Q&A: ARON ARNGRIMSSON
UW CURIOSITY PARK
THE LURE OF COCOS
THE DIRTY DOZEN EXPEDITIONS FOUNDER TALKS ABOUT CAVES, MINES, WRECKS AND MORE
WE RETURN TO PORTLAND TO SEE HOW THE SUNKEN ATTRACTION IS PROGRESSING
MICHELE WESTMORLAND IS ENTRANCED BY THE COSTA RICAN DIVING ICON
REPORT FROM THE DIVE EVENT OF 2020
Cold-water
DIVING ESSENTIALS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE WEARING AS TEMPERATURES PLUMMET
#37 | £3.25 03
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THE MALDIVES
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EDITOR’S NOTE TRAGIC START TO YEAR FOR THE DIVE INDUSTRY It has been a tragic start to the year for the global diving industry. First we heard of the sad passing of Aggressor Adventures’ Wayne Hasson, who had been battling renal cell cancer, and then this was soon followed by the devastating news that Carla Hanson, the much-loved ‘Madame President’ of freediving association AIDA International, had also succumbed to a fast-moving cancer. These two giants of the industry will be sorely missed. The number of whales stranding around the UK looks set to be heading for an annual high, with sperm whales being found in Scotland and England, an orca in the south east, and most recently a huge fin whale in Cornwall. In many cases, the animals in question are in a poor state of health, with plastic pollution being a key factor with some of them, but even when you know that such a majestic creature is probably on its last legs anyway, it is desperately sad to see them dead and broken on the shoreline. On a more-positive note, the 2020 GO Diving Show was a massive success. This event, the second for this interactive, immersive diving show at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, was headlined by TV stars Steve Backshall, Andy Torbet, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Monty Halls, and there was more than enough going on to keep people entertained across the entire weekend, from inspiring talks across four stages, various interactive elements, including The Cave and The Wall, more than 80 exhibitors showcasing holidays, training and equipment, and even a 100 sq m pool for those keen to try diving for the first time.
Mark Evans Editor-in-Chief
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Mark Evans Tel: 0800 0 69 81 40 ext 700 Email: mark.evans@scubadivermag.com
DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER Matt Griffiths Email: matt@scubadivermag.com
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3
For some, adventure is sharing space with jungle cats on a safari, or passing time in the midst of the largest Asian elephant gathering in the world. For others, it’s diving crystal blue waters watching rays glide among rainbow coral or getting up close and personal with a giant whale shark. However you define adventure, let Aggressor take your expedition to the next level. Small groups, decadent meals, luxurious accommodations and amazing service are what sets our journeys apart and helps you create an experience you’ll never forget. Whatever your destination, choose your adventure with Aggressor!
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Q&A: ARON ARNGRIMSSON
UW CURIOSITY PARK
THE LURE OF COCOS
THE DIRTY DOZEN EXPEDITIONS FOUNDER TALKS ABOUT CAVES, MINES, WRECKS AND MORE
WE RETURN TO PORTLAND TO SEE HOW THE SUNKEN ATTRACTION IS PROGRESSING
MICHELE WESTMORLAND IS ENTRANCED BY THE COSTA RICAN DIVING ICON
REPORT FROM THE DIVE EVENT OF 2020
Cold-water
DIVING ESSENTIALS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE WEARING AS TEMPERATURES PLUMMET
#37 | £3.25 03
+
THE MALDIVES
p001_ScubaDiver-37.indd 1
‣ SOLOMON ISLANDS ‣ UW PHOTOGRAPHY
9 772514
PHOTOGRAPH BY: JASON BROWN
205004
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21/02/2020 14:49
REGULAR COLUMNS
FEATURES...
8 News
22 The Maldives
An Apeks reg survives months underwater, an earthquake in the Caribbean, Greek shipwrecks opening up to divers, a swordfish in Scotland, and the freediving world mourns Carla Hanson.
68 Underwater Photography
Mario Vitalini explains how using a slow shutter speed can add a new dimension to your underwater image portfolio.
72 Photographer of the Month
Lena Kavender and Byron Conroy venture to the newly opened You & Me by Cocoon Maldives resort, and are left speechless by the diving opportunities around the Raa Atoll.
30 Cold-water diving essentials
As the UK waters are at their coldest, we look at how to adequately deal with the temperatures both topside and in the water, focusing on the right equipment and how to maintain your core warmth.
38 The Next Generation
On our series showcasing talented underwater photographers, we focus on Jade Hoksbergen.
We talk to Tallie Brazier, who has been racking up the certs since first diving at the age of 9, and take a look at the latest from Canary Divers’ Youth Diver Network.
98 OWUSS Scholarship
40 Q&A: Aron Arngrimsson
Kim Hildebrandt dives the Poor Knights in New Zealand, before diving with bull sharks in Fiji’s Beqa Lagoon.
6
We talk to the founder of The Dirty Dozen Expeditions, which specialise in legendary locations such as Truk Lagoon and Bikini Atoll, and find out how he got started, and what drives him on in diving.
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CONTENTS
...CONTINUED
GEAR GUIDE
44 ABOVE 18m: Portland
82 What’s New
Stuart Philpott returns to Portland to dive the Underwater Curiosity Park again, to see what has happened with Phase II, and also the damage caused by a careless fisherman.
50 Costa Rica
Michele Westmorland makes the epic voyage to the Cocos Islands on the Okeanos Aggressor II and finds that this is one iconic dive destination that more than lives up to the hype.
58 GO Diving Show: Report on the 2020 event
Thousands of divers flocked to the Ricoh Arena for the second GO Diving Show. We report from the show floor of this interactive, immersive event that was headlined by TV star Steve Backshall.
76 TECHNICAL: USS Atlanta
It took Pete Mesley from Lust4Rust 23 years to fulfil his dream of diving on the USS Atlanta light cruiser in the Solomon Islands, but thankfully, it more than surpassed his expectations.
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We take a look at new products to market, including Fourth Element’s Xerotherm hoodie, the Scubapro A2 dive computer, the Mares Pure Wire mask, and Beuchat’s Premium neoprene gloves.
84 Gear Guide
Editor-in-Chief Mark Evans heads to Vivian Quarry in North Wales to rate and review a selection of budget-priced regulators that are wallet-friendly, coming in under £275.
94 Long Term Test
The Scuba Diver Test Team rate and review a selection of products over a six-month period, including the Beuchat Aquabionic fins, Mares Genius dive computer, Scubapro G2, the Apeks VX1 mask, and the Aqua Lung Bali and AquaFlex wetsuits.
7
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 or follow us on our various social media (@scubadivermag) www.scubadivermag.com/news
LOST APEKS REGULATOR SURVIVES
3 YEARS SUBMERGED IN THE SEA
I
n 2016, a diver had to ditch his rig during a drift dive in Norway. Three years later, he found it again… The cold Norwegian ocean had claimed much of the kit for herself and was beyond repair. However, the diver noticed that his Apeks regulators were still pressurised and his cylinder still contained air. Despite the cold, fast currents, the debris, salt water and the sea life, they hadn’t free-flowed or leaked. They were fully functioning and just in need of a good clean. After three years, his XTX50s were ready for someone to take another breath. When Apeks heard about the story, the Blackburn-based team knew they wanted to get their hands on the regulators and test them in their workshop to find out what the ultimate salt-water test did to the performance of one of their regulators. This is the story of Per Wichstad’s XTX50… Speaking from his home in Norway, Per told us: “I participated in a border dive in 2016, passing underneath the old Svinesund bridge in Norway and through into Sweden. The straight between Norway and Sweden is at its narrowest here and there is a very strong tidal current and the visibility is extremely poor, maybe one to two metres. That time I got into trouble underwater and a chain of events led to me dumping most of my rig to stay afloat. I was quite sure somebody else would find the gear, after all there were 10-15 divers in the water. Unfortunately, due to the strong current and low visibility, no one was able to find it. “I again joined the border dive this year and what do you know, I swam directly into my old gear at 25m depth. What a strange feeling to see the old equipment in this murky water. Some crabs had used my gear as a home. After some time, we were able to lift my rig to the surface.” When Apeks received the regulators from Per, their first task was to empty out the crab shells, stones, sea life and sand that had accumulated inside the regs over the three
8
years. Despite the encrustation covering most of the parts, the first stage turret still swivelled smoothly and the second stage adjusters were still fully operational. Reassured that the regulators didn’t need any mechanical intervention or immediate servicing, the Apeks team put them straight onto their ANSTI Machine to simulate a dive to see how they performed underwater. When they realised that the inter-stage pressure was still at factory settings, it was clear they were in for a good test. They pressurised the chamber to
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IEN R F DIVING WITH
53m and dropped the water temperature down to 3 degrees C. With a breathing rate set to 25 breaths a minute, they stood back and waited to see what would happen. Despite everything they had been through, despite three years of lying in salt water, the entire XTX50 stage three set performed at a standard that would pass the EN250A cold water regulation – straight off the seabed. The Apeks team were swift to point out that was not an advert for not properly maintaining and servicing your regulators, but said it was nice to know that when they say you can trust an Apeks regulator, this story shows that you really can. www.apeksdiving.com/uk
DS
MALDIVES INDONESIA THAILAND EGYPT SPAIN OMAN MAURITIUS JAPAN CROATIA
TSUNAMI WARNINGS FOLLOW POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES IN THE CARIBBEAN Tsunami warnings were put in place for countries including Belize, Cuba, Honduras, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica after a powerful 7.7-magnitude deepwater earthquake, followed by a 6.1-magnitude ‘aftershock’ two hours later, at the end of January. Thankfully, the warnings from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) about potentially hazardous waves threatening coastlines within 186 miles of the earthquakes were later withdrawn when they said the ‘tsunami threat had now largely passed’. The earthquake was described as a ‘strike-slip’ quake, where tectonic plates slide against each other, which limits the threats of tsunamis, which usually follow ‘thrust’ earthquakes, where a section of the earth is pushed upwards. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the initial earthquake’s epicentre was at a depth of 6.2 miles in an area between Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Cuba. Tremors were felt across the Caribbean, and it even caused some offices in Miami to be evacuated. The second ‘aftershock’ was closer to the Cayman Islands. No casualties have been reported, but there has been some damage to roads and infrastructure in several countries around the earthquakes.
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BRITANNIC AND OTHER WARTIME WRECKS WILL BE OPENED TO DIVERS Wartime wrecks in the Aegean, including the Britannic – the sister ship of the Titanic – could soon be open to divers, under new legislation being discussed by the Greek government. The proposals will be voted on next month, and could see an end to the currently exhaustive rules surrounding this famous wreck and other sunken vessels and airplanes, which are off-limits to divers unless a – rarely granted - permit is granted. The new legislation would permit diving on wrecks sunken between 1860 and 1970. As well as the Britannic, this would include a Junkers Ju 52 aircraft that crashed off the coast of Paros in 1943, and the World War Two British submarine HMS Perseus, which sank after hitting a mine in 1941 and went down with 60 of its 61 crew members still inside. Shipwrecks from before 1860 would still be protected by the existing laws.
GREATEST MARITIME DISASTER IN HISTORY FOCUS OF NEW BOOK ROUTE OF DEATH On 30 January, it was the 75th anniversary of the world’s biggest sea catastrophe – the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff – and a new book published on that day focuses on the fatal Route of Death that led to this disaster. Routh of Death, written by Tomasz Stachura, the man behind Santi Diving, co-founder of the Baltictech event, and an acknowledged expert on deep wrecks, shipwreck photography, and challenging expeditions – he is a Member of The Explorers Club – describes the extraordinary history of Operational Hannibal. Conducted at the end of World War Two, its aim was to save civilians living in East Prussia and the remains of the Germany Army pushed by the Russians to the shores of the Gulf of Gdansk. The Wilhelm Gustloff, originally a German passenger vessel, was converted into a hospital ship and floating barracks for the operation, and when it was sunk in 1945, nearly 10,000 people died. “I think the 75th anniversary is an ideal moment to commemorate the whole history of Operation Hannibal and what happened then. I was inspired to write the book by the inventories of the Gustloff, Steuben and Goya wrecks, which we, as a Baltictech group, did last year. During our work I took hundreds of underwater photos. In the book I placed those that will be published for the first time. I have also included a lot of historical information that describes the last days of East Prussia from the perspective of the marine evacuation. I think that the book as a whole is very interesting and presents those events in a refreshed version,” said Tomasz. www.stachuraphoto.com
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A bell ringing ceremony took place on 21 January 2020 to celebrate the first RNLI lifeboat to host the names of thousands of loved ones. Over 9,500 people are being commemorated in a unique and special way, as their names are proudly displayed in the operational letters and numbers (decal), on the hull of the new Launch a Memory boat. Approximately 200 RNLI staff members and volunteers attended the event at the All-Weather Lifeboat Centre (ALC) in Poole, Dorset, to see the unique Launch a Memory vessel being lowered into the water for the very first time. A minute’s silence was held just before midday, to remember loved ones whose names had been carefully placed on to the side of the lifeboat and to also pay respect to five crew who perished in the Fraserburgh disaster, 50 years ago to the day. As per nautical tradition, the bell rang eight times, to signal the ‘end of watch’ on a naval ship and the start of a new watch. The Agnes A P Barr – the first Launch a Memory lifeboat in the RNLI’s history – will be stationed at Invergordon Lifeboat Station, northern Scotland, once a series of sea trials and tests are complete on the Shannon class boat. Four crew members from Invergordon Lifeboat Station made the 1,276 mile round-trip to attend the ceremony and have a first look at their new lifeboat, which is replacing the Trent-class Douglas Aikman Smith. Andrew Murray, RNLI Coxswain at Invergordon Lifeboat Station, says: “We are absolutely delighted to be receiving Agnes A P Barr later this year – especially as it will have the names of over 9,500 loved ones who are being commemorated in this wonderful way. It’s very humbling to see the special decal on our new Shannonclass. The volunteer crew at Invergordon Lifeboat Station feel honoured to receive something which means so much to so many people and will last for years to come. We feel privileged to be able to launch with people’s memories by our side, while helping those in need in all weathers.” RNLI supporter and fundraiser, Sharon Mason, added the names of two family members to the Launch a Memory lifeboat. She says: “It’s such an amazing feeling that my dad’s and grandad’s names are on a lifeboat, as my dad supported the RNLI all of his life. To be given the opportunity to have his name on the lifeboat and to see it on there is brilliant.” The Launch a Memory lifeboat is the first Shannon-class to roll off the RNLI’s production line this decade and it is the 37th boat to join the RNLI fleet. rnli.org.uk/bytheirside
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A gigantic fin whale which beached itself on the Cornish coastline on Friday sadly died after valiant attempts to rescue it. The 20-metre-long mammal had been seen swimming around near Nare Point in the morning, but at around midday, it was found beached on rocks at Parbean Cove on the Lizard Peninsula. British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) despatched Marine Mammal Medics and Welfare Development and Field Support Officer Dan Jarvis to the scene, where people were doing their best to dowse it in water and keep it alive until the next high tide. Dan Jarvis said: “The fin whale was stranded high up the rocky beach, which had caused numerous superficial injuries all over its body and there was evidence that it must have rolled over at some point after it had become stuck. “There were also a number of more-concerning injuries where the weight and movement of the animal had caused deeper wounds, especially around the tail where it had been thrashing and beating its flukes on the rocks, creating a horrific noise like thunder. “It was also in very poor nutritional condition, which means that it had not been feeding for quite some time.” The medics quickly noticed just after they arrived that the animal appeared to be in its death throes, opening the mouth wide and holding the tail up at the same time, and had stopped breathing. Eye reflexes were tested, and no longer responded after about half an hour, by which time BDMLR’s Veterinary Support Co-ordinator Natalie Waddington arrived and confirmed that it had passed away. www.bdmlr.org
FREEDIVING WORLD MOURNS DEATH OF AIDA INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT CARLA HANSON Carla Hanson, the President of the freediving governing body AIDA International has died in California following a short battle with cancer. Affectionately known as ‘Madame President’, Carla had been President of AIDA International since 2016 and was recently re-elected for the 2020 mandate. She was also a regular in the DeeperBlue.com team at events such as the DEMA Show and the Blue Wild Show. Prior to this role had held several roles in the organization totaling a decade of volunteering for AIDA. She was widely regarded as an iconic figure in the freediving community. She passed away on Thursday 6 February in hospital surrounded by her family.
