Archives for July, 2007
I Guess I Don’t Hate Disco
I decided it was time for me to get a new car. Well, not a “new” car, but a newer car - which to me meant one that was less than 10 years old and had less than 10,000 miles on it. I started looking about a month ago, and after much research and a few test drives (including two other makes of automobiles), I determined that a 2003 Land Rover Discovery II SE was the car for me. I never thought I would own a green car, but I saw my first Vienna Green Disco a few weeks ago, and the color has been growing on me since. I was originally planning to purchase a Java Black model, but that endeavor did not pan out in the end, and long story short … on Saturday I became the proud new owner of this beautiful Vienna Green Disco.
Bald Eagles on Union Bay
Not too long ago, I wrote a short blog entry about raptors in the city. I believe I mentioned the eagles that hang out near my cottage on the Bay. They usually sit at the top of a very tall tree that is two yards over, but this morning - during my usual pre-work routine, I looked outside and saw two of them sitting on the dock in front of my cottage. I took a bunch of photos while sitting on my couch, and after one flew off, I braved going outside to try to get a better photograph of the other. They don’t usually stick around if they’re not in the safety of their tree-top, but I managed to get the above shot of one of them as it flew away.
In 1967, bald eagles were declared an endangered species in most of the country under a law that preceded the Endangered Species Act of 1973. In 1995, the bald eagle was reclassified as threatened. On June 28, 2007, the Department of the Interior removed the bald eagle from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants list altogether. Continued protection of the bald eagle is provided by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
I see a bald eagle almost every day at my house. Often times I see two, and I have on occasion even seen three. (One time within the past year, I actually saw four!) If they are being vocal, I can tell there are two without even going outside because they have distinctly different voices. Personally, I think an eagle cry is one of the most beautiful sounds that exists in the natural world, and I consider myself lucky to be so close to these intensely beautiful birds.
08/10/2007 Update:
The eagles are gone. The pair in the photo was there every day for quite some time. I am guessing their disappearance has something to do with the Blue Angels. The annual Air Show that comes with the Seafair Hydroplane races was last weekend. The Blue Angels practice on Thursday and Friday and perform full shows on the weekend, and I haven’t seen the eagles since. In the past, I have been at home during shows and had the pleasure of seeing the Blue Angels fly directly overhead. It is amazing to see an F/A-18 Hornet fly over your house at such low altitude! I have wanted to fly since high school, and I have always been a fan of the Blue Angels. I never tire of watching them, but I do hope the bald eagles return before too long.
08/13/2007 Update:
There was an eagle in the tree this morning. I was so happy to see him up there!
08/26/2007 Update:
The eagle that has been hanging out post-Seafair is not one of the pair that was here before. This one is younger and much less vocal, and while I see him fairly often, he is not around nearly as much as the pair was. I am happy he found the tree, though - it just isn’t the same without an eagle in it.
Diving in the San Juans
After three rather personally-unsatisfying dives in the San Juans in June, my second dive trip there was [thankfully] better. The quality of my first visit had nothing to do with the charter or the sites; it was really just a bad day for me on an individual level. (We all have “those” days, right?) The sites themselves on the first trip were pretty nice, with a lot of life and some great vertical surfaces. One of the sites on the second trip was really nice; one was just okay, and the other fell somewhere in-between. (In case you have never been, it should be noted that the San Juans present some rather challenging dives in terms of currents, and the currents can have a big effect on the enjoyability of a number of dive factors.)
The first trip was on Deep Sea Charters on a trip arranged by Northwest Sports Divers. We dove Cypress Head and Lawrence Point (on Orcas Island), and Cone Island. I think my favorite creatures of the first trip were the Swimming Scallops, the Clown Nudibranchs (and their wavy ribbon egg nests), and the Umbrella Crab.
My second trip was on Lu Jac’s Quest on a charter arranged by Grateful Diver. We dove Swirl Island, Long Island, and something the dive boat captain called South of Lime Kiln Point. My favorite creatures of the second trip were the Red Octopus, the King Crabs (adult and juvenile), and the Wolf Eel.
I am finding that like dive shops, dive charters also seem to have distinct personalities - in terms of the boats themselves, the captains who command them, the divemasters who man them, and everything else that goes along with the cost (including food, and comfort). Determining whether one is better than the other would depend on what aspects are more important to you, and personally I think it is what you see on the dives that matters most. And the San Juan islands definitely have a lot to offer in that department!
