Quest Volume 24, No. 2 May 2023 - free sample article

Quest The Journal of Global Underwater Explorers

Vol. 24, No. 2 – May 2023

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PHOTO GRAPH ER PORTF OLIO: NICHO LA SAMAR S AS

ANTARCTICA

WHY GUE?

NEMO’S GARDEN

DECO & STAGE TANKS

An adventurous journey to the end of the world

Could divers be the farmers of the future?

An education specialist shares his view on GUE training

All about the key ingredient in technical diving

EDUCATION · CONSERVATION · EXPLORATION · COMMUNITY

EDITOR’S LETTER

Go slow!

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n page 26 in this issue of Quest, learning specialist Ulrik Juul Christensen brings us his view on GUEs educational approach.

Reading it made me think of a couple of parallels between diving and music.

My background as a musician and music educator made me realize that diving and music have something in common: both require consistent practice to excel. To become proficient, one must not only master theoretical concepts but also develop precision motor skills.

When it comes to mastering motor skills, it’s crucial to recognize that every action we take with our bodies is essentially practice, whether it’s correct or not. For instance, if I attempt to learn a piece of music by playing it quickly, but incorrectly 99 times before finally getting it right on the 100th attempt, my muscle memory will retain all the wrong passes. This is a wasted effort because I would have to repeat the correct version at least 100 more times to achieve balance and erase the incorrect movements from my memory.

To optimize our practice, we should start slowly and deliberately, ensuring that every movement is correct from the outset. This allows our bodies to learn and remember only the correct motions, making our practice more effective and efficient.

During my studies at the Copenhagen Conservatory, my sight-reading teacher instilled in us an invaluable lesson: “Nothing is so slow that you can’t reduce the tempo.” To help us master complex sheet music, he encouraged us to practice at an extremely slow pace until we could play flawlessly. Only then were we permitted to gradually increase the tempo while ensuring that every pass remained perfect. By starting slow and building up gradually, we trained our eye-hand coordination and muscle memory to execute the music accurately, allowing us to develop the skill to perform at higher speeds. This approach taught me the importance of patience and perseverance in achieving mastery of any skill.

One reason why GUE classes place a significant emphasis on dry runs is that it enables the instructor to teach skills in a controlled environment. By slowly walking through the movements of the skill, the instructor can emphasize the correct sequence and execution, while minimizing the influence of external factors such as stress or communication difficulties. Dry runs provide an opportunity for students to practice the skill at a slower pace, master the fundamentals, and make corrections without the added pressure of being underwater. As a result, when it’s time to apply the skill in a real-world situation, students are better equipped to handle the task confidently and safely.

The key to mastery is slow and deliberate practice. By taking the time to practice each movement correctly from the outset, you’ll develop the muscle memory and coordination necessary to excel. So, next time you’re learning a new skill, don’t rush it—go slow, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly you progress!

Dive safe and have fun!

Jesper Kjøller Editor-in-Chief jk@gue.com

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Quest IN THIS ISSUE The Journal of Global Underwater Explorers

Vol. 24, No. 2 · May 2023

Editor-in-chief // Jesper Kjøller

Editorial panel

// Michael Menduno // Amanda White

6 QC CORNER // RISK MANAGEMENT

The GUE EDGE predive procedure could be considered a risk management exercise, but it may not be enough for more complex or challenging missions.

12 ANTARCTICA // THE END OF THE WORLD

Embark on a thrilling expedition to the southernmost continent of Antarctica with GUE Vice President Dorota Czerny as your guide. This awe-inspiring adventure aboard the expedition vessel Ortelius promises to take you to the end of the world, where the spirit of exploration still thrives and human impact is minimized.

