Greetings Divers.

By now we hope that you are pulling your dive gear out of storage and taking inventory of servicing and new equipment needs in preparation for your 2016 dive adventures. And speaking of diving in 2016, there is no better place for training, equipment purchases and servicing, and dive travel planning than at Dive Dive Dive – your newly awarded Diamond Service Center!

That’s right – Dive Dive Dive has just been named one of SSI’s coveted Diamond Service Centers. The SSI Diamond Status recognizes Dive Centers and Dive Resorts that make a commitment to excellence and leadership in the categories of: <ul> <li>Business Practices & Ethics <li>Quality Assurance</li> <li>Education Commitment</li> <li>Customer Service</li> <li>Diving Passion</li>

Only Dive Centers recognized as the leaders in their marketplace can be considered for the SSI Diamond Status. The SSI Diamond Rating is a privilege and can only be earned. It cannot be purchased. All dealers are reviewed on annual basis to ensure they continue to meet or exceed the SSI Diamond Dealer standards. SSI is about REALDIVING and creating confident and committed divers. It’s important to understand that it’s not how long it takes, but the quality of the training! This can be found at SSI Diamond Dive Centers.

Welcome New Divers To The Dive Dive Dive Family

It may have been winter outside, but inside it has been all about training. In the first few weeks of January we have already completed a Tuesday-Thursday class, Executive Weekend classes and a custom class. Congratulations to those divers that completed their academic and pool sessions and are preparing for their open water certifications (by the way – the ages were from 11 to 71 – now that shows anyone can dive – no matter what your age). So if you see Brian, Houston, Kyrie, Emma, Trey, Joseph, Ann, Riley or Michael around the shop – then make sure and welcome them to the Dive Dive Dive team.

If you are thinking about learning to dive – then we have a class schedule that will work with your hectic life style. We offer our standard monthly training – beginning the first Tuesday of every month. If the Tuesday – Thursday class does not meet your needs then we offer Executive Weekend classes. And lastly, if the Tuesday – Thursday or Executive Weekend class is not for you then stop by the dive shop and learn how we can put together a “custom schedule” class that offers you the flexibility of picking the times and dates to take the class that works for you.

Sign Up for February and March Dive Trips Now

We are going to Blue Grotto in February and the Florida Keys in March. There are spaces left on the trips – so sign up now before someone else goes diving and you wind up sitting at home! Join Instructor Wolfe as he leads the trip to Blue Grotto on February 19th. This is a great way to check out some of that new Christmas diving gear or practice your diving skills as you get ready for your spring break dive trip. Owner/Instructor Lee and Instructor Mike are headed to the Keys on March 17th and diving on the 18th – 20th. For all of the details about these trips give the shop a call – or better yet stop by and check out all of our trips.

February Specialty Training – Night and Limited Visibility Diving

At Dive Dive Dive we just do not offer open water certifications – we offer training for all of your diving interests including professional training should you desire to join our leadership team. We conduct specialty training every month. Our most popular specialty training course is Nitrox. We offer Nitrox training every month on the first Wednesday of the month. In addition, each month we also offer a second specialty diving course. February’s specialty is Night diving.

Night diving is a whole different kind of adventure; mysterious yet alluring. You may have even been diving at a site many times before in the daylight, however at night you discover an exciting new world unfold in the glow of your dive light. There are many sea creatures that only come out at night.

You may be asking whether you should take this class. Maybe you have already been diving at night and think you know all you need to know. Our instructors have completed hundreds of night dives and they will share their experiences and night dive techniques that will surely improve your night diving adventures. In this class you will learn the basics of setting up shore lights at night, having fun in turbid water, holding lights to maximize visibility, locating the boat or shore, what to do if you lose sight of your buddy or if your light goes out. The class will also explore how to focus on what you can see in your light’s beam. And with darkness or limited visibility you will need to learn to control your buoyancy by feel. Navigation takes on a whole new dimension at night and our instructors will help you better understand how to find your way around in the dark

February’s night diving class will be led by Instructor Judd and is scheduled for Wednesday February 17th at 6:30. We promise you that you will take away a new appreciation for night diving – even if you have been night diving before.

Wetsuit Maintenance

Our customers asked us to include some “tips or other tidbits of diving or equipment information” in our newsletter. And as we have said before – we listen. So in this, and future, newsletters we are going to select a topic and provide you with some additional information from one of our dive pros. This week’s tip is from Instructor Mike and addresses wetsuit maintenance.

You have just purchased a new wetsuit and you want to keep it looking new. So what do you do? Instructor Mike suggests: After any dive, the wetsuit should be washed thoroughly. A bathtub or large trash barrel can be used for washing the suit. (When I am on dive trips I generally put my wetsuit in the bathtub when I shower. While I am showering the soap rinses off of me and on to the wetsuit. By walking on the wetsuit during the shower my feet serve as mini-agitators helping clean the suit.) When I get home after any dive trip I clean the suit thoroughly. You should use wetsuit cleaner/conditioner (preferred) or warm water with a mild detergent. I also put in the water a couple of capfuls of Cepacol (an antiseptic mouthwash – it helps kill those nasty little smelly marine organisms that have taken residence (unauthorized squatting!) in your wetsuit). Push the suit up and down in the tub for about five minutes with all zippers open. After washing, all soap must be rinsed out. If your suit has an odor that soap cannot remove, use liquid stink guard (preferred) or a half a cup of baking soda in warm water and stir in well. Push the suit up and down occasionally and after about a half hour of soaking, rinse thoroughly (DO NOT put your suit in a washing machine.) If you are going to dry your suit on hangers, it is extremely important that you use an extra wide hanger. If narrow or wood hangers are used, the suit will be damaged due to excessive creasing. After the suit has dried, the zipper should be lubricated with zipper wax.

I hope this helps you keeping your wetsuit clean and long lasting.

At D3 we are a “family” of divers – if you are interested in learning to Dive – or you are a certified diver looking for “dive family” – then why not consider D3 and let us show you some “serious diving” and “serious fun”.