It's a Small Scuba World

It is hard to believe how many times scuba diving finds it way into conversations in a landlocked state like Nebraska. Every year our town is the site of the NCCA Men's College World Series and we always get accolades from announcers and fans on how friendly Omahan's are. Recently, I chatted it up with a teller at my bank. Pepper and I were on a mission to make our car and credit card payment. No doubtedly, the credit card payment was paying off one of our epic scuba diving trips too. During polite conversation, the teller asked how my week was going? I responded that it is Tuesday and tonight we are attending a going away party for someone moving to Las Vegas. He commented that he'd like to live there--so he can rock climb more. I told him I'd like to live somewhere for my scuba diving hobby, too.

Nebraska's Sandy Channel.

He flashed a great big grin back at me and told me he learned to scuba dive when he was 10 for a family vacation. He exclaimed he wanted to open a scuba shop some day but admittedly said--but not around here! He went on to tell me that he took a scuba diving class years later while attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). While at UNL, he passed and earned his open water certification. He said a short time after everyone from class went on a trip to somewhere in Western Nebraska but his parent's refused to pay. He commented being a poor college student, he just couldn't afford it. I told him we recently travelled to that Western Nebraska location, Sandy Channel, and enjoyed it immensely. I mentioned where we dove the visibility was great and we found a sunken plane and boat. Read about our Sandy Channel divecation: The Training Fins are Off, at Scuba Diver Life.

This brief encounter reminds me; whether, you've gone diving last week or have been on a scuba diving sabbatical, keep the dive light burning and always keep dreaming of diving!

-population-we™ blog post by Becky Bohan Brown 

© 2015 population-we, LLC

If you enjoyed this post, make sure to leave a comment, 'Pin' or 'Like' it.

Pin It

It's Camping Divecation Time

Yes, you read the headline right--it’s time for a Camping Divecation! No problem you can pack your scuba gear in your sleep but what if you are planning a sleepover. In this case, it isn’t at a hotel but in the great outdoors. If you prepare well ahead of time--you can sit back and enjoy the great outdoors without any regrets. Because what goes better together than scuba diving and a camping trip? Read on for a list on what will make your next camping divecation a success.

GOSCUBA members on a recent camping divecation.

• Pop-Up Tent
• Scuba Gear & Tanks
• Diver Down Flag
• Folding Chairs
• Hangers for Scuba Gear
• Tarp
• Freshwater
• Bottled water
• Spray Bottle
• Towels
• Sunscreen
• Bug Spray
• Fly Swatter
• Scissors or Knife
• Flashlights
• Lanterns
• Can Opener
• Cooler
• Ice
• Food, Snacks & Beverages
• Aluminum Foil
• Matches or Lighter 
• Firewood
• Ax for Firewood
• Pots & Pans
• Pot Holder
• Plates
• Silverware
• Cups
• Paper or Kitchen Towels 
• Dish Soap
• Bucket or Pan to Wash Dishes In
• Baking soda
• Tent
• Mat
• Sleeping Bags 
• Blankets
• Pillows
• Clothing
• First Aid Kit
• Hand Sanitizes
• Toilet Paper
• Trash Bags

Greater Omaha SCUBA Club (GOSCUBA) gets permission beforehand to dive in the area Nebraska or Iowa lakes on all our camping divecations. We recommend you get permission too! Visit the campsite online and research before you head out. Also, call and ask about reservations and what amenities they have: bathrooms, showers, eatery as well as where boats are allowed? GOSCUBA tends to dive where boats are not; since, most Nebraska boaters aren't familiar with a Diver Down Flag. Firewood is on the list; however, take extra cash to buy at the campgrounds for the campfire grills--because we almost always run out!

I hope you will now be well prepared for your next sleepover in the great outdoors. If I forgot something, please leave a comment below. Happy Camping Divecation and keep diving!

-population-we™ blog post by Becky Bohan Brown 

© 2015 population-we, LLC

If you enjoyed this post, make sure to leave a comment, 'Pin' or 'Like' it.

Pin It

Lionfish The Aliens Among Us

An alien lionfish.

Most underwater creatures appear alien to scuba divers when we come across them for the very first time. I’m not sure if it is because of the weightlessness appearance or the fluid-like movement they possess. That is of course why we chose to become underwater tourists in the first place-- to explore the vast undiscovered underwater world. Another reason why scuba divers look forward to each underwater adventure is because many scuba divers enjoy fish identification, too. However, some fish are more memorable and venomous than others. That leads me to the story of when I encountered my first lionfish.

