Catalina Mooring Project Progresses
Catalina Island receives a huge amount of visiting boats, many of which drop anchors onto the fragile reefs. While not as delicate as coral reefs, repeated anchor damage to Catalina’s reefs can have long term negative effects. Following the lead of successful coral reef mooring projects, the Catalina Mooring Buoy Project was born a few years ago. The goal was to place buoys around Catalina Island at some of the more delicate and heavily visited reefs. Use of the buoys is to be purely voluntary.
The Catalina Mooring Buoy Project made significant progress recently despite some setbacks. All necessary equipment to place buoys on hard rock reefs was acquired over the last several months. The equipment was put to the test in February with the first drilling into hard rock for the mooring project (the project’s first buoy was set in sand at Goat Harbor).
An excellent location was found quickly at the west end of Eagle Reef in 30 feet of water and drilling commenced. Progress was faster than anticipated and the 18-inch deep hole was completed in about 20 minutes. The buoy “pin” was brought to the bottom to be epoxy glued in place. Debris clogged the hole so the drill was lowered again to clear the hole. In the process of trying to clear the hole, the drill bit became stuck. Many attempts were made to free the bit but to no avail earning the name “Excalibur Reef.”
“We learned a lot on this first attempt,” stated project leader Steve Madaras. “We learned that we can drill holes much quicker than thought but we must keep the holes clean as we progress.” With a slight modification in technique, it is anticipated that up to three mooring pins can be set per day.
Loss of the drill bit (still firmly affixed in Eagle Reef) has, unfortunately, set the project back financially.
For more information on the Catalina Mooring Project email cmooring@worldnet.att.net.
Catalina Express Introduces Jet Cat Express
Catalina Express, the leading provider of fast and frequent scheduled boat service between Catalina Island and the ports of Long Beach, San Pedro, and Dana Point on the Southern California coast, has announced that it will take delivery of its second new high-speed catamaran in late April 2001, with service introduction set for early May.
The $8 million Jet Cat Express, the carrier’s largest vessel at 145 feet in length, will carry 381 passengers.
Like the Starship Express, a new generation of high-speed catamaran introduced into service in August of 1999, the Jet Cat Express will cruise at 37 knots (43 mph) and make the 22 mile trip between Avalon and Long Beach in well under an hour.
The main deck of the new Jet Cat Express will offer inside seating for 201 passengers along with 14 seats outside. On the second deck, there will be 86 additional outside seats plus 80 seats located in the Commodore Lounge. For a $10 upgrade over the normal $19.50 one-way adult fare, Commodore Lounge passengers receive priority boarding, a complimentary beverage with packaged snack served at their seats by cabin attendants. Seats in the Commodore Lounge recline for comfort and will offer individual tray tables and leather-trimmed headrests.
The all-aluminum catamaran features a sleek, twin-hull design and T Foils that are supported with a fully computerized ride control system to dampen pitch and roll for a smoother channel crossing.
In its 19-year history, Catalina Express has carried more than 10 million passengers. Its fleet of fast vessels includes one 56-passenger boat, 5 boats carrying 150 passengers, a triple-decked Cat Express catamaran with a 360-passenger capacity and the 300-passenger Starship Express high-speed catamaran.
In July of 2001, the company will celebrate its 20th anniversary of service. For more information, visit www.catalinaexpress.com on the web, or call (310) 519-1212 for reservations.
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Another Fun Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup
On Saturday, February 24th, Avalon Harbor got its annual cleaning. Approximately 540 divers and volunteers participated in the 21st Annual Avalon Underwater Cleanup, despite the overcast weather and 56-degree water temperature. Baxter Environmental had the largest group with 119 participants, most acting as surface support. According to Seagull Sanitation, the divers retrieved 2,240 pounds (about 1.2 tons) of debris from the harbor, making a cumulative total of 66,755 pounds. An additional 100 pounds of hazardous waste was also retrieved. Some of the more interesting items found included a solid brass ship’s bell, a 1923 penny, eight barbecue lids, an assortment of bottles, including a very old Pepsi bottle, a full bottle of wine, a 4x8 clear Plexiglass from a boat, a signature series dive knife which was returned to its original owner, and a small outboard motor, to name just a few. Awards were given in the afternoon for the more interesting finds, despite the rain. The smallest item was a glass bead; the clothing award category winner went to the finder of a pair of “ugly” shoes; the vanity award went to the proud owner of a moustache comb; and the worthless award went to the owner of a “pull tab” from a beer can.
An unusually large number of contestants attempted to win the “Ken Kurtis Silver-Tongued Devil” award (better known as the B.S. award). Stories varied considerably but the winner went to Richard Ludt for his black-comedy story he entitled “Hard Rock Cafe” — a toy airplane for Buddy Holly, a liquor bottle for Keith Moon, and spent shotgun shell for Kurt Kobain.
