PADI Diving Society and TY Sawyer are headed for Palau in September 2010

Alii (Hello) Everyone!
The
PADI Diving Society and TY Sawyer are headed for Palau in September
2010. Yes, PALAU!
PADI Travel Network along with
hosts
Sam's Tours
and
Palau Royal Resort are set for this awesome
event
September
15-24, 2010. Sam's and Palau Royal are known for their Five Star
service and attention to
detail
, you will not be
disappointed.
Palau, the eighth marine wonder
of the world is known for its world-class diving, including famous
sites like Blue Corner, German Channel and Ulong Channel.
Experience drift diving over spectacular walls, explore WWII wrecks
and amazing close encounters with exotic marine life. In September
2009 Palau was named the world's first Shark Sanctuary so you'll
see plenty of
these magnificent creatures
first-hand. Palau's wonders
are not just limited to the sea
- the breathtaking Rock
Islands are a sight worth
traveling for and a snorkeling
trip to famous Jellyfish Lake
will show you that not all jellyfish are created
equal.
Pricing starts at $2250 US per
person for eight nights accommodations, five days of three tank
boat dives, three meals daily, free enriched air, and much
more.
And with all the Society
shenanigans you can handle
(aka, parties, contests, prizes
and your loyal staff!)
you wont want to miss this
week. I hope you'll
consider joining us in Palau
and discover where the rainbow truly ends.
If you want more information,
Karin Sahm is standing-by to answer all of your travel questions.
Email Karin or give her a call at 800
736-7021, ext. 165.
Of course, you can
email me
or call 800 729
7234 or
+1 949 858 7234, ext. 2322, as
well.
Hope to see you all in
Palau!
Kind
regards,
Theresa Kaplan
(formerly
Gulledge)
Manager, PADI Diving Society
We're taking a big break from diving here... a surface interval so to speak! This workshop is targeted at photographers...not divers.
June 18 - 25, 2010
GD Photo Workshop in Palau
@ Sam's Tours

Click this Link or the Image above for
Testimonials from previous Workshops...
We're taking a big break from diving
here ..... a surface interval so to speak! This workshop is
targeted at photographers...... not divers or underwater
photographers, but those photographers who wish to explore Palau's
topside secrets with a master of lens and light, Gunther Deichmann.
Gunther has just returned from a whirlwind of exotic travel that
included Cambodia, Nepal and India where he conducted his highly
acclaimed workshops. While Gunther has been to Palau and other
islands of Micronesia many times...this will be the first workshop
he's conducted here since launching the program more than three
years ago.
For more info
contact Sam's Tours @
http://samstourspalau.blogspot.com/
Sam's Tours: Join PADI Diving Society for nine adventurous days and eight magcial nights in Palau
Join Us. See Life. In Palau.
A PADI Diving Society Event; 15 - 24 September
2010

Photo Courtesy © Gunther
Deichmann
Join PADI Diving Society for nine adventurous days and eight
magical nights in Palau at the Palau Royal Resort.
You'll enjoy five days of three-tank boat diving with PADI Five
Star Dive Center Sam's Tours.
When
you arrive, you'll be welcomed with traditional leis and a welcome
basket from Sam's Tours. Plus, a welcome pak filled with PADI
Diving Society goodies. Over the next nine days you'll be treated
to some of the world's best diving, an opening night
celebration complete with traditional dancers and war canoes,
parties, contests, prizes, and special guests, including Sport
Diver's Ty Sawyer. Read
more @
Join Us. See Life. In
Palau.
LATE NEWS: Shark Savers' "Thank you to Palau" book presented to Palauan President Toribiong
Shark Savers' "Thank you to Palau"
book presented to Palauan President Toribiong

Photo: Copyright PALAU
HORIZON;
Courtesy www.sharksanctuary.com
You
may recall that Shark Savers fielded two petitions regarding Palau.
The first one opposed a bad shark fishing law and the second one
thanked Palau for subsequently protecting sharks by creating the
National Shark Sanctuary. We created a book consisting of your
signatures and comments for presentation to President Toribiong.
Today, our book was presented to the President on our behalf by our
friend, Dermot Keane of the Palau Shark Sanctuary.
Here is Dermot's report: Read the complete article @
Shark Savers' "Thank you to Palau" book presented to
Palauan President Toribiong
Late News: Tiny Palau has warned the world ...TV report on Palau Shark Sanctuary
Tiny
Palau has warned the world...
TV report on Palau Shark
Sanctuary just in...
Tiny
Palau has warned the world it will protect its natural resources,
but with only one patrol boat, can the shark sanctuary ever be
enforced?
Dateline video journalist
David O’Shea takes
his first ever scuba dive and plunges into the controversy over
saving the ocean’s top predator. read more
Click this LINK or
the Image above.
Watch our report and
take a look at our
photo gallery of behind
the scenes photos and underwater pictures from David's
story.
In support of the Palau Shark Sanctuary
&
Sam's
Tours
Sam's Tours Palau Micronesia at the Duesseldorf Boat Show 2010 Germany
Sam’s Tours Palau at the
Duesseldorf
Boat Show 2010 in Germany.
www.samstours.com
Sam's Tours participates in the Q Divers stand for
the first time. We joined the Quality Divers network at the last
BOOT Show and attended the Birmingham Dive Show in late Oct 2009 as
our first show with QD. This is our first BOOT. Traffic at
the show was quite good with lots of interested shoppers who seemed
serious about traveling and ready to buy.
Sam's Tours is also participating at the Palau - Yap Booth with
other Palau operators including NECO MARINE and Palau Pacific
Resort.


As always, the Stemmer Family is there in full force to support
Sam's Tours with Kristina staffing the Palau Booth for Sam's Tours
and mom Gisela covering the Quality Divers stand, while dad Bernd
attends the BOOT representing China Airlines who offers direct
service from Frankfurt to Taipei, with connecting service to Koror,
Palau 4 times per week.starting at 990 EU in economy
class.

Dermot Keane GM from Sam’s Tours and Vicktor at the
Sam’s Tours Booth in Germany
Sam's Tours good friend, sculptor Vicktor stopped by the booth.
Vicktors granite sculpture of Hans and Lotti Haas will be unveiled
at the show this week and then go to Vienna for display.
http://www.vuam.net/
Presently Vicktors "Legends of the Sea" collection is on display at
GOOGLE'S HQ in Cupertino, CA.
Vicktor has dived in Palau with Sam's Tours
His Pioneers and Heroes collection includes Valerie Taylor, Jacques
Cousteau, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Stan Waterman
http://www.vuam.net/pioners_and_heroes.html
http://www.vuam.net/education.html
Vicktor the sculptor www.VUAM.net
Happy New Year from the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance...we look forward to your next visit. Happy Diving in 2010
Happy
New Year from all the Alliance partners have a
fantastic 2010 and some great scuba
diving.
Happy Holidays... have some great diving with us in
2010!
A very
happy New Year -
prost Neujahr -
bonne année -
onnellista uutta vuotta -
gelukkig Nieuwjaar -
ath bhliain faoi mhaise -
selamat tahun baru -
godt nytt år -
szczliwego nowego roku -
feliz ano novo -
gott nytt år manigong bagong taon -
sawatdii pimaï -
kung hé fat tsoi - xin nian kuai le / xin nian hao
-
godt nytår -
eutichismenos o kainourgios chronos -
felice anno nuovo, buon anno -
S novim godom -
sreno novo leto -
Cung Chúc Tân Xuân
yeni
yiliniz kutlu olsun
Let the fun begin Kids... Sam's Tours hosting Palau Kids Sea Camp another first for Palau!
PALAU
KIDS
SEA
CAMP
@
SAM’S TOURS
LET
THE
FUN
BEGIN....

©
Gunther Deichmann -
discover
the magic of Palau
THE
PALAU KIDS SEA CAMP has
started... just in from Palau; fun and education for Children
another first for Palau and Sam’s Tours, locally sponsored by
Continental Airlines, Palau Royal Resort and Sea Passion Hotel
& of course Sam’s Tours our Partner in the Philippine
Micronesia Alliance.
This is another first for Palau the first one being the
Shark Sanctuary...not
only is Palau a Shark Sanctuary but now contributing to Childrens
education... learning about our environment while having real
fun.
Special thanks to all the International sponsors:
Sport Diver
Magazine - PADI Diving Society - PADI Project Aware - SCUBAPRO -
Uwatec
UK Underwater
Kinetics - Sea Life Camera - DAN Divers Alert
Network.
Good luck to all Kids and adults who
have joined this fun trip to Palau...
have lots of fun and be good.
Due to this international event we have provided an
additional
Photo Gallery just click this LINK.
Further more we try to update you in the coming days on all of the
activities from one of Natures best kept secrets...PALAU.
Please Note: all Photos in the Gallery
and
on this Page are © and courtesy by: Sam’s Tours, Nick
Martorano, Margo and please forgive me if I have forgotten some
one.


EXECUTIVE BRIEFING - FINAL
Kids Sea Camp –
Palau:
November 22 – 28,
2009, Koror, Palau
Local Sponsors:
Sam’s Tours
Palau Royal Resort
Sea Passion Hotel
Continental Airlines
International
Sponsors:
Sport Diver Magazine
PADI Diving Society
PADI Project Aware
SCUBAPRO - Uwatec
UK Underwater Kinetics
Sea Life Camera
DAN Divers Alert Network

Click thisLINK & go to the Special created Gallery for more
Photos
or Click on the Images.
About Kids Sea Camp: www.kidsseacamp.com
Kids Sea Camp was founded in 2001 by Ms. Margo Peyton, a scuba
diver and mother of two children. Kids Sea Camp now visits over 8
countries around the world and is a two time Emmy Award winning
prestigious program coveted by top diving destinations. Kids Sea
Camps are hosted by PADI 5-Star Dive Centers in exotic destinations
that include Bahamas, Bonaire, Belize, Costa Rica, Fiji, Grand
Cayman, Galapagos, and now Palau!
Kids Sea Camp is a fun-filled vacation for families who love the
ocean and promotes greater awareness of the marine environment with
a strong focus on conservation. During Kids Sea Camp, students
enjoy multiple educational activities teaching them new and fun
things about the oceans in both classroom environment and hands-on
programs.
There are approximately twenty families attending Kids Sea Camp
Palau, mostly from the United States. All participants will stay at
the Palau Royal Resort hotel while educational activities and
evening programs will take place at Sea Passion Hotel.

Click thisLINK & go to the Special created Gallery
for more Photos
or Click on the Images.

