Day of the Week: Saturday

NAUI Member Updates are one of the most popular events to attend at trade shows worldwide. Hear the latest news directly from the NAUI headquarters staff. Learn what is on the horizon for the organization and you as a member.

The update will address topics such as:

• Review of 2022 Activities
• Future Activities
• Financial Overview
• 2023 Standards & Policies
• NAUI Leadership Opportunities
• NAUI CORE & Store Modifications
• Opportunity to Meet Fellow NAUI Members

Reserve a spot for the member update at this link.

NAUI Member Updates are one of the most popular events to attend at trade shows worldwide. Hear the latest news directly from the NAUI headquarters staff. Learn what is on the horizon for the organization and you as a member.

The update will address topics such as:

• Review of 2022 Activities
• Future Activities
• Financial Overview
• 2023 Standards & Policies
• NAUI Leadership Opportunities
• NAUI CORE & Store Modifications
• Opportunity to Meet Fellow NAUI Members

Reserve a spot for the member update at this link.

All about the NAUI mobile app, get the inside scoop on all the new features and how to use them.

All about the NAUI mobile app, get the inside scoop on all the new features and how to use them.

You’ve found the most incredible marine creature in the world, but now what? Don’t be fooled into thinking that the subject is all that matters. Negative space – or the space around your subject – is what makes or breaks a great image. This seminar is intended to help you “see” the possibilities of a shot before you take it so that you can optimize your opportunities and produce next-level images. We’ll discuss how to approach both wide-angle and macro photography, as well as how to use special techniques and gear that will help you execute your vision flawlessly.

On March 1, 2023 Dr. Joe Dituri left the surface and descended to the Jules Undersea Lodge for a record breaking 100-day mission. In fact, as this show is going on, Joe is still under water, completing his last few days until mission completion. Come see what planning was involved, how Joe spends his time, and who else is involved in this incredible effort. Learn more about MarineLab Environmental Education Center, and the variety of youth STEM education courses they offer. Programs are also open to adults… learn how you can spend the night under water, becoming a recognized Aquanaut!

Professional marine and wildlife biologists from California-based firm QK discuss the incursion of S. horneri and other invasive marine species on our coast. Attendees will learn about several invasive species and their effects on native ecosystems. Biologist Jeffrey Erway will discuss how divers can identify and report invasive species, what to do with them, and what measures are underway to protect native ones.

QK’s presenters are backed by significant industry credentials, including California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) approval with scientific diving experience and credentials.

Many divers think that medical considerations, certification limitations, and blatant discrimination are the only reasons a dive operator might deny them service. This is not so. You can be refused service for various sound, safety-related reasons. We will examine some of these reasons so you can be better informed and prepared — rather than disappointed.

Join us in discovering the pristine nature of our polar areas. Our Dive Team Leader, Mr. Henrik Enckell, will take you on a visual journey through both the Arctic and Antarctica, both underwater and topside, covering the logistics of getting there and back along the way. We will also discuss the special wildlife we encounter and learn that even though they may look similar at first glance, the two poles are quite different.

The NAUI Services Group (NSG) team is continually improving the CORE database to service the NAUI Membership. Learn from the Director of Member Services how to utilize CORE to its full potential to develop workflows that save you time and get you back to teaching divers.

Things you can expect to learn about:

• Direct Ship Certifications to Students
• Managing NES Codes
• Reporting Functions
• Accessing eLearning Courses at No Cost
• Managing Your Licenses and Authorized Affiliates/Instructors

The NAUI Services Group (NSG) team is continually improving the CORE database to service the NAUI Membership. Learn from the Director of Member Services how to utilize CORE to its full potential to develop workflows that save you time and get you back to teaching divers.

Things you can expect to learn about:

• Direct Ship Certifications to Students
• Managing NES Codes
• Reporting Functions
• Accessing eLearning Courses at No Cost
• Managing Your Licenses and Authorized Affiliates/Instructors

The Monterey California area is a world-class dive destination. Come, become an honorary member of a school of blue rockfish illuminated by sun rays streaming through the kelp forest canopy. Join the cool kids when a flock of cormorants nibble on your camera and dive equipment at 50 ft. If you have never had a ridiculously cute baby harbor seal nibble on your fins, you haven’t lived. Boost your culture points by witnessing a score of California sea lions perform what appears to be an underwater ballet. Check off a few of the brilliantly colored local nudibranchs from your bucket list. Swim through enchanting jellyfish as thick as soup. Dive with charming, captivating, and cute sea otters. Swim among 3-foot-tall sea anemones. Hang out with charismatic wolf eels. Buck up and and earn the cold-water diving merit badge.

