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South Florida Divers, Inc.
June 2007 Newsletter
President's Message
No Excuses........ :-)
~ By Pete Stephinson
OK you fair weather divers - now's the time to join the rest of us and get wet. The temperatures are now starting to be typical of what we expect over summer and I have it on good advice that the water temperature, at least off Key Largo is pushing 80. So what's stopping you ??? While many of us will be away for our summer overseas trips during June and July we still have a full schedule of local dives to the usual spots. Of particular interest are a series of night dives being organized by Bill and Eric. They are running one per month at different locations - Lantana, Boca and Miami. Safety in all our diving related activities is fundamental to the club's philosophy and charter. We run only "non-deco" dives and strive to maintain the highest standards of safety. Recently, several of our members found themselves in a position where their background, experience and common sense helped them handle some difficult situations. Through their actions, all were kept safe and in fact some of those involved weren't even aware of what had happened until after the situation was resolved. This event has served as a wake up call to those involved and the eboard. We are taking another look at our safety policies and reinstituting the "safety minute" at our monthly meetings. Also, as this is the start of the summer diving season, I suggest that you get your gear checked, and brush up on safety practices before getting back in the water. If you haven't been diving for a while, start out by doing an easy dive with an experienced buddy. If you're a boat owner then now is a good time to check the boat. Do you have everything you need and is everything in good working order ? Also, through our relationship with the Fort Lauderdale Power Squadron we have access to their boating classes - an excellent way for anyone who may be skippering, or helping to skipper a boat to get themselves the requisite skills. While we have a fairly full diving schedule over the next several months, we still need help from members to organize dives. If you've enjoyed the club dives you've been on, now maybe the time to give something back and help organize one yourself. Think of your favorite dive, or a site that interests you and have a chat with Dave Schneider, myself or one of the other eboard members and we'll help you get started. Have fun and 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 member Megan Oden ! 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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June 2007 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.
May 23: 1:30PM Show 2:00PM Go (Wednesday) Over-the-Hill & Off-the-Stern of the Lady-Go-Diver out of Deerfield Beach. We're hoping for the perfect day as the waters continue to warm up. Cost will be $45.00, tax and tip included. Call Dave Schneider for more details or go to www.dixiedivers.com.
May 28: 1:30PM Show 2:00PM Go (Monday, Memorial Day) Join Dave and Elaine Schneider aboard the Starfish Enterprise for an afternoon of fun and good diving off the shores of lower Palm Beach. Plenty of marine life and good reef, all for $50.00, tax and tip included. Call Dave or go to www.idivestarfish.com.
June 2: 7:00PM Show 7:30PM Go Night Dive! Bill Dietz and Eric Rohde want a few good men and women to join them aboard the American Dream II for our first night dive of the year. Destinations are unknown but as always will be a treat. Cost will be $58.00, tax and tip included. Call either Bill or Eric for more details or go to www.scubafortlauderdale.com.
June 6 : General Meeting 7:30 PM (Sharp!) Ft. Lauderdale Power Squadron, 2029 SW 20th. Street, Ft. Lauderdale 33315. [driving directions here] www.flpowersquadron.org/
June 9: Ocean Watch Clean-up
June 11 : SFDI Executive Board Meeting at Connections for Business, 2843 Pembroke Road, NE corner of I-95 and Pembroke Road. The meeting starts sharp at 7:30 PM and all members are encouraged to attend. We need your input so please try to attend!
June 13: Dinner-at-Large (Wednesday) This month we will be traveling to Marino's Italian Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Julie Taylor will be serving as our Maitre'd and will ring the dinner bell at 7:30. Bring your appetite and plan to have a great evening. Give Julie a call for more details.
June 16 - 23: Cayman Brac Trip
June 17: 1:00 PM Show 1:30 PM Go (Sunday) While some of the Club are off basking in the waters off Cayman Brac Bill Dietz will be taking as many hardy souls as can be mustered aboard the American Dream II for an afternoon of great diving on the Tenneco Towers and a reef. $53.00 will cover all costs. Speak to Bill for more details or go to www.scubafortlauderdale.com
Special Note for July : Due to the July 4th. Holiday, the Executive Board meeting will be held on Monday, July 9 and the Regular Meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 11th. Please mark your calendars accordingly.
