Scuba Diver September 17 - Issue 7 by scubadivermag

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TECHNICAL DIVING:

DIVE LIKE A PRO:

EXPLORING THE DEEPER DIVE SITES OFF HURGHADA IN THE EGYPTIAN RED SEA

OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS OFFER HINTS AND ADVICE ON HARD BOAT DIVING

SCOTTISH STUNNER

SHOWCASING ST ABBS IN ALL ITS GLORY

Grenada

Carriacou

16-PAGE DIVE GUIDE TO THESE CARIBBEAN CRACKERS ISSUE 7 | SEPT 17 | £3.25

Babbacombe Bay

‣ Hawaii ‣ Freediving: History of DeeperBlue WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

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EDITOR’S NOTE July 2017 will be remembered

AS A SAD MONTH FOR DIVERS

The summer season has got off to a lousy start, with several diving fatalities around the coastline in July alone. Two divers, a Frenchman and an American, died within 24 hours of each other in incidents off the South Coast near Dover, and then two shellfish divers perished in the Outer Hebrides off Barra Island. Then over the other side of the Pond, British deep wreck diver and researcher Steven Slater tragically died on the infamous SS Andrea Doria, a shipwreck which has claimed over a dozen lives since she sank in July 1956 following a collision with a Swedish liner, the Stockholm. Details on all of the incidents are sketchy at the moment, but it serves as a stark warning that things can, and will, go wrong, regardless of your certification level and experience, and that you and your buddies had best be prepared to deal with the consequences when it does. We can all do our best to stay as safe as possible. Make sure your kit is well-maintained, serviced and working correctly. Ensure you do a solid buddy check with your diving associates. Don’t even get in the water if you are feeling under the weather - and that includes being rough after a late night in the pub the day before. A special treat is instore for readers this month, with a 16-page guide to Grenada and Carriacou included within this magazine (turn to page 63). These two Caribbean islands offer plenty of attractions both above and below the surface of the water, including the gigantic Bianca C, a 180-metre-long liner known as the Titanic of the Caribbean. MARK EVANS Editor-in-Chief

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Mark Evans Tel: 0800 0 69 81 40 ext 700 Email: mark.evans@scubadivermag.com

DESIGN

Matt Griffiths Email: matt@griffital.com

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WIN A LIVEABOARD FROM DIVERSE TRAVEL AND EMPEROR DIVERS WORTH £1,000!

TECHNICAL DIVING:

DIVE LIKE A PRO:

EXPLORING THE DEEPER DIVE SITES OFF HURGHADA IN THE EGYPTIAN RED SEA

OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS OFFER HINTS AND ADVICE ON HARD BOAT DIVING

ON THE COVER

SCOTTISH STUNNER

SHOWCASING ST ABBS IN ALL ITS GLORY

Grenada Carriacou

16-PAGE DIVE GUIDE TO THESE CARIBBEAN CRACKERS ISSUE 7 | SEPT 17 | £3.25

Babbacombe Bay

p001_ScubaDiverSept17.indd 1

‣ Hawaii ‣ Freediving: History of DeeperBlue WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

PHOTOGRAPHER: GAVIN ANDERSON

24/08/2017 11:14

REGULAR COLUMNS

FEATURES

Ghost net removal in Plymouth, and a tragic death on the Andrea Doria.

Gavin Anderson heads back to one of his old diving haunts - St Abbs and reckons that the shore and boat diving sites in this Scottish diving Mecca deserve your attention, regardless of experience level.

8 News

30 Dive like a Pro

A panel of experts from all the main training agencies offer advice on hard boat diving.

40 Underwater Photography

Guest photo pro Mario Vitalini discusses how to get the best shark photographs.

80 Industry News

Up-to-the-minute news and information from the main dive training agencies.

106 The Course Director

Marcel van den Berg explains why a good attitude is essential to being a successful instructor.

24 England

34 Lanzarote

Stuart Philpott dons recreational diving kit for a change to spend a relaxing few days exploring the dive sites out of the tourist hotspot of Puerto del Carmen.

44 Hawaii

Jeremy Cuff, with family in tow, boards a luxury liveaboard to explore the reefs and walls around Hawaii’s ‘Big Island’, and believes the long-haul flight to get there is well worth the effort.

54 FREEDIVING: DeeperBlue Special

DeeperBlue is celebrating 21 years in existence, but many of its legion of fans might not realise the freediving powerhouse started from very humble beginnings. We talked to founder Stephan Whelan.

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CONTENTS

60 ABOVE 18m: Devon

The Above 18m series - which aims to showcase shallow dives around this country that are suitable for all levels of diver - continues, this issue travelling south to Babbacombe Bay in Devon.

63 Dive Guide to Grenada and Carriacou

Grenada and Carriacou boast a plethora of wrecks, including the gigantic Bianca C cruise liner, healthy reefs and diverse marine life, and this 16-page guide showcases the islandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; highlights.

82 The Seychelles

Al Hornsby tours some of the myriad dive sites available around the inner and outer islands of the Seychelles, little specks of paradise dotted in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

86 TECHNICAL: Egypt

Highly experienced technical diver and instructor Steve Barnard reports on the deep diving opportunities available out of the resort town of Hurghada on the Egyptian Red Sea.

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GEAR GUIDE 92 Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New

New products recently released or coming soon to a dive centre near you, including Shearwater Research NERD 2 dive computer, Typhoon Spectre drysuit and Scubapro Hydros Pro BCD.

94 Group Test

The Scuba Diver Test Team convened at Vivian Quarry once again, this time turning their attentions to a selection of mid-range fins.

100 Test Extra

The Bare X-Mission drysuit is rated and reviewed.

102 Long Term Test

The Scuba Diver Test Team gets to grips with a selection of products over a six-month period, including the Anchor Dive Lights Series 3K torch and Thermalution Red Grade Ultra undersuit.

News

Each month, we bring together the latest industry news from right here in the UK, as well as all over our water planet. To find out the most up-to-date news and views, check out the website. scubadivermag.com/news

n Saturday 5 August, six Ghost Fishing UK team members were joined by Healthy Seas, Milliken and Aquafil to clean up the popular wreck of the James Eagan Layne in Plymouth. The team showed up at various stages of Friday midnight, exhausted after their work and journeys, but showed incredible commitment to have the boat loaded and ropes off by 7am. Dougie Allen, partner of Aquanauts Dive Centre and skipper of their boat Outcast, was everything the team hoped for. He did a fantastic job of getting on board with the project and helping everything run like clockwork. After a team briefing, the group split into teams of three – one group to work on the monofilament net on the stern, and the other on the nylon mass of net on the bow. The previous week the group had visited the James Eagan Layne to survey the nets and conducted some animal releases; mainly spider and edible crabs hopelessly tangled in the monofilament. “We hoped they would not return to the nets and luckily they had stayed well away, to enable us to cut away the netting from the wreckage, which was also beginning to break it up in places, and send it to the surface.” said Christine Grosart, secretary and team diver of Ghost Fishing UK. The divers worked in poor visibility and as close teams, with a spotter/camera diver as safety cover in case anyone was in danger of entanglement. Teamwork and well-trained divers comfortable in difficult conditions were essential for this kind of operation, and the dives went without a hitch. Four dives in total were conducted, and the bags of ghost gear were returned to

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTINE GROSART AND PAUL DUCKWORTH

Ghost net removal in Plymouth ends with great results

Plymouth Fisheries, who had kindly given the team permission to use their dockyard and crane. At the end of the day, the team had great results. The collected ghost gear weighted approximately 100kg! The recovered fishing nets will be transformed and regenerated into ECONYL® yarn, a high-quality raw material which is then turned into brand-new sustainable textiles such as Milliken carpets. This way the partners are not only cleaning up the seas, but also providing a showcase that waste is a raw material and too valuable to be wasted. Milliken’s Alison Kitchingman (Director of Marketing and Design) and Kate Collier (Marketing Communications Manager) joined the team of divers in Plymouth to show their support and share the experience. Kate Collier commented: “Being out on the boat with the team was such a fantastic experience and one I was proud to be a part of. Thank you for letting us have the opportunity!”

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Alison Kitchingman explained the significance of the action for Milliken: “I’d like to convey our thanks to the entire team; for their professionalism, enthusiasm and conviction. We feel very proud to have been able to support this initiative: the first UK Healthy Seas’ diving action.” “The Healthy Seas initiative is really exciting, because it brings together a whole range of stakeholders and because it is solution based.”, said Veronika Mikos, project co-ordinator of Healthy Seas. “According to a new report, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the seas and oceans than fish. We have to work hard against it, not to let it happen. Today again, we made an important step in that direction.” Ghost Fishing UK would like to thank Aquanauts Dive Centre, Healthy Seas, Milliken and Aquafil, as well as the continuing support and advice from the Marine Management Organisation for a successful trip. As evidenced by the photos, the monofilament on the James Eagan Layne is no longer a hazard to divers or wildlife while the bow is a much tidier place without the netting blowing in the swell. www.ghostfishing.org

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News More than 100 finds submitted during first year of Marine Antiquities Scheme

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A host of unique finds have been recorded by divers, beach walkers, recreational anglers and other marine users in the first year of the Marine Antiquities Scheme. Archaeological and historical discoveries ranging from Neolithic flints and Roman serving wares to post-medieval candlesticks and remnants of modern ordnances have been submitted, with location information and photographs. Launched in July 2016, the Marine Antiquities Scheme (MAS) is a joint initiative, funded by The Crown Estate, modelled on The British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) and managed by Wessex Archaeology. The scheme was established to enhance awareness of the nation’s marine heritage by helping characterise the archaeological nature of the marine environment. It also allows finders to learn more about their discoveries and gives the public access to data for research. The Crown Estate funds the MAS as part of its responsible management of the seabed and for the benefit it delivers in helping to de-risk future opportunities using the seabed, such as offshore wind developments. Central to MAS is a simple-to-use app that makes recording finds easy and gives finders immediate feedback, as well as instructions on their statutory obligations including the need to report wrecks to the Receiver of Wreck, an official of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Following the submission of a new find, a support team of archaeological experts undertake research on each item to learn more about its origins and history. The information is then published on the MAS database, which is accessible to anyone interested in the history hidden under the waves and provides opportunities for wider research. One such find was a salt-glazed stoneware barrel costrel, almost certainly German and probably dating to the 17th century. It was originally recovered in 1966 during a dive at a depth of approximately 18m. It was found along with two lots of cannon, cannonballs and lead sheeting at a site near the Channel Islands. wwww.marinefinds.org.uk

Sharkwater director’s death ‘drowning’ by ‘accident’ after acute hypoxia

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Award-winning film-maker and conservationist Rob Stewart came up from a deep dive too quickly, suffered hypoxia at the surface and subsequently drowned, according to the medical examiner for Florida’s Monroe County, Dr Thomas Beaver. As reported in Scuba Diver at the time, 37-year-old Canadian Stewart died offshore from Islamorada at the end of January after surfacing from his third deep CCR dive of the day, and disappearing back beneath the water while the crew of his dive boat were assisting his dive buddy and instructor Peter Sotis, who had collapsed on exiting. An extensive three-day air and sea search was conducted, but eventually his body was found on the seabed close to where he initially disappeared. His family subsequently launched lawsuits against Sotis, his wife and their company Add Helium, and also Horizon Dive Adventures, who provided the charter dive boat. Dr Beaver stated it was his opinion that both Sotis and Stewart suffered acute hypoxia at the surface, and that the latter lost consciousness and drowned, leading him to state the cause of death be best certified as ‘drowning with the manner of death classified as accident’.” In the report, when Dr Beaver concluded that since they were using the same types of rebreathers with the same gas mixtures, and so likely suffered the same condition, he ruled out decompression sickness, saying that Sotis, on collapsing after exiting the water, was treated wwith oxygen and quickly recovered, requiring no further treatment and having no other symptoms.

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Angelsharks making a comeback off North Wales Angelsharks, which look like a bizarre blend of guitarshark, ray and wobbegong, are often sighted by divers off the Canary Islands, but now it seems that the rare species is making a comeback off the coast of North Wales. The harmless bottom-feeding sharks, which can grow up to two-and-a-half metres in length and were once relatively common across Europe, are listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Apparently, the Irish Sea was one of their last strongholds in UK waters, and now it seems that these same waters are seeing an increase in numbers after commercial fishermen and anglers reported several sightings. A project has now been launched by Natural Resources Wales, in conjunction with Welsh fisherman and the Zoological Society of London, to find out more about our native angelshark population, and so people are being asked to report all accidental catches of the shark, as well as being given advice on how to handle and release them safely back into the water unharmed. Ben Wray, Marine Biodiversity Ecologist at Natural Resources Wales, said: “We know very little about the ecology of the shark in Welsh waters at the moment – the population could be present all year round, or only for part of the year. “We hope that the data we gather from this project will help us build a much better picture of the situation and help our work to conserve these amazing creatures.”

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Andrea Doria claims life of British deep wreck diver

A British deep wreck diver has died on the infamous SS Andrea Doria shipwreck in the United States. Steve Slater, a well-known face in deep wreck and technical diving circles, was exploring the deteriorating remains of the Doria, which became known as the ‘Everest of Wreck Diving’ after it sank in July 1956 following a collision with a Swedish liner Stockholm in thick fog. Lying in deep, dark and cold waters and often swept by currents, more than a dozen people have died diving on her. He was recovered from the water unconscious by the crew of the New Jersey dive charter boat Ol’ Salty II on Monday 24 July in the afternoon, and a US Coastguard helicopter was despatched to pick him up, but by the time it arrived they had been performing CPR for more than two hours, so they were unable to winch him aboard. The family of Slater issued a statement: “It is with absolute sadness that we have to tell you that Steven died on Monday 24 July whilst diving in the United States. We are all heartbroken but draw comfort knowing he was doing something that he loved.”

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MTX-R MILITARY GRADE ENGINEERING

“During this year’s Expedition Bjurälven, we did some tests with the Apeks MTX-R. The water temperature was 0.5 degrees Celsius. During the purging test we did 30 seconds of purge (all submerged) followed by 5 seconds of normal breathing, then another 30 seconds purge. The regulator did not free flow or feel any different after the test. The performance was excellent and we can recommend the MTX-R regulator for use in very cold water. Other regulators we have tested throughout the years have tended to free flow after only 5-10 seconds of purging, so we are very impressed.” Dmitri Gorski

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World’s first RIB wins prestigious Engineering Heritage Award The rigid hull inflatable boat (RIB) - developed in the 1960s by Rear-Admiral Desmond Hoare, the founding Principal of UWC Atlantic College - is the world’s most-widely used craft for inshore rescue, and it has now been awarded the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ prestigious Engineering Heritage Award. The Awards recognise irreplaceable artefacts to celebrate and raise public awareness for the vital role mechanical engineering plays in modern life. World-famous engineering projects like the Concorde, Alan Turing’s cipher decoder, the Channel Tunnel, London’s Tower Bridge, and the Jaguar E-Type are some of the icons that have also been recognised. Initially conceived by the College’s first Principal, Rear-Admiral Desmond Hoare, the early RIB X craft were built and test-driven along the dramatic Bristol Channel coastline by Atlantic College students. Now known as the Atlantic Class, the design which developed from the original ‘X Alpha’ prototype revolutionised maritime rescue worldwide and became the model for RNLI inshore boats across Britain. The patent for the RIB was created by Rear-Admiral Desmond Hoare, who donated it to the RNLI for £1 in 1973, and a copy of the still-uncashed cheque hangs in a frame on a wall at the College. The development of the RIB commenced shortly after the College’s opening at the 12th Century St Donat’s Castle, near Llantwit Major, in 1962. A key element of the Award was the College’s work in the restoration, exhibition and use of one of the original RIBs, known by the name ‘X Alpha’, which the Institution’s Heritage Committee recognise as an important engineering artefact. Accepting the Award on behalf of the College and the late Rear-Admiral Desmond Hoare, UWC Atlantic College Principal Peter T Howe said: “It is an honour to have the Institution of Mechanical Engineers recognise the work of our first Principal and the earliest students of our college to develop the RIB. The legacy of building, testing, and refining rescue boat design continues here to this day, as does the humanitarian spirit that saw the patent gifted to the RNLI for the saving of lives.” Speaking at the celebration event, Carolyn Griffiths, President of The Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “The development of X Alpha, one of the very first RIBs, is a fantastic example of UK engineering. The impressive innovation of developing a high-performance hull, inflatable tubes, open transom and powerful engines was a step change in maritime rescue. Its pioneering success led directly to the development of RNLI Atlantic Class lifeboats and has helped save countless lives at sea. This award celebrates the amazing achievements of Rear-Admiral Desmond Hoare, the students who built and tested the boat, as well as UWC Atlantic College for maintaining this boat in such great condition.” The Institution’s President, Carolyn Griffiths, presented the plaque to Howe.

SCUBA TRAVEL ROLLS OUT RED SUPER-DISCOUNTED LIVEABOARDS HOLIDAYS

Scuba Travel has launched its brand-new RED holidays - dive and sail on one of the company’s award-winning liveaboards from just £650! RED holidays are super-discounted boat-only prices which include seven nights on board on a full-board basis (twin-share cabin), all marine park fees, 12-litre tanks, air fills and weights, fully guided dives with two expert guides, return airport transfers from Hurghada, day use of a hotel, and buffet lunch on the last day. A RED holiday does not include any flights. Scuba Travel can add flights to a RED holiday booking on request. They will secure the best flight option at the best price available on that day, all for just a small admin fee of £10. You will need to pay for your flight in full at the time of making your flight reservation. As RED holidays are already at their best possible price, there are no further applicable discounts, including group offers, BSAC or loyalty discounts off the advertised price. You can book your RED holiday today for only £100 deposit. https://www.scubatravel.com/redweeks.html

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News Carpe Diem Maldives initiate Rescue a Reef programme

THINK DIFFERENT Carpe Diem Maldives confirms its ongoing collaboration with American organisation Coral Reef CPR with the launch of its official CSR programme Rescue a Reef. Taking a concerted approach towards protecting and restoring the health of coral reefs and marine life in the Maldives, Rescue a Reef invites guests to join marine expeditions on Carpe Diem’s liveaboard adventure cruises and encourages guest donations to support Coral Reef CPR’s work. In establishing the Rescue a Reef initiative, Carpe Diem Maldives confirms its continued support for Coral Reef CPR’s work, which began with research assistance in 2016. Managing Director for Carpe Diem Maldives, Amir Mansoor, said: “In our collaboration over the last 18 months, I’ve experienced first-hand how the marine biologists from Coral Reef CPR identify early on when nature is out of balance, investigate to find out the cause using their expertise and laboratory tests, and

then implement scientific methods to help restore that balance, making it more robust for future events.” To officially launch the Rescue a Reef initiative, Carpe Diem Maldives will host its third marine expedition with Coral Reef CPR’s returning marine biologists Dr Andrew Bruckner and Georgia Coward in October 2017. The week-long expedition will target the house reef and surrounding areas of the company’s current resort development in Raa Atoll. From 22-29 October 2017, up to 20 recreational divers can join Chief Scientist Dr Andrew Bruckner and his team of researchers as they conduct a cushion starfish removal from reefs in Raa Atoll, carry out quantitative reef surveys, and data analysis while enjoying Carpe Diem’s hospitality on board Carpe Vita. To join the October marine expedition, divers must have an Advanced PADI qualification, excellent buoyancy control and ideally a minimum of 70 dives. www.carpediemmaldives.com

SCUBAPRO FIRST MAJOR MANUFACTURER TO SUPPORT DEEPBLU CONNECT

BECOME DIFFERENT diveRAIDuk.com

Since its launch in November 2016, Deepblu’s rapidly expanding online community has grown to include tens of thousands of divers and ocean enthusiasts. Today, Scubapro, one of the most-iconic names in dive equipment, became the first to support the newly introduced Deepblu Connect, a feature that enables the Deepblu app to wirelessly interface directly with Scubapro’s line of Bluetooth-enabled dive computers. With the push of a button, information from the Scubapro Aladin Sport (Matrix), Aladin H (Matrix) or the newly introduced Galileo 2 (G2) is wirelessly synchronised with the Deepblu app and stored in customisable, digital dive logs. This includes dive profiles, tank pressure levels, temperatures, depths and times. Divers then can enrich their logs with underwater photography and videography, store them in the cloud, and share them with their peers. “We wanted to make dive logging on Deepblu accessible and easy for everyone, so we designed Deepblu Connect to be a convenient interface for Bluetooth-enabled dive computers to work with the app,” said Deepblu CEO James Tsuei. “We are excited to pilot the feature with Scubapro, one of the most-reputable and forward-looking companies in the dive industry.” Joe Stella, Group Vice President at Scubapro, said: “Divers are connected by a passion for what lies below the water’s surface and our support of Deepblu Connect will help those who put their trust in Scubapro’s dive computers to capture and share their experiences with the global community.”

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News Rooswijk wreck dives reveal stories of Europe’s global trading history An international team of maritime archaeologists are diving, excavating and recording the wreck site of Dutch ship the Rooswijk off the Kent coast. They are excavating the storage rooms and living quarters in the stern of the ship and items such as large wooden seaman’s chests, pewter jugs and spoons, glass bottles, ornately carved knife handles and personal items have been recovered from the wreck and brought to shore at Ramsgate, where they are being conserved. The Rooswijk was a Dutch East India Company (VOC) vessel which sank on the treacherous Goodwin Sands, off Kent, in January 1740. The ship was outward bound for Batavia (modern-day Jakarta) with a large cargo of silver ingots and coinage on board. Now a protected wreck site, the ship’s remains are owned by the Dutch Government, and managed by Historic England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The #Rooswijk1740 project is led and financed by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, as part of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Throughout this summer, maritime archaeologists are working to excavate and record large areas of the wreck site. The Rooswijk is threatened by currents and shifting sands, and an exploratory study of the wreck last year cemented the urgent need for the current excavatiton. The site is classed as ‘high risk’ on the Heritage at Risk register due to its exposed remains and vulnerability. John Glen, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: “The shipwrecks around our coastline are amazing snapshots of Europe’s seafaring and naval history, and it is important that we study them while we can. The Rooswijk excavation will help recover and protect extraordinary artefacts, and I am particularly pleased that members of the public can see this important work in action.” Alison James, Maritime Archaeologist at Historic England, said: “Wrecks such as the Rooswijk are time capsules that offer a unique glimpse into the past and tell a story. Sharing that story with a wide audience is a key part of this project and we look forward to the insights that the Rooswijk excavation will uncover.” Martijn Manders, Project Leader of the Rooswijk Excavation and Maritime Heritage Programme Manager at the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, said: “The Goodwin Sands has been a treacherous place for ships throughout the centuries and is now a treasure trove for archaeologists. The rapidly shifting sands mean that the site is more exposed now than it was during our initial dives to assess the condition of the Rooswijk last year. This makes the excavation urgent.” Material recovered from the wreck site is being taken ashore to a warehouse in Ramsgate, where first-aid conservation will be carried out and the items fully recorded. From here, finds will be taken to a Historic England storage facility where work to assess, analyse and conserve them will take place. The finds will be returned to the Netherlands and in future, some material may be made available for display in Ramsgate.

Benefits fraudster ‘who could barely walk’ went scuba diving

A Tamworth woman has been found guilty of benefit fraud after investigators for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) found photos of her scuba diving, snorkelling, and riding a quad while on holiday despite being ‘barely able to walk’. Linda Hoey, 58, from Talland Avenue in Amington, claimed some £65,000 in disability payments, and also used her disability car to avoid paying £15,000 of charges on the M6 Toll road, yet she had been in paid employment since 1997. She had been claiming care and mobility needs for ‘degenerative arthritis and a back problem’ since 1995. She was convicted by jurors art Stafford Crown Court at the end of July, and will be sentenced in September.

