News
New Global Dive Alliance to secure best diving opportunities for UK-based divers
The most sought after dive trips and destinations on the planet are often booked up years in advance, putting them beyond the reach of most seasoned divers. Now, thanks to a brand new Global Dive Alliance which includes the Hampshire-based tour operator Dive Worldwide, British divers can take their pick of the very best diving, at the keenest prices.
Co-founded by Dive Worldwide, the only UK dive tour operator in the Alliance, the new Global Dive Alliance brings together six of the most respected operators in Europe: Ultramarina, We Dive, Diving World, Reisecentre Federsee, Fish & Trips and Dive Worldwide.
Thanks to the united approach taken by the six companies, the Alliance has the influence to secure places on the most sought after liveaboard adventures and all at the most economical prices. Peak season liveaboard adventures are now being offered to UK divers by Dive Worldwide, including liveaboard holidays in the Galapagos Islands, Socorro, Cocos Island, Raja Ampat and Palau as well as the Maldives, Bahamas and Oman.
Speaking about the new Alliance, Dive Worldwide’s Brand Manager Phil North comments, “This Alliance is a game changer for us and our experienced dive clients. We are passionate about offering the best diving opportunities and, as a founding member of the Global Dive Alliance, we are proud to be in a position to bring the most desirable trips within reach of our customers.”
Exclusive Liveaboards now available include:
The Galapagos archipelago sits astride the equator, 960kms west of the Ecuadorian mainland. Having never been connected to another landmass, these volcanic islands have a unique biological identity and are one of the finest diving destinations in the world. These new departures have been timed to coincide with peak whale shark season, and sightings of schooling hammerheads and majestic manta rays are also possible. Price: from £4,195pp based on 2 sharing, including 7 nights’ liveaboard accommodation. Departures August and October 2018.
Located off the south-western tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, Socorro is the name given to an archipelago of four volcanic islands that together form one of the finest diving destinations in the Pacific. There are big fish galore with giant manta rays and bottlenose dolphins and, between January and April each year, the waters churn with humpback whales that come to breed and to calve. Price: from £2,545pp based on 3 sharing, including 8 nights’ liveaboard accommodation. Departures April 2018.
Palau offers Micronesia’s finest diving with a lagoon, over 37kms long, scattered with islands and wrecks from the bloody conflicts of World War II. Here, there are superb reefs and thrilling shark encounters with species including grey reef and white-tip reef sharks. What’s more, these exclusive departures have been timed to coincide with the full moon, which brings promise of spectacular wildlife spawning events that are not to be missed. Price: from £2,445pp based on 2 sharing including 7 nights’ liveaboard accommodation. Departures November 2018.
Extraordinary, and yet affordable, the Maldives remain high on divers’ tick-lists, with the Indian Ocean archipelago home to several world class dive sites, perfect for both those wanting to learn as well as well-seasoned divers. Here, on a liveaboard adventure, guests will experience encounters with gigantic whale sharks – the largest fish in the sea – witness nature’s symbiosis at manta cleaning stations and enjoy mesmerising drift dives. Price: from £995pp based on 2 sharing, including 7 nights’ liveaboard accommodation. Departures April to November 2018.
The Caribbean’s premier diving destination, the waters around the Bahamas teem with marine life but are perhaps best known for offering thrilling shark encounters. Hammerheads, tigers and oceanic white-tip sharks are all likely to be seen alongside superb reefs and fascinating wrecks. Price: from £2,350pp based on 4 sharing, including 10 nights’ liveaboard accommodation. Departures May 2018.
All prices above are based on liveaboard only. Flight prices are available on request.
For further information visit diveworldwide.com or call 01962 302087.
Northern Diver have launched a new 60m Reel & Dive Torch Combo.
The innovative Northern Diver line reel has a unique design and it has been manufactured from a combination of anodized aluminium and synthetic polymers, to make it strong, lightweight and corrosion resistant. The free-flowing spool has a thumb operated spool-lock, to ensure controlled line deployment and a ‘sprung’ reel handle. Allowing the handle to extend whilst in use, if wearing gloves but springs back to half its length, for easy storage. Supplied complete with 60m (197’) of high-vis orange reel line.
