100 Ways to Save the Environment
Housing Maintenance
"Maintenance of Ikelite Housings
Housing Assembly:
The general rule for all housings with multiple lid snaps is opposite snaps MUST be fastened simultaneously. Check that the cover is completely into the housing body with the 'O' ring touching everywhere before fastening the lid snaps. Most of our housings allow you to see that the 'O' ring is sealing as the snaps are fastened because the 'O' ring will show a blacker compression area around the entire face of the housing if properly sealed.
Housing 'O' Rings:
The port 'O' ring of our SLR housings will need a very slight film of lubricant to assure proper installation, but we recommend no lubricant on most of our housing 'O' rings. Please note that some lubricants may cause the Ikelite 'O' rings to soften and swell in size. A good quality silicone grease should be fine, or use genuine Ikelite lubricant to be sure.
The lubricant may be used to clean the 'O' rings, but most of it should then be wiped off. Be careful to not stretch the 'O' ring while pulling it between your fingers when cleaning.
Housing Controls:
Check the knob set screws occasionally to be sure they are tight, but do not over tighten. A very light film of lubricant should be placed on the shafts every few dives or every week of a vacation, then rotate the shaft while moving it in"
Housing Maintenance
If you want to travel to any of the 322 islands in the Fiji archipelago, Moon Handbooks Fiji has everything you need.
From coverage of Fiji's top-rated resorts to the newest adventure tourism facilities and little-known backpacker areas, travelers of all interests will find the destination to suit them.
This guidebook includes vivid descriptions of the islands' dazzling beaches, rainforests, and reefs, with a special focus on scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing, windsurfing, rafting, kayaking, hiking, bicycling, and golf.
Complete with practical essentials, including photographs, illustrations, and 53 easy-to-use maps and transportation tips for island hopping by sea or air, Moon Handbooks Fiji is the guide for a uniquely personal travel experience.
The Coral Reef Alliance - Coral Reef Tourism Protects Its Pot Of Gold, Taipei Times, 06/22/07
By Bonnie Tsui
Source: Taipei Times
06/22/07
Green sea turtles, cascades of glittering reef fish, blooming coral pillars -- countless travelers have come nose to nose with a thriving undersea universe while on vacation.
But increasingly, divers and snorkelers are swimming over bleached hunks of coral devastated by shore runoff or overfishing. From the South Pacific to the Caribbean, coral reefs -- which are among the most delicate of marine ecosystems -- are bearing the brunt of climate change and other human-driven activities -- including coastal development, deforestation and unrestricted tourism.
Now, many in the tourist industry are trying to halt the damage and it is no wonder. The dollars involved in reef-based tourism are significant: Australia's Great Barrier Reef alone draws about 1.9 million visitors a year, supporting a US$4.2 billion industry. According to the Nature Conservancy, the annual economic value of coral reefs to world tourism is US$9.6 billion.
Growing awareness of environmental issues means that the tourism industry has lately been a partner to conservation efforts in major reef areas. Though the Great Barrier is the most famous reef, it is not the"
The Coral Reef Alliance - Coral Reef Tourism Protects Its Pot Of Gold, Taipei Times, 06/22/07
SCUBA Travel: The Independent Guide to Diving around the World:
"Welcome to the impartial guide for divers who like to travel.
The best dive sites, accommodation options, diving centres, when to go, how to get there, travel tips...personal views written from experience.
Every month we send out SCUBA News (ISSN 1476-8011). As well as all the diving news it includes dive and travel articles, features a marine 'creature of the month', reviews recent diving books and keeps you up-to-date on new destinations added to the SCUBA Travel site. To receive your free copy enter your e-mail below."
Reef Check - Reef Check News - Saving Reefs Worldwide
"Reef Check Serves as NGO coordinator for IYOR2008
In 2006, Reef Check Executive Director, Dr. Gregor Hodgson, proposed that 2008 be declared International Year of the Reef. The proposal was approved by the International Coral Reef Initiative, the highest level government and non-government organization working on coral reefs and subsequently by the NOAA US Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF). IYOR 2008 is intended to increase public awareness, and actions to conserve coral reefs. One of the major activities is the signing of the International Declaration of Reef Rights with a goal of 1 million signatures, and formal signing by coral reef country leaders. Please show your support for coral reefs and sign the Declaration and send it to your friends.
For IYOR 2008, NOAA is working through the USCRTF to organize governmental activities, and Reef Check has been asked to serve as the non-government organization (NGO) coordinator. Our task is to reach out to as many NGOs as possible, including nonprofit organizations, academic centers, and businesses, and get them involved in this effort.
If your organization or business would like to participate, please contact Mary Luna at: iyor2008@reefcheck.org and see: IYOR-NGO2008.reefcheck.org.
We look forward to having you as a partner in IYOR 2008! "
scuba diving vacation blogs:
"The Fijian Islands are very close to Vanuatu, and are known for their coral reefs. There are over 300 islands making up the Fiji group of islands, the two major islands in the group are known as Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Almost 80 percent of the population live on these two islands.
Scuba Duba says this about a Scuba Diving Vacation in Fiji
Fiji scuba diving offers tremendous crystal clear visibility, huge marine life like giant rays, reef sharks , tarpins, and uncrowded low trafficked dive locations which remain pristine. The Fijian islands are a tropical paradise rarely matched with a lovely culture. The fact that it is more remote means fewer tourists cluttering the beaches and resorts and marine life that hasn't been scared off by a freeway of dive traffic. Check out the great selection of featured listing below and our Scubaduba directory that will help you discover the best of scuba diving in Fiji ."
Hurricanes may be unlikely saviours of coral reefs - earth - 02 July 2007 - New Scientist Environment
"Hurricanes Katrina and Rita may have been unlikely saviours for the coral reefs under their paths, say researchers. They have found evidence that the cooling effect hurricanes have on sea temperatures may help corals recover from the bleaching caused by warming oceans.
Coral reefs get their colour from tiny algae called zooxanthellae that live within them.
The corals and the algae live in symbiosis, but if the corals become stressed they can expel the algae – which results in coral bleaching. One source of stress to corals is high sea temperatures, which is why global warming is predicted to bring about widespread coral bleaching.
In the North Atlantic, warmer temperatures at the ocean surface also help hurricanes form. Now, Derek Manzello, at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and colleagues have shown that hurricanes cool temperatures and may assist coral recovery."
