DA ANCHORLINE

NEWSLETTER March 3, 2006, Issue 51

Members are encouraged to submit articles, dive plans and dive reports.<= /span>

Visit club web site at http://www.angelfire.com/nj4/= divers/

Photographs can be viewed at the above noted website.

Editor: Tom Gormley

Next Meeting Notice

Flea Market Report

Clean Ocean Action Report

NJHDA Symposium

Peggy’s News

DAN News

DA Dive Log=

DA Dive Plan

Gear for sale

DA Calendar

Next Meeting Notice

Next club meeting is Monday, March 27, 2006.

We will have our regular business meeting at 730PM

Meeting Program:

Gary Gentile “Diving the And= rea Doria” 50^th Anniversary

2006 Oce= an Wreck Divers Flea Market

Divers Anonymous was well represented at this year’s Ocean Wreck Divers Flea Market last month. Donations from John Kelly and Don Wilson added to our club treasury, thanks to both of these generous members. Several other members brought dive items to the table for sale and after all was said and done, the table was clear. Mike Granado mad= e up club fliers and handouts and we distributed them to flea market attendees. Other members made some wise purchases to add to their dive gear for this coming season. Rich purchased another wreck reel. We hear he plans to make = the mother of all birds’ nests this coming season. All in all everyone ha= d a good time on an otherwise very cold and prohibitive winter dive day.

Thanks to Ocean Wreck Divers!

__________________________________________________________________

Clean Ocean Action Report

At our January meeting, on one of the busiest nights Mario’s Restaurant = has ever seen, Kari Jermansen the Outreach Director of Clean Ocean Action gave = DA members an update of the recent activities of the grassroots watchdog group. She mainly addressed the Clean Ocean Zone, but addressed a multitude of questions put out by our savvy DA members. The questions ranged from windmi= lls offshore to ocean dumping, to sand mining, and runoff. When all is said and done, the program of COA is to help make progress in cleaning and protection the waters of the NY NJ Bight.

One month later at our last DA meeting in February, the topic of DA’s sup= port of COA was discussed. After a lively discussion, the members decided to bri= ng up the issue of DA support for COA in various ways, which we may vote on at= the coming March meeting. The options include:

Full DA support of COA
Issue by issue support of COA
No support of COA

Bring your comments to our next meeting and vote on the issue.<= /p>

:_______________________________________________________________________=

NJHDA Symposium

The= New Jersey Historical Divers Association, Inc. presents our fourth
New Jersey Shipwreck Symposium
Saturday, May 6, 2006, 2 PM to 6 PM
InfoAge Learning Center, Camp Evans, Wall, NJ

Admission is $15 per person. Reservations are required - seating is limited= .
(Payment in advance guarantees seating)

Our event will be hosted by explorer and author
Gary Gentile

The speakers and scheduled events are as follows:

Shipwrecks and Lifesavers
Tom Hoffman, Park Ranger, Historian

Shipwrecks in New Jersey Waters
Lee Cox, Jr., Underwater Archaeologist

Exploring New Jersey's Artificial Reefs
A video presentation by Steve & Maureen Langevin

(50/50 and intermission - light refreshments available)

The Sunken Locomotives of Long Branch
Dan Lieb and Jim LuBrant, New Jersey Museum of Transportation, Inc.

Workshop:
Advanced Wreck-Diving and Technical Gear Configurations - $50.00 p/p
Gary Gentile is offering a workshop geared for divers who want to extend th= eir knowledge of diving beyond that which is obtainable from certifying agencie= s. It includes the topics Deep Diving, Wreck Penetration, and Decompression Diving, and Technical Gear Configurations. This is very much a "nuts a= nd bolts" workshop. Emphasis is placed on gear configurations rather than theory and physiology. The student will see how today's technical divers are gearing up - not necessarily so he can dive to 300 feet on mixed gas, but s= o he can familiarize himself with the techniques, and apply them to his own divi= ng regimen. 9 AM to Noon. A continental breakfast will be provided (ask us about lunch when signing up = for this workshop).