Design and layout // Jesper Kjøller

Copy editing

// Pat Jablonski // Kady Smith

Writers

// Dorota Czerny // Brad Beskin // Ulrik Juul Christensen // Jesper Kjøller // Kirill Egorov // Ally Landes // Dan Mackay // Daniel Riordan // Fred Devos // Todd Kincaid // Chris Le Maillot // Jarrod Jablonski

Photographers

// Nicholas Samaras // Kirill Egorov // Olga Martinelli // Dorota Czerny // Jesper Kjøller // Bori Bennett // Ulrik Juul Christensen // Ocean Reef Group // Julian Műhlenhaus // Derk Remmers // Jacob Mehr // Petr Polach // Derk Remmers Quest is published quarterly by Global Underwater Explorers 18487 High Springs Main Street, High Springs, Florida 32643 www.GUE.com

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26 WHY GUE?

Renowned education specialist Ulrik Juul Christensen, known for his successful career in developing learning technology, recently participated in GUE classes and worked with education teams. An avid diver, Christensen reflects on his GUE experience and shares his thoughts on the training methodology.

38 PORTFOLIO // NICHOLAS SAMARAS

He is an award-winning U/W photographer who captures the sea’s beauty with a unique aesthetic and unwavering commitment to his craft. His passion and dedication have earned him numerous awards.

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NEMO’S GARDEN

Entrepreneurs are making underwater crop cultivation a reality. Initially an experiment to grow basil underwater in Italy, it now cultivates over 100 fruits, vegetables, and flowers. The project is eco-friendly and sustainable, with potential for eco-tourism, and fish and seaweed farming.

50 STAGE & DECO TANKS

Extra cylinders are essential in technical diving for extending dive time and accelerating decompression.

Understanding proper configuration, selection criteria, and handling protocols is the key.

58 PROPULSION & COMMUNICATION

For cave divers, proper propulsion techniques and clear communication are vital skills. These can help avoid silt, debris, and ecosystem damage, and maintain good team communication.

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50 COVER PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV

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QC CORNER

TEXT BRAD BESKIN PHOTOS OLGA MARTINELLI & DERK REMMERS

GUE’S RISK MANAGEMENT MANUAL A WORK IN PROGRESS

PHOTO OLGA MARTINELLI

The GUE EDGE predive procedure manages risks for simpler dives, ensuring team safety and mission efficiency.

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Although the GUE EDGE predive procedure could be considered a risk management exercise, it may not be enough for more complex or challenging missions. The forthcoming Risk Management Manual goes further and provides a framework that divers can use to minimize risks and plan appropriate responses to situations that may arise. The manual—written by GUE’s Quality Assurance Manager, Brad Beskin—aims to increase the certainty of success for diving expeditions and to reduce the potential harm to stakeholders and the environment.

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ach GUE diver is intimately familiar with GUE EDGE. We dutifully work through each letter in the acronym before each dive, reciting in detail everything from the contents of our pockets to the hierarchy of our team and the plan in our heads. See Dimitris Fifis’s article, “The GUE Predive Sequence,” InDepth (July 2, 2020).

GUE’s predive sequence is, at its core, a risk management exercise. Through it, our teams identify and inventory risk and then ascribe strategies and solutions that manage that risk to a tenable minimum. For example, the sequence identifies the risk of omitted equipment and forces the divers to check the most commonly missed parts of setup: hoses connected, inflators snug, straps fastened, and pockets full.

For most dives, thinking about GUE EDGE from an academic risk perspective is unnecessary and overly complex. But, as we venture farther, deeper, and longer into the water, a robust (both practical and academic) understanding of risk management becomes necessary. That is,

dynamic GUE explorers must understand how to adapt our risk management framework to novel missions in an effort to reduce error and ensure success.

There is much talk throughout GUE of both our burgeoning Project Diver curriculum as well as the forthcoming Level 3 programs. To be certain, diving that occupies the frontier of GUE’s endeavors must embrace the most robust risk management planning—that which takes GUE EDGE to an extreme that correlates with the environments, logistics, and other risks involved.

