Perfect Diver Magazine 32 issue Diving Freediving Passion Knowledge

No. 32

2(32)/2024

MARCH/APRIL

Price 12,50 €

diving freediving passion knowledge

MALDIVES DOES A HEADSTAND AFFECTS

EQUIPMENT

PERFORMANCE?

Wojciech Zgoła

Editor-in-Chief

Winter is gone and spring has come. And so has come a new issue of our diving magazine!

The cover by Adrian Juriewicz adorns this edition. Inside, there are more photos of manta rays from the Maldives and an interesting story by Sylwia Kosmalska-Juriewicz about underwater encounters with these majestic animals.

What next? I don't know where to start ;)

There is Lombok and Zanzibar, there are also 5 tips on how to become a diver. Grzegorz Mikosza is not cleaning this time, but he is learning to dive! Seriously – see for yourself how he became a diver.

Dos Fotógrafos is a short article by Przemek Zyber about Yucatán and his meeting with Joram Mennes, a respected photographer of cenotes and more. The photos of both of them are a revelation.

From April, the destinations of the Mediterranean open up (those operating periodically), so we remind

you of Gozo. Call Diveworld Gozo and say Perfect Diver (or write) and you will get a discount 

We also describe, among other things, quarries: Steina in Germany and Portland in the UK. In addition, closer to the end, there is a practical article by Dominik Dopierała about underwater navigation, without which it is difficult to get to the place from which the dive started.

Before you move on to Wojtek A. Filip's last article about headstands, you can read about diving children and birds, which are always in our editions.

And on May 25, I would like to invite everyone to a meeting in Boszkowo camping site, at Lake Dominickie. From 10 a.m. we will clean up the reservoir as part of the World Clean-Up Day, and after the meal there will be an integration meeting of Perfect Diver supporters. Follow our FB page, because there will be surprises at the meeting ;)

Did

By

long beaks you will

5

for those who want to start diving Adventure with diving, or a child on a course

Publisher PERFECT DIVER Sp. z o.o. ul. Folwarczna 37, 62-081 Przeźmierowo redakcja@perfectdiver.com

ISSN 2545-3319

Wojciech Zgoła

Karolina Sztaba

Anna Metrycka

reklama@perfectdiver.com

Agnieszka Gumiela-Pająkowska

Arleta Kaźmierczak

Reddo Translations Sp. z o.o.

Piotr Witek

Lawyer Joanna Wajsnis

Brygida Jackowiak-Rydzak

the magazine was

Montserrat (Julieta Ulanovsky), Open Sans (Ascender Fonts) Noto Serif, Noto Sans (Google)

printing Wieland Drukarnia Cyfrowa, Poznań, www.wieland.com.pl

distribution dive centers, online store preorder@perfectdiver.com

If you like this issue,

WOJCIECH ZGOŁA

Passionate about diving and pure nature. He likes to say that he travels by diving. He learned to swim when he was less than 6 years old. At the age of 15, he obtained a yacht sailor's license and has been diving since 2006. He has completed over 800 dives in various regions of the world. He wrote and published many articles.

Co-author of photo exhibitions. An advocate of leaving the place of residence clean and unblemished. Diving promoter. Since 2008 he has been running his own website www.dive-adventure.eu

Based on extensive experience, in 2018 he created the new Perfect Diver Magazine, which has been successfully published regularly every two months in Polish and English for over 4 years.

ANNA METRYCKA

A graduate of geography at the University of Wrocław, an incorrigible optimist... permanently with a smile on her lips 

I have been diving since 2002, which is more than half of my life  I started diving in Polish waters, to which I willingly return during the year – and it gives me great pleasure! :) I must have come to Activtour by destiny and I have stayed here for good... for over 10 years! I am passionate about fulfilling people's dreams by preparing diving trips around the world!  Personally – I fly and dive in different seas and seas whenever I can, because it is one of the loves of my life  Since the beginning of the existence of the PD magazine, I have been transferring my memories of diving trips to paper, sharing my passion with others and I can't stop writing ;) 2023 permanently in the PD editorial office – hoping to bring her some "fresh blood" ;) A diving dream come true: Galapagos! Still ahead of me… Antarctica! If I don't dive, I choose skiing, tennis or strong rock sounds! ;) The motto that I really like is: "Be realistic – start dreaming"! :) anna@activtour.pl; www.activtour.pl;

SYLWIA KOSMALSKA-JURIEWICZ

A traveller and a photographer of wild nature.

A graduate of journalism and a lover of good literature. She lives in harmony with nature, promotes a healthy lifestyle: she is a yogini and a vegetarian. Also engaged in ecological projects. Sharks and their protection are especially close to her heart. She writes about the subject in numerous articles and on her blog www.blog.dive-away.pl. She began her adventure with diving fifteen years ago by total coincidence. Today she is a diving instructor, she visited over 60 countries and dived on 5 continents. She invites us for a joint journey with the travel agency www.dive-away.pl, of which she is a co-founder.

My adventure with photography began long before I started diving. From the very first dive I dreamed that I would be accompanied by a camera. As I became more adept at diving, my photography gear evolved as well. From a simple gopro camera through a compact and SLR camera to a full-frame mirrorless camera. Now I can't imagine diving without a camera. I have the impression that underwater photography gives meaning to my diving. www.facebook.com/przemyslaw.zyber www.instagram.com/przemyslaw_zyber/ www.deep-art.pl

KAROLA TAKES PHOTOS

Karolina Sztaba, and professionally Karola Takes Photos, is a photographer by education and passion. She is currently working at the Trawangan Dive Center on a tiny island in Indonesia – Gili Trawangan, where she moved to live four years ago. She photographs above and below the water. In addition, she creates photographic projects against littering the oceans and polluting our planet with plastic ("Trapped", "Trashion"). She cooperates with NGO organizations dealing with environmental protection and actively participates in pro-ecological actions (coral protection, coral planting, cleaning the world, protection of endangered species). She is also the official photographer of Ocean Mimic – a brand that creates swimwear and surfwear from rubbish collected on the beaches of Bali. She cooperated with many brands of diving equipment for which she created advertising campaigns. In 2019, she became the ambassador of the Polish company Tecline. She has been a technical diver for two years.

Laura is a journalist, instructor trainer, CCR and cave diver. She has been developing her diving career for over a decade, gaining knowledge and experience in various fields. Her specialty is professional diving training, but her passion for the underwater environment and its protection drives her to explore various places around the world. From the depths of the Lombok Strait, caves in Mexico and wrecks in Malta to the Maldives, where she runs a diving center awarded by the Ministry of Tourism as the best diving center in the Maldives. Laura actively contributes to promoting the protection of the marine environment, takes part in scientific projects, campaigns against ocean littering and cooperates with non-governmental organizations. You can find her at @laura_kazi_diving www.divemastergilis.com

LAURA KAZIMIERSKA

PRZEMYSŁAW ZYBER

He has been diving for 35 years. He has spent more than 16,000 hours underwater, most of them diving technically. He has been an instructor and mentor instructor for many organizations including CMAS, GUE, IANTD, PADI. He co-created the training programs for some of them. He is a professional with vast knowledge and practical experience. He has participated in many diving projects as a leader, explorer, initiator or speaker. He was the first Pole to dive the HMHS Britannic wreck (117m). He was the first to explore the deep part of the Glavas Cave (118m). He made a series of dives documenting the wreck of ORP GROM (110m). He has documented deep (100-120m) parts of flooded mines. He is the creator and designer of many equipment solutions to improve diving safety.

Technical Director at Tecline, where, among other things, he manages the Tecline Academy a research and training facility. Author of several hundred articles on diving and books on diagnosis and repair of diving equipment.

He dives in rivers, lakes, caves, seas and oceans all over the world.

He has been diving forever, he does not remember his first dives. The only thing he remembers is that diving has always been his passion. He spent his entire childhood on Polish lakes, which he still prefers to distant destinations. With great success, he turned his passion into a way of life and business. Curiosity of the world and constant striving for perfection are the main features that definitely hinder him in life. Professional diving instructor, photographer, filmmaker.

Creator of the DECO Diving Center, PADI Course Director, TecTrimix Instructor Trainer TECREC.

A diver since 2007. I always choose holiday destinations by asking myself: okay, but is there anywhere to dive?. Underwater photography is still new to me, but with each dive I learn something new.

"From the moment of birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders [...], but he only has to dive under the surface of the water and becomes free" –J.Y.Cousteau

A graduate of the Poznań University of Technology, financier, the auditor. A diver fascinated by theory diving – physics and physiology. In love passionate about history in underwater archaeology Ancient Rome, active Centurion in the group reconstructionist Bellator Societas (Rome I century BC). He dreams of attending at least once underwater archaeological research a then describe everything in a series of columns.

It can be found as often as under water in Japan, whose culture and history he has been fascinated by nearly three decades.

WOJCIECH JAROSZ

A graduate of two Poznan universities, the Academy of Physical Education (coaching specialization – handball) and the University of A.Mickiewicz, Faculty of Biology (specialty of experimental biology). He connected his professional life with this first university trying to influence the direction of development of future professionals on the one hand, and on the other planning and implementing research, pushing laboriously in the right direction of the stroller called science. In his free time he spends his time actively – his main passions are sailing (sea helmsman), skiing (downhill skiing instructor), riding a motorcycle, recreational diving and many other activities, as well as photography, mainly nature.

JAKUB BANASIAK

Zoopsychologist, researcher and expert in dolphin behavior, committed to the idea of protecting dolphins and fighting against keeping them in dolphinariums. Passionate about Red Sea and underwater encounters with large pelagic predators. Member of the Dolphinaria-Free Europe Coalition, volunteer of the Tethys Research Institute and Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit, collaborator of Marine Connection. For over 15 years, he has been participating in research on wild dolphin populations, auditing dolphinariums, and monitoring the quality of whale watching cruises. As the head of the "Free & Safe" project (formerly "NO! for a dolphinarium"), he prevents keeping dolphins in captivity, promotes ethical whale & dolphin watching, trains divers in responsible swimming with wild dolphins, and popularizes knowledge about dolphin therapy that is passed over in silence or hidden by profit-making centers. on this form of animal therapy.

WOJCIECH A. FILIP

ŁUKASZ METRYCKI

DOMINIK DOPIERAŁA

MICHAŁ CZERNIAK

Better known as Wąski

Professionally, the main health and safety specialist, fire protection inspector and first aid instructor. Privately, husband and father of his daughter. A member of the Bellator Societas, where he is called St. Marcin, because every year he plays the character during the name day of the street on November 11 in Poznań. Of course, for many years an avid diver. He loves technical diving, especially those on wrecks and everything related to activity above and below water :)

„Kindness” entire adult life, as her friends call her, is professionally related to diving. She has been diving every day for over ten years as a professional PADI diving instructor, working and running diving centers in Egypt. Extremely meticulous and pedantic about safety. Specializes in training children, teenagers and women. It's impossible to miss her because she dresses her pink lifestyle in this color underwater. An accountant by education and second profession, in private she is the mother of two "terrorists". Co-owner of the DECO Diving Center.

our authors

For Tomek, diving has always been his greatest passion. He started his adventure at the age of 14, developing into a recreational and technical diving instructor, a first aid instructor and a diving industry technician. Currently, he runs the 5* COMPASS DIVERS Pobiedziska Diving Center near Poznań, where he passes his knowledge and skills to beginners and advanced divers, which gives him great joy and satisfaction from being part of their underwater adventure...

Infected with passion for diving by Perfect Diver. He shyly expands his skills. Definitely thermophilic :) Favorite dives are those with lots of animals! Curious about diving medicine.

Professionally, she has a Master of Science in Nursing – instrumentalist.

In the Foundation, he is the commander-in-chief of the Clean up the World – Poland Action and manages the works of strategic projects. Grzegorz realizes himself creatively in ideas for new campaigns and methods of promotion as part of the Foundation's Clean Up the World – Poland and Eco-education programs. Arranges strategies and coordinates the work so that everything goes according to plan. During off-road activities, he wears yellow gloves and naturally carries kilograms of waste. He often takes the helm of the foundation's Facebook and Instagram profile to talk about what we can do together for our immediate surroundings. In his free time, he sails, runs and traverses mountain trails. A graduate of the Faculty of IT Management and Finance at the University of Economics in Wrocław and the Faculty of Journalism and Social Communication of the University of Lower Silesia in Wrocław. Certified specialist in the field of obtaining EU funds and communication on the Internet.

