Hi all,

First I want to thank everyone who participated in our largest GAFC event ever. I especially want to thank Maryhelen Shulman-Groh and Al Bozza for going above and beyond the call to help make this event a resounding success - if the NEADC did not step up to the plate and take over the logisitics of planning a picnic for an event of this size there simply would not have been a 6th annual GAFC event!!!

This is the first year that this event was sponsored by divers, for divers - everyone associated with this event volunteered their time and expertise towards making this event the success that it is.

Now the numbers - we had a record setting 103 divers conduct 126 surveys at 7 dive sites around Cape Ann, MA and at Nubble Light, York, ME. There were 46 species of fish observed, along with 4 species of invasive invertebrates.

We awarded a record breaking $9,500.00 in volunteer fish counters raffle prizes - the missing regulator was found the next day and will be delivered to its' owner.

Mike DeCamp will present on History of Northeast Wreck Diving. Mike, a true diving legend and pioneer is often affectionately referred to as the "Father of East Coast Diving." His resume begins with his first dive in 1956 and from there he went on to be the first person to dive practically every wreck along the US east coast, and was the first sport diver to dive on the Andrea Doria

Gary Gentile will present slides on "Northern Shipwreck Marine Life" Artificial reef ecology is demonstrated from the world of the small, using macrophotography, to the life cycles of the large, including whales, sharks, sunfish, and a variety of game fish. The waters of New Jersey northward, and the many wrecks that about there, offer more marine life than most divers know about. Lobsters, that most delectable of wreck inhabitants, are covered in detail. Gary has written 44 books, published over 3,000 photographs, discovered more than 40 shipwrecks, and led a life of adventure.