Lunarscope Lunarfins of JSC Houston – www.lunarfins.com

Next meeting: Wed., April 9 Lunarfins, a non-profit club that promotes the sport of scuba diving. Our April meeting will be at NASA’s Gilruth Center Bluebonnet Pavilion and will be an Open House after the day’s work. There will be munchies and sodas, trip details, class information, and possibly a few slightly used items for sale. See details on page 7.

April 2014

In This Issue Page

2 Events Page

3 Pending Classes & Trips

Continuing Education

4-5 Club Trip – Cayman Brac

6 Pending Dive Shop Trips

7 Pending Surface Interval

8-9 Repair Corner

Deadline for articles: First Wednesday of each

month except December

Elected Officers:

President Randy Widaman cap10randy@comcast.net

Vice President Mike Peters mgpetershome@comcast.net

Secretary Karen Bush karen.a.bush@nasa.gov

Treasurer John Gorman john_gorman_2@yahoo.com

Social Director Barbara Corbin bjcorbin04@yahoo.com

Equipment Mike Smith toole_shed@yahoo.com

Appointed:

Training Information Bill Jones mr.bill.jones@comcast.net

Trip Information OPEN

TGCC Representative Tom Burns tmbrns@sbcglobal.net

Advisors Fred Toole & George Clark

Newsletter Polly Swerdlin pmswerdlin@gmail.com

& Website Editor 281-488-8193

General Meeting Information (except April and December)

Where: Clear Lake Park; 5001 NASA Road 1, on the South (lake) side of NASA Road One. When: Second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Come early for a social time at 6:30 p.m. Join us afterward at Mario's in Seabrook for food, drink and camaraderie.

2013 Open House

April 2014 Lunarscope 2

Events Calendar

2014

•Apr 9 Lunarfins Open House @JSC

•May 10-17 Club Dive Trip – Cayman Brac

•Jun Blue Lagoon

•Jul Pot Luck Picnic

•Aug Gear Checkout at 288 Lake

•Sep Beach Party

•Oct TGCC Event

•Oct 11 Breakfast & BAD Market

•Nov Villa Capri Dinner

•Dec Christmas Party

2015

•Jan 24 TGCC Awards Banquet

•Feb La Brisa Breakfast

•Mar BBQ Dinner

•Apr JSC Health & Safety Day

•Apr Mammoth Lake April Scuba Event

(The events without dates have been copied from

what we did previous years as examples)

Lunarfins Board Meetings are held the last Tuesday each month (except Dec.) at 6:30pm.

Tony’s BBQ 17052 Gemini

If you have an issue to bring before the board, contact any board member to get on the

agenda.

Events Page

See details on

Page 7 for Open House Pages 4 & 5 for Club Trip

Science never solves a problem without creating ten more.

George Bernard Shaw

Order Lunarfins embroidered shirts

We've selected a few possibilities to choose from, but you can also purchase your own

shirt and have it embroidered with the logo.

The catalog and forms will be available at the meetings. Payment is requested with the order.

Price goes down if we get enough orders!

If members have pictures to contribute to the newsletter or our web page, you may send

to pmswerdlin@gmail.com or hand me photos, slides, negatives or digitals on a flash

drive at any local meeting of the minds. They will be returned when scanned or

downloaded. Photo credits can be added in the corner or mentioned in the description.

Bill Jones PADI Scuba Classes

The next Open Water (Beginner & Refresher) SCUBA CLASSES: Friday, May 16, 2014 6:00p-10:00p Lecture Chapter 1 & 2 Clear Lake/Nasa area

Saturday, May 17, 2014 8:00a-Noon Knowledge Reviews & Tests Chapters 1 & 2, Lecture Chapters 3 & 4 Clear Lake/Nasa area

Saturday, May 17, 2014 1:00p-6:30p POOL all scuba gear required Area Pool Sunday, May 18, 2014 8:00a-4:30 Knowledge Reviews & Tests

Chapters 3, 4, & 5 and the Final Exam Clear Lake/Nasa area Saturday, May 24, 2014 9:00a-5:00p Open Water Certification

