Pretoria Sub Aqua

Klubaand Vrydag 15 Augustus

2008-08-13T11:52:00.000+02:00

Vrydagaand is klubaand!

Hamburgerbraai by die klubhuis. Bring jou eie burger “patties”, ons voorsien die broodjie, tamatie, ens.

So vanaf 6.30.

Laat weet asseblief as jy saam kom kuier, sodat ons genoeg bykosse kan voorsien.

O ja, onthou jou eie drinkgoed!

Groete

Dive Zero

2008-05-19T14:08:00.000+02:00

Hierdie is 'n oulike TV formaat joernaal oor duik die hele wêreld vol.

Freak wave hits Durban beach

2008-02-25T10:12:00.000+02:00

News 24

Durban - One man drowned and 18 others had to be rescued after being swept into the sea after a freak wave hit the main beach on Sunday.

The Durban NSRI and the Vodacom Netcare 911 surf-rescue helicopter were called out just after 15:19 after reports of a large number of bathers in difficulties at the beach.

The helicopter crew found lifeguards and police doing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on a man of about 40, but without success.

He was declared dead at the scene.

Lifeguards reported at that stage that one person might still be missing in the surf.

While the helicopter was searching for the person suspected still to be missing, it was confirmed that all those who had been swept into the sea were ashore.

Unexpected waves

Lifeguards had restricted bathers to wading in the surf because of rough sea conditions.

It appears that, with the rising tide, a set of waves unexpectedly swamped the beach, sweeping 19 bathers wading in ankle-deep water off their feet.

Lifeguards quickly pulled in most of them, apart from a few who had been swept further into the sea.

One lifeguard was taken to hospital after getting lacerations while rescuing victims. He is reported to be in a satisfactory condition.

Scuba in your Car

2008-02-23T15:43:00.001+02:00

An Even Stranger "Boat"

Submitted by glenjustice on Thu, 02/21/2008 - 02:36.

For a week, a story about the Rinspeed Splash, a Swiss-made car-boat-hydrophoil that looks like a Miata and is fast enough to tow a skier, graced our home page. We thought it was funny – the strangest boat of all.

Then this crossed my path: the same company is making an car that can dive. According to the company's website, the Rinspeed sQuba will be capable of traveling more than 30 feet below the surface. Inspired by a scene in the 1977 James Bond movie "The Spy Who Loved Me" (the Roger Moore era), the car is expected to debut in the Geneva Motor Show next month.

The sQuba, according to the company, has three motors – one for driving and two for the screws – and jet drives on the front...or should I say bow? The entire cockpit fills with water – apparently, you drive into the water, the car floats and then you literally open the door and let the water in. This eliminates unwanted bouyancy, and occupants then breathe via SCUBA tanks. The car sports an open top for emergency exits.

Why am I writing about this? Because it is insane...extreme...mad, even. Like mega yachts and $75,000 infrared cameras, it's not my cuppa joe but I'm glad it exists. Rinspeed chief exec Frank M. Rinderknecht, the architect of these insane little not-for-sale projects, clearly has some vision, odd as it is. As Rinderknecht explained it, he's had this on his mind since he saw the Bond film.

“For three decades I have tried to imagine how it might be possible to build a car that can fly under water," he said in a statement. "Now we have made this dream come true.”

Well, boats – even those of the strange, driving, submarine-line variety – are all about dreams. Go Frank.

Rinspeed

Underwater Digital Camera Mask

2008-02-22T13:30:00.000+02:00

Related Pictures

Neonode N2 - Follow Your Intuition

Laser Turntable

The Liquid Image company, based in Sacramento, CA (formerly known as Zocker Toys), has unveiled a 5.0 MP underwater digital camera mask. The company presented the new device at the 2008 CES show, currently taking place in Las Vegas. Unlike other underwater cameras that require the diver to hold the camera while taking pictures, Liquid Image's camera mask is hands free. The camera is integrated into a diving mask, allowing one to take pictures of marine life while swimming freely.

When the user wishes to take a picture or a video, all he or she must do is make sure that the crosshair marks on the mask are in line with the object and press the 'capture' button. The LED lights inside the viewing area indicate the camera's current mode. A short video taken with the Camera Mask can be found here.

The digital images can be downloaded to a computer via a USB cable. One can edit images and videos by using the included ArcSoft software. The digital underwater Camera Mask is available in a 3.1 version, capable of taking pictures in a 5M depth, and in a 5.0 MP version that works in a 30M depth.

The camera is equipped with a 16 MB SD RAM internal memory that can be upgraded via the Micro SD card slot. The 5MP model offers High Res (5.0 MP) and Low Res (3.1MP) shooting modes, as well as a 18-25FPS VGA video mode. The camera's minimum photographic distance is 1.2m (5ft) and it is powered by two AAA alkaline 1.5V batteries. The Underwater Digital Camera Mask will be released for sale in spring 2008 at a price of $99.

TFOT previously covered a few innovative digital cameras, including Zigview - the world's first digital angle viewfinder for digital and film SLR cameras, POV. 1 - a durable, waterproof, dustproof and shock resistant video camera, and a wireless USB (WUSB) technology for cameras developed by the semiconductor company Artimi.

More information on the Underwater Digital Camera Mask can be found on the company's website.

CMAS One Star Diver Training Programme

2008-01-30T11:48:00.000+02:00

A briefing will be held on Thursday 31 January at the PSA clubhouse (at the Tjaart van Vuuren swimming pool - entrance in 31st street between Hertzon and Haarhoff - Waverley Pretoria) to discuss the next PSA one star training programme with all interested parties. The course will be approximately R1100 per person. For more info, contact Andre Botha at 082 564 4110.

CMAS – ONE STAR DIVER TRAINING PROGRAMME – FEBRUARY 2008

DATE	TIME	VENUE	ACTIVITY	REFERENCE TO FRAMEWORK
Thursday 31/01/2008	19h00	PSA Clubhouse	Meeting of all interested parties	N/A
Tuesday 05/02/2008	19h30	PSA Clubhouse	Classroom	Module 1 : Training Programme Module 2 : Diving Equipment Module 3 : Diving Physics
Wednesday 06/02/2008	19h30	PSA Clubhouse	Classroom	Module 4 : Diving Anatomy and Physiology Module 5 : Dive Planning
Saturday 09/02/2008	14h00 – 17h00	PSA Clubhouse	Swimming Pool	Introductory Confined Water Training Session Confined Water Training / Assessment Session 1 Confined Water Lesson 1
Sunday 10/02/2008	1400 – 17h00	PSA Clubhouse	Swimming Pool	Confined Water Training / Assessment Session 2 Confined Water Lesson 2 Confined Water Lesson 3
Tuesday 12/02/2008	19h30	PSA Clubhouse	Classroom	Module 6 Open Water Environment and Open Water Diving Module 7 : Rescue and Resuscitation Module 8 Further Diving and Development Opportunities
Saturday 16/02/2008	14h00 – 17h00	PSA Clubhouse	Classroom Swimming Pool	Open Water Diving Planning Session Training / Assessment Session 3 Confined Water Lesson
Sunday 17/02/2008	12h00	De Jong Pool Roper Street	Swimming Pool	Training / Assessment Session 4 Confined Water Lesson 5 Training / Assessment Session 5
Sunday 24/02/2008	14h00	PSA Clubhouse	Classroom	Theoretical Work Assessment
Saturday 01/03/2008	07h00	Miracle Waters		Open Water Training Dive/Assessment Session 1 Training Dive 1 Training Dive 2 Training Drive 3
Sunday 02/03/2008	07h00	Miracle Waters		Open Water Training Dive / Assessment Session 2 Training Dive 4 Training Dive 5

Vriendelike verpligte braai - 1 Feb 2008

2008-01-30T10:26:00.001+02:00

Aangesien die juniortjies en sommige senior dames uitstedig is weens nationals en daarom valentynsdag gaan mis, het ons dit goed gedink om ‘n “valentynsbal” te hou, maar op die PSA manier!

WAAR: PSA klubhuis by die Tjaart van Vuuren swembad in Villeria. (sien p.3)

WANNEER: 1 Februarie

KOSTES: Ons was so vriendelik om geen ingangsfooi te vra nie, maar daar word ‘n versoek gerig om wel geld saam te bring vir pryse wat gewen kan word.

KOS: Dis ‘n bring en braai.
UPDATE: Graat maak 'n potjie. So jy hoef nie te bring nie
Bring asb eie versnappings, drankies en eetgerei

Indien daar ouers is wat hul kinders wil saambring, laat weet asb vroegtydig vir Eddie (0823205477), sodat daar spesiale reëlings getref kan word.

Daar is egter een kinkel in die kabel: Om by die tema aan te sluit moet almal iets rooi, pienk of as dit rêrig nie anders kan nie wit of swart klere aantrek.

Daar sal ‘n prys wees vir die couple wat die oorspronklikste aantrek.

LET WEL: Almal is welkom! Gesinne, couples en enkel persone…daar sal genoeg geselskap wees!!

Good chance for newies to get know everybody, and for everybody to get to know newies.

Please make use of the entrance in 31st street and not through the gym in Hertzog street.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Marlie with any questions and requests (0823899384)

Perlemoen nou 'n nee-nee

2007-10-31T12:51:00.000+02:00

http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleid=323237&referrer=RSS

Fishermen 'bewildered' by new perlemoen ban

Traditional fishermen and coastal communities are confused and bewildered by the perlemoen ban, the Masifundise Development Trust said on Friday.

It was reacting to the Cabinet announcement on Thursday that all wild perlemoen harvesting will be suspended indefinitely from the end of this month.

"The announcement ... has been met with confusion and bewilderment by traditional fishers and coastal communities throughout the Western Cape," the NGO said in a statement.

The move has, however, been welcomed by environmental organisations.

Masifundise said it recognises perlemoen stocks are under serious threat of over-exploitation, but said to "punish" traditional fishers for this is "discriminatory, foolhardy and will most certainly backfire".

The crisis in the fishery, including rampant poaching and associated social problems, is a product of past inequitable economic and social policies, it said.

Masifundise works with small-scale and traditional fishing and coastal communities along the Cape's south and west coasts.

Environment and Tourism Affairs Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk's office said on Friday that warnings the fishery might be closed were issued as far back as 2004.

In his budget speech earlier this year, the minister had again warned of a ban if stocks continued to head towards extinction, spokesperson Riaan Aucamp said.

"For the past few years the recommendation from our department's managers and researchers has been that the fishery is in crisis and that the closure could not be avoided," he said.

The total annual allowable catch of perlemoen, also known as abalone, has dropped rapidly over the years to the current 100 tonnes.

The Cabinet has said there will be an increase in policing to try to stop perlemoen poaching, which is widely blamed for the removal of thousands of tonnes of the expensive shellfish along the Cape coast and for the collapse of the sector. -- Sapa

Korale op die Rooi Lys

2007-10-31T12:49:00.001+02:00

http://www.xray-mag.com/article/453/Three_corals_added_to_Red_List_of_Threatened_Species

Three corals added to Red List of Threatened Species

For the first time, corals were added to the annual report of IUCN's (World Conservation Union) 2007 Red List wildlife going extinct.

Floreana coral. Photo by Paul Humann/www.fishid.com.

Two of the corals – Floreana coral (Tubastraea floreana) and Wellington’s solitary coral (Rhizopsammia wellingtoni) – as Critically Endangered, while a third – Galapagos coral (Polycyathus isabela) – is listed as Vulnerable.

These three species of corals, unique to the Galapagos Islands, could soon disappear forever.

“There is a common misconception that marine species are not as vulnerable to extinction as land-based species,” said Roger McManus, CI’s vice president for marine programs.

“However, we increasingly realize that marine biodiversity is also faced with serious environmental threat, and that there is an urgent need to determine the worldwide extent of these pressures to guide marine conservation practice.”

Galapagos coral. Photo by Cleveland P Hickman, Jr.

Scientists blame climate change for more frequent and increasingly severe El Niño events that have caused dramatic rises in water temperatures and reduced nutrient availability around the Galapagos Islands in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean, off South America. The warmer water harms corals and algae, both of which constitute the structural foundation of unique and diverse marine ecosystems.

Corals build reefs that are habitat for fish and other marine life, and also are a major attraction for divers in the Galapagos, where tourism makes a significant contribution to the local and national economy.

“Marine ecosystems are vulnerable to threats at all scales – globally through climate change, regionally from El Niño events, and locally when over-fishing removes key ecosystem building blocks,” said Jane Smart, head of the IUCN Species Program. “We need more effective solutions to manage marine resources in a more sustainable way in light of these increasing threats.”

The recovery of algae species following strong El Niño events is harmed by over-fishing of the natural predators of sea urchins, which feed on the algae. Mushrooming urchin populations scour rocks clean of algae, depleting a major food source for other species such as the Galapagos marine iguana.

Wellington's solitary coral. Photo by Paul Humann/www.fishid.com.

Other coral and algae species lacked sufficient information to determine their IUCN Red List status, so they received the designation of Data Deficient. Researchers believe many of these species are likely to be listed as threatened with extinction when more detailed information becomes available.

The Red List also includes 74 Galapagos seaweeds, or macro-algae, with 10 of them receiving the most threatened status of Critically Endangered. Prior to 2007, only one algae species had been included on the Red List.

PSA Dagboek

2007-10-23T14:04:00.001+02:00

Goeie more

Dagboek solank die volgende datums en laat weet my of Lynette as jy/julle belangstel:

10 November

Droë duik: tot 50m diepte. As gevolg van die kostes vir die duik, benodig ons 10 persone, minimum 18 jaar oud, verkieslik 2-ster kwalifikasie of soortgelyk. Duik neem ongeveer 2 ure, met ‘n “briefing” vooraf. Jy kry ook ‘n sertifikaat en kan die duik “log”.

24 November

Kersfees ete: Meer volledige inligting sal later deurgegee word. Hou solank die aand oop

5-8 Desember

Interklubs – onderwaterhokkie – sterkte vir al die spellers. Daar is 3 spanne ingeskryf, waaronder ‘n dames kombinasie span.

21 April – 5 Mei

Worlds – onderwater hokkie toernooi

20 tot 31 April (of daarrond)

Mosambiek – Inhambane omgewing. Die klub wil in Mosambiek gaan duik. Die datums is gedurende die skool vakansie met Paasnaweek tussen-in – 21 tot 24ste.

Laat weet my of Lynette as jy belangstel om saam te gaan, dank an ons meer reëlings begin tref rakende plek, kostes en selfs datums – as jy dalk langer of later wil gaan.

25 April tot 4 Mei

Mosambiek / Plettenberg baai – as gevolg van die vakansie dae – Vryheidsdag en Werkersdag, is dit dalk ook ‘n goeie tyd om iets te reel. Laat weet asseblief as dit jou dalk eerder sou pas en of jy enige voorkeure het.

Februarie 2007

“Full face” duik. Ons wil reël vir ‘n duik met die vol gesig maskers. As jy sou belangstel, laat weet my dank an ons aangaan om ‘n duik te reël

Groete

Mireille

083 285 2983 of mirb @ ccarchitects. co. za

1 Ster Kursus Oktober 2007

2007-10-16T12:39:00.000+02:00

Hallo almal

Andre beplan ‘n 1 Sterkurusus vir Oktober Maand. Die inligtings aand is op 16 Oktober 2007 om 19h00 by die klubhuis sal julle asb persone wat belangstel laat weet.

Groete

Lynette

Klub aand 7 September - Graat die bobaas wildspot kok!

2007-09-14T17:14:00.001+02:00

'n kursus vir die's met sterre in hul oë

2007-09-05T09:08:00.001+02:00

Hi Daar

As julle weet van persone wat belangstel in 'n 1 ster kursus, laat weet asb vir Andre Botha.

Groete

Lynette

Potjiekos Vrydag 7 September

2007-09-04T10:21:00.000+02:00

Goeie more

Die wêreldbeker rugby begin en het natuurlik ‘n invloed op van die duikers ook! Dus:

Die klubaand van die 14de skuif na hierdie Vrydag 7 September by die klubhuis. Graatjie gaan vir ons ‘n wildspotjie (koedoe) voorberei.

Tyd is van 7uur af.

Koste: R10 per persoon

Bring jou eie drinkgoed en eetgerei.

Laat weet asseblief vir Lynette (012 333 8109) of Mireille (083 285 2983) sodat ons weet hoeveel mense om voor te berei.

Geniet intussen die week.

Mireille

mirb@ccarchitects.co.za

This information is also available in English, for those that can’t read Afrikaans. One of the other indigenous languages can also be done if so required.

PSA Projekte

2007-08-24T09:37:00.000+02:00

Onthou asseblief die volgende datums:

Saterdag 1 September - Lentedag duik(e) by Miracle Waters

Selfs al dink jy die water is dalk te koud, kom saam en hou piekniek, braai 'n worsie of kuier net saam. Ons bespreek 'n lapa vir PSA. Laat weet my egter asseblief sodat ons 'n idee het hoeveel mense gaan opdaag. As jy nodig het om juou silinder vol te maak, kontak asseblief vir Andre Ferreira sodat daar 'n pomp-aand gereël kan word in die week. Andre 082 781 3277.

Vrydag 14 September - Klubaand by die klubhuis.

Ons gaan bietjie saam kuier en braai, probeer nog iets reël, sal laat weet. Daar gaan ook 'n paar buite gaste wees. Dagboek solank die datum en kom kuier saam, veral aangesien dit bietjie warmer al raak

"Chamber" duik - Alhoewel daar altyd heelwat belangstelling is, sukkel ons om hulle bymekaar te kry as daar 'n duik gereël word. As gevolg van die koste van so 'n duik, raak dit baie duur as ons nie 10 persone bymekaar kan kry vir die duik nie. Ons moes dan ongelukkig weer die droë duik afstel na 'n volgende poging.

Geniet intussen die naweek, sien julle die 1ste!

Mireille

Nuusbrief & Chamber Duik

2007-08-16T10:09:00.000+02:00

Neem kennis dat 'n nuwe PSA nuusbrief uitgestuur is propvol baie belangrike inligting. Saam met die nuusbrief het 'n behoefte peiling en die nuwe jaar se klub-lidmaatskap vorm uit gegaan. As jy die voltooide behoefte vraelys terugstuur staan jy die kans om R150 afslag op jou 2007/2008 PSA lidmaatskap te wen. As jy nie 'n kopie van die epos korrespondensie ontvang het nie (Beskikbaar vir lede en nie-lede) los asseblief hier 'n comment en ek sal seker maak dat jy 'n epos ontvang.

Projekte waarvan jy moet kennis neem:

25 Augustus: 50 m Chamber Duik. Ons het ten minste 10 mense nodig vir hierdie om te realiseer. Dit sal so 2 ure neem (10:00 tot 12:00), en jy moet ten minste 18 jaar oud wees en ‘n 2 ster duik kwalifikasie hê. Jy kan lekker genarc raak, hoor hoe jy met ‘n mickey muis stem klink en bietjie meer leer oor die fisika en fisiologie . R300 vir PSA lede (R350 vir nie-lede), Laat weet vir Mireille teen Woensdag 22 Augustus as jy belangstel.

1 September: Miracle Waters Lente Duik. Ons gaan lekker duik en piekniek hou by Miracle waters. Kom sluit gerus by ons aan.

14 September: Klub aand - Braai by die klubhuis. Bring jou eie vissie / vleisie en kom vang op op al die klub nuus.

19 – 21 Oktober: Aliwal duik naweek. Ons gaan ‘n bussie reël sodat jy rustig kan sit en kuier oppad soontoe en terug. Ons verwag groot vet haaie. Verblyf en vervoer kostes sal nader aan die tyd gefinaliseer word aangesien die hoeveelheid mense sal bepaal hoe die kostes opgedeel gaan word. PSA gaan waarskynlik ‘n huis huur vir die naweek. Laat weet teen 30 Augustus.

Oktober 2007: Een ster Kursus. PSA beplan om in Oktober weer ‘n een ster kursus aan te bied. Meer inligting sal nader aan die tyd deurgegee word. Kontak asseblief vir Andre Botha as jy weet van iemand wat belang stel.

6 -9 Desember: Onderwater Hokkie Interklubs in Durban. Dit was vroeer geskeduleer vir November. Aangesien dit aan die begin van die skool vakansie plaas vind, is dit nodig om so gou moontlik akkommodasie reëlings te tref.