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OLIVIER VAN OVERBEEK ACCEPTS RAID UK & MALTA TRAINING DIRECTOR POSITION Olivier van Overbeek, who has been a RAID Instructor Trainer for six years and has worked in the UK and Malta in various consultant positions for RAID UK and RAID International, has now accepted the position of RAID UK & Malta Training Director. RAID UK & Malta had been without a Training Director/ Manager for over six months, and initially it didn’t seem like that role was that crucial. RAID International head honcho Paul Toomer is UK-based, but as he started working with James Rogers (Managing Director for RAID UK & Malta) on various projects, it kept becoming clear that the agency needed some structure in the RAID UK training department. Given that Oil was already working with RAID International on course design and consulting for the training department internationally, it seemed only logical for him to fill that void for the UK. He’s been in this role for just over two months now, and has made some bold steps towards how RAID want the next five years to look like for the UK/Malta. This includes acquisition of new and existing talents, as well as creating regular HQ-led events to help RAID Instructors and Dive Centres succeed. Oli said: “In the last two years, I bought and rebuilt DiveLife in Manchester and turned it into a premier shop and training centre that offers RAID only. DiveLife has been a little bit of a case study project of mine, showing how the RAID system can help a business in much more than simply providing cert numbers. “2020 will see some exciting steps forward from RAID in general, and the UK aims to not only partake in this, but more to the point, provide a leading example in strength, growth and support for all.” www.diveraid.com
HUGE SPERM WHALE DIES AFTER STRANDING NEAR THAMES ESTUARY A massive sperm whale which was first sighted off Whitstable on Thursday 30 January sadly died after becoming stranded. Concerns for the monster mammal were immediately raised when it was spotted a mere 100 metres off the Kent coast, and members of the Coastguard, Marine Police Unit and British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) were swiftly on station to monitor the situation. Over the next couple of days, the 15-metre-long whale was seen swimming up and down the Swale, the channel between the mainland and the Isle of Sheppey, but at the time, a BDMLR spokesman said: “We believe that at times it has been grounded while still being supported in the water, when the tide has been at the lowest point. It has still been swimming, but its movements were not smooth, and it appeared to be distressed and confused, constantly changing direction but not travelling far.” They added: “There is also evidence of a slight injury to the animal’s head.” The concerns about the animal’s welfare proved well-founded when it was discovered dead on sandbanks on 2 February.
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Dr Oliver Firth is a diving doctor with over 22 years of diving experience. He is an Approved Medical Examiner of Divers for the UK HSE and a medical referee for the UK Diving Medical Committee, performing many hundreds of diving medicals a year. As the senior doctor at London Diving Chamber for the last 13 years, he has supervised the treatment of hundreds of cases of decompression illness. He has now set up Hyperdive (www.hyperdive.co.uk) to continue his diving medical work with a global audience. With his accumulated experience, he has seen most things a diver might come across, but remains eager to hear from anyone with a medical conundrum they need a solution to! divingdoctor@scubadivermag.com Q: I am aged 62 and recently had a left rhegmatogenous detached retina. This was successfully operated upon earlier this year. The letter I received details the procedure: ‘a left pars plana vitrectomy, retinopexy with endolaser, internal tamponade with SF6 gas’. As a diver I became concerned at the mention of gas, but was told that it would be reabsorbed and should not be a problem. Am I correct in thinking this - and if so, when would I be allowed to dive again? I am otherwise fit and well. A: A rhegmatogenous retinal detachment occurs when a tear in the retina leads to fluid accumulation, which peels the retina away from the light-sensing pigments underneath. This is the most-common type of retinal detachment, and typically presents with such optical illusions as floaters, flashing lights and loss of the peripheral visual field. It’s vital to repair the detachment as soon as possible, to minimise the risk of permanent loss of vision. There are several methods used to do this; translating the details from your letter, the gelatinous filling (the ‘vitreous’) of your eyeball was removed, and it was then pumped full of a gas called sulphur hexafluoride, which seals the tear in the retina. The gas is normally reabsorbed after a few weeks. Some 85 per cent of cases are successfully treated with one operation; some require a further procedure. So, once your eye surgeon is happy with your recovery, get along to your local dive doc with their discharge letter - I suspect by this stage any gas within the eye will have disappeared. Q: I’ve been travelling around the globe on a very delayed gap year
(I’m now 36!). At least this means I’m not on the traditional shoestring student budget, so I can afford to do things like diving. I’m Advanced Open Water qualified and have racked up over 100 dives. Anyway, I ended up in Fiji, and after a 40-minute dive to a maximum depth of 26m came up with a headache, sore joints and a blotchy rash on my stomach. I was taken to the chamber and recompressed with oxygen. To cut a long story short, the treatment didn’t help and in fact I came out feeling worse, with fevers, shivers, shakes and nausea. I was eventually evacuated back to the UK, where after a lot of head scratching and pints of blood samples being taken, I’ve been diagnosed with Dengue fever. I’m feeling a lot better since starting treatment, but I’m still unsure as to whether I was bent and this was a coincidence, and whether I can dive again? A: I can totally see why recompression treatment was given to you here, but this just goes to show that even the most-apparently obvious case of ‘the bends’ can turn out to be something else. Dengue fever is a potentially life-threatening illness, characterised by sudden onset of muscle and bone pains with fever and headache is classic. It can cause serious bleeding problems, and lower the white blood cell and platelet counts. Treatment is basically supportive while your body does the hard work to eradicate the virus – fluids in large quantities, and sometimes blood or platelet transfusions are necessary. The key differentiating factor is the high fever – this would be more indicative of infection than bubble-related disease. Once you’re fully recovered, you should be able to get back to diving.
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BOND: BEHIND THE SCENES
With the launch of No Time to Die, UW cameraman Rich Stevenson takes us behind the cameras of this James Bond epic
Q&A: DAVID ALLEN
We talk to talented artist David Allen, who produces amazingly detailed black-andwhite pencil drawings of marine life
UPY 2020 - THE WINNERS
We reveal the winners of the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition, who were unveiled at the GO Diving Show
TECH: THE CAVES OF HERAULT Chris Jewell and Andy Torbet head to France to explore the Gourneyras cave system in the Herault region
GEAR GUIDE - REGULATORS
Bunaken National Marine Park
As the water is cold, it’s the perfect time for the Test Team to head to Vivian to rate and review a selection of mid-price regulators
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Byron Conroy and Lena Kavender soak up the atmosphere on the five-star luxury You and Me by Cocoon Maldives resort, and find it simply stunning both above and below the surface PHOTOGRAPHS BY BYRON CONROY
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A
s my partner and I board the 12-seat TransMaldivian propeller seaplane, the pilot hands us some earplugs while announcing with a smile that it might be a bit of a noisy ride. The propellers start spinning and we glide on the water away from the Male seaplane terminal. Once in the air, and with the much-appreciated earplugs in place, I look down towards the crystal-clear turquoise water below us. The flat surface is only interrupted by occasional sand banks and perfectly shaped islands surrounded by sand whiter than sugar. When spotting a pod of spinner dolphins, I can´t help but thinking this must be paradise on Earth. The Republic of the Maldives consists of 26 atolls built up by close to 2,000 coral cays. The coral reefs and sand banks creating the Maldivian archipelago sits atop a submarine mountain ridge rising from the depths of the Indian Ocean. Some 50 minutes later we arrive at the You and Me by Cocoon Maldives resort, and are greeted by General Manager Jay and his team. After a welcoming glass of chilled processo and island briefing, we check into a stunning over-water Manta villa, built in authentic Maldivian wooden-style. Being divers and ocean lovers, you can imagine the excitement when seeing the ladder from our balcony dropping right into the sea. Minutes later we grab our masks and fins and make a big leap into the 30-degree C warm Indian Ocean. To our delight, it turns out our closest neighbours are a school of powderblue tangs having their residence underneath our villa.
DIVING THE RAA ATOLL WITH EMPEROR DIVERS
As keen divers, the main focus during our stay is to explore the underwater world of Raa Atoll. This is easily arranged thanks to the You and Me dive centre operated by Emperor Divers Maldives. Dive Managers Lana and Frank have promised to show us some of their personal favourite sites with a good chance of pelagic encounters, which could hopefully offer some good wide-angle photo opportunities. The following morning we set out for an early two-tank dive trip of one of the resort’s Dhonis or traditional Maldivian dive boats. We are joined by a German couple celebrating their 50th dive trip to the Maldives. That, if anything, must be a sign the diving here is pretty special!
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Shoal of snapper on the reef
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The other couples joining us this evening are not divers and the excitement on their faces during their first encounter with a larger marine animal is a priceless sight
What a view from the infiniti pool
The water villas have direct access to the ocean
Coral-encrusted coral reef
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A short boat ride later we arrive at The Pink Snapper. When descending into the clear blue water, I can immediately spot the bottom 30m-plus below us. We are met by a healthy current and decide to use our reef hooks to be able to stay at the spot with the most marine life action. A few minutes into the dive we are joined by a family of no less than 11 spotted eagle rays hovering above our heads. In front of us numerous reef sharks circled in the blue waters. After 30 minutes of shark and ray action, we let ourselves drift over the top of the reef catching up with huge schools of red snapper, blue-lined snapper and oriental sweetlips. What felt like minutes turns out to be an hour, and that´s our cue for safety stop and ascent. After a surface interval of relaxation, sunbathing, tropical fruit eating and rehydration we´re ready to jump in for a second dive. This time at the local pride You and Me Giri. Giri is the Maldivian word for shallow coral bommie in the local language Dhivehi. Caverns and overhangs covered in tiny glassfish together with schooling yellow snapper dominate this dive site. The Giri is covered in colourful soft coral and gorgonian seafans. Huge moray eels inhabit the overhangs. Outside of one of the caverns a group of sweetlips are hanging out, watching their human visitors from a safe distance. At noon we are back on the You and Me island. While walking along the jetty towards our villa I spot a school of tiny baitfish swimming around in circles in the shallow water next to the beach. Moments later we spot several juvenile
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After 30 minutes of shark and ray action, we let ourselves drift over the top of the reef catching up with huge schools of red snapper, blue-lined snapper and oriental sweetlips Anemonefish
blacktip reef sharks playing with the baitfish. Lunch suddenly feels less important and instead we grab our masks and jump in the water. These baby sharks are friendlier and less shy than expected. They let us get pretty close and we even manage to snap a few shots. Juvenile reef sharks typically spend their youth in extremely shallow waters inside lagoons or along shorelines. This is to protect themselves amongst larger grouper or other sharks, before moving out to the reef channels as they grow bigger.
POSTCARD PARADISE
Even though the diving and the marine life in Raa Atoll is phenomenal, this place has a lot more to offer. The Watersports Centre managed by Emperor Divers offers snorkelling excursions, sailing and jet ski rental to name but a few. It´s also possible to book private island romantic dinners, dolphin and sunset cruises on a private boat, visits to a local island and fishing trips. This makes it a great destination for divers and non-divers alike. You and Me is possibly the most-relaxing and stunning island I have had the pleasure to experience. The white sand, the turquoise ocean and the romantic atmosphere makes me feel like I’m walking around in a ´tropical paradise´ postcard. Being a five-star adult-only resort, it´s the perfect escape for honeymooners, lovers or friends looking for a peaceful stressfree holiday. After a day of great diving we spend the evening at Cheers Bar overlooking the beautiful pool area and the beach. While watching a phenomenal sunset and sipping at one of the bartender´s signature cocktails, there is simply no other place I would rather be right now. Searching for critters
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The Maldives and especially Raa Atoll is one of very few places I have visited where I have hardly seen any plastic in the ocean, at the dive sites or on the beach. The resort itself has a policy to minimize the use of plastic and aims at producing as little rubbish as possible. For example, by only using refillable glass bottles, no plastic straws or plastic wrapping, etc.
UNDERWATER DINING
As we all know, diving makes you hungry and luckily there are four restaurants on the island. On our last night my partner and I decide to make a reservation at the most spectacular of them all – the H20 underwater restaurant. Together with a few other couples we are getting picked up by boat for a short transfer to our dinner destination. Minutes later we arrive to a wooden villa built on stilts above the water. The sun is just about to set, spreading a golden light over the ocean. We step into the over-water villa and follow the staircase down until we reach ocean floor level at 6m below the surface. It is a surrealistic feeling to find myself standing on the ocean floor with fish swimming above my head, yet being dry and able to breath without my regulators!
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Huge plume of soft corals
The white sand, the turquoise ocean and the romantic atmosphere makes me feel like I’m walking around in a ‘tropical paradise’ postcard
Reef shark in the shallows
There is still some daylight as the first of our six courses are being served. I’m just about to dig into a delicious blini with caviar and crème fraiche, as my partner suddenly races up shouting “marble ray!” Just in time I look up to see this huge stingray swimming straight up over the top of the glass roof. The other couples joining us this evening are not divers and the excitement on their faces during their first encounter with a larger marine animal is a priceless sight. Six courses and a bottle of wine later we have seen the ocean transform from twilight to dark, while observing the behaviour of the marine life as the natural light disappears more and more. Thanks to the artificial lights from the restaurant, there´s still a huge amount of fish surrounding the glass. This dinner was not just about the excellent fine dining six-course menu, it was an experience we will remember for life.
