Our premiere screening of this Dutch documentary marks the 25th anniversary of the sinking in Auckland harbour by French government agents of the Greenpeace flagship, the Rainbow Warrior. Six members of the original Rainbow Warrior crew eventually settled on Waiheke Island, a location revealed through the lens of filmmaker Suzanne Raes as nothing short of paradise. She films them as they go about their daily lives and investigates the inextricable connections between their life choices and political action. They recount their role in moving 320 Marshall Islanders ravaged by fall-out from US nuclear tests in 1979. They talk of their innocent sense of adventure which shattered when colleague Fernando Pereira died on board the Warrior, a victim of the French action. They reflect on past campaigns and the changing nature of activism. We’re delighted to provide the homecoming venue for this international spotlight on their activism and to join them in commemorating a defining moment in the New Zealand’s anti-nuclear stance. — BG

Now showing at the New Zealand International Film Festival.

Session Times
Saturday 10 July | 1:45pm | SKYCITY Theatre
Monday 12 July | 11:00am | SKYCITY Theatre

Showing at the New Zealand International Film Festival.

Sunday 11 July | 10:15am | Civic Theatre
Wednesday 14 July | 10:30am | Civic Theatre

Winner of the Audience Award at both the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and 2009 Hot Docs festival, The Cove follows a team of activists and filmmakers as they infiltrate a heavily-guarded cove in Taiji, Japan. In this remote village they witness and document activities deliberately being hidden from the public: More than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises are being slaughtered each year and their meat, containing toxic levels of mercury, is being sold as food in Japan, often times labeled as whale meat.

The majority of the world is not aware this is happening. The Taiji cove is blocked off from the public. Cameras are not allowed inside and the media does not cover the story. It’s critical that we get the word out in Japan.  It’s critical that we get the word out—everywhere.  We believe that once the Japanese people know, they will demand change.

“Dolphins are the only wild animals known to rescue humans. With this film, we’d like to come to their rescue and, in the process, save ourselves.” — Louie Psihoyos, Japan Times

Director: Louie Psihoyos
Year: 2008
Running time: 94 mins

As gripping as a D-day assault movie, this spectacular film from National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos surely spells the end of business for a business few of us even suspected existed: the capture of dolphins to populate the world’s dolphinariums. The grotesque by-product of this already questionable trade is that surplus dolphins are slaughtered and passed off as whale meat in the supermarkets of Japan. The film follows US conservation group Oceanic Preservation Society – equipped and financed to the tune of $5 million by Netscape founder Jim Clark – as it penetrates the massive wall of security around the operation in order to capture the footage that should blow this operation out of the water. Former Flipper trainer Ric O’Barry, painfully aware of the role that TV series had in popularising performing dolphin shows, is an eloquent and moving exponent of dolphin rights and a clued-up commentator on the intransigence of the Japanese and the ineffectiveness of the International Whaling Commission.

Dr Roger Grace – photo courtesy of the Marine NZ website.

We are very fortunate to have Dr Roger Grace (a life member of AUUC) coming along to speak on “NZ’s marine biodiversity, from the Kermadec Islands to Stewart Island”.

Dr Grace is one of New Zealand’s great underwater photographers. A well known scientist, he has published many reports on the state of our marine environment. Dr Grace often works as a photographer for the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior, and has supported marine conservation in New Zealand for decades.

Dr Grace spoke at the club AGM last year. He is an informative and entertaining speaker so this is one club meeting you don’t want to miss.

Directions to lecture theatre Eng 3.401.

The festival program includes an underwater photography competition (disposable camera and digital camera sections), diving, treasure hunt, scuba olympics and parties. There are loads of prizes up for grabs, including a dive trip for 2 to Vanuatu (which I won at last year’s festival)!

The festival is tonnes of fun and the Botany Bottom Scratchers are sending over a contingent to take part in the celebrations. They’re wondering if anyone from AUUC would be keen in linking up with them. I think they need our young blood to win the scuba olympics! If you’re interested, contact Roger (rog.sil@clear.net.nz) or 027 439 4309. Roger is a sporadic checker of email so a phone call may be worth your while.

Find out more about the Coromandel Dive Festival.

Dr Roger Grace – photo courtesy of the Marine NZ website.

We are very fortunate to have Dr Roger Grace (a life member of AUUC) coming along to speak on the ‘Ecological and Fishery Benefits of no-take Marine Reserves’.

Dr Grace is one of New Zealand’s great underwater photographers. A well known scientist, he has published many reports on the state of our marine environment. Dr Grace often works as a photographer for the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior, and has supported marine conservation in New Zealand for decades.

