SCUBA Travel News

Life in the Sea of Cortez is endangered by destructive new fishing methods.

Ten years ago graduate students Octavio Aburto-Oropeza and Gustavo Paredes surveyed the marine life of the Sea of Cortez (also known as the Gulf of California). In 2009 they went back and were shocked at how things had declined. Sixty percent of the surveyed sites showed signs of degradation, according to Aburto-Oropeza, and many are now missing the top predators normally present in healthy, functioning ecosystems.

"Ten years later we can actually measure the effects of not putting conservation measures in place," Paredes told Explorations Magazine. "Some of us had been conducting surveys in certain sites every year, but until this year we didn't know the whole story of what was going on."

The changes have occurred because of fishing. Traditional hook-and-line fisherman have been put out of business by vastly more damaging gill net fishing and "hookah" diving. Hookah fishermen use surface-supplied air through piping that allows them to walk along the seafloor for long periods of time. The technique is typically conducted at night when fish are resting, allowing the hookah fishermen to spear or grab large numbers of vulnerable fish and invertebrates.

In the most dramatic example of fishing impacts observed on the 2009 expedition a survey of San Esteban Island in the north revealed reefs devoid of fish and instead covered by mats of cyanobacteria.

There are areas which have flourished, though. One example is Cabo Pulmo near the southern tip of the Baja peninsula. Fishing restrictions there since 1995 have ensured that Cabo Pulmo retains a mix of sea life and flourishing fish populations. Other successes include Coronado Island inside the Loreto marine park and Los Islotes inside Espiritu Santo marine park.

Using compressed air has been banned in Mexico for sports fishermen for 40 years, but since commercial fishermen weren’t named specifically they had been allowed to use compressed air to clean the reef. In May 2009 this changed: the use of hookahs have now been outlawed for any type of fishing. Illegal fishing still goes on though, and environmental organisation Sea Watch is asking people to report any that they encounter at http://seawatch.org/en/Resource-Library/359/report-illegal-fishing

Further Reading:
Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Labels: dive destination, environment, research, SCUBA diving, SCUBA News, SCUBA Travel

SCUBA News is offering you the chance to win a logbook and guide to Northern Wrecks and Reefs of Egypt's Red Sea. To win your copy just e-mail news@scubatravel.co.uk with the number of diving guides currently in the Travelling Diver series. For a hint see Issue 104 of SCUBA News.

The prize comprises a loose-leaf pack of pages in full colour, each dedicated to a single dive site. Every page gives a detailed dive site description or wreck history, with room for you to write your own notes. There is also a very good map of the dive site, information on difficulty and location. As well as being a guide the pages are designed as a dive log, with boxes for you to fill your dive details: sea conditions, temperature, maximum depth, bottom time, etc.

The guide really does manage to pack loads of information into a small space and covers most of the dives you will do on a week's liveaboard holiday.

The pack has two spare logbook sheets with room for you to log four dives. The sheets are standard 3-hole diving logbook size.

The Travelling Diver series make it easy for you to record your dives in much greater detail than the few notes most of us scribble down about the site. Focusing on a very small area - just the dives you might experience on a week's trip - means the guide is compact and light. No need to pack several thick, heavy books. The downside of course is if you visit different areas of the Red Sea often, it can become expensive to have to buy a new guide for each trip. Although not if you win one in the SCUBA News competition!

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Labels: books, competition, dive destination, Red Sea

Dominica’s Dive Fest, the Caribbean’s longest running scuba diving festival, encourages visitors to discover the beautiful landscapes and colourful marine life within the island’s waters. Would-be divers and snorkellers as young as eight can participate in pool- or ocean-based introductory sessions to teach them the basics, with some trial sessions even offered completely free of charge.

The annual event takes place in Dominica from 11th – 20th July 2008. To mark this special 15th anniversary year, many local dive centres are offering group travel packages whereby one diver goes free with every seven that book.

“Dive Fest was established to showcase the incredible marine environment of Dominica to both visitors and residents and is now one of the island’s staple events” comments Steve Bornn, director of tourism at the Discover Dominica Authority.

More information on the Dive Fest can be found at can be found at www.dominicawatersports.com. For more on diving Dominica see SCUBA Travel: Dominica

Labels: Caribbean, dive destination, Dominica, SCUBA diving, SCUBA Travel

SCUBA News are giving away two copies of the Hurghada Dive Guide and Log Book. To enter the competition e-mail name of the author of the Hurghada dive guide, together with your name and address, to news@scubatravel.co.uk before 30 April 2008. (To find out visit http://www.travellingdiver.com/.)

