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Bad weather keeps Grotto divers away
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Posted on Oct 12 2005
Due largely to bad water conditions, at least five dive shops on the island cancelled their diving trips to Grotto yesterday.
“The water is muddy. It’s not clear so we canceled our diving today. It’s because of the heavy rains,” said Northern Marianas Diving Operators Association vice president Hitoshi Yamaguchi.
He said four other dive shops had also cancelled their Grotto diving.
He said there was a concern that the ongoing construction at Grotto site could have caused the runoff, but he said that after talking with environmental agencies, it was determined that the turbid water was caused by the heavy rains.
Strong winds associated with a tropical disturbance in Pagan prompted weather officials Tuesday to issue high surf and small craft advisories. The high surf advisory was cancelled yesterday but the small craft advisory remained.
Under this condition, mariners, swimmers, fishermen, beach goers, and divers are advised to stay away from exposed reef as wind and wave conditions support dangerous rip currents.
Rip currents are life-threatening to anyone entering the water, the Emergency Management Office said.
Currently, construction is ongoing for the $268,000 improvement project at Grotto, which is considered a top scuba diving site in the world. The project includes the construction of a pavilion, walkways, restrooms, picnic tables and barbecue pits. It also includes paved parking, an improved drainage system, and a lookout ramp for tourists.
The projects would ensure that storm runoff will be diverted to ponding basins to protect the waters below.
The construction is expected to be completed in December this year.
RNV Construction officials said yesterday that the project is being inspected regularly by concerned government agencies: departments of Lands and Natural Resources, Public Works, Division of Environmental Quality, and Coastal Resources Management.
The company said the site has a silt-screen device around it to ensure that any activity does not pollute the water.
