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*NEWS* |
PROJECT A.W.A.R.E. INTERNATIONAL CLEAN UP DAY 2008- Pattaya On Saturday 20th September 2008, Mermaids Dive Center, a PADI 5 Star Career
Development Center in Pattaya, Thailand organized the annual Project AWARE International cleanup day of the beach and coral reef on Koh Sak Island, just off the coast of Pattaya. Hailed as the biggest ever Project AWARE cleanup day in Pattaya, 176 participants with ages ranging from 7 upwards took part in this massive environmental effort. Everyone registered at Mermaids Dive Center in Jomtien and was treated to bacon and egg rolls whilst being kitted up for equipment that they required. The Mermaids staff had a 7am start to ensure that all logistics ran as smoothly as silk. Having had the US Navy the weekend prior accounting for almost 100 divers in one day Mermaids had had a very recent practice run at accommodating a dive day of this magnitude. We were ready for anything. Mermaids staff and dive interns assisting were allocated T-Shirts depicting easily what their function was for the day. This allowed the divers and day trippers to easily be able to approach us for assistance in any area. (Prizes awarded for imaginative suggestions as to what Big G's "TBB" stands for below - suggestions to pjscuba@gmail.com) - pictures open in a new window (Pop-Up)).
All divers and snorkelers were transported to the 6 boats at Bali Hai Pier in South Pattaya, which then cast off bound for Koh Sak (Sak Island). Following boat and logistic briefings by Mermaids Staff on board each boat about the procedures for the day, overview of the dive site and safety procedures, divers and snorkelers alike prepared their gear to enter the water on arrival. Some of the divers had not dived before and hence took instruction from dive instructors on equipment and dive protocol. (A first time dive experience is called a DSD, Discover Scuba Diving- and can be see here. Many of the experienced divers had not been involved in a cleanup or the usage of lift-bags prior and hence instruction on proper use was given by boat and team leaders.
Once the Mermaids fleet including a dedicated safety support speed boat had arrived at Koh Sak and all teams were made aware of their roles, divers and snorkelers entered the water for cleanup session 1. For the next hour, divers, snorkelers and passengers collected, counted and separated any trash found and when everyone got back to their boat clutching their bags full of rubbish it became obvious just how valuable an event this was proving to be. Some of the trash collected on this session included a car seat, items of clothing and a large amount of bottles. Each bottle was individually checked and was put back in the water if contained living fish or organisms. Often stray bottles become a home for octopus, crabs and small fish. Back on board all the teams then settled down for a hearty lunch cooked on board by the boat crew. The topic of lunchtime conversation was very much about the trash that had been collected with everyone agreeing to be more aware themselves in the future about recycling waste ...
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