November 2010
W elcome to the
November 2010 issue of
the Sea Swells Log!
At the September meeting many
of us came face-to-face with
rebreather technology for the
first time. Expert Joe Radomski
explained the various concepts
behind rebreathers, and the
application of this ’silent’ dive
technique.
While we have already experi-
enced chilly nights and the
leaves are falling in heaps, it
does not mean that our diving
season is over yet. Check out
this issue of the TSSC newslet-
ter for information on planned
dives and other activities to
keep you in the “diving mood”.
And don’t forget, at the Novem-
ber meeting we will enjoy a
presentation by JenFu Cheng,
on his dive photography and his
involvement in Stay Focused, a
sports program for people with
disabilities.
We hope you will join us at
the November meeting!
W ith Thanksgiving fast
approaching, I have
time to reflect on all the
events and accomplishments
that I am grateful to have
been involved in throughout
the course of 2010 associated
with The Scuba Sports Club.
From early spring up until last
month we were kept busy al-
most every weekend diving
somewhere between the Carib-
bean and upstate New York,
some even had a trip to Can-
ada. We are fortunate as di-
vers to have the ability and
privilege to explore, up close
and personal, an entire world
that most people only get to
see on film. I feel privileged to
be able to explore our world
underwater with such good
friends and companions.
There may have been a slow
down with events the past
couple of weeks, but that does-
n’t mean we are done for the
year. Before many of us get
ready to leave for the Baha-
mas in a couple of weeks, and
for a couple of weeks in De-
cember, there are a few more
opportunities to get together:
 TSSC General Meeting
Wednesday, November
10th
 LIDA Film Festival Fri-
day, November 12th
 Explorers Sea Stories,
Saturday, November 20th
Visit Our Website At: www.thescubasportsclub.org
TSSC Not
Slowing Down
 TSSC Holiday Party at
Victor’s Wednesday, De-
cember 8th
In This Issue:
 Marsh Scuba is running a ANCHOR LINE 1
dive trip to Cape Ann De-
cember 11th and 12th (the DIVE LOG: 2
water will be warmer than Pirate Cruise
in June, so no there’s no
need for a dry suit) CONTEST: 4
Tom’s First Dive
Once again this Holiday sea- Bob’s First Time
son, TSSC is planning on ENVIRONMENT: 5
sponsoring a couple of families Anti Shark Finning
in need for Thanksgiving and Campaign Continues
Christmas. Donations, cash or
gift cards, will be accepted at DIVE IN: 6
both the November and De- 2010 Dive Schedule
Local Dive Shops
cember meetings. If you did
not know, TSSC works with
CLUB NEWS: 7
Toys for Tots Program which
Activities
provides Beneath the Sea with Social Events & Program
$3000 worth of toys. These List of 2010 Directors
toys are given to children who
are hospitalized at the Maria BTS NEWS: 7
Fareri Children’s Hospital. BTS 2011 Scholarships
We also plan to make another ON-LINE: 8
donation to Shark Savers for Vacs From The Sea
their campaign against the
consumption of shark fin soup PROGRAM NOTES: 8
in China. I believe they will be JenFu Cheng
putting up new billboards and
continue their campaign in
Beijing soon. ful because there is some
data to suggest that wet-
If you aren’t planning on div- suits magically shrink from
ing over the winter months, one dive season to another.
now is a good time to inspect
all your scuba equipment.
Contact your local dive shop Jim Sacci
for tips on maintaining and
storing your equipment while
not in use. Be especially care-
 Pirate Cruise
By ting use to the movement of the boat, I cessed from the outside which many
Judy
kept thinking that I was stuck there for a adventurous souls did, only to jump
Simek
full week and would be doing something into the waters below.

