The ‘Save our Fins’ 3-legged fin race was an event organised by Fish4divers.com, to help raise awareness about shark finning (and much needed funds) to help the Shark Trust continue their constant fight to protect our ocean’s sharks.

Fish4divers.com called upon everyone they could think of, including dive clubs, schools and local community groups, to get them involved with this fun event. In Regents Park, Newquay and Ko Lanta, people have hosted their own three-legged fin races to support the cause.

The Event Itself…

We asked divers, locals and holiday-makers from all over Ko Lanta to grab a buddy and join us for a three-legged fin tournament, to help raise awareness about shark finning.

Posters and shark-fin shaped leaflets in Thai and English were distributed around the island the publicize the event and Ko Lanta’s dive centers united to form teams and enthuse their divers to take part.

We were delighted and overwhelmed by the hugely positive response and fantastic turnout to the event. Nine Dive Centres, White Rock Resort, Opium Bar and even the Thai Diving Association joined fins to sponsor the event, and over 80 people from all over the island came to take part in the race, spectate or have a giggle at the fin-wearing racers. It even became a traffic-stopping event with cars and motorbikes pulling up to see what was going on.

Please visit the Liquid Lense Flickr photostream to view more of our event photos.

Twelve, 3-legged teams raced in 2 heats, with first and second place winners from each heat competing for overall first place in the final. Race winners, Luke and Ben from Blue Planet Divers, used questionable, but dramatic shark-like tactics to secure their win. Reports of them beating other contestants with a giant home-made Leopard shark fin have been confirmed with video evidence that can be viewed on Facebook or You-Tube.

Donations for the Shark Trust are still being counted, but if enthusiasm and support for this event had a monetary value, this was certainly a huge success and will be remembered, and hopefully repeated, for a long time to come.

Narima Diving and Scubafish will continue to support events and causes that raise awareness about Shark Finning and other environmental issues facing our oceans and marine life.

Living, working and diving in Ko Lanta – a small island community in Southern Thailand – gives a unique opportunity to understand, disseminate and share information with local islanders, to whom fishing is a part of everyday life, and tourists who come to dive, snorkel and admire the beautiful reefs.

We hope that by coming into contact with such a diverse mixture of people, we can continue to spread the word and educate people from all around the world about the great need to protect our oceans’s top predators.

Ko Lanta ‘Save Our Fins’ Event Sponsors:

* Scubafish
* Narima Diving
* Blue Planet
* Go Dive
* Lanta Diver
* Ko Lanta Diving Center
* Kontiki Lanta
* Dive and Relax
* Flip Flop Divers
* TDA (Thailand Diving Asociation)
* White Rock Resort (& Mr. Bean)
* Opium

Why?

Sharks continue to be fished faster than they can reproduce causing real fears that shark species will become extinct in the very near future.

As global shark populations continue to decline – some by more than 90 percent in the last two decades – many scientists fear the worst.

Losing these top predators has devastating impacts on our underwater ecosystems and local economies. When sharks disappear, entire food webs can shift and valuable economies become devastated.

Sharks take decades to reach sexual maturity, and the fishing industry is catching, killing or finning them at such an astonishing rate that shark populations have no chance to regenerate.

This is a dramatic over-exploitation of shark populations and this tampering with the largest ecosystem of the world, can never be undone. We will see far-reaching and dramatic consequences within our own lifetime and for generations to come.

If we don’t act now, the seas will die off within just a few decades and with them, 70% of the means for generating oxygen on our planet.

Right now there are few countries and laws that have actually banned shark fishing, and those that have restrictions on shark fishing and shark finning have not successfully enforced their rules.

Organisation, such as Project AWARE, are working to close loopholes in shark legislation, support establishment of effective MPA networks and engage divers in underwater research, data collection and awareness projects.

Films such as SharkWater aim to raise public awareness about the plight of these beautiful, but misunderstood, apex predators. The SharkWater documentary exposes the abuse in the shark-fin industry and the damage it is causing to our ocean’s ecosystems. It also uncovers government corruption supporting the industry.

Although shark fining violates the UN food and agriculture organizations code of conduct it is hard to police because this process is done at sea in international waters. Some see the best approach to help combat shark finning is to educate the consumer. WildAid’s slogan “When the Buying Stops, the Killing Can Too” may be the only real way to curb the problem.

The consumer must understand that sharks are vital to the health of our oceans, and without them, entire marine ecosystems may break down. And if this is not compelling enough of a reason to be against shark finning, the high levels of mercury in shark fins may cause sterility in men and birth defects in pregnant females.

Useful Links:

* WildAid
* Shark Trust
* Shark Project
* Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
* Shark Gaurdian
* ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research
* Fish4Divers
* Sharks Need Your Help

Grab a buddy and join us for a three-legged fin tournament, to help raise awareness about shark finning.

