Yes, it’s that time of year again. Club membership runs from January to January, so that means that subscriptions are now due for most members (there are a few who have already paid for next year).

At the last AGM, it was agreed that the club would require all members to pay their subscriptions by Standing Order from now on. This means that instead of sending a cheque with your membership form, you will need to fill out the Standing Order Mandate that’s included in the file, and send that with your form instead. The club will record your details, and send the Standing Order mandate on to your bank. (NB: Please don’t send the Standing Order form direct to your bank - we need to see it first!)

It also means that next January, and each following year, the club will automatically be paid the £10 membership fee, and will renew your membership. This means less work for the Membership Secretary, and less work for club members in the long run.

If at any point you decide to terminate your membership, you just need to contact your Bank to cancel the Standing Order (although we’d appreciate it if you could let our Membership Secretary know you’ve done so). Your membership will then continue to run until the end of the year, but will not be renewed.

So, if you haven’t already paid for next year, please download the 2008 Membership Application Pack, print, and fill out both forms, and send them to the Address on the form.  If you can’t open the file, then you need to install the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Note: When filling in the date of the initial payment on the Standing Order Mandate, please leave two to three weeks from the date that you post them to GLUG, to allow time for the form to get to us, and from us to your bank.

If you are unsure whether you are already paid up for 2008, or you have any questions about the Standing Order process, please contact Allan - either via the link on the GLUG Contacts page (if you’re logged in), or by using the Contact Form page.

I’ve had surprisingly little response to my previous post about the RGS (Royal Geographical Society) Dive Lectures on 31st January.

Last year I had several people complain that they couldn’t get tickets, but this year only Alan L and Jason S contacted me - and Alan had already reserved a place.

This event is FREE (which is why the tickets go fast), and this year will feature Monty Halls - well-known for his TV series “Great Ocean Adventures”. I’ve been to two talks by Monty, and he’s always entertaining (not to mention rather a hunk!), with behind-the-scenes stories, photos, and videos.

The other speaker this year is Mike Valentine - one of the world’s leading underwater cameramen. He has worked with some of the biggest stars on various Hollywood blockbusters, and is sure to have some interesting tales to tell!

I still have 6 free places reserved for the event. I know it’s difficult for some to get to Kensington Gore by 6.30pm - but if you can, you’ll enjoy a great evening. I will be releasing the unclaimed places back to the LDC (London Diving Chamber) on 5th January, so please let me know before then if you’d like to come along - log into the website, and send me an email by clicking on the envelope at the top of this post.

Hi all

I’m thinking of doing a short weekend diving trip to malta in January with London diving.  Has anyone used this organisation and what are your comments? good, bad or other…. would appreciate any information you have before i go ahead and book.

Cheers

Fizz

May I take the opportunity to wish all members, partners & friends the very best of season’s greetings & all the best for the coming New Year.

Once the turkey & tinsel have cleared ….If anyone would anyone be interested in diving Malta in the spring I am pondering a trip in early May for those club members who would like to come along.
I will research flights, accommodation and a weeks dive package based on a small group for those who may be interested in going.
Malta offers good value warm water Med diving for both novice and experienced divers and has many popular dive sites.

Hi all

I know some of you were waiting to see what Easyjet had to offer from Gatwick to Nice. I have checked their just released summer timetable and there are no convenient flights from Gatwick to Nice for this trip.

We will therefore stick with the previously published BA flights from Heathrow (9:50 on 14 August returning 15:25 on 18 August). - see earlier posts.

You can fly from Gatwick with Easyjet but you will have to either wait 5 hours in Nice for us to arrive or arrange your own transfers. Or, you can make a week out of it and if that is the case please let me know.

I am sending deposits today. We have 5 diving space left and one non diver space. If you want to join us, you can do so until the trip is officially full.

The London Diving Chamber is running its Annual Dive Lectures on 31st January 2008, at the Royal Geographical Society, Kensington Gore, from 6.30pm.

The event is free but you must pre-register. Since all the tickets went last year within 24 hours of being announced, I have reserved 8 tickets for club members - but I need to give them names very soon - so the first 7 GLUG members to email me (log in, then click on the envelope at the top of the post) will get the places.

Details of the speakers (Mike Valentine & Monty Halls) follows:

I have to send deposit for this very soon.

If you are waiting for Easyjet Gatwick flights for this, they are still not published but please email me or leave comment to express definite interest.

I will open this trip to non Glug divers from my BSAC club (all very gay-friendly) in a week or so if spaces are still available.

See earlier posts for details.

Virinia & Alesh: are you still interested? Contact me or leave comments.

I have just uploaded some of the pictures taken on Saturday evening to the gallery. Great evening and lovely to see everyone.
Have a great Christmas and New Year.

A black jacket was left behind at the Xmas Dinner last nite.If you are missing this please get in touch, I have it now.Hope everyone had an enjoyable evening and it was good to see you all.Chris 

Further to my previous post re this dive event in Sark, 2008. I have a list of names, but not all e-mail addresses to send the booking form. If you wish to come on this trip, please click on the envelope and let me know your e-mail address - I’ll get a booking form off to you soonest.
Thanks
Fred

I would like to organise a trip to Lundy in August or September 2008 but very quickly need to gauge an idea of whether we would be able to fill the boat (10 divers). If you are interested in diving this fantastic marine reserve off the North Devon coast please can you either e-mail me or leave a comment below.

This trip would be suitable for most levels of diving qualification and for all those keen to dive with seals and basking sharks! August is the best time of year to see basking sharks there.

Diving would take place Friday to Sunday, staying at the New Inn in Clovelly. Diving costs £40 per diver per day (assuming 10 divers), bed and breakfast is £25 per person per night. Click here for more information

Fellow divers,
I couldn’t be at the AGM - again - due to work commitments. I understand that we have lost member(s) because of an argument about whether or not there should be information about carbon offsets on the GLUG website.

We are NOT a political organisation - it is foolish in the extreme to lose members over such an issue.

I thought we had a process that says that any links to other organisations from the GLUG website would be posted only if those organisations gave some form of support or benefit to GLUG.

I was unaware that this issue was to be raised at the AGM - I didn’t receive an agenda for the meeting, but I would like to make it clear to all members that as a Committee member I would have voted against the inclusion of such links and editorial on the GLUG website.

I would urge anyone who feels it necessary to leave GLUG to reconsider their decision - please stay and lets have a full discussion on this issue. I’d move for a postal ballot of all members on this issue - we have many members who could not get to the AGM to have their votes counted.