Directions from North:
Take Garden State Parkway = SOUTH to EXIT 100 onto Route 33 east. Continue to Route 18 South. Get off at EXIT= 7A. The exit will merge you onto Brighton Avenue. Follow Brighton= to the bottom of the hill and turn RIGHT onto Marconi Road. After a few hundred y= ards, you will see a parking lot entrance on your right. Enter and follow the directions of the parking attendants.

Directions from South:
Take the Garden State Park= way NORTH to EXIT 98. Bear to the right and take t= he exit for Route 138 East. Follow 138 to the Route 18 North exit. Follow 18 N= orth to Exit 7. The exit ramp will put you on Marconi Road where it intersects Brighton Avenue. Go straight. After a few hundred yards, you will see a parking lot entrance on your right. Enter and follow the directions of the parking attendants.

Directions from West:
Take 195 EAST, to Route 18 NORTH. Follow 18 North to EXIT 7. The exit ramp = will put you on Marconi Road where it intersects Bright= on Avenue. Go straight. After a few hundred yards, you will see a parking lot entrance on your right. Enter and follow the directions of the parking attendants.

Directions from East:
Take 33 WEST, to Route 18 SOUTH. Get off at EXIT 7A. The exit will merge you onto Brighton Avenue. Follow Brighton to the bottom of the hil= l and turn RIGHT onto Marconi Ro= ad. After a few hundred yards, you will see a parking lot entrance on your righ= t. Enter and follow the directions of the parking attendants.

For reservations and more information please call
732-776-6261 (press 2 when prompted) or e-mail NJHDA@aol.com

Peggy’s News

Now they= are saying that winter flounder are low due to habitat - what took them so long= ?

- - -

Power ha= rvesting of clams a hot topic

Posted by the Asbury Park Press= on 02/26/06= =

A propos= al floated this week to allow the power harvesting of clams in bays and estuar= ies sparked instant opposition from recreational interests. <= /p>

Anglers w= ere quick to support hand clammers who are opposed to the idea of permitting po= wer dredging of clams.

James A. Donofrio, executive director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, said he = only heard about the proposal late in the week, but the word spread quickly, and members he has heard from are united in opposition.
"We're against any attempt to bring power dredging of clams into the estuaries," he said. "This could do irreparable damage to the bottom."

Donofrio reminded that New Jersey recreational winter flounder fishermen are being strangled by Atlantic Stat= es Marine Fisheries Commission's new regulations designed to rebuild the stock= s. "Now these people are talking about bringing clam dredges in on the sa= me bottom the flounders are using," he said. "They're already dredgi= ng crabs when the flounders are in the mud."

Thomas P.= Fote, legislative chairman of the Jersey Coast Anglers Association, heard about t= he proposal while he was at the ASMFC meeting, and he immediately started spreading the word. "We're against it," he said. "They've be= en talking about power dredging clams for years, and it has always been turned down. I can't imagine the DEP (state Department of Environmental Protection) ever approving it."

Fote said= he heard at the ASMFC meeting that studies in New Engla= nd are beginning to reveal that the problem with winter flounder stocks is not overfishing but the inshore environment. "Habitat is the problem,"= ; he said. "That's what they're looking at now."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - = - - - - - - - - -- =

Peggy Bowen, Director= ....... New: pegdiver@earthlink.net

New Jersey Council of Diving Clubs

http://w= ww.scubanj.org/

DAN News

Visit DAN’s website www.diversalertnetwork.org = to check out all of their programs.

In a recent emailing, DAN stated that they will cover the costs of diving injuries for DAN insured members at any of the disputed chambers that were recently noted.