Children will attend daily marine educational programs, based on
their age groups, which include learning to snorkel and scuba dive.
Dive certified adults and teens will enjoy snorkeling and diving on
Palau’s world renowned outer reefs. SEEDS OF PROMISE, a Palau
non-profit group, will conduct the educational activities and
programs for children. Evenings will be spent together as families
with themed entertainment following dinner.
Sam’s Tours is very pleased to have secured this much
sought-after event for Palau with over twenty families attending
the very first Kids Sea Camp to be held this side of the globe. We
are also happy to report that we have secured Kids Sea Camp for
Palau again in 2010, and expect more than fifty families to
participate in an expanded program.
Kids Sea Camp - Principals
& VIPS
EXECUTIVE BRIEFING UPDATED
EFFECTIVE 11/22/09 – FINAL
Kids Sea Camp – VIP Attendee List
Margo
Peyton: Founder Kids Sea Camp
Margo, who began diving in 1989 and is a PADI Dive
Master with thousands of logged dives, founded Kids Sea Camp in
2001. She is also a photographer and an artist who works with local
schools providing marine oriented educational presentations. Margo
contributes to Oceans for Youth, Ocean Pals, Sea of Tomorrow, Ocean
Wishes and many other charities, donating, proceeds, trips and art
work for silent Auctions where proceeds go to her favorite
charities. She has won two Emmy Awards for her
educational programming.
In 2009, Margo was inducted into the prestigious Women
Divers Hall of Fame, an international not-for-profit
organization established to recognize the elite and outstanding
women divers whose achievements have enriched the worldwide scuba
diving community. Margo resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida after
moving from the Cayman Islands.
Ron G. Steven “Rogest”: Marine
Artist
Ron Stevens is a renowned marine artist, dive
instructor, and North American Group representative for Mike Ball
Expeditions Australia. Ron has worked with Kids Sea Camp since
2003, sharing his interests in painting, poetry, song and dance
with kids and adults alike. Ron’s work has been featured in
many diving and marine environment magazines.
For more information visit: www.rogest.com
Ms. Carolyn Pascal: Publisher,
Bonnier Corp www.sportdiver.com
Sport Diver
Magazine
Scuba Diving Magazine
Mr. Jerry Beatty Associate Publisher
Dive Training
Magazine
Palau Shark Sanctuary & a Hero’s Welcome for Palau President Johnson Toribiong
KOROR, PALAU, 9/28/2009, 7:45 p.m.
A
Hero’s Welcome for Palau President Johnson Toribiong
who
has just arrived back from the United Nations in New York
where
he declared the Worlds fist Shark Sanctuary in
Palau.

Welcome Home and thank you Mr. President!
Palau
President H.E. Johnson Toribiong arrived home moments ago to a
hero’s welcome at Koror International Airport, Palau. The
founder of Palau Shark Sanctuary, Dermot Keane, Managing Director
of Palau dive shop Sam’s Tours, was on hand to greet the
President and thanked him for declaring Palau a Shark
Sanctuary.
The large welcome committee included grateful
members of the Palauan community who greeted President Toribiong
with flower leis and loud applause upon his arrival. Palauans are
understandably proud of their President who declared Palau as a
Shark Sanctuary during his recent address to the United Nations,
General Assembly, on Friday, September 25, 2009.

A warm welcome from Dermot Keane from the Palau Shark Sanctuary to
President
Toribiong upon his arrival only a few hours ago at the Palau
international Airport.
Despite his long journey from
Washington D.C. to Palau, the President was clearly moved by the
warm reception and graciously thanked everyone for showing up to
welcome him. Palau Shark Sanctuary once again thanks and admires
President Toribiong for his landmark declaration of Palau as a
Shark Sanctuary.
Palau Shark Sanctuary was founded in 2001 with a
goal of securing a declaration by Palau that the waters of their
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are a Shark
Sanctuary.
For more information visit: www.sharksanctuary.com
or
www.sharksanctuary.blogspot.com
Environment: Sam's Tours a Pioneer in the protection of Sharks in Palau Micronesia
Palau pioneers 'shark sanctuary'

For the latest news on Palau's Shark Sanctuary, a World first, go
to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8272508.stm
We are proud that Dermot Keane the GM from Sam's Tours is the
Founder and driving force behing the
Shark Sanctuary in Palau.
Sam's Tours very strong supporter of Palau's environment and the
protection of Sharks world wide.
Sam's Tours
is also a founding member of the Philippine - Micronesia
Alliance
www.alliancediving.com
Environmental NEWS from Palau, a world first towards the conservation and protection of Sharks
Environmental NEWS from Palau, a world first towards the conservation and protection of Sharks. We are proud to be associated with the Shark-sanctuary in Palau.
Breaking News and a
breakthrough in Conservation
from Palau Micronesia! Palau Does Care!
© Gunther Deichmann - aerial over the
famous 70 islands in Palau.
for more images on Palau please visit the
PhotoShelter Gallery at:
Marine Life
and other Palau images
Palau President Toribiong has announced
only a few hours ago at the UN in New York that Palau is the
first
WORLD SHARK SANCTUARY ! This is a milestone in the conservation
and preservation of Sharks in Palau, setting an example for the
rest of the World. More information and updates as they become
available soon.
The original
message:
Just been advised that Palau
President Johnson Toribiong will announce in 30 minutes at the UN
Conference in New York that Palau is the first WORLD SHARK
SANCTUARY !!!!!!!!!!!

© Gunther Deichmann - aerial over the
famous 70 islands in Palau, for more
images on Palau please visit the PhotoShelter Gallery at:
Marine Life
and other Palau images
Excerpts from the announcement by President
Johnson Toribiong;
As
many as 100 million sharks are killed each year around the
world."These creatures are being slaughtered and are perhaps at the
brink of extinction unless we take positive action to protect
them," said President Toribiong.
Other related LINKS:
http://www.palautours.com/
http://www.palautours.com/blog.html
http://www.sharksanctuary.com/index.html
http://sharksanctuary.blogspot.com/
http://www.samstours.com/
Exclusive from Palau Micronesia...the Magic of these islands...
Exclusive Travel Report: Palau or better known as the Pearls of the Pacific. Natures Kaleidoscope below and above the waves.
01/09/09 18:15 Filed in: Palau Articles | International Articles | Environment
Natures Kaleidoscope below and above the waves. Photographs... The Pearls of the Pacific...
Read the complete story and check out the Photos
from Palau in Micronesia...the place is awesome. CLICK THIS
LINK

© Gunther Deichmann - the Magic of
Palau
Kids Sea Camp (KSC) the very first to be held in Palau, sponsors including PADI, SPORT DIVER MAGAZINE, SCUBAPRO and DAN. 2009
Latest News and info on the Kids Sea Camp
PALAU 2009!
Please
follow the links below for the latest updates on the very first
Kids Sea Camp (KSC) to be held in Palau.
Sam's Tours is the host
tour operator for Kids Sea Camp Palau with accommodations provided by
Palau Royal
Resort. The program is limited
to 50 persons on this inaugural year.
Kids Sea Camp is an award winning educational program for children
and is supported by major sponsors including PADI, SPORT DIVER MAGAZINE,
SCUBAPRO and DAN.

KSC is a
very important and prestigious event for Palau and one that Sam's
Tours should be very proud to have been selected to host. Top dive
destinations go to great lengths and compete heavily to be selected
as KSC destinations and it is no small feat to have been chosen as
a KSC destination. Other KSC host destinations include Grand
Bahama, Grand Cayman, Bonaire, Curacao, Costa Rica, Galapagos,
Roatan, Fiji, and now finally PALAU!
More information is forthcoming and in the meantime, please visit
the URL's below and familiarize yourself with Kids Sea Camp PALAU
2009 and start speading the word!
http://www.kidsseacamp.com/
http://kidsseacamp.com/palau/palauhomepage.html
http://kidsseacamp.com/palau/palaudivesams.html
http://kidsseacamp.com/palau/palauresort.html
Dermot Keane,
GM Sam’s Tours Palau
Sam's Tours Scuba Diving Kids are coming to Palau Micronesia

© Gunther
Deichmann -
It is never to early...learn how to dive.
We have
picked up this post from Sam’s Tours Palau, see below the
details.
Monday, May 11,
2009
Late Breaking News! KIDS SEA
CAMP coming to Palau!
We’re delighted to report that Sam’s Tours has been
selected to host the very first KIDS SEA CAMP (KSC) in Palau slated
for this November. Kids Sea Camp is an award-winning educational
vacation program for families that love the ocean.
Kids Sea Camp PALAU 2009: November 21 – 28, 2009.
Kids Sea Camp is the brain child of Margo Peyton, a scuba diver
since 1989. This Scuba mom with husband Tom, two kids of her own,
Jen and Robbie, decided it was important for her family to spend
time together doing what she loved the most, scuba diving &
travel.
Kids Sea Camp is a full week's schedule of events and educational
programs that promises great times and learning experiences for
families with kids age 4-15. Each week includes 7 nights
accommodations, diving, meals, excursions, activities for both
adults and kids including, diving, snorkeling and many PADI
Specialty courses.
KSC is hosted at PADI 5 Star Dive Resorts around the world which
include Cayman Islands, Bonaire, Roatan, Fiji, Curacao, Galapagos
and now in PALAU! Sam’s Tours and Palau Royal Resort, a Nikko
Hotels International partner http://www.palau-royal-resort.com/
are teamed up to host this exciting
event. Space is limited so get in touch with Sam’s Tours
right away if you’d like to participate.
Families can spend a week scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming,
kayaking, discovering underwater photography, meeting other
families and making friends from all around the world. Kids Sea
Camp is the perfect family vacation for those that love to
scuba!
Sam’s
Tours PADI Five Star National Geographic Dive Center
is proud to have been selected to
host Palau’s very first Kids Sea Camp and we are already in
full swing planning an exciting action-packed week of fun in the
sun!
For more information on Kids Sea Camp please visit
http://kidsseacamp.com/ although details of the Palau Kids Sea may
not be posted yet.
For bookings please contact: kids@kidsseacamp.com or e-mail Sam’s Tours Reservations Desk
at: reservations@samstours.com
Kids Sea Camp PALAU 2009: November 21 – 28,
2009.
Palau! A Report by Jem Kemp continous...Three of us were lucky enough to dive at Blue Corner and it really is as good as people say. In fact it’s better still!
Jem
Kemp from Blue
Horizons Travel reports... his Journey continous in
Palau Micronesia... Diving and Touring the Rock Islands with
Sam’s Tours.
For those
who have not yet dived or spent time with Sam’s
Tours here is some
information on how it all works:
Sam Scott, Dermot Keane and the team have established themselves as
one of the regions most highly regarded Dive Operators –
check their excellent website for the awards. Sam’s is
located on Malakal Island which is connected by a short road bridge
to Koror. It is within walking distance of the Palau Royal Resort,
West Plaza Hotel and, critically, very near to Kramer’s
restaurant and bar!

© Gunther
Deichmann - Sam’s Tours Facilities
from the air
Sam’s provide a full range of day tour
options including diving (of course) but also guided kayaking tours
(perhaps the best and lowest impact way to visit the Rock Islands),
land tours, Rock Island Tours, snorkelling trips, WW2 history tours, fishing,
private sailing etc. Dermot points out that the non-diving trips
are increasingly popular as more and more guests appreciate the
wide range of above water attractions in and around Palau. There is
also the full range of PADI courses available.
The logistics for the day tours are perfectly organised for all
clients – guests are collected in the morning at their hotel
by Sam’s Tour staff and transferred by road or boat to
Sam’s centre. Here they are briefed for the day’s
activities by tour guides, dive leaders etc and then head out for
adventure. Sam’s have a large compliment of fast modern boats
that are ideal for travelling out to the islands and
beyond.

© Gunther
Deichmann - cruising the amazing Rock
islands
During
our trip we were lucky enough to have a days diving with
Sam’s. In all there were six of us guests on the boat and
experience levels ranged from Instructors through to novice. By
careful use of different dive sites and locations throughout the
day Sam’s provided the best possible day for everyone.
Three of us were lucky enough to dive at Blue
Corner and it really
is as good as people say. In fact it’s better still! A
howling current meant that we held on to the edge of the wall at
about 15m deep and watched the marine world go by. For lovers of
big stuff this is way cool – countless Grey Reef sharks, a
huge school of jacks, an equally big school of barracuda in the
deeper blue, Spanish mackerel cruising by and inquisitive Napoleon
wrasse ducking between our fins. Plus of course dozens of other
species made this a very special dive.
All this on free
Nitrox!

© Gunther
Deichmann - aerial view of the Blue Hole
and Blue Corner
Lunch and
surface interval was spent on a beautiful sandy beach with a super
lunch provided by Sam’s. Each guest is asked for their choice
of food for the day and magically a Bento box full of goodies
appears at lunchtime. Our boxes included sushi, prawns, rice and a
spicy beef course.

© Gunther
Deichmann - Reef Sharks at Blue
Corner
The end
of the days diving brings us back to Sam’s Tours and a
welcome ice cold drink (or two) at their Bottom
Time Bar and Grill
which overlooks the Rock islands. We were then assisted back to the
hotel by a complimentary transfer.
Sam’s
Tours facilities include a well stocked dive shop, new equipment
rental, lockers, very impressive digital photo centre, free Nitrox
for certified divers, the bar and restaurant and of course the very
best staff whose attention to detail make for very happy guests
from around the world. They also have very clean toilets!
Thanks to Dermot, Adela, Russelle, Jim, Joe and everyone else at
Sam’s for making it a memorable day.
The Palau Adventure of Jem Kemp continous, part two of Jem's visit to Palau Micronesia
Part 2: a trip to Palau by Jem Kemp
from Blue Horizons
Travel
a partner of the Philippine Micronesia
Alliance...
Palau Day 2:
It’s an
early start with a full day ahead of us. We are staying at the
Palasia Hotel located in the centre of Koror. The room I am in has
views across the tree-tops out to the sea, other rooms have town
views. The Palasia is one of Palau’s better hotels and has
approximately 165 rooms configured around a central open atrium.
The hotel is especially popular with Asian tourists (mainly from
Taiwan, Japan and Korea) although there were also a number of
European divers staying there as well.

Aerial View © Gunther Deichmann
- I wonder if Jem had the
chance to visit the three Cococnut Island on his recent trip, I
guess not... otherwise he might not have returned to Manila. Lets
see what he has to report on his next and 3rd
day.
Breakfast (and
indeed Dinner) was on a buffet basis and although there do appear
to be ‘a la carte’ options many of the hotels provide
buffets for their meals. Interestingly the dining room was very
busy between 07.00am and 08.00am and thereafter pretty much empty.
Primarily this is because many people visiting Palau are taking
part in daily tour activities such as diving, island tours,
kayaking etc. Operators like
Sam’s
Tours (see
more later) collect their guests from the hotels and then assist
them back later that day. Very few of the hotels actually have
their own dive operator or tour centre in-house and instead the
typical model is for the hotels to concentrate on accommodation and
for the tours and trips to be provided by external operators.
Similarly, very few of the Dive
Centres appear have
their own accommodation or resorts.
Just a word on tourism in Palau;
it’s proximity to the rest of mainland Asia means that it is
a popular destination for Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean visitors.
There are also a number of arrivals from China. However, diving is
the main draw and it is rightly considered to be one of the best
diving destinations in the world – this means that there are
also steadily increasing numbers of European. Australian, SE Asian
and US divers coming to experience the underwater
world.
Breakfast at the
Palasia was similar to many others – a combination of Western
and Asian flavours. We were then met by our guide and Marketing
Representative from the
PVA –
the excellent Mr Kadoi Ruluked – who was to be with us for our
trip. Kadoi was a fountain of knowledge and an obvious love of all
things Palau related. Our plan today was to see as many of the
hotels, resorts and operators as possible during the course of the
day. First stop was West Plaza by the Sea.
The West Plaza group own 5 hotels
throughout the Koror area and they are very popular with visiting
divers. Indeed Sam’s Tours provide some excellent value
Diving / Touring packages using West Plaza as the accommodation.
West Plaza hotels have basic but clean and efficient rooms, with
television, a.c, tea and coffee making facilities etc and are ideal
for those on a budget who wish to concentrate their resources on
diving and touring. Blue Horizons will provide you with more
details of flights, accommodation and diving packages for these
hotels.
Next stop was Palau Plantation Resort
which has more traditional buildings set in tropical gardens on the
side of a small cultivated valley. Definitely popular with the
Japanese market the rooms range from simple to high end.
Our final stop prior to lunch was to call into the Palau
International Coral Reef Center. The PICRC is located on the water
on the south west tip of Koror. It is an autonomous government
project and non-profit organisation designed to highlight
Palau’s marine bio-diversity and to act as an educational /
tourist tool. Of course nothing beats seeing the marine world in
its natural habitat but this is an interesting place to visit for
an hour or so. There are a number of themed aquariums and a great
deal of visitor information is available.
Lunch was spent at the impressive Elilai Restaurant. Elilai is a
set on a side of the hill of Ngerkebesang and has stunning views
across the sea to the neighbouring islands. It is just 5 – 10
minutes drive from downtown Koror. Owner Takuya Mizokami and his
team have prepared an interesting fusion menu and a modern dining
space that is open and breezy. This is well worth visiting during a
visit to Palau. The highlight of lunch for many was a perfectly
fresh piece of tuna lightly fried and served ‘fish and chip
style’!
Our afternoon continued with a visit to the Cliffside Hotel.
Previously this was a very popular choice with Diving guests but
has undergone a number of management changes over the past couple
of years and some feedback has been a little negative. Rooms are
big and spacious and it is to be hoped that the current management
can restore the Hotel’s reputation.
Our final stop of the day was
at
Sam’s
Tours where
I met old friends and some new ones (hello Adela and Russelle) for
the first time.
Sam’s Tours are fellow Philippine-Micronesia
Alliance partners and are widely considered to
be one of the Best
Dive Operators in the Pacific and probably the world. No space here
to do them justice so a full report on Sam’s to follow
tomorrow.
At day end we returned back to Palasia
for a tour of the hotel and facilities (include fitness centre,
pool area, bar, restaurant etc) and a very pleasant meal where we
joined by Janine Wong (General Manager) and Janice Aguon (Asst
Manager - Sales and Marketing).
Finally, after wrestling with the
vagaries of wi-fi access, it was time to head off to the room. The
next day was a Rock Islands tour day and one which everyone was
very much looking forward too….
Fins online...presenting Sam's Tours & Dugong Dive Center a recent get together in Manila...
http://www.finsonline.com/category/blog/
Breaking NEWS: Baby Boom in Palau...a New Diver was born today...plus one night in Manila
Baby boom? A New diver was born
today...
Congratulations
to Dermot Keane and his wife Kaud who gave birth today of a new
healthy Baby Boy.
Sorry no Name yet,
Dermot Keane the GM from Sam’s
Tours is currently in Manila
where he received this great news only minutes
ago.
Dermot and all the other
Alliance Partners attended a mid annual
PMA meeting yesterday in Manila
at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel...more on the meeting later, now we
have to celebrate the good news and new addition to the Keane
Family.
From all of us the
very best wishes and Congratulations again.
Yesterday 19 02 09
Dirk Fahrenbach from Dugong Dive
Center Palawan
and Dermot Keane GM of
Sam’s Tours Palau on the way to
the PMA meeting in a Manila Taxi
The happy
couple...did Dermot know already or what was he thinking about
it.
19 02 09 waiting for Dinner after the PMA meeting

Exposed under
the light! Dermot and Dirk, Dermot had of course no idea until
today that he became a father again.
Just as well otherwise we would have celebrated until the early
hours, it was already early enough.

The
PMA Meeting at the Mandarin
Oriental International Hotel, Manila
Dermot is leaving later
tonight with Continental Airlines for Palau with great anticipation
to meet and check out his Son,
he has just run out of the office for an hour or so to buy a
wetsuit, snorkel and dive gear for his newborn.
Good Luck Dermot... I know your name is Keane but I am not sure if
you find the right size for him, that is even difficult in
Manila.
GD
Late Breaking News.. finally it is out the NEW Sharkweeks.com website from Sam's Tours in Palau is launched, and a recent visit by Dr.Sylvia Earle Oceanographer with Actress Daryl Hannah
Shark Weeks 2009 is a year long shark
education and awareness program offered by Sam's Tours Palau, a
PADI 5-Star National Geographic Dive Center and eco-tour operator,
in conjunction with Palau Shark Sanctuary a shark conservation
organization, in support of the International Year of the Shark
2009.
The Philippine-Micronesia Alliance
is proud to have Sam’s
Tours as their partner in Micronesia.
Shark
Weeks is a
One Year Programme initiated by Sam's
Tours –
where every week is a shark week.

© Gunther Deichmann -
Dive with
Sharks... NOT Kill the sharks!
Quote : “In the 21st century, shark-finning* is
barbaric”
Dr. Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer
Explorer-in-Residence
National Geographic
More on Dr Sylvia Earle,
Oceanographer who has just recently visited Sam’s
Tours in Palau with Actress Daryl Hannah.

Photo © Dermot Keane -
from left: Dr Sylvia Earle, Dermot Keane GM
of Sam’s Tours and Actress Daryl Hannah
Squalane Now Made From Olives, Not Sharks...a nice and humorous feedback from our Partner Sam's Tours in Palau Micronesia
It is so nice and rewarding to get sometimes a feedback from our blog posts, in this case a very nice and humorous comment from Sam Scott at Sam’s Tours in Palau Micronesia. Sam is a very staunch supporter of our Marine Environment in particular of the preservation and protection of Sharks... and not only in Palau.
“Thanks for the heads up Gunther. Perhaps all us older people should give the new wrinkle crème made with olive oil a try and see if we can turn back the clock;)”
Take care,
Sam
Thanks Sam for sharing this with us and once I get more wrinkles I certainly give it a try...
GD
http://www.year-of-the-shark-2009.org/
SAVE
SHARKS
FROM
E
XTINCTION
Live!!! Well almost live from the Philippines & Sam’s Tours in Palau, party time at our DIVE & RESORT Destinations…celebrating the New Year…it is 2009 in Palau NOW!

It is 2009 in Palau NOW… HAPPY NEW YEAR from Sam’s
Tours!
I am still waiting for some
info…from Palau but if something arrives later I share it
with you no worries. I about and hour Asia Divers has hopefully
something and for sure I share Manila with
you…
Our first report was from Chuuk about an
hour ago, they are ahead of us, Palau is next and of course the
Philippines. The Alcohol has taken its toll… they all having
a great and fantastic time at the Dive Centers and Resorts, but I
try my very best to connect with them all. Please stay tuned and if
you missed it tonight then check it tomorrow afternoon, I
don’t think morning is a good Idea in particular for our
divers, after all we should NOT go diving after a heavy night. So,
sit back and have a relaxing day at the Beach, go snorkeling or
sleep all day, it is after all your well deserved
vacation.
Remember Safety First!
Happy New Year from the virtual office of the
Philippine–Micronesia Alliance and all the partners.
The
Divers Choice.
GD
Our partner destination Palau in Micronesia has received some very early Christmas Gifts...
Early
Christmas
Gifts
for Palau...
We are proud of our partner
destination and of course our partner
Sam’s
Tours who was recently awarded
the Tour
Operator of the Year. Now Palau in Micronesia
has scored big, see below the details from Scuba Diving
Magazine.