CORAL RESTORATION
From the underwater restaurant, we also got a good view of the resort´s coral restoration project. This co-operation between the You and Me resort and the Maldivian Government involves planting corals in the shallow water of the lagoon. The corals are then being monitored in order to record how, and at what rate, they are growing. This is done as part of a scientific coral restoration and coral research programme. The Maldives is highly dependent on its coral reefs for tourism and fishing industries as well as the marine fauna. Coral reefs play a fundamental role in food provision, shoreline protection and tourism revenue. As we all know,
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coral reefs all over our planet are struggling due to rising sea temperatures, hurricanes, pollution, etc. The Maldives in no exception, however, fortunately the Maldivian coral reefs have also shown great capacity for resilience in the past with coral recovery being among the best recorded in the Indian Ocean. From talking to General Manager Jay and his colleagues, I could really sense how passionate the whole You and Me team are about the environment in which they live and work. The coral restoration as well as the no-plastic approach are just a few examples. Yet another of their efforts and conservation projects is the recycling of the island´s desalinated freshwater. Water from taps, showers and aircon units are being used for vegetation watering. The resort also has in the pipeline to install solar energy to further minimize their carbon footprints and for a sustainable future. Despite being opened for less than a year, the You and Me has managed to provide us with a once-in-a-lifetime dream holiday. Much thanks to the passionate and experienced team, but also the romantic and genuine layout of the villas, restaurants and outdoor areas. As it´s time for us to check out, I have already started to plan for our next visit to this fantastic island. n
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As the temperatures plummet and the chances of ice and snow increase, Mark Evans urges those who are still diving in this country to be adequately prepared PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK EVANS
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Keep warm topside while setting up
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his may be the UK diving ‘off-season’, but there are plenty of hardcore divers out there who are committed to diving all year round, relishing the quiet dive sites and quite phenomenal visibility we are often treated to through the winter months. I am one of those certifiable nutcases - I mean, hardy souls - who dive 12 months of the year in this country, and as we descend into the coldest times of the winter period, I thought it was a prime opportunity to pass on some sage advice about the best ways to stay warm both underwater on the dives themselves and on the surface before, between and after dives. Many veteran UK divers will have their thermal protection well dialled in, but there are always new tips and techniques that you can add to your repertoire, and for those thinking of venturing into British waters in the winter months for the first time, hopefully you will find this article useful. First up, keep your undersuit in the house - nothing worse than donning a cold undersuit that has been languishing in the garage with the rest of your dive kit. I know that may sound common sense, but you would not believe the number of people I have seen at inland dive sites hauling their undersuit out of their kit boxes and then complaining how cold it is! In fact, as you will see later on, I’d suggest wearing your undersuit to go to the dive site, or at least your base layer under your normal clothes, so that you build up a solid core temperature. You are also going to need an undersuit that is suitable for more-extreme temperatures - you might get away with a thin base layer in the summer, but that won’t cut the mustard in the winter. Think the likes of Fourth Element’s Arctic Expedition or Halo 3D, Weezle’s Extreme or O’Three’s Point Below Base system. Even with one of these purpose-built undersuits, depending on the water temperature, you might also want to add additional base layers to give you a thicker thermal buffer between your body and your drysuit. And remember, if you are in a trilaminate drysuit, you will need more undergarment protection than with a neoprene drysuit,
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Returning from a winter dive
as these offer no thermal properties at all, unlike compressed or non-compressed neoprene. It is also a good idea to bring your drysuit into the house the night before a diving day, so that it is not icy-cold from being stored in the garage or shed as well. Every little helps, and no point utilising some of that hard-earned core temperature on warming up the interior of your drysuit before you have even got near the water. So that’s most of your body sorted, but what about your hands and head? Let’s start at the top. I’d say that a minimum of a 5mm hood is essential, and if you can get your hands on a 7mm or even a 10mm - yes, they do exist! - version, go for it. When the water is particularly cold, even with a hood on you still get a bit of that ice-cream headache when you first go under the water, so the sooner your head warms up - and stays warm for as long as possible - the better. Whatever thickness of hood, get it on as soon as you take your thermal hat off to reduce loss of heat. A good undersuit and drygloves can help fend off the cold
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Drysuits are a must in cold-water conditions
Heated vests are a great addition to your winter kit
With your hands, you have a couple of options. You can go for a 5mm or 7mm pair of normal neoprene gloves, or even a pair of ‘lobster mitts’, which keep your thumb and index finger separate, but encase the other three together. In my experience, these are warmer than standard gloves, but you do lose a bit of dexterity - it is all about pay-off, and I’d sooner have warmer hands, as once your fingers get cold, you can’t feel anything anyway! Alternatively, you could go the dryglove route. There are some on the market, such as the Scubapro Easy Don DryGlove, which can be worn with any drysuit. Or you can get the likes of the KUBI DryGlove System, which can be retro-fitted to any drysuit and actually attach the dryglove to the sleeves of your suit. Drygloves, as the name suggests, keep your hands dry, and you can then wear various thicknesses of glove liner beneath them. Regardless of brand or design, drygloves do take some getting used to. They can feel a bit ‘spongy’ on the surface, with a lack of dexterity, but once you attain some depth, they compress on to your hands and the feel is more akin to 2-3mm neoprene gloves.
BREAK OUT THE TECHNOLOGY
If you really feel the cold, then you might want to draft in some technological help to keep warm. Several firms, including Thermalution, O’Three, Santi, Mares and Ursuit, make heated vests and suits, which take undergarment thermal protection to a whole new level. There really is nothing else that can compare with that feeling of batteryoperated heat when you are in seriously chilly conditions. I’ve even used a couple of heated vest systems when I have been out mountain biking over the winter! Taking battery-operated heating systems even further, Santi even do a heated glove liner! Yes, instead of standard glove liners under your drygloves, you can have a glove liner that has heating elements built in, keeping your digits nice and toasty. And if you don’t want to get that ‘frozen cheek’ feeling, then you can swap out your mask and regular second stage for a full-face mask, like the Ocean Reef Space. Your entire face is enclosed within the mask, and your hood will seal around the outer skirt, offering the ultimate in exposure protection for your face.
You are also going to need an undersuit that is suitable for moreextreme temperatures - you might get away with a thin base layer in the summer, but that won’t cut the mustard in the winter WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM
Vis can often be better in the winter months
TOPSIDE TOASTINESS
It isn’t just when you are underwater that you need to be properly thermally protected. In fact, when it gets really cold here in the UK, you often find that the water temperature at inland dive sites - and definitely the sea if you are lucky enough to get a break in the weather that lets you dive a coastal site - is warmer than the surface temperatures, so it is vitally important you think about what you are going to do when you are out of the water. The warmer you are before you venture into the water, the better, so I’d advocate being well wrapped up right until the moment of the dive. So think drysuit undergarments under thick tracksuit bottoms, or even hiking trousers if it is really cold, fleece tops of varying thickness, gilets, scarves or neck buffs, fleece hats and gloves for when you arrive at the dive site and are getting your dive kit assembled. Once you are into your drysuit, keep the hat and gloves on until the last minute to retain as much warmth in your body as possible. Equally, as soon as you exit the water and are back at your vehicle, get that hat and gloves back on. If you have the likes of a DryRobe, slip that over the top of your drysuit - it is amazing how much warmer you will feel within a very short time by cutting out wind chill and adding another layer of thermal protection. I’d suggest doing this every time you are out of the water, even if it is just during the day between dives - in fact, this is probably the most vital time to maintain your core temperature, as you don’t want to be getting back in the water for a second dive already feeling cold as that is just asking for trouble. When you eventually get out of your drysuit, leave your undersuit on and then redon all the additional gear - trackie bottoms/hiking trousers, fleece, gilet, etc - to ensure that your core temperature doesn’t plummet. However, if your undersuit is damp, or wet from a drysuit leak, don’t soldier on - get yourself dry as soon as you can and put dry clothes on. If you are at a remote dive site with no facilities, make sure you have a thermos of hot tea, coffee or chocolate to further warm up your core. A chocolate bar can also give you a nice boost, though I am sure this is more mental than physical! If you are at a commercial inland site, get into the warmth of their café or restaurant area, and get some warm food and drink inside you. n
The warmer you are before you venture into the water, the better, so I’d advocate being well wrapped up right until the moment of the dive A warm drink after diving helps heat up your core
Get a hat and gloves on as soon as possible
A dive in the snow can be.... refreshing!
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY…
Dr Oliver Firth, from Hyperdive, said: “Humans operate well in quite a narrow temperature range - if our core temperature drops more than a couple of degrees, we become hypothermic, with increasing weakness, confusion, dexterity problems and nasty heart arrhythmias the cooler we get. The main factor that contributes to divers getting cold is simply being wet; so the sooner we can dry off and warm up the better. A quick towel down, donning some warm clothes/blankets, a windproof layer to protect from wind chill and some pleasurable sips on a warming drink should be all that’s required to stave off potential hypothermia.” www.hyperdive.co.uk 34
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An experience without equal
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At Wakatobi, you don’t compromise on comfort to get away from it all. Our private guest flight brings you directly to this remote island, where all the indulgences of a world-class resort and luxury liveaboard await. Our dive team and private guides ensure your in-water experiences are perfectly matched to your abilities and interests. Your underwater encounters will create vivid and rewarding memories. While at the resort, or on board the dive yacht Pelagian, you need only ask and we will gladly provide any service or facility within our power. This unmatched combination of world-renowned reefs and first-class luxuries put Wakatobi in a category all its own.
YOUTH DIVER NETWORK
DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF DIVERS
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he Youth Diver Network, the brainchild of Kris Fearnley at Canary Divers, has been very busy promoting diving the last few months, including delivering a presentation to over 200 students to inspire youth to take up scuba diving as a sport, with fantastic results achieved so far! Youth Ambassador Sophie O’Dea, who at the time was aged ten years old, bravely stood in front of the 200-plus students, demonstrated assembling a scuba set and told them all about the dives she’s been doing, including her favourite - a night dive at Capernwray! Canary Divers staff Keith and Kris were on site to support her and help with the presentation.
CANARY DIVERS YOUTH MEMBERSHIP
Canary Divers have now launched a dedicated Youth Membership, which includes unlimited kit hire and 50 per cent off workshops that run year round, such as Advanced Dive Planning and Buoyancy, to keep them active , trained to a high standard and most importantly safe while diving! The whole view is it’s ‘Pocket Money Diving’, which makes the fantastic sport as accessible as football or tennis. www.canarydivers.com/item/youth-diver-membership
SOPHIE BECAMES ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVER
Youth Ambassador Sophie O’Dea has become Canary Divers’ youngest-ever Advanced Open Water Diver! She has completed speciality courses such as Nitrox, Night Diver, Equipment Techniques and Perfect Buoyancy! n
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RECOGNISING AND CELEBRATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCUBA DIVERS The Next Generation section is aimed squarely at keen kids and talented teens, those youngsters who have embraced the underwater realm and are driving new blood into the diving fraternity. Tune in each month for Case Studies, reports, kit reviews and articles from our diving youth. Got a story to share about a young diver? - Email: mark@scubadivermag.com to be included in a future edition of The Next Generation!
PROFILE: TALLIE BRAZIER, 18, OSWESTRY, SHROPSHIRE I started diving at nine years of age on a ‘Discover Scuba’ in Spain with Dive Academy, Santa Pola. From that first dive my love of diving has continued and grown and to date I have 102 dives in my dive log. All of my courses have been with Dive Academy and I am a fully qualified PADI Rescue Diver, and plan to take my Divemaster when I turn 18 next year. My younger sister Cady, who is 14, is now a qualified Advanced Open Water Diver too! As a child I always had problems with my ears, and at 14 I was told by my consultant that I should no longer dive, which absolutely devastated me. However, we sought a second opinion which resulted in a small operation on my ear and I was then given the all clear to continue with my diving! Result!!!
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Strangely all of my dives to date have been outside of the UK! I have been diving in Spain and Greece, including many of the islands as well as Thailand, Cape Verde and Bali. My favourite dives so far have been The Zenobia in Cyprus and many of the dive sites in Bali. My ambition is to dive the Galapagos Islands and Iceland, although The Great Barrier Reef, Antarctica and Belize are on my hit list too! I am applying to Bangor University to study Marine Biology and Zoology next year, as my diving has given me a real appreciation for marine life. I want to study this, together with conservation, to help preserve our seas and marine life for future generations. n
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Q&A: Aron Arngrimsson We talk to technical diving instructor, explorer and director of Dirty Dozen Expeditions Aron Arngrimsson, who is showcasing the wonders of Truk Lagoon, Galapagos, Bikini Atoll and more to a new generation of recreational and technical divers PHOTOGRAPHS BY ARON ARNGRIMSSON
Q: When did you first get into diving? A: Somewhere in the 2000s my dad, Arngrimur Baldursson, booked me onto an Open Water Diver course. To be honest, I did not enjoy it. The instructor was far from inspiring, and I came away from the course feeling particularly disappointed, and certainly not like I had found my calling. Sometime afterwards, I set out on an adventure to travel the world, but soon realised the incredible experiences I was in search of were awaiting me beneath the waves. Far away from the miserable introduction to diving I had experienced at home, I began travelling and exploring the water world. I quickly realised the special connection I was forming with the ocean would no doubt become my life. Q: What was it that first drew you into technical diving, and where did you first get qualified as a technical diver. A: I remember reading a dive magazine (might have been yours, actually!) and seeing the Fourth Element advertisement
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with the infamous photo taken by Janne Suhohen from Divers of the Dark - divers in their rebreathers, hovering motionless at Hell’s Gate, immersed deep inside the divers’ paradise of Ojamo Mine, 60km out of Helsinki, Finland. I thought to myself, this is something I want to do. I had to create a practical plan to achieve this new goal. At that time I was working as a shellfish diver in Oban, Scotland. Not the best, or safest, job I’ve ever had, but it gave me the opportunity to be underwater for longer. After a series of not-very-nice incidents at work in the commercial field, I made the decision to leave the commercial world behind and bought a one-way ticket to Dahab, Egypt, to embark on more-advanced diver training and work towards my new goal. Arriving in Dahab, I met instructor Jonas Samuelsson, who ended up becoming my business partner! The business was an idea Jonas Samuelsson, Erik Brown and I had in 2011, a technical diving school called Team Blue Immersion, and this was where my technical diving focus got serious.
