Orca and Dog Playing Together!

Dog Plays with Orca!

This is such a cute video!  The dog is on the boat when an Orca comes up to the back of the ship and they begin interacting… enjoy!

This Orca’s name was Luna.  Unfortunately, Luna is no longer with us.  You can read more about Luna at http://lunastewardship.blogspot.com/

A Guide to the Top 10 Dive Sites in the Maldives

A Guide to the Top 10 Dive Sites in the Maldives

The Maldives is absolute paradise for scuba divers.  The sheer variety of dive sites, marine life and coral specimens makes the Maldives a diving destination without comparison in the world.  There are hundreds of dive sites in the Maldives worthy of a mention on this “Top 10”, but here are just a few of the Maldives dive sites you should try to check out on your scuba diving holiday in the Maldives.

Cocoa Thila Dive Site

Eagle Ray at Cocoa Thila Dive Site

Cocoa Thila is another of the Maldives premier dive sites.  It is a pinnacle site (Thila means pinnacle in Dhivehi). Cocoa Thila is home to some very pretty coral formations, and owing to the large slope and the depth difference, there is a good variety of fish, ranging from grey reef sharks off the northern side to Eagle Rays, Trevallies and Oriental Sweetlips. The currents here can be strong, so the site is recommended for intermediate and advanced divers, but it’s thanks to the currents that the marine life at Cocoa Thila is so diverse and constantly changing.

Click here for more information about Cocoa Thila and other great dive sites.

Kuda Haa Dive Site

Kuda Haa, for many scuba divers, is one of the best dive sites in the world.  Located off North Male Atoll, Kuda Haa comprises two humps of coral reef which are frequented by an amazing variety of Maldives marine life, including Fairy Basslet, Snapper, Moray Eels, Tuna and Lion Fish.  In the shallower parts of the reef, harmless reef sharks are often spotted – one of the primary reasons for the dive site’s popularity.

Click here for more information about Kuda Haa and other great dive sites.

Fotteyo Kandu Dive Site

Fotteyo Kandu is ranked among the top 5 dive sites in the world, and is rightly considered by many to be the best dive site in the Maldives. It is a great dive site for seeing Grey Reef Sharks, Jack and Tuna in and schools of Midnight Snappers and Red Snapper that congregate in large groups. The wall of the dive site features caves, overhangs and swim-throughs at different depths. These caves and overhangs are filled with colourful yellow colour like soft coral, deeper caves and overhangs are filled with huge bushes of black corals. The pinnacle in the middle of the channel entrance is the best place to do the safety stop.  The strong currents mean that a surface balloon is a must at Fotteyo Kandu.

Click here for more information about Fotteyo Kandu a and other great dive sites.

Lion’s Head Dive Site

Lion’s Head is one of the Maldives’ most beautiful dive sites, named for one of the coral formations here that is shaped like a lion’s head.  Located off the southern end of North Male Atoll, it is a renowned for encounters with Grey Reef Sharks.  Lion’s Head is also home to some spectacularly colorful coral formations, and steep overhangs and a wall reef.  The currents here can be strong, intermediate to advanced level, and scuba divers are likely to be swimming with Rainbow Fusiliers, Napoleon Wrasse, Trigger Fish and a great variety of Nudibranchs.

Click here for more information about Lion’s Head and other great dive sites.

Hukrueli Faru Dive Site

Hukrueli Faru (Madivaru) is a colorful reef dive site located off of Ari Atoll in the Maldives.  The name Madi means Manta in Dhivehi, because of all the Manta Rays that visit here in the Northeast Monsoon season.  It is a deep dive site with the reef going down to almost 100 feet in places.  Apart from the Rays, Hukrueli Faru (Madivaru) is a  good place to see great coral formations and a nice array of coral-dwelling fish.

Click here for more information about Hukrueli Faru and other great dive sites.

Kudarah Thila Dive Site

Kudarah Thila is a popular dive site in the Maldives which enjoys a lot of incoming currents.  It is a marine area protected by the Maldivian government and as such has a nice variety of interesting fish.  The coral here is abundant and coral formations are very colourful including a lot of black, pink, orange and yellow corals on the small reef.

Click here for more information about Kudarah Thila and other great dive sites.

Banana Reef Dive Site

Banana Reef was among the earliest dive sites to ever be discovered in the Maldives and remains a favourite among scuba divers today. The best diving at this site is on the banana-shaped area in the north-eastern side where there are caves, gutters and overhangs filled with fish life and soft coral. Spend as much time as possible near the coral heads; if you begin the dive with your left shoulder to the reef, this is an excellent way to observe the area. At Banana Reef, you are likely to see many fish, including Oriental Sweetlips, Giant Squirrelfish, Bannerfish and many other species that congregate in this spot. When the currents are strong, underwater turbulence can be experienced near the near the large overhang. Stay near the wall and don’t let the current push you away. A parachute is necessary as boat traffic can be heavy at times.

