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South Florida Divers, Inc. 


July 2006 Newsletter

CONTENTS
President's Message Come Join The Fun !
Calendar for June and beyond July Meeting Program
FAQ'S   July Dinner
Oriskany Sinks June Dinner at Large Pics
Attention Beach Divers A Safety Minute
Bahamas Dive Weekend Trivia Question
Check The Weather San Salvador, Bahama Trip
Where's Kansman Happy July Birthday
  Lots of Laughs and Other Wisdom

 

President's Message

get wet again.......

~ By Pete Stephinson

Well I really enjoyed our last general meeting. We had a great turn out, a good number of guests, and a great speaker. I must say, I've never heard anyone describe sharks as "gentle" before !! But Neil gave us a whole new perspective on them, their nature, and a viewpoint of life from the shark's perspective. I enjoyed checking out his web site after the meeting (http://www.neil4sharks.org/) where you can see some of the photos he showed us, and read more about some of the things he was telling us.

I hope you are getting plenty of diving in. The water is warm and the conditions are great. Several of our members have reported seeing hammerheads so there is a lot of great stuff to see out there. We have a number of good dives and activities scheduled in July and further out. Beach dives, boat dives, and our members appreciation day are all coming up. One that I am looking forward to is our 3 tank 4 dive full day dive trip off Key largo. Those were a lot of fun last year and I'm looking forward to a similar good time this year. Of course mini-season is July 26 and 27th with full Lobster season starting August 6th for you lobster aficionados. (time to clean out the remnants of last year's catch from my freezer!!)

We have many good club dives and activities, though again and again they are run by the same members. We are lucky that these members put in the effort and devote their time to making things happen, though it's time to spread the load. If you have enjoyed participating in club activities, it's time to give something back, and think about what you can organize. Maybe it's one of your favorite dives or activities. I'm sure many of you would like to organize something, but maybe feel a little unsure as to how to go about it. One way is to help an experienced organizer set up an activity. Alternatively, if you have something you would like to organize but aren't quite sure how to go about it, one of our eboard members or experienced organizers will be pleased to help you. To get started, have a chat with Dave Schneider, myself or one of the other eboard members at our next meeting. We will give you all the help and support you need to organize a successful club dive or event.

See you in the water some time soon

Pete

email: President@SFDI.com

 

         WELCOME YOUR NEWEST DIVE BUDDIES!

 

We are delighted to welcome new member

Yvonne Beiderman, David and Millie Pressler and Robert Kriebs !  

  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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July 2006 Calendar and Beyond


 

~ By Dave Schneider, Vice President of Calendar 


Phone numbers of trip coordinators are not posted to ensure privacy.  If you are a club member, consult your Buddy List for numbers or call Melissa Ames.  If you don't have a Buddy List they are available at the monthly meeting.

Just a quick reminder...  the Calendar exists for the information of all our members.  Should you see an event that is of interest please contact the coordinator and sign on at any time of the month.  Sign-up is certainly not limited to the monthly General Meeting.  The coordinator will be more than pleased to place you on his/her list and tell you where to send payment.

We need more people to 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 one of the Board will be more than happy to advise and assist you in any way possible.

 

  • July 1:  8:00 AM Show  8:15 Go  Join Debby Bradford on a beach dive!  Everyone must have their own personal flag/float for safety.  John U. Lloyd State Park, Dania Beach.  Contact Debby for directions and more details. 
  • July 5 :  General Meeting  7:00 PM Show  7:30 (Sharp!) Go   RAMADA INN FORT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT, 2275 State Road 84. [Driving directions here]  The guest speaker will be Steve Higgins who will have a presentation on beach nourishment.
  • July 1-8 :   Turks and Caicos with Fred Miller.  SOLD OUT!
  • July 10 :  SFDI Executive Board Meeting at Connections for Business, 2843 Pembroke Road, NE corner of I-95 and Pembroke Road.  All members are encouraged to join us.  The meeting starts at 7:30.  Hope to see y'all there.
  • July 15 :  Member Appreciation Day !!  You got it right !  Stefan Trestyn  will be coordinating a special day for the membership.  A beach dive, free food, free beverage and lots of fun are expected.  Stefan plans to start a beach dive around 4:00 PM.  Party time will start around 5:00 PM.  Nothing is set in stone as yet, so let Stefan know your great ideas! This may be a once-only event so mark your calendars now.  Stefan assures us you won't want to miss it!   Ft. Lauderdale Beach,  opposite the Yankee Clipper hotel.
  • July 18 :  1:30 Show  1:30 Go  Over-the-Hill & Off-the-Stern  Back into the warm waters of Palm Beach County with Dave & Elaine Schneider.  We're leaving from Lantana aboard the Starfish Enterprise. The cost is $53.00, tax and tip included.  After the dives we'll be dining on the dock at the Old Key Lime House.   For more info: www.idivestarfish.com

