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| Divers dragging bags filled with Crown-of-Thorns starfish |
MANY of us love to holiday in idyllic islands but how many of us bother to help keep them clean? We are not only talking about the beaches but also underwater.
Divers dragging bags filled with Crown-of-Thorns starfish Consider these. In a recent clean-up of some parts of Pulau Redang in Terengganu, discarded plastic bags, cigarette butts and beverage cans hauled up from the beaches filled 10 plastic bags. Meanwhile, divers removed 580 Crown-of-Thorns starfish (which destroys live hard corals).
The annual Redang Island Clean-up Day is organised by Berjaya Hotels & Resorts in its Pulau Redang property, Berjaya Redang Resort.
The recent clean-up was held with the help of members of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (Padi) and Scuba Symphony, who helped make the event a success by conserving the underwater world of Redang and educating people on the importance of coral reefs to the ecosystems.
It was also part of Padi's Project Aware, based on the philosophy "Aquatic World Awareness, Responsibility and Education" that stresses divers' roles in conserving the environment and creating a group of effective environmental advocates.
Some 110 divers, including a team of Singapore divers and 29 non-divers, took part in the clean-up. Non-divers cleaned up the beach areas while divers took on popular dive spots like Berjaya Redang Resort House Reef, Mak Simpang, Teluk Dalam Besar, Tanjung Tokong, Blue Ring, Bahagia Wreck, Southern Run, Northern Run, Kerengga Kecil and Kerengga Besar.
It wasn't all hard work though. Side events were also held like nature walk, beach tele-matches and a photography contest offering attractive prizes such as a stay at Berjaya Redang Resort and Berjaya Tioman Resort inclusive of Berjaya Air flights as well as Epoque Japan 230 underwater cameras and meal vouchers by Kenny Rogers.
Other events held were Padi's Underwater Conservation Seminar and Scuba Symphony's Underwater Photography Seminar. Divers picked up underwater photography tips at the Underwater Photography Seminar.
Another Island Clean-up Day will be held at Berjaya Tioman Resort in March 2010. Go to www.berjayahotel.com for more info.
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