Learning to Dive

Scuba Diving is a relaxing, action-packed and exciting sport that can be enjoyed by everybody. Evidence shows that people have been diving for thousands of years, either to hunt for food, seek out treasure, in the art of war or to simply observe the world beneath the waves. Have you always dreamed of diving down deep and exploring the oceans wonders, swimming with turtles or finding a long lost treasure? If you have you may want to consider scuba diving, but probably have some questions before you taking the plunge.

The first thing to consider before looking at dive courses is to determine how serious your interest is, will you be diving regularly or only once in a while. If you want try diving in Hawaii you do not need to get certified, as most companies offer introduction dives for first time divers. These are guided dives with a dive master who will accompany you to explore the reefs and the marine life. After taking one of these dives you will not be certified and can not go unsupervised, but this is a great way to decide if you want to continue diving and get certified.

If you decide that you do want to get certified, Hawaii is a great place to learn to dive and certification courses can usually be completed in three days. If you live in Hawaii there are also dive clubs that offer course over several weekends before completing certification. Another option for visitors with not much time is to contact a local dive company at home and complete all your class work before coming to Hawaii. Then once you arrive you only have the fun part to complete, your open water dives and you are certified.

Hawaiian Dive Sites

Hawaii has year round warm waters and has been a popular scuba dive location for years offering some of the best dive sites in the world. The islands of Hawaii each have their own personalities and characteristics and due to Hawaii's geographical isolation they each offer unique and exciting dive sites, and an abundance of endemic marine life. Select an island for more information on the available dive sites and recommended skill level required to dive at these locations.

Oahu - offers an excellent blend of dive sites that range from offshore lava formations and grottoes to plane and shipwrecks, many with large schools of colorful fish and green sea turtles.


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Maui - most of Maui's dive sites are located off the west coast and offers excellent diving for all levels of divers, including Molokini, Black Rock and Five Caves.

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Hawaii - most of the diving on the Big Island is off the leeward coast, with some excellent locations stretched all along the coast. As the coast is sheltered from the trade winds by the large mountains conditions tend to glassy with visibility around 100ft plus.

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Kauai - the Garden Island is known for its rugged and pristine diving. During the winter months large swells make the north shore generally inaccessible for diving, but during summer months and on calm days the north shore has some excellent locations.

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Ni'ihau - located 17-miles off the southwestern coast of Kauai, is home gigantic sea arches, the endangered monk seal, large pelagic fish and other rare species of fish. Ni'ihau has some amazing dive locations but is generally recommended for intermediate to advanced divers.

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Lanai - the dive sites in Lanai are best known for their lava formations which not only house a large variety of marine life but make for some amazing light effects. The lava formations range from archways, ridges, tunnels, pinnacles.

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Molokai - Along the entire South side of the island of Molokai lies the longest barrier reef in Hawaii. Seldom visited by divers, this natural sanctuary offers some of the best diving in the islands.

Beach at Hanauma Bay

The beach at Hanauma Bay has been a popular gathering spot... (Tom Wharton/The Salt Lake Tribune )«1»HANAUMA BAY, Hawaii - Few people who snorkel ever forget their first experience with a mask and fins in tropical waters.

Mine came in the late 1980s during my first trip to Hawaii. Famed Utah sportscaster Paul James told me about a reserve where fishing was not allowed called Hanauma Bay (ha-NOW-ma) and said it was one of the best things to do near Honolulu.
Another friend who lived there concurred. So, with rented snorkel gear and bags of frozen string beans and peas, we headed to the beautiful half-moon-shaped bay that is a water-covered dormant volcano crater filled with turquoise water, coral reefs and thousands of tropical fish.

It was, indeed, an amazing experience. Colorful fish of all shapes and sizes swarmed us, eating the green beans out of our bathing trunks or hands. I had never seen anything like it.

We also walked to a famous blow hole called the Toilet Bowl and marveled while watching locals swim into a lava tube and then come out the other side, a claustrophobic experience I would never attempt.

What we didn't think about was the fact that many of the things the millions of annual visitors to Hanauma Bay were doing - feeding the fish, stepping on coral and eroding the sides of hills - were damaging this precious site.

Making a return visit last August, we found a far different place. If the parking lot is full, no more cars allowed. Visitors must see a video and hear interpreters talk about how to protect the park. The beach is far less crowded, and trails on each side of the volcano have been closed for safety reasons.

