feature - Emirates Diving Association

DIVERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTEMIRATESDIVING.COM/MAGAZINE | MARCH 2010 | VOLUME 6 | ISSUE 1EDACELEBRATES15 YEARSBU TINAH ISLAND: NO LONGER ABUDHABI’S BEST KEPT SECRET 22FEATURED CREATURE: Local Speciesin the IUCN Red List 2009 30WHALE SHARKS IN DJIBOUTI 32

EDITOR’S NOTENEWSreef check trainingIbrahim N. Al-Zu’biEDA Executive Director15 years of marine conservation. Years spentprotecting a national treasure so that othersmay be able to enjoy them. That is what EDAstands for. By giving his blessing to establish thisorganisation in February 1995, the late SheikhZayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, not only placedconservation as a priority for us to uphold butinspired us to bring about change ourselves.I want to take this opportunity to show myappreciation to all our members and stafffor the dedication, loyalty and enthusiasmthat they’ve demonstrated throughout thisjourney. Of course, none of what we haveaccomplished so far could have been possiblewithout the leadership and visionary thoughtsfrom our board of directors. I’m confidentthat the next 15 years will hold even moreachievements we can be proud of.However, these upcoming years hold a darkreality that we and the rest of the world faceand that is climate change. The irony is thathumans are the ones who cast this dark cloudover their own heads and walking away isn’tan option. The truth is that no nation, howeverlarge or small, wealthy or poor, will escape theimpact of climate change. Rising sea levelsthreaten every coastline. Severe storms andfloods threaten every continent and morefrequent droughts and crop failures breedhunger and conflict in places where hungerand conflict already thrive. On shrinkingislands, families are already being forced toflee their homes as climate refugees. Ourmarine life won’t go unscathed. The coralbeaching and scarcity of fish in our seas aredisasters that we all now associate with divingin the region’s waters. Diving in the Galapagosislands a few months ago with the EDA teamreminded me that the most memorable divingexperiences have truly been when the seals,sea lions, marine iguanas, hammer head sharksand Galapagos sharks are protected and safein their haven.And yet, we can reverse the situation. JohnF. Kennedy once said that “Our problems areman-made; therefore they may be solvedby man.” It is true that for too many years,mankind has been slow to respond or evenrecognize the magnitude of the climate threat.But today is a new day. We can still make adifference and we have already. In this issue,youcan read about the Reef Check Training welaunched earlier this year, in collaboration withReef Check, ICRAN and UNEP. Our prioritywill be to collect, analyze and share data. Wewill continue to monitor our marine life,allthe while pursuing what we love: diving. Ourmembers are becoming more environmentallyaware divers, which has proven to be anessential element of conservation.Our first issue of the year is an inspiring andinformative one. Read about Bu Tinah Island,which has succeeded in remaining protectedamid the sounds of dredging and rapid increaseof island development projects around it. Youwon’t have the heart to walk away from thisarticle without taking a minute to cast yourvote to make it one of the New 7 Wondersof Nature.Eco Regards,If you are interested in knowing more aboutour marine environment, collecting data fromour local reefs and getting more out of yourdives, this may be what you are looking for.Divers will learn about our local ecosystemsand will be able to participate in our monthlysurvey dives which will help us to understandthe threats our corals are facing by providingimportant data.About Reef CheckReef Check is a coral reef monitoring protocolthat uses standard and simple methodology tocollect robust scientific data. Although its mainobjective is the study of coral reefs health, italso looks to educate the public about coralreef crisis, induce local community action toprotect remaining healthy corals and contributeto economically sustainable solutions.This methodology was implemented in 1997by Reef Check Foundation, a non-profitinternational marine conservation organization.With the need to understand the globalconditions of our coral reefs, it was mandatoryby that time to establish a methodology thatcould be used all around the world, and doneby divers with different backgrounds, not onlymarine biologists.After intensive training, divers are able tocollect data that is used in the creation of aGlobal and Regional/Local report regardingthe status of the coral reefs. Reef Check teamscollect four types of data for each dive site:1. A description of each reef site based on30 measures of environmental and socioeconomicconditions and ratings of humanimpacts.2. A measure of the percentage coverage ofdifferent substrate types, including live anddead coral.3. Invertebrates indicator species counts.4. Fish indicator species counts.Reef Check and EDABy joining our Reef Check monitoring team,you can help monitor and track the world’sreefs. Reefs, both tropical and temperate,are in a state of crisis, today they look vastlydifferent from what they did only 30 years ago.Big fish are scarce and some marine creatureshave disappeared completely. Over 45% ofthe world’s reefs are severely threatened byhuman activities including overfishing, pollutionand global warming. By becoming a certifiedReef Check diver, you can help track the healthof our reefs by participating in monitoringsurveys and conservation worldwide.Until now, EDA has trained more than 30divers with Reef Check methodology, and itintends to train a few more in 2010. By dividingthe divers in different Reef Check teams, wewill be able to collect data at several sites onthe East Coast of the UAE, with particularfocus in the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)Dibba, Al Aqah and Dadna. By collecting dataevery month, EDA will be capable of writing a2010 report on the Status of Coral Reefs ofthe three MPAs on the East Coast. This reportwill make us understand the principal threatsthat our marine environment is facing at themoment and the actions that need to beimplemented in order to re-establish a healthyecosystem in the area.For more information please visit:www.reefcheck.orgwww.emiratesdiving.comTrainingYou will be trained to perform Reef Checksurveys in all Indo-Pacific. So, you will be ableto join the EDA Reef Check team every monthas well as joining other Reef Check teams inother countries of the Indo-Pacific. To look fora specific place go to: http://reefcheck.org/ecoaction/coordinators_and_teams.phpThe trainings take place over three days. Thefirst 2 days will be done in one weekendand will consist of classroom, tests and pool/sea activities (buoyancy exercises). You willbecome very familiar with many of Indo-Pacific’s marine species of fish, invertebratesand will be trained to identify different kinds ofsubstrates such as corals and sponges.CONGRATULATIONSEDA would like to congratulate Joanna, Laurence and Rania for finishing the Reef Check course last year 2009.The third day consists of 1 to 2 dives onthe East Coast, depending on the weatherconditions, consisting of one underwater examand a mock dive.All training materials (manual, CDs, DVDs, fieldguide flash cards, reef check ID card), boatcosts, transport to the East Coast and renewalor new EDA membership are included in thetraining price.Testing and Certification: PowerPoint ID test(80%) and field test (90% to pass) to obtainregional certification card (Indo-Pacific).Certification card qualifies holder to participatein Reef Check surveys in the region and tosubmit their data to the global database.QualificationTo join the Reef Check training you only needto be a diver (any level) with at least 15 dives(good buoyancy is important).DateTo be announced.PriceThe total training price is 600 AED, 50% off theoriginal price. We are a non-profit organizationso the cost of the training will go toward theexpenses for the 2010 Reef Check trainingand project.If you have any questions about the project orneed more details about the training, pleasedon’t hesitate to contact us at:projects@emiratesdiving.com4 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 5

NEWSREEF check trainingAT ZIGHY BAYIn the last week of January, EDA went to Zighy Bay Six Senses Hideaway Resort in Musandamto train 11 members of their staff with the Reef Check methodology. Giving Reef Check trainingin such an environment, where permanent concern about our carbon footprint is noticed, madethis event very special. It is the intent of Zighy Bay Six Senses Hideaway Resort to study andconserve the marine life that exists on their coast, and for this they engaged themselves onlearning to collect data with EDA. Future surveys will be made and together we will be able tounderstand and help the coral reefs that splendour the coast line of Zighy Bay.To know more about Reef Check and the resort, go to:www.reefcheck.orghttp://www.sixsenses.com/six-senses-hideaway-zighy-bay/The Reef Check team have been going tothe East Coast every month to do periodicsurveys. The data has been collected in AlFaqqet Marine Protected Area and Al AqahMarine Protected Area (also known as Dibbaand Snoopy Island). For this project we wouldlike to thank the volunteers that have beenvery supportive as well as The Palm divecentre who have helped us with the facilities,boat and skipper. To all of you a big thank you!NEWSEDA invites all EDA members toThe Art of Apnea, the Heritage of Pearl Divers and Future of Freedivingin Abu DhabiEvent: The Art of Apnea, The Heritage of Pearl Divers and Future ofFreediving in Abu DhabiDate: Wednesday 3 rd March 2010Timing: 7pm-9pmLocation: ADMA-OPCO AuditoriumRegistration: Pre-registration is required. To register please contactKathleen Russell at info@divemahara.com or call +971 50 836 9530 orcall the EDA’s office at +971 4 393 9390.Program7:00pmWelcome and introduction of guest speakers (MC Kathleen Russell andMr. Ibrahim Al Zu’bi, EDA’s Executive Director).Bio: Emma Farrell7:15-7:45pmPresentation on History of Pearl Diving in the UAE15min Q & A8:00-8:30pmPresentation on The Art of Apnea presented by Emma Farrell15min Q & A8:45pmPresentation finishes, gift presentation to guest speakers and refreshmentand light snacks are served outside of the auditorium.Synopsis:Freediving has a particular importance for Abu Dhabi where pearlsbrought wealth to the region before oil & gas. So how do freediversmanage to hold their breath for so long and dive so deep? This seminaris an opportunity to connect the UAE’s heritage of pearl diving andlearn about the modern world of Freediving.Emma has 7 years experience teaching freediving around the world.She is a founding member of the AIDA (the Worldwide Federationfor breath-hold diving) International Education Commission. Emma alsochaired the British Freediving Association between 2004 and 2006 andhas competed in numerous international freediving competitions.Bio: Juma’a Bin Thaleth(EDA’s Heritage Department Manager)Juma’a is a dedicated young local pearl(aswell as rescue) diver. He is responsiblefor creating awareness in all schools, collegesand universities with regard to the Pearl Diveculture of the UAE. Juma’a is also responsiblefor EDA’s Heritage Exhibition.The event is organised in cooperation withADMA-OPCO, EDA, AIDA and Al MaharaDiving Center LLC.NEED A DIVE BUDDY?Al Mahara Diving Center LLC is a premiere PADI 5 Star dive resort centre in Abu Dhabi specialising in high quality scubadiving training, knowledgeable staff in equipment retail and experienced to provide you with safe, fun and adventurousscuba and snorkelling experiences. We are also passionate about taking care of the local marine environment and worktogether with environmental NGO's, various companies in all industries, schools, youth organisations, environmental groupsand the diving community to build public awareness in the preservation, protection of the regional marine habitat. We lookforward to diving with you and giving you an unforgettable and rewarding experience.We specialise in scuba courses, trips, equipment retail, air filling, overseas diving trips (individual or group), marineconservation projects with EDA, diver social activities, supporting dive professionals and much more.Al Mahara Diving Center LLCPADI 5 Star Dive Resort S21702Training facility at Le Meridien Hotel and ICAD, MussafahFO12, ICADPO Box 52149, Abu Dhabi, UAETelephone: 02 556 1226Mobile: 050 720 2833 (Alistair), 050 836 9530 (Kathleen)Email: divemahara@emirates.net.aeWebsite: www.divemahara.com (coming very soon with PADI’s online e Learning)6 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 7

NEWSNEWSBOOSTING BIODIVERSITYCAN BOOST GLOBAL ECONOMYFeature UNEP PHOTOGRAPHY Saeed Mansour – Bahrain2010 is Litmus Test of InternationalCommunity’s Resolve to Conserve andEnhance Planet’s Natural AssetsA new and more intelligent pact betweenhumanity and the Earth’s economicallyimportantlife-support systems is urgentlyneeded in 2010, the head of the UNEnvironment Programme (UNEP) said.UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP’sExecutive Director Achim Steiner said that anunprecedented scientific, economic, politicaland public awareness effort was needed toreverse and to stop the loss of the planet’snatural assets.These losses include its biodiversity suchas animal and plant species and the planet’secosystems and their multi-trillion dollarservices arising from forests and freshwater tosoils and coral reefs.“The words biodiversity and ecosystems mightseem abstract and remote to many people.But there is nothing abstract about their rolein economies and in the lives of billions ofpeople,” said Mr. Steiner.“Take coral reefs for example. The range ofbenefits generated by these ecosystems andthe biodiversity underpinning them are alltoo often invisible and mainly undervaluedby those in charge of national economiesand international development support,” headded.The latest estimates by The Economics ofEcosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study,which UNEP hosts, indicates that coral reefsgenerate annually up to US$189,000 perhectare in terms of coastal defenses and otherareas of ‘natural hazard management’.“In terms of diving and other tourism revenues,the annual services generated equate toperhaps US$1 million; genetic materials andbio-prospecting, up to US$57,000 per hectareannually and fisheries, up to US$3,800 perhectare per year,” explained Mr. Steiner.Meanwhile, it is estimated, for example, thatone fifth of coral reefs are already seriouslydegraded or under imminent risk of collapseas a result of unsustainable human activitiessuch as coastal developments, over-fishing,destructive fishing practices and pollution.Climate change and ocean acidification, linkedwith the build-up of carbon dioxide, couldeventually see 50 per cent and perhaps up to100 per cent loss of coral reefs worldwide.“If you factor the true value of coral reefs intoeconomic planning, it is likely that far morerational and sustainable choices would bemade in terms of development, emissions andpollution control and resource management.It is a similar story in respect to all of theplanet’s nature-based assets from forests andfreshwaters to mountains and soils,” said Mr.Steiner.He added that 2010 was meant to be the yearwhen the world reversed the rate of loss ofbiodiversity, but this had not happened.“I would urge heads of states to renew theircommitment and set their sights broad andhigh. The urgency of the situation demands thatas a global community we not only reversethe rate of loss, but that we stop the lossaltogether and begin restoring the ecologicalinfrastructure that has been damaged anddegraded over the previous century or so,”stressed Mr. Steiner.He added that the International Year ofBiodiversity would prove a success only ifseveral litmus tests are met.ScienceThere is an urgent need to bridge the gapbetween science and policy-makers ingovernments around the world.In February, environment ministers attendingUNEP’s Governing Council/Global MinisterialEnvironment Forum will decide whether ornot to establish an Intergovernmental Panelor Platform on Biodiversity and EcosystemServices (IPBES).“There is an urgent need to take forward thescience, in part to sharpen our understanding ofthe natural world and unravel its complexities.For example, we still do not know how manyspecies are needed within a given ecosystemto maintain its health and its economicallyimportantservices,” said Mr. Steiner.“There is also an urgent need to ensure thatthe wealth of science we already have is usedby governments to maximum effect andgenuine and sustained action on the ground,”he added.The proposed IPBES is aimed at addressingthese issues. Mr. Steiner pointed out thatgovernments should consider supporting theproposed new panel or give guidance on analternative body or mechanism. He added thestatus quo was not an option if biodiversityloss is to be truly addressed.Public AwarenessMobilizing public support across countries,cities, companies and communities would beamong the keys to a successful year.“De-mystifying terms such as biodiversityand ecosystems and communicating complexconcepts and sometimes obscure scientificterms, will also be vital to get people onboard,” said UNEP’s Executive Director.“Linking livelihoods, the combating of povertyand the relationship between biodiversity andnatural systems with the health of economiesneeds to set the tone. Equally the link betweennot only the threat from climate change butthe role of living organisms and systems inbuffering humanity against the worst impactsof global warming are messages that need tobe heard loud and clear,” he added.1. For example, an estimated 5 gigatonnes or15 percent of worldwide carbon dioxideemissions – the principal greenhouse gas– are absorbed or ‘sequestrated’ by forestsevery year, making them the “mitigationengine” of the natural world.2. Forests also capture and store rainwater,releasing it into river systems while alsorecycling a great deal of the nutrients uponwhich agriculture depends.3. Marine ecosystems, including mangroves,salt marshes and sea-grasses are not onlycoastal defenses and fish nurseries. It isestimated that they are absorbing andlocking away greenhouse gases equal tohalf the world’s transport emissions.EconomicsBringing the economics of biodiversityand healthy ecosystems into mainstreameconomics and national accounts would be amajor achievement.TEEB, which builds on some 20 years of work,will publish its final report in advance of the10th meeting of the Conference of the Partiesto the Convention on Biological Diversity inNagoya, Japan, in October this year.However, its work so far has shed new lighton how much the global economy is losing asa result of its failure to sustainably manage itsnatural capital.The TEEB Interim Report estimated thatannual losses as a result of deforestation andforest degradation alone may equate to lossesof US$2 trillion to over US$4.5 trillion alone.The study is also underlining the hugeeconomic returns from investing in nature.It is estimated that for an annual investment ofUS$45 billion into protected areas alone, thedelivery of ecosystem services worth someUS$5 trillion a year could be secured.The study underlines that many countriesare already factoring natural capital intosome areas of economic and social life withimportant returns, but that this needs rapidand sustained scaling-up.In Venezuela, investment in the national protectedarea system is preventing sedimentation thatotherwise could reduce farm earnings byaround US$3.5 million a year.Planting and protecting nearly 12,000 hectaresof mangroves in Vietnam costs just over US$1million but saved annual expenditures on dykemaintenance of well over US$7 million.One in 40 jobs in Europe are now linkedwith the environment and ecosystem servicesranging from clean tech 'eco-industries' toorganic agriculture, sustainable forestry andeco-tourism.“Among the positive outcomes of therecent UN climate convention meeting inCopenhagen was an agreement that ReducedEmissions from Deforestation and ForestDegradation (REDD) can join the existingoptions for combating climate change. In otherwords, paying developing nations to conserveforests systems so that the carbon remainslocked in nature rather than emitted to theatmosphere,” said Mr. Steiner.Other possibilities, ones that meet the climatebut also the biodiversity challenge, could followand should be taken forward in 2010.These include carbon payments for farmersand landowners who manage agricultureand land in ways that reduce greenhouse gasemissions and enhance living systems and therole of marine ecosystems in climate includingadaptation but also their importance in termsof biodiversity.Alien Invasive SpeciesPart of the challenge that echoes the economicquestion includes addressing alien invasivespecies.These are species that, as a result ofinternational trade including shippingor deliberate introductions, can flourishunchecked in their new homes sometimesthousands of kilometers from where they arenaturally found.By some estimates alien invasive species maybe costing the global economy US$1.4 trillionor more while representing a further challengeto the poverty-related UN MillenniumDevelopment Goals.In sub-Saharan Africa, the invasive witchweed isresponsible for annual maize losses amountingto US$7 billion: overall losses to aliens mayamount to over US$12 billion in respect toAfrica's eight principle crops.“Improved international cooperation throughthe UNEP-linked Convention on BiologicalDiversity is needed and stepped up supportfor the Global Invasive Species Programme,”said UNEP’s Executive Director.“It is also important to boost the capacityof the responsible national customs andquarantine agencies, especially in developingcountries and to accelerate controls on themovement of aliens via the UN’s InternationalMaritime Organization,” he added.Access and Benefit SharingSuccessfully negotiating an international regimeon access and benefit sharing of geneticresources at the CBD meeting in Japan wouldalso be a landmark for 2010.Currently, and in the absence of such a regime,many developing countries harbouring therichest source of genetic material are decliningcompanies from developing countries andscientists access to these resources.An international regime could fostercooperation and unlock the genetic resourcesavailable in the developing world for thedevelopment of new pharmaceuticals, newcrop strains and materials for all nations.In turn it could trigger financial flows fromNorth to South and improve the economicsof conserving biodiversity and ecosystems.“Constructive negotiations are underway sincethe last meeting of the CBD in Bonn in 2008and there is optimism that an internationalregime could be concluded to the benefit ofdeveloped and developing economies, to thebenefit of biodiversity and ecosystems,” saidMr. Steiner.Improved InternationalEnvironment GovernanceThe international response to biodiversityloss and sustainable management of naturebasedresources has been the establishmentof several key bio-related treaties.These include the CBD and its CartagenaProtocol on living modified organisms; theConvention on the International Trade inEndangered Species; the Convention onMigratory Species; the Ramsar Conventioncovering wetlands and the Africa EurasiaWaterbird Agreement.Greater cooperation between the relevanttreaties and agreements should be fostered in2010 in order to accelerate the internationalresponse.8 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 9