The Little Hooks in Life
I have had my 1990 Range Rover County for over a year and a half. It is a fantastic car containing an interesting blend of quirks and luxuries not found in any other make. The guy who owned it before me had installed a small metal arm for his cell phone cradle. At first I found it annoyingly ugly, but over time I have come to find it quite useful for hanging things - bags of trash, bags of groceries, … bags of Chinese take-out food. (Anyone who has had soup or sauce spill on their way home from a restaurant can probably appreciate how grateful I am for the little arm when my take out food contains liquids.)
I am telling you this because I have been shopping for a car lately. After driving two other makes, it was time for me to drive the car I thought was going to be the top contender - a Land Rover Discovery. I had driven one before but it was many years ago, so I paid a visit to the dealership to driver a newer model. I had to sit in the driver’s seat while the salesperson drove the car off of the lot. While I sat there, I noticed a small hook on the wall next to my left leg. I could hardly believe it. I was all smiles when I asked “what’s this?” “The curry hook,” she said. “The what?” I asked in near disbelief, knowing full well why it was called that and still not believing it was there. I half-listened while she tried to explain how apparently there are a lot of Indians in England and a lot of Indian food. I was laughing giddily and in amazement that the folks at Land Rover were not just insightful, but insightful to the point of making such a thing a standard feature of the Disco.
Yeah; sure - I could drive to the Storables less than 5 minutes from my house and buy a nice professional-looking hook for less than $5, but the point is if I had a Disco I wouldn’t have to …
Because Fish Hate Bubbles
On June 17th, Mel Clark and Curt McNamee (otherwise jointly known as Silent Scuba) offered a “Rebreather Experience” for certified divers. The one-day session took place at a local pool and included a presentation of a wealth of information introducing us to rebreathers, as well time in (and under) the water to try several different rebreather units.
The photo to the right, as well as several other photos from the day (all taken by John Rawlings, staff photojournalist for Advanced Diver Magazine) are featured in a thread about the event on the Northwest Dive Club website. Several participants commented on the event, but my favorite remark was made by “Nailer99,” who described the Experience as “a little bit like test driving a Ferrarri in the parking lot of the dealership.” Let’s just say rebreathers aren’t cheap - you could easily spend upwards of $10,000-15,000 all told (which is actually a lot less than you’d spend on a Ferrari), but the practical idea of them is intensely appealing. For one, there’s a reason Mel and Curt call their endeavor “Silent” Scuba. In essence, closed circuit rebreathers are bubble-free, and if you’ve ever dived open circuit, you likely know just how noisy bubbles can be. But having no bubbles is not just all about the silence; it’s also about actually having no bubbles. Most fish don’t like bubbles (as many an underwater photographer will readily attest), and some creatures (like sea lions) actually consider bubbles a sign of aggression. And then there’s the whole not needing to get truckloads of tanks filled all the time … because you just re-breathe the gas already in your unit. (It’s actually quite a bit more complicated than that, but that’s the gist of the name anyway.) There are a multitude of other benefits to using a rebreather (and of course some drawbacks), but I just wanted this to be a short review of the Experience, so if you want more information on rebreathers themselves it’s up to you to pursue it at this point.
I will say Mel and Curt did a fantastic job of providing us a wealth of information about a vast subject in a very short span of time, and it was clear that they would be more than happy to answer additional questions and assist in acquiring a rebreather unit and/or obtaining the necessary training to dive one safely. (Incidentally, they have been highly recommended to me for open circuit technical diving courses by more than one of their students.) Although I will unfortunately not be able to afford even thinking much about getting into closed-circuit rebreathers seriously for quite some time, I felt the day spent with Mel and Curt was well worth the time and minimal cost.
If you’re interested in a future Rebreather Experience, don’t hesitate to contact Mel Clark at Silent Scuba.
Mark’s “Amazing” New Truck
Mark got a new truck on Monday, and it is really nice!
He’s been “looking” for quite some time, but he actually got serious about it recently. After a few visits to some local dealerships, much research, and a bit of haggling, he grew weary of the process - if for no other reason than he “didn’t have time for it.” It was at that point he asked me about the auto broker I had mentioned a while back. I had seen her on an episode of Evening Magazine, and she seemed like the perfect solution to anyone’s hatred of car shopping … and car salesmen. (Her name is Heidi and she calls herself the Amazing Autowoman.) He gave her a call the next day, and within a few hours she had found a potential match. Five days later, the truck he wanted was delivered. (He might have gotten it sooner if it hadn’t been for the weekend.) I think she managed to save him over $1,000 off of the best price he had been able to wrangle on his own (even after deducting the cost of her service). More importantly, she was able to save him time and assist him in avoiding some aggravation … both of which add a rather priceless aspect to her service. Mark told me, “It was really painless and saved time and money,” and that it was - simply put - easy.
If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, it wouldn’t hurt to contact Heidi to see if she can help.
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