Strong winds badly affect water sports<\/p>\n
I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar<\/p>\n
The torrential rains and the strong winds which have been
\naffecting Bali since early this month have badly affected the
\nprovince's tourism industry, particularly the marine and water
\nsports sector.<\/p>\n
The bad weather has been partly caused by two tropical
\ncyclones, Chris and Claudia, which emerged in the northern part
\nof Australia in the early part and the middle of February.<\/p>\n
The two cyclones produced thick clouds and downpours in the
\nJavanese, Balinese and Nusa Tenggara waters.<\/p>\n
In Bali, the cyclones produced waves of between three and four
\nmeters in height.<\/p>\n
The unfavorable conditions have badly affected the province's
\nmarine and water sports industry, including surfing, diving and
\nsnorkeling, the main pillars of the province's tourist industry.<\/p>\n
Numerous weather-related cancellations have caused a massive
\n90 percent decrease in the monthly revenue of water sports
\noperators, and simultaneously hold out poor prospects for the
\nfuture of some 3,000 people working in the industry.<\/p>\n
"We are experiencing huge losses this month. We have been
\nreceiving cancellations almost on a daily basis. Water sports are
\noutdoor activities, so, naturally, they are very sensitive to
\nweather conditions," complained the chairman of the Bali chapter
\nof the Association of Water Sports Operators (Gahawisri), Yos
\nAmerta, said here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Separately, water sports firm Ena Dive's operations manager I
\nWayan Rena told a similar story. He revealed that on Tuesday
\nmorning he had to cancel a dolphin-spotting tour, which had
\nalready been booked by four foreign visitors, due to the heavy
\nrain and poor visibility at the destination.<\/p>\n
"Canceling a tour or an event causes significant financial
\nlosses as we have already made all the preparations, such as
\nlunch boxes and the diving equipment for the customers," Yos
\nAmerta said.<\/p>\n
Gahawisri currently has around 130 members, which offer
\nvarious water sports activities, such as diving, rafting,
\nsnorkeling, parasailing, dolphin-spotting, fishing, and banana
\nboat riding. Most of these providers are based on the island's
\nprime beaches of Nusa Dua, Sanur, Kuta, and Tulamben.<\/p>\n
The chief forecaster with the Bali branch of the Meteorology
\nand Geophysics Agency (BMG), Koesbagyo, predicted that Southern
\nBali was, and still is, experiencing rain and winds which were
\nabove the normal level.<\/p>\n
In 2001, rainfall amounted to 370 mm for the whole month of
\nFebruary, while this year the level had already reached 325 mm
\nfor the first 15 days of February. "I believe that weather
\nconditions will continue like this right through to the end of
\nthis month," Koesbagyo said.<\/p>\n
Yos Amerta, who is also the executive director of one of the
\nprovince's leading water sports operators, disclosed how even
\nduring the 2001 low season period his company still managed to
\nget at least 30 foreign customers each day.<\/p>\n
"Now, we are very lucky to be able to get 5 or 6 clients a
\nday," he said.<\/p>\n
The bad weather conditions would further damage an industry
\nthat has already been substantially weakened by the WTC tragedy
\nin the USA, and also by local political and social unrest.<\/p>\n
"The water sports industry right now is dying, and the only
\nreason I do not ask my workers to take unpaid leave is because I
\nknow them personally and I feel closely involved with them,"
\nadded Yos.<\/p>",
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