CDC January Minutes

Clayton Dive Club Minutes

Date: January 17, 2025

The meeting was opened by vice president John Krake at 5:05 on January 17, 2025. In attendance were Kathi McCarthy, Dennis McCarthy, Skip Couch, John Krake, and Matt McCullouch. 

The November meeting minutes were approved by members.

The Treasurer's Report was deferred to the next meeting.

Divers Access Dock - The Village of Clayton proposed date of installation is for May 2025. Dennis recommended that a club member should stop in to the village offices to ask about progress. Skip volunteered to stop this week.

Ships Wheel of the AE Vickery - Repeated attempts have been made by CDC to contact and view the helm for restoration. The ABM has stalled and delayed communications regarding the helm for over a year. Mayor Hyde, Village of Clayton, recently reached out to the Antique Boat Museum with similar interests to display the helm. The ABM has replied, "we are in direct communications with NYS Parks and Recreation about a future home for the wheel of the Vickery which is part of ABM's permanent collection."

Lake Ontario Waterfront Festival - NY Sea Grant has invited CDC to set up an educational booth at the Lake Ontario Waterfront Festival in Oswego NY on May 17, 2025. John Cannaday of NY Sea Grant has said, the festival "is primarily focused on safe boating in, on, and around Lake Ontario and connecting people with the lake". Members agreed a CDC booth would be good exposure for the Clayton dive community.

Dive Symposium - Suggestions from members - Advertise early, begin advertising in February to minimize schedule conflicts. Ask for a representative from NOAA to speak regarding the newly designated Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary. Helen from Abucs was mentioned as another guest speaker. Skip Couch is planning to speak again with a general theme of "old time Clayton divers." 

riverratgazette.com - Skip and Scott have resurrected the gazette which was started in the 1960s. It will be covering the Thousand Islands news and area events. 

The next club meeting is scheduled for February 20 at 5 PM at the Clayton village municipal building. The meeting was adjourned by Skip at 6:10. 

Dates / Activities -

January 22 at 7 pm. Tune into Diverstalk.net to hear from a scuba shop owner in Key West FL.

February 5 at 10am Dennis McCarthy will be speaking at the TI Museum "Hashing Over History"

February 20 at 5 pm is our next club meeting in the Clayton village municipal building.

April 5 - Dive Symposium

Clayton Dive Club January Minutes

Clayton Dive Club Minutes

Date: January 17, 2025

The meeting was opened by vice president John Krake at 5:05 on January 17, 2025. In attendance were Kathi McCarthy, Dennis McCarthy, Skip Couch, John Krake, and Matt McCullouch. 

The November meeting minutes were approved by members.

The Treasurer's Report was deferred to the next meeting.

• Divers Access Dock - The Village of Clayton proposed date of installation is for May 2025. Dennis recommended that a club member should stop in to the village offices to ask about progress. Skip volunteered to stop this week. 

• Ships Wheel of the AE Vickery - Repeated attempts have been made by CDC to contact and view the helm for restoration. The ABM has stalled and delayed communications regarding the helm for over a year. Mayor Hyde, Village of Clayton, recently reached out to the Antique Boat Museum with similar interests to display the helm. The ABM has replied, "we are in direct communications with NYS Parks and Recreation about a future home for the wheel of the Vickery which is part of ABM's permanent collection." 

• Lake Ontario Waterfront Festival - NY Sea Grant has invited CDC to set up an educational booth at the Lake Ontario Waterfront Festival in Oswego NY on May 17, 2025. John Cannaday of NY Sea Grant has said, the festival "is primarily focused on safe boating in, on, and around Lake Ontario and connecting people with the lake". Members agreed a CDC booth would be good exposure for the Clayton dive community. 

• Dive Symposium - Suggestions from members - Advertise early, begin advertising in February to minimize schedule conflicts. Ask for a representative from NOAA to speak regarding the newly designated Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary. Helen from Abucs was mentioned as another guest speaker. Skip Couch is planning to speak again with a general theme of "old time Clayton divers."  

• riverratgazette.com - Skip and Scott have resurrected the gazette which was started in the 1960s. It will be covering the Thousand Islands news and area events. 

The next club meeting is scheduled for February 20 at 5 PM at the Clayton village municipal building. The meeting was adjourned by Skip at 6:10. 

Dates / Activities -

January 22 at 7 pm. Tune into Diverstalk.net to hear from a scuba shop owner in Key West FL.

February 5 at 10am Dennis McCarthy will be speaking at the TI Museum "Hashing Over History"

February 20 at 5 pm is our next club meeting in the Clayton village municipal building.

April 5 - Clayton Dive Club Symposium

Clayton Diving Club - November 2024 meeting minutes

The meeting was opened by club president Dennis McCarthy  at 5:10 PM on November 21, 2024.  In attendance were Kathi McCarthy, Dennis McCarthy, Joe Dudiak, John Krake,  Skip Couch, Michael Rainville, Matt McCullouch and Charlie Stage.  

