Greater protection measures and better enforcement are needed to safeguard marine life at local diving sites, particularly Ċirkewwa, according to two prominent divers.
On a recent trip to Malta, Peter Lemon, an experienced British diver and author of several guides to diving in Maltese waters, said the setting up of conservation areas around wrecks, including one off Ċirkewwa, has benefitted Malta’s already lucrative dive tourism industry, which attracts up to 60,000 dive tourists annually.
Describing Ċirkewwa as “Malta’s main diving gem,” Mr Lemon said since November he had seen many large groupers and huge shoals of barracudas and amberjacks in the area, so current restrictions seemed to be having an effect, but more needed to be done to create awareness and enforce regulations.
“The authorities could start by making an extra effort with Ċirkewwa, either through the presence of onsite wardens or police.
“The police do respond to reports of infringements, but often not quickly enough to apprehend perpetrators. An onsite presence would deter infringements in the first place,” he said.
In the long term, this would benefit both fishermen and divers, since fish would breed and move out of the protected areas, according to Mr Lemon.
Seven conservation areas were set around popular diving wrecks by the Veterinary and Fisheries Affairs Division (VFAD) in 2008, creating zones where vessels cannot stop and spear fishing and fishing using nets is forbidden.
But current restrictions are not enough according to one prominent local diver, who is so concerned about the “almost daily” infringement of regulations at Ċirkewwa – which he describes as “an underwater palace covered with beautiful frescoes”. He has started a Facebook campaign to ‘Declare Ċirkewwa a Marine Sanctuary’, which yesterday had over 900 followers.
Through the campaign, Antonio Anastasi would like to see the prohibition of all types of fishing from boats, a permanent onsite Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) presence, clear signs at and approaching Ċirkewwa declaring it a protected area, a ban on the removal of both live and dead marine creatures from the area, and punishments for breaking the law reviewed to act as a deterrent.
“The problem at the moment is that law enforcement is reactive rather than preventative. As far as I’m aware, other countries have management onsite at protected areas,” he said.
Mr Anastasi believes an onsite ALE presence at Ċirkewwa would benefit ALE, helping officers to respond quicker to wildlife crimes reported around Ċirkewwa, Comino and the Marine Protected Area (MPA) between Rdum Majjiesa and Ras ir-Raħeb.
He would like to see fines increased to reflect the costs of apprehending perpetrators and processing crimes through the courts, with some of the revenue used to pay for monitoring Ċirkewwa’s protected area. Mr Anastasi believes the current restrictions in Ċirkewwa leave huge gaps for other types of infringements, like the taking of sea urchins, octopus and lobster by hand.
Recently, the campaign published an online petition imploring the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) to declare Ċirkewwa an MPA ( http://apps.facebook.com/petitions/view?pid=912416793&ref=mf . The petition is sponsored by Nature Trust Malta, which has promoted the cause of MPAs over the years.
Last month, Mepa announced the designation of four new MPAs, but Ċirkewwa was not one of them.
Nature Trust Malta has expressed disappointment that Ċirkewwa, Delimara and the whole of Comino were not included for protection.
As well as drawing attention to the areas’ rich biodiversity and Neptune Grass (Posidonia oceanic) meadows, NTM pointed out that Ċirkewwa offers economic value through dive tourism.
Over recent months, the environmental NGO said it has been receiving reports that Ċirkewwa is a venue for illegal fishing methods including fishing with nets and harpoons.
When contacted, the police denied enforcement is purely reactive, saying regular patrols are carried out at protected sites, particularly during summer. In case the police are not in a position to attend to reports, some are referred to the AFM Maritime Squadron.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Malta: Divers call for better enforcement, protection measures at dive sites
Divers call for better enforcement, protection measures at dive sites
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Hundreds of divers needed for turbines work
Hundreds of divers needed for turbines work
More than 2,200 commercial divers will need to be recruited over the next six years to work on marine renewable energy devices, it has been suggested.
A report commissioned by subsea training provider The Underwater Centre looked at the installation and maintenance of offshore wind turbines.
Divers could be required to work at depths of 40m (131ft).
The Fort William-based centre said government funding would be needed to train enough divers to meet the demand.
