North Canterbury Dive Club (NCDC)

February 2014Next Meeting: Monday 24 February 2014

Kaiapoi Golf Club

Contact Us: Do you have any news items/photos that you want to share – email them to us at jimpaula@clear.net.nz

Executive Committee

President Steve Ryder 03 327 7764Vice President Maurice Helms 03 323 5128

Treasurer Ian Monk 03 327 8959Secretary Jim Lawrence 03 327 3886

Club Captain Ross Coutts 03 384 8309Boat Custodian Steve Ryder 03 327 7764Bach Custodian Barry McAllister 03 327 6030

Editor Paula Lawrence 03 327 3886Auditor Sheryl Blakely 03 327 3055

Committee MembersPaul McDonald 03 383 3295Robin Riddell 03 313 5299

Phil McEnaney 03 344 1438Nolan Kraiger 03 314 9527Daryl Neate 03 314 7231Darryl Froom 03 383 7008

Eddie Stancombe 03 313 9089Chris Hawes 03 379 0793

Clubhouse Bookings

21-22 February Fishing Competition8-9 March Fishing Competition postponement dates

For all Clubhouse bookings ring Barry McAllister on 327 6030.

Passed at the last meeting that there will be a ballot for Easter and Anzac weekends at the next meeting. Names to Barry ASAP.

Notice to Clubhouse Users

Payment must now be made within 30 days of hiring the bach.Gas bottle, toilet paper, washing powder and dish-washing liquid are not provided by the club, so please bring your ownWhen leaving the bach take care to clean showers, make sure the freezer is clean, and do not leave any clothing, food or equipment behind.

To hire the clubhouse is $20 per night for club members, $30 for non-members, children under 12 are free. Minimum hire is $40 per night. Maximum hire is $150 per night.

The bach hire is restricted to financial members. Outsiders can only hire the bach in exceptional circumstances i.e. the Police have a yearly hire arrangement.

DialogueNext MeetingThe next meeting will be held on Monday 24 February 2014 at the Kaiapoi Golf Club.

SubsSubs remain unchanged but non-financial members cannot hire the club bach or boat, and will not receive a newsletter. The subs are:$50 single$60 family($100 initial joining fee in addition to the above subs)Subs can be paid to the Treasurer, posted to NCDC at PO Box 379, Kaiapoi 8252, or paid online into the North Canterbury Dive Club account number 020852 0039175 00. Please enter your name and “subs” into the reference fields.

Remember: If you do not pay your subs you cannot hire the boat, you will have restricted bach hire, and you will not receive a newsletter.

Club Boat

It is the person who is hiring the boat’s responsibility to make sure it is full of fuel, that there is no damage to it, the trailer or the motor. It must be completely full of fuel when you have finished with it and cleaned. Some cleaning can be done out at sea like getting rid of cray legs and old bait.

Remember to turn off the kill switch and ensure the boat has been fully refuelled. Don’t leave your club mates with a partly filled fuel tank!

If this is not done then future hire of the boat will be in doubt.On club days the boat is free – only fuel to be paid for.

Boat UsageA reminder about the club boat usage. In order to meet the boat insurance criteria, when the club boat is used, a member of the Dive Club MUST be skipper and that person MUST hold a Day Skippers License.During hireage if an accident occurs the hirer will be liable for the excess on the insurance.

Favourite RecipeSpicy Fish CakesMakes about 20 cakes3 slices white bread½ medium onion, peeled300-400 fish fillets, roughly chopped2 tsp curry paste1 tbsp fish sauce1tsp sesame oil½ tsp salt1/1 tsp sugar¼ cup chopped fresh coriander1 medium carrot, grated2-3 tbsp olive or canola oil for fryingDipping sauce2 tbsp lime or lemon juice1 tbsp each fish sauce and water

1 tsp sugarFinely chopped chilli to tasteVery finely chopped carrot and coriander to garnish Tear the bread slices into 4-6 pieces each and place in a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Process until the bread is in crumbs no larger than peas. Chop the onion into 4-6 chunks and add to the crumbs along with the fish. Process until the fish is finely chopped, then add the next five ingredients and process until the mixture begins to form a ball. Add the coriander and carrot and process until just mixed.Working with wet hands to prevent sticking, shape the mixture into balls, then flatten them into discs about 1.5cm thick.Preheat the barbecue hotplate (or frying pan). While it heats, prepare the dipping sauce by combining the first five ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the carrot and chopped coriander for colour.Lightly oil the hotplate (or frying pan), then arrange as many of the cakes as will comfortably fit and cook over a medium heat until golden brown underneath, about 3 minutes. Gently turn the fish cakes one or two at a time and cook the other side.

