document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<b><h2>Welcome to the new financial year 2008-2009 of the Nautilus Scuba\n");
document.write("Club.</b></h2>\n");
document.write("\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("This year the committee will be trying very hard to make the club meetings\n");
document.write("a lot more interesting. Most meetings will start off with a sausage sizzle\n");
document.write("at 7pm and an “around the BBQ” talk about diving matters, introducing new\n");
document.write("members and guests etc.<br>\n");
document.write("We have purchased a digital projector, and at every meeting there will be\n");
document.write("showing a video on some aspect of a recent dive trip, or something\n");
document.write("nautical.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("This year we have a “team” who’s’ task it is to present to you interesting\n");
document.write("monthly dive trips and special dive trips, for example wreck diving,\n");
document.write("photography dives and overseas trips.  They will endeavour to obtain for\n");
document.write("us the most favourable prices, so being a member of the Nautilus Club will\n");
document.write("mean something.<br>\n");
document.write("In order to present to you what you want, you will shortly be contacted by\n");
document.write("‘phone or by a questionnaire to solicit your views. <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Also this year we are going to re-establish the underwater photography\n");
document.write("competition. This is something that used to be an annual feature of the\n");
document.write("Nautilus calendar year, but we do need your support. We intend to use the\n");
document.write("new digital projector to show your efforts.<br>\n");
document.write("You prints will be displayed on this web site on the “Photo Album”\n");
document.write("pages.<br>\n");
document.write("Also, to support this, we intend to have a guest speaker to give us some\n");
document.write("momentum in our aims to take that “perfect shot”. There will be a couple\n");
document.write("of grades so that when I take a shot with my little Canon, I will not be\n");
document.write("competing against someone with a great array of lenses and lights.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("There is a thought that we may be able to offer additional discounts on\n");
document.write("dive trips, and to entice you to join us for a “sausage sizzle”, they will\n");
document.write("only be available to those of you who attend the meeting.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("To offset the cost of the discounts, we need to increase the size of our\n");
document.write("membership.<br>\n");
document.write("We are going to advertise through the press, by using banners or by having\n");
document.write("information booths at specific functions throughout the year.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("We are taking measures to make it more accessible for other members to\n");
document.write("contact you and conversely for you to contact other members, thereby\n");
document.write("making it easier for you to find a dive buddy for that mid week dive.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("On the social front, we would like to have several social outings, apart\n");
document.write("from the popular Christmas Dinner. Maybe a dinner cruise, maybe a movie\n");
document.write("night, but we do need your input. Hiking trips have been suggested as a\n");
document.write("means of making the club more interactive for the diverse nature of the\n");
document.write("membership.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("As you can see, the committee has a lot of plans for the future, all of\n");
document.write("which can be achieved with your input and help.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Until next month,<br>\n");
document.write("Peter Farmilo,<br>\n");
document.write("President.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<div align=\"center\"><h2>PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2008/09</div></h2>\n");
document.write("\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("•	Introduction<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("It is my pleasure to present the President’s Report for the 2008/09\n");
document.write("financial year. The year just passed has been exciting as we eagerly\n");
document.write("looked forward to and embarked on our overseas trip to Palau and Yap, and\n");
document.write("participated in some great local and away dives. It has been a successful\n");
document.write("year financially for the Club, but a little disappointing to see a decline\n");
document.write("in the membership level, including some longer term members.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write(" I would like to sincerely thank the hard working Committee of the Club\n");
document.write("for helping to ensure the year was a success. It has been an absolute\n");
document.write("pleasure to work with such a dedicated group of people, and I feel very\n");
document.write("fortunate in this regard. The Committee has also been very cohesive and\n");
document.write("has always had the Club’s interests at the fore. All members interacted\n");
document.write("well and there has been no underlying animosities or personality clashes,\n");
document.write("which can so often undermine the effective workings of many sporting club\n");
document.write("committees.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("I will not be standing for President for the coming year. It has been an\n");
document.write("absolute honour and privilege to me to serve as President of the Club for\n");
document.write("the last three (3) years, and the highlight of my long association with\n");
document.write("the Club over the last 19 years. But it is now time to give another member\n");
document.write("an opportunity to lead. <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("•	Membership<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("As at 30 June our membership base was 80, and we generated $5,110 through\n");
document.write("membership fees…...a sustainable base. This is a decline in actual\n");
document.write("membership from the previous year when we had approximately 100 members.\n");
document.write("Some of the longer term members have dropped away, however we have had an\n");
document.write("influx of new members during the year.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write(" The losing of old members has always been a particular concern of mine,\n");
document.write("because over the years I have seen a large number of active members\n");
document.write("gradually drop away from the Club. I recognize that people do relocate\n");
document.write("from the region, engage in new activities, lose interest etc, but it would\n");
document.write("be good to somehow maintain their interest in the Club.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Membership cards were produced by Secretary Peter Farmilo and distributed\n");
document.write("to members in a timely fashion. Thank you Peter. This service has allowed\n");
document.write("the Club to save on significant costs from having the cards produced\n");
document.write("commercially.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("•	Newsletter<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The Club’s Newsletter is produced electronically by Vickie Owens and\n");
document.write("advised to members via the Club’s yahoo email group. Thanks Vickie for\n");
document.write("producing the monthly Newsletter. This initiative introduced in the\n");
document.write("2006/07 financial year, has also saved on commercial costs of production\n");
document.write("and postage.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("•	Financial<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The Treasurer (Peter Hayes) will present the financial report for the\n");
document.write("year, but suffice to say that we had a good year, while containing\n");
document.write("membership fees to both the 2006/07 level and 2007/08 level. Our cash and\n");
document.write("investments balance at 30 June amounted to a very comfortable $14,400\n");
document.write("which is well in excess of the $10,000 minimum balance I like to see the\n");
document.write("Club maintain.<br>\n");
document.write(" <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("•	New Initiatives During the Year<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("&#61692;	Overseas Trip – Palau and Yap		<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("About 18 members enjoyed a very exciting dive trip to Palau and Yap in\n");
document.write("Micronesia last November. The diving and scenery were spectacular\n");
document.write("(especially in Palau) and the trip afforded members a great chance to\n");
document.write("socialize and get to know one another better. The trip culminated in the\n");
document.write("marriage of two (2) of our members (Garry Sterling and Lindy Gow) in a\n");
document.write("very beautiful and moving ceremony in Yap.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The Club intends to offer an overseas trip each year to members. This year\n");
document.write("we are heading off to Walindi in PNG.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("&#61692;	Meet a Member.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("During the year we introduced a new segment to our monthly meeting – the\n");
document.write("Meet a Member segment. This initiative was suggested by Judy Nikles, and\n");
document.write("has proved to be a huge success. The idea of the segment is to introduce a\n");
document.write("member to the Club by interview technique. That way we all get to know the\n");
document.write("interviewee a little better, which is especially good for the newer\n");
document.write("members.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Thank you Judy for your contribution and for hosting this segment.<br>\n");
document.write(" <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("•	Club Dives<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("During the year we offered monthly trips out of Cairns and Port Douglas,\n");
document.write("at discounted prices. We also enjoyed our annual Christmas Dive trip on\n");
document.write("Day Tripper to Upolu Cay. Trips were also undertaken to Lake Eacham in\n");
document.write("January which is a Club tradition, and to the wreck of Yongala south of\n");
document.write("Townsville.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("A Club trip to Lake Eacham in July last year was only attended by Margit\n");
document.write("and me (similar to this year…..well at least we were represented !!). I\n");
document.write("doubt whether the July trip to Lake Eacham will be a “goer” in subsequent\n");
document.write("years, although this time of year is actually the best time to dive the\n");
document.write("Lake. Visibility is much improved and I haven’t noticed any drastic\n");
document.write("decline in temperature during the colder months, with temperature at about\n");
document.write("20 degrees at depth.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("I have noticed that local dive trips are becoming more and more expensive\n");
document.write("even given the discount we receive from Operators. This is not good news\n");
document.write("to us and not conducive to retaining members, especially given the\n");
document.write("financial climate we currently live in. Perhaps there could be an\n");
document.write("opportunity for the new Committee to consider a small subsidy for some\n");
document.write("trips, given the healthy state of the bank account?    <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Again, thank you Margit for organizing the Club trips and liaising with\n");
document.write("dive operators.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("•	Guest Speakers<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Special thanks to Clubbies Kevin and Ann Coombs and Phil Woodhead for\n");
document.write("making high quality video and still presentations to the Club on a number\n");
document.write("of occasions. Many thanks also to David Johnson our Life Member for\n");
document.write("presenting on Underwater Navigation, as well as other presenters. As\n");
document.write("always, your presentations were very professional and enjoyed thoroughly\n");
document.write("by members. We do need to get our “thinking caps” on for the coming year,\n");
document.write("and any suggestions from members are welcomed.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("•	Tusa Dive<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("I wish to thank Tusa Dive on behalf of the Club, for their ongoing\n");
document.write("generosity to the Club by hosting the monthly raffle draw, providing\n");
document.write("heavily discounted trips to the Reef if one phones up after 8pm and there\n");
document.write("are sufficient spots left, and for providing discounts on gear purchases.\n");
document.write("One free trip to the Reef is provided each month on Tusa 5 for two (2)\n");
document.write("people, for holding  the winning raffle ticket for that month. Tusa Dive\n");
document.write("have proven over the years to be true “Friends of Nautilus Dive Club”.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("•	Conclusion<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Over the years I have seen too many people I regard as friends drifting\n");
document.write("away from the Club, and this saddens me, both on a personal level and Club\n");
document.write("level. These members had significant experience as divers and contributed\n");
document.write("greatly to the Club. Ways must be found to try and reduce such “slippage”\n");
document.write("and all thoughts and ideas of members are welcomed. A lost member is a\n");
document.write("lost friend.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Our membership base is still strong, although I have seen it stronger in\n");
document.write("past years. We must maintain our energy levels to ensure the membership\n");
document.write("position does not deteriorate, and the financial position is held steady\n");
document.write("at a minimum $10,000 cash reserves. <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("I am excited about the annual overseas trip we now offer our members. I\n");
document.write("believe that this event is one of the best opportunities afforded to\n");
document.write("Members in my history of the Club. Trips such as this while providing\n");
document.write("exciting dive opportunities and engaging in a different culture to ours,\n");
document.write("also provide avenues for greater fellowship and getting to know one\n");
document.write("another better. Diving is not just about enjoying the underwater world –\n");
document.write("it is also about mateship and fellowship with people we regard as friends\n");
document.write("and buddies – people who are there for us both above and below the water. \n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Dave Meyer<br>\n");
document.write("President<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("	<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<div align=\"center\"><h2>PRESIDENTS REPORT 2007/08</div></h2>\n");
document.write("\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Introduction<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("It is my pleasure to present the President's Report for the 2007/08\n");
document.write("financial year. The year just passed has been very successful for the\n");
document.write("Club, both from a financial perspective and a membership perspective.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write(" I would like to sincerely thank the hard working Committee of the Club\n");
document.write("for helping to ensure the year was a success. It has been an absolute\n");
document.write("pleasure to work with such a dedicated group of people, and I feel very\n");
document.write("fortunate in this regard. The Committee has also been very cohesive and\n");
document.write("has always had the Club&acirc;€™s interests at the fore. All members\n");
document.write("interacted well and there has been no underlying animosities or\n");
document.write("personality clashes, which can so often undermine the effective workings\n");
document.write("of many sporting club committees.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Membership<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Membership for the year has grown by 25% from approximately members at end\n");
document.write("of June 2007 to in excess of 100 members at 30 June 2008. The vast majority\n");
document.write("of members from the 2006/07 year renewed their membership for the 2007/08\n");
document.write("year, and we saw a significant growth in new members. This is very\n");
document.write("pleasing and a good indicator that we have performed well during the year.\n");
document.write("The challenge is to retain this membership base by providing the type of\n");
document.write("dives, activities, services and fellowship that members require. Thank you\n");