  • July 19th  7:30PM, Dinner at large.  Bring your appetite and join Pete Stephinson at the Deerfield Super Buffet sampling a wide variety of International  and American delicacies.  $15 (incl tax and tip) covers all you can eat, beverages are extra - you can't beat that with a stick !! The Deerfield Super Buffet is located at 240 S. Federal Highway in Deerfield. It is located in the strip mall just south of Hillsborough on the east side of Federal, phone  (954)698-6118.                                                             July 22 :   8:30AM Show   9:00 Go  Back by popular demand!  One of last years most popular one day dive events was our 3 tank/4 dive trip out of Capt. Slate's Atlantis Dive Center, Key Largo.  This is a whole day trip and we will probably be doing 2 wrecks and 2 reefs.  Sign-up early as the dive is strictly limited to 17 divers.  There will be limited space for bubble watchers (at no charge).  The total cost will be $79.00, tax and tip included.  Contact Dave Schneider or Pete Stephinson for more details    Directions to Slate's:  www.captainslate.com

  • July 26 - 27:  Mini Lobster Season !
  • July 29 :  Private Boat Dive  8:00 AM Show  8:30 Go  Dave Wills will welcome a few good divers for a day of fun and diving.  Be at the dock at John U. LLoyd State Park on time. Those showing up at 8:35 will be waving at Dave's wake.  Directions at www.floridastateparks.org/lloydbeach/default.asp 
  • August 2 :  General Meeting  7:00 PM Show  7:30 (Sharp!) Go   RAMADA INN FORT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT, 2275 State Road 84. [Driving directions here]  
  • August 6 :  Lobster Season Begins !!
  • August 7 :  SFDI Executive Board Meeting at Connections for Business, 2843 Pembroke Road, NE corner of I-95 and Pembroke Road.  All members are encouraged to join us.  The meeting starts at 7:30.  Hope to see y'all there.
  • August 8 :  1:00 Show  1:30 Go  Over-the-Hill and Off-the-Stern with Dave and Elaine Schneider.  We will be diving the reefs of lower Palm Beach County on the Lady-Go-Diver out of Deerfield Beach.  Cost will be $53.00, tax and tip included.     Directions at www.dixiedivers.com
  • August 12 :  Night Dive!  Steve Oller welcomes some intrepid members as he hosts his first event for the Club.  Details will be forthcoming but there should be a good turn-out for dive!
  • August 19 - 20 :  Annual Keys Trip  SOLD OUT!   Jeff Raffa will be hosting this years trip.  We'll be staying at The Islander Resort in beautiful downtown Islamorada.  The resort comprises 23 acres on the ocean and each room will have kitchenette facilities.  There are two pools, a 200' fishing pier and an 1100' private beach.  For a closer look go to www.islanderfloridakeys.com.                     The first 24 people who tender payment in full  will be diving with Tilden's Scuba Center.  All others will have to make their own arrangements.   www.tildensscubacenter.com                                            All for only $225.00, Tildens diving included...  $170.00 without diving.  Such a deal!  
  • August 26 :  Private Boat Dive  8:00 AM Show  8:30 Go  Dave Wills is back again and will welcome a few good divers for a day of fun and diving.  Be at the dock at John U. LLoyd State Park on time. Those showing up at 8:35 will be waving at Dave's wake.  Directions at www.floridastateparks.org/lloydbeach/default.asp 
  • Also coming in August!  Stefan Trestyn is planning a dive to the Lost City of Atlantis, provided he can find it!  Should be an experience!  Details as they are available... if they are available.
  • September 9:  Seafood Festival !!  Always a highlight of the SFDI year as we brave another fun- filled hurricane season.  Plan to dive today so you can bring your catch as well as a covered dish to share with all.  5:00PM to Midnight.  Lauderdale Isles Yacht Club  [Map here] 
  • September 15-17 :  Bahamas Dive Weekend !  SOLD OUT!  Stefan Trestyn has put together a weekend in the Bahamas.  More details at the end of the Calendar.   Please note:  For those signed on  it is imperative to have at least  $250.00 in your trip account at the July meeting.  
  • Coming in late October, early November!  Dave Wills is planning a weekend trip to the Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson.  A visit to this historic monument is always a treat, but there's more!  Dave plans two nights of camping at the National Park, snorkeling and all sorts of fun and games. Updates as available.
  • December 9 :  Annual Holiday Party !!  Same time, same place.  You know you don't want to miss this one!  Chances are you'll be hearing more about this soon.
  • And for 2007 !!....  Michelle and Paul Ashby will be coordinating an out-of-country trip "down under".  Details forthcoming on their exciting dive adventure to Australia.
                                         

