Chile Underwater Paradise Calls for International Divers

One of the Seven "Not to Be Missed" Destinations promoted by CHILE TRAVEL Easter Island Underwater.

Chile made a call for international divers to explore their waters and environment. On June 9^th the Official Tourism Site –CHILE TRAVEL communicated on top destinations for diving. The country homes unique and magical diving spots and biodiversity from North Arica region to Antarctica.

The book released by Chile Travel “Seven Not to be Missed Destinations of the Historical and Natural Heritage of Chile” reveals that these locations are not only of tourists importance but of great value for oceanographers and scientists. Destiny waters include the mentioned Iquique, Coquimbo, Valparaiso, Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Strait of Magellan in Punta Arenas and Easter Island.

"Chile is a Paradise of a wide range of ecosystems,” Chile Travel says. Temperate conditions of cold waters is not an obstacle for divers who can easily arrange for comfort in professional dry suits. Cold waters are also linked to increased visibility. The more northern locations of Chile such as Iquique present temperatures and conditions fit for 365 day diving programs.

Easter Islands originally named Rapa Nui or Navel of the World, “Tepito Ote Henua” by local residents is considered the most remote habited island of the planet. Distances of over 2 thousand kilometers separate it from other land. The solitude created a “unique” environment.

The location is declared UNESCO Heritage and of course made world famous mostly for its 900 Moái –stone sculpture monoliths, giants sometimes rising as much as 200 meters in height which captured the amaze of first sailors as well as today´s international community.

Archeological studies and generation passing knowledge of the Rapa Nui –original community members reveal a complex culture and life style which reached its peak and fell mostly driven by the exhaustion of the natural resources available in the distant island surrounded by hundreds of kilometers of open waters.

The original spirit of the Rapa Nui is said to be living and present in the island. The Moái have become a symbol -specially in these modern times as today´s society begin to identify with the causes which gave way to the fall of the culture. What could be more symbolic and mysterious as well as worth of admiration, reflection and respect that the sight of a giant Moái under water?

CHILE TRAVEL assures that the waters of Easter Island are template, clean, crystalline and allow for a “privileged visibility”. Visibility ranges from 40 meters to an impressive 60 meters. The sensations for divers under these visible conditions are those of floating in thin air. Jacques Cousteau himself took special interest in the environment which was inhabited by endemic fish of multiple colors and underwater cave system. CHILE TRAVEL identified diving hotspots, beach Anakena, Lost Arc, Reef Las Ancoras (location of the submerged Moai and the 80 meter reef adorned fall of cliff Moto Nui.

Chile national diving destinations include template, cold and warn waters, year round diving spots, tranquil and agitated current locations, all above normal visibility locations and sites set for advanced to professional divers. Biodiversity of the country includes moray eels, lobsters, sea lions, sea lions of Juan Fernandez, Humboldt penguins, otters, occasional bottlenose dolphin, whales, variety of schools of fish, collection of algae and mosaics of sponges, among thousands of other organisms. CHILE TRAVEL´s recent book release with great detail reveals the sites for the benefit of the international community.

Ocean Life News in Brief

Ocean Level Increase Dropping Oceans Floor: International Press reported on December 5 on the findings of new research which assures that due to ocean level increase the ocean floor is sinking. The study published online in Geophysical Research Levels used mathematical equations to accurately measure the Ocean's floor impact driven by the increased of water volume weight. Using data from 1993 to 2014 researchers found that ocean level increase is causing the Ocean floor to drop globally by the milimeters. Ocean Dead Zones Up By Four: On January 8 New York Daily reported that Ocean Dead Zones have quadrupled.Researchers warned in a new study that oxygen-starved ocean dead zones, where animals and plants are struggling to survive, have increased fourfold and it may not be reversible. The new study was published in the Journal Science. The increase of Dead Zones was linked to climate change. La Niña´s Polar Wave Hitting Hard the US -Freezing Oceans: International Press reported on the Polar Wave hitting hard the US. The event is linked by experts to the influence of La Niña. “For the past couple of weeks, parts of North America have been chilling down to record temperatures, with massive snowfall and icy cold conditions putting life at a standstill for many,” media reported. The US East Coast has been particularly badly hit with the likes of Boston down to Philadelphia reaching bone-chilling lows of near 0°F , with icy winds making it feel closer to around -10°F to -20°F. Officially 18 were dead and 100 million affected. Government of Bali Declares a Garbage Emergency: On January 5 Ocean Conservancy reported on a New Waste Management Emergency in Bali. Massive amounts of ocean debri are affecting the island. The situation has reached its peak as the Government of Bali declared a “Garbage Emergency”. Clean up works have began. “Ivory Coast Village Swallowed by Ocean Increase,” Aljazeera Reports: On January 8 Al Jazeera reported that ocean increase levels are affecting infrastructure in the Ivory Coast. “Rising tides and more frequent, devastating storms are slowly destroying what is left of Lahou-Kpanda, the offshoot of what was once a major colonial town near the mouth of the Bandama River, the longest river in Ivory Coast,” Al Jazeera reported. Arctic Ocean Radioactive Levels on the Rise: IFL Science reported on January 3 on the findings of new report which assures that radioactive levels in the Arctic Ocean are on the rise. “Concentrations of radioactive radium-228 in the Arctic Ocean increased between 2007 and 2015,” the report reads. While levels have not yet reached a mark of concern the trend is worries experts. Lauren Kipp of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution addressed the issue. New World Wide Ocean Turtle Study Says 90% of Plastic Pollution Cases Result in Death: Earth Sky Org reported on January 7 that hundreds of marine turtles die every year after getting tangled in trash in oceans and on beaches. A research published in the journal Endangered Species Research took on a World-Wide Survey covering the major oceans where turtles live. They discovered that 91 % of the entangled turtles were found dead. They also suffered serious wounds from entanglement, leading to maiming, amputation or choking. Double Whirlpools Discovered for First Time: December 4 Press reported that Double Eddies have been registered for the first time in History. Tangled up Double Eddies can travel great distances affecting ecology significantly. Eddies are a natural part of the ocean environment but double whirlpools had only been theorized by mathematicians.