Blue Rings Reef found two years ago – diver
LAHAD DATU: The so-called Blue Hole that was purportedly found by researchers off Silam waters this year was actually discovered much earlier by a Lahad Datu-born diver back in 2017.
Lahad Datu Pirate Divers operator Glen Hapirulla made the discovery with his team two years ago while exploring new dive sites in Silam waters.
The dive site was sketched, mapped and named “Blue Rings Reef” by Glen and Pirate Divers back then, instead of the blue hole as reported.
It was reported that on Feb 14 this year, a team of researchers from the Sabah Parks (TTS) discovered the dive sites as part of a scientific expedition to collect marine data at Darvel Bay, and described it as the only known “blue hole” in Malaysia poised to be a world tourism spot.
The report of the finding has sparked much controversy among local divers who are familiar with Pirate Divers' constant work in exploring new dive sites and actively promoting Lahad Datu as a tourism destination.
Some local divers even vent their frustrations in social media claiming that Glen and Pirate Divers were not given any recognition for their hard work.
But according to Glen, Sabah Parks (TTS) had invited him to join in the scientific expedition on that day but was unable to participate due to other commitments.
He said the dive site cannot be named as blue hole as it did not fulfill the criteria. Blue holes are roughly circular, steep-walled depressions, and so named for the dramatic contrast between the dark blue, deep waters of their depths and the lighter blue of the shallows around them.
“But this dive site (the blue holes) are not connected and each is a different large hole,” said the local-born dive instructor who had discovered more then 50 dive sites in Silam waters since 2009.
Glen added that since the discovery of the Blue Rings Reef, the operator has been bringing divers to the area, which he divided into three dive sites, namely Blue Ring Reef Hole 1, Blue Ring Reef Hole 2 and Outer Ring of Blue Ring Reef.