Visit Scuba Diver AustralAsia at the DEMA show
October 25, 2007 -- If you’re in Florida at the end of October, why not stop by the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando to visit the kind folks of Scuba Diver AustralAsia? Best of all, if you make it down to booths #2427 and #487 from 31 October to 3 November, fantastic promotions await.
For anyone at the show signing up for a two-year PADI Diving Society membership, choose any two of these three awesome prizes: a limited edition Essential Guide to Scuba Diving (worth US$10), a Scubacam LED underwater light (worth US$60), and a limited print, 100% cotton My Favourite Magazine T-shirt (worth US$25).*
For a one-year PADI Diving Society membership, new or renewing members will automatically walk away with a Sharkwater movie T-shirt (worth US$25).* So what are you waiting for? See you there!
*Promotion valid only at DEMA 2007, and while stocks last.
Discount for Through the Lens Photo Competition Participants October 24, 2007 -- Following its successful inaugural Through the Lens photo competition, in conjunction with the Malaysia International Dive Exhibition (MIDE) Scuba Diver AustralAsia is proud to announce the 2nd Through the Lens competition.
Vie for the title of Best in the World in the following categories: Macro, Wide-angle, Young Underwater Photographer, Underwater Art; and two new categories: Portfolio and Underwater: Malaysia.
There is no cost to enter, and you stand a chance to win fantastic prizes including photo equipment, dive gear, and fabulous trips to exotic locations! Plus, all entrants enjoy a special 20% discount off a two-year PADI Diving Society membership, which includes 12 issues of the world-renowned Scuba Diver AustralAsia magazine!
Closing date for entry submission is 1 June 2008. Results will be featured at the 2008 MIDE show in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and published in Issue 4/2008 of Scuba Diver Australasia and on ScubaDiverAA.com
Stay tuned to this site for more information on prizes and the rules/regulations of this fantastic event.
EcoTourism Training Centre Seeks Help October 18, 2007 -- The EcoTourism Training Centre (ETC) in Khao Lak, Thailand, has an ambitious mission to provide substantial career training to young adults affected by the Boxing Day ’05 tsunami, and to provide a positive force in rebuilding the local community – including engaging the students in community service projects and providing constant positive news media for the rebuilding effort.
Located in the worst hit area of Thailand, the ETC has emerged as one of Khao Lak’s “bright spots.” A nine-month intensive training programme geared towards teaching English through the avenues of ecotourism, diving, and computers, ETC enables students to seek professional employment upon completion. So far, the programme has helped 34 young Thais begin new careers in professional scuba and related industries. Ten have gone on to become open water scuba instructors, while 24 have become professional divemasters.
Unfortunately, in spite of its success the ETC is struggling to find funding for the coming year. It is looking for operational capital for the facility and programme expenses. Although it is nearing a stage when the programme will be able to generate a good part of its own income, ETC is in danger of closing the doors without this sponsorship drive.
If you can personally sponsor a student or if you can organise a group to do so – with your clubs, churches, schools, or circle of friends – the ETC would like to have your help. If you cannot support on that level, consider a small donation of whatever amount you can give. Every donation helps and none is too small.
For those who would like to sponsor a student, you can communicate with your student throughout the year and monitor his/her progress. ETC has worked hard to make this programme a big success, and the organisers are confident it has become truly great. The ETC is a small grassroots organisation, but a powerful way to directly affect real people.
Donations can be made though PayPal/Visa on the ETC Web site, etcth.org
Book a Trip, Get a Camera October 17, 2007 -- Between 20 December 2007 and 5 January 2008 (and also over Chinese New Year 2008, 7-22 February), book any two days of diving with AquaMarine Diving - Bali, and receive a Snap Sights Sports Utility Camera (waterproof to 30m).
AquaMarine Diving is Bali’s only British owned and operated dive company, a PADI 5-Star Gold Palm Resort, and Indonesia's first Project AWARE Go ECO Operator. Email Camera@AquaMarineDiving.com to make a booking.
And remember: If you book a seven-day holiday with a minimum of four days diving with AquaMarine, they will refund your Visa On Arrival (VOA) fee. (Receipt must be provided.)
Hot Year-End Deals with AquaMarine Diving – Bali October 15, 2007 -- With up to 19 mola mola seen on every “Mola Mola Day Trip” in October, AquaMarine Diving (Bali) is offering a fantastic package for anyone who hasn’t seen the weird, wonderful oceanic sunfish.
The 3D/3N mola mola late season package includes three nights accommodation at Candidasa’s Nirwana Cottages, two dives in Tulamben (where you can enjoy the USAT Liberty wreck), and four dives at either Nusa Penida or Padangbai to see the mola mola.
The price for this fabulous package is US$700 for two people, an awesome US$185 discount, and is valid from 1 November to 19 December 2007. AquaMarine Diving is Bali’s only British owned and operated dive company, a PADI 5-Star Gold
Palm Resort, and Indonesia's first Project AWARE Go ECO Operator. Email MM@AquaMarineDiving.com to take advantage of this late season package.
Also on offer from 6 January to 31 March 2008, dive the following sites on the following days and receive a 10% discount:
Monday/Thursday - Padangbai (AquaMarine favourite dive sites)
Tuesday/Friday/Saturday - Tulamben (the USAT Liberty wreck)
Wednesday/Sunday - Nusa Penida (drift diving and Manta Point)
Crown of Thorns Cleanup October 12, 2007 -- B&J Diving Center is planning yet another crown of thorns (COT) cleanup event on Tioman Island, Malaysia, before the season ends. Due to the many inquiries it will be conducted on the weekend of October 27/28.
Planned are two COT collection dives per day to the most affected dive sites. For this event B&J expect 30-50 participants. As usual, the COT collection event is not to make money but to protect our fragile underwater environment, so B&J is offering the four boat dives for only MYR 250 per person! divetioman.com
Reef Check Photo Finalists October 10, 2007 -- Pictures speak a thousand words: Reef Check Australia and Project AWARE are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2007 photography competition. The goal of the competition was to showcase the Australian public’s "vision" of the value of our coral reefs and the threats that they currently face.
The judges were impressed by the high standard of entries to this year’s competition. The competition received more than 120 entries and several thousand votes were cast online at the Reef Check website (reefcheckaustralia.org).
Giles Winstanley was selected as the overall winner based on his portfolio of images. His images were judged to best capture the range of themes in the 2007 competition. Two of Giles’ images were selected as winners of the “Reef in Our Hands” and “Animal Behaviour” categories and a third image received a highly commended rating in the “Icons of the Reef” category.
Justin Gilligan was selected as the overall runner up based on his portfolio of images. The judges were impressed with Justin’s choice of subject matter and photographic skills. As a result several of Justin’s images were selected as finalists: 1) winner of the “People and the Reef” category, 2) runner up in the “Creative Visions of the Reef” category and 3) as a highly commended entry in the “Icons of the Reef” category.
Samara Nicolson from Townsville is this years Young Photographer of the Year. Samara’s image titled “Mangrove Magic” was chosen as the winner because it represented the important linkages between coastal mangroves and Australia’s coral reefs. Mangroves are indeed magic as they are nursery areas for many species of reef fish around Australia.
An exhibition of finalists’ images is currently on display at the Perc Tucker Art Gallery, Townsville. The images can be viewed online and a selection of limited edition prints of the winning images are currently being auctioned on ebay; see reefcheckaustralia.org for details.
Next year’s Reef Check/Project AWARE competition will play a key role in supporting the 2nd International Year of the Reef in Australia. To see more winning images, visit reefcheckaustralia.org. For information on International Year of the Reef visit iyor.org.
