Misadventures in diving-a don't miss adventure in scuba education this October

Blue warm waters. Friendly St. Lawrence River Beluga Whales. Great Lake shipwrecks filled with untraceable gold coins. Sorry, we are talking dreams, scuba diving probably has more myths surrounding it than any other adventure sport.

Unfortunately there is a downside to the underwater fantasies. Recreational diving is subject to a large number of health and safety problems that can not only ruin a person's day but also take lives! The Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society's Great Lakes Chapter is set to talk about both the ups and the downs of sport diving at its annual meeting in Burlington, Ontario this October.

The Adventures and Misadventures in Diving is the theme of the day-long gathering. Speakers ranging from PADI Canada president Gene Hemsworth to American Hyperbaric expert Dr. Tom Neuman. The two along with half a dozen other world famous experts will be lecturing and answering questions about the medical dangers involved in diving. The speakers will also look at new technologies emerging that may eliminate some of the sport's health problems.

Held at the Canada Centre for inland Waters' National Water Research Institute, the meeting will last all day long. According to event organisers the seminars are aimed not just at doctors, but at anyone interested in scuba including "recreational and commercial divers, dive masters, instructors, technical divers, engineers, scientists, medical and paramedical persons with an interest in diving, diving technology and diving medicine. The meeting will provide updated information for everyone".

Dr. Tom Neuman is the Keynote Speaker at the Burlington event. The California pulmonary physician and emergency physician at the University of California will give a one-hour talk on oxygen toxicity and nitrogen narcosis. There is no doubt about what Dr. Ha Koch will be talking about at the conference. The former medical director of the Toronto Hospital Hyperbaric Unit has given his lecture the working title of "Horrible Accidents You Don't Want To Have."

Two other speakers include DIVER Magazine contributor and author Cris Kohl (Great Lakes Report Card) and Diver columnist and PADI president Gene Hemsworth (Technical Diving, Where It Is At).

Membership in the Great Lakes Chapter of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society is open to all. For information about the conference and the society contact Ana Lopez at (416) 340-4132 or on the Web at http://www.deeptech.com/gic

Bermuda Scuba Express from the "Big Smoke"

Just as the scuba season is winding down in Ontario, Toronto-based Conquest Tours has brought to market twice-a-week charter service between Toronto and Bermuda. The service to this popular wreck dive destination began September 11 and runs until May 14, 1998.

Conquest offers a choice of 11 hotels, from smaller properties to larger resorts. Package prices start at $619 for a three-night stay and $879 for seven nights including round trip air, hotel accommodation, transfers, taxes, service charges and resort levies. Conquest also offers air only via Canada 3000 from $369 per person depending on departure dates.

Under the Seas and Over the Airwaves

A new dive television show will air this year in the United States that will have a decidedly Canadian look to it. Undersea Adventures is a new series that is set to premiere on the new Discovery/Animal Kingdom network this fall.

"This is a show that keys right in on the adventure side of our sport," explained producer Jim Kozmik. "Shark dives, trips to exotic, hard to reach destinations, that is the sort of thing that we will be delivering every week!" Undersea Adventures is the brain child of executive director Danny Mauro. He and Jim and Lorna Kozmik produced over 50 episodes of the internationally acclaimed Sport Diver TV Show in the early 90s.

"We don't have an air date yet for a Canadian showing." said Kozmik, "Danny (Mauro) is negotiating with a number of networks. I expect though that Undersea Adventures will soon be on the air here in Canada."

The show is produced by Mauro in British Columbia with the camera crew led by husband and wife team, Jim and Lorna Kozmik, based in the Greater Toronto area.

Dive The Web for boats, cheap seats and scuba info

Diving the Web: Boats. Boats. Boats. The Canadian Marine Manufacturers Association (the people who organise Canada's biggest boat shows) now has a multi-purpose web site at www.cmma.ca.