Devastating consequences

Risk management failures can lead to preventable loss, including extreme outcomes such as injury or death. But, even in a less sensational context, planning failures can have devastating impacts on projects and Level 3 dives. For example, poor risk assessment can lead to a miscalculation of the impact of certain risks on the project and, therefore, a miscalculation of the project’s needs for extra time and/or resources to address the risk if it occurs. Consider the project that miscalculates the impact of a

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Effective risk management involves identifying potential hazards and taking action to prevent them from setting off a chain reaction. storm on diving visibility and thereby loses six days of diving instead of three. The impact of this miscalculation may be amplified if the team has not allowed for the possibility of weather-related interruptions. This error may even impact the amount of fresh water, food, batteries, fuel, and other consumables the team requires each day. While no one may be harmed by this planning failure, the project may very well fail. This failure may be mostly inconvenient, but it may also compromise developing relationships with other entities that have relied upon the commitment of project leaders.

Positive results

Proper planning can also support project success by eliminating (or minimizing) deviations from the project plan and avoiding negative surprises along the way. It can help to generate buy-in on the part of all project participants and stakeholders, and it can serve as a powerful team-building tool at the early stages of project development.

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To these ends, GUE’s forthcoming Risk Management Manual provides a robust framework GUE divers can use in managing risk.

The manual is principally designed for projects and Level 3 endeavors in that it embraces the broader array of risks this kind of diving may encounter. However, it will be a helpful tool for any GUE diver in understanding and managing the risks they face—even on routine recreational-level dives.

The manual’s framework focuses on helping GUE divers develop creative strategies to minimize risks and plan for appropriate responses to situations that may arise. This framework should enable any GUE diver—but particularly GUE’s Project Divers and Level 3 divers—to inventory, assess, and manage the risks they face. In doing so, project managers should be able to increase the certainty of their project’s success, both in the metrics they have crafted for project outcomes and in the reduction of any potential harm to stakeholders and the environment.

Deliverables

The manual prescribes two key deliverables for any project: The Risk Management Plan (“RMP”) and Crisis Response Plan (“CRP”). These deliverables are critical to the divers’ success and the safety of all participants. The manual discusses them at length, including the rationale behind them and the process of developing them.

The key components to the framework should be familiar to anyone with a background in risk management practices.

Divers first engage in a comprehensive stakeholder analysis, which attempts to incorporate the viewpoints of the project’s key participants, interested parties, benefactors, beneficiaries, and any other party involved. A comprehensive stakeholder analysis (at least, one conducted for the purposes of risk management) lists the risk factors that each stakeholder (or stakeholder group) creates or prioritizes. It captures the goals and potential pitfalls associated with all groups interested in the endeavor. While seemingly mundane, stakeholder analysis can be critical to project success.

The local cave diving community had explored the cave system at length some time ago, but no one had produced a proper survey. So, we set out to do so. While we tried to be clear with our objectives, the locals were initially somewhat hostile to our project because they thought we intended to take credit for their hard work.

So, we took several steps to emphasize that our survey project rested on their exploration—for example, we listed them on the masthead of the survey as contributors.

We could not have completed the survey project without their help, so these minor gestures were ultimately essential to our success.

– John Kendall, Sardinia Project The team then conducts a comprehensive risk inventory based on the stakeholder analysis findings. This goes well beyond goals, unified team, equipment, and the other components of GUE EDGE. For example, a project manager may need to weigh the risks associated with

surface transportation for the team. The project may require strict safety standards (e.g., wearing seatbelts and abiding by speed limits) for all participants. As such, project management should avoid at all costs any form of transportation that it deems unsafe (e.g., rental scooters or mopeds, utility vehicles without roll bars, riding in the back of a pickup truck).

I remember thinking we might lose the entire team during our Britannic ‘99 Project—not from diving risks—but because bad-weather days found a team of overly energetic divers racing around the island on mopeds with sharp turns and steep drops.

– Jarrod Jablonski, Britannic, 1999.

Examples like this add character and context to the manual; they help the team understand the importance of preparing a comprehensive inventory.

The team then evaluates its risk inventory with an eye toward probability, impact, and severity.

For example, while a shark attack is certainly a risk to certain projects (that is, while highly unlikely, the occurrence is technically uncertain), and a shark attack can cause extreme harm to project participants, sharks likely do not warrant as much analysis as weather and other environmental risks because of the low probability of an attack. However, if the project is focused on immersive ichthyology, where divers will regularly find themselves face-toface with sharks, then perhaps shark attack is one of the more critical risks to assess for that project.

