Ocean Explorers Society
October 2006 

Next Meeting -  Our next club meeting will be Thursday, October 5th @ 6:30 at Rock Bottom Restaurant, located at the corner of Villa La Jolla Drive, and La Jolla Village Drive. Please RSVP to Dave Ambrose so we can have enough seats. If you can't RSVP, come anyways, and we'll make room.  

From the President

Summer is nearly over. Astronomically speaking, it clocks out on September 21st. Weatherwise, we'll be nice and warm for another half dozen weeks. The water is starting to cool from the summer highs. It's still pretty nice, and most of the swells still come from the southwest. One sure sign of fall is lobster season, which opens at 12:01AM on September 30th. For those who've never partaken, you get all the madness from the start of deer season, with SCUBA gear instead of guns. 

We're doing another round of travel planning for 2007; We already have Galapagos in October. Right now, the available slots are filled, but if you're interested, Let me know and we can take a deposit to put you on a waiting list. This far ahead, there's an even chance that spaces will open.

We're also looking at a frugal trip to either Hawai'i, or Florida. We're still in the planning stages so if you're interested in either location, or want to suggest something else, drop me an email soon. .For Hawai'i, we want to spend some time at Dolphin Bay house, and possibly another island. Florida would be the Keys, Miami, and possibly elsewhere. Someone we know wants to dive the Oriskany. Tentative time frame is June for Florida or August for Hawai'i. 

We're also working on a group drysuit class and discounted drysuit purchase. Please let me know if you're interested in either one.Drysuits make local diving almost as much pleasant as tropical diving. If you haven't tried a drysuit, DUI will have a local drysuit trial session sometime in March.

Rock Bottom is working well for us. I think we'll be meeitng here for a while.

— Dave Ambrose

Flotsam

Birch Aquarium at Scripps presents "Voyage of the Turtle: In Pursuit of the Earth's Last Dinosaur" - Presentation and book signing by Carl Safina on Monday, November 6th  6:00 - 8:00 pm.

Carl Safina captures a moving portrait of our embattled ocean world in Voyage of the Turtle, showing us how now, more than ever, the leatherback turtle -  which is the earth's last monster reptile and the closest thing we have to a living dinosaur - needs us.  The leatherback turtle can weigh up to a ton and behaves like a mammal. While sea turtles in the Pacific are declining at an alarming rate, their numbers in the Atlantic are increasing. Safina follows the migrations by sea and satellite to remote beaches on every continent, including a 6,000 mile Pacific excursion from Monterey, CA to newly discovered nesting grounds in Papua, New Guinea, and investigates the delicate interaction between the ancient turtles and the people who are playing significant roles in their survival.

To attend the presentation please RSVP to (858) 534-4109 no later than 4:00 pm on the day of the event to ensure your reservation is received.  $8.00 fee includes admission and light refreshments. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Presentations begin at 6:30 pm followed by the book signing. Books are available for purchase during the event. (www.aquarium.ucsd.edu/public/ocean_authors.cfm)

Diver Fatality at San Clement Island - A fatal diving accident claimed the life of Harry Khachatoorian on September 17. Harry was diving at San Clemente Island from the dive boat "The Great Escape", based in Long Beach. He was accompanied by various family and friends on the boat but was reportedly solo diving with a rebreather. The exact details are still unknown. Gear issues related to the rebreather may or may not be a factor. (divebums.com)

Death By Stingray - As the world mourns the shocking loss of Steve Irwin, a great wildlife icon and passionate conservationist after a stingray barb pierced his heart while shooting a TV program off Australia, many local divers wonder if the same fate awaits them in our own local waters. Many divers finish their dives in water as shallow as a few feet, with the sandy bottom beneath them covered in stingrays.  This is a common event in many locations around town, such as the ever popular as La Jolla Shores.

The common round ray that divers see along the shallow sandy plains of San Diego is usally Urolophus halleri. The stingers from one of these adult rays will only grow to be about an inch or so long, making the penetration of a diver's heart, resulting in death, completely impossible, although death may still be possible through secondary infection, tetanus, etc...  It is recommended that an injured individual soak the injured area in HOT water and report to an urgent care facility or emergency room to get the puncture wound properly cleaned to avoid infection. 