26 April – 3 Mei 2008: Tofu in Mosambiek. Laat weet solank as jy belangstel. R200 per dag per persoon. Duike R200 per duik

KENNISGEWING: PSA Algemene Jaar Vergadering

Gewoonlik is September die maand waarin PSA sy algemene jaarvergadering hou, maar hierdie jaar, 2007, sal ons bietjie van hierdie tradisie afwyk. Op die 21ste Julie 2007 het klub komitee lede bymekaar gekom om die toedrag van sake te bespreek en met ‘n nuwe strategiese plan vorendag te kom. Die aspekte van hierdie plan word in hierdie nuusbrief gedeel. Aangesien die huidige komitee bietjie tyd gaan nodig hê om die nuwe plan in werking te stel, en uit te toets sal die nuwe jaar se AGM eers in 2008 gehou word. Indien enige lede graag betrokke wil wees by die komitee, kontak asseblief vir Lynette.

KENNISGEWING: CMAS SPESIALE ALGEMENE JAAR VERGADERING

‘n CMAS AGM is gehou op die 2de Junie 2007 waar ‘n groep instrukteurs gekies is om weer CMAS op koers te kry. ‘n Spesiale CMAS AGM word op Saterdag 18 Augustus 09:00 gehou by die Wits ouditorium om spesifiek die finansies van CMAS te bespreek. Al die in-datum Duikinstrukteurs en Dive Masters word versoek om dit by te woon. Kontak Andre Botha vir inligting

Nuus

2007-07-26T15:51:00.000+02:00

Die afgelope Saterdag, 21 Julie, het die bestuurskommittee weer so bietjie koppe bymekaar gesit om te kyk hoe ons PSA weer 'n aktiewe klub met 'n sterk scuba komponent kan maak.

Volgende week sal ons bietjie 'n nuusbrief met nuwe verwikkelinge uitstuur. In kort het ons besluit om dinge beter te doen, al beteken dit ons gaan van nou af minder dinge beplan!

Tarra!

B

CMAS Winterduik by Bass Lake

2007-06-02T15:02:00.000+02:00

We are having mid winter dive in Bass Lake on the 23 June We going to have treasure hunt lots of prizes, braai and cash bar.

To register phone Stuart on 082 722 2367 or David 082 499 4141.
Cost R150-00 which includes the following:

Entrance fee R45-00

Braai pack R25-00

Lots of prizes

Closing date for registration 19 June

Regards

David Sofer

Hoe katte en koeie se eetgewoontes erdwurms en bye raak

2007-05-17T10:07:00.000+02:00

Quote:

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

Earth Day is almost here. I don't believe in Earth Day myself. I think it's a little silly to devote one single day of the year to being concerned about the environment, but I suppose one day is better than no day at all.

Having been an environmental activist since 1968, I have seen the movement go up and down like a roller coaster in popularity. It was big in 1972 with the Environmental Conference in Stockholm which I attended and it became big again in 1992 with the U.N. Environmental Conference in Rio De Janeiro that I also attended. I remember that the priority issue in 1972 was the danger of escalating human populations but by 1992, that concern was not even on the agenda.

Well we are approaching the end of another 20 year period and it looks like ecology is in vogue again thanks to global warming and a few other scary things. Green is once again popular.

I can always tell when the environment is getting to be faddish again. My indicator is the number of lectures I am booked for around this time of year. It reached its peak in 1992, practically disappeared for a while and now it's coming around again.

What worries me is that the movement is constantly being sidetracked by the issue of the day. It's global warming now. When we were trying to warn people about global warming and climate change twenty years ago, no one was interested. Now it's become the "in" issue and the big organizations are tapping the public for donations to address the problem although no one has come up with anything that makes much sense. But global warming is good for business if you're one of the big bureaucratic organizations whose primary concern is really corporate self preservation.

Greenpeace is even telling people that they can slow down global warming by (and I kid you not) "singing in the shower". Yep, you see all you have to do is run the water, then get wet, shut the water off, and sing in the shower as you lather up and then open up the faucet and rinse off. Ah, so simple to save the world.

The problem is that these big organizations are too politically correct to address the ecologically correct solutions. Instead they are baffling everyone with abstract concepts like carbon trading and carbon storage or trying to sell us a new hybrid Japanese car.

Even Al Gore with his Inconvenient Truth totally ignored the most inconvenient truth of all. I'll get to that in a moment.

But let's look at the number one cause of global greenhouse gas emissions. First and foremost it is human over-population, the very same issue that was the priority concern at the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Environment in Stockholm.

It's 6.5 billion people folks.

Remember in 1950, the world population was 3 billion. It's now more than doubled. 6.5 billion people produce one hell of an annual output of waste and utilize an unbelievable amount of resources and energy.

And this number is rising minute by minute, day, by day, year by year.

And most of the people having children have no idea why they are even having children other than that's what you do. Most of them don't really love their children because if they did they would be very much involved in trying to ensure that their children have a world to survive in.

Unless over-population is addressed, there is absolutely no way of slowing down global greenhouse gas emissions. But how do you do that within the context of economic systems that require larger and larger numbers to perform the essential task of consuming products?

Corporations need workers and buyers. Governments need tax-payers, bureaucrats and soldiers. More people means more money.

I've said for decades that the solution to all of our problems is simple. We just need to live in accordance with the three basic laws of ecology.

First is the Law of Diversity. The strength of an eco-system lies in diversity of species within it. Weaken diversity and the entire system will be weakened and will ultimately collapse. Second is the Law of Interdependence. All of the species within an eco-system are interdependent. We need each other. And the third law of Ecology is the Law of Finite Resources. There is a limit to growth because there is a limit to carrying capacity. Human populations are exceeding ecological carrying capacity. Exceeding ecological carrying capacity is diminishing both resources and diversity of species.

The diminishment of diversity is causing serious problems with interdependence.

Albert Einstein once wrote that "if the bee disappeared off the

surface

of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No

bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more

man."

That is the Law of Interdependence.

Forget global warming folks. The disappearance of the honeybee could

end our existence as human beings on this planet far sooner than we think.

And the honey bee is in fact now disappearing. Why? We don't know why. It could be genetically modified crops, I could be pesticides or it could be that our cell phones are interfering with their ability to navigate.

Whatever the cause the fact is that they are disappearing. All around the world bees are disappearing in a crisis called Colony Collapse Disorder. And bees pollinate our plants. Everywhere on the planet, bees are hard at work making it possible for you to live and enjoy life.

We hold on to our place on this planet by only a toehold. If anything happens to the grass family, we are screwed. If the earthworms disappear, we are in big trouble. If the bees disappear, well according to Albert Einstein who was considered somewhat smarter than most of us, we will have only four years. Just enough time to get a college degree to discover that everything you learned is relatively useless when sitting on the doorstep of global ecological annihilation.

We are cutting down the forest and plundering the oceans of life. We are polluting the soil, the air and the water and we are rapidly running out of fresh water to drink.

Only corporations like Coke and Pepsi have figured out that water is more valuable than gold. That is why they are bottling it in plastic bottles and selling it. This week I saw a bottle of water in my hotel room that I could have drunk for only $4.

Unbelievable. That means that water is now being sold for more than The equivalent amount of gasoline. I hope that I'm not the only one who thinks this is insanity.

Now for Al Gore's really inconvenient truth. In his film he does not mention once that the meat and dairy industry that produces the bacon, the steaks, the chicken wings and the milk is a larger contributor to greenhouse gas emissions than the automobile industry. You see, Al may drive a Prius but he likes his burgers.

This is why the big organizations like Greenpeace and the Sierra Club will not say a thing about the meat industry. Last year I saw Greenpeacers sitting down for a baked fish meal onboard the Greenpeace ship Esperanza while engaged in a campaign to oppose over-fishing.

When we pointed out that our Sea Shepherd ships serve only vegan meals,

the Greenpeace cook replied, "that's just silly." We see what we want to see and we rationalize everything else.

The oceans have been plundered to the point that 90% of the fish have been removed from their eco-systems and at this very moment there is over 65,000 miles of long lines set in the Pacific Ocean alone and there are tens of thousands of fishing vessels scouring the seas in a rapacious quest to scoop up everything that swims or crawls.

This is ecological insanity.

The largest marine predator on the planet right now is the cow. More than half the fish taken from the sea is rendered into fish meal and fed to domestic livestock. Puffins are starving in the North sea to feed sand eels to chickens in Denmark. Sheep and pigs have replaced the shark and the sea lion as the dominant predators in the ocean and domestic house cats are eating more fish than all the world's seals combined.

We are extracting some fifty to sixty fish from the sea to raise one farm raised salmon.

This is ecological insanity.

Yet the demand for shark fin is rising in China. Ignorant people still want to wear fur coats. In America, we order fries, a cheeseburger and a "diet" coke.

Ecological insanity folks.

Last week a reporter called to ask me if I had really said that earth worms are more important than people. I answered that yes I had. He then asked how I could justify such a statement.

"Simple," I answered. "Earthworms can live on the planet without people. We cannot live on the planet without earthworms thus from an ecological point of view, earthworms are more important than people."

He said that I was insane for suggesting such a ridiculous idea when people were made in the image of God, and earthworms were not.

What we have here of course is a failure to communicate between two radically different world views. His which is anthropocentric and sees reality as human centred and mine which is biocentric and sees reality as including all species equally working in interdependence. He sees us as divine and better than all the other species and I see us as a bunch of arrogant primates out of control.

But that's my two cents worth for Earth Day 2007.

Consider the humble honey bee and remember that the little black and yellow insect you see flitting busily from flower to flower is all that stands between us and our demise as a species on this planet.

We better see to it that they don't disappear.

May be freely published and distributed

Captain Paul Watson

Founder and President of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (1977-

Co-Founder - The Greenpeace Foundation (1972) Co-Founder - Greenpeace

International (1979) Director of the Sierra Club USA (2003-2006)

Director - The Farley Mowat Institute Director www.harpseals.org

Maak seker jou Kat en Koei weet ook watter is bedreigde spesies vis!

2007-05-15T09:56:00.000+02:00

Cows and cats consuming the world's fish

Johannesburg, South Africa

15 May 2007 07:12

South Africa must act to stop its marine resources disappearing in a world where the biggest consumers of fish products are cows and pet cats, warned environmentalists on Monday.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) said South Africa's "excellent" environmental laws should be enforced and warned that plans to develop mariculture and open up one of the country's oldest marine protected areas (MPAs) could have serious implications.

"The government of South Africa, faced with tremendous pressure to deliver on poverty reduction, economic development and equity in coastal areas as well as to address the ever-dwindling marine life in our waters and meet international commitments, has already entered dangerous waters," said EWT director Nick King.

He warned that marine resources are under pressure around the world, saying environmentalist Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society "states that the largest marine predator on Earth is now the cow, with over half the fish catch serving as fish-meal feed for domestic livestock".

"Domestic house cats are apparently eating more fish than all the world's seals combined and some 50 to 60 marine fish are caught to raise one farm-raised salmon."

King said South Africa "seems not to have noticed our marine resources disappearing".

He said the country's first large-scale, fin-fish marine aquaculture ventures -- the I&J Hatchery -- was launched in April and, while the government is promoting aquaculture as a way of meeting the increasing demand for fresh seafood and even help rebuild wild stocks, it is not a quick-fix solution.

"Technological 'solutions' to existing environmental disasters are seldom sustainable solutions and invariably contribute to the problem."

King said a mariculture industry should be based on sound social, ecological and economic criteria and monitored properly.

He warned against plans to open the Tsitsikamma MPA, saying scientists have identified it as "an extremely important nursery area that sustains the entire line-fish industry of the southern Cape".

"Given that only two of approximately 150 line-fish species in South Africa are considered still exploitable -- the rest falling into the categories of collapsed, threatened or overexploited -- any protected area contributing to the regeneration of fish stocks should be assigned extra protection, not less." -- Sapa

Wat mag jy eet?

2007-05-14T14:18:00.000+02:00

Ever notice how small your order of kingfish had become......

Help from the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative

The biggest set back in making positive changes to the destruction of the planet is a lack of awareness and knowledge. Most people want to do the right thing, but for the most part they don’t know how, or they simply don’t know when they’re doing the wrong thing.

Are those little shells on your bracelets and belts sustainably harvested? What about the porcupine quills that are fashionably decorating greeting cards? Are you using environmentally friendly detergents? Do you conscientiously recycle waste? Are your wooden furnishings and floors from a sustainable forest? Do you invest in shares or support a company that has good environmental principals or one that is destroying the planet?

With every decision we make and with every purchase we make, we have the power to make a difference. But for most, figuring out the “right thing to do”, is often very difficult.

One area where we can find assistance in making the right decisions is in our consumption of SEAFOOD.

SASSI (SOUTHERN AFRICAN SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD INITIATIVE) is an organisation formed in response to the dwindling fish stocks and critical need to create awareness. The intention of this article is to convince you, that as a diver, as a South African, and as a person sharing in the resources of this planet, you too have a responsibility in resource sustainability; for now and for the future.

For decades, global fish stocks have become a matter of grave concern for many nations. The problem now faces South Africa. Fish stocks have collapsed and are at a mere fraction of their former numbers. In addition, consideration must be given to the fact that fish stock calculations began long after harvesting began, indicating that the collapse gradient is dramatically steeper than statistics show.

Some contributing factors by modern fishing methods include:

• Sonar - Detection of fish stocks through the use modern sonar.
• Trawls and long liners – Indiscriminate and highly effective.
• Diet - The newfound popularity of fish as a healthy and classy alternative to red meat.
• Misconception - The old belief that the sea is boundless.
• Deception – ‘Yesterday’s’ bycatch is today’s ‘catch of the day’. This is a direct result of over fishing a popular species until there is not enough left to support demand.

“The most recent revision of linefish stock status has revealed that out of the top 27 recreationally important species, for which sufficient information was available, 18 (67%) were classified as “collapsed”, one species was found to be “over-exploited”, four were considered “optimally-exploited”, and only two species were “under-exploited”. For commercial species, it is no different, with six out of the ten most important commercial species falling well below critical levels in the Western Cape region, where the bulk of national linefish catches are made. Some well-known species like the dusky kob are estimated to be down to 2% of original spawner-biomass per recruit levels. As a crude comparison, imagine if the estimated human population of 4 million for the Cape Metropole were reduced by 98%. That would leave a cool 80 000 people, and a vast improvement in peak hour traffic!” Jaco Barendse, SASSI

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Download the Consumers Seafood Pocket Guide. Feel free to distribute a copy to friends and family. Every time you go to a seafood restaurant or buy seafood from a store, ask if they support the SASSI. Insist on knowing exactly what you are buying and check the status of your intended fish purchase on your list.

Don’t buy / consume fish on the red or orange lists.

The only seafood’s that we should be buying are those listed on the green list.

If in a restaurant or shop you find species listed on the red or orange lists, please try and make an effort to inform the restaurant and shop owners or managers of the status of the species. Let them know that you will not purchase such an item. Of course, that’s your choice and some choices are difficult to make.

CALLING A FISH A FISH

The use of common names for fish creates a tricky situation that is often misleading. Most vendors sell fish by a name that can be, in actual fact, a myriad of different species. They can easily just call a red listed or endangered fish by the name of a green listed fish. Most lay consumers would not know the difference. Most people, including chefs and restaurateurs, and fishermen themselves, cannot accurately identify the difference between similar looking fish. This is where SASSI’s program to educate and create awareness for restaurateurs, chefs and grocers is so powerful and beneficial. However, without compliance, without individuals and businesses accepting responsibility, the efforts of SASSI are meaningless. Without conscious effort and diligent application, fish stocks will continue to decline at an ever increasing rate, until species’, one after the other, become extinct. We are more than that. The world is fast, and pressures are many; time is a most valuable commodity. However, as little of it as we have, some of our time and concern, should be given back to the species with which we share this planet.

You can read and download more at www.panda.org.za/sassi

So go ahead, download your copy of the SASSI consumer pocket guide and start doing your bit for the ocean.

Wil jy 'n akwarium duiker wees?

2007-05-10T10:05:00.000+02:00

Placed at the lobby of the Radisson SAS Hotel in Berlin the 25 meters high AquaDom is the largest cylindrical aquarium ever built. Filled with about 900,000 liters of seawater it contains some 2600 fish of 56 species.

Combined with a vast amount of sandblasted glass, the giant AquaDom gives a transparent-like feeling to the lobby Guests and visitors are able to travel through the aquarium in a glass-enclosed elevator to reach a sightseeing point and restaurant under the glass roof.

Two full-time divers are responsible for the care and feeding of the fish and maintenance of the aquarium. Some of the interior rooms and suites look out over the atrium, offering "ocean views" of the AquaDom

Construction

The AquaDom was opened in December 2003. It cost about 12.8 million euros.

The acrylic glass cylinder was constructed by the U.S. company Reynolds Polymer Technology.

The outside cylinder was manufactured on-site from four pieces; the inside cylinder for the elevator was delivered in one piece The Aquadom is the largest acrylic glass cylinder in the world, with a diameter of over 11 meters built on a 9 meters tall concrete foundation.

Woon onder die water!

2007-04-19T18:13:00.000+02:00

Eddie stuur hierdie nuus van die New24 Website af

18/04/2007 13:26 - (SA)

Sydney - An Australian scientist emerged unscathed on Wednesday after spending 12 days in an underwater capsule where he had to create his own oxygen with algae and generate electricity on an exercise bike.

Self-confessed "nutcase" Lloyd Godson lived at the bottom of a flooded quarry in a yellow steel capsule measuring just nine square metres to demonstrate how a closed ecological system can work.

Godson admitted suffering mild cabin fever during his time in the underwater tank, which used a revolutionary Israeli-developed "Biocoil" system to generate oxygen from algae soaked with the 27-year-old's urine.

"It's nice to feel the sunshine on the face and the breeze here," said Godson after surfacing from the quarry near Albury, on the New South Wales-Victoria state border.

He said: "It starts to play on your mind a bit after 12 days obviously. You start to get a bit of cabin fever, but you know I handled it surprisingly well.

"I thought it was going to drive me a bit more nuts than it did."

Monitored by a psychologist

Godson won funding from Australian Geographic magazine for his project, which was designed to provide data on the practicalities and psychological pressures of living in an alien environment.

The marine scientist, who was remotely monitored by a psychologist during his underwater experience, said the information could help future planning for extended missions by submarines or space vessels.

"It's the first time this has been done so it's paving the way for future experiments in this area like plant-based life-support systems for underwater or space applications, or whatever it may be," he said.

"We got some good data down there so it will be interesting now when we analyse all that and the right people will see it and we'll work on making improvements for the next one."

ONTHOU: Klubaand 13 April 2007

2007-04-12T09:51:00.000+02:00

Mireille laat weet oor die Klubaand more-aand:

Bring en braai en kuiers van 19h00 af by die klubhuis.

Die regte Malongane Storie

2007-04-12T08:53:00.000+02:00

Aangestuur deur Wetstuff Scuba

(Dit lyk of iemand 'n search and replace gedoen het om die Woorde Mosambiek / Suid Afrika uit die artikel te haal. Ek plaas dit hier soos wat ek dit ontvang het).

From: Wetstuff Scuba Sent: 12 April 2007 08:28 AM
Subject: Response From Ponta regarding the "BAD MEDIA"

Hi Guys and Gals

Some of you may have heard about the BAD Press circulating regarding an incident in Ponta. Obviously this has effected the tourism industry over there. Below are e-mails sent to us by Kaya Kweru and Malongane regarding the incident, One small incident really shouldn't warrant a stay away, We are all tough Africans, we laugh in the face of danger, surely? I'll let you decide?

Kaya Kweru:

It's unfortunate that certain irresponsible newspapers in stoop so low as to downgrade all the hard work that has been done to make Southern Mozambique especially the Ponta D'Ouro & Manlongane a safe memmorable holiday for thousands of south african and foreign tourists that visit our shores.

We have already written to these newspapers and goverment has taken this incident very seriously.

Already we have had cancellations because of this one isolated incident.

While unaceptable that something like this happened it is common place in and nobody even bats an eyelid. As soon as this happens in now people enter into panic.

COME ON DON'T STOP LIVING OR ENJOYING YOUR HOLLIDAYS JUST BECAUSE OF ONE ISOLATED INCIDENT!!!!

Paramedics fm 'VIDA PLUS' contacts 82 124 or 84 124 have been in Ponta D'Ouro with an ambulance on all peak periods. sponsored by KAYA KWERU.

