While some European shows like the Antibes Festival area traditionally about getting the industry together for non-stop drinking and debauchery annual social time, DEMA is usually more about business.  Still, not everyone can avoid social contact during the four-day event.

(scroll down for Wetpixel happy hour text and photos)

Drew Wong and Shawn Heinrichs

Gerlinde and Peter Seupel of Aquanauts, Grenada

Eric Hanauer and Eric Cheng grab a bite to eat

Ken Weemhoff (Galapagos Adventures) and Roberto Buiocchi and Sidney Passos, CNM Dive, Brazil.  "Gotta hide the beer," Ken exclaimed just before I took this shot.

Leon Joubert, Claudia Pellarini and Peet Gericke of Bitten by Sharks

David Pilosof, Andi Voeltz, and friend, holding up SanDisk Competition book

With the help of Wetpixel’s Matt Segal and Jason Heller from DivePhotoGuide, Wetpixel organized a happy hour at the Rosen Centre Hotel at 8pm on the evening of November 10th. 

At 6:15pm on the 10th, I arrived back to my hotel room; after 90 hours of travelling and two full days of covering the show, I was looking my best.  I decided that I should probably take advantage of the quiet time before 8pm to organize all of the photos and notes I had taken down so far.  Willy Volk and I took the elevator down to the first floor to get a quick bite to eat… and it took me an hour and a half to make it back up to my room.  There were already nearly a dozen photo and video types gathered in the Rosen Centre lobby bar!

As I stated before, I thought I was looking pretty good.  Most people who saw me saunter by greeted me with cheery saluations like, “whoah, you look tired,” and “hey! you look like shit!” Obviously, such cheer and tact was very much appreciated!

Drinks night was a roaring success.  With an estimated total attendance of 50 or so, we had numerous members of Wetpixel there as well as representatives from much of the photography, videography, and travel industry.

Below is a partial list of attendees.  My apologies if I’ve missed some of you.  It’s hard to remember so many people!

Amos Nachoum (BigAnimals.com, pro photographer)
Amphibico guys
Andi Voeltz (Digideep)
Andre Crone (awesome portfolio!)
Annie Crawley
Barrett Heywood (L&M)
Berkley White (Backscatter)
Blake Stoughton and Norma Alonzo (Aquatica)
Bonnie Pelnar (Underwater Colours)
Carol (Seagrant @ Wetpixel)
Dan Baldocchi (L&M)
David Cheung
David Haas (Ikelite)
David Pilosof (SanDisk Red Sea Competition
David Reid and Terry Schuller (ULCS)
Doug Ebersole
Drew Wong (Wetpixel)
Jackie Petro (L&M)
Jason and Wendy Heller (DivePhotoGuide)
Jean Bruneau (Aquatica)
Jeff Hartog (Loftus @ Wetpixel)
Juan Carlos Martinez (Deep Blue, Galapagos)
Kelly Bracken (LAUPS)
Ken Jones (Expedition Fleet)
Ken Weemhoff (Galapagos Adventures)
Lawrence Groth and Kat (Great White Adventures)
Lena Goh
Mary Lynn Price (DiveFilm)
Mauricio Handler (Aquatica, pro photographer)
Michael Aw (One Ocean Alliance, pro photographer)
Michael Topolovac (L&M)
Mike Luzansky (H2O Photo Pros)
Nic de Gersigny (SEAL Expeditions)
Paul Barnett (L&M)
Paul Ng
Peter Mooney (ScubaPix)
Rainer Hartenberger (Hartenberger)
Randy Hertz and Kathy Mendes (NCUPS)
Ryan Canon (Reef Photo & Video)
Sascha Dambach (Kararu)
Scott “Gutsy” Tuason (pro photogrpaher)
Shawn Heinrichs (Shawnh @ Wetpixel)
Steve Rosenberg (pro photographer, writer)
Willy Volk (Divester.com)
pro photographer)

and MORE.

I have to say that I was terribly impressed with Rainer Hartenberger’s dignified presence.  I swear he’s a secret agent in his other life.

A tradition established during my absense last year, a bunch of us bought rounds of drinks.  Special thanks to the following drinks night sponsors:

1st round: Wetpixel.com
2nd round: Scubapix
3rd round: Backscatter
4th round: Aquatica

Our server came over at one point in the evening, totally overwhelmed.  “Biggest… group… ever!” she said.  Let’s do it again next year. :)

For more coverage of DEMA 2006, please see the DEMA coverage index.

The early group at Wetpixel drinks night

Juan Carlos Martinez (Deep Blue, Galapagos), Steve Rosenberg (Galapagos expert), and Ken Weemhoff (Galapagos Adventures)

Eric Cheng and Doug Ebersole

Doug Ebersole, Paul Ng, and Lena Goh with the new Divester/Wetpixel t-shirt

Jason Heller (DivePhotoGuide) and Eric Cheng (Wetpixel).  Yes, I’m drinking a beer!

Shawn Heinrichs, Mary Lynn Price, and Jeff Hartog, Wetpixel users

Sascha Dambach (Kararu), the distinguished Mr. Hartenberger himself, and Jean Bruneau (Light & Motion)

Somehow, we always end up getting photos of Peter Mooney (Scubapix) doing something strange...

Jeff Wildermuth , Eric Cheng, Peter Mooney, Mr. Hartenberger, and Jean Bruneau

Sascha of Kararu hijacks a plate from a server

Drew Wong tries to prevent me from photographing his extreme purple-ness (and fails)

Barrett Heywood (CEO, Light & Motion), Michael Topolovac (Light & Motion), and Berkley White (Backscatter)

Eric Cheng, Kat, and Lawrence Groth (Great White Adventures)

Dave Reid (ULCS), Ryan Canon (Reef Photo & Video) and Paul Barnett (Light & Motion)

Ryan Canon (Reef Photo & Video), Andreas Voeltz (Digideep.com), Willy Volk (Divester.com)

Andre Cronin, Scott "Gutsy" Tuason, Shawn Heinrichs

Dinner with Paul Ng, Lena Goh, Paul Ebersole, and his family

Eric Cheng and Willy Volk work away at show coverage