Ultimately, the risk management process entails the elimination of untenable risks, the acceptance of risks that fail to rise to a certain probability and/or severity, and the minimization of risks’ probability and/or severity.

Matrix

To that end, the team must then draft the risk management plan, which applies a series of strategies to manage each risk. This is most readily presented in a matrix format, but divers should feel free to express their plan in the May 2023 · Quest

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As the complexity of a dive mission increases, so do the variables at play, making robust risk management all the more necessary.

Brad Beskin 10

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PHOTO DERK REMMERS

Brad Beskin has been diving actively for approximately twenty-eight years.

He first became involved with GUE by taking Fundamentals in 2002, and then Cave 1 with Tamara Kendal in 2003.

He is now a proud GUE DPV Cave diver and is looking forward to undertaking

the GUE technical curriculum in 2023.

When he is not diving, he earn his living as a civil litigator in Austin, Texas, and he also finds time to act as Director of Quality Control and the Chair of the Quality Control Board for Global Underwater Explorers.

format that most readily meets their needs.

Importantly, the entire team must be engaged in the RMP and understand it before the endeavor begins.

Finally, the team must look at the most probable, impactful, and/or severe risks, and develop the crisis response plan (CRP) to guide the team should such risks materialize.

Importantly, this framework is designed to operate in coordination with key GUE materials.

• It is not a discussion of decision-making, team dynamics, or error analysis, as this is covered in depth by related aspects of the Project Diver curriculum.

• It is not an in-depth guide to project management, which is covered at great length by other project diver course components, the GUE Documentation Diver course materials, and other GUE training materials.

• It is not a deep dive into risks specific to diving physics and physiology, which are covered in all GUE courses.

The Risk Management Manual will complement these key texts and enhance divers’ overall capacity. Just as the GUE Fundamentals diver assesses and manages risks on every dive, so too must the GUE Level 3 diver and/or project manager assess and manage risks—both for themselves and for their team. While each diver remains the master of their own risk tolerance, team leadership must provide a comprehensive means by which each team member can evaluate those risks for themselves.

The manual contains additional resources to guide divers in the creation of a comprehensive set of plans. These include a legal liability primer, a detailed discussion of insurance resources, example policies and procedures, a primer on financial risk management (including management of tax exemption), and a series of case studies from familiar GUE projects.

Some assembly required

The manual’s formulaic approach must be adapted to any project or Level 3 dive by apply-

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The manual’s framework focuses on helping GUE divers develop creative strategies to minimize risks and plan for appropriate responses to situations that may arise.

ing the team’s own experience, knowledge, and research. To be certain, the framework requires those customized inputs to do any heavy lifting on the divers’ behalf. Project management and team leadership must integrate the process into their endeavors seamlessly—both its planning and execution—so that it permeates all aspects.

From surface support and logistics to the lead exploration diver, all must understand the risk management and crisis response plans.

There are no viable shortcuts in risk management that lead to desirable outcomes. To that end, the manual’s framework is not a checklist.

Yes, GUE divers love their checklists, but this framework works best in concert with a diver’s own critical analysis and customized, creative solutions. Each dive carries its own unique set of risk factors, and a thorough assessment must be conducted for each individual endeavor. Failing to do so may be detrimental to the dive’s outcomes and its participants.

Finally, this framework is not a comprehensive manual for managing risk or responding to a crisis. While the manual attempts to provide colorful examples, there are countless scenarios a project may encounter that are not specifically addressed. The manual is not intended to be— nor could it possibly be—a comprehensive index of all possible risks a team must consider.  Disclaimer: As has been stated before and will be repeated throughout the manual, nothing contained herein or in GUE’s forthcoming Risk Management Manual is intended to constitute or should be construed as legal advice or advice in the procurement of insurance.

