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Date: 8/1/2025
Subject: The Aqua Tooter (August 2025). Aqua Tutus Diving Club's Newsletter
From: Oliver Edwards



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The Aqua Tooter

August 2025


 
Announcements and Club News
 
 
 
Greetings from the President
 
 
Jim Driggers monthly newsletter is here.

Dennis Hocker talked about training
 
July 3rd meeting Dennis Hocker gave a presentation covering his scuba career and the onset of training programs in Aqua Tutus. During Q&A, it came out that so far, Dennis has certified 810 (!) students. More in news.

August Meeting program 
 

Mike Boom will be presenting a video titled "The Faces of Philippines". I believe this will show photography / videography from a number of locations in Philippines. Mike is an accomplished underwater photographer. It should be a good show.


Board of Directors Meeting 
August 21
 
Want to have the club dive held at your favorite location? Interested in how the club is run? Want to contribute to club activities? Come attend the Board of Directors meeting via zoom. All current members are welcome to attend. See the event for details. 

 
Upcoming Dives
 
 
Want to dive more?
Use the ad-hoc dive forum
 
Planning your own dive? Want to find more dives with club members? Use the "Ad-Hoc dive" forum on our website. Posting dives on our site benefits everyone. Read the news article for details. 
 

Salt Point campout and club dive 
August 22-24
 
Our August club dive will be at Salt Point state park on Saturday and Sunday August 23, 24. Many members attending are camping at the local state park. See the event and the forum for details.

 
Dive Reports
 
 
San Carlos "SMB" club dive
Saturday July 26
 
Conditions were very calm as several Tooters attended the dive and practiced their SMB skills. Walter Nissen wrote a really nice dive report on ScubaBoard here. Thanks to Daniel for the surface photo on our dive forum.

Members taking advantage of Monterey conditions this summer
 
There were several dives this month by Aqua Tutus members including: David Shea went on a DPV dive off of McAbee, Erik Hoagland competed his first ReefCheck survey dive (congrats Erik!), Jim Driggers dove for 1hr20min at Lovers along with Sophie , Alan Stanek scheduled a dive at Breakwater, and some members (Shawn and Derek perhaps?) went on a mid-week DPV dive at Point Lobos that I heard really good things about. More details here.


 
Diving Related News
 
 
 
 
 

Comic Relief
 
 
Paranoid fish ?
 
  
 
 
paranoid fish scuba diving meme

Cencal Odyssey Newsletter
Summer 2025
 
Cencal promotes scuba and breathholding water uses including underwater hockey, responsible spearfishing, and dive site access. Their latest newsletter is here

Monterey Photo shootout
August 1-3
 
Our local underwater photo event, Monterey photo shootout is August 1-3. Participants have said it's lots of fun with good social events. Information here

Dive equipment giveaway 
August club meeting
 
Ruth Chofre, a long time Aqua Tutus member, is giving away a "box" of assorted dive gear - everything's reported to be brand new or in mint condition. Pictures here. Yet another good reason to attend the monthly meeting in person :).
 

Marine Mammal protection act in danger
 
The marine mammal center reports that congress is considering legislation to seriously weaken the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Their email is copied here; it includes information on contacting your U.S. Representative to express your views. 
 

Tailless Humpback highlights danger of
marine mammal entanglement
 
Scientists filmed a humpback whale with no tail swimming down Washington coast. The humpback whale likely lost its tail in "a very long-term entanglement" in fishing gear, say experts. Story in BBC Wildlife Magazine.

Shark Stewards newsletter
 
 
Always has interesting articles (and great pictures of sharks!). Over here.

Wild orcas will sometimes offer food to humans.
 
Orcas (Orcinus orca) don’t appear to be big fans of yachts, but some of them may be curious about humans themselves. See this Popular Science article about orca's offering food to humans.
 
or..."Hungry at sea? Ask an Orca" ?

Free state park passes
from Ca libraries
 
 
CA residents can "borrow" free state park passes with a library card. Article in the Oaklandside here.

 
Club Minutes
 
 
General Meeting minutes for June and July are at the links.
 
Board of Directors Meeting minutes for June and July are at the links
 
 Aqua Tutus' minutes are stored as news articles (under the categories "General Minutes", "BOD minutes" or for older minutes, under "Officer Reports") on our website, aquatutus.org.