Dear Dolphin Divers of Sacramento, June 2023

June 21st marks the start of the Summer and all it’s fun activities! I sure hope you have at least one or two (…maybe more) fun events planned. Remember the club will be having many activities coming up, and I encourage you to look at the activities calendar and see what’s in store for you.

I hope you have enjoyed the guest speakers and the free pizza these last three meetings. In May we had our own Liz Marchand presenting on UW photography – what a lesson in the newest form of photography! Liz gave an amazing talk and there was an informative question and answer session during the meeting.

At the April meeting, Jason Gillespie, the new Northwest Regional Sales Manager of Scuba Pro, was present and spoke about the innovation of Scuba Pro and the wide range of products they have available. Jason was hired after the retirement of Joe Geiss, a man we all loved and great friend to the Dolphin Dive Club family. We wish the best for Joe!

Back in March, Ian Norton from Reef Check attended the meeting to talk about the condition of the Pacific Ocean and all the activities Reef Check does in conservation and restoration of our pacific coast. We will be sending out emails on his work and how you can help Reef Check in the future. If you did not catch it, during Memorial Day weekend the Waterman Alliance (WA), in collaboration with Reef Check, hosted an organized recreational purple urchin culling event at Caspar Cove in Mendocino. As a club, we encourage our divers to go and participate in these fun events.

As I mentioned in my last letter, we are always looking for leaders that would like to take on an activity. Please reach out to a board member with your idea and plan for the event and we can work with you on getting it organized. It will need to be run by the board and the board meets on the first Wednesday of the month. We ask that you plan the dive then dive the plan. What does this mean for running an activity? You should first contact our Activity Chair, David Whiteside, and run your idea by him. This can be a non-dive event or a scuba/free dive event. Then talk to our safety officer Brad Forelove and get the safety side of your dive or non-dive events worked out. We take safety very seriously and he can work out any concerns about your planned Scuba dive and we can plan safety measures for your event. After you have met with these two board members, it will be presented by the Activity Chair for discussion and approval. We are an all-volunteer club, and it takes all of us to plan fun activities.

Please note, our next Dolphin Club General Meeting will be held in-person on Wednesday,
June 21, 2023, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at Round Table Pizza (9500 Greenback Lane in Folsom), and via Zoom for those who would prefer to attend remotely. Marilyn will send information on the day of the meeting. You will not want to miss this meeting…everyone is welcome to join!

Hope to see you in the water, and bubble up!!

Owen Autry,
President

QUOTES FROM THE SEA

“Why is it that scuba divers and surfers are some of the strongest advocates of ocean conservation? Because they’ve spent time in and around the ocean, and they’ve personally seen the beauty, the fragility, and even the degradation of our planet’s blue heart.”
Sylvia Earle

“There’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.”
Sarah Kay

“How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is clearly Ocean.”
Arthur C. Clarke

Safety Officer’s Message
By: Brad Freelove

Boat Diving

California Diving News carried an article on California boat diving.  The article contains several great ideas on how to maximize your fun while staying safe when you take your next boat dive.  Shore diving is fine, but single or multi-day boat trips are my favorite.  Dolphin Scuba has a ton of trips that go all over the world.  Enjoy diving at its best and take a liveaboard dive trip.  You can read the entire article by picking up a copy of the May 2023, California Diving News from Dolphin.  The following is a summary of the article.

So, you want to take a diving trip via boat.  Congratulations!  I doubt that you will be disappointed.  Single or multi-day, before you book your trip, make sure that your skill level is in line with the destination that you have chosen.  If you are not sure, ask.  Do some research via the web.  Ask questions of your fellow divers.  Get some advice from the dive store.  When you make your decision, book your trip as soon as possible.  Some trips fill up months in advance.

As you get close to your trip date, make sure that all your equipment is in proper working order and still fits.  Get repairs done if needed and have some spare parts available.  Straps, orings, and some basic tools can make or break your trip.  If you plan on renting, get your rental gear a couple of days before your trip, and make sure that the equipment works and fits you.  When you are satisfied that everything is the way it should be, pack all the stuff up in your gear bag.  Same goes for your personal clothing items.  Take what you need but only what you need.  If you have medications that you will be taking along, have a couple days extra with you just in case you get stuck in an airport.  Don’t forget seasickness meds.  Take them if you need them.  Check with your doctor on any and all meds.

