www.emeraldseadiveclub.org

In This Issue

Guest Speaker

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topic

Loogpla Cowden

Full speed ahead, at the speed of fun…

Our club is in "full speed ahead." The meeting and event schedule is in full swing. The Camp Casey weekend in March was a successful event with club members connecting with the Eugene Dive Club. We are ramping up with many great guest speakers this year.

As we roar through this spring "at the speed of fun" I hope you’re taking some time out to enjoy the great outdoors. As for me, I enjoy good food, great conversations and spending time with my family and friends. I like to travel and entertain friends and I love being with people. I hope you’ve discovered some ways to enjoy the spring time that make this part of your life so special.

I also hope you’ll look at the great menu of activities and opportunities offered by your club "members" and select something that grabs you. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Find a committee to work with and share your special gift and talents with your community. Find a function that’s fun and/or useful for you. If you’re a morning person maybe an early morning dive will be right for you. If you’re an after hours schmoozer or weekender then we have a lot to pick from too!

You can participate in the DAN O2 course this month or say yes to forming a committee for the club picnic this summer or treat yourself to the RESCUE COURSE this Fall. How about showing off your talent by hosting the Christmas party this winter? Consider hosting a dive or two or sign up for our fun dives. What ever your heart desires we are here to serve you. If you need information on your options we can provide you with insights of where to invest your talent. Dive all you can dive…..

Everyone is encouraged to submit stories about their dives or any dive related topic.

The deadlines for submissions are:

April 24

May 29

June 26

July 24

August 29

September 26

October 24

November 28

photo by: Rich Carton

Open to all ESDC members. Photographs may be of above water dive related subjects as well as underwater subjects.

Each participant may submit a total of 12 photographs with no more than 3 submitted in any one month. Photographs should be those taken from October 2005 through September 2006.

The photos can be submitted to me via e-mail to edscnewsletter@mindspring.com

or by hard copy at any of the meetings.

Contest closes September 2006 and entries must be submitted no later than the October 5^th meeting.

Prizes and calendar price will be announced later.

We have sold all 50 calendars for 2006. If you would be interested in purchasing one/or more for 2007 let me know so we can adjust our order accordingly.

Everyone is encouraged to submit a paragraph or two about themselves. How and why you got interested in diving, where’s your favorite dive site and what you enjoy most about diving are all subjects you could include. Don’t be bashful, tell us about yourself.

Willow Moore-Mukherjee

Hi everyone, I’m your treasurer this year. My diving experiences started right here in Puget Sound with a NAUI certification course so long ago I can’t exactly remember. I wasn’t able to do much diving before school, kids and living in Montana got in the way for a while. My husband expressed an interest in diving and we took a PADI open water course while we were living in Maryland. Our open water dives took place in a quarry with some perch and sunfish. When we moved here I learned about the club and we both joined. Although life still gets in the way a lot, we have been able to finish the advanced course with Gerry Dollar (with help from Elena and Steve), dive while in Cabo and Australia, and I am planning a trip to Belize this fall. Looking forward to visiting with you at the meetings and dives this year and serving as your treasurer.

Courtesy of Bruce Bury

There are developments in the works that may significantly impact the Keystone Underwater Park and its use as a dive site. You have an opportunity to comment on these changes. The comment period runs through March 31, 2006. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is in the process of replacing the 80-year-old ferries that are used on the Keystone – Port Townsend run. The replacement of ferries will also require that design changes be made to the Keystone Ferry Terminal. There are four options being considered. At this point all plans are still on the table. You can review these options at the WSDOT web site http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/projects/PtTownPreserv/

WSDOT and the ferry systems "preferred plan" will enlarge the harbor (expanding it into the area which is now the parking lot) and move the rock jetty 300’ to the east (closer to the old dock). WSDOT prefers this option for reasons of vessel safety and passenger safety. Construction is planned for Fall 2009. Recently, Mike Racine (Washington Scuba Alliance) and Jim Ramaglia of Anacortes met with the WSDOT Project Team. Mike and Jim found the WSDOT Project Team receptive to divers’ concerns about moving the underwater park and open to including divers’ ideas in the reconstruction of the park, should the "preferred option" be chosen. (Minutes of that meeting are included at the end of this email.)

Mike and Jim are writing a letter to be submitted to WSDOT on behalf of the "Diving Community" with ideas to be incorporated into the reconstruction of the Keystone Harbor Project. Ideas currently being considered for inclusion in this letter:

· Expanded changing areas in the restroom.

· Heaters in the restroom, (could be coin operated).

· A structure with windbreaks, possibly a gazebo.

· Signs in the structure.

Pictures and information on marine life in the park for both divers and non-divers and as an attraction for waiting passengers.

Safety information for divers: a dive briefing on the park with information on how to stay out of the ferry lane.

· A ramp for access to the beach.

· Creating a new reef up the beach from the existing jetty before the relocation of the jetty to give marine life a place to move to. Life from this structure could then migrate to the new jetty.

· Seed the new reef with rocks from the existing jetty

· When taking the existing jetty apart move as much of the armor rock that is encrusted with life as possible.

