Global Climate Strike
Friday, September 20, 2019
At Liquid Diving Adventures, our business depends upon clean water, healthy oceans, healthy coral reefs. We support marine clean-up campaigns, ending the use of plastics, and other initiatives to protect that which is 70% of our planet...the Oceans.
Alongside more than 700 businesses and organisations, we have pledged to be part of the This is Not Business as Usual movement to add our voice to the collective call for urgent action.
Will you be striking with us?
For the past year, the youth climate movement has been quietly growing in coffee shops in midwestern suburbs, libraries in urban centers, and classrooms in the rural south. Young people are preparing for a
revolution to save our future, and on Friday, September 20, we
invite you to join us.
On that day, three days before the
UN Climate Summit in New York, young people and adults all over the world will
strike to demand that our leaders take transformative action to address the
climate crisis; the strike includes some 500 events in the US alone. Across the globe, a coalition of hundreds of groups have been working over the last few months in hopes of making September 20 the largest
climate mobilization in world history — and to create momentum that will launch us into a new era of climate action to save our futures.
Our dive buddies Yan Grossman, his brother Bruno, and their friend Rick James Chatas were on an April 2015 charter aboard the Explorer Ventures Caribbean Explorer II to the Turks & Caicos. Here is a short video of some dive highlights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL9gyV6LAtA&vq=hd1080
Book a trip with us on this great charter…!
Beqa Lagoon Top 10 Dive Sites
Beqa Island, Fiji
We have been advised by the Raja Ampat park authorities that the Raja Ampat park tag fee has been increased by $40 USD. The fee is now $225 USD.
We appreciate your support of this fee system. Conservation of Raja Ampat's spectacular marine habitats and biodiversiity requires long term funding. In addition, the local communities who own these reefs need to see direct benefits of tourism through community programs that will improve their quality of life.
Raja Ampat is blessed with some of the highest marine biodiversity and healthiest coral reefs in the world. In order to protect this unique biodiversity, Raja Ampat has 7 nationally mandated and locally managed marine protected areas (MPAs). As with any park or reserve, conservation and tourism management cost money. The previous park fees were introduced in 2008 and with all things, costs increase.
Murex Bangka Resort, Indonesia - August 2014
"Bangka was better than I expected, since LR is now rotating one of their eagle-eyed dive guides into Murex Bangka whenever possible (Sandro is a good guide with a great personality). They also have 2 former LR dive shop staff on site trying to keep a handle on things. They also have access to a new boat, which is technically shared with Murex Manado (which apparently has first dibs) which we mostly got to dive on (I see now why people complain about the old boats as they are pretty dilapidated and not as user friendly). I think I actually liked that new boat better than LR's boats - really awesome built-in wooden hangers for suits to dry on during lunch. I was in one of the oldest rooms - right next to the gear up area, on top of the (not used) dive shop, and beside the kitchen/restaurant, so a bit noisy but I survived. I knew Bangka was outback but the shower wasn`t great (needs a new shower head - yes the water smells, but I knew it was remote going in). I asked to tour the newer rooms which are much nicer and have more amenities, better water pressure, newer ACs, etc. It took a lot of lobbying but I managed to dive Bantu Pendita the day all the children and snorkellers (and their diver family members) went on a Lembeh day trip, which was beautiful, current ridden and Komodo-like, as one of my SB friends had advised. One of my favourite dives of the trip. Did not see the dugong, but there was a close encounter a few weeks before I arrived. Did not manage a night dive - no one really keen to do one. That place attracts a lot of families with non-divers bc of the beach. There was a Dutch family there for a month doing just 1 dive a day. Food is simple and some westerners have found it a bit repetitive (again I can see why). They managed the vegetarian request fine except for the last night where they put a vegetable dish with fish in it in the position where the vegetarian side dish usually was (there was no vegetarian side dish that night) and didn't tell anyone about the fish. There is now a snack after dives - often Western fresh baked cake - which is nice. There are also local peanuts. I think they definitely have made the best power decision of the other ops on island from my discussions with others who have dove Bangka (power roughly 6 PM to 6 AM so you can run AC and sleep). I had a SB friend diving at Mimpi Indah in the same period and he definitely thought my experience was better - better guiding, better AC, and he prefers the Murex bungalows. Very different vibe than Lembeh due to the non-24 hour power and dial up internet. I enjoyed it and would go back despite a few wrinkles. Saw my first pygmie squid (which I had never seen at Lembeh despite multiple attempts - of course I then went and found my own in Lembeh) and a cyerce nudibranch I had been hoping to see for years. The senior guide there is very good for Batu Pendita - knows how to manage the current which can be fierce. I am not sure attempting that dive site with a newer or less Bangka-experienced guide would be a great idea. I also saw some fighting junior mimics which the guides were excited about. Yes they had a rhino picked out too."
Natasha S - Toronto, Canada
August 2014
Lembeh Resort - Lembeh, Indonesia
"Lembeh Resort is still great. They`ve improved meals and snacks and the pool area significantly since we were last there. The resort GMs are still amazing - e.g. they were doing spot checks on the chef to make sure he was using the vegetarian soup base for soups rather than chicken or beef while I was there so that I could eat the soups. They previously worked at Wakatobi which IMO shows. I also managed to hit Fish Geek week which was amazing - heard talked from Mark Erdmann and Gerry Allen and got to dive on their boat and see them in action underwater. Super cool. Anita felt there were less critters this trip than last time she went (I think in 2012) and I would tend to agree. Definitely fewer mimics. I still had a good time looking for obscure nudis (but that`s not Anita`s cup of tea). My favourite guide who I have dove with the past 3 visits managed to find me 3 phyllodesmium rudmani`s after many days of searching (which I had been on a mission to see - see SB post) so that was exciting. I still don`t love the food there (I ate vegetable soup for dinner every night for the entire length of our stay) but that`s partly because eating any raw veggies even at tourist oriented dive resorts tends to result in stomach sickness. I thought the old dive shop managers had a better system of focusing on the best/hopping dive sites rather than the new dive managers' current system, which just rotates through the entire list irrespective of quality or current activity levels. Dimpy the marine biologist remains terrific for IDing obscure nudis."
