News This page is meant to relay information to our customers about things that are happening at Aquatic Safaris. OCT11 - We are excited about Aquatic Safaris's latest instruction designation, PADI TecRec Center, meaning we offer and conduct PADI TecRec programs for our divers.   We can teach Tec 40 through Tec Trimix 65 courses.. OCT11 - Shop instructor, Brad Butler, has earned the rank of PADI Master Instructor, one of the highest levels of professional training and one step below Course Director. SEP11 - We are proud to announce that Aquatic Safaris is now a PADI Five Star Instructor Development Dive Center. Thanks to Instructor Brad for all his hard work on this designation. MAR11 - Michael Winfield recently completed his PADI DSAT tec trimix instructor course, a great accomplishment. He is able to teach through the Tec Trimix 65 course. NOV10 - Back from the Caribbean: We had a great trip to Statia and Saba. SEP10 - We are proud to welcome Dessault to our vendor family of the best SCUBA and Freediving equipment available.  Dessault focuses on manufacturing its own line of technically advanced products crafted for spearfishing and free diving.   Unlike other brands, H.Dessault elected to concentrate on quality craftsmanship instead of assembly line production.  Most of its products are manufactured in its own facility in Montpellier, France. NOV09 - Dustin, Reid, Michael, Pat, Roy and Paul are going to DEMA 2009.  We'll be in Orlando, FL the week of Nov 2nd for DEMA 2009, a little shop bonding and some R&R. OCT09 - We are pleased to announce that staff instructor Michael Winfield recently completed his PADI DSAT Instruction course and is also able to teach the TDI Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures courses. MAR09 - A new look at the shop: We've spent the last month doing a make over at the shop, including new displays, a new BC and regulator wall, and better overall flow. Please stop by and take a look. 21NOV08 - A group of Aquatic Safaris divers, including co-owner Paul Gregory, shop instructor Micheal Winfield, shop Capt. Greg Woodby, boat crew Pat Carroll and Brad Wessman, completed their TDI Trimix class with Scott Fowler and Dan Dawson of  Horizon Divers of Key Largo, Fl.  We finished the course with a dive on the Queen of Nassau at 210'.  WOW! 20FEB08 - Helium on site: We have added the capacity to fill Trimix and Heilox. Having taken the Trimix blending class, added a Booster Pump and having a storage bottle of Helium, we can blend Trimix and Heliox for the diver that is certified to dive these advanced mixes. 15JAN08 - Riffe Dealer: We are proud to announce that Aquatic Safaris is now a Riffe dealer. We have a wide selection of their guns, floats and float lines, plus replacement bands. RIFFE INTERNATIONAL, INC. has earned the reputation for building a premier speargun. RIFFE is proud to offer their customers, not only the most advanced speargun, but a variety of diving accessories supporting all levels of diving. Their goal is to continue producing the highest quality products for the diving enthusiast. 06NOV07 - New Compressor: We have a new Bauer Compressor with more than twice the capacity of the one its replacing. This will allow us to maintain the air and Nitrox banks more efficently. No more filling tanks until the wee-hours on those busy summer weekends.  Next time you're in the shop, check it out. 04NOV07 - DEMA 2007. The Aquatic Safaris entourage just returned from DEMA. We saw some cool new dive gear, caught up with old friends and made some new ones. Oh yea, we did buy something cool; a Hydraulics International booster pump. This piece of equipment compliments our fill station and will allow us to fill stage/pony bottles up to 100% O2 above 2400 psi. Look for it in the shop mid December. 12OCT07 - We are pleased and honored that PADI has accepted and approved our application to be a PADI 5 Star Dive Center. 08APR07 - New tech packages for rent.  Double HP100 or HP120 tanks, banks, manifold, TransPlate Harness, Rec Wing, SS Backplate.  This is the perfect way to start a tech training program.  This gear can be rented for use during the TDI Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures course and for technical diving. 12MAR07 - New SCUBA tank fill station.  Check out our new and improved fill station/panel.  Notice that the eleven Nitrox bank bottles are not on this side of the wall anymore.  There are now four banks each consisting of three 36% Nitrox bottles.   To improve efficiency we can top off your Nitrox-filled tank with air without having the disconnect it from the Nitrox manifold (middle of picture) in order to connect it to the air manifold (right in picture).  