Recognizing the space and time needed to heal from trauma, isolation is the opposite of what we need. The key to healing and building resilience is connection with others.
from The New Social Worker Online — the professional social work careers magazine http://ift.tt/2fp4q4q
Monday, October 31, 2016
Dallas Morning News Editor Mike Wilson on their evolving newsroom
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A Halloween snake jewelry roundup.
Good morning, my darlings, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!
I love this holiday so much. Silliness, exuberance, the breaking of rules, and the possibility of magic – what’s not to love?
In honor of Halloween, I’ve decided to do a roundup of fantastic snake jewelry! As we’ve discussed before, snakes motifs in jewelry represent all kinds of wonderful, romantic things – but, being snakes, they still exude an air of sensuous danger and temptation.
Continue reading A Halloween snake jewelry roundup. at Diamonds in the Library.
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A Pelagian Cruise Reveals Indonesia’s Underwater Riches
Luxurious land-based Wakatobi Dive Resort offers access to over 40 pristine dive sites. Guests can visit even more aboard the equally luxurious Pelagian. This 115-foot (35 m) luxury dive yacht cruises a broader area of the Wakatobi archipelago and the southern portion of Buton Island. These waters lie within the Coral Triangle, home to the highest coral-reef biodiversity in the world. Seven-day itineraries take in a diverse range of underwater environments. The areas from Wangi Wangi to the vast Kaledupa shoals offer everything from shallow reefs to offshore pinnacles and dramatic vertical drop offs. Buton’s Pasar Wajo Bay means exceptional muck diving.
Cruising on the Pelagian
The Pelagian offers more personalized service than a typical liveaboard vessel, as it’s set up to hold a maximum of just 10 divers in five spacious cabins. Divers will find accommodations akin to an upscale hotel room, with separate dressing areas and en suite bathrooms and showers. A crew of 12 includes an executive chef and stewards, adding fine dining and five-star service to the itinerary. Diving is conducted from a pair of custom-fabricated dive tenders, with the crew handling all gear management. One of Wakatobi’s guides will lead divers and provide in-water support when requested or needed. Guides are experts at locating rare marine subjects as well.
Because dives take place either on shallow-water muck sites or on structures with significant vertical reliefs that are ideal for multi-level profiles, bottoms times routinely exceed 70 minutes. The schedule allows for up to four dives a day, including night dives. With so much time spent in the water, Pelagian offers nitrox to appropriately certified divers.
Muck Diving
Unique to the Pelagian’s itinerary are the muck-diving opportunities not found at the resort. Pasar Wajo Bay, on the southeastern side of Buton Island, has a broad selection of sites. There are silt and rubble habitats, and white-sand bays with small coral gardens. Some of the best muck-diving sites include Cheeky Beach, Banana Beach and In Between. These sites feature very gradual slopes from the shoreline down to 100 feet. The desert-like bottom is comprised mostly of gray or brown sand and gravel. Avoid stirring up the light sediment cover with an errant fin by watching buoyancy carefully.
Neophyte muck divers might wonder what they’re doing on brown sandy slopes, devoid of coral. Until they begin to spot things. They might first see the mottled red face of a reptilian snake eel, protruding from the sand. Or perhaps they’ll see a wunderpus octopus, recognizable by its reddish-brown body with well-defined white bands. Closer looks will reveal Coleman shrimp, fire urchins and alien-like peacock mantis shrimp. Shrimp gobies keep house with their alpheid shrimp roommates, who seem to do all the work.Pelagian also visits three piers in Pasar Wajo Bay, each with its own attractions. Asphalt Pier is the island’s primary terminal for loading bitumen onto waiting cargo vessels. Weaving between pilings at depths from 15 to 45 feet, divers will find shrimp gobies, frogfish, leaf scorpionfish and pipefish.
As the name suggests, New Pier is the newest landing dock in Pasar Wajo Bay. Like Asphalt Pier, depth profiles run 15 to 35 feet around the base of the pilings, down to 45 feet out front in the sand. While the pilings are a great spot for finding blue ribbon eels, ringed pipefish and spiny devil scorpionfish, the adjacent debris field of cans and bottles is a good place to hunt for octopus and gobies.
Divers on the Pelagian talk most about Magic Pier. Other than being home to a menagerie of cephalopods, including cuttlefish and blue-ringed octopus, frogfish and nudibranchs, this site is loaded with mating mandarinfish. Each evening just before sunset, coral formations and rock piles around the base of the pier come alive as scores of mandarinfish emerge from their hiding places for their nightly ritual. Males gather to stage elaborate mating displays, and when they attract the attention of a willing female, the pair begins a spiraling dance toward the surface that culminates in the release of eggs and sperm.
Reefs, Walls and Pinnacles
A large part of the Pelagian’s itinerary targets the coral-rich shallows, slopes and steep drop-offs of the Karang Kaledupa reef system, which lies between Wakatobi Dive Resort and Buton Island. Profiles rise to within a few feet or meters of the surface, so divers can expect long, multi-level dives.
Off Wangi Wangi Island is a site aptly named Fishmarket for its abundance of schooling fish, including blackfin barracuda. The site features a brilliant wall with two deep ravines and a detached pinnacle rising to within 33 feet (10 m) of the surface.
