Ocean Athlete is thrilled to have the legendary John Chatterton as a friend, endorsee and honored member of the OA Advisory Board. One of the world’s preeminent wreck divers, John has pioneered groundbreaking techniques in technical diving that have allowed him to make historic discoveries while exploring deep water shipwrecks around the globe. He is the popular star of the History Channel's hit series Deep Sea Detectives and a diving consultant to networks and production companies including PBS, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, CBS and HBO.

In 1991, John and his dive partner Richie Kohler made the stunning discovery of the German submarine U-869 off the coast of New Jersey. The six-year exploration was the subject of the 2004 New York Times bestseller, Shadow Divers by Rob Kurson, and chronicled in the two-hour special Hitler's Lost Sub for the PBS series NOVA. John's 2005 expedition to the Titanic was featured on the History Channel in the award-winning program, Titanic's Final Moments - Missing Pieces. The findings of the dramatic deep-sea mission are also depicted in Titanic's Last Secrets, the new bestselling book by Brad Matsen.

John’s remarkable career also includes 20 years working as a commercial diver in and around New York City. He was working underwater beneath the World Trade Center complex on September 11, 2001. John is a combat veteran of the Vietnam war and an active supporter of SUDS (Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba), the diving program that aids in the rehabilitation of injured soldiers and marines returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Today, John spends much of his time in the Dominican Republic where he and his partners search for colonial era shipwrecks on a contract with the Dominican government. John and his lovely wife Carla have homes in Harpswell, Maine, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Photo credits: Kevin Morris (top photo); Stephen Frink (bottom photo).

12 Tips for Planning Your Live-Aboard Trip

A live-aboard trip can be a fun and exciting way to dive. However, you need to think about the details in advance and plan before you go aboard. Here's an important checklist:

1. Do your homework, and be prepared. Research your boat. Test your equipment. Know your destination. Have a plan in your head. Be totally prepared.

2. Focus on quality, not quantity. A single, well planned dive is a lot more fun than a bunch of half-baked dives. Getting your money's worth is not just about BT.

3. If you need anything special from the operator, like Pomegranate juice, or a special pillow, make your requests in advance or keep your mouth shut. Don't be a pain in the butt. If you need something special and they don't have it, it is your fault.

4. Take everything you will need, and that is it. Space is at a premium onboard. Use soft, collapsible luggage that will take up little space. Think function, not fashion. Then again, you are there to have fun, so pack accordingly. If you and your equipment are prepared, you should need very little in the way of "extras."

5. Make sure you have the right essentials:

• Consider extra thermal protection: When you dive all day, you'll get colder than normal. Think about a thicker suit.
• Change batteries, straps, and o-rings that might fail on the trip, ahead of time. If it might let you down, change it out.
• Carry safety signaling equipment: Whistle, air-powered alert horn, safety sausage, cyalume sticks, and/or strobe lights.
• Bring a travel-size power strip for your electrical needs, as plug space may be limited.
• Toiletries: Whatever you use, bring it. Especially deodorant.

6. Arrive ahead of time if possible, certainly not late. Depending on your destination and the travel required to get there, you might want to plan your arrival at the live-aboard's departure point a day or so in advance.

7. Many live-aboard destinations will arrange land-based excursions around your diving destination. When I was diving in New Zealand, I spent a few days on the vineyard tours and had a blast. You can work through the operator, or go it on your own.

8. Take a specialty course, and use your trip as an opportunity to make yourself a better diver. Make that request early in the planning process so you can arrive prepared.

9. Use Nitrox if available. This is a no brainer.

10. Tip well. Crews work hard and are paid less in salary, with the expectation of tips. Check with the operator ahead of time, but the standard tip amount is about 10 to 15 percent of your total charter price. Have cash, and budget the tips into your total expenses ahead of time.

11. Have your dive insurance information handy, and make sure you are up to date. This is another no brainer. If you don't have insurance, you should not be diving. . Carry your insurance card and your C-card.

12. Arrive physically and mentally fit to dive. An upcoming live-aboard trip is a great excuse to get back into shape, lose a few pounds, reread your diving manuals, and focus on your chi.

Be totally prepared. I said it before, but it is worth repeating.

Dive safe and have fun!

I was recently in Morehead City, N.C., for the Mike Norwood Memorial Dive Weekend at Olympus Dive Center to help raise money for Divers Alert Network (DAN). DAN, which is affiliated with the world-renowned Duke University Medical Center, is a non-profit medical and research organization dedicated to the safety and health of recreational scuba divers.

Supported by the largest association of recreational divers in the world, DAN operates diving's only 24-hour emergency hotline, a lifesaving service for injured divers. DAN also develops and provides educational programs for everyone from beginning divers to medical professionals.

DAN's mission is to provide emergency medical advice and assistance for underwater diving injuries, to work to prevent injuries and to promote diving safety. DAN is supported by membership dues and donations. In return, members receive a number of important benefits including emergency medical evacuation assistance, DAN educational publications, a subscription to Alert Diver magazine, and access to diving's first and foremost accident insurance coverage. They truly are pioneers in diving safety and education. Check them out at www.diversalertnetwork.org.

Morehead City is also near the headquarters of Ocean Athlete. It was great seeing all my OA friends and catching up during a terrific weekend of diving and good times! I’d like to thank them for their support of SUDS and look forward to seeing everyone again soon.

I hope you'll check back here regularly for new information I'll be posting each month. Until then,

JC