"This has been a major control measure to prevent overcrowding on the beach," explained Alan Hong, Hanauma Bay manager. "When we had over 3 million visitors a year with no restrictions, it caused a lot of environmental impact. We're trying to reduce the impact by reducing the number of people. Those who come are exposed to an orientation program to know what they can do to minimize the impact to our reef. We have reduced the number of visitors to a million a year on the beach."

In fact, the history of the bay's management is replete with management practices that have changed its ecology and encouraged its human use in different ways.
According to the park Web site, www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/facility/hanaumabay

, some of the earliest development on the site came in the 1890s, when an old photo shows a building that was probably used by Hawaiian royalty. In 1928, the city and county of Honolulu established Koko Head Regional Park, which included Hanauma Bay, by buying it for $1 from the estate of Bernice Bishop with a deed restricting its use to public parks and rights of way.

A new paved road came in 1931, and the area was protected with barbed wire after Pearl Harbor was bombed. A road to the beach was built in 1950 along with restrooms and showers. An easement for an undersea trans-Pacific telephone cable allowed a 200-foot-wide swath to be cut through the coral reef with tons of rock removed. That actually created more swimming space and created a new biological zone inside the reef for small invertebrates that fish fed upon.

But, by the 1960s, the area was overfished and few fish could be seen. According to the Web site, the Hawaii Division of Fish and Game declared the bay a Marine Life Conservation District, ending the taking of marine life, shells, coral, rocks and sand.

That led to the Hanauma Bay I experienced in the 1980s but also to overcrowding. The nature center was completed in 2002 and the increased management has, according to Hong, reduced visitation.

"There are in the neighborhood of 200 marine animals in the bay, but the fish are what people focus on," said Hong. "You will probably see maybe two different species when you go snorkeling, but the typical snorkeler will remember the most colorful, biggest ones that swam right in front of them."

Despite the restrictions, Hanauma Bay remains one of Honolulu's biggest attractions. If you are staying in Waikiki, you would do well to sign up for one of the commercial bus tours as opposed to driving a car; parking is limited.

Hong said the busiest times of year are when school is out: June, July and August, March and April spring breaks and the Christmas holiday season.
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* TOM WHARTON can be contacted at wharton@sltrib.com. His phone number is 801-257-8909. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@sltrib.com.


Hanauma Bay basics
* THE BAY is 10 miles east of Waikiki on the Kalaniana'ole Highway.
* NO PETS, alcoholic beverages, fishing, feeding fish or removing or harming marine life are allowed.
* CALL 808-396-4229 for a recorded message with all current fees, times and condition.
* ENTRY FEE is $1 per car and $5 per person 13 years or older.
* VISITORS ARE REQUIRED to watch an educational film before going to the beach.
* LIFEGUARDS are available.
* THERE ARE picnic facilities with tables, a concession stand, restÂrooms, showers, phones, snorkel, mask and fin rental, locker rental and a gift shop.
* THE BEACH is wheelchair accessible via shuttle bus or trolley.



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How polluted is Ocean Water?

How polluted is Ocean Water?


What kind of stuff is in it and why are some areas worse than others? Why are some areas dark colored black water and some are clear blue?

ANSWER?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
One of the most polluted sections of ocean in the world today is known as the Gulf Of Mexico "Dead Zone". Thanks to runoff from the Mississippi River, there is an extremely unhealthy cake of sediment and pollution in the ocean that covers an area of 22,126 square kilometres.

The majority of the pollutants that make up this particular Dead Zone are agricultural-based pollutants, eg. artificial fertilizer and animal waste. Thanks to meterological elements such as rain, the pollution makes its way into the tributaries that lead to the Mississippi, forming a big disgusting clump of waste just offshore in the Gulf.

This causes depleted oxygen levels in the water, which in turn leads to reproductive problems and ultimately death in marine wildlife.

There are currently reports of over 140 dead zones throughout the world - but as pessimistic as this sounds, the good news is that the world's previous largest dead zone in the Black Sea (over 70,000 square kilometres!!) actually cleared itself up over the course of 10 years due to a decrease in industrial waste.

I'm no ecologist so don't quote me on this - but I wouldn't think that dead zones are responsible for the darnkess of the sea water, I would have thought that had to do more with the ocean's depth and any reefs or other such natural geological occurance (ie. clear blue coloured water closer to the shore and darker black out in the deep, or in a reef-heavy area). Although I'm sure dead zones are distinguishable by satellite, I wouldn't think that *every* off-coloured part of the ocean is a polluted part.


WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Check out this website, it contains a great array of colourful animations and activities all to do with the Gulf Of Mexico Dead Zone:

http://www.smm.org/deadzone/top.html




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Overfishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu, HI - The Ocean Conservancy and Marine Conservation Biology Institute today released a joint scientific report showing the repeated occurrence of overfishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The report reveals that the area was overfished or in the danger zone in 11 out of 16 years-from 1988 to 2003-with only limited fishing pressure, as few boats have fished the distant region. Despite the low fishing presence, commercial fishing has harmed the rich ecosystem, leading to a decline in the important bottomfish populations that exist in the unique archipelago.

"Overfishing is a serious threat to the health of our oceans, and if we are to act as good stewards, we need to make sure that the Northwestern Hawaiian Island bottomfish population remains healthy," said Dennis Heinemann, Senior Scientist for The Ocean Conservancy and lead author of the report.

A unique and diverse ecosystem exists in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands archipelago, which stretches from the main islands to Midway. This ecosystem contains extensive and massive reef colonies and thousands of marine species, and stands apart as an oceanic gem at a time in which large fish are disappearing and worldwide ecosystems are in decline. It is also highly important culturally for the native Hawaiian community. The report shows that even this relatively untouched region is susceptible to harm from even limited commercial fishing. It is clear that the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands cannot remain healthy if any commercial fishing continues.

"Many have claimed that so few vessels fishing such a vast area would cause little harm," said Lance Morgan, Chief Scientist for Marine Conservation Biology Institute. "The government's data have shown the opposite is the case: the fishing pressure from only a few boats has had demonstrably negative effects on the resources. This unique region, with its extraordinary reef ecosystem, deserves extraordinary care."

The report's conclusions are based on recently adopted methods of analysis, using data provided by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Visit

www.oceanconservancy.org/hawaii
http://www.mcbi.org/


for more information.


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Trawlers Destroying Deep-Sea Reefs, Scientists Say

Trawlers Destroying Deep-Sea Reefs, Scientists Say

John Pickrellfor
National Geographic News
February 19, 2004

Typically imagined as explosions of color in shallow, warm, azure tropical waters, coral reefs are often regarded as the rain forests of the sea. It wasn't until recent years that scientists realized that reefs at much greater and darker depths also teem with life—and may be home to the majority of coral species.

Yet even before these deep reefs have been fully explored and documented, they are being destroyed by unregulated deep-sea trawling. Concerned that many species may be lost before they are identified, a group of 1,136 scientists from 69 countries is appealing for new laws to protect deep-ocean corals and sponges.

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"Based on current knowledge, deep-sea coral and sponge communities appear to be as important to the biodiversity of the oceans and the sustainability of fisheries as their analogues in shallow tropical waters," said a statement released earlier this week at both the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Seattle and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"We urge the United Nations and appropriate international bodies to establish a moratorium on bottom trawling on the high seas," the scientists said. They include Harvard University's renowned ecologist Edward O. Wilson and former head of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, D. James Baker.

Great Depths
Scientists first discovered deep-sea coral forests in the 19th century but only recently realized how widespread and important they are. Growing to hundreds, or even thousands of years old, deep-sea corals are filter-feeding organisms that can form dense reefs in cold and deep waters as far apart as Alaska, Tasmania, Ireland, and Colombia.

Dated at 1,800 years old, one slow-growing deep-sea coral may rival some kinds of pine trees as the world's oldest organism. Some of these corals even resemble trees, growing up to 10 meters (33 feet) in height. They have been discovered as deep as 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles). Lophelia coral reefs in cold North Atlantic waters can harbor 1,300 invertebrate species, and 850 species of coral have been found on underwater plateaus of the Tasman and Coral Seas.

These forests provide habitats for huge numbers of important deep-sea species, the scientists said Individual corals could produce chemicals potentially useful for treating high blood pressure, cancer, and chronic pain.

However, many species are being discovered only as they are destroyed by fishing, said Lance E. Morgan. Morgan is chief scientist with the U.S.-based Marine Conservation Biology Institute (MCBI), the nongovernmental organization responsible for organizing the petition. "Norway only found that it had these corals because of surveys for oil," Morgan said. "So they were discovered and significantly damaged at the same time."

Though oil and gas prospecting, deep-sea mining, and global warming are all significant threats, today's greatest danger comes from fishing trawlers, the scientists wrote.