What happened to "RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM"

Ponta Malongane:

Dear guests and supporter of the Ponta Malongane Holiday Resort

We have received many queries with regards to the recent articles in “The Beeld”, “Die Burger” and “Cape Argus” about AK-47 shooting over the Easter holidays and in response ?(as being named the resort under the scrutiny of the media) we would like to inform everyone on the situation.

A group of South African tourists from the Western Cape, who were on holiday at the Ponta Malongane Holiday Resort, decided to embark on an excursion outside the boundaries of Ponta Malongane, and explored areas further to the north of Ponta Malongane Holiday Resort.

On their return from Ponta Mamoli, about 5 km from Ponta Malongane, the ambush incident occurred. Three unknown young men appeared out of the dense vegetation, one who was armed with an AK47. Unaware of the strange happenings the driver stopped, he asked the three men if there was a problem, but they just told them to turn-up the vehicle’s windows and keep on driving. In relief they proceeded whereupon the armed individual suddenly opened fire on the vehicle. The motif remains a mystery as the majority of the shots were low, indicating an attempt to stop the vehicle. After the gun was fired the three men fled the scene without any reward.

The wounded middle aged man was treated and stabilized in the camp by the Ponta Malongane paramedic with the assistance of two other paramedics which were also on holiday at Ponta Malongane. The man was soon stabilized and then transported to , escorted by the Mozambique Police and Ponta Malongane security. We also would like to mention, that without the experience of the Ponta Malongane team and the holiday volunteers, the man could have died. Ponta Malongane supplied most of medical equipment and disposables to save the victims life.

So there are questions to ask yourself about objectiveness of our media/what’s wrong with our media? Why even reputable newspapers downgrade themselves to “yellow press” in order to get “hot sensational material”? When for the first time over the last 4 years a single violent crime incident took place in the Southern Mozambique , it was enough for them to start the hysteria. Three of the most reputable newspapers placed the articles on their first pages, screaming about ‘Bloody Easter’ and ‘holiday in hell’, without any confirmation from either Mozambican or South African police or resort’s management on the facts they published. All conclusions of the above articles were based solely on the opinion of the victim, facts of one article were contradicting to the facts in another and it was said nowhere, that after 1 hour of the incident, Mozambican police had investigated the scene and set block posts on the main roads in the area. There was no mentioning of the fact that additional 50 policemen from Maputo were deployed by Mozambican government the next morning in order to catch the criminals and provide maximum security in the area.

Ponta Malongane has always been and still is a safe destination for thousands of South Africans who prefer to spend their holidays in quiet and crime free natural environment in the Southern Mozambique . Yes, crime free environment. The strict laws of , which prosecute serious crime offenders unmercifully, created the environment, where it was too dangerous for criminals to commit any such serious crimes as murder, rape, armed robberies, etc. Don’t get the message wrong, is well known for the theft, so look after your cell phone, camera or your wallet, like everywhere else in the world, but it is, by far, much safer place than . The government of , despite the corruption, tries its best to minimize criminal activities, realizing the importance of the tourism for their country. So, the single incidents of the violent crime do happen once in a while, but then they are carefully investigated, criminals are caught in most cases and are punished to set an example for the others not to commit crime ever again.

And last but not least, thousands cases of violent crime are reported in SA on the monthly basis without any attention of the press; in fact, it happens so often so it has sadly become a part of our daily routine. But the single incident in has created such havoc in media, which snowballs on the daily basis. So, please, do not let the press, who hunts for the cheap sensations, influence your opinion about safety in .

Best regards

The Ponta Malongane Team

Visvang in Natuurreservate?

2007-04-10T13:24:00.000+02:00

The Mail & Guardian Reports:
Govt considers Tsitsikamma subsistence fishing

Johannesburg, South Africa
09 April 2007 08:14

Requests by the Tsitsikamma community to fish in marine sites are being considered, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism said on Sunday.

"A sigh of relief will reverberate throughout Tsitsikamma, as access to Tsitsikamma National Park marine protected area for the community's subsistence fishing is being seriously considered by Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi," spokesperson Moses Rannditsheni said.

The community first requested access to the land to fish in September last year.

Rannditsheni said that the site is a marine protected area and there may be a set of conditions applicable to the Tsitsikamma community before approval is granted. Such conditions include monitoring and compliance by all stakeholders.

Other conditions are opening access to 10km of fishing area, which would constitute 13% of the total area, and limited experimental and trial access for a period of 15 months.

Subsistence fishing only would be allowed in designated areas -- and only during the day -- with a quota of five fish per angler. All catches would also need to be reported to monitors.

Anglers would need to agree to avoid littering, and endangered species such as reef fish and siffies, which are closely related to perlemoen, may not be taken at all.

Transgressors of the conditions would be penalised and this may include revoking the permits of fishers, said Rannditsheni.

Educational and awareness campaigns at schools and in the community should also be conducted to empower them to manage marine and coastal resources.

"We should dissuade communities from the perception that marine resources are unlimited. Once community members are made aware of the correct facts, they will adhere to legal fishing quotas on their own and conserve the coast for themselves and future generations," he said.

The department said it is aiming at capacity building of local communities by training and employing local people as catch monitors under the Extended Public Works Programme coast-care programme.

"Those who will demonstrate a high level of competency and passion for environmental conservation will receive further training to upgrade their knowledge and be exposed to careers within environmental conservation fields," he said.

Mabudafhasi will meet Tsitsikamma community representatives on Tuesday. -- Sapa

Moeilikheid in Mosambiek

2007-04-10T12:00:00.000+02:00

Klink asof ons nou tot in Mosambiek moet bekommer oor misdaad!

Bloody end to Easter holiday

2007-4-10 10:32

Strand - "The moment I saw the attacker's mate put his fingers in his ears, I knew they were going to shoot us."

These were the words of John Louw, 40, a property financing consultant from Strand, after he and a friend survived a hail of bullets outside the popular southern Mozambican holiday resort of Ponta Malongane.

"I shouted at my friend, Jacques (Gees) Groenewald: 'Oh fuck Gees, they're going to shoot us!' The next moment the bullets rained inside the bakkie.

"Me, my wife, Esperanza and three other couples and our children decided to spend a few days in Mozambique over the Easter weekend." They stayed at Ponta Malongane to the north of Sodwana Bay.

'Take everything'

Louw said they wanted to visit a bay called Frederico some distance from the resort at about 11:00 on Friday. His wife and children at the last moment decided not to accompany them.

"We were about four minutes from our camp when two armed men suddenly appeared in front of our bakkie. One was wearing camouflage, the other one shorts and a T-shirt. They were accompanied by a boy of about 12 to 15 years old," said Louw, who did army service in Angola and recognised the rifles as AK-47s.

"Because of the poor state of the roads one can drive only about 10km/h. We stopped right next to them. The first thing I said was 'take everything - take whatever you want'." One of the attackers answered in English: "We don't want anything."

"Then I noticed the boy putting his fingers in his ears." Louw put his foot down on the accelerator of his 4x4 in an attempt to escape.

"The first bullet smashed the dashboard. We wanted to race away, but the bakkie's window frame caught the barrel of the rifle. The second bullet missed my legs and hit the floor of the bakkie between the pedals.

"Chaos erupted - it was like something from an action movie." Louw said they raced away from the machine gun bullets. They afterwards counted more than 14 bullet holes in the bakkie.

Minutes later they met a vehicle carrying more members of their party who had left camp a few minutes after them. Only then did he feel the pain in his buttocks. "When I touched it, my hand was covered in blood." He was hit through the bakkie's seat. The bullet hit the top of his left buttock before disintegrating.

X-rays showed how shrapnel was distributed from Louw's hip joint to the top of the femur.

Louw was surprised that the resorts in Mozambique didn't have any first aid or any other medical equipment.

Back at the camp he was stabilised by a paramedic from Pretoria who had accompanied a group of divers. "She put me on a drip. The resort had half an hour's oxygen, which she gave me."

They decided to drive to the border under police guard. A Netcare 911 ambulance from Richard's Bay met them halfway.

Louw was admitted to Bay Hospital in Richard's Bay seven hours after the shooting. "They gave me a pain killer for the first time." After two days in hospital there, he flew back from Durban to Cape Town on Sunday. After spending a night in Vergelegen MediClinic in Somerset West, the doctors decided not to remove the shrapnel. "It's dangerously close to an artery and nerves."

Louw was angry because the resort did nothing to help him, but apparently charged him R2500 for the use of the oxygen.

There was no answer at the number of the owners of the resort in Nelspruit on Monday.

Die Burger

Hokkie Resultate pas in!

2007-03-24T16:11:00.000+02:00

Eddie het laat weet dat hierdie toe is hoe dinge geeindig het:

PSA A span is 2de
PSA B span is 3de
PSA Masters is 7de
Die 2 spanne vir wie PSA dames gespeel het is albei 3de.

Onderwater Hokkie

2007-03-24T12:53:00.000+02:00

Die PSA spanne vaar baie goed - Die A span speel vanmiddag in die finaal teen Natal na 'n vloekskoot oorwinning in die semis. Die B span speel uit vir 3de of 4de plek, en die veterane speel uit vir 5de of 6de plek. Sterkte ouens!

Hier is 'n paar fotos wat Bertus Mouton Gestuur het.

Hokkie Interklubs - Nuus uit Ooslonden 1

2007-03-22T17:24:00.000+02:00

PSA se 3 mans spanne het vandag begin met hokkie interklubs in Oos Londen. Al die spanne het blykbaar hulle games gewen. B span het 1 gewen en een nie. Dankie Eddie vir die Nuus!

Sterkte manne, ons dink aan julle!

Spring gety op Sodwana

2007-03-20T09:56:00.000+02:00

Andre Williams het beplan om hierdie week bietjie op Sodwana te gaan duik. Gister het hy hierdie foto's deurgestuur, maar het vanoggend laat weet dat dit vandag nog erger lyk. Die wal lê blykbaar nou al by die ablusie blok. Die pad wat strand toe geloop het is weg. Dit moet 'n woeste slag wees vir die Dive charters wat hierdie tyd van die jaar gewoonlik redelik besig is. Sterkte julle ouens!

Wondergat 31 Maart - 1 April 2007

2007-03-19T16:11:00.000+02:00

31 Maart/1 April 2007:

Reddingskursus, duik en kamp by Wondergat.

Lesings en prakties vir die reddingskursus vind plaas by Wondergat.

Al die PSA lede (en vriende) word egter genooi om saam te kom kamp en duik! Laat weet vir Lynette by 0828044744 as jy saam kom.

Temperature range:
14 - 21 degrees.

Depth:
40m, with ave. 6m visibility above 20m and below 20m visibility is about 15m. It also has a few shallow and short caves to explore but be careful.

Altitude:
+- 1460m above sea level.

Access:
Public. An entry fee is payable.

On site gas mixing station:
Yes. Nitrox continuous blending. Trimix on request & prior arrangement.

Nearest Medical facility:
The nearest hospital is in Mafikeng (30km) away, while Lightenburg Provincial Hospital is nearly 60km away.

Accommodation:
Ablution facilities (hot & cold water) and electricity is available to camp sites. Some tented accommodation can be provided for on request. Camping takes place in a small area fenced off from the stock farm fields.

Canteen:
Canteen facilities are available as well as take-away meals (to be arranged in advance)

Communications Network:
Both the Cellular/Mobile service providers in South Africa's network reaches the dive site.

Directions:
You need to get to Lichtenburg (Via Ventersdorp and Coligny). Drive through town, look for the Mafikeng road signs and follow them.About 45 / 48 km from town you will find a shopping complex on the left. There is a bottle store called Equanule. There will be a sign for Buhrmansdrift. Turn right there. This is still tar road. Follow this for about 8 km.There will be a sign for Molopo Oog (with a sticker and arrow). Turn right. This is a dirt road. Follow this road for about 8 km until you see a white sign for Wondergat.

It's on the right hand side and easy to miss it so be careful. Most people get lost because they follow the sign for Molopo Oog that you get just before the Buhrmansdrift sign on the main Litchenberg / Mafikeng road. Don't take that road - go toBuhrmansdrift first and then take Molopo Oog.

Die see is bietjie kwaad!

2007-03-19T16:09:00.000+02:00

South Africa

Dangerous waves head for Durban

2007-3-19 14:43

Durban - Police officers with loudhailers were urging shop owners and residents along Durban's coast to be on alert as big waves were expected to strike the Durban beachfront.

"The entire Marine Parade is quite unsafe," police spokesperson superintendent Vincent Mdunge told News24 on Monday afternoon. He listed Durban North, Balito, Isipingo and Umvoti as other areas in danger.

The warning came in the wake of mass flooding in these areas as Durban weather services noted record swell sizes along the Durban coast on Monday morning.

"We are at the equinox spring high," said Colin Anderson, part of the forecasting team at the Durban International airport Weather Office. "But it is at the highest it has been for 18 years because the sun, moon and earth were in a straight line."

Swells of over 6m

Anderson pointed out that this coupled with "a very deep low pressure system" off the southeast coast of East London that developed on the weekend, adding an extra 3 to 4m to the swells.

"We now have swells at over 6m on our coast," he told News24 on Monday. "At the high tide earlier this morning at 02:00 some extremely high swells broke on the coast causing damage."

Anderson confirmed police reports that the situation would worsen at 16:00 as well as 04:00 because of the lunar affect on the swells. "Winds are expected to persist southwest galeforce for another 18 to 20 hours and will then begin to moderate, and the swells will go down after 36 hours once the wind moderates."

The biggest waves were expected at 16:00 on Monday and 04:00 on Tuesday, Anderson said.

Police were already warning people along the beachfront, according to Steers owner, Mohamed Valiallah, whose shop on Lower Marine Parade was badly damaged in this morning's flooding.

"It's really bad," he told News24. "We won't open for another month."

The restaurant, which is situated about 20m from where the beach sand begins, incurred damages of about R1m.

Valiallah said that six staff members were taken to hospital but were released on Monday with no serious injuries.

News24

Miracle Waters Duik

2007-03-01T10:35:00.000+02:00

Wat: Duik & Kuier

Wanneer: Saterdag 3 Maart

Waar: Miracle Waters

Hoekom: Vir die lekker:

Verstaan laas Saterdag was dit nogal stil en die viz baie goed - by die 10m. Hopelik sal dit die naweek ook so wees. Kom maak 'n draai en koel bietjie af.

Laat weet asseblief teen Donderdag vir Lynette of Mireille as jy belangstel. (012 333 8109 / 083 285 2983)

Tropical Cyclone 'Favio'

2007-02-27T14:39:00.000+02:00

Soos in 2000, het Mosambiek weer erg deurgeloop onder vloede, en laasweek ook onder sikloon Favio. Plekke wat geraak is sluit in 'n paar plekke wat ons duikers al besoek het.

http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/southern_africa/0,2172,144448,00.html

February 27, 2007, 09:15

Thousands of flood victims are pouring into crowded refugee camps in central Mozambique, straining relief efforts and prompting fears of a food crisis, authorities said yesterday. Weeks of heavy rains have triggered flash floods along the mighty Zambezi river and its tributaries, washing away homes, bridges, livestock and crops in four central provinces in the low-lying southern African nation.

Some 170 000 people have been displaced and at least 45 have died as a result of the flooding, the worst to hit the former Portuguese colony since the 2000-2001 floods that killed some 700 people and drove another half a million from their homes. Aid workers were battling yesterday to supply food and fresh water to a ballooning refugee population, with an estimated 2 000 people each day streaming into temporary accommodation centers set up by the Red Cross and other agencies.

"We still have some food, but it's not enough," said Joao Ribeiro, deputy director of Mozambique's National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC). Ribeiro said sanitary conditions in the shelters were worsening due to a lack of toilets and poor hygiene, raising fears of potential outbreaks of cholera and dysentery among the estimated 50 000 people living in the makeshift camps.

Armando Guebuza, the Mozambican president, however, said the relief effort was proceeding smoothly and there was no need for the government to issue a broad appeal for help. Earlier yesterday the Mozambican leader flew over parts of the Zambezi valley that were hard hit by the flooding. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is already distributing food to refugees in the affected provinces.

SA, EU pledge relief efforts
Neighbouring South Africa and the European Union (EU) also have pledged more help for the relief effort. South Africa will send two helicopters and a mobile water purification plant to its northeastern neighbour this week and could add a field hospital and water and wind resistant tents to its contribution, the Sapa news agency reported yesterday.

However aid workers say the effort to feed and shelter refugees has been complicated by poor roads in Mozambique, which is still rebuilding after a 16-year civil war that ended in 1991. The struggle to get food and water to flood victims could become more difficult in the coming weeks as more rain falls on the country. March traditionally is one of the wettest periods in Mozambique's rainy season.

Damage assessed
In southern Mozambique, which is home to the bulk of the country's economically important tourist resorts, authorities were assessing the damage from Cyclone Favio, which came ashore on Thursday with winds of up to 270kph.

The cyclone slammed into the coast, knocking down buildings, uprooting trees and killing five people near Vilanculos. Mozambique's military yesterday was attempting to restore water and electricity in the resort city. - Reuters

From: http://www.weathersa.co.za/Pressroom/2007/2007Feb21Favio.jsp

21 February 2007

At 06h00 UTC this morning the Tropical Cyclone Centre on La Réunion placed ‘Favio’ 390 km east of Inhambane. They continue to categorise the system as an ‘Intense Tropical Cyclone’ – i.e. within 37 km of the centre, hurricane force winds of up to 185 km/ hr are expected, with wave heights (significant) exceeding 14m. ‘Favio’ is at this stage not expected to weaken significantly as it approaches the Mozambican coast.

Figure 1. The track of Tropical Cyclone ‘Favio’ – past and predicted – as at 06h00 UTC on Wednesday 21 February 2007

The predicted track is shown in Figure 1. It has the tropical cyclone passing close to the island of Bazaruto on Thursday morning (plotted positions are 12 hours apart).Although the accuracy of predictions for tropical cyclones has improved considerably over the past few years, these systems are still not as predictable as the frontal systems affecting the southern parts of the sub-continent. Therefore it is essential to get regular updates.

Figure 2. ‘Favio’ rounding Madagascar. WindSat image 19 February 2007

Figure 2 shows ‘Favio’ as it rounded Madagascar on Monday. This image is from the WindSat sensor on the US military satellite Coriolis. The sensor detects energy in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. At this time no eye was detectable in the visible or infra-red satellite imagery. However Windsat was already providing an accurate location of the centre of the tropical cyclone.

Figure 3. Composite satellite image of flooding in the Zambezi valley

Several major space agencies have now committed themselves to the so-called International Charter : “Space and Major Disasters”, The composite satellite image (Figure 3) from RADARSAT-1 and Landsat – is an example of this international collaboration to provide valuable satellite imagery in support of relief efforts associated with natural disasters.

The blue shows the ‘normal’ channel of the various rivers – as at 26 March 2006. The bright red shows the flooded areas as RADARSAT-1 imaged them on 12 February 2007. The pink indicates areas indirectly affected by the flooding. Earlier this month the outflow from the Cahora Bassa dam (off the image – top left) – was 10 000 cubic metres per second – into the lower Zambezi Valley.

Ian Hunter
South African Weather Service

Manta Club UW Hockey Tournament

2007-02-19T12:04:00.000+02:00

PSA beplan om 3 spanne vir die volgende toernooi in te skryf:

Manta Club invites you to our annual Match*A*Manta Tournament!!

Saturday 3 March 2007

Come and enjoy a day with challenging underwater hockey games, music, braai and summer sun!!!

WHO: Only senior teams

WHERE: Cornwall Hill College Swimming pool, Irene, Pretoria

WHEN: Saturday 3 March 2007

TIME: 08h30 – Captains Meeting 09h00 – Games to start

COST: R20 per player (this includes a boerewors roll at the end of the tournament).

HOW: Senior teams are invited to join us for an exciting day full of H²O hockey games.

* Games will be +/- 10min on each side.

* A Chief ref and 2 water refs to be present at all games.

* At the end of the day, we will have final play-offs to determine the winning teams.

* Note that the pool is a salt pool and is not heated.

* It has a big enough play area to have two games played simultaneously.

Eats, Drinks & Other

* There will be a Tuck shop available on the day of the tournament. Remember to bring some cash with.

* After the tournament, each player will get a boerewors roll–prepared by your Manta host team. (Vouchers for the boerewors rolls to be collected from the team captains).

* There are sufficient shade nets so no need to bring umbrellas, but do remember your sun screen!

* Make sure that your hockey kit is up to tournament standard, and that all sticks are completely black or white. Strict Club and National rules will apply.

