Aggressor Now in the Maldives
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Aggressor will now offer live-aboard tours of the Maldives. With construction completed on the 10–stateroom ship, Maldives Aggressor set sail for its inaugural voyage on April 19. Itinerary I, considered the more advanced of the two routes due to currents, explores Male and South Male atolls, as well as Felidhe atoll; Itinerary II visits Rasdhoo and Ari atolls. Highlights of both trips include Napoleon wrasse, white-tip sharks and eagle rays. Choose Itinerary I for Manta Point (a manta ray cleaning station) as well as visits to the Victory wreck. The chance to see schooling hammerheads and whale sharks, as well as Blue Cave (so named for the blue soft corals that cover the ceiling) makes Itinerary II a popular one.
Learn more at Aggressor.com.
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New Alaska Airlines Flights from California to Hawaii
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Alaska Airlines will offer four flights a week from Oakland, California, to Maui's Kahului airport starting November 9. Three weekly flights to Kona from Oakland will also be added. Starting in July, additional flights from Portland to Maui and from Seattle to Honolulu will also be available.
Find out more at AlaskaWorld.com.
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Indonesia's New Marine Park
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Indonesia has just created the largest marine park in the Savu Sea – good news for migrating whales. The Nature Conservancy, the World Wildlife Fund and other environmental groups are currently setting up the 8.6 million acre park, where all attempts will be made to end dynamite and cyanide fishing. Why is this area so critical? "About 14 species out of 27 — meaning 50 percent — species of whales in the world migrate using this route from the Pacific Ocean, passing through the Banda Sea, Flores Sea and Savu Sea to the Indian Ocean," said Freddy Numberi, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.
Read more at Independent Online.
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Coral Reefs in Ireland?
Thanks to research collected by ROV Holland I, a new deep-water coral reef has been found off Ireland's west coast. Expedition leader Dr. Anthony Grehan said of the Porcupine Bank: "These are by far the most pristine, thriving and hence spectacular examples of cold-water coral reefs that I've encountered in almost ten years of study in Irish waters."" The find is significant because cold-water corals provide some of the best examples of vulnerable marine ecosystems; much can be learned from them – including the extent to which bottom fishing is damaging environments.
Learn more at redOrbit.com.
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New Key West Wreck
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After much anticipation, the General Hoyt S. Vandenberg was sunk on Wednesday, May 27. At 523 feet long and weighing 17,000 tons, this has become one of the three largest artificial reefs in the world. The goal of the $8.6 million project was to remove stress from the reefs of Key West by adding another site to the rotation.
Read more at SportDiver.com.
Watch the video clip on ScubaDiving.com.
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Changes in Shipping Lanes May Save Whales
At the urging of NOAA and the US Coast Guard, two changes to Boston shipping lanes will protect migrating whales starting June 1. During peak right whale migration season – April through July – ships 300 gross tons and larger will avoid the Great South Channel, formerly a high-risk area.
Learn more about the shipping lane changes at NOAA.com.
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New Nonstop Flights from Miami to Bonaire
Insel Air will begin offering weekly non-stop flights from Miami to Bonaire starting July 4. The flight will operate on Saturdays and is expected to have 152 economy seats.
Read more about it on Caribbean News Digital.com.
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