The Karang Kaledupa area also includes a number of offshore pinnacles. Wanji seamount rises from deep water to a summit 13 feet (4 m) from the surface, then continues along a ridge at 60 feet (18 m) to meet a second mount with minimum depth of 33 feet (10 m). Crevices riddle the structure, and it’s rich in fan corals, soft corals and lush bushes of halimeda algae. In the open water surrounding the structure, divers may encounter schooling bigeye trevally, snappers, tuna and turtles. On the reef itself, divers can spot pygmy seahorses, mantis shrimp, orangutan crab, nudibranchs and other macro critters. The dive begins on the deeper of the seamount peaks and ends on the shallower pinnacle. Divers can see juvenile wrasse, leaf scorpionfish and false stonefish.
On the way to and from Wakatobi, Pelagian may stop at sites on the outer edge of day-boat range, such as the Blade seamounts. This unusual structure consists of a series of knife-edge pinnacles running in parallel lines. A lower ridge that gives the entire structure the appearance of a serrated-blade knife set on edge connects the pinnacles and gives the site its name.
These are just a few of the many memorable sites that divers can experience aboard Pelagian. Combine a cruise with a stay at Wakatobi Dive Resort for the best that Indonesia has to offer.
By guest author Walt Stearns
The post A Pelagian Cruise Reveals Indonesia’s Underwater Riches appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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Sunday, October 30, 2016
The Brain Museum - A Social Worker's Story for Halloween
One of the guards rattled his giant ring of old keys and asked me if I wanted to see "the brain museum." Seriously. I'd heard rumors about this peculiar collection of cranial content, but the potential reality had thus far only been that: a rumor.
from The New Social Worker Online — the professional social work careers magazine http://ift.tt/2e368T6
from The New Social Worker Online — the professional social work careers magazine http://ift.tt/2e368T6
Global Warming Destroys Tasmanian Kelp Forests
The Great Barrier Reef isn’t Australia’s only underwater environment to suffer as a result of global warming. The Great Southern Reef is quietly slipping toward destruction with little fanfare. Stretching from just below Brisbane on the east coast to Kalbarri on the west coast, this life-giving ecosystem is made up of rocky, temperate reefs and characterized by once-vast forests of giant kelp. Today, Tasmanian kelp forests are on the brink of disappearing forever. This island state to the south of mainland Australia was particularly well-known for its rich submarine jungles. But early in October, well-known Tasmanian dive operator Mick Baron reported that the last patch of kelp on the island’s east coast was gone. Baron, who runs Tasmania’s Eaglehawk Dive Center, went to Munro Bight searching for the patch, only to find that a recent storm had ripped from its roots.
Will the Tasmanian kelp forests disappear forever?
Tasmania has lost 95 percent of its giant kelp forests over the last 80 years because of global warming. Patches on the island’s east coast may one day grow back, but it is far more likely that the disappearance of the Munro Bight patch means the end of an ecosystem that has inhabited Tasmania’s east coast for tens of thousands of years. According to Dr. Thomas Wernberg from the University of Western Australia’s Oceans Institute, losing the Great Southern Reef would be as catastrophic as losing the Great Barrier Reef.
Why is this happening?
When Baron first started diving on Tasmania’s east coast almost 45 years ago, he could not navigate the thick kelp forests by boat. Now, even though the plant can grow up to two feet (60 cm) per day, those forests are a thing of the past. Rapidly rising sea temperatures, caused by Tasmania’s unique geographical location, are to blame.
Historically the warm East Australian Current moved southward along the Australian mainland, then veered eastward long before reaching Tasmania. But global changes have altered the current’s course, and its warm, nitrogen-deficient waters now veer ever-closer to Tasmania. As a result, sea temperatures around the island are increasing up to three times faster than the global average. Such rapid changes mean the cool-water kelp cannot possibly successfully adapt in time.
In the past, when winter storms ripped the last of the summer season’s kelp from the seafloor, its exceptional growth rate allowed it to quickly regenerate. Now, stressed by increased temperatures and starved of the nitrogen it needs to grow, the kelp cannot recover. To make matters worse, higher water temperatures have created optimum conditions for the long-spined sea urchin. This invasive species preys on new kelp shoots. Overfishing compounds the problem by removing populations of rock lobster, the sea urchins’ natural predator. As a result, depleted kelp beds have become lifeless deserts, grazed into extinction by the urchins.
What’s next?
If the kelp forests of the Great Southern Reef disappear, the world will lose more than just the plants themselves. The kelp ecosystem supports a huge variety of marine life, including several endemic species. Scientists estimate that 30 percent of the Great Southern Reef’s fish species are endemic (including the iconic weedy seadragon). Up to 80 percent of its seaweed species are exclusive to that area as well. Many Australian fisheries depend on the health of this unique ecosystem, which generates approximately $10 billion every year.
Unfortunately, the future looks grim for the remaining Tasmanian kelp forests on the island’s other coasts. Kelp forests elsewhere on the Great Southern Reef are in similar dire straits. The East Australian Current hasn’t rounded Tasmania’s most southerly point yet, but if global warming continues unchecked, it is only a matter of time. Dr. Wernberg’s model predicts that giant kelp may be extinct in Australia by the end of the century.
The post Global Warming Destroys Tasmanian Kelp Forests appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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Saturday, October 29, 2016
Proposal for South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary Thwarted
Those fighting for whale conservation are in mourning. A contingent of pro-whaling countries have yet again thwarted efforts to establish the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary. The 2016 meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) at Portoroz, Slovenia scheduled the proposal for discussion. When it came to voting, however, the proposal failed to achieve the 75 percent majority that it needed for approval. Thirty-eight countries voted for the sanctuary and 24 voted against it.
