tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42837843185839319562024-03-13T19:01:43.317-10:00Shaka Doug's Underwater BlogExpert Diving Instructor "Shaka~Doug" shares his stories and comments about SCUBA diving on the island of Maui, Hawaii."Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-28521853308550221752011-08-31T13:46:00.003-10:002011-08-31T13:53:23.756-10:00San Diego Oceans Foundation Award! Diver of the Year!!Aug. 1, 2011 San Diego Oceans Foundation just finished up the first half of their Dive For A Cause program. After logging over 27 hours of time underwater during the month of July, I, Shaka Doug was presented with the "2011 Diver Of The Year" award. I also raised approximately $500 thanks to friends and families that will go to a great cause. Thanks to all of you who helped me achieve this goal. It was a great month of diving for sure and we recovered many pounds of used and lost fishing weights from the reefs around south Maui. I am looking forward to implementing some of the ideas I got from this event here on Maui such as Storm Drain Stenciling and Fish Counting.
<br />"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-9502432097782883962008-07-08T20:22:00.002-10:002008-07-08T20:59:58.307-10:00How dark is a Night Dive anyway?I love Night Diving. It's kind of freaky and most people would never even dream of going out deep into the ocean in the middle of the night with just a flashlight and some scuba gear. When the subject comes up people ask me this a lot: "Just how dark is it on a Night Dive?" Well, depending on the moon, it can be kind of dark or it can be completely pitch dark. Either way, it's no where near as easy to see at night as it is during the day.<br /><br />Here's a couple of clips I shot on some recent night dives I made over the 4th of July holiday weekend. The first is of a Box Jellyfish. The second is of a Green Sea Turtle and the third is of a very active Night Octopus. Check them out and think about joining me on my next night time scuba adventure! That is "If you dare!!"<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sOHoLv0KFXc"><br /> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sOHoLv0KFXc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed> </object><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Box Jellyfish pulsating through the water.</span></strong><br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3KF2FYE72Ww"><br /> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3KF2FYE72Ww" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed> </object><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Endangered Green Sea Turtle swims by.</span></strong><br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MBQVI99OSQU"><br /> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MBQVI99OSQU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed> </object><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Night Octopus on the prowl.</span></strong>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-61184034446886478842008-05-18T12:36:00.002-10:002008-05-18T12:44:35.284-10:00Dive 3,300! Celebrated with a shot of Mona Vie!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/SDCxE3ctSOI/AAAAAAAAADs/22LmjPcKUEg/s1600-h/5-16-08+Diving+Makena+Landing+006.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/SDCxE3ctSOI/AAAAAAAAADs/22LmjPcKUEg/s320/5-16-08+Diving+Makena+Landing+006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201852266774874338" /></a><br />I'm so happy to announce that I finally made my 3,300th dive in Hawaii on Friday the 16th of May. It was an awesome day of diving with some friends from New York. Thanks Felix and Dena! The sky was overcast with VOG like I've never seen but due to the Kona Winds, the sea was smooth as glass. Visibility was amazing at around 20 to 3 feet inshore and well over 70 feet out on the reef. We saw turtles, eels, frogfish and had a great time. Conditions were so nice there that we decided to make a second dive to explore the caves a little more. Two hours U/W that day! It was great. That was two hours that we didn't have to breathe the VOG too!<br /><br />Mid dive, I decided to quench my thirst a totally new way. Watch this You Tube video to see how it went! Mona Vie Rocks!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ObTs7WkMyi8"> </param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ObTs7WkMyi8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"> </embed> </object><br /><br />Next stop, dive 3,500! Here we go!"