Shark Adventures
Join us for one (or all) of these incredible shark diving adventures:
The Farallon Islands - Great white sharks are closer than you think! Choose from a one day adventure departing from San Francisco or a two-day expedition that leaves from nearby Sausalito. The Gulf of the Farallons Marine Sanctuary is home to some of the world's biggest great white sharks. Read more >
Bahamas - A one-day tiger shark adventure departing from West End, Bahamas. The area known for very big tiger sharks is also home to reef sharks, lemonsharks and hammerheads. Read more >
Isla Guadalupe - 5 day live-aboard adventure to the newly discovered and pristine Isla Guadalupe site off the coast of Mexico. Read more >
False Bay (Cape Town, South Africa) - Just down the coast from our Cape Town jets, there's another incredible adventure. Shark dives depart from the scenic village of Simon's Town and are led by a professional shark photographer and experienced researcher. Dive for one day or dive for ten. Read more >
Gansbaai (South Africa) - Cage diving is incredible in the area near Dyer's Island better known as Shark Alley. You don't have to be a diver to see great action. Read more >
Sardine Run - Follow the annual migration of sardines along the Wild Coast of Africa. This rugged dive adventure puts you in the middle of a feeding frenzy. Read more >
Showing posts with label Caribbean Scuba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Caribbean Scuba. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
What is Shark Diving?
What is Shark Diving?
Shark diving, or cage diving, allows divers, researchers and film crews to view the extraordinary world of Great White Sharks in comfort and safety. Specially designed shark viewing cages provide adequate protection for the sharks from sport divers, while allowing divers total freedom of movement and panoramic views. Our shark diving crews are industry professionals who care about your safety and enjoyment. Equally important, they care about making our dives safe for the sharks.
Is Shark Diving Dangerous?
To date, our most serious injury has been a sunburn. White sharks have many myths surrounding them. One is that they are killing machines attacking anything in sight. We have found that even at the height of a feeding event with multiple animals around a carcass, white sharks prove to be shy, slow moving animals. Our divers are amazed to learn first hand that these animals are almost gentle. That said, divers should always maintain a healthy respect for these awesome predators, in and out of the water!
Shark diving, or cage diving, allows divers, researchers and film crews to view the extraordinary world of Great White Sharks in comfort and safety. Specially designed shark viewing cages provide adequate protection for the sharks from sport divers, while allowing divers total freedom of movement and panoramic views. Our shark diving crews are industry professionals who care about your safety and enjoyment. Equally important, they care about making our dives safe for the sharks.
Is Shark Diving Dangerous?
To date, our most serious injury has been a sunburn. White sharks have many myths surrounding them. One is that they are killing machines attacking anything in sight. We have found that even at the height of a feeding event with multiple animals around a carcass, white sharks prove to be shy, slow moving animals. Our divers are amazed to learn first hand that these animals are almost gentle. That said, divers should always maintain a healthy respect for these awesome predators, in and out of the water!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Whale shark
Common Names: Whale shark.Latin Name: Rhincodon Typus
Family: Rhincodontidae
Identification: Enormous size (worlds largest fish). Body scalloped (with two distinct ridges running from behind head along each flank into caudal fin. Pattern of white spots and indistinct lines on grey dorsum. Ventrum white or pale. First dorsal large. Caudal large. Mouth terminal and often open when observed feeding on plankton.
Size: Maximum length 18m (unconfirmed) reliably to 16m.
Habitat: Pelagic. Comes into reef areas when food supply is abundant e.g. coral spawning.
Habitat: Pelagic. Comes into reef areas when food supply is abundant e.g. coral spawning.
Abundance and distribution: Circumtropical except Mediterranean.
Behavior: Usually seen swimming with mouth agape in feeding mode. Little is known about the Whale sharks biology or migratory patterns.
Reproduction: Ovoviviparous. Previously thought to be oviparous due to an eggcase containing a Whale shark embryo dredge from the bottom of the sea. This perception changed in 1995 when a Taiwanese fishing boat harpooned an 8m female containing 300 embryos. Whale sharks have been observed at Ningaloo performing figure 8 maneuvers while nose to tail. It has been speculated that this may be some form of courting behavior.
