Andrea Lim delivered a 7 lb 11 oz baby girl named “Makahla” on June 04, 2001. Congratulations Andrea and Jeff!!

Four dive computers have been selected to undergo bench testing and diver testing for the NOAA Diving Program. The selected computers are the Aqualung/Suunto Cobra, Cochran Gemini, Oceanic Datamax Pro+, and the Scubapro/UWATEC Pro Nitrox. If you have any experience with these computers, please contact NDC with your comments. Bench testing will begin June 18. Diver testing will be conducted over several days during the month of July, first in Key Largo, FL, and then Seattle, WA. If you live in the Key Largo, FL area and can devote several days in July to this testing, please contact Dave Dinsmore at NDC.

A contract has also been let out to Delta P to evaluate rebreather units for use by NOAA Diving units. A rebreather questionnaire has been sent to all Unit Diving Supervisors to assemble a list of the most desired features. Commercially available units with the desired features and performance will then be identified for later testing. Thank you to everyone that returned questionnaires.

Please note changes to the dates of the January 2002 Working Diver and Divemaster courses. The new dates are January 14 - February 1, 2002, for the Working Diver course, and January 28 - February 1, 2002, for the Divemaster course. The training facilities at Key West were not available during the originally scheduled course dates.

There are still several training vacancies available for the September Working Diver and Divemaster courses. If your ship or unit is interested in sending a diver to either of the September courses, please contact Laurie Barber at NDC by August 10, 2001.

Dates for the August Working Diver Refresher course have been set from August 21 - 24. If your ship or unit has a diver that requires refresher training (lapse in diving activity one year or longer), please contact Laurie B.