Also, new to Aquatic Safaris is the capacity to fill O2 cleaned tanks with mixes >40% O2 (left manifold).   Ready for some extended bottom time?   This infrastructure supports our new Technical Diving Instruction. 15JAN07 - Class Schedules made for 2007.  If you would like a class not in the schedule, please call. 04DEC06 - Get ready for Tec.  We're putting together the infrastructure for technical diving.  More info on the Instruction page. 16NOV06 - Back from DEMA.  We saw some really cool stuff and took some good classes.   We've ordered a gas mixing manifold, which allows us to fill tanks with O2 mixes greater than 36% (deco bottles).   In order to ensure safe aluminum tank fills, we bought a Visual Plus eddy current device that detects cracks in the tank neck threads that cannot be seen by the naked eye.  It is becoming part of our normal visual inspection of all aluminum tanks. 21AUG06 - Shop move update....we're settling in to the new shop nicely.  There's still much to do, but it's getting better day-by-day.  We just completed our first BIG charter weekend in our new home (ran 6 out of 7 scheduled charters).   I think everything ran very smoothly. 11AUG06 - The shop has completed it's move to a new location, 6800 Wrightsville Ave at The Galleria.  We're very excited about the new location, more room, closer to boats, etc.  We hope that you are also.  Please stop by and see the new shop.   We actually have a real classroom now, though it is not completely finished.   We've left some things for the guys to do over the winter. 04MAY06 - The new 43' Island Hopper (48' overall length) is ready for service. 03MAY06 - The new 43' Island Hopper passed its USCG stability test this morning with flying colors.  Won't be long 'til its in service. Welcome SCUBAPRO to our family of vendors:   We are proud to be the new home for SCUBAPRO & UWATEC  products in Wilmington.  We've placed an initial order and hope to see it arrive at the shop soon. The Island Hopper Pro 43 is here:  The Brand New Island Hopper is here!!  Click here for pictures. New Island Hopper Pro 43 dive boat:  Updated info!!!  The boat is in the water.  Having recently passed it's sea trial, it is sitting in Daytona Beach  The next step is the Coast Guard stability test, which has been delayed because of the recent storms in Fl.  The current plan is for us to pickup the boat on 11/03 and drive it back to its new home in Wilmington.  It's amazing how BIG this boat is.   It will be fast with almost 1000 horsepower, comfortable with separate tank racks and padded seating, and roomy with max divers at 24 (normal booking at 18) for a boat able to carry 40+ passengers. A new computerized charter booking program:  We are very fortunate to have a resource like Ed Browlee, who works for ASIS, to write a web-based computerized charter booking program for internal use.  We have finally retired the 15 year old recipe-box-looking charter system box.  Now, multiple people can book charters at the same time; no more waiting on the phone for the other guy to finish his booking.  All the charter information is stored in a database, including emergency contact information, so that it is easily accessible.  The whole process is WAY more efficient.  Once you are entered as a client in the system, just call and you're one click away from booking a dive.  The next step is, of course, to let you book your own charters though our web-site.  This is in the works.  We're designing it so that you can add yourself to a already-setup charter once you are in the system as a client, meaning that we have talked to you before; we don't want to take away the opportunity for a customer to talk to our friendly staff at least once.  One very important aspect of the new system is that the "Current Charters" web page is displayed real-time. New ladder setup on the ASII:  During the spring maintenance and cleanup of the ASII charter boat, we decided to improve the ladders.  We thought the angle was not steep enough.  Thus, the angle was adjusted so that climbing up the ladders seems more natural.  In addition, beefed-up supports were added where the ladder rests on the platform.  And most importantly, additional handles were added on each side of the boat on the swim platform so that divers exiting the water have more control of their hand position. New instructor:  Aquatic Safaris is proud to announce that Andre Nel has joined the team.  He is a PADI Instructor and shop employee. Additional NITROX bank bottles:  We have added 4 - 4500psi bank bottles to our Nitrox system, a 57% increase over last year.