Five Top Surf and Dive locations

Bali, Indonesia

When it comes to diving, Bali has it all: great muck diving in Amed, wreck diving on the famous USAT Liberty in Tulamben, drift dives with molas and mantas at Manta Point on Nusa Penida, great macro in Menjangan, and beautiful reefs everywhere. And best of all, it’s easy to dive several of these spots within a few days.

The “Island of the Gods,” as it’s called, is also a great place to surf, and in fact, became famous among surfers long before divers ever discovered the underwater world. From Kuta to Uluwatu, Bingin, Keramas, Canggu, and various breaks off Nusa Lembongan, there is something for everyone from the complete newbies to pros. There are plenty of surf schools and a few bodyboarding ones as well, which makes it a great place to learn or to take your kids.

Mamanuca Islands, Fiji

The Mamanuca Islands lying west of Nadi, Fiji’s capital, are well-known as a surfer’s paradise, home of the world-famous Cloudbreak. The area includes other great breaks as well, such as Restaurants, Wilkes, Swimming Pools and Namotu Left. There are waves for everyone here, and plenty of room to spread out. 

Most of the islands’ resorts also feature diving, which offers beautiful reefs, clear and warm waters, and great marine life, such as turtles and small sharks, but also nudibranchs, shrimp and other macro animals. There are dive sites for all levels, including beautiful walls like Namotu Wall, drift dives like Wilkes Passage, and interesting topography like Plantation Pinnacles, which has three beautiful pinnacles for divers to swim around.

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Diving in South Africa has a reputation for being challenging, but rewarding. Divers here will face cold to temperate waters, sometimes rough seas and difficult shore entries, but the rewards are great — plenty of fish life, sharks and more. There are lots of shore dives from Port Elizabeth, as well as wreck dives such as the SAS Haerlem, scuttled in 1987. You’ll commonly see ragged-tooth, pyjama and leopard sharks around dive sites such as Phillips Reef. Port Elizabeth is also one of the launching pads for dive and snorkel trips to check out the famous Sardine Run every year between May and July, a feeding frenzy of predators attracted by gigantic, migrating bait balls of sardines.

For the surfers, about an hour’s drive southwest from Port Elizabeth is Jeffreys Bay (also known as J-Bay), home to the famous Supertubes and other surrounding surf breaks. If you go in July, you might be lucky enough to catch the Billabong Pro surf contest. Remember to pack adequate exposure protection for both diving and surfing: South Africa’s waters are temperate at best.

Hawaii, United States

Every surfer has heard of Hawaii’s most famous breaks: Pipeline, Jaws, Honolua Bay and Waikiki Beach are only a few of the many beautiful waves that Hawaii has to offer, mainly on Maui and Oahu (but there are some on all islands). Plan ahead and you can catch big competitions, such as the Billabong Pipeline Masters.

As for diving, there are fantastic sites around most of the islands. Thanks to volcanic activity, there are great caves and canyons to explore underwater, featuring unique topography. Kona (the Big Island) is most famous for the night-time manta dive, when the rays use the dive lights to feed. Other great sites include the Cave (Oahu), Three Caves (Big Island), Five Caves (Maui), The Caverns (Kauai) and The Cathedral (Lanai). If you visit the islands from January to May, join a whale-watching excursion to spot the humpback whales who use these waters to breed each year.

Costa Rica

With coasts on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica is understandably a water-lover’s paradise. There are numerous surf breaks on both sides of the country. On the Pacific coast, surfers can choose from beach breaks and river mouths, such as Tamarindo, Dominical and Playa Negra. On the Caribbean coast there are mainly reefs breaks, such as Puerto Viejo and Playa Bonita.

Although Costa Rica’s best diving is undoubtedly at Cocos Island, much of the Pacific coast offers great dive sites as well. In the south, Caño Island’s marine reserve is one of the best areas to dive, featuring lots of reef fish and some sharks. Up north, Catalina Islands and Bat Islands offer numerous dive sites, including the Big Scare where you’ll sometimes spot bull sharks.  With plenty of coastline to explore, Costa Rica will not disappoint.

The post Five Top Surf and Dive locations appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2f0ixND

Showt: New polling widget seeks global opinion on Trump vs. Clinton

Showt (pronounced Shout) is a global voting widget that allows people to select either “yes” or “no” when presented with a person or global issue. It's been evolving through partnerships with media companies around the world since the Brexit Showt earlier this year and a recently announced Clinton-Trump Showt poll.

Read more ...

from World News Publishing Focus by WAN-IFRA - World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers http://ift.tt/2eBaIeo

Hawaii’s Deep Water Reefs Show Incredible Biodiversity

A paper recently published in the scientific journal PeerJ sheds light on Hawaii’s latest marine treasure, a series of pristine mesophotic reefs. Meaning “middle light,” the term mesophotic is appropriate. Hawaii’s deep water reefs occupy the twilight zone created at the deepest point penetrated by sunlight. They are the deepest of all photosynthesizing coral colonies at depths of 100 to 500 feet (30 to 150 m).

Mesophotic Reefs

Because of their depth, most mesophotic reefs are beyond the limits of recreational scuba diving. Consequently, we know very little about them. Consequently, a team of 16 scientists from NOAA, the University of Hawaii and the Bishop Museum began mapping the mesophotic reefs off Hawaii some 20 years ago. Over the last two decades, the project has explored and documented deep water reefs throughout the Hawaiian archipelago.

The team used a variety of different techniques, including remote-operated vehicles, dive submersibles and technical divers on rebreathers. According to one of the project’s leaders, Richard Pyle, exploring at such depths meant that divers and submersibles had to work in tandem. The submersibles could “go much deeper and stay much longer,” while the divers could “conduct experiments and collect specimens.”

Hawaii’s Deep Water Reefs

Pyle says that using both methods allowed the team “to achieve tasks that could not have been performed by either technology alone.”

The results revealed that Hawaii’s mesophotic reefs are exceptional for several reasons, including their impressive coral cover. In Maui’s ‘Au’au Channel, for example, the team found a continuous reef extending for more than three square miles. It is the largest mesophotic coral reef ever discovered, and includes areas of 100 percent coral cover.

Most of the deep-water corals the team found off Maui were plate corals. These are well-adapted to the cooler, low-light conditions of the twilight zone. The team also found large algae meadows, incorporating more than 70 macro-algae species. Both ecosystems rely on photosynthesis to survive. The team hypothesizes that Hawaii’s crystal-clear water allows the sunlight to penetrate much deeper than it usually would.

The incredible amount of life they support is evidence of the health of Hawaii’s deep water reefs. Scientists found many of the same species as those that live on the region’s shallow water reefs. Some, however, were completely unique. Most importantly, the team found that the reefs supported a much higher level of endemism than their shallow counterparts. Of the fish found in the twilight zone, 43 percent are endemic to Hawaii compared to an endemism rate of 17 percent for shallow-water fish.

Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument

At the northern end of the archipelago lies the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Mesophotic reef studies within the National Monument revealed that almost 100 percent of the fish living there are endemic to Hawaii. According to Randall Kosaki, Papahanaumokuakea’s deputy superintendent, these statistics are “absolutely off the scale globally.”

The findings validate President Obama’s decision to expand the protected area earlier this year. The team found no evidence of coral bleaching on any of Hawaii’s mesophotic reefs. They think that these environments could provide an invaluable backup plan for shallow-water species suffering from the effects of pollution and climate change. We don’t know yet whether species that exclusively live on shallow reefs would be able to survive at greater depths, however. Either way, in environmentally unstable times, the discovery of healthy coral reefs is encouraging.

The post Hawaii’s Deep Water Reefs Show Incredible Biodiversity appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2euZbA9

Conservation Spotlight: The Coral Triangle Center (CTC)

Known for its incredible marine biodiversity, the Coral Triangle includes the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands. Based in Indonesia, the Coral Triangle Center works to protect this rich ecosystem. Today we’re chatting with Julia Pratiwi Tahija, the marketing and communications officer for the Coral Triangle Center, about the agency’s mission and projects.

What is the Coral Triangle Center doing?

The Coral Triangle Center (CTC) is an independent, nonprofit foundation based in Indonesia. It is dedicated to protecting coral-reef ecosystems for future generations. CTC provides education, training and knowledge-sharing services to sustainably manage the Coral Triangle’s rich marine heritage. CTC also supports on-the-ground conservation programs through its learning sites in the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area in Bali and the Banda Islands Marine Protected Areas network in the Moluccas in Indonesia.

How did CTC start?