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ANTARCT

JOUR

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TICA

TEXT DOROTA CZERNY PHOTOS KIRILL EGOROV & DOROTA CZERNY

RNEY TO THE END OF THE WORLD Embark on a thrilling expedition to the southernmost continent of Antarctica with GUE Vice President Dorota Czerny as your guide. This awe-inspiring adventure aboard the expedition vessel Ortelius promises to take you to the end of the world, where the spirit of exploration still thrives and human impact is minimized.

The journey to Antarctica involves crossing the treacherous Drake Passage, which can be challenging. However, with rigorous safety protocols in place, passengers can rest assured that their safety is a top priority. May 2023 · Quest

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In recent years, the number of tourists visiting Antarctica has increased, but it is still a relatively small number compared to other destinations.

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he tall bow of the expedition vessel Ortelius towers above the pier. In the late afternoon, as the sun slowly sets, the sky becomes a brilliant gold and a cold wind is picking up. It finally hits me: “This is actually happening! I am going on an adventure far, far away.” We are in Ushuaia, at the end of the world in Argentina’s Tierra Del Fuego, an archipelago shared by Chile and Argentina at South America’s southernmost tip. It’s known for its dramatic landscape of snowy mountains, glaciers, tundra, and wind-sculpted trees. Its main island, Isla Grande, is home to the Argentine resort town of Ushuaia.

Sometimes called “the End of the World,” Ushuaia is a gateway to Antarctica to the south.

The sturdy ship will soon leave port to bring us to the most faraway place on the planet: Antarctica.

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PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV

Antarctica is breathtakingly magnificent and is the remaining continent where human impact is minimized, even though the spirit of exploration is alive and well. It is no one’s land—or everyone’s land—as the nations decided it would be an international land. As such, it is kept in the most pristine condition possible. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 aimed to demilitarize Antarctica; to establish it as a zone free of nuclear tests or radioactive waste; to ensure that it was used for peaceful purposes only; to promote international scientific cooperation; and to set aside disputes over territorial sovereignty.

Despite its desolation, Antarctica is becoming a trendy tourist destination. More and bigger cruise ships are traveling across the Drake Passage, ferrying hundreds of passengers who want to experience the last frontier. Luckily, the tour operators who run trips and expeditions to Antarctica have agreed on a set of policies and

The Ortelius can accommodate up to 116 passengers and has a crew of around 40. It is icestrengthened, which allows it to visit remote locations in the polar regions.

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PHOTO DOROTA CZERNY May 2023 · Quest

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Iceberg diving is an advanced activity due to the extreme temperatures and potential hazards such as unpredictable ice movements.

rules that all operators must abide by. They seek to protect the continent from human impact, and they make every effort to prevent any activity that could influence the pristine and sensitive balance of the Antarctic environment. Both the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) cooperate with the United Nations to create awareness campaigns, inform all visitors about the fragility of this environment, and bring attention to the importance of safeguarding it. All visits to Antarctica should follow the Antarctic Treaty, its protocol on environmental protection, and relevant measures and resolutions adopted at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM). Any visitors who intend to set foot on the continent must first disinfect 16

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and decontaminate all items that may come in direct physical contact with the environment, e.g., boots, gloves, all external layers of clothing, tripods, camera bags, backpacks, hiking gear, and dive gear. Every particle, tiny seed, clump of soil, piece of plant, or any other substance is brushed off, vacuumed away, and meticulously cleaned.

Contamination and the introduction of invasive species to the fragile continent must be rigorously guarded against in order to protect the sensitive balance in Antarctica.

Taking the trip with Oceanwide

Oceanwide Expeditions specializes in polar trips and was recently awarded the honor of the best polar expedition tour operator. Having originated in the Netherlands with a home harbor in Vliss-

PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV

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If the weather allows, passengers can enjoy venturing to the outside decks to take in the magnificent views of the sunset, albatrosses gracefully flying past the ship, and the vastness of the horizon.

ingen, they own four sturdy ice-rated vessels deployed in both polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic) depending on the season, i.e., wherever it is currently summer. The ships all bear the names of Dutch polar explorers—Hondius, Plancius, Janssonius, and Ortelius.

