West Coast Vintage Dive Event

[Dale]

OK, I've talked about this before but now I'm serious! We really need a West Coast vintage dive so I'll take it upon myself to get it organized. I talked to Sam Miller a while back and he agreed we need one. If any of you heard about his airport fiassco that caused him to miss Portage, you'll know we can probably get him to come to make up for that mess. I'll talk to the folks I know in the CA Classic Equip. Divers and the HDS and see what we can come up with. Any and all help and suggestions would be great. My initial thoughts are Spring of 2008, won't interfere with other events, probably have to do Southern CA. I know it can be done, just need to work at it.

[scubadiverbob]

Dale,

Good idea. I, and others, have also talked about it. Do a search on "Feather River", "Whiskeytown Lake", and "West Coast Wazee" and see what you come up with!

Some of us either have family commentments or not properly funded to make it to the East Coast stuff. Both situations apply to me. I only know of four of us vintage divers in No. CA. A few in Oregon and Washington State, So. CA (La Jolla or Catalina Is.) might attract more divers than where I'm at. What do you dive in Arizona? Is there fresh water lakes? You should post some pictures. That might be interesting!

Robert

[scubadiverbob]

Dale,

Where is Senators Wash? Is that in AZ? Would be a good location for a West Coast event?What is water temp. (I'll wear a shorty if 55 degrees or warmer; read some of my threads on Feather River)? Got good camping or inexpensive motels there? Just curious.

Does CA Classic Equip. Divers have a web-site? The LDS owner says I look like a museum going into the water. I took that as a big compliment! Wonder if I'd qualify for membership?

Robert

[Dale]

Hey Bob,
Senators Wash is just over the Colorado River on the CA side. Its a man made lake, used to feed local canals. They pump water in & out for irrigation, so lake level changes all the time. In the winter & early spring its nice. Water will get as cool as 50 degrees, summer it hits the low 90's. Its got some big fish, spotted a 4 ft. Catfish earlier this year. Yes, there are good camp sites right at Senetors, as well as cheap motels. They are cheaper in the summer, no one wants to come here when its 120 degrees. Course, if ya ever visit, you're more than welcome at our place.
California Classic Equipment Divers website is www.calclassic.org . I'm sure you qualify for membership. I joined when I lived in Northern CA, and they still put up with me now that I'm in AZ. Yuma is just barely in AZ, cross the Colorado & you're in AZ & Yuma. I'm only 2 & 1/2 hours from San Diego. I usually dive with the Cal Classic guys when they do demo's at the commercial diving school there.

[scubadiverbob]

Dale,

Thanks for the info on the site! I just read about CCED Member - Harold Nething's rebreather. Very interesting! I've thought about diving with a rebreather in the Feather River; but, the cost is to much. Plus, no supplies in the area for rebreathers. Sort of why I haven't got into nitrox. A closed circuit rebreather would work great for taking pictures of the salmon. They don't like the bubbles of a regulator (the best pictures I've got have been with snorkel). I guess they think we look like sea lions, a natural predator, and blow bubbles like the sea lions.

Someday I'd like to dive a Mark V. Art Helwig, a friend of mine who owned Divers Exchange in Alameda, CA, was going to teach me when I was younger; but, the Navy had other plans for me and I got transfered. Last time I saw Art was 1989. He lived on a tug boat with his wiife. I should try and get ahold of his son Tim sometime; he could tell me how to get intouch with Art. Don't know if Art still dives. That's a few years ago.

Did you check out pictures from the Feather River I posted?

Got to get some sleep. I have a dentist apointment tomorrow.

Robert

[scubadiverbob]

Dale,

Maybe plan a couple of vintage dives every year; one in the North and one in the South. Lot's of diverse and interesting diving to be enjoyed in the Western US! If Catalina was in the plans, check out the Sand Dollar at www.divingcharters.com Great people to deal with. I had more fun on that boat than any of the others I've dove on in So. CA They are out of San Pedro, CA.

Robert

[Dale]

I've got a Desco Brown helmet you can try out. Its no MK 5, but I like it better. Two vintage events would be great, but lets get one going first. Catalina could be a possibility, although I'd prefer it was someplace easier to get to. Another place that comes to mind is Pt. Lobos State Park near Carmel. I know they've held vintage events there in the past. I've seen your pics, Bob, I'd love to come up and dive with the salmon. Shoot, we should just plan the event for there, looks like we're the only two interested anyway.

[duckbill]

I'm interested, and only hesitate because my ability to commit is purely a matter of timing, which is always unpredictable for me. Point Lobos would work for me, as long as someone could take care of the logistics of reserving spaces. I wouldn't have a clue how to go about the process. I thought there was a limit on the size of groups there.
I'm usually in So.Cal. sometime during July or August, so down there during that time would be good on my end.

[scubadiverbob]

Dale,

Probably should put all this in General Discussion. Seems people look at stuff more there than here.

Robert

[Dale]

Glad to hear you're interested, Duckbill. Pt. Lobos has a limit of divers each day, I believe its 45 a day. Thats the only drawback. Its a very cool site.

[smithscubasvc]

"Someday I'd like to dive a Mark V. Art Helwig, a friend of mine who owned Divers Exchange in Alameda, CA, was going to teach me when I was younger; but, the Navy had other plans for me and I got transfered. Last time I saw Art was 1989. He lived on a tug boat with his wiife. I should try and get ahold of his son Tim sometime; he could tell me how to get intouch with Art. Don't know if Art still dives. That's a few years ago."

The thing with a Mark V is they look cool but the thing you don't realize is that not only are they water-tight but they are air-tight and if you run out of air and can't get that off your head, yeah. It can also be VERY closterophobic until you get used to them. They also slow you down if you want to do serious work.

I nearly died in Richmond because the umbilicle cord got wrapped around a piling 3 times and the power for the compressor went.

My name is Mike Smith and with people like Mr Frogman, Bruce Estes, Hank Lindemann, and that nice blonde gal we were all barnicle scrappers for the decade of the 80s.

I knew Art and Mary all my life as their dive shop near Paganos was 1 block from my house until they moved to that big unit on Pacific.

Art was they burly type who had the karisma to draw people to him but he often had little time for some.

I am sad to report that I understand Mary had organ failure and passed away in or near 1992.

Tim was living on Lincoln? near Longfellows and old boy's club. The brown wood house.

Tim had a brother the dark headed beefier kid.

Hank Lindemann and Art were good friends.

One person who did have the Mark V was Dave Aronowicz who had the dive shop in Oakland just off the Park St Bridge.

Mike.

[scubadiverbob]

Hey,

This is like way to cool. Someone else knew Art and Mary. Very sad to hear about Mary. Do you know if Art still lives on his tug boat? Know where he has his tugboat docked at now? Or how to get ahold of Tim so I can find out how to contact Art? If I can find him I'll have to go visit him next time I go to the coast!

So far, no one seems to know how to get ahold of Matt. He taught me how to work on doublehose regs and hydro tanks at the dive store in Norfolk, VA and was a very good dive buddy of mine.

Robert