Assava Blogs

As we help celebrate Project AWARE’s 25th Anniversary, there is no better time to lend a hand by tackling the issue of marine debris. Like many other PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centres, at Sunshine Divers we integrate reef conservation in our everyday activities. Now our team has taken the next step toward a cleaner underwater environment – we’ve “Adopted a Reef”. This means that we have committed not only to cleaning our reef, but to regularly recording and sharing the rubbish-collecting data with Project Aware. It is a fairly straight forward initiative if you’re interested in joining the movement. 

Step One: Make the commitment. It’s not a one-off clean-up (although that is still a great thing to organise), rather it is a repeated effort to visit the same reef at regular intervals. This helps good intention evolve into scientific practice.

Step Two. Clean, clean, clean. With guidelines from Project Aware, organised underwater cleans-ups can be conducted in a safe, responsible and fun manner. Even better, divers returning to Koh Tao and our local dive sites year after year, will now be able to see their hard work making a difference in the exact same stretch of reef.

Step Three: Record and report. With some very simple tools and forms (free of charge and downloadable on projectware.org), the type and quantity of trash removed now needs to be shared. By recording and reporting, this information can now be used by the Project AWARE team to make policy change. We also keep our online community involved by sharing these clean-up stories on our My Oceans page www.projectaware.org

Citizen science is the way forward on route to a cleaner reef. If you do take the leap and “Adopt a Reef”, we hope you have as much fun as we have at Sunshine Divers organising regular events for guests and staff. Together we can make a difference.  

The Project AWARE Shark Conservation specialty is something every diver or professional should have if you ask me (Dutch instructor at Sunshine). Its a very informative, interested and amazing course. I had the honor to get taught by Marine biologist and Master Instructor Mike Richardson at BAN's Diving resort.

Once again the Festival Performances were a HIT! Thanks to Rosemary Allen from The Film Co,  diving on Koh Tao for her time, patience and creativity for this performance. Sunshine Divers and sister school Ban's Diving Resort put on a Dance Performance from the hit single "FOOTLOOSE", although it was transformed to  "FINLOOSE" to help create awareness on how to protect the aquatic environment and the importance of buoyancy control. This performance is a yearly event and we hope that you will be able to join us next year at the Save Koh Tao Festival - 2013.

Every year the Save Koh Tao Foundation co-ordinates most dive schools and local enterprises in creating and participating in a Festival to bring Awareness about the environment above and below the ocean. The Mr. and Miss Save Koh Tao Contest, was to increase awareness about Recycling, and how to Reuse products and to Reduce waste.

The aim is to encourage an Eco Friendly Environment, and emphasize reduction of use of plastic bottles (mostly water bottles)  plastic bags and straws.

Several dive centres participated in this event and representing Sunshine Divers was Manuel Tobolars ( our last years Eco Man). With the creativity and design from P. Wam who was last years designer and maker for Bans Diving Resort / Darawan Restaurant costumes, Manuel won this years contest. The Costume is the attire worn by a well known King of Thailand. It was made from coke can parts including the can caps, the helmet was made from Coconut, the body shield made from plastic bottles, and the undergarment was made from rice sacks. A lot of thought and detail went into this design. So Thank you P. Wam for your help.

To Compliment his the outfit as part of the competition, Manuel had to discuss an item that was created to show ways on how to reuse items.Sarah Van Name put together a small garden that can be made from plastic egg containers, soil and plant seeds to produce herbs or small plants. This container is a great starting point for growing plants from scratch, and easy for anyone to do. Thank You to everyone for their participation in this event.