Observations:
Photographs: Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia.
Similar species:
Reaction to divers: Whale sharks generally move away from the noise creatred by scuba bubbles and from physical contact. Getting too close to a whale shark often causes it to dive and 'riding' the sharks interferes with their natural behavior and should be discoraged even if local rules are very liberal. The best encounters tend to be on scuba.
Reaction to divers: Whale sharks generally move away from the noise creatred by scuba bubbles and from physical contact. Getting too close to a whale shark often causes it to dive and 'riding' the sharks interferes with their natural behavior and should be discoraged even if local rules are very liberal. The best encounters tend to be on scuba.
Diving logistics: Operators around the world run Whale shark encounters. Some use spotter planes while others rely on the sharks returning to well known feeding sites. Ningaloo Reef encounters are very predicable and the customers generally get a few sharks each day during the season. For more information on Ningaloo go to the Exmouth / Ningaloo page in the Shark diving hotspots section of Elasmodiver or follow the link here.
Sanctuaries of the Sea
POSTED BY: http://www.earthocean.tv/series/whalesmed_part5.html
Want to know more, read from the source..
"Sanctuaries of the Sea - Are Marine Protected Areas for Cetaceans a Solution?" is the fifth and final program of the documentary series, "Whales of the Mediterranean Sea".
What does it mean to save whales, dolphins and porpoises if their habitat is left unprotected?
Marine Protected Areas, also known as MPAs or Marine Sanctuaries, are the equivalent of national parks and protected areas on land.
Erich Hoyt is an author and senior research fellow for WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. He feels that creating MPAs for cetaceans can have a far-reaching impact in conserving other species, and whole ecosystems.
Marine scientists Ana Cañadas and Ric Sagarminaga work in the Alboran Sea off the coast of southern Spain. They are identifying critical habitats for migratory species while working with various local groups whose livelihoods depend on a healthy sea.
However, can establishing MPAs protect cetaceans from all human pressures? We interview Cristina Fossi, a marine toxicologist from the University of Siena, Italy, whose work highlights the extreme levels of pollution in Mediterranean cetaceans.
Our final program of the series, Whales of the Mediterranean Sea, explores whether whales, dolphins and porpoises can be the catalyst in protecting marine biodiversity in this ancient sea.
Want to know more, read from the source..
"Sanctuaries of the Sea - Are Marine Protected Areas for Cetaceans a Solution?" is the fifth and final program of the documentary series, "Whales of the Mediterranean Sea".
What does it mean to save whales, dolphins and porpoises if their habitat is left unprotected?
Marine Protected Areas, also known as MPAs or Marine Sanctuaries, are the equivalent of national parks and protected areas on land.
Erich Hoyt is an author and senior research fellow for WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. He feels that creating MPAs for cetaceans can have a far-reaching impact in conserving other species, and whole ecosystems.
Marine scientists Ana Cañadas and Ric Sagarminaga work in the Alboran Sea off the coast of southern Spain. They are identifying critical habitats for migratory species while working with various local groups whose livelihoods depend on a healthy sea.
However, can establishing MPAs protect cetaceans from all human pressures? We interview Cristina Fossi, a marine toxicologist from the University of Siena, Italy, whose work highlights the extreme levels of pollution in Mediterranean cetaceans.
Our final program of the series, Whales of the Mediterranean Sea, explores whether whales, dolphins and porpoises can be the catalyst in protecting marine biodiversity in this ancient sea.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Hawaii's coral reefs
Hawaii's coral reefs and nearshore waters are home to more than 7,000 forms of marine life, a quarter of them found nowhere else on Earth. Hawaii’s reefs contribute more than $360 million annually to the state’s economy – that’s $1 million a day.
These reefs are truly a global ocean treasure. Hawai'i has...
