lunarscope march 2015 · 2015. 3. 9. · lunarscope march 2015 next meeting: wednesday, march 11...
TRANSCRIPT
Lunarscope MARCH 2015
Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 11
Lunarfins, a non-profit club that promotes the sport of scuba diving.
Our speaker will be Bill Fuqua, a Dive Coordinator
with Oceanic Ventures – He will present a show-and-tell
about his and his wife’s two years with full face Guardian
masks by OTS.
Bill discovered diving late in life when his girlfriend and later wife
said that he “had to get certified or we are done!” and he has not
looked back since. In the real world, Bill is the Director of
Administrative Information Services and Business Process
Improvement for UTMB (Ok, he is a computer geek). He has both a
Bachelors and a Masters degree and is also an ordained United
Methodist Minister. When Bill is not diving, he splits his spare time
between the church, his obsession with electric cars and his
sailboat. However, he loves diving and has been all over the
Caribbean and the Pacific. He is an underwater photographer and
he loves going down to Bonaire and Cozumel to take photographs
and escape from Houston for a while.
General Meeting Information
Where: Clear Lake Park; 5001 NASA Road 1, on the South (lake)
side of NASA Road One.
When: Second Wednesday of each month at 7 PM except in
December. Come early for a social time at 6:30 PM. Join us
afterward at Mario’s in Seabrook for food, drink and camaraderie.
Inside this issue
02 Events Calendar
02 Club Officers
03 Pending Trips and Events
04 Recent Surface Intervals
05 Club Trip
06 Pending Dive Shop Trips
07 Continuing Education
08 Recreational Diver Survey
Special points of interest
Moody Aquarium Tour
TGCC Scholarships
Lunarfins P.O.Box 57514 Webster TX 77598-7514
Lunarfins Board Meetings are held the last Tuesday each month at 6:30 PM.
Arrive at 6 to order your supper. Tony’s BBQ 17052 Saturn Ln
If you have an issue to bring before the board,
contact any board member to get on the agenda.
March 2015 Lunarscope 2
Events Calendar
(Tentative plans)
Mar 21 Moody Gardens Tour
Apr 8 Open House
Apr 22 JSC Health & Safety Day
May 9 Blue Lagoon
May 31– Jun 7 Little Cayman Trip
Jul 18 Pot Luck Picnic
Aug Open
Sep Beach Party
Oct Open
Nov Happy Hour
Dec Christmas Party
Membership Directory Update!
It’s been a couple years since our membership directory was updated and so we are working on an update to come out in March 2015!
If you want to be included in the directory and want a copy there are a couple actions you need to do!!
1) Be a current member as of March 2015 (RENEW NOW!)
2) Select the information to show in the directory on your renewal form. (Only members who chose to be shown in the directory will get a copy of the directory.)
Membership Application
This link will download the file to your computer.
Available at meetings:
Lunarfin embroidered logo shirts $15. two small (gold, light blue), one men's medium (aqua blue).
Stickers for sale ($1 ea).
See Barbara at any Lunarfin event or
email: [email protected]
Elected Officers:
** indicates officers that are term limited ## those who are stepping down
##President Randy Widaman [email protected] ** Vice President Mike Peters [email protected] ##Secretary Karen Bush [email protected] Treasurer John Gorman [email protected] Social Director Barbara Corbin [email protected] ##Equipment Mike Smith [email protected]
Appointed:
Training Information Bill Jones [email protected] Trip Information Open TGCC Representative Tom Burns [email protected] Advisors Fred Toole & George Clark Newsletter Polly Swerdlin [email protected] & Website Editor 281-814-4606
Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the heck happened.
Anonymous
March 2015 Lunarscope 3
Pending Trips and Events
March 21 at noon
Moody Gardens Aquarium Tour
http://www.moodygardens.com
Details pending
We need RSVPs by March 14
to our Social Director – Barbara Corbin
May 31 - June 7, 2015
The 2nd Annual Lunarfins Club Trip
Little Cayman Beach Resort—See page 5 for details
Last year we went to Cayman Brac for the “sister” resort of this year’s
choice. It was a grand time had by all who went. The savings generated
since we have 12 divers will be spread evenly. You are responsible for
booking your own air fare, but prices and flights will be researched and
published.
Rooms for more available!!
July or August, 2015
The 14th Annual Bill Jones Cozumel Vacation
These trips have been named the most popular “all inclusive” scuba diving
vacation package in Houston. We have had more than 385 travelers enjoy the
fantastic value of this vacation.
Visit http://home.comcast.net/~bill.jones.scubaguy/ for the latest plus any
classes offered. Tickets are on sale SOON.
Tickets will sell-out weeks
before the travel date.