 

 

SFDI meetings are the first Wednesday of each month at the Ramada Inn Ft. Lauderdale Airport. The meeting starts at 7:30   If you are not a member, and you are reading this on the Internet, please join us because visitors are ALWAYS WELCOME! For driving directions to the meeting, visit our About Us page.

In an attempt to condense the length of the meetings, we are going to start the meeting PROMPTLY at 7:30. Please come earlier to socialize before the meeting starts.

 

 

THE CAVES BY NIGHT

The sun was shining on the sea ... shining with all its might.
And that was strange because it was the middle of the night. 

                                                        - Lewis Carroll

What a wonderful night! On Saturday, June 10th by the light of the full moon, six club members got together to explore The Caves by night. We set off right on time on the American Dream II and warmed up with a dusk dive on the Scutty. The slight current was no deterrent to a very enjoyable dive.  Being a relative novice to south Florida diving, I was entranced to get my first really close up look at a beautiful hogfish that swam right in front of my face. Of course, the real highlight of the evening was yet to come. As divemaster Greg put it, we dived The Caves as a "come back to the boat dive". I believe this is the technical term for "we're not coming to get you so practice some navigation." Right after we got in the water, my dive buddy Dave pointed out a great little octopus to me. He turned bright blue and then headed for his lair. The hour long dive also featured a small loggerhead turtle (that Fred claims came right at him), a pretty big channel crab, a stingray, spotted cleaner shrimp, all sizes of hermit crabs, all sizes of lobsters and fish fish fish. It was magical. Thanks Fred Miller for a great experience.  We're looking forward to the next night dive coming up in August. 

                                                                                                                           Marjory Meechan

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ATTENTION ALL BEACH DIVERS !

        The water has warmed-up substantially and the urge to submerge has started to get to everyone.  Fred Miller is our beach diving guru and wants to hear from anyone ready to start trekking over the sand and plunging into the water. Give him a call so he can start planning his weekend forays into the briny.

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JUNE DINNER AT LARGE PICS

 

On Wednesday, June 14, Thirty Five members joined Joe Smariga and Julie Taylor for a great evening

of dinning at Marino's Italian Restaurant.

YUM !!

 

       

 

      

 

      

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JULY DINNER AT LARGE

   

July 19th  7:30PM, Dinner at large.  Bring your appetite and join Pete Stephinson at the Deerfield Super Buffet sampling a wide variety of International  and American delicacies.  $15 (incl tax and tip) covers all you can eat, beverages are extra - you can't beat that with a stick !! The Deerfield Super Buffet is located at 240 S. Federal Highway in Deerfield. It is located in the strip mall just south of Hillsborough on the east side of Federal, phone  (954)698-6118.

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July Meeting Program

 

 

WHERE DID THEY GET ALL THAT SAND?

 

Ever heard of a hopper dredge?  No, it’s neither a shovel for hops nor a team of work rabbits.  It is used in beach restoration, the subject of our presentation on July 5th.  Broward County Beach Erosion Administrator Stephen Higgins will tell us how six miles of our beautiful beaches from Hallandale Beach to John U. Lloyd Beach State Park have been renourished.  He will give us an overview of the Shore Protection Project, Segment III, in which two million cubic yards of sand have been pumped onto our shores.  All you beach divers, come and find out where the sand beneath your booties came from!
 
