PRESIDENTS REPORT
2007 AGM
Welcome to the 2007 Annual General Meeting of the Nelson Bays Dive Club. Thank you for making the effort to attend. This year has again seen the club grow significantly and now with over 40 members, both young and younger, we are in a position of relative strength, but that does not mean we can rest on our laurels. There is still plenty to do "Moving Forward" (sorry I hate that cliché!!), and now we have the resources to spread the fun. It's great to see the increasing number of females taking up diving, we now have ten women in the club, the most ever, and at 25% of total membership this provides good balance to the club. Hopefully representation on the committee will be similar after tonight.
Again the year has flown by and much to my disgust I seem to have done less diving than in previous years. On the trips I have attended it has been great to meet many of the new members, and of course catch up with old mates, sadly often it's the only place you do meet up.
We have had at least one and sometimes two organised trips every month for members to attend to over 16 destinations in the past year. We are so lucky to have so many places to dive right on our doorstep. Social events such as the Pirates Picnic at Okiwi Bay & Mini Golf & BBQ at Motueka have been well attended and enjoyed by all. Some members managed to get away to Fiordland and Stewart Island while others have travelled to Vanuatu, Nuie & Samoa for diving experiences. Only two trips this year have been cancelled due to the weather, while two others had destinations changed. Thanks go to our stand in Club Captain, Stu Pope, for his continued efforts in organising these trips and events, after again taking up this role when Stu Marshall departed. Well done Stu.
There are always numerous stories after every trip, often many never reach the newsletter, with the usual culprits "Oops left my weight belt behind" or "Horny can I borrow your fins?"...and even "shit I forgot to put the bung in!!!!" The odd motor has been flooded, we've had water in the fuel, safety chains left off trailers, and we even left some divers behind on one trip...well not really, they didn't make the trip having stayed away the night before in a place where contact was difficult. And to keep Mario in business, items such as weight belts, torches, masks, knives and slings.....not to mention the contents of a few stomachs have been lost during trips. The strangest catch of the year was probably a wheel off a lawn mower!
Of course, most importantly after every trip, there is the compulsory debrief at the nearest local for a few drinks and lies.
One amusing incident, well to everyone apart from the recipient, was the losing of a catchbag full of scallops by a certain gentleman; worst thing was that it was his buddy's catchbag and catch. The identity of this fella will remain secret and all I can say is "It's terrible the luck of the Irish"
A few cray virgins have been broken in during the year and we now have some very avid hunters in the club. You could be forgiven for thinking we were now a pig hunting club as well after the tales told on the last two trips!! Not all dives are about hunting and gathering, there is also sight seeing with all kinds of creatures and plant life down under. Sadly there is also a lot of household rubbish on the sea bed and we as a club should ensure that all our rubbish comes home with us.
We finally managed to name the Club Boat "Down Time" - well done Jim Rainbow on your choice, with the name now sign written on the boat. Funding for an oxygen kit through pub charity is currently being applied for. I also congratulate those who donated their time to do some fundraising with the Warehouse BBQ - well done...it is a long time since we have had so many members keen enough and with time to donate to the Club.
I'd like to thank our Sponsor, Mario down at Big Blue Dive & Fish, and also The Copy Machine for their support with the newsletter each month and Combo Marketing for their running of our website. Thank you to Jodi and her staff, and Joel respectively. I also extend thanks to the Nelson Rugby Club for allowing us to use these excellent facilities.
Thank you to Pauline and Sarah for organising the nibbles for tonight. And last but not least a big thank you to those on the committee who have put in a great effort over the past 12 months. You have certainly made my job easier.
Places on the committee and as elected officers are being offered tonight. If you want to assist in the running of the club, or simply have a say on how things are done, or maybe steer it in a new direction please put your hand up to be elected. Remember many hands make light work. Some of us have been on the committee for ten years now and you may think the club needs some new ideas!!
One last thing, we can always do with more members. We have lost a few who have recently left the district so if you know people who are keen get them along to join up.
It's our 10 year anniversary this month and I think it says a lot about the heart of this club to have lasted this long when we were down to only 18 members for quite some time, with many of those not active...mind you, there was no competition for places on trips!!
Enjoy the evening and the rest of the year.
Remember - Dive Safely
John Hornby
President
Nelson Bays Dive Club
July 2007