Natasha S - Toronto, Canada
Ethical Travel & Dive Destinations
Here are some of the Top 10 Ethical Travel Destinations for 2015 as rated by Calfornia-based Ethical Traveler. If you are interested in a true adventure to a destination that cares for its natural resources and protects the marine environment, give us a call and we will get you to one of these destinations…!
Samoa - recently co-signed a $1 million project for improving biodiversity and managing threats of climate change.
Tonga - Ha'aapai will become Tonga's first island to institute organic farming. Tonga is also an amazing place to experience dives with whales.
Dominica - clean energy initiative, concern for wildlife, and resistance to commercial whaling earn this island paradise high marks. Known as the Nature Isle, Dominica lives up to its reputation.
Palau - designated an Environmental Stat because of its extensive care of marine and terrestrial areas. And of course, Palau is one of Micronesia's premier dive destinations.
Mauritius - has embarked on a program to plant 200,000 trees by the end of 2014. The African country is also praised for its social services. As yes, you can find some amazing scuba diving in the Mauritian waters.
TURNEFFE FLATS – DIVE REPORT - 2 to 7 NOVEMBER, 2014
Air Temperatures – Mid to low 80’s
Water Temperature – 80 to 79F
Overall Weather – The weather was a little challenging this week for divers with cooler, cloudier weather and passing showers. Wind speeds switched between the north and then northeast with speeds between 10 and over 15 knots. As a result, water temperatures dropped to 79 degrees F, and 3mm wetsuits need to be pulled out and donned for the winter season.
Crew - Dive Instructor Anne-Marie had Open Water Referral students whom continued on with their Advanced Open Water certification, and Divemaster Denroy joined her toward the end of the week with other divers. Carlton (AKA Capt) was boat captain for the week.
Sightings – Special sightings for the week included a large Great Barracuda that sat under the boat at Jojo’s Split intimidating the new divers on the first day. Permit and Horse Eye Jack schools swirled near the surface at Myrtle’s Turtle just north of The Elbow, and several groupers of varying species – Black, Nassau, Yellow Fin, Tiger and Yellow Mouth – were seen at Creekozene and throughout the week showing up the healthy population of groupers we have here in Belize. To top that off, a 4-foot Goliath Grouper followed divers along curiously for a few minutes at Chasbow’s Corner to the northwest of Turneffe. This was indeed a heart-warming sight. The night dive yielded some welcome, but not often seen, players in the Spotted Sea Hare, and a Beaded Sea Cucumber. Cryptic Tear Drop Crabs were spotted in a number of tube sponges which appear black at depth, but are in fact a brilliant crimson colour. Eagle Ray Wall on the west side of Long Caye on Lighthouse Reef lived up to its name as four large Spotted Eagle Rays came past divers at close range and continued to circle coming back and forth along the wall for over 5 minutes of the dive. Large Rainbow and Blue Parrot Fish were seen on the northeast of Turneffe at Lindsay’s Back Porch.
Sunday 2 NovemberWinds from the N at 15 knots. Mostly cloudy with passing showers, and some sun in the afternoon.Dive Sites: #1 Jojo’s Split N - 40ft visibility / #2 Jojo’s Split S – 40ft visibility / #3 Calabash Caye Wall - 50ft visibility
Monday 3 November
Winds remaining at 15 knots from the N. Morning clouds with showers. Mostly sunny in the afternoon.
Dive Sites: #1 Black Beauty N - 60ft visibility / #2 Black Beauty S - 60ft visibility / #3 Myrtle’s Turtle - 70ft visibility
Tuesday 4 November
Wind speeds increasing to over 15 knots from the NE. Partly cloudy with some sun in the morning and afternoon.
Dive Sites: #1 Creekozene N - 80ft visibility / #2 Creekozene S – 80ft visibility / #3 Amberhead – 80ft visibility
Wednesday 5 November
Wind speeds at 10 knots from the NE, and decreasing throughout the day. Mostly sunny.
Dive Sites: #1 Chasbow’s Corner – 70ft visibility / #2 Elkin’s Bay – 70ft visibility / #3 Night Dive @ Northern Bogue
Thursday 6 November
Winds at 10 knots from the NE and dropping sharply in the morning to less than 5 knots. Heavy cloud cover with showers in the morning, giving way to sunny skies in the late morning and afternoon.
Dive Sites: #1 Blue Hole - 30ft visibility / #2 Half Moon Caye Wall – 60ft visibility / #3 Eagle Ray to Painted Wall – 50ft visibility
Friday 7 November
Winds at less than 10 knots from the NNW. Passing showers in the early morning with patches of sun broadening to a mostly sunny afternoon.
Dive Sites: #1 Lindsay’s Back Porch – 70ft visibility / #2 Lettuce Lane – 70ft visibility / #3 Wishbone – 70ft visibility
Best of Yap Dive Sites 6 of 6
Stammtisch 2
Courtesy of Bill Acker at Manta Ray Bay Resort
Best of Yap Dive Sites 5 of 6
Stammtisch
Courtesy of Bill Acker at Manta Ray Bay Resort
