Scuba Diving in Cozumel December 22, 2005
Posted by Andy Carroll in : Travel , add a comment
Cozumel is located in the western Caribbean, 12 miles off the coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula, about 45 miles south of Cancun. The island is approximately 30 (48km) miles long and 10 (16km) miles wide.
Famed for its numerous Maya ruins, pristine reefs and scuba diving venues, sandy beaches, duty-free shopping and perfect weather, it is extremely popular for tourists and scuba divers alike.
From Cozumel (by ferry or airplane), there’s easy access to the many attractions of the Yucatan Peninsula, including Cancun, Chichen Itza and Tulum.
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Whale Sharks sighted in Oman December 22, 2005
Posted by Andy Carroll in : Travel , add a commentWhale Sharks were sighted over the last weekend in the beautiful waters of the Musandam region, Oman.
Whale Sharks are not as common in this region as they are in the other Indian Ocean regions. Their return and sighting is a comforting sign of the well being of the surrounding Gulf of Oman waters to which oil tankers are a constant threat to the environment. SOURCE: DeeperBlue
Scuba Diving Options in Palau December 21, 2005
Posted by Andy Carroll in : Travel , 1 comment so far
Introduction
Palau, in Micronesia, is another of those places which every scuba divier should place on their wishlist. Blue Corner Wall is a scuba dive site which has a reputation for being one of the best dives in the world.
Palau is around 470 miles east of the Phillipines and is the western most island group of a region called the West Caroline Islands. It is not the easiest place to get to, and, as it is not part of a large continent, it has benefited from less tourism and much of its skilled traditional culture has remained. It was the site of a number of battles during World War II as the Americans and japanese fought over superiority in the Pacific.
The Diving
The wildlife has not suffered over the years and there are 1500 species of fish and 700 corals and anenomes. Apparently it is impossible to get bored on dives in Palau as everything is new and different. Hawaii only has a third of the number of species in its waters.
You can see sharks on nearly every dive, which include gray reef, black tip, whit tip and the occasional bull shark. As well as turtles there are the whole range of tropical fish, from clown fish to barracudas, from tuna and marlins, and even the nearly extinct dugong. Tridacna giant clams which are larger than you or I and over 100 years old can also be seen.
One of the wonders of Palau is what is known as Jellyfish lake, which is filled with millions of non stinging jellyfish, which reflect the sun to produce outstanding colours.
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Take your iPod Nano Scuba Diving? December 21, 2005
Posted by Andy Carroll in : Trivia, general , 1 comment so farBody Glove technology Accessories has launched the Body Glove Scuba, a water resistant case case for the iPod nano. Can you really take it scuba diving?
Erm, nope, its a marketing gimmic. Apparently the material is called ’scuba’ and the case is designed to prevent the iPod getting scratched. It actually has cutouts for access to the ports and buttons, which hardly gives it suitable protection for onboard a dive boat, never mind a scuba dive. For those still interested it is around $35 and available from Fellowes.
Some marketing people really just don’t have a scoobie, do they? 
Prince Harry on Dhekelia scuba diving holiday December 21, 2005
Posted by Andy Carroll in : News, Travel, Trivia , add a commentPrince Harry is staying at the British base of Dhekelia on a scuba diving holiday. He arrived on Saturday morning and is developing his skills following a basic army course within the UK. The wreck of the Zenobia, claimed as one of the best wreck dives in the world, is only 10 minutes from Larnaca. Wonder if he’ll dive that?
Scuba Diving options at the Great Barrier Reef, Australia December 20, 2005
Posted by Andy Carroll in : Travel , add a comment
The barrier reef really needs no introduction as one of the best places to scuba dive in the world. I thought I’d put together an article on scuba diving the reef and what kinds of options and facilities there are, as well as a whole bunch of other websites to visit. From Diving Australia.com
The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is probably the most well known natural wonder of the world. “World Heritage” listed in 1981, it’s a truly magnificent marine wilderness and nature reserve, unlike anything else, anywhere else. The Barrier Reef is actually a series of 2100 individual reefs stretching for more than 2300 kilometers, from Papua New Guinea in the north down the Queensland coast to Lady Elliott Island (400 kilometers north of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland). In addition to the reefs, there are some 500 islands, once part of the mainland until the oceans rose tens of thousands of years ago. The Great Barrier Reef is home to over 400 species of coral, 1500 species of fish, 4000 species of mollusc, 500 species of seaweed and 200 species of birds. There are numerous ways to explore this amazing place, from aircraft flyovers to helicopter trips to sailing boats to the general tourist-type, look-see trips. But the only way to really experience this wonderland is first-hand, underwater. If you think you’ve been diving in some amazing places in the world, as the saying goes, “You ain�t seen nothing yet!”