The prize is the forth guide in the series and covers the very popular diving area around Hurghada, on Egypt's Red Sea coast.

The format remains consistent with the other guides - loose sheets designed to fit into a diving logbook binder.

The guide covers 16 dive sites, usually with 2 dives per site. Most of the sites are reefs but there is one wreck at El Mina.

There is an A5 double sided page for each site which can be slid into a 3-ring binder with your other dive logs. The first part of the guide allows you to write in all your personal dive details (time, gas consumption, conditions, weight, temperature, cylinder details). There then follows a description of the site, its location including co-ordinates, a 3-D map and usually a couple of recommended dives. The maps are excellent - showing the dive site very clearly.

Turning over there is a more detailed description of the site covering, geography, history and marine life you are likely to encounter. It really packs in loads of information. At the bottom of the page is a space for you to add your own dive notes.

All in all these are great little guides and money well spent if you are going to the area as nearly all the dives you will do are covered. If you are planning a trip to Hurghada then this will help you prepare and give you a good idea of what to expect.

Copies may be purchased from http://www.travellingdiver.com/ or Amazon.co.uk.

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Labels: competition, dive destination, Red Sea

Win a logbook and guide to Marsa Alam in the Egyptian Red Sea.

The guide comprises loose sheets designed to fit into a diving logbook binder.

The pack covers 16 sites in the Marsa Alam area: 11 shore dives and 5 off-shore reefs which you would need to dive from a boat.

The guide is extensive and covers all the sites you are likely to do on a week's holiday to the area and more. It includes Elphinstone reef which in my view is one of the best sites in the Red Sea and one I am particularly familiar with. The coverage of this site confirms my belief that these guides are accurate and do detail most of what you will need to know for the dive.

The pack contains the dive guides and also 2 spare logbook sheets (4 dives). All the sheets are standard 3-hole diving logbook size and contain a section for collecting dive data, a guide to the site including a 3D colour drawing, a description of the site and marine life. Finally there is a section for you to add your own notes on the dive.

The data section is very detailed and covers: the usual dive data on duration time, air consumption, weight as well as gas mix, tank type, visibility, water temp, sea conditions. In my view more than enough information.

All-in-all a good idea: I like the idea of a combined dive log and guide.

Review by Andrew Reay-Robinson

About the author of the guide
Julien Stein began exploring the remote diving destination of Marsa Alam in 1999, when it was still a largely unknown diving region. Over many years he created detailed maps of the different dive sites in the area. Today Julien continues with his explorations of new dive sites, while also coaching beginner divers and writing articles for diving magazines.

Win a free copy...
SCUBA News has two copies of the Marsa Alam dive guide and log book to give away. To win your copy, name three of the 16 dives sites included in the Marsa Alam pack (visit the publishers - http://www.travellingdiver.com/ - to find out.) To enter e-mail your answer, together with your name and address, to news@scubatravel.co.uk before 31 January 2008. Note: your details will be deleted when the competition ends - you will not be sent any junk mail.

If you are not lucky enough to win a copy you can purchase one from http://www.travellingdiver.com/ or Amazon.
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Labels: competition, dive destination, Red Sea

Following an intense operation, conservation work to preserve the wreck of the Thistlegorm has been successful and finished on schedule.

Diving boats and operators can now make use of the new mooring system.

More details of the newly installed moorings can be found on the HEPCA website.

In addition to the moorings, a quantity of holes have been drilled in the wreck as air-escape outlets. Further holes will be drilled at a later date but will not require further closure of the site.

The conservation work on the SS Thistlegorm will now be followed by a similar project on the Rosalie Moller and other wrecks under threat as part of the HEPCA ‘Saving the Red Sea Wrecks’ Campaign.

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Labels: dive destination, Red Sea, wrecks

Conservation work has now started on the SS Thistlegorm off the Red Sea coast of Egypt. The intense operation to install moorings and air-escape outlets on this legendary wreck is being undertaken by Red Sea NGO Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA). Members of the HEPCA diving and mooring team are currently working alongside volunteer divers from the Red Sea community to preserve the SS Thistlegorm for the future.

The conservation operation on the SS Thistlegorm is expected to last 10-15 days. HEPCA is ensuring that the work causes minimal inconvenience and will be completed as timely as possible subject to the prevailing weather conditions. During this time no diving activity is permissible on the wreck for safety reasons.