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-72169014064813739612008-02-02T14:24:00.000-10:002008-02-02T14:27:17.557-10:00Whale Day is Almost here again!Two weeks to Whale Day! <br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Aloha everyone. Just an announcement that Whale Day is only two weeks away! Come down to Kihei and check it out. We'll be in the Parade of Whales again and will also be hosting a booth. The Parade of Whales starts out at 9:00 am along downtown south Kihei beginning at the Fire Station. Kalama Park will be the site of the Whale Day Festival from 10:00 to 5:00 with live bands, food and lots of fun! Check it out at: Pacific Whale Foundation - Tours <br /><br />Here's a link to my blog announcement and pictures from Whale Day Parades of the past few years. I hope to see lots of SCUBABOARDERS there! Click on the Globe icon for the video blog and Camera icon for the pictures.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.helloworld.com/shakadoug">You gotta Love Whale Day!</a>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-51170005749925997772007-11-07T21:40:00.000-10:002007-11-07T22:19:41.846-10:00I have 3 World Records in the 2008 Diving Almanac and Yearbook!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RzLDsFI_caI/AAAAAAAAADc/lrvk1imw-mI/s1600-h/Shaka+D+%26+Jeffrey+Gallant+DAY+Awards+11-1-07.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RzLDsFI_caI/AAAAAAAAADc/lrvk1imw-mI/s320/Shaka+D+%26+Jeffrey+Gallant+DAY+Awards+11-1-07.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130378087589966242" /></a>Wow! Great News! I just got back from the annual <strong><a href="http://www.demashow.com">DEMA (Diving Equipment and Marketing Association)</strong><strong> Show</a></strong> in Florida. This is the third year in a row for me to attend (I've been a total of 5 times now). I had a great time as always. The show was held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, 2007. There were close to 11,000 divers and exhibitors there. I saw lots of cool things and many friends from the industry. I was also fortunate enough to have some personal time with my two sisters, my niece and my beloved grandmother. It was just fantastic.<br /><br />One of the highlights of the show for me was the recognition I received from <strong>Jeffrey Gallant</strong>, Editor-in-Chief of the <strong><a href="http://www.divingalmanac.com">2008 Diving Almanac and Yearbook</a></strong>. This year marked the second publishing of his annual book. It has been called "...the best single reference book ever published for divers" (Undercurrent) and "...truly the most complete diving reference in the world" (Zendive).<br /><br />I'm very thrilled to announce that I have <strong>Three World Records </strong>in the 2008 edition of this awesome book!<br /><br /><strong>Record # 326: Most Continuous Bubble Rings in a Row on a Single Breath of Air... 34 Rings!</strong> I did that in St. Thomas, USVI on June 27th, 1989. I still have a video of me performing that too! It wasn't easy, I'll tell you that much. You see, I have this special trick I do with my tongue....<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RzLD7lI_cbI/AAAAAAAAADk/lkHpABQTivE/s1600-h/8-7-07+Diving+Five+Caves+%26+Ulua+Beach+026+DAY+Record.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RzLD7lI_cbI/AAAAAAAAADk/lkHpABQTivE/s320/8-7-07+Diving+Five+Caves+%26+Ulua+Beach+026+DAY+Record.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130378353877938610" /></a><strong>Record # 330: Most "Shaka" Diver Signs...</strong>165 and counting. Actually, I now have over 200 different versions of a "Shaka". I'm writing a book about them. Do you have any new ones for me to add in?<br /><br /><strong><strong>Record # 331: Thickest Log Book</strong>... </strong>My Maui Logbook is quite impressive (to me at least). It's over 33 inches tall and takes ten three-ring-binders to hold it all together. I've been keeping every dive I've made on Maui in this book. To date I have over 3,150 dives logged! I never thought I would rack up that many in ten years but the book proves I did! Sure makes me feel good when I look through it. Lots of great memories and friends in that book. In one of my older posts here I have a photo of me and my logbook. Check it out!<br /><br />This years trip to the DEMA Show was just great. I'm already planning on heading back next year....it's in Las Vegas!! Woo Hoo! Check out the <a href="http://www.divingalmanac.com">2008 Diving Almanac and Yearbook </a>at www.divingalmanac.com. If you're into SCUBA, this is a great book to own!"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-38848550048604880322007-08-04T18:27:00.000-10:002007-08-04T18:44:50.915-10:00Ten Years on Maui!!! Wow, that was quick!!Aloha! I'm so happy to announce that I just reached the <strong>Ten Year </strong>mark here on Maui! It has been such a great decade...the best in my life. I've meet thousands of cool people and done over three thousand dives. I'm very happy on Maui and I hope to be announcing my twenty year anniversary here in 2017.