Your diving trip time has arrived.  Be on time for boarding.  If you are driving to your boarding location, leave a few hours early so you have time to handle any unforeseen problems.  If air travel is part of your trip, leave a day or two early.  Yes, you end up paying for a night in a hotel, but airlines cancel flights all the time.  The boat will not wait for you!  Be smart and get there early.

Once you are on the boat, follow the directions of the crew.  They will let you know when and where to set up your equipment.  Listen to all dive briefings.  It is in your best interest to pay attention to what the crew is telling you.  Dive sites will be discussed.  Safety issues will be addressed.  Boat rules, policies and etiquette are there for your safety and comfort.  How to get in and out of the water.  How to get your tank filled.  How to rinse your camera off.  How to use the head.  All important stuff.  Watch and listen to the crew!

At the end of your trip, make sure that you pack up everything you brought with you.  The same equipment check list that you used before the trip can be used again to pack up all your stuff.  If the crew did a great job, tip accordingly. 

I hope you enjoy your next diving adventure.  Folsom Lake and the American River are fun, but the Channel Islands, Socorro Islands, Raja Ampat, and Cuba are fantastic!  Get out there and dive!

COLUMBUS DAY CAMPING

An FYI for anyone wondering about the annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt: The Crazy Horse restaurant, where we held our awards dinner, has gone out of business. I did not find another venue that can accommodate our group of 60+ for a rate that makes sense. Most places charge separately for room rental and food, making them cost prohibitive.

Ken Takata is not hosting the Memorial Weekend camp/dive trip this year because of the historically rough water during most previous events. Instead
I have reserved the meadow campsites at Albion River Campground for Columbus Day weekend, October 6 – 9. Albion River Campground is right on the Albion River where it empties into the ocean. Activities can include kayaking on the river (rentals available) and/or ocean, Diving, visiting Mendocino or Fort Bragg (the ice cream at “Cowlicks” in Fort Bragg is one of the stops I NEVER miss)  or just hanging out around the campfire enjoying each others company. We will also make a couple of motorboat and kayak trips up the river into the redwoods.

If you want to join us contact the campground to make your reservation. You can choose any of our reserved sites from D1 to D25, or one off the rental trailers, B22 – B24,. There are also a few full hookup sites, A2 – A15 with sewer connections, close to the group area. (I am in site A2 because I will be there for 7 nights) When you call for a camping reservation be sure to ask for one of the sites in “D” section, that I reserved for our group. This will be a joint event with the Seahorses dive club. If you camp in a tent bring a heater and extension cord: every site has water and electricity.

Please let me know when you make a reservation so I can keep track of how many, and which, spaces we take. Any spaces not reserved by us will revert back to the Albion CG for renting to non-members.

Jack Millard 916.955.8017
https://albionrivercampground.com/
(707) 937-0606

Member News

June Birthdays:

Marylin Campbell
Paula Delgado
Jeffrey Ford
Travis Gilbert
Tyler Hopper
Amanda Howery
Kimberly Hurley
Suzanne Ito
Chelsea Moltrum
Mark Mantegani
Michael Melvin
Mark O’Hair
Tom Oja
Jordan Oja
Emily Oja
Amy Rojas
Phoebe Scholar
Jamie Sepulveda
Kim Taylor
Margie Tomenko

New Members:

Are you interested in becoming a Dolphin Divers of Sacramento member?
CLICK HERE TO JOIN

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

FOR THE FULL SCHEDULE PLEASE CLICK HERE

Hawaii April 2023
By: David Rosas

The attached photos are from my trip to Kona Hawaii April 2023 to try out a little underwater photography. I traveled to Hawaii with some longtime friends that are also scuba divers. I was certified in 1989 and my favorite memories are the Hawaiian Islands. This trip we stayed at the Manago Hotel in Captain Cook, on the big island of Hawaii. The cost for a week at the hotel was $780.00. The diving was spectacular in the warm waters near Papa Bay. I enjoyed seeing the living coral reefs and all the underwater structure that was created by the lava flows centuries ago. We stopped by the Kona Honu Divers scuba shop in Kona to check out the charter dives they offer. I’ve decided on a 2 tank Manta Ray observation night dive for our next year’s vacation. We ate at the Honaunau Poke shop that are the masters of Poke.   Aloha!

California Waterman’s Alliance
Urchin Culling

Hi dive buddies!

Our partners at the Waterman’s Alliance(WA) are hosting an organized recreational purple urchin culling event at Caspar Cove in Mendocino! This is the last year for the emergency regulation (CC Title 14 Section 29.06) and we are pushing for as much culling effort as possible! Please come participate in this experimental restoration project. Reef Check divers who attend the event and cull urchins will receive volunteer days.