document.write("Grant for managing the membership portfolio during the year.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Membership cards were produced by Secretary Peter Farmilo and distributed\n");
document.write("to members in a timely fashion. Thank you Peter. This service has allowed\n");
document.write("the Club to save on significant costs from having the cards produced\n");
document.write("commercially.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Newsletter<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The Club&acirc;€™s Newsletter is now produced electronically by Vickie\n");
document.write("Owens and advised to members via the Club&acirc;€™s yahoo email group.\n");
document.write("Thanks Vickie for producing the monthly Newsletter. This initiative\n");
document.write("introduced last financial year, has also saved on commercial costs of\n");
document.write("production and postage.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Financial<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The Treasurer will present the financial report for the year, but suffice\n");
document.write("to say that we had a good year while containing membership fees to the\n");
document.write("2006/07 level. This was achieved by the growth in membership levels as\n");
document.write("well as cost savings in certain areas. Thank you Peter for your\n");
document.write("significant efforts as Treasurer during the year.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("New Initiatives During the Year<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("&#61692;	Overseas Trip		<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("This exciting initiative was suggested by Club Member Phil Woodhead, and\n");
document.write("we aim to make it an annual event. Thanks heaps Phil!! <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The general aim is to decide a year in advance where we as a Club will\n");
document.write("holiday/dive overseas the next year. For this year we have decided on\n");
document.write("Palau and Yap. Members indicate their acceptance to join the trip by\n");
document.write("paying a deposit, and travel arrangements are made by a travel\n");
document.write("agency&acirc;€&brvbar;in this case Diversion Travel (thank you Nina Joost\n");
document.write("from Diversion. Nina is also a  Club Member). <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Members can then make payments to the Clubs account throughout the year,\n");
document.write("as finances allow, with a final payment made by a certain date. By doing\n");
document.write("it this way, it gives members sufficient time to save for the trip whilst\n");
document.write("also giving them something to look forward to in the future. I am\n");
document.write("confident the annual trip will turn out to be the premier trip offered by\n");
document.write("the Club, and one which is eagerly anticipated by Members.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("&#61692;	Business Cards<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The Club has now produced business cards. The cards will be available in\n");
document.write("dive shops and vessels such as Undersea Explorer (thank you Grant and\n");
document.write("Louise), and to members. The aim of the cards is to provide contact\n");
document.write("details for the Club for interested persons visiting dive shops etc, and\n");
document.write("handed out by members as the opportunity arises. It is also good\n");
document.write("advertising for the Club at a reasonable price. Again, thanks to Phil for\n");
document.write("the photo used on the face of the cards.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("&#61692;	Club Apparel		<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Although not strictly a new initiative, we have introduced new Club\n");
document.write("apparel this year, which does include some new items previously not\n");
document.write("offered. Thank you Eden for managing this process including liaising with\n");
document.write("suppliers.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The new Club apparel includes polo shirts, T-shirts, hats, mask straps,\n");
document.write("logbooks, logbook folders and club stickers. Each new member is given a\n");
document.write("Club sticker as a complimentary item. <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Club Dives<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("During the year we offered monthly trips out of Cairns and Port Douglas,\n");
document.write("at discounted prices. We also enjoyed our annual Lake Eacham dive/social\n");
document.write("in January as well as special trips to the Lady Bowen wreck and Yongala\n");
document.write("wreck (twice). <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Again, thank you Margit for organizing these trips and liaising with dive\n");
document.write("operators.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Guest Speakers<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Special thanks to Clubbies Kevin and Ann Coombs and Phil Woodhead for\n");
document.write("making high quality video and still presentations to the Club on a number\n");
document.write("of occasions. As always, your presentations were very professional and\n");
document.write("enjoyed thoroughly by members.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Conclusion<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Over the years I have seen too many people I regard as friends drifting\n");
document.write("away from the Club, and this saddens me, both on a personal level and Club\n");
document.write("level. These people had significant experience as divers and contributed\n");
document.write("greatly to the Club. It is an aim of mine to try to reduce this slippage\n");
