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Lots of good stuff here so i just reprinted the whole thing and lit alot of the scuba diving links



If you are going to ADEX Singapore check out these cheap singapore hotels and cheapest singapore flightsHi Fred,

We hope most of you have returned from extensive underwater holidays over the silly season and we wish everyone a very happy 2009! We hope this will be an exciting year for everyone and much of your time can be spend under and and around the water.

There are many tasks ahead of us to save our precious world down there but the year starts on a positive note as on-line trading giant, Alibaba, ceased its trade in shark fins on January the 1st.
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/messages.php/id/8590/

Lets hope for more good news as the year progresses ... find them in the news section and the forum on underwater.

We've been bogged down with planning and organising our flagship event, the Byron Underwater Festival which is to be held from late April 2009 so this eNEWS will be brief. We are getting excellent interest and it will be a fantastic week. I wish it was here already as that would mean we had finished the organisational part of it all.

The Marine Visions part of the competition will allow people who cannot make it to Byron Bay to enter their marine related art (incuding photgraphy) and the show has been fantastic over the last two years. Please check the festival website, entry forms will be available very shortly. We have a few new sponsors too which include Aunoc lights for trial torches and prizes as well as Sportdiving and the DiveLog who will be contributing subscriptions and some other fantastic prizes throughout the week.

Mathieu Meur will be holding Underwater Photography Clinics and Neville Coleman is running an Underwater Naturalist Programm during the first two days of the festival. More info on the state of affairs of UF'09 at
--> http://www.underwaterfestival.com.au

Of course we all know that ADEX 2009 is coming up in early April and this year they have incorporated the 'Ocean Conference' to their program, a host of reputable speakers that sounds very exciting. Fore more info on this show and the associated conference, see their latest press release at
--> http://tmx.resonance.com.sg/adex/2009/issue03/mailer.htm
or visit the ADEX website at http://www.asiadiveexpo.com/

We are giving away 100 underwater cards at ADEX 2009 - you just have to be among the first 30 to enter the show on each of the days and BINGO - free access to over 300 discounts around Australasia and your entry into our underwater MEGA draw. For those who can't make it see
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/shop/department/subscriptions/

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IN THIS ISSUE
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- Great deals all around Australasia for underwater card holders
- Upcoming Events in the Region
- New in the UW shop
- underwater.com.au photo competition 08-09 - December winners
- 2009 MegaDraw prize - win a trip on Undersea Explorer or discover South West Rocks

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Great deals all around Australasia for underwater card holders
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We are proud to have the discount card with the best savings in the whole industry. The savings you can make with your underwater card are immense plus you go into our yearly underwater MegaDraw where you can win dive trips and more - details at the end of this mail.

Over 300 operators all around Australia, Oceania and Asia Pacific offer great deals to underwater card holders, with more being added every week. If you are planning to do a dive course, book a trip or buy some equipment, the card will be your best investment ever - remember the more stars a business shows with their listing, the better discounts they offer.

You also can get the underwater card at a dive store near you - if your favourite shop doesn't have them yet, get them to drop us a line.

Featured discounts:

- Archipelago Resorts & Fleet, Indonesia - U$100-200 discount
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/6090

- Yongala Dive, Townsville, Australia - 10% off all sales and services
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/1210/

- Seadoo Seascooters, Australia - FUN! - 5% for purchases through the underwater shop
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/8057/

Make sure your card remains current and if you haven't got your underwater card yet, log on to the site and upgrade - if you are a marine enthusiast of any kind, this is the best A$30 you've ever spent.
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/shop.php/department/uw_package

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Upcoming Events in the Region (and beyond)
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Golden Dolphin 2009 | Moscow 19-22 February 2009
If you can make it to Moscow, FREE entry for all underwater card holders !
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/7662/

Dive Equipment & Marketing Action Fair | Taipei 20-22 March 2009
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/7452/OZTeK'09 | Sydney 21-22 March 2009
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/5422/

More events at
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/events/

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NEW IN THE UW SHOP ...
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SeaDoo Seascooters - VS Supercharged and Explorers in Stock now
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/shop/department/sea_scooters/
or for more info on each model visit the SeaDoo Seascoter Australia website
--> http://www.seadooseascooter.com.au/

Dive Shop enquiries from Australia and New Zewland are welcome

More Fantasea torches and photographic accessories in stock now
- LED 44 Light with Emergency Flasher
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/product.php/id/FAN011/
Aluminum Light B & J Arm Sets
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/product.php/id/FAN013/
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/product.php/id/FAN014/
and more ...

Check out our UW card packages - with free goodies or free shipping worldwide
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/shop.php/department/subscriptions

And don't forget underwater card holders get discounts on most products in the shop (up to 25%)

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underwater australasia photo competition 2008-09 - DECEMBER monthly winners
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The 5th annual underwater australasia photo competition is now almost at the half way mark - the DECEMBER winners are announced below. Like every year we are selecting two winners each month until June 2009 and the monthly winners images are competing for the major prizes which will be announced in the August 2009 eNEWS.

