Isn’t it nice to see the warm weather back? And with the warm weather a natural return to diving happens, much like bears coming out of hibernation, divers are emerging from their Winter slumber and starting to venture out in much larger numbers.
The month of November was a great month for our diving activities with our annual involvement on the citizen science project for the VNPA (Victorian National Parks Association) and their ongoing study of the health of our bays with the GREAT VICTORIAN FISH COUNT running over 3 consecutive weekends. As per previous years our resident marine biologist/professional dive guide Dr. Kate headed up the event and collated the data from each dive for the event.
The month of November also played host to the charity event MOVEMBER whereby money is raised to support Men’s health issues, once again, we once again led the way in the Victorian diving industry with a dive club event joined and supported by our partners at Scubabo. This year, the bar was once again set very high with a $3.5K Scubapro regulator up for grabs in a draw for participants and generous individuals unable to dive purchasing a phantom seat on the boat and receiving a ticket in the draw.
Ever since opening the doors of Scuba Culture, we’ve always seen ourselves as corporate citizens that have a duty to put back into the very community that keeps us alive and employed, whether it be with the Easter appeal, Movember, Breast cancer, the Leukaemia foundation, even sponsoring local kids footy and water polo teams/clubs etc… we’ve been there doing our bit to support as much as we can
There isn’t one amongst us that hasn’t been touched by cancer, whether it’s a family member or a friend, donations fund research, research will one day provide cures and vaccines for all of us… Including the one who stand there and let other do the lifting in donating and the creation of awareness to these issues. So… to all those generous souls out there who support our endeavours – THANK YOU.
Our event played out with a full boat of divers enjoying a fun underwater jaunt at the dive site called “The Zoo” in stunning conditions with amazing viz, the dive was followed by lunch at the Portsea Pub and the drawing of the ticket for the Scubapro 60th anniversary special edition regulator, the winner being a very deserving Frankie D’Aluisio.
It’s that time of the year once again where we’ve organised a social get together in the spirit of Christmas with a club member gathering at our annual Christmas party.
QUICK PRODUCT TEST REPORT
All wetsuit manufacturers make all sorts of claims about their products, so I thought that I should put the 4th Element Proteus II – 5mm to the test! I dived that suit in 17 degree water on the Movember dive, I layered under the suit with the Scubapro 2mm hooded undervest. I have to say that I’m a convert! I was warm as toast for the entire dive with the added bonus of carrying a lot less lead than what I would have carried in either my drysuit or my 7mm suit.
The claims made about the Hydrolock neck seal system combined with the Hexcore thermal lining on the torso proved to be 100% true, the internal ankle seals and Glideskin wrist seals dramatically reduced water entry, in fact, when I took the suit off, I was dry from the waist up.
The range of sizes available in this model of suit also covers what are known ad MID-SIZES, these being sizes such a Small/Short, Medium/Tall etc… ensuring that although this suit is “off the shelf” the suit fits like a glove. Underpinning all this always comes down to the raw material used in the manufacturing of the suit and again, we see quality shining through with Fourth Element using Dupont neoprene in the manufacturing of this product. Yes… it is more expensive than a conventional 5mm but worth every cent in the aspect of comfort when carrying less lead.
