TWARS (This Week at Reef Seekers) - Oct. 30 - Nov. 6

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Ken Kurtis

Contributor
Messages
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Location
Beverly Hills, CA
# of dives
5000 - ∞
Back from Indonesia, Zoom Seekers, and more
(please scroll down for details)
We've returned from a fabulous Indonesia trip but a couple of us brought back an unwanted souvenir . . .

COVID STRIKES AGAIN - Unfortunately, 6 of us - including me - somehow contracted a dose of COVID while on this trip. This is all despite being fully vaxxed, wearing masks in all of the airports and on the plane flights, taking our meals in an open-air setting, and taking other measures that one would hope would prevent infection. But it's also a good reminder that, even though we have started referring to this as a "post-COVID world," the disease is still out there and will pounce if it gets a chance. I'm not pointing fingers nor do I have any idea how any of us got infected. The only good part of this is that it didn't affect the diving at all, since no one starting feeling any symptoms - and even then they were mild (runny nose mostly) - until we had left Singapore for the non-stop flight back to LAX.

STILL A GREAT TRIP - Despite our post-trip maladies, it was a really great trip. We had some weather issues while there as it rained many days (but often late in the day) and it definitely affected the close-in on-shore muck diving as the runoff made the water green and many times the surface was very choppy to boot. Still, we were able to do 23 dives over the course of the 8 dive days we were there, including day trips to Bangka Island and the Lembeh Strait. Plus we were seeing TONS (literally and figuratively) of turtles at the dive sites within the Bunaken Marine Park. On one dive, we did a census and counted 39 turtles - tallied on a slate - over the course of our submersion. So a good time was had by all. (Even those who eventually got sick.) I will put out an abridged version of the trip report in tomorrow's November Reef Seekers newsletter and should have the full report and SmugMug slideshow pix available by the end of the week. In the meantime, here's a couple of fav shots of mine, including the head-on shot of a yellow Leaf Scorpionfish which is almost impossible to get because they rarely face you in that pose. (In case you're wondering, in order: Pygmy Seahorse, Leaf Scorpionfish (head-on), gorgeous Nudibranch, juvy Emperor Angelfish, Cuttlefish.)​
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NOVEMBER ZOOM SEEKERS SPEAKER AND DATE CHANGE - Craig Gelpi will be our speaker and we've pushed the date back - due to the election - to Tuesday, November 15 @ 7:30PM. Craig is a founding member of the Catalina Marine Society, which is chartered to advance the scientific understanding of the local ocean off Southern California. Craig will talk about the history, resources, projects, partners, parties, and accomplishments of CMS, and how you can be involved in this important research. You can find out more about the CMS before Craig's talk through this website: CATALINA MARINE SOCIETY.

DO YOU HAVE AN AFFECTED TANK? - If you've got a tank with the stamped permit markings of SP9791 or E9791, you may have an issue as the permit for those tanks has expired and the permit owner has chosen not to renew the permit. That means the tanks can't be filled, transported, or used, regardless of whether they're in current VIP/hydro. But, because these cylinders are so commonly used, DOT is looking for a way to renew the permit administratively. But this may not happen overnight. So be aware. Here's some more info on it: TANKS WITH SP9791 AND E9791 MARKINGS.

And that'll do it for now. Have a great week and let's go diving soon!!! (Once I'm over this latest COVID bout of course.)

- Ken​
 
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