If the proposal had succeeded, the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary would have protected whales from hunting across 8,000,000 square miles. This would have included whaling for “research,” effectively closing the loophole in the current IWC legislation that has allowed Japan to continue whaling since the 1986 moratorium.
Unsurprisingly, Japan voted against the proposal. Norway and Iceland also voted no, and continue to kill whales.
What happened?
This is not the first time the IWC has voted on the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary. In 1998, the Brazilian government announced its intention to put together a proposal, which the IWC evaluated for the first time in 2001. Since then, it has gone through several revisions, none of which have been successful. Brazil is now one of five co-sponsors of the proposal, alongside South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay and Gabon. Representatives from these sponsoring countries argue that the sanctuary is vital to protect dwindling whale populations.
Despite the proposal’s previous failures, conservationists hoped that this time would be different thanks to a marked increase in public support for whale conservation. This is likely due to heightened media attention, not only in the Southern Ocean, but in places like Taiji and the Faroe Islands. In 2014, the International Court of Justice ruled that Japan’s research whaling program had no scientific validity. As a result, it suspended the program the following season.
Conservationists and the media widely criticized Japan’s subsequent decision to resume whaling. Ahead of the recent vote, over one million people added their names to a petition calling for the sanctuary’s approval. In light of this global support, the failure to achieve a 75 percent majority vote is especially disappointing. Worst of all, the countries that voted against the sanctuary were mostly either land-locked (like Mongolia), and/or located far from the South Atlantic in the northern hemisphere (like Russia).
What’s next?
All IWC members that share borders with the South Atlantic voted in favor of the sanctuary. This discrepancy seems to prove that the IWC rules are outdated at best, and corrupt at worst. IWC corruption allegations were so frequent that in 2011, the Commission issued new laws in an attempt to stop rich whaling countries like Japan from openly buying votes from poorer countries like Tanzania. However, it is likely that bribery still takes place behind the scenes leading up to a vote like this one.
If this is true, bribery could potentially prevent the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary from ever being realized. However, there is a silver lining. In 2001, only 19 countries voted for the sanctuary compared with the 34 that supported it this year. It is possible that at the next IWC meeting in 2018, the scales could finally tip in the whales’ favor.
The post Proposal for South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary Thwarted appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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Friday, October 28, 2016
The Weekly 5 in Social Work, 10/29/16
Recent stories in the news of interest to social workers.
from The New Social Worker Online — the professional social work careers magazine http://ift.tt/2ekBq9e
from The New Social Worker Online — the professional social work careers magazine http://ift.tt/2ekBq9e
Julie Lamb’s NYC Manhole Cover pendant makes city grit pretty.
I saw a lot of fabulous jewelry at Metal & Smith last month, but a few pieces made a lasting impression. Today, we’re going to look at one I loved so much that I decided it needed to have its very own post. I’d like you to meet Julie Lamb’s phenomenal NYC Manhole Cover pendant.
I’ve always been drawn to the random, inanimate details that makes cities unique. If you look at my vacation photos, you’ll see streetlamps, windowsills, bits of graffiti – the minor, ubiquitous details that give a place its identity.
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Thursday, October 27, 2016
Top Five Underwater Photography Essentials
Whether you’re diving or snorkeling, underwater photography should be fun and hassle-free. That’s why we love SeaLife cameras, lights, and accessories. The company engineers their products with underwater photographers in mind so that you can spend less time scrolling through the menu and messing with your gear and more time having fun and capturing the perfect shot. Here’s our list of the top five underwater photography essentials to take on every dive.
Shoot stunning stills and videos with the SeaLife Micro 2.0
If you’re looking to shoot stunningly sharp stills and video, look no further than the SeaLife Micro 2.0. Compact and travel-friendly, the permanently sealed Micro 2.0 features a sharp 16MP SONY CMOS image sensor, 1080p HD video and a built-in 130-degree fisheye lens with either 32GB (item SL510) or 64GB (item SL512) of internal memory. The camera is depth rated to 200 feet (60 m).
Reveal vibrant colors with Sea Dragon 2500 Photo/Video Light
It can be hard to capture the vibrant colors of the underwater world, but not with one of our favorites, the popular Sea Dragon 2500 Photo/Video Light. Packed with a bright 2500 lumens and color-rendering index of 90 to simulate the sun’s brightness, it’s no wonder that our pictures and videos are bursting with color. The Sea Dragon 2500 comes packaged as a set with a Flex-Connect grip and tray, or photographers can purchase a light head only. Depth rated to 200 feet (60 m).
Capture brilliant colors with the universal Sea Dragon Flash
If you’re looking for the next best strobe, you’ve found it. The powerful universal Sea Dragon Flash produces rich, deep colors in underwater photos. It’s compatible with all SeaLife DC-series cameras, as well as other brands with an external flash. Switch from the variable power adjustment to auto mode and the flash will automatically adjust brightness for optimal-image exposure. Meanwhile, the auto-learn mode easily syncs to your camera’s pre-flash without any hassle. Depth rated to 200 feet (60 m)
Build the ultimate, full-featured set up with Flex-Connect Dual Tray Kit
Add twice the strobes or lights with our favorite full-featured camera set-up, the Flex-Connect Dual Tray Kit. The dual tray mounts to any underwater camera using the standard tripod screw. The ergonomic dual Flex-Connect grips add extra stability while the Flex Arms 100-degree bending motion prevents backscatter and allows for creative lighting. Add a Sea Dragon strobe or light to finish off the set. You can even use a non-SeaLife strobe or light by mounting it to the Ball Joint Adapter for Flex-Connect. (Flex Arms not pictured).