What: Three-Legged Fin Tournament.
When: 17th July, 5.30pm.
Where: Meet at White Rock, Klong Nin Beach.

Shark finning refers to the re­moval and retention of shark fins and the discard at sea of the carcass. The shark is most of­ten still alive when it is tossed back into the water. Unable to swim, the shark slowly sinks toward the bot­tom where it suffers predation from other fish, starves to death, dies from blood loss or suffocates and drowns, since most sharks need to keep moving to force water through their gills for oxygen. Sharks can take hours or even days to die after being finned.

Fishermen are mainly interested in the fins because shark meat is of low economical value and this conserves room in the hold. Up to 99 per cent of the shark is thrown away, a process as wasteful as slaughtering an elephant for its tusks.

Shark fins are used as the principal ingredient of shark fin soup, an Asian delicacy. Demand for shark fin soup has rocketed in recent years due to the increased prosperity of China and other countries in the Far East. In the past, Chinese Emperors ate shark fin soup because it was rare, and difficult to prepare, and conferred prestige. Shark fin soup, which can easily cost $100 a bowl, is still of­ten served at wedding celebrations so that the hosts can impress their guests with their affluence. In fact a set of fins can sell for more than US$700/kg, and a single Whale Shark pectoral fin can sell for up to US$15,000.

Shark fin itself is tasteless, it just provides a gelatinous texture for the soup which is flavoured with chicken or other stock. It has also been shown to contain high levels of mer­cury which is detrimental to our health. Many people, especially the consumers, are unaware of the suffering that fin­ning causes.

Global trade in shark fins is increasing, and the market for shark fin soup is estimated to be growing by 5% per year, placing an unsus­tainable demand on shark populations. Tens of millions of sharks are slaughtered every year to satisfy the demand for shark fin soup (three sharks are killed every second for their fins); at least 8,000 tonnes of shark fins are shipped to restaurants around the world.

Sharks’ life history makes them vulnerable to exploitation. Sharks take between 7 to over 20 years to reach matu­rity, and produce few young over long lifetimes meaning that it takes populations a long time to recover once de­pleted. Fishermen report that sharks are getting smaller because they are not being given time to mature.

Sharks are “apex” predators, eco­logical stablisers, when they are removed from the ocean the entire eco-system suf­fers.

IDC- Lanta is an invaluable resource for any diver considering entering the world of professional scuba diving, whether this be PADI Divemaster training, or taking your PADI Instructor training in Thailand (and taking the plunge into a new career). Please refer to and use this website to help you in your decision making process, and as a directory for information such as e-Learning options, fast track divemaster courses, PADI application fees, dive equipment deals and much more. Whether you want to become a PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor (AI), or Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI), we’re here to help.

The main objective of IDC-Lanta (Narima Diving and Scubafish) is not only to make you a top Divemaster or Instructor, but to prepare you for the real world of teaching diving. The team spirit and support, modern classrooms and muti-media teaching techniques, combine to create a learning experience that will give you a solid grounding for the rest of your diving career.

Narima Diving, Ko Lanta, is launching a special introduction to scuba diving program for children aged 8 or above, called Kids Seal Team Dive Camp. Our PADI Seal Team Dive Camp is designed to introduce children to the fun and exhilaration of diving though 5 action-packed and fun Aquamissions, whilst allowing parents time to dive or relax on their own during the day, guilt-free!

With qualified instructors and a playful, no hassle learning environment, they’re guaranteed to have a blast while you’re living it up diving, taking in the sights, enjoying a spa treatment, or relaxing on the island.

Check out our Family Dive & Accomodation Packages.

Narima diving are happy to inform you that we will be offering a discounted price on our PADI Specialty of the Month Courses from this month on.

We start our PADI Specialty of the Month Calender with Peak Performance Bouyancy throughout the month of June.

Good buoyancy skills are what separate good divers from great divers. If you’re interested in becoming a Wreck Diver, Cavern Diver, Underwater Digital Photographer or Underwater Videographer – the Peak Performance Buoyancy course is an essential part of perfecting your scuba diving skills in these other areas.

In the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty course, you will learn to how to precisely weight yourself for optimum control, poise and balance. You’ll learn how to ascend and descend so effortlessly, it seems like you only have to think about it and it happens. By mastering streamlining, you’ll be able to move through the water cleanly, efficiently and gracefully. You’ll find you can swim near fragile environments without harm to them or yourself.

What is a PADI Specialty Course?

These are certification courses which focus on one particular aspect of diving, and hone your knowledge and skills in that area. Did you know that 5 PADI Specialties, plus the Rescue certification would mean you are a PADI Master Scuba Diver? The most prestigious, non-professional level of diving.