L ast year's SCUBAPALOOZA had
many pleasant features, not the
least of which was a door prize donated
by Blackbeard’s Cruises
(www.blackbeard-cruises.com). After
an exciting series of twists and turns
the prize finally was awarded to yours
truly. And what a prize it was.
I flew down to Nassau two days in ad-
vance and checked out the sights (and
stores). Noon Saturday I finally
boarded PIRATE'S LADY, one of
Blackbeard's small fleet. I was fortu-
nate to have a lower bunk in the salon.
(don't know if I could have managed
the other quarters. This was very nice.)
Our first dive was late that afternoon.
Close to shore after a day or two of
wind, the water was a bit cloudy and
cool for a skin. Viz improved after that
and so did the temp although I never
again made a dive without my 3 mil
wetsuit.
As for the only negative part of the
experience, it could probably have been
prevented by wearing a patch behind
my ear. The first full day onboard, get-
similar again in two months on the Aqua-
cat when the water would be colder and The trip wasn't only about SCUBA.
rougher. I even thought of canceling my We snorkeled, sometimes collecting
Aquacat adventure with the club. How- conch and lobster. We visited 2 de-
ever, by the next day I'd acclimatized and serted islands, one of which had a
thoroughly enjoyed the reminder of the
trip.
You don't want to read a rehash of all my
dives. A few, however, were really memo-
rable.
WASHING MACHINE is a drift dive.
One enters the water and quickly is
caught up in the swirl inside a cave-like large and friendly iguana population.
space. You are dragged from 15 ft. to 40 We fished. We ate well. We drank.
or 50, around in a circle, and back up We relaxed. And most of all, WE
again in the space of only a few seconds. HAD A GOOD TIME.
Needless to say, the computers were not
happy. Surprisingly, my ears had no All in all, I made 18 dives. The only
problem with the experience. one I didn't do was the third (last)
Another memorable dive was into THUN- night dive.
DERBALL GROTTO. This is the cave
James Bond gets out of by helicopter at If you're looking for an inexpensive
the end of the movie "Thunderball". Actu- liveaboard adventure and don't mind
ally, everyone else snorkeled it but I had a bit of roughing it, I strongly recom-
a new camera to use and thought I might mend this trip.
need some time on the bottom. The cave
ceiling is high, about 20-30 ft. with an
opening in the center. It could be ac-
Judy Simek
 Camera
 Prescriptions

F
 Non-oil sunscreen
or those of you who are joining us Several people who have been to the Ba-
 Lip balm
on the Aquacat trip from Novem- hamas at this time of the year have men-
 Decongestant
ber 27th to December 4th, and who tioned that the water can be a bit colder
 Antihistamine
have not yet received their “boarding than in the rest of the Caribbean, so pack
 Seasickness meds
pass package” and luggage tag, please your gear accordingly to ensure you have
 Mask, snorkel and fins
get in touch with Joann as soon as pos- everything you need. Remember, once we
 BC and regulator
sible (jab009@verizon.net), or see her are out on the water, there is no opportu-
 Wetsuit, skin and/or vest
at the November membership meeting. nity to get additional gear!
 Underwater light
 Cyalume sticks
Make sure you have filled out and re- Aquacat Cruise Item Checklist:
 Glasses and sunglasses
turned the flight information sheet to
 Shorts
the trip operator, to ensure that trans-  Passport (!)
 T-shirts
portation between the airport and  Plane tickets
 Sun hat or visor
Aquacat dock is arranged for you. The  Itinerary
 Swimsuits
cruise boards on November 27th in  Travel insurance
 Lightweight jacket
Nassau at 6 pm—no exceptions!  Dive insurance
 Toiletries
 Wallet (bring cash for tips!)
Please go to www.aquacatcruises.com  C-card / Nitrox Certification
See you in
for more information about the trip and  Dive log
the Bahamas!
diving off the Aquacat.  Aquacat luggage tag

Page 2 November 2010 Sea Swells Log

 Environment Anti-Shark Finning Billboard Campaign
in China Continues
All of these billboards are in the important role in maintaining the healthy
By Chaoyang district of Beijing. Accord- balance of other species throughout the
Ruth ing to Wikipedia, the Chaoyang dis- ocean food chain.
Emblin trict is one of the fastest growing
parts of Beijing, and is home to many