Is this a Palau Christmas Tree?
hmm...
© Gunther Deichmann - aerial view at sunset
near the 70 islands, Palau, Micronesia
Here are the results of SCUBA DIVING
MAGAZINE
Readers' Choice Survey:
SCUBA Diving Magazine Top 100
Readers' Choice Survey Jan/Feb 2009 Issue
Pacific
& Indian Oceans
TOP
DIVE DESTINATIONS:
1.
Palau
TOP
WALL DIVING:
1.
Palau
TOP
UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY:
1.
Palau
TOP
MARINE ENVIRONMENT:
2.
Palau
TOP
MARINE LIFE:
2.
Palau
TOP
VISIBILITY:
2. Palau
TOP
WRECK DIVE:
3.
Palau
TOP BIG
ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS:
4.
Palau
TOP
MACRO LIFE:
5.
Palau
Direct from Palau...It's official.......Sam's Tours wins PVA's Tour Operator of the Year Award!
Congratulation to the Management and staff at Sam,’s Tours in
Palau Micronesia for achieving this outstanding
Award!

Sam’s Tours location in Palau
Micronesia
It's official.......Sam's Tours wins PVA's
Tour Operator of the Year Award!
Sam's Tours - TOUR OPERATOR OF THE YEAR!
The
Palau Visitors Authority (PVA), Palau's official tourism board,
announced their selection of Sam's Tours as "TOUR OPERATOR OF THE
YEAR" for 2008. The announcement and award presentation took place
during the Annual Christmas Gala of the Belau Tourism Association
(BTA), Palau's private sector tourism industry association,
recently held at the Palau Pacific Resort.
Awarding winning is not new to Sam’s Tours which has been
consistently recognized over the years not only by government and
industry bodies for their commitment to development of sustainable
tourism in Palau but also by their customers for consistent service
excellence. In 2007 Sam's Tours received a Top 10 Sponsor Award
from PVA for "their continual support and sponsorship" and in 2006
the private sector Belau Tourism Association recognized Sam's Tours
with their Outstanding Member Award for their "dedication, support
and commitment over the years to Belau Tourism Association and its
objectives.”
The readers of a leading international dive magazine have
recognized Sam’s Tours more than any other dive center in
Palau or Micronesia with seven “Readers Choice Awards”
since 1997 including a Gold List Award for top dive center, top
staff, and top value.
Sam’s Tours is the first and only dive center in Palau to
receive the Palau Conservation Society “Ten Year Partner in
Conservation Award” and is a Corporate Sponsor of the Palau
Shark Sanctuary, a shark conservation organization founded in 2001
by Sam’s Tours General Manager, Dermot Keane, to help bring
an end to the destructive practice of shark-finning by foreign
fishing fleets operating in Palau’s waters. The Palau Shark
Sanctuary received a PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association)
Environmental Education Gold Award for their work.
“Sam’s Tours has consistently demonstrated their long
standing commitment to responsible tourism development,
environmental preservation, and excellence in customer service and
while recognition is not what drives us to excel, we sincerely
appreciate the acknowledgment of our efforts by our industry peers
and our valued customers alike” said Dermot Keane, General
Manager, Sam’s Tours.
Spotlight on: Sam’s Tours Palau, Micronesia Crown Jewel of the Pacific
Spotlight
on:
Sam’s
Tours Palau, Micronesia...Crown Jewel of the
Pacific
As a member of the Philippine - Micronesian
Alliance, which seeks to combine the diversity and macro-abundant
seas of the Philippines with the dynamic and rich meg-faunal realm
of Micronesia, I am in a fairly unique position to write about many
of the alliance partners. Over the past decade, my work has brought
me into very close associations with many of the partners and I
currently work directly with three of them (Club Paradise, Blue
Horizons Travel and Tours, Asia Divers). I would like, however, to
begin this series with the Alliance partner with whom it all
started for me way back in 1998:
Sam’s Tours in
Palau Micronesia. Sam’s Tours really doesn’t need a
lengthily introduction. Almost every diver in the world is familiar
with Palau and Sam’s Tours since they are often mentioned in
the same sentence. Ask any diver where they most want to go and if
Palau isn’t mentioned it’s because they have already
been there or are new to the planet Earth. Every diver dreams of
the day they can wave in the currents with thousands of reef fish
including dozens of sharks at the famed Blue Corner or be swept
along vertical walls adorned with a multitude of colorful corals,
sponges, and anemones.

Sam’s Tours Website, click on the image
and find out more
For me,
though, Sam’s greatest asset is their approach to the
diversity of tours that can be offered in Palau. Not just diving,
Sam’s Tours offers guided trips to explore the magic within
the Rock Islands via kayak or boat, fishing expeditions (both reef
and deep sea), and land-based tours to the large volcanic island of
Babaldoab or historic Pelelui.
Although I feel in love with the diving, it was the beauty and
excitement of exploring within the Rock Islands that kept me there.
Kayaking amongst the lush, jungle-draped limestone islands provided
a sense of tranquility mixed with the excitement of encountering
rare organisms, lost WWII wrecks, or colorful birds. It is probably
why I gravitated towards the kayaking rather than the diving, and
Sam’s Tours made it possible for me explore my own passions
and translate them to my guests with their commitment to fostering
this adventurous spirit in all of their guides and guests.
Simply put, whenever I talk with divers and we find ourselves
talking about Palau, I make sure to tell them to spend time on top
of the water amidst the Rock Islands as well as below among the
huge schools of fish. And with Sam’s Tours, you can do it
all.
By Lee
Goldman,Marine Biologist
Guess who came for Dinner ? Visitors from Bali and Palau…Dermot Keane the GM from Sam’s Tours and a Member of the PMA & Thomas Schubert from Bali…
Thomas Schubert who I saw in Bali a week ago snowed in also on his way to Palau, his second home.
We had a great and for a change quiet evening the at the Café Adriatico in Malate talking about Bali and of course DEMA, more interesting NEWS soon from Sam’s Tours in Palau, I keep you posted in the next few weeks with the latest developments at Sam’s Tours in Palau Micronesia.
GD

Photo: Hermes Singson, good friends at the Cafe Adriatico in
Malate, Manila
from left: Dermot Keane, Grace (my better half) GD and Thomas
Schubert
DivePhotoGuide and the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance...thanks for announcing our NEW and updated Website...we have also added some more cool Underwater Videos to our Podcast and Movie section, this time from Palau and Chuuk a glimpse into the World War II History of the Pacific.

We have
just added some very intersting Videos to our collection, you find
them in our Podcast and
Movie section,or
Click this Link
The file size can vary from 2.5MB to
21MB




All video clips are for DSL/Broadband and we reccomend a good
connection, these new clip have been produced for
Sam’s Tours
and Truk Stop Hotel and Dive Center. View the World War II relics of Chuuk or also
know as Truk Lagoon get inspirred by the History and dive the
sunken Japanese fleet in the Pacific of Operation
Hail Stone.
© Video’s by Gunther Deichmann & Dirk
Fahrenbach, edited and soundtracks by Gunther Deichmann © 2008 all
right reserved
GD
Lets call it double "D"…What have Sam’s Tours and Dugong Dive Center in Common? Easy…Dermot and Dirk… both are members of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance…the Divers Choice. A funny story in the recent Fins Magazine…
Discussions with Dirk and Dermot…
“Disclaimer: no person in their right mind should take anything in this column seriously.
We certainly don’t”
If you have a question about diving, life or anything at all that you’d like addressed (but not necessarily answered) by our resident know-it-alls Dirk and Dermot, email us at:
uselessanswers@finsmagazine.com. Selected question will receive a special gift.

As seen in the latest edition of Fins Magazine...
to read this issue go to:
http://www.finsonline.com/magazine/vol_7_3/
Dear
Dirk and Dermot,
I was reading one of your answers the other day, and realized it
made no sense. What exactly qualifies you to give advice to other
people? And are you guys a couple?
-bothered in boracay-
Dear bothered in
Boracay,
First of all, we’re not a couple. Dermot’s definitely
not my type, and he certainly doesn’t look good in a skirt,
despite what he himself might believe.
Second, when you spend all your time on a sun-drenched, idyllic
tropical island like I do, you develop a unique perspective on
life, which I am happy to share with others. Besides, I’ve
found over the years that diver banter generally makes very little
sense, so what difference does it make?
Dear bothered in boracay,
As an Irishman, I’m a natural born advice giver, having put
in many years of intense apprenticeship at some of the
world’s preeminent institutions of (senseless) advice
giving…Irish pubs! You should give it a try.
As for whether we’re a couple or not… Dirk only
wishes. I’m so out of his league.
Dermot Keane is the general manager of
Sam’s
Tours in Palau, and Dirk Fahrenbach is
the owner of
Dugong
Dive Center, located on Dimakya Island
in the Philippines.
Both Resorts/Dive Centers are members of the
Philippines-Micronesia
Alliance.
Interesting NEWS...not our usual scince article but it made me laugh... Sam's Tours is all setup for uploading these sounds on to your iPod at the Digital PhotoCenter...provided you can hear the fish grunting...
Not quiet... but very interesting reading and I thought I share this with you... oh boy, what they all discover these days...
I guess if you at Sam’s Tours in Palau with the fully equipped Digital Photo Center and have a Underwater Housing for your Soundrecorder then there is no problem to up load all of these fishy noises on to your IPod...have fun and thanks again to Walter for pointing out this interesting and amusing story...
Grunting fish have helped
scientists to date the origins
of vocal sounds to about 400 million years
ago.
Photo: Screenshot
Courtesy of the BBC, click on the image
or use the link below for the video and complete
article.
Toadfish
and midshipman fish use a variety of different sounds to attract
mates and scare off rivals. Now US researchers have found that the
area of a fish's brain that drives vocalization is extremely
primitive. Writing in the journal Science, they say it suggests
that the ability to communicate through sound emerged very early in
the evolution of vertebrates...read the complete article and
watch the Video...
@ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7510443.stm
Late breaking NEWS from PALAU Micronesia! Conservation issue initiated by one of the founding members from the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance
Late breaking NEWS from PALAU Micronesia!
...brought to you by palautours.com
Ban on live fish export becomes law in Palau Micronesia a step in the right direction to preserve Palau's natural environment and unique Bio-diversity.
See below excerps from a News Paper article by the
Horizon News Staff

With a stroke of his pen, president Tommy Remengesau, Jr. has put a stop to the export of live reef fish yesterday in Bai Mengeliakl,
Ngarchelong. Remengesau signed into law the Senate Bill.
President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. makes it clear, the significance of stopping the exportation of live reef fish yesterday.
LATE BREAKING NEWS! "The Pink Pearls of the Pacific" The annual mass spawning of corals on the PALAU archipelago in the western PACIFIC has occurred right on cue
What a contrast!
GD

© Gunther Deichmann - Is this what it looked like in Palau???
For some real images go to the link provided below...
this is only an artist impression.
The annual mass spawning of corals on
the Palau archipelago in the western Pacific has occurred right on
cue. With Sunday night's full moon, coral polyps let forth a huge
swathe of sperm and egg, to seed the next generation.
The event was short-lived - only about 30 minutes - but so vast in
its scale that it turned the sea water pink. Scientists from Palau,
Australia and the UK are studying the practicality of collecting
coral larvae to help restore damaged reefs elsewhere.
See what a mass spawning at Palau looks like (Reefvid.org)
As we got into the boat for our trip to Luke's reef, I admit I was
not really expecting to see the mass spawning on the exact night of
the full Moon. All the visiting scientists here thought it was more
likely the reproductive extravaganza would happen the next evening
or the following one - based on what had happened the last two
years. The only person who seemed sure it would happen on cue was
Steven Victor, the Palauan director of the Palau International
Coral Reef Center. Local knowledge was spot on, as it turned
out.
Almost as soon as the boat engine switched off, we got a sense that
something might be brewing... you have to see and read the whole
story...and images
@ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7358423.stm
GREAT NEWS! Catching corals' spectacular moment… witness one of the wonders in the world this April in Palau…catch the corals with Sam’s Tours and process your images in the only Digital Photo Center in Micronesia on Apple iMacs with Aperture.
You could do this right from Sam’s Tours Digital Photo Center, Wi-Fi connected with all the latest software on their iMacs including Aperture; a medium resolution jpg will do just fine, thanks.
Book your trip with our partner Blue Horizons to witness this spectacular event...but hurry it is very soon, Blue Horizons is a specialist for all your travel in the Philippines and Micronesia.
GD

© Gunther Deichmann - a Turtle is cruising over
the reef in Palau Micronesia
Catching corals' spectacular moment
Courtesy of
BBC
By
Andrew Luck-Baker
BBC Radio 4, Palau
Luke's reef (BBC)
Luke's reef: Reared larvae will come here once they are ready to
settle
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.