Once you leave the water with dynamite video on your chip, the real work is about to begin. If you want to grab the attention of your audience, and hold it, you’ll need to edit your film for maximum impact. This presentation will cover organizing clips, cutting and continuity, scripting and narration, and music. Examples of effective video storytelling will be shown.

Encountering a giant sea bass is an exhilarating experience when diving along California and Mexico. However, since being labeled as Critically Endangered, little is known about their current population, their spatial patterns, and ecology. Marine scientists at the McCauley Lab and the Love Lab at UC Santa Barbara are hoping to answer critically important research questions about these charismatic fish through the Spotting Giant Sea Bass Project – a community science effort that uses divers’ photographs to identify and track individual giant sea bass. Join us to hear about our updates and how you can contribute to important research on a critically endangered species!

Take a journey to Palau, one of the seven underwater wonders of the world and learn how and why this tiny Pacific island nation is leading the world in conservation efforts, protecting its waters and keeping this paradise pristine for generations to come.

Papua New Guinea truly remains one of the last unspoiled diving locations in the world.  This colorful and fast moving presentation will introduce you to four unique dive operations and up country special land base operation spanning the country.  So come and be introduced to Walindi Plantation and Kimbe Bay, and liveaboards M.V. FeBrina and M.V. Oceania.

Whether you’re interested in capturing marine life with a camera or simply observing, there is no substitute for being physically close. From tiny gobies to massive whales, many animals are inherently shy, making close interaction difficult. When approached properly, however, most sea creatures are surprisingly tolerant of divers. This seminar will teach you techniques that can turn fleeting glimpses into relaxed, intimate encounters. You’ll learn how to approach shy animals, gain their trust, and get close without scaring them away, making every dive a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.

In this seminar, I will share “tricks of the trade” professionals adhere to along with things underwater shooters, collectively speaking, can do to improve their work while avoiding pitfalls that lead to disappointing results. I have wanted to give this presentation for years but passed because I feared it would sound like I think I know it all. I don’t. There is always more to learn. But with almost five decades of shooting and teaching, I believe my thoughts and experience can help a lot of underwater shooters improve their work and get more out of their efforts.

This presentation deconstructs an actual diving fatality identifying potential issues while addressing risks. This seminar also discusses ways to reduce accidents through risk identification, mitigation with suggestions on how to improve overall diver safety.

Having pioneered ground breaking two-week Red Sea diving expeditions, Raf and Francisca Jah invited scientist and technical diver Dr. Jeffrey Bozanic to join them in 2023. Using the expertise of wreck discoverer Fasil Khalaf, they teamed up to combine technical and recreational scuba diving in the Egyptian Red Sea Coast from the islands of Tiran in Saudia Arabia to Rocky on the border of Sudan. Dropping in on barely dived wrecks and reefs the expedition was incredible and achieved its aims, but not everything went to plan. This is their story.

The NAUI Dive Planning ODIGTML seminar is designed to teach participants the essential skills and knowledge needed for planning safe and enjoyable scuba diving experiences. During this seminar, participants will acquire vital knowledge about the NAUI dive planning process, which includes the use of the ODIGTML acronym as a mnemonic device for remembering the critical steps involved in dive planning.

The seminar will dive into how to assess dive conditions, evaluate dive sites, plan dives using the ODIGTML method, and create contingency plans for unexpected situations.

Throughout the seminar, participants will have the opportunity to practice dive planning scenarios and receive feedback from an experienced NAUI Training Department Instructor. By the end of the seminar, participants will have gained the skills and knowledge needed to plan and execute safe and enjoyable scuba diving experiences, both independently and with a team.

The NAUI Dive Planning ODIGTML seminar is designed to teach participants the essential skills and knowledge needed for planning safe and enjoyable scuba diving experiences. During this seminar, participants will acquire vital knowledge about the NAUI dive planning process, which includes the use of the ODIGTML acronym as a mnemonic device for remembering the critical steps involved in dive planning.