DOMINIKA ABRAHAMCZYK

GRZEGORZ MIKOSZA

DOBROCHNA DIDŁUCH

PIOTR KOPEĆ

TOMASZ KULCZYŃSKI

k. Poznania

www.good-dive.pl

www.nurkowanie.kalisz.pl

www.cnmaska.pl

www.compassdivers.pl

www.nurkowanietrzebinia.pl

www.scubaelite.pl

www.lovetodive.pl

www.krokodyle.com.pl

www.dive-away.pl

www.wewelldiving.pl

Compass Divers, Pobiedziska

1. Good Dive, Kartuzy

2. CN Maska, Gliwice 4. Baza Nurkowa Balaton, Trzebinia 5. CN Scuba Elite, Kraków 6. Szkoła Nurkowania Lovetodive, Łódź 7. CN Krokodyle, Olsztyn 8. WeWell Diving, Warszawa 10.

CN Dive Away, Warszawa 9.

3. CN Deco, Kalisz

Maldives travels

Text SYLWIA KOSMALSKA-JURIEWICZ Photos ADRIAN JURIEWICZ

I remember that it was "The Nutcracker", a beautiful ballet, staged at the Grand Theatre during Christmas. The dancers moved with such grace and lightness that it seemed as if they were floating in the air.

Ido not remember who was the director of this excellent performance, but I remember exactly what awe and emotion it aroused in me, a delight so immense that it would seem that it would never be repeated..., and yet.

I am woken up by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the smell of which floats in the air and fills all the nooks and crannies of the boat we are on. I don't let it wait long, I tiptoe up the wooden, slightly creaking stairs to the upper deck. I pour

my coffee into a cup and with a wonderful, steaming essence in my hands, I climb onto the Sun Deck, which offers a beautiful view of the lagoon. This is our third day on a diving safari in the stunning Maldives, the route we chose is 'The best of Maldives'.

We went to bed late last night and had a few wake-ups in the middle of the night. The captain moored the boat at a place called Mirihi, where there is a good chance of encountering

a whale shark. After dusk, the crew lit the lamps attached to the back of the boat, the light attracts plankton and plankton attract large animals. The first whale shark arrived at 10:30 p.m. and aroused great excitement, feasted on plankton and swam away. We looked in vain for it to return, but tired we went to bed after midnight. Two hours later we were woken up by a gong: the whale shark reappeared, we were woken up by someone from the crew who had spotted it. The gong sounded several more

times that night. So today, between one yawn and the next, with the wonderful images of the past night still in my mind, I decided to get up for the sunrise and enter this wonderful new day, encouraged by the aroma of coffee.

When I was looking at the vastness of the ocean and all the shades of amaranth that appeared in the sky, one of the cruise participants came up to me and said a sad good morning. "I didn't see a whale shark at night, I put plugs in my ears and

slept through every gong," he added. "It's sad," I said, "but that's what the recordings are for, maybe it's not very comforting, but it's always something." I took my phone out of my pocket and we started looking at the videos and photos I had taken last night. After a while, someone from the crew cleaning the lower deck started shouting that the whale shark had arrived. It appeared suddenly just below the surface of the water, swam to the boat, helped itself to the plankton that were still circulating in the

light of the lamps and sailed away, leaving us in great delight and amazement.

On the first day, Dino, the boat's manager, asked us to introduce ourselves, saying where we were from and what our expectations were of that cruise as well as what animals we would like to see during the dive. After a while, everyone said their wishes out loud: whale shark, dolphins, manta rays, nurse sharks, nudibranchs... "The dolphins are unlikely to be seen", said Dino, "but there is a good chance of seeing the other animals."

I read somewhere that no one is supposed to be luckier than the one who believes in their own luck.

Dusk is slowly falling, the sun is slowly sinking into the ocean, as if it wanted to stay with us for a while longer and wait for what will happen next. The captain moored the boat in a location called Fesdhoo Lagoon, where we have a good chance of night diving with manta rays. Three large lamps attached to the back of the boat, imitating moonlight, began to attract the plankton, which swirled like a large luminous ball in the spotlight. The slender sea snake came first, nervously squirmed for a moment and disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Then the dolphins visited us, shyly showing their shiny backs on the horizon away from the lights of the lit lamps. Encouraged by our shouts of joy, they began to swim closer until they finally appeared in all

their playfulness. They surfaced and submerged, hunting small fish that were also attracted by the light. You could see that they were having fun hunting for a meal. Between the sea snake and the dolphins, a nurse shark also appeared, dropped in for a moment, made a round in the spotlight and swam away. It was followed by a brief pause, one that builds tension and is a harbinger of something extraordinary to come. A manta ray emerged from the azure water, majestically moved its "wings", opened its mouth wide and scooped up the plankton with its cephalic fins located on the sides of its head. Its flat, diamond-shaped body moved with such grace and charm that I couldn't take my eyes off it. It made a few spins, sucking up the plankton, and disappeared into the ocean. I think we all held our breath for a moment, wishing it would reappear. Luckily, it didn't make us

wait long: it came again, this time in the company of another manta, which we treated as an invitation to a performance that was about to begin.

Our dive guides attached flashlights to small poles that resembled torches. They drove them into the sandy bottom right next to our boat, directing the pillar of light upwards. They fixed them in two equal lines facing each other, just as lanterns are set up on two sides of a red carpet during important celebrations. Only this time, the red carpet turned into coral sand and the lanterns into diving torches. Lighting set up in this way is designed to attract even more plankton. When the stage was set, we dressed in snorkelling gear and jumped into the water. We slowly plunged into the warm Indian Ocean, the water has a pleasant 28 C. We slowly descend to the tenth meter, let all

the air out of the jackets and kneel on our knees as gently as we can, so as not to disturb the bottom. We light our lamps and hold them above our heads, like torches.

The show had already begun, the actors had arrived, four black-andwhite manta rays swam over the torches one after the other, sucking up food. The spectators took their seats, kneeling in a straight line along the carpet of sand, just behind the line of torches. Sea devils (as they are also called) whirl above us in a spectacular dance, swimming right above our heads. They move with such lightness and elegance that it mesmerizes the audience. We follow them with our eyes, enchanted by their beauty and spectacular dance. We can take a close look at how their gill slits move and filter their food every time they turn and suck in plankton. I can count the black spots on their white bellies, which are like a human's fingerprint, and look them straight in the eye.

Such extraordinary experiences in our lives, like diving with manta rays, teach us mindfulness, but above all, they develop empathy for ourselves and the world we live in. This captivating spectacle, directed by the ocean and unusual sea creatures, lasted more than an hour. I agree with the first principle of Huna, which says that – "The world is what you think it is". Be the creator of your world and don't let anyone ruin your dreams.

LOMBOK

Diving in the shadow of a volcano

Photo Karola Takes Photos

AN INDONESIAN ISLAND, LOCATED ON THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINENTAL LINE WHICH MANY ANIMAL SPECIES HAVE NEVER CROSSED.

LOMBOK AND ITS FASCINATING GEOLOGICAL HISTORY MAKE FOR SOME OF THE BEST DIVE SITES THAT FEW KNOW ABOUT.

For recreational and technical divers, megafauna and macro-photography enthusiasts, this is a huge field for exploration, affordable diving and no crowds. Plus, you can contribute to ecotourism by planting coral or building coral reef restoration structures. Forget influencer Bali – a 30-minute flight to Praya airport will take you to a much more authentic destination.

A not-to-miss spot is my beloved Gilis-Trawangan, Air and Meno. In fact, it's not because of the best diving in Indonesia that you can't miss, but because of the climate. The friendly diving community on these carefree islands makes you feel at home momentarily. As the islands attract backpackers and young diving enthusiasts, it's the perfect place not only to start your diving adventure, but also to continue your education as a pro. It is definitely one of the better and cheaper places to train as a Divemaster or Instructor. At Trawangan Dive centre, you will have the opportunity to assist on courses for beginners and advanced divers, gain experience diving with strong currents in the sea, and also brush up on fish and marine life identification, as the variety of species is huge. And, of course, the turtles. You will encounter huge green turtles on most dives. On one dive I counted as many as 27 of them! No, it was not the same turtle swimming in circles, I promise.

Technical diving is also a great option – 20 minutes from the island you'll find yourself at the threshold of the Wallace Line, where you'll plunge into the depths of vertical walls that form an amazing ecosystem. The plateau starts at around 40 metres and there's still a long way to the bottom at over 300 metres. Not surprisingly, you'll find passing sharks, ocean

Photo Roos Michels

Photo Nicolas Hahn

sunfish, and many species of stingrays. Above all, it is worth going deeper here because of the topography and corals. The two-metre gorgonians overgrowing this vertical reef try to catch as much light and flowing plankton as possible, and they are great at posing for photos. Here you can also encounter huge Antipatharia or black corals against the backdrop of the blue depths where time loses its meaning and the vastness of the underwater landscape makes you realise how tiny we are in this aquatic space.

For eco-enthusiasts, there are some fantastic options thanks to the Gili Eco Trust, a non-profit organisation dedicated to, among other things, the protection and restoration of coral reefs. One of the projects is BioRock, headed by Delphine. This innovative way of restoring coral reefs, which are suffering from climate change and increased tourism in the region, prevents shoreline erosion and restores the underwater ecosystem. BioRock are metal structures that use a safe low-voltage electric current passed through seawater to stimulate coral growth. During the two-week course at the Trawangan Dive Centre, you will learn the ins and outs of this technique, explore the coral and design, build and install a BioRock structure on the reef.

The Gili Islands are the most popular destination on Lombok, so if you're looking to get away from the crowds and don't intend to train as a pro, head straight for Lombok to the Belongas area. There, a breathtaking experience will be provided

by Team Wild Scuba. Jay and his crew have been exploring the dives in this region for years. Because it is a small dive centre, you can expect a friendly, family atmosphere. Wild Scuba are true diving enthusiasts and are happy to share their knowledge of the underwater creatures and fish species that can be found here, or techniques for diving with strong currents.

Belongas and the surrounding area offers fantastic dive sites. Magnet is an underwater rock gently rising above sea level in the open ocean, an iconic dive site known for its strong and challenging currents. And that's because it's one of the few places in the world where groups of hammerhead sharks can be seen from May to December when the water temperature drops to 20-25 degrees, but that's not all. Diving here you will see huge schools of barracuda, tunas, giant trevallies, almaco jacks, bigeye trevallies, as well as the occasional whale shark, manta ray and ocean sunfish.

Nearby you will also find Gili Sarang with its shoal of giant devil rays, amazing topography and coral. To the east of Magnet is Cathedral. The dive site boasts a large cave at 40 metres. The site is also exposed to currents where you can often see curious sea snakes and huge schools of fish seeking refuge on the coral reef. Cathedral offers a stunning and unique underwater landscape.

From Belongas Bay, it will take about an hour to reach Manta Pot where giant stingrays will dance for you, nimbly manoeuvring their fins. The view is truly mesmerising. You can see reef

Photo Charlie Laur

manta rays as well as oceanic manta rays, which come here mainly for cleaning – a kind of an underwater SPA. In addition to manta rays, you will often encounter octopuses, reef sharks, lionfish and scorpionfish.

When the water temperature drops to around 16-20 degrees (that's already a dry-suit for me), there is a good chance of encountering an underwater dinosaur, I'm talking about mola mola. These bizarre fish can be found at several dive sites, mainly those exposed to strong currents.

The underwater coral reefs and topography will satisfy even the picky ones who have already been everywhere and seen everything. There are small caves and isthmuses, coral fans, rocks and walls. There is one catch, however – to dive with Wild Scuba in the Belongas area, you must have a minimum of an advanced scuba diving certificate and document at least 100 dives. This is because of the potentially challenging conditions, where the sea current is very strong, the entrances to the water are usually negative and the waves around the dive site can create an underwater 'roller coaster'. However, this has its advantages – if you are an experienced diver, you can expect unforgettable adrenaline-pumping, small-group dives and breathtaking encounters with nature.

For less advanced divers, Team Wild Scuba offers the secret Gili. These dives are more sheltered from the currents and are often popular among photographers due to the varied macro. The Southern Gili is a total escape from civilisation and crowds, where several boutique resorts offer comfort away from the hustle and bustle, with stunning views of the green of small islands surrounded by the blue.

Photo Charlie Laur

Photo Nicolas Hahn

INFORMATION:

Questions to Kazi, author of the text: info@divemastergilis.com

Insta: @laura_kazi_diving

DIVING:

´ Belongas, WILD SCUBA INDONESIA

WA +62(0)877 5021 5327

email: wildscubaindonesia@gmail.com

www.wildscubaindonesia.com

Insta: @wilsscubaindonesia

´ Gili Trawangan, TRAWANGAN DIVE CENTRE

WA +62(0)811 3810 2929

email: info@trawangandive.com

www.trawangandive.com

Insta: @trawangandive

´ Kuta Lombok, BLUE MARLIN DIVE WA +62(0) 823-4098-6987

email: info@bluemarlinkutalombok.com

www.bluemarlindive.com/lombok_kuta

Insta: @bluemarlindivekutalombok

Another not-to-miss spot is Kuta Lombok where Blue Marlin Dive, located in the centre of the tourist town, offers dive courses and tours for beginners and advanced divers. Dive sites are located in the Alas Strait, between Lombok and Sumbawa, and in the Tanjung Ringgit protected area – together more than 15 dive sites. As the Blue Marlin Dive team has been discovering new dive sites for years, you can expect to be the only dive boat in the area.

