Two Different Worlds

With "Two Different Worlds" Frank and Joyce Burek will lead us on a personal exploration of the planet Earth.  This scenic trip highlights the wonders of nature above and below the waves by comparing both areas of our planet.  From the mountains to the prairies, from the forests to the deserts, from the streams to the oceans, from Lions to Lionfish the adventure continues.

Joyce and Frank Burek were certified in 1980.  Since then, they have logged over 1,600 photographic dives and shot over 3,200 rolls of film, using both Nikonos and housed camera systems.  In May of 1983 they became founding members of HUPS.  Their contributions to our club are too many to list, not to mention their work with numerous other local and national organizations.  Both have won the HUPS Member and Photographer of the Year awards.  Frank has served as President of HUPS 5 times and both have had tours of duty on the HUPS Board of Directors.  Joyce has been HUPS Membership Chairperson and our newsletter editor for several years.

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Different Worlds from previous column

Frank has served several times on the HUC and SEASPACE Boards of Directors.  They have also been active for years in the TGCC.  They were the SEASPACE Photographic Competition Chairpersons from 1993 through 1998.  Prior to turning professional both have won 1st place awards at SEASPACE.

Their photos have appeared in calendars, brochures, books, magazines and posters with numerous publishers including Audubon Society, National Geographic Society and the National Wildlife Federation.  In 2000 they were recognized by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for their photographic work for the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGNMS) with the Environmental Hero Award.  Their work is featured in the current FGNMS brochure.

Their presentation, "Two Different Worlds," will be another in a long line of superbly crafted, artful presentations.  This is a program that you shouldn’t miss.

As usual the meeting will be at the Bayland Community Center starting at 7:00 PM.  A map and directions are at the end of this newsletter.

Sweetlips -- not Frank's pet name for Joyce (well, maybe) but the fish pictured below

Frank & Joyce Burek ©2002

President's Message

Are you covered?  In last month’s newsletter Jack Allyn wrote an excellent article on insuring photographic insurance.  With all the money we have invested in camera gear it’s important to have it covered with a good insurance policy.

What about coverage for our most prized possessions?  I am referring to our health.  Every diver should have dive accident insurance.  Diver Alert Network (DAN) is the most recognized and trusted organization in the fields of diver safety and emergency services.

DAN can be a true lifesaver following a diving accident.  A couple years ago my brother was involved in a diving accident off South Padre Island.  He had a pneumothorax (ruptured lung).  I immediately called the DAN emergency number.  They directed me to a local hospital and gave the emergency room physicians guidance on treatment.  Most hospital emergency rooms have no idea how to treat diving accident victims.  It was nice to have access to someone with experience in such accidents.  The situation could have been much worse if we had been at some far off dive destination.  It’s good to know wherever you are in the world the medical experts at DAN are only a phone call away.

Medical evacuations and chamber treatments can easily run into tens of thousands of dollars.  Protect yourself from these high costs with DAN insurance.  DAN’s membership line is 1-800-446-2671.  The diving emergency line is 1-919-684-8111.  Or http://www.diversalertnetwork.org.

See Ya May 6th
David

HUPS Cozumel Shootout July 24 - 28, 2002

Final payment of $405 per person is due no later than May 15.  For your convenience you may bring your check made out to HUPS to the May meeting.  We are planning a pre-trip get together for June 22.  We will discuss final details and reach consensus on dive sites and other activities.  Check out the hotel's web site.  Special thanks to Ken Knezick and Island Dreams Travel for all the hard work in arranging this trip.  Check out Island Dreams site at http://www.divetrip.com.

Need More Volunteers for HUPS Booth at SEASPACE

We need more people to enjoy SEASPACE for a couple of hours from the vantage point of the HUPS booth.  Everybody likes seeing the exhibits and exhibitors, talking diving and underwater photography, meeting people, drinking HUC's wonderful (?!?!) coffee, and we can't let the HUPS stalwarts who have already volunteered have all the fun!  We need one or two more people between 9:00 AM and noon Saturday, June 8, and we need a couple of people from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.  We also have some open spaces on Sunday, June 8.

You get to wear your loudest dive T-shirt, pretend you're in the tropics, and act like a big time photo expert for a couple of hours!  So c'mon, pony up, we'll have the sign-up sheets available for the very last time at the May meeting.  Or don't wait, contact Pat Miller directly to get some of the joy for yourself.  It's easy and fun, and it will keep Pat from calling and waking you up in the middle of the night on June 7.

Jesse Cancelmo Gets the Cover Shot!

