News
PADI Channels Shark Week Excitement to Raise Awareness About the Importance of Shark Protection
While all eyes are on sharks this week, PADI® is harnessing the public’s fascination with sharks to dispel myths and raise awareness about the vital role these apex predators play in the ocean. As part of the organization’s Four Pillars of Change initiative, the Marine Animal Protection Pillar embraces PADI’s commitment to shark and ray protection by engaging PADI Dive Centers, Resorts, professional members and divers to educate the public and increase support for Project AWARE® and other conservation partners.
Project AWARE, PADI’s long-term partner, advocates for policies that bolster and safeguard protections for vulnerable sharks and rays. With the dive community’s help, Project AWARE and partnering organizations have secured historic protections for shark and ray species over the past 10 years. PADI Members can continue to be a significant force in protecting sharks by further educating student divers about threatened shark and rays species, and by incorporating the AWARE Shark Conservation Specialty into course offerings.
In May 2017, Project AWARE released Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice, which offers practical, best-practice guidance that can be used by tourism operators, nongovernmental organizations and local communities to create and maintain tourism operations that are well managed, help conserve sharks and rays, and benefit the community. When divers have the opportunity to see sharks or rays, they become ambassadors for these awe-inspiring creatures.
The PADI organization is also leveraging expertise from divers in the PADI AmbassaDiverTM community, such as shark conservationist and PADI Divemaster Jillian Morris, to increase shark and ray focused content across PADI communication channels and social networks. This week, PADI will release the latest video in its #mypadi series of inspirational stories. The video showcases the journey of Mike Coots, a young surfer who, after losing his leg in a shark bite incident, is dedicated to challenging people’s unhealthy perceptions of sharks, and he finds understanding and peace through diving. “The irony is undeniable – you would think losing a limb to a tiger shark that I would be scared of them, but it’s completely the opposite,” says Coots. “I have an incredible respect for sharks and I want to share my story with others so that they are inspired to not only protect them but to get in the water and experience what it’s like to see them face to face in their element because it will forever transform the way they feel about sharks.”
PADI Members have the unique ability to be a force for good that impacts divers, the dive industry and the oceans. Join in the #padi4change conversation, engage in responsible environmental practices and share key insights to drive awareness to the importance of marine animal protection. PADI Members and divers are driving change, not just during Discover Channel’s Shark Week but every day and can share their stories to inspire others to do the same. If you have a story you want to share, email fourpillarsofchange@padi.com.
Visit projectaware.org to support Project AWARE’s shark and ray conservation year round.
Source: www.divenewswire.com
Today we are diving one of the outer reefs from an inflatable. As we reach the bottom, a reef octopus eases its way into the cover of a small crack in the coral while displaying it’s incredible ability to change colour. They are arguably one of the most charismatic of reef dwellers and it is always exciting for me to simply hover and watch. I would have spent longer and waited for it to come and investigate me, but as dive time is limited we wanted to move on and find a turtle.
The waters around Somabay are well protected and hold a rich variety of marine life. The reef edges are thriving colonies of coral and shoaling fish, while nearer the sea bed plenty of wildlife is still to be found.
Then we located the turtles. They are very used to divers and so show little concern when slowly approached. In fact occasionally one will come over to see what you are doing. There is always huge excitement when diving with a turtle. The shear thrill of sharing a moment with another species.
What a fantastic way to finish a wonderful few days diving and I would like to thank SOMABAY, ORCA DIVING and THE BREAKERS for making my stay such a good one.
I had a great time, with diving everyday either on the house reef or on one of the offshore reefs by inflatable or larger day boat. Orca diving provided high quality equipment and facilities while the staff were all very friendly and welcoming. The Breakers was right on the coast with nice rooms, good food and once again friendly staff making the whole trip a real pleasure.
Soma Bay covers an entire peninsula and is home to several resorts as well as residential compounds.
As well as scuba diving, Somabay caters for many other sports and activities, and so is perfect for families as well as individuals and/or groups. And of course there is always time to lay peacefully on the beach under the Egyptian sun.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
Day three of my trip to Somabay and we were spending the day on the Lady Christina and diving on the wreck of the Salem Express.
Diving wrecks for me is always one of mixed emotions. The excitement of diving a wreck is more than often tempered by the thought of loss of life when she sank. The Salem Express was a passenger ship and a roll-on/roll-off ferry travelling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt. Most passengers were of poor class travelling home from their holidays while around 150 people were returning home from their pilgrimage to Mecca.
The ship struck a reef and sank within 20 minutes. Passengers were trapped below deck and the ship was filled with fear and panic.
The wreck area is strewn with personal belongings from the crew and passengers such as a transistor radio and a flat iron for clothes. A diver at sometime has put them in a prominent place to be seen.
Tragically only one life boat was launched while the others went down with the ship. More than 600 men, women and children lost their lives here.
It’s a stark reminder that the sea can be unforgiving and so when we dive on such wrecks we should do so with humble regard.
Returning to the surface, shoals of fish are gathered under our boat and seem to be welcoming us back into the light.
Back at the Breakers I sat in the dining area with a beer and a very good meal while my thoughts still remained with the day’s dive on the Salem Express.
Check in for part 3 tomorrow for Jeff’s last day of diving with Somabay on the off-shore reefs looking for turtles.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
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