A
t our last Directors Meeting we
discussed the anti-shark finning
billboard campaign, which was launched
in 2009 by WildAid and Sharksavers.
Bus stop billboards, featuring Yao Ming
and a message opposing shark fin soup,
were installed in Beijing and China dur-
ing December 2009. These billboards are
part of the "Say 'no' to shark fin soup"
campaign. Within the last twelve
months hundreds of people contributed
to the campaign to purchase billboards
and related media in China.
Slowly, but surely there has been a
growing indication that people are be-
ginning to question the need for shark
fin soup at their traditional events. Edu-
cation, and campaigns such as the bill-
boards have helped open people’s eyes to
the inhumane slaughter of sharks just
to satisfy the popularity of shark fin
soup, a food which does not even have
an especially attractive look or taste.
This is a picture of one of the very large
billboards that have gone up in Beijing.
foreign embassies, the well-known
Sanlitun bar street, as well as Bei-
jing's growing CBD. The Olympic
Park, built for the 2008 Summer
Olympics, is also in Chaoyang, as is
the Beijing Capital International
Airport.
Exposure to the public is very high in
these areas, and we hope to drive
home the important message on
these immense displays.
On July 16th, 2010, SharkSavers
launched its "Say 'no' to shark fin
soup" campaign in Hong Kong at the
Diving Resort & Travel Expo. Shark-
Savers, a key participant in the
Expo's theme of marine conservation,
encouraged people to stop eating
shark fin soup as a means to protect
sharks and improve ocean health.
According to Michael Skoletsky,
Shark Savers' Executive Di-
rector, "Shark populations are
being destroyed at a devastat-
ing pace throughout the world,
primarily due to high con-
sumption levels of shark fin
soup. We are bringing the
message of the protecting
sharks by not eating the soup
to Hong Kong, one of the epi-
centers for shark fin trade and
consumption."
Sharks are the apex predators of the
seas and have been shown to play an
Hong Kong has long been the center of the
shark fin trade. However, there has been a
growing movement of people rejecting
shark fin soup in this dynamic city. The
Shark Savers campaign provides grass-
roots support to this emerging trend by
empowering people to take a Pledge to not
eat shark fin soup and to carry the mes-
sage to their friends, family, local restau-
rants and businesses and their places of
employment.
Shark Savers encouraged Expo visitors to
sign the Pledge at a table at the Expo en-
trance, their booth and continues to do so
at its web site. More about shark fin soup,
and the Pledge, may be found at
www.sharksavers.org/sharkfinsoup
Going forward, funds collected for the
shark fin soup campaign will be utilized
for other media in addition to bus stop
billboards: television, electronic monitors
showing the Yao Ming message in public
places, online efforts, grassroots cam-
paigning, billboards, and other media as
they become available. It is important that
we sustain the campaign and expand it
over time.
TSSC had decided to continue supporting
this very important conservation effort. To
donate directly to this program, please go
to https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/
index.php?aid=42094
To see a gallery of billboards please go to:
www.sharksavers.org/blogs/636-anti-
shark-fin-soup-billboards-installed-on-
china-streets-see-the-photos.html

A s we have done in prior years, TSSC will once again sponsor

a Thanksgiving Feast and a Holiday Dinner for a couple of
needy families.
Please donate the following:


Cash, or
Gift cards to local stores (chains like Walmart, Kmart,
Kohls, ShopRite, A&P, C-Town, etc.—please avoid high-
Joann Bohannon is coordinating the efforts, and will distribute
end department stores)
the donations to the people who need it most. Why not share
If you are unsure about what to donate, or would like to
some holiday cheer with people who are less fortunate than we
offer something different, please contact Joann at
are? Please bring your donations to the November or December
jab009@verizon.net to discuss your donation item(s).
meetings.

