May 2015 FCDA Surface Interval. - Fairfield County Diving Association

FAIRFIELD COUNTY DIVING ASSOCIATION
May 2015
Volume 22 Issue 5
Inside this Issue
The Presidents’ Corner
The Presidents’ Corner by
Mike Cassetta
page 1
FCDA Donor I
page 2
April Meeting DAN Raffle
Winners
page 3
FCDA Member Ads
page 3
First warm-blooded Fish
Identified by Michael Winter
page 4
Lionfish Safety: What To Do
If Stung by Divers Alert
Network
page 5
FCDA Donors II
page 5
New FCDA Member
page 6
Rare Spanish Shipwreck
From 17th Century Uncovered Off Panama by Jane J.
Lee
pages 6, 7, 8
First “Thrill of the Grill
Night”
page 8
Next FCDA Meeting
page 9
by Mike Cassetta
Greetings all…. Dive season is
here… Yeah!!!!!!!
This past weekend Mel, Matt,
Lisa & me travelled up to Fort
Weatherill for a season opening
dive & BBQ. Although the weather
was ominous, the dive gods
smiled upon us. As we arrived in
Jamestown, RI the rains stopped
and the parking lot was empty.
We were greeted by excellent visibility and sunny skies. Lots of interesting cold water jellies.
Though the water hovered near
50 degrees, we enjoyed a good
35+ mins dive, and an excellent
meal afterward.
Our April meeting went well
with a good turnout. Capt Noel
shared recent footage of a recent
trip to the Maldives. Our featured
speaker for May is Lisa “Shark
Girl” Jarosik, who will being sharing photos and video clips of a
recent trip aboard the Carib
Dancer to the Bahamas.
In lieu of annual clambake, on
Sat June 6th, Mel Rich has helped
organize “Thrill of The Grill” night.
Festivities planned to start around
7 pm at the cottage. Please respond and bring some things for
grilling or feasting. Rumor has it,
there may be a Karaoke Machine.
If you have not yet returned
your reasonable membership dues
for 2015, they are needed. Additionally, we are in serious need of
a Club Secretary to help organize
the newsletter. No experience
necessary.
We are still looking for speakers for July & November. Additionally, Sept is Members Present and
we are looking for 3 short presentations, so if you have a cool
photo or video clip you would like
to share please let Matt or myself
know.Stay cool, get wet and have
fun…..
Mike
Page 2
FCDA Donor
The business listed on this page has donated
dive gear and dive services to help support the
Fairfield County Diving Association.
New England's Tech Diving Center!
New England Dive Center
476 North Colony Street
Wallingford, CT 06492
203-284-1880
Fax 203-284-1355
Dealer
for
OMS,
UWATEC, Oceanic,
Mares,
Dacor,
C r e s s i - S u b ,
P o s e i d o n ,
Scubapro,
Bare,
O'Neill
and
Henderson.
P.O. Box 3005,
Fairfield, CT 06824
Internet mail: [email protected]
http://www.fcda.us
2015 Board
Presidents
Matt Rownin &
Mike Cassetta
Vice-President Mark Shannon
Secretary
Vacant
Treasurer
Paul J. Gacek
The region's foremost
source for scuba and
technical diving gear,
training
and
everything for the
recreational
or
serious tech diver.
Draeger
Atlantis I
Rebreather
training,
certification
and rental.
New England Dive Center offers complete training for all levels of
diving, from Open Water through the most advanced technical
courses. Our instruction provides certification through SSI, PDIC,
TDI and IANTD.
Visit us on the Web: http://www.nedive.com
Page 3
April Meeting DAN Raffle Winners
After a presentation on "Diving the Maldives", by our own Capt. Noel Voroba, the
club held its regular raffle to support our
DAN Platinum sponsorship. The winners
were: Aquapac Video Housing donated by
New England Dive Center — Amy Lapin,
PADI Hat donated by Ski & Scuba Connection - Doug Reitmeyer; OMS Regulator Bag
donated by Orbit Marine Dive Center Daniel Shannon; Frog Spit donated by New
England Dive Center— Julie Cummings;
PADI Dive Flag donated by Ski & Scuba Connection - Mark Dexter; PADI Dive Brochure
donated by Orbit Marine Dive Center –
Maureen Cassetta; Scuba Goop donated
by New England Dive Center — Matt Miner;
Water Bottle donated by Ski & Scuba Connection - Amy Lapin; Carry Bag donated by
New England Dive Center – Sean Leslie;
#20 Gist Certificate donated by New England
Dive Center - Daniel Shannon and a Flashing Tank Light donated by New England Dive
Center - Charlie Blanchette.
