Enjoy a Scuba Diving Vacation on Green Island, Taiwan
A story about scuba diving on Green Island
In March a group of us went to Green Island on a Green Island
Adventures! package. All our train tickets were pre-booked by Eddie
( GreenIslandDiving.com, www.greenislandadventures.com) , and on Friday morning we boarded the
train from Taichung to Taitung on a scenic 5 hour journey
round Southern Taiwan. After a short wait (allowing time to freshen
up at the new and clean bathrooms at Taitung station), we were greeted
by Eddie’s pick-up service, and were taken to the harbor where
we boarded the ferry on a 45 minute cruise to Green Island.
Green Island greeted us with a blanket of greenery and crystal
clear waters. A mini-bus transported us to the hotel and after checking
in our scooters were delivered ( 1 scooter per couple). The 2 night
3 day package allows a lot of flexibility time wise and we decided
to explore the island ( 17 km circumference) and its very special
rock formations, old villages, white beaches and hiking trails;
and one of only three salt water hot springs in the world –
overlooking the ocean!.
The evening kicked off with a lovely seafood meal at the “Fisherman”
restaurant overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The fish and vegetables
were super fresh and the beers ice cold…
The next morning Eddie arranged our SCUBA dives. We followed on
scooter to the dive shop, kitted up, and were transported as a group
to the first dive site.
“Having lived and dived in Taiwan for 4 years, this is the
best diving I’ve experienced so far”: (PADI Instructor).
The underwater topography abounds with coral
(hard and soft) and reef fish.
[ Click here for scuba packages and tours ]
Our second dive took us to some of the oldest coral formations
known on the planet
( verified by National Geographic). Spectacular underwater scenes
greeted us….
While we were diving, Eddie took the non-divers for a guided tour
of the island and all the interesting places like the prison exhibition
center ( depicting the modern history of Taiwan and the reign of
the White Terror) as well as the original little settlement village
of the first Taiwanese Chinese that inhabited the island. The Sleeping
Beauty- and Pekinese Dog rock formations provided excellent photo
opportunities.
[CLICK here for diving movie ]
The afternoon was spent taking the non-SCUBA divers for a guided
snorkeling excursion, which proved to be a momentous occasion for
two people who have never been in the ocean before, let alone snorkeling
– and they loved it ! The rest of us joined the guided snorkeling
excursion and free dived with our friends. Even snorkeling at very
shallow depths was not disappointing i t o sea life. Coral and reef
fish abounded!
The second evening was spent in an open-air table barbeque restaurant
( eat as much as you like NT 250) on the quiet northern side of
the island. In addition Eddie surprised with a few kilos of Boerewors
(South African sausage).The food was good and the beers ice cold…
[click here for clown fish movie]
Sunday morning was spent having a hearty breakfast after some went
to their favorite spots on the island and others went shopping in
the many little shops of which the “Green Island Story”
shop proved to be most popular. Little coves with little white beaches
and beautiful rock pools are to be found everywhere on the island
and shell gathering is allowed.
Due to train schedules we boarded the 11:30 ferry and killed time
waiting for our train, wandering around Taitung city and having
lunch.
Points to note:
General
- Sea sickness tablets ( well advised to take some)
- Beach Towels
- Favorite drinks
- Snacks etc for the trip getting there
Divers
-Take your favorite mask or fins if you can (optical masks can be
rented at dive shop)
-Remember SCUBA Certification card!
Scuba and fun trips to Green Island can be arranged by contacting
Eddie : greenislandreservations@yahoo.com ; www.greenislanddiving.com
If you have any questions or need to know more information about
scuba diving vacations, Green Island, accomodation, or anything
else you need to plan your trip, don't hesitate to contact
us.
Green Island SCUBA Diving Prices
Wetsuit NT 150
Mask&snorkel NT 100
Fins NT 100
Boots NT 50
BCD NT 400
Regulator NT 400
Weight belt NT 50
Tank:air NT 250
Flash light NT 100 Batteries not included
Boat dive charge
Click here for scuba packages and tours
(Here is another article about us in the newspaper: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/travel/2007/08/09/117694/The-Secret.htm)
Whale Sharks:
This is a petition to ask the Singapore aquarium NOT to purchase a whale shark. These are often captured in Taiwan off the east coast. The last 3 whalesharks captured in Taiwan were shipped to the South Georgia Aquarium in the USA, regarded as being one of the best kept aquariums in the world, they all died with a few months. Fish such as whale sharks can simply not be kept in aquariums it is cruel and cynical to pretend that they can. These large aquarium also have vey little luck keeping other large species such as beluga whales and various species of shark.. The unfortunate fish usually die within a few months of their imprisonment, but the aquarium rarely if ever announces the fact, they just purchase more to replace the missing fish.
Would you please go to the site below and fill out this petition, and pass this onto to your dives buddies.
Thanks.
Eddie
Respect the reef
If it bothers you that the dive boat crew litters the ocean; if it saddens you that a boat uses its anchor and not mooring buoys; if it irritates you that other divers touch coral; if it frustrates you that the dive brief doesn't include conservation guidelines then it is down to you to help set an example for good diving practices.
It is all too easy to imagine that most if not all divers have an inherent respect for the ocean. However we know that this is not entirely true these guidelines are a sensible and timely reminder to all divers and dive operators to take increased responsibility for preserving the precious coral reefs.
In the water
Avoid all physical contact with corals and marine life; even the slightest touch can crumble sponges or remove the surface of corals and do damage that takes corals years to recover from. Whilst touching marine life is an unforgivable intrusion into the underwater world. e.g. puffing up 'puffer fish', riding turtles, collecting shells.
Do not feed fish; Numerous studies have shown that feeding fish disrupts their normal normal feeding patterns and his harmful to the fish.
It leads to a reduced ability to capture natural food, makes them dependent on people and they lose their natural wariness of people, leading to aggressive behaviour.
It may also be harmful to divers especially when attempting to feed fish with poor eyesight but a strong sense of smell! e.g moray eels, groupers, they might easily mistake your hand for the food!
Don't litter the ocean; even biodegradable items such as banana skins and orange peel can be mistaken by fish and marine mammals and shouldn't be thrown overboard. Worse still are plastic water bottles, snack wrappers, cigarette butts and waste food. Take a carrier bag with you and offer to collect rubbish for safe disposal. How many times have you seen divers and boat crew throwing their cigarette buts into the ocean?
Take nothing out of the sea, except recent litter; use your judgment - most floating items pose a threat for marine life - for example plastic bags cause a significant hazard to turtles that confuse them for jellyfish, ingesting them and then dying. However some older debris (old tires, dead sea shells) may already have formed habitats for some marine life.
Practice good buoyancy control; peak buoyancy control is key to enjoying a relaxed underwater encounter minimising the risk of contact with corals or rock formations.
Adopt appropriate finning techniques for the conditions; mid water column diving might warrant a regular kicking motion whilst a frog-kick or gentle flutter kick could be more appropriate for closer proximity to corals and the sea bed to avoid kicking up sediment.
Ensure all equipment is well secured so that it doesn't drag or catch on corals; being able to locate your gauges and octopus without looking is not only sensible diving practice it avoids items knocking or snagging on corals.
Adhere to all local dive rules and regulations; each dive location may have separate rules that should be acknowledged. Find out and adhere to these guidelines for safe and enjoyable diving.
On land / boats
Encourage and support the use of dive moorings; choose and reward dive operators that use fixed moorings at dive sites. Dropping an anchor overboard can cause monumental damage to coral reefs and the surrounding environment.
Learn more about coral reefs, fish and marine creatures; the more you learn, the more fun you can have sharing your knowledge and identifying items underwater and, chances are, you'll understand more how precious these creatures are.
Don't buy souvenirs that feature items taken from the sea; corals, sea shells, starfish and sponges have been pilfered from the sea to make gaudy souvenirs and trinkets. These items belong in the sea, not in the bathroom.
Click below to get on-line insurance.
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