There are to major families of stingrays responsible for most human envenomations, the small Urolohidae and the massive Dasyatidae. The ray that unfortunatley killed Steve Irwin was a very large ray, likely within the Dasyatidae family which are well known for incredibly long stingers with respect to their bodies, easily reaching 6 inches or more. There are two stingrays found in San Diego that have the dagger like capacity to puncture a human heart with its stinger. One is the Pelagic Stingray, Dasyatis violacea found commonly a few miles offshore (never along the beach). The other is the Diamond Stringray, Dasyatis dipterura. This ray is found in shallow sand environments, occassionally at the Shores, but it is infinitely more rare when compared tot he common round ray.  (Eddie Kisfaludy, Marine Biology Research Division, Scripss Institution of Oceanography, UCSD, via Divebums)


Update on Carry-on Restrictions - The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has loosened some of the carry-on rules originally imposed after the announcement that London authorities had exposes a suspected airline terror plot in August. In general, all liquids, gels, and lotions are still not permitted in carry-on luggage and must be disposed of before boarding the plane. However there are new exceptions that may be important to travelers:
In addition, the TSA also permits solid cosmetics and personal hygiene items such as lipstick, lip balm and similar solids, but these must be solid and not liquid, gel or aerosol.  Check for the latest updates before you fly at:  tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm . Most airline website also provide links to the latest TSA rules. (www.budgettravelonline.com)

Ocean Enterprises 27th Annual Underwater Pumpkin Carving Contest - All proceeds go to Breast Cancer Research.
Sign up at Ocean Enterprises, 7710 Balboa Avenue, San Diego by October 5th.

Dive California is hiring part time employees - located in Point Loma is looking for individuals who are dedicated and passionate about diving. From scuba to free diving, Dive California wants all applicants to have a love for diving. Specific certification levels are not important, although all applicants are required to at least have their Open Water certification. If you are interested, please contact Tim Waldron regarding further details (619) 222-0060.

Timing The Pacific Swell - Today, surfing is one of the most popular water sports in the world and Southern California is an international center of the surfing industry. The Maritime Museum of San Diego's latest exhibit celebrates this phenomenon. The exhibit traces the history of modern surfing from its humble Hawaiian beginnings to the billion dollar industry it is today using changes in surfboard design to ilustrate the evolution of the sport. Visit http://www.sdmaritime.com/index.asp for more information.  (www.stevenkpalmer.com)

Fleet Week 2006 - Fleet Week San Diego (September 23 - October 28) offers civilians an opportunity to learn about the military by experiencing fighter jet demonstrations, touring Navy ships and taking part in military traditions. Events held at various locations throughout San Diego County.  
Visit  www.f leetweeksandiego.org for more information

Pelican Cases - If you use an older Pelican case, you may consider upgrading the latches on the case. The older style latches are sometimes hard to open, especially if there is a slight vacuum in the box, often needing a tool to pry it open. Pelican recently came out with newly designed latches, which fit many of the older styles, that are much easier to open, although the realy early models use an entirely diffent design and will not accept the retrofit latches.. Pelican will send out the latches to retrofit some of these older cases free of charge. However there is a bit of a procedure to follow in order to replace them, so you may wish to contact a Pelican dealer for additional information.

Travel  - The Club is entertaining suggestions for 2007 travel destinations...

Current destinations under consideration:
Travel Tip for the Month: With the new TSA travel restrictions guaranteeing more passengers will be checking more luggage, the chances that ones luggage will get lost along the way also increases.  Steps can be taken to reunite lost luggage to their rightful owners in an expedient manner. Only put contact information on your luggage tags that will be helpful to the airline in the case your bags are lost.  For example, putting your home phone number down is not helpful if you are not there to answer it.  Anne McAlpin, author of "Pack It Up," a book-DVD set that offers advice about packing smart suggests putting the following information iether on your luggage tag or inside each suitcase:
Additionally, do not put your home address on luggage tags, as this allows thieves to know your home is vacant and its address.
Travel Websites - A couple of good websites to scroll through if you're planning a trip:
Got Passport?  A travel reminder that if you have plans to travel outside of the United States, it is a good idea to have your passport in hand. Beginning later this year, a passport will be required for all travel to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America. In December 2007, passports will be required for all air, sea and land border crossings. If your passport expires within the next six months, get it renewed now, as some countries will not let you in if you can't prove there's sufficient time left on your passport. For more information, visit www.travel.state.gov . (scuba diving.com)


San Diego Council of Divers 

Minutes of Sept 12, 2006 General Meeting

Meeting held at La Jolla Brewhouse – called to order at 7:10 pm by Scott Anderson, president. SD Dive club announced it would be holding its annual Underwater Santa Photo Shoot on Dec 2.  

