www.emeraldseadiveclub.org

Christmas 2003 Party

Dive Site of the Month

January’s Speaker

Sea Stories

Sound Life of the Month

Upcoming Fun Dives

2004 Board Officers

Board Officer’s Column

Dive & Event Calendar

Divers on the Loose

How to Contact Us

Note from the Editor

Our Next Meeting

President’s Column

About 50 people were in attendance this year, gifts were given and taken away. Good food, good company (OF COURSE!), lots of laughter, lots of giving and taking. There seemed to be an over abundance of alcoholic gifts; which indicates divers are boozers. Maybe that’s what keeps them down . . . or gets them up! The yacht club happened to be having their annual boat float parade so attendees were entertained by several decorated boats motoring by. It was very AAAHHHHHH-tacular.

Dr. Edmond Kay will discuss, Ears, Sinuses, and Diving.

I would first like to acknowledge your support as the incoming President of Emerald Sea Dive Club. Perhaps it is not too tough to be elected for any position when you run unopposed, but the confidence you have given me in allowing that process is still to be thanked for. Secondly, I would like to give the outgoing elected officials a thanx for a job well done over the past year or years of service to our club. We could not be the solid core of individuals contributing to the dive community without your help.

In the coming year as your president, it is my hope to try to steer the club in a direction of increased awareness of our environment. You could construe this as a message of good will that could surround your complete way of life, but my focus will be with the club as a scuba dive entity. Sounds pretty far out, huh? My basis is to put an added emphasis on awareness of our surroundings when we practice our wonderful sport. As I stated at the Christmas Party, which by the way if you missed it, you missed a good one, but I don’t hope to create a group of radical individuals willing to strap themselves to barnacle encrusted pilings at the T-Dock to make some rigid statement. My hope is that we can accentuate the trust that people already have that scuba divers in general have the attitude that we are willing to protect our blessed resources. The contacts I’ve had with game wardens and the like believe we as a group of individuals have a step above approach to preserving our surroundings and I would like to be, along with our club, a strong promoter of that in the year to come. As well as some projects that I think would take, minimal effort and the support of the club, I look forward to the next year.

Here’s to a joyous remaining 2003 and a prosperous 2004.

Your suggestions, comments, ideas and constructive criticisms are welcomed. Please feel free to contact me via E-mail, telephone, or at club meetings. I believe the more input there is the better the newsletter can be.

I encourage everyone to submit an article about their favorite dive site. Tell us why it is your favorite site as well as all of the pertinent physical characteristics both above and below the water; i.e. directions, parking conditions, restroom availability, currents, average depth, hazards, typical sea life, etc. Why not host a dive at your favorite site and earn credits toward an air card?

Puget Sound is home to a vast array of sea life. Here is your opportunity to inform us about your favorite critter. Include a photo, if possible, along with all the information you can. The more we know about the sea life the more enjoyable our dives can be, not to mention the fact that your article will make the newsletter that much more entertaining.

There is a story in every dive be it positive or negative, funny or not. Experience is the best teacher, share your experiences with us so we can learn what to do and what not to do. Entertain us with a humorous story or educate us by telling us how you handled a certain situation. Less is more, a paragraph or two may be all it takes. Don’t be shy. Submit today.

Happy New Year and may this year bring more great diving for all of us. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, I’m looking forward to serving as your treasurer this year and getting to know more of you. See you at the meetings and/or dives.

Elena’s Nanaimo dive scheduled for February 14-16, due to lack of interest.

Sund Rock--Elena

I am leading a "Divemaster Led Fun Dive" through Bubbles Below Dive Center on the weekend of January 25^th and 26^th. We will be staying at the Bunk House owned by the people who own Sund Rock. It may not be as fancy as some of the places we have stayed but it is clean and comfortable. Lodging is Friday and Saturday evening. We have access to Sund Rock on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for day and night diving and we get three air fills for the weekend from Hoodsport-N-Dive. There is a kitchen there so you can cook your own meals or you can dine out. There are only three private rooms (one is already claimed) so if you want to join me please come into Bubbles soon and sign up.

The cost for the weekend, excluding your travel expenses and food, is $75.00 per person. That’s not too bad for two nights lodging, three air fills and three days access to Sund Rock; which normally costs $15.00 per day.

We can only take 10 divers along with the two divemasters. If you are interested in joining us but want to make your own accommodations you can probably do that too; however, the $75.00/person only applies to the package deal. Hope you can join us.

Nanaimo--Mike McGrath

BlueDolfn@aol.com; 425-486-6029

February diving in Nanaimo could be 50 foot visibility. Join me for three days of diving in Porlier pass, Gabriola Pass, Dodd Narrows, and the wrecks of the Saskatchewan and Cape Breton.

