DEMA 2019

November 13, 2019

Howard and Michael 

 

DEMA 2019

The largest annual trade show for the scuba diving industry is the DEMA (Dive Equipment and Manufacturing Association) show that is held each November. I have been attending for many, many years, first through my job as Project Director at Reef Relief and for the past dozen years or so for my current employer, RPM Nautical Foundation. In recent years the show has been held in alternate years in Las Vegas and Orlando with this year’s show tapped for the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

Howard

Due to the proximity, I was able to drive from Key West to Orlando, stopping to pick-up my colleague and fellow attendee, Howard at his home in Miramar so we could head there together and spend the week at the trade show. The show has been a very successful event for RPM Nautical over the years as we have been able to make great contacts, get sponsorships and equipment donations from various partners in the dive industry. We also attend many of the various seminars and training sessions that help both in the technical aspect of our diving activities as well as business activities.

Other than that the show is, to me at least a pretty boring exercise, standard trade show stuff with a huge convention floor of interesting vendors representing all manner of aspects of the scuba diving industry. Howard and I each spent hours roaming the convention, meeting with dive industry reps and attending seminars so when the opportunity arises to do something fun out and about in Orlando after the show is completed for the day, we always try and take advantage of where we are.

Last year we took in a UNLV basketball game and had a lot of fun, so this year we decided to check out another early season college basketball clash between the local team, The UCF Golden Knights and their instate rivals the Hurricanes of the University of Miami. Before heading to the game, we grabbed dinner at 4 Rivers Smokehouse, which is one of the top-rated BBQ places in Orlando as part of my quest to experience as many of the greatest BBQ restaurants in the USA. 

 

4 Rivers was just ok, actually it was pretty good, just not in the realm of many of the top-tiered places that I have been to over the past few years.  The game was held at the UCF Addition Financial Arena, a nice mid-sized college basketball facility that hosted a decent crowd for what was one of their first games of the season. Howard and I had great seats in the front row, just off the floor to catch all the action.

The crowd was way more boisterous and excited than the game we went to last season at UNLV and the fairly large band and student section was full throated throughout the game. UCF was coming off a spectacular season last year where they were 24-8, falling by a single point to top ranked Duke in the NCAA tournament. Coached by former Duke and NBA star Johnny Dawkins, the Golden Knights played pretty well though the first half, before Miami pulled away late for a 79-70 victory over the home team in what was a hard fought though fairly mistake filled early season tilt.

Coach Dawkins

 

I expect both teams to improve upon this performance as the season goes on and both are capable of having respectable seasons. They will hopefully be able to erase the frequent fouls, turnovers and poor shooting that plagued both teams at times during this game. Miami was led by Kameron McGusty, who scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Harlond Beverly had 15 points.

 

 

It was a fun first day and evening in Orlando and it was nice to be able to enjoy a little college basketball with my buddy Howard. It is one thing that I really miss living in Key West, there just are no real opportunities to catch much college and professional sports on the island, so I try and take it in when I get the chance.