Scuba Diver October 17 - Issue 8

WIN A ONCE-IN-ALIFETIME HOLIDAY TO WAKATOBI WORTH US$3500!

DIVE LIKE A PRO:

HMS VANGUARD:

OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS EXPLAIN WHY SHORE DIVING HAS SUCH A STRONG APPEAL

STUNNING IMAGERY FROM THE RECENT SURVEY OF THIS 100-YEAR-OLD WRECK

132-PAGE SPECIAL + RED SEA/OMAN DIVE GUIDE

SHARK CENTRAL WHY THE BAHAMAS

IS THE SHARK-DIVING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

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An experience without equal “The diving and snorkelling at Wakatobi is outstanding, that’s well known. But also important is the excellent customer service of every staff member. Wakatobi can teach customer service to any industry or organization. You feel at home the first day, and it just gets better every day after that.” ~Steve and Cindy Moore

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EDITOR’S NOTE Newly certified diver?

GET A FREE SIX-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO THIS MAG!

Taking those first steps into scuba diving opens up a whole new world for you to explore, an alien environment teeming with colourful marine life, stunning topography and intriguing shipwrecks. Now the team at Scuba Diver wants to give something extra back to all you newly qualified divers.

We are inviting anyone who clocks up their entrylevel scuba diving course from now (September) to register with us and claim a free six-month subscription to the magazine. That’s right, complete your initial training course and we will reward your efforts with six issues of this lavishly illustrated, inspirational magazine delivered right to your doorstep. Each month there is plenty to whet your appetite - Above 18m showcases an accessible shallow dive around our coastline, Dive Like A Pro finds industry experts offering useful hints and advice on a plethora of subjects, Gear Guide focuses on new dive equipment, and there are comprehensive reports on foreign destinations, plus exciting competitions and a news round-up.

To take advantage of this great offer, simply drop us an email to: subscription@scubadivermag.com with all of your contact details and a photograph of your certification card clearing showing the date you qualified and your diver/member number. We will then set you up with a six-month subscription to Scuba Diver. Dive into the rich and varied content of each issue with our compliments - we are sure it will keep you enthralled with the diving world, and get you ready to rack up your next diving cert!

MARK EVANS Editor-in-Chief

EDITOR IN CHIEF

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

DESIGN

Matt Griffiths Email: matt@griffital.com

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05

WIN A ONCE-IN-ALIFETIME HOLIDAY TO WAKATOBI WORTH US$3500!

DIVE LIKE A PRO:

HMS VANGUARD:

OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS EXPLAIN WHY SHORE DIVING HAS SUCH A STRONG APPEAL

STUNNING IMAGERY FROM THE RECENT SURVEY OF THIS 100-YEAR-OLD WRECK

ON THE COVER

132-PAGE SPECIAL + RED SEA/OMAN DIVE GUIDE

SHARK CENTRAL WHY THE BAHAMAS

IS THE SHARK-DIVING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

+

ISSUE 8 | OCT 17 | £3.25

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PHOTOGRAPHER: STUART PHILPOTT

21/09/2017 13:11

REGULAR COLUMNS

FEATURES

Exclusive first authorised dive on new Malta wreck, and a call to action for scuba Santas.

Emily Turton showcases some of the stunning imagery and 3D photogrammetry assembled during the recent ground-breaking survey of the tragic shipwreck of the HMS Vanguard in Scapa Flow.

8 News

32 Dive like a Pro

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

44 Underwater Photography

Paul ‘Duxy’ Duxfield looks at different ways of lighting your underwater photographs.

98 Industry News

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

130 The Commercial Diver

Warren ‘Sal’ Salliss looks back at some of the jobs he has completed over the years.

06

24 Scotland

36 The Bahamas

Stuart Philpott and Mark Evans explain why the Bahamas is the undisputed shark-diving capital of the world, offering the chance to get really up close and personal with these mighty apex predators.

48 Palau

Al Hornsby heads off to the Micronesian paradise of Palau with his family in tow, to embark on a Kids Sea Camp adventure where every member of the Hornsby clan got to enjoy themselves.

74 FREEDIVING: World Championships Special

Stephan Whelan and Francesca Koe provide comprehensive coverage of the recent AIDA Individual World Championships competition in Roatan, Honduras.

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CONTENTS

53 Dive Guide to Wakatobi

16-page dive guide to this luxurious Indonesian diving Mecca.

80 Dominican Republic

David Jones explores the rich and varied diving on offer in the Dominican Republic, including purpose-sunk shipwrecks, healthy coral reefs and even cave dives accessed through the basement of a nightclub!

86 ABOVE 18M: Dorset

The Above 18m series continues, this issue remaining on the South Coast and checking out Chesil Beach in Dorset.

92 Tanzania

Mark Evans chases his elusive prey - whalesharks - in the waters of Mafia Island Marine Reserve, off the coast of Tanzania.

108 TECHNICAL: Lanzarote

Stuart Philpott joins the team at Rubicon Dive Centre to explore a mystery trawler shipwreck lying in 75m.

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GEAR GUIDE 114 What’s New

New products recently released or coming soon to a dive centre near you, including Typhoon Nautilus and Otter Ultralight drysuits, Aqualung Squeeze knives and Dive Rite stage strap kits.

116 Group Test

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

122 Test Extra

The RoHo Kevlar drysuit is rated and reviewed.

126 Long Term Test

The Scuba Diver Test Team gets to grips with a selection of products over a six-month period, including the Anchor Dive Lights Series 3K torch and Shearwater Perdix AI dive computer.

07

News

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

MALTA EXCLUSIVE

First dives on Junkers88 wreck STUART PHILPOTT reports on how a slew of fresh discoveries are cementing Malta’s position as the tech wreck diving capital of Europe, and dives a new German wreck for the first time Photographs by STUART PHILPOTT

O

or several years now, Malta has been conducting an extensive side-scan sonar survey of its coastal waters. With only 30 percent mapped, they have already discovered more than 100 remarkable new finds, including a 700BC Phoenician merchant ship, World War Two wrecks and Cold War jet fighters.

The grand scheme is to open up these historical sites to divers.

Prominent marine archaeologist Dr Timmy Gambin is heading up the project, doing everything from conducting initial side-scans, ROV searches and creating 3D models to formulating and imposing new dive site regulations and restrictions. His initial proposal is to release 15 new wrecks at varying depths from 50m-130m.

An official release date has not yet been finalised, but local dive centres are extremely eager to get started.

With damage to the wrecks being a significant concern, Dr Gambin wants to document the original condition of the finds

08

before allowing access. He can then administer controls to monitor wear and tear and nab any trophy hunters. Dropping and retrieving anchors is another major issue. One misplaced shotline could have disastrous effects, especially on delicate plane wrecks, so there will be designated anchor zones. Dr Gambin has also discovered that some wrecks have received damage due to ghost nets. He is currently bringing in a team to cut away the tangled mess, thus making the wrecks safer for divers to explore.

The new wreck guidelines may well include the installation of satellite receivers on dive boats so that Dr Gambin can check where they are at any time. Only dive boats and dive centres with the proper licenses will be allowed access to the new wreck sites.

He said: “The idea is to make the dive centres and dive boats personally responsible for any damage or thefts”.

The plan is to monitor the sites from a computer screen rather than police ‘in the field’. After each dive, groups will be encour-

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DID YOU

KNOW?

The remains of the Azure Window, which collapsed earlier this year , are now making an entir ely new site for divers to explore alongside these new wrecks

aged to submit video footage for scrutiny. If anything is found amiss, steep fines could be imposed. The guidelines will hopefully improve the quality of the sites so that divers have a more-memorable experience and see the wrecks in an untouched state. Dr Gambin even has plans for an on-line museum offering virtual-reality experiences for non-divers.

A vast amount of World War Two plane wrecks have been discovered from German, British, American and Italian Air Forces. They span the whole range of technologies from earlier biplane designs to the more-advanced Spitfires and Messerschmitt 109s. Dr Gambin is extensively researching the background history of each plane, finding out details about the crew, squadrons, where it was stationed, etc. The wrecks are war graves so there is a need to tread carefully and sensitively, informing any living relatives and in some cases, liaising with foreign governments.

A twin-engine Junkers88 bomber lying at a maximum depth of 56m will be one of the shallower sites on offer. This will be the first-ever German plane to be officially released. The plane is surprisingly well preserved with machine guns, cockpit instrumentation, etc, pretty much intact. The complete tail section lies some 50 metres away from the main wreckage. There is also a substantial debris field with engine cowlings and undercarriage scattered about the seabed. Scuba Diver has managed to scoop a world exclusive report on this new wreck, as I was the first journalist to complete authorised dives on it, and the full story will be published in next month’s edition of the magazine, including an interview with Dr Gambin and details on Malta’s other new sites.

With so many new and exciting wrecks in the offing, Malta has to be one of the top tech diving venues in the world. Not forgetting flight times at just over three hours (with very reasonably priced extra baggage allowances from Air Malta), a wealth of bars, restaurants and hotels to choose from, as well as the lure of clear blue, warm seas, I’m sure there will be no shortage of holiday bookings in 2018.

Funding for the wreck project has so far come from the Ministry of Tourism (MTA), Ministry of Gozo, the Honor Frost Foundation and the University of Malta.

WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

09

News Santa divers take the plunge for charity

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Vobster Quay’s recording-breaking charity Santa diving event returns on Sunday 17 December for another round of festive chortles and fundraising fun. Run in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) and the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, this ever-popular fundraising event aims to raise sack-loads of cash for two very-deserving charities.

Vobster Quay invites divers of all levels to grab their red pantaloons and fluffy beards - and as much festive cheer as they can muster - and head down to Vobster Quay near Mells, Somerset, for a mass sponsored Santa dive in aid of charity. In previous years, the event has attracted divers from the far corners of the UK to join in the festive merriment for one last diving ‘swan-song’ before the Christmas and New Year break. Back in 2015, the event smashed the world record for the most Santa divers with over 180 divers taking to the waters donning their festive finery – a record that remains unbeaten to this day!

Vobster Santas isn’t just about world records, though - it’s also about raising some serious cash for charity. Once again, Vobster Quay is aiming to raise much-needed funds for the RNLI by encouraging divers to get into the spirit of the season.

Through individual sponsorship and JustGiving donations, divers can invite their friends, family and work colleagues to sponsor them to join the mass Santa dive in the balmy waters of Vobster Quay dressed in their finest festive gear. Since the events’ inception, Vobster Santas has raised over £30,000 for the RNLI. Vobster Quay will also be raising money for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance by raffling off a selection of great prizes donated by some of the biggest brands in dive equipment. Tickets will be available on the day for just £1, or can be purchased in advance from the Vobster Quay shop.

Divers wishing to participate can get involved by simply registering their attendance at: www.vobster.com/vobstersantas. Once registered, Santa divers can start fundraising in a number of ways: • Direct Sponsorship - Download the Vobster Santas 2017 sponsorship form at www.vobster.com/vobstersantas and then pester your friends, family and work colleagues to sponsor you for the event.

• JustGiving.com - Take all the hassle out of fund raising by simply pointing your family and friends to the Vobster Santas 2017 JustGiving page at: www.justgiving. com/vobstersantas2016. They’ll be able to donate online.

• Mobile Phone text donation – supporters can also donate to Vobster Santas 2017 via a very simple text message. Simply text ‘VSAN77 XX’ where ‘XX’ is the amount you wish to donate to 70070.

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North Wales police conducted raids and searches on houses in the Amlwch area and Bangor early September as part of a UK-wide operation to recover items taken from military and commercial shipwrecks without the proper authorisation.

Bomb disposal experts had to set off a controlled explosion in a field to destroy a small amount of items of ordinance that were recovered during the searches.

The search warrants were jointly carried out by police, the National Maritime Agency, Historic England and the Royal Logistic Corps of the British Army, and were in relation to the ‘appropriation and retention of maritime articles and war artefacts’.

Scuba Diver contributor and owner of Anglesey Divers, Martin Sampson, who has lived and worked in Holyhead for the past 28 years, commented: “The UK has a very rich maritime history, for example the coast from Holyhead to Liverpool is a graveyard of shipwrecks, many from World War One and World War Two. “But for many years experienced divers have known that anything they find on these wrecks, the Receiver of Wreck - an official who administers the law dealing with maritime wrecks and salvage in some countries having a British administrative heritage - has to be informed.”

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P29 PATROL BOAT, MALTA The Rozi, Malta The tugboat Rozi, which lies in 30m-34m off Cirkewwa on the northwest of Malta, is The P29 is most-popular one of the most-popular artifi one of the wreck dives incial thereefs islands. and was then purpose-sunk as a dive attraction in August 2007 decommissioned. off the coastline of Malta, notinleast because it is Originally launched in 1958 Bristol, this 33-metre-long steel tug after pliedbeing the waters in Liverpool for many years before coming to Malta in 1972.

She eventually got the name situated off Cirkewwa Point, close to other dive She nowscuttled sits upright in around 33m, with the Rozi in 1981, boreand thatthe name until she was intentionally in 1992

by Captain hotspots like and the Rozi Double Arch.

Morgan Cruises, as an attraction for the company’s tourist (and divers). upper submarines portions of her superstructure reaching to These subs Kondor now no I-class longerminesweeper operate, leaving the wreckwithin solely12m for divers.

A 52-metre originally of the surface. Penetration is possible She can be easily dived from the shore, and is also located close to the P29 patrol built in Germany in 1969, she was used as a patrol for those suitably trained, and she is already well boat. She is fully intact and perfectly upright, only missing her prop and engine, which boat by the Offshore Command of the Maritime colonised marine despite were removed prior to the scuttling. It is swarming with marinebylife, and life is great foronly being down for Squadron of photographers, the Armed Forces of Malta from ten years. underwater particularly her1997, monster bow.

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On Saturday 2 September, new owner Julian Syson officially opened the doors at Divelife in Whitefield. Andrew Tonge, experienced tech diver and regular Scuba Diver contributor, went to see what all the fuss was about.

There is no doubt that the north of England diving community watched with sadness as Divelife closed its doors earlier in 2017. Not happy to leave it there, Julian Syson stepped in and rescued the Divelife brand from the liquidators.

With a background in the business of medical diagnostic equipment, he hopes to combine his experience in industry and as a diver to continue to build the Divelife brand. Julian’s message is clear - through Divelife, he wants to help people improve their diving, by building the dive community. He wants to make diving available to all, to bring in families and more young people, including kids.

To do this, Julian has opened Divelife as a multi-agency diver training school, including agencies such as PADI, RAID and SSI. The Divelife philosophy is that divers should be able pick the best of what the diver training agencies can offer, and tailor their training to suit them, to suit their diving. As Julian told me, divers at all levels can train with Divewise, from those that have no experience or qualifications, through to those wishing to qualify as instructors. Divers can also take more advanced courses, such as in technical diving, and learn techniques such as side-mount diving.

And they can also do what is so often lacking in diver training schools – pleasure dive! The new Divelife Scuba Diving Club is there to give life to those ambitions.

Divelife Scuba Diving Club members get a great array of benefits, through the Bronze, Silver and Gold membership levels, ranging from free air fills, pool use, discount in the shop and on training, dive computer battery changes, servicing and more!

The event was well supported by local divers and by well-known manufacturers, including Mares, Cressi, Northern Diver and Fourth Element, all of whom had stands at the event. Underwater photography was actively promoted by Frogfish Photography.

For Julian, the open day was his way - Divelife’s way - of not only allowing people in to what will hopefully be a thriving dive community, but also to say thank you to all those that help and support Divelife. The open day was a great success - even the sun was shining! www.divelife.co.uk

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Diving the Dream Islands of the

Seychelles Archipelago

By GLYNN BURRIDGE

T

wo divers slice the pristine, crystal waters off the north-west coast of Mahé, principal island of the jewel of the Indian Ocean: the stunningly beautiful Seychelles Archipelago. What they are seeking lies some 40 metres beneath the ocean - the hull of an old fishing trawler, deliberately scuppered to provide a diving site in what is arguably one of the best kept secrets among the international diving fraternity: the amazing Seychelles diving experience.

One diver is Imran Ahmad, renowned Singapore-based photographer and educator and he is amazed by the world class diving he has found around these islands long celebrated for their world-beating beaches, warm, dappled, sapphire waters and the final word in laid-back island lifestyle but with all the trimmings.

‘At 40 metres she is fully intact and teeming with marine life and coral growth’, he enthuses, ‘and with visibility for as far as the eye can see, this is a definite ‘must’ dive for wreck lovers.

Imran is one of an increasing number of divers all making the same discovery – the magnificent Seychelles Islands. Secluded from the world since the dawn of time, Seychelles is only now awakening to its true potential as a dream tourism destination and much of what you will find here is still wonderfully untouched, thanks to Seychelles’ strong conservation laws. With 115 granite and coral islands and an exclusive economic zone of 1 million square miles, this cyclone-free cluster of island gems offers year-round diving in a land of perpetual summer. Together, the islands offer awesome diversity for diving afi-

cionado and novice alike on both granite and coral reefs which can be nothing less than living aquariums for diverse and spectacular forms of coral and marine life. Myriad, dazzling coral reef fish, shark, moray eels, turtles, lobster, giant rays and even the odd migrating whale shark propose a kaleidoscope of diving entertainment in a host of unspoiled venues. On one dive alone, near Aride, no less than 800 species of marine life were spotted!

Seychelles boasts a number of world-recognised dive sites, such as the famous Ennerdale Wreck and Brissare rocks as well as the lesser known, more remote but even more spectacular sites around Marianne, the Sisters, Aride, Trompeuse and several other islands. Some of the more remote locations are only accessible by live-aboard charter dive boats Diving in Seychelles is refreshingly unprocessed as well, with un-crowded dive boats and unhurried dive schedules, in keeping with the leisurely pace of life.

Local dive centres and a range of liveaboards will provide access to great diving while offering a taste of the unique Seychellois lifestyle with beach BBQ’s and other island-style entertainment. All diver training is conducted by internationally qualified instructors, most of whom are members of PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, the world’s largest sport diver training organization.

Now, more than ever, is the time to visit Seychelles and discover just how extraordinary - and affordable! - diving can be in one of the very last natural aquariums on our planet where pristine waters, leisurely diving schedules and an astonishing variety of marine life all conspire to offer one of the finest dive vacations on the planet. n

For more information about diving in Seychelles, please visit: www.seychelles.travel and www.subios.com ADVERTISING FEATURE

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Diverse Travel adds new Sri Lanka destination

Sri Lanka has been added to the worldwide destinations offered by UK tour operator Diverse Travel. This lush tropical paradise was famously described by Marco Polo as ‘undoubtedly the finest island of its size in the world’. Lying in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is just a short plane transfer to the Maldives, so the chance to combine Sri Lankan culture with Maldivian diving is easy to organise with the knowledge of the Diverse Travel team.

“You can explore ancient cities, jungles, hill stations and miles of palm-fringed sandy beaches. It’s inexpensive when you’re there and the people are incredibly hospitable,” explains Jim Yanny, Managing Director of Diverse Travel.

Sri Lanka can also be booked as a stand-alone destination with personalised tailor-made holidays and itineraries. Sample tours include Archaeological and Cultural Tour, and Wildlife and Nature Tour. www.diversetravel.co.uk

Project AWARE launches 25th Anniversary Silent Auction This year, Project AWARE turns 25!

In celebration of this incredible milestone, Project AWARE launches a special edition of its annual Silent Auction.

Through this year’s auction, divers and non-divers alike, will have the opportunity to bid on a wide range of amazing prizes, kindly donated by over 40 generous sponsors, to support Project AWARE’s next wave of ocean protection.

Running from 1-31 October, Project AWARE is inviting its global community to celebrate its Silver Jubilee and help raise funds for its critical ocean conservation work.

As a global non-profit organisation, Project AWARE relies on fundraising to carry out its important mission which is to empower people like you to be agents of positive change for the ocean. Funds raised through the

auction will go a long way toward helping implement policies to protect the most-vulnerable marine species and take action - in and out of the water – for a thriving, vibrant ocean. Over the past 25 years, the global dive community has helped Project AWARE secure historic protections for vulnerable marine species, develop the world’s first and only marine debris database with over 800,000 pieces of debris removed and reported from underwater environments, and teach ocean protection to scuba divers, schoolchildren, families and friends in your local communities around the world. Bidding is open now – visit: www.projectaware.org to start bidding! Some of the amazing prizes up for grabs include holiday vouchers, dive packages and equipment, and much more.

Mike’s Dive Cameras – new venture, veteran team An exciting new venture is putting a wealth of diving and underwater photography resources into one London location.

Mike’s Dive Cameras (or MDC, as it is known) is a new venture between experienced underwater photography specialist Jussi Hokkanen and Mike’s Dive Store owner Steve Brown. Jussi is very well known to UK underwater photographers through his time at Cameras Underwater and, more recently, Ocean Leisure Cameras. A veteran with more than a decade’s experience of retailing underwater camera equipment, Jussi also founded Deepshots, the online equipment review site, and there is hardly any model or make of housing, lens or light that would not have been examined and reviewed in the past few yearsw.

Mike’s Dive Cameras will be based in Mike’s Dive Store, which is owned by enthusiastic underwater photographer Steve. The Chiswick-based dive retailer is one of the longest established dive shops in the capital, having been in business for over 30 years, and located right next door to London School of Diving, which has its own pool for on-site scuba training. www.mikesdivecameras.com

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News Sian proves to be a truly Stellar diver

THINK DIFFERENT

Simon Hotchkin, from Stellar Divers, contacted the team here at Scuba Diver about a truly inspirational young lady by the name of Sian Jones. It is always nice to hear about young people becoming diving enthusiasts, and Sian has certainly become hooked on the hobby.

Sian said: “I found my love for diving in August 2014 when on a holiday in the Caribbean - after the trydive I wanted to take the Open Water Diver course so that I could do more dives. Mum and Dad thought I wouldn’t carry on when back in England, but how wrong were they!

“So, from the Caribbean to Capernwray! I knew that scuba diving was for me, and so I joined Stellar Divers. Both Hotch and Vic have taken me through my Specialities and Rescue Diver course, and I was lucky enough to go to the Azores to do my 50th dive with Hotch, which qualified me for my MSD two days before my 16th birthday.

“Since I enjoyed diving with the club and was itching to do more, Hotch allowed me to shadow him when he was running Divemaster courses, so when I hit 18 I leapt at the Divemaster syllabus. Because I’d seen it all done before and now had all that experience, I completed my DM in only a week. I’ve also just completed my PADI Rebreather and Advanced Rebreather qualifications and am now starting my Assistant Instructor, with my sights firmly set on Open Water Scuba Instructor in the very near future.

Search continues for stricken ‘speared’ seal in Devon

BECOME DIFFERENT diveRAIDuk.com

16

On Saturday 2 September, British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) received a secondhand report of a seal in Brixham harbour, Devon, that had been spotted the previous evening with a large spear or crossbow bolt stuck in its back.

Further reports then followed from members of the public to BDMLR, as well as the Coastguard, when the animal was seen again in the harbour during the afternoon. Teams from both organisations attended the scene and two BDMLR Marine Mammal Medics went out on a boat to assess the situation.

As the animal, an adult female grey seal, was still relatively mobile, she was able to dive and move away from the boat, which made assessment difficult.

However, the two-foot-long spear could be seen sticking up out of her back near her pelvis and close to her spine, and it was also noted that there appeared to be little use of her rear flippers, raising concerns that she may be paralysed.

BDMLR are working closely with the RSPCA and police, to whom the incident has been reported as shooting seals with spears or crossbows is illegal. The circumstances surrounding how and why she was shot are still unclear.

Dan Jarvis, from BDMLR, said: “Sadly, this is the latest in a long line of incidents in South West England involving seals that have become habituated to being fed by people on harboursides. They soon learn to hang around in areas where this will happen to get themselves an easy meal, which then brings them into heavy contact with watercraft, pollution and anti-social behaviour.

“Just a short time ago one such seal in St Ives harbour in Cornwall was hit by a boat propeller, while seals in Newquay harbour have been spat at, had stones thrown at them and have been jumped on by youths on the harbour wall.

“As soon as people stop feeding these animals, the sooner they will leave the harbours as there is nothing there for them anymore to encourage them to stay, so will obviously no longer be victim to repeated attacks, abuse and accidents.” www.bdmlr.org.uk

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18

News …and I thought asthma would stop me diving

Hot on the heels of Siân Jones’ inspirational story about becoming an MSD at 16 and then a Divemaster soon after her 18th birthday, 17-year-old Niamh Craig discusses conquering asthma to learn to dive.

The question ‘is it possible to dive with asthma?’ must be one of the most-queried among aspiring divers. Under the intense pressure of the water, diving with respiratory problems is a daunting thought; at least, it was for me.

November 2015, I pushed myself and signed up for a conservation expedition to Borneo working to improve facilities in rural villages. In addition to our charity work, our group had the opportunity to complete a PADI Open Water Diver course on the breath-taking Gaya Island. There was only one issue… my asthma!

My 18-month journey to diving began with a standard trip to my GP, who proceeded to explain the dangers associated with what I wanted to achieve, concluding with a ‘no’ to the PADI OWD course. From various friends in the industry, I had been told it was 100 percent safe to dive as long as the asthma was under control and I could secure a certificate from a specialist. Determined, I then continued with my journey by following whispers of a specialist diving doctor in Birkenhead.

