TWARS (This Week at Reef Seekers) - March 3-10

[Ken Kurtis]

Chamber Day, Oil Spill, NSFW regulator, & more (please scroll down for details)​

And Chamber Day is off and running . . . CHAMBER DAY 2024 IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS - The date is Wednesday, May 1. As you may (or may not) know, Reef Seekers for over 30 years has served as HQ for all things Chamber Day. So for the next two months, be prepared to get hounded . . . I mean informed . . . about all the aspects of the event. In all seriousness (an attitude we don't display too often), this is important for our Chamber and has always been important to us in terms of giving back to the community that helps support our business. We've always been a big believer in community service, and this is that in spades. So off we go . . . REEF SEEKERS TABLE FOR CHAMBER EVE - Chamber Evening at the Aquarium of the Pacific is always a big event. Someone coined the phrase "Scuba Prom" for it years ago and that's certainly apt. There's no dress-up requirement but it seems that, over the years, we've gone from people showing up in t-shirts & shorts to "dress to impress." Heck, I'm even no longer the only one in a tuxedo. (Not that that's required.) We're expanding Ch-Eve slightly this year and going from 30 tables of 10 to 35. Reef Seekers once again has a table and if you're thinking of joining us, you should be aware that we're already half full, so we only have 5 seats left. If you'd like to sit with us (cost per seat is $150), give us a call at 310/652-4990 to secure your spot or sign up through the website at www.chamberday.org. And for those unavailable or uncomfortable attending . . . VIRTUAL CHAMBER EVENING - We've got a table there too and it's got unlimited seats. For this part of the event, you stay home and watch the private live-stream through the link we'll send you. You've got to feed yourself, but we'll be mailing you a Ch-Eve t-shirt plus you'll get 10 raffle tickets for the live Ch-Eve prize drawing. Cost of Virtual Chamber Eve is only $95, with all the proceeds going back to our Chamber. AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE FLYING DUTCHMAN - That's our fake dive boat for those who can't take a day off in the middle of the week off for diving (or who just don't like diving cold water anymore). Sign up for the Dutchman ($95), choose your "pirate" name (a long-standing tradition), and you're good to go. You'll get some daytime raffle tickets, be entered in the "on-board" drawing, and you'll get the unique Flying Dutchman t-shirt (we're still working on the logo) which is ONLY available to you scallywags who sign up for the Dutchman. Give us a call or go to the website. AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE - This year marks the 50th anniversary of our Chamber which opened the hanger doors on October 5, 1974. So we're hoping to make this the biggest and most successful Chamber Day ever, which is admittedly a tall order. But we can do it with your help. Here's what the various logos look like for the Day, 50th, and Evening. More info to come in the ensuing weeks.​ CARIBBEAN OIL SPILL - This is certainly NOT good news. A barge of some sort capsized in Tobago almost a month ago and has been leaking oil ever since. The slick has now spread across the Caribbean and drifted over 500 miles to land on the eastern shores of Bonaire. Worst of all, that area is home to a large, pristine Mangrove forest. Bonaire was aware that slick was headed their way so they were as prepared as they could be but there was apparently no way to stop the oil from coming ashore. And it did just that, in the area of Lac Bay. Dutch military personnel have been flown in to help and they seem to have the situation somewhat under control. But it's probably too soon to know the full extent of the damage. Here's an article from the Associated Press about it: OIL SLICK COMES ASHORE IN BONAIRE. THIS ONE'S NOT TOO PLEASANT EITHER (spoiler alert about the picture) - I can almost guarantee that you don't get your gear serviced as often as you should. I'm a dive instructor who should know better plus I have a talented repair guy - Robert Stark - who works for me and I'm sure I don't get mine done as often as I should. So Robert's used to seeing all kinds of issues with regs from getting it serviced elsewhere with the wrong parts inserted, or broken things inside the second stage, cracked hoses, torn diaphragms, and plenty more. But the reg that got dropped off the other day took the cake and was probably one of the worst ones he'd ever seen. (And the first time he'd ever seen something like this.) Fortunately, but this also is likely what caused the problem, the reg wasn't being used and had been sitting in a garage for a good eight months or more. Out of sight, out of mind. But it also makes it vulnerable to what could generously be termed "home invasion" or perhaps "squatting." (And it's also a good lesson why, if your gear is going to be sitting around for an extended period of time, you might want to put in into a zip-lock baggie or something like that.) We're keeping the name of the owner private but with their permission, this is what the inside of the second stage - the part that goes in your MOUTH - looked like:​

I hope you're not eating while reading this. (Although I now have to motivate myself to make dinner.) Needless to say, the reg is getting trashed. But it's a good lesson as to why you should store your gear properly, check it often, and service it regularly. So on that (admittedly disgusting) note, that'll do it for now. Have a great week, please support our Chamber, and let's go diving soon!!! - Ken​