Stoked about Surfing

While for some, surfing is a mere recreational activity, for others it is an art form, a cultural way of life, and a nearly religious experience. Surfing has waxed and waned in popularity since its inception in the1700’s, but there’s no doubting its present status as one of the coolest and most “radical” sports on [...]

Surf-Banner Surf-Banner

Manta Rays: Grace Under Water

Manta Rays are some of the MOST beautiful sea creatures on the planet!  They “fly” through the water with grace and launch themselves into the air to soar for a few glorious seconds before splashing down. Their movement is elegant and AWESOME, and they are amazingly friendly. Peter Stone has transformed the beauty and majesty [...]

Manta-banner Manta-banner

Dive Holiday Destinations

DiveSilver, founded by longtime seafarer and diver Peter Koslowski, well recognizes the beauty and peace of an undersea journey… which is why we want to offer our tips on the best dive holiday destinations… and our beautiful sterling silver dive jewelry to commemorate what will be your best vacation ever!

Indonesia

Coral reefs, volcanic boulders, and shipwrecks [...]

Peter and the Sea

Even the most cursory exploration of the Peter Stone website will reveal  hints about the connection with the sea that powers the passion behind our jewelry, and longtime fans who are familiar with the DiveSilver line (and website!) will have no doubt that the ocean has left its mark on Peter Stone founder, Peter Koslowski. [...]

Stoked about Surfing

Posted by Peter Stone on June 1st, 2010
Surf-Banner

While for some, surfing is a mere recreational activity, for others it is an art form, a cultural way of life, and a nearly religious experience. Surfing has waxed and waned in popularity since its inception in the1700’s, but there’s no doubting its present status as one of the coolest and most “radical” sports on the planet.
This fascinating facet of ocean culture has an amazing history and a wealth of fun facts, and Peter Stone wants to share all that we’ve learned—as well as some super cool surf jewelry in sterling silver for the surfer in your life!
Surfing is Born

Surfing originated in ancient Polynesian culture, where it enjoyed an importance in daily life that hasn’t been seen since, even in the most surf-oriented communities today. Leadership of the tribe was determined by surfing skill, and the chief always had the best board, made from the best tree available. Beaches were segregated based on tribal status, and prestige and status were conferred directly by wave-riding skill. What is now known as Hawaii was immersed in surf culture when Capt. James Cook first made European contact with the islands. Two pages of his journal are devoted to the explanation of this native “diversion,” marking the first written record of the sport. For early Hawaiians, surfing, or “he’enalu” (wave-sliding), was culture, art, and religion. Priests offered surfing prayers before the sea was broached and crafting a board was a deeply spiritual ceremony.
Seen as a pillar of native culture, surfing was discouraged and forbidden by the missionaries, mainly German and Scottish, who arrived in Hawaii in 1821. By the 20th century, only a handful of native Hawaiians continued to surf and craft boards. The ancient art was diminished, but far from defeated.
Surf Revival Surfing made the leap over the Pacific to the west coast of the United States in 1907, when Railroad mogul Henry Huntington invited George Freeth to surf the coast as a publicity stunt to promote the Huntington Beach Pier. This, coupled with the exploits of Duke Kahanamoku, “Ambassador of Aloha,” Olympic medalist, and avid waterman, helped to re-establish the sport in Hawaii, America, and elsewhere. Australia, a modern day hot-spot for surfing, owes its introduction to the sport to Duke Kahanamoku, and commemorates his contribution by displaying his board at the Freshwater Surf Life-Saving Club in Sydney.
Surf Culture With the promotion of the film, Gidget, and the introduction of surf music by The Beach Boys, surfing was elevated from the “underground” into a national fad. Today, surfing is a multi-million dollar industry that has invaded waterways across the globe, spawning surf shops, surf resorts, surf contests, surf camps, and surf forecasting with the use of ever-progressing technology. Surf locations like Mavericks on the California coast, Waimea Bay in Hawaii, and the Gold Coast of Australia, among thousands of others, attract millions of surfers every year. Interestingly, the surfing culture has influenced land sports as well: innovative surfers facing a day without waves invented the art of sidewalk surfing—known today as skateboarding.
Surfers have developed their own culture centered around riding the waves. Becoming a surfer is a long process, requiring hard work and many hours of practice and effort. Dedication and perfectionism abound within surf communities, despite the common description of “slacker,” or “beach bum.” Many surfers see the sport as an extension of their spirituality. In Huntington Beach, a non-denominational church holds services on the beach, followed by a morning session on the waves by the minister and his congregation. Nat Young, famed Australian surfer, even tried to register surfing as a religion, although the request was never granted.
Surfing, as an unofficial religion, is based on harmony, belonging, and connection with the natural world… which really isn’t all that different from other nature-based religions. Who among us can deny that this powerful message is worth practicing, regardless of how we choose to practice? Peter Stone believes in sharing your inspiration wherever you find it, and if your altar resembles a carved koa longboard… we salute you, and offer our support with a collection of beautifully-renderedsurf jewelry to delight you, inspire you… and keep you stoked!

Manta Rays: Grace Under Water

Posted by Peter Stone on April 27th, 2010
Manta-banner

Manta Rays are some of the MOST beautiful sea creatures on the planet!  They “fly” through the water with grace and launch themselves into the air to soar for a few glorious seconds before splashing down. Their movement is elegant and AWESOME, and they are amazingly friendly. Peter Stone has transformed the beauty and majesty of these rays into a beautiful collection of Manta Ray jewelry in sterling silver and Paua Shell.
Beginning divers are always eager to observe Mantas and other rays, since Manta Rays are so friendly and curious around humans, and will “mingle” with divers and drifting or anchored boats, offering MAGNIFICENT opportunities for observation.

