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San Francisco Divers October 2017 Volume XLV No. 10

ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE AND REEF DIVER REUNION by Kenneth Gwin First stop was San Clemente, diving several familiar spots along the back and front sides at the Photo contributions by Phil Darling and Bhushan east end of the island. Here we found all the mild, Mudbhary blue water we were promised.

For those who don't dive in the local waters, An overnight jump brought us to the back side of complain about the cold, the conditions, the Santa Catalina for some of the best diving in the constant by your peers to brace up, face Channel Islands. Here our morning was filled with your fears and venture forth, there is a relatively two fantastic dives at Farnsworth Banks. We saw easy to this problem. This simple fix is stunning blue waters, more calm seas, and even offered every year at an amazing discount for those better for us, no . Faithful Reefers who can make the adjustment and show a little flexibility as they face the seas. It may come as a surprise to those that refuse to listen, but at this time of year, the southern waters off our state are truly temperate. That means the waters there are mild compared to ours (although officially designated as temperate, our waters here are always COLD). It is thus the Channel Islands call out to us. And so like swallows to Capistrano, we migrate, fins in hand, our tucked into gear bags and carried aloft like bearers on safari. Oh, but what hardships do we suffer on our travels? There are calm seas and sunny skies to deal with, and a constant supply This is truly a memorable spot for diving. of food, snacks, and post-dive drink. Life is tough With depths ranging from 55 to 140 feet, the for those that leave the comforts of home behind, strange, alien world of this small seamount is and then there is the diving, Continued on page 5

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REEFER’S RAP - 2017

JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH

01 - New Year’s Day 02 - Groundhog Day 11 - Sanctuary - K Dock 14 - Sanctuary Dive Boat - K Dock 11 - Sanctuary Dive Boat - K Doc 12- Daylight Savings Time 16 - Martin Luther King Day 14 - Valentine’s Day 15 - Fermentation Lab, 1230 Market 18 - Almanac Taproom 15 - l'emigrante wine bar, 2199 Street 2704 24th Street @ Potrero Mission Street 17 - Saint Patrick’s Day 20 - Inauguration Day 20 - President’s Day 28 - Chinese New Year

APRIL MAY JUNE

01 - April’s Fools Day 05 - Scuba Show - Long Beach 10 - Sanctuary Dive Boat - K Dock 08 - Sanctuary Dive Boat - K Dock 17 - Movable Feast - Broken Record, 21 - Ali Baba’s Cave, 799 Valencia 19 - Barebottle Brewery, 1525 1166 Geneva Avenue Street @ 19th Street Cortland Ave., near Bayshore 29 - Memorial Day Holiday (before freeway)

JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER

04 - Independence Day Holiday 12 - Sanctuary Dive Boat - K Dock 04 - Labor Day Holiday 08 - Sanctuary Dive Boat - K Dock 16 - Rosamunde Sausage Grill, 17 - 19 Peace Dive Boat 19 - Social Brewery & Kitchen, 2832 Mission Street 20 - PI Bar 1342 Valencia 1326 9th Avenue at Irving

OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

09 - Columbus Day 05 - Daylight Savings Time Ends 16 - Sanctuary Dive Boat - K Dock 14 - Sanctuary Dive Boat - K Dock 11 - Veterans Day 20 - Movable Feast - TBD 18 - PI Bar 1342 Valencia 19 - Sanctuary Dive Boat - K Dock 25 - Christmas Day 31 - Halloween 15 - Movable Feast - TBD 23 - Thanksgiving Day

