Scuba Instructor Highlight: Sean Slaughter

Today on Planet Earth Diver I highlight newly minted scuba instructor Sean Slaughter. I talk with Sean about his decision to become an instructor plus West Coast diving and leading a dive trip to Captain Don’s in Bonaire.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/AIS3_Sean_Slaughter_Scuba_Instructor_Up_Close.mp3

www.adventuresinscuba.com

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Scuba Santa

Spoiler alert! Santa is not at the North Pole – he has been seen underwater in the Shark Tank at the Newport Aquarium in Kentucky! Jolly old Saint Nick is decked out in a festive custom made wetsuit and along with his aquatic Elf helper, does scuba shows for kids and families every day. The shows are a huge hit in the Cincinnati and Newport area: It delivers laughs, holiday cheer and education in equal measure. Today on Planet Earth Diver I talk with Zoological Operations Manager, Jeff Gibula, about the show and the Aquarium.  

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Scuba_Santa_Newport_Aquarium_KY.mp3

http://www.newportaquarium.com/

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Diving the West Coast of Vancouver Island at Rendezvous Dive Adventures

Diving off of Vancouver Island, British Columbia is always a treat. The abundance of life in certain areas is mind boggling. On the west side of the island nestled in Barkley Sound is a great little dive operation called Rendezvous Dive Adventures. Rendezvous is cozy, rustic and off grid. It also offers great diving plus in the summer months after your dives, you can watch Eagles, Bears and whales from the comfort of the large back deck. Today I talk with Peter Mieras – the diving Dutchman about his dive location and what it’s all about.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Rendezvous_Dive_Adventures_Vancouver_Island.mp3

http://www.rendezvousdiving.com/index.htm

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Ocean Health Check Up

As scuba divers we become invested in the health of our oceans simply by being witness to the beauty of the reefs and the wondrous aquatic life that is contained within it. Today on Planet Earth Diver it’s an Ocean and US Coastal Water health check with Dr George H Leonard from Ocean Conservancy. George talks about the hot buttons facing the ocean today plus what is being done right now. While there are serious challenges facing our seas – there are some areas of progress and hope.

What I am impressed with the most about Ocean Conservancy is that they are working towards bringing business, government and recreational users of the Oceans together so that we all win – including the environment.

Listen to the interview below or download from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Oceans_Health_Check_Up_Dr_George_H_Leonard.mp3

http://www.oceanconservancy.org/

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New Scuba Sitcom: Rainbow Reef

Today on Planet Earth Diver we talk TV. There is a new scuba TV sitcom in the works called Rainbow Reef. It is set in a scuba shop with a colorful array of characters drawn from real life people who come into scuba shops. The bad guy in the show will be actor Ed Asner. Ed’s character owns a competing dive shop and will stop at nothing to put his competition out of business. The show is being produced by JT Quinn – a scuba instructor. I talk with JT about the show and what he is doing to crowd fund his efforts.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Rainbow_Reef_Suba_Sitcom_TV_Show.mp3

https://twitter.com/rainbowreeftv

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3635106/

Women in Scuba - One Size Doesn't Fit All

More and more women are getting into diving - a sport once dominated by men. Equipment manufacturers are trying to play catch up as they realize that one size does not fit all – gear made for men doesn’t fit women divers. Award winning underwater explorer, Jill Heinerth, has co-written a new book called Women Underwater. In this book Jill gives information and stories gained from her own experiences and has presented it in easily digestible and entertaining format. On today’s show I talk with Jill about what’s inside.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Women_Underwater_Jill_Heinerth.mp3

http://www.intotheplanet.com/women-underwater/

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Luxury Diving at Wakatobi Resort

When you see the words “Award winning luxury eco-dive resort” you know you are in for a treat. Wakatobi Resort in Indonesia is in a remote, pristine, location which means outstanding scuba diving. Being remote doesn’t mean Wakatobi is rustic or you are roughing it: Wakatobi Resort is capital L luxury. Today I talk with one of the Guest Experience Managers from Wakatobi, underwater photographer, Steve Miller, about the resort and the diving.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Wakatobi_Dive_Resort.mp3

http://www.wakatobi.com/home.php

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Shark Whisperer Cristina Zenato

