Island hopping, dive tours and travel adventure, explore the sea with us.
Breaking NEWS

Environment: The very recent killing of Thresher and dogsharks for squalene, photos of the liver from some 1,000 + dogsharks that were caught. They live at least 2 fathoms deep..

Breaking NEWS... not so nice for a change...WHY? WHY? This article has just been brought to my attention by Lee Goldman from the S.E. Asia Kayak Tours and a member of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance. The Divers Choice.

We CARE ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT.

GD

....although I spend time discussing issues revolving around the tourism in El Nido, the following issue takes supreme precedence as it directly affects concerns both personally, professionally, and globally. This email was forwarded to me by a friend who works in the tourism industry in Donsol.
Lee

Hey Guys
Sorry to depress you with these photos... They were taken in
Donsol, Sorsogon (whale shark habitat), just two weeks ago by my friend Omar. The finned sharks are thresher, hunted by the hundreds...
The pink stuff in the bucket are little pieces of shark liver (from dog sharks) for squalene.
Pictured here are of the liver from some 1,000 + dogsharks that were caught. They live at least 2 fathoms deep...
Please forward this article if you wish...thank you.

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shark3

This is the way the fishermen earn in the off season. They sell it to middle men who bring it to Taiwan and Hong Kong. I’ve seen firsthand the hunting of dog shark and finning in Sorsogon and even Siargao but I am certain in happens everywhere.
What we can DO is raise awareness.
Please forward if you wish
Thanks,
Denise
www.ecorescue.org

shark1


Donsol, Sorsogon, Philippines is known internationally as being an area that attracts some of the largest congregations of whale sharks in the world. Originally hunted for their commercial value, the sharks have recently gained full protection status throughout the Philippines. This was largely due to the world-wide recognition they received from WWF and the incredibly positive response from the tourism industry (both locally and internationally).
Obviously the local fisherman, whom are harshly punished if they pursue Whale sharks, have found another animal to exploit,
Thresher sharks. Unfortunately, this species has the same ‘vulnerable to extinction’ status as their cousins, the Whale shark. Just as unfortunate, they do not have the same protection in Philippine waters. That can change…

Local and international awareness campaigns proved their effectiveness in protecting the whale shark. It can be done with the Thresher sharks as well. Just a bit of education and an economic value larger than what can be provided by fishing them must be provided (the notion that protecting an animal for the sake of protecting biodiversity, especially in third world countries, is not a reality…misguided but true). Fortunately, there is both education and a real economic value already being recognized in other places within the Philippines. On the small island of
Malapascua, Threshers sharks have gained protection due primarily to the recognition that they 'bring-in' more money as a live attraction for SCUBA divers than as a dead animal sold as parts to the neighboring Asian countries. Taking a page from Donsol, local operators developed community based awareness programs and contribute to the community by providing jobs and much needed infrastructure. The results have been positive for both sharks and people. In Donsol, the attention has been on the Whale shark, now help is needed to expand the attitude of protection to other species as well…

Lee Goldman

Lee Goldman, MSc
Marine Biologist
SE Asia Kayak Tours
www.asiakayaktours.com

Wow...no school today... or is it a field trip to the killing fields?A barbaric Dolphin and Whale killing rampage in Denmark…yet another way of educating our Children…letting them help with the slaughter

DID YOU KNOW? Is brought to you by the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance, the Divers Choice.
We care about our Environment!

These images which have been send to me by my friend Mark Cox are almost to graphic and brutal to show on the web... but I feel this has to be brought to the attention of the world...and maybe, but only maybe, we can STOP this brutal killing.

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Wow...no school today...
or is it a field trip to the killing fields?

A Whale of a Killing in Denmark -Truth! & Fiction!

The “Red Sea” blood every where, a barbaric custom from the stone age has just caught my attention.
I don’t care what the excuse is, but now I have just about seen enough, this makes me sick! I have never seen such a brutal way of killing those harmless animals in this part of Europe,
Denmark to be exact, where children helping in the slaughter yet another real “good education” Children even given a day off school so they can participate, Oh Boy...