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When it comes to historical first person in front of a judge STAMMTISCH wrecks there is often a collision with an artifact from the Hunley By Pierre Hurter between academia and the could claim ownership by the commercial world. Doctor court. In 1995, when Clive Edward Lee Spence is an Cussler found the Hunley the academic. on the Abandoned Act of other hand works within the 1988 had been passed which commercial world. For him gives ownership of historic underwater discovery is a hobby, wrecks to the state in who’s a passion. The two-represent waters the wreck is located. different views of the world we This where it once again gets live in. interesting, the folks who built Wrecks present a number of the Hunley intended to use the It’s October, how is that interesting issues. First of all, submarine as a privateer. The possible? At the rate the year is who owns a wreck? To claim Hunley was not intended to be a slipping through my fingers it ownership of a wreck you have ship of the Confederate will be time to file my taxes in to remove an artifact from the government. She was set up to no time. So what’s special about wreck and report to the nearest be a privateer, a privately owned this month aside from admiralty court, in America that ship that is given a letter from a Oktoberfest? Where to start? means a Federal Court. In an government to attack ships of a October is National Adopt a admiralty court a historic country it is at war with. That Shelter Dog Month, National is treated no means that from a legal Arts and Humanities Month, differently than a salvage viewpoint, if Clive Cussler found Italian American Month, operation on a modern ship lost the Hunley then South Carolina National Pizza Month and my last week. If the ship is owns the ship. considered abandoned (the personal favorite, National Pork In a twist of fate, General insurance company paid the Month. Who comes up with Beauregard confiscated the claim and wrote off the wreck) these days, weeks and months? Hunley after the second sinking you declare to the judge the No matter I’m eating a pizza and gave it to the Confederate position of the wreck you claim tonight. Navy. So it was Confederate and present the artifact as property and became United It turns out that some folks evidence. The judge then gives States property at the end of the actually read this screed, it was you ownership of the wreck. brought to my attention by Bill war, and is under the control of Levine that it was Clive Cussler Dr. Spence, points out that he the GSA. But, there’s always a who discovered the Hunley (see filed a claim for ownership of the but, Captain Dixon persuaded September’s flotsam and Hunley in federal court. The General Beauregard to give the Jetsam). Like everything else in judge dismissed his claim of submarine back to the original life there is of course some ownership. Discovery and owners, and the submarine was controversy on the topic. ownership are not the same thing under the control of the original under the law. owners when it sank. To add another wrinkle to the So did General Beauregard issue, if the Hunley was owned give the submarine back to the by the Confederate Government, original owners, who had then at the end of the Civil War operational control of the it would have become United submarine. Its complicated and States government property somewhere long the line the The US Navy, the National under the jurisdiction of the GSA turned over any interest in Park Service, and the Hunley General Services Administration the Hunley to the United States Commission all credit Clive (GSA). If the Hunley was Navy, which then donated the Cussler as the discoverer of the private property, it’s becomes Submarine to South Carolina. Hunley. There is, however a more confusing. So legally when all is said and counter narrative. Dr. Edward done, the Hunley belongs to Lee Spence claims to have In 1970, (when Dr. Spence South Carolina. discovered the wreck in 1970. claims he found the Hunley) the