More unique marine species than any place of its size in the tropics
One of the last large-scale marine wilderness areas on the planet
Over 300,000 acres of nearshore coral reef
The Nature Conservancy launched its Hawai‘i Marine Program in 2002 to help preserve the Islands’ remarkable marine diversity. The Conservancy’s efforts are focused on restoring the health of our magnificent coral reefs and the unique species that depend on them for their survival.
A Resource at Risk
Despite their biological, economic, and cultural importance, Hawaii’s marine ecosystems continue to be severely degraded by human activity. With a resident population of 1.3 million and 7 million visitors arriving annually – the majority of whom engage in ocean-related activities – Hawaii’s reefs are strained beyond capacity.
The reality is that our ocean faces serious threats, most caused by humans, that have upset the delicate balance of life beneath the waves. Overfishing, the use of indiscriminate fishing practices such as lay gill nets, pollution, runoff, inappropriate recreational use, and the introduction and spread of invasive alien species all jeopardize the health of our reefs.
The good news is that reefs are resilient – if we act in time, we can restore them.
What The Conservancy Is Doing
We are working in collaboration with others to rescue Hawaii's coral reefs – our rainforests of the ocean – from further degradation. Major ongoing efforts include:
Community-based partnerships and programs
Invasive species removal
Reef Fund
Fair Catch responsible fishing campaign
Labels:
Advance Scuba training, Adventure Sports, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, family travel, sharks, discount travel, Enriched Air, Hawaii Scuba Diving, Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, ITAN, Kona, NAUI, NOAA, other specialty certifications, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, airlines, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaiian Islands, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Maui, scuba certification, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, Scuba Hawaii, Hawaii Travel, Caribbean Scuba, Scuba Certification, Scuba Jay
These reefs are truly a global ocean treasure. Hawai'i has...
More unique marine species than any place of its size in the tropics
One of the last large-scale marine wilderness areas on the planet
Over 300,000 acres of nearshore coral reef
The Nature Conservancy launched its Hawai‘i Marine Program in 2002 to help preserve the Islands’ remarkable marine diversity. The Conservancy’s efforts are focused on restoring the health of our magnificent coral reefs and the unique species that depend on them for their survival.
A Resource at Risk
Despite their biological, economic, and cultural importance, Hawaii’s marine ecosystems continue to be severely degraded by human activity. With a resident population of 1.3 million and 7 million visitors arriving annually – the majority of whom engage in ocean-related activities – Hawaii’s reefs are strained beyond capacity.
The reality is that our ocean faces serious threats, most caused by humans, that have upset the delicate balance of life beneath the waves. Overfishing, the use of indiscriminate fishing practices such as lay gill nets, pollution, runoff, inappropriate recreational use, and the introduction and spread of invasive alien species all jeopardize the health of our reefs.
The good news is that reefs are resilient – if we act in time, we can restore them.
What The Conservancy Is Doing
We are working in collaboration with others to rescue Hawaii's coral reefs – our rainforests of the ocean – from further degradation. Major ongoing efforts include:
Community-based partnerships and programs
Invasive species removal
Reef Fund
Fair Catch responsible fishing campaign
Labels:
Advance Scuba training, Adventure Sports, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, family travel, sharks, discount travel, Enriched Air, Hawaii Scuba Diving, Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, ITAN, Kona, NAUI, NOAA, other specialty certifications, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, airlines, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaiian Islands, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Maui, scuba certification, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, Scuba Hawaii, Hawaii Travel, Caribbean Scuba, Scuba Certification, Scuba Jay
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
HOW MUCH DAMAGE HAS HUMAN FISHING DONE TO THE OCEAN?
HOW MUCH DAMAGE HAS HUMAN FISHING DONE TO THE OCEAN?
We thought we could fish forever, because the sea was a limitless protein mine. But dawning now is a realization that we were wrong about that. But how naive were we? And what price will be paid? Ocean life is dying back in unexpected ways: although there are fewer fish and other sea animals, more of them are starving, while waves of 'sickness' spread as primitive microbes gain the upper hand. Symptoms include spreading 'dead zones,' harmful algae blooms and a diminished presence of sea animal life in general. Is fishing implicated in all of this?