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To be honest, I am lost for words…the true color (blood red) of our human or not so human behavior, I think our ancestors in the stone age have behaved themselves in a more human way.
See below some links for additional info there you can cast your vote and bring this cruel practice to
a STOP!
GD

Below some excerpts from the articles for more check the links;
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/w/whale-killing-denmark.htm

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/end-whale-dolphin-slaughter-in-the-faroe-islands

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I am lost for words... GD


Courtesy and Excerpts from the articles, all the photos have been send to me with the understanding
that these could be used, and help to stop this barbaric practice. Thank you very much.


Target:
Prime Minister Jóannes Eidesgaard
Sponsored by:
John Koehler

Whales are sensitive, social animals with highly developed nervous systems. They have a profound capacity to suffer distress, terror and pain. Each year, the Faroese kill pilot whales and other small cetaceans.

Islanders in motorboats first drive the whales into a bay. The chase may be lengthy. The exhausted, terrified and confused whales are eventually driven into the shallows. Here the bloodbath begins. The islanders repeatedly hammer 2.2 kg metal gaffs into the living flesh of each whale until the hooks hold. A 15 cm knife is then used to slash through the blubber and flesh to the spinal column. Next the main blood vessels are severed. The blood-stained bay is soon filled with horribly mutilated and dying whales.

The Faroese celebrate the butchery of their victims in an carnival atmosphere of entertainment. Indoctrinated from an early age, children are often given a day off school to watch the fun. They run down to the bay and clamber over the carcasses of slaughtered whales.

Every year around 2,000 whales are driven ashore and cruelly slaughtered in the Faroe Islands, mid-way between the Shetland Islands and Iceland. For centuries the Faroe Islanders have hunted pilot whales, driving entire schools into killing bays, where they are speared or gaffed from boats, dragged ashore and butchered with knives. Although the Islands are a protectorate of Denmark, they have their own Government and regulations governing the pilot whale hunt or "grind" as it is known.

Aside from the fact that the number of North Atlantic long-finned pilot whales is unknown and they are listed as 'strictly protected' by the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, this is an act of barbarism and pointlessness. By slaughtering 100 whales at a time, the Faroese are wiping out entire pods and family groups. They are removing building blocks from the gene pool of the species and damaging the web of life in the North Atlantic and the North Sea.

The drive hunt is a practice abandoned elsewhere many decades ago, and now outlawed by other European states. The inhabitants of the Faroe Islands have no subsistence need for whale meat, and much of the flesh is left to rot and be dumped; it cannot be exported, as it is polluted with heavy metals and other toxins and therefore cannot meet EU heath standards for human food.

According to Faroese legislation it is also permitted to hunt certain species of small cetaceans other than pilot whales. These include: Bottlenose dolphin; Atlantic white-beaked dolphin; Atlantic white-sided dolphin; and Harbour porpoise (There are also specific regulations for the hunting of harbour porpoise. Harbour porpoises are killed with shotguns).

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More good NEWS from the Philippine -Micronesia Alliance...NOW with a Podcast and Movie Gallery on our Blog

You might have also noticed that we have made some change to our Blog Pages...full access to some videos from our destinations are now available on the right hand side: PODCAST AND MOVIES
There is now also a direct access to our Alliance Main Website via the New link top right hand side.
We are constantly updating our Blog and website, stay tuned or subscribe for the latest NEWS , Images and Videos.

Underwater Video Dirk Fahrenbach Palawan PhilippinesDirk Fahrenbach Video Palawan Philippines

Video © Dirk Fahrenbach edited and sound by © GD
Click on the images above and this will take you right to our
NEW Podcast and Movie section.
Please have some patience some of the Clips could take several minutes to download, of course this depends on your connection.
The video has been compressed to fit within the web standards, but Broadband/DSL connection is recommended.

Late Breaking NEWS...finally our updated and improved website is up and running at alliancediving.com the Divers Choice

Finally our NEW and improved website is up and running...more info, a cool Photo Gallery,easier direct bookings with all our Partners, easy to book and choose our dive,travel and adventure packages plus a lot more and all of this in nine languages. You might have to refresh your Browser and update your cache.
Please go ahead and check it out, our domain name is the same except for the facelift...
www.alliancediving.com

NEW Alliance site

You might have to refresh your Browser and update your cache.