Thanks to New England Dive Center, Orbit
Marine Dive Center and Ski & Scuba Connection for donating tonight’s raffle prizes for our DAN
raffle.
Remember, you can't win if you don't buy tickets
and you can't buy tickets if you don't get up and
come out to FCDA events and meetings!
FCDA Member Ads
Hey - have you got a non retail-diving business that you’d like to share with fellow members of
FCDA? Get your business card size ad in the FCDA monthly newsletter “Surface Interval” for only
$50.00 for one year. Give your business a boost and help support the production of our monthly
newsletters. For more information, write to FCDA, P.O. Box 3005, Fairfield, CT 06824 or email to
[email protected].
Page 4
First warm-blooded fish identified
by Michael Winter
Cold fins, warm heart? Strange but true, scientists
say.
In a discovery that defies conventional biology, a
big fish that lives deep in the Pacific Ocean has been
found to be warm blooded, like humans, other mammals and birds.
Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) determined that unlike
other fish, opah generate heat as they swim and distribute the warmth throughout their entire disc-shaped
bodies by special blood vessels. Special "countercurrent heat exchangers" in their gills minimize heat
loss, allowing the deepwater predators to keep their
bodies several degrees above the water temperature
250 feet down.
"There has never been anything like this seen in a
fish's gills before," said biologist Nick Wegner, the lead
author of the report.
Though some species of fish can temporarily warm
their swim muscles, including tuna and some sharks,
"whole-body endothermy" has distinguished mammals
and birds from fish and reptiles, which draw heat from
their environments.
"The opah appears to produce the majority of its
heat by constantly flapping its pectoral fins, which are
used in continuous swimming," Wegner toldLive Science.
His colleague Heidi Dewar toldThe Washington
Post, "I think that it's really exciting that we spend so
much time studying especially these larger fish to find
something that's completely unique and has never
been seen before in any fish."
Their team's findings are published in the May 15
issue of Science.
Also known as the moonfish, the opah averages
100 pounds, has a diameter of 3 feet and can grow to
up to 6 feet long. While deepwater fish are slow moving because of the cold, the opah's warm-blooded
uniqueness results in faster swimming, better vision
and quicker responses, giving it an edge in the survival sweepstakes.
"Before this discovery I was under the impression
this was a slow-moving fish, like most other fish in
cold environments," said Wegner, of the Southwest
Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, Calif. "But because it can warm its body, it turns out to be a very
active predator that chases down agile prey like squid
Marine biologist Nick Wegner with an opah, the first
fish found to be warm blooded.
and can migrate long distances."
Opahs, which don't swim in schools, are regularly
caught either by longline fishermen from California
to Hawaii to New Zealand seeking tuna or unintentionally in commercial driftnets.
An old fish tale held that opah brought good luck,
NOAA says, so fishermen would give the colorful
catch away rather than sell it. But times and marketing have changed, and food fetishists are increasing
demanding it for its "rich, tasty meat."
Two years ago, recreational anglers in Southern
California caught a 125-pound opah during a rockfish outing. The "mystery fish" put up a 45-minute
fight, leading the captain to think it was a shark,
GrindTV reported.
Reprinted from USA Today May 15, 2015
Page 5
FCDA Donor
Lionfish Safety:
What To Do If
Stung by Divers
The business listed on this page has donated
dive gear and dive services to help support the
Fairfield County Diving Association.
Alert Network
Lionfish are typically nocturnal
and docile creatures. They allow
curious divers to approach closely,
enhancing their risk for injury from
accidental contact or handling of
marine life. These ornate, elite
predators are an invasive species
that have become a common sight
for many divers as they spread
down the North Atlantic, and into
the Caribbean and northern part of
South America’s Atlantic shore.
