Ocean Explorers Society
July 2003
Sponsored by Ocean Enterprises

 

Contents
   

Monthly Meeting
Note the change in time and place!
Thursday, July 10th, 6:30PM at Robb Field in Ocean Beach. We're joining up with the San Diego Council of Divers this month.

Please RSVP to the Council of Divers if you're going to have dinner there. Click this, or see below.

Here's all the info from the Council of Divers --

6:00 p.m. social and BBQ (details below)
7:00 p.m. meeting
Robb Field in Ocean Beach (directions and map link below)

SPEAKERS - DIVING AND DRIVING IN BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

Our speakers will talk about places you can dive in Baja. All can be reached by car, although for some the drive might be part of the adventure. Locations to be discussed include (on a more or less north to south basis): La Bufadora, Camp Kennedy, Bahia de los Angeles, Loreto, La Paz, Cabo Pulmo, and Cabo San Lucas.

BBQ

The picnic tables at Robb Field suggested that we should have a barbeque. The Council will provide sodas, ice, paper goods (plates, cups, utensils, napkins), and charcoal. We will show up early and get things started so that coals will be hot and ready to go at 6:00 pm. We will have charcoal and lighter fluid on hand if you would like to bring your own grill (this may avoid congestion). We will be socializing outside before the meeting starts, so you might want to bring a lawn chair.

There are two choices regarding the entree:

(1) You provide your own meat, chicken, or fish. If you bring a side dish to share, you will make lots of friends.

(2) You let the Council supply you with grilled local fresh fish, tortillas, shredded cabbage, salsa, beans, and rice (aka make your own fish tacos). The fish will probably be white sea bass, but we won’t know for sure until we buy it on Thursday. A $4 a person suggested donation should cover the cost of the food.

IMPORTANT - IF YOU WANT FISH, THEN
SEND AN E-MAIL TO INFO@SDDIVERS.COM
SAYING "I WANT FISH" BY TUESDAY AT 8 PM.

We want to be sure that there is enough food without too many left-overs. Your replies will help us out.
Those who reply will get to go through the line first.

DIRECTIONS

Go to the western end of I-8 in Ocean Beach. Take Sunset Cliffs Blvd. to West Pt. Loma Blvd. Turn right onto West Pt. Loma Blvd. and head west. At Bacon Street, turn right (north) into Robb Field. Follow the driveway around to the picnic area next to the San Diego River. Look for the dive flag. There is lots of parking.

MapQuest has more information here.

RAFFLE !

We have 3 UK dry cases with foam, suitable for camera gear or regulators; a compact dive knife; and a 50-lb lift bag that can also be used as a DSMB. There may be other neat stuff.

SPEARGUNS IN LA JOLLA UNDERWATER PARK

State law prohibits being in the La Jolla Underwater Park with a spear gun, whether or not the spear gun is in use or is stowed away. Local freedivers would like to change the law so that they may transit the reserve with a spear gun on the way to hunt in the kelp outside the park. They are NOT requesting the right to use the spear guns in the reserve or to otherwise diminish the protection for marine life. They seek the support of the
San Diego Council of Divers.

The Council discussed the issue at the May general meeting. Over the last tw months, dive club delegates have been given
the chance to consult with their clubs. At the July general meeting, the Council of Divers will consider whether to take a
position in favor of, neutral on, or opposed to permitting transit of the La Jolla Underwater Park with spear guns.

If you have an opinion and can’t make it to the July meeting, send an e-mail to president@sddivers.com If you commented on the Divebums list, you don’t need to send another e-mail.

Club Diving
No formal shore dives planned this month. The water is great. As always, if you want to go dive, send an email to the list.

The Lois Ann trip for June 14th looks like a good candidate for a jump-on trip; Yukon, NOSC Tower, and kelp beds for $75. The boat leaves at the civilized hour of 11AM, returning at 5PM. We already have 2 people going. Sign up directly with the Lois Ann.

Flotsam
Many thanks to those who sent pictures. I'll have that CD assembled one of these days. If you have any pictures, stories, or tidbits from the trip, send me email!

Meanwhile, summer has finally come to our local waters. Diving conditions are much, much better. The water's warmed up to 68 at the surface. Vis is spotty, but generally 15-20 nearshore. It gets dark late enough to dive after work. The leopard sharks are in a Marine Room. So, what's not to like? This being summer, you need to get to the shore diving sites early. Send a message to the OES list if you want to dive either after work, or on the weekend.

Had a very nice Lois Ann dive on the 14th. Weather was great, water was calm, and conditions were good enough. Vis was pretty lousy, and the water was chilly. Saw lots of marine life on this trip though; on the Yukon, a nice jellyfish, and a salp chain fragment. In the kelp beds, we found a swell shark, bat ray, and lobster. This was the first time I'd seen this particular variety of salp healthy and alive. I tell you, the sea is full of alien-looking life forms. We also found a french chef's knife. The knife hadn't been in the ocean for very long. It cleaned right up and is now working in our kitchen.