Kneeling on the bottom of the sea with a Shark motionless in the palm of your hand seems impossible. Cristina Zenato knows how to approach and touch Sharks in just the right way to put them into a trance like state. Today I talk with her about her experiences with sharks and how she does what she does.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Shark_Trance_Cristina_Zenato.mp3

http://www.cristinazenato.com/CZ_site/Home.html

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Diving a Flooded Mountain Park: Gruner See, Austria

Gruner See, Austria is a mountain lake near the Slovenia border. Surrounding the lake is a beautiful mountain park and not a place one would think would make for a great dive. For two to three weeks of the year after spring run off, the lake floods the surrounding park making for a very cool (and cold!) dive. You may have seen some recent photos of the park from my guest, Swiss underwater photographer Marc Henauer. He joins me today to talk about the dive and the amazing photos he took.

Listen to the interview online of download from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Green_Lake_Austria_Marc_Henauer.mp3

http://nitrogenic.com/nitrogenic/nitrogenic_index.html

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Waterfall Bay Caves Diving Down Down Under in Tasmania

When you think of diving Australia the first, and usually last thing that comes to mind, is the Great Barrier Reef. Australia is a big country with a lot of coastline and a lot of diving. I did some poking around in other dive areas beyond the Great Barrier Reef and found some amazing dive locations. Today I go down-down under to dive Tasmania’s Waterfall Bay Caves, Giant Kelp Forests and Weedy Seadragons. This is part one of my series of interviews with Karen Gowlett-Holmes from Eagle Rock Dive Centre in Tasmania.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Diving_Tasmania_Pt1.mp3

http://www.eaglehawkdive.com.au/

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Shark Banz Shark Deterrent

Encounters with sharks cause heightened levels of panic in a lot of people. Contrary to what the movies may portray sharks as, studies have shown sharks are shy animals and do not hunt humans. However, sharks have attacked humans thinking they were something else. These attacks occur mostly in murky waters where visibility is reduced and the only way the shark knows for sure you’re not something to eat, is to take a bite. This is generally not so good for the humans in this equation. Enter Shark Banz, a product that was developed to repel sharks using magnets. I talk with co-founder of Shark Banz, Nathan Garrison, about the product and how scuba divers should best use it.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Shark_Banz_Shark_Deterrent.mp3

http://www.sharkbanz.com/

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Snorkeling to Greenland with SEDNA Epic Expedition

The SEDNA Epic Expedition to snorkel the Northwest Passage passed one of its’ big tests before the actual event in the summer of 2016: The Proof of Concept expedition to Greenland. The proof of concept expedition happened in the summer of 2014 and is intended as a shakedown to work out the bugs. I am excited to have as my guest, former scuba instructor and leader of the SEDNA Epic Expedition, Susan Eaton. On today’s show she talks about how things went and in the second half of the program what the snorkelers saw in the water as they crossed the Arctic Circle.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Sedna_Epic_Expedition_Snorkel_to_Greenland.mp3

http://sednaepic.com/

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Dive with Spawning Salmon

Diving amongst hundreds of thousands of spawning Salmon is a once in a lifetime experience. Once you have settled and the fish get used to you it’s like being in an endless swarm. The feeling is incredible and the photo opportunities are amazing. Underwater Photographer, Eiko Jones, talks about the Adam’s River, British Columbia, Canada salmon dive and he offers up some photo tips on getting the best shot and the best time to go.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Eiko_Jones_Salmon_Spawning_Dive.mp3

http://www.eikojonesphotography.com/

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DEMA 2014 with Executive Director Tom Ingram

It’s a much anticipated annual pilgrimage for professional scuba divers: DEMA, the Dive Equipment and Marketing Association. The convention is packed with training and education seminars, keynote speakers, new gear and hot diving destinations. This year DEMA is in Las Vegas, Nevada. On today’s show I have the privilege to talk with Executive Director Tom Ingram about what is going on and how people who are not attending can keep up to date as well.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/DEMA_2014.mp3

http://www.demashow.com/dema2014/public/enter.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_vOUm7g47SVXQieJ7WDpTA

