I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

2012 Reunion

Report 2

National

Updates 3

Newsworthy 6

Just For

Giggles 9

Editor’s 10

Foot Stop 10

Diamond

Jubilee Medals 4

Diving

Inventions 8

DIPPERS DIGEST S P E C I A L

P O I N T S O F

I N T E R E S T :

2012 CNDA Reun-

ion Group Photo

2012 Reunion Re-

port

National Updates

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NAVYDIVER.CA

2012 Canadian Naval Divers Association Group Photo Photo graciously provided by Photographer Eric Carlson

Reunion photos contributed by CNDA Members can now be found on the CNDA Web Site at:

http://navydiver.ca/Reunion.htm

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D I P P

We were all very pleased to see the East Coast 10th Triennial Reunion go off so well, with all the events operating in a shipshape manner. Kudos are in order for all those hard working members who made it the smooth running affair that we all have come to expect from Andy Desrochers and his group of volunteers. The Board of Directors meeting was the first item on the busy agenda. At 1900 hrs on Thursday evening, Andy Desrochers & Dale Silvester (Eastern Directors), Wally Green(Ottawa Director), Milt Skaalrud (Western Director) and Chuck Rolfe (National Sec/Treas) convened the meeting to discuss, review and amend various items of importance to the Association, such as: - Review the proposed amendments to the revised Constitution - the Chapters can now register new members rather than the National Office only, and retain all membership fees, - The National Treasurer will be looking into re-investing the GIC when it expires in October 2014, - Reviewed the Governor Generals Chancellery awarding the QE II Jubilee Medals to Norm Herd & Tim Flath, - Authorizing the membership dues to increase by $5.00 to $15.00 commencing as of 1 January 2013, and - The approval of Deceased Members Burial & Support policy, when requested by the family. Immediately after the meeting concluded, the Hospitality Suite put on by the Eastern Chapter got into full swing, as a sing-along with a guitar player accompanying got it going - together with liquid refreshments! On Friday, the Meet & Greet at the FDU(A) Hangar had over 110 happy people enjoying their buddies tall tales, taking photo's, purchasing T-shirts/golf shirts/jackets/ball caps/etc, bar & food refreshments. Three presentations were made: - Alan Sagar, ex Commanding Officer of HMCS GRANBY presented a caricature drawing of LCdr Ross Dickinson, (preceded Alan as Commanding Officer of GRANBY) to the present Commanding Officer of FDU(A) LCdr Roland Leyte as a memorial, - Mike Cooke in Australia sent a Rebreather Diver Statue which represents the 50th Anniversary this year of the Diving Course which he, Gilles LaRiviere and Bill Lukeman completed, presented to LCdr Leyte as a memorial. - Tony Dubois and Andy Desrochers unveiled a CNDA Memorial Plaque in FDU(A) to the 20 Divers who have passed away over the past years. There were also two official 2012 CNDA Reunion photographs taken late in the afternoon, one being all of those presently at the Meet & Greet, the second being all those who were Canadian Naval Divers only, both were provided at the Saturday Dinner/Dance to all who had paid for them. On Saturday morning, 84 people were provided a Halifax harbour tour by the Navy Diving Boat SEYCHELT and Neil Connors Dive Boat SEAWIND, followed by "Up Spirits" aboard the last remaining WW II Corvette HMCS SACKVILLE, and a nearby tour of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. In the evening it was cocktails from 1800 to 1900 hrs, another photo of all attendee's in their "good duds", and the Dinner/Dance to the wee hours at the Dartmouth Senior Service Centre - only a two minute walk from the Super 8 Hotel. The lobster meal was scrumptious! For those who were not on their way home, a nice farewell Brunch was the order of the day on Sunday morning at the Dartmouth Senior Service Centre. Following is a list of the 105 people who attended the 2012 Reunion:

2012 CNDA REUNION REPORT

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National Updates by Chuck Rolfe

Glenn & Paula Adams John Baker & Christine Adams Jim Balmforth & Carol Fortier Archie Rose Roger Boucher John & Martha Bryson Alex & Fern Bungay Gerry Baskette Roy Busby George & Paulie Carnahan Wayne & Carol Catchpaugh Gerry Mailloux Russ Connelly Andy & Marie Desrochers John Dohan Charles Trombley Bruce & Paula Doherty Bruce & Betty Downie Tony & Helen Dubois Pete Cahill Ike Eisner David Finlay Gary & Lois Ford Dick Lauckner Jules & Catherine Fortin Glenn & Bonnie Gillan Ron Girard George Hannigan Wally Green Bryan Greley & Pauleen Cornish Bill Hilton & Val Frizzel Brian Eccles Doug & Angie Hinchliffe Brent Hobson Don & Marion Jones Dan Anderson Tim Joys & Ruth Robicheau Jim Larder Gilles & Marie Lariviere Rick Wood Red Larsen & Emma Greco Bill Lee Yves & Thessy Lessard Mike Middleton Jack & Sandy Lewis Bill Lukeman & Gordon Chaisson Ernie Maddams Bill & Mary Mallot Pam Mathews Dan & Rose MacLeod Al McRae Kevin & Sharon Muise Moe & Lucy Muise John Newton Dan & Francoise Normandin Joe & Joyce Paquin Norm Prowse Gary & Liz Reddy Bruce & Diane Robinson George Robinson Chuck Rolfe & Huguette Collins Alan & Margaret Sagar Nick Serbu Debbie & Wally Shute Dale & Val Silvester Mark Simonsen Milt & Margrit Skaalrud James & Jean Walker Fred & Rachelle Watts Ken & Patrick Whitney Chuck & Mary Wilson Sudsy & Daralyn Zwicker Terry & Angie Havlick Best Regards, Chuck Rolfe