Dives 1,2, & 3 at Blue Lagoon in Huntsville Sunday, May 25, 2014 9:00a-3:30p Open Water Certification

Dive 4 at Blue Lagoon in Huntsville http://home.comcast.net/~bill.jones.scubaguy

mr.bill.jones@comcast.net

April 2014 Lunarscope 3

Pending Member Classes & Dive Trip

BILL JONES 13th ANNUAL COZUMEL VACATION 2014

Staying at the fabulous Hotel Cozumel & Resort

Aug 4 for 5 Days, 4 Nights approx. $899

or

Aug 4 for 8 Days, 7 Nights approx $1099

Group Package Price Includes:

Air Fare, Ground Transportation, Hotel Accommodations

ALL YOU CAN EAT AND DRINK Including Soft Drinks, Beer, Wine, Cocktails, Mixed Drinks, Specialty Drinks, Shots, and High Balls

All Taxes, Exit Fees, and Gratuities

DIVING AVAILABLE BUT NOT INCLUDED

Email mr.bill.jones@comcast.net for details

NOAA's Rulet Project Assesses Risk from Shipwrecks

Remediation of Underwater Legacy Environmental Threats(RULET)

America's coastal waters are home to more than 20,000 sunken ships, and 10,000 other potentially polluting threats, including airplanes, munitions, dump sites and abandoned well heads. However, a series of so-called "mystery spills" in the late 1990s -- sightings of oil where a source is not immediately known or suspected -- brought the realization that these largely forgotten wrecks posed some risk to the nation's coastal economies and and marine environments on which many depend...

Read more: http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/SALQ/SALQ0114/#/16 Soundings Magazine – publication of American Salvage Association

Continuing Education Kelly Drinnen

April 2014 Lunarscope 4

LUNARFINS 2014 CLUB TRIP

Cayman Brac Reef Beach Resort

May 10-17, 2014

$1590pp - 17 dives or $1350pp - 12 dives

plus airfare (~$700rt United/Cayman Airways)

Located on a private beach on the southwest end of Cayman Brac, Brac Reef’s all inclusive resort reflects the quaintness and charm of the Caribbean. Family-owned and operated, the Cayman Brac resort boasts 40 beach view rooms. At Brac Reef Beach Resort you will find yourself immersed in lush tropical foliage, swaying palms, amazing sunsets, starry midnight skies, and, of course, the serenity and natural beauty of the surrounding crystal blue Caribbean water. Upon arrival, kick off your shoes, enjoy a cool rum punch, and bask in the island paradise painted with secluded beach vistas and hammocks sprinkled amidst sea grapes and coconut palms. Reef Divers, the onsite dive operator at our Cayman Island, provides first-class “valet” service, top-rated equipment and a modern fleet of specially designed dive boats. Reef Divers’ professional instructors and boat captains have the perfect balance for your dive safety and care for the environment, yet are committed to give you an unforgettable and completely unique Cayman Brac diving experience. Reef Divers is affiliated with PADI, SSI, and the Universal Referral Program. Don’t forget your “C” card, you won’t be able to dive without it. The boats depart each morning at 8:30 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. Water temperatures range from 78° in the winter to 86° in the summer. Divers are encouraged to place their gear in a bag outside their door the first morning where the dive staff will pick it up, take it to the boat and set up their gear. After that the dive staff will take care of everything, including rinsing BCD and Regulators after the day’s diving.

Check out the web page:

www.bracreef.com

LUNARFINS CLUB TRIP

April 2014 Lunarscope 5

LUNARFINS CLUB TRIP LUNARFINS 2014 CLUB TRIP We recommend all divers have DAN or Dive Assure membership and Travelers

insurance.

