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CONTENTS |
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| President's Message | Meeting Location |
| Calendar for March and Beyond | March Meeting Program |
| A Safety Minute | Happy March Birthday |
| Get Smart With Joe | 2011 OverseasTrips |
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Warm enough ?
~ By Pete Stephinson
While the our northern colleagues have been breaking records for snow and ice fall, we have had good enough weather for those of us not so thermally challenged to get wet. I went on the Jupiter dive several weeks ago and had a great time. It was nice and sunny and the sea was flat. We saw more turtles than I've ever seen seen in 1 day before. They seemed to be everywhere, and decent sized ones too. The diving up there was great and it's a place we should go more often.
Our calendar is filling up for March and beyond so there will be plenty to keep us busy. The latest information will be available at our March General Meeting. there are a number of dives and activities planned including local, a dive trip to Key Largo to dive the Speigel, a bicycle tour of Shark Valley, a "pub crawl" and our annual camping and canoe weekend at Jonathan Dickinson State park. Our first major social event of the year, the annual Pig Roast is scheduled for mid April.
With Spring rapidly approaching we will soon be in peak diving season. This is the time of the year when we are trying to lay out a schedule of dives to cover the spring and early summer. If you have enjoyed attending club dives now is the time to start thinking about what contribution you can make to our calendar. If you have a favorite dive why not set it up as a club dive? I'm sure you'll find a number of other SFDI members keen to enjoy it with you. If you don't know how to get started then Dave Schneider, myself or one of the other eBoard members will be pleased to help you get started.
During my annual visit to New Zealand last December and January I took the opportunity to reintroduce myself to the sport of hiking. I spent 3 days on the world renowned Routeburn Track which has sections in both the Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks. I had a great time and the scenery was simply awesome. I took some great photos which I will be showing during the guest speaker section of the March meeting -- hope to see you there.
Of course you can't participate in any of our club events if you're not a member - and if you haven't renewed for 2011 you are now overdue. For those of you who joined at the end of 2010, please note that your membership is good through 2011. Membership of SFDI is a great deal when you consider all the activities, events, dives and overseas trips which you have the opportunity to enjoy
See you in the water some time soon
Pete
president@sfdi.com
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2011 Membership Renewal Reminder
With the Beginning of 2011, it is time to start thinking about renewing your SFDI membership for 2011. At $70, membership of South Florida Divers is a helluva deal. If you need reminding of the benefits of membership, click here. Application forms should be completed when renewing. An additional $5 is charged for renewals after the February General Meeting.
To renew your membership please do the following: 1) Print and fill out the New Member Application Form (Verify your address etc.) 2) Print and fill out the Yearly Renewal Application Form 3) Make a copy of your c-card 4) Please write a check for $70.00 made out to South Florida Divers Inc. for a single membership or $100.00 made out to South Florida Divers Inc. for a family membership. If the application is made after the February meeting, add $5 to the check amount. $75 for single and $105 for family. 5) Bring along all four items to the monthly meeting (preferred) or mail it the following address: Joe Smariga |
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S.U.D.S. Planning Information!
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We are manning a booth at the Miami Boat Show in the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Our mission is to spread the word about SUDS, while hopefully raising
much needed funding. This takes place February 17th through the 21st.
Everyone in the dive club is invited to the reception Saturday night at the Miami Boat Show.
S.U.D.S http://www.sudsdiving.org
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MEETING LOCATION !!!
Location for General Meeting
Lauderdale Isles Yacht Club, 2637 Whale Harbor Lane, Ft. Lauderdale
The Same Place We Have The Pig Roast and Seafood Fest !!
Directions:
1. Take I 95 to Davie Blvd. Head West.
2. Turn Left on 27th Ave, (Riverland Road ).
3. Follow around and Stay on Riverland Road
4. Turn left at Whale Harbor Lane.
5. Lauderdale Isles Yacht Club is on the Right
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PLEASE SEE NOTE ABOVE !!
SFDI meetings are the first Wednesday of each month at Lauderdale Isles Yacht Club. 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! 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. |
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WELCOME YOUR NEWEST DIVE BUDDIES!
We are delighted to welcome new members: John Saif Steve DiGiulio As a Reminder to Everyone, We are a NO-DECOMPRESSION Dive Club. Always adhere to Safe Recreational Dive Depths and Limits.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS March… and beyond !
Once again we would like to thank all those members who have stepped up and organized our many various events. No matter how much we have going on we still need more members to come forward with new ideas and to act as Coordinators. Any E-Board member will be more than happy to give you any needed assistance to get you started. The more people we have planning events the better our Club will be.
