Costa Rica – Come for the Beauty, Stay for the Adventure

Posted on September 21, 2015 by divelocal

by Gene Muchanski,
 Dive Industry Association, Inc. 

BBLogo-200Have you ever been in the mood for something different?  Well, after 40 years of diving, I was.  It was close to Thanksgiving and Dana and I were looking for another dive trip to go on.  Being in the diving business, you can imagine that my office looks something like a mix between a well-stocked library and an old attic, filled with diving catalogs and brochures of every imaginable exotic dive destination on the planet.   After many hours of deliberation and a number of phone calls to our dive travel friends, we decided to go some place that was different and exotic, yet convenient; some place that had other things to do besides great diving; some place that we have never been to before; and some place where we knew somebody (so we could celebrate Thanksgiving with friends).

A quick phone call to Cheryl Arscott at Dive Reservation Services, Inc. did the trick.  Cheryl said, “Why don’t you go see your good friends Bill & Nadine Beard from Bill Beard’s Costa Rica?  After the customary, “Why didn’t I think of that?”, Cheryl turned us over to Betty Tsitrian to book the trip.  Betty had just returned from a Travel Agents FAM trip to Costa Rica and got to see everything, go everywhere and met everyone.  Betty took care of all of our arrangements and was fantastic on every little detail of the trip.  All we had to do was tell her when we wanted to leave and when we wanted to return.  Betty took it from there.

1525-200Bill Beard’s Costa Rica was the perfect choice.  Bill has been running adventure tours in Costa Rica for 38 years, so we knew we were in good hands.  Their web site tells the whole story: http://www.billbeardcostarica.com  We booked our flight with Continental Airlines out of Houston Bush International.  The flight was a 3 hour 35 minute direct, non-stop flight into Liberia, Costa Rica (Central Costa Rica).  After a quick 20 minute drive to Playa Hermosa, on the Pacific Northwest side of Costa Rica, we arrived at our Hotel, Villa del Sueno.  In playa Hermosa, you have your choice of many different types of hotels, all of them close to the beach.  The fresh fish dinner that evening in Villa del Sueno’s restaurant was excellent, and with the favorable exchange rate, a good value for our money, too.

1499-200For the next two days we dove with Bill & Nadine Beard off the coast of Playa Hermosa, with Ocotol Beach Resort’s diving operation.  Diving on the west coast of Costa Rica reminded me of diving in California, only warmer.  The boats we used were all professionally run with a Captain and two Divemasters.  Our Divemaster was an experienced Diver and very charismatic.  But aren’t all Divemasters?  The Divemasters at Ocotol actually get in the water with you and act as underwater guides.  They even take your gear back to the dive shop and wash it for you.  What a great dive staff!

1618-200We wanted to see as much of Costa Rica that we could, so Betty set us up with a driver, Edgar Cuadra Cespedes, to take us to the Arenal Volcano.  Thanks to Edgar’s expert knowledge of the area and his great personality, we learned so much about Costa Rica and saw an incredible amount of the country side.  Believe me, having a private tour guide is the best way to see Costa Rica.  The three hour van ride was filled with a ton of things to see and do.  We had an enjoyable ride and saw a number of volcanos and ecidence of their past eruptions.  Edgar took us to a zoo, where we got to see some of the local animals up close and personal.  After lunch in a great café, we were on our way to Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa.  No, there is nothing like having a room with a direct view of an active volcano, just up the hill from your room.  You can actually view the volcano from the safety (?) of your in-room spa, enjoying a glass of wine!  We decided to end the evening with a dinner and an eight-hot spring pools and hydro-massage experience at the hotel-owned Spa, Titoku.

1736-200The next day was action packed from morning till night.  Betty and Edgar must have thought we were 20 year olds or something, with the way they packed our schedule.  After breakfast we experienced a horse back ride to the tree top canopy area and had the thrill of our lives on the zip-line canopy tour.  YaaaHooo!  We toured a rain forest national park and hiked for miles at the Arenal Volcano National Park.  After dinner were just too tired to go dancing so we opted for a soak in our in-room spa…overlooking an active volcano, of course.  Aaahhh.

The last morning at the Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa was reserved for breakfast at Heliconias Restaurant and a spa treatment for Dana at Nedin Spa.  Right on time, Edgar picked us up for another exciting tour back to Play Hermosa, filled with frequent stops to see a Toucan, a howling monkey or God knows what else!  Edgar was definitely fun and full of surprises.

We ended up leaving Costa Rica with hundreds of photographs and an experience that will have to be repeated soon.  Very soon.  Like they say, “come for the Beauty, Stay fr the Adventure.”  Thank  you Bill, Nadine, Edgar, Cheryl and Betty.  It was an experience of a lifetime.  Purra Vida! (Pure Life).

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Something BIG is Going DOWN in Deerfield Beach, Florida

Posted on September 21, 2015 by divelocal

Something BIG is Going DOWN in Deerfield Beach, Florida

By Gene Muchanski & Dana Polites
Southeast News Correspondents
Southeast Dive News &
Dive News Network

Something very exciting is happening in Deerfield Beach, Florida on Sunday, June 7, 2015. A barge with fifteen concrete Moai Heads will be sunk ½ mile off shore in seventy feet of water.  This elaborate public art project may be one of the most interesting dive sites ever created.

The Rapa Nui Reef Project is the vision of Margaret Blume, Founder and Benefactor.  Margaret wanted to do something BIG in environmental conservation using art.  She had an idea about creating an underwater park and marine habitat using fifteen Moai figures.  Her inspiration came from Easter Island, off the coast of Chile, famous for the Rapa Nui civilization that created 887 giant stone statues (Moai) over hundreds of years.  After consulting with Arilton Pavan, owner of Dixie Divers, Margret brought the project idea to the Women’s Club of Deerfiled Beach and funded it with a $500,000 grant.  The planning committee then commissioned Artist Dennis MacDonald from Zibitz Studioz to create the Rapa Nui Reef.

Moai-200Southeast Dive News Correspondents Gene Muchanski and Dana Polites attended the “Break the Moai Mold Celebration” in Stuart, Florida on April 21st and got the rundown on the Rapa Nui Reef Project.  Each of the 15 Moai Heads were cast in concrete in place, on the barge during construction, using giant molds.  Hence the, “Break the Mold” celebration after the last figure was cast.  The event was well attended; Members of the Women’s Club of Deerfield Beach, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Deerfield Chamber of Commerce, District 1 Commissioner Joe Miller, Local Politicians, Diving Media and Local TV Stations, Jim “Chiefy” Mathie, Dixie Divers and numerous local divers and art lovers.  The support for the project is incredible.

DSC_0025-200The Rapa Nui Reef is built on a barge, 150 feet long by 45 feet wide and 9 feet deep. Dennis constructed a rubble wall around the 15 Moai Statues to serve as an underwater habitat for the fish population of Deerfield Beach.  The project is well on its way and is scheduled to be completed by late May.  On June 1st, the barge will be towed down the St. Lucie River, out to the ocean and down to Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach.  After two days of dedications and public events, the Rapa Nui Reef barge will be sunk in 70 feet of water off the coast of Deerfield Beach.  Jim “Chiefy” Mathie estimates that local Dive Boat Operators will start running charters out to the Rapa Nui Reef dive site as soon as the safety committee can establish that the project was sunk according to plan and it is safe to dive on the new man made reef.  Fish and Lobster are welcome to adopt their new home immediately.

YouTube Video:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDkc-c5da2w

The main source of information on Rapa Nui Reef can be found on their facebook page at www.facebook.com/RapaNuiReef   A web site is currently under construction.

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Co-Op Marketing Through DIVE LOCAL

Posted on July 31, 2015 by divelocal

Gene-Video-200Co-operative Marketing Through DIVE LOCAL
by Gene Muchanski, Editor
The Dive Industry Professional

The mechanics of business are pretty simple.  We go into business because we have something to sell that meets the needs of an individual or an entity.  To stay in business we need to sell a sufficient number of profitable products to a sufficient number of profitable customers.To excel in business we have to take it serious enough to do the things that have to be done, when they need to be done.  The better we are at the mechanics of business, the more successful our business will become.

The are four areas of business that give you a competitive edge.  1) You need to have good products.  Product Managers are responsible for designing products that people will want to buy because they meet a specific customer need.  2) You need good customers. Customer Service Managers maintain relationships with your accounts and communicate with them on a regular basis.  3) You need to reach the buying public with your message when they are ready to make a buying decision.  Marketing Professionals create the message about your products and utilize the best vehicles to deliver that message.  4) You need to be there to close the sale.  Sales Professionals are there to ask for the sale.  It could be on-line or face-to-face, but someone has to ask for the sale and follow-through.

It’s easy to understand the need and expense for product management, customer acquisition & maintenance, and sales efforts.  They are part of the cost of doing business.  However, many business people don’t understand the Marketing aspect.  Is it a cost of doing business?  An expense?  An investment?  Or just a black hole we throw money into?

In our business we classify our customers as current customers, former customers and future customers.  Current customers are the easiest and less expensive group to market to.  This group currently buys from you and you should have all of their current contact information.  Needless to say, you should have a good working relationship with your current customers and contact them on a regular basis.  Former customers take a little more work but not much more expense to market to.  Former customers are those who have not purchased from you in over a year.  Unless they are no longer in business you should have their current contact information.  Think of a good reason to make contact with them again and do your best to reactivate their account status with you.

The third group of customers are people who have not yet purchased from you.  They are your future customers.  This group is the most difficult to identify, reach and sell to.  Marketing to future customers (prospects) is the most expensive group to target.  It makes me wonder why companies attempt to go it alone in their efforts to target market this group?  To tell you the truth, it is too expensive and time consuming for dive industry companies to tackle this group alone.  But there is a workable solution available.

DIVE LOCAL is a community effort to reach the general public and promote snorkeling and scuba diving as a exciting recreation. Our Mission is to show people how to: 1) Learn to dive.  2) Buy their diving equipment. 3) Go Diving. 4) Stay active in the recreation.  Our Goal is to get new customers in the doors of: 1) Local Dive Stores.  2) Local Dive Boats.  3) Local Dive Clubs.  4) Local Scuba Instructors.

DIVE LOCAL has been set up so that every dive related business that is searching for new customers can participate in this program.  There are many ways that Dive Industry Professionals can participate, by being Ambassadors, Volunteers, Sponsors or Donors.  This community effort is utilizing Dive Shows, Regional Summit Meetings, Magazines, Newsletters, Websites and an integrated network of Social Media.  Dive Industry Professionals and Dive Industry Businesses will spend a fraction of their marketing and advertising budget by combining forces with like minded businesses in the dive community.  Everyone can benefit just by paying their fair share.

For more details, read up on DIVE LOCAL on our Blog at www.divelocal.wordpress.com

View and “Like” our facebook page at www.facebook.com/divelocal

Participate in DIVE LOCAL

 

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A Weekend of Fun at SharkCon 2015

Posted on July 21, 2015 by divelocal

DSC_0312A Weekend of Fun at SharkCon 2015
By Gene Muchanski
Southeast Dive News Correspondent

“Just when you thought it was safe to go back to Tampa…”   That’s how Spencer Stewart, creator of SharkCon introduced SharkCon on their web site at www.shark-con.com

SharkCon is a weekend watersports festival for the general public, held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa Bay, Florida. Spencer Stewart planed this event for four years prior to launching it last year. Now in its second year, SharkCon is sponsored by The Florida Aquarium. It’s a local event that brings those who love the ocean and its creatures together for a weekend of education and fun. SharkCon has something for everyone who loves the ocean.

The second annual SharkCon was held on July 11-12, 2015. Over 7,000 attendees took part in the festivities and the place was crawling with Sharks, Mermaids, Pirates, and Giant Fluffy Sea Creatures. The exhibit hall was one of the main attractions for the adults consisting of 76 exhibit spaces and 56 exhibitors. There were plenty of activities for the kids like the bounce house, the great inflatable shark slide, face painting booths and a mechanical shark ride. And let’s not forget the giant sand box provided by the Florida Aquarium, although I saw a lot of parents playing in that attraction.

There was a 50 x 50 theater set up for slide shows, speakers and The Left Shark Dance Team to keep the attendees entertained on both days. SharkCon had two book signing tables and many of the 13 speakers took advantage of that space after their presentation. In total, there were 20 events planned in the theater on Saturday and Sunday and as a special treat for attendees on Sunday with two Weddings held in front of the Tampa Aquarium’s Megalodon World Famous Fossil Shark Jaw.

Dive Industry Association Members are always looking for opportunities to connect with the general public whether they are divers now or want to become divers. Local events like SharkCon are excellent opportunities for us to meet with our Members like Bill & Nadine Beard – Bill Beard’s Costa Rica, Ed Buckley – St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures, Debbie Helms – Roatan Charter, and Julie Illes World Dive Adventures.

SharkCon proved to be a good place to meet divers and people interested in becoming scuba divers according to Rock Bottom Divers of Dunnedin, FL and Sea Experience of Fort Lauderdale. Retail Dive Centers and Dive Operators interested in exhibiting next year can contact Spencer Stewart at info@shark-con.com or call 941-539-0833.

Thanks to our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/divelocal we are able to post pictures and video of SharkCon 2015. Southeast Dive News readers can see our photo and video coverage of SharkCon 2015 at www.facebook.com/sedivenews

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