Indiscriminate Destruction
Trawlers are fishing vessels that drag enormous and heavily weighted fishing nets at great depths across the seafloor. These can be weighted with rollers or chains that crush everything in their path, Morgan said, smashing corals and sponges and killing enormous quantities of nontargeted animals as well as the fish (including Chilean sea bass, orange roughy, and cod) and shrimp the nets are set to catch.

Traditional scientific papers

NOTE: Traditional scientific papers are only published after extensive peer-evaluation. The web, although a fantastic media for distributing information, can by-pass this process. Therefore, all material should be interpreted cautiously and critically. To aid in this process I offer my comments below. If you have additional comments on this material please send them to Brian Tissot.

General Articles:

Community-based management of coral reefs in Hawai'i by Brian Tissot via ReefNet

This is a synopsis of a talk I gave at the Clean Oceans Conference at Hanalei, Kauai in June 1997. This is a general, non-technical paper based largely on personal experiences. Key references are cited at the bottom of the paper.


Climate change, coral bleaching and the future of the world's coral reefs by Ove Hoegh-Guldberg

A peer-reviewed scientific paper published in the journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. Presents an excellent overview of coral bleaching and predictions of worldwide reef destruction for the future


Coral Laws of Hawai'i: by University of Hawai'i Sea Grant

Most of the information at this site is derived from the official Hawai'i State bulletin published by the Division of Aquatic Resources. Other information is provided by the Pacific Science Association


Diver Impacts on Coral Reefs of Kealakekua Bay, Hawai'i by Brian Tissot and Leon Hallacher

A scientific study of the potential impacts of swimmers, snorkelers and divers on coral reefs at a popular tourist destination on the Big Island.


Guidelines, Handbooks and Tools for Coral Reef Management by Sue Wells


Overview of Ecology of Coral Reefs in Hawai'i by Brian Tissot

A very general overview of Hawaiian coral reef ecology. Includes images illustrating common zonation patterns with cross-referenced species names.


The Hawaiian Reef Ecosystem by Brian Tissot

A technical overview of Hawaiian coral reef ecology, including reef formation, growth, ecology, and human impacts.


Volcanoes in the Sea: the Birth of Islands and Reefs in Hawai'i by Brian Tissot

Summary of a talk I gave at the 1996 Marine Affairs Symposium: a forum for Pacific-wide High School students to share their scientific research. A very general talk largely based on experience with some references to scientific work in progress.

Technical Reports:
20 years of change at Pelekane Bay by Brian Tissot
A technical report which focuses on a resurvey of an area subjected to considerable human disturbance due to watershed destruction and harbor construction. This article has not been peer-reviewed.

A new species of red algae from the Hawaiian Islands Laurencia molokiniensis et. nov. (Ceramiales, Rhodophta) By Jennifer Smtih

Coral Reef Ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

A very nice, easy to read report which summarizes the results of the year 2000 multi-group surveys. Includes many beautiful color photos, maps and interesting data!!!!

Coral Reef Fish Ecology by Odyssey Expeditions

A lucid and well-written overview of current hypotheses on factors structure coral reef fish communities. Includes citations from most major papers on the subject.

Coral Reef Status Around the World: Where Are We and Where Do We Go From Here? 1996. By, C.M. Eakin, J.W. McManus, M.D. Spalding, and S.C Jameson. Presented at the 8th International Coral Reef Symposium held in Panama.

Determination of baseline conditions for introduced marine species in nearshore waters of the island of Kaho'olawe, Hawaii by S. L. Coles, R. C. DeFelice, J. E. Smith, D. Muir and L.G. Eldredge

Global Marine Aquarium Database By UNEP-WCMC

An online database of trade information on the marine aquarium trade. The goals of this project are to to centralize, standardize and provide fast and easy access to information on the aquarium trade.

Effects of aquarium collectors on reef fishes in Kona, Hawai'i by Brian Tissot & Leon Hallacher

A report commissioned by the Division of Aquatic Resources to estimate the effects of aquarium fish collectors in Kona. Part of the West Hawai'i Aquarium Project. Peer-reviewed and published in the journal Conservation Biology.

Managing the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park by Dr. Ian McPhail
NOAA's State of the Coastal Environment: The Extent and Condition of U.S. Coral Reefs. 1998. By, S.L. Miller and M.Crosby.

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands/Kure Atoll Assessment and Monitoring Program, Final Report. 2002. By William j. Walsh, Ryan Okano, Robert Nishimoto, and Brent Carman

Quantitative Underwater Ecological Survey techniques: A coral reef monitoring workshop. By Hallacher, L. E. and B. N. Tissot.

