President Obama goes snorkeling in Hawaii before relinquishing office

President Barack Obama is usually seen in a suit and tie while giving speeches and meeting fellow world leaders. However, before relinquishing office, he was seen in a totally different environment - he was snorkeling among the wildlife in the waters of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Midway Atoll.
This atoll is halfway between the United States and China and not far from Hawaii - the place where the president grew up.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 11 January 2017.

President Obama had visited the island in September to inspect the clear waters after declaring the expansion of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument to include Midway. And, while there, he felt an urge to snorkel close to the wildlife and coral.
He confided to a magazine that growing up in Hawaii he 'knows what it’s like to jump into the ocean and understanding what it means when you see a sea turtle in the face of a wave.'
He appeared to be a strong, athletic swimmer and was relaxed as he relished both the exercise and beauty of the ocean. The environment and conservation is one part of what he believes as his legacy and he has tried to lower carbon emissions and has also extended national parks.


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Thailand bans tourists from three islands in order to preserve the coral reefs

In order to preserve its corals, Thailand has taken a decision to ban tourism on three of its islands - accordingly, shops and restaurants on these islands have been dismantled so that the ban can be imposed effectively. These bans are for the islands of Koh Khai Nok, Koh Khai Nui and Koh Khai Nai. The country's Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) have issued the ban orders and it was enforced on May 24.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 25 May 2016.

As a result of the ban, all tourist activity has been banned around the coral reefs near the three islands located off the east coast of Phuket. Facilities and structures built for tourists have been removed, including beach chairs and parasols, and shops and restaurants on the islands have been shut down. Tour operators and guides have been given necessary instructions about the locations of the banned areas.
Moreover, around 40 buoys have been set up to mark these out in the waters and there is a proposal that the local government will police the waters to ensure the bans are fully enforced. Notices will also be posted in several languages to alert visitors of the ban.
On an average, there were at least 60 speedboats that visited the sites daily before the ban. Groups of tourists would spend at least three hours swimming, feeding fish and snorkeling in the water and these activities damages the marine ecosystem, especially on coral reefs.


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The Jellyfish Lake in Palau in the Pacific Ocean once used to have jellyfish in millions but their numbers have dwindled and now, only a few thousands remain - the blame lies on global warming and En-Nino effects. There are fears that this UNESCO World Heritage site may need to be reamed.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 3 May 2016.

The Jellyfish Lake is a saltwater lake and has long been a source of wonder for tourists - they used to go for snorkeling among the millions of golden jellyfish that fill the water. Unfortunately, some tourists in recent weeks wre not able to come across a single jellyfish. As a result, at least one tour operator has put on hold its trips.
This situation is due to a severe drought, coupled with hotter temperatures caused by the El Nino weather pattern and warming of portions of the Pacific Ocean that changes weather worldwide and tends to push up global temperatures.
Scientists are hopeful that the jellyfish numbers will rebound when conditions improve. But, they are also worried that the global warming poses a long-term threat to the delicate ecosystem of Palau, a tiny western Pacific island chain.
As per data furnished by Palau's Coral Reef Research Foundation, the numbers of golden jellyfish at the lake had declined from about 8 million to 600,000 and the number continues to drop. In fact, the adult jellyfish have pretty much died out completely, while some young ones remain. The problem is severe because the jellyfish in the lake are a unique subspecies. They have developed in isolation from their lagoon ancestors.


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#watersports #mahanadiriver #odisha #snorkeling Odisha is offering windsurfing, snorkeling, canoeing, kayaking, scuba diving and other water sports on the Mahanadi River by a renowned scuba diving expert who has set up his training center near the Odisha State Maritime Museum. Already, around 150 water sports enthusiasts, most of them college students and women, have indicated their willingness to join up already put in their names.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 19 January 2016.

In the opinion of Sabir Bux, the Mahanadi River was quite favorable for water sports because it has good range of aquatic life which makes underwater diving interesting. Moreover, wind flow pattern is also ideal for surfing, while the depth of the water is perfect for kayaking.
There are around 25 professional divers who are involved in training people in water sports and, even though Bux is offering the training free for the time being, there will be a charge levied in future. He used to work as a sales executive in Jeddah and got trained in a number of aspects and holds a certificate in underwater photography and videography. The government of Odisha have granted him an amount of Rs 10 lakhs to buy equipment.
Recently, while diving, Bux came across three sunken vessels lying at a depth of around 20ft in the river. He believes that there could be some more that may come up after exploring under the Mahanadi. He also has plans to train and send young boys from the local fishermen's communities to the National Institute of Water Sports in Goa to learn different life-saving techniques.

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