NEWSLETTER September 21, 2004, Issue 43
Members are encouraged to submit articles, dive plans and dive reports.
Visit club web site at https://www.angelfire.com/nj4/divers/
(If anyone missed last month’s DA Anchorline, the reason was bad hardware. It is amazing what a new power supply unit will do for your computer!)
DA Dive Log
DA Dive Plan
Next Meeting Notice
Monday September 27, 2004
Walter Jaslanek will present “The Passaic River Basin Sediment”
At
730PM Mario’s Restaurant
710 Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, NJ
New Guests are welcome to attend this meeting
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Peggy’s News
Here's some basic information and a copy of the Artificial Reef / MARAD bill in the NJ Legislature:
From Capt. Steve Nagiewicz -
This bill proposed by Assemblymen; Kip Bateman (R -Somerset) and Robert J. Smith (D - Gloucester) is designed to provide State of New Jersey fund from the legislature to provide partial fixed cleaning and transport costs to bring as many as five (5) MARAD or US Navy de-commissioned ships for use on individual state artificial reefs. These ships are part of program from the Maritime Administration to dispose of derelict ships that would serve as reefs. The federal government would provide as much as 80-90% of the costs to clean, while each bidding State would need to supply the remainder either through State funding or private donations.
MARAD has over 100 ships potentially available for reefs. There are at least 10 states with reef programs which would be potential bidders for these ships. This bill could be help New Jersey secured our share of vessels. The NJ Reef program is one of the top three such programs in the countries, arguably the 2nd largest. These 5 vessels would be deposited on the deeper reefs like Shark River, Deepwater and Cape May, owing largely to their size and depth of water needed for navigation clearance from the tops of these future wrecks.
Thus far only two MARAD vessels have found their way to reefs. The most recent was in Florida, while the first was the USS Algol, currently the largest of all artificial reef wrecks on the NJ reefs. It is located on the Shark River reef.
The Federal EPA has developed guidelines for clean-up of these MARAD or US Navy ships. Once adopted they will standardize the rules governing cleaning of the hazardous materials contained within each vessel. This will make the process much simpler for each bidding state. Obviously the Federal government has recognized the value of disposing these now useless vessels as donations to artificial reef programs rather than trying to scrap the vessels. The problem has always been the high cost to scrap each vessel and the elimination of chemicals they contained. The cheaper alternative is to donate the vessel (s) to a reef program.
Here is the link to information about one vessel under consideration: http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/ASR22.htm
The link below is information about MARAD: http://www.nvr.navy.mil/marad.htm
The idea of this bill came up during a dive trip on my boat last year and very early this year. Bateman is a diver and has dived the reef wrecks aboard Diversion II. Diver and boat crew, Ray Stine of Bernards Township and I asked what could be done and Kip Bateman started the process and received the help of Democrat and Robert Smith an assistant majority whip in the Assembly and an avid recreational fishermen who has an interest in marine issues.
This bill will enable NJ to compete for Federal dollars to clean and secure up to five vessels for use on the reefs throughout coast of the state. Thus giving divers and fishermen more choices for recreational and commercial diving and fishing. It also helps to bolster the marine environment to attract more Marine life and create more and more fishing opportunities, much like the giant rock walls created on the NW corners of the Shark River reef.
A Local web link is: http://www.njscuba.com/charter_info/special_events_wreck_bill.html
Safe Diving
Capt. Steve Nagiewicz
E-mail: mailto:pegdiver@monmouth.com
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DA Movie Night
Several DA members met at Clifton Commons to see the opening of “Open Water”. Your editor and major movie critic Rick Farmer both enjoyed the film and thought it was a pleasant surprise after hearing some negative reports. Sure the story was already known, and the drama of the 2 stranded divers in the water was a bit silly. The shark scenes and open water scenes were fairly realistic, however. This is coming from someone who has seen sharks in the wild and has been separated from a dive boat for about 2 hours on one occasion. For a diver to see the movie, it can send a strong message: “Don’t get left behind by the dive boat.”
The moral of the story is: “Get a dive alert, safety sausage, and make sure your name is on the list of divers in the water.”
If you get a chance to see the movie, watch it!
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DA Dive Log
I was the first one out to Sandy Hook on Sunday and noticed that the front parking lot (where the toll booths are) was closed. The rangers informed me that they were having a bicycle race and that the lot would be closed till around 10AM. Unfortunately the tide was at 8:00. When I got to the ranger station I was meet with a blank stare. I had to walk the ranger through the process of checking a diver in. That's the second time in a row that happens. Rich walked them through it last time. Hopefully that means that not to many people ore diving there (better for us). I went back to the first lot, double parked and waited. Rich pulled up shortly after, minus Ben who decided not to dive. When Don showed up we unloaded are gear, parked at the first open lot and walked back. Sarah showed up as we were walking out to the beach. We took her gear and she went to check in and park. Rich and I entered the water first and Don waited for Sarah to gear up.
I followed Rich out (I was a little delayed helping Sarah). I dropped down with Rich and we started looking around for artifacts. We found some old milk bottles, but that’s about it. Don found a few bottles, but no keepers. Sarah didn't look for bottles at all, but she got to try out her new tank, and enjoyed the new experience.
