|
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow – but not in Florida!
For the last few months, we’ve been challenged by hurricanes and a
long season of windy weather and suddenly the best diving days are
almost gone. That doesn’t mean we will all stop diving but it does mean
that we are digging through the gear bins for our thicker wetsuits,
gloves, hoods and booties. Instead of nylon shorts and tank tops, we’ll
be showing up at the dock in long pants and thick, hooded jackets. Icy
cold drinks will be replaced with hot coffee or tea and we will probably
have to switch to bigger dry bags for those extra towels and dry, warm
clothes. That’s bad news for us but maybe a glimmer of good news for our
local dive shops. Christmas is almost here and we’re going shopping!
Isn’t it lucky that southwest Florida is a virtual treasure chest when
it comes to dive shops?
Over the year, many area dive shops have worked hard to help Caloosa
Dive Club members. From discounts to club members to donations of
equipment for raffles or door prizes at the banquet, our local shops
have been quick to help. All of the shops are offering Holiday specials
to ease the strain on your shopping budget. During the holidays we hope
everyone will have an opportunity to visit their local dive shops and
let them know how much we appreciate their support.
Brent Argabright, Deans Dive Center in Fort Myers,
www.deansdivecenter.com, Tel: (239) 489-0500 carries a full line of
scuba equipment and training classes. It’s his specialization in spear
fishing gear that will round out the empty spaces under your tree.
Dean’s carries an exceptional stock in the major brands of spear guns
such as Riffe International, AB Biller, Spear Fishing Specialists and
others. When we need stringers, lines, bands, shafts and other
accessories, we only have to stop in and make our choices. Stop in to
see his special prices for Christmas on wetsuits and spearguns.
Pete Williamson, Capt. Pete’s Discount Scuba in Cape Coral,
www.captpetes.com,
Tel: (239) 573-5919 might seem like the new guy in town but he’s been
helping divers find great deals for a long time. His new store on Pine
Island Road is loaded with every type of scuba gear you can imagine. In
addition to the big ticket items such as tanks, regulators, and BCD’s,
his store is packed full with t-shirts, Guy Harvey designs of clothing,
diver’s jewelry and underwater camera equipment. For Christmas, Pete
says he can do gift certificates for almost anything in the shop – scuba
lessons, dive gear and even for one of his dive trips to the Cayman
Islands or Turks & Caicos. For non-divers trying to buy gifts for
divers, a gift certificate is a sure bet.
Shane Waruszewski & Bob Hines at Underwater Explorers in Fort Myers,
Tel: (239) 481-4733,
www.underwaterexplorers.net, are happy to help with your holiday
shopping. They have a full schedule of classes, a well-stocked store and
lots of things for the spearfishing enthusiasts. They have a big end of
season sale going with discounts of 15-25% on new gear and 25-50% on
used equipment. Caloosa Dive Club members receive a 15% discount on
purchases.
Mike Johnson at Ocean Images& Co., Inc. in Cape Coral,
www.oceanimagesinc.com, Tel: (239) 458-7155, manufactures top of the
line digital video camcorder housings at extremely reasonable prices.
Mike & Keith are always quick to have the right housing for the newest
model video cameras and this year is no exception. Whether you have the
newest Sony HC-1 or PC1000, the Panasonic GS-400 or any other model,
they have the right housing and lights to help you get the underwater
action. Wouldn’t a bright, yellow Ocean Images housing look nice under
your Christmas Tree?
Jim & Julie Joseph of Fantasea Scuba in Port Charlotte,
www.fantaseascuba.com, (941) 627-3888 have worked hard to provide an
extremely active training program as well as one of the busiest dive
charter calendars in the area. They offer a selection of dive gear from
most of the major manufacturers at excellent prices and also carry a
huge selection of spearfishing gear. They have some fantastic holiday
specials going. Get a Seaquest Fusion BC on sale for $275.00. Buy a Dive
Rite TransPac and get a free set of weight pockets ($95 value). Shorty
Wetsuits are on sale for $49.95. They also have used regulators and BCs
in “like-new” condition on sale.
Scuba Quest in Fort Myers, (239) 936-7106 and Cape Coral, (239)
458-1999,
www.scubaquestusa.com, can help with your Christmas shopping. Todd
says to stop in the Fort Myers store on December 9-11 for the big Tent
Sale. The Cape Coral store will be offering the Tent Sale prices during
that time also. Choose equipment, dive trips, gift certificates or
specialty classes.
The Caloosa Dive Club extends holiday greetings to the dive shops and
to everyone in the local diving community. Even though diving
opportunities are limited over the winter months, we still have plenty
of social functions to keep everyone busy and in touch. The last two
meetings of this year are December 8th & December 15th. Be sure to check
our website for the full 2006 calendar. Happy Holidays! |
