NEWS - Emirates Diving Association

CONTENTS
UW PHOTOGRAPHY
44 EDA DIGITAL ONLINE 2010 RESULTS
50 REDANG UNDERWATER AND ISLAND
CHALLENGE 2010
54 PIC FIX
Your Images Exposed and Reflected
DIVING DESTINATION
56 MY TRIP TO DIVE MALAYSIA WITH EDA
Redang! Redang! Redang!
63 EDA FAM TRIP JOURNAL
A Malaysian Delight!
71 TRULY LOST IN PARADISE
74 NATIONAL PARK OF PORT CROS
76 MARICIBAN ISLAND, PHILIPPINES
HEALTH
80 HOW TO BE GOOD ON AIR
63
Bluespotted Stingray, Terengganu – Malaysia by Antonie Robertson
Ramadan Kareem
& Eid Mubarak
Dear EDA Members,
Ramadan Kareem & Eid Mubarak!
We hope the holy month of Ramadan
will bring you and your families all the
best. Have a wonderful Eid!
From the EDA Team <
Ibrahim N. Al-Zu’bi
EDA Executive Director
Since EDA came into existence, fellow divers
from Saudi Arabia and Qatar have contacted
us interested in setting up a similar organization
in their own country. A divers union exists in
Lebanon as well as several environmental
diving NGOs in Egypt and Jordan and dive
teams in Kuwait; however, EDA still remains the
only voluntary non-profit diving association in
the Gulf region and most probably in the Arab
world. It fills me with immense pride to hear
that EDA is being held up as a prime example
of a successful organization in this field. This
drives us even further to excel in our mission.
A colleague from Costa Rica, after hearing
about EDA’s Cleanup Arabia Initiative, said,
“we need to have an EDA in Costa Rica.”
Having more organizations similar to EDA
would support the industry and community in
many ways:
1. The dive and sports industry would be
better coordinated on the national level
– This would be achieved by collaborating
with international certification bodies
such as PADI, BSAC, and CMAS. Divers
would become more aware of the national
regulations and guidelines and they would
have a point of reference. For example,
EDA has been a point of reference for
UAE divers when it comes to the UAE
Coast Guard. EDA has helped ensure that
new regulations for dive boats are in line
with safety measures.
2. The industry would have a neutral
organization to rely on – I really find
it disappointing when an international
diving certification organization prefers to
coordinate with its related dive centers only
and little is done when the center faces a
problem on the national level. Most of the
time, UAE dive centers contact EDA for any
EDA DIRECTOR’S NOTE
THE WORLD COULD USE MORE
DIVING ASSOCIATIONS
help with regulations and communications
with other government entities.
3. Divers would dive more safely – EDA has a
database of officially certified dive centers
and retailers in the UAE. We ensure that
dive shops do not sell their license until EDA
has made sure that all safety procedures
are taken into consideration.
4. The community’s level of environmental
awareness would indirectly be raised –
With websites and magazines, such as the
one between your hands right now, more
information is available to the diver and a
forum is created to exchange ideas.
We’re interested to know what you think
of this. Does your country have a diving
association? If not, do you believe it should?
This issue is rich and we hope you’ll enjoy
reading it. Delve into the world of whale
sharks; find out how we are helping to protect
them and how you can help! Discover who
won the 2010 Digital Online Underwater
Photography Competition and read about our
latest Reef check news.
Finally, we’re pleased to introduce the newly
revamped EDA website. It is now available
in Arabic so that our Arabic-speaking divers
can benefit as well! Check it out at www.
emiratesdiving.com.
Follow EDA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/
EDA_UAE.
Become a fan of EDA, on http://www.
facebook.com/pages/Emirates-Diving-Associ
ation/140646949296859?v=wall&ref=ts.
Wishing you all a Ramadan Kareem and Eid
Mubarak!
Eco Regards,
4 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, SEPTEMBER 2010 SEPTEMBER 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 5