ScubaGlobe Asia Pacific - Australia OZTeK 09 Showcasing the World

August 10 2008 UK Bogus bends nets Divers £250,000 A pair of divers swindled £250,000 (US$500,000) from the National Health Service for treating bogus cases of the bends. David Welsh, 49, and diving instructor Michael Brass, 43, are facing prison sentences after being found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the NHS and perverting the course of justice. Welsh ran the Fort Bovisand diving centre, which had its own recompression chamber. They paid strangers they met in pubs up to £200 to pose as divers who needed recompression treatment, they only needed only the real names, addresses, dates of birth and national insurance numbers of the supposed victims to work the fraud. Most had never been underwater and some could barely swim. Welsh billed National Health Trusts from all over the UK £6,500 a time for treating the 37 fake victims. The fraud was discovered when police investigated two cases of divers from Liverpool who were supposedly treated for the bends at the recompression chamber. Full story...

November 26 2008 AustraliaDivers support breast cancer dayWhen one of the members of Pro Dive Nelson Bay’s Narki Gnome Dive Club was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, the group wanted to support her and raise awareness for the Breast Cancer Network of Australia (BCNA). Diving was what brought them together, so they held an event with their own underwater twist. For the past eight years Mini-Fields of Women have been held in communities across Australia during October as part of Australia's breast cancer month, an initiative from The Breast Cancer Network of Australia (BCNA). The Mini-Fields of Women campaign places hundreds of hot pink lady silhouettes in prominent positions throughout Australia to represent women affected by breast cancer. Full story...

August 25 2008 HawaiiArchaeologists have located British whaler sunk by bad weather in 1837 off Kure Atoll Artefacts from the remains of a wreck believed to be of the British whaling vessel Gledstanes lost for 171 years have been found off Kure Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The artefacts include four large anchors, cannons and cannonballs. The Gledstanes is the fourth whaling vessel found in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, evidence of the area's significance as a 19th-century whaling area. The divers who found the shipwreck were taking part in the 2008 Maritime Heritage Expedition, sponsored by NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries. Full story...

Australia OZTeK 09 Showcasing the World

Showcasing the World: www.diveoztek.com.au

With 90% of the exhibition space already booked, OZTeK’09 (to be held at Australian Technology Park, Sydney over the weekend of the 21st & 22nd March 2009) is on track to be a must-visit event for all divers - regardless of experience level - keen to check out the very best that the entire world of diving has to offer.

With an exhibitor list that already includes: Aqua Tech; Apeks; Aqualung; Aquanaut; Cape Byron Imports; Cave Divers Association of Australia; Closed Circuit Rebreather Divers; Delta P Technology; DAN Asia-Pacific; Dive Adventures; Dive Centre Bondi; Dive Log Australasia; Dive Pacific Magazine; Dive Rite; Diversion Dive Travel; DiveTek; Dive Tub; Dive 2000; Draeger Safety Pacific; DUI; Eaglehawk Dive Centre – Tasmania; Eagle Rebreathers; Go Dive Launceston; GreenForce; Halcyon Australia; Historical Diving Society; Inner Space Systems Corp; Invader Charters; Jetsam Technologies; Luxfer; Lissenung Island Resort; MetalSub Australia; Neptune Sports; Oceanic Australia; OMS/Northern Divers; PADI Asia Pacific; PNG Diving Association; Scuba Diver Magazine; Scuba Imports; Scubapix; Scubapro/Uwatec; Scuba Warehouse; SDI Australia; Sea & Sea; Seemann; SeaQuest; Southern Cross Divers; Sport Diving Magazine; Scuba Schools International; Sterling Leisure; Suunto; Tawali Adventures; TDI Australia; Technisub; TUSA; Underwater Kinetics, and Zeagle, there’s no better place to keep abreast of all that’s happening in diving than at OZTeK’09.

A truly international event that’s been chosen as the launch platform for a number of exciting new products and initiatives that will help shape diving’s future, OZTeK’09 is the one-stop shop window on the dynamic world of diving.

To find out more about who’s exhibiting at OZTeK’09 and for further information about the event, check out the website at: www.diveoztek.com.au or e-mail the organisers at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Passport to Adventure www.diveoztek.com.au

Now on sale through participating dive stores, dive clubs, or directly from the organisers, everyone pre-purchasing a two-day Gold Conference Pass to OZTeK’09 will be entered into the draw to win an overseas diving holiday courtesy of Dive Adventures.

To be staged at Australian Technology Park, Sydney, Australia, from the 21st – 22nd March 2009, the internationally-acclaimed, OZTeK’09 Conference will again feature an action-packed programme of presentations, seminars and workshops designed to spark the imagination and keep the passion alive.

Offering a unique opportunity to be enthralled, educated and entertained by some of diving's most celebrated identities, the growing speaker list already includes: Leigh Bishop, (UK); Dr Mike Gadd, (Singapore); Grant Graves, (USA); Kevin Gurr (UK); Jill Heinerth, (USA); Richie Kohler, (USA); Simon Liddiard, (Indonesia); Pete Mesley (NZ); Ron Micjan, (USA); Dr Simon Mitchell, (NZ); Martin Parker (UK); Carl Spencer, (UK) and, Rick Stanton, (UK): While from Australia, the line-up already includes: Samir Alhafith, Kevin Denlay, Richard Evans, Dr Andrew Fock, Max Gleeson, Karen Gowlett-Holmes, David Harasti, Dr Richard Harris, Greg Hodge, Trevor Jackson, John Lippmann, Des Paroz, Mark Ryan, Warrick McDonald, Tim Smith, Richard Taylor and Steve Trewavas.

While admission to the exhibition, (just $15.00 for the day) together with half-day Conference Passes will be on sale at the door on the day, there’s no better way to enjoy the entire OZTeK’09 experience than with the advance purchase of either a Gold or a Silver Pass.

Pegged at the 2007 rate of just AUD$220.00, the Gold Pass offers delegates full two-day access to all of the speaker presentations, break-out sessions, workshops and seminars, as well as unlimited access to the exhibition and other Exhibition activities. Single day access (either Saturday 21st – or Sunday 22nd March) is also available by purchasing a Silver Pass at AUD$132.00.

The complete passport to the world of diving excitement, Gold and Silver pass-holders to the OZTeK’09 Conference are set for an underwater adventure like no other.

To book your Pass to OZTeK’09 - or for further information about the event - check out the website at: www.diveoztek.com.au or e-mail the organisers at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it