Click on the screenshot and go direct to our updated website @
www.alliancediving.com

Late NEWS...Disney Responds Regarding Shark Tournament Involvement in DivePhotoGuide…

In the wake of our coverage of the various shark tournaments and the damage they are creating, both physically to local shark populations as well as perceptually by glorifying the killing of sharks, we identified that Disney has violated their own code of ethics by continuing their involvement in the broadcast of the Quiznos Madfin Shark Tournament on ESPN2… more @
http://www.divephotoguide.com/articles/disney_
responds_regarding_shark_tournament_involvement


This is my response to all the fuzz re. Shark Tournament in Dive PhotoGuide.
We are in full support of DivePhotoGuide; yes it is a big fuzz...
but a downright disgusting one.

Unborn Shark, it's Mother and the Baby got
Murdered!
W BABYSHARK
Photo: © Gunther Deichmann - shark embryo after Mother got killed.
Stop the killing it is Disgusting!

I have read the letter from the Walt Disney Guys…it says nothing!
As mention in my earlier blog this is not the way to educate our children about our environment.
Every living thing has a right to be on this planet, we humans are only infants in geological times, because we are more intelligent (are we?) doesn’t give us the right to wipe out everything…and don’t tell me this is sport…that is… make up the rest of the words.

The big white Hunter…with a trophy on the wall…yes soon there is nothing left out there except on these walls of a very few.

“Dad…what is that…? Son that is a shark…oh, I like to see that one…sorry son you can only see that on MY Wall…Why? Because there are non-left.
Dad why is that…?
OK son, lets change the topic... go out and play with your friends.”
Do I have to say anything else?
Editor PMA
GD

Breaking News...Truk Stop Hotel and Dive Center plus Continental Airlines in Flight Media Associates Fly Away to Chuuk Sweepstakes

Truk Stop Hotel and Dive Center with Continental Airlines in Flight Media... Dive the amazing Wrecks of Truk Lagoon with Truk Lagoon Dive Center. Join the Continental Airlines Sweepstakes now..

Micronesia, Gunther Deichmann,Underwater Photography,Ship Wrecks,Diving,
© Gunther Deichmann - the Wrecks of Truk Lagoon, Chuuk Micronesia,
Dive with our Partner Truk Lagoon Dive Center for more info click this link.

Continental Airlines in Flight Media Associates Fly Away to Chuuk Sweepstakes

2008, at 11:23 am -"One Entry" |   | SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Continental Airlines In Flight Media Associates Fly Away to Chuuk Sweepstakes", url: "http://www.freestufftimes.com/contests/01/continental-airlines-in-flight

http://www.continentalflyaway.com/Prize: (1 winner) Destination Travel Package for winner and one guest to the featured destination of the month, Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia. The prize includes round trip, coach air transportation on Continental Airlines for winner and Guest, (from major airport served by Continental nearest winner’s U.S. residence and the destination as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion) plus hotel accommodations (one room/double occupancy) for four (4) nights at the Truk Stop Hotel. Trip must be taken and completed by August 31, 2009 and is subject to blackout dates, space availability, occupancy limitations and other restrictions may apply. This package cannot be combined with any other offer. This travel package certificate cannot be substituted is not transferable and must be presented upon check-in with proper identification. Average Retail Value (ARV) is $3,000.00. Actual ARV is dependant on available departure cities on the chosen week of travel. The bearer of this travel package certificate is responsible for any difference in price due to reserving any higher priced package, additional travelers, or a fee applied as a result of a change in the reservation, and is responsible for all airline and government departure taxes, incidentals, gratuities, optional travel insurance, personal spending and all other expenses not specifically listed. Trip winner and travel companion must have all necessary identification and/or travel documents required for travel outside the continental United States.

Breaking NEWS...Reef Check International and the Philippines...the Philippine -Micronesia Alliance is in support of this non profit organization...plus a lot more.

BREAKING NEWS...