I remember the first time I went underwater here, I couldn't believe how beautiful and healthy the corals here are. The average water temperature here is lower than in the northern Gili which is good for the corals. The Alas Strait is much shallower than the Lombok Strait, so the strong current brings cool water and many nutrients from the depths here, feeding the nearby coral reefs and resulting in a huge variety of species from rays to tuna and sharks to tiny nudibranch snails and monkfish.

Diving with Blue Marlin is a full-day excursion. The day starts at the dive centre before 8 am, after which you enjoy a picturesque car journey of about 40 minutes to the harbour, where a boat awaits at the edge of the mangrove. Then another 25 to 45 minutes by boat before you reach the dive site. During the cruise, the scenic landscape of Lombok unfolds. You can see the pearl farms, the pink beach, the green coastline with its coves, and feast your eyes on the water that shimmers in countless shades of blue.

Photo Karola Takes Photos

And what can you expect underwater, especially around Sumbawa? Sharks, sharks and more sharks of various kinds. And manta rays, in season from May to November. Diving closer to Lombok, you'll encounter reef sharks, tunas, turtles, small creatures and even thresher sharks which have started to appear quite regularly, although for now it's hard to say when they migrate to this area and why exactly here.

What's exciting about diving in Lombok is that most of the dive sites were 'discovered' only a few years ago and diving is still not very popular here, which means no crowds. In addition to diving, you'll find plenty of activities such as surfing, paragliding, trips to caves, waterfalls or strawberry fields, where you can pick as much as you can eat for about 5 Euros.

Lombok retains its authenticity and culture, although this is rapidly changing. Two years ago a motorbike track opened for the Moto GP, and more and more of the green hills, rice fields and formerly wild beaches are being bought up for development. Many say that in a decade or so Lombok will meet the same fate as Bali. So visit Lombok now and enjoy the places where you can still feel like an explorer – both underwater and on land.

Photo Karola Takes Photos

Photo Joel Holland-Andrew

TROPICAL GETAWAY

It seems to be a tradition that every year, wanting to escape the icy paws of winter, I escape to Mexico. This winter was no different

As the colder days arrive and the beautifully coloured leaves fall gracefully onto the lawn, forcing me to grab a rake, I start looking for tickets to Cancun.

This year the plan is both simple and quite ambitious.

Long rebreather dives, only in the caves; squeeze as much as I can out of my photo equipment because, as always, I keep telling myself that this is the last trip to the Yucatán and I need to take a longer break so I could miss Mexico again. Only for the last few years I find that I start to miss it quite regularly which is exactly when the summer in Poland says "Bye bye".

This time, however, I am looking forward to this trip for one more reason. In addition to rebreather diving and photographing fantastic locations, the plan is to meet and have a joint session with one of, in my opinion, the best photographers in the world, and certainly in the Yucatan.

JORAM MENNES

For me, the master of Mexican underwater photography. I have never met a photographer who shows the play of light and shadow in a similar way. His contrasting images are stunning not only with their perfect framing, but also with the way they capture the mood of the Mexican caves. Even before we met, I had been looking at his work.

Fate would have it that our paths crossed last year. My favourite guide Rodrigo introduced us to each other when we met by chance at the cenote entrance. Joram immediately made a very positive impression on me. A smiling, cheerful guy. As we share the same passion, our conversation was endless. We decided then that we must meet again, necessarily for a joint session.

ACCORDING TO PLAN

Everything manages to fit into the schedule even before landing in Cancun (a year later, of course!).

So it's January, the leaves in the garden are raked, the pavement is cleared of snow, all that's in front of me are the dives, the photos, the sun, the morning coffee on the 5th Avenue...

Our team for the shoot consists of 5 people. Obviously me and Joram as photographers, Michał Szczepański and Rodrigo De La Pena as models, and Silvia Buccelloni as lighting designer.

I leave it to Joram to choose the cenote because I believe he knows the best photographic locations. The choice falls on NaiTu-Cha – "you won't be disappointed by the views" says Joram, and he's right. But one step at a time.

We are picked up from the hotel by Rodrigo, as usual with a huge smile on his face.

We head to the meeting point. We drive for quite a long time along a "hardcore" road through the jungle. A powerful pickup truck with a 5.6-litre engine purrs with deep bass. Hmmm, music to my ears. Pushing through jungle and dense scrub and a bumpy road is a real challenge for the suspension, even for such a powerful machine.

At the same moment Joram arrives on the scene. The entire team is complete and in sensational moods :)

LET’S DO IT!

Configuration of diving and photo equipment. Our combined lighting power is as high as 215,000 lumens! This is a formidable arsenal to combat the darkness that prevails in the cave. Joram presents our dive plan in a very enthusiastic way.

We enter the water.

Remarkable cave selection! Beautifully decorated with dripstone, it impresses from the very moment we dive in. Everything goes according to plan. Everyone knows their role, so we flow smoothly from site to site. I am pleased with the choice of location and the cooperation of the whole team. In addition, the amount of light we have reveals the beauty of the Yucatan caves on an unprecedented scale.

More than two hours underwater pass like a flash.

On leaving, we both know there will be something to show off. Feel free to judge for yourself.

TIME FOR A TOAST

That's something to celebrate! A great day in great company, perfect shots, perfect location, and a special task team! Fortunately, bringing a travel cooler wasn't for nothing. Cold toast was a great surprise for our Mexican friends. Not the only one. On the way back, we stopped at a Mexican restaurant where I got the chance to question Joram

in more detail about the origins of his diving and the development of his photography career.

ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT HE SAID? HERE’S THE INTERVIEW:

How did you first get into the water as a diver?

My first contact with diving goes back to 1999, on the island where I was born, Formentera, a small Island in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea. As part of the Archipelago of the Balearic Islands, the island has some of the most crystal clear waters one can see, there I had my first opportunity to submerge underwater into the beautiful blue the Med has to offer. My brother was already a Scuba Instructor and was working at one of the two shops that existed back in that day on the island. It was in the month of November when I enrolled in my course with just the idea of finding out what scuba diving is about, little did I know that this would turn into a lifetime spent underwater. I remember heading out with the cold winter breeze and arriving at the dive site, rolling into the water for the first time, and descending to a sand bank with patches of Posidonia seagrass and a few fish. It felt like being in a completely different world, even covered in thick suit, gloves, hood and a heavy steal tank moving along was like floating around with no gravity… And I loved it!

Dreams do come true, did your first dive make more dreams come true? Have new, unknown opportunities opened up to you?

Dreams or not dreams, this was a life changer. A door to something new was wide open, I went from a person with no clear idea about life to a motivated young scuba diver. Next Summer I started dividing my time between working at a restaurant and scuba diving, filling tanks for the shop in exchange for courses and serving tables on the evenings. Two years later, I was teaching scuba diving on Ibiza with the idea of gaining experience to later on travel the world, so yes, one could say, the opportunity to travel and live was the dream I guess. In 2006 I took off to Mexico for my first journey to see the world, travel for few years and settle in the peninsula of Yucatan in 2010, were I became a cave diver and guided/taught for years. Falling in love with the world famous cenotes.

At what point did you pick up your camera? (unless you took photos before and wanted to go underwater with the camera – then: at what point did you want to expand your photography skills to include underwater photos)?

under the ceiling

Photography came second to diving. I’ve had only a small background in the art of capturing moments, with a few small compact cameras, I’d never used a DSLR before, but many times I’d been modeling for visiting guests. It attracted me to the point of wanting to do it myself, so I invested into a second hand Nikon D300, and after a few small lessons with a good friend and wedding photographer Sonja Sipala from Sydney, Australia, I decided to enter the water with my setup. My first impression was that it was not going to be easy as caves are pitch black unless you bring lights and a modern camera. So I upgraded to a Nikon D810 soon, so with this I started following divers and shooting as I went into the caves, mostly all on the fly, as I was not important to the outcome of dives. I struggled to be able to experiment with lights, nobody cared about stopping and taking time for images back in the day. But there was that one person who did, a true cave explorer Mauro Bordignon, he was watching my progress and invited me as second shooter to a week of cave diving with Laurent Benoit, and for the first time I really saw the full potential of what lights can do in caves, it was an eye opener and a point of change to my style.

Do you ever dive without a camera?

Yes, sometimes I do dive without my camera. Occasionally I still guide or work underwater without it, as a Safety Diver for productions, or even teaching Discover Scuba Diving, making a living from only photography is the goal, but the process is not an easy one. I must be flexible in order to keep income flow, sponsors would be a great thing, as reinvesting in dive gear or camera gear is not cheap ever, support would be a good thing, but I don't think about it too much. If it does eventually happen, it would be great.

Favorite cenote?

Favorite Cenote… this is a hard question, all of them are full of magic, there are so many of them, even in 2 lifetimes one could not see them all. Maybe the best answer would be the next one, one dives? Or at least the next new one, meaning always new sections or places one has not been to are the best. Filling your eyes with unseen places to your brain is the best one can do here.

Unfulfilled underwater dream?

Unfulfilled dream underwater… seeing more caves around the world, expanding my shooting in more areas, growing more in the international scene, let’s see what this year brings us.

How long can you survive on land without diving?

I tend to get itchy about diving after a few days out of the wa ter, however, many times in my life, my vacations have been non scuba diving related. From backpacking to hiking or road trips, but away from the ocean side, maybe they were times where one had to see the life from a faraway point of view to enjoy more of what one does in life. Nothing like not doing something to really miss it I guess.

After lunch we all went our separate ways.

This fantastic adventure will stay in my memory for a long time, and the beautiful photographs will please the eye and bring back memories.

What did I learn from Joram? Hmmm... Certainly the dance step during the briefing, and the undisguised joy that put every one in a great mood and took away the stress before the session.

It was a time pleasantly spent and you can see the effects of our collaboration in the attached photographs. In order to dis tinguish our photos, Joram has left his signature, and I am pub lishing my photos without the watermark.

If you too would like enrich your album with the wonderful photographs from the cellars of the Yucatan, feel free to write to Joaram. He is on site all year round, not only taking photos, he will also give you an excellent tour of the fantastic cenotes.

STRAIGHT from Zanzibar

Text ANNA METRYCKA Photos ŁUKASZ METRYCKI

„Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see…”

This was sung by the famous Freddie Mercury, the leader of the Queen band, who was born in Zanzibar on September 5, 1946.

Despite its immense popularity in the world – Mercury himself, it is not an icon here – unless he can help sell souvenirs. However, arriving on this island, we can have the irresistible impression that it is a world of fairy tales. It is here that the magic of the African continent manifests itself most spectacularly. The unique, colourful and cosmopolitan culture of Swahili is an inseparable element of it. Africa gave it its traditions, rituals, vitality and old rites. Arabia – Islam, poetry and sailing craftsmanship. India and Far Asia – spices, flavours and a sense

of trade. In addition, the incredible turquoise colour of the Indian Ocean and the white sand of the coral beaches constitute a real showcase of Zanzibar. Called the Island of Spices, it is part of Tanzania and lies only 25-50 km from its coast.

Is Zanzibar a paradise island for lovers? Is it a holiday destination, or maybe also... a dive destination? Or maybe it's worth taking advantage of all the advantages of Zanzibar during your trip?

Zanzibar is an island with extremely beautiful and rich coral reefs. The fauna and flora found here are typical of the equa-

torial regions of the Indian Ocean. Its richness and extraordinary diversity attract both experienced divers and beginners in exploring this underwater world of tourists to the island. The magnificent image is complemented by traditional dhow boats, which seem to be suspended on the water, and the picturesque silhouettes of the Maasai, who guard the safety of tourists in their colourful robes.

When planning dives in Zanzibar, it is worth taking into account the so-called seasons. From September to December,

whale sharks appear in the vicinity of Zanzibar, and at the very beginning of autumn there is a good chance of meeting... humpback whales! It is also worth diving off the coast of Zanzibar from November to March or from July to September – then we can expect good visibility and wonderful underwater life. It has been assumed, however, that April is the least favourable time for diving in this area. So where is it worth diving? Certainly around the island of Mnemba. Located about 3 km from the northeastern coast, despite its small size, it boasts an incredible variety – from the smallest shrimps to huge turtles. The atoll creates a kind of aquarium, abounding in numerous species of underwater creatures and a magnificent coral reef. Here you can find tuna, barracuda, moray eels, reef sharks, as well as shoals of colourful tropical fish. This is a paradise for macro photographers! Frogfish, shrimps, crabs or nudibranchs. The island and reefs have been protected by a marine reserve, as they are, among others, a nesting place for endangered green turtles, the life of three species of dolphins and whale sharks. Interestingly, while on holiday in Zanzibar, the creator of Microsoft liked the island Mnembaso much that he decided to buy it and create his private estate there. So, with a little luck, returning from a dive, you may see Bill Gates himself waving you from "his beach";) ?

