Florida

(Dive Travel Business News - Thursday January 17, 2013) --Yesterday, news that gives us hope for future ocean exploration was confirmed – Aquarius Reef Base off Key Largo has been saved. Through a great deal of work by a great number of dedicated people, including many in the dive industry, the only underwater laboratory on earth has been funded for continued operation.  Aquarius is an invaluable tool to study the ocean environment allowing us to gather knowledge of our changing ocean and its inhabitants. read more »

(Dive Travel Business Newws - June 4, 2012) -- The Challenges are set and the Production Team is on board to shoot this year's Ultimate Diver Challenge as a Reality TV Show.  Ultimate Diver Challenge is now putting final touches on its July 20-31 event: UDC will be filming Season Two of their TV program, this summer in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Ultimate Diver Challenge inspires non-divers to understand how fun, exciting, and easy scuba diving is, to explore a new paradise of the underwater world as each face their individual fears while answering the questions that prevent them from taking the plunge. The Ultimate Diver Challenge showcases the extreme importance that is placed on education, training and safety emphasized by the scuba diving industry and encourages certified divers to keep their skills up to par. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - April 10, 2012) -- ScubaNation, One Nation Underwater,  a new 30-minute television program devoted to scuba diving and the aquatic lifestyle, premieres this Sunday, April 15, 2012, at 5:30 pm, EST. The fast paced and high energy show will wet the appetite of scuba and watersports fans alike with unique footage that cohost founders Billy C and Mitch like  to call "Jacques Cousteau on Rock-N-Roll. Click to view the ScubaNation Preview Video.

The show will air on the SunSports regional sports network in Southeastern United States. In addition, the program will also air via the internet at ScubaNation.com. ScubaNation can also be seen by DirecTV and Dish subscribers nationwide if viewers who use Direct TV and Dish subscribe to the respective sport upgrade packages of both networks. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - Feb 27, 2012) -- Orlando International Airport is the latest U.S. airport to be granted permission to offer flights to Cuba. The airport received the OK from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Feb 1, 2012. But airport officials said that none are currently scheduled. As the seventh airport to be given approval for Cuba, Orlando International joins Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Palm Beach and Fort Myers in facilitating such flights. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - February 24, 2012) -- A World War II ship will soon be 100 feet below the Gulf near Fort Myers Beach. Last week, Lee County Commissioners voted to move forward with a plan to sink the 165-foot  USS Mohawk as an artificial reef on the west coast of Florida.

Environmental Specialists from Lee County will be in Key West within the next couple of weeks to inspect the Coast Guard cutter Mohawk to inspect the vessel, conduct a stability analysis and determine what wires and other hazardous materials need to be removed and ready to be moved to the deeper waters off the west coast of Florida.  The plan is to sink the Mohawk in 60 to 90 feet of water 13 miles off Sanibel Island. 

The Mohawk is currently a floating museum docked along the East Quay Wall at the Truman Waterfront and operated by the nonprofit Miami-Dade Historic Maritime Museum Inc. The nonprofit is giving Lee County the Mohawk for free. The nonprofit's other ship, the Ingham, will remain in the same location. read more »

Dive Travel Business News - December 20, 2011) -- More than 9,000 pre-qualified diving professionals registered for DEMA Show 2011, which was held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL from November 2nd to 5th.  DEMA Show 2011 encouraged attendees to find new direction by providing hundreds of exhibits, products, services, educational sessions and more.  Opening day commenced at 10:00 am on November 2nd with more than 6,400 opening day attendees, including buyers, travel buyers, instructors and other diving professionals from all over the world. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - October 11, 2011) -- U.S. President Barack Obama has eased some restrictions on Americans travelling to Cuba: Just 90 miles across the Florida Straits from Cuba, Key West joins a string of other U.S. cities - Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Baltimore, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Houston and San Juan, Puerto Rico, Miami, New York and Los Angeles - to be authorized by federal authorities to host charter flights to Cuba.  read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - October 3, 2011) -- TDI/SDI/ERDI has reheadquartered to Jensen Beach, Florida. Brian Carney, group President stated, "This move marks the coming home to the TDI birth place, Florida." TDI was the original agency in the group and remains the crown jewel from where the other agencies, SDI and ERDI, were spawned. One of the world leaders in facilitating dive instruction through its members worldwide, TDI/SDI/ERDI will keep Florida's balmy waters busy year round with a plethora of Professional Training programs for Pro Members that were impeded by Maine's harsh winters. TDI/SDI/ERDI provide the best in scuba dive instruction support for its members, allowing its Pro Members to prepare divers of all ages and ability to get involved and certified appropriately regardless of their personal interests. This includes up to date training solutions for technical divers and public safety divers. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - September 22, 2011) - The Annual Diving Equipment & Marketing Association Member Meeting and Update will be held at the DEMA Show on Thursday November 3, 2011 at the Orange County Convention Center, Room N310E from 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM.

DEMA invites both members and non-members to this event to learn the latest information about the Association's activities during the last year and planned projects for 2012.  A complimentary Continental style breakfast is included. The meeting provides an opportunity for industry professionals to meet current DEMA Board Members, candidates for the 2012 Board of Directors Election and DEMA Staff. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - September 8, 2011) -- The economic times and the nature of the dive business have created a need for retail businesses to adapt and change their business strategies to keep customers and attract new ones. The DEMA Show invites thousands of dive industry professionals ready to take their business in a new direction for success to attend the Show this November 2-5 in Orlando, Florida.

The DEMA Show 2011 will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL this November 2-5, 2011.  The DEMA Show is a dive retailer's best source for one-stop shopping and dive-industry-specific education – register today!

The DEMA Show is the only trade-only event for the dive, travel and action watersports industry that offers: read more »