Good friends with great fellowship.  Incredible and abundant food – including four different abalone dishes on Saturday evenings potluck.   Sunshine including some sunburns.  Fun times.  Decent ocean conditions.  29 abalone taken for the weekend.  Life does not get much better!!!  That summarizes the abalone campout at Ocean Cove Campground on August 26-28, 2011.  Vis was low, so we canceled the dive at Gerstle Cove Preserve.  Club members and non-members came for one night, both nights or just for the day on Saturday.  Everyone was welcome, and everyone is looking forward to the next trip!  A big thank you to Ken and Teresa L. for the incredible job they did to organize this trip and to provide the boat for Saturday’s diving adventures.

Saturday morning abalone dive adventure.

Cleaning Station – Jon, Keith & Sonya.

Kent, Jon, Bruce, Sonya and Pamela.

Game time.  Ty (yellow lab), Ryan, Colleen, Stacey, Jennifer and Jim.

Abalone pounding.  Stacey, Ken, Kent and Bruce.

Sonya preparing the abalone for her world famous abalone cakes.

The line begins for abalone cakes……everyone is in awe of the preparation….

Preparing crab and ribs.  Colleen, Ryan, Jennifer, Jim and Stacey.

Saturday evening potluck – including 4 different recipes of abalone, ribs, crab and then rum cake for dessert.

Saturday night potluck.

Saturday night potluck.  Good friends.  Great food.  An incredible time together.

Test dive a “Whites Diving” dry suit at San Carlos Beach, Monterey, March 19 & 20, 2011, 9am – 4pm.  Pre-register for $10.00 or $15.00 on the day of the event.  Price includes lunch and a “Whites Diving” tee shirt.  For more information:  Whites Diving.

Upcoming Events  (as of September 2010)

September 25, 2010  Lake Berryessa Clean Up Divers and land support needed to help clean up the environment.  There will be a BBQ following the cleanup and prize drawings!  For additional information, contact: jackie@napavalleydivers.com Location: Pope Creek Bridge at 8:00am

October 11, 2010   Monthly Napa Valley Divers Club Meeting (second Monday of each month) Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, 645 1st Street, Napa (east of Soscol), Phone: (707) 254-9700  Dinner (Dutch treat) will begin at 6:00pm.  The meeting will begin at 7:00pm  Tentative speaker:  Todd from the Napa County Sheriff Dive Team

October 14, 2010  Dive with Great White Sharks Great White Shark Adventures  http://www.greatwhiteadventures.com Napa Valley Divers price: First eight divers receive $200.00 off the regular price of $775.00, when you say the magic words (found at the more detailed event listing on http://napavalleydivers.com).  Non-divers can participate for $375.00.  For additional information, contact: jackie@napavalleydivers.com

October 17, 2010  (1:30 – 7:00)   Napa Valley Divers Club BBQ & Swim Come join us at Keith and Pamela’s.  Pool opens at 1:30 and BBQ at 3:30.  Please bring your drink and a side dish to share.  Napa Valley Divers will provide the meat.  For additional information, location and to RSVP, contact: keith@napavalleydivers.com, pamela@napavalleydivers.com or any club Board member.  Cost:  Free for members, $3.00 per person for non-club members.

November 8, 2010   Monthly Napa Valley Divers Club Meeting (second Monday of each month)  Tentative speaker:  Chris from “All about Scuba” in Fairfield, CA.

No Monthly General Membership Meeting in December

December 10, 2010 (6:30 -  9:30)  Napa Valley Divers Holiday Party Napa Valley Divers annual Holiday Party will be held at: Wineries of Napa Valley, 1285 Napa Town Center Napa, CA 94559.  For additional information, to RSVP, contact: pamela@napavalleydivers.com or any club Board member.  Details: TBD

January 10, 2011  Monthly Napa Valley Divers Club Meeting (second Monday of each month)

January 22, 2011  Napa Valley Divers Bowling Night Time and Details: TBD

March 12, 2011   Napa Valley Divers Movie Night Time and Details: TBD

April 2, 2011   Pool Refresher Session (Just in time for the Dive Season!) Come join us for the annual tune up at the Napa Valley College swimming pool.  Take the time to practices your skills or do all those little tasks that you don’t do in the ocean, like trim out your weights for perfect buoyancy.  For additional information, contact: jackie@napavalleydivers.com Time and Details: TBD

May 2011  Reno, Casino, Amtrak Trip Plans in the making!

