The Caribbean holds as much as 20% of the world’s coral and there is a huge amount of damage being done to it. The Honduran agricultural economy relies of numerous plantations to provide tropical fruits such as pineapple and banana, these plantations use fertilizers in huge amounts. The nutrients released by this fertilizer damage coral and can kill fish in the ocean. Agricultural chemicals sometimes leech from farms and end up in the sea where they damage the corals, sometimes beyond repair. One of the main things we didn’t realise was how important fish are to the coral reefs. The fish are the living coral’s personal grooming kit, they remove bacteria from the coral keeping it clean and healthy and they also eat the surrounding seaweed making sure oxygen levels remain constant.

Apparently fish have dropped in population rates by around 70-95%, a massive fall. Overfishing isn’t just detrimental to the local eco-system and food supply, it decreases the coral’s chance to survive.

Another problem is the rise in sea temperatures caused bty global warming. This is the big one, fluctuations in the acidity of the sea, caused by global warming, have lead to a decrease in the amount of aragonite available. Aragonite is a carbonic mineral which is essential for the production of fresh coral. It has been projected that oceanic acidity will have become so unbearable to coral that it will no longer be able to survive in such conditions.

Yet there are a few things we are able to do to help. There are schemes designed to help the coral reefs that we are able to take part in and have a good time while we do it. If you do go on luxury holidays or Caribbean holidays you could have the option to go and volunteer for a coral clean up operation, where you can help clean coral underwater or on the shore. This would have to be some of the best voluntary work you could do, diving off the coral reef while doing your bit.

Also, if you find yourself fishing above coral, try to avoid dropping your anchor as you will damage the coral and may harm anything that lives near it.

So if your thinking about going abroad or maybe somewhere tropical, perhaps some of you want to have weddings abroad, it might be a good idea to get there as soon as you can. And if you want help you could even take part with the professional divers who clean the coral for an afternoon, it might not be long before it’s all gone.

I telephoned the local dive shops and they made it all sound so difficult and horrific as well as being unaffordable. So a little disappointed I did a search on for “Scuba Diving in Cairns” . And what a good move that was. I was given nearly 100′s of options of Cairns dive training centres and local booking agents only too happy to help me learn to scuba dive.

subsequently sending out a few emails with lots of questions I was happy to discover that it wasn’t as frightening, confusing or not cheap as I’d previously observed. Basically in Cairns you can do a dive course in four, five or six days. Four days is the minimum to get your PADI credential. A PADI certification is the worlds largest and most recognized.The five and six day courses give you more dives and you get to do a liveaboard on the Great Barrier Reef.

After a some decision making I decided to do a 5 day overnight dive course. Fistly I had to get a dive medical~medical exam} done. Now this shouldn’t worry anyone who is reasonably fit and healthy. If you have no previous illnesses or respiratory problems you should be OK. The biggest problem is bronchial asthma I beleive.

Days one and two are spent in the Pool and schoolroom. This is when you learn the basics of scuba diving and some basic skills. The most difficult part about this was having to stay afloat stationaryr for 15 minutes. And rather unfairly the chubbiest people float better than the muscled ones. Those beers after work paydays finally have helped me.

The third day you leave for the great barrier reef. You are transferred to your boat at the reef by a fast boat full of daypassengers, but immediately they get you into the water. You start your training dives immediately. The initial four dives are part of your course, where you learn a few more skills. After that you get to do five more dives with no training included. You are now a qualified scuba diver. And I got to do it on the Great Barrier Reef, not in some brown mirky city water.

The good old “flipper” has been a scuba divers best friend, providing power, manoeuvrability and the chance to glide through the water. Trying to dive without any of these fins is tricky, especially for long distances. Varying how you travel through the water using these fins is important, and is one way to improve future development.

Then this is how the Mono Fin has come about! All the Mono Fin is, is a single fin, into which both feet are placed! The Mono Fin is a genius creation, where the feet are strapped together inside a single large or broad fin! The size of this fin can change, but in general it works in the same way.

The Fin isn’t designed for speed but more for a leisurely swim underwater. Depending on how you want to use it you can reach higher speeds, but you will tire faster. Switching over to this fin, can be very difficult. Another big downside too many of these Mono Fin designs, is the phenomenal cost attached to them. Many can cost more than 1000 dollars, and they are constantly going to be going through the concept and design phases. Caribbean holidays are a great place to test these fins, purely because they provide such still and clear waters.

