20th Annual Avalon Underwater Clean-up
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NEW DATE - April 1
In Avalon heavy rains and subsequent landslide broke a sewage pipe a few days before the planned February 26 Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup date. Raw sewage spilled into the harbor and the event had to be postponed. The bay has since recovered. The new date for the cleanup is April 1.
The trash found in the bay is collected over the two-hour period in the morning and then sorted and recycled by volunteers. An awards presentation will follow that afternoon at Wrigley Plaza Stage in town. There will be a large number of prizes given away and awards given out for exemplary trash and stories.
The proceeds from the Underwater Clean-Up will benefit the Catalina Conservancy Divers and the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. Advanced registration is required. Registration will not be allowed the day of the event. There is a registration fee that includes an air fill, door prize ticket, and a commemorative T-shirt.
For a registration form and further information, call (310) 772-2321 or visit www.ccd.org/calendar/cleanup.html on the web.
Rocks, Reefs and Rips program (3Rs) is a half-day course designed to familiarize divers with popular beach dive sites and improve their beach diving skills. A session will take place at Salt Point in Sonoma County on April 15. Instructors will demonstrate and supervise proper surf entry and exit procedures, explain unique aspects of the dive site, and discuss dive condition assessment techniques. The session will be limited to the first 30 divers to sign up. Instructors and divemasters are welcome. Contact David Clayton at drc@ccnet.com or by calling (925) 689-8840.
On Saturday evening, April 15th the Los Angeles County Underwater Instructor Association will be hosting the annual U.I.C.C. Graduation and Awards banquet. This three month long Underwater Instructor Certification Course is sponsored by the Department of Parks and Recreation and will conclude with a gala celebration dinner to congratulate this year's newest L.A. County Instructors.
A highlight of this year's ceremony will be the presentation of the prestigious Conrad Limbaugh Memorial Award to Al Tillman, one of the fathers of scuba instruction. Presenting the Department's highest award will be Zale Parry, actress and diving pioneer. This year's banquet will be held in downtown Los Angeles at The Los Angeles Athletic Club, 431 West Seventh St. Los Angeles, CA. 90014.
A book signing of Al Tillman's I Thought I Saw Atlantis is open to everyone and will take place at 6 p.m. on the 3rd floor of the club, followed by the awards dinner at 7:30 p.m. on the 4th floor.
Al was the founder of the Los Angles County Underwater Instructor Programs, and the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI Worldwide). All scuba instructors as well as the general diving public are invited to this rare opportunity to meet one of the founding fathers of scuba instruction. The cost for the dinner and awards banquet is $25. For further details call 323-726-2155.
The 20th Annual Newport Clean Harbor Day Dive and Imagination Celebration will take place April 29 at the Harbor Nautical Museum and Riverboat Cafe Restaurant, 151 E. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, CA. Donations Benefit the Newport Beach Nautical Museum educational program and D.I.V.E.R.S. (Divers Involved in Voluntary Environmental Rehabilitation). This dive is organized by D.I.V.E.R.S. and the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce.
For more information, contact D.I.V.E.R.S. at (714) 832-6087, email n1diver@aol.com, or visit www.divers.org on the web.
Wednesday, May 3, has been selected as the date for Catalina Chamber Day/Evening 2000, the 12th annual fund raiser to benefit the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. This year's event is extra special because it is the Chamber's 25th anniversary.
Hyperbaric chambers are the only means of treating embolism and bends, life-threatening maladies that can affect divers. Although diving is safe, it is important these facilities be available in the event of a diving emergency. Because of the high amount of diving done in Southern California, the Catalina Chamber is quite active. Even though Los Angeles County funds a large portion of this chamber's costs, a substantial amount of the budget must come from other sources.
Catalina Chamber Day was conceived as a way for recreational divers to have fun diving (and partying) while at the same time making a financial contribution to this important facility. With the day-time portion of the event, now in its 12th year, dive-charter boats operating out of Southern California graciously donate their time and services for the day, and divers pay to dive Catalina Island aboard one of the participating boats. Boats visiting Catalina will also take their passengers on a walking tour of the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber facilities.
Those divers (and their loved ones) unable to get away mid-week for the diving, along with those that dived Catalina that day, can also participate in the Chamber Evening, hosted by the magnificent Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. Participants will have the opportunity to tour the aquarium, after hours, and have a sit-down dinner in the aquarium's Great Hall. In addition to the aquatic entertainment, there will be door prizes, awards and musical entertainment.
Michael Kane, an avid diver, is again presenting his $10,000 challenge. Every $100 or more donated to the chamber before May 3 will be matched by Mr. Kane up to $10,000. Contributions can come from individuals or organizations.
All proceeds from the event go to support the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. To sign up for the event, or participate in the Michael Kane Challenge, call (310) 652-4990. Major credit cards accepted. Requests to be on a specific boat can be made at sign-up.
Save the Date:
May 6 - Catalina Marine Species ID Class - In San Pedro, call (714) 960-2304, or at www.ccd.org.
May 13 - Lake Perris Underwater Cleanup - (909) 682-DIVE or email dive@scubalocker.com.
June 3 & 4 - SCUBA Show 2000, Long Beach. Largest dive expo in Western U.S. (310) 792-2333, www.saintbrendan.com. or see the insert in this issue.
July 15 - NEW DATE - Sinking of the Yukon off San Diego. (619) 523-1903. or at www.hmcs-yukon.org or click here for related story.
