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Scuba Forum / General / May 2005It's Reef Sweep time again.
I just hate Oceanwatch and disagree with many of their policies. I can't, however, disagree with their annual Reef Sweep event here in Broward County. I collect trash on pretty much every dive, but only during Reef Sweep dives am I there specifically for that purpose. I'm proud to say that each year I seem to find a bit less trash on the local reefs. I'm disappointed to say that each year I manage to find a lot more than I like. At any rate, this year's event is scheduled for June 11 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon. Sadly for me, that's the same day as my boat club's Dolphin (the fish, not the mammal) tournament. That's one of the two tournaments I ever fish, but I fish it every year. The other is the lady's tournament we put on the weekend before. So, if you're not doing anything else that Saturday, go out and collect some garbage, drop it off at one of several official drop stations and get a free ticket or so to the volunteer appreciation party. A good time is usually had be all and, who knows, you might even win a door prize. It could happen. However, stay away from the silent auction. I've never seen anything sell for a bargain there. Information is available at www.oceanwatch.org. No, I have nothing to do with Oceanwatch or the event except, of course, a long history of participation . . . which will be broken this year. Damn. Lee > No, I have nothing to do with Oceanwatch or the event except, of course, a > long history of participation . . . which will be broken this year. Damn. No man is an island. How is the software curve going. > How is the software curve going. It stalled at the assembly stage. I'm missing something in the tutorial for that part and I got tied up with work, home repairs, boat club stuff and even getting ready for some diving, tonight if the weather will cooperate. Good thing I don't do this stuff for a living. I almost did. My first major was Oceanographic Engineering. I completed one more welding project and have come up with two more, one of which I will want to use my software to plan . . . I think. Project number one is one of those baskets that fit into the receiver of a trailer hitch. One of the guys in the boat club asked about one. I don't need CAD software to build that, just some dimensions and a decision on how to ensure the left and right sides are stable and strong enough. Project number 2 is a lot more interesting. I may need some help from the Coast Guard to do it. I want to create a scaled down replica of one of the steel piling light houses that protect shipping from the reefs that stretch from here to Key West. My partially formed idea is to use the lighthouse keeper's residence as a mailbox. I'd like to do the one at Molasses Reef since, at last count, it was the most frequently visited dive site in the world. Unfortunately, I've yet to find enough pictures to be sure I have it right. While it's not a long way from here, it is a long, and expensive way by 32 footer and, these days, I'm disinclined to make the run out to the light in my 15 footer. I'm going to try to get a copy of blueprints from the Coast Guard, who maintains the tower and light. If I actually follow through on this, it'll be an ambitious task. There's a lot of detail to those towers. Lee Lee, a good friend of mine an incidentally one that wants to join the club, works for the coast guard in real estate. One of her responsibilities is selling the lighthouses to non profit organizations. Let me know if you want to talk to her. Keith "> > How is the software curve going. > It stalled at the assembly stage. I'm missing something in the tutorial for > that part and I got tied up with work, home repairs, boat club stuff and [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > Lee She wants to join the Lauderdale Small Boat Club? What's stopping her? With or without her help on my project, I would be happy to give her all the information she needs to join. Ask her if she knows where I might get copies of blueprints for Molasses Reef Light and, if it's not pushing my luck, Fowey Light. The steel pile lighthouses are supported by a network of supporting rods that won't be easy to duplicate without plans. The keeper's residence is a complete unknown. In the pictures I've seen, it's pretty much a lump in the middle of the tower. I'll need much better information if I'm going to be close to accurate. The fact that she sells real estate actually works against her. The lights, and in fact, the type of lights I'm looking at are not usually found on land. They're most often used along the outside of fringing reefs like those in the Keys. Still, you never know. Lee > Lee, a good friend of mine an incidentally one that wants to join the > club, [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] >> >> Lee > Ask her if she knows where I might get copies of blueprints for Molasses > Reef Light and, if it's not pushing my luck, Fowey Light. The steel pile [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > of the tower. I'll need much better information if I'm going to be close > to accurate. Perhaps there is no keeper's residence: "This list of unmanned aids to navigation is being developed by the National Park Service National Maritime Initiative. This list includes significant lights which were never kept by a resident keeper. . . . MOLASSES REEF LIGHT (1921) FL" http://www.cr.nps.gov/maritime/minoraid.htm Or here http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/types/floridakeys.htm > > Ask her if she knows where I might get copies of blueprints for Molasses > > Reef Light and, if it's not pushing my luck, Fowey Light. The steel pile [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > http://www.cr.nps.gov/maritime/minoraid.htm No perhaps to it. You're correct. I found a better picture of the light and, sure enough, there's no keeper's house. This probably means I'll pick a different lighthouse. Without a keeper's house, it will be hard to make an integral mailbox look normal. Thanks for setting me straight. Lee >> Ask her if she knows where I might get copies of blueprints for Molasses >> Reef Light and, if it's not pushing my luck, Fowey Light. The steel pile [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > http://www.cr.nps.gov/maritime/minoraid.htm No they are selling those off as well.and if anyone has the information it will be her .We were looking to form a non profit corp.and buy Fowey, but the maintenance would be overwhelming. Her and her husband Tom, who also is a retired Coasty chief and works as a civilian in the guard as a computer support or systems guy are in New Orleans and didnt answer there phone. I left a message. You can call me if you want. Did you find your notebook? > She wants to join the Lauderdale Small Boat Club? What's stopping her? > With or without her help on my project, I would be happy to give her all the [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] > >> > >> Lee > You can call me if you want. Did you find your notebook? Yes. Larry picked it up and gave it to Freddy. Lee > > How is the software curve going. > It stalled at the assembly stage. I'm missing something in the tutorial for > that part and I got tied up with work, home repairs, boat club stuff and > even getting ready for some diving, tonight if the weather will cooperate. Call me if you need, it is easy once you get used to what it wants. > Good thing I don't do this stuff for a living. I almost did. My first > major was Oceanographic Engineering. I have worked everything from logging, to fishing, to aerospace, to marine, to weapons, to oilfield in the machine shop. It gave me a wide range of skills, but if I had it to do all over again, I wouldnt be a machinist. Pay sucks, hours are long, you get laid off at a moments notice, with no notice, (last time because oil hit $13 a barrel), so I learned how to work for myself and be my own pimp. During lay-offs I have done everything from changing the lightbulbs on radio transmitter towers (tallest one I did was 370 feet to the top globe), to installing car stereo's, to blasting out ponds (used to have a secondary blasting license) and stumps. Now days I build rebreathers and gun stuff. Dad used to say "Always keep a pocket knife. That way, if you have to, you can whittle a wooden beak and pick sh.t with the chickens." > I completed one more welding project and have come up with two more, one of > which I will want to use my software to plan . . . I think. Project number [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > the tower and light. If I actually follow through on this, it'll be an > ambitious task. There's a lot of detail to those towers. Piece of cake. |
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