Late News! I have picked this up from our Alliance Partner in Puerto Galera, Philippines, no other than Asia Divers with El Galleon, well done Guys.

© Gunther Deichmann - composite image
Global Warming & Save Our Planet.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Earth Day 2008 at Asia Divers! check this link http://asiadivers.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much to those who jumped in to “splash for trash” this past weekend. There was good and bad news for this year’s event. The bad was that the trash bags came back a wee bit empty; the good news was the trash bags came back a wee bit empty!! We hope this means that people are considering the environment more and throwing less into the water.
You can make a difference throughout the year by doing 2 simple things:

1) Consider your actions every day to minimize your eco footprint on our ocean planet.

2) Always inspire other divers to be responsible eco tourists.

It is our world, our water, our choice – thanks for getting involved.

Tags: Environment, Dive Center, The DIVERS CHOICE, Puerto Galera, PHILIPPINES, Earth Day

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

Thanks again to Walter Ty for bringing this story about the Parrotfish to my attention, within the next day or so we have a major announcement coming your way, real cool news, so please stay tuned or subscribe to our Alliance Blog.
A reminder for those folks who read our Blogs in Europe, if you travel to the World Travel Market Show in London, check out our Alliance Team from Blue Horizons, Jeremy and Alex will be around, real cool Guys who can answer all your questions regarding diving in the tropics in the Philippines and Micronesia, they understand island hopping and can help you to choose your ultimate dive vacation.

Parrotfish to aid reef repair
By Rebecca Morelle
Courtesy of BBC News

A vividly coloured fish could be the key to saving the Caribbean's coral reefs from plummeting into terminal decline, scientists claim.
Their research forecasts that reefs risk being damaged beyond repair by the influx of seaweed.
But urgent action such as protecting parrotfish, which graze upon the floral invaders, may prevent the ecosystems from reaching this tipping point.
The research is published in the journal Nature.
You can push a reef so far and then it becomes extremely difficult for a reef to recover Professor Peter Mumby, a marine ecologist from Exeter University
and lead author of the paper, said: "We are seeing more and more coral reefs becoming just overgrown with seaweed."
Reefs in the Caribbean are among some of the most heavily affected. They are rapidly transforming from coral-dominated domains into algal-flooded havens.
The seaweed growth is boosted by human activity, such as fertilizers washing off from agricultural land into the coastal waters, and over-fishing, Professor Mumby explained.
"Then to compound these problems you have the climate stresses that are more and more inevitable now, which cause major problems with warming waters and hurricanes," he added......
.....read the whole story with photos at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7069933.stm

__________________________________

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

I am leaving this evening for Palau to be part of the big celebration at Sam's Tours New Grand Opening, please see my previous Blog "Congratulations to Sam's Tours" I give you a full report upon my return next week, hopefully with some fun images from the event, so just stay tuned, please read on below our latest story on Did You know... about Galleons, shipwrecks....
GD

Big business of deep-sea treasure hunters
By Kathryn Westcott
BBC News

The interception of the treasure-hunt ship off the coast of Gibraltar is the latest broadside in a tense battle between a US-based salvage company and the Kingdom of Spain over an unidentified shipwreck and the ownership of its rich haul of gold and silver coins.

Odyssey Explorer. Copyright Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc.
Odyssey says Spain had blockaded its Explorer salvage vessel
On Tuesday, patrol boats from Spain's maritime police intercepted the 76m Odyssey Explorer, owned by underwater salvage firm Odyssey Marine International, three miles off the coast of Gibraltar. It was escorted to the Spanish port of Algeciras.

Spain's Civil Guard has been keeping a close eye on the company's vessel since a Spanish judge ordered that it be detained and searched if it left port in Gibraltar.
The company says its recovery vessel has been effectively blockaded since the ruling in June. Spain believes it could provide clues to the identity and location of the wreck that yielded half-a-million colonial era silver and gold coins.
It suspects that a Spanish galleon is being secretly plundered - or that the wreck lies in Spanish waters.
Odyssey Marine Explorations - which became the most famous deep water treasure hunting company when it announced the discovery last May - says it is keeping the location of the wreck secret, to protect the site from looters.
All it is saying is that the wreck - codenamed Black Swan - is somewhere in the Atlantic.

Photo: © Gunther Deichmann, not a Galleon, but a divers dream to discover and
explore the ships from our past, this image was taken deep inside a wreck in
Truk Lagoon, note the skull, dive with the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance and you
might discover your Galleon or just explore the past.
A reminder, please do not remove any parts or artifacts from any
wrecks in Truk or Palau, there are heavy fines for removing anything for
souvenirs, lets keep it there for other to enjoy too.
GD

Galleon graveyard

The haul, which has an estimated value of $500m, is now at a secret location in Florida, where Odyssey is based.

