Scuba Shack Radio #8 – 6-23-19



In this episode we discuss deep diving, cleaning stations and Sea Hunt – It’s still alive – the final show “Round Up”

What is deep diving? According to many training organizations it is any dive below 60 feet. Why? There is a section in Alex Brylske’s book “The Complete Diver” titled Deep Diving Re-examined. Dr. Brylske talks about what he considers deep diving – the range between 80 and 130 feet or as he describes it the forgotten 50 feet. He also discusses things to consider before venturing deeper than 60 feet, specifically experience and training. As for training PADI has a great Deep Diver specialty course that consists of 4 deep dives and you must have the experience of either PADI Adventure or Advanced Diver with 20 logged dives to participate. Stay safe with experience and training and minimize the risks.

Observing a cleaning station on a coral reef is fascinating. Cleaning stations are a classic example of symbiotic mutualism. The cleaner and the client both benefit. There is a two-part article in the winter and spring editions of Alert Diver magazine from Divers Alert Network by Anna and Ned Deloach on cleaning stations titled “Pest Control”. They discuss some interesting elements of the Bluestreak cleaner wrasse and the Pederson cleaner shrimp. Here are some other links that have more information on cleaning stations.

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/03/the-fish-that-makes-other-fish-smarter/554924/

http://www.cleanerfish.com/the-cleaner-fish-chronicles.html

https://www.caribbeanreeflife.com/caribbean-reef-life-blog/archives/12-2017

The final episode of Sea Hunt titled “Round Up” aired on September 23, 1961. The new underwater sequences were filmed in Nassau. Mike had 2 jobs in this episode. One was to recover floating bombs from a wreck and then blow up the ship. The second job was to recover and disarm a torpedo that was fired into an underwater pipe at a hydroelectric plant. The first job was really a repeat of an earlier episode with a new twist. On the second job Mike finds the diver who sent the torpedo into the pipe and wrestles him to the surface. The diver is a young Jack Nickelson who says “How many times to I got to tell you there ain’t no bomb”. Well there was. Mike saves the day and closes the show by saying see you next week, but now we know that wouldn’t happen. The series is over after four years and 155 shows.