To ensure privacy please note that we never post the phone numbers of our event coordinators. If you are a Club member please consult your Buddy List for the number you need. If you do not have one there will be a copy available at the next General Meeting, or contact Melissa Ames.
The Calendar is here for your convenience. If you see an event that interests you please contact the Coordinator directly. You can sign-up for an event at any time. Simply contact the Coordinator and he/she will be more than happy to add your name to the list and tell you where to mail payment. Remember, you are not on an event until payment has been received. For those events with a maximum number of openings the date payment was received will be the determining factor for who goes on the event. No exceptions, no whining.
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February 17 – 21:
Miami Boat Show – Miami Beach
Convention Center
February 17 – 21: SUDS Fundraiser - Miami Beach Convention Center http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/shows-events/369519-help-suds-disabled-soldiers-miami-boat-show.html
February 19: Lionfish Tournament (Saturday 1:30 PM) Call Dixie Divers at 954-420-0009 for more details.
February 24: Dinner-at-Large (Thursday 7:30) Scott Prinos has stepped up and is coordinating his first event. He wants us all to join him at My Big Fat Greek Restaurant for a night of fun and great food and, well, yeah, maybe a little belly dancing. Located at 3445 Griffin Road the restaurant doesn't appear to have a website but there are plenty of good reviews on Google.
February 26: Private Boat Dive ( Saturday 8:30 Go) Ahoy! say John Kansman and Dave Wills as they once again lead the fleet to sea. Leaving from John U. Lloyd Park, our intrepid Captains caution you not to be late unless you want to wave goodbye from the dock. Even Gerry Cowen has promised to turn a new leaf in 2011 and be on time.
February 26: Tri Rail Pub Crawl! (Saturday – time TBA) So popular last year that Donna Eades is doing a reprise. Tri Rail to City Place and a day of drinking, eating, drinking, window shopping, drinking, revelry and drinking. Such fun. Donna plans for us to all meet on TriRail #664 ($5.00 all day), times available at www.trirail.com. More details at the March meeting or give her a call.
March 2: General Meeting (Wednesday 7:30 Sharp!) Lauderdale Isles Yacht and Tennis Club. Address and directions elsewhere on the website.
March 7: SFDI Executive Board Meeting at Connections for Business, 2843 Pembroke Road, NE corner of I-95 and Pembroke Road. Everybody welcome! Meeting starts at 7:30. Come and join us and see how your Club is run.
March 10: Jersey Boys (Thursday – 8:00 Curtain) Steve Oller has decided that a night at the theater would be a good way to add some class to our otherwise taste-challenged membership. The show, a smash hit wherever it has played, is at the Adrienne Arscht Center in Miami. Cost is $45.00 per ticket. Call Steve asap to sign-up and you must have made payment by Feb. 12. Call Steve for more details and be sure to check out the following link… http://jerseyboystour.net/jersey-boys-miami
March 13: Julie T’s Bicycle Adventure (Sunday 11: AM) As is customary, Julie will allow us a good night’s sleep on Saturday before a casual bike ride kicking off from the Ann Kolb Nature Center. Call her if you need more information. Special note: if I’m not mistaken, today marks the start of Daylight Savings.
March 17: Leapin’ leprechauns, ’tis time for green beer again! Let’s all be careful out there.
March 17 – 20: Dania Flea Market
March 19: "Dirty Dozen Dive" (Saturday 9:00 Go) Gerry Cowen is playing host – if he wakes up on time - for a morning with Captain Brian and the rest of the Coastal Marine crew aboard the Blue Runner. Cost will be $50.00, tax and tip included. Call Gerry for more details or go to www.bluerunnerdiving.com.
March 22: Shooting Night (Tuesday 7:00 PM) Roland Lakaschus invites all to a night at the Pembroke Gun & Range. Cost will be about $9.00 for the night, sans weapon and ammo. Roland will bring a few guns with him but your best bet will be to bring your own or rent one at the range. Roland also suggests you purchase your ammo at WalMart. Call him for more details or go to www.pembrokegunrange.com.
March 24: Dinner-at-Large (Thursday 7:30) Back by popular demand! Lynne and Ray are bringing us back to Bonefish Mac’s. Located on Sample Road, just east of Federal Highway, this will be a meal to remember. Call Lynne or Ray for more information or go to www.bonefishmacs.com.