Be careful when using these though, it can feel quite constricting, even if it is a comfortable fit. There is a somewhat disconcerting feeling, when you notice that your feet are glued together, no time to panic! With that set to one side, Maldives holidays as well as Maldives Diving will benefit greatly, especially if you can blend in with the surrounding marine life!

We left for the great barrier reef three days later. The dive boat was large and comfortable and I even got my own ensuite cabin, which was great for changing after each dive. The truth is that it was pretty jam packed. The order of the day was – rise at 6:30 and dive , have a hot breakfast , scuba , have a scrumptous lunch , dive , have cake , dive , have dinner , more diving , sleep. Life was reduced to that of a fish , just swimming and eating which was exactly what I was looking for}. I believe now that sea sickness pills are more valuable than birth control tablets in the great scheme of things. People have been having children since the dawn of time but only recently have people been afloat on a bobbing, bouncing , motor driven boat in the great seas of the world. In other words , thank GOD I bought those tablets because the sea was exceedingly choppy and they were my magic wand.

The scuba dives were great and the things I witnessed were pretty spectacular. I saw everything from giant trevally to lionfish and lots of colourful coral and interesting fish just swimming all around you. Because of the successful animation ‘Finding Nemo’ the fish at the great barrier reef have been given new monikers. When you get back from a dive you sighted Nemo instead of a Clownfish. Blowing bubbles though is incredible , it’s an alien world undeer the surface and being neutrally buoyant is a incredible feeling. Now I can definately say that I feel confident scuba diving , equalizing my ears is a snap so I think that I am able to continue diving in other destinations.
The staff were totally fun and interesting as a bonus. We had a briefing before each dive and afterwards we all filled in our log books with the details of the dives.  Also , the catering was the best I’ve {seen~food was the best I’ve had} so far on this whole trip. On the Menu was sun dried tomatoes and Indian food , and good bread and fresh fruit. It was certainly good value , that’s a fact.

I think that if you don’t go  diving when you holiday in Cairns it’s like going to China and not seeing the Great Wall, In other words, its a must do.

Whether it is day or night, there can be dark places in the water and dangerous creatures hiding there. It is always wise to keep yourself safe at all times. These lights, however, have uses above water, as well. More and more fisherman and boaters are equipping their devices with LED lights. They help travelers see well in the darkness and may also scare away predators.

Interestingly, fisherman have come up with a clever way to use LED lights. Having done their research, fisherman have found that certain kinds of sea creatures are attracted to light and have, therefore, added the lights to the ends of lures. Sure enough, many fish have found the lure and grabbed hold.

LED underwater lights are also environmentally friendly. These devices are known for providing long lasting power without requiring much energy. They are also inexpensive and have been known to produce beautiful light on the surface of water. Boaters have said that they enjoy the colors on the surface of the ocean.

While on the topic of colors, LED lights are being popularly used in pools and hot tubs as a way to add color to the evening. The lights have come in red, yellow, blue, purple, green and much more. Partiers often enjoy LED light features because it adds to the party atmosphere.

No matter if you are fishing, diving or just wading in a body of water, it is always essential to bring along a powerful and long-lasting light source. LED underwater lights alarm you of the scenery ahead but they also have a knack for scaring away harmful creatures. When exploring, try to purchase the long-lasting lighting device. Also keep in mind how much water depth the device can handle.

Keep in mind the safety of yourself as well as other people in the water. Keep yourself at a safe distance from supposedly dangerous creatures and always try to keep life-saving devices within reach.

Diving in either low visibility or dim light or at night where you are out of the reach of the suns rays such as cave diving for instance, will definitely require a source of simulated light in order to see the beautiful surrounding environment best. The dive light which you choose will be one of three main types of light output.

You must look at the differences in scuba light types which are either traditional, and being halogen or either Xenon with high-Intensity discharge or a diode light which is LED. The difference between these lights is the color temperature or color that they project. The traditional lights give off a white beam which consumes far more energy.

HID lights ballast system emits a blue color light which takes a moment or two to get to full brightness when switched on. LED lights are also a bluish light but uses diodes as opposed to filaments. These lights burn cooler and therefore use less energy. They are also the most durable and energy efficient of the three options.

