NAUI Sponsored

Workshops

Saturday

12:00PM-1:00PM

Essex Room 2nd Floor

Curious why the diving world is talking about Avelo? In this session, we break down the Avelo System from physics to practice. See how adding water, rather than air, creates stable neutral buoyancy that stays constant regardless of depth changes, reducing task load and improving safety. Explore the design of the Hydrotank and Jetpack to learn why the weight savings, an average of 30 pounds (13.6 kg), make entries, exits, and surface swims easier. We will also show how Avelo Mode on Shearwater and Scubapro computers uses gas tracking and buoyancy analytics to help divers refine their technique on every dive. Whether you teach new students, create images, or are an expert diver, see how Avelo can enhance safety, extend bottom time, and elevate the entire dive experience. 

NAUI Workshop Series open to all Boston Sea Rovers International Ocean Clinic participants available at no cost or registration unless otherwise stated.  

    Brian V

Brian A. Verkaart is an electromechanical engineering visionary and the Chief Technology Officer at Avelo Labs. Under his leadership, Avelo has pioneered transformative scuba innovations, including advanced buoyancy control systems that enhance accessibility, safety, and the overall diving experience for both recreational and professional divers.

With over 20 years of multidisciplinary expertise spanning aerospace engineering, biomedical R&D, and electromechanical systems, Brian brings a unique fusion of technical mastery and creative problem-solving to the scuba industry. His dedication to redefining dive technology positions him as a key thought leader shaping the future of underwater exploration.

 

 

NAUI Sponsored

Workshops

Saturday

4:00PM – 4:45PM

Essex Room 2nd Floor

4:00 – 4:45: “Beverly’s Ghost Gear Challenge: A Winter Recovery Mission” 

Presenter: Capt. Peter Dickman, Beverly Harbormaster 

Abstract: 

Lobstering has shaped the North Shore for centuries, transforming lobster from “poor man’s food” into a valuable commercial fishery and a core part of the region’s maritime heritage. As fishing gear 

evolved from wood to long-lasting wire, new challenges emerged. Lost or abandoned lobster traps can persist on the seafloor for decades, continuing to capture marine life in a process called ghost fishing. This derelict gear harms habitat, affects fisheries, and is a growing concern in harbors worldwide. 

Harbormaster Peter Dickman will explain how recent changes in maritime law have made it possible for coastal communities to address this issue and will present plans for the Beverly Harbor Derelict Trap Recovery Project. Funded through a Fishing Trap Removal Assessment and Prevention program grant from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the project will use scuba-based recovery operations over two winter periods to locate, remove, and document abandoned traps, improve marine habitat, and support sustainable reuse or recycling of recovered materials. Learn about this collaborative effort to protect marine life, support sustainable fishing, and honor the working waterfront tradition. 

Presenter Bio: 

Capt. Peter Dickman has served as Harbormaster for Beverly, Massachusetts, since July 2022 and is a lifelong mariner and Beverly native. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and a Master 100-ton Merchant Mariner Credential. Capt. Dickman has hands-on experience in maritime safety, vessel operations, and local waters management, and will be spearheading a derelict fishing trap recovery project in Beverly Harbor. A dedicated environmental steward, he unites local divers, fishermen, students, and organizations to protect and restore the harbor, creating lasting benefits for the marine environment. 

Photo/Video

Workshops

Saturday

9:00AM-12:00PM

Newburyport Room

Beyond Good Dive Practice, Photo Technique and Image Workflow: A Lifetime’s Worth of Cardinal Rules and Core Concepts for Making the Best U/W Photographs Possible

Tom Easop has spent a lifetime photographing the underwater world. From this experience, he has developed Core Concepts and Cardinal Rules to optimize underwater image making. Using these concepts and rules led to unique, optimized practices, techniques and workflows. In this workshop I will teach you my concepts and rules as well as the resulting “hands-on” skills you can immediately put into practice. Organized chronologically before, during, and after a dive trip the topics include:    What to prioritize in your equipment budget    Preparing your equipment for travel and use    Best practices before and after the dive    Speed light vs. continuous light, tripods, backscatter tactics    White point(s)    Focus tactics – not wasting depth of field    Automatic vs. manual exposure tactics    Recognizing your luck, learning from ‘mistakes’    Making ‘mistakes’, making your own ‘luck’    Combining techniques    Safe capture storage    File types, Pixel Geography, color space & ‘The Color Dimension’    Lightroom vs. Photoshop, and other applications for post-processing    Combining digital tools    HDR, image masking    HRLA USM, sharpening    Non destructive workflow    Cataloguing images & session folders    Plus planning, testing, and practicingThis is by far the most valuable workshop I have ever developed, imparting the most important information I’ve learned through photography and retouching schools, shooting and print making workshops, research, underwater camera building, and most of all – 45 years of experience of underwater photography. It will be time well spent for any underwater photographer or videographer regardless of skill level.