Oceanwide prides itself on organizing expeditions with elements of exploration, discovery, and learning. Visitors can enjoy landings, kayaking, overnight camping, trekking, rigid inflatable boat (RIB) cruises, snorkelling, and scuba diving.

The Oceanwide experience is quite the opposite from those on big cruises, where visitors only experience the beauty of Antarctica while staying on board throughout the journey, protected from the polar elements and separated from the direct experience of its uniqueness.

On board the ships, there is always an international crew of experienced expedition leaders and guides who are knowledgeable about the environment and the wildlife, not only in Antarctica, but also while crossing the Drake Passage. But what is exceptional and notable is their fervid regard for the polar continents.

They dedicate their lives to sharing knowledge, building awareness, educating, providing safe experiences, and protecting this environment.

They come from all backgrounds and countries, have unique expertise, and are so eager to share their knowledge that questions always lead to long conversations and discussions.

The guides range from a young generation of enthusiastic scientists in their 20s to well-seasoned experts in their 70s.

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The water temperature is an obvious limitation, and hypothermia is a realistic concern.

Whale sharks greatly suffer The shapes and oddly from the impacts of human structured surfaces of activities. Maldivian diver the shark icebergs create and guide Lonua dives surreal down to and free otherworldly a whale shark environment that is truly entangled in industrialunforgettable. grade plastic waste.

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PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV

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From vibrant kelp fields in a variety of colors to spongeand kelp-covered walls, the scenery is awe-inspiring.

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Crossing the Drake

The two-day crossing of the Drake Passage can be cool (smooth as a lake) or cool (rough as hell). But with every hour sailing south, we are traveling farther away from not only everyday conveniences but also the safety net of the modern world—mobile connections, hospitals, pharmacies, and emergency services. Before the engines even start, the first briefing on the ship is about safety. Any breach that results in an accident will mean turning the ship around and sailing back—immediately and without negotiations. This briefing produces the profound realization that any twisted ankle on the stairs or any accidental fall—either on the outdoor decks or in a cabin—resulting in injury will mean the end of the trip for all 120 passengers on board.

Everyone is personally responsible for their own safety and for following the protocols. Boring?

Not at all—just responsible.

As the crossing continues, the days are filled with lectures on wildlife, icebergs, the environment, and the history of Antarctic exploration.

Each day ends with a daily recap before dinner, summarizing all we have done, learned, and achieved, and, most importantly, reviewing the weather forecast for the next twelve hours. If the weather allows, passengers can enjoy venturing to the outside decks to take in the magnificent views of the sunset, albatrosses gracefully flying past the ship, and the vastness of the horizon.

But, the most unforgettable moment is when you hear an excited announcement on the intercom: “We have our first iceberg on the port side. Tomorrow we wake up in Antarctica.”

A day in the Antarctic

PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV

“Good morning, good morning, good morning.”

The soft voice of our expedition leader, Sara Jenner, woke everyone up over the intercom. “Today is Saturday, the 7th of January, and we are just arriving in Orne Harbour. It is a chilly 3 °C/37 °F outside, with overcast skies and rain. Breakfast will be served in 30 minutes. Stand by for the announcement of our first landing of the day.” The wake-up announcement was a daily routine. And no one really minded that the wake-up time was at 6 am, 5 am, or 4:30 am, as the sun was nearly always up. Sarah taught us the most importMay 2023 · Quest

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The underwater scenery in Antarctica is breathtaking and ever-changing, offering a diverse range of aquatic life and environments to explore.

ant thing about each day’s expedition, and her guidance was often applicable to life beyond the Antarctic. “We take the days here one by one, even half day by half day. We never know what will happen next—weather can change, the wind might pick up, and ice may float into the bay on the landing side. If something breaks, or an accident happens, we will need to turn around.

Therefore we use the time now in the best way we can. Never assume you will have the same opportunity tomorrow; it is now or maybe never.”

