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South Florida Divers, Inc.
January 2008 Newsletter
President's Message Out with the old.......
~ By Pete Stephinson
From the feedback I had from the holiday party, everybody had a great time. Good food, good entertainment and a great group of people - what more could you want? You can see photos of the party elsewhere in this newsletter. Thanks to John Kansman, Joe Smariga, Donna Eades, Julie Taylor, Gail Rand , Fred Miller and all the other club members who pitched in to make this an even better event than last year. If you couldn't make it, don't worry, we're going to do it again next year, only better. The highlight of the evening was the crowning of Carmine Genovese (in absentia) as our 2007 Lobster King. As it turned out, Carmine had chosen the day of our party to get married - so was unable to attend in person. However, Julie Taylor did a superb job as a Carmine stand in (there's a photo of this too - sorry Carmine, but maybe the stand in is better looking than you). Lobsters must really tremble when they hear Carmine's name. He caught 121 of them between mini-season and the end of November. For the record, that's 14 more than the 2006 Lobster Queen (Donna Eades) caught during the same period last year. So ladies, the challenge is on. There will be a Lobster Queen contest during 2008 and 121 is the target to beat. Congratulations Carmine on winning the 2007 Lobster king contest. Oh, and congratulations to Carmine and Tammi on your marriage - we wish you all the very best for the years ahead. Thanks to Chris, Julie and Donna who organized the 2007 Lobster King Competition. And so much for 2007. We're now into 2008. The new eboard was elected at the December meeting. Thank you to those members who did not seek re-election for your support of the club. And welcome to the new eboard members. It was very pleasing to see the number of members who stood for eboard positions. The club is totally run by members giving up their time to help run club activities so to see so many members willing to support the club is very gratifying. To those of you who stood but were not elected thank you. Even though you were not elected you are able, as are any of our members to attend eboard meetings and to help run or assist with club activities. I look forward to seeing you take an active part in helping with club activities. As you can see on the calendar section of this newsletter we already have a number of events planned for the early part of the year. We have some local dives including one to visit the lemon sharks at their annual gathering off Jupiter as well as activities such as a bicycle ride in Hollywood and another Camp and Canoe weekend at Jonathan Dickenson State Park. We also have dinners planned out for the next several months. Of course you can't participate in any of these events if you're not a member - and it's that time of year again, it's time to renew. We have held our membership fee at $55 (additional family members $15) for 2007 which is a great deal. We charge an additional $5 if you renew after the February meeting so I recommend you renew early. The are some great activities being planned for 2008, I know we're going to have another great year See you in the water some time soon Pete email: President@SFDI.com |
MEETING LOCATION
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How to find the Fort Lauderdale Power Squadron |
The Fort Lauderdale Power Squadron is located in the Lauderdale Marine Center at:
2029 SW 20th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL
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WELCOME YOUR NEWEST DIVE BUDDIES!
We are delighted to welcome new members Don Page !! We look forward to diving with you. As a Reminder to Everyone, We are a NO-DECO Dive Club. Always adhere to Safe Recreational Dive Depths and Limits.
