THE Diving Event of the Year!
SCUBA Show 2003
Event Preview, Part 1

The annual SCUBA Show convention, the largest dive expo in the western U.S., “The Diving Event of the Year™” is back at the Long Beach Convention Center, June 21 - 22, 2003.

This part one of the SCUBA Show preview will take a look at the show’s seminar program, exhibitor presentations, door prizes, special exhibits, and special hotel accommodations for those who would like to make a weekend of the event (highly recommended!). Part 2, to be published in the June issue, will preview the Continuous Underwater Film Festival, exhibits, demo pool, and Saturday Night Casino Party benefit with the California Scuba Service Award.

The popular form and layout of the show has been preserved for the attendee to enjoy from any direction. In addition, the seminar rooms are now located on the first level which is located closer to the exhibit hall.

SEMINARS
The SCUBA Show seminar programs have gained a reputation over the years as fun, enriching, educational and inspirational material that any diver can use. This year is no exception.

Jack and Sue Drafahl

This year, for the second year in a row, the SCUBA Show is pleased to announce presenting speakers Jack and Sue Drafahl. The Drafahls are experts in the field of underwater image making, especially the newly emerging and exciting area of digital underwater photography.

Speaking of digital imaging, if you’ve never touched a digital camera, but want to, you can find out the basics and what to do with it once you have one. Interest is expected to be high in these areas of underwater fun that is exploding and changing in what seems to be a daily basis.

For the first time, world record holders Skip Helen and Al Schnepperschof will share their expertise with the seminar attendees. Find out the “secret” details on how to experience fresh yellowtail and white sea bass.

Rounding out the entourage of seminars and speakers include material on dive accident management, marine life (with special emphasis on California), and how to purchase dive gear.

Speakers include authors Dale Sheckler, Bruce Watkins, Dr. Barbara Kroos, California Scuba Service Award Winner Ken Kurtis, and wreck experts Bill Wilson and Pat Smith, amongst several other noted authorities.

EXHIBITOR PRESENTATIONS
SCUBA Show exhibitors also sponsor a number of talks during the show. Most of these are detailed presentations on various travel destinations, including what you will see, what you can expect and packages and programs available. Other presentations include talks on dive gear.

DOOR PRIZES
This year’s SCUBA Show has some especially exciting door prizes. All paid general admission attendees are eligible.

Saturday’s prizes will be a special two-part package of a three-day stay at land based Stuart Cove’s along with an eight-day, seven-night cruise with Aqua Cat Cruises, www.stuartcove.com.

Sunday’s prize includes a Yap Island dive resort package that includes a seven-night accommodation at Manta Ray Bay Hotel, www.mantaray.com.

A special early bird drawing will be held at Noon on Sunday for early attendees. For those who come from 10 a.m. to Noon on Sunday will be eligible for a Scuba Goddess Wetsuit from Sea Dreams — designer wetsuits for women, www.seadreamswetsuits.com.

The Grand Prize will be drawn at the close of the show Sunday with all those who have deposited door prize slips during the weekend eligible. The grand prize is a seven-night trip aboard Wind Dancer in Turks and Caicos or Bahamas from Peter Hughes Diving, Inc., www.peterhughes.com.

In addition, many exhibitors will hold drawings for various prizes through their booths at SCUBA Show 2003. Various restrictions apply to each drawing.

SPECIAL EXHIBITS
Nick Icorn’s Museum of Diving History is the largest collection of antique dive gear in the country, perhaps the world. Nick will bring a large portion of his collection to the SCUBA Show and will be on hand to regale you with his many stories, many humorous, some tragic, on how diving and dive gear has evolved over the decades.

Recognized as the authorities in shipwreck diving along the California coastline, the California Wreck Divers will be displaying some of their most prize-restored shipwreck artifacts from around the world. Their members will be on hand to offer their expertise.

The SCUBA Show will have on hand a special guest marine artist, Rogest (Ron Stevens). This artist first gain notoriety in diving, working for one of Australia’s largest dive operators. He now paints the underwater critters from the thousands of exceptional dives experienced world wide but primarily on the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, and Papua New Guinea. His paintings are in the unusual Australian Aboriginal style of dot painting. “I like to think of myself as a ‘PIRARTIST,’ a combination of artist and diving pirate,” says Rogest. His art has been featured in many dive magazines.

And finally, dazzling displays of underwater photography will be provided by the Orange County and Los Angeles Underwater Photographic Society. These underwater photo displays feature images from around the world, many award winning.

HOTEL
Seminars, exhibit hall, film festival—it’s difficult to take in the entire show in just one day! Why not make a weekend of it, or longer? Nearby is the Aquarium of the Pacific and dive-charter boats. Official Host Hotel for SCUBA Show 2003 is the luxurious Hyatt Regency Long Beach Hotel, attached to the Long Beach Convention Center and overlooking the Queen Mary, Long Beach Harbor, dive charter boats, and the Aquarium of the Pacific (only one block away). Show participants receive a special low convention rate. Reservations are to be made directly with the Hyatt Hotel at (562) 491-1234, fax (562) 432-1972 or through Hyatt’s Central Reservation System at 1-800-233-1234. Reservations should be made no later than June 1, 2003 as the special rates cannot be guaranteed after that time. Identify yourself as a SCUBA Show 2003 participant to obtain special convention rate. Book early as space is limited.

Part II of this preview article will appear in the June issue of California Diving News and cover information and preview continuous underwater film festival, exhibits, demo pool, and Saturday Night Casino Party benefit with the California Scuba Service Award. Full information, including advanced registration (recommended to save money and time) is available on the insert at the center of this issue or on-line at www.saintbrendan.com.