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US Authorities catch up with on-the-run British boat operators responsible for diver’s death

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Authorities in the US are to extradite two Florida Keys dive-boat operators who were indicted for the death of a tourist who drowned when their vessel capsized off Key Largo in December 2011.

Christopher Jones, 50, and Alison Gracey, 47, both British nationals, are facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and making a false statement to authorities, according to a Miami federal indictment unsealed earlier this week.

The accident claimed the life of Aimee Rhoads, 36, a married mother from Washington state who had traveled to Florida to go scuba diving. Her husband, Pat Rhoads, started a blog to honor his wife. After learning of the arrests, he wrote that he “never expected this day to come.”

“No matter how much time they do, it won’t be enough to make up for Aimee’s loss. But I don’t plan to dwell on that,” he wrote. “While I do hope for justice, that is part of their life’s path, not mine. Whether or not they go to jail impacts them, not me.”

Jones and Gracey were arrested this month on the Caribbean island of St. Martin, and will be extradited to South Florida to stand trial in federal court.

In 2011, they ran a company called Key Largo Scuba Shack, operating a 25-foot charter boat called “Get Wet.” The boat had just left Molasses Reef off Key Largo when it started to take on water, trapping customers in the forward cabin, authorities said. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the two operated the boat in an “unlawful and grossly reckless manner,” then lied about the boat’s ownership when questioned by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Another tourist, Amit Rampurkarl, of New York, was trapped inside the cabin and and had to be transported to a hospital in critical condition.

The other six people aboard the boat, including the captain and one crew member, all survived with no major injuries.

The tragedy happened not long after the divers completed their first of two planned dives at Molasses Reef, a popular spot about 30 feet deep and a few miles offshore of Key Largo in the Atlantic Ocean.

The boat had just left one mooring spot and was en route to a second dive location on the large reef when it began taking on water. Witnesses estimated it sank in “about two minutes.”

The couple left the Keys for the Bahamas following the accident. Federal authorities indicted Jones and Gracey in 2013, but had been unable to locate them. According to the St. Martin news, the couple had been living on the Dutch side of the island since earlier this year.

Source: www.miamiherald.com

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Shearwater Reveals Shearwater Jetpack for Avelo Diving

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Shearwater Research Inc. has announced its expansion into the development and manufacturing of specialized dive equipment. The company unveiled the Shearwater Jetpack for Avelo diving last weekend at an industry event in Long Beach, California.

This follows the announcement of a strategic R&D partnership between Shearwater and Avelo Labs in late 2024, uniting Shearwater’s technical expertise and product excellence with Avelo’s groundbreaking innovation. The Avelo System challenges decades of convention in scuba equipment design by replacing heavy, complex setups with a streamlined, intuitive system built around two key innovations: the Hydrotank and the Jetpack.

The result is a much lighter dive system that supports optimal buoyancy control while enhancing precision and underwater agility. With over 11,000 dives logged on the Avelo System to date, the performance improvements are clear—it doesn’t just simplify buoyancy, it transforms the entire diving experience.

The new Shearwater Jetpack is purpose-built to maximize comfort and unlock the full potential of the Avelo System. It features onboard gas pressure monitoring and seamless integration with Shearwater dive computers using the Avelo Mode, enabling precision gas tracking, buoyancy prediction, and real-time performance analytics.

shearwater jetpack

“Shearwater was founded with an intense focus to deliver powerful, simple, and reliable solutions for technical divers,” said Jason Leggatt, CEO of Shearwater Research. “Our goal is to truly grow the technical diving community long-term, and to do that the industry needs to deliver better dive experiences so divers are more likely to commit to their diving journey.  Shearwater made its first move into recreational diving with the Peregrine and Tern lines, but there has been no transformational innovation in the category—until now. Our collaboration with Avelo is not a departure from our roots; it’s additive. We’re lending Shearwater’s technical capability and commitment to product excellence to help build a simply better dive experience—built better from the very beginning.”

The Shearwater Jetpack for Avelo diving offers dive shops and instructors a compelling new way to engage divers, delivering a differentiated, data-rich experience that encourages progression and retention.

“As someone who grew up on the instructional side of diving, I saw firsthand the frustrations many divers face,” said Aviad Cahana, CEO of Avelo Labs. “I’ve always had an innate mindset of challenging the status quo. I kept asking: Why is scuba gear so heavy? Why can’t we make the experience better? Those questions drove the invention of the Avelo System. Our partnership with Shearwater is the next step in realizing that vision.”

Together, Shearwater and Avelo aim to grow the diving community by improving first-time experiences, increasing accessibility, and advancing diver performance through cutting-edge technology.

Concept demonstrator units of the Shearwater Jetpack will make its global debut at the Long Beach Scuba Show, May 31–June 1, 2025. The final configuration and full feature set will be announced with commercial plans at DEMA 2025 in Orlando, Florida.

Find out more about Shearwater products at shearwater.com.

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Gear News

Gear Showcase: DYNAMICNORD RB-10 Rock Boot

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The DYNAMICNORD RB-10 rock boot has been specially developed for professional use. It is made of highly resistant materials and features innovative technologies. As a result, the boot sets new standards for demanding professionals who expect the highest quality and performance.

The rock boot boasts an innovative drainage system that ensures unrivalled comfort. After just ten steps ashore, the rock boot is completely free of water. The diving boot has an extra wide opening, which allows you to put it on and take it off effortlessly.

The highly resistant materials of the RB-10 rock boot offer a perfect combination of robustness and flexibility. The high-tech upper material does not absorb water and therefore dries extremely quickly.

The rock boot’s unique lacing system, including the lacing elements, ensures that you won’t experience any uncomfortable pressure points on your foot when wearing your fins. The laces themselves are made of a heavy-duty technical mesh that ensures that they won’t come undone even when wet. The shoelaces can be completely stowed away in the rock boot’s well thought-out shoelace pocket for maximum safety.

Thanks to the special lacing, you can also achieve optimum volume adjustment within the boot, which makes it ideal for various drysuits or neoprene socks.

Particularly noteworthy is the sole system with the Vibram sole, which is highly puncture-resistant. The honeycomb design imitates the natural movement of barefoot running and offers an unrivalled running sensation. The rock boot’s wide, deep zigzag tread guarantees optimum grip, while the rubber toe cap effectively protects the material from abrasion. In combination with the boot’s structural insole, this ensures that you won’t feel any unevenness even on rocky terrain.

The diving boot’s ergonomic insole offers additional comfort thanks to its innovative cushioning.

The RB-10 rock boot was developed for a temperature range of -5°C to +30°C and offers outstanding performance in both cold and warm climates.

Tested by specialists, made by experts.

Designed and engineered in Germany. Made in Europe.

DYNAMICNORD – Your Outdoor Companion.

www.dynamicnord.com

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