The 'Black Swan' haul: Copyright Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc
Greg Stemm with the Black Swan haul at a secret location in the US
A court in the state is currently considering motions filed by the company and by Spain concerning the ownership of the booty.
Treasure hunters have long dreamed of discovering hauls of gold and silver in the western Mediterranean. The area, is a graveyard of French, Spanish and British galleons and warships sunk by storms and pirates during Spain's long dominance of the sea.
Once the domain of schoolboy fantasies, the hunt for treasure on the deep ocean floor has become big business for companies like Odyssey. And the company's recent listing on the Nasdaq indicates that it is a business that investors are prepared to take seriously.
Odyssey has several shipwreck projects in various stages of development around the world, but its involvement with the Spanish goes back almost a decade.

RULES OF THE WAVES
Seas and oceans governed by UN Laws of the Sea
Ownership of sunken property in international waters governed by the law of salvage and the law of finds
Law of salvage: If property is owned, those finding it are entitled to compensation for their salvage efforts
Law of finds: Salvor is entitled to all reclaimed property if it is proved to be abandoned
Spain insists it retains rights to all its sunken treasure
Odyssey intends its haul to be dealt with under US federal law, where previous judgements have sometimes granted exclusive rights to salvors
"Odyssey has had an excellent working relationship with the Spanish Government for many years," Greg Stemm, co-founder of Odyssey Marine Exploration told the BBC News website.

"We have always respected Spain's interest in its maritime heritage and have therefore consistently communicated our activities to Spain."
The relationship has soured over the past few months. In July, another of Odyssey's vessels was stopped and forcibly boarded as it tried to leave Gibraltar. A computer was confiscated.
The company told the BBC News website that it intends to seek compensation from Spain for revenues lost because of the kingdom's intervention in its activities.

British warship

The battle over the Black Swan treasure is now jeopardising another more lucrative project: the salvage of a British warship that Odyssey believes it has discovered in the western Mediterranean.
The British Government is collaborating with Odyssey to recover the warship, thought to be the HMS Sussex, which went down in a storm off Gibraltar in the Mediterranean Sea in 1694.

According to the Council for British Archaeology, it was on its way to provide British financial support to the Duke of Savoy during the war against Louis XIV. The council says she was believed to have been carrying bullion, which is estimated by some experts to be worth some £2.5bn today.
The warship apparently lies in waters that Britain and Gibraltar claim are international but that Spain claims as its own.
Diplomatic talks resulted in an agreement being reached with Spain earlier this year but the project appears is on hold.
A spokeswoman from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office told the BBC News website that the "on-going court case between Spain and Odyssey should be resolved first."
It is anyone's guess how long this will take.
This will no doubt please archaeologists - including the Council for British Archaeology - who were enraged by the deal.
Experts describe such activities as commercial treasure hunting under the guise of archaeology, arguing that a dangerous precedent would be set allowing private firms to profit from historic wrecks.

Technology

And in Spain, Odyssey's activities have been painted as modern-day piracy.
The company acknowledges that its primary concerns are commercial but it also has a mission statement that sets out how it also wants to do good archaeology.
It maintains that it works to the highest of standards, employing experts and archaeologists.
Zeus Neil Dobson/Odyssey Marine Exploration
The eight-tonne robot Zeus can reach depths of up to 2,500 metres
"Our contract with the United Kingdom sets an excellent example of how such a collaboration between the public and private sector can produce excellent archaeological work," says Mr Stemm.
And he says that the model - the first of its kind with a government - could be extended to other countries, including Spain.
Odyssey undertakes multi-million-dollar operations, deploying sophisticated deep-sea technology and robotics to scour the ocean beds.
On board the Marine Explorer, for example, is a $4m underwater robot Zeus, which deploys an array of brilliant strobe lights and cameras as it carefully picks through debris at depths of up to 2,500m.
The company's first major salvage venture was in 2003 when it discovered the SS Republic, a Civil War side-wheel steamer that sank off the Florida coast in 1865 and some $75m (£37m) worth of coins.

Odyssey has now filed finders-keepers' claims with a court in Tampa, Florida US on the Black Swan and two other shipwrecks.
But Spain is challenging these arguing that the company is withholding crucial information. It is also claiming a right to share the treasure.

Jim Goold, a maritime lawyer in Washington representing the Spanish government, told the BBC News website that the implications of the case are huge in a era when cutting -edge technology is bringing new gravesites to light.
"Here you have a situation in which a US company is apparently systematically working in the Mediterranean, the English Channel and off the coast of Spain, taking cultural heritage without authorisation and then whisking it to the US and steadfastly refusing to reveal to the concerned governments what it has been doing," he said.

Odyssey says the Black Swan recovery was conducted in conformity with Salvage Law and the Law of the Sea Convention, beyond the territorial waters of legal jurisdiction of any country.
It expects to reap a substantial salvage award regardless of who claims the treasure.

RULES OF THE WAVES
Seas and oceans governed by UN Laws of the Sea
Ownership of sunken property in international waters governed by the law of salvage and the law of finds
Law of salvage: If property is owned, those finding it are entitled to compensation for their salvage efforts
Law of finds: Salvor is entitled to all reclaimed property if it is proved to be abandoned
Spain insists it retains rights to all its sunken treasure
Odyssey intends its haul to be dealt with under US federal law, where previous judgements have sometimes granted exclusive rights to salvors

Courtesy of the BBC for more information and images please go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7037192.stm

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

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 million of years, but for how much longer, please read below some interesting facts about these amazing animals,
yet again another "Living fossil". Why are they on the extinction list? Please read on...You be really surprised to know...

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

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

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 and 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/

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


© Concept and Photo Gunther Deichmann

Ice melt raises passage tension
By David Shukman
BBC science and environment correspondent, Canadian Arctic

Less ice makes it easier to get at the Arctic's resources
In another sign of potential friction in the warming Arctic, Canada has warned that it will step up patrols of the Northwest Passage.
Record summer melting of sea-ice has made the passage fully navigable; and immediately escalated a dispute over who controls the route.
Canada maintains the waterway that connects the Atlantic with the Pacific lies within its territorial waters.
It has backed that up with plans for a new military base in the Arctic.
However, the United States, and other countries claim international rights to use the route for shipping.
Big melt
In an interview with BBC News, the head of the Canadian Coast Guard, George Da Pont, said: "Our view is that it's our territorial waters and that we govern it accordingly. Obviously the Americans and some European countries have different views.
"I assume at some point in time they'll get settled but we're pretty confident that they're Canadian territorial waters and that we should be regulating and asserting our control over them as we would over any other part of our territorial water.
"It's critical, it's part of our history; like any country it's important to assert your control over your country and your territorial waters."
His statement comes as polar experts are still reeling from the dramatic loss of Arctic ice this summer.
The Canadian Ice Service was among the organisations monitoring the retreat and its director, Doug Bancroft, told the BBC that he was "stunned" that this extent of melting had not been expected for decades.
"It just seemed as if it wasn't going to stop. Normally, towards the end of August, the beginning of September, the melting slows down and stops and we get ready for the coming fall and the refreezing during the winter. But it just kept on going and the concern was, 'Well when is it going to stop this year?' - and ultimately when it did stop, it shattered all previous records."
Research cruise
On Monday, the Canadian Coast Guard is preparing to send one its research vessels, the Amundsen, through the Northwest Passage with about 40 scientists on board.
Equipped with a remotely operated robot submarine and a sonar system, the ship will undertake a detailed survey of the sea-bed - essential if the waterway is to become more open to commercial shipping.

'Northwest Passage opens'
Sailing the passage
Researchers on board also hope to study the changing patterns of the ice - not only the ice that grows and retreats with the seasons but also the far thicker multi-year ice which drifts with the Arctic currents and poses the most serious threat to any vessels.

A British team on board will study the sediment on the sea-bed to hunt for a chemical record of changes in the ice stretching back for the past thousand years - a vital task to help understand the likely rate of change in the future.
BBC News will join the ship for its journey through the Northwest Passage. The route is at - or beyond - the limits of satellite coverage but the plan is to provide regular updates wherever possible. For more information please check out the link below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7033498.stm
Courtesy BBC

My final note, congratulations to Al Gore for receiving the
Nobel Peace Prize, at least there is someone out there with
influence who cares and can make the difference.

GD

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

Million of years later... 

Here is a very interesting article from our good friend and supporter Tony Wu (Fins Magazine), I guess you going to wonder what these fossils have to do with the digital age, actually NOTHING but this is the general idea, we like to bring you all sorts of different information now and then, of course some how marine related.
Today for our underwater photographers cool info from Tony, please read on below and check out the link for the whole story, for information on the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance please click here: http://www.alliancediving.com The Divers Choice


© Tony Wu

Going digital definitely has a lot of merits. Immediate feedback, being able to shoot more than 36 frames at a time, being able to make duplicate/ back-up copies immediately, and having the ability to edit work on-the-spot rank at the top of my list.
Nothing in life, however, comes for free.
If there’s been one major drawback of going digital for me, it has to be the fact that in addition to being a good photographer, you’ve got to become a software and image-processing expert too. Back in the film days, basically a slide was either good or bad. I kept the good ones, threw away the bad ones. End of story.
Over the past few years, with the switch to digital format, I’ve had to experiment with all sorts of software…some good, some bad…and I think I’ve finally begun to reach the point where I have a workflow that I’m comfortable with. Before I spell out the software I use, please read on at: http://www.tonywublog.com/20071009/digital-workflow.html

A Green Turtle resting on a beach in the Philippines,
Photo © Gunther Deichmann, for the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance

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

We dont like to talk always how good our dive operation and resorts are, we try to keep you also up to date with some interesting stories and the latest news. Things which happen million of years ago and still effect us today, environment and conservation issues not only from our partner destinations but from around the world. Local and special events from the Pacific and Philippine region including the latest from Micronesia. We have started recently with stories about fossils - "living fossils" and we will continue with the sea's past, millions of years ago, please read on below and check out the links about this huge Turtle from our past.