WA reserved 2 campsites at the Caspar Beach RV Park & Campground and a field compressor for participating volunteers! Visit their webpage on Facebook: “Waterman’s Alliance Urchin removal Efforts”.

Below is a message from Josh Russo on the Waterman’s Alliance Facebook page:

“2023-Memorial weekend May 27-29 is the next time we we will have the compressor on-site. Free tank fills Saturday Sunday and maybe Monday. I have the group campsite at caspar Friday Saturday and Sunday nights. There’s no charge for camping with us but it is limited space so bring the small tent and be considerate of others. Carpooling encouraged. text me if you want to camp with us so I can keep a head count. (707)333-9575”

To participate you MUST:

1. Sign up on the RCVT
2. Let Josh Russo know if you will be staying at the WA campsites- this is important so WA knows how many people to expect at the campsite! (contact info above)
3. Have a valid California Fishing license
4. Review California fishing regulations (CC Title 14 Section 29.06)
5. Cull INSIDE the targeted area- in between orange buoys
6. Record your dives to the Caspar Dive Log

Organized events are the last weekend of every month May-September: May 27-28, June 24-25, July 29-30, August 26-27, September 30-October 1.

You are responsible for your own camping gear and food. The campsite has warm showers and a gear washing station. There is a small camp store on site, but proper grocery stores are located nearby in Mendocino and Fort Bragg.

Please contact Morgan with any questions: mmurphycannella@reefcheck.org.  760-994-5719

Custom Dolphin Divers Swag
By – Tracy Clarke

Hey all you divers out there,
Do you want a special T-Shirt or Jacket for yourself or as a very special gift?  Bring it to me, so I can put our amazing logo on it. 

Bring it to me at our General Meeting. April -May – June You have until June to bring me your stuff to be printed. 

I’ll have it ready by the picnic in the park. 
Tracy

Monterey Dive 5-14-2023
By – David Rosas

Dennis King and I went on an dive excursion to Monterey on Sunday aboard the Beachhopper ll dive boat. After narrowly missing 2 deer on the highway near San Luis reservoir, we safely arrived at the dock in Monterey. The boat arrived right on schedule around 8am with Captain Mary Jo at the helm. We visited Shale Reef for the first dive and then went to the Giant Metridium Mound for the second dive. Both dives were incredibly fun and scenic.

At Shale Reef we had good visibility and plenty of great scenery with vibrant colors to focus our attention. At Metridium Mound, the Giant Anemones were spectacular. I’ve wanted to see them since 1989, so I got that item checked off of my bucket list.

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EDITOR’S NOTE
By: Joe Morgan

I AM LOOKING FOR MEMBERS TO SEND IN PICTURES OF DIVING, DIVING VACATIONS ETC.

Each month I will be looking for submissions in the following categories:

• Trip Reviews: Let us know where you have been diving, what operator you used, the hotel you stayed at and how was the diving there. Let us know if the operator was safe and fun. Let us know if the hotel was a good deal, give us as much detail as possible and hopefully more Dolphin Divers will venture there in the future.
  
• Recipes: I was told that in the past Dolphin Divers gave each other SEAFOOD recipes that they loved so that everyone could enjoy the bounty of the sea, I hope to continue that each month with at least one good recipe.
  
• Dive and Camping yard-sale items you wish to include in the newsletter.
  
• Dive Activities: Please let me know if there are any dive-related activities you would like included in the newsletter.
  
• Pictures from your last dive. Please make sure to let me know how you would like the picture credited in the newsletter. -example – Picture by John Member, of a Silky Shark, at Roca Partida Mexico.

PLEASE MAIL ALL SUBMISSIONS TO

Editor@dolphindivers.org

DOLPHIN DIVERS OF SACRAMENTO
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Owen Autry
Vice President: Ken Takata
Treasurer: Marlyn Sepulveda
Secretary: Elizabeth Marchiondo
Safety Officer: Brad Freelove
Activity Chair: David Whiteside
Webmaster: Renee Viehmann
Promotions Chair: Tracy Clarke
Newsletter Editor: Joe Morgan
Historian: Jack Millard
Member at Large: Tom Mischley
Member at Large: Lalanyia Little
Member at Large: Ed Hurff
Member at Large: David Rosas
Member at Large: Sally Walters
Member at Large: Douglas Hillblom
Alternate Member at Large: Corinne Fuerst