Let's go diving!

Wow the conditions are absolutely fabulous right now, the sun is shinning and it is really hot, there is a slight breeze which is cooling us down a little but my low season tan is coming on a treat!

Kevin has been blown away with the visibility lately, so what are you waiting for? Right now we are having some of the best diving of the year, so get here and lets enjoy it together!

Something to make you smile today

Made by one of our Divemaster Traineers this year, miss you all xxx

hmm hot, a bit wet and quite a few whalesharks!!!

Yes that is right, the weather is quite nice right now, hot but not too hot and very very wet at night but the wind is small, so the diving conditions have been great with a few trips out to Hin Deang to see WHALESHARKS..... Yes that is right, we seem to have had a few great sightings in the last week, some right up close and personal. Dingo actually thought the Whaleshark was gonna kiss him!!!! Thankfully the Whaleshark thought better of that!!!

Well Done Big Jim

Big Jim, who has been one of our longest serving SCUBA instructors at Blue Planet, qualified as a AIDA Freediving Instructor last week. Jim had his first ever Freediving course with Marc, our Freediving instructor, over 3 years ago and gained a huge appetite for the sport.

He has competed in 2 of our Freediving Competitions, being placed 2nd in both and he decided this year, that he wanted to take the next step. So Jim has been studying hard in Dahab, Egypt, for his AIDA Instructor rating and despite falling sick during his training, Jim persevered and we can not wait for him to get back and start helping Marc next year.

Well Done Jim, see you soon

xxx

The Power of the Media

Conservation issues are being brought to the forefront more often these days, none so more, than via television and the internet.

Sharkwater, a feature length documentary released in 2006, brought attention to the rapid diminishment of sharks due to the practice of shark finning, which in recent times, due to public opinion and pressure, has become illegal in many places.

Whale Wars, a documentary now into its upcoming fourth season, follows the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in their efforts to defend whales in the Antarctic Whale sanctuary which has brought increasing attention, support and public pressure to end this practice, IN ALL FORMS.

The Cove, a feature length documentary released in 2009, shed light on the brutal slaughter of dolphins that occurs every year in Japan. A practice which even many Japanese people did not realise existed.

One you may or may not heard of is The End of the Line. Again a feature length documentary released in 2009 which shed light on the how the fishing industry, through targeting unsustainable sources and overfishing has endangered fish stocks for the next generation. Not only did it raise individual awareness but also that of European governments, and since its release has seen many major businesses now switch to sustainable sources for their catches. Also many people have now changed their purchasing trends in favour of sustainable. You can read this article at: http://endoftheline.com/blog/archives/1337

Whale Shark!

We are really happy and pleased to announce that after three years working in and around Blue Planet, Dingo Dave FINALLY got to see his first Whale Shark yesterday on a trip to Hin Deang. When he told me on the phone, he was obviously stoked by it, and I'm betting not even the nudibranch's could have drawn his attention away!!!

Well done, and also to his customers Goran and Julien

Nudibranch of the Week

All of you that have dived with us before, know that Dingo Dave has a small passion for nudibranchs! So we have added a new section to the blog just for him.

Dingo has selected Chromodoris Geminus as his nudibranch of the week. "One of the prettiest nudibranch's i have seen around here, often found at Hin Muang and Hin Daeng." So whilst you are off watching the Manta Rays, Dingo has his head in the rock looking for these little darlings.

AGAIN??!!

Believe it or not fans of Blue Planet, a manta was spotted today on the boat trip to Hin Muang. We are so happy that these gentle giants have returned to our corner of the world, they just cant seem to stay away this season. Now we are into low season and we have Manta and Whale shark sightings! As Mellisa likes to say 'Happy Days'!!!

Reefs at Risk

I have just been reading an interesting report I found on threats to our reefs, called Reefs At Risk Revisited. A report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) (available for download at www.wri.org/publication/reefs-at-risk-revisited ). You are probably aware that reefs are under threat from local pressures such as over fishing, pollution, and coastal development, but did you know that CO2 levels are not only warming our seas but also making them more acidic. 15% of reefs world wide are already under threat but by 2050 almost all reefs will be under threat. We can stop this though if we act now by limiting CO2, curbing over fishing, and stop polluting our oceans. More on this later.

PS Just a quick note after something that a customer said at the shop yesterday. Please, when you are snorkeling (or diving), act responsibly. There should be no reason for you to stand on the coral. Full feet protection, (like gloves), does not enable you to touch these delicate systems without causing damage.

When I used to hike we said leave nothing but footprints, in the ocean though, remember, leave nothing but bubbles. Cheers for reading.