Archelon

This giant turtle could live to 100 years old, possibly thanks to taking long sleeps on the seabed
For more on sea monsters and our living past please check out the link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/dinosaurs/seamonsters/

Type: Reptile
Size: 4.6m
Diet: Omnivorous
Predators: Mosasaurs and sharks
Lived: Late Cretaceous, 75-65 million years ago

Archelon was a slow mover and found most of its food drifting near the sea surface. It had little need to dive deep except when hibernating on the seabed. It was an omnivorous grazer, sweeping up drifting fish, jellyfish and dead carrion as well as plants. Its sharp, powerful beak could break open shelled animals such as ammonites.

Archelon's huge flippers suggest it was a long distance swimmer happiest in the open ocean. It would never be alone, as its huge size attracted a squadron of hangers-on such as juvenile fish as well as barnacles and parasites. Archelon couldn't withdraw its head or flippers inside its bony shell for protection so, despite its size, it was an easy target for large predators.

Like modern turtles, it laid eggs by burying them in sandy beaches under cover of darkness. Its nearest living relative is the world's largest turtle, the leatherback.

Courtesy of the BBC

I have just came across this incredible article from Wetpixels, you need to see the images to believe it, very cool, here is the direct link:
http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/albino-whale-shark-photographed-in-ecuador/

This information has been brought to you by the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance.
The Divers Choice.

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Now in 9 languages: English, German, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Italian, French , Spanish and soon in Polish.
Covering the Pacific, China Sea, Philippine Sea and Micronesia.

Your passion is diving, ours is service.

I have just received this very interesting article from our good friend Walter Ty, thanks again Walter.
Below is a Photo of one of my Fossils which I still have in my collection from way back, a fossilized fish from the German Town of Solenhofen a very famous place for Fossils in the world. This is for our divers who like to see what some of the fish looked like million of years ago. The story and images are brought to you by the
Philippine-Micronesia Alliance The Divers Choice.

From the family-Leptoleptis spratiformis- Photo: © Gunther Deichmann

Baby dinosaurs unearthed in China

The animals ranged in age – but were all under four
The fossilised remains of six infant dinosaurs that died in a volcanic mudflow have been found in China.
Researchers say the animals were less than four years old, and probably formed a "creche" composed of babies from at least two different clutches.
The Psittacosaurus discovery indicates the animals had started forming social groups much earlier than previously thought, the scientists add. The 120-million-year-old fossils are reported in the journal Palaeontology.Research on the herd was led by Dr Paul Barrett, from London's Natural History Museum.
He says the specimens are spectacularly well preserved and together offer a unique insight into the behaviour of the Psittacosaurus, which sported a parrot-like beak.

"What [this find] shows is that these animals actually lived in small groups and not only did they live in groups but those groups were made up of individuals from different sets of clutches," Dr Barrett explained.

"So, one animal came along and laid a set of eggs somewhere, another one laid another set somewhere else - and individuals from each of those clutches came together to form a herd and that's the first time that we have good evidence of herding behaviour in these early dinosaurs," he told BBC News.
The small Psittacosaurus had a parrot-like beak
It is this evidence of herding in Psittacosaurus that convinces Dr Barrett that the dinosaur was an inherently social creature; and that the horns that came later in its more flamboyant descendent, the iconic Triceratops, probably evolved for mating rituals rather than as a defence to butt away predators such as T. Rex.

"It's a very similar argument to that which has been proposed for looking at the evolution of things like horns and antlers in living mammals," he said. "Although they are sometimes used for warding off predators, the main reason they're there is actually for display and for helping recognise each other."
The Psittacosaurus herd was excavated from the Yixian Formation in northeast China. These are the same beds that have yielded the famous "feathered dinosaurs".

To view the images please go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7005430.stm

Paul Barrett worked with Zhao Qi of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and David A Eberth of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Canada.

I picked up these blogs from Dermot Keane, GM of Sam's Tours,
a member of the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance and our partner in Palau,
very interesting reading, please see below.


Koror State Bans Shark Feeding!

Koror, Palau, Micronesia

In a continued crackdown on destructive practices with respect to Palau's sharks, Koror State Government has announced a new law banning the feeding of sharks in the waters of Koror State, which is home to Palau's most popular and world famous dive sites including Blue Corner, Ngemelis Wall, Turtle Cove, German Channel and more.

Koror State Director of Conservation and Law Enforcement, Mr. Adalbert Eledui announced the ban which was recently adopted following complaints by members of Belau Tourism Association about unscrupulous local tour operators feeding and or chumming for sharks at local dive sites including Blue Corner and popular tourist beach areas including Ngermeaus Beach.
Director Adalbert Eledui, Koror State Law Enforcement & Conservation. Photo - D. Keane

Sam's Tours fully supports Koror State's ban on shark-feeding as it not only endangers divers and snorkelers in the water but also interferes with the sharks natural survival behaviors.