Reef Monitoring and Assessment Protocols by Brian Tissot

A list of links to the major sampling protocols used by various research programs throughout the world.

Implications for Coral Reef Management and Policy: Relevant Findings from the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium by Barbara Best, Robert Pomeroy and Cristina Balboa (USAID)

Review on Coral Reef Bleaching by Martin Pecheux

A large, comprehensive review of the literature on coral bleaching: its patterns, potential causes, and descriptions of detailed experiments. Misspelled words and grammatical errors cast doubt on the integrity of this review.

Status of Coral Reefs in the Pacific, Compiled by the Scientific Commission on Coral Reefs of the Pacific Science Association

State of the Reefs: Regional and Global Perspectives. An International Coral Reef Initiative Executive Secretariat Background Paper. 1995. By, S.C. Jameson, J.W. McManus, and M.D. Spalding

On-line Scientific Journals:

Bulletin of Marine Science
Canada Journal of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences
Coral Reefs
Ecology, Ecological Applications, Ecological Monographs
Marine Ecology Progress Series
Marine & Freshwater Research
Micronesica
Pacific Science

Newsletters
South Pacific Commission Fishery Newsletters
Fisheries Newsletter
Beche-de-Mer Information Bulletin
Fish Aggregation Device Information Bulletin
Fisheries Education & Training Information Bulletin
Live Reef Fish Information Bulletin
Pearl Oyster Information Bulletin
Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin
Trochus Information Bulletin
Women in Fisheries Information Bulletin
REEF RESEARCH
(a quarterly newsletter published by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority)


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What is a coral reef?

What is a coral reef?
http://www.reefrelief.org/coral_reef_body.shtml

Coral reefs are the most biologically diverse marine eco-systems on earth, rivaled only by the tropical rainforests on land. Corals grow over geologic time and have been in existence about 200 million years. Corals reached their current level of diversity 50 million years ago.

The delicately balanced marine environment of the coral reef relies on the interaction of hard and soft corals, sponges, anemones, snails, rays, crabs, lobsters, turtles, dolphins and other sea life.

What is acoral reef made of?A coral reef is composed of thin plates or layers of calcium carbonate secreted over thousands of years by billions of tiny soft bodied animals called coral polyps. It takes years for some corals to grow an inch and they range in size from a pinhead to a foot in length. Each polyp excretes a calcereous exo-skeleton and lives in a symbiotic relationship with a host algae, zooxanthellae, that gives the coral its color. Zooxanthellae takes in carbon dioxide, process is through photosynthesis, and then gives off oxygen as a by-product that is used by the host polyp. Millions of polyps grow on top of the limestone remains of former colonies to create the massive reefs. Yet these tiny animals form the only natural formation visible from outer space.

More about corals

Corals are divided into two kinds and both are stationary on the ocean bottom. Hard corals such as brain, star, staghorn, elkhorn and pillar corals have rigid exoskeletons, or corallites, that protect their soft delicate bodies. Gorgonians, or soft corals, such as sea fans, sea whips, and sea rods, sway with the currents and lack an exoskeleton.

Coral reefs depend upon mangroves and sea grasses

Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees with submerged roots that are a nursery and breeding ground for birds and most of the marine life that migrates to the reef. Mangroves trap and produce nutrients for food and habitat, stabilize the shoreline, and filter pollutants from the landbase.
Seagrasses are flowering marine plants that are an important part of the food web. They provide foods and habitat for turtles, manatees, many fish, filter-feeding organisms and foraging sealife such as sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Seagrasses are a nursery for pink shrimp, lobster, snapper and other sealife. They filter the water of sediments, release oxygen and stabilize the bottom.

Where are coral reefs located?

Coral reefs occupy less than one quarter of one percent of the earth's marine environment, yet they are home to more than a quarter of all known fish species.

Click here for a map of the World's Coral Reefs
Why is thecoral reef important?Coral reefs deserve protection for their intrinsic natural value. In addition, the economic, tourism, fishing and recreational resources of tropical areas around the world depend upon healthy coral reef ecosystems. Barrier coral reefs protect shorelines from erosion and storm damage.

The food, tourism revenue, coastal protection and new medications that reefs provide are worth about $375 billion each year.