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January 2008 Calendar.. and Beyond
- By Dave Schneider, Vice President, Calendar
Phone numbers of event coordinators are not posted to ensure privacy. If you are a Club member please consult your Buddy List for the number you need. If you do not have a copy of the Buddy List one will be available for you at the next General Meeting. Just a quick reminder.. The Calendar exists for the information of all our members. Should you see an event that is of interest to you please contact the Coordinator directly. You can sign-up for the event(s) of your choice at any time of the month. The Coordinator will be more than pleased to place your name on the list and tell you where to mail payment. HELP MAKE YOUR CLUB BETTER ! .... We need more people to step up and run events. If you are interested in coordinating a dive.. a trip.. a dinner or any other type of event please contact an E-Board member. Any member of the Board will be more than happy to advise and assist your efforts. December 15: 8:00 AM Show 8:30 AM Go (Saturday) Annual "Trim-the-Tree Dive" (Saturday) Always a fun time for those who brave the frosty waters off Ft. Lauderdale. We'll be aboard the American Dream II until Joe Smariga sinks the tree, then it's into the water with biodegradable goodies as we decorate this years tree. This will be a two tank dive and will cost $53.00. Call Bill Dietz for more information. For directions go to www.scubafortlauderdale.com December 15: Boat Parade - Ft. Lauderdale December 16: Boat Parade - Pompano December 21: 7:30 PM Show & Go (Friday) Annual Lights Cruise One of our signature holiday events, the night cruise down the Intracoastal is always a hit. We'll be boarding the Lady-Go-Diver for several hours of holiday cheer. Cost is $20.00 per person and some selection of appetizer is always appreciated. Some bottled water and soft drinks will be provided, but it is always wise to bring some of your own beverages. For more information call Bob Horin or Dave Schneider. For directions go to www.dixiedivers.com. December 23: 6:30 PM Show & Go (Sunday) Annual Lights Cruise Another of our signature holiday season events! A night cruise up the Intracoastal aboard the American Dream II. The cost this year will be $20.00 per person, plus a covered dish. Beverage is up to you to bring. Captain Todd has asked that we refrain from smoking on his boat. Go to www.scubafortlauderdale.com for directions. Give Bill Dietz a call for more details. December 25: Christmas Day January 1, 2008..... Happy New Year! January 1: Second Annual "Hair-of-the-Dog Party" Joanie and Andy Tomlin invite one and all to their second annual New Year's Day Party. Last year's was sensational and this year promises to be even better. Details, directions and other good stuff can be gotten by calling Joanie. She hopes to see y'all there! January 2: General Meeting 7:30 PM (Sharp!) Ft. Lauderdale Power Squadron, 2029 SW 20th. Street, Ft. Lauderdale 33315. [driving directions here] www.flpowersquadron.org/ Tonight's meeting will feature the always popular and hilariously funny "Wacky Gift Exchange"! January 11: SFDI Executive Board Meeting at Connections for Business, 2843 Pembroke Road, NE corner of I-95 and Pembroke Road. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30. We encourage any and all members to attend and assist in making your Club even better than it already is. January 12: 1:30 PM Show 2:00 PM Go (Saturday) Dave Schneider will be hosting the first dive of the year aboard the Starfish Enterprise. The water may be a bit chilly but spirits will be high so come along for some good diving and maybe a little crustacean netting. Cost will be $50.00, tax and tip included. Dinner at the Old Key Lime House is always a good way to wind down from a good afternoon. For more information go to www.idivestarfish.com. January 19: Bike Ride - 11:00 AM Julie Taylor has determined that it is a good time to get into the open air and work some holiday-abused muscles. The gang will pedal out from the Ann Kolb Park Nature Center, just west of the Intracoastal on Sheridan Street. Julie needs her beauty rest so the starting time should be appealing to all. Plenty of free parking so mark your calendars and plan to keep Julie company. January 23: Dinner-at-Large Ahoy from your old friend and renowned gourmet Captain Chris. He wants us all to join him for a hearty seafarin' dinner at the Anglesea Restaurant, 200 East McNab Road. They have a large and varied menu... something good for everyone. The dinner bell will be rung at 7:30. Call Chris for more details, and be sure to sign up for this one at the January meeting. January 26: 1:00 PM Show 1:30 Go Lemon Sharks! They're back and Joe G. has his sights set on swimming with them. He is looking forward to a bunch of us joining him for this once a year event. We will be venturing out from the Jupiter Dive Center, 1001 Alt. A1A, Jupiter (that's way north in Palm Beach County). For those with a long drive and want to stay over the night before the dive center recommends the Jupiter Waterfront Inn -561-747-9085. Cost will be $55.00, tax and tip included. Call Joe for more info or go to www.JupiterDiveCenter.com for directions. January 26-27: Lighthouse Point Nautical Flea Market February 6: General Meeting 7:30 PM (Sharp!) Ft. Lauderdale Power Squadron, 2029 SW 20th. Street, Ft. Lauderdale 33315. [driving directions here] www.flpowersquadron.org/ Barry Kulick will be our guest and will do his annual presentation of his best photos from 2007. You don't want to miss this one. February 9: Sharkwater Joanie Tomlin strongly recommends that we all join her to go see this critically acclaimed film that will be playing at the International Fishing Hall of Fame. An exhibition on shark conservation is also at the museum and there will be a lecture by Dr. Samuel H. Gruber, renowned shark authority at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami. Tentative schedule is to attend the lecture at 2:00 PM and then see the film at 3:30. Dinner afterward is always a probability. All this for only $5.00 is a great deal what promises to be a memorable afternoon. For more info call Joanie or go to www.igfa.org/sharkwater.asp February 11: SFDI Executive Board Meeting at Connections for Business, 2843 Pembroke Road, NE corner of I-95 and Pembroke Road. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30. We encourage any and all members to attend and assist in making your Club even better than it already is. February 16: 8:00 AM Show 8:30 AM Go (Saturday) "Private" Boat Dive John K. Dave Wills and their buddies are going back out to sea in a quest for the elusive crustacean.. or just for the fun of getting wet. Give either of them a call to sign on. As always, the flotilla will be leaving sharp at 8:30 so be on time or get a good look at their wakes as you wave goodbye from the dock. February 20: Dinner-at-Large Julie Taylor wants to bring out the Irish in all of us as she rings the dinner bell at Field's Irish Pub on Griffin Road. This is a well established fun spot so bring your appetite and a smile and be ready for a super evening. Julie plans for the festivities to commence at 7:30. February 23: 1:00 Show PM 1:30 PM Go (Saturday) The diving venue turns slightly north as Dave Schneider plans to lead a group off the stern of the Lady-Go-Diver out of Deerfield Beach. Put on the heavy neoprene and join in the fun. Cost will be $50.00, tax and tip included. Call Dave for more details or go to www.dixiedivers.com. March 5: General Meeting 7:30 PM (Sharp!) Ft. Lauderdale Power Squadron, 2029 SW 20th. Street, Ft. Lauderdale 33315. [driving directions here] www.flpowersquadron.org/ Barry Kulick will be our guest and will do his annual presentation of his best photos from 2007. You don't want to miss this one. March 10: SFDI Executive Board Meeting at Connections for Business, 2843 Pembroke Road, NE corner of I-95 and Pembroke Road. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30. We encourage any and all members to attend and assist in making your Club even better than it already is. March 16: 1:00 PM Show 1:30 PM Go Parrot Island Adventure Chris and Stan have "found" a new boat for us to use in the new year. We will be diving off the Fathoms of Fun out of Pompano, near the Hillsboro inlet. Total cost will be a bargain $45.00, tax and tip included. This should be a great afternoon so be sure to sign on. Call Chris and Stan for more details or go to www.parrotislandscuba.com for more info. April 4 - 6: 3rd. Annual Camp & Canoe Weekend Well attended for the past two years and back by popular acclaim, Craig and Linda Sandel beckon all into the uncharted wilderness at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Hobe Sound. Ok, so there are electrical hook-ups, running water, clean restrooms and canoe rentals, it still is a weekend in the woods amid the splendor of Mother Nature. More specifics to follow. INTERNATIONAL TRIPS FOR 2008 May 31 - June 7: Cozumel - Iberostar Resort Jeff Raffa, Coordinator June 15 - June 21: Roatan - Fantasy Island Beach Resort Dave Schneider, Coordinator July 12 - July 19: Dominica - Castle Comfort Lodge Pete Stephinson, Coordinator September/October: It looks like Indonesia is the destination and it will be 12 days on a super liveaboard. Tentatively the cost will be around $4000.00 plus air. Spots are going quick so give Fred Miller a call if you are seriously interested. More details to follow at the February meeting. AND SOME LAST IMPORTANT NOTES... Club Policies on Dives and trips: Dives, Trips, Activities and events are run according to the SFDI Policies and Procedures, which are available to everyone. If you don’t have a copy, please ask the Membership VP, or other E-Board member at the next General Meeting. Here is a summary of some of the important ones: 1. Payment for Dives, Events and trips: A member is confirmed on a dive, trip or event only after they have paid. Payments for dives should be made when signing up. Payments for trips should be made according to the schedule as outlined by the trip coordinator. In the event that a dive/trip/activity is oversubscribed, then those confirmed will be determined by the order of payment. 2. Cancellation: Once a member signs on for a dive/event he or she is obligated to pay for that dive/event unless they contact the coordinator for that dive/event and cancel by the specified cancellation time. Not paying immediately does not eliminate the requirement to make full payment if you do not cancel within the designated cancellation period or simply fail to show up for that dive/event. 3. Certification Requirements: Some dives will be restricted to divers with certain minimum certification levels. For example Advanced Open Water. In some cases, these requirements will be set by the dive operator. In others they may be set by the dive organizer in conjunction with the E-Board based on the profile and characteristics of the planned dive. In these cases the minimum certifications required for the dive will be clearly identified on the sign up sheet and in the published calendar. No exceptions will be made for any reason. 4. Special Needs: Some of our members have “special needs” when participating on a dive or trip. These can be cases where the diver needs extra assistance on a dive boat or a member has particular requirements regarding accommodations. Dive organizers will check for the common ones, such as the requirement for extra assistance getting into or out of the water. However, it is the responsibility of the member to make sure that his/her needs are known to the organizer and if there is any doubt the member should contact the operator in advance. It is the responsibility of the club member to verify that their needs can be accommodated prior to the event/trip/activity.