THERE ARE SEVERAL RECOMMENDABLE DIVE SPOTS:

´ Small Wall – as the name suggests, it is a wall – neither too big nor too small. This is a good dive spot for deeper dives, about 30 meters. When diving is accompanied by a strong current – expect large fish nurseries here, e.g. barracudas! In addition, you will see nudibranchs, leaf fish, as well as moray trees buried in the rocks.

´ Kichwani is another great place in Zanzibar with a beautiful drop-off, which is great for drift diving. Plus soft corals and an impressive amount of marine life, including moray, leaf fish, clownfish, common monkfish, mackerel, snappers and nudibranchs!

´ Mnemba Sandbanks is a gently falling reef with a beautiful garden of soft and hard corals. Once again, we will see large shoals of fish here, but also – giant forgfish!

However, man does not live by "macro" alone. If you are planning your trip to Zanzibar in September – you have a good chance to meet... a humpback whale. Returning from dives around the island of Mnemba, we were accompanied by the female and the young (5 meters tall!) sailing along the atoll for about 40 minutes. Humpback whales reach 14–17 meters in length and body

weight exceeding 40-50 tons, which guarantees them a place in the top ten largest animals in the world. The humpback whale is a very active and energetic whale, which was manifested by a rapid ascent over the surface of the water, after which it fell into it with a loud splash... Meeting whales is a truly amazing experience. During my encounter with these animals, several divers jumped into the water to take a picture of the whales, but the speed with which these animals move is incredible – there is no way to catch them.

MAFIA ISLAND, the southern part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, still boasts pristine nature. Just like in the vicinity of Mnemba Island, we have a great chance to meet humpback whales, which are "almost" guaranteed here from October to February! In addition, during the dive you will have a good chance to see a dugong and leatherback see turtles!

NUNGWI, located at the northern end of the island, is a fishing village known as the centre of traditional boat – dhow – making. To this day, you can find here craftsmen doing that job. It is

worth diving here at Tumbatu Island. It's a long reef with beautiful soft and hard corals. A must for macro photography lovers! Crabs, eels, nudibranchs, shrimps – this is the showcase of this place. A real treat for photographers can be Cycere nigra – a tiger snail – also found in the Philippines! Cyerce nigra is well known for its "wings" that resemble overlapping leaves or a ruffled ball gown Their dorsal part has alternating black and white-yellow stripes, while the abdominal part has orange or yellow spots on a black background. It's something beautiful!

LEVEN BANKS is another dive site worth adding to your dive list. It is a kind of giant mound rising from the seabed. A huge, 3-kilometer plateau in the middle of the canal connecting Pemba and Unguja is covered with beautiful corals. The location of this place makes it susceptible to strong currents, and the depth reaches over 50 m. During the dive, we will see tuna, barracudas, humphead wrasses and even reef sharks.

Apart from really pleasant dives, there are places where the reef is dying. Unfortunately, it is so in many places on our planet. There are plenty of reasons – from global warming to human activity. How many times have you seen broken corals underwater? Unfortunately, often out of carelessness or due to poor buoyancy, divers hit corals with their fins or, unable to cope with the currents, they "catch" everything they can find at hand – including corals. Fortunately, there is a place in Zanzibar where broken corals do not have to end their "life". To

restore the ecosystem around one of the protected areas, the "Linda Bahari Project" by Frank Mollel, also known as Masai Diver, was founded and started breeding corals in 2019. The coral nursery is, in other words, a nursery for breeding corals. This project aims to strengthen the ability of local divers to identify corals, breed and nurture them on artificial structures, and ultimately restore their native reef. At a depth of about 10 meters, steel structures in the form of pyramids, tables or ropes were installed, on which... corals grow. Divers involved in the project are looking for coral fragments that have already lost their main structure and yet look healthy. The coral fragments found are broken off as a result of human activity – boating, anchoring, diving, snorkelling or fishing. Corals can grow asexually – just like plants. The principle of coral breeding is basically simple – you need to provide corals with stability and the right environment for growth. Coral fragments are collected from inside a barrier reef or from nearby dive sites and placed on rope or steel structures where they are given time to regenerate. Twice a week, the Linda Bahari team cleans corals with toothbrushes or dish sponges to remove sediment, algae, and sedentary arthropods, or barnacles. The condition of the corals is constantly monitored by checking various parameters such as colour, health and growth of each broken fragment. Coral bleaching or the effects of the spread of the crown of thorns starfish are also monitored. So, if our broken coral fragments have already regenerated, how

do we reattach them to the reef? When corals reach a certain size, they are used for fragmentation to grow more corals or are placed back on the reef. They are "transplanted" using the so-called coral clips, or fixed with a metal wire, replenishing the natural coral reef.

THE CORAL NURSERY is a unique place, worth visiting while diving in Zanzibar. Between the artificial, steel formations you will see beautiful Rhinopias, mantis shrimps or beautiful shoals of fish. The "Coral Nursery" is a wonderful initiative spread by extraordinary people who help, educate and save our marine environment.

When talking about Zanzibar, it is impossible not to mention "non-diving" attractions, e.g. STONE TOWN. It is a stone city, one of the oldest in all of East Africa, and the cultural and economic centre of the island, built of ... coral reef. It was here that sultans ruled for centuries. It is worth taking a stroll among the winding and narrow streets of the centre, numerous bazaars and traditional colonial residences, where Hindu, Muslim and African influences intertwine in an interesting way. Every turn brings something new – an old palace, a Persian bathhouse, intriguing

ruins, coral estates with carved doors and openwork balconies, or a school full of children reciting verses from the Koran... Next to one of the tenement houses there is also a house – the birthplace of the aforementioned Freddie Mercury.

Zanzibar is also home to tortoises. PRISON ISLAND, also called Changuu, or white snapper is the island on which the prison was built, but it was never officially used for this purpose. The biggest attraction of the island is therefore the giant tortoises! Four of them were sent to Zanzibar in 1919 as a gift from the governor of the Seychelles, and over time it turned out that the island had ideal conditions for the development and reproduction of tortoises, which resulted in the creation of a reserve that must be visited.

Holidays in Zanzibar are also an opportunity to take advantage of optional excursions offering safaris in SELOUS or MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK. The flight to the mainland in Tanzania is about 1 hour, and the impressions after spending one or two days in national park are invaluable. It's the heart of Africa, full of wildlife, including over 3000-year-old baobab trees, beautiful animals and natural balance.

"I don't know how to explain it scientifically, but at night you see more in Africa than in other places. And the stars shine brighter here." Farewell to Africa

Zanzibar is the perfect place for a paradise holiday, where we will be dazzled by white sand, turquoise water and dark silhouettes of the Maasai people walking for miles of beaches. This is a destination whose history and wildlife have a lot to offer. It is also an island around which it is worth delving into the waters of the Indian Ocean, because everyone will find something for themselves, and the dive sites will be cared for by numerous foundations and associations that know that in order for diving tourism to develop – its most important organ – the coral reef – must be protected.

GOZO Explore with me

If sitting on a cliff watching the sun hide behind the surface of the sea makes you feel special – you're in the right place.

Gozo. An island where haste does not exist. A place where you can enjoy the moment, according to the now so popular slow life trend. Even the breaks between dives here are different from the ones we are used to  A peaceful break for cake, some Gozo-time and plenty of water (which are always prepared for divers), instead of impatience and immediate preparation for the next dive.

To get to Gozo you have to score a landing in Malta. The airport is located in Luqa in the southern part of the island. From there, you can take a car or bus to the port of Cirkewwa, where transport ferries depart regularly. They run up to every

30 minutes during the day, and a pleasant cruise takes about half an hour. Reading guidebooks on Malta, I have often encountered the statement that one day is enough to explore Gozo. What a pity for the tourists who believed it... This place has much more to offer and it is worth staying here for longer, especially since real El Dorado awaits underwater.

The trip to Gozo involved us (the editors) being invited by the Dive World Gozo. The owners of the dive center are Poles – Wojtek and Mariola, both in love with the island and sharing this love with tourists eager for wonderful experiences. The base itself is intimate, prepared for small groups of about 10-12 peo-

ple. This emphasizes the homely and warm atmosphere of the place where every diver is taken care of and treated individually. Didn't pack your equipment? No problem – all equipment can be rented on site 

WHO IS GOZO FOR? WELL, FOR EVERYONE!

´ for (as yet ) non-divers, ´ for those starting their diving adventure, ´ for advanced divers, ´ for technical and cave divers.

There are great conditions for intro/OWD courses here. Nice visibility often exceeding 30 m and warm water (25 degrees in October!) make the students very comfortable. The beautiful underwater views encourage them to further conquer the underwater world. It is also a great place for developing further skills – I myself have taken Nitrox training here with the owner of the Dive World Gozo base, who is Wojciech Karkusiewicz – an Olympic athlete and medallist at the European Shooting Championships. There are also dive spots for the more advanced divers – within 40 metres of depth, you can see great sites – Double Arch at Xwejni Bay, Middle Finger or the well-known Dwejra Point, where the world-famous Azure Window stood, which unfortunately collapsed 7 years ago during a strong storm. There is also the great Wreck Point, a place where we have 4 wrecks in relatively close proximity to each other within reach of our fins. Among them the famous MV Karwela and the latest wreck MT

Hephaestus sunk in 2022. It is worth mentioning that technical and cave divers will also find a place for themselves on Gozo –there are sites exceeding the depth of 100 meters that can be reached from shore.

Gozo's coastline is quite diverse. Coves, cliffs, rocky beaches –this is the prevailing landscape. There are a few sandy beaches, one of which is Ramla Bay. For me, however, a fantastic sight are the salt pans at Xwejni – these are holes carved into the rock where salt is evaporated – they cover a large area and are a very characteristic sight. And you can buy such salt in bags in the local shops  The terrain under the water surface is just as interesting – rocky corridors, caves, walls, canyons and depressions. It is important to remember that sometimes, in order to get to the water, you have to walk quite a distance along the rocks, carrying your equipment. This is no mean feat, in high temperatures, in high season, and woe betide anyone who, after walking this distance, realises that they have left an important piece of equipment on the top ;) The pros of the island are its size and compactness – if there is a strong wind at one dive site and the conditions for diving are too dangerous, a few minutes away by car you may find that conditions are perfect and you can continue your diving adventure. The owners of Dive World Gozo know the island like the back of their hand so such surprises are no trouble to them. The dives are done mostly from the shore. There are also a few sites (such as the Double Arch and Hephaestus) which are better reached by boat or jet ski, as it takes about 20-30 minutes to reach them using fins.

THE DIVE SITES THAT IMPRESSED ME THE MOST:

Double Arch – it was our first diving day, and although the drive to get there was long and tiring, it was definitely worth it. The wonderful sights along the way – a huge number of Mediterranean jellyfish (also known as fried egg jellyfish) certainly made the trip pleasant. Their beautiful colours – yellow with purple 'beads' and large size (sometimes larger than a human head) impressed us greatly. In the following days we also had the opportunity to encounter them during dives, but also found that they could be seen even from the cliffs. Double Arch are two massive rock arches, and you can swim freely through the middle of them (at around 30 metres) which is an amazing experience. We encountered quite a large grouper here and large schools of smaller fish. The maximum depth here is 40 metres.

Azure Window – I have never seen it before the collapse, but many people say that after the collapse the dives here are much more interesting. There is a large well where the dive begins. Just diving in through the Blue Hole into the high seas is something I will remember for the rest of my life. Then there are the corridors, tunnels and nooks and crannies formed from the rocks of

the collapsed window. It all creates a unique atmosphere. It is worth going here with a guide who knows the place very well and is able to extract all that is the most beautiful from this place. We were the lucky ones  Of course, we were again accompanied by jellyfish, but also shoals of more and less curious fish. Parrotfish, scorpionfish, seabream but also in the distance – tuna hunting for their dinner. Here, too, you have to expect a depth of around 40 metres.

Middle Finger – getting to this place is fascinating in itself! The bottom is composed as if of strips of rock with cracks and holes of various sizes, inhabited by marine animals. Then, in the depths, we swim up to the base of a huge pillar-shaped rock (at about 30 metres) and circle it repeatedly, spiralling, gently surfacing. The rock itself has millions of nooks and crannies from which, for example, moray eels look out. We stop at the top of the rock, look down and it turns out to be a true fish highway! A huge number of different fish in schools moving in different directions, with a few hunting predators (thunnidae) in between. It's moments like this that are worth diving for – and although no description can capture the charm of this place, I hope I can tempt at least one reader ;)

Each dive day ends around lunchtime. From the dive centre located in Marsalforn, it is a short walk to some great places where you can enjoy a delicious meal overlooking the sea. The lunch and dinner menu here is dominated by fish, seafood, but

also Italian cuisine – all kinds of pasta and pizzas. We also tasted a few Gozitan specialities – such as pastizzi or Ross-il forn, which we tried to recreate later when we returned home. In the morning, the cuisine is very varied – you will find a traditional English breakfast, sandwiches such as tuna but also sweet croissants. I have to say that I had some of the best ice cream of my life here – cinnamon flavoured.

