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February 2025 Newsletter

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Vol. 53 No. 02

How to become an Underwater Photographing, World Traveling Fool 101 (In person speaker)


***In Person Speaker*** Please join Lureen at the WXYZ bar at the Aloft Hotel at 6:00 p.m.

Do you dream of traveling the world and capturing the most breathtaking
marine life? From vibrant reef-scapes and majestic pelagics to the tiniest, most adorable sea critters, join me on an exhilarating photographic journey. Together, we'll explore the depths of the ocean, uncover hidden gems, and share tips and tricks to help you plan your next aquatic adventure for a fun, productive, and less stressful trip. Please plan to join the club at the February Meeting on Feb 6th.

Lureen Ferretti is a passionate nature photographer and photojournalist, specializing in underwater imagery, who draws her inspiration from the serene beauty of nature and the delightfully humorous behaviors exhibited by animals.


As an ocean enthusiast, she wields her camera as a powerful tool to capture and share the unique personalities and behaviors of marine life, reveals both the delicate beauty and the vulnerability of our environment, and simultaneously document its tragic destruction caused by unwitting or indifferent human actions.

Her mission is to raise awareness, educate, and motivate people worldwide
to take action in safeguarding this precious ecosystem — a lifeline for
countless creatures including humankind.

              

             

Overseas Diving Update

Upcoming trips 2025:

See details for all trips on: https://usadiveclub.org/Overseas

  • Little Cayman Beach Resort - May 31 - June 7 - The most urgent part is booking your own airfare - to make sure you get an acceptable schedule. Then reach out to Roger or me to confirm your spot
  • Philippines - Aggressor (I) - July 12-22 - We are 11 divers so far. We have added a land based extension the week before - Salaya - details and signup form is posted on the Overseas web page - 2 pool side rooms still available
  • NOTE - Our ability to hold on to unsold spots for Aggressor  have expired - Please call me at your earliest convenience if interested - most likely we can still add rooms/bunks back 
  • Roatan Aggressor - Sept 6-13, 2025. We are 12 divers. At this time the airfare remains reasonable priced. The boat might have a few rooms left - please request ASAP if interested
  • NOTE - Our ability to hold on to unsold spots for Aggressor  have expired - Please call me at your earliest convenience if interested - most likely we can still add rooms/bunks back 
    Nils Jacobsen
    VP Overseas Diving


      Presidents Waves

      Happy February, I hope everybody has transitioned into 2025 successfully. Your Board of Directors met and appointed the members not elected in December. The following is your Board of Directors for 2025:

      • President (Chris Hardham)                                           Elected
      • VP of Programs (Rick Dayan)                                        Elected
      • VP of Overseas Diving (Nils Jacobsen)                      Elected
      • VP of Local Diving (Ryan Goheen)                              Elected
      • VP of Social Events (Lureen Ferretti)                         Elected
      • Secretary (Amy Wellman)                                             Elected
      • Treasurer (Ronnie Farr)                                                  Elected
      • Hospitality (Clare Anthon)                                            Appointed
      • Membership (Julie Manhold)                                      Appointed
        Photo Gallery Coordinator (Julie Manhold)            Appointed
      • Photographer (Laura Moran)                                       Appointed
        Social Media Coordinator (Laura Moran)                Appointed
      • Newsletter (Roger Cooper)                                           Appointed
      • Education Coordinator (Howard Ratsch)                 Appointed
      • Historian (Robert Shearer)                                            Appointed

      As always, we would love members that are interested in helping or getting to know the club better to join the Board of Directors.

      Our schedule is filling up with new Local Dives and Social Events, please come out and join your fellow members. We all joined the club for these activities and the friends we have made through the years.

       Happy diving,

      Chris Hardham
      President

      Hospitality Hut


      Greetings From The Hospitality Hut,

      Winter has arrived in full force. Bundle up and stay safe if traveling.

      I will surely miss long time member Carol. Keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers. Carol had a great sense of humor and was fun to be around.  I will always fondly remember our "Haunted Camping Trip" at Highland Hammock State Park.

      There were no guests in attendance at the January general meeting. Hopefully that will change in upcoming months.

      Keep an eye on your email for alerts regarding Social events. Julie always posts Social event images in the Photo Gallery.

      I encourage you to visit our home page www.usadiveclub.org.  Please click on the calendar and keep up to date on all the diving and non-diving scheduled activities. You may also take a look at the photo gallery and take a peek at past events.

      I wish you all Happy Diving.

      Clare Anthon

      Hospitality Coordinator

           

      Educational Blog

      Scuba Q & A: Common Questions Asked By Nondivers


      This article represents the views of the authors. The article has not been fact checked by myself, the Board of Directors or any member of the USA Dive Club.

      Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyrightstatute that might otherwise be infringing.

      Scuba Q & A: Common Questions Asked By Nondivers

      By Linda Lee Walden

      When you tell friends and co-workers that you’ve recently been certified to scuba dive, their immediate reaction is likely to be an incredulous, “Wow. You did? I’m not sure I could do that!”