<br /><br />I wish to give a huge <strong>"Mahalo"</strong> to all of the people who have come and gone over these last ten years. Many of you are a big reason I have been able to pull it off. Most of you are the reason I do it with a smile on my face. Thank You!!<br /><br />I don't know what the future has in store for me, but I do know I plan on discovering that here. It's gonna be a great ride. Stay posted for occassional updates.<br /><br />To commemorate this milestone, I took a picture of me with my log book of all of my Maui dives. <br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RrVVExFcoxI/AAAAAAAAADU/M5hN11aBNOI/s1600-h/7-29-07+My+Log+Book+Stack+004+text+600.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RrVVExFcoxI/AAAAAAAAADU/M5hN11aBNOI/s400/7-29-07+My+Log+Book+Stack+004+text+600.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5095072093823607570" /></a><br /><br />Check it out...I have 3,080 dives in this stack! It's so big, it got me into the <strong>"2008 Divers Almanac and Yearbook"</strong> as the diver with the Worlds Thickest Continuous Log Book(32 inches and still growing!)! Woo Hoo! Looks like I have a world record! Who would have guessed that??? My log book is one of my most prized possessions. Anyone who has dove with me has probably seen it and is most likely in it. Thanks for all the great dives and memories of my times in the ocean. I can't wait to do it again!<br /><br />Aloha and thanks for reading this! Have a nice dive....<br /><br />Doug"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-20312210539995201672007-07-12T18:45:00.000-10:002007-07-24T17:33:38.825-10:00Wow! We've made it to the Future! Jetsons, move over!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RpcP98BbCeI/AAAAAAAAADM/K7SNYxs9loI/s1600-h/shaka-bug+200.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RpcP98BbCeI/AAAAAAAAADM/K7SNYxs9loI/s320/shaka-bug+200.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086551860896795106" /></a><br />First of all, let me say <strong>"Thank You for visiting my Blog."</strong> Please enjoy my video clips and short stories I've been putting up here. I'd love to have your feedback.<br /><br />I know this is a little off the usual Diving topic. It's really cool though so I want to share it with you. Something was introduced to me recently and all I can say is "Wow!" This may sound crazy but, I think I've found the next "Microsoft"! Are you an open minded person that would be willing to look at something that could change your financial future? If you are, then when would be a good time for me to show you what I'm talking about?<br /><br />Did you know you are in the digital age? First Clue...You're reading a BLOG! Who ever heard of this five years ago?? You might be thinking "What the heck is that?" Well just about every thing we use these days is some sort of digital device either for communicating, taking pictures and/or sending information. We all have cell phones, computers, digital cameras, email at home, email at work, etc., etc. The future is here. Everyone is part of this new trend. Would you like to capitalize on it when society changes its technology using habits??? If you are open minded and would like to take advantage of a great business opportunity, then I invite you to please check out my new web site at <a href="http://www.vmdirect.com/shakadoug">VMDirect.com/shakadoug</a>.<br /><br />Maybe you have the eyes to see what I have seen; a way to increase your income without jeopardizing what you are currently doing. Would you like to make money in your sleep like I do? I'm looking for the right people to join my team. Aren't you ready to get a little something going on the side that can really make your financial freedom a possibilty in the years to come? I hope you'll at least take a look at what I've started. If it's not for you, maybe you can think of someone who is in the right place at the right time. I'd love to share this with you. I don't want to make all the money myself and leave you out in the cold! Check it out! <a href="http://www.vmdirect.com/shakadoug">VMDirect.com/shakadoug</a>. When you get there, watch the short video. It will give you a quick overview of what we've got that everyone is going to be using in the next few months and years to come. You'll be really glad you checked this out!<br /><br />Hey, check out this sea turtle video I put up on my Helloworld page today!<br /><iframe width='640' height='480' frameborder='0' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' noresize scrolling=no src='http://ravenas.razorstream.com:80/eve-service/player.jspx?enc=h1RtqK88Xu4W8ZrhYzj5ow%3D%3D&h=480&w=640'></iframe><br /><br />Aloha and mahalo,<br /><br /><br />Shaka D"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-44922490734996180582007-06-18T14:53:00.000-10:002007-06-18T14:55:29.864-10:00Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse gets faked out by the Mor-Fin Delfins!Check out this Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse getting very curious of my new American Delfin!