This year's summit was a great success. Based on post-summit comments, the NAS II projects seemed to be very popular with the audience. PDFs of the projects are available in the Education section of the GTBUP website located HERE. Local history is very important to people so we will keep that in mind for future presentations.
We are very grateful to Steve Libert of Great Lakes Exploration Group and Hans VanSumeren of NMC's Water Studies Institute for their wonderful presentations. We appreciate their efforts and for taking the time to help make the Summit a success.
Greg MacMaster and Jack Spencer were honored for their outstanding efforts in getting the GTBUP established. Jack is edging into retirement and Greg is moving on to other endeavors. Our hearfelt thanks go out to both of them for their hard work.
Thanks to the people in the back of the room for your patience. We hadn't planned on having tables so far away from the screen. We will make every effort to move future Summits to the Haggarty Center where the rooms are better configured for AV presentations.
The Summit exceeded our expectations and we'll work hard to make next year's Summit even better!
Hans VanSumeren - Photo by Gail Vander Stoep
GTBUP President, Chris Doyal, is a successful underwater photographer. He will be contributing a new column each newsletter in hopes that other photographers can improve the number of "keepers" on every dive. His website is: www.chrisdoyal.com
Lesson One
Every time a new photographer asks me to critique their work, one thing that jumps out at me is, 90% of the time, they are too far away from their subject. Water is denser than air so light from the flash doesn't travel through water as well. And more importantly for our area, the silt and other particulates in the water degrade the image very quickly when you are too far away. No amount of PhotoShop wizzardry can improve a photo that's taken from too great of a distance. Period.
Try these tips for sharper photos:
1. Get close.
2. Use a wide angle lens.
3. Convert to b&w if the water quality is particularly bad.
4. Use a strobe (or two).
5. Dive early in the year before the algae blooms.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me: rcdoyal@sbcglobal.net
Good luck!
Notice the improvement when getting closer to the subject. - Photos by Chris Doyal
Dock Pilings at Elk Rapids Beach
From the GTBUP Dive Guide
Site 8
These dock remains are a reminder of the huge amount of boat traffic in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Vast amounts of lumber, pig iron, and other goods moved through the Elk Rapids area by boat during this time. When operational, the dock was 1440 feet long with railroad track running down the middle. By the 1920s, the dock had fallen into disrepair and only the pilings were left. This site is accessible to both diver and snorkeler alike. There is still a lot of scattered debris such as railroad spikes and nails. Remember it is best to leave these in the water for others to enjoy as they will quickly rust away if exposed to air. The average depth at the site is only 12' and is just off the public beach in Elk Rapids near the dam.
Dock Pilings in Elk Rapids - Photo by Chris Doyal
The GTBUP will be offering several NAS III classes this summer. All of the information will be posted in the Education section of the GTBUP website as soon as it becomes available.
Several classes will be offered such as: Underwater and Artifact Photography, Underwater Acoustics, GIS Mapping, and Forensic Meteorology.
Contact Dr. Mark Holley for more information. mholley@shianet.org
How can you see underwater without getting your face wet?
Build a water scope! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Large coffee can
- Two large rubber bands
- Duct tape
- Can opener
- Clear plastic food wrap
- Use a can opener to remove the top and bottom of a large coffee can. Make sure you don’t cut yourself on the sharp edges!
- Tape duct tape around the cut edges to protect your hands.
- Cut two pieces of plastic wrap to place on each end of the coffee can. They should extend two inches up the side of the can. Secure with the rubber bands. (You can even try stacking two coffee cans and securing them with duct tape if you want an extra long scope.)
Now you’re ready to try it out! Place one end a couple of inches under water and look through the top. Voila! When you stick the scope into the water, the water pressure pushes the plastic wrap into a concave magnifying lens. See if you can spot lake critters or even the dock pilings mentioned earlier in our newsletter.
Illustration from www.familytlc.net
The GTBUP conducts a membership/board meeting every month. These meetings are open to the public and anyone with an interest in the Preserve is encouraged to attend. Meetings are typically held the third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. We are in the process of securing a new meeting space so contact Chris Doyal or Scuba North for current information. info@gtbup or 947-2520.
