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South Florida Divers, Inc.

May 2006 Newsletter

Important Notice !!

May Meeting Rescheduled to

May 10, 2006.

Due To Circumstances Beyond Our Control the General Meeting

Will Be Wednesday, May 10, 2006. Same Time, Same Place.

Sorry for the Inconvenience. We Hope to See You All There !!

CONTENTS

President's Message	Come Join The Fun !
Calendar for May and beyond	May Meeting Program
FAQ'S	May Dinner
Attention Beach Divers	A Safety Minute
SFDI 2006 Pig Roast Pics	Happy May Birthday
Member Photos	Bahamas Dive Weekend
Check The Weather	San Salvador, Bahamas Trip Planned
Where's Kansman
Dive Australia 2007	Lots of Laughs and Other Wisdom

President's Message

Getting warmer.....

~ By Pete Stephinson

Well those of you who missed out on the Pig Roast, and there weren't many of you, sure missed out on a good time. Joe Smariga, did a great job roasting the star of the show, and John Kansman did a great job of organizing the food and drinks and making logistical arrangements. Thanks guys, GREAT JOB. Capt Chris had his digital camera with him so I am sure you can see either yourself, or what you missed out on further down this newsletter. The following day, 18 hardy SFDI members headed down to Key Biscayne to dive the Princess Brittany and a reef. Two good dives, thanks to Stan and Chris for organizing it. Afterwards we went to Jimbos to help Jimbo celebrate his 79th Birthday, not that he needed our help.... interesting.

With the warmer temperatures just around the corner, we have started to put more dives on the calendar -- check out the May & June schedules where you will see we have a number of opportunities to get wet. For those of you still debating whether the temperature has reached a tolerable temperature for diving it was 79 degrees on the reef (April 9th) .We Also, we have just scheduled a weekend trip to the Bahamas in September. That will be a three day trip organized by Stefan Trestyn -- Friday thru Sunday. We will be going across by boat so diving the Sunday morning won't be a problem before the return trip home. Sounds like a fun weekend to me.

For those of you who weren't at the April meeting, (and that includes me !!), Michele Ashby was elected to the e-Board to fill the vacant Member-at-Large position. Michele will be filling the place vacated by Brian Hufford. Following on from Brian, Michele will be doing the safety minute each month. Welcome aboard Michele, we are pleased to have you "onboard" so to speak.

Speaking about safety, I read in today's Sun Sentinel (April 16th), where two divers drowned off Boynton Beach. That's an area we dive often, so it's very close to home. Our sympathies are with the families of the two divers. However this serves as a reminder to us that our sport is not without it's dangers. If you haven't been in the water for a while, and are planning to dive soon, now would be a good time to have your gear checked out. Also, if it's been a while, make your first dive an easy one, and take a buddy whose skills you trust.

At the May meeting we will be addressed on the subject of the Broward County Reef Mooring Buoy program. I'm sure that will be of considerable interest. I look forward to seeing you there and I hope to see you in the water some time soon

Pete

email: President@SFDI.com

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WELCOME YOUR NEWEST DIVE BUDDIES!

We are delighted to welcome new member

Randy Holmes, Marion Reed, David Hartman and Marcia Tucker !

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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May 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.

April 29 : 1:00 PM Show 1:30 Go Time to shake the dust off the gear and get back into the water. Dave and Pete invite everyone to join them aboard Lady Go Diver out of Deerfield Beach. Prices are still reasonable at $50.00, tip included. For more info, www.dixiedivers.com

