain. See the web
site below for information and application form. http://www.
mote.org/~emueller/courses.phtml
Erich Mueller, PhD, Director
Mote Marine Laboratory
Center for Tropical Research
24244 Overseas Highway (US 1)
Summerland Key, FL 33042
Phone (305) 745-2729
FAX (305) 745-2730
E-mail emueller@mote.org
LETTERS
$700
$400
WASHINGTON, DC—In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC), Sherwood SCUBA LLC, of Irvine, CA, is recalling about 14,000 Maximus SCUBA regulators. The second-stage
orifices on these regulators can be cracked, bent or broken. This can
result in a loss of breathing air underwater.
Sherwood SCUBA has received seven reports of broken secondstage orifices on these regulators. Two of the regulators broke during dives underwater. No injuries were reported.
The Maximus regulators included in this recall have the following
model, serial numbers and connection types:
Model Number: SRB5600, Serial Number Range: K600001 through
K611834, Description: Yoke Connection.
Model Number: SRB5600D2, Serial Number Range: DK60000 through
DK62000, Description: Din-Style Connection.
Model Number: SRB5600CE, Serial Number Range: EK60001 through
EK62000, Description: Yoke Connection.
The serial numbers are laser-marked on the top of the second-stage
case next to the mouthpiece.
Authorized Sherwood SCUBA distributors and dealers nationwide
sold these regulators from January 1998 through November 2000 for
about $580.
Consumers should stop using the recalled regulators immediately, and contact their nearest authorized Sherwood retailer for a
free repair. For more information, call Sherwood SCUBA at (800) 4699929 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or go
to the firm’s web site at www.sherwoodscuba.com <http://www.sherwoodscuba.com>
To see a picture of the recalled product(s) and/or to establish a
link from your web site to this press release on CPSC’s web site, link
to the following address:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml02/02150.html
<http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml02/02150.html>
Research Diver John Earle demonstrating the effectiveness of closed-circuit rebreathers for observing reef-squid mating behavior(R.L. Pyle photo)
What a nice surprise, to get the plaque and your letter about the
AAUS Recognition Award. At the time we were starting AAUS (the
result of OSHA pressure and a frantic weekend of phone calls!), it all
just seemed like part of what we had to do to get the job done and
be able to stay in the water. But this recognition brings back a lot of
memories—of the interminable days in Washington, testifying before
OSHA, and listening to the cretins in the commercial diving community
tell us we couldn’t use a hammer to chip a barnacle off a rock. I
just got The SLATE, and all the names in there were great to remember. I haven’t been involved with real scientific diving for some
time now, but I do sit on a couple of Diving Safety Boards, so I have
sort of kept up with what AAUS has been doing. Your continued success and recognition in the diving community is something we are
all proud of. Again, thanks for remembering me (us), and for sharing your success with us.
—Bob Given
3
AAUS SCIENCE • AAUS SCIENCE • AAUS SCIENCE
Beta
t
p
-0.28
3.81
0.001
Risking Illness from Decompression:
Intend to dive cautiously
Unrealistic optimism
0.15
1.97
0.05
Predicting risky behavior among recreational and
commercial scuba divers
Prototype favorability
0.22
2.88
0.01
Bill Thornton
This research demonstrated the ability of prototypic perception
and unrealistic optimism to be predictive of scuba divers’ willingness
to undertake risky behavior. As with other health-risk behaviors,
these two models may be related not only to the onset of risky behavior in divers, but also to its cessation and prevention. For instance, raising individuals’ perceptions of personal risk (thereby
reducing unrealistic optimism) has been effective in increasing subsequent precautionary behaviors (Weinstein et al., 1986). Changes
in subsequent risky behavior similarly accompany changes in prototype perception—risky behavior declines as relative favorability of
the prototype diminishes, whereas it increases as the image becomes more positive (Gibbons & Gerrard, 1995). Thus, education
about and modification of these perceptions could be an appropriate focus of attention for those interested in risk-behavior modification and in educational efforts aimed at reducing the prevalence
of risky behaviors. While this has direct implications for reducing risktaking among scuba divers, such implications would probably extend to other risky behaviors as well.