The Golden Flipper Award was given to Fiona Macfarlane, a member of Catalina Conservancy Divers for all of her volunteer work associated with the event. The event is held annually with the proceeds going equally to the Catalina Conservancy Divers (a.k.a. “CCD”) and the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. The CCD is a support group of the Catalina Conservancy which does underwater research in the waters around Catalina. The Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber, located at the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies at Two Harbors, is dedicated to treating diving related injury and illness. For more information, visit the CCD website at www.ccd.org.
Chamber Day/Evening 2001
The 13th annual Chamber Day and Chamber Evening will be held Wednesday, May 2.
This event is successful due to support from the dive community, including boats, dive stores, and clubs, manufacturers, divemasters, chamber techs who volunteer year-round at our Chamber, and the Aquarium of the Pacific whose facility donation makes Chamber Evening a reality.
We do this to raise funds to ensure the continued operation of the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. Although the Chamber gets some funding from L.A. County, they must still raise part of their budget on their own. Chamber Day/Evening represents the largest single outside source of funding for the Chamber.
Hyperbaric chambers are the only way to treat decompression illness or embolisms that may result from diving. And because our chamber is located on Catalina, it’s easily accessible from any of the other islands or even from shoreline beaches. And even though diving accidents are not an everyday occurrence, when one happens, the availability of a convenient hyperbaric chamber, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, can mean the difference between life or death, or the difference between being paralyzed for life or leading a normal life. Simply put, if our Catalina Chamber were forced to close, or even just trim back operations, a safety net for all divers would disappear.
That’s why your support of this event is so critical. Last year, our combined total for all aspects of the event was around $75,000. And this year, we’d like to do even better.
CHAMBER DAY
The daytime event is known as “Chamber Day” and runs as it has in the past. This year, 11 Southern California dive boats will be donating their services for the day. They are (in alphabetical order): Aquatica, Bottom Scratcher, Cee Ray, Encore, Golden Doubloon, Great Escape, Horizon, Magician, Mr. C, Sundiver, and Westerly. You pay $75 for the day (all proceeds go to the Chamber) and choose the boat you want to go on. (Book early because once a boat fills, it’s unavailable.) You'll dive Catalina, tour the chamber, and get a commemorative Chamber Day 2001 T-shirt, and five raffle tickets (more can be purchased).
Sign-ups can be done by calling Reef Seekers Dive Co. (the coordinating store) at 310/652-4990.
But if you can’t do the daytime event (or want to cap off the daytime event with a fabulous evening) . . .
CHAMBER EVENING
We realize that not everyone can take a Wednesday off during the day, so that’s why we have Chamber Evening. What makes this event unique is we secure the ENTIRE Aquarium of the Pacific . . . just for us. Chamber Evening is food, fish, and fun. It is also on Wednesday, May 2, from 7:15-11:00 p.m. During the entire evening, we’ll have access to the full Aquarium.
Doors will open no later than 7:15. Dinner will be at 8:15. We’ve got some remarks to be made and raffle prizes to be awarded and should wrap all that up around 10 p.m. Then you’ll have until about 11 p.m. to wander around and take in all the sights
Cost of the evening is $75 per person. (Those who do both the daytime and evening events receive an extra $20 in raffle tickets as a bonus for doing both events.)
As with Chamber Day, Chamber Evening tickets can be purchased through Reef Seekers by calling 310/652-4990.
CHAMBER DAY RAFFLE TICKETS
Even if you can’t do Chamber Day or Evening, you can still pitch in by purchasing raffle tickets. Each ticket gives you a shot at winning a fabulous prize. Raffle tickets can also be purchased through Reef Seekers, Scuba Haus, Scuba Schools of America (Montclair), and other participating dive stores. And, since you don’t have to be present to win, you help our Chamber and may help yourself as well.
Tickets are $1 each. For $10, you’ll get 12 tickets. $25 dollars nets you 30. $50 gets you 70. $100 scores 150 tickets. Here are the caveats: (1) Tickets are good for the daytime raffle only (2) A single individual can win no more than 3 prizes.
M. KANE $10K CHAMBER CHALLENGE
Michael Kane (the accountant, not the actor) is a man who puts his money where his mouth is. For the past two years has offered to contribute $10,000 of his own money if the diving community would raise from individual contributions, another $10,000.
This year, he’s offering to do it again. Simply put, Michael will match, dollar-for-dollar, the first $10,000 we raise. Although contributions of any size are welcome and all donations over $100 will receive special recognition for their donation. Contributions can come from individuals, groups, or companies. If the company you work for has a matching grant program, that will also be appreciated.