Directions:

* COMING FROM PRETORIA

you may either travel along the R21 in the direction of the Airport

Take the IRENE turnoff

Turn right over the highway which will bring you into NELLMAPIUS DRIVE

Ignore Pierre van Ryneveld turnoff Robot straight on

At the next robot turn left into CORNWALL HILL COLLEGE

* ALSO COMING FROM PRETORIA

Travelling along the N1 South from Pretoria take the BOTHA AVENUE (BOTHA LAAN) offramp.

Turn left at robots After THE IRENE VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTRE

at 4way stop turn left into NELLMAPIUS DRIVE

Continue under the railway bridge

At the 1st set of robots turn right into CORNWALL HILL COLLEGE

Entries

* Entries close on: Monday 19 February 2007

* All team names to be confirmed on attached entry form (Praat met Eddie hieroor!)

* All payments to be made on or before 19 February 2007.

* Payments to be made to:

* ABSA BANK

* Account name : Manta Duik klub

* Account number : 618 159 272

* Branch code : 632005

* Ref: You club name

* Clubs MUST FAX OR EMAIL proof of payment as well as your Club Entry form to junitac@absa.co.za or Fax (011) 350*2853.

Parking:

* As you turn into the boom gate of the school, turn left and pass the parking lot. Drive up all the way until the road makes a turn to the right. The swimming pool will be on your left hand side. Pass the swimming pool and you will find a parking area.

* Should this parking area be full, continue to the sport field in front of you, and park there.

Parking is free of charge.

For more tournament information:

* Deon van Eerden

* Tel: 083 414 5106

* Email: DeonV@Nedbank.co.za

* Joanita Coetzee

* Tel: 082 929 1669

* Email: junitac@absa.co.za

* Rechélle Vermaak

* Tel: 082 433 6992

* Email: rechelle@audiencealive.co.za

Opgedateerde Jaarprogram - Solank

2007-02-16T13:52:00.001+02:00

3 Maart: Miracle Waters Klub dag. Dit beteken ons gaan duik en braai! Kom saam. En bring jou gade / skelmpie en kinders ook saam!

13 April: Klub aand - Braai by die klubhuis. Bring jou eie vissie / vleisie en kom vang op op al die klub nuus.

27 April – 1 Mei 2007. Visskiet uitstappie per seiljag tussen Richardsbaai en Cape Vidal. Ons hoor daar is so 8 manne wat gaan.

1 Mei – 6 Mei: Sodwana Duik week Ja, die vakansie is om die draai en al die langnaweek akkommodasie is al opgeraap. So ons gaan net na die langnaweek Sodwana toe. RSVP by Lynette so gou moontlik as jy belang stel

19 Mei: Bosberaad vir klub bestuur om die grondwet te herskryf. Laat weet asb. vir Lynette as jy wil help!

15 – 17 Junie: Wondergat Kamp. Ons gaan kamp en duik en lekker koud kry. Kom saam. Dis altyd pret en Eddie en Benita is altyd daar!

Julie een of ander tyd: Chamber Duik. Laas keer het almal op die nippertjie onttrek. Ons het ten minste 10 mense nodig vir hierdie om te realiseer. Laat weet vir Mireille as jy belangste.

19 – 29 Oktober: Rooi See saam met Wetstuff Scuba. Hierdie is nie ‘n offisiële PSA uitstappie nie, maar beslis iets om te oorweeg. Meer inligting en kontak besonderhede by http://www.wetstuff.co.za/

KLUBAAND MORE, 26 JANUARIE

2007-01-25T20:16:00.000+02:00

Vrydag 26 Januarie: Klubaand – bring en braai by die klubhuis

Sondag 4 Februarie: Bosberaad vir die komitee

Vrydag 27 April tot 6 Mei: Sodwana

En dan ietsie om almal te laat glimlag:

HOW TO SURVIVE A SHARK ATTACK:

1: Don't swim in the ocean.
Ninety-nine percent of all shark attacks take place in exceptionally large bodies of water also known as oceans. The way to determine if you are currently in an ocean is to taste the water, which should be salty.

2: Listen out for the music.
In the event that you are foolish enough to swim in an ocean, listen carefully for the music, as demonstrated in the marvellous documentary film Jaws. All shark attacks are preceded by the "daah-da, daah-da" chords, which will gradually become more rapid as the shark gets closer. This is due to the Doppler Effect.

3: Swim with fat people.
Try to surround yourself with more appetizing companions. If you know them well, you might even try to switch their suntan lotion with A-1 Steak Sauce. This will definitely improve your odds.

4: Don't go into the water without a knife.
This is not to defend yourself but to stab the person (a.k.a the decoy) closest to you in the case of a shark attack. Once you are sure the "decoy" is bleeding profusely.....swim for your freekin life.

And finaly.....

5: Don't panic.
In the event that a shark actually bites you, try to remain calm. This really won't help you survive, but everyone else on the beach will appreciate you not shrieking madly, as this is quite unsettling

Hope this helps!

Klubs, Proewe, en Reelings

2007-01-16T18:36:00.000+02:00

Dag almal

(If somebody feels strongly about receiving communication in English, please let me know. I will make a plan.)

Praktiese reelings

Op die 15 Januarie het PSA die meeste spelers gehad wat nog ooit by 'n oefening was vandat ek vir die klub speel. Daar was 43 spelers gewees. Die groei wat die klub beleef is brood nodig vir PSA, asook vir hokkie in die algemeen. Ek is baie bly en opgewonde hieroor.

Alhoewel dit wonderlik vir die klub is, veroorsaak die groot aantal lede 'n paar uitdagings. Daar is ook heelwat nuwe lede. Daarom wil ek graag die volgende punte onder julle aandag bring.

Die ooreenkoms met die munisibaliteit is dat ons die swembad mag gebruik tussen 19:00 en 20:00. Ongelukkig beteken dit dat ons teen 20:00 moet klaar wees met ons oefening. Ons het dus net een uur vir speel per oefening.
Sorg dat julle teen 18:45 by die swembad is. Dit mors baie speel tyd indien ek spanne moet oor indeel na 19:00.
Klim vinniger in die swembad. Teoreties kan ons net na 19:00 begin speel sodra die lyne uit is. Soms kom ons eers na 19:20 aan die gang. Dit mors almal se tyd. Moet nie probeer die laaste persoon in die water wees nie, maar probeer die eerste persoon in wees :-)
Klub gelde en swembad gelde is nou betaalbaar. Ek verkies indien die geld in die klub rekening inbetaal word, maar aanvaar ook geld by die swembad. Stuur bewys van betaling aan my indien jy in die rekening inbetaal asb.
Almal (juniors en seniors) MOET help die swembad reg maak voor die tyd, en opruim na die tyd. Ongelukkig is daar heelwat persone wat op ander se rue ry, en nooit help nie. Dit is elke man, dame, seun, meisie, ou lid, en nuwe lid se verantwoordelikheid om te help dat die dinge gebeur. Help asseblief met die doele, water lyne en (winter) seile.
Vanaf nou tot en met Maart gaan ons baie fokus op Interklubs. Spelers wat nie klubs toe gaan nie, is meer as welkom om deel te neem aan die oefen sessies en opleiding, maar voorrang moet egter aan die spelers gegee word wat Oos-Londen toe gaan. Meer hieroor hieronder......
Op 25 Januarie en 29 Januarie 2007 gaan ons proewe hou by Hillcrest. Die diep baan in Hillcrest word gereserveer hiervoor. Spelers wat nie aan proewe gaan deelneem nie, gaan in die vlakker water 'n oefening hê. Jul samewerking word waardeur. Meer hieroor hieronder......
Daar is elk maand ten minste een sosiale funksie, gewoonlik by die klubhuis. Hierdie is die ideale geleentheid om bietjie te kuier, te gesels en gees te bou. Dit is altyd baie lekker. Hierdie funksies is veral vir die hokkie spelers en nie net vir skuba lede nie. Ek glo ons gaan heelwat meer hokkie spelers hierdie jaar sien by die funksies.

PSA het 'n blog en 'n website.
www.pretoriasubaqua.blogspot.com
www.pretoriasubaqua.za.org
Besoek dit gerus.....

PSA gelde

Gelde is as volg

R300 vir die hooflid van 'n gesin per jaar.
R100 indien die hooflid nog op skool is (jou pa of ma mag nie 'n addisionele lid wees nie).
R30 vir elke addisionele lid.
Die klub jaar is van September 2006 tot einde Augustus 2007.
Toegang vir Hillcrest is R30 per maand en betaalbaar vanaf September 2006 tot Maart 2007. Dit werk goedkoper uit as 'n seisoen kaartjie. "Wins" sal bebruik word vir toegang by die Fairie Glen swembad op Saterdae. Lede wat sekere maande nie kom oefen het nie, mag proporsional betaal vir die maande wat hulle wel kom oefen het. (Niemand hoef vir Desember 2006 te betaal nie).

Klub rekening: Pretoria Sub Aqua,
FNB, Rekening Nommer: 53335872892.
Bank kode: 252145.

Klubs in Maart

Wanneer: 22-24 Maart
Waar: Oos-Londen
Dit is ongelukkig al inligting wat op hierdie stadium beskikbaar is. Ek sal meer inligting deur stuur sodra ek dit ontvang.

Ek wil so gou as moontlik die spanne vir Maart uitsorteer. Dit is baie belangrik dat julle nou al aandui of julle beskikbaar is, sodat ons met voorbereidings kan begin. Bertus het ingestem om die hoof afrigter te wees. Baie dankie Bertus. Hulp afrigters sal nog aangewys word.

Johan Gouws gaan vir ons t-hemde, en gebordeerde speedo/kostuums reël. Dankie Johan.

Ons gaan van eksterne keurders gebruik maak om spanne saam te stel, sodat die proses so objektief as moontlik is. Die keurders se beslising is finaal. Spanne sal net in uiterste gevalle verander word, nadat dit aangewys is.

Indien jy regte nie weet of jy Maart sal kan gaan nie, of 'n probleem voorsien, bespreek dit met my.....

Proewe:

Datum: 25 Januarie en 29 Januarie 2007
Tyd: 18:30 (albei dae).
Waar: Hillcrest swembad
Inskrywing: Die volgende word vereis om in te skryf vir proewe:
1. Klub geld moet betaal wees.
2. Hillcrest toegang moet betaal wees.
3. R250 proewe inskrywing. Die geld sal gebruik word vir klubs inskrywing indien jy span kry. Indien jy nie span kry nie, kan jy die volle bedrag terug kry. Indien jy span kry, en onttrek, verloor jy egter die bedrag.
4. 'n E-Mail of sms met die volgende inligting; Naam, posisie wat jy graag wil speel, en of jy vir die elite mans, veterane of dame span wil speel.
5. Inskrywing sluit 24 Januarie. Ek gaan geen inskrywings die 25ste aanvaar nie.

Ons gaan formele opleiding, fiksheid en oefen sessies reël met die oog op klubs. Doen asseblief moeite om dit by te woon. Laat weet as jy 'n oefening nie kan bywoon nie. Dit is alles deel van in 'n span wees!

Groete

Eddie Williams
PSA Onderwater hokkie beampte

SCUBA JOKES

2007-01-08T18:28:00.000+02:00

Is that a shark???

Two divers were checking a new reef when they saw a shark.

The shark circled them, menacingly. One diver took off his

fins and reached inside his BC and pulled out a pair of super-

power fins.

His buddy signalled: What? You can't out-swim a shark!

The diver signalled back: I don't have to out swim the shark -

I only have to out swim you!

SAUU vs NAUI vs PADI

Three instructors and their students are on board a dive boat

in the middle of the ocean. There is a NAUI instructor, a PADI

instructor, and an SSI instructor. Everything is going fine until

the boat springs a leak and starts to sink. The SAUU instructor

says to his students, "Okay, we're in the middle of the ocean,

so we might as well do our deep dive." The NAUI instructor

says to his students, "Okay, we might as well do our

navigation dive, so let's get our compasses out and swim

towards shore." The PADI instructor says to his

students, "Okay, for R225 extra you guys get to do a wreck

dive!"

Huge search for four divers

2007-01-08T16:36:00.000+02:00

07/01/2007 17:07 - (SA)

Cairo - Four divers remained missing off the coast of an Egyptian Red Sea resort on Sunday, after a fifth swam to shore and alerting authorities.

Five divers - three Russian and one Dutch, plus an Egyptian dive instructor - were separated from their boat in the shark-infested Red Sea waters in southern Egypt by bad weather on Saturday, according to police.

One diver, a Russian, swam to shore and alerting authorities on Saturday.

"The rest of the four don't know how to swim so he left them in the water," said Ahmed Bastawi, diving manager of the Red Sea Diving Safari in nearby Marsa Shagara. "He said all four were still on the surface."

Diving centres throughout the area contributed boats to take part in the massive search for the remaining divers who had gone on a dive trip to the famed Elphinstone site, known for its shark sightings, with Beach Safari dive company.

Plane and five boats in search

Major General Ezzeddin al-Zayat, head of security for the Red Sea province, attributed their disappearance to "bad weather conditions and high waves which drove the tourists away from their boat".

A plane and five boats have been sent to search the area for any survivors, he added.

The Red Sea, particularly the reefs in the southern areas, is a major diving attraction, with thousands flocking to Egyptian resorts such as Marsa Alam.

Voorspoedige Nuwejaar!

2007-01-02T16:19:00.000+02:00

Dis die 2de Januarie, en hopelik moes almal nie droëbek sit en wonder hoe die duikery by Sodwana, Mosambiek, Aliwal Shoal en al die ander gewone duik plekke gegaan het oor die afgelope Desember nie. Ai, is ek darem nou lus vir borrels blaas!

O ja, ek hoor die hokkie manne het almal te veel geëet en te min geoefen oor die feesseisoen - Gebruik dis nou jou geleentheid om by die onderwater hokkie aan te sluit en die ou manne te wys hoe dit gedoen word - Oefeninge is soos gewoonlik elke Maandag en Donderdag aand by die Hillcrest swembad van 19:00 to 20:00. En Dames is ook welkom! Onthou - die interklubs is om die draai so daar lê baie werk voor. Kontak vir Eddie (082 320 5477) vir meer inligting.

Hopelik sien ons sommer weer gou vir almal by die PSA klub funksies en wegbreek naweke. Hou hierdie blog elke week dop vir nuus oor nuwe verwikkelinge.

En net om almal te herinner van die nuwe bestuur se kontak besonderhede:

Andre Botha – Voorsitter & Scuba Opleiding (012 332 1664)

Andre Ferreira – Toerusting & Kompressor (082 781 3277)

Benita van Wyk – Skakel beampte (082 772 9709)

Eddie Williams – OW Hokkie (082 320 5477)

Faure Bosman – Finansies (082 572 9600)

Johan Coetzer – O/voorsitter (082 855 9711)

Lynette Bosch – Sekretaresse (082 804 4744)

Mireille Bezuidenhout – Projekte (083 285 2983)

Groete

Benita

The Permit Battle.. Continued

2006-12-13T10:18:00.000+02:00

http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3590601

Divers get legal opinion

Rule on scuba permits 'is beyond powers of MCM'
December 13, 2006 Edition 2

Melanie Gosling

Legal opinion obtained by Cape Town scuba divers is that the
government is acting beyond its powers in compelling them to buy
permits before they may dive in marine protected areas, which cover
the entire coastline of the Peninsula.

The R75 permits come into force on January 1 and will be valid for a
year. Monthly permits cost R45.

The legal opinion is that the Department of Environment's Marine
Living Resources Act does not allow the government to make rules to
control recreational uses of the sea that do not entail the
consumption of marine resources. Examples are swimming, surfing and
scuba diving.

Scuba divers were advised they could get the new permit legislation
overturned, but that this would require high court action that could
take three years and cost R500 000.

Monty Guest, chairman of the False Bay Underwater Club, said repeated
requests, made over three years by diving businesses, clubs, divers
and tourism organisations, not to introduce the permit system had been
ignored.

"MCM has just gone ahead with this hugely flawed system. We've lodged
a complaint with the Public Protector.

"Fishermen kill sharks in marine protected areas and nothing happens
to them, but we cannot even swim underwater to watch marine life
without buying a permit.

"There are sewerage outfalls pumping effluent into the marine
protected area and nothing is done ... but scuba divers must have
permits.

"I believe they're doing it to collect money, because everyone knows
MCM is bankrupt, and to control poaching. But poachers by definition
operate outside the law, so they're not going to get dive permits. But
even if they did, how would that stop them poaching?"
Alan Boyd, of MCM, agreed that the act did not permit MCM to
promulgate legislation controlling non-consumptive recreational use of
protected areas, but said MCM might do so if the activity was causing
damage.

He conceded there was no evidence that scuba divers damaged the
Peninsula's kelp forests. He said permits were necessary to enable MCM
to "manage" the scuba diving industry, and was not an attempt to
control poaching.

Scuba Permits

2006-12-12T09:23:00.000+02:00

Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

MONDAY,11 December 2006: The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism will in future require recreational scuba divers to obtain a permit for recreational scuba diving in four of its Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), namely Table Mountain National Park, Bird Island, Pondoland and Aliwal Shoal as exemptions for recreational scuba diving in these MPAs expire on 31 December 2006.

Declaration of the above four Marine Protected Areas as promulgated under Section 43 of the Marine Living Resources Act, Act 18 of 1998, Government Gazette No.’s 26430, 26431, 26432, 26433 published on 4 June 2004 state that:
“…no person may SCUBA dive or attempt to SCUBA dive in the Marine Protected Area except on the authority of a SCUBA diving permit” and that “...no person may operate or attempt to operate a SCUBA diving business in the Marine Protected Area except on the authority of a SCUBA diving business permit”.

Scuba diver businesses have been exempted from requiring a permit to operate within these MPA’s from 01 January 2007 until 31 December 2007 (or until an operator permit system is in place) and all affected scuba diving business operators therefore need to obtain an exemption from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism: Marine and Coastal Management by applying via email or post to the address below. Operators must keep their exemption with them (or a certified copy) and a list of the names of all clients with them on each dive for possible inspection (on the boat, or, if shore diving, in their car).

Conditions applicable to scuba diving in the MPAs listed above will be available on the departmental website www.deat.gov.za or www.mcm-deat.gov.za , at MCM’s offices situated at 7th floor, Foretrust Building, Martin Hammerschlag Way, Cape Town, and available at certain Post Offices. Following consultation with scuba-diving representatives, the diving conditions within the MPAs have been relaxed to allow night diving in three of the MPAs under certain conditions (excluding Bird Island where scuba diving is restricted to between 08:00 and 16:00 daily). Diver propulsion vehicles and “shark sticks” may be used. For a full list of conditions, see the DEAT website. The conditions will apply from date of purchase to divers purchasing a recreational permit between 11 and 31 December 2006, apart from those relating to night diving which will only come into effect from 1 January 2007.

Recreational scuba divers can obtain the required permit from Post Offices for an annual fee of R75 and a R45 monthly fee. The permits are already available at Post Offices although it will only be required from 1 January 2007 to divers who currently have an individual exemption issued by MCM which is valid to 31 December 2006. The R75 permits will be valid for one year. Divers must keep their permit (or a certified copy of it) with them on each dive for possible inspection (on a boat, or, if shore diving, in their car).

Contact details for scuba diving business exemptions and enquiries are:
Ms. Risha Persad
Tel: 021-4023537
Email: rpersad@deat.gov.za
or
Dr. Alan Boyd
Tel: 021-4023307
Email: ajboyd@deat.gov.za
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Private Bag X2, Roggebaai, 8012

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PSA KERS ETE

2006-11-29T10:10:00.000+02:00

PSA KERSETE

Die klub se Kers-ete word beplan vir
Vrydag 8 Desember 2006
by die klubhuis.

Ons sal later meer inligting rakende die geleentheid uitstuur.

Laat weet asseblief vir Mireille of Lynette as jy/julle gaan bywoon voor Vrydag 01-12-06.

Dankie

Mireille 083 285 2983 of Lynette 082 8044 744

Open letter to all UWH players in Pretoria

2006-10-12T21:48:00.000+02:00

To all Underwater Hockey players in Pretoria

Re: Discussing options for the future of Underwater Hockey in the Northern-Gauteng Region

For those who do not know me, I am the Pretoria Sub Aqua UWH representative. I have taken the initiative to kick-off a discussion on the present situation in UWH in the Northern Gauteng province.