University of Southern Maine, Department of Psychology, University of Southern Maine, P.O.Box 9300, Portland, ME 04104-9300 email: thornton@usm.maine.edu
ABSTRACT
This research examined the utility of two social-cognitive psychological processes in predicting scuba divers’ willingness to undertake risky
behavior in diving despite their intentions to behave to the contrary. A prototype/willingness model would predict increased willingness to
engage in risky diving behavior as a function of relative, favorable perceptions of the “typical” or prototypic diver who takes such risks. A
perspective of unrealistic optimism would predict increased willingness to take risks as a function of biased perceptions regarding one’s
personal vulnerability relative to the “typical” risk-taker. Results indicated that the two models were independent predictors of the willingness of both recreational and commercial scuba divers to engage in risky behavior.
4
Mask Squeeze
Table 1. Hierarchical Regression Analysis
Predicting Willingness to Undertake a Risky Dive
INTRODUCTION
Considerable effort has been directed toward understanding the underlying physics and the physiological mechanisms of decompression illness (DCI) and identifying the multiple risk factors among
scuba divers that contribute to individual susceptibility (Bennett &
Elliott, 1993; Moon et al., 1995). Attention to psychological factors
in DCI has largely focused on the social and behavioral responses
following an occurrence of DCI with concern for denying the need
for treatment, delaying in seeking out treatment, responding to
treatment and rehabilitation, and the subsequent stigmatization of
the injured diver (Hunt, 1993, 1996; Laboda, 1994; Hunt & Clendenen, 1995).
Little research has focused on precipitating psychological factors
of DCI. Laboda (1994) reported that divers who experience DCI are
generally perceived by others as “risk takers”; however, the majority
(90%) of these divers consider themselves to be “conservative” in their
diving. Indeed, most cases of DCI do not necessarily appear to be
a consequence of intentionally reckless diving (Moon et al., 1995).
Nevertheless, despite intentions to be conservative and dive safely,
the psychology of risk behavior suggests two social-cognitive
processes—prototypic perception and unrealistic optimism—that
may contribute to increased willingness to undertake risky behavior.
Prototypic perception assumes that people maintain images, or
prototypes, of the “typical” person who engages in risky behaviors
and that their attitudes and propensity toward the risky behavior reflect the relative favorability of this prototype risk-taker (Gibbons &
Gerrard, 1995, 1997; Gibbons et al., in press). Thus, the more favorable the prototype image, the more willing the person is to engage
in the risky behavior. Despite expressed intentions to behave to the
contrary, prototype favorability and perceived similarity to the prototype prove to be reliable predictors of willingness to engage in
health-risk behaviors, including smoking, drinking, reckless driving, and
unsafe sex (Gibbons & Gerrard, 1996; Thornton et al., in press). Moreover, research suggests that the willingness to take such risks is a better predictor of actual behavior than intention (Gibbons et al., 1998;
Thornton et al., in press).
Unrealistic optimism reflects the belief that you are less vulnerable than your peers to negative events and has been implicated in
perceived susceptibility to a number of health-risk concerns, including pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer (Weinstein, 1980, 1984; Gerrard et al., 1991;
Whitley & Hern, 1991; Thornton et al., in press;). Such unrealistic optimism may result from biased perceptions of one’s own susceptibility
and/or the biased perceptions of others’ susceptibility with regard
to a particular negative outcome. Thus, a person may engage in
an otherwise risky behavior in the erroneous belief that s/he is not
as susceptible to the negative consequences of the behavior as other
people might be (i.e., “it won’t happen here”).
METHODS
Separate samples of commercial and recreational scuba divers
were randomly selected from a scallop license database available
from Maine’s Department of Marine Resources. A letter, survey
questionnaire, and pre-paid return envelope were sent to each
diver. Tracking of returns provided for follow-up mailings to maximize
return rate and representativeness of the resulting sample.
A cover letter provided for informed consent in soliciting participation in a study concerned with scuba divers’ attitudes, opinions,
and behaviors. The questionnaire solicited demographic data (e.g.,
sex, age, diving experience, level of training). Following previous prototype/willingness research (Gibbons and Gerrard, 1995; Thornton
et al., in press), respondents’ image favorability of the “typical diver”
who pushes or exceeds time and depth limits and risks DCI was assessed using 12 adjectives (e.g., intelligent, self-confident, foolhardy,
adventurous) each rated on 7-point scales from not-at-all to very
much; the mean rating was computed with higher values reflecting
greater prototype favorability.