Click the image above and go to Sam's
Tours in Palau
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.
Depressing
need
Once on
the surface, the packages burst open, liberating eggs and sperm for
fertilisation.
Countless free-swimming coral larvae then develop and three or four
days later, a few will have survived long enough to make it to the
sea bed.
There they attach to a suitable hard surface and develop into
single baby coral polyps. The next generation of corals on the
reefs will be launched.
A team of marine biologists from Australia, Britain and the
Philippines has come to Palau to take advantage of this wonder of
nature in the cause of coral reef restoration.
The scientists are here to investigate the potential of an
experimental technique known as coral seeding - in other words,
collecting some of the spawn from mass mating events and using it
to promote the growth of new corals on reefs in need of
rescue.
The reefs around Palau are in good shape but elsewhere throughout
the tropical world, many coral ecosystems are in a parlous
state.
Plenty
spare
Pollution, over-fishing and coral
bleaching events, which are caused by marine heat waves, have
reduced the amount of coral to the point where these naturally
bio-diverse habitats are at varying degrees of degradation.
Many are nearing ecological collapse - some have gone forever,
already.
Collection
of Acropora corals (BBC)
Acropora is an important reef-builder and
is common here
However, many reefs might be salvageable if they are first
protected from pollution and overexploitation, and then are seeded
with some surplus spawn from more vibrant reefs.
Most of the eggs and larvae from a mass spawning event are eaten or
die before they get an anchor hold on the sea bed, so there is
plenty of spawn to share around.
In the coming experiment on Palau, the scientists will not be using
coral spawn produced on the open reefs.
Partly for practical reasons, they will harvest their spawn under
more controllable conditions at the laboratory of the Palau
International Coral Reef Center.
In
the lab
On
Saturday, I joined them on a trip to collect 10 dinner-plate-sized
coral colonies from Luke's reef about 20 minutes speed-boat-ride
from the Reef Center.
James Guest, from the University of Newcastle, UK, and Maria
Vanessa Baria from the University of the Philippines dived to the
sea bed, armed with hammers and chisels.
They were after a particular species of branching coral which forms
large tables or shelves as it grows. It is this type which is one
of the most abundant and most important reef builders.
It takes a few taps at the stony stalk base of each colony to break
them free. Waiting on the boat to receive the corals was Andrew
Heyward of the Australian Institute for Marine Science - one of the
first biologists to describe the phenomenon of coral mass spawning
in the 1980s.
The colonies were put straight into tubs of sea water, and once the
tenth was on board, we headed back at a high rate of knots to the
Reef Center.
Back at the Center, the coral were transferred with speed to larger
tanks, filled with constantly refreshed seawater.
Setting
up home
Now
there's a lull before the spawn. The main event could happen Sunday
or Monday or Tuesday night (Palau time). And some species will
synchronously spawn the day after others.
When the captive corals in the lab release their eggs and sperm,
the contained spawn will be transferred to children's paddling
pools floating in the sea next to the lab.
Putting
corals in a lab tank (BBC)
The spawning for these corals will occur
in laboratory tanks
Over the following few days, the researchers will check the
developing larvae to see how many are mature enough to settle down
and become fixed baby coral polyps.
When sufficient numbers are good to go, the team will take the
batch of larvae back to the reef and pump them over areas of
potential colonisation.
The new homes for the larvae are artificial reef balls placed there
specially for the purpose. They are domes of limestone concrete
about a one metre wide and high.
Before the larva can be introduced, the reef balls will have to be
covered so the larvae don't just float away.
Big
question
So the team will dive the five metres to the sea bed and erect
two-man camping tents made of fine mesh over each artificial reef
structure.
The baby corals will travel from the boat through the zipped door
of the tent via a hose pipe. Andrew Heyward says the aim of this
experiment is to be "low tech or no tech".
He feels this approach is vital if the technique of coral seeding
is ever to be used on any scale in developing countries.
Making
up a coral nursery (BBC)
The approach has to be low-tech to
succeed, the scientists believe
Twenty-four-hours later, the team will check to see how many of
their "seeds" have settled by removing small tiles they've placed
on the reef balls. They will do that again in a few months and
after a year.
Each time they will compare the number of young corals with those
on tiles from control balls which would have been settled by larvae
born in the mass spawning on the reef.
Andrew Heyward points out that loading the dice in the larvae's
favour before they settle is only part of the issue over whether
coral seeding will work to restore reefs.
"If you boost the number of larval corals settling on a coral reef,
so what? Does it make any difference to the longer term compared to
an area where you did nothing?"
The
answer will emerge in the next 12 months following this week's
frenzy of mass reproduction on the reefs of
Palau.
For the
photos and the story go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7357121.stm
Late News from Scuba Diving Magazine...Bottom Time...announcement of Sam's Tours Digital Photo Center including Aperture 2 in Palau Micronesia
Late
News... just received this press release from Dermot Keane Sam's
Tours Palau Micronesia...please read below
the article in the online Scuba Diving Magazine...Bottom
Time.
GD


Click on the image and go direct to
the Digital Photo Center
ALL
- NEW DIGITAL PHOTO CENTER AT SAM'S TOURS IN
PALAU
Sam's Tours' all new
Digital Photo Center is fully equipped to cater to digital
photographers of all interest levels, from those with handy
point-and-shoot cameras to the most demanding digital photographers
shooting in RAW format. Their six top-of-the-line Apple iMac
workstations are loaded with terabytes and terabytes of storage,
archiving and secure data backup systems, lots of RAM, and
completely optimized for digital imaging with Apple
Aperture
2 image management
software, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Bridge, Toast, and topped off
with DSL Wi-Fi internet access. No other photo center in Palau comes
near!
Plus, you can rent new Canon SD850 Digital Cameras and Canon ZR830
Digital Minicams with underwater housings. Other camera-friendly
improvements include an expanded "dry zone" for Camera Preparation
and Charging and a new Camera Drying Station complete with towels
and compressed air for post-rinsing camera care.
More News for our Underwater Photographers...Sam's Tours running very soon on the new Aperture 2...plus iPod magic

The
Reflection of Excellence continues...
Great
NEWS! Soon to arrive...Aperture 2
at Sam's Tours Palau
Micronesia...stay tuned for more updates from Sam's Tours Digital
Photo Center.
Surviving for our underwater photographers has just become a lot
easier in Palau, Aperture 2
is on it's way, ready for YOU
to use.
Sam's Tours Digital Photo Center is the only one of it's kind in Palau, Micronesia
and in the Pacific, check out my previous blogs or go direct to
Sam's Tours DPC site click this link Sam's Tours DPC.

© Gunther Deichmann - that is how it looks on my personal
iPOD
But we offer a lot more at Sam's, now you can
upload all your holiday/vacation photos on your iPod, the staff at
the DPC will be happy to assist you with all your requirements, the
only thing you have to do... bring your iPod, but then who doesn't these days and once back
home show your friends and family members on TV how great your last
vacation has been. We take away all your hassles, you be organized
back home, no more looking for hours on end where you stored these
great shots... just switch
on your TV and enjoy the show.
We can do the same with your video footage, at Sam's Tours you
connected and can concentrate on your diving, we take care of the
rest, surviving for all our underwater photographers has just
become a lot more realistic and fun.
Now enjoy your vacation, dive the great dive sites of Palau like,
Blue Corner and Blue Hole, dont feel like diving...no problem, join
Sam's Tours on one of their great land tours by road or take a
Kayak trip for a day or two, explore and discover Palau...
"The Pearls of
the Pacific." and a founding member of the Philippine -
Micronesia Alliance.
The Divers
Choice.
For all the latest info and tips on Aperture 2 please visit Gunther
Deichmann's Blog @ http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html
GD
With Love from Palau... Sam's Tours timed it right for Valentines day this week...
Sam, you making a lot of divers very happy...not only with the service and diving, but been also very connected to the rest of the world.

"Hi Mom, hi darling
dont worry I am fine, the diving has been great lot's of sharks and
awesome schools of fish and guess what I am sending you some photos
with my next email...your..."
Click on the images and find out more about Sam's Tours Digital
Photo Center - DPC
The Digital Photo Center is getting more and more popular and not
only for Photographers, the iMac's are a perfect choice with their
build in Camera.
Say hi and
see your loved ones on Valentines day on a nice
20 inch iMac screen.
The
Digital Photo Center at Sam's Tours
Palau, Micronesia, is getting more and more popular not
only with photographers but with customers who just like to say hi
to their loved ones...great timing
for Valentines day.
From the rental of Video Cams and small digital Canon Cameras...to
the more pro, the ability to use Photoshop Elements or
Aperture...Yes,
you can do all your own editing or let Sam's Tours staff help you
with the safe keeping and storage of your images...and now also
available headphones for
your connection and chatting away to your loved ones via Skype...
I guess iChat is only around the corner.
You are in the middle of the Pacific and can communicate with the
rest of the world after your diving with Sam's Tours,
now that is
real cool.
The Survivor Micronesia series on TV may have shown you how
fantastic Palau really is, and if you have missed Survivor
Micronesia you can always check out some of my images on Palau and
go to Gunther Deichmann's PhotoShelter Archive or to the PhotoShelter Collection for all other special selected stock images
including Micronesia and the Philippines, just click on the
links... Sam's Tours is also a founding member of the
Philippine-Micronesia Alliance...
very simply The Divers
Choice. Top dive site
and destinations, modern facilities and very, very connected with
Wi-Fi and pro photography setups in the Philippines and Micronesia.
We keep you in touch no matter how remote the destinations
are...
Your passion
is diving... ours is service... and the ultimate in island
hopping.
Check out the images from
our other destinations just click here.
GD
I
have received today these images from
Dermot Keane the GM at Sam's Tours, Alex one of the Girls and a new
DPC staff prepared them for us, thanks Alex.

