Marine Conservation - Jillian Brueggeman We’Ve Got a Great Speaker Lined up to Our July the Environmental Impact of Underwater Drilling and 10Th Meeting

LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB News July 2007

July Meeting Marine Conservation - Jillian Brueggeman We’ve got a great speaker lined up to our July the environmental impact of underwater drilling and 10th meeting. Fresh from a speaking engage- construction on marine protected species. ment with the Kennedy Space Center Barracudas, we have Jillian Brueggeman speaking to us about her experiences in the field of ocean conservation. She's done what many of us only dream about. How would you like to work with whales, dolphins, manatees, and fish of all sorts in the wild? She's been there. Jillian will talk to us about what she has seen and done in her work in ocean conservation. Her presentation is entitled “Our Oceans’ Waters Re- vealed” showing us that everyone can get a foot in Working with a melonheaded whale that the ocean. She will also bring several books that was rehabilitating at the Texas Marine she has used in her research for our review. Mammal Stranding Network Her next goal is to pursue a teaching career to share her passion with young minds. Ultimately, she’d like to lead a year-round sea camp for chil- dren and parents to promote ocean conservation. We'll be gathering and mingling at around 6:30 p.m., with the evening’s presentation beginning at 7:00 p.m. Afterwards, at about 7:30, we hold our “formal” meeting covering CLUB business and member trip reports, followed by our great door prizes. In New Zealand taking pictures to be used in photo-ID research of bottlenose dolphins Jillian has had a variety of exciting opportuni- ties to further her research into the field of marine conservation. She is a marine biologist who got her degree from Texas A&M, and has been exploring the underwater world ever since. She's done marine research from Costa Rica, to New Zealand, to offshore of Cape Canaveral. In Costa Rica, she was an exchange student gathering information on leath- The meeting will be at Joe’s Crab Shack, which erback sea turtles. In New Zealand, she worked is located at 4601 South Semoran Boulevard in Or- with bottlenose dolphins. She recently worked out lando [phone (407) 658-9299]. It's south of SR 408 of Port Canaveral doing research for a consulting (the East-West Expressway) on the east side of SR firm called GeoCet/ECOES. They are monitoring 436, between Pershing and Gatlin. President's Column 2007 Activities Hello Dive Club, Below are further details on several of our I would like to take this opportunity to point planned activities. Please refer to the following out some new utilities in your Web site! One new schedule and trip flyers for more information. addition is a Discussion Board; this can be used to Jupiter TGIF Dive, July 13 discuss anything you like, your recent adventures, planning for an upcoming adventure, or just check- This is a three-tank drift-dive trip with Jupiter ing in with other members you haven’t seen in a Dive Center that includes lunch. Usually the dives while. are fairly deep with fast currents. It's a lot of fun for experienced divers. You must have at least Please take advantage of this tool; there are Advanced and Nitrox certifications and a computer. instructions on the welcome page when you click The cost is $86. Please contact George McGuire at the link for the discussion board. (407) 677-4242. Please note, even though the cut- Another new addition to the Web site is on the off date for this trip was June 28 it may be possible Photo Galleries page, we have added a new section to add participants. for links to members’ personal photo pages! So if you have a site where you share your dive photos, Key Largo, July 27-29 please email me your link and I’ll add it to the If you missed our earlier Key Largo trip here's a page. second chance. Please contact Phil Carter at (386) 426-0466 or (386) 314-5910. Remember, it is a great time to be in the water . . . be safe and have fun! And when you are on Venice Beach, August 3-5 land, check out your Web site and tell me how we can improve the site and the CLUB to serve you We're going back to Venice Beach to get more better! of those prehistoric sharks' teeth and other fishy parts. Please contact Ryan Brumback at (407) 356- Thanks, 9788. Better hurry, the cut-off date for signing up Cherie for the trip is July 20th. Your Officers and Staff

President Committee Chairs Cheryl Berrry (407) 306-3041 Activity George McGuire (407) 677-4242 Vice President Barbara Shurman (407) 380-2962 Camera Open Secretary Communications Nancy Wileden (407) 971-8525 Bill Paskert (407) 356-2290 Equipment Treasurer Al Wileden (407) 356-8954 Wendy McCleskey (407) 273-6655 Meeting Open Director at Large Membership Phil Carter (407) 306-7081 Wendy McCleskey (407) 273-6655 Merchandise Board of Directors Al Wileden (407) 356-8954

Jim Kennedy (352) 874-3305 Safety and Training Warren Musacchia (407) 306-2773 Mike McCleskey (407) 273-6655 Webmaster Cheryl Berrry (407) 306-3041 Bill Paskert (407) 356-2290