As if all that wasn’t enough, there is also FREE PIZZA to tempt you along (gold coin entry for non-club members).

Interested in being an AUUC committee member in 2009 but want to find out more? Send us an email and we’ll answer your questions: committee@akunidive.com

Email your apology to Kathryn at secretary@akunidive.com

Directions to meeting room Eng 3.401.

Saturday 20th September 2008 is Project AWARE International Cleanup Day.

We have not been organised enough to arrange an underwater cleanup ourselves, but some of our affiliated dive shops are going all out. If you have time this coming Saturday, please join them in a splash for trash.

Sea & Ski – Dive HQ Greenlane

Join us on Saturday afternoon as we work with Goat Island Dive to help clean up the areas around Goat Island reserve, Mathesons Bay and Leigh Harbour.

As an extra incentive we have arranged a FREE BBQ and two talks by marine experts. A fisheries representative will be available to answer your questions, plus Dr Roger Grace who was the speaker at our June club meeting.

PLAN FOR SATURDAY
1pm meet at Goat Island Dive
1:30pm to 4pm underwater clean up
4pm onwards – BBQ and presentations

This will be a really great afternoon as well as a very worthwhile cause. All you need to bring is your dive kit and any drinks you want to go with the BBQ.

Finally, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE can you reply to Mel to indicate whether you are coming or not. She would hate for the BBQ to run out of sausages!

Email Mel: mel@divehqgreenlane.co.nz
Phone: 09 520 7300

Global Dive

Every year, Project AWARE helps organise hundreds of thousands of volunteers from all over the world to reverse the damage done to our oceans by debris and litter. This year, Global Dive is getting involved, and we need your help! We want to keep our oceans clean for generations to come, not just for the enjoyment of others, but also because our world is dependent on the health of the delicate marine ecosystem.

We can all do our part every day by using less, recycling more, and disposing of our rubbish responsibly. What’s more, on 20 September we can raise awareness and get others involved as well! Going above and beyond our normal routine for a few hours can help make a world of change. Mission Bay is a popular beachfront area and a great place to show others what a difference we can make. Divers, snorkelers, beachgoers, water lovers – any and all volunteers are welcome!

Project AWARE is passionate about keeping our beaches and oceans clean; last year, a total of 3,175,000 kg of rubbish were removed and data was collected and entered into Project AWARE’s database.

Please join us at 10am-1pm on 20 September at Mission Bay, where we will organise our team to collect debris and send our data to Project AWARE, so they can record our results and put them into the international database. We will also be having a free BBQ for volunteers, so bring your appetite too! If you can make it please let us know.

Email: info@globaldive.net
Phone: 09 920 5200

AUUC members Elliott and Kate romping it up at an Outdoor Clubs’ Ball.

When: Friday 26th September 2008, 7pm onwards
Where: Fordes Bar, 122 Anzac Avenue, Auckland City
How Much: $30
Theme: Safari
Where do I get my ticket from: “G15″ or “CAG15″ in Building 114, Com A (near the clock tower but nearly beside where the upper and lower theatres use to be) on:
Monday 22 September from 12:45 to 2pm.
If you can’t make this date, please reserve your tickets with Rebecca by email rebeccagcaldwell@yahoo.com.au and pay her at the door on the night.
** Also, tickets available to be purchased at Auckland University Tramping Club Quad Lunch Wednesday 17 September 1pm to 1:30pm **
What do I get for my $$: Food and money on the bar tab (all we know so far), and prizes Prizes PRIZES!!

Download Outdoor Clubs’ Ball Poster (571KB): outdoor-clubs-ball-poster

Tuesday 23 September, 7pm
Museum Auditorium
$10 ($5 Museum members)
Bookings on 306 7048 or bookings@aucklandmuseum.com
(please note that there is a $3 fee per transaction on all phone and email bookings)

On 31 January 2008 New Zealand commenced one of the largest ever marine research voyages into the Ross Sea region in support of the International Polar Year Census of Antarctic Marine Life (IPY-CAML). The 50 day voyage on NIWA’s research vessel Tangaroa involved an extensive survey of marine organisms from viruses to blue whales in depths from the surface down to 3500 metre. The NIWA research vessel, the Tangaroa, recently returned from an eight-week voyage to the Antarctic. Twenty-three national and international scientists were part of the on-board team. Samples of living organisms from the sea floor to the sea surface have been collected and images captured down to 4000m, including in areas previously unexplored. This talk will provide an opportunity to hear first-hand about the voyage and some of the preliminary findings. It will be illustrated by still and video footage of images never screened before.