Perfect sunny weather and clear diving conditions gave Manly scuba divers a chance to smash their goal in the underwater hunt for potatoes.
Over 100 divers joined Dive Centre Manly’s Underwater Treasure Hunt at Cabbage Tree Bay.  Smashed potatoes were on the menu as this bunch of enthusiastic divers searched the seabed for soggy spuds.
And they smashed another goal too, raising over $1,460 for ocean protection. All donations go to Project AWARE Foundation, a global non-profit protecting our ocean planet, one dive at a time

A desire to protect sharks and have fun led Holly Macleod to organize a massive month of fundraising for the Big Shark Shout Out.
Originally from England Holly now lives in Bali and works for Bali Crystal Divers as a PADI Course Director.  “I’m lucky enough to have enjoyed amazing diving and encounters with incredible marine life  and I’m passionately committed to making sure we protect our oceans for future generations to enjoy,” said Holly.  

With Earth Day, 22nd April fast approaching, the Big Shark Shout Out is in full swing and it's louder, and madder, than ever before!
We love sharks - as divers we appreciate their beauty, respect their power and become mesmerised when we catch a glimpse underwater. We're so into sharks one could say, we are completely mad about them. In fact we're Shark Raving Mad to be precise.
The Oxford dictionary's definition of mad: 
1. very enthusiastic about someone or something
2. very angry 

Have you dived or snorkeled with a manta ray? Imagine a creature the size of your desk or even your bed gliding gracefully above you.  Mantas can dive to depths of more than 1,000 metres, they roam the oceans in search of food, never resting, constantly swimming to survive.
It’s a magical moment when these captivating creatures open their giant mouths to filter plankton from the water.  Known as filter feeders, they swim through the water funneling the plankton through their gills. The plankton is trapped in their gill rakers and swallowed.

The decline of Caribbean coral reefs has been linked to the recent effects of human-induced climate change. However, new research led by scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego suggests an even earlier cause. The bad news – humans are still to blame.

Fishing nations of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) today agreed to protect oceanic whitetip sharks based on a U.S. proposal, while an Australian proposal to ban intentional setting of purse seine nets on whale sharks (to catch associated aggregations of tuna) was stalled by Japan.

 
More and more dive centres are signing up to be 100% AWARE! All these donations directly support ocean protection across the globe. A big thanks to everyone who has signed up already.

A local fundraiser's focus was to help put a stop to the cruel practice of "finning," which is depleting the world's shark population.
Some larger species of sharks have rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth designed for ripping and tearing flesh, can smell one drop of blood in a million drops of water, and can dislocate and protrude its upper jaw to help it grab and hang onto prey.