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Karachi Scuba Diving Center (KSDC)

Karachi Scuba Diving Center was established in the year 1989, By Yousuf Ali a PADI Master Instructor and Mechanical Engineer from Karachi Pakistan, to organize and promote Swimming, lifesaving, Skin Diving and Scuba Diving, through training programs to provide a complete range of instructions.

The aim was to increase Awareness, Responsibility and Education among the people who in the course of time will understand the importance of protecting our beaches, marine life and environment, by providing training programs and important data to, Universities, Schools, Social Clubs and NGO’s.

Scuba Diving Scuba Diving is a healthy sport, and not only sports but also it is of its own science. It enlightens people to respect and protect our fragile environment, educate people on, water-safety, beach rescue, oceans, and its currents, beautiful fauna and flora. This sport also edify us about the under water world, eye catching coral reefs, colorful tropical fishes and chunky underwater-forest beyond our imagination.

Scuba Diving is a remarkable Sport • It teaches self-confidence to the meek and humility to the bold, initiative to the withdrawn and philosophy to all • It teaches us to take infinite pains and build characters, determination and cool judgment • Mention should be made of the camaraderie in the diving sorority. Diving provides an adventure that binds its devotee together by a common sense of responsibility for each other’s safety. • It brings out the finest qualities in person and results in the most enduring friendship.

Scuba Diving is Fun Diving, thanks to the technology in today’s world a child of 8 years of age Girl/Boy can learn to Scuba dive and have fun, The positive thing in this sport is, that it is a family sport, even grand mama can join the class and enjoy as much as her grand daughter.

PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) PADI_USA based in Santa Ana California, is the largest Professional Association maintained the highest standards for the safety and professionalism around the world. KSDC conduct all the scuba courses under the auspice of PADI.

(The American council on education (ACE) has determined that PADI’s OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE meets the educational standards and requirements for credit at the college level, even when taught away from a college or University. See you’re local KARACHI SCUBA DIVING CENTER)

Yousuf Ali (PADI Master Instructor) Being a marine engineer working for Ministry of Electricity and Water Dubai UAE, as a Power Station Superintendent I decided to take up a new water sports “Scuba Diving” as a hobby, the first breath underwater and I was hooked for life having qualified as a “PADI Open Water diver” in 1979.

I carried on my education and in 1982, Graduated as a Professional “Scuba Diving Instructor” with ten (10) Specialties. Rescue Diving Instructor, trained by Coast Guard San Diego California. Achieved the prestigious level of “Master Instructor” in 1992 from Tampa Florida. Become a member of “PADI Master Instructor Review Committee” Santa Ana, California, USA . Being Rescue Diver Instructor I was privilege to trained Dubai Police, the first “Frogman team” in the gulf.

Divers as a community are ambassador to the marine world; in increasing number scuba enthusiasts around the world are involving themselves in underwater conservation projects such as supporting the national marine sanctuary and other marine park program. “Some one once said that you care for what you understand, and you protect what you care for” this is one reason why diver’s efforts on behalves of the environment continue to grow.

Karachi has not been on world map as far as Scuba Diving is concerned, even though this port city and Ex. Capital of Pakistan offers various type of scuba diving, which was one of the reasons that KSDC decided to go in collaboration with “National Sailing Center” establishing Scuba Diving Club at NSC Boat-Basin in April 2003.

The members had then taken on the challenge of exploring the coast of Pakistan. Although this wasn’t going to be an easy task, the coast of Pakistan was treacherous drive and some places were very hard to reach. The caravan has taking on the challenges of exploring the inaccessible terrain and was determined to achieve this difficult venture for the people of Pakistan. This documentary was going to be a pioneering effort to bring awareness and sensitivity about our environment particularly the life beneath the sea among the people in general.

OUT-LINE OF DOCUMENTARY

The documentary was to cover the entire coastline and the marine life starting from Karachi to Jiwani. The caravan traveled twice during this period from Karachi to Jiwani and back, exploring most of the underwater train including the Astola Island which is 25 km South East of Pasni harbor documented the fauna and flora in natural habitat.