Atlantic Canada reveals what is probably the clearest evidence anywhere of the ecosystem-effects of persistent human fishing. The early 1990's crash of the once great Canadian cod stock is held up as a global cautionary tale against fisheries mismanagement, against greedy human 'overfishing.' But less well known is that the story is not that simple, that, at the level of scientific detail, so much has gone severely and unexpectedly wrong in Atlantic Canada...that the most basic assumptions underlying the 'science of overfishing/sustainable fishing' must now be questioned.
Zooplankton were unexpectedly and inexplicably lost along with Canadian fish stocks. If, as seems likely, this is part of the ecosystem impact of fishing, then this finding has global significance.
Evidence: a Transformed Ecosystem
As the size and abundance of commercially targeted fish species has plunged in recent decades, populations of smaller, unexploited organisms, the 'foundation' species of the marine ecosystem, have also experienced major downshifts. Oceanic zooplankton is in decline, and NASA/NOAA has recently reported an apparent global declining trend in marine phytoplankton production. Evidence suggesting lowered marine nutrient cycling can also be seen along clean oceanic shorelines.
Example: A clean, rocky intertidal zone in Atlantic Canada was heavily dominated by barnacles (filter feeding animals) in summer, 1948, reflecting relatively high marine productivity at that time. (Photo from Stephenson and Stephenson 1954 J. Ecol. 42:14-70 ) Move mouse over photo to see this site in summer, 2002. Now dominated by rockweed with relatively sparse barnacle cover, with individual barnacles very small, this shift away from dominance by filter feeders, and towards dominance by seaweeds, offers classic evidence of a decline in "nitrogen loading" rates. (Carpenter and Capone, Nitrogen in the Marine Environment (Acad. Press, NY, 1983)) This pattern of shifting dominance from filter feeders to seaweed is also widely evident today in the tropics where mass coral bleaching and infectious coral epidemics signal the failing health of those once dominant filter feeders.
WANNA KNOW MORE??
http://www.fisherycrisis.com/
Keywords:
South America, vacation, Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Naui and Jason Kilgore, How to scuba dive?, skin diving, snorkel, mask, fins, sight seeing, hotels, Jason Kilgore and Hawaiian islands, Kona, Maui, other specialty certifications, Ocean Conservancy, International Coastal Cleanup, Costa Maya Hotel, Mexico Hotels, Mexico Scuba Diving, Diving in South American Scuba, Crabs, Sea Slugs, Marine Animals, Wildlife, Florida, Southern States, Marine Life, Pacific States, Pacific Northwestern States, California
We thought we could fish forever, because the sea was a limitless protein mine. But dawning now is a realization that we were wrong about that. But how naive were we? And what price will be paid? Ocean life is dying back in unexpected ways: although there are fewer fish and other sea animals, more of them are starving, while waves of 'sickness' spread as primitive microbes gain the upper hand. Symptoms include spreading 'dead zones,' harmful algae blooms and a diminished presence of sea animal life in general. Is fishing implicated in all of this?
Atlantic Canada reveals what is probably the clearest evidence anywhere of the ecosystem-effects of persistent human fishing. The early 1990's crash of the once great Canadian cod stock is held up as a global cautionary tale against fisheries mismanagement, against greedy human 'overfishing.' But less well known is that the story is not that simple, that, at the level of scientific detail, so much has gone severely and unexpectedly wrong in Atlantic Canada...that the most basic assumptions underlying the 'science of overfishing/sustainable fishing' must now be questioned.
Zooplankton were unexpectedly and inexplicably lost along with Canadian fish stocks. If, as seems likely, this is part of the ecosystem impact of fishing, then this finding has global significance.
Evidence: a Transformed Ecosystem
As the size and abundance of commercially targeted fish species has plunged in recent decades, populations of smaller, unexploited organisms, the 'foundation' species of the marine ecosystem, have also experienced major downshifts. Oceanic zooplankton is in decline, and NASA/NOAA has recently reported an apparent global declining trend in marine phytoplankton production. Evidence suggesting lowered marine nutrient cycling can also be seen along clean oceanic shorelines.