Since being diagnosed at the age of 11, I had controlled my asthma using both Clenil (brown) and Salbutamol (blue) inhalers with no serious issues, giving me an optimistic outlook about securing a certificate from a specialist. After tests that included height, weight, blood pressure and strenuous physical exercises, I did indeed secure the certificate that allowed me to dive. One of the areas to check was my peak-flow (which measures how much you can breathe out, therefore making it possible to see how well or not your lungs are working) before and after exercise, which I had to continue to monitor throughout the year. If my peak-flow results dropped below ten percent, my lungs wouldn’t be able to cope with diving.

With that in mind, I decided my next stage was to undertake a ‘trydive’ in a swimming pool in Knutsford with Yu Diving to make sure that I could cope without having an asthma attack. There, I was taught the basics and how to operate the seemingly complicated equipment. The instructors were friendly and knowledgeable, resulting in me picking it up quickly and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the experience, which only increased my excitement for my expedition to Borneo.

One year on, I had the set back of discovering that my certificate only lasted for one year, meaning it wouldn’t be valid for my trip in the summer of 2017. Deciding it was worth it, I booked the same diving doctor for another appointment. Again, I underwent a series of tests to analyse the stability of my asthma. I was sitting fingers crossed hoping the result would match that of the previous year. Thankfully, I had not let my asthma defeat me and it was still under control, meaning that I could dive as long as I upped the dosage of the brown inhalers to two doses twice a day, which as it turns out worked wonders for my everyday breathing - an excellent bonus.

Fast forward to ‘the’ summer, the summer of 2017, when my 18 months of continuous fundraising and determined efforts to dive would finally pay off. On our second week in Borneo, we arrived at our camp on Gaya Island ready to kickstart our once-in-a-lifetime experience. Sadly, my week did no pan out quite as smoothly as I had planned, as my first dive brought about problems with equalising and discomfort in my ears. Although I was in excruciating pain for the first night, I decided to give diving another go the next day, as after everything I had overcome, to be in that position, I wanted to give it my all. On our second dive, we progressed into deeper waters where we caught sight of the most-beautiful tropical fish, but unfortunately this had a negative impact on my ears. I couldn’t equalise my ears properly, which only caused me more pain, and so I had to admit defeat and content myself with snorkelling. Although I was unable to complete the PADI Open Water Diver course, the fact that my asthma played no part in it kept my morale up through my non-diving activities. Now, I am contemplating how, and where, I can take a second shot at this elusive entry-level diving qualification!

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MEDICAL Q&A

News

Dr Oliver Firth has gained considerable experience in the field of diving and hyperbaric medicine since joining LDC in 2006. He is an Approved Medical Examiner of Divers for the UK HSE, and a medical referee for the UK Sport Diving Medical Committee. He is involved in the management of all types of diving-related illness, including recompression treatment, as well as providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy for non-diving conditions.

He remains a passionate diver and has participated in various expeditions and conservation projects throughout the globe.

Q: My father is an ex-military diver, he is now 68 years old, but has kept up recreational diving for many years since he left the Navy. He has always been pretty fit, but six months ago he had a stroke. He suddenly lost the use of his leg and his speech went.

The hospital has been putting him through rehab and he is doing really well – speech is nearly back to normal and he can walk unaided now. I know how much he loves his diving and how good it would be for him to get back in the water, but is it safe?

A: I’m not usually partial to Americanisms, but they have a vivid term for what we Limeys call a stroke – a ‘brain attack’. It does evoke much more succinctly what is going on – a stroke is very similar to a ‘heart attack’ of the brain, where blockage or bleeding of a blood vessel in the brain causes damage and loss of function. It also emphasises the urgency of treatment – again similarly to a heart attack, clot-busting drugs can be administered in certain strokes and can massively improve outcome. The precise symptoms of a stroke depend on the portion of the brain that is damaged, but like a phoenix from the ashes, it has an amazing ability to recover and circumvent injured areas.

It sounds as though your father’s recovery is proceeding well. My concern though is whether he is at risk of a further stroke. Obviously, the hospital will try to control his risk factors as much as possible (treating high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, stopping smoking – note again the parallels with heart attack), but the fact is that having had one stroke he is more likely to get another. Individual assessment is important though: his general fitness and previous diving experience would count very much in his favour.

If he regains full use of his leg and is able to hold a regulator comfortably in his mouth, then he might well be able to dive again. Is it safe? There is no yes or no answer to that, but if progress is good then the risks can be reduced to a potentially manageable level.

20

Q: I am congenitally deaf in both ears and was lucky enough to be the recipient of a cochlear implant when I was three years old. I’m now 24 and have been wondering for the last few months whether there is any chance of ever going diving. My ears are fine when I fly on planes and I don’t get infections or any other problems from them. Is there any information available on the safety of cochlear implants when diving?

A: Indeed there is. But first a little history. Apparently the lengthily named Count Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta was the first to discover that sound could be perceived by directly stimulating the auditory system. This he did by sticking a couple of metal rods in his own ears and connecting them to a 50-volt circuit.

He experienced a ‘jolt’ and a noise ‘like a thick boiling soup’. Nearly two centuries later, some surgeons zapped an exposed acoustic nerve, whose owner heard sounds like ‘a roulette wheel’.

These macabre experiments laid the groundwork for the cochlear implant, or ‘bionic ear’. Essentially, it’s a surgically implanted electronic device which directly stimulates auditory nerves. External parts (including a microphone and speech processor) transmit sound signals to an internal receiver (implanted in bone behind the ear) and thence into the cochlea via electrodes.

Anyway, the deal with these and diving is that we need to be sure the various bits will not implode, explode, rust or generally become defective in water and under pressure. The implant manufacturer should have some data on the safety of your device at depth, so you’d be well advised to consult them initially. If all is okay with them, and as long as your middle ears can equalise effectively, then there’ll be nothing stopping you.

Do you have a question for Dr Firth?

Email divingdoctor@scubadivermag. com with your query and we will pass it on to London Diving Chamber.

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Next month’s issue:

THE MEDES ISLANDS

Spain’s incredibly successful marine park

ABOVE 18M: MORAY FIRTH

Gavin Anderson stays shallow in Scotland

AMBON UNDERWATER

Why this Southeast Asia destination is a must for avid photographers

TECHNICAL: MALTA EXCLUSIVE First dives on newly found Junkers88

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TURKS AND CAICOS AFLOAT

Exploring walls and reefs by liveaboard

ISLAND HOPPING THE MALDIVES

Al Hornsby makes a whistlestop tour of this Indian Ocean diving paradise

GEAR GUIDE: BUDGET MASKS The Test Team rate and review a selection of masks under £40

21

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ST ABBS

Eyemouth

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

L

iving in central Scotland, I’m spoilt for choice when it comes to dive locations. Whether it’s just 20 minutes drive southeast to my closest wall and wreck dives off Burntisland, a boat trip to the Island of May off Anstruther a little further east, a drive west to Loch Long and Loch Fyne, or a little further Oban and the Sound of Mull, or perhaps a sortie to the northeast and the Moray Coast, or even further North to the legendary Scapa Flow. But one place I used to dive lots that I have really overlooked is St Abbs and Eyemouth.

I dived here back in the late-1980s. Then it was always shore diving for me and my buddies, as that was all we considered. Sites like Cathedral Rock and Weasel Loch were regulars for us, but I fell out of love with St Abbs when it became mobbed at the weekends. So as I drove into the harbour a few weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised to find a space right close to the water.

What wasn’t quite so pleasant was the £7 charge for parking, but that’s inflation for you!

Now the question was, should I shore dive or jump on a boat? Well, call me a wimp since I’m now diving with a rebreather, it was nearly low tide and there was a bit of a swell, I chose the boat option. Although it is possible to turn up and find a space on a boat on any given day at the weekend, it’s really advisable to prebook. There are three dive boat charter businesses working from St Abbs now - Shore Diver, run by Paul Crowe, Pathfinder by Paul O’Callaghan, and Stingray (Peter Gibson’s old boat) run by Barry White. All three guys also run their own B&B business and they all seem to get on really well and help each other, which is very refreshing. If one is full up or busy, they will direct divers to the boat that has spaces, which is really helpful. Also great are the trolleys they provide to push your gear down to the boat, and what’s even better is the crane that lowers bottles and, in my case, my rebreather carefully down into the boat.

Onboard the Shore Diver, I found loads of room to set up my gear up my kit up and do final checks. My friend Max Ruffert

and I were on the 2.30pm shuttle - the third trip of the day - and not the last, as there was a 5.30pm to the Glanmire to follow. In summer, the guys work really hard and often can be seen dashing back to work at the B & B if there any spare time between dives.

Max is definitely a fan of shore diving, and whereas I’m seen with a camera in my hands, he has a Garmin GPS which he uses to help map the dives sites he visits.

Within just ten minutes we were kitted up and jumping off just south of Horsecastle Bay into a site called Black Carrs. It’s one of the most-popular sites in St Abbs due to the high chance of spotting wolf fish. Free falling down to 12m along the main reef wall, we quickly reached a boundary bottom interspersed with sandy gravel patches. Dahlia anemones burrowed into the gravel offered a splash of colour, and prawns and little squat lobster darted one way and the other as we slowly finned over the bottom.

We were soon heading east over a vast expanse of brittlestars, but eventually reached large boulders and gullies in about 20m adorned with dead man’s fingers, bottlebrush hydroids and little anemones, and it wasn’t long before we spotted a huge conger eel and then a wolf fish. Both were rather shy and stayed firmly in the safety of their rocky homes.

I once saw a wolf fish crushing and gorging an urchin in its mouth while diving at the Bass Rock, but sadly never since. I remember how perfectly adapted to coping with the urchin it was, with its powerful jaws and its skin as tough as leather protecting it from the urchin’s spines. The conger and wolf fish were the definite stars, but supporting acts included several Yarrel’s blennies, leopard spot gobies, prawns and beautifully coloured tiny squat lobster and loads of velvet swimming crabs. Looking deep under the crevices and boulders we also spotted several small lobster, one no bigger than our hands! Time soon marched by and we headed to the boat, joined occasionally by inquisitive ballan wrasse.

Max and I discussed staying for the Glanmire, but it was cloudy and beginning to rain, so we said our goodbyes. I’d have to wait a full day and a half before driving back south to St Abbs again.

A DIVER’S

18m

ABOVE

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

B

abbacombe Bay had been on my ‘dive radar’ for quite a while. My previously planned visits didn’t happen for reasons of adverse weather, but this time I chose a weekend (11-12 May), booked some accommodation and hoped that the weather would turn out fine. As the weekend approached, the unfavourable easterlies subsided, and the weather itself was forecast to be good, but most importantly there was a light westerly.

Easterlies can kill the vis.

Winding the clock back to early March, I made a point of visiting Babbacombe while on a motorcycling weekend in Devon; the reason for this was to check out the logistics of what is involved with diving there (access, parking, availability of tanks/fills, food/ drinks and so on). I was glad I did that, as it gave me the knowledge of how best to plan the trip.

Babbacombe itself is a pleasant clifftop town located within the English Riviera of the Torbay area, on the north-eastern side of Torquay, sheltered behind a series of headlands including Hope’s Nose. It boasts hotels and apartments, pubs, restaurants and cafes, a funicular railway, a famous model village, a theatre and (most usefully for our reason of visiting), a dive centre. In terms of the setting, the clifftop gardens offer fine vistas over the bay itself, and if the weather is very clear it’s possible to see all the way to Lyme Regis, West Bay and even Portland, many miles to the east.

In the diving community, this sheltered bay (unless there’s an easterly wind) is known primarily as a springtime hotspot for cuttlefish, that gather there to court, mate and lay eggs, though there are plenty of opportunities for other encounters and sightings. At this time of the year, it could be renamed as ‘Cephalopod Central’.

My friend Simon, who hadn’t dived in the UK for many years, would be my buddy for the weekend; it would be a chance for him to re-acquaint himself with the type of conditions in which he learned to dive as a teenager. On the Friday evening, enroute south and west along the A303 from Wiltshire, I collected him from his home near Honiton, and we sped determinedly down to Babbacombe, highly motivated by the thought of a pub meal!

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

DIVE BRIEFING

As Babbacombe Bay is a shore dive, you have three basic choices. You can climb down the steps onto the tiny pebble beach in front of the cafe and choose your entry point from there, or head past the café to the boat slip and try that. Alternatively, it’s also possible to walk out onto the stone jetty and climb down the steps to enter from there. If choosing the boat slip or the jetty from which to enter and exit the water, great care should be taken with any slippery seaweed that could cause a nasty fall.

You can decide to dive at any time regardless of the tide, as there’s very little in the way of current, but it’s much easier to get in and out of the water during the higher tide periods. At low tide, it can be tricky keeping your footing while navigating slimy and unhelpfully located boulders with heavy dive kit.

Wherever you choose to enter the water, there’s a wide area that you can cover once you’re on a dive. You can choose to stay in the immediate shallows among the boulders, or head out into deeper areas to explore underwater rockeries, weed beds and sandy expanses.

As the diving, even at the deeper points, is relatively shallow (expect not to exceed 10m), it’s a very good idea to use an SMB due to the presence of boats. In most areas, there’s also a lack of distinctive landmarks, so it’s easy to get disorientated and end up swimming out to sea rather than back to shore. Dusting off your underwater navigation skills is very helpful here. Visibility can also vary tremendously, so buddy pairs must keep close to one another to avoid getting separated.

One landmark that is distinctive and worth looking out for is Mushroom Rock; it’s resemblance to a toadstool is immediately apparent if you find it while heading into the bay from the pebble beach or slipway.

ARRIVAL AT THE SITE

Babbacombe Bay is accessed by a very steep single-track road next to the theatre, with a tiny car park at the bottom. It’s the sort of road that freaks out panicky drivers, and during the weekend we witnessed an amusing ‘high-revving burning-clutch incident’ after a driver stalled on the hill and rolled backwards into a wall.

Mike and Michele, who used to operate Divers Down Dive Centre, up on the main road, now run the Babbacombe Beach Café next to the car park and are a mine of information on the diving front, as well as being handy for copious amounts of tea, coffee and snacks. We found them to be very friendly and helpful, and this being on-site made everything a lot easier.

On both days, we were up quite early to drive my pick-up down

L

LANZAROTE LOWDOWN

OASIS

“There was no shortage of pugnacious spider crabs that can rear up at the perceived threat of an underwater photographer invading its personal space with a camera”

anzarote is a popular all-year-round holiday destination with a surprising amount of Brits either owning or time-sharing apartments. Flights are offered from most major and regional UK airports, and the journey time is a bum-bearable four hours. On previous trips I had bypassed Lanzarote’s number-one tourist town, Puerto del Carmen, but fourth time lucky I was back (if only for a brief spell) ready and willing to soak up the lively atmosphere and sample some of the top local dive sites.

Usually I hire a car at Arrecife airport as it’s relatively cheap and convenient. Puerto del Carmen is only a short 10-minute drive, but long story, I ended up spending a stressy couple of hours searching for my hotel. This inadvertently meant I got to see just about every building, road, sign post, etc, in the whole densely populated conurbation.

I passed row upon row of white-washed apartments with pubs, nightclubs, shops and restaurants strung out along the entire 6km stretch of the seafront. The whole place had gone completely sport’s bar bonkers. Everywhere I looked there were chalkboards advertising live daily football matches.

There are around 18 dive centres in the Puerto del Carmen area, all owned and managed by different nationalities. I was with Manta Diving (www.manta-diving-lanzarote.com), owned and managed by Brit couple Rachel Parry and Ben Hutchinson. Six years ago, Ben and Rachel bought the PADI five-star resort centre when the Irish owners decided to retire. Rachel now manages the bookings and internet site, while Ben sorts out equipment maintenance and day-to-day staffing issues, among other tasks. They presently employ five instructors and use Aqualung and Apeks dive kit. I could see the staff had a good rapport with punters. Throughout the day, all sorts of colourful characters would just pop in to say hello and have a chat. Some would even go diving!

The dive centre logo got me wondering - are there any manta sightings in Lanzarote? I had seen devil rays at El Bajon on El Hierro, which is similar to a manta, so maybe this is where the name had stemmed from? Rachel said they had inherited this legacy from the previous owners, choosing to stick with the old name. I bet it’s not the first time they have been asked this silly question, either!

Rachel said they had the perfect set-up for divers that didn’t want to spend the whole day away from their families. In a matter of hours, they could be back by the swimming pool lapping up the sunshine. Manta Diving offer two guided dives in the morning and focus on training in the afternoon. This ramps up to four daily guided dives throughout the summer months. Opening hours are from 8.30am until 5.30pm Monday to Saturday all year round. Rachel said that the e-learning packages were proving to be very popular. All the theory is completed online in the UK, just leaving the in-water skills to do in Lanzarote.

The bay at Playa Chica was a hot spot of diving activity.

Most of the dive centres in Puerto del Carmen used this stretch of promenade as a kitting-up area, with entry points via the steps or the adjacent sandy beach. The place was absolutely choc-a-bloc with dive vans coming and going.

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

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

“Just a quick - the rigid inflatables they use here are definitely quick! - 3.5km ride out from the beach, Pinnacles is a collection of mounds that rises up from a 50m sand bottom, the shallowest top at 30m”

WILD

MOZAMBIQUE

STUART PHILPOTT is a virtual regular at the off-the-beaten-track destination of El Quseir in Egypt, and here he sums up the appeal of this hidden gem

Mozambique’s picturesque coastal village of Ponta do Ouro promises lifetime memories both on the surface and underwater, as AL HORNSBY reports

Photographs by STUART PHILPOTT

Photographs by AL HORNSBY

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Scapa Flow dive boat operators Ben Wade and Emily Turton of Huskyan Charters were granted a special licence to conduct a photographic and 3D photogrammetry diver survey of HMS VANGUARD over the winter of 2016/2017. Survey organiser Emily shares her story Photographs by MARJO TYNKKYNEN, BOB ANDERSON, KIERAN HATTON AND RICHARD STEVENSON 3D Photogrammetry by PROFESSOR CHRIS ROWLAND AND KARI HYTTINEN

O

n Wednesday 5 July 2017, a White Battle Ensign was flown from the stern of the wreck of HMS Vanguard in Scapa Flow by the Royal Navy Northern Diving Group as part of a series of events to mark the centenary of her loss. The Royal Navy spent five days conducting ceremonial dives on the site in a rare collaboration with our civilian survey team, and these dives marked the culmination of a ten-month project to document HMS Vanguard at 100 years underwater.

At 11.20pm on 9 July 1917, the quiet of a calm summer evening in Scapa Flow was shattered by a series of catastrophic explosions. As a huge smoke cloud enveloped the anchored ships of the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet, fragmented steel and debris began to rain down on the scene. A recognition signal was sent around the Fleet, which required all ships to answer immediately.

All answered except one. The dreadnought battleship HMS Vanguard was gone. As the smoke cleared, the true extent of the destruction was clear for all to see. A total of 842 men were lost in an instant. Only three survived the blast, with one dying of his injuries, bringing the death toll to 843 – the single largest loss of life in Orkney’s naval history.

HMS Vanguard lies in 34m of water just off the north coast of the island of Flotta in Scapa Flow. An official war grave since 1984, she is also a controlled site since 2002. Diving can only take place under special licence from the Secretary of State for Defence. To most folk in Orkney, including me, the only image that came to mind when thinking about HMS Vanguard was that of the East Cardinal buoy that marks the site. I have passed the buoy countless times and wondered about the ship beneath the waves. The aim of our survey was to tell the story of the ship at 100 years underwater, to share the imagery of the site and, most importantly, to bring that imagery to the surface for this year’s centenary commemoration.

The survey began with a trip to London to view the ship’s plans at Greenwich Maritime Museum. Next came a sidescan sonar survey of the entire site with Kevin Heath of Sula Diving - this was crucial to identify the extent of the wreck and debris field, and help us to identify targets to dive.

DIVING BEGAN IN EARNEST IN OCTOBER 2016

The site is complex and extensive. Notwithstanding the explosions that sank the ship, the wreck was also heavily but legally salvaged between the 1950s and 1970s. This treatment of Vanguard differs greatly to two of Orkney’s other war graves, HMS Hampshire and HMS Royal Oak, which have always maintained a much-higher profile. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Vanguard was not lost to enemy action, but to a horrific, yet embarrassing, accident. There are parts of the site where it is hard to distinguish between salvage damage and the blast damage that sank the ship. Few details on the salvage work survive, some written but mostly anecdotal. Consequently, relatively little is known about how the salvage work was conducted and what was targeted, other than the obvious propellers, condensers, turbines, armour plate and gun metal.

The interplay between salvage damage and blast damage, and more specifically what appears to be missing, such as gun barrels and Clarkson cases, leaves questions, and in some ways the site poses as many questions as it answers.

“This survey has been my obsession for nearly two years and although the actual diving did not push any boundaries or break any records, the experience will stay with me forever”

Vanguard was lost due to the accidental detonation of cordite – the propellant used to fire the ship’s main 12-inch guns. HMS Vanguard had five twin-barrelled 12-inch guns, one forward of the bridge (A Turret), two just after – one to port and one to starboard (P & Q Turrets) - and two stern guns separated by the engine rooms, some 30 metres apart (X & Y Turrets).

The munitions for these guns would be stored deep within the ship below each gun. A, X & Y Turrets all had their own magazines, while P & Q Turrets shared a large magazine. The detonation of P & Q Turret magazine caused the fatal chain reaction.

The bow and stern sections, although severed, remain intact as near-perfect examples of dreadnought architecture proudly defying the destructive nature of her loss. The bow sits upright 11m proud of the seabed, her immaculate teak decking covered in a fine dusting of silt. The stern lies on her port side revealing her twin rudders. Portholes line the hull, windows into the soul of the ship. Her small stern deck guns protrude from the teak decking and just tucked under the stern on the port side is her name – Vanguard.

EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN IS MORE COMPLICATED!

As the centre of the ship blew up, the bow and stern were severed and sunk in-situ and intact some 163 metres apart. Large sections of recognisable superstructure were flung out and aft and the total debris field extends to hundreds of metres. The ferocity of the explosions are most acutely seen in the final resting place of the gun turrets. A Turret has landed relatively close to her original position. P & Q Turrets, however, have both been flung some 40 metres out to the side (Q to starboard and P to port) of the main wreck, and X turret has been thrown 25 metres aft of its intended position, landing just ten metres away from Y turret at the stern. All of the 12-inch gun barrels are missing bar one, which protrudes from underneath the stern. We presume all other gun barrels have been salvaged except for Q turret, as it

THE TEAM

Twenty two volunteers conducted over 500 hours on the site. The survey was 100 percent self-funded. The survey team we assembled were truly inspirational, professional people all donating their time and expertise to do justice to the wreck. The bulk of the team were made up of professional image-takers and skilled wreck divers. Also aboard were two marine biologists and an expert in remote survey techniques. Two munitions experts joined the team, bringing their knowledge of the ship’s weaponry with them. Key to the survey was their expertise in the explosive effects of such a disaster.

Our survey team included a serving member of the Royal Navy, and Mr Dougall Campbell, the last man to conduct any legal salvage of the ship, who joined us in an advisory role.

Team Vanguard 100 comprised of Ben Wade, Emily Turton, Marjo Tynkkynen, Chris Rowland, Kari Hyttinen, Clare Fitzsimmons, Jen Smith, Kieran Hatton, Bob Anderson, David Crofts, Simon Kay, Gary Petrie, Greg Booth, Paul Toomer, Jo Porter, Ross Dowrie, Dennis Vessey, Rob Wetherall, Rich Stevenson, Paul Haynes, Rod Macdonald, Mic Watson, Paul Worsley, Kevin Heath and Dougall Campbell.

has landed upside down. No signs of salvage were found, so we can assume that both barrels lie buried.

A Turret sits nestled among the remains of the bridge, the central leg of the foremast, the director firing platform and the main spotting top. The two side legs of the foremast have been blown 200 metres to port and starboard, respectively.

There is a distinct gap directly aft of ‘bow section’ where very little wreckage remains – this should house the P & Q Turret magazine and is therefore the most-likely initial source of the explosions.

Vanguard had 18 Babcock & Wilcox boilers housed in three large boiler rooms. Remains from the forward room are largely non-existent and well dispersed. Boiler rooms two and three have been shunted backwards into each other, creating a large mound of both broken and intact boilers.

While the turbine rooms remain in-situ, they have been heavily salvaged. Both condensers have been removed and only the port turbines remain.

