A 350-minute dive took place at the Four Seasons Resort Maldives n conjunction with the International Day of Climate Action
A historic 350-minute dive took place at the dive centre of <a href="http://www.fourseasons.com/maldives/>Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, in conjunction with the International Day of Climate Action on October 24, 2009. The dive team went underwater for this duration to plant an artificial coral reef in the shape of the numbers '3', '5' and '0'.
The 350-minute dive made on October 24th is most probably the longest dive ever undertaken in the Maldives. The open-circuit divers in the team used over 11,500 litres of breathing gas amounting to 6 tanks per diver, and one closed circuit rebreather diver did the complete dive supported by the ISC Megalodon. They were assisted by other divers who brought down dive equipment, full tanks as well as food and drinks.
The divers overcame numerous challenges to remain in the water for such a long stretch of time. Typical dive sessions only last between 45 minutes to one hour, as cold and fatigue could cause harm to divers should they remain in the water for too long. This 350-minute session marks a milestone in Maldivian dive history, highlighting the divers' and the Resort's commitment towards the '350' campaign.
International Day of Climate Action was conceptualized by <a href="http://www.350.org>www.350.org, an international campaign that is dedicated to inspiring the world to find a solution to the challenge of climate crisis.
The date October 24, 2009 was selected to encourage a planetary day of action to spread the message globally. '350' refers to 350 parts per million in terms of carbon levels in the atmosphere, which is the ideal level for humanity. Unfortunately, the world is presently living in carbon levels of 390 parts per million in the atmosphere, which increases global warming, droughts and the spread of diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, placing humanity in peril. It is hoped that every little initiative undertaken during the International Day of Climate Action will encourage stronger action by everyone to check the rising carbon levels.