June 4 – 5, 2011  Abalone and Camping Trip Salt Point State Park in the Woodside Campground.  Come camping or come up for the day on Saturday to hang out in the campground.  Reservations at www.ReserveAmerica.com, you need to reserve your camping sight early!  For additional information, contact: keith@napavalleydivers.com

July 30, 2011  (11:00 – 3:00)  Napa Valley Divers Club Monterey Picnic San Carlos Beach (the Breakwater) in Monterey for the Napa Valley Divers annual picnic.  The club will provide food, sodas and waters!  Come for the day, enjoy the picnic, and enjoy the fellowship!  Arrange your own diving, dive buddies and overnight accommodations if you so wish.  For additional information, contact: becky@napavalleydivers.com or any club Board member.  Price: TBD

August 27, 2011  Dive Gerstle Cove Preserve at Salt Point State Park Day trip (unless you reserved a camp site at Salt Point or a nearby campground or lodge).  Come for the day; enjoy the diving, picnic and fellowship!  For additional information, contact: becky@napavalleydivers.com or any club Board member.

October 15 – 16, 2011  San Diego, Catalina, or Channel Islands Plans in the making.  For additional information, contact: becky@napavalleydivers.com or any Board Member.

September 2 – 5  Labor Day Weekend  Lake Tahoe Campout and Diving Plans in the making.  For additional information, contact any Board Member.

Listen for updates on member plans to dive the Philippines and Palau in 2011!!

2010 Sonoma County Abalone Network Big Ab Competition & Cook Off
Saturday August 21, 2010   7:00 am to 3:30pm   Ocean Cove, CA.

This event is open to free divers only.  Current California Department of Fishing Game laws apply.  Donation Fee’s are $30 if pre-registered, $40 day of event.  To receive a free shirt you must pre-register.  The pre-registration will end on 7-14-10, after that you will have to purchase your shirt at the event.  All divers are required to fill out and turn in a waiver form, show current CA. fishing license and current 2010 abalone tags at sign in.  All divers are required to register with at least one dive buddy.  The check in and measuring for the abalone for the event will be held at the Ocean Cove Campground 23125 Coast Highway One.  Diving can be done anywhere along the California Coast, all divers must return to “Check Out” area by 2:00 pm, no exceptions.  Free diving Divisions Awards (plaques) will consist of:  1st, 2nd, 3rd for biggest Abalone, Top Female Biggest Abalone, Top Junior Biggest Abalone, Most Beach Garbage Picked Up, Abalone cook off.

Etiquette and safety:
The Ocean Cove Big Ab competition promotes safe buddy diving and friendly competition.  All divers should be in contact with their dive buddy/ies while in the water.  Eligibility: paid entry fee, signed waiver form, 2010 California Ocean Fishing License and Abalone punch card and tags.  Disqualifications: Any California Department of Fishing Game Violations, arriving at the check in area after 2:00 pm sharp.

For more info: call 707-478-1504. 
***THIS EVENT IS WEATHER PERMITTING, WHICH WILL BE DETRMINED ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT.
***ALL EVENT PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO S.C.A.N (Sonoma County Abalone Network)
To register go to: http://2010norcalunderwaterhuntersbigabcomp.eventbrite.com/

Here are the list of all the other sponsors:  20fathoms, Sac Free Dive Shop, Bamboo Reef - Rohnert Park and Marin, Ikelite, Neptonic Systems, Herranen Spearguns, Applied Automotive, Hammer Head Dive Gear and Spearguns, Speargear Shop, Abalone Ten Divers/Erick Anderson, Jbl Spearguns, John Banks Dive Board, BB Pro Dive, Aeris Free Dive Company dive watch, Gualala Sport and Tackle, Gat Ku Pole Spears, NUVAIR Shark Sheild $200 off, Amadeo Bachar art print, Sonoma County Abalone Network one year free membership, Lozano’s Freediving Instruction Level II Free Diving class in Monterey, Cramerdecker Industries, D.A.N Divers Alert Network, Out Of Focus Productions, Rich Vanduesen Ab bar, Petaluma Sport And Dive, Allen Chitty, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Palapas Ventana Dive Resort in Baja, CA, Precision Dive Products.