For our non professionals, Camera
rentals with and without underwater housing,
if you like to explore Palau above and below the waves, Sam's Tours
got you covered.
___________________________________
Sam's Tours Blog in German now...plus a lot more
GD
Sam's Tours Blog now in German too!
Sam's Tours recently appointed TOURISM UNLIMITED as our official Media and PR Agency in Europe. I met Judith and Christoph Hoppe, two of the co-founders of Tourism Unlimited, during their first visit to Palau a few years ago. We have fostered a good friendship over the years and come to know one another better during their subsequent visits to Palau and or my visits the Germany. So it was with great pleasure that Sam's Tours appointed Tourism Unlimited to assist with our marketing efforts throughout Europe.
The Tourism Unlimited Team.
I will be working closely with Christoph and Judith in the months ahead and look forward to the many exciting plans we have to improve Sam's Tours support and services to our professional travel partners, diving customers and others in Europe interested in visiting us in Palau, Micronesia. For more information please visit:
http://www.tourism-unlimited.com/de
http://www.tourism-unlimited.com/de/pressebereich/SamsTours/
Für Fan's der Unterwasserfotografie und solche, die es noch werden wollen, gibt es grosse Neuigkeiten: Sam's Tours hat einen Photoshop auf der Tauchbasis eingerichtet, der vom allerfeinsten ausgestattet ist: 7 iMacs mit WLAN/Internetzugang stehen den Tauchern zur Verfügung. 3 der digitalen Arbeitsplätze sind mit Apple Aperture und Adobe Photoshop ausgestattet (Software für Bildbearbeitung), 1 Arbeitsplatz bietet zusätzlich noch Videoschnittsoftware.
Wer noch keine eigene Unterwasser-Fotoausrüstung besitzt, muss trotzdem nicht auf die Mitnahme der schönsten Unterwassererlebnisse verzichten: das Angebot wird ergänzt um verschiedene Kameras und Unterwassergehäuse, die gemietet werden können. Wer seine fotografischen Fähigkeiten unter Wasser wie am Bildschirm perfektionieren möchte, sollte sich schnell für den Fotoworkshop vom 22.-27. April 2008 in Palau bei Sam's Tours anmelden. Weitere Infos zum Workshop findet Ihr hier.
PermalinkPermalink
01/16/08
Permalink 06:15:55 am, by samstour Email , 593 words, 29 views English (US)
Categories: Announcements
Sam's Tours Bites the Apple!
For those of you who’ve been to Sam’s Tours Dive Center in Palau, Micronesia before or have been keeping up with our blogs you know that our facilities underwent a huge renovation and improvement ending in an October 2007 Grand Re-Opening. Included in those improvements were new Guest Lockers, expansion of Bottom Time Bar & Grill, paving our formerly muddy and messy Parking Lot, and lots of other odds and ends to better serve our Guests!
Like many projects, there were a few things that didn’t quite make the deadline and or still remain to be done. Today, I’m happy to report that one of those major “To Do Items” has finally come to fruition (no pun intended!) providing our guests with the very latest in digital photography and imaging services!
I’m pleased to announce the launch of SAM'S TOURS DIGITAL PHOTO CENTER!
Sam's Tours, Palau, Micronesia, Apple iMacs
Gunther and Sam celebrate the opening of Sam's new Digital Photo Center
And I don’t mean just any old workstation where you can download your images and burn a CD or DVD. I'm talking about six top of the line Apple iMac workstations loaded with RAM and optimized for digital imaging, complete with Apple Aperture image management software, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Bridge, DSL Wi-Fi internet access, terabytes and terabytes of storage, archiving and secure data back up, and a camera rental department stocked with the latest Canon Powershot SD850 digital cameras and Canon ZR830 mini digital video cameras complete with underwater housings, big storage media and plenty of additional batteries. And all the post-shooting support and services you need to go with it!
Sam Scott, Sam's Tours, Palau, Micronesia, Apple iMacs
Happy Sam with his new Apple iMacs.
Our good friend, professional photographer and Apple Certified Trainer, Mr. Gunther Deichmann who was instrumental in launching this project has been here all week with his team members Arnold and Hermes to set up and test everything and get us all up to speed on Apple OS, Aperture, Photoshop and of course the very important task of secure storage and back up of our guests digital images. You shoot. We save! Check out Gunther’s website at: http://www.deichmann-photo.com for more information on his amazing photography. Check out also his interesting blogs at:http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog\
And even bigger still, Gunther will be back at Sam’s Tours from April 22 – 27, 2008 along with internationally acclaimed MARINE PHOTOGRAPHER and environmentalist TONY WU, conducting a week long DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP targeted at all advanced photographers whether shooting above and below the water. Check out www.gdphotoworkshop.com for more workshop information.
For more information on Tony Wu and to view his stunning underwater photography work check out his website at: www.tony-wu.com
Workshop space is very limited and the last three workshops were sell outs so book now if you want to join us in April. E-mail: reservations@samstours.com for more information and
No other dive center in Palau or Micronesia comes close to the top-of-the-line equipment, service and support that Sam’s Tours provides to digital photographers! If you’re a digital photographer in Palau Sam’s Tours has you covered!
Sam's Tours, Palau, Micronesia, Apple iMacs
New iMacs at Sam's Tours Digital Photo Center
Stay tuned for more exciting updates including the upcoming addition of our new underwater photographer and film-maker who joins us later this month.
Special thanks to Gunther and his team for all their hard work. Well done and many thanks yet again! (Gunther built our website at: www.samstours.com)
Sam's Tours, Palau, Micronesia, Apple iMacs
Gunther during an Apple Aperture course with Sam's Tours staff
Sam's Tours is a founding member of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance: http://www.alliancediving.com/blog
______________________________________
Part two (2) of Sam's Tours Digital Photo Center, Palau Micronesia
I am now in Chuuk Micronesia, but where is Chuuk? More very interesting news from this remote part of the world in a few days, we are having a real problem now with our connection, sending a Blog out from here is just about impossible, but don't worry after the 27th of January I get it out.
Before I give you some more details on the setup at Sam's Tours, you'll be amazed what I have come across in Chuuk, totally surreal and unique, sorry, for this story you have to wait until the 27th.

From left to right:
Rhea Richardson newly trained and now in charge of operation,
Arnold Munoz, Sam Scott, Dermot Keane and Gunther Deichmann the
first day of operation.
All Photos: Hermes
Singson
When we arrived we had to
unpack, install and fine tune all the six iMac's including the
installation of the additional RAM, oh boy... we though all of it
had been done prior shipment but to our surprise well... we had to
do it.
Installation of the RAM was easy and went through without a glitch,
then we upgraded all the iMac's to Leopard since the operating
system was all on Tiger, now that was fine too, however we
encountered some real problems in upgrading all six(6) iMac's due
to the internet connection, that took us about 3 days to
finish.
Then we setup all the external hard drives for a perfect back-up
system, not to forgot upgrading Aperture to 1.5.6 which was a
little cumbersome, the latest update does not work via the
'Software Update', due to a glitch, we had to get it direct from
the Aperture site, and after hours of downloading we were finally
up and running.
Sam's Tours made available two staff for the training, Rhea a
Filipina and Alex a Polish divemaster are now running the Digital
Photo Center, after receiving a crash course on the operating
system we went straight to Aperture
for the
remaining days.
The system at Sam's Tours was set up in such a way that customers
can give the Compact Flash (CF) cards after the dive to the DPC and
the staff will import the images direct into the database of
Aperture.

Setting
up time-
left : GM Dermot Keane, Sam Scott
and Arnold Munoz,
right: Gunther Deichmann and Sam
Scott
All
photos Hermes Singson, thanks Hermes
Since most of the diver photographers come to Palau for about a
week or two, the images are uploaded every day and by the end of
the week the staff will prepare a CD/DVD for them to take
home.
But now comes the good part, if for what ever reason the customer
looses his or her CD/DVD up on returning home, they only have to
send an email and request a copy.
This is where Aperture
comes in very
handy, all images are stored as a project (the project name in this
case is the name of the Customer/Diver) as reference files and
further backed up again to another drive which is
independent.
Customer files are usually kept for about 60 to 90 days, but upon
request special arrangements can be made for longer storage, in the
DPC two iMac's are set aside for photographer who like to use
Aperture themselves, a similar back up and storage system is in
place.
All six (6) iMac's are connected in the same network via the
Airport Extreme Base Station for file sharing, perfect for photo
workshops, we put a lot of emphasis on the back up system, so no
matter what happens to your great underwater shots they'll be safe
even after you leave Palau.

Aperture
installed
including your own back up X2
All Photos Hermes
Singson, thanks Hermes.
All iMac's are wi-fi connected and have dedicated access to the
internet, thanks to Arnold our I.T. guy making the DPC a virtual
internet Cafe as well, a Video station is soon to be implemented as
well, separate printing via an Epson printer is also available plus
external CD/DVD burner with labeling ability.
But there is a lot more... small Canon digital cameras with
underwater housings are for rent and some new video cam's are
available also, there you have it, diving with Sam's Tours has just
gotten a lot better, thanks to the new Digital Photo Center, now
you can leave your laptop at home, you are in good hands at Sam's
Tours.
To round it up, this is the most complex and efficient Digital
Photo Center in Palau, Micronesia, the Pacific and I believe a
first in the diving industry, in this part of the world.
Stay tuned for this real great news and info, you won't believe the
one from Chuuk Micronesia, the things I came across during my
travels....
the title will be
"The forgotten ones"
related to our partner
Truk Stop Hotel and Dive Center, Chuuk
Micronesia.
GD
________________________________
Sam's Tours...Palau Micronesia… the curtain has been lifted...
We
all know the slogan from Sam's Tours...
A reflection of Excellence... now it is...
a
Reflection of Excellence continues. (Part
1)
15/01/2008
Sam’s Tours Palau,
Micronesia

Photo:
Hermes Singson -
Finally...
it is done! Gunther Deichmann and
Sam Scott,
we did have a few glasses of wine afterwards, celebrating
another
mile stone at Sam's Tours.
I know I kept everybody in
suspense for about a week, as of tonight it is no longer a secret.
It is late, I am very tired but it is done and official,
a first
for Palau, Micronesia and probably in the Pacific and I guess in
the diving industry. Sam’s Tours is open
for business, a complete Photography-Internet-Digital workstation
entirely run on the latest iMac’s loaded with RAM for our
photographers and Aperture users.
It doesn't matter if you an amateur or professional Sam’s
Tours is catering for all your needs, like to rent a camera for
underwater or above, or a small video cam is not a problem.
Our trained staff can assist you after the ‘dive
workflow’, show your images to your friends while still on
location with a impressive slide show, burn you images on CD/DVD
for you to take home. We offer you all the options, do it yourself
or let our staff take care of all your images while you wait and
enjoy a cold beer at our Bottom Time Bar.

Photo: Hermes
Singson-
A very happy Sam Scott from Sam's Tours
with the newly arrived iMac's
All of this is now possible
at Sam’s Tours Digital Photoshop, DSL wi-fi internet
connection using Airport Extreme, but most impressive is the photo
workstations, not only one but six high end iMac computers with all
the software you ever going to need.
We have also installed high-end backups so we can always guarantee
that your images will be safe and secure with us after each dive or
adventure trip in Palau.
In case you loose your CD/DVD, we backup your images for up to 60
days just send us an email and we will burn another copy of your
CD/DVD and post it to you.