Cayman Brac offers a choice of 2 packages, but same package must be booked by both occupants of each room:

Clearly Cayman Package 7 nights Accommodations 17 boat dives Breakfast, lunch & dinner daily Airport ground transfers Hotel tax & service charges 3 COMPLIMENTARY DRINKS DAILY* Welcome Rum Punch Managers Cocktail Reception Free Use of Dive Computer $1590.00 per person diver $ 1063.00 non- diver

*Drink package includes beer, house wine or well drinks, bottled water, soda & juices

Anchor Wall Package

7 nights Accommodations 12 boat dives (Six days of 2 tank dives) Breakfast & Dinner Daily Airport ground Transfers Hotel taxes & service charges Welcome Rum Punch Managers Cocktail Reception Free Use of Dive Computer $1350.00 per person diver $889.00 non-diver 5 additional afternoon dives available for 7 night 2 tank packages at a cost of $175.00 per person.

Please make reservations with Reef Fanta Seas directly, mentioning Lunarfins Scuba Club confirmation #76849 and then let us know you have:

800-594-0843

St Petersburg FL bracreef@reefseas.com

Members may secure their own airfare, however as trip date approaches, we’ll need to let the resort know your arrival date/time and any special needs/requests. Flights can also be scheduled by the resort’s reservation office listed above ($20 service charge pp). They will need your name as listed on your passport and membership ID like One Pass if you have it. Our recommendation: www.flighthub.com or www.expedia.com/flights to book both airlines. United does not list the Cayman connection. May 10, 2014 United Airlines #1494: Depart 12:50p IAH; Arrive 3:46p GCM (1Hr, 9min layover in GCM) Cayman Airways #201: Depart 4:55p GCM; Arrive 5:30p CYB May 17, 2014 Cayman Airways #123: Depart 12:25p CYB; Arrive 12:55p GCM (3 hr, 41 min layover in GCM) United Airlines #1495: Depart 4:36p GCM; Arrive 7:36p IAH For more information contact: Polly Swerdlin pmswerdlin@gmail.com or Barbara Corbin bjcorbin04@yahoo.com

April 2014 Lunarscope 6

Upcoming Trips Offered by Local Dive Shops (etc.)

Flower Gardens - Texas Coral Reefs 2014 Schedule: May 31 - June 1, June 26-27, July 5-6, August 9-10 October 25-26 ** Rebreathers Only ** Offered by Texas Dive Center 281-741-9949 Oriskany in Pensacola May 23-26 and June 12-15, 2014 $360 pp for Recreational Divers $450 pp for Technical Divers 2 days of diving, 4 dives Hotel & Travel Expenses are extra. Offered by Gigglin’ Marlin 281-445-3483 Roatan April 12-20, 2014 Diver Price: $1220 per person Non-Diver Price: subtract $100 8 nights at Bananarama Dive and Beach Resort w/2 per room - Breakfast daily at the Thirsty Turtle Bach front bar and grill - 10 dives total - Unlimited internet access - Unlimited use of sea kayaks - Hotel taxes Offered by Maximum Scuba 1-800-970-1678 Shoving off on the Easy Diver Offered by Sport Divers 281-338-1611 Our trips are generally 30 miles offshore, although longer trips or three tank dives can be arranged. During your trip, we’ll provide soft drinks and water onboard. However, you’ll need full scuba gear, tanks, and weights, and we strongly recommend snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat make it onto your checklist as well. Finally, in case of seasickness, please bring your own medication. All we can offer you is our sympathy.

Wrecks & Springs - Panama City Beach, Florida – May 23-26, 2014 The Florida Panhandle is blessed with clear blue water close to shore. With Florida’s aggressive artificial reef structure program divers get the benefit of some cool dive sites without a long boat ride. Add to this, some fresh water springs in the area and you have an ideal location for a “local” trip. The offshore dive sites include wrecks, bridge spans, concrete reef habitats and a few isolated coral reefs that nature placed there. Offered by Oceanic Ventures 713-523-3483 Freeport to the Rigs Weekends that weather allows $220 pp - $30 additional for tanks Rig diving day trips by Captain Beard Charters 832-603-1698

April 2014 Lunarscope 7

Pending Surface Interval

13th Annual Lunarfins JSC Open House

Wed. April 9th, 2014 at Gilruth’s Bluebonnet Pavilion (!!!Note the 5:00PM Start Time – Stop by on your way home from work!!!)