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x3BCj7nscbg"> </param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x3BCj7nscbg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"> </embed> </object>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-10360293013501288032007-06-12T00:46:00.001-10:002007-06-12T01:27:48.056-10:00"Why I Love My Mor-Fin American Delfins"<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rm6BK53HbBI/AAAAAAAAADE/fH8EivgNIso/s1600-h/6-9-07+Diving+Makena+Landing+%26+Ulua+Beach+003.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rm6BK53HbBI/AAAAAAAAADE/fH8EivgNIso/s320/6-9-07+Diving+Makena+Landing+%26+Ulua+Beach+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5075135854423796754" /></a><br />Yesterday I made my third dive with my Brand New <a href="http://www.mor-fin.com">Mor-Fin American DelFin SCUBA Fins</a> and they absolutely ROCK! I've tried many brands and types of fins over the last 26 years and I've never kicked anything so smooth and light. These make diving as "easy as walking on land". Very minimal resistance and really good forward thrust. The New American DelFins don't put any strain on your ankles. They are light weight and efficient. The new "No Hassle Strap Design" really is just what it says it is too..."No Hassle". Easy to adjust and they don't get all hung up in my dive flag line. These fins are just plain "slippery"!<br /><br />Here's a demonstration of the speed and simplicity of these fins in action!<br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uu0_cWyKQ_U"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uu0_cWyKQ_U" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br />I put these fins to the test already with 8 months of diving the prototypes and now I finally have a finished product. I am very pleased and will probably never be in the market for another fin, ever! Hold them in your hands, put them on your feet. You will know just by touching them that these are special fins. They feel almost indestructable....practically bullet-proof! Try them out. You'll discover how easy it is to move in the water when you use fins designed for really fast and efficient pelagic fish!! Why did it take so long for someone to finally start selling fins like this????"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-54262498800384333452007-06-08T15:47:00.000-10:002007-06-08T15:52:40.580-10:00Look at this really cool octopus!Hey, check out this super cool little octopus I watched crawl around on the sea floor yesterday. We were about 30 feet deep, just off the reef at Ulua Beach. This was late in the day, close to 5:30 pm. I got some great photos of him too. They really are my favorite animal ever!!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/J4YZLjoxngA"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/J4YZLjoxngA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p2aqaT3aC8I"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p2aqaT3aC8I" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-2097604795515521392007-06-08T00:00:00.000-10:002007-06-12T01:48:10.584-10:00How I eat a Reese's!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rmkp153Ha_I/AAAAAAAAAC0/i8tEDI0fOBY/s1600-h/6-7-07+Diving+Makena+Landing+%26+Ulua+Beach+003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rmkp153Ha_I/AAAAAAAAAC0/i8tEDI0fOBY/s200/6-7-07+Diving+Makena+Landing+%26+Ulua+Beach+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073632461251374066" /></a><br />Sometimes I get hungry underwater. I do like sushi, but once in a while, I get the craving for some chocolate and peanut butter! This was absolutely delicious!<br /><br />Please don't try this at home!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ayrt1GgdFBU"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ayrt1GgdFBU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-48191947024338434262007-06-04T01:08:00.000-10:002007-06-04T01:10:33.945-10:00It's Turtle Time!Hey, this was pretty cool. Look what I saw on my dive today! It's always fun to cruise with the turtles! I think they must laugh inside at how clumsy we are down there!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NIjmQTiQCug"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NIjmQTiQCug" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-44272748679623451992007-06-03T22:05:00.000-10:002007-06-04T01:15:26.399-10:00Desert Storm at Burning Man 2006<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CQLCJFbABgg"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CQLCJFbABgg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br />This is an amazing video clip of the massive dust devil we saw at Burning Man last year. It was pretty wild! We watched it from the Outdoor Disco Roller Rink. Look Out!! I don't know who shot this video but I'd like to thank them for posting it on You Tube for us to see. It was really amazing to actually be there and see, hear and feel it in person. Oh yeah, we had to breathe it too! Wild!