PSA is experiencing ongoing problems in efforts to grow and build the sport in the club and in general. Discussions with other club members/representatives at Manta and Tuks underwater hockey have indicated that our problems are universal. We all struggling to recruit players and keep them. There is also very little going on with regards to the development of new players. Programs that do exist are isolated, informal and have little success. Tuks and Manta does not have junior teams, only Manta has a women’s. PSA can not provide a grow path for the junior girls since we don't have a woman's team The reality is that the sport is in constant decline and in my opinion, at the verge of collapsing in the region.

I have only been involved in UWH for a few years and I don't really know all the history of the three UWH clubs. The current structure of having three UWH clubs in the province is (in my opinion) not sustainable. We are busy (unintentionally) cutting each others throats. Not a single club has enough active players to sustain men’s, women’s and junior teams. New members are confused and don't understand way there is three UWH clubs so close to each other. There is an estimated combined membership of about 60 active players between the three clubs, and this is spread out from primary school players to
(very fit :-) players in their 50's.

The time has come that the three clubs (PSA, TUKS and Manta) seriously considered joining forces. What I am proposing is that (ideally) all three clubs join to form a single new Underwater Hockey Club in Pretoria. No more Manta, TUKS or PSA, but a new club with a new name, new teams and new image!

I know this sounds drastic, but so is our situation. We all are emotionally attached to our clubs, and such a move will take a lot of sacrifice for all, but I believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

A combined club will:

have 60+ members
will have proper men’s, women’s and junior teams.
be able to obtain sponsorship a lot easier than the clubs can do individually.
will be able to more effectively generate funding for initiatives such as events like competitions.
be able to have stronger teams and be more competitive since the pool from which the players are selected will be larger.
will be rid of the "between club politics".
will be able to present a united front and look a lot more professional.
will have more leverage in discussions with key stakeholders; for instance the municipality or at national meetings.
will have an opportunity to start over and get rid of all the baggage from the past.
will be able to attract and train new players a lot better. Junior players will have a proper groth path after school.
the work load will be more effectively divided. It is easier to manage one club than three clubs.
have better communication.
just simply be a lot more effective.....

The purpose of this letter is to establish if this proposal have any support. I am asking that as many as possible, present and past UWH players, and other role players take part in a discussion on this topic. Say what you think, either for or against this idea. I invite everybody to log on to http://www.pretoriasubaqua.blogspot.com/ and participate in this discussion. Using the blogspot will enable all to read everybody's responses and comments.

Regards

Eddie Williams
PSA Underwater Hockey
e.williams@aerosud.co.za

PS: If you don't have internet access, please send me your comments, and I will place it on the blogspot for you.
PPS: Please send this to as many people as possible, and especially all those that you think would like to participate in this discussion.

GO TEAM SA!

2006-08-23T13:03:00.000+02:00

Underwater Hockey Worlds results so far:
http://www.uwhworlds2006.net/en/tournament_sch_results.asp?link=401111547206vxpo11res

*15 Aug
Played 5 games Won 3 Drew 2

*16 Aug
Played 4 games Won 1 Lost 3

*17 Aug
Played 3 games Won 2 Lost 1

*18 Aug
Played 2 games Won 2

*19 Aug
Played 6 games Won 4 Lost 2

*20 Aug
Played 7 games Won 2 Lost 5

*21 Aug
Played 7 Games Won 3 Drew 1 Lost 3

*22 Aug
Played 8 games
Won 4 Drew 1 Lost 3

TOTAL
Played 42 Games Won 21 Drew 6 Lost 17

Update - Diver Permits

2006-08-23T12:50:00.000+02:00

Message posted on the SA Scuba Mailing List

SA Scuba Mailing list! - http://lists.stormnet.co.za/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=scuba---

Hi all

I just thought I’d give everyone some feedback regarding the meeting we had with the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mr Marthinus van Schalkwyk, on Monday 21 August. The meeting was arranged through Mr Marius Swart of the DA. The Minister invited us to send three people, at our request this was increased to four. Those present were Monty Guest, Juan Pereira, Sarah Carter and myself. We used Underwater Africa as a common banner for our efforts. The Minister was only able to allocate us 30 minutes of his time, but we were able to get some good discussions in the limited time.

The meeting was conducted in a very friendly atmosphere. The Minister’s team included two representatives from MCM and a member of the Minister’s staff. I’ve previously met with Ministers in other sectors, and had not been impressed with the results. Ministers usually tried to avoid issues, and tended to deflect questions to their subordinates wherever possible. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Minister had read our discussion document, and appeared to have a good understanding of the issues.

I’ll start with the bad news, and that is that the Government appears unmoving on the basic concept of permits. The individual permit fee of R70 per diver per annum has been approved by the Minister of Finance, and will probably be compulsory from 1 January 2007. The Minister made it clear that the Government was “strongly committed” to this permit.

The Minister did acknowledge our concerns on the operator permit. We had pointed out that the operator permit could become a barrier to new entrants, and lead to increased costs as operators would be forced to pass their permit costs on to their customers. The Minister referred to this as a “multiplier effect”. He made it clear that they realised the operator permit problems, and that they were prepared to consider alternatives where the “multiplier effect” could be minimised or eliminated. I believe that this is very positive, as it means that the actual permit cost is visible up-front. It also does offer us some protection against price increases, since MCM are already acutely aware of the paradox that a fishing (consumptive) permit costs as much as a diving (non-consumptive) permit.

The Minister committed his Department to continued meetings with stakeholders. We have recently (Friday) received a response from MCM to our discussion document. A follow-up meeting with MCM will be held to continue the discussion process. Again, I felt that this was positive. In early attempts we were simply ignored, even when we submitted formal requests in terms of PAJA or PROATIA. Now we are able to each put forward arguments and debate them in meetings. Dr Boyd and his colleagues are taking the time to respond to our concerns.

We also raised the issue of Tour Guide registration. The Minister acknowledged that the situation was convoluted, and asked what solution we would propose. We pointed out that dive leaders were trained to internationally accepted standards, and affiliated to controlling agencies. Tour guide training thus seemed redundant. The Minister acknowledged this as a valid argument. He gave us the assurance that any requirement for dive leaders to register as Tour Guides would only take place after meetings with all the relevant stakeholders.

I have communicated this to Andy Cobb, Andy has already replied to say that my comments did not relate to Tour Guides.

My overall feeling of the meeting was that it was positive. The Minister was clearly aware of the issues. In hindsight our omission was that we didn’t emphasise the lack of protection actually offered by the MPA. As concerned divers, we would like to see the area genuinely protected. If we consider the effects of fishing, pollution, shark nets etc then perhaps we have allowed ourselves to become sidetracked. We mustn’t lose sight of the fact that we ultimately would like the environment protected.

If I have skipped anything, perhaps Monty, Sarah or Juan can fill in some extra detail.

A big “thank you” must go to all those who helped make this meeting happen. The meeting, and the show stand, were only possible because of the support of the diving community. The donations to Underwater Africa helped pay for airfares and other costs, and the positive input that we received from the public at the show certainly motivated us all. Thanks.

Safe diving
Mike

Klubaand & Website

2006-08-18T10:53:00.000+02:00

PSA beplan 'n klubaand op 1 Sept. Kom ons maak dit 'n grote na die Winter hibernering! Die hokkie-ouens is baie uitgehonger vir 'n paartie. En ek is uitgehonger vir vis. So kom ons kyk of ons dit kan kombineer in die braai op 1 Sept 06 by die klubhuis. Laat weet vir Lynette as jy gaan kom / nie gaan kom nie. (Anders gaan 'n pes jou oorval wat maak dat jy kieue groei)

O ja – PSA het alweer ‘n website by www.pretoriasubaqua.za.org (Ja die adres is reg). Die ander een wat ons so paar maande gelede geloods het met groot fanfare het mos net een mooi dag verdwyn. Net so geheimsinnig soos wat dit op ‘n dag verskyn het. Iets te doen met die Afrikaanse spreekwoord wat begin: “Eers gegee en dan geneem…” }:)Die website is bietjie stadig en hy is nou nie deur “professionele web ontwerpers” aanmekaar gesit nie, maar hy sal maar moet doen vir nou. Enige iemand wat kritiek wil lewer is ook welkom om hulle naam op ‘n lys te sit vir ondersteuning en hulp met die onderhoud van die website. O ja – en ons het Afrikaanse en Engelse inhoud vir die web… so ek hoop nie ons gaan weer drieletter woorde kry as kommentaar oor die taal nie. Ons het net ‘n bietjie van 'n bandwydte probleem wat binnekort opgelos sal word, so loer gerus in oor so twee weke as jy die hele website wil verken.

En dan van die website os tot op my reenjas: Die PSA nuusbrief is laat, ja ek weet. Maar ek het net twee hande julle weet? Ek sal hom binnekort uitkry so kyk uit daarvoor in jou persoonlike private epos boksie.

Toedeldoo dan maar vir nou

Benita

Under water Hockey Winter League

2006-07-25T23:15:00.000+02:00

Due to some "laat slapers", the final team lists will only be available on Thursday morning. There will be five teams named, Blue, Green, Yellow, Red and Orange. Here is the time table: Note that there will be four games per day, but the league will only be three Thursdays.

Het jy Haai foto's?

2006-06-26T18:30:00.000+02:00

Pamela van air and ocean safaris soek na foto's van haaie - interessante spesies of gedrag fotos vir 'n werkswinkel veld gids. Sien haar pos op die SA Scuba Mailing list:
*****************************

Hello

I’m looking for good quality shark photos, either good ‘species shots’ or interesting behavior shots. It’s for a shark workshop field guide. Unfortunately there’s no money in it at this stage, but they will be printed with your name in the guide, which will hopefully be a high quality publication (holding thumbs). Maybe one day we’ll all be shark photographer millionaires hey!

All the major South African sharks are to be included. Photos of sharks in baited dives are preferred without the bait / cage / drum / fake seal if possible unless shown for a good reason. The deadline is end of July.

If you would like to contribute please e-mail your photos (within reason) to me directly, or post (especially if lots of large files) to PO BOX 1264, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320

And lastly, we all know the typical shark diving spots but if you have a good spots for sharks that aren’t well known or information that isn’t well known about our local sharks I’d love to include it.

Thanks in advance

Pamela Le Noury
info@airandoceansafaris.co.za

Onderwater Hokkie Wêreldkampioenskappe

2006-06-21T09:39:00.000+02:00

In die mees onlangse PSA nuusbrief het ons berig oor die Onderwater hokkie wêreledkampioenskappe waat plaas gaan vind in Sheffield tussen 10 en 26 Augustus 2006. Die spanne wat gaan deelneem sluit in:

Groot Brittanjie, Australie, België, Kanada, Columbië, Frankryk, Hongarye,
Ierland, Italië, Japan, Jersey, Nederland, New Zeeland, Suid Afrika, Spanje,
Turkye en die VSA.

Gaan loer gerus by http://www.uwhworlds2006.net/ vir meer inligting oor die toernooi.

Hoekom ry ons nie met busse tot op die rif nie?

2006-06-21T09:27:00.000+02:00

Taal van ons eie

2006-06-13T10:30:00.000+02:00

Ons is SCUBA duikers reg? Ons klub, PSA, is geaffilieerd by CMAS, wat soos PADI en NAUI, duikers oplei om veilig te duik.

Kyk bietjie weer na daardie sin. Het jy enige idee waarvoor al daardie akronieme staan?

SCUBA - Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
PADI - Professional Association of Diving Instructors
CMAS - Confederation Mondiale des Activites Subaquatiques (World Underwater Assoc)
NAUI - National Association of Underwater Instructors

Nog akronieme word verduidelik by:
http://www.ukdivers.com/info/acronyms.asp

NY Times Article: A move to save coral reefs

2006-06-05T14:30:00.000+02:00

New York Times Editorial
A Move to Save Coral Reefs
Published: June 5, 2006
__________________________________________________
Anyone who has given thought to the pitifully fragile state of the oceans' coral reefs should have been heartened by the recent classification of two kinds of coral as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The inclusion of the elkhorn and staghorn, two species of Caribbean coral, was a welcome first for the list, prompted by a task force on coral reefs established by President Bill Clinton and continued by the Bush administration.
The prominence given to the two spiky formations may help to educate the public about creatures that many people do not understand. Coral colonies consist of billions of tiny organisms and can take centuries to grow just a few feet. But now whole stretches are being killed off at alarming rates around the world by bad human behavior. That includes the dumping of untreated sewage or industrial runoff into the ocean. Coral that is constantly broken by irresponsible snorkelers, divers, poachers or fishing boats takes decades to recover, if it ever can. Human dependency on fossil fuels contributes to global warming and rising ocean temperatures.
Coral reefs, wildly colored when healthy, can go chalk white when they are sick and dying, usually the result of stress from sustained higher temperatures in the sea or exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun. Last fall, record amounts of bleaching occurred in the Caribbean, killing at least 8 percent of the elkhorn coral colonies off the Virgin Islands.
Coral reefs cover a very small part of the ocean, less than 1 percent. But they contribute mightily to the sustenance of ecosystems needed in the oceans, attracting and supporting diverse sea life. When reef systems die — as happened off the Seychelles islands, where sea temperatures were elevated for several years — varieties of fish become extinct. Coral reefs also provide natural barriers to severe weather, like storm surges from hurricanes. And they process and recycle carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The official recognition that coral deserves to be protected is a step in the right direction and may buy some time. But more action is needed, and quickly, if the underwater wonders that support so much life are to survive intact.
Next Article in Opinion (3 of 8) »

PSA Klub-aand: Vrydag 9 Junie

2006-06-05T10:01:00.000+02:00

Games/Speletjies en Pizza-aand

Hiermee word alle PSA lede, oud-lede en voornemende nuwe lede genooi na die klub-aand vir ‘n ontspannende en WARM speletjies aand. Kom bewys jou vernuf met Pool, Tafeltennis, Veerpyltjies en Pinball. Bring net jou eie Pizza en kom geniet die aand saam met ons. Die adres is 299 Fred Nicholson Straat, Les Marais. As jy verdwaal, bel net 083 450 3358 of 012-335 5025.

Groete
Asthore
PSA Projekte

Hoe deel mens lug?

2006-05-29T10:12:00.000+02:00

Die volgende artikel sal interessant wees vir die scuba duikers
SCUBA Theory: Sharing air

from: http://www.divester.com/2006/03/20/scuba-theory-sharing-air
Posted Mar 20th 2006 7:16AM by Will O'BrienFiled under: SCUBA Theory

How do you donate air? There's more than one way to do it. That random dive buddy you ended up with at the boat dock might do something unexpected in an out of air situation. SCUBA Theory is back again. Today, it's all about sharing air.
How do you share?
Divers naturally share air the way they were trained to. Training methods vary between shops, instructors and organizations. Being caught off guard because someone had different training can have serious consequences. Even if you only dive with specifically trained buddies, you may be called upon to assist or even rely upon someone else who isn't.
You gave them what?
When a (sport) diver donates air, he usually has three options:1. Donate primary regulator, and switch to the backup or octopus regulator.2. Donate backup regulator and keep the primary regulator.3. Buddy breathe. This involves sharing a single regulator between two divers.
It also juliennes
One dive shop teaches their open water students to donate their backup or octo regulators. At another shop, all the BCs are equipped with SCUBAPRO Air2 power inflater/regulator hybrids. So, they teach their students to donate their primary regulator. At another, the instructor teaches buddy breathing. To prevent confusing students, and due to the short amount of water time in most open water courses, it seems very few will cover more than one air donation technique.
The danger of the octo
Having a backup regulator is a great concept. The problem comes when a diver puts a backup regulator in his mouth and finds that it's full of sand.If the regulator becomes fouled such that the diaphragm or purge valve can't operate, then it is useless. Donating a fouled octo regulator to an air-starved diver is even worse. They exhale to clear the regulator of water and hastily suck in only to receive a mouthful of sand or muck. If they're expecting air and end up choking on this stuff... well the Heimlich maneuver is a bit hard underwater with a tank on your victims back. (And wouldn't help much with sand, anyway.) A far better plan is to donate your primary regulator. You'll have plenty of time to determine if your backup is fully operational and to take appropriate action.If you're the diver who is out of air, be careful if someone hands you their octo. Hitting the purge button before you ever put it in your mouth is probably a good idea. Keep in mind that the regulator could be fouled, so be mentally prepared to have to wait a little longer for that breath of life.
'Don't Panic'
If a diver is hurting for air, they might start to panic. They'll want the first regulator that they see and know has air: the one in your mouth. It's a good idea to stay in control of your regulator. If a diver looks like they may need air, place your hand on your regulator. It's better for you to hand it to them than have it yanked out of your mouth. You can make sure you grab a nice breath of air and demonstrate that you're calm while handing it over. Someone who's been swimming without an air supply will usually feel the need to catch their breath. If you just exhaled and a panicked diver grabs your regulator, you may not be very happy while they're gobbling up air.
Buddy breathing with Dave and Bob
Even if you never need it, buddy breathing is a great skill to have under the weight belt. Practicing it can really help increase a divers comfort level with regulator swapping. Bob signals he's low on air, out of air and needs to share air/buddy breath. Dave puts his hand on his regulator and grabs a breath of air. Bob places his hand over Dave's or on the hose right next to the regulator. Dave and Bob should grab each others BC, strap or arms to maintain a steady distance. Dave will place the regulator at Bob's mouth and Bob will get two even breaths on the regulator. Dave and Bob will then put the regulator at Dave's mouth where he'll get two breaths. They continue to share. While the regulator is out of either diver's mouth, he'll continuously bubble air to prevent baro-trauma.Since Dave put his hand on the regulator first, he can keep control over his air supply. This makes it easier for Dave to retrieve his regulator if Bob starts panicking and tries to keep the regulator to himself. If Bob really panics and tries to shoot for the surface, Dave a better chance of pulling his regulator away if he's being pulled upward at an unsafe ascent speed.
What works for meI'm going to stay away from discussing long or short regulator hoses for now. I do have to give credit to the tech divers for my preferred method of backup regulator storage. 'DIR' technical divers keep their secondary regulator on a bungee or latex hose necklace. (The ends of the bungee/hose are zip tied at the mouth piece mount of the regulator.) It sounds a little weird, but it's very good in practice. The backup regulator sits under their chin, so when it's needed it's probably clear of debris. It's also very, very easy to reach without looking and place the backup regulator in your mouth.I'll donate my known working primary regulator to the air starved diver. At the same time I clear and if it's functioning, start breathing off my backup regulator. Once I know it's operational (and I don't need to retrieve my primary to breath) and the diver in need is calm, signals ok, and is ready to ascend I have the option of letting them keep the primary. In the case that my secondary regulator has failed me in some way, I've maintained control so I can buddy breath with the diver in need and still ascend safely

Los kommentaar asb!

2006-05-22T11:15:00.001+02:00

Ons het terugvoer ontvang van ‘n paar PSA lede wat aandui dat hulle wel die nuusbrief lees en absoluut niks aan hom sou verander nie. Hierdie maand wil ons asseblief ‘n bietjie terugvoer hê oor die BLOG. Los gerus vir ons ‘n boodskap op die BLOG wat sê:
· Wat verkies jy:
o Nuus oor opkomende PSA aktiwiteite
o Terugvoer oor vorige PSA aktiwiteite
o Algemene Duik / Visskiet / Onderwater hokkie nuus en interessanthede
· Wat wil jy nog op die Blog hê?

· Hoe gereeld besoek jy die blog (nou en dan, 2 keer per maand, 1 keer per week, meer as een keer per week)

Klein Kariba Naweek - Pryse

2006-05-15T10:50:00.000+02:00

Klein Kariba naweek 26-28 Mei.
Hulle het geen chalets meer beskikbaar nie, daar is net karavaan en kamp staanplekke oop. Dit is R 230 per nag vir 6 persone per staanplek, dan sluit dit een voertuig in. Kontak vir Asthore (0834503358) as jy belang stel.

Raai raai Waar is die Raggie Haai

2006-05-11T11:49:00.000+02:00

AfriOceans Conservation Alliance bied 'n kompetisie aan waar jy moet raai waar 'n nuut vrygelate haai - Dee die Raggie, voorheen van die Two Oceans Akwarium in Kaapstad - se radio sender op 15 Julie 2006 gaan uitskiet. Besoek gerus die webwerf om meer inligting oor die pryse, reëls en so meer te kry. Die kompetisie sluit op 15 Julie 2006.
http://www.aoca.org.za/competition.php#null

Goodbye, and thanks for all the fish!*

2006-05-11T10:56:00.000+02:00

Die BBC en National geographic het so twee weke gelede gerapporteer dat honderde dolfyne uitgespoel het op die strande van Zanzibar. Hoewel daar nie sekerheid is oor wat dit veroorsaak het nie, spekuleer die plaaslike mense in Zanzibar dat die dalk iets te doen kan hê met die besondere lae gety en kwaai reën wat geval het. 'n Ander moontlike oorsaak wat ondersoek word is dat toksiese alge wat met rooi gety geassosieer word dalk verantwoordelik kan wees vir die massa stertes. Die toets resultate is egter nog nie beskikbaar nie.

