Oil Spill

(Dive Travel Business News - July 15, 2010) -- The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) has released the following Oil Spill Update that includes steps divers and the dive industry can take to help protect dive sites, assess potential damage and help mitigate the effects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico:

Before the Oil Reaches Local Dive Sites:
Divers should get involved in cleaning their areas NOW before any oil from the spill reaches nearby dive sites. Trash and obstacles in the water only serve to act as "collectors" for oil and will cause it to aggregate there, making the cleanup even more difficult.  Get in touch with organizations such as Project AWARE Foundation for guidelines and help in setting up these cleanup and marine debris removal activities. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - July 13, 2010) --  The BP oil spill off the coast of Louisana in April has caused Florida's hotels to ramp up the advertising of their white-sand beaches. And now hotels along the Gulf Coast are trying to ease the worries of travelers skittish about putting their vacation dollars down on a potentially greasy beach by offering an "Oil Free Guarantee".

Some hotels are easing booking policies by waiving cancellation charges if the property is subject to an "oil event', others are guaranteeing full refunds for prepaid reservations if the guests cannot use the beach and many are waiving early departure charges should the oil spill affect a guest's stay.

Check the fine print though. For instance, Marriott is offering refunds if there's "an official beach closure" by government authorities while Hilton Worldwide will give guests a full refund if their stay was "in any way affected by the Gulf oil spill." Hilton's offer includes those who are uneasy about coming regardless of whether oil has washed up on the beach. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - June 9, 2010) -- The National Oceanic and Atmostpheric Administration (NOAA) provides daily emergency response updates through for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Visit its Response & Restoration site for further details.

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(Dive Travel Business News - June 7, 2010) -- Hurricane Season is in its first week and reports are in that the first Eastern Pacific Hurricane could cross over to the Gulf of Mexico. While forecasters predict there is only a 10% chance that this hurricane could hit the Oil Spill reason, the question remains - what happens when a hurricane hits the oil spill?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has prepared a Hurricane & The Oil Spill FAQ to address the very real question. According to NOAA, the good news is that the high winds and seas will mix and “weather” the oil which can help accelerate the biodegradation process. Also, a hurricane passing to the east of the slick could drive the oil away from the coast. The bad news is that a hurricane passing west of the slick could drive the oil spill to the coast line. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - June 4, 2010) -- The April 20, 2010 explosion and oil spill on the British Petroleum Oil Drill Platform Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico has caused concern for the diving industry, specifically in regions around the Gulf.

The extent of the environmental damage is not yet known, but in anticipation of damage occurring to the coastal areas and the potential for extensive economic damages concerning the diving industry, the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) has put together an Oil Spill Assistance Planner to help dive businesses impacted by the spill to connect to contacts that can assist them. The Oil Spill Assistance Planner is available by clicking here. read more »