lunarscope · the 14th annual bill jones cozumel vacation these trips have been named the most...
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Lunarscope January 2015 1
Next Meeting: January 14
Lunarfins, a non-profit club that promotes the sport of scuba
diving.
Our speaker will be Dave Garden, owner of Diver’s Paradise. He will be discussing the skills taught in advanced training courses. Dave learned to Scuba dive at Divers Paradise and quickly worked his way up through Divemaster. Because of his love for diving he went on to become an Instructor. His passion for diving led him to invest in the store in 2013 when there was an owner-ship change. He achieved Elite PADI Instructor status in 2013.
General Meeting Information
Where: Clear Lake Park; 5001 NASA Road 1, on the South
(lake) side of NASA Road One.
When: Second Wednesday of each month at 7 PM except in
December. Come early for a social time at 6:30 PM. Join us
afterward at Mario’s in Seabrook for food, drink and camara-
derie.
JANUARY 2015 Lunarscope
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Events Calendar .................... 2
Club Officers .......................... 2
Pending Trips and Events .... 3
2014 Christmas Party……….4
Club Sponsored Trip……….5
Pending Dive Shop Trips ..... 6
Continuing Education .......... 7
Recent Surface Interval ......... 8
SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST
Safety Recall
Lunarfin of the Year
Invasive Orange Cup Coral
TGCC Scholarships
Lunarfins
P.O.Box 57514
Webster TX 77598-7514
Lunarfins Board Meetings are held the last Tuesday each month at 6:30 PM.
Arrive at 6 to order your supper.
Tony’s BBQ 17052 Saturn Ln If you have an issue to bring before the board,
contact any board member to get on the agenda.
Lunarscope January 2015 2
Elected Officers:
President Randy Widaman [email protected]
Vice President Mike Peters [email protected]
Secretary Karen Bush [email protected]
Treasurer John Gorman [email protected]
Social Director Barbara Corbin [email protected]
Equipment Mike Smith [email protected]
Appointed:
Training Information Bill Jones [email protected]
Trip Information Open
TGCC Representative Tom Burns [email protected]
Advisors Fred Toole & George Clark
Newsletter Polly Swerdlin [email protected]
& Website Editor 281-814-4606
Events Calendar
(Tentative plans)
Jan 31 TGCC Awards Banquet
Feb Moody Gardens Tour
Mar Breakfast
Apr JSC Health & Safety Day
May Blue Lagoon
Jun Little Cayman Trip
Jul Pot Luck Picnic
Aug
Sep Beach Party
Oct
Nov Happy Hour
Dec Christmas Party Membership Directory Update!
It’s been a couple years since our
membership directory was updat-
ed and so we are working on an
update to come out in March 2015!
If you want to be included in the di-
rectory and want a copy there are a
couple actions you need to do!!
1) Be a current member as of
March 2015 (RENEW NOW!)
2) Select the information to show
in the directory on your re-
newal form. (Only members
who chose to be shown in the
directory will get a copy of the
directory.)
Membership Application
This link will download the file to
your computer.
Please note the following safety recall for this brand of BCD…
http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2015/Aqua-Lung-Expands-
Recall-of-Buoyancy-Compensators/
Available at meetings:
Lunarfin embroidered logo shirts $15. two small (gold,
light blue), one men's medium (aqua blue).
Stickers for sale ($1 ea).
See Barbara at any Lunarfin event or email: [email protected]
Lunarscope January 2015 3
Pending Trips and Events
July or August, 2015
The 14th Annual Bill Jones Cozumel Vacation
These trips have been named the most popular “all inclusive” scuba diving vacation package in Houston. Watch for more information, the trip may be in July this year. We have had more than 385 travelers enjoy the fantastic value of this vacation.
Visit http://home.comcast.net/~bill.jones.scubaguy/ for the latest.
Tickets are on sale SOON.
Tickets will sell-out weeks before the travel date.
TGCC Awards Banquet
January 31 we will be
privileged to present our
Nerdy Plaque to Barbara
Corbin for all she has
done for the club in the
past as well as last year.
Please come join the
crowd in showing our ap-
preciation.
Tickets will be on sale at
our January 14 meeting
or you can go to the
TGCC web site to pur-
chase via PayPal. They
are still the low price of
$15 for salad, entrée and
a dessert plus tea or lem-
onade.