I
am very proud to announce that the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance is NOW affiliated and in support of the Reef Check-Philippines the local chapter of Reef Check International, a non-profit organization. please read below our very first article from Lee Goldman, Marine Biologist and a member of the Alliance with S.E. Asia Kayak Tours. Very soon we fire up our complete and restructured Alliancediving.com website...amazing what is in store...you just have to stay tuned with The Divers Choice or subscribe to our Blog.
See below the screenshots of the Reef Check brochure soon available as a download on our updated site.
GD

Hi Gunther,
A while back I wrote about an upcoming project concerning the Philippines, the Philippine chapter of an international conservation NGO (Non-Government Organization), and two members of the Alliance.
Well, we’ve finished the details and are ready to announce our project. Reef Check-Philippines is the local chapter of Reef Check International, a non-profit organization that designs coral reef monitoring protocols and conservation action plans. Monitoring our reefs is essential to caring for them, and helps to make assessments on reef health and diversity. Ideally, the best people to monitor the reefs are the people in the community and active divers who not only have a vested interest in the health of world-wide reefs, but interact with them on a regular basis. Reef Check developed their monitoring protocols based on accepted scientific methods, yet made it easily understood by and effective for non-scientific based participants.
Our 10-day expedition will survey the reefs around Puerto Galera and the Verde Islands group. Puerto Galera is known the world over for its amazing diversity and the nearby Verde Islands group continually makes the biodiversity spotlight for its potential to be the center of the center of fish biodiversity within the famed ‘Coral Triangle’. For our base of operations, we chose Alliance partner, Asia Divers and El Galleon Resort in Puerto Galera. Of course, Asia Divers and El Galleon Resort are world class operations themselves offering top quality service, expertise, and professionalism as a PADI 5-star Resort. Pairing the location with an exceptional resort and diving service made for the perfect place to conduct our surveys to gather baseline data for continual monitoring.
This won’t be the first time I thank Allan Nash, Asia Divers, and El Galleon Resort for their interest and help in bringing this expedition together. We hope it is a huge success, as not only will the participants gain valuable skills, have fun, and dive in world-class sites, but the people of Puerto Galera and the Philippines will benefit from this on an exponential level.
The other member of the Alliance? Me, S.E.Asia Kayak Tours. My experience as a marine biologist and expedition leader was the perfect skill-set for the development of this expedition and I will continue to work with Reef Check Philippines on future expeditions around the islands of the Philippines.
For more information, please contact Lee Goldman at lee@asiakayaktours.com
Reef Check Philippines: http://www.reefcheckphilippines.org/

Reef,marine, conservation,international,Philippines,research,Puerto Galera

And the Winner is...Layang Layang, 27 July 2008 - Congratulations to the winners of the Layang Layang Underwater Digital Photo Shootout 2008!

Announcement....just received from Fins Magazine and the Winner is...

Layang Layang, 27 July 2008 - Congratulations to the winners of the
Layang Layang Underwater Digital Photo Shootout 2008!


After six days of friendly competition among 34 competitors from 10 countries, a panel of three internationally acclaimed underwater photographers (Settimio Ciprianni, Stephen Wong and Rod Klein) selected winning images from entries submitted by contest participants.

Each of the participating divers undertook the challenge of creating beautiful and creative images during their dives around Layang Layang, with contest rules permitting everyone to submit up to three images in each of two categories — macro and wide-angle.

Given the world-renowned, rich waters around Layang Layang, as well as the determination and skill of the contest participants, it’s no surprise that Read
more…

Letter from Fins Magazine...

Hi Alan, Tommy, Dermot and Bill
The Layang Layang Underwater Shootout 2008 has already finished. The results have been announced in FiNS Blog already. The feedback about PMA from the event was very good. Most of the participants feel like the three prizes from you are the most attractive. Some of them have just heard of Puerto Galera, Truk and Palau, but never considered to visit there. During the event, divers talked about the prizes, and talked about diving in
Philippines and Micronesia a lot. In my opinion it was quite effective.

And here are the winners of your three prizes:

Puerto Galera by Asia Divers with El Gallean Beach Resort
and Blue Horizon Travel
Ms. Leander Maree Wiseman (Australia)

Palau with Sam's Tours
Mr George Russel Childress (USA)

Truk Lagoon with Truk Lagoon Dive Center
Mr Adam Daniel Butler (UK)

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Press release...Soon the New and completly overhauled Philippine-Micronesia Alliance Website...amazing NEW features for all your Adventure and Dive Travel.

