Palau, Micronesia, SAM'S TOURS.

Palau, Micronesia, SAM'S TOURS.

Sam's Tours, Palau, Micronesia

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Announcements

• On my recent trip to Cambodia, I spent a few days with our Alliance partner Dirk Fahrenbach from Dugong Dive Center, Palawan, Philippines. Dirk has me all excited about diving with dugongs. Wow! How cool is that.
  He showed me some great video of him diving with these amazing creatures.

  We see dugongs very rarely in Palau and I've never been able to snorkel or dive with them. I'm hoping to make a family trip with my three children 11 (a certified diver), 7 and 5 (avid snorkelers). For more info check out www.dugongdivecenter.com

  Dermot

  
• 2007 CONTINENTAL MICRONESIA ROADSHOW

  In early June, Sam and Martul head down under to Australia to represent Sam's Tours and to participate in the Continental Micronesia 2007 Road Show along with a delegation that includes staff from Continental Airlines, Guam Visitors Bureau, Yap Visitors Bureau, Marshall Islands Visitors Authority, Kosrae Visitors Bureau, Chuuk Visitors Authority, Palau Visitors Authority, and other regional tour operators.

  The roadshow will visit the cities of Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane and meet with key travel agents in each area.

  We'll keep you updated and get a full report from Sam on Aussie hospitality (maybe even the beer!).

  Continental Airlines provides service to Palau from Brisbane via Guam.

  Dermot

  
• After ADEX – Side trip to Cambodia

  I've been off the air for a while now due to some techical difficulties. I've got a bunch of items to post. Here goes!

  Following the ADEX show, due to a change in airline schedules I had surprise chance to join my good friends Gunther Deichmann and Dirk Fahrenbach on their short trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia, home of the famous ancient temples including Angkor Wat. For a change, my travels had nothing to do with diving. I spent a few days following Dirk and Gunther around the incredible temples as they both worked their cameras hard. Check out some of Gunther’s images at: http://homepage.mac.com/gdeichmann/Cambodia%20April%202007/

  The trip to Siem Reap and the temples was absolutely wonderful and is a place I plan to go back to later this year. I took the time to do a quick inspection of some of the hotel properties there and came across a really nice 27 room boutique hotel called Heritage Suites www.heritage.com.kh Exquisite rooms. Excellent service. Wonderful dining. Warm friendly staff, including General Manager Bernard Loyer with whom we had dinner at the hotel on two occasions along with some great wines. I plan to bring my wife with me on the next trip and I know she will love this hotel! I’m just not sure she’ll want to leave the giant free-standing bath tub in the hotel room to go tromping around ancient temples! We’ll find out. If you happen to be headed to Siem Reap definitely check out the Heritage Suites.

  Our local guide was Savuth Lim who did a great job of watching the weather and the light and making sure Gunther and Dirk were in the right places at the right times for excellent photography. Even more amazing was how he wheeled us around the crowds (and they can be big) and or took us to the less visited temples which are equally as stunning as the most popular one. Savuth is also chief of the local Tourist Transport Association which provides all sorts of transportation from Tuk-Tuks to taxis, cars and vans. Savuth arranged a car and driver to be at our service all day and joined us himself as our personal guide when we headed to the temples. He’s been guiding for Gunther for quite a number of years whenever he visits Siem Reap and it really made the trip smooth and easy. If you’re looking for a great local guide, contact Savuth by e-mail to make advance arrangements or call him when you get to Siem Reap.
  savuthlim@hotmail.com and savuthlim@yahoo.com Tel: 855 122 94387.

  Some images courtesy of Gunther Deichmann:

  

  Our guide Savuth Lim (L), Dermot (middle) and Dirk (R) in Siem Reap. I do believe Dirk is texting....as always!
  

  Dirk (L), Gunther (M) and Dermot (R) at temple in Angkor Wat.
  

  Dirk joins the monks!
  

  This is the tub I was going on about.

  Dermot

  
• Alliance now has a Pod cast

  I picked this up from our Alliance Blog. Sam's Tours is a founding member of the Philippines-Micronesia Alliance. Check it out!

  Philippine-Micronesia Alliance is Pod casting!
  We have now added a Pod-cast to the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance Blog. Many of you may have seen this cute and very intelligent creature before, but here it is again direct from our Blog/Pod cast. This is great!

  Download to your desk top or bring it direct into your iTunes....

  podcast_62.m4v

  Wednesday, May 09, 2007, 9:36:45 PM | gdeichmann@mac.com

  
• Article in Forbes Travel Magazine

  Picked up from post on www.alliancediving.com

  

  Aerial View of Blue Corner, Palau, Micronesia © Gunther Deichmann, Courtesy of Sam's Tours. For more images on Palau and Micronesia from Gunther Deichmann, visit www.deichmann-photo.com</div>

  Two of our Alliance partner destinations are featured in an article by the prestigious Forbes Travel Magazine.