July 7: 1:00 PM Show 1:30 PM GO (Saturday) Three Tank Special!! Bill Dietz has negotiated the perfect compliment to the Fourth of July festivities... three dives for $65.00! He has reserved a great afternoon for us aboard the American Dream II. The agenda is 1) Captain Dan.. arguably the best wreck dive on our coast.. 2) a 60' north Broward reef.. 3) a 30'south Broward reef. Again, all this for only $65.00! The trip is limited to 20 divers and a 50% deposit is the only way to secure your spot. The deposit will not be refundable after June 24. And post dives, those with the will and the energy will be venturing to the Southport Raw Bar for grog and vittles. Call Bill now for more details and mail your deposit in asap!
July 7: Night Dive!! (Saturday) Bill Dietz and Eric Rohde are leading a night dive for us. This would be a great chance to do a final equipment check for all those heading off to the Turks and Caicos. The thought is to venture to Miami and do the reefs with RJ's. More details as they come available.
July 14 - 21: Turks & Caicos Trip A great spot for those who love walls and/or the Bahamas, plus the fun and variety of Club Med social life. Space may still available, so contact Peter Stephinson for more details.
July 11: Over-the-Hill and Off-the-Stern (Wednesday) 1:00 PM Show 2:00 PM Go Okay, it may be a weekday, but this is truly a last chance to get wet before y'all go to the Turks. Those of us staying behind are welcome, too. We'll be going aboard the Lady-Go-Diver out of Deerfield Beach. Cost will be $50.00, tax and tip included. Call Dave or Elaine Schneider for more details, or go to www.dixiedivers.com
July 18: Dinner-at-Large (Wednesday) While many of our Club are in the Turks, those less fortunate of us get to go to Briney's Irish Pub, Atlantic Avenue in Pompano Beach. Should be a fun night for all.
July 25 - 26: They're Back!! And it's Mini Season, so get out there and good hunting!
August 4 : Member Appreciation Day We haven't finalized the details yet, but this was such a popular event last year that we have planned to do an encore this year. We will let you know more as the details become available.
August 17 - 19: Annual Keys Weekend Jeff Raffa and Ginny DeMattei did such a great job last year that we have coerced them into organizing this years event. As always, this is a highlight of our calendar and a weekend you won't want to miss. Details will be forthcoming.
September 1 - 8: Exumas Liveaboard Fred Miller is leading a group to the Exumas in the Bahamas on this last of our currently scheduled overseas week-long trips. This promises to be a great event aboard an excellent Liveaboard, so contact Fred for more details and to check availability.
September 14 - 16: Bahamas Weekend Jeff and Ginny are back again to encore their successful Keys Weekend outing with a short trip to the Bahamas. This was a great time last year and promises to be even better this year, so mark your calendars and send your money in to reserve a spot. Space will be limited. More details as available.
September 29: Seafood Fest! A little later than usual due to our crowded calendar, but sure to be a great time regardless. Be sure to be on hand to see the crowning of SFDI's first ever "Lobster King". Lauderdale Isles Yacht Club, 2637 Whale Harbor Lane, Ft. Lauderdale [Map here] More details later on.
AND ONE LAST IMPORTANT NOTE; The newly revised and approved SFDI Policies and Procedures are available for everyone to read and fully understand. The Club policy regarding members' cancellation from dives/events they have signed on for and their rights to refunds is clear. 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. Further, members are required to pay for the dive/event at the time they sign up or indicate their desire to participate in that dive/event. 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. If there are any questions please read your copy of SFDI Policies and Procedures or speak to any Executive Board member.
Cayman Brac
June 17-21st 2007
Marine life of all shapes and sizes abound in the clear, warm waters off Cayman Brac. The recent sinking of a Russian Destroyer has only added to it's attractiveness as a dive destination. We plan to stay at the Brac Reef Resort, www.bracreef.com.
Turks & Caicos Trip
June 14-21,2007
We will be diving the Turk & Caicos Islands June 14-21 staying at Club Med(www.clubmed.com) an all-inclusive resort. The diving is great, and there are also facilities for other water and land sports such as wind surfing, sailing and tennis which are included in the price. There is also a full program of entertainment and social activities. You will want to come home for a vacation after this trip !! - checkout the photo's in Julie Taylor's Turks & Caicos Gallery to get an idea of what the diving is like.
