FAIRFIELD COUNTY DIVING ASSOCIATION. February 2012 Volume 19 Issue 2

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1 FAIRFIELD COUNTY DIVING ASSOCIATION February 2012 Volume 19 Issue 2 Inside this Issue The Presidents Corner page 1 Boston Sea Rovers 2012 page 1 FCDA Donors I page 2 January Meeting Raffle Winners page 3 Events of Interest to FCDA Members page 3 FCDA Member Ads page 3 Diving Medicine Conference at Danbury Hospital pages 4,5 FCDA Donors II page 4 FCDA Donors III page 5 Wrecks to Riches: Hunting Sunken Treasures from Cape Cod to the Costa Concordia by Eamon Murphy page 6 A Holistic Approach to Coral Reef Health page 7 Next FCDA Meeting page 8 The Presidents Corner by Matt Rownin Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow wait a minute it really hasn t. After a record setting winter last year where at this time we were literally buried in snow, aside from one, short lived significant snowfall the 2011/2012 winter has been relatively uneventful. I can still get my mail; I can still see my lawn, my gravel driveway is not spread out all over my street from the plow and it s been relatively mild. There even have been a couple of days in the 50 s not too shabby so far. Let s just hope Mother Nature keeps being nice to us for a few more weeks and we may be in the clear. We kicked off our year with a great presentation from our own Mike Cassetta with video by our resident expert Mel Rich Jr. on the diving opportunities at the Norwalk Aquarium. A truly great experience that I can recommend as a must do for anyone interested in sharks, behind the scenes at an aquarium or just looking for any excuse to get wet or dry if that is your preference. We also had our annual Officer elections and in a shocking turn of events we have pretty much the same officers. Who would ve thought that would happen. Charlie Blanchette graciously nominated himself for Secretary in the event that no one else stepped up. Well guess what happened..charlie is now our new Secretary in a landslide victory that was not even close and does not require a re-count. Welcome Charlie and we look forward to many, many, many Surface Intervals published by you. That s all for me folks. See you at the February meeting where Captain Bill Palmer will be doing a video presentation Wrecks and Reefs of the Florida Keys. Check out the website for more details. Safe Diving Matt Boston Sea Rovers 2012 The Boston Sea Rovers are proud to announce that we ll be hosting our full weekend 2012 Clinic at the CoCo Key Hotel & Water Resort in Danvers MA, on March 9th 11th. For directions and information on the new v e n u e, v i s i t h t t p : / / On Saturday the Exhibit Hall opens at 8:45am; the Daytime Program runs from 9:00am to 5:00pm. The Saturday Evening Film Festival runs from 8:00pm to 10:30pm On Sunday the Exhibit Hall opens at 9:15am; the Daytime Program runs from 9:30am to 4:30pm Our new location, located less than 20 miles from downtown Boston, features fantastic amenities for exhibitors, attendees, and your family members. Here are just a few highlights in store throughout the weekend: Over 40 Saturday and Sunday Daytime Seminars, featuring slide and video shows from around the underwater world! World renowned Saturday Evening Film Festival, featuring the best filmmakers and explorers in the business! Danvers boasts easy access from all points, including Boston via major highways such as RT 95, RT 128 and RT 1

2 Page 2 FCDA Donors 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 Fax 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 ' N e i l l a n d Henderson. P.O. Box 3005, Fairfield, CT Internet mail: fcda@aol.com Presidents 2012 Board Matt Rownin & Mike Cassetta Vice-President Mark Shannon Secretary Treasurer Charles Blanchette Paul J. Gacek The region's foremost source for scuba and technical diving gear, t r a i n i n g a n d everything for the r e c r e a t i o n a l o r 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:

3 Page 3 January Meeting Raffle Winners After an excellent presentation on Diving Opportunities at The Norwalk Aquarium by our own Mike Cassetta the club held its regular raffle to support our DAN Platinum sponsorship. The winners were: Sports Bag Deodorizer Glasses donated by New England Dive Center - Nick Riciardelli; Do Not Bend Tee Shirt donated by New England Dive Center- - Jason Giannaras; Henderson Dive Gloves donated by New England Dive Center - Dennis Habza, 2 Air fills donated by Rex Dive Center - Nick Ricciardelli, 2 Nitrox Fills donated by Rex Dive Center - Nick Ricciardelli and an OMS Dive Mask donated by Orbit Marine Dive Center - Dennis Habza. Thanks to New England Dive Center, Orbit Marine Dive Center and Rex Dive Center 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! Events of Interest to FCDA Members Saturday, February 25, 2012 The Boston Scuba Show, Marlboro Holiday Inn, Marlboro, MA - 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM. For more information and tickets go to March 9-11, 2012 Boston Sea Rovers Show 2012, CoCo Key Hotel & Water Resort in Danvers MA. For more information and tickets go to March 23-25, Beneath the Sea Meadowlands Exposition Center, Secaucus, New Jersey. For more information and go to April 14, Diving Medicine Conference - Creasy Auditorium, Danbury Hospital, 24 Hospital Avenue, Danbury, CT - 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Morning program: Diving Emergencies, Situational Awareness, Bounce Diving, When to Retire the Diver - $30.00 includes lunch. Afternoon Program: DAN Oxygen First Aid for SCUBA Diving Injuries and On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers - $65.00 PER COURSE OR BOTH FOR $ For more information and reservations: Call or gina.lacey@wcthn.org 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 or to fcda@aol.com.

4 Page 4 Diving Medicine Conference at Danbury Hospital FCDA Donors The business listed on this page has donated dive gear and dive services to help support the Fairfield County Diving Association. Saturday, April 14, :00 AM to 6:00 PM - Danbury, CT The Diving Medicine Conference is made up of two sessions. The morning program will offer insight and education in key topics in Diving Medicine led by experts in the field of diving medicine. The afternoon session will offer certification courses in both advance oxygen and neuro assessment by Divers Alert Network. Faculty Nicholas Bird, MD Chief Medical Officer Divers Alert Network Richard Sadler, MD Diving Medical Physician Davenport, Iowa Matthew Partrick, MD Institute of Diving Medicine Manahawkin, New Jersey David Charash, DO Medical Director Wound Care Hyperbaric Medicine Danbury Hospital Conference Program Morning Program Participants will be eligible for 3 CME/CEU credits Diving Emergencies given by Dr. Bird Situational Awareness and the Psychology of Diving given by Dr. Sadler Bounce Diving given by Dr. Partrick When to Retire the Diver given by Dr. Charash Afternoon Program Pre-requisites for the afternoon program: Students must have a current/up-to-date, full CPR certification (Continued on page 5)

5 Page 5 Diving Medicine Conference at Danbury Hospital (continued) FCDA Donors The business listed on this page has donated dive gear and dive services to help support the Fairfield County Diving Association. (Continued from page 4) and must complete the online precourse modules prior to attending the course Divers Alert Network will offer two certification courses: Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries - Online Module Neurological Assessment for Divers - Online Module When completing the online module, you will be asked to enter a trainer on the login page, please enter oxygen@dan.org Students who participate in the afternoon program will have the option to earn both certifications Target Audience Recreational and technical divers Public Safety Divers Medical Providers (Physicians, NP s, PA s, EMT s, RN s, Paramedics) Cost/Fee Morning Session: $30 includes lunch Afternoon Session: Certification Courses are $65 per course or $100 for dual certification. Registration Deadlines Morning Session: Registration must be received by April 10th. Afternoon Session: Registration must be received by April 1st. Contact Information For questions or to register, please contact Gina Lacey at (203) Location Danbury Hospital John C. Creasy Auditorium 24 Hospital Ave Danbury, CT Rex Dive Center Offers Technical Diving Classes Interested in taking your training to the next level? TDI Instructor George Sharrard (# 10270) is offering: Intro to Tech Advanced Nitrox Decompression Procedures Stop by Rex Dive Center to talk about schedules, class requirements and gear. Or, georges00z@aol.com for more information.

6 Page 6 Wrecks to Riches: Hunting Sunken Treasures from Cape Cod to the Costa Concordia by Eamon Murphy Off the coast of Massachusetts, and in the Mediterranean waters surrounding the Tuscan island of Giglio, treasure hunters are seeking sunken loot. Greg Brooks of Gorham, Maine - - a founder of shipwreck recovery firm Sub Sea Research -- says he has located the underwater remains of a British merchant ship that was sunk off Cape Cod by a German submarine during World War II. According to Brooks, the wreck contains a cargo of platinum bars now worth more than $3 billion. In Italy, meanwhile, the stricken cruise liner Costa Concordia beckons to would-be scavengers. The ship holds everything from jewels and cash to "19th-century Bohemian crystal glassware" and "300- year-old woodblock prints by a Japanese master," according to the Associated Press. For now, the hoard of riches left behind by the hastily evacuated passengers and crew remains inaccessible. Robert F. Marx, a seasoned diver and the author of 64 books on maritime history and underwater archaeology, told the AP, "As long as there are bodies in there, it's considered off base to everybody because it's a grave." Once all the bodies have been removed, however, "there will be a mad dash for the valuables." Hans Reinhardt, a lawyer representing 19 German passengers seeking compensation for their losses, seems to agree: "It's now a paradise for divers." According to the AP, "some of [Reinhardt's] clients traveled with diamond-studded jewels and other heirlooms that had been in their families for generations." The Italian company that operated the Costa Concordia still owns the ship, and passengers of course own their sunken possessions. Anyone seeking treasure in the wreck would therefore be breaking the law. "The ship is being guarded 24 hours a day," said Lt. Massimo Maccheroni, a Coast Guard official. "It's not possible to even get close." But the prospect of arrest -- and the seizure of any valuables retrieved -- might not be enough to deter treasure hunters, who tend to be a determined bunch. "Bright-eyed divers will want to make a fortune," said Robert Marx, and given that everything retrieved from the vessel will fetch an attractive price -- already, items tied to the Costa Concordia are up for sale on ebay -- the incentive is large. What's more, certain divers are guaranteed to have a disregard for the law: According the Marx, the Mafia has special teams whose job it is to trawl for sunken treasure. A Lost Hoard from World War II Brooks certainly evinces the iron will of the determined treasure hunter. "I'm going to get it," he said of the wreck, which sits in 700 feet of water, 50 miles offshore, "one way or another, even if I have to lift the ship out of the water." Brooks has been patient, waiting four years to announce his discovery, until he had negotiated salvage rights. He and his crew identified the wreck as the remains of the S.S. Port Nicholson after capturing the hull number with an underwater camera. When it went down in 1942, the ship was ferrying 71 tons of platinum, worth about $53 million at the time, to New York. The cargo was payment from Soviet Union to the United States for war supplies. Brooks says gold bullion and diamonds were also on board. He hopes to use a remotecontrolled submarine to bring up the cargo, beginning later this month or in early March. Robert Marx has expressed skepticism about Brooks' plans, noting that two companies (one British and one American) have previously sought the contents of the Port Nicholson, meaning there might not be much left to salvage. For its part, Great Britain is taking a wait-and-see approach. A lawyer retained by the British government in the case, Timothy Shusta of Tampa, Fla., has said England won't decide whether to file a claim until salvage operations are under way. Brooks remains confident, citing a Treasury Department ledger that says the precious metal was indeed on board, as well as footage from his underwater camera showing a platinum bar surrounded by boxes which he believes contain still more platinum. He'll have to modify his underwater craft before it can retrieve the metal: He thinks attaching lines to the boxes and hoisting them with a winch will do the trick Much less optimistic are Hans Reinhardt's clients, who have resigned themselves to receiving a cash settlement in lieu of their actual valuables. "They would prefer to get their original stuff," said Reinhard. "But they don't have hope." Reprinted from