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MEDICAL Q&A

News

Dr Oliver Firth has gained considerable experience in the field of diving and hyperbaric medicine since joining LDC in 2006. He is an Approved Medical Examiner of Divers for the UK HSE, and a medical referee for the UK Sport Diving Medical Committee. He is involved in the management of all types of diving-related illness, including recompression treatment, as well as providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy for non-diving conditions. He remains a passionate diver and has participated in various expeditions and conservation projects throughout the globe. Q: I have always wanted to try diving but have a condition called developmental co-ordination disorder (often known as dyspraxia). Apparently, I have had this all my life, but it has never limited me before; in fact, I had forgotten I had it until my GP wouldn’t sign the medical statement, as she was unsure whether it would affect diving. I have been directed to you to find out. So, can I dive? A: This is an interesting conundrum. Rather unfortunately termed ‘clumsy child syndrome’ and ‘congenital maladroitness’ in years gone by, dyspraxia refers to difficulty with planning of movements and co-ordination, in the absence of another cause. The symptoms are very variable, but might include issues such as tripping over one’s own feet, problems combining movements in a controlled way (eg. writing, fastening buttons, tying shoelaces, etc), bumping into people accidentally, and knocking things over. Basically, most of us on a Monday morning after a weekend’s diving. Sometimes other aspects are associated, eg. speech problems, difficulties with reading and spelling (dyslexia), maths (dyscalculia), drawing (dysgraphia); and there may be more extensive features of autism or attention deficit disorder in addition. Dyspraxia affects 5-6 percent children, with a male to female ratio of 4:1; the subtler manifestations may make diagnosis difficult or delayed, so it may be even more common than currently realised. Clearly diving does require learning plenty of new physical skills, some of which require a high degree of dexterity and co-ordination. While this might take longer in someone who has dyspraxia, I would not view this as an automatic disqualifier. More difficult to foresee is the impact that some of the complications of dyspraxia can have: due to movement difficulties and sensory overload, many dyspraxics suffer with fatigue, panic attacks, poor short-term memory and sense of direction (often struggling to distinguish left from right). So I would suggest

an individual assessment in all cases, from a doctor with diving experience, to ensure none of the above issues are likely to affect underwater safety. Q: I am a refined, mature but physically active ‘coffin-dodger’. I still enjoy sport (tennis, golf and the like) but only recently discovered the joys of diving. My wife and I take the odd cruise, where she can sunbathe and gossip to her heart’s content while I immerse myself in the reef’s feast of fecundity. However, at the enviable age of 74, I find, like many of my contemporaries, that all is not well in the trouser department. My GP has prescribed me Viagra, which I must say does wonders, but I am hesitant to dive the day after using it, for fear of calamity if it is still in my system. Are my concerns well-founded? A: Viagra was first synthesised here in the good old UK. It was disappointing in the context for which it was originally designed (treatment of high-blood pressure and angina), but a large proportion of (presumably quite excited) trial subjects reported that it induced remarkable penile erections. Hence it was remarketed for erectile dysfunction, and the ubiquitous blue pill is now popular the world over. Medically, it does have a profound effect on dropping the blood pressure in the lung circulation, where it widens the blood vessels. And this might have relevance for divers, as the lungs help clear any rogue bubbles by trapping them and allowing them to diffuse away. By dilating blood vessels, more bubbles may be able to pass through to the systemic circulation, causing symptoms. However, there’s not been a shred of evidence to support this, and as the half-life of Viagra is only four hours, it will be out of your system by the time you dive the day after using it. Do you have a question for Dr Firth? Email divingdoctor@scubadivermag. com with your query and we will pass it on to London Diving Chamber.

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Magnificent shore dive off Dorset

BAHAMAS: SHARK CENTRAL

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TECHNICAL: LANZAROTE WRECK

Newly discovered deep-water dive site

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The ‘Why’ of

KIDS SEA CAMP

Kids Sea Camp offers the ultimate family diving adventures around the world. Help develop the next generation of divers by getting your children diving at a young age. Dates available: 10-21 July 2018 www.familydivers.com

’m gliding along a long, smooth slope of fine, black sand, which stretches away in all directions, as far as I can see in the 20-metre vis. As clear and still as the water is, the light seems muted, like on a deeply-clouded day, creating a subdued, utterly peaceful scene. I find myself still occasionally chuckling at the local Bunaken divers’ name for this site – Betlehem. It’s a sort-of acronym for ‘Better than Lembeh’, a good-natured reference to Lembeh Straits, long regarded as one of the world’s most-famous muck/critter dive sites, which is located some 70km due east, on the opposite side of Sulawesi. This dive immediately becomes a wonder… it’s apparent that every small obstruction, rock or sponge colony is a tiny oasis of critter life. At one, there are two yellow thorny seahorses; as I move in close for macro-images, I become aware of a tiny, three-centre-metre-long baby broadclub cuttlefish, so utterly camouflaged as to have been practically invisible. Before reaching the next oasis, a faint outline in the dark bottom becomes the barely exposed mouth and face of a horned flathead, then, moments later, there is the pale, skull-like face and jagged, toothy grin of a stargazer. Then there is a large, dark anemone; I look closely to find that it is shared by a pair of porcelain crabs and a family of saddleback anemonefish… The long, effortless dive – at 20m of depth, my 15-litre, EANx-filled cylinder lasts seemingly forever - goes on and on this way, with small pockets of life, one after another, with many species I’ve never before had the opportunity to photograph. When it is finally time to turn the dive, we move up into shallower water, through a broad, grass bed. There, we find pufferfish, crabs, more cuttlefish, and many more small species… especially unique is a green, six-centimetre-long roughsnout pipefish, bobbing head-down, almost indistinguishable from the blades of grass around it. As we arrive at the pick-up point, an old mooring base of small stone blocks, Betlehem just won’t let us go. In the crevices are two white-eyed morays, scores of white-banded cleaner shrimp, several nudibranchs and two magnificent, long-spine lionfish, a variety I have never photographed before. As I hang in the quiet water on my safety stop, I marvel at the memory of all the remarkable creatures I’ve just seen, along with the muck night-dive I was able to do immediately following our late-afternoon arrival at the resort the previous day. Although I’ve done a lot muck shooting over the years, I’ve never before found so many species, or captured so many images, in such a concentrated, short time – ever. As amazed as I am at that moment, however, it’s what I yet don’t know that will really make this first day of diving around Bunaken so unique. Before the day is done, I’ll have a second critter dive just up the coastline, at Bulo Cape, a coral and rubble-covered slope where we find peacock mantis shrimp, blue-ribbon eels, many different nudibranchs, a dusky-red, spine-cheeked anemonefish, numerous live sea shells, boxfish, several orangutan crabs… and much more. We’ll also have made the quick trip back to Bunaken Island for a lunch in the Bunaken Oasis Resort’s hillside (gourmet, by the way) restaurant, which overlooks the sea and Manado Tua volcano. Then we will have headed back out to a favourite Bunaken dive site, just minutes from

Wakatobi Seasoned underwater photographer WALT STEARNS presents a dozen reasons why this far-flung dive resort deserves top billing Photographs by WALT STEARNS

HIGH CRITTER COUNTS

Wakatobi Resort is located with the area known as the Coral Triangle, which nurtures the planet’s highest levels of marine bio-diversity. On the reefs surrounding the resort, divers and snorkellers can tally more than 500 varieties of hard and soft corals, 2,000-plus species of fish life and many thousands more invertebrates. Keen-eyed divers can spend hours searching out tiny treasures such as pygmy seahorses, discovering perfectly camouflaged reef dwellers, or scanning the shallows for burrowers. Healthy reefs attract swarms of colourful tropicals, while schooling fish patrol the edges of walls and the tops of underwater seamounts.

REMARKABLE

Bunaken

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION

akatobi Resort (www.wakatobi.com) is consistently ranked as one of the top-rated diving and snorkelling destinations in the world. But what exactly does that mean? Certainly, the quality of the underwater experience is important, but so too are factors such as the setting, amenities, guest comfort and conveniences. It is a combination of all of the above that earns Wakatobi top marks with its guests. But don’t take my word for it. Here are a dozen reasons why the resort remains near the top of so many diver’s bucket list destinations.

PROTECTION PAYS OFF

In an era where even the most-remote diving destinations are subject to the effects of human activity, a policy of managed and enforced protection is the only way to assure the health of the underwater ecosystem. Wakatobi Resort sits within a marine reserve created and operated by the resort’s founders. Covering more than 20km of reef line, the Wakatobi Collaborative Reef Conservation Programme creates a no-take zone that encompasses some of the most-spectacular and biologically-rich underwater landscapes in the region. And it’s a programme that works. Since the establishment of the reserve in the mid-1990s, all destructive forms of fishing have been eliminated, dive sites are protected by permanent moorings, and there is a strict no-touch policy in place for all diving guests. As a result of these efforts, fish populations have increased, and corals have returned to near-pristine status.

Wakatobi’s Collaborative Reef Conservation Programme doesn’t just put a halt to destructive fishing practices and reef degradation, it creates a sustainable alternative by making healthy reefs a source of revenue for the local community. A portion of all guest revenue generated by the resort is used to make direct lease payments to area villages. Revenues also sustain other community initiatives for education, clean water and electrification. By giving the surrounding community a stake in preserving the reefs, Wakatobi has been able to transform local attitudes and encourage a sense of stewardship. And by placing many reefs into a status that creates fish breeding sanctuaries, Wakatobi’s programmes have actually helped local fishermen enhance their catch within designated fishing zones.

CRUISING IN COMFORT

Wakatobi Resort operates a fleet of custom-built dive boats. These spacious 21-metre vessels are designed for passenger comfort, with shaded decks, extra-spacious benches, dedicated gear storage bins and a separate camera table that is out of the way of other divers and snorkellers. Bathrooms are located at the rear of the boat, and at deck level, while water entry is from the middle of the boat. This keeps divers well away from engine exhaust when entering and exiting the water. Underway, the boat’s efficient single-engine design keeps motor noise to a low burble. Boat crews are dedicated to delivering personal service both aboard and in the water. Thorough briefings are provided before each dive, and each guest is given the appropriate level of attention to ensure both safety and maximum diving freedom.

AL HORNSBY finds an oasis in the dive hotspot of Bunaken Marine Park in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, which is giving back to the community as well as providing a five-star experience Photographs by AL HORNSBY

hile there are plenty of scenic reef and the odd wreck dive around the Farne Islands, these little specks of land just off the Northumberland coast would probably not have the enormous following they currently enjoy among the British diving fraternity if it wasn’t for the colony of grey seals that call them home. People will happily travel up from the far reaches of the South Coast to spend time in the water with these charismatic mammals. The Farnes actually have the UK’s largest population of Atlantic grey seals, some 5,000 plus in total, with numbers increasing every year. More than 1,500 pups are born on the islands annually, mostly in October and November.

ARRIVAL AT THE SITE

You can head up and dive the Farne Islands as an individual or couple, or you can head up north with a club or dive centre group. The gateway to the Farnes is the small port of Seahouses, and there are several companies offering RIBs and hard boats that will take you to the best diving areas. You just drive on to the harbour wall, park up and then cart your kit to your chosen dive boat. No long walks carrying heavy dive kit are required, which is a nice bonus, and when you come back, it isn’t far to the nearest chippy for some much-needed post-dive grub! Your dive boat skipper will give you a detailed briefing on your particular site, but when it comes to interacting with seals, most of the hotspots will be nice and shallow, usually less than 6-8m, so perfect for all levels of diver, and even snorkellers can get in on the action. The best thing to do with seals is get down on to the bottom, find a spot where you can settle and then wait for them to come to you. It all depends on how playful they are feeling, but if you allow them to get used to your presence, they will often become very bold and approach extremely closely. Of course, if the seals don’t show up – which is very rare – there is all the usual British marine life to enjoy in among the kelp, including various crabs, lobster, pollock, wrasse, anemones and so on, so you will never be short of things to look at.

This issue, ABOVE 18M ventures into Northumberland to the Farne Islands, which are famed for shallow dives given the ‘wow factor’ by the colony of grey seals that call the area home Photographs by MARK EVANS

COULD IT BE

he Philippines is comprised of over 7,000 islands, which were formed by volcanic and tectonic activity. Your choice of preferred marine life is how you form your holiday itinerary: i.e. Malupascua Island for thresher sharks, or Dumaguette for macro. A keen (but amateur) photographer, I love unusual tiny critters while also enjoying some larger marine life. I love muck, but get a hankering for soft corals after a few days. This is why I chose a twin-centre holiday at Bohol’s Magic Ocean and Moalboal’s Magic Island. I got the best of both worlds in the Coral Triangle, with my island-hopping conveniently organised for me by the same company.

BOHOL

Magic? CATH BATES finds a twin-centre stay in Bohol and Moalboal in the Philippines offered a real blend of dive sites and marine life diversity Photographs by CATHERINE BATES

You won’t find paradise close to an airport in many countries, so after clearing immigration at Cebu, my partner and I were collected by car and taken to the port to board a Fast Cat ferry (in Business Class, I might add!) bound for Tagbilaran on the neighboring island of Bohol. This journey was quite comfortable following 26 hours of planes and airports and two hours later we were in a people carrier on our way to Magic Ocean. The next four days comprised of some excellently guided dives along the 15km coastline of Anda in the East Coast. The area we had chosen is known as the Visayas in the Bohol Sea. Easy-toaccess medium-sized outriggers (called Bancas) motored us anywhere between five and 45 minutes away and the dive guides and crew kept us refreshed with tea, coffee, mango and banana between dives. In these four days we dived a combination of wall and muck dives with some sites made up of sandy plateaus with large coral heads in the shallows. A staunch conservationist myself, I was really pleased to see an absence of rubbish here (which I encountered before in Manado), but the effects of over-fishing, sedimentation and dynamite fishing are evident from times past. Filipino Senator Loren Legarda is leading a bill to ensure the fishing or taking, possessing, transporting, dealing, selling, or disposing of any shark species will be banned in all municipal waters of Cebu. I was also impressed that the pygmy seahorse code of conduct was displayed clearly in the diving centre. Bacong East treated us to various nudis from the steroid-chunky Nembrotha to the glamorous skirted Chromodoris. Along its sandy and rocky slope were anemones sporting various species of anemonefish and shrimps. A beautiful twin-coloured Persian Carpet flatworm changed direction like it was being ridden by Aladdin himself! Birhen Point’s rocky slope hid peacock mantis shrimp like a game of Where’s Wally. I was photographing two morays that were posing like a double act giving that ‘just finished the punchline to a joke’ look and was spooked by a scorpionfish scooting away from underneath my camera housing. Just before surfacing I played hide and seek with the gills of a lightening white Ardeadoris among the muck. Coco North had a forest of large soft sea fans running down its

gentle slope. At the bottom I found a black and white chunky blob of a nudi which I later learned was a Funeral Jorunna. Such an unfortunate name for a creature with such feathery rhinophores and dancing gills. A hawksbill turtle hid in the reef turning away shyly on our ascent. The following day we travelled the short distance to Turtle Point, where the topography became steeper, with a wall adorned with yellow sea cucumbers. A beautiful spotted white egg cowrie perched precariously sideways in a barrel sponge. While shooting an ungainly awkward swimming giant frogfish, my buddy pulled my leg to alert me to the six hawksbill turtles circling us. In the shallows a banded sea snake squared up to my strobe. Seahorse Point was our second wall of the day with a sandy bottom. Its namesake remained elusive, but we were rewarded instead with a tiger and peacock mantis. As much as I love these guys for their colour and skewwhiff boggle eyes, they always make my skin crawl somewhat when scurrying back into their holes like massive cockroaches! We were also witness to scorpionfish, moray eels, a hermit crab and a powder-blue Willan’s Chromodoris that reared up to the camera with the ambition of a python. Lamanok Island is a muck-divers’ paradise. After a 45-minute boat ride hugging the coastline to the North, we dropped anchor in front of three limestone rocks adorned with trees and ferns. In just five minutes gliding across its shingly bottom, I had snapped a blue dragon, Phyllidiella, Phyllidiopsis, Glossodoris and Pyjama slug. Slightly better camouflaged were the five banded Tozeuma shrimp on a single whip coral, Xeno crab and the bristle-tailed filefish kissing the sandy bottom. A white-bonnet anemonefish gave me the ‘Put ‘em up’ treatment as I attempted to photograph him under the flowing skirt of his carpet anemone. It was like all my Christmases had come at once to now dive Lamanok Sanctuary. We had hopes of finding a wunderpus that had put in an appearance a few days previously. Today, said wunderpus had wonderously scarpered, but still – what a dive! My 60mm lens worked overtime focusing on such alien lifeforms as the Zanzibar whip coral shrimp, mutant-looking Ceratosoma, slender pipefish and Fusia flatworm. Who knew muck could be this colourful? A crab hitching a ride on a cauliflower jellyfish looked like a drunk on a trampoline, while a juvenile sweetlips kept us giggling all during the safety stop with its disco shimmy. I thought the flying Helmut gurnard was the icing on the cake until a six-metre whaleshark decided to play hide and seek with the boat on our way back to the resort. We all jumped in the water, holding on to the wooden outriggers trying to catch up with the gentle giant. It was a decent-enough experience peering at the juddering gills through the plankton soup, but enough to wear me out for the rest of the day! Wonderwall was the dive I had been waiting for. Having seen just how teeny the pygmy seahorse was in Lembeh, I didn’t hold much hope in being able to photograph it with anything less than a 100mm lens. However, the pair of Bargibunti (pink and orange bumps and colouration) held fast on their gorgonia see-saw long

18m

ABOVE

DIVE BRIEFING

BRAVO

COSTA BRAVA

irst impressions can sometimes be deceptive, but when Jan Boelen, the owner of Euro-Divers in Spain, said the Cala Joncols hotel reminded him of Fawlty Towers, I thought ‘oh s***, what have I let myself in for?’ I had visions of complete mayhem and disaster, with balmy Basil goose-stepping around the corridors all night long. Maybe I should have increased my life insurance policy before the visit? My concerns were further raised when Belgian-born Jan said the owner was called Manuel and he actually came from Barcelona. Que? This definitely had the makings of an entertaining week and I hadn’t even discussed the diving yet! I booked a flight with one of the budget airlines from Gatwick to Girona. The transfer to Cala Joncols took about an hour, so there was plenty of time to quiz Jan on what other surprises lay in store for me. I noticed that Jan had some disturbingly similar ‘Basil’ traits. The moustache was missing, as were the ‘crazy eyes’, but there was a very distinctive loud laugh. Spending the past 15 diving seasons at the secluded little bay had probably taken its toll. Jan turned out to be a really likeable character with bags of energy and enthusiasm. He began diving in 1991 and has worked in the Caribbean, Thailand and the Maldives. Even though Jan had been offered more prestigious dive centres under the Euro-Divers banner, he was content to stay at Cala Joncols. Jan had even bought an apartment in the nearby town of Roses, so there were no plans to move away just yet. I arrived at the Cala Joncols hotel early evening and to my relief the place was nothing like Fawlty Towers. The three-storey building was surrounded by olive trees, shrubs, flowers and overhanging plants. From my balcony I could see the swimming pool, pebble beach and then the sea approximately 30-40 metres away. The bay itself is flanked on either side by steep-sided cliffs. There were no other hotels, restaurants or bars in the vicinity, so don’t expect a pub crawl. Everybody congregated around the patio area at dinner time. Clientele was mainly German, French and Spanish

with a few Brits scattered about here and there. Manuel Gomez Fernandez had worked at the hotel since 1968 and became the owner in 2000. It was 100-percent family owned and family run. There were 35 rooms and four bungalows (four people per bungalow) on offer. I had a good look around and could see that all of the white-washed rooms were well-maintained. Some had ultra-modern bathrooms and sea-view balconies. On the ground floor there was a bar with wi-fi. This was definitely a full-on divers resort with a good number of rooms allocated for Euro-Divers clientele. The rest of the rooms were occupied by guests enjoying other outdoor activities including kayaking, walking and mountain biking. During my stay the hotel was full of Thai Chi enthusiasts and a group of naturists. The crescent-shaped beach was big enough to accommodate everybody, although I did get an eyeful of bare flesh on a daily basis. In the summer months the protected bay was full with yachts and power boats visiting the top-rated restaurant. Food is typically Spanish. Full-board diving guests are served up a set three-course menu every evening at around 7.30pm. There’s only one choice available but the kitchen will rustle up an alternative if someone has a specific dislike. Fresh fish in some form or other is normally on offer. The whole diving set up runs extremely well and, in fact, it reminded me of a kind of ‘land-based’ liveaboard operation. A normal diving day consisted of two boat dives, the first at 10am and the second at 4pm. Jan said they offer double boat runs (four dives a day) in high season. There’s also unlimited shore diving and night dives available. The main season is between April and November, but this peaks in July and August. Jan said the best time to visit is around September. The weather is still warm and the evenings are slightly cooler. I sat down and filled in the usual liability and release paperwork and was pleasantly surprised when Jan said ‘we don’t ask you to do a check dive. You have a qualification and a logbook. We treat everybody as a diver. We do a good briefing and then you do your dive. Divers don’t have to be guided’.

STUART PHILPOTT makes the short hop to Spain and finds that Cala Joncols offers a diverse mix of dive sites to keep even the most-hardcore diver satisfied Photographs by STUART PHILPOTT

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& Eyemouth ST ABBS

St Abbs and Eyemouth are two of the most-popular dive spots in the UK, and GAVIN ANDERSON checks out the options for both shore and boat diving Photographs by GAVIN ANDERSON

iving in central Scotland, I’m spoilt for choice when it comes to dive locations. Whether it’s just 20 minutes drive southeast to my closest wall and wreck dives off Burntisland, a boat trip to the Island of May off Anstruther a little further east, a drive west to Loch Long and Loch Fyne, or a little further Oban and the Sound of Mull, or perhaps a sortie to the northeast and the Moray Coast, or even further North to the legendary Scapa Flow. But one place I used to dive lots that I have really overlooked is St Abbs and Eyemouth. I dived here back in the late-1980s. Then it was always shore diving for me and my buddies, as that was all we considered. Sites like Cathedral Rock and Weasel Loch were regulars for us, but I fell out of love with St Abbs when it became mobbed at the weekends. So as I drove into the harbour a few weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised to find a space right close to the water. What wasn’t quite so pleasant was the £7 charge for parking, but that’s inflation for you! Now the question was, should I shore dive or jump on a boat? Well, call me a wimp since I’m now diving with a rebreather, it was nearly low tide and there was a bit of a swell, I chose the boat option. Although it is possible to turn up and find a space on a boat on any given day at the weekend, it’s really advisable to prebook. There are three dive boat charter businesses working from St Abbs now - Shore Diver, run by Paul Crowe, Pathfinder by Paul O’Callaghan, and Stingray (Peter Gibson’s old boat) run by Barry White. All three guys also run their own B&B business and they all seem to get on really well and help each other, which is very refreshing. If one is full up or busy, they will direct divers to the boat that has spaces, which is really helpful. Also great are the trolleys they provide to push your gear down to the boat, and what’s even better is the crane that lowers bottles and, in my case, my rebreather carefully down into the boat. Onboard the Shore Diver, I found loads of room to set up my gear up my kit up and do final checks. My friend Max Ruffert

and I were on the 2.30pm shuttle - the third trip of the day - and not the last, as there was a 5.30pm to the Glanmire to follow. In summer, the guys work really hard and often can be seen dashing back to work at the B & B if there any spare time between dives. Max is definitely a fan of shore diving, and whereas I’m seen with a camera in my hands, he has a Garmin GPS which he uses to help map the dives sites he visits. Within just ten minutes we were kitted up and jumping off just south of Horsecastle Bay into a site called Black Carrs. It’s one of the most-popular sites in St Abbs due to the high chance of spotting wolf fish. Free falling down to 12m along the main reef wall, we quickly reached a boundary bottom interspersed with sandy gravel patches. Dahlia anemones burrowed into the gravel offered a splash of colour, and prawns and little squat lobster darted one way and the other as we slowly finned over the bottom. We were soon heading east over a vast expanse of brittlestars, but eventually reached large boulders and gullies in about 20m adorned with dead man’s fingers, bottlebrush hydroids and little anemones, and it wasn’t long before we spotted a huge conger eel and then a wolf fish. Both were rather shy and stayed firmly in the safety of their rocky homes. I once saw a wolf fish crushing and gorging an urchin in its mouth while diving at the Bass Rock, but sadly never since. I remember how perfectly adapted to coping with the urchin it was, with its powerful jaws and its skin as tough as leather protecting it from the urchin’s spines. The conger and wolf fish were the definite stars, but supporting acts included several Yarrel’s blennies, leopard spot gobies, prawns and beautifully coloured tiny squat lobster and loads of velvet swimming crabs. Looking deep under the crevices and boulders we also spotted several small lobster, one no bigger than our hands! Time soon marched by and we headed to the boat, joined occasionally by inquisitive ballan wrasse. Max and I discussed staying for the Glanmire, but it was cloudy and beginning to rain, so we said our goodbyes. I’d have to wait a full day and a half before driving back south to St Abbs again.