· Create more features in the dive park by placing reef balls or rocks from the existing jetty between the new reef and the new jetty.

· Put underwater "stop signs" toward the end of the jetty (man made objects) that would be referenced in the "dive briefing" signs to warn divers not proceed during high current conditions in order to keep divers out of ferry lanes.

· Involve marine science schools, Shannon Point Marine Center, Walla Walla Marine Center in studying the repopulation of the jetty.

· Keep the size of the marine Reserve Conservation Area the same as the park.

If you have ideas you would like included in the letter please send them to

Jim Ramaglia at ramaglia@comcast.net Keep in mind that suggestions which require expensive ongoing maintenance and up-keep costs are less likely to be considered by WSDOT. Please email ideas by March15.

You are free to comment directly to WSDOT http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/projects/PtTownPreserv/

While we may wish that the Keystone Underwater Park not be disturbed, if it is going to be changed we, the "dive community", should have a seat at the table and input into the planning of a new underwater park.

NEAH BAY

Laura Orlich

Hi everyone
I have scheduled a dive trip to Neah Bay July 29, 30, and 31st.   It
promises to be an awesome adventure!  Hopefully we will be able to dive
Duncan Rock (also known as Devils Island)
 
The dive charter is booked with Porthole Dive Charters, two tanks a day for $100.
The boat only holds 6 divers so space is limited....   sign up for diving one,
two or all three days.   We will accommodate as many people as possible, as
additional spaces may be available on a second dive boat.
 
Shore diving is available in Sieku bay and perhaps other locations around
the area.
 
Other activities may include hiking, fishing and boating.
 
I have also reserved the three cabins at Curleys resort in Sieku.  Rates are
$65.00 based on double occupancy.  Other rooms are available for various
rates. 
 
A 50% deposit is due for diving at the May 3rd dive club meeting.
 
Feel free to contact me if you have questions.
 
Happy diving!
Laura Orlich
425-640-5840

John F Williams

The monthly half hour TV show, SEA-Inside: Pacific Northwest, is airing now on nine pubic access TV stations in the region, from Ashland OR to Pt. Townsend WA and including King County.  More stations are in the works.

SEA-Inside :PNW brings you the unusual appearance and often bizarre 
behavior of local underwater creatures in their natural habitat.   Sure, you divers may have seen all this, but here's a chance to show all your non-diving family and friends the magic and wonder of the Pacific Northwest's underwater world.  Going beyond the usual format for nature shows, SEA-Inside: Pacific Northwest mixes art and music with science and stunning underwater video to offer a view of underwater life simultaneously from many perspectives.

The key to this show is that it is made up of contributions from the diving community: a broadcast mini-film/photo festival, if you will. You can learn more about the show, see who has contributed so far, and see an 88 second video trailer of the show at: http://www.SEA-Inside.org

Producer John F. Williams would like underwater videographers, photographers, and other artists involved with underwater related projects relevant to the PNW to contact him about including their work on SEA-Inside (info@SEA-Inside.org, 360-598-4152).

Please spread the word.

Greg Becvar

Thursday the 9^th I found out my dive/drive buddy was out with a bad back. I decided to catch Bruce on the 6 a.m. ferry. Well, I got to the ferry landing at 6:15 (later I found out Bruce had gotten on the 5:30 ferry, ufda). I made my way up the road to Keystone where I found Bruce and Mike, from Eugene. Soon after we jumped into the water and had an excellent dive. When we got out of the water, Rich, Lorreta, and Marylou had arrived. I decided to do shore patrol while the rest went for a dive. I occupied myself with cleaning up the beach and parking lot. About 20 minutes later I spied Rich coming in. "What’s wrong Rich?" Rich says, "I’ve got a flood!"…Did your suit flood? …."NO my @#)@($

CAMERA!" I’ve had this happen myself and I was almost as sick to my stomach as Rich. After looking it over we decided it was probably dead. Rich went back in to finish his dive and I thought about the new camera I just ordered. Flood insurance didn’t seem so expensive anymore. I left to go check in at Camp Casey while the rest where gearing down. I stopped and talked to Mitch at the office and then headed over to the J-Barracks.

A few people had already arrived. A few minutes later someone told me Rich’s bad luck got even worse with a torn neck seal. When Rich has bad luck, he has BAD LUCK. The barracks was filling quickly and everyone was excited to be there and raring to go dive.

Eventually, Skip confirmed that Langley Marina was open to diving and we decided we had to go there. We almost lost a few in route becasue not everyone knew where to go. By the time our group was ready the sun had set. I teamed up with a new diver, Carol, and also Mike. Carol was not at all ready for the dive, but we managed a short dive right next to the marina wall. Loretta and Johanna’s dive was not the best either as they had never dove at Langley before. In hind sight, we should have done more planning prior to the dive.

