Ken Kurtis
Contributor
There's a meme making the rounds of FaceBook that says, "You can enjoy your Memorial Day at the beach because of their day at the beach" and juxtaposes pictures of the D-Day landing at Normandy, which I was privileged to visit in 2017 . . .
AVALON NEXT SUNDAY - It's (almost) June and a young man's fancy turns to Avalon. More specifically, diving the Underwater Park next Sunday (June 3). We're hearing reports of the Giant Sea Bass being back so they'll be at the top of our list. We'll leave out of San Pedro at 8:45AM, should get in three dives (with a break for lunch), and will leave Avalon at 5:30PM. If you'd like to join us, call 310/652-4990 to get confirmed and signed up.
NIGHT DIVE THE FOLLOWING WEEK - Also put June 6 on your radar (ironically for this weekend, also the anniversary of D-Day) as we've got a Redondo/Vets Park night dive on the sked. We'll take a peek to see if the Tuna Crabs are still around and will explore the canyon as well. Single-tank dive, $25/diver. Call 310/652-4990 to sign up.
WEIRD COMBO - Take "scuba" and meld with "Uber" and what do you get? Try scUber. It's a limited offer opportunity to dive the Great Barrier Reef in a small submersible. Looks like scuba certification is not required. Pricey, though, coming in at $2,070 for two. And you've only got until June 18 to take the plunge. Read more about it here: scUber.
POISONING MIDWAY ISLAND - I have an affinity for Midway Island, having spent a bit over a week there in 1998, diving the waters of the atoll, and exploring on land the vast colonies of birds that nest there. So it's somewhat disheartening to hear that there's been an infestation of mice that have been attacking the seabirds (Laysan Albatross and others) and literally eating them alive. Almost as distressing is announcement of a plan to essentially blanket the three islands that comprise Midway Atoll with a pesticide that will attract and kill the mice but hopefully not harm the birds. The aerial bombardment is scheduled to begin sometime next year (although if this is such a crisis, I don't know why they're waiting so long). You can read more about it here: Midway Poison Plan.
RIGS TO REEFS PETITION - There's a well-meaning but (IMHO) misguided petition circulating from Change.org about turning California off-shore oil rigs into reefs. It's a fabulous idea and one that's been in the works in one form or another for close to 20 years. But this one calls for removing the rig structure down to 85 feet below the waterline, which effectively would turn them into diver death traps. I'll talk more about this in the June newsletter so would ask that if you see this on your FaceBook feed, hold off on signing it until you've got a fuller picture of the issue.
NOW THAT'S BIG - At the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, we have a life-sized replica of a Blue Whale, the largest animal ever to live on Earth, hanging in the middle of the Great Hall. It's one thing to stand under the replica. But it would be quite another thing to see one in the water and swim with it. Interested? Then take a look at this: Diver Swims with Blue Whale.
And that'll do it for now. Have a great week and let's go diving soon!!!
- Ken
AVALON NEXT SUNDAY - It's (almost) June and a young man's fancy turns to Avalon. More specifically, diving the Underwater Park next Sunday (June 3). We're hearing reports of the Giant Sea Bass being back so they'll be at the top of our list. We'll leave out of San Pedro at 8:45AM, should get in three dives (with a break for lunch), and will leave Avalon at 5:30PM. If you'd like to join us, call 310/652-4990 to get confirmed and signed up.
NIGHT DIVE THE FOLLOWING WEEK - Also put June 6 on your radar (ironically for this weekend, also the anniversary of D-Day) as we've got a Redondo/Vets Park night dive on the sked. We'll take a peek to see if the Tuna Crabs are still around and will explore the canyon as well. Single-tank dive, $25/diver. Call 310/652-4990 to sign up.
WEIRD COMBO - Take "scuba" and meld with "Uber" and what do you get? Try scUber. It's a limited offer opportunity to dive the Great Barrier Reef in a small submersible. Looks like scuba certification is not required. Pricey, though, coming in at $2,070 for two. And you've only got until June 18 to take the plunge. Read more about it here: scUber.
POISONING MIDWAY ISLAND - I have an affinity for Midway Island, having spent a bit over a week there in 1998, diving the waters of the atoll, and exploring on land the vast colonies of birds that nest there. So it's somewhat disheartening to hear that there's been an infestation of mice that have been attacking the seabirds (Laysan Albatross and others) and literally eating them alive. Almost as distressing is announcement of a plan to essentially blanket the three islands that comprise Midway Atoll with a pesticide that will attract and kill the mice but hopefully not harm the birds. The aerial bombardment is scheduled to begin sometime next year (although if this is such a crisis, I don't know why they're waiting so long). You can read more about it here: Midway Poison Plan.
RIGS TO REEFS PETITION - There's a well-meaning but (IMHO) misguided petition circulating from Change.org about turning California off-shore oil rigs into reefs. It's a fabulous idea and one that's been in the works in one form or another for close to 20 years. But this one calls for removing the rig structure down to 85 feet below the waterline, which effectively would turn them into diver death traps. I'll talk more about this in the June newsletter so would ask that if you see this on your FaceBook feed, hold off on signing it until you've got a fuller picture of the issue.
NOW THAT'S BIG - At the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, we have a life-sized replica of a Blue Whale, the largest animal ever to live on Earth, hanging in the middle of the Great Hall. It's one thing to stand under the replica. But it would be quite another thing to see one in the water and swim with it. Interested? Then take a look at this: Diver Swims with Blue Whale.
And that'll do it for now. Have a great week and let's go diving soon!!!
- Ken
