NEWSLETTER

ROATAN

$1595 – November 20 - 27, 2004 – Trip Leader - Jerry

Scuba Houston invites you to join Jerry for Thanksgiving in Roatan, for a week of diving and fun. This is one of the most cost effective dive trips available because of the number of dives you are able to do. Roatan is one of the Honduran Bay Islands, located in the western Caribbean, 40 miles north of the mainland. Fantasy Island offers the ultimate in guest comfort and luxury, with tastefully decorated air conditioned rooms, each with satellite TV, refrigerator, telephone, and amenities which include a fresh water swimming pool and Roatan’s only lighted tennis courts.

Diving: Some of the world's best diving is found only minutes from the resort. There are over 50 dive sites, characterized by spectacular crevices and tunnels, opening to breathtaking walls. Visibility is excellent, with abundant marine life and brilliant corals. Most boat dive sites are within 10-20 minutes from the resort, and good shore diving is accessible approximately 40 yards from the beach. Mild currents make this a great location for beginning & intermediate divers, with spectacular crevices, tunnels & swim-throughs. Breathtaking walls with abundant marine life and beautiful corals make this a great adventure for advanced divers.

HAPPY SCUBA HOUSTON DIVERS IN ROATAN

FIJI

$2995 - Oct 21- 30, 2004 - Trip Leader – Barb Thompson

You are invited to join a Premier Scuba Houston Trip led by Barbara Thompson and Sophie Wimberley to the Wananavu Resort in Fiji.

The Trip Price Includes: Tour/Dive Leaders with over 15 years of international travel experience. Round trip International airfare from Houston on Continental and Air Pacific. 7 nights accommodations at the Wananavu Resort. 2days of 2-tank boat dives,3 days of 3-tank dives (tanks, weights and belts included). Three meals daily (Gourmet Quality!). Airport land /boat transfers. Fijian taxes (including the airport departure tax).

CAYMAN BRAC

$2049 – Nov 20 – 27 2004 Trip Leader – Sophie Wimberly

You are invited to join a Premier Scuba Houston Trip led by Sophie Wimberley, Scuba Bob and Barbara Thompson to the Brac Reef Resort in Cayman Brac

The Trip Price Includes: Tour/Dive Leaders with specific experience at this resort. Round trip International airfare from Houston on Cayman Airways including all departure taxes. 7 nights accommodations at the Brac Reef Resort. 5 days of 3-tank boat dives,1 day of 2-tank boat dives –Night Dives extra, weather permitting. Nitrox available for extra charge Three meals daily. Airport land /boat transfers

COZUMEL

Intercontinental El Presidente: $1095 Diver - $1005 Non-Diver

Hotel Fiesta Americana: $950 - $1,000

Hotel Casa Mexicana: $850

Cozumel trips are back! Only two hours away by direct flight. This package includes a pre-trip & post-trip party, air travel, ground transfers to and from the airport, experienced trip leaders, three days of 2 tank boat dives and unlimited shore diving. Three different levels of hotel accommodations available.

		Date	Hotel	Trip Leader
Sept	03-07	2004	Fiesta Americana	John Buano
Sep/Oct	30-04	2004	Presidente	Sergio Marquez
Oct/Nov	28-01	2004	Presidente	Katie Fraser

SCUBA HOUSTON DIVE TEAM ENJOYING COZUMEL

The Flower Gardens are located 112 miles southeast of Freeport, Texas. Within a National Marine Sanctuary, the East & West Flower Gardens are about 12 miles apart and offer two different diving experiences.

Stetson Bank is 20 miles north of the Flower Gardens. It is covered with brown fire coral and red, yellow, black & gray sponges. This creates a unique, rich, colorful background for the concentration of marine life living in this small area. Where else can you make 7 blue water dives over one weekend? NITROX AVAILABLE!

February through April, dive with the Hammerhead Sharks when they make their annual visit to the Sanctuary to spawn. Also, in August book early to see the annual Coral Spawning phenomenon. These trips fill up fast!

Date			Trip Leader	Boat
Feb	05-06	2005		MV Fling
Mar	12-13	2005		MV Spree
Apr	16-17	2005		MV Fling
May	28-29	2005	Gordon Daly	MV Fling

GULF OF MEXICO RIG DIVING

$205

Includes: 3 dives, ice, drinks & snacks. These one-day trips are great for the weekend diver. We will be diving oil p latforms and other artificial reefs from 30 to 50 miles offshore that are teeming with thousands of tropical and pelagic species of fish and marine invertebrates. We have had encounters with Wild Dolphins, Manta Rays and Whale Sharks!

Date	Trip Leader	Date	Trip Leader

SURF-N-TURF WEEKEND

November, Nov 6 & 7 2004 $57

With trip leader: Jerry Emerson

The 1^st & 2nd Annual Surf-N-Turf Weekends were huge successes.

Included in this weekend are the lobster hunt, a steak & lobster (the one you catch) dinner on Saturday night, overnight camping, entry fees into the Blue Lagoon, unlimited diving, & a hot breakfast on Sunday morning. Activities start at 1:00pm on Saturday. The lobster hunt will start at 2:00pm and dinner is at 5:00pm.

Scuba Houston would like to thank everyone that helped out and participated.. Everyone had a great time! This year promises to be even better!

Sign up early, as these events will fill up fast.

BEGINNER SCUBA CERTIFICATION

Scuba Diving lessons contain three components - academics, pool sessions, and open water dives. The academic material is on the SSI video or DVD and the home study Manual. It will also be covered and reviewed with your instructor. The Certification Course includes pool classes that are three hours each and are held in our indoor heated pool. The six open water dives are offered on some of our foreign trips or on a consecutive Saturday and Sunday at a local lake.

We offer three convenient ways to schedule your Scuba Certification class—

1. Private classes consist of five three-hour lessons at Scuba Houston scheduled at your convenience.

2. Weekend classes consist of three full Saturdays from 9 am – 4 pm.

3. Weekday classes are held two evenings each week from 7-10 pm and run for three weeks.

MASTER DIVER PROGRAM

Be the best by becoming an SSI Master Diver. With the assistance of our dive professionals, you can earn this prestigious certification. Begin your journey by planning your training and dive trips 1 –2 years In advance. Before you know it you will have your 50 dives, 4 Specialties, Stress & Rescue, 1^st Aid & CPR. Upon completion of this program, you will receive a Certificate, a distinctive Master Diver Card & other awards from Scuba Houston. - Sign up TODAY!

ADVANCED OPEN WATER PROGRAM

$295 + Materials, June 2^nd 9^th 16^th & 23^rd

This comprehensive program includes 4 specialty classes necessary to qualify for the SSI Advanced Rating. In addition, the complete Stress Rescue course is also included in this curriculum. Completion of this program qualifies you to go on to the Master Dive level. You will become a safer and better diver after completion of this class. Five evenings of Academic and Pool classes, plus a Saturday, for Open Water classes. Prerequisites are Open Water Certification (any agency) CPR & First Aid. - Sign up TODAY!

DIVE MASTER COURSE

$545 (includes all material), - Call for details

If you love diving and enjoy helping other people, this is the place for you. Graduates of the Scuba Houston/SSI Dive Con (Dive Master) Program assist with Scuba classes, special activities (like introductory classes), and they help run diving trips. This challenging course includes a thorough understanding of the physics and physiology of diving. It also covers equipment repair and sharpening of your diving techniques. Completion of this course qualifies you to go on to the Instructor Program. Prerequisites are Advanced and Stress & Rescue certifications from any Certification Agency.

INSTRUCTOR COURSE

$1,895 (includes all material) – Starts September 8th

Call us at 281 497 7651 for details.

