Our partner site Digideep.com is now in version 2.0 beta!

New features: bilingual content, digital underwater video housing database, and underwater strobe database.

Check it out -- there's a lot of information over there.

To start off 2005, Amos Nachoum, professional wildlife photographer, trip leader and NCUPS member will be the featured speaker at the January membership meeting. Amos will present images and stories from his spectacular world travels to every corner of the earth. From whales and sharks to penguins and schooling fish, he will show images from Africa to Antarctica. Many of these images have been published and have won numerous awards. Please take advantage of this opportunity and join us at 8PM on January 14 at Room C370, Fort Masson, San Francisco for this spectacular presentation.

My good friend Jason Heller has just returned from the Similian Islands, where he was scuba diving when the tsunami struck. Continue reading for his account of his experience.

Excerpt: As an up and coming underwater photographer, I had planned on spending the week taking pictures of the breathtaking beauty of the reefs and island scapes, however, I spent the last 2 days documenting the devastation, destruction and compassionate rescue efforts that not even images can properly portray. We have experienced the two extremes of paradise. The idyllic beauty and the sheer destructive power of the amazing planet that we inhabit...

Pentax has announced a new 5 megapixel amphibious camera called the OptioWP. It is only 4x2x0.9 inches, and features a 3x zoom, 2.0 inch low reflection LCD, 10MB built-in memory (+ SD memory slot), quick start-up, ultra fast nine point autofocus, and movie-capture mode @ 30 frames per second.

I've always been frustrated that I can't take photos of my friends on the dive deck/zodiac after putting my rig on. This seems perfect for a topside dive boat camera!

Jason Heller's Asian tsunami report, after returning from the Similian Islands, where he was scuba diving when the tsunami struck.

EPIC, the Environmentally-aware Photographic Image Competition is now accepting entries for 2005.

Winners will be announced at the Explorers Club in New York during the Rolex Our World Underwater 2005 Scholarship banquet in April. The North American and European winners will be honored. Entry fees from EPIC are directed to the Our World Underwater EPIC Internship yearly.

The deadline for entries is extended to February 14th, 2005.

Entry forms, rules, and additional further information are available on our website at http://www.epicphotocontest.org or by contacting director Gayle Todd.