Hello Divers,

Sorry for the long layoff, but I'm just now recovering from a computer crash. You'd be surprised how devastating a crash can be and they never come at a convenient time. It's good to be back up and running.
Just came from the E-Board meeting. It's the beginning of a new dive year and there's plenty of action planned for us. It's going to be a fun year!!
By the way, here are some tips for the upcoming dive season:

Inspect your tanks NOW! Remove the tank boot and check for rust/corrosion. Check hydro date and get the tank hydro tested if due. Also check the VIP date. It's less expensive to pay for a VIP at home than on a dive trip. Vera does a great VIP at a rock bottom price. Visually check the burst disk in your tank valve and replace it if it looks worn, rusty or corroded. The last place you want a burst disk to fail is on the dive boat!! Last, but certainly not least, check the tank valve o-ring. Replace it unless it looks perfect and make it a point to carry spare o-rings with you on any dive trip.
Check your dive computer. Turn it on and check battery strength. Some computers have user-replaceable batteries and some do not. If the batteries must be replaced by a dive shop, get it done now! Read the dive computer operating manual and make sure you understand how your computer is supposed to work in dive mode, surface mode and log mode. The information that dive computers reflect in the different modes can be very confusing. The time between dives is NOT the time to try and understand how your computer works. Do that before you ever get into the water with it.
Lastly, inspect ALL of your dive gear before going on any type of dive. Remember, your dive gear makes up your life-support system and there is little room for error in this sport. The water world can be very unforgiving. Take care of your dive gear and it will take care of you when you need it most!!

Happy Diving!!!!