Next Job - Ras Al Dhowd
We now have permission from the Government to clean up nets at this lovely site near Quriyat, watch this space for more news!
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Muscat Divers and the Environment
Diving in Oman is almost unique in that world class low risk tropical diving is available right here on our doorstep, but the number of active divers is relatively low. It´s rare that we have to share a dive site with other divers. So we have a special responsibility to ensure that we contribute to ensuring that future divers can enjoy diving around Muscat as much as we do.
Muscat Divers Environment Charter
Muscat Divers will dive responsibly and safely, at all times conscious of the need to protect the marine environment of Oman. We do not engage in any form of underwater fishing nor collect marine life nor artifacts Our training ensures that all divers are aware of this statement and understand the importance of not touching coral or other underwater life.
We subscribe to the BSAC Environment Policy (link www.bsac.org/page/126/bsac-environmental-policy.htm
We will contribute actively to the efforts of the government of Oman to protect the underwater environment.
We conform with all Omani laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment and contribute actively to supporting environmentally friendly activities.
Our recent activities include:
Bander Koran Cleanup 2007
On finding that one of our favourite dive sites had been heavily swamped by several detached nets, Muscat Divers decided to stage a clearing dive.
The nets were draped over the coral in one of the prettiest dive sites we visit. Fortunately the depth was from 2 10m so from a technical point of view it was fairly low risk. However, any dive of this nature carries with it some risk so it was carefully planned by our most experienced dive manager, Neil Bedwin, who has over 2000 logged dives and 2 decades experience. The dive was open to divers of all ages and grades, so Neil took care to ensure that newer divers were particularly well briefed and even those who had done clearance before were reminded of safety procedures. It was bad enough seeing so many dead and dying fish without adding a few members to their number. And of course we needed to ensure that we didn't do a whole lot more damage to the reef by our efforts. Not much was needed in the way of equipment a stout pair of kitchen scissors and a supply of plastic bags for buoyancy did the trick, with some time out for posing for the in house photographer and video team.
The snippers snipped and the buouyers buoyed, while the top cover in boats pulled in the wreckage which rapidly smelled up the boats something terrible!
It was amazing just how much apparently dead stuff came back to life once we were able to to snip away the strangling cords, including some crabs and lobsters who woke up cross and snappy.
Of course there´s not much point cleaning up a reef unless you dispose of the mess decently. It was all hauled back to the marina and taken to land fill.
The following week we went back to BK Island and it was marvelous to see our favourite BK site back to close to its best.