The seminar will dive into how to assess dive conditions, evaluate dive sites, plan dives using the ODIGTML method, and create contingency plans for unexpected situations.

Throughout the seminar, participants will have the opportunity to practice dive planning scenarios and receive feedback from an experienced NAUI Training Department Instructor. By the end of the seminar, participants will have gained the skills and knowledge needed to plan and execute safe and enjoyable scuba diving experiences, both independently and with a team.

Join us in an exciting presentation about how you can make a positive impact for the ocean, right in your local community. You will learn about exciting actions you can take fins on and fins off. Together, we will discuss PADI AWARE’s mission, Dive Against Debris, pledges, and petitions, as well as facts about the current state of our oceans. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make a real difference and inspire others to do the same.

Scuba diving in The Bahamas is a truly unique and unforgettable experience. The warm, crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean offer incredible visibility and an abundance of marine life. With over 700 islands and cays, The Bahamas boasts a variety of dive sites for all levels of experience, from shallow reefs to deep-sea walls and wrecks. Divers can encounter colorful coral gardens, swim alongside schools of tropical fish, and even have close encounters with sharks and other large marine creatures. The Bahamas’ warm hospitality, stunning natural beauty, and world-class diving facilities make it a top destination for scuba enthusiasts from around the globe.

Excellent diving conditions in clear life-filled waters aren’t just found in far-flung places requiring a flight. Excellent diving is in our backyard at the California Channel Islands. Five of the islands form a National Park. Anacapa, a mere 11 miles from the mainland; the furthest is remote San Nicolas Island at 57 miles out; and of course, the island of romance, Santa Catalina. Each island is different: Different marine life, underwater topographies and diving opportunities. Colorful walls and pinnacles, the fun antics of sea lions, and of course the famous beauty of the giant kelp forests. With over 70 years of combined diving experience in California waters, authors Dale and Kim Sheckler will lead you on a tour of the wonderful Channel Islands.

The Pacific Offshore Oil Platforms support a marine ecosystem more productive than any coral reef. Bob Evans logged >850 dives photo-documenting beneath these platforms. He also administered projects developing technologies and pioneering alternative uses – revolutionary at the time, transformative today. Join him on a photographic journey through the history of these beautiful and unique marine habitats. He will share a vision for the future, founded on technologies proven and piloting today. These alternatives transcend removal or reefing. They include sustainable development within a new offshore paradigm supporting the environment, coastal communities, fisheries, and divers too!

“The diversity of the marine life in the Philippines is simply unparalleled. Every one of my dives over the 10 day Visayas itinerary, was filled with such amazing animals and corals that it only ignited my passion for the next dive.”

As the saying goes, “Luck is what happens when planning meets opportunity.” Nothing is truer when it comes to diving and underwater photography! Booking your dream trip will put a heck of a great opportunity on your calendar, but a little bit of planning will help you take it to the next level. This talk will cover many of our hard-earned travel planning “hacks” as they apply to diving and underwater photography – researching destinations and marine life, comparing transportation costs and benefits, packing properly, and responding to unexpected or unwelcome issues that may arise at your destination. You’ll leave this session fully prepared to create your own “luck”, no matter where you are diving.

Learn about what it takes to be a NAUI Freediving professional. Learn how you can add freediving to the course offerings you have as a NAUI Leader or Affiliate.

In addition to learning about the NAUI Freediving Program, you will have the chance to learn about alternative equalization methods and an opportunity to give static breath holding a try.

Think you cannot hold your breath more than a few seconds?… We can change that!

Learn about what it takes to be a NAUI Freediving professional. Learn how you can add freediving to the course offerings you have as a NAUI Leader or Affiliate.

In addition to learning about the NAUI Freediving Program, you will have the chance to learn about alternative equalization methods and an opportunity to give static breath holding a try.

Think you cannot hold your breath more than a few seconds?… We can change that!

The game of survival is fascinating to watch play out in our underwater world. Like cuttlefish and frogfish stalking their prey to octopus imitating soft coral to escape. Join Jim and Pat Stayer as they look at several strategies marine animals use to survive and how creatures interact with each other. Designed to help all divers enjoy the underwater world to its fullest, the couple will share some of the amazing animal behavior they have filmed in their 48 years of diving.