May 6 - 7 : MS 150 Bike Tour Jeff Raffa and Debby Bradford encourage all members to help fight Muscular Dystrophy by participating in the 2006 Bike Tour. Contact either of them for information or go to www.marooneMS150.org
May 6 - 7 : McDonald's Air & Sea Show Come watch the Navy sail, the Air Force fly and the stunt pilots wow the crowd. Always a great event. On Fort Lauderdale beach. For full schedule of events go to www.nationalsalute.com/air/schedules.php/
May 6 : Pete's Second Annual Spring Scramble Golf Outing Pete Stephinson hosts his annual golf outing at the Boca Dunes Golf & Country Club. All abilities welcome. A $50.00 fee pays for golf, cart, trophies and prizes, buffet lunch, beer and sodas. Contact Pete fore! more info.
May 8: SFDI Executive Board Meeting at Connections for Business, 2843 Pembroke Rd. NE corner of I-95 and Pembroke Road. Members please feel free to sit in and join us! 7:30 PM starting time
May 10 : General Meeting 7:00 PM Show 7:30 (Sharp!) Go RAMADA INN FORT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT, 2275 State Road 84. [Driving directions here] [Map here] . As always, an interesting and informative program has been planned by Adelle Nicholson. Looking forward to seeing you there! NOTE: additional parking on west side of Ramada.
May 13 : 1:00 Show 1:30 Go Fred Miller wants as many divers as are available to join him aboard the American Dream II for a day of exciting diving. $53.00 will cover the cost, tip included.
May 13 : Pre-San Salvador Meeting Details will be provided to all those who are going on the trip, or contact Pete Stephinson.
May 14 : Happy Mother's Day Best wishes to all you Mothers out there!
May 18 : Dinner-at-Large Chris Higgins looks forward to hosting the gang for some great seafood, fun, camaraderie and the worlds best garlic crabs at the Rustic Inn Crabhouse, 4331 Ravenswood Rd., Ft. Lauderdale. Dinner is at 7:30 PM. For more info, menu and directions go to www.rusticinncrabhouse.com
May 19 - 21 : Cajun Zydeco Festival Music, dancing, crawfish and hot 'n spicy Cajun/Creole dishes. Outstanding! Quiet Waters Park, Deerfield Beach Times, events and tickets available online at www.cajunfest.com
May 21 : 12:30 PM Show 1:00 Go The beautiful reefs of Palm Beach County beckon to the hardy "scubateers" of SFDI as Dave Schneider and Pete Stephinson welcome you aboard the Starfish Enterprise. Great diving for only $53.00, tip included. Only 13 spots will be available so sign up soon! Après dive at the Olde Key Lime House.
May 27 - 29 Captain's Choice Private Boat Trip Off to the Bahamas for diving, eating, partying and related mayhem over Memorial Day Weekend. For details contact Captain Joe Smariga.
May 28 : 1:00 PM Show 1:30 Go Fred Miller and Bill Dietz(?) welcome all aboard the American Dream II. Another great day with two of SFDI's favorite "sons". See y'all aboard. $53.00, tip included. www.scubafortlauderdale.com
June 3 : 12:30 PM Show 1:00 Go Jump aboard and help make Michele Ashby's debut as a Dive Coordinator a success! She has us booked on RJ's out of Miami. Afterwards refreshments are readily available at Monte's. Cost will be $50.00, tip included. (If more than 16 members dive the cost will drop to $45.00). www.rjdiving.com
June 7 : General Meeting 7:00 PM Show 7:30 (Sharp!) Go RAMADA INN FORT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT, 2275 State Road 84. [Driving directions here] [Map here] NOTE: additional parking on west side of Ramada.
June 10 : 7:30 PM Show 8:00 Go (subject to revision by Capt. Todd) Fred Miller needs a batch of fearless divers to join him on a night dive beneath the waters off Fort Lauderdale. This will be a two tank event. Cost: $58.00, tax and tip included. www.scubafortlauderdale.com
June 12 : SFDI Executive Board Meeting at Connections for Business, 2843 Pembroke Rd. NE corner of I-95 and Pembroke Road. All members welcome and encouraged to attend. We start at 7:30 PM Sharp.
June 17 -24 : San Salvador !! Out of the country and into the warm blue Caribbean with Pete Stephinson. Sold out, but you can sign-up for stand -by. Details below!
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.
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 &nbs p; All for only $225.00, Tildens diving included... $170.00 without diving. Such a deal!
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 ! Stefan Trestyn is putting together a weekend in the Bahamas. More details at the end of the Calendar
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.
Oct 30- Nov 6, 2007: Dive Australia. Travel from Cairns to Cod Hole on the Spirit of Freedom Live-aboard with Michele Ashby. Check out this flyer for more information.

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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.

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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SFDI Annual Pig Roast Pics

April 8, 2006 5:30 PM

Click Here For More Pig Roast 2006 Pics !!