Manta Ray Bay in the Mariana Islands is only one of many Manta Ray Resorts that offer SPECTACULAR chances for Manta interaction.
Night dives are the best way to observe Manta Rays, since they’re nocturnal. The experience of watching a group of feeding Mantas, diving in and out of the dive lights and following you back to the boat with a farewell loop… An UNFORGETTABLE event, INDEED! Their size is impressive up close!
Mantas, as the LARGEST species in the ray family, have been measured at widths of up to 25 feet! These amazing creatures are captured beautifully in the Peter Stone Manta Ray collection, so GET YOURS TODAY!!!

Dive Holiday Destinations

Posted by Peter Stone on April 12th, 2010

DiveSilver, founded by longtime seafarer and diver Peter Koslowski, well recognizes the beauty and peace of an undersea journey… which is why we want to offer our tips on the best dive holiday destinations… and our beautiful sterling silver dive jewelry to commemorate what will be your best vacation ever!

Indonesia

 Coral reefs, volcanic boulders, and shipwrecks aplenty shelter an amazing array of Indo-Pacific sea life in the waters off the northern coast of Pulau Weh, an island jungle near Suamtra. In addition to sunfish, manta rays, whale sharks and thresher sharks, the area is home to the megamouth shark, an extremely rare deep-dwelling species.

Tanzania

 Scuba divers who seek the tranquility of low-traffic areas will appreciate the quiet waters of southern Tanzania. The reefs are healthy and vibrant, the turtles are common, and the water is brimming with more than 400 species of fish.

The Maldives

 If Manta Rays are what you’re looking for, you won’t get a better chance for an up close encounter than in the waters of the Maldives. Dive safaris in the area virtually guarantee manta sightings, a dream for many beginning divers.

Norway

 Pods of killer whales (Orcas) in the daytime, and the Northern Lights to brighten your nights… a dive holiday in Norway offers around the clock sights, with experiences to match, as you snorkel alongside the fierce marine predators as they migrate.

Mexico

 The California sea lions that approach you underwater in Los Islotes will make your dive holiday a vacation to remember. Gray whales, schools of hammerheads, and manta rays also populate the rich waters of the Baja California peninsula.

Making Memories

There’s nothing like a dive vacation to make lifelong memories, and we know you’ll want to commemorate your trip with a beautiful sea life or dive keepsake that will spark your conversations for years to come. DiveSilver offers a stunning selection of beautifully hand-crafted dive jewelry to ensure that you never forget your undersea experience.

Peter and the Sea

Posted by Peter Stone on March 15th, 2010

Even the most cursory exploration of the Peter Stone website will reveal  hints about the connection with the sea that powers the passion behind our jewelry, and longtime fans who are familiar with the DiveSilver line (and website!) will have no doubt that the ocean has left its mark on Peter Stone founder, Peter Koslowski. The beauty, strength, and detail that elevates Peter Stone jewelry from the rest is particularly evident in the lovingly crafted Nautical, Sea Life, Dive and Beach collections.

And yet, the connection between Peter and the Sea remains a mystery to the curious fan. The only solid information available is the information on the “About” webpage:  “Peter Koslowski, G.G., A.G., F.G.A , the founder of the Peter Stone Company, first felt his passion in 1983, while working as an engineer on merchant ships.” Surely, there is more to the story than that!

Indeed, there is. And we’re sharing it with you today: an excerpt from an interview given by Peter Koslowski in 2008, discussing the influence of the sea on his life, the lessons he learned from it, and the powerful message he hopes to share.

I have been on the ocean since I was four years old. I’ve had my own boat since I was seven. I ventured miles out to sea with my row boat on several occasions as a child, always feeling a special connection—a very strong, powerful energy that I could not clearly define. All I knew was that this was a “good” energy because of the way it made me feel. As time passed, this energy stayed with me and was something I felt and experienced often. When I started working on the merchant ships I had much more free, silent time to appreciate that profound energy and embrace it more fully.

People always asked me, “Don’t you get lonely out there?”  But the loneliness of the sea is just one perception. I was in a place most would describe as nothingness, emptiness or a lonely space. However, to me, it was (and still is) everything. I watched the infinite variety of sunrises from different latitudes and longitudes all over the world (over 90 countries and countless oceans to date). The ever-changing clouds, the motion and movement of the sea under me, demanded that I do nothing but learn to flow with life, on life’s terms—a wonderful awakening indeed.

The sky became the canvas upon which nature painted her endless masterpieces. Hallways of fog banks in the North Pacific Ocean taught me the art of seeing and feeling. I took up photography to try and capture these feelings as images, but could never fully express that sense of deep connection, even though I took over 10,000 photographs! However, the ones I enjoy can still evoke places in time and space that were quite powerful in their simplicity, reminding me of that very real connection with the wonders of this life, this world, and this universe.

I now see myself much like a ship over the waves of the sea. The admiral is looking upon me and I am just the captain of my own ship. I flow with life. A ship bends and is flexible but rarely breaks. A ship only breaks when the captain pushes it too hard in the wrong direction. One thing I have always done, and still do, is follow my heart, my soul—my true inner guidance. Many ask me about my “schedule.” I may have a basic outline, but I am not the one to decide. I truly follow the moment and pay attention to the opportunities presented to me in life, acting on the directives put forth by this inner guidance.

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