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RmP0AdCrbFI/AAAAAAAAACs/vaumqplD-30/s1600-h/8-28-9-6-06+Chad%27s+Burning+Man+025.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RmP0AdCrbFI/AAAAAAAAACs/vaumqplD-30/s320/8-28-9-6-06+Chad%27s+Burning+Man+025.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072165893982350418" /></a>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-29983036007965897642007-06-01T18:47:00.000-10:002007-06-01T18:55:21.808-10:00Torpedo DivingI love my Torpedos! They're a lot of fun and I really dig running out to the St. Anthony wreck with them. Here's a hot I put up on You Tube of one of my dive buddies cruising along side. He's not too bad for an U/W cowboy!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1GniqLY0hPQ"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1GniqLY0hPQ" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br />I put another clip up with me following a white tip reef shark. It's a little tricky to ride and shoot at the same time, but these Torpedos are usable with one hand. Not too many other dive scooters can claim that! I'm down around 50-60 feet on this shot. Nice visibility!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6bWTrmHafXc"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6bWTrmHafXc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-48023454958703990132007-05-31T21:07:00.000-10:002007-05-31T21:09:13.182-10:00Night Octopus at Makena LandingNight Octopus at Makena Landing <br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Here's a short clip I shot of a Night Octopus at Makena Landing. We saw him close to shore, near the end of the dive. It really was the icing on the cake for a great dive! Anyone see many of these critters? They're cool with their red body and white polka dots. Strong suction too!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MEWflXgINus"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MEWflXgINus" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-59939063859558446832007-05-28T23:43:00.000-10:002007-05-29T00:30:15.064-10:00Aloha once again! Peace Love & Shaka DiversAloha everyone and thank you all for the many kind birthday wishes. It is wonderful to wake up and start another year on the planet. I am really looking forward to the many awesome things that will happen this year. To everyone who made it out to Maui Raceway Park for our birthday bash, thank you once again. What a cool cake too!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rlv9gtCrbEI/AAAAAAAAACk/Bitkmj5V3ac/s1600-h/5-26-07+Memorial+Day+Drag+Races+025+cropped+400.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rlv9gtCrbEI/AAAAAAAAACk/Bitkmj5V3ac/s320/5-26-07+Memorial+Day+Drag+Races+025+cropped+400.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069924543824096322" /></a><br /><br />Just recently, on April 19th, I happily logged my 3,000th Maui SCUBA Dive! Yeah! That's a lot of logging and a whole lot of diving. I took a fun couple from California with me that day and we saw all the cool stuff...turtles, eels, even some sharks! Conditions were fantastic and the dive was a lot of fun.<br /><br />Here's a new design I'm printing up for a new run of tee shirts and stickers. How do you like it? I think it says it all: "Peace Love and Shaka Divers!" It's pretty cool, huh?<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rlv3vdCrbBI/AAAAAAAAACI/6TKbzzgaMO0/s1600-h/peace+love+%26+shaka+divers+400.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rlv3vdCrbBI/AAAAAAAAACI/6TKbzzgaMO0/s320/peace+love+%26+shaka+divers+400.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069918200157400082" /></a><br /><br />Well, get back to what you were doing and check back soon. I'll try to post a bit more often. In the mean time, "Have a Shaka-Rific Day!""Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-67232418238788173402007-04-06T19:52:00.000-10:002007-04-06T20:00:26.622-10:00On Vacation this week up in Park City Utah!I've been wanting to do this for years now and finally got the chance. Me and my good buddy Chad flew up to Salt Lake City this week to visit another friend who lives there named Stevie. He's putting us up at his place and hooked us up with lift passes and snowboarding gear for the week! Talk about having a cool friend! He and his wife Anna are really taking good care of us. We spent the first few days riding the slopes at a cool mountain called Brighton. We couldn't have asked for nicer weather. It's been in the 70's each day and there's still lots of snow left. We're heading up to Park City this weekend and it's gonna be great fun. Pictures will be appearing soon!