We will be diving with Mamro Adventures live-a-board dive charter on February 14^th, 15^th, and 16^th over the long weekend. (President’s Day) Depart the Seattle area Friday afternoon and board the boat that evening. The plan is to dive, relax, eat, and dive some more for three days. We will then return to Seattle Monday night. There is room for six to enjoy this three day getaway. Please contact me if you would like more information or to sign up. Cost is $540US for three days of diving, eight meals and three nights accommodations on the boat. Also air is included. If you would like to dive Nitrox it will cost $5 US per fill, up to a maximum of $15 US per day even if you dive four dives.

My favorite dive site is Seacrest Cove Two listed as number 42 on the Great Dive Sites of Washington’s Inland poster. It is also known as Alki Cove Two and is located on Harbor Avenue SW between Salty’s restaurant and the Alki Crab and Fish Co.

I like it for several reasons. The first is its proximity. It is close (to me) and easy to get to, not that I mind driving for hours in stop and barely go traffic to reach a great dive site. From I-5 proceed west on the West Seattle Bridge and exit at Harbor Ave SW. At the light turn right and drive approximately one mile. There is usually a parking space close to the site, either curbside or in the Seacrest Park parking lot. The area is popular with fishermen so be aware that they regularly take up two spaces for their vehicle and trailer during fishing season. This site, along with the adjacent coves One and Three, is also popular with dive instructors for conducting classes; therefore, it is best to arrive early to be assured a parking space. On the positive side there are restrooms at the site as well as a pay phone. The restrooms are attached to the Alki Crab and Fish Co., which is a great place to get something to eat or a cup of hot coffee. The restaurant offers a walk up window for wet divers. The pay phone is adjacent to the restrooms. In addition Deep Fathom dive shop is located close by on Harbor Ave SW to fill your tanks as well as your equipment needs.

The second reason I like this site is that I have yet to encounter a current and the water is generally calm; however, there can be some occasional strong waves from the ferry traffic in Elliott Bay. The third reason, and perhaps the most important one, is found underwater. The bottom is littered with pilings and other related debris from a covered pier that was pushed into the water years ago along with the open hulls of two boats making for interesting exploration and a great habitat for local sea life; among which, is the Pacific Giant Octopus. In addition, I have heard reports of divers sighting six-gill sharks there. I have also spotted several clusters of squid eggs. The pier in front of the restaurant is regularly lined with fishermen after squid and despite sighting so many eggs I have seen more squid in their pails than I have seen in the water.

The majority of the site can be dived well within recreational dive limits (130’) with ample to investigate down to the 60’depth of the Open Water diver. The NW portion of the site is marked by a rope along the bottom to keep divers safely away from fishermen and the water taxi, which operates between downtown Seattle and Alki on a seasonal basis.

For the most part the site is safe from boaters, however, if there is not a class in session with its requisite float and dive flag it is a good idea to float a dive flag of your own just to be on the safe side.

My favorite fish, to date, is the spotted ratfish. They are the most unique, bizarre and spectacular of all the fish I have seen in Puget Sound. Illuminated by a diver’s light, their huge, saucer-like eyes glow emerald green against its almost metallic appearing bronze and silver scale less body. Distantly related to the shark, the Hydrolagus colliei, as it is known scientifically, has a long rat-like tail, with a pronounced bulky head and a venomous dorsal spine that can deliver a painful but not lethal wound. They appear to fly on large pectoral fins rather than swim through the water giving them the appearance of a prehistoric bird in slow flight.

I first encountered one at Edmond’s Underwater Park and have seen the largest congregation so far at Edmond’s Oil Dock while on a night dive. They feed on other fishes, crustaceans and clams and are found on soft bottoms to a depth of almost three thousand feet. Although described as grotesque and ugly by some, I find them beautiful, as fishes go.

My father used to be a pilot and I worked in the aviation field both in the Navy and for a short time with Boeing. Always the phrase—trust your instruments—was the watchword. No matter what your brain is telling you your instruments are right—believe them. These very words were echoed in every dive class I have taken and I believed them in an abstract way, but they had no real, first hand meaning to me. I had yet to encounter circumstances in which I could test this axiom. That held true until a few months ago.