Recently, lionfish have been getting a lot of headline news. They are dangerous to the underwater environment. The lionfish, originally thought as an aquarium fish, who in some accounts were mistakenly released into ocean waters by its owners--are destroying underwater ecosystems even faster than us humans. In fact, in the Caribbean lionfish have no natural predator. Unfortunately, a reason for their spike in numbers; due to the rate they lay eggs, two million per year; and sharks tend not too want to eat lionfish because of their menacing spikes. Lionfish though venomous, can be eaten by its primary predator, humans.

Fresh lionfish for dinner. 

I still remember my first encounter with a lionfish; it’s like a scene from a movie. It was just the three of us: our Divemaster David, my dive buddy/husband Brian and myself getting to know the waters on our first exploratory dive 30-feet down in Montego Bay, Jamaica. We all were diving through some underwater canals: first David, Brian, than myself. That is when I saw it--just lurking on the side near some corral. At first, it looked like any other fish. A translucent white, with orange tiger-like stripe markings, as its fins and appendages just dangled there. The lionfish didn’t rear it’s ugly spines until Brian swam by. It erupted, like a firework underwater, and looked alien to me! The spines on the lionfish sprouted out as a defense mechanism. So, this fish was obviously not happy with us scuba divers impeding on its territory. Scared, I had two real options: (1) swim in another direction and lose my dive buddy or (2) swim by hoping nothing would happen. I chose to swim by, and I’m glad to report without incident.

Once back on the boat, I told everyone on the Ocheana crew about my lionfish sighting. Given the reports of these pesky fish, on all of our Jamaica dives after, our other Divemaster, Diesel, always came armed with a spear. He was preparing for battle against any of the other alien lionfish we might encounter during our underwater ecotourism adventures. Diesel explained to us that in the Caribbean, lionfish were equal with sharks at the number one spot on the top of the water food chain. If Diesel was lucky enough to not encounter a lionfish on a dive he would instead pick up trash. Happily we did not find lionfish on all dives, only two of our seven.

The Ocheana crew introduced us to another fact about lionfish, that they are edible, too. A fellow diver named Ralph said, “They [lionfish] taste great! Especially with coconut milk, scallions and peppers.” The lionfish captured by Diesel (pictured above) were prepared by chefs at Montego Bay’s Sandals Royal Caribbean. Brian and I were not feeling so adventurous, but some German couples on our charter did, and dined on lionfish that evening. When back in the states, we’d also find out that there are cookbooks for lionfish meals. Since sharks are overlooking this food source, the goal is to get humans a taste of this alien cuisine and create a need to fish them--so they don’t continue to overpopulate the ocean waters. Such a cookbook is available for purchase from Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), a grass-roots organization that seeks to conserve marine ecosystems by educating, enlisting and enabling divers and other marine enthusiasts to become active ocean stewards and citizen scientists. In fact, proceeds from the sale of "Lionfish Cookbook" support REEF’s marine conservation and lionfish research and removal programs.

In conclusion, there is an alien among us; however, the more scuba divers who encounter lionfish on their divecations and foodies who get a taste for lionfish, the less alien they become. Keep diving!

-population-we™ blog post by Becky Bohan Brown

© 2015 population-we, LLC 
If you enjoyed this post, make sure to leave a comment, 'Pin' or 'Like' it.

Pin It

Merry 5 Days of Scuba Ornaments

The most cherished Christmas items this holiday season hang from a limb, ornaments. For many nothing is more Christmassy than decorating a Christmas tree. The Brown's Christmas tree is always the focal point at our house during the holidays. These days Brian and I have a new type of ornament that hang from our Christmas tree thanks to a club we belong to. Each year, ornaments are center stage at Greater Omaha Scuba Club's (GOSCUBA) annual holiday party too. At the party, GOSCUBA conducts a present exchange. Those not familiar with a present exchange: participants bring a wrapped present, draw a number and in return get to pick a present at their turn. GOSCUBA's exchange is a bit different--ornaments are based around scuba diving.

Last year we ran 12 Days of Ornaments; instead this year we decided to share a snippet of scuba or sea-themed ornaments from the GOSCUBA ornament exchange.

