AQUA DIVERS
AQUARIUS DIVE CLUB NEWSLETTER
AUGUST 2010
NEWS FROM THE AUGUST MEETING:
The first thing we discussed was the Little Grass Valley reservoir dive on June 17 & 18. Everyone had a good weekend; some enjoyed the diving and others enjoyed kicking back and resting in the campground. There was some discussion about going next year and camping at Little Beaver instead of Red Feather because it is closer to the water. That was deceiving information where we camped, because on the website it did say we were close to the water and had to pay extra for that purpose. Leroy had problems with his boat up there. And when he got it home he investigated more closely and found out it to be carburetor problems. At least we got out of the heat and we all had a good time!!
We still have 6 spots open on the Channel Island trip if any one has been thinking about going. Right now it looks like we have the whole boat to ourselves, but that might change down the road.
We have the Fiji trip full. So, 12 of us are off to beautiful diving and great adventures as of October 21.
We will bring back lots of photos.
NEW BUSINESS:
Since Steven is laid up with his Achilles Heel injury we had to discuss what we wanted to do about the Donner Crawdad dive weekend and the Navigation Poker Run weekend. A couple of people said hold off on doing it this year and do it next year and just go up that weekend and have fun dives. A couple of people said they didn’t know yet if they could make it up there at all. Steven won’t be able to stand and do the cooking so that was a problem. And he won’t be able to drive the boat so that was another point of discussion. When all those things were laid out on the table, Steven said if we don’t do it this year we won’t be doing it again. It is a lot of work for Joyce to accumulate everything that is needed up there. Then Steven & Joyce load everything on the trailer to haul it up there. Then we unload it all into the campsite. And the dinner and breakfast is a big event. Belonging to any club means that the members should help out. This club isn’t any different. And if we didn’t get club members help to do it this year, then that shows us that there isn’t enough interest from the club members to hold this event again.
So, out of that discussion came the following. Keith volunteered to drive the boat so people can boat dive instead of shore dive. If you would rather go in off the shore there is great access from the little day use camp that we are located at. There are picnic tables there and the restroom facilities are real close by.
Joyce will accumulate everything into a pile that needs to go up there. Keith volunteered to come down at 6:00pm on Thursday the 19th to help load up all the camping items onto our trailer. So, if there is anyone else that didn’t make it to the meeting that can help Keith and Joyce load the trailer we would appreciate it.
Steven can drive the trailer and pull the boat behind it, that is not a problem.
Carl and Frank said they were not available to help load because of work, but would be happy to unload at the campsite.
Frank and Keith volunteered to help Joyce do the cooking because there are heavy pots to handle and a lot of food to prepare.
Steven said he would leave at noon on Friday the 20th to drive up there.
DONNER LAKE CRAWDAD DIVE
AUGUST 21 & 22, 2010
Camping will be done at Goose Meadows which is located on Highway 89 between Truckee and Tahoe City. It is a dry campground, no electricity, no running water – the water is good to drink, but is at the top of the campground; not that far to walk, but is not in each individual site. There are outhouse facilities which are nice and clean. It is a permanent out house structure. Call the National Recreation Reservation Service Number: 888-448-1474 or go on line at RECREATION.GOV or RESERVEAMERICA.com and make your reservation. The cost is around $34.00 plus $9.00 reservation fee for two nights.
Aqua Divers will be residing in campsite #19, you will be able to see the big red flatbed trailer at the end of the South loop. We will be bringing the boat for diving, not everyone can fit at one time so there will be shore diving which is very easy to do.
This is an Aqua Divers Club Aquarius event; and the following is supplied by Aqua Divers. For the crawdad feed on Saturday evening we will bring corn on the cob, potatoes, carrots, celery, bell peppers, onions, zucchini and garlic and Cajun spices for the crawdad boil. We will bring all of the large cooking pots, the burners and all cooking utensils. We supply the plates and silverware, napkins.
Everyone participates in catching the crawdads for dinner.