  It was pretty much the consensus among our panelists that Palau,
  a group of over 200 islands in the western reaches of the Pacific Ocean is one of the best destinations for diving right now. Amy Christopher, Operations Manager of Ocean First Divers, an eco-friendly dive operation based in Colorado, calls Palau a "true one-stop shop." Corals, animals, caves, ship wrecks—this is the place.

  Coron Island, Palawan,Philippines, is also the idea spot for those looking for the wreck diving rush. "The area is littered with WWII Japanese shipwrecks," says Jackson.

  Our partner in Palawan is Club Paradise, and Dugong Dive Center and Sam’s Tours in Palau, Micronesia.

  For all your travel arrangement check out our dive packages (Blue Horizons)and fly to our destinations with Asian Spirit.

  Our other Philippine-Micronesia Alliance destinations are: Calypso/Pinjalo Dive Resort, Boracay, Philippines, Asia Divers with El Galleon Dive Resort, Puerto Galera, Philippines and Truk Lagoon, Chuuk, Micronesia. The Divers Choice.

  Read more at Forbes Traveler @ http://www.forbestraveler.com/2007/08/07080701_story.html?partner=fp_scuba_spots

  
• As The SHARKS Go Marching On!

  The Sam's Tours SHARKS are now 10 and 1 and holding on tightly to their first place position following their 10th win in a row on Saturday night when they defeated the team from Mason's Hardware. While Mason's team have been struggling all season, and some players may be losing the faith, at least 5 players showed up full of heart and ready to play ball!

  While not the toughly contested battle we faced against the Groupers, the game was by no means a blowout either. Both sides came to play ball and above all else they came to have fun and fun they had!

  Almost everyone on the SHARKS bench got a chance to play and show off their moves. With no substitutes on the sidelines to let them rest, Masons team played their hearts out for four full quarters and showed some great moves too!

  The most predominant "move" from both teams on the court was lots of smiles and friendly "high-fives" when one player outplayed, outsmarted or outscored another! And the SHARK FANS were very much in the game too, with cheers and applause for every player regardless of team, who contributed and made an effort. All in all, it was a great game and a showcase of competitive spirit, mutual respect and excellent sportsmanship.
  Although the SHARKS came out on top, we tip our "fins" in respect to Mason's Hardware team for playing their hearts out! Way to go!

  

  RJ (l) and Anlloyd (r) TOPSCORING SHARKS!

  Congratulations too to the SHARKS as they continue to hold on to their 1st place lead.
  GO SHARKS!

  
• Asia Divers Pro Digital Photo Fest

  Our Alliance Partners over at Asia Divers in Puerto Galera will hold their first annual Asia Divers Pro Digital Photo Fest. June 3-10, 2007 at El Galleon Resort. Old friends and photo pros Mike Veitch, Simon Buxton and Tim Rock will lead the show. For full details and booking, please visit www.divephotofest.com or www.asiadivers.com

  For more information on the Alliance check out these links:

  http://www.alliancediving.com

  http://www.alliancediving.com/blog

  
• Asian Spirit Announces New Flights to Koror, Palau from Cebu, Philippines.
  

  Asian Spirit, a Manila based airline recently announced a new direct service to Palau from Cebu, Philippines, with three flights per week to Koror on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Asian Spirit has been flying to Palau from Davao for almost a year. However due to limited day time arrival slots at Palau International Airport (ROR) because of ongoing airport renovations, Asian Spirit has temporarily suspended their service from Davao which will resume once renovation of the airport in Koror is completed.

  On June 16, Sam’s Tours in conjunction with Kraemer’s Bar & Restaurant, Red Rooster Beer and Asian Spirit Airlines hosted a buffet dinner reception at Sam’s Tours PADI 5-Star National Geographic Dive Center for a group of approximately 60 visitors from Cebu that included dive center owners, travel agents, airline staff, business delegates and other dignitaries. The delegation came to Palau on a Familiarization Tour organized by Asian Spirit and Surangel’s Worldwide Travel Agency, Palau Sales Agent for Asian Spirit. Palau Chamber of Commerce and Belau Tourism Association hosted a welcome reception for the delegation on June 15 at Palau International Coral Reef Center.

  

  !

  

  Rene, the owner and chef from Kraemer’s Restaurant & Bar (renemenz@palaunet.com) and Martul, Manager at Bottom Time Bar & Grill at Sam’s Tours (martul@samstours.com) worked hard together to put on a fantastic spread that included fresh sashimi, local vegetables, grilled fish, pasta, pizza, BBQ ribs and some great desserts. All of the staff at Sam’s Tours pitched in to decorate the dive shop and play host to our guests from Cebu.

  Red Rooster Beer, Palau’s locally brewed draft beer provided a few kegs of their fantastic new beers including Light, Amber and Stout. Red Rooster is available on tap at Kraemer’s and Sam’s Tours! Phil Kelm, Master Brewer was on hand to help us sample the beer!