Scuba ornament 5: Sea Turtle ornament, which is often mistaken for a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. #ornaments

Scuba ornament 4: Sea Turtle scuba ornament No. 2. #ornaments

Scuba ornament 3: Mermaid scuba ornament. #ornaments

Scuba ornament 2: Pufferfish scuba ornament. #ornaments

Scuba ornament 1: Stingray scuba ornament. #ornaments

You too can participate in 5 Days of Ornaments. Are you an ornament lover or collector too? If so, comment below on what your favorite ornament is. Merry 5 Days of Scuba Ornaments to all of our population-we™readers!

-population-we™ blog post by Becky Bohan Brown
© 2014 population-we, LLC 
If you enjoyed this post, make sure to leave a comment, 'Pin' or 'Like' it.

Pin It

Blogger Couple Celebrates #TheBrowns20 Wedding Anniversary

& they lived happily every after...#TheBrowns20

Nothing in life comes easy; especially marriage. With divorce rates on the rise in the U.S. this is clearly a fact. According to divorcpad.com, "50% of all marriages in America end in divorce." Well, so this is no little feat, The Brown’s recently hit a milestone and celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary, which I coined on social media as #TheBrowns20.

Recently, I watched an interview with Pastor Rick Warren and his wife, Kay, that made me want to write this post. I’m so elated to share our anniversary with everybody--not just the highs but also the lows.

In regards to marriage Kay Warren said: “To get to intimacy you have to make it through the tunnel of chaos.”

Just like any married couple we’ve had set backs in our 20 year journey together. We’ve both grieved the loss of family and jobs. So, by no means has it been easy!

Odd Couple
Also, we’re so different. If they were to recast The Odd Couple as a husband and wife duo, we’d get the parts. Mr. Brown (Felix Ungar ) is neat and tidy and I’m not. I’m more like Oscar Madison, minus the cigar, of course. When it comes to tidiness Brian calls me: “Becky The Tornado!” Which is very ironic since our anniversary party was interrupted by an actual tornado (see my brother's Facebook status). Glad to report everybody is safe and sound. The only casualty--our gazebo top got shredded by the 82 mile per hour wind gusts.

Family
We do have a couple things in common our love for family, food, blogging and scuba. This year instead of an opulent divacation we had a huge party with family to celebrate our 20 year union. All were in attendance from two year-old niece Jayna to 91 year-old Grandma Estelle. To commemorate, a bounce house was rented for the littlest party goers from Hop 2 It!! Bounce Rentals.

Foodies

Happy 20th Anniversary sheet cake and homemade sugar cookies.

These days we’re also a blogger power couple and we have the population-we™ google analytics to prove it. Everybody who follows our blog knows were huge foodies. Mr. Brown is our resident Food Blogger for population-we™ as well as I am Dishcrawl Omaha's newest Ambassador in town. Read my very first post, Dishcrawl Across Omaha Tour Stops at Midtown Crossing's Cantina Laredo, Black Oak Grill & Crave. The Brown's live by the adage--that food brings people together! Food is always center stage in our life. We don’t just eat together, but cook and entertain side-by-side. For our recent 20th Wedding Anniversary party with family; we had three menu changes: Ribs, Brauts and finally decided on a “Walking Taco Bar.” Brian intends to share the recipe in a later post. So, stay tuned! We had hot dogs on-hand for the littlest of party goers too. And, did we have desserts! Homemade sugar cookies courtesy of BF Patty; homemade brownies from Brian's 91-year-old Grandma; Homemade pineapple cake thanks to my sister-in-law Lisa and a replica sheet cake of our wedding cake from my mother-in-law Jan. We truly are making life delicious together.

Scuba

Anniversary Divecation in Montego Bay, Jamacaii. 

The more time we have together—we both realize our time together is a gift. A couple years back we both started a new water sport together, which reinforced our bond. I made a reference earlier that The Brown's usually go on a divecation for our anniversary. Our love for scuba diving is apparent. It is a sport we found that we can do together all the way into our golden years. Brian is my dive buddy through and through.

Brecky 
"B-r-e-c-k-y!" When Mr. Brown’s friends would utter these words it use to make me furious. Brian + Becky = Brecky. These days, I embrace it! If anyone is curious how the Brecky courtship began, yes I wrote a blog post on it: Cupid is Coming to the KVNO Airwaves This Valentine's Day. Perhaps Brecky will be our new hashtag. Look for it!

Stay In the Room
While writing this post, I kept coming back to a short film directed by Jennifer Anniston years back called, “Room 10." The short directed by Anniston and Andrea Buchanan--still haunts me. As a spouse lay dying on a hospital bed, a nurse comments with amazement on how long the couple had been married. The grieving spouse responds, “I just stayed in the room.”

