News
Name the manta and win a BCD at DIVE 2014
UK-based tour operator Scuba Tours Worldwide are running a ‘Name the Manta’ competition at DIVE 2014 … and the lucky winner will receive a fabulous AP Diving ‘Commando Escape’ BCD worth over £300. All you need to do is visit Stand No.615 and fill in an entry form.
This handsome male manta ray has been seen in the Maldives five times over the past two years. He is a young adult and even last year he was chasing the large females and clearly taking an interest in looking for a mate. He has been spotted a couple of times recently in Addu Atoll in the Far South of the Maldives. Currently known as 1983-Q60, Scuba Tours Worldwide would like to give him a proper name – so they are running a Competition at the Dive 2014 show over the weekend of 25th and 26th October at the Birmingham NEC.
Scuba Tours Worldwide are celebrating in October – they will have been operating liveaboards in the Maldives for 25 years. Over this time they have built up extensive knowledge about the behaviour and migration patterns of manta rays. “The manta population in the Maldives migrates from one side of the atolls to the other, according to the season, so that they can feed in plankton rich water. We normally see manta on ‘cleaning stations’ and we know many dive sites where this cleaning behaviour takes place,” said Rob Bryning, owner of Scuba Tours Worldwide. “Anne-Marie, Cruise Director on our liveaboard the MV Sea Spirit, has a PhD in Manta Behaviour and Ecology in the Maldives and the manta to be named in our Competition is one of hundreds that she has logged in her extensive database.”
If you want to hear more about mantas in the Maldives, Rob will be at DIVE 2014 giving a talk on “The Maldives and it’s Amazing Underwater Life!” – catch him in Ocean Theatre 1 at 12:15pm on both days.
To purchase tickets for DIVE 2014 click here.
Dive Worldwide has recently introduced Kenya to its portfolio of dive destinations, making it a new must-visit for divers. The company has chosen Temple Point Resort, located in Watamu, a small town on Kenya’s Indian Ocean Coast. The resort embodies the spirit of Kenya, with thatched roof buildings and bright white interiors, complemented with local art. The Creek Deluxe rooms enjoy a creek view and sunset vistas, whilst Boutique Garden rooms offer peace nestled in lush greenery.
An abundance of activities such as golf, stand up paddleboarding and kite surfing await those looking for action; while those in search of rejuvenation may partake in a range of yoga classes, or indulge in the spa. Spend evenings dining poolside dining or lazing in hammocks suspended over the creek; there is no detail missed at Temple Point.
The waters surrounding Temple Point Resort are bustling with life, however, there is also an opportunity to explore on dry land. Tsavo National Park is close enough for a day safari, allowing guests to double up on the wildlife experiences Kenya has to offer, from elephants to whale sharks.
Suggested Dive Itinerary: Dive and Discover Kenya
Embark on an adventure to one of Africa’s finest marine parks, Watamu, the first of its kind in the continent. Created in 1968, Watamu offers excellent diving and snorkelling for those of all experience levels. Lively coral reefs and the surrounding waters are home to over 1,000 species of fish, devil rays, mantas, whale sharks, dolphins and turtles.
DEAL: Stay 12 nights for the price of 10 at Temple Point Resort
Price: Dive and Discover Kenya now costs £2295pp, saving £150 per person. Including international flights from the UK, 12 nights’ B&B (for the price of 10), transfers, 5 days, 10 dive pack, tanks and weights. Based on travel in September ONLY. https://www.diveworldwide.com/trip-ideas/dive-discover-kenya#details
For more information visit: diveworldwide.com or call 01962 302 087
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
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