 

  -   The October meeting minutes were distributed via email, read at the meeting and were then approved by members with the noted update from Dennis McCarthy.       

                       

-      Treasurer report:  

Ken Kozin was not present but reported a club balance of $1610.81.  That includes $841.66 in the general club fund and $769.15 in the mooring fund.

 

Old Business

 

• Divers Access Dock – Dennis scheduled a meeting and Skip Couch  presented a proposal to place the divers access dock at the East end of the Clayton  Village dock (where it was located in the past) to Mayor Hyde and Terry.  Both the Mayor and Terry agreed the Village of Clayton is responsible for the dock and have targeted May 2025 for all repairs to be completed and placed in the water.  The Village reviewed the permit and found it is now up to date.  .Charlie still has the parking meter for contributions and plans to place it at the dock for next season.  The village will contact CDC for any assistance needed during the placement of the dock.       

 

• Clean-up dive – Dennis mentioned the plan to hold a clean-up dive to Mayor Hyde and she was quite enthusiastic. The Mayor will need details of what the village should provide about 2 months in advance for proper scheduling.  It was suggested that possibly the Village Fire Boat could be there for diver access from the water.  More details to be discussed at a future meeting in order to fully schedule the June 7 tentative date. 

 

• Christmas Parade Float – The idea for the club float as an underwater aquarium is taking shape.  Carol requested that anyone who has a bubble machine to please contact her at tide@gisco.com.  The members voted to allocated $50 for cost of candy for the parade.  The date for building the float is set for December 5 at 5 PM at Ken and Carol's house at 834 Rees St.  Anyone planning to participate should RSVP Carol at tide@gisco.com and should bring a plate to pass.  Anyone planning to participate in the parade should be at their house on December 7 at 4 PM.  All are welcome since we will need 'divers' to march with the float.

 

 

• Thousand Island Museum –  Members completed the decorations for the CDC entry at the museum's 'Festival of Trees'.   Kathi showed a picture of the finished product and urged club members to see it and cast a vote for our tree.  Kathy also mentioned there will be a Christmas Party held at the museum on December 19 sponsored by the Clayton Chamber of Commerce.  All are invited to attend.  There will be a $10 fee which will include food and drinks.

 

• Annual Christmas Club Dinner – John Krake reported that the annual club dinner will be held on December 12 at the Island Bay Pier House.  Please contact John (jskfrogboy@aol.com) with your RSVP by December 5 if you plan to attend so he can get the restaurant a final count for dinner.  All members and family are welcomed to attend.  Happy hour starts at 6:00 with dinner at 7:00. 

 

 

• Ships Wheel of the AE Vickery -  There is interest from Clayton Mayor Nancy Hyde to refurbish and display the wheel in Clayton.   Dennis will pursue a meeting with Mayor Hyde and personnel from the  ABM to determine if this project is  feasible.  Joe Dudiak reported that another grant program will become available in August of 2025 by the New York State Parks.

 

Cannon from the Iroquois – Michel Rainville asked about the status of retrieving the cannon for display.   Dennis reported that its resides at a friend's home near Cortland  but  that no additional progress has been made.  Dennis  will continue to make more inquiries in the future.  

 

• New Business
•  
• Nominations of club officers are complete  and voting will be sent to members with results announced  at the December 12 Christmas Party. 

 

• Joe reported that a card was sent to Carol & Ken Kozin from the CDC expressing sympathy for the loss of Carols' mother.
• Joe reported that John Krake, Matt McCullouch and Joe Dudiak  removed the buoy from the Keystorm for the season.  
• A thank-you card was sent to Hunt's Dive Shop for use of their boat for that effort.  All club sponsored shipwreck buoys have now  been removed for the season.  
• Skip reported that Diver's Talk will resume in December.  It will be every Wednesday night at 7PM.  The December agenda will be movies of local shipwrecks.  
• John Cannaday from New York Sea Grant sent a note asking if the CDC would be interested in setting up an educational booth at the Lake Ontario Waterfront Festival on May 17, 2025.  More discussion regarding this request will be held in future meeting. 

The next club meeting is scheduled for January 16 at 5:00 PM at the Clayton village municipal building  The  meeting was then adjourned by Dennis at 6:20 PM.  

NOAA opens Pandora's box.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for Proposed Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary | Office National Marine Sanctuaries (noaa.gov)    has gotten the attention of several important agencies and organizations.  

“Due to the unique geography of the region, particularly in the St. Lawrence River, some diveable shipwreck sites are located on the bottom directly underneath active shipping lanes.”  Another passage from the DEIS about recreational diving in shipping channels appears on page 22. This passage reads, “To facilitate sustainable recreational access to shipwrecks, NOAA would develop a mooring program to install and maintain access at popular dive sites. These moorings would include buoys and other types of access infrastructure for sites where buoy placement is not advisable, such as in shipping channels.”