NEWSNEWSLOOKING FOR NEW DIVE SITES?Al Boom Diving is now offering daily divesin the Musandam by speedboat. We still runthe Friday dhow trip as well. Contact us onabdiving@emirates.net.ae or call 04 3422993 to book your dive!Most of the dive sites in the Musandam aresloping sides descending from the HajarMountain fjords. Coral reefs are abundant inthis remote area, reef fish, rays, dolphins, seaturtles and whale sharks are frequently sighted.The sloping sides at most dive sites make thesites suitable for all levels of divers as youcan choose your depth. Currents in the areamake it advisable for Zone 1 divers to havethe Open Water certification with 20 loggeddives and Zone 2 divers to be at least PADIAdvanced Open Water certification holders.Zone 1 > Dibba Port to LeemaRas HaffaA classic Musandam dive site, with slopingsides and as yet un-spoilt; Ras Haffa is closeto the Musandam fishing village of Haffa. Idealas a second, shallower dive of the day, this sitehas colourful corals and reef fish. Look out forsea turtles, black tip reef sharks and all of thecharacters from Finding Nemo!Depth: 5 – 15mThe CavesA Musandam favourite, this dive site has it all:coral reefs, reef fish, and a selection of swimthroughs.A rock overhang gives the site itsname. Popular as a shallow second dive of theday, this dive site is great for all dive levels. Lookout for the entrances to the swim throughsand watch your buoyancy as you proceedthrough them!Avg Depth: 5 – 12 mRas AlfieWe don’t know the real name for this site, butthat’s the adventure of the Musandam – if youfind a new dive site, you can name it! Found byour instructor, Alfie, this previously unknowndive site is in pristine condition. The slopingsides that are so barren above the waterdescend to a rich reef that is home to hardand soft corals, angelfish, jacks, Moorish idols(or Al Boom Fish) and cuttle fish.Avg Depth: 5 – 22mRas SamutAlso known as ‘Wonder Wall’, Ras Samut issituated close to Leema Rock. Ideal as a firstdive of the day in Zone 1, the sloping sidesof this dive site are home to everything frombig batfish and spotted eagle rays, to Arabianangelfish and colourful clown fish. There canbe strong currents at the top point of the site,so it is best to dive towards the point andsurface in the shallows around the corner inthe sheltered bay. Don’t forget your fish IDcards to identify all that you see on this dive!Depth: 5 – 25mLeema RockAnother Musandam must see, Leema Rockis situated close to the Musandam village ofLeema. The barren rock juts out from theocean, but underwater it is home to a varietyof marine life! All sides of Leema Rock make forgreat diving, but the seaward side of the rock isprone to strong currents and is best avoided.In the summer months, juvenile whale sharksare often spotted in the area. Sea turtles, jacksand reef fish are abundant. The sloping sides ofthe island mean that it is possible to do twodives on Leema Rock, the south side at depthand the north side at a shallower level.Avg Depth: 3 – 27mZone 2 > Leema to Khor HablanePearl IslandJust past Leema Rock is Pearl Island. One ofthe easier dive sites of Zone 2, Pearl Islandoffers great reef diving, and is ideal as a seconddive of the day. Average depth is 10m aroundthe island, descending to 20m further from therock. Daisy and teddy bear corals in oranges,reds and pinks cover the reef. Parrot fish, clownfish and a variety of reef fish can be seen onthis busy reef.Depth: 5 – 12mRas MaroviInteresting rock formations on the surfacedescend to produce a varied underwaterlandscape at Ras Marovi. Just north of PearlIsland, Ras Marovi is made up of four islands,with the best diving in the channels betweenthe islands. Currents can be strong runningalong the channels making it good for driftdives. Ras Marovi is home to a variety ofsharks such as white tips, grey reef and leopardsharks. It is not unheard of to see manta rayson occasion.Depth: 6 – 30mOctopus RockOne of the northern most dive sites of Zone2 is Octopus Rock. Named because of therock’s resemblance to an octopus, the circularisland on the surface stretches out in ‘tentacle’shapes underwater. Most divers start the diveat the tentacle edges where it is deepest andend the dive close to the island. Here youwill see big fish – grouper, batfish and sunfish.Shoals of jacks and barracuda can be seen aswell as a nurse shark or two if you are lucky!This is a great dive for advanced divers.Depth: 5 – 20mKhor HablaneOne of the most northern dive sites of Zone2, this dive site is well worth the longer boatride. Khor Hablane refers to an area northof Octopus Rock where sloping sides andsmall bays before Zone 3. Pebble beaches arecommon in the area, and a variety of divesawait your exploration.Depth: 3 – 30mResort based diving in theMusandamDiving from the Golden Tulip in Dibba(Musandam) by speedboat is available dailyfrom Al Boom Diving. A 42-ft custom divingspeedboat has been placed in the Musandamto offer dive trips all the way up to KhorHablane in the Musandam. It is now possible toaccess Oakley Island, Khor Hablane, OctopusRock, Ryan’s Rock, Pearl Island and Hard RockCafé on a day trip from the hotel.The speedboat departs the Golden Tulip at8:30am, and returns by 3pm. On arrival backat the hotel, Al Boom Divers can enjoy 25% offfood and beverage at the hotel and free useof the beach facilities. Special room rates makeit affordable to stay over in the Musandam, atDhs 400 per room per night for two, bed andbreakfast; or Dhs 600 per room per night fortwo, dinner, bed and breakfast! This makes itpossible to enjoy a weekend of Musandamdiving at a very affordable rate.Two dives in Zone 1 (as far as Leema Rock) with fullkit is Dhs 425 (including Musandam park fees and agourmet sandwich).Two dives in Zone 2 (Leema Rock to Khor Hablane)with full kit is Dhs 500 (including Musandam parkfees and a gourmet sandwich).Packed lunchesAl Boom Diving is now offering packagedsandwiches on our Musandam and east coastdives. The sandwiches, supplied by Le MeridienAl Aqah, are available on our 9am and 12noon dives at Al Aqah, and on the Musandamspeedboat trips. A large sandwich and frieskeeps you going on your second dives, for justDhs 25! There is a choice of roast beef, grilledveg or chicken pesto. A full Arabic buffet is stillserved on our dhow trips.Remember that Al Boom Divers get 25% offfood and beverage at the Gonu Bar at LeMeridien Al Aqah and at the Golden TulipDibba. 20% discount is available from SportsCafé at Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa.For more information, email Al Boom Diving onabdiving@emirates.net.ae or call 04 342 2993.Dive and stay dealsThe drive back from your favourite dive sitesin the Musandam and Fujairah can be tiringwork on the weekend, and that’s why Al BoomDiving has teamed up with our partner hotelsto offer ‘dive and stay’ packages. These areavailable at Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resortin Fujairah, Golden Tulip and the Jebel Ali GolfResort and Spa.Room rates for two, including breakfast,are available. The options from there are upto you to tailor your weekend or mid-weekgetaway as suits you. Will you stay for threenights while you finish your Open Water orAdvanced Course? Will you dive in Al Aqah,Musandam or Dubai? Will you go for the allinclusive breakfast and dinner? There is evenan option for the “All you can eat, all you candrink and all you can dive” package for sheerindulgence! If you have friends that are notdivers, why not suggest the stay over and aDiscover Scuba Diving course?For more information, give us a call or email uson the contact details below. Alternatively takea look at www.alboomdiving.com, and checkout the newly updated Go Dive section.Email: abdiving@emirates.net.aeTel: 04 342 2993Facebook group: Al Boom Diving ClubAl Boom Diving Reefball ProjectOn Tuesday February 9 th , Al Boom Diving held a reef monitoring day at Le Meridien Al Aqahwhere divers were invited to do two dives on the “Meridien Reef” and complete courses likeCoralWatch and PADI Project Aware.Placed in May 2009, it was expected that the artificial reef would progress slowly over the nextthree to five years. The progress has been excellent however with plant life already covering thereefballs, and many juvenile reef fish settling on the site. Hammour, crabs, lobster, banner fish andjacks are already calling the artificial reef home. The most exciting and recent addition to the reefis a large moray eel, which has taken up residence.To increase the number of coral reef areas in the UAE, Al Boom Diving has started the Reef ballproject. To date, an artificial reef has been placed at Le Meridien Al Aqah, and one at the JebelAli Golf Resort and Spa. Reef balls, from the Reefball Foundation are being manufactured forthis purpose.The Reef Ball Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization that functions as an internationalenvironmental organization. The foundation uses Reef Ball artificial reef technology combinedwith coral propagation, transplant technology, public education and community training to build,restore and protect coral reefs. The foundation has established “Reef Ball reefs” in over 56countries with ongoing projects in 14 additional countries (giving a total of over 70 countries).Man’s activities and natural disasters have led to a reduction in our natural reef systems. The lossof our natural systems, coupled with increased use compels us to do all that we can to save thenatural coral reefs.Although Al Boom Diving is the primary party in this project, we have the assistance of someother companies. Other parties involved in the project are: the Emirates Diving Association,Lootah Group and, Le Meridien Al Aqah and the Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa, for the housereef outside the hotels.For more information, please contact Al Boom Diving on: abdiving@emirates.net.ae10 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 11

NEWSARTIFICIAL REEF BUILDING DIVEFeature SAMI NASR GRADE 9IMAGES AT AGLANCEEDA MEMBER:PHILIPPE LECOMTE(KOH SAMUI, THAILAND)DUBAI • FUJAIRAH • MUSANDAM • DUBAI MALL AQUARIUMWhat a difference a school embodying a groupof students eager to do even an inkling of goodcan be! Only a couple of years ago, our goalsin life were simply to get through each schoolday like it was any other, to socialize and enjoyour time with friends, and of course to tryand learn something educational as we goalong. Little did we know that our goals wouldtransform into something more significant andmore effective not only to ourselves, but toour community.Being a student at the International School ofArts and Sciences (ISAS) has given me thewonderful opportunity to become an altruisticand active participant in many concerns andprojects, most crucial of which has been theenvironment and its struggle not to crumble asa result of our nonchalance and carelessness.I consider myself one of the lucky ones whogot to partake in a project that you don’t getto be involved in quite often at such a youngage. You watch the news and hear about wellknownmulti-national companies that decideto build something environmental, but little didwe know that we, young learners, would get torealize a project of this worth and magnitude.It all happened when we woke up one chillyDecember morning, and instead of dressingup and heading straight to ISAS, the school,in collaboration with the Al Boom Diving,decided to take us on a trip to Jebel Ali resortto assist in building an artificial reef.As we geared up, we were greeted by diveinstructors, staff, environmental engineers, andsome friends that had arrived earlier. The teamleader briefed us on our upcoming missionand we were ready to go. It was all perfectlyarranged. The students who had some divingexperience but still assisted by certifiedinstructors went straight to the beach to starttheir work. The beginner divers were escortedto the pool for a introductory diving course.The adrenalin rush we felt knowing thatwe were about to be part of something soessential for our environment made it all themore worthwhile. We dived around the sitewhere the concrete ‘Reefball’ blocks wouldbe placed and the instructors and engineersprepared us for what was to come.After a few hours followed by a short breakwhere we ate a light snack and drank somewater, we got ready for the real work. Joinedby our now more confident diver friends, thesecond dive was when we started droppingthe reefballs and building the reef. Not onlydid we get to work, but we also witnessed thebeauty of the ocean world. We saw countlessvibrant and bright fish and sea plants of all sizesand a sunken catamaran; it was breathtaking!After the dive, we had some more food, andspoke about the unique experience we hadjust had. We took pictures and tried to savourevery moment of our time there.We all hope to go back to the dive site in amonth to see how much it has changed andimproved as a living reef for fish. It feels sorewarding and I can’t help but feel proud ofmyself and my friends for contributing to thehealing of our environment.On behalf of my friends, I would like to thankour school, the International School of Arts andSciences, and the supportive team of divers fromAl Boom diving club, engineers, and organizersfrom Jebel Ali Resort for instilling in us a sense ofenvironmental responsibility and consciousnessand for urging us to preserve, even if in thesmallest of steps, our increasingly fragile planet. our latest equipment...ON SALE!with IN-Water Demos!at the boat show! Al Wasl Road, Dubai UAE • T: +971 4 3422993 • F: +971 4 3422995 • abdiving@emirates.net.ae • www.alboomdiving.com12 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 13

NEWSATLANTIS DIVE CENTRELocated on the Crescent of the Palm andnestled among a fish-lovers paradise, the PADI 5Star Atlantis Dive Centre opened it’s doors to thepublic on the 15 th January. As the brain child of PeterTurnbull – an avid diver and fish enthusiast in his ownright – partnering with Jason Sockett, who brings with himover 12 years of diving instructorship in the Gulf, the AtlantisDive Centre offers big promises before you even step over thethreshold.As you are welcomed into the Dive Centre you are greeted witha group of highly enthusiastic, multinational divers who are keen tobestow some of their passion onto you. Each instructor has spent 6months learning the waters of the Gulf and include sites within theirportfolios which up until now have been unavailable to recreationaldivers. A real plus point for those who are now familiar with the alreadywondrous treasures our surrounding waters have to offer.Show YourSupportTo further enhance the true devotion for diving, each member of theadmin team are also keen divers. Their knowledge of the sport alonewill quickly assure you of the level of training and commitment thatis expected at the Atlantis Dive Centre. Coupled with the warm andfamily friendly atmosphere there is a place for everyone on the fullrange of courses offered.The Atlantis Dive Centre has two purpose built indoor salt-waterpools offering multiple level learning from 1.3m to 3.5m. Salt-waterpools allow divers to experience buoyancy comparable with the openwater from the very onset.The first pool is primarily used for Open Water students wherebythe dual-level provides the diver a secure environment in which toacclimatize to the various requirements before hitting the open seas.The secondary pool at 3.5m and complete with a submarine offersan idyllic environment for PPB Specialty Courses whereby divers mayperfect their weighting, reeling in and out for wreck diving and videoand photography equipment familiarization.With two 37ft Sea Masters and one W27F boats at their disposal,getting to dive sites in style and comfort is a given. Having 3 boatsoffers independent instructors an advantage of taking their studentsto sites separately from those already booked at the Atlantis DiveCentre. Leaving directly from the centre, students require minimalinvolvement in lugging equipment around offering a more relaxed andsocial approach to the experience.Project AWARE Foundation’s NewestCertification Card for 2010So with a full range of PADI courses, weekend live-aboard excursionsto neighbouring Oman and unprecedented experiences in our saltwaterpools, the Atlantis Dive Centre aims to achieve a memorableexperience for any diver of all levels. We hope to see you for a visitvery soon.LocationFollow the main road on the Palm to the Crescent and signs toAtlantis. Turn right as you exit the tunnel and follow the Crescentroad along the waterfront past Atlantis Hotel. Go right at the 3 rdRound About and the Atlantis Dive Centre is located on the righthand side of the car park directly behind the security building.Select the Project AWARE version of your PADI certification card. 100% of your donation abovethe standard card fee supports conservation of underwater environments including global speciesmonitoring, data collection initiatives, education, research and improved resource management.Contact Info: 04 426 3000www.atlantisdivecentre.comreception@atlantisdivecentre.comwww.projectaware.org14 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 15© Project AWARE Foundation 2010. All Rights Reserved.

CORAL NEWSCORAL NEWSCORAL REEF BIOLOGYFeature CORIS – NOAA CORAL REEF INFORMATION SYSTEM PHOTOGRAPHY MARCELO MARIOZIThousands of coral species exist worldwide.Stony (hermatypic) corals are the bestrecognized because of their elaborate andcolorful formations. One trait of stony coralsis their capacity to build reef structures thatrange from tens, to thousands of metersacross. As they grow, reefs provide structuralhabitats for hundreds to thousands of differentvertebrate and invertebrate species.Although corals are found throughout theworld, reef-building corals are confinedto waters that exhibit a narrow band ofcharacteristics. The water must be warm,clear, and saline. These waters are almostalways nutrient-poor as well. Physiologicallyand behaviorally, corals have evolved to takeadvantage of this unique environment andthrive.Not only are reef-building corals confined bya specific range of environmental conditions,but as adults, almost all of them are sessile. Thismeans that for their entire lives, they remainon the same spot of the sea floor. Thus, reefbuildingcorals have developed reproductive,feeding, and social behaviors that allow themto gain the maximum survival benefit fromtheir situation.Reproductive BehaviorOver the eons many corals have evolved withthe ability to reproduce both asexually andsexually. In asexual reproduction, new clonalpolyps bud off from parent polyps to expandor begin new colonies. This occurs when theparent polyp reaches a certain size and divides.The process continues throughout the animal'slife, forming an ever-expanding colony.The nature of sexual reproduction amongcorals varies by species. About three-quartersof all stony corals form hermaphroditiccolonies. These colonies have the ability toproduce both male and female gametes. Theremainder form gonochoristic colonies whichcan produce either male or female gametes,but not both. The sexuality of corals'; whetherhermaphroditic or gonochoristic – tends to beconsistent within species and genera, althoughthere are exceptions.As a predominantly sessile group of organisms,about three-quarters of all stony coralsemploy broadcast spawning to distributetheir offspring over a broad geographic area.These corals release massive numbers ofeggs and sperm into the water column. Thegametes fuse in the water column to formplanktonic larvae (planulae). A moderatelysizedcolony may produce up to severalthousand planulae per year. Large numbers ofplanulae are produced to compensate for themany hazards they inevitably will encounter asthey are carried through the water. The timebetween planulae formation and settlement isa period of exceptionally high mortality amongcorals. In contrast, some coral species broodplanulae within their bodies after internalfertilization. While spawning is associated withhigh numbers of eggs and planulae, broodingresults in fewer, larger and better-developedplanulae.Planulae swim upward toward the light(positive phototaxis) to enter the surfacewaters and be transported by the current. Thisbehavior is observed not only in nature but inlaboratory experiments as well. After floatingat the surface for some time, the planulae swimback down to the bottom, where, if conditionsare favorable, they will settle and begin a newcolony. In most species, the larvae settle withintwo days, although some will swim for up tothree weeks, and in one known instance, twomonths.Once the planulae settle, mortality rates dropsteadily as they metamorphose into polypsand form colonies which increase in size. Thenew colony becomes sexually mature at aminimum size, depending on the species. Somemassive species, like Favia doreyensis, reachsexual maturity when polyps grow to about 10cm in diameter, which occurs when they areabout eight years old. However, some fastergrowing,branching corals, including species ofAcropora, Pocillipora, and Stylophora, reachsexual maturity at a younger age.Spawning EventsAmong sessile corals, the timing of the massrelease of gametes into the water column(broadcast spawning event) is very importantbecause males and females cannot moveinto reproductive contact. Spawning speciesmust release their gametes into the watersimultaneously. Because colonies may beseparated by wide distances, this release mustbe both precisely and broadly synchronized,and is usually done in response to multipleenvironmental cues.The long-term control of spawning (controlof the maturation of gonads) may be relatedto temperature, day length and/or rate oftemperature change (either increasing ordecreasing). The short-term (getting ready tospawn) control is usually based on lunar cues.The final release, or spawn, is usually based onthe time of sunset. Cues also may be biological(involving chemical messengers) or physical.Brooding species can store unfertilized eggsfor weeks, and thus, require less synchronyfor fertilization. Spawning species requiresynchrony within a time frame of hours. Thisregional synchrony varies geographically. InAustralia’s Great Barrier Reef, more than100 of the 400 plus species of corals spawnsimultaneously within a few nights duringspring or early summer. Studies have shownthat coral species can form hybrids throughmass spawning. Such observations have ledto the theory of reticulate evolution whereasmodern coral species came about not throughthe separation of new species along differentlineages, but rather through a continual processof separation and fusion.In western Australia and the Flower GardenBanks of the northern Gulf of Mexico,spawning occurs in late summer or fall, and notnecessarily simultaneously. In the northern RedSea, none of the major coral species reproduceat the same time. In addition, individual coralsdo not necessarily breed every year. Evidenceindicates that slow-growing, longer-lived coralsare less likely to spawn every year than fastergrowing,shorter-lived species.Feeding Behavior and ReefProductivityThe unique mutualism between hermatypiccorals and their photosynthetic zooxanthellaeis the driving force behind the settlement,growth and productivity of coral reefs.Zooxanthellae are photosynthetic, singlecelleddinoflagellates, living in the endodermaltissues of stony corals polyps (intracellularly).Often, zooxanthellae are concentrated inthe polyps’ gastrodermal cells and tentacles.Deep water and some cold water corals lackzooxanthellae, but virtually all reef-buildingcorals possess them.During photosynthesis, zooxanthellae “fix” largeamounts of carbon, part of which they passon to their host polyp. This carbon is largely inthe form of glycerol but also includes glucoseand alanine. These chemical products are usedby the polyp for its metabolic functions or asbuilding blocks in the manufacture of proteins,fats and carbohydrates. The symbiotic algaealso enhance the coral’s ability to synthesizecalcium carbonate.Because of their intimate relationship withzooxanthellae, hermatypic corals respond tothe environment in many ways reminiscentof plants. As a result, the distribution andgrowth of corals is strongly light-dependent, asis the overall growth of the reef. The verticaldistribution of living coral reefs is restrictedto the depth of light penetration, which iswhy most coral reefs dwell in shallow waters,ranging to depths of approximately 60 to 70meters. The number of species of hermatypiccorals on a reef declines rapidly in deeperwater; the curve closely follows that for lightextinction.Because of their dependence on light, reefcorals require clear water. Thus, coral reefsgenerally are found only where the surroundingwater contains small amounts of suspendedmaterial, i.e., in water of low turbidity and lowproductivity. Thus, corals prefer waters that arenutrient-poor, yet paradoxically, are among themost productive of marine environments.Although the zooxanthellae supply a majorpart of their energy needs, most coralsalso require zooplankton prey. With someexceptions, most corals feed at night. Whencapturing food particles, corals feed in amanner similar to sea anemones. Polypsextend their tentacles to capture prey, firststinging them with toxic nematocyst cells,then drawing them toward their mouths.In addition to capturing zooplankton, manycorals also collect fine particles in mucousfilm or strands, which are drawn by cilia intothe polyp's mouth. Some species are entirelymucous suspension feeders, such as thefoliaceous (“leafy”) agariciids, which have fewor no tentacles. Prey ranges in size from smallfish to small zooplankton, depending on thesize of the coral polyps.Prey supplies the coral and its zooxanthellaewith nitrogen, an element essential to bothorganisms, but one that is not produced insufficient amounts by either. The symbioticrelationship between corals and zooxanthellaefacilitates a tight recycling of nutrients back andforth between the two.The degree to which the coral depends onzooxanthellae is species-specific. Branchingcorals appear to be more self-nourishing(autotrophic) than some of the massive corals,largely because the multi-layered growth formof branching corals allows for a greater surfacearea to intercept light both horizontally andvertically. This enables corals to make maximaluse of both incident and scattered light. Inaddition to these skeletal modifications, thepolyps of branching corals tend to be small,thereby exposing the maximum area ofzooxanthellae to light.Corals that must obtain nourishment fromoutside sources (heterotrophic) typically arespheroidal and have a single-layered skeletalstructure. Less plant material exists in the thickertissues of massive corals as well. Heterotrophiccorals possess thicker, larger polyps that allowfor the capture of more plankton. Their formalso maximizes the surface area of planktoninterceptingtissue.The data on the amount of energy that coralsderive autotrophically and heterotrophicallyare uncertain. However, estimates project thatthe proportion of energy ultimately derivedfrom photosynthesis ranges from over 95% inautotrophic corals to about 50% in the moreextreme heterotrophic species.Evidence suggests that the phenomenally highproductivity found on coral reefs is a complexfunction of the combination of efficient lightcapture mechanisms and nutrient recycling, aswell as hydrodynamic processes.Competitive BehaviorCorals require free substratum for settlementand free space for growth. Stony corals usetwo basic strategies to compete for space:indirect encounters (overtopping) and directinteractions (aggression).An overtopping strategy is used most oftenby fast growing species. For instance, stouter,slower-growing corals are sometimes at acompetitive disadvantage when they coexistwith branching corals, which, by virtue oftheir upright, faster growth, gradually overtoptheir neighbors. The effects of overtoppingare indirect. Underlying corals suffer lightdeficiency and come into contact with fewerfood particles. Shaded from the necessarylight, the overgrown species may die eventually,and recruitment of new colonies may beprevented, leaving a pure stand of branchingcorals.Such a situation was observed on the GreatBarrier Reef, where sequential photographswere taken over several years. Branchedcolonies of Acropora gradually extended overcolonies of massive Montipora. When someof the Acropora branches were broken offin a hurricane, the underlying portions of thestouter colonies were dead.In some situations, however, the fast, continuedgrowth of branching corals may lead to theirown demise. If environmental conditions allow18 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 19

CORAL NEWSit, branching coral colonies can become overcrowded and die, andeventually are overgrown by another species.Aggressive BehaviorWhile fast-growing corals often employ overtopping competitivestrategies, other aggressive behaviors often are used by slow-growingspecies. One type of aggressive behavior involves the use of extrudeddigestive filaments and sweeper tentacles. Typically, an attack by anaggressive coral on a subordinate neighbor will result in the death ofsome of the subordinate’s polyps.Such behavior, however, also may allow for the coexistence of fast andslow-growing species. In an experiment conducted on Jamaican coralspecies in the early 1970s by Judith Lang, two coral species were placedadjacent to each other. The corals extruded digestive filaments orallyand through temporary openings in the polyp walls. Usually, one speciesexhibited more aggression than the other, and its filaments penetratedthe adjacent polyp walls of the subordinate species. Within 12 hours,the tissue of the subordinate species in contact with the aggressor’sfilaments was completely digested, exposing the underlying skeleton.Though larger subordinate colonies suffered only local loss of tissue,colonies less than 3 cm in diameter perished after the attack.Lang’s experiments also revealed that each coral species attacked onlycertain species, and each was attacked itself by certain other species,suggesting an “aggressive pecking order” among the corals. Resultssuggested that the slow-growing massive corals belonging to the familiesMussidae, Meandrinidae, and Faviidae were the most aggressive species.The fast-growing, branching acroporid corals were intermediatelyaggressive, and the foliose agariciids, also quick growers, were the leastaggressive. Aggressors may attack more than one subordinate at a time,and intermediately aggressive corals may attack a less aggressive coraleven while being attacked on another side by a more aggressive coral.Thus, it appears that at least on Jamaican reefs, fast- and slow-growingcoral species can coexist because the speed at which branching coralsgrow is balanced by the aggressive nature of massive corals.However, such a balanced competitive environment is not universalamong reef ecosystems. Monospecific stands of corals do exist, andthis may be due to a species being relatively fast growing while alsoaggressive. Other factors like spatial position, size and biological andphysical disturbances also influence the outcomes of competition. Theselocal processes, in addition to regional ones, contribute to the formationof species-diverse assemblages or a reef dominated by one or a fewspecies.The coral reefs off the Pacific coast of Panama illustrate a low speciesdiversity reef and the complex species interactions that can occur.The shallow reefs are dominated by species of fast-growing, branchingPocillopora. Species of the slow-growing, massive Pavona dominate indeeper waters. In the field, the distribution of scars left by tentacleencounters between neighboring corals suggests that Pocillopora isdominant over Pavona. However, in laboratory experiments, Pavona candamage the tissues of Pocillopora within 12 hours of tissue contact.Fortunately, long-term experiments have explained the paradox. Afterplacing Pocillopora and Pavona together on the reef, within two daysPavona extends its mesenterial filaments and kills the adjacent tissuesof Pocillopora. Pavona then retracts its mesenterial filaments, and algaequickly cover the bare areas of Pocillopora skeleton. One to twomonths later, tissue regenerates over the bare patches, and the polypson the peripheral branches of Pocillopora adjacent to Pavona convertsome of their feeding tentacles into very elongated “sweeper” tentaclesthat sway passively in the surge, frequently dragging over the Pavonacolony.Contact with the sweeper tentacles damages or kills the affected Pavonatissue. The exposed skeleton is rapidly colonized by filamentous algaeand later by encrusting coralline algae that prevents further contactbetween the two corals. The sweeper tentacles of Pocillopora contractand resume their normal feeding function. Gradually, the faster-growingPocillopora overtops the Pavona.It is unclear why Pavona does not retaliate by extending its mesenterialfilaments to counteract Pocillopora sweeper tentacles. Someresearchers suggest that the sweeper tentacles are more powerful thanthe mesenterial filaments. Though previously thought to be used onlyfor intercepting zooplankton, sweeper tentacles are structurally similarto the special tentacles of sea anemones that are used for aggressionbetween clones.DisturbancesIn addition to indirect encounters (overtopping) and direct interactions(aggression), the competitive advantage of one stony coral species overanother may be affected by natural disturbances. Physical disturbancesand predation can remove members of a community’s dominantcompetitors, thus enhancing species diversity. However, disturbancesdo not necessarily increase species diversity. For instance, if a predatorprefers a subordinate species, competitive exclusion is enhanced. Anykind of disturbance that disrupts the process of competitive exclusion,but does not eliminate competitors, will promote coexistence.Finally, corals must contend with other competitors like soft coralsand algae for reef space. Disturbances such as catastrophic low tides,predation and grazing affect the availability of space. Sea urchins andherbivorous fish prevent algae from monopolizing space. Soft coralscan be overtopped by stony corals, but their rapid growth anddistastefulness to many predators allow them to rapidly colonize anynewly-opened space.CORAL NEWSHAITI EARTHQUAKE AND CORAL REEFSFeature REEF CHECK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DR. GREGOR HODGSONPHOTOGRAPHY KRISHNA DESAIThe earthquake in Haiti has been a hugetragedy with perhaps 200,000 lost and manymore injured. What has not been discussed isthe status of coral reefs in Haiti. Were theydamaged by the earthquake, and if so will thisaffect the long term food supply for Haitians?Long time Transect Line readers will recallthe dramatic earthquake and tsunami thataffected Aceh, Indonesia and many othercountries in late 2004. Reef Check was the firstconservation organization on scene and sentback the first photos (http://www.reefcheck.org/news/news_detail.php?id=49) of tiltedislands and large areas of exposed dead reef.The problem in Haiti is that very little isknown about the reefs. Reef Check has beenpartnering with a local conservation group inHaiti since 2005 and was preparing for fieldsurveys and training when the earthquakehit. Haiti’s reefs have a large potential to helpsupply protein to the hungry population.Haiti occupies the western half of HispaniolaIsland with a population of over 9 million(25% of the Caribbean). It is the poster childof poverty in the western hemisphere with aper capita GDP of $1300, and environmentaldegradation. 80% of Haitians live underthe poverty line and 54% in abject povertywith 70% of the labor force lacking regularemployment.Fringing coral reefs are found along most ofthe 1829km long coast with a barrier reef inthe north. Very little is known about Haiti’scoral reefs. Reef Check surveys carried out in2002 with the help of RC Jamaica indicatedthat despite heavy impacts, coral reefs in theArcadine/La Gonave area were still in relativelygood condition with up to 50% cover, andincluded large stands of the endangeredElkhorn Coral, Acropora palmata.The Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean (2004) byWorld Resources Institute rated all the reefsaround Haiti to be threatened by humanactivities especially overfishing, poison fishing,watershed-based sources of sediment andpollution. Extensive land clearing and pooragricultural practices have led to dramaticerosion problems threatening over 90% ofthe reefs. Haiti’s coastal resources are themost heavily exploited and poorly managedin the Caribbean, but are the main source oflivelihood and sustenance for an estimated30,000 fishers and their families. Fish alsoprovide 50% of the protein for Haitian people.Fishers target mainly lobster, conch, andreef fishes using spearfishing, light fishing atnight, and poisons (chlorine). Many of theseactivities are illegal, but law enforcement islimited. Without any conservation training orMarine Protected Areas, Haiti will remain in adownward spiral of overexploitation of reefsand reduced ability of reefs to provide proteinor employment.In 2010, Reef Check will again partner with theHaitian NGO, Fondation pour la Protectionde la Biodiversité and Reef Check DominicanRepublic to implement a project to establishthe first MPA in Haiti. Reef Check has a verystrong coral reef monitoring and conservationprogram in the Dominican Republic, the otherhalf of Hispaniola. RC DR is enthusiastic aboutassisting Haiti to improve marine conservation.RC DR is currently co-managing the La CaletaMPA near Santo Domingo so there will begood opportunities for cross-training.If you would like to help Reef Check helpimprove reefs in Haiti so as to increase foodsupply and jobs, please consider a donation(https://my.reefcheck.org/myaccount/make_donation.php) to our Haiti program.20 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 21

Aerial View of Bu Tinah Island - Copyright Sheikh Ahmed bin HamdanFEATUREFEATUREBU TINAH ISLAND: NO LONGERABU DHABI’S BEST KEPT SECRETFeature LAILA YOUSEF AL HASSANAerial View of Dugongs around Bu Tinah Island - Copyright Sheikh Ahmed bin HamdanThe UAE’s environment is indeed a wonderof nature in itself. Repeat that statement toanyone and more often than not, you’ll bemet with an expression of silent amusementor disbelief. For starters, take the sea; ourrelationship with this force dates back to theStone Age. It was linked to the very existenceof people along the coast. Today, it is hometo some of the most extensive seagrass bedsin the world and to the globally endangereddugong. Moreover, take a look inland. It’sdifficult once you’ve experienced the stillnessand felt the cool grains of sand between yourfingers to not fall in love with our deserts.However, as beautiful as they are, thesewonders of nature aren’t immune from theirshare of problems. Our seas are plagued withover fishing and pollution. Our deserts areso strewn with litter and construction debrisand threatened by the race for developmentthat one can’t help but think that one day itwon’t just be footprints in the sand that wewill watch disappear.Nevertheless, 130 km west of Abu Dhabi,is a little known island that is as wild andundisturbed as they get in our region.Imagine an island with shallow sparkling bluewaters and sandy beaches, visited by criticallyendangered wildlife, musical with birdsong andremote from the bustle of human habitation.Add colorful coral reefs and 7-meter highmangrove trees to that picture and you’ll startto get an idea of the peace and beauty of BuTinah Island.Unsatisfied with just hearing about this island,we set off to discover Bu Tinah for ourselves.The island remains closed off to the generalpublic, in order for it to remain an undisturbedhaven for wildlife, and so we felt privileged tobe of the lucky few allowed to visit it. After apainfully early departure from Abu Dhabi cityand still dizzy from the boat ride from Al Mirfa,we pulled onto the island. And soon enough,the beautiful scenario described previouslybecame our reality for the next two days.Hot tea whipped up by our trusted BiosphereReserve Rangers in hand, we spent themorning discovering the island. Its sights and itssounds overwhelmed me and I couldn’t helpbut have that unavoidable emotional moment.I felt proud that the organization I work for, theEnvironment Agency – Abu Dhabi has defiedthe odds and managed to protect this islandso far.It’s winter and so we were not the only onesenjoying the island. The spectacular Osprey, anexpert fisher, had already set up its impressivenest and was ready to breed. Perhaps the mostinteresting fact about the Osprey has to dowith one of its toes! It is completely reversibleand the osprey can turn it backwards andforwards. But what we found most remarkableis that the male often arrives a few days aheadof the female to take care of ‘business’ and doall the fishing in preparation for her. WhenAutumn arrives, these birds fly away to variousdestinations including Oman.Bu Tinah is an important roosting site foraround 25,000 globally threatened Socotracormorants and the surrounding watersprovide enough fish for all of them. Specialistsin diving deep in search of food, these birdshave the amazing ability to accurately controlthe depth at which they swim. The island’swaters also host the world’s second largestpopulation of dugongs, a shy harmless marinemammal that is globally threatened.As we continued to explore the island on foot,we came across two graves submerged in theintertidal zone. An uncomfortable silenceovercame the group but was quickly brokenby our questions. We were told they wereold graves that may have belonged to pearlfishermen. These were probably fishermenwho sacrificed their lives at sea by the turnof the twentieth century, when the UAE wasgaining a reputation for producing some of thebest natural pearls in the world.Bu Tinah Island is quickly attracting the world’sattention, as it should. It is a core area ofthe Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve,which is managed by the EnvironmentAgency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), and was thefirst marine biosphere reserve in the regionto be recognized by UNESCO. The Island isconsidered a miracle of nature because in spiteof the UAE’s harsh temperatures and salinity,its habitats and species remain healthy.Competing against the likes of the GalapagosIslands and the Great Barrier Reef in aninternational poll to become one of theMangroves - Copyright EADDugong - Copyright Yusuf ThakurSocotra Cormorants - Copyright EADFlamingos - Copyright EADNew 7 Wonders of Nature, Bu Tinah standsa winning chance because of what it canteach us about environmental protection andsurvival. Its thriving habitat and species haveformed a unique living laboratory with keysignificance for climate change research. Inearly 2010, the Environment Agency – AbuDhabi (EAD) launched a regional campaignto raise awareness about Bu Tinah Island anddrive people to vote for it as one of the New7 Wonders of Nature.As I set my gaze on the sun setting on BuTinah, with good friends by my side, I watchedthe cormorants fill up the horizon. The view ismajestic and the serenity of the place brokenby the sounds of a few stirred up ospreys. Ifelt so far removed from the craziness of theworld. And that experience in itself gets myvote every time.Why Should You Vote for BuTinah Island?1. Coral ReefsThey have tolerated our high temperatures,making them a living laboratory for globalclimate change studies. They are extensive andmainly consist of hard corals.2. Seagrass & SeaweedThree species of seagrass and over 21 speciesof marine algae are found around Bu Tinah.These aquatic meadows provide food for avariety of marine wildlife, including globallyendangered sea turtles and dugongs. Theyalso supply shelter to a number of smaller seaanimals.3. MangrovesA long stretch of natural mangrove trailsalong the backwaters of Bu Tinah. Mangrovesare among the most fertile and productiveecosystems on the face of the Earth. They actas feeding or breeding grounds for a variety ofbirds and marine life.4. DugongThe shyest character of the island is definitelythe dugong, a gentle and graceful marinemammal also known as the Sea Cow. AbuDhabi hosts the second-largest dugongpopulation in the world! (the majority ofwhich are found in the waters surrounding BuTinah Island). Dugongs have found Bu Tinah tobe an ideal natural sanctuary for them becauseof the extensive seagrass meadows and theprohibition of human activity.5. TurtlesEvery year, the stunning and criticallyendangered Hawksbill turtle returns to neston Bu Tinah. Annual monitoring has revealeda high number of foraging green and hawksbillturtles.6. BirdsSeveral bird species take refuge in the winteron Bu Tinah because of the abundant availabilityof food in its shallow waters. It is an importantstopover site for migratory birds and breedingsite for the Osprey, the Western-reef heron,the Bridled tern, the White-cheeked tern andthe Greater flamingo. In addition, it is a roostsite for the Socotra cormorant, supportingapproximately 20,000 to 25,000 birds.7. FishThe Orange-spotted grouper, the Spangledemperor and the Sordid sweetlips are yearroundresident fish species in the waters ofBu Tinah. Higher temperatures during thesummer months cause species such as theTwo-bar seabream and the Orange-spottedtrevally to escape to deeper waters, returningto the island in September.8. DolphinsAt least three species of dolphin are foundaround the island. Indo-pacific humpbackdolphins are observed close to the islandwhile Common dolphins are seen in deeperwaters; Bottlenose dolphins are encounteredin the island’s deep and shallow waters.9. InvertebratesInter-tidal and sub-tidal areas of the island arerich in invertebrates such as crabs, insects,worms, jellyfish and mollusks, playing a crucialrole in the coastal food chain. A wide varietyof shoreline birds including the flamingo feedon these invertebrates.How To Vote for Bu TinahIslandVote by Telephone!1. Dial +4487218400072. At the end of the message, enter the BuTinah nominee code 7705.3. If you have voted successfully, you will heara ‘Thank You’ message.Vote by SMS! (UAE Only)SMS the word ‘Bu Tinah’ to 3888.Each SMS costs AED 2 only and you can voteas many times as you like.Vote Online!1. Go to www.vote7.com2. Click on the ‘Vote Now’ icon3. Choose your 7 wonders by clicking next tothe photos of your choice.4. Click on Continue to Step 25. Fill in your personal information and clickthe box that states you agree with all termsand conditions.6. Click on Sumit Your Vote7. You will receive an e-mail from info@vote7.com. Click on the link in the e-mailto confirm your vote.Note: Only one vote is allowed per e-mail address.22 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 23

FEATUREA S.A.F.E.R. WAY TO SAVE YOURSELFFeature SARA-LISE HAITHWassim Al Zein owns a spearfishing store and would like to see theintroduction of more safety gear in the UAEEnzo Maiorga Ascending Inflatable Devicenot hinder his movement or streamliningcapacity, or obstruct any of his physical actionsduring the hunt. It would need to be a systemthat would provide him with a life jacket thatcould be adapted to his exposure suit, and thatit would inflate automatically when he losesconscience during a precarious or dangerousascent. At the same time, it would guaranteethe underwater hunter his positive buoyancyon the surface, even though the diver wouldbe in an unconscious state, his floating positionwould be with his head visibly above waterleaving the possibility him sinking again orinvoluntary aspiration of water difficult. Thiswould then avoid him from consequentdrowning. The diver could also have the gear in‘stand-by” during a difficult ascent and shouldhe feel that it is not required and he can reachthe surface safely, he could cancel the inflationaction.FEATURErechargeable capsules which can be attachedto the weight belt system and can be refilledmultiple times.Hernandez comments on the current existingmodels on the market which are activated bypulling on a string (like those seen on aircrafts).He says that this system does not really meetthe needs of a spear fisher as the inflationmechanism needs to be activated consciouslywhereas blackout is often unanticipatedand inflation needs to be automated. Theadvantage of the S.A.F.E.R. system is once thefirst stage is activated, loss of consciousness orblackout will result in weakening of muscles,and the system is automatically inflated. If thediver hopes or assumes that he will reachthe surface he will not pull the cord or willdoubt its necessity and the possible blackout issurprising and often devastating.Arthur C. Clarke famously quoted “Howinappropriate to call this planet ‘Earth’, when itis clearly ‘Ocean’”. Freediving and spearfishingare captivating sports that allow humans tobecome participants in the Ocean whichoccupies some 70% of our Earth.While land hunters of the wild are equippedwith 4 x 4 vehicles, Global Positioning Systems,and quite often native residents who areexperienced trackers of animals which allowhunters to pin point the location of thedesired target, the spear fisher simply has tosit, wait, watch, and hold his or her breathuntil an immense desire to breathe kicks in.An immediate ascent to the surface to capturesome welcome breaths of air are required, andoften enough the spear fisher drags along a50 kilogramme catch, or larger. During thewaiting process, commonly known as aspetto,the spear fisher slowly consumes all theavailable oxygen that he has drawn in duringone huge gulp of air, and upon the ascent, usesup considerably faster the remaining O2. Withplanning, experience in calculation and gradualtraining, the diver reaches the surface safely toable to display later in the day photos of thecatch on the next visit to Spearboard.com,or drag it down to the fish market for sale,or simply, surprise the family with a deliciousfeast.It is however during this moment of theascent where the international dilemma of aFreediver may start to come into play; it is thefine-line between a possible over-stay at depthand having correctly timed the dive to reachthe surface safely, without the experience ofa Loss of Motor Control at the surface oreven a shallow water blackout. A simple errorin calculation or an over-estimation of one’sphysical capacity or just the mere ignoranceof physical warning signs due to the overpoweringallure of a rather large and tastyfish can lead a diver tragically to a sub-aquaticNirvana from where he may never surface.The result, a tragedy, for family and friends, andperhaps a premature departure or a wastedlife.Not many sports leave the athlete in questionmore responsible for his actions and risk thanspearfishing. All other terrestrial or marinesports have all sorts of safety paraphernaliafor personal protection. There are brakingsystems, safety boots, crash helmets, fireproofsuits, bullet proof vests, knee pads, shoulderpads, elbow pads, and even a spare chute forthat unlucky sky diver. With continued play orpractice of these sports, with use of safetygear, there is a reduced degree of harm andthe outcome may be an “injury” as opposedto a “fatality”.Even scuba divers have a greater chance ofsurvival, with spare air below available froma buddy (provided the scuba diver divesresponsibly with a buddy), and the chance ofdrowning is minimized in case of equipmentfailure.The freediver or spear fisher has only onerecourse for breath, which is the surface. Thereis no greater sight that the lightening of theblue from the darker depths to the glitteringsparkles of sunlight on the water’s surfacewhich sends a message to the diver saying“you are almost there”.There are a million emotions and experiencesfelt by a freediver, from his first excursionsto the sea. However there is no singledescription for the emotion felt when one’sspearfishing buddy is found floating face downon the bottom with his float and spear gunstill attached. And I say the BOTTOM, asspearfishers rarely float due to their weightsystems dragging them down. This person, whohas fallen victim to a blackout, is an unfortunateregular statistic in the spearfishing world. Moreunfortunate also is the breaking of the news tothe family and loved ones.It is surprising that large manufacturers offreediving and spearfishing equipment havenot developed a safety device which could bepromoted alongside that shiny new spear gun.It is almost like manufacturing a car without anair bag or seat belts, a regulator system withoutan “octopus” or rock climbing without ropes.All these are safety devices that will assist youin the event of something going wrong. Oftenenough, things go wrong that you are notnecessarily prepared for in a single moment.A solution for freedivers and spearfishershas been developed by Cuban/Canadianspear fisher and underwater hunter RicardoG. Hernandez who began freediving andspearfishing in 1964. He was trained as anUnderwater Combat Swimmer and waswinner of the First Cuban Armed ForcesNational Spearfishing Championship in 1966.He was also a member of the Cuban WorldChampion Team in 1968. He holds a numberof record experiences including being aMember of the assisting safety team for EnzoMaiorca's No Limits record of 64 meters inCayo Largo, Cuba, 1967, winning the NationalCuban Spearfishing Champion First CategoryS.A.F.E.R. Prototype VestMechanism in Stand By(Compressed position)S.A.F.E.R. Mechanism inreleased position - inflationin 1968, 69 consecutively, having won all theprevious classification competitions in anunprecedented occurrence.More importantly, he is the developer of theUS Patent 5,800,228 in September 1998 forthe invention of a "Permanently WearableFree Diver Self Rescuing System" a uniqueself-rescue device named S.A.F.E.R. (ShallowWater Blackout Anti-Unconsciousness FailsafeRetrieving-System), for which he is currentlyseeking investors for manufacturing. It is apatented system of self-rescue for spear fishersand freedivers.The developer of S.A.F.E.R, Mr. Hernandez, saysthat he understands the necessity of an apneist(freediver) to don safety equipment that willThere is also another possible use of thevoluntary inflation mechanism of the SAFER.If the diver wanted a guaranteed ascent tothe surface after exceeding his maximumoperating depth, or when he finds himself indifferent scenarios like piercing himself on anurchin or injuring his leg, inhibiting an efficientswim kick, he could use the device to surfacewithout using excessive energy or exertion.S.A.F.E.R. is an acronym which stands for“Sistema Permanente Automático deRecuperación de Emergencia y Rescate”, whichroughly translated means Automated FixedSystem of Emergency Recovery and Rescue.The S.A.F.E.R. is the result of many years ofstudy by Hernandez. He has undertakennumerous analyses and experiments todevelop this model of life preserver.It is basically composed of two elements,a specialized low volume jacket made ofisothermal material and an inflation systemmade of three modules in a capsule ofcompressed CO2. The inflation mechanism ofthe S.A.F.E.R. is a small trigger which can beconnected directly to the inflatable jacket. Itis ergonomically designed with a small handlewhich can be pressed with the palm of thehand which then pierces a needle into thecapsule. What is quite innovative is that thisaction does not initially completely perforatethe capsule as long as the hand keeps up thepressure. If the diver loses conscience, thehand relaxes and the automated system kicksin and the jacket will automatically inflate.See the two photos which show the principletest used to demonstrate the concept of thismechanism.If the spear fisher gets to the surface withoutlosing consciousness, there is a reset button(see circled diagram) by which the action ofinflation can be cancelled. This is done by asimple thumb movement.The S.A.F.E.R. comes with 4 filled andFalse expectations often increase the risk ofdrowning. Also, the simple fact that only onecapsule is available in other life jacket systemsmeans that in the event of use it wouldpreclude the spear fisher from the privilege ofhis safety for the rest of the day’s diving.Various world champion competitive freedivershave used similar systems to guarantee theirsafe return to the surface. The most famoussystem is the one used for No-Limits divingsuch as Pipin Ferreras, Umberto Pellizzari, thelate Jacques Mayol and Tanya Streeter. JacquesMayol also used an inflatable jacket with apull-cord activator, during his time which wasa one-time use and had to be re-inflatedon the surface. This is a proven method ofguaranteed ascent, available to all divers andnot just the champions. See an early photo ofEnzo Maiorca using his "back mounted inflatingsurfacing device", which is portrayed quite wellin the famous freediving film “The Big Blue”.In the wise of Ricardo Hernandez, “If youhad one opportunity, even if it were just oneoccasion, where you needed it and did nothave it…you would never need it again.”For more information regarding sales of thisitem contact Sara-Lise at diva@divasindubai.com or alternatively contact Rick Hernandezvia his website www.divesafer.com.24 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 25

FEATUREFREEDIVING IT’S NOT ALL WET!Feature DALE THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY SARA-LISE HAITHdepending on what type of freediving you’re doing, whether it’s forcompetition or fun or just to challenge yourself. It’s the training that letsthe divers know their limits and what to push for, and not all of themare done in water.Dry ApneaJust what it sounds like, it’s dry, yes it takes place on land. There area variety of techniques used. One in particular is the Dry ApneaWalk. This usually involves a “breathe up” which is basically breathingto relax, to help slow everything down, followed by a minute breathhold while seated, and then without breaking the hold the diver getsup and begins to walk, until it becomes necessary to breath again. Ithas been recorded that divers can do up to 400 meters in trainingthis way. This form of training is used to accustom muscles to workunder anaerobic conditions; it also helps freedivers tolerate Co2 buildup in their circulation. There is also the apnea run which I found to bequite exciting, pushing the body to use muscle that requires oxygen tofunction and still hold your breath, head spinning and that’s one of thesymptoms after the ordeal.No it isn’t. And it is not all about reaching great depths either, and itis most certainly not all about competing, not always. No doubt LucBesson’s Le Grand Bleu influenced us all, and without a doubt, it didexpose the world to the extraordinary ability of freedivers. But it is notall about a weighted sled pulling one down to great depths.Freediving is a lot more than the ability to hold ones breath and dive.It is about knowing and getting to know ones body, mind, spirit and theextraordinary mammal that we can be. We are air breathing mammals,just like Cetaceans, we too possess some of their amazing abilities,like the mammalian dive reflex, the ability to lower our heart rate(bradycardia), the blood shift which allows plasma to pass freely throughthe thoracic cavity, peripheral vasoconstriction which stops circulationto the extremities, concentrating it to the heart and brain. Like all thesefascinating words, I learnt, I also had to learn how my body would gothrough them. I had to be taught what they were and how to use them.And so I learnt to awaken the aquatic side of being human. No it didn’tcome from reading Aqua Man comics, or watching Water World, orreading all I could about freediving, it came from training.Another apnea technique involves exhaling all the air from the lungs,squeezing the diaphragm to empty out as much as possible from thelungs, and then begin walking. It starves the body until the need tobreathe becomes unbearable, this actually helps stretch the lungs, andbelieve it or not your lungs are like those impossible balloons that youcouldn’t blow up, until you stretched them, allowing them to fill easily,in the same way your lungs need to be stretched to get the most outof them. Dizziness, the feeling of being light headed, blurred vision is allpart of the training.The idea is to prepare the body to recognize these symptoms, the buildup of Co2 the feeling of air starvation, the need to breathe. The quickera freediver recognizes them, the better prepared they will be to reactto them avoiding threatening situations, such as deep and shallow waterblack outs.Dry Apnea training is only one aspect to this sport, but a vital one, asyou can see it helps to inform the diver as much as possible as to whatto expect before the dive, what to work on and what are the limits.This sport is about limits, and about understanding them before you canbreak them. In a sense, freediving is a lot more than a breath of air anda plunge. It is a journey of self-discovery. It’s not merely signing up forthe course getting certified and you’re done, it’s an on going discoveryof depths, not just in the blue, but within yourself.It requires dedication, discipline, meditation, diet and as you knowtraining and not all of it will get you wet.Like all sports, it’s the training that makes you better. I had attendedan AIDA 2 star course, run by Sara-Lise Haith, who is a freedivinginstructor in Dubai. I felt that since I’d been scuba diving for years, that itwould be easy to progress to Freediver. I was far from it. Unlike scuba,freediving does not rely on equipment. There are no gauges that letyou know when to do what. Freediving relies on YOU, on masteringyour ability, knowing your warning signs, being able to understand them,control them and sometimes push them. I had to recognize what I wasgoing through and why. I even had to learn to breathe properly, fromthe abdomen not the chest; apparently this is far easier done in womenthan men. Even relaxing (hard to do when you’re really excited aboutwhat you’re doing) and some categorize this as an extreme sport, andall you have to do is RELAX!Freedivers train regularly, in order to keep these aqua abilities in tune.Some freedivers start training weeks before a dive some months,28 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 29

FEATUREA special thanks to:The Marine Conservation Society Seychelleswww.mcss.sc/whale.htmMegapterawww.megaptera.orgTop Tips• Djibouti Airport – be preparedfor a lengthy VISA process – travel light.If you can get your VISA in advance,get it. If you can get a bottle of wateron the plane before landing, do so asthere is little ventilation in the air port.• Hotel – The Sheraton Djibouti Hotelis secure, basic but clean and goodvalue for money.Keeping UpKeeping up with these fast swimming gentle giants can be hard work.that came in especially close to check out theWhale sharks and us. My first Whale shark ofthe day and it is lead by a shoal of Golden Pilotfish and with clear water and early morningsun, I can’t help but feel humble to see thismagnificent shark.One of the team ducked deep down belowthe shark to check out what sex it was, whileanother directed two green laser points at itsflank and took a photograph for measurementidentification. Suddenly another shark swampast and with everything they needed, theteam rapidly swam after this other shark.Back on the skiff I watched the team andbefore I knew it, another shark. This time theshark was stationary in vertical feeding modeand as I jumped in along side this 5 metreshark I was surrounded by plankton. Suddenlyanother shark came into view being trailed by5 members of the team all trying to keep upwith this ‘ram feeding’ giant. Snapping away Isniggered to myself “I’m so glad I’m with thisshark and not theirs”. With my camera rightat the mouth of this giant I was privileged towatch the plankton being gulped down whileall the time its gills pumped for its next intakeof food. After a while, the bloom of planktonmoved off by the current and, so did my shark.Some distance from shore, bobbing up anddown in slightly rougher water I used the heightof a wave to find our boat. It was some distanceaway and as I tread the water waiting for theskiff I decided to call it a day after that specialexperience. Back on the skiff and everyoneready to return to the Deli and after a quickcount from each of the teams we confirmedthat we have beaten 2009’s record – the newrecord being 846 shark encounters. With theboat heading back to Djibouti, cameras andequipment packed away, I again reflected onmy week’s experience and thought to myself– “same time, same place next year – nowwhere’s that hot shower and beer?”.• Eating Out – Try the Melting Pot(fusion cuisine - Japanese, Greek,French – good food in an excellentatmosphere).http://www.meltingpotdj.com/• Liveaboard/Dive Operation– Dolphin Excursions (Djibouti) M/VDeli offers superb service on and anexcellent well equipped vessel. Avoidday trips to Arta Bay in small localboats as generally the afternoon windscreate large waves making your returnto Djibouti very dangerous.http://dolphinexcursions.free.fr/• Season – November to January.• Equipment – Personally I wouldleave the dive equipment at homeand go light. Include free diver fins forthose fast sharks, a 3mm full wet suit, 2masks and snorkels, a wind jacket, lycrahood, wooly hat and a fleece.• Underwater Camera – travellight – for the whole time I used aNikon D2Xs in a Subal D2 with aNikkor 10.5mm and a Nikon D2X ina Subal D2 with a Nikkor 17-55mmshooting in ambient light.• Photography – what to expect– calm seas in the mornings withvisibilities dropping off slightly by midday.Sightings start off slowly, graduallyincreasing by mid morning. Afternoonsgenerally choppy with reducedvisibilities but sightings are plentiful.• Skiffs – The only way to spot whalesharks are from a skiff or a dingy. Beprepared for a lot of climbing in andout of boats.Golden Pilot FishA shoal of juvenile Golden Pilot Fish swim just centimeters in front a fast swimming Whale Shark.All photographs are copyright protected byWarren Baverstock – verstodigital.com34 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 35

FEATUREIMAGES AT A GLANCEEDA MEMBER: PHILIPPE LECOMTERAYS SEEN AROUND ABU DHABIGuitarfishButterfly rayMost of you think Abu Dhabi is only a sandy bottomed area and notvery interesting for divers. The reefs are not big enough, there is not anabundance of fish and they lack colour. If reefs attract coral fish, sandybottoms must attract other kinds of fish. If you dive and pay attention toyour surroundings, you will find some of the most gracious and weirdestfish: Rays. Rays are present all year round and can be seen everywhere,even in Abu Dhabi. Some species are more common during certaintimes of the year. They move around a lot in order to find their food.They can either be on the sand resting or sneaking for seashells orshrimps. They are also found around rocks, reefs or searching for foodin the sea grass areas. A great variety in terms of species, shapes andhabits exists amongst rays. Some always swim like the Leopard ray andcan be seen in the blue, sometimes searching for seashells on the reef.Some, most of the time rest on the sandy bottom like the Honeycombstingray, the cowtail stingray or the butterfly ray. You can also see theElectric ray hiding between rocks. Some good places to see some ofthese amazing creatures is the breakwater in front of the EmiratesPalace. Rocks, sand and little caves are present there where rays canfind food and hide during the day.Besides, you can also meet the uncommon guitarfish swimming amongstthe seaweed bottom or sleeping on the sand. So grab your gear andenjoy a dive in Abu Dhabi.Photography of the Spotted eagle ray can be seen on the Featured Creature article on page 26.Cowtail stingrayButterfly rayHoneycomb stingrayHoneycomb stingray36 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 37

FEATUREFREEDIVING CLINICFEATURE ADEL ABU HALIQAFreediving UAE is inviting Patrick Musimu torun a freediving clinic from the 2 nd to 6 th April2010. Patrick Musimu is a World ChampionFreediver and the first man ever recorded todive beyond the 200 meters mental barrier ona single breath in No Limit discipline! Patrickdoesn’t teach Freediving but rather guidespeople in their progression to what he calls“The Art of Free Diving”. He is well knownfor his Flooding technique (equalizing his earsand sinuses by flooding them with sea waterinstead of air when diving deep), he is alsoknown for his dry Gym training for freediving.Patrick is working on a world-wide project inan attempt to further understand and connectwith the roots of freediving throughout history.See his blog, “Waving at My Ancestors”, http://wavingatmyancestors.blogspot.comHe was also featured in the EDA magazineJune 2009, Volume 5, Issue 2.The free diving clinic will be a 5 day clinic thatwill combine classes, gym and open watersessions, participants will be introduced to sleddiving as well, the device used for No Limitand Variable Weight disciplines in free diving.During the theory classes there will bediscussions about various aspects of freediving,that may include: Anatomy overview, Nonassistedbreath-hold diving vs. Assisted breathholddiving, mental strength and training,Aerobic vs. Anaerobic training, the depthequation, equalization techniques and manymore.During Gym sessions there will be IntervalCardio training, Chi Gong exercises, stretching,dry warm up, breathing exercises and more.The UAE have their roots deeply anchored inpearl diving traditions. In a few years, Emiratidivers have bridged their past and renewed itwith traditions bringing the modern form ofancient practice together. As any action startswith an emotion, I already know that the torchhas been passed and I can only be honored tobe part of this development.As far as the “seminar” is concerned, I stronglybelieve that bounds will be made, others will bereinforced, and that projects will come out ofthis exchange of knowledge and experience.See you down there.”If you are keen to understand your barriersand discover how to lift them; keen to learnadapted breathing exercises and new breathingpatterns; to learn how to master equalizing; tolearn and understand how to train outsidewater; if you intend to progress and discovernew depth; if you intend to understand howto plan your progression and to focus on yourself, then this clinic is for you.Freediving UAE will be running freedivingcourses throughout the year, will be alsoinviting world class instructors in various fieldsof sports, including Freediving, Mono-finningand Swimming, Yoga and stretching and muchmore.You can find out more by visiting:www.freedivinguae.comFor further inquiries please email:contactus@freedivinguae.comPhoto by Jean FrancoisDuring open water sessions there will beassessments on the attendants performanceand possible areas of improvement, divingstrategy in Open Water, practical execution ofwhat has been discussed and exercised andSled diving among many more.Photo by Eric PetitWhen asked about his visit to the UAE inApril he said, “Thinking of the UAE, threethings come to my mind. First an email of Mr.Adel AbuHaliqa; second Mr. Alaa El din’s wordswho introduced me to the Middle East PearlDiving culture; third an amazing pearl divingvideo found on Sheik Mohammed bin RashidAl Maktoum’s website.In a world made of oxygen and hydrogenmolecules, coincidences are merely asuccession of evidences. I am therefore notsurprised to see that 2 years after my firstvisit to the UAE it is one of those reasons thatinitiates my second visit.Photo by Eric PetitPhoto by Cedric BourgauxPhoto by Eric Petit38 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 39

FEATUREFEATUREThe MOLA MOLAFeature and photography laurence vanneyreHere is a map of probable Ocean sunfish’s repartition:Mola mola’s are pelagic fish and swim at depths of up to 600 m. It isfound on slopes adjacent to deep water. The adults spend a large portionof their lives submerged at depths greater than 200 m, occupying boththe epipelagic and mesopelagic zones.FamilyMola mola is a member of the Tetraodontiform order, that includs 7families:• Tetraodontidae (e.g Pufferfish)• Balistidae (e.g Triggerfish)• Diodontidae (e.g Porcupinefish)• Monacanthidae (e.g Filefish)• Ostraciidae and Aracanidae (e.g Trunkfish)• And MolidaeTHE MOLA MOLANusa Lembogan in Bali, Indonesia – September 2009The Ocean Sunfish, latin name Mola mola,which means millstone in reference to theirroundish shape, is one of the most excitingencounters for a diver.From a boat, you can catch sight of themfrom their dorsal fins when they swim on thesurface. It’s not a shark!MorphologyThe Ocean Sunfish is the heaviest bony fish (sharksand rays being cartilaginous fish), its average weightreaches 1000 kg. The maximum recorded is 2235kg for a 3.1 meter long specimen.Size can vary a lot all over the world, from a 1mlongadult in the Atlantic Ocean (South-Westof France) to a 3m-long adult in Indonesia.Its head is prominent and the mouth is small incomparison to the body size.hasn’t got a caudal fin when it is an adult, thecaudal fin becomes a roll that makes a rudder,which is formed by extensions of the dorsaland anal fin rays. This roll or clavus is broadlyrounded and has low, rounded projections(called ossicles or bony plate) which make upthe margin.Its skin is rough like sandpaper, especiallyon the clavus. It contains large amounts ofreticulated collagen, up to 7 cm thick on theventral surface. It is covered by denticles andlarge amounts of mucus instead of scales likemost of the other fish.Its colour is typically silver, with a slight opalsheen, but it can exhibit strikingly changeablespotty patterns. Some of these patterns maybe region-specific. Mola mola also exhibits theability to vary skin colouration from light todark, especially when under attack.This is also illustrated by the fact that thelargest fish in existence today is the whaleshark, an entirely boneless fish.The Mola mola adult doesn’t have a gas bladderwhich is what allows most bony fish to controltheir buoyancy. Scientists are impressed by theirslow-motion swimming. At first they guessedthat molas must drift wherever ocean currentstake them. But molas in Southern Californiahave been tracked swimming 26 km a day, ata top speed of 3.2 km per hour which is notfar off the speed of a yellowfin tuna when it’sjust out cruising.HabitatMola mola’s live in tropical and temperatewaters all over the world, in the Pacific oceanuntil Alaska and in occidental European waters.It likes to live in water temperatures comprisedbetween 12°C and 25°C.This family, which represents all the ocean sunfish includes 4 species:• Mola mola (Common sunfish)• Mola ramsayi (Southern sunfish)• Mola lanceolata (Sharp-tailed mola)• Mola planci (Slender sunfish). This last one is the rarest of the oceansunfish.The Mola ramsayi is an austral temperate species, that we know onlyby beached specimens.Throughout the world, the Mola mola has different names. It is notonly known by its English name, “Sunfish”, but as “Moonfish” in French,“Swimming head” in German, and “Cut short” in Philippino.The common name Ocean sunfish comes from the Mola mola’s habitof lying atop the surface of the ocean appearing to sunbathe.FeedingMola mola’s eat mainly jellyfish, and in big quantities because of the smallnutritional value. To break their dinner into manageable pieces theydon’t chew; they suck the jellies in and out of their mouths until they’rereduced to gelatinous chunks. They also eat calmars, zooplankton, squids,crustaceans, salps, ctenophores and small fish. They can break up harderorganisms thanks to their teeth. Moreover, pharyngeal teeth located inthe throat (like goldfish Carassius or Cobitidae), they grind food intosmaller pieces before it is passed to the stomach.The range of food items found inside sunfish indicates that they feed atmany depths, from the surface to deep water.The body is not thick compared to its height, itcan be as long as high, fins included. It is roundand compressed, with oar-shaped symetricdorsal and anal fins.The pectoral fins are small and fan-shaped. ItEven though sunfish are bony fish anddescended from bony ancestors, its skeletonactually contains largely cartilaginous tissues,which are lighter than bone, allowing it togrow to sizes impractical for other bony fish.If they spend a prolonged period in lowertemperatures, they can be desoriented and caneventually die. Their presence in water such as in thesouthwest of England, outside their usual habitat, isevidence of increasing marine temperatures.Because they consume large volumes of prey, their presence in a givenarea may be an indicator of nutrient-rich waters where endangeredspecies may be found.40 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 41

FEATUREFEATUREHere is a picture of a 2.7mm-long larva of the oceansunfish, Mola mola, from the Ichthyology Collection of theNational Science Museum, Tokyo.Reproduction and first yearsFemales lay more eggs than any vertebrateknown animal. A 1.4 m female was estimatedto be carrying 300 million eggs in her singleovary. The eggs are very tiny, less than 1 mm.They are layed directly in water, carried awayby currents, and then externally fertilized bysperm.After hatching, we can see the ressemblanceof the larvae and juvenile with the pufferfish(Diodon). It has big pectoral and caudal fins.Its body is covered with spines that disappearat adult age.When they are young, they often grouptogether in large schools, and become solitarywith age.Spawning areas have been suggested in theNorth and South Atlantic, North and SouthPacific, Indian Oceans.Ocean sunfish may live up to ten years incaptivity. Their life in natural habitats have notyet been determined. In an aquarium, scientistshave found out that a young specimenincreased in weight from around 30 to 400 kgin 15 months, and reached a height of nearly1,8 m.BehaviourThe Mola mola is usually shy. However, itmay become familiar with divers in somelocations.This fish propels itself by dorsal and anal finsthat are flapped synchronously from side toside, with an amazing celerity, more quicklythan any swimmer. The small pectoral fins arenot used for propulsion.Ocean sunfish often swim near the surface,and their protruding dorsal fins are sometimesmistaken with those ofsharks. However, it ispossible to distinguish ashark from a sunfish byobserving the trajectorymade by the dorsal fin onthe surface, while the fishitself moves underwaterand remains unseen.Sharks, like most fish,swim by waving the tailsideways while keepingthe dorsal fin moving ina straight line. The sunfish,on the other hand, swingsits dorsal fin and anal finin its characteristic scullingmotion.The Mola is flat on thesurface when it takes arest. But it’s also a way toget warm, by presentingits largest profile to the sun. That occursafter successive dives into deeper and colderwater.More than 40 species of parasites may resideon its skin and internally. That’s why we canoften see the Mola mola being cleaned byother fish.In temperate regions, the cleaner wrassesand other fish who live in kelp fields, removeparasites from the skin of visiting sunfish. In thetropical areas, the Mola solicit cleaning helpfrom reef fishes.Mola’s also allow seabirds to feed on parasitesfrom its skin by basking on its side at thesurface. Sometimes we can see it breach morethan 3 meters above the surface, it’s probablyanother effort todislodge parasites.Sunfish are usuallyfound alone, butoccasionally in pairsor in large groupswhile being cleaned.Predatorsand issuesMola mola bodysize deters a largeamount of potentialpredators, butyounger individuals are vulnearable topredation, by Tuna or Mahi-mahi.Adults don’t have a lot of predators. Theyare sea lions, killer whales and sharks. Sealions appear to hunt sunfish, tearing the finsoff, tossing the body around, and then simplyabandoning the still-living but helpless fish todie on the seafloor.Humans in some regions are also apredator, considering it as a delicate food,like in Japan, Taïwan, South Korea; althoughsome sources indicate that the internalorgans contain a concentrated neurotoxin,the tetrodotoxin, like the organs of otherpoisonous tetraodontiformes (Pufferfish andPorcupinefish). Certain parts of the fish arealso used in traditional Chinese medicine.Flesh commercialization is forbidden in theEuropean Union.These fish do not adapt well in captivity.Unfortunately, Mola mola’s are frequentlyaccidentely caught in fish nets.Like turtles, it can eat floating waste by mistake,like plastic bags, leading to death.The Mola mola has the status ‘Not evaluated’on the IUCN Red List.PopulationIt is currently being explored whether or not anexciting new technique for identifying individualwhale sharks using NASA methodology foridentifying star patterning can also be appliedto mola populations, particularly those extraspottedones, said ECOCEAN informationarchitect Jason Holmberg.When you see a Mola, you can include yourdata on this website:http://oceansunfish.org/sightings/This website, filled by citizen scientists (anetwork of volunteers for scientific work), isbeginning to outline the seasonal distributionof ocean sunfish throughout the world’soceans.The map below displays the locations of the50 most recent sightings reported by citizenscientists.Become a citizen scientist in indicating yoursightings!REFERENCES:BOOKS• Atlas Mondial des Poissons Marins – Kuiteret Debelius, Edition UlmerWEBSITES• http://www.wikipedia.org• http://www.fishbase.org• http://oceansunfish.org• http://australianmuseum.net.au/Ocean-Sunfish-Mola-mola-Linnaeus-1758After 20 Years, we are...For more information please contact us:by phone +971 4 341 4940by Freephone (UAE only) 800 SCUBA, by fax +971 4 341 4960email: info@scubadubai.com, http://www.scubadubai.comOur business is to provide you with the rightequipment, tools and advice to enable youto concentrate on the task at hand......enjoying the dive!SCUBA DUBAI NORMAL TIMINGS:Saturday - Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 8:30 PM,Thursday: 9:00AM - 7:00 AM42 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVINGFriday:ASSOCIATIONclosed4320YEARS1989 - 2009still enjoyingthe dive!Scuba Dubai is the longest established dedicated dive store in Dubai, staffed byprofessionals with a deep understanding of the products sold and repaired. Since 1989, itis the recognized expert in diving equipment repairs and sales and is the central point ofreference for techincal matters in the Middle East.Our workshop employs seven fully trained, qualified and experienced technicians; and canrepair or service almost all brands. 80% of all regulators and cylinders in the UAE areserviced here. Air purity testing and high pressure breathing air compressors repairs aredone in-house.Our customer-service oriented, friendly and helpful sales staff offer equipment fromScubapro-Uwatec, Luxfer, Faber, Apeks and Atomic Aquatics. Accessories and gadgets areavailable from a wide variety of manufacturers. Underwater camera housings areavailable from Ikelite and Subal.All of Scuba Dubai’s air is oxygen compatible and high quality, clean air is guaranteed forNitrox and standard air fills to 300 Bar. Scuba equipment can be rented to qualified divers.

FEATURENUDIBRANCHS. AN EXPERIENCE IN ITSELFFEATURE AND PHOTOGRAPHY PETER MAINKA, EDA ABU DHABI COMMITTEEFEATUREARE MANTA RAYS THE ONLY THING WELOOK FOR IN THE MALDIVES?FEATURE BARBARA KARIN VELA, MD UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY PETER ULLSTRÖM, MD, PHDChromodoris AnnulataOld Cement Barge, Abu DhabiJorunna FunebrisKhassab, OmanThecacera PacificaInchcape II, Khor FakkanA dive with certified/experienced divers ismostly followed by an exchange of informationabout the wonderful things we have seenunderwater.One of the most interesting and varied kindsof underwater animals is the "nudibranch". Tobring it closer to someone who has neverheard of these – just think of it as a kind ofspecial "sea slug".Only very few types of nudibranchs havecommon names. As there are so many differentkinds, the Latin names are more commonlyused. The family of the Chromidoridiade is oneof the biggest amongst them.One type of Nudibranch we see on almostevery dive; be it in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or theEast Coast, is the Chromidoris Annulata.The bushy bundle on one side are the gillsand can be retracted when disturbed. Thetwo feelers on the other end are actuallyrhinophores, smelling sensors with smalllight sensitive dots at the base. The mouth isunderneath and rarely seen. Only when theyhead for new grounds might you have a chanceto see something like this on the ChromidorisLochi.Another very nice member of that family isthe Chromidoris Willani. We have not yetfound them in UAE waters.Chromodoris WillaniBatangas, PhilipinesSimilarly the decorative Jorunna Funebris wasthought to not live in the region. However, Itook this picture around Khassab and havealso seen them at the Daymaniyat Islands.Actually, it seems that some Nudibranchsappear seasonally. Sometimes you don't see aspecies for a year or more and then you seesix of them in one location. This occurred tome with the Armina cygnea.ARMINA CYGNEAShark Island, Khor FakkanSome other species that are quite hard tofind belong to the families of Flabellinidae andFacelinidae. They are commonly referred to asFlabellina. They are very small in size measuring1 to 4 cm. Although they are colourful, it takesa trained eye to see them because they arewell camouflaged. Once you have detectedone it should be easy to find more in thesame area like at popular dive sites such asCar Cemetery and Inchcape II.FlabellinaCar Cemetery, Khor FakkanAnother species I had not previously seenbefore in this region is the Thecacera pacifica.It can now be found regularly on InchcapeII, Shark Island (bottom 15m+) and CarCemetery and can’t be missed by its brightorange body.Also commonly found on the East coast isthe Risbecia Pulchella and the CeratosomaTrilobatum.RISBECIA PULCHELLAShark Island, Khor FakkanCeratosoma TrilobatumClimbing over a clam shell, Octopus Rock, MusandamAnother colourful example I have seen onlyonce at Inchcape II is this small HypselodorisKanga.Some buddies have found similar Nudibranchson the Inchcape II and at Shark Island butnot this particular one. This shows it is alwaysworth going back to the same place again andagain, just to explore the micro cosmos underwater as it allows us to discover more of itssecrets – ideally with a like minded enthusiasticbuddy.Exploring macro marine life takes time as youhave to look carefully as you progress slowlythrough the dive site. The closer you look on adive, generally the more rewarding the resultswill be.Hypselodoris KangaInchcape II, Khor FakkanImagine yourself lying on the bottom of theocean, holding a rock and waiting…waitingfor five minutes, ten minutes, moving back andforth with the current and slowly getting cold.At that moment, as you want to give up andcontinue diving, there they come: the beautifulmanta rays with their huge wings spread,circling around and observing the observers.During this special spectacle you forget thecurrent you are struggling with, you forgetthat a minute before you felt chilly and startedto shiver, the adrenaline rushes through yourblood and a certain warmth mixed withexcitement fulfills you. Yes, you have seen themanta rays up close! Your pressure gaugeis showing only 50 bars left and there is nomore time to enjoy the scene. Now it is timeto slowly ascend. Last look on the reef and yousee the turtle swimming away. As you surface,you start feeling your bladder is full. Why doyou always have a full bladder at the end ofa dive?You are on the boat, exchanging underwaterexperiences with other divers. Suddenly thereis panic at the other end of the boat. There isan injured diver vomiting over the deck andlosing his balance. You start with the alphabet:ABCDE, repeating it over and over. Thealphabet is given, the oxygen is given, the divecomputer is checked, the captain has informedthe doctor in the nearest clinic and off we go.You suddenly notice there is a person with acamera filming everything! And when you lookaround, still with your bladder full and withthe adrenaline rushing through your bloodstream, you see a few calm faces, nodding withapproval. Yes, they can handle it!What connects the Lankan Reef and its beautifulmanta rays with the effect of immersion?What connects the turtles with the sufferingof vertigo? What connects the Maldives withdecompression illness? The obvious answeris diving and medicine, but where is theconnection between the two? With the mantarays we got lucky, but the injured diver waspart of the practical exam in diving medicine.The man with a camera was there to filmus, so we could analyze it during the eveningseminar. Each year in October, since 1999, theisland of Bandos in the Maldives archipelagohosts a course in diving medicine, organizedby a group of enthusiastic professors led byHans Örnhagen, MD, PhD. While the guestsof that small island resort enjoy the holidayatmosphere, the beaches, the sun and thejoys of the marine life, a group of around 20doctors are following a boot camp schedule ofgetting up early, followed by lectures, dives andpractical exercises.The course objective is to train doctors indiving medicine providing competency infitness to dive examinations of recreationaland professional divers; pathogenesis, diagnosisand treatment of diving injuries; masteringdiving and hyperbaric physiology to a levelqualifying for advisory services to recreationaland professional divers as well as diving schoolsand diving companies. The course has beendesigned to comply with the recommendationsof the Joint Medical Subcommittee of ECHM(European Committee for HyperbaricMedicine) and EDTC (European DivingTechnology Committee) for class II a (Divingmedicine physician) doctors.The course had excellent organization. Twoweeks before my departure for the Maldives Ireceived a package with the books and lecturehandouts. I almost fainted when I saw the fourkilos of knowledge in a box! Do I really needto read all of it beforehand? When I looked atthe schedule I understood that the time forstudying would be very limited.The schedule looked like this: lectures startingat 8am, lunch at 12.30, followed by eitherafternoon lectures or exercises. The eveningswere reserved for seminars. On the days wedidn’t have lectures, we had scheduled diving,the activity no one wanted to miss out on sincemost of us were passionate SCUBA divers.One of my favourite exercises was underwaterspirometry, a unique way of measuring lungcapacity. Time for the beach? If you were veryfast in eating your lunch, and had no questionsto discuss with your teachers, you could swimfor a while between 13:28 and 13:37, sinceafternoon lectures would start at 14:00 sharp.I must admit the experience was extraordinary.For a while I felt like a student again, walkingbarefoot around the island, carrying a thickbinder, not thinking about anything else butwhat the next lecture would be and howmuch time I would have to study for the exam.Of course, when you are a carefree student,your mind starts to wander and in a minuteyour exam is replaced with the thoughts of thebeautiful marine life and more dives. I am surethat all the resort guests, while enjoying theircocktails and the sunset in the Sundowner bar,were wondering who the book worms were.The summary of the two weeks: 2.2 poundsless, fourteen dives more, one diploma and afew friendships more. It was my pleasure toparticipate in the latest course held on BandosIsland in October/November 2009 where Igained a diploma in diving medicine.44 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 45

UW PHOTOGRAPHYUW PHOTOGRAPHYTHE AQUARIUM DIVERHow I went back in search of my photographic languageFEATURE and photography Marcelo Mariozi – www.uwphoto.ae – uwpae@me.combut by the sheer terror when I first measuredthe light in the tank which fluctuates aroundEV 5-7 for ISO100…Light levels are keptthat low in order to avoid an algae boom.Aquariums that choose to use natural lightas their light source are normally very simplein design putting their emphasis more on theanimals displayed, but the complex sceneryand niches of the Dubai Aquarium requiredvery low lighting levels in order not to becomegreen with algae, there was simply no askingfor them to turn on more lights.When I started diving (and I won’t tell you howlong ago that was) to be called an “aquariumdiver” wasn’t the best of compliments. It wasonly directed at very short divers or theones whose skills (or “manhood”) were onlycompatible with the best of the circumstances.Surfing since the age of 6 I was fairly OKaquatically speaking, and at 5’9” I was safelyoutside the height zone for the adjective. Iwould have never imagined that after becominga father I would be called an “aquarium diver”and would receive that with great pride.Little more than a year ago a new aquariumwas opened here in Dubai. It’s one of the bestlooking aquariums I have ever seen. Insidethe trendiest shopping mall (and to be thetrendiest in Dubai is no small achievement),and the biggest mall in the World, right on thefoot stones of the Burj Khalifa – the recentlyinaugurated tallest man-made structure onEarth – on an amazing complex right in themiddle of town.The Dubai Aquarium is not easily missedwithin all the grandeur that surrounds it. It’smain window, measuring 32.88m wide, 8.53mhigh, and 75cm thick, holds the Guinness Bookof Records mark for the largest acrylic panelin the World. It is also the largest suspendedaquarium in the World (as it does not sit onthe “ground floor” and there are shops andfacilities underneath it) with a 10 million litretank measuring 51m x 21m and 11m deep.Inside it, there are more than 33,000 specimens(all kept within rigid ethic standards of WAZA- World Association of Zoos and Aquariumsand CITES - Convention on InternationalTrade of Endangered Species of Wild Faunaand Flora). There are more than 200 sharks(when grouped together with their cousins,the rays), included within this number is thelargest population of Sand Tiger Sharks in anyaquarium, 32 specimens.Situated in the centre of the mall, it is hardto miss. A marine environment is beautifullycreated with a shark cave, pier, volcanic rock,corals and kelp forest. And I can’t deny thatsince the very first moment I saw it, seeingthe biologists diving in it, I wanted to be there.And to shoot it. So when I got an approvalfrom a Brazilian magazine for an article on theaquarium, I jumped on it.Living in Dubai, I help the local association(EDA - Emirates Diving Association) indeveloping underwater photography locally,organizing contests, events and courses. Mostof my “photographic” time is spent teachingunderwater photography, and although I love it, itdoesn’t represent much in the terms of an artisticchallenge. This “job” proved very challenging,maybe more than my rusty skills would allow,and certainly much more than I expected. Butgoing through with it was very rewarding andput me back on track with my search for anunderwater photo language or style, somethingthat was stalled for a few years.The facilities of the Dubai Aquarium are stateof-the-art,and going for a dive there (afterstrolling in flip-flops with my bags passingstores like Prada, Cartier and Rolex…) looksmore like a dive set for a futuristic movie. ButI was thrown back in real-life the moment I hitthe water. Not only by the fact that I was divingwith 100+ sharks in a constrained environment,It was the first time that I shot underwaterwhere I wished I had a better high-ISOperformance camera. I shoot with a D300which I think is the best option overall forunderwater photography. Let me explain a bitbefore I start getting funny remarks. I startedshooting underwater with film, and I never usedanything past an ISO400 underwater, I neverneeded to, and I really appreciate the size ofthe D300 (or its “s” version) – the smaller allmetalsealed body – and its lens choices. But,I found myself with unfaithful thoughts overa D700 while diving there. But there was noturn-back, no time to buy a D700 and a newhousing, so I started pumping up my ISO untilI got “shootable” speeds and apertures, adjustthe high-ISO noise reduction, and then pray.At first I was very worried, but as I startedshooting it started to get interesting. I alwaysliked unconventional action shots, and withsuch a high level of big fish activity in a relativelysmall space, while stuck at 1/30s or slowershutter speeds, I found myself back on my owntrack to finding my “style”. Underexposing abit, panning my housing with a 10.5mm fisheyelens centimeters away from a 2.5 meter SandTiger Shark, clicking and hoping the strobewould somehow freeze the subject. Intense,very intense 45 minutes.I had all the images for my article on that singledive, but I wanted more…I approached theaquarium curator and he liked the images, theyneeded images for marketing and I neededmore dives there, a perfect marriage and Iended up doing more jobs there.I was glad I shot in RAW, instead of the JPGsI am used to shooting for competitions. TheWB in the tank is another big challenge I didnot know about. I only noticed that when Ichecked the images at home on my MacBookcalibrated screen. It was all over the place, likeI was drunk! Together with the light levels theykeep the colour temperature slightly coolerthan the “bluest” ocean at something like 12-14 thousand Kelvin, again to keep algae levels46 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 47

UW PHOTOGRAPHYUW PHOTOGRAPHYunder control. It also varies during the dayon a lunar cycle for the fish and evidently todrive me insane. They have light shows everynow and then when lights go from green topurple…God Save RAW.Another “challenge” is that every time Ipointed my camera up, remember thefamous words “shoot up, shoot up…” I wascompletely knocked out by a ceiling full oflight spots. Like I was being punished by somesort of Photo God of my sins of complainingabout the sun and it’s dreaded sunballs since Iwent digital. Believe me, I will never complainabout sunballs in my pictures ever again. The50-something Suns I had in the aquarium werenot only hard to tame but also drove my lightmeasuring nuts! You’ll have an idea by lookingat some of these images. I remember flinchingwhen I sometimes pointed the camera upwhile looking through the view finder…GodSave M Mode as well.I was very pleased with the first results,the action shots looked OK and I especiallyliked the darker fringe in front of the movingsubjects created by their body obscuring theambient light after the flash pop. It created a“definition” boundary in the right area, closerto the “face” or head of the fish. Had I gonerear sync, I might have gotten sharper tailsinstead. Of course this new (new to me atleast!) approach, produces a lot of imagesinside my computer’s trash bin, but the keepersare really worth it.There were some interesting experiencesas well, like shooting an ROV they keep fortechnology demonstrations for the public. Iwould signal for the ROV operator to moveit around or turn on the lights etc…and guesswhat? It would just do as I told it to! It is so funnyor unusual for an almost-exclusive underwaterphotographer to control their models (mainlyfish) that I found myself laughing while theROV followed my instructions, wishing fishwould behave like that sometimes. That waseasy, but remember to never look into it whenit is pointed at you with lights on, or you willfeel what I believe the fish feel when we shootthem, believe me.The action inside the tank is another story.I was shooting the fish and I wanted a shotof the action that occurs during the generalfeeding when divers go down with a big bucketof food. I am talking about a lot of fish. Afterbriefing with the feeders we would kneel onthe sand and they would feed the smaller fishcoming towards us. Easier said than done. Theaction got really intense when they got closer.At one point the ROV, which was about 2mfrom us, was completely knocked out, rolledover and it’s operator had to pull it up out ofthe mess. I was insistently trying to shoot theaction while my strobes, housing, arms, hands,mask, got hit by tails of all kinds of fish andsmaller sharks. I noticed my buddy was alsobeing beat when a big ray sat over me suckingover my head, the sound was like being insidea washing machine, and I knew my bodyguardbuddywas probably needing a bodyguardhimself. We were literally ran over by fish.Nothing we could do, the camera could rarelyfind focus, strobes were blocked by fish mostof the time, snapped 5 shots at most and wehad to go up a few meters to escape themassacre. We met above the cloud of fish,it was the end of the dive and I rememberlaughing it out all the way.I am still doing some shots in there, there area few angles and opportunities to be exploredand the aquarium is about to receive someScalloping Hammerhead Sharks that I want toportray. An aquarium dive is something not tobe missed, but it is so much more enjoyablewhen you are prepared for it. If you ever havethe chance to do such a dive, take a bit of timeto think about the factors I exposed here. Iwish I had someone to talk about it withbefore. For the next dives I just got myself aTTL converter, even though since going digitalI never missed TTL. I want to be able to shootthe smaller fish and to do some portraitsof the bigger ones with better productivity,because the opportunities to dive in such aplace are amazing.I was really happy and proud to have beeninvited to do this job and its put me back on myown photographic track while helping spreadthe word about our Oceans. It is estimatedthat more than 25 million people have seenthe main window for free in its first year ofoperation and the Dubai Aquarium like allgood aquariums, helps to take environmentalcauses into urban areas where most agenciesstruggle to penetrate.While I was shooting there, I had never had somany people shooting me, it was impressive.And to be able to show my 3 year old sonwhat his father does underwater was also veryemotive. I remember once, as soon as I poppedmy head out of the water, the first thing I saidto my dedicated DM and bodyguard was, “Idon’t want to dive in the Ocean ever again,it’s like hunting for food against a walk in thesupermarket!”.Nah!!! Not really.PIC FIXyour images exposed and REFLECTEDFEATURE Marcelo Mariozi – PHOTO@EMIRATESDIVING.COMIf you want to get your pics published here and reflected on, send an email to: photo@emiratesdiving.com with yourattached picture (2000 x 3000 JPG), with a description of the equipment you used, where you took it and your background inunderwater photography.This month on Pic Fix, we will analyze asuccessful picture from Mr. Rudy Bier. Rudyhas just completed the basic underwaterphoto course, and did his “graduation dives”with a Pro DSLR system. On his first dives hewas able to achieve the course objectives of“technically correct” images, where he showedcomplete mastering of all the basic aspects ofunderwater photography such as focusing, lightmeasuring and flash exposures underwater, aswell as perfect buoyancy and environmentalawareness.The first dives with a camera after the basiccourse can be very challenging. Aside from allthe factors in the dive itself, having to remembereverything or more precisely, having to think itall at once with all the aspects of underwaterphotography, makes it seem very complex.Only with time and the experience thatcomes with it, (therefore “diving at home” isvery important to steepen the learning curve),one can become comfortable in all aspectsand enjoy it almost like a “second nature”.During the first images it is very common toforget about one or more of the techniquesstudied during the course, and I did chooseone of Rudy’s images that exemplify it.Although being completely competent in allaspects of the dive and the picture taking inthis image, Rudy forgot about some of thebasic aspects of composition. If there is onesimple point that can increase the quality ofanyone’s images without any equipment orknowledge investment, it is composition…it isthe easiest way to get good pictures.In this clam-shell image, Rudy’s lightningtechnique was perfect, setting and positioningthe strobes in order to make the clam “glow”from the inside. His focus was dead sharpon it, and with good depth of field. But thecomposition could be improved. Had heapplied a “diagonal” composition he couldhave got a stronger image, and (as I normallysay in these articles) getting a bit closer mighthave helped as well.Rudy showed amazing ability in his first dives,he completely mastered the camera settingsand even showed incredible improvementin his composition during those dives, butthis picture will help him and other readersunderstand that sometimes factors that areoutside the camera can have a huge influencein the final picture quality.48 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 49