“The rock is made up of two lovely arches resembling a cathedral window, and the ledges and walls of the arches are festooned in dead man’s fingers, plumose anemones and Devonshire cup corals”

I had made plans to dive with Paul Crowe on Shore Diver, leaving at 10am again, but his group had been delayed last minute. It was a gorgeous sunny day, flat calm and just 9.15am. I had already kind of made my decision, helped by Paul, who was sure the other boat, Pathfinder, had a booking, but he didn’t know what time. There were at that point just two divers in the harbour getting ready alongside their VW camper van, Niel Hart and his partner Marcelo. Niel had grown up not far from St Abbs, but now lived in London and was back for some summer holidays and to show Marcelo some of his local sites. I asked him why he had chosen to shore dive rather than book a space on a boat. “I guess it’s cheaper,” he told me. He and Marcelo were happy for me to join them and I was tempted. I decided to call Pathfinder and found out Paul O’Callaghan had a group of divers on their way down from diving Scapa and they were going at 11am. Decision made it was low tide, after all! I had thought about doing both, but didn’t fancy slipping on rocks and missing both dives! I did walk down the harbour wall and watch Niel and Marcelo as they did their buddy checks before heading off to the Cathedral. Cathedral Rock is a stunning shore dive. The rock can be reached by walking right around the south harbour wall and entering the water opposite Broad Craig. Swimming through the gully between Broad Craig rock and the harbour wall, past a large sandy area in around 6m known as ‘the training pool’ and keeping a bearing of 45 degrees, you can reach Cathedral Rock in around ten minutes, depending on how fast a finner you are and what the state of the tide is, as the currents can be quite strong outside slack water. The rock is made up of two lovely arches resembling a cathedral window, and the ledges and walls of the arches are festooned in dead man’s fingers, plumose anemones and Devonshire cup corals. There’s always ballan and cuckoo wrasse swimming close to or within the arch. 26

Heading back to my car I slowly transferred my stuff to the end of the pier as Paul was moving his boat closer to the crane. By now my unsuspecting Scapa buddies for the day had arrived. They were a mix of PHD students and graduates from Oxford University and Imperial College London, and one IT specialist, Marko. In the group of eight, there was just one girl - Athne from Inverness who I noticed had lots of pink kit. Well, I thought, perhaps she might pose for a couple of photos, and after a polite introduction, not only did I have a couple of buddies - Marko and Athne - but models too! We dived at Black Carrs again. This time we were dropped further offshore, right into a vast expanse of scenic gullies and boulders totally encrusted in dead man’s fingers. Visibility was good at around ten metres considering it was low tide. I swam ahead, waiting for Athne and Marko to appear, often photographing a lobster under a boulder with them approaching towards it, unwittingly almost passing straight over where it was hiding as they concentrated on looking their best in front of the camera. There was loads to see, from small dead man’s finger nudibranch to leopard spot gobies and ballan wrasse, and some organ pipe hydroids, but the highlight of the dive for me were the schools of coalfish, or saithe, which we encountered right at the end of our dive. In between dives, we headed back to the harbour for a lengthy surface interval. Paul had to nip back to make beds and clean his B&B - with his wife working, he not only cooks the breakfast in the B&B but runs his dive boat and turns the rooms around for his next guests, and he still manages to do it while staying laid back and very friendly. Hats off to him, I say! It was around 3pm-ish by the time we were heading back out and racing a sightseeing RIB which had spotted a pod of dolphins, and before long they were riding our bow wake and even jumping in front of us. It was a brilliant little precursor to the main feature, our dive off Anemone Gullies and Skelly Hole. Entering the water off the sheer-sided Skelly and Floatcar Rocks after everyone assembled for a group photo, we found ourselves swimming in the most-fantastic scenic site full of gullies, ridges and massive rocky outcrops, all covered in dead man’s fingers and anemones. A gentle current took us around and though the gullies and swim-throughs as if we were on an underwater ride. The visibility wasn’t quite as good as on the morning dive, but it was still bright enough and very colourful. There were more ballan wrasse, the odd large pollack and more lobster, but no wolf fish this time, and sadly no large shoal of coal fish. Back on board via the Pathfinder’s wide, roomy lift, we were offered teas, coffees and gingerbread and just ten minutes later, the crane onshore

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was lifting our gear back on to the harbour wall, where we packed it on to trolleys and pushed it right back to the rear of our cars. Now that, in my view, is a lot more favourable to scrambling up slippery rocks after a shore dive. However, sometimes a shore dive might be the only option. Say if there’s only you and a buddy and no boats going out, or the opposite, the boats are all booked up. Also, some shore sites are rarely dived from boats and really worth exploring. I’ve already mentioned Cathedral Rock. It’s possibly the most popular, reasonably easy to find - as long as the visibility is half descent - and at low tide impossible to miss as it is visible from the surface. Then there’s Broad Craig, Big Green Carr and the Amphitheatre. Entering the water in the same area as you would for Cathedral Rock for Broad Craig, you can circumnavigate the rock in either direction. It’s a simple, easy dive but very rewarding, as there’s always friendly ballan wrasse following you around. Look out for the lovely gully which runs between Broad Craig and Scott’s Rock. For Big Green Carr, most people prefer to surface swim out to the rock to get the most time on the dive site and enjoy the spectacular Amphitheatre. It’s a massive semi-circular wall of rock with a sandy bottom which helps reflect light on to the wall, especially in the morning sun in summer. There is another shore site worth a mention, off Eyemouth. Weasel Loch is a real divers’ favourite. To reach it, you need to drive into Eyemouth, then follow the signs for the caravan park, where after paying your £3 to the caravan site office, it’s best to park up as far left you can get on the grassy area. After getting your dive gear sorted and kitting up, it’s time to face the wooden steps that wind their way down to the Loch. It’s a fair distance and you’ll need some time to get your breath back before jumping in. The dive is fairly straightforward if you’re just doing Weasel Loch - right shoulder on the way out, left on the way back, with depths no more than 12m. You will be on a sandy bottom with a sheer wall full of crevices and holes that are home to loads of marine life, from blennies and gobies to shrimps, nudibranchs and the odd lobster. It seems the average age of the diver is going up, and we are becoming more reliable on trolleys and cranes to move our equipment at the start and end of the dive, but for those ultra-keen divers, I would say there’s still room to do both. The advantages of jumping on a boat are quite significant, but I know some folk love shore diving as they like to feel independent as well as saving a few quid. I know which I’d prefer. Perhaps I’m just getting old! n

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DIVE LIKE A PRO Our panel of experts offer some useful hints and advice on how best to dive from HARD BOATS PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK EVANS

ollowing on from last month’s focus on RIB diving, this issue we turn our attentions to hard boats. Stable, more spacious and with some creature comforts - toilet, galley for those essential teas, coffees and tasty snacks, and in some cases diver lifts - hard boats can deliver you to dive sites that are out of reach of smaller vessels. Then there is the ultimate hard boat diving on a liveaboard, where you stay and dine on board, and dive three, four or even five times a day. Depending on the dive location and depth, you don’t have to be an experienced diver to venture out on a hard boat, they offer a great way for newly qualified divers to get some decent dive time under their weight belt. However, there are some do’s and don’ts, and the following nuggets of information from our agency experts will help you get the most from your hard boat diving days. Advanced Instructor and BSAC Chair Alex ‘Woz’ Warzynski said: “A hard boat provides a great platform for exploring dive sites that are a bit more out of the way and are not the more common, regular sites. It’s tempting just to use a hard boat as a water taxi to take you to the old favourites, but with a bit of research, a bit of planning and the right team of divers, it can be a much more interesting prospect. Even if you’re diving the regular sites, arriving with a bit of knowledge about the tides, weather and what to expect underwater will help everyone on board enjoy themselves that little bit more. “Coming on board with every bit of dive kit you own could be tricky in the limited available space on a hard boat. I set up my kit the night before the trip, make sure everything works, then there are no surprises when you get on board, such as an empty cylinder or leaking reg. So far in nearly 30 years, I’ve never missed a dive due to badly prepared kit. “On arrival, I tend to leave the bag or box in the car, and just take everything to the boat ready to use - as a guide, if you are single-cylinder diving, you should be able to do this in one trip from the car. I find those big blue Ikea bags perfect for chucking the kit for the day into, slinging over a shoulder and walking to the boat. The only extras I take on board is normally lunch, a bottle of water and something to keep the sun off if we are lucky with the weather. “Fortunately I don’t get seasick, but as others do, that water also comes in useful if people are ill. There are the usual rem-

edies of medication (Stugeron is okay, but there are meds that contain an ingredient that increases your chances of decompression illness, so please make sure you check). For divers who get hit hard, there are even some funky glasses you can wear that, although make you look a bit silly, give your eyes an artificial horizon to prevent motion sickness. TDI’s Business Development Manager Mark Powell said: “Make a reservation with a reputable dive boat/dive shop. Don’t know one where you’re going? Do some research. You’d be surprised how much better your day will be when you have a trained, experienced crew and a highly organised boat. Look for a boat that carries emergency oxygen and ideally has a crew person in addition to the skipper. “Take care to pack your certification card and check any gear you’re taking with you. Make sure it is all in working order before you get on the boat. If renting gear, ensure the correct gear is reserved before your arrival. When you arrive check that the rental gear is as expected and works correctly. “On the day of the dive, get up early and get to the boat early. You will be so much more relaxed and ready to enjoy the day if you and your gear are loaded and squared away before the mad rush. An early arrival may also give you a chance to chat with the crew and get to know them. It also allows you time to find a parking space, which is not always easy in some seaside towns. “Once you get onboard, unpack your gear and start getting ready. That early arrival may help you do that without being crowded. Try to keep your gear compact, and stow what you don’t need. Your dive gear should fit under your bench seat and your BCD set-up should not be all over the place. On smaller boats, set

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up your gear and stow whatever you don’t need to dive. Of course, if the crew tells you that there’s room, feel free to spread out and get comfortable. “Talk to the crew and ask questions! If there is something you’re unsure of, or would like to know, just ask. The crew is there specifically to help you, to keep you safe, and to make your day enjoyable. Never leave something unsaid that may cause you to worry. The more you know, the calmer you’ll be, and you’ll enjoy the day more. The more the crew knows about you, the more fun you’ll have. If you’re a new or inexperienced diver, make sure to let the crew know! If you may have trouble on descent, or if your safety stop ascent is a little shaky, let the crew know. The more you tell them about your dive level, what you expect from the dive, etc, the more fun you’ll have and the safer you’ll be. Know your dive comfort zone. If you’re an open water certified diver and the dive is planned for a wreck at 30m, let the crew know you’re not certified to that level. The crew should always be able to make accommodations for you. You should never dive past your training and certification! “Be sure to listen to everything going on. Listen to the Captain’s welcome message and listen to the crew’s briefing. Don’t talk to your buddies or fuss with your gear. Important safety messages and dive procedures are included in these briefings. Your fun and safety may depend on knowing what was said. There should be plenty of time before and after these briefings to take care of everything. And some of your questions may get answered before you even ask! And for your own sake and those on the boat with you, always follow crew instructions. The crew’s only goal is to make sure you’re safe while

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having an awesome, fun time. “The trip is over. You’ll probably be briefed about the unloading procedure. You’ve had a great time and you’re back at the dock. Wait for the crew to secure the boat before you try to get off. Once your gear is off the boat, gather it up and get yourself squared away. Be considerate to other people when loading and unloading, and don’t leave cars blocking access while you unload. “Remember to have fun! And let others know what a great time you had. A kind word and thank you to the crew, the owners, and a nice thank you or review on Facebook, TripAdvisor, etc, is also always welcome.” Garry Dallas, Director of Training RAID UK and Malta, said: “You’ve finally got yourself booked on a charter hard-boat or a luxury liveaboard. As you’re motoring out to the open ocean, there’s some etiquette to consider when it comes to hard boat diving. “In many ways, it’s not dissimilar to RHIB diving (see last month’s article), fundamentally you’re on a bigger vessel, but safety is always key to enjoying your boat diving experiences. “Your skipper/tour leader will always brief you thoroughly. Pay close attention - they want you to enjoy it too. Remember, just because you’re on a bigger boat and have more space, don’t spread your gear out more. There may be a lot more people who also need to get around you! Keeping your gear together reduces the risk of loss and damage. Simply manage your gear as you would do on a smaller vessel, others will appreciate it too and follow suit. Mark-up/personalise your gear to avoid any awkwardness. Make sure your gear is secured and that it won’t fall over should the boat pitch or roll. “Be aware of slippery decks and deck ladders when moving around the vessel, especially when barefoot. With larger groups diving, there’s usually a system for entering and exiting the water and stowing your equipment away for refills for the next dive. Listen carefully to these procedures to avoid kitting up a spent tank and the stress that ensues. “If you suffer from seasickness, here’s some tips for you - the eyes normally see the world that is still, while our body’s equilibrium sensors in our inner ears send signals of a moving environment to the brain. This confusion causes unrest in the body, then tiredness and nausea kicks in. Get plenty of sleep, avoid greasy foods and alcohol, and take suitable seasickness tablets for divers. Keep busy or look at the horizon, stay in fresh air and don’t go on the top deck where there’s more roll. Stay close to the centre of the vessel or the stern, not the bow.

Drink fresh water every 15 minutes and stay out of the sun. Try not to sleep as it often makes it worse. “Finally, make sure your equipment is tip-top before you get on the boat and never rush anything, enjoy!” GUE’s John Kendall commented: “As with any boat dive, it’s best to have your equipment all set up and checked before you leave harbour. Try to arrive with plenty of time before the advertised ‘ropes off ‘time, and introduce yourself to the skipper. Ask them how they want the boat loaded, and remember that most UK hard boats take ten to 12 divers, so even if it looks like there’s plenty of space, this doesn’t mean that you should bring every last piece of diving equipment that you own. Just bring what you need. Big advantages of hard boat diving generally include the ability to make hot drinks, and also to travel to the dive site out of the weather, but follow the skipper’s instructions about where you can and can’t go in a wet dive suit. Finally, try not to block the toilet - most marine toilets won’t deal with anything that hasn’t first passed through you.” Vikki Batten, PADI Course Director, TecRec Instructor Trainer and Director of Rebreather Technologies, Technical Diving Division, said: “UK skippers are some of the best in the world and usually very knowledgeable about sea conditions and the dive sites they drop you on. But you should also educate yourself - the PADI RNLI Distinctive Specialty Diver course was developed to educate about sea safety. “Listen to the briefing about entering and existing the water carefully, techniques may be very different to what you have experienced diving in other locations. If you don’t know why someone is telling you to do something just ask, there will always be a good reason and it is usually safety related. “When you’re in the water remain alert and focused. Stay aware of boats, buddies, buoys and lines, that makes it easier for the skipper and buddies to communicate with you if they need to, and for you to respond to any change in circumstances.” Jonas Samuelsson, PADI Course Director, TecRec Instructor Trainer and Territory Director for Egypt (among other areas), commented: “My favourite hardboats are liveaboards, and its hard to explain the feeling when you departing from the harbour on the way to an amazing reef or wreck. Your day on a

liveaboard consists of three favourites of mine – sleep, eat, dive - repeat. I love all kinds of diving, but the advantage of being on a liveaboard is that you are able to reach some of the most-spectacular dive sites… and the food, of course. My last liveaboard trip was in Egypt and we enjoyed sharks, turtles, rays and wrecks during a five-day trip. I can’t wait to go back. Just be aware when diving on liveaboards to ensure that you discuss your certification and experience level with the dive operator so they can give advice which trip is most suitable.” Emily Petley Jones, PADI Course Director and Regional Training Consultant, said: “One of the most-challenging aspects to diving from a hardboat can be the exit. You should listen very carefully to this section in the brief, as there are many variations as to what you should do when you exit. If using a ladder when you exit, you should make a note of what sort of ladder it is. If it is an open ladder (where there are no sides), you can leave your fins on to climb back on-board and slide your feet in from the sides. If it is a closed ladder, then you should remove your fins before you climb on. Make sure that you always have one hand on the boat, or a line connected to the boat before you take off your fins! One of the most-common concerns for skippers is divers crowding around the ladder. Always give each other space, and ensure that only one diver is on the ladder at a time, and more importantly, that the base of the ladder is clear in case they fall back into the water.” IANTD’s Kieran Hatton said: “Divers are like gas, they expand into the space they have available! This is fine when you’re the only diver on the boat, but something of a problem when you are with nine other like-minded individuals. “Diving offshore requires a degree of organisation and team planning. When boarding a boat, people will find their seat, this may be on a ‘George always sits there’, or a first-come, first-served basis (mine is the one by the gate). Either way, once you have your seat, best to stick with it for the week, ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle’ and all that. “Different trips are going to require different equipment, but much like diving, only take what you need, space will always be limited. If diving on a liveaboard for multiple days, then it will be a good idea to take spares and tools. If a long run out for a single dive at slack water is the order of the day then there is little point, if you are not ready to go when the skipper says go, the dive window will be closed anyway. Be ready before you leave the quay, trying to fix a rebreather while traveling at 20 knots is not a lot of fun. “Bring food! A long run back to shore is better on a full stomach, and last but not least, buy the skipper and crew a pint - it is too often a thankless task looking after divers.”

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LANZAROTE LOWDOWN STUART PHILPOTT checks out a selection of the top recreational dive sites in Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote’s number-one tourist hotspot Photographs by STUART PHILPOTT

“Abi had put her blonde hair in a subtle ponytail for our first few dives, but this time around we were going for a full-on bouffant 1980s retro-style”

anzarote is a popular all-year-round holiday destination with a surprising amount of Brits either owning or time-sharing apartments. Flights are offered from most major and regional UK airports, and the journey time is a bum-bearable four hours. On previous trips I had bypassed Lanzarote’s number-one tourist town, Puerto del Carmen, but fourth time lucky I was back (if only for a brief spell) ready and willing to soak up the lively atmosphere and sample some of the top local dive sites. Usually I hire a car at Arrecife airport as it’s relatively cheap and convenient. Puerto del Carmen is only a short 10-minute drive, but long story, I ended up spending a stressy couple of hours searching for my hotel. This inadvertently meant I got to see just about every building, road, sign post, etc, in the whole densely populated conurbation. I passed row upon row of white-washed apartments with pubs, nightclubs, shops and restaurants strung out along the entire 6km stretch of the seafront. The whole place had gone completely sport’s bar bonkers. Everywhere I looked there were chalkboards advertising live daily football matches. There are around 18 dive centres in the Puerto del Carmen area, all owned and managed by different nationalities. I was with Manta Diving (www.manta-diving-lanzarote.com), owned and managed by Brit couple Rachel Parry and Ben Hutchinson. Six years ago, Ben and Rachel bought the PADI five-star resort centre when the Irish owners decided to retire. Rachel now manages the bookings and internet site, while Ben sorts out equipment maintenance and day-to-day staffing issues, among other tasks. They presently employ five instructors and use Aqualung and Apeks dive kit. I could see the staff had a good rapport with punters. Throughout the day, all sorts of colourful characters would just pop in to say hello and have a chat. Some would even go diving! The dive centre logo got me wondering - are there any manta sightings in Lanzarote? I had seen devil rays at El Bajon on El Hierro, which is similar to a manta, so maybe this is where the name had stemmed from? Rachel said they had inherited this legacy from the previous owners, choosing to stick with the old name. I bet it’s not the first time they have been asked this silly question, either! Rachel said they had the perfect set-up for divers that didn’t want to spend the whole day away from their families. In a matter of hours, they could be back by the swimming pool lapping up the sunshine. Manta Diving offer two guided dives in the morning and focus on training in the afternoon. This ramps up to four daily guided dives throughout the summer months. Opening hours are from 8.30am until 5.30pm Monday to Saturday all year round. Rachel said that the e-learning packages were proving to be very popular. All the theory is completed online in the UK, just leaving the in-water skills to do in Lanzarote. The bay at Playa Chica was a hot spot of diving activity. Most of the dive centres in Puerto del Carmen used this stretch of promenade as a kitting-up area, with entry points via the steps or the adjacent sandy beach. The place was absolutely choc-a-bloc with dive vans coming and going.

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“Unusually, the shallowest wreck is the most intact, with some great wide-angle picture ops of the exposed hull and the deck area”

Manta Diving are close enough for divers to get kitted up in comfort at the dive centre and then take a two-minute (100 metre) stroll down to the water’s edge. The heavier kit items, including weight belts and scuba kit, are driven down in one of the company vans. In all, Playa Chica offers ten dive sites. six of which can be reached from the shore. Rachel had arranged for me to dive at some of the most-popular sites. Instructor Abigail Flynn was to be my guide and underwater model for the duration. As it happened, we planned most of our dives when the majority of dive centres were taking a break, which gave me a better chance of getting closer to marine life and taking backscatter-free pictures. Divers entering via the steps have to swim on the surface and descend inside a floating giant hoop, thus reducing the possibility of being run over by overhead boat traffic, but not all of the pleasure boat skippers pay such close attention, so be aware - as you should anyway - when you are descending and ascending at the start and end of your dives. My first dive was at a site called Cathedral. The name describes a large cave at a maximum depth of around 30m. After crossing a sand patch, we started to descend along the wall. I caught a glimpse of a fair-sized grouper and tried to get close for a picture with Abi following up the rear, but it was acting far too skittish. After three attempts we gave up and carried on with the dive. Before entering the cave, I stopped and took a few shots of Abi posing next to a black coral. The cave itself was a fair size, wide enough for a few divers to enter side by side. I went in first and then turned around to get the classic blue water cave entrance composition with Abi hovering somewhere in the middle. After a short surface break, Abi took me to a site called the Blue Hole. I watched a procession of divers coming out of the swimthrough in single file. When the coast was clear I got Abi to hover on the seaward side so I could get the blue backdrop as well as the sponge-covered cave roof in the frame. In the shallows, we encountered a small cuttlefish. I tried several times to get close, but it just backed away from me tentacles raised in a defensive posture. Two larger cuttlefish suddenly appeared on the scene, probably to give their fellow species some moral support, playing the safety-in-numbers game. Although still wary, the larger cuttles allowed me to get much closer, thus yielding a couple of worthwhile pictures. Our final dive for the day was at a site called Renés Wreck, which turned out to be a right marine-life teaser. We started at the little wreck sitting upright on the seabed and then finned around the wall to see a clump of rare soft red coral. I was hoping to get a

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captivating image of the coral fronds, but found it was well and truly wedged inside a rocky overhang. A number of inquisitive grouper followed behind us, but none would come close enough to fill my wide-angle frame. Abi guided me to a field of tube worms that were gently swaying in the current. I slowly and carefully got into position and snapped off a stream of pictures before they all shot back inside their protective tubes. On the way back I found an angel shark. We finished off exploring a cave at a depth of around 3m. Deep inside there was a hole in the ceiling allowing shards of light to come flooding through. Rachel recommended that I stay at the THB Flora hotel, located near the old town harbour. The reception staff were full of smiles. They explained that the hotel was basically split into two areas, with a public road running through the centre. The apartments across the road had just been refurbished but were pretty much booked up, so I was allocated a room on the older side. The self-catering apartment turned out to be a good size. For a reasonable price, I could have upgraded to full board and dined at the in-house restaurant, but I wasn’t around much to make full use of the facilities so declined. The steep windy roads at the western end of town were just what my legs needed after a full day’s diving - another heavy calf work-out! I managed to sample some of the local restaurants and didn’t have one dodgy meal. I can definitely recommend the Purple Turtle sports bar, which is just a short walk from the hotel. My favourite had to be the Mexican restaurant called Emma’s Cantina. The mojitos had a kick like a mule and I didn’t mind the walk back to the hotel after a couple! A visit to Puerto del Carmen wouldn’t be complete without a dive on the harbour wrecks. As I kitted up by the wall, I caught sight of a familiar face walking up the gang plank towards me. Kevin Craddock, the owner of Flippas’n’Fins in Dorset, had brought out a group from the UK. When Kevin and his divers vacated the RIB, Abi and I jumped aboard for a two-minute journey to the entry point. Abi had put her blonde hair in a subtle ponytail for our first

few dives, but this time around we were going for a full-on bouffant 1980s retro-style. The dive site is a graveyard of fishing boats all lying on top of each other at depths of 12m-40m. Most of the wrecks are well broken up and have merged into one giant debris field. My particular favourite sits at around 25m and is known as the steamer wreck. The foremast and rigging with funnel in the background made a great composition. Unusually, the shallowest wreck is the most intact, with some great wide-angle picture ops of the exposed hull and the deck area. We even ventured through the criss-cross deck supports into the interior for a poke about. At times, this dive site can yield some spectacular marine life sightings, including Atlantic stingrays and hammerhead sharks. My flying visit to Puerto del Carmen had come to an end. Sadly, there had been no time to explore the offshore sites at Playa Chica, including Rachel’s favourite site called Waikiki, which I’m told, has the shallowest red coral found in Europe as well as an abundance of trumpetfish, grouper and angel sharks. But the sites I had seen offered a good selection of caves and swim-throughs, as well as a few exciting marine-life encounters. There was also the unique harbour wreck site. I didn’t often get the opportunity to explore six shipwrecks on a single dive. Rachel said: “Playa Chica is fantastic for training and there are lots of 30m dives for more-experienced divers, making Lanzarote a good all-rounder”. Manta Diving had been perfect hosts. I even went for a dive at Jason de Caires Taylor’s Museo Atlantico in Playa Blanca, with Rachel acting as guide and model. Phase 2 of the project was completed earlier this year and I wanted to check out the new sculptures, but this will be covered in a future story in Scuba Diver. n

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THE EVOLUTION

OF A SHARK PHOTO

Guest photo-pro MARIO VITALINI takes centre-stage this month, discussing how to get the best possible shark photographs regardless of your camera set-up

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARIO VITALINI

iving with sharks is undeniably thrilling. I’ve seen many a photographer exhilarated by the presence of sharks in the water, but desperately disappointed with their pics. I’ve been lucky to photograph oceanic whitetips many times in the Red Sea and want to share some of my hard-earned tips, so you can keep your cool when the adrenalin is pumping. Evolve your photography and take stunning shark shots.