James McCoy
The Lunarfins lost a long
time member when Jim
McCoy passed away in No-
vember.
Jim went from Cal Tech to
the fledgling Manned Space-
craft Center, as JSC was
known, in 1963. He worked
on his PhD in Astrophysics
at Rice while also working at
NASA. In his 43 years at
JSC, he worked on virtually
every project: Gemini; Apol-
lo, the Shuttle program; and
Space Station. Jim was a
private pilot and a flight
instructor. He was an avid
scuba diver for over 50
years, participating in many
Lunarfin trips and club
meetings. He was a skier
and a racecar enthusiast. He
traveled extensively and had
been to every continent
more than once. He lived his
life fully and well.
Our 2014 Lunarfin of the Year—Barbara Corbin
May 31 - June 7, 2015
The 2nd Annual Lunarfins Club Trip
Little Cayman Beach Resort—See page 4 for details
Last year we went to Cayman Brac for the “sister” resort of this year’s choice.
It was a grand time had by all who went. The savings generated if we have
12 divers will be spread evenly. You are responsible for booking your own
airfare, but prices and flights will be researched and published.
Lunarscope January 2015 4
CHRISTMAS PARTY
The 2014 Christmas party was hosted by Jay and Karen Bush at their home on Tiki Island. The exceptional event was attended by enthusiastic members and their guests. This party was the grand finale of events for the Lunarfins 2014 season and what a way to close out the year! The mild weather allowed us to enjoy their deck over-looking boat docks and canals. Everyone enjoyed quite a feast from appetizers, the meal, and on to dessert. We consumed turkey, ham and the many side dishes and deserts that members brought.
The white elephant gift exchange was the highlight of the party and it occupied a good part of the even-ing, Gifts moved from the original recipient to the "conquering" recipient several times. The variety of gifts made the evening a lot of fun.
We all want to thank our gracious hosts Jay, Karen, Elijah, and Jacob for giving us an opportunity to enjoy the evening and their beautiful home.
LUNARFIN DIVER OF THE YEAR
With such a large number of attendees at the Christmas party, we had a good vot-er turnout for the selection of the Lunarfins’ Diver of the Year - awarded to Barba-ra Corbin. Her continuous contributions and hard work are evident in the club’s progress. Barbara served two terms as the club’s president and this year as social director. She organized and coordinated details for the clubs trip to Cayman Brac in 2014 and is planning our 2015 trip to Little Cayman. She truly deserves to re-ceive this recognition from club members.
We hope you join us at the TGCC Awards Banquet Saturday January 31, to give our thanks for her many contributions to the club.
Fred Toole
Lunarscope January 2015 5
Little Cayman Beach Resort
May 31-June 7, 2015
$1879pp, plus air
(non-diver package also available)
Little Cayman Beach Resort is the only deluxe full service resort on Little Cayman. Workout at the fully equipped fitness center, or pamper yourself with a massage or facial at the health and beauty center. Play a game of tennis on the night lit tennis courts, or try your hand at horseshoes, tetherball, basketball or beach volleyball. There is snorkel equipment as well as sailboats, kayaks and paddleboats. Take a vigorous swim in the freshwater swimming pool, relax in the heated jacuzzi, walk or play on the 500 feet of stunning white sand beach, or just relax in a hammock or soak up the warm sunshine in one of the poolside lounge chairs. Little Cayman Beach Resort has been rated as the number one
resort destination in the Caribbean for wall diving, number two for favorite reef diving, and within the top five for advanced diving, sea life and underwater photography. Little Cayman offers over 100 species of coral and more than 500 species of fish just offshore. The on-site Reef Divers has everything needed for the avid diver, including a fleet of modern customized dive boats, professional guides and dive instructors, plus a complete inventory of dive gear. The Beach Nuts Bar offers cool drinks which can be enjoyed at the bar or pool side. And as the sun begins to set, you'll enjoy a wide variety of gourmet specialties, delicious fresh seafood and sumptuous island favorites in the air conditioned Bird of Paradise Restaurant. The menu is changed daily, so you'll never tire of the chef's creations. $50 deposit per person is required by January 25, with final payment due on March 20. Discount of $156pp to above price for every 11 booked. We recommend all divers have DAN or Dive Assure membership and Travelers insurance.