WHAT TO VISIT IN GOZO?

Apart from the typical not-to-miss – the Inland sea where you take boat through the rocks to the open sea? In my opinion, it is worth seeing one of the oldest temple complexes in the world, Ggantija – built nearly 6,000 years ago, but also Rabbat (Victoria) – the island's capital. Its narrow, charming streets will allow you to feel the atmosphere of the island, and a visit to the Citadel with the fort will allow you to admire the magnificent panorama of the city and its surroundings. The capital can be easily reached by bus or taxi at a reasonable price. It is worth renting a car here to be more independent, but remember the left-hand traffic.

Gozo captivates with its views. There is no noise or crowd. The people are friendly and smiling. You will easily get along in English, as it is one of the official languages. And Wojtek and Mariola will tell you where to admire most beautiful sunset.

DIVING GREAT BRITAIN

The Isle of Portland is located at the southernmost tip of Great Britain in Dorset County. The island (as the name suggests) is connected to the mainland by a 28-kilometer-long moraine bar, on which lies the famous Chesil Beach. Wait, if the island is connected to the mainland, then it's a peninsula, isn't it? This phenomenon is called a tombolo, so it's actually both an island and a peninsula, depending on the timeframe.

During my visits to the Isles, I've been to Portland several times. You might ask why? One of the most important, if not the most important factor I consider when planning my diving trips, is the people. I always prefer to go to a place where there's always a relaxed, family atmosphere, and where the owner, with a smile on their face, tells countless diving stories. That's exactly how it was in Portland – I knew right away that I would be a frequent guest here. And all thanks to Dale Spree, who runs a diving centre called Dive Beyond. She's a lovely person with a huge passion for diving. She'll tell you everything in the smallest detail, and her knowledge is top-notch. Dale lives in Portland and has dived everywhere possible, in all kinds of weather conditions. Honestly, I don't know of another place or person as dedicated and fascinated by their work as Dale. Such people are an invaluable source of information to consider when planning dives. Even the most well-thought-out diving plans can crash into the wall of brutal reality. Guides and local divers are a great help in planning. We'll learn about interesting places worth seeing. They'll tell us how much time to allocate to reach a designated spot and, most importantly, what to do if we can't dive there. I always listen to the advice of enthusiasts like Dale and take into account their not always positive recommenda-

WELCOME TO ANOTHER GUIDE TO THE MOST INTERESTING DIVING SPOTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT… WELL, ABOUT ALL THE ASPECTS THAT CAUSE THAT OUR CHOICE OF A DIVING LOCATION IS APPROPRIATE. I'LL TRY TO SHED SOME NEW LIGHT ON THIS TOPIC DURING OUR VISIT TO PORTLAND!

tions. They're here every day, they know the stories of divers on-site, and therefore they have incredible experience.

For comparison, once I ended up in a place in Spain where the guide took us diving to 30 meters, where there was nothing but sand... And at the safety stop... octopuses, everything teeming with life – but what's the point if we had to end it. No one had any air left after 25 minutes. It was the guide's last dive of the day, and unfortunately, he was in a hurry. Do you think I ever went back there...

Another very significant aspect of our planning is the weather. If we want to dive in a place like Portland, we need to plan our trip well in advance. Firstly, the departure date must suit every participant, and secondly, it must also suit Dale. The number of spots on the boat is limited. During the season, there's practically no option to go out without a prior reservation. You know how the weather is on the islands, although it's much kinder in the south than in the north. We actually have three options: 1) the worst, which means we get a call on Thursday saying there's no point in coming for the weekend because there's going to be a storm and we probably won't be able to leave the harbour; 2) the most likely scenario – which is the one I've encountered most often – where the weather is soso, it's windy and unfortunately, we have to change our diving plans, limiting ourselves to diving in the bay. Portland is great because it's an island. There's always a place sheltered from the wind. Lastly, I call it hitting the jackpot – 3) perfect weather, clear skies, no wind, everything goes according to plan.

We managed to plan well the visit, let's optimistically say that we even had luck to have a superb weather, but what happens

underwater in Portland? Given its location on the map, there must be something happening!!! First of all, wrecks. Countless wrecks, starting from submarines, through ships, ending with barges and trawlers. We have wrecks in the harbour, which are a great attraction during strong winds, and wrecks outside, where it's not as colourful...

Surely the number one on the list is the submarine M2, unique because it had a kind of runway on its deck, on which it transported planes. Don't confuse it with aircraft carriers, where planes take off and land, because the boat is only 90 meters long. Apparently, it's very impressive. Why apparently? Unfortunately, I've never had the chance to see it live because it lies at 35 meters in open water. Every time we reached the spot, unfortunately, weather conditions didn't allow for diving....

Talking about wrecks, there are so many of them that I divided them for you by depth. Here's a list of a few of them that I recommend the most. For beginners, wrecks lying at depths of up to 18 meters include: Dredger, James Fennel, Countess of Erne. For more advanced divers, wrecks located at depths of up to 40 meters include: M2, Alex Van Opstel, Pomeranian. And more difficult to access wrecks, below 40 meters reserved for technical divers: Merchant Royal, Buccaner. These are just a fraction of the available wrecks, although these are the ones that stuck in my memory the most.

Another excellent attraction in Portland is Durdle Door – probably the most famous place in terms of popularity and accessibility. It's a reef between the famous beach and the so-called Arch, a rock formation creating an arch. The average depth is about 7 meters, with a maximum of 14. You can find everything here: rich fauna and flora, crustaceans, reef fish, including caverns and small caves. In my opinion, it's the number one spot for both beginners and more

advanced divers, because everyone will find something for themselves.

As for widely accessible diving, in Portland we can do a lot of dives directly from the beach, from the harbour, from places where we don't need to reach by boat or rib. However, as it happens in life, nothing comes for free. Generally, places accessible from the shore are quite crowded, and visibility often leaves much to be desired. If you're planning longer vacations in this place, by all means, you can try it. For a weekend trip, in my opinion, it's a pity to waste time on this type of diving. As an interesting fact, I once managed to meet a seal here, unfortunately, it wasn't as sociable as in other places in the country 

Drift diving is very popular. The conditions here are simply made for this type of diving. During such a dive, we can find all the attractions described above, with the small difference that during the dive, we don't have to kick our fins. The current carries us like a rollercoaster through an amusement park, and we admire... I'll just add that in some places, the current is really strong, there's no chance of swimming even a small distance against the current. What does this really mean? For example, if we drop our new GoPro, we can say goodbye to it, theoretically having it within arm's reach. Of course, I don't wish anyone such memories. The conditions underwater largely depend on the currents occurring around the island at a given time. For example, on a very warm sunny, windless day, underwater visibility may be very poor, but due to Portland's location, a good guide should find a suitable place for us where we can see more.

Once you finish diving or if you're someone who doesn't dive, Portland will definitely not disappoint you with its great number of attractions (of course, when it rains, their number drastically

decreases, so let's stick to sunny weather). First and foremost, water sports such as kite surfing and surfing. A real beach experience (just remember about tides). Whale watching, which are expeditions during which we have the opportunity to observe whales and dolphins. Breathtaking views during walks. Cafés, restaurants, and traditionally served fish and chips. It's a place where everyone will surely find something for themselves – after all, it's not without reason that this place is called the Pearl of Dorset.

In summary, Portland is a place of a thousand possibilities. There's no one direction for diving; everyone will find something for themselves – starting from intro dives (trying diving because conditions allow for it) to deep technical dives, which are not uncommon here. As is often the case, weather plays a significant role in Portland. It also needs to be checked regularly because it can often surprise. Of course, when the weather thwarts our plans, the only thing we can do is accept it and wait for a better tomorrow.

Choosing the right diving spots aligned with the dive centre of our choice often proves to be a tough nut to crack. Therefore, plan your diving trips wisely, because you spend hours honing your skills, developing yourself, so that such a trip is associated with a plethora of unforgettable experiences.

STEINA

SAXONY IS A GERMAN STATE WITH ITS CAPITAL IN DRESDEN, BORDERING POLAND AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC. ITS MAIN CITIES ARE LEIPZIG, CHERMINITZ AND GÖRLITZ.

DIVERS, HOWEVER, LOOK AT THIS REGION AS A PARADISE FOR AMATEURS OF DIVING IN QUARRIES.

In previous issues of Perfect Diver I had the opportunity to describe two of my "expeditions" to this region. In issue 25 I described the Wetro quarry, and in the 28th issue I described the Horka quarry. Moving further and further away from the border with Poland, near the town of Pulsnitz, located about an hour from the border crossing in Jędrzychowice, there is the destination of my next trip, Steina. It is a charming quarry, tightly surrounded by trees, and its size definitely differs from the reservoirs we visited before (especially the vast Wetro), because its diameter is about 100 m. Its origins date back to 1970, when granite mining was stopped and groundwater was injected, and the site was made available for recreational purposes, including diving.

The base itself is quite intimate. In contrast to Horka with its huge parking lot, here we have two separate "clearings" with infrastructure adapted for divers. At the very entrance to the

water there is a building of the diving centre serving the reservoir, i.e. Tauchschule Dresden, along with a well-stocked shop. Next to the store, there is a food court, which we can use if we do not have our own provisions, as well as a place to rest between dives. The base is modern. In addition to filling air and nitrox, it also offers oxygen, argon and trimix. The cost of filling a standard cylinder 12-to a litre of air, is about 7 euros. Visitors must also pay a base fee, i.e. €15 per dive and €5 per accompanying person.

Getting to the surface of the water requires us to climb several dozen quite steep stairs and choose whether we want to jump into the water from the floating pier or carefully climb the next dose of steps. The weather that day was very good, and the view of the reservoir itself filled me with hope for a good view.

At the very entrance, where large rock ledges gradually sink deeper and deeper, the visibility was about 5–7 m. Unfortunate-

Text and photos ŁUKASZ METRYCKI

ly, as we continued diving at the north wall, it got worse and worse. Underwater, you can see a Smurf figurine, a phone booth, and many other sunken artifacts, but it's still the rock formations that steal the show. Vertical massive walls descending into the reservoir to a maximum depth of 33 m and lush vegetation crowning them, like a crown, near the surface – makes

a great impression. I've heard about a large number of crayfish inhabiting Steina, but unfortunately I didn't manage to see them. I'm not disappointed, though, because as I was heading for the exit, right next to the stairs, I met a group of several powerful – and very sociable – carp. The largest carp can reach a meter and weigh up to 30 kg (although the heaviest caught

weighed 51.2 kg). The ones I encountered on Stein were not of such size, but adding to their size a beautiful coat covering the whole palette of colours, it made the last phase of the dive very pleasant.

An additional attraction that you could admire – and even try yourself – was a demonstration underwater walk in archaic aqualung, with a huge helmet and steel boots. The whole structure was complemented by numerous wires, supplying, I think, gas to the helmet, but also ensuring the possibility of communication with the diver. The way it moved was reminiscent of movies set in space and astronauts on the surface of the moon. Meeting such an "alien" underwater was an unforgettable experience.

It is also worth mentioning that Steina – due to its underwater terrain – is perfect for conducting diving courses, even the basic ones. As soon as you climb to about 5 m, you will find a shelf that is perfect for exercise. This is also the reason for the high number of divers in this body of water in the summer months. Diving in September, I had very comfortable conditions, being part of one of the three few teams.

To sum up, the Steina quarry is another important point on the diving map of Saxony. Due to its charming location and good infrastructure, it is a popular place for both experienced divers and students, but also underwater photographers should be satisfied (these carp pose really beautifully ). My original plan was to connect Steina with a quarry located nearby, which is also known as Prelle. However, we learned from the base employee that no one had been there for a long time and we didn't know what we would find there, so I abandoned the idea. Maybe next time… 

5 tips

FOR THOSE, WHO WANT TO START DIVING

Text GRZEGORZ MIKOSZA

Photos prepared by GRZEGORZ MIKOSZA

It has finally happened!

For the first time on Perfect Diver I am writing as a certified diver! And since it's been more than 4 years since the first time I promised Chief Wojtek to do the course, I thought I'd dedicate this article to all those who are still collecting in their diving resolutions. Perhaps these few pieces of freshman advice might inspire someone to take action.