PICK YOUR SHARK, PICK YOUR ENCOUNTER

Not all sharks make for easy photo subjects. I time my workshops carefully to be on the right sites at the right time of year for the best encounters with each specific shark species. I love the Red Sea for oceanics. On deep walls, oceanic whitetips swim all day in shallow water, often right under the boat, giving you plenty of time with them. They are very inquisitive, and relatively used to divers. In several destinations sharks are attracted by organised feeding sessions. However, chummed dives are not without their controversy, and often there are restrictions on diver position and kit. Oceanics offer a more-natural encounter where the sharks come to you independently. You have much more freedom as a photographer.

SAFETY FIRST

Before you get in the water, think long and hard about safety. It is essential you understand the behaviour of the specific shark. Oceanic whitetips are apex predators, a scavenger species that need careful consideration. Like many other sharks, they feed mainly at dawn and dusk - be extra vigilant around these times. I’ve seen oceanics lure divers away from the reef or the boat into the blue. Do not give in to the temptation to follow them. Their attitude quickly changes and can become much more aggressive. Erratic movements and downwards fins are key indicators that it is time to get out. Stay close to your buddy. I always give a safety brief before we get in the water, as will your guides. Don’t ignore hard-won expertise!

GO WIDE!

Choosing the right lens is essential. Some sharks won’t come close enough for a fish-eye lens. You end up with a very small subject in a big blue frame. Luckily, oceanics like to get right onto your dome port, so fish eye vs wide angle is less of a consideration. Personally, I still prefer

a wide-angle zoom lens with a mirrorless camera or DSLR. With a compact camera, use the widest setting (but never the camera zoom).

STROBES OR NO STROBES?

Some sharks, like threshers, can be scared by flash. Not oceanics. Be prepared for the electronics to pique their interest! Position your strobes far apart and behind the port to minimise backscatter. Use a low power to prevent overexposing the white underbelly of your shark. If the shark is more than two metres away, chances are you will end up lighting the water column in front of your camera and not the shark. Wait until the shark is close to you before firing. If you don’t have a strobe, stay shallow and use manual white balance. Don’t use the internal flash – it’s not powerful enough and just increases the risk of backscatter.

BRING OUT THE BLUE!

Controlling the background exposure is critical. Oceanics are typically shallow, and a blown-out surface ruins many pictures. Position the sun behind you for better control over the surface exposure. This is essential if you do not use strobes and shoot ambient light. If the sun must be in shot, think about silhouettes instead. Turn off the flash, pick a very fast shutter speed (above 1/400th) and small aperture (f11+) and use the shark to cover the sun ball. When using strobes, the shutter speed will have little or no effect on the foreground exposure - this is lit by your flash. Use the shutter speed instead to control the exposure of the background for a pleasing blue. Take a few test shots of blue water, changing the shutter speed, until you are happy with the colour. Factor in the time of the day and sun position. I have found that in the shallows values above 1/125th usually gives a good exposure. Then you are ready when the shark passes.

MY ESCORTED TRIPS

Want to take your own shark shots? Join Mario on an escorted photo workshop, with award-winning tour operator Scuba Travel. Learn the secrets of shark photography on the exciting new Shark Quest photography itinerary, or master your macro skills in the Far East. There’s something for everyone. Mario’s workshops are open to all experience levels, but in particular anyone using a compact camera or mirrorless set up. His prize-winning images prove it’s not the kit that makes the shot, but the photographer! If you need some help getting to grips with your camera underwater, Mario’s your man. His calm, patient approach is just what you need to improve your photos. Mario tailors the tips and techniques to your needs, both on the surface and underwater. Improve your skills in a relaxed, non-competitive environment. Dive, eat, sleep and shoot! Workshops in 2017 and 2018 are running in classic destinations such as the Red Sea, as well as far flung photo hotspots like the Philippines, Caymans and Indonesia.

COMPOSE WITH CARE

Wait for the shark to come to you. Oceanic tend to pass repeatedly, giving you time to try different shots. Experiment with the composition. Chances are there will be other divers. A diver in shot gives a sense of scale, but be careful of bubbles or random limbs creeping in. These erroneous elements can ruin what would otherwise be a great shot. By getting lower (shooting upwards) you get good eye contact and a better view of the mouth, gills and characteristic pectoral fins. If you are near the boat, position yourself so that the hull covers the sun and creates sunbeams. This can be a stunning compositional element. You will need to be shallow!

AFTER THE DIVE

Shark pictures will nearly always need some degree of post-production. Oceanic whitetips benefit from fine-tuning the highlights and bright areas. Wherever possible, shoot in RAW so you have a greater capacity to make corrections. Converting a picture into black and white or monotone increases the atmospheric feeling of your shot… and help if the colours or exposure are imperfect. Oceanics are one of my favourite sharks to shoot, and with a little prep, you too can take exciting photos. Keep your calm, prepare your exposure and wait for the right approach. Digital means you can afford to take more shots than you keep, but even with the smallest camera, stunning shark photography is possible. n

BIOGRAPHY MARIO VITALINI

For nearly 30 years, Mario sailed the globe and dived the seas, working as a PADI instructor and dive guide. Today, he shares his passion for underwater photography. His students love his real-world expertise and patient approach. He has an extensive working knowledge of all underwater camera systems, having spent several years at the UK’s largest photo retailer. Mario’s images have won several awards, and he has featured not once, but twice, among the top categories at the prestigious Underwater Photographer of the Year, including Most Promising British Underwater Photographer in 2015.

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CREDIT: RINIE LUYKX

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Eruptive BEHAVIOUR JEREMY CUFF goes in search of volcanoes, manta rays and dragon morays with his son as they embark on a liveaboard adventure around Kona in HAWAII Photographs by JEREMY CUFF/WWW.JA-UNIVERSE.COM

he ‘Big Island’ of Hawaii is a fabulous place, with a great many attractions to captivate visitors. There’s the island culture, active volcanoes, endemic flora and fauna, superb trekking, a mountain top observatory, interesting local cuisine, spectacular scenery and unique diving experiences. To make the most of the diving that’s possible here, we joined the Kona Aggressor II for a week that encompassed underwater volcanic topography, night encounters with manta rays, and a sensational ‘pelagic magic’ blackwater night dive. Hawaii’s ‘Big Island’ is some of the world’s newest land. It’s geographically remote, very diverse in terms of habitat and one of most-volcanically active areas in the world. In the Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea is still erupting as it has done for the last 30 or more years, and during our visit, lava flows had reached the sea again for the first time in several years downslope from the Pu’u O’o crater. It’s a big journey to get out there from the UK, but only two flights. We chose to get the journey over and done with in one go, changing in Los Angeles. Somewhat strangely given the entire journey time (including waiting time before and between flights), we arrived in Kona the same day we left. We planned the trip, so that we had a few days in Kona before joining the liveaboard, using the time to get over any jet lag, scoot around on a hired moped, try a few of the cafes and restaurants, potter around the shops and art galleries, and get in a couple of ‘warm up’ dives prior to joining the Kona Aggressor II. Kona is a pleasant town, located along a coastal strip on the western (and leeward) side of Hawaii. Occasionally, the area can experience storms and wind reversals, but it’s relatively infrequent. For our trip, the weather was hot, clear and stable – it was a great outlook for our week ahead. There are a number of dive centres in the main population centre of Kailua Kona offering day trips, manta night dives and ‘pelagic magic’ trips (more of which later), but few (if any) boats regularly ply the waters of the entire Kona Coast. To get to the best and more remote areas, mostly in the south, the liveaboard is the only real option. With my wife Amanda, I had done this trip before back in 2006 as part of an underwater photography group, but this time I would be diving with our 13-year-old son Zac.

We have some great memories of times on other Aggressor Fleet boats with Zac, as previously we’ve taken him on their unique ‘Family Week’ charters to the Cayman Islands, Belize and the Turks and Caicos Islands, which he loved. This time though, as a fully qualified PADI Junior Advanced Open Water Diver, he would participate in the ‘grown up’ version of the liveaboard experience. As the days ticked down to boarding day, we repacked and looked out for the boat returning from the previous week’s itinerary. Conveniently, the Aggressor bases itself from the main jetty in the central area of Kona, so once docked, we wandered along to say hello and introduce ourselves prior to boarding the following day. One of the crew (who at the time of writing has since become the captain), actually worked on the boat back in 2006, when we visited with the photographic group. Though he’d worked elsewhere between then and now, it seems that Hawaii has a way of calling you back.

The liveaboard was pretty much how I remembered it (which wasn’t a bad thing), and we were soon unpacked and set-up, with our own space on the dive deck. Other than Zac and myself, the rest of the divers were from a mainland USA dive club. To get things going, the crew hosted a gathering whereby all crew and divers got a chance to introduce themselves, as well as learning about the boat’s safety procedures. The general visibility along the Kona Coast is excellent and sometimes exceptional, though it might sometimes be affected by run-off after prolonged periods of heavy rain. We had no such worries, however, as the weather remained excellent throughout the duration of our trip. Along the Kona Coast, geologically recent lava flows are numerous, providing clues about the underwater topography we would be exploring. Instead of walls festooned with innumerable gorgonians and soft corals, we found hard coral patches, rubble slopes, dark volcanic sands, submerged craters, pinnacles, archways and lava tubes. We visited a good number of sites during the week, and travelled as far south as South Point, the southernmost point of Hawaii and the USA (that’s a lot of ‘souths’ in one sentence!). First up was Lion’s Den, which offered a good opportunity for spotting the Hawaiian species of lionfish in easy conditions, making this site very conducive to a check out dive. Next was the excellent Rob’s Reef, where we were able to swim deep into a spectacular lava tube, which is only possible in good conditions. If there’s too much surge, which the crew will assess, it’s not a good idea to go in. We enjoyed two dives at Rob’s, revelling in the scenery, enhanced by the colourfully encrusted boulders in and around the lava tube, which offer great photographic potential. Dive day one concluded with a visit to The Hive, a site I remembered from 2006 for its archway, a lava tube inhabited by the biggest whitetip reef shark I’ve ever seen, a large frogfish and a great night dive. The archway was still intact, but when Zac and I checked out the lava tube, there was no one at home. The site must be a hotspot for frogfish - this time we found a large pale yellow specimen. We also enjoyed our first night dive of the trip here, which though good was trounced by the night dives that would follow. With the trip now in full swing and our dive routines established, we ventured further south, taking in dives at The Land of Oz, Catacombs, Manuka Bay, Pohue Bay, Wall’s Wall and Black Coral Forest. Though the visibility was good for our entire trip, down south it really was crystal clear. During these dives, we enjoyed unique underwater topography, searched for endemic species, and generally enjoyed ourselves with impromptu underwater photo shoots on some of the open areas. In between dives, we would sometimes head up to the wheelhouse area and watch the brilliant aggregations of flying fish that were disturbed by the liveaboard.

“Usually, you’ll find mantas described as ‘graceful” and ‘peaceful’ and so they are, but there’s an intensity, and perhaps even aggression, about these encounters”

THE KONA AGGRESSOR II

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On the fourth diving day, we were gradually moving north again. The chosen sites for the day were Stoney Mesa and Au Au Crater. Au Au Crater is, as the name suggests, a submerged underwater crater and really is worth seeing. When all the other divers had moved off, I enjoyed getting down into the crater and shooting pictures of the amphitheatre above. This site is also a good area to check out strands of wire coral for the tiny gobies that make them their home. If you’re looking for something bigger, sites like this one can sometimes yield eagle rays, dolphins and perhaps even hammerheads, which are spotted from time to time. The Aggressor Fleet has created the ‘Iron Diver’ award for divers who participate in all available dives on a trip. Zac had decided early on that we wanted to achieve this accolade, but the repeated diving was starting to seriously mash his ears. After some discussion, we decided it best to ‘sit him out’ for a day or two, to allow them to recover and give him a chance to do the manta night dive at the tail end of the itinerary. He was crestfallen, but accepted it was the right thing to do. And no sooner had he parked his diving, he got a gig as chef Kevin’s assistant!

After the morning dives at a couple of sites, including the enjoyable Paradise Pinnacle, we headed north past Kona to Garden Eel Cove, the site of Hawaii’s signature dive – the incredible manta ray night dive. The history of these encounters dates back to the Kona Surf Hotel (now the Sheraton) to the south of Kona where lights were installed to illuminate the water for the benefit of the guests. The lights attracted plankton, which attracted mantas, which attracted divers, who put in even more lights. This unique symbiosis has happened ever since, although most of the mantas ‘migrated’ to the current site close to the airport. On our afternoon dive at Garden Eel Cove (aka Mantaville), we encountered a couple of gathering mantas and even had a brief buzz with a Hawaiian monk seal, one of world’s most-endangered mammals. Later, as dusk descended, we surveyed the sea from the deck of the Aggressor, as a flotilla of other dive boats gathered around us. Occasionally, something would disturb the surface waters – it was the mantas. Pumped with anticipation, we were soon kitted up and in the water, finning excitedly towards the manta’s arena (known as the Campfire), a non-descript area of rubble and coral with submerged lights. Usually, you’ll find mantas described as ‘graceful” and ‘peaceful’ and so they are, but there’s an intensity, and perhaps even aggression, about these encounters. Zac was back in the water, and we enjoyed a fantastic experience as around 20 mantas swirled in a plankton feeding frenzy, bumping and jostling for the best lit areas where the food was most concentrated. A truly stunning dive. Compared with areas in the Far East, which is world’s epicentre of species diversity, the Hawaiian Islands are relatively ‘species poor’ in terms of the sheer number of species present, but it does have a high proportion of endemics. On our Kona Coast dives, we noted turtles, wire coral gobies, frogfish, yellow tang, bluestripe snapper, arc eye hawkfish, stocky hawkfish, yellowfin goatfish, yellowmouth moray, red pencil sea urchin, guard crab, hairy yellow hermit crab, and the reef triggerfish, which is known locally as the tongue twisting humuhumunukunukuapuaa! Despite best efforts, my ongoing quest for a dragon moray went unfulfilled, as this spectacular eel eluded me once more. The Hawaiian Islands are known as a hot spot for this species, though sightings are sporadic and unreliable. We’d had a great trip. Perhaps the lure of finding the elusive dragon moray might tempt us to return one day. n

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SCHOLARSHIP DIARY

The Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society is a non-profit, educational organisation whose mission is to promote educational activities associated with the underwater world. It has offered scholarships for over 35 years. owuscholarship.org

CLOSED CIRCUIT IN THE

CARIBBEAN A PHOTOGRAPHS BY MAE DORRICOTT

s I push the trolley to the checkin desk, the flight attendant behind the counter cannot see my face for the piles of baggage stacked above my head. Dive gear, rebreather, underwater camera gear and clothes for a couple of months away. I feel more like a sherpa’s donkey than a scuba-diving Scholar. Travelling with a rebreather is not one of the smoothest operations either, especially when every security point scrutinises the equipment. But after grappling with Manchester airport and then the infamous TSA in Miami, I finally arrived on the luxurious island of Grand Cayman. The reasoning behind travelling across the Atlantic to this lush destination was to build up time and experience on my kindly loaned AP Evolution rebreather, which I had not touched since training with Mark Powell. Dive Tech, based up in West Bay, has been supporting the Scholarship for many years and provides an environment brimming with knowledgeable technical divers! And since Grand Cayman offers diving daily due to consistently good conditions, I knew I could rack up time on the unit and have some great dives too that had more to see than a few perch in a quarry. It was just as you imagine a Caribbean island to be. The waters were sometimes so gorgeously clear you could see a 15m bottom from the deck of the boat. It was idyllic conditions to simply dive the unit as much as possible to build familiarity. The staff were fantastic, particularly Steve Tippetts, who helped me out so much with the AP Evolution. With a massive repertoire to teach me from, Steve aided me in the practicalities of the unit and gave me a voluptuous amount of tips and tricks for me to dig into. He even kickstarted my own little tool box so I could keep good maintenance over the unit! It was a hugely valuable time for me to start to comprehend the workings of the unit through diving it incessantly. However, Steve reminded me of a famous quote from Richard Pyle, a T-Rex in

the world of rebreather diving, which put into perspective how much further I had left to go with grasping the complexities of the unit - ‘After my first ten hours on a rebreather, I was a real expert. Another 40 hours of dive time later, I considered myself a novice. When I completed about 100 hours of rebreather diving, I realised I was only a beginner…’. Hence, I’ll always be wary to never become complacent when diving the rebreather, since you never know when Mr Murphy may come knocking. My goal for Grand Cayman was to collect hours on the unit, and after two weeks I leave this charming island with 34 hours now on the unit! Success! And with no bubbles, I could get up close and personal with gorgeous marine life such as eagle rays, turtles, grouper, silversides and much more, all framed in the gorgeous back drop of swim-throughs, drop-offs or a sponge-covered reef! n

Mae Dorricott

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WIN! A RED SEA LIVEABOARD TRIP WORTH £1,000 COURTESY OF DIVERSE TRAVEL AND EMPEROR DIVERS!

Scuba Diver magazine has teamed up with Emperor Divers and Diverse Travel to offer one lucky reader the chance to enjoy a glorious Red Sea liveaboard holiday. To be in the running to win this fabulous prize, simply visit our website www.scubadivermag.com/competition and fill in your contact details. It’s as easy as that. NB: The closing date is 14 October 2017. The editor’s decision is final.

PRIZE DETAILS. Departure date - Choose from Thursday 18 January 2018 or Thursday 25 January 2018, flying from London Gatwick direct to Marsa Alam on Thomas Cook Airlines. South and St John’s Safari - Sailing to the southernmost reefs, you’ll depart from Ghalib Port in Marsa Alam. Dive Sha’ab Sharm with its wall dives and whitetip reef sharks. At Fury Shoals, dive Sha’ab Claude with its famous swim-throughs and huge porite corals. Abu Galawa Soraya has a fantastic coral garden and the wreck of a private sailing boat populated with glassfish. Zabargad Island lies along the western margin of the Red Sea rift with walls abundant with soft coral and spectacular coral pinnacles. Rocky Island, just four nautical miles south of Zabargad, has a fringing reef, sheer walls covered with beautiful soft corals, gorgonians, fans, sponges, black coral trees and vast drop-offs. Here you may be lucky enough to spot hammerheads, grey reef and whitetip reef sharks. St John’s is a vast collection of small reefs offering some of the most-remote and rewarding diving in the Red Sea. This incredibly beautiful reef lies a short distance north of the Sudanese border. MV Emperor Asmaa - This custom-built motor yacht was designed with the diver in mind and comfortably accommodates 20 people in ten twin-berth, air-conditioned en-suite cabins. As with all Emperor fleet boats, you are guaranteed a minimum of two dive guides and free nitrox. THE PRIZE INCLUDES: Return direct flight from London Gatwick to Marsa Alam on Thomas Cook Airlines; 20kg hold baggage allowance; seven nights’ accommodation in shared cabin*; six days’ diving with guide, 12-litre cylinders and weights**; local transfers; full board; soft drinks; red wine with dinner; environmental tax; Marine Park fees; port departure fees; free nitrox**; ATOL protection. Not included in the prize: Visa; diving equipment; cylinders other than 12-litre; alcohol.

* last night either on board or in a hotel. ** This is a 21-plus dives itinerary. You must be a PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent to do this trip. You are expected to be able to complete each dive with your buddy, or following the guide. The guides may not enter the water and remain onboard as surface support for some dives. We recommend that you hold a minimum of 30 logged dives to get the best from this trip, and you should be comfortable with drift dives. Currents can be strong. All your diving is made from zodiacs to give precise entry and exits points. Experienced divers can dive in a buddy pair unguided. *** subject to availability. Nitrox-certified divers only.

Diverse Travel is no ordinary travel agent, acting more as a personal holiday consultant with a seamless service guaranteed. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a Member of the Travel Trust Association and offer ATOL-protected holidays worldwide. Award-winning Emperor Divers has provided top-quality diving holidays in the Red Sea since 1992. Quality customer care is their aim, and you can relax knowing all your diving needs will run smoothly thanks to their professional and enthusiastic guides. www.diversetravel.co.uk | www.emperordivers.com

DEEPERBLUE SPECIAL DEEPERBLUE.COM HOW IT ALL STARTED

eeperBlue.com (or DB as it’s become to be known) has become one of the most-popular diving websites in the world covering all sorts of topics like Freediving, Scuba Diving, Diving Travel and Underwater Imaging, yet it had very humble beginnings that many fans are unaware of. As DB celebrates 21 years in existence this year, we talked to founder Stephan Whelan and some of his contributors to get the full story. Stephan got bitten by the diving bug early in life. His first scuba experience was a trydive when he was eight years old on a family holiday in Europe, and from that moment, he was addicted. He learned to dive properly with BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) as soon as he could at school and then did his BSAC Assistant Instructor when he turned 16. By the time he was heading to university in 1996, he was hooked on teaching and diving as much as he could. By the time he started studying at university, he decided to have a go at flexing his web-design skills by publishing some of the – extensive! – stories he had built up about various ‘challenging’ students and dives he had encountered/done, and so deeperblue.net (as it was known then) was created. He published numerous personal stories until 1998, when other writers began enquiring about contributing to the site with their tales, and it was at this moment he decided to make it more like a magazine format and began asking for volunteer helpers. He got a couple of editors on board, and plenty of writers began contributing. In 1998, BSAC held a conference in the UK that year and Stephan teamed up with them to do some rudimentary online coverage. Of course, Stephan was still at university when he attended the conference, and was consumed by a real passion to get new people into diving, especially younger people. He was finding it a real challenge to recruit new members into the University Sub

The evolution of deeperblue.com

“I met Stephan on social media. As an avid diver, I had been following DeeperBlue.com for a while, and one day, he posted on Facebook requesting anybody who would be interested in working the booth at the DEMA show. I sent him a PM, and my life has not been the same since! “This insanely warm, generous, social maven… of tremendous personality and great physical presence, welcomed me into the DeeperBlue family with open arms… and a cold beer. “As a newly minted member of the team, I got to meet all of my diving heroes, and contribute a few small missives to the website. Most importantly, I made friends – lots of friends. “Through my association with DeeperBlue.com, I was actually encouraged to become a freediver, and enter competitions as the fattest competitive freediver on the planet!” John Griffiths (Associate Editor 2015 – Present)

DeeperBlue.com is the World’s Largest Community dedicated to Freediving, Scuba Diving and Spearfishing. We’ve been dedicated to bringing you the freshest news, features and discussions from around the underwater world since 1996.