<br /><br />I hear the diving's been pretty good down in the Wailea / Makena area this week. I know someone saw some Mantas at Ulua Beach the other day. I'm looking forward to getting back in the ocean on the 13th, but for now, I'm gonna play on the frozen stuff. After this trip, I'm doing my best to make it a yearly event!"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-15575702486533493172007-02-23T17:53:00.000-10:002007-02-23T18:32:03.892-10:00WHALE DAY PARADE 2007<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rd-9_5stRGI/AAAAAAAAABU/6rXxm_OPGPE/s1600-h/Whale+Day+Bus+on+road+800.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rd-9_5stRGI/AAAAAAAAABU/6rXxm_OPGPE/s320/Whale+Day+Bus+on+road+800.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034951813941249122" /></a><br />Whew! We did it again. We all survived the 2007 Pacific Whale Foundation's Annual Whale Day Parade and Outdoor Craft Fair / Concert. It was a blast as usual and we did good in the parade. Actually, we did better than good, we did GREAT! Shaka Divers and the Double~Bubble Mermaids had an unrivaled showing in the parade this year and we took First Place as the Best Float of the entire parade! Wooo Hooo!!!! Yeah Baby! It feels good! We had a big picture make the local Maui Weekly newspaper and a lot of people got to enjoy a Free Bubble Bath thanks to us!<br /><br />I really have to give thanks to all of the people who participated this year. I couldn't have done it without each and every one of you. Thank You! The parade watchers thank you too! And so do the judges! I met one of them at Ulua Beach yesterday and she told me how much fun they thought we were having. She said they just had to vote for us!! Awesome! That's what we were there for to have fun and spread some love, laughter and Aloha. It was very enjoyable to see the people smile and wave their shaka's at us as we inched down the street. There was about a bazillion bubbles in the air too!<br /><br />This was the first year we had a booth too. It gave is a chance to give away our balloons and showcase some of my underwater photography. Next year, the booth will be better and we should move some photos. It was in a great location this year, right out on the main drag at the crafts fair. Monet hung out in her Mermaid outfit and met with some of the visitors. It was a lot of fun for everyone!<br /><br />Here's a couple of pictures from the day. See you all next February! Be sure to get to the parade!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rd--AJstRHI/AAAAAAAAABc/rhLAIofGnjE/s1600-h/Whale+Day+Doug+banner+800.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rd--AJstRHI/AAAAAAAAABc/rhLAIofGnjE/s320/Whale+Day+Doug+banner+800.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034951818236216434" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rd--AJstRII/AAAAAAAAABk/tYeb6maf35M/s1600-h/Whale+Day+Bus+on+road+with+Wayne+800.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rd--AJstRII/AAAAAAAAABk/tYeb6maf35M/s320/Whale+Day+Bus+on+road+with+Wayne+800.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034951818236216450" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rd--AJstRJI/AAAAAAAAABs/lt-hnhvRvj8/s1600-h/Whale+Day+Lisa+balloons+800.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/Rd--AJstRJI/AAAAAAAAABs/lt-hnhvRvj8/s320/Whale+Day+Lisa+balloons+800.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034951818236216466" /></a>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-69238589859580048202007-01-04T15:47:00.000-10:002007-01-04T15:52:51.171-10:00Happy New Year Everyone!Aloha and Haouli Maka Hiki Hou! That's Happy New Year to you non-Hawaiians out there!<br /><br />Well, we're off to a great start for 2007. The diving has been great and there's been plenty of critters to see. My first day of diving in this new year turned up 9 sea turtles, a small reef shark, three octopus', a whole bunch of moray eels and another pair of really cool manta rays! No complaints here.<br /><br />We did get hit by a really large south swell yesterday but that has already passed and things are looking good for the weekend. Come on down to Maui and get wet in 2007! I'll be happy to show you some of my favorite reefs!<br /><br />Aloha!"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-75893921195532334542006-12-27T10:21:00.000-10:002006-12-29T19:00:22.093-10:00Mele Kaliki-Shaka!Well, Christmas has come and gone for 2006 and I must say, it was a lot of fun getting ready for it and then spending time with my great friends here on Maui. As usual, it's a very busy time of year for us with all of the increased tourism. And also, as usual, I had a list of about a zillion things to do and I barely got anything checked off that list. One of those things was to update my BLOG!