This coming weekend (18-20 Sept.) there will be an Ecology and Environment Weekend held at the Manta dive club in cooperation with the Eilat Field School.  Underwater cleanup dives on the sea floor will be held, along with lectures on subjects of conservation of nature and the underwater environment in the lobby of the Yam Souf hotel.  The project is part of a worldwide event within the PADI diving organisation's and Society for the Preservation of Nature's (SPNI) environmental awareness project. 

The lectures will be open to the hotel guests and be given by M.Sc. students specialising in each field.  Along with the ecological activities, there will also be social activities including a ‘divers' evening' at the Rondo Bar with drinks and a guest musician, a second-hand dive gear sales booth, and a booth explaining about nature conservation by the worldwide Project Aware organisation.

The Eilati organisers plan for underwater cleanup dives to be held on both the North and the South Beaches, along with having a beach cleanup (where you don't have to get wet!) on the North Beach.  Those interested in giving a few hours of their time to clean up the beach are invited to meet them on Saturday 20.9.08 at 11:00 at the Kisousky Beach. 

Participation in all of the above is free of charge.

Conference Programme:

Thursday 18.9

Arrival and registration - Manta Dive Club

18:30 - Reception, refreshments in dive club area

19:00 - First enrichment lecture - introduction to the coral reef

20:30 - Optional night dive, independent or guided

Friday 19.9

9:30 - First cleanup dive at mooring point on South Beach.  This dive requires 2-star qualification and experience of more than 20 dives.  Alternatively, refresher dive as needed by the club's instructors.

12:30 - Second enrichment lecture - fish

14:00 - Free dive /guided dive in the Coral Reserve area.

17:00 - Third enrichment lecture: night life of the coral reef

18:00 - Divers' meet-up evening including Happy Hour, guest musician, and stalls including used dive gear.

19:00 - Optional independent / guided night dive

Saturday 20.9

9:30 -  Lecture on nature conservation, factors damaging the reef, and the situation of the world's reefs.

11:00 - Central cleanup dive - Kisousky/Mall Hayam site.  1-star divers can do this with instructors.

13:00 - Gathering and summing up in the field, handing out of participation certificates, and gathering of information.

Contact people: 

Eilat Field School - Ms. Shachar Katz, Director

Office: 08-6326468; mobile 0523-689800

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Yael Edri: 08-6367367; mobile 050-7162114 re beach cleanup

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[Illustration photo courtesy of EilatRedC]