Capture the best underwater close ups and selfies with the SeaLife AquaPod
Perfect for selfies or good underwater close-ups, you’ll need a monopod that’s reliable and sturdy. That’s why we love using SeaLife’s AquaPod for critter shots and selfies. The original AquaPod extended from 18 inches (46 cm) to 53 inches (135 cm), making it easy to maintain a comfortable distance between you and your subject. Resistant to salt water and non-corrosive, the AquaPod is by far the best monopod we’ve ever used. The included wrist strap and mount for a GoPro camera are a great bonus as well.
The post Top Five Underwater Photography Essentials appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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The Best Dive Sites in the Solomon Islands
In the eastern portion of the Coral Triangle, the Solomon Islands offer incredible variety and biodiversity when it comes to scuba diving. Covering around 11,000 square miles, there are boundless opportunities for exploration, and the diving will appeal to those who have a love for adventure. The Solomons offer everything from wrecks and macro, to pristine corals and walls, from pygmy seahorses to sharks. Choosing favorite dive sites here is like picking just one favorite movie or band, but nonetheless we’ve compiled a few of our top picks for the best dive sites in the Solomon Islands.
The Cathedral
Where is it: Just outside of Marovo Lagoon on the northern side of Mbulo Island
What makes it special: This site offers cavern and cave diving made easy for beginners, with open passages and awe-inspiring skylights in shallow water. There are also a multitude of unexplored passageways and systems for those with experience and the proper training in overhead environments and tight spaces.
Details: Take a torch with you. You won’t need one to navigate the main passages, but you’ll want to poke around. If caverns and such aren’t your cup of tea, enjoy a beautiful sloping reef and coral garden on the outside while looking for cuttlefish.
When to go: Any time there isn’t a typhoon; the season runs from approximately November through April. Operators will try to hit this site when the sun is high and casts the best light rays.
White Beach
Where is it: In the Russell Islands group on Mbanika Island
What makes it special: How many dives include World War II trucks and forklifts as well as bullets and Coke bottles? White Beach was an American base during WWII and after it was decommissioned the remnants were left to the sea. Aside from the history, this is also a great site to search for small life such as pygmy seahorses, ornate ghost pipefish, nudibranchs and mandarinfish, if you come at dusk.
Details: This large site offers wonders from three feet to 100 feet (1 m to 30 m). Conditions are generally manageable and most guides will be happy to let you explore at leisure, but be sure to check in first as occasionally there can be very strong currents and poor viz.
When to go: This is a great site for the early morning, but you’ll want to avoid it at dusk or thereafter due to the presence of crocodiles.
The Devil’s Highway
Where is it: In the Florida Island group on Mangalonga Island
What makes it special: Raging currents on this amazing, high-throttle dive deliver nutrients to hungry mantas and fish, which in turn feed the sharks. Even if the current is light and the big guys aren’t out, unique topography tickles the senses. If you’ve got good air consumption and there’s a strong current, you can make it a two-for-one dive as you exit the channel into Maravagi, which is a stunning protected reef and home to lots of cuttlefish.
Details: Although this is definitely one of the best dive sites in the Solomon Islands, it is not for the faint of heart. Those unable to follow directions or follow dive guides, or those with limited experience. Reef-hook experience is preferred. The channel is quite unique, as it’s comprised of hard rock versus a silt bottom, which makes for amazing visibility. The site’s best if you dive it multiple times to see both sides of the channel. Stay with your dive guides and utilize your BCD to combat strong down currents.
When to go: Late November through March and three days before a full moon generally offer the best opportunity for manta encounters.
Mirror Pond
Where is it: In the Russell Island group on Mane Island
What makes it special: Constantly changing topography, pristine coral gardens, sea fans and amazing photo opportunities.
Details: The dive site is mainly comprised of shallow caverns and canyons interconnecting among beautiful coral gardens. The mirror is a shallow cove that, if the water is calm, offers a lovely mirror-like reflection of the bottom and harbors beams of light from the overhead sun. Use caution if you decide to surface in the jungle, as this amazing cove is also home to a small 6.5-foot (2 m) saltwater crocodile. Continue through a maze of canyons and secret passageways before ending the dive circling a hard coral pinnacle, wrapped in thousands of colorful anthias. Area fans are home to pygmy seahorses, and there’s a large resident school of black snapper.
When to go: Best enjoyed in calm seas with the sun overhead, but offers an amazing dive every time.
Kokoana Passage
Where is it: Along the outer edge of Marovo Lagoon as you travel north.
What makes it special: Incredible diversity, large schools of fish, sharks, rays, turtles and a swift current. Visit soon as logging operations in the area may destroy it completely.
