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California Classic Equipment Divers Rally — Sept. 1
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum will host the 3rd Annual California Classic Equipment Divers’ rally, Saturday, September 1. This year’s event pays tribute to Pearl Harbor and the salvage divers who cleared the broken ships during the day that still lives in infamy.
For the third year in a row, antique gear collectors and divers will get together on Labor Day weekend at the Maritime Museum’s Angel’s Gate tugboat. Hard hat divers will put on continuous diving demonstrations from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and the public will have a clear view of the action from the museum’s observation deck.
Throughout history, divers have been known as mavericks and energetic visionaries, risking their lives for the thrill of discovery. The bravery and stamina required of hard hat divers was put to the test during World War II, when they cleared the harbor, performed underwater construction, saved the living and recovered the dead. The salvage efforts following the bombing of Pearl Harbor was one of the most massive endeavors in modern history.
Members of Pearl Harbor Survivors have been invited to this year’s event at the Maritime Museum, and the public will have an opportunity to view exhibits of rare photographs and diving equipment dating back to World War II and before. The Navy Mark V helmets used by the California Classic Equipment divers are fully-functioning pieces of diving history. This event will be an opportunity for collectors, as well as veterans and their families to reunite and reminisce, while enjoying the sites, sounds and atmosphere at the Maritime Museum.
Located at Berth 84, at the foot of Sixth Street in San Pedro, the L.A. Maritime Museum houses an extensive collection of model ships and maritime artifacts. Their newest exhibit, “Submarines and Silver Screens,” is a delightful collection of posters and memorabilia from Hollywood’s fascination with the submarine. This historic building is the largest maritime museum on the West Coast, and sponsors the Topsail Youth Sail Training Program and is the site of Brigantine Boatworks.
The California Classic Equipment Divers is an all-volunteer group of divers and collectors of antique diving equipment. For additional information, please contact Leslie Jacobs at 310-325-2505, or Charlie Orr at 310-834-7051.
Diving Medicine Conference - Sept. 7, 8
The 28th annual meeting of the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society will be held in Las Vegas, NV, September 7 and 8. The meeting is cosponsored by Divers Alert Network (DAN) and co-hosted by the UNLV department of Biology.
The first day (Sept. 7) is geared towards health professionals in the hyperbaric field. The second day (Sept. 8) is designed to educate divers of all levels about diving medicine and diving safety.
For information, contact Matthew Berry, MD, FACP President, Pacific Chapter UHMS, email: PacificUHMS@aol.com, voice mail: (310) 373-0142, website: www.pacificuhums.org.
3Rs Beach Diving Workshops - Sept. 8, Oct. 6, and more
Rocks, Reefs and Rips program (3Rs) is a mini-course designed to familiarize divers with popular beach dive sites and improve their beach diving skills.
Los Angeles County sessions will take place: September 8, Long Point (Los Angeles County); October 6, White Point (Los Angeles County).
In addition, a 3Rs course will be staged in San Diego County on September 8 at South Casa (Children’s Pool).
Instructors will demonstrate and supervise proper surf entry and exit procedures, explain unique aspects of the dive site, and discuss dive condition assessment techniques. Participants are then led on a snorkeling tour of the dive site. (Participants are to wear full wetsuit, mask, fins, snorkel, and a weight belt with half of the normal weight they use for diving. Tanks and regulators are not allowed.)
The courses are staged in the morning beginning at 8 a.m. A donation is suggested. The San Diego 3Rs are staged by the San Diego Council of Divers, San Diego Lifeguards, and various area dive clubs. For information on the San Diego workshops, contact Steve Haynes at (619) 222-7866 or on the web at www.groups.yahoo.com/group/rocks-rips-reefs. For last minute changes in the San Diego schedule and/or locations, call (619) 221-8824.
The Los Angeles County workshops are organized and conducted by the L.A. County Underwater Instructors Association in cooperation with the Greater Los Angeles Council of Divers (GLACD). For more info on the L.A. County workshops, go to www.glacd.org or call (310) 379-5681.
Channel Islands Chamber Days 2001 - Sept. 10, 19, 27
You can benefit local hyperbaric chambers and chamber programs by joining Channel Islands Council of Divers (CICD) with the dive charter boats Peace, Liberty, and Truth in days of diving the Anacapa Island, the oil rig Grace and wrecks.
On Monday, September 10 you can join the boat Peace to dive the oil rig Grace. The Liberty will also dive Grace and Anacapa Island on Wednesday, September 19. On Thursday, September 27, the Truth will visit wrecks in the vicinity of Point Conception.
The dive boats donate their time and efforts and all proceeds benefit the Hyperbaric Chambers at Catalina and Pleasant Valley, and CICD’s Uninsured Diver’s Fund.
Note! Oil rig dives are for “Advanced” or experienced divers! Destinations, number of dives, etc., are dependent upon weather and sea conditions.
For information or reservations contact Dick Shrewsbury, CICD, (805) 485-8483, email DickShrewsbury@aol.com.
International Underwater Cleanup - Sept. 15
Every September, nearly one million people come together to clean up our world’s beaches and waterways in the annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC).
Sponsored by the Center for Marine Conservation (CMC), the ICC expanded in 1995 to include cleanup of our underwater wild places. With the cooperative efforts of PADI and Project AWARE, over 8,000 divers in 60 countries suited up last year to help recover unseen debris below the water’s surface.
In addition, Heal the Bay is organizing a large cleanup effort in Los Angeles County including underwater cleanups at the Santa Monica and Redondo Beach Piers (usually off-limits to divers). Contact Heather Coleman, Coastal Cleanup Coordinator at (310) 453-0395 ext. 140 or cleanup@healthebay.org.