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Funnily enough, about ten years after seeing that photo of Janne diving at Hell’s Gate for Fourth Element, I had the pleasure of working with him in Ojamo Mine while supporting the filming of Dive Odyssey, a Divers of the Dark production starring Gemma Smith and Andy Torbet. Q: You have hosted several high-profile celebrity divers on recent Dirty Dozen Expeditions. What is it about having the likes of Jill Heinerth aboard that make these particular trips especially memorable for other guests? A: I do admit it was originally a completely selfish notion as I wanted to dive and learn from these high-profile divers first hand, but I soon realised I was not alone with this feeling. There is so much expertise, tips, tricks and protocols to absorb from a person when you spend ten days on a boat with them. Fostering awe-inspiring experiences with very strong teambuilding leaves people feeling like family, and this concept is what DDEs are all about. Imagine listening to a private presentation in Bikini Atoll from Richard Lundgren’s Mars project, or participating in group discussions on the hottest topics from Mark Powell’s book Deco For Divers with the man himself while you relax on deck and look out onto the Galapagos Islands. Watching on in wonderment as Jill Heinerth screens her latest network documentary with a live narration while in Truk Lagoon, and then to top it off actually getting to dive with these people? Truk Lagoon, Galapagos, Myanmar and Bikini are themselves mesmeric paradise destinations for divers of all standards to explore. Add into the mix the magical experience of spending time with people at the top of their field and it
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goes beyond the bounds of just another dive trip. On top of that, DDEs have focused on making your experience exceptional while onboard. We have worked closely with Blue O Two to create and tailor a bespoke diver experience - no other dive outfit offers this level of travel. In Truk Lagoon for example, small trips of 12 tech divers on a boat that sleeps 16 allows for space to relax, with an attentive crew, delicious food, and specially trained staff on board to take the best care of all the most-demanding technical diver. Our trips do cost a bit more than the average, but you know the age-old saying - you get what you pay for, and it should not be anything but an exceptional experience when you plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Q: You’ve been involved in all manner of film shoots for documentaries and commercials, which ones do you recall most fondly – and which for all the wrong reasons? A: National Geographic’s One Strange Rock was a really fun and interesting shoot with a great team, and it was surreal watching it back and hearing Will Smith talk about you diving Truk Lagoon! Working on Dive Odyssey, Divers of the Dark, that was shot in the Ojamo Mine, Finland, was a mad experience. The conditions were hardcore, freezing cold temps, dives up to three hours in darkness as we needed to ensure we were the only divers around the popular dive labyrinthine. Media diving isn’t all glamour and TV though. I vividly remember an embarrassing moment with Phil Short during this project. (Sidenote - it is said that he has been known to have a certain superpower around people like me, and while honoured and astonished to be diving on the same team as Phil Short, I must have felt the pressure). I entered the cold water from the edge of the ice hole we had created. Dressed in my CCR and seemingly ready to go, stages check, pre-dive safety check, team ready, but seeing Phil’s puzzled face at 6m was the moment I realised I did not have fins on. Once that little embarrassment had been rectified, I felt for the scooter lanyard to begin the journey. It was not adjusted to me properly, causing the scooter to take a hold of me and drag me through the tunnels as if I was riding a raging bull at a carnival all the way to Hell’s Gate. A comedy of errors that I can assure you I have learnt from. I laugh about it today, but my ego got bruised big time!
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Q: As an expedition diver and explorer, you were in the team that discovered the wreck of the USCGC Alexander Hamilton, 95m deep, off the coast of Iceland. This was a four-year project. What was it like when you finally made that breakthrough discovery? A: Placing the memorial plaque on the wreck during our second expedition on behalf of the families of the fallen men was an incredible event. I remember shedding a tear into my full-face mask, tears of joy to see the families find peace. Meeting Doug Hamilton the great, great, great, grandson of one of the founding fathers of America (you know, that man on the US$10 bill) on the christening of the new USCGC Alexander Hamilton in Charleston, SC… It was a crazy occurrence. Q: What is your most-memorable diving experience? A: Good question, but most certainly a hard one to choose. A dive that stands out at the moment is a great treasure hunt story. A diver lost a US$10,000 camera on the San Francisco Maru. I keenly opted to go and retrieve the treasure from the magnificent wreck. What the other divers (including my boss at the time) did not know was that I had a hydrophone speaker, generally used for diver recall, on the dive with me. Being serenaded by Pink Floyd while navigating a rather tight swim through hemispherical beach mines as the dulcet tones of Roger Waters asking ‘Hello, is there anybody in there?’ resonated through me was truly a haunting and beautiful underwater moment. I found the camera in the first five minutes. The dive was two hours. A close runner up is when we sailed for a month around Chuuk’s sister state, Yap, with 16 marine biologists while
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visiting 12 different atolls, of which many are extremely remote. The local people had not had any visitors for almost a year and during the dives we found ourselves swimming where no other divers had taken a breath before. Q: On the flip side, what is your worst memory when diving? A: Technical diving and overhead diving in mines, caves and wrecks inherently holds more risks than recreational diving, which is why we have so much training before heading off to explore such systems. So, sometimes, over time, it is normal to assume shit happens. Thinking about leaving your family alone while you methodically follow your training and find your way free through a complete silt-out deep inside a cave is very unpleasant and takes a lot of training and preparation to remain calm and be successful with your exit. I have participated in recovering a freediving fatality, which was a real test of my emotions. Once the task at had been completed, I had time to consider the situation. Perhaps the way we process these experiences is to learn from them, so once you have healed, and you move through the grief, you have matured. Afterwards, pushing your limits is an even-more-considered exercise, but I think that comes with experience level too. I have never forgotten that day, it will stay with me forever. For me now, safety is paramount every single dive I do, and on the trips we have strict safety protocols onboard and checks to ensure that everyone has a good time and isn’t made to feel uncomfortable or out of their depths. The Dirty Dozen Expeditions have implemented a SPLASH checklist for each diver and it has been a major success. Customised to each diver level - recreational, technical and CCR - this brilliant safety protocol is completed before each dive and has been a fantastic tool in accident prevention. Some divers are not so familiar with such strict standards, but the more dives we complete, the more the value of the SPLASH comes into its own.
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Q: What does the future hold for Aron Arngrimsson, and The Dirty Dozen Expeditions? A: I am getting married to my love, Nataliia Zharkova - that is a big part of the future for me! The Dirty Dozen Expeditions is truly a labour of love. As we grow as a company, we are so fortunate that our umbrella company, Blue O Two, has 16 boats in 12 different countries. It means there are a lot of keys to boats lying around, so we just have to come up with incredible adventures as we are only restricted by our imaginations. We started doing ‘off-piste’ non-diving and diving one-off crazy adventures exclusively for Dirty Dozen members. Exploring Chernobyl and learning how an ecosystem survives after such a devastating blow, diving an abandoned cold war ICBM missile complex that’s flooded in Washington, or finding the abandoned space shuttle in the cosmodrome in Baikonur. Divewise, I think I am most excited about the new trips for recreational divers. DDE are now offering itineraries in Truk for recreational divers. Launching in March 2021, and hosted by James Bond 007’s very own stuntman, Andy Torbet. Previously thought of as techdiver-only location, I have spent hours planning sensational routes around my favourite wrecks for single-tank divers. I still have a couple of spaces left if you want to discover what worldclass diving is for yourself. DDE has itineraries scheduled well in advance, up to 2025, so plenty of time to get stashing your treasure. n
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ABOVE Stuart Philpott returns to the Portland Underwater Curiosity Park to see what has been added to this ambitious dive attraction in Phase II PHOTOGRAPHS BY STUART PHILPOTT
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Derek Luckhurst with his sons
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n the early 2000s, Castletown on Portland Bill in Dorset used to be jam-packed with divers. The surrounding coastline offered a huge variety of wrecks and reefs and as an added bonus, the shallow harbour wrecks could be used as ‘back-up’ sites if the weather turned. But as time went on, UK diving began to tail off, the BSAC clubs reduced in numbers, overseas travel became increasingly popular and the Red Sea, Malta and Thailand were a better option for diver training. Over the past few years, local businessman Derek Luckhurst has been trying to rejuvenate Castletown and put it back on the diving map. Derek, who is a keen diver, came up with a scheme to build a shallow-water dive site suitable for novices and experienced divers somewhere close to Portland harbour, which could be used in virtually all weather conditions. After haggling with port authorities for more than three years, he got the go ahead to start building the Underwater Curiosity Park (UCP) on the outside of the breakwater close to the Dredger wreck and Balaclava Bay dive sites. Phase I was completed late-2017. This comprised of 18 ‘installations’, including large concrete pipe sections, anchors and a variety of different sculptures, all connected by a network of underwater guide ropes so that divers wouldn’t get lost during a tour. I covered Phase I of the UCP back in 2018 and was pleasantly surprised by Derek’s efforts. So far, he has spent more than £70,000 on the purchase and transportation of the installations, as well as paying an annual insurance premium. Late last year, my intention was to report on Phase II of the build. Derek had plans to add seven more installations, possibly including a Jeep or a tank, clean up any storm damage and add more guide ropes. But as usual, things didn’t go as planned. Normally it’s the unpredictability of the weather that throws me a curve ball, but on this occasion it was mostly down to the actions of a local fisherman. The new dive site was attracting large amounts of crabs and lobster, so a local fisherman came up with the bright idea to lay a string of pots inside the protected area. The result was total carnage! When he pulled in the pots they got snagged around the installations and either toppled them over or broke them in two. But this didn’t seem to deter him as he carried on laying the pots until Derek and the harbourmaster intervened. This led to Derek being verbally abused for threatening the fisherman’s livelihood! Crabbers Wharf
There was some damage to the Park
ARRIVAL AT THE SITE
The Underwater Curiosity Park is offered by nearly every dive centre and charter boat service operating in the Weymouth and Portland area. A few options are listed below. From Weymouth, there are several charter boats for hire, or contact the Old Harbour Dive Centre, owned by old hands Mary and Nigel. Costs are approximately £17 for a RIB dive and £20 for a hardboat dive. Skin Deep Dive Centre are based at Portland. Follow the main road (A354) onto the causeway. Carry on past the Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre car park, turn left at the mini roundabout and then follow the signs to Portland Marina. Or carry on to the next roundabout and take the left turn and double back to join the Marina access road. Underwater Explorers can be seen from the road side (Underwater Explorers provides a convenient pit-stop for gas top ups and last minute dive kit requirements).
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Marine growth is already prolific
The yellow buoys deter any passing boat traffic so there is no need to use SMBs, although carrying a DSMB would be advisable due to the fact that some of the guide ropes have now disappeared and it’s possible to wander off pisté! Portland marina was purposely built for the 2012 Olympics. They offer the full range of boat services, including overhauls, hard standings and moorings. Skin Deep and the Boat That Rocks bar/ restaurant are located on site. Skin Deep is run by Ian and Oona. They offer regular shuttles to all the harbour dive sites, including the Dredger and Balaclava Bay. Cost is around £18 for a dive at the Curiosity Park. Car parking is free. Or carry on into Castletown, where the Aqua Hotel and Dive Beyond reside. The hotel café cooks up a mean full English breakfast as well as offering a range of healthier options. There are 25 very reasonably priced rooms available, as well as a bar and on-site lecture facilities for dive club presentations. Dive Beyond sits next to the Aqua Hotel. They offer Curiosity Park dives virtually every weekend; cost is around £18 per person. The Castletown car park fee is about £3 for four hours. For early risers there are usually some free spaces available along the road side. In 2018, Crabbers Wharf four-star accommodation opened at the Castletown pier. Shaped like a boat, there are nine ‘cabins’ with sea views and balconies all furnished with a nautical theme. Every room has an en-suite, well-equipped kitchen, free car parking space and wi-fi. Contact Sarah Newman for bookings: www.crabberswharf.co.uk
A Sherman tank near Crabbers Wharf
DIVE BRIEFING
The UCP is located five minute’s boat ride from Castletown slipway. It is not accessible as a shore dive. There are four yellow buoys identifying the approximately 70 metre by 30 metre perimeter of the park. Derek moored his RIB to one of the buoys. Alternatively, use the Dredger mooring buoy and follow the guide rope running along the seabed, which leads directly into the park. The yellow buoys deter any passing boat traffic so there is no need to use SMBs, although carrying a DSMB would be advisable due to the fact that some of the guide ropes have now disappeared and it’s possible to wander off pisté! Maximum depth is around 10-12m and currents are minimal. Divers can use ten-litre or 12-litre cylinders filled with either nitrox or air. I would personally just use air. The site has started to attract a wide variety marine life, including various species of crabs, lobster, juvenile fish and cuttlefish. The seabed is made up of fine gravel and sand, so any wayward fin kicks will quickly reduce underwater visibility. On
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a good day there can be as much as eight to ten metre vis but the average is about three to four metres. Normally a tour of the site will take between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on how long divers stop and look at each installation.
THE DIVE
Derek took some time off work to give me a tour. Two of Derek’s sons also joined us on the clean-up expedition. For those with an astute eye, yes, Derek’s dive kit is slightly unconventional. He is using his yellow AAS as his primary! I followed Derek down the mooring line down to the seabed. At the end of the guide rope there were a number of huge two to three metre diameter concrete pipe sections. Derek said some had been pulled over during the recent antics. Fortunately, there was one still standing vertically. This made a great swim-through for fine-tuning buoyancy skills. There seemed to be an infestation of spider crabs.
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The shark is well encrusted with growth
Every installation was absolutely covered with them. The twoand-a-half-metre-long shark complete with wide open jaws was still intact. All the shiny paintwork had long gone and was replaced with a thick layer of marine growth. I somehow missed the diver statue on my first visit back in 2017, but this time around I found a decapitated body plus a few metres of tangled rope. The head was lying close by on the seabed next to a discarded lobster pot. The two massive anchors have been unaffected. I guess it would take more than a pot winch to shift several hundred kilos of metal. The orangey rust layer covering the tail flukes really brightened up my pictures. Visibility on the day was a poor two to three metres, so my apologies for the backscatter. We headed in a north-west direction towards the Dredger wreck and the harbour wall. On the way, we passed a number of Greek-looking statues, some had been knocked over and were half buried in the sand. Derek said one or two were missing altogether. We managed to re-right a smaller-looking cherub-shaped statue complete with spider crab. I was appalled by the amount of damage.
SCUBA DIVER VERDICT
Phase II of the Underwater Curiosity Park hadn’t quite gone as expected. I’m not sure what Derek’s plans are now? When we spoke at the end of last year, he was very upset by the incident and undecided whether or not to spend any more money on the venture. Apart from Derek and his sons, no one else seems to be helping out with the repairs/improvements.
The seabed is made up of fine gravel and sand, so any wayward fin kicks will quickly reduce underwater visibility 48
Maybe there are a few dive clubs out there willing to get involved? Run a few S&R courses using lifting bags, etc. In my opinion, the UCP as it stands is still worth a dive and it’s do-able in most weather conditions. I heard some bickering about building the site too close to the Dredger and Balaclava Bay, which are already well established, but the chosen patch of seabed was just featureless sand, so I can’t see what the problem is? I’m all for opening up new sites for divers to explore, even if they are artificial. The site is shallow enough for all experience levels, suitable for training courses and underwater photography practice. The additional Phase II installations would have made the site even better, but now who knows what the future may bring. It would be nice to get some positive feedback from the dive community. n
One of the anchors in the Park
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Cocos Island is often spoken of in hallowed terms, and as Michele Westmorland found out during a liveaboard adventure on the Okeanos Aggressor II, this is one dive location that truly delivers PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICHELE WESTMORLAND AND WALT STEARNS
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Alcyone is a deep platform of sheared rock the size of a football field. It can only be accessed in the right conditions as the currents are so strong they can sweep you further into the Pacific
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ocos Island is one of those destinations you will find near the top of every scuba diver’s bucket list. If it is not at the top of yours, it should be. Isla del Coco, as it is known in Spanish, was named by navigator Juan de Cabezas. He discovered it in 1526 while surveying the vast waters of the Pacific. Its lush and verdant forest draped over the rocky shoreline must have looked like heaven to him and his crew when they spotted it on the horizon. They quickly discovered it was also host to many species of flora and fauna that evolved in isolation for thousands of years. The first question divers on board the Okeanos II ask is ‘How will our crossing be? Shall I strap my equipment down as well as myself inside the cabin?’ The crossing from Costa Rica covers 332 miles of open ocean and takes 36 hours. The remote location of Cocos has fuelled many stories of pirate treasure being hidden upon its shores. For divers, the bounty is actually located in the waters surrounding the island, in what is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site established in 1997. We were fortunate. The seas were on our side for the crossing and presented us with a calmness that was much appreciated. Our adventurous group, made up of Americans and Spaniards, was able to wander the boat setting up camera equipment, read a book in the salon and have a true meet-and-greet event to get to know each other. About halfway through the crossing, the captain announced a large pod of spinner dolphins was at the surface. The beautiful marine mammals had absolutely no interest in our boat. They were too busy jumping, slapping their tails, and herding a baitball of fish to fill their stomachs.