Page 3 November 2010 Sea Swells Log

 By Tom Cascione
I completed my open water training in
the dark and chilly waters of LI Sound
back in the dirty old 1970’s when 2-foot
viz was a good day. Emerging from the
soup of floating debris under the watchful
eye of the famed Buster Crabbe I received
his congratulatory handshake (should
have asked for an autograph too) and
promised myself that there had to be bet-
ter diving out there someplace.
Fortunately the Durland Boy Scout
Scuba volunteer cadre had planned a trip
to the Florida Keys for later that Spring.
My Dad was going and so (temporary
NAUI cert in hand) was I. We had an
interesting assortment of volunteers back
then including Father Jim, a Salesian
priest who learned to dive with Cousteau
before being transferred by his order to
the U.S.A., and Stan Perdue, a tough old
ex-Navy guy with two smoking hot teen-
age daughters he was bringing along (out
of my league but you always need a goal).
It was bound to be a good trip.
We rented one of those classic pontoon
boats they used to have at Pennekamp
that were fantastic dive platforms until
you hit 1-foot seas or somebody’s wake.
Our group headed out to our first desti-
nation, Christ of the Deep. Back then the
statue was only just starting to pick up a
encrustation but it was still a cool dive,
30 feet deep with 40-50 foot visibility and
surrounded by a pretty patch reef. I was
really excited and threw my gear to-
gether quickly. Weight belt and Mae
West on, J-Valve up, test breath from the
By Bob Bak
T hough it was many years ago I
will never forget my FIRST
TIME and the woman who I shared
this experience with. It was a cool sum-
mer morning up in the
Gunks Mountains where my partner
Regina and I planned to do it the first
time. It was early morning. We rendez-
voused at Minnewaska State Park
where we planned to consummate
months of early Sunday morning meet-
ings. I will say that I was a little nerv-
Page 4
Calypso, tighten the straps on the steel
72 and ready to go. I was the first one in
the water.
I was hanging off the line and trying to
get a look below. Back in those pre-BC
days you went in negative and either
hung onto something or sunk. Experi-
encing my first real visibility was an
immediate thrill. I could see the big
bronze Christ figure raising his hands
up below me. Then I saw IT. It’s hard to
imagine the level of general ignorance
regarding marine life in those days. This
was before Jaws, before Blue Water—
White Death, way before the Discovery
Channel. To my knowledge there were
three kinds of sharks. Sand sharks—the
ones folks said you didn’t have to worry
about, which were sometimes hooked by
surf casters and beaten senseless on the
jetty, Whale Sharks—the gentle giants I
read about once in National Geographic,
and then the rest were just Sharks.
Gray toothy monsters that fed on dead
things, surfers and downed airmen. My
NAUI handbook had briefly cautioned
that sharks would generally approach
ous unlike most men I was going to be
judged on my performance by another
woman! We sat in the parking lot sipping
hot coffee when SHE arrived. She had a
look as only could be described as 'Don't
talk to me until I have had a second cup
of black coffee and you best not make any
mistakes.’ Talk about performance anxi-
ety. It was bad enough that I had to pass
a written test on the subject - now I was
going to have someone there critiquing
me. My mind was racing, did I bring eve-
rything? A tarp so we would not get all
muddy? Belts with good buckles that
November 2010
and attack only if there were speared
fish in the water or if the diver made
erratic movements. It failed to advise
what happened if the shark ap-
proached anyway, however it did in-
struct something about giving the
shark a strong blow to the snout.
Only a few feet beneath me, an 8-foot
leviathan was cruising by, no doubt
pleased that his lunch had just been
laid out. It was a deep tan rather than
the Nazi helmet gray I would have
expected but it was clearly a shark. I
doubted my ability to land the pre-
scribed snout blow so I performed a
feat that I have never since dupli-
cated. I propelled myself up out of the
water to my knees and yelled SHARK!
This had an effect upon the seasoned
divers still on the boat; however to my
surprise they just jumped in all the
faster. A couple of them swam over to
calm me down. This was the first time
in my life I had ever heard the words
“Nurse” and “Shark” used in the same
sentence. Unfortunately my acrobatics
had so shocked the creature that it
fled the reef precluding a closer ex-
amination. For a new diver though it
was all exciting and there was plenty
of other fish and coral to see. The rest
of the dive was pleasant if uneventful
however that day gave me a lifelong
fascination with sharks.
Tom Cascione
would not come loose during our
main descent? Did I size my body
protection correctly? After all I only
tried it on briefly in the store. I had
put it on behind the rack fearing
that someone may walk in at any
time and see me. I hope she ap-
proved. The only color they had it in
was black. Did I bring the, well you
know, that cylindrical thing and that
restraint device you put it in?
The teacher woman then spoke. "Get
your toys together and we are going
Continued Page 5
Sea Swells Log