Contact Barbara Corbin or Polly Swerdlin (email on website & newsletter) for more information.
Clearly Cayman Package 7 nights accommodations 17 boat dives Breakfast, lunch & dinner daily Airport ground transfers Hotel tax & service charges 3 COMPLIMENTARY DRINKS DAILY* Welcome Rum Punch Managers Cocktail Reception *Drink package includes beer, house wine or well drinks, bottled water, soda & juices*
Resort Web Page
Lunarscope January 2015 6
LOCAL TRIPS
Flower Gardens
Texas Coral Reefs
Texas Dive Center www.txdivecenter.com
281-741-9949
Shoving off on the
Easy Diver
Sport Divers www.sportdivers.com
281-338-1611
Our trips are generally
30 miles offshore, alt-
hough longer trips or
three tank dives can
be arranged.
Freeport to the Rigs
Weekends that weath-
er allows $250 pp - $15 addi-
tional for tanks Rig diving day trips by
Captain Beard Char-
ters www.captainbeardcharters.com 832-603-1698
Trips Offered By Dive Shops etc
OceanicVentures
Selected Escorted Adventures: Raja Ampat , Indonesia 21 Jan -7 Feb 2015
[email protected] for more information or to pur-
chase tickets!
REEF Trips There is always this web page to check out for Dive Vacations That Count: www.reef.org/trips
Island Dreams April 8-21 Galleon Resort, Puerto Galera, Philippines July 5-12 Galapagos with Secret Sea Visions www.divetrip.com
Gigglin Marlin February 2015 (exact dates TBD) Tech diving in Cozumel ...
www.gigglinmarlin.com
Maximum Scuba Feb 21 – Mar 1 Bonaire http://maximum-scuba.com
INTERNATIONAL
Lunarscope January 2015 7
Advice from a Dolphin
Have a playful spirit Find someone you really click with
Sound out new ideas
Glide through the day with ease Find your life’s porpoise
Be curious Jump for joy!
I N V A S I V E C U P C O R A L
Orange Cup Coral (Tubastraea coccinea) is a hard coral species from the Indo-Pacific that has estab-
lished itself throughout the Tropical Western Atlan-tic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Although it is a
hard coral, it is classified as ahermatypic, meaning that it is not considered a reef-building coral. Or-
ange cup coral also lacks any symbiotic algae and is, therefore, not dependent on photosynthesis for
food production. In fact, it actually prefers shaded vertical areas such as dock pilings, small caves,
and walls beneath overhanging ledges.
The Invasion
Orange cup coral was first observed in Puerto Rico
and Curacao in 1943. Since 1948 several speci-mens have been found attached to ship hulls, lead-
ing scientists to speculate that this is most likely how it arrived from the Indo-Pacific in the first
place. Ship ballast water is another suspect. From Puerto Rico and Curacao, orange cup coral spread
via typical current patterns in the Caribbean, grad-ually migrating to the southeast along the coast of
Brazil and northwest into the Gulf of Mexico. In the
Gulf, it seems to have found ideal habitat in the form of oil and gas production platforms, where it
is the dominant coral species. Hundreds of thou-sands of colonies may exist on a single platform.
With over 3500 of platforms in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico at any time, and about 100 within
25 miles of the sanctuary, it's easy to see how or-ange cup coral arrived at the Flower Garden Banks.
Read more at http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/education/invasivecupcoral.html
Continuing Education
Photo: Joyce and Frank Burek
Lunarscope January 2015 8
The Lunarfins Scuba
Club was organized in
1963 by a small group of
divers who worked at the
Manned Spacecraft Cen-
ter, as Johnson Space
Center (JSC) was known
back then. The club grew
primarily through the
sponsorship of SCUBA
training classes, local di-
ve trips and social activi-
ties. Since that time,
membership has broad-
ened to include anyone
interested in diving. The
majority of our members
are in some way affiliated
with NASA but this is not
a requirement for mem-
bership and we have
members from all across
the board.
Recent Surface Interval
Lunarfins
P.O.Box 57514
Webster TX 77598-7514
281-814-4606
Happy Hour at Tommy’s
November 20
These and more can be seen at the Photo Gallery on www.lunarfins.com
TGCC has just announced their 2015 Awards:
TGCC 2015 Scholarship Awards
Club members, children and grandchildren of members are eligible