<br /><br />I had some phenomonal dives over the last month or so. Since the water has been cooling down a bit, I've been putting the wetsuit heaters (<a href="http://www.hotsuits.com.au">HOTSUITS</a>)to good use. I even let a couple of friends try them on our Christmas Eve dive. They really liked them and said they stayed much warmer than usual. I think I even sold a unit!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RZLe4avTF4I/AAAAAAAAAA8/yCtAOJqLy3A/s1600-h/12-17-06+Torpedo+Diving+Marti%27s+Reef+014+600.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RZLe4avTF4I/AAAAAAAAAA8/yCtAOJqLy3A/s320/12-17-06+Torpedo+Diving+Marti%27s+Reef+014+600.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5013314396048529282" /></a><br />I had the chance to make a couple of really cool Torpedo Scooter dives too. One was out to Marty's Reef, the hard to find underwater oasis located about a half mile out from Five Caves. We had some low vis and rough water near shore that day but I had a couple of pretty salty guys with me and they had no problem keeping up with me. The trip out to the reef was fast and on target. We made it there in record time which gave us plenty of time to explore the magical beauty of Marty's. When I called it an oasis, I meant it! There are literally thousands and thousands of fish there. Many unusual types too. We went around and around and observed some interesting fish behavior and then, all of the sudden, there it was....a 6' Manta Ray! Not so common on shore dives around here so it was a big treat for all of us. I Torpedoed out to it and got to cruise along side for about three minutes as it flittered through the water. It definitely was interested in checking me out too. The Beatiful creature stayed with me and practically flipped onto it's back to give me a good look at it's black spotted belly. It swam like this for quite a while before turning over and then zipping off into the wild blue yonder. I was fortunate to have my camera and I got some of the best Manta footage I have ever taken<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RZLee6vTF3I/AAAAAAAAAAs/Y3VVTg17NPc/s1600-h/12-26-06+Diving+Makena+Landing+%26+Ulua+Beach+039+600.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sq8XT9mPloM/RZLee6vTF3I/AAAAAAAAAAs/Y3VVTg17NPc/s320/12-26-06+Diving+Makena+Landing+%26+Ulua+Beach+039+600.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5013313957961865074" /></a>I had a second Manta experience just yesterday too! We were heading out for what was expected to be just an average dive at Ulua Beach. I had six divers with me, 5 of which were on the second dive of their lives. Our plan was to complete dive two of their certification class. The water was OK, not especially clear. I noticed some plankton on the way out and thought, hey, mantas eat plankton, maybe we'll see one. Well, sure enough, only 8 minutes into it, we were turning the corner headed for deeper water and there they were. Not one, but two 7' wide mantas in full eating mode! They were swooping by us with their mouths wide open, gathering up plankton. They would turn on a dime and come back by us again and again! What a treat! I looked back at my group and they were doing it all.....smiling through their regulators, eyes wide open, flashing the shaka, double shaka, extreme shaka, the super shaka and even the soon to be patented, extreme-super-shaka!!!!! It was amazing and something they will never forget. Thank You Christmas mantas! You really made my holiday complete!!<br /><br />I hope everyone continues to enjoy the season. It was a great 2006, I've made over three hundred dives this year with a few more to go before it's over. I'll try to keep you posted...<br /><br />Aloha and Haouli maka hiki hou!!!"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-32300240129567667872006-11-28T14:49:00.000-10:002006-12-01T19:15:24.712-10:00The E-Zine is Coming!<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1076/522922890452140/1600/71263/11-28-06%20Shaka%20E-zine%20Cover%201.png"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1076/522922890452140/320/61067/11-28-06%20Shaka%20E-zine%20Cover%201.png" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1076/522922890452140/1600/11-28-06%20Shaka%20E-zine%20Cover%201.png"></a>Here's a pre-view of what's coming soon from SHAKA DIVERS!<br /><br /><div>This first issue e-Zine will feature:</div><br /><div></div><div>What to Get Your Favorite Diver for Christmas. Do you need some ideas? Look here!<br /><br /></div><div>A talk about the seasonal arrival of our beloved Humpback Whales. They sound so amazing when you hear them underwater!