When you first dive a wreck like Vanguard, she seems very big and very confusing. As we got to know her, she revealed more and more of her secrets. Despite the sheer scale of the destruction, a remarkable number of architectural features survive intact along with ship’s equipment, such as telegraphs, brass periscope binoculars, firing pistols, and even a ship’s bell! Surprisingly, 12-inch projectiles are scattered throughout the main wreck and cordite litters the entire wreck and wider field. Delicate items such as crockery, cutlery

and even musical instruments remind us of the sailors lost that day in 1917. This survey has been my obsession for nearly two years and although the actual diving did not push any boundaries or break any records, the experience will stay with me forever. It was a privilege to be part of an amazing team of people – no egos, no agendas, just good people, all dedicated to doing the ship justice. To the MOD, the Royal Navy and Orkney Marine Services, we extend our thanks for allowing us the time on site to tell the ship’s story. She is a truly special site and although HMS Vanguard remains one of the worst accidental losses of life in Royal Navy history, the wreck today is a peaceful place - vibrant, majestic and full of marine life, the scars of her history just a memory. To HMS Vanguard and her gallant crew – we will always remember you. n

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DIVE LIKE A PRO Our panel of experts offer some useful hints and advice on how best to tackle SHORE DIVING PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK EVANS

A

fter two months focusing on boat diving, this issue we turn our attentions to the way that many of us will have taken our first tentative steps underwater – shore diving. There are many pros for diving from the shore – no ‘ropes off’ times to stick to, freedom to conduct your own dive, no boat to contend with (vital if you get seasick!), ease of access, and so on – but there are also some cons to think about, namely navigation, ease of entry and exit, water conditions, and so forth. Here are some handy hints from our expert team: Wendy Northway, Hartford SAC 0512 and BSAC Advanced Diver, said: “Many divers mistakenly believe that shore diving is predominantly for trainees. While that may be true for depth as the seabed gently shelves away, allowing for shallower diving, access to the sea can be challenging and physical fitness and competence are required. A taxing trek can be very rewarding with some stunning diving and no risk of seasickness. There is variety to suit all tastes – from wreckies to reefers, experienced and newer divers alike.

“The west coast of Scotland is a shore diver’s paradise for the wealth of dives to be discovered. A good starting point is the brilliant website Finstrokes. Others can be found from studying charts for interesting seabed features and looking for close contours, indicating a steep drop-off, then assessing accessibility.

“The Slates in Loch Lihnie is a stunning example of Scottish wall diving at its best. Access to the water’s edge is over seaweed-covered cobbles then once underwater, depths down to 20m and beyond can be attained. Yellow-fluted seasquirts and sea loch anemones plaster the walls. Nests of cat shark huddle in crevices, with cuckoo wrasse and gobies swimming out in the open.

“Planning is essential, including checking the tides. Ensure you can get out of the water before you even get in – a falling tide may uncover a ledge which might be a too big a hurdle to negotiate in full kit. Avoid narrows as these indicate fast-flowing water and may take you far from your entrance point. Carrying kit down can be exhausting, so make several trips and take a break if necessary. Take a bearing! There is no boat to pick you up if you stray from your entrance point. Enjoy!”

GUE’s John Kendall said: “Shore diving can be an extremely rewarding and also cost-effective way of diving. And in many parts of the world, it is the norm, with boats being unusual. In the UK, we have some incredible sites that are simply a matter of walking into the water and getting on with it. However, some pitfalls exist. It is worth spending some time investigating the entry and exit points for a dive prior to going, and then picking suitable equipment for the dive. Do you really need to lug a rebreather with bailouts, or a twinset over long pebble beaches or uneven rocky shore lines to do a 10m dive?

“While looking up info about entry and exit points, also find out if there is any tidal flow. There are many sites where it doesn’t matter, but equally there are some sites where diving at the wrong state of tide will find you being washed away from your known exit faster than you can swim. Basically, local knowledge is key when it comes to shore dives. There are guidebooks out there, and a lot of information on the internet.

“Finally, think about safety. It’s a really good idea to have

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someone on shore who knows when you’re due back, and who has instructions on what to do if you’re late. They can also look after your car keys, so you don’t end up stranded in the event of a suit flood.”

Garry Dallas, Director of training RAID UK and Malta, said: “Having dived some of our Great British coastlines for nearly 20 years around the UK, I’m sure you’ll agree that it can be pretty spectacular given the right conditions. Even better still, you can rock up day or night without any restraints other than tides and weather usually.

“However, considerations to take on board when going for that lovely Sunday bimble around those nugget shorelines: Researching detailed local area knowledge for safe entry/exit points; changes in weather/water conditions (tides, swells, strong eddy and rip currents); sporting an SMB along the dive to let other water traffic know of your presence; let someone know of your whereabouts, even get advice from the local coastguard (not 999!) and tell them your plan. They may be happy to advise you too.

“Although shore dives are relatively simple and stress free, there can be some inherent underlying obstacles waiting to take you by surprise in less than 1/2m of water! No, not sharks, but nice little slippery rocks which can be just a pain in the ass (lit-

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erally), always waiting to catch you out as you carefully tread your way with your full kit on to deeper water. So, don’t attempt to go in with your fins on! Put them on in about 1.5m of water or ask your buddy for help. All members of the team should carry a compass and DSMB in case of separation and know how to use them. Make sure everyone can navigate back to shore where someone will be waiting for you. Don’t forget to add 2kg from your fresh water dives to account for the salinity of UK seas.

“Plan your dives well to set yourselves up for a great adventure, not a misadventure!

“Finally, post-dive maintenance - ensure you thoroughly rinse your equipment as surf contains sand particles which gets everywhere!”

Mark Powell, business development manager for TDI/SDI, commented: “Around the UK we have a huge number of fantastic dive locations just off the beach. My very first sea dive was a shore dive off Pendennis Point in Cornwall, and St Brides Bay in West Wales is still one of my favourite dive locations in the world. In many instances, shore diving is both convenient and simple. These dives are great because you are in charge; there is no boat to wait on, and no long boat ride to the dive site. The dive may require only you and your dive buddy. Here are some tips and tricks to make your shore diving adventure more enjoyable!

“Research the site – research everything that you can about the site. Aerial photos (Google Earth), tide and weather reports, and news/magazine/internet articles are great ways to get to know the site. Knowing a site can help you better prepare for a dive.

“Conduct an on-site survey – once you have arrived at the site, take the time to plan/ discuss with your dive buddy the following things: “Identify any potential hazards at the site, i.e. visible hazards in the water and on the shore, such as steep or uneven walkways that you may need to cross with your gear.

“Find and plan your entry and exit points. Make sure you and your buddy discuss the best options for entering and exiting the water. Getting in can be the easy part, are you sure you will be able to get back out?

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“Find a suitable place to stage your gear. Make sure your gear can be positioned, assembled, or stationed as needed in a safe manner.

“Locate and identify a reference point on the shore that can be easily seen from the water. This action will help you locate your entry/exit point.

“Observe water conditions like the height of the waves or how choppy the water is out past where the waves are breaking. Many shore dives may require a surface swim to get to deeper waters or to an actual planned dive site.

“Plan your dive – use all of the information that you have obtained to this point in your dive planning process. Always remember to plan for and discuss what you will do in the event of an emergency.

“So now that you are finally in the water, enjoy the dive for which you have done so much planning!

“Once your dive is coming to an end, let us talk about your exit: “Preparing to exit – once you are on the surface, locate your shore reference point. Use your compass to get an accurate heading. Depending on the surface conditions you may want to descend and follow that heading back into shore.

“Exit – remove your fins in the water so you can easily exit the water without tripping all over yourself. Assist your dive buddy and exit together.”

Matt Clements, PADI Regional Manager UK and Malta, said: “Shore diving can be amazing but it’s a good idea to make sure you know what is there before you jump in. Some locations are just sandy bottoms, which go on for miles while others could have sudden drops and currents. Make sure that you have the equipment you need and you are comfortable putting it on (and taking it off) in less than ideal conditions. Shore diving can also be difficult to get to the water’s edge, scrambling back and forth over tricky terrain is not fun multiple times. Entry and exit points can be important so make sure you can get out if conditions change once you get in.”

Emma Hewitt PADI Regional Manager, UK and Ireland, said: “Take it slow, ensure you are careful to not step on or damage any marine life which may be in your path as you are entering the water.”

Emily Petley-Jones, PADI Regional Training Consultant and Course Director, said: “If completing a fun dive from the shore, you should take extra time to conduct a personal risk assessment for the dive.

You should consider the surface conditions, current, tides, weather, entry and exit points, what shore support there is available, your personal ability and your buddy’s ability when planning your dive. Think especially about where your exit points are, and imagine a situation where if your buddy ends up with a bad cramp and you have to tow them all the way, and get them out of the water.”

Vikki Batten, PADI Examiner and Training Supervisor, said: “My tip for shore diving is to do more of it.

Shore diving is vastly underrated, especially here in the UK where you can do some very exciting diving right from the shore. The flexibility you have means

34

that you can wait until close to the time to see whether the conditions are good enough to want to dive. While boats will go out if it’s safe to do so, you may have different comfort levels. Of course, you should always call a dive if you aren’t comfortable with the conditions, but it’s often easier to do so if you haven’t paid your boat fees, especially when you are less experienced. Shore diving also means you learn about the sea conditions for yourself instead of relying on a skipper. Don’t go it alone though, make sure you head to your local PADI dive shop for info, guidance, buddies or whatever you need.”

IANTD’s Tim Clements said: “Shore diving goes back to the source, standing on the edge of the ocean with curious minds. It can be the simplest form of diving, free from the encumbrance of boats, clubs and logistics, but still offer lightweight adventures. I look back fondly on shore dives from scrambly, ‘small cylinder’ dives off Yesnaby on Orkney, to technical dives on Lochaline, exhilarating abseil entries, classic Welsh night dives and the luxurious, abundant beauty of Cornish coves. However, ‘professionalising’ shore diving means having a plan.

That plan must include safe entry and exits, especially for injured divers, shore support and a clear understanding of how weather, currents and tides could change exit options while the dive is underway. Know how to use charts and OS maps to plan your dive. Make sure gear is appropriate - single cylinders are perfect for shallow dives with nimble access. Ensure that all members of the team can navigate to and into the water - this may require some physical ability and balance. Kitting up areas should be identified by a recce beforehand and be safe from hazards - seaweed over boulders is particularly treacherous for knee twisting. your shore support should be crystal clear on your route, plus exit time and place. Strongly consider an SMB with A flag, essential for boating areas and to keep your shore support updated. A cheery wave and a ‘see you in the pub’ is not professional. In short, planning for shore dives is essential to dive like a pro, but a pro knows how to make sure this adds to the dive, instead of being a hindrance. Enjoy your underwater rambling, it’s the next big thing...” n

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Sharks are one of the most-graceful, awesome, mind-blowing creatures divers can encounter underwater, and the Bahamas is the number-one spot to get up close and personal with the ‘men in grey suits’ PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK EVANS & STUART PHILPOTT

Shark CENTRAL

The silky shark is classified as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species™.

Popular with divers in many places, the silky shark is among the shark species most commonly captured in pelagic longline and purse seine gear set primarily for tunas. Much work remains to control its overfishing, but thanks to support of divers like you in 2016, Project AWARE – working alongside other organizations and governments – successfully advocated for international trade controls coming into effect in 2017.

THE NEXT WAVE WHAT MATTERS TO YOU? Your voice counts! For 25 years, we’ve worked together to protect our ocean planet. Tell us what ocean issue is most important to you and help us shape WWW.PROJECTAWARE.ORG #TheNextWave of ocean protection.

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T

he Bahamas is one of the world’s top diving locations, famed for its dramatic walls and exciting drift dives, but what puts it firmly on the map are sharks – lots of sharks. From Caribbean reef and nurse to tiger, bull and great hammerhead, the Bahamas boasts a rich smorgasbord of shark species just waiting for you to encounter when you venture underwater.

The broad range of sharks dwelling in these warm, clear waters means the chances of meeting a shark on any given dive is quite high, but if you want a guaranteed, up close and personal experience with multiple sharks, then you will need to consider an organised shark feed.

Now there has been a lot of conjecture and argument over the years about the pros and cons of shark feeding. In general, I am firmly of the belief that there should be minimal interaction with marine life, lessening the impact divers have on the aquatic environment, however, sharks are under such threat – and have such a negative reputation, thanks to the media – that anything that can help their cause deserves consideration. If a shark feed is done in such a way that it is educational, and helps break down some of the myths surrounding these much-maligned animals, then I am all for it. Having participated in many shark feeds over the year, I do prefer those that involve a ‘chumsickle’, a frozen chunk of water and fish blood containing fish heads and other scraps that is then suspended mid-water (large buoy on the surface, ground anchor on the bottom). The divers then surround this ‘shark speedball’, either kneeling on the sand or hovering mid-water, and the sharks come in and chew on the chumsickle, freeing pieces of fish which they then snap up as a tasty snack. With a chumsickle feed, there is minimal interaction between humans and sharks – compared with stick or hand feeding – and I prefer the freedom to be able to swim around during the feed rather than remain stationary on the bottom.

My most-recent shark feed was at the end of last year while on board the Aqua Cat liveaboard.

This vast catamaran cruises from Paradise Island on Nassau down through the Exuma Marine Park and around the waters off Eleuthera, delivering a heady blend of abyssal walls, colourful coral gar-

dens, screaming drift dives and critter-filled night dives, but during its week-long itinerary, a highlight is a chumsickle shark feed at the Split Coral Head dive site that is visited by a couple of dozen Caribbean reef sharks – though there is always the possibility other species may put in an appearance.

The basic schedule on the Aqua Cat runs something like this: eat, dive, relax, dive, eat, dive, relax, dive, eat, dive, sleep - and then repeat! With up to five dives a day on offer from the Sunday to Thursday, it is up to the individual diver as to how many of the dives they opt to take part in, but most of the group on board with me were logging at least four a day, with some hardy souls going for the night dive as well. However, no one misses out on the shark feeding dive.

The excitement builds through the thorough briefing from the crew, which is designed to ensure that no one gets themselves into a position with a shark where the animal feels hemmed in or threatened. Then it is time to get in the water. The

“In this instance, I saw one grouper actually snag a decent-sized hunk of fish right out of the mouth of a two-metre shark!”

THE ‘GEORDIE KISS’

BY STUART PHILPOTT

Sharks, don’t you just love ’em? As an underwater photographer, it’s my job to get the literally jaw-dropping close-up images you see in magazines. I prefer to use my 16mm fisheye lens, which creates really atmospheric wide-angle shots, but there’s always a ‘catch’, and in this case it means I have to get extremely close to the pointed teeth end in order to fill the whole frame - and by close I mean less than a arm’s distance away, maybe only a forearm. Not severed, I might add!

Naturally, most species of shark will stay away from divers, so to lure them in close we have to create an artificial situation, i.e. fish bait. With Caribbean reef sharks from the Bahamas, this is usually offered by a chain-mailed hand from a box, wedged under a rock or made into a kind of frozen baitball. Caribbean reef sharks don’t usually play rough, but when there are bits of dead fish floating about during a feed, the situation can become somewhat unpredictable.

So, try and picture the scene - one frozen baitball bobbing about in around 10m of water, 20 or more Caribbean reef sharks, hundreds of trevally and snapper, a couple of chunky grouper, plus one lunatic underwater photographer gripping tightly onto a rope, the rope being attached to the chumsickle sitting approximately one metre above my head.

Sharks, trevally, snapper and grouper are flying around me, through my legs, bumping my dome port and nibbling my flash guns. I never become complacent and always remain aware of my surroundings, although when I’m looking through a camera viewfinder, it’s easy to become detached from the intense action that’s unfolding in front of the lens - and then wham, suddenly I get brought back to reality when a shark head butts me at full speed!

“If a shark feed is done in such a way that it is educational, and helps break down some of the myths surrounding these much-maligned animals, then I am all for it”

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Caribbean reef sh arks can grow to a length of up to three metres, an d feed on a wide variety of reef-dwelling fis h and cephalopods

divers get in first and head down to the feeding site, where they form a loose circle around the anchor point, and then one of the crew swims down dragging the chumsickle behind them, usually enveloped in a cloud of sharks that have got the scent of the fish scraps.

Once the chumsickle is securely fastened in place, the sharks will begin to bite at it in earnest, but it never becomes frenzied. Yes, the sharks jostle one another for position, and it can actually look more wild than it really is, but in reality, there is a real pecking order through the sharks, and the bigger animals definitely get to go at the chumsickle first, then it filters down through the sizes.

While this is going on, gigantic yellowtail snapper and some cheeky grouper will sneak in and grab morsels of food. In this instance, I saw one grouper actually snag a decent-sized hunk of fish right out of the mouth of a two-metre shark!

The shark looked stunned to have lost its snack, while the grouper proudly shot off to enjoy its prize.

The length of the feed can be any time from 15 minutes to the full hour of the dive time, it all depends on how many sharks turn up and how long the chumsickle stays together. The divers do not have to stay at the feed for the entire dive, they can wander off to explore the surrounding reef, but most opt to remain with the sharks as they are so mesmerising.

Many divers will stay anchored to the seabed, either standing or kneeling on the sand, but I prefer to hover mid-water with whoever is modelling for me, as then you can position them with the chumsickle behind them to get an action-shot of the feed itself, or have them slightly to one side, so you have a nice blue-water background and can then work to ‘wrangle’ a

42

shark next to them, for a more-natural-looking image. You can also work with the chumsickle behind you, and capture the sharks as they approach from the distance.

CONCLUSION

Shark – or any type of marine-life feed – will have their advocates and their detractors, and it is up to the individual diver as to whether they want to participate or not. As I stated previously, where there is an educational element, and because sharks are so under-threat, I tend to fall on the side of ‘advocate’, but I do prefer the hand’s-off nature of the chumsickle feeds over other methods. The Bahamas are past-masters at shark feeds, and if going on one can change a diver’s perception of sharks, or allow you to capture images that when you show them to friends and family alter their view of these critically endangered creatures, then that has to be a good thing all round. n

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LIGHT UP YOUR UNDEWATER LIFE PAUL DUXFIELD discusses different ways of lighting up your underwater photographs, and looks at the pros and cons of strobes and video lights PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL ‘DUXY’ DUXFIELD

I

t’s dark down there. And it’s deceptive too.

I don’t mean when it’s obviously dark in the bowels of a wreck, or on a deep dive, I mean it’s darker - and significantly so - even in gloriously sunlit parts of the world. Descend a few metres and your camera is registering much less light than on the surface.

The problem for a lot of beginners is that it can be quite hard to reconcile what they think they are seeing, and experiencing what the camera is actually seeing. You see, we have a brain that tends to trick us into thinking that the conditions are actually providing more light than we think we’ve got access to. Our cameras are less forgiving and tell it like it is.

It’s pretty obvious a lot of the time, if you’re used to diving in the UK when it’s overcast, but can be difficult to gauge on a sunlit tropical reef.

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH

Even if you’re shooting fully automatically using just the available light, then your pictures can suffer as the light drops. So while your camera is quite clever at keeping the settings stable on the fully auto modes, there is a payback in low light.

And that is that the camera, if totally automatic, will adjust the ISO itself to try and maintain a shutter speed that will prevent camera shake, typically above 1/60th second. As the light drops then this ISO, which is the sensitivity of the camera’s chip, will get higher and higher, and this unfortunately produces a noisy or grainy picture. It will eventually start dropping the shutter speed too, which can end up causing camera shake, or failing to prevent subject movement.

With most cameras, though, you can disable the Auto ISO, which is generally switched on by default, and make the decision yourself to adjust the ISO to suit. This will mean that you will have to keep a close eye on the shutter speed - not always possible with action cameras like GoPros, so you’ll just have to put up with the drop in quality. To be honest, if you’re not that fussy, then for web or small prints it’ll be fine.

However, if you want to learn about underwater photography then for about the same price as a GoPro you can pick up second-hand cameras and housings that will provide you with everything necessary, from full automatic to full manual, in an easy-to-handle package.

They’re usually good video cameras, too, so if you’d like to learn more just get in touch with me and I’ll give you more details about the specifics.

While these auto modes are handy, and I still use them myself on occasion, eventually they will become limiting and you’ll want to take charge of all the camera controls, which are the ISO, the Shutter Speed and the Aperture. It can seem daunting at first, but honestly this stuff is less technical than learning to dive and the basics can be picked up in a few hours with the correct tuition. A lot can be self-taught, and there are great aids available online to help you.

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

Most cameras with a manual mode - M on the mode dial - have a handy scale that pops up to guide you. And by adjusting your shutter speeds and apertures, then you will see this scale swing left or right dependent on the light entering the lens and your current settings.

Have a play with it, if your camera doesn’t have a Manual mode, then all is not lost, there is a fantastic piece of software called CameraSim that is available on all platforms, and simulates a camera with manual modes, and allows you to play and have fun with your phone, tablet or on your regular computer simulating a proper camera with manual controls. It’s great for folk who would like to learn but haven’t taken the plunge and bought a suitable camera yet. It’s always a big hit on my workshops and is a great way to learn the fundamentals of photography called the Exposure Triangle, which is vital if you want to go on and master using strobes to perfect your lighting, but more of that later. Again, if you’d like pointing in the right direction about the app, just drop me a line on: info@bluduckphoto.com or ask on our new Facebook group: Blue Duck Photography Q&A.

GETTING FLASH

At some point you’ll realise, like most of us did, that while shooting available light is in some ways more straightforward, it has big limitations, the biggest being that there often isn’t enough of it. So you’ll need to switch on the flash on your camera. This works well on land for shooting snaps up to a few metres away, but underwater it’s really only good for a fraction of that distance.

The main reason is that even in lovely clear water, there are lots of suspended particulate in the way, and this becomes very apparent to those folk using their built-in flash further than about 20cm away.

This particulate becomes illuminated, and we call it backscatter, and in its worst form it completely blights the picture, looking like big, white, out-of-focus blobs. We get round this by relegating the camera’s own flash to working as a trigger to fire an external strobe - oh, by the way, a strobe is just another name for a flashgun, that’s all.

As we are able to move the external strobe to a position away from the central axis of the camera lens, then we are able to reduce the problem of backscatter, as it’s not directly in the firing line.

With an external strobe we’re also able to light our pictures in much more creative ways, and in another article soon I will look at some of those fancier techniques, but for now we will address the basics.

When you’re first shooting with a strobe, you may well be tempted to utilise some strobes’ automatic modes, I would suggest that you jump straight to learning how to shoot manual strobe. You’ll end up using it the end anyway, as it’s more reliable and consistent.

Underwater conditions don’t mimic on land when it comes to auto modes, and

BLUE DUCK PHOTOGRAPHY

particularly with strobes these auto settings like TTL rarely deliver the goods all the time.

Shooting manual strobe will be picked up very quickly, and will actually prove a quicker way of working, which is why you need to get to grips with the cameras manual settings.

A lot of folk stop me at this point and say things like ‘by the time I’ve set everything the fish will have swum away!’ This is actually not the reality, for two reasons, as you practice you will get quicker, and you’ll also find that your settings actually stay very much the same a lot of the time anyway.

Which is why manual ends up being quicker to use than auto often, as you’re not trying to second guess how the camera is going to react from shot to shot, which can happen in TTL ( Through the Lens) mode.

One of the most-popular questions I get asked about shooting strobes is how to get a nice dark background for a macro shot, or a lovely deep blue behind a foreground turtle or, as Mario showed in last month’s article, behind a shark.

Being able to adjust your camera’s shutter speed, apertures and ISOs is the key to doing this.

And is why learning it using the app mentioned above is vital to progression. A lot of people worry about this, but honestly with the right tuition you’ll learn it quickly.

I’ve recently formed a new company with a couple of friends, and we’ve already had great reviews teaching people these basics on land, so just check out our Facebook page - it’s called: Blue Duck Photography, and there’s a connected Group called: Blue Duck Photography Q&A, where you’re free to join and ask any questions about underwater photography from the team.

In short though, if you’re basic exposure looks correct, i.e. the strobe is illuminating the foreground and the background looks like it does in reality, you can darken the background by raising your shutter speed. How much or little you do this depends on your camera’s range of shutter speeds, but is basically how it’s done.

Duxy has added some more strings to his bow. He is still continuing to carry out his popular Escorted Trips and has added Dive Safari Asia to his expanding repertoire recently, however, he has just started an exciting new venture with a couple of friends.

He was getting lots of kit enquiries, what to buy, etc, and so it made sense for him to get back into retail as a way of serving people with the very ‘best advice’, which were his watchwords when he worked as Sales Manager for two of the biggest underwater photo retailers in the UK in the past 15 years.

They are combining his past experience in this area, with a more scalpel-like approach to underwater photography equipment sales, by making sure that each and every customer gets tailored advice, based upon asking and answering lots of questions to ensure that people get exactly what they need. This is being accompanied by photo and video editing tuition at dive clubs and centres the team are supporting countrywide.

Duxy and the gang - Phil and Anne Medcalf - can be contacted on: info@blueduckphoto.com

STROBE OR VIDEO LIGHT?

A very common problem these days, which in the past was never an issue, is that with the rise in popularity of action cameras like GoPros and most cameras now having great video modes, it’s tempting for the uninformed to buy a video light as a replacement to a strobe. And they can be forgiven in thinking that this will work, as modern video lights of many thousands of lumens are now becoming available. I would urge you to rethink this though, for a couple of reasons.

Simply put, even a video light of around 50,000 lumens and they now exist - struggle to compete in brightness with even a modest strobe.

The difference is that the strobe is releasing an intensely bright flash of light, but for only a tiny fraction of a second, this is enough to give a reasonable aperture at around a metre or two, and the beneficial side effect is that it will also freeze the action in the picture.

And to be honest, you’d lose lots of friends and risk cooking the marine life if you directed a continuous stream of light of such high lumens like some of the megalumen lights now available.

The really big ones are also quite bulky too, so to get one of a similar size as a typical strobe, you’d get around 3,000 to 5,000 lumens, which is fine for video, but woefully underpowered for stills use.