We drove back to Casey white knuckled in a sleet storm. When we got to the warm barracks the food and the rest of the group had arrived. Bruce and I discussed the planned dive times and made slight modifications. After a night of eating, B- S-ing, and movie watching we all crashed. By 6 a.m. the coffee pots were on in the barracks and by 8, most of us were in the chow line behind Bruce. The Sea Lab was down so we were just going to dive for fun and to find the pump intake box. Our planned dive time was 10:30 by the charts, but Ma Nature doesn’t read the slack before flood predictions. The actual slack was probably about 8:30 when we were feeding our faces. We did go out into some pretty strong currents. Johanna and I actually had a pretty good dive. We saw a lot of critters, especially under ledges. That’s because we could shelter from the current there.

The afternoon dive saw many people go to Keystone with its more predictable currents. Those of us who stayed had another good dive at Casey with low current. Coming out of the water was a bit of a challenge in the waves. My wing tore loose from my harness when I caught a wave wrong. After the dives we socialized, ate, B-S-ed, planned, joked and had fun in general. Jerry explained to Rich and I why he thought my morning dive time was so far off. Now I understand the dynamics of that location better and why slack before ebb is the best time to go there.

On Sunday almost everyone was up early. Many from Eugene heading home after breakfast. Those that stayed cleaned up the barracks, ate, and went to Keystone to dive. When I got there the front parking spaces were taken. I decided it was the perfect opportunity to go back and get the hot shower I’d been waiting for. I felt much better after my shower. I knew I would have to wait for lunch and the others to get back so I jotted down the notes for this report. When the group got back it was lunch time and only 12 of us left. Camp Casey does a great job with meals and this one was no exception. After lunch we finished cleanup and got ready for one last dive. Johanna, Ryan, and I teamed up. We covered a lot of area on the outer edge of the kelp bed. When we got to the south end the current was beginning to pick up; I bee-lined us toward shore. We did see some very interesting formations and marine life on the way in. I was off on my navigation a 100’ farther south than I thought, but we did make it in ;-).

Another Camp Casey Adventure was coming to an end. I can hardly wait to go again. BTW, thanks to my buddies, Bruce, Mike, Carol, Johanna, Larry, and Ryan.

Dive host:  Pam Norton  PNorton@rwbeck.com

SATURDAY AFTERNOON – WORK OUT!  Spend Saturday with me, Pam Norton, diving the Edmonds Underwater Park!   

Here’s my plan

1^st dive

Enter north of the Jetty & follow Cathedral Way west to North Lights (milk crate trail), follow NL to Tube Hedge and search the GPO Bruce Bury found there last week.

Splash @ about 11:30 am

2^nd dive

Enter at end of Jetty and follow Jetty Way out to first intersection and turn south to dive the Dry Dock

Splash @ about 1: 30

DAN´s Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries Provider Course was designed to fill the void in oxygen first aid training available for the general diving public.

This course represents entry level training designed to educate the general diving (and qualified non-diving) public in recognizing possible dive related injuries and providing emergency oxygen first aid while activating the local emergency medical services (EMS) and/or arranging for evacuation to the nearest available medical facility.

In DAN´s most recent dive accident record, less than 33% of injured divers received emergency oxygen in the field. Few of those received oxygen concentrations approaching the recommended 100%. DAN and all major diving instructional agencies recommend that all divers be qualified to provide 100% oxygen in the field to those injured in a dive accident.

1.  Port Authority Fleece Vest R-TEK - #JP79

2.  Port Authority Polo Shirt KP 60? 

3.  Jackets: black – 754-BK  gold –754-GD

4.  Jackets: All Season, men’s & women’s – black 779-BK

5.  Full Fleece Zip Jacket – available in black – 77-BK, midnight heather 77-MH

Available both men’s & women’s styles

Members can order directly from Dan Singley at www.thelogopress.com

FREEDOM ORDER – Have the ESDC logo embroidered on blankets or any article of clothing.

Personally customized by Rodney Windhorst: lsvision@earthlink.net

Be sure you have your ESDC membership card with you when you go shopping at dive shops—you just never know. If you find a dive shop that offers you a discount for being an ESDC member please let us know and we will publish their name.

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 Skip Stacy, 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, April 5^th at Alfy’s Pizza

4820 196^th SW

Lynnwood WA

425-775-5459

Board meeting, 6:00 p.m.; everyone is welcome to join. General meeting, 7:00 p.m.

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 Loogpla Cowden loogplacowden@att.net

Vice-President Rich Carton addcorich@verizon.net

Secretary/historian Mary Lou Hernandez hmarylou@hotmail.com

Treasurer Willow Moore-Mukherjee dr.moore@verizon.net

Activities Coordinator Skip Stacy skipstacy@aol.com

Newsletter Editor David Ripley esdcnewsletter@mindspring.com

Big Buddy Coordinator Greg Becvar tridoxia@yahoo.com

Greeter Shawn Miller shawnm1833@yahoo.com

Web Master Phil Morgan-Ellis pmorg@olympus.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 www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ESDClist

₪ Greg Becvar

360-659-2853

tridoxia@yahoo.com

₪ Bruce Bury –PADI rescue

425-788-8063

bury1of6@aol.com

₪ Jason Miller –Rescue

425-778-7548

Jason.t.miller@comcast.net

₪ Skip Stacy – rainy days

425-775-2410

₪ John Laggart –weekday dives

jmnlaggart@msn.com

If you are interested in being included on this list please contact the editor.