March 27: Private Boat Dive (Sunday 8:00 Show 8:30 Go) John Kansman and Dave Wills are once again leading the fleet to sea for a last crack at our favorite crustaceans. Leaving from John U. Lloyd Park, our intrepid Captains caution you not to be late unless you want to wave bye bye from the dock. (Reports from the Feb. 26 dive are that Mr. Cowen has not changed his tardy ways but managed to jump aboard at the absolute last minute.)
March 31: "Over-the-Hill & Off-the-Stern" (Thursday 2:00 PM Go) For all those who are too old to work or fortunate enough to be able to cop a day off during the week. We will be venturing out on Scubatyme out of Pompano on calm seas with perfect viz. Cost will be $55.00, tax and tip included. Call Dave or Elaine Schneider for more details or go to http://www.dive-dive-dive.com/V2/location.asp.
April 3: Jazz Brunch (Sunday 11:00 AM) What a great way to start April! Plan to join Steve and Rita for a brunch under a sunny sky at Riverwalk. A little music, a dose of good friends and a good time for all. You’ll have to bring your own food and beverage as well as a chair. Steve would be more than happy to give you more detail, so give him a call.
April 6: General Meeting (Wednesday 7:30 Sharp!) Lauderdale Isles Yacht and Tennis Club. Address and directions elsewhere on the website.
April 9: Private Boat Dive (Saturday 8:30 Sharp Go) Okay, so sometimes someone shows up late and the fleet leaves a few minutes after 8:30 but it ain’t worth pushing your luck. As always, J.U. Lloyd Park boat ramp. Call John K. or Dave W. to reserve a spot.
April11: SFDI Executive Board Meeting at Connections for Business, 2843 Pembroke Road, NE corner of I-95 and Pembroke Road. Everybody welcome! Meeting starts at 7:30 Come and join us and see how your Club is run.
April 14: "Over-the-Hill & Off-the-Stern" (Thursday 2:00 PM Go) This month the old timers and lucky other folks will go forth on the Starfish Enterprise out of Boynton Beach. Great reefs in Palm Beach County so plan to join us. Call Dave or Elaine Schneider, or go to www.idivestarfish for more details.
April 16: Pig Roast! (Saturday 5:00 PM) The first of our signature party events, a blast for all comers - except the pig. As always, at the Lauderdale Isles Yacht and Tennis Club. Please bring a covered dish (there will be a sign-up sheet at the meeting) and a $10.00 bill per person. The Club will provide beer, wine, water and soft drinks, as well as the aforementioned pig. Please remember; we are not permitted to bring any form of alcoholic beverage. They are available - for a price - at the Yacht Club bar.
April 21: Dinner-at-Large (Thursday 7:30) John Kansman will once again host our annual pilgrimage to Don Arturo’s. Good food, good drinks, a good time for all so plan to join us.
April 29 - May 1: Spring Camping Weekend The weather should be perfect for a weekend in the "woods" at John Dickinson State Park. As always, this is a tent only event and will be limited to the first nine paid tenters. Cost will run about $20.00 per person for both nights and a burgers and 'dogs dinner. Call Craig and Linda Sandel for more details.
May 7: Key Largo Wreck Trek (Saturday 12:30 Show) Larry Mullins has set this up for us. We will dive with Silent World Divers and Larry expects to do the Spiegel Grove and the Duane. Since they run two boats it may be possible for a second group to do two shallow reefs. Dinner afterwards is a must! Let’s get a good turnout for this one. Cost will be about $80.00, tax, tip and 2 air tanks included. Call Larry for more details or go to www.silentworld.com.
May 14: Shark Valley Bike Ride (Saturday 11:00 AM) No yawns here as Julie also needs a good night’s sleep. Always a good time, Julie expects to see as many sharks as we saw lemon sharks in January. Call her for more details or directions.
December 3: Holiday Party Mark your calendars… good things tend to sneak up on you.
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OVERSEAS TRIPS FOR 2011
See the Coordinator for more details.
St. Lucia June 11 – 18 Peter Stephinson, Coordinator
Cozumel June 18 – 25 Jeff Raffa & Ginny DeMattei, Coordinators
And lastly, a few other things that are in the works…
Dry Tortugas - Dave Wills is planning to repeat his successful trip from acouple years ago. Dates and details to follow.
Keys Bike Trip - Dave Wills again! No dates, no details, but this should be afun event.
Shark Valley Bike-at-Night - Linda Sandel thinks this is a great idea and wehope she has details for us soon.
Coast Guard Boating Safety Course - Safety minded Donna Eades had thisidea and will do the coordinating.
And a special final item… the Holiday Party will once again be held in December.