Please help in the preparation of the evening meal when we get back to camp and we can all eat that much sooner. I would appreciate it if you don’t disappear in your campsite until it is time to eat. There will be vegetables to wash and cut, crawdads to be separated for size, and the table to prepare. And after dinner there will be dishes to wash and dry to get them ready for breakfast in the morning.
We will be boiling up some of the vegetables without spices for those people not wishing to eat the Cajun cooking for Saturday night dinner.
For breakfast on Sunday morning, Aqua Divers will bring 5 dozen eggs, sausage and 10 pounds of cheese, and fry up the left over potatoes and vegetables into an egg scramble. We will have two separate batches of breakfast. One with and one without crawdads. And for those that don’t want the spice we will fry up a batch of vegetables and eggs without the spice.
If you do not care for crawdads, bring your own meat and a barbeque for dinner on Saturday night. We will not supply the barbeque up there. In that way you can enjoy the corn, potatoes, vegetable and side dishes with us.
If you are a paid Aquarius Dive Club member (dues were due in June) the crawdad meal and breakfast does not cost you anything. If you are not a paid member each meal costs $5.00 per person.
THINGS FOR YOU TO BRING:
Bring all your own camping gear and dive gear that you will be using for the weekend. Be sure to tell Joyce how many tanks you want to rent, there will not be any air fills available at Donner.
You will need a canvas bag to gather the crawdads in. They are fast and elusive and mesh bags do not work well. We will have 5 gallon buckets there to transfer them into and weed out the smallest and throw them back. So, go for the big guys.
Ca. state law says that you will need a fishing license to catch these crawdads.
You need to have a dive flag with you or with whoever you are diving with. Steven can make the dive flag system up for you to buy. It is ready to go just attach it to your tank.
I have a sign up sheet at the shop for anyone going to the crawdad weekend to bring an appetizer, salad, bread, or dessert to fill in for the dinner or breakfast. It will be your responsibility to get that item there. If you can’t get it there, then find someone else to do it or contact Joyce at the very least so we know what to expect. So give your selection some thought on what you will be bringing for the dinner or breakfast. On Saturday evening we will put all of the crawdads, potatoes, corn, carrots, celery, bell peppers, onions, zucchini garlic and spices together in a crawdad boil. Along with the side dishes, we will all enjoy an “all you can eat smorgasbord dinner.”
Whatever you want to drink and/or eat with dinner and for the rest of the weekend please be sure to bring it along.
Please bring any other food you will need for the rest of the weekend such as breakfast for Saturday morning and lunch for Saturday and Sunday, snacks and beverages.
If you are staying in a motel, please make the appropriate reservations now to ensure yourself of getting a room.
If you are bringing big dogs up with you, please abide by the campground rules of keeping the dogs on a 6’ maximum leash. Please don’t let your dogs run in and around the food preparation area. It creates dust around the food tables and when we are preparing the meals we are on a dead run and they get in the way. I’m sorry but that is the way it is! It is a very busy time putting the dinner and breakfast together so please have consideration for everyone else around you.
POKER RUN:
We talked about the compass navigation poker run that is set for September 11. Keith said he would go out and dive with Joyce and set the navigation points. That will be held at Sand Harbor. There was nothing else to volunteer for, because there is not any camping or cooking involved. Some people only go up for Saturday. Others dive on Sunday and it was brought up that we should maybe check out Carnelian Bay to dive on Sunday. It will be all shore diving, our boat is not allowed on Tahoe because it is not a 4 stroke.
Instead of a presentation; after the meeting about 5 of us went over to Gauche Park to watch the underwater hockey. Gil was the only one that participated. It was two hours of fun to watch them in 13.5 ft of water chase the hockey puck around. It is all breath hold diving, so if you are interested in trying it out they extend a welcome to you on every second Wednesday to come dive and play with them under water.
NEXT MEETING:
DATE: SEPTEMBER 8, 2010
TIME: 6:00-7:00pm – potluck diner
7:00-7:30pm- business meeting
7:30-8:00pm – monthly presentation
WHERE: Aqua Divers pool – 1530 Bridge Street
Bring your own meat to put on the barbeque and a side dish for the potluck.