Example: A clean, rocky intertidal zone in Atlantic Canada was heavily dominated by barnacles (filter feeding animals) in summer, 1948, reflecting relatively high marine productivity at that time. (Photo from Stephenson and Stephenson 1954 J. Ecol. 42:14-70 ) Move mouse over photo to see this site in summer, 2002. Now dominated by rockweed with relatively sparse barnacle cover, with individual barnacles very small, this shift away from dominance by filter feeders, and towards dominance by seaweeds, offers classic evidence of a decline in "nitrogen loading" rates. (Carpenter and Capone, Nitrogen in the Marine Environment (Acad. Press, NY, 1983)) This pattern of shifting dominance from filter feeders to seaweed is also widely evident today in the tropics where mass coral bleaching and infectious coral epidemics signal the failing health of those once dominant filter feeders.
WANNA KNOW MORE??
http://www.fisherycrisis.com/
Keywords:
South America, vacation, Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Naui and Jason Kilgore, How to scuba dive?, skin diving, snorkel, mask, fins, sight seeing, hotels, Jason Kilgore and Hawaiian islands, Kona, Maui, other specialty certifications, Ocean Conservancy, International Coastal Cleanup, Costa Maya Hotel, Mexico Hotels, Mexico Scuba Diving, Diving in South American Scuba, Crabs, Sea Slugs, Marine Animals, Wildlife, Florida, Southern States, Marine Life, Pacific States, Pacific Northwestern States, California
Getting your feet wet- First time scuba
By: Amanda W. (Scuba Junkie)
Life of a beginner scuba queen
2/6/08
Being from Iowa, you may not consider scuba diving an option for me. That is, unless you don't know where Iowa is or that we're the land of corn. Not exactly teeming with fantastic vacation dive spots that are flocked with tourists. I want to share my thoughts and experiences as I go through the process of learning to scuba dive. My hope is that fellow novices can learn from my stories, or maybe more advanced divers to gain an understanding of beginners. No matter the reason for your interest in scuba, it has brought you to this point. Some background on myself is that I do not like being in a bathing suit, am not used to being in water, dislike emerging my face in water, and have a fear of drowning. With that said, through the encouragement and passion of a friend, I am preparing to take my first steps toward becoming an Open Water Diver.
I personally had my first experience with snorkeling in April 2007 in Nassau, Bahamas while on vacation. After the first 15 minutes in the water of thinking I was going to drown, I began to relax and focus more on my desire to see the beauty beneath me. I had to practice at breathing through the snorkel underwater, and let me tell you it is a strange feeling to see below and continue breathing. My friend and I had $10 underwater cameras, but the pictures could not do justice for what we could see with our own eyes. I was a bit disappointed in the coral to be honest, but I really had nothing to compare it to. After all, I went for the experience, and the fish didn't disappoint.With Scuba Jay's prompting I began to consider trying scuba, though after almost hyperventilating with just snorkeling I had my reservations. We began with hearing stories and watching videos on YouTube and learning of different types and purposes of diving- wreck/ excavation diving, underwater archeology, underwater ecology, vacation diving, underwater photography, night diving, cave diving, ice diving, rescue diving, search and recovery diving, and for academic or research purposes. For me, I am interested in a few of the aforementioned so I recommend that if you're nervous, find one you can use as a motivator to get your feet wet. I am assured that once you start, you're hooked.
There is a progression to diving certifications and two primary governing bodies NAUI and PADI, though SDI, TDI, WASI, and NASE are also out there.
NAUI:
1. Skin diver
2. Scuba diver
3. Advanced scuba diver
4. Master scuba diver
5. Leadership certifications
·Divemaster
· Skin diving Instructor
· Assistant Instructor
6. NAUI scuba Instructor
PADI:
1. Open water diver
2. Advanced open water diver
3. Rescue diver
4. Master scuba diver OR Divemaster (lead to Course Director)
There are many special certifications you can receive along the way of both NAUI's and PADI's paths. Each level requires varying numbers of dives you must successfully complete, and some coursework as well.
