NATURE is a lot closer now....
BUSUANGA AIRPORT Palawan Philippines...

CLUB PARADISE, EL RIO Y MAR and the DUGONG DIVE CENTER

Busuanga Airport, landing point for CLUB PARADISE, EL RIO Y MAR and the DUGONG DIVE CENTER now has a 1500 meter concrete runway plus a 400 meter gravel extension.
 
This gives a new dimension to tourism in the islands of the Calamianes. Whereas before only 19 seater planes were able to land, Busuanga airport is now being served by the super fast 32-seater Do 28 (needs only 35 minutes to get there from Manila) and the 50 seater Dash-7.
 
Starting next week, May 17, 2008 the service of a 72 seater plane from Phil Airlines will begin daily flights. This will bring the total seat capacity per year to about 100.000 seats yearly. New hotels, lodging houses and resorts are under construction and on the planning board. Present room capacity of 400 rooms will be double within an year.                                                                   

© Gunther Deichmann - the spectacular marine life in Palawan

The Government has decided to pave the road from Coron to Busuanga Airport to modernize the road system and create more comfort for all travelers. Guests of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance and CLUB PARADISE, EL RIO Y MAR and DUGONG DIVE CENTER will get to their destination a lot faster and more comfortably now.
This will increase their time to enjoy all the exciting dive sites to see the Turtles, Dugongs, WWII Wrecks, a whole fleet was sunk in this area and of course beautiful reefs in this area.

Another great NEWS is, several Whale-sharks have been in sighted in the Coron, Palawan area, a good reason for planning your next trip to PALAWAN...the Philippines best kept secret...NATURE at its best.
 

© Gunther Deichmann - the WWII Wrecks of Palawan


© Gunther Deichmann - the WWII Wrecks of Palawan

Tags: DUGONGS,, Dive Center, WWII WRECKS,, Conservation, Wreck Diving,, PALAWAN, PHILIPPINES, NATURE, Inselhuepfen,, Island hopping,

Tags: Conservation, PALAU, NATURE, Protect, Environment

Tags: The DIVERS CHOICE, Tauch REISEN, TRAVEL NEWS, DIVING, PHILIPPINES, Dive MANTAS, Micronesia, PALAU, REISEN, URLAUB, Inselhuepfen,, Island hopping,

Tags: Dive Center, DIVING, NATURE, Discover PALAU, PHILIPPINES, Puerto Galera, Exploring, Micronesia, Boracay, TRAVEL NEWS, Digital, Underwater Photography, Tauch REISEN, CRITTERS, Tauchen und Meer, Tauchen, UNTERWASSER

Part of the NEW HOME page...click on the image and go direct to Truk Lagoon Dive Center
http://www.dive-truklagoon.com/main.php

The Truk Stop Hotel & Dive Center is a PADI Resort Facility offering great accommodations plus an excellent, full service dive center for both the recreational and technical diver.
Truk Stop Hotel inventory of rooms include 2 apartments, 4 suites, 6 deluxe ocean view rooms, and 10 standard rooms. The apartments are air conditioned and fully furnished with kitchenette. All suites and rooms are air conditioned, have a balcony, private bath and furnished with a refrigerator plus TV/DVD player.

LOCAL TIME: 03:20:58 pm | May. 05, 2008

The Truk Lagoon Dive Center offers up to 4 dives a day (wreck, reef, shark, night), and our private dock, dive lockers, rinse tanks and shower make diving with us easy and convenient. We have Bauer Compressors and use a Haskel Pump for blending Nitrox and Trimix, and our expatriate PADI certified professional dive staffs take care of the technical and recreational diver with equal care and consideration.

Our Hotel Restaurant serves international, western style and local food daily from 6:00am till 10:00pm and offers inside dining in air conditioned, smoke free comfort or outside on our patio right next to the world famous Truk Lagoon. Enjoy our Wi-Fi broadband internet connection in the restaurant or on the patio – for FREE!

© Gunther Deichmann - the view from your room Balcony at night.
http://www.dive-truklagoon.com/main.php

The Hard Wreck Café & Bar is the favorite hangout for resident expatriates, the traveling businessman, island visitors and local residents and is the place to enjoy a friendly game of pool, your favorite beverage, karaoke with friends, or just rest up for your next dive or business meeting.
Other services available through the hotel include a relaxing, stress busting massage at The Body Shop, fresh breads, cakes and desserts from our Bakery, handicrafts & souvenirs from our Gift Shop, u-drives from our Car Rental fleet, and business services at our well equipped Conference Facilities.

Tags: TRUK LAGOON,, WWII WRECKS,, CHUUK MICRONESIA,, NITROX, OXYGEN, TRIMIX, Tauchen,, Lungenautomat,, TECH DIVING,, Wreck Diving,, HELIUM,, REBREATHER,, TEC DIVING,

DUGONGS at THE HOUSE REEF ...

CLUB PARADISE PALAWAN.


© Courtesy of Dugong Dive Center in Palawan, Philippines
click the image or the link below to visit the website @
http://www.dugongdivecenter.com/

I have just received this report from Dirk Fahrenbach, yes three (3) DUGONGS right at the House reef at Club Paradise grazing the seaweed bed.
This is the only place in the Philippines where you can observe these amazing and gentle creatures in the wild, the area is well protected by a conservation Park.

Another article but not related to our Dugong sighting is that of a Auction where some fossilized Dinosaurs dung has been sold for some US$ 1000.00 very interesting reading...
GD

Dino dung snapped up at auction

Jurassic-era coprolite, or fossilised dinosaur dung

Two pieces of dinosaur dung have been sold at auction for $960 (£486) at an auction house in New York.
The fossilised dung, which resembles rock on the outside, and a colourful mineral inside, is 130 million years old, from the Jurassic period.
Auctioneers Bonhams of New York said it sold for twice the expected price.

The buyer is reported to be Steve Tsengas, the 71-year-old owner of a company that sells products to treat pet animal waste in Ohio.

Marketing tool... for the full story click the link below...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7377982.stm

Tags: Unerwater, DIVING,SCUBA DIVING, Science,, DUGONGS,, PHILIPPINES,, NATURE,, Island hopping,, Dive Center,, PALAWAN, HOUSE REEF,, Tauchen,, Exploring,, Inselhuepfen,

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



To go to the Center click on the image
The Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art: ACCEA
" NPAK" in Armenian acronymis an alternative center for avant-garde
and modern art in Yerevan, Armenia

We have to take care of our PLANET and the ENVIRONMENT otherwise there be nothing left for our Children…
we all need to contribute & STOP Global Warming.

Some of Gunther Deichmann's images have been recently part of an international Exhibition in Armenia...for more detailed information some links below… many other international Photographers have contributed images for the Exhibition and environmental awareness, for a complete list of all the participants and sponsors including the WWF World Wildlife Fund in Armenia go to the provided links below…
I am happy and proud to have been part of this Exhibition in providing images creating awareness for our fragile environment.

Click on the image above and view the Exhibition
with images and slide shows from all
the international participants.

The image above was taken in Palau Micronesia it was used as the Cover
for the official Exhibition Booklet, for other environmental related images
by Gunther Deichmann click the link below:
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/environment.html



WHY BURNING MY HOME...THINK!
Slide show of the images from the Exhibition by Gunther Deichmann
click on the link or image above.
http://www.davosstudio.com/Exhibition/Participants/Gunther%20Deichmann/

Tags: MARINE, WILDERNESS, DIVING

PHOTO: © Lee Goldman - Palawan at its very best...the camp site.
I wish I could be there...

Today another lad strolled into the office & not just anybody…my good friend and soon a new Alliance Partner Lee Goldman Marine Biologist and Expedition Leader of a great new Tour in Palawan Philippines.
Supported by Wilderness Travel and our partner in Manila Blue Horizons, Dugong Dive Center and Club Paradise in Palawan…the last frontier in the Philippines with spectacular limestone cliffs equal to Palau and Thailand.

Lee’s Expedition was also named as one of the
Best Adventure Trips 2008

A Masked Ball in the Philippines
http://www.concierge.com/ideas/

There be a lot more in the near future, you just have to stay tuned or subscribe to our blog…
A lot of exciting things are on the way…see below some of Lee’s Photos and text from his recent trip in April 2008, just completed…very cool and amazing…YOU should join him on his next trip and experience the Philippines like no other has done before…sounds familiar yes… STARTREK…but hurry bookings have to be made well in advance.
Gunther Deichmann

PHOTO: © Lee Goldman - "Alien Lights?" No Palawan!
Exploring Palawan by Kayak & in the evening
there is fine dining... under the stars.

Hi Gunther,

The first PHILIPPINES Expedition for WILDERNESS TRAVEL is in the books and as I have done in previous blogs I want to thank some of the Philippine-Micronesian Alliance partners, Dirk Fahrenbach at Dugong Dive Center at Club Paradise and Blue Horizon Travel for their help in making it a successful tour. The highlights? How about Whale sharks, fantastic snorkeling among fields of colorful corals and abundant fish, Apo Reef National Park, and great weather! The super-highlight? KAYAKING and LUXURY CAMPING in the middle of some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet; the limestone cliffs of El Nido, Palawan. Of course, our 5-star chef at camp helped in areas all marine enthusiasts are familiar with: growling stomachs at the end of a full day of fun…& there be a lot more very soon… this is only an appetizer.
Lee Goldman

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

Like an ALIEN from a different WORLD...very cool…the image below is nothing in comparison from what this article has in store for you… Thanks to Walter Ty again.

Monster warning to protect oceans... about twice the size of a London Bus...& be careful when diving in NEW ZEALAND...YOU never know.

The landing of a colossal squid by New Zealand fishermen earlier this year offered a rare glimpse into the mysterious world deep beneath the waves. Scientist Mark Norman uses this week's Green Room to argue that it also shows how marine life is being destroyed before it is understood.

You be amazed to see this one…WOW!

© Gunther Deichmann - just like Aliens...
Squid under a Boat in Micronesia,
for more images from the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance
destinations click on the Image above or this link.
http://www.alliancediving.com/blog/page2/page2.html

Colossal squid comes out of ice…
By Richard Black
Environment correspondent
Courtesy of the BBC

Colossal squid. Image: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
( go to the link below and view the image)
Dr Kubodera examines the eye of the smaller, partial colossal squid specimen
Technicians in New Zealand have begun to thaw a rare colossal squid specimen.

The operation to defrost the 10-metre (34 feet) long, half-tonne squid began on Monday afternoon in Wellington following a postponement of 24 hours.
The animal is now sitting in a bath of salt water. Once it is thawed, scientists will begin to dissect it.

Very little is known about colossal squid, which appear to live largely in the cold Antarctic waters and can grow up to 15 metres (50 feet) long.
"They're incredibly rare - this is probably one of maybe six specimens ever brought up," said Carol Diebel, director of natural environment at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa centre.

"It's certainly the one that we're being really careful about, completely intact and in really fantastic condition."
The Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni specimen was caught in February 2007 in the Ross Sea.

Big unknown

The colossal squid is remarkable for its size, but also for how rarely it has been sighted.
It was identified first in 1925 from two tentacles found in a sperm whale's stomach…
You have to read on...more images and text @
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7367774.stm

Photo: © Hermes Singson - Juergen Warnke
from Club Paradise and the President of the German Club
introduces Johnny Alegre and band.

Now back to ADEX and Dirk; Allan Nash and Tommy from Asia Divers with El Galleon attended the show at the Philippine Department of Tourism Booth…Wow Philippines. According to Dirk the ADEX show was the very best he had attended compared to previous years, getting many requests for diving with Dugongs and on the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance.
Jason Heller from Dive Photo Guide strolled around and Michael AW made his presents felt with a presentation for the up coming Celebrate the Sea Festival.

Our Philippine-Micronesia Alliance partners Dirk Fahrenbach from Club Paradise and Dugong Dive Center
in Palawan with Allan Nash from Asia Divers with El Galleon Beach Resort in Puerto Galera Philippines...
posing with the Alliance brochure at the WOW Philippines Booth in Singapore 2008.



The WOW Philippine Booth at
ADEX DIVE SHOW Singapore 2008




Presentation on the Celebrate the Seas Festival
soon to be held in Manila at ADEX Singapore 2008

You have to forgive me today for not writing to much, I am still suffering a bit, but don’t worry more to come in the next few days including an article of some exciting new developments in Palawan…I guess you just have to stay tuned or subscribe to our Blog.
GD

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

My very special thanks go to Walter Ty for bringing this to my attention…
Sorry no Photos today but if you go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/
edinburgh_and_east/7360770.stm
There you find a cool Pod cast and a photo of this amazing little fish from the Amazon, discovery been made everyday and we are learning so much about our environment except how to take care of it…lets start now.
GD


No sex for all-girl fish species
Amazon Molly (Credit: Dunja K Lamatsch)
Courtesy of BBC

A fish species, which is all female, has survived for 70,000 years without reproducing sexually, experts believe.
Scientists from the University of Edinburgh think the Amazon Molly may be employing special genetic survival "tricks" to avoid becoming extinct.