Organised and founded by responsibletravel.com in 2004, in partnership with Metro Newspaper, Geographical Magazine, and World Travel Market, the Awards are the most prestigious of their kind in the world, and dedicated to celebrating the best of the best in responsible tourism, from niche to mainstream, all around the world.

There are 13 categories in all, and a panel of 13 Judges from across the industry and chaired by Professor Harold Goodwin (International Centre for Responsible Tourism) are ready to debate who should win in 2010. To be in with the chance all Narima Diving would need is a nomination from a member of the public – a happy traveller, appreciative guest, or simply a supporter who believes we deserve to win an Award!

Nominations are made online at www.responsibletourismawards.com/nominations

Narima Diving and Scubafish have previously been shortlited in the Best in a Marine Environment Category – awarded to an organisation related to a beach or other marine environment, such as turtle conservation or a marine eco-tourism trip or an eco-dive center.

The deadline for nominations is Monday 14th June 2010.

Visit the official Awards website for more details www.responsibletourismawards.com

It has become impossible to read a newspaper or watch a TV news broadcast of late without noticing the recent turmoil in Bangkok. Many embassies have issued travel advisories advising against visiting Bangkok, and in some cases Thailand as a whole. Whilst we understand that governments are required to keep their citizens safe and informed, we wish to provide on-the-ground information, advice and alternative routes to the Land of Smiles.

Firstly, let us make it clear that the ‘red shirts’ protest against the government was localised to a small area in Bangkok only, and that as a tourist you are highly unlikely to experience any of this away from Bangkok. Whilst many tourists traditionally enter Thailand via Bangkok Airports, there are a number of easy alternatives.

• Most airlines offer flights to all the major asian hubs for a similar if not identical price to flying into Bangkok. Singapore and Kuala Lumpur Airports are amongst the biggest and most pleasant airports offering cheap and short flights (1-2 hours) direct to Krabi (the nearest airport to Ko Lanta).
• Alternatively some countries and airlines now offer direct flights to Phuket (e.g., Australia: Jet Star), where again it is possible to transfer to Lanta (although this is a longer journey).
• There are no problems at the Bangkok Airports themselves. You could still fly into these, and then transfer directly to a Krabi flight without having to leave the air conditioned terminals.

Recommended websites for flights from KL and Singapore:

Tiger Airways: Offer direct flights to Krabi. Tiger Aiways often have amazing sale prices, and offer amongst the cheapest ‘Sports Allowance’ if you are bringing your dive gear with you (30SPD: 697THB).
One Way flights from 60SPD (incl. taxes) (approx. 1400THB)

Air Asia: Offer flights direct from KL to Krabi at about 1600 THB one way, or from Singapore to Phuket from around 1100 THB one way (incl. tax)

On Ko Lanta you would be unaware of any issues in Bangkok. Krabi province is safe, friendly and in need of some new faces!

Underwater photographs are captured from the dive sites and reefs around Ko Lanta. Stay up to date on what diving conditions are like right now. Photos are usually updated daily and are from today or yesterday’s dives.

Please visit the Liquid Lense Flickr photostream to view more of our underwater images.

Ko Lanta, Thailand, was chosen as a Best Destination in 3 categories, Beach & Sun, Romance, and Relaxation & Spa by TripAdvisor® in the 2010 Travelers’ Choice® Destination Awards.

• Beach & Sun: Ko Lanta – 1st Place in Thailand, 3rd Place in Asia
• Romance: Ko Lanta – 1st Place in Thailand, 4th Place in Asia
• Relaxation & Spa: Ko Lanta – 2nd Place in Thailand, 6th Place in Asia

The TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Destination awards and honours the world’s top destinations, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travelers.

TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are based on the millions of real reviews and opinions from travelers on TripAdvisor.com™. The top destinations were determined by a combination of TripAdvisor travelers’ favorite places and overall popularity on TripAdvisor.

“Millions of travelers on TripAdvisor have identified the world’s most amazing destinations”

said Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor.

“From stunningly beautiful locales to spots with outstanding attractions, the 2010 Travelers’ Choice Destination Award winners are truly incredible places that travelers love.”

• For reviews on Koh Lanta, go to Ko Lanta Reviews.
• For the complete 2010 Travelers’ Choice Destination Awards list, go to Travellers’ Choice Destinations.

About TripAdvisor:

TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 34 million monthly visitors*, 15 million registered members and 30 million reviews and opinions. Featuring real advice from real travelers, TripAdvisor-branded sites cover more than one million destinations, hotels, restaurants and attractions. TripAdvisor and the TripAdvisor logo are registered trademarks of TripAdvisor LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries.

©2010 TripAdvisor LLC.  All rights reserved.