Two additional items asked respondents to indicate how likely a
diver would be to experience DCI if time and depth limits were
pushed or exceeded and how likely they personally would be to experience DCI if such limits were pushed or exceeded. An index of
unrealistic optimism was computed by the difference between
these two responses; the greater the positive difference, the greater
the unrealistic optimism. They also indicated their intention not to
exceed depth and time limitations. Finally, the primary dependent
measure consisted of the mean of two responses to items that assessed divers’ willingness to dive in a situation that obviously would
result in the limits being exceeded. All of these items were responded to using 7-point scales, not-at-all to very likely.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The present analyses were conducted on 177 respondents, 81 recreational divers (46%) and 96 commercial divers (54%). On average,
recreational divers were older than commercial divers (Ms = 44 and
32, respectively) but had less diving experience (e.g., fewer years
diving, fewer dives per year, fewer total dives). However, other responses indicated little difference between commercial and recreational divers with regard to their intentions to dive cautiously or their
willingness to undertake a risky dive. As such, data were collapsed
across type of diver, and further analyses were conducted on the
group as a whole.
Prototypic favorability and unrealistic optimism both correlated
positively with willingness to undertake a risky dive (rs = 0.23 and 0.15,
respectively, ps < 0.05). Thus, the more favorable the prototype image
or greater the optimism, the greater the willingness to engage in a
risky dive. To determine the ability of prototypic perception and
unique invulnerability to predict willingness to engage in a risky dive
profile despite intentions to the contrary, a hierarchical regression
analysis was conducted and summarized in Table 1. Even when intention to dive safely is first taken into account, prototypic perception and unrealistic optimism each contributed significantly to the
prediction of willingness to do a risky dive. Moreover, the ability of
both to contribute significantly indicates that each one is accounting
for some unique variation in willingness and is consistent with the two
perspectives embodying to some extent different underlying
processes (cf. Thornton et al., in press).
REFERENCES
Bennett, P.B., & Elliott, D.H. (1993) The physiology and medicine of
diving. London: W.B. Saunders.
Gerrard, M., Gibbons, F.X., & Warner, T.D. (1991) Effect of reviewing
risk-relevant behaviors on perceptions of vulnerability among
women marines. Health Psychology 10:173–179.
Gibbons, F.X., & Gerrard, M. (1995) Predicting young adults’ health
risk behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
69:505–517.
Gibbons, F.X., & Gerrard, M. (1997) Health images and their effects
on health behavior. Pp. 63–94 in B.P. Buunk & F.X. Gibbons (eds.),
Health, coping, and well-being: Perspectives from social comparison theory. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Gibbons, F.X., Gerrard, M., Blanton, H., & Russell, D.W. (1998) Reasoned action and social reaction: Willingness and intention as independent predictors of health risk. Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology 74:1164–1180.
Gibbons, F.X., Gerrard, M., & Lane, D.J. (In press) A social reaction
model of adolescent health risk. In J. Suls & K. Wallston (eds.), Social psychological foundations of health and illness. Oxford, U.K.:
Blackwell.
Hunt, J. (1993) Straightening out the bends. Aqua Corps Journal
5:16–23.
Hunt, J. (1996) Psychological aspects of scuba diving injuries: Suggestions for short-term treatment from a psychodynamic perspective. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings
3:253–271.
Hunt, J., & Clendenen, B. (1995) Mind and body: The treatment for
decompression illness should go beyond simply physiology. Alert
Diver, July/August issue, pp. 30–35.
Laboda, A. (1994) The psychology of decompression sickness: Do
divers deserve to get bent? Dive Training, April issue, pp. 37–41.
Moon, R.E., Vann, R.D., & Bennett, P.B. (1995) The physiology of decompression illness. Scientific American, August issue, pp. 70–77.
Thornton, B., Gibbons, F.X., & Gerrard, M. (In press) Risk perception
and prototype perception: Independent processes predicting risk
behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Weinstein, N.D. (1980) Unrealistic optimism about future life events.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 39:806–820.