Donations can either be made by e-mail to ChamberDay@aol.com or by calling Reef Seekers Dive Co. at 310/652-4990.
Atomic Voluntarily Recalls Some Regulators
Atomic Aquatics is voluntarily recalling certain first-stage regulators for possibly defective first-stage springs, which could break without warning, causing restricted air flow or air shut-off to the second stage which could lead to drowning or personal injury. This recall is being conducted with the cooperation of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission who will be monitoring its effectiveness.
Products effected include all Atomic Aquatics first stage models manufactured between 5-11-99 and 10-27-99. These regulators are identified by the serial number on the top of the second stage mouthpiece. The second-stage serial number is located on a label beneath the rubber mouthpiece and you must remove the rubber mouthpiece or fold it back in order to read it. The serial numbers affected are between A07751 and A11276. Second stages are not affected.
There have been no reported injuries and few incidents, however, this does not lessen the importance of this recall. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of future injuries.
Dealers should check their inventory of new, used, or rental regulators with these serial numbers. Do not use or sell these regulators until the springs have been replaced. Dealers should notify any customers regulators with the designated serial numbers.
Return the regulators to the factory. You may return any affected regulator directly to the factory for repair. There will be no charge for shipping or the repair itself. Regulators returned to the factory will receive a complimentary two-year/300 dive overhaul of first and second stages at this time. If you send the regulators to the factory, call Atomic Aquatics toll free at 1-888-270-8595 to arrange UPS call tag or FedEx authorization.
Dealers that have repair technicians authorized to perform repairs to Atomic Aquatics regulators may perform the spring replacement themselves. New springs will be made available in first stage repair kits P/N 01-0001-5P (Yoke) and P/N 01-0002-5P (DIN) at no charge. A credit of $10 will be issued for each repair completed. Dealers who perform in-store repairs must fill out the special recall information form included in the repair kit packet to receive credit.
Dive Flag Campaign Underway
The Greater Los Angeles Council of Divers (GLACD) is a well established, local institution known for its commitment to issues which divers care most about, including such issues as dive competition, legislation, conservation and safety.
More recently, the GLACD became increasingly concerned about the safety of divers in our waterways as the number of diver injuries and deaths continue as a result of boating activities. After the tragic death of one free diver and the serious injury of another off Catalina Island in the autumn of 1999, the Dive Flag Safety & Awareness Program (DFSAP) committee was formed to address this pressing concern with two aims in mind: 1) to educate the non-diving public as to what the international alpha and U.S. diver flags mean and what to do when they are flown by divers; and 2) to encourage the diving community to utilize both of these flags more often to improve diver safety.
The DFSAP committee has successfully campaigned for donations and has thus far received $1,038 from the community at large. The committee has used these donations initially to produce dive flag safety fliers that are currently being distributed by volunteers across the Southern California to their local neighborhood boat shops and at the local marinas, from as far north as Oxnard to as far south as Garden Grove. The DFSAP committee members hope that the campaign will become successful enough to grow outside the geographic boundaries of the Southern California and to be a valuable resource for other divers nationwide.
One ultimate goal of the DFSAP committee is to have permanent signage posted at all California marinas educating boaters about the meaning of the dive flags and instructing them to stay a safe distance of several hundred feet away from them.
If you would like to volunteer your time toward a worthwhile cause, or if you’d like to help out with some financial support, you can contact the GLACD at: 310-379-5681 or write DFSAP, c/o GLACD, P.O. Box 6255, Torrance, CA 90504. You can also visit the organization at: http://www.glacd.org.
New Divenow.net Website
Divenow.net is a all-new kind information source and services for the community for cyber divers.
Divenow.net is providing free web space to dive clubs across the globe where they can create their clubs online in a private, password protected environment. Along with free web space, Divenow.net also provides a handful of useful tools to help club administrators maintain and administer all club information.
With Divenow.net, club members can maintain his or her own info right online. Clubs can also perform most of its club functions online including real-time meetings, create online polls where club members can vote on anything with just one click of a button, hold online discussions, post newsletters, keep track of club events with the club calendar and more. Whenever there is a new posting, each and every member can be notified through their e-mail of this new posting. If your club already has a website you can still utilize the tools offered by Divenow.net to connect the two sites together. The new website also provides the ability for the dive club to network and socialize with other dive clubs around the world.
Divenow.net is building a network of dive travel specialists around the world to offer diverse dive packages and tours. From time to time, Divenow.net will offer discounted fares to all members.
Divenow.net also offers to its members a free tool where users can upload as many underwater photos and create as many albums as desired.
Divenow.net strives to provide cyber divers with the latest tools in internet technology that prove to be useful and fun. Divenow.net’s motto is: Communicate. Dive. Travel. Socialize. Divenow.net can be found on the web at, you guessed it, www.divenow.net.
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