The temporary closure of the SS Thistlegorm is part of the ‘Saving the Red Sea Wrecks’ Campaign, which was launched by HEPCA at the UK Dive Show in October. The Campaign will later target the Rosalie Moller and other Red Sea wrecks under threat. The aim is to stop further damage to our wrecks and also encourage all Red Sea diving operators and divers to adopt a more environmentally aware operational and diving code.

The SS Thistlegorm has been voted one of the Top Ten Dives in the World.


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Labels: dive destination, Red Sea, wrecks

The NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program has developed a colourful new printed guide and Web page for scuba divers, about diving in America's 13 national marine sanctuaries.

“NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries have something to offer every diver, from the most experienced to the newly certified,” said Daniel J. Basta, sanctuary program director. “We hope that all divers visiting our sanctuaries will want to join efforts to help preserve and protect these special places for future generations.”

The new diving guide describes the world beneath the sea at each of the national marine sanctuaries, from the shipwrecks and nutrient-rich waters of Stellwagen Bank off Massachusetts to the pristine coral reefs of Fagatele Bay in American Samoa. The brochure also offers tips on how to be a more responsible diver by mastering buoyancy control, respecting marine wildlife, and how to volunteer for habitat monitoring activities in your local marine sanctuary.

Available in PDF format at http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/visit/diving.html, a short version of the new guide can be downloaded and customised for use by dive operators and tourism companies to give their customers.

NOAA is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States Department of Commerce.

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Labels: America, dive destination

Israeli and Jordanian scientists has developed the Red Sea's first artificial coral reef.

Take a dive off the coast of Eilat these days and you're liable to find yourself swimming around a huge yellow concrete and wire construction that stretches four yards up from the seabed, is four yards wide, and is full of holes.

The reef is a unique new approach to conservation in the Red Sea and part of a joint co-operative project between Israel and Jordan.

Dr. Nadav Shashar, the supervisor of the research project, and a marine biologist at the National Center for Mariculture, says "Because of the increase in the number of visitors, the coral reefs are unable to overcome the damage caused and are beginning to die out.

Part of the problem is novice divers. "They kick up the sand, or damage the corals by accident. Multiple that by 100,000 people and that's considerable damage," says Shashar. "These people don't mean to harm the reefs, but they just don't know how to dive properly."

The developers hope that the artificial reef will create a new attraction for these divers, steering them away from the natural reefs, reducing the pressure there and enabling them to recover from some of the damage inflicted on them over the last few years.

At the same time, the Tamar reef which is located near Coral Beach also provides the researchers with a unique underwater laboratory, enabling them to observe and unravel the development and growth of this unique and complex ecosystem.

Further reading: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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Labels: coral reef, dive destination, Red Sea, SCUBA diving, SCUBA Travel

On Midsummers Day in 1919, a German Admiral ordered the German High Seas Fleet to be scuttled. Seventy-four German ships had been anchored at the Orkney Islands of Scotland. They were sunk to prevent them being divided up amongst the allies. Many of the ships were recovered for salvage; but those remaining submerged have helped make Scapa Flow into one of the most popular dive sites in Europe.

Lawson Wood's latest book is a comprehensive guide to diving Scapa Flow. The book begins with an introduction to the Orkneys and a history of the German High Seas Fleet. It goes on to cover travelling to, and staying in, Scapa. The rest of the book is a guide to the diving

It is a very extensive guide covering 75 wrecks and 9 reefs. Wood gives the history of each wreck and has plenty of photographs of the dives and the ships. He also provides sea-bed scans of the wrecks and detailed descriptions of each dive site. For each site there is a key points box with a summary of vital information such as location, depth, access and diving experience required.

Many divers assume that you must be extremely experienced to dive Scapa Flow, but the book makes plain that even novice divers can enjoy a good diving holiday there. All of the Motor Torpedo Boats and Blockships are in less than 18 m (60 ft) with many in less than 9 m (30 ft). Lawson Wood rates these as "quite possibly some of the best shallow shipwrecks in the world".

If you are considering going to Scapa Flow then this book is a must. I would buy it well in advance to help you prepare for the trip, deciding where to dive and what equipment to take. It is a great diving guide which is a blend of detailed diving information, wreck history and local information.

About the Author
Lawson Wood has written more than 40 historical and diving guides, including the successful Shipwrecks of the Cayman Islands. He is a founding member of the Marine Conservation Society and founder of the St.Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Nature Reserve in Scotland. He made photographic history by becoming a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and Fellow of the British Institute of Professional Photographers solely for underwater photography. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Review by Andrew Reay-Robinson

The Scapa Flow Dive Guide is available from Aquapress, Amazon and all good bookshops.