The first step of this project was to organize a conference on 23 Dec. 2003 in Merjan Motel at Gwadar city. The subject of the seminar was “Threat of pollution in Gwadar Bay” after completion of the new deep sea port inviting the prominent scientists from the reputable educational, research and conservation institutions (i.e. Karachi University, NIO, PCSIR, Sindh Wildlife, WWF-Pakistan, IUCN)

The objective of this documentary was to cover various subjects and then they will be divided into 13 episodes to be televised through TV Channels. . One subject may spread over more than one episode depending on its own span. Very little was known about the Marine life of Makran coast and it would be a first venture to explore that part of the sea. The documentary will unveil the following mysteries.

• The underwater world of Arabian sea • Beautiful dive sites Coral Reefs, Underwater forests, caves, tunnels, and the flora and fauna • The beaches with fine sand, crystal clear water, mangroves, islands and cliff islands • Ship wrecks with their history – now used as dive sites

The documentary will be made with the following objectives:

• Inculcate a sensitivity towards marine life protection among the people in general • Build awareness of local expertise available for marine research and not utilized • Create awareness for the need of Aquatic Academy in the country • Emphasize the need for Life guarding Post along crowded beaches, lakes & rivers • Promote the sport of Scuba diving and eliminate peoples’ misconceptions about the sport • Share the gorgeous underwater world of the Arabian Sea with rest of the country • The subjects covered by the documentary are listed below and each subject is briefly outlined in a manner it will be filmed.

Diving around Karachi waters

There are many dive sites around Karachi that are just a daylong trip and a wonderful day out with plenty of flora and fauna for the divers to see and non divers along enjoy the tales of the underwater world. Some of the dive sites are: • Churna Island • Chota Churna • Buchum Reef • Bit-Coli • Cape Monze • Caves in Somiani

In addition to covering the above dive sites the Clifton beach and the sea bottom will also be covered to show what damage the oil spill has caused and what it is like at the bottom after the Tasmin oil spill disaster. The objective of showing the destruction caused by pollution is to create sensitivity among the people in general towards our environment and marine life.

Wreck diving fantasy

Exploring shipwrecks has always been divers dream around the world, which requires special training. Several ships, which sank during the last 50 years and are still lying in 10ft to 80 ft of waters beyond the Manora, break water within a radius of six miles. Following are the wrecks that will be covered by the documentary.

• MV ABASIN • MV Dynamic Venture • MV Munir • MV Nanda Davi • MV Regal Sun • MV Dia Hatim • MV Amir • MV Aqua Marine • MV East Bell 505

Mangroves and their biodiversity

Mangroves are tropical inshore ecosystems dominated by several species of trees or shrubs that grow in salt water. These trees have shallow, widely spread roots that extend from their trunks and branches to anchor them to the bottom. Some species send up snorkel roots, or pneumatophores, to the surface for oxygen from above the anoxic mud. Their extensive root system traps and filters plant matter. This material is broken down into detritus, which forms the base of the food change.

Sindh coastline 160,000 ha of mangrove forests mainly located in the creeks. Mangrove ecosystem is of great economic and ecological significance. It is a pool of biodiversity and is the habitat for diverse community of organisms ranging from bacteria and fungi to fish, shrimp, birds, reptiles and mammals. The mangroves provide shelter and nurseries for shrimp and other fish species and protect coastline wind and tidal action, reduces siltation and strength of storm surges. The root system also provide habitat for invertebrates, such as mussels, sponges, tunicates, hydroids and oysters, as well as many juvenile fish species The mangroves bring lots of livelihood. Not enough has been done to protect the mangroves. The documentary will cover few helping hands that are trying to make a difference like Ministry of environment, Sindh Wild life, IUCN, WWF, KPT and Pak. Navy. The video will cover the thriving life of the remaining mangroves and the ecosystem. And sadly some is diminishing mangrove forests.

Diving around Makran coast

The unblemished part of our sea is still the Balochistan Coast. The emerald green water of Arabian Sea, full of beautiful coral reefs, colorful tropical fishes, sponges, ferns, fauna and flora, still to be discovered. The gorgeous sandy beaches along coast of Makran and the high rising cliffs are wonderful sightseeing that the country is unacquainted with.

Gwadar under a potential threat of pollution

KSDC is organizing a seminar in Gwadar when it reaches Gwadar city. The KSDC caravan will bring a message to the people and the concerned authorities that enough harm has been caused to our marine life, building of a port might bring an economic boom but it should not come at the cost of environmental disaster. The experts of marine since and other proponents of environment protection will address the seminar. Number of people and members of press who wants to raise their voice with KSDC to protect the environment will attend the seminar. They will fly or drive in to Gwadar for the seminar and those, who would like to dive with KSDC, will have life time opportunity to do so in waters of Gwadar with KSDC Caravan.

Mystery around Astola Island (Haft Talar)

Most people in our country do not know Astola Island.(Haft-Talar). Astola is one of the virgin dive sites and has a lot of untold tales. The caravan has dive around the Island and share the mysteries of the Astola with rest of the country. (See the link below)

Expedition trip of Astola Island (Haftalar)

The island is situated in the northern Arabian Sea, approximately 25 kilometers off the mainland coast, 40 kilometers East-Southeast of Pasni Harbor, in Balochistan province. Geographical co-ordinates: 25°07'N, 63°52'E. Altitude: (average and/or max. & min.) 0-200 m Area: (in hectares) c. 5,000

A small solar operated beacon has been constructed on the top of one of the island's cliffs for the safety of passing vessels. The island supports some rare and vulnerable species of animals such as endanger species Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and quite possibly critically endanger species Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbracata)

Sightings of cetaceans such as dolphins and to a lesser extent, whales have also been reported. It can be surmised that these cetaceans, which are primarily dependent on the highly productive Southern Arabian up welling system. The underwater fauna and flora is exceptionally diverse and a large number of coral species are found along with a rich marine life associated with coral reef. This is the only place in the whole coastal belt of Pakistan where such live corals are still thriving, but facing eradication by fishing trawlers, which by dropping anchors and uprooting coral heads. Pakistan Navy often uses this island for target practice which’s become a major source of destruction of coral reef.

Tsunami 2004

As you know healthy coral reefs provide their adjacent coasts with substantially more protection from destructive tsunami waves than do unhealthy or dead reefs, a Princeton University study suggests.

The tsunami 2004.Devastated the coastlines of the Indian Ocean, but in Pakistan the effect of tsunami were quit different it brought new spawn of different new species of corals from neighboring coral reefs, the mass migrated offspring started cloning and forming new reefs at incredible speed. During last two years over 30+ new species has been noticed so far and serious effort required observing and documenting this new Eon.

This will be golden opportunity for divers of the world to peep into the history of millions of years ago and witness some of the fact about the process of evaluation.

KSDC’s TRAINING PROGRAM

Course Overview

BASIC SWIMMING

Course Consist of: Getting into water Pool side entry Making a Splash Going down Floating Move on Sculling Resistance Help from Aids Moving forwards Leg power Water flow Stretching out Stay streamlines Buoyancy

Training 12 hours

Duration 4 Weeks

Course fee Rs. 2500.00

Advanced swimming courses

Free style/Butterfly/Brest stork

Training 12 hours

Course fee RS. 2000

SNORKELING OR SKIN DIVING FOR KIDS

Once you learn to snorkel, you will discover a whole new world of underwater. You can be an EXPLORER and find ADVENTURE in the Ocean, a river, a lake, or even your swimming pool. But of all the places, the most exciting and most beautiful is the Ocean. Course consist of:

The snorkel’s environment how we care for mother earth The equipment the stuff we need for snorkeling The skills Leering to snorkel is easy! Pressure how we avoid the big squeeze Hypothermia how we keep from getting cold Hyperventilation how we breathe too much? Overexertion too much exercise isn’t good Planning snorkeling where to go and what to do Additional equipment extra stuff that makes us safer snorkels Snorkeling first aid helping your buddy out of sticky situations

Training 12 hours • 3 X class room session • 3 X pool session • One day out on the beach

Course fee Rs. 2500.00

This course consist of one trip to the beach, Family members would be invited to share the fun and experience of the participant. We will also provide underwater video and still for unforgettable memories.

DISCOVER SCUBA

DISCOVER SCUBA is a first hand experience to find out What Diving is like? During the course we actually provide an opportunity to the Non-Diver to Scuba dive in the safe confines of a swimming pool. Discover scuba helps overcome the common misconceptions held about SCUBA DIVING.

This course will be conducted under the party atmosphere, which would be called Discover Scuba Party Members and their gust would be invited.

Added attraction Participants will get Certificate underwater pictures and video of their under water experience to share with the family and friends. A memorable event of their life Course fee Rs. 1000

PADI OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE

This course is designed to provide the student with the knowledge and skills needed to safely gain experience in the diving environment. This is internationally recognized credential allows you to dive around the world up to a safe limit of 60 ft.