California completed its Network of 124 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in 2012. With the Network now 10-years old, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has released a Decadal Management Review report looking at how California’s MPAs are doing since they were originally implemented. This presentation will provide highlights from the Review, as well as information on how to get involved with the management and potential data collection informing the management of the Network.

Enjoy an informative seminar on rebreathers. What they do and why you should be a rebreather diver. This will be a great way to see if rebreathers are for you. We’ll discuss manual controlled rebreathers and electronically controlled rebreathers. You can even schedule a free rebreather tryout with Scuba Schools of America at their rebreather facility after the presentation

Los Angeles County is in the Southern California Bight which offers a rich and diverse marine environment for SCUBA & Freediving. The best diving spots are often in areas with high turbulence potential with different turbulence profiles for each season.

This seminar will discuss how to identify and forecast favorable weather, tide, surf and tidal flow turbulence patterns for popular dive sites in Los Angeles County, utilizing current NOAA and CDIP forecasting tools. Concepts can be applied to other diving locales around the world. Recent updates to NOAA and CDIP tools will be covered as well as opportunities for ocean conditions forecasting and acclimation training applying these concepts. Selected recent weather events will be covered to illustrate concepts presented.

Since unfavorable turbulence patterns and tidal flows are key factors in poor visibility, also covered will be the forecast of the 2023 summer and fall turbulence patterns for the Southern California Bight.

Water freezes at 32^oF, right? Not here! Dive into water that is 28^oF… dive into Antarctica! Explore with us as we learn about fish that have antifreeze in their blood to keep them from freezing solid. Descend in holes through 23 feet of solid ice as we study life on Mars. Visit remote islands where you’ll see over 250,000 penguins with a single glance. Reach out to icebergs as they bob up and down in the waves, and wander through shipwrecks frozen in ice and time. Learn about the most remote continent on Earth… Antarctica!

Join us as we take you on a virtual tour of Palau. We will show you how to get to Palau, which hotels are best and when the best time to visit is. We will also have our 3D dive site mapping to show you in depth a few of the top sites in Palau. This archipelago consists of 250 to 500 islands (depending on what size you consider) with beautiful karst formations making it a true scenic delight topside. The warm, clear waters offer opportunities to see and film manta rays, sharks and a virtual biodiverse bonanza of fish. The site of a major battle during World War II, it also gives one a chance to dive wrecks and see the relics of the bloody battle on Peleliu.

Did you know that you can fly to Phoenix and, within four short hours, be boarding a boat to one of the most remote places on earth? The Sea of Cortez, also called the World’s Aquarium by Jacques Cousteau, offers untouched walls and reefs abounding in marine life. A liveaboard offers divers the ability to experience everything from macro to mammals. It’s a macro photographer’s dream with nudibranchs, blennies, and jawfish. Dive with countless octopuses, eels, turtles, rays, and schools of fish, and enjoy playing with sea lions on multiple dives; a trip highlight is snorkeling with whale sharks. On the surface, we often see whales and giant pods of dolphins, spot jumping mobula rays and brown-footed boobie birds, and gaze at the milky way and falling stars at night.

When there is a scuba fatality in Los Angeles County, the Office of Medical Examiner-Corner is charged with finding out why. Sometimes it’s medically related, many times it is diver error, but all are thoroughly investigated to determine what went wrong. In this very popular 90 minute panel discussion, you will get an overview of the Coroner’s work. The actual cases from 2022 will all be presented, covering the accident, the attempted treatment of the victim at the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber, what the accident analysis discovered, and what the takeaway lessons are. So by coming and listening to what is presented from the actual cases, people might pick up some pointers and safety ideas that will prevent them from being one of the subjects in our 2024 presentation.

Explore the latest fitness trends for SCUBA diving. This motivational presentation shares innovative ways to stay fit with fun adaptations to proven methods, encouragement to try something new, crossover sports activities, and tips for advancing to the next FitDiver level. Discussion includes the purposeful use of apps and wearable technology for fitness and underwater enthusiasts. Discover tips to help identify what works best for the individual diver of any age and ability. Attendees receive sample workouts, may enter a drawing for free fitness and wellness prizes, and participate in dynamic Q&A  intervals throughout the seminar.