Every month – January through May – Scuba Shack is planning trips to Florida. Florida is an easy dive destination to get to, and many divers have been car-pooling and driving in shifts to make it a safe comfortable and inexpensive destination.

During each week, Scuba Shack staff – including instructors – will be on-site to complete pre-arranged Open Water certification dives as well as continuing education programs. What’s great about these trips is you can dive for one or two days, or dive a full week with the professionals at Scuba Shack who are very familiar with the dive sites, hotels and dining establishments in central and south Florida.

This is a large organizational challenge, and watch for a invitation to an early-January meeting to review the destination, schedule and diving opportunities.

• Central Florida invasion to the grottos & springs. Great manatee diving! Jan. 14 – 28
• Florida Keys – Feb. 15 – 22
• Florida Keys – March 14 – 21
• Florida Keys – April 18 – 25
• Florida Keys – May 16 – 23

Additional trips to other destinations are being planned during the next two weeks. We’ll have individual posts on each trip published as soon as we have details.

• Annual Memorial Day Weekend trip to Nassau, Bahamas, Orange Hill and Stuart Cove’s – May 23 – 28
• Back to Coco View Resort in Honduras Aug. 11 – 18 with Nick Civitillo
• Second Annual Labor Day Weekend trip to Turks & Caicos with the Cinciripino’s – Aug. 29 – Sept. 3
• Warm ocean and cavern diving with Dive Adventuras and staying at Catalonia Riviera in Mexico – Oct. 6 – 13
• Second Annual Pirate’s Week Diving Adventure on Grand Cayman with Peter Katz – Nov. 8 – 12

Drive & Dive Local Trips in June, July, August and September. Where are you interested in diving this year? We’re planning our January staff meeting for early in the month and we want to hear from you concerning local diving destinations so we can set a schedule. Let us know what you’re interested in!

Looking for a totally different date night idea? How about dinner and scuba instead of dinner and a movie! Couples can pre-register for the experience and meet with their own private instructor for a totally unique date that will include at least one hour of diving in the pool.

How about bachelor and bachelorette parties? Before you head to the bar, your group can meet us at the pool and we’ll provide all the gear you need to try scuba diving and you’ll have a group of dive professionals who can show you the ropes.

Scuba Shack can also arrange Discover Scuba experiences for co-workers, groups of friends, families and birthday parties for teens and adults.

What do you need?

It’s really simple, bring a bathing suit and plan to have a fun time! Although scuba diving can be a bit frightening for those trying it for the first time - oh my … you’re breathing underwater! - the activity is completely safe, and the indoor pool has great visibility and is comfortable.

One think you will need to do is complete a medical statement and liability release. If you answer YES to any of the questions, you’ll need to check with your personal physician prior to trying scuba diving.

Read more about the Discover Scuba experience right here.

How do I arrange the experience?

Give us a call at (860) 563-0119 or contact us through the online form below.

Again this year, you’ll need to pre-qualify as an Open Water Diver who has taken Scuba Shack’s Buoyancy & Control program, the PADI Enriched Air Nitrox class (or equivalent) and the Advanced Open Water Diver course.

This package – which must be purchased in advanced to realize the cost savings – includes the PADI Rescue Diver and Divemaster classes, plus the Emergency First Responder (EFR) first aid and CPR program, Scuba Shack’s Buoyancy 2, and the GUE Fundamentals class. Although the program must be purchased in advance, payment plans are available.

These programs – individually priced at up to $2,000 – will be offered at a great discount, and we can customize your package depending on the qualifications you currently have.

Want to join in? We have an Advanced Open Water Diver class starting Tuesday, Sept. 6, that will help you meet the pre-requisites, and we’ll have an EFR class scheduled soon. Program enrollment will be limited to ensure your success. For more information on the package and pricing, set up an training counseling session – which is required – with Ed Hayes by calling Scuba Shack at (860) 563-0119.

If your looking to add a couple of tanks to your collection or if you’re looking for your first tank, this is a great opportunity to save some money. Each tank will have acurrent hydro and visual inspection and include a used valve with new o-rings and burst disc.

These tanks will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Process

1. Come in and pick out your tank and valve. Pay for your purchase.
2. The tank will then by hydro-statically tested, and visually inspected.
3. You’ll pick up the tank about two weeks after your purchase.

The process is set up to ensure you receive an up-to-date tank. It’s rare for a tank to fail inspection, but if one does fail, you’ll be given the opportunity to select a new, used tank.

Stop in soon to ensure you’re able to pick the best from our selection of used tanks!

Fourth Element SubX

With the development of decompression techniques and mixed gas technology, the limiting factor in divers’ bottom time is becoming less about nitrogen loading and more about the limitations of the human body’s endurance to extremes of temperature.

Fourth Element’s range of thermal undersuits have been tested in the world’s most extreme diving locations from the sub-zero waters of the Antarctic to the tropical temperatures of the Maldives.

