February 16-26 will find us diving the exciting sites of Palau. Wish you were going with us. Palau is widely considered one of the wonders of the underwater world. Come see what we saw when we have our trip reunion “pot luck” party in April. As always we will have a travel log of films presented by the photographers on the trip. The exact date, time and place will be announced.

Both Cara and I have scheduled for 2007 two very special dive destinations for our clients.

July 16-29 will find us in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia, the world’s capital for exotic creatures. Go to our website and read about Kasawari and the testimonial by Tony Wu. After amazing diving, we go on to Bali for amazing touring. Fifteen spaces have been allocated for this tour. Sign up early. Click on the picture above to see a slide show of the critters of Lembeh Straits.

And then there’s La Paz, Mexico. We have scheduled three separate trips, starting the first week of October. Pick your dive schedule. It seems each year we see more and more Whale Sharks and more and more fish. Personal seal encounters with divers is very common. Last year with the unexpected cancellation of Aero California flights, we had to hustle for seats and paid more than anticipated. This year we already have a group fare from LAX to La Paz on Alaska Airlines. Flight time only two hours! The numbers of seats reserved are limited. Sign up early. Click here for details.

Sneak preview for February 2008. A luxury liveaboard dive tour to the North and South Male Atolls in the Maldives. Twelve spaces have been allocated for this tour. More information will be posted on www.joeliburdi.com the first week in March 2007.

Joe's Tours

We hate to spend the money, but is it ever worth it! When it comes to diver protection, I recommend you look into the following.

1. Trip insurance. It happens all the time. You plan and pay for a vacation and then something unexpected happens and you can’t go. Trip cancellation insurance is pricey, but if you meet the terms and conditions, you can get your money back. Look at www.DiversAlertNetwork.org/trip.
2. Diver insurance protects you in the event of a medical emergency while on a trip. It is not expensive and very important! Look into DAN or the PADI Diver Protection Program: www.diveinsurance.com
3. Your gear! Insure it against theft, loss, and flooding, the last especially recommended for photo equipment. We have ours with Divers Equipment Protection Program (DEPP) and we have had cause to use it. There was one terrible time when a guest dropped Cara’s Motor Marine III system overboard. It fell to the abyss and was not recovered. But it was covered. And the insurance provided for a brand new one.

Yes, the good old days for divers are long gone when baggage weight and security measures were not a factor in traveling to our favorite dive locations around the world.

All airlines have strict weight restrictions. Most commonly, you are allowed two bags at 50lbs per bag. Some even have the nerve to lower it to two bags at 44lbs per bag! Some, like Singapore Air, allow two bags at 70lbs per bag. We love Singapore Air.

This weight restriction is a dilemma for underwater photographers. We have to outsmart the airlines. I recommend packing all your cameras and lenses in a lightweight hand carry bag. Check with the airline regarding dimensions for carry on luggage. Make sure the bag is well padded. Include strobes if possible. My choice for a good hand carry case is the Pelican 1510 with padded dividers and lid organizer. Pack the rest of your camera gear in a secure hard body, well-padded check-through case. My favorite is the Pelican 1610 with padded dividers, lid organizer and wheels. Clothing, medical supplies, dive gear and other necessary items can be packed in a second bag of your choice, again hopefully within the limits. When traveling with us, I am usually able to negotiate a group check-in with reduced overweight fees. If traveling on your own, be prepared to pay additional fees. You might want to check out Joe’s Traveler’s Resources.

It is now required to have and show your passport when flying in the Continental U.S. and around the World. Here is some information you need to know:

• If you are an adult and have never applied for a passport or you have one that is already expired, apply for a new passport.
• Any minor under the age of 18 must possess his or her own passport. This includes infants.

At last! A fairly comprehensive compilation of Sea & Sea user manuals available to you at no cost on the web. If you have a Sea & Sea film camera, a strobe (even an oldie like the YS-50) or a new digital system.

Also available on line is Basic Maintenance for underwater photograhic equipment. Important info and step by step procedures, and very well-written, if I may say so myself. It is an excerpt from our “Complete Guide Sea & Sea” how-to books.

There is one more web page you may want to visit on the Sea & Sea website. I’m frequently asked what lens or strobe or accessory,etc. is compatible with this digital system or that. Sea & Sea’s system charts answers those questions.