Details: In few places is it possible to see the stark contrast of a decimated reef due to logging- operations runoff and healthy, vibrant reef in close proximity. Hop in and you’ll quickly pass impacted reef to a corner leading to the open ocean, where the wall explodes with life. Large turtles, curious gray reef sharks, and massive schools of unicornfish and oceanic triggers are fairly safe bets. Keep an eye on the blue and you may be lucky enough to see a massive great hammerhead.
When to go: Soon. With logging operations in the area, this site may not be around much longer. Catch it on the outgoing tide starting from the lagoon going out to the point.
Kavachi Corner
Where is it: Outside Marovo Lagoon on Kicha Island
What makes it special: Kavachi is the name of the nearby (approximately 15 miles away) underwater volcano that rattles your teeth underwater. One of the most active submarine volcanoes in the world, Kavachi made headlines recently when sharks were discovered swimming in the volcano’s mouth. The dive offers fantastic access to open water and the chance to see mobula rays, sharks and unique events, such as giant trevally gathering to spawn.
Details: The dive typically has wonderful visibility due to the open-water environment, and when you listen closely you will hear Kavachi rumbling away. When the volcano is very active, you’ll feel the rumbling more than you’ll hear it. You can sometimes feel the vibrations as far away as Mane Island, 50 miles away.
When to go: The site is nearly inaccessible during rough seas. November typically provides the best conditions.
The Bat Cave
Where is it: Near Mirror Pond in the Russell Island group
What makes it special: Enter a large cavern — big enough to fit an entire dive group with space to spare — and as you surface into the opening above, look up to observe fruit bats flying overhead in the cavern. After you are done inside, come back outside the cavern and check the sea fans for pygmy seahorses. Keep an eye on the blue for passing pelagics as you continue along the wall.
Details: You can navigate the cave without a torch, but a light will bring out more of the cavern’s unique contours. Check some of the horizontal cracks inside as occasionally you may find a litter of whitetip shark pups.
When to go: Late afternoon provides great ambience for the dive and the bats are a little more active as they prepare to depart the cavern for the evening.
By Adam Straub
The post The Best Dive Sites in the Solomon Islands appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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Getting away with murder: CPJ’s grim index of impunity
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Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Real World Clinical Blog: What Really Triggers Us
It is important to know that being triggered is about having first been traumatized. The word triggered signifies that a trauma has occurred and that specific stimuli can bring us back to this triggered state.
from The New Social Worker Online — the professional social work careers magazine http://ift.tt/2eObXq7
from The New Social Worker Online — the professional social work careers magazine http://ift.tt/2eObXq7
Dive into the Pink Holds First Dive Charter of 2016 Season
At the tail end of Breast Cancer Awareness month in late October, nonprofit organization Dive into the Pink held the first of three 2016 scuba events to benefit the Young Survival Coalition, an international organization dedicated to the critical issues of young women with breast cancer, and Project Pink Tank, a comprehensive investigation of diver health among breast-cancer survivors. Divers boarded Los Angeles-area dive boat the Asante for the Elly and Ellen oil platforms, where they enjoyed two dives in flat, calm conditions. Divers were encouraged to wear pink, and several pink gear items, including hoods from Terrapin Wetsuits, were made available. During the surface interval, divers got swag bags with gifts from Fourth Element and Scuba Do Rag. They also had the chance to win door prizes sponsored by Diving Unlimited International, Ned and Anna DeLoach/New World Productions, Bluewater Photo and San Diego Divers.
The month-long series of fun, pink-accented fundraising events based in Southern California kicked off at the beginning of October with an online auction, featuring chances to bid on exotic dive trips, underwater photography gear, personal training sessions, jewelry, and apparel.
About Dive into the Pink
Allison Vitsky Sallmon, a breast-cancer survivor, veteran scuba diver, and underwater photographer, founded Dive into the Pink in 2016 to raise money to fight cancer in an unconventional way: by mobilizing the scuba community through dive charters and dive-related activities. Dive into the Pink is a 501c3 organization, and 100 percent of its proceeds are redistributed.
If you would like more information about Dive into the Pink, the annual Pink auction, or upcoming events, visit their website or check them out on Facebook.
The post Dive into the Pink Holds First Dive Charter of 2016 Season appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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What I’m reading: Vol. 70.
First things first: congratulations to Lisa S., Tricia H., and Janet N., the three winners of my giveaway for GEM: The Definitive Visual Guide!! Thanks so much to the 300+ of you who entered.
Now, here’s what I’m reading this week!
Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James: Eloisa James is one of my very favorite romance authors, and I’m so excited to have a review copy of her latest.
Continue reading What I’m reading: Vol. 70. at Diamonds in the Library.
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Diving Indonesia on the Damai II
Dedicated divers know that a liveaboard is the best way to dive as much as possible. Your moving hotel deposits you somewhere new nearly every day, just minutes from the next dive site. After 11 days onboard Damai II, visiting Alor and Komodo, you might think that my dive companions and I would be ready for dry land. But the luxury and comfort of the boat, combined with the stellar diving, just left us hungry for more.
Alor and Komodo are legendary destinations in dive circles, offering everything from healthy reefs and muck diving, as well as epic encounters with manta rays and whale sharks. Since there’s a lot of ocean to cover between Alor and Komodo, we made the Damai II — or Damai Dua as it’s called — our chariot of choice. Dive Damai has two vessels, Damai I and Damai II, and a variety of Indonesian itineraries.