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"POLICIES AND PROCEDURES" NOW PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE. The rules and regulations that we must all abide by are now printed in their entirety on the website. I cannot stress enough how important it is that all members, new and old, read and be thoroughly aware of how these rules apply to them. I have summarized below some of the more important points.
Payment: A member is confirmed on an event only after their payment has been received. Payments for dives must be made when signing-up. Payments for trips must be made according to the schedule provided by the Coordinator. In the event that a dive, trip, etc. is overbooked than those confirmed to go will be determined by the date order of payment.
Cancellation: Once a member signs on for a dive or other event he/she is obligated to pay unless they contact the Coordinator by the specified cancellation deadline. Cancellation deadlines are outlined in Policies and Procedures.
Certification Requirements: Some dives will be restricted to divers with certain minimum qualifications, generally as specified by the dive operator. In some cases these minimums will be set by the Coordinator in conjunction with the E-Board based on the profile and/or characteristics of the planned dive. No exceptions will be allowed.
Special Needs: Some of our members have "special needs" when participating on a dive, trip or other event. These can be cases where someone needs extra help off or back on a dive boat, special requirements regarding accommodations, etc. Coordinators are not psychic. It is the responsibility of the member to make sure that the Coordinator knows of these needs well in advance of the event.
If any of the above are not abundantly clear be sure to get clarification from an E-Board member.
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June 11-19, 2011 St Lucia
Join Pete in St Lucia diving and exploring this fascinating and picturesque island. We will be diving with Dive Fair Helen for 5 days and will have 2 free days to explore the island. Estimated cost is $1790 which includes round trip airfare from Miami, hotel for 8 nights with breakfast, 5 day diving package, lunch on dive days, travel insurance and T-shirt. Non-divers welcome at a reduced rate. A minimum $200 deposit reserves your space.
Click here for more about St Lucia
June 18-25, 2011 Cozumel - Jeff & Ginny plan to book us for a week of diving at the Iberostar Resort as well as a planned snorkle with whale sharks.
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Eels Bonaire
Video by Dave Pressler
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Click on here for more pictures
Ray Schreiber's January Dive off the Jupiter
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Click on here for more pictures
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March Meeting Program
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TRAMPING THE
ROUTEBURN WITH ONE OF OUR OWN
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On March 2nd,
our general meeting is not to be missed! Our club
President Pete Stephinson will present his experiences tramping New
Zealand’s Routeburn
Track (“Tramping” is Kiwi-speak for Hiking). New
Zealand is known for its spectacular scenery, and the Routeburn
track is one of its more famous hikes. It was named as one of
the top eleven trails in the world by the National
Geographic Adventure magazine in May 2005. Pete will
tell us of his experiences and show us some of the spectacular
photos he took.
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ABOUT PETE STEPHINSON
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Pete is a New Zealander who has made his home in the US for the last 27 years. First living in Michigan and then Pennsylvania, he moved to South Florida in 1996 and took up diving shortly after arriving. He has been President of SFDI since 2006. Pete is not only an avid diver, but also a keen traveler and has made many journeys to international locations for both business and pleasure. He usually visits New Zealand annually to catch up with family.
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| I will be posting a series of three SCUBA Diving signal every month. | ||
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| "Octopus" | "Danger" | "You" or "That Way" |
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Joe G’s Safety minute for March 2011 Personal Flotation Devices It is hard to swim normal distances in an emergency situation. There is a rapid heat loss and incapacitation which causes inappropriate behaviors, such as, taking off clothes and shoes. A personal flotation device should be worn on the water at all times. Have you ever wondered why the Coast Guard always have their PFD's on? The floatation devices (PFD's) that were previously mentioned keep your head up and out of the water and afloat even when you are unconscious. It's best not to swim or exercise vigorously as this will increase the loss of heat. Position yourself 45 degrees toward the oncoming waves to avoid "surface drowning". Gather together in a group if there are more than one person.
Prevention of falling overboard should always be uppermost in your mind. The PFD should always be worn when on deck. Hang on--"one hand for the boat and one for me" when working on a rocking boat. Don't sit or lean on lifelines, stand on the bight of a line or sleep topside. Don't sit on rails or gunwales without a lifeline or go on deck at night, in a fog or during heavy weather without a lifeline and tell someone else when you do. Don't urinate or vomit over the side without a line. Walk and work in pairs on deck and wear proper footwear.
Finally, one must realize that the sea is an alien environment and even though we may think we are invincible, immortal and can even swim a little bit -- when in the water out of sight of land we need to use all of our intelligence just to survive.
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The Wet Zone South
Florida Divers, Inc., |
