Ocean Explorers Society
July 2005 

Contents

Next Meeting

Please join us as we welcome Marty Snyderman on Thursday July 21st @ 6:30 pm at Ocean Enterprises.

Our monthly pre-meeting dinner will be cancelled for the month of July in preparation of Mr. Snyderman’s presentation.

Marty Snyderman, a local resident, is a world renowned still photographer, film procuder, author and speaker specializing in the marine environment. Marty’s credits range from critically acclaimed magazines, such as National Geographic, to the Warner Brothers blockbuster hit “Free Willy”.  Marty has been involved in underwater photography for over 25 years and continues to produce compelling images of marine life in an effort to raise awareness and interest about many marine issues.

Marty will be speaking about how to photograph “Mr. Big”.  Marty is also raising awarenss of the San Diego Oceans Foundation Dive-a-Thon being sponsored during the month of August and how we can all participate.

From the President

There's been a fatal diving accident on the Yukon. Steve Donathon's body was found inside the Yukon after a long search. At this point we know very little about his accident except that he and his student were penetrating the Yukon when they became separated. The student surfaced and called for help. Steve was a long-time technical diving instructor and proprietor of  Taopi Tek, a tech diving shop in Pacific Beach. A memorial service is planned for 6 PM Wednesday at La Jolla Shores.

The water is warming rapidly and we bid adieu to the marine layer. By the time you read this, water temps should be flirting with the low 70s. Vis is very spotty as the red tide is in full force. You either need to be offshore, lucky, observant, or more than about 40 feet deep. Diving at low tide seems to help as the red tide is further offshore. Fortunately, our local dive boats are very affordable, and offer a morning or an afternoon of good diving.

Despite the red tide, the water has been really good, when I can get down to enjoy it. Lately, I've taken to hitting La Jolla Shores with a body board. It's a great way to unwind after a long day at work. I'm still not very good at it, but it doesn't seem to matter to anyone, so long as you're having fun.

The OES hosted the 3R's session at Shell Beach. Mark Brown gave another fun tour through the surf and reefs. Shell Beach can be a difficult site to dive, and getting the inside information was extremely valuable. I want to thank Dawn Tosta, Mark Byron from the Dive Animals, and Liz Ambrose for helping out.

We have a very special meeting for July. Marty Snyderman is a proffessional underwater photographer and cinematographer. He eschews the term famous, but even nondivers  remember his films and enjoy them. Mary will be talking to us about large aquatic creatures. He's got some great photographs, and we never seem to tire from seeing them. I hope you all can join us.

Happy Bubbles,
Dave Ambrose

Local Diving

The red tide has put in an appearance. This year's dominant species in nontoxic. It's still very luminous though and a nighttime walk on the beach at high tide, will feature glowing waves if you're away from the lights.

While not quite local, the San Diego Underwater Photographic Society (SDUPS) has spaces available on their September trip to the Northern Channel Islands. September is the best time in the islands weatherwise and offers the best chance to dive rarely visited sites of Wilson Rock, Skyscraper Pinnacle and many more. Sightings of whales, dolphins etc are also very common.

Liza and I have signed up for this trip, and there are still some spots available. This is a very good price for a limited load trip.

Details: What: Two day boat trip on the Conception based in Santa Barbara.When: Fri/Sat Sept 23-24, boarding evening of Sept 22. Boat departs 0400 on 9/23, returns to Santa Barbara 5PM on 9/24.

Where: Departs Sea Landing in Santa Barbara, detination North Channel Islands, hopefully San Miguel, Island.

Cost: $295.00 includes berth, all meals, air fills, multiple dives and more.

Details: Refer to the SDUPS website: www.SDUPS.com for copy of flyer and general club boat trip information.

Sign-ups: $100 deposit due at sign up, full payment preferred. Balance due by July 15th. Bunk assignment will be offered only after full payment is received.