To begin our trip, we flew from Bali to Maumere, the largest town on the island of Flores. After airport pickup, we headed straight to the boat with two other passengers. The other diver on board, 82-year-old Mary Jane, was on her second back-to-back cruise. (If I dive half as much at that age, I’ll be thrilled). When we pulled up to the end of the dock in Maumere, we could see the Damai Dua floating in the distance. Meaning “peace” in Bahasa Indonesian, the 131-foot (40 m) Damai II glowed in the afternoon light. We couldn’t wait to get onboard.
The Damai II
Elegant without being fussy, the Damai II offers spot-on boutique diving. Built in southwest Sulawesi, the phinisi is a traditional Indonesian two-masted sailboat, constructed mostly of teak. It took two years to finish, with completion in 2011. Attention to detail is apparent everywhere you look. With three areas for lounging, I laid claim to one of the top deck’s beanbags early on.
The indoor lounge area offers a large, u-shaped couch, strewn with comfy pillows. On the other side of an open wall, decorated with wooden sculptures of seashells, is the family-style dining area, which encourages guests to interact with each other. Our first order of business was meeting the 19 staff members on board. With only six guests on our cruise, we had particularly personalized service.
After introductions were complete, we headed downstairs to check out our cabins. The boat has seven rooms in total — five downstairs and two upstairs, sleeping a maximum of 12 guests. My room, all polished teak and warm wood floors, had a comfy double bed and a day bed, a flat-screen TV (that I never turned on), air conditioning, and a roomy shower with seemingly endless hot water.
Diving from the Damai II
When it comes to diving, the Damai II maintains a maximum ratio of four guests to one dive guide. One of our travel companions (the inimitable Mary Jane) had a private guide, so with five of us left, my two companions and I had one guide while the other two guests had one as well. All three guides — Salim, Anton and Yanto — have hundreds of combined dives trips on the Damai II. We could not have been in better hands.
The dive deck occupies the front third of the boat on the main level. Each guest has a drawer and small shelf, as well as a rinsing tub to toss small things in between dives. There are also hot outdoor showers and a rinse tub for wetsuits and BCDs (which we never got near, as the dive guides took care of pretty much everything). Our two cruise directors held dive briefings at the front of the dive deck, drawing maps of each site and pointing us to the appropriate tender (there are two) when it was time to hop in.
Both my dive buddies are photographers, so their next stop was the camera room. With plenty of space and charging stations, they both seemed satisfied. I continued my exploration on the top deck, where I found the aforementioned beanbag chair. This would become my chosen perch for the entire cruise. As we pulled away from the harbor at Maumere, it was time to get ready for our checkout dive before our first official destination: Alor.
Diving Alor
Although there’s a set route, it’s partially up to the currents, tides, guests and cruise director to decide where and when you’ll dive. There are four dives per day — three daytime dives and one night dive. Dives range from sandy critter-hunting macro sites to coral slopes and walls and ripping currents through channels. Our checkout dive was just outside the Maumere harbor at a small island called Pomana Kecil.
Even though my mask fogged for the entire dive (note to self: if you’re diving with a new mask, don’t forget the toothpaste treatment), it was nonetheless an auspicious start. We spotted a pygmy seahorse almost immediately. Our dive guides took care of everything from the first dive on, transporting our gear back and forth to the tender, setting up our next tanks, and rinsing between dives. After the check dive, we began motoring to our first destination: The Alor Archipelago.
We spent the next four days heading east, exploring sites such as Solor, Adonara, Pantar, Pura and Lembata. The sites were as exotic as the island names would imply: Pulau Kambing, Tanjung Wotang, Baeangabang, Valley of the Clowns. My notes about each site piled on the superlatives — amazing, incredible, my favorite dive — over and over. Although I’ll talk more about the diving in another article, a few favorites merit multiple mentions: Valley of the Clowns and Anak Anak Alor.
The former, a nearshore, shallow dive is thusly named because divers drop in over an endless carpet of anemones in all shapes and sizes, swaying hypnotically in the surge. Although many of the anemones are unoccupied, many feature the ever-popular and ever-territorial anemonefish. Looking out over the scene, we saw countless numbers of these photogenic little fish, all hovering protectively over their anemone home.
Anak Anak Alor offered an entirely different kind of experience. When they see the boat coming, kids from Tola Bali village wait for the divers to come in to shallow-water coral. The kids jump in and dive underwater, mugging for the divers’ cameras. On our visit, there were 72 kids, hamming it up with us in about 20 feet of water. Most wore homemade googles with soda bottle bottoms for lenses, if any.
Diving Komodo
After Alor, we headed back west past Flores, and toward perhaps the most famous of all dive destinations: Komodo National Park. We arrived on day six of our journey, and jumped in right away on a site called Sebolan Kecil. A sleeping shark and blue-spotted stingray greeted us there, but the best was yet to come. Batu Bolong, a small, rocky pinnacle in the main channel was a highlight of the trip. After an intense dive briefing, warning that the site can feature a nasty downcurrent, I was ready for anything. The cruise director told us to stay right behind our guides, and here I’ve got to offer apologies to Yanto, who could barely fin as I was stuck so closely behind him.
After we splashed in, it was clear right away that the dive would be worth the extra precautions. Swept as it is by constant currents, the site is positively bursting with life. Wildly waving soft corals, riotously colored hard corals, and schools of anthias and blue tangs all swirled about. Manta rays, sharks, reef fish and the biggest hawksbill turtle I’ve ever seen all stopped by during our 60-minute dive. We zig-zagged back and forth, climbing from 95 feet up to 15 for our safety stop, and I watched Yanto almost as much as the fish life.