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Kids Sea Camp

 More and more kids are getting into scuba diving. These kids are becoming incredible ambassadors for the sport and for sea conservation. No one knows this better than Margo Peyton from Family Divers and Kid’s Sea Camp. She has been taking entire families on fun scuba diving trips for years. On this episode I talk with Margo about what these trips are all about.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Kids_Sea_Camp.mp3

http://familydivers.com/

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World Record Deepest Dive

Diving down to 332 meters or 1090 feet is not something you just decide to do. Ahmed Gabr recently set a Guinness World Record for deep diving. It took a large team, 4 years of training and preparation plus 93 tanks of air and tri-mix to get it done. I am excited to be talking with Ahmed about his record setting dive, his preparations, the possible problems and how that one dive has affected his life.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/World_Record_Scuba_Dive_Ahmed_Gabr.mp3

http://ahmedgabr.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AhmedGabrDiver

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Great White Cage Dive Guadalupe

Guadalupe Mexico is the place to go when you want to encounter Great White Sharks. These amazing creatures are safely seen from inside a cage slung off the sides of the Nautilus Explorer. Jen Carty from Adventures in Scuba, a self-confessed Sharkoholic, went on that dive trip. She shares her story and what you can expect on board and in the water.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/AIS2_Shark_Dive_Jen_Carty.mp3

http://adventuresinscuba.com/

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Muck Diving Lembeh Resort Indonesia

Muck diving is synonymous with Lembeh Resort in Indonesia. The silty bottom at first looks rather barren – but looks are very deceiving. The silt and the coral rubble is home to an amazing range of sea life. This week on Planet Earth Diver I talk with manager Danny Charlton about what you can see and experience at the Resort. I also invite you to join me at Lembeh resort February 14^th to 21^st 2015 with Adventures in Scuba. For more information on going to Lembeh resort send me an email info@planetearthdiver.com .

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Muck_Diving_Lembeh_Resort.mp3

http://www.lembehresort.com/

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g680020-d736220-Reviews-Lembeh_Resort-Bitung_North_Sulawesi_Sulawesi.html

http://youtu.be/-rfiijhGvNY?list=PL5KtcnYBx1wiuip6u8c0AEJtjNuBrCHNM

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Mission 31 Fabien Cousteau

Mission 31 for Fabien Cousteau and his crew of Aquanauts was to spend 31 consecutive days at 65 feet in the only remaining undersea habitat/research facility, Aquarius. The mission was an overwhelming success. I talk with Fabien about his mission, what it was like in Aquarius, the health of the oceans and living in the Cousteau legacy.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Fabien_Cousteau_Mission_31.mp3

https://www.facebook.com/fcousteau

http://mission-31.com/about-mission-31/

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Gods Pocket Port Hardy British Columbia

God's Pocket Scuba Dive Resort off Vancouver Island near Port Hardy has a front row seat to amazing cold water diving. I talk with Bill Weeks owner of God's Pocket about the resort and the diving.

http://www.godspocket.com/home.1.html

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Getting Fitted for Mask Snorkel and Fins

Fitting yourself for a mask, snorkel and fins is actually something you need to pay attention to. To get a product you are happy with and will use over and over again you need to get properly fitted. On today’s show I talk with Jen Carty from Adventures in Scuba about getting geared up.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Fitting_Masks_Snorkels_Fins_AIS1.mp3

http://adventuresinscuba.com/

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Zombie Apocalypse Diver

You’re on a search and recovery scuba diving mission to save the world from Zombies. All is going well until a dark figure slowly emerges from the murk. It grabs you and you are infected! This week I talk with Woody Tinsley about his brainchild and now PADI Certified Course – The Zombie Apocalypse Diver. Find out what it’s all about and how you can get involved as well.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Zombie_Apocalypse_Diver.mp3

http://www.zombieapocalypsediver.com/Welcome.html

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Diving Browning Pass BC

The website says “The Port Hardy and Browning Pass area has the best temperate diving in BC, Canada, North America, The World…The Known Universe!” You know what they may very well be right. I talk with John DeBoeck from Browning Pass Hideaway about diving there.

Listen to the interview below or download it from the link;

http://www.nationaltravelradio.com/Audio/Browning_Pass_Hideaway.mp3

http://www.vancouverislanddive.com/