      This knee-jerk response is often closely followed by a rash of questions indicating intense curiosity mixed with a touch of apprehension and perhaps a fair amount of misinformation. This article answers several of the questions most commonly asked by those who haven’t tried scuba yet. You can consider it a primer for the would-be diver, the friend, co-worker or family member who you think might enjoy our sport. By acting as a scuba steward, you might help turn a nondiver into a new diver — and maybe your dive buddy.

      Is it hard to learn to scuba dive?

      As active recreational pastimes go, scuba diving is one of the easiest to learn. While you’re gliding around enjoying the underwater sights, you’re engaged in only three basic skills: floating, kicking and breathing. Of course, there’s more to it that becoming proficient at using the equipment and developing knowledge of scuba concepts and safety procedures, but if you can breathe through your mouth, chances are you can learn to scuba dive.

      The necessary skills are not tough for most people to master. During scuba certification class, you’re taught the effects of increased water pressure and safe diving practices. You rehearse equipment related skills in a controlled water setting until you feel comfortable, as well as practice what to do if things don’t go as planned.

      The bulky scuba gear worn by many divers may seem intimidating, but learning to use it is straightforward. If you’ve snorkeled, you’re already familiar with the mask, snorkel and fins. The scuba unit consists of an air cylinder containing compressed breathing gas, buoyancy compensator (BC) jacket to help you float on the surface and maintain your desired depth underwater, and a regulator for you to breathe through. The exposure protection keeps you warm when diving in cool-water environments.

      You don’t need to be a strong swimmer or an athlete to scuba dive, but some degree of comfort in the water certainly helps. Even if you enter scuba training with less than total confidence in your water skills, by the time you receive your first certification card, your comfort level will be greatly increased.

      Learning to scuba dive is mostly a matter of attitude. If you are motivated to step through the door into an exciting new world, then the experience will prove both energizing and confidence-building.

      For the balance of this article from Dive Training Magazine use this link.

      Scuba Q & A: Common Questions Asked By Nondivers - Dive Training Magazine | Scuba Diving Skills, Gear, Education

      Membership


      Remembering Carol Schurtz (with updated information)


      It is with deep sorrow that I write to inform you of the passing of long-time USA Dive Club member Carol Schurtz on January 12, 2025, after a long battle with dementia. 

      Carol joined our diving family in 1995.  She had a quick wit and an amazing sense of humor.  As a Divemaster, she took full advantage of our overseas dive program and traveled with her underwater camera to many parts of the world, forming lasting friendships along the way.  Carol also enjoyed diving on local reefs, loved photographing marine life at the Blue Heron Bridge, and participated in local diving events.  She was among the first to sign up for Club parties, always making sure to “dress up” for the occasion. 

      For many years, she served diligently as USA Dive Club’s topside and underwater photographer, and her creative talents truly shone when she put together our Club scrapbooks.  In recognition of her contributions, Carol attained Hall of Fame status in 2010 and became a lifetime member. 

      Below is a link to an album that showcases some of Carol’s memorable moments: 

      **Remembering Carol Schurtz** 

      If you would like to send your condolences to her son, Andrew, please use the following address: 

      Andrew Schurtz

      495 13th Lane SW 

      Vero Beach, FL 32962-6482 

      Carol expressed her wishes many years ago, requesting that her ashes be spread at the Blue Heron Bridge.  The plans for her celebration of life are underway, and details will be provided once they are finalized.

      We wish "Happy Bubbles Forever" to our Photo Mermaid!


      I’m excited to introduce some amazing new members to our USA Dive Club family! 

      Let’s give a big, warm welcome to Sandy and Steve Smith, who were encouraged to join by their diving buddy, Karin.  Karin discovered our club while diving in the Lembeh Strait.  Sandra is an Advanced Open Water diver, and her husband, Steve, holds a Master Scuba Diver certification.   Although Karin is based in Nevada and the Smiths in Oregon, they’re all set to dive together on our upcoming trip to the Philippines in 2025.

      We also have Todd Alger joining us from Boynton Beach, where he’s soaking up the sun from January to April. Todd met some of our members on the Loggerhead dive boat last year and couldn’t resist becoming part of our community. 

      With 2,000 dives under his belt, he’s an Advanced Open Water diver.  His most memorable dive was the Torpedo Ray dive.  Todd is looking forward to ticking off that three-tank lobster dive to the north shore from his to-do list.  If he’s not diving, you can usually find Todd shooting hoops on the basketball court.

      When you see Sandra, Steve, or Todd at our dives, meetings, or social events, be sure to give them a friendly hello and make them feel right at home.  Let’s show them the warmth and camaraderie that our club has to offer.


      Don't forget your loved ones on Valentine's Day, Friday, February 14th.

      Join us at our in-person meetings to connect and socialize with fellow dive enthusiasts and be entertained and educated by our guest speakers.  Feel free to bring along a friend or two—it’s a great way to make new memories together.  You won't regret it.

      As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

      Local Diving

      Overseas Dive Trips

      LOBSTER POT

      USA's Lobster Pot drawings Include CASH prizes, and a variety of PRIZES donated by Sponsors or Club Members.

      Funds from ticket donations help to support our many club activities. Congratulations to all our Lobster Pot participants. Be sure to visit our Local dive shops who support us and say 'Thanks'.


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