 had her hand on and put it in my replied "I didn't feel a thing I was so
mouth. We had been instructed previ- numb". I knew what she meant. It was
ously that when you are in the water a day of a lot of firsts for me. I was
down the trail to the water." As I walked
sometimes you may need help and that grateful that she did not say “I am
down the path I could hear voices. When
it was perfectly normal for your part- never doing that again with you."
we reached the shore I could see many
ner to help and guide you. After all you
other people there. My g__, where am I?
should not do it alone. Especially in a This was not the end. We repeated the
What have I gotten myself into? Were
cave, where, if you were to stir it up in same procedure three more times over
we going to have a crowd watching
a frenzy, you might go, so to speak the two days. Each time there was a
us? Well the look on my face must have
blind and possibly die. I did not want to slight variation. On the last two times
said it all. Miss C came over and said,
die doing it. You should always have a we drove to Rhode Island because the
"Relax and set up over there. Most of
buddy when doing it. I went down with park in the Gunks was getting a little
these people have done it hundreds of
Regina. I started to get a little light crowded and Miss C thought we needed
times before and are not Interested In
headed. Things started to close in. A a change of scenery. The difference was
the newbie. They already have multiple
little voice in the back of my head said, that I found it to be a little more inter-
partners that they are interested in doing
‘don't task overload and concentrate on esting and everything seemed clearer.
it with. I can tell this from personal ex-
just one thing...’ I tried to wet my lips, At times it seemed as if I were floating
perience. I quit counting after a thousand
calm my breathing and continued on air. Things got easier and became
times.” A thousand times! I hoped
down. It was all coming back to me. more natural. Regina thought the
to make it through this one time.
There I was. I had hit bottom. I know same. The one comment she made was
this because Miss C said it would have that it tasted a little saltier today. I
I glanced around. No one was looking.
a soft and jello-like consistency. Then guess that made sense since we were in
They were all to busy stripping down and
in a panic I said to myself "Bob get out the ocean. At the end of the day we
putting on their protection. After all, they
of this or you may never come up." So I stood in front of Miss C where she pre-
were going to do it in the water where
wiggled out of the "MUD" and rose up. sented us with a blue card, a type of
there were little water bugs. I have heard
My vision started to clear only to see license so we could do it again and with
about the little Amazonian fish and won-
Miss C with her hands out and up as if different people. No longer was she
dered if these bugs were similar. So I
to say "what are you doing?" She in- going to stand over us and grade us. It
quickly put on my black protection, too.
structed me to kneel down before her was more than a learner’s permit. Well,
No way was I going in there with out it. I
while she held onto that harness sys- that day changed my life and these
then grabbed the cylinder but must have
tem on me and made me take it off. I days I try to do it as many times as
twisted it wrong because at that very
closed my eyes. Then she a hand on my possible. I don’t have people standing
moment it started chattering… EVERY-
head and I put it back on. Then she over me now knocking off points for
ONE JUST LOOKED AT ME. I could see
made Regina and I kneel facing each poor performance. Unfortunately I can
it in their eyes, just shouting at me,
other. While holding each others not do it every day but I guess that's
“Newbie!” Talk about embarrassing. I
hands Miss C gave the signal and Re- what keeps it fresh and exciting. I will
tried to just hurry and get into the water
gina put my watchamacallit in her never forget that FIRST TIME. After
and melt away but things only got worse.
mouth. I reciprocated and put her all, even a bad time doing that is better
I stumbled over my two big feet. My g__,
thingamajig in my mouth. We kept than my best day at work. I hope that I
I never noticed how big they were before,
doing this rhythmically until we were will be able to do it with some of you in
and yellow, too.
told to stop. Miss C then shook our the near future. But it will never be
Regina and I made it into the water. Miss hands. We then proceeded to get out of like that FIRST TIME!
C gave the signal and Regina put the the water. We stripped off our protec-
Your Buddy,
watchamacallit in her mouth. I recipro- tion and sat on the tarp. I asked Re-
cated and put the watchamacallit she gina "Was it what you expected?" She
Rum Bob
The two stories you just read are the last submissions to our FIRST DIVE
STORY TELLING CONTEST 2010! Thank you to all of you who virtually
(and literally) put pen to paper!
Now it is up to you to decide who will receive the 2010 SeaSwells Award. Please review the following entries and select your
favorite. Prizes will be awarded for the story with the most votes, followed by second and third place!

