|
|
|
|
|
January 2009 Newsletter Volume 37, Number 1 |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Reminder Your 2009 Membership Dues are due. The dues remain at $40.00 per member. Please make out your checks to Under Sea Adventurers and mail them to: Mary LePage, Membership Thanks and Happy New Year. Mary LePage Paul Molinari will discuss diving safety. Nils Jacobsen will discuss the 2009 Overseas Dive Program to date.
Larry LePage
Happy New Year 2009!!!!
The elected members of the Board of Directors for 2009: President - Glada Blench General Meetings are generally held the first Thursday of each month at the Emma Lou Olson Pompano Beach Civic Center. Due to the New Year’s Holiday falling on Thursday, our first meeting of 2009 will be on January 8th. Socializing starts around 6:30 PM, with the meeting beginning at 7:00 PM. Hope to “sea” you soon. Glada Blench
Most people like to go out on top. Some people like to start out on top, but that's for activities other than diving. I had hoped that our Saturday, December 13 dive, our last Club dive of '08 and my final dive as VP of Local Dives for this year, would be one for the books. It was one for the books all right, unfortunately it was one of the coldest mornings in South Florida in a long time. To his credit, Captain Craig called me the Friday night before the dive to tell me that while he was definitely going out on Saturday morning, the Club divers should know that the expected conditions the following morning were: Of the nine members who signed up, Bob Lucas and Deb Devers deserve kudos for showing up and diving. I showed up, dropped off the brownies, shivered for a few minutes on the dock, and then turned around and went back home. Speaking to Deb after the dive, it sounded like one of those "mixed" days. The first dive had a rare east current with visibility at 30 - 40'. To my surprise, Deb said the surface interval was not too cold. She was smart enough to bring hot water to pour into her wetsuit. And, after all, they did have those brownies. The second dive on Briney Breezes presented a bit of a problem. A strong north current. I think she used the word SCREAMING. And visibility under 10'. Upon reflection, we had a great year of diving, with the usual ups and downs. I can't thank everyone enough for your support, advice and counsel, encouragement, and kind thoughts throughout the year. True, our first scheduled dive of 2008, a late January Lemon Shark dive with the Narcosis, was a cancellation. However we recovered smartly for our Easter Sunday dive, when 10 of us went out on the Starfish. There were 16 of us (!) in April on the Lady Go Diver, 10 of us with Capt Tony and the Diversity on our May dive, a lucky 13 dove with us in June with Parrot Island, and 14 (another !) with Capt Craig, Divemaster Linda and the Starfish for our Sunday dive in early July. In August we were back on the Starfish (what's not to like with that operation?) with 10 divers and a dozen of us in September again with Starfish. Alas, the October 5 dive was a scrub (can't win 'em all), but we were back to 12 divers on our November Diversity dive, and 2 divers in December. If my math serves me correctly, that's just about 100 divers (some duplicates, of course) who dove with us in 2008. With the exception of the occasional "weather" cancellation, I can't think of a single (MAJOR) issue that effected us negatively throughout the season. And a special thanks to Kathy and John Ficarra, 2 excellent divers and excellent folks, for picking up the program in 2009. I can't wait to dive with everyone next year. And the year after that, and the year after that................
Larry Baum
Thursday evening, December 4th, the USA Dive Club hosted our annual 'Pot Luck' Holiday Party at the Emma Lou Olson Civic Center in Pompano Beach. This year, we asked each participant to bring a covered dish to share. Non-alcoholic beverages were provided by the dive club. Festivities began at USA begins a new year of social activities, starting with a Mangrove Sweep on Saturday, January 24th, at Spanish River Park in Boca Raton, followed by lunch at Guppy's Flanigans Seafood Grill in Boca. One week later, USAers and guests meet in the Town of Davie for a scenic bicycle ride on recreational trails, followed by a picnic lunch. February 7th, members and guests gather in Deerfield Beach for USA's 2nd Adopt-A-Street cleanup, followed by lunch at a local-area restaurant. Other 2009 social events include a day at the Florida Renaissance Festival in Deerfield Beach; an evening of bowling in Pompano Beach; canoeing the Loxahatchee River; a summer Turtle Walk at Gumbo Limbo; USA's 4th of July fireworks event; and many other exciting activities including USA's Fall Party. Our goal in 2009 is to plan a full season of social activities that appeal to everyone. USA's Social Butterflies are always open and receptive to new and different ideas. Future social events include:
DINNER BEFORE THE MEETING: Pat’s Place Sports Bar & Restaurant
Russ Manhold
Bob and Mary Lindemuth and Tommy Younger were among those previous members who came to renew old friendships. We introduced our guests the old-fashioned way, allowing each person to stand up and introduce himself/herself. Guests Paula Wall, Rob Colon, Luis Monroy and Karen Kayser, are in the process of joining the Club. We always welcome new friends, hoping they become new members. Be sure to visit USA's web page and click on the calendar button for details about future club events, including local diving, overseas dive trips, and regularly scheduled non-diving social events. While visiting the web page, click on the photo gallery button to view snapshots of USA's recent and past Your Hospitality Hut gals wish all of you a happy, healthy New Year.
Julie Manhold & Clare Anthon 2009 Program:
Nils Jacobsen USA Calendar
Birthday greetings in January to the following club members: Hanadi G, Mark G, Margie H, Deborah K, Larry L, Danny M, John W, Paula W HAPPY BIRTHDAY from your friends in diving!!!
Under Sea Adventurers web site: www.usadiveclub.com Meetings: First Thursday of each month at: Board of Directors
Elected Officers - Title Name E-Mail Address President Glada Blench VP of Programs Larry LePage VP of Overseas Diving Nils Jacobsen VP of Social Events Russ Manhold VP of Local Diving John Ficarra Secretary Robert Shearer Treasurer Donna Walsh Appointees - Title Name E-Mail Address Audio/Video Coordinator Photographer/Scrapbook Carol Schurtz Membership Coordinator Pat Smith Hospitality Coordinator Clare Anthon OS Dive Accountant Ronnie Farr Promotions Coordinator Larry Townsend Safety Coordinator Paul Molinari Mini Trip Coordinator Ronnie Farr Webmaster/Newsletter Bob Weybrecht
Membership Dues - - - $40 Yearly Download the Membership Packet from our website.
All information and images are property of ©2009 Under Sea Adventurers Subscribe - Unsubscribe Information
|
6:30 PM with members and guests sampling dozens of tasty appetizers while enjoying spirited conversation. By 7:30, folks were devouring the many sumptuous entrées including a honey baked ham. After an abbreviated business meeting, including a vote to elect club officers for 2009, members and guests were treated to a video presentation, depicting the 1997 Miss USA Beauty Contest. The contest featured many of USA's most beautiful people, all of whom were men. As USA 
Hall of Famer Larry Townsend has said many times, "If you missed it, you missed it."
activities. You'll notice lots of smiling faces in USA's photo gallery. 
ALL requests for Newsletter subscriptions -or- unsubscriptions