Diving Sabah? Dive Downbelow!

At Dive Downbelow we remain fully committed to help in doing whatever we can to preserve the ocean’s health and its marine life. We also fully support Project AWARE’s cause in fighting on behalf of the ocean.

Ever since July 2011, we became a 100% AWARE dive centre whereby for each student who completes a PADI course with us, we donate directly to Project AWARE on behalf of the student.

Because of that, all of our students receive an upgraded qualification card with the Project AWARE logo indicating that they too care for the ocean and are ambassadors of the ocean.

So by completing a dive course with us, you are not only supporting Downbelow but also supporting the environment.

Currently Dive Downbelow is the only dive centre in Borneo that is 100% AWARE.

Apart from the donations, we have also shown our commitment to conservation by organising and conducting many activities such as beach clean-ups and removal of illegal nets within the protected area of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Borneo.

So if you are thinking of taking any PADI course, then go with a dive centre that cares about the ocean and the marine wildlife. Go with 100% AWARE. Go with Downbelow.

Check out our PADI courses here. We also have PADI professional courses for those who wants to take their recreational diving to the next level.

Please contact us if you have any enquiries on any of our courses or our conservation efforts.

All over the world shark populations have been devastated, driven largely by the demand for shark products.

In spite of increased awareness in recent years of the unsustainable practice of shark finning, sharks numbers are still declining.

Targeted fishing, and the scourge of bycatch, contribute to this decline.

Awareness of the problem, however, is not enough; action is required.

Now is the time to add your voice to thousands of other AWARE divers and shark advocates who are serious about shark protection.

An initial goal was to reach 100,000 signatures to the Shark Petition, which calls on the governments of the world to heed scientific advice and properly protect the shark population.

Our campaign last year recorded success with the closing of loopholes in the European Union Finning Ban and the announcement of the world’s largest marine reserve network in Australia.

The campaign continues and the more people stand up for the survival of sharks, the better.

We have strength in numbers and together we are getting the attention of policymakers worldwide.

We are setting our sights on CITES 2013 with plans to secure listing for some of the shark species most deserving of CITES protections: hammerheads, oceanic whitetip, spiny dogfish and porbeagle sharks. We’re also aiming for consideration of sharks’ close relatives such as the heavily traded manta and devil rays.

Join now! Add your voice to the Project AWARE Shark Petition by filling in the form above.

Asia’s first Finathon, held by Downbelow last weekend, has been written in the annals of history, but it took us a little longer to tally the numbers related to the donations and funds raised.

Thanks to the outstanding support of our Finathon participants and the generous sponsors who showed that they care about sharks, Downbelow is delighted to report that the final amount raised is a whopping RM 15,079.10!

At today’s exchange rates that’s equal to AU$ 4,734.64 and US$ 4,925.39.

As promised, Downbelow is giving 100% – be it from donations, sponsorships or merchandise sales – to the Project AWARE Foundation, which will enable them to continue fighting for legislation to control shark finning.

We once again thank everybody who participated in this worthwhile event. You have made a big difference!

Apart from the funds, we also raised a lot of awareness for the cause through newspaper coverage, social media and blogs, and even the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture noticed.

We look forward to the next Finathon and hope to have an even bigger number of participants and raise even more awareness and funds.

Together we are making a difference!

The water around Downbelow’s dive centre was churning yesterday with the finning of 24 participants swimming to end finning during our Project AWARE Finathon.

Yesterday we hosted what was Asia and Kota Kinabalu’s first Finathon.

A finathon, as opposed to a marathon, is a 1km swim, organised to help raise awareness of the unsustainable practice that is shark finning.

Participants in the Finathon also helped raise funds, 100% of which will be donated to the Project AWARE Foundation, to aid their efforts in fighting for global legislation to help stop the mass killing of sharks.

Downbelow’s Marketing Director, Joanne Swann, also took part in yesterday’s Finathon. “We were amazed by all the support,” she said, “and can’t thank everyone who contributed enough, especially the funds they raised.”

We raised a whopping RM14,709 (US$4,800) in support of the fight against shark finning, which is well over our initial RM10k target and just shy of the RM15k stretch target.

“The variety of supporters was astonishing,” said Downbelow’s Managing Director and resident PADI Course Director Richard Swann, “which goes to show that people from all walks of life, regardless of age, care about the preservation of sharks.”

About the Finathon he said “this was a healthy and fun way to raise awareness for an important cause.”

In fact, so enthused were the participants, that funding have already been pledged for the next Finathon.

The Finathon’s 1km route started from the Sabah Parks jetty in front of Downbelow’s Dive Centre, stretch into the open ocean up to Turtle Reef 500m away, and back again. Participation was either on an individual basis, which required swimming the entire distance alone, or as a team. Each member of the team then swam a set distance as part of the whole.

Of course, Downbelow’s PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Centre staff was on hand to ensure participant safety at all times.

Bobbing about in the water along the route, were 3 boats, 3 kayaks and 6 Dive Instructors in life-rings keeping an eye out and ensuring a fun time for all.

The Finathon wrapped up with a scrumptious lunch during which certificates and prizes where handed out. Richard also underlined the Finathon’s importance, with a reminder that we did it all for to give sharks a fighting chance.

Companies who showed that they care about sharks, and donated generously to the Finathon, includes Kinabalu International School, Shangri La’s Rasa Ria Resort, Pulau Sipadan Resort, Sipadan Mabul Resort, Sepilok Jungle Resort, A&L Leisure, Sabah Parks and members of Downbelow’s KK Dive Club.

Heaps of encouragement and support were also received from Datuk Masidi Manjun and Sabah’s Ministry of Tourism, the family and friends of all who attended, Downbelow’s IDC and IDCS interns and Downbelow’s office and island staff team.

All in all, Downbelow’s first even Project AWARE Finathon in Kota Kinabalu was a resounding success and we look forward to even more participants next time.

Datuk Masidi Manjun, Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture, has sent Downbelow a letter of support for the Project AWARE Finathon that we will be conducting this Sunday, 4 November.

“I applaud very much the initiative taken by Downbelow Marine & Wildlife Adventures,” Datuk Masidi says in his letter faxed through to our HQ earlier today, “to raise awareness against shark fin products and to highlight the plight of sharks in our oceans.”

He said that his Ministry is strongly advocating for a total ban on shark fishing and shark finning, making Sabah the most shark-conscious state in the entire Malaysia, if not the region.

“Our ocean will be a better place and a haven for all dive lovers,” Datuk Masidi continued.

Diving is one of Sabah’s top tourist attractions and the schools of hammerhead sharks in Layang Layang and the various reef shark species in Sipadan in particular is talked about the world over.

Globally, the sustainable and lucrative activity of shark scuba diving is a major revenue generator, making Datuk Masidi and his Ministry’s stance on shark finning all the more indicative of their progressive, long-term thinking.

Shark finning in its current form is a wasteful, cruel and ultimately unsustainable practice. Laws and enforcement is required now to secure the future of sharks in our oceans.

The weekend’s Finathon is to raise awareness of the plight of sharks, and funds to help Project AWARE fight for legislation on a global scale to save our shark.

This weekend, support with your participation or your wallet, our swimming to end shark finning.

Email us for more information and to find out how you can help make a difference.

Newly crowned PADI Divemaster Bernard has excellent timing. Not only did he qualify as a PADI Divemaster just in time to join our November IDC, but he’s also just in time for our Finathon this weekend.

Bernard qualified as a professional scuba Divemaster mere days ago, and this weekend he will be participating in his first IDC-related activity.

Part of developing as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, which is what the IDC is all about, is illustrating your fine watermanship.