Glorious sites kept coming in Komodo, one after the other — Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, and Taka Makassar, my best manta dive ever. There was so much to see in Komodo that it would be impossible to summarize here; instead we’ll cover sites in more depth in a forthcoming story. Our Komodo trip ended in Horseshoe Bay, where we motored in to get a closer look at the eponymous Komodo dragons. Although they appear slow and lumbering, we received a similarly intense briefing about their running capabilities and toxicity of their bite, so some of us (ahem) elected to view these magnificent creatures from the confines of the boat.
Eat, Sleep, Dive
It would be remiss to get this far in any story about a liveaboard without mentioning the food. There are really only three main activities on a liveaboard: eating, sleeping and diving. Which suited us just fine. The kitchen staff kept us more than well-fed. First breakfast consisted of fruit, yogurt, granola and the like, followed by a second hot breakfast after our dive. Lunch and dinner were made to order. Entrees ranged from nasi goreng to gado gado (vegetables in peanut sauce) and spaghetti Bolognese. Each night featured a veggie-based soup and a delicious dessert. If death by chocolate is how I go, fine by me.
On one of our last nights on board, we dined on the top deck, overlooking the green hills of Komodo as we rocked gently on the waves. With fairy lights strung on the mast and our ever-attentive bartender and steward Ketut seeing to it that our wine glasses were never less than half full, we reflected on our trip. We’d seen everything from the tiniest pygmy seahorses to giant manta rays. We’d been muck diving and diving with kids, diving on walls, and in soft-coral gardens. It would be impossible to match the variety of sites we visited onboard the Damai II. And were we ready to head back to dry land after those 11 glorious days? Not a chance — we’re already planning our next trip.
The Details
With seven total rooms, the boat sleeps 12 guests. Cruises run from seven to about 15 days, mostly spanning 11 or 12 days like ours.
How to get there: Cruises run from a number of locations, depending on the itinerary. Fly into a hub, such as Bali or Jakarta, and catch the domestic flight from there. Komodo-specific cruises generally depart from Labuan Bajo, while Komodo/Alor trips usually begin in Maumere and end in Labuan Bajo. To make booking easier, Dive Damai’s concierge team can arrange domestic flights, with a 15 percent administration and sales tax charge on top of the flight price. Check here for available 2017 cruises.
When to go:
Dive conditions can vary depending on your destination and the time of year. Visibility can range from 16 to 130-plus feet (5 to 40-plus meters). Water temps can vary from 86 to 65 F (30 C to 17C), with cooler temperatures in southern Komodo. A 3 mm wetsuit will be sufficient for most dives, though you may want a hooded vest to wear overtop for the chillier waters.
Currents are par for the course in Indonesia, and you can expect to find them year-round. Dive guides always check the current prior to the group splashing in, and if it’s too intense, you’ll head to another site. If a dive site does feature current there’s likely a lot of life, so follow your dive guide’s instructions and trust their judgement.
What to bring:
Dive insurance is compulsory for every Damai II trip, and the company offers free DAN AP insurance. If you’d like to dive nitrox, preferable due to the number of dives per day, bring your certification card for that as well. If you’re not yet nitrox certified, you can take a short training course on board the boat for an extra fee.
As for gear, most divers bring their own, although the boat does have limited rental gear. Bathrooms in the cabins feature basic toiletries, and all are palm oil and sulphate free.
The post Diving Indonesia on the Damai II appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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New reports on killings of journalists to come on the brink of the International Day to End Impunity
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Tuesday, October 25, 2016
3 Picture Window Decorating Tips
A picture window is a type of window with a single pane of glass which usually does not open. It doesn’t provide ventilation, but it is designed to provide a great outdoor view in the living room where it’s commonly placed. Know how to decorate this type of window by checking out the tips below!
Image Source: Flickr
Blinds
Because they were built into post-war homes, which were predominantly modern in style, blinds suit them particularly well. Depending on the width of the window and the look you want, you might want to use one large blind or multiple blinds side by side.
Cellular and Venetian blinds are typically easier to fit on these large windows than softer blinds like Roman shades. You can find blinds for them by searching for “large window blinds” in addition to “picture window blinds.” Source: DIYNetwork
Valances
To allow light in and still be able to showcase a great view, try a valance. When you measure for the height it will be, add more inches if you can to mount it closer to the ceiling so the windows look taller. Valances should cover any blinds or shades you may want to add underneath. You do not need to spend a lot on the blind or shade underneath your valance, because it won’t show when not in use. Source: Houzz
Framing Architecture
The physical structure of the window may also affect the window coverings you have room to mount. For example, a roller shade requires at least two inches of frame clearance for an inside-mounted system. Low-profile shades, such as pleated or honeycomb may need as little as one inch of clearance for mounting. Window-opening devices, such as handles and cranks, can also affect your available shade choices. If your picture window is a single pane of glass and is over eight feet wide, it may require a custom-made shade, further limiting your choices either through design or budget constraints. Custom-made fabric window shades, such as Roman shades, can be made for oversized windows. Source: SFGate
To learn about more window treatment ideas for your picture window, feel free to contact us!
