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Club Sponsors
The companies and
individuals listed on this page and elsewhere on this website
are honored sponsors of NCUPS competitions. Without the support
of these sponsors NCUPS would not be able to provide the Underwater
Photographer Community in Northern California the level of support
and education that it does today. NCUPS thanks our sponsors and
urges those who enter our contests or belong to the Northern California
Underwater Photographers Society to consider these sponsors when
planning a dive trip or when purchasing photography or dive gear.
Click on a link below to see more information on that sponsor.
For information on
becoming an NCUPS sponsor please contact Lanette
Otvos .
Last updated: December
2008
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Levels of Sponsorship
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Platinum
Sponsors
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Backscatter
Underwater Video and Photo
is a full service underwater imaging center located in Monterey,
California offering a great selection of new, used and rental
equipment. As an authorized Warranty Service Center for Nikonos
and Sea & Sea they offer a quick turnaround and expert workmanship
on all underwater equipment. Imaging workshops are offered in
Monterey, the Channel Islands, and around the world. Please discover
their website for workshop schedules and the latest in imaging
equipment.
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Coral
Caverns Dive Resort is the newest dedicated dive resort in the
Caribbean. Our all inclusive property is a full PADI resort located
on beautiful Andros in The Bahamas. The third largest barrier
reef in the world is a stones throw away from your room. Your
dive adventure begins in the scenic tropical setting located on
Cargill Creek, only 20 minutes south of the Andros Town International
Airport. The Tongue-of-the-Ocean awaits you; see the splendor
of vibrant tropical coral reefs, blue holes, and the CORAL CAVERNS
of Andros! 
Each
air-conditioned comfortable room at the resort enjoys a view of
the ocean. Enjoy walking through native tropical gardens along
tranquil walkways to the large oceanside swimming pool conveniently
located next to the bar and restaurant. The full service bar overlooking
the ocean serves exotic tropical drinks and cocktails. Enjoy our
island-style restaurant located ocean-side. Our dining room is
large and comfortable for your all-inclusive Bahamian-style cuisine.
Come
and discover the Real Bahamas at Coral Caverns Dive Resort!
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DIVING, PROTOGRAPHIC
& OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
 Micronesia,
South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Australia & Central America
contact: Yasuko T.
Jones
contact email: yasuko@islandcruiseadventure.com
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SCUBA DIVING VOYAGES
• BALI • KOMODO • INDONESIA
THE LIVEABOARD EXPEDITION OF A LIFETIME
Kararu Dive Voyages
regular route sails from the majestic island of Bali to one of
the world’s most diverse and interesting marine and wildlife
parks. The Komodo National Park is a world heritage site. This
remote and unchanged part of Indonesia offers unique natural beauty
both above and below the sea.
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Kasawari Lembeh Resort
is a boutique lifestyle dive resort — managed by the Aquasports
Group, owner and operator of MY
Aqua One — has been designed with complete facilities and
services for divers looking for a touch of luxury, and personalized,
safe and hassle-free diving in the Lembeh Strait. The resort is
designed especially to cater to the needs of and pamper photographers
and videographers.
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Dive Bunaken National Park in style - Kima Bajo Resort & Spa
is an upscale boutique resort with beautifully appointed rooms,
luxuriant spa, private beach, pool deck and and sunset-facing
restaurant.
 Eco
Divers is a PADI 5 Star Centre, catering to discerning divers.
All dives are guided by qualified Divemasters with a maximum of
just 4 guests per group and only 8 divers per boat guaranteed.
Special trips to Bangka/Gangga Islands and the Lembeh Strait can
be arranged on request.
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The original resort
in the Lembeh Strait and still the best, "KBR" is famous
for its friendly and knowledgeable staff, tasty food and unique
location in the heart of the Strait. 40 dive sites are within
15 minutes of less from our private jetty. KBR House Reef is North
Sulawesi's only truly exclusive dive site. 
Specialising in underwater
photography, KBR guarantees no more than 4 divers per guide and
8 per boat, a dedicated camera room and regular photo seminars.
All 17 beachfront rooms are ensuite and air-conditioned. An infinity
pool and Captain Billy's Bar offer added guest amenities. A new
spa opens at KBR on 01 April 2009.
