Dear Dolphin Divers of Sacramento, October 1, 2024

I hope everyone had a nice summer and are looking forward to the holiday season. It looks like we are going to experience a few more weeks of summer type weather conditions, so please remember to wear your sunscreen and drink lots of water to stay hydrated. I’m looking forward to Halloween…a time we can dress up and be someone else for the day. My good friends at Broadway Costumes & Theatrical Supply have a great selection of fun costumes for your Halloween parties and events; they are located at 3945 Franklin Blvd # A, Sacramento, CA 95820. When you go see them, please let them know that Owen Autry sent you. They are a local family-owned and operated business and would greatly appreciate the support.

The Annual Christmas party is coming up on December 7, 2024, at the Donte Club, and I encourage each of you to put it on your calendar. It’s always great fun! I will be hosting again this year and have been thinking about some new games and events for the evening. I am open to any suggestions from members too! The board is working on all the details and will have more information coming out soon.

I look forward to seeing you at the next general meeting and hope you will come listen to our featured guest speaker Jason Gillespie, Sales Manager for Scuba Pro. Please note, our next Dolphin Club General Meeting will be held in-person on Wednesday, October 16th, 2024, from 6:00 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’s up!!

Owen Autry,
President

Safety Officer’s Message
By: Brad Freelove

Do I Need a New Dive Computer

During our Labor Day dive and again during our river clean up dive, I had a couple divers ask
me if they should replace their dive computer. Their current computers were over 5 years old
with some being over 10 years old. To answer that question, I always think back to an article
published by Undercurrent. Being able to read and understand what is on the screen of your
computer is very important. Reading the information might mean having a screen large enough
to see it……or might be time for a prescription mask. Understanding what you see might mean
taking a class, reading the owner’s manual, or watching a couple online videos.
I pulled the important part out of the Undercurrent article for you to look at. For myself, I
upgrade my computers every 5 years or so and I always carry 2 computers when I am traveling
and diving. If I am spending a week on a liveaboard trip, having a backup computer can save
your entire trip.
From Undercurrent:
To evaluate your current dive computer, ask these questions: Can it be set for nitrox? Does it
allow you to set degrees of caution? Does it tell you how long your air will last? Can you read
and understand the display easily?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, dump that anachronism and get a modern, more
suitable computer. Your tired eyes will also enjoy your new computer’s clearer display; many
computers now have super-sharp dot matrix systems. If you choose one with an organic light-
emitting diode (OLED) colored display, its main figures will change from green to amber if
caution is required, and then to red if you’ve really outstayed your welcome. At night, and in
poor visibility, such an illuminated display can be a godsend.
Aside from that feature, don’t be misled by the shiny perfunctory knobs and buttons offered by
manufacturers as sales bait. You need to ask about the algorithm and understand its ability to
return you safely to the surface. After all, what good is a clearly visible display if you don’t
understand what it’s telling you? Buying a diving computer without having a perfunctory
understanding of what it does is buying blind.

QUOTES FROM THE SEA

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you’ve been missing the whole point of the ocean. Staying on the surface all the time is like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent.
DAVE BERRY

Everyone loves to fly and flying underwater is even better than flying in air because there are things around you.
Graham Hawkes

Success underwater depends mostly on how you conduct yourself. Diving can be the most relaxing experience in the world. Your weight seems to disappear. Space travel will be available only to a few individuals for some time, but the oceans are available to almost everyone – now.
Sylvia Earl

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

Great American River Clean Up of 2024
Brad Freelove

This year, our group had 25 divers and helpers. Thanks to everyone that showed up to help us pull out all the trash and treasure that we could find. The water temperature was a very comfortable 66 degrees F. and a flow rate of about 1,800 cuft. Per second. The usual number of cans, bottles and other trash was removed from the river. We did remove several bicycle rims and tires, a couple bags of clothing and towels, and several armfuls of boat paddles! Jason Moore and family pulled out over 20 paddles. Along with all the trash, we did locate 6 or 7 cell phones, a couple wallets and lots of sunglasses. I was fortunate enough to locate the owners of 2 of the phones and get them back to the owners. The owners were shocked to have their property returned to them.
Special thanks to Alan Couch and his crew. Alan brought along a couple of the hardest working teenagers that I have ever met. They were pulling out trash from the shore and the bottom of the river. When they needed a break from collecting, they were rowing the boat or helping divers. I hope those two can join us next year.
While Doug Hillblom did not join us on the river, he did show up to transport people and equipment from Riverbend to Sunrise. Thanks Doug!

Member News

October 2024 Birthdays

Tom Mischley 1
Don Hansen 8
Doug Hillblom 8
Steve Volpicelli 9
Nancy Ryman 13
Tracy Clarke 14
Steve campbell 16
Dana Carlson 19
Dave Rosas 26
John Steenkolk 26
Will Perkins 28

October 2024 New Members

No New Members

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

October Meeting

Just Laugh

Monterey Seals Are Still Around
Brad Freelove

I was in Monterey a couple weeks ago.  The above photo was taken from the Breakwater parking lot and shows the area that we hold the Easter Egg dive.  All entry to the beach has been blocked off due to the enormous quantity of seals on the beach!  I estimate that there were near 1,000 seals on OUR beach.  Lots of speculation on why the seals have moved in.  Food supplies, mating, predators in the water (orcas) and several other reasons that might be true.  Myself, I believe that 1 or 2 of the lead seals decided that this beach looked like a perfect spot to hold a seal version of Burning Man.  Party Time!

When our club was on this beach during last March, there was very little kelp.  Now, there is a kelp bed that starts at the Breakwater parking area and heads west for over a mile.  I am hoping that cooler waters are helping the kelp grow after being eaten by those little pin cushion urchins.  Maybe the otters and sun stars are making a difference?

Along with the abundance of seals, orcas were spotted in the distance.  Several pods of whales have been spotted in the bay.  The seals might not be too happy about this, but it was fun to watch the orcas. 

If you make a trip to Monterey to see the new locals, make sure that you leave them alone.  Citations have been issued for bothering the seals.

And the SMELL was TERRIBLE!  Even the flies were gagging! 

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

For the full view click here…

Oct. 16, 2024	DDS General Meeting	Round Table Pizza	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com	Jason Gillespie – Scubapro, Northern CA. Sales Mgr.
Oct 19, 2024	Underwater Pumpkin Carving Contest		Brad Freelove	(916) 879-3853 bradlinda@frontiernet.com
Nov 6, 2024	DDS Board Meeting	Sally’s Home	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com
Nov 20, 2024	DDS General Meeting	Round Table	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com	Photo Contest and Member of the year awards
Dec. 7th 2024	DDS Christmas Party	Donte Club	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com	Tickets on sale
Dec. 15th 2024	DDS Board Meeting Board Christmas	Doug’s Home	Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com
Jan. 1st. 2025	DDS Board Meeting		Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com
Jan. 15th. 2025	DDS General Meeting		Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com	Speaker Needed
Feb. 5th. 2025	DDS Board Meeting		Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com
Feb. 19th., 2025	General Meeting		Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com	Walter Marti, Black Water Photography
Mar. 5, 2025	DDS Board Meeting		Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com
Mar. 19, 2025	General Meeting		Owen Autry	(916) 955-9105 ocautry@gmail.com	Erica Bishop-Water Forum

EDITOR’S NOTE
By: Joe Morgan

I’M 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: Brad Freelove / Corinne Fuerst
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