One of the beauties in diving in Palau is that it's almost guaranteed to see sharks on every dive! There is no need to feed sharks in Palau. Koror State Government is to be complimented for their continued excellent stewardship of the pristine and sensitive habitats within their waters including the famous rock islands, Jellyfish Lake, and the many world class dive sites.
Dermot
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Permalink 02:57:28 am, by samstour Email , 320 words, 6 views English (US)
Categories: Announcements


The Best Resource for Survivor? You decide!

I'm not much of a TV watcher including the SURVIVOR show but as the word spreads we're getting peppered with questions about the second Survivor Palau show that is about to begin shooting. We're happy to have Survivor back in Palau and wish them a successful shoot which includes making sure that what goes on in Survivor Palau II, is kept as a surprise for fans of the show. So for sure, Sam's Tours is not gonna be the "best resource for Survivor" info but there's no shortage of sites that are willing to take those honors.

If you're looking for cool pictures of Palau and lots of information about diving, snorkeling, sailing, kayaking, WWII history tours and more, places to stay, where to eat, and other things to do, be sure to spend time on our site at: http://www.samstours.com

For some awesome aerials and topside shots of Palau check out: http://www.photoshelter.com/c/gdeichmann

A quick Google Search for SURVIVOR will set you well on the way to finding more Survivor info that you'll know what to do with. Below are a few sites I found.

Have Fun!
Dermot

For the latest official information about CBS Survivor Show, visit the official network site at: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor14

Check out the "We are not CBS" site at http://www.survivor.com for the things that "CBS doesn't talk about."

Check out the site that bills themselves as the "Best Resource for Survivor" at http://www.survivorfever.net There's info on past shows, late-breaking news and other links about the CBS Reality TV Series "Survivor", including info on all of the past or soon to be aired shows as follows:
Survivor 15 - China
Survivor 14 - Fiji
Survivor 13 - Cook Islands
Survivor 12 - Panama
Survivor 11 - Guatemala
Survivor 10 - Palau
Survivor 9 - Vanuatu
Survivor 8 - All Stars
Survivor 7 - Pearl Islands
Survivor 6 - Amazon
Survivor 5 - Thailand
Survivor 4 - Marquesas
Survivor 3 - Africa
Survivor 2 - Australia
Survivor 1 - Borneo
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Permalink 12:33:39 am, by samstour Email , 368 words, 4 views English (US)
Categories: Announcements

Promoting Sea Turtle Conservation in the Republic of Palau
Marine Turtle Conservation Program - Palau
Palau Bureau of Marine Resources

On Friday, September 21, 2007 Sam’s Tours is hosting a Launch Party for an innovative “Turtle Friendly Business” sticker campaign which is intended to improve the conservation of Palau’s sea turtles. The program is a cooperative effort by the Palau Marine Turtle Conservation & Monitoring Program, the Palau Bureau of Marine Resources and the Belau Art Gallery and will take place at Sam’s Tours dive center, in Malakal, on Friday evening, September 21, at 7:00pm. The purpose of the event is to launch a promotional campaign for those businesses that support sea turtle conservation by not selling products made from these endangered animals.

In Palau, sea turtles are part of the dive and snorkel experience that brings tourists and millions of dollars to these islands. Sea turtles are threatened by over-harvesting, habitat destruction, coastal development, nest poaching, disease, pollution, and off-shore fisheries impacts. Hawksbill and green turtles, Palau’s most frequently harvested turtle species, are listed as critically endangered and vulnerable, respectively, according to the World Conservation Union.

These animals are a shared resource in the Pacific. Two green turtles have been tracked with satellite transmitters from Palau to Indonesia. Tag recapture studies have shown that turtles from Palau migrate to the Philippines and Indonesia. Turtles that nested in Yap and Sonsorol have been recaptured in the main islands of Palau. Responsibility for sea turtle management must also be shared. Collaborative efforts between the private sector and the government will help to improve the status of these critically endangered and vulnerable species. The commercial sale of turtle products in Palau does not align with Palau’s reputation for being a leader in conservation in the Pacific.

Businesses supporting this campaign will show their support for sea turtle conservation in the Republic of Palau and raise awareness of these charismatic and culturally important animals by displaying the "Turtle Friendly Business" sticker at their premises.
"Turtle Friendly" Sticker designed by artist Michael Glinski of Belau Art Gallery, www.belauartgallery.com. E-mail: countglinski@yahoo.com

For more information about the program, please contact Ms. Sarah Klain and Joshua Eberdong, Marine Turtle Conservation & Monitoring Program Coordinator at: at: s.klain@gmail.com

Dermot

As promised, here are the gory images from the very recent event re. shark finning in the waters of Palau, thanks to the Palau Government which has stepped up the patrolling of its waters and we might see less and less of this disgusting way of butchering our sharks. Hope you have the stomach for these images,
total madness.
All images have been taken by: © Christopher L. Hale, from Palau.