My wife and I were diving at (where else?) Seacrest Cove Two. We swam out to the green float tethered to the boundary rope at about 60’. From there we descended and followed the rope for a few yards to a steel plate off to the right side of the boundary hoping to see the Giant Pacific Octopus that made its home beneath the plate. We were not disappointed. With camera in hand I assumed a vertical position standing on my head attempting to get a picture of the reclusive octopus. After several minutes of rotating in circles trying unsuccessfully to get a good angle for a photograph I have to admit that I became disorientated. For a time I didn’t know which way was up much less back to shore. My wife, Darlene, signaled me for an air check (she does this quite often) because she knows I use significantly more air than she does and after my aerobic head stands she was certain I had used substantially more air than I usually do. I do not recall now how much air I had left but I remember it was low enough that we should start back, but to my surprise Darlene headed deeper—at least that is what I thought. At that time nobody could have convinced me we were heading to shore—no way. We were going deeper even though the contour of the bottom indicated otherwise. I checked my depth gauge several times—we were getting shallower but that simply could not be. If I had been alone and without gauges I know without a doubt I would have continued deeper thinking I was heading for shore. The boundary rope was on my right side, which meant I had to be swimming back—still I did not believe it. I checked my compass—we were on a reciprocal course. I checked it again and again and that is when it hit me—trust your instruments. Everything was telling me we were heading in the right direction except my brain. It was not until I looked at the compass and made the conscious decision to trust it that I felt Darlene was leading me back to shore and not out into the depths of Elliott Bay. Had this been a night dive or if we became separated in the typically limited visibility it could have been the catalyst for real trouble.

To say the least it was disconcerting. Here I was a PADI Divemaster, someone you would think would have more sense, being led to shore by my wife—a mere Advanced Open Water diver. If I had let my ego and my faulty judgment to rule I could have swam into trouble. Who knows how long it would have taken me to come to my senses? My wife may say never but that’s not really relevant here.

The point is—trust your instruments—do not try to out think them. Chances are very good they will be right more times than you.

You can earn an air card, valued at $40.00, for the dive center of your choice by hosting two club dives. If you need assistance in planning a dive, pick a date and place then contact one of the board members who will assist you with becoming a dive host. This is a great way to meet club members and have lots of fun.

When you take a class that furthers your diving experience, such as Advanced Open Water, Rescue, Dive Master, etc., show The Board your certification card and you will receive a congratulatory $15.00.

E-mail Jason Miller, our mailing list moderator, jason.miller@IDG-Corp.com,

to be put on the ESCD yahoo group mailing list where you can communicate with other members regarding various dive topics, find dive buddies, or let everyone know about a planned dive that did not make it to the newsletter or clipboard in time. Join the list so YOU won’t be left out!

President Guy Balbirona kaikanuni@aol.com

Vice-President Elena DiPardo edipardo@u.washington.edu

Secretary/historian Laura Orlich orlich@ssoe.com

Treasurer Willow Moore dr.moore@verizon.net

Activities Coordinator Rich Carton crich4@premier1.net

News Letter Editor David Ripley esdcnewsletter@mindspring.com

NL Editor’s Secretary Darlene Ripley esdcnewsletter@mindspring.com

Big Buddy Coordinator

Webmaster Tina Seawell seawell@amgen.com

Visit our web-site: www.emeraldseadiveclub.org

Write us: Emerald Sea Dive Club

PO Box 73

Edmonds WA 98020

Board members may also be contacted via telephone or e-mail.

Wednesday, January 7, 2004

The Rock Wood Fired Pizza & Brewery

4010 196^th SW

Lynnwood WA 98036

425-697-6007

Board meeting, 6:00 p.m.; everyone is welcome to join these meetings

General meeting, 7:00 p.m.

Heading North on I-5, take exit number 181B (196^th St SW/Alderwood Mall Pkwy). At the top of the exit there is a stop light, turn left. At the next stop light turn left onto 196^th St SW proceeding ½ mile to the third stop light (40^th Ave W) turn left onto 40^th Ave W. The Rock is on the right; which is on the SW corner of 196th St SW and 40^th Ave W.

Heading South on I-5, take exit number 181 (Lynnwood). At the top of the exit there is a stop light, turn right onto 196^th St SW, proceed 3/10 of a mile to the second stop light (40^th Ave W) turn left onto 40^th Ave W. The Rock is on the right; which is on the SW corner of 196^th St SW and 40^th Ave W.

₪ Bruce Bury

425-788-8063

bury10f6@aol.com

₪ Skip Stacy – rainy days

425-775-2410

₪ Guy Balbirona – anytime after work (3:30)

425-252-1632

₪ Jason Miller -- Rescue 425-778-7548

Jason.miller@idg.corp.com

₪ Mike Bevan

work: 425-788-0595

home: 425-788-1015

₪ Greg Becvar

425-670-3978

tridoxia@yahoo.com

You will notice a new format for the newsletter. I have grouped things by pages so if you want to print a particular page you can now do that. If you wish to print the entire newsletter you can do that as well and it should be easier to locate specific information you require.

For instance, if you want to print ONLY the Dive and Events Calendar just print page 10; if you want to print ONLY the Board Members list, How to Contact Us, and Our Next Meeting just print page 8.

This will not save you paper or computer memory space; however, it will make your life easier!