Keywords:
Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, ITAN, Kona, NAUI, NOAA, other specialty certifications, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, airlines, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaiian Islands, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Maui, scuba certification, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, Scuba Hawaii, Hawaii Travel, Caribbean Scuba, Scuba Certification, Scuba Jay, Costa Maya Scuba Dive, Gear, Cave Diving, TDI, Water Rescue Diving, Water Rescues, PADI Technical Scuba Diving, Dive Rescue, Scuba Dive Answers, Jason Kilgore and Martial Arts, Jason Kilgore and USANA, Jason Kilgore and Karate, Jason Kilgore and Scuba Diving, Sacramento, auburn, California, Hawaii, Jason Kilgore and Sierra Foothills Karate, Sierra Foothills Karate and Scuba Diving, Jason Kilgore and Scuba Diving, snorkel and fins, vacation, Basic Open Water, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Hawaiian Islands
Life of a beginner scuba queen
2/6/08
Being from Iowa, you may not consider scuba diving an option for me. That is, unless you don't know where Iowa is or that we're the land of corn. Not exactly teeming with fantastic vacation dive spots that are flocked with tourists. I want to share my thoughts and experiences as I go through the process of learning to scuba dive. My hope is that fellow novices can learn from my stories, or maybe more advanced divers to gain an understanding of beginners. No matter the reason for your interest in scuba, it has brought you to this point. Some background on myself is that I do not like being in a bathing suit, am not used to being in water, dislike emerging my face in water, and have a fear of drowning. With that said, through the encouragement and passion of a friend, I am preparing to take my first steps toward becoming an Open Water Diver.
I personally had my first experience with snorkeling in April 2007 in Nassau, Bahamas while on vacation. After the first 15 minutes in the water of thinking I was going to drown, I began to relax and focus more on my desire to see the beauty beneath me. I had to practice at breathing through the snorkel underwater, and let me tell you it is a strange feeling to see below and continue breathing. My friend and I had $10 underwater cameras, but the pictures could not do justice for what we could see with our own eyes. I was a bit disappointed in the coral to be honest, but I really had nothing to compare it to. After all, I went for the experience, and the fish didn't disappoint.With Scuba Jay's prompting I began to consider trying scuba, though after almost hyperventilating with just snorkeling I had my reservations. We began with hearing stories and watching videos on YouTube and learning of different types and purposes of diving- wreck/ excavation diving, underwater archeology, underwater ecology, vacation diving, underwater photography, night diving, cave diving, ice diving, rescue diving, search and recovery diving, and for academic or research purposes. For me, I am interested in a few of the aforementioned so I recommend that if you're nervous, find one you can use as a motivator to get your feet wet. I am assured that once you start, you're hooked.
There is a progression to diving certifications and two primary governing bodies NAUI and PADI, though SDI, TDI, WASI, and NASE are also out there.
NAUI:
1. Skin diver
2. Scuba diver
3. Advanced scuba diver
4. Master scuba diver
5. Leadership certifications
·Divemaster
· Skin diving Instructor
· Assistant Instructor
6. NAUI scuba Instructor
PADI:
1. Open water diver
2. Advanced open water diver
3. Rescue diver
4. Master scuba diver OR Divemaster (lead to Course Director)
There are many special certifications you can receive along the way of both NAUI's and PADI's paths. Each level requires varying numbers of dives you must successfully complete, and some coursework as well.