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The object lesson here seems least they will still be around, dry. I started wondering if I had to be that if you find a , I’ve found buttons to match left them unattended and don’t kid yourself, its not finders one’s missing, ribbon for my old someone had walked off with keepers, if you do the right thing straw hat; it’s a San Francisco them. Then I remembered the its at your own risk, don’t treasure. To be fair, the owners Sherlock Holmes quote, “Once contact academia or the of Britex apparently also owned you eliminate the impossible, authorities, shut up and melt it the building. whatever remains, no matter how down, it will cause you way less improbable, must be the truth.” Not quite Baghdad, but close grief. Arthur Conan Doyle enough, Pacific Coast Brewing over in Oakland is closing it’s So I started looking in the doors in November after a 29 places they could not be and sure year run, apparently lease enough there, in a medium sized negotiations didn’t go well. I Pelican case that I bought long remember having a celebratory ago at a Backscatter sale were beer or two there after I took the the elusive regulators. Land Surveyor ‘s test abated, we finished packing and which I passed that year. settled in for the evening. On the plus side Jeffrey’s The drive to Monterey was Meanwhile continuing on the Toys, which was on Market uneventful; stopping for a couple theme of what’s new in Baghdad Street for as long as I can of Lattes at Martha’s we were by the Bay. There’s lots going remember and closed in 2015, as ready for our adventure. There’s on, Aardvark Books on Church usual there was talk of a rent something very civilized about Street is calling it quits after 39 increase, rumor has it that the an 8:30 departure. It’s only an years. Wonder what’s going to increase was $40,000. Anyway hour later than 7:30, but it’s an happen to Owen, the store cat. they are reopening at Kearney extra hour of sleep. In the Mission, well the Valencia and Maiden Lane, home of the Corridor, the Vietnamese former Asian Arts Center. restaurant MAU is closing after a Meanwhile, MAU now looks as five-year run. As is usually the if they have reached a deal with case there is talk of a “significant the landlord. rent increase”. Aside from Fleet Week, which Gerda and I spent aboard the SS Jeremiah O’Brien watching the At the dock we loaded up, airshow we managed to get in a Bhushan with his doubles, Mel couple of dives this month. with side mounts and Norm, Gerda and I with just lonely looking singles. It was a luxurious ride south with only five people onboard. Bhushan was our erstwhile Dive Master. We’ll stay mum as to his performance, but his fin removal skills need significant improvement. Wandering around down town Packing for our October club Our first dive was at Ling cod on my way to pizza at Golden dive I suddenly realized I had no Cove. Lots of structure and Boy on Green Street I saw a sign idea where our regulators were. protected from the wind and as in the long vacant storefront next I had a moment ... a long you might expect a large number to Gump’s, the old Rizzoli moment while I searched the of big Ling Cod. As usual, lots Bookstore location, future home garage in an increasing panic of small sea urchins and no kelp, of Britex Fabrics. They are looking for them. I usually hang leaving their longtime home, them up over our garden hose in For our second dive we headed same location since 1952. At the garage so that they could drip for Butterfly House. Spectacular

4 San Francisco Reef Divers October 2017 Volume XLV No. 10 topography, jumbles of huge “Kelp is a beautiful underwater needs a good knife and plenty of granite boulders, pinnacles and growth. It forms underwater experience, or he may end up walls. gardens, dense jungles, but like Dan Morgan.” Until next sometimes graveyards. To swim month, stay wet and be safe. That’s it for October, to quote through a kelp forest, a diver Mike Nelson of Sea Hunt ...

Annual Pilgrimage from page 1 covered with colorful life. And rare in these southern waters, there is also an abundance of purple hydrocoral blossoming across the landscape like flowers in a meadow.

Finishing the day, we adjourned to the lee side of There were uncharted areas to Catalina, diving various shallow explore. locations at the west end of the island. Another overnight jump brought us to Santa Barbara Island. This is a small island next to the even smaller, Sutil Island. Diving around here turned out to be both interesting and surprising. (Put Black Cavern, South Sutil Wall, and Cat Canyon on your “Please return” And all-in-all, a good time was list.) We found a large had by everyone, thanks to the underwater cavern on one dive, a captain and crew of the Peace smaller cavern/swim through on boat. another. There were vast forests In the various hideaways, of kelp to investigate and new lobster, octopus, and other small friends to find on another. creatures can be found. Around you there are schooling fish, the occasional torpedo ray, and almost underfoot, scorpion fish are everywhere.

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Program, the oldest such in Aquatics commenced a study HISTORY OF DIVE instructor training program in the to look at the safety aspects of CERTIFICATIONS U.S. . Their findings were outlined with the In 1952, Al Tillman, the view of creating a course of director of sports for the L.A. training sufficient to produce County Parks and Recreation, ‘capable performance’ in those noticed that a new sport, skin who elect to participate in … diving was becoming popular in recreational (diving) activity’. It the area. He proposed that his certified its first and department get involved in the instructors in sport and provide training August 1959, becoming the first classes. He felt that diving nationally organized underwater would grow in popularity and diving training program offered that training would help to make in the USA. the sport as safe as possible. Who can forget to mention In 1955, Tillman and L.A. PADI, the Professional The other day I was going County lifeguard Bev Morgan Association of Diving through a pile of diving certification cards in my desk created the L.A. County Parks Instructors, probably the world’s drawer, starting with my NAUI and Recreational Underwater largest scuba diving training Open Water Certification in Instructor Certification Course to organization. PADI was formed 1998. There was a NAUI Rescue respond to the growing number in 1966, supposedly over a bottle

