Ever want to try scuba!  Discover what it's like to going beneath the waves

Dive On It Scuba will be hosting the annual Try Scuba event at Boston Sea Rovers again this year.   

Space for these events is limited and is first-come, first-served.

Registration at https://diveonit.square.site/tryscubasearovers 

Scouts Oceanography Merit Badge

Sunday March 16, 2025 9:30 – 1PM

Merit Badge Councilors

Mark Fregeau PhD.

Woody Tinsley

Scouts should bring Blue Cards and printed out copy of Oceanography Merit Badge Workbook

Schedule:

9:30AM – 1PM:   Merit Badge Activities – Newburyport Room on 2^ndfloor of Hotel

Questions? Email Mark Fregeau

Register (where you purchase tickets under BSR Sponsored Workshops)

A key factor for the safety of diving operations is correct risk assessment. This workshop focuses on identifying, mitigating, and managing risks derived from divers’ actions and interactions with the environment. Most of the diving mishaps originated not from a single step but rather from a chain of interconnected events. Interrupting even one of such events prevents escalating the problems. A good knowledge of the potential environmental hazards is also needed to develop a safe and proficient diving plan. Finally, the components of the diving team should be carefully chosen to create a synergic interaction that enhances the team's efficiency. At the end of the workshop, you will have learned:•    How to identify and manage realistic risks associated with diving operations.•    How to critically analyze diving problems and learn from them.•    How to enhance diving team safety and proficiency.•    How to develop a sound and safe diving plan.

Attendance will include a signed copy of my book “Risk Management for Diving Operations” (a value of $39.00).

The PADI Member Forum 2025 is packed with the most up-to-date information on risk management, training, marketing, new programs and products. It is not only an interesting meeting, but you will also find inspiration for your lessons.  It will be hosted by the regional manager Josh Childress your PADI team. This is also the time to ask your questions and connect with us live again.   The registration for the PADI Member Forum is free of charge.

In this workshop, Tec will present the top ten mistakes that divers make. As a dive training agency director and a forensic dive accident investigator, he has seen the unfortunate outcomes of these mistakes. The consequences range from dropping out of the sport, all the way to serious injuries or even death. This workshop will present a selection of mistakes. Tec has seen divers make over his 27-year career as a diving professional, and these are errors that he stresses to his students not to do. Some of the items you may think are cliché’d or something you do not do wrong – but keep reading. He will teach you how to avoid these mistakes and even improve in areas that you may not think you are doing wrong. He will go into detail in each area, bringing unconventional wisdom and rationale into each lesson to prevent these mistakes from occurring.

Tec Clark has held elite positions in the dive industry including managing director of the University of Florida’s Academic Diving Program and national director of the YMCA Scuba Program. He holds over 40 professional certifications with over 15 dive training agencies. He has also been a police officer, dive rescue team member, and forensic dive accident investigator. He has appeared as a diving expert on A&E, The Learning Channel, and Outdoor Life Network. Clark was captain of the U.S. freediving team and founder of Reef Ministries. He is the associate director for scuba diving at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This  half-day workshop covers the most pressing legal issues in our industry, including areas such as waivers/releases, professional liability insurance, and more.  This will be an amazing workshop for diving professionals and up and coming dive pro’s alike.

Tec Clark has held elite positions in the dive industry including managing director of the University of Florida’s Academic Diving Program and national director of the YMCA Scuba Program. He holds over 40 professional certifications with over 15 dive training agencies. He has also been a police officer, dive rescue team member, and forensic dive accident investigator. He has appeared as a diving expert on A&E, The Learning Channel, and Outdoor Life Network. Clark was captain of the U.S. freediving team and founder of Reef Ministries. He is the associate director for scuba diving at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This is an intensive, hands-on workshop that’s perfect for complete Lightroom newbies, or for current users wanting to take their skills to the next level. To get the most out of the Bootcamp, you’ll need a laptop running the most recent version of Lightroom Classic that your operating system can handle, and at least one external hard drive. Bring all appropriate power sources, adapters, and cables. Please make sure your gear is in good working order and ready to go. We will not have time to address individual technical issues. The Bootcamp includes a 16GB flash drive pre-loaded with class work files, and a 50-page spiral bound workbook.
The Lightroom Bootcamp does not cover any web-based versions of Lightroom. We’ll be using Lightroom Classic only. 