The Fourth Element Technical range is designed around the principles of performance, function and innovation. Using the latest fabric technology in unique combinations and designs, the Fourth Element technical range revolutionises thermal protection for both wetsuit and drysuit diving.

The products are used by professional divers worldwide, from the FBI to the British Antarctic Survey Dive Team. Whether you dive in tropical seas or polar waters, Fourth Element has the thermal protection products that you need.

Scuba Shack has a variety of products in stock from Fourth Element, including but not limited to the Hydroskin and SubX. For more information, stop by Scuba Shack in Rocky Hill to check out the products.

Fourth Element Hydroskins

HPink Systems Include:

Halcyon Single-tank Infinity BC System

• 30 or 40-lb. Eclipse BC with single tank adaptor
• SS or AL Backplate with pink “H” webbing
• Cinch Quick-adjust harness and crotch strap
• Deluxe harness pads
• ACB10 integrated weight pockets
• Optional 6-lb. convertible weight
• Unique serialized ID tag

Halcyon Double-tank Evolve BC System

• 40 or 60-lb. Evolve BC
• SS or AL Backplate with pink “H” webbing
• Cinch Quick-adjust harness and crotch strap
• Deluxe harness pads
• Unique serialized ID tag

As with all Halcyon BC products, the streamlined configuration of the systems make it almost invisible while diving, but the H2:SPEC HPink color will certainly stand out on it’s own.

The EEZY CUT Trilobite is rated to cut its way through line with ease, repeatedly, up to 8mm thick, and can easily cut through larger line should the diver need to do so in such extremely rare situations. The EEZY CUT Trilobite also makes light work of all types of webbing. With cost effective replacement blades, this tool provides you with the sharpest cut in the water, every time.

Stop by Scuba Shack to check out this new double-sided cutting tool which just about fits anywhere. We think this tool belongs in every dive bag. Two different pouches are available for the EEZY CUT, a wrist pouch for smaller bands and a pouch for larger bands including weight belts. Check out the demonstration video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edQdttqfPIg

The most innovative feature of these reels are the “Goodman” style ambidextrous handles. The shape and size of the handle enables the diver to obtain a firm, secure grasp without compromising comfort and control. Grip configurations can vary from full hand to three fingers, gloved or bare hands. The location of the handle enables the diver to control line deployment and retrieval by placing fingers, palm or the heel of the hand on the spool.

Following Manta’s tradition of quality products the CR-2 has been designed to perform consistently year after year.

• The aluminum uni-body frame is bent from a single aluminum plate. After machining it is anodized to reduce oxidation.
• The soft stretchable handle is designed to contact spool, which helps prevent line jump and reduce jam s.
• The nylon thumbscrew is positioned to be unobtrusive. If lost it can be replaced with any plastic or S/S ¼-20 threaded screw or bolt.
• Use caution not to unscrew out of frame.
• Spool is machined out of a single piece of UHMW which has one of the highest resistances to the elements, and is supplied w/250 ft of #24 nylon braided line.
• A 4 ½” double-ended brass bolt snap is provided for a quick release from adjustable handle or D’ring . Any bolt snap may be used as a back-up locking system by clipping it into either 9/16” hole in side of spool.

Following Manta’s tradition of quality products the CR-1 has been designed to perform consistently year after year.

• The aluminum uni-body frame is the first in the industry to be cast. After machining it is anodized to reduce oxidation.
• Machining tolerances are computer controlled to provide tolerances on spool and frame, which are close enough to prevent line jump and reduce jams.
• Thumb screw is large enough to be manipulated with gloves yet positioned to be unobtrusive. It is threaded into a stainless steel insert to reduce wear and minimize galvanic action.
• Spool is machined out of one piece of UHMW. This plastic has one of the highest resistances to the elements, and is supplied w/400 ft of #24 nylon braided line. Available with black or white spool.
• Stainless steel shoulder bolt with specially treated threads to prevent it from unscrewing.
• 4 1/2″ double-ended brass bolt snap to provide quick release from D-ring or reel.

Halcyon Eos LED Primary Light

The Eos also reduces battery consumption with an efficient array of dual intensity LEDs totaling 12 watt; a quick flip of the switch and you more than double the battery’s run time.

For more information on the Halcyon Eos LED primary light, stop by Scuba Shack.

This history along with countless hours “on the trigger” has culminated in two collaborative dive vehicle designs that represent a superior blend of performance and reliability in addition to the right balance of speed, thrust and power consumption.

HDV-R14 Hi/Lo speed control

The new Halcyon Dive Vehicle (HDV) offerings have the appropriate mix of features needed to cruise your favorite reef, cover bow to stern on your favorite wreck and push the end of the line in virgin cave.

Whether your dives are decidedly recreational or progressively more extreme, Halcyon offers a Dive Vehicle that is suited to your particular diving style with simple intuitive functionality, effortless maneuverability, compact design, easy adjustment for fresh/salt water use and a world class warranty that comes complete with worldwide support and service.

The new Halcyon Dive Vehicles will be arriving in June, and pre-orders will be accepted. If you have questions, stop by Scuba Shack.