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Program
Mead Krówka is a REEF Education Coordinator. He joined the REEF team Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is an international marine conservation non-profit organization that implements hands-on programs to involve local communities in conservation-focused activities. REEF was founded in 1990 and is based in Key Largo, Florida, with members all over the globe. Its mission is to protect biodiversity and ocean life by actively engaging and inspiring the public through citizen science, education, and partnerships with the scientific community. This is primarily accomplished through the Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Since its launch in 1993, this citizen science program has generated one of the largest marine life databases in the world. In 2024, the database surpassed 300,000 surveys conducted at almost 18,000 sites throughout the world’s oceans by over 17,000 volunteer divers and snorkelers worldwide. Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) protects marine life through education, service, and research. REEF facilitates programs that actively engage divers, snorkelers, and other marine enthusiasts in marine conservation by transforming them into citizen scientists. With knowledge, training, and the opportunity to get involved, these marine citizen scientists make significant and ongoing contributions. REEF provides varied training opportunities to encourage wide participation, and has a comprehensive experience-rating system and QA/QC checks for data submission to ensure high quality data. The survey methodology was developed with support from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and guidance by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). In our talk you will learn all about REEFs mission, Volunteer Fish Survey Project, and next steps for how YOU can become a free member and active citizen scientist.
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based at the REEF Campus in early 2024 to assist with our growing Explorers Education Programs. Mead grew up in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina where he spent countless hours hiking, backpacking, and falling in love with the outdoors. This led to him getting his first PADI certification at age 13, leading to hundreds of dives around the world. In May 2021, Mead graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with degrees in Environmental Science and Biological Anthropology. His time at UNCW led to volunteer work with the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees and the Surfrider Foundation, as well as a research publication in the American Association for Biological Anthropology. Prior to joining the REEF team, Mead was a Program Coordinator for residential marine science summer programs through Sea Turtle Camp and WB Surf Camp, where he developed educational curricula and led residential overnight programs. In his free time, Mead enjoys traveling, birding, diving, surfing, and spending as much time outdoors as possible. Mead is excited to share his passion for education and conservation!.jpg)
Overseas Diving Update
Trip Announcements:
2027:
Tubbataha, Philippines
May 8-15, 2027
This is the most pristine spot in the Philippines - one of the few liveaboard spots in the world that sells at full price. We are going on the same boat as we used in 2025, Philippines Aggressor (I). Right now I hold a Deluxe room and a spot for a single female. other options on request.
Full description and signup form (March): Tubbataha 2027
Salaya Beach Houses, Philippines
April 30 - May 7, 2027
Dumaguete, upscale; 6 days of 2 or 3 dives a day; 1 Full day trip to Apo Island. Great feedback from our 2025 visit. Right now I hold two more rooms.
Full description and signup form (July): Salaya 2027
VP Overseas Diving
It is that time of year for our club to elect our Board of Directors. If you are interested in joining the board, please submit your information. All organizations benefit from new blood and ideas, so we welcome anybody interested in joining the Board of Directors. The following positions are open:
We want to thank our members that have served in these positions for many years and have helped our club grow and be as successful as we have been. Our schedule is filling up with new Local Dives and Social Events, please come out and join your fellow members. We all joined the club for these activities and the friends we have made through the years. Stephanie Voris shared that the Army Corps of Engineers withdrew their application to dredge port everglades because of the potential damage to nearby reefs. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 51 Unit, October Boating Safety Class: ***Last Class for the Year*** The last class is October 17 if you are interested you can contact me. Happy diving, Chris Hardham Hospitality Hut Greetings From The Hospitality Hut's "Pumpkin" Pufferfish! This little cutie was my entry in an underwater Halloween contest with the South Florida Women Divers. It was always a great time having fun beneath the waves with friends. I always look forward to greeting new guests before the meeting. Please remember to bring your friends along for a cocktail at the bar while having a light dinner. I encourage you to visit our home page usadiveclub.org Please click on the calendar and keep up to date on all the diving and non-diving scheduled activities. You may also take a look at the photo gallery and take a peek at past events.
I wish you all Happy Diving. Clare Anthon Hospitality Coordinator | Membership
In honor of the Halloween jack-o'-lantern, let's take a look at a fish that lives in the murky depths of the ocean's twilight zone: the lanternfish. Click below for a fun Creature Feature about this facinating fish Remember that USA Dive Club has a great Facebook Page. Laura posts many interesting articles and upcoming Club events. Click on the following link and Like…Like…Like. USA’s Facebook Page. We’d love for you to check out our extensive Photo Gallery, where you can dive into all the fun from our social events and diving adventures. We update the albums regularly, so there’s always something fresh for you to enjoy. Happy diving, everyone. Let’s keep the good vibes going!