CHOOSE A TARGET

FIND YOUR BUDDY

It may sound like straight from a self-development guide, but it's really worth setting a goal. Ultimately, it is this that will get you off the couch and onto the edge of the training pool, taking your first step into the water with a cylinder on your back. In my case, the goal was linked (how could it not be) to my work as coordinator of the Operation Clean Up the World – Poland. Every year I run with my feet to go underwater during the underwater clean-up events we organise with the Perfect Diver team. However, I realise that for most of you, fishing trash from the bottom of a lake may not be a very appealing encouragement to get started. So I have a more classic approach that is literally within your reach. Make a list of places you would like to visit in the (as yet) inaccessible underwater world. For this task, I recommend looking at the writings of fellow Perfect Diver authors. Cyprus, Malta, Galapagos, Mexico... – nothing to do but read and choose!

One of the most important elements you will learn during the course is working with your diving buddy. Like Sam and Frodo or Batman and Robin – you will do most of the procedures, especially the safety ones, together. And so Sandra, my girlfriend, got a new nickname buddy and our duo got the task of looking after each other both above and below the water. I would just like to add that in the theory exam it was also easier to cheat with your buddy, which we proudly passed with the same score of 94%. So, to paraphrase an old song by the Old Gentlemen's Cabaret [Kabaret Starszych Panów]: "if you dive, never dive alone, if you dive, only dive in pairs". Take a look around, maybe your buddy is sitting next to you on the couch, with whom you will "tame the power of water".

LOCATION

Last year, embarrassed by my own lack of power to achieve certification, I finally made the decision to do the course as close as

possible, i.e. in Poland. Sharing this idea with fellow divers who knew my preference for water temperature, their faces took on an expression of concern and embarrassment at the same time. So, if, like me, you are rather warm-tempered individuals, follow your intuition and choose a place where the water temperature will be a nice touch to your adventure.

Fortunately, the Padi Open Water course is conceived like a good espresso – the essence of knowledge and practice encapsulated in an affordable 3-day period. My buddy and I carved this time out of our holiday in Thailand, and on January 1st (that's a quick fulfilment of New Year's resolutions) we started the course on the island of Koh Tao. Unofficially, the island is called “the island of rubbish” and indeed, I must admit that after an intense training day we were very close to that state. Other than that, it's a paradise on earth and a diver's paradise, so don't let the island's grim reputation fool you. There are more dive schools here than there are Żabka stores in Poland, and you'll get to see some really beautiful reefs during your course. We did our course in the fabulous reefs of Twins, Chumphon Rinnacle and Hin Pee Wee.

DIVING SCHOOL

No big news – a dive school is well worth checking out beforehand. This took on new meaning for me a few days ago at the

gym when I heard a story about a group that went to do a course in Egypt. On the first day, the participants got their equipment and went diving in open water without any training. Such stories are probably not uncommon and I am all the more glad that, despite the spontaneous nature of our backpacking trip, we chose a diving school even before we left Poland. The timing couldn't have been better. Our instructor Neng showed exceptional patience and understanding, which I relate directly to his spirit root-

ed in Buddhism. Where any other instructor would have long since thrown his flippers out of rage at his students' ineptitude (i.e. me and my buddy), Neng responded with the calmness of a Zen master "ok, let's try again". Thais really are great teachers!

One more piece of advice – when booking a course in advance, you can ask for early access to the e-learning platform. This way you can use, for example, a plane flight to study and save some time during the practical course by spending your afternoons relaxing by the pool.

LET THE WATER DO ITS JOB

I knew that the underwater world would captivate me. I just didn't know it would be that much. Going underwater for the first time a dozen metres or so is a truly amazing feeling. I know that's an exaggeration, but for me it was a bit like flying into space and walking on the moon. This comparison is not entirely out of the blue, given that only 100 years ago both worlds were completely inaccessible to humans, and in fact today many people will never see either world with their own eyes. I can pass on the cosmos – there are nicer sights underwater!

Immediately after the first ascent, on a decent dopamine kick, all I could think about was going back underwater. From then on, advice is unnecessary, the water will do its job. In the end, I return to my first point: I open more archive issues of Perfect Diver and look for my next destination. I wholeheartedly recommend you too do the same. Really, there is nothing to wait for!

MY FAIRY TALE!

Or perhaps my hard work?!

Wojtek Zgoła interviews

Przemek Zyber

Wojtek Zgoła: If someone had once told you, as a teenage boy, that you were going to dive, what would you have said to them?

Przemek Zyber: If someone had once told me that I would be diving and, in addition, I would take professional photo-video equipment underwater... I would have said: Man, stop with the fairy tales!

How was it with you when you were a child, were you a good boy who quietly explored the world?

From an early age, I was everywhere. There was no tree or garage that I wouldn't climb... I have always known that if something is not allowed but you want it very much – it is allowed! My wonderful parents endured with humility and love all my accidents, injuries and trips to the emergency room at the least expected moments. Over time, the joy of climbing every nearby tree was replaced by roller skating, then cycling, snowboarding, skiing, windsurfing... Everything that became my "idée fixe" I had to bring to perfection. Perfection paid for by hours of training and trials. They also always were sports or interests thoroughly individual. I have always hated the situation when responsibility is distributed among a team. I could only congratulate myself when we (together with my dad) once again dashed

to the emergency room, but also when I deservedly stood on the podium in competitions.

You are a Silesian and you are young enough to remember the days without the Internet...

I was born in the heart of "black Silesia" i.e. Katowice, at a time when no one had yet heard of the Internet, social media, digital photography. We (as a generation) did not dream of traveling to Central America or Asia... Even Egypt was distant for us. Well, I don't know if there is anything to compare it to these days... Because the world has become more accessible than ever – and I am extremely glad it has!

Okay, so how did you get started with diving?

I fell in love with the beauty of the colorful underwater world from the first dive more than 20 years ago in the Red Sea. Back then, not yet as a diver, but as a snorkeler. I admired the beauty of Egypt's reefs. I regularly returned to Egypt always choosing the hotel with the richest reef. Swimming for hours on the surface, I could not get enough of the breathtaking underwater world. I envied the divers swimming below me the opportunity to commune with nature without haste and in incredible proximity. Even then I knew that one day I would find myself in the depths looking closely at these wonderful creatures.

And what's next?

My diving adventure began quite recently, just 6 years ago. I knew that my first dives would be in Egypt and I would finally fulfill my dreams. My first 2 diving trips were in a ‘dailybout’ mode (going out to the sea for dives every day, living in a hotel). They were amazing experiences, especially since I shared them with my then 10-year-old son. The beauty and richness of nature was stunning. Thousands of colorful fish dancing to the rhythm of the rocking waves created an unforgettable spectacle.

How soon did you start taking your camera with you?

From the very first dives I was accompanied by a Sony compact camera. I quickly craved more interesting expeditions and more interesting frames – I started going on diving safaris. 20 dives in 5 days and life on board fascinated me greatly. More time underwater, even closer, even more precise. Diving captivated me more than I thought it would.

So warm and clear waters  How about Polish waters?

Since I have an open-pit mine reservoir with flooded excavators close by, I was able to dive frequently and hone my skills. On average, I made 170 dives a year. I focused on accurate and practical equipment placement, trim and precision of

every move. I was climbing the ranks of diving certifications. After 3 years, 500 dives in all conditions, I acquired instructor certification. And this was just a prelude to further honing my skills. I wanted to acquire knowledge and practical skills from a variety of sources, so for each subsequent technical course I chose a different instructor considered the best in his field.

Of course, you must have spent quite some time underwater, after all, you are also photographing in the fresh waters of flooded mines... and these are hardly conditions for recreational divers.

Definitely  During this time, my diving equipment evolved from a basic single backmount, to a twin set, to a sidemount. The photographic kit accompanying me on every escapade also did not stay behind. From a small Sony, through a Go-Pro, Olympus I reached a full-frame Nikon. This was the turning point in my underwater photography. A professional camera with a large sensor allowed more, much more. RAW footage processing provided opportunities to restore colors to what my eye could see. The long hours spent practicing underwater gave me tremendous comfort and mastery when taking pictures. Now I could focus on what I love most. Because it is taking pictures underwater that gives all the meaning to my diving adventure.

So, have you set yourself more challenges?

More advanced photographic equipment and excellent casing have appeared. This has resulted in both far more interesting photos and the ability to shoot video at a new, previously unavailable level. In the meantime, I expanded my diving credentials to the cave diver level. The limited frame space and fantastic rock formations or mine tunnel systems have expanded my portfolio and diving experience.

And then the time for closed circuit has come...

Unfortunately, the tunnels stretching hundreds of meters, not once at great depth, were sometimes inaccessible due to swimming on the open system (OC). Of course, it is possible to strap on multiple cylinders, which I also did, but in such a configuration with one hand occupied by the camera is very uncomfortable. The consequence was to jump to a closed circuit. Since I like the sidemount configuration the most, the choice was simple – the Kiss Sidewinder rebreather. The perfect solution in my case. From the first dive I fell in love with this system. The advantages are a longer no-decompression time, no effect of water turbidity (with exhaled air), definitely a greater feeling of safety and a significant increase in the time spent underwater. Not having to think about the time limit shortening with each breath (on OC) I could direct my thoughts to the main purpose of my dives – photography.

So that's what drives you the most?

Oh yes. Photography drives me. After 6 years and more than a thousand dives, I've reached the point where I'm comfortable with virtually any conditions I encounter underwater. Fortunately, this has not deprived me of the thrill before each subsequent dive. The anticipation of the next interesting frames and fascinating sites drives me positively. When asked if I still feel shivers before diving in a cave, or a mine, or with sharks, I will answer that I feel more stress before the results of a photo shoot. My demands grow as the appetite comes with eating. Only when I see the first good photos underwater do I relax and know that I will leave satisfied. I love spending long minutes of decompression suspended in the water, reviewing photos and pre-selecting them

Your photos have been on display for some time, including on Perfect Diver!

In 2022 I first dared to send a photo to the Santi Photo Awards competition. My surprise was huge when I won 2nd place in this prestigious underwater photography competition. A few months later, I sent my work to another international competition and another surprise, fresh photos from Mexico took 2nd and 4th place. In the same month, a film also from Mexico took 1st place at the Festival of the Depths competition as voted by the Internet users. During this competition I had the pleasure of meeting you and in fact, since then, in each successive issue I have had the pleasure of sharing my underwater adventures with readers. In just five consecutive issues of this bimonthly magazine, as many as twice my photos have

graced the cover. Meanwhile, in October 2023 at Fotoweek on the Croatian island of Vis I took 2nd place in underwater photography, in November in the competition organized by CN Nautica in the category of caves and wrecks my photo from the opal mine in Slovakia won 1st place. In mid-March 2024, there was a vernissage of my photos during the next edition of the Diving Festival "Depths", which you can read about in this issue of the magazine.

Lastly, I'll ask if you enjoy teaching, since you are an instructor after all.

I share my passion. In addition to photography, I take equal pleasure in teaching diving courses, passing on knowledge and skills. I usually take my students on their first trips to the wonderful warm and colorful waters of the Red Sea. I love hearing about their experiences after their first dives. They are all thrilled, excited and exude positive energy. As their skills develop, we choose more challenging bodies of water for our next destinations. I have just as much fun during photography and video training. Shared passion brings people together, and experiencing adventures cements friendships. I am glad that I have found a passion in my life that I can devote myself to and share with others.

Awesome, thanks for the interview.

By their looong beaks you will recognize them

Text and photos WOJCIECH JAROSZ

There are some birds that are easily recognizable. You don't have to study the identification keys or guides and become an expert in bird anatomy or ethology (animal behaviour).

You don't need perfect pitch to be able to pick up the slightest differences in bird calls, whistles or even sounds made by something other than the larynx (and that's not that rare!). Regardless of whether it flies or wanders dignified on the ground, stands upright or bends down – you can always immediately see that it is a curlew.

First of all, it is large (it is the largest of the wading birds), and secondly, it has an

extremely characteristic beak – thin, very long and curved. Yes, the beak of the curlew is impressive. If we were to look for an analogy to a certain wooden boy from a fairy tale and his nose growing in certain circumstances, curlews are the birds that lie the most. In fact, the curlew needs such a long beak, like many of its cousins from the group of waders, to probe, track and take food. It is an extremely precise instrument equipped with a multitude of nerve endings, with an appropriately flexible structure, giving a chance to reach where the eye cannot reach and effectively extract hidden morsels (most often all kinds of invertebrates). Another beautiful example of evolutionary improvement in the adaptation of organisms to environmental conditions!

A short break for an interesting fact: the beaks of the curlew chicks are straight and only later do they characteristically curve. The end of the break.