Saturday 9AM-12PM – $80

NAUI Sponsored

Workshops

Saturday

5:00PM-6:00PM

Essex Room 2nd Floor

NAUI Workshop Series Boston Sea Rovers International Ocean Clinic

Saturday March 14th 5:00 – 6:00 – Diver Propulsion Vehicle Workshop / DPV Overview 

Workshop Description: Diver Propulsion Vehicle workshop provides an introduction and familiarization with DPV equipment, basic handling concepts, and core safety considerations in a shallow, controlled environment. The focus is on orientation, ergonomics, awareness, and procedural understanding rather than operational proficiency. This workshop is not a certification course, does not confer open-water DPV competency, and does not replace formal DPV training conducted in appropriate open-water conditions. 

 

Heison Chak is a Recreational, Technical, and CCR instructor with over a decade of experience in teaching and mentoring divers. His unwavering commitment to dive safety is exemplified by his extensive contributions to the Ontario Underwater Council (OUC) since 2015, where he served as Director of Sport Safety before being elected President.

As a NAUI Course Director and Technical Instructor Examiner, Heison works closely with NAUI HQ to shape the next generation of diving leaders. Through his involvement in Leadership Conferences and the NAUI Mobile Training Team, he focuses on cultivating the skills and leadership qualities of aspiring divers, fostering a culture of safety, excellence, and innovation within the diving community.

David Caldwell has had a lifelong career in the scuba industry, beginning by working at a dive store while in high school. In 1987 he became an open water scuba instructor where his passion led him to Grenada West Indies leading dives to the noted shipwreck, Bianca C. Returning from the Grenada he became the co-owner and president of the dive store where he first learned how to dive. Following his tenure being a dive store owner David co-founded Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions, Inc. NADE focuses on shipwreck diving, exploration, technical diving training and leadership development. Along with being the co-owner he is a co-captain of the dive charter boat Gauntlet and is the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada’s regional manager for NAUI Worldwide.

David continues to follow his passions of cave and mine diving throughout the U.S. and Europe, he has had the privilege to dive some of the worlds notable shipwrecks off the eastern seaboard of the U.S., Canada, South Pacific, Red Sea, South China Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, he has co-led shipwreck discoveries in his local waters, including the USS Nezinscot, Allentown, among many others, and has collaborated on research projects with NOAA in support of exploration in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

Through his position with NAUI Worldwide, David is a Course Director Trainer and Technical Examiner, he is a fellow member of the Explorers Club, associate member of the Boston Sea Rovers. David is also employed as an Assistant Harbormaster for the City of Beverly Massachusetts and is a member of the board of directors for Salem Sound Coast Watch. Parallel to having a career in the dive industry, he’s had an industry career in global product management and application engineering.

Please email dcaldwell@naui.org for more information.

 

NAUI Sponsored

Workshops

Sunday

8AM – noon

Hotel Pool

Sunday March 15^th 8:00am – 12:00pm – Diver Propulsion Vehicle Pool / In-water Workshop

DPV pool demo fee $45.00

Follow up Pool Session from Saturday DPV Overview

Diver Propulsion Vehicle workshop provides an introduction and familiarization with DPV equipment, basic handling concepts, and core safety considerations in a shallow, controlled environment. The focus is on orientation, ergonomics, awareness, and procedural understanding rather than operational proficiency. This workshop is not a certification course, does not confer open-water DPV competency, and does not replace formal DPV training conducted in appropriate open-water conditions.