'n Ander moontlike oorsaak kan te doen hê met die sonar van Amerikaanse patrolerings bote. Klaarblyklik kan die sonar die diere disoriënteer wat veroorsaak dat hulle te vinnig na die wateroppervlak beweeg. Die diere ondervind dan die ekwivalent van dekompressie siekte.

Hier is twee skakels waar jy kan gaan kyk na foto's en meer inligting kan vind.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4954950.stm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/05/0501_060501_dolphins.html http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/05/0501_060501_dolphins.html

*Met apologie geleen van Douglas Adams

Klub aand hierdie Vrydag!

2006-05-10T08:57:00.000+02:00

12 Mei Sop en brood aand by Lynette en Piet Bosch se huis in Corrie
straat, Queenswood. Elke vrou word gevra om sop en brood te bring vir 4
mense asb.

26-28 Mei Klein Kariba naweek - Ons wil graag die meeste van ons
klub-lede daar sien die naweek sodat ons weer lekker saam kan kuier en
beplan wanneer ons weer gaan duik. Pryse en besonderhede sal aan
julle gestuur word. As jy graag wil saamgaan kontak vir Asthore of Lynette.

Spear Fishing

2006-05-08T20:37:00.000+02:00

Len Turner (F.I.S.H 4 Africa) het 'n paar mooies geskiet gedurende die langnaweek.

Sodwana Langnaweek Fotos

2006-05-06T12:43:00.000+02:00

Hier sit PSA en kuier.

Die jong klomp het hulleself goed besig gehou

Kampvuur stories

Graat, Willie, Willie en Stoffel

Sodwana Kalender foto

(Fotos gestuur deur Asthore Mostert)

Terugvoer- Sodwana Langnaweek

2006-05-02T08:16:00.000+02:00

PSA het in volle getalle opgedaag by Sodwana om bietjie vis te skiet, te scuba en sommer om in die algemeen net op die strand rond te lê en niks doen! Hoewel die toue lank was om in te teken by Sodwana, en die verkeer kwaai was oppad terug, was dit nietemin 'n heerlike wegbreek.

Die visskieters het behoorlik gemaai onder die see-kreature met die gevolg dat ons darem 'n lekker ou vissie kon braai Sondag aand. Daar sal ook nog verskeie ander vis braaie gehou moet word om van al dardie vis ontslae te raak! Die Scuba duikers het ook 'n paar uitstekende duike gehad saam met Adventure Mania en hoewel daar 'n walvishaai in die omgewing was, moes ons maar ons verbeelding gebruik as ons wou weet hoe hy/sy lyk.

Daar was ook 'n paar minder aangename insidente:

*Benita Bosch is opgeneem in die hospitaal in Richardsbaai met galstene. Ek kan nie dink dat iemand dit bo die kamp in Sodwana sou verkies nie, maar nou ja. Sterkte met jou herstel Benita!
*Een van die junior PSA lede is op die oop see gesteek deur 'n by. Gewoonlik sou dit nie saak gemaak het nie, behalwe dat hierdie lid erg allergies is vir bye... Gelukkig het die volgende boot waarby hulle verby gery het 'n inspuiting aan boord gehad.
* PSA moes 'n search & recovery missie onderneem om 'n lid se boot te gaan haal daar waar hy langs die strand 'n goeie ent van Jesser Point af uitgespoel het. Gelukkig was die getye aan ons kant en dit het sonder probleme afgeloop.

Die weer het goed gehou en ons het heerlike sonskyn weer gehad die hele naweek lank, tot Sondag aand toe dit goed gereen het. Die weer het darem saamgespeel sodat nie al die lede hulle tente moes opslaan in wet suits nie.

Vandag en more kom daar nog 'n paar van die PSA lede terug. Hulle het duidelik die swaar verkeer oppad terug geantisipeer. Ons wens hulle 'n veilige terug tog toe!

Foto's sal volg sodra die kameras uitgepak word. Enigeen wat foto's op die blog wil publiseer, kan dit gerus deur stuur na my epos adres (benita @netactive.co.za).

Groete terug in Gauteng!

Benita

Sodwana Langnaweek 26 April - 1 Mei

2006-04-25T08:26:00.000+02:00

Sodwana is blykbaar vol bespreek en die weerburo belowe dat ons mooi weer gaan hê - Vir Donderdag in elkgeval. Hopelik sien ons van die onderstaande kreature terwyl ons daar is. Hier kom ons Sodwana!!!!!!!!!

Wondergat Fotos

2006-04-20T09:21:00.000+02:00

Het jy al die plek so gesien?

Lees jy die nuusbrief?

2006-04-18T14:57:00.000+02:00

Die klub bestuur het by die afgelope vergadering so bietjie gefokus op die kommunikasie aspek van die klub. Ons weet dat daar verskillende kommunikasie kannale is en dat ons lede verskillende inligtingsbehoeftes het. Ons het toe met ‘n kommunikasie strategie vorendag gekom wat ons hopelik sal help om beter te kommunikeer. Maar ons wil graag die klub lede se insette ook hê.

Gee gerus terugvoer vir ons oor die mees onlangse nuusbrief. Ons wil weet:
· Lees jy die nuusbrief gereeld of is dit een van die eposse wat jy ignoreer?
· Is die grootte en formaat van die nuusbrief aanvaarbaar vir jou?
· Is die inligting in die nuusbrief relevant tot jou en hoekom / hoekom nie
· Wat sou jy nog in die nuusbrief wou hê?(Laat jou kommentaar onder jou eie naam of onder 'n skuilnaak onder "Comments")

Klubaand 21 April - Mongolian Grill

2006-04-18T13:01:00.000+02:00

Die klubaand beplan vir Vrydag die 21ste sal gehou word by die
Mongolian Grill by Boardwalk so 7 uur vir half agt.

Bevestig asb, getalle by Asthore Voor of op Woensdag 18 April.

Sien julle daar!

Adventure Mania Social Meeting in Benoni - 7 April

2006-04-04T15:26:00.000+02:00

Hi Guys

Many of us have done many a dive with Adventure Mania. Go check out their SOcial meeting on 7 April 2006

From Christo van Jaarsveld [mailto:amania@iafrica.com]
Greeting from sunny Sodwana!

The Adventure Mania social meeting will be held at Fin-Up SCUBA dive centre in Benoni on Friday 7th April 2006. The meeting will start at 19h00. The event will be in the form of a "Bring and Braai" as well as an update on what's new in Adventure Mania. For those interested in fish identification, a short introduction on this topic will be presented. How to get there: Travelling from the West Rand, JHB or Pretoria: Take the N12 in an eastern direction to Witbank. At the Puttfontein off ramp go left. The second street left into Cloverdene str and right into 4th str. FIN-UP is on the left at Plot No.3. Anybody and everybody welcome! Divers and non-divers! Hope to see you there. Regards Christo van Jaarsveld P.S. Instructors: come and look at the facilities available at this training facility. Everything from an indoor swimming pool, gear hire, sales, etc.

Spearfishing Advertisement

2006-03-31T15:30:00.000+02:00

I have just opened a Spearfishing Agency in Pretoria (F.I.S.H. 4
Africa - Pelage' Agents). I can give you all spearfishing equipment at the best introductory offers possible (i.e. buy one get one free - spears; guns 4
dad and son - get one small gun free etc etc).

Please pass the word around and let me know what your needs are. If
you place an order before end March you will benefit from our Easter
Madness discounts. Let me know what I can deliver for you.

Regards - Len Turner 0836332851

Reminder: tomorrow (Saturday 1 April) 14h00 fish braai (Sailfish sosaties) and opening of the F.I.S.H 4 Africa - Freediving and Spearfishing shop. R60 per head, includes a free spear. Bring own camp chairs and drinks. 65 Piet my Vrou St; Monument Park. Deon 0826102564

Reddingskursus - Nuwe Datums

2006-03-30T08:45:00.000+02:00

Die klub se reddingskursus se nuwe datums is as volg:
Lesing 1 is net vir die wat dit nog nie bygewoon het nie.

Lesing 1 3 April 2006
Lesing 2 5 April 2006
Lesing 3 6 April 2006

Bevestig asb. met Lynette.
Kursus kostes is R360 per persoon.

DAN Opleiding

2006-03-30T08:41:00.000+02:00

Vir die ouens wat onlangs die klub se Suurstof Operateurs kursus voltooi het, loer gerus na die volgende DAN kursus. Kontak besonderhede aan die onderkant van die pos.

Hi Everyone

On Thursday evening 30 March I will be presenting a Combo package of DAN REMO2 and NEURO for existing and current DAN O2 Providers (pre-requisite). See the attachments for more detailed info. The REMO2 (Rebreather O2 Unit) and NEURO (On-Site Neurological Assessment) courses cost R350.00 each but the special if done back-to-back in one evening is R600.00. These two courses will be presented at Let's Dive in Elardus Park (Serpentine Rd) and starts at 18h30.

The combo was scheduled a while ago for a few divers that previously started with the DEMP Plus Program and are now doing the last two courses in this six-module program (AED / O2 Prov / Adv O2 Prov / Haz Mar Life Inj + REMO2 / NEURO). Sorry for the short notice but I'd be remised if I didn't open this opportunity to other eligible candidates as well.

Please advise me if you're interested so that I can make the necessary arrangements. Look forward to sharing these interesting and valuable programs with you.

Kind regards

Sean French

PO Box 11355
Hatfield, 0028
Pretoria,
RSACell: +27 082 9066551
Ph/Fax: +27 012 803 4227

COURSE SPECS
OXYGEN SOLUTION FOR REMOTE LOCATIONS

For dive operations situated in locations far from definitive medical care, the challenge of providing continuous oxygen first aid for a prolonged period is a big one. Providing optimal quantities of oxygen for prolonged periods used to require several smaller or a few large cylinders – until now. After the initial launch in January 1999, the whole program was suspended in August 2001 due to manufacturing issues. Fortunately (for remote diving locations and those diving there), the program was re-launched again recently after all the technical hitches were sorted out.

The purpose of the DAN REMO2 Course is to train existing O2 Providers the necessary skills required to effectively use the REMO2 Unit. This unit is a single use “re-breather” system for use with conscious breathing injured divers that recycles expired air by retaining expired oxygen in the breathing circuit and removing carbon dioxide (CO2). The CO2 canister has a duration of about 8 hours. When using a standard DAN Jumbo-D cylinder at the prescribed flow-rates, it can provide 100% oxygen for an injured diver with suspected DCI for up to 8 hours. The REMO2 Unit’s cost of about R850.00 is, however, a once-off expense as the Unit will be replaced free of charge by DAN provided that it was used for a bona fide injured diver supported by all the necessary documentation as required by DAN i.e. DAN Emergency Equipment Replacement Form together with incident reports, hospital/EMS release forms, police reports etc.

As oxygen in remote diving locations is scarce, costly and difficult for many dive operators to re-fill together with the impracticality of storing large quantities of high-pressure oxygen cylinders, this system is revolutionary. It stretches the available oxygen in a reasonably sized cylinder to great lengths; previously only possible with multiple cylinders. To close off on an economical note, because the Unit is replaced at no cost, the subsequent use of the REMO2 will make the administration of 100% oxygen cheaper per hour.

Active status DAN Instructors are encouraged to teach this exciting new program and can do so after an equipment orientation. For more information on this great new system, the training program and updates for DAN Instructors, contact DAN SA on 0860 242 242 or +27 (0) 11 254 1991/2.

Cost:
· Provider = R350.00
· Instructor Orientation/Conversion = R440.00

DAN On-Site Neurological Assessment Course

Approximately two-thirds of divers with decompression illness have evidence of damage to the nervous system. These signs are often vague and can go unrecognized by the diver. This can cause them to be dismissed as insignificant or not dive-related.

This program focuses on how to obtain essential information about a diver involved in a dive emergency and what information to relay to emergency medical services.

Only medical professionals should diagnose medical conditions. The information you gather while performing a neurological assessment will be useful to help the dive physician understand the extent of the injury and how it has changed in the time it took to get the diver from the dive site to definitive care.

Course Objective
The DAN On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers Provider ("DAN Neuro Provider") program is designed to:

· Refresh the knowledge of the warning signs of a dive emergency
· Identify when it is appropriate to conduct an On-Site Neurological Assessment
· Conduct an On-Site Neurological Assessment

Recommended Minimum Hours of Training Knowledge development (lecture) hours = 1 Skills development (practical) hours = 3. This module should be taught as a four-hour program. The time needed to teach the course varies and depends on many factors, including the number of students and their ability to process the educational components of the program.

Learning Objectives
At the end of this program DAN On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers participants will be able to:
· Understand and identify common warning signs of decompression illness.
· Take a dive history to determine when it is appropriate to conduct a complete On-Site Neurological Assessment.
· Use an On-Site Neurological Assessment Slate to conduct a complete On-Site Neurological Assessment.

Skill Performance ObjectivesTo successfully complete the DAN On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers course, participants must demonstrate skill and confidence in conducting an On-Site Neurological Assessment.

Skills Development
Taking a History, Taking vital signs, Mental Function, Consciousness, Speech and Language, Orientation to Time and Place, Judgment, Short-term Memory, Abstract Reasoning, Calculations, Cranial Nerves, Eye Control , Facial Control, Facial Sensation, Hearing, Motor Function, Shoulders , Biceps , Triceps, Finger spread, Grip strength, Hip flexors, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Feet, Sensory Function, Light Touch, Sharp Touch, Balance and Coordination, Walking , Finger-Nose-Finger,

Cost:
Provider = R 350.00
DAN O2 Instructor Upgrade Cost = R 592.00 (Incl Instructor Module & DVD)

Terugvoer: Wondergat Naweek

2006-03-27T08:16:00.000+02:00

PSA is 'n klub vir mense wat hou van water. Maar na hierdie naweek is dit nodig om 'n kwalifikasie by daardie stelling te voeg: Hulle hou van die tipe waarin mens duik en nie die tipe wat uit die wolke op jou tent val nie!

Hoewel Vrydagaand droog was totdat almal se tente opgeslaan was en daar darem 'n ou vleisie in die bord was, het dit laat Vrydagaand begin reën met mag en mening. Dit het die hele nag lank gereën. Teen Saterdag oggend het dit darem ligter gereën maar daar was sulke dik grys wolke saamgepak wat glad nie goeie nuus vir die res van die naweek voorspel het nie.

Toe gaan duik ons maar - heel bedremmeld oor die vernietigde vooruitsigte oor droë wetsuits vir die res van die naweek. En toe kom die son uit. En die res van die naweek het ons heerlike sonskyn weer gehad ten spyte daarvan dat daar 'n 60% kans vir reën voorspel was vir Mafikeng.

Die PSA lede wat dit tot by Wondergat gemaak het is dit eens dat dit toe alles die moeite werd was. Vir die ouens wat besluit het om weg te bly: Moenie volgende keer sulke prrrrrtsies wees nie!

RSS Feeds

2006-03-21T16:37:00.000+02:00

If you subscribe to a number of different blogs, you might find it cumbersome to log into each of the the blogs before you can see if there is new news. If you install a RSS (Real Simple Syndication) Reader on your computer, it will allow you to keep track of new entries in your blogs with the click of the button. A number of good RSS Readers are available. I've tried Sharpreader http://www.sharpreader.net/.

Note that once you have installed your reader you can subscribe to as many blogs you want. To subscribe to the PSA blog in sharpreader, type the following url in the address bar and click "Subscribe" http://www.pretoriasubaqua.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Interklubs

2006-03-21T09:53:00.000+02:00

Ons is terug!

Ek wil graag vir almal bedank wat gehelp het om interklubs moontlik te maak. Almal sal saamstem dat dit baie lekker was en dat hulle dit geniet het. Spesiale dank aan Wynand en Johan vir al hul reëlings en ondersteuning. Ook dankie vir elke speler en lid wat deelgeneem het en/of uitgehelp het. Dit is vir my baie verblydend dat daar nie een voorval vas waar spelers nie betyds en gereed was vir 'n wedstryd nie. Dit maak die reëlings baie makliker. Ek is ook baie trots daarop dat alle gelde ook betyds betaal was! Dankie hiervoor.

Interklubs 2006 het 'n paar hoogte punte gehad. Eerstens het PSA dit reg gekry om drie (amper) vol spanne af te neem Oos Londen toe. Ook was daar heelwat deelname in die voorbereiding voor die tyd. Ten spyte daarvan dat die junior meisies in 'n baie sterk liga moes speel, het hulle hul man behoorlik gestaan, en selfs daarin geslaag om 'n wedstryd te wen. Die tegniek en potensiaal wat ten toon gestel is, maak mens baie opgewonde oor dinge wat gaan kom. Dit was my eerste keer wat ek persoonlik in die B-liga gespeel het, en ek was verras gewees oor die hoë standaard hokkie wat in die liga gespeel word. Die verskil tussen die span wat eerste gekom het en die span wat laaste gekom het is baie klein, wat vir tien baie harde wedstryde gesorg het. As in ag geneem word dat die A-span (en B-span) eintlik 'n nuwe span is, wat vir die eerste keer in sy huidige vorm saam gespeel het, het ons heelwat om op trots te wees, en 'n lekker fondament om mee te werk in die toekoms. Met 'n vol B-span agter die A-span kan PSA hokkie net sterker word in die toekoms. Die geesdrif en toewyding van al die spelers was baie positief gewees. Oefenige in die toekoms sal ook meer konsentreer op span ontwikkeling.

PSA word tradisioneel gesien as 'n klub wat sosiaal hokkie speel. Ek bespeur al hoe meer ontevredenheid met diè beeld van die klub, en ondervind 'n definitiewe behoefte onder lede om 'n meer kompeterende klub te wees. Dit is 'n tendens waaroor ek baie opgewonde raak. Vanaf die hokkie bestuur se kant af is ons besig met 'n strategie om PSA te ontwikkel in 'n volwaardige en kompeterende sport klub. Alhoewel PSA steeds voorsiening sal maak vir lede wat sosiaal wil speel, is die doelwit om 'n top span of spanne te hê wat met die grotes kan meeding. Dit bied egter heelwat uitdagings. Die ontwikkeling van 'n sterk junior poel is van kritieke belang, nie net vir die klub nie, maar ook vir die sport in die algemeen. Gegewe die aantal juniors wat vir die klub speel, is junior hokkie 'n gebied waar PSA leiding kan neem. Ons hoop om die jaar ook weer 'n dames span op die been te bring, en met klubs agter die rug, gaan hierop gekonsentreer word.

Die ontwikkeling van 'n strek span(ne) gaan nie oornag gebeur nie. Dit sal heelwat toewyding en ondersteuning van alle deelnemers vereis. Ek voel sterk daaroor dat PSA hierdie doelwit ten volle moet begin nastreef. Verskeie aksies is alreeds aan die gebeur, soos die opleiding van skeidsregters en afrigters. Ook glo ek dat hierdie doelwitte saam moet val met die doelwitte en aksies van hokkie in die bree. Dit is elke PSA lid se verantwoordelikheid om te help met die werwing van nuwe spelers. Indien PSA in hierdie doelwit wil slaag gaan ons heelwat hulp benodig van onder andere ander klubs. Dit is uiters belangrik dat PSA op goeie voet met ander klubs moet bly en ook aksies wat gereël word moet ondersteun. Ek voorsien heelwat samewerking met ander hokkie instansies en klubs. Verhoudinge tussen klubs is soms sensitief, en kan deur 'n enkele speler negatief beinvloed word.

Ek (en ander) is vasbeslote om in die volgende jaar heelwat tyd af te staan aan die ontwikkeling van PSA hokkie, en benodig baie ondersteuning. Individue kan help deur oefening en toernooie te ondersteun, sy/haar fiksheid op standaard te bring, deel te neem, belang te stel in die verskeie aspekte wat hiermee gepaart gaan, en hulp te gee deur met inisiatiewe vorendag te kom. (don't ask what your club can do for you, but what you can do for your club......). Selfs net om hand te gee met goed soos trek van toue of om te help skottelgoed was maak 'n verskil. Ek weet dat ek op julle ondersteuning kan staat maak.