Click here for more information about Banana Reef and other great dive sites.

Maldive Victory Wreck Dive Site

In 1981, a 360-feet freighter named Maldive Victory, coming from Singapore, ran aground onto the southern tip of the airport island in the Maldives, springing a leak and sinking rapidly.  The wreck is now one of the Maldives’ premier dive sites and attracts many scuba divers each year.

There are extremely strong currents here, so all divers descend and ascend along a dive line.  Once you have descended to the depth of the boat the wrecked ship acts as a shelter from the currents and you can move around easily.  Most items from the boat, including the compass, have disappeared from the boat and so there is not that much to see inside the cockpit, but you can dive into other parts of the ship to have look around.  You should take a flashlight and go with a divemaster or someone who knows the boat well.

Click here for more information about Maldive Victory and other great dive sites.

Wattaru Kandu Dive Site

Wattaru Kandu is a great dive site for intermediate divers wishing to see Stingrays, Garden Eels and Reef Sharks. Recommended for intermediate level scuba divers, Wattaru Kandu can have some strong currents, which vary according to the season.  Coral formations here are pretty and colorful, and are home to a good variety of fish and marine life.  On the coral, divers can expect to see some Big Jacks, Turtles, and Napoleon Wrasse. Wattaru Kandu is located off the North Male Atoll, and is easily identified by a sandbank and the reef top, which can be seen from above the water.   Another special feature of this Maldives dive site is the large population of harmless Remora fish, who like to suck on divers and snorkelers as they pass by underwater.

Click here for more information about Wattaru Kandu and other great dive sites.

Lankanfinolhu Faru Dive Site

Lankanfinolhu Faru, a popular dive site in the Maldives is also known by some as Manta Point, due to the frequent Manta Ray visitors seen at this site by scuba divers.  Other marine life common here are turtles, wrasse and several types of moray eels.

Lankanfinolhu Faru ranges in depth from 40 to 130 feet, and throughout the site there are spectacular coral formations. The Manta Rays swim up to the shallower depths of the site to be cleaned – small fish swim through the manta rays’ gills and remove the plankton.  The Manta Ray cleaning process can last about 20 minutes, and if you hang out quietly, you will not disturb these amazing Rays.

Click here for more information about  Lankanfinolhu Faru and other great dive sites.

Coral Reef Man Cured!

Coral Reef Man Undergoes Surgery to Remove Reef-Like Barnacles on his Body!

A Chinese man, dubbed ‘Coral Reef Man’ has been cured of a terrible “reef-like” condition after a year of treatment.

Lin Tianzhuan, from South China began to grow these strange “barnacles” when he was just 13.  Now, 25 years later, they have finally been removed and he has only a few scars left to show for his crazy complaint.

Submit Your Maldives Articles to Maldives Directory

Submit Your Maldives Articles to Maldives Directory

Why should you submit articles to MaldivesDirectory.com? Maldives Directory is a great place for people who know about the Maldives to share their knowledge with others who are looking to find out more.  Maldives Directory has a high volume of visitors coming to the site every day, looking for information about absolutely everything, so this is a great venue for you to promote your business.

Here are just some of the reasons why submitting your articles and / or press releases to Maldives Directory can benefit you:

• Free advertising:

You can write about your company, organisation or product in your article and include a link back to your website.

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Publishing articles on Maldives Directory is a good way to get the word out about what you are doing in the Maldives and get new customers.

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Publishing your article on Maldives Directory can result in anyone and everyone reading it. This alone gives you an opportunity to pick up extra business

• Generate sales and leads even if you don’t have a website:

If you don’t have your own website, publishing an article at Maldives Directory can give you some quality representation on the internet.  Your article will help let people know about your business or organisation and can include contact information like your email address to allow potential clients to reach you.

• Exposure to thousands of Maldives Directory readers:

Your article will stay on the  Maldives Directory forever so by making a simple effort today, you will be reaching thousands of people every day.

• Join one of the fastest growing Maldives-related websites

Maldives Directory is a great resource for people looking for information about the Maldives.  By placing your article on Maldives Directory, you will be reaching many qualified website users every day.

Start publishing your articles on Maldives Directory today by creating your author account.  It’s completely free!