Are your macro images lacking pizzazz! Are you stuck in a rut or lacking creativity whenever you shoot macro?! Join us as we show our tips and tricks to get extraordinary results with your macro photography. We'll cover our favorite lighting techniques, on camera and off camera snooting, making creative backgrounds, and more! 

The Masking and Selection tools in the Develop Module have taken a quantum leap that greatly expands their power. The ability to add, subtract, combine, and invert complex selections has made this little old sorceress very happy, and I think you’ll feel all tingly too when you join us for this deep dive into Masking in Lightroom Classic. You want this!

Photoshop. It’s adored and feared. It’s canonized and maligned. It is, above all else, de rigueur for underwater photographers who’ve hit the wall with their editing in Lightroom. But words like Layers, Layer Masks, and Selections are enough to send many aspiring editors into a vertiginous spin. Never fear. Behind the complex interface, overwhelming array of tools, and terrifyingly complicated techniques are a few very simple concepts that will absolutely save your bacon and your photos! Shatter the limits of Lightroom and be free!

Are you an underwater photographer who dabbles in video, but doesn't have an easy and efficient way to take your favorite clips and transform them into an amazing edited video you can share with your friends and family? Join this video editing power session to learn the ins and outs of DaVinci Resolve (Free Edition). The software is FREE and works on Mac OS or Windows. This is not a work-along session, but if you’d like to look at the software during class, please download DaVinci Resolve before attending. All video editing software can be daunting to use. In this class, Joel will help demystify its complexities and get you comfortable making a basic edit by the end of the session. Join us to learn how to use DaVinci Resolve to create your next UW Trip Video!

Supercharged AI features in Lightroom Classic will change the way you shoot and edit forever. The world’s your oyster when you master generative remove, 3-D color selections and granular control over focus, blur, and bokeh. It’s wacko! It’s wonderful! It’s wizardry! AI might indeed be pure evil, but the results are soooo good! Learn how to harness the very real power of artificial intelligence in Lightroom Classic – evolve or perish!  

Lightroom is incredibly powerful, but it’s no match for the Dark Arts in Photoshop. Abracadabra! Backscatter disappears like magic, the crop tool creates extra space and fills it in perfectly, and divers appear – elegantly posed – to populate every empty composition. Add Artificial Intelligence to the mix and things get really dirty – in fantastic, addictive, and insanely useful ways. Learn how to channel Photoshop’s wicked superpowers for good and of course for a little bit of evil too!

NAUI Workshop Series Boston Sea Rovers International Ocean Clinic

1:00 – 1:45 – “Blending of Breathing Gases” 

Presenter - Mark Criasia 

Abstract: Mixed gas blending for scuba divers creates breathing gases like Nitrox (more oxygen) for longer dives or Trimix/Heliox (oxygen, nitrogen, and helium) for deep technical dives, reducing narcosis and allowing deeper exploration. Blending involves safely mixing pure gases (Oxygen, Helium, Air) using methods like partial pressure, requiring specialized equipment, training, and analysis (e.g., with a dual-sensor analyzer) to ensure correct composition for depth, managing risks like oxygen toxicity. 

Presenter Bio: 

Mark earned his first scuba diving certification from NAUI in 1972. Despite primarily diving in Cape Cod and Lake Winnipesaukee, he remained an active diver until 1985. After a hiatus, he re-certified with NAUI and progressed through the ranks, becoming a NAUI Lifetime Instructor in 2012 and a NAUI Course Director in 2019. In 2014, he co-founded The Massachusetts Association of 

Independent Scuba Instructors. By 2023, he opened M.A.I.S.I. Scuba, a full-service dive shop in Milford, Massachusetts, sponsoring trips along the New England coastline and the Caribbean. 