Diver Card, an SSI Stress & of diver requests. It was the of Johnnie Walker. world’s first civilian training Rescue Card, an Advanced Open John Cronin, a scuba program to certify recreational Water Card, also SSI, a NAUI equipment salesman for U.S. divers and soon began granting Card, a PADI Divers, and Ralph Erickson, an Enriched Air Diver, a couple of Provisional Certification to educator and swimming International instructors across the country. instructor, felt that the scuba cards and last but not least a In the 1960 May issue of Skin certification agencies that existed National Speleological Society Cavern Diving card. Diver Magazine, The National at the time were not up to the Diving Patrol was announced as task. Their goal was to get more I started thinking, where did all an official, national organization. people. of these organizations get Its purpose and function was "to Locally we also have a strong started? As far as I can tell it insure competent underwater DIR/GUE (Doing It Right / seems that the Diving instruction and to reduce diving Global Underwater Explorers). Certification model originated accidents through education.” DIR evolved out of the efforts of at Scripps Institution of Shortly thereafter the National divers involved in the Woodville in 1952. After Association of Underwater two divers died while using Karst Plain Project during the Instructors (NAUI) was born. university-owned equipment, the 1990s, who were looking at ways President of the University of Before there was NAUI, there to make diving in those cave California at the time, Robert was the YMCA underwater systems safer. The DIR Gordon Sproul, decided to diving training program operated philosophy is used for teaching restrict diving to those who had by the Young Men’s Christian scuba diving from entry-level to been trained through the program Association of the USA from technical and cave qualifications at Scripps and thus "certification" 1959 to 2008. It was the first by several organizations, such as was born. A year later Los nationally organized underwater Global Underwater Explorers Angeles county sent Bev diving instruction program (GUE), Unified Team Morgan, Al Tillman, and Ramsey offered in the United States of Diving (UTD) and Inner Space America. Parks to Scripps for diver Explorers (ISE training. Upon their return, these In 1954, the YMCA of the three then developed the Los I’d love to hear from those of USA under the auspices of the Angeles Underwater Instructors you who may have some Council for National Cooperation

6 San Francisco Reef Divers October 2017 Volume XLV No. 10 personnel experience on the , there is after all the “rest own history of dive training and topic. That’s just the tip of the of the world” and they have their certification.

SFRD October’s Blast From The Past Once again You are There, the time is October 1997, here are some of the highlights of Volume XXX No. IX of The Reef Diver Times, Newsletter of the San Francisco Reef Divers. For those of you wondering how this is possible, you need only remember Mr. Peabody of Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show. As you may recall, Mr. Peabody, is a beagle and the smartest being in existence. A Nobel laureate, Olympic medalist, scientist and inventor, despite his many accomplishments, he is lonely. So, he decides to adopt. He meets Sherman a dorky, bespectacled, red-haired boy. After saving Sherman from a group of bullies, Peabody discovers that Sherman is an orphan and decides to adopt him. After a court appearance and a talk with the President, Peabody becomes Sherman's new guardian. As a birthday gift for Sherman, Peabody invents the WABAC (Wayback) time machine. He and Sherman go back in time to see a Roman speaking in Latin; Peabody adds a translator circuit to the machine so that everyone seems to speak English. Their next trip is to see Ben Franklin flying his kite and discovering electricity, but Peabody and Sherman realize that they cannot interact or change the past. Peabody makes some more adjustments, turning the WABAC into a "should-have-been machine". That brings us to where we are now … Reef Rap Tues. October 21th Club Swap Meet Bring your old dive gear to the meeting and trade it for something new. Here’s your chance to get that piece of dive gear you’ve been needing! Saturday & Sunday October 25 & 26 Pacific Star Boat Trip. Don’t delay! Tell your friends! Spots are still available for two wonderful days of diving along the Big Sur Coast. For more information call Lynn Brown OR Frank King. Saturday, November 1 American River Salmon Swim Enjoy a lazy swim/float downstream while the salmon swim upstream. The swim starts just below Nimbus Dam. Contact Frank King for more information. Friday - Sunday, November 7 - 9 Sea Ranch Weekend Only two spots left for the luxury weekend along the Mendocino Coast. Contact Loretta Lowe before the beds are gone! November 29 and /or 30 Abalone Season Closer. Coordinator needed (don’t be shy new members). Thursday, December 16 Holiday Party Karen Wertz needs help organizing this fun filled tradition. Please give her a call if you have some good idea. Saturday, December 27 Kayak Paddle Trip Enjoy a winter afternoon paddling the Oakland Estuary. Call Anthony Singelton for more information.. Long Shore Currents Thursday, January 1 Traditional New Year’s Day Hangover Dive Friday - Sunday, February 6 - 8 Ski Trip to Lake Tahoe Friday - Sunday, April 3 - 5 Abalone Season Opener at Van Damme