The whole passenger group was divided into different activities—people who did only landings, a group of kayakers, snorkelers, and scuba divers. Each group could participate in their activities twice daily if (and only if) the conditions were favorable. The landings usually lasted two to three hours, and everyone was reminded that every activity could be called off due to weather 22

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conditions. Before each landing, the expedition crew got into zodiacs, checked the landing sites, and reported whether it was safe to proceed. Then, whoever wanted to go ashore was prompted to make their way to the gangways, board the zodiacs, and head off for adventures on land. Divers, however, had a different schedule, since we could both dive and do landings afterwards, being conveniently dressed in a drysuit and warm undergarments.

Diving the Antarctic

The expedition’s diving team was led by Henrik Enckell, an experienced dive instructor and rebreather instructor trainer. He was one of the first to bring tourists diving in Antarctica. He has not only tremendous experience diving in the polar regions but is also cool-headed, realistic, safe, and open to adventures. His team consist-

PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV

ed of three additional guides—Roman, Peter, and Arne. Their main job was not actually guiding divers in the water but making sure we were dropped in good spots and, most importantly, picked up! No one wanted to drift in 2 °C/35 °F water for longer than absolutely necessary or be cut off from the group by a floating iceberg.

None of the Oceanwide vessels is specifically designed for diving, so gear and setup are arranged trip-by-trip if divers are on board. The changing area was in a helicopter hangar on the top deck, where all the drysuits and undergarments had a chance to dry and the divers were protected from the environment. After being assembled, the dive gear was stored in the dive zodiacs.

At the beginning of each day, the expedition leader evaluated conditions for the planned expedition; Sara always had the last word. Once

she gave everyone the final “go,” we dressed (careful not to forget any of our precious thermal layers), waited to lower our four diving zodiacs into the water (with the gear already in them), then boarded and cruised to the dive site. Those sites were not set in stone, as the exact location depended on the weather and ice conditions on the surface. The maximum recommended depth for dives was 18 m/60 ft, and the dive time at around 30 minutes, and all were done on single 12 L tanks. While one may think these dives are short, we were limited by a few factors. The water temperature is an obvious limitation, and hypothermia is a realistic concern. But the main risks were associated with Antarctica’s very dynamic surface conditions: a massive ice floe could unexpectedly drift over the divers (obstructing their ascent without warning), or icebergs and ice blocks could drift May 2023 · Quest

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and separate the divers from the zodiacs. The remoteness of the area also played a role in conservatism—any dive injury (like DCS) would mean turning the ship around and at least a three-day trip back to Ushuaia (in the best case scenario).

The underwater scenery was ever-changing— from kelp fields teaming with colors to spongeand kelp-covered walls and whale skeletons in Whalers Bay at Deception Island. The most spectacular were the iceberg dives, where the brilliant aquamarine blue of the dense ice is captivating; the shapes and oddly structured surfaces create an unforgettable experience. We also managed to dive twice in Foyn Harbor. On this site, the whaling-processing shipwreck of the Governoren lies at rest, mainly submerged, but with some of the ship visible above the surface.

How are the polar bears?

While there are no polar bears in Antarctica (they live in Arctic polar regions), the Antarctic has another symbolic creature—the penguin. In the areas we visited, we mainly saw Chinstrap, Gentoo, and Adelie penguins. They are cute, funny birds, but the trip busted some myths about penguins. The penguin colonies are vast, loud, and … smelly. Penguins may have white bellies, but only after they take the plunge and wash off the colony residues.

In terms of marine mammals, we encountered Weddell seals, young elephant seals, many Antarctic minke whales, and humpbacks. Our experiences with the whales are unforgettable, as we could hear them breathing from afar, which allowed us to spot them not by sight

Dorota Czerny 24

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but by hearing them breathe, especially in the silence and calm of the Antarctic, which are profound.

All of those encounters were above water.

Only a few lucky divers saw a leopard seal briefly (very briefly!) underwater and then just a glimpse of diving penguins (as they are extremely quick and rare to catch underwater).

Are you bipolar?

The adventure in Antarctica slowly came to an end as the shores of the Beagle Channel closed in and the setting sun painted pale pinks, violets, and oranges in the sky. The port of Ushuaia grew closer.