March 2015 Lunarscope 4
Recent Surface Intervals
February 11th Meeting Rich Wooten – Wounded Warrior Project
www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
Sunday Brunch February 22nd at Cullen’s in Pasadena
These and more are on our website
March 2015 Lunarscope 5
Little Cayman Beach Resort
May 31-June 7, 2015
$1879pp, plus air
(non-diver package also available)
Little Cayman Beach Resort is the only deluxe full service resort on Little Cayman. Workout at the fully equipped fitness center, or pamper yourself with a massage or facial at the health and beauty center. Play a game of tennis on the night lit tennis courts, or try your hand at horseshoes, tetherball, basketball or beach volleyball. There is snorkel equipment as well as sailboats, kayaks and paddleboats. Take a vigorous swim in the freshwater swimming pool, relax in the heated jacuzzi, walk or play on the 500 feet of stunning white sand beach, or just relax in a hammock or soak up the warm sunshine in one of the poolside lounge chairs. Little Cayman Beach Resort has been rated as the number one
resort destination in the Caribbean for wall diving, number two for favorite reef diving, and within the top five for advanced diving, sea life and underwater photography. Little Cayman offers over 100 species of coral and more than 500 species of fish just offshore. The on-site Reef Divers has everything needed for the avid diver, including a fleet of modern customized dive boats, professional guides and dive instructors, plus a complete inventory of dive gear. The Beach Nuts Bar offers cool drinks which can be enjoyed at the bar or pool side. And as the sun begins to set, you'll enjoy a wide variety of gourmet specialties, delicious fresh seafood and sumptuous island favorites in the air conditioned Bird of Paradise Restaurant. The menu is changed daily, so you'll never tire of the chef's creations. $50 deposit per person is required, with final payment due on April 15. Discount of $156pp to above price for every 11 booked. We recommend all divers have DAN or Dive Assure membership and Travelers insurance.
Contact Barbara Corbin [email protected] for more information.
Clearly Cayman Package 7 nights accommodations 17 boat dives Breakfast, lunch & dinner daily Airport ground transfers Hotel tax & service charges 3 COMPLIMENTARY DRINKS DAILY* Welcome Rum Punch Managers Cocktail Reception *Drink package includes beer, house wine or well drinks, bottled water, soda & juices*
www.littlecayman.com
March 2015 Lunarscope 6
Trips Offered by Dive Shops etc.
LOCAL TRIPS Flower Gardens Texas Coral Reefs
Texas Dive Center
www.txdivecenter.com 281-741-9949
Shoving off on the Easy Diver Sport Divers www.sportdivers.com 281-338-1611
Our trips are generally 30 miles offshore, although longer trips or three tank dives can be arranged.
Freeport to the Rigs Weekends that weather allows
$250 pp - $15 additional for tanks
Rig diving daytrips by Captain Beard Charters
www.captainbeardcharters.com 832-603-1698
INTERNATIONAL
OceanicVentures
May 16-22 Grand Cayman July 9-18 Fiji oceanicventures.com
REEF Trips There is always this web page to check out for Dive Vacations That Count: www.reef.org/trips
Island Dreams April 8-21 Galleon Resort, Philippines July 5-12 Galapagos with Secret Sea Visions www.divetrip.com
Gigglin Marlin
May 23-30 Belize, Aggressor Fleet June 13-20 Anthony’s Key in Honduras www.gigglinmarlin.com
Maximum Scuba
April 3 – 11 Roatan
June 19-24 Dominican Republic http://maximum-scuba.com
March 2015 Lunarscope 7
Continuing Education
Warm ocean temperatures may mean major coral bleaching
February 17, 2015
NOAA scientists are warning that warm ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific and Indian
Oceans could set the stage for major coral bleaching events across the globe in 2015.
Their warnings follow severe bleaching in 2014, and come with the release of the most recent
outlook from NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch, a weekly product that forecasts the potential for coral
bleaching up to four months in the future. “The new outlook gives us greater confidence in
what it shows for future coral bleaching and it comes at an important time,” said Mark Eakin,
NOAA Coral Reef Watch coordinator. “The outlook shows a pattern over the next four months
that is similar to what we saw during global coral bleaching events in 1998 and 2010. We’re
really concerned that 2015 may bring the third global coral bleaching event.” Coral bleaching
takes place when corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light or
nutrients. They expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn white or
pale. Without the algae, the coral loses its major source of food and is more susceptible to
disease. The outlook shows the greatest threat for coral bleaching through May 2015 is in the
western South Pacific and Indian oceans. In the Pacific, thermal stress has already reached
levels that cause bleaching in the nations of Nauru, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands, and is
expected to spread to Tuvalu, Samoa, and American Samoa in the next few months. In the
Indian Ocean, thermal stress may reach levels that cause bleaching around Madagascar,
Mauritius, Seychelles, and parts of Indonesia and western Australia.
Read More At: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2015/
Below, once healthy elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) during a recent bleaching event in Florida.
I wonder… If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?
Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites? Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker? Why do we say something is out of whack? What's a whack?
Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag? If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?
March 2015 Lunarscope 8
The Lunarfins Scuba Club was organized in 1963 by a small group of divers who worked at the Manned Spacecraft Center, as Johnson Space Center (JSC) was known back then.The club grew primarily through the sponsorship of SCUBA training classes, local dive trips and social activities.Since that time, membership has broadened to include anyone interested in diving.The majority of our members are in some way affiliated with NASA but this is not a requirement for membership and we have members from all across the board.
TGCC is ready to accept applications for the TGCC 2015 Scholarship Awards Club members, children and grandchildren of members are eligible
Lunarfins P.O.Box 57514
Webster TX 77598-7514
281-814-4606 [email protected]
Memo from a researcher: Thank you for your help in my research sponsored by the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, “Economic Impacts from
Recreational Scuba Diving on Texas’ Local Economy”. Below
is the link to the online individual diver survey.
https://tamucc.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_2fnQFzSTBh3bBlz
This survey is completely anonymous and open to any certified
scuba diver, including yourself. This survey will be available
until 2 May, will take you approximately 10 minutes or less,
and is intended to reach as many certified scuba divers as
possible so your efforts to distribute this are greatly
appreciated.
Thank you,
Sarah C. Braddy
(361) 947-5425
Harte Research Institute
Environmental Science Masters Program
Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi