Ken Kurtis
Contributor
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Upcoming local dives (call 310/652-4990 for more info and to register):
• MORE TO COME IN 2016 BUT SO FAR . . .
• Saturday, February 20 - 35th Annual Avalon Underwater Cleanup
• Saturday, March 12 - Diver's Day at the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific (9AM-5PM)
• Wednesday, May 4 - Chamber Day & Eve 2016
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Want to travel??? Upcoming 2015-2016 vacation trips:
• March 11-19 - Yap (can be combined with Palau)
• March 20-27 - Palau on the Palau Aggressor II [ can be combined with Yap - ONE spot left ]
• Late May or early June - Bonaire or Cayman
• July 2-14 - Indonesia
• August 1-6 - Isla Guadalupe & Great White Sharks [ ONLY 6 SPOTS AVAILABLE ]
• August 20-27 - Isla Mujeres & Whale Sharks, cenotes, and statues [ MAY ALSO DO 8/13-20 IF THERE'S ENOUGH INTEREST ]
• November 3-16 - Maldives on the Manthiri [ 6 SPOTS CONFIRMED - ONLY 6 STILL AVAILABLE ]
GET MORE INFO ON ALL OF OUR VACATION TRIPS HERE: www.reefseekers.com/foreign_trips.html
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Thankfully, my flu has passed . . .
LUFTHANSA LUGGAGE NIGHTMARE UPDATE - When we last left our story . . . You may recall that I relayed the story on the way back from Egypt and the Red Sea of how Lufthansa insisted I wasn't allowed to check bags (even though I was - paperwork screwup on their end) and they wanted to charge me $800 for the privilege, which I had to fork over or not get on the plane. The short version is that they finally came to their senses, admitted they made a mistake, apologized, and will refund my money. The lesson here is save your paperwork. I had all the details about my reservation along with their general baggage policies, all of which was forwarded to them in my complaint. That's what helped save the day. I also, when they forced me to sign the credit card slips at the Cairo Airport, added "Under Duress" under my signature. That certainly didn't hurt and in hindsight, I think I should also have signed "John D. Smith" or some name not mine to also indicate that this wasn't going to be a legit charge. All's well that ends well but it was a pain in the butt to get to this point.
NO NEWS ON MISSING CATALINA DIVER - An update on Laurel Silver-Valker, who didn't resurface after a dive on December 29 at Ship Rock, is that there still is no news as her body has yet to be found. All that's really known is that she submerged on the dive with the intent to hunt lobster and apparently never made it back to the surface. Extensive searches over numerous days have failed to discover any clues as to her whereabouts or what happened. Given the underwater terrain of Ship Rock, which basically is a steep-ish slope into very deep water (far beyond recreational limits), it's certainly possible and even likely that currents and water motion over the time since the accident have moved her into deeper water. Also, rescue teams have done numerous searches and circumnavigations of the dive site with the assumption being that they've literally covered every inch underwater and would have found her if she was still there to be found. Until she's located, any details surrounding what happened will remain a mystery.
ANOTHER BEACH CAM - Thanks to Roger over at Diver.net for posting a link to a webcam that overlooks the Topaz Jetty, which is the one about 1/4 miles south (left) of the main stairs entry at Veterans Park. The camera's at the home of a couple named Dave & Kathy and while I have no idea who they are, it gives you a good view of the surf: http://www.luvinlife.me/Beach_Cam.html. Couple that with the camera that's on top of the Redondo Pier looking south towards Vets (http://www.redondo.org/depts/hbt/harbor/web_cams/piercam.asp) and you should be able to piece together a pretty good idea of what diving conditions will be like before you make the trek to Vets.
KILLING KRILL - If you're one of those who's a climate change denier, skip this article. But if you're not . . . Scientists have noticed that the krill populations of the Antarctic have been dwindling and they think it may be related to climate change. Krill plays a huge role in the life cycle of Antarctic creatures so this could be significant. This Wednesday on Nova (KOCE/PBS at 9PM) there's a show called "Mystery Beneath the ice" that will explore that question. From the Nova website: "Tiny, transparent, and threatened, krill are crucial to the Antarctic ecosystem. But the population of krill is crashing for reasons that continue to baffle the experts. A leading theory says that krill’s life cycle is driven by an internal body clock that responds to the waxing and waning of the Antarctic ice pack, and as climate change alters the timing of the ice pack, their life cycle is disrupted. To test it, NOVA travels on the Polarstern, a state-of-the-art research vessel, to the frigid ice pack in the dead of winter. From camps established on the ice, scientists dive beneath the surface in search of the ice caves that shelter juvenile krill during the winter. There, they hope to discover what’s causing the krill to vanish and, ultimately, how the shifting seasons caused by climate change could disrupt ecosystems around the world." Sounds interesting and I hope you'll be joining me in checking it out.
AND YOU THINK YOU'RE CRAZY? - I'm not sure which part of this is crazier: (1) That some researchers thought it would be interesting to film - from in and underwater - Orcas as they hunted down a shark, or (2) When the Orcas chased the shark literally out of the water, that it would be a good idea to go rescue the shark and drag it back in. But that's what happened in New Zealand a few months ago. Pretty nutso and you can read about it here as well as see some of the pictures: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11510130.
AVALON CLEANUP IS LESS THAN FIVE WEEKS AWAY - As we've told you before, we'll be taking a group over as usual. Our groups are generally small so we can move fairly quickly to our Green Pier location. And we don't get caught up in the traffic jam when everyone's getting off the boat and trying to have bags transported (we use taxis and leave right away) or wait in a long line to check in (I am able to check in the entire group) so it's definitely a better deal than doing it on your own. Plus we have a great time and help out a good cause. Not only do we clean the harbor, but the net proceeds go to both the Catalina Conservation Divers (CCD has re-formed under the umbrella of the USC Wrigley Institute) and the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. For more info and to sign up with us, give Reef Seekers a call at 310/652-4990.
ISLA MUJERES IN AUGUST - I'm in the process of working out the details on our return to Isla Mujeres this year to dive with the Whales Sharks, explore cenotes, and experience the wonders of the Cancun Underwater Museum. Trip dates are August 20-27 and the projected cost is in the neighborhood of $2,500 (plus airfare). The magic numbers for this trip are 10 & 14 because we're limited to no more than 10 people on the Whale Shark boats and if we have more than that, I book two boats for us which makes it more comfortable. And 14 is the limit on the dive boat we use so that's prtetty much the upper limit for the group. This year, there's a lot of initial interest, so much so that I'm willing to add a second week (which would actually be the week prior, August 13-20) so you could choose one week or the other. We did this trip in both 2013 and 2014 and it was amazing. One thing I really like about it is the variety of the dive experiences because we have something different every single day. The other great thing about this trip is that, because you're limited to snorkelling with the Whale Sharks (which I can pretty much 99% guarantee you will see), it's a great trip for a non-scuba partner as they can do the Whale Shark snorkel days (M, W, F) and take it easy on the dive days (Su, Tu, Th). I don't need firm commitments now or deposits (although I'm happy to take them) but if you're even remotely thinking about joining us for this, please either call (310/652-4990) or e-mail (kenkurtis@aol.com) and let me know. I want to accommodate all who are can do this (there's also a group from Albuquerque who's interested) and with the two weeks there's more logistical juggling than usual.
And that'll do it for now. Have a great week and let's go diving soon.
- Ken
Upcoming local dives (call 310/652-4990 for more info and to register):
• MORE TO COME IN 2016 BUT SO FAR . . .
• Saturday, February 20 - 35th Annual Avalon Underwater Cleanup
• Saturday, March 12 - Diver's Day at the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific (9AM-5PM)
• Wednesday, May 4 - Chamber Day & Eve 2016
——————————————————————————————————————
Want to travel??? Upcoming 2015-2016 vacation trips:
• March 11-19 - Yap (can be combined with Palau)
• March 20-27 - Palau on the Palau Aggressor II [ can be combined with Yap - ONE spot left ]
• Late May or early June - Bonaire or Cayman
• July 2-14 - Indonesia
• August 1-6 - Isla Guadalupe & Great White Sharks [ ONLY 6 SPOTS AVAILABLE ]
• August 20-27 - Isla Mujeres & Whale Sharks, cenotes, and statues [ MAY ALSO DO 8/13-20 IF THERE'S ENOUGH INTEREST ]
• November 3-16 - Maldives on the Manthiri [ 6 SPOTS CONFIRMED - ONLY 6 STILL AVAILABLE ]
GET MORE INFO ON ALL OF OUR VACATION TRIPS HERE: www.reefseekers.com/foreign_trips.html
——————————————————————————————————————
Thankfully, my flu has passed . . .
LUFTHANSA LUGGAGE NIGHTMARE UPDATE - When we last left our story . . . You may recall that I relayed the story on the way back from Egypt and the Red Sea of how Lufthansa insisted I wasn't allowed to check bags (even though I was - paperwork screwup on their end) and they wanted to charge me $800 for the privilege, which I had to fork over or not get on the plane. The short version is that they finally came to their senses, admitted they made a mistake, apologized, and will refund my money. The lesson here is save your paperwork. I had all the details about my reservation along with their general baggage policies, all of which was forwarded to them in my complaint. That's what helped save the day. I also, when they forced me to sign the credit card slips at the Cairo Airport, added "Under Duress" under my signature. That certainly didn't hurt and in hindsight, I think I should also have signed "John D. Smith" or some name not mine to also indicate that this wasn't going to be a legit charge. All's well that ends well but it was a pain in the butt to get to this point.
NO NEWS ON MISSING CATALINA DIVER - An update on Laurel Silver-Valker, who didn't resurface after a dive on December 29 at Ship Rock, is that there still is no news as her body has yet to be found. All that's really known is that she submerged on the dive with the intent to hunt lobster and apparently never made it back to the surface. Extensive searches over numerous days have failed to discover any clues as to her whereabouts or what happened. Given the underwater terrain of Ship Rock, which basically is a steep-ish slope into very deep water (far beyond recreational limits), it's certainly possible and even likely that currents and water motion over the time since the accident have moved her into deeper water. Also, rescue teams have done numerous searches and circumnavigations of the dive site with the assumption being that they've literally covered every inch underwater and would have found her if she was still there to be found. Until she's located, any details surrounding what happened will remain a mystery.
ANOTHER BEACH CAM - Thanks to Roger over at Diver.net for posting a link to a webcam that overlooks the Topaz Jetty, which is the one about 1/4 miles south (left) of the main stairs entry at Veterans Park. The camera's at the home of a couple named Dave & Kathy and while I have no idea who they are, it gives you a good view of the surf: http://www.luvinlife.me/Beach_Cam.html. Couple that with the camera that's on top of the Redondo Pier looking south towards Vets (http://www.redondo.org/depts/hbt/harbor/web_cams/piercam.asp) and you should be able to piece together a pretty good idea of what diving conditions will be like before you make the trek to Vets.
KILLING KRILL - If you're one of those who's a climate change denier, skip this article. But if you're not . . . Scientists have noticed that the krill populations of the Antarctic have been dwindling and they think it may be related to climate change. Krill plays a huge role in the life cycle of Antarctic creatures so this could be significant. This Wednesday on Nova (KOCE/PBS at 9PM) there's a show called "Mystery Beneath the ice" that will explore that question. From the Nova website: "Tiny, transparent, and threatened, krill are crucial to the Antarctic ecosystem. But the population of krill is crashing for reasons that continue to baffle the experts. A leading theory says that krill’s life cycle is driven by an internal body clock that responds to the waxing and waning of the Antarctic ice pack, and as climate change alters the timing of the ice pack, their life cycle is disrupted. To test it, NOVA travels on the Polarstern, a state-of-the-art research vessel, to the frigid ice pack in the dead of winter. From camps established on the ice, scientists dive beneath the surface in search of the ice caves that shelter juvenile krill during the winter. There, they hope to discover what’s causing the krill to vanish and, ultimately, how the shifting seasons caused by climate change could disrupt ecosystems around the world." Sounds interesting and I hope you'll be joining me in checking it out.
AND YOU THINK YOU'RE CRAZY? - I'm not sure which part of this is crazier: (1) That some researchers thought it would be interesting to film - from in and underwater - Orcas as they hunted down a shark, or (2) When the Orcas chased the shark literally out of the water, that it would be a good idea to go rescue the shark and drag it back in. But that's what happened in New Zealand a few months ago. Pretty nutso and you can read about it here as well as see some of the pictures: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11510130.
AVALON CLEANUP IS LESS THAN FIVE WEEKS AWAY - As we've told you before, we'll be taking a group over as usual. Our groups are generally small so we can move fairly quickly to our Green Pier location. And we don't get caught up in the traffic jam when everyone's getting off the boat and trying to have bags transported (we use taxis and leave right away) or wait in a long line to check in (I am able to check in the entire group) so it's definitely a better deal than doing it on your own. Plus we have a great time and help out a good cause. Not only do we clean the harbor, but the net proceeds go to both the Catalina Conservation Divers (CCD has re-formed under the umbrella of the USC Wrigley Institute) and the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. For more info and to sign up with us, give Reef Seekers a call at 310/652-4990.
ISLA MUJERES IN AUGUST - I'm in the process of working out the details on our return to Isla Mujeres this year to dive with the Whales Sharks, explore cenotes, and experience the wonders of the Cancun Underwater Museum. Trip dates are August 20-27 and the projected cost is in the neighborhood of $2,500 (plus airfare). The magic numbers for this trip are 10 & 14 because we're limited to no more than 10 people on the Whale Shark boats and if we have more than that, I book two boats for us which makes it more comfortable. And 14 is the limit on the dive boat we use so that's prtetty much the upper limit for the group. This year, there's a lot of initial interest, so much so that I'm willing to add a second week (which would actually be the week prior, August 13-20) so you could choose one week or the other. We did this trip in both 2013 and 2014 and it was amazing. One thing I really like about it is the variety of the dive experiences because we have something different every single day. The other great thing about this trip is that, because you're limited to snorkelling with the Whale Sharks (which I can pretty much 99% guarantee you will see), it's a great trip for a non-scuba partner as they can do the Whale Shark snorkel days (M, W, F) and take it easy on the dive days (Su, Tu, Th). I don't need firm commitments now or deposits (although I'm happy to take them) but if you're even remotely thinking about joining us for this, please either call (310/652-4990) or e-mail (kenkurtis@aol.com) and let me know. I want to accommodate all who are can do this (there's also a group from Albuquerque who's interested) and with the two weeks there's more logistical juggling than usual.
And that'll do it for now. Have a great week and let's go diving soon.
- Ken
