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South Florida Divers, Inc.
May 2007 Newsletter
President's Message Summer's almost here :-)
~ By Pete Stephinson
I hope you've had as much fun as I have over the last several weeks. We finished March on a high note with our Annual Pig Roast. John Kansman and Joe Smariga did a great job in putting on a great event. We had a good turnout of members and their guests. Everyone I spoke to (with the exception of the pig) had a great time. Thanks guys for putting on a great party. The following weekend a number of us went camping and canoeing at Jonathan Dickinson State park. We were fortunate to have great weather. It was pleasantly cool for sleeping out and fine and sunny for canoeing. A number of us paddled up the Loxahatchee to Trapper Nelson's campsite enjoying the river scenery and wildlife along the way. We were fortunate in meeting a Park Ranger at Trapper Nelson's who was very knowledgeable about Trapper Nelson and the history of the area and enthusiastically shared his knowledge, and personal anecdotes with us. Thanks to Craig and Linda Sandel for organizing a great weekend - we enjoyed the camaradarie of camping together and socializing round the campfire and were even visited by the Easter bunny. On another subject, I recently read a special report in the April edition of National Geographic magazine on the "Global Fish Crisis" It is quite an eye opener which as divers shouldn't really surprise us. We regularly see evidence of the impact of over fishing and other damage made to the underwater habitat. I recommend this report as interesting reading. With the summer months approaching we have a number of dives and other activities scheduled. By and large it is the same small group of people who organize many of the dives. We really do need more members to step up and organize dives. If you've enjoyed the club dives you've been on, yet haven't organized one yourself, now is the time to put something back into the club. Speak to Dave Schneider, myself or any of the other eboard members about your ideas for a dive. We will help you get started and can offer ideas if you want to run a dive and need some ideas as to where to go. Lastly, thank you to all who have renewed your membership for 2007, we have a high rate of renewals. As a reminder, for those who have not yet renewed, you must be a member to go on a club dive. So if you've overlooked renewing for this year, and wish to dive with us, then I suggest you renew before the summer diving season. 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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May 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.
April 20 - 22: Ocean Fest 2006, a celebration of diving and water sports sponsored by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. Your chance to help your club and the festival organizers by volunteering to help out. Details on Ocean Fest are at www.oceanfest.com
April 28: Pete's 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.
April 29: 1:00PM Show 1:30PM Go (Sunday) Kim Hunziker plans to lead us into the depths to explore the Tenneco Towers and local reefs from aboard the American Dream II. This one should be very popular, so sign on early. Cost is $60.00, tax and tip included. Go to www.scubaftlauderdale.com or give Kim a call for more details.
May 2 : General Meeting 7:30 PM (Sharp!) Ft. Lauderdale Power Squadron, 2029 SW 20th. Street, Ft. Lauderdale 33315. [driving directions here] www.flpowersquadron.org/
May 7 : 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!
May 9: Dinner-at-Large (Wednesday) Join John Kansman as he leads us back again to Don Artuno's, everyone's favorite Cuban restaurant. The festivities will begin at 7:30. Don Arturo's is located at 1198 SW 27 Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale. For more information call John or the restaurant at 954-584-7966.
May 19: 8:30AM Show 9:00AM Go (Saturday) This one is always a hit! Our first drive to the Keys this year will be the popular three tank - four dive - all day on the water trip out of Captain Slate's. As always this will be limited to 17 divers but we can also accommodate some snorkelers and bubble watchers for a scant few dollars. Cost will be $80, tax and tip included. Note: You must be an Advanced diver or higher. Call Dave Schneider or Pete Stephinson for more details, or go www.captainslates.com
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 $48.00, 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 16 - 23: Cayman Brac Trip
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 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 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 NOTE; Our published 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.
May Meeting Program
Dr. Ryan has written books about history, Latin America and education, and has created an interactive CD entitled Altered History 2002, designed to enhance creative thinking about history. He has been a guest lecturer on cruise ships for many years, where he has spoken about such topics as the Spanish Main, the Dutch West Indies Company, the Pirates of the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, and the Man and the Myth of Fidel Castro
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.
Jonathan Dickenson
Camping Trip 2007
Photo by Pete Stephinson
For More Camping Trip Pics Click Here !!
APRIL DINNER AT LARGE Pics
On April 19, Members joined Capt. Chris
for a Mexican Fiesta at Tequila Sunrise Mexican Cafe !!
Photos by Peter Stephinson
Pig Roast 2007 Pics
Photos by Pete Stephenson
For More Pig Roast 2007 Pics Click Here
May Dinner-at Large
Join John Kansman as he leads us back again to Don Artuno's, everyone's favorite Cuban restaurant. The festivities will begin at 7:30. Don Arturo's is located at 1198 SW 27 Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale. For more information call John or the restaurant at 954-584-7966.
Click Here for John Beal's Palau Video
Also Please Visit Sanda Hoffer's Website at
Trivia Question
| How many hearts does an octopus have? |
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
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Power of One Looking for a way that she could use her job as a flight attendant to serve the world, Nancy Rivard thought of an idea: volunteers could deliver medical supplies, school materials and plain old love to needy children in the United States and abroad, travelling at the same low fares airline employees receive. "I knew that if I could expose people to the types of helping experiences I'd had, they would find the same joy and fulfillment," she says. Nancy wanted to share the love she was so vividly experiencing. Excited about her proposals, she took 'em to upper management at American Airlines, where she was working. But all her attempts were in vain. "To get rejected again and again was very tough," Nancy recalls. "I wanted to share love and awaken humanity to a higher connection with life but I didn't know how." But then she got yet another powerful message from a spiritual teacher -- think small, change yourself, know the power of one. So she did just that. Nancy began collecting sample-size hotel soaps and shampoos from her co-workers and delivering them to Bosnian refugees. The recipients were so grateful, they had tears of thankfulness and joy in their eyes. Following her first trip, two other flight attendants joined. Today, Airline Ambassadors delivers close to $10 million in goods with the help of 4000 volunteers and less than 5% overhead! Nancy often tells friends, "When you do good work, doors keep opening." It's simple: love in action
On paper, one could rant and rave about the work that Nancy has inspired, about how she was on the back cover of Reader's Digest, is a World Woman of Peace, a Rotary fellow, an Ambassador for Peace and so on, but to know her is to really to meet her, to share her presence, and to hear the thunder of love behind her voice. After searching for life's deeper meanings in all corners of the world, after meeting numerous sages and saints, after experiencing inexplicable phenomena, after all the mundane trials and tribulations, Nancy came to an understanding: she saw that the extra-ordinary lies in the ordinary, that joy comes in service, and that the potential of love resides in each action, every moment. So when she says "love in action", it's no longer a cliche. It's an experience.
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