Seven Seas - East Indonesia Liveaboard
Newsletter November 2006

Hello again divers and adventure seekers!

Check out the special cruises for this newsletter!

In 2007 we will offer a number of special cruises. As mentioned in our previous newsletter some of the cruises in February and Early March to Raja Ampat are still available at special rate but they are filling up quickly.
Contact [email protected] and [email protected] for details, and check www.thesevenseas.net/schedule.php.
Then we scheduled 2 special manta cruises later in the year, AND 2 short cruises around Bali for the school summer holidays. Read more below.

Giant Manta Ray Specialty cruises

We arranged for some special cruises for people who also want to snorkel and dive with giant mantas. Robert Ashton of The Manta Network will be joining for series of special manta trips. You are invited to participate in one of two scheduled 10-day expedition. The departure dates are April 26 and August 14, 2007 with a short flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo on Flores. Manta rays are protected within Komodo National Park but threatened outside.

The cruise will include:
  1. Identifying the make-up of the local population by photo/video-documentation of mantas and their habitat behavior (i.e. cleaning stations, feeding, social interaction).
  2. Our unique underwater video monitoring system will allow us to monitor behavior (even at night) without the presence of divers.
  3. Photographs and video taken during the tour will to be used in the creation of a documentary and for manta identification analysis.
  4. During the trip, we will hold classroom discussions on all that is known about manta rays.

Short Bali cruises in the summer holidays

Due to much success in June-July 2006, we will again organize two long weekend cruises around Bali in June 2007. These cruises are great if you have something to celebrate with your Bali-based friends, also they are an excellent alternative or addition to the "typical" Balinese hotel and resort holiday, AND they could be a super start of the summer school holidays when you decide to bring the whole family.

Please check out the schedule for dates and also a comment by Sarah who joined us last time for such short cruise: www.thesevenseas.net/guestbook

Conservation

In our July 2006 newsletter we mentioned the Komodo National Park mooring project, initiated by Helen Newman. The objectives of the project are to install 20 big boat moorings and 10 small boat moorings in Komodo National Park to reduce or eliminate anchor damage to coral reefs in the Park. According to Helen, the initial response from live-aboard operators was quite positive and equipment for the project was sourced in Singapore, Jakarta and Bali to achieve the best price and quality. Generally equipment purchases were in budget except for the chain and rope. A more than doubling in the price of scrap metal and shortage of materials resulted in significant cost overruns in these two areas.

Adam Powell was in charge for implementation in Komodo and was assisted by park rangers and additional divers from Labuan Bajo. Over 10 days, 9 small boat moorings and 5 big boat moorings were installed. In addition 6 lengths of cable, shackles and D clamps were provided to the Park management to attach to existing anchors but whose mooring lines had been lost. A total of 20 moorings will have been completed when this is done.

Sites have been agreed for the additional 15 big boat moorings and all the materials required for the moorings have been prepared (completed sets of chains, manta anchors, ropes and shackles) and are currently being stored in Labuan Bajo.

Additional fund raising of approximately US$ 14,000 will be required to complete the project and this will be undertaken over the next 3-4 months by Helen Newman. Please contact her for contributions via [email protected].

The Seven Seas - Kuta Poleng D7 - Jl. Setiabudi Simpang Siur - Kuta 80361 - Bali - Indonesia