Koh Tao Underwater Festival 2010

A couple weeks ago we had the annual Underwater Festival on Koh Tao to raise money for Save Koh Tao and to increase awareness of the issues facing the island. Here are a few pictures from the festival.

Caroline painting signs to inform girls to cover up when they leave the beach and to keep their tops on while they are on the beach. The Thai kids can't go swimming at their own beaches because there are too many topless women. We also made a No Speedos sign because foreigners and Thai people both are uncomfortable with the speedo especially when it is encountered off the beach in a restaurant or a shop.
My volunteers and I made this poster out of cigarette butts found in less than an hour on the beach. Smoking litter has become a huge pet peeve of mine.
Another cigarette butt litter poster we made.
A manta ray swimming through the trees. All of the giant decorations around the festival were made from paper and bamboo. The Thai and Burmese are incredibly creative.
The giant manta ray and turtle lit up at night.
The giant turtle made from bamboo and paper that I helped paint.
This is the making of a giant fish that went above the festival stage and sprayed water out of it's mouth onto the crowd.
Bamboo and paper boats floating amongst the trees and jelly fish swimming in the sky.
The jelly fish were made from straws, cratepaper, and the plastic food covers that you use to keep the flies off food. I was a little disappointed with the use of so many straws because it's not super eco-friendly, but it is very creative and cool looking.
The bar which was made from bamboo and white fabric.
These fish lined the bamboo and dried grass tunnel leading in and out of the festival. The fish are made from plastic water bottles.
Shrimp! Another giant sea creaure.
Caroline and the finished say no to speedo's sign.
My friend Lyn and me in the shopping area.
A giant sea horse.
There was a Mr and Miss Koh Tao competition. The competitors had to make outfits using recycled materials. This guy made a warrior out of beer boxes. I thought he should have won.
The only ladyboy in the entire competition. Her dress was entirely made out of paper. It was pretty incredible.
A man with swim trunks, a snorkel, and mask made from cardboard and a girl with a dress made from water bottle labels and waterbottles under the skirt to make it stick out.
Another warrior. His outfit was made from cardboard and bottle caps. He won one of the titles.
This guy also won one of the titles.
The competitors on stage. The girl in yellow was wearing an outfit made from organic corn husks. It was beautiful, as was she, so she won two of the titles.
The competitors on stage.
Cute little sea turtles!!!! These guys were released into the sea at the festival.