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D I P P E R S D I G E S T

National Updates by Chuck Rolfe - Continued

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All It was my first return to the unit since 1998. I was extremely pleased to see all the members who attended the meeting and the FDU personnal present I would like to thank Andy , Tony , Dale and Nick for their involment and devotion to the cause and to us and to others I've missed here, Also many thanks to all FDU personnel ie: Rollie, Marc, Charlie, Rod and the crew of Seychelt that devoted their time during the week end to take us on the Harbour Tour and to the Sackville, it was truly appreciated and let not forget Gus with Neil's boat(hopefully you recover fast and we see you at the next reunion) and I forget Jimmy C. and myself as his two LS he he I hope not to ever miss another reunion again, it was truly a success and it's all because of your involvement Words that Andy said during the unveiling of the plaque should make us think of our friends still alive. I was surprised of our senior members agility and dancing skills (here I'm speaking of Dan McCLoud , Red Larsen, Chuck, Milton and all the rest of the seniors I knew when I was at the unit,) thanks to Peter Cahill for dancing with Francoise Overall a true success Dan and Francoise Normandin

Dear Friends, The 2012 Halifax Reunion was a big success and I believe everyone had a great time. I would like to thank my Committee, the Diving Unit, Garrison Brewing, Super 8 Hotel, Advanced Screen Printing, the Dartmouth Seniors Service Center and Connors Diving that worked so hard to make it a success. The following is a break down of the attendance: Meet and Greet : 110 members and guests Harbour Tour and Sackville Tour: 84 Museum Tour: 45 Tots issue: 75 Dinner Dance: 87 Brunch: 75 Looking forward to some of your comments and the next Reunion. Andy Desrochers

MISSIVES

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D I P P E R S D I G E S T

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P A G E 8

D I P P E R S D I G E S T

Reunion Souvenirs still for sale. They are limited is sizes and number. The T-Shirts and Golf Shirts are in (large) only. Ball Cap or T-Shirt are 16.00 EACH Golf Shirt $23.00 License Plate $10.00 CNDA Pins $4.50 Plus shipping. Contact Andy Desrochers at andyd@accesswave.ca or (902)434-5545

P A G E 9 V O L U M E # 8 4 / 1 2

Non Sequitur

Founded

HALIFAX, N.S.

1981

President: Norm Herd

FOUNDING MEMBERS

Glenn Adams

André Desrochers

Leo Goneau

Terry Havlik

Michael Walsh

First President: Stanley F. Watts

The mission of the Canadian Naval Divers As-

sociation (CNDA) is to keep Naval Divers, both

Serving and Retired, informed and aware of

what is happening within CNDA and other

matters pertaining to Service Diving in Canada.

It is also intended to keep everyone in touch

with others of the diving community who may

have been friends and diving team members

from those tremendous days of service in our

past.

Contact Information

Tim Flath

Editor

E-mail: navydiver@bigfoot.com

CNDA

We’re on the Web! www.navydiver.ca

P A G E 1 0

Editor’s 10 Foot Stop This time around we are a little late publishing the fall issue by design. Normally due out 15 September, we wanted to wait until after the CNDA Reunion so we could provide and collate some news on how the big event went. I understand from everyone I talked to that it was a resounding success and a big Bravo Zulu goes out to all the organizers who made it the success it was! I must also say that I am extremely disappointed that I was unable to go. Much of this digest has obviously been devoted to the reunion. So much so that I found little space to include many of the individual photos sent on to me for this edition. I decided to purposefully leave out all the wonderful photos contributed by members in favour of posting them all on the CNDA web site. In that way all the photos can be shared with everyone and none are singled out with the exception of the group photo graciously provided by the photographer Eric Carlson that you see on the front page. In the future I hope we can put together a list of names to the faces on that great photo. You can use the comments on the photo from the web site to help me with this task. Keep visiting back to the collection as I will be adding to it as more photos are contributed (hint, hint). The web site is of course: http://navydiver.ca I would like to continue my pitch for fresh volunteers to the Western Chapter executive. We are still hoping that we can entice someone to join the executive to keep the west coast viable as a Chapter. Myself and Tom Essery have been hoping to add to the ranks of our two-man executive to revive the west coast presence. Lastly I would like to congratulate Wally Green as our new National Chairman and at the same time wish Norm Herd our very best, given the challenges he is facing, and thank him for his many years of dedicated service to the CNDA and the branch who very recently stepped down.