By the way, the rebuilt Lois Ann has become a very nice boat indeed. The dive deck seems roomier, and the hot water showers are back. Motionwise, she's a whole lot more comfortable than she used to be. If you haven't tried her lately, I suggest booking a trip. The three tank dives are very reasonably priced.

There will be another DUI demo days here in San Diego. It's slated for September 27-28 at La Jolla Shores. If you didn't go last year, make sure you go this year. Everyone I talked to, including myself, had a great time. This year, they've added a field repair seminar for an extra $15. $5 covers drysuits and stuff, expert advice, commemorative hat, and lunch. Just don't blame me if you really really really have to get a drysuit.

OE is sponsoring Find a Buddy potlucks in the upstairs classroom at OE. The next one is scheduled for July 11th. We could use a couple of people to attend the gatherings and informally talk about the dive club. RSVP to Dawn Tosta at dawn@oceanenterprises.com

Something unique at the Birch Aquarium - The La Jolla Chamber Society is presenting the world premiere of Oceanophony at the aquarium on Sunday, August 10th. I'm going to guess that the music will be in the modern classical style. Tickets to this event are $15 for adults, and $5 for children. Visit ljcms.org or call 858-459-3728 for ticket information. The rest of Summerfest 2003 looks very interesting too.

As many of you know, Scripps Institute of Oceanography is suffering under major budget cutbacks. One of their most important resources is their specimen collection. They are asking interested members of the community to donate money which will maintain the present collection until the State's finances improve. Their collection is a national treasure, and it would be grossly foolish to lose it. Contact 858-822-1865 if you want to make a donation. $50 will really help!

Underwater Monopoly Marathon -
Saturday, August 16, 2003; 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM; College of Oceaneering; 3580 Aero Court, San Diego

Dive into the College of Oceaneering’s brand new 45,000 gallon tank complete with viewing windows for everyone to watch the game! Divers in teams of 4 will play Underwater Monopoly for one-hour shifts throughout this 12-hour event.

To play, each diver needs to collect a minimum of $250 in contributions and/or pledges for SAY San Diego. SAY (Social Advocates for Youth) provides life changing services to children and youth in San Dieog county. SAY is a 501(c)3 charity and one of the largest nonprofits in San Diego.

To request your preferred dive time, please contact 858-565-4148, x 230 or glenda@saysandiego.org. Every diver that raises $250 will receive an Underwater Monopoly Marathon t–shirt and a sports bag. Raise $300 and you’ll also get an Underwater Monopoly beach towel. GRAND PRIZE: To the diver that raises the most money over $500, you’ll win a trip for 2 to New Orleans!

Rocks, Rips, and Reefs
Every year, the San Diego Council of Divers and the San Diego City Lifeguards sponsor a series of in-the-water seminars at local shore diving spots. The protocol is the same as previous years; snorkelling gear only, wear no more than half your normal diving weight. The cost is $5 per person and includes drinks and snacks afterwards. Registration and waivers start at 0800 and you should be suited up and ready by 8:15. This is a fun way to get familiar with our local waters. If you haven't done any of these, be sure to do Goldfish Point. It's one of those neat places that go unnoticed.

July 12 - Shell Beach (Seal Rock)
July 26 - North Bird Rock
August 9 - Marine Street
August 23 - Goldfish Point (La Jolla Caves)
September 13 - Hospital Point

There is an email list for reminders and cancellation notices. To subscribe, send a blank email to rocks-rips-reefs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Each 3R's session is on a Saturday morning. On the Thursday two days before each session, the lifeguards send out reminders to the 3 R's e-mail list. Each reminder has the date, time, and location of the 3R's session, some comments regarding the dive site, and information regarding current and expected ocean conditions.

As with any water activity, weather and surf are always factors. Organizers won't be taking people out in six foot breakers. If we know for certain that large surf is expected, the Thursday reminder may tell you that the 3R's has been cancelled. This would be unusual. It is more likely for the reminder to warn you of our concerns about the weather and ask that you to monitor further developments, such as by checking your e-mail before leaving home on Saturday morning. Cancellations are also posted on our web site. Sometimes, there's just no way to tell whether ocean conditions are conducive to diving other than to go down to the beach and take a look. Part of what we hope to teach in the 3R's program is what the ocean looks like when diving conditions are marginal.

The San Diego Lifeguard beach conditions recording -- (619) 221-8824 -- is updated in the morning, usually just before 7 am. We try to include cancellation information in that recording.

If the session is going forward, we will have a volunteer on site no later than 8 am to register participants. We try to be there earlier. Look for
the small dive flag. Each participant must sign a liability waiver before each session. Participants 17 and under need a parent or legal guardian to sign the release. Let us know and we can e-mail you a release to print out and have signed. 3R's is free.