Photo:
Hermes Singson - Gunther Deichmann
training Sam's Tours
staff on Aperture and the digital workflow after the
shoot.
For our professional
photographers
Aperture is installed and if you not
familiar with
Aperture, you can always use Bridge
or Photoshop Elements.
That’s about it for
now, I am very tired and need to get some rest, we follow up with
part two in a couple of days, and explain in more details of this
unique setup in Palau.
Congratulation to
Sam’s Tours!
Please stay tuned for more in depths details in my next blog, by
the way our commercial shoot at the Palau Pacific Resort is also
completed, some more training in the next few days for the staff at
Sam’s Tours on the Leopard operating system and of
course
Aperture, we should be all sweet by
the weekend before we proceed to Chuuk (Truk
Lagoon)

Photo:
Hermes Singson
Five
of the six workstations at Sam's Tours
Palau
Special thanks to
Apple Singapore and the Power Mac Center Manila, for the support in
this project, thanks to my staff Hermes and Arnold for the very
long working hours in completing this job. Thanks to Dermot Keane
the GM from Sam's Tours for all his help and assistance.
Gunther Deichmann is an Apple Certified Pro Trainer and has been on
site with his Manila staff in Palau as a consultant, training the
staff on the operating system including Aperture, Dermot Keane the
GM of Sam's Tours and Gunther have been responsible for the concept
and initial set up of the Digital Photoshop Center a first in
Micronesia, even Photographers have a better survival rate in
Micronesia now, thanks to Sam's
Tours.
GD
Stay
tuned for part two. (2) or subscribe to our Blog at:
http://www.alliancediving.com/blog/
Sam's
Tours is a founding member of the Philippine-Micronesia
Alliance: http://www.alliancediving.com/
For
Photography and Photo Worshop related matters please visit
Gunther's website at: www.deichmann-photo.com
The very first Photo Workshop utilizing Sam's Tours new facilities
will be held together with Tony Wu and Gunther Deichmann in April
2008, for inquiries please contact Sam's Tours
at:
info@samstours.com

Photo: Hermes Singson
- From left:
Dermot Keane, Gunther Deichmann,
Rhea Richardson and Sam Scott in the new
total Mac/Aperture Photography-Digital- Internet Center
__________________________________
Survivor fever? Palau Micronesia, great News.
Direct from Palau
Micronesia… more great News!
No it is not the Survivor show, but never less very cool news from
Sam's Tours.
A major event is just about
to go down at Sam's Tours Palau... great News for... find out on
the 15th of January.
If you can guess what is going to happen on the
15th of January at Sam's
Tours... the first email with the right answer can
win...
...3
days of free diving at
Sam’s Tours, Palau.

© Gunther Deichmann
-
for more images from the
Philippine-Micronesia Alliance destinations please
click the image above.
Clue: It's Simply Digital!
You have 3 days to figure this one out, please send your email
to: info@samstours.com
Note:
Sam’s Tours
staff, Gunther Deichmann and Team, family members and close
associates are not allowed to participate. Sorry
guys.
Next week starting on the
13th I be reporting direct from
Sam’s Tours from where we will fire up our big surprise. At
the moment we are still tied up at the Palau Pacific Resort. After
the 15th things will be very different at Sam’s concerning
… opps… I almost slipped and let the cat out of the
bag, and after Palau around the 18th of this month I am leaving
with my web master for Truk Lagoon to prepare for some major work
for our Alliance Partner Truk Stop Hotel and Dive Center.
January
2008 is a real Micronesia month for us.
Our next blog with the announcement re. Palau will be in the
evening on the 15th.
01. 2008
GD
__________________________________________
Sam's Tours speaks Spanish...
DID YOU KNOW?
Introducing our partners in their
different languages, today we introduce
our partner in Palau Micronesia, Sam's
Tours in
Spanish.
Our previous Blogs featured Asia Divers with El Galleon in
Italian
and Calypso/Pinjalo in German.

Philippine-Micronesia Alliance ® 2008
Benvenuti nell’Alleanza Filippine – Micronesia, I
vostri partners per vacanze di qualita’ nel campo delle
immersioni!.
La vasta e remota regione delle Filippine e della Micronesia
include le acque piu’ abbondanti e tropicali del Pacifico
rinomate per i sommozzatori per le ricche bio diversita’
marine che includono pellicani, infinite varietà di soggetti per
macro fotografia, più di 700 specie di coralli, più di 1300 specie
di pesci ed una massiccia collezione di naufragi ancora
intatti.
La nostra rete esclusiva di resorts di prima classe per subacquei
in tutte le Filippine, la Repubblica di Palau e la Laguna di Truk
negli stati Federati della Micronesia, in associazione con i nostri
selezionati e professionali agenti di viaggio, trasforma i viaggi e
le immersioni in questa regione sbalorditiva del Pacifico, più
convenienti, più comodi e più divertenti che mai per i
subacquei!
L'alleanza Filippine-Micronesia e’ formata dai piu’
importanti operatori per le immersioni subacquee, direttamente
selezionati dall’Alleanza per garantire ai subacquei il
meglio per vacanze di qualita’, il più alto livello di
sicurezza, eccellenti servizi agli utenti e professionalita’
del settore industriale.
Per la convenienza del suo progetto di viaggio, i nostri esperti e
selezionati agenti regionali pianificheranno le Vostre esplorazioni
nel Pacifico, per una tranquillita’ garantita
nell’appoggio dei livelli di servizio della nostra Alleanza,
nel conforto e nella totale soddisfazione. Per cortesia,
rilassatevi, divertitevi e lasciate il piano delle immersioni a
noi!
I Vostri partners per vacanze di qualita’ nel campo delle
immersioni, includono resorts Filippini e centri Asiatici per
subacquei come il “Resort Galleon, a
Puerto Galera; il “Club Paradise & Dugong Diving
Center, a
Palawan; il “Pinjalo Diver Resort”, a
Borocay;
il “Sam’s Tours” a Palau,
in
Micronesia e il
“Truk Lagoon Dive Center, negli
Stati federati della Micronesia.

© Gunther Deichmann
- Spectacular Nautilus dives at
Sam's Tours Palau.
Click on the images for more photos from
all the Alliance destinations.
Il
Sam’s tour,
e’ il primario centro di addestramento e sviluppo subacqueo
PADI a cinque stelle di Palau. Eccellenti servizi per gli utenti,
attenzioni personalizzate e servizio professionale ha fatto si che
il Sam’s Tours sia stato premiato dalla scelta dei lettori
dello Scuba Diving Magazine, dal 1997 in poi come “Migliore
centro di immersioni”, “Migliore personale di
addestramento” e “Migliori costi”.
Il nostro centro per immersioni include un servizio fotografico
subacqueo professionale e un negozio videofotografico, tecniche di
immersione e trimix, autorizzate dal settore vendite e servizi di
Scubapro e Aqualung, una lunga serie di esperienze subacquee,
programmi preliminari attraverso certificazioni di istruttori, e un
caffe' sul lungomare che guarda la bella isola andare verso la fine
della giornata.
Situato a Koror, il Sam's Tours e' a meno di 40 minuti di battello
dalle meravigliose scogliere esterne di Palau ed e' a 10 minuti da
molte navi naufragate ed aerei affondati durante la Seconda guerra
Mondiale (WWII). I nostri battelli forniscono viaggi veloci, sicuri
e comodi ed includono una visita complimentare allo sbalorditivo
Jellyfish Lake (Lago delle meduse) di Palau. Per maggiore sicurezza
e comodita' offriamo Nitrox complimentari (con certificazione) e
nel rispetto della sicurezza, permettiamo immersioni con un massimo
di otto persone per ogni istruttore.
Sam’s Tours e’ un centro di immersioni indipendente che
opera in combinazione con i migliori Hotels di Palau ed offre
viaggi di andata e ritorno giornalieri, pacchetti che includono
Hotel ed immersioni, e charter personalizzati per singole persone o
gruppi. Un servizio shuttle complimentare garantisce viaggi di
andata e ritorno da e per tutti gli Hotel di Koror.
In aggiunta alle immersioni, Sam’s Tours offre gite per lo
snorkel, giri dell’isola, noleggi marittimi ed il piu’
quotato Planet Blue Kayak Tours. Sam’s Tours, e’
l’unico centro di immersioni di Palau che riceve il premio
Palau Conservation Society (Societa’ di tutela di Palau)
“Partner in Conservazion” (Partner in tutela) ed
e’ lo sponsor sociale del Palau Shark Sanctuary Fund (Fondo
del Palau Shark Sanctuary).
____________________________________
Chris saw a Whale-shark while participating in an Intro Dive & diving with Mantas in Palau plus Survivor Micronesia
Scuba diving with us in the Philippines, Micronesia and the Pacific
in 2008.
The Divers Choice.
scuba-uitrustings duik - plongée de
scaphandre - Tauchen mit Unterwasseratemgerät - diving dello scuba
- diving do scuba - salto de la escafandra
autónom
Filippijnen - Philippines
- Philippinen - Filippine - Filipinas - Philippines - Filipinas -
Micronesië - La Micronésie - Mikronesien - La Micronesia
vreedzaam - Pacifique - pazifisches meer -
pacifico
H a p p y H o
l i d a y s

© Gunther Deichmann
- Palau, Micronesia
Quiet again in Palau after the Survivor
show/filming is over.
Select a beach and have a romantic Vacation, like the couples
on the three Coconut Island.
Click the
image for more photos of our
destinations.
Blog post from Sam's Tours
Palau
SURVIVOR MICRONESIA -
Officially Announced!
Survivor 16 or Survivor Palau as it has
been generally referred to up until now, is officially announced as
Survivor Micronesia. Big Fish Inc., the production company who shot
the show in Palau from September through December this year has
already packed up and left town. The town is markedly quieter now
that the production crews are gone and the beaches in the rock
islands that have been off-limits during the shoot are once again
open for access.
It was good to see some old friends that we met during the last
Survivor Palau shoot a few years ago. Chances are that TV viewers
here in Palau may not even get to see the show when it airs unless
that local cable company can work out a deal.
With Survivor: China concluded, CBS announced the new season of
Survivor will be called Survivor: Micronesia - Fans versus
Favorites and will feature a tribe of long-time Survivor fans up
against fan-favorites from previous seasons.
For more information check out:
http://coldleftovers.com/survivor-micronesia-cast-revealed
http://www.unofficialsurvivorguide.com/
While Survivor Micronesia is getting top billing on the Internet,
it is Palau's awesome scubadiving that continues to wow our
visitors. Just yesterday one of our guests Chris saw a Whaleshark
while participating in an Intro Dive! I've been diving here for 10
years and haven't seen a Whaleshark yet! The mantas have been
plentiful and very playfull in the late afternoons near German
Channel and there have been a few tiger sharks seen in the area
too. Visibility has been spectacular and all in all, the diving has
been spectacular these past few months. How can you tell? Just take
one look at the divers faces as they get off the boats or listen up
at the bar as friends sit around and relive their dives. So, turn
off the TV, pack your bags and come on down to Palau and see for
yourself what all the fuss is about!
A very
happy New Year -
prost Neujahr -
bonne année -
onnellista uutta vuotta -
gelukkig Nieuwjaar -
ath bhliain faoi mhaise -
selamat tahun baru -
godt nytt år -
szczliwego nowego roku -
feliz ano novo -
gott nytt år manigong bagong taon -
sawatdii pimaï -
kung hé fat tsoi - xin nian kuai le / xin nian hao
-
godt nytår -
eutichismenos o kainourgios chronos -
felice anno nuovo, buon anno -
S novim godom -
sreno novo leto -
Cung Chúc Tân Xuân
yeni
yiliniz kutlu olsun
___________________________________
Breaking NEWS! Photo workshop in Palau...