Required Equipment –

Single Tank, Back Plate, with Crotch Strap & Single Tank Wing – (Standard BCD are not adequate unless fitted with a crotch strap), Regulator Setup, Wetsuit or Drysuit, appropriate weighting, Mask, Fins.

Heison Chak is a Recreational, Technical, and CCR instructor with over a decade of experience in teaching and mentoring divers. His unwavering commitment to dive safety is exemplified by his extensive contributions to the Ontario Underwater Council (OUC) since 2015, where he served as Director of Sport Safety before being elected President.

As a NAUI Course Director and Technical Instructor Examiner, Heison works closely with NAUI HQ to shape the next generation of diving leaders. Through his involvement in Leadership Conferences and the NAUI Mobile Training Team, he focuses on cultivating the skills and leadership qualities of aspiring divers, fostering a culture of safety, excellence, and innovation within the diving community.

David Caldwell has had a lifelong career in the scuba industry, beginning by working at a dive store while in high school. In 1987 he became an open water scuba instructor where his passion led him to Grenada West Indies leading dives to the noted shipwreck, Bianca C. Returning from the Grenada he became the co-owner and president of the dive store where he first learned how to dive. Following his tenure being a dive store owner David co-founded Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions, Inc. NADE focuses on shipwreck diving, exploration, technical diving training and leadership development. Along with being the co-owner he is a co-captain of the dive charter boat Gauntlet and is the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada’s regional manager for NAUI Worldwide.

 

David continues to follow his passions of cave and mine diving throughout the U.S. and Europe, he has had the privilege to dive some of the worlds notable shipwrecks off the eastern seaboard of the U.S., Canada, South Pacific, Red Sea, South China Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, he has co-led shipwreck discoveries in his local waters, including the USS Nezinscot, Allentown, among many others, and has collaborated on research projects with NOAA in support of exploration in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

 

Through his position with NAUI Worldwide, David is a Course Director Trainer and Technical Examiner, he is a fellow member of the Explorers Club, associate member of the Boston Sea Rovers. David is also employed as an Assistant Harbormaster for the City of Beverly Massachusetts and is a member of the board of directors for Salem Sound Coast Watch. Parallel to having a career in the dive industry, he’s had an industry career in global product management and application engineering.

 

Please email dcaldwell@naui.org for more information.

Family Day

Workshops

Sunday

10AM – 2PM

Marblehead Room 2nd Floor

Sunday Kids Day, March 15, 2026!

Fun ocean related activities and programs during the day from 10am-2pm.

Admission to these special Sunday Kids Day programs for children and adults is FREE!* Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Activities and presentations take place upstairs in the Marblehead Room on the Second Floor (Access by ballroom staircase).

Ocean Related Fun for Kids in 2026 includes:

10:30am-2pm Traveling Tidepool from the Seacoast Science Center: Get up close and personal!

10-10:30am 

10:45-11:15am 

11:30am-12pm 

 12-12:30pm: Lunch Break

12:30-1pm 

1:15-1:45pm 

*Please note: While Sunday Kids Day events are FREE, Tickets are required for the regular Boston Sea Rovers Saturday and Sunday Adult Daytime programs and Saturday Evening Film Festival.

NAUI Sponsored

Workshops

Saturday

2:00PM – 2:45 PM

Essex Room 2nd Floor

 

This session examines the leading triggers identified in DAN accident analyses and translates them into practical steps divers can take to reduce risk. We’ll explore common patterns behind incidents, highlight simple countermeasures that strengthen decision making and situational awareness, and outline how small habits can significantly improve safety on every dive. 

Diving since 2002, Heison Chak has explored Great Lakes shipwrecks and Florida’s submerged caves, uncovering hidden histories beneath the water. Passionate about mentoring divers, he provides training that opens pathways into technical and cave diving. Heison served on the 2023 and 2025 NAUI Technical Subcommittee and currently leads as President of the Ontario Underwater Council and Standards Trustee for GUE. Through his involvement with NAUI and DAN instructor training programs, he is committed to advancing dive safety, nurturing leadership, and inspiring the next generation of divers to approach exploration with curiosity, discipline, and a sense of discovery.

Dive Programs

Workshops

Sunday

9:30AM-12:30PM

Newburyport Room

Scouts Oceanography Merit Badge

Sunday March 16, 2025 9:30 – 1PM

Merit Badge Councilors

Mark Fregeau PhD.

Woody Tinsley

Scouts should bring Blue Cards and printed out copy of Oceanography Merit Badge Workbook

Schedule:

9:30AM – 1PM:   Merit Badge Activities – Newburyport Room on 2^ndfloor of Hotel

Questions? Email Mark Fregeau

Register (where you purchase tickets under BSR Sponsored Workshops)

Animals

Workshops

Saturday

9:00AM-5:00PM

Gloucester Room

FREE ALL WEEKEND SEASHELL EXHIBIT
-second floor Mezzanine-Gloucester Room-

Saturday 9:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Drop by and see educational exhibits of seashells from the world over and learn about their habitats, biodiversity and ecology and their use in food, science, medicine, on stamps, and in art and crafts.

Bring your own seashells and learn how to identify it with the help of experts on mollusks who will be available to assist you and teach you how to use some of the best seashell identification books.

Choose your own seashells from one of the world’s beaches at our 'seashell adoption table' provided by our members.

When you visit the exhibit be sure to sign up for an opportunity to take home the special Door Prize — a collection of unique seashells and a book about mollusks

Sponsored by the Boston Malacological Club
Founded in 1910

Join one of the world's oldest active seashell groups for fun and educational monthly meetings in Cambridge, Mass.  For information contact:
George Buckley – gbuckley@fas.harvard.edu

Please note the contact information below is for informational purposes only – No registration is required!

Animals

Workshops

Sunday

9:00AM-3:00PM

Gloucester Room

FREE ALL WEEKEND SEASHELL EXHIBIT
-second floor Mezzanine-Gloucester Room-

Saturday 9:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Drop by and see educational exhibits of seashells from the world over and learn about their habitats, biodiversity and ecology and their use in food, science, medicine, on stamps, and in art and crafts.

Bring your own seashells and learn how to identify it with the help of experts on mollusks who will be available to assist you and teach you how to use some of the best seashell identification books.

Choose your own seashells from one of the world’s beaches at our 'seashell adoption table' provided by our members.

When you visit the exhibit be sure to sign up for an opportunity to take home the special Door Prize — a collection of unique seashells and a book about mollusks

Sponsored by the Boston Malacological Club
Founded in 1910

Join one of the world's oldest active seashell groups for fun and educational monthly meetings in Cambridge, Mass.  For information contact:
George Buckley – gbuckley@fas.harvard.edu

Please note the contact information below is for informational purposes only – No registration is required!

NAUI Sponsored

Workshops

Saturday

3:00PM – 3:45PM

Essex Room 2nd Floor

NAUI Workshop Series Boston Sea Rovers International Ocean Clinic

“

3:00 – 3:45 – “The Power of Breathing Simply – A Diver's Exploration of Breath” 

Presenters – Kreig Pinkham & Jeannine Russell 

Abstract: 

In this interactive workshop we’re going to take a moment to catch our breath and dive into the respiratory system from a diver’s perspective. We’ll examine how one complex system unlocks the key to buoyancy, controlling our state of mind, and maintaining basic life functions. Additionally, we will explore some simple breathing exercises that can be used to enhance your breath including diaphragmatic breathing, square breathing, and other forms of yogic breath control. Finally, we’ll introduce the 5 Tibetan Rites – an ancient series of stretches that can easily be incorporated into your daily fitness routine to stretch your chest and improve lung capacity and resiliency. 

For full participation, loose fitting clothing and a yoga mat or hotel towel will be helpful. 

Kreig Pinkham is the NAUI Technical Instructor and Training Director at Waterfront Diving Center and holds a master’s degree in religion with a focus on comparative mythologies.  Jeannine Russell is the Archeology Officer for the Vermont Agency of Transportation and a NAUI Assistant Instructor.  Together they promote the development of diving in Lake Champlain as the principal organizers behind the Waterfront Diving Center’s community events calendar.

 

Dive Programs

Workshops

Saturday

10:00AM-2:00PM

Waterpark Pool

Ever want to try scuba!  Discover what it's like to going beneath the waves

Dive On It Scuba will be hosting the annual Try Scuba event at Boston Sea Rovers again this year.   

Space for these events is limited and is first-come, first-served.

Registration at https://diveonit.square.site/tryscubasearovers