________________________________________________= ______________________

DA Dive Log

Pierre is still off on one of his eco tour= s. Many of us envy him, but at least we get to hear his stories. He should be = back in town for our March meeting with plenty to talk about.<= /p>

Back to the local stuff:

Tom G, Gary P, and Rich M went to the Shrewsbury River on Thursday, February 16 to get in a cold water winter dive. The water temp was 32 but s= ince the Shrewsbury is brackish, it was still liquid enough for Tom and Rich to submerge. Gary was smart eno= ugh to stay dry and provide shore support. Tom lasted 25 minutes in the frigid wat= er due to a very cold index finger (not protected enough in his heavy dive mit= ts). Rich claimed never to get cold, but he still can’t pronounce blobtop, even weeks later. Bottles were scarce, but some old beer bottles were recov= ered. Ruppert must have been popular back when.<= /o:p>

DA Dive Plan=

Shore Dives: Ongoing. If you wish to dive on any Sunday or Thursday, please contact Tom, Ben, or Rich about joining them. Wi= nter diving depends on the weather and conditions. As the season warms, there are more opportunities even when ocean conditions are poor.

Boat Dives<= span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>: Tom, Rich, and Ian <= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> plan to personally charter the Spri= ng Tide and the Sea Lion out of Brielle for dives in 2006. Please let each of = them know of your interest for next year’s boat diving to help them make arrangements.

Ian has already arrang= ed charter dates for August and September on the Sea Lion, and Tom has a date = in July. If you wish to sign onto any of the dates, contact Tom or Ian after checking our DA Calendar at the bottom of this DA News. The number will be limited to 8 divers on each charter, and each date has 6 spots left as of <= st1:date Year=3D"2006" Day=3D"3" Month=3D"3" w:st=3D"on">3-3-06. Cost is = $70 depending on fuel cost by the date of sailing. First come first served with full payment.

Ian: ifryer1@ianfryer.net

Tom: gormleydmd@aol.co= m

Other club members have indicated that they will be arranging charters. As dates are set, they will= be added to the calendar.

Boat Diving Requirements

Everyone please be adv= ised that the following are required to dive on any of the charters:

1) Logbook indicating nor= theast boat diving experience or arrangements to do a guided dive.

2) Pony bottle and regula= tor with pressure gauge or other suitable redundant gear.

3) Compass, wreck reel, s= afety sausage, safety whistle and power surface audible signaling device, cutting device as well as other mandatory scuba gear.

4) NAUI Waiver= and Release signed before boarding naming Tom Gormley, Ian Fryer, Rich Mullen, Janna Fabris, Mark Russomanno, Charles Soulas, Pierre Guibor, Mike Granado,= and Ben Gualano as Instructors and Divemasters.

5) NAUI= medical form

6) DAN or equivalent insurance=

2 Stories:

Attached below are some interesting stories to keep up your interest during these trying times when= we have to get very cold while diving or go on a long trip to a better climate= .

Enjoy!

Medieval Shipwreck Found in Sweden - BBC News

The wreck is half-buried in the mud 10m below the surface (photo: National Maritime Museum)

A= rchaeologists in Sweden are seeking permission to excavate the unique wreckage of a 14th Century ship found in the heart of Stockholm's waterways.

Research for an underwater rail= way link revealed the remains of one of the oldest vessels ever found in Sweden.

Experts hope it will reveal clu= es about boat-building techniques and trading practices in the 1300s. <= /o:p>

But further research will have = to wait until the freezing Swedish winter comes to an end in April.

Special example

Just over 1.5 metres (5 ft) of = the boat was found 10m below the surface of the Riddarfjarden bay, near the o= ld part of the city, in September.

It is very fascinating and we hope now to do more excavations in the sprin= g

Marcus Hjulhammar,
Project leader

The rest is believed to be buri= ed in the mud - which increases the chances of it being better preserved than i= f it had been found on land.

Project leader Marcus Hjulhamma= r, of the National Maritime Museum, said it was difficult to say exactly how mu= ch of the ship was still buried, but it could be between 10m and 20m in size= .

He said he believed it was simi= lar to a caravel type of light ship.

"I have worked on other pr= ojects underwater but this is very special, as it is in the middle of Stockholm and un= derwater," he told the BBC News website.

"I hope we can learn about= Stockholm's hist= ory during the 14th Century, about trading, perhaps to other countries. =

"It is very fascinating an= d we hope now to do more excavations in the spring."