May/June 2010: Nick Lappano www.thescubasportsclub.org/seaswells/SeaSwells_2010-05-06.pdf

July 2010: Jack & Denise Kurz, Bernie Schmidt
August 2010: Fred Gambino, Dennis Orlowski
September 2010: Corey Joyner, Judy Simek
October 2010: Vreni Roduner
November: Tom Cascione, Bob Bak
www.thescubasportsclub.org/seaswells/SeaSwells_2010-07.pdf
www.thescubasportsclub.org/seaswells/SeaSwells_2010-08.pdf
www.thescubasportsclub.org/seaswells/SeaSwells_2010-09.pdf
www.thescubasportsclub.org/seaswells/SeaSwells_2010-10.pdf
www.thescubasportsclub.org/seaswells/SeaSwells_2010-11.pdf

Please look for an email with a link to a voting site, where you can make your selection—or if you are computer-less,
please snail-mail your choice to me by November 24th to Ruth Emblin, 20 Tinker Hl, Putnam Valley NY 10579.

Page 5 November 2010 Sea Swells Log

 Club Dive Schedule
All dates and programs are subject to change without prior notice. For more details and updates, either contact
Jack Kurz or the dive coordinator shown, or refer to our website at www.thescubasportsclub.org.

Date/Time: Location Description Contact/Organization

Nov. 27 to Dec 4 Exumas, Bahamas Aquacat Liveaboard Jim & Joann Sacci

LOCAL DIVE SHOPS - AT YOUR SERVICE

The listing of local dive shops is provided to you as a reference and public service.
For each shop’s specialty, dive training and trip programs, please call or visit their website.

Aqua Visions Scuba Captain Mike’s

118 West Boston Post Road Diving School
Mamaroneck, NY 10543 530 City Island Ave
Tel. 914-381-1884 City Island, NY 10464
www.aquavisions.biz Tel. 718-885-1588
www.captainmikesdiving.com

Ski and Scuba Connection Abyss Scuba

26 Saint Roch Ave 222 E Main Street
Greenwich, CT 06830 Mt. Kisco, NY 10549
Tel. 203-629-4766 914-244-3483
www.skiandscubaconnection.com www.abyss-scuba.net

Marsh Scuba Supply

93 Lauer Rd.
2037 Central Park Ave 2672 Gerritsen Ave Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
Yonkers, NY 10710 Brooklyn, NY 11229 Tel. 845-452-8994
Tel. 914-779-2966 Tel. 718-769-0099 www.marshscuba.com
and www.scubany.com

Pan Aqua Diving (2 locations): Captain Saam’s Scuba Cougar Sports

460 W 43rd St., New York, NY 10036 School 917 Saw Mill River Rd.
Tel. 212-736-3483 863 E Main St., Ste B Ardsley, NY 10502
and Stamford, CT 06902 Tel. 914-693-8877
461 Federal Rd., Brookfield, CT 06804 Tel. 203-32 SCUBA
Tel. 203-775-3573 www.capt-saam.com Durland Scuba Committee
www.panaqua.com & School
Venture Crew #53
Rex Dive Center The Dive Shop 35 East Grassy Sprain Rd. Ste 204
144 Water Street 439 Federal Rd. Yonkers NY 10710
Norwalk, CT 06854 Brookfield, CT 06804 Tel 914-961-1263
Tel. 203-853-4148 Tel. 203-740-9166 http://www.durlandscuba.org
www.rexdive.com www.TheDiveShoponline.com