  Kevin Davidson, professional photographer who runs KD Photo at Sam’s Tours entertained our guests with several selections of his incredible images from Palau, both above the water and below. He also showed some very entertaining video clips which wowed the audience! For photo or camera assistance, contact Kevin at: kwd@palaunet.com

  The following evening June 17, a farewell reception was held at the newly renovated Landmark Marina Hotel (former Marina Hotel).

  

  The new hotel is really beautiful and bears no resemblance to the former Marina Hotel. Impecable food service, great bar, and very nice rooms. Check their website which is due to launch in a few weeks at: www.landmarkmarina.com

  Republic of Palau President, Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. attended the farewell reception, making farewell remarks before mingling and chatting with members of the Cebu delegation. Pictured here is President Remengesau and Sam Scott of Sam's Tours with members of the delegation.

  

  The President was joined by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Billy Kuartei and Senator Surangel Whipps Sr. who are pictured here with members of the delegation.

  

  Asian Spirit offers connecting service from Manila to Cebu with continuing service to Koror. For more information on Asian Spirits service to Palau, contact Sam’s Tours Reservations Desk at: reservations@samstours.com or visit www.asianspirit.com

  Asian Spirit is the newest member of the Philippines-Micronesia Alliance of which Sam’s Tours is a founding member. For great Philippines-Palau island hopping dive packages, please visit www.alliancediving.com

  
• Asian Spirit – New airline service from Cebu to Koror

  Asian Spirit, a Philippines based carrier serving Palau from Manila via Davao, has just announced a new direct service from Cebu to Koror, three times a week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights depart Cebu at 3:45pm and arrive Koror at 6:45pm. Asian Spirit flies daily to Cebu from Manila and their 1:15pm departure from Manila domestic terminal connects through Cebu and then on to Koror. The Davao to Koror schedule is now changed to once a week from Davao, departing at 11:30am, arriving Palau at 2:00pm.

  Baggage allowance is a generous 45 kilos or 100 lbs. which is perfect for scuba divers packing their dive gear around. Asian Spirit Palau service is provided onboard British Aerospace 146 four-engine jet. For more information visit: www.asianspirit.com or www.samstours.com
  Dermot

  

  Asian Spirit BA146
  
• Branson eyed as sponsor for new Earthrace bid

  Picked this up from www.stuff.co.nz

  Sam's Tours and the Royal Belau Yacht Club assisted EARTHRACE during their visit to Palau on their first record attempt. The boat spent 8 days in Palau undergoing engine repairs before departing to Singapore.

  British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson may back New Zealand's Earthrace powerboat in its second bid to break the world record for circumnavigating the globe running on biodiesel.

  For the complete story, visit: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4223215a1823.html

  Here's one of my posts made during their visit:

  04/24/07 @ 05:37
  Sam’s Tours Supports Earthrace World Record Attempt!
  The Earthrace team led by Peter Bethune skipper of the radical “wave-piercing” vessel “Earthrace” is presently in Palau, Micronesia making engine repairs on day forty five of their world record attempt. The race began on the island of Barbados on the other side of the world. Sam’s Tours and the Royal Belau Yacht Club (RBYC) have been supporting the team with meals (and just a few of Palau’s local micro-brewed Red Rooster beers!).

  At a small but lively function last night at Sam’s Tours, official home of the Royal Belau Yacht Club (RBYC), Commodore Sam Scott presented the four Earthrace crew members with Perpetual Honorary RBYC Membership Awards in recognition of their valuable contributions to seamanship and the art of world circumnavigation and for promoting the development of environmentally friendly technologies including bio-diesel. Earthrace is fueled by bio-diesel and hopes to be the first boat to go around the world using this environmentally friendly alternative fuel.

  Earthrace crew on the leg to Palau consisted of Peter Bethune, Skipper; Marty Mead, Engineer; Ryan Heron, Navigator; Joe Grabill, Sponsor.

  Ground support team members Scott Fratcher, Allison Thompson and Lance Wordsworth also received Perpetual Honorary Membership cards and club t-shirts.

  Today while the technical team is poring over the engines one Earthrace, Skipper Peter Bethune and a few of the crew members are taking advantage of the down time to enjoy some of Palau’s spectacular diving which includes visits to the Helmet Wreck and Chandelier Cave in Malakal Harbor. Next stop for Earthrace is Singapore.

  Skipper Peter Bethune and support crew Scott Fratcher spent a generous amount of time explaining the advantages of using bio-diesel and how to produce it to Sam and several other interested boat owners. For more information on Earthrace and bio-diesel fuel log on to www.earthrace.net

  I just spoke to Peter and the crew as they got back from their day trip and they were ecstatic! "Best day of my life" said both Peter and Ryan!... and that from two guys who are half way around the world! Wow! A bit of wreck diving, some cave diving and a little cliff jumping. Check out their blog. I'll have to post my pictures later.