Underwater archaeologists have already found the ship had a large crack in the worn-down hull, which had been patched up by a piece of leather - giving clues as to why the boat s= ank.

Sweden= at the end of the 14th Century= was part of the Kalmar Union that united Denm= ark, Norway and Sweden under a single monarch.

Stockholm was a much smaller city than t= oday, but still the main trading centre for Sweden. <= /p>

Options

The location of the wreck means= it would probably have been just outside the city at the time.

Pieces of leather are believed to have been used to patc= h a crack (photo: Nationa= l Maritime Museum)

The museum hopes the city counc= il will give its experts more time to excavate and examine the ship in the spring.

Sweden's last major underwater discov= ery was the 17th Century Vasa warship, which is now a tourist attraction at o= ne of the city's museums.

Mr Hjulhammar said there were a number of options for the 14th Century wreck - including putting it on display, or simply moving it underwater and covering it up again.

"It is not always the best= idea to take it up," he said.

<= span style=3D'font-family:Arial;color:#000077'>Park Happenings: My search for a = story

By JON SCHMIDT

The other day I was feeling a little cooped up. With the interpretive center closed except on weekends right now, this old museum is really quiet. Quiet that is, except for the construction outside. But down here in this office, plugging away at planning projects and events gets a little mind numbing. Sometimes, when I reach this point I can pick up a book and do some researc= h on any number of topics. My work does include a lot of research but I almost f= eel guilty doing it since I enjoy it so much.

Another guilty pleasure that I partake in to break up my time at the comput= er is going outside. Wow, what a concept! I work in one of the most beautiful locations on the Washingt= on Coast and I can work outside.

That day, I did some outside work. Getting into the environment that I read= and talk about is beneficial. It helps renew my motivation. The fresh air helps= me to focus. I decided to go up to North Head. It had been since before Christ= mas that I was up there — much too long. As I pulled into the parking lot= it started to drizzle. This was no big surprise, but naturally I was still disappointed. It was almost sunny over the interpretive center just minutes earlier. But I was at North Head and I love to explore Belleview Hill. This section of the park is the northern half of North Head and you can get a gr= eat view of the Peninsula from up there. But= it was raining.

As I was waiting, I saw two older gentlemen coming off of the Westwind Trai= l. They must have hiked down into Beards Hollow and back up because they were looking a little winded. Soon after they left, another couple came from the other direction. They had walked the mile and a half North Head Trail and looked ready for more. They spent some time looking at the interpretive pan= el near the parking lot. This panel features a hiking trail map, and from the looks of the couple, they wanted to know how to connect with the Westwind Trail. As they were making there way to the trailhead I decided to join the= m. It had been a while since I have done a guided hike and I got the urge. They obligingly took me up on my offer to go see a three-tiered lookout station = from World War II. We had a great time. The view was spectacular, as always. The rain stopped and I had a chance to do some interpreting.

I left these two hikers in search of my next newspaper article. I was being drawn to Benson Beach. It was high tide and I thought maybe I might write a= bout the dangerous sneaker waves. The waves were awesome. I had to stay high up = on the dune to stay safe. The driftwood logs were rolling in and out with the water. I was amazed at how the dune was being eroded so quickly. Then I remembered how fast it built up in the summer months. The edge of the world= is such a dynamic place!

After walking up the dunes and amongst the stranded driftwood logs I took a= few photos. North Head Lighthouse and the keepers’ residences were beaming white surrounded by dark spruce trees. The clouds out over the ocean remind= ed me that it wasn’t going to stay dry for long. I felt I had to walk a = bit more though.

I was searching among the driftwood for my story when I looked up. There in front of me was a shipwreck. I had completely forgotten about this boat whe= n I was writing my December shipwreck articles. This 30-foot fiberglass boat wa= shed up two winters ago and was pulled up past the dune to keep it from re-float= ing itself. I’ve heard some people theorize that it is an old lifeboat fr= om a cargo ship but I wouldn’t know. It has four seats in it and a motor sitting on the bottom unattached to any part of the boat. On its bow is the faint word Shanghai= painted by someone, sometime. I’m pretty sure that’s what it sa= ys, unless you know of a “hangai.”

