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Japan Underwater Photo Contest 2020 Winners

Words
Edited by G. Symes
Images
Courtesy of JNTO
Gold Medal winner: "Survival," a photo capturing a butterflyfish feeding on spawning corals in Yakushima, Kagoshima
Gold Medal winner: "Survival," a photo capturing a butterflyfish feeding on spawning corals in Yakushima, Kagoshima
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From October to Novem­ber of 2020, the Japan National Tourism Organ­ization (JNTO) held its second annual Japan Underwater Photo Contest, seeking photos taken by divers that showcase the undiscovered beauty and artistry of diving in Japan to the world.

Mike Ball Announces Photo Competition Winner for 2019/20

3 years ago By Matthew Meier
Photo Credit: Tanya Piejus

It was a close competition and as always a difficult one to judge but Tanya’s image captured the essence typifying the experience encountered on our minke expeditions. 

https://www.mikeball.com/photo-gallery/photo-year-competition-2019-2020/

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions run expeditions to the Coral Sea and the far northern Great Barrier Reef between Cairns and the Cape York peninsula.

Currently running 5 Night Minke Whale Expeditions.

The Arenui Announces Renovations during Pandemic Travel Bans

3 years ago By Matthew Meier

Very warm wishes from the Arenui Team!

We hope that you and your loved ones are well during these past few, COVID-19 affected months. Although we are in another part of the world and the situation has meant different things to us all, we've all been impacted. But with every cloud, can come a silver lining.

What can you expect to see once you’re onboard?...

Grand Bahama Island Bounces Back as a Popular Destination for Divers

4 years ago By Matthew Meier

Ian Rolle, Acting Chairman of the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board (GBITB), reports that the island and its reefs fared well during Hurricane Dorian. “Three weeks after the hurricane, a crew from UNEXSO, our leading underwater experts, went on an exploratory dive of the reefs stretching along the south shore of the island, from the Grand Lucayan Water Way all the way to Silver Point Reef. At that time, it was discovered that all the reef structures were in standing positions and the wrecks were in the same location and status as before the storm,” noted Rolle.

Bahamas Diving Association Member Update after Hurricane Dorian

4 years ago By Main minion

All 32 members of the association offer our condolences to the families of those lives lost during the storm.

We have in fact heard from all our operators, and the only adversely affected areas are sadly the Abacos and portions of Grand Bahama Island. All the rest of the country’s 32 resorts, dive operators and liveaboards are up and running on their normal dive schedules.

Dahlia Anemone

Scottish Snorkel Trail Unveiled

7 years ago By Rosemary E Lunn

The SWT – which receives funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation – has also confirmed that Scotland's first snorkel trail has been created in the north west Highlands. The idea is that the snorkel trail is self-led.

Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop stated “The snorkel trail is an innovative approach to marine and coastal planning that encourages use of existing infrastructure to help tourism diversification like this."

Great White Shark
Great White Shark

Stewart Island shark cage diving creates controversy

8 years ago By Scott Bennett

A New Zealand parliamentary select committee has raised concerns about the potential human risk from shark cage diving around Stewart Island. The Local Government and Environment Committee published a report considering a petition calling for the Department of Conservation (DOC) to immediately and permanently cease shark diving. The petition was created by Stewart Island resident Helen Cave and signed by 768 people.

(File photo) Philippine reef landscape. Look, but do not touch!

Touching corals punishable by law in the Philippines

9 years ago By Main minion

PENRO chief Charlies Fabre has issued a warning to visiting scuba divers after at least two photos had been posted on Facebook by an environmentalist who frequented Apo Island showing a diver using a poker and touching corals. It turned out that this was a somewhat common practice among some scuba divers.

Fabre said he would ask the Protected Area Superintendent Efren Rombawa, who is also the chief of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office on Apo Island, to look into the matter.

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