After eating a good meal and getting a good night’s sleep within the gently swaying vessel, we arrived at the island with another pod of dolphins. These were the larger cousins of the previous day’s sighting, known as the bottlenose dolphin. They stayed with us all the way into Wafer Bay as a playful escort. The welcome just made the divers even more excited about reaching the lonely outpost. Everyone ate their meal as quickly as possible to go prepare for our first dives. We first submerged ourselves at a rocky outcropping called Manuelita, which has both a deep wall and a shallow sloping side. This gave us a wide variety of
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Blue-striped snapper escort a diver through a swim-through
Inquisitive octopus at Puntamaria
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COCOS ISLAND
Cocos Island has more to offer than what is in the water. Take a hike! Visiting the ranger station near the shore is a must before setting off to hike from one side to the other. The steep trail to the top of the mountain is rewarded with spectacular views, not to mention trekking through the lush jungle is an excellent way to view some of the endemic species of birds, such as the Cocos Cuckoo, finch and flycatcher, which all reside here. It is also common to see great frigate birds, terns and booby birds. Our group of enthusiastic hikers took a rest at the abandoned ranger station to take in the majestic view from the top. The trip down to the shoreline was much easier but it was the waterfall at the end that was most appreciated.
Idyllic beach scene Refreshing swim in the waterfall
Hunting whitetip sharks
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LIVEABOARD LIFE
The newly designed Master Staterooms on the Okeanos Aggressor II are large and luxurious. The incredible food served by the talented chefs in the dining area was excellent. Captain Mauricio is a pleasure to be around, and with his never-ending smile, is happy to make sure you have the best diving opportunities based on weather and current conditions. Providing the additional GPS device to each and every diver is a bonus for safety purposes. The Okeanos Aggressor I and II offer itineraries year round to Cocos Island. www.aggressor.com
Vast shoal of jacks
terrain and the possibility of many different experiences. I swam along the sloped wall first and although the visibility was not crystal clear, within seconds there were half a dozen hammerheads in view just ahead of me. A glance downward revealed sleepy whitetip sharks and the shadow of a tiger shark. The deep wall side of Manuelita also is one of the prime areas for spotting sharks, so of course they were there too, swimming in unison in a slow and cautious manner. All around the small island, we discovered massive schools of blue and gold snapper, and could approach and even swim through them with ease. During the week, a favourite location emerged named Dirty Rock. While the name may not be glamorous, it is fitting because of the complete guano coverage from nesting booby birds. Below the waterline, the sightings of predators never let us down. At Dirty Rock there is a cleaning station where the hammers come in close to be picked and cleaned by the barberfish. Providing the current is not too strong, hanging around the device placed by researchers for gathering shark counts is the best spot to observe
and photograph this underwater spa and barber shop. Just breathe slowly was our motto, so as not to disturb the styling process going on before our eyes. We alternated the groups of divers to keep the bubble noise to a minimum. Whether it was the group I was diving with or the others, each surfaced with stories and sightings of marble rays, spotted eagle rays and numerous free-swimming morays. Since the water conditions surrounding the island were quite calm, the divers were scheduled for three night dives. Manuelita Shallows is the site generally used for the dark hours and it is easy to understand why it is the hot spot. After about 15 or 20 minutes in the water, our lights bring out lots of action among the whitetip sharks. During the day, they can generally be seen sleeping on the bottom, which is not very exciting. The feeding frenzy that starts after the night hours set in is exhilarating in comparison. Not a single one of us was worried about being too close to these hunters. The sharks were more interested in finding smaller fish tucked into the nooks and crannies of the stony coral outcroppings. By the third night, divers were wishing for something new and they found it in two bright orange frogfish, who could care less about the frenzy going on around the corner. Frogfish patiently wait for a passing morsel then in a lightning fast gulp, dinner is served.
A much-larger arch at Dos Amigos Grande is a spectacle of schooling fish, and the floor of the arch is lavishly decorated with red-jewelled starfish
The Okeanos Aggressor II
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Turtle flypast Okeanos II moved from Wafer to Chatham Bay so that the pangas (skiffs) had easier access to one of my personal favourites – Submerged Rock. Here there is a small archway to swim through that exits looking out into the blue. Schooling snapper are gracious enough to escort you through the doorway. A much-larger arch at Dos Amigos Grande is a spectacle of schooling fish, and the floor of the arch is lavishly decorated with red-jewelled starfish. Although the current can push a diver through quickly, it is more than manageable. Puntamaria is not as action packed as some of the other sites, but I found it to be a nice break and rich with curious creatures. Not only were the octopus inspecting us instead of us inspecting them, the giant morays were not the least bit concerned with our presence while out on their daily hunt. Since my last visit, the dive site that has always remained in my memory as one of the best in the world is Alcyone. Bajo Alcyone, as it is also known, was originally discovered by Jacques Cousteau. He named it after his signature expedition vessel, whose moniker was derived from Greek mythology. In 1987, the Cousteau Society’s expedition ship Alcyone first visited Cocos, discovering a seamount that would eventually become the legendary site. Because it is so far offshore, Alcyone offers incredible pelagic action. Alcyone is a deep platform of sheared rock the size of a
It’s not all big stuff at Cocos, there are tiny critters too, such as this goby
Cocos Island from the air
Whaleshark
football field. It can only be accessed in the right conditions as the currents are so strong they can sweep you further into the Pacific. Not the best way to get to Japan! The good news is that the Okeanos II provides appropriate safety equipment with GPS for each and every diver, just in case you need it. Knowing the difficulty of this location, the device gave me a sense of security but did not lower my safety standards in the least. Once to the top of the rocky platform, it is best to tuck into a crevice. This provides a great way to remain stable while the sharks come in for some cleaning. Even though there were not the hundreds of sharks I’ve seen in the past, having even one of these beautiful animals right in your face is breathtaking. On a repeat dive at Alcyone, all of the hammerheads were keeping their distance. I wasn’t sure why this time was so different until our captain explained the cause. When the large schools of jacks are on the top, the hammers keep their distance. It was a gift to be able to have such different experiences in the exact same location. No dive here is ever quite the same. Our remaining days included a repeat of Alcyone, Dos Amigos Grande and Pequena. There was a surge that brought in more hammerheads, four very large Galapagos sharks and two graceful spotted eagle rays. On our way to DA Grande, several divers had the opportunity to jump in the water to snorkel with a beautiful manta ray right at the surface. The magic just keeps coming at Cocos. Too soon, it was time for the journey home. We all hoped that the conditions would stay calm so that we could pack, look at our photos and graze on more of the tasty food served on board Okeanos II. Our wish was granted in spades. The completely mirrored-over conditions allowed every diver to relax into the memories of diving Isla Del Cocos – one of the wonders of the world. n
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The second GO Diving Show was a massive success, with a winning mix of inspiring speakers, interactive features and exhibitors PHOTOGRAPHS BY JASON BROWN
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The guest speakers were excellent, and I came away feeling inspired
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he weekend of 22-23 February saw the Ricoh Arena in Coventry once again taken over by the diving industry, as the second annual GO Diving Show rolled into town. The event was created to attract new divers into our watery world, and also inspire existing divers, whatever their level of experience, and boy, did it deliver. After last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inaugural event, the organisers went bigger and better, with an unbeatable line-up of speakers spread across four stages, an array of immersive and interactive features, and more than 80 exhibitors from around the globe, including most of the major manufacturers and training agencies. A queue of eager divers filled the atrium on the Saturday and Sunday mornings, and it took the hard-working GO Diving Show crew more than an hour to scan them all through the doors and into the 6,000 sq m exhibition hall, and a steady stream of visitors continued throughout both days once the initial rush was dealt with. Andy Torbet - fresh from his stint as a stuntman in the latest Bond movie - once again joined Miranda Krestovnikoff to act as comperes for the Main Stage, as well as giving presentations or fireside chat interviews themselves. The Main Stage, with its gigantic five metre by four metre high-definition screen, was consistently rammed throughout the entire weekend. Headline speaker Steve Backshall drew what had to be some of the biggest audiences for a dive show talk ever when he took to the stage on both days, and the all-star panel discussion - when Steve was joined by Andy, Miranda and fellow TV fave Monty Halls - last thing on the Sunday afternoon still played out to a packed crowd. Andy and Montyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fireside chat with one another on the Saturday was highly amusing, and Sarah Richard from Girls That Scuba held panel discussions with three inspirational young female divers on both days. The Main Stage also saw award-winning underwater
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Getting better year by year, we were impressed - and complimentary parking! WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM
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photographer Alex Mustard announce the winners and finalists of the prestigious Underwater Photographer of the Year competition. High-quality prints of the winners and runners-up were also on display around the hall, and constantly drew admiring crowds. The book signing zone alongside the Main Stage always had long queues, with fans eager to get their hands on signed copies of books by all the Main Stage speakers. The three dedicated stages - The Tech Stage, the Photography Stage and the Inspiration Stage - were home to a host of familiar faces, such as Phil Short, Mario Vitalini, John Kendall, Lanny Vogel, Tim Clements, Martyn Guess, Chantelle Newman, Mark Powell, Chris Jewell and Anne and Phil Medcalf. New faces (at least to the GO Diving Show) popping up this year included Dave Gration, Jess Hanna, Steve Jones, Ian France, Adam Hanlon and Clare Dutton. These three areas were always full to capacity, and the blend and mix of talks and presentations took in a vast selection of topics and subject matter, from hints and advice on techniques to DCS.
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Just got back to Norwich after a great day at GO Diving today, and just wanted to say it was awesome! the newly discovered deep-water wrecks off Malta, remote dive medicine, citizen science and mine diving. The GO Diving Show is all about visitor interaction, and this year the 30-metre labyrinth of the Cave - one of the big hits of the inaugural show - was joined by The Wall, a four-main climbing wall simulating getting to some of the more out-of-the-way dive sites, and then there was also a Navigation Challenge, a Lining-Out Challenge, and two awesome VR dives, one with great white sharks, and the other an immersive, amazingly realistic dive around the wreck of the Mars.
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The massive 100 sq m pool was constantly full with instructors from PADI, RAID and BSAC conducting entry-level trydives for newcomers, sidemount and backmount trydives for those new to open-circuit tech diving, and no less than three different closed-circuit rebreathers - AP, Poseidon and VMS - for those wanting to go bubble-free. Mares were also in the pool running mermaiding and freediving sessions. Connecting the four stage areas and all the interactive elements of the GO Diving Show were more than 105 exhibitors, including most of the major manufacturers, such as Suunto, Scubapro, Beuchat, Cressi, Apeks, Aqua Lung, Mares, Finnsub, Santi, xDeep, Otter Watersports, Tusa and Fourth Element, and a host of training agencies, including BSAC, RAID, PADI, GUE, SAA, NAUI and SSI. There were also plenty of retailers for those wanting to get their hands on the latest
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kit and satisfy their shopping urges, as well as tour operators, liveaboards, tourist boards, dive resorts, and much more, to tempt visitors to destinations far and wide. Highlights of the show? Well, there was the moment the Valkyrie vikings invading the Tech Stage during Mark Powellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk, or the sight of various dive industry stalwarts being humilated by young Sophie from Canary Divers in the threada-camband-while-blindfolded challenge. Top of the tree had to be seeing and hearing Steve Backshall imitating a mating giant tortoise live on the Main Stage! DATE FOR YOUR DIARY! The GO Diving Show will be back at the Ricoh Arena from 19-21 March 2021. Watch this space for details of the mega speaker line-up, new interactive elements, and a list of exhibitors. n
Great weekend, but not enough time to talk to everyone! Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for next year! WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM
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DIVERS ALERT NETWORK: EUROPE DAN Europe is an international non-profit medical and research organisation dedicated to the safety and health of divers. WWW.DANEUROPE.ORG
WATCH YOUR FINGERS WHEN YOU GO DIVING! Wearing a wedding ring is clearly a statement, yes, but, ladies and gentlemen, do you really need to wear a ring while scuba diving? Caren Liebscher says read this story - and think about it
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t was around Christmas time, the holiday season 2014/2015, when DAN Europe were reported two similar cases. Two DAN members in different places of the world – the Maldives and Brazil – almost lost their ring fingers while diving. Who wouldn’t hold on to some railing on a shaky boat because another boat passed by too close, or sea conditions were a bit rough? That’s what the men did while getting ready for the giant stride to start their dives. However, watch out for screws, hooks or other tiny metal pieces sticking out of such a railing! For example, hurricane cover screws can be quite deceitful. If a wedding ring gets caught on it, holding the weight of the diver, his equipment as well as the force of the jump, is just impossible. A little finger cannot withstand for long and will momentarily be parted from the rest of the body. This happened to both men.
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While one of the divers dived into the water beneath him, his finger stayed hanging on the screw, attached by the ring. An awkward scene, but good in a way, because the crew could collect the finger – or what was left of it. They then saved it in some ice for re-attachment to the hand. In the other man’s case, the finger was ripped off and fell in the sea! Fortunately, his wife recovered it – she was already in the water. In both cases, it truly was a shock for everyone and very painful for the victims. However, the boat’s crew was extremely helpful, called EMS immediately and gave first aid to stop the bleeding and calm down the men. In one of the cases, they were able to call a helicopter – because, luckily, the victim’s friend was a pilot – so, he was quickly evacuated to a clinic in Sao Paolo, including his finger. The other member in the Maldives was brought by boat to the nearest clinic in Male but had to be further evacuated
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to Singapore for sophisticated hand surgery. Reconnecting nerves, tendons, muscles, bones, cartilage, blood vessels, and skin is a very sophisticated task while trying to keep full functionality. It is a miracle when you see it – a miracle that took seven hours in the operating theatre to happen. After an injury and surgery like this, it is no surprise that there is necrosis, dying surrounding tissue, during the wound-healing process. The Brazilian doctors fought it off by hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) in a recompression chamber. HBOT chamber sessions are also being successfully used for effective wound healing in bacterial streptococcal or staphylococcal skin infections and diabetic foot disease. Thus, recompression chambers are not only good for treating decompression symptoms. Not only surgery was extensive, but also recovery took an extremely long time – and it still does. Eight months later, the
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one man’s finger has not regained full sensitivity yet. Six more months of physiotherapy are still in front of him. The costs for evacuation, hand surgery, hospitalising and hyperbaric treatment amounted in one case to around €100,000. We at DAN Europe thought this was a story to share. You may spare yourself a lot of trouble when you consider leaving your jewelry, especially rings but also earrings and piercings, at home before you go diving. Make your choice! n
DAN MEMBERSHIP
Before leaving for your next dive adventure, make sure your DAN membership is still active. If it isn’t, join DAN, or renew your membership at: www.daneurope.org
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UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY
SLOWING THINGS DOWN Mario Vitalini explains how using a slow shutter speed, combined with a range of different techniques, can add a whole new dimension to your underwater image portfolio PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARIO VITALINI
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hotography is about capturing an instant to allows you to tell a story in a single frame. The challenge for underwater photographers is how to do this when your subjects are constantly moving, from corals gently wafting on a reef to fast-moving pelagics, such as sharks or dolphins. To do so we rely on selecting a shutter speed that is fast enough to freeze the moment. The result is a perfectly still subject, but your photo may not convey this dynamic environment. After all, life is rarely still underwater. To try to inject dynamism, drama or a sense of action, you can use lighting as a compositional element. This can help a traditional image ‘pop’ and I have previously talked about the different ways we can use strobes to create more interesting three-dimensional pictures. However, you can also create different effects using your camera settings and, in this article, I want to look at shutter speed in particular.