  Dermot Keane
  General Manager
  Sam’s Tours Palau
  www.samstours.com

  For RBYC info: http://www.samstours.com/services-yachtclub.html

  
• CAMBODIA: GDPhotoWorkshop Report

  My good friend Gunther Deichmann just finished up his latest Photo Workshop in Siem Reap, Cambodia, home of the famous temples of Angkor Wat. You may recall I was in Siem Reap with Gunther last May scouting the area for arrangements for his workshop which was held at the beautiful Heritages Suites hotel. His next workshop is scheduled for November 9 - 13, 2007 in Bali, Indonesia.

  For more info on Gunther's Photo Workshops, visit: http://www.gdphotoworkshop.com

  Gunther, an internationally recognized photographer, heads up his own creative company DreamTime, based in Manila, Philippines when not on a shoot or conducting one of his increasingly popular PhotoWorkshops. If you're serious about digital photography whether above or below the water, you'll most certainly benefit from spending time with Gunther. Workshops include tips on mastering Apple's superb image management application Aperture and work flow techniquies to manage the hundreds or even thousands of digital images that may be taken on a shoot.

  A GDPhotoWorkshop is schedulred in PALAU for April 2008, with the exact dates and complete information to be announuced very shortly on this Blog and on Sam's Tours and Gunther's websites. Stay tuned for more info.

  The exclusive PALAU WORKSHOP is limited to only 12 spaces, on a first come first served basis. Advance reservations are already being taken and presently there are only 7 spaces remaining. To make your reservation, please contact Gunther directly at: gunther@gdeichmann.com or e-mail Sam's Tours reservations desk at: reservations@samstours.com. For more info visit GDPhotoWorkshops please visit:

  

  Gunther and Group, Temples, Siem Reap
  

  GDPhotoWorkshop group at Heritage Suites hotel

  Check out Gunthers BLOG posting from Cambodia for a direct link to his Aperture Web Gallery of images from behind the scenes including participants in action, the stunning Heritage Suites Hotel, a Buddhist blessing right at the Hotel for the whole group, and more. Visit: http://homepage.mac.com/gdeichmann/Cambodia%20Workshop/

  

  After the Rain - Copyright G.Deichmann.
  

  Piggyback Ride, Cambodia-style. Copyright G.Deichmann

  Other great links:
  http://www.deichmann-photo.com
  /http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html

  Dermot

  
• Cebu! Cebu! Cebu!

  This will be a long post! Pictures later.

  

  Wow! I just returned from a short but fantastic "educational" trip to Cebu, Philippines courtesy of Asian Spirit Airlines who now fly direct from Cebu to Koror, Palau three times a week. Flight time is about two hours on board Asian Spirits BA-146 4-engine jet which provides a nice quiet ride and landings so smooth it's hard to tell you're even on the ground! The plane seats about 80 passengers and baggage allowance is a generous 2 check in bags per person at up to 50 pounds per bag! For info visit: wwww.asianspirit.com

  

  Asian Spirits BA-146 Jet

  A big thanks to Asian Spirits whole team who did a fantastic job coordinating our 4 (hectic) days of meetings, site visits, receptions, and sightseeing. Thanks Julie, Geraldine and an extra big thanks to Jason Garcia, Asian Spirit Sales Office, Manila! Well done!

  The delegation from Palau that visited Cebu consisted of about 45 persons from government officials that included the President Remengesau's Chief of Staff, Billy Kuartei; Senators Whipps, Diaz and Baules; Minister of Trade and Commerce Otoichi Besebes; and tour operators Dolphins Pacific and Sam's Tours; hotel representatives including Palau Pacific Resort, Palasia Hotel, Rose Garden Resort and airline representatives from Surangel's Worldwide Travel Agency, the General Sales Agent (GSA) in Palau for Asian Spirit.

  My accommodations in Cebu were courtesy of MONTEBELLO VILLA HOTEL, a Spanish-inspired two-storey hacienda-like hotel with beautiful lush gardens. It's located very close to city center, walking distance to Gaisano Mall and a very short taxi ride to SM Mall and Ayala Mall. Accommodations were great, food service wonderful and the staff friendly and helpful. Thanks Montebello!
  For more info visit: http://www.montebellovillahotel.com

  From the moment we arrived in Cebu on Saturday evening until our departure on Tuesday afternoon, our long list of hosts in Cebu showered us with warm friendly greetings, fantastic luncheons and dinners, wonderful entertainment, beautiful gifts and great sight seeing.

  The overall purpose of our trip was to get a quick glimpse of Cebu, make introductions that may lead to future business development, explore Cebu City and her surroundings and hopefully set the stage for expanded trade and commerce with the Province of Cebu and Cebu City itself.

  For Sam's Tours specifically, I was there to make contacts with tour operators, hotels, travel agencies, airlines and other parties that can help us make it easier for divers and other travelers to go island hopping between the Philippines and Palau.

  Sam's Tours is a founding member of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance (www.alliancediving.com), a partnership of quality dive resorts in the Philippines, and Micronesia's Palau, Yap and Truk. The Philippines has some wonderful diving that is often overlooked and is a great place for a relaxing dive vacation. Whalesharks in Moalboal, thresher sharks in Malapasqua, some of the best "macro-diving" around in Puerta Galera, dugongs and turtles in Palawan and lots of strange marine critters in Boracay. Getting to Manila, Philippines is pretty easy whether coming from North America or Europe and with lots of carriers and lots of flights, competition makes for some great airfares.