Many of the locations will have prizes, food, and other organized activities. So this September 15th, take the plunge with the Heal the Bay, Center for Marine Conservation and PADI for this year’s International Coastal Cleanup. For more information log onto www.cmc-ocean.org, www.healthebay.org, or call 1-800-CMC-BEACH.
Monterey Clean Up - Sept. 15
The next Monterey Clean Up Dive will be on Saturday, September 15. This date is California’s Coastal Clean Up Day. Participation is free and you do not have to preregister, but it is helpful to us to know how many are coming so enough food for the BBQ can be ordered. Prizes will be given to divers for various finds. Registration is at 8:30 a.m. on the beach near the restrooms at the base of Wharf II. E-mail to preregister at drc@ccnet.com or call (925) 689-8840.
SEA 2001 Photo Contest — deadline Sept. 14
This year’s SEA 2001 photo contest boasts more than $25,000 worth of prizes. Go to www.ncups.org and download the rules and entry form. Entries are accepted through September 14, 2001.
Picasso Spearfishing and U/W Hunting Tournament — Sept. 15
The California Picasso Open spearfishing and underwater hunting tournament will take place at Salt Point on September 15, 2001. This unique spearfishing event will be a species meet where each diver will be allowed to take only one fish per species and no more seven fish in total. Picasso America is putting up over $7,000 in prizes for the winners. You can try to win one of 12 trophy categories (three biggest abalone, biggest lingcod, cabezon, vermillion rockfish, top three aggregate men, top woman aggregate, top junior aggregate, etc.) or you can win by just participating. Most of the prizes will be given out in the participation raffle where you win prizes for just being there.
For more information , visit www.picassoamerica.com/freedivers/news/picasso_open_wc_2001.cfm or www.stansdiving.com on the web. Meet fees will be $40 if paid by September 8. If you have further questions, call Dave at 408-356-4622.
Cabrillo Chocolate Lobster Dive - Sept. 22
Snorkelers and scuba divers, ages 12 and above, are invited to dive into the waters of Cabrillo Beach at 8 a.m. on Saturday, September 22, 2001 to take part in Cabrillo Marine Aquarium’s 4th Annual Chocolate Lobster Dive, an activity-filled fundraising event devoted to those ocean enthusiasts with a “sweet tooth.” This playful and unusual underwater event is limited to 500 participants who will be searching for hundreds of solid milk chocolate lobsters. Last year participants received prizes worth over $35,000, as they searched for the specially-tagged crustacean confections. Among the prizes offered this year is a seven-night dive trip aboard the M/N Star Dancer in Papua, New Guinea, and a four-day Royal Caribbean Mexican Riviera Cruise for two. Proceeds from the event benefit the Aquarium’s Spring Outdoor Classroom program, which educates 36,000 children about the marine environment. Save money by pre-registering before September 7, 2001 for $25, which includes beach parking and lunch; registering after September 7th until the day of the event: $28 + $6.50 parking. For further information and/or registration form, call 310/548-7562, x9039, check with local dive shops and dive clubs or link to the Chocolate Lobster website http://members.home.net/chocolatelobster.
Lobster Season Opens — Sept. 29
Make your boat reservations now!
Marine Species ID Class at Cabrillo Aquarium - Sept. 30
The Catalina Conservancy Divers is offering a marine species identification class for divers wanting to improve their marine life identification skills. Dr. Bob Given noted marine biologist and former director of the Catalina Marine Science Center will be giving a slide show lecture. This will be the first phase of three phases of a scientific research certification class offered in the spring and fall to members of the Catalina Conservancy Divers. Phase II is a slide show quiz on what Dr. Given covers in the lecture, and a talk and discussion on data collecting techniques. Phase III is two identification skills check out dives at the Casino Point Underwater Park at Catalina. Divers completing the three phases will be eligible to participate in the key species I.D. project where data is being collected and monitored at 7 dive sites around Catalina by the Conservancy Divers.
Phase I (Dr. Bob Givens lecture) is open to the general public for those interested in improving their identification skills and increasing their marine species I.D. vocabulary. There will be a question and answer period following the lecture, and a tour of the aquarium, where the marine organisms that have been discussed can be viewed. Phase I attendance is free, but a $5 donation to the aquarium at the door is suggested. The lecture will be on Sunday (9/30/01) at 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro. Participation in Phase II and III require membership in the Catalina Conservancy Divers. For those interested in membership information in the CCD call Erica at (310) 510-2595 Ext 114 or for class sign up call Ted at (714) 960-2304 or visit the web site at www.ccd.org. Those attending phase I lecture need not sign up.
LAUPS 39th Annual U/W Photo Competition — deadline Oct. 20
The 39th Annual International Underwater Photographic Competition, sponsored by the Los Angeles Underwater Photographic Society (LAUPS), is underway. Entries are being accepted in 14 print, slide and video categories.
The deadline for entry is October 20, 2001.
Best of show and 1st place awards include live-aboard and land-based vacations from generous sponsors such as Naia Cruises, Bilikiki Cruises, Sipidan Water Village Resort, Peter Hughes Diving, MV Chertan, Exotic Caye Beach Resort, Malaysia Tourism Board, Clavella Adventures and the Aggressor Fleet.
Entry forms, rules, information and a sponsor list are available from the website at www.laups.org. Additional information can be obtained by e-mail to info@LAUPS.org or write to LAUPS, P.O. Box 2401, Culver City, CA 90231.