Curlews are a group (zoologically genus Numenius, in the family Scolopacidae – snipes) of several species and of course there are differences between, for example, the Eurasian curlew and the whimbrel, but regardless of which one we are looking at, there can be only one identification – curlew. This is good news, because regardless of whether you meet a curlew on the shores of an exotic, warm sea during the winter holidays, or you come across it in a more polar land, you should recognise it without any problem. In the photos illustrating the article, you can take a look at the whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), which I photographed in Iceland. It is a cousin of the Eurasian curlew (N. arquata), a species nesting, among others, in Central Europe, although unfortunately in many places there are fewer and fewer representatives of this species and to such an extent that the great curlew has recently gained the name of one of

the rarest birds of Polish. This is actually very bad news, because it is evidence of extensive changes in our nature, or in the environment in general. At a time when there are fewer and fewer wetlands, preferably not mowed too early, e.g. on floodplains (due to land drainage, agricultural and urbanisation pressure, etc.), curlews have a big problem with finding suitable places for nesting, and additionally, with protecting their chicks from predators (which once could not reach them freely in wetland), or... from murderous lawnmowers. If meadows have to be mowed early, farmers are advised to give the birds incubating and looking after their chicks at a later time a chance to escape by mowing from the middle of the field. When mowing from the outside, the birds flee inside, driving themselves into a dead end from which they have no escape. The problem of decreasing areas of suitable breeding grounds does not only concern curlews,

of course. This difficult situation affects the abundance of many species of birds, in particular, but not exclusively, plovers (including redshanks, black-tailed godwits, lapwings or great snipes) and not only because of their breeding. After all, wetlands are also a feeding ground for many species of feathered creatures during their flight – all those with long legs made for wading and long beaks for finding something to eat in the mud, in the sand or underwater.

Going back to the curls. We have established that they like wetlands as far as their breeding goes. However, there are more types of biomes where they can be found, because they are both freshwater and saltwater environments, located both in the tidal zone and in swamps and peat bogs, including those located in the mountains. It should be easiest to meet curlews during their migration and on their wintering grounds. Firstly, they often form flocks, sometimes quite nu-

merous, and secondly, they are in places where it is easier to meet them. They often live on the shores of water reservoirs and on the seashores, where the paths of divers or, more broadly, enthusiasts of all kinds of water activities intersect with bird paths. And in which part of the world can these meetings take place? In fact, almost everywhere, and not only in the northern hemisphere. Some populations travel long distances, e.g. from the Arctic to Africa, and there is also the aforementioned issue of the occurrence of several species of curlews, dividing the world's wetlands among themselves, and sometimes even sharing them. In addition to the aforementioned curlew, which nests in Europe and Asia, from the British Isles, through Siberia, to eastern China and wintering along the coasts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, there are seven other species of curlews. The common whimbrel (this is the one from the photos), the Far Eastern curlew known

from Siberia, the little curlew (with the shortest beak – this one winters in Australia) and the slender-billed curlew, perhaps already extinct, as well as the critically endangered Eskimo curlew from the northern borders of America. On the American continent we can also meet the long-billed curlew and the bristle-thighed

curlew. The Eurasian curlew, the most characteristic of continental Europe, from which the above list began, often stops during its migrations for a longer or shorter time in Western Europe and in the Mediterranean region. There, however, it finds more than just rest and food. There is also stress and some-

times death. This is where for these birds are waiting hunters, whose approach to waders as game animals is still legally enforced in many countries. Due to the size of curlews, their usually low and not very fast flight, they become a fairly easy target, even for casual shooters. Curlews are shot every year, among others in the country of cider and Saint-Emilion Château Cheval Blanc 2013, as well as in the country of Campari and Castello di Volpaia Coltassala 2019. And not only curlews – populations of many species are depleted mercilessly in this way. When a few individuals from a herd of several dozen animals are shot, it seems that it is not a great loss affecting the survival of the species. But there are breeding areas where the entire population is 5 animals – killing two birds does not give it a chance to survive. Polish curlews, often coming from very small populations, are shot during their migrations in western and southern Europe, which has unfortunately been confirmed many times thanks to ringing and GPS transmitters. Hunters are not the only significant factor influencing the mortality of curlews

and their feathered cousins, of course, but the number of birds killed during migrations can be truly staggering.

Finally, about the origin of the name. In Polish, the word curlew resembles the melodious call of these birds. It's

the same in English – curlew, sounds completely similar! Find recordings of curlew voices on the Internet. Later, when you hear them somewhere, e.g. by the water, you will be able to pull out this memory from the drawer in your memory labelled

"birds I read about in Perfect Diver", as well as some fragments of information from the text you are reading and continue observing these unique birds with full awareness.

OR A CHILD ON A COURSE Adventure with diving

Text Dobrochna Didłuch Photos CN Deco

I am a diving instructor, I am the daughter of a diving instructor, I am the mother of one son who already dives and another who will dive. My sons have diving in their genes, or they sucked up this passion with milk. Not everyone has it this way, but as parents, we want to show and teach our children as much as possible..

Our limitation is time and finances, if not for that, our child would learn English, Spanish, Chinese (apparently, it's trendy now), ride horses, bikes, play tennis, dance, rock climb, etc. And where is the time for us, for the family, building a bond together, I have a proposal for you, Parent – DIVING. It's not just a sport, it's a passion that combines movement, learning, traveling, and time spent together.

Practicing this sport, you won't hear that you can't be with your child as a pair because of weight, height, and strength differences. Actually, you can come to a course together, learn together, and be dive buddies. Just imagine it, discussing the dive plan, the air consumption, whether that fish was a perch or a roach?

If I were to write about diving superlatives, there wouldn't be enough space in the newspaper, so I'll start

with the most important aspect for a parent, namely safety. How broad and familiar this topic is to us. Once upon a time, children went to school alone with a key around their necks, we rode bikes with our child on the rack without a child seat or helmet (we didn't have helmets ourselves) and without various protectors. Life and health are precious, we know that we take care of it, and we guard our own children as the apple of our eye. When I have a child at a course, I feel the weight of responsibility, it's somewhat like we watch over other people's children more than our own. The parent has already done their job, searching, checking, choosing a dive centre, on recommendation or from good comments, and trusted me. That is why I’m writing here as a parent to another parent, so that they know in what situations one should be alert.

The most frequently asked question by non-divers – how much does all this weigh? Hmm, a lot. It's important for the equipment to be adjusted to the child's weight and height. Let's pay attention to the tank prepared for the course; on the surface, steel and aluminium tanks weigh very similarly, but in water, aluminium is lighter. I can't imagine giving a 30-kilo student a large 15-liter tank; it immediately reminds me of a story of one of my students. His mother, calling to inquire about the course, asked about the tanks. It's not a standard question, but after their first experiences, I'm not surprised. The child was dressed in this equipment for pool sessions and couldn't detach from the bot-

The beginning is the most important. It's the time that will decide whether the child "gets into it" or, conversely, gets discouraged and puts off diving for years or even forever.

tom. Literally, they were pinned to the bottom. He wasn't harmed, but it discouraged him from diving. Two years passed from the first attempt to meeting us; today, the boy dives wonderfully.

With just the tank, we won't dive; we need a children's-sized BCD, mask, snorkel, and regulator with a smaller mouthpiece, as well as fins. We read this list and something's missing – wetsuits, you could write a book about this element of clothing (models, thickness, for warm or cold waters). At each stage, from getting wet in the water, playing in the water, to finally diving, our child's thermal comfort is different and very important. Children differ in their sensitivity to cold, and their thermoregulation is different compared to adults. Several factors contribute to this, which need to be understood. Children have a relatively larger body surface area to their mass than adults. This means they lose more heat through their skin. Fortunately, children have less body fat than adults, and fat acts as a heat insulator. Because children's thermoregulatory systems are less mature compared to adults', they have difficulty maintain-

ing a constant body temperature in different conditions. Every child is different, and their time in the water under the same conditions can vary greatly. My sons, aged 3 and 6, paddled 6 km down the Brda River in short wetsuits and weren't cold, while adults were paddling in drysuits, but maybe they're made of different stuff. We know our child best; we know if they're prone to feeling cold or if they'd prefer to go without a jacket in winter. And it's the same in the water; a short wetsuit may suffice, or a long one and a hooded vest may be needed. But let's definitely not agree to open water diving in our Polish lakes in the spring. Just the thought freezes my brain! Diving in such cold water is no pleasure, just trauma. I meet adult divers whose first diving experience was in such conditions, and they remember it very badly; often, after such an experience, they postpone diving for later. If someone subjects a child to such diving, they can effectively discourage them from this sport for years.

Diving is enjoyment, fun, and in this form, the classes are conducted. Depending on the age and the child itself, the concentration time varies but is always too short. If you're a non-diving parent, come with your child to the first classes. Firstly, it will be a huge support for them, secondly, you'll see what you've signed your child up for, and thirdly, you might like it so much that you'll join in. Everyone learns at their own pace; this applies equally to children and adults. An adult is more willing to talk about their fears, can name their fears or weaknesses. Even if everything

goes smoothly for the child, if they had no problem performing the course skills, it's always worth taking advantage of additional pool sessions. It's an invaluable opportunity to polish swimming skills, it's additional time spent with the instructor underwater where we learn correct habits.

The beginning is the most important. It's the time that will decide whether the child "gets into it" or, conversely, gets discouraged and puts off diving for years or even forever. The junior open water course is just the beginning of a beautiful adventure. I always burst with pride when my fish identification experts recognize more creatures than I do. Personally, I'm not a fan of wreck diving; of course, I try to remember why something became a wreck, in what year, and its history, but I don't always manage to identify a tank or a combat vehicle, and I'm delighted when the "young" diver gives me a lecture on the subject with a sparkle in their eye.

Don't hesitate to start this adventure, don't postpone it until next year when the child will be older, start now. The minimum age to start the basic course is 10 years old, the PADI organization also limits the freedom of young divers. They can dive under the supervision of a parent or instructor and no deeper than 12 meters. There's also a wide selection of additional training in the form of specializations; with a ten-year-old, we can dive in the mountains, from a boat, even in a dry suit. And we can train in my favourite specializations, such as underwater photography, a child's perspective on the world is completely different, and we can only glimpse it when capturing it with a camera. For these curious beings, taking pictures is not enough, they want to know what they are photographing, hence identifying fish is a natural choice. I can't imagine a good diver, let alone a photographer, without excellent buoyancy control; this specialization is a must-have along with underwater navigation. We have a huge selection of things and possibilities to deepen one’s knowledge.

In the next article, I'll describe the possibilities for slightly older children, 12-year-olds: what opportunities lie ahead for them, but also what limitations there are. Pssst... do you want to know how your child can become a Master Diver?

ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE LOST!!!

And discover something new

Text and photos DOMINIK DOPIERAŁA, CN Deco

YOU ARE EITHER BORN WITH A SENSE OF DIRECTION OR IT'S SOMETHING YOU MUST LEARN. THIS COMES EASIER FOR SOME THAN FOR OTHERS, WHO NEED TO DEVOTE MUCH TIME TO LEARNING IT, BUT THAT’S BESIDE THE POINT.

MODERN TECHNOLOGY DOESN’T MAKE IT EASY FOR US.

Ifeel the skills, which came naturally to our fathers and grandfathers, won’t come as easily to our children and will surely be a major problem for our grandchildren. Today, when we want to get somewhere, we launch a navigation app in our car or our smartphone. We mindlessly follow the instructions given and we often turn from the main road into some unbeaten paths “because it told us to”. We don’t give much thought to our route and we surely can’t tell where we are at any given moment. On one hand it is easier, but on the other we stop thinking or analysing. If we can’t tell the points of the compass or read our

natural surroundings, it’s so much harder to learn to do it when in surroundings far from natural.

Things get complicated under water, as we move not in only two dimensions, but in three. One of the very first things we're taught in a diving course is to use the compass and to tell directions based on it. Supposedly, you could even return to a designated spot using it. And we can do it just fine, when we’re focused on our task and only our task. The moment we successfully return to where we were told to return, we immediately want to forget that we ever had the skill. During an advanced course, the instructor usually drills us with the compass again, and makes us swim some elaborate patterns like flowers, triangles, squares and what not. How does this apply to diving? We say it doesn’t. It’s quite simple, really. You follow the other guy. Just two meters behind their fins. And you do your best not to get lost. You go on holidays to some remote exotic location and the local guide shows you the most beautiful specimens of underwater flora and fauna. And again the ability to navigate is entirely useless to you. But finally, the day comes, when you go diving just with your partner. You have 20–30 dives under your belt, each. You both know what you’re doing. You'll be diving a site where you both had dived before. You’ve agreed on the plan beforehand, you’ve looked at

the diving spot map. You’ve discussed which objects you’d like to see and you even drew them on a tablet. What could possibly go wrong? You did take a compass with you, just to be extra sure.

In my federation, the Underwater Navigation programme focuses on more than simple use of the compass. It is meant to teach you how to navigate comprehensively under water. What tricks divemasters and instructors all over the world use in order not to get lost even in the most challenging reservoirs. They all primarily use natural navigation. To be honest, I couldn’t tell you when was the last time I used a compass other than during a training course. For a really long time, I haven't taken one with me as a separate piece of equipment (one’s built into my computer). I set it up out of habit each time I dive, but I never use it. The ability to use natural navigation lets me conduct even complex dives.