  Once arrived, traveling within the Philippines is cheap and easy with a great network of regional airports and lots of flights to choose from. Asian Spirit flies to all of our partner destinations and now with direct flights to Palau from Cebu it's never been so easy to island hop over to Palau for our world class diving with legendary big pelagic creatures, sharks and turtles on every dive, and one of the biggest fleets of WWII wrecks in the Pacific.

  If you want to talk island-hopping, try 7,000+ islands in the Philippines, plus 300+ islands in Palau, not to mention the additional islands of Yap and Truk! And add to that the warmth and friendliness of island people, white sandy beaches, warm tropical waters, and some of the greatest marine bio-diversity in the world and you have a tropical paradise and a diving haven that may take you the rest of your life to explore above and below! So what are you waiting for? Go www.alliancediving.com and start checking things out!

  Thanks to Governor Gwen Garcia of Cebu Province who hosted a great banquet for our delegation at the Governors Mansion that included wonderful classical performances and an innovative floor show themed to highlight Cebu's history, culture and commerce! For Cebu info visit: http://www.cebu.gov.ph

  Thanks also to Cebu City Mayor Tomas R. Osmena, who treated us to a wonderful dinner reception at the beautiful Chateau de Busay restaurant high in the hill tops overlooking Cebu. Set in a beautiful garden surroundings with a wonderful open-air dining room, the restaurant offers fabulous views of Cebu at night. Food, service and hospitality were top notch as was true of everywhere we visited. Chateau de Busay, Busay Hills, Lahug, Cebu City, Cebu. Phone: (32)231-2000 Fax: (32) 231-2039.

  Our welcome sea-food buffet reception was held at The Port Seafood Restaurant within the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City (http://www.waterfronthotels.com.ph). We enjoyed a great spread of tiger prawns, scallops, oysters on the half-shell, grilled and baked fish and good selection of salads and side dishes. Very nice indeed! Many thanks to our host Ms. Patria Aurora "Dawnie" B. Roa, Regional Director, Philippine Department of Tourism - Central Visayas. www.visitmyphilippines.com

  

  Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City, Philippines.

  Our farewell reception was courtesy of the HOTEL, RESORT & RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF CEBU, Ms. Aissa A. dela Cruz, Executuve Director and took place at the exquisite Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino on Mactan Islands.
  Once again the food, service and hospitality was excellent. The lobby area of the Waterfront Hotel is a nice quiet place to relax and enjoy a cocktail or some great coffee and wonderful pastries before heading to the Mactan Cebu International Airport just moments away. For info visit: www.waterfronthotels.com.ph

  Okay, this post is already too long! Time to wrap it up. Check back later for more information on Cebu, other hotels such as the fantastic Shangri-La and Scotty's Action Network, THE place for adventure watersports in Cebu.
  Dermot

  
• Congratulations to Palau Pacific Resort, Winner, Asia’s Leading Diving Resort, World Travel Awards 2007.

  Sam’s Tours is very pleased to congratulate the excellent management and staff of Palau Pacific Resort on their recent selection as Asia’s Leading Diving Resort in the prestigious World Travel Awards 2007 which took place in Bangalore, India.

  

  Poolside, Palau Pacific Resort Hotel, Palau, Micronesia. Image:GDeichmann.

  “Sam’s Tours is proud to be associated with PPR where many of our diving customers stay and we congratulate the entire team at PPR on their well deserved award for excellence in service” said Sam Scott, President of Sam’s Tours.

  The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the enormous achievements in all sectors of the global travel industry.
  http://www.worldtravelawards.com

  Palau Pacific Resort, located on the island of Ngerekebesang, Koror overlooks Palau’s western lagoon and is graced with a beautiful white sandy beach and Palau’s most spectacular sunsets. It’s a wonderful place to relax, escape and simply tune out the world. The recent opening of PPR’s Mandara Spa offers a whole new level of vacation experience to an already superb facility. “We highly recommend the Palau Pacific Resort to our customers and we are very proud of their achievements” said Dermot Keane, General Manager, Sam’s Tours. http://www.panpacific.com/Palau

  

  Spectacular Sunsets, Palau Pacific Resort Hotel, Palau, Micronesia. Image:GDeichmann.

  Sam’s Tours offers value-added Hotel-Diving Packages with Palau Pacific Resort which include complimentary roundtrip hotel transfers. Stay with the best and Dive with best! We’ll pick you up and drop you off right at PPR’s dock.

  

  For more information please contact: reservations@samstours.com or visit www.samstours.com
  
• CORAL SPAWING in PALAU!

  I picked this story up thanks to an alert from Gunther Deichmann, professional photographer and Apple certified trainer for Aperture who manages the Philippines-Micronesia Alliance website at www.alliancediving.com His good friend Mr Walter Ty, watchdog for information about amazing natural wonders, scored again! Thanks Walter and Gunther!