More than 2,200 commercial divers will need to be recruited over the next six years to work on marine renewable energy devices, it has been suggested.
A report commissioned by subsea training provider The Underwater Centre looked at the installation and maintenance of offshore wind turbines.
Divers could be required to work at depths of 40m (131ft).
The Fort William-based centre said government funding would be needed to train enough divers to meet the demand.
Lake gives up its treasures for father-son duo
Post-Star, Glen Falls, NY: Lake gives up its treasures for father-son duo
QUEENSBURY -- After living on Glen Lake for nearly 40 years, Frank Brenneisen isn't tired of finding artifacts beneath the surface.
"I've been finding things in the lake for years," he said.
In 1993, the now-80-year-old man found a 45-pound brass and cast-iron bell sitting at the bottom of the lake after it was dumped there decades earlier by an annoyed neighbor of a summer camp where the bell would ring to announce meals, according to a Post-Star report from the year the bell was recovered.
Last week, the large, shiny bell hung in Brenneisen's back yard as he sat on his deck, catching the breeze coming off the lake on a quiet summer afternoon.
The table on his deck was filled with old magazines and photos of his and his sons' diving exploits on the lake. A large propeller and an old postcard of a steamship carrying passengers from the former Glen Lake Casino are among the collection.
Last spring, it was Brenneisen's son Frank Jr. who stumbled upon another historical treasure in the lake.
Frank Jr. said he and his father routinely follow up on tips and leads on old underwater artifacts, and they'd heard about an old steamship that sank in the lake in the 1920s after its bottom scraped along a rock pile. The passengers and the captain made it out of the boat before it sank, Brenneisen said, and the boat's steam engine was later recovered.
"It was in an old newspaper account in Glens Falls," Frank Jr. said. "Last winter, I was in the library and found it."
One of the postcards on Brenneisen's deck shows a Captain Davis with the steamboat as he took passengers for rides departing from the former Glen Lake Casino, now a private home on the lake.
"We don't know what his first name was," Brenneisen said about the ship's captain.
Brenneisen said passengers were charged a dollar for the ride.
When the father-and-son team looked at the postcard with a magnifying glass, they noticed a bell and a whistle at the top of the ship.
"The postcard shows two things on the roof of the boat," Frank Jr. said. "In those days, everybody had a bell and a whistle."
So the two men began searching the bottom of the lake for the bell, with the elder Brenneisen driving the pontoon boat as his son did the diving.
On a weekend in late May, when Frank Jr. took a trip from his home in New Jersey to visit his father, the diving continued.
"We kept checking rock piles and rock piles," he said.
Brenneisen said they went out for three hours one Saturday afternoon and found two pieces of metal with zebra mussels all over them. When the pieces were cleaned up, he said, he noticed one was a bell clapper. At around 4 p.m. on the following Sunday, they went back to the same spot.
When his son came up from a dive that Sunday, Brenneisen said, the weeds at the bottom of the lake were so thick he couldn't see, but his son had the bell.
Brenneisen said he put the bell in a strong acid to melt away the rust and other decay that was on it, only to reveal small cherubs engraved on the bell's surface.
The bell does not have any marks to reveal its origin, he said, though the year 1923 is inscribed on it. The year and an identifying etch of the foundry where it was made would normally be on the inside of such bells, he said, but only the year was etched on the outside of this one.
"I think this was a gift from a friend of (Captain Davis's)," Brenneisen said.
Paul Derby, a Glen Lake historian and a past Glen Lake Protective Association president, said Brenneisen is knowledgeable on lake trivia and helped him with 20th century references when he was researching local history.
"In the early part of the 1900s ... there were a lot of tourist places on the lake," Derby said.
Derby said he was familiar with Captain Davis but could not recall his first name.
"A lot of families have been here a long time - 100 years," he said. "If you ask people, they know Captain Davis from pictures, going to the casino and some of the other places."
Derby said Brenneisen's discovery helps recall the era of tourism on Glen Lake.
"The most significant piece is that it just brings back a very important figure to Glen Lake," he said. "It's a big part of the first half of the 20th century and kind of that era of tourism."
But Frank Jr. said he didn't think the find was that significant.
"I think a lot of private vessels go down in a lot of lakes and streams and are forgotten about, especially during war time," he said. "Now, modern days, everything comes out because of pollution. Back then, it's not important."
QUEENSBURY -- After living on Glen Lake for nearly 40 years, Frank Brenneisen isn't tired of finding artifacts beneath the surface.
"I've been finding things in the lake for years," he said.
In 1993, the now-80-year-old man found a 45-pound brass and cast-iron bell sitting at the bottom of the lake after it was dumped there decades earlier by an annoyed neighbor of a summer camp where the bell would ring to announce meals, according to a Post-Star report from the year the bell was recovered.
Last week, the large, shiny bell hung in Brenneisen's back yard as he sat on his deck, catching the breeze coming off the lake on a quiet summer afternoon.
The table on his deck was filled with old magazines and photos of his and his sons' diving exploits on the lake. A large propeller and an old postcard of a steamship carrying passengers from the former Glen Lake Casino are among the collection.
Last spring, it was Brenneisen's son Frank Jr. who stumbled upon another historical treasure in the lake.
Frank Jr. said he and his father routinely follow up on tips and leads on old underwater artifacts, and they'd heard about an old steamship that sank in the lake in the 1920s after its bottom scraped along a rock pile. The passengers and the captain made it out of the boat before it sank, Brenneisen said, and the boat's steam engine was later recovered.
"It was in an old newspaper account in Glens Falls," Frank Jr. said. "Last winter, I was in the library and found it."
One of the postcards on Brenneisen's deck shows a Captain Davis with the steamboat as he took passengers for rides departing from the former Glen Lake Casino, now a private home on the lake.
"We don't know what his first name was," Brenneisen said about the ship's captain.
Brenneisen said passengers were charged a dollar for the ride.
When the father-and-son team looked at the postcard with a magnifying glass, they noticed a bell and a whistle at the top of the ship.
"The postcard shows two things on the roof of the boat," Frank Jr. said. "In those days, everybody had a bell and a whistle."
So the two men began searching the bottom of the lake for the bell, with the elder Brenneisen driving the pontoon boat as his son did the diving.
On a weekend in late May, when Frank Jr. took a trip from his home in New Jersey to visit his father, the diving continued.
"We kept checking rock piles and rock piles," he said.
Brenneisen said they went out for three hours one Saturday afternoon and found two pieces of metal with zebra mussels all over them. When the pieces were cleaned up, he said, he noticed one was a bell clapper. At around 4 p.m. on the following Sunday, they went back to the same spot.
When his son came up from a dive that Sunday, Brenneisen said, the weeds at the bottom of the lake were so thick he couldn't see, but his son had the bell.
Brenneisen said he put the bell in a strong acid to melt away the rust and other decay that was on it, only to reveal small cherubs engraved on the bell's surface.
The bell does not have any marks to reveal its origin, he said, though the year 1923 is inscribed on it. The year and an identifying etch of the foundry where it was made would normally be on the inside of such bells, he said, but only the year was etched on the outside of this one.
"I think this was a gift from a friend of (Captain Davis's)," Brenneisen said.
Paul Derby, a Glen Lake historian and a past Glen Lake Protective Association president, said Brenneisen is knowledgeable on lake trivia and helped him with 20th century references when he was researching local history.
"In the early part of the 1900s ... there were a lot of tourist places on the lake," Derby said.
Derby said he was familiar with Captain Davis but could not recall his first name.
"A lot of families have been here a long time - 100 years," he said. "If you ask people, they know Captain Davis from pictures, going to the casino and some of the other places."
Derby said Brenneisen's discovery helps recall the era of tourism on Glen Lake.
"The most significant piece is that it just brings back a very important figure to Glen Lake," he said. "It's a big part of the first half of the 20th century and kind of that era of tourism."
But Frank Jr. said he didn't think the find was that significant.
"I think a lot of private vessels go down in a lot of lakes and streams and are forgotten about, especially during war time," he said. "Now, modern days, everything comes out because of pollution. Back then, it's not important."
Monday, August 9, 2010
Shipwrecked champagne brand still a mystery
The Swedish Wire: Shipwrecked champagne brand still a mystery
PARIS (AFP) - "For this wine, time has stood still," said Veuve-Clicquot's chief cellarman after tasting the two-century-old champagne found off Sweden.
A two-century-old bottle of champagne found in a shipwreck at the bottom of the Baltic tastes great but is not from the house of Veuve-Clicquot, as first thought, the company said Friday.
Last month Swedish divers working off Finland found 30 bottles perfectly preserved at a depth of 55 metres (180 feet), perhaps part of a consignment sent by France's King Louis XVI to the Russian Imperial Court.
Because the corks still retained a trace of an anchor logo, experts thought the champagne might have come from the historic Veuve-Clicquot estate, still one of the world's top brands of bubbly.
But, after inspecting and trying a sample of the perfectly preserved vintage, the firm said it was in fact from the now defunct Juglar house.
"For this wine, time has stood still," said Veuve-Clicquot's chief cellarman Dominique Demarville, one of a tiny number of people who has been allowed to taste a few millilitres of the find.
"It seems to me that it must taste the same as it did when it was made."
The bottles were found in only slightly salty water, with low currents, a constant temperature of five degrees Celsius (41 Fahrenheit), under pressure from the sea and in total darkness as if in a cellar.
"It has an intense golden yellow hue with grey-brown reflections. The taste starts strongly with sugars, but progressively acidity takes over and a fresh sensation invades the palate," Demarville said.
"As it lies in the mouth, impressive smoky sensations dominate, marked by the same peat and tobacco notes that you sense in the nose."
He estimated that the wine dated from the first third of the 19th century, which means it is not clear whether it is the oldest champagne ever drunk, as an 1825 Perrier-Jouet was tasted by experts in London last year.
The remaining bottles, which could number more than the 30 uncovered by the divers, will remain on the seabed for the time being. Their exact location is being kept secret.
Authorities on Åland will decide who legally owns the contents of the wreck. The archipelago at the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia belongs to Finland, though it enjoys autonomy from Helsinki and locals speak Swedish.
PARIS (AFP) - "For this wine, time has stood still," said Veuve-Clicquot's chief cellarman after tasting the two-century-old champagne found off Sweden.
A two-century-old bottle of champagne found in a shipwreck at the bottom of the Baltic tastes great but is not from the house of Veuve-Clicquot, as first thought, the company said Friday.
Last month Swedish divers working off Finland found 30 bottles perfectly preserved at a depth of 55 metres (180 feet), perhaps part of a consignment sent by France's King Louis XVI to the Russian Imperial Court.
Because the corks still retained a trace of an anchor logo, experts thought the champagne might have come from the historic Veuve-Clicquot estate, still one of the world's top brands of bubbly.
But, after inspecting and trying a sample of the perfectly preserved vintage, the firm said it was in fact from the now defunct Juglar house.
"For this wine, time has stood still," said Veuve-Clicquot's chief cellarman Dominique Demarville, one of a tiny number of people who has been allowed to taste a few millilitres of the find.
"It seems to me that it must taste the same as it did when it was made."
The bottles were found in only slightly salty water, with low currents, a constant temperature of five degrees Celsius (41 Fahrenheit), under pressure from the sea and in total darkness as if in a cellar.
"It has an intense golden yellow hue with grey-brown reflections. The taste starts strongly with sugars, but progressively acidity takes over and a fresh sensation invades the palate," Demarville said.
"As it lies in the mouth, impressive smoky sensations dominate, marked by the same peat and tobacco notes that you sense in the nose."
He estimated that the wine dated from the first third of the 19th century, which means it is not clear whether it is the oldest champagne ever drunk, as an 1825 Perrier-Jouet was tasted by experts in London last year.
The remaining bottles, which could number more than the 30 uncovered by the divers, will remain on the seabed for the time being. Their exact location is being kept secret.
Authorities on Åland will decide who legally owns the contents of the wreck. The archipelago at the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia belongs to Finland, though it enjoys autonomy from Helsinki and locals speak Swedish.
Odyssey's Legal Team Wins Case In Spanish Court Over Blockaded Ship; 'A Step In The Right Direction'
Odyssey's Legal Team Wins Case In Spanish Court Over Blockaded Ship; 'A Step In The Right Direction'
TAMPA, Florida -- Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (NasdaqCM: OMEX), a pioneer in the field of deep-ocean shipwreck exploration, is pleased to report that Captain Sterling Vorus has been cleared of all charges by a court in Algeciras, Spain relating to the blockade and boarding of the Odyssey Explorer. The Spanish court ruled that Spanish officials did not have proper authorization to board or search Odyssey's ship in 2007.
The court relied on Spanish law that prevents the Guardia Civil from boarding or searching foreign ships without authorization of the captain or the vessel's flag state, which was never obtained. Therefore, Captain Vorus's actions did not rise to the level of illicit conduct contemplated by the portion of the Spanish penal code under which he was charged.
Although the blockade and boarding of Odyssey's vessels were in reaction to Odyssey's "Black Swan" find, the opinion of the court does not specifically reference the "Black Swan." The court's decision is, however, consistent with Odyssey's position that the company has consistently acted legally and appropriately in accordance with all laws and regulations related to the "Black Swan" arrest and recovery. The company believes that justice will ultimately prevail in the "Black Swan" case in the U.S. courts as well and has filed an appeal of the trial court's dismissal of the case, citing a recent appellate decision which held that a sovereign government must be in actual possession of property in order to claim that the property is immune from the jurisdiction of the U.S. courts.
"The Spanish ruling clearing our captain of any wrongdoing is a step in the right direction," stated Melinda MacConnel, Odyssey Vice President and General Counsel. "We are very pleased that the Spanish court ruled based on the facts of the case instead of relying on innuendo and false reports, which instigated the search of our vessels in the first place."
"We hope the court's decision will encourage the development of positive relations with Spanish officials." commented Greg Stemm, Odyssey CEO. "The company is pleased to reiterate its offer to work with the Spanish Government to create a public/private partnership for its nation's shipwreck resources, thereby helping to finance cultural and historical initiatives over the long term."
About the "Black Swan"
In May 2007, Odyssey announced the discovery of the "Black Swan," a Colonial-period site located in the Atlantic Ocean that yielded over 500,000 silver coins weighing more than 17 tons, hundreds of gold coins, worked gold, and other artifacts. Odyssey completed an extensive pre-disturbance survey of the "Black Swan" site, which included recording over 14,000 digital still images used to create a photomosaic of the site.
The coins and artifacts were brought into the United States with a valid export license and imported legally pursuant to U.S. law. Odyssey brought the artifacts under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal Court by filing an Admiralty arrest action. This procedure allows any legitimate claimants with an interest in the property to make a claim. For more information on the "Black Swan," visit www.shipwreck.net/blackswan.php.
Captain Vorus
Captain Vorus was arrested by the Spanish Guardia Civil in October 2007, following his refusal to allow the Guardia Civil to forcibly board the Odyssey Explorer in the aftermath of spurious allegations that the ship was involved in illicit activities relating to the "Black Swan." Captain Vorus, a U.S. citizen, was taken into custody and imprisoned by the Spanish Guardia Civil before being released to await a ruling in the case.
TAMPA, Florida -- Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (NasdaqCM: OMEX), a pioneer in the field of deep-ocean shipwreck exploration, is pleased to report that Captain Sterling Vorus has been cleared of all charges by a court in Algeciras, Spain relating to the blockade and boarding of the Odyssey Explorer. The Spanish court ruled that Spanish officials did not have proper authorization to board or search Odyssey's ship in 2007.
The court relied on Spanish law that prevents the Guardia Civil from boarding or searching foreign ships without authorization of the captain or the vessel's flag state, which was never obtained. Therefore, Captain Vorus's actions did not rise to the level of illicit conduct contemplated by the portion of the Spanish penal code under which he was charged.
Although the blockade and boarding of Odyssey's vessels were in reaction to Odyssey's "Black Swan" find, the opinion of the court does not specifically reference the "Black Swan." The court's decision is, however, consistent with Odyssey's position that the company has consistently acted legally and appropriately in accordance with all laws and regulations related to the "Black Swan" arrest and recovery. The company believes that justice will ultimately prevail in the "Black Swan" case in the U.S. courts as well and has filed an appeal of the trial court's dismissal of the case, citing a recent appellate decision which held that a sovereign government must be in actual possession of property in order to claim that the property is immune from the jurisdiction of the U.S. courts.
"The Spanish ruling clearing our captain of any wrongdoing is a step in the right direction," stated Melinda MacConnel, Odyssey Vice President and General Counsel. "We are very pleased that the Spanish court ruled based on the facts of the case instead of relying on innuendo and false reports, which instigated the search of our vessels in the first place."
"We hope the court's decision will encourage the development of positive relations with Spanish officials." commented Greg Stemm, Odyssey CEO. "The company is pleased to reiterate its offer to work with the Spanish Government to create a public/private partnership for its nation's shipwreck resources, thereby helping to finance cultural and historical initiatives over the long term."
About the "Black Swan"
In May 2007, Odyssey announced the discovery of the "Black Swan," a Colonial-period site located in the Atlantic Ocean that yielded over 500,000 silver coins weighing more than 17 tons, hundreds of gold coins, worked gold, and other artifacts. Odyssey completed an extensive pre-disturbance survey of the "Black Swan" site, which included recording over 14,000 digital still images used to create a photomosaic of the site.
The coins and artifacts were brought into the United States with a valid export license and imported legally pursuant to U.S. law. Odyssey brought the artifacts under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal Court by filing an Admiralty arrest action. This procedure allows any legitimate claimants with an interest in the property to make a claim. For more information on the "Black Swan," visit www.shipwreck.net/blackswan.php.
Captain Vorus
Captain Vorus was arrested by the Spanish Guardia Civil in October 2007, following his refusal to allow the Guardia Civil to forcibly board the Odyssey Explorer in the aftermath of spurious allegations that the ship was involved in illicit activities relating to the "Black Swan." Captain Vorus, a U.S. citizen, was taken into custody and imprisoned by the Spanish Guardia Civil before being released to await a ruling in the case.
Friday, August 6, 2010
First Divers Complete Florida Keys 'Wreck Trek' Challenge; 'Truly A Pinnacle Moment In A Long Diving Career'
First Divers Complete Florida Keys 'Wreck Trek' Challenge; 'Truly A Pinnacle Moment In A Long Diving Career'
To learn more, visit www.fla-keys.com/diving/wrecktrek.
Underwatertimes.com News Service
August 5, 2010 15:55 EST
KEY WEST, Florida -- Eleven Florida divers recently became the first "Wreck Trekker" dive enthusiasts to complete nine wreck dives as part of the Florida Keys Wreck Trek Passport Program.
The dive challenge, developed by tourism officials and area dive operators, showcases the world-class diving destination's string of sunken vessels and artificial reefs, and awards participants for completing a series of wreck dives featured in a passport-style dive logbook.
Rocky Welch, manager of a diving and adventure sports outfitting company, helped organize the Florida dive group from areas around Tampa, Clearwater and his hometown of Pinellas Park.
Theirs was a unique itinerary, planned with Tavernier-based Florida Keys Dive Center and designed to include all nine wreck dives within one vacation.
However, participants in the Florida Keys Wreck Trek Passport Program also can make multiple trips to complete the dives in their passport logbook. The program continues through Jan. 1, 2012.
Welch said he first explored Islamorada's Eagle shipwreck in 1989 as the initial wreck dive of his 26-year diving career. This time, he reported spending 30 wonderful minutes exploring the ship.
Though he said the group considered the Vandenberg artificial reef the crown jewel of the trek, Welch's personal favorite was the Bibb, located off Key Largo. Diving the Bibb, he said, had been a goal of his for 23 years.
"The team decided I would be the first down the line," Welch said. "The water was glass-smooth with no apparent current ... it was truly a pinnacle moment in a long diving career."
Each of the 11 initial Wreck Trek divers are to receive a free print collage of the wrecks, as will any diver who logs a wreck in each of the five regions of the Keys. In addition, they will be entered into a drawing for prizes including merchandise, dive equipment and accommodations packages in the Florida Keys.