Thank you Christopher for sharing these images with the world and I hope they contribute in stopping this practice and the slurping of shark fin soup. The Philippine-Micronesia Alliance and Gunther Deichmann are staunch supporters, we are against shark fin soup, if we dont eat it, then maybe this madness will stop, hope it is not to late.
Please see our previous blog/post with all the details and links below, on this gory story and images.







This is disgusting!
When will this madness stop!

I have picked up this blog post from Dermot Keane, GM of Sam’s Tours and Founder of the Palau Shark Sanctuary, Palau Micronesia. I dont get it, Why,Why!!!
The soup suppose to taste like nothing, NO, I have never tried it and never will, stop slurping down the Soup, Sharks have evolved over million of years, another "living fossil" and they have as much right to be here than you and me. Think!
GD

SHARK FINNING in Palau, Micronesia…the slaughter continues!

Apologies in advance for the long post. I’ll post some (shocking) pictures shortly, Dermot Keane.

Just last week around August 15, yet another Taiwanese fishing vessel, F/V Sheng Yi Hsing, was arrested in Palau for having illegally taken sharks on board. The vessel was arrested following a coordinated enforcement operation conducted by the Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Australia and the United States Navy. The illegal catch consisted of approximately 94 shark carcasses, 10 shark heads and around 650 shark fins.

This is not the first time that Taiwanese vessels have been caught illegally fishing for sharks in Palau’s waters. It was going on as far back as 1995 when I first visited Palau as a tourist, and I’m sure for an even longer time before that! It is what inspired me in November 2001, to found the Palau Shark Sanctuary Fund to try to tackle the problem and I continue to this day to work towards ending this frightfully destructive and criminal practice.

In 2004, Palau received international recognition from the SHARKPROJECT for adopting some of the toughest anti-shark finning laws passed by any nation, probably until this present moment. This came about following the public burning of illegally captured fins by Palau’s President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. as a symbol of his tremendous outrage at such bold and wanton destruction of Palau’s natural resources.

To read the whole story please go to: http://www.samstours.com/blog

Again thanks to my source Walter Ty, I mention the Dolphin in my earlier blog, very interesting reading. Plus Orchids from the dinos time , a very interesting discovery.
GD
Rare dolphin 'sighted' in China

Yangtze river dolphin
An extensive survey in 2006 failed to find any sign of the baiji
The critically endangered Yangtze River dolphin, or baiji, has been sighted in eastern China, Chinese media report.
Scientists had recently declared that the baiji was probably extinct.
An international team of researchers spent six weeks looking for the creature last year without a single sighting.
But earlier this month the baiji was spotted and filmed by a local man, and confirmed by Chinese biologists, says official Xinhua news agency.
"I never saw such a big thing in the water before so I filmed it," Zeng Yujiang from Anhui Province told Xinhua.
"It was about 1,000 metres away and jumped out of the water several times."

To read the whole story with photos please click the link below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6969226.stm

Orchids date to time of the dinos

The bee was found in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic
Ancient orchid pollen found attached to a bee trapped in amber suggests the "supermodels of the plant world" were blooming at the time of the dinosaurs.
The discovery indicates that orchids arose between 76 and 84 million years ago, making them far older than experts had previously thought.
Experts used the fossil pollen grains to estimate the ages of major branches of orchids living today.
Details of the research by a team in the US are published in Nature journal.
Despite being the most diverse plant group on Earth, orchids are rare finds in the fossil record.
The authors of the Nature paper describe a mass of orchid pollen found stuck to the body of an extinct bee that lived 15-20 million years ago.
The remains of the bee were trapped and preserved in amber from the Dominican Republic.
For more details on this story and photos please click this link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6969301.stm

I have just found these articles at DivePhotoGuide.com a strong supporter on environmental related issues and supporter of the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance,
who's members are very active in the conservation and preservation of our marine environment, please check out these truly amazing stories, some of which are weird and strange but also sad. These are all marine related stories and if you a diver you find this very interesting reading without getting wet.
Direct links are provided below each story, for more detail info.

