Speakers & Newsletters 2023 | Channel Islands Dive

2023 Newsletters & Speakers

Pat Hummer, Senior Harbor Patrol Officer

Spear fishing
Lee and John have been friends since elementary school. Almost 20 years ago, a mutual
friend suggested we all go camp on Catalina Island. He brought a small speargun with him,
and we all spent the weekend snorkeling and trying our best to catch fish. We were hooked.
Over the years spearfishing has become a passion, progressively moving from beach diving in
Malibu, to kayak diving, to buying boats and running out to the Channel Islands, including
San Clemente and Santa Barbara island, in pursuit of large pelagic game fish and giant
lobster. While heavily involved in the Boy Scouts of America, Tom was looking for help taking
some scouts on a scuba adventure to Santa Cruz. He caught wind of what Lee and John were
doing and asked for some help with the trip. After getting a little exposure to spearfishing and
free diving on that trip, Tom was hooked instantly. He went through the progression of scuba
diving, gathering lobsters, shooting reef fish, and then making the jump into free diving and
hunting pelagic fish. Together we have expanded our range, taking many trips down to
Mexico, and later this year we are scheduled on another adventure to spearfish for large
halibut in Alaska. We are excited to share our knowledge of the sport and talk about our many
adventures

John Barrus, Lee Mackay, and Tom Hodge
Freediving and Spearfishing The Channel Islands
Lee and John have been friends since elementary school. Almost 20 years ago, a mutual
friend suggested we all go camp on Catalina Island. He brought a small speargun with him,
and we all spent the weekend snorkeling and trying our best to catch fish. We were hooked.
Over the years spearfishing has become a passion, progressively moving from beach diving in
Malibu, to kayak diving, to buying boats and running out to the Channel Islands, including
San Clemente and Santa Barbara island, in pursuit of large pelagic game fish and giant
lobster. While heavily involved in the Boy Scouts of America, Tom was looking for help taking
some scouts on a scuba adventure to Santa Cruz. He caught wind of what Lee and John were
doing and asked for some help with the trip. After getting a little exposure to spearfishing and
free diving on that trip, Tom was hooked instantly. He went through the progression of scuba
diving, gathering lobsters, shooting reef fish, and then making the jump into free diving and
hunting pelagic fish. Together we have expanded our range, taking many trips down to
Mexico, and later this year we are scheduled on another adventure to spearfish for large
halibut in Alaska. We are excited to share our knowledge of the sport and talk about our many
adventures

Cherryl at Island.jpg
Cherryl is the co-owner of Island Packers, a family business
established by her parents, Bill and Lillian Connally, in 1968. Cherryl
started working in the business as galley girl at age 12 through her
early teens. She also managed the company’s accounting for many
years.
During slow years for Island Packers, Cherryl worked part-time as the
business manager for Friends of Channel Islands National Park. In
addition, from 1989 to 1997, she was the assistant director, and later
marketing director, for the Ventura Harbor Village.
Cheryl's love of the ocean is evident by her private boat ownership, on which she has lived for 25 years.
Currently, she is operating the Island Packers business full-time as treasurer, marketing director, public
relations liaison, office manager, and chief bottle washer!
At our June 21 meeting, Cherryl will present highlights of her life with Island Packers and boating the Channel
Islands. She will present a brief history of Island Packers and will share 55 years of memories about boating
and working for her family business. Starting from rowing the passengers ashore in 1968 from the first vessel,
Island Packer, to now, Cherry has definitely experienced the good life of boating and enjoying the Channel
Islands!

June

Cherryl Connally, Co-owner

Island Packers
Cherryl is the co-owner of Island Packers, a family business
established by her parents, Bill and Lillian Connally, in 1968. Cherryl
started working in the business as galley girl at age 12 through her
early teens. She also managed the company’s accounting for many
years.
During slow years for Island Packers, Cherryl worked part-time as the
business manager for Friends of Channel Islands National Park. In
addition, from 1989 to 1997, she was the assistant director, and later
marketing director, for the Ventura Harbor Village.
Cheryl's love of the ocean is evident by her private boat ownership, on which she has lived for 25 years.
Currently, she is operating the Island Packers business full-time as treasurer, marketing director, public
relations liaison, office manager, and chief bottle washer!
At our June 21 meeting, Cherryl will present highlights of her life with Island Packers and boating the Channel
Islands. She will present a brief history of Island Packers and will share 55 years of memories about boating
and working for her family business. Starting from rowing the passengers ashore in 1968 from the first vessel,
Island Packer, to now, Cherry has definitely experienced the good life of boating and enjoying the Channel
Islands!