Fishing CompetitionThe fishing competition will be held on 21-22 February.

Volunteers are needed to assist with this event – so please put your hand up and let Steve know if you can help.

We are looking for sponsors to assist with prizes for this event, so if you know of anyone who may be able to assist can you please approach them.

Also we need to know who would want to use the fishing boat for the competition and who will require accommodation at the club bach that weekend. Note: Anyone helping with the fishing competition will get preference on any accommodation. Please contact Steve ASAP.

Robin and Leon keenly volunteered to be chief cooks at the BBQ.

Newspaper article - What is a Senior Citizen?What is a senior citizen? Well a senior citizen in someone who was around before the “Pill” and the population explosion. They were here before television, penicillin, antibiotics and microwave ovens, frozen foods, radar and credit cards. Timesharing meant togetherness – not a holiday apartment. Hardware was hardware, not software. Software wasn’t even a word. That was before men wore earrings and being stoned meant rocks being thrown at you.

Senior citizens were before the 40-hour week and the minimum wage. They got married before living together. Hence the “blushing bride”. How very quaint can one be? Gay meant merry and Aids were for assisting.Senior citizens were before pizza, McDonalds, instant coffee and decaffeinated anything. They though fast food was only during Lent.

Senior citizens remember when cigarette smoking was in fashion, when grass was for mowing, and pot was something you cooked in.So we must congratulate today’s senior citizens. They are indeed a truly hardy bunch when you consider how the world has changed, and the adjustments they have had to make in their lives.

FunnyA man boarded an aircraft bound for New York at London's Heathrow Airport. Taking his seat as he

settled in, he noticed a very beautiful woman boarding the plane. He realised she was heading straight toward his seat and bingo - she took the seat right beside him.  "Hello" he blurted out, "Business trip or vacation?" She turned, smiled enchantingly and said, "Business. I'm going to the annual nymphomaniac convention in the United States ...."

He swallowed hard. Here was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen sitting next to him and she was going to a meeting for nymphomaniacs! Struggling to maintain his composure, he calmly asked, "What's your business role at this convention?" "Lecturer," she responded, "I use my experience to debunk some of the popular myths about sexuality..""Really" he smiled, "what myths are those?" "Well," she explained, "one popular myth is that African-American men are the most well-endowed, when in fact, it's the Native American Indian who is most likely to possess that trait. Another popular myth is that French men are the best lovers, when actually it is the men of Greek descent. We have also found that the best potential lovers in all categories are the Irish."

Suddenly the woman became uncomfortable and blushed. "I'm sorry," she said. "I really shouldn't be discussing this with you, I don't even know your name!"

"Tonto" the man said, "Tonto Papadopoulos, but my friends call me Paddy.

Some of the Club rulesThe following are extracts from the Club rules and it is our intention to include some of these in the newsletter in the coming months.

The Club’s AGM is held in September of each year where subscriptions are set and become due. The joining fee is only paid once however if membership is renewed late i.e. after three months from the AGM, a $10.00 penalty is imposed. However after a year’s lapse, you may be expected to pay for the year missed.

A family member who wants to take single membership does not have to pay another joining fee. Family membership covers up to the age of 20 years, and living at home, or working.

Club t-shirts and sweatshirts are still available through the Executive Committee for a nominal charge.

A weight belt mould is owned by the Club for members who wish to mould their own weights.

A monthly newsletter is printed by the newsletter editor and mailed to financial members (and selected other clubs) a few days prior to the general meetings. Those who do not renew their subscription will not receive a newsletter from December on. Members are urged to read this newsletter and offer any articles of interest to the editor. Constructive comments are always welcome.