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Here's how it works. Bring along an unused, unwanted gift...look around, you know you have at least one somewhere...and wrap it real purty-like. Everyone who brings a gift gets a raffle ticket.
Yes, it takes awhile to go through all the gifts and you will not want to miss the fun. This is the most hilarious event of the year. Actually, the majority of the gifts are nice items, just unwanted by the original recipient. Surprisingly, at the end of the evening, nearly every unwanted gift goes home with someone who actually wants it. See you January 2, gift in hand! You are not required to participate, but if you don't, you'll probably regret it!
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January Dinner at Large
Wednesday, January 23
Ahoy from your old friend and renowned gourmet Captain Chris. He wants us all to join him for a hearty seafarin' dinner at the Anglesea Restaurant, 200 East McNab Road. They have a large and varied menu... something good for everyone. The dinner bell will be rung at 7:30. Call Chris for more details, and be sure to sign up for this one at the January meeting.
Your 2008 E-Board
Position
Elected
President
Peter Stephinson
VP
of Membership
Joe Smariga
Membership
Assistant
Melissa Ames
VP
of Calendar
Dave Schneider
Calendar
Assistant
Mike Rand
VP
of Programs
Adelle
Nicholson
Secretary
Donna
Eades
Treasurer
Kim
Hunziker
Newsletter
Editor
Brian Hufford
Web
Divemaster
Chris
Hinckley
Sargeant-At-Arms
Steve Oller
Greeter
Julie
Taylor
Member-At-Large
Fred Miller
Member-At-Large
Joe Giandinoto
Member-At-Large
Jeff Raffa
Member-At-Large
Dave Wills
Member-At-Large
Pat Kahl
Member-At-Large
John Beals
Holiday Party Pics
The Lobster Kings !!
Click Here for More Holiday Party 2007 Pics !
Christmas Tree Sinking 2007
December 22, 2007
New Floridian Pat Kahl Hits the Jackpot !!
Do You Know This SFDI Clubmember ?
Isn't He Special ?? !!
LOBSTER LAW CHANGES
The Florida State FWC is about to adversely change the Lobster catch laws to
favor the Trap Fisherman and reduce the sport diver's opportunity to enjoy
their sport.
Last night Chris and I attended the Spiny Lobster Ad Hoc Advisory Board
meeting at the Fishing Hall of Fame
Many points were raised but the absolute consensus was the FWCC Ad Hoc
Lobster committee is under represented by recreational interests and as
such, the commercial harvesters (trappers) currently have free reign to
change the rules to ensuring themselves of a stable catch level taken from a
dwindling resource.
A few numbers to think about:
- less than 500 trappers make a living from trapping lobsters yet they take
70+% of the resource
- over 130,000 recreational lobster stamps were sold to FL residents last
year yet they only account for 20% of the catch
- commercial lobster divers account for 7% and bully netting accounts for
the remaining 2-3%
We feel the Spiny Lobster Advisory Board was stacked in favor of the
commercial trappers. The board is comprised of 4 commercial trappers, 3
wholesalers, 3 recreational fishers (divers) and 3 NGOs. No dive industry
representative was appointed.
The meetings were held State areas, which were not populated with sport
divers or dive industry businesses.
As Divers we are not against a shorter season for all parties. We are not
against a larger license fee FOR ALL PARTIES (slotted for enforcement). We
welcome any suggestions leading to a sustainable lobster fishery resource.