The species, found in Texas and Mexico, interacts with males of other species to trigger its reproduction process.
The offspring are clones of their mother and do not inherit any of the male's DNA.

Typically, when creatures reproduce asexually, harmful changes creep into their genes over many generations.
The species will eventually have problems reproducing and can often fall victim to extinction.

Scientists at Edinburgh University have been studying complex mathematical models on a highly powerful computing system to look at the case of the Amazon Molly.
Researchers calculated the time to extinction for the fish based on modelling genetic changes over many thousands of generations.

They are now able to say conclusively, for the first time, the fish ought to have become extinct within the past 70,000 years, based on the current simple models.
Scientists believe the fish, which are still thriving in rivers in south-east Texas and north-east Mexico, are using special genetic survival "tricks" to help them stay alive.

One theory is that the fish may occasionally be taking some of the DNA from the males that trigger reproduction, in order to refresh their gene pool.

Species tricks

Dr Laurence Loewe, of the university's School of Biological Sciences, said: "What we have shown now is that this fish really has something special going on and that some special tricks exist to help this fish survive.
"Maybe there is still occasional sex with strangers that keeps the species alive. Future research may give us some answers."
He added that their findings could also help them understand more about how other creatures operate.
"I think one of the interesting things is that we are learning more about how other species might use these tricks as well," he said.

"It might have a more general importance."
The Edinburgh-led study was carried out in collaboration with Dr Dunja Lamatsch at the University of Wuerzburg, now at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
The research is published in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology.
More info and Photos @
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/
edinburgh_and_east/7360770.stm



Species loss 'bad for our health'
The physiology of bears could lead to a better understanding of some diseases

A new generation of medical treatments could be lost forever unless the current rate of biodiversity loss is reversed, conservationists have warned.
They say species are being lost before researchers have had the chance to examine and understand their potential health benefits.
The findings appear in Sustaining Life, a book involving more than 100 experts.

It is being published ahead of a global summit in May that will look at ways to stem biodiversity loss by 2010.
"While extinction is alarming in its own right, the book demonstrates that many species can help human lives," said co-author Jeffrey McNeely, chief scientist at IUCN (formerly known as the World Conservation Union).


Societies depend on nature for treating diseases
Achim Steiner,
Unep executive director

"If we needed more justification for action to conserve species, it offers dozens of dramatic examples of both why and how citizens can act in ways that will conserve, rather than destroy, the species that enrich our lives."

Killing the cure
One creature whose potential benefits have been lost to science is the southern gastric brooding frog (Rheobatrachus silus), say the authors…more info and Photos at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7361539.stm

© 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

© 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

See below the latest NEWS from Fins Magazine...
MacDive Matchmaker

This information has been provided by Fins Magazine... click the link above for more information...

Saturday, 19th April 2008, 12:48 pm by FiNS Team

Realising that his beloved Suunto D9 and Mac computer were having communication issues, Singapore-based Kiwi Nick Shore created MacDive, a free application to help the two get along.
Nick says: “There wasn’t an application that had the functionality I wanted or the look and feel of a Mac application, and I thought it would be easiest to just start from scratch and make the exact app I wanted. Plus, this way I could make it free. I worked on MacDive in my spare time after work. It’s been a real labour of love. I know there are many divers who are also Mac users and who, like me, have been frustrated with the lack of options available for Macs. I hope MacDive will help make them happy.”
While developing MacDive, a number of divers in Singapore loaned him their Suuntos for testing. As a result, the application is currently compatible with the D9, D6, D3, Cobra, Cobra 2, Vyper, Vyper 2, Gekko, Vytec and Mosquito.
Nick plans to continue developing MacDive, adding support for more dive computer brands as well as additional functionality, and he’s keen to receive user feedback on where to take the application next.
At the same time, Nick is working on a project with two programmers and divers from Belgium and Canada to make it easier to develop applications for the majority of dive computers on the market.”First things first, though. I’ve got to get in the water and do some testing of my own!”
MacDive is available for free download at: http://thedoorisajar.org/macdive