Lionfish use venom as a protective mechanism. When divers
come in direct contact with their
spines or fins, venom is injected
into the skin through needlelike
bristles located along the dorsal,
pelvic and anal fins. Envenomations are rare and often not lifethreatening, but benefit from rapid
first aid response and professional
medical evaluations.
These puncture wounds can
cause pain which may last for several hours. They also may result in
rapid edema (swelling caused by
fluid retention) and subcutaneous
bleeding. Swelling typically clears
in two-to-three days, while the tissue discolorations can last up to
five days. In some cases, swelling
can become so severe that blood
flow is compromised leading to
ischemia (inadequate blood flow to
a part or organ) and tissue necrosis (tissue death). This is particularly true for fingertips, where
swelling could significantly compromise the flow of blood. A secon-
dary complication may result in
the wounds becoming infected.
First aid is essential in preventing infections; clean the
wound, control the pain and apply topical antibiotics using these
easy-to-follow steps:
Wash the area thoroughly with
soap and fresh water.
Remove any foreign material.
Control bleeding, if necessary.
Control the pain: Immerse the
affected area in the hottest water
tolerable without causing injury
(the upper limit is 113°F / 45°C)
for 30 to 90 minutes. Repeat as
needed. Test the water on the
same area as the injury to ensure
it is not too hot; intense pain
may impair one’s ability to discriminate between hot and scalding.
Ice/cold packs can also be used
to provide relief and reduce swelling
Apply topical antibiotic ointment
or cream.
Apply bandaging as needed.
If necessary, administer paincontrol medications.
Seek a professional medical
evaluation as medical management
may include sedatives, tetanus
vaccination and antibiotics. Advanced life support may be required in rare instances.
In the event of an emergency,
call 911 (or the local equivalent)
and the DAN Emergency Hotline at
+1-919-684-9111.
Reprinted
badiving.com.
from
Scu-
Page 6
Rare Spanish Shipwreck From 17th Century
Uncovered Off Panama by Jane J. Lee
Archaeologists searching for
real-life pirates of the Caribbean
stumbled on a mysterious shipwreck in 2011. Now after years of
historical detective work, they
know what they discovered.
In 1681, the Spanish merchant
ship Encarnación sank during a
storm near the mouth of the Chagres River on the Caribbean side of
Panama. Built in Veracruz, Mexico,
the cargo vessel was part of the
Tierra Firme fleet, the economic
lifeline of 17th-century Spain.
Though it sank in less than 40
feet of water, the Encarnación
somehow escaped major looting
and is surprisingly well-preserved,
with the bottom half of its hull intact thanks to burial in the seafloor. (Learn about a cursed warship that's also been stunningly
well preserved.)
The Encarnación gives a rare
glimpse of a major shift in world
history during the colonial era,
says Filipe Castro, a nautical archaeologist at Texas A&M University. "It is the rise of capitalism,
New FCDA
Member
Welcome aboard to the
following individual who has
recently become a new member
of the Fairfield County Diving
Association:
Douglas Reirmeyer
11 Sarah Dr
Oxford, CT 06478
H: (203) 881-3081
W: (203) 650-4067
[email protected]
A diver inspects wooden crates on a 17th-century Spanish shipwreck
discovered off Panama.
imperialism, rationalism, and the
middle classes that are going to
buy art and consume literature."
At the time, gold and silver
mines in Mexico and Peru fed the
ambitions and coffers of Spain's
royal family. To transport the
wealth of the New World to
Europe, Spanish colonists built
fleets of merchant vessels that
were escorted by armed galleons
and warships, explains Fritz
Hanselmann, an underwater archaeologist at Texas State University.
After delivering their treasures
to Spain, the fleets would turn
around and, laden with European
goods, hopscotch throughout the
Spanish colonies selling their
cargo.
Spain's two main fleets, the
Tierra Firme and the New Spain,
serviced Central and South America and Mexico, respectively.
"These ships were the backbone
of the Spanish colonies," says
Hanselmann, who is part of the
team studying the Encarnación.
Oceanic Lifeblood
The Encarnación is one of about
16 Spanish shipwrecks discovered
in the Americas, says Jennifer
McKinnon, a maritime archaeologist at East Carolina University who
is not involved in the study. But
nearly all the wrecks found to date
have been heavily looted. Ocean
bacteria and shipworms that feed
on exposed wood usually consume
what looters miss.
“Thus we know very, very little
about 17th-century Spanish shipwrecks," McKinnon says.
To find a wreck with much of its
cargo still onboard, as well as part
of its hull intact, can provide a
wealth of new knowledge. "Ships
that were built hundreds of years
ago didn't come with blueprints,"
Hanselmann says. Studying the
(Continued on page 7)
Page 7
Rare Spanish Shipwreck From 17th Century
Uncovered Off Panama by Jane J. Lee (continued)
(Continued from page 6)
Encarnación’s hull has already
helped reveal how these vessels
were constructed.
An initial examination revealed
the use of a material called granel,
a kind of permanent ballast, says
Chris Horrell, a maritime archaeologist working with Hanselmann.
It's "basically a cement consisting
of sand, lime, and pebbles," he
explains, that shipbuilders used to
coat a ship's hull with a thin veneer.
Researchers think granel stabilized ships and was also used as a
construction material for buildings
throughout the New World. Horrell
is not yet sure whether granel was
a New World invention or an Old
World import, but finding out is
part of his research agenda.
An Accidental Find
Hanselmann and colleagues didn't set out to find the Encarnación.
They were looking instead for
ships belonging to the notorious
English privateer and pirate Captain Henry Morgan, a legendary
figure who at the height of his
power commanded a fleet of 36
ships and more than a thousand
men.
In 1670, 11 years before the
Encarnación went down, Morgan
was on his way to sack Panama
City when a storm sank five of his
ships at the mouth of the Chagres
River. Hanselmann and his team
were searching for those ships
when they found a surprise.
Sensors that detect magnetic
anomalies alerted the researchers
to the presence of metal objects
about 0.6 miles (a kilometer) from
the mouth of the river. Divers sent
(Continued on page 8)
A photo mosaic shows the hull of the Encarnación, lying in 32 feet of
water off Panama's coast.
Page 8
Rare Spanish Shipwreck From 17th Century
Uncovered Off Panama by Jane J. Lee (continued)
(Continued from page 7)
to investigate discovered a shipwreck loaded with cargo—an indication that it probably wasn't one
of Morgan's ships. "If he's en route
to sack a city, his holds aren't going to be full," says Hanselmann.
Further investigation revealed a
merchant ship instead. "These
ships were the ones the privateers
were always after," says Hanselmann.
The Encarnación didn’t carry
flashy cargo like gold coins or silver cups, says Horrell. But its
workaday materials were valuable—both to pirates and now to
archaeologists.
Reprinted from The National
Geographic May 12, 2015
Lead seals recovered from the Encarnación. These seals were usually used
to secure bolts of fabric for transport.
First “Thrill of the Grill Night”
Saturday, June 6, 2015 - 7:00 PM
US Coast Guard Auxiliary Cottage - South Benson Marina, Fairfield, CT
A departure from our annual FCDA
Clambake - the lobsters will enjoy a
temporary stay of execution! All
things grilled by YOU! Put on your
creative grill hat, don your apron and
share your favorite grilled masterpiece! What to grill, you ask? An appetizer, main course or dessert to
which we can turn the heat on and
sent to flavor town.
Mel Rich is going to make Pork and
Hot Pepper Kabobs and a grilled fruit
dessert (peaches likely) with a drizzle
of a balsamic reduction.
For a coordinated effort please
email what you would like to contribute to out first Thrill of the Grill
Night! Email: Mel Rich at [email protected].
Page 9
Next FCDA Meeting
Friday, May 29, 2015 - 8:00 PM
Coast Guard Cottage, South Benson Marina, Fairfield, CT
Pre-Meeting Barbeque - 7:00 PM - BYOM*
(* Bring your own Meat)
"Diving the Bahamas aboard the Carib Dancer
a presentation by
Lisa Jarosik
Our own Lisa Jarosik will
be sharing her experiences from a recent diving trip to the Bahamas
aboard the Carib Dancer.
“Thrill of the Grill Night”
Saturday, June 6, 2015 - 7:00 PM
US Coast Guard Auxiliary Cottage - South Benson Marina, Fairfield, CT