Scuba lights technology is ever evolving, and it is imperative to keep up with the latest technology and trends which will ensure you have the finest dive light currently available. Scuba lights that are handheld fall into three categories such as pocket lights, backup lights and dive lights.

If you are searching for a scuba light, you will want to be updated on the most modern lights available especially when it comes to backup lights.

Backup lights seem irrelevant but backups are important as they may be needed for any unexpected event. When the main source of light fails suddenly the backup is the scuba divers save in grace.

Their use underwater is, mentionened above previously, widespread. Lovers of fishing, boating, water sports enthusiasts and pool owners are great beneficiaries of this technology. Indeed, these lighting systems will last for more than 10 years in a swimming pool, helping to make conventional lighting systems antiquated. They are highly luminous, colourful plus more economical. As an added bonus they are environmentally friendly and extremely simple to install. Actually, the majority of DIY enthusiast’s could easily install the LED system. This would save time and money. Incidentally, LED to give it its correct name actually means Light –Emitting Diode. It is a semiconductor and although in the early stages it was limited to the colour red and a fairly low intensity, it has now become a visible, infrared, uv high intensity source.  Most seasoned scuba fans use a LED underwater dive light, because of its many advantages over other models.

The rainbow colours provided by LEDs lend a touch of enchantment to an outdoor pool or ponds at night. There is nothing better than a late night summer pool party illuminated by multi- coloured and vibrant lights. These lights maintain their shimmering colour very well under the water, making night swimming a real delight.

As for the sailors and fishermen amongst us-they are LED light lovers too. LED make life easier, safer and much more fun. Almost any hull can be easily fitted out with the lights, which help with navigation as well as creating a great atmosphere for both sailors and their guests.

If you are fishing from the boat, quayside or riverbank, you will discover LED lighting is a terrific lure for fish. The vibrant colours illuminating the area will fascinate and draw them in. As a result, you will often see fishing craft hulls decked out extensively with these low-power lights.

Fortunately, the days of inefficient expensive and polluting lighting is coming to an end, thanks to this exciting new technology. Of course, LED underwater light is a main usage but the spectrum is ever widening as this product is being applied in many ways far beyond any aquatic connection. Both safety and fiscal aspects are well served.

Next time you employ your handy remote control to turn on the TV or DVD or other household appliances, or stop at the traffic signals on the highway, think long and hard for the amazing technology we are blessed with-LED, a truly illuminating discovery-especially LED underwater light!

Normally a single flashlight is not sufficient for a scuba dive, and a diver should have two backups of different intensities. Following the rule of brighter is not always best, not only will the scuba diver have backups but will have beams of varying intensity to suit the situation.

The power source of most diving lights is traditionally batteries but fortunately for many divers rechargeable batteries are now an option. Divers who plan dive trips and live on board a dive boat for several days or weeks find rechargeable batteries essential. How long a battery will last on a charge is an important point and the battery charge of any dive light should be at least twice that of the expected length of the dive for safety.

The depth of the dive is also a point to consider when choosing a flashlight for scuba diving. A light can be used for safety, communication or to light up an interesting corner or crevasse while underwater but each type of diving light is rated for a different maximum depth.

Points to consider when choosing a very inexpensive flashlight for diving are, that these lest costly diving lights may well be less durable than more expensive brands and can not take much abuse, and the light may be weaker in comparison to costlier dive lights.

Flashlights used for scuba diving have various depth ratings just as any other piece of dive equipment. Because the light source is such an important safety tool for increasing visibility, locating other divers, or even emergency orientation, the depth rating of the light should be considered.

It is strongly possible that a less costly diving light will be perfectly suitable for the casual diver the diver should remember these lights usually have weaker beam, and can take less abuse than a professional grade diving light can. In addition, the one size doesn’t fit all rule applies to diving lights, and several beam intensities are usually advisable to match water conditions.

Professional or casual divers may choose rechargeable batteries in order to avoid the annoyance of having to carry along packs of fresh batteries. The weekend diver may not require equipment that is rated for pro divers, but they do require sturdy well-built lights and batteries, which will last them much longer than their maximum dive length.

The kinds of housings and prices can widely vary. But should you make your living with underwater photography, the investment is properly worth it, for that shot of the lifetime.

As an overall package, this camera is merely astounding. What else can you ask for? Well, you will find a couple of things, but let me very first commence while making use of the pros…

Professional degree underwater photographic camera housings: