Bush’s last, lousy idea: Legalize Commercial Whaling http://ping.fm/PJvHM

Team K2 Beach Dive! Lets do Heisler Park on Saturday, 31 January 2009, from 10a to 6p!
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You Deserve Happiness, You Deserve Joy, It is your Birthright, and it starts NOW!
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See, View, Dive the SS Governor in the Waters of the Pacific with Dan Warter!
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The 2009 Xcel Bamboo Ultrastretch series has gone GREEN and is made from recycled materials.
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I Have Seen. . . I Have Witnessed. . . the Face of God
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The Wonderment of Diving the Andaman, India
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Scuba Pro? The Goliath has Been Brought to It?s Knees

Johnson Outdoors to cut jobs

Powered by CDNN - CYBER DIVER News Network

RACINE, Wisconsin (5 Dec 2008) — Johnson Outdoors Inc. said Friday after it swung to a large loss in its fourth quarter that it plans to slash spending, cut jobs and suspend its quarterly dividend in response to the global economic slump, which is hurting sales of boats and other products.

The outdoor-recreation company, which makes everything from canoes and kayaks to scuba diving equipment, said it is looking to reduce operating costs and spending by more than $30 million, including $20 million in cost-saving projects and reducing capital expenditures.

The Milwaukee-based company said it will also eliminate about 7 percent of its jobs, or around 90 positions, freeze wages, and suspend its quarterly dividend. The company also is in breach of the net worth covenant in its debt agreements, and is working with its banks to amend the agreements.

Johnson Outdoors said it swung to a large loss in the fiscal fourth quarter, as the U.S. recession and accompanying economic weakness led the company to write down the value of its assets by $41 million, and sales in most of its product categories were weakened by "the rapid and steep economic downturn."

It posted a loss of $74.6 million, or $8.18 per share, in the three months that ended Oct. 3. That compares with a year-ago profit of $942,000, or 10 cents per share. Revenue dipped 6 percent, to $81.8 million from $87.3 million, as sales in the marine-electronics business and watercraft business each fell 11 percent, and diving revenue also decreased.

The company reported $29.5 million in marine-electronics revenue, down from $33 million a year ago, and watercraft revenue slipped to $16.3 million from $18.4 million. Diving revenue declined 3 percent, to $26 million from $26.8 million, due to unfavorable foreign-currency exchange.

Faced with declining sales of its Scubapro diving equipment and other products, Johnson Outdoors Inc. announced plans to slash spending, cut jobs and suspend its quarterly dividend

Outdoor-equipment revenue edged up to $10 million from $9.4 million, as the company said it saw some growth in the military, commercial and consumer sectors.

Johnson Outdoors employs about 1,340 people, and announced the elimination of 60 jobs in fiscal 2008 after relocating a manufacturing facility and downsizing a Binghamton, N.Y., plant that made military tents.

The company's third-quarter dividend was 5.5 cents for holders of Class A shares and 5 cents for holders of Class B shares.

Other cost-reducing moves include consolidating its dive-computer making and lowering data-management costs by 20 percent.

For the full year, the company lost $71 million, or $7.81 per share, compared with a profit of $9.2 million, or $1 per share, a year ago. Full-year revenue came to $420.8 million, down 2 percent from the previous year.

Geez, Divers Left Behind. . .Again! OzSail, scuba instructor Kylie Irwin face criminal charges

Powered by CDNN - CYBER DIVER News Network
by PETER MICHAEL

WHITSUNDAY ISLAND, Australia (12 Dec 2008) — Investigators say charges should be laid against the boat firm and scuba instructor who left two divers off the Great Barrier Reef.

Miracle dive couple Richard Neely and Allyson Dalton survived a 19-hour ordeal after being lost at sea during a Whitsundays dive expedition.

Now a Queensland Workplace Health and Safety report, after a six-month investigation, has found their failure to be picked up was due to "operator error".

The report has recommended Airlie Beach-based dive company OzSail and its former dive trip director Kylie Irwin face charges.

State Government officials yesterday confirmed the report was being reviewed by a senior officer before being sent to a legal team.

"Legal officers will examine it to see whether it will lead to charges and to see whether there has been a breach of the Act," a spokesman said.



Despite the high-profile case, which made headlines worldwide and sparked a media bidding war, officials are refusing to publicly release the document.

The British scuba instructor, 38, and his American girlfriend, 40, sold their incredible tale of survival in an international magazine and television deal rumoured to be worth as much as $250,000.

Rescuers found Mr Neely and Ms Dalton - experienced divers with more than 2000 dives - clinging together for warmth after they were swept 15km out to sea on May 26.



A six-month investigation found that OzSail and dive instructor Kylie Irwin should be prosecuted for leaving behind tourist divers Richard Neely and Allyson Dalton (pictured above). OzSail is also under investigation for a fatal scuba diving accident that killed a tourist last month (see CDNN Related News).

The couple told how crew and passengers failed to spot them waving a red safety inflatable as a strong current dragged them away from their dive boat, the Pacific Star.

"We were shouting and whistling but nobody saw us," Mr Neely said.

"The boat stayed where it was, on a mooring, but we just kept drifting further away."

Their disappearance on Bait Reef, northeast of Hayman Island, sparked a huge search, involving seven helicopters, three planes and a flotilla of boats, estimated to have cost $170,000.

Their harrowing ordeal was compared to that of the American couple Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who disappeared off Port Douglas in far north Queensland in 1998 and were never found. That tragedy was the inspiration for a movie, Open Water.

Mr Neely and Ms Dalton, a dive master, tied themselves together with rope from a marker buoy and desperately waved to helicopters that flew overhead every 45 minutes. Mr Neely said he clung to Ms Dalton every half an hour, wrapping his legs around her and pressing their stomachs together for warmth.

The couple also jettisoned (scuba) tanks and (weight) belts to make themselves lighter.

Mr Neely said: "If I could see Ally getting weak, or Ally could see me getting weak, one of us would shout, 'I love you'."

The QWHS findings offer a ringing endorsement for the couple after they were accused by some in the dive industry of a "stunt".

OzSail owner Shannon Platt and company manager Fraser Yule did not return calls to The Courier-Mail.

In a separate incident, QWHS are also investigating the death of Taiwanese snorkeller Jade Huawg, 25, who was pulled from the water unconscious and died during an OzSail chartered reef trip to Hook Island last month.

Doh, Scooba Diver Spears a Groin. . . . his Own

OUCH! Diver spears himself in groin

12:00a.m. 2nd January 2009

| By Rebecca Marshall

Seeded from the Daily at: http://ping.fm/pwIpG



Greg Robertson is winched to the Energex helicopter after his groin was speared by his own speargun while crowds gathered to watch the rescue. Photo: Michaela O’Neill/180206

OUCH!

Mooloolah carpenter Greg Robertson is recuperating in Nambour hospital after a sickening accident in which he speared himself in the groin area with a speargun at Coolum yesterday.

The drama unfolded off the rocks at Point Perry about 3.30pm when the 25 year old was pushed onto the speargun, which had been washed out of his hands by a wave.

The two metre long spear pierced his inside upper thigh, just millimetres from his genitals and femoral artery, and lodged several centimetres under the skin.

The first time spear fisherman had been enjoying a day at the beach with his girlfriend Jacinta Fisher and mates Casey Jensen and her fiance, who unscrewed the spear from the gun when the accident happened.

It remained lodged in place and sticking out from his body as paramedics gave pain relief and packed around the wound.

"A big wave knocked him into the rocks, he lost his spear and the spear rebounded off one of the rocks and got him right near the groin," Casey said.

"The spear's barbed on the end, so it's locked in there. He got up and said 'It's in me, it's in me!

"He's ok now. He's still conscious and talking.

"He'll probably have a laugh about it in a week. We joked about it...we told them to not spear themselves and mistake themselves for a fish and then it actually happened."

Brisbane holidaymakers Doug and Richard saw the accident happen and called triple 0.

"The girlfriend was holding him and we were all quite anxious because he was walking around the rocks and slipping and sliding with this spear hanging out and we're yelling out, 'Stop, don't move, the ambulance is coming'," Doug said.

Richard communicated with the two couples from the headland above.

"He seemed to be ok, but he was in shock," he said.

"He was very close to being in real trouble."

The Energex Community Rescue Helicopter dropped off two crew on the nearby rocks and then performed a winch rescue in front of hundreds of onlookers who had gathered for the spectacle.

Those who had stationed themselves right on the Point Perry lookout tower had the best view, as the chopper hovered right at their eyeline for the winch.

"The challenge for the crew was how to remove the two metre long spear to something that was manageable," Energex crew member Dan King said.

"They stabilised the bit that was lodged in his leg and unscrewed the long pole so there was only six or seven inches sticking out.

"He certainly could have come off a lot worse than he did. Initially he did say that he thought he got washed into another rock, but when the wave drew back he realised, 'Oh dear, there's a big metal thing stuck in my leg'.

"Hopefully he'll make a full recovery.

"And I asked him if he caught any fish and he didn't. But if you are going to have one bump a year, you may as well get it out of the way of the first day of the year."

Mr Robertson had surgery to remove the spear last night.

Doh, Scooba Diver Spears a Groin. . . . his Own!
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The Incredible Lightness of Being . . . A Note from the Universe http://ping.fm/79oGr

The Incredible Lightness of Being . . . A Note from the Universe

My Friend, my Ally, my Master:

As your dreamskeeper, and the arbiter of your inventory of desires. . . it was my hope that all your heartfelt wishes for 2009 all come true.

That you find yourself surrounded by friends, laughter, and good times.. . .

That your cup runneth over financially, romantically, spiritually, and creatively. . . .

That good health be your faithful companion, that peace be your guarded ally, and love your perpetual guide. . . .

When suddenly, it dawned on me that you my master. . . as an infinite, powerful, fun-loving gladiator of the Universe, with eternity before you and the power of your thoughts to help shape it. . . it is you. . . .

. . . you are the dreamskeeper who will wields the power to grant your heartfelt wishes this year!



Master, your wish is my command. . . . What is your ask?

The Universe