Upcoming Events

July 25, 2010   (3:00 – 5:00)   Pool SCUBA Refresher Class and Certification          Napa Valley College swimming pool with Roger Haseltine as your instructor.  Take the time to do all those little tasks that you don’t do in the ocean, like trim out your weights for perfect buoyancy.  Cost:  $35.00 per person, which includes tanks, equipment, and weights if you need them.  For additional information, contact:  jackie@napavalleydivers.com   Commitment needed:  We need a minimum of 4 commitments from club members and guests by July 15th to secure this event.

July 25, 2010   (5:00 – 9:00)   Napa Valley Divers Club BBQ          Come join us at Steve and Jayma’s home.  Please bring your drink and a side dish to share.  Napa Valley Divers will provide the meat.  For additional information, location and to RSVP, contact: Jayma@napavalleydivers.com or any club Board member.  Cost:  Free for members, $3.00 per person for non-club members.

August 7, 2010   (9:00 – 1:00)   Emergency First Response Course – Refresher & Training          Instructor Roger Haseltine.  Cost:  $50.00 for Refresher (previously certified) plus $15.00 for certification card, $100.00 for the entire course – plus $15.00 for certification card.    For additional information, contact:  jackie@napavalleydivers.com

August 9, 2010   Monthly Napa Valley Divers Club Meeting (second Monday of each month)          Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, 645 1st Street, Napa (east of Soscol), Phone: (707) 254-9700.  Dinner (Dutch treat) will begin at 6:00pm.  The meeting will begin at 7:00pm

August 13-15, 2010   Abalone and Camping Trip          Salt Point State Park in the Woodside Campground.  Come camping or come up for the day on Saturday to hang out in the campground.  Reservations at www.ReserveAmerica.com.  For additional information, contact: keith@napavalleydivers.com and please be sure to let him know you are coming.

August 28, 2010   (11:00 – 3:00)   Napa Valley Divers Club Monterey Picnic          San Carlos Beach (the Breakwater) in Monterey for the Napa Valley Divers annual picnic.  The club will provide food, sodas and waters!  Come for the day, enjoy the picnic, and enjoy the fellowship!  Arrange your own diving, dive buddies and overnight accommodations – if you so wish.  Cost:  $10.00 for members, $13.00 for non-members.  For additional information and to RSVP, contact: Joan – jlordnapa@aol.com    Commitment needed:  We need a minimum of 10 commitments from club members and guests by August 15th to secure this event.

September 13, 2010   Monthly Napa Valley Divers Club Meeting (second Monday of each month)          Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, 645 1st Street, Napa (east of Soscol), Phone: (707) 254-9700.  Dinner (Dutch treat) will begin at 6:00pm.  The meeting will begin at 7:00pm

September 25, 2010   Lake Berryessa Clean Up          Divers and land support needed to help clean up the environment.  There will be a BBQ following the cleanup and prize drawings!  For additional information, contact: Jackie@napavalleydivers.com  Time, Location and Cost:  TBD

October 11, 2010   Monthly Napa Valley Divers Club Meeting (second Monday of each month)          Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, 645 1st Street, Napa (east of Soscol), Phone: (707) 254-9700.  Dinner (Dutch treat) will begin at 6:00pm.  The meeting will begin at 7:00pm

October 14, 2010   Dive with Great White Sharks           Great White Shark Adventures   http://www.greatwhiteadventures.com  Napa Valley Divers price:  First eight divers receive $200.00 off the regular price of $775.00, when you say the magic words (found at the more detailed event listing).  Non-divers can participate for $375.00.  For additional information, contact: Jackie@napavalleydivers.com

More complete details for all events  are available on the Napa Valley Divers “events page”

To All Napa Valley Divers:

Fellow Divers and Club Members Keith and Pam Reuter (and Ty, Pam’s 100 pound, very friendly Yellow Lab) will be camping and abalone diving at Salt Point State Park from Thursday, April 25 to Sunday April 18 and would like to extend an invitation to anyone interested to com and join them.  Salt Point State Park is situated above Jenner and below Sea Ranch, and these dates have some very nice low tides, but as always, weather and ocean conditions may not cooperate.  Keith has been diving at Salt Point for ten years an “typically” comes out (if conditions allow) with his daily limit of 7″- 8″ abalone. (pristine conditions provide access to the 8″- 9″ abalone)

Salt Point Gerstle Cove is a protected “Marine Reserve” for SCUBA diving and South Gerstle Cove offers good abalone diving.  There are various other abalone dive sites along the coast nearby, including several “safer, protected” areas.  Ocean Cove Campground, just south of Salt Point, has a campground and “fee” boat launch site.