Major prizes are bigger than ever with over $15,000 of prizes already announced and more coming. Current prizes include:

- A 2 week trip to Yap and Palau in Micronesia sponsored by Traders Ridge and Fish'n Fins
Yap --> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/5125
Palau --> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/7374

- the NEW EDGE drysuit from APOLLO - The new 4mm Microcell neoprene offers warmth and flexibility without bulk, adjustable neoprene seals, strong nylon jersey material inside and out
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/2174

- 6 days and 5 nights at Cocotinos resort in Manado, North Sulawesi
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/8327

- Fly Dive Cod Hole trip from Cairns, Australia with Mike Ball - 3 nights / 12 dives
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/158

- A holiday diving the Similan Islands in Thailand with Le Mahe Liveaboards
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/5066

For competition details, terms and conditions please read:
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/photo_competition.php

Monthly winners in both the novice and the open categories will win Dive Junkie and Seven Tenths Tees.

Please note, by now we get so many entries that not all images will end up in the underwater gallery, but all will be included in the judging process.

Now to the photo comp WINNERS of DECEMBER - the sixth lot of winners to make it into the finals for the 2008-09 competition ! So we are now half way there ... this time we have two winners shooting the same animal (well same family) one in cold and one in tropical waters. One side of the planet calls these Angler Fish other the other side calls them Frogfish ... both names are appropriate in my opinion ... OK here we go:

In the DECEMBER photo competition OPEN category winner is Jim Abregana with a magically eerie lit shot of a Frogfish - a tribute to Ducomi Pier, Dumaguete, Philippines, which has been recently 'repaired' resulting in the loss of most local marine life ...
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/image.php/id/8641/

Jim scores a beautiful Dive Junkie Tee ! - Thank them and get yours at
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/shop.php/department/dive_junkie

In the DECEMBER category of the NOVICE section underwater photo newbie Peter Perry wins with an Angler Fish from the temperate waters of Sydney - Bare Island, one of my favourite dive sites down there.
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/image.php/id/8609/

Peter gets his first Seven Tenths Tee. Thanks Seven Tenths! As you know you can buy your Seven Tenths Tees in the underwater shop anytime !
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/shop.php/department/seven_tenths

All winning entries can always be found at
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/gallery_photo_competition.php

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2009 MegaDraw prize - win a trip on Undersea Explorer - and dive Fish Rock Cave
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In JUNE 2009 we will draw amazing prizes amongst current underwater card holders - make sure you remain a current underwater card holder to be automatically entered into this draw.

Prizes include a full Osprey Reef Shark Encounter on the legendary Undersea Explorer from Port Douglas, Australia
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/13

As well as a midweek dive package for TWO with South West Rocks Dive Centre.
5 nights 4 days, accommodation in dive lodge, 8 dives in total (2 a day), tanks and weights included.
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/listing.php/id/111

More prizes announced soon !

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YOUR details on underwater.com.au
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Remember you can log in anytime to adjust your personal details such as email, phone, address, your login, password etc.

Underwater card holders will have automatic discount calculations in the underwater shop and mailing details filled automatically to make things quick & easy - logging in will also let you post in the forums, submit images and stories
--> http://www.underwater.com.au/welcome.php


That's it for now ... see you underwater !


Tim and the UWTeam


You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to it. If you don't want to receive this newsletter please log in and unclick the eNEWS in you personal details. If you want to be totally deleted from our database reply with "delete from database"

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Tim Hochgrebe
Underwater.com.au
dive in. explore. discover.

PO Box 1753
Byron Bay NSW 2481

Tel: 02-66809410
Mob: 0403-357969
e-mail: tim@underwater.com.au
Please see our other blog Cheap Charlies Hotels Asia Blog

I have allways supported Dan and have strongly suggested that if they are going to dive in Asia get DAN scuba diving insurance as they really will take care of you and they also have a 24 hour hotline that will get you or the doctor that is treating you answers to dive trauma questions related to diving accidents.

If you have a website and are a dive operator i would strongly suggest that you sign up on the DAN website.

Become a DAN Dive Safety Supporter
Dear FRED,

DAN Asia-Pacific’s new Supporter Program officially launched on the
1st January, at which time the Promoter Program ceased.

As mentioned previously the new Supporter Program includes some great new benefits.
Reciprocal promotion is a key part of the new program and as such Supporters are given the opportunity to promote their business on the DAN AP website.

This means you have the opportunity to expose ECOSEA DIVE with all visitors to the DAN AP website, both members and prospects alike.

In today’s tough economic times it makes sense to take advantage of such opportunities. Several businesses have already done so and as such are already being promoted prominently on the DAN AP website.


Please see our other blog Cheap Charlies Hotels Asia Blog