Pound for pound from a value point of view, a strobe is much more efficient for still photography than a video light.

You can use a video light if the subject is within the macro range, and only a few centimetres away but they are nigh on useless for most examples of wide-angle photography, if you want to keep the quality up.

Personally I’d suggest just getting a single strobe, to start off with, and learning how to get the best from it, this will keep the costs down and can be used for both wide-angle and macro shooting.

BIOGRAPHY

The Inon S2000 is our current favourite pick for size, weight and output, though there are others available, but the S2000s are quite small and in keeping with a compact-based system. I personally use two of them and they’ve served me well. So while it’s added expense, I use separate video lights for when I shoot video, however with a lot of video I like shooting available light, and video is often more forgiving when shooting in low light conditions, so the lights don’t get a run out as often as the strobes.

GET SOME TUITION AND THEN PUT YOUR NEW SKILLS INTO PRACTICE

With the new company we’re offering free help and advice on our Facebook pages as mentioned above, so by all means join in. Although you may want to gain some skills by a more-formal route and we can teach you this, but there’s lots of resources besides us out there, my ex-mucker Mario runs courses too, and of course, there’s general photography courses on lynda.com and a number of other training websites.

I think that before you get anywhere near the water, it’s important to get the basics right, and the good news is that this will keep you in good stead for any types of photography you may want to indulge in.

Like any skills though, it’s vital that you put them into practice regularly, and this way you won’t be rusty and spend the first few days of a trip going over what you’ve already learnt.

My suggestion once you’ve got the basic stuff boxed off is to just keep your camera close by. And a few weeks prior to a trip, when you’re watching television, and the ad breaks pop up, then have a few minutes play re-familiarising yourself with your camera’s settings and controls.

And after a few days of this, put the camera into its housing and repeat these skills, this way you’ll get reacquainted and it’ll save you a lot of task loading when getting back in the water. If you’ve got access to a pool for dive club training sessions, then maybe after this, have a go in the pool. n

Since returning from Egypt working as a guide in the early noughties, Duxy has been at the forefront of underwater photography technology and how it has changed the way we all now take underwater photographs. Working as sales manager for the two leading underwater photography retailers, and more lately as the photography travel specialist for a multi-award-winning dive travel agent, his light-hearted take on the diving world and underwater photography has resulted in him being a regular speaker at the Dive Shows and at clubs up and down the country, sharing his knowledge and experience with all levels and abilities of underwater photographer.

He likes nothing better than to get a beginner started on the route to rewarding pictures, and approaches the subject with an inclusive, rather than exclusive, manner.

He now has more than 40 escorted trips under his belt and is continuing to develop new ways to pass on the knowledge and share the love. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter as @takeiteasyduxy and Facebook as Take iT Easy.

We don’t recommend stacking 4 lenses together

With great power comes great possibility

Tel: 01404 812277 sales@camerasunderwater.co.uk www.camerasunderwater.co.uk

W

hile I’ve had the good fortune to dive in Palau, among the Micronesian Islands in the Western Pacific Ocean, numerous times over the years, my recent trip in many ways was the most memorable of all. This time, rather than being off on an assignment, having to leave my family back at home, my wife and ten-year-old daughter were with me for a wonderful dive holiday, a trip structured in a way that allowed us each to enjoy the trip to the fullest, with every detail addressed.

For those families whose holidays may too often mean the difference between ‘family holiday’ and ‘dive holiday’, you may be wondering how my opening remarks could possibly be so - well, there is an easy answer: Kids Sea Camp (www. familydivers.com). KSC is the brainchild of PADI instructor Margo Peyton who, some years ago, as a single mum working for one of the USA’s most well-known dive travel agencies, found her personal diving largely put on hold, even with the many opportunities her job provided. In talking to potential dive travellers every day, she came to realise that many families faced the same difficulty she did – that, no matter how much they enjoyed diving, figuring out how to conveniently take children along on an exotic dive trip was generally an insurmountable obstacle. So, in the year 2000, Margo’s idea for Kids Sea Camp was born.

Today, it’s remarkable, really. In 15 of the best dive locations around the world, every year there are some 20 KSCs conducted, each from one to two weeks long – with some 350 families attending. For dive families it’s the most-enjoyable way imaginable to connect with each other and to create memories that surely will last a lifetime - small children have day care, young children learn snorkelling and SASY (Surface Air-Supplied Snorkelling for Youth - breathing from a small tank while completely buoyant on the surface), seven to ten year-olds learn PADI Seal Team, and ten to 15 year-olds learn PADI Junior Open Water – with full supervision, allowing the parents to be off diving as they choose. Older children and non-diving parents can achieve their Open Water certifications; certified divers dive, day and night, with non-divers not interested in learning to dive going on snorkelling trips or sightseeing (or simply relaxing at the-always nice resorts); and divers who have become rusty can take refreshers. And, with different boats available, there are ones for certified teens to dive together without mum and dad, boats for adults to dive together without their kids; and the ability for all to go together anytime they choose.

At each day’s end, there are fully-arranged group dinners, often with photography, marine life, environmental and other dive-related presentations, as well as cultural and other entertainment. For families, it is such a delightful, seamless holiday that most families in our Camp - people from all over the world - had been on three to five camps together over the years, their children having become fast-friends and amazingly talented divers along the way.

And, as diving is the sum-total goal, each location’s diving scheduled is designed to show the best dive sites the destination has to offer.

Al Hornsby finds that a Kids Sea Camp holiday in Palau is the perfect way for his entire family to indulge their passions PHOTOGRAPHS BY AL HORNSBY

PALAU, KIDS SEA CAMP-STYLE

“Known for its therapeutic properties, it is claimed that bathing in the white limestone mud found on the shallow bottom will make you look ten years younger – and, even if it doesn’t, the sight of a boatload of divers fully coated in white, head to toe, is priceless”

Being in Palau, our trip had an incredible variety to experience.

Long Palau’s most-popular dive, Blue Corner is like an underwater threering circus. At the top of a steep outer wall, at only 15m of depth, divers remain stationary (it’s generally a reef-hook dive on a current that runs along the wall) while a marine life parade takes place, just over an arm’s length away. Grey reef sharks and whitetips cruise by constantly, a huge school of blackfin barracuda is resident, and metre-long Napoleon wrasse are most always there to give divers up-close encounters. On the reef, there are many grouper, snapper and turtles among the corals.

Just 50 metres northward along the wall, Blue Holes is another of Palau’s most-famous sites. On the reef top near the drop-off, in 1-3m of water, there are four openings that extend downward into a large, softly-lit chamber. The steep sides are thick with soft and hard coral and gorgonia, with tropical reef fish of every description moving about the vertical surfaces.

The bottom floor is at 40m, with a small exit onto the wall-face at 15m and a larger one at 27m. Outside, schools of barracuda and snapper congregate about the openings.

One of Palau’s most-exciting dives, Ulong Channel is a narrow, 15m-deep

SAM’S DIVE TOURS

With a multi-faceted programme such as provided by Kids Sea Camp and the complex (only to the organisers!) production required to operate it, KSC exclusively utilises the services of established, highly-rated PADI dive centres. In Palau, it’s Sam’s Tours. The original Sam’s Tours was a dive, snorkelling and fishing tour company opened by young Washington state native Sam Scott. In 1996, he opened the dive centre, now a PADI five-star IDC centre and one of the largest, most-respected dive operations in Palau. With in-depth knowledge of Palau’s waters and reefs learned over nearly 30 years of exploration, Sam’s Tours operates from an ecological ethic with the goal of preserving Palau’s marine environment and life.

Located in Malakal harbour, Sam’s Tours has a spacious, roofed, open-air hub, right on the water and just steps from its 12 boats, with all facilities, including office, classrooms, equipment rentals, guest gear lockers, restaurant, bar and equipment set-up area extending off the central area. A fleet of vans provides pick-ups from local hotels and resorts, and 12 languages are spoken among the staff. Divemasters and instructors are PADI certified, and a full array of PADI courses, through instructor training, are offered. www.samstours.com

cut that runs through the reef near Ulong Island. It is a wild ride in or out, depending on which way the tide is running. Grey reef, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks cruise the passage, rays lie about the bottom, turtles are frequent and schooling mahogany snapper and spadefish move about.

On full-moon nights from April-July, huge numbers of grouper congregate for spawning, as marvellous a sight as any diver could ever want to see.

Another wonderful dive site is in the German Channel passage to the outer reef. Mantas feed at the narrow entrance to the channel, and also congregate around a cleaning-station coral mound located on the Channel’s white sand bottom. Groups of huge mantas move in, hovering to be cleaned by small reef fish, mainly wrasse and butterflyfish, then move off, only to circle back around, repeating the pattern over and over. Divers and snorkellers alike, if they can remain calm and still, will witness these beautiful animals for many minutes as they carry out their cleaning behaviours.

Another of Palau’s special dives provides a glimpse into the fierce fighting that took place in Palau during World War Two. One of a number of Japanese ships sunk during the air raids of Operation Desecrate One in 1944, the Teshio Maru, a 98-metre-long Japanese army cargo ship, lies on its side on a 21m bottom, its port side at only 15m. One of the most-beautiful wrecks in Palau, it is covered in hard and soft coral growth, with many gorgonian and whip corals, and clouds of swirling fish, including barracuda, grouper, jacks and fusiliers, in normally very clear water. The huge wreck is intact, a fatal torpedo hole in the forward hold gives testimony to its violent demise. The holds contain ceramic plates, electric fans and personal effects from its crew; a deck gun creates a dramatic scene at the stern. As a bonus, not far away, on the bottom at 15m, a crashed Japanese Jake sea plane rests among the corals.

A different sort of incredible dive is Chandelier Cave, located just minutes by boat from the dive centres in Koror’s main harbour. With the bottom of the cave at 12m and the entrance at just 4m, there are five chambers festooned with huge, hanging stalactites, with four of the chambers having large air pockets at the top, and the fifth being completely above water. It’s a beautiful, serene, well-lit place very popular for closely supervised dives.

DID YOU

KNOW?

Palau has one of only two known Jellyfish Lakes in the world, where you can snorkel with harmless jellyfish

Contact our European office for a list of official tour operators to book your trip.

samstours@tourism-unlimited.com Tel: +49-89-673 78 619

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Beyond the huge list of great dive sites, Palau is one of those ecological marvels, where remarkable marine creatures can be seen most anytime, anywhere, including whalesharks, Pacific dugongs (one of our boats was lucky), tiger sharks, whales, tuna, sailfish and more – not to mention having one of the world’s two known freshwater Jellyfish Lakes. For divers and non-divers alike, there are also a number of land and boating-tour options offered. These should not be missed, not only for the beautiful topography, flora and fauna that will be seen, but also for the fascinating World War Two wreckage.

A very interesting hike is up Ngeruktabel Island, to the site of an old German lighthouse. In the 45-minute walk, there are many relics from the war, including bunkers, large artillery pieces and destroyed buildings At the island’s south end, a small islet that can be reached only by boat contains a huge cavern. Inside, there are well-formed stalactites and stalagmites that glisten under a flashlight beam.

Scattered throughout the cavern area hundreds of human bones; in ancient times, the grotto was used as a burial vault.

Another special site is Milky Way in the rock islands. Known for its therapeutic properties, it is claimed that bathing in the white limestone mud found on the shallow bottom will make you look ten years younger – and, even if it doesn’t, the sight of a boatload of divers fully coated in white, head to toe, is priceless.

For our family, the trip to KSC was marvellous; for once, I got to take my wife and daughter on a dive trip where, by design, there were no conflicts or compromise decisions required that originated from different diving skill levels or different holiday interests. Moreover, we were in an amazing location, and we all – especially my ten-year-old daughter - made new friends and had an incredible time.

For me, getting to be with Juliet during her SEAL Team class and to experience her joy at learning scuba for the first time was remarkable beyond description.

But... now, comes the hard part - our only (and very difficult) decision for one of next year’s school breaks is whether we return to Kids Sea Camp in Palau, or choose one of the 14 other exotic locations. Now, that’s what I call a really tough decision. n

WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

PRESENTS A GUIDE TO

WAKATOBI TOP DIVE

SITES

WAKATOBI DIVE RESORT’S MUST-DIVE SITES REVEALED

PHOTOGRAPHER’S

PARADISE

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IS THIS THE ULTIMATE MACRO DESTINATION?

THINGS

YOU MUST DO AT WAKATOBI DIVE RESORT

10 1

THINGS

YOU MUST DO AT WAKATOBI DIVE RESORT

Photographs by WARREN BAVERSTOCK, GLEN COWANS, MARCO FIERLI, SHAWN LEVIN, DIDI LOTZE, WAYNE OSBORN, RICHARD SMITH, WALT STEARNS, MARK SNYDER, JASON WOLCOTT

ROMA DIVE SITE

Visit the outstanding coral rosette at the dive site ‘Roma’ – The site has some of the best hard coral growth in the area, and the rosette is the jewel in the crown. Make sure the dense schools of fishes in the shallows don’t distract you from reaching your goal though.

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HOUSE REEF

Walk right off the beach and experience the world-renowned ‘House Reef’ - there are few places on the planet where such a rich reef is accessible so easily from shore. You can head off with your buddy to explore at anytime of the day.

SPA TREATMENTS

Relax, with a variety of invigorating and sumptuous spa treatments - you’re on holiday after all, so treat yourself to one of the various treatments on offer. The fusion of European and Asian offerings will leave you relaxed and ready for the dives ahead.

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SEAHORSES

Find your own pygmy seahorse with the help of your eagle eyed guide - of course, pygmy seahorses are preposterously small, but imagine the thrill of finding your own. Once you know where to look, you’ve already cleared the biggest hurdle.

WATER SPORTS

Try other water sports: wakeboarding, paddleboarding or kayaking – calm waters and little boat traffic make Wakatobi Dive Resort an excellent loca-tion to sample other watersports. Or try kitesurfing during June through September when the resort has a dedicated kiting instructor on staff.

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PRIVATE DINING

For a romantic treat, enjoy a private dinner for two by the beach - why not have the resort arrange a quiet and intimate dinner for two. With the sand beneath your toes, you can celebrate a special occasion in memorable fashion.

FROM THE EDITOR

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NATURE TRAIL

Spot birds and lizards along the nature trail to a local village - a small village at the far corner of the island is linked to the resort by a nature trail. Along the trail, you can spot stunning tropical birds and other colourful local wildlife.

CORAL LAGOON

Join non-diving friends and family to snorkel the resort’s shallow coral lagoon – the lagoon in front of the resort is full of fascinating reef creatures, so you needn’t don your scuba equipment to share this with non-diving loved ones.

NIGHT DIVING

Join a night dive to meet a whole new cast of coral reef characters - night dives are a time of serenity and calm. They also provide a rare glimpse into the private lives of the nocturnal creatures that emerge as the regular diving day ends and the sun sets.

JETTY BAR

Enjoy the buzz and beverages of the Jetty Bar at sunset – located at the perfect vantage point to soak up the almost-guaranteed sunset spectacular. You can sip a great cocktail at the same time. What could be better?

I’ve had a long history with Wakatobi Dive Resort spanning more than a decade. I first visited as a guest in 2005; I loved the diving and was drawn to its environmental awareness, the friendliness of its staff and outstanding natural beauty of the region. The resort had already long established a marine reserve protecting their local area, and the bustling reefs brimming with life were a testament to this. I returned several times over the next few years to spend more than six months collecting data for my PhD research on the biology and conservation of pygmy seahorses.

Fortunately, they welcomed me with open arms, as few sites would have provided sufficiently rich and pristine reefs accessed straight from shore.

After several hundred dives at Wakatobi, I have understandably had countless amazing encounters. Some of my highlights have included swimming with a pod of pilot whales enroute to the dive site Blade, and melon headed whales from the liveaboard Pelagian. I shall never forget the sense of awe as a herd of 40-plus enormous bumphead parrotfish ponderously grazed the coral buffet around me. Although, most certainly the icing on the cake was watching a pair of pygmy seahorses give birth and almost immediately begin to dance and mate again, just 30 minutes later.

I consider Wakatobi my second home and I’ve been back as often as possible since completing my research. As the world’s ecosystems change before our eyes, thankfully Wakatobi Dive Resort is remote enough, and protected with enough forethought, that its bounty remains. The bustling reefs with their fantastical tropical fishes, kaleidoscopic corals and many special resident characters keep bringing myself and other divers back year after year.

DR RICHARD SMITH

BIOGRAPHY: Richard Smith, a British underwater photographer and writer, aspires to promote an appreciation for the ocean’s inhabitants and raise awareness of marine conservation issues through his images. A marine biologist by training, Richard’s pioneering research on the biology and conservation of pygmy seahorses led to the first PhD on these enigmatic fishes. Over the past decade, Richard’s photographs and marine life focused features have appeared in a wide variety of publications around the world. Richard leads marine life expeditions where the aim is for participants to get more from their diving and photography by learning about the marine environment.

www.OceanRealmImages.com

A DIVERS PARADISE As man inexorably encroaches upon the world’s last remaining wildernesses, it’s increasingly hard to find pristine places to dive. Sadly, mass tourism now intrudes upon locations that only a decade ago were considered extraordinarily remote. It is reassuring that some places remain beyond the reach of human interference. Wakatobi Dive Resort in southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, is one such place.

The Wakatobi archipelago stretches in a south easterly direction from the tip of the Sulawesi mainland; starting with Wangi-Wangi, then to Kaledupa, Tomia and finally Binongko Island. The first two letters of each island create the acronym WA-KATO-BI, after which the resort gets its name.

To reach this forgotten corner of the planet, you can’t hop on an easyJet flight. During the resort’s early years of the 90s, long ferry and overland journeys lasted several days.

Thankfully, in order to more easily share their magnificent reefs, Wakatobi decided to build a private airstrip on a neighbouring island. Exclusive flights now run twice a week directly from Bali to the resort, making access easier than ever.

HEART OF THE MATTER

It is well documented that, sitting at the heart of the Coral Triangle, the biodiversity in the waters around Wakatobi is extremely high. Twenty kilometres of reef are protected around the resort and here literally thousands, or more likely millions, of reef creatures flourish.

While the resort is a perfect base to explore the immediate area, to voyage beyond the Sawa reef systems to even more remote and unvisited sites requires a liveaboard. In 2005, Wakatobi Dive Resort acquired Pelagian to do just this job, and she has been cruising there ever since. Together, Wakatobi Dive Resort and Pelagian offer the perfect combination for experiencing the wider region.

LUXURY LODGINGS Several aspects of Wakatobi Dive Resort stand it apart from other dive resorts: the extremely high level of service, five-star accommodations and gourmet food - not to mention the diving. There are three tiers of accommodation offered at the resort, from Palm Bungalows nestled among tropical vegetation just a stone’s throw from the lapping waves, to the middle tier Ocean Bungalows, which offer a porch affording stunning views out across the flat tropical waters. The most opulent level of accommodation options are the villas. With unobstructed views of the ocean, and sunsets, the four spacious yet private villas are surely the gold standard of dive resort lodgings anywhere in the world. With a butler to optimise your holiday on land, and a private dive guide for your in water experience, what could be better? One and two bedroom villas offer different options for families and the latter even have private pools.

If food is high on your list - and let’s be honest, what diver doesn’t need a good feed after a long day of diving? - then you’ll be more than catered for at Wakatobi, with buffet style international cuisine served in an open air dining room overlooking the ocean. It’s very easy to forget how remote Wakatobi actually is when you have such outstanding fresh food served daily. Most of the supplies come from Bali by plane and the logistics behind the operation, that go on seamlessly behind the scenes, must surely be military in their planning.

Wakatobi is one of the world’s most wellknown dive resorts, and for good reason. Over the years Wakatobi has developed into a leader in quality of diving accommodations, ambience and dining. Ultimately, however, the key to the resort’s success has been the outstanding diving.

The diving is accessible to all levels, with corals growing all the way from the surface to the deepest realms of the rebreather diver, so let’s explore some of what its reefs have to offer...

A HOUSE REEF OF DISTINCTION Wakatobi Dive Resort, in my opinion, has one of the world’s best house reefs. It is a vibrant coral wall that meanders for several miles in front of the resort. At slack tide, both high and low, it is an excellent spot for a current-free saunter searching for the reef’s diverse macro critters, such as pygmy sea-horses, ghost pipefish and frogfish. When the current is running, it is a fast-paced, adrenaline-filled ride with bigger creatures such as trevally, barracuda and turtles often making an appearance. Currents also encourage the abundant soft corals to swell, showing off a rainbow of colourful hues. And all this just a stone’s throw from your veranda.

ORIENTATION | To help with orientation, one of your first days’ guided dives at the resort will be on the House Reef.

The dive is conducted from one of the large and comfortable day boats, for those not accustomed to shore diving. This helps you to get your bearings should you wish to do an unguided dive later during your stay. Pottering along the uneven wall, full of overhangs and clefts, your guide will point out many of the local residents. Several species of anemonefish dance among the fronds of their tentacular homes and an inquisitive school of bigeye trevallies are often found near the Jetty Bar. It is also one of the best sites to find turtles; I’ve commonly seen half a dozen individuals on a single dive. Both hawksbill and green turtles glide along the wall, with the former occasionally stopping to munch on colourful sponges. As you naturally move into shallower water towards the end of the dive, life becomes evermore intense. Coral reefs aren’t a world of complementary colour palettes from the pages of a fashion magazine. They are a assault on the senses, and here there isn’t a square inch of vacant space to be found.

For a relaxed unguided dive, at any time during the day, the house reef can easily be reached by swimming over the reef flat. Actually, the reef flat is a great dive in on its own at high tide. I have seen creatures such as seahorses, blue-ringed octopus, snake eels and unusual nudibranchs among the corals, rocks and seagrass. From the reef flats at high tide, it is easy to pop over the reef crest directly onto the house reef. Along the reef, there are two gullies in the wall, which enable you to shelter from current, or simply use as visual cues so you don’t accidentally travel too far. The resort’s tenders are always on hand to drop you off or pick you up, should you wish.

WHO’S HOME

The House Reef is a macro photographer’s dream. Every available nook and cranny among the corals is packed with all manner of crustaceans and small reef fish. Because reef contours rise to within a few meters of the surface, it’s possible to perform multi-level dives lasting 70 to 80 minutes without going into decompression. One need not venture far from the jetty to find interesting subjects. The large concrete columns and beams of the jetty create shelter for schooling fish, and are home to an assortment of shrimps, crabs, moray eels and gobies. Time spent in the seagrass beds and branching coral colonies of the sunlit shallows yields subjects from leaf scorpion fish and pajama cardinalfish to robust, halimeda and ornate ghost pipefish. In addition to a bevy of nudibranch species, there are cuttlefish, and when the sun goes down octopus and small squid join the carnival of weird and wonderful creatures.

THE MACRO LIFE OF WAKATOBI

Wakatobi Dive Resort has reefs to suit everyone. Snorkellers can see fishes up close and personal in the shallows, while divers easily burn through their 70-minute dives pouring over luscious coral growth deeper below the surface. The resort also offers rebreather diving, which is beyond my remit but sure to deliver mesmerising marine life encounters too. Whichever depth is your preference, macro life flourishes from the shallowest reefs to the deepest ridges.

STARTING SMALL | Pygmy seahorses obviously initially attracted me to this remote corner of Indonesia. Wakatobi is one of the best places in the world to see these diminutive fishes. Three species are commonly encountered there: Bargibant’s, Denise’s and Pontoh’s. All of these are shorter than the diameter of a two pence coin, and Pontoh’s is even shorter than a five pence! Never fear, if critter spotting isn’t your forte, a knowledgeable and eagle-eyed guide, who will find a huge variety of macro life on your trip, leads each dive group. If there’s something you’d specifically like to see, within reason, you need just ask.

If the abundant pygmy seahorses are too small for you, then the reefs also accommodate multitudes of other macro critters. Pairs of Halimeda ghost pipefish blend effortlessly into their namesake algae; here even the weeds have eyes. Unlike their seahorse relatives, females brood developing eggs in fused pelvic fins (male seahorses brood their young in a pouch). If you see a pair of ghost pipefishes, keep an eye out for the larger female fanning open the paired fins on her belly. If you’re very lucky, you might just catch a glimpse of the eggs within. Another newly discovered member of the seahorse and pipefish family is the thread pipehorse, Kyonemichthys rumengani. It’s as long as a pygmy seahorse, but very much thinner, it’s hardly surprising that these fish went undiscovered for so long. Wakatobi is also a great spot for nudibranch aficionados. Year-round there are many species that you can find on the reef. It helps if you know their food sources, or have a good eye for these gaudy slugs.

There are also a variety of species that come and go seasonally, which makes sightings different each time you visit. Guides carry a slate and can often help with identification if you’re interested. This is true of any creature you see during your dives.

CRITTER HUNTING

Every invertebrate at Wakatobi seems to accommodate a tiny hitchhiker; you just need to know where to look. Crinoids (also known as feather stars) accommodate a multitude of creatures from squat lobster to shrimps and even tiny clingfish. The nocturnal counterpart of the crinoid, the basket star, also has a stunning little shrimp hitchhiker, found only on their arms.