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MAY DINNER AT LARGE

Rustic Inn Crabhouse

Chris Higgins looks forward to hosting the gang for some great seafood, fun, camaraderie and the worlds best garlic crabs at the Rustic Inn Crabhouse, 4331 Ravenswood Rd., Ft. Lauderdale. Dinner is at 7:30 PM. For more info, menu and directions go to www.rusticinncrabhouse.com

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May Meeting Program

MOORING BUOYS PROTECT OUR REEFS

From time to time, South Florida Divers has hosted speakers who inform us about our coral reefs. This month, we will hear about our reefs from the point of view of David Stout, a Natural Resources Specialist with the Biological Resources Division of Broward County’s Department of Environmental Protection. He assists with the planning and management of the County’s Beach Restoration projects, Artificial Reef and Mooring Buoy Programs.

Dave will speak about South Florida’s reefs and the threats that face them. He will recall how several divers from our own SFDI dive club volunteered in the early stages of the Mooring Buoy Program, and how the Program operates today to help protect reefs from anchor damage. (FYI – soft corals grow at the rate of only 1” per year, while hard corals grow at the rate of only 1/5” per year!) First developed at the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary, mooring buoys have been installed throughout the Florida Keys, the Caribbean, and worldwide.

Come and find out about the Mooring Buoy Program, learn about the good work of your fellow South Florida Divers, and receive buoy location maps.

ABOUT DAVE STOUT

Dave Stout has had a varied career as a sailor, marine technician and marine resources project manager. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree form Ohio Wesleyan University (1977) with a major in Biology. After college he went to sea and sailed the Eastern seaboard and the Caribbean. His sailing career led to work as a marine technician and hydrographic surveyor in offshore oilfields of the Gulf of Mexico and along the shores of Lake Maracailbo in Venezuela. Dave also worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration mapping the sea floor and coastline of Honduras and the ports of Boston and Pensacola.

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Dave Schneider coordinates the " Over the Hill - Off the Stern " Dives. Check the Calendar

for more details. Here are a few pics from Daves April 19 dive. Thanks Dave !!





                       &nb sp;                                                             photos by Dave Schneider

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A SAFETY MINUTE

                                &n bsp;                                          ;                       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.

May 2006 Safety Minute

Dive Safely in Surging Water

Surge is the billowing and swelling motion of water caused by waves. It becomes a problem particularly when you're diving near rocks and shallow wrecks or when advancing towards an anchored boat. Here's what to do:

1. Retreat

Like the waves that create them, surges come in sets of strong crests and weak breaks. If you're having a problem approaching the dive boat ladder, retreat a few feet and monitor the conditions until you can recognize and feel the rhythm of the swells.

2. Don't Battle the Surge

Don't consume your energy by attempting to move against the swells. They're stronger than you are! When the surge tries to drive you backward, you should hold onto something such as a current line, anchor line, or rock and ride the wave when it carries you forward. If you're not fortunate enough to have something to grab on to, just steadily fin forward enough to remain in one spot. Backward and forward waves are about the same and will cancel each other out.

3. Time Yourself

Before making your move, wait for a period of gentler swells. If you're trying to enter a swim-through or an opening in a wreck, ride the inflow to the edge of the aperture, hang on during the outflow, and then during the pause and next inflow swim through and beyond the orifice where the surge is most forceful. If you're trying to exit the water and you time it right, you'll be able to ride an inflow swell to the boat ladder or a rock, hang on during the outflow, and get out of the water during the lull before the next inflow surge. Be cautious and safe! It is better to fall short the first time and do it again than it is to be slammed against the side of a boat or rocks.

Things to remember when diving in surge:

Ordinarily, you can escape the surge by descending ten to twenty feet below the water, depending on the size of the waves.

The larger the waves, the stronger the surf and the deeper they reach.

Surge is stronger in breaks between rocks and through openings in wrecks.

When the current has to take an alternate route around stationary objects, such as rocks, it flows faster.

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BAHAMAS DIVE WEEKEND !

September 15-17

           Details are still subject to change but the basics are in place and this promises to be a great weekend dive trip!

