Dive Alaska State of the Union
Unicorns, Mexico, New DM’s, & Black Friday All Month
Letter From the Editor
I never quite know how to start these, so I will begin the only way that I can come up with…. by telling you what’s going on at the shop, and what I’m doing while I’m typing.
There’s a PADI IDC kicking off in the classroom, which always blows my mind. I had to go all the way to Florida when I became a PADI instructor, and now we host IDC’s almost every year. Very neat people, under the practiced care of a very neat Tro, our Course Director.
I am currently eating a coffee cup packed with the all the ingredients of a tuna sandwich, sans the bread. I call it a “Cup O’ Toon”. It’s not as bad as it sounds; it’s kinda like a tuna salad, but we didn’t have any bowls at the shop, so I’m making do with my Cup O’ Toon, and a spoon.
No, seriously, it’s not as bad as it sounds. Don’t you judge me!
It’s certainly not as bad as the election cycle that’s wrapping up tomorrow (I’m writing my part of this newsletter on November 2nd). If anything, the last few months have reminded me that I am immensely grateful for all the people in our community that can come together, and just go diving. No politics, no drama, no bulls***.
Just people diving with people, differences put aside for a merciful few hours or days, and the quiet of the water.
So, while I may have no idea how to start these letters, I do know how to end them.
We love you all.
Just. Go. Diving.
– RLF
Table O’ Contents
The worst part of a table of contents is that you don’t have to read the whole email, and all the beautiful, flowery prose that we utilize with the deftness of a surgeon wielding a scalpel, the beauty of a painter with his brush, and the practiced staccato of seamstress with a sewing maching.
With every newsletter, we strive to prove that we have never, and will never, use AI, and if you find any sort of horrific grammatical error, deranged phrasing, or completely nonsensical sentences, it means that we care. We care about you.
And it was definitely on purpose, to prove that. You are all we think about.
But if you don’t want to read everything, here’s how to skip through our lovingly-crafted prose.
- Divemasters Abound (and Well Earned Congratulations)
- The Great Unicorn Hunt Hath Arrived
- Tulum, Mexico 2027: Sea & Cenote
- November Is for Black Friday
- Upcoming Courses for the Rest of the Year
Divemasters Abound (and Well-Earned Congratulations)
We have new PADI Divemasters!
A bigly huge, and well-earned, congratulations to our newest Alaskan Divemasters!
Please join us in congratulating Mallory Gallup, Cody Kapotak, Chris Tydings, Rena Tokita, and Grace Smith!
For those unfamiliar with our Divemaster process, we don’t run the course as a “traditional” course; instead, it’s an internship process that involves a substantial amount of commitment and involvement with classes, and we salute them for their hard work, dedication, and overall just being a rad group of humans.
If you see them, be sure to give them a crisp high-5, handshake, or that knowing nod that two strangers give each other while passing each other on a quiet street, late at night, when they both clearly have somewhere to be.
They earned it.
Let’s go diving, and again, be sure to congratulate them if you see them!
The Great Unicorn Hunt Hath Arrived
The Great Unicorn Hunt is ON!
This is our annual scavenger hunt in Smitty’s Cove, with some neat prizes, lots of exploring, and good fun had by all.
Scuba divers and freedivers are eligible to compete.
Prizes and rules are as follows:
Prizes:
- The Lil’ Chickens: For every Lil’ Chicken you find, you get a $15 gift card to Dive Alaska.
- The Turkeys: The Turkeys cover tuition for you or a friend for one of the following: a free Enriched Air (Nitrox) course, Equipment Specialist course, or Discover Scuba Diving course.
- The Hogs: The Hogs give 20%-off any item of your choosing.
- The Unicorn: The Grand Unicorn is good for a FREE PADI DPV course or PADI Ice Diver course. Should you already have these certifications and find the elusive Unicorn, then mystery prizes await! And they’re probably not a box full of hornets!