Local Diving
Overseas Dive Trips
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EDUCATIONAL blogHow Does a Hangover Affect My Diving?This article represents the views of the authors. The article has not been fact checked by myself, the Board of Directors or any member of the USA Dive Club. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. By Grant Dong for Divers Alert Network The effects of alcohol, such as dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, can negatively impact your dives. Most professionals recommend a conservative waiting period of 12 to 24 hours between drinking and diving. For many of us, a vacation is not complete without a drink in hand. And if you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance a vacation is also not complete without your mask and fins. While it may seem harmless to “sleep off” a night of drinking and gear up the next morning, diving with a hangover introduces real risks that can compromise both your safety and enjoyment underwater. Understanding how alcohol interacts with diving can help you make responsible decisions. How Does a Hangover Affect My Diving?A hangover is more than just a headache. It’s a constellation of physical and psychological symptoms caused by alcohol and its byproducts. According to research from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Arizona, the average person’s blood alcohol content increases roughly 0.02 to 0.05 percent per drink and is cleared by the liver at roughly 0.015 to 0.020 percent an hour. That means it takes an average of one to three hours to clear one drink. Keep in mind that these are very rough estimates. Multiple factors, including sex, ethnicity, weight, medications and prior drinking habits greatly impact your personal metabolism. In addition, the residual effects of alcohol continue to impact your body long after all the alcohol has been cleared. One of the most substantial effects of alcohol is dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, promoting fluid loss and leading to reduced blood volume. While diving, dehydration is also a risk factor for decompression sickness and may impair the body’s ability to eliminate inert gases like nitrogen. Additionally, alcohol consumption disrupts the balance of electrolytes, which can contribute to muscle cramps or weakness. Related Reading: Is It Safe To Use the Hot Tub After Scuba Diving? Together, these effects can impair your swimming ability and cause you to increase your air consumption. Starting a dive in this state is far from ideal and results in a shorter dive with a narrower margin of safety. Diving can exacerbate the nausea and dizziness associated with hangovers. Motion sickness is already common in diving, especially during long boat rides or on surface intervals. Hangovers can lower your threshold for nausea, increasing the likelihood of vomiting. While manageable, this can ruin an otherwise pleasant day for yourself, your boat crew and fellow divers. Hangovers lead to more than just physical impairments. Even if blood-alcohol levels have returned to zero, hangovers can impair your attention, reaction time and decision-making. One way this occurs is through alcohol’s tendency to disrupt normal sleep architecture. This results in shorter and less restful sleep. When a late night of drinking is paired with early morning boat departure times, fatigue is to be expected. This can translate to slowed reaction times, impaired situational awareness and, thus, critical errors such as navigation mistakes or out-of-gas scenarios. How Much Alcohol Is Safe?From a practical standpoint, most training organizations and dive pros offer a conservative recommendation to avoid alcohol for at least 12 to 24 hours before diving. If you do decide to drink the night before a dive, make sure to enjoy in moderation. Drinking water or electrolyte-containing fluids alongside or after alcohol can help. If you wake up with any hangover symptoms—headache, dry mouth, fatigue or nausea—it is a strong signal that your body has not fully recovered. Recovery will take time, and no amount of morning hydration can fully reverse the systemic effects of alcohol instantly. Popular remedies such as a cold shower, coffee or taking NSAID medications may improve your symptoms but do not address the underlying effects of drinking. It should also be emphasized that diving under the influence of alcohol or other substances can be extremely dangerous and should always be avoided. Ultimately, the safest choice is simple: Don’t dive if you feel unwell. Missing a dive is far preferable to dealing with an emergency underwater. Diving is meant to be enjoyable, and feeling alert, hydrated and physically prepared enhances both safety and experience. That beer or margarita will still be there after your dive days are over! Link to article; Is It Safe to Scuba Dive With a Hangover? | Scuba Diving |
LOBSTER POT
USA's Lobster Pot drawings Include CASH prizes, and a variety of PRIZES donated by Sponsors or Club Members.
Funds from ticket donations help to support our many club activities. Congratulations to all our Lobster Pot participants. Be sure to visit our Local dive shops who support us and say 'Thanks'.
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