Bring a mask, fins, and snorkel. The ocean is cool and rocks can be sharp, so a wetsuit is strongly recommended. Bare feet and full foot fins are not a good idea. Weights are unnecessary. Scuba gear (regulator, BC, tank) is not used during the 3R's.

If you have not been diving or snorkeling recently, please check your gear before Saturday. Mask straps and fin straps deteriorate over time, even if not used.

The lifeguard starts the briefing at 8:15 am. We try to be in the water by 8:30 am. We are in the water for about an hour.

Marine Conservation
Please Join I Love A Clean and San Diego San Diego BayKeeper for California Coastal Cleanup Day 2003!

Saturday, September 20th, 9 a.m. to Noon

California Coastal Cleanup Day is the country's premier volunteer event focused on the marine environment. Each year, more than 40,000 volunteers turn out to over 400 cleanup sites statewide to conduct what has been hailed by the Guinness Book of Records as "the largest garbage collection" (1993). Since the program started in 1985, over 552,000 Californians have removed almost 8.5 million pounds of debris from our state's shorelines and coast. Coming at the end of the summer beach season and right near the start of the school year, Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD) is a great way for families, students, service groups, businesses and neighbors to show community support for our shared natural resources, take care of our fragile marine environment, learn about the impacts of marine debris and how we can prevent them, and to have fun!

During CCD 2002, more than 4,700 dedicated volunteers removed approximately 100,575 pounds of debris from San Diego County's coastal and inland waterways. We were thrilled to see the widespread and enthusiastic support that made last year¹s cleanup one of the most successful in the state! A huge "THANK YOU!" goes out to all the volunteers, site captains and supporters who helped to make this event possible.

For more information on CCD 2003, visit the official CCD website, http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd.html, call the ILACSD Recycling Hotline at 1-800-237-2583, or contact Sarah Adams at volunteers@ilacsd.org. We look forward to again seeing thousands of dedicated volunteers out supporting clean water, helping to make our beaches, bays, rivers and creeks safe and clean for all of San Diego to enjoy.

Please join us on September 20, from 9 a.m. to Noon. Bring your family, friends, schools, co-workers, and community or church groups! Let¹s make the 19th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day the biggest and best yet!

Be part of the solution to marine pollution!

Sarah Adams
Volunteer Coordinator
I Love A Clean San Diego
4355 Ruffin Road, Suite 118
San Diego, CA 92123
T: 858-467-0103 ext.3003
Fax: 858-467-1314
volunteers@ilacsd.org

 

San Diego Council of Divers
Currently the OES does not have a Council of Divers delegate. We need 3 more people to join before the OES gets a vote on the council. SDCD membership is only $15/year. If you want to support both the council and OES, please contact John Leek, and be sure to list your affilliation as the Ocean Explorers Society.

If there are issues you think the council should be addressing, please let me know. I'm on the board of directors now, and can take your ideas directly to the council leadership.


Dive Travel
La Paz
October 9-13 - We still have a few spots available. The water is warm (about 78 deg. or so), and it's "Hammerhead Season." We 're staying at Club Cantamar and using the Baja Diving Service. It is a great little resort outside of town, and you can view it on the web at www.clubcantamar.com The cost of this four-night trip, with airfare, three full days of diving, breakfast, and lunch will be $800.This is a great trip at a price that won't break the bank. Contact Liza Suwczinski at a1turkey@cox.net for more information.

Channel Islands
The SD Underwater Photographic Society has invited OES members to join them on their Truth Aquatics and Horizon trips. They need to fill these trips in order to keep the dates. Send an email to Cindy (ccoppert@qualcomm.com) or you can call her at W: 858-845-6632 or C: 858-775-8590 if your're interested in going.

Truth Aquatics - Conception - out of Santa Barbara - Sea Landing - 301 West Cabrillo Blvd - 805-962-1127 July 25 & 26 ( Friday/Saturday) Cost: $295 ($200 Deposit) Destination: Outer Channel Islands Boarding Time: 7PM Thursday (7/24) Departure Time: 4AM Friday (7/25) Return Time: 6PM Saturday (7/26)

Horizon - out of San Diego - H & M Landing -2803 Emerson Street 858-277-7823 Oct 25 & 26 (Saturday/Sunday) Cost: $280 ($200 Deposit) Destination: Santa Barbara Island. Boarding Time: 7PM Friday (10/24) Departure Time: 9PM Friday (10/24) Return Time: 8PM Sunday (10/26)

REEF Research Trip to the Channel Islands
REEF (Reef Environmental Education Foundation) is planning a research trip to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary September 16-20. The cost is $540 and you will learn how to identify all the fish species in the reserve as well as conduct up to 18 fish-count dives.