Watch this space..............

Weer eens dankie.

Eddie

PS: Gerugte dat PSA "oompies" met hoë hak skoene en speedo's by die formele hokkie eindfunksie in die swembad gespring het is ONWAAR......., die funksie was informeel :-)

Wondergat 24 - 26 March 2006

2006-03-21T09:29:00.000+02:00

This Weekend (24-26 March 2006) PSA will be camping out at Wondergat. Here is some info for those who wants to join us: (from http://www.delportdupreez.co.za/diving/html/wondergat.html)

Temperature range:
14 - 21 degrees.

Depth:
40m, with ave. 6m visibility above 20m and below 20m visibility is about 15m. It also has a few shallow and short caves to explore but be careful.

Altitude:
+- 1460m above sea level.

Access:
Public. An entry fee is payable.

On site gas mixing station:
Yes. Nitrox continuous blending. Trimix on request & prior arrangement.

Nearest Medical facility:
The nearest hospital is in Mafikeng (30km) away, while Lightenburg Provincial Hospital is nearly 60km away.

Canteen:
Canteen facilities are available as well as take-away meals (to be arranged in advance)

Communications Network:
Both the Cellular/Mobile service providers in South Africa's network reaches the dive site.

Other Attractions in the area:

Licthenburg Game Breeding Centre http://www.ltxgamebreedingcentre.co.za/

The Game Breeding Centre
The Lichtenburg Game Breeding Centre is a project of the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa whose headquarters are in Pretoria. The main aim of the Centre is to augment the National Zoo’s breeding programmes of endangered species and to supplement the Zoo’s own animal populations.

The flora
The Game Breeding Centre extends over an area of 4,500 hectares, two thirds of which are open to the public. A number of exotic mammals are housed at the entrance area’s dams, marshes and reedbeds. This is also a haven for large numbers of indigenous waterbirds. Most of the Centre consists of grassland with scattered trees and shrubs. An extensive acacia thicket has its own unique character.

Indigenous and exotic animals
Pére David’s deer, extinct in their natural habitat in China, and the rare pygmy hippopotamus are housed in the wetland area at the entrance. The vast grassland supports large herds of springbok, blesbok, red hartebeest, eland, impala and gemsbok, while endangered scimitar-horned oryx, cape mountain zebra, addax and Arabian oryx are housed in separate breeding enclosures. In this way the Centre plays an important part in national and inter-national conservation programs of endangered species.

A rich birdlife
The behavior of the wetland’s varied birdlife can be observed from the large bird hide near the entrance. Most grassveld birds are well camouflaged and thus not easily seen. Various birds are confined to the acacia thicket.

Visitor facilities
A good network of roads facilitates the viewing of animals. The hide at the Vulture restaurant allows one to see these magnificent birds at close quarters as food is put out regularly. Spend some time at the water-hole where animals come to drink. The picnic areas at both the entrance and inside the Centre are equipped with braai facilities. Here visitors are given the opportunity to relax while enjoying the natural environment.

Directions
The Game Breeding Centre is situated in the North West Province, 240km drive south west of Pretoria or Johannesburg. It is on the northern outskirts of Lichtenburg.

Visiting hours
Weekdays 08:00 - 16:00
Weekends & holidays 08:00 - 18:00
For further information please contact:

Lichtenburg Game Breeding Centre
P.O. Box 716, Lichtenburg, 2740
Tel: +27(18) 632-2818 Fax: +27(18) 632-1535 Cell: +27 83 3268 721

Interklubs Groep Fotos

2006-03-21T09:11:00.000+02:00

Die Manne van die A span

Die B span Manne
Die Junior Meisies

En allerhande Mannewales

Ons spanne het nou wel nie podium posisies gehaal by die interklubs nie, maar daar is hard gespeel en almal wat daar was is dit eens - Dit was 100% die moeite werd.

Interklubs 2006 - Dag 1

2006-03-17T00:10:00.000+02:00

Blykbaar het die Mans A span vier taai wedstryde gespeel waarvan een in 'n swembad was waarin die sigbaarheid min of meer gelyk het soos Miracle Waters op 'n Sondag na 1000 duikers daardeur was. Maar hulle hou moed en het selfs een taai wedstryd gewen. Niemand stel krieket tellings op nie, so daar is nog hope veggees in ons PSA deelnemers. Die Mans B span het 3 wedstryde gespeel en die Junior Dames het die geleentheid gehad om hulle vaardighede teen die Springbok dames uit te probeer. Beslis 'n interessante interklubs! Die fototjies was die hokkie spelers deurgestuur het wys dat dit sommer 'n bloedige warm dag was. Stuur gerus 'n boodskap van ondersteuning aan ons hokkie ouens op Eddie se selfoon: 0823205477.

Sterkte vir die Interklubs 16 - 18 Maart Oos Londen

2006-03-16T08:45:00.000+02:00

PSA se onderwater Hokkie spelers is in Oos Londen. Ons wens hulle alle sterkte toe. Hier is 'n paar foto'tjies waar hulle wys hoe hulle voorberei vir so 'n toernooi.

Foto's: Potbrood en Bier Proe 10 Maart 06

2006-03-16T08:22:00.000+02:00

1. Die Voorraad
2. Die Voorraad word getoets
3. Kyk Daai Brood probeer wegkom!
4. Brode prut voort
5. Gereed vir beoordeling
6. Die geagte beoordeelaars
7. Potbrood Wenner
8. Bierproe Wenner

2006-03-15T11:47:00.000+02:00

PSA Projekte - Sodwana
27 April - 1 Mei 06 - Die Ballito naweek is veskuif na Sodwana agv. verblyf probleme. Dit beteken ons gaan Soddies toe vir die lang naweek. PSA gaan kamp by Parkeraad, ons het 'n bespreking gemaak in die G kamp. Almal wat wil saamgaan moet asb. voor Maandag oggend vir Lynette (012-333 8109) of Asthore ( 083 450 3358) laat weet sodat die finale bespreking gedoen kan word.
Almal welkom.

Wat makeer die manne?

2006-03-13T10:39:00.000+02:00

Na bewering het 'n vrou Vrydagaand se potbrood kompetisie gewen. Dis seker aanvaarbaar en verstaanbaar gegewe dat sommige manne hiper kreatief probeer wees het / of wou wys dat grootte wel tel. Maar wat op dees aarde? 'n Vrou het ook die bierproe kompetisie gewen? Meer details later...

Broodbak en Bierproe vannaand!

2006-03-10T09:28:00.000+02:00

Kom toets jou sintuie vannaand. Foto's en terugvoer sal volgende week gepos word op hierdie blog.

PSA Nuusbrief Maart 2006

2006-03-08T19:16:00.000+02:00

Die volledige nuusbrief met foto's kan in MSWord Formaat van ons website afgelaai word by www.pretoriasubaqua.co.za

Redaksioneel

Daar is nog net ‘n maand of twee oor voor dit weer ernstig koud gaan wees. Dit beteken dat jy maar die laaste braaie en duike voor die Winter moet inpas. Maak seker:
• Jy woon ons Bier-proe en Brood-bak kompetisie klubaand by op Vrydag 10 Maart
• Jy gaan stof jou kit af vir ons Wondergat duik-naweek 25 en 26 Maart en
• Jy bespreek sommer nou vir on Ballito Duik wegbreek van 27 April – 1 Mei.
Geniet die nuusbrief! – Red. Benita van Wyk
______________________________________
Klub Inligting

PSA het weer ‘n website by www.pretoriasubaqua.co.za. Almal saam: Hoera! Jippie! Welgedaan! Maar ernstig nou, dis maar ons eerste probeer slag en enige opbouende kommentaar sal waardeer word. Dankie vir Fanie en Miranda Gerber vir hulle insette! En ja ons het opgemerk die website is in Engels. Ons hoop om binnekort weer ‘n aankondiging in hierdie verband te doen!

Onthou ook dat die PSA Blog gereeld opgedateer word met nuus wat jou raak by
www.pretoriasubaqua.blogspot.com

As jy dit irriterend vind om heeltyd op die blog te moet inlog voor jy weet of daar nuwe nuus is, probeer gerus om ‘n RSS Reader (RSS staan vir Really Simple Syndication) op jou rekenaar te installeer. Daar is baie verskillende “readers” beskikbaar. Probeer gerus http://www.sharpreader.net/ Nadat jy die reader geinstalleer het, kan jy inteken op die PSA blog.
______________________________________
Klubgelde

Lidmaatskap fooie is betaalbaar vanaf 1 September jaarliks. R300 per jaar vir ‘n hooflid, en R30 vir elke addisionele familielid. R100 vir individuele junior lede.

Doen gerus ‘n elektroniese oorbetaling: Pretoria Sub Aqua, FNB, Rekening Nommer: 53335872892. Verstrek jou van en voorletters as verwying.
______________________________________
Visskiet Uitstappie

*Visskieters moet solank hulle toerusting uitsorteer. PSA beplan ‘n visskiet uitstappie tydens die paasnaweek by Sodwana. Laat weet vir Stoffel by 082 5505 966 as jy belang stel.
*‘n Visskiet ekskursie word ook beplan vir Oos Londen reg na die interklubs toernooi.
______________________________________
Projekte Kalender:

10 Maart Klub aand - Bier en Brood kompetisie
Bring jou R5 en kom toets jou kennis oor verskeie biersoorte (slegs kinders tussen 18 en 80 asb.) Bring jou meisie, vrou en/of skelmpie en kom bak 'n brood vir die kompetisie. Vure sal reeds 19:00 gereed wees vir die brode. Beoordeling vind plaas om 21:00. Almal welkom.
Bring botter, konfyt en kaas saam om lekker brood te kom geniet.

24-26 Maart Wondergat
Alle belangstellendes wat graag saam met ons wil kom duik, kamp en sosiaal verkeer, skakel asb. vir Lynette (0828044744) of Asthore (0834503358) om te bespreek. Alle besprekings moet gedoen word voor 17 Maart. Onthou, ons kamp so moenie jou tent by die huis los nie!

Koste per volwasse persoon per dag R 35.00
Koste per kind onder 12 per dag R 15.00
Voertuig eenmalig R 10.00
Enkel lugvul R 25.00
Dubbel lugvul R 35.00
21 April Scuba Lesing - Piet Bosch
Het jy lank laas geduik en voel jy verroes of benodig jy net 'n bietjie aandag onder die water? As dit soos jy klink, dan moet jy by hierdie aand wees. Piet gaan 'n bietjie ekstra opleiding buite en binne die swembad gee vir diegene wat voel hulle duik nie genoeg nie. Bring jouself en jou duiktoerusting en kom spring in die klub swembad.

27 April-1 Mei Noordkus duik - Ballito
Lynette is nog besig met onderhandelinge vir die huis op Ballito, sy sal almal laat weet wat die reëlings hieroor is. Kontak haar by 0828044744
______________________________________
Skakels

Gaan loer gerus na die vakansie ekspedisies waar jy kan help om walvisse te tel of ander mariene lewe op te spoor tydens rif-opnames op eksotiese plekke soos Madagaskar of die Honduras http://www.biosphere-expeditions.org/expeditions/
______________________________________
SCUBA Opleiding

* PSA se onlangse 1 ster kursus is voltooi. 5 Duikers het hulle praktiese duike afgehandel oor die naweek van 4 en 5 Mrt in ysbeer weer by Miracle Waters. Ons verneem dat daar na bewering ‘n insident met ‘n varswater krap was waartydens die anatomie van die varswater krap duidelik onderskei is van die van ‘n see-krap. Ons sal graag foto’s wil sien van die instrukteur in hierdie penarie – red.
* Die reddingskursus word huidiglik aangebied vir 7 PSA lede.
* PSA beplan ook eersdaags ‘n DM en 3 Ster kursus.
Om in te skryf moet jy: 17 Jaar of ouer wees; Medies geskik wees vir onderwater duik met ‘n mediese verslag ter stawing nie ouer nie as 12 maande; Ten minste 50 duike gedoen het wat insluit nag duike, diep duike (30M) en navigasie duike; Moet ‘n Reddings kursus voltooi het.
* Aangesien daar nog bittermin CMAS kwalifikasie sertifikate vir onderwater-fotografie uitgereik is, beplan PSA eersdaags ‘n fotografie kursus. Ons hoor graag van belangstellendes voordat ons die reëlings finaliseer.

Vir opleiding navrae kontak Andre Botha by 082 5644110. Meer inligting oor CMAS kwalifikasies kan verkry word by: www.cmas.co.za
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Onderwater Hokkie
Interklubs 2006

Hier kom vir jou ‘n ding! PSA het twee senior mans spanne en ‘n meisies span ingeskryf vir die onderwater hokkie interklubs toernooi wat hierdie jaar tussen 16 en 18 Maart in Oos Londen plaasvind. Die interklubs toernooi is al sedert 1975 aan die gang en betrek alle SAUU geaffilieerde klubs wat onder water hokkie speel. PSA is elke jaar ‘n trotse deelnemer aan die toernooi, maar borgskappe is nodig om veral die juniors se vervoer kostes te dek. Hierdie jaar was borgskappe egter skaarser as coelacanth tande en enige lede wat graag hulle testament wil verander om PSA as ‘n begunstigde by te voeg is welkom! Kompetisie is nogal sterk en ons verwag dat ons spanne beter sal vaar as in die verlede. In die volgende nuusbrief sal ons meer nuus hê oor die toernooi uitslae. Hou gerus ook die blog dop tussen 16 en 18 Maart.

Hokkie Oefening
Hokkie oefeninge vir junior en senior spanne vind plaas elke Ma. en Do. aand van 19:00 tot 20:00 by Hillcrest swembad. ‘n Winter oefen program sal begin op 1 Apr en sal regdeur die Winter voortgaan. Gelukkig is Hillcrest swembad verhit so die swemjasse kan maar tuis gelos word!

Senior dames word vriendelik uitgenooi om by die nuwe PSA senior dames hokkie span aan te sluit. Belangstellendes kan Eddie kontak by 0823205477.

Ander hokkie nuus
*PSA is baie opgewonde om saam met die SA Elite dames te oefen gedurende die Winter.
*Met die oog op die inter-provinsiale SAUU Nationals sal daar gedurende September ‘n hokkie akademie aangebied word.
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Weet jy wat is Nitrox?

Jy sal nie spyt wees as jy uitgevind het waaroor nitrox gaan nie. Dit mag jou dalk net daardie tikkie langer tyd gegee om iets soos die Thistlegorm – een van die bekendste wrakke in die Rooi see – te verken.

Wat is Nitrox?
As jy met ‘n mengsel van stikstof en suurstof in jou silinder duik, dan duik jy tegnies gesproke met nitrox (van die Engelse Nitrogen en Oxygen). Gewone lug is ook ‘n nitrox mengsel met ongeveer 21% suurstof en 79% stikstof. Sport duikers stel veral belang in suurstof verrykte nitrox mengsels of mengsels waarin suurstof meer as 21% van die totale volume uitmaak. As daar enige ander gas behalwe suurstof of stikstof in jou mengsel is, dan is dit nie meer nitrox nie.

Hoekom opgewonde raak oor Nitrox?
Die korrekte nitrox mengsel kan veiliger wees om mee te duik as gewone lug. As daar meer suurstof in die mengsel is, dan beteken dit dat daar dan minder stikstof ook is en dis natuurlik die stikstof opname in jou liggaam wat kan lei tot allerhande duik gevare geassosieer met dekompressie siekte. Met ‘n suurstof verrykte mengsel moet jy egter op die uitkyk wees dat jy nie te diep duik nie aangesien suurstof giftig word wanneer ‘n sekere parsiële druk bereik word.

Suurstof Verrykte Nitrox mengsels bied die volgende voordele:
• Langer duiktyd voor die geen dekompressie limiet bereik word. Dit beteken jy het ‘n ekstra veiligheids marge as jy by standaard duik tye hou, of jy kan jou totale duiktyd verleng.
• Korter oppervlak intervalle is nodig tussen duike omdat daar minder stikstof opgeneem is in jou liggaam.
• Jou liggaam raak vinniger van die opgeloste stikstof ontslae gedurende dekompressie stoppe op ‘n duik wat positief is vir jou lugverbruik.
• Baie mense sê hulle voel minder moeg na ‘n duik met suurstof verrykte nitrox.

Kan enige een met nitrox duik?
Vir duikveiligheids redes, is dit belangrik dat die beginsels waarop verrykte suurstof duike gebaseer is, baie goed verstaan word. Alle persone wat met suurstof-verrykte nitrox mengsels wil duik moet eers as nitrox duikers kwalifiseer. Hou gerus die opleidingskalender dop vir die volgende PSA nitrox kursus.
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Klub Dag 25 Februarie 2006

Hokkie spelers, Scuba Duikers en Visskieters het lekker saam gekuier tydens ons klub dag.

Spanne van vier het aan ons onderwater hindernisbaan deelgeneem.

Span wenners: Mans: (13.46)
Emile Houghton, Frits Grobler, Andre Ferreira, Johan Coetzer
Span wenners: Vroue: (14.51)
Elma Momberg, Suzanne Swart, Jeanie Fogwell, Benita v Wyk
Individuele Wenners Mans:
1e Stoffel Bosch (3.10)
2e Coenie Loock (3.22.21)
3e Mossie Mosterd (3.22.34)
Kinders:
1e Philip
2e Cara Bosman
3e Marco Kirsten

Daar was lekker spiere ten toon gestel, gespeel in die water en later geëet. Al die lekker kos laat mens wonder of PSA nie dalk eerder moet sê hulle is ‘n kos-klub met ‘n duik/ hokkie / visskiet probleem nie! 
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Die Vakansie Argiewe
Laas maand se bydrae deur die “Skipper van die seester” het vrae gevra oor vis. In hierdie aflewering van Die Vakansie Argiewe blyk “vis” weer ‘n kwessie te wees. Benita Bosch het ook raad vir die wat PSA se Zanzibar toer later vanjaar gaan mee maak.

OOOOOOOO
Bazaruto in 'n knipoog (Deur Pierre Botha)

Pierre en Chantel het vroeg in Desember 'n vinnige cruise op die Indiese Oseaan met MSC se Rhapsody meegemaak. Alhoewel die 5-dag reis uiters aange-naam was (behalwe vir die storm van die jaar op die Vrydag waar die motion-of-the-ocean te veel ge- word het vir so 80% van die passassiers) was hulle duike op Bazaruto effe teleurstellend.

Die Internet is vol lof vir die riwwe op Bazaruto, en beskryf hoe dit ten minste so goed is soos enigiets op Australië se Great Barrier Reef. Hoogtepunte sluit in tonne vis, roofvis, heelwat seeskilpaaie en natuurlik die Giant Crayfish. Ongelukkig was niks sigbaar in die skaars 1 meter "vis" nie. Jy moes letterlik met jou bril op die rif duik om te kon sien - ja, en "mask-clearing" was gedoen. So kom ons fokus op die positiewe van die eiland. Dis eintlik maar een groot sandbank, en die Rhapsody anker so net voor 8:00 aan die Noordekant naby die Portugese lighuis wat dateer uit die laat 1700's. So disembark hulle die skip met ongeveer 8 rubberducks, en neem die hele strand oor. Die bemanning slaan shadenetting en braaiplekke en selfs 'n kroeg op, terwyl die locals hulle crafts agter teen die plantegroei verkoop. Watertemperatuur was 30 grade Celcius, en die sand is poeiersag. Laagwater trek die see aan die Westekant ook heelwat km's terug sodat mens kan kortpad vat deur die baaie.

Bazaruto Lodge is baie nice, het 'n stunning swembad waar jy gou 'n draai mag gooi, maar diens is zero - nee minus tien. Die bere wat gaan diepsee hengel het, het wel 3 marlyne, 1 dorado, 'n tuna en 'n kabeljou gekry binne 4 ure, so needless to say - hulle gaan teruggaan.

Slotsom: Wat kan 'n ou nou doen as die "vis" sleg is? VIS!!

OOOOOOOO
Raad vir Zanzibar Benita Bosch sê:
As jy Zanzibar besoek MOET jy die Spesery toer mee maak. Van die blare vou die toerleier hoede en iets vir die nek en arm.Vir die lippe gebruik hulle ‘n spesery om dit mooi rooi te kry. Dis iets wat so deel is van die eiland kultuur dat mens dit nie durf mis nie!
Die PSA toer na Zanzibar is beplan vir 24 Sept.tot 1 Okt. 2006. Skakel vir Asthore as jy belang stel – Red.