“My first interaction with DeeperBlue.com was via the forums, where one day in the summer of 2005, I saw a post asking for help in covering the DEMA show in Las Vegas. The next few days were a blur of walking several miles in the convention centre, interviewing vendors and walking by underwater film-makers whose movies I had grown up loving. “The most-impressive part of watching DeeperBlue.com – and Stephan, for that matter – grow over the past 12 years has been how truly professional and polished the website that he built has become, as well as his continued and everlasting patience with the myriad people he’s had to deal with (present company included!). “DeeperBlue.com is clearly a labour of love for Stephan – for whatever amount of time his contributors spend writing content, he clearly spends two to three times that on the back end, making sure the site stays up and running, chasing down potential sponsors, and maintaining a regular day job as well as a family life with a wonderful wife and two gorgeous daughters. How he does it all, I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that I owe him a beer.” John Liang (News Editor 2013 – Present) Aqua Club, and one of his ideas was to introduce snorkelling as a programme for younger students (school and university ages) as a means of getting them hooked on diving. He hooked up with the main snorkelling managers at BSAC, and hatched an idea to start doing some more articles on snorkelling. It was at this point that he did some searching on the internet and came across Cliff Etzel’s ‘FreeDiving and Snorkelling Internet Magazine’. Cliff was on the verge of shutting it down as running internet sites was pretty expensive in those days and was running out of steam on writing articles. Stephan and Cliff teamed up – Stephan providing the expertise on running content sites, providing hosting, generating advertising (where he could) and funding the site generally, while Cliff tried to recruit and manage some writers especially around freediving.

www.deeperblue.com

DEEPERBLUE SPECIAL Stephan and Cliff continued to operate from the same platform but as separate sites, till 1999 when they went through a redesign to create a common look and also introduced (the now famous) forums to generate some discussion. It was in 2000 that they decided to combine the sites, go through yet another redesign and create a ‘super’ site dedicated to diving in general. According to Stephan, the introduction of the forums in 1999 made a huge difference. It meant the site was the first moderated forum with a dedicated Freediving section, and people started moving in. The explosion in growth started in 2000 - and just kept going. Freediving started to take a major focus of the forums and the main site around that time, and the duo recruited help where they could, though Cliff started to find life outside DB taking over and so started dipping in and out of being editor. In late-2001, Stephan decided that the site needed a good update and a decent Content Management System behind the scenes to take the pressure off him having to upload all the content manually. In those days the site was completely manually coded, every page had to be designed and developed individually – this was a time very different to today when anyone can setup a blog rather easily and cheaply. He decided to invest in a significant amount of his savings into a custom-built system to allow writers and editors to author and publish articles directly on the web. Several things happened in 2002 that helped propel the site into its first major growth period. Firstly, Stephan organised for both him, Cliff and contributor Paul Kotik to attend the annual Diving, Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) show for the first time. Secondly, they got the sad news of Freediver Audrey Mestre’s death, and their near-re-

“In the days when cell phones were new, no-one counted syllables to 140. There we were, spread around the world - I was in Hong Kong, we never met or even talked. It was a privilege to dream with Stephan and you know what he did.” Mal James (Scuba Editor 2000-2004)

“I’m shocked at how much time has past. For me, the funny thing is that I started writing for DeeperBlue.com as a scuba aficionado and an instructor, and of course I’m still an instructor, but my passion has migrated to no tanks! “My first article was 17 September 2003 and it was about the specialty of diving in kelp. I had the distinct honour of writing about Stephen’s marriage proposal in 2008, and then in 2009, I really got into freediving and that became my main interest, my focus and my beat. “We actually met for the first time in Miami at the DEMA show in 2003. My memory fails me a bit, but the whole DEMA 2003 experience, including meeting Stephan, was larger than life! I was a relatively new MSDT and the fact that there was this big dive show was incredible, I’d never been to Miami before and so that was super cool, and then meeting this extraordinary Whelan character was the cherry on top. “The funny thing is that while we all know Stephan for his jovial good nature and being the life of the party, he has been a real visionary driving force for the dive industry and, in particular, promoting the sport and athletes of freediving. He innovated before everyone and he’s as dedicated as they come. “Deeperblue.com has been a true labour of love for Stephan, for us all, and the reward is that it has grown into the most-impactful platform our entire dive community has ever seen - and what’s astounding is that it has developed over the years from a homegrown, homespun effort into an industry-leading powerhouse. DeeperBlue.com really was where all the action was before social media, and remains an influential, dominant force after, spreading the news of our ever-growing watertribe and their incredible achievements. “There are really no adequate words to describe the magic of what has been accomplished, and it’s all due to the original idea, commitment and positive energy emanating from Stephan. I am proud to be on his team.” Francesa Koe (Editor-at-Large 2003-present)

altime coverage of both the record attempts and the aftermath propelled DB further into the limelight and set them up as ‘experts’ in the freediving media field. In 2003, Cliff decided to take a break from being one of the editors and Paul stepped in as the freediving editor. This year also saw DB take the first few steps at full-blown online coverage of major events. Stephan and his team covered the major Freediving competition - the Sony FreeDiver Open Classic 2003 where the late Natalia Molchanova first appeared on the scene, and descended en-mass at DEMA 2003 in Miami, which proved they were ‘the genuine article’ to the diving industry. Since then, Stephan and his team have tried to grow both the community angle and the editorial side making sure it was not just a “forum” or just an “online magazine”. Special feature coverage of events has become something

DEEPERBLUE SPECIAL “I joined DeeperBlue in 2005, and at this time the forum was really coming alive and developing very fast. It was a great opportunity to learn and gain knowledge from like-minded people living in all corners of the world. “As I became more and more active on the forum, Stephan asked me if I would be interested with helping out from behind the scenes by accepting the title of ‘Team Leader’.” Martyn Foxen (Forum Team Leader 2005 – Present)

of a DeeperBlue.com speciality, and some of the biggest Freediving competitions on the planet and, of course, all the annual DEMA coverage where DB helps bring the latest industry launches to the public. DeeperBlue.com also was instrumental in helping to launch commercial freediving courses in the UK. In 2004, Emma Farrell teamed up with Stephan to launch the freediving courses arm of DB. They concentrated on running courses in the SETT Tank in Gosport, along with open water courses in Vobster Quay and summer camps in places like Greece and Malta. They were one of the first to properly advertise freediving courses and help promote the sport by exhibiting at shows like DIVE and LIDS in the UK. They sadly had to scale back operations in 2010 when the Navy (through their civilian arm) decided to massively increase fees for renting the SETT. That same year, DB decided to get out of the (free)diving school business and Emma took it on, and this then became her current operation of Go Freediving which has grown impressively since then. On the editorial side, 2006-2010 were a bit of a plateau. DeeperBlue.com continued to publish regular news and features on freediving, scuba diving and spearfishing, and traffic continued to grow yearon-year, but Stephan also saw a number of writer and editor staff changes over this period which meant the site never fully hit its stride. In 2008, Stephan hit a wall and considered selling DeeperBlue.com as it was taking up more and more of his time and by this point he’d been running the site for 12 years and he felt like he was soldiering on by himself (which, of course, wasn’t the case as he still had very dedicated, if infrequent, writers). What prevented him from selling was heading to DEMA that year. The energy he got from all the people that made the effort to talk to him and the DB crew onsite in Las Vegas was reinvigorating, and he made a pact with himself that he would spend some time reorganising behind the scenes and getting back into the site. It was now that Stephan finally managed to obtain the DeeperBlue.com domain name (he missed it by about 30 minutes when he originally set up the site, and it ended up being a website for a blues band in the US for some 12 years!). It took a couple of years, but in 2010 DeeperBlue. com got into its stride again with regular contributors, passionate editors and, ultimately, a growing

audience both on the site and on social media, and this upward trend continues to this day. Stephan said: “With the growth of social media and its importance to online communities, I’ve seen some big changes - the big mega-forums of old are no longer the hubs they were... blogging and social media have taken over as a primary way of people communicating online, and we had to move with the times. While the forums have seen regularly posting slowly decline, site traffic continues to climb, and combined with a very active social media audience and mailing list, we have seen people coming back time and again. The forums used to be the focal point of the site, but it’s definitely swapped to now being a more rounded community with feature articles, news and social media driving traffic and engagement. It’s very interesting to have seen the internet grow up at the same time as DB! “I’ve particularly enjoyed the last two years where the site has grown massively in traffic, editorial topics covered (we now also have great Diving Travel, Underwater Photography and Ocean Advocacy sections), as well as our immensely popular Photo of the Week and Video of the Week, where we feature stunning photos and videos from amateur and professional creators alike.” Stephan concluded: “The whole past 21 years have definitely been a labour of love for me and it hasn’t been cheap by any means - but I have to say that DeeperBlue.com has given me some amazing diving experiences, some of my best friends and times in my life so far. I sometimes feel I have to pinch myself to see what this site has become.” It’s amazing to see how this online diving powerhouse has developed from a small student hobby project to a sprawling website visited by millions of divers a year. n “I have a unique perspective around DeeperBlue.com, as I was the originator of the freediving section of the site, having started a site related to freediving back in the late 1990s. Stephan proposed integrating that content over, plus have me as editor for the freediving section of DB. It was a great ride during my time with DB...” Cliff Etzel (Freediving Editor 1998 – 2003)

Stay in the tranquillity of our 18th century cocoa plantation, and after a day diving let us indulge you with our cuisine and service, so you are refreshed for the next day. www.mountedgecombegrenada.com reservations@mountedgecombegrenada.com +44 (0)7711 524 641

Plan a Vacation at Spice Island Beach Resort Spanning eight acres of swaying palms and sea grape trees on shimmering Grand Anse Beach, Spice Island Beach Resort is Grenada’s most luxurious retreat with 64 exquisite suites, some with private pools and a world-class Spa. Try Hobie-cat sailing, paddle boarding or kayaking. Arrange a trip to the rainforest or visit the local Saturday spice market. Enjoy the delicacies of For reservations, call 473.444.4258 reservations@spicebeachresort.com

Grenadian cuisine in Oliver’s Restaurant. Tennis court, fitness gym, bicycles and a kid’s club are also available.

For reservations, call 473.444.4258 or Toll Free UK 0808.189.0088 reservations@spicebeachresort.com

/spiceislandbeachresort

18m

ABOVE

In this issue, JEREMY CUFF takes up the Above 18m mantle and visits the South Coast of Devon to dive at the popular and iconic BABBACOMBE BAY SITE Photographs by JEREMY CUFF (WWW.JA-UNIVERSE.COM)

abbacombe Bay had been on my ‘dive radar’ for quite a while. My previously planned visits didn’t happen for reasons of adverse weather, but this time I chose a weekend (11-12 May), booked some accommodation and hoped that the weather would turn out fine. As the weekend approached, the unfavourable easterlies subsided, and the weather itself was forecast to be good, but most importantly there was a light westerly. Easterlies can kill the vis. Winding the clock back to early March, I made a point of visiting Babbacombe while on a motorcycling weekend in Devon; the reason for this was to check out the logistics of what is involved with diving there (access, parking, availability of tanks/fills, food/ drinks and so on). I was glad I did that, as it gave me the knowledge of how best to plan the trip. Babbacombe itself is a pleasant clifftop town located within the English Riviera of the Torbay area, on the north-eastern side of Torquay, sheltered behind a series of headlands including Hope’s Nose. It boasts hotels and apartments, pubs, restaurants and cafes, a funicular railway, a famous model village, a theatre and (most usefully for our reason of visiting), a dive centre. In terms of the setting, the clifftop gardens offer fine vistas over the bay itself, and if the weather is very clear it’s possible to see all the way to Lyme Regis, West Bay and even Portland, many miles to the east. In the diving community, this sheltered bay (unless there’s an easterly wind) is known primarily as a springtime hotspot for cuttlefish, that gather there to court, mate and lay eggs, though there are plenty of opportunities for other encounters and sightings. At this time of the year, it could be renamed as ‘Cephalopod Central’. My friend Simon, who hadn’t dived in the UK for many years, would be my buddy for the weekend; it would be a chance for him to re-acquaint himself with the type of conditions in which he learned to dive as a teenager. On the Friday evening, enroute south and west along the A303 from Wiltshire, I collected him from his home near Honiton, and we sped determinedly down to Babbacombe, highly motivated by the thought of a pub meal!

ARRIVAL AT THE SITE

Babbacombe Bay is accessed by a very steep single-track road next to the theatre, with a tiny car park at the bottom. It’s the sort of road that freaks out panicky drivers, and during the weekend we witnessed an amusing ‘high-revving burning-clutch incident’ after a driver stalled on the hill and rolled backwards into a wall. Mike and Michele, who used to operate Divers Down Dive Centre, up on the main road, now run the Babbacombe Beach Café next to the car park and are a mine of information on the diving front, as well as being handy for copious amounts of tea, coffee and snacks. We found them to be very friendly and helpful, and this being on-site made everything a lot easier. On both days, we were up quite early to drive my pick-up down

to the car park, to ensure that we got a space. If the car park is full, it’ll turn your pleasant day of diving into a frustrating palaver. Though we were early, a number of divers were already there, including some that had travelled all the way down from Cardiff. Nabbing a parking space is the key to the day.

DIVE BRIEFING

As Babbacombe Bay is a shore dive, you have three basic choices. You can climb down the steps onto the tiny pebble beach in front of the cafe and choose your entry point from there, or head past the café to the boat slip and try that. Alternatively, it’s also possible to walk out onto the stone jetty and climb down the steps to enter from there. If choosing the boat slip or the jetty from which to enter and exit the water, great care should be taken with any slippery seaweed that could cause a nasty fall. You can decide to dive at any time regardless of the tide, as there’s very little in the way of current, but it’s much easier to get in and out of the water during the higher tide periods. At low tide, it can be tricky keeping your footing while navigating slimy and unhelpfully located boulders with heavy dive kit. Wherever you choose to enter the water, there’s a wide area that you can cover once you’re on a dive. You can choose to stay in the immediate shallows among the boulders, or head out into deeper areas to explore underwater rockeries, weed beds and sandy expanses. As the diving, even at the deeper points, is relatively shallow (expect not to exceed 10m), it’s a very good idea to use an SMB due to the presence of boats. In most areas, there’s also a lack of distinctive landmarks, so it’s easy to get disorientated and end up swimming out to sea rather than back to shore. Dusting off your underwater navigation skills is very helpful here. Visibility can also vary tremendously, so buddy pairs must keep close to one another to avoid getting separated. One landmark that is distinctive and worth looking out for is Mushroom Rock; it’s resemblance to a toadstool is immediately apparent if you find it while heading into the bay from the pebble beach or slipway.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was no shortage of pugnacious spider crabs that can rear up at the perceived threat of an underwater photographer invading its personal space with a cameraâ&#x20AC;?

“On both days, we were up quite early to drive my pick-up down to the car park, to ensure that we got a space. If the car park is full, it’ll turn your pleasant day of diving into a frustrating palaver”

BABBACOMBE BAY WHAT TO EXPECT TYPE OF DIVE

Shore dive (much easier at high tide)

DEPTH

Usually within the 2m-10m bracket

MARINE LIFE

Cuttlefish (especially in the spring), several species of crab, lobster, pipefish, flounder, blennies, anemones, dogfish, blennies, wrasse, seals, and much more

VISIBILITY

Variable depending on wind direction, run off and other factors, but can be six to eight metres if you’re lucky. We experienced three or four metres at best during our visit

SEABED

Boulders and rocks, rubble, weed beds, sandy expanses and gentle slopes

HAZARDS

Boat traffic, disorientation, low visibility and boulders upon entry/exit

THE DIVES

Essentially, the dives in Babbacombe Bay are naturalist dives, rather than scenery or wreck dives. It’s the kind of place where an observant diver who’s not in a hurry can be rewarded with some interesting sightings. For this reason, the dive is quite popular with photographers. As I’ve alluded to already, the bay is best known for its cuttlefish gatherings which can sometimes be spectacular if you get the timing right, combined with perfect conditions. We didn’t quite manage that, as the peak of the action had passed; perhaps two to three weeks earlier (in late-April) might have been the optimum this year, but it’s not an exact science. We did, however, still get a few cuttlefish sightings, with Simon and I spending a lot of time with one individual in particular (a male). At one point, there was even an ‘ET moment’ where Simon reached out and the cuttle returned the gesture by appearing to reach back while I shot images. He’d never seen a cuttlefish on a dive before and found the encounter very rewarding. Coincidentally, he was reading a book about cephalopod intelligence at the time of our visit, which added to the fascination. Still on the underwater naturalist theme, divers can expect various species of crab, including hermits and edible crabs, and there was no shortage of pugnacious spider crabs that can rear up at the perceived threat of an underwater photographer invading its personal space with a camera. Other sightings included a flounder, a common lobster, anemones, dead man’s fingers, several wrasse and blennies, and if you look closely, you can see an abundance of fish fry; the bay is obviously an important fish nursery due to its sheltered aspect. Also, you can often find pipefish skulking in the weed beds. On the stone jetty between dives, we talked to some fishermen who had caught dogfish and mackerel, and there’s also a seal that regularly hangs out in the bay which is very tolerant of people (and perhaps lucky divers?). Depending on the time of your visit, you can be assured of other interesting species. Historically, even seahorses are known from the bay, though I’m not sure when they were last seen in the area. Perhaps they’re still there somewhere. n

WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

GRENADA & CARRIACOU PRESENTS A GUIDE TO

TITANIC OF THE

CARIBBEAN WHY THE BIANCA C IS A MUST-DIVE

WHY THE ISLANDS ARE THE COMPLETE DESTINATION HOTSPOT FOR EVERYONE

TEN THINGS YOU MUST DO ON THE ISLANDS

TEN THINGS

YOU MUST DO IN GRENADA AND CARRIACOU 1 STROLL ALONG THE BEACH

Between them, Grenada and Carriacou are blessed with a plethora of stunning beaches, but make sure you take the time to wander along the 2km Grand Anse Beach in Grenada and the 1.6km Paradise Beach in Carriacou. Both are picture-perfect scenes of island bliss and you can’t beat sinking your toes into the soft sand while soaking up the views.

2 CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN

6 VISIT THE ‘TITANIC OF THE CARIBBEAN’ Even if you aren’t a committed wreck diver, you have to pay homage to one of the largest shipwrecks in the Caribbean, the monster Italian liner Bianca C. She sank in 1961 and is sitting upright in over 50m of water. She has started to deteriorate after over 55 years on the seabed, but there is still plenty to see and she remains a magnificent, awe-inspiring sight.

Okay, maybe not every mountain, but there are plenty of peaks to set your sights on, including the 2,757-feet Mount St Catherine on Grenada and the 955-feet High North Peak on Carriacou. You will be rewarded for your efforts with absolutely awesome panoramic views of the islands and surrounding waters.

7 TRAVEL INTO THE PAST

3 CIRCLING THE SISTERS

8 ENJOY A FRESH FISH SUPPER

4 CHASING WATERFALLS

9 UNDERWATER WORKS OF ART

One of the most-famous dive sites, which has phenomenal coral growth and a diverse mix of marine life, is the Sisters, off Carriacou. These two rock pinnacles actually provide two dive sites, Deep Blue and Barracuda Point, and can be extremely challenging, as they are washed by strong currents. A must-dive for experienced divers. Grenada boasts several visually impressive waterfalls, but St Margaret Falls, also known as Seven Sisters, is worth a visit – the lower two falls are perfect for family outings, but the higher five promise a formidable trek for the adventurous. Also check out Concord Falls, which gets ever more beautiful the higher you go, and the remote Tufton Hall Waterfall, which will require you to don your hiking boots and complete a three-hour guided hike into the interior.

5 TRADITIONAL BOAT BUILDING

On Carriacou, you have the unique opportunity to visit Windward, and see sailing boats and sloops being painstakingly hand-crafted using traditional methods passed down by Scottish settlers. Time your visit for the beginning of August, and you will also be able to witness the exciting Carriacou Regatta Festival, a three-day event which sees locally built vessels compete against one another.

The Belmont Estate is a 300-year-old, working plantation, and it provides visitors with the unique opportunity to see firsthand the centuries-old practice of processing cocoa and producing some of the region’s best chocolate. Re-enactments are regularly held, giving a fascinating glimpse into the past.

Gouyave is Grenada’s main fishing town and is renowned for Fish Friday, your opportunity to mix with the locals, who flock here for this weekly outdoor culinary event where you can sample seafood delicacies of every description, all cooked fresh over open fires. Gouyave is also home to one of the largest nutmeg processing factories on the island. Whether you are a newly qualified diver or a seasoned veteran, you have got to pay a visit to Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Park, which was ranked in the Top 25 ‘Wonders of the World’ by National Geographic. Weirdly lifelike sculptures by Jason de Caires Taylor and other artists adorn the seabed, slowly being engulfed by vibrant marine growth. It is so shallow, even snorkellers can join in the fun!

10 TOUR ST GEORGE’S

St George’s is the capital of Grenada, and it is home to many interesting tourist attractions, including Fort George, which was built by the French in 1705 and offers stunning views from the battlements. The town is also home to the Grenada National Museum, which is housed in a French barracks dating back to 1704 and displays hundreds of historical items, including Carib and Arawak artefacts, whaling industry tools, sugar-processing machines, and even Josephine Bonaparte’s marble bath!

FROM THE EDITOR

Located at the southernmost tip of the Windward Islands, just 100 miles north of Venezuela and outside of the hurricane belt, Grenada and Carriacou provide a safe, quiet and family-friendly year-round getaway from the hustle and bustle of daily life. There is much to do on land, but it is underwater where the islands really come into their own. Between them, they boast a veritable fleet of sunken ships - with the enormous 180-metre-long Italian liner Bianca C as an impressive flagship – alongside some of the healthiest coral reefs in the Caribbean, and both habitats (man-made and natural) support a diverse range of marine life, including various species of turtle and shark, eagle rays, stingrays, barracuda, tarpon and all the usual reef suspects. The islands could be purpose-made for dive groups. From a diving perspective, you have a rich selection of sites to choose from, in depths to suit all levels of experience, and with reefs, wrecks and marine life aplenty, there is something for everyone. And for any non-diving members of the party – or when you just want to let your gills dry out - the islands boast a multitude of topside activities and attractions, from historic forts, run distilleries and cocoa plantations to magnificent waterfalls, national parks and mountains. Grenada and Carriacou are also great spots for couples. I have fond memories of Grenada as it was the first place I visited with my now-wife many years ago. Whether you are both exploring beneath the waves, enjoying a romantic stroll along a stunning beach, or trekking through lush rainforest to some remote waterfall, there is much to bring you together. Once two becomes three or more, and you have a family in tow, then Grenada and Carriacou unveils its ‘fun side’, and children will love the off-road safaris, river tubing, snorkelling and other adrenaline activities. The islands offer plenty to lure you in, and while you can choose to stay on one or the other, a twin-centre holiday taking in both Grenada and Carriacou should be high on your bucket list.

Mark Evans Editor-in-Chief, Scuba Diver www.scubadivermag.com

4 5

DIVING IN

GRENADA & CARRIACOU The diving off Grenada and Carriacou is best described as the perfect blend of natural and man-made First off you find prolific coral and sponge growth smothering some of the most-pristine and healthy reefs in the Caribbean, which in turn provides a rich habitat for the likes of angelfish, snapper, wrasse, butterflyfish, damselfish, parrotfish, pufferfish, boxfish, trumpetfish, grouper and lobster. This rich diversity of marine life then brings in efficient predators such as barracuda, jacks, stingrays and various species of shark, along with elegant turtles and eagle rays. Interspersed among these pockets of colourful coral kingdom, you then come across all manner of shipwrecks, ranging from purpose-sunk vessels like the Buccaneer, MV Hildur, Westsider and Boris to ‘genuine’ wrecks like the Shakem, Hema I, King Mitch and the newly sunk Persia II. And let’s not forget the mother of them all, the immense Bianca C, a 180-metre-long Italian liner sitting upright in 50m that has sat at the head of the islands’ vast sunken fleet ever since she went down in 1961. And for something completely different, how about visiting an underwater work of art? Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Park features lifelike representations of people that are now becoming ever-more otherworldly as they are slowly covered in encrusting marine growth, and provide a weird-and-wonderful shallow dive that is suitable for novice divers and even snorkellers.

GETTING STARTED If you are a non-diver, the islands are the perfect place to get your diving certification. Blessed with a number of top-quality dive centres and numerous sites that have calm, clear, warm waters and plenty of fish to welcome you into their watery realm, you would be hard-pressed to find a more-idyllic location to chalk up your first foray into diving, whether that is a simple trydive or your entrylevel qualification.

JOIN THE HUNT FOR LION(FISH) As with many Caribbean countries, the island waters have been invaded by Indo-Pacific lionfish, a voracious predator that has no natural enemies in the Caribbean, breeds at a rapid rate, and is munching all the native reef fish. Thankfully, Grenada and Carriacou have been very proactive in tackling this issue, and you can head off with a Hawaiian sling spear and collecting tube and do your bit for reef conservation by harvesting lionfish. Best of all, for all your hard work, you get to eat your catch, as there are now several recipes for the white meat of these fish and believe me, it is tasty!

