Tom Mount (president of IANTD) finally gets his hands on a Dive Girl.

Dive Girl Does Dema
The Diving Equipment and Manufacturers Association Show (DEMA) is THE (trade) SHOW of diving and it's big, really big. For five days the cream of diving (and Dive Girl) gather to talk, attend seminars and check out new products being showcased. Various things caught my eye including SDS's Latching System, DAN's Remote Emergency Oxygen (REMO2) System, the "Write Slate" and "The Bank" from Mako, and new dry suits from OMS and Zeagle. Fab toys! Tom Mount of IANTD and Grandfather of technical diving was answering questions and signing copies of his Technical Diver Encyclopaedia. He'd heard of Dive Girl, but not seen it, which was swiftly rectified. Tom was most positive about Dive Girl - "it's great to see a magazine about women and diving". More comments were heard round the Show. "Great". "About time". "It's really what the Industry has been looking for". and "Yo Dive Girl!"
News and copies of Dive Girl had reached as far as Borneo!

As we'd suspected...!
We always knew that dive boys just luuuurrrve their kit. Kevin Gurr, recently voted DIVER magazine's Diver of the Year is no exception. In fact he adores his kit so much that he actually... sleeps with it. According to a quick Dive Girl straw poll, he is not alone. When asked to express a preference, 9 out of 10 techie dive blokes said they would rather curl up with a twinset or rebreather than anything else. Luckily 9 out of 10 women are more than happy for them to do just that. So many D rings, so little time...!

Women Underwater (Vol 2!)
The No. 1 women's dive mag: $18 US per year (+ $10 for international mail outside the US) available from Women Underwater LTD, P.O. Box 2338, Flemington, NJ 08822, USA underh2o@ptd.net, www.WomenUnderwater.com.
Article submissions can be sent to the Editor: Jill Heinerth email heinerth@gte.net. Jill was one of the lead divers in the Wakulla 2 project, who mapped the vast (and deep) caves in Wakulla National Park, Florida.

Do you dream of treasure?
If like me, you wouldn't know what to do with a porthole if it came up and slapped you on the arse, a lifting bag is probably not at the top of your wish list. However, CKit have come up with a complete beauty of a lift bag that is a pleasure to behold and a total must-have. Far more gorgeous than the tatty orange blobs that I'm familiar with. In stunning black and yellow with obligatory D ring, it certainly looks the business. So if the Dive Boy or Girl in your life is in need of a lift, just buy them one of these. It's the cute, baby version of the huge f*ck off PFP50s and PFP100s that can lift an entire wreck... almost.
£34 from G & H Diving Services Ltd Tel 0181 751 3771

Shagged by a shark
Imagine my surprise when a new 'novelty' range of condoms dropped through my letterbox. Including (I kid you not) a condom in the shape of a shark. What?? Well they seem to have been made in Germany .... and they have a warning on the back: no good as a contraceptive device, no use at preventing sexually transmitted diseases. At this point I was beginning to ask myself why anyone would bother. Unless they really fancy the idea of being shagged by a shark... So I phoned Marcus from Markat and asked him who, exactly, is buying these things. Over 50% of orders are from women. And of the rest? Over 50% were bought by blokes from Essex. Nuff said I think! Shark, fish, and diver novelty condoms from Markat : 01935 815424

Or not!
If you love sharks (but not quite like that thanks all the same) there is always the Adopt a Shark scheme: details from the Shark Trust on 01635 550 380

Expeditions
"Quest for knowledge thirst for adventure!" Mad Dog is an adventurous dive expeditions company owned and run by Christine Dennison. Women-focussed in approach, they are so successful that CASIO is making a 'Mad Dog Expeditions G-Shock watch' coming out in July 1999! Check them out at www.mad-dog.net

Sent to Coventry
Coventry BSAC - An active midlands diving club is looking for new divers. How can you have a diving club in a town probably as far from the sea as you can get? Coventry have got one, it is actively diving and looking for new members. Diving is offered for all levels. Do more than follow an instructor around in large groups at resorts, join a club and if in the Midlands join the Coventry Branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club.
Visit their web site www.users.zetnet.co.uk/coventrydivers