Bottom Times – February 2026 Edition

                           By Your President-in-Fins​​

 

Greetings, fellow members,

Well, the most anticipated day of the month is here! Your very own newsletter, packed with all the happenings of your favorite diving celebrities caught in action and juicy topics. Hot off the press and delivered with priority mail straight to your inbox.

And it gets better. This is also the most anticipated issue of the year because the 2026 CID club agenda is inside. Yes, you read that right. Our full schedule of fun under the sun, in the water, and abroad. But no skipping ahead to page 11. You must finish reading the Bottom Times first… or it will vanish.

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January general meeting recap

We had a great start this January, beginning with our general meeting, where we had the pleasure of learning about the solo adventures of author and Ventura legend Ken McAlpine. The presentation did not follow our typical meeting format with the PowerPoint and pictures that usually extend our attention span. Ken, a charismatic fellow and quick with his gift of gab—as you would expect from an author—had everyone hooked with his anecdotes from his journeys. Right from the podium, impromptu style, it was an enjoyable evening with lots of laughs.

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Once his presentation had concluded, people flocked over to buy the book and chat him up. I could tell he enjoyed his moment of fame. Great work, Channel Islands Divers, welcoming our guest and engaging with him before, during, and after his presentation. He expressed his gratitude to me.

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Peeking into February meeting

Moving forward, our speaker for this month is another local legend, Neil Holland, owner of Rec2Tec. I believe that stands for “Recreational Diver to Technical Diver.” I recall the first time he introduced himself to the club and spoke briefly about his dive shop business, offering his services to anyone interested. It did not take long before Mr. Rob Johnson jumped on it, put together a group of divers, negotiated a good deal, and got them nitrox certified and ready for Bonaire… Oohrah!

Last year, he inquired about what it would take to become a full-fledged club sponsor, and I gave him the pumped-up spiel I give all dive shops. He was happy to support us. Now what we need to do is pull him closer into the circle, get him diving with us, and have him show off some of those cool dive moves 😁 So join us this week. Bring your questions. Introduce yourself. Give our guest a warm CID welcome.

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Moving on to club business,

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Shore Diving Update

Great news for those of you interested in shore diving—we are continuing with two shore dives a month! Score!!

 

The first dive is moving to the second Saturday of the month to accommodate the dive coordinator’s schedule. To make it even better, we will be joining our event sponsor, SC Diving, and Dan will be leading the charge. Details will be posted on the club’s Facebook group a few days before the dive.

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The second dive remains on the Saturday after the general meeting. If you would like more information, please email Dan at Dive@channelislandsdivers.org.

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A Snippet of What the Year Holds

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Our yearly Refugio BBQ – September 21 just got a lot more interesting. Pack the camping gear and the s’mores! We are going to try to reserve a group campsite this weekend. Space is limited to 30 guests and 9 vehicles, so carpooling will be key. This is the first time in a long time we are doing this, and several members and I are really excited about it. We plan to camp Friday and Saturday and pack out Sunday.

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For the Easter Dive and BBQ – March 21 at Carpinteria, the goal was to camp there as well, but planning it has its challenges given the time of year. If you can find a campsite, grab it. This one came together fast. I mentioned it to Melanie, and she locked in a spot. Nice work. Most of us may have to wait until next year, but we will see.

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If there is strong interest, we will try to plan it properly for 2027 during our 2026 planning cycle. Yes, that means handing a task to the 2027 board… but hey, that is how legends are made. If you want camping at Carpinteria in 2027, let us know. Help us weigh the scales.

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Next up, the Scuba Show – May 30 & 31 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Laura and Stormy are organizing the trip. Rob Johnson is handling the dives at Veteran’s Park. Same great format as last year. And Rebecca… Stormy volunteered you 😁

We also have a road trip to Baja California Sur to La Bufadora – March 21. This will be a 3–4 day explore-and-dive adventure. More details coming soon.

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And of course, Cozumel – October 21. We already have 17 members heading to the eastern Yucatán Peninsula. There is so much to explore on this little island! I am going to rent a moped and play “Downtown,” but in my head it will be “Cozumeel! Cozumeel!” 😆 That trip is shaping up nicely. There have three more spots available.

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And this is only a snippet of what the year entails. There is plenty more diving on the schedule. Check the agenda. Ask questions. Get involved!

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I am looking forward to seeing you all this Wednesday, February 18 at Black Bear Diner.

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Join us at 6:00 PM for some good food and light socializing. The meeting kicks off at 6:30.

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Come hungry. Come ready to dive in. 😎

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 See you there.

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~ Del