Rules:
- Each diver is allowed one small prize (Chicken), one large prize (Turkey or Hog), and one grand prize (Unicorn). No one diver can clean out all the hiding spots themselves.
- The hunt started on October 26th and runs until November 30th. If you have prizes and you can’t make it into the shop, shoot us an email with you holding the prize before the end of the day on November 30th to verify your haul.
- Play fair! Please don’t collect a bunch of prizes and hand them out to your friends. Instead, take them there to collect themselves. All get to search, and nobody likes a hoarder.
Tulum 2027: Sea & Cenote
We’re going back to Tulum, April 16th to 24th, 2027.
And you know what they say? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY?
“Mexico is neat.”
That’s what they say.
Mexico is neat for a number of reasons, but a huge one is that Mexico is a diving destination for everyone.
If you’re an open water diver, cave diver, freediver, or just looking for some chill time swimming in a cenote with your family, you can get yourself to Mexico, and find it. This is a trip for divers.
We’ll be based in a house (more of a luxury compound) within walking distance of Third Dimension’s new dive shop; one of the best dive shops anywhere out there, and right near the heart of Tulum.
If we’re being honest, this is as much of a chance to check out the latest and greatest iteration of 3D, as it is an absolutely awesome opportunity to dive at whatever level you want, and explore the beauty of the Mayan world, above and below water.
Includes:
- 8 nights of proper luxury accommodations in Tulum
- Seriously, it’s two houses, with two pools, and a Jacuzzi.
- 11 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, two full kitchens, and laundry
- This is probably the nicest accommodations we have ever booked for a shop trip, and we’re not going to regret saying that.
- House sleeps 22; trip is capped at 16 people.
- 6 days of diving total.
- Two days, four dives, in the ocean off Akumal, including pick-up and drop-off from house.
- Four days, eight dives, in the absolutely stunning caverns, cenote and caves in the surrounding area.
- Guide fees, cenote fees, nitrox tank rental, and access fees included.
- All boat fees, gear storage, and full access to housing complex.
- Wi-Fi, AC in every room, and concierge service available on request.
What Is Not Included:
- Transfer to-and-from the airport
- Extra gear rental (outside tanks and weight)
- Tips for boat crew/divemasters/guides
- Meals, beverages, or a can-do attitude
- Wet, cold sheds
Total cost of the trip is $2,269. Deposit for the trip is $1,269.
Balance for the trip is due January 1st, 2027. Deposits are fully refundable prior to January 1st, 2027.
November Is For Black Friday
November is for Black Friday sales, and as opposed to making everyone wait until one or two days, we’re running these specials from the day this letter comes out, until the end of the month.
The concept of Black Friday is kinda dated anyway, and we’d rather you get the opportunities meow, rather than later. Plus, with the… turbulent election cycle we were all just subjected to, we weren’t really in the mood for targeting a specific day as any more special than the rest.
Boy howdy, did the spam calling and texts get annoying.
So, if you were going to wait for Black Friday, wait u no more. It is Upon Thee.
- Set the Stage: USED AL80’s with stage rigging and MOD stickers for $399, air or 32% is free on first fill.
- Tech Diver’s Special: buy any set of double tanks or stage cylinder, and get your first gas fill half-off (trimix, oxygen, deco gasses).
- Get Rec’d (recreational dubs): buy any set of doubles, and get a v-weight for $49 (because we’re the 49 th state. We’re the first people to ever make a sale like that. Crazy.)
- Used tanks starting at $325
- BTGT Trimix Fills (that is not a clear acronym at all. Buy two, get three)
- Rental Regulator Sets from $555.55.
- Drysuit Discounts Galore, starting at refurbished suits for $500.
Seriously, we have so many refurbished suits right now. We’re more drysuit storage than dive shop. Please. Help.
- $96.69 3mm Select Overstock Wetsuits
- $175 SCBA Shop Tanks (for your garage, shop, or car tires, but not for scoob)
- We also have “Garage Kits” for these cylinders, so you can use them to power air tools, inflate tires, blow out cobwebs, etc.