  

  Catching corals' spectacular moment
  Courtesy of BBC
  By Andrew Luck-Baker
  BBC Radio 4, Palau

  The coral reefs in the tropical Western Pacific are at the brink of one of the most spectacular and significant nights in their annual life cycle. By the light of April's full moon on Sunday or, quite likely a night or two after, corals will be mating en masse.

  Along the length of the island archipelago that makes up the Republic of Palau, millions of coral colonies will simultaneously release billion upon billion of eggs and sperm into the dark waters. An hour or so after sunset, each spawning coral will discharge showers of sex cells, packaged in orange and pink blobs. They will rise to the surface in such huge numbers that they may form oily slicks metres long. If the sea conditions are right, spawn slicks can coalesce to be large enough to be visible from space.

  For the complete story and photos please go to:
  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7357121.stm

  
• DEADLINE: Shark Trust 2007 Photo Competition!

  Shark Trust 2007 Photo Competition DEADLINE!

  I just picked up this reminder about Shark Trusts “Sharks in Focus” competition from Wet Pixel, the “digital imaging for divers” site at: www.wetpixel.com

  REMINDER:
  You have until 31 August 2007 to submit your entry in to the Shark Trust “Sharks in Focus” Photo Competition. The competition is being run in conjunction with DIVER magazine and has been devised to celebrate the beauty and highlight the vulnerability of sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras.
  
  The contest is open to every underwater photographer, amateur or professional, and images of all types of shark encounter are welcome. There’s no entry fee but a limit of two submissions per entrant. The top photographs will be published in the 2008 Diver Magazine calendar. The Grand Prize includes a trip for two to the Maldives.

  Sponsors include Barefoot Traveler, Suunto, Mares, Ocean Optics, and Fuji Film.

  For more info please visit:
  www.sharktrust.org
  http://www.sharktrust.org/v.asp?level2id=6238&rootid=6238&depth=1

  Save our Sharks!
  Dermot Keane, Sam's Tours Palau
  founder, Palau Shark Sanctuary Fund

  
• DID YOU KNOW? Animals on the Edge - Sharks - Survivors of our Oceans?

  DID YOU KNOW? Is brought to you by the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance, the Divers Choice. We care about our Environment! I just picked this post up from their Blog.

  SOME real facts about Sharks. Do they have a chance at all? Maybe, if we start doing something NOW and not tomorrow. They have been around for millions of years, but for how much longer? Please read below for some interesting facts about these amazing animals,
  yet again another "Living fossil". Why are they on the extinction list? Please read on...You may be really surprised to know...

  Animals on the Edge - Sharks - Survivors of our Oceans?

  

  © Gunther Deichmann, www.deichmann-photo.com A fossilized shark tooth, from my old collection

  BY-CATCH
  Sharks are frequently caught in trawler nets or on longline hooks that are set for tuna or swordfish. Sharks are highly migratory and they often swim in groups that are the same size and age. This can mean that a key part of the population (mature females for example) can be wiped out in one fell swoop. Estimates vary, but bycatch (unwanted catch) accounts for a significant proportion of shark fatalities.

  SHARK FIN SOUP
  Around 100 shark species are deliberately targeted by the fishing industry. Shark fins are highly prized for use in shark fin soup, a high status dish that can sell for £65 a bowl, especially in Asian countries where growing wealth has increased demand. As demand is met, sharks become overfished, fins are harder to come by and the soup is therefore even more of a status symbol.

  Conservationists estimate that about 100 million sharks are caught each year, many of them purely for use in shark fin soup. Hong Kong alone imported the fins of more than 28 million sharks in 1999. The sharks are caught, their fins are cut off and they are then thrown back into the sea where they either bleed to death or drown. Using DNA, it is now possible to identify shark species from their fins, a development which may be significant in monitoring the impact of this trade.

  SHARK MEAT
  Demand for shark meat is booming. It is now possible to buy it in supermarkets in EUROPE, SOUTH AMERICA and the USA. The shortfin mako which is said to provide the best shark meat is classified as lower risk, but vulnerable species such as the porbeagle shark, are also taken. This trend may be indicative of the fact that so many other fish species are declining and that people have been encouraged to eat fish as a healthy alternative to meat. The Food Standards Agency, however, has advised against giving children shark meat to eat because of high levels of methylmercury that can damage the nervous system.

  SHARK SKIN & OIL
  Shark skins can be tanned and used as an alternative to leather (for belts, boots, bags, etc). In theory and on a small scale, this could be a useful by-product of a sustainable and managed fishery. In practice, the impact on shark populations has yet to be assessed or monitored.

  Sharks have traditionally been fished for oil. Squalene is extracted from shark livers and used as a lubricant and in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. It can take up to 3,000 shark livers to produce one tonne of squalene.