July 2007 LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’ Marathon, August 10-12 flight arrangements. The cost for lodging (including breakfast and dinner) and diving is $1,150/diver and Did the article in the previous issue of the news- must be paid no later than July 30th. The unsold letter make our recent Marathon trip sound like fun? accommodation reservations have to be released at Here's your chance for an encore visit, hopefully that time. If you want to go, contact George Mc- with better weather. Please contact Mike McCles- Guire at (407) 677-4242. key at (407) 808-6453. Better hurry on this one too, the cut-off date for signing up is July 17th. Palm Beach, Sep 8-9; Sep 22-23; Oct Dominica trip, October 6-10 20-21 We're going to Dominica the first full week of We need a coordinator for these trips. Phil October and will be diving with and staying at the Carter was going to coordinate them but now finds Castle Comfort Lodge (http://www.castlecomfortdi- he cannot do so. Would you like to be the coordina- velodge.com). tor? It's the best position the Club has - it's not a very difficult job and the coordinator gets to go on The previous pricing, which was based on the trip for half-price. The trips don't have to be to double occupancy and 10 divers and 2 non-divers, Palm Beach. They can be to anyplace the coordina- included airfare and Dominica departure tax. The tor wants to take us, but without a coordinator they six people who signed up for the trip before June won't happen. If you want to coordinate one, or 30th are still going. We are holding room and dive more, of the trips contact George McGuire at (407) reservations for 12 people, but had to give up the 677-4242. unsold flight reservations. George McGuire If you want to go but didn't make a reservation, Activity Chairman you can join us but you will have to make your own

Date Event Contact Partic- Deposit Cut-off Total ipants Amount Date Cost Jul 13 3-tank Drift Diving & Lunch at Jupiter – You George McGuire 8 $43 CALL $86 Friday must be AOW and Nitrox certified 407-677-4242 George [email protected] Jul 27-29 Florida Keys - Key Largo Phil Carter 10 $100 CALL $225 [email protected] 386-426-0466 Phil Aug 3-5 Venice Beach Ryan Brumback $90 Jul 20 $90 [email protected] 407-356-9788 see ad Aug 10-12 Florida Keys - Marathon Mike McCleskey 16 $100 Jul 17 $215 [email protected] 407-808-6453 see ad Aug 25 New Smyrna Beach Wreck Dive Phil Carter $40 Aug 3 $80 Saturday [email protected] 386-426-0466 see ad Sep 8-9 West Palm Beach Need coordinator TBD TBD TBD

Sep 22-23 West Palm Beach Need coordinator TBD TBD TBD

Oct 6-13 Dominica - Castle Comfort Lodge George McGuire 10 $1150 Jul 30 $1150 [email protected] 407-677-4242 Changed – see Activities Article Oct 20-21 West Palm Beach Need coordinator TBD TBD TBD

Oct 26-28 Fantasy Fest, Key West Mike McCleskey 20 $90 Sep 15 $190 [email protected] 407-808-6453 Nov 9-10 Snorkel with the Manatees Mike McCleskey 12 $90 Oct 15 $90 [email protected] 407-808-6453 Dec 2 Holiday Party Wendy McCleskey $25 Nov 13 $25 est Sunday [email protected] 407-273-6655 For information about the KSC Barracudas’ activity schedule please check their website: http://www.kscbarracudas.org LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’ July 2007 TGIF Drift Dive Jupiter July 13, 2007 Come drift diving at Jupiter. This is a 3-tank trip with lunch included. This trip is for experienced divers only. The dives will be fairly deep, visibility is usually good, and an exhilarating current is normal. All divers must have Advanced and Nitrox certifications and a computer.

The trip usually features a dive through the "Hole in the Wall", a large swim-through in the reef. The last time I dove it my computer regis- tered 137 feet. We will be diving with Jupiter Dive Center, http://www.jupiterdivecenter.com/. It is a full service dive shop with rental equipment, air, and Ni- trox available. The boat docks right behind the shop. Driving time from Orlando to Jupiter is about 2.5 hours, depending on where you're starting from, down either the Turnpike or I-95. We will need to be at the dive shop no later than 8:00 a.m. Details: Price: $86/diver. This pays for the boat dives and lunch only and is based on 8 divers. If a different number of divers sign-up for the trip, the price will be adjusted or the trip cancelled. Deposit: $46/diver. Final payment due by June 28, but call George. Coordinator: George McGuire, [email protected], (407) 677- 4242

July 2007 LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’ Keys Dive Trip July 27 to 29 Cristal Clear Charters and the Bayside Resort

We'll be diving with Cristal Clear Charters (www.diveinflkeys.com). Their 46-foot Newton is spacious and an outstanding dive boat. They have a great variety of dive sites: reefs, ledges, eel holes, wrecks (Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb, and Eagle), John Pennekamp Park, Davis Reef, among others in close-by Key Largo and Islamorada.

We'll be staying at the Bayside Resort (www.cayclubs. com/resorts/bayside) at MM 99.5 in Key Largo. The hotel has a heated waterfront swimming pool, sandy beach, and stunning sunsets to view while we gather before dinner and sip adult beverages. All the rooms have cable TV, coffee makers, hair dryers, and wireless inter- net service. There's also a complimentary continental breakfast served in the lobby. There will be a welcome session Cost: $225; deposit: $100, was due by June 18, but call Phil. Rates are based on double occupancy and briefing on Friday after we all Includes: Two morning 2-tank dives including tanks and arrive. We'll collect waivers and weights and two night's accommodations. Nitrox is extra. C-cards and go over the general Night dives are available. information about the morning reef Contact: Phil Carter at home (386) 426-0466, dives. cell (386) 314-5910, [email protected]

LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’ July 2007 Shark Tooth Dive Venice Beach, Florida August 3 - 5, 2007 Come out and dive with the Lockheed Martin Dive Club. Join our annual trip to Venice Beach, and find all the sharks teeth you can. We will be staying at the Holiday Inn Venice Beach Friday and Saturday nights. The cost is $90/person for the two back on shore with a good loot bag of nights. Please contact Ryan Brumback prehistoric sharks teeth and stingray at [email protected] or (321) jaw bones; and then compared numbers 356-3639 so we can book the hotel and sizes with the group. rooms. The full-payment is due July 20. Breakfast and lunch will be provided on Saturday. Air is available at the local dive shop in Venice; We will be diving just off the beach, however, it is advisable to bring your own. The right across from the Venice Airport. bottom is only 20 to 30 feet, so you can get a lot of Sharks teeth can be found from the hunting in on just one tank. beach out to a few hundred yards. Hope to see you there! Last year a Megalodon tooth was How to get there: Take I-4 West toward Tampa. Take I-75 South toward Naples to Exit 193 (old exit 35). Exit found by Mike McCleskey. Let’s get right on Jacaranda Blvd. Go right on Venice Ave to US some more of those! Everyone came 41. Go right 1/4 mile. Hotel on left. Holiday Inn Venice, 455 US Hwy 41 Bypass North, Venice FL 34292, (941) 485-5411. The drive will take about 2.5 to 3 hours from Orlando. Directions to the dive shop from the hotel: Left out of hotel on US Hwy 41 Bypass - 1/2 mile; left on Hwy 41; immediately veer right before bridge for dive shop - 2/10 mile Directions to the beach from the hotel: Right out of hotel on US Hwy 41 Bypass; right on Venice Avenue at traffic light; r ight on Venice Avenue at traffic light; go over bridge; left on Harbor Drive (at Post Office, before tennis courts); 1st Park on right - Service Club Park - 1.5 miles

July 2007 LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’ Florida Keys Trip Marathon, August 10 - 12

3 dives with Cristal Clear Char- ters, including a night dive (2 tanks Saturday and Sunday mornings, and Saturday night) Sombrero Cay Club (www.cayclubs.com/resorts/sombrero)

Cost: $215 Deposit: $100, due July 17 2 nights (double occupancy) in a one-bedroom condo with kitchenette, breakfast each morning, pool, tennis courts, Tiki bar, and marina

Mike McCleskey [email protected] (407) 808-6453

LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’ July 2007 New Smyrna Wreck Dive Saturday, August 25, 2007

Dive two wrecks in 80 to 100 FSW off the coast of Daytona Beach. On each trip, Sea Dogs Dive Center visits two of about a dozen wrecks located 10 to 16 miles out of Ponce Inlet. Spearfishing is allowed and encouraged, but you may be re- quired to complete a spearfishing test/questionaire before doing so.

