Dive-Wise

Date : 7 March 2010

13th DURHAM Conference

Once again, Divewise comes around to herald the beginning of a new years diving season.

Having had 12 successful conferences, the thirteenth is planned to be the luckiest one yet. Not one but two drysuits will be available as prizes on the day. The first, donated by Otter, as they have for the last 8 years, will be an entrance ticket draw. All completed, paid for entrance tickets will be entered in a draw for the drysuit. The second drysuit, donated for the first time by Puffin Dive Centre Oban, will be the star prize in the raffle.

Although waiting for sponsors to confirm their donations, past prizes have included Buddy Commando stab Jackets, EPIRB's, both Suunto and Scubapro have donated computers, regulators from Seac Sub, Apeks and Scubapro, Weezle undersuits , Fourth Element base layers and since the first conference Seven Tenths have always provided raffle prizes. With these and more prizes hoped for, the thirteenth conference should be lucky for many of the divers attending.

A further piece of luck this year is an instructor incentive. If you are an instructor, bring 6 students and your ticket is free! Information on this offer is available by ringing 01207 237022.

Confirmed speakers this year are led by Jack Ingle , always entertaining and informative, Greenforce on conservation projects they are involved with and Ben Burville, most recently seen on the BBC programmes Autumm watch and the One Show. Ben has fabulous footage taken of the wildlife on our coast, some of it seen for the first time at Divewise. We also have presentations from the cox of the Filey Lifeboat and Cameras Underwater who are sponsoring the photographic competition.

For those of you with Christmas money to spend, there will be trade stands! Cormeton will be there as usual selling lots and lots of dive kit, North East Diving Academy (NEDA) will also be there, selling technical bits and pieces, including rebreather accessories, as well as offering technical courses. There will be the usual Weezle stand offering the tried and tested undersuits alongside some of their new products. T-shirts are represented by DiveNinja, and as in past years the RNLI will be present.

The conference is again held at the Scarborough lecture theatres at Durham University , starting at 10am , planned to be finished by 5. Doors open at 9am