This crinoid makes a vibrant subject for a spin
A stonefish resting on some hard coral is a perfect subject for a spin
WHAT HAPPEN TO YOUR IMAGES WHEN YOU SLOW THE SHUTTER SPEED DOWN?
You should be familiar with the role shutter speed plays in achieving an even exposure. We already use shutter speed to control the ambient light. The slower it is, the brighter the picture will be, while a fast shutter speed will yield images with a dark or even black background. However, there are some techniques that use shutter speed differently for purely compositional and creative effect. All of these techniques seek to convey the idea of movement by slowing down the exposure time and creating the sensation of motion by blurring the background elements. How the end result looks will depend of the specific technique used.
Corals and Caves on
Hurricane 21st May 2020 £1425 inc flights from UK ESCORTED BY MARIO VITALINI
Holiday highlights... Mario Vitalini will teach you to work with natural light and wide angle photography, as well as the secrets of amazing fish portraits and using strobes. He will help you build a stunning selection of classic Red Sea images, from the decks of the stable steel hulled Hurricane. There are 18-21 dives over the workshop, as well as all park fees included, 12lt tank/weights and FREE Nitrox.
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The dive guide on a recent trip to the Philippines. Using a slow shutter speed and zooming in during the exposure, I was able to blur the surrounding environment to focus attention on the diver’s face
SPINS
A good place to start is the spin, as this is a great technique to introduce movement to relatively static subjects and probably one of my favourite techniques. It works very well on subjects that stand out from the reef, like tube sponges, but it can be used to photograph subjects such as stonefish or a willing dive buddy. Use a shutter speed of around 1/10 to start with and change the settings if needed. Try to direct the light to the subject but not to the surrounding area. Inward lighting (point the strobes to yourself instead of aiming them forwards) using only the outer edge of the cone of light to illuminate the subject is a lighting technique perfectly suited for spins. Turning the camera during the exposure will produce a circular motion-blur effect to the background while the light from your strobes will freeze the subject. To better accomplish this, you need to avoiding lighting the background, otherwise the light of the strobes will freeze the hole image. You do not need to spin the camera too fast to get the best results, but the speed you need to rotate your kit depends on the ambient light conditions. Do a few tests to get the perfect settings. Start the movement before you press the shutter button and carry on after the curtain has closed.
into the blue as a clean background will show much better the movement of the subject and I don’t need to worry about avoiding light from your strobes reaching the background. You do need to think about the flash sync timing and settings for this technique. If you can select front or rear curtain on your camera, I tend to prefer rear curtain when I’m not moving the camera and the subject is swimming across the frame, or if I’m shooting macro. If you use a front curtain, the strobes fire at the beginning of the exposure and freeze the subject, but the subject will carry on moving forward. The end result will look like the fish is moving backwards. A rear curtain sync will make the strobes fire at the end of the exposure, creating a trail behind the subject. If instead you are ‘following’ the subject with the camera, it is a good idea to use front curtain. Doing so, you will be able to stop the movement of your subject exactly where you want it and then create the blur by following the fish with the camera. To get a good movement effect, you need to move the camera fairly quickly.
Jumping for a night dive at The Barge in the Northern Red Sea, I saw the light of some divers over the wreck, a 0.4 of second exposure allowed me to use the flood lights from the liveaboard to light the scene
PANS
Pans are similar to spins but instead of rotating the camera, you will either move the camera horizontally or let the subject swim across the frame. Pans are great at conveying a sense of dynamism and speed. They work much better when your subject is a fast-moving creature, eg sharks, but also small fish like anthias can yield excellent results.As with spins, a slow shutter speed will create the motion blur and the strobes will freeze the movement. I prefer to shoot
ESCORTED BY MARIO VITALINI
11th Sept 2020 £1295 excluding flights
Photo Finish
Malapascua
Holiday highlights... Join photo pro Mario Vitalini on this Philippines workshop to hone your images of the biggest sharks to the smallest critters. The workshop includes 20 nitrox boat dives plus daily presentations covering all aspects of underwater photography. Your holiday package includes 7 nights in a deluxe room on an full board basis – optional room grades available. Airport transfers are included.
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UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY This reef shot of a shoal of butterflyfish takes on a new dimension when you adjust the exposure
Your dive buddy can always pose for you and will be more patient than most fish, or so you would hope
If the sun is high in the sky and the ambient light is strong, using a slow shutter speed will produce overexposed images. Pans work better when the light levels are low, overcast days early mornings and afternoons are ideal. If you want to attempt pans when the sun is high, using a neutral density filter is handy to control light levels.
The round shape of this balled anemone was perfect for this spin. Because it was raised from the seabed the inward lighting technique was ideal
As the name says, this technique relies on using a zoom lens on your camera. It involves zooming in or out during the exposure - this creates a blur from the centre outwards, as if the subject is moving towards you. When trying zoom burst, starting to move the zoom just before you press the shutter and zoom in or out all the way through the exposure.
carefully, areas with a lot of fish work remarkably well as the schooling fish can create beautiful trails. On long exposures it is important to keep the camera as still as possible. Some cameras have excellent image stabilizers and are great for these pictures, but otherwise you can rest the camera on a rock or use a tripod. Never under any circumstances rest the camera on the coral. At night, if the camera is stable and you use extremely slow shutter speeds, you can swim and use a torch to ‘paint’ a section of the reef, an area of interest or even fish passing by.
LONG EXPOSURE
CONCLUSION
ZOOM BURSTS
There is one last technique I’ve been using lately. The good old-fashioned long exposure. Long exposures work very well during dusk dives or even night dives. I try to jump as the sun goes down, so the ambient light is very low. Pick the dive site
All these techniques utilise a very slow shutter speed to convey a scene of movement. When used properly the end result can add variety to your portfolio and hopefully enable you to tell the story of a fast-moving world underwater. n
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Painter, model and underwater photographer JADE HOKSBERGEN has a passion for macro-portraiture with vivid colour. She talks to Lorna Dockerill about her blenny obsession, book-writing tales and how her art background inspires her pictures PHOTOGRAPHS BY JADE HOKSBERGEN
How did you get started in underwater photography? I’ve always been interested in photography - on land that is - but my journey in underwater photography started in late-2015. I had moved to Saint Lucia to join my now-husband Henley Spiers. He was working there at the time and I decided to take a pause on my psychology degree, and do my Divemaster training instead for a year. Luckily for me, Henley had an Olympus EM5 and was too busy teaching dive courses to really use it. So, he taught me the basics and that became my first camera. My intention was to document the amazing things I was seeing on my dives as a way to remember them, identify them, and somehow stay connected to them. What started as a casual affair with underwater photography soon became more serious as I discovered how it had brought a whole new exciting dimension to diving. Speaking of new dimensions, I’ve recently started doing some blackwater diving, which in a nutshell, is a type of diving done at night with the intention of witnessing the biggest daily migration on Earth. In blackwater diving, we look for zooplankton and critters, many of which are in their larval stage - for underwater photographers in particular, it is the ‚new hot thing’! Earlier this year, I co-authored Black is the New Blue Vol. 2, which features some of my work done during these dives. What came first, diving or photography? Luckily, diving came early for me as my father was and is an avid diver. I had my first taste of scuba diving when I was nine, but it was only later when I started to appreciate it. I was lucky that at the age of seven, my family and I moved to Cebu from Taiwan. We would escape the city on the weekends usually to Moalboal, and it was there that both my dad and I first took up scuba diving.
Best of Manado
What’s in your underwater photography kitbag? I shoot with both the Nikon D7200 and Nikon D850, both of which are in Nauticam housings. Shooting only in macro (for now), my go-to lens is the 105mm, but I use the 60mm for blackwater diving. My first cameras were mirrorless, but I’ve made the switch to DSLR set-ups. I definitely appreciate the step-up in the speed of focus. Other than that, I sometimes use a diopter - a Nauticam SMC - for extremely tiny subjects. And sometimes I like using the snoot too (Retra LSD or 10 bar laser snoot) to simplify the amount of colours in a given shot. Favourite location for diving and underwater photography? Henley and I are currently writing a book on diving in the Cebu province of the Philippines (which should be out by December 2019), and so we’ve discovered many interesting locations and dive sites along the way. We’ve recently found Alcoy to be a hidden jewel for macro. I don’t know if it’s my favourite location for diving, but it is definitely the one I’m most excited about right now. I was most excited about finding a psychedelic batwing sea slug and a couple of Lembeh sea dragons there, both of which I have never encountered before. Otherwise, I will always look at my diving days in Saint Lucia with rose-tinted glasses. I really enjoyed the sense of discovery I felt there, finding critters I’ve never seen before in Southeast Asia such as spinyhead blennies, gaudy clown crabs, and yellowline arrowcrabs. Which underwater locations or species are still on your photography wish-list and why? Recently, I have been diving in the Maldives and in Raja Ampat, and as for many divers, those places were certainly on my bucket-list. Now I’m like craving to go diving in places that are perhaps not commonly regarded as dive locations.
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29th Sept 2020 £2895 excluding flights
Holiday highlights... With an action packed 29 boat dives plus 9 unguided, house reef dives and free nitrox! Martyn Guess & Manado workshop will enable you to go hone and advance your key photographic skills at Murex Bangka and Lembeh resort. The workshop will spend 5 nights at Murex Bangka followed by 6 nights at Lembeh resort, both on a full board basis (2 people sharing).
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JADE HOKSBERGEN
JADE HOKSBERGEN
Jade Hoksbergen is a painter and underwater photographer with a penchant for macro-portraiture. At just 23 years old, her images have been awarded in several high-profile competitions and published in numerous international journals and magazines. In 2019, she co-authored Black is the New Blue Vol. II, showcasing blackwater diving. As well as working behind the lens, Jade is a sought-after underwater model, frequently spotted on the cover of dive and travel magazines. Based in the Philippines, Jade shares a love for the sea with her husband, Henley Spiers.
ESCORTED BY MARTYN GUESS
20th June 2020 ÂŁ1395 inc flights from UK
Relaxed Red Sea
Holiday highlights... Join Martyn Guess for a week focused on getting more out of your camera! Departing from Hurghada, you will spend 7 nights on board on a full board basis (twin share cabin). Based in Northern Red Sea with up to 21 dives over the week but the itinerary will vary, depending on the photo opportunities. All marine park fees, 12lt tank and weights are included in your package.
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I am half-Taiwanese but have only seen Taiwan above water, so I would like to dip my mask there and see what’s lurking beneath the waves. Other places I’m thinking are Japan and Britain! Critters on my wish-list? My blenny obsession is no secret, so I guess it’s not surprising that there are many species of blennies I haven’t seen yet, which I still hope to see. Also, I’ve never come across so many pygmy seahorses like I did in Raja Ampat, each unique in their appearance and character. Safe to say I’ve returned from Raja Ampat with hippocampus-fever! That said, I’d like to see the leafy sea dragon and both the Pontohi and Colemani pygmy seahorse. Hairiest moment when shooting underwater? Henley and I were diving in Seraya in Bali. We were slowly making our ascent to do our safety stop when our guide spotted a mimic octopus. Very excited, Henley and I took our turns shooting the cephalopod until I realised I was drawing my last breaths. I took on Henley’s alternate air source but he didn’t have much left either. Fortunately, we managed to finish our safety stop (just) and surfaced without problems. I think as underwater photographers, we can sometimes get too carried away with the photography side of things, that we don’t dedicate enough brain cells to the diving itself. Time also seems to tick twice as fast when you’ve got a camera between your hands. The moments after my encounter with the mimic octopus served as a useful reminder that we had pushed the envelope too far and not to take unnecessary risks in the quest for an image.
This dive was very different from the rest of my dives. It was my first dive in temperate waters, and everything I saw was new and exciting
Master Macro 9th May 2020 £2895 excluding flights ESCORTED BY MARTYN GUESS
Holiday highlights... 10 nights in resort, full board divers plan & 24 boat dives – FREE Nitrox Join pro photographer Martyn Guess in the critter mecca Dumaguete. With 24 boat dives plus free nitrox (3 dives/day plus 1 day Apo reef) and Martyn’s workshop throughout, this workshop packs a real punch. Additional travel options available, ask for details.
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photographer. I respect his incredible knowledge and one of the things I have learned from him is that to take great macro photographs, you need to understand the critters you are shooting and their behaviour.
What is your most memorable dive and why? My most memorable dive was the first dive I did after I had spent nine months being pregnant. Apolline was over a month old and I had sneaked away (between breastfeeds) for a quick dive under Swanage Pier in Dorset. This dive was very different from the rest of my dives. It was my first dive in temperate waters, and everything I saw was new and exciting. I decided to dive without a camera in order to focus on the experience itself. It felt so good to be back in the water, and the feeling of my fingers and toes going numb sure made it memorable! Most challenging dive (and why?) Perhaps the most recent dives I did in the Maldives. We were faced with a lot of current from all sorts of directions, but we did see some spectacular wildlife. Who are your diving inspirations? There are many people that inspire me in underwater photography, but I’m lucky that the person that inspires me and motivates me the most is one that lives under the same roof as me. Henley’s undying determination, patience, and positive outlook on every situation inspires me to be a better photographer. William Tan has also greatly inspired me and been an important person in shaping who I am as a
What advice do you wish you’d had as a novice underwater photographer? Although underwater photography is known to be a intensely equipment-oriented endeavour, my advice would be to not always chase the latest piece of equipment — challenge yourself to use what you already have to achieve unique images. This attitude will certainly push you to try things outside the box! Also, having a solid understanding of the basics: iso, aperture, and shutter speed, will really play in your favour. One can have the eye, but without some technical grounding, it will be incredibly difficult to put your vision to fruition. I’m not a technical person at all, so I spent a lot of time (and dives) experimenting with different combinations of settings to understand each concept. Describe your vivid approach to colour in your photography and why it forms a part of your style? I started painting prolifically during my teenage years and art has long been an essential part of my life. Bold and bright colours play a central part to my painting style, and I think this instinctively seeped into how I shoot underwater, without me being even being aware of it until my father remarked that my underwater imagery imitated my other artworks. Of course, applying a certain colour palette in nature and wildlife photography is not as easy as on a canvas, but I place as much focus on finding attractive backgrounds for subjects as finding the subjects themselves. I am also very drawn to shallow depth-of-field images, where the key feature of the subject is pin-sharp but the background is rendered as an attractively coloured blur. Upon reflection, it may be also be this ability to control colour within a tight frame which has led me to focus exclusively on macro underwater images! n
ESCORTED BY MARTYN GUESS
11th July 2020 £1495 inc flights from Gatwick
Relaxed Red Sea
Holiday highlights... 7 nights onboard Whirlwind, tanks, weights and open dive deck at least once a day! Photographers can go at their own pace on a photography itinerary that is as relaxing as it is productive. Welcome to the world of the Red Sea Relaxed Photo Finish. Dive a host of incredible Red Sea dive sites with an open deck policy, chosen by our photo pro based on their reliability as top notch photo-worthy dive sites.