LUNARFINS HAS BEEN ACTIVE AS THE

JSC SCUBA CLUB FOR OVER 50 YEARS!!!

Get involved in your JSC SCUBA Club!

www.lunarfins.com

INTERESTED IN DIVING?? Find out how to get started in

SCUBA diving!

DIVERS!! Find out about Dive Trips and Advanced Training Events!

SCUBA Gear FLEA MARKET – Bring to Sell or Come to Buy!

5:00 PM: Lunarfins “Open House” Information & answers to all your questions about membership, club history, dive trips,

training, & equipment! Free hot dogs and sodas served!!

Members bring a dish to share!

April 2014 Lunarscope 8

Repair Corner Captain Barney Corbin

It’s that time of year when everyone gets their dive gear out and tries to remember if there

were any problems with it the last time they used it. So they think “OK, no problems, so it

should be good”, right? Well, maybe, maybe not! How was it rinsed and stored after the last

use? I see so many regulators that appear to have been exposed to heat during storage. This

causes rubber parts, including diaphragms, to stick to other parts or sometimes melt. Some can

be separated and cleaned, but some have to be replaced.

In this photograph you can see the outer rings of the threads of the second stage tearing off.

This is due to heat during storage, causing the diaphragm to stick to the plastic on the outer

edge of the second stage. The only

way to fix the regulator that is not

working properly is to take it apart

and see what’s wrong. Often,

however, the process of taking it

apart creates additional problems

that now require replacement of

more than just the original rubber

part that melted. It’s funny, that if

you ask the customer whether

there was anything you should

know about the regulator before it’s serviced, they say “no and it’s in good shape”. As you can

see, this one was not in good shape. Every regulator is a new experience, and the best advice is

to communicate everything you can think of to the repair technician, so they understand the

best way to approach the service. Store your equipment in a clean, dry, cool environment.

Before you put your dive equipment away, make sure it is properly rinsed and dry before you

put it up. In the photo below, you can see that the 1st stage got salt water inside where it dried

and started to corrode the metal.

This also makes it difficult to service.

This is due to improper handling to

allow salt water to enter the 1st stage.

Have you ever seen a diver use the

tank air to blow the salt water off of

the dust cap before placing it on the

regulator? Guess where that salt

water goes when you’re not careful!

This can also happen when the dust

cap is not cleaned before placing it on the regulator. Best practice is to dry the cap with a clean

towel prior to placing it on the regulator.

April 2014 Lunarscope 9

Repair Corner Captain Barney Corbin

In this photo, you can see water in the lower left inside the 1st stage. This was done recently as

it hasn’t had time to dry or form corrosion. I am sure if you asked the diver who owns it, they’d

say they didn’t know how it got

in there. Chances are when

they rinsed the regulator they

did not ensure the dust cap

was securely in place. Always

check the dust cap prior

rinsing, and take it off after the

rinse to make sure it is clean

and dry. Catching any moisture

at the orifice and wiping it dry

precludes water getting pushed

further into the first stage the next time it’s attached to a tank.

If you purchased some new equipment during the winter and it’s not been in the water yet, you

should consider a check out dive before your next dive outing. Have someone go with you and

look at you in the water to see if everything appears to be working like it should. On a trip to

the Bahamas last year, we found that Barbara’s new travel BC had a very low tank strap. It

happened to be in a location that made it difficult to secure to the tank hooks on the boat. In

order to make it work she had to loosen the strap and push it up until she was ready to pull the

tank out of the hook, and then re-align and tighten the strap before donning the BC. You can

see the potential issues with forgetting to re-tighten the single tank strap. When manufactures

make these types of mistakes, they can make corrections, but unless you let them know you

found a problem or provide a review, nothing will be corrected. In addition, manufactures are

ordering new parts this time of year to gear up for the summer dive season. Sometimes they go

with a low bidder that comes back to bite them during the year. Manufacturers of life support

equipment, however, will make the corrections very quickly, once alerted to the problem. The

Consumer Product Safety commission has a web site that posts dive equipment recalls

(http://www.cpsc.go). DAN also has a website that posts equipment problems:

(https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/diving-incidents).