Scuba Diving World Record Attempt

Scuba Diving World Record Attempt

Two brothers from Mayo, Ireland will attempt to break the current Guiness World Record for the “longest cold, open saltwater Scuba dive”.  Declan and Paul Devane, from Hollybrook will make their record-breaking attempt on Saturday, October 10 at the Scuba Dive West Centre off the Galway coast. They are hoping to raise substantial funds for St Raphael’s Ward at the Beaumont Hospital in Dublin and the charity “Helping Hands”.

Scuba Diving World Record Attempt For Charity

By participating in this Scuba Diving World Record Attempt, the Devane Brothers will be raising money for a cause close to their hearts:  Declan’s two year old son Cillian died on February 6 this year and he has since decided to undertake this venture in memory of and as a tribute to Cillian. He hopes that other children will benefit from the funds raised to assist with various aspects of work and research at the hospital.

Scuba Diving World Record Details

To beat the Scuba Diving World Record, the brothers need to spend 40 hours under water under the supervision of dive-coordinator Gary Jennings and a team of support divers. To set the record, the brothers will not be permitted to break the surface of the water for the duration of the attempt.

“We hope that our efforts and people’s generosity will, together, honour Cillian’s memory, as well as all the children who suffer serious illness. By raising funds for St. Raphael’s Children’s Ward at Beaumont Hospital where Cillian was cared for so well, and for CD’s Helping Hands, which supports the families of sick children, we hope to give something back to those who helped us when our little boy was sick,” says Declan.

Scuba Diving World Record Dangers

By attempting the Scuba Diving World Record, the greatest risk is hypothermia but says they have planned the dive in great detail to ensure that the risk is minimal. He has expressed confidence that Paul and Declan will achieve their goal, set a new record and raise substantial funds in the process.

You can find out more about the world record attempt and show your support by visiting
www.worldslongestscubadive.com

Artificial Coral Reefs Sunken Off the Bahamas

New artificial coral reefs have been created in the Bahamas

Artificial coral reefs have created Two new wreck dives are now accessible to scuba divers visiting Nassau in the Bahamas.  In a joint venture between the Bahamas Government and Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas, two new artificial coral reefs by the names of The Anthony Bell and The Long Island Lady have been made available.

Artificial Coral Reefs in the Bahamas

So far, almost 20 artificial coral reefs have been created in the Bahamas and these two wrecks are the latest additions.  The aim of sinking wrecks and creating artificial coral reefs is to add dive sites for scuba divers and increase underwater marine diversity in the Bahamas.

Artifical Reef “Anthony Bell”

The first artificial reef was created by sinking the “Anthony Bell”, old decommissioned tug boat that used to work off of New Providence Island in the Bahamas. The boat is approximately 90 feet in length and is submerged in about 50 feet of water

Artificial Reef “The Long Island Lady”

The other new artificial coral reef to be created is “The Long Island Lady” and was created by sinking a fishing boat that was sitting in abandon for years in the Nassau harbour. “Long Island Lady” is about 70 feet long and she is sitting on a rocky bottom at about 40 feet in depth, right next to an ocean wall that drops down to 6,500 feet.

Maldives Employs Coconut Shells as Fertilizer

Coconut Shells to Help the Maldives Achieve Carbon Neutrality

The Maldives has begun using discarded coconut shells as a fertilizer which will help the island nation achieve carbon neutrality – the country’s goal is to become the first carbon neutral country in the world.  The plan is to achieve carbon neutral status by the year 2020.

Coconut Shell Qualities and Uses

By burning the coconut shells, the Maldives will be able to create a substance known as biochar, a charcoal with a high carbon content that decomposes over a long period of time.  While it decomposes, it is used as a fertilizer as it nourishes the soil.

Coconut Waste Project

The new coconut-burning project is a joint venture between the Maldivian Government and Carbon Gold, a UK Company.  While the scheme helps the islands get rid of unwanted organic waste and creates the biochar fertilizer, it also helps make the country less dependent on imported fertilizers.  The company also says that biochar is an effective way of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Maldives Communities Involved

The idea is to place kilns in each of the villages of the Maldives, which would allow locals to burn their own coconuts and create their own fertilizers.  Currently, a lot of money is spent by people all over the island nation on fertilizers imported from India, since the soil quality is so poor.

Role Model for Other Tropical Countries

Considering the number of tropical countries around the world that have an excess of coconuts and an over-dependency on unnatural fertilizers, the idea of turning coconuts into biochar could be a great idea for many other countries around the world.

Aeromexico Plane Hijacked in Mexico

Aeromexico Boeing 737 Airplane Hijacked in Mexico

An airplane coming from Cancun to Mexico City has been hijacked.  104 passengers are on board.   The hijackers have said that they have bombs on board and they will detonate the explosives unless they are able to speak to the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon.