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BEYOND TECHNICAL
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USS The USS San Francisco mistook the Atlanta for an enemy vessel and proceeded to bombard her with friendly fire 76
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Atlanta DIVING THE
It took Pete Mesley 23 years to fulfil his dream of diving on the USS Atlantia light cruiser, but thankfully, it more than lived up to the hype PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETE MESLEY WWW.PETEMESLEY.COM
D
iving USS Atlanta was, for me, a long time in the making. I remember meeting Kev Denlay when I was in the Solomons in the late-1990s and talking about the history of this ship. Kev had been one of the first divers to have explored the light cruiser in November 1995. It took me 23 years to fulfill this dream…
DIVING THE ATLANTA
Diving conditions couldn’t have been any better. There was a slight five-knot southerly breeze. Sea state – calm. No noticeable current at all. These conditions were not normal for this site. It took Jimmy, the captain, a few ‘drive-bys’ to properly establish how the wreck was sitting and the best place to position the shotline. The USS Atlanta is lying in depths of 104m-130m. Getting the shot right was essential. So many times impatience gets the better of people and they are too quick to throw the shot. This ends up missing the wreck, divers get into the water, only to find that they are diving on ‘HMS Seabed’ with no wreck in sight! Not this time. We threw the shot and after it settled, took another couple of passes really close to the line to make sure we were on the money.
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www.narkedat90.com Five-inch guns on the Atlanta
The iridescent blue shot line sat limp and motionless in the near dead-calm water. Excitement was building, apprehension peaking and a wave of emotion engulfed me. I was finally going to dive the USS Atlanta. All that time researching the wreck, playing the story back through my mind, over and over again. Trying to think of what was going through Captain Samuel P Jenkins’ mind on that fateful night on 13 November 1942, when he had to make the decision to scuttle his beloved ship. That was quickly put to the back of my mind, because our primary objective was to secure the line to the wreck in preparation for the next days’ group. This would be the largest diving expedition mounted on the USS Atlanta in history. Our vessel Taka had an amazing deck crew and to complement that, we put on my own technical support who were experienced technical diving supervisors, who I have worked together with for many years diving deep wreck sites. Andrew Simpson (aka Simo), long-time diving buddy and owner of New Zealand’s premier technical diving facility Global Dive, and good friend Tom Crisp, a younger lad, who cut his teeth on assisting us back in the day supporting the bottom divers on deep wreck exploration. Over the last five years, Tom has been doing his own exploration looking for, diving, documenting and gathering data to assist scientists on some of the many sink holes and cave systems he has discovered. Not to forget Andrew Fock (aka ‘Focky’). Focky was brought onto the team, not only because he is one of the world’s leading hyperbaric physicians, but also because he was one of the earliest divers to dive the USS Atlanta a few years ago now. Focky was chief medical officer on the trip. A truly amazing support team. After being satisfied the shot was where
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Two drive shafts, twisted on each other like Medusa’s serpent head we wanted it, Simo and I geared up and after an easy entry from Taka, we scootered a short distance to the empty sorb tin we used as a float. We descend. Still not a breath of current. I look up, Simo very close above me, signal okay. All good. At around 80m the hull comes into view. A little flow of tide becomes evident, but nothing too bad. A beautiful sight. Ambient light is good. The shot with ballast is sitting perfectly on the starboard hull of USS Atlanta. There is a perfect tie-off three metres away. I drag the shot to the tie-off. I then secure the line. Look at my computer – six minutes! Well, that was quick. We actually dedicated quite a lot more time to getting the shotline secured firmly for the next days’ groups. I look at Andrew, point towards the stern and through a few gestures communicate what I would verbalise as ‘wanna go and have a wee look?’ The okay signal is given very quickly! We drop over the hull. The ship is lying very hard to port, and in some parts of the ship almost upside down. We swam aft towards the stern. The mooring was in 105m of water. Lots of debris lay strewn over the ocean floor beside the hull. I am about ten metres behind Andrew. He is dwarfed by the massive ship, which has collapsed in many places. I look up and see a massive shape that looks like a gigantic tea cup handle. No. It can’t be. Surely not? I scooter out to get a better view. As I position myself, I look and there it is. Two drive shafts, twisted on each other like Medusa’s serpent head. After spending some time in sheer awe of the buckled, twisted prop shafts we moved further aft to where Simo came across a quad set of anti-aircraft guns. These were the standard light anti-aircraft armament on US warships at the start of the war. Although considerable effort and expense was spent on its development, it turned out to be a poor weapon,
Quad torpedo launcher
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COMPUTERS • O2 CELLS • GAS ANALYSERS CABLES & CONNECTORS • REBREATHER PARTS PATHFINDER STROBES • SENSORS TOOLS • SOLENOIDS with numerous design defects and too low a rate of traverse for a gun firing so light a projectile. They were soon replaced by the much-superior Oerlikon and Bofors. We then headed back towards the shotline along the starboard side of the deck to where the starboard gun turret was. Both barrels were pointing aft towards the stern. The gun house (the armour plate which covered the guns offering protection to the crew) had fallen to the ocean floor. These five-inch guns were dual-purpose (DP), which meant that they were capable of being used against both air and surface targets. They were able to fire anti-aircraft, high-explosive and armour-piercing shells. With regards to armament, the Atlanta was closer to a destroyer, being armed with five-inch guns, but at well over 150 metres in length, and combined with their large battery of 16 five-inch guns (reduced to 12 in number for later ships of the class), they were designated as light cruisers. The eight twin five-inch gun turrets were placed in a unique configuration. She had three forward turrets and three aft turrets, mounted inline and increasing in height toward the midships, giving her a symmetrical appearance, with a ‘gap’ in the middle superstructure. In addition, the aft battery also had one ‘wing-mounted’ turret on each side, for a total of 16 five-inch guns. Just ahead sitting on the sand was the starboard quad torpedo launcher. There was a set of these on both the port and starboard sides of the ship just forward of the side five-inch turrets (which later were removed due to instability problems). We swam just a little further along the hull of the ship, turned and headed for home. The deco was uneventful and with the last hour at our last stop, we could clearly see the support tender which had hooked up on the shotline. The next day we didn’t quite have the same conditions, with a half knot of current for the first group. We split the group into two groups of six divers. This would make managing people in the water a lot easier and not water down our surface support team too much. With a three-hour runtime agreed by all, the second group entered the water as the last of the first group surfaced. Day two was the same. More exploration, more information documented by the divers. Having completed a total cumulative number of 22 dives on this historic wreck was incredible. Without a doubt, the largest expedition to dive the USS Atlanta in history.
PETE MESLEY
Pete Mesley, owner of Lust4Rust and Shock&Awe Big Animal Diving, is an accomplished deep wreck explorer and photographer running specialised trips like this to some of the world’s best wreck sites. You can see where Pete is heading on his next adventure on: www.petemesley.com
The twisted prop shafts
SINKING OF THE ATLANTA
On the afternoon of 12 November, the Atlanta and Juneau defended an inbound attack of 25 Japanese bombers bound for Allied vessels and Henderson Airfield. That night, giving the naval personnel no respite, two Japanese battleships, one cruiser and six destroyers steamed southward towards Guadalcanal to shell Henderson Airfield. The Atlanta’s role was to assist in covering the Allied transports and cargo vessels east out through Sealark Channel. Once the ships were clear the Admiral in charge of the support group, Admiral Gallaghan, gave the order for a course change, which caused immediate problems with the other ships, with the Atlanta having to change course dramatically to avoid collision. Shortly thereafter, the Atlanta was lit up by Japanese destroyer Akatsuki’s searchlights. Immediately, the Atlanta trained their main battery onto Akatsuki. Meanwhile, torpedoes deployed from at least two other Japanese destroyers trained on the Atlanta and San Francisco (heavy cruiser). One torpedo caught the Atlanta on her port side, hitting her forward engine room and losing all but auxiliary diesel power. After being torpedoed, the Atlanta suffered over 19 eight-inch shell direct hits. During the confusion of battle, the unthinkable happened. The USS San Francisco mistook the Atlanta for an enemy vessel and proceeded to bombard her with friendly fire. Almost all San Francisco’s shells passed through the thin armament of Atlanta, most not detonating but scattering fragments from their impact and killing many men. The Atlanta trained her five-inch guns on San Francisco but soon realised, by the hull shape being illuminated by the flashing gun barrels, they were being fired upon by their own. As soon as the attack stopped, the Atlanta’s Captain Jenkins assessed the ship’s status. That next morning, the call to abandon ship was given and the ship was finally scuttled after Jenkins gave the order. Out of a compliment of 735 men, 172 men were killed and 79 were wounded. The Atlanta was awarded five battle stars during her World War Two service and received a Presidential Unit Citation for her ‘Heroic example of invincible fighting spirit’ in the battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942. n
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What’s New
SCUBAPRO A2 (SRP: £765 WITH TRANSMITTER / £495 COMPUTER ONLY)
The A2 is designed for advanced divers and technical divers who appreciate the compactness and convenience of a wristwatch-style dive computer, but demand the kind of features and functions that enable them to excel in their sport. For daily topside use, the A2 offers full timekeeping functions and a sport mode. When it’s time to go diving, the A2 offers everything an advanced recreational diver wants, and everything a tech-nical diver needs. It starts with wireless air integration that monitors tank pressure and provides true remaining bottom time. The digital tilt-compensated compass provides easy navigation underwater or on the surface. The heart-rate monitor records heartbeat and skin temperature (with Scubapro HRM belt only) that can be factored into the decompression calculation along with workload. The A2 lets you choose from six dive modes, including freediving, Trimix and CCR, and because it’s designed with Human Factor DivingTM, it incorporates cutting-edge biometrics that enable you to live your life in dive mode. The predictive Multi-Gas ZH-L16 ADT MB algorithm accommo-dates eight gases (21 per cent to 100 per cent O2) and two in CCR mode Whatever type of diving you do, the A2 is ready to go there with you. www.scubapro.com
MARES PURE WIRE (SRP: £63)
The Mares Pure Wire comes with an interchangeable bi-material frame. Bored of the colour? You can change out the frame for £6.50. The soft wired skirt portion provides support and enhances grip when fitting the mask, and it suits a wide variety of faces. It comes in a range of colours with either a clear or black skirt. www.mares.com 82
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FOURTH ELEMENT XEROTHERM HOODIE (SRP: £119.95)
SANTI HEATING VEST FLEX 2.0 (SRPO: £235) The Santi heating vest is a product for those who seek the highest level of comfort during long and cold dives. The Flex 2.0 heating vest is designed as part of the Santi heating system which consists of such items as heated undersuit or heated vest, valve thermoconnector or thermovalve and external battery. This configuration allows a diver to use the heating system without the necessity of using any additional valves and without any dangers associated with internal battery system. The vest was designed to provide the highest functionality and safety. Thanks to fabrics used, the vest provides thermal comfort even after your battery is drained. Made of very flexible Climashield insulation fabric with weight of 180g/m2, it consists of three layers – breathable Climashield Contour insulation covered with two protective layers made of polyester from the inside and outside. www.santidiving.com
BEUCHAT PREMIUM 4MM GLOVES (SRP: £56)
With a minimalist style and retro feel, the Xerotherm zip-up hoodie not only references our first-ever technical product, but provides practical thermal protection before and after the dive. Using ECONYL® regenerated nylon, made in part from lost fishing nets, the Xerotherm hoodie is light-weight and compact, but surprisingly warm. With generous pockets, thumb loops and a deep hood, it’s bound to find its way out of your dive bag and into your everyday wardrobe. www.fourthelement.com WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM
Beuchat have launched their Premium 4mm glove, which is made from ultra-soft Elaskin neoprene, with a jersey lining. There is additional protection on the palm and inside the fingers to reduce wear and tear, and they have a stretch gusset at the wrist seal with a Velcro fastener to ease donning and doffing the gloves. www.beuchat-diving.com 83
Gear Guide
THIS ISSUE: BUDGET REGULATORS
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.
BUDGET REGULATORS
This issue, we look at one of the most vital pieces of the modern divers’ kit bag - regulators, or more specifically, budget regs. Without a solid, reliable reg, you aren’t going anywhere underwater. A large array of manufacturers produce regulators, and our aim here at Scuba Diver is to give you the widest selection in each review. Alas, the budget bracket is a little slim on the ground these days, but we have got units from Aqua Lung, Scubapro, Oceanic and Mares.
ON TEST THIS MONTH: • AQUA LUNG CORE SUPREME Location: Tested at Vivian Dive Centre, Llanberis • MARES ROVER www.viviandivecentre.com • OCEANIC ALPHA 10 SPX • SCUBAPRO MK2 EVO / R195 Water temp: 6 degrees C Surface temp: 9 degrees C 84
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AQUA LUNG CORE SUPREME | SRP: £249.95 Aqua Lung has been making diving equipment for more than 75 years, and their regulators have always been solid units, but they have really come on in recent years - the Core Supreme is a belting little unit for just under £250. It has a chrome-coated brass balanced diaphragm first stage with two high-pressure ports and four low-pressure ports, which is paired with a balanced demand valve equipped with a Venturi control and a large purge button. The Core Supreme is a decent-looking regulator that delivers a smooth breathe, doesn’t break the scales when it comes to weight, and at just under £250, represents excellent value for money. The large purge is easy to locate and operate even with thick gloves, and the same goes for the venturi lever. The exhaust is fairly compact, but the routing is sound and it disperses exhaled bubbles efficiently. It comes with a lip shield, which does actually assist in keeping your lips warm(er) in cold water, but if you don’t want this, it is quick and simple to remove it. The first stage is pretty small, which helps keep the weight down, and with its shiny chrome and polyurethane protector it certainly looks eye-catching. It is equipped with Aqua Lung’s patented Auto Closure Device, or ACD, which prevents any accidental water ingress if you accidentally submerged it without putting the cover back on the DIN or Yoke fitting. www.aqualung.com/uk
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CHOICE 2020 GROUP TEST
REGULATORS
TECH SPECS & VERDICT CRACKING RESISTANCE: No VENTURI: Yes VERDICT: Excellent little regulator which could hold its own in the mid-range price bracket. For just under £250, this is exceptional value for money.