Contact: Gary Stewart, SDUPS Boat Coordinator pe2nya@pacbell.net

Flotsam

Update on Giant Black Sea Bass spearing -- Earlier this month, two spear fisherman and their boat operator pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the killing of a 200 lb. giant black sea bass, in the San Diego-La Jolla Ecological Reserve last April. The primary defendant, Omid Adhami, had stated that he shot the bass in self defense. However these gentle giants are docile creatures and are welcomed by divers because of their friendliness and curiosity.  Adhami has six prior felony convictions for auto theft, receiving stolen property, burglary, and insurance fraud and has served 2 ½ years in state prison. Adhami is also an undocumented immigrant who could be deported to his native Iran at any time, according to court records. His accomplice, Nima Hodaji has a prior conviction for pleading guilty to fishing without a license after he was ticketed for possession of ten undersized lobsters and an undersized sheephead last December. All three defendants are to appear June 30 at a hearing during which charges will either be negotiated or a trial will be ordered. (San Diego Union Tribune, June 3, 2005)

Invention Allows Humans to Breathe Like Fish -- LiveScience.com reports that an Israeli inventor has developed a way for divers to breathe underwater without cumbersome oxygen tanks. His apparatus makes use of the air that is dissolved in water, similar to the way fish do. The system uses the “Henry Law” which states that the amount of gas that can be dissolved in a liquid is proportional to the pressure on the liquid.  Raise the pressure – more gas can be dissolved in the liquid. Decrease the pressure – gas dissolved in the liquid releases the gas. The apparatus uses a centrifuge to lower the pressure of a small amount of seawater and the dissolved gas is extracted. The patent abstract reads:

“A self-contained open circuit breathing apparatus for use within a body of water naturally containing dissolved air. The apparatus is adapted to provide breathable air. The apparatus comprises an inlet means for extracting a quantity of water from the body of water. It further comprises a separator for separating the dissolved air from the quantity of water, thereby obtaining the breathable air. The apparatus further comprises a first outlet means for expelling the separated water back into the body of water, and a second outlet means for removing the breathable air and supplying it for breathing. The air is suppolied so as to enable it to be epxelled back into the body of water after it has been breathed.”

Perhaps in our lifetime, we will truly be able to swim like fish …

Scuba & Dive Gear Recalls:

Below is a list of scuba equipment & dive gear recalls, as reported by Cyber Diver News Network. For a more complete list, please visit www.cdnn.info:

Boating Tip --  If you plan on doing any boat diving, or other boating activities, you will want to have a US drivers license, or some other form of Government identification. The U.S. Coast Guard is randomnly boarding boats and verifying identifications and running back ground checks of all those on-board.  No doubt they are checking for terrorists, however this inconvenience could possibly result in a ruined day of scuba diving or pleasure boating if anyone on board doesn't have appropriate identification (C-cards do not qualify as appropriate identification).

Diving at Children's Pool -- NOAA Enforcement is responsible for handling claims of marine mammal harassment. If a complaint is received of a potential Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) violation, it will be investigated based on the facts and circumstances of that particular case. The following are common sense guidelines from NOAA Enforcement in San Diego with regards to diving at Children's Pool. 

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.

Call the dive and surf hotline the morning of the session at 619-221-8824 to make sure the session hasn't been cancelled due to rough weather.

3R's Schedule
 Sat, Jul 9, 2005
3Rs- South Casa Cove
8:00am - 10:30am
Meet at Coast Blvd. at Jenner Street, in front of the lifeguard station.		 Sat, Jul 30, 2005
3Rs- Goldfish Point (La Jolla Caves)
8:00am - 10:30am
Meet at 1325 Coast Blvd. (Old Shell Shop)		 Sat, Aug 13, 2005
3Rs- Marine Street
8:00am - 10:30am
Meet at 300 Marine Street.
Sat, Aug 27, 2005
3Rs- Hospital Point
8:00am - 10:30am
Meet at 400 Coast Blvd (south of Cuvier)

Travel

Destination – Kona

BY BOAT : Kona Aggressor - Eat. Sleep. Dive.   Sept 24 - Oct 1, 2005. 

You've all seen the T-shirts - now you can experience it for yourself !  Join us on the Kona Aggressor Sept 24 - Oct 1, 2005.  The standard itinerary is as follows:

Cost is approximatley $2,095 plus airfare.  There are still 2 spots available... For more information, contact Laura Jean @ laurajean@gypsydivers.com, or you can check out the Aggressor website www.aggressor.com.  A small contingent from OES is arriving a few days prior to check in and staying a few days afterwards to explore the island.

BY LAND  - Dates will be October 1-8. This will be on the tail end of the Kona Aggressor trip for those who would like to experience the island itself.

Estimated cost for the trip will be $1000 per person, plus food and airfare. It will be less if we get more than 4 people. Flights to the Big Island (KOA) from San Diego have been running from $350 to $700 round trip. Right now, Aloha Airlines is offering a $273 fare from San Diego to Honolulu, you can then catch an interisland flight to Kona. Staying a few days on Oahu is relatively cheap if you want to extend your vacation by a few days.

Lodging will be at Dolphin Bay House at Kealakekua Bay. Kealakekua Bay is only 20 minutes from the nightlife in Kona, but still a bit off the beaten track. It's much more like old Hawai'i and less commercial. The bay itself is a state park, and a great place to snorkel, dive, kyack, or just hang out. There is an active heiau (temple) at the bay, and the Captain Cook memorial is just across the bay from the house. This area gets enough rain to have lots of greenery, but not so much that the outside shower doesn't need a faucet.

The house can accommodate up to 8 people; 2 singles and 3 couples. The exact cost will depend on how many people go but the house is equivalent to a 2 bedroom condo with only 4 people. The house has a full kitchen, so we can cook some meals in. We can also split the cost of renting a van.

Diving will be with Dive Makai, Aloha Diving Company, Jack's Diving Locker or some combination. Dive Makai offers blue water dives, Aloha offers trips to the more remote sites for those who didn't get to go on the Kona Aggressor. I really like Dive Makai because of their very thorough predive briefings. Close in dives run $95. The 3-tank, all day, adventure dive is $165. Aloha charges $140 for the remote sites which are also full day trips.

There's good shore diving all up and down the Kona coast. Kealakekua Bay, and the nearby City of Refuge are particularly good. Let's Go Shore Divin' has all the information you'll ever need.

The Big Island offers plenty of non-diving activities. We found that diving in the morning, and sightseeing in the afternoon worked well. A trip to Mauna Loa, the active volcano, is a full day trip. City of Refuge and Kealakekua Bay are great places to shore dive and hang out.

World-class stargazing is available at the visitors center on Mauna Kea. If there's enough interest, I'll see about bringing a telescope of our own. The visitors center is at 9000 feet so a visit there will be a non-diving day.

Foreign Travel Tips – Just Say NO to “Dynamic Currency Conversion”  

Merchants in foreign countries are beginning to process credit card charges under a system called “dynamic currency conversion” which allows merchants to process payments in dollars instead of the local currency.  The theory being that the traveler won’t have to wait for the monthly statement to find out how much their purchases actually cost.

While some may find this convenient for budgeting purposes or business travelers for submitting their expense reports on foreign travel, for the average traveler the costs usually outweigh the convenience. This is because the retailers set the exchange rates themselves, thereby making additional money on the exchange rate. Car rental agencies are the most common users of dynamic currency conversation, however other retailers such as restaurants, hotels, and retail stores are beginning to “offer” this option.  Unfortunately, foreign retailers aren’t always forthcoming with your right to “opt out” and may deny that there it is an option.  Many agreements and receipts, such as rental car agreements, will state in the fine print that the buyer was given the option to pay in local currency, even if that was not the case. It is recommended that if you request to opt out and your request is denied, prior to signing your name on the dotted line, write that your request to pay in the local currency was denied on the receipt so that it is on both your copy and the merchant’s copy. This will give you leverage with your credit card company if you choose to pick up the battle with your credit card company.

Additionally, both Visa and MasterCard have recently decided to apply a conversion fee to all foreign transactions, regardless of whether they’re processed in the local currency or in dollars. While Visa and MasterCard  have always charged a 1 point conversion fee on foreign currency transactions, what’s new is that they will apply a fee to dollar denominated foregin transactions as well. The end result is that customers who allow dynamic currency conversion are being “double dipped” - once by the merchant and again by the credit card companies. (San Diego Union Tribune May 22, 2005)

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