A tram has been sunk here since the last time you dived here with your instructor. It’s a must see! You’ve checked and there is a fixed rope leading there from the part of the route you already know. So you go under, as planned, you reach the platform at 17 meters. The fixed rope will lead you straight to your destination from here. Pumped, you both swim along. Some time passes as you swim through the depths, and the only thing to see is the rope,

which seems to stretch forever. Your wetsuits compressed at 20 meters, so with 6°C it gets unpleasantly chilly. Perhaps if you pick up the pace, it’ll get warmer. So you go faster. Finally, you are able to reach the tram, but you can’t remember the distance noted on the map. Now the fun part of the dive begins! Only your partner signals that they are low on air and you can only think about how horribly cold you are. You swim around the tram, but it’s hardly any fun. You finish your dive, you emerge and all there is left is “just” a 200 meter long swim on the surface, getting cramps in your legs all the time due to the cold. Ever done a dive like this?

Fixed ropes are much like using a navigation app on the surface. Sure, they’ll let you get to your destination via the shortest route possible, but... it’s usually hardly an interesting route. Dive spot owners attach these in good faith and they are usually really well described. They let you turn your brain off and just tick off items from the "to see" list. However, such dives are somehow almost always pretty forgettable. Other divers had the same exact plan. They all followed the same exact route. They wanted to see the same exact points of interest. Water transparency is far form desired, so we stick REALLY close to the rope, which we can hardly see. Our fins make the visibility even worse behind us. We almost bump our head against the famous Excavator sunk in Jaworzno. You just need to find the other one and tick it off your plan. The water is awful today. Dive spot managers did not foresee that the ropes they installed will become lines that divers will follow at 2030 cm distance or clutching onto them. One thing's for sure, no one assumed they would be actually swimming under the lines. A diver with good buoyancy, confident in their skills and equipment, should float several meters above the bottom, and the rope should ONLY be used as a reference. YES, without proper buoyancy, it’s hard to navigate. In order for divers not to muddy the water by swimming next to the rope, diving spot owners would have to install them several meters above the bottom.

Allow yourself to be lost! And discover something new. When do we start thinking about our route? When it turns out that our navigation stopped working, when there’s a traffic jam. And, all of a sudden, we leave the highway and begin to discover delightful

local lanes. I wholeheartedly recommend going to a diving spot you know and swaying off the beaten path. Rise a few meters above the bottom and see the reservoir from this perspective. If it’s a quarry with walls, then one of my favourite ways to dive is to swim around those walls when you can’t even see the bottom. Travel away from well-known objects in a direction where no fixed rope leads. Zigzag and change directions often. Such dives will give you new experiences and you’ll start to rediscover the reservoir. What you’ll find underwater will often surprise you. Accept my challenge and try to think of your location on the diving spot map when, by sheer accident, you come across a fixed rope. Go where it leads you find out if an object you expect to find is really at its end. Well-known reservoirs will surprise you and the ones you don’t know can provide you with incredible experiences. Diving with a two-meter-long catfish at the Polish dive site Koparki [Excavators]? Why not?

Here are several elements we can use for natural navigation to help you determine directions, distances and both current and desired location.

SUN. It’s somewhat obvious, but unless we dive near the equator at around noon, its position changes quite dramatically during the day. During our dive (an hour or so) its movement is relatively subtle. Thus the angle of the light and shadow in smaller reservoirs can be an excellent source of information regarding directions. The shadow cast by a reef or the fact that it’s dark and the sun is hidden behind it, also tells us the points of the compass.

DISTANCE ASSESSMENT. This can be done in several ways. You can count how many times you kicked with your left foot. I’m joking, of course. During an actual dive, we all have our favourite sightseeing pace. You just need to learn it, realize that this is how you like to swim and measure it. If you swim 100 meters in 5 minutes, then all you have to do is to keep this pace to be able to measure distance based on time. You should also be able to estimate how long it is going to take you to get from point A to point B, if you know the distance between them.

ELAPSED DIVE TIME. Even if you haven’t measured the exact distance, you don’t know your pace and you don’t know the distance covered. Still the elapsed time lets you determine where you are and estimate how much time you need to get back. For example: if it took you 15 minutes to reach the corner of the quarry, then the way back will take you approximately the same time. Let’s use Koparki as an example. You jumped in from the deck and you swam along the walls all the way to the corner. It took you 15 minutes, then you took a right turn, along the walls of the reservoir. It then took you 7 minutes to reach the next corner. Now, when you swim further along the walls for another 15 minutes and then take a sharp turn away from the wall, and swim right across the reservoir, you should end up where you got into the water. You will swim in a rectangle based not on the compass, but on the natural shape of terrain.

AIR CONSUMPTION. You just need to combine it with the other elements. If we planned the entire dive near the bottom, consumption will surely by higher than if we travelled closer to the surface. When you look at the manometer and you add the

elapsed time, you’ll know your air consumption at a given depth. Computers with transmitters can be of great help here, as they constantly calculate how much air you have left before hitting reserve. If you used up 100 bar from the cylinder and it’s been a 30 minute dive at a constant depth, then if you don’t change anything, you’ve 15 minutes left before you hit your reserve.

CHANGING CONDITIONS. Of course, if you use natural navigation, you have to consider the changing conditions in the water. All it takes is for the current to change during a dive. So far you

were swimming against the current, so that you’d be swimming back along it, but now it suddenly changed. It means that your entire dive will be against the current. In order to reach your destination, based on the distance assessment, you’ll need to decrease your air consumption, which means going closer to the surface. This is also part of navigation, because it’s all about getting you to your destination safely.

Of course you can find out about all the nuances on your own, or you can learn all the tricks from your instructor during the Underwater Navigation course. Together, you’ll review the diving spot map and based on it you’ll plan a series of interesting dives, during which you’ll use a variety of navigation techniques – both using the compass and natural navigation. You can try to memorize the diving spot map, prepare it beforehand or you’ll get one from your instructor. You won’t be able to remember all the objects in each case, but you can make your own notes on your map. Just have it on you when you dive.

During the Underwater Navigation programme, you won’t just learn a tonne, but you’ll also have loads of fun. At my diving centre we throw an underwater paper chase at the end of every navigation course. Teams of two set out into the unknown. All they have is the information on how to get to the firs point of interest. From there they have to get further instructions and information under water. They won’t be able to find the next point unless they use various navigation techniques. In order to prove that they reached each spot, they collect pieces of information from tablets spread around the reservoir. It’s so much fun. Learn faster and up your diving game! Ask your instructor about navigation training, so that you’ll never again get lost under water, you’ll be able to leave the fixed rope and won’t feel anxiety anymore but only the thrill of adventure! I’d like to invite all instructors, who desire to take their courses to the next level, to join our Underwater Navigation instructor course – you’ll get a set of out-of-the-box tools to conduct your own unforgettable course that students will love.

I have a new regulator, I’ve bought it just before the safari. Diving was great and I especially like observing the water surface and watching air bubbles when lying on my back. There is one drawback – breathing is much harder.

WHAT IS THIS ARTICLE ABOUT?

BREATHING FROM YOUR REGULATOR IN ATYPICAL POSITIONS.

Each diver has their favourite way of diving. It’s not always about maintaining the perfect trim. Sometimes, when you enjoy yourself underwater, you come up with unusual activities. Some like to do a headstand, other do somersaults. Technical divers work with a constrained posture, moving in narrow spaces within wrecks and caves, while to take an interesting shot or achieve a great photographic effect, underwater photographers sometimes need to assume positions that make breathing harder before they press the shutter button.

WHY DOESN’T MY REGULATOR KNOW THAT I’M DOING A HEADSTAND?

Look at the simplified diagram of how your second stage regulators works – try to imagine its position when you swim straightahead.

When you are in a horizontal position, the “mouthpiece channel” of your regulator is positioned parallel to the water surface (the mouthpiece channel is the part of the second stage regulator that your mouthpiece attaches to). It also means that a second stage’s membrane is perpendicular to the water surface and parallel to your mouth – 99.9% of well-known regulators of any brand are built like this.

In the lower section of the regulator, there is a “water chamber”. This is where an outlet valve is located and since it is a big chunk of soft rubber or silicon that tilts when you inhale, a certain amount of water gets into the second stage.

This amount is small, and you remove most of it when you exhale.

Now, check out how the regulator’s design will affect your breathing comfort in unusual positions.

NIGHT-TIME DIVING AND OBSERVING THE MOON FROM THE SEABED?

When the surface is smooth and visibility is good, this way of watching the world may provide an unforgettable experience.

What happens with the regulator?

Let’s turn the second stage upside down – with the membrane on top and mouthpiece towards the bottom. This is the position of the regulator in your mouth when you lie on your back on the flat seabed.

The second stage regulator’s membrane will be at the highest point and the gas inside the second stage will additionally

push it back from your mouth. This means that inhaling will be markedly more difficult than in the regular position. Setting the breathing resistance adjustment knob in the minimum position and enabling breathing assistance (Venturi) will not help.

Now, check out what happens with your regulator when you lie on your back.

Second stage diagram – membranes and water chamber

Second stage diagram – ”down on the bottom and staring at the stars” position

I WANT TO LIE ON MY BACK – HOW TO IMPROVE REGULATOR OPERATION IN THIS POSITION?

This method is simple and taught during basic training: when exhaling, press the by-pass gently.

Consider whether you know why the air bubble inside the second stage makes it harder to inhale? If you know why, you will be able to counteract this effect easily by gently pressing the by-pass, without creating a lot of air bubbles, only decreasing the negative inspiratory pressure.

SOMETHING FOR TECHNICAL DIVERS

I’m swimming inside a large shipwreck lying on its side. I’m moving slowly, keeping my head low at all times.

My regulator trickles a little water into my mouth – is it normal?

Let’s go back to the second stage operation diagram for a moment. When you keep your head low, the lowest point of the second stage regulator is the mouthpiece channel that supplies gas to your mouth.

The highest point is the water chamber with an outlet valve.

Remember that a small amount of water enters your regulator with each exhale. You do not feel it, when the regulator is

in the normal position, because water is collected in the water chamber and is removed as you exhale dynamically.

Second stage diagram – ”eyes forward, belly up” position

Photo Jason Fabri

ACADEMY

HOW TO IMPROVE MY REGULATOR OPERATION WHEN DOING A HEADSTAND OR STAYING UPSIDE DOWN FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME?

Breathing resistance does not increase in this position, but water may appear and cause discomfort when inhaling.

The easiest way to deal with it is turning the regulator in your mouth when upside down. The regulator does not know that you are upside down, but you know that turning it upside down will stop the water leak 

BUBBLES AND PHOTOGRAPHY

I am a photographer and sometimes, I take photos while lying on the descending seabed, which means that my head is lower than my legs. My regulator tends to release some air bubbles in this position.

This is almost the opposite to lying on your back. This time, the second stage’s membrane is the lowest point of the regulator and affected by the highest pressure, which helps you breathe. In high-quality regulators, it may release small air bubbles, which stops after changing your position.

THIS IS HOW IT WORKS:

HOW TO REDUCE BUBBLES WHEN YOUR HEAD IS LOWER THAN THE REST OF YOUR BODY?

Water pressure works like additional assistance for your regulator.

If air bubbles appear when you do not inhale, close the Venturi effect lever first, and if you still see bubbles, try increasing breathing resistance with the appropriate knob.

Of course, you need to restore all settings when you change your position.

Second stage diagram – ”heads down wreck penetration” position

Photo Tomasz Płociński

Photo Tomasz Płociński

NOTE!

More information on how to use regulator setting so to avoid free-flow, along with practical tips for training, can be found in Perfect Diver no. 25.

SUMMARY

Try to imagine what happens when you change your position while underwater, affecting the operation of your regulator. If you understood these factors easily, next time you go diving, you may try my solutions. If something is not clear, give yourself some time and think through the above diagrams illustrating how pressure affects regulator operation.

Do you need time, theory with a sprinkle of practice and someone to answer your questions?

Check out the Tecline Academy and attend a seminar on your regulator’s operation.

...hold on, just a moment, you actually wrote that:

“It also means that a second stage’s membrane is perpendicular to the water surface and parallel to your mouth – 99.9% of wellknown regulators of any brand are built like this.”

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 0.1% OF REGULATORS?

It is easy to see that the cause behind the majority of the “problems” described is the position of second stage’s membrane. It is parallel to your mouth, so it reacts to every change of your head’s position. Regulators that have membranes placed “on the side” of the regulator, perpendicular to your mouth, are free from those problems 

https://teclinediving.eu/tecline-academy

Photo Tomasz Płociński

Photo Tomasz Płociński