Keywords:
Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, ITAN, Kona, NAUI, NOAA, other specialty certifications, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, airlines, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaiian Islands, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Maui, scuba certification, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, Scuba Hawaii, Hawaii Travel, Caribbean Scuba, Scuba Certification, Scuba Jay, Costa Maya Scuba Dive, Gear, Cave Diving, TDI, Water Rescue Diving, Water Rescues, PADI Technical Scuba Diving, Dive Rescue, Scuba Dive Answers, Jason Kilgore and Martial Arts, Jason Kilgore and USANA, Jason Kilgore and Karate, Jason Kilgore and Scuba Diving, Sacramento, auburn, California, Hawaii, Jason Kilgore and Sierra Foothills Karate, Sierra Foothills Karate and Scuba Diving, Jason Kilgore and Scuba Diving, snorkel and fins, vacation, Basic Open Water, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Hawaiian Islands
Friday, January 25, 2008
Philippines Scuba
Dive Instructor Thierry left Mexico last year and went off on an extensive journey to explore the Philippines. Here is a photo essay of his trip.
The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of 7,107 islands. They separate the Celebes Sea and the South China Sea from the Pacific OceanThe archipelago is the second-largest in the world after Indonesia.
The warm, clear waters of the Philippines are known to contain some of the most diverse and beautiful marine life to be found anywhere in the world. Its waters are home to more than 3000 species of fish and 448 species of coral (compared to 700 species of fish and 100 species of coral in the entire Caribbean). But there have also been a lot of mixed reports on the destructive aftermath of dynamite fishing. Many visitors return from the Phillippines dissapointed divers because they didn't encounter the abundant marine life and healthy reefs others talk so enthusiastically about. Although some of the world's most extensive coral reefs are found in the Philippines, they are under such sustained assault by dynamite fishing that marine biologists say the corals are on the verge of utter collapse.
"There are many horrific things going on in the world's oceans, but this tops the list," said John McCosker, the chairman of aquatic biology at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. "When divers talked about the world's finest coral reefs 20 years ago, the consensus for the top spot was always the Philippines, but nobody feels that way now." Read more here...
A member of the Dive Global team snorkeled off Boracay island 20 years ago and remembered the reefs looking quite healthy back then. We were curious to find out from Thierry what his general impression was and if it still is a country worthwhile going to for scuba divers. Thierry visited quite a few islands during his stay and traveled by air, bus, ferry, banca (the traditional outrigger boat) and the famous Jeepny to get to the different places on his itinerary. A jeepny, for those of you that don’t know, is a US military vehicle left there in the Second World War. The jeeps have taken on a life of their own. Over the years, the Philippines have decorated these vehicles to their hearts content. You find them everywhere as a local means of transportation and they are considered a national symbol of the country.
Generally speaking, dive sites in the Philippines are known to include walls and drop-offs, coral gardens, drift dives and many rare and truly unique creatures including huge numbers of riggerfish, parrotfish, pennant fish, moray eels, surgeonfish, snappers, groupers, moorish idol, lizardfish, gobies, batfish, lionfish, trumpetfish, pufferfish, filefish, emperors, wrasses, fusiliers and trevallies. Invertebrates from the tiniest transparent shrimp and neon-colored nudibranchs to huge basket sponges adorned with hundreds of multi-colored crinoids can be found.
Anemones, sea cucumbers, starfish and worms reside with vast numbers of hard and soft corals and gorgonian sea fans. Turtles, octopus, cuttlefish, manta rays, eagle rays and sharks make guest appearances in certain areas.Palawan, which is south of Luzon, is considered the best (commercialized) diving destination in the Philippines. Shipwrecks abound in Coron, while excellent coral formations can be found in El Nido. Apo Island and the Tubbataha Reefs, to name a few, are still considered coral paradises.However, if you prefer to stay near Manila, you can go on a day trip to either Batangas (Anilao or Nasugbu) or Mindoro (Puerto Galera). Boracay is also very popular and easy to reach by a direct flight from Manila. It offers some amazing drift dives on walls and the beaches as positively stunning!
The island has become more commercialized over the years however and isn't as idyllic as it used to be.Thierry had an amazing time and even though he experienced some great dives in other locations, the highlight of his trip definitely was a visit to Malapascua Island which is known for a dive location where regular encounters with thresher sharks are pretty much guaranteed. Malapascua Island is in the Visayan Sea and belongs to Cebu. Cebu is easy to reach but this area has not yet been over-commercialized in diving terms and is considered one of the better exciting and off-the-beaten track diving destinations in the Philippines.
