pakman
Contributor
Curious to know what the heck they are planning to build there? Paved highways for baby turtles?
Barge beached in Sipadan
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Tassie_Rohan
Contributor
From the first underwater photograph, which appears to be taken from one side, it looks like a 20 metre wide zone has been levelled. I’ve snorkelled exactly at that spot between dives and its not what people come to see. The company responsible for the barge should cough up the rehabilitation costs by adding structures that coral can nucleate on. In 10-20 years there should be a fair amount of growth: certainly less then the 100’s of years quoted.
Unfortunate – yes, but the big walls and 98% of the shallow coral gardens are still there and still pristine. I certainly don't think it deserves such over-inflated bumf as:
‘The damage is incalculable — one of Sipadan’s most precious and beloved spots, well-known the world over, is no more’
‘a grisly mass of broken and pulverised corals, shredded turtles and mounds of grey gravel suffocating what little is left of the legendary dropoff’
‘I can only hope nature will be able to mend this terrifying gash, but it will surely take decades or hundreds of years.
‘an international beacon for conservation has been irretrievably and hideously wounded.’
‘the simple fact, the only bare truth, is that those unique, world-famous, spectacularly beautiful coral gardens of Sipadan’s dropoff are no more…lost forever.’
There remains the question of:
'Why are enormous quantities of building materials are being unloaded on Sipadan even as I write these words? What is being built there? And, if anything had to be built, why not use wood, as has always been the case until now? Do we really want tonnes of rotting, cracking concrete and rusting metal on Sipadan’s supposedly pristine beaches?'
As it’s a military post now days – I guess, as they love building solid bomb-proof buildings, that they have gotten tired of living in the old wooden dive shacks and are building something more solid. If they are sensible then I hope they hide it in the centre of the island away from prying eyes. Being a military post I doubt they will however hand over their plans on the first enquiry from a dive centre. Look on the bright side: its their presence on the island that has allowed tourism to grow in the area since the kidnappings and has keep illegal fishing at bay.
‘Where were the staff who were stationed on the island when this all happened?
The bottom line — why was this horrifying incident allowed to build up over the course of at least three days and finally happen?'
Most people in the world don’t dive. To them Sipadan is just another island that ends at the waterline. Barges can be difficult to control and they were probably more worried about the material and machinery on the barge rather than 20 by 50 metres of shallow coral.
Sad to see but the walls are still pristine. I hope we hear what their plans for reabilitation are soon: will actually be interesting to see how the area is recolonised and the rate of growth.
Cheers,
Rohan.
Unfortunate – yes, but the big walls and 98% of the shallow coral gardens are still there and still pristine. I certainly don't think it deserves such over-inflated bumf as:
‘The damage is incalculable — one of Sipadan’s most precious and beloved spots, well-known the world over, is no more’
‘a grisly mass of broken and pulverised corals, shredded turtles and mounds of grey gravel suffocating what little is left of the legendary dropoff’
‘I can only hope nature will be able to mend this terrifying gash, but it will surely take decades or hundreds of years.
‘an international beacon for conservation has been irretrievably and hideously wounded.’
‘the simple fact, the only bare truth, is that those unique, world-famous, spectacularly beautiful coral gardens of Sipadan’s dropoff are no more…lost forever.’
There remains the question of:
'Why are enormous quantities of building materials are being unloaded on Sipadan even as I write these words? What is being built there? And, if anything had to be built, why not use wood, as has always been the case until now? Do we really want tonnes of rotting, cracking concrete and rusting metal on Sipadan’s supposedly pristine beaches?'
As it’s a military post now days – I guess, as they love building solid bomb-proof buildings, that they have gotten tired of living in the old wooden dive shacks and are building something more solid. If they are sensible then I hope they hide it in the centre of the island away from prying eyes. Being a military post I doubt they will however hand over their plans on the first enquiry from a dive centre. Look on the bright side: its their presence on the island that has allowed tourism to grow in the area since the kidnappings and has keep illegal fishing at bay.
‘Where were the staff who were stationed on the island when this all happened?
The bottom line — why was this horrifying incident allowed to build up over the course of at least three days and finally happen?'
Most people in the world don’t dive. To them Sipadan is just another island that ends at the waterline. Barges can be difficult to control and they were probably more worried about the material and machinery on the barge rather than 20 by 50 metres of shallow coral.
Sad to see but the walls are still pristine. I hope we hear what their plans for reabilitation are soon: will actually be interesting to see how the area is recolonised and the rate of growth.
Cheers,
Rohan.
furore
Registered
WTFFF?? This news actually hurts my heart.
Repetitive Diver
Registered
Two ultimate truths are emerging on this thread:
1. So much for the Malaysian authorities and Sabah Parks actually protecting Sipadan! They made all the right noises when the resorts were told to clear off, posed for congratulatory photographs in the papers and generally basked in their new-found celebrity as conservationsists yet they had absolutely no plan what to do next. Why not call in some foreign experts who know what they are doing? No way! We are Malaysians and we will protect Sipadan - yeah right - still no plan. No sooner were the resorts moved off the island than stories of illegal fishing boats freely pilfering Sipadan's stocks, dynamite fishing, sharks being hooked and even the army protectors catching and roasting lobsters at night began to circulate. Still no plan. At least when the resorts were there, their presence prevented this kind of thing. So this catastrophe with the barge running aground really does show how pathetic and incompetent those charged with Sipadan's well-being are.
2. It is a catastrophe - a large area of fragile corals decimated. More damage done in one night due to Malaysian incompetence than by the thousands of divers who have visited the island over the decades. BUT....it is also true that this was not on the dive site called 'The Drop Off' but on the other side of the jetty - in an unremarkable area. It is not a dive site itself and the area is one that the vast majority of divers who have visited Sipadan would not have seen from underwater.
So can we take some comfort from this? Well yes in a way. But the problem is that no lessons will be learnt from this sorry story. Expect a small fine for the captian and general shoulder-shrugging and utterances of the Malaysian equivalent of '***** happens' and on we will go. The diving is not affected so the divers will still come and the money will keep pouring in. Sadly this means that as far as the authorites go this is no more than a small problem and an exercise in PR damage limitation.
I was expecting it to be today's headline in the Malaysian newspapers but not even a mention.
So it is the clueless officials, those charged with protecting Sipadan, those very same people who took the congratulations who must also now take the blame for this one painfully destructive act - They have spectacularly failed in discharging the duties they were given - their actions proving the complete opposite of their words.
1. So much for the Malaysian authorities and Sabah Parks actually protecting Sipadan! They made all the right noises when the resorts were told to clear off, posed for congratulatory photographs in the papers and generally basked in their new-found celebrity as conservationsists yet they had absolutely no plan what to do next. Why not call in some foreign experts who know what they are doing? No way! We are Malaysians and we will protect Sipadan - yeah right - still no plan. No sooner were the resorts moved off the island than stories of illegal fishing boats freely pilfering Sipadan's stocks, dynamite fishing, sharks being hooked and even the army protectors catching and roasting lobsters at night began to circulate. Still no plan. At least when the resorts were there, their presence prevented this kind of thing. So this catastrophe with the barge running aground really does show how pathetic and incompetent those charged with Sipadan's well-being are.
2. It is a catastrophe - a large area of fragile corals decimated. More damage done in one night due to Malaysian incompetence than by the thousands of divers who have visited the island over the decades. BUT....it is also true that this was not on the dive site called 'The Drop Off' but on the other side of the jetty - in an unremarkable area. It is not a dive site itself and the area is one that the vast majority of divers who have visited Sipadan would not have seen from underwater.
So can we take some comfort from this? Well yes in a way. But the problem is that no lessons will be learnt from this sorry story. Expect a small fine for the captian and general shoulder-shrugging and utterances of the Malaysian equivalent of '***** happens' and on we will go. The diving is not affected so the divers will still come and the money will keep pouring in. Sadly this means that as far as the authorites go this is no more than a small problem and an exercise in PR damage limitation.
I was expecting it to be today's headline in the Malaysian newspapers but not even a mention.
So it is the clueless officials, those charged with protecting Sipadan, those very same people who took the congratulations who must also now take the blame for this one painfully destructive act - They have spectacularly failed in discharging the duties they were given - their actions proving the complete opposite of their words.
the construction barges are pretty big. even if a 'small' area if thrashed, it's still pretty sizeable. and to have it happen now, after all the posturing, is inexcusable. fyi, i local reported who happens to be a diver is on this. but that's not enough. letters to the editors, etc are out. we need papers, internet, tv type exposure and concerns to be out there, loudly, until an effective enforcement and protection mechanism is in place.
Tassie_Rohan
Contributor
lanun:
Too true - if the dive industry doesn't kick up a stink about this then the authorities are going to think thats its OK - then its just a matter of time before more damage is done.
Cheers,
Rohan.
Batfish
Contributor
As mentioned several times above, the damanged area was not an area that was even dived, being right next to the jetty. Nightmare it may seem, and an idiotic thing to happen, but it will not affect the diving at Sipadan.
Batfish
Contributor
Just trying to realistic, unlike the quotes below.
Having been involved in Hurricane Mitch (1998) and the Boxing day Tsunami, I know very well how people like to concentrate only on the negative, as it makes better news.
I certainly hope nobody builds a hotel on Sipadan. If so, I hope divers would vote with their fins and dive elsewhere.
‘The damage is incalculable — one of Sipadan’s most precious and beloved spots, well-known the world over, is no more’
‘a grisly mass of broken and pulverised corals, shredded turtles and mounds of grey gravel suffocating what little is left of the legendary dropoff’
‘I can only hope nature will be able to mend this terrifying gash, but it will surely take decades or hundreds of years.
‘an international beacon for conservation has been irretrievably and hideously wounded.’
‘the simple fact, the only bare truth, is that those unique, world-famous, spectacularly beautiful coral gardens of Sipadan’s dropoff are no more…lost forever.’
Having been involved in Hurricane Mitch (1998) and the Boxing day Tsunami, I know very well how people like to concentrate only on the negative, as it makes better news.
I certainly hope nobody builds a hotel on Sipadan. If so, I hope divers would vote with their fins and dive elsewhere.
‘The damage is incalculable — one of Sipadan’s most precious and beloved spots, well-known the world over, is no more’
‘a grisly mass of broken and pulverised corals, shredded turtles and mounds of grey gravel suffocating what little is left of the legendary dropoff’
‘I can only hope nature will be able to mend this terrifying gash, but it will surely take decades or hundreds of years.
‘an international beacon for conservation has been irretrievably and hideously wounded.’
‘the simple fact, the only bare truth, is that those unique, world-famous, spectacularly beautiful coral gardens of Sipadan’s dropoff are no more…lost forever.’
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