After taking some photos I walked a bit more and found a wooden fishing flo= at in near perfect condition. It was then I decided I would write an article a= bout my wandering quest that eventually led me to a wooden fishing float.

<= br>
Jon Schmidt is an Interpretive Specialist at Cape Disappointment State Park. To contact him, call the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at (360) 642= -3029 or e-mail lcic@parks.wa.gov.

Members wishing to sell gear can post it here! (Send listing to Tom)

30 cuft pony O2 clean= and filled with a 50% mix. Needs hydro. Best reasonable offer. Tom gormleydmd@aol.com

Meeting Minutes – Unknown

Thanks to Dan Lieb for giving us a lively presentation about the NJHDA Symposuim.<= o:p>

=

2006

Divers Anonymous Calendar

Jan 2006

·         01/14: DA Holiday Party       &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;   700 p.m. Branchbrook Manor, Washington Ave, Belleville

·         01/30: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m<= /st1:time>, Speaker- Kari Jermansen -Clean Ocean Action

Feb 2006

·         02/05: Bottle Show, South River

·         Sunday, February 19, 2006 from 9:00 A= M to 2:00 PM/: Toms River Flea Market·         02/27: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m.= Dan Lieb NJHDA update=

Mar 2006

03/05: South Jersey Shore= Dive 11AM Location TBA

03/24~26: Beneath-The-Sea

03/27: DA Club Me= eting 7:30 p.m. Gary Gentile -“Andrea Doria”

April 2006

·           &nb= sp;         04/02: Sunday = Shore Dive, 12PM LTBA=

·           &nb= sp;         04/08 Saturday shore dive in Bel= mar SRI 5PM

·           &nb= sp;         04/24: DA Meeting        Dues and Elections,

·           &nb= sp;         04/24: Shore Dive 10AM-LTBA

&nb= sp;

May 2006

Sunday shore dive= s

05/= 14: Pre-Memorial Day Dive Picnic

05/22: DA Club Me= eting 7:30 p.m.      (1 = week early)

June 2006

06/11: Saturday Shore Dive 7PM LTBA

06/26 DA Meeting Uplines & Lift bags Paul Duffy

July 2006

·           &nb= sp;         Shore Dives TBA

·           &nb= sp;         7/15-16 DA Weekend at Dutch Springs

·           &nb= sp;         07/30 Sea Lion boat dive

·           &nb= sp;         07/31 DA Meeting

Aug 2006

08/20 Sea Lion bo= at dive

08/28: DA Club Me= eting 7:30 p.m.

&nb= sp;

Sept 2006

·         09/03: 8AM Labor Day - Water Gap Dive Picnic

·         09/23 Sea Lion boat dive

·         09/25: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m<= /st1:time>

Oct 2006

10/15 Local Shore<= /st1:PlaceType> Dive Location TBA

= 10/29 12PM Halloween dive at= Sandy Hook

10/30: DA Club Meeting

Nov 2006

·           &nb= sp;         Local Shore Dives    11/04 Saturday-SRI 6= 23PM

·     &nbs= p;            &= nbsp; 11/27: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m. 2005 Artifact = & Picture - Story Contest

Dec 2006

·           &nb= sp;         12/11: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m.

·           &nb= sp;         12/17: Lizzie H Brayton 102 year anniversary d= ive, 12PM

·           &nb= sp;         Friday, 12/31: Last Dive of Year 12PM-Sandy Hook=

Pink highlighted events are subsidized by DA dues=

DA Meetings begin at 730PM on the last Monday of the month except May and Dece= mber as noted

Boat dives are chartered by members and are run according to members restriction= s

All other dives are organized by DA and are limited to DA members according to = DA restrictions

All events are subject to change according to conditions

DA ANCHORLINE

Photographs can be viewed at the above noted website.

Editor: Tom Gormley

Contents

Next Meeting Notice

Flea Market Report

Clean Ocean Action Report

Peggy’s News

DAN News

DA Calendar

Posted by the Asbury Park Press= on 02/26/06= =