Keith and Pam are staying in the Salt Point “Woodside” loop.  Reservations are non-specific, which means you get was is left when you arrive.  They will be staying in the upper loop if available, and will resort to the lower loop if needed.  Salt Point limits RV or Trailers to 31 feet, but when specifically asked at the check in station, the rangers have stated (in the past) that length is not important as long as you don’t extend out off your site onto the street.

Keith and Pam will assist club members in organization of abalone diving, pot luck dinners (hopefully with abalone) and fellowship.

• To SCUBA:  Bring full cold water gear, weights and tanks.  Air fills may be as far away as Jenner.
• To abalone dive:  Bring a CA ocean fishing license with abalone card (there are very, very specific requirements for tagging your abalone), full cold water gear (less BC – abalone diving is free diving without tanks), weight belt with weights, abalone iron and gauge, and a float (highly recommended). 

It is reccomended that you obtain your reservation as soon as possible at ReserveAmarica.  Camping (No Hookups) is $35.00 per night with an $8.00 convenience fee per reservation.  If you book reservations for the camping trip, please let Keith know you are going.

Keith and Pam “might” be putting together a second trip in August, probably also to Salt Point.   

Troy Cary will be going to Monterey to do some diving Friday 11/28-Sun 11/30. He wants to extend the invitation to anyone that would be interested in some fun diving that weekend. He will also be available for specialty courses if anyone is interested. Please contact Troy directly.

Ok… I hit the water yesterday aboard the Beach Hopper (Yes that was me)… joining my very close friends MaryJo Nelson and Brian.

In the bay 80ft of water depth and 60ft+ visibility with maybe 1 – 2ft surge… AWESOME!

StrawBerry Hill (outside Pt. Pinos) 50ft of vis <2ft of surge… superb!.

A decreasing swell beginning on Friday. Should clear the way for some good really good diving in and outside Monterey this weekend. I know it is my plan to get wet as long as there is the time and opportunity.

Spaces remain for Sunday morning BUT you will need to watch for those as they occur.

Some large Mola Mola’s in Monterey 300lb+ and the small shrimp population still feeding the reef and critters in and around this GREAT marine environment.

The Sunday outlook will be SWEET and although a bit early… here it is:
W winds 5 to 15kt wind waves 1 to 2ft NW swell 2 to 4ft and S 2ft patchy fog.

ALSO… don’t forget the night dive on the 30th (15 max for this dive).

ALSO… offering a discount for THAT weekend for those wishing to join on 2 charters during that weekends activities. Call or email me for details if interested.

Tim

Jayma and Steve are hosting a Dive Club Trip Planning Meeting at their home on July 28 beginning at 6:30pm. Please RSVP if you wish to attend.

Jayma Claus & Steve Kuehn
3328 David Drive
Napa CA 94558

Phone: 252-8388
RSVP: jayma@napavalleydivers.com

Directions: Take First Street and that turns into Brown’s Valley Road. To Stay on Browns Valley Road you have to make a left turn just beyond the Browns Valley Market. Left on Buhman (stop sign), Left at the second street — Twin Oaks, Left at the third street — David Drive, Take the third driveway on the left with a purple and yellow mail box.

Their house is at the top of the hill.

We look forward to seeing you all at this meeting and hearing your thoughts and suggestions about where and when to go diving together.

Napa Valley Divers – Club Picnic – Please join us in Monterey (at Breakwater) – Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 11am until 6pm (we’ll be down there much earlier for those that wish to join us for some morning dives).

Free for Club Members and $10.00 for non-members (those achieving their open-water certifications that weekend through Napa Dive & Sport are welcome as our guests).

For additional information, please contact Jayma by email or by phone 707.252.8388

More details to follow…