Dear Dolphin Divers of Sacramento, January 2024

Happy New Year, 2024! The first dive of the new year is at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve dive area (part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary) on January 13, 2024.

The slots filled up fast, and not all our divers were able to get spots as this is a location that is reserved by signing up on the National Park website on a first come-first served basis, and they went fast. Let’s pray for nice weather to make our dive a success. Two years ago, on January 15, 2022, we were gearing up to go diving when a Tsunami out of Tonga (5000 miles away) hit Point Lobos minutes before we launched Jack Millard’s zodiac into the water. The water came up the ramp all the way back to the bathrooms at Whaler’s Cove – as the park ranger was telling all of us that the fire department had closed the park to diving. A story for the campfire.

If you missed out on the January 13th dive, start making plans to attend the next trip to Monterey – scheduled for March 13th!! Participate in the clubs famous Easter Egg Hunt and prize dinner after the event. Please watch your email for more information.

Please note, our next Dolphin Club General Meeting will be held in-person on Wednesday,
January 17th, 2024, 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 bubbles up!!

Owen Autry,
President

QUOTES FROM THE SEA

“But where, after all, would be the poetry of the sea were there no wild waves?” – Joshua Slocum

“What world lies beyond that stormy sea I do not know, but every ocean has a distant shore, and I shall reach it.” – Cesare Pavese

“Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me.” – Albert Schweitzer

Please send in your favorite “Quotes from the Sea” if you have not already seen them here. I am always looking for more.

Safety Officer’s Message
By: Brad Freelove

Heading to the California coast – take care!

If you have plans on heading to the California coast during the next couple weekends, you
might want to watch the weather channel, check out any tsunami reports and look at the tide
charts. California is being hit with some much-needed rain but not all the weather is helping us
out. Storms are churning up the ocean and combining with our annual King Tides to produce
some monster waves, flooding, and high winds. Along with the high tides, rain, and winds we
now have some tsunami alerts as earthquakes are hitting Japan.
So, if you are heading to Monterey to check out the Monarch butterfly migration or going
diving at the breakwater or Pt. Lobos, you might want to check the local weather reports and
ocean conditions for signs of trouble.

Monterey Aquarium during high and low tides

If you do go to the coast, you might want to take a couple photos of the waves. You can enter
your photos in the California King Tides Project annual photo contest. You can visit their
website at : www.coastal.ca.gov/kingtides/participate.html

Christmas Party and
“Member of the Year” Award

December 9th brought together many of our members to our annual Christmas party. During
the party there were a ton of good times, food, prizes and most importantly, awards to some
special people.
The party was held at the Dante club on Fair Oaks Blvd. Owen Autry
volunteered (again!) to put the party together for the benefit of all members and guests.

Owen and other Board members started arriving around 4 pm to get tables set up, prizes put
out, and table decorations placed as needed. DDS members Jason Moore and family set up
their sound system to provide all of us with a variety of songs and music. Other Board
members helped by checking in people at the door, getting raffle prizes and awards ready to
go, and all the other stuff that goes into getting the party started.

At 5 pm, the festivities started. Members and guests enjoyed appetizers, drinks, dinner, and
dessert. Owen and partner in crime, Sandy, put together a couple of interesting games for all
to participate in. Prizes were awarded to the winners. Unfortunately, Santa was a little under
the weather that evening, so he stayed home and had a margarita. He promised to make it
next year.

During the evening, we take time to honor some very special people. The winners of our
annual photo contest were announced, photos shown, and given awards. Each category winner
received a certificate noting their achievement along with a $25 gift card redeemable at
Dolphin Scuba.

Holger Fuerst, Cayle Little, Holly Little, Jon Steenkolk, Keiko Lewis, and Joy
Bothun were voted winners!
(Pictures in Article Below)
Congratulations to all of them for their luck and skill.

Almost 40 years ago, Dolphin Divers of Sacramento was born. One of the driving factors behind
the club was spear fishing. Each year we award a prize to the diver taking the largest fish during
the year. This year, Brad Freelove was the lucky winner. While Brad took the largest fish during
the year, Kenny Carraher and Layni Little were just a few ounces behind Brad. All fish taken
were served up at dinner during the Labor Day outing at Ocean Cove. Thanks to event leader
Jack Millard for putting the event together.

The final award of the evening was presented to a club member that has been recognized for
their contributions throughout the year. This person is noted has having done something very
special for the club. Maybe they ran an event or help at during club functions. Whatever they
did, their fellow members wanted to let this special member know that they appreciated their
efforts. This year, the DDS member of the year award goes to Dave Whiteside!