It is speculated that the hijackers are either Colombians or Bolivians, although this is not confirmed.

More to follow…

Top Five Dive Sites in the Maldives

Top Five Dive Sites in the Maldives

Scuba divers heading to the Maldives, one of the best scuba diving destinations in the world, will be eager to visit as many of the best dive sites as possible during their visit, so we have compiled this guide to the best dive sites in the archipelago of the  Maldives.  Of course, which sites you can visit depends largely upon the season, because the scuba diving seasons dictate which dive sites are the best, and which animals you are likely to see.  Your dive guide will know which are the best seasons, but the following information will give you a good idea of the dive sites to check out.

Broken Rock Dive Site

Broken Rock dive site is one of the most well-known dive sites in South Ari Atoll in the Maldives. This pinnacle dive is literally a broken rock with a wide canyon that splits the pinnacle in two sections. Broken Rock dive site is a great place to see hard coral formations, sea slugs and leaf fish.  For more information about Broken Rock, click here.

Fotteyo Kandu Dive Site

Fotteyo Kandu is not only one of the Maldives’ best dive sites, but also one of the best dive sites in the world – it is currently ranked among the top five across the globe.  Apart from spectacular coral reef formations, Fotteyo Kandu is a great place for spotting Grey Reef Sharks, Snappers and if you are lucky enough to do an early morning dive here, you will likely see schools of Hammerhead Sharks.  For more information about Fotteyo Kandu, click here.

HP Reef Dive Site

HP Reef Dive Site is one of the Maldives’ most spectacular dive sites.  It is home to an amazing selection of marine life, including Eagle Rays, Batfish and Silver Jacks.  Click here for more details about HP Reef dive site.

Kuda Haa Dive Site

Kuda Haa is another of the  Maldives prime pinnacle, or “thila” dive sites.  It is a spectacular dive site, covered with beautiful coral formations, and as long as the currents are not too strong, it is an easy-to-navigate dive site.  Scuba divers at Kuda Haa can expect to see plenty of Frogfish, Leaf Fish and Nudibranchs.  For more information, click here.

Maldives Victory Wreck Dive Site

The Maldives Victory Wreck dive site was created when a boat called the Maldives Victory wrecked on an island in the  Maldives.  The ship has since developed a lot of coral growth and many fish now call the Maldives Victory their home.  It is a complicated dive, usually recommended only for advanced scuba divers, but the  marine life here is impressive, including sea turtles and Napoleon Wrasse.  For more information about the Maldives Victory Wreck dive site, click here.

Other Maldives Dive Sites

There are plenty more dive sites in the Maldives that scuba divers will absolutely love.  In fact, there are so many sites that you could spend months scuba diving in the Maldives and never see all the sites.  Not to mention the fact that every day is different at each dive site.  For more information about Maldives dive sites, check out this great directory of sites that includes GPS positions, maps, photos and tips and advice for safe scuba diving.

Undersea Medical Society

Undersea Medical Society

Scuba diving and undersea sightseeing has increasingly grown in popularity in these past few years. Diving obviously has its allure, as the beauty and grandeur that underwater sights offer is enough to leave even the most jaded individual breathless. As with any other endeavor, it is best to learn as much as possible about something before entering into an activity.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT, is the medical use of oxygen at a level higher than atmospheric pressure. HBOT is used in the treatment of decompression sickness, more commonly known as “the bends,” when a diver surfaces too quickly, causing the nitrogen bubbles in his system to impede bodily functions, as large bubbles of gas may impede the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain, central nervous system and other vital organs.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and the Undersea Hyberbaric Medical Society

The primary source of information for diving and hyperbaric medicine physiology worldwide is the Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society, better known as UHMS. Boasting of a membership exceeding two thousand individuals in more than fifty countries, UHMS is proud to be an international, non-profit organization.

Undersea Hyberbaric Medical Society History

The Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society traces its roots from a close association of a small group of scientists who realized the need to stimulate a growth of knowledge in the field of undersea medicine. With a starting roster of six members initially, the group blossomed into eighty-eight charter members in 1967. Initially called The Undersea Medical Society, The UHM moved to have the word Hyperbaric inserted into the group’s name to underscore the rapidly growing interest in hyperbaric oxygen physiology and therapy.

Undersea Hyberbaric Medical Society Goals

The Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society’s purpose consists in providing scientific information to protect the health of sport, military and commercial divers, as well as to improve the scientific basis of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, promote sound treatment protocols and standards of practice, and provide CME accreditation within its field. CME stands for continuing medical education, which is a specific form of continuing education that helps those in the medical field maintain competence and learn about new and developing areas of their field.

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