Love is a choice and 20 years later The Brown’s are still enjoying our marital bliss but most important our friendship for each other. He is truly my foodie companion, dive buddy and best friend who has indeed stayed in the room. #TheBrowns20 #Brecky

(Editor's note: Sorry for the delay in getting this post out. We had technical difficulties (no power) courtesy of the tornado reported earlier in my post. The actual tornado NOT "Becky The Tornado.")

-population-we™ blog post by Becky Bohan Brown

© 2014 population-we, LLC 
If you enjoyed this post, make sure to leave a comment, 'Pin' or 'Like' it.

Pin It

Nebraska Students Take on Shark Finning Legislation

If you live in the Midwest you’ve probably consumed more oxtail soup than shark fin soup. Kudos to you--if you’ve only ate oxtail soup. Why you ask? Because sharks are on the endangered species list and oxes are not. One would think they would not be selling shark fins in Nebraska; however, a group of local students have discovered differently and have decided to do something about it. If they get their way, Nebraska may be the ninth state to outlaw buying, selling or having shark fin products.

Believe or not these students are taking their message all the way to Nebraska’s state capitol in Lincoln. Enter Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium Zoo Academy, No Fins No Future, student-run initiative.

“I am a teacher at the Zoo Academy and they’ve put together under my supervision a Facebook page called No Fins No Future,” said Pat Purkhiser, a Zoo Academy teacher and a master scuba diver instructor at DiVentures in Omaha. “We’re trying to educate the public with snippets about shark finning, shark problems around the world, and it seems to be going quit well."

Shark fins obviously are a product people want here in Nebraska even though the state is land-locked. This group of 80 students is dedicated to stop the sale, trade, and possession of all shark fins and shark related products in Nebraska and beyond.

“The Zoo Academy is comprised of both the Papillion-La Vista and OPS school districts,” said Brett Homme, a senior at Papillion-La Vista South High School.

The Zoo Academy is completely student-run from the creation of the No Fins No Future logo (shown above), blog posts, as well as Facebook and Twitter updates.

“We want to be the next state even though we’re land-locked to pass a bill banning all shark fin products; fin sales, possession, anything like that.” said Purkhiser. “Obviously places like the zoo or even aquariums, as long as their attached--we can obviously live with. “

Scuba divers have a very special place in our hearts for all underwater creatures, and sharks are no different. I guess it surprised this blogger a bit when interviewing Zoo Academy students recently to find out they’ve never swam with a shark or even gone scuba diving.

“The students have gone out, gone to markets and found cans of shark fin soup. They’ve found sharks lying on ice, dead. It’s pretty devastating,” Purkhiser said.

Purkhiser added: “We’ve looked at the cans and there’s just a couple ounces of actual shark fin in there. But shark fin if you analyze it, it’s very un-nutrious and very tasteless. Look at the can it will have crab meat, chicken broth, chicken parts, clams--things like that. So, obviously they’re putting some taste into with something else; shark fin has no taste.”

After interviewing for this post it was announced January 8th on @Nofinning's Twitter:

“All the students at the Zoo Academy are behind it,” Homme said.

It is gruesome what poachers do to these sharks. The poachers capture the shark--shear off their fins--and throw them back in the water alive. What is more devastating is the long-term affect this act has on our oceans. Though Nebraska is a land-locked state, the effects of the ocean ecosystem becoming unbalanced will some day be felt everywhere--not just in coastal states. The students believe every little bit the Zoo Academy can do to prevent that from happening will help.

“Main thing, people don’t know about it [shark finning]. I think because it’s Nebraska people just don’t think about it. I didn’t know about it until I started Zoo Academy," Homme said. "After talking to Pat I now realize what an important issue it is and what an impact it is going to have. We need to do whatever we can to stop this.”

Like the Zoo Academy students, you too can take action. If you live in Nebraska you can do something by contacting your state senator about Legislative Bill 921. Contact information for Nebraska state senators can be found at http://nebraskalegislature.gov/senators/senator_list.php. Nebraska residents can also fill out an online petition from www,bornfree.org highlighted above. If you don’t live in Nebraska--you can still take action and help these students take a stand against shark finning. Show your support and “Like” No Fins No Future official Facebook Page, follow the group on Twitter @Nofinning or visit the group's blog at http://www.nofinsnofuture.blogspot.com. Keep diving!