A retired police officer, he has dedicated much of his time to promoting scuba diving. He is a certified NAUI/DAN Safety Instructor with qualifications in Mixed Gas Blending, Full Face Mask diving, Drysuit, Coastal Navigation, and Boating & Seamanship. Additionally, he is a Master Scuba Equipment Repair Technician, having graduated from Hall’s Institute, and holds an Associate, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degrees. 

In 2023, he played a pivotal role in the successful NAUI Northeast Training Conference, the first of its kind incorporating a hybrid learning approach. 

NAUI Workshop Series Boston Sea Rovers International Symposium

“Recreational Dive Safety”

Explore recreational dive safety by analyzing leading triggers from DAN's accident research and offering actionable safety tips. It debunks common diving myths, highlights typical diving goals, and provides practical guidance to help divers prepare effectively and safely achieve their aspirations while enhancing overall diving safety and awareness.

Location:

71^st Boston Sea Rovers 2025 International Symposium

Danvers, MA - Doubletree Hotel

Date / Time:

Saturday March 15^th - 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Instructor:

Heison Chak – NAUI Course Director / Technical Instructor Examiner / CCR Instructor

Heison Chak has been diving since 2002, he enjoys wreck diving in The Great Lakes and navigating the time capsules concealed within Florida's submerged caves. His dedication to the diving community extends to providing fundamental training for individuals aspiring to venture into technical and cave diving.

He was a valued member of the 2023 NAUI Technical Subcommittee. Currently serving as the President of Ontario Underwater Council and Standards Trustee for GUE. He contributes to the growth of the diving community by channeling his efforts into shaping the next generation of leaders through his involvement with NAUI and DAN instructor training programs to nurture the skills and leadership quality of aspiring divers."

NAUI Workshop Series open to all Boston Sea Rovers International Symposium participants available at no cost or registration unless otherwise stated.

NAUI Workshop Series Boston Sea Rovers International Ocean Clinic

“

3:00 – 3:45 – “The Power of Breathing Simply - A Diver's Exploration of Breath” 

Presenters - Kreig Pinkham & Jeannine Russell 

Abstract: 

In this interactive workshop we’re going to take a moment to catch our breath and dive into the respiratory system from a diver’s perspective. We’ll examine how one complex system unlocks the key to buoyancy, controlling our state of mind, and maintaining basic life functions. Additionally, we will explore some simple breathing exercises that can be used to enhance your breath including diaphragmatic breathing, square breathing, and other forms of yogic breath control. Finally, we’ll introduce the 5 Tibetan Rites – an ancient series of stretches that can easily be incorporated into your daily fitness routine to stretch your chest and improve lung capacity and resiliency. 

For full participation, loose fitting clothing and a yoga mat or hotel towel will be helpful. 

Kreig Pinkham is the NAUI Technical Instructor and Training Director at Waterfront Diving Center and holds a master’s degree in religion with a focus on comparative mythologies.  Jeannine Russell is the Archeology Officer for the Vermont Agency of Transportation and a NAUI Assistant Instructor.  Together they promote the development of diving in Lake Champlain as the principal organizers behind the Waterfront Diving Center’s community events calendar.

Curious why the diving world is talking about Avelo? In this session, we break down the Avelo System from physics to practice. See how adding water, rather than air, creates stable neutral buoyancy that stays constant regardless of depth changes, reducing task load and improving safety. Explore the design of the Hydrotank and Jetpack to learn why the weight savings, an average of 30 pounds (13.6 kg), make entries, exits, and surface swims easier. We will also show how Avelo Mode on Shearwater and Scubapro computers uses gas tracking and buoyancy analytics to help divers refine their technique on every dive. Whether you teach new students, create images, or are an expert diver, see how Avelo can enhance safety, extend bottom time, and elevate the entire dive experience. 

NAUI Workshop Series open to all Boston Sea Rovers International Ocean Clinic participants available at no cost or registration unless otherwise stated.  

    Brian V

Brian A. Verkaart is an electromechanical engineering visionary and the Chief Technology Officer at Avelo Labs. Under his leadership, Avelo has pioneered transformative scuba innovations, including advanced buoyancy control systems that enhance accessibility, safety, and the overall diving experience for both recreational and professional divers.

With over 20 years of multidisciplinary expertise spanning aerospace engineering, biomedical R&D, and electromechanical systems, Brian brings a unique fusion of technical mastery and creative problem-solving to the scuba industry. His dedication to redefining dive technology positions him as a key thought leader shaping the future of underwater exploration.

NAUI Workshop Series Boston Sea Rovers International Ocean Clinic

Saturday March 14th 5:00 – 6:00 – Diver Propulsion Vehicle Workshop / DPV Overview 

Workshop Description: Diver Propulsion Vehicle workshop provides an introduction and familiarization with DPV equipment, basic handling concepts, and core safety considerations in a shallow, controlled environment. The focus is on orientation, ergonomics, awareness, and procedural understanding rather than operational proficiency. This workshop is not a certification course, does not confer open-water DPV competency, and does not replace formal DPV training conducted in appropriate open-water conditions. 

Heison Chak is a Recreational, Technical, and CCR instructor with over a decade of experience in teaching and mentoring divers. His unwavering commitment to dive safety is exemplified by his extensive contributions to the Ontario Underwater Council (OUC) since 2015, where he served as Director of Sport Safety before being elected President.

As a NAUI Course Director and Technical Instructor Examiner, Heison works closely with NAUI HQ to shape the next generation of diving leaders. Through his involvement in Leadership Conferences and the NAUI Mobile Training Team, he focuses on cultivating the skills and leadership qualities of aspiring divers, fostering a culture of safety, excellence, and innovation within the diving community.

David Caldwell has had a lifelong career in the scuba industry, beginning by working at a dive store while in high school. In 1987 he became an open water scuba instructor where his passion led him to Grenada West Indies leading dives to the noted shipwreck, Bianca C. Returning from the Grenada he became the co-owner and president of the dive store where he first learned how to dive. Following his tenure being a dive store owner David co-founded Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions, Inc. NADE focuses on shipwreck diving, exploration, technical diving training and leadership development. Along with being the co-owner he is a co-captain of the dive charter boat Gauntlet and is the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada’s regional manager for NAUI Worldwide.

David continues to follow his passions of cave and mine diving throughout the U.S. and Europe, he has had the privilege to dive some of the worlds notable shipwrecks off the eastern seaboard of the U.S., Canada, South Pacific, Red Sea, South China Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, he has co-led shipwreck discoveries in his local waters, including the USS Nezinscot, Allentown, among many others, and has collaborated on research projects with NOAA in support of exploration in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

Through his position with NAUI Worldwide, David is a Course Director Trainer and Technical Examiner, he is a fellow member of the Explorers Club, associate member of the Boston Sea Rovers. David is also employed as an Assistant Harbormaster for the City of Beverly Massachusetts and is a member of the board of directors for Salem Sound Coast Watch. Parallel to having a career in the dive industry, he’s had an industry career in global product management and application engineering.

Please email dcaldwell@naui.org for more information.

Beyond Good Dive Practice, Photo Technique and Image Workflow: A Lifetime’s Worth of Cardinal Rules and Core Concepts for Making the Best U/W Photographs Possible

Tom Easop has spent a lifetime photographing the underwater world. From this experience, he has developed Core Concepts and Cardinal Rules to optimize underwater image making. Using these concepts and rules led to unique, optimized practices, techniques and workflows. In this workshop I will teach you my concepts and rules as well as the resulting “hands-on” skills you can immediately put into practice. Organized chronologically before, during, and after a dive trip the topics include:    What to prioritize in your equipment budget    Preparing your equipment for travel and use    Best practices before and after the dive    Speed light vs. continuous light, tripods, backscatter tactics    White point(s)    Focus tactics – not wasting depth of field    Automatic vs. manual exposure tactics    Recognizing your luck, learning from ‘mistakes’    Making ‘mistakes’, making your own ‘luck’    Combining techniques    Safe capture storage    File types, Pixel Geography, color space & ‘The Color Dimension’    Lightroom vs. Photoshop, and other applications for post-processing    Combining digital tools    HDR, image masking    HRLA USM, sharpening    Non destructive workflow    Cataloguing images & session folders    Plus planning, testing, and practicingThis is by far the most valuable workshop I have ever developed, imparting the most important information I’ve learned through photography and retouching schools, shooting and print making workshops, research, underwater camera building, and most of all – 45 years of experience of underwater photography. It will be time well spent for any underwater photographer or videographer regardless of skill level.

Saturday 9AM-12PM - $80

Steve Bigelow ran the MetroWest Saturday Shore Dive Program for the past 10 years, and will offer some tips on  how he plans and decides where to dive and all that.

• Resources
• Safety - Overview
• Site Selection Options - where to dive
• Site Decision Criteria - which one to choose on a given day
• Tools 
• Day Of Evaluation - picking a site, but playing it by ear once you arrive there; making the "Cape Ann Loop" to find good conditions
• Gear - a brief overview of what's needed / required and "good to have" for diving New England
• Site Etiquette - Respect the Locals! Obey Parking Regulations. Keep Gear Organized and Out Of The Way; Share The Beach
• Calling The Dive - monitoring conditions to ensure safety; know YOUR limits. There's no shame in driving all the way to a dive site, only to bail out if it's a mess and go dive into breakfast somewhere...
• Other
  • Sharing Your Dive - take and post pictures
  • Blogging - doing write-ups for dive club newsletters or social media

FREE ALL WEEKEND SEASHELL EXHIBIT
-second floor Mezzanine-Gloucester Room-

Saturday 9:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Drop by and see educational exhibits of seashells from the world over and learn about their habitats, biodiversity and ecology and their use in food, science, medicine, on stamps, and in art and crafts.

Bring your own seashells and learn how to identify it with the help of experts on mollusks who will be available to assist you and teach you how to use some of the best seashell identification books.

Choose your own seashells from one of the world’s beaches at our 'seashell adoption table' provided by our members.

When you visit the exhibit be sure to sign up for an opportunity to take home the special Door Prize -- a collection of unique seashells and a book about mollusks

Sponsored by the Boston Malacological Club
Founded in 1910

Join one of the world's oldest active seashell groups for fun and educational monthly meetings in Cambridge, Mass.  For information contact:
George Buckley – gbuckley@fas.harvard.edu

Please note the contact information below is for informational purposes only - No registration is required!

This workshop is open to all Public Safety teams, team members, and anyone with an interest in Public Safety Diving. Speakers are dive industry representatives, public safety diver trainers, current, and former team members. The workshop offers a platform for the Public Safety community to share ideas and experiences.  The 2025 workshop will include an in-water demonstration / tryout of a Kirby Morgan dive hat
The program cost for the day is $95.00 which includes a 2025 Boston Sea Rovers tee-shirt.  Check out the Boston Sea Rovers Public Safety Group Facebook page for up to the minute information.

Dive Computers - nearly all divers carry one, but does everyone really understand how they work and how to properly use them?  In this workshop, Dive Pro Monty Fitzpatrick will walk you through a brief history of the dive computer, and give an overview about how they "know" how much dive time you have left, and what your nitrogen loading is throughout your dive.  We won't dive too deep into the algorithms behind most dive computers, as that's more technical than this workshop intends to go.  But we will cover some of the basics:

• Why to use a computer vs. old-school dive tables
• How to decide which computer is best for the diving you plan to do
• Key features to look for in your computer
• Console-integrated units vs. wrist-mount options
• Air integration - its benefits and limitations
• Popular models that are available at most dive shops
• Understanding the important features and data shown on your computer
• Maintenance and care for your computer

Whether you're a brand new diver or have been salty for years, there's something to be learned about these little devices we've become so accustomed to wearing to dive.  Whether it's understanding how to simply use your computer, or interesting functions you didn't realize your unit included, you'll benefit from attending this workshop.  We will have an extensive Q&A session; feel free to bring your computer.  We may not be able to answer every question about every computer, but we'll do our best to make sure you're more confident and comfortable with yours before you leave.