The hallmark of fine watermanship is the ability to swim 800m. Our IDC interns will demonstrate this skill on Sunday.

But’s it not your average watermanship test. On Sunday we’re also hosting Asia’s first Finathon at our PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Centre.

The Finathon is a 1km-swim through which participants will raise awareness and funds for Project AWARE’s anti-shark finning activities.

So while illustrating their awesome swimming skills, our IDC interns will also be swimming to end shark finning.

How’s that for efficiency?

Find out more about about our Project AWARE Finathon and contribute by buying our Finathon related t-shirts, bookmarks and bags.

Together we are making a difference.

Our Finathon is now only 4 days away and the excitement is building.

This Sunday, 4 November, Kota Kinabalu’s shark lover will take to the waters of the TAR Park just off Gaya island, for swimming to end shark finning.

The ultimate aim of the 1km Finathon, which participants will do either as individuals or as part of a team, is to raise funds for the fight against shark finning.

Fighting on our behalf are the good people from Project AWARE Foundation and all the money raised will be contributed to them to perpetuate their cause.

We have a few spaces remaining, so if you want to get swimming to finning, do get in touch with us soon.

Even if you are not participating in the Finathon itself, you can still participate by either sponsoring the participants, or by buying our Finathon merchandise.

These PADI bags, for instance, are only RM10. They are available from our dive shop in Kota Kinabalu’s KK Times Square and the entire RM10 will be donated to Project AWARE.

Email us for more information about the Finathon, or drop in at our dive shop in KK Times Square to purchase Finathon mechanise and support the fight against shark finning.

Our first ever Finathon takes place this Sunday, 4 November at our Dive Centre on Gagay Island.

Although we already have numerous participants, we also had a chorus of people saying they can’t go swimming, but they would still like to show their support.

Well, we’ve listened and we hear you!

So, if you’re unable to go Swimming to end Shark Finning, you can still be actively involved.

Buy 1 of these special, limited edition t-shirts or bookmarks, for RM 30 and RM 5 respectively.

We will donate 100% of the money towards Project AWARE Foundation and their Anti Shark Finning campaigns.

The shirts and bookmarks are available from our Dive Shop in KK Times Square. If there are any left come Sunday, then we will sell them at the Finathon on Gaya island.

When we stand together anything is possible and together we are making a difference!

“Together we are making a difference,” is what our resident PADI Course Director Richard Swann always says, and next weekend we’re going to do just that.

On Sunday, 4 November 2012, Downbelow is hosting a Finathon – a 1km ‘fun swim’ – at our PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Centre in order to raise awareness of the plight of sharks and funds for Project AWARE who is fighting for legislation to give sharks a fighting chance.

The funds donated to Project AWARE will help the foundation fight to stop shark finning, insist on full protections for critically endangered sharks at government level, negotiate stronger policies with the world’s decision makers to ensure a brighter future for all sharks.

“We think it’s a great fundraising and awareness campaign and are very excited about it,” said Joanne Swann, Downbelow’s Marketing Director.

“This is a perfect way for local schools to become involved and we’re excited to have both Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria and Tanjung Aru Resorts on board.”

The Finathon takes place form around 9am to 2pm and starts at the jetty in front of Downbelow’s beach house dive centre.

The Finathon route follow our house reef to the Turtle House dive site 500m away, before making a u-turn and returning to the jetty. You can tackle the course either as an individual or, if you’re not up for the entire 1km by yourself, you can join with others to form a relay team.

“We’re encouraging all participants to raise AU$ 100 (RM320) equivalent to the cost of a bowl of shark fin soup,” said Joanne Swann, Downbelow’s Marketing Director.

There are also prizes up for grabs for the top fundraisers, who stand a chance to win BARE Chillguards & Vaude Speedy Drink belts donated by A & L Adventure & Leisure from Kuala Lumpur.

Interested participants can still sign up until this Sunday by emailing us or visiting Downbelow’s offices in KK Times Square.