</div><br /><div>An announcement about our new Heated Wetsuits!! Do you know that we are the first to introduce them here on our Shaka Divers Shore Diving Tours??</div><br /><div></div><div>And finally, information on our cool contest on "New Handsignals" involving the Shaka Sign! Got any ideas? Want to win some official Shaka Gear?</div><br /><div></div><div>Oh yeah, and don't forget to read "Shaka Doug's Monthly U/W Photo Tips! You'll get better shots if you follow his simple advice!</div><br /><div>Remember: Dive Shaka and You'll Always Have a Shaka Dive!</div></div>"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-74686236841279609842006-11-27T12:53:00.000-10:002006-11-30T19:06:19.701-10:00Heated Wetsuits are in!!!!Excellent! I finally got my first order of items purchased at the DEMA show. I will now be offering for the first time on Maui, Heated Wetsuits! That's right! Now you won't worry about the cold winter waters here in Hawaii. You will be able to dive comfortably for up to an hour or more with your own personal wetsuit heater made by an Australian company called "<a href="http://www.hotsuits.com.au">Hotsuits</a>".<br /><br />I am the first dive operator on Maui to provide these to my guests. Come try them and see how great they work. I can predict they will come in real handy on that second and third dive of the day. I can't wait to start using them myself!"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-12091114765432419162006-11-26T01:36:00.000-10:002006-11-30T19:03:53.150-10:00It's "Busy Season" once again on Maui!We're in the homestretch for 2006! Thanksgiving is behind us and it's full steam ahead through Whale Season. I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving Day. I shared food, fun and thanks with a large group of my closest and best friends. It was a great day, we deep fried a few turkeys and had a fabulous dinner overlooking the ocean at sunset.<br /><br />Most of us here on Maui are far away from our real families and it's nice to know that I have a very wonderful extended family close to me. We spent the next two days together making some bubbles and playing with my Torpedo Scooters. I shot some great photos and have decided to start a weekly feature here on my blog called the Photo of the Week. Each week I'll look through my shots from my dives and pick my favorite. Some weeks that will be very hard to do. I see so many amazing things underwater and I shoot between two to three hundred shots a week or more. I'll see how it goes. Let me know how you like them!<br /><br />The water has been calm this week and I can't remember the last time I saw it so smooth for so long. It's really a treat when the ocean is like this. I like to get in as many dives as I can when it's glassy and clear. It makes up for the rough days that we get here every now and then.<br /><br />I've also noticed a slight drop in water temp. I think it's due to the increased cloudy days we've had over the last few weeks. The sun just hasn't been hitting the water like usual. I feel the change but it's still about 78! Not too hard to deal with! Visibility has been nice as well with an average of about 50-60 feet at Makena Landing and Five Caves. Now bring on some whales!"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4283784318583931956.post-59318942289992676312006-11-13T11:46:00.000-10:002006-11-13T11:56:34.331-10:00Aloha from the DEMA Show, Orlando FloridaAloha from the 30th Annual DEMA Show in Orlando, Florida. I've just finished my fourth visit to this show and I must say, it was the best ever. I've gone to the show in 1990, 1997, 2005 and now 2006. Each time it was held in Orlando except last year, which was in Las Vegas. I liked the <em>location</em> better last year but I think I liked the <em>show</em> better this year. I attended several sales and marketing seminars this time which is where I got the inspriation to start a blog. I hope that those of you who read this blog find it useful and somewhat entertaining.<br /><br />The DEMA Show not only introduced me to some creative new ways of looking at my business. It also opened my eyes up to some great new products, some of which I will be making available to my diving guests over the next few months. Some products I have ordered will take some time to arrive, but by early 2007 everything should be in place and SHAKA DIVERS will step ahead of the pack and truly become a unique and remarkable diving company on Maui.<br /><br />Watch for new announcements over the next few weeks to see what's on the horizon for me, my SCUBABUS, and SHAKA DIVERS.<br /><br />You can check out the DEMA Show at <a href="http://www.demashow.com">www.demashow.com</a><br /><br />In the meantime, happy diving and Aloha!"Shaka~Doug"http://www.blogger.com/profile/17794793927054579678noreply@blogger.com0