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING At the other end of the scale, many of the shipwreck sites in particular lend themselves to technical diving. Whether open circuit or rebreather diving, more-experienced veteran divers are spoilt for choice, and the likes of the Bianca C, King Mitch, Hema I and so on are major draws for those with a ‘lust for deeper rust’.

SNAP HAPPY Underwater photographers will have an absolute ball in the waters off Grenada and Carriacou. As well as the riot of colour adorning the reefs and wrecks because of the phenomenal coral and sponge growth, which with the accompanying reef fish is excellent for wide-angle and macro shooting, you can also encounter turtles, sharks, rays and other photo-friendly ‘big animals’.

WRECK DIVING Grenada can quite rightly claim to be the ‘shipwreck capital of the Caribbean’, boasting a vast array of shipwrecks in depths to suit all levels of divers

There are few countries globally that can compete with Grenada and Carriacou when it comes to shipwrecks, never mind just in the Caribbean, and even more incredibly, many of the sunken vessels were genuine maritime accidents, not purpose-sunk artificial reefs. And because the islands sit near a busy trade route, the number of wrecks is going up all the time! This is fantastic news for divers, and whether you are a newly qualified open water diver, or a hardcore diving veteran, you will find a multitude of shipwrecks awaiting your visit. And if you aren’t into your sunken metal, never fear – the sheer amount of marine growth and fish life that lives on and around the wrecks means every dive is a swirling riot of vibrant colour.

TITANIC OF THE

CARIBBEAN You cannot talk about wreck diving in Grenada without first mentioning the mighty Bianca C, a gigantic 180-metre-long, 18,000-ton Italian liner which went down off the coast of Grenada in 1961. The Bianca C was built in 1939 on the south coast of France, and then after being launched as an incomplete ship named Marechal Petain, was sunk by German forces in August 1944. The hull was raised in 1946 and taken back to its original shipyard where it was refitted and launched as a cruise ship in 1949, bearing the name La Marseillaise. She then became known as the Arosa Sky in 1957 after being sold, before finally, in 1959, she was bought by the G Costa du Genoa company, and was renamed Bianca C after a daughter in the family firm. She was tasked with the run from Naples, Italy, to Guaira in Venezuela, and Grenada was her last stop on the return leg.≠ On 22 October 1961, while anchored off St Georges, an explosion in the boiler room saw the vessel catch fire. Hordes of local boats - ranging from sailing boats, power boats and tiny dinghies to ocean-going yachts and inter-island trading schooners, even rowing boats - responded to the crisis, rescuing all but one person who perished on board. Sadly, of 12 badly burned crew, two other men died later. Showing the friendliness and generosity that Grenada is renowned for, all of the rescued passengers were given food and shelter in hotels, guest houses and even private homes. British frigate HMS Londonderry was in Puerto Rico and sailed down to Grenada to assist. When the naval vessel arrived on 24 October, the Bianca C was still ablaze. The frigate managed to take the huge liner in tow, with an aim to move it away from the shipping lanes, but it proved problematic due to the Bianca C’s rudders being jammed and eventually the towing line snapped and the ship sank, which is how it came to rest upright in 50m of water off Pink Gin Beach. Over 55 years on the seabed has taken its toll on the old girl, and she is deteriorating year on year, but there is no taking away from the epic scale of this enormous vessel, and she still makes a fine flagship for the rest of Grenada and Carriacou’s sunken fleet. It is still possible to make out key aspects of the ship, including the swimming pool, bollards, winches, parts of the superstructure and the bow chain and rope locker. In terms of marine life, you often get large shoals of Atlantic spadefish cruising above the wreck, along with large barracuda, eagle rays and even the odd reef shark.

ACCIDENTAL SHIPWRECKS As said before, due to its location on various shipping routes, Grenada is also blessed with a plethora of shipwrecks that were the result of maritime accidents, and now provide underwater playgrounds for divers and protective habitats for marine life. The 50-metre freighter Shakem was carrying much-needed bags of cement for the building industry on Grenada when she was caught in a storm in May 2001. The heavy cargo shifted and she went down, settling upright in 32m. The remnants of the bags of cement can clearly be seen in the holds – the cement has set, and the bags have long since fallen apart, leaving giant ‘pillows’ stacked neatly in piles – but her real draw is the rich smothering of coral and sponge growth that seems to cover every square inch of her hull, superstructure and especially the large crane lying amidships. This is liberally covered in gorgonian sea fans, while the rear of the ship almost looks like a fluffy white wall dive due to the thick coating of coral. Smaller than the Shakem at a length of 40 metres, the Veronica L is a freighter which sank after springing a leak, but was then raised and moved to a location near Grand Anse after work began on the cruise ship dock. Now lying in 15m, she is a perfect wreck dive for all levels, and is adorned in marine growth and fish life. If you want to get a little more depth, you can even follow anchor chains off the stern down to a small drop-off at a depth of 30m. The Atlantic side of Grenada – which is often rougher, with large swells, but also benefits from having tremendous visibility - is home to several world-class shipwrecks. The King Mitch makes for an unusual wreck dive, given that she resembles a box with a pointed front! Originally a US Navy minesweeper from World War Two, she was retro-fitted into a freighter by having two cargo holds inserted in her middle, with a crane attached to the deck between them. She lies several miles offshore on her side in 32m, and sank in 1981 when her bilge pump failed. There is some coral growth on her, but as the wrecks on this side of the island are often swept by sometimes fierce currents, it is nowhere near as prolific and dense as on the Caribbean side. What it does have is nurse sharks, lots of them, and southern stingrays, not to mention patrolling barracuda and amberjack. A little closer to land is the cargo vessel Hema 1, which had delivered a consignment of cement to the island and was enroute back to Trinidad on 1 March 2005 when she was also the victim of a failed bilge pump and ended up in 30m of water. Shortly after being sunk, she was broken apart by hurricane surge, and now the hull and bow lie on their port side, with the midships well flattened. This wreck is another haunt for nurse sharks, which swarm in large numbers under hull plates and near the bow, and reef sharks sometimes pay a fleeting visit from out of the blue. The latest vessel to join Grenada’s underwater fleet on the Atlantic side is the Persia II, which went down in 35m in March 2017. Coral growth on this cargo ship is fairly sparse at the moment, but algae has taken a hold, and marine life has already started to move in, with various reef fish and the invasive lionfish in residence. Being some eight miles offshore means currents can be strong, and she lies close to deep water, so only time will tell what will eventually call her home, but in the meantime, divers can enjoy seeing a ship in the early stages of being claimed by the sea.

ARTIFICIAL REEFS Not that they necessarily need it with such a selection of genuine shipwrecks, but Grenada and Carriacou also boast several artificial reefs, and more are in the pipeline. Grenada has the Buccaneer, a sloop sunk way back in 1978 that lies on its starboard side in just 24m and is well-festooned with marine growth. She is only small, but home to plenty of fish life, and her compact nature makes her perfect for photography.The cargo ship MV Hildur has been down since 2007 and lies in Grand Mal Bay in 35m. Like the Buccaneer, she has collected a thick layer of encrusting coral and sponge growth in her time on the bottom, and her large open holds provide the perfect environment for shoals of fish. Spadefish and barracuda often swim in the water above her. On Carriacou near Mabouya Island, you have the Twin Tugs, two vessels sitting within a short distance of one another in 28-30m, though for a thorough exploration of both, they are best visited individually due to the depth. Both are around 30 metres in length - the Westsider was sent to the bottom on 4 September 2004, and the Boris followed on 10 September 2007. The two wrecks are covered in vibrant red and orange encrusting corals and algaes and penetration into the interior is possible on both. Currents can sometimes sweep across them, and they are home to angelfish, wrasse, soldierfish, lobster and moray eels.

So that’s a whistlestop tour of some of Grenada and Carriacou’s wreck sites, but the ace up the sleeve is that the islands also boast some pristine reef diving as well

REEF DIVING Grenada and Carriacou have a multitude of reef dives, ranging in depth from just a few metres to some in the technical arena – in fact, between the two islands, you have such a selection you could probably spend a month or more here and not have to hit the same site twice. Most of the dive sites are located on the west and south side of both Grenada and Carriacou; some sites are very sheltered, with little or no current, while others are more exposed and can be subject to quite extreme currents at times. Below are a selection of sites on both islands to whet your appetite.

GRENADA Purple Rain is widely regarded as one of the most-pristine reefs on Grenada. The reef ranges in depth from 6-25m, and it is explored as a drift, but how fast you go can vary. On one visit it may be a mild current, gently pushing you along the sloping reef, on another, you can be in for a fast ride as the current roars along. The name comes not from the song by a late, diminutive pop star, but from the clouds of vivid purple Creole wrasse that swarm in the waters above the corals and sponges. Shark Reef is only 12-18m in depth, but the draw is where it is located – just south of Glovers Island on the Atlantic side of Grenada. Generally swept by current, it makes for an interesting drift dive, as you pass through large shoals of snapper and grunts and big patches of sponges and soft corals, keeping an eye out for lobster and huge crabs sheltering in crevices and caves in the reef. Triggerfish, angelfish and parrotfish are also common, and you can usually see the odd nurse shark, which is what gave the site its name. Grenada has a Marine Protected Zone that the islanders are very proud of, and within this area there are a number of dive sites. Flamingo Bay lies in the northern most part of the MPA and is regarded as one of the top spots to visit. The reef goes from 6m down to around 25-27m, and is covered in elkhorn coral and ball, rope, vase and barrel sponges. Angelfish, damselfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish and trumpetfish swim in among this vibrant habitat. Happy Valley has similar depths to Flamingo Bay, and is located in the middle of the MPA. It is a truly stunning dive what starts as a sloping reef rapidly becomes a wall, pockmarked with holes usually occupied by lobster, and an array of huge corals and sponges. Shoaling baitfish fill cuts in the wall, and jacks stalk them through the whip corals. Embedded into the reef, and totally encrusted with coral growth, is a large Admiralty anchor from days gone by. Dragon Bay is also within the MPA, and comprises a series of sand channels that drop down and out towards a gently sloping reef. Maxing out at 23-24m, the sand is home to garden eels, flounder and southern stingrays, while the thick forests of soft corals and sponges on the fingers of reef shelter spotted drums, seahorses, filefish and trumpetfish. Molinere Reef is another pretty dive site in the MPA, but as well as the topographically interesting reef, which is shaped by gullies, crevices and sand channels, and also a small wall, the main attraction here is the Underwater Sculpture Park, the first of its kind on the planet. Ranked in the Top 25 ‘Wonders of the World’ by National Geographic, this underwater work of art sees several large-scale installations in just a few metres of water, including Vicissitudes, a circle of life-size figures cast from local children linked by holding hands; The Lost Correspondent, which is a man working at his desk on a typewriter; The Un-Still Life, a classical still-life composition of a vase and bowl of fruit on a table; and the Nutmeg Princess, which sees a life-size figure ‘growing’ out of a nutmeg pod. Created by Jason deCaires Taylor, Troy Lewis, Rene Froehlich and Lene Kilde, the amazingly lifelike statues have started to assume bizarre alien-like appearances as encrusting corals and sponges have taken hold. Shallow enough to be experienced by snorkellers, this is one site that needs to be appreciated by all divers. Wibbles Reef is a fairly deep reef, extending from 15-26m, and it is generally tagged on to the end of a dive on the Bianca C, as once you drift off the bow of this giant, you can start heading upwards and pick up the reef on your way. It makes a nice dive in its own right, and as it is often swept by a current, it makes for a relaxing drift dive – you just set your buoyancy, then sit back and enjoy the ride, taking in the scenery as you go. Turtles, eagle rays, jacks and barracuda are often encountered along the way, and the sponge growth, particularly of barrel varieties, is impressive.

CARRIACOU Over on Carriacou, you have the Sisters, which is one of the most-famous dive sites on the islands. These two rock pinnacles are often swept by strong currents, and this means they have phenomenal coral growth, as well as a diverse mix of marine life. There are actually two dive sites, Deep Blue – which features a wall that drops to 40m and Barracuda Point, and both can be extremely challenging if the current is running, but this is when you get the major displays of shoaling fish. Tropical Hill is a seamount rising up from 18m to just below the surface, and it is absolutely teeming with life. Wide cracks running several metres upwards on the rock face can be jam-packed with lobster, while shoals of Creole wrasse and snapper swarm in and around the large gorgonian sea fans and sponges protruding out into the nutrient-rich water. Turtles are often found mooching around in the shallows. White Sand Beach is a relaxing shallow dive, no deeper than 12m, which basically entails cruising around several large rock formations that are covered in coral growth and large sponges, making them a perfect habitat for juvenile reef fish, and exploring the sand patches between, which are home to jawfish, garden eels, southern stingrays and occasional turtles. If you are after an adrenalin-rush, then Layer Cake is just the ticket. Located off the south of the island, it comprises a rapid drift along a gently sloping reef which then becomes ‘stepped’ like a wedding cake, but with deep undercuts and overhangs that you can shelter in momentarily out of the current before heading back out into the maelstrom. Nurse sharks and moray eels are often seen as you fly over the reef.

TOPSIDE

ATTRACTIONS

Grenada and Carriacou are the complete holiday destination, boasting a host of attractions and activities to keep you occupied when you are not exploring beneath the surface. For the adventurous, the lush interior offers many hiking trails, ranging from gently undulating, family-friendly paths to rugged, off-the-beaten-track explorations. The rainforest around the Grand Etang Forest Reserve is one of the most-popular areas on the island, and the thick vegetation surrounding Grand Etang Lake – a 30-acre body of water sitting in the crater of an extinct volcano – is home to a wide variety of animals, including the playful Mona monkey (Grenada is its only home outside of West Africa). The 450-acre Levera National Park has an extensive mangrove swamp that is considered one of the most-important wildlife habitats on the island, and between March and August, you have the chance to witness leatherback turtles laying their eggs, or see the newly born youngsters making their way to the sea.

To explore the island using other modes of transport, you can venture off on a jeep safari or a self-drive guided buggy tour, which will deliver you to some out-of-the-way places, or use pedal power to explore on a bicycle. Of course, there are a multitude of seasoned drivers offering minibus tours of the islands, who will be able to regal you with all manner of facts, figures and interesting information. Why not tie a tour in with a river tubing adventure? Blasting down river in a blow-up ring is fun for all of the family! There are lots of opportunities to delve into the rich history of the islands as well. At the Belmont Estate, a 300-year-old working plantation spread across 400 acres, you can see firsthand the centuries-old practice of processing cocoa and producing some of the region’s best chocolate, while on the River Antoine Estate – a privately owned rum distillery dating back to 1785 - you can marvel at the oldest functioning water-propelled distillery in the western hemisphere. On Carriacou, the Belair National Park is home to various old English and French ruins, along with pristine windmills, attesting to the island’s industrial heritage. To really head into the past, check out the petroglyphs, well-carved images embedded into rocks at several points around the western and

northern coasts of Grenada, which are from the Amerindian era around 1,000AD. The Gouyave nutmeg processing station, one of the largest factories on Grenada, gives you an insight into how workers choose, grade and package the nutmegs, an export that helped gain Grenada its nickname of ‘the Spice Island’ (it is the second largest producer of nutmeg in the world). In St George’s - the capital of Grenada – you can tour around Fort George, Fort Matthew and Fort Frederick, which were all established in the 18th century and offer stunning panoramic views of the town. You can also see the Christ of the Deep statue, which was commissioned by the Italian Costa Steamship Line in appreciation for the rescue of the passengers and crew off the Bianca C cruise liner when it sank in 1961, and wander around the Carenage, a picturesque harbour that is a hub of trade and tourism. If you can’t get enough of that inviting, warm, blue water, then there are plenty of surface watersports on offer. You can chill out and relax on a sailing catamaran cruise, taking in the stunning island scenery, or if that isn’t fast enough for you, why not try a

high-speed RIB safari? If you want to explore under your own power, many places offer rental of Hobie Cat catamarans, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, and for the kids – and the young-atheart! – you can always go for a blast on a ringo towed behind a speedboat, or try your hand at flyboarding. The native inhabitants of the islands are very welcoming and friendly, so make sure you also take time to interact with the locals. There are plenty of events throughout the year on both Grenada and Carriacou, from colourful carnivals, sailing regattas, fishing tournaments, music festivals and even events dedicated to that tasty island delicacy, chocolate! And let’s not forget that Grenada and Carriacou are the perfect place to just kick back, relax and let the islands whisk away the trials and tribulations of daily life back home. Nothing beats chilling out on one of any number of beaches with an ice-cold cocktail and soaking up the island vibes. Heh, if it was good enough for Captain Jack Sparrow - Anse La Roche Beach on Carriacou was featured in the original Pirates of the Caribbean movie - it is good enough for you! Now, where’s the rum… n

Aquanauts Grenada True Blue & Grand Anse, Grenada Phone: +1 (473) 444 1126 sales@aquanautsgrenada.com www.aquanautsgrenada.com

Dive Grenada Mt Cinnamon Hotel, Grenada Phone: +1 (473) 444 1092 info@divegrenada.com www.divegrenada.com

Lumbadive PADI 5 star Harvey Vale, Tyrell Bay, Carriacou Phone: +1 (473) 443 8566 dive@lumbadive.com www.lumbadive.com

Deefer Diving Carriacou Hillsborough, Carriacou Phone: +1 (473) 443 7882 info@deeferdiving.com www.deeferdiving.com

Eco Dive - Grenada Coyaba Beach Resort, Grenada Phone: +1 (473) 444 7777 dive@ecodiveandtrek.com www.ecodiveandtrek.com

Scuba Tech Calabash Hotel, Grenada Phone: +1 (473) 439 4346 info@scubatech-grenada.com www.scubatech-grenada.com

www.puredivinggrenada.com

Tales from

THE TANK BY SOPHIE MONTGOMERY, DIVE OFFICER

ere at the aquarium people love to see all the different types of animals that we have on display here, but don’t really understand all the work that goes on behind the scenes. The divers and aquarists work extremely hard to keep the displays looking lovely for our visitors and we do this by doing different methods of cleaning and water changes, and feeding the animals. All the food is taken out of the freezer and placed in a fridge the night before as we have a huge amount we have to feed. The divers do the food prep for the main tank animals and it takes about an hour to complete it all, then the zoological team prep all the food for the rest of the animals in the aquarium and this takes them about 45 minutes to prep. We feed the animals all different types of things, like mussel meat, mackerel, whiting, roach, trout, razor clams, etc. With some of the animals we have to train them to target feed so that we can control the food intake that they have, for example with our otters this is a process called operant conditioning, which means the otters are trained to touch a red ball on a stick with either their nose or their paws. This allows us to carry out daily health checks on each individual and monitor how much food they are taking. As a form of enrichment for our animals, we build various apparatus for them to use, for example hanging bottles off a wooden frame filled with mealworms for our otters. In between feeding the animals throughout the day, we are cleaning all of the tanks. Some of the cleaning that we have to do is as simple as cleaning the outside of the glass of the exhibits for the customers and de-algaeing, but then other things we have to do to look after the animals and make sure the displays

“Other methods of cleaning tanks, especially the big tanks like the main exhibit and reef section, the divers actually get into the water and we use a vacuum system to clean all the rocks”

look nice is backwash, which means doing a giant water change while cleaning the filter media in the sand filters. Other methods of cleaning tanks, especially the big tanks like the main exhibit and reef section, the divers actually get into the water and we use a vacuum system to clean all the rocks as well as using a large-scale siphon to filter and clean the sand. This process we do everyday or every other day, and it has to be done to maintain the tanks’ system. It’s not much of a glamorous job when you have to clean the filter socks and protein skimmers for every marine tank in the building, but we love working with the animals. n

If you would like more information on diving with our sharks, please call us on (0151) 357 8800, or send us an email to: info@blueplanetaquarium.co.uk WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Dive Agency News Each month, we invite all the main dive training agencies to showcase new courses, forthcoming events, staff changes and promotions, and so on. scubadivermag.com/agencynews

Over the years as an IANTD instructor, IT and now Training Director for the UK, and BOA member for HQ, Phil Short has been privileged to be involved in many varied and exciting projects worldwide on both wreck and cave diving sites. This summer, he was involved in one of his most-humbling, emotional and rewarding to date. Phil explains: “The Tulsamerican B-24 J Liberator heavy bomber was lost off the island of Vis Croatia after attempting an emergency landing on the island’s short airstrip and then ditching in the ocean. During the ditching, three crew members were very sadly lost. “The team I have worked with for the last six years were sent by the DPAA to excavate the site and attempt to recover remains to enable those lost crew members to be returned to their families for burial and closure. “Our team worked on the site for four weeks in May and June using water dredge equipment to archaeologically remove the sediment around and in the aircraft, and then visually sieved the sediment for possible osseous remains. “Working on a project such as this, where fallen heroes are able to be returned home, was a huge emotional drain in addition to the usual physical drain of a month-long commercial diving project in the field. What kept me going was the camaraderie of our tight-knit team, and the knowledge of being part of the ethos of ‘they will be remembered!’.” www.iantd.uk.com

BSAC INVITES NON-MEMBERS ON TRY TECH EVENT. Following an over-subscribed rebreather ‘have a go’ event at Stoney Cove, BSAC is now repeating the event at Vobster Quay, Somerset, on 30 September to 1 October. It has increased the number of places and is throwing out the invitation to non-members. Try Tech Vobster will provide try rebreather sessions for divers considering going down the CCR route, as well as offer existing rebreather divers the chance to try out other types of unit. The event is being supported by AP Diving, Liberty and Poseidon and is open to PADI Rescue Divers or equivalent grade. There will be four repeated sessions over the whole weekend that divers can sign up for. Sessions will include a 2030 minute presentation to introduce rebreather diving and the basics on how rebreathers work. This will be followed by a one-and-a-half hour practical session with the open water try dive. There will be a 2:1 ratio of BSAC tech instructors to participants for the open water element. Try Tech Vobster is a great opportunity for divers (whether BSAC members or not) to meet and chat about rebreather diving, as well as talk to the BSAC Technical teams about training opportunities and the next steps to CCR. www.bsac.com/trytech

Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Matt Silver-Vallance recently visited TDI/SDI UK HQ in Paignton. Sir Ranulph is an explorer who has walked to both Poles, run seven marathons in seven days on seven continents, climbed Everest and the other highest peaks on each continent, and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the greatest living explorer. Ran and Matt are getting their SDI Open Water certification and started off in Paignton, before completing the open water dives at NDAC. They chose SDI for their scuba training as part of a new project they are working on. They will be building the experience required over the next few months with TDI/SDI IT Mark Powell. A huge congratulation to Jamie Smith, who had passed his SDI IE with IT Steve Cowley at NDAC. Well done also to Geoff Creighton, who has been working with IT and SF2 UK distributor Matt Partridge to become an SF2 instructor. A range of TDI/SDI instructors will be presenting on the Tek Deck area at the dive show. This area is intended to provide more interactive, workshop-type talks rather than the lectures on the main stage and will focus on a range of tech-diving related topics. There will be sessions on equipment configuration, how to choose a CCR, doing shutdowns, ascent techniques, and CCR maintenance. SDI/TDI/ERDI divers and instructors can now access a digital version of their certification cards directly from our website. No apps required - and it’s free. Once you log into your user profile on our website, the option to download any certification card you’ve earned is available anywhere your phone, tablet or laptop has access to the internet. Just click the ‘Digital C-Cards’ tab on the left side of the screen and choose which card you would like to download. The .pdf file will save to your phone and will be available to you, whether you have internet service or not at your destination. www.tdisdi.com

SSI would like to welcome the following new dive centres who have completed their SSI crossover and will now be offering SSI courses: Morecambe Area Divers, St Abbs charters, Rec 2 Tec, Sound Diving, Dive Life. Congratulations to you all. Any dive centres wanting more information about how to cross to SSI should contact: gbr@divessi.com SSI has recently updated the Gas Blender course, and SSI dive pros can now download the new materials. www.divessi.com

