Divers Attempt Record-Breaking Dive to Promote Scuba Diving in Jordan

The coastal town of Aqaba could soon become a leading destination for scuba diving holidays if six scuba diver experts have their way. The ex-servicemen, who come from the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, are planning to put Aqaba on the map as an exotic scuba diving hotspot after they fell in love with the area’s stunning reefs.

The divers are planning to break the record for the deepest technical dive in the Gulf of Aqaba by diving 166.6 metres beneath the ocean’s surface. The current record is 144 metres and the six divers are hoping that by inviting international diving magazines, television networks, and diving enthusiasts to the record-breaking attempt, they will put the town on the map for scuba diving holidays.

The diving team is keen to promote Aqaba’s breathtaking natural reefs and diving sites whilst raising local and international awareness of coral reef preservation with the help of Project Aware and the Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan.

The team’s target diver, Rohan Cadzow from Australia, said: "We also want to give technical diving a public profile in Jordan."

British team mate, Duncan Baillie, explained that at present there are only two diving centres in Aqaba which offer technical scuba diving training.

"While the dive has its risks, it will show that Jordan offers a diving experience that rivals Egypt's Sharm El Sheikh as a destination," he said.

Safety diver, Jake Link from America, is keen to promote scuba diving in Jordan and is appealing for all divers to help clean the area’s reef while raising awareness of Aqaba’s "wonderful ecosystem".

"When I first came to Aqaba, I was surprised to see that it has some of the most beautiful reefs in the world. I had no idea there was such beauty there," he explained.

Link added that the team had received financial support from the Australian, British and American embassies in Amman and several other companies and organisations including ASEZA who were interested in scuba diving opportunities in the Middle East.

Baillie said that the media attention could help put Aqaba amongst one of the leading scuba diving destinations in Jordan.

“TV Scuba are going to film the dive and the DVDs of the event will be available free of charge for ASEZA, the Jordan Tourism Board, and Royal Jordanian.”

Link added: “We want to raise awareness of the beauty of the Gulf of Aqaba and Jordan, where it’s safe, very metropolitan, and the people are really nice.”