Page 6 November 2010 Sea Swells Log

 Who’s Who at TSSC November Program
in 2010 Directors Meeting:
Tue. Nov. 2nd, 2010 at 7.00 pm
General Meeting:
President: Jim Sacci Wed. Nov. 10th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Director At Large: Michael Noel
Victor’s Restaurant, Hawthorne
Vice President: Nick Lappano Membership: Denise Kurz
Program Notes:
Newsletter: Ruth Emblin
Treasurer: Cindy Fisher Dr. JenFu Cheng
Webmaster: Jim Sacci on diving with disabilities
Secretary: Joann Bohannon Program: Allan Rios www.stayfocused.org, jenfucheng.com
Social: Judy Simek

Executive Director: Bill Noel

Legal Advisor: Robert Schrager
December Program
Founder: Armand Zigahn
Dive Planning: Jack Kurz
Education/Safety: Bob Bak Co-Founder: Soliman Shenouda Directors Meeting:
Enviro/Legislative: Peter Peale List Maintenance: Anne Judge Wed, Dec. 1st, 2010 on the Aquacat
General Meeting:
Wed. Dec. 8th, 2010, at 6.00 pm
35th Anniversary Victor’s Restaurant, Hawthorne
Program Notes:
Scholarships TSSC Holiday Party &

Beneath The Sea 2011 Dennis Chamberland—Atlantica Expedi-

tions Leader, www.UnderseaColony.com

Sea of Tomorrow Scholarship environment. The award may be Note:

Programs may change without prior notice. See
$1,000 used for education, project re- www.thescubasportsclub.org for updates.
To be awarded to an individual six- search and equipment (up to $750

S
teen years or older to participate in of the award for equipment.) OCIAL &
a recognized or accredited program
in the fields of marine environmental New for 2011! EVENTS
conservation, biology, ecology, re- Discovery Scholarship 2010
search, or training in a diving related $1,500
program necessary for participation The Board of Trustees of Beneath Date Description
in these field of endeavor. Applica- the Sea has endowed this Discov-
tion deadline: February 13, 2011 ery Scholarship to encourage Dec. 8th TSSC Holiday Party
young adults, searching for a life & General Meeting
New in 2011! focus, to consider a marine ca- Victor’s Restaurant
Marine Careers Scholarship reer. This scholarship may be ap- 6.00 pm
$1000 plied to any recognized program
To be awarded to an individual six- in the field of marine study or
teen to twenty two years old to par- its many support services
ticipate in a recognized scuba diving
training program. The $1000 award For details on the various scholar-
may be used for “learn to dive” or ships and application forms,
advanced diving training. Up to $500 please go to the Beneath The Sea We will have our annual holiday party on
of the award may be used for dive 2011 website at December 8th at Victor’s Restaurant.
equipment purchase. Application www.beneaththesea.org We will have a few contests to make
deadline: February 13, 2011 things a bit more interesting!
Beneath The Sea will be held from
New in 2011! March 25th to 27th, 2011, at the Come dressed up to win a prize for
Parsons The New School For Design Meadowlands Expo Center in Se-  The Wildest Holiday Costume
– Photography Scholarship  The Best Dive-Related Holiday
caucus, New Jersey.
Costume
$1500
 The Best Santa Outfit!
To be awarded to a Parsons’ student See you in March
to demonstrate photography as a me- 2011! A prize will also be awarded for the
dium for expressing an understanding Most Creative Holiday Dessert (that’s
of science, art and the ocean and the actual food to be EATEN, not WORN!!!).