Stay tuned or subscribe for the LATEST NEWS and the long awaited upgrade on our MAIN WEBSITE...

The Philippine-Micronesia Alliance web site is undergoing some major changes...we are working in the background and advise you as soon it is up and running...
We made some fantastic improvements not only for all the Alliance partners but for
YOU the Customer...
Easy to navigate, great Photo Gallery from all or destinations, easy direct and Package bookings with our partner
Blue Horizons Travel plus our new partner S.E. Asia Kayak Tours with packages and information. Real time weather forecast from all our destinations in the Philippines and Micronesia plus a lot more & all of this in nine languages.
When can you see all of this? Well, in approximately 10 days...but dont worry YOU be the first to know.
From the virtual office of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance
The Divers Choice!

W
e are very happy to announce our NEW DIVE and TRAVEL PACKAGES... starting from July 2008.







Australia:Breaking NEWS...Fantastic Photo of a NEW White Whale from Down Under...

This article has just been brought to my attention by no other than our good friend Walter Ty, thanks Walter.

Fantastic Photo of a NEW White Whale from Down Under...

New White Whale spotted...

Courtesy By Alison Feeney-Hart
BBC News, Sydney

Migaloo has become something of a celebrity
A new white humpback has been sighted off Byron Bay on the east coast of Australia.
The newcomer, which was filmed by a television news helicopter, has excited marine scientists who think it may be related to Migaloo - to date, the only known all-white humpback whale.
Migaloo is somewhat of a celebrity down under. Why? "Because as far as we know, he is globally unique," said Professor Peter Harrison from the Whale Research Centre, Southern Cross University.
It now seems that Migaloo, (whose Aboriginal name means "white fellow") might have competition.

Although predominantly white, the new whale does have some black markings near its head and tail. So who is the newcomer?
A white calf was spotted with a normal humpback mother in Byron Bay two years ago. Experts say the new whale could be the offspring of Migaloo but further tests need to be carried out.
A record number of humpbacks have been spotted off the Australian coast this year on their annual migration north to their breeding grounds.
One thing scientists do agree on is that this second white whale has never been seen in these waters before...
more and the amazing photo @
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7519263.stm

New Philippine-Micronesia TRAVEL, DIVE Packages & ADVENTURE TOURS now online... The Divers Choice!

We are very happy to announce our NEW DIVE and TRAVEL PACKAGES... starting from July 2008.





But that’s not all... we also working very hard to give the Alliance Website a total overhaul, this is done in the background and we anticipate to implement this within in the next four weeks.
Some very cool changes are taken place including the announcement of the International Environmental Organisation, you just have to stay tuned for all the up coming NEWS and updates.
GD

Instead bringing children to some gory Shark Tournament...We should educate them that we have 'Only 50 years left' for sea fish' THINK NOW before it is to late.

Instead showing our children the gory Shark cadavers we should remind them if we keep going like this there be nothing left in our Oceans.
Educating in schools is a good start…but not the way it is conducted at the…
Disgusting Montauk Shark Tournament.
A message from the
Philippine-Micronesia Alliance
"We Care About Our Environment" & In support of DivePhotoGuide
GD

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© Gunther Deichmann - for more environment related images go to:
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/environment.html

'Only 50 years left' for sea fish'
By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News website

Natural protection
There will be virtually nothing left to fish from the seas by the middle of the century if current trends continue, according to a major scientific study. Stocks have collapsed in nearly one-third of sea fisheries, and the rate of decline is accelerating.
Writing in the journal Science, the international team of researchers says fishery decline is closely tied to a broader loss of marine biodiversity.
But a greater use of protected areas could safeguard existing stocks. "The way we use the oceans is that we hope and assume there will always be another species to exploit after we've completely gone through the last one," said research leader Boris Worm, from Dalhousie University in Canada.