Most recently, the giant clams revealed their own residents in the form of jewel-like spotted shrimps living deep inside and exposed only to the most patient and observant of divers. The dive guides at Wakatobi are trained not just to help spot all these tiny creatures, but to assist with your interaction too. Sometimes it’s not the easiest trick to get in and have a proper look at the smallest animals. Your guide can provide a steady anchorage if you’d like to stabilise yourself, while they use a pointer to indicate the animal’s location. What I love about the guides is that they never manipulate or harm the creatures while showing it. If you’ve read my Critter Hunting series, you’ll know that I’m very much in favour of leaving animals undisturbed. I’m always so happy to dive with resorts that respect and value their marine life.

CRITTER HUNTING: Pygmy Seahorses | Halimeda Ghost pipefish | Nudibranchs TOP MACRO DIVE SITES: House Reef | Teluk Maya | Kollo Soha

THE BIG AND THE BOLD When it comes to reefscapes, Wakatobi has a huge variety on its doorstep. There are stunning hard coral gardens at Roma, colourful soft coral and sponge encrusted walls at Cornucopia, huge fields of gorgonians at Blade and critter rich sands at Teluk Maya. Such a variety of different ecosystems of course provide homes for all the different organisms that inhabit each individually. Large reef creatures aren’t as common as some locations outside of Asia, but turtles are common and schooling snapper, bumphead parrotfish, blacktip reef sharks and big eye trevally are regulars at certain sites. Other big animal encounters I have had at Wakatobi, include swimming with pilot whales and spinner dolphins on the trip out to Blade reef, as well as melon headed whales from Pelagian. They were kind of skittish, but even to catch a glimpse of these magnificent cetaceans underwater is incredible.

FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER As a photographer, one of my favourite areas to shoot is the shallows. Here, with plenty of sunlight, large leather and hard corals grow to within inches of the waters’ surface. At low tide they can even be briefly exposed. Given the often very calm waters in the area, there is ample opportunity for shooting reflections and capturing Snell’s window (a cone of light, created by refraction, that acts like a window through the water surface). As you descend down the reef, the gentle slopes tend to develop into steep walls. Here, with limited light, colourful sponges, soft corals, gorgonians and tunicates dominate. With a little current to draw out the polyps, these walls make for stunning wide-angle images.

With a little luck and patience, you might even be able to enhance the shot with a passing school of parrot or batfish.

REEF CREATURE HIGHLIGHTS: Cuttlefish | Bigeye trevally | Turtles

TOP DIVE SITES

BLADE | Blade is one of Wakatobi’s most iconic and well known sites. It’s also its furthest, taking about three quarters of an hour to reach.

Keep your eyes peeled during the journey for a pod of pilot whales that often rest between the two reef systems. Blade is an elaborate ridge system, but the part we dive is a narrow ridge with pinnacles along its length, resembling a knife’s blade. Although it’s great for wide angle, and is certainly stunning topographically, there have often been unusual macro sightings such as frogfish and ghost pipefishes there too.

ROMA | This large pinnacle comes from the depths of the ocean up to perfect safety stop depth. The pinnacle is actually connected via a ridge to other parts of the system, on the top of which you can find a huge coral rosette.

Shot from above, this makes a lovely image for photographers. The reef itself also has resident schools of large fishes such as barracuda and snapper.

CORNUCOPIA | This is one of my personal favourite reefs for its astounding diversity and abundance of reef life. The wall is simply covered in growth from the top of the reef, for as far as you can see. Well beyond the scope of the recreational diver. With a little current, the wall is almost overwhelming, but it’s easy enough to gently ride the current and follow the reef’s contours for the entire dive, never reaching a break in the lush growth.

UNPARALLELED SERVICES

Wakatobi’s famously high standards of service become apparent as soon as you start to plan your visit. Before even getting to the resort, the concierge team are at your disposal. They are able to organise a stay in Bali to take in the sights, relax to get over your jetlag or sample some local cuisine. Even if you only have transit time between your Bali arriving or departing flight and your flight to the resort, the concierge team can happily arrange a transfer to a local restaurant or spa, to kill a few hours in style. However, it really all starts after dropping your bags with the Wakatobi team at Bali domestic airport. Amazingly, you won’t need to worry about these again until they’re seamlessly deposited at your bungalow or aboard Pelagian. After an easy and personalised check-in, you’re escorted to a private lounge to have a short and relaxed wait to join the flight. There are snacks available, and you have the opportunity to make some new buddies who’ll also be heading to the resort.

NON DIVERS

If you are coming to Wakatobi with a non-diving partner or children, there are plenty of services and activities to keep them occupied and happy. For a truly relaxing non-diving activity, a significant other can spend some time at the spa—or enjoy a spa service right at your bungalow or villa. There’s a library for quiet times, and a wildlife media presentation several evenings of the week. Infants and young children can be trusted to the care of Wakatobi's nanny service, and children 5 and up have exciting activities at the Kids Club. Active teens can go for kayaking, snorkeling trips, waterskiing or wakeboard runs.

And, kitesurfing at the resort during June through September has become a very popular option. If shopping at the resort's boutique isn't enough retail time, there are tours to island villages that include stops at the local markets.

STREAMLINED DIVING

For most of us, however, diving is paramount and any little ways that this can be made more streamlined and personalised is often greatly appreciated. Dive group sizes are always small at the resort, in the region of one guide to four guests, and sites are never crowded; however, at Wakatobi they can go one step further. It’s possible to charter your own private boat. You can do this by the day, or for your entire trip. With your own boat, guide and crew you can head off wherever you want, whenever you want. You can choose to take a packed lunch and stay out all day, staying at the same site for all your dives, or head off further afield. Is there a certain site you want to revisit or animal you really want to see? Then this service would suit you perfectly and it’s surprisingly affordable. Definitely one for the photographers.

Taking their dive services a step further, Wakatobi now offer the skills of a resident photo and video pro. Whether you are a total beginner and want help setting up your first underwater camera, or you’re an experienced shooter wanting to hone your skills, these one-on-one classes are sure to be beneficial.

You can even learn how to organise your pesky Lightroom catalogue or sharpen your post production techniques.

Pelagian is the ultimate boutique liveaboard. With just ten guests, living on this floating lap of luxury for seven nights, it allows a select few to explore beyond the immediate vicinity of the resort. The dive sites differ quite markedly between the resort and the Pelagian’s itinerary, so a combination of the two offers the best of both worlds.

There are two flights a week to the resort and one of these co-ordinates with the Pelagian’s schedule. After she has set sail, she heads off to explore some of the other islands in the Wakatobi chain and she doesn’t return until seven days later, to co-ordinate with a departing flight. Obviously, it’s then up to you whether you stay on or head back to Bali.

Day to day life on Pelagian is both busy and relaxed in equal measure. Four dives are offered per day, which keep you plenty busy enough. Fitting in delicious meals and snacks, plus the odd nap, takes a good deal of planning. Luckily the attentive crew are there to keep you on track. With the large and well-appointed cabins, it would be tempting to luxuriate in these but then you’d be missing out on the dives. With the family-style dining, you’d soon hear all about the creatures you’d missed and regret your lethargy.

Reefs encircle almost all of the islands in the Tukangbesi Islands, the other name for the Wakatobi chain. Pelagian has a varied route, but usually dives are conducted around three of the four main islands. One of the other diving highlights is off Buton Island, a large satellite of the Sulawesi mainland. Here there is some of the best muck-diving in all of Indonesia. It really is a hidden gem. Here, I have seen blue-ringed octopuses, rare poison ocellate (mototi) octopuses, frogfish, seahorses, ghost pipefishes and even a rare Rhinopias scorpion-fish. It’s also well known for the abundant and huge mandarinfish that live around Asphalt Pier. At dusk they gather and conduct their ostentatious courtship rituals. There are so many of these gaudy fish, that I once even witnessed a cheeky ménage à trois.

Its close ties with Wakatobi Dive Resort make Pelagian an excellent add-on to a land-based holiday. The different sites visited perfectly complement each other.

The diving aboard the Pelagian is perfect for new and experienced divers alike, with the outstanding biodiversity that the area has to offer providing new creatures around every coral head.

life on Pelagian

THE WAKATOBI WAY

Travel to Indonesia with Kids Sea Camp

By Margo Peyton, President of Kids Sea Camp

Welcome to the most intimate, and uniquely designed Family Dive vacation imaginable. I’d like to invite you to join us at Wakatobi Resort for your most exciting and memorable dive holiday yet.

Sharing our strong values and dedication for providing the best in family dive adventures, this secluded PADI 5 star boutique resort is located on a stunningly scenic beach in the southeastern Sulawesi region of Indonesia.Though remote, it is easy to reach, and offers all of the comforts and amenities expected from a five-star property.

This adventure will be limited to a total of 20 KSC families. Many will arrive in Bali a few days prior to our flight to Wakatobi.

This stopover allows for even more fun during a chance to explore Bali. If you enjoy surfing, temples, elephants, spas, ancient Hindu dances, Kapalua coffee or indulging your family with rich cultural

experiences, then this add-on is a must.

As a preview of what to expect, here’s a glimpse at the 2017 KSC adventure at Wakatobi.All guests were prebooked at the Discovery Kartika Plaza beachfront resort the night before our 2.5-hour private charter flight from Bali to Wakatobi. Room and flights were included in the package, and pre-arranged so that families could relax and enjoy meeting one another as their children build excitement about the next 14 days.

Arriving at Wakatobi to a kaleidoscope of colors and spectacular views, we received a warm, heartfelt welcome from local school children, who serenaded our group with Indonesian songs. Owners Valentin, his wife Hwee Keng, and their boys Max and Karl, made us all feel like family. Little did we know that we were just experiencing what we now call “The Wakatobi Way.” As we were oriented to this luxurious familyfriendly paradise, our group was presented with fresh, minted facecloths and tropical

thirst quenching beverages.

We had a choice of Ocean bungalows, Villas with private pools or Palm bungalows nestled into palms, just yards from the beach.All were spacious and perfect for families.

The resort’s two-bedroom Villas have oversized private pools, and were occupied by the Danks family of nine. Carol and Joe love taking their kids and grandkids around the Kids Sea Camp world, and their stay marked a ten-year celebration. It was perfect as the grandkids, Kiera, Ayden and Maia, were able to host pool parties for their new friends.

Personal dive instructors, resort butlers, tour guides, kite boarding instructors and private chefs were all at our beckon call.

If that were not enough,Tom organized daily volleyball games and soccer matches, and even put together a staff versus guests game of capture the flag. Margo led guided shore dives, night dives and Seal Team dives.

Brad Holland and Jessie Alpert teamed up

KIDS@FAMILYDIVERS.COM 803-419-2556 WWW.FAMILYDIVERS.COM

2018 Kids Sea Camp weeks in Wakatobi

June 29th to July 9th

You can do a 10 or 14 day trip to this world famous dive resort.

FAMILY DIVE ADVENTURES

2018 SCHEDULE Spring Break ROATAN: Mayan Princess Beach Resort, March 10-17th BELIZE: Belize Ocean Club, March 17-24th BELIZE: Belize Ocean Club, March 24th-31st BELIZE: Hopkins Bay Beach Resort, March 31st – April 7th

for an amazing week of photography and fun, shooting keepsake images with each guest.

It was also inspiring to know that Wakatobi’s values are in line with Kids Sea Camp values, and the resort is a testament to environmental responsibility and intelligent travel.

The reefs are protected, with no fishing allowed.To encourage local villagers to honor this no-take policy, Wakatobi pays the fishermen to protect the marine reserve they have created.As a result, the reefs surrounding Wakatobi Resort are visually dramatic and vibrant.The soft and hard corals are abundant.The marine life is diverse and healthy, and the sharks are starting to return.We saw several during our dives.

Did I mention private diving? There isn’t another dive center within 200 miles.There’s no crowding on Wakatobi’s spacious boats, or

on the reefs, and every dive is a 70-minute sensory overload of infinite photo ops. Josh Comay asked each photographer to submit five favorite shots.This yielded images of microscopic octopus, blue-spotted rays, giant yellow frogfish, lime green sea anemones with bright orange clownfish, rare nudibranchs and a hammerhead shark shot with a 60mm macro lens, just for proof it had been seen.

At Wakatobi, the kids were the bosses, and the staff made every possible accommodation to ensure good times and inspiring experiences.

The chef invited all into his culinary world to create cupcakes that were true works of art, along with gourmet cheese burgers, and many other favorites. He catered to nut allergies, vegan and vegetarian diets by creating exotic delights that made everyone want to share.

Nine-year-old Karl kept us engaged with responsible parenting, as he became a surrogate for a lost kitten and a clutch of 13 Green sea turtles that hatched on our beach one night.

Max instructed the kids in the basics of kite boarding, while Valentin showed off high-speed father-andson kiting demonstrations for us all to enjoy. We were dually impressed that his 11-year-old son spoke five languages. I think the karaoke nights were his favorite.

We ended our trip with songs and poems about a place we did not want to leave.

The story of Wakatobi is similar to our own story. Built with the love of family, and created with extraordinary vision.A truly magical way to live life, “The Wakatobi Way.” Disconnecting from our busy virtual worlds and reconnecting to each other and the ocean.

KIDS@FAMILYDIVERS.COM 803-419-2556 WWW.FAMILYDIVERS.COM

Summer ROATAN: Mayan Princess Beach Resort, June 16th-23rd ST. LUCIA: Anse Chastanet, June 23rd – June 30th and June 30th -July 7th INDONESIA: Wakatobi, June 29th-July 9th or July 13th BONAIRE: Buddy Dive Resort, July 7th – 14th GALAPAGOS: Galapagos Sky, Liveaboard; July 15th – 22nd, Full private charter PHILIPPINES: Dauin; Negros Island and Pura Vida Resort & Cabilao island, July 10th – 22nd: (12 nights) 7 nights Pura Vida Homes Dumaguete including diving Oslob PALAU: Sam’s Tour, Palau Royal; July 21st- July 31st (10 nights) DOMINICA: Fort Young and Buddy Dive Dominica, July 28th – Aug 4th (SOLD OUT) CAYMAN BRAC: Cayman Brac Reef Resort, Aug 4th-11th Thanksgiving BONAIRE Buddy Dive Resort, November 17th-24th New Year’s Trip SOCORRO: Dec. 27th to Jan. 4th, Socorro Islands on the Rocio Del Mar, liveaboard. Experience the “Little Galapagos” of the Pacific, Oceanic Mantas, Dolphins, Humpback whales,Whale Sharks, and Black Tips and Hammerheads.

WIN!

US$3,500 TOWARDS A ONCEINALIFETIME TRIP TO WAKATOBI DIVE RESORT!

Scuba Diver magazine has teamed up with the luxurious Wakatobi Dive Resort to offer one lucky reader the chance to pocket a US$3,500 voucher towards a fantastic holiday in Southeast Asia. All you have to do to be in the running to win this awesome prize is visit our website: www.scubadivermag.com/competition and fill in your contact details. It’s as easy as that!

NB: The closing date is 17th November 2017. The editor’s decision is final.

Wakatobi Dive Resort is a stunning dive property in southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia, in a tranquil setting far from crowds and cities, with no other divers for at least 100 miles. It seamlessly blends five-star amenities and civilised comforts with a pristine natural environment – a pairing that has secured its reputation as one of the world’s finest resorts. Wakatobi was created with the vision to deliver theultimate dive experience and was established following an extensive search to identify the perfect location for a dive resort in terms of geography, climate, oceanic topography and marine biodiversity. Wakatobi also boasts its own luxury dive yacht, Pelagian, which takes ten guests to an even wider range of the region’s dive sites.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Valid for new bookings only. Expires 31 March 2019. Not applicable towards existing bookings.

Subject to availability. Non-transferrable. No cash value. Christmas and New Year excluded (dates vary by year, please inquire with our administrative team at office@wakatobi.com).

Other terms and conditions may apply (see: www.wakatobi.com/terms).

An experience without equal “The diving and snorkelling at Wakatobi is outstanding, that’s well known. But also important is the excellent customer service of every staff member. Wakatobi can teach customer service to any industry or organization. You feel at home the first day, and it just gets better every day after that.” ~Steve and Cindy Moore

www.wakatobi.com

SCHOLARSHIP DIARY

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

DATA FROM THE DEEP

A scientific expedition spoilt with new species PHOTOGRAPHS BY MAE DORRICOTT

W

ith my face glued to the car window, mouth agape, making ‘ooos’ and ‘aahhs’, I kept Vaughn and Kayem well amused as they drove myself and Sonia through the stunning scenery of Pohnpei to Nihco Marine Park. Even after a month spent on the island, my jaw never ceased to drop as I was constantly blown away by the island.

I came to Pohnpei with the brilliant evolutionary biologist Sonia Rowley, winner of the David Attenborough Award for Exceptional Field Work in Science. And boy, is her field work exceptional. With the use of rebreather technology, she is able to go to depths that few would even fathom of going to. Daily she would descend the reef walls of Pohnpei and its atolls to 140m to collect data from the deep. Her muse that takes her to this incredible environment are gorgonians, also known as fan corals. Since very few have explored down there, there are so many new species yet to be found, and after most dives Sonia would surface holding a new species!

It’s impossible to define the work that Sonia does as it manages to cover every aspect of marine biology from evolution, ecology, molecular and behaviour. It was truly inspirational to see this woman in action, as I’ve never met anyone with such tenacity and drive to conduct research. Subsequently, we created an acronym for SONIA (Sub Observing Nearly Into the Abyss) and would shout ‘Deploy the SONIA’, as she descended looking like a space rover with countless tools clipped onto her for the multiple experiments and data collection she would conduct during her six-hour dive.

As a newbie to rebreather diving, I stayed at 30m. However, I was still able to dive for three hours and was tasked with identifying the sponge species found at different depths to help build a pattern of the distribution of species with depth.

It was apparent that life was not restrained to the shallows, but penetrated all the way to the deep, but what exactly drives the distribution of species is still a mystery to scientists.

As I had my head tucked into the crevices of rocks and caves to look for sponges, I would often miss

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whitetip reef sharks, grey reef sharks and swarms of barracuda just inches above my head! But even with such mega fauna present, there was still the stark reality that the reef of Pohnpei and its surrounding atolls were not healthy. After a devastating hit of coral bleaching last year, we were greeted by reefs that were mummified in algae. With a multitude of stressors hitting this habitat, such as overfishing, crown of thorns and more algal growth, the chances seem slim that they can recover. However, there is still hope. And I do hope they recover since not only do the locals rely on the reef, but this place was purely magical to dive and I hope to one day return to it brimming with life once more. n

Mae Dorricott

CHAMPIONSHIP REPORT THE 2017 AIDA INDIVIDUAL

Freediving World Championships DEEPER BLUE’S STEPHAN WHELAN and FRANCESCA KOE provide a comprehensive report on the recent bi-annual AIDA Individual World Championships in Roatan, Honduras Photographs by DAAN VERHOEVEN

T

he bi-annual AIDA Individual World Championships wrapped up recently on the Honduran island of Roatan. This year’s Worlds was one of the largest, with 82 competitors and 26 different countries being represented. Organiser Esteban Darhanpe had his hands full as not only was he organising the Worlds, but he also ran the annual Caribbean Cup competition as a warm-up competition for many of the competitors immediately before the Worlds.

The Roatan Worlds boasted a pretty interesting stat in being only the third World Championships ever to be hosted in the Western Hemisphere behind the Vancouver 2004 Team Championships and 2009 Bahamas Individual World Championships.

The Worlds this year was an individual competition split into three disciplines – Free Immersion (FIM), Constant Weight (CWT) and Constant Weight No Fins (CNF). Men and Women competed on alternate days, with a rest day in-between each discipline.

DAY 1 - WOMEN’S FREE IMMERSION (FIM)

Conditions for diving in Roatan were perfect for the first day of the competition. Sunny skies, calm cornflower-blue water, and no signs of current provided the perfect backdrop for the world’s strongest freedivers to make their marks at the 2017 World Championships in the freediving discipline of Free Immersion (FIM).

Alessia Zecchini of Italy triumphed in her quest to take home top honours and the gold medal. Like the rest of the freediving community, Zecchini is still processing the loss of friend and coach Stephen Keenan; and despite experiencing some physical ups and downs since arriving in Roatan, the Italian upstart persevered to complete a very clean white card FIM dive to 88m.

“We trained very hard for this discipline,” shared Zecchini “and he (Keenan) said to me do 88m…”

Also manifesting an internal strength and unmatched physical prowess was Colombian Sofia Gomez Uribe.

“My dive underwater was really nice, but before the dive I was really sick! I’m thinking to myself ‘my stomach is feeling really weird, I am not feeling 100%’ and the truth is I was also nervous. Johnny was looking at me with a really disappointed face

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

and asked me if I wanted to DNS, but I decided I didn’t and I’m happy with a silver medal from my first individual WCs and it takes the pressure off!

Now it’s a matter of enjoying what I’m doing,” said a relieved Gomez Uribe.

This championship performance matches Sofia’s current Continental Record of 86m for both North and South America.

The 2017 WC podium for free-immersion was rounded out with a personal best and national record-setting performance by Jessea Lu of China.

“I’m super excited about this dive!” quipped Jessea (who in addition to being a contender on the international competitive freediving scene is also a PhD.) “It’s a PB; 86m is my personal best by one metre! For me, the ascent is always the most relaxing, even if it’s hard physically. I try to just accept everything – on the surface, I was very happy.”

With both Sofia and Jessea accomplishing equally deep white card dives to 86m FIM, they each received a silver medal.

DAY 2 - MENS FREE IMMERSION (FIM)

‘On any given Sunday you’re gonna win or you’re gonna lose. The point is – can you win or lose like a man?’

Al Pacino’s words from the ‘Inch by Inch’ speech from the film Any Given Sunday rung true during the men’s Free Immersion (FIM) competition on day two of the World Championships. The day saw a slew of disqualifications (with divers getting the dreaded red card from the judges) and high expectations from freediving fans around the world watching the pioneering live feeds from diving drone Diveye (you can see the videos by going to YouTube and searching for Diveye). What manifested instead was a big surprise to all of the athletes and the viewing public; for some, a pleasant surprise!

In a surprising turn of events, William Trubridge of New Zealand took home the gold medal despite an early-turn dive at 114m, where he demonstrated prudence by completing a clean dive 2m shorter than the expected 116m to take care of his ears. Silver went to Dean Chaouche of Great Britain, who looked strong in delivering a clean 98m performance. And Christmas came early for Adam Stern of Australia, who set a new national record with his white card dive to 92m, in a tie with American Brandon Henderickson, who matched that depth and gained joint bronze.

The real shock of the day came from Alexey Molchanov of Russia, who had announced the deepest dive of 121m, however didn’t clear the required surface protocol by delivering it to the safety divers instead of the judges, which shocked everyone following this freediving powerhouse making such a strong dive.

MALDIVES

CHAMPIONSHIP REPORT DAY 3 - WOMEN’S CONSTANT WEIGHT

The ‘second act’ of the Worlds kicked off after a rest day with the Women’s Constant Weight (CWT), which was nothing short of spectacular. The women had definitely showed up to this competition to compete at the highest level – and on this day continued the trend of showing up the men with 14 clean ‘white card’ performances, including a new Continental Record and multiple personal bests.

The first contender to dive for podium status was Alessia Zecchini of Italy.

Although Zecchini had manifested her muster in Constant Weight earlier this year when she nabbed the world record at 104m, a more-reposed strategy was on display — perhaps something her late coach Stephen Keenan may have suggested for her.

“My dive was beautiful and relaxed dive with good sensations, and a little bit of narcosis too!” said Zecchini, “I did what we wanted to do in CWT and now I just know what I have to do, what I need to in no-fins… Steve told me all.”

Zecchini’s constant weight dive to 98m ended up garnering her second place and a silver medal.

The newest member of the 100m club, Slovenian Alenka Artnik, decided it was a good day to become a World Champion for Slovenia. In a performance that lasted 3min 23sec, Alenka demonstrated she can repeatedly do a 100m dive under constant weight and secured the gold for herself.

“For me, if the dive was really strong in training then I know I can do it! Although I thought to myself (for a second!) ‘maybe a little deeper than 100?’ but no, I decided 100m. I was strong on 100.”

Expounded the newly minted world champ in a post-dive interview with Alexey Molchanov and Adam Stern, who were commentating via Diveye on the women’s different approaches to competition and techniques during their dives.

World Record Holder Sayuri Kinoshita of Japan then attempted to make a dive to 97m in Constant Weight to secure bronze in the day’s events. In the end Sayuri ended up with a white card after a dive that took 3min 31sec to complete, which was not only the longest dive of the women’s leaderboard, but unusually long for the steady athlete as well.

The Continental Record was nabbed by Colombian Sofia Gomez Uribe, who utilised all the benefit of her background in fin-swimming as she completed the dive in a super speedy time of 2min 40sec. Sofia burst up from under the water, rapidly executed her required protocol in mere seconds and screeched “YAAAY!” with uncontrollable joy even before her white card performance was validated by the judges. Which it ultimately was, earning her another Continental Record for 96m CWT and even more impressive a personal best (PB) in the most pressure-filled arena of the world championships.

DAY 4 - MENS CONSTANT WEIGHT

The weather for the men’s attempts at Constant Weight glory probably matched the mood by the end of the day… Conditions were stirred up and very choppy. Consistently deep divers such as Adam Stern and Stig Pryds never realised their targets as they turned early. Depth mates Aolin Wang and Mike Board made 105m and 106m respectively, but were vexed by surface protocol disqualifications.

