Welcome to the January edition of Southeast Dive News. As always, we have worked hard on this edition filling it up with information designed to help you become more active in the sport; locally where it really matters.
New Year’s is about new beginnings and we are hopeful and optimistic about what 2012 will bring. I am expecting good things and good fortunes this year. We are working hard to create ever-increasing value for our readership and supporters this year. It has been a lot of hard work but the hard work is beginning to pay off.
This year we are doing a lot of new things. Our online edition is growing fast. By offering ALL of our content online each month, we can offer instant access to the dive information and update it almost instantly. We are also expanding our E-reader with a larger and more comprehensive software upgrade. The new magazine online will incorporate embedded video and better links to other businesses for our readers and supporters. Our physical edition will have this entire content link with QR codes and Smart Tags so those readers can get the digital content on their phones – creating a true hybrid product. In all, it will be a better magazine and better reading experience – coming soon to a magazine near you…
Realizing we are not the only ones innovating, we looked around for similar minded business owners. People who are working hard and have a positive attitude; who are proactively dealing with today’s economy going out and finding business wherever and whenever opportunity presents itself. Victor Dupuis from Low County Scuba is right on track. Located in Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina just outside of Charleston, Victor has responded to the great recession and lionfish invasion by creating and leading lionfish hunting expeditions and barbecues. Buying his own boat, he put trips of people together who pay $150 per day for his charters. Once properly taught, they spear lionfish on these trips. He buys the fish from his customers for $5 each-usually providing $50-100 back to each of his customers per trip. He then sells the fish to some very supportive restaurants located down the breakwater. According to Victor, this is a great win-win. “We created this program with a two fold objective; to make diving more affordable and get more people diving to help control the lionfish population,” Victor says. “The result has been fantastic. I have written myself paychecks, eaten great meals and filled the boat with fuel, so my customers can dive for free.” Pretty cool huh!
We applaud the efforts of Victor and similar minded business owners and managers who are coming up with creative and innovative ways to stay strong and customer friendly in this economy. We know with these people in our industry we are in good company. From our dive family to yours, have a happy new year and we’ll see you out diving in 2012.
-Rick
