El pescado said:

>Are we over-w*rked and getting a bit too sensitive and humor-
challenged?  I am deeply insulted, to be said "like Ding-Dong"!<

Hmm, pontificating about something without knowing squat about the subject?
Sounds like Ding-Dong to me.  

>But I've BEEN there.  :-)<

Uhh, no.

>>So enlighten me.  What is "diving"?
>At least 80F temp, comfortable to be in lycra, at least 100 ft
visibillity most of the time,<

/rant on

My bathtub is warmer, clearer, and has almost as many fish and healthy
corals as the Dead Coral Sea. 

> so that you can actually SEE where
the sharks and rays (and yourself) are going ... for starters,
and walls on which you can see the surface from 200 fsw?   :-))<

I saw fewer sharks during an entire week in Cayman, than I see on each and
every beach dive in Sipadan. In fact, I have yet to do a dive in Sipadan
where I have NOT seen at least a few sharks (incl. night dives). Never mind
turtles, they always get in the way when you want to look at something
else..

/rant off

>Mika can be the SUB-organizer of a Junior fest that will include
Sydney and Bali (or Flores or Sangalaki).<

Sangalaki would probably best fit your temperature and visibility
requirements. And it is right smack in the center of the greatest reef
biodiversity area. And after about 3 days you'll be real tired of looking
at mantas. They are a major distraction when looking at all the frogfish.

Flores I don't know yet, so I'd like to do a liveaboard there.

>There can be many other Junior fests each of which will include
Sydney.   The SUB-organizers will all report to the Chief, you-
know-who!  :-)<

A sub NEDFest south of Sydney would also be nice. This sounds like a 4 week
trip for me. Wonderful. Let's do it.

>Nobody says you weren't, certainly NOT in my proposed plan of
splitting an ARMY of divers no boat can accommodate into platoons<

By the time Strike asks for deposits in real money there won't be an 'army'
anymore. Just look at the La Paz NEDFest. 

Michi