document.write("of membership, by offering an environment that people want to be part of.\n");
document.write("A lost member is a lost friend.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("We now have a strong membership base, but I have seen it stronger in past\n");
document.write("years. We must maintain our energy levels to ensure the membership\n");
document.write("position does not deteriorate, and the financial position is held steady\n");
document.write("at around $10,000 cash reserves. <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("I am excited about the annual overseas trip offered. I believe that this\n");
document.write("service is one of the best opportunities afforded to Members in my history\n");
document.write("of the Club. I believe that events such as this while providing exciting\n");
document.write("dive opportunities, also provide avenues for greater fellowship and\n");
document.write("getting to know one another better. Diving is not just about enjoying the\n");
document.write("underwater world &acirc;€“ it is also about comradeship and fellowship\n");
document.write("with people we regard as friends and buddies &acirc;€“ people who are\n");
document.write("there for us both above and below the water.  <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Dave Meyer<br>\n");
document.write("President<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<div align=\"center\"><h2>NOTES FROM THE 2007 _ 2008 AGM. July\n");
document.write("30th.</div></h2>\n");
document.write("\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Approximately 30 members enjoyed a tasty BBQ  at 7.30pm before the Club\n");
document.write("meeting and AGM kicked off at 8.15pm.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("President Dave Meyer welcomed all members and guests, with a special\n");
document.write("mention to Life members Sandra Gregg and David Johnson.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("With the monthly July club meeting finalised  and forthcoming club dives\n");
document.write("decided upon, President Dave presented to following awards.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Treasurer Peter Hayes was awarded the Club Member of the year award for\n");
document.write("his outstanding work on the &acirc;€śtreasury benches&acirc;€ť which saw\n");
document.write("the clubs finances end the year in an extremely health position. He was\n");
document.write("also a driving force in the inaugural overseas club dive preparation.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Mentioned for their outstanding contributions to our monthly club meetings\n");
document.write("with their underwater videos and camera work, were Ann and Kevin Coombs and\n");
document.write("also Phil Whitehead.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("A new award, &acirc;€śThe bubble head of the year&acirc;€ť award was\n");
document.write("presented to Rigo Van Meer for the extremely humorous recount of his dive\n");
document.write("on the Yongala earlier in the year.<br>\n");
document.write("It is reprinted on these pages.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Life Member David Johnson presided over the election of office bearers for\n");
document.write("the 2008 &acirc;€“ 2009 year.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Those club members details can be found on the\n");
document.write("&acirc;€śMembership&acirc;€ś page of this web site.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Peter Farmilo,<br>\n");
document.write("NautiSec.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<div align=\"center\"><h2>Happenings in 2008<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Club meeting  January</div></h2>\n");
document.write("\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("A good gathering of about 40 members and guests were at the January club\n");
document.write("meeting and listened to President Dave outline the proposed activities of\n");
document.write("the Nautilus Scuba Club in 2008.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("High on the list of events is the Club dive to Palau later in the year. As\n");
document.write("this trip has been so popular, with 16 divers nominating for the adventure,\n");
document.write("further overseas trips in 2009 and onwards will be organised. He asked club\n");
document.write("members to nominate there favourite dive site for consideration.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Locally, there are trips organised to the wrecks of the Lady Bowen and the\n");
document.write("Yongala, Cape Tribulation and Cooktown. Also trips to Port Douglas and\n");
document.write("local reefs out from Cairns.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("We now have a good supply of Nautilus clothing, caps and dive log books.\n");
document.write("These can be purchased at any Club meeting.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("At this meeting, our guest speakers Louise Bernstein and Grant Moulang,\n");
document.write("gave an outstanding presentation of their recent trip to the Galapagos\n");
document.write("Islands.<br>\n");
document.write("Still photographs and video of the under water life at Darwin&acirc;€™s\n");
document.write("Arch kept the large gathering mesmerised.<br>\n");
document.write("Whale sharks , hammerheads and the largest schools of fish where the dive\n");
document.write("buddy was hidden by the sheer number of fish  was &acirc;€śmind\n");
document.write("blowing&acirc;€ť<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Peter Farmilo,<br>\n");
document.write("NautiSec January 30th 2008<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<div align=\"center\"><h2>A note from Glen McDonald</div></h2>\n");
document.write("\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Just a quick email to say hello. Working in Asia a lot now, have been to\n");
document.write("Hong Kong for a week, now in Macau for a week and head to Korea on\n");
document.write("Saturday for a week. Yes, I get around but only spend about 2 nights in\n");
document.write("each hotel doing elevator audits and reports before moving to next hotel.\n");
document.write("Have managed to stay away from Casinos here, I have heard you can get a\n");
document.write("bet on in Macau. The whole place will be full of Casinos shortly with\n");
document.write("another 10 being built here.<br>\n");
document.write(" Miss the diving, haven&acirc;€™t done any diving since starting this new\n");
document.write("job but check the web site regularly. <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("All for now, good diving<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Glen<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<div align=\"center\"><h2>Nautilus News for February 2007.</div></h2>\n");
document.write("\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("At the last Club meeting on the 21st of February our guest speaker was Jos\n");
document.write("Hill from Reef  Check Australia.<br>\n");
document.write("Jos gave a very entertaining presentation on the workings of the\n");
document.write("organisation, and many club members were interested in learning more and\n");
document.write("taking a active role in the organisation.<br>\n");
document.write("Her details are:<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Jos Hill<br>\n");
document.write("Executive Director<br>\n");
document.write("Reef Check Australia<br>\n");
document.write("Email jos@reefcheck.org<br>\n");
document.write("Web site www.reefcheckaustralia.org<br>\n");
document.write("Telephone : 47243950<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Due to the aborted dive on Posiedon on the 11th of February, this dive\n");
document.write("will now take place on the 25th of February.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("There will be Club BBQ on the 17th of March at Reef Gateway Apartments at\n");
document.write("7.00pm or so. Please bring your own food and drinks, and provide a salad\n");
document.write("to share.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Underwater Explorer has specials for March to May at $1785.00 per person,\n");
document.write("a saving of 15% off the regular price. This is a 6 day trip and includes\n");
document.write("22 dives, tanks, weights, air-fills and superb meals.<br>\n");
document.write("Contact 1800 648 877 or info@undersea.com.au<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Don&acirc;€™t forget that <b>Mr Bob Halstead</b> will be the guest speaker\n");
document.write("at the March club meeting on the 28th.<br>\n");
document.write("We have had the pleasure of listening to Bobs&acirc;€™ underwater exploits\n");
document.write("on a previous occasion and seeing some of his wonderful underwater\n");
document.write("photography.<br>\n");
document.write("To find out more about this very interesting man, go to\n");
document.write("www.halsteaddiving.com<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Peter Farmilo,<br>\n");
document.write("NautiSec<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<div align=\"center\"><h2>Club notes for January / February.</div></h2>\n");
document.write("\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The club meeting on the 28th of January was quite well attended, and those\n");
document.write("members that were there saw an amazing power point presentation from Dr\n");
document.write("Robin Beamann.<br>\n");
document.write("Rob has recently spent two weeks on board HMAS Melville, the navy mapping\n");
document.write("and research vessel.<br>\n");
document.write("Rob showed some unbelievable three dimensional pics of the sea bed off the\n");
document.write("coast of Cooktown, and even showed a depression which was presumed to be a\n");
document.write("&acirc;€śriver bed&acirc;€ť from the edge of the continental shelf back\n");
document.write("towards the mainland. <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("These pictures had not been seen anywhere else apart from the Navy\n");
document.write("research vessel.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("We were also treated to some great underwater photography of wrecks off\n");
document.write("our coast by Kevin &amp; Ann Coombs.<br>\n");
document.write("The wrecks were the Lady Bowen, a wreck to the north of  Hinchinbrook\n");
document.write("Island and another off the coast at Innisfail.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The February Club meeting has been brought forward a week to fit in with\n");
document.write("our next Guest Speaker. She is Jos Hill from Reef Check who is well known\n");
document.write("to many of us for her work in coral reef monitoring.<br>\n");
document.write("With all the media exposure lately on the &acirc;€śdemise&acirc;€ť of the\n");
document.write("reef, this meeting is one not to be missed.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The Club dive this month should be a beauty. It is on Poseidon from Port\n");
document.write("Douglas going to Agincourt reef.<br>\n");
document.write("We have done this dive several times before, always great.<br>\n");
document.write("At the last count there were 20 divers paid up. Cost $120.00 for the three\n");
document.write("dives and a fantastic lunch.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("This months free dive trip on Tusa was won by Eden Gray-Spence.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Peter Farmilo,<br>\n");