Following first dive we headed over to Horseshoe Cove. Again we didn't find parking close to the site so we had to drop off our gear and walk back. We dove (I guess we dove. It was so shallow that my computer never even turned on) by the pilings that used to be and old train station/steamboat dock. It was a struggle to stay under since I think the max depth was something like 5ft. I had three bricks tucked under my BC and my legs were still breaking the surface. We found tons of plate and china fragments, but nothing intact.
It was a fun day, even with all the parking hassles.
Thursday September 16, 2004 saw Rich M, Tom, and Mike “The Marine” back at Sandy Hook for an afternoon low tide dive in the Shrewsbury River. The ocean looked fairly calm, but the trio stuck to the plan. Norva was along for knitting support. The divers searched and searches. The bottom was sanded in a lot and seemed to have covered things pretty much. Mike came up with some contemporary bottles and Tom and Rich did the same. After the dive the group went over to Thompson’s in Sea Bright for some tasty fish and chips.
From there it was on to the Shark River Inlet for a night dive. We all me Ed T, Dan, and Pete who were doing their first ever night dive. What better place than the Shark River Inlet at 930PM on a weekday night in early September. The water was warm at 73 degrees and Vis was about 6 feet. There were no boats to contend with and the ocean surge was not a problem either. We all dropped down under the Ocean Ave Bridge and started looking for sleeping marine life. There was plenty to see. Rich and Mike did the jetty tour while the rest of the divers stayed closer to the entry exit point.
The new divers thought that the night dive was their best yet. The creatures were cooperative and the conditions were excellent.
After the dive we all hit the still working showers and headed home. Tom for his first day back to work after a week’s vacation and the rest of the crew just back to work the next day.
Sunday September 19, 2004 saw Sarah, Norva, Frank, Angela, Tom, Ed, Dan, Pete, and Luke all out at the Back Bay in Belmar for the 2nd ever DA Crab Dive. The conditions probably kept some other members from attending. The previous day it had rained about 2 to 5 inches depending on where you lived in NJ. The wind was whipped up to a gale on the Bay and 3 foot waves were forming. The Vis didn’t look too good, and the locals were thumbing their nose at the water. Those who don’t live close by still planned to dive though. So we formed a plan and hit the beach. Tom and Sarah teamed up while Ed, Dan, and Pete formed a second dive team. The purpose was to collect as many crabs as possible, though the prospects for a crab bonanza were slim, and turned out to be none. No one even caught a blue claw. Tom says he spotted some, but the crabs were too fast and wary. We did manage to collect some other species including Tom’s Horseshoe crab, some spiders, and some greens.
What we did after that was Sarah’s idea. We held the first ever DA Crab Race. To make a long story short, Sarah’s crab won the race. Tom’s never left the start, and the others, though speedy, were a bit too slow. For a prize, the club had a dive alert, which Sarah won. Good for her!
We plan to repeat this event in the 2005 dive season, so keep tuned to your DA Calendars.
DA Dive Plan
Tom and Ben will be taking suggestions for next year’s boat dive season. See them for discussion and foreword planning.
(Any sales of gear are subject to terms agreed upon by sellers and buyers.)
E-mail: Tom Gormley 50 cuft low pressure steel tank, Nitrox ready, new condition, Mercury 20 HP outboard motor, 2003 model.
Meeting Minutes
Minutes for June and July and now August 2004 are being held by our Secretary. Please request a personal copy at our next meeting.
2004
Divers Anonymous Calendar
Updated 09-21-04
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Jan 2004
· 01/05: DA Planning meeting 6:30 p.m. at 6 Bros Diner Rt. 46
· 01/10: DA Holiday Party 7:30 p.m. San Carlos Rest 620 Stuyvesant Ave, Lyndhurst
· 01/26: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m |
Feb 2004
· 02/01: Bottle Show, South River
· 02/14: 4th Annual DA Ski Day
· 02/29: Toms River Flea Market
· 02/23: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m. Tom and Ben’s Boat Charters, Payment and Sign-Up, and “Ocean Conservancy” speaker |
Mar 2003
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Apr 2004
· 04/04: Manasquan RR Bridge Dive, 8AM · 04/14: Pool Dive for gear check and warm-up 9:15 p.m. Clifton YMYWHA · 04/25 Sunday shore dive in Belmar SRI · 04/26: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m. Annual Dues and Officer Elections, Rescheduled. “White Shark Research Presentation” by Dean Fessler |
May 2004
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June 2004
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Jul 2004
· Local Shore Dives TBA · 07/11 Tom-Spring Tide Boat Dive · 7/17 & 18 DA Weekend at Dutch Springs · 07/26: DA Club Meeting, Topic, “Vincent Sarullo & John Bandstra “The Northeast Shipwreck Museum” |
Aug 2004
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Sep 2004
· 09/06: Labor Day Delaware Picnic · 9/16 Thursday Night Dive, 9pm, Shark River Inlet, Avon · 9/19 DA 2nd Crab Dive, 10AM, Back Bay, Belmar · 09/27: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m. “Passaic River Sediment” by Walt Jaslanek
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Oct 2004
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Nov 2004
· Local Shore Dives TBA · Annual gear maintenance workshop TBA
· 11/29: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m. 2004 Artifact & Story Contest
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Dec 2004
· 12/13: DA Club Meeting 7:30 p.m. · “Happy Holidays” · Friday, 12/31: Last Dive of Year 10AM
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Pink highlighted events are subsidized by DA dues