ADAPTIVE SCUBA COURSE

You may know someone with different abilities, or you may be that person yourself. Do you know that we can take you into the world of scuba? Scuba Houston has instructors who are specially trained to teach Adaptive Scuba. We invite you to enjoy a new world free from gravity and wheelchairs as you explore our last great frontier. Call and ask for Sergio or Barbara.

NITROX COURSE

$125 - Class, Materials - $25

6-10 pm - 2 Days - 2^nd Tuesday & 2^nd Thursday each month

Want to increase your available bottom time, shorten your surface interval and increase your safety margin while diving? Nitrox has increased amounts of oxygen in the gas you breath and proportionally less the nitrogen. This decreases your susceptibility to the bends. In the Nitrox class, you will learn the safe use of Nitrox while diving.

SCIENTIFIC DIVER COURSE

$200 – Sept 18 & 19

Interested in assisting scientists with marine research? Scuba Houston works with Southwest Texas State University and Texas Parks & Wildlife in specially certifying divers to assist with research being conducted at Aquarena Springs. This weekend program at Aquarena Springs, teaches about the endemic marine life of Aquarena Springs and the activities available to assist with the various research projects

STEEL DIVER’S YOUTH VENTURING PROGRAM

Scuba Houston and Boy Scouts of America Venturing Program have joined forces to develop an exciting and new program called Steel Divers, designed to help teenagers connect to the Undersea World. We are looking for co-ed divers and non-divers, age 14-21, to help plan quarterly expeditions (to research sites like Cozumel, Spring Lakes, Florida Keys, and the Flower Gardens) and to conduct research with organizations like Aquarena Springs to promote ocean conservation. There are monthly meetings at 2pm held on ‘Free Intro to Scuba’ Days, so potential members can try scuba. We also have Fund Raising programs like car washes, popcorn sales and garage sales to help fund venturing projects.

SCUBA RANGERS

$ 295

Join our special club for kids ages 8-12. The last Friday of every month from 6-8 pm will be Ranger Night. In the 3 Scuba Ranger classes, your child will learn basic water skills necessary to dive with scuba gear. Upon completion of the Scuba Rangers class, your child will have the opportunity to show off their new skills at Demo Night, at which time they will also receive their Scuba Ranger Certification Card. Scuba Rangers can come in and use the pool to practice and show friends and family what they have learned

CONGRATULATIONS

NEW SCUBA RANGERS

Janice Byth	Hallie Byth	Maggie Gardner
Haley Trent	Dylan Trent	Alison Bruin
Amy Dow

NEW CERTIFIED DIVERS

Madeline Hanke	Andrew Hubley	Wilson Huynh
Katherine Lary	Christien Tat	Zachary Altneu
Michael Linn	Andrew Linn	Jeffrey Abramson
Jainy Philip	Greg Bennett	Kurt Byth
Blake Cornwall	James Cosman	Robert Gardner
Michael Gardner	Jacob Hack	Chris Lapsley
Eddie Langston	Gil Levy	Megan Kay
Ann Payton	Robert Morast	Lauren Kay
Skye Powell	Lee Raymond	Christine Guerrero
Kevin Schneider	Natalie Tillman	Rebecca Schneider
Amanda Short	Tara Smith	Candice Spradlin
Mike Lindig	Joy Lindig	Jason Tomczak
Brandon Waller	Tatia Adams	Sheldon Wallbrown
Grant Wade	Nicole Keel	Ryan Keel
Hannah Breaux	Anna Breaux	Brianna Breaux
Steven Cummins

NEW CERTIFIED ADVANCED DIVERS

Dan Yeaney	Brenda Bassham

NEW CERTIFIED NITROX DIVERS

Doug Wright	Gary Briggs	Kenneth Wickens
Holly Williams	Fred Slattery	Alan Buchi
Tatia Adams	Bob Koshman

NEW DIVE CONTROL SPECIALISTS

Quentin Dyson