Why does the coral reef need protection?Reefs at Risk: A Map-based Indicator of Threats to the World's Coral Reefs, produced by the World Resources Institute (WRI at http://www.wri.org/) in collaboration with the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM), the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is the first goal assessment of coral reefs to map areas at risk from overfishing, coastal development, and other human activity ranging from coastal development and overfishing to inland and marine pollution -- leaving much of the world's marine biodiversity at risk.

Coral reefs are suffering globally. Scientists report that 30% are already damaged. Corals grow only in warm tropical waters ideally between 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit. Although climatic and geological changes affect them, human activities have had far greater consequences over the past decade.

The first generation to discover scuba may be the last to enjoy coral reefs, if we don't get involved. Corals are damaged by a variety of physical impacts that include anchor damage, accidental boat groundings, and diver/snorkeler touching, standing and dragging equipment. Propellors tear up shallow seagrasses. Marine debris, especially plastics, damage marinelife and smother corals. Turtles mistake plastic bags for their favorite food, jellyfish.

Water quality declines when pollution discharges from boars or coastal areas reduce visibility and oxygen and increase chlorophyll levels, causing a proliferation of new coral diseases and massive algal blooms. Coral bleaching occurs when sea temperatures rise or other stresses occur and the corals expel their symbiotic algae.

Siltation from coastal development and beach renourishment smothers fragile corals. Agricultural run-off that contains pesticides and fertilizers add toxins and nutrients to reefs that require nutrients-free waters to thrive. Overdevelopment and lack of sewage and stormwater infrastructure in coastal areas is a leading source of damage to reefs.
Outright habitat loss occurs when coral and live rock is harvested for construction or the aquarium/curio trade. Destructive fishing techniques and overharvesting of fish and tropical marinelife is a worldwide problem.


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Want to know more visit:
http://www.reefrelief.org/coral_reef_body.shtml

Coral reef ecosystems

The coral reef ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands suffer from contamination by considerable amounts of derelict fishing gear, trash, pollution from North Pacific Ocean fisheries washed in by ocean currents.

Greenpeace released a report last week examining the "vast vortex of plastic trash in the middle of the Pacific Ocean," so described by Reuters. The report finds that the coral reef sytems of the NWHI, the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, and, worldwide, "at least 267 species -- including seabirds, turtles, seals, sea lions, whales and fish" are vulnerable to the contamination caused by tourism, sewage, fishing and waste from ships and boats. Derelict fishing gear includes, "fishing lines and nets, fishing pots and strapping bands from bait boxes that are lost accidentally by commercial fishing boats or are deliberately dumped into the ocean."
The research predicted that most debris is moved towards the mid-latitudes. This is in agreement with observations from other studies which showed higher concentrations of debris in such areas compared to nearer the poles. It also identified areas where ocean movements results in particularly high concentrations of debris such as north of Hawaii.

Living there part time, i have noticed in the last twenty years, the price of a nice piece of land is not what it once was.. While swimming in Maui, we came to a place called "BLACK ROCK" off Maui, the beach side was littered with trash, junk in the water and the water was nasty.. It wasnt like that ten years ago, but many people come to the islands and dirty them, destroy the beauty and leave. My daughter and i started doing cleanup work in the area with 30-50 other people and still seems we have along way to go.

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WELCOME FROM HAWAII

Hawaii Reef Divers is locally owned and operated. From the moment you step into the shop or prepare to board our quest of offering the best programs , you become part of our "ohana" or family. The "HRD vision", is a (QOD®)quality of diving™ mission statement, custom built and relates to our mode of thinking and training. Our teachers and instructors are extremely seaworthy, reliable, and have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Hawaii Reef Divers being divers themselves, they saw the need for a more personalized diving experience in the rare treasures of the world. Instead of focusing on quantity, they chose to focus on quality of training, skill of the diver, establishing life-long friendships and for members and students we visit one of over 71 pristine dive sites that make the Hawaii coast such a great place to dive.

Our equipment and gear are state of the art offering tools and resources such as: GPS, life jackets, 2 life rafts, fire extinguishers, USCG approved medical kits, DAN oxygen unit, cell phones, medical supplies and unlike many of the competitors our fleet is coast guard inspected and approved. On a typical charter, you are one of 10 to 12 divers sharing our training. We do not pack our classes, we offer one on one training and small groups to meet the special needs of each individual.

There is lots of room for divers to "stretch out" and grow through one of many programs such as: navigation, underwater photo, snorkel and fins, skin diving, picking your nose, wreck diving, rescue classes, CPR/FIRST AID and lots of different classes such as beginning to expert level training.