Sea Dogs Dive Center (http://www. The trip price is $80, including two seadogdiver.com) operates out of New tanks and weights. Add $10 for Ni- Smyrna Beach and is located on the trox, subtract $5 for own tanks. A $40 North Causeway adjacent to Riverview deposit is due August 3. The balance of Charlies Bed & Breakfast. Sea Dogs $40 is due August 20. operates a 42-foot Newton dive vessel and they have an instructor or dive Contact: master in the water on every trip. Phil Carter [email protected] We will check-in from 8 to 8:30 a.m. [email protected] at the dive shop, and depart the dock at daytime (386) 314-5910 9 a.m., returning about 2 p.m. evenings (386) 426-0466

July 2007 LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’ DIVE DOMINICA October 6-13, 2007

The Club will be traveling to The trip package includes: the island of Dominica for a Airport & hotel transfers in Dominica 7 nights lodging, double occupancy week of diving and adven- 7 breakfasts ture, October 6-13. We will 7 dinners fly on American Airlines from 5 days of 2-tank boat dives Tanks, weights, and weight belts Orlando by way of San Juan Unlimited shore diving to Dominica. Complimentary use of sea-kayaks In Dominica we will stay and dive with Castle Comfort Lodge. Here is the link to their web address:

http://www.castlecomfortdivelodge.com/

Price: Based on double occupancy; six spaces are available Diver: $1,150; Non-diver: $875 Note: This price does NOT include airfare or Dominica departure tax Payment: Full payment due no later than July 31 Coordinator: George McGuire (407) 677-4242, [email protected] 9811 Lake Georgia Dr., Orlando FL 32817

LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’ July 2007 As our boat rocked about in the swells that must Quest for the Oriskany have been at least 5 feet high, and looked higher, we Saturday morning, June 1st, nine intrepid divers plunged into the depths. Below the surface there from the LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB was little current and reasonably clear water. Down braved the rough seas off Pensacola to dive the we went to the carrier's island where we swam wreck of the USS Oriskany, CVA-34. An aircraft about exploring the space between the top of the carrier, affectionately known as the "Mighty O", it is island and the flight deck, which is at 135 feet, tak- the largest ship ever scuttled to become an artificial ing pictures and otherwise enjoying ourselves until reef. It now rests perfectly upright about 20 miles it was time to return to the surface. off the north Florida coast in the Gulf of Mexico. Our nine divers (George McGuire, Eric Davies, Art Beaulieu, Heidi Camarillo, Sigornee Colby, Russ Niewold, Chuck McKenry, Phil Carter, and Bob McNatt) left Orlando knowing weather conditions in the dive area were not promising. Nonethe- less we traveled to Gulf Shores, Alabama, where we had reservations with the Down Under Dive Shop for our trip to the Oriskany on Saturday and two other wrecks on Sunday. New member Heidi Camarillo arrived a day ahead of the rest of the group so that she could receive instruction for her Advanced diver cer- tification. When she arrived in Gulf Shores, she found surf conditions so severe that the training she Oriskany: Top of the Island expected to receive on the beach Friday had to be conducted in a spring. Photo by George McGuire Back on the surface we had lunch and waited out a long surface interval until it was time to return below. When the time came, we dove back in and did some more exploring of the carrier's island. At the end of our diving, the ride back to shore was much the same as the ride out had been. Back on shore several of us immediately went to the dive shop and bought Mighty O tee-shirts. We had been there, done that, and now we had the tee- shirts to prove it!

