We thank our many presenters over the years, as they help expand our understanding of the undersea world and the technologies and current techniques in the sport of Skin and SCUBA Diving.
2026
March – Jenny Lord – Superb Diving professional, dive instructor and other diving facets in Egypt and the Red Sea. She spoke on the history of DCS science and many of the confounding factors that may allow for the “Bends” sometimes even when we do everything right, and recomendations on keeping it safe, such as no deep stops (unless your computer says so), take a day off diving in the middle of a long week of diving, KNOW YOUR COMPUTER and do what it says.
February – Bob Curtis on unusual dive environments he has worked. Discussed How his fathers submarine in WWII went 450 feet deep when only desiged for 200 ft. Discused diving in the JIM suit and the last one to use it before it was retired to museum. Showed some unbelievanle video involving
January – DUPS President and acomplished photographer, Richard Todd spoke on his trip to Antartica and the surprising issues with kyaking around the ice and even the protocals needed to walk on the continent. A few U/W pictures, many above
2025
November –
October – Great video on Cuttle fish
September – Lana Kolonay, avid Florida cave diver. Below the surface, Florida transforms into a dynamic wonderland of underground caves, spring systems, underground rivers, and displays a history of times long since past. Gave a general overview of the geology, hydrology, and ecology of Florida’s freshwater systems that make it so unique from any other state in the U.S.
August – “Want to go to, or back to, the Gulf Flower Gardens?” Don Barcellona explained the virtues of diving the Texas treasure known as the Flower Gardens and some tips on the best ways to accomplish this.
July – was a Phenomenal video of Macro Life in and around the Port of Galara area in the Philippines
May Speaker Our speakers will be Bob Curtis, Who will discuss aspects of commercial underwater activities. He actually did saturation diving in the North Sea as his 1st job, in a long career that saw many changes in the way we accomplish difficult underwater tasks. As an Underwater Remote Operated Vehicle piolet and instructor. Bob has been recognized as one of the premiere International Subsea Simulation experts for many years. He has worked as a Rescue/Recovery Diver in the 70’s, Saturation Diver and with various Atmospheric Diver Suits (i.e. Jim, Wasp, Mantis) in the 80’s, built a couple of his own submarines, and in more recent years been involved with the ROV industry, primarily prototypes.
March Our speaker was Jennifer Idol, who spoke about a groundbreaking new dive technology. Jennifer is a core team member of Avelo, promoting the revolutionary Avelo System, which integrates the Hydrotank and Jetpack to redefine the diving experience.
She also inspires others through expeditions with Big Fish Expeditions.Jennifer Idol is a diving and visual storytelling expert dedicated to connecting people with the natural world. As the first woman to dive all 50 U.S. states, she chronicled her journey in the book An American Immersion. Her work has appeared in DIVER, SCUBA Diving, and Alert Diver, and she is a Fellow of The Explorers Club and a two-time PADI® AmbassaDiver.
February Mark Alen – Pro Diver Training. He discussed many aspects of comercial diving and brought various pieces of comercial diving equipment and answered many questions.
January Bill Steele – Internationally renouned cave explorer Wikipedia
2024
December Robyn Doege et. al. On the recent trip to Balmorhea and Mc Donalds Observatory
November Once again Richard Woulfe of www.richtravels.com Came to speak about current state of travel and answer travel questions
September Dr. Laura Mydlarz, associate dean in the College of Science at the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Mydlarz and her team are interested in immunorecognition, signaling pathways, effector responses as well as putting immunity in the context of organismal studies, such as life-history tradeoffs and effects of the environment on immunity.
August Pat Madden who spoke to us about the recovery of a world war II fighter from the waters of Northern Quebec. Pat and his wife have spoken to our club several times before and every time was a great and interesting conversation.
July Jim Magnuson who spoke and showed media about diving at the the UNESCO Heritage site Tubbataha reef In the Philippines. Link to some of presented photos
June presenter, John Alred who spoke on Solo diving, how to make it safer, courses available.
May presenter Mark Van Cleve for his presentation this past May 1st on His experience and reasons for pursuing several Technical Dive Certificates and and how that met his personal diving goals.
April Lee and Viki Ellington spoke on the several months and several islands of their diving Eastern Caribbean, travel tips and many great photographs.