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Other news includes “DUES ARE GOING UP!” ... “Pay now and your dues will be $15, wait until January and your annual dies will be $20.” ... a write-up about the Abalone Feed at the Pacific Rod and Gun Club (another lost City treasure). An article That’s it, all the news that’s fit to print. And my personal favorite, “The Hall of Shame” “It’s never to late to write an article. Don’t let your name be in the Hall of Shame.” That’s it, all the news that’s fit to print.

Motorized Boats on the Karnali New Threat to Dolphins Checking out the online Khabar News source, available in English as well as Nepali, it looks as if the increase in the number of motorboats plying the downstream tributaries of the Karnali in western Nepal is the latest threat to the local freshwater dolphins. The International Union for Conservation (IUCN) lists Platanista gangetica as an endangered species. According to the IUCN, water development projects have dramatically affected their habitat. It also identifies pollutant levels and deliberate killings as other threats they face.

Aston Martin Goes Underwater The car I will always think of when the topic of James Bond comes up, well with the exception of his 1931 4.5 Liter Blower Bentley, is the Aston Martin. It looks as if they have a new version that would be perfect for the debonair spy. The Neptune is a collaboration between Aston Martin Consulting, the company’s design consulting arm, and Florida-based Triton Submarines, which has been making luxury submersibles for a little more than a decade. The model is based on Triton’s platform, specifically designed for superyachts. At just 5.9 feet tall and 8,800 pounds, it’s just right for your boat trailer. It’s capable of diving to 1,650 feet, has a speed of 3 knots, or 3.5 miles per hour and it will set you back about $4 million.

Japan’s Annual Whale Hunt nets 177 Whales Three ships, which left port in June, returned with 43 Minke whales and 134 sei whales, the number stipulated beforehand, according to the country’s fisheries agency. Japan is a signatory to the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) moratorium on hunting, but exploits a loophole, which allows whales to be killed in the name of scientific research. Tokyo claims it is trying to prove the whale population is large enough to sustain a return to commercial hunting for a traditional source of food.

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Foreign pressure on Japan to stop whaling has only made conservatives and politicians more resolute about continuing. In 2014 the United Nations’ International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Tokyo to end a regular hunt in the Antarctic waters, saying the project did not meet conventional scientific standards. Japan cancelled its 2014-15 hunt, only to resume it the following year under a new programe saying the fresh plan is genuinely scientific. Its hunt in the Antarctic has seen clashes on the high seas between Japanese whalers and animal rights activists.

ST SINCE JANUARY 1 1973 ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO REEF DIVERS (SFRD): The Reef Diver Times is the official newsletter of the San Francisco Reef Divers, a not for profit community organization dedicated to safe and the preservation of our ocean resources. Membership is $25 annually, dues payable to “SFRD”. The General Meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of the month. Location is announced one week prior to the meeting. Please check our yahoo site for details http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sfreefdivers/ We meet at 7:00pm for socializing, drinks, food and club business. For more information, visit http://www.sfreefdivers.org or our Facebook page

SAN FRANCISCO REEF DIVERS Reef Diver Times C/O Gerda Hurter 515 Diamond Street San Francisco, CA 94114

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