Contact:
Universal Blinds
601 – 1550 W. 10th Ave
Vancouver, V6J 1Z9
Canada
Phone: (604) 559-1988
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PLAN AHEAD with our Promotion Planner Cheat Sheet
Best retailing practices state that salon owners and managers should start planning promotions about three months in advance. While it’s not hard to put together packages or tailored retail displays, you can’t do it last-minute.
To make it easy on you BeautyMark has created a cheat sheet for WHAT HOLIDAY you should be planning and WHEN. In addition to national holidays, be aware of local festivals and events in your own community.
PLAN AHEAD!
JANUARY
Earth Month
Spring Break
Wedding/Bridal Season
FEBRUARY
Mother’s Day
Prom
Memorial Day
MARCH
Father’s Day
Graduation
APRIL
Summer Break
MAY
Back to School
JUNE
Fall Color
JULY
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Black Friday
AUGUST
Holiday Season
SEPTEMBER
Holiday Season
OCTOBER
New Year
Makeover Month
Resolutions
NOVEMBER
Valentine’s Day
St Patrick’s Day
Grammy Awards
DECEMBER
Easter
Academy Awards
Golden Globes
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What to Do if You’re Caught in a Downcurrent
After a steady descent to 65 feet (20 m), you level off on a large pinnacle and begin to take in the sights. At first, you maintain a constant depth, using the wall as a reference point to your left. Your buddy is right beside you, your NDLs are good and you have plenty of air. Suddenly a strong current, with a force like you’ve never felt, is pushing you downward. You instinctively kick upward as hard as you can against the downcurrent and add air to your BCD. But it’s not working — you’re still sinking. You glance at your dive computer and in a matter of seconds, you’ve dropped to 114 feet (35 m). You’re focusing all your energy on trying not to panic as you equalize your ears. You’ve now fully inflated your BCD, and while doing so has slowed you down, you’re still descending.
Swim Away from the Wall
When you lock eyes with your buddy, you realize that she is beckoning you to follow her away from the wall. As a last-ditch effort you start to kick horizontally, with your body now at a 45-degree angle. Within moments the current subsides and your computer is urgently beeping that you’re ascending too fast. You manage to vent air from your BCD and arrest your ascent. After what feels like a lifetime of getting your breath back, you and your buddy manage a controlled ascent to 15 feet (5 m), where you do a safety stop.
Even though you surfaced far from the pinnacle and your entry point, you brought a DSMB on the dive and deployed it during your safety stop. After your boat spots it and picks you up, you spend the journey back to shore reflecting on a pretty unnerving experience that probably only lasted around a minute, but felt much longer.
What causes a downcurrent?
These scary phenomena commonly occur at underwater pinnacles with steep drop-offs into very deep water, such as walls. Downcurrents are also more likely in areas known for having strong currents in general. There are various theories as to how they form, including one that postulates that when opposing horizontal currents meet, the water cannot be compressed; it has to move up or down, and usually follows the local topography, such as down a wall. Convection currents, whereby cool, dense water sinks into very deep water may also be to blame for downcurrents.
How should you have reacted?
In our example above, you did almost everything you should have done. Being caught in a downcurrent can be unnerving for any diver. The first — and crucial — step is to realize what’s happening and react quickly. If you’re close to the wall you may be able to shelter underneath a ledge. Be aware, however, that you may not be able to simply wait it out. The force of the water may also make it difficult to keep your mask on your face and your regulator in your mouth. Instead, in the short time you have to react, try to swim away from the wall. The single most important thing to do is stay calm. Panic is a sure way to turn a dangerous situation into a deadly one.
Downcurrents are like rip currents in the sense that although they can be ferociously strong, they are not normally very wide. Therefore, it shouldn’t take you long to swim out of it, as long as you swim perpendicular to the flow, i.e. horizontally. Until you do, you will continue to sink. Don’t attempt to swim against the current by swimming upward; this will simply exhaust you and cause more anxiety while you continue to sink. Although adding air to your BCD may provide a larger surface area for the downcurrent to drag you down, the additional buoyancy will help to slow your descent. Just be ready to dump all that extra air when you do come out of it. Dump your weights only as a last resort if the downcurrent has pushed you very deep since doing so could lead to a rapid ascent.
Finally, in the example above, the boat spotted you because you carried and deployed an ocean-going DSMB. This allowed them to quickly come to your assistance.
Is there any way to anticipate a downcurrent?
There may be some tell-tale signs that you’re heading into a downcurrent. Exhalation bubbles traveling downward are an obvious sign. Fans and soft corals seemingly being blown downwards are also an indication, as are small fish swimming erratically up and down.
Finally, always listen carefully to any site briefings. Guides can prepare you for any likely downcurrents and tell you what to do. If you are diving with a divemaster or instructor, always follow their instructions during the dive. They visit the area frequently and are far more familiar with the conditions than you.
By Richard Devanney
The post What to Do if You’re Caught in a Downcurrent appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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Monday, October 24, 2016
Jewels for votes for women: let’s talk suffragette jewelry.
I had such a cool post idea for today, darlings. I was going to write everything I knew about suffragette jewelry: about how the use of green, white, and violet means “Give Women the Vote” and how many great examples there were of suffragette jewelry online.
Here’s the thing: before I write anything for you, even if I’m writing about something I think I know, I do research. I went looking for information on suffragette jewelry expecting confirmation of what I already knew plus maybe a detail or two.
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