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The Manthiri offers
luxury liveaboard diving in the Maldives. A chain of
900 islands straddling the Equator in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives
Archipelago is one of the world's most unique and interesting
dive destinations. The waters are warm, and the marine life rich,
diverse and colorful. Encounters with creatures large and small,
and schooling fishes in the thousands, are common experiences
on the broadly varied dive sites. The Maldives is one of the finest
places for marine life photography, with opportunities for both
wide angle and macro to be found on every dive. When it comes
to enjoying the very best diving, the Maldives is also a place
where a live-aboard definitely will give the best experience.
Roy Dumlao was the lucky winner of this prize at the 2007 CA Beach
Dive Photo Competition. If you want more information on
the Manthiri, check out thier website www.manthiri.com
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We are proud of our
reputation for exceptional diving and extraordinary service. It
is our attention to detail that sets us apart.
Expect more detailed
expedition information, more exciting images, the latest up-to-date
Trip Reports... you can even take part in our innovative 'Virtual
Dive'. Our vessels were custom built with your comfort in mind
and are amongst the most well-designed in the world.
 Visit
their Website -- Here you can tour your vessel; cabin by cabin.
Check out the chef prepared menus and let us know if you have
any special dietary requirements. We have attempted to cover all
FAQ's, however if you cannot find what your looking for email
our friendly reservations team, we are only too happy to assist
you in anyway.
contact: Liz Davis
contact email: mdbe@mikeball.com
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Motor
Vessel Bilikiki is the premiere live-aboard dive operation
in the Solomon Islands. Operating two 125 foot ships, MV Bilikiki
and MV Spirit of Solomons, divers are offered superb diving opportunities,
from ships consistently rated among the best live-aboards in the
world.
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  The
Motor Vessel
FeBrina is fast becoming one of the world's best known live-aboard
dive boats.
FeBrina
is a 72 foot long vessel, fully air-conditioned and fitted with
every convenience. FeBrina cruises from Walindi, the world renowned
dive resort. Diving Kimbe Bay and all the offshore reefs outside
the Bay. Some of those reefs are rarely visited and have superb
visibility and prolific fish life.
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Dive the Fiji Islands'
finest coral reefs and fish-filled channels. Swim alongside humpback
whales in Tonga, explore World War II shipwrecks in Vanuatu or
discover Kiribati's truly wild and unexplored Phoenix Archipelago.
 From
manta rays to mantis shrimp, dolphins to dartfish, or voracious
sharks to vibrant soft corals, NAI'A found Fiji's ultimate dive
sites! Experience the diversity and drama of pristine South Pacific
coral reefs at their most colorful and lavish. Enjoy charming
Fijian and Pacific cultures during the vacation of your dreams
from the comfort of Fiji's premier live aboard diving vessel and
her famously friendly crew.
 NAI'A
is 120 feet of air-conditioned luxury: eight staterooms with en-suite
bathrooms, huge dive deck, spacious sun deck, separate camera
room, fine dining and international cuisine. Our 14 dedicated
crew understand discerning divers and share their passion for
adventure, exploration and great company!
Whether you're into underwater
photography or videography, marine research and conservation or
just plain good fun with your best dive buddies, NAI'A has an expedition
to suit all urges. Down kava and dive with scuba celebrities like
Stan Waterman, Howard & Michele Hall, Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach.
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Our spanking new
Live-aboards offer divers the best in comfort, safety, luxury
and service. We venture to Bunaken, Bangka, Sangihe, Lembeh, Halmahera
and Raja Ampat for world class diving in Indonesia. The crew on
board ensure that you are always well looked after. You will remember
their smiles long after you have left the shores of Manado.
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The ONEOCEAN Alliance
is a network of partners associated with OceanNEnvironment
. Bysupporting the partners of ONEOCEAN Alliance you are assured
of high quality product, well tested by Michael
AW and his associates of photographers and scientists. You
will also be joining the community of environmentally conscious
citizens.
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If you’ve been
looking for a liveaboard trip with a difference – this is
what you’ve been waiting for!
Dive with us into
the breathtaking undersea world of Indonesia.
Watch
video clips from past trips
Our website provides
more information about our cruises to the legendary Komodo islands
and Raja Empat, the vessel and crew, and the diving.
 The
rustic wooden construction in traditional style, the pleasant
cosy interior as well as the informal atmosphere all contribute
to the easy-going lifestyle on board the MV Pindito. The ship’s
size and infrastructure make life on board extremely comfortable.
Dive sites of Komodo
National Park offer a great variety of reef structures.
Hard corals reefs, slopes and drop offs covered with soft coralls.
The cooler currents assure a great variety and many unusual creatures
from the undersea world. In Irian Jaya the variety of flora and
fauna of the undersea world will flatter every diver’s heart.
