NEWS IN BRIEF

Aggressor Adventures is saying goodbye to the Kona Aggressor II, which has been part of its extensive fleet of worldwide liveaboards for 33 years. In a statement released on social media, Aggressor Adventures’ CEO Wayne Brown explained that after extensive topside remodeling on the Kona Aggressor II, the remaining work was to be done in a shipyard to complete any hull repairs before putting the yacht back into service.

Last week, the yacht duly traveled to a shipyard in Honolulu, which is where it is now. The aluminum inspection revealed the repairs would require removing the entire superstructure to repair the pontoons at an estimated cost in excess of $500,000. Due to the excessive costs to repair the vessel to Aggressor’s safety standards, the Kona Aggressor II yacht owner has made the decision to cease operations in Kona, Hawaii, effective 14 February 2022. www.aggressor.com

A gold ring harking back to the Roman era has been found by marine archaeologists excavating two shallow-water shipwrecks off the Mediterranean coast of Israel.

According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, the gold ring is set with a green gemstone carved with the figure of a shepherd carrying a sheep on his shoulders – early Christians symbolised Jesus in such a way, and in the Bible, he was described as the ‘Good Shepherd’.

The gold ring was among several items found on the two shipwrecks, which were located in just 13ft near the ancient port of Caesarea. Other artefacts included hundreds of silver and bronze coins from the mid-3rd Century, a huge haul of silver coins from the early 14th Century, bronze bells, figurines in the form of an eagle and a theater performer, and another ring, this one set with a red gemstone carved with a lyre.

The oil spill off the coast of Peru, which was blamed on waves from the volcanic eruption in Tonga, is ‘much bigger than previously thought’, according to the authorities.

It was initially thought that around 6,000 barrels of oil had leaked into the sea, but Environment Minister Ruben Ramirez has now said that almost 12,000 barrels entered the sea on 15 January, causing an ecological disaster responsible for the deaths of fish and seabirds in the area.

According to Repsol, which operates the refinery at La Pampilla, the Italian-flagged tanker Mare Doricum was hit by unusual waves caused by the volcanic eruption in Tonga, which is some 6,000 miles away.

Repsol has said it is putting all of its efforts into cleaning up from the catastrophe, but Peru has demanded compensation from the company and prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident.

Popular Bonaire dive resort Buddy Dive has announced the date of its first-ever underwater photography event, Thru the Lens. The event will take place 20-27 August and is aimed at new underwater photographers, and helping them to develop their skills and techniques.

During the week-long event, Buddy Dive’s resident photo pro Guillermo Alcorta Heyer will provide guests with a comprehensive program to develop their skills, including workshops on buoyancy, presentations, and more.

The event is sponsored by SeaLife and is the perfect opportunity to get some hand’s-on experience with the latest offerings from the company.

As well as a host of photography dives on dedicated underwater photography boats, there will also be presentations by world-famous underwater photographers, the opportunity to notch up the PADI Underwater Photography Specialty, plus much more. www.buddydive.com

As part of their 25th anniversary celebrations, the Shark Trust has launched a brand-new community science initiative aimed at divers and snorkelers – the Great Shark Snapshot – which will take place during the last week of July.

Divers from all over the world will be invited to record all the shark, ray and skate species that they see during that week. The information of what they find over the week will be added to the Shark Trust’s Shark Log. This will, over time, allow shark scientists to build a picture of species distribution and any changes that occur.

Sharks are threatened by destructive fishing, climate change and habitat loss. The data collected during the Great Shark Snapshot will help scientists put effective conservation plans in place. Dive centres, resorts and boats can sign up to show their support for this exciting new event and advertise their planned dives on the Great Shark Snapshot registration page. Divers looking to join an event will be able to use the map to find Great Shark Snapshot dives taking place near them. As well as gathering vital data, the event will provide a chance to celebrate the incredible shark and ray species that live close to you. The Great Shark Snapshot is a way for divers to get together, go diving, and do something to help shark conservation.

It is easy to join in. Just go diving between 24 and 31 July (inclusive) and record every shark, ray and skate that your dive group sees. If possible, take photos and some video footage too. The Shark Trust really want to see what species you encounter on your dives. Then make sure that you record your sightings on the Shark Trust Shark Log recordings website or on the new app (which is coming soon).

If you need help identifying a species of shark, head over to the Shark Trust website: www.sharktrust.org, where you will find ID guides to help you. Join the shark and dive communities online and let other divers know what you saw during your dives.

© Jason Brown

The diving world is mourning the death of Tom Mount, who founded the renowned International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD) and is credited as being one of the pioneers of technical diving as we know it today.

Tom did much during his long life – he was a US Navy Diver, a NOAA Aquanaut and saturation diver, was one of the four founding members of the USA’s first cave diver training agency (NACD), and wrote many books that are considered ‘go-to’ diving literature, including the Technical Diver Encyclopedia, Exploration and Mixed Gas Diving Encyclopedia and Tek Closed Circuit Rebreather.

Many people are referred to as ‘pioneers’, but Tom Mount truly encapsulated the meaning of this word when it came to diving. He was at the forefront from the early cave and deep air diving days, through the introduction of mixed gas diving to the recreational market, continuing on to formulate many of the original concepts now widely accepted in closed-circuit rebreather diving. Tom received diving’s mostprestigious award, the NOGI (for sports education), as well as numerous other awards. He was also an accomplished martial artist in multiple disciplines, and was a three-time inductee to the United States Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame. Not to mention a pilot, and a boat captain.