Underwater Festival | Welcome to the 2012 Underwater Festival

Held annually, the 6th Underwater Festival™ 2012 (UF12) continues along the concept of the 2011 event. With the tagline 'The Australasia Challenge' it incorporates an Australasia-wide simultaneous photo and video shootout competition like no other with over U$100,000 in prizes.

UF12 features a shootout competition that happens simultaneous all over Australasia - 25 countriesspanning both hemispheres - every dive you can imagine is a shootout locality, every dive centre, liveaboard, resort in the area can facilitate this new kind of shootout. You can dive your local favourite spots, go out with your dive club or shore dive with your buddy

Become part of this huge event and not unlike an underwater 'Earth Hour' help to highlight the underwater beauty but also the underwater issues of this fantastic bioregion and help to show the world what we've got to lose.

Mark your calendar - 1 month to shoot - from the 1st to the 30th of September 2012.

If you like organised events, dozens of Underwater Festival Fringe Events are planned all over Australasia during September 2012 (new page coming soon). To get an idea of what kind of events might await you, please check out the official 2011 Underwater Festival Fringe event page (opens in new window).

The top 100 images will be showcased in our top-100 gallery and possibly in various galleries around the region. Last year's top-100 gallery attracted over 15,000 visitors in 2 days (link opens in new window).

Underwater Festival | Welcome to the 2012 Underwater Festival:

'via Blog this'

underwater.com.au | Listing | Matava - The Astrolabe Hideaway

underwater.com.au | Listing | Matava - The Astrolabe Hideaway:

On the beautiful island of Kadavu, minutes from the Great Astrolabe Reef, Matava is the genuine eco-hideaway.

Here you can participate in affordable and exclusive diving and experience the true beauty of Fiji. Our intimate oceanfront resort has charming and comfortable Fijian bures, outstanding cuisine and we stock a wide selection of wines, beers and spirits.

PADI dive professionals ensure an unforgettable and safe diving holiday and also offer a full range of PADI certifications.

Our diving offers enormous fish variety, pristine corals and a real chance to dive with Mantas and sharks. You can also participate in, game fishing (catch and release); kayaking, surfing, snorkeling, trekking and local village events. With no roads and a maximum of 20 guests, at Matava you really can have your own little piece of paradise."

Escaping to Kadavu - A Fiji Secret

From: Tim Hochgrebe

To: Richard at Matava

Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 8:15 PM

Subject: underwater australasia article UP

Hi Richard,

Finally we have the story UP at

http://www.underwater.com.au/article.php/id/7200/

Fell free to link to it from your blog and let us know what you think.

We will be leaving for Europe in the morning and be back later in
June, but we will still be on this email address - and many others -
while we are away.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Cheers

Tim & Wandy
--------------------------------------------------------------
Tim Hochgrebe
http://underwater.com.au
"Dive in, Explore and Save!"

PO Box 1753
Byron Bay NSW 2481

Tel: +61-2-66809410
Mob: 0403-803 083
e-mail: tim@underwater.com.au

===============================================
Contributed by Wandy Hochgrebe

Part 2: Matava

It only took us 30 minutes to get to Matava by boat. Each headland we passed and each corner we turned us showed us more of the undeveloped hills of Kadavu.

Matava itself is located in a small cove and at first sight you don't see much of the resort. However, once you step on land you can see the main bure right in front. The other bures where people stay are amongst beautiful tropical gardens with all kinds of flowering bushes, papaya trees and banana trees. Narrow paved walkways meander through the grass in all directions.

We were welcomed at the little jetty by Maggie, who gave us an introduction of the resort and how the diving was conducted. Our bure was only a short stroll away and yet felt very private.

Basically, we were staying half-way up the hill that forms the back-drop with a stunning view over the ocean. In the distance, we could see the waves breaking on the Great Astrolobe Reef. Again, we had big bunch of fresh flowers in our room and hibiscus flowers were put everywhere.

A real luxury was that our luggage was already brought to our bure, so we didn't have to carry it ourself. I immediately took to the verandah to soak up the atmosphere with help of a cold beer...

Full article here at http://www.underwater.com.au/article.php/id/7200/

underwater.com.au Forum

Cool forum from down-under.

"Matava specialises in water sports such as diving and fishing by it's wonderful location with abundant reefs and large marine life. Swam with Manta Rays, Sharks, Turtles, Barracuda (2 types) and so much more..." MarieB

Go see more of this forum...