DiveAnimals has a trip open to all divers to La Bufadora on Oct 7, 8 and there are still places left. JLeek001@san.rr.com. 

Freedivers will have a Top Gun Meet on Oct 7th,     http://groups.msn.com/SanDiegoFreeDiver/calander.msnw

 Three  Speakers:  

1.  Rachel A Woodfield, presented a history and explanation of the threat of Taxiflora Caulerpa, the invasive seaweed clone of the “Killer Algae” that has done so much damage in the Mediterranean, and is now probably permanent there. http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/hcd/CAULERPA.htm   She is a senior Biologist for Merkel & Associates, a local biological consulting firm contracted to eradicate an infestation right her in San Diego County (Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad).  Seems to have worked.   Three years and  $7.7million later, the stuff is no more.   She showed the peculiar look the stuff has in hopes divers someday will spot the next infestation while it is treatable.         

2.   Michael King, of the Ships to Reefs project in California, secretary of Oceans Foundation, http://www.ships2reefs.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=26  brought us up to date on efforts statewide and nationally to use decommissioned US Navy ships for reefs as the Yukon was.  There will be a big difference, as this is dozens of ships in California alone, and since these are US ships, they will remain Navy property until they hit the bottom.    This precludes a swarm of volunteers doing the cleanup.  Money will have to be invested in letting the Navy do the cleaning. 

Now the funding – Californians will never vote for any tax, but there are ideas like a tiny surcharge on air fills in California, or  annual wreck diver medallion like a fishing license tag.   This is just one of the hurdles, so is in consideration, but not for sure.   

 3.    Our own Milt Beard, diving legend, was back with videos of the sinking of the Ruby E, so long ago.   The ship was a Coast Guard cutter christened the Cyane in 1934, built to chase down rum runners, and ended up working in Alaska until decommissioned in 1950.   In civilian life she became the Can Am and then the Ruby E.  http://www.cawreckdivers.org/Wrecks/RubyE.htm  Finally she became an artificial reef in 1989. 

 Business:

John Leek cited section IX of the Council Bylaws allowing him, or any other paid up member, to request a project be started under a Committee, headed by a director.   Any such committee is approved by a quorum of club delegates, which is in Article VII.6 is, “2/3 of member delegates being present at the meeting”.   Since John was the only member present who could prove he was a legal club delegate, he declared at least 2/3 of him voted in favor and so the matter would be done.

This Project is to gather photographs of the 3rs sites normally used, at low tide when the rocks and reefs are exposed.   These would be put on our website with the 3rs explanations of rips in that area for folks who never got to a 3rs.   The printed photos would be used by the lifeguards to show details of a site when the tide might be too high for a particular session.

 John then requested another project, which would require raising $400 by donations, raffle, some means, to have 100 t-shirts printed up saying  “My Other Dive Buddy is a Seal – Children’s Pool, La Jolla.  These would not be sold, but any one submitting a dive report about Children’s Pool, or witnessed diving Children’s Pool would get a card good to pick up the free shirt at a Council of Divers meeting until the 100 are gone.    

Scott requested the implementation of these projects be delayed until more clubs can get their delegates declared and more complete approval made, perhaps by email, which is provided for in Section VII.6 also.    It was agreed. 

Rechecking the data base, Sea Dogs, Bottom Bunch, SD Dive Club and UPS are ‘member clubs entitled to send delegates to meetings.   Freedivers will too, as soon as a glitch is ironed out.

 Next meeting:

 The theme will be “Why Divers Die”, with a panel of experts from Lifeguard and rescue teams, etc.  Oct. 10th.   At  Sumner Auditorium..

 Children’s Pool update:

 In the last General Meeting a letter was signed by several members.  The letter was addressed to the California Coastal Commission showing intimidation and home-drawn borders used to keep people completely off the beach.     It was hand delivered later.  Several phone calls over the last month each got an assurance we would get a return call the next day.  It has yet to happen.   We will keep trying.   

Polling of 3 dive club meetings and a couple Council meeting has gathered some data.   Of 200 divers polled, all but 4 (98%) wanted the Council to “do something about Children’s Pool”.   For the next few months, we found nobody (0%) was willing to step up and donate some time making it happen. 

 Call for more assistance:

Due to attrition, the Council is short a couple directors, and so anyone of the membership at large can nominate himself as a candidate.   Anyone may help on an action item without becoming a director also.  We need helpers to contact old members who have forgotten to renew and a researcher on harbor seal behavior, and to solicit raffle prizes, etc.  JLeek001@san.rr.com


OES 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