Course Consist of: • 5Academic Session • 5Confined water sessions • 5Open water dives Course fee RS. 12,500.00

PADI OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE QUALIFIES FOR College Credit.

After reviewing the integrity and quality of PADI divers courses, the American council on education (ACE) has determined that PADI’s OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE meets the educational standards and requirements for credit at the college level, even when taught away from a college or University See your local KARACHI SCUBA DIVING CENTER for more details.

ADVANCED OPEN WATER COURSE

Provides the novice diver with a structured, well-supervised means to gain experience in various under water tasks i.e

• Deep dive, • Compass Navigation • Natural Navigation • Night dive • Search and Recovery

That broadens their awareness of the environment and their capabilities as a diver. Course Fee Rs. 10,000.00

THE FIRST AID COURSE

This course is designed to train student in both CPR and First Aid techniques in a cohesive manner. That patient is passed from the paramedics, to the doctors in the emergency room. Skills covered are:

Primary Assessment • One-Rescuer CPR • Obstructed Airways • Control of Bleeding • Shock Management • Injury Assessment.

Course fee Rs 500

RESCUE DIVER COURSE

Is an important and crucial step in expanding a diver’s knowledge and experience beyond a purely recreational level.

Topic include: Marine Injuries, Emergency procedures Distress Recognition, Self-Rescue Rescue entries and Approaches, Use of extensions and floats, Assists Transporting, Submerged Diver Rescue Missing Diver procedures, In-water Artificial Respiration Equipment Considerations, Rescue Exits Accident Recording and Reporting.

Course fee Rs. 10,000.00

SPECIALTY DIVER COURSES.

Are to familiarize divers with the skills, knowledge, planning, organization, procedures, and hazards for various special-interest areas in diving. i.e.

Research Diving, Equipment specialty, Multilevel Diver, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Under water Naturalist, Underwater Photographer Underwater Videographer. Drift diver, Cavern Diver, Deep Diver, Wreck Diver.

DIVEMASTER COURSE

Is the most extensive professional training programs in existence. The unique nature of Divemaster training is based on the concept of responsibility. The varied roles that a Divemaster may assume in his normal course of duties are:

Guide, Supervisor, Instructional Asistant, Medic, Oceanographer, Technician, Counselor, Public-relations expert, Sea-man and trained buddy Course fee RS.15, 000.00

KSDC CONTINUING EDUCATION

Basic Swimming

Advanced Swimming

Free Style Breast stroke Back Stroke Under water Butter fly

Champion-ship Swimming Life saving / guarding

Free Style Breast stroke Rescue Rescue First Aid in the in the Back Stroke Under water pool Sea C. P. R. Butterfly

COORDINATED rescue with High speed Boats & Helicopter

PADI CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSE FLOW Beach Rescue • Discover Snorkeling Using Canoe • Discover Scuba Surfboard • Discover Scuba Diving Jet Sky • OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE Extension tube • Advanced open water diver • Medic First Course • Rescue Diver Course • DIVEMASTER + 5 Specialties • MASTER SCUBA DIVER • ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR • OPEN WATER INSTRUCTOR • Medic First Aid Instructor • Specialty Instructor • MASTER SCUBA DIVER TRAINER • IDC Staff Instructor-1 & II • MASTER INSTRUCTOR

By Karachi Scuba Diving Center

The Karachi Scuba Diving Center offer this course strictly on the basis that it meets the minimum requirements of basic boating safety knowledge set out in the Canadian Cost Guard Boat Safety Course Standard

Course fee Rs. 3500.00

Course Overview  3 classroom session  2 open water sessions

Subject: 1 Type of boat 2 Type of motors 3 Licensing of pleasure craft 4 Marking a pleasure craft 5 Fuelling a pleasure craft 6 Docking a pleasure craft (in general terms) 7 Operating a pleasure craft (in general terms) 8 Preparing for trips 9 Loading a pleasure craft 10 Reading navigational aids such as charts and buoys (in general terms) 11 Recognizing and responding to distress signals 12 Anchoring in open water 13 Boating definitions 14 Lighting of a pleasure craft 15 Maintaining safety equipment 16 Avoiding collisions 17 The proper equipment for size and type of boat