-population-we™ blog post by Becky Bohan Brown

© 2014 population-we, LLC 
If you enjoyed this post, make sure to leave a comment, 'Pin' or 'Like' it.

Pin It

[Earth Day Edition] pop-we Highlights Greater Omaha SCUBA Club's Project AWARE Efforts

Lake cleanup at Louisville State Park swimming lake.

Today, April 22, is officially Earth Day 2013! On this day people from all around the world are celebrating on land and under the sea. Since waters in Nebraska are a chilly 42 degrees members of the Greater Omaha SCUBA Club will be there only in spirit. This post is dedicated to those SCUBA divers who are donating their time today and throughout the year to clean up our waterways from debris.

Below is a Q&A with SCUBA Instructor Mark "Skippy" Sidwell who is vice president of the Greater Omaha SCUBA Club.

Q. What got you into SCUBA diving?
A. A 21 day trip to Australia. I figured, if I'm going half way around the world, I'm going to learn to dive.

Q. What is the coldest conditions you've dove in?
A. 58 degrees in Atlantic, Iowa. Did a check out dive with a student late in the season. They were going on vacation in early November and wanted to get it done before hand.

Q. Tell us about the Greater Omaha SCUBA Club?
A. The club was officially started in 2007; so its been around for approximately six years. We are not technically a non-profit organization but we are a not-for-profit organization. We are not tax deductible, if you donate to us. The whole goal of the club is to get people active in diving; whether, you're a diver or non diver, we want you active in diving. Even if you're a non diver we want you active in the aquatic world. Be it just enjoying the aquatic world; conservation efforts and understanding how the ocean plays a role in our world, that is the basic gist the club is for.

Q. What reaction do you get when you tell someone you belong to a dive club in Omaha, Nebraska?
A. What? That is the reaction. Most people are basically confused because they ask where is there to dive in Omaha, Nebraska? Technically speaking there are not a lot of places to dive in Omaha, Nebraska. But there are a lot of places to dive in the local area within one- to three- hours drive.

World O! Water debris.

Q. What is Project AWARE?
A. Project AWARE is an organization started by PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors). Aquatic water awareness responsibility and education is key. The basic goal is to teach people the role of what water is; not just about water itself but the ecosystem within the water. Because without the oceans we can't feed half of the world. We abuse water resources beyond their capacity to handle it. That is one of the main reasons why Project AWARE came about because the water resources we have on this planet are dwindling. The vast majority of the world does not have access to clean fresh water for drinking, which is terrible. Project AWARE also talks about natural water resources: lakes, rivers and oceans. How to keep them clean and how to maintain them, as well as how to use them responsibly.

Q. Why did you get involved with Project AWARE?
A.  Because without conservation and education of water resources, I won't have anywhere to dive.

Q. Doing lake cleanups what is the strangest item you've found?
A. A Mountain Dew banner. It was a huge promotional banner. I thought it was a tent at first!

Q. What is the strangest thing another club member has found?
A. A safe.

Q. What is the worst visibility conditions you've dove in for a lake cleanup?
A. Zero.

Q. What do you think is the biggest culprit of trash in our waterways?
A. Plastic. The problem is most governments don't require manufacturers to put a recycle label (i.e. the type of plastic) on all plastic items. Most plastic items you have no idea that type of plastic it is. Most people don't recycle anyway.

Q. What's the message the Greater Omaha SCUBA Club wants to relay to kids?
A. Whatever you throw out winds up in the water. So, be very, very cognizant of what you throw away. Even if you throw it away responsibly; doesn't mean that whoever picks that trash up is going to be responsible with it. So, you have to be careful with that, and that is why recycling is such a big thing.

To find out more about the Greater Omaha SCUBA Club or any upcoming lake cleanups, visit the club's website, official Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.

"I think diving has made me much more aware why we need to recycle," he said. Since 2009, Sidwell has participated in 12 lake cleanups in Nebraska. He ended the Q&A interview by saying: "I love the opportunity to talk about my passion [SCUBA diving]! I love the planet -- we only got one -- so we got to take care of it."


Editor's note: In celebration of the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day population-we™ staffers will celebrate our love for planet earth with green posts this month!  

- population-we™ blog post by Becky Bohan Brown 

© 2013 population-we, LLC

If you enjoyed this post, make sure to leave a comment, 'Pin' or 'Like' it.

Pin It