Underwater your mind will be spoilt by uncountable impressions.
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 Reef
& Rainforest represents the finest liveaboard diving vessels,
dive operators and resort properties the world over. Whether it
is reefs, wrecks or sharks you are looking for, we have it. Dive
in the freezing arctic waters or plunge into the always warm atolls
of Maldives, dive among huge mantas, elusive dugongs, big turtles,
curious dolphins, and fantastic coral formations and incredibly
colored reef fish. The underwater world is diverse and fascinating.
Stay in impeccable resorts with all the comforts, modest beach
huts surrounded by the best diving in the world, or board a dive
cruiser and explore many different locations. Reef and Rainforest
arranged the donation of trips to: Walindi/Loloata - Papua New
Guinea, Adventure Sports, Mike Ball's Spoil Sport, Irian Diving,
Genesis I - Thailand, Big Blue - Palau, Dive Giso - Solomon Islands.
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Tucked away in a pristine
rain forest accessible only by boat, Tawali is Papua New Guinea's
premier resort. SCUBA dive, snorkel, kayak or explore the local
culture on guided bush walks to remote villages, skull caves and
waterfalls. Located on a volcanic bluff overlooking the clear
water and coral reefs of Milne Bay, Tawali offers travelers a
unique location to relax and enjoy the unspoiled wonders of this
magnificent part of the world.
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 Wakatobi,
a destination where you can dive the world's most pristine reefs
and experience remoteness from everyday life in total comfort.
Situated on a beautiful tropical island in the remote and peaceful
Wakatobi archipelago in the Banda Sea, Indonesia, Wakatobi Dive
Resort offers what many consider to be the best reef diving in
the world. Blessed with a great house reef, Wakatobi is often
described as a live aboard with a built-in beach! In addition
to the spectacular house reef, there are several dozens of easily
accessible dive sites offering incredible marine life diversity,
color and natural splendor.
Wakatobi is more than
just a great diving experience. Our mission from day one was to
establish a dive resort that gave divers a sense of well-being
that they are helping contribute to an environmentally and culturally
sound conservation program. So we established the Wakatobi Collaborative
Reef Conservation Program, which is now one of the world's largest
privately-funded marine protected areas.
In addition to our
land-based resort we also operate the world-renowned liveaboard,
the Pelagian. The Pelagian is fully integrated into Wakatobi's
award-winning marine conservation and community development programs,
and it has exclusive access to the diving sites within the extended
Wakatobi region.
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 Wallin's
Dive Center
Premiere Dive Center
Serving the Diving Community Since 1967
Wallin's
Dive Center is one of the largest Bay Area dive centers in
the San Francisco region. We have been training and servicing
the diving community since 1967, with some of the friendliest,
most experienced staff in the industry. We teach scuba diving,
snorkeling and freediving, and swimming.
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Gold
Sponsors
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Bahura
Resort & Spa - Dauin, Philippine's premier resort is the
take off point to world famous Apo Island and our own beach dive
will bring you face-to-face with seahorses, nudibranchs, frogfishes,
and other subjects dear to an UW photographers heart.
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Expedition
Fleet Liveaboards
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With an abundance
of new products and processes, Kodak
has made photography simpler, more useful and more enjoyable.
Today, their work increasingly involves digital technology, combining
the power and convenience of electronics with the quality of traditional
photography.
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Lembeh
Dive Resort - Lembeh Resort, a spectacular boutique style
resort, is situated on Lembeh Island and perched above the beautiful
Strait. The mecca of critter diving, the Lembeh Strait, is home
to more than 40 magnificent dive sites showcasing Indonesia’s
world-renowned biodiversity. Your underwater experience with Lembeh
Resort will be as fantastic as your stay.
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Kosrae
Village - Micronesia, Naturally!
A Dive and Eco Adventure Resort, our dive shop will take you to
underwater to pristine Micronesian coral reefs. See butterfly
fish, sharks, manta rays, clown fish and glorious corals. Reserve
YOUR place in paradise.
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Sam's
Tours Palau - An independent PADI Five Star National Geographic
Dive Center and eco-adventure tour company based in Palau, Micronesia.
Palau is world renown for marine bio-diversity and an abundance
of large pelagic animals. Sam's Tours is also a corporate sponsor
of the Palau Shark Sanctuary Fund.
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Island
& Cruise Adventure, Inc.
Kararu
Dive Voyages, Indonesia
Mike
Ball Expeditions
NAI'A
- Premier Pacific Diving Expeditions 
Pindito