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Labels: books, dive destination, UK, wrecks

Kadmat is one of the larger islands of Lakshadweep, 400 km off the west coast of India. It is 8 km long and 500 m wide.

The remoteness of Kadmat Island really gives you a feeling of "getting away from it all" - but this comes at a price, either in terms of money or time. Staying on Kadmat Island and paying for the dives are not expensive (in fact, comparatively cheap), but getting to Kadmat is.

The only flight into the Lakshadweep archipelago is from the city of Cochin which is in south India. There is only one flight a day (Monday through Saturday) and it takes two hours. These flights are cancelled every now and then for various reasons. If you do manage to fly to Lakshadweep, you have to take a 3- to 4-hour speedboat transfer to Kadmat.

A cheap alternative to the flight-speedboat option is taking an 18- to 24-hour ship journey from Cochin directly to Kadmat, though this is also fairly unreliable since (a) the ship schedule sometimes changes at the last minute and (b) the ships are very old and may be cancelled because of engine failure or things like that. If you do decide to go, build in a few days of delay-time.

On the upside, I faced almost all these problems in my recent trip to Kadmat - and I still think the trip was worth it. The diving was truly spectacular, and Kadmat had a wonderfully comfortable, mellow island feel to it. At one point there were only 3 of us on the whole resort. I only wish I could have stayed there longer!

The Lakshadweep islands have the same gorgeous marine life and great visibility as the Maldives, only for much cheaper. The dive centre I trained with - Lacadives - had a great student-to-teacher ratio - I was the only student! Lacadives is located in the Kadmat Resort. This is at the isolated South tip of the island. Kadmat is one of the few Lakshadweep islands which is open to foreign tourists.

by Trushna

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Labels: dive destination, India

Up until recently diving on the Fu Shan Hai, Europe's largest wreck, was prohibited. Now though, after a project by Danish Technical Divers, the Danish Authorities have removed the ban.

The Chinese Bulk Carrier the Fu Shan Hai, and the Gdynia, collided on 31 May 2003 3 miles from Bornholm, Denmark.

After the collision, the Fu Shan Hai stayed afloat but the bow kept sinking as the hours went by. After the collision the master realised that the ship was in danger of sinking and he transmitted a MAYDAY distress signal. At around 1330 hours, the crew had abandoned the ship in two life boats.

At 2049 hours the same evening the Fu Shan Hai sank with a harmless cargo of fertiliser. She now rests at 68 meters. However the ship's heavy fuel oil created a hazard for the environment. In the months following the sinking, around 1460 tons of oil were removed.

After the clean up operation was completed the Danish Maritime Authority banned diving on the wreck. However, from 29 July to 5 August 2006 a group of Technical Divers were given permission to dive the wreck and document the condition. As a result of this the Danish Maritime Authority has lifted the ban.

For more information see the Fu Shan Hai Project


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Labels: dive destination, wrecks

North Sulawesi, including areas of outstanding natural beauty above and below sea level such as Bunaken National Park, Lembeh Strait and Bangka Island, has been spared an environmental tragedy. The Indonesian Ministry of Environment recently announced that a gold mine operation, which was threatening to dump millions of tons of waste into the sea in North Sulawesi, will not be allowed to do so. British-registered “Archipelago Holdings” gold mine (operating locally as “MSM”), threatened to dump up to 1,500,000 tons of ground up mining waste into the sea, between the award-winning Bunaken National Park and the famous Lembeh Strait.

Marine biologists acknowledge that North Sulawesi is the centre of marine bio-diversity on the planet. It is now a popular destination for discerning dive tourists, earmarked to become a World Heritage Site.

The North Sulawesi Watersports Association (NSWA), which represents many of the area’s dive resorts, helped achieve this important victory in the protection of a unique marine habitat. The NSWA launched a local media campaign to raise awareness of the threat, even presenting the case to representatives of the Indonesian Parliament.

The Ministry’s announcement comes as welcome news for sustainable development. However, concern still remains about how the gold mine will dispose of its waste. It is believed that it is now planning to dump it on land, but this could lead to new threats. Local environmentalists are worried that toxic bi-products of the mining process could end up in the area’s water, creating a health risk to the local population. Also, that an earthquake, in this seismically active area, could trigger a landslide. (A recent earthquake in Papua led to a deadly landslide at another mine.)

To support the continuing campaign or read more on this story, visit www.divenorthsulawesi.com. Alternatively contact Richard Parks at RP Marketing in the UK; email rpmarketg@aol.com.


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Labels: dive destination, Indonesia