Weird Deep-Sea Creatures Found in Atlantic, you have to see these ones, real cool images!
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/08



Priceless Egyptian Whale Fossil Destroyed, the sad one.
August 27, 2007 - Scienceblogs.com
"Whale Valley officials have informed the authorities that people from two diplomatic corps vehicles destroyed the fossil," the source told AFP after the destruction was discovered around 150 kilometres (95 miles) south of Cairo. Two cars drove into the protected area on Friday and then refused to stop when asked to do so by wardens who nevertheless got the vehicles' registration numbers which the source said were from "a European country." "The damage is more than 10 million dollars," the source said. The site, known as Wadi Hitan (Whale Valley), was home to whales around 40 million years ago when the area was ocean. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to hundreds of of whale fossils...
More http://scienceblogs.com/afarensis/2007/08/27/


Rare Japanese Dugong Threatened By U.S. Military. Base, the worry some.
August 26, 2007 - Nationalgeographic.com
The rare Okinawa dugong has been classified as "critically endangered" on Japan's Ministry of the Environment Red List, the Japanese equivalent to the U.S. government's endangered species list, officials announced this month. About 100,000 dugongs—relatives of the manatees—live in the coastal waters of the South Pacific and Indian oceans. The Okinawa dugong is the northernmost population, and scientists believe only about 50 remain. Environmental groups say the dugong's addition to the Red List is long overdue and expressed hope that the new designation will come with stronger actions to protect the marine mammals... More http://news.nationalgeographic.com/

It is disgusting!
When will this madness stop!

I have picked up this blog post from Dermot Keane, GM of Sam’s Tours and Founder of the Palau Shark Sanctuary, Palau Micronesia. I dont get it, Why,Why!!!
The soup suppose to taste like nothing, NO, I have never tried it and never will, stop slurping down the Soup, Sharks have evolved over million of years, another "living fossil" and they have as much right to be here than you and me. Think!
GD

SHARK FINNING in Palau, Micronesia…the slaughter continues!

Apologies in advance for the long post. I’ll post some (shocking) pictures shortly, Dermot Keane.

Just last week around August 15, yet another Taiwanese fishing vessel, F/V Sheng Yi Hsing, was arrested in Palau for having illegally taken sharks on board. The vessel was arrested following a coordinated enforcement operation conducted by the Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Australia and the United States Navy. The illegal catch consisted of approximately 94 shark carcasses, 10 shark heads and around 650 shark fins.

This is not the first time that Taiwanese vessels have been caught illegally fishing for sharks in Palau’s waters. It was going on as far back as 1995 when I first visited Palau as a tourist, and I’m sure for an even longer time before that! It is what inspired me in November 2001, to found the Palau Shark Sanctuary Fund to try to tackle the problem and I continue to this day to work towards ending this frightfully destructive and criminal practice.

In 2004, Palau received international recognition from the SHARKPROJECT for adopting some of the toughest anti-shark finning laws passed by any nation, probably until this present moment. This came about following the public burning of illegally captured fins by Palau’s President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. as a symbol of his tremendous outrage at such bold and wanton destruction of Palau’s natural resources.

To read the whole story please go to: http://www.samstours.com/blog

Dermot Keane and Sam Scott from Sam’s Tours showing the media what is happen
to confiscated shark fins, they getting burned! Photos courtesy of Sam’s Tours July 2002.

Photos: © Gunther Deichmann, http://www.deichmann-photo.com
Part two of the "living fossils". Do we have to go back in time? Actually not!

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.
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 you dive guide where to find these critters.

In Palau, Micronesia check with Sam’s Tours, arrange a Nautilus dive, or right in front of the dive shop you find plenty of squid, with Calypso Diving in Boracay, you can find some 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 IIWW, 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 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 an underwater photographer you sure going to love these locations. Dive with the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance and the “living fossils” or their closest relatives. A heaven for underwater photographers.
The Divers Choice.

The fossil sea spider has been brought to my attention by no other than Walter Ty, my constant supplier of Interesting news, again thank you Walter, we do appreciate this.

Before you read the whole story on the provided link, here is some information referring to the two images below, as you all know my background is Paleontology.
Image on the left: I have found this Ammonite some 40 odd years ago digging for Fossils near the German Town of Goslar, it is dated back to the Jurassic period some 160 million years ago.
The image on the right is a close relative of the Ammonite, the Nautilus that I photographed in Palau about four years ago; it is the surviving member from this cephalopod family.
If you ever have the urge to go “back in time” talk to Dermot Keane or Sam Scott from Sam’s Tours in Palau, they can make arrangement for a Nautilus dive, to bring you closer to one of the few and true living fossils. Contact Sam’s Tours at: www.samstours.com

Sam's Tours is one of the founding Members of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance, the Divers Choice in the Philippines, Asia-Pacific and Micronesia,providing divers with the ultimate in dive travel in this truly unique region with it's superb marine bio-diversity including the living fossil the Nautilus. Our Dive centers and resorts are fully equipped for your under water photography needs, photo work shops by professional marine biologists and photographers will be announced on our website and blogs shortly. We guide you, explain the marine life and make sure that you have a basic understanding of the workflow after the shoot with Aperture, Photoshop and iLife.
How to publish your images to the web and expose them to the world, but most of all, we like you to improve your Photography, take better images and having fun doing it, so stay tuned or subscribe to our blog for the latest NEWS.