Package includes 5 nights accommodation aboard the M/V Conception, all diving (up to 18 dives), air refills, all meals while on the boat, and daily marine life identification review seminars. All prices per person. An additional $100 tax-deductible REEF fee is added to the full package cost to cover the cost of trip leaders, seminars, and survey materials.

Contact Dive Reservations, Inc. at 888-363-3345 or reef@diveres.com for more information, or visit www.reef.org/fieldsurv/index.htm.

La Bufadora
Once again, the Dive Animals are organizing trips to La Bufadora. These are very cheap, and fun.Reports have been universally good, and you can't beat the price. Trips are schedules for JAug 2 - 3, Sept 13 - 14, and Oct 25 - 26 (tentative). The trip is open to everyone, not just Dive Animal members, so bring your fun, adventurous friends. (think "Summer Camp"...)

Frances San Clemente writes:
We stay at the rustic half-star accommodations provided by Dale's Dive Shack and dive from his trusty pangas (fishing boats). This is much more fun than it sounds! Some folks sleep in the much sought-after bunkroom. Others camp in the front yard, which is on a cliff overlooking the bay. Both have the same incredible ocean-view.

We have room for 15 in the bunkhouse (that's where you'll find me!). Any number can camp. We have room for 26 divers. These always sell out, so sign up early. Maximum number on the trip? We've had as many as 40 campers....! The more the merrier! This is a great way to meet people.

Each morning you'll awake to a buffet feast prepared by yours truly, John and Jean, and whoever else we can recruit when they get up early when they small the bacon cooking and the coffee brewing.

We leave the non-divers behind to clean the kitchen, and take off for a morning of diving the gorgeous walls, pinnacles, coves, arch, caves, and sea lion rookeries.

Afterward, we head for a hot shower before we relax, unwind, nap, visit the famous blow-hole, shop and have lunch at the nearby mercado, whatever. Dinner arrangements are made for a group dinner at one of the restaurants nearby. Some folks like to bring their dinner grills or otherwise do their own thing. There are several inexpensive, yummy and reliable restaurants in La Bufe.

We end the day swapping tales over a big campfire. And prepare for a repeat performance the following day. Folks pack up shortly after diving on Sunday and head back to San Diego, most vowing to return on the next trip.

The diving in La Bufadora is none short of spectacular. Bring your camera (or a friend's) for some amazing macro photography. The nudibranches here are like nothing you've ever seen. Also, lots of sea lions, occasional dolphins, and a regular assortment of the same type of fish we see locally, as well as others (corvina, species of rockfish, etc.) we don't see much of around here.

The cost for the expedition is such that just about everyone can come.

$30pp covers a weekend of lodging, parking (whether you stay in the bunkhouse or camp), buffet breakfast, snacks, water, sodas, other necessities (such as toilet paper, paper towels, etc. We bring it all for you!). This is paid at the time you sign up to reserve your spot.

The cost for a 2-tank dive has been $25 for many years. There may be a slight increase this year due to the high cost of gasoline. Don't know yet. Last year Dale charged $30 for the trip to the far southern pinnacles. So 2 days of diving (2 tanks a day) has been $55. Darn good deal...!!

Tanks/fills - You can bring your own (Dale charges $4 for a fill) or rent one of his ($5 per tank). Is it worth the dollar to haul your own tank? Only you can decide. Dale has both AL80s and steel 72s. No HP steels. No problem with Dale's air fills. He's been taking care of US divers for years (he is one!)

Meals - Breakfast, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages are included. Other meals: For lunch, you may want fish tacos from a local place (2 for $1.50 or you may want a Mexican combo plate $5.00) Either way, it won't break the bank. Dinner is about $10 per person. On the way down, I've stopped at La Fonda for a $20 scallops platter, but also stop at roadside stands for tamales (75 cents each) or carne asada torta ($1.50). That gives you some idea.... $40 should fee you well for the weekend.

Shopping - That will depend on you. The mercado is right there, a few steps away, and has some great deals on Mexican arts and crafts. Some places take credit cards, most want cash.

Getting there - Carpooling is best so you can split the cost of insurance, tolls, gas. In my 4Runner, I can fill up here and not need gas till I get back. So that's about $30 right now. Insurance at the border costs me about $20 for the weekend. And tolls are about $8 each way. So that's about $60
per car.

Alcoholic beverages - BYO. The Mexican beer is wonderful, as most of you know. (try Negra Modelo, if you never have). Stop at a Gigante market for your best prices, rather than a liquor store.

 

Membership
Renewal rates are $20 single; $30 for a family. If you can't make it to a meeting, send your renewal to Mark Clausen; 1862 Willow Way; Vista, CA 92083.

OES Info
OES members can receive $30 off the regular OE price for specialty classes.

For more information: