Blog Archives

The beauty of south Florida’s coastline isn’t just skin-deep. Below the water lies a crucial habitat of coral, home to hundreds of species of marine plants and animals. But the beauty of the only tropical reef system in the continental U.S. is vanishing.

“Over the past 30 to 40 years, we’ve seen a drastic decline in coral cover… and it’s mostly been due to climate change,” said Stephanie Schopmeyer, a University of Miami marine biologist who’s working to save the species.

In just one decade, the reef lost nearly half its coral cover. The system stretches more than 300 miles along Florida’s coast.

CBS News correspondent Manuel Bojorquez and his team set out with Schopmeyer to see the Rescue a Reef program in action...

Many professions – including doctors, lawyers and teachers – have a code of conduct to ensure fair practice and accountability. For example, doctors have a Hippocratic oath. Perhaps marine conservation should have one too?

As marine conservation ramps up around the globe to achieve UN sustainable development goal (SDG) 14 – conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources – there is a risk that some actions taken that will undermine the rights and needs of local people. Past conservation efforts have led to the displacement and marine protected areas have been called a form of “ocean grabbing”.

We are concerned that there is no broadly applicable and comprehensive set of social standards to guide how marine conservation actions should be taken, so we recently ...

A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute and the number will jump another 20% by 2021, creating an environmental crisis some campaigners predict will be as serious as climate change. New figures obtained by the Guardian reveal the surge in usage of plastic bottles, more than half a trillion of which will be sold annually by the end of the decade. The demand, equivalent to about 20,000 bottles being bought every second, is driven by an apparently insatiable desire for bottled water and the spread of a western, urbanised “on the go” culture to China and the Asia Pacific region.

More than 480bn plastic drinking bottles were sold in 2016 across the world, up from about 300bn a decade ago. If placed end to end, they would extend more than halfway to the sun...

Climate change from rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) is having two major effects in our seas – global warming and ocean acidification – and the combination of these threats is affecting marine life from single organisms to species communities. Researchers from the University of Portsmouth are helping to build an artificial reef that could protect vulnerable marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea against climate change.

The reef is made of small plastic structures that mimic natural coralline algae (algae with calcium carbonate structures), which have a similar ecological function to corals. Coralline algae form reefs that are able to host different species to create highly diverse and complex environments.

Due to their calcium carbonate structures, coralline algae are extreme...

Wakatobi is a luxury dive resort in southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia. In a tranquil island setting far from crowds and cities, with no other divers for at least 100 miles, Wakatobi seamlessly blends five-star amenities and civilized comforts with a pristine natural environment; a pairing that has secured its reputation as one of the world’s finest resorts.

Whether you are diving or snorkelling amongst our vibrant protected coral reefs bristling with marine life, enjoying a rejuvenating spa, taking in a glorious sunset with your favourite cocktails at the jetty bar, or perhaps indulging in a romantic beach dinner, Wakatobi Dive Resort provides a unique and enriching experience for those seeking recreation, relaxation and privacy.

It’s not unknown for there to be tears on the last day of ...

In the azure waters of the Red Sea, Maoz Fine and his team dive to study what may be the planet’s most unique coral: one that can survive global warming, at least for now.

The corals, striking in their red, orange and green colours, grow on tables some eight metres (26 feet) underwater, put there by the Israeli scientists to unlock their secrets to survival.

They are of the same species that grows elsewhere in the northern Red Sea and are resistant to high temperatures.

Fine’s team dives in scuba gear to monitor the corals, taking notes on water-resistant pads.

“We’re looking here at a population of corals on a reef that is very resilient to high temperature changes, and is most likely going to be the last to survive in a world undergoing very significant warming and acidification of sea w...

After 3 hot years, can our reefs finally chill a little?

NOAA will continue to monitor temperatures just to be sure, but according to the agency’s latest ocean forecast, the longest, most widespread coral bleaching event is almost over. The current bleaching event — one of only three ever — started in 2015, when coral reefs around the world began to experience high ocean temperatures for months on end. For reference, think of how you feel when you get a fever just a few degrees above your usual temperature, and then imagine that lasting for years … you’d be dead by now, too.

Worldwide, 70 percent of reefs suffered extended periods of temperatures high enough to cause bleaching...

Welcome to my world! In my webpage you will find information on all the courses and guiding I offer as well as information on my latest cave photos and videos. I live in Playa del Carmen Mexico in the Yucatan Peninsula, home of the best cave diving in the world. I moved here to follow my passion for cave diving, photography and my decision to share that passion by making cave diving my profession. Wether you are a recreational or experienced diver I have courses and excursions that will fit you goals, experience level, and time. I am committed to providing the best overhead diving instruction and guiding available.

We are a team of a highly experienced Cave Divers, Instructors, Explorers, Photographers & Videographers intimately familiar with all of the dive sites on the Yucatan Penins...

Donald Trump is facing huge criticism at home and abroad after pulling the US out of the Paris agreement on climate change. The US president says it is too harmful to American jobs. Syria and Nicaragua are the only other United Nations members that are not signatories.

Barack Obama, who signed the treaty last year, has condemned Trump’s decision. The previous president says the US will miss out as 190 countries “reap the benefits in jobs and industries” created by embarking on a low-carbon future. Trump has said he is happy to rejoin if the US can get better terms but world leaders say the treaty is non-negotiable.

Overseas allies of the US – including some of the closest, including Australia – have reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris deal...

Chumpon Dive Site
Koh Tao
Thailand

Date of Dive 27/05/17
Time: 11:00 hrs
Bottom Time: 40 – 50 minutes

Sea pinnacle, horse mackerel bank, croaker, anemones, mere, bat fishes, giant crabs and squids.