It is our pleasure to help you understand the importance of watercraft safety

Yousuf Ali Master Instructor PADI California USA Marine Researcher & Director Operation Karachi Scuba Diving Center C-32, 9th Street , Suit # 7, Baddar Commercial Area Phase V Ext. D H A Karachi - 75500. Mobile: 0300 219 0304 PTCL (021) 534 0595, 534 0528 Email: - dive_in_karachi@yahoo.com Website: - www.scuba-karachi.com

You may check out KSDC’s activities by clicking the following links http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4496889505096246417&q=clown+grouper http://health.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/dive_in_karachi http://www.panoramio.com/photo/929837#comment http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Astola_Feb_20_2006_%2822%29.JPG http://groups.google.com/groups?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GFRC,GFRC:2007-12,GFRC:en&q=ksdc+scuba+diving+club ksdc-scuba-diving-club@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com.pk/group/ksdc-scuba-diving-club?hl=en http://www.panoramio.com/user/146305 ksdc-scuba-diving-club@googlegroups.com http://www.panoramio.com/photo/680488 http://diveinkarachi.multiply.com/video/item/3/Life_Beneath_the_Sea_of_Pakistan.DAT http://diveinkarachi.multiply.com/journal/item/5/Report_of_the_survey_conducted_by_KSDC_in_the_year_2005_-_2006

15th July 2008

Dear Scuba Buddies, People fascinated by life beneath the Sea since they started exploring the water of our plant with scuba, Karachities have been diving and exploring the coast of Karachi since 1962, when the water around three islands at Clifton beach was crystal clear and divers were awarded with beautiful fauna and flora.

KSDC (Karachi Scuba Diving Center) dedicated to protecting our fragile ocean environment and its diversity of life through public education, innovative projects, research, and advocacy. Organized seminars produced TV shows, on life guarding, and safe use of beaches, ocean currents, wave’s behaviors and topography. After 22 years of hard working KSDC’s work has been recognized and many corporation decided to come forwards and lend a helping hand to KSDC.

DIVER’S CLUB It’s time we had a Diver’s Club. Establishing independent “Scuba Diving Club” as a separate entity for the “Scuba Diving Community” run and operates by independent elected body on yearly basis with a pledge, to bring awareness among divers to respect and protect marine life, cleaning the ocean beds, looking after the our novice Coral Reef which desperately required our attention, if we don’t take immediate action we may lost our heritage (Plastic bags, discarded fishing nets, and explosives are the major killer of marine life and bring lot of damage to Corals and associated fauna and flora, especially air breathing animals i.e. turtles, and snacks)

Dinshaw B. Avari who himself is a scuba diver has kindly extend his offer to host a tea meet for the diver’s community at one of the conference hall at “Beach Luxury Hotel”. The purpose of this informal meeting is to establish a “SCUBA DIVING CLUB” - in order to do so we require Scuba Divers to come forward to take up the leading role in the formation of the club. The diver’s than select a committee consist of the following positions. • Chairman • Club sectary • Dive-Master • Equipment Coordinator • Dive Boat Coordinator • Social Event Manager • News Letter Editor • Environmental Coordinator The committee than, outline “Memorandum of Association’ for the club, covering up the following: - • Member ship rules • Member ship fee • By laws The committee will be responsible for procurement of the following items • Dive trips • Diving Equipment • Dive Boat • Road transport Amongst other things, the committee shall be responsible for organizing Diving Trips locally and internationally, a web-site, regular newsletters, inexpensive beverages and social events and other activities for like-minded people. The committee shall organize research and environmental projects to providing training and opportunity for all who seek to enjoy and safely explore and protect our Sea, lakes and waterways. This growing sense of concern for the protection and nurturing of the aquatic environment among diver is a need of the time.

A message to divers • Dive carefully in fragile aquatic ecosystem; be aware of your body and equipment placement when diving. • Keep your diving skills sharp with continuing education. • Understand and respect underwater life and resist the urge to collect souvenirs. • Report environment disturbances and distraction of dive site. • Get involved in local environment activities and issues. The committee will be selected for a period of one year. The General Meeting will be held on Monday, 18th August 2008, 6:30 pm at Beach luxury Hotel. The last date for registration will be 12th August 2008. Waiting for your positive comments

Cordially,

Yousuf Ali