Friends of the Island Fox (FIF) is a charitable corporation that was founded in
March 2005. FIF is a joint effort of conservation professionals and concerned
private citizens striving to support public education, research, and conservation
efforts to ensure the island fox’s continued survival on the Channel Islands.
As President of Friends of the Island Fox, Mike Watling brings experience as a
California Naturalist and a Naturalist volunteer with Channel Island National
Park and National Marine Sanctuary. He has contributed to wildlife monitoring
for Ojai Valley Land Conservancy restoration efforts, as well as monitoring
wildlife for California State University, Channel Islands, as part of campus
recovery efforts following the Springs Fire. Mike is certified in wildlife Track and
Sign Interpretation from CyberTrack International, the international standard for
wildlife tracking. He has followed the island fox recovery effort since 2000 and has been part of Friends of the
Island Fox since 2016.

July

Mike Watling, president friends of the island fox
Friends of the Island Fox (FIF) is a charitable corporation that was founded in
March 2005. FIF is a joint effort of conservation professionals and concerned
private citizens striving to support public education, research, and conservation
efforts to ensure the island fox’s continued survival on the Channel Islands.
As President of Friends of the Island Fox, Mike Watling brings experience as a
California Naturalist and a Naturalist volunteer with Channel Island National
Park and National Marine Sanctuary. He has contributed to wildlife monitoring
for Ojai Valley Land Conservancy restoration efforts, as well as monitoring
wildlife for California State University, Channel Islands, as part of campus
recovery efforts following the Springs Fire. Mike is certified in wildlife Track and
Sign Interpretation from CyberTrack International, the international standard for
wildlife tracking. He has followed the island fox recovery effort since 2000 and has been part of Friends of the
Island Fox since 2016.

Holly S. Lohuis, marine biologist, marine educator, science advisor and Jean-Michel Cousteau’s dive partner for
the past 25 years, will share a wealth of stories and beautiful images from her adventurous life, including behind
the scenes images from Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Futures Society’s IMAX film, 'Secret Ocean 3D'.
Holly speaks to the beauty and crises facing our water planet, highlighting the complexities of the ocean
environment and some of the impacts threatening the long-term vitality of our oceans. Her inspirational talk will
remind us that small actions can lead to big changes, and that we need to be the motivating force to strive for
more ocean education, both locally and around the world.
With a degree in aquatic biology from UC Santa Barbara and experience in the ocean realm around the world,
Holly works for a variety of organizations, including: Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society, Santa
Barbara Maritime Museum’s Ocean Connections and Marine Science, and Island Packers as a Naturalist at the
Channel Islands National Park. Throughout the work she does, Holly shares important ecological facts on why
ocean health is critical for the sustainability of our water planet.
With support from the Ocean Futures Society, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Condor Express and Island
Packers, Holly is also helping to spearhead the effort to create a whale heritage area in the Santa Barbara
Channel, under the UK’s World Cetacean Alliance. She is working
with a group of local whale enthusiasts, including whale watching
tour operators, naturalists, biologists, fishers, educators, resource
managers, artists, and local marine conservation NGOs. Her hope
for the future is that the Santa Barbara Channel will be part of the
growing network of Whale Heritage Sites where whales are
celebrated for their ecological role in enhancing ocean productivity;
where whales have an economic value through responsible
tourism; where conservation and research is a priority in reducing
the impacts on their longevity; and where we can continue to learn
and appreciate the rich complex lives of whales and dolphins.

August

Holly Lohuis
(Marine biologist, educator & science advisor.)
Holly S. Lohuis, marine biologist, marine educator, science advisor and Jean-Michel Cousteau’s dive partner for
the past 25 years, will share a wealth of stories and beautiful images from her adventurous life, including behind
the scenes images from Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Futures Society’s IMAX film, 'Secret Ocean 3D'.
Holly speaks to the beauty and crises facing our water planet, highlighting the complexities of the ocean
environment and some of the impacts threatening the long-term vitality of our oceans. Her inspirational talk will
remind us that small actions can lead to big changes, and that we need to be the motivating force to strive for
more ocean education, both locally and around the world.
With a degree in aquatic biology from UC Santa Barbara and experience in the ocean realm around the world,
Holly works for a variety of organizations, including: Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society, Santa
Barbara Maritime Museum’s Ocean Connections and Marine Science, and Island Packers as a Naturalist at the
Channel Islands National Park. Throughout the work she does, Holly shares important ecological facts on why
ocean health is critical for the sustainability of our water planet.
With support from the Ocean Futures Society, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Condor Express and Island
Packers, Holly is also helping to spearhead the effort to create a whale heritage area in the Santa Barbara
Channel, under the UK’s World Cetacean Alliance. She is working
with a group of local whale enthusiasts, including whale watching
tour operators, naturalists, biologists, fishers, educators, resource
managers, artists, and local marine conservation NGOs. Her hope
for the future is that the Santa Barbara Channel will be part of the
growing network of Whale Heritage Sites where whales are
celebrated for their ecological role in enhancing ocean productivity;
where whales have an economic value through responsible
tourism; where conservation and research is a priority in reducing
the impacts on their longevity; and where we can continue to learn
and appreciate the rich complex lives of whales and dolphins.

Channel Islands Divers

Recreational Scuba Club

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