ABOUT STEPHEN HIGGINS
 

Stephen Higgins has worked for Broward County for twenty-seven years, and is currently in its Environmental Protection Department, as the Florida Beach Erosion Administrator.  A graduate of Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., he has completed a number of graduate courses in Coastal Zone Management at Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Center in Dania Beach. Steve has served as Chairman of the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association, and is presently on its Board of Directors, as well as that of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association.

Neil was born in South Africa, raised in Canada, and now resides in Miami.  Find out more by going to www.neil4sharks.org.

 

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BAHAMAS DIVE WEEKEND !

September 15-17

           Details are in place!!

           The plan is to leave Friday morning on Discovery out of Ft. Lauderdale. The ship leaves at 8:00AM. Boarding begins at 6:00 AM. There will be diving  Saturday and Sunday (two per day).  The return trip leaves at 4:30PM Sunday.  With all likelihood there will be a shark feeding dive included. Stefan is planning to use Xanadu Undersea Adventures as our dive coordinator.

Tentative Dive Schedule

Saturday:  1.  Theo's Wreck  -  103'     2.  Dolphin Reef  -  "medium deep"

             3.  Tunnel's Ref  -  60-80'    4.  Shark feeding

Sunday:    1.  Sea Star II Wreck          2.  SPID City ("medium deep reef")

             Friday and Saturday nights we will be at the Port Lucaya Hotel. Meals and beverage will be additional and not figured in the quoted price.

           Total cost...  unbelievably less than $500.00, double occupancy. 

           A IMPORTANT NOTE!  Anyone who is signed on for this trip MUST have paid at least $250.00 into the trip account at the July meeting.

           Stay tuned for more details!!

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A SAFETY MINUTE

                                                                                                 This Month's Feature by Michele Ashby

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.

July 2006 Safety Minute

Lessons for Life

I just read an article in one of the dive magazines about a couple that broke all the rules for safe diving, and ended up drowning.  They had a boat and asked a friend along so that he could tender the boat while they dove.  Mistake number one was that he didn’t know anything about boats and was not even able to operate the radio.

Mistake number two, was that the husband was wearing an old BCD that had a hole in the bladder that he had patched himself.  When he jumped into the water he couldn’t stay afloat. The friend on board threw him the descent line in which he became entangled. The third mistake was the wife, who had not been in the water for several years and was not certified in rescue diving, jumping in after him and removing her regulator.  As she approached, he pulled her under.

  The boat tender panicked and tried to get the attention of other boat operators.  By the time help arrived, the couple had drowned - both tangled in the dive line.  It was discovered that neither of them had ditched their weights, and both had full tanks of air. 

  • Be frugal-not stupid. Always leave a qualified operator aboard any boat you are diving from.

  • Never haul divers to the surface with a descent line.  When assisting divers from the surface, avoid pulling them up unless you know what their status is underwater.

  • Never dive with patched or defective equipment.  Either replace the defective equipment or have a complete repair done by a qualified repair technician.

  • Keep your skills current.  If it has been more than a year since your last dive, take a refresher course. 

  • When in trouble under the water, get positive.  DITCH YOUR WEIGHTS, inflate your BCD, and dump any unnecessary equipment.  Do anything to help the water push you to the surface.

  • NEVER approach a struggling diver, even on the surface, unless you are breathing from a functioning regulator.

  • Don’t panic. No matter what the circumstances you find yourself in, stop, breathe, think and then act.

  • Get rescue certified.  This course will teach you how to properly assist other divers.

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 Trivia Question

A Monthly Feature by Marjory Meechan

 

 

 

TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWER

Actually, what the sand is made of depends on where it comes from. Black sand beaches like those in Hawaii or Dominica are made of volcanic ash and rocks. Beaches along the continental shorelines as in the Gulf of Mexico are commonly made up of quartz. Sand of this type is called silica sand and can be used in the making of glass. Other components of sand can include anything from limestone, feldspar, magnetite or even gold or gemstones. White sand beaches like those in the Caribbean are made up mostly of calcium carbonate that comes from ground up sea shells.  If you want more information on sand, don't miss our next meeting where you'll find out all about it.