Gold did turn up, though, with Dave Mullins from New Zealand completing a dive of 126m in a time of 3min and 36secs to improve upon his own previous record of 125m, which was set back in September of 2013. The real icing on the cake of Mullins was the opportunity to share the top podium spot with Russian World Record Holder (in this discipline) Alexey Molchanov, who also completed a dive of 126m.

“No one has been around to challenge Alexey in Constant Weight,” said Mullin’s countryman Johnny Sunnex, “the only person recently who could have given Alexey a run for his money at depth was Guillaume Nery, but Guillaume retired late in 2015 so to have Mullins as an equal to Molchanov is exciting for the sport. And I believe Alexey welcomes the competition.”

With two Gold medallists leading the pack, the final award for podium status was earned by Morgan Bourc’his of France. Known for his strength in no-fins, for Morgan an unexpected bronze medal in Constant Weight was a pure boon to augment his confidence.

CHAMPIONSHIP REPORT DAY 5 - WOMEN’S CONSTANT WEIGHT NO FINS

The women have been consistent and measured in their performances during the World Championships. This manifested in their good moods and the sheer number of white cards they have garnered throughout the competition. The final discipline for the ladies was Constant Weight No-Fins (CNF).

Taking home top honours as the gold medallist and world champion was Sayuri Kinoshita of Japan, which surprised no one except herself, with a 70m dive.

“To tell the truth I had no confidence I’d make 70m because I didn’t train at all in Japan, so I was actually thinking I might announce 68m. But Misuzu Okamoto said to me ‘Trust me! Do 70m. I trust you can do it!’ so I announced 70m,” relayed the petite powerhouse, “I felt good during my dive and I really enjoyed it!”

Australian freediver Amber Bourke had also announced 70m, which heightened excitement for the final event as a head-to-head dive off between the ladies, but in the end, Bourke ended up turning early, receiving a penalty and a yellow card.

The silver medal now suddenly came into view of the effervescent Colombian Sofia Gomez Uribe, who has chosen 59m as her target depth. A clean and strong performance saw Sofia grab second place.

“Today was beautiful, the conditions were perfect, it was a really nice dive and it felt easy,” chimed Sofia, who completed her no-fins dive in 2min 30sec.

Third place came as a bit of a surprise as Jennifer Wedland of Germany, for the second time in her career, was able to take home a bronze medal. This was shared with Jessea Lu of China, who despite an early turn and penalty points garnered enough for a joint podium bronze.

DAY 6 - MEN’S CONSTANT WEIGHT NO FINS

Saturday 2 September was the final day of competition at the 2017 AIDA Individual World Championships. For organiser Esteban Darhanpe, it represented the culmination of a tremendous effort to successfully bring the very first AIDA World Championships to Roatan, Honduras. He should be proud of how everything turned out; especially being able to provide the perfect setting for the true titans of freediving to compete head-to-head.

The final act of this masterful aquatic theatre did not disappoint, revealing a serendipitous end to a very dramatic event.

Alexey Molchanov and William Trubridge gave the people a thrill as they both completed clean dives to an astonishing 90m in Constant Weight NoFins to share gold medals. And Morgan Bourc’his completed the winning trio (as expected) securing the bronze, and taking home (for the last time as he retired after the competition) a well-deserved feeling of accomplishment for this medal.

“I did not want to brag about the bronze I received because I knew that some of our sport’s greatest athletes like Samo Jeranko and Goran Colak, as well as others, were not in Roatan to participate,” explained the humble Frenchman. “I am much happier with this medal! I know what it represents this time - pure performance. I am a lucky guy. Taking home two bronze medals is good for my mindset, my visibility in France, my sponsors but all medals do not have the same taste. This bronze medal tastes so much better. This may be my last World Championship, so it’s a nice feeling to end on such a good dive.”

With the retirement of Guillaume Néry in recent years, and now the departure of Bourc’his, it’s a good thing France can rely on Rémy Dubern to continue the tradition of excellence in apnea. Dubern achieved the fourth deepest no-fins dive at 77m and has the heart, humour and reserve to take on the mantle, so well designed by Néry and Bourc’his. Not to mention the French contingent was the largest in Roatan, so there will be others as well.

So the competition ended on a fantastic note for all of the athletes, safeties, crew, and judges involved. With live streaming of the whole dives, a real sense of the twist and turns of world-class competition and impeccable organisation, this World Championships became one for the history books. n

Winter Deals Photo: Pete Bullen

Recreational & Technical Diving

November to March

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Republic Dominican

DAVID JONES is rather taken by the broad range of dive sites in this Caribbean giant, including colourful reefs, interesting wrecks and cave dives accessed via most unusual ways Photographs by DAVID JONES

I

f you have never been to the Dominican Republic, you have probably never had a reason to look at it on a map. When you do, the first thing that strikes you is the size of the place. Second only to Cuba in terms of surface area, this tropical paradise dwarfs the majority of the islands that we normally associate with the Caribbean. Not surprisingly, it is geographically diverse; it has the highest mountain and the largest lake in the Caribbean, as well as lush rainforests and arid semi-desert plains. So with the Atlantic to the north and east, and the Caribbean Sea to the south, I snapped up the opportunity to see what the most-visited island in the Caribbean had to offer under the water as well as above it.

My journey began after a direct flight from London with British Airways. I stayed at the Catalonia Resort in Bayahibe for the duration. One great thing about this country is there is no shortage of fantastic all-inclusive hotels. Having landed in Punta Cana, mine was only an hour’s drive and I was on the beach - I do love convenience. Even more convenient was my dive company, Pro Dive International Dominican Republic (www.prodiveinternational.com/dominicanrepublic), were based at the resort!

I had done a bit of research, but I didn’t really know what to expect, so my brief to the dive company was simple - show me the underwater diversity of the Dominican Republic. With the challenge delivered, my first dive was to Parque, one of a couple of what can best be described as underwater museums, just off the beach. Old cannons and muskets are scattered on the shallow seabed, but these 17th Century artefacts were not lost there. They had been taken there by the department of culture, along with explanatory plaques, providing points of interest for divers. On a second site, less than two minutes boat journey from the resort, another a half dozen cannons and some old anchors lay in 6m of water among the coral.

While I was taking a couple of photos, some open water diver students descended with their instructor. What a wonderful place to begin your underwater journey, kneeling among history and nature.

Being September, it was the middle of the rainy season, so not surprisingly the visibility was not exceptional, but it was okay. First observations were that the coral was healthy, but like the majority of the Caribbean, many of the large predatory species of fish are noticeably absent on the inshore reefs. I spent some time exploring the macro life in these shallow dive sites and was pleasantly surprised. A number of species of shrimps and crabs hide among the coral heads

and anemones and, if you take the time to look, there is plenty to see, so if macro is your thing, you will enjoy it. What was very encouraging is a local coral garden initiative between all of the dive centres along the coast and Fundacion Tropigas. There are hundreds of reef balls just off the shore and active ‘farming’ of the most-resilient species in coral nurseries is supported by the dive centres. The nursery in Bayahibe is the fifth to be established and it really bodes well for the future of the reefs and diving in Dominican Republic.

My excitement at seeing cannons must have given away my interest in wreck diving and the dive centre were quick to oblige. First up was the wreck of the St George. Interestingly, it was not originally called the St George, but the M/V Norbrae, a 73-metre-long cargo vessel built in Scotland in 1962. Abandoned in Santo Domingo, she was eventually towed to Bayahibe and sunk as an artificial reef in 1999. She was renamed the St George after the 1998 hurricane of the same name that hit the island. In 2008, Hurricane Hanna broke the ship just forward of the superstructure and she slid further down the reef. This is a really good wreck dive that offers plenty of exploration inside and out. There is plenty of life on it.

The stern now lies at 34m and the bow is beyond recreational depths, but there is plenty to see for reasonably experienced divers and it is certainly worth a couple of visits.

During our surface interval, we motored leisurely the short distance from the St George to the entrance to Bayahibe harbour, where in shallow

“They are not always easy to find so get local guidance and don’t be surprised if your gear is carried to the entrance by donkey, or you access the cave through someone’s back garden, next to a convenience store, or down some stairs under a nightclub”

water you can find the Atlantic Princess. Some 25 metres long, she used to take tourists on cruises in the local area and having been retired was waiting to be sunk intentionally as an artificial reef. Unfortunately, in August 2008, Tropical Storm Faye had other ideas and dumped her in shallow water just off the beach. Being close to the harbour, visibility can deteriorate, but it is still an interesting little dive, great as a second dive and for beginners, with plenty of marine life The dive centre told me that some of the best wrecks are off the eastern tip of the country, so we went on a road trip to Bavaro before getting on a boat to explore the area outside of the reef. The Monica wreck was a wooden ship that sunk over 100 years ago. The wooden structure is long gone, but there are plenty of metal remnants that are well worth exploring. At 12m, this is another dive that is good for any level of diver. We motored further along the coast beyond the airport runway at Punta Cana, where you will find the wreck of the Enriquillo RM-22. At 44 metres long, this vessel was donated to the Dominican Republic Navy by the United States in 1980. In 2006, she was retired from service and sunk as an artificial reef.

In spite of not having been there long, she is teeming with life. There are horse mackerel, bream and yellowtail snapper in numbers and regular sightings of barracuda and turtles. In this area, the Atlantic brings in strong currents, but also clear water, and visibility can be astonishing. Trying to hold my station doing a safety stop with a stiff current running from stern to bow, I could see the entire length of the ship. Coral has yet to take hold, but with very few divers venturing this far, with luck and time it will become something really special and even now is a stunning dive not to be missed.

It was time for a change and as much of the country is made of limestone, I headed inland to check out the underwater caves. I didn’t have to travel far. There are sever-

PRO DIVE INTERNATIONAL DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Scubadive West is a PADI five-star IDC centre located right on the edge of the Killary Fjord in Connemara, Co Galway. Originally set up back in 1992 by Shane Gray, the busy centre is now run by his sons, PADI MSDT Breffni and PADI Course Director Cillian. There is a sizable rental stock, a compact shop, classrooms and changing rooms, and a large car park.

The centre is perfect for training, with its own house reef, and they have their own Lochan 38, Sea Sprinter, and a cataramaran RIB, Marlin.

These two vessels mean they can access several inshore and 30-plus offshore dive sites with ease, and with depths ranging from 5m-50m, there is something for all levels of diver. https://prodiveinternational.com/dominican-republic

al caves in the Bayahibe region, including the Padre Nuestro and the El Chicho, both of which are within walking distance of each other and just outside of the town. Nearby Santo Domingo also has some lovely cave dives. These are not overly complex systems like Mexico, with very few jumps and gaps, but logistics are sometimes interesting. They are not always easy to find so get local guidance and don’t be surprised if your gear is carried to the entrance by donkey, or you access the cave through someone’s back garden, next to a convenience store, or down some stairs under a nightclub. Yes, I’m being serious. Cave diving is a slowly growing part of the diving industry in the country and one that offers lots of opportunities to those qualified to make the most of them.

I wanted to go a little further off the beaten track and decided to check out Saona island on the southernmost tip of the country. You could see the island from Bayahibe and we stopped off on the way at a site called El Peñon. Like Saona, this is part of the huge Eastern National Park that has been established in that area. It is easy to see how a bit of conservation can go a long way underwater as well as on land; visibility, coral growth and marine life were far more prolific and the number of species increased dramatically.

My brief had been to take a look at the underwater diversity of the Dominican Republic and in the short time I was there, I discovered that it has much to offer. I didn’t have time to get to Samana Bay and the Haitises National Park in the north, a hotspot for migrating whales. The cave diving was wonderful, and the Caribbean coastline offers predictably good diving. The wrecks are really great and accessible, and Saoma provides even more variety and diversity.

The marine life doesn’t compare with Palau, and the wrecks are not as good as Chuuk, but that isn’t what the Dominican Republic is all about. It is about being a bit of everything, all bundled into a nice package that’s easy to get to on scheduled and package tour flights. The hotels won’t cost you an arm and a leg, and it has some really nice diving with plenty of variety no matter what your level of experience. I can’t wait to go again. n

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18m

ABOVE

The Above 18m series stays on the South Coast, moving along to Dorset and the infamous Chesil Bank.

STUART PHILPOTT has dived here many times, and taken on the ‘Chesil Challenge’ Photographs by STUART PHILPOTT

C

hesil Bank in Dorset is a spectacular example of a shingle beach. Made from hundreds of billions of pebbles, it’s roughly 28km long, 160 metres wide and up to 15 metres high. Large hand-sized pebbles are found to the south at Chiswell Cove on Portland, gradually reducing in size to small marble-sized pebbles at West Bay to the northwest. This all adds up to one of the best shore-diving sites on the South Coast. But as with many things in life, there’s no gain without pain. Walking up and over Mount Chesil in full diving kit, especially on a hot summer’s day, can be a severe shock to the system and usually goes hand in hand with a barrage of four-letter expletives. Be assured, once experienced, never forgotten.

So is this dive just for die-hard masochists? For the past 25 years, I have been making the climb, on some occasions twice and, if I am feeling particularly stupid, three times in a day. But when weather conditions are calm and underwater visibility tops

ten metres, it’s well worth crossing the pain barrier. Marine life sightings can be exceptional, with a huge variety of species on show, from undulate rays, john dory, cuttlefish and crawfish to bog-standard lobster, edible crabs, shoals of pouting, bass, pollock and wrasse.

Over the years, Chesil has seen its fair share of shipwrecks.

Parts of World War Two landing craft, the Royal Adelaide and the Nor provide refuge for many species, as well as seasonal visitors, including the awesome grey triggerfish. There are also a number of ‘secret’ historical wreck sites scattered with cannon and other priceless relics, but they are out of bounds to recreational divers.

ARRIVAL AT THE SITE

I have never dived at the West Bay end. Some local dive guides mention the wreck of a World War Two B17 Flying Fortress crash landing near Abbotsbury, but after decades of storms, I doubt there is much left to see. For the purpose of this review, I have

focused on the places I am familiar with, which are the Portland dive sites.

Follow the Portland beach road (A354) onto the causeway. The Fleet lagoon is on the right and a boatyard on the left. After crossing the bridge use the car park on the right next to the Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre for the Royal Adelaide and landing craft wrecks. Facilities include an onsite café and reasonably clean public toilets. Parking costs £2 for two hours. Stay close to the beach centre for the Royal Adelaide and cross the wooden bridge by foot. For the landing craft, it’s better to kit up at the far end of the car park.

For Chiswell Cove, drive on a few miles up the road past an industrial estate on the left where O’Three Drysuits and Underwater Explorers resides (this is convenient for gas top ups and any dive kit requirements) and then follow the sign posts. There is a free car park at Brandy Row, or park on the road, but these spaces are also used by residents so tread carefully. Onsite facilities include

the Cove House Inn, and Quiddles Café and Beach Bar. There is a toilet next to the café and I have been advised that divers are welcome to use it.

DIVE BRIEFING

At Chiswell Cove, Chesil’s most-southerly point, there is a reasonably gentle walk down to the water’s edge (although in recent years this has got steeper). But don’t be deceived - coming back up the slope is a different matter. The cascading pebbles give way underfoot, very similar to walking up an escalator moving downwards. But it’s only a short walk and the pain soon subsides.

The heart-thumping trudge to the Royal Adelaide and landing craft wrecks is much further and far more gruelling. Over the years I’ve seen them all, from the not-so-sensible lugging heavy twinsets to the brighter sparks who have designed special kit-carrying sledges. Some divers won’t even contemplate the walk and prefer to use a charter boat instead.

All but a puff of prevailing south westerlies will render Chesil un-diveable, and conditions can often change during a dive. On hearing the woomph of breaking waves followed by the crackling of grinding pebbles, be prepared for a tricky exit scenario. Many a time I have had pebble shapes impregnated into my forehead from being picked up by the huge swells and spewed out on the beach head first! Crawling out on all fours might not look so cool, but is often the safest and easiest way. Regulators should never be removed until well clear of the surf zone.

Tides can also make a difference. Low water springs means more beach to walk across! When the current is running hard, it’s difficult to stay in one place unless protected by a wreck. Drifting from the entry point means a longer walk back to the car park. In my experience, Chiswell Cove doesn’t seem to be affected by tides as much.

Anglers are not as prevalent in the cove as they are elsewhere along the beach. Keep an eye out underwater for fishing lines and discarded weights.

THE DIVE

At the Portland end, there are three popular shore-diving sites accessible from the beach. When conditions are looking too rough, it’s possible to dive in the Fleet, which is well protected from wind and waves, but check the current first.

The depth is only a few metres, but the seabed is scattered with colourful anemones.

The Cove is a great spot for training or just a sightseeing dive. Visiting clubs often unload a truck load of equipment and make base camp at the top of the beach protected by the sea wall. Small groups or pairs will normally get kitted up in the car park and walk up the slope, through the gate and onto the promenade. I usually follow a simple compass bearing directly west 270 degrees and return on a reciprocal 90 degrees east. It’s difficult to get lost even if the bearing is slightly out.

The remains of a landing craft can be found in the

shallows at 6m. For those with a keen eye it’s possible to find pipefish and nudibranchs camouflaged on the seabed. Moving further out from shore there are areas of varying size rocks and patches of sand which is ideal ground for sand eels, john dory and cuttlefish. Some of the deeper car-sized boulders have lobster, edible crabs and congers peering out from overhangs and gullies. Kelp becomes more prevalent during the summer months. About 400 metres out the seabed levels off at a depth of 18m and becomes mainly sand and fine gravel.

Flotsam, plastic bottles and other discarded rubbish always seems to collect at the far end of the beach. Nearly every year there is an organised beach clean-up of some sorts. A few years ago, well-known presenter and explorer Paul Rose made an appearance. This gave the cause some positive PR in the local papers and various dive publications.

There are no permanent marker buoys to show where the wrecks are located. The positions given in the local dive guides are quite accurate and easy to follow although some fine tweaking is usually required. I normally follow the pebble ledges down to a certain depth and then perform a back and forth search pattern parallel to the beach. But be prepared it’s quite easy to miss the little landing craft wreck especially in low visibility. As a consolation the surrounding seabed, although pretty flat, has enough marine life sightings to make the dive interesting.

The landing craft wreck lies approximately 150 metres offshore at a depth of 12m depending on tides. It’s well broken up but the engines and some parts of the hull are still visible. There are even one or two small overhead areas for those that like a tight squeeze. Ballan wrasse are commonly sighted as well as pollock, pouting and blennies. Last year I found a barnacle-encrusted brass engine plate. When cleaned and polished, I traced the serial number to a Gray Marine Diesel engine no. 65-YTL and found that it was fitted inside a 30-metre-long LCM

“The heart thumping trudge to the Royal Adelaide and landing craft wrecks is much further and far more gruelling”

PLANNING TO DIVE CHESIL?

CHESIL BANK

WHAT TO EXPECT TYPE OF DIVE

Mostly a shore dive (or boat dive for divers not willing to make the walk)

DEPTH

There are a number of descending ledges between 3-18m. Bottoms out at 18m

MARINE LIFE / WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

Seasonal appearances from triggerfish. Other rarer species include undulate rays, john dory, crawfish and anglerfish.

Standard sightings include pipefish, nudibranchs, pouting, pollock, wrasse, sea bass, lobster, conger eels, edible crabs, cuttlefish and more

Staff at Underwater Explorers Dive Centre provide updates on current conditions at Chesil Cove every day throughout the year. You can follow this four-year-old project based on daily photo or video reports through their dedicated ‘Chesil Beach Watch’ page at facebook. com/diveportland. There is also a vast amount of information and videos on diving the easily accessible Chesil Cove part of the beach at their website: www.underwaterexplorers.co.uk Underwater Explorers is on the main causeway to Portland, only a couple of minutes away from the Cove. The well-stocked centre has customer parking available right in front of the shop’s indoor compressor area and is open every day for fills, equipment hire, servicing and sales.

For any advice or needs, you can contact the UE team on 01305 824555, email: info@underwaterexplorers.co.uk or drop in at Underwater Explorers, Unit 1, Maritime Business Centre, Mereside, Portland, DT5 1FD any day.

VISIBILITY

Average visibility is between one to five metres, but this depends on tides and wave action. During a calm spell, it’s not unusual to experience up to ten metres and beyond

SEABED

Mainly pebbles but at Chiswell Cove there is kelp, sandy patches and large boulders, not forgetting the addition of shipwrecks

HAZARDS

Overhead boat traffic in the cove is relatively light. Waves and undertow during entries and exits. Fishing lines and discarded weights

(light tank carrying craft), one of thousands used during World War Two. A huge deck winch is probably the most-prominent feature. This usually has a number of lobster and edible crabs inside.

Most of the clipper class sailing ship Royal Adelaide is broken up and buried beneath the shingle.

Only the starboard bow, foredeck winch, chain locker and anchor remain visible. The Adelaide’s demise is quite an intriguing story. On a cold November morn, she was blown onto the beach and eventually broke up. Hundreds of barrels of gin and brandy washed ashore, only to be nabbed by the locals, who then drank themselves into a stupor and died of exposure. Every year I go back and find new parts of the wreck exposed, especially after a bout of heavy pebble-shifting storms. This year I found two bollards in front of the anchor and a previously

undiscovered section of the wreck some 50 metres away.

There are always lobster and edible crabs hiding underneath the metal plates as well as one or two giant-sized conger eels. The resident finger-nibbling blennies are particularly friendly. Cuttlefish, john dory and anglerfish are also frequently sighted. Macro photographers will have an absolute field day. For the past three years I have seen the same freaky-looking 4kg bright-blue one-clawed lobster.

Along with diving friend Alex Charlton, we found the lobster entangled in fishing line and unable to move. The shell was soft and I don’t think it would have lasted much longer. We managed to cut the line and free the lobster. Since this time I have watched the missing claw grow back to full size. Grey triggerfish usually appear at the end of August. They are extremely inquisitive and will come in very close. There can’t be many places in the UK where divers can get such an interactive experience as this.

Depending on the currents direction, it’s possible to drift over the remains of a Norwegian schooner called the Nor. The three-bladed prop sits proud of the seabed. A huge shiny brass shaft coupling is the resounding feature. I’m guessing that the ever-shifting pebbles have rubbed off any algae growth, keeping the coupling clean. At a deeper depth of 16m, the boiler is an absolute oasis of marine life activity. It’s difficult to find but worth the search.

Chesil Beach is a top-rate site for day and night diving. Marine life is big on diversity and quantity, with the additional bonus of historical shipwrecks to explore.

Don’t let the heart-pounding hike put you off. Get your buddy to carry your dive kit and keep a portable defibrillator handy! Are you up for the Chesil challenge? n

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I

t was right there in front of me, yet still I couldn’t believe I was actually seeing it. A six-metre whaleshark in all its spotted glory was cruising past just a couple of metres away from me, and it just didn’t seem real. After wanting to see this magnificent creature for more years than I can remember, finally being in the water with one seemed like an alternate reality. I was finning as hard as I could alongside it, snapping away with my camera, but had no idea what the shots would come out like as the visibility was down to two or three metres with lots of plankton in the water.

Suddenly, the huge fish veered round and swam straight towards me. Here I was, literally faceto-face with the ‘Moby Dick’ which had taunted me for thousands of dives, and I took a couple of quick shots as it bore down on me. Then it dawned on me – it wasn’t going to stop! I hastily swam/rolled/dived to the side and it narrowly missed me as it leisurely swam past. I bobbed on the surface getting my breath back, and thanked my stars that I had come to Mafia Island off the coast of Tanzania. It looked like its reputation as one of the best places to encounter whalesharks was richly deserved…

Mafia Island is a hidden gem off the coast of Tanzania, boasting pristine reefs and myriad varieties of marine life, as well as the opportunity to swim with whalesharks Photographs by MARK EVANS

A WHALE

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“Flying along over a sandy bottom and meeting occasional coral bommies gives you quite a thrill, especially when they appear out of nowhere!”

MAFIA ISLAND

Mafia Island is one of three islands off the coast of Tanzania, nestling in the Indian Ocean alongside the more-famous Zanzibar and Pemba. The coral reefs, bays, sand bars, lagoons and beaches of the Mafia Archipelago are now part of the Mafia Island Marine Park, Tanzania’s first marine national park.

Our home for the week was Shamba Kilole Lodge, which sits next to the entrance to the marine reserve. The dive centre used for supplying boats, cylinders, weights and any necessary rental equipment was Big Blu, which is a five-minute minibus ride away from the lodge, so no long transfers needed.

The whalesharks are located on the opposite side of the island, between Mafia and the mainland, and so the plan was to head over early one morning mid-week to try and see the monster fish. In the meantime, we were going to be diving the reefs and walls of the marine park to see what other undersea delights Mafia had to offer.

The boats used by Big Blu are large, comfortable, sailing boats, which have plenty of room for divers and equipment. The majority of the time the crews will use the auxiliary engine, but when the sails are up and you are cruising silently along, it is a magical experience.

