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Board Nominations

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Pier Clean-up Report

2004 Board Officers

Dive & Event Calendar

Dive Site of the Month

Divers on the Loose

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Our Next Meeting

President’s Column

Sea Stories

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Wendy Drucker

It’s October again. The month when we turn the clock back and regain that lost hour of sleep… Mmmm…. The beauty of fall foliage. Halloween parties. Halloween candy! Oktoberfest. Great viz. And time to think about electing a new board to oversee the Emerald Sea Dive Club’s operations.

At the October general meeting we will nominate our friends to be new board members. The election itself will be at the November meeting, but you’ll want to come to the October meeting prepared to nominate whoever you think will do a good job in 2005. Maybe that’s YOU.

In October, 1999, I knew I wanted to serve on the board, but I wasn’t sure if maybe I wasn’t being too pushy. I had only been a member—and a diver—for a few months, and I was surrounded by people who had belonged to the ESDC for years. I was happy to be nominated and to serve as newsletter editor.

This is my third year participating on the board. I know it is not for everyone. We all enjoy different things and want different levels of involvement with the club. I must say, however, that the greatest benefit of being a board member is that you get to know everyone in the club, and everyone gets to know you. That’s more friends and more dive buddies. None of the board positions is a tremendous amount of work. We all have a specific job to do. We have to come to the meetings at 6:00 instead of 7:00, but that gives us a jump on the pizza.

Being a board member isn’t an honor. It isn’t a privilege. It’s just simple volunteering. The club needs a few people each year who are willing to volunteer a bit of their time to take care of business. So think about serving on the board in 2005. It doesn’t matter if you are a new member of the ESDC or a new scuba diver. It’ll give you the chance to nudge your club in the direction you’d like it to go. Feel free to nominate yourself. If you find that thought too embarrassing, let another member know what position interests you and ask him or her to nominate you. Or come whisper it in my ear and I’ll nominate you myself. Oh, the power of an unelected president…

Darlene Ripley

Fran Murray is looking for volunteers for the Christmas committee. So far, Laura Orlich is the only one to step forward. This is YOUR Christmas party too; please volunteer some time to make it special. Thank you.

Did you know that when you show your ESDC membership card at Starfish dive shop you receive a 10% discount? Did you know that if you show your ESDC membership card at Northwest Sport Dive you get a free air fill? Be sure you have your ESDC membership card with you when you go shopping at dive shops—you just never know.

If other shops give you a discount please let us know and we will publish their name.

In order to get new members the board has decided to be more aggressive; therefore, the club is looking for a Membership Coordinator. This position would entail being in charge of finding ways to increase the membership by placing brochures in local dive shops, promoting the club at dive sites, etc. The Membership Coordinator will head a committee to help him/her with this job; so you will need to coerce your ESDC friends into being on your committee. If you like meeting new people, making new dive buddies, educating divers on the FUN of belonging to a dive club then this is the job for you. This is not a board position this is a committee like the Christmas Party Committee or the Greeter position.

Wendy has reinstated the Dive Planning Committee. She and Rich Carton are the only ones on this committee so far. Please, if you would like to plan some cool dives (not brrrr, but yahoo) see Wendy or Rich and find out when their next meeting is so YOU can have a say in YOUR club!

Board nominations will be held at the October meeting. Please come and throw your hat in the ring or throw your buddy’s hat in the ring. Your club needs your support. The positions that need to be filled are: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary-Historian, Big Buddy Coordinator, Web Master, Activities Coordinator, which are not board positions but still need to be t, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary-Historian, Big Buddy Co-ordinatorn and Newsletter Editor. Also, we need nominations for Greeter and Membership Coordinator; which are not board positions but still need to be filled.

Voting for 2005 board members will take place at the November meeting. If you do not generally attend meetings this would be a good one for you to come to. Your vote counts here—REALLY! Read my lips J

2005 board members will be announced at the Christmas Party in December.

The president presides over board meetings and general meetings, listen to everyone's ideas and adds them to the meeting agenda, makes each meeting run on schedule, shakes hands, is friendly, gets to know club members, and represents ESDC if needed.

"President" may sound grand but, in reality, each board position is of equal importance and the prez only has one vote.

Vice-president recruits guest speakers.

The treasurer keeps track of club funds. This person takes in money and deposits it into the bank, pays bills, and reimburses members for authorized expenses. It is also the responsibility of the treasurer to send new members their membership cards either at the meeting or via mail. All of the club’s financial information is entered into the computer using Quicken. With Quicken, reports are generated each month for the board meeting and yearly for the membership meeting. Comparative reports are also generated to compare previous spending patterns and predict future needs (i.e. Christmas party expenses). In addition to attending monthly meetings the treasurer will spend two to three hours per month on bookkeeping tasks. Willow Moore, the current treasurer, "enjoys this job and recommends it to anyone who wants to contribute to the club and isn’t put off by balancing their checkbook".

The secretary/historian’s job is to take notes during the board and general meetings and distribute them to the board; and anyone else who is interested. This person also updates the club bylaws when the board makes changes. When the club receives new members the secretary also updates the membership roster.

Activities coordinator maintains an up-to-date clipboard, adds new dives hosted by members and the dive planning committee to the clipboard as well as notifying the newsletter editor and the web master of new dives. Activities coordinator also encourages members to become active dive host by promoting the $50.00 drawing for hosting dives.

The newsletter editor is responsible for putting together the newsletter and sending it out to the membership. If you are creative and well-organized and enjoy writing, editing, and "hunting down the story" you will enjoy this position.

Web master maintains ESDC web-site.

Big buddy coordinator gets together with new members and either takes them for local dives or pairs them with another club member in order to make them feel welcome.

Darlene Ripley

This month’s dive site HAS to be Seacrest cove two. Earlier in the month there was a huge squid egg bed surrounded by dozens of squid. David and I sat for at least 20 minutes watching them mate, huddle around the bed, swim off and around; it was a stupendous site. I do not know if the bed and squid are still there but it was located at about 50’ and was east of the south jetty of rocks located at cove two. If they are still there it is a MUST to see.

While at cove two, be sure to check on the octopus under the steel plate which is located on the border rope. Descend at the greenish buoy and follow the rope down to about 70’ and just to the right is the steel plate. We have been watching this octopus grow for over a year.

Rich Carton

Shawn and I arrived at Milltown’s clubhouse and met the other volunteers Greg, Sharon, Laura, Mark, Skip and Sarah. We learned that only two people would be needed but we all stayed for the class to learn how this life saving system works. After a short video and an explanation of the parts the class was over. I was paired with half the class and Shawn with the other. The rest of our volunteers had expressed an interest in other things like eating and diving, but I still don’t understand why someone wanted to go do yard work.

I boarded my boat the "Flying Scotsmen" and got settled in while the students arrived. Before we left, everyone learned how to use the block and tackle to lift someone off the dock or out of the water. After some donuts and coffee we got underway. Once we were out in the bay everyone got to practice bringing the boat around to rescue a victim. After the buoy had been successfully rescued many times it was my turn to be the victim.

I was thinking about the movie "Open Water" as I stepped over the edge of a perfectly good boat and out into the middle of Puget Sound. Fortunately for me everyone was paying attention in class because the Lifesling was quickly deployed. As the boat turned the rope and sling were brought to my hand and I placed it over my head to be towed to safety. I was really starting to enjoy floating on a huge waterbed but by the fourth try the Navy wanted to take a closer look. After a slow drive-by they headed back to port and so did we.

I had a great time helping with and learning about the Lifesling and look forward to helping with the class next year. After a burger and beer it was now time to finish my yard work.

Fran Murray

What a great day we had for the Edmonds Pier Clean-up on September 12th!  In the morning we had 10 divers in the water and eight splashed in the afternoon.   They retrieved lots of fishing stuff with great visibility on both dives.  Because there were lots of folks on the pier to help out I got to dive both the south and the north ends of the pier.  I think this is a first. Thank you very much for all the pier help.

Willow deserves the biggest thanks for bringing her large boat to ferry the divers in and out. Edmonds Beach Ranger, Amanda Bradley, spent the day doing interpretation for the little sea creatures who got a free trip to the dock.  There were two very small octopi she kept in a bucket for all to see before returning them to their watery home as well as numerous crabs and shrimp.  Big thanks to her. Thank you, also, Buck who took his new underwater camera and filmed sea life and club members doing their stuff.  Maybe he will share the video at one of our club meetings soon.

Lots of fishing line, lures, and crab pots were retrieved and as usual I had a blast selling it all back to those eager (to say the least) fishermen.  Once the selling started it was mayhem.  After about an hour, to my delight, we had sold almost all the stuff and I didn't have to haul it home.  Now for the best part - The club made $513.00.  Pretty good for a day of great diving at a sight seldom open to us, lots of camaraderie at lunch time and on
the dock, good community service, and cleaning up the environment.

Hope you all join in next spring when we'll do it again.

I still have lots of squid jigs if anyone is interested.

You could win a $50.00 ESDC check by hosting club dives. Every time you sponsor a club dive your name "goes into a hat" and twice a year a raffle will be held and one person from each drawing will receive $50.00 from ESDC as a Thank You for sponsoring dives, friendships, and fun! Remember, a club dive is a dive approved by Rich Carton, Activities Coordinator, and placed on the clip-board and on the ESDC web-site. This is a great way to meet club members and have lots of fun. Book your dives today! Remember: the more dives you book the more chances you have of winning.

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. This offer is only good one time per calendar year.

E-mail Jason Miller, our mailing list moderator, Jason.t.miller@comcast.net

to be put on the ESCD yahoo group mailing list

(www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ESDClist) 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!

Wednesday, October 6

Alfy’s Pizza

4820 196^th SW

Lynnwood WA

425-775-5459

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

General meeting, 7:00 p.m.

by Elena DiPardo

Our Speaker for October is Laurel Lefever.  Laurel has been a Dive Instructor in the area since before the West was won!  He teaches his classes through Bubbles Below Dive Center in Woodenville and is an active member of REEF.  Laurel has developed a PADI specialty certification in Pacific Northwest Marine ID and will center his talk around that subject.  Laurel attended Janna Nichols' talk at our August ESDC meeting so that he would not repeat her REEF talk but gear it towards unique critters here in the Northwest.  So, if you always wondered what that was you just saw going by you might want to join us.  He is a very interesting speaker and I hope you will all plan on coming to hear him talk.  See you all there.

Heading north on I-5: take exit 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 to 48^th. Alfy’s is on the south side of the road. (Alfy’s is 4 blocks down from The Rock.)

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 to 48^th. Alfy’s is on the south side of the road. (Alfy’s is 4 blocks down from The Rock.)

President Wendy Drucker astromoi@earthlink.net

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

Secretary/historian Laura Orlich lorlich@ssoe.com

Treasurer Willow Moore dr.moore@verizon.net

Activities Coordinator Rich Carton addcorich@verizon.net

News Letter Editor David Ripley esdcnewsletter@mindspring.com

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

Big Buddy Coordinator Sharan Smith sjsmith0@gte.net

Webmaster Phil Morgan pmorg@olmpus.net

Greeter Loogpla Cowden loogpla@att.net

Visit our web-site: www.emeraldseadiveclub.org

Write us: Emerald Sea Dive Club

PO Box 73

Edmonds WA 98020

Contact any of the board members via telephone or e-mail.