Left: An Ammonite, 160 million years ago.
Right: 4 years ago in Palau, at the "Big Drop off",
a Nautilus, the "living fossil."
Photos: © Gunther Deichmann
for more images by GD please go to: http://www.deichmann-photo.com
to find out about his GDPhotoWorkshop just click this link.
Gunther is a Apple Certified Pro Trainer for Aperture

Fossil sea spiders thrill experts
The fossils from France are 160 million years old
A cache of exceptionally well-preserved fossil sea spiders have been described for the first time.
The eight-legged marine animals, which are known as pycnogonids, are only distantly related to land spiders.

The stunning specimens were discovered in 160 million-year-old fossil beds at La Voulte-sur-Rhone, near Lyon in south-eastern France.
Details of the finds are published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Sea spiders are still with us today; scientists have described about 1,300 species of pycnogonid. They are characterised by eight extremely long legs and a prominent mouthpart.

While they may resemble land spiders, the pycnogonids form a distinct biological group.

Writing in Proceedings B, Sylvain Charbonnier from the University of Lyon, France, and colleagues say the new fossils fill a 400 million-year gap in our knowledge of these enigmatic creatures.

The team identified 70 sea spiders from three distinct species in rock slabs from the Jurassic La Voulte Lagerstatte. A Lagerstatte is a sedimentary rock bed rich in fossils or containing well-preserved specimens.

"This Lagerstatte is very important because during Jurassic times the water here was about 200m deep," Mr Charbonnier told the BBC News website.

Many other Lagerstatten from the Mesozoic - the era of the geological time when the dinosaurs walked the Earth - were formed from lagoons or relatively shallow bodies of water. This means that La Voulte Lagerstatte preserved many fossil creatures not found elsewhere.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/6948161.stm

Just received this very interesting info about our coral reefs, please read the whole story the link is below for the whole story, another environmental message from the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance. The Divers Choice. We do care!

Photo: © Gunther Deichmann

Swifter decline for coral reefs
Coral reef, AP
The Indo-Pacific region contains 75% of the world's coral reefs
Coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian oceans are disappearing faster than had previously been thought, a scientific study has shown.

Nearly 1,554 sq km (600 sq miles) of reef have disappeared each year since the 1960s - twice the speed at which rainforest is being lost.

The corals are vanishing at a rate of 1% per year, a decline that has begun decades earlier than expected.

Read the whole story at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6936634.stm

Is it really coming to this NOW??? Please read on below and check out the whole story, this Environmental info is brought to you by the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance, the environmental friendly divers and resort, in the Philippines and Micronesia. The Divers Choice. We care!

Rare river dolphin 'now extinct'

Yangtze river dolphin (Image: Stephen Leatherwood)
An extensive survey of its habitat failed to find any sign of the baiji
A freshwater dolphin found only in China is now "likely to be extinct", a team of scientists has concluded.

The researchers failed to spot any Yangtze river dolphins, also known as baijis, during an extensive six-week survey of the mammals' habitat.

The team, writing in Biology Letters journal, blamed unregulated fishing as the main reason behind their demise.
If confirmed, it would be the first extinction of a large vertebrate for over 50 years.

Read the whole story at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6935343.stm

A friend of mine, who knows my interest in Fossils send me this amazing article/link, thanks to Walter Ty.


Fisherman catches 'living fossil'
Scientists are examining the Indonesian catch.

An extremely rare "living fossil" caught by a fisherman in Indonesia is being examined by scientists.

The 1.3m-long (4.3ft), 50kg (110lb) coelacanth is only the second ever to have been captured in Asia and has been described as a "significant find".
Read the whole story and photos @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6925784.stm

** Fisherman catches 'living fossil' **
A "living fossil" fish caught by a fisherman off the coast of Indonesia is examined by scientists.

BBC NEWS website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6925784.stm

Photo: © Gunther Deichmann
Unborn Shark, it's Mother and Baby got
Murdered!
Stop the killing and say no to Shark fin soup, it is Disgusting.
Sharks are NOT man-eaters, it is us who eat and destroy them.

Just received this info/letter from our friend and supporter DivePhotoGuide Jason Heller please read on or get all the info @
http://www.divephotoguide.com/discovery_shark_week.php

The Philippine - Micronesia Alliance
is supporting this letter and all our Alliance partners and dive resorts are very concerned about our Environment,
we dive responsible. The Divers Choice.
G.D.
For those of you have not seen this yet, please feel free to post it. It is a formal
response from the world’s foremost shark scientists, researchers and conservationists
regarding this year’s Shark Week content. If you support shark conservation, please
consider posting or publishing it.
http://www.divephotoguide.com/discovery_shark_week.php
 

Hi friends,

please have a look at this disgusting Killing of Dolphins,
lets do something about that, it is Murder just like the Sharks!
A message from the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance.

Check this Link and movie, You going to cry!
http://www.glumbert.com/media/dolphin

And then sign here:

http://www.petitiononline.com/golfinho/petition.html

Cheers Gunther



Baby Shark and Mother got killed! Why????????