We dived several sites within an hour or so of the dive centre, including a fast drift dive through the Kinasi Pass, which turned up large stingrays, turtles, batfish and shoals of jacks and trevally; and Jina Wall, Jina Pass, and Jina Reef, which were covered in hard corals, sponges and a multitude of reef life. However, the undoubted highlight of the week’s diving was Dindini Wall. We dropped into the water on top of the reef, which was just 7-8m below us. Swimming to the edge, a sheer drop formed a wall down to about 25m, where it sloped off to rocky patches and endless sand out into open ocean. The visibility was excellent, easily 30 metres or so, and as we meandered along the wall, we were dive-bombed by juvenile turtles launching themselves off the top of the wall. The wall itself is home to nudibranchs, crustaceans and small reef fish, but the close proximity of the open ocean also brings in the ‘big boys’, so we encountered several large turtles, a huge grouper, numerous shoals of jacks, trevally and small barracuda, monster whiptail rays and some nice big pufferfish. Sharks can often be seen cruising along this wall, but unfortunately none put in an appearance this time.

Another excellent diving day was had on an all-day safari to Mange Reef and Kitutia Reef to the south of Mafia island. We took Big Blu’s larger sailing boat, so we had plenty of room to relax on the journey to the reefs.

Our first dive was on an area of coral reef absolutely teeming with life.

Shoals of anthias darted above the reef, lionfish hunted in and around the hard corals, and every other Indian Ocean reef dweller you can imagine put in an appearance sometime during our hour underwater. Everywhere you

looked, your eyes were met with an explosion of colour.

The second dive was an extremely fast drift, which was made all the more exciting due to the ten-metre vis. Flying along over a sandy bottom and meeting occasional coral bommies gives you quite a thrill, especially when they appear out of nowhere! The strong current was pulling us out into the open sea away from the sloping wall, so we tucked close to the seabed and finned furiously back to the wall, then relaxed and enjoyed our wild ride past all manner of reef fish and yet more corals.

Between dives we’d chilled out on a sandbar where the crew had erected a sun shade and cooked fresh fish. Sitting with your feet in the sand, munching on delicious freshly cooked fish and tasty fruit, surrounded by endless turquoise seas. It was the very picture of an island paradise.

WHALESHARKS OR BUST!

Excellent scuba diving aside, however, it was the whalesharks that everyone on the trip had come to Mafia wanting to see, so on the Wednesday morning, we set off from the lodge at a ridiculously early time to drive across the island and rendezvous with our whaleshark snorkelling boat. The skipper boasted he was the best whaleshark spotter on the island, and reckoned we would get a whaleshark within ten minutes.

Three hours of endless motoring up and down the coastline later, we had to admit defeat, but we were not beaten yet – we arranged a last-ditch attempt on the morning of our final day. We were flying out on that afternoon, so if we didn’t get them then, we were finished.

Friday morning came and we headed off at the crack of dawn once again. Scrambling into the boat, as we motored out to sea, everyone was getting a strange sense of déjà vu. But then is all changed. One of the crew spotted a disturbance in the water, and sure enough, it was a whaleshark. Everyone excitedly kitted up and, on the command, slid silently into the water. The skipper stood on the deck directing operations, he told us where the shark was and which direction to swim/look in. The shark made a couple of reasonably close passes, then we got back in the boat and went looking for more. Soon we were spotting whalesharks everywhere, and at one point we could see ten in different directions around the boat. However, while my personal best interaction was the aforementioned near head-on collision with my own whaleshark (no one else was in the water at that pointm so it was ‘my’ whaleshark), several of us got an unexpected thrill when we were all looking towards a small two-metre juvenile that the skipper had located when suddenly a huge eight-metre-plus animal came out of nowhere and went right underneath us and the boat!

Heading back into shore after two hours of endless whaleshark encounters, everyone had a satisfied look on their face.

CONCLUSION

“The visibility was excellent, easily 30 metres or so, and as we meandered along the wall, we were dive-bombed by juvenile turtles launching themselves off the top of the wall”

Mafia Island really is an unspoilt piece of Africa. Take a wander into the village near the lodge and you are confronted with mud huts, dirt floors and basic amenities. This really is ‘back to basics’, and none the worse for it. The lodge is comfortable and the food is great, the people are friendly and welcoming, and the island is stunning above and below water. The marine reserve is obviously working, as the reefs are in pristine condition and home to huge shoals of reef fish, as well as larger creatures. And then there is the icing on the cake, the whalesharks. Mafia Island is reputed to be one of the most-reliable spots on the planet at which to interact with whalesharks, and after our Friday morning out at sea, I can well believe it. At long last, I could now tick that off my ‘wish list’. n

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IANTD is now looking forward to attending the Dive show at the NEC - you can find us on stand 930, next to the Tech Deck, where Kieran Hatton, Tim Cutter and Tim Clements will also be speaking.

The stand will be manned by IANTD instructors who can answer questions about training, the new ART and Normoxic Plus depth limits of 51m and 70m. If you have a hankering to join the original tech agency as an instructor, we can also talk you through your route to a high standard of experience-based training.

The diving doesn’t stop for IANTD in the Autumn: Technical Diver Training has an ‘understanding rebreathers’ event in Jarrow on 12 Oct with Bob Scullion. Following that, Kieran Hatton and Tim Clements are contributing to the Scapa 100 3D photogrammetry workshop from 29 October to 3 November, developing dive planning and in-water skills for divers that enable better imaging for photogrammetry projects.

Photogrammetry is an awesome tool for underwater imaging and IANTD UK is very pleased to be developing diver skill workshops that enable divers to work with established 3D professionals, such as Chris Roland, Claire Fitzsimmons and Kari Hyttinen.

Phil Short and Gemma Smith have now completed another season on the Antikythera wreck project with over 170 team man hours in water - news on their finds soon. www.iantd.uk.com

MEDICAL POLICY TDI/SDI head office announced that effective 1 January 2017, all SDI/TDI/ERDI dive professionals will be required to submit an annual medical clearance signed by a licensed medical professional, along with the membership renewal form to remain active. In the UK instructors teaching under the diving at work regulations must have an HSE medical, which meets this requirement, and the UK regional office has kept copies of current HSE medicals for some years, so there is no change for commercial instructors in the UK. The only change will be that club instructors will also need medical clearance, although this does not need to be a full HSE medical.

This change has been introduced because TDI/SDI believe that scuba instructors can find themselves in very strenuous situations, placing high physical demands on their body. With the responsibility scuba professionals have, supervising or teaching divers with less experience, it is best to know their body can handle those demands. www.tdisdi.com

RAID is proud to present the all-new Equipment specialty.

Following feedback from instructors and students, RAID realised that there was a need for an in-depth equipment programme.

The new course introduces students to how scuba gear actually functions. This detailed understanding is then used to master techniques for quick fixes in the field – the type that could ‘save a dive’ should an issue arise while setting up, and to also identify problems that require the attention of a trained service technician.

Most equipment courses on offer are completely dry.

Students never leave the classroom. Once again, RAID breaks the mould with their distinctive approach to student training. A unique component of this specialty includes a confined water session where the instructor works with students to correctly configure their own personal equipment for ultimate streamlining, trim and buoyancy.

Furthermore, the in-water training isn’t limited to confined sites. Students also have the option to take their newly fine-tuned set up into open water to test it out in real dive conditions! RAID strives to provide the most up-to-date and relevant training in the diving industry. This new specialty proves that thinking outside the box leads to valuable training experiences. Just because a course has been taught a certain way doesn’t mean it must stay like that. www.diveraid.com

Haslemere Sub Aqua Club Haslemere Sub Aqua Club attended the Haslemere Festival of Sport in August, with many children dipping their faces under the water and coming out full of smiles. The Mayor was also seen at the helm of the dive boat! www.saa.org.uk

Cheltenham Sub-Aqua Club The 24-hour Scubathon undertaken by members of this club on 16/17 September at NDAC was a huge success, with thousands of pounds raised for Headway charity, a cause close to this club’s heart.

Visit SSI at Dive 2017 – The UK SSI team will be ready to answer your questions. Come and talk to us to see why so many dive centres and dive pros are switching to SSI. The following ticket offers are available: New diver/instructor – 2-for-1 ticket offer Booking on the day - The new diver will need to show appropriate ID to the ticket kiosk. They will be given a paid-for ticket and a complimentary ticket, which they will need to fill in their contact information on the back. The complimentary ticket will then be collected on entry to the show.

SSI Instructors need to show their ID to get the offer.

SSI instructors and new divers can buy the 2-for-1 offer in advance via an e-ticket. All they need to do is go to https:// www.theticketfactory.com/dive-show/online/ and enter the promo codes SSI2-4-1INSTRUCTOR or SSI2-4-1NEWDIVER. Then select two adult tickets. www.divessi.com

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

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

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

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

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

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SENSAT

ATIONAL Siladen Marine biologist RICHARD SMITH explores the photographic potential of Siladen Resort and some of the unique marine life it has to offer Photographs by RICHARD SMITH / WWW.OCEANREALMIMAGES.COM

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djacent to the famed Bunaken Island lies its much-smaller and laidback cousin, Siladen. Although I first visited Indonesia almost 20 years ago, somehow I have never made it to the Bunaken National Marine Park. However, this is probably the oldest and most well-known of Indonesia’s diving areas. It is renowned for its walls and lush corals, but I found there also to be many different topographies and interesting animals that make them their home.

I was based at Siladen Resort (www.siladen.com) for nearly two weeks as resident photographer and underwater naturalist. I gave evening talks on the animals of the area and shared techniques and tips for photographing them. After the first couple of days with amazing hauls of unusual animals I felt that, although stunning and lush, I would focus on the reef’s smaller critters rather than the walls and reefs, although there is certainly plenty to keep both the macro and wide-angle photographer occupied.

ISLAND NATURE

During my time at the resort, we dived all the local islands, including Siladen, Manado Tua, Mantehage and obviously Bunaken itself. Each had its own array of critters and varied photographic opportunities. Initially we spent two days diving around Manado Tua, which is an almost-perfect volcanic cone that towers over the other islands. As the slopes meet the ocean, they abruptly disappear into the abyss in a wall so steep that it seems to undercut in places. With such blue, clear water, it makes for a great wide-angle location, should you find the right subject such as a gorgonian or soft coral.

As ever, I was keeping my eyes peeled for some of the more-unusual fishes that might live in this kind of habitat and wasn’t disappointed for something a little different. In a huge overhang, I spotted a little grey dottyback fish, which had an unusual pattern. It was very shy and after some time stalking it, I reluctantly gave up and headed for shallower waters to avoid hitting deco. Thankfully, when I was at just 7m or so, I spotted another and managed to get some shots. As ever with a skittish fish like this, I would recommend having all your camera settings and strobes ready to shoot should the opportunity arise.

The fish was unusual in having scarlet red dots on its pelvic fins that were more reminiscent of the Komodo or Bornean species of dottyback than the local one. I committed some time to shooting the fish and patience was definitely a prerequisite, as it often is with capture images of nervy fishes.

Ultimately, I believe this oddity is a strange variation of the thread-finned dottyback found only in North Sulawesi and neighbouring North Halmahera.

A TURTLE CORNUCOPIA

Everyone loves a turtle and they make excellent photographic subjects. The abundance of these reptiles on the reefs around Siladen makes things even easier. You can just wait to find one with a nice background or with a temperament that allows you to approach that little bit closer. Both green and hawksbill turtles were extremely common and habituated enough to divers’ presence that they would carry on with their business as I shot away. I was very lucky that my visit to Siladen coincided with hatching time. The beaches around the resort are turtle nest sites and if a new nest is spotted, the folk at the resort protect the eggs from marauding predators. During my stay, 60 days had passed on one of the clutches, so the dive guides were keeping a close eye on them. One evening, as dusk fell, the call came that they were hatching. We dashed down and for the first time I saw baby turtles entering the world. They have an innate compass that directs them towards the ocean, so off they went on their little adventures running as fast down the shore as their little flippers would carry them. They looked so tiny and fragile that it was difficult to resist the urge of helping them on their way. It took a good 90 minutes for the entire clutch to emerge.

“Around Siladen, however, the predominant alga is bright red in colour and for the first time I saw a very rare red Halimeda ghost pipefish that lives with it�

MACRO MAGIC

One day we headed to the mainland for something completely different. Here, like the Lembeh Strait around the other side of the peninsula, there is great muck diving. I was keen to explore this new area and we clocked up quite a number of different photographic subjects. This is definitely a macro photography area, with frogfish, nudibranchs and leaf scorpions. Some of these critters can also be found on the coral sites, but the density on the mainland sites was much higher. My eagle-eyed guide, Robbie, was very careful not to damage or touch the animals, and I very much appreciated his gentle and non-invasive approach to the marine life.

One animal that was a real highlight for me, as a committed fish geek, was the red Halimeda ghost pipefish that can fairly regularly be found on the local sites. Halimeda ghostpipes are uncommon generally and the best place to find them is around their namesake bright green calcareous algae. As you might expect, since these animals generally live around a green alga, they are green in colour to match this habitat. Around Siladen, however, the predominant alga is bright red in colour and for the first time I saw a very rare red Halimeda ghost pipefish that lives with it. I had never heard of such a fish and it really was truly stunning. Definitely something to ask your guide about during your stay.

Indonesia

BIOGRAPHY

Richard Smith, a British underwater photographer and writer, aspires to promote an appreciation for the ocean’s inhabitants and raise awareness of marine conservation issues through his images. A marine biologist by training, Richard’s pioneering research on the biology and conservation of pygmy seahorses, led to the first PhD on these enigmatic fishes. Over the past decade, Richard’s photographs and marine life focused features have appeared in a wide variety of publications around the world. Richard organises and leads marine life expeditions where the aim is for participants to get more from their diving and photography by learning about the marine environment. www.OceanRealmImages.com

SILADEN’S OWN

Compared to Bunaken Island, Siladen is a much quieter and less densely inhabited place. The resort takes up a large area with manicured gardens and villas, and just around the other side of the island there is a small village. I think the reduced human presence is reflected in the island’s reefs. We dived a site on the point that was a large hard coral plateau, with lots of abundant growth around. It makes a great wide-angle site, but thankfully I was using macro on the day I found another rare creature. The flame angelfish is a really stunning little fish that exudes character and beauty. I was shocked to see one, as they ordinarily inhabit the central and eastern tropical Pacific. In fact, the fish ID books don’t have them recorded in Indonesia at all.

For photographers, this fish offers another challenge, but the images speak for themselves in being worth the effort. The scarlet red fish has black bands and neon blue specks. They live around hard corals on exposed sites, so this was actually the perfect site for them. Again, the photographer must be patient to get a clear side-on shot, but if the fish gets comfortable with your presence, they will continue to feed among the coral branches and your opportunity will arise.

“With such blue, clear water, it makes for a great wide-angle location, should you find the right subject such as a gorgonian or soft coral”

A PERFECT PITSTOP

Siladen Resort sits at the perfect location for an extra add-on trip. With flights from the UK to Singapore and then on to Manado, it is possible to just add a little car transfer for some muck diving in Lembeh Strait. Siladen is linked, by a ‘Paradise Pass’, with Lembeh Resort in the strait as well as Murex on Bangka Island. You can stay at Siladen and transfer by boat to dive other sites in the area enroute to your add-on at Bangka or Lembeh. If you have the time for a really big trip, there are also now direct Garuda flights from Manado to Sorong, the gateway to Raja Ampat. I will certainly be stopping off at Siladen again in the future as I explore further afield in Indonesia.

The variety and number of photographic opportunities and subjects around Siladen Resort are extremely varied and will certainly contribute to any photographer’s portfolio. I added not only species that I hadn’t seen before, but had the opportunity to spend time on subjects and revisit sites that I felt I could explore further. These are both invaluable for photographers, but often underestimated.

I look forward to visiting Siladen again in the future and capturing more images from this wonderful part of the world. n

MY

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MYSTERY TE

W

hen offered the chance to explore a shipwreck rarely dived by others, my answer had to be ‘come to daddy!’ But at 75m to the seabed, this wouldn’t be ‘a walk in the park’ and required slightly more planning and preparation than a conventional recreational dive. Christian Massaad, the owner of Rubicon Dive Centre at Playa Blanca in Lanzarote, said: “There is very little information about the wreck. It was probably a French trawler fishing illegally”, which just added to the mystery and intrigue. Who knows what we might find down there. The holds could be stacked high with gold bullion, or maybe there was a slightly more sinister edge to the story? There had been no distress signal, no reports of her sinking and no-one rescued.

I sat down and watched a video taken by Chris’ wife Natasha on a previous expedition. This gave me a rough idea where to find all the best photogenic areas. I was surprised to see so much marine life at such a deep depth. The short five-minute film panned from bow to stern, showing a totally intact ship lying on her starboard side. There seemed to be plenty of growth covering the wreck, which could only mean this wasn’t a recent sinking. I would estimate at least 40 or 50 years old.

I had been wearing a twinset from the very first day of my visit, even at the popular dive site Museo Atlantico, which at a maximum depth of 15m had got some strange looks, but I wanted to feel comfortable with the set-up before going deeper. Chris had also loaned me a new Mares XR (extended range) drysuit and fins, so I didn’t want to tempt fate with an overload of unfamiliar kit. The suit turned out to be far more comfortable than my 5mm crushed neoprene and much lighter. I was really impressed with the design. My birthday present wish list was growing longer by the day!

Craig White, Rubicon’s resident mixer blender come all-round dive gopher, had prepared my quiver of cylinders for the dive. In total, I would be carrying five. The main bottom mix in my twin 12s was a 16/40, with stages of 30/30, 50 percent O2 and 100 percent O2. Our planned bottom time using a Buhlmann 30/80 gradient factor was 30 minutes, with a total in-water time of 90 minutes. Chris and Rubicon’s resident tech instructor Edoardo Bruni would be my companions and ‘minders’ on the dive. They were both equipped with JJ CCRs and a substantial amount of back-up cylinders. Photographically speaking, this was good news for me, as I didn’t have to worry about any exhaled bubbles spoiling my pictures, thus saving me valuable post-processing time.

Eight years ago, local fishermen had got their nets snagged on the uncharted wreck and passed on the co-ordinates to Chris. Since then he has mounted a total of 12 expeditions. The trawler is approximately 55 metres long with a 12-metre beam and has a huge crane astern. So far nothing has been found that could shed any light on her name. The ship’s compass and navigation lights had been salvaged, but nothing with any traceable serial numbers, name plates or personal items. The wreck was still a complete mystery.

Chris said: “We are the only dive centre on Lanzarote that is capable of diving this wreck safely”. These were wise words, especially as I had heard rumours of a fatal accident at the site a few days before my visit. I had no doubts about Chris’ experience level. He is qualified as an instructor or instructor trainer on umpteen types of rebreather, and is also one of the training directors for ANDI (American Nitrox Divers Incorporated). Chris already knew my capabilities. This was my fourth visit to Rubicon Dive Centre in as many years and I had been deeper than 75m on a red coral reef off Playa Blanca and at another secret wreck site they had discovered outside the old harbour wall in Puerto del Carmen.

TECH WRECK STUART PHILPOTT jumped at the chance to explore an unknown shipwreck lying in 75m of water off Lanzarote.

What had caused the vessel’s demise?

Photographs by STUART PHILPOTT

We met up at the dive centre around 7am for an early kit up and departure. Chris drove the RIB from Playa Blanca to the harbour at Puerto Del Carmen, where we picked up the boat skipper. Sea conditions were bordering on mirror calm, with some was partial cloud cover. The cool morning temperature was ideal for donning drysuits and not becoming overheated before the dive. On the flip side, the low light conditions didn’t bode well for my photographs. I set my camera to ISO800 and reduced the shutter speed to 1/60th with an F stop of 7.1. This would at least give me a good starting point.

The RIB sped past the airport and then headed out approximately four miles offshore. I could see a lone fishing boat in the distance and as we got closer, I realised it was sitting right on top of the wreck site. There was a brief exchange of words between Chris and the fishermen - all in undecipherable Spanish, I might add - and then the fishing boat scampered away, allowing us to drop a shotline.

I was last to descend and just saw a torch beam waving about in the distance. The line had been dropped onto sand some 50 metres from the wreck site and just to make life even more interesting, there was a mild current running. I gave up following the line and started finning towards the light. Unfortunately, this wasted a good ten minutes of my precious bottom time so I wasn’t a happy photographer.

The massive deck-mounted crane, swathed in soft corals and fish life, materialised in front of me. A solitary barracuda cruised overhead causing a cloud of damsels to suddenly disperse, and when the coast was clear, warily re-appear again. I took some shots of Chris going under part of the crane structure and then headed for the stern. We paused at the wheelhouse and cabin area so I could take a wide-angle shot of the encrusted windows.

Light levels were lower than I had hoped for, probably comparable to a late summer’s evening on land, but visibility topped 30 metres and there was very little in the way of ‘floaties’, aka particles. We passed over a deck-mounted winch and carried on until we reached the rounded stern. I turned back and took some shots of Chris hovering by the deck rail, which gave some size perspective to my pictures. Edoardo said: “Because she lies on her starboard side, you have to think sideways”.

With 20 minutes already on the clock, I realised there wouldn’t be enough time for a full outside exploration, let alone check out the interior. Chris said the wreck was good for penetration, with several access points via the refrigerated holds, and the cabin area. I looked through one of the cargo hold entrances and it looked pretty tight inside, with lots of snagging wires hanging down. On previous dives, Chris had managed to get inside the engine room by negotiating a number of tight turns and narrow corridors. He said the gauges, light fittings, etc, were all still intact. The wheelhouse was another tricky area. The ceiling had collapsed, making it difficult to navigate around safely. I didn’t get a chance to check out the bow, but there was a small tender boat with an inboard diesel fixed to the deck. Why hadn’t the crew taken this with them when they left? Maybe the ship had sunk too quickly? From my examination of the stern, I couldn’t see any outward signs of damage to the hull, so what had happened? Chris said the trawler was probably

XX

“Eight years ago, local fishermen had got their nets snagged on the uncharted wreck and passed on the co-ordinates to Chris”

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“Chris said the wreck was good for penetration, with several access points via the refrigerated holds, and the cabin area”

working with a factory ship and just outlived her usefulness, but in that case why leave a perfectly good tender boat lashed to the bow? This definitely added more credibility to my conspiracy theory.

When Chris gave the ‘thumbs up’ signal to ascend, I hesitated, not wanting to leave. But every minute extra would eat into our gas contingencies and vastly increase deco time. I would just have to come back another day. We made our descent through a shoal of jacks and then a number of tuna came in close on a fly-by. This helped pass the laborious deco time. I always hold on to my camera rather than use clips or lines, so Chris helped me to tuck away any discarded regs and hoses from my stages. I even got Edoardo to send up a DSMB. Rubicon is completely geared up for tech divers. As well as having more than seven different types of rebreather sitting on the shelf ready to go, there are numerous twinsets and stages and a blending station with banked trimix for six different gas mixes. They offer 20 tech-diving sites at varying depths, including two almost-exclusive shipwrecks at 75m and 85m. There is even a dedicated tech RIB to transport everybody in comfort.

Back on board, with twinset removed and stages unclipped and safely stowed away, Chris shared out some fairy cakes and orange juice. There had been a light rainfall while we were down below, but now the sun had broken through and the temperature was starting to soar. We were all smiling from ear to ear.

I had ventured where very few divers had been before. Apart from the shotline niggle, the whole dive had run according to plan, with every stop being made at the correct depth - this was just as satisfying as seeing the wreck itself. I looked at the dive profile on my Shearwater computer and there were no anom-

alies, it was a smooth curve all the way back up to the surface.

Being able to explore a shipwreck rarely seen by other divers had given me a massive buzz.

Edoardo said: “It’s incredible. It’s an ocean dive with clear water. As you descend the wreck appears, there is so much colour”. But I still couldn’t help wondering what had caused her demise? Whatever secrets she was hiding would stay hidden, for the time being anyway. Chris said: “It’s amazing to be able to go where no one else has been. This is one of the best dives on Lanzarote”. I have been invited back to Rubicon Dive Centre later on this year to explore a deeper wreck lying upright at 85m. At least this freighter has a name and a documented history, but I won’t spoil the story by revealing all the details right now. I might even have time for a return visit to the mysterious wreck. Lurking somewhere deep inside is the key to her identity, of that I’m certain. n

Keep your eye on the dive, not your dive computer.

Made to Measure Available

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Rebreather tested.

Recreational requested.

New mount options for open circuit regulators and rebreather loops

What’s New

AQUALUNG SMALL SQUEEZE KNIVES | SRP: £39

Aqualung’s Squeezelock knives have been a favoured cutting tool for divers for many years, and now the company has expanded the range. Alongside the traditional Squeezelock range, you have the Small Squeeze knives. Like their siblings, they lock securely into their sheath but are released with a simple squeeze of the handle.

The Small Squeeze knife is just 18cm long and can be connected to a BCD in a variety of ways. It is available in three 304 stainless-steel blade styles – spear tip (which is also available in a titanium version that is £58), blunt tip and sheep’s foot.

All three styles feature a serrated cutting edge, a sharp blade section, line cutter and, handily for those post-dive de-briefs, a bottle opener! www.aqualung.com/uk

AQUALUNG MICRO SQUEEZE KNIVES | SRP: £24

FOURTH ELEMENT NATURAL BORN T-SHIRT RANGE | SRP: £24.95

Fourth Element believe that every whale and dolphin should live free from captivity from birth. The Natural Born design features one of the oceans’ greatest iconic predators, the orca - thought to be one of the most-intelligent and socially complex creatures on our planet.

There are mens and womens T-shirts in a selection of designs, made from 100 percent combed cotton Jersey, featuring a hand-printed graphic.

