Venezuela, Blue-Ring Octo, Ron Beltramo, & more

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Happy New Year!!!

HOW THE VENEZUELA ACTIONS AFFECTED DIVERS - The actions in Venezuela that the Trump administration took over the weekend impacted divers as well because a lot of airspace in the Caribbean was closed down on Saturday, which is usually the arrival/departure date for most Caribbean-based resorts. All the Saturday flights to and from Bonaire, Aruba, and Curacao were cancelled. many flights going through Puerto Rico were cancelled. Most flights to/from the Leeward and Windward Islands (Eastern Caribbean) were cancelled. Roatan flights were not affected. It seems like most of the flight restrictions were removed on Sunday but airlines now have to scramble to get planes to pick up those stranded. Many of the airlines only fly to these locations once or twice a week so planes are scheduled to be elsewhere. So we've got a bunch of divers who have just wrapped up holiday vacations who are stuck. Hopefully they make it home in the next few days. Below if the map of the areas that were closed (in red) so you can see how extensive this was.

I'D RATHER BE LUCKY THAN GOOD - I have long preached the following: If you don't know what it is, don't touch it. What might appear cute and harmless could be anything but. So a journalist on vacation was very lucky when he picked up a cute little Blue-Ringed Octopus, without knowing that it has one of the deadliest bites in the world and the venom can kill a human in less than half an hour. Fortunately for him, he escaped unharmed. But he posted a video of the encounter: BLUE-RING OCTO HANDLER.

NAVIGATION CLASS POSTPONED - We'd scheduled the class for this past Saturday at Vets Park in Redondo but postponed it because of the projected rain and the water quality from the rain we'd already had. (Ironically, the surf was non-existent on Saturday.) But we're looking to re-sked for this coming Saturday, January 10, and will meet in the parking lot at 9AM. Cost of the class is $25/person, includes practical navigation on land first, and then a single-tank dive where we'll put those skills to the test. We should be done by Noon. If you'd like to join us, call us at 310/652-4990.

ROSE PARADE 2026 - Since 1982, I have gone to the Rose Parade every year (although I didn't go in 2006 because of the rain back then). But this year I looked at a forecast and because we go to the end of the route, where the parade doesn't arrive until 10AM, the prediction was the rain would be ending about the time the first units arrived. So we decided to give it a shot and I'm glad we did. My fav float was the UPS one (pictured below) but if you'd like an up-close personal look at all the bands, floats, and horse units - I try to get at least one shot of each one as well as the Grand Marshall and the Rose Queen - you can see them all on my SmugMug page: RAINY ROSE PARADE 2026.

ENDING ON A SAD NOTE - I'm sorry to tell you that Ron Beltramo co-founder (along with his wife Beth) of Eco Dive Center in Culver City, died Saturday afternoon from cancer. I got a note from Beth Sunday morning about it. She told me that Ron was surrounded by family when he passed. This is a very small industry where those of us who do this for living know each other so any death like this hits us hard. This came as a shock to me because I was unaware that Ron was ill. He and Beth opened Eco in 2004 and from the very start, have always been staunch supporters of Chamber Day, usually having the largest contingent of diners at Chamber Eve. Beth told me in a text that she plans to keep Eco going and will forge ahead during the coming year. I don't have any word on services or if you can make a donation in Ron's memory but will pass that along. Those of you who were either certified by Ron or ran into him at Eco might want to reach out with condolences.

And that’ll do it for now. Have a great week and let's go diving soon!!!

- Ken