Kerry's Travels: 2008

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas Traditions

"Because of our traditions, every one of us knows who we are and what God wants us to do." --Tevia, Fiddler on the Roof

Over the years, we have managed to accumulate a large collection of traditions around Christmas. There are a few of these that Grandma and Grandpa Stevenson started back when I was a child - Chinese Take Out for Christmas Eve dinner (always from the Canton Grill on 82nd and Division) and Swiss Cheese Pie (Quiche) for Christmas morning breakfast.

There are some that we have not continued to observe - starting when I was in High School, we opened presents fairly early on Christmas morning and then went skiing.

The following photos represent some of these traditions. I don't have photos that would show them all, but each of these hold a special place in my heart. These are all fun, and although some of them represent a fair amount of work and effort, they do bring us together as a family. Truly, Tevia was right, it is because of these traditions that we know who we are and what God wants of us.

They help us to "remember, remember. . . "

Monday, December 8, 2008

December 6, 2008 Dives - Mahi & Turtle Reef

On Saturday, December 6, 2008, I dove with Ric Selver and Shawn (divemaster) from Ocean Concepts. We did two dives, the Mahi, a 95 foot deep dive on a ship that was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef and Turtle Reef, a 35 foot deep dive on a shallow coral reef.

I dove with Ric. Shawn was the divemaster for our group. We both had cameras. There were 12 divers and two "guides", so they paired up all the divers and the two guides each took a group.

Our group was the first in this time, and Ric and I were the second pair in the water. Headed down the mooring line when all of our group was in. Once again had a little challenge with the camera. I am not sure whether it is the camera or just some bad batteries, but I got to the bottom and turned the camera on and immediately it said "batteries exhausted."

We dropped right down to the bottom at the stern of the wreck and since Shawn was with a couple of Advanced Open Water students, I took Ric on a tour of the wreck. We made one circuit of the wreck near the bootom. I pointed out a couple of Blue Dragon Nudibranchs and an Imperial Nudibranch. I managed to get a few photos by turning off the camera between shots and only having it on just long enough to take a picture.

Blue Dragon Nudibranch

When we were both down to around 1000 psi, I signalled to Ric to follow me and we began our ascent at the mast. We slowly made our way from the mast to the flag and I took a photo of Ric holding it out and then we swam over to the hang bar and finished our ascent there. Did a safety stop at the bar and then Ric and I swam over to the boat and got out.

Ric Selver

As I would point things out to Ric, he would look at them and then point to his head, but did not take any photos. I thought that was a little funny, but when we got back on board, I found that he had left his camera in the wrong mode before putting it into his housing and he could not change modes under water. What a pain. At least my housing gives me access to all modes! I changed the batteries in the camera during the surface interval.

For the second dive, I giant strided in and we grouped at the surface and then dropped down to the bottom. From the surface, you could see the surge moving sand on the bottom. It was pretty strong when we got down, and the vizibility really suffered. At the best it was 30 feet. At the worst, less than 10 feet, and changing all the time. It was so strong that it was nearly impossible to hold position.

We went on a little tour of the reef. I didn't get much farther with the second set of batteries before getting the same result - "batteries exhausted." I did the same thing and managed a few photos, but they all have lots of backsplatter from all the junk in the water.

Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse

Got my best photo so far of a Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse, a not so good photo of a Raccoon Butterflyfish, and a couple of photos of a Banded Urchin that has white spines with black bars rather than the other way around. It is the first one I have seen.

Banded Urchin (white spines)

Ric left his weight belt on the boat! Somehow he managed to get down to the bottom and then started picking up rocks and tucking them into his waistband. He managed to stay down that way for 49 minutes before he bailed. Problem was, when he did go, a long while after I tried to get him to pair up with another diver who was low on air, he did not let me know, so I was not sure where he was.

I swam around under the boat for a while and then slowly began my ascent. I did a safety stop for kicks and swam slowly over to the boat and got out. Ric was on board. I still had 1000 psi and could have stayed in for quite a while more.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

November 1, 2008 Dives - Mahi & Makaha Caverns

On Saturday, November 1, 2008, I dove with Dave Canwell and Joanna (divemaster) from Ocean Concepts. We did two dives, the Mahi, a 95 foot deep dive on a ship that was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef and Makaha Caverns, a 50 foot deep dive on a shallow coral reef with lava tubes and swim throughs.

I dove with Dave. Jo was the divemaster for our group. We both had cameras. There were 8 divers and two "guides", so they paired up all the divers and the two guides each took a group.