Keywords:
Advance Scuba training, Adventure Sports, airlines, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, discount travel, Divemaster scuba, Enriched Air, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaii Scuba Diving, Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Kona, Maui, scuba certification, other specialty certifications, NAUI, NOAA, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, Underwater Instructors, vacation, Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Naui and Jason Kilgore, How to scuba dive, skin diving, snorkel, mask, fins, Reef Relief, coral reef, reef fish, maui divers, dive shops, scuba dive shops, cave diving, ice diving, wreck diving
The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of 7,107 islands. They separate the Celebes Sea and the South China Sea from the Pacific OceanThe archipelago is the second-largest in the world after Indonesia.
The warm, clear waters of the Philippines are known to contain some of the most diverse and beautiful marine life to be found anywhere in the world. Its waters are home to more than 3000 species of fish and 448 species of coral (compared to 700 species of fish and 100 species of coral in the entire Caribbean). But there have also been a lot of mixed reports on the destructive aftermath of dynamite fishing. Many visitors return from the Phillippines dissapointed divers because they didn't encounter the abundant marine life and healthy reefs others talk so enthusiastically about. Although some of the world's most extensive coral reefs are found in the Philippines, they are under such sustained assault by dynamite fishing that marine biologists say the corals are on the verge of utter collapse.
"There are many horrific things going on in the world's oceans, but this tops the list," said John McCosker, the chairman of aquatic biology at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. "When divers talked about the world's finest coral reefs 20 years ago, the consensus for the top spot was always the Philippines, but nobody feels that way now." Read more here...
A member of the Dive Global team snorkeled off Boracay island 20 years ago and remembered the reefs looking quite healthy back then. We were curious to find out from Thierry what his general impression was and if it still is a country worthwhile going to for scuba divers. Thierry visited quite a few islands during his stay and traveled by air, bus, ferry, banca (the traditional outrigger boat) and the famous Jeepny to get to the different places on his itinerary. A jeepny, for those of you that don’t know, is a US military vehicle left there in the Second World War. The jeeps have taken on a life of their own. Over the years, the Philippines have decorated these vehicles to their hearts content. You find them everywhere as a local means of transportation and they are considered a national symbol of the country.
Generally speaking, dive sites in the Philippines are known to include walls and drop-offs, coral gardens, drift dives and many rare and truly unique creatures including huge numbers of riggerfish, parrotfish, pennant fish, moray eels, surgeonfish, snappers, groupers, moorish idol, lizardfish, gobies, batfish, lionfish, trumpetfish, pufferfish, filefish, emperors, wrasses, fusiliers and trevallies. Invertebrates from the tiniest transparent shrimp and neon-colored nudibranchs to huge basket sponges adorned with hundreds of multi-colored crinoids can be found.
Anemones, sea cucumbers, starfish and worms reside with vast numbers of hard and soft corals and gorgonian sea fans. Turtles, octopus, cuttlefish, manta rays, eagle rays and sharks make guest appearances in certain areas.Palawan, which is south of Luzon, is considered the best (commercialized) diving destination in the Philippines. Shipwrecks abound in Coron, while excellent coral formations can be found in El Nido. Apo Island and the Tubbataha Reefs, to name a few, are still considered coral paradises.However, if you prefer to stay near Manila, you can go on a day trip to either Batangas (Anilao or Nasugbu) or Mindoro (Puerto Galera). Boracay is also very popular and easy to reach by a direct flight from Manila. It offers some amazing drift dives on walls and the beaches as positively stunning!
The island has become more commercialized over the years however and isn't as idyllic as it used to be.Thierry had an amazing time and even though he experienced some great dives in other locations, the highlight of his trip definitely was a visit to Malapascua Island which is known for a dive location where regular encounters with thresher sharks are pretty much guaranteed. Malapascua Island is in the Visayan Sea and belongs to Cebu. Cebu is easy to reach but this area has not yet been over-commercialized in diving terms and is considered one of the better exciting and off-the-beaten track diving destinations in the Philippines.
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