DIVING DESTINATIONS2010 dive destinationsFEATURE DISCOVER ORIENT HOLIDAYSDate Destination Description Package Price (USD)May(12 - 18)Jun(10 - 16)July(9 - 15)Aug(13 - 19)Sept(9 - 15)Oct(29 - 05 Nov)Dec(2 - 8)Layang Layang, MalaysiaLembeh Strait, IndonesiaAnilao, PhilippinesBali, IndonesiaSharm El Sheikh, EgyptAlor Island, IndonesiaSipadan, MalaysiaDiving Packages Include:• 6 Days 5 Nights accommodation (unlessstated)• Return air tickets• Airport and daily transfers wheneverapplicable• Full board meals (unless stated)• 2/3 guided boat dives/day• Tanks & weights providedLayang Layang’s pristine reefs, which drop down as sheerwalls into the abyss are covered with splendid examplesof healthy hard corals with staghorn, tables and acropora.The reefs are home to a great variety of sea life whereturtles, triggerfish, manta rays are quite common, butovershadowed by the mighty presence of the scallopedhammerhead sharks.The Lembeh Strait is one of the world’s foremost venuesfor muck diving, explorations of sea-floor sediment home toexotic, colourful, and often bizarre creatures. On a floor ofdark sand scuttle a mind-boggling array of unusual and rarecritters. A photographers’ dream and a total eye-opener foranyone with even a passing interest in the smaller things inthe ocean.Just 2.5 hours drive from Manila. Anilao is one of the bestkeptsecrets in Asian diving. There are 30 secluded dive sitesfeaturing a healthy reef system that teams with life. There’sworld-class macro life as well as a great range of pelagicaction.Mola Mola (Sunfish) season!Diving in Bali is an adventure which will capture yourimagination. The sea is full of types, colour and sizes offish which are too numerous to count. The fish, corals andplant life will amaze you. This is the last frontier on Earth toexplore.7D6N Sharm El Sheikh & 5 days divingMeal includes breakfast and lunch.Sharm El Sheikh has become a favourite spot for Scubadivers from around the world. Being situated near the RedSea, it provides some of the most stunning underwaterscenery and warm water making this an ideal place to dive.The crystal clear waters of the Red Sea offer unobstructedopportunities to spot tropical marine life ranging fromsharks and dolphins to gorgonian fans and feather-stars.6D5N diving + FOC 1N at KupangAlor Island is located between Flores and Sawae sea, EastIndonesia. The remote location guarantees the type of divingthat most only dream of and the cold water passes throughnarrow straits between the islands causing strong currentsand eddies. They attract big fish that come in to feed suchas barracuda, schooling big-eye jacks, dog-toothed tuna,monster groupers, and lots of sharks. An excellent bonus isthe likelihood of spotting pilot whales, dolphins and Orcas(Killer whale).Sipadan is located on the south eastern Coast of Sabah,Malaysia and is judged by many to be among the top 5diving locations in the world. It’s famous for swirling tornadoformations of Barracuda, massive schools of parrotfish,sharks, an abundance of turtles and a thousand kinds ofexotic sea and macro life.Diving Packages Exclude:• Dive and travel insurance• Dive equipment• Additional diving excursions• Personal expenses and visa3,250.00 per person (twin sharing)3,650.00 per person (single occupancy)2,800.00 per person (twin sharing)3,150.00 per person (single occupancy)2,200.00 per person (twin sharing)2,400.00 per person (single occupancy)2,600.00 per person (twin sharing)2,850.00 per person (single occupancy)2,100.00 per person (twin sharing)2,300.00 per person (single occupancy)2,700 per person (twin sharing)2,950.00 per person (single occupancy)2,700.00 per person (twin sharing)3,050.00 per person (single occupancy)Reservation and Enquiry:Please email opdxb@discover-orient.com.my / doh.dubai@gmail.com or call (Kaw) +971 50 992 9039 / (May) +971 50 913 3298DIVING DESTINATIONSLAYANG LAYANG, MALAYSIAFEATURE DISCOVER ORIENT HOLIDAYS6D5N Diving at Layang Layang, MalaysiaUSD 3,250.00 per person (twin sharing basis)USD 3,650.00 per person (single occupancy)Layang Layang's pristine reefs, which drop down as sheer walls intothe abyss, are covered with splendid examples of healthy hard coralswith staghorn, tables and acropora being the most numerous. The reefsare home to a great variety of sea life where turtles, triggerfish, mantarays and more are quite common, but overshadowed by the mightypresence of the scalloped hammerhead sharks.Package Includes:Accommodation:4 Nights accommodation at Avillion Layang Layang Resort1 Night accommodation at Kota Kinabalu HotelLayang Layang Island Resort is the only diving operator and hotelaccommodation available on this small coral atoll in the South ChinaSea. Numbers are very limited due to the low availability of flights, so ifyou want to share in this breathtaking wonder, we suggest you plan yourtrip well in advance – book early!Flight & Transfer:Return International Flight Dubai to Kota Kinabalu, MalaysiaReturn Domestic Charted Flight Kota Kinabalu to Layang Layang IslandMeal:Daily Breakfast, Lunch & DinnerDaily Itinerary for Divers0700 Light Breakfast0800 1st Dive0930 Main Breakfast1130 2nd Dive1300 Lunch1500 3rd Dive1630 Tea Break1930 Dinner*2 dives on arrival day, 3 dives on subsequent days & 1 dive on daybefore departureExcludes:Dive equipment (rental available)Own expenses and visa fee (if applicable)Famous Dive Sites:Shark’s Cave 5 – 40 mThis is one of Layang Layang's most famous dive sites and it has anabundance of sharks of various varieties. Diving in Layang Layang ismostly about big fish action and this site is a good bet for plenty oflarge pelagic fish. The first and deepest of 2 large sandy ledges is anoverhang, running in depth from 30 to 40 metres, down an incrediblesheer wall. Schooling jacks often congregate here, forming loose balls ofshimmering silver. Moving on westerly with the wall on your right, you'llmove past purple fans and some giant barrel sponges. Take a close lookon the walls as giant frogfish and green painted frogfish can be foundhanging in the black coral bushes, and painted lobsters stare out fromthe cracks in the wall. After about 5 more minutes you'll come to asecond ledge at 25 to 30 metres deep. Giant trevally and dogtoothtuna patrol the entrance way. This ledge is much larger and can bepenetrated to about 5 or 6 metres. Within the cave, you'll find whitetipreef sharks asleep on the floor. Make sure that you don't block theirexit out of the cave though, as you don't want to become the objectof an attack from these otherwise docile creatures. Heading back outagain into the open sea, you may encounter sightings of hammerheadsharks, grey reef sharks, manta rays and eagle rays, all gliding past you inthe open waters.D’Wall 5 – 40mThere is a large shelf in the wall at about 40 metres, which wouldbe wise to use as the maximum depth marker to your dive. Makingyour way down to this level, you'll witness the tremendous colours ofthe wall, peppered with colourful nudibranchs, some enormous barrelsponges, large drooping fans of red, blue and purple, and the radiantviolet of large tropical anthias. But don't keep your head wedged inD'wall at all times. There may be sharks here too. Grey reef sharks and,at the right time of year, schools of hammerhead sharks will be cruisingpast the Layang Layang atoll. Back at 25 metres you'll first come acrossa small triangular cove which a dozen or so giant trevally use as theirlair. A little further on is another larger shelf, adorned by black coralbushes, and also inhabited by trevallies, groupers and emporer angelfish.Examine the orange gorgonians to the left of the entrance as here youwill find pygmy seahorses, and sometimes giant frogfish nearby.The Valley 5 – 30mIt is a gentle slope with large formations of hard corals. Groupers, sweetlips,large schools of surgeon fish and fusiliers roam the site. Triggerfish have their nests here so mind your manner! Though the depthstays shallow at 10 to 15 meters, it does drop off into the deep blue.There are many areas to explore. Schools of barracuda and skinnerswim in the area with the occasional reef shark cruising the length andbreadth of the dive site.Turtles tend to settle in this area to rest in theshallows.SNAPPER LEDGE 5 – 40 mIt is a safe and easy dive with magnificent corals and colourful reef fish.For photographers, it’s a good spot for wide-angle, macro and closeups,when the sun is directly on it. One can simply drift along with thecurrent and relax.THE TUNNEL 5 – 40mThe Tunnel is located just to the south of Layang Layang Island Resortand is rather sheltered. As a consequence, it offers few of the pelagicopportunities which other dive sites in Layang Layang can boast about.Instead, it posesses a tableau of hard coral formations of staghorncorals, plate corals, table corals, mushroom corals and brain corals. Thesite gets its name from the vertical fissures that the coral colonies make,forming 'chimneys' which divers can examine close up for moray eelsand macro marine life in the form of molluscs, squat lobsters and smallcrustaceans. This is a great site for a night dive, watching the nocturnalantics of mantis shrimp, crayfish, crinoids, starfish, hermit crabs and seaurchins. Additionally, there are the usual reef fish like the pufferfish,parrotfish, boxfish, scorpionfish and turkeyfish.50 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 51

DIVING DESTINATIONSlembeh strait, indonesiaFEATURE DISCOVER ORIENT HOLIDAYSDIVING DESTINATIONSANILAO, BATANGAS PHILIPPINESFEATURE DISCOVER ORIENT HOLIDAYSMAINIT POINT 15 – 120 ftConditions: This site is more exposed thanmost in this area. Currents can be verystrong and afternoon winds can make thesurface choppy and spoil the visibility. Bestdived on a flood tide, preferably duringneap tides. Visibility can reach 80 ft.6D5N Diving at Lembeh Strait, IndonesiaUSD 2,800.00 per person (twin sharing basis)USD 3,150.00 per person (single occupancy)The Lembeh Strait is one of the world’s foremost venues for muckdiving, explorations of sea-floor sediment home to exotic, colourful, andoften bizarre creatures. On a floor of dark sand scuttle a mind-bogglingarray of unusual and rare critters. A photographers' dream and a totaleye-opener for anyone with even a passing interest in the smaller thingsin the ocean.Package Includes:Accommodation:5 Nights accommodation at Lembeh Hills ResortEvery villa and suite at Lembeh Hills Resort is a sanctuary of calm withspace and peace providing the utmost in lavishness. They all view theamazing Lembeh Strait, have AC, high-speed Internet access, multipletelephone lines, have a direct line & cable TV. The 23 villas & suites arebeautifully selected for its location to completely redefine tranquility inLembeh.Flight & Transfer:Return International Flight Dubai to Manado, IndonesiaCoach transfer of 90 mins from Manado to Lembeh Hills Resort, DesaMakawideyMeal:Daily Breakfast, Lunch & DinnerDiving:Up to 3 guided boat dives per day with YOS Dive LembehBoat, Tank, weights and weight beltOthers:Free 30 mins massage: Head and Shoulder massage or Foot massageFree merchandise: 1 T-shirt or 1 capExcludes:Dive equipmentOwn expenses and visa fee (if applicable)Additional Diving ExcursionsBunaken Day Dive Excursion(By Land and Sea Transfer) ~ min. 4 personsAdditional Night Dive ~ min. 2 personsExtra Day Dive on the same dayEnriched Air Nitrox Use per Day (Up to 3 Tanks)USD 35.00/personUSD 55.00/diver/diveUSD 45.00/diver/diveUSD 20.00/diverHere are the most exciting sites that arehome to the most bizarre marine life ever:Police PierThe sandy shallow slope here has a lot of rubble, trash and thingsthat look out of place underwater. However don't let this waste-lookdisappoint you as they all make excellent hiding places for all mannerof exotic critters. Under the pier itself you can expect to see frogfish,seahorses, wasp fish, snake eels, cleaner shrimp and cuttlefish, also keepyour eye in search for the endemic Banggai cardinal fish. This is also agreat spot for a night dive where countless species of crab come out toforage for food and the rare Bobbit worm may be found.Nudi FallsSmall vertical rock drops into a slope that ends on a grey sandy bottomat 25 meters. As its name suggests, the highlight of this dive site is thesheer numbers of nudibranches that can be found. The soft coral bedhouses myriad macro creatures including pygmy seahorses, frogfish andmantis shrimps. The elusive Rhinopias can also be found here thoughyour dive guide is more likely to spot one.HairballBizarrely named spot is one of Lembeh's more popular. Frogfishsightings here are pretty much guaranteed on this black sand bed of life.This is a true muck dive site with seahorses, octopus, crabs and plenty ofother crustaceans. Many of the critters are very well disguised, as algaemake a great camouflage. Close by is Hairball 2 where juvenile batfish,cardinalfish and zebra crabs are seen.Critter HuntPlaced at the southern tip, Sarena Kecil Island is the spot which uponfirst impressions does not look like much. However with the majorityof Lembeh's dive spots housed to macro marine creatures that scatteramongst the rubble and small coral heads, passion and patience are thekey here, hence the name! Keep a look out for decorator crabs, waspfish, frogfish and squat lobsters.Angel's WindowPlaced off the north coast of Lembeh Island, the submerged peaks herehave a number of gorgonians that are home to pygmy seahorses. It is alittle different to the rest of Lembeh's muck dive sites, this spot is morelike a coral reef dive. Visibility is usually a bit better and there is a coupleof swim throughs at about 25 meters which make up the "Window".Snappers and jacks are often found hanging out here and the walls arelined with crinoids and feather stars.California DreamingA nice dive to get a break from all the muck. Colourful coral gardenswith large orange tree corals and red gorgonians feeding in the currentare found here. The visibility is also often better than that of the murkiermuck sites. There is a plateau at around 14 meters where the critterscan be found for those macro addicts that simply can’t get enough ofthe bizarre critters!Teluk KembahuAbbreviated to TK1 and TK2. They are named after a local village andare found on the Sulawesi side of the Strait. Topography consists of adark sandy bottom with scattered rubble and sunken logs. It is wherethe first mimic octopus was sighted in Lembeh, also the home ofthe Banggai Cardinalfish which can only be found in this region. Noshortage of other marine inhabitants here either with mandarin fish,gobys, devilfish, frogfish, porcelain crabs, mimic octopus, wonderpus andrazorfish, make this an exceptional dive site.6D5N Diving at Anilao,Batangas PhilippinesUSD 2,200.00 per person (twin sharing basis)USD 2,400.00 per person (single occupancy)Just 2.5 hours drive from Manila. Anilao is oneof the best-kept secrets in Asian diving. Thereare 30 secluded dive sites featuring a healthyreef system that teams with life. There’s worldclassmacro life as well as a great range ofpelagic action.Package Includes:Accommodation:5 Nights accommodation at Aquaventure ReefClub ResortAqua Venture Reef Club Resort – rooms withAir-Condition, hot/cold water & private toilet& bathroom. All Guest rooms feature native,rustic, architecture design that strongly givesFilipino ambiance for relaxation.Flight & Transfer:Return International Flight Dubai to Manila,PhilippinesReturn Airport transfer to and from the resortby coach approx 3hours/wayMeal:Daily Breakfast, Lunch & DinnerDiving:4 diving days2 guided boat dives per dayUnlimited shore dive without divemasterBoat, Tank, weight and weight beltDaily Marine Park fees includedCompliment of 2 Night divesExcludes:Dive equipmentOwn expenses and visa fee (if applicable)Extra Dives – USD 25.00 extra single tank: min3 persons per boatUSD 32.00 extra 2 tanks: min 3 persons per boatUSD 30.00 night dive: min 3 persons per boatFamous Dive Sites:LIGPO ISLAND 30 – 140 ftConditions: Generally calm, but this dive canhave some very fierce currents that changequickly. Not a dive for novices when currentsare running. Visibility can reach 80 ft.This popular site has plenty of red and yellowgorgonian sea fans. A 20-25 min banca ride willget divers there. There is a drop off consistingof slanted rocks and a gentle sloping sandybottom reaching to 30m. 100ft. Divers can lookfor the long nose hawk fish, tasselled scorpionfish, moray eels and other reef fish. The multicolored gorgonians and the interesting rockformation are the main attractions along withthe colourful reef fish.THE CATHEDRAL 30 – 140 ftConditions: Generally calm but can havesome strong currents that make photographydifficult. Visibility can reach 80 ft. The site is bestdived at neap tide.This is a Marine Park Sanctuary and probablythe best known Philippine dive site. There isa miniature underwater castle structure anda famous cross hence the name “Cathedral.”This concrete cross was installed by formerPhilippine president Fidel V. Ramos, when hewas a Constabulary chief. There are two rockpinnacles near the cross at 18m/60ft and theyare covered with soft corals, huge gorgoniansea fans and there are a variety of reef fish.Divers can find octopus, pygmy sea horses,green sea turtles, giant frogfish and marble stingrays. Grey Bamboo sharks may be encounteredcloser to 38 meters for divers who have deepdiving experience. Great for night dives.Some rocks break the surface. A gradualset of boulders form mini drop offsfrom 16 ft to 100 ft plus. Due to thecurrents the marine life is plentiful andvaried especially when the currents arerunning. There are good corals and thefish life includes Moorish idols, porcupinepuffer fish, snappers, powder bluesurgeonfish, jacks, scorpion fish, wrasseand fusiliers as well as all the smallerreef fish, angelfish and butterfly fish. There isa cave 23 ft in where Whitetip Reef sharkshave been sited. The boulders are festoonedwith soft corals and anemones, together withmany crinoids, colorful Linckia sea stars andnudibranchs. Because of the fierce currents,one has to shelter behind rocks to be able totake photographs.BEATRICE ROCK 15 – 35 ftConditions: Generally calm, with strongcurrents, but this site is exposed enough to getvery rough at times. Best dived during neaptides. Visibility can reach 80 ft.Beatrice Rock offers a series of short drop offswith channels in between, from 16 to 90 ft anda pinnacle rising from 45 to 25 ft. There arelarge barrel sponges, good gorgonians, blackcorals, soft corals, stony corals, anemones withclownfish, nudibranchs and sea stars. The siteis densely populated with just about all thereef fish you could expect including schoolsof triggerfish, snappers, surgeonfish, jacks andanthias. Occasionally, turtles and blue-ringedoctopuses are sited.SOMBRERO ISLAND 15 – 35 ftConditions: Generally calm with a strongcurrent, but it can get rough on the surface.Visibility can reach up to 80 ft.This site is about 30 minutes by banca acrossthe Maricaban Strait to the northern end ofMaricaban Island. ‘Sombrero’s’ hat shapedisland is a great site for fish encounters. It isdensely populated with marine fauna, lotsof nuribranchs, sometimes found mating orfighting; lots of small caverns along the dropoff are inhabited by thousands of red toothedtrigger fish, groupers, lion fish and lots ofcolourful anthias that occasionally turn thewater red. In mid water beside the drop off,dives can encounter rainbow runners, surgeonfish, fusiliers and starry eyed puffer fish.52 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 53

DIVING DESTINATIONSBALI, INDONESIAFEATURE DISCOVER ORIENT HOLIDAYSDIVING DESTINATIONSSharm El Sheik, egyptFEATURE DISCOVER ORIENT HOLIDAYS6D5N Diving at Bali, IndonesiaUSD 2,600.00 per person (twin sharing basis)USD 2,850.00 per person (single occupancy)Mola Mola (Sunfish) Season!Diving in Bali is an adventure which will captureyour imagination. The sea is full of differenttypes, colour and sizes of fish which are toonumerous to count. The fish, corals and plantlife will amaze you. This is the last frontieron Earth to explore. The dive season is yearround in Bali although conditions do vary fromtime to time. Sun fish, sharks and other largepelagics are best spotted between June andSeptember which is also the time when seasmight be both disturbed and enriched by themonsoon winds.Package Includes:Accommodation:5 Nights accommodation at Alam AsmaraDive Resort & Spa.Alam Asmara Dive Resort Bali was formerly aresort called "Pandawa", the resort has beentransformed succesfully with passion, into aRomantic Dive Resort, offering 12 DeluxeBungalows.Flight & Transfer:Return International Flight Dubai to Denpasar,BaliReturn Airport transfer to and from Denpasarto Alam Asmara Dive Resort, CandidasaMeal:Daily Breakfast & Lunch2 Dinners at Jimbaran Seafood restaurantDiving Program:Day 1: Dive 2x at 1 Dive Site at Tulamben or AmedDay 2: Dive 2x at 1 Dive Site at GiliDay 3: Dive 2x at Nusa PenidaDay 4: Dive 2x at Nusa PenidaExtra 1 Day dive on either Tulamben or Gili onthe same dayIncludes:Sea & land transportation, dive guide,tank, weights & weight belt, light lunchduring diving trip and dive insurance atUSD50,000.00 per personExcludes:Dive equipment (rental available)Own expenses and visa fee (ifapplicable)Famous Dive Sites:Nusa PenidaBali's premiere scuba diving destination– the clear waters of Nusa Lembonganand Nusa Penida islands. Must go Dive Sitesare Crystal Bay & Manta Point.Crystal Bay is perhaps Nusa Penida's best divesite. It is located in the south west of the islandand features a shallow bay, carpeted in corals.The bay provides shelter from currents and isa good place to start your dive. Apart from thesuperb corals in the bay, the big attraction hereis that this area is a favourite spot for molamola (sunfish), which gather to be cleaned onthe slopes of the reef just outside of the bay.Along the remote cliff edges that form thesouthern coastline of Nusa Penida is a divesite called Manta Point. Here the sea is quiteshallow, cool and can have strong surge. Thewater is often quite murky too due to theplankton which attracts mantas, often in smallgroups. The manta rays come here to feed andoften stay for quite a while, seemingly obliviousto the attentions of observant divers. If yougive them space then you can watch themcircling about for most of the dive in depthsranging from 18 metres up to the surface.Tulamben 7 – 30 mThe most famous of Bali scuba diving spotsand the most popular of the Tulamben DiveSites. On this dive site, you will see the remainsof a US liberty ship sunk during world War II.The Liberty Wreck is now completely coveredin healthy coral growth, and the numerousstructural holes provide endless opportunitiesfor exploration. Soft corals dominate here,with crinoids, featherstars and hydroids.Amed 5 – 40 mOff the slope, you will come to a steep wall ofhydriods, sponges and sea fans, dropping downto over 40 metres. The fish life here is prolificwith bluefin trevally, bumphead parrotfish, tuna,black and white snappers, Indian triggerfishcascading down the walls. Dense growthsof gorgonian fans and barrel sponges, andlarge outcroppings dot the reef, harbouringcommon lionfish and bearded scorpionfish.Gili Tepekong 14 – 40 mThe protected areas in the shallows betweenthe mainland and Gili Selang host large coloniesof leather corals and brain corals. Directly tothe north of the island lies the most protectedsection of the site. As you work your waydown the black sand reef slope you'll find bigblack coral bushes and gorgonian fans, hostingBargibant's seahorse.However, it's the proximity to deep waterchannels that makes this Bali scuba diving sitepopular with adventurous divers. The cobblyeast side of the island plunges sharply beyondrecreational diving limits, and the swift currentsattract giant trevally, grey reef sharks and deepwater pelagics such as hammerhead sharks.Schools of jacks rotate in perfect gyres duringdaylight. They form their schools for protectionfrom barracudas. 'Current-swept' can be anunderstatement here and down currents canbe treacherous. You may need to make themost of any protection offered by lee pocketsto the south of the islet, to make for shallowerwaters. Drifting down the outer edge of GiliSelang, you can sense the full and sometimesalarming strength of the Lombok Strait.7D6N Diving at Sharm El SheikUSD 2,100.00 per person (twin sharing basis)USD 2,300.00 per person (single occupancy)Sharm El Sheikh has also become a favouritespot for Scuba divers from around the world.Being situated near the Red Sea, it providessome of the most stunning underwater sceneryand warm water making this an ideal place todive. The crystal clear waters of the Red Seaoffer unobstructed opportunities to spottropical marine life ranging from sharks anddolphins to gorgonian fans and feather-stars.Package Includes:Accommodation:6 Nights accommodation at Camel HotelCamel Dive Club and Hotel is located right inthe heart of Na’ama Bay, the main resort areaof Sharm El Sheikh. It is approximately 10kmfrom Sharm El Sheikh International Airport.The Hotel’s location, and its integrated facilitiesincluding dive centre and school, swimmingpool, beach (2 minutes walk), restaurants, andthe most popular bars in town, are unique. Our5* PADI IDC centre (founded in 1986) adjoinsthe Hotel and is one of the best-known divingcentres in Sharm El Sheikh.Flight & Transfer:Return International Flight Dubai to Sharm El SheikReturn Airport transfer to and from SharmAirport to Camel HotelMeal:Daily Breakfast & Lunch (only during diving day)Diving:5 days diving with 2 guided boat dives to over40 beautiful dive sites in Ras Mohammed, Tiranand along the mainland coast.3rd dive can be added with extra charges ofEuro 20.00/person.Extra cost to dive at Dunraven wreck (Euro 30.00/diver) & Thistlegorm wreck (Euro 85.00/ diver),no advance booking is allowed as the excursionsdepend on good weather and sea conditions.Excludes:Dive equipment (rental available)Own expenses and visa fee (if applicable)Ras Mohamed National Park fee is Euro 5.00to be paid directly at the counter of CamelDive Centre.Dive Sites:Shark & Yolanda ReefSurely the prize of Ras Mohammed, this reefoffers an opportunity to spy every singlespecies of fish in the Red Sea. Watch out forscorpionfish, rarely seen on other dive sites,as well as the wreck of the Yolanda. Everypossible fish species is found here, includinghammerheads, gigantic tuna and a menagerieof other pelagics. An ever present school ofbarracuda and snappers are residents and it'sa great place to see Napoleon wrasses.Anemone CityGet caught up in the hustle and bustle of this busyunderwater metropolis with sprawling highwaysand by-ways of hard and soft corals. Prolificanemone's harbour a permanent populaceof anemonefish, but with plenty of other fishspecies to give it a truly cosmopolitan feel.Ras GhazlaniWith no mooring and a generally strongcurrent, this site is famous for drift diving whichis the perfect way to appreciate the tranquillity.Located at the mouth of Marsa Bareika, thissite consists of a steep slope covered by coralheads. Dropping down to 15 metres, the reefwall descends gradually as you go deeper withabundant fish life all across the reef. Pufferfish,eagle rays, groupers and napoleonfish dot thereef, and keep your eyes on the blue for somepelagic action.Jackfish AlleyJackfish Alley is a popular Sinai Peninsula shoredive and is located only a short distancefrom the beach. Most often done as a driftdive, you can start at a white mark on thecliff from where you drop down to a caveat about 5 metres which is full of glassfish.Towards the south lies a sandy coral-coveredplateau buzzing with marine life, and is one ofRas Mohammed's most photographed coralpinnacles as it's swirling with glassfish. Furthersouth, the plateau narrows into a sandy gully –Jackfish Alley. Coral growth is good overall andthe fish population is excellent. White tip reefsharks can often be found taking an afternoonnap on the sandy plateau.Dunraven WreckThe 80m long Dunraven steamship was builtin Newcastle, England in 1873. In March 1876,on her voyage up the Suez from India to theUK, she caught fire and sank to the seabedat 30m, off Shaab Mahmoud south of SharmEl Sheikh, with her cargo of cotton and wool.The wreck was only rediscovered in 1979. Thecavernous hull is adorned with soft corals andblack corals and is full of schooling goatfishand glassfish, squirrelfish and a few groupersand moray eels. Pass some ballast stones, thelarge boiler room and several breaks in thehull until you reach the bow at 15m. Here youcan ascend and swim back along the uppersurface of the ship. The exterior of the hull isnow covered in hard corals, with sea whipsand gorgonians hanging from the verticalsections. It's a great place to spot nudibranchs,crocodilefish, scorpionfish and colourful cloudsof fairy basslets.ThistlegormThe Thistlegorm was discovered in 1956 byJacques Cousteau and is probably the mostfamous wreck in the world. It sank in 1941when it was hit by a German bomb that blew ahole in the port side, igniting tank ammunitionthat was in the hold. The explosion ripped theroof of the ship backwards, rather like openinga tin of sardines. The stern section of thewreck lies almost horizontal to the sea bed;the remainder of the wreck is nearly upright.Inside the wreckage, tyres, tanks, motorbikes,Bedford trucks, waders and wellington bootscan be seen. Penetration is possible aroundthe bridge and blast area. The large prop is stillin position and the guns on the stern are inexcellent condition. Artillery litters the blastarea. A bath tub can be seen towards thebow and a toilet near the stern. The sea lifeis impressive with possibility of seeing tunaoverhead the resident turtle. Expect this to bevery busy, especially once the day boats havereached it; it is likely to be chaos both on thesurface and under the water.54 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 55

DIVING DESTINATIONSALOR ISLAND, INDONESIAFEATURE DISCOVER ORIENT HOLIDAYSDIVING DESTINATIONSsipadan, malaysiaFEATURE DISCOVER ORIENT HOLIDAYS6D5N Diving at Alor Island,Indonesia + 1N at KupangUSD 2,700.00 per person (twin sharing basis)USD 2,950.00 per person (single occupancy)Alor Island is located between Flores andSawae sea, East Indonesia. The remote locationguarantees the type of diving that most onlydream of and the cold water passes throughnarrow straits between the islands causingstrong currents and eddies. They attract bigfish that come in to feed such as barracuda,schooling big-eye jacks, dog-toothed tuna,monster groupers, and lots of sharks. Anexcellent bonus is the likelihood of spottingpilot whales, dolphins and Orcas (Killerwhale).Package Includes:Accommodation:5 Nights accommodation at Alor Resort1 Night accommodation at Kristal Hotel, KupangFlight & Transfer:Return air ticket Dubai/Jakarta or Bali/DubaiReturn domestic flight Jakarta or Bali/Kupang/Jakarta or BaliReturn ground boat transfer Kupang to andfrom Alor IslandMeal:Breakfast at KupangDaily Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at AlorDiving:2/3 dives on the 1st day arrival at AlorUnlimited diving for Day 2 – Day 5 at AlorBoat, Tank, weights and weight beltExcludes:Dive equipment (rental available)Own expenses and visa fee (if applicable)What to see:Diving or snorkeling with Sunfish is somethingthat eludes most divers, even the seasoned ones.In Alor, Sunfish have not only been seen by us,while diving, at most of our 40 odd dive sitesbut we now have discovered the secret tosnorkeling with them on a regular basis. Eachindividual animal has it's own markings, muchthe same as a dairy cow, so we can identify ifwe see the same one more than once.From around fifty five separate sightings overthe years, we have yet to encounter the sameindividual twice. We can only assume fromthis that there are large numbers of Sunfishinhabiting the Alor Archipelago.These amazing creatures launch themselvesout of the water and create a huge splashup to three times in a row and are oftenmistaken for the breach of a Manta Ray. Livingin mid-water and said to only venture near toshore to feed from the reef – Sunfish are thestrangest underwater inhabitants.Orcas or Killer Whales are the largest of allthe Dolphins and swim in family groups of upto a dozen. Over the past decade, we havedocumented the migrating habits of variousgroups of Orcas through the Alor Archipelago.On many previous occasions, we have offeredour guests the once in a lifetime opportunityto snorkeling with these "Gentle Giants". Thelargest group we have encountered was afamily group of nine females with juveniles andone satellite male.Alor is Indonesia's newest Mecca for Muckdiving according to Larry Smith, renownedexpert on Indonesia 's most famous Muck andstrange critter diving locations. "Alor is simplythe best of the best". Alor is teeming withnumerous dive sites that offer even the mostseasoned of Muck divers an experience theywill never forget. So dust off those camerasand prepare to meet some weird creaturesthat in any other context could come fromanother planet. We have many amazing sitesthat are literally crawling with some of themost unusual critters that you can possiblyencounter underwater, from Pegasus SeaMoths to Mimic Octopus, Devil Fish to OrnateSea Horses. If you're into this type of divingthen get ready because Alor will blow youaway with it's amazing marine life.6D5N Diving at Sipadan, MalaysiaUSD 2,700.00 per person (twin sharing basis)USD 3,050.00 per person (single occupancy)Sipadan is located at the South Eastern Coastof Sabah, Malaysia and is judged by manyto be amongst the top 5 diving locations inthe world. It’s famous for swirling tornadoformations of Barracuda, massive parrotfishschools, the sharks, an abundance of turtlesand thousands of different species of exoticsea life or macro life.Package Includes:Accommodation:5 Nights accommodation at Borneo DiversMabul Resort or SMART Resort.Borneo Divers Mabul Dive Resort occupiesa beautiful stretch of white sandy beach. Easyaccess to the water provides for effortlessshore and boat diving. Each Chalet consistsof two rooms, which are constructed frombeautiful hardwood in a local style, ceilingfans and balmy tropical breezes provideample cooling, but each chalet is also fully airconditioned for your comfort.The Smart Divers resort is nestled in acoconut grove on the south-east side of theisland overlooking the water and near SipadanIsland. It consists of 45 wooden duplex chaletswith each room featuring two oversized singlebeds, a couch, shelves, ceiling fan, flyscreenedwindows, air-conditioning, a private en-suiteoffering free-flowing hot and cold fresh waterand a front veranda.Flight & Transfer:Return air ticket Dubai/Kota Kinabalu/TawauReturn ground transfers within airport/hotel,Semporna-Mabul Island by van coach and boat.Meal:Daily Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (excludingalcohol, fruit juice and carbonated soft drinks)Diving:3 boat dives a day at either Mabul, Kapalai orSipadan Island with professional Divemasters(Diving at Sipadan is subject to quotaavailability)Night Dive has an extra cost of RM 50.00 perdive with minimum of 3 paxs with professionaldivemasterUnlimited house reef divingBoat, Tank, weights and weight beltExcludes:Dive equipment (rental available)Own expenses and visa fee (if applicable)Entry permit to Sipadan Island costs RM 40/day/pax.SIPADAN ISLANDSouth PointColourful abundant walls, sharks, turtles andschools of fish in big numbers and all thewhile the possibility of seeing something reallyexciting such as hammerheads or threshersharks. Cruising along you won't be surewhether to poke around in the wall or keepan eye out for the bigger stuff. As with manyof the other Sipadan sites, there is no hangingaround in the blue doing a boring safety stop.Instead you will want the use of every breathof air in your tank as you spend the last fewminutes hovering over coral gardens with asmuch colourful life and activity to offer.Barracuda PointOne of the favourite dive sites here. Hordes of56 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 57

REGULARSCover Photo:VERTICAL FEEDERby WARREN BAVERSTOCK(Underwater Photographer and Aquarium Operations Manager ofthe Burj Al Arab Aquarium)Photograph taken using Nikon D2Xs, 10.5mmNikkor Fisheye, housed in a SUBAL underwatersystem (ISO 200 – f stop 7.1 @ 1/200s).www.verstodigital.comANSWERS TO THE RENOWNED DIVERS QUIZ1. Who invented together with the French Navy diver Jacques-Yves Cousteau theDiving Regulator (a.k.a. demand-valve)?c) Émile Gagnan2. What was the name of the first book of Jacques-Yves Cousteau and FrédéricDumas?b) The Silent World: A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure3. Who invented the surface buoy in 1948?d) Georges Beuchat4. Who becomes the first person to deep dive below a depth of 1,000 feet (305meters) on self contained breathing apparatus?a) John Bennett5. Who was the first woman scuba diver?b) Simone Melchior Cousteau6. Who develops and introduces the so-called “wet suit” made of neoprene?a) Dr. Hugh Bradner7. What’s the name of the first commercially available dive computer (1983)?b) Orca Edge8. In 1878 a self-contained underwater breathing unit was invented by:d) Henry Fleuss9. The first underwater camera was invented in1893 by:a) Louis Boutan10. Who was the pioneer in the application of hyperbaric oxygen for the treatmentof decompression sickness and air embolism in both military and civilian divers?a) Dr. Jefferson Davis11. Who produced the first underwater motion pictures in 1912?c) John Ernest and George Williamson12. Who made the discoveries about the human body and the nature of gases, lockedhimself in sealed chambers breathing lethal mixes of gases while recording theireffect on his mind and body?b) John Scott HaldaneUPCOMING EVENTSEDA Abu Dhabi Event‘The Art of Apnea, The Heritage of pearl divers and future of Free diving’3 rd MarchDive Middle East Exhibition (DMEX)9 th -13 th MarchLondon International Dive Show27 th & 28 th MarchReef Check Training16 th & 17 th April and 4 th & 5 th JuneEarth Day Movie Social – ‘Age of Stupid’22 nd AprilDigital Online Awards CeremonyJune (TBC)UPCOMING EVENTSChairperson Mr Faraj Butti Al MuhairbiVice Chairperson Mr Essa Al GhurairThe Secretary General Mr Jamal Bu HannadFinancial Director Mr. Khalfan Khalfan Al MohiariHead of the Technical Committee Mr. Omar Al HuraizHead of the Scientific Committee Mr. Mohd Al SalfaTechnical Adviser Mr. Ahmed bin ByatEXECUTIVE TEAMEDA Executive DirectorIbrahim Al Zu’biEmail: diving@emiratesdiving.comEDA Marine BiologistRita BentoEmail: research@emiratesdiving.comEDA Projects ManagerReema Al AbbasEmail: diving@emiratesdiving.comEDA Events CoordinatorAlly LandesEmail: magazine@emiratesdiving.comEDA Photo CoordinatorMarcelo MarioziEmail: photo@emiratesdiving.comEDA SecretaryRacquel ValerioEmail: projects@emiratesdiving.comINTEGRATED SUBSEA ENGINEERING & SERVICES L.L.C.UNDERSTANDING IN DEPTH , COMMITTED TO CORE.Heritage Department ManagerMr Juma’a Bin ThaletMISSION STATEMENTTo conserve, protect and restore the U.A.E. marine resourcesby understanding and promoting the marine environment andpromote environmental diving.Combining the state of art equipment, precise allocationof resources and broad industry experience, ISEAS iscapable of fulfilling, honoring and exceeding clientexpectations in catering its quality Integrated Subsea,Engineering Services to:OIL AND GAS INDUSTRYCIVIL CONTRACTING INDUSTRYSHIPYARD AND SHIPPING INDUSTRYPORT AUTHORITIESINLAND WATERWAYSSALVAGEStand #D6-3EDA AT DMEXVisit the EDA stand at DMEXShow your EDA renewed membership card andget a free Green beach/shopping bag!EDA VISIONTo have a rich and sustainable marine ecosystem forfuture generations.LEGISLATIONEmirates Diving Association (EDA) was established by a FederalDecree, No. (23) for the year 1995 article No. (21) on 23/02/1995and chose Dubai as its base. The Decree stipulates the followingresponsibilities for EDA.• 3To Legislate and regulate all diving activities in the UAE.• 3Ensure environmentally respectful diving practices in all EDA3 members.• 3Promote and support the diving industry within the UAE by3 coordinating the efforts of the diving community.• 3Promote diving safety in the commercial and recreational diving3 fields through standardization of practices.• 3Promote and preserve historical aspects of diving within the gulf3 region and enhance environmental education to diving and non3 diving communities through EDA activities.CONTACT DETAILSEmirates Diving AssociationHeritage & Diving VillageShindaga AreaP.O. Box: 33220Dubai, UAETel: +971 4 393 9390Fax: +971 4 393 9391Email: diving@emiratesdiving.com, projects@emiratesdiving.comWebsite: http://emiratesdiving.com/Location: 702, Al Borj Tower, Al Husan Avenue, (Rolla, BankStreet), P.O. Box No. 130403, Sharjah, U.A.E.62 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, MARCH 2010 Tel:+971 6 5690017 Fax:+971 6 5690018MARCH 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 63E-Mail: info@iseas.com www.iseas.com

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