Bespreek nou!

2006-03-03T08:16:00.000+02:00

Ons wil graag die besprekings vir die Noordkus duik by Ballito finaliseer. Sal alle belangstellendes wat van die 26ste April tot 1ste Mei saam met ons gaan duik, asb. getalle bevestig met Lynette by 082 8044744.

2006 Underwater Shootout

2006-03-02T10:31:00.000+02:00

The 2006 underwater shootout at Sodwana is provisionally set for Tuesday 9 May to Saturday 13 May 2006. Entry and other administration will take place on the evening of the 9 May. The competition consists of two days of on-site shooting at Sodwana Bay, judges’ presentation and a prize-giving dinner. There are categories for Slide, Digital and Video entries as well as levels from Novice to Advanced. This popular event has grown considerably and, you never know, you could walk away with some of the great prizes given by the sponsors.

Uitslae: Onderwater Hindernis Baan 25 Februarie

2006-03-02T10:14:00.000+02:00

Span wenners: Mans: (13.46)
Emile Houghton, Frits Grobler, Andre Ferreira, Johan Coetzer
Span wenners: Vroue: (14.51)
Elma Momberg, Suzanne Swart, Jeanie Fogwell, Benita v Wyk

Individuele Wenners Mans:
1e Stoffel Bosch (3.10)
2e Coenie Loock (3.22.21)
3e Mossie Mosterd (3.22.34)

Kinders:
1e Philip
2e Cara Bosman
3e Marco Kirsten

Klub Dag 25 Februarie Fotos

2006-03-01T11:32:00.000+02:00

Klub Dag 25 Februarie Fotos 2

2006-03-01T11:14:00.000+02:00

Onthou!

2006-02-27T10:10:00.000+02:00

10 Maart - Bier en brood kompetisie by die klubhuis.
25 - 26 Maart - Wondergat naweek.

Vir meer inligting kontak Asthore / Lynette! Ons wil ook so gou as moontlik getalle begin finaliseer vir die wondergat naweek. So laat weet asb. as julle beplan om te gaan!

PSA Website

2006-02-27T10:07:00.000+02:00

Check it out! PSA has a newly revamped website at www.pretoriasubaqua.co.za . Comments are welcome!

Klub dag - Reuse Sukses

2006-02-27T09:41:00.000+02:00

Saterdag 25 Februarie het PSA mos besluit om maar bietjie pret te maak in die swembad, en was dit nou vir jou 'n storie!

Asthore, Mossie, Lynette en Eddie het 'n hindernis baan uitgelê in die Tjaart van Vuuren Swembad wat meeste van die deelnemers nogal lekker laat lag het!

Dit het as volg gewerk: Spanne van vier deelnemers moes een na die ander deur die hindernis baan kom sonder om enige reëls te oortree. Hulle tyd is dan bymekaar getel en individuele en span wenners is aangewys. Die hindernis baan het vereis dat jy in die swembad se diepkant spring, een van drie sleutels gebruik om 'n silinder, DV en 'n hokkie stokkie uit 'n trommel te haal. Dan moes jy onder water daarmee swem tot by 'n hoop gewigte wat aan 'n lug sak vas is. As jy genoeg lug in die lugsak geblaas het, het dit die gewigte opgetel en dan mag jy verder swem. Tot in die hoek waar daar agt boute en moere van verskillende groottes gewag het vir jou om aan mekaar te sit. Daarna moes jy die antwoorde van drie eenvoudige somme memoriseer, jou silinder afhaal en deur 'n 3m tonnel swem, terug gaan en jou silinder weer kry. Die laaste taak was om 'n hokkie puck tussen 5 merkers deur te skuif en dan jou hokkie stokkie op die swembad rand neer te sit!

Heelwat van die scuba duikers, visskieters en onderwater hokkie spelers het kom aansluit vir die dag se pret en plesier en sommer gebly vir 'n lekker braai na die tyd!

Spesiale woord van dank aan almal wat gehelp het met die organisasie van die dag (Veral Asthore en Lynette), die voorbereiding van die hindernis baan en pryse, en almal wat gehelp het as beamptes.

Ons behoort binne die volgende week of so 'n paar foto's hier te pos van die deelnemers en wenners, so maak seker om weer te kom loer!

Fotos: Valentynsbal 11 Februarie 2006

2006-02-22T18:10:00.000+02:00

Hier is 'n paar foudies van die Valentynsbal:

Foto's: Hamburger Braai

2006-02-22T17:38:00.000+02:00

PSA se laaste klubaand het tot gevolg gehad dat heelparty nuwe hamburger kombinasies vorendag gekom het.

Stoffel en Marlene het saam met ons Hamburgers gebraai.

Klub Dag Saterdag 25 Februarie 2006

2006-02-21T09:28:00.000+02:00

Almal word hartlik uitgenooi na PSA se Klub-dag Saterdag 25 Feb 2006 by die Klub-huis/ Tjaart van Vuuren Swembad. Ons begin om 14:00, maar sal vir die hokkiespelers wag. PSA bestuur daag almal uit om ons onderwater hindernisbaan aan te durf om vas te stel wie is die kampioen onder water.
Daar sal oulike pryse wees vir die span wat wen, asook individuele pryse vir die persoon wat die vinnigste tyd opstel.

Vier spanne van vier elk, het reeds bevestig, al die ander wat opdaag sal in 'n span ingedeel word of kom met 'n span van vier. Bevestig asseblief by Lynette Bosch tel. nr. 082 8044744.

Onthou jou duikbril, snorkel en vinne asb. Toegang is R5.00 per persoon.

Na die tyd hou ons 'n bring en braai, vuur word verskaf en sal 17:00 aangesteek word.

Sien julle daar.

PSA groete

Asthore Mostert

SPAN 1 OPLEIDING
1. Andre Botha
2. Coenie
3. Andre Mostert
4.

SPAN 2 HOKKIE
1. Eddie Williams
2. Johan Coetzer
3. Gerrit Pelser
4. Wynand Swart

SPAN 3 VISSKIET
1. Stoffel Bosch
2. Faure Bosman
3. Willie Pretorius
4. Ashton Mostert

SPAN 4 SCUBA
1. Marius Kirsten
2. Fanie Gerber
3. Anthony Mostert
4.

Hokkie Interklubs

2006-02-21T09:24:00.000+02:00

Wanneer: 16-18 Maart
Waar: Oos London - Border Undersea Club
Joan Harrison Swimming Complex
Verblyf: Oos London backpackers
Verblyf koste: R250
Inskrywing R300 senior
R270 junior

Bus vervoer is beskikbaar vir die wat belangstel.

Nuusbrief Februarie 2006

2006-02-15T19:32:00.000+02:00

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PSA NUUS Nuusbrief 2 van 2006
Februarie 2006
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Redaksioneel

Valentynsdag is om die draai en hopelik het almal darem iemand vir wie hulle ‘n ou rooi hartjie kan stuur op die dag. Indien jy nie het nie, maak seker dat jy Saterdag die PSA Valentynsbal bywoon – Wie weet dalk ontmoet jy iemand spesiaal!
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Nuwe Lede & Klub Inligting

Persone wat betrokke wil raak by PSA, kan gerus na PSA se BLOG loer vir meer inligting. Die BLOG (Kort vir web-log, wat sommige mense ook noem ‘n aanlyn joernaal of boernaal of blieg) het gereelde bydraes oor die dag tot dag sake van die klub. Loer gerus bietjie by http://www.pretoriasubaqua.blogspot.com/
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Lief & Leed

Ons is jammer om te hoor dat Danie Frey op 26 Desember 2005 oorlede is. Hy was ‘n goeie vriend vir van die klub lede en iemand wie se entoesiasme gemis sal word.
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SCUBA Opleiding

Daar is heelwat scuba opleiding beplan oor die volgende drie maande. Loer gerus na ons BLOG vir opgedateerde inligting.

Program vir die PSA Reddings kursus Februarie 2006:
Lesing 1. 13/2/2006 19.30
Lesing 2. 15/2/2006 19.30
Swembad 1. 16/2/2006 18.30
Swembad 2. 20/2/2006 18.30
Lesing 3. 21/2/2006 19.30
Prakties. 26/2/2006 Vroeg.

Prys vir die kursus is R360.00. Toerusting huur, toegang en lugvul uitgesluit. Program baie voorlopig weens beskikbaarheid van instrukteur.

Vir meer besonderhede skakel vir Lynette of Piet Bosch by 012 333 8109

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Projekte Kalender

11 Februarie Valentyns Bal
Almal word uitgenooi na ons VALENTYNS BAL. Ons gaan JOL tot laataand. Kom geniet die aand saam met ons. Een verandering het plaas gevind: Die funksie is geskuif, sien die besonderhede hieronder.

Plek/Venue: Gerbera Officers Mess, Piet Retief
Street, ThabaTshwane(Voortrekkerhoogte)
Datum: Saterdag 11 Februarie 06
Tyd: 19:00
Drag: Smart Casual, rooi en wit as jy wil.
Koste: R50.00 per persoon, R25.00 vir groter
kinders
Ete: Ingesluit (hoof en nagereg)
Drank: Uitgesluit, maar die goeie nuus is dat daar
‘n kontant kroeg beskikbaar is.
Musiek: Word verskaf en die wat wil kan dans tot
middernag.

18 Februarie Klub onderhoud
Enige iemand met ‘n ekstra hammer, hand of paar spykers kan om 08:00 by ons kom aansluit as ons bietjie gaan werkskaf om die klub huis weer in orde te kry. Kontak vir Lynette vir meer inligting.

25 Februarie - Scuba en O/W Hokkie Klubdag
Die Bestuursraad van PSA daag alle klublede en oud-klublede uit om die onderwater hindernisbaan aan te durf. GRRRROOOOTTT pryse te wen vir die wat durf en sterk longe het. Vir die ouer duikers, julle mag maar scuba toerusting gebruik. ‘n Nuwe opwindende baan is in wording by Mossie se huis. Daar is ook voorsiening gemaak vir die kinders, hulle het hul eie hindernisbaan wat hulle gou moeg sal maak. Bring die vrou, kinders en as jy nie anders kan nie vir oupa en ouma saam en kom geniet die dag saam met ons. Ons gaan ook braai later die aand, lekker kuier en ou vriende weer nuwe vriende maak. Kom gerus, almal welkom.

Maart:
10 Klub-aand - Bier en brood kompetisie
24 - 26 Wondergat naweek - Bring ou en nuwe lede
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Klubgelde
Daar is nog baie lede wat nie betaal het nie. Nuwe rekeninge sal hierdie maand weer uitgestuur word. Onthou Klubgelde is jaarliks betaalbaar op die 1ste September. Jy is welkom om ‘n elektroniese betaling te doen – onthou net om jou van en voorletters as verwying te verstrek.
Pretoria Sub Aqua, FNB, Rekening Nommer: 53335872892
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PSA Lede in die Nuus

28/01/2006 18:20 - (SA) 'Wonderwerk' sy redding

CHRISTINE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN

Johannesburg Francois Botha (44) is besig om 'n snaakse voorval uit sy kindertyd te vertel. Hy lag só lekker dat hy eers 'n paar keer diep moet asemhaal voordat hy verder kan praat. Kort daarna hardloop hy die trappe af om sy duikpak aan te trek. Dis alles dinge wat hy 'n paar maande gelede nie kon doen nie. Botha het tydens 'n massiewe hartaanval breinskade opgedoen en was drie weke lank in 'n diep koma. Hy kon daarna nie loop, praat of homself aantrek nie. Geklee in sy duikpak spring hy in die swembad en swem 'n paar keer op en af voordat die fotograaf begin foto's neem. Dit was juis by 'n swembad waar Botha se hart ophou klop het, maar waar hy ook 'n tweede kans gegun is.
Botha, 'n sakeman van Fourways, Johannesburg, het in Maart verlede jaar aan 'n onderwater-hokkietoernooi in Durban deelgeneem. Hy was die skeidsregter by 'n wedstryd toe hy skielik begin sleg voel en 'n "vreeslike pyn" in sy bors gekry het. "Gee my een van daai houe, want ek gaan," was sy woorde aan die toernooidokter, dr. Philda de Jager. Hartmassering het egter nie gehelp nie, en ook nie die vyf elektriese hartskokke wat die paramedici hom daarna toegedien het nie. De Jager het hulle gevra om nog net één skok toe te dien, en dit was tóé dat Botha se hart weer begin klop het.
"Ek glo ek was vir omtrent tien sekondes dood," sê Botha. Hoewel hy deurentyd suurstof gegee is, het sy brein vir tussen vier tot ses minute lank onvoldoende suurstof gekry. Sy vrou, Lily, het onmiddellik Durban toe gevlieg. Hul baba, Sebastian, was toe maar net 'n jaar oud en sy moes hom by familie agterlaat. In 'n aangrypende brief wat sy later aan haar dominee, pastoor Ray McCauly van die Rhema-kerk, geskryf het, vertel sy hoe sy die nabyheid van God fisies ervaar het.
"As ek nou terugdink, kan ek sien hoe God my sterk gehou het. Ek het deurentyd vas geglo dat God besig is om met Francois te werk, en dat hy gesond sal word."
Botha is ses dae later van die Entabeni-hospitaal na die Olivedale-kliniek oorgeplaas, waar dokters nie veel hoop gehad het dat hy sou oorleef nie.
"Maar God was in beheer van Francois en Hy sou hom gesond maak," sê Lily.
In die tweede week by Olivedale het Botha uit sy koma gekom en is hy kort daarna na die Netcare-rehabilitasiesentrum in Auckland Park oorgeplaas. Met sy aankoms daar kon hy nie loop, praat, homself voer, aantrek of bad nie, maar met sy ontslag 'n maand later het hy self uitgestap en kon hy reeds kort sinne praat. Vandag het Botha feitlik heeltemal herstel, hoewel sy korttermyn-geheue aangetas is en hy minder as die helfte van sy lewe vóór die hartaanval kan onthou.
Daar is intussen vasgestel dat hy met 'n vernoude slagaar gebore is. Hy sal moontlik binnekort 'n pasaangeër moet kry. Hy stap elke dag vier kilometer en hoewel hy nie meer onderwaterhokkie mag speel nie, swem hy elke dag. Hy mag ook nie meer motor bestuur nie, hoewel dit hom nie veel pla nie. Waaroor hy wél baie jammer is, dat hy nie meer sy groot liefde, valskermduik, mag beoefen nie. Hy het meer as 'n duisend spronge agter sy naam.

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Nuus in die Main Street News gepubliseer in Philadelphia oor Rudolf Pretorius, ‘n voormalige PSA hokkie speler. Hy woon en werk tans in New York. Hou duimvas – hy neem binnekort deel aan die proewe vir die Amerikaanse Nasionale span
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Notas van die Kompressor Beampte

Maak asb. Seker dat die kompressor logboek moet ingevul word deur elke persoon wat die kompressor gebruik en vir elke silinder wat gevul word, met die volledige besonderhede ingevul. Die belangrikste is om die presiese tyd neer te skryf wat elke silinder geneem het om te vul, sodat ek daardeur die toestand van die kompressor se werkende dele kan bepaal. Dit is belangrik om uit te vind wanneer om die dienste te doen. As niemand die logboek in vul nie dan neem ek aan die kompressor is nie gebruik nie, en sodoende word daar dan nie dienste uitgevoer nie. Die olie is onlangs gedreineer en sal gehou word vir rekord doeleindes.
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Toerusting Nuus

Fanie Gerber, het onlangs begin om van die duiksilinders te verf. Hy laat weet:

Ek sit met 5 silinders wat gereed is om hulle finale laag en logo te kry, maar die weer is werklik een groot pyn. Reën en spuitverf meng nie, glad nie,nie eers amper nie en dan praat ek nie eers van die logo se airbrush nie.

Enige iemand met 'n spraybooth of toegang tot een laat weet asb - anders gaan dit nog 'n rukkie wees voor ek klaar is. Daar sal voordurend 8 silinders beskikbaar wees tot die verfwerk klaar is. “

Alle silinders is so pas getoets - ek het die tyd aangeskuif sodat die silinders oor desember nog steeds in datum is.
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Skakels

Gaan loer gerus na die volgende Blog vir duik nuus uit Suid-Afrika en elders: http://divesouthafrica.blogspot.com/
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Die Vakansie Argiewe

In hierdie aflewering van die vakansie argiewe vertel ons nie van nuwe en opwindende vakansie plekke om te oorweeg nie, maar deel van ons lede die gedagtes wat vakansie hou by hulle laat opkom:

Ek vra : “Waar is die vis?”

Met intense opgewondenheid sien ek elke twee maande uit na nog ‘n uitgawe van “Ski-Boat”, die tydskrif. As ‘n relatiewe “jong” duiker is dit vir my baie opvallend dat die fotos van die vis wat ek sien in “Ski-Boat” nie die vis is wat ek sien op my duike nie.
Hier volg ‘n paar voorbeelde:
• 1987, 1 200 kg Great White Shark
• 1990, 247 kg Bluefin Tuna
• 1993, 109,6 kg Southern Bluefin tuna
• 1994, 56,5 kg Red Steenbras
• 1996, 79,5 kg Yellowfin Tuna
• 1996, 237,3 kg Black Marlin
• 1997, 52,5 kg Ignoblis Kingfish
• 1999, 95,6kg Yellowfin Tuna
• 2000, 117kg Bigeye Tuna
• 2002, 508,8kg Blue Marlin (Sodwana)
Die wonder van duik lê daarin dat ons nie net die groot/groteske wesens in die see hoef te waardeer nie, maar ook die klienste van die klien organismes, die plante, die kleure, die formasies van die rif/rots, die koraal, die Domino wat 0,5cm lank is, ens.
Dit is voorwaar ‘n voorreg om die alles saam met duikvriende te kan ervaar.

Die slotsom is – dit maak eintlik nie saak dat ons nie die “monsters” van die see sien nie want ons geniet ons duike terdeë.
Outeur: Die skipper van “Seester” (skuilnaam op die stadium)

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Source:

PSA Projekte

2006-02-09T14:39:00.000+02:00

PSA PROJEKTE

1. VALENTINES BAL

Almal word uitgenooi na ons VALENTINES BALL. Ons gaan JOL tot laataand. Kom geniet die aand saam met ons.

Een verandering het plaas gevind: Die funksie is geskuif, sien die besonderhede hieronder. Kaart is aangeheg.

Plek/Venue: Gerbera Officers Mess

Piet Retief Street

ThabaTshwane(Voortrekkerhoogte)

Datum: Saterdag 11 Februarie 06

Tyd: 19:00

Drag: Smart Casual, rooi en wit as jy wil.

Koste: R50.00 per persoon, R25.00 vir groter kinders

Ete: Ingesluit (hoof en nagereg)

Drank: Uitgesluit, maar die goeie nuus is dat daar ‘n goedkoop kontant kroeg beskikbaar is.

Musiek: Word verskaf en die wat wil kan dans tot middernag.

2. Scuba en O/W Hokkie Klubdag – 25 Feb 06

Die Bestuursraad van PSA daag alle klublede en oud-klublede uit om die onderwater hindernisbaan aan te durf. GRRRROOOOTTT pryse te wen vir die wat durf en sterk longe het. Vir die ouer duikers, julle mag maar scuba toerusting gebruik. ‘n Nuwe opwindende baan is in wording by Mossie se huis. Daar is ook voorsiening gemaak vir die kinders, hulle het hul eie hindernisbaan wat hulle gou moeg sal maak. Bring die vrou, kinders en as jy nie anders kan nie vir oupa en ouma saam en kom geniet die dag saam met ons. Ons gaan ook braai later die aand, lekker kuier en ou vriende weer nuwe vriende maak. Kom gerus, almal welkom.

Groete

Asthore Mostert
Cell: 083 450 3358
Tel: 012-335 5025

Reddings Kursus

2006-02-02T22:08:00.000+02:00

Program vir die PSA Reddings kursus Februarie 2006

Lesing 1. 13/2/2006 19.30
Lesing 2. 15/2/2006 19.30
Swembad 1. 16/2/2006 18.30
Swembad 2. 20/2/2006 18.30
Lesing 3. 21/2/2006 19.30
Oopwater prakties . 26/2/2006 Vroeg.

Prys vir die kursus is R360.00. Toerusting huur, toegang en lugvul uitgesluit.

Program baie voorlopig weens beskikbaarheid van instrukteur.

Vir meer besonderhede skakel vir Lynette of Piet Bosch.