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November 2006
Paul Meister Memorialized | Scuba Pro Recall | Printer-Friendly |
El Niño Predicted
Scientists at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center have reported that El Niño conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific and are likely to continue into early 2007. Ocean temperatures increased remarkably in the equatorial Pacific. "Currently, weak El Niño conditions exist, but there is a potential for this event to strengthen into a moderate event by winter," said Vernon Kousky, NOAA's lead El Niño forecaster.
Some impacts from the developing El Niño are already evident in the pattern of tropical precipitation. Drier-than-average conditions have been observed across all of Indonesia, Malaysia and most of the Philippines, which are usually the first areas to experience ENSO-related impacts. This dryness can be expected to continue, on average, for the remainder of 2006.
Also, the development of weak El Niño conditions helps explain why this Atlantic hurricane season has been less active than was previously expected. El Niño typically acts to suppress hurricane activity by increasing the vertical wind shear over the Caribbean Sea region.
Typical El Niño effects are likely to develop over North America during the upcoming winter season. Those include warmer-than-average temperatures over western and central Canada, and over the western and northern United States. Wetter-than-average conditions are likely over portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast and Florida, while drier-than-average conditions can be expected in the Ohio Valley and the Pacific Northwest.
Effects on California diving can be expected to be a winter with slightly warmer water temperatures that can lead to a thinning of the kelp forests. Water clarity improves and often warm water species show up in Southern California. Unpredictable and often intense storms can, however, disrupt diving activities.
The term El Niño refers to the large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate phenomenon linked to a periodic warming in sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central equatorial Pacific. El Niño represents the warm phase of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, cycle, and is sometimes referred to as a Pacific warm episode. El Niño originally referred to an annual warming of sea surface temperatures along the west coast of tropical South America.
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Divers Memorialize Paul Meister with Underwater Cleanup
On Saturday September 23rd, 23 divers with help from friends, and family did an underwater and beach clean-up at White Point in San Pedro. The inaugural dive event was in memory of L.A. County Dive Instructor Paul Meister (see CDN, Aug., 2004). Paul is remembered for his pioneering, and all volunteer effort to collect, organize and establish baseline data relevant to the monitoring of key marine species at White Point.
White Point dive site has an interesting history and some very unique underwater hydro-thermal vents, where for over 35 years Paul and his legion of dedicated volunteer research divers have collected data. Paul's wife Dodie was central to the clean-up event, recounting her 20 plus years of diving at White Point with Paul, and accepting a citation on Paul's behalf from L.A. City Councilwoman Janice Hahn's office.
Divers were treated to 15 feet of visibility and warm 65° bottom temperature in the 40-foot deep Issei cove. Game bags of trash were dumped and a pot luck BBQ ensued. Thanks to the divers and organizers, and a special thanks to the GLACD and L.A.Co. Baywatch for their support. Look for a bigger and better clean-up next year, and an underwater memorial plaque.
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Scubapro® Recalls MK 20 Scuba Regulators for Service
The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed: Scubapro® MK 20 First Stage Regulators.
Over-tightening of the Yoke or Din retainer during annual servicing of these regulators could result in a stress crack and failure of the regulator. If this occurs during a dive, air supply could be interrupted, posing a drowning hazard.
No injuries or underwater incidents have been reported. Scubapro® USA has received eight reports of units that failed after being serviced.
The recall involves first stage regulators that are marked with the Scubapro brand and identified as the MK20.
Effected units were sold old at Authorized Scubapro® dealers nationwide from January 1996 through December 2001 for about $260.
Scubapro® USA has been providing a service upgrade kit via the authorized dealer network since May 2005 which contains a Yoke or Din retainer that prohibits over-tightening during annual service. Consumers can easily identify if the service upgrade has been completed by counting the vents on the plastic saddle located on the regulator. If the service upgrade has not been completed, the consumer should bring the regulator to any authorized Scubapro® dealer to have the service upgrade completed free of charge.
For assistance in locating the nearest authorized Scubapro® dealer or for more information, contact Scubapro® USA toll-free at (800) 731-6685 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or go to the firm’s web site at www.scubapro-uwatec.com.
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© Copyright 2006, all rights reserve, by Saint Brendan Corporation, P.O. Box 11231, Torrance CA 90510, mail@cadivingnews.com. No part of this may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system/website, or transmitted in any form by any means without prior written permission of the publisher.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The contents of this publication/website are opinions of the individual writers. The publishers of California Diving News and its contributors assume no responsibility for any mishap claimed to be a result of use of this material. Diving is an adventure sport and with it comes inherent risks. Improper use of diving equipment or improper diving techniques may result in serious injury or, in extreme circumstances, death. Readers are admonished to use their own best judgement in each individual situation.
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