 

 

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ORISKANY SINKS

On May 17th, the long awaited sinking of the USS Oriskany, a 32,000-ton, 888-foot long aircraft carrier took place off Pensacola, Florida.

Veterans of the Oriskany attended a reception on Saturday, May 13th and on May 15th, it began its journey from Pensacola to its final resting place in 210 feet of water 77 square mile Escambia East Large Area Artificial Reef site. The proposed location was 30* 02' 38" N Latitude and 87* 00' 25" W Longitude - about 24 miles offshore and initial reports indicate that the sinking went largely as planned. The top of the carrier was expected to rise to approximately 60 feet assuming that the ship came to rest on its keel and it appears that it has. Unfortunately, not all may have gone as well as expected. The flight deck was supposed to be at 130 feet but there is some controversy over whether this is or is not true. The deck may have a bit of a tilt.

Divers were not permitted on the wreck for between 48 and 96 hours after sinking. All divers are required to have at least 20 logged dives and only divers who have logged at least two dives to 80 feet in the last year will be permitted to dive without a guide. Impressions from the first civilian divers to dive the Oriskany were encouraging.

The decision to sink the Oriskany off the gulf coast has not been without controversy. Some of our club members have strongly suggested that this was not the best place for this wreck. We would be interested in hearing your comments on the Oriskany and, in particular, if the Oriskany might entice any interest in a club dive to the wrecks of Pensacola. Any comments can be directed to Marjory Meechan and will be aired in future issues.

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South Florida Divers Club

  Frequently Asked Questions  

By Brian Hufford

  What kind of club is South Florida Divers?  We are a dive and social club.  We have diving and social events almost every week.  There’s more diving in the warmer months, but we have trips every month of the year.

  What about social events?  We enjoy get togethers such as beach picnics, dinner on the town, bike rides, Holiday boat cruises, things like that.  We also have three parties each year: a pig roast in the spring, a seafood party in September and a holiday party in early December.  We usually have 80+ people in attendance; they’re always a great time. 

  Where do you dive?  Most of our diving is in the Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach area, where we do boats and shore diving.  We get down to the Keys several times each year, and we also do two or three out of country trips.  This past year we had trips to Turks and Caicos, Bimini, and Papua New Guinea.

  What about club meetings?  We have a monthly meeting, the first Wednesday of the month, at the Ramada Inn on SR 84.  The meeting starts with a 30 minute social from 7:00 to 7:30 then the business section from 7:30 til 8:00, a short break, then the program or speaker.  We’ve had some very interesting speakers this past year, covering everything from the CSS Hunly to updates on important ocean environment issues.

  How does the club organize all these events?  South Florida Divers is a volunteer organization, so it’s a club member that does each event.  Each event, social or diving, has a trip leader and a sign-up sheet.  We go over the calendar at each club meeting, plus, it’s in another section of this website. The sign-up sheet has the details about the trip, location, time, cost {if any}, trip leader.  We have a table set up with the sign-up sheets and a table for the treasury if funds are required.

  What about membership?  Membership dues cover each calendar year and are $55 for individual and $65 for family.  There is a one time set-up fee of $5.  We ask that you be a member before participating in club events [other than the club meetings]. 

  What do I need to do to join?  We have three requirements: You are a certified diver, you have and maintain diver insurance, and you pay your dues.   You can join at any club meeting, the membership table is just inside the door, or you can mail in the application.    

  What’s the best way to get involved in the club?  Become a member and join in the fun and events.  Members are always welcome to help with club work, lead a trip, organize a beach picnic, or participate on the board.  

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Where's Kansman ??

Oh, there he is !

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San Salvador, Bahamas 

June 17th-24th, 2006

WE'RE BACK !!!

 

Julie Taylors San Sal Shark Pic  !!

Nice Shot Julie  !!

 

 

 

Happy July Birthday!

 

  

Patricia Dollard

 

Millie Pressler

  

Dave Clancy

  

Paul Ashby

  

Stephanie Voris

 

Check The Weather

 Check the weather from Joe Smariga's

Weather Station. Thanks Joe  !!

Click Here    www.sfdi.com/wx.htm
 

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LOTS OF LAUGHS and Other Wisdom

 
If you don't know where you're going, you'll end up somewhere else.

-Unknown

 

 

 

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The Wet Zone

South Florida Divers, Inc.,
Copyright 2006

 

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