News
Dive Worldwide Reveal Plans For The World’s Largest Manta Ray Sanctuary In Indonesia
This week marks a huge milestone in manta conservation – tailor-made specialist Dive Worldwide is delighted to reveal that the Indonesian government is to establish the world’s largest manta ray sanctuary, encompassing a massive 6 million sq. kms. of ocean. The new legislation now enforces full, nationwide protection for both manta species across Indonesia. To protect these giant rays still further, UK based tour operator Dive Worldwide are introducing a conservation holiday that monitors the mantas in Raja Ampat, an archipelago of islands in eastern Indonesia, at the epicentre of the Coral Triangle.
Indonesia boasts the second-largest manta tourism industry in the world, making the species vital for many communities relying on ecotourism for their livelihood. However, manta rays are a highly threatened species as they are targeted for their gill plates which are sold as a medicinal tonic on the Asian market, despite no scientifically proven health benefits. Although there is clear evidence that stocks are in decline, these fisheries continue to increase their fishing efforts, posing a huge threat to the survival of manta populations.
Dive Worldwide offers its new trip in association with the Manta Trust which continues to research and monitor the Indonesian manta population and works closely with local communities to increase awareness and support of alternative, sustainable incomes.
Guy Stevens, chief executive of Dive Worldwide’s new partner in conservation, the Manta Trust,commented: “Manta rays are an iconic species; they symbolise what is at stake if we choose not to protect our oceans and their inhabitants for our future generations. The Indonesian Government’s decision to legally protect manta rays is a great step along the road to effective conservation of these increasingly vulnerable species. I applaud the government for this positive action and I strongly urge other nations to follow in their footsteps.”
New Dive Worldwide Conservation Trips in Partnership with the Manta Trust
As the only UK tour operator to work in partnership with the Manta Trust, Dive Worldwide has introduced the following trips to its Just Conservation programme in Indonesia and elsewhere:
Monitoring Mantas in Raja Ampat, Indonesia: This trip invites divers to explore the underwater paradise of Raja Ampat in Indonesia. From a luxurious liveaboard vessel, visitors can take on the role of research assistant, monitoring manta rays, collecting data, taking underwater photographs to identify them, or naming one if it’s unknown. Dive up to three times per day.
Price: An 11-day trip costs from £4,865 pp inc. international flights and full board accommodation. Group size 1 – 10. Recommended for experienced divers.
Manta Research in Yap: Head to Micronesia to join the Manta Trust, where time is divided between a superb liveaboard in pristine waters and on shore diving. Research assistants use diving skills to help identify manta populations and to collect habitat data. As no other liveaboards exist in the area, it is possible to explore waters where no divers have previously been.
Price: A 14-day trip costs from £5,385 pp inc. international flights, transfers, and 12 nights’ lodge / liveaboard accommodation. Departs 30 June & 7 July 2014. Group size 1 – 10. Recommended for experienced divers.
Manta Monitoring in the Maldives: working alongside expert Dr Guy Stevens (founder of the Manta Trust), the team will cruise the less explored Baa Atoll, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, on board The Explorer, a luxury Four Seasons liveaboard. While taking on the role of research assistant, witness the incredible mass feeding natural phenomenon, and study both reef and giant oceanic manta rays – with aggregations of up to 150 mantas. Divers are also likely to see hawksbill and green turtles, whale sharks, honeycomb moray eel, Napoleon wrasse, scorpion fish, titan trigger fish, schooling banner fish and colourful coral reefs.
Price: A 10-day trip costs from £5,325pp inc. international flights, 7 nights’ full board on the liveaboard, all transfers, and up to 4 dives daily. Departs 20 August & 10 September 2014.
All prices are per person based on two sharing and include a donation of £100 to the Manta Trust.
For further information visit www.diveworldwide.com or call 0845 1306980.
Fire on Monroe Bravo is the latest book in the Jack Collier series by Fred Lockwood. Our story begins with our lead characters, Jack and Sandro, owners of Marine Salvage & Investigation Company, arriving on the Monroe Bravo Oil & Gas Platform in the North Sea. Having secured a contract for their vessel the MV Stavanger to act as support ship to the platform for TransGlobal Oil, our protagonists are on a celebratory visit.
However almost as soon as they arrive a series of explosions rock the platform, causing huge damage, loss of life and the very real danger of a massive human, ecological and financial disaster.
As the danger mounts for both our heroes and the surviving workers, Jack and Sandro will have to escape the inferno, all while trying to save the platform and the men still trapped unable to help themselves.
