Notes from the May Meeting

RochesterScuba.org

1. "Dive Into Spring" report
2. Foster Arend Cleanup report (see story below)
3. Discussed Upcoming Events (see list below)
4. Frank Evans played a DVD of photos and video from "Project Cozumel"
5. David Merbach will send membership renewal reminders with instructions for finishing out the year (then we'll all be on January-to-December dues)

Joe Velie

Foster Arend Park Cleanup, Tuesday May 9^th

story and photos by Joe Velie

The funny thing about scuba divers is that they will show up for any activity so long as it somehow relates to scuba diving. The Foster Arend Park cleanup was no exception to this rule.

Tuesday, May 9^th started out as a pretty crummy day with cooler than normal temperatures and drizzling rain. But I learned a real fast lesson from Todd Carlson a couple of years ago, and that is that you don’t cancel dive activities because of a little rain.

My gracious wife Sheryl arrived at the park around five-thirty with a crock-pot full of delicious barbeques, potato chips and hot beans!

A few minutes later David Merbach arrived with his "little helpers" in tow who quickly began checking out the playground equipment and even picked up a little trash.

By the time Claudia, Christina and Tony arrived the clouds had cleared off, the sun was out and I realized this was going to turn into a beautiful spring evening. Claudia, Tony and David quickly donned their gloves and began scouring the park ready to scoop up every piece of trash they could find.

It wasn’t too long after that Mike, Terry and Eric came cruising in ready to do the underwater cleanup. Mike wouldn’t admit to it, but I think he was hoping to find a Mother’s Day surprise for his wife. Last year he dug a lawn chair out of the lake and we all think he washed it off and used it for a Christmas gift. Remember, any money saved on gifts can be used to by more dive gear! There was a lot of excitement and anticipation as the divers geared up ready to hit the jackpot in Foster Arend Lake.

David and I each picked up a bag of trash and then decided it was our official obligation and duty as president and vice president of the scuba club to test the food before our "subjects" ate anything. Sure enough it was safe and delicious and we enjoyed every bite as the barbeque sauce dripped down our chins. You folks who didn’t show up to help out missed a really great meal!

Some may wonder why the Rochester Scuba Club volunteers to clean Foster Arend Park. I would say there are three reasons. Since we don’t have our own salt-water ocean reef to watch over and help preserve, we have to adopt what’s available! The second reason we clean Foster Arend is because we want to maintain a healthy relationship with Rochester Parks and Recreation so we can continue to use the Foster Arend lake for scuba classes and the occasional testing of our equipment. The final and most important reason we clean Foster Arend is because it gives us another excuse to dive, and get together and talk diving!

Mike (holding the dog retrieval device) and Terry

As the sun was sinking low in the western sky our brave lake-cleaning crew finally arrived back from their underwater cleaning excursion. I am not sure what goes on down there under the water but each year they return to the pavilion looking like they just stole HID lights from their local dive shop. They explain to me to that "it’s just fun diving." Well, I can accept that reason. True to form, Mike Ulbrich scored another possible gift for his wife. It’s certainly not as impressive as the dark green lawn chair that he found last year, and I believe he is going to have to get a Golden Retriever to go along with the gift.

I would like to thank everyone who assisted in cleaning up Foster Arend Park, and to MDC Sports for providing the prizes. The next Foster Arend Park clean up will be Tuesday July 11^th. Hope you can join us!

Last Month at Lake Wazee

John Westgard checks out one of the mysterious Alien Eggs

Todd Carlson and John Martin circled us like vultures on their scooters

In The News

• Photos: sinking of the USS Oriskany
• Edmund Fitzgerald: Experts detail storm conditions in 1975 sinking

Upcoming Events

June 10 (Sat)

Scuba Club Outing at Lake Wazee: "Sherwood Shuffle" underwater poker, prizes, picnic; bring your submersible compass!

June 17 (Sat)

Lake Minnetonka Cleanup at BayView Event Center, Excelsior

June 17 - 18 (Sat - Sun)

DUI DOG Days at Lake Wazee

July 1 - 3 (Sat - Mon)

Crosby diving; contact Tom Connery

Now Playing

The Minnesota Zoo IMAX Theater in Apple Valley is currently playing Deep Sea 3D -- sounds like a pretty cool film.

See the calendar for other activities.