  SHARK CARTILAGE
  Sharks are cartilaginous - they have cartilage instead of bone. The cartilage is used in traditional medicines and is sold in powder or capsule form as a cancer treatment. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that it is in any way effective against the disease and the 'medicine' can be very expensive. There may, however, be other benefits in maintaining shark bio-diversity, for example, shark cartilage has also been used in the development of a synthetic skin for burn victims.

  BREEDING AGE
  Sharks have evolved over 450 million years to be among the ocean's top predators. They can take many years to reach sexual maturity, almost 30 years in the case of the sand bank shark. Larger sharks may only produce two young in a breeding cycle and only one of those is likely to survive. Shark species often only breed every other year and some have a long gestation period (up to two years). This low reproductive rate means that depleted shark populations can take a very long time to recover, if they recover at all.

  POLLUTION:
  The health of the ocean environment is important for all marine species (see Eco Top Ten - Marine). Pollution from human activity often ends up in the sea. Sharks are at the top of the food chain so they are likely to have a higher concentration of the toxins that build up in the body fat of their prey. Because human development and subsequent pollution often occurs in coastal areas, important shark nursery areas are also at risk.

  HUNTING
  Although most sharks are indifferent to humans and pose no threat, shark hunting is still a widespread trophy sport.

  Courtesy of the BBC, for more information please go to:
  http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/conservation/sharks/

  
• DIVE ADVENTURES Australia – 2007 Special Group Trips to Palau!

  Former Palau resident Fernanda Fraser who now resides in Australia and works for Dive Adventures, a leading diving holiday specialist, has just informed me of some great Group Specials to Palau being offered by Dive Adventures.

  While these special Group Departures are targeted at dive centers, if you’re an independent traveler Dive Adventures is happy to include you in their group trips so you can take advantage of their wonderful specials. Dive Adventures will customize their packages for non-divers too! There’s a lot more to Palau than just diving! Great snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, cultural tours and tons of WWII history and historical sites!

  So what are you waiting for? Get in touch with Fern today and find out all about her home country Palau and Micronesia! Contact her at: fern@diveadventures.com.au

  Fernanda grew up in Palau and knows the place like the back of her hand having served as a tour guide here for a number of years! Using her “insider knowledge” Fern has helped the team at Dive Adventures put together a top notch Palau itinerary that’s hard to beat.

  

  Fernanda diving in Chandelier Cave, Palau. Photo Kevin Davidson
  

  Fernanda Snorkeling, Palau. By Kevin Davidson.
  

  Fern Kayaking, Palau. By Kevin Davidson
  

  Fernanda with her brother Kabray in Palau.

  Dive Blue Corner, Chandelier Cave and snorkel in Jellyfish Lake! Enjoy FREE Nitrox on every dive! Wait, there’s more! Fern worked us hard on this one and even convinced us to throw in some free locally brewed Red Rooster Draft Beer and even a Sam’s Tours T-Shirt!

  For a complete listing of Dive Adventures 2007 Micronesia trip departures including Palau and Truk Lagoon, visit: http://www.diveadventures.com.au/pages/Group_Dep.htm

  If you’re not from Aus and are interested in visiting Palau, check out www.samstours.com and drop us a note! Hope to see you in Palau soon!

  Dermot

  
• Dive into Asia's Best with FiNS Magazine!

  Our friends at FiNS Magazine have recently revamped their website so check out the third, new-and-improved version of FiNS Online at: http://www.finsonline.com

  FiNSonline.com comes to you from the publishers of FiNS Magazine, whose core mission is to provide up-to-date information about the best destinations, personalities and other topics relating to the recreational dive community in the Asia-Pacific region.

  They've also started a video version of their popular PixTips column in the printed magazine. In the first one, underwater photographer Tony Wu demonstrates TTL.

  FiNS Magazine is owned and operated by dedicated divers. They’re addicted to diving, love the oceans, and practice what they preach, it’s not just a job for them — it’s a way of life.

  Check out http://www.finsonline.com and Dive into Asia's Best with FiNS Magazine!

  Dermot

  
• DIVING FOR LIFE!

  THE DIVE LOG below was recently posted on-line by an avid diver who has spent the last 18 +/- months fighting for his life. He was originally scheduled to make his second visit to Palau for a dive trip in late 2007 but was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma shortly before he was scheduled to head for Palau. Following diagnosis he underwent several rounds of radiation treatment and chemotherapy regimes, enduring months of the tough physical and emotional toll these harsh treatments wreak upon the body.

  Amazingly, this diver refused to cancel his trip to Palau and instead just rescheduled it for later. In the meantime he committed himself to fighting this difficult disease with all his might and set himself a goal of returning to diving and eventually to Palau as originally planned.

  With diving as his motivator for life he suffered through all of the physically and emotionally painful ups and downs that doing battle with cancer can bring. Yet not once did I ever hear him complain or give up though I’m sure he must have wanted to more than once. Instead he sent out regular upbeat reports about his doctor visitors, latest condition, next treatments, hoped for results, steps to follow, and all this framed against the backdrop of his dream to one day return to diving. DIVING GAVE HIM LIFE!