©
Gunther Deichmann
I
have just
received word and given confirmation about the final dates on
the
Photo Workshop in Palau Micronesia with Sam's Tours.
The confirmed dates are:
April 22nd to 27th 2008. Tony Wu one of Asia's
best underwater photographers ( editor of Fins Magazine) and
Gunther Deichmann well renown for his landscape and surface shots
(also a certified Apple Pro trainer for Aperture) have organized
this exciting event at Sam's Tours. More details will be announced
shortly, for reservations and bookings please contact Dermot Keane
from Sam's Tours at:www.samstours.com
For other workshop details go to:
www.gdphotoworkshop.com, more details and info
will be posted soon on this site.
For information on Tony Wu please go to:http://www.tonywublog.com/
Fins
Magazine: http://www.finsonline.com/
Plan your trip now for an exciting Photo Workshop above and below
in Palau Micronesia, shoot with Tony Wu at Blue Corner and other
great dive sites, journey with Gunther Deichmann to some of the
best locations above in Palau and learn the digital workflow after
the shoot. For our Mac/Apple friends there is a big surprise
waiting for you at Sam's very, very soon this will be announced on
this Blog and at : http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html

© Tony Wu - learn from the
best

© Gunther Deichmann- even aerials
can be arranged

© Tony
Wu - a smile for you

© Gunther
Deichmann, Sam's Tours Palau -
your base, the premier dive center
________________________________________________________
Micronesia exposed in Fins Magazine, Nov. 2007

©
Gunther Deichmann
The
current issue of Fins Magazine is featuring a nice 12 page article
on Micronesia,
please see below some excerpts from
this current issue, you can download the whole article direct from
their website at: http://www.finsonline.com/magazine/vol_6_6/
or
go to our site in a few days and you find the pdf file under
Alliance& the Media at:
http://www.alliancediving.com/media.html
Fins Magazine is also available as a download in the iTunes
Store,
just check it out.
Dive
or plan your next vacation with the
Philippine-Micronesia Alliance in
Micronesia or the Pacific, we offer you the very best in marine
bio-diversity, wreck diving, wall or real shark dives, explore and
have your next adventure with us at any of our partner resorts or
dive centers. We like to express our sincere thanks to Fins
Magazine for this great and comprehensive article on Micronesia,
our partners in Micronesia are
Sam's Tours in
Palau and
Truk Stop Hotel and Dive Center in
Chuuk or better known as Truk Lagoon.
The
region known as Micronesia, meaning tiny islands, is in fact a vast
area that includes over eight nation-statesand thousands of islands
ranging from uninhabited atolls to overcrowded coral outcrops.
Stretching from the Marshall Islands just west of Hawaii to
theCaroline Islands east of the Philippines, and from the Marianas
Islands to the north and Gilbert Islands to the south, Micronesia
has less combined land area than the smallest state in the United
States, yet more ocean area than the entire mainland USA. Located
north of the equator, Micronesia sits on the fringes of the
epicentre of marine biodiversity, making it a tropical diving
paradise second to none. For scuba divers, the islands of Palau (or
Belau), an independent republic since 1994, and the island states
of Yap, Chuuk,Pohnpei and Kosrae, which make up the Federated
States of Micronesia (FSM) are of the greatest interest. From
the magnificent mantas of Yap, to the fascinating WWII wrecks of
Truk Lagoon (Chuuk) to the schooling sharks of Palau’s
renowned Blue Corner, Micronesia ranksamong the world’s top
high-voltage dive destinations................
more
Pohnpei is perhaps best
known as the site of the ancient ruins of Nan Madol, though in
recent years it has also begun to develop a reputation as a great
surf spot. Much is still to be learned about the mysterious Nan
Madol ruins. Called the Venice of the Pacific, this man-made city
with ocean-filled channels once housed a thriving, royal
civilization.............
The sleepy islands of Yap (considered the most
“traditional” of the territories in the FSM) have
managed to let most of the modern world pass by, practicing
Micronesia’s most reserved and traditional lifestyle. Many
Yapese men still wear traditional bright loincloths and women grass
skirts. The people of Yap marry according to custom and still
practice traditional handicrafts.............
Although the island has now reverted to using its more traditional
name of Chuuk, it’s known to many scuba divers as Truk, a
destination world-renowned for its a vast collection of intact WWII
Japanese shipwrecks, sunk during Operation Hailstone by aerial
attacks launched from US Fast Carrier Attack Groups in
1944..............
Palau, of
course needs very little introduction, but read more about
Micronesia in the downloadable pdf file
at:
http://www.finsonline.com/magazine/vol_6_6/
From
the author
www.deichmann-photo.com
“The
whole of Micronesia is still relatively unexplored and a sheer
paradise, with all its remote atolls and small islands covered with
bird rookeries, and islands inhabited by only a dozen or so
people.”
GD
_________________________________
Congratulations to the Palau Pacfic Resort

© Gunther Deichmann
This image is taken only a few weeks ago at the Palau Pacific
Resort the
very best spot for the most dramatic sunsets in Palau right at the
sandy
beach and near the pool bar.
Congratulation
to the Palau Pacific Resort
from all the Alliance partners.
Congratulations
to the
Palau Pacific Resort or better know as PPR on their
recent selection
as
Asia's Leading Diving Resort in the World Travel
Awards, when
YOU as a guest
travel with us or book with the
Philippine
- Micronesia Alliance the chances are
you be staying at the PPR, you might wonder why, easy answer Sam's
Tours is our partner in Palau Micronesia.
Again our Congratulations to all the management and staff at the
Palau Pacific Resort, Palau is one of the Alliance premier dive
destination and has now Asia's leading Dive Resort in cooperation
with
Sam's
Tours.

Check out the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance website represented in
9 languages
English, German, French, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Chinese,
Japanese and Korean.
www.alliancediving.com
GD
____________________________________
Excitement in Palau Micronesia and World Travel Market in London, UK.
DID YOU KNOW?
Is brought to you by the
Philippine - Micronesia
Alliance,
the Divers Choice.
We care about our Environment!

©
Gunther Deichmann, Location of
Sam's Tours Palau, (red circle)

©
Gunther Deichmann, Sam's Tours Palau
I
just arrived back from Palau Micronesia, and so many things happen
during my visit,
Sam's Tours
Grand Opening and 17th Anniversary, all new facilities are fully
operational now, read the blog post from Dermot Keane the General
Manager below for all the details.
The Survivor TV show shooting their latest episode as we speak, of
course they are very secret about everything, then the Discovery
Channel shooting at the same time a new story on the Bone
Detectives and to top it all an international Canoe Race
competition "The Micronesia Cup" was held at the same time,
participants from Guam, Singapore, Palau, Australia, Patagonia and
many others competing in this race, talking about a buzzing
Palau.
Our Alliance partner
Blue Horizons Travel and Tours
is leaving soon for the World Travel Market Show held in London,
England, I am sure I get the full report upon their return so
please stay tuned.
Check out some of the images below from some of these events,
thanks.
GD
Blue Horizons Travel and Tours,
Inc.
Delegates:
Alex Stutely and Jeremy Kemp
representing Blue Horizons and the Philippine - Micronesia
Alliance
your experts in island hopping and dive travel.
The Divers Choice.
The Philippines will again be putting its best foot forward during
this year’s World Travel Market, to be held at London’s
ExCel exhibition center at the Docklands,
from 12 to 15 November.The WTM, staged yearly in London, is one
of the world’s biggest and most important business events. It
provides a unique opportunity for people and companies in the
travel trade and tourism industry to meet, network, negotiate,
conduct business and stay abreast with the latest developments in
this global business.

©
Gunther Deichmann, New facilities at Sam's Tours
and new paved carpark

Sam
Scott opening speech on the 26th of October
It's Done! The New Sam's Tours is officially launched!
(below
the blog post from Dermot)
Well, it's been a long time in the making, but it's finally done!
Sam's Tours remodel project has come to a close and the new
"improved" Sam's Tours PADI 5-Star National Geographic Dive Center
has been officially launched! As promised and previously posted,
we've got complete new Guest Lockers, Rental Center and Compressor
Room facilities, we've expanded our Guest Area, paved the parking
lot, extended the roof, expanded and tidied up the bar, removed all
the old shipping containers and given the whole place an overall
facelift. We've already received very positive comments from the
many repeat guests with us this week including Matt Zimmerman of
ISLAND DIVERS in Honolulu who leads several trips a year to Palau
and Wayne Daniels of Kauai, who extended his stay to join the
party! Thanks Guys!
On Friday Night, October 26, on the Full Moon, we hosted a VIP
Reception for staff, friends, family and business partners followed
by an open house party with Live Music, snacks and lots of free Red
Rooster Beer (the great local microbrewed beer). Over 400 people
joined the party that went from 9pm to well after 3am, with music
by the "no name band" made up of mostly non-resident workers from
the Philippines. They did a fantastic job given that they were just
a pick up band pulled together with little time to practice. They
got the house rocking early on and kept the dance floor packed til
the wee hours. Sam's wife Martul who manages Bottom Time Bar and
Grill at Sam's and her great staff handled all the food and
beverage service and kept the party "well lubricated".
In addition to celebrating the Grand Re-Opening of Sam's Tours, we
also celebrated Sam's daughter Cyndis' 17th Birthday, Sam's Tours
17th Anniversary and the mid-season success of "Sam's Sharks" our
staff basketball team who are now 7 and 1 and 3rd place in the
league. Last night the Sharks crushed the team from Palasia Hotel
in a 102 to 63 victory. GO SHARKS!
We had many great friends and business partners join us for the
party including our very good friend and marketing partner Mr.
Gunther Deichmann who traveled from Manila on Continental Airlines
to join the party. Gunther produces all of Sam's Tours marketing
materials, print ads, and built our new website. Gunther is a
professional photographer with many books to his credit including
the Palau Dives Sites book and his most recent work Journey Through
Color and Time. Check out his website at
www.deichmann-photo.com
Gunther will join us again in April when he'll run a
Photo
Workshop here
at Sam's Tours featuring training on Apples image management
software APERTURE! Stay tuned for more details.
While he was here in Palau, Gunther took the time to do a complete
new photo shoot of our new facilities and even managed to jump in a
helicopter with Matt from Palau Helicopters and shot the dive
center every which way from the air. Palau Helicopters runs
everyday (when they're not tied up with SURVIVOR Palau, who are
here for the second time) and offers fantastic aerial tours of the
Rock Islands. It's a must! Many thanks to Matt, the expert pilot
from Palau Helicopters for some great flying!
Gunther is back in Manila tonight and very shortly I'll be posting
his new images right here on our blog and on our website.
Sam is in Florida at the moment at the DEMA Trade Show, having left
the next day after the big party. Ouch! Hope he's getting some
sleep now because he was a man on a mission in the weeks leading up
to the Launch Party keeping everyone on schedule and making sure we
made our 10/26 deadline.
From all the
Philippine-Micronesia Alliance
partners, congrats Sam and well done!

"The Sharks" Sam's Tours Basketball Team

Canoe Race competition "The Micronesia Cup"

The
team from Guam, "team spirit" red color hair
Explore the sea and treasure hunters
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
Congratulations to Sam’s Tours Palau, Micronesia

Congratulations
to
Sam’s Tours in
Palau, Micronesia, they have finally completed their major
renovation and the
Grand Opening is on the 26th of October 2007. http://www.samstours.com
Sam’s Tours a founding member of the Philippine Micronesia
Alliance, your experts for island hopping, underwater photography,
tech diving, wall diving, shark dives and wreck expedition. Explore
and Dive
with us the Pacific, the China Sea, the Philippine Sea and the
amazing walls of Micronesia, plus a lot more, for direct bookings
and all our special packages please go to:
http://www.alliancediving.com/packages.html
Your
passion is diving… ours is service.
The Divers Choice.
Welcome to
Sam’s Tours and the Alliance your partners in quality diving
holidays!,
Willkommen
bei
Sam’s Tours und bei der Allianz ihr Partner für erstklassigen
Tauchurlaub!
Bienvenue
à
Sam;s Tours, vos partenaires pour des séjours plongée de
choix.
Benvenuti
Sam’s
Tours, I vostri partners per vacanze di qualita’ nel campo
delle immersioni!
Bienvenidos
a
la Sam’s Tours,sus compañeros para esas vacaciones de buceo
de calidad!
http://www.samstours.com
___________________________





