Artificial Reefs Prove to Be Great Tourist Destinations for Divers
We all know that diving is a big business and can attract millions of dollars of tourism revenue every year. That’s why plans to create an artificial reef in Pathos have been approved by Cyprus officials in order to help encourage diving tourism in the area. The Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Nikos Kouyialis recently announced that:
“New research carried out in the marine area selected indicates there are no problems and we therefore announce the creation of this reef.” This project, “is part of our policy for blue growth, we want to utilise our marine wealth in order to diversify our tourist product, to lengthen the tourist season and to support livelihoods in local communities. We believe the Paphos 2017 is a prime opportunity to promote and showcase the beauty of this region and to attract as many tourists in this area as possible.”
Whilst this news will no doubt send some diving enthusiasts scrambling for their 2017 calendars, there are many other artificial reefs around the word which are well worth exploring. When you have packed your bags and got your travel insurance sorted, here are some other beautiful locations which you may want to check out.
Florida, USA
Florida is a diver’s paradise when it comes to exploring artificial reefs. Osbourne Reef is particularly famous due to its history. During the early 1970s, more than 200000 used vehicle tyres were dumped into the ocean to form an artificial reef off the coast of Fort Lauderdale. Unfortunately, the tyres were not secured to the reef structures properly. This had a catastrophic effect as the force of the ocean currents broke the tyres lose and they crashed into the developing reef and neighbouring natural habitats. There are still thousands of tyres still loose in the area today.
Mexico
The Cancun Underwater Museum is something that has to be seen at least once in a diver’s lifetime. Due to the effects of years of hurricane abuse, the natural coral reefs in the region had begun to suffer badly. However, in November 2009 a project funded by local and national authorities saw artist Jason Decaires Taylor start to create more than 400 life size sculptures which help secure and regenerate the reef. With models including a 1970’s replica of a Volkswagen Beetle, this a museum experience that will never be forgotten.
Australia
Australia is home to some of the world’s very best reefs – both natural and artificial. Thanks to a government policy which started in the late 1990’s, decommissioned warships have been sunk on a regular basis to help create artificial reefs provide recreational exploration opportunities for divers. EX-HMAS Swan was first sunk in 1998 in Dunsborough as a dive wreck and has attracted millions of tourists since.
No matter which reef you decide to visit next, make sure that you have the right insurance in case the worst happens. It is always better to be safe rather than sorry, so call one of our experts for friendly advice.