Greetings from the beautiful water in Cozumel, Mexico! Ten of us from New Horizons are having the trip of a lifetime–perfect weather, amazing diving and some of the most amazing oceanic life!

We just got off the boat after an absolutely amazing night dive. After descending, we saw several large lobsters, two octopuses (one who inked in front of us) and underwater fireflies (bioluminescent creatures that light up when agitated). It was quite a memorable dive!

Some of our highlights so far have been getting to see sting rays, sea turtles and the rare Splendid Toad fish. (Photos and video forthcoming.)

Oh, and did we mention the fish tacos? Probably one of the finest foods on the island. More later–we have to rest for our last day of diving!

Cousteau and his team recently completed an expedition to the Amazon River where they witnessed efforts to stop clear-cutting rain forests and learned that there are hundreds of new species being discovered every year both above and below the water. A new television program about their expedition will be broadcast on PBS channels in April.

When asked by a diver in the audience what he thinks of present-day recreational diving, Cousteau said we (scuba divers) are the only ones who get to see first hand what goes on below the waves. Most people on the planet only get to see the water’s surface. It is our responsibility to tell those around us how important it is to preserve the fragile environment beneath the waves. Cousteau is also disappointed that despite many years of lobbying and discussion, the major scuba agencies continue to fail to spend time truly educating brand new divers about ocean life and how to protect it. Instead, they focus on quick certifications and simply getting customers under water to “look at the fish.” Then, without any understanding or appreciation of the ecosystem, many people drop out of diving because they have “been there, done that.”

To learn more about Jean-Michel Cousteau and his team’s work, visit the Ocean Futures Society website. Membership in Ocean Futures is free.

Here is the full story about Scuba Diving Magazine’s rankings:
Kralendijk, Bonaire – (December 18, 2007) – Continuing its reign as one of the world’s top dive destinations, Bonaire was for the sixth year in a row rated the Top Dive Destination Overall (Caribbean/Atlantic) in Scuba Diving magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2008.

Bonaire also received the #1 rating in five other Caribbean/Atlantic categories: Top Shore Diving, Top Destination for Beginners, Top Destination for Advanced Divers, Top Destination for Underwater Photography, Top Marine Life, and took second place in the category of Top Value.

“For more than twenty-five years Bonaire’s dedicated and environmentally-conscious dive industry has worked diligently to protect our coral reefs coral reefs and provide a superior dive experience, and we are honored that for six straight years divers have recognized our efforts and rated Bonaire the top dive destination in the Caribbean/Atlantic,” said Ronella Croes, Director of the Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB).

For the Reader’s Choice awards thousands of Scuba Diving subscribers and web users rated their dive experiences on a scale of one to five. Results of the 2008 Awards will be featured in the January 2008 issue of Scuba Diving magazine.

Located eighty-six miles east of Aruba, the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire offers year-round sunshine, low annual rainfall, pristine coral formations and the most thriving fish population in the Caribbean. Ideal for adventurers, explorers and sun-worshippers alike, Bonaire offers myriad eco-adventure activities including world renowned scuba diving and snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, landsailing, mountain biking, sea and mangrove kayaking, horseback riding, nature tours, hiking, bird watching, sailing and deep sea and bone fishing. And with a selection of accommodations ranging from full-service oceanfront resorts and condominiums to guesthouses and small inns, Bonaire has something for every lifestyle and budget.

New Horizons is so sad to say that our great friend and fellow scuba instructor Dan O’Canna passed away on December 12, 2007. Dan and his wife Maryanne started diving in 2003 and immediately became not only “regulars” in the dive store, but also close friends in our circle of scuba buddies. They took lots of trips and experienced many adventures, so much so that they became Divemasters. By that point it was obvious that Dan and Maryanne were not only enthusiastic about diving, but also eager to help others who wanted to get into the sport. They were always happy to assist with a new class and introduce students to all the things we enjoy in the underwater world. In addition to diving, Dan and Maryanne have been very involved with the Boy Scouts for many years. Dan was the driving force to start a local Scouting Venture Crew that brings young men and women into scuba diving with the positive influences and values of Scouting. Early in 2007, Dan won a scholarship from the Boy Scouts of American to become a scuba instructor, a goal he tackled with much excitement and vigor. All of Dan’s activities clearly illustrate that he was a truly giving person. He valued people, and always stood as a positive example of selflessness and sharing. No doubt countless numbers of Scouts and scuba divers learned from him, not only how to enjoy the wonderful outdoors, but more importantly, how to treat others with respect, loyalty, and honesty. Dan, we will miss you dearly, but your positive influence on us will last forever.

Fellow divers, please join us in praying for and supporting Maryanne and all of their family. Visitation will be from 3:00 - 7:00pm on Saturday, December 15 at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home on Harrodsburg Road. A memorial service will be held at 8:00pm on Monday, December 17 at the Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church, with friends invited to gather at 7:00pm at the church.

Memorial contributions are suggested to:

Boy Scouts of America Bluegrass Council
415 N. Broadway
Lexington KY 40508

PADI Project Aware
c/o New Horizons Diving Center
2577 Regency Rd.
Lexington KY 40503

Whale Shark Research Institute
P.O. Box 40
Princeton  NJ  08540

Save The Manatee Club
500 N. Maitland Ave
Maitland  FL  32751

15 New Horizons travelers had a super week on Ambergris Caye, Belize. The barrier reef was only a five to ten minute boat ride from the hotel dock, which made for easy logistics. Life on the reef was active and plentiful. We saw countless nurse sharks actively swimming on patrol, lots of big grouper, several turtles, eagle rays, moray eels, and a wide variety of tropical fish. Sea conditions got rough a few days, but we enjoyed the dives once we jumped in the water!

Click on the video below to watch a one minute clip of nurse sharks having a fish snack courtesy of our dive guide. You will notice that the camera got a few “bumps” as the sharks eagerly chowed down.

Below, an Eagle Ray “flies” over by our dive group at 70 feet.

Gail cruises down a coral canyon enjoying the colorful sponges.
Nice form, by the way!

A sea turtle pauses during a snack to check us out.

Local Divemaster Carlos holds a nurse shark so divers can have a close encounter!

A lobster peeks out from under a ledge to see what’s going on.

Green moray eels like this one were frequently seen on the reefs.

On our last day, we went into the heart of mainland Belize to see the Mayan ruins known as Lamanai (meaning “submerged crocodile”). It was fantastic!

Thanks to everyone who went on the trip; we hope you will join us again for another New Horizons Diving adventure!

Congratulations to twelve new divers who just completed their Open Water certification with Instructor Dan! Above, James (right) gets a congratulatory handshake from Dan as he becomes a PADI Diver. Conditions were ideal on October 6 and 7 at Falling Rock Park in LaGrange. The skies were perfect blue, and the visibility under water was 30 feet or better! Everyone had a super time, and they are now looking forward to a dive trip in the future. Great job everyone!