SEMINYAK ~ In 2004, mooring buoys were installed at many of Bali’s dive sites. Unfortunately most of these did not last and are now gone or badly damaged.

This means at some dive sites, due to currents and swells, the loose cables and sunken buoys are causing severe damage to the coral reefs. In addition, many dive boats have started to use anchors again, thus causing even more damage.

David Ruland of the Water Worx Dive Center in Padang Bai, on Bali’s east coast, is now organizing the repair/replacement of those moorings in order to preserve Bali’s precious coral reefs.

Every Bali dive operator has been asked to contribute an initial Rp1 million (US$113). With this it should be possible to repair/replace all damaged/missing moorings, possibly install some more and maintain the moorings for years to come.

All dive operators use these moorings and everybody is responsible for maintaining them. Please check the following link to see if the Bali dive operator you use has donated (if not, why not?): www.waterworxbali.com/moorings/funds-and-expenses.shtml

If readers of The Bali Times would like to donate, the details are: Name: Wolfgang Krutz, Bank: BCA, Branch: KCP Radisson Sanur, A/C: 6700 111 669, SWIFT: CENAIDJA.

If you transfer money towards the mooring project, please send information by SMS to David at +6281338511056 so he can keep track of the incoming funds.

If a dive operator encounters a damaged mooring, the damage is reported to David, who organizes repairs. Spare parts and tools are available, and all dive operators are encouraged to actively support the project by helping to repair broken moorings.

And as a personal aside, I very much like the lack of trumpet fanfare accompanying this project. I sincerely hope this repair/replacement mooring project will be both started and completed swiftly, with few additional expenses, and that the new, improved design will make allowances for the 2-meter tide changes and up to 3-meter swells encountered on Bali’s east coast. This is Indonesia: In the Pacific Ocean northwest of the Indonesian archipelago, the sea level is 15 centimeters above average; in the Indian Ocean south of Indonesia, because of similar forces acting in an opposite direction, the sea level is 15 centimeters below average, a 30-centimetre differential, according to Diving Bali, by Pickell and Siagian.

Thank you for helping to make the East Bali Mooring Project a success!

Written by
Annabel Thomas
The writer is director of AquaMarine Diving – Bali.

Published by
THE BALI TIMES