7 A Holistic Approach to Coral Reef Health Page 7 Maintaining the good health of coral reefs is best done in a holistic manner, taking not just the physical health into consideration, but the environmental factors as well. A case in point: Following a major bleaching incident, corals on various reefs in Honduras and Belize recovered and grew normally within two to three years when the surrounding waters were healthy. However, at locations were there was excessive adverse impact (like pollution), the corals did not recover fully, even after eight years. You can imagine that when you are recovering from a sickness, it will take a lot longer if you don t eat well or get enough rest, said Jessica Carilli, a graduate student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Similarly, a coral organism that must be constantly trying to clean itself from excess sediment particles will have a more difficult time recovering after a stressful condition like bleaching. Disease and overfishing also affected coral health. In places where there is overfishing, the population of bigger fishes like groupers are either significantly reduced or have vanished. In the absence of these predatory fishes, other fish species thrive. One such species is the butterfly fish, which feed on coral and appear to be responsible for disease transmission amongst the corals. In a study, scientists compared seven Marine Protected Areas [MPAs] where fishing had been banned for at least five years, and another seven neighboring sites with similar diversity. They discovered that the corals at the latter sites suffered more diseases; in some cases, the difference was twice as many. In addition, many butterfly fish were found at the sites where fishing was allowed, leading to a higher incidence of coral disease. Similar patterns were found at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Of course, other factors do come into the picture. Pollutants like sewerage and fertilizer are bad news for corals, as are the abnormally high water temperatures during the occurrence of El Nino. Nevertheless, preserving the diversity of the reef appears to boost their ability to cope with certain rising temperatures. The general trend is that where you find more functional diversity, you find fewer butterfly fish, reiterated Laurie Raymundo, a researcher at the University of Guam. Of course, to ensure that predatory fishes are present to keep down the number of butterfly fish, the scientists are not advocating that fishing be banned. Rather, it is about maintaining a balance. One of the things that came out of this is that if you have a well-managed MPA, it works to keep coral healthier. [...] So as long you keep certain species there and can control fishing don t catch in certain seasons or don t catch fish under a certain size, whatever is appropriate you might not have to ban it completely. Reprinted from

8 Page 8 Next FCDA Meeting Friday February 24, :00 PM Coast Guard Cottage, South Benson Marina, Fairfield, CT Wrecks And Reefs Of The Florida Keys a video presentation by Captain William "Bill" Palmer Visit the wrecks and reefs of the Florida Keys with Captain Bill Palmer - a licensed Coast Guard Captain with over three decades of practical experience in New England waters. He has over twenty eight years of experience diving wrecks along the eastern seaboard. As well as being a dive instructor specializing in advanced wreck diving, he is an avid historian and underwater videographer. He produces numerous videos on wrecks, wreck diving, and fishing. Some of his credits include C.P.T.V., Discovery Channel, A&E, and Times Mirror. He is well known for his lectures and presentations around the east coast. He is an associate member of the Boston Sea Rovers and a member of the American Society of Oceanographers. Fairfield County Diving Association P.O. Box 3005 Fairfield, CT Address Service Requested