The disaster sets the scene for the unfolding story lines following the fate of the platform and our main characters, the police investigation into a suspected terrorist act and the actions of TransGlobal Oil as they attempt to navigate the pubic outcry and financial repercussions.
In his eighth book, Fire on Monroe Bravo, Fred Lockwood delivers an explosive thriller, with plenty of above and in-water drama, and our heroes fighting for survival, what more can you ask for?
We thoroughly recommend this read and look forward to the next in the series. For more information about his book series, you can check out the reviews of his previous books here on Scubaverse.
- Title: Fire On Monroe Bravo
- Author: Fred Lockwood
- ISBN: 979-8325324536
Available in a paperback version and for Kindle from Amazon and book stores.
In June we were incredibly fortunate to be invited to dive in Alonissos, a small Greek Island in the Sporades island chain located in the North Aegean Sea. While I have long been a big fan of the Greek Islands as a great holiday destination, I had not had the opportunity to do any diving on previous visits and Mike and I were extremely excited to see what Alonissos had to offer both above and below the surface!
The Sporades are easily accessible via the airport in Skiathos (the first island in the chain), which is served by Jet2 flights from all major UK airports from May through October. Numerous ferries and charter boats make island hopping from Skiathos Town a breeze. After an hour boat ride, the picturesque port of Patitiri was a wonderful introduction to Alonissos, where we were met by our gracious hosts Kostas of Albedo Travel and Dias of Alonissos Triton Dive Center. Mike and I were delighted to be staying at the Paradise Hotel, aptly named for its stunning views over the sea and great location for walking to the waterfront.
Alonissos is beautifully situated in the National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Northern Sporades, the largest marine protected area in Europe. The surrounding seas offer fabulous marine life, including incredibly rare species such as the Mediterranean monk seal. They boast deep walls covered in gorgonians and sponges, stunning topography with caverns, swimthroughs and pinnacles, and the first accessible ancient shipwreck from 500BC!
In locations where historical sites have been reported, the waters are largely restricted, but with collaboration between government, underwater archeologists and dive centres, incredible underwater museums are being created for a truly unique diving experience. Alonissos is home to the first of these, the Ancient Shipwreck of Peristera Accessible Underwater Archeological Site. The chance to dive into history (along with reports of healthy reef life and amazing underwater topography) meant Mike and I were keen to get in the water.
Our introduction to the diving around Alonissos was at the Agios Georgios Pinnacles, in the channel between Alonissos and Skopelos. This fantastic site was named “The Chimney,’ and proved to have a huge amount to see. We got to a decent depth here (over 25m), and marvelled at a colourful reef wall with a wonderful swim through whose rocky walls were absolutely covered with life. As well as brilliant topography there was no shortage of macro life here. We saw numerous nudibranchs, five different species in total. The second dive at Mourtias reef nearby was a shallower dive along a nice wall with lots of crevices. Several moray eels and grouper called this site home. We enjoyed looking in the crevices for lobster and smaller benthic life, such as cup corals and tunicates.
Our itinerary allowed us two dives a day with afternoons left to explore the island with our hire car and evenings to enjoy the famous Greek hospitality. This proved to be a lovely mix of in-water and land based diversions.
The next days diving to the Gorgonian Gardens and Triton’s Cave was to be even better! These two stunning sites are nothing short of fabulous. The Gorgonian Gardens was a deep wall near to the Agios Georgios islands. The ever-present currents in this deep channel meant that the sea life was amazing … the namesake Gorgonian sea fans dotted the wall at a depth of 30 to 50 meters, getting ever larger the deeper we went. Above 30m was by no means less beautiful, with sponges, corals, scorpionfish, moray eels and some rare and colourful nudibranchs.
The second shallower dive of the day was to Triton’s Cave or the Cavern of Skopelos, on the east side of that island. The spectacular rock formations had wild striations both above and below the water making a truly epic topography. The cavern entrance was at 14m, and big enough for a buddy pair, winding up to 6m and passing two beautiful windows out into the blue. Emerging from the cavern, the light at the shallower depths and the incredible rock formations made for a fantastic gentle swimming safety stop and we all surfaced by the boat with massive grins.
Check out our next blog :Alonissos: The complete diving destination (Part 2)” to hear about our amazing dive on the 2500 year old Peristera Wreck!
Thanks to:
Alonissos Triton Dive Center https://bestdivingingreece.com/
Albedo Travel https://alonissosholidays.com/activities/
Paradise Hotel https://paradise-hotel.gr/
Alonissos Municipality https://alonissos.gr/en/
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