FEATURES Progression came in the form of wreck penetration – careful reel work and line laying to find out how many washing machines are inside the Neptune, what’s the size of the TV inside the Zainab, what’s obviously missing in the Ludvig engine room – all this followed with the introduction of a video camera to join me on my travels (see http://www. desertsportsdivingclub.net/video_gallery.htm if you are interested – noting I’m an amateur at this, even though I enjoy it immensely). To progress further I’m starting on my rebreather training with Glenn Campbell at Coastal Technical Divers in January – I’m looking forward to the three hour dives with no bubbles! This article is not necessarily an invitation to go looking for the washing machines in the Neptune – you need to ensure you know what you are doing first – (this is not some sound bite, we have first hand experience of why this is very necessary) – my objective is to extol the virtues of what we have right here in Dubai, on our doorstep. I’ll go a little further and say don’t think that one dive on the Zainab does not mean ‘that’s it you have done “it” – for example at DSDC there are divers who have visited the Zainab 60 or more times and who now know the inside and outside layout of that ship better than their own bedroom at home – and they
continue to go back to it because it never stops changing. So what is it about the UAE wreck diver – perhaps you’ve done one dive and don’t quite “get” or understand the excitement? As a general observation having watched groups of divers descend past me during my many, many decompression stops – take a torch, the biggest you can get – if you don’t the world of wrecks are colourless and grey – light up with a torch to both see the colour and other things you did not see before – perhaps even the ships bell peeking out from the sand! Take a camera and get up close – at DSDC there are a couple of members who have these small cameras but will regularly pick a dive and take 200 or more photos in 50 minutes underwater – some of them are superb – (have a look at them via http://www. facebook.com/pages/Deser t-Spor ts-DivingClub-1339/279467540004 – these could easily be your photos) and of course, just to get the point across once again – get some good training. And what about the environment – we all know and discuss frequently the damage being caused by over fishing and depletion of stock. We all realise that a decent wreck on the bottom of a bit of boring old sea bed can improve the marine habitat a thousand fold in
that particular area. Do you think this might justify the sinking of a few more? Nice thought don’t you think? Hopefully and if you are minded to – you are now off to get some training, build up your experience and really start to explore the UAE World of Shipwrecks and, by the way – If you happen to see me and my camera, give a nice wave as you go past, it makes the video much more interesting.
Angus Carlisle is the current Chairman of Desert Sports Diving Club (DSDC) in Dubai and BSAC Branch 1339. He is a BSAC Advanced Diver and Advanced Instructor. He started diving in 1987, first coming to the UAE in 1992 where he lived in Abu Dhabi and dived with ADSAC. He started instructing in 1993 and became an Advanced Instructor in 1995. He is a member of BSAC’s Instructor Training Scheme and has worked closely with the BSAC National Diving Officer helping to develop BSAC instructors and the sport of underwater diving. He is a previous Chairman of Excalibur Sub Aqua Club in the UK.
MARCH 2011, DIVERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT 37