- $100-off Select, New 7mm Freediving Wetsuits. Thazza a Benjamin.
- Reclaimed 4-5 lb Lead Weights for $20 p/weight
- Any jacket-style BCD in our rental line is $500.
- Need a pool wetsuit? Any rental line wetsuit is $75.00. Any and all. Over 1/3 are fully intact. Some are even nice.
- Buy a DAK BP&W system, and get either a) an aluminum plate for just $108 or, b) free trim pockets.
- The Canadian (Side)mounties: Buy any in-stock Halcyon sidemount system, and get free weight pouches for your system, or a free exploration pouch (up to $124 savings).
- Buy a set of doubles, and get a free PADI Doubles Diver Specialty (a $750 course)!
- Free grip kit w/ purchase of any pole spear. If you ask nicely, we will also install it for you!
- 10% off any in-house drysuit along with our typical inclusive warranty on any and all defects, good for 12 months on basically all of it. Get warm for winter!
- Order a new, premium Santi or DUI Drysuit and get 20%-off any in-stock undergarment.
- 10% off any pre-ordered Garmin merchandise (all in-stock models are currently for inventory, so you will have to wait 3, maybe even 4 days). This includes their wicked new, fully-functional smartwatch/dive watch combo.
- Buy any Scubapro travel bag (duffel or roller style) and get a free mesh bag!
- Buy any dive computer and get a free Pro Compass.
- Buy any used tank and get 3 free fills of either nitrox or air in that tank!
- $175 Transfill Whips
- 10%-off any in-stock analyzers
- 15%-off any in-stock multitools or tool kits
- Buy any deco/stage regulator (1st & 2nd stage, and 40” LP hose) and get the 6” HP hose and Thinline SPG for free!
- Buy two Limited Edition Cerakote/Anodized Dual-Face BAR/PSI SPG’s, and get a Dual-Face Thinline Stage SPG for free!
- Manage to sneak cooked spaghetti in any pocket in or around Josh’s personal items and receive a $69.00 credit to any class of your choosing.
- Purchase of any light over $200 comes with either a free flishy-flashy (strobe) or attachment bolt snap. Any light over $400 comes with both.
- 10%-off and free shipping to the shop on any and all pre-ordered video lights from brands we carry. Just ask if u want u sum lumens.
- 15%-off any in-stock dive watches.
- Buy a DPV and we’ll teach you how to use it. Purchase of a DPV comes with free tuition in either our upcoming DPV course, December 1st & 2nd, or any future course, if those dates don’t work. $400-value! Priceless memories! Pure speed! Zippy-dee-dpv-da!
- Buy any spear gun or spear fishing accessories worth more than $300 and get a free stringer.
- Buy a Titanium Spanner Wrench, and get a free Wetnotes DivePRO Multi-Tool. Tucks under the cover of your wetnotes nicely.
- Spend $600, and get a free t-shirt and mask strap.
- Bring in any food item, gently place it into the mouth of whoever is behind the counter, and get 10%-off any single Scubapro item, no questions asked. (Unless it is Grace, she is allergic to the world of food.)
- 10%-off in-stock Spyderco Knives
Upcoming Courses for 2026-27
- PADI Open Water: Wednesday, November 11th – Sunday, November 22nd
- Nitrox: Monday, November 16th
- PADI Drysuit: Thursday, November 19th – Sunday, November 22nd
- PADI Advanced Open Water: Saturday, November 28th – Sunday, November 29th
- Emergency First Response: Monday, November 30th
- Emergency Oxygen Provider: Monday, November 30th
- PADI Rescue: Wednesday, December 2nd – Sunday, December 6th
- PADI Open Water: Wednesday, December 2nd – Sunday, December 13th
- Nitrox: Monday, December 7th
- PADI Drysuit: Thursday, December 10th – Sunday, December 13th
- PADI Freediver: Wednesday, December 16th – Sunday, December 20th
- PADI Open Water: Monday, December 28th – Sunday, January 10th