Founded as a program of the Nature Conservancy, CTC launched as an independent entity in 2010, and began operations in 2011. It became evident that building local capacity in the Coral Triangle was among important to advance marine conservation. We needed to share and customize the strengths of adaptive coastal and marine-resources management and scientific approaches to local actors. We needed to align with local traditions and marine tenure.

The Coral Triangle is the world’s richest underwater environment, with 75 percent of the world’s coral species. It is home to 2,000 different types of reef fish and iconic marine animals such as manta rays, sea turtles and whales. The region’s reefs also provide food security and coastal protection for millions of people in Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, and beyond.

However, the future of the Coral Triangle’s coral reefs is in question. Human activities, such as dynamite fishing, overfishing and pollution threaten 95 percent of all reefs. If reefs are not safeguarded, such destructive practices will lead to the devastation of coral and marine life.

Given these urgent threats, there is a critical need to raise awareness. We must enable various stakeholders, such as local communities, marine-protected area managers, students, female leaders, local-government leaders and policymakers to help protect the marine resources in their localities. CTC believes this can be done through training and learning. We support on-site learning in marine-protected areas and learning networks. We also engage students and the private sector to pitch in for marine conservation.

What are some of the CTC’s action areas? 

The CTC Strategic Team consists of 27 employees. Some of them are training specialists on marine conservation and holding workshops for community groups and government staff. Others manage CTC’s learning sites (Marine Protected Areas) in Nusa Penida and the Banda Islands. Some focus on establishing CTC’s Center for Marine Conservation, community outreach events and learning networks.

We provide a range of training courses on marine and coastal-management topics for a wide variety of practitioners, from government staff to community groups, and private-sector industries to tourism operators.

We are also working on the establishment of our Coral Triangle Center for Marine Conservation. Our learning center will be open to everybody from conservation practitioners to school children, industry leaders to tourists. We welcome anyone who wants to learn about the Coral Triangle’s challenges, and their own role in implementing the solutions to help preserve and protect our coral reefs.

CTC also provides reef health monitoring training and certifications to dive operators. When the training is completed, dive operators can train their guests to conduct reef-health monitoring. We also work with dive operators to ensure that they implement marine-protected area zoning regulations and follow codes of conduct for wildlife interaction. We work with dive businesses to enable their guests to directly contribute to marine conservation through our adopt-a-coral program.

How can people help? 

People can help save the Coral Triangle region and support CTC by:

• Joining our reef-health monitoring expedition in Nusa Penida in Bali and Banda Islands in the Moluccas
• Supporting our Adopt-a-Coral program
• Joining one of our Fun Learning activities
• Volunteering with CTC at our office in Bali and in our field learning sites
• Partnering with us to bring our youth-based marine education and outreach activities to a wider group of students
• Becoming a Friend-of-CTC through our monthly/annual donation program

 

The post Conservation Spotlight: The Coral Triangle Center (CTC) appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2eu5Wzm

The Weekly 5 in Social Work, 10/22/16

Here are this week’s Top 5 stories in social work, social justice, and social activism.

from The New Social Worker Online — the professional social work careers magazine http://ift.tt/2epXkuU

Janice Davis Inspired To Give Back Through ECHOS Homeless Shelter

Davis became instrumental in forming Elizabethtown Community Housing and Outreach Service Organization (ECHOS). ECHOS aids and assists families and individuals facing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness and are seeking help.

from The New Social Worker Online — the professional social work careers magazine http://ift.tt/2dVjGRm

Top Dive Destinations When Not Everyone Dives

There is nothing more exciting than planning your next dive vacation unless, of course, some of the family doesn’t (or can’t) dive. Compromise is possible when it comes to planning a trip that includes diving but isn’t solely devoted to it. Choose destinations that offer other activities and plan just one or two dives per day. Non-diving activities may still be water-based, but lots of options will keep everyone engaged and excited. Many spots offer a combination of topside activities and opportunities for great bottom-time. Here are just a few top dive destinations when not everyone dives.

Roatan

Roatan, one of the Bay Islands of Honduras, is one of the world’s top dive destinations, and for good reason. There are dive sites all around the island, including famous spots like Mary’s Place and Calvin’s Crack. It’s also an excellent choice for snorkeling, due to many shallow and healthy reefs. Non-diving vacationers have nothing to fear, however — the broad, golden beach at West Bay offers the opportunity to play in the shallows, sip a tropical drink, try parasailing or simply grab a nap.

For the more adventuresome in your party, the island offers ziplining, horseback riding and golf. If you make it over to the mainland, you can explore rain and cloud-forests or go hiking in the lush hills and mountains to see a variety of birds and wildlife. You can also visit the Mayan ruins. If you have adventurous teenage children, try whitewater rafting on the Rio Cangrejal.

St. Lucia

This verdant Caribbean island offers enough lush landscape, black-sand beaches and diverse culture to please everyone. In addition to offering top dive and snorkeling sites right off shore, such as along the Anse Chastanet Reef in the Soufriere Marine Management area (SMMA), visitors can hike the iconic Piton Mountains or zipline through the rainforests. The island boasts a drive-through volcano, as well as sulphur springs that bubble continuously due to the island’s volcanic activity.

If the family is up for more time on the water, the surrounding seas provide opportunities for whale watching. Tourists often see humpbacks, sperm and pilot whales. Keep an eye out as well for spinner and spotted dolphins showing off around the boat. Kitesurfing and sailing are also high on tourists’ “to-do” list. Since the official language is English, organizing activities or even just finding the best shopping and restaurants is a breeze.

The Galapagos

This cradle of evolution is not only a top dive destination, but also a top destination for wildlife in general. Many plants and animals are endemic, so you won’t see them anywhere else in the world. Opportunities for wildlife viewing are outstanding. Topside, you’ll definitely want to get an up-close view of the Galapagos tortoise, which lives over 100 years and is of varying sizes and shapes, depending on which island you visit. You can also hike the still-active Sierra Negra volcano on Isabela Island or explore the underground lava tubes of Santa Cruz, formed when cooler, outer parts of lava flows hardened into thick rock walls, providing insulation to keep a flow going inside. Long, empty tunnels easily big enough to walk through remain. Just be sure to take a flashlight and sturdy shoes.

Although most divers dream of a liveaboard trip to the Galapagos, there’s plenty of shore or day-boat diving available as well. Divers and snorkelers may encounter sea turtles, the endemic marine iguana, hammerheads, rays, whale sharks, penguins or sea lions. Most trips to the Galapagos begin and end in mainland Ecuador. Take some time while there to visit Quilotoa, an 820-foot (250 m) deep caldera with exquisite aquamarine water. The country’s capital, Quito, is home to the Basílica del Voto Nacional, the largest neo-Gothic cathedral in the Western Hemisphere. The Virgin Mary at El Panecillo, an iconic lookout similar to the Christ of the Redeemer statue in Brazil, also merits a stop.

Cozumel and Cancun

A small island just off the Yucatan Peninsula, Cozumel is a mere 12 miles via water taxi from Cancun, the hub for travel into and out of Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Long known for fantastic drift diving and beautiful corals, Cozumel also offers horseback riding and 4-wheeler exploration excursions. Traditional hiking tours feature paths that are manageable in tennis shoes.

Families can explore Mayan Ruins in both Cozumel and near Cancun, as well sun themselves on pristine beaches. Mom and dad can go kid-free for a night out in Cancun, which offers plentiful nightlife options, or opt for a quieter night out in San Miguel on Cozumel. Both Cozumel and Cancun also offer spas, golfing and snorkeling. Cozumel also features a submarine trip that takes the family to a depth of 100 feet so that non-divers can see some of the underwater world that they would otherwise miss.

Belize

This Central American nation is well known for its boat, shore and live-aboard diving opportunities along the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and, of course, the Blue Hole, which can be seen from space. Divers can expect to see lots of sharks, turtles and reef fish no matter where they choose to dive; however, Belize also offers the adventuresome family lots of options when it comes to activities like cave tubing, horseback riding and ziplining.

There are Mayan temples and lush rainforests to explore, and families can visit Placencia, which is known as a manatee haven, due to its protected lagoon where three rivers merge. Although it’s home to fewer than 1,000 manatees, the population is nonetheless stable. Charming Ambergris Cay, Belize’s largest island, is a great base for a family vacation. There are lots of restaurants, snorkeling, windsurfing and kiteboarding, as well as access to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve where you can snorkel or dive with sharks and stingrays. Belize offers an exotic, yet accessible, destination. With English as the national language, logistics are easy.

Just because a few members of your family don’t dive doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice all your time underwater. Choose one of these top dive destinations and everyone can enjoy what they love.

By Christine Brinkley

The post Top Dive Destinations When Not Everyone Dives appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2dUDYuu