Check out the May issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine.  It’s the one with Jesse’s oil rig shot on the cover.  In addition to the cover, Jesse has 7 others photos in the issue including a center spread.  The photos accompany an article written by TP&W staffer Erica Brasseux.  The article does a good job describing the diving opportunities in Texas.  Pick up a copy, as I am sure you will enjoy the photos and text.

Congrats to Gary Merritt Again!

In addition to his frequent wins in the HUPS monthly contests, Gary has been a frequent winner in many national contests.  Most recently Gary has received an honorable mention at the 2002 Ford Seahorses Photo Competition.  Way to go, keep up the good work!  The winning images can be seen here.

3rd Place Advanced - Dennis Deavenport ©2002

The Crossland Experience - "A Magnificent Transition Zone"

by Dennis Deavenport

In the history of the world, landmasses have been constantly on the move.  The study of this slow, inexorable reshaping of the face of the world is called plate tectonics.  Normally when we think of landmasses we visualize continents full of mountains, plains, swamps and deserts.  However, we shouldn’t overlook the fact that all of these structures carry with them aquacultures that are often unique unto themselves.  April’s presentation by Ron Crossland was a superb audio-visual voyage of discovery focused on the endless biodiversity found in the transition zone of the Indopacific waters.

As explained by Ron, the dive sites in the Lembeh Straits off the northeast peninsula of Sulawesi are the Holy Grail for muck divers who are fascinated by truly strange and unusual critters.  It is easy to see why Ron and Sylvia keep returning to this part of the globe with their cameras and dive gear year after year.  It was also apparent that they have mastered the ability to capture what they see through the lenses of their cameras.

Those fortunate enough to experience this astonishing show are not likely to forget it soon.

Check it out on the WEB!

This month’s website is http://www.seapix.com.  The site has lots of content of interest to underwater photographers.  Check out the 50/50 section of the underwater photo guide.  It gives some good tips on creating those over/under shots.

If you have a favorite Website that you would like to share with the group e-mail it to suewatson@mail.ev1.net.

1st Place Novice - Jack Allyn ©2002

Latest on SEASPACE 2002

IMAX Cinematographer Bob Talbot of the Oceans of Light; Gary Gentile, expert on the wreck of the Andrea Doria; and Ed Jameson, with a ground-breaking presentation of Three-Dimensional Underwater Photography.

Here's an appetizer of what you can look for June 8 and 9, 2002, in Houston:

• An even bigger Environmental Awareness Area -- with more activities for kids and families.

• The addition of more adventure sports -- clubs, gear, and destinations and demonstrations!

• Major scuba manufacturers with their latest and greatest new stuff!

• All your favorite travel spots: beaches, boats, and the means to get you there!

Advance ticket order form and a complete weekend schedule may be downloaded from http://www.seaspace.org.  You may also phone 713-467-6675 for additional information.

2nd Place Novice - Pat Miller ©2002

Mollusk of the Month

The May photo competition subject will be Mollusks.  For those that are taxonomically challenged Mollusks are members of phylum Mollusca.  This phylum contains over 100,000 species.  All mollusks are soft-bodied animals with a specialized layer of epidermal cells called a mantle.  In most mollusks the mantle secretes a shell.  However, in some mollusks the shell is internal or absent.  Some examples of mollusks include cephalopods (squid, octopus, cuttlefish), gastropods (nudibranchs, cowries, conchs) and bivalves (oysters/clams).  So if you have a few favorite underwater shots of mollusks bring them to the meeting.  Remember that you can’t win if you don’t enter.

Sherwood Recalls Scuba Regulators

WASHINGTON (AP)
About 14,000 Maximus Scuba diving regulators are being recalled because of reports of a broken component.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Irvine, Calif.-based Sherwood Scuba LLC on Tuesday announced the recall of the Maximus Scuba regulators, which were sold nationwide by Sherwood dealers from January 1998 through November 2000.

Sherwood Scuba received seven reports of broken second-stage orifices on the regulators.  Two broke during dives.  No injuries were reported; the damage can result in a loss of air.

The recall includes regulators with:

• Model number SRB5600, serial number range K600001 through K611834
• Model number SRB5600D2, serial number range DK60000 through DK62000
• Model number SRB5600CE, serial number range EK60001 through EK62000

The safety commission and the company advise consumers to stop using the recalled regulators and call an authorized Sherwood retailer for free repairs.  Consumers can contact Sherwood Scuba at 1-800-469-9929 for more information.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: http://www.cpsc.gov
Sherwood Scuba: http://www.sherwoodscuba.com

Sitting Can Kill You!

No, sitting has not been shown to cause cancer in laboratory rats.  However, sitting for extended periods, as in trans-Pacific flights, has been cited as the cause of numerous cases of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).  DVT often results in death.  DVT was recently blamed for the death of a 28-year-old British diver returning home from Bali.  DVT can develop during long periods of inactivity and involves a blood clot that forms in the leg.  These clots may then move to the lungs or brain.  Because the cramped conditions of airplane seats create circumstances ideal for formation of these clots DVT is often referred to as "economy class syndrome."

Steps that can be employed to reduce your chances of DVT include: staying hydrated with plenty of nonalcoholic liquids, wearing loose clothing, performing leg exercises while seated and taking a blood thinner such as aspirin.

Tips for Minimizing Jet Lag

So you’re headed on a dive trip to the other side of the world?  You read the article above and now know how to avoid DVT but what about jet lag?  You don’t want to be a Zombie the first few days of your trip so follow the steps below.

The following tips were taken from the November/December issue of Alert Diver.

• Drink lots of water during flight
• Avoid caffeine
• Avoid alcohol
• Eat carbohydrate snacks instead of airline food
• Try to stretch or walk about the cabin every 90 minutes or so
• Avoid sleeping on eastbound flights
• Use foam earplugs or earphones to reduce noise
• Set your watch to the time at the destination -- begin adjusting your sleep schedule
• Upon arrival, spend some time in daylight as soon as possible
• Limit activities the first day or two at the destination

Photo Contest Winners
April 2002 - Divers/Snorkelers

Novice:
1st	Jack Allyn
2nd	Pat Miller
3rd Tie	Gary Merritt, Gary Merritt, Jack Allyn
Advanced:
1st Tie	David Lenderman, Jackie Reid
2nd	Mary Lou Reid
3rd	Dennis Deavenport

HUPS Monthly Photo Contest Rules

1. Photographs must have been taken underwater, with the exception of the "Marine Surface Slides," a category which will be announced periodically.
2. The photographs must be the work of the photographer named on the slide.  The photographer does not have to be present at the monthly meeting to enter their slide.
3. No aquarium, pool, or over/under shots.
4. Photographs with divers touching or stressing marine life will not be judged.
5. Entries that have won 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, in previous HUPS contests, or any major competition are ineligible.  The only exception being the Best of HUPS night at the December meeting.
6. Slides will be disqualified if in the opinion of the Photo Contest Chairman and monthly judge, the slides do not meet the monthly subject matter, or do not meet one of the aforementioned rules.
7. All contest judging will be performed by a judge selected by the HUPS Photo Judge Coordinator, except nights when it is announced that the general membership will judge.  In these instances the Photo Contest Chairman will tabulate all ballots.
8. If a member wishes to question the results of a contest, they must submit their complaint in contest to the Photo Contest Chairman or any club officer.  The complaint must include: complainant's name, questionable slide, nature of complaint (indicating rule broken), proof behind complaint.
9. The Board of Directors will review the complaint, and if they find merit, they may disqualify the slide.

The Novice category is for those that meet the following criteria:

• Photography is a hobby.
• Have never taken best of show or 1st - 3rd in national or international photographic competitions.
• Have not been a HUPS Photographer of the Year.
  

Monthly Photo Contest Subjects for 2002

May	Mollusks
June	SEASPACE presenters (no contest)
July	Stars
August	Itty Bitty
September	Above Water - Dive Related
October	Ugly
November	Wide Angle
December	Best of HUPS Photo Contest

UpComing Meetings and Events

May 6, 2002 - HUPS meeting
Joyce & Frank Burek - Two Different Worlds

June 8 & 9, 2002 - SEASPACE 2002

June 10, 2002 - HUPS Post-SEASPACE meeting
Burt Jones & Maurine Shimlock
See the flyer.

July 1, 2002 - HUPS meeting
James Wiseman - New Digital Underwater Technology, with a Digital Slide Show

August 5, 2002 - HUPS meeting
Dr. James Wood - All About Cephalopods

Quick Tip

Ever have a problem with dirt on the inside of your macro port?  It can be difficult to get deep in that port to clean it.  Even worse is when you discover the dirt when you’re underwater.  To avoid the hassle of a dirty lens port keep the dirt out in the first place.  When storing your port shove a lint free cloth inside the port.  Cloth diapers (clean of course) are good for this job.  Then put the whole thing in a large zip-loc bag.  When you’re ready to assemble the camera remove the cloth and the port interior will be free of dust, dirt, silicone, etc.

If you have a tip you would like to share please send it to suewatson@mail.ev1.net.

The Houston Underwater Photographic Society (HUPS) meets the first Monday of every month at 7:00PM at the Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonet, near Hillcroft.

Social time begins at 7:00PM for members and visitors to get acquainted. Visitors are always welcome to join us. So, stop by and see what we are all about!