The SISD has finally found a new location for meetings! The Pepperjack Grill, formerly Scott's Armory Inn, provided ambiance and class, together with great food, at the January meeting. More good news - a new minimum: ZERO. So we will be moving permanently to the Armory Inn (Pepperjack Grill - 316 Manor Road in Westerleigh). Although there is no minimum, let's not disappoint them or else, as happened at Ruddy & Dean, a minimum will soon appear.

Last month's meeting we were treated to images of great white sharks captured (photographically) off Guadeloupe Island, Mexico, by John & Anita Ares on a recent trip there. The pictures were so good that some doubted that they could possibly be real - but real they were. Now we all want to go shark cage diving. 

In February we will host Captain Kirby Kurkomelis who will show us pictures of fish from nearby waters. This will be his "Dry Run" for Beneath the Sea (BTS) at the end of March. Captain Kirby knows every local fish on a first name basis, and he will share with us the art of Local Diving, which he has certainly mastered.

Perhaps in March we can travel to BTS as a group - it's always a good time and traditionally opens the dive season for us here in the Northeast. The Eastern Dive Boat Association will have its booth there representing all member boats and it is a good opportunity to pick up several schedules and chat with the dive boat captains about plans for upcoming dives.

Upcoming dive courses include Open Water at the College of Staten Island in April and Advanced Open Water in May, with Rescue to follow. All courses will be run out of Treshers Dive Center, 186 Robin Road in South Beach. Their newly purchased compressor has arrived and will be online in the very near future - maybe even a Compressor Party :) Plus we have to celebrate that they Treshers is now an official PADI Dive Center!

Please remember that dues are due in February. They allow us to function as a club and are only $40 per year. And please encourage every diver you know to join our meetup page - it's free!

Finally, we are electing members of the Board of Directors at the May meeting so there will be sufficient time to get anybody interested on board. And anybody who has an idea for a speaker or a club activity, please let me know.

See you in February!

Captain Steve Lombardo