Weinstein, N.D. (1984) Why it won’t happen to me: Perceptions of
risk factors and susceptibility. Health Psychology 3:431–457.
Whitely, B.E., Jr., & Hern, A.L. (1991) Perceptions of vulnerability to
pregnancy and the use of effective contraception. Personality and
Social Psychology Bulletin 17:104–110.
A DIVING-RELATED INJURY
In February, several divers went to Blue Grotto near Williston, Florida,
to participate in some training and qualifying dives. On the first dive,
one diver had a difficult time clearing ears and lagged behind. In
addition, this diver experienced chronic mask fogging, so communication with the other divers was difficult. The divers were together
on a 30-ft-deep platform while the affected diver attempted to
equalize. They began to descend to 50 ft after the affected diver
signaled ok to descend. When they reached 50 ft, the affected diver
was still on the 30-ft platform. The other divers returned to the 30-ft
platform and remained there until the affected diver was able to
descend. The divers descended to 50 ft. After a short stop, they descended to a cavern at about 70 ft deep and stayed some minutes
in depths greater than 80 ft. Upon ascent, the affected diver had
some blood in the mask. They surfaced and found that the diver’s
nose had been bleeding and the eyes were bloodshot. The diver
went to a clinic and later saw Dr. Santamaria.
The diver reported a great deal of pain around the face during
the descent. This is a case of mask squeeze caused by not equalizing (allowing air to enter the mask through the nose) during the descent. Divers must equalize their masks when descending to
compensate for hydrostatic pressure. The hydrostatic pressure on
the facemask was sufficient to rupture capillaries in the diver’s nasal
sinus and eyes. Mask-equalizing is critical in descending from the surface to 33 ft (there is a two-fold increase in pressure transiting from
one to two atmospheres of pressure)
RECOMMENDATIONS
When descending, equalize pressure frequently to avoid barotrauma problems in the ears, mask, and sinuses. If you experience
blockage and can’t equalize, assume a head-up, vertical position,
relax, ascend slightly, and attempt to equalize. If you still can’t
equalize, notify your buddy and abort the dive. Avoid diving if you
have a cold, respiratory congestion, or sinus infection. Before diving, do a valsalva maneuver (pinch nose, close mouth, and blow
gently outward; you should be able to sense your ear membrane
being pressurized) to test your ability to clear your ears. If you can’t
successfully complete a valsalva maneuver on the surface, you
should not dive.
Divers should defog their masks prior to diving. A new mask may
require special conditioning; refer to manufacturer’s recommendations to prepare the mask for diving.
The Diving Control Board reminds divers that they have the responsibility of evaluating their fitness to dive. If the conditions are
not conducive to making a safe dive, you should not dive. Respiratory ailments that impact equalizing pressure should be respected.
Do not dive if you are uncomfortable for any reason.
Diving to greater depths should be accomplished in progressive
stages. For example, a diver wants to qualify to work at 100 feet,
and the diver’s previous experience has been in depths less than 20
feet. This diver should progress in stages to the greater depth. A typical approach is three dives to 50 feet, three dives to 70 feet, then
proceed to 90 to 100 feet. This is assuming that the diver can function satisfactorily (is alert, not anxious, can adjust buoyancy, responds to conditions) at each of the greater depths. The work-up
dives should be planned well and supervised by qualified individuals. This will require several days of diving, so plan your program with
sufficient lead-time.
Erich Ritter Bitten
Dr. Samuel H. Gruber
Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries,
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami
I am very sorry to report that Erich Ritter was badly bitten, presumably by a lemon shark, during a shark biology class meeting at
Walker’s Cay, Florida. According to an AP story related to me by Kelly
Patrick, reporter for the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, Erich lost a portion of his left calf, went into shock, and was flown to a hospital in
Palm Beach County. He has since moved, and Kelly did not know
his whereabouts. Apparently, there were four students in the water
at the time learning about shark behavior. Kelly also interviewed Dr.
Art Myrberg about the case.
I am certain we will hear a lot more about the conditions of both
the bite and Erich’s recovery in the near future.
5