For Welch, however, the experience and challenge of the Wreck Trek was a significant reward in itself.
"All the adventures are there [in the Florida Keys], from shallow, beautiful reefs to mysterious wrecks," he said. "The Keys offers the most diversity of any dive location I have seen."
To learn more, visit www.fla-keys.com/diving/wrecktrek.
To learn more, visit www.fla-keys.com/diving/wrecktrek.
Underwatertimes.com News Service
August 5, 2010 15:55 EST
KEY WEST, Florida -- Eleven Florida divers recently became the first "Wreck Trekker" dive enthusiasts to complete nine wreck dives as part of the Florida Keys Wreck Trek Passport Program.
The dive challenge, developed by tourism officials and area dive operators, showcases the world-class diving destination's string of sunken vessels and artificial reefs, and awards participants for completing a series of wreck dives featured in a passport-style dive logbook.
Rocky Welch, manager of a diving and adventure sports outfitting company, helped organize the Florida dive group from areas around Tampa, Clearwater and his hometown of Pinellas Park.
Theirs was a unique itinerary, planned with Tavernier-based Florida Keys Dive Center and designed to include all nine wreck dives within one vacation.
However, participants in the Florida Keys Wreck Trek Passport Program also can make multiple trips to complete the dives in their passport logbook. The program continues through Jan. 1, 2012.
Welch said he first explored Islamorada's Eagle shipwreck in 1989 as the initial wreck dive of his 26-year diving career. This time, he reported spending 30 wonderful minutes exploring the ship.
Though he said the group considered the Vandenberg artificial reef the crown jewel of the trek, Welch's personal favorite was the Bibb, located off Key Largo. Diving the Bibb, he said, had been a goal of his for 23 years.
"The team decided I would be the first down the line," Welch said. "The water was glass-smooth with no apparent current ... it was truly a pinnacle moment in a long diving career."
Each of the 11 initial Wreck Trek divers are to receive a free print collage of the wrecks, as will any diver who logs a wreck in each of the five regions of the Keys. In addition, they will be entered into a drawing for prizes including merchandise, dive equipment and accommodations packages in the Florida Keys.
For Welch, however, the experience and challenge of the Wreck Trek was a significant reward in itself.
"All the adventures are there [in the Florida Keys], from shallow, beautiful reefs to mysterious wrecks," he said. "The Keys offers the most diversity of any dive location I have seen."
To learn more, visit www.fla-keys.com/diving/wrecktrek.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Atlantis of the East? No, it is a theme park
Atlantis of the East? No, it is a theme park
When the remains of an ancient underwater city were photographed off the coast of Bali, the Indonesian government hailed it as a potentially "phenomenal" discovery.
Mystical statues of the gods, their faces covered in gorgonian fans, stood rooted to the ocean floor behind an ornate temple gateway 100 feet below sea level.
The undersea archaeological department of the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced an investigation as rumours quickly circulated of 10 more such temples in the strait between Java and Bali. Excited local media speculated that an Atlantis of the East had been found.
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President Obama hails Ben Bernanke's courage as he gives him second Fed termUnfortunately, hopes of a groundbreaking discovery have been sunk. The city turns out to be an underwater theme park built by a British diver to entertain his customers.
Paul Turley, 43, "sank" the city in 2005 as an underwater attraction for visitors to his dive school in Pemuteran, north west Bali. He and an Australian colleague, Chris Brown, also aimed to highlight the importance of marine conservation.
Divers who visit the temple garden then make a donation to the Reef Gardeners project, where unemployed local fishermen are trained to maintain the corals close to the temple garden.
“When I heard about the story about a discovery in the news I had a good laugh,” said Mr Turley from Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, when contacted by the Daily Telegraph.
“We sank the temple garden as a fun idea and to do something different and the people that have dived it have loved it. Perhaps our publicity wasn’t good enough as no-one knew about it, but now I guess another great mystery has been solved.”
Photographs of the site have been posted on Mr Turley's website for years, but became the subject of feverish speculaton when they appeared this week on the social networking site Twitter. It appears that they were posted as a hoax.
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