This century is the last century of wild seafood
Steve Palumbi
Should fish be off the menu?
Send us your comments "What we're highlighting is there is a finite number of stocks; we have gone through one-third, and we are going to get through the rest," he told the BBC News website.

Steve Palumbi, from Stanford University in California, one of the other scientists on the project, added: "Unless we fundamentally change the way we manage all the ocean species together, as working ecosystems, then this century is the last century of wild seafood."

Spanning the seas
This is a vast piece of research, incorporating scientists from many institutions in Europe and the Americas, and drawing on four distinctly different kinds of data.
For the complete article go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6108414.stm



Is this how we educate our Children about our declining SHARK population, Oceans and Environment? Think!

Is this the way we educate our children today?
THINK!

Breaking NEWS!
I have just received this article from DivePhotoGuide...not very nice...it is disgusting!

NOT expectable... is this how we educate our children about Sharks, Oceans and our environment?
See below excerpts from an article by DivePhotoGuide for the complete story and more disgusting images go to:

http://www.divephotoguide.com/articles/
GD

All photos below: Courtesy of Jason Heller and The Humane Society of the United States.


Montauk Shark Tournament Coverage
Author: Jason Heller / June 21, 2008 12:00AM MDT Category: Marine Conservation
Article Tags:
Shark Tournament, Montauk, Star Island, Sharks, Fishing

As most of our readers know, we have previously reported our intended coverage and call to action against the Montauk Shark Tournament and the subsequent death threats we have received. The authorities have been involved, and thank you for those who expressed concern. The local papers even caught wind of the situation. We are serious New Yorkers who are not afraid of standing up for what we believe in.

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Is this education????

Montauk Shark TournamentOn June 14, 2008 we headed out to Montauk, New York to cover the 22nd annual Montauk Shark Tournament at the Star Island Yacht Club. Montauk is located in the Hamptons (although technically not a “Hampton” at the end of Long Island, about a 3 hour drive from New York City. It’s actually a quaint, laid back and beautiful beach getaway for New Yorkers that I’ve visited for many years. I’ve known about the Montauk shark fishing tournament for years, but never understood the scale and gravity of the event prior to being contacted by the Humane Society of America. This is arguably the largest shark tournament in the US, rivaled possibly only by the Oak Bluffs tournament held in Martha’s Vineyard. In 2007 the Humane Society successfully shut down another large American shark tournament in Destin Florida. During the 2006 event, a mutilated Hammerhead shark was put on display as children watched in horror.

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The board of directors of the Destin shark tournament were shamed by the negative publicity generated by the Humane Society, Star Island Yacht Clubjournalists, and other concerned citizens. As they say, an image is worth a thousand words, and thankfully the Destin tournament ceased to exist. The organizers of the Montauk shark tournament must have taken this fact to heart, and confronted all the photographers shooting the event and threatened to remove us from the event because it was in fact held on private property. Remember the old adage “any publicity is good publicity”? Well, apparently not for shark tournaments.

http://www.divephotoguide.com/articles/




Matt Weiss from DivePhotoGuide an Update from Southeast Asia... including the Philippines with Dugong Dive Center and Asia Divers

Matt Weiss from DivePhotoGuide landed in Singapore...had a good connection and send out his first report read the whole article @
http://www.divephotoguide.com/articles/matt_1

Matt Weiss: An Update From Southeast Asia
Author: Jason Heller / June 19, 2008 12:00AM MDT Category: Photo
Matt Weiss, Indonesia,
Philppines, Puerto Galera, Palawan, Asia Divers, Fathoms, Aqua Marine, Bali, Assignment, Southeast Asia, El Galeon, Dugong Dive Center, Cluba Paradise, Coral Triangle
Note from Jason: Matt Weiss has been trotting around Southeast Asia on an extended assignment for DPG, visiting some of the most bio-diverse areas in Indonesia, Philppines and Malaysia. Internet access has been an issue but he finally as had a chance to check in from a quick stop in Singapore...

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From the Philippines...© Matt Weiss - DivePhotoGuide

Regards from Singapore!


I finally have a pretty good internet connection so here's an update on my experiences so far...go to DivePhotoGuide for the complete article @
http://www.divephotoguide.com/articles/matt_1