Victor Zucker''s photos from his second trip
to Raja Ampat with City Seahorse,
Nov. 2008 are featured in this newsletter.
Victor entertains the kids at Arborei
City Seahorse, Inc. - March 5, 2009
This newsletter contains:
-
Sweet Bonus Pkg
- 2009 Nov/Dec Trips
- Victor Zucker Gallery
- Mikel & Murphy's Law - Can you help?
- Ring of Fire DVD
Victor Zucker''s photos from his second trip to Raja Ampat with City Seahorse, Nov. 2008 are featured in this newsletter. |
Victor entertains the kids at Arborei |
April/May SWEET BONUS Pkg
I still have several spaces available on the April 22 - May 4 and May 8 - 20 trips due to cancellations / final payment not received.
After 18 charters over the last years, the ship owner is giving us our own personal economic "bail out" on these 2 charters. Thanks to their kind assistance, I am able to offer this VERY sweet bonus package for these two trips only:
April 22 - May 04: Sorong-Sorong
May 08 - May 20: Sorong - Halmahera - Lembeh
For new bookings only,
you must ask for the Sweet Bonus when booking,
payment must be received by March 18:
|
These are still our special trips, limited to 12 divers with many extras.
A guaranteed single cabin is available on both trips (extra cost).
USA divers: note that Singapore Airlines is currently offering flights from LAX, SFO, JFK, IAH to Indonesia for less than previous years. Price range is $1110 - $1322 including taxes (depends on gateway and dates).
More info on the April 22, Sorong-Sorong trip is at http://www.cityseahorse.com/rajaampat
The May 8-20 trip: http://www.cityseahorse.com/raja-ampat-halmahera-lembeh-strait-liveaboard-diving.php
Contact tours@cityseahorse.com ASAP for more info.
 One of the favorite days of the trip morning mantas - afternoon pier |
Oct 29-Nov 10: FULL
Nov 12 -23: 4 spaces available, $3755 +
Nov 26-Dec 7: 4 spaces available $3755 +
Both Nov trips are
Sorong-Sorong. 11 nights.
Guaranteed single cabin and double occupancy space available.
More info on the Sorong-Sorong trips is at http://www.cityseahorse.com/rajaampat
Contact tours@cityseahorse.com ASAP for more info.
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| Nov 2008 Raja Ampat Trip images by Victor Zucker |
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| Check Victor's site for the Wobby surrounded by swirls of sweepers! |
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| Friendly Turtles - Misool Areal |
Trip summaries can be found in the August Newsletter at
http://www.cityseahorse.com/newsletters/2008Aug18.html
NEW Raja Ampat Galleries
Victor "It's all good!" Zucker
Victor joined us again in Nov. 2008 for a second Sorong-Sorong trip.
Victor is a very talented photographer with an amazing ability to create excellent photos in any conditions. He loves it all.. wide angle, macro, over/under, through the surface. Every time I apologized for bad vis on a site, Victor would reply "It's all good!" and mean it. And come back with great images!
It is not at all unusual for Victor to see a spot, have an idea for an unusual image and ask for a tender to check it out during our surface interval. The crew happily provides taxi service and support to our guests for additional requests. After all, what's the good of having a special charter if we can't accommodate new ideas?
Unfortunately I missed showcasing Victor's 2007 gallery and now it is gone!
Visit Victor's 2008 gallery at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vazuw/sets/72157610548731257/
I hope you enjoy the images and galleries from this newsletter which feature not professional photographers, but our guests, on their diving holiday. I enjoy seeing the results of their efforts and hope you do too.
There are more photographers and galleries than I can manage to get to without sending so many newsletters that everyone would unsubscribe. Tom & Kay.. you are next!!
email us at tours@cityseahorse.com.
Raja Ampat Galleries from Previous Newsletters
Karl & Kimberly Dietz:
http://www.kdietz.com/galleries/underwater/RajaAmpat2008/
Linda Cline & Richard Malezewski (video):
http://www.dancingfish.com/gallery/photos/RajaAmpat08/
Those of you who have been on one of our trips during the last 10 years undoubtedly remember Mikel, the little man with the big smile.
To our guests Mikel is a funny, energetic, ukulele playing Papuan man who is always joking, spotting crocodiles for us and taking great delight in teasing the crew and the divers. His infectious laugh often carries across the water to make us laugh :>) To me he is also a friend who is serious about the work that I hire him to do running the dive tender, helping to watch after all the divers in the water and very rarely (fortunately) using his considerable skills with small boats in the vast remote area of Raja Ampat in emergency situations.
Mikel had a very bad run of luck in February. He suffered a stroke.
Initially Mikel could not speak and his right side was paralyzed. He was hospitalized in Sorong (that is scary!). In the past few weeks, he has recovered considerably. He can now talk and walk. His long term memory is returning, but it's not all there yet. He visited the Ondina crew last week and could not remember some of the crew's names.
If the stroke wasn't enough, high winds in a storm damaged Mikel's little one room house on Doom Island where he and his several small children were living. He has 9 children in total and many small ones still at home.
Justin Lee, the Ondina crew and I sent funds to Sorong to help cover Mikel and his family until Mikel can (we hope) fully recover and work again. Like Wijaya of Papua Expeditions arranged for a reflexologist (the closest thing to a physical therapist in Sorong) to work with Mikel several times a week. Iwein, Like with Ric Buxo and the Ondina crew have been checking up on the situation as well.
If you would like to help Mikel and his family during his recovery to pay the bills, rent, food, medicine and other basic necessities, and to help get the house restored to a livable condition use the PayPal link below. Mikel has opened a bank account where I will wire money as needed. Please also include a note (by email) for Mikel to tours@cityseahorse.com.
Ring of Fire DVD - An Indonesia Odyssey
We spent some time in Bali tracking down Lawrence Blair to get a copy of the Ring of Fire DVD that we enjoy watching on the ship. Unfortunately he had only the PAL version available. If you would like an NTSC version, you can order from
This DVD edition contains five films that document the 10 year voyages of brothers Lorne and Lawrence Blair sailing across exotic and mysterious Indonesia.
2009 Liveaboard Trips
There are spaces still available on the SMY Ondina 2009 "normal" trips. The schedule is here:
http://www.cityseahorse.com/indonesia-liveaboard-schedule.php.
Contact me for individual or group bookings for 2009 or to start planning for your group for 2010.
Please note that I will not be able to assist with travel arrangements if your trip is booked directly with the ship or if you are using a trip voucher.
If you do not want to receive news and trip notices like this, remove your address from our list by using the Unsubscribe info at the bottom of this note.
Happy Diving!
DebF
Deborah Fugitt, City Seahorse, Inc. tours@cityseahorse.com
6387B Camp Bowie, #308, Ft. Worth, Tx. 76116
Phone: (817) 626-0636
www.cityseahorse.com/rajaampat
www.cityseahorse.com/raja-ampat-halmahera-lembeh-strait-liveaboard-diving.php
www.cityseahorse.com/indonesia-liveaboard-schedule.php
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