Page 7 November 2010 Sea Swells Log


Sea Swells Log, 20 Tinker Hl, Putnam Valley NY 10579
EDITOR’S NOTE:
T he year is almost over, and the
Board of Directors is looking for
“new blood”. Many of the current directors
have served for a long time and are hop-
ing to take a little break. Of course, they
will always be at hand to offer advice
when needed. It would be great if a few
members stepped up to the plate and took
over some of the open positions. Our cur-
rent president, Jim Sacci, will be discuss-
ing the open positions at the November
membership meeting. Not only is becom-
ing a board member an exciting chal-
lenge, it is also very gratifying, as new
friendships are formed or existing rela-
tionships deepened, while we work to-
gether on moving TSSC another notch
forward. Contrary to popular opinion
serving on the board is not some type of
forced servitude; all of us work to the best
of our abilities and available time. It can
also be a lot of fun to be involved in the
creative process driving an association
like ours. Come join us and see what you
can do for our club as a new member of
the board!
Ruth
Editor
October Program Notes:
JenFu Cheng
J enFu Cheng is an East Coast-based pho-
tographer who travels the World with
the goal of capturing in photographs the
essence of his passions. He learned the
technical aspects of photography through a
voracious appetite for books
and magazines on the sub-
ject. However, being an
avid climber, hiker and
SCUBA diver, his inspira-
tion has come from a close
connection with his subject
matter and those individu-
als who share in these pas-
sions. Over the past decade, JenFu has
created a collection of photographs from his
various pilgrimages under the sur-
face. They are the products of the synergis-
tic combination of JenFu’s passion for
This newsletter is a publication of The Scuba Sports Club of Westchester, NY—Issue 11/2010
Page 8
Official
Dive Club
Vacuums Made From Ocean Debris
H ere is a cool concept: collect plastic
debris from the Pacific, Atlantic and
Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean Sea,
addition was collected on beaches in western
Sweden. The garbage consists largely of
rinse aid and detergent bottles, cans, plastic
and the Baltic and North Seas, and turn buckets, and all kinds of plastic packaging.
them into vacuums. That is what Elec- Since it has not been bleached by the sun or
trolux Group, a Swedish manufacturer of touched by saltwater, the material is still
cleaning and cooking appliances,
recently decided to do. The project
called "Vac from the Sea" was
initiated in spring of 2010 to raise
awareness about plastic garbage
floating in the oceans and help to
clean up the environment.
Each of the five unique vacuum
cleaners presents the ocean or sea
from which the plastic originates.
All models are fully functional and have very colorful. Most plastic collected for the
been built using the same core structure Mediterranean Edition comes from an area
as a current production model, Electrolux west of the French town of St Cyr-sur-Mer
says. However, the quality and the logis- and contains PET-bottles, food containers,
tics needed for cleaning and sorting ocean beverage cans and beach toys. Garbage col-
plastic makes it difficult to use in mass lected from coral reefs and beaches in Thai-
production. land makes up the Indian Ocean Edition.
"Our oceans are filled with plastic waste," Divers had to cut the nets and plastic bags
says Hans Stråberg, President and CEO from coral reefs in the area. The vacuum
of Electrolux. "Yet on land, there is a also contains chunks of Styrofoam and
shortage of recycled plastic for making household garbage that drifted in the water.
sustainable appliances."
Drifting plastic grain that has been
bleached by the sun and corroded by salt
water makes up the Pacific Edition vac-
To read the article in its entirety, go to
h t t p : / / w w w . g l o b a l -
adve ntures .us /2010/10/27/
uum cleaner. Plastic for the North Sea electrolux-vacuum-ocean-debris/
disabilities through these activi-
ties. He founded Peak Potential,
Inc., an entirely volunteer-run, non-
profit organization that provides
free, adaptive rock climbing pro-
grams for children with disabili-
SCUBA diving and photography. These ties. JenFu also volunteers as Medi-
include images of creatures cal Advisor, Divemaster, and photog-
both tiny and grand, captured rapher for
in diverse locations such as the Stay-Focused,
Maldives, Galapagos Islands, Inc., a non-
Cocos Island, Raja Ampat, profit organi-
Cayman Islands, Turks & Cai- zation that
cos, Bonaire, Curacao, Socorro provides
Island, Saba and Cozumel. adaptive
SCUBA div-
JenFu Cheng is also a physi- ing programs
cian practicing in New Jersey for teenagers
and an assistant professor at the Uni- with mobility challenges. Being in-
versity of Medicine and Dentistry of volved with Stay-Focused, Inc. has
New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School cultivated a strong interest in hyper-
who specializes in Pediatric Rehabilita- baric medicine and a com-
tion Medicine. He has a passion for out- mitment to improving the
door adventure sports and is dedicated safety of diving for indi-
to improving the lives of children with viduals with disabilities.
Material may not be reprinted without explicit permission by TSSC.
November 2010 Sea Swells Log