LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA --- Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is introducing Bugfest-By-The-Sea, a weeklong series of events, July 24 -28, to mark lobster mini-season. Bugfest 2012 offers a fun series of events for divers during the week around the two days recreational divers can retrieve spiny lobsters, July 25 and 26.

Lauderdale-By-The-Sea expects a big turnout for Bugfest as lobster mini-season proves to be one of the most popular summer events for divers.

"Lobster mini-season is the busiest time of year for divers and we want to let these divers know there is an alternative to the high costs and traffic of going to the Keys and other areas," said Brian Gagas, co-owner of Goldcoast Scuba . "We have great diving right here with our reef system and plenty of lobster, plus divers can catch 12 lobsters a day here versus only 6 per person in the keys."

Bugfest-By-The-Sea Events Schedule

Bugfest 2012 is packed with activities for divers in and out of the water. The week starts with a Dive Safety Skill Refresher and Beach Diving Clinic on Tuesday, July 24 at 10 a.m. in front to the Datura Ave. The portal is off El Mar Drive two blocks south of Commercial Boulevard. The portal is adjacent to the Windjammer Resort and Hotel, 4244 El Mar Drive, one of the sponsors for this year's BugFest-By-The-Sea event! This clinic is sponsored by Gold Coast Scuba. The beach diving clinic will cover all the basic skills and tips you need to become a savvy beach diver to sign up, call the shop at 954-616-5909.

Also on Tuesday there is Jim "Chiefy" Mathie's "Catching the Bug Seminar." The cost is $22 in advance or $25 at the door. The seminar fee includes a new copy of Mathie's book, Catching the Bug, The Comprehensive Guide to Catching the Spiny Lobster. The seminar is from 4 to 6 PM. You can sign up online at Gold Coast Scuba's Web site: www.goldcoastscuba.net/goldcoast-scuba You can also register in person at the Gold Coast dive shop, 259 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, FL. Jarvis Hall is at 4505 Ocean Drive, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. It is a half mile north of Commercial Boulevard on State Road A1A (next to Town Hall). Parking is free if you park in the lot in front of Town Hall.

The lobster season kicks off at 12:01 a.m. July 25 and features the "Great Florida Bug Hunt Contest", sponsored by Goldcoast Scuba. The contest takes place Wednesday and Thursday with cash and prizes awarded to divers who bring in the biggest lobsters according to weight. The first place winner will receive $500 cash and an Atomic Z2 Regulator valued at $950. There are also prizes for second and third place, and all participants will receive a Bugfest T-shirt. The cost of entering is $15 and the deadline for entries is 6 p.m. July 24. The official contest weigh-ins will be held at 5 p.m. at El Prado Park each day. You can register and pay the entry fee for the contest online at www.goldcoastscuba.net/goldcoast-scuba You can also register at the Gold Coast Scuba shop, 259 E. Commercial Blvd.

On Wednesday evening the Town is hosting the Bugfest Bug Bake and Broil 4p.m. to 6 p.m. at El Prado Park, sponsored by Lenore Nolan-Ryan's Cooking School and Catering. The Bug Bake and Broil is open to the public, admission is $20 and will feature steel drum music, beer and wine. Divers can have lobsters cooked for $10 and guests purchase cooked lobster tails for $20.

On Thursday there is a Master Chef Spiny Lobster Competition at the Town's beach pavilion and the Great Florida Bug Hunt Contest ends with winners to be announced on Friday.

On Friday PADI's Project AWARE and Gold Coast Scuba are sponsoring a Reef Clean-up under Anglin's Pier at the end of Commercial Blvd. To sign-up for this free dive, call Gold Coast Scuba at 954-616-5909. Anglin's Pier extends 876 feet over the ocean and sits atop a coral reef. Divers need to wear good gloves for this dive and carry a pair of sea snips to cut fishing line.

The weeklong Under Photo contest, which runs from July 21-27, ends Friday at 10 a.m. The contest is free and entrants receive a Bugfest T-shirt. Prizes are awarded in the categories of: Reef Inhabitants; SS Copenhagen; Spiney Lobsters; and Corals and Divers. Prizes will be awarded to at least the top two winners in each category. The BugFest-By-The-Sea organizing committee reserves the right to upgrade the prizes for the contest. The top prizes for the Reef Inhabitants and SS Copenhagen categories are an Aeris AT 600 Ion LT Regulator ($430 value) and a $200 Henderson Wet Suit. For more info, contact Rich Barnhart at 954-351-7007 or via e-mail at rich@bythesearealty.com

Also on Friday there is a fish identification class and a "Great Florida Bug Hunt Concert "at the Village Grille, when winners of the contest will be announced. Friday and Saturday Goldcoast Scuba is conducting wreck dives on the SS Copenhagen, a Florida underwater archeological preserve shipwreck listed on the National Registry of Historical Places. Gold Coast Scuba is sponsoring a "BugFest Wreck Trek" off Deerfield Beach (4 miles north of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea). To sign-up for the dive, call Gold Coast Scuba at 954-616-5909. Wreck Trek is a boat drift dive in about 60 feet of water that includes the Ancient Mariner, Berry Patch Tug and the Quallman Barge.

BugFest-By-The-Sea ends Saturday with a free beach dive on the SS Copenhagen. Gold Coast Scuba is sponsoring the dive. To sign up please call the shop at 954-616-5909.

For more information about Bugfest 2012 go to the web site, www.bugfestbythesea.com