For every T-shirt sold, Fourth Element will donate £2.50 to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDC) to continue its work in preserving and protecting cetaceans. www.fourthelement.com

FOURTH ELEMENT FLOWER WHALE (FLAMINGO PINK) | SRP: £24.95 For many, the sight of a humpback whale is a life-changing event. For some, it’s a oncein-a-lifetime call to action to understand and protect these gentle giants. For others, it is a prelude to seeking out more encounters and a lifelong obsession. Only a few are left unmoved, and this design aims to capture that feeling. Classic-fit 100 percent combed cotton womens T-shirt, hand printed in the UK, and made from responsibly sourced material and tested for harmful substances. As with the Natural Born range, for every Flower Whale T-shirt sold, Fourth Element will donate £2.50 to WDC. www.fourthelement.com

APEKS BUNGEE CONNECTOR KIT | SRP: £12

Hot on the heels of the Squeezelock and Small Squeeze knives come the Micro Squeeze knives. Available with two styles of 304 stainless-steel blades – sheep’s foot (with serrated cutting edge and line cutter) and blunt tip (with serrated cutting edge, sharp blade section, line cutter and bottle opener) – these dinky little cutting tools can be mounted almost anywhere, including on the strap of your dive computer for the ultimate ease-of-access. www.aqualung.com/uk

The bungee connector system has been designed as a neat storage solution for your back-up regulator and can be configured according to a diver’s personal preference. The system also has a lock-out feature for retaining a regulator in the mouth of an unconscious diver during a rescue situation. The system can also be used on stage regulators during decompression. The kit comprises bungee cord, bungee connector, instruction sheet and a mouthpiece clip. www.apeksdiving.com/uk

OMS AIRSTREAM | SRP: £429 WITH 75CM/ 100CM HOSE / £439 WITH 210CM HOSE This high-performance regulator was designed to optimise hose routing. The development of specialised high-pressure ports angled 45-degrees keeps gauges closer to the diver’s hips. The 30-degree angled low pressure ports of the Airstream help to ensure optimal trim by guiding hoses to route directly over the diver’s shoulders.

The funky first stage has an environmentally protected overbalanced diaphragm, polished stainless-steel finish, and is available in DIN or Yoke.

The balanced Evoque second stage boasts a work of breathing (WOB) of .8 joules per litre. Air flow is maximised by channeling the air through larger passages, delivering an easy inhalation and exhalation. This regulator is manufactured with features to accommodate needs of divers at all skill levels, including a predive switch and cracking resistance control knob. www.omsdive.com

OTTER ULTRALIGHT TELESCOPIC | SRP: £1,445 This super-tough suit is manufactured in flexible ‘armour skin’, and has a telescopic body, much the same design as the tried-and-tested Britannic II. What this means is that it is lightweight, but still very robust – so a great UK suit, but also a perfect travel drysuit - and very easy to get in and out of.

It comes with a Drystyle hood, double kneepads, neoprene neck warmer, zipped changingmat-style suit bag, choice of Apeks or Si-Tech valves, a choice of pockets, and dry socks and rock boots as standard, but you can swap these out for any other style of Otter boot are no cost. www.otterwatersports.co.uk

DIVE RITE HOGARTHIAN STAGE STRAP KITS SRP: £39.95 Dive Rite’s Hogarthian stage strap kit is a product of the K.I.S.S. principle (Keep It Simple Stupid). Appealing to the minimalist diver, this economical kit includes everything needed to properly set-up a streamlined stage or deco bottle.

The strap consists of braided nylon line with a black rubber fuel hose cover for abrasion protection. At each end of the strap, a medium bolt snap is used for clipping the tank off to the diver’s harness. A stainless-steel clamp sheathed in tubular nylon webbing secures the bottom of the strap to the tank. A premium Dive Rite EPDM hose retainer is included to keep hoses managed while not in use.

The Hogarthian stage strap kit is available in two sizes – small, for cylinders measuring approximately 14cm in diameter, and large, for cylinders measuring approximately 18cm in diameter. www.sea-sea.com

TYPHOON NAUTILUS | SRP: £895 The Typhoon Nautilus is a heavy-duty diving suit. Weighing in at just over 3kg, it’s great for all forms of UK diving and light enough for travelling further afield.

Made in the UK from Typhoon’s durable TX6 fabric, with two-layer rubber-taped seams, it features heavy-duty latex neck and wrist seals and comes complete with neoprene socks as standard, with the option of a thermic boot.

The two large leg storage pockets feature two compartments, an internal D-ring and attachment loops. The hook and loop tabs make it easy to open and close. It comes with YKK plastic zip to help reduce weight and increase flexibility. The Nautilus has a three-year warranty. www.typhoon-int.co.uk

Gear Guide

THIS ISSUE: HIGH-END FINS

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

HIGH-END FINS This issue, we look at the top-of-the-range fin sector.

Interestingly, at this level, there are no split fins in sight, and all of the test units incorporate a large paddle blade in some shape or form, proving that you can’t beat a wide blade when it comes to moving a diver through the water.

ON TEST THIS MONTH: • APEKS RK3 • ATOMIC BLADEFIN • HOLLIS F1 • XDEEP • SCUBAPRO SEAWING NOVA

Location: Tested at Vivian Dive Centre, Llanberis

www.viviandivecentre.com

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

APEKS RK3 | SRP: £120 The Apeks RK3 fins are made from a durable thermoplastic rubber, and were developed in collaboration with the US military.

The short, wide blade is designed to provide maximum forward thrust while maintaining great manoeuvrability, and the vented design is intended to reduce resistance on the upstroke and enhance thrust on the downstroke.

It is available in three sizes - medium, large and super - and has an oversized foot pocket to accommodate drysuit boots and rock boots. It comes in black or white.

They are also equipped with a chunky spring strap and rubber thumb tab to make them easy to get on and off even when wearing thick neoprene gloves or drygloves.

The grommet holes in the tip of the fins are so you can clip them on a karabiner while accessing the dive site.

The Test Team raved about these fins the first time they had them on test, and second time around, the RK3 fins garnered the same response. They were praised for their simple good looks and robust construction, and everyone was enamoured with the spring straps, which did make donning and doffing the fins a doddle. The stumpy fins provide an immense level of thrust, yet your leg muscles do not feel the strain as much as with other blade fins. Great for normal kicks, back kicks and frog kicks, and so easy to manoeuvre in. Well priced for such a superb pair of fins as well.

BEST VALUE

CHOICE VERDICT

Excellent fins, which look good (especially in white), perform exceptionally well, and come in at a reasonable price.

SCORE

••••••••••

ATOMIC AQUATICS BLADEFIN | SRP: £129 Atomic Aquatics are well known for their high-end regulators, but now they are building a reputation in the fin department also.

The Bladefin is a robust paddle fin that incorporates a ‘Power Loop Monocoque Structure’ and ‘Power Rail’ - structural frame designs used in aircraft and Indy race cars apparently - to provide maximum thrust and power. Oversized stabilisers at the fin tips are designed to keep the fin tracking straight up and down.

The Bladefins are equipped with Atomic’s EZ-Lok buckle system, which allow the buckle to snap on and off easily.

Available in small, medium, large and extra-large, and in a selection of colour schemes.

Like their cheaper siblings, the X1 Bladefins, the Atomic Bladefins are very well-made, strongly constructed paddle fins with some neat design touches. Like their brethren, in use, we found that they provided immense levels of propulsion, but as with most long paddle fins, you do need strong leg muscles to really get the best performance out of them - and you can really shift in them! A fairly long fin, but capable of frog kicks, back kicks and helicopter turns.

I would prefer a spring strap, but the EZ-Lok buckles are the next best thing - simply squeeze the buckle and the whole thing slides off the fin. Effective, even with thick gloves on.

VERDICT

Robust, well-made paddle fins with some neat design touches, effective EZ-Lok buckles and plenty of power on tap.

SCORE

••••••••••

HOLLIS F1 | SRP: £129 The Hollis F1s are a heavyweight pair of old-school design fins made from high-grade, heavy-duty rubber, and have a vented blade designed to reduce stress while accelerating water over the blade.

They are equipped with a generous foot bocket to accommodate drysuit boots, and the stainless-steel spring straps attach to angled mounts for comfort and a better transition of power.

The large thumb look on the spring straps makes getting the fins on and off a simple matter.

The Hollis F1s are a big, solid pair of rubber fins. They dish out plenty of power, but you can certainly feel it in your thigh muscles, so you need strong legs to get the best out of them.

Normal kick is strong, but the frogkick is exceptional, providing lots of thrust, and they deliver a decent back kick too.

We all found they were surprisingly manoeuvrable for such a chunky pair of fins. They are a heavy lump, though, so I wouldn’t advise you take them with you on a foreign trip as they will eat up a good part of your luggage allowance. Cool-looking in a techie fashion, and fitted with great spring straps, which really aid you in taking them on and off, regardless of what exposure protection you have on your hands.

VERDICT

Heavy-duty, heavyweight pair of rubber fins, which produce lots of power if you have the legs for them. Great spring straps.

SCORE

••••••••••

SCUBAPRO SEAWING NOVA | SRP: £145 The Scubapro Seawing Novas are lightweight, yet powerful, and were designed to combine the power, acceleration and manoeuvrability of a blade fin with the kicking comfort and efficiency of a split fin. They certainly stand out from the crowd thanks to their unique design.

Made from monprene, and with an articulated hinge that enables the entire wing-shaped blade to pivot and generate thrust, they also have a well-engineered footplate with co-molded grip pads to provide non-skid foot on slippery surfaces.

They are fitted with bungee heel straps that have a large thumb loop to make getting them on and off an easy movement.

They come in black, white, yellow, blue, pink and purple.

The Seawing Novas are certainly unusual and take a novel approach to fin design. By and large, it works - and works well.

They provide a phenomenal amount of thrust, allowing you to accelerate from a standing start to a fast speed in no time, and seemingly with little effort. The non-slip grip pads work too, and the bungee heel straps make donning and doffing very easy.

They are quite a long fin, though, and while you can frog kick and back kick in them, it is not as easy as with some of its rivals tested here.

As well as the unique design making them stand out, they also come in some striking colours, including this vivid yellow.

VERDICT

Uniquely designed fins with some wicked acceleration, reasonable frog and back kick, and a nifty bungee heel strap.

SCORE

••••••••••

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XDEEP EX1 | SRP: £125 Polish brand xDeep have been making solid in-roads into the technical diving market with their durable, well-made wings and sidemount systems, and they have now got in on the propulsion act with these big, chunky technopolymer fins.

The xDeep EX1 are available in a range of finishes, from ‘soft’ through ‘medium hard’ to ‘hard’ so you can tailor which flexibility best suits your style of kicking/diving. Being made from a technopolymer, they don’t change parameters whatever the water temperatures, unlike rubber.

Regardless of which ‘hardness’ you select, the large foot pocket - designed specifically with drysuit boots and rock boots in mind - has a two-phase moulding, in that the front part is made of a softer material for added comfort.

They are fitted with a stainless-steel spring strap and large thumb loop for simple donning and doffing.

The EX1 fins look like a straightforward rubber tech fin, but the nifty technopolymer used in their construction means they are not as heavy as a rubber equivalent, and as stated above, are not affected by temperature. The Medium Hard version we tested provided some serious propulsion, though as par for the course with a fat-blade fin like this, you need decent leg muscles to really get the most out of them. The spacious foot pocket swallows a drysuited foot, and is very comfortable. Excellent back kick and frog kick, and a great stainless-steel spring strap.

VERDICT

Chunky fins made from an advanced technopolymer, which generate lots of power. Great stainless-steel spring straps.

SCORE

••••••••••

VERDICT

As with the mid-priced fins, we had a real selection of styles in this price bracket, ranging from long paddle fins to stumpy wide-bladed vented fins, to totally unique hybrids.

There was not a lot of difference in price between any of these high rollers, with less than £30 separating the cheapest from the most expensive. This meant that it all came down to the performance, and the Apeks RK3s made a clean sweep of both the Best Value and the Choice awards once again.

This year they were closely pushed by the likes of the xDeep

EX1, which were also a phenomenal fin, but the blend of looks, great performance and a stonking price meant that the Apeks came out on top.

That said, there was not a bad fin here, and the Atomic Aquatics, Scubapro and Hollis did not disappoint either.

DS1 LIMITED EDITION CELEBRATING of

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Test Extra

ROBIN HOOD WATERSPORTS KEVLAR DRYSUIT | SRP: FROM £1,199 Mark Evans: Kevlar is a material that will forever have connections with bulletproof vests, but beyond this singular use, it is an extremely durable but relatively lightweight material, which makes it the perfect base for a drysuit. The downside is that it is on the expensive side.

The Roho Kevlar Drysuit bucks the trend of Kevlar drysuits being high-end when it comes to pricing - their suit, which utilises heavy-duty Kevlar from top to bottom, is a few hundred quid cheaper than its nearest Kevlar rivals, and I have to say, it feels far more robust and durable too.

The Kevlar Drysuit is made to Robin Hood Watersports’ own testing standards in-house, so the whole thing is triple glued and taped inside and out.

It is equipped with two ‘technical pockets’, which basically translates as two very-spacious thigh pockets each closed by a flap secured with a slab of Velcro, which also feature a handy zippered pocket in the flap.

Inside, sturdy braces keep the suit where it should be while you are diving, but also allow you to wander around between dives with the top half of the suit around your waist.

Dual Kevlar kneepads provide plenty of protection to these high-wear areas, and there are also large panels over both shoulders where your BCD/wing straps will rest on the suit. There is a Kevlar zip protection cover over the traditional metal zipper running across the back from shoulder to shoulder.

The neck warmer also doubles as a protective layer over the latex neck seal.

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Test Extra

ROBIN HOOD WATERSPORTS KEVLAR DRYSUIT | SRP: FROM £1,199 The Kevlar Drysuit comes with chunky rubber boots, which are very comfortable and warm.

It is fitted as standard with an Apeks swivel inflator and an Apeks cuff dump - an Apeks adjustable dump is £30 extra. Other extras that can be added/ done to the suit include wrist warmers/protectors, steel-toe mid-sole boots, expanding bellows pockets, a convenience zipper, and a front-entry zipper.

I have dived in several Roho suits over the years, and have always been impressed by the quality.

The Kevlar Drysuit is no different, and just getting it out of the box when it was delivered, you could feel that it had a very robust construction.

Compared with Kevlar suits I have used from Ursuit and Fourth Element, the Roho version uses a much-thicker and heavier material. The downside to this is that it isn’t as user-friendly for travelling abroad with, but the plus side is that it is extremely hard wearing and tough.

On the surface and underwater, because of the thicker nature of the material, it is not as flexible as the thinner competition, but having said that, it is still very easy to move around in and not once did I feel restricted, despite contorting myself into all sorts of positions.

The pockets are spacious and easy to get into, even wearing 5mm neoprene gloves, and the zippered pockets on the flaps are useful for smaller accessories such as back-up torches or small knives.

The big, chunky boots are nice and warm, but I prefer the kind where your ankles are not encased in rubber, to enable more-delicate ankle movements for small adjustments with your fins.

Overall, the Kevlar Drysuit performed very well, and with its ‘Kevlar Extreme’ shoulder badge and special-forces grey finish, it is definitely an eye-catching suit - and it comes in at a great price.

NB: Robin Hood Watersports offer a made-tomeasure service on the Kevlar Drysuit at no extra cost.

The Kevlar Drysuit is available as a package deal along with a choice of undersuit, hood and a matching bag. www.roho.co.uk

Long Term Test AQUALUNG OUTLAW

NEW ARRIVAL Mark Evans: The new arrival this month is the Aqualung Outlaw, a back-inflation BCD with an interchangable bladder (12lbs or 25lbs capacity) that has to be one of the lightest and most-minimalistic BCDs on the market. The fit can be tailored exactly to your build, and the Modlock connectors allow up to 27 different size configurations using interchangeable shoulder and waist strap components. It has four soft webbed D-rings, a plastic karabiner on the shoulder and a lower right pull dump. The Griplock tank band holds your cylinder secure, and INFORMATION this then forms a rigid ‘back’ Arrival date: September 2017 to the BCD once it is locked Suggested retail price: £338 in place. Optional extras Number of dives: 0 include Surelock II integrated Time in water: 0 hrs 0 mins weights, and trim weights.

ANCHOR DIVE LIGHTS SERIES 3K

Mark Evans: The Anchor Dive Light will be heading off to Iceland with us in the next week or so, but in the meantime it got pressed into action in Vivian Quarry when we were getting Ross Arnold back into the groove INFORMATION with a drysuit. It was dodgy Arrival date: July 2017 vis to say the least, but the Suggested retail price: £695 little Series 3K just sliced Number of dives: 22 through it with no trouble at Time in water: 21 hrs 30 mins all - amazing little torch.

THERMALUTION RED GRADE ULTRA

Mark Evans: The Thermalution Red Grade Ultra got a real workout recently. So I could test how warm it was really keeping me, I wore only the heated suit under my Otter Britannic II, with no other undersuit - I normally wore a Fourth Element Arctic Expedition over the top. I switched it on while I was setting up all my kit, so by INFORMATION the time I entered the water, Arrival date: April 2017 I was feeling toasty. And I Suggested retail price: £1,050 was amazed when I emerged Number of dives: 16 from the water after an hour Time in water: 15 hrs 15 mins and still felt okay.

DEEPBLU COSMIQ+ DIVE COMPANION

Mark Evans: The DeepBlu Cosmiq+ Dive Companion has been racking up the dives, both in Vivian Quarry on test days and also on a couple of jaunts off the coast of Anglesey. I am still loving the magnetic attachINFORMATION ment for the charging/downArrival date: February 2017 load cable on the back of the Suggested retail price: £230 computer - such a simple, Number of dives: 62 elegant design that works Time in water: 60 hrs 55 perfectly.

AQUALUNG REVEAL X2

Mark Evans: Ross Arnold snagged the Reveal X2 again for this month’s testing, opting to go for this tried-and-tested mask which he used for our entire time in Grenada and Carriacou for his first drysuit dives in some seven years. When you are getting reacquainted with INFORMATION a piece of kit like a drysuit, Arrival date: March 2017 the last thing you want to be Suggested retail price: £46 worrying about is your mask, Number of dives: 48 and true to form, the AquaTime in water: 46 hrs 45 mins lung did not let him down.

TYPHOON DS1

Mark Evans: Ross Arnold had not dived in a drysuit for some seven years, ever since we logged a couple of dives in Cornwall, but this was also the first time he was diving in a trilaminate suit. The Medium sample suit we had was a little snug, and a Large is enroute next month, but he still managed to INFORMATION achieve decent trim and had Arrival date: August 2017 no real issues on the dive.

Suggested retail price: £895 Safe to say he is now a trilam Number of dives: 1 fan as well, revelling in how Time in water: 0 hrs 35 mins easy it was to move in.

SHEARWATER RESEARCH PERDIX AI

Mark Evans: More dives on the Shearwater Perdix AI, this time when I was getting Ross Arnold back into a bit of drysuit action, and when I ventured up to Vivian Quarry for their summer fun weekend.

It is just so intuitive, so easy to use, so comfortable on my wrist, it is like I have been using it for years, INFORMATION never mind a few Arrival date: February 2017 months. I parSuggested retail price: £870 (comp only) ticularly like the Number of dives: 44 logbook and dive Time in water: 43 hrs 25 mins profile capabilities.

XDEEP NX ZEN Mark Evans: The xDeep NX Zen comes to the end of its run in our Long Term Test stable.

This robust, durable backplate-and-wing BCD from the Polish tech masters is a really nice unit to dive with, and has several neat features.

It is truly a work of art, from the cut-out backplate to the over-engineered harness and bladder, which have an almost-military spec feel to them. It isn’t cheap by any means, but it is extremely well made and would surely last many years of hard use. Take my advice and put a little ‘Zen’ into your dive life.

END OF TERM

INFORMATION Arrival date: February 2017 Suggested retail price: £535 Number of dives: 24 Time in water: 23 hrs 15 mins

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

THAILAND SAIREE COTTAGE DIVING 5* IDC CENTRE 1/10 Moo Sairee Beach, Koh Tao, Suratthani, 84360, Thailand T: +66872650859 E: info@idckohtaothailand.com W: www.idckohtaothailand.com One of the Best PADI Diving Instructor IDC Courses on Koh Tao, Thailand.

For more information please visit: www.idckohtaothailand.com or www.saireecottagediving.com/instructordevelopment-course-idc-koh-tao-saireecottage-diving-koh-tao.

Professional Underwater Photography: https://www.instagram.com/peachsnapsphotography/

UNITED KINGDOM DEEP BLUE DIVE

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

OYSTER DIVING

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

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MARKETPLACE

Diving Medicals Nottingham

Sport Diver medicals £55

HGV/PSV/taxi medicals £55

Occupational Health Medicals

HSE commercial diving medicals £120

Oil and Gas UK Offshore Medicals £110

Discounts for students and large groups

For appointments call 0780 2850 084

or email: mclamp@doctors.org.uk

URCHIN DIVE

CHARTER

Expert Knowledge – 25+ years diving experience. Warm Saloon – Lunch & snacks provided. Wet/Dry Storage – Moon pool entry.

Accommodation available on site.

Contact: Oban Scotland | 01631 566088 www.puffin.org.uk

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THE COMMERCIAL DIVER Warren ‘Sal’ Salliss is a Director of Commercial Diver Training Ltd, based in Cornwall, and here he offers an insight into the commercial diving arena, and how the company aims to ensure that all students leave equipped with the necessary skills to take on this competitive environment. www.commercialdivertraining.co.uk

GETTING INTO COMMERCIAL

DIVING AS A CAREER PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF COMMERCIAL DIVER TRAINING LTD

S

o you’re now a qualified commercial diver after successfully completing your training…

What next? Do I need to do more training to make me employable? Should I do a Wet Welding course, or an Unexploded Ordinance Identification Course? Truthfully? No, let’s be practical about this, you’re a new diver, no-one expects you to be super-experienced, you won’t be given the ‘Hero’ dive on day one. What you really need is experience! This takes time, effort and a desire to learn for self-improvement.

The ratio of ears-to-mouth was created for a reason!

Save your money, you will not need to spend more on courses that you don’t necessarily need yet, or indeed, ever. This is the best advice that I can give you as a training provider and diver with over 20 years of experience.

So why is this and what sort of work can I expect early on in my career? The best way to understand this is to look at your first job. It will be anything you can get, wherever and whenever. Until you get some experience and become known with some companies, you cannot be choosy. I’m not saying that you should work for nothing after paying for your training, but you must accept that diving work might not be on your doorstep.

I was lucky in the fact that geography helped me (I lived on the coast by a busy maritime hub), but if you live miles inland you may have to consider travelling away to work, just remember employers won’t necessarily provide accommodation or travel - why would they if a guy lives down the road? I have slept in vans, boats and dive store floors just for the opportunity, but once you’ve done a few jobs and get to know contractors and other divers, life becomes easier and you learn where to look.

You won’t ever see ‘Deep Sea Diver Wanted’ in the job centre, it’s more old-school, your mates give you tip offs, or contractors will call you when they’re crewing up.

Personally, I like this because you don’t have to compete against others who are not up to standard - if you’re good, you’re busy, for everyone else… there’s forums!

My first job was to underpin a void beneath a granite harbour wall, the hole was about four metres long, three metres deep and was one metre high on the outer face and sloped down as you went in. I had to clear all the seabed material out before we could fill it with concrete bags and pin them together, my airlift (basically a giant underwater hoover) was getting blocked by larger pieces of rock so I was removing them by hand. I decided to wriggle in and get the last few out, I couldn’t quite get this one so I got a hand torch to see better (I was doing

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all this in virtually zero vis by feel) only to find that touching the other side of my rock was the biggest conger eel I had ever seen! His eye was the size of a golf ball! I still wanted my rock, so instead of using my hand (which he had not yet eaten), I used a steel peg and the conger took that! I let him keep his rock…

As a commercial diver, I have been lucky to dive all over the world and see many creatures that other divers strive to find. I once had a dolphin that would not go away and just wanted me to play - the problem with dolphins is that after a good 30 minutes of asking, they get a bit stroppy. I just wanted to finish my task (a commercial chain inspection) and got quite used to this dolphin hanging on my left shoulder. He had other ideas, he wanted to play. I noticed I was moving - in fact, I was being dragged… “Topside, are you coming up on my umbilical?” I asked.

“No Sal, what’s up?” I soon found the problem - my umbilical was in the dolphin’s mouth and he was dragging me away from work to play!

The inshore diver performs many varied tasks in normally challenging conditions. After about two to five years of getting experience, a lot of divers try to get offshore to earn more money, and the work is often easier than inshore civil engineering. After offshore air diving for a few years, most guys try to go ‘SAT’ (saturation diving) to earn the big bucks.

The money can be amazing, but it is a tough environment.

Over the years I have done some amazing things, worked with some great guys and have had more adventures than most ever will… and I get paid for it! To me, it’s not like I get up and go to work, I go have fun and do cool stuff!

Being a commercial diver can sometimes be dangerous and hard going, it takes a certain type of individual that is cheerful in adversity, has a degree of courage, never gives up and who will work the problem.

If this sounds like it’s for you, do it - you won’t regret it.

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