My October issue of Diver was delivered yesterday with a three and a half page article covering our Red Sea liveabord trip.
It’s a nice piece that basically says that we were good divers, pleasant company and we gelled well as a group (no surprises there then). In fact the article seems little changed from the draft that John Bantin showed some Gluggers on the boat.
The pictures are great and include a couple of group shots… including one on the cover!
None of us managed to bag the centrefold though, we’ll have to try harder next time.

I’ve noticed that only 19 people out of 99 club members have filled in the AGM & Xmas Meal Poll.  If you haven’t already voted, please go to the GLUG Homepage and do so - there’s an option for “I can’t make it”, so even if you’re not coming, please vote.

Neil.

It’s time to finalise our arrangements for the Tenerife trip. We are departing on 25th of November 2006 and your flights need to be booked individually. There are plenty of flights there to Tenerife South (TFS) between 2 and 3pm from various airports and a flight from Stansted at 10am (I’m flying this one). Please ensure that your return flight departs no earlier than after 3pm, otherwise, you are advised not to dive in the afternoon on the day before departure. We are not diving next day after arrival, but we can spend it familiarising ourselves with the site and diving options, and make our diving arrangements.

Everyone who has already expressed their interest or anyone who still wants to join us please book your flight and forward the confirmation to me by the 30th of September. This will confirm people’s commitment to the trip and enable me to book accommodation.

We are diving with Aqua-Tenerife Dive Centre so please see their website www.tenerifedive.com for diving sites description, diving options and prices, and the accommodation option. We can receive a special discount for diving if our group expands to a minimum of six qualified divers, however, trainees are very welcome and the training arrangements will be made for them.

In order to confirm your participation and if you have any questions please e-mail me by clicking on the envelope at the top of this message.

Defra are currently preparing a Marine Bill, to “put in place a better system for delivering sustainable development of the marine and coastal environment”. The Marine Conservation Society are encouraging as many people as possible to register their vote in favour of implementing Highly Protected Marine Reserves, and put Conservation at the core of the bill.

The Minister in charge of the Bill is Ben Bradshaw, who, coincidentally happens to be gay.

To register your vote, click on the image at the top right of this post to be taken to the Marinereservesnow website.

You can also read more on the Cornwall Wildlife Trusts website.

(This is coming virtue of Brian Broadbridge, who asked me to post it as he’s not posted in the past)

We have been invited to participate in a Gay Sports Group Quiz Night being organized by the London Frontrunners (with whom we share many of our members). Brian will be organizing at least one team, but if we get enough turnout it will probably be possible to have multiple teams. Please comment on this post or email Brian directly if you’re interested in putting together a team!

Logistics are:

• 7:00pm on Sunday, 1st October
• The Downstairs Bar, the Black Cap in Camden
• Entry is free but collections will be made for NRG, a charity which is part of the Terrence Higgins Trust and provides support for young lesbian and gay people in London.

This should be a great social function in its own right, but also a great chance to meet members of other gay and lesbian sports groups.

Thanks everyone, for an amazing response to my proprosed Cocos trip-I knew you couldn’t resist! I now have a full compliment of interested parties and have already started a reserve list. Please continue to reserve your interest as this trip is in 2008 and drop outs are, unfortunately inevitable!

I look forward to updating my group.

Regards

Charlie

Please note that the GLUG Xmas meal (see previous post) will be preceded by the GLUG AGM.

The AGM is your opportunity to tell the committee what you want from the club - and to vote them out if you think they’re not doing a good enough job!  We therefore encourage as many members as possible to attend the AGM - even if they don’t come to the meal.

So, if you plan to come to the AGM, but not the meal, please vote for the date and time you would prefer the AGM on.

(If you can’t make the AGM, you can email any comments/concerns etc. to the committee in advance, and we’ll make sure they’re heard).

At last night’s club meeting, it was decided that the GLUG Xmas meal should be on the weekend of the 9th/10th December. The meal will take the place of the monthly meeting.

I’ve added a poll in the right-hand sidebar, where you can vote for your preference of either Saturday evening or Sunday lunchtime (Note: You need to be logged in to the site to vote). We need your vote ASAP, since once we have the date we still have to find a location!

September’s GLUG Meeting is on Tuesday 5th September, from 7.30pm in the Konditor & Cook cafe bar at the Curzon Cinema, Shaftesbury Avenue. All welcome.

Hi there all, this is a general bullitin for anyone who is interested in a weeks diving for under £500, Egypt Red Sea, Marsa Alam, Coral Beach Diving Hotel 4*half board with Emperor Divers, (jetty next to hotel, so no need for transfers)

22-29 November, Including flights + 6days boat diving x2 tanks, extra dives & Nitrox available. Options could include Elphinstone (sharks), the dugongs + or snorkeling with spinner dolphins in the bay. This trip is suitable for all levels of diver.

The trip is made up of 2 bookings:-
1) Thomas Cook website. If you follow the link through as if you were going to book, they do add tax & fuel surcharge which makes it just over £300 for flights & accommodation.
2) Emperor Divers website. Booking online with Emperor, I suggest the 5 or 6 day package. I have used Emperor before & they make it easy to add on extras once the package is booked & is cheaper online. Water temperature should be 25c-26c I will check & update if necessary.

People will have to make their own bookings as it is a package holiday & subject to change. It is cheaper if it is booked in pairs, although the single supplement is only around £60 extra. Any singles can contact me & I will do my best to coordinate with others. I do not expect the flight & accommodation availability at this price to last long, so please book or send me your contact details a.s.a.p.

Best regards Andy & Charlie

asandison [at] ukonline [dot] co [dot] uk
07941983174