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RAID IS THE FASTEST-GROWING DIVER TRAINING AGENCY IN THE WORLD. The regional office at RAID UK and Malta have made an unprecedented approach to rewarding the hard work of their member base. In return for conducting the highest quality courses in the industry, RAID UK and Malta have made a commitment to discount annual membership fees! It seems that other training agencies deem a letter with a ‘pat on the back’ message as appropriate for a year’s hard graft. How many times have instructors received their ‘elite’ status and wished they could be rewarded with something more worthwhile than a cert card sticker. After all, the members are the heart of any training agency – RAID recognise that without them, the agency will never reach it’s potential. RAID take all suggestions from their members seriously. RAID Instructors and Dive Centres are actively invited to critique courses and put forward improvements. This also extends to membership services. RAID may not be the largest training agency in the world, and nor do they strive to be. Instead, they are a close-knit family where every instructor is valued, members are a name and not just a number. When a new idea is proposed or concern aired, RAID listen. RAID UK and Malta want to reward their members for their hard work and dedication to RAID. Within the renewal period of October to October: • Any RAID Instructor that certifies 25 students will receive a 50 percent reduction on their online renewal fee for their next renewal • Any RAID Instructor that certifies 50 students will receive free membership for their next renewal. • Any RAID Dive Centre that certifies 100 students will receive free Dive Centre membership for their next renewal. James Rogers, Director of RAID UK and Malta explained his decision. “Our goal is to support our members. By building this great incentive programme, a committed RAID Dive Centre or Instructor does not need to spend huge sums on Membership Renewals each year to continue training RAID divers. How refreshing!” Once again, RAID are leading the way in the diving industry. With renewals on the horizon, there is no better time to get in touch. If you are considering becoming a RAID Instructor, regular Instructor Development Programmes and cross over courses are held throughout the region. Special crossover rates available for bespoke Dive Centres and Instructor teams delivered at your location. www.diveraid.com

PROJECT AWARE® LAUNCHES THE DIVE AGAINST DEBRIS® MOBILE APP Divers can now use their smartphone as a tool for ocean conservation with the Dive Against Debris® mobile app. After requests from the scuba dive community for an easier way to report marine debris data, Project AWARE began developing a mobile app that would revolutionise the data submission process for Dive Against Debris - the only global underwater marine debris survey of its kind! With the Dive Against Debris app, divers are empowered to bring to the surface what’s going on beneath the waves and be the voice of the ocean and the creatures who live there. Divers can also report sites free of debris. The app includes a list of common debris items and uses geo-location for quick and easy reporting. The free mobile app is now available to download direct from Google Play or iTunes. #IAMPADI – PADI STAFF LEAD THE WAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA We have a unique culture at PADI. Born from the mission to teach the world to dive, we all work together to change people’s lives for the better and that is something we are proud of. PADI employees are at the forefront of this change. They are a force for good, and are striving to be part of the global solution for sustainability. From the creation of the PADI’s Four Pillars of Change (PADI’s official stance on critical issues that affect the dive industry and the ocean planet), PADI staff actively promote healing and wellness, ocean health, people and community and marine animals. Look for the #IAMPADI hashtag on PADI’s Facebook and Instagram channels to see what staff are getting up to outside of the office in their endeavours to inspire the diving community. www.padi.com

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EARLIER IN AUGUST, MEMBERS OF CHELTENHAM SUB AQUA CLUB DIVED HODGE CLOSE MINE OVER TWO DAYS. In their words, it was ‘exhilarating, exhausting work… and extremely cool!’ Congratulations go to Christian Pearce on becoming a Club Diver with Biddulph Sub Aqua Club, and Steve and Mary King, who both successfully completed their Dive Supervisor training at Stevenage Sub Aqua Club. Chloe Dummer successfully completed all elements of the Elementary Diver level with WYP Sub Aqua Club and is also now qualified to dive in a drysuit. Leo Pearson is also now qualified to dive in a drysuit, as is Ryan Cake. Members of this Mercia Sub Aqua Club have been working on their nitrox and first aid qualifications - Andy Seals, Lesley Skermer and Alan Skermer have recently passed their O2/EDFDA qualifications, and Callum Birnie and Alastair Birnie are now able to dive using nitrox after passing the course. Whiston and Prescot Sub Aqua Club recently headed to Scapa Flow, and John Rice of the club commented: “In a recent issue of Scuba Diver (July 2017), it was argued that the Kyarra is a National Treasure. Although not opposed to such an argument, I do believe that the wrecks of Scapa Flow should be deemed a Scuba World Heritage Site, as the significance of the whole German High Seas Fleet, along with the Churchill Block Ships, and the war grave wrecks of the Royal Oak and the Vanguard, are far too important to allow them to simply slip into history without a detailed record being taken beforehand, and scuba divers should have a roll in collecting the data for such a record. “WAPSAC recently undertook the long trip up to Scapa Flow, and it was an awesome trip, and afterwards I could reflect on a series of dives that had tested my whole arsenal of diving skills. “While I do intend to return to Scapa Flow soon, and was totally in awe of the remains of the scuttled German Imperial High Seas Fleet, lessons will be learnt, and further training will be undertaken. Scapa Flow really is diving at its best, and most testing of dive skills.” www.saa.org.uk

GOING DEEP IN EDEN

The Seychelles archipelago was once named the Garden of Eden by ancient Arab sailors, and AL HORNSBY reckons the reality can more than live up to its hyperbolic reputation Photographs by AL HORNSBY

t’s dawn, the rising sun quickly illuminating our view to the horizon after a night flight from Europe. As far as we can see, there is only the deep cobalt of the Indian Ocean merging with a paler sky; puffy, white clouds are scattered here and there. Finally, small islands begin to appear, and they grow to become a collection of lush, green mountains wreathed in cloud, each fringed by pure, white sand and surrounded by water of the brightest turquoise. It’s easy to see why the Seychelles archipelago is regarded as one of the most-beautiful places on Earth; it was actually considered by ancient Arab sailors to be the fabled Garden of Eden. The inner islands are chiefly pink and grey granite, covered in a rich proliferation of tropical vegetation, with scattered waterfalls and streams splashing down to bright, sun-lit beaches. Off to the southwest, the islands’ nature changes, and a string of scarcely inhabited coral atolls meander for 1,150km to fabled Aldabra Lagoon, in the oceanic wilderness toward Africa. Colonies of birds are found seemingly everywhere – boobies, terns, tropic-birds and frigate birds, by the millions during the migratory seasons. And on a number of the islands are giant tortoises, more than 150,000 in all. Having spent a couple of months of intensive diving and exploring the Seychelles over the years, the islands remain one of my very favourite places. Besides being lovely, the place has a simple ‘easiness’ to it – it is tropical, but pleasantly not-too-hot; the French Creole cooking and extravagant varieties of fresh fruit and seafood make every day dining remarkable; and accommodations run from simple charm to the most-exquisite luxury, whether on land or liveaboard. The diving here, centred around the inner islands, is something equally special. The geology provides a dramatic underwater environment like none other I’ve ever seen. The same granite spires and columns that form the islands have their roots in the sea, and the diving is predominantly among a complex landscape of granite boulders, walls and spires that rise up toward the surface from deeper water, forming caverns and overhangs. They are covered with sponges, wire and hard corals, and soft corals emerge from protected crevices, all fed by warm, clear, nutrient-rich waters. Beyond all else, however, is the concentration and variety of marine life. The bottom is home to an immense assortment of macro-critters such as shrimps, crabs, nudibranchs and live shells – for shell aficionados, you can find and photograph many, including uncommon varieties, such as Conus aulicus, ammiralus and episcopus, and the lovely Murex palmarosae. Massive schools of fish swirl about, and interesting species such as Napolean wrasse, spadefish and pompano, eagle rays, large marbled rays and a number of different sharks are frequent. And, if that wasn’t enough, there are many resident mantas, and some 500 individually-identified whalesharks spend the fall months feeding in the islands’ waters.

MAHE

The Seychelles’ capital, and the resort hub for travellers, is Mahe. The largest of the islands, covering 155 sq km of lush, mountainous terrain and sandy beaches dotted with huge granite boulders, it is also the centre for Seychelles diving. Around the northern end of Mahe, my favourite dives are: The Wreck of the Ennerdale – A 100-metre British Royal Fleet auxiliary tanker that sank in 1970, the wreck sits on a 30m sand bottom, its superstructure dramatic. It has a great swarm of fish life, and we found the bridge swirling with glassy sweeper and batfish. Several groups of eagle rays made repeated passes, and we came across a large Queensland grouper, one of several resident to the wreck. Shark Bank – Large, granite rocks and pinnacles jut up from a 35m bottom, creating a beautiful dive averaging 20 metres in depth. The stone is covered by orange cup corals and there are many small, purple soft corals. We photographed schools of spadefish, fusiliers, blue-striped snapper, mobula rays and large marbled stingrays. Conception Island – This small island sits just off Mahe’s northwestern shoreline. On a flat sand and coralline bottom at 25m, encrusted granite boulders lay scattered about, with lots of large fish. In our dives we saw schools of big-eye jacks and great barracuda, white-tip and grey reef sharks, and several species of rays. At one point, we were surprised by a group of bumphead parrotfish, which noisily swept in and by us. Along the southwestern coast of Mahe, there are also a number excellent dives: Elephant Rock – An offshore site with a maximum depth of 20m, this dive centres around a large pinnacle sprinkled with low, hard corals and soft corals. It has lots of fish, and resident eagle rays. There are a number of nurse sharks, and loads of bottom dwellers such as shells, octopi, scorpionfish and lionfish. Alice in Wonderland – Alice is a coral plateau at depths of 12m to 20m. It has stands of staghorn and table corals, and lots of reef tropicals swim in and out of the corals. Like many Seychelles’ dive sites, there are many large anemones and several species of clownfish, including false clowns, orange-fin and skunks. Whalesharks - Throughout the islands, but chiefly around Mahe, is the worldclass specialty of the Seychelles – snorkelling with whalesharks. From August through the end of October, hundreds of them migrate in to feed in the rich waters. The Marine Conservation Society Seychelles’ Whaleshark Programme monitors the sharks, and during the season, the groups of sharks are tracked from the air; research boats go out for snorkelling encounters. Visitors’ fees help to fund the program. And, while such interactions can never be guaranteed, the success rate on the research boats is remarkably high – at times encountering aggregations of 20-30 sharks.

“The same granite spires and columns that form the islands have their roots in the sea, and the diving is predominantly among a complex landscape of granite boulders, walls and spires that rise up toward the surface from deeper water, forming caverns and overhangs”

PRALIN AND LA DIGUE

The next chief diving area is around the islands of Praslin and La Digue, which lie to the north of Mahe. Praslin is the second largest island of the Seychelles, known for exquisite beaches, rare birds and virgin forest. La Digue, just to the east of Praslin, is the top of a submerged mountain surrounded by white sand beaches dramatically interspersed with huge, grey and pink granite boulders. My favourite dives here are: Marianne Island – The site, which consists of pinnacle rocks and giant, granite needles that rise up from 23m of depth, is often considered the best shark dive in the inner Seychelles. With lots of resident white-tips, nurse and grey reef sharks, things really heat up from September-November, when the grey reef mating seasons occurs. Breeding females arrive in large numbers, moving around the pinnacles and grottos, pursued by males; breath-taking stuff when you are in their midst. Ave Maria Rock – This very popular dive lies mid-channel between Praslin and La Digue. Large boulders extend into the water, forming walls, swimthroughs and grottos, which we found practically filled with glassy sweeper and silversides, marauding bluefin trevally and coral grouper slashing through their midst, actively feeding. Along the bottom, there were large Napoleon wrasse, and we saw several, very calm green turtles.

DAY ROCHES

Nearly 230km to the south, Des Roches is a tiny, palm-covered coral island, only six kilometres long, well-known as both a romantic hideaway and an exciting dive destination. Its deserted beaches, with their many wading birds, stretch away to the limits of vision. My favorite dives here are along its wall: Tunnel – Through a large opening in the reef top at 14m of depth, the passageway extends downwards, vertically. Schools of blue-stripe snapper, macaloris snapper and oriental sweetlips practically fill the entrance. At 25m, the tunnel opens out onto the wall face. Leopard sharks are often seen along the drop. Canyons – In an area where a portion of the reef face has toppled away, it has formed a vertical cavern and a series of deep canyons, down to 38m. Black coral bushes and cup corals grow along the cavern face, and on my last dive there, a huge school of resident bigeye jacks, a moving silver wall, completely enveloped us. Mantas and eagle rays also regularly move through this area, and large bull helmet shells lie about on the sandy bottom.

BACK TO NATURE

Along with the diving, however, any trip to the Seychelles should include the time to visit some of the many nature reserves, which are home to a wide variety of plants, birds and reptiles. Especially interesting is the small island of Aride, a world-renowned bird

sanctuary located just north of Praslin. Hikes along its jungled trails provide close viewing of nesting fairy, noddy, roseate and sooty terns, along with huge frigate birds, which feed and roost around the island.

CONCLUSION

With an article like this about such a large and varied area, there is never enough space to adequately tell the story. This is especially true of the Seychelles, whose culture, natural resources, innate beauty and diving each could easily support its own narrative. And, at this moment in time, this is especially true. Considered one of the ocean’s crown jewels, far-flung Aldabra Lagoon is, without argument, one of our planet’s most-rare and exquisite locations - a remote, protected ecological paradise that is remarkably untouched, its lagoon and coral reefs crowded with marine species, its beaches and islets home to hordes of birds and giant tortoises. Aldabra and several associated islands - such as Assumption, Cosmoledo and Astove - have been closed to tourism for many years, but are now back within reach of several liveaboards. As one of the lucky few to have dived this area – as part of a three-week-long National Geographic expedition in the early 1990s – I can say, without question, that its hyperbolic reputation, if anything, is modest compared to the startling reality. Without exaggeration, in so many ways, the Seychelles archipelago ranks as a world wonder, worthy of anyone’s ‘must visit’ list. n

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urghada is the lifelong friend that always makes you smile, regardless of how long it’s been since you were last together. You cannot forget the sunset view of the mountains, or the islands as you head out to sea. This Red Sea destination is only a five and a half hour flight from the UK and has something for everybody. It’s been a real shame to see tourism decline and also experience the true impact that has had on the residents. True to human spirit, despite the global issues that Egypt has suffered the effects of over the last few years, the Hurghadians are still full of optimism and passion for the Red Sea and its marine life. Regardless of what happens in the world in our lifetime, generations after ours will continue to explore beneath the surface of the ocean and until my last breath, so will I. Hurghada is the perfect place to do this. In historical context, diving has only been around a short time and continues to captivate millions of people. The development of equipment and accessibility through this advancement has enabled almost anybody to shape their own experiences. The choice of training methods and agencies is ever-changing and evolving - as they should, meaning that choice is in the hands of the diver and not the agency. Whether you wish to dive with a professional once a year in the blue, or week in, week out in the UK green, you can with an equal sense of enjoyment and achievement. Diving is for all. There is a lot of choice out there - day boats or liveaboards can both satisfy the needs of the traveller. The key thing is being really clear with what you expect and need. My first taste of the underwater world left me hooked. I have the photograph to remember this day, and each time I look at it, it brings me back down to earth and reminds me to appreciate the magic that I felt that first time. Technical diving for me is a regular repeat of that first wonder. The ability and understanding of the process enabling me to go where many others can not. To see things that others maybe never will, or for that one moment to be the only person able to feel that connection to the ocean. Technical diving for me is simply a tool to explore further, whether it is to go deeper or to stay longer, or a combination of the two. Technical diving is as complicated as you choose to make it. If you think about what you are doing ahead of doing it, chances are that you’ll have a long and rewarding life in diving. By using a different skill set and applying some additional knowledge and procedures, a world of exploration becomes available. It’s not as difficult or as cumbersome as you may think. Yes, there are times that I’ll have 12 cylinders attached and look like a VW Beetle, but there are also times where I will have four and still have an awesome time.

HURGHADA in-depth STEVE BARNARD is an experienced technical diver with literally hundreds of sub-100m dives under his belt, and here he waxes lyrical about the subsea attractions of Hurghada in the Egyptian Red Sea Photographs by STEVE BARNARD/ KRAKEN TECHNICAL LTD

“Just be mindful that if you dive this with me, the inner marine biologist emerges and I will happily spend hours with the upside-down jellyfish that are common on the seabed. I love these little critters as they are just fascinating”

My latest technical trip to Hurghada was a nicely varied combination of mixed gas, open circuit, closed circuit and sidemount diving in caverns, wrecks and around deep reefs. Delivering a number of courses, mainly advanced mixed gas in the nice warm blue sea and taking some stills and making some videos. You cannot beat that feeling of splashing in and making your descent through midwater - the tranquility and peace when you are in control and making your way towards your target. Meticulous planning and preparation meaning that it’s fun and the dive just flows easily. An example of this was a dive off Giftun Island - I was following two competent and confident trainees along a ridge in 100m of seawater with every bit of faith that they have calculated their dive correctly. I was enjoying watching them communicate calmly and with clarity the whole time. They had a nice position in the water, carrying five cylinders each, and were clearly relaxed. I think that this is the true measure of readiness at this level. When the training has been thorough, and the trainees’ attitudes have been positive and the focus has been

on mastery, it makes the execution so much smoother. It means that divers are safe and can pass that on to others. I’ve had the pleasure of training some brilliant people that have gone on to become excellent divers over the years, and this pair has joined those ranks. This most-recent trip was mainly diving with female techies - Danielle, Becca and Sarah. They are all excellent in the water and can give any of the boys a run for their money, but most importantly know how to be photographed, which makes my life way easier. While a lot of the fun dives are in deeper water, such as the Gulf Fleet 31 in 100m, it’s not all about the depth, it’s often more to do with duration. A prime example of a really pleasant dive is El Minya, and its neighbour, the Hasaballa. This is an ideal opportunity to explore the inner recesses of the two ships while not racking up too much decompression obligation at 30m. With plenty of light due to the depth, you can easily get in first and out last if you make the most of the site. Descending onto El Minya, you can see the blast damage and a number of unexploded

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bombs littering the wreck and surrounding seabed. You can explore the companionways and passages within the wreck, and get deep into the hull without much effort. If the site is busy you can swim off the wreck away from the deck and within a few minutes find a sunken fishing boat complete with many of its original features and swarms of lionfish. This is another fine wreck to build confidence with, as it has excellent swim-throughs, including the engine rooms and crew quarters. It’s important to be aware of the nets that are on the deck and floating inside the engine room and wheelhouse. Just be mindful that if you dive this with me, the inner marine biologist emerges and I will happily spend hours with the upside-down jellyfish that are common on the seabed. I love these little critters as they are just fascinating. When land-based, I use Divers Lodge in Hurghada. This has been known as one of the main dive centres for technical diving for a long time. Frequented by pioneers like Rob Palmer, Pascal Bernabe, Ahmed Gabr and erm... me, this was the place to go for technical dive exploration since 1993 (I was 11 then, so I wasn’t involved, nor can take any credit). I had my first introduction in the early 2000s thanks to my original role model - Stewart Tattersall. This being one of many experiences I am grateful to Stewart for. I had a fantastic week and got my taste for deeper diving and the exploration possibilities that are opened up. I would never have thought then that 12 years later, I would have clocked up nearly 4,000 dives, of which 100s are deeper than 100m, and the deepest being just over 151m here in Hurghada. That, and I have had the pleasure of teaching many others to be able to do the same. To me, Divers Lodge still is the place to go if you want a solid landbased centre. Why? It’s really important that to achieve a plan, you have control over that plan. Whether it’s a team dive with an extended bottom time on a mid-depth wreck, or cave, or a solo exploration of a cavern in over 150m, it’s crucial that what you need is what you get. This includes a knowledgeable boat crew, a diligent skipper, an accurate gas blender right through to good supplies of food and drink, and many things in between. You get all of this here. You also have a back up in that you can discuss your ideas and plans openly with the owner - Wessam. I’ve used many other centres, but mainly used this centre as my Egypt base and ran a large quantity of technical diver training and ambitious diving projects from here, and it’s never disappointed. Whether it’s just me or one of our large group trips, the standards do not slip. n

“Yes, there are times that I’ll have 12 cylinders attached and look like a VW Beetle, but there are also times where I will have four and still have an awesome time”

EGYPT SARDINIA MAURITIUS INDONESIA

www.orca-diveclubs.com

What’s New

SCUBAPRO HYDROS PRO | SRP: £570

In another industry first, Scubapro has broken through long-standing barriers in BCD design and manufacturing with an innovative process for building BCD harnesses. Traditional BCD harnesses are manufactured using a CMT (Cut, Make, Trim) process, in which multiple layers of fabric, foam and backing are cut to shape, stitched together and then finished with edging tape and detailing. Scubapro’s exclusive new Fluid-Form 3D Gel System replaces the CMT process by injection-molding harness components in soft, highly-resilient Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) and then assembling them in a modular, mechanical process. This patented Injection Molded Monprene® Gel Harness is loaded with features that improve comfort, stability, maneouverability and buoyancy control to enrich the overall diving experience. To begin with, because the gel conforms to the body, divers end up with an extremely ergonomic fit with efficient load distribution free of pressure points, particularly over the shoulders. Secondly, the Monprene® harness retains virtually no water so it weighs less post-dive and dries quickly. Finally, the fabric-free construction provides excellent resistance to UV and chemicals, and because it is modular it offers divers a ‘BCD-forlife’ that’s customisable and easy to repair. The Hydros Pro is the first Scubapro BCD to feature the Fluid-Form 3D Gel System, and is a premium, back inflation, weight-integrated BCD. As an alternative to pockets that can be difficult to access on a dive, the Hydros Pro offers four metal D-rings and lots of eyelets on the lumbar and dorsal plates for attaching accessories. In addition, there are Multi-Mount Points on both sides of the rig for attaching lights, knives, DSMBs and hoses when using the optional Mini-D-Rings and Bungee Lanyards. The Hydros Pro is offered in two versions: one specifically designed for men, and one specifically designed for women to provide the optimum fit for the unique female shape. It also comes in a choice of colours, and colour kits are available for all versions to match the Seawing Nova fins. www.scubapro.co.uk

LUXFER FLAT-BOTTOMED 1.5-LITRE ALUMINIUM CYLINDER | SRP: £70.95

With a working pressure of 200bar, this brushed finish 1.5-litre cylinder features a flat bottom and weighs 2.08kg when empty. www.sea-sea.com

OCEANIC PRO PLUS X (PPX) | SRP: £1,149 Introducing the ProPlus X, a new take on a classic solution. The heart of the ProPlus X is an amazingly bright, low-energy consumption, Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) display. Divers will have no problem seeing dive data in bright surface conditions, or lowering the intensity for night dives. The large, easy-toread screen also has an intuitive colour-coded interface, high-resolution bar graphs, and the largest, most-legible digits of any dive computer on the market. Combined with Bluetooth LE connectivity, a rechargeable lithium battery (up to 60 hours per charge), the ability to handle up to four nitrox mixes (21100 percent) and quick-disconnect hose, the ProPlus X is a true step forward for dive computers. www.oceanicuk.com

APEKS HOSE RETAINER | SRP: £15 The Apeks Hose Retainer is used to retain the long hose when diving in a long hose configuration without the need for a canister light. The hose retainer fits any standard 2-inch webbing and can be used with both single and double tank configurations. Machined from a single piece of Delrin with a laser-etched Apeks logo, the hose retainer is both sleek and durable. www.apeksdiving.com/uk

DIVE RITE HELMET | SRP: £75.95 Divers have long used helmets as a place to mount spare lights and for bump protection in tight places or while scootering. With the advent of the GoPro, they also became the perfect mounting platform for small action cameras. Finding the perfect helmet for diving has always been a challenge because divers do not want a helmet with added foam, which creates extra buoyancy and bulk. Dive Rite’s helmet has a low-profile design that is free of foam. An adjustable suspension system inside the helmet provides a comfortable fit. The quick-adjust knob on the back of the helmet allows the diver to quickly adjust between hood thicknesses. An adjustable, quick-release chin strap keeps the helmet in place throughout the dive. Available in black or red, you can add a QRM receiver to either side of the helmet to easily mount spare or primary lights. Though sold with diving in mind, Dive Rite’s helmet also has a CE EN 397 certification for use as an industrial helmet, protecting the user from falling hazards. www.sea-sea.com

TYPHOON SPECTRE | SRP: £775 The Spectre is made from Typhoon’s TX5 lightweight fabric, which is incredibly flexible, offers unrivalled comfort and is great for warmer dive locations. It features heavy-duty latex neck and wrist seals and a neo-warm neck cover, for additional comfort. The neoprene feet ensures that the Spectre is flexible and adaptive to fit with a wide range of rock boots. Its reinforced knee and seat increases the Spectre’s durability without adding weight and bulk to the suit. The YKK plastic zip also helps to reduce weight and increase flexibility. A large leg storage pocket features one internal D-ring. The suit comes in front and back-entry options and is available in nine sizes from small to double-extra-large. It also comes with a three-year watertight warranty. www.typhoon-int.co.uk

SHEARWATER RESEARCH NERD 2 SRP: £TBC The world’s first near-eye remote display for scuba divers has been redesigned for enhanced flexibility and reliability. In addition to the DiveCAN and Fischer versions, OC divers can now experience the freedom the NERD 2 has to offer. The universal regulator mount allows divers to secure the NERD 2 to their mouthpiece. From the combination of the Micro LCD display and the magnifying lens, the data on the NERD 2 appears as if you were looking at a 25-inch TV 12 feet away. The display is unobtrusive, as it virtually disappears when you look straight ahead. Like all Shearwater computers, the NERD 2 has a two-button interface. State-of-the-art integrated rechargeable lithium-ion battery eliminates the need for the battery box, making the NERD 2 Shearwater’s most-compact design yet. The NERD 2 ships standard with the recharging clip, USB cable, and charging bank. Users can expect a minimum of 18 dive hours, on medium brightness, from a fully charged NERD 2. www.shearwater.com

BARE VELOCITY ULTRA (5MM SRP: £338 / 7MM SRP: £358) The BARE Velocity Ultra wetsuit, available in 5mm and 7mm, is a performance-driven wetsuit that features BARE’s Progressive Full-Stretch construction (which utilises ergonomic design and intricate shaping patterns, and full-stretch neoprene in key areas where flexibility and abrasion resistance are essential), combined with the advancement of ultra-warm Celliant Infrared technology, where minerals woven into the fabric of the suit turn wasted body heat into infrared energy which is reflected back on to your body. Wrist and ankle zipper aid getting in and out of the suits, and the Protekt knee protection provides the next generation of wear resistance. www.baresports.com

Gear Guide

THIS ISSUE: FINS FROM £75-£125

Each month, the SCUBA DIVER test team assembles to rate and review a selection of dive equipment from a range of manufacturers. Products are split into price categories and are then evaluated for performance, comfort, ease of use, build quality, looks and value for money. The Test Team comprises Editor in Chief Mark Evans and a squad of volunteers, whose dive experience ranges from a couple of hundred dives to well over 6,000.

FINS FROM £75-£125 This issue, we continue our fin reviews, with a look at the mid-range models. There are many types of fins available these days, and in this price bracket we had paddle, split and vented fins, with either traditional rubber straps or stainless spring straps.

ON TEST THIS MONTH: • AQUALUNG SHOT FX • ATOMIC X1 BLADEFIN • HOLLIS F2 • OCEANIC V16 • SCUBAPRO TWIN JET MAX

Location: Tested at Vivian Dive Centre, Llanberis

www.viviandivecentre.com

Date tested: 13/07/17 Water temp: 10 degrees C

AQUALUNG SHOT FX | SRP: £86 The Aqualung Shot FX fins are actually designed for women, but the stiffness of the blade increases as the size goes up, so these fins (to fit a size 9-10 boot) felt very similar to the almost-identical X Shot fins, which are considered more generic. Regardless of whether you go for the X Shot or the Shot FX, you will end up with a paddle fin with a relatively short, wide blade that incorporates various design features aimed at increasing the thrust and power generated while at the same time reducing fatigue and any loss of efficiency. The spring straps are equipped with a large thumb loop and make putting the fins on and off very easy, and the non-slip bottom will prevent any embarrassing slips on boats. Available in a selection of colours. The Shot FXs are a good-looking pair of fins, and they feature some nice detailing, such as the engraving on the blade and foot pocket. The supple foot pocket is extremely comfortable, and the spring strap means getting the fins on and off is a doddle, even when you have cold hands encased in thick gloves. The blade does generate plenty of thrust both with a normal kick cycle and a frog kick, though you need good leg muscles to really get the best out of them. Manoeuvrability-wise, they scored well, and you could helicopter turn and back kick without any real difficulty.

BEST VALUE

VERDICT

Good-looking and well-made fins, with a relatively short blade, comfortable foot pocket and robust spring strap. SCORE

••••••••••

ATOMIC AQUATICS X1 BLADEFIN | SRP: £103 Atomic Aquatics are well known for their high-end regulators, but now they are building a reputation in the fin department also. The X1 Bladefin is a robust paddle fin which has rigid, low-profile side rails and a shorter, stiffer blade (than its more-expensive sibling, the Bladefin) which is designed to make turning and pivoting easier, while vertical ‘strakes’ on the tips of the fins add stability and lower drag. It has a long, tall foot pocket, designed for large booties and drysuits boots. The X1 Bladefins are equipped with Atomic’s EZ-Lok buckle system, which allow the buckle to snap on and off easily. Available in blue, red, yellow, silver, pink, purple and black. The X1 Bladefins are well-made, strongly constructed paddle fins with some neat design touches, especially the stablisers on the tips of the fins. In use, we found that they provided immense levels of propulsion, but as with most paddle fins, you do need strong leg muscles to really get the best performance out of them. That said, these were designed to work with all kickstyles, and for a relatively long fin, they can easily cope with frog kicks, back kicks and helicopter turns. I would prefer a spring strap, but the EZ-Lok buckles are the next best thing - simply squeeze the buckle and the whole thing slides off the fin. Effective, even with thick gloves on.

VERDICT

Robust, well-made paddle fins with some neat design touches, comfy foot pocket and effective EZ-Lok buckles. SCORE

••••••••••

HOLLIS F2 | SRP: £115 The Hollis F2 fins really stand out from the crowd thanks to their unique short, fat blade design, which is supposed to add blade surface on both the downstroke and the upstroke to increase your efficiency with any type of kick. The F2s are made via injection moulding using high-grade, heavy-duty monoprene, and are equipped with an integral stainless steel spring strap, with a large thumb loop for easy donning and doffing, which can be adjusted for a fine-tuned fit. The Hollis F2 fins are by far the shortest fins on test here, yet thanks to their unique design, they generate an astonishing amount of thrust but without a lot of pressure on your leg muscles. The ‘bellows’ - for want of a better word - really do seem to give the fins more power, and you can feel and ‘hear’ them working as you move along. Due to their short design, they offer plenty of manoeuvrability in tight spots, and you can frog kick, back kick and helicopter turn with ease. The foot pockets are generous, and the robust spring straps make getting them on and off a simple matter. They only come in black, but with the engraved Hollis logo on the top of the foot pocket, they have a serious, purposeful look - one test team member described them as being very ‘special forces’.

CHOICE VERDICT

Solidly built, uniquely designed fins with a great performance, comfortable foot pocket and nifty, effective spring strap. SCORE

••••••••••

OCEANIC VORTEX V16 | SRP: £79 The Oceanic V16 split fins have been around for several years now, and combine a mix of materials in order to enhance the performance. They are designed to be faster and more efficient than a standard pair of fins, and boast large side rails to add some rigidity to the long blades. They are fitted with stainless steel spring straps that have a large thumb loop to make getting them on and off an easy movement. They come in blue/black or yellow/black. The Vortex V16s are a good-looking fin, with a neat design. They are among the longest fins in this test batch, and one of two split fin styles. Thanks to the split blades, they offer a nice, easy kicking style with a normal fin stroke and develop a reasonable amount of thrust with relatively little effort, but there isn’t the instant power boost you get with paddle fins. It is possible to frog kick, back kick and helicopter turn in them, but the long blades and split design mean it isn’t as neat and efficient as with some of the others on test. The spring straps work a treat, and we could get the fins on and off with no dramas. The large foot pocket was also very comfortable.

VERDICT

Well-made, durable split fins with a comfortable foot pocket, and stainless steel spring heel strap as standard. SCORE

••••••••••

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SCUBAPRO TWIN JET MAX | SRP: £105 Scubapro have a great reputation for making top-quality dive kit, and the Twin Jet Maxs continue this tradition. They blend the vent design from the old-school Jet Fins with a broad paddle section that also incorporates a short split. According to Scubapro, the blade is a dual-compound design that offers a stiffer blade with more feedback. Semi-rigid side rails enhance stability, while the vents reduce drag, and the soft foot pocket provides lots of comfort. The extended sole plate gives additional leverage to improve the transfer of power from foot to fin. The Twin Jet Max fins are equipped with a traditional rubber adjustable heel strap, with pinch-release buckles. The Scubapro Twin Jet Max fins are a big, heavy fin which combine the design elements of a split fin with a traditional vented paddle fin - and bizarrely, it works well. You get masses of propulsion from a normal fin stroke, though you can feel those leg muscles working, and though they are long and broad, you can also get a reasonable frog kick, back kick and helicopter turn out of them, though their sheer size makes the latter a bit of a chore. They are priced well for what they are, but I would upgrade to a stainless steel spring strap over the traditional rubber effort.

VERDICT

Big, heavy fins combing paddle and split fin designs, with decent performance, comfy foot pocket and traditional straps. SCORE

••••••••••

VERDICT

We had a real selection of styles in this price bracket, ranging from full-fledged split fins and paddle fins to something blending the two, and one that looked completely out of this world. In the Best Value category, the Aqualung Shot FXs went head to head with the Atomic Aquatics X1 Bladefins. Both were substantial paddle fins, and both delivered a solid performance, with plenty of thrust and a good all-round capability when it came to different fin strokes, but in the end, the Shot FX just came out on top. The slightly shorter, wider design meant manoeuvering in tight

confines was a little more straightforward, and they are a cracking price. The Choice award was simple. The Scubapros are great fins, but are quite big and heavy. The Hollis F2s are an unusual design, but it works well, and the short nature meant they were a joy to use. A worthy winner.

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Test Extra

BARE X-MISSION | SRP: £1,547

Mark Evans: The BARE X-Mission wins the ‘cool name for a drysuit’ competition hands down – X-Mission, sounds very Special Forces! It actually looks a bit Captain Scarlet with its rather swish red-and-black colour combo (it is also available in all-black), and thanks to its close ‘cave cut’ – as BARE calls it, as it was designed in partnership with a team of elite cave divers who wanted to eliminate any excess material and improve their aqua dynamics - it is far more flattering than some of its rivals. However, it is worth noting that while the cut provides a close fit, it doesn’t mean your manoeuvrability is compromised. I contorted myself into all sorts of positions on land and underwater with little effort, and that was at times with a thick undersuit on. The anatomically shaped torso, arms and legs naturally add to the fine fit, and you can further tweak this to your satisfaction when you tighten up the telescopic torso and the adjustable elastic waistband. Consult BARE’s sizing chart and talk to your dealer, and you will get a well-fitting suit. The X-Mission is made from nylon ripstop trilaminate, which means it is extremely durable and able to cope with the rigours of cave and wreck diving, but also very lightweight – it only tips the scales at 3.4kg, and that is including the seals and boots. That means this is a great all-rounder – you can use it in the UK, but you can also take it with you abroad, for example Malta or Cyprus, or the Red Sea, in the winter months. The suit is a self-entry model, with the light-butstrong plastic zipper running diagonally across the chest, and it is very easy to get in and out of on your own – something that cannot always be said of ‘self-donning’ drysuits! The twin thigh pockets are spacious and equipped with multiple bungee cords in two thicknesses for securing and storing slates, dive lights, DSMBs and spools, and so on. Our test suit came with a neoprene neck seal and latex wrist seals, which is a great pairing. I have always preferred neoprene around my neck, and find it more comfortable. This suit boasted a long neck

seal which nestled nicely around my throat and I never got even the slightest trickle of water invading, and that was after some pretty animated neck rotations! The X-Mission comes with two tech pockets, braces, Apeks valves, whip and a choice of seals and boots. www.baresports.com

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Long Term Test TYPHOON DS1

NEW ARRIVAL Mark Evans: The new arrival this month is the Typhoon DS1, the company’s limited-edition 70th anniversary suit. It pays homage to the first membrane dive suit that Typhoon produced, featuring all the original logo designs, and is still made in the UK at Typhoon’s factory in Redcar. Constructed from Typhoon’s TX6 fabric, with two-layer rubber-taped seams, it features heavy-duty latex neck/wrist seals and comes with neoprene socks as standard, with the option of a thermic boot. The two large leg storage pockets feature two comINFORMATION partments, an internal D-ring Arrival date: August 2017 and attachment loops. Suggested retail price: £895 It comes with a YKK plastic Number of dives: 0 zip to help reduce weight Time in water: 0 hrs 0 mins and increase flexibility. ANCHOR DIVE LIGHTS SERIES 3K

Mark Evans: The Anchor Dive Light accompanied us to Grenada, and before we get into the performance side of things, let’s talk about the size of it. It is positively dinky, and even with the optional Goodman handle, it INFORMATION clips unobtrusively on your Arrival date: July 2017 BCD until you need it. Perfect Suggested retail price: £695 for travelling divers, it doesn’t Number of dives: 19 take up much of your weight Time in water: 18 hrs 20 mins allowance either.

THERMALUTION RED GRADE ULTRA

Mark Evans: The Thermalution Red Grade Ultra has been proving its mettle on various fronts again. Long quarry and sea dives can sap your heat reserves, but with the Red Grade Ultra, I could just top up as and when I needed to - there were some jealous looks! And showing it is truly multi-use, I also wore it under my drysuit - without any other thermals - for an INFORMATION Arrival date: April 2017 epic round-Anglesey RIB trip. Suggested retail price: £1,050 It was nice to boost my temNumber of dives: 13 perature when the wind chill Time in water: 12 hrs 25 mins got a little too much.

DEEPBLU COSMIQ+ DIVE COMPANION

Mark Evans: The DeepBlu Cosmiq+ Dive Companion did well in Grenada, but it was back into the cold when it went with DeeperBlue’s Stephan Whelan for dives in Stoney Cove and Vivian Dive Centre. He was very INFORMATION impressed by the vivid colour Arrival date: February 2017 screen, which he found easy to decipher even when the vis Suggested retail price: £230 Number of dives: 54 was decidedly ‘challenging’, Time in water: 53 hrs 15 mins shall we say.

AQUALUNG REVEAL X2

Mark Evans: More dives in the Reveal X2, this time back in the colder waters of the UK. DeeperBlue founder and our freediving guru Stephan Whelan is getting back into diving after a seven-year hiatus, and so he sported the Reveal for a dip in Vivian and was immediately smitten INFORMATION with the fit and comfort. A Arrival date: March 2017 sign of a good new mask is Suggested retail price: £46 when you are on the dive, Number of dives: 46 you forget that it isn’t your Time in water: 44 hrs 55 mins ‘old faithful’.

XDEEP NX ZEN

Mark Evans: In these uncertain times of Brexit, it is quite amusing to see the ‘European made’ slogan on the NX Zen, but the team at xDeep are justifiably proud that their robust and well-constructed products are made in their native Poland and not farmed out to some cheap factory in the Far East, INFORMATION so you will see this message Arrival date: February 2017 repeated several times on the Suggested retail price: £535 wing harness and bladder. Number of dives: 22 The feeling of high quality is Time in water: 20 hrs 35 mins hard to ignore or mistake.

SHEARWATER RESEARCH PERDIX AI

Mark Evans: Well, it is official, I am totally loving the Perdix AI. I have long been a fan of the Scubapro Galileo Sol for its clear display, simple navigation and liberal algorthim, and that has been my ‘go-to’ computer, but the vivid screen of the Perdix AI, along with its compact size, easy-to-navigate menus and endless personalisation, has tempted me away from that old favourite. This INFORMATION might need to Arrival date: February 2017 get ‘lost in the Suggested retail price: £870 (comp only) post’ come the Number of dives: 42 ever-closing ‘end Time in water: 41 hrs 15 mins of term’ time...

ZEAGLE HALO Mark Evans: And so the Zeagle Halo reaches the end of its run in our Long Term Test stable. This robust, well-made jacket-style BCD may sit at the higher end of the price bracket for a traditional unit such as this, but for your money you get something durable enough to put up with whatever you can throw at it. It is extremely comfortable, performs well both on the surface and underwater, and has some nice design touches, including the Ripcord emergency system for your weights, and spacious pockets that you can easily access. If you are in the market for a tough BCD, check it out.

END OF TERM

INFORMATION Arrival date: January 2017 Suggested retail price: £567 Number of dives: 18 Time in water: 17 hrs 25 mins

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC PRO DIVE INTERNATIONAL

Head Office: Carretera Federal, Parcela 4 MZA 293 Lote 2 Local 5-6, Ejido Norte, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77712, Mexico T: +52 (1) 984 745 0763 E: info@prodiveinternational.com W: www.prodiveinternational.com World-class experiences: diving Bayahibe, Saona, Catalina Island, Cayo Levantado, Live-Aboard Silver Bank, located at 4-5* Resorts in Punta Cana & Bayahibe, PADI courses, Stay & Dive packages.

INDONESIA SILADEN RESORT & SPA

Sialden Island, Bunaken National Park, Manado, North Sulawesi, 95011 T: +628114300641 | E: info@siladen.com W: www.siladen.com Siladen Resort & Spa is an exclusive boutique dive resort located on a lush tropical island in the heart of the Bunaken National Marine Park.

MEXICO PRO DIVE INTERNATIONAL

Head Office: Carretera Federal, Parcela 4 MZA 293 Lote 2 Local 5-6, Ejido Norte, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77712, Mexico T: +52 (1) 984 745 0763 E: info@prodiveinternational.com W: www.prodiveinternational.com World-class diving: Cozumel, cenotes, bull sharks, Whaleshark & Sailfish safaris, Live-Aboards Socorro/ Guadalupe, located at 4-5* Resorts Riviera Maya & Cozumel, PADI CDC, Stay&Dive packages, FREE NITROX.

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MALDIVES LILY BEACH RESORT & SPA

Huvahendhoo Island, South Ari Atoll, Maldives T: +960 668 0013 | E: lilybeach@prodivers.com W: www.prodivers.com/lily-beach-maldives Prodivers 5* PADI Dive-Centre. Whaleshark and Manta all year. Free Nitrox, Underwater Scooters and repeater discount available. House reef accessible from shore. 60 dive sites.

KUREDU PRODIVERS

Kuredu Island Resort, Lhaviyani Atoll, 07080, Maldives T: +9606620343 | E: info@prodivers.com W: www.prodivers.com Renowned PADI 5 star IDC center with on site decompression chamber. Multi lingual guides and instructors, more than 60 dive sites, scooters, rebreathers and nitrox-forfree!

MALTA MALTAQUA

Mosta Road, St Pauls Bay, SPB3114, Malta T: 0035621571111 | E: dive@maltaqua.com W: www.maltaqua.com A Multi agency centre providing training for BSAC, PADI, RAID, TDI & IANTD. Dive excursions or tank hire for qualified divers. Courses for complete beginners.

DIVE DEEP BLUE MALTA

9/11 Ananija street, Bugibba, St Paul’s Bay SPB 1320, Malta T: +356 21583946 E: Dive@divedeepblue.com W: www.divedeepblue.com Dive Deep Blue Malta. Operating 20 years. PADI, BSAC, SSI and TDI Center. Providing recreational, technical training, plus guided and independent diving services.

PHILIPPINES EVOLUTION

Bounty Beach, Malapascua Island, Daan Bantayan, Cebu, 6013, Philippines T: +63(0)917 631 2179 | E: info@evolution.com.ph

W: www.evolution.com.ph

Progressive Recreational and Technical Diving in the Philippines best all-round diving location. 4 dives/day including

Thresher Shark encounters. All PADI/TDI classes available, Tech/CCR Friendly.

BUCEO ANILAO BEACH & DIVE RESORT Anilao, Barangay San Teodoro, Mabini, Batangas, Philippines T: 0063 919 510 57 65 E: info@buceoanilao.com W: www.buceoanilao.com Cozy resort - sophisticated camera / video room - dedicated spotters - easy access from Manila Airport - Critters - Healthy Reefs - Biodiversity!

THAILAND SAIREE COTTAGE DIVING 5* IDC CENTRE 1/10 Moo Sairee Beach, Koh Tao, Suratthani, 84360, Thailand T: +66872650859 E: info@idckohtaothailand.com W: www.idckohtaothailand.com One of the Best PADI Diving Instructor IDC Courses on Koh Tao, Thailand. For more information please visit: www.idckohtaothailand.com or www.saireecottagediving.com/instructordevelopment-course-idc-koh-tao-saireecottage-diving-koh-tao. Professional Underwater Photography: https://www.instagram.com/peachsnapsphotography/

UNITED KINGDOM DEEP BLUE DIVE

55 Marden Road, Whitley Bay, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE26 2JW, UK T: 0191 253 6220 E: emmet@deepbluedive.com W: www.deepbluedive.com The UK’s number one diving equipment store with all the top brands, at competitive prices. Your one stop shop for diving equipment.

OYSTER DIVING

Maritime House, Basin Road North, Hove, BN41 1WR, UK T: 0800 699 0243 W: www.oysterdiving.com www.oysterdivingshop.com The UK’s premier PADI scuba diving and travel centre. Equipment sales, PADI courses from beginner to Instructor and holidays around the world.

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THE COURSE DIRECTOR

Marcel van den Berg is a PADI Platinum Course Director working at Sairee Cottage Diving, based on the picturesque island of Koh Tao in Thailand, and here he offers an insight into recreational diver training and professional-level courses, and how these can be rewarding experiences with far-reaching consequences. www.saireecottagediving.com

WHY A GOOD ATTITUDE IS ESSENTIAL TO BE A SUCCESSFUL DIVING INSTRUCTOR PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF SAIREE COTTAGE DIVING

ome PADI Course Directors and other dive instructors will say that speaking several languages is the best attribute you can have if you want to become a successful diving instructor. I believe that the most-important characteristic you need to be a successful diving instructor is having a really good attitude.

MULTIPLE LANGUAGES VS GOOD ATTITUDE

Being able to speak multiple languages as a diving instructor can definitely help you in getting a good dive job, but it is also definitely not the most-important attribute to have. I have unfortunately witnessed many instructors who can speak many languages but have had a bad attitude, and many of them have repeatedly lost their jobs because of this. And worse than that, I’ve witnessed instructors with bad attitudes (who somehow manage to keep their jobs) being really bad role models to their students and Divemasters in training. On the other hand, some of the best diving instructors I have met only speak one or maybe two languages. These diving instructors have a good attitude and they keep getting more and more successful in the diving industry.

GOOD ATTITUDE TOWARDS DIVING STUDENTS

This is by far the most-important attitude to have as a diving instructor. Your students determine your success as a dive professional. If you treat your students badly because you have a bad or aggressive attitude they will quickly let you know. Even if your students won’t tell you during the course, they will probably write about it on TripAdvisor, Facebook or any other review website. This can significantly hurt your business and this will most likely result in you losing your job.

GOOD ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHER DIVING INSTRUCTORS

Having a good attitude towards other diving instructors, other colleagues and other dive shops will create a much more positive work atmosphere. This will help you enjoy your job a lot more and you will have more friends in the dive industry. Having a good attitude towards other instructors will also help you to form strong working relationships. Diving instructors that have a bad attitude towards other instructors will only cause jealousy and negative politics within the dive centre. Sadly this happens because some instructors only care about

106

making more money, or having a party lifestyle. It’s all about teamwork and you never know when you yourself might need a hand from a colleague.

GOOD ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

Being a good diving instructor doesn’t only mean that you have a great attitude towards other people, it also means that you care about the environment. Instructors with great attitudes towards the environment care a lot about conserving the underwater world, not only because it is important to protect their own ‘office’, but mostly because they truly want to minimise their impact on the aquatic environment. They actually care.

GOOD ATTITUDE TOWARDS DIVEMASTERS AND DIVE INSTRUCTOR INTERNS

This is where you can truly see the difference between good or bad attitudes in the dive industry. There are many instructors that treat their Divemaster or Dive Instructor Interns with a bad attitude, treating them like ‘slaves’, making them carry tanks, pack dive equipment bags and not much more. I do agree that it is important that Divemaster trainees and/or Interns help with the logistics like carrying scuba tanks, packing bags and carrying dive equipment when needed, but only to a certain level. An instructor with a good attitude will organise logistics together with the Divemasters and Interns as a team and will always lead by good example.

GOOD ATTITUDE IN DIVING SHOULD BE TAUGHT AT IDC

At Sairee Cottage Diving on Koh Tao in Thailand, I focus on many extra topics in our PADI IDC, such as Advanced Risk Management, Conservation and Modern Dive Instructor teaching techniques. More than anything, however, I focus on teaching and encouraging our new instructors to have a great overall attitude which will in turn make them much more successful in the dive industry. In the PADI IDC at Sairee Cottage Diving, we focus on how to embody this great instructor attitude by presenting special lectures on the pros and cons of diving instructors with good or a bad attitudes, and by teaching the IDC candidates how to be an effective environmentally friendly diving instructors. n

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