It is proposed to:
• Lengthen the season for Commercial Trappers.
• Require State issue catch tags for Sport Divers
• Reduce the limit for Sport Divers
• Put an end to mandatory trap reductions
SAVE YOUR SPORT
Send in your comments or need additional information go to:
http://myfwc.com/marine/workgroups/index.html#Spiny_Lobster
America's Boating Course
Hey, we all spend a lot of time on boats. Why not take advantage of the Fort Lauderdale Power Squadron's "America's Boating Course" (ABC) to improve your knowledge of boating skills and safe boating practices. The course is run monthly at no charge. Details can be found at http://www.usps.org/e_stuff/ABC.html. The course is held on the first Monday of every month from 7-9PM and concludes the following Saturday from 9 til 2PM.(lunch provided). Each person who completes the course receives an ABC text book, an informative CD and a certificate of completion which may help in reducing insurance rates for boat owners. If you are interested in signing up, or finding out more, email the Power Squadron at ABCCourse@aol.com including your name and contact information.
A SAFETY MINUTE
This Months Feature by Brian Hufford
Diving is all about safety. After all, the equipment we wear is designed to let us humans go safely into an environment that we otherwise could only stay in for maybe a minute (or seven minutes if you’re a trained free diver). Following good, safe diving practices and having the right safety gear makes our diving experiences that much more enjoyable.
January 2008 Safety Minute
Slow ascents reduce the risk of DCS, so what do they mean by slow? Almost every diver has a dive computer and almost every dive computer has an ascent rate monitor. If you're not familiar with your computer's ascent rate monitor, get out the manual and refresh yourself on how it works. Monitor your ascent rate on the way up, try to keep the to the lowest, slowest while still making your way to that all important safety stop. Once you get comfortable, you'll find it easy to use and a safe way to control your ascent rate. Another thought is the one minute stop half way up from the bottom. Say your deepest depth was 100', using the “half way up” rule, you'd slowly ascend to 50', stop for one minute, then slowly ascend to 15' for the three minute safety stop. Some divers also stop at 25', half of the half. It doesn't take much air, so doing this type of ascent doesn't effect bottom time.
Click Here For More Info on the
Please Visit Sanda Hoffer's Website at
Trivia Question
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Which ruler of ancient times descended underwater in
a diving bell?
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TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWER
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Summer 2008 - Overseas Trips.
We have three great trips planned for the summer of 2008. They were selected based on input from the membership. The dates have been set so that you can plan to go on more than one trip. The price estimates below are based on the best information we have at the current time and may change. In particular airline prices are not published yet. The prices estimated for the trips include air, lodging, diving and travel insurance. Additionally, the price may cover food, drinks tours etc depending on the specific trip. We need deposits to lock in the reservations we are currently holding at the current prices. To reserve a space on a trip, you must make a deposit. There are still a openings on each trip. If you are signed up for a trip
Roatan...June 15-22nd 2008 ....Fantasy Island Beach Resort...Visit www.fantasyislandresort.com
Dominica... July 12th- July 19th, 2008 Pete Stephinson will be leading this trip to the Island of Dominica. The estimated cost of $1550 includes air, accommodation, diving, travel insurance, a whale watching trip and an Island tour. We will be staying at the Castle Comfort, You can check it out - and see some photos, both above and below water at http://www.divedominica.com/
Cozumel...May 31-June 7,2008 Staying at Iberostar, an ALL Inclusive similar to a Club Med. See http://www.iberostar.com/.
South Florida Divers Club
By Brian Hufford
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Where's Kansman ??
Catch a Big One Johnny !! !!
Lots of Laughs and other WISDOM
Magnetism, as you recall from physics class, is a powerful force that causes certain items to be attracted to refrigerators.
Dave Barry
An intellectual snob is someone who can listen
to the William Tell Overture and not think of The Lone Ranger.
Dan
Rather
We
will draw the tickets in "Chinese Auction" style. The first person
whose ticket is pulled gets the pick of the unopened gifts, and must open
it in front of everyone. The second person whose ticket is pulled
can take the first person's gift away from them, or choose another unopened
gift. If they take the gift from the first person, the first person
gets to go back and pick and open another gift. The third person
whose ticket is pulled can pick a third unopened gift, or take a gift away
from the first or second person, and so forth.