  While it may seem like just another entry in any old dive log, to me it marks a milestone of success in a brave and difficult battle with a dangerous foe and demonstrates the importance of positive-mindedness in all that we do in life. It gives me hope and inspiration.

  DIVE LOG: Cork, Ireland, December 2008.

  "WELL, TODAY WAS THE DAY! I made my first boat dive of the year today and
  boy was it good to be back. We met at Oysterhaven at around 11.15 after allowing for the icy roads and got our gear organised and onto the boat which we then launched.

  First task of the day was to head over to the creek directly across from the slip and give a hand to a local fisherman and his crew to put some ropes under a yacht that sank a few weeks ago. With the good deed done it was off to Bream Rock on a nice crisp day with a flat calm sea.

  We dropped into 5 metres and swam out over the kelp and gradually dropped to 10m where we met our first lobster of the day and a lot of shrimp but no sign of any conger eels. Moving on we dropped to 15 metres in between the rocks and gullies where we saw more lobster, shrimp, crab and numerous other fish and sea urchins. Brightly coloured sponges and anemones and other plant life were also in abundance.

  Keeping the rock on our right we continued through the gullies dropping gradually to 19 metres and at 26 minutes started to profile up and move along in the slight current.

  At 12- 14 metres it was up with the SMBs and start for the surface which we reached at 38 minutes, following our safety stop. Water temp was about 9 degrees and visibility
  was quite good at over 7 metres.

  It was a lovely gentle dive with lots to see and just perfect after being out of the water for so long. Back into Oysterhaven, boat out of the water, out of the dive gear and a nice cup of warming soup and a quick picnic. What a great way to spend a day and being back under water again – JUST BRILLIANT! Boy it’s great to be back!"
  # # #

  I’m proud to say that the diver who made this log entry is also my eldest brother Rory. I hope and pray for his continued health and for the opportunity to welcome him back to Palau in 2009. Hats off to you Rory and Happy New Year! See you soon!

  

  P.S. Special thanks are due to members of the Cork diving community and especially Cork Sub-Aqua Club who rallied around Rory immediately and who continue to give him the support and encouragement he needs to live. They are truly “buddies for life”. Thank you all. Dermot

  
• Diving with living fossils, aliens from the past

  I picked this up from Gunther Deichmann's recent post on www.alliancediving.com. Prior to devoting his life to photography, Gunther's background was Paleontology. His creative company DreamTime serves as Marketing Agent for The Philippines Micronesia Alliance. Visit http://www.alliancediving.com/blog/ for Part 1 of his post.

  Gunther is a Apple Certified Pro Trainer for Aperture. Visit http://gdphotoworkshop.com/ for info on Gunther's increasingly popular Photo Workshops, the next one (Sold Out already) is in Angkor Wat, Cambodia, September 2007. A Workshop is scheduled at Sam's Tours in Palau, April 2008.

  PART TWO of the "Living Fossils". Do we have to go back in time? Actually not!

  

  Ammonite Fossils (Nautilus is closest living relative).Photos: © Gunther Deichmann, http://www.deichmann-photo.com

  What has diving got to do with fossils? Not that much, except we still can find some creatures today who have been around million of years, most have evolved and adapted, they are relatives from the past.

  

  Relatives of Ammonite Fossils.Photos: © Gunther Deichmann, http://www.deichmann-photo.com

  Above are some images of Ammonite fossils with their close relatives of today.
  Where can we find and see them? If your next dive destination is the Pacific, Philippines or Micronesia, just ask your dive guide where to find these critters.

  In Palau, Micronesia check with Sam’s Tours to arrange a Nautilus dive, or right in front of the dive shop you'll find plenty of squid; with Calypso Diving in Boracay you can find squid and octopus at Crocodile Island or take an easy dive right in front of the beach at night, lots of squid and the occasional octopus, but the squid is guaranteed.

  Dugong Dive Center on Club Paradise, Palawan is a great location for cuttlefish at the house reef, check with the local guide for the best time of the year, the mating season, if you hit it right you can be part of this amazing mating ritual surrounded by dozens of cuttlefish at the house reef, right in front of the resort.

  Diving in Puerto Galera is very rewarding, there you get almost all the these critters in the shallow water, no need to go deep, in Sabang Bay you find squid, octopus, cuttlefish and if you lucky even the flamboyant cuttlefish.

  Truk Stop Dive Center in Chuuk, has a lot of octopus hiding in the wrecks from the WWII, just ask your Guide to look out for some.

  For all your travel arrangements check with our Alliance partner Blue Horizons and fly with our partner airline Asian Spirit.

  Don’t forget to bring your camera and share your tale with your friends after the dive, hey, I dove with some “living fossils” today.

  I'll try to bring you more “living fossils or their relatives” in the near feature, point you to the best dive locations within the Pacific, Philippines and Micronesia and if you are an underwater photographer you're sure going to love these locations. Dive with the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance and the “living fossils” or their closest relatives. A haven for underwater photographers.
  www.alliancediving.com .....The Divers Choice.

  

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