The reel also incorporates an attachment point on the top and rubber fixing band allowing you to easily mount Northern Divers Varilux Micro Dive Torch. Ideal for hands-free directional light, ideal for lining out in reduced visibility (within a wreck). Other torches of a similar size to the Micro may be mountable but you should check dimensions first.
Check out https://www.ndiver.com/60m-reel-dive-torch-combo for more.
CCMI brings the ocean directly to classrooms around the world through live-stream lessons from underwater
In 2018, the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) launched Reefs Go Live, their innovative, flagship education programme that live-streams directly from underwater on the coral reefs in Little Cayman to students in classrooms around the world in real time. For the 2022 season, the four episodes of Reefs Go Live reached more than 107,000 viewers in 22 countries. CCMI’s Reefs Go Live team hopes to expand their reach with four new episodes and supplemental teaching resources to help integrate the material into classroom lessons.
Science Communications & Development Manager for CCMI, Beth Chafin, is excited to be part of another year of Reefs Go Live:
“Knowing we have an audience that spans the world, our team is energised as we plan and implement our Reefs Go Live season for 2023! We feel that creating a connection to the ocean and sharing the beautiful coral reefs of Little Cayman with others, both locally and abroad, is one of the most important ways to increase support for critical, timely issues such as marine protection and sustainability. At CCMI, we are fortunate to have these stunning reefs at our doorstep; not everyone is so lucky to be this connected to coral reefs, but healthy coral reefs are vitally important to everyone on earth. Bringing the ocean into classrooms and homes through Reefs Go Live allows us to share the work we do at the Little Cayman Research Centre, facilitate real-time interactions between viewers around the world and our experts in the field, and inspire the diverse audience to take positive action for the future of coral reefs.”
The first episode of 2023 will take place on Friday, 31st March at 10 am Cayman time (UTC -5h). The episode, ‘Finding Hope on our Reefs’, will feature what CCMI’s long-term monitoring of Little Cayman’s reefs shows us. The data from the annual surveys reveals important trends in reef health over time that reflect global threats and the benefits of strong local protection. Reefs Go Live hosts will explain why this annual monitoring is important and what the results tell us about the future of our coral reefs that we all depend upon. Viewers of each episode will be able to ask questions of the diver and participate in polls through the online platform to make Reefs Go Live an interactive experience.
Additional episodes for this year will run at 10 am (UTC -5h) on the following dates:
Thursday, 11th May: Adaptation on Coral Reefs
Wednesday, 24th May: Reef Resiliency & Restoration
Thursday, 8th June: World Ocean Day – 25 Years of Coral Reef Research
Registration for Reefs Go Live is free and is only required once to receive access to all episodes: https://donate.reefresearch.org/rgl2023.
Reefs Go Live provides an opportunity for students from all over the world to engage with the stunning ocean environment in its most natural format. As coral reefs around the world face unprecedented pressure, generating increased engagement with these precious ecosystems creates an opportunity to promote marine sustainability in a positive and fun way.
Reefs Go Live utilises streaming technology with underwater video and audio equipment to enable real time broadcasting from Little Cayman’s stunning coral reefs. Little Cayman, a Mission Blue Hope Spot, hosts one of the healthiest reef ecosystems in the Caribbean, which overall remains healthy and shows resiliency to climate change impacts. The broadcasts and education materials draw connections from CCMI’s current research conducted in Little Cayman to the national science curriculum and key ocean literacy principles, making CCMI’s work relevant and accessible to students and viewers of all ages, and emphasizing the relationship that we all have to coral reefs, no matter where we are.
Reefs Go Live is a free education programme that is made possible by the generosity of The Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Foundation. To register for the broadcasts and teaching resources, please visit: https://reefresearch.org/what-we-do/education/reefs-go-live/
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