           The plan is to leave Friday morning on Discovery out of Ft. Lauderdale or Cloud X sailing from West Palm Beach. Both ships leave at 8:00AM. This allows Friday, Saturday and Sunday for diving (two per day). The return trip leaves at 4:30PM Sunday. With all likelihood there will be a shark feeding dive included. At this time Stefan is leading to Xanadu Undersea Adventures.

           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.

           Stay tuned for more details.

Trivia Question
A Monthly Feature by Marjory Meechan

True or False: There are more lobsters in America now than there were when Columbus landed.

TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWER

True ... but mostly due to the rise in numbers of the northern Maine lobster. Before the arrival of European fishing fleets on the Grand Banks, great numbers of cod roamed the northern Atlantic and cod love lobster. Now that the cod have been fished almost to extinction, the lobsters are more numerous. As for our southern spiny lobster, they seem to be declining if not in numbers, at least in size. New legislation had been suggested that would allow commercial lobster fishermen hard-hit by last year's hurricane season to begin harvesting them on July 15 instead of Aug. 10. This proposal was later discarded but the debate over how endangered the lobsters are and if so, how best to conserve them remains. One objection to an earlier lobster season is that it further encroaches on the lobsters' breeding season and of course, the more eggs, the more lobsters. However other factors are also important. For example, the number of juvenile lobsters who are able to settle is a good predictor of how many lobsters will later be available for catching (and eating). Ensuring that there are plenty of dens for these little bugs may be another way to promote their survival.

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Coral Reef Initiative Workshops to be Scheduled

Click Here for More Info

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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

SOLD OUT

The SFDI group that just returned from the Turks & Caicos Islands had such a great time that a number of them decided to do a similar trip in 2006. Check out the photos in this month's Newsletter and on the site to see what great diving they enjoyed, and the fun times which they had on land. On returning, Pete Stephinson, trip organizer checked out the prices and availability and secured an even better deal for 2006 at the Club Med Columbus Isle on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas.

"What San Sal offers divers is vertical walls, populated shallow reefs ideal for macro photography, groupers so friendly they will lay in your arms and the ever-present chance of spotting big creatures, such as Hammerhead Sharks and Manta Rays. San Sal was one of the very first destinations to develop wall diving and this is still the reason most divers visit. The south and western sides of the island are lined by one of the most impressive walls in The Bahamas, starting as shallow as 40 feet and dropping to thousands of feet. "
For more info visit http://www.about-the-bahamas.com/bahamas/sansalvador.cfm

The Club Med Columbus Isle offers similar facilities, dining, and range of activities to those we experienced at Turkoise. You can read about the resort on their web site at http://www.clubmed.com
The cost for the trip includes:

       - Round trip airfare on Spirit Airlines from Fort Lauderdale (includes taxes and transfers)

       - 7 day all inclusive package at Club Med Columbus Isle                          ;                                         &n bsp;                                          ;

             - all meals, drinks and gratuities

             - watersports and evening entertainment

             - 6 day diving package (reduced rates for non-divers) or those wanting a 3 day package)

We have over 20 people signed up. Don't miss out, if you want to sign up you are recommended to do so at the September Meeting. A $200 deposit is required to confirm your place. Payments will be accepted monthly with full payment due by April 2006.

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Happy May Birthday!

Adelle Nicholson John Kansman Bill Dietz

Neal Goodman

Bruce Harlan

Steve Oller

Stephan Trestyn Russell Jones Camilo Romano

Linda Meyers Fred Miller Eric Rohde

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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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Dive Australia.

Oct 30- Nov 6, 2007

Travel from Cairns to Cod Hole on the Spirit of Freedom Live-aboard with Michele Ashby.

Click Here For More Info !!

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LOTS OF LAUGHS and Other Wisdom

Just to make your head spin today!

Reasons why the English language is so hard to learn :

1. The bandage was wound around the wound.
2..The farm was used to produce produce.
3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4. We must polish the Polish furniture.
5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10. I did not object to the object.
11. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
12. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
13. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
14. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
15. They were too close to the door to close it.
16. The buck does funny things when the does are present.
17. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
18. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
19. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
20. After a number of injections my jaw got number.
21. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.
Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea
pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of
all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the
English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and
feet that smell? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which an alarm goes off by going on. English was
invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (which, of course, isn't a race at all). That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

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The Wet Zone

South Florida Divers, Inc.,
Copyright 2006

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