Essentially "Encouraging and facilitating recreational diving (and the necessary accompanying dive boats) in shipping lanes and other busy shipping areas along the St. Lawrence River" will expose diving  under the Seaway to a review of safety and economic impact!

Post your comments on the Clayton Divers Facebook Page!!!!!

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All 65 on-line Proposed LONMS comments can be found at:    https://www.regulations.gov/document/NOAA-NOS-2021-0050-0001/comment

The DEIS identified either no sanctuary or two location options:

(1) Alternative 1 (Eastern Lake Ontario and Thousand Islands)
(2) Alternative 2 (Eastern Lake Ontario)

1) DOT on NOAA Marine Sanctuary in Lake Ontario:      NOAA-NOS-2021-0050-0068_attachment_1.pdf - Google Drive

"The addition of a marine sanctuary in a busy international shipping channel such as the St. Lawrence River would add additional challenges to the safe and efficient oversight of navigation by multiple U.S. and Canadian entities. It has the potential make the Seaway a less reliable transportation route and could create future supply chain disruptions due to increased vessel incidents and delays."

2) US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)                       NOAA-NOS-2021-0050-0020_attachment_1.pdf - Google Drive

Recommend changing as follows (additions in ALL CAPS):
To ensure compatible use with commercial shipping and other activities, NOAA would exclude the ports and harbors ofOswego, Pultneyville, Little Sodus, Great Sodus, OGDENSBURG, MORRISTOWN, CAPE VINCENT, SACKETS HARBOR, and Port Ontario.
NOAA would also exclude the federal navigation channels AND approaches, FEDERAL NAVIGATION STRUCTUES, ON-GOING NAVIGATIONIMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND STUDIES, designated open water dredge disposal areas, and federal anchorage areas from the proposed sanctuary.

3) American Pilots' Association:                                          NOAA-NOS-2021-0050-0060_attachment_1.pdf - Google Drive

"We disagree with NOAA's conclusion that Alternatives 1 and 2 will have no impact on commercial shipping. First, we urge NOAA to exclude the St. Lawrence River from the sanctuary boundaries. U.S. portions of the river are part of the St. Lawrence Seaway"

4) Chamber of Marine Commerce:                                    NOAA-NOS-2021-0050-0056_attachment_1.pdf - Google Drive

"Given the binational importance of this commercial waterway, the increased risk to safety and the likelihood of other unintended consequences, we do not support Alternative 1."

5) Lake Carriers' Association                                              NOAA-NOS-2021-0050-0040_attachment_1.pdf - Google Drive

"Alternative 1 would have significant negative impacts to shipping as the section of the St. Lawrence River under consideration is a major through fare for large commercial vessels that depend on a clear and open navigation channel to safely move cargoes. The St. Lawrence River is already a constrained waterway with strong currents and adding further impediments to maritime navigation is a recipe for disaster."

6) American Great Lakes Ports Association:                      NOAA-NOS-2021-0050-0033_attachment_1.pdf - Google Drive

"We disagree with NOAA's conclusion that Alternatives 1 and 2 will have no impact on commercial shipping. First, we urge NOAA to exclude the St. Lawrence River from the sanctuary boundaries. U.S. portions of the river are part of the St. Lawrence Seaway"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RE: Clayton Diving Club

I need more notice to be able to go and help so I cannot make it this time

 

From: Joe Dudiak [mailto:jdudiak@twcny.rr.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 7:21 AM
To: %Dennis %Kathi % McCarthy; a.beyer@earthlink.net; andrejohnson315@gmail.com; bobsherwood5016@yahoo.com; bruce.rippeteau@yahoo.com; cljsmooth@stny.rr.com; deltadivers.scuba@gmail.com; diveclayton.scuba@blogger.com; dlhammond05@gmail.com; frauhexe@aol.com; Heinz@frenchcreekmarina.com; jdudiak@twcny.rr.com; jkp@echoes.net; jskfrogboy@aol.com; lisagoodlin@gmail.com; margaretbrennen@yahoo.com; mcschnee@yahoo.com; mktopa@verizon.net; mlsppts@hotmail.com; mmhardy44@gmail.com; obxbleier1@aol.com; richard325@earthlink.net; rosettastone82@yahoo.com; scott@plansbydesign.us; skipcouch@diversguide.net; subman4050@aol.com; techace@nycap.rr.com; the_worldsastage@yahoo.com; tide@gisco.net; vincentckessler@yahoo.com
Subject: Clayton Diving Club

 

Ken Kozin completed repairs of the club shipwreck buoys and reinforced the light cages in an effort to avoid future damage of those cages.  The buoys are now all in place for the 2021 dive season.  This includes the Maggie L, the Natural Site at Eagle Wing, the A. E. Vickery and the Keystorm.

 

Alex Bay is doing another village cleanup this Saturday, June 12. They are asking if any divers would like to help out to meet at the village dock at 8 AM this Saturday.

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