Our group was the first in this time, and Dave and I were the first in the water. Headed down the mooring line when all of our group was in. Being the first dive since the big camera flooding, I had the camera in my hand all the way down and was watching it like a hawk. No problem! I took a little extra time preparing the O-ring Friday night and put a little more silicone on it to make sure.

Devil Scorpionfish

We dropped right down to the bottom at the center of the wreck and immediately spotted a little Whitemouth Moray Eel and a Devil Scorpionfish. Dave shot right in to where the eel was, took a couple of photos and then settled right over it so he could photograph the scorpionfish. I hung back and tried to let the eel come back out, but it didn't. I did get several good photos of the scorpionfish. It started inching forward from where it was until it was right out in the open.

Imperial Nudibranch

Blue Dragon Nudibranch

I swam around the wreck near the bottom behind the group and just did my own thing. I photographed an Imperial Nudibranch, a Yellowmargin Moray Eel, a White-Margin Nudibranch eggcase, a tiny Blue Dragon Nudibranch, a Desirable Nudibranch, and then started up over the deck.

Yellowmargin Moray Eel

Just as I caught up with the group, there was a big White Spotted Eagle Ray off the side of the wreck.

White Spotted Eagle Ray

I began my ascent at the mast. As I was slowly making my way from the mast to the mooring line, thirteen White Spotted Eagle Rays showed up for a slow cruise-by. They were just too far away to get a photo. Did a safety stop and then Dave and I swam over to the boat and got out.

For the second dive, I giant strided in and we again grouped at the bow and then dropped down to the bottom. I took a couple of photos of a Hawaiian Lizardfish. While I was doing that, the group took off on the tour. I started after them, but they had already passed up several interesting things. I stopped and got photos of a Stout Moray eel, a Crown-of-Thorns Star, a Fisher’s Star, and a Blue Dragon Nudibranch eggcase.

Stout Moray Eel

Fisher's Star

I caught up with them at the first swim-through where they were watching a 6-foot Whitetip Reef Shark. I managed one photo as the shark bolted out of the cave and swam away.

Whitetip Reef Shark

Photographed several Red Pencil Urchins, a Marbled Cone and a small Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle that was sleeping.

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle

I also photographed a Needle-Spined Urchin, a White Didemnid Tunicate, Hawaiian Whitespotted Tobys, another Fisher’s Star, a couple more Blue Dragon Nudibranchs, a Rough-Spined Urchin, an Elegant Coris, a Yellow-Spotted Guard Crab, a Ten-Lined Urchin, a couple of Banded Coral Shrimp, and a Little Whitemouth Moray Eel.

Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby

Blue Dragon Nudibranch

Whitemouth Moray Eel

Ascended with a safety stop just for kicks and swam slowly over to the boat and got out. Used my gloves for the first time today and it was very nice to have them and not worry about getting stung by something.

And Now, the Flip Side. . . .

For those of us with the Gospel, who have chosen to put God and His Church first and to focus on raising righteous families who can worthily spend time in Holy Temples, there is no need to Fear, and there is much Hope. We will be OK, regardless of what the world around us does. They will continue to get darker and darker and if we separate ourselves from them, we will shine brighter and brighter!

"And it came to pass that the disciples whom Jesus had chosen began from that time forth to baptize and to teach as many as did come unto them; and as many as were baptized in the name of Jesus were filled with the Holy Ghost.
"And many of them saw and heard unspeakable things, which are not lawful to be written.
"And they taught, and did minister one to another; and they had all things common among them, every man dealing justly, one with another.
"And it came to pass that they did do all things even as Jesus had commanded them.
"And they who were baptized in the name of Jesus were called the church of Christ." --3 Nephi 26:17-21

A Time of Hope and Fear

A lot has been said this political season about both Hope and Fear. There have been many great flattering words spoken about Hope in particular. While we should all have such Hope for the future and for our country, there is also sound basis for Fear.

When potential leaders of this nation either don't understand and appreciate the sacrifice of time, talents, and lives that these images represent, and more especially, how important they are to the freedoms we now enjoy, or even worse yet, knowingly and intentionally denigrate them, there is much to Fear in the future.

"Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people.
"And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land." --Mosiah 29:26-27

Thursday, October 30, 2008

"Sunrise, Sunset. . . Swiftly fly the years. . . ."

"This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;
"Which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son—
"He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;
"Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made."
--D&C 88:4-7