June Meeting Program
A SAFETY MINUTE
This Months Feature by Kim Hunzinker
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.
June 2006 Safety Minute
Be a Good Buddy
Not a GONE BUDDY
Most of us know the basic idea is to BE THERE for your Buddy in case something doesn’t go according to PLAN. But from our own experiences, and recent stories, SEPARATION occurs and can lead to trouble. So, some tips from DAN to “Dive together, Stay Together”.
“PLAN THE DIVE, DIVE THE PLAN” – Review risks to Buddy Separation along with other checklist items ON THE BOAT. Then STICK WITH THE PLAN – underwater is not a time to change your mind.
“WHAT’S THE SOUP LIKE?” - OCEAN CONDITIONS in general cover things like poor VIZ & strong CURRENT. You need to recognize this and stay closer.
“CHECK ME, CHECK YOU” – Are you and your Buddy on the same page in terms of Air Supply & Consumption, Certification, # of Dives, TIME SINCE LAST DIVE, Equipment – serviced, rental? Communicate. And after doing the BOTTOM to TOP check on yourself, do the same for your BUDDY. No fun to find out something is missing, not turned on, or misunderstood after you hit the water.
“ON BOARD FOR THE WHOLE TRIP” – Some tragic DAN stories involved BUDDIES splitting up voluntarily. “I’ll meet you down below”, or the Buddy was left alone to finish his Safety Stop because the Buddy had “done his 3”. The Buddy never showed.
“EVERYBODY A BUDDY, NOBODY’S A BUDDY” – When diving in a group, don’t’ assume everyone is looking out for each other; Each diver should have a Buddy. And if someone is the “LEADER”, he should not assume his Buddy is following, but should keep visual or body contact.
A GOOD DIVE IS A SAFE DIVE. BE A GOOD BUDDY.
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.
MAY DINNER AT LARGE Pics
On May 9, John Kansman lead us back to Don Artuno's, everyone's favorite Cuban restaurant.
Photos by Peter Stephinson
June Dinner-at Large
This month we will be traveling to Marino's Italian Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Julie Taylor will be serving as our Maitre'd and will ring the dinner bell at 7:30. Bring your appetite and plan to have a great evening. Give Julie a call for more details.
Click Here for John Beal's Palau Video
Also Please Visit Sanda Hoffer's Website at
Trivia Question
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What is the difference between hyperbaric, hypobaric,
alternobaric and dysbaric?
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TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWER
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Summer 2007 - Overseas Trips.
The following trips were selected based on input by 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. We need deposits to lock in the reservations we are currently holding at the current prices. There are still a few openings on each trip. If you are signed up for a trip and not up to date on your payment, you could loose your spot. So please stay current with the payment schedule.
June 17-21st 2007 Cayman Brac. Marine life of all shapes and sizes abound in the clear, warm waters off Cayman Brac. The recent sinking of a Russian Destroyer has only added to it's attractiveness as a dive destination. We plan to stay at the Brac Reef Resort, www.bracreef.com. Estimated cost is $1950 including air, lodging, meals, transfers, travel insurance and diving. Trip Organizer Dave Schneider
September 1-8th Exumas Liveaboard. A Bahamas dive trip aboard the luxurious AquaCat Catamaran ( www.aquacatcruises.com ). We will cruise the Exumas for the best in pristine Bahamas diving.... reef, wall, wreck, drift and Blue Hole dives. In addition to diving, snorkeling, kayaking and island exploration are available. Estimated cost $2200 all inclusive includes air, and tips. Trip organizer Fred Miller.
July 14-21st Turks & Caicos. Turks is known for it's spectacular wall diving. To satisfy recently acquired tastes for white chocolate bread we will be staying at the Club Med Turkoise ( www.clubmed.com ) The estimated cost is $1900 including air, lodging, transfers, travel insurance, drinks and diving. Trip Organizer Pete Stephinson.
South Florida Divers Club
By Brian Hufford
Happy June Birthday
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Lots of Laughs and other WISDOM
Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
You've got to sing like you don't need the
money, love like you'll never get hurt. You've got to dance like no one is
watching. It's gotta come from the heart, if you want it to work.
Susannah Clark