Comments made by members about Dave noted that he is always helping at events and meetings. He
takes time to assist as needed and is always ready to help new members. Dave, from all of us
at Dolphin Divers, CONGRATULATIONS!

Underwater Easter Egg Hunt

HAPPY NEW YEAR!     We have scheduled our first major dive event for 2024. Our annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt will be held again in Monterey on Saturday, March 9. This event is open to all paid 2023 and/or 2024 members, only. Guests are welcome to join for the Awards Ceremony the evening of the event. Information about the event is below, and the sign-up form is attached.

EASTER EGG HUNT
Saturday March 9

Our annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt in Monterey will be on Saturday, March 9. We’ll have lots of GREAT prizes, one for every egg and some for our raffle too! The hunt area will be at the west end of San Carlos Beach, opposite the breakwater, and down the stairs from the restrooms. Everyone will need to be on the beach between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. to sign in and receive a dive orientation. The area of the hunt will be cordoned off underwater with yellow rope and there will be floats on the surface marking the area from above. Boats may be moored outside of the hunt area BUT ALL contestants must remain ON THE SURFACE until the starting whistle is blown.  At 10:00 sharp we will blow a whistle to signal the start of the event, at which time you should descend. If you are floating over the hunt area and descend when you hear the whistle you are almost assured of finding an egg. If you have not yet reached the hunt area when the whistle is blown the easy ones will be already found and you will have to work much harder to find them. There are often egg numbers that are not found so don’t give up too early!  There will be extra weights and a safety diver in a boat, anchored in the center of the area. We will have children’s activities organized on the beach while parents are searching for their eggs underwater. If you, or someone you know, would be willing to help with the children’s activities please let me know. 

 Prizes for the adults and children will be awarded at the evening buffet and awards ceremony at Del Monte Grill and Cafe, located in front of the Monterey Travelodge on Fremont Avenue. Social hour will start at 5:00 followed by dinner at 6:00 p.m. and the prize presentations immediately after dinner. Be sure to bring money for some GREAT raffle prizes! I will post the sign-up form on our web site and send a map and directions in an e-mail to everyone who has signed up for this event. If you do not have access to the internet, or a printer, the forms will also be available at the January and February general meetings. Some of the meal cost will be subsidized by the club to keep your member cost down.

We have negotiated a group rate of $129.00 single, $139.00 double/night at Monterey Travelodge for Friday and Saturday nights, regularly $159.00. Ask for Erika Henss to get our club rate. There are only 15 rooms set aside for us at this rate.

Monterey Travelodge, (831) 373.3381

For more info e-mail, text, or call the Easter Bunny: Jack Millard at (916) 955.8017,  jbmillard@aol.com

Please complete the registration form below to determine your total cost for the event then click the BUY NOW link above to pay via our secure Square site. Forward the registration form to the address listed and make note that you paid online.

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Annual Photo Contest

Here are your 2023 Photo Contest Winners!

In the Selfie Category the winner was Joy Bothun, with this photo of her and a new finned-friend.

In the Cell-Phone category, Cayle Little won with this stunning picture.

Keiko Lewis won the “Underwater” Category with this shot of starfish and urchin.

In the “Open” Category Jon Steenkolk’s picture of a Grouper attempting to borrow a camera, and Holly Little’s picture of two resting birds in moving waves tied for First Place, so Congratulations to both winners.

Holger Fuerst took 1st Place in the “Above Water” category with this picture of a hummingbird mid snack.

Congratulations to all winners and we hope to get more amazing submissions next year. So get out in the water and don’t forget your camera!

Member News

January Birthdays:
Ritchie F.
Jack F.
Cameron F.
Tony J.
Kathy M.
Zackory M.
Jack M.
William R.
Dave W.

New Members:
Jon Siepmann

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

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

For the full view click here…

Jan 3, 2024	DDS Board Meeting	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com	Denny’s
Jan 13, 2024	Jack’s Birthday Dive	Jack Millard	(916) 955-8017 jbmillard@aol.com	Point Lobos
Jan 17, 2024	DDS General Meeting	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com
Feb 1, 2024	DDS Board Meeting	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com
Feb 21, 2024	DDS General Meeting	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com
March 6, 2024	DDS Board Meeting	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com
March 9, 2024	Easter Egg Hunt	Jack Millard	(916) 955-8017 jbmillard@aol.com
March 20, 2024	DDS General Meeting	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com

EDITOR’S NOTE
By: Joe Morgan

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

• 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: Sally Walters
Member at Large: Douglas Hillblom
Alternate Member at Large: Corinne Fuerst