document.write("Secretary.  <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<div align=\"center\"><h2>Notes from the AGM held on Wednesday night the\n");
document.write("26th of July  2006.</div></h2>\n");
document.write("\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("In the absence of President Chris and Vice President Sandra, Dave Johnson\n");
document.write("presided over the Club meeting and the AGM.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("He welcomed 20 members, guests and visitors.<br>\n");
document.write("The Club member of the year was presented to David Meyer who was untiring\n");
document.write("in his work as treasurer, as well as filling other positions during the\n");
document.write("year.<br>\n");
document.write("His nomination was well received.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Dave Johnson presented the Tusa Dive offer to the club. The offer consists\n");
document.write("of a monthly free trip for two on Tusa Dive. The club to raffle the trip or\n");
document.write("decide on the recipient at the monthly meetings. He also presented the\n");
document.write("winner of the AGM free trip to raffle winner Cathy Meehan.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Treasurer David Meyer gave an in-depth report on the finances on the Club.\n");
document.write("If  our present expenditure continues as in the past, we will soon be very\n");
document.write("short on funds. Motions were made to arrest the decline by increasing \n");
document.write("fees, stop subsidising dives and various matters for the committee to\n");
document.write("discuss.<br>\n");
document.write("The new fees are presented on this web site.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Elections were then held with David Meyer being elected as President for\n");
document.write("the forthcoming year, David Hayes elected as Treasurer. <br>\n");
document.write("David Rosie and Tony Green were elected to the committee. All other office\n");
document.write("bearers  were re-elected. <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Peter Farmilo, Secretary  <br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("<div align=\"center\"><h2> News from the 2005 AGM</div></h2>\n");
document.write("\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("The evening kicked off well with Michael lighting up the BBQ nice and\n");
document.write("early, as the mob was hovering around the hot plate.<br>\n");
document.write("It&acirc;€™s marvellous how the smell of a BBQ can cause the digestive\n");
document.write("juices to run riot.<br>\n");
document.write("Brian was a bit slow on the bar, but he finally got there.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Bruce Wynn got the proceedings underway at 8pm or so with a gathering of\n");
document.write("about 30 to 40 club members and visitors.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("He paid respects to our elected President Tony Green who transferred to\n");
document.write("Cooktown during the year, to Mirek Woolwich and to Tarrant Green who were\n");
document.write("not standing for re-election this year.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("In his address, Bruce spoke of the reasons for the Club existing. He\n");
document.write("mentioned &acirc;€śFellowship&acirc;€ť, &acirc;€śDiver training&acirc;€ť,\n");
document.write("&acirc;€śMember benefits&acirc;€ť and &acirc;€śBuying\n");
document.write("opportunities&acirc;€ť as some of the major reason why he joined the\n");
document.write("Club.<br>\n");
document.write("He high-lighted the activities of the club for the past year. There had\n");
document.write("been 15 club dives, 12 regular monthly dives plus the weekend trip to the\n");
document.write("Yongala, a trip to the Lady Bowen and also our Christmas trip to Cape\n");
document.write("Tribulation.<br>\n");
document.write("On one Club dive at Port Douglas, aboard Poseidon, we had 33 dives, a\n");
document.write("record possibly.<br>\n");
document.write("The Christmas party at the Shangri-La was a great success also.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("After the formalities of the last AGM minutes and the Treasurers report\n");
document.write("were concluded, Bruce presented the &acirc;€śDeep Sea Divers\n");
document.write("Dens&acirc;€™&acirc;€ť award for the Member of the Year.<br>\n");
document.write("A poll of the committee a month or so ago unanimously agreed that the\n");
document.write("Clubs&acirc;€™ Dive Coordinators&acirc;€™ work during the year had been\n");
document.write("outstanding, and Margit Hocheder was the recipient for 2004 / 2005.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Dave Johnson conducted the elections for the office bearers for 2005 /\n");
document.write("2006.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Please go to the Membership page for details of all the elected\n");
document.write("members.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Incoming President Chris Cameron then addressed the members and thanked\n");
document.write("them for having faith in him.<br>\n");
document.write("The direction that he would like the club to go in this year, would be one\n");
document.write("of research and not so much on being a tourist on the reef. He touched on\n");
document.write("the recent trip that club members had to Lizard Island, where Reef\n");
document.write("Monitoring played such an important part.<br>\n");
document.write("Chris would like the club to pursue this part of diving activities. <br>\n");
document.write("No doubt we will hear more on this exciting aspect to diving on the\n");
document.write("GBR.<br>\n");
document.write("<br>\n");
document.write("Peter Farmilo,<br>\n");
document.write("Nauti Sec <br>\n");
document.write("\n");