Faith Ortins, the founder of BlueGreen Expeditions, says: “After visiting one of the Earth’s Poles, you become unbalanced. The other Pole is calling you in, and you feel that you are incomplete. And when you get to the other Pole, then you become “bi-Polar.” You are at peace—balanced again. Until the call of polar adventures returns. And then you just have to go.”

Am I “bipolar”? Not yet. But I am still in awe of the power and the magnificence of this place, as well as the peacefulness and tranquillity. I felt spellbound by the pristine white slopes and the brilliant aquamarine icebergs, as well as the sound of ice-shelf calving. I was mesmerized by white clouds atop snowy white mountains making it impossible to tell where the land ended and the sky began!

The silence was broken only by whales surfacing to breathe in the distance and the soft rippling of water rushing along the ship’s bow as we glided calmly along the shores of the last continent: Antarctica.

Dorota Czerny is a highly experienced diver who fell in love with the ocean in 1996. She transitioned from teaching at a university to teaching scuba diving due to her passion for the sport. As Vice President of Global Underwater Explorers, she is highly skilled in technical, cave, and rebreather diving, and is dedicated to developing the organization’s

educational component. Her focus is on creating a new generation of explorers and young scientists with GUE’s NextGen Scholarship program.

Dorota’s dedication to diving education extends beyond her work with GUE as she actively explores caves and wrecks around the world.

PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV

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They are cute, funny birds, but the trip busted some myths about penguins. The penguin colonies are vast, loud, and … smelly. Penguins may have white bellies, but only after they take the plunge and wash off the colony residues.

May 2023 · Quest

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GUE PREMIUM DIVE CENTERS Base1 – Sardinia, Italy  www.baseone.it

Deep Dive Dubai – Dubai, UAE  www.deepdivedubai.com

Dive Centre Bondi – Bondi, NSW, Australia  www.divebondi.com.au

Duikcentrum de Aalscholvers – Tilburg, Netherlands  www.aalscholvers.nl

Eight Diving – Des Moines, WA, USA  www.8diving.com

Exploration Diver – Hangzhou, China  www.facebook.com/qiandaolake

Extreme Exposure – High Springs, FL, USA  www.extreme-exposure.com

Islas Hormigas – Cabo de Palos, Spain  www.islashormigas.com

Living Oceans – Singapore  www.livingoceans.com.sg

Plongée Nautilus – Quebec City, QC, Canada  www.plongeenautilus.com

Scuba Academie – Vinkeveen, Netherlands  www.scuba-academie.nl

Tec Diving – Luzern, Switzerland  www.tecdiving.ch 68

Quest · May 2023

Tech Korea – Incheon, South Korea ENSION

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 www.thirddimensiondiving.com

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Third Dimension Diving – Tulum, Q. Roo, Mexico

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 www.divetechkorea.com

M, M É X

Zen Dive Co – Los Angeles, USA  www.zendive.com

Zero Gravity – Quintana Roo, Mexico  www.zerogravity.com.mx

2023

PREMIUM DIVE CENTER

May 2023 · Quest

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GUE DIVE CENTERS Buddy Dive Resort – Bonaire  www.buddydive.com

China Dive Club – Hainan Province, China Dive Alaska – Anchorage, AK, USA  www.divealaska.net

Diveolution – Kessl-Lo, Belgium  www.diveolution.com

Emperor Divers – Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt  www.emperordivers.com

Faszination-Tauchsport – Sauerlach, Germany  www.faszination-tauchsport.de

Innovative Divers – Bangkok, Thailand  www.facebook.com/innovativedivers

KrakenDive – Tossa de Mar, Spain  www.krakendive.com

Living Oceans Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  www.livingoceans.com.my

Paragon Dive Group – Arizona, USA  www.paragondivestore.com

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Quest · May 2023

Scuba Adventures – Plano, TX, USA  www.scubaadventures.com

Scuba Seekers – Dahab, Egypt  www.scubaseekers.com

Tauchservice Münster – Münster, Germany  www.tauchservice.info

Tech Asia – Puerto Galera, Philippines  www.techasia.ph

DIVE CENTER 2023 May 2023 · Quest

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