DPV
Space Shuttle Columbia
S. S. Minnow
UW Road Trip
NASA Space Station
Photography
ROV
Videography

Join an Aqua Mission: Use your imagination and diving skills to work with our underwater team. Be part of a talented group of divers engaged in different underwater assembly projects. Join us on any of our 4 Specialty Aqua Missions at the Webster Aquatic Center. (Cost per Aqua Mission is $65. plus $25 for rental diving equipment.)

DPV - Diver Propulsion Vehicle

Learn to use a DPV - you'll go faster with less effort. Take a DPV and race through our underwater obstacle course. After you've mastered the skills needed to navigate our course, you'll find that you can go further and see more when you return to open water touring.

 
Learning to navigate the course.
 
The object is to go through the hoop.
 
Form improves with practice ...
 
and the race is on!

 

S. S. Minnow

Enjoy an opportunity to refine diving skills while engaging in a fun activity!

Be a member of the scuba team that builds the "S. S. Minnow" underwater. A series of PVC pipes and tarps are lowered from the pool deck. You and your scuba partner will take these pieces below the surface and assemble them into a 30' x 10' x 12' structure representing the sunken Minnow. Then lift bags are attached to the structure and slowly filled with air from your tank. Watch as the "Minnow" is actually raised from the floor of the pool. Non-divers and divers can work topside to shoot live video of the Aquamission.

 
Tightening a PVC joint on the Minnow.
 
Beginning to fill air bags for the lift.
 
Underwater assembly is a group effort.
 
The Minnow breaks the water's surface.
 
It takes divers working together and ...
 
buoyancy control to assemble the pipes.

 

UW Communications.

Using the latest UW communications equipment, you can talk with your partner underwater and your mission commander at the surface. Work together as a team (2 divers and a mission commander) while using your communications gear and DPV to find the quickest way to go from 1 of 10 stations (each identified by numbers on pylons) to another. Collect directions at each station, communicate them to your partner at the other end of the pool. Your mission commander will give you more instructions as you progress. The winning team, with the lowest elapsed time, will be treated to a desert and drink at the Atlantic Restaurant by Gerry.

Photos courtesy of Ocean Technology Systems.

Space Shuttle Columbia

Ever wonder what happened to the Columbia when it went down? Perhaps you can gain some insight when you help us assemble our model of the Space Shuttle Columbia underwater. It has operating cargo doors that allow you to swim inside the structure and test your buoyancy skills. After assembling the shuttle, you'll travel underwater with a DPV (diver propulsion vehicle) and take photos while swimming around the shuttle.

The fun begins at the Webster Aquatic Center on Friday, November 21 at 5:30pm. We will have a dive briefing and set-up equipment between 5:30 and 6pm. We will construct the Space Shuttle Columbia from 6 pm to 8pm.

Call Gerry at 585.303.4593 or e-mail (click) to sign up by Wednesday 11/19. Tuition is $65. Rental diving equipment is available for an additional $25.

 

 
Sections of the Columbia wait on deck
 
before being lowered into the water.
 
Underwater assembly gets under way
 
and the space shuttle takes shape.
 
Divers survey the completed Columbia
  and swim through it's interior.

 

NASA Space Station

Learn to control your underwater buoyancy by assembling our model of the NASA Space Station, with its solar panels. Construct solar panels and attach it to a diving float. This project will help you develop the skills needed to build the S. S. Minnow.

Gerry Stryker and divers begin assembly of the solar panels for the space station.

Inspiration rebreather

Diver using a rebreather can stay quiet without bubbles.

 
 
Panels are attached to the space station.
 
Testing floatation with an air bag.

Remote Operated Vehicle

Experience the Operation of a ROV provided by VideoRay. Their model Pro4 is one of the most advance ROVs available today. You can be at the control panel as you guide this remarkable vehicle through underwater obstacles.

Video Ray Pro4

Videoray Pro4

Videoray Control Panel

Click for more information.

Photos courtesy of VideoRay.

Underwater Photography

Learn the special techniques needed to take award winning pictures underwater. We'll teach you the basic principles of underwater photography - understand the effect of water in filtering out certain colors of the visible spectrum and the effect of refractive index changes on object distance. Know why you need underwater flash and a wide angle lens. Practice your UW photography in a pool environment before your next dive trip. (The video section will be taught by Marcus Buckman while digital still photography will be presented by Yen and Gerry.)

Gerry, it only takes one camera!
Good lighting, in focus, no bubbles.
Who has the external flash?
Photo backdrop.
Don't look back now!
Photos were taken using a digital Reefmaster camera with external flash.

Contact Gerry by e-Mail
Phone - 585.303.4593
Fax - 585.473.8856

 

©2009, Stryker
Scuba Adventures,
All rights reserved.
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