“Mighty O” Group (left to right): Chuck McKenry (waving), Phil Carter, Russ Niewold, unknown interloper, Art Beaulieu, Sigornee Colby (above Heidi' head), Heidi Camarillo, Eric Davies, George McGuire, and Bob McNatt By late Friday when the rest of the group arrived, sea conditions had marginally improved and there was hope we would be able to dive the next day. Saturday morning we gathered dockside at 7:30 a.m. NOAA's forecast was mixed, but since the charter fleet had gone out our brave captain decided we could also. For the next 2 hours we pitched, pounded, and splashed our way through high seas to the Oriskany where we moored ourselves to the highest point on the ship. We were the Sigornee Colby Descending Beside Island only dive boat on site. Photo by George McGuire July 2007 10 LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’ Sunday morning at 7:30 we loaded up and Cayman, from page 12 headed out again. This time we went only about an hour off shore to dive another scuttled vessel known the walls are deep and beautiful. Tarpon Alley let as the Pete Tide. This time the ride out was much us experience swimming in a school of several hundred big fish. Stingray City was as advertised smoother than the ride had been to the Oriskany. The Pete Tide is an oilfield service boat that sits except there were fewer rays than we had seen 2 upright in about 100 feet of water. It has been down years ago and they have become more aggressive. several years and has quite a lot of growth on it. John Tribe got the stingray hicky award when he pulled off his dive skins back on deck and revealed During our surface interval, we moved to the a bruised upper arm. Craig Masters and Steve site of another artificial reef, a diving tender known Spragins received hand injuries, and a few others as the Navy YDT. It has also been down for sev- were nibbled. Beware of hungry stingrays. eral years in about the same depth of water as Pete Tide but curiously has no more growth on it than Back on the boat, we worked out the live-aboard the Oriskany, which has only been down for a year. routine: sleep, eat, dive, eat, dive, eat, dive, eat, This time we had the best visibility of the weekend, dive, sleep . . . until we worked our way through our dive boat could be clearly seen from 60 feet five possible dives a day (Chuck made them all!). below the surface. The Cayman Aggressor is a good dive boat. By the time our Navy YDT dive was completed, The crew members were helpful and friendly and sea conditions had deteriorated to something similar worked very hard to make certain we had a good dive week. Several of us needed assistance get to the preceding day and our ride back to shore was - much the same as Saturday's. During Sunday's div- ting tanks and gear to the dive deck and us into the water. The team working on deck anticipated ing Heidi completed her training and was officially certified as an Advanced PADI diver. our needs, patiently waited for us to get ready, and helped us in and out of the water. Hot showers and George McGuire hot towels were provided right on the dive deck when we concluded each dive. Food was plenti- ful and delicious. Yanis, the cook served three full meals and two snacks daily. She also carefully catered to personal allergies and special diets with a big smile. Friday rolled around way too fast and after our two dives of the morning, we docked at downtown Georgetown and went ashore to get our land legs back. The rain and drizzle made it difficult to dry our gear and pack, but we managed. Then out to dinner Friday night when the rain really poured. But Saturday was bright and sunny, and we headed off to airport for another dreaded travel day. You guessed it . . . the plane was an hour late departing. Grace Hampton

Winner of inaugural Fish I.D. Challenge

Editor’s Corner LMDC Connections Thanks for all your help. You've been great at get- We have a telephone voicemail account. Got a ting articles to me by the 15th of the month. Please question about the CLUB? Want to let us know that get them to me in one of the following ways: you’ll be attending a CLUB meeting? Just call (407) • Call me at (407) 356-2290 and sneaker-net your text 306-5020 and leave a message! and graphics on disk to me at MP-093 Check out all the great dive information on our • E-mail at work: [email protected]; CLUB home page at: www.martindiveclub.org. or at home: [email protected] • Fax (please call before sending) at work: (407) 356- 4694; or at home: (407) 678-5311. LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’ 11 July 2007 Cayman Aggressor Dive Trip But wait. The plane is repaired, and you will be on it. By the time we learned we would only be 2 hours late arriving, we received the news with joy. June 2007 Perhaps it was all a plot to make passengers delight- There all 18 of us stood at Cayman Airways ed with a 2 hour delay. in Tampa waiting to check in our luggage and get At 8:30 p.m., we were welcomed on board the boarding passes. Then the Cayman Airways rumors Cayman Aggressor, taken to our cabins, fed a deli- started. The flight would be delayed. The plane cious dinner, and told to go rest up. Captain Phil was broken down in Grand Cayman. We would be delayed his orientation until the following morning, put on a flight to Miami to connect with a flight to and less than 12 hours after our arrival at the boat Grand Cayman. Oops! The flight did not get there we were in the water for the first dive. in time to connect, but Cayman Airways would rent cars for us to drive down. No, the flight out of Chuck and Terry brought along an original "Sur- Miami is full, so you will not be getting out tonight. vivor Island" fish identifying game with charts and pictures. We all participated throughout the week and proved once again that he who dives the most sees the most. Chuck Brown is the champion fish- finder. We all saw friendly turtles, shy turtles, eagle rays, angel fish, and the rest of those reef creatures we enjoy so much. The only time we did not see specific fish was the day they appeared on our fish finding chart. Weather kept the boat on Grand Cayman all week, but we did get to dive the East End where Cayman Survivors 2007 See ‘Cayman’, page 11

LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB MP-93 1814 Billingshurst Court Orlando FL 32825 (407) 306-5020 www.martindiveclub.org

Upcoming Events Jul 10 Meeting: Ocean Conservation - Jillian Brueggeman Jul 13 Trip: Jupiter - George McGuire Jul 27 - 29 Trip: Key Largo - Phil Carter Aug 3 Trip: Venice - Ryan Brumbeck Aug 7 Meeting: TBD Aug 10 Trip: Marathon - Mike McCleskey Aug 25 Trip: New Smyrna Beach - Phil Carter July 2007 12 LOCKHEED MARTIN DIVE CLUB ‘News’