SCORE
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MARES ROVER 15X | SRP: £242 The Mares Rover 15X is an entry-level unit from this well-known Italian brand, and it doesn’t break the bank. The 15X first stage has pre-oriented ports - two high-pressure and four low-pressure, including one DFC port (Dynamic Flow Control), which minimises intermediate pressure drop during inhalation, thus maximising gas delivery - for optimum routing, yet retains a compact, travel-friendly size and weight. It also has an attractive sandblasted finish. The second stage is very lightweight, and it has a purge that lurks behind a flexible mesh grid on the unit, which helps eliminate freeflows in currents. It has a soft, comfortable mouthpiece, and utilises Mares’ Fluid Dynamic Deflector, which receives and properly directs the airflow from the Vortex Assisted Design bypass tube to the mouthpiece. The Vortex Assisted Design creates a swirling vortex with a low pressure area in the centre that keeps the diaphragm down during inhalation, for easy breathing at all depths. The Rover has subtle styling, but its performance is outstanding at this price point. www.mares.com
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BEST VALUE 2020 GROUP TEST
REGULATORS
TECH SPECS & VERDICT CRACKING RESISTANCE: No VENTURI: No VERDICT: Lightweight regulator with very subtle styling, but superior performance that belies its price point. Well worth checking out as an entry-level reg.
SCORE
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OCEANIC ALPHA 10 SPX | SRP: £249.95 The Alpha 10 SPX is a budgetpriced regulator, but it doesn’t skimp on performance, and it is actually quite pleasing to look at as well. This test model came with an SPX piston first stage, with two high-pressure ports and four lowpressure ports, which are angled for optimum hose routing. The second stage is pneumatically balanced and has a compact venturi lever and a shaped purge. The Oceanic reg benefits from being in the Huish Outdoors family with Atomic Aquatics, and features the same soft-withharder-insert mouthpiece. The venturi is a bit dinky compared with some of the others, so a bit more awkward with gloves on, but still workable. The purge is effective, buy it feels a bit odd being a hard plastic ‘button’. Despite the SPX first stage not being environmentally protected, it didn’t falter in the cold even with robust testing. As with all Oceanic products, it comes with a lifetime warranty and free parts for life, making that price even more attractive. www.oceanicworldwide.com
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TECH SPECS & VERDICT CRACKING RESISTANCE: No VENTURI: Yes VERDICT: The Oceanic Alpha 10 SPX is a straightforward, no-frills regulator, and it does exactly what you need it to, at a very affordable price.
SCORE
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89
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SCUBAPRO MK2 EVO / R195 | SRP: £241 Scubapro is a well-established brand that has always produced solid regulators. The MK2 Evbo paired up with the R195 makes a decent budget-priced route into the brand. The MK2 Evo is an efficient piston first stage. The Evo boasts 15 per cent better airflow than the previous model, thanks to a larger piston, yet an improved design has managed to reduce the body size by 3.5mm. It has four low-pressure ports, and one high-pressure. It is equipped with Scubapro’s X-TIS (Extended Thermal Insulating System), which fully insulates the international mechanism from the environment. This massively improves the cold water / freezing resistance without compromising its breathing performance. The result is a compact first stage which would be an ideal first reg for a new diver, a lightweight travel regulator, or even a well-priced set up for stage cylinders. The R195 second stage is a classic downstream design, with a Ventura lever that is easy to locate even wearing thick gloves. The large circular purge button is also simple to find and operate. The mouthpiece is comfortable, and the exhaust directs exhaled bubbles past your face. Good entry-level regulator. www.scubapro.com
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TECH SPECS & VERDICT CRACKING RESISTANCE: No VENTURI: Yes VERDICT: The MK2 Evo / R195 regulator is a great way for a new diver to get on board with the Scubapro brand. It is well priced, and a decent performer all-round.
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VERDICT
Regulators are something we rely on underwater, so you want to know you can count on it, and none of these regs were found wanting, despite some, shall we say, robust testing! In the Best Value category, we had all four in the mix, but in the end, the Mares Rover snapped up this title. It has subtle good looks on both the first and second stages, but the performance was sensational, and it is a truly budget price. The Choice award went to the Aqua Lung Core Supreme. In previous years this regulator has sat in the midrange price bracket and done very well, and so now that it is within this entry-level price zone, it is even more attractive. The breath is smooth, the build quality excellent - and all for under ÂŁ250.
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05/10/2019 19:51
Long Term Test BEUCHAT AQUABIONIC
Mark Evans: I remember back in the day testing - and being mightily impressed with - the Aquabionic fins. This was when they were a singular product. Now the Aquabionic fins are part of the Beuchat range, and it will be great INFORMATION Arrival date: April 2020 to test dive these fins, which have a unique design Suggested retail price: £135 Number of dives: 0 and feel in the water. Time in water: 0 hrs 0 mins www.beuchat-diving.com
XDEEP FRAMELESS MASK
Mark Evans: I haven’t had chance to get wet with the xDeep frameless mask yet, but on first inspection it has a very soft and supple skirt. It is a low-profile mask, and is fitted with large buckles which can be operated INFORMATION Arrival date: February 2020 even wearing thick gloves. Suggested retail price: £60 It comes in a sturdy plastic Number of dives: 0 storage box. Time in water: 0 hrs 0 mins www.xdeep.eu 94
ROHO X-FLEX SOLO Mark Evans: The Solo X-Flex is designed to be donned and doffed on your own - hence the ‘Solo’ in the name - and to this end it is fitted with a cross-torso zipper, and telescopic torso with crotch strap. This design does mean that it is no hardship to get in - and perhaps more importantly, out of - on your own. Yes, we dive with a buddy (most of the time!), but it is still nice to be able to kit up and get ready without standing there waiting for your suit to be zipped up. www.roho.co.uk
INFORMATION Arrival date: July 2019 Suggested retail price: £829 Number of dives: 0 Time in water: 0 hrs 0 mins
MARES GENIUS
Mark Evans: You never have to worry about running out of battery with the Genius, as it is rechargeable. Charging up the battery is a doddle - the charging unit clips on to the side of Genius, and this brings the contacts underneath the unit into position. The other end just goes into INFORMATION Arrival date: August 2019 a USB socket. A red light shows it is charging. Simple Suggested retail price: £711 Number of dives: 32 but effective. Time in water: 30hrs 50 mins www.mares.com WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM
SCUBAPRO G2 Mark Evans: I am a bit fan of wrist-mounted dive computers, and always wear them with the screen on the inside of my wrist. This way the face of the computer is protected from any impacts, but most importantly it is automatically facing you when you are relaxed into a nice, comfortable trim position underwater, or holding on to your camera or video system. No need to rotate your wrist to read the information on the screen. I also like the thick rubber strap on the G2, which keeps the computer nice INFORMATION Arrival date: December 2019 and solid on your forearm Suggested retail price: £759 whether you are in a Number of dives: 4 wetsuit or in a drysuit. Time in water: 3 hrs 55 mins www.scubapro.com
BEST DIVERS ALDEBARAN TORCH SET
APEKS VX1
Mark Evans: The VX1 has been on a few more dives with me, and it continues to impress a few months on. I like a mask that you can just put on your face and not worry about it seating properly or sealing around your face. And it is one of those masks that suits many faces, working for my wife as well as other Test Team members. And I have still yet to find another single-lens mask that fits INFORMATION Arrival date: September 2019 my face without pressing Suggested retail price: £69 on to my forehead. Great Number of dives: 68 little mask. Time in water: 66 hrs 55 mins www.apeksdiving.com/uk
AQUA LUNG BALI
Mark Evans: We have yet to use the Aldebaran in tropical waters, but I can’t wait to see what the central red LED does to the reds and other colours that disappear as you go deeper into the ocean. According to Best Divers, it is supposed to bring back those missing colours and I have to say it is a truly novel idea. The red LED sits in the INFORMATION Arrival date: March 2020 middle of the four ‘normal’ Suggested retail price: £300 LEDs in a neat cluster on Number of dives: 3 the large head unit. Time in water: 2 hrs 20 mins www.bestdivers.co.uk WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM
Mark Evans: So the Aqua Lung Bali has reached the end of its stint in the Long Term Test stable, and like its thicker AquaFlex sibling, it has proved itself to be warm, comfortable and - most importantly extremely easy to get on and off. The subtle coral polyp prints on the arms make it stand out from the crowd, but not in a garish way that is soon going to date. It is well made, offers plenty of flexibility, and it has some neat design features that show its heritage. Worth looking at if you need a travel suit. www.aqualung.com/uk
INFORMATION Arrival date: June 2019 Suggested retail price: £112 Number of dives: 20 Time in water: 19 hrs 25 mins 95
ANTHONY’S KEY RESORT STUART PHILPOTT VISITS THE AMERICAN DIVING FAVOURITE OF ROATAN
INDONESIA ADVENTURE 1,300-MILE LIVEABOARD VOYAGE FROM KOMODO TO RAJA AMPAT
DIVING ON A BUDGET
THE SCUBA DIVER CREW GOES CAMPING ‘N’INDONESIA ADVENTURE DIVING IN DORSET 1,300-MILE LIVEABOARD VOYAGE FROM KOMODO TO RAJA AMPAT
TECHNICAL: DEEP DIVING NEIL BENNETT EXPLORES THE MINDSET NEEDED TO SAFEL Y MASTER TECHNICAL DIVING
DIVE LIKE A PRO: BCDS HANDY HINTS ON HOW TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF THE HUMBLE BCD
Deeply
INSPIRATIONAL GEMMA SMITH TALKS AB OU DIVES, BEING A STRONG T EPIC TECHNICAL ROLE MODEL, AND FIGHTING BACK TO FITNE SS AFTER A SERIOUS ACCIDENT
Something for EVERYONE EAT FOR WHY MALTA AND GOZO ARE GR ELS LEV D AN ES DIVERS OF ALL AG OF CERTIFICATION
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ANTHONY’S KEY RESORT STUART PHILPOTT VISITS THE AMERICAN DIVING FAVOURITE OF ROATAN
E INDONESIA ADVENTUR 1,300-MILE LIVEABOARD VOYAGE FROM KOMODO TO RAJA AMPAT
DIVING ON A BUDGET
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BERMUDA BLAST
WHAT’S YOUR WATCH?
INDONESIAN EXPEDITION
WE EXPLORE THE SHIPWRECK CAPITAL OF THE ATLANTIC
THE TEST TEAM RATES AND REVIEWS WRISTWATCH-STYLE DIVE COMPUTERS
ADRIAN STACEY FINISHES HIS 1,300-MILE LIVEABOARD ADVENTURE IN RAJA AMPAT
INDONESIA ADVENTUR E
THE SCUBA DIVER CREW GOES CAMPING ‘N’ DIVING IN DORSET
1,300-MILE LIVEABOARD VOYAGE FROM KOMODO TO RAJA AMPAT
TECHNICAL: DEEP DIVING NEIL BENNETT EXPLORES THE MINDSET NEEDED TO SAFELY MASTER TECHNICAL DIVING
DIVE LIKE A PRO: BCDS HANDY HINTS ON HOW TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF THE HUMBLE BCD
ALEX MUSTARD
SHOOT TO WIN
THE MAESTRO OFFERS SAGE ADVICE ON CREATING COMPETITION-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHS
ALL AT SEA
Entry and exit techniques when boat diving
Stunning SHORT FILM showcases cave diving – and GIRL POWER!
INSPIRATIONAL GEMMA SMITH TALKS ABOUT EPIC TECHN ICAL DIVES, BEING A STRON G ROLE FIGHTING BACK TO FITNESMODEL, AND S A SERIOUS ACCIDENTAFTER
Something for EVERYONE ARE GREAT FOR WHY MALTA AND GOZO AND LEVELS DIVERS OF ALL AGES OF CERTIFICATION
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SCHOLARSHIP DIARY
The Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society is a non-profit, educational organisation whose mission is to promote educational activities associated with the underwater world. It has offered scholarships for over 35 years. owuscholarship.org
POOR KNIGHTS – AND BULL SHARKS PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF KIM HILDEBRANDT
T
his month, I returned to where the roots of my passion for scuba diving had grown - New Zealand. Here, while spending a year abroad at the Mercury Bay Area School, I got my PADI Open Water, Advanced, and Rescue Diver certifications in a remarkable school programme, called the ‘Marine Academy’. This programme allows young High School students to get scuba certified and by doing so, introduces them to and teaches them about the local marine environment. So when I popped in to DiveZone Whitianga, through which the Marine Academy is still running, to say “Hi”, they invited me to come for some dives the next day! It was so good to be back in New Zealand’s waters. I also went out with my host family on their boat for another dive day in the Te-Whanganui-a-Hei Marine Reserve, in which the abundance of snapper was just mind-blowing, mirroring the effectiveness of the Reserve. I then travelled further north to Tutukaka, where I wanted to gain more experience diving in twinsets with the generous support of Jamie and Mel Obern from Techdive New Zealand. Dive! Tutukaka invited me on their boats for a few days, to show me the stunning diving around the Poor Knights Islands, which were rated as one of the Top 10 dive sites of the world by Jacques Cousteau. And I could not disagree at all! Bursting with colours and diversity of life, with their impressive underwater archways and caves, these islands mesmerised me immediately. Nudibranchs, stingrays, schools of blue and pink mao mao and kingfish – so much to see and take photos of! Fittingly to my practise in twinset for further GUE courses, I also got to know the 2020 GUE NextGen Scholar, Annika Andresen, and we managed to dive together at the Mokohinau Islands and Little Barrier Islands, with the Auckland University Underwater Club, as well. In Auckland I was able to meet with Dr Simon Mitchell, who is a world-renowned hyperbaric and dive doctor, as well as the Head of the Department of Anaesthesiology at the Auckland City Hospital, so I got to speak a lot of ‘medicine’ with him while accompanying two surgeries in which he led the anaesthesia. I also got to go for my first-ever dive in a hyperbaric chamber, at the Slark Hyperbaric Unit in Devonport, with routine patients who were treated with hyperbaric oxygen to help their wound healing. Dr Chris Sames taught me a lot about the physiological effects of breathing oxygen under pressure, and how it can not only help divers with
Kim Hildebrandt
decompression sickness to recover, but also patients with badly healing wounds due to, eg radiotherapy against cancer. Also in Auckland, at the SeaLife Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium, I accompanied a veterinary examination including biopsy sampling and blood draw from a broadnose seven-gill shark, as well as my first-ever shark necropsy! Lastly, I flew over to Fiji to dive with Beqa Adventure Divers on their world-famous shark dive in the Shark Reef Marine Reserve, which was established by BAD themselves, promoting both the conservation of the resident shark species, as well as the local Fijian community, by a levy which every diver has to pay to them. And what an incredible experience the shark dive was! It is hard to describe the feelings I got being up close to and encircled by 40-plus bull sharks, plus five other shark species, including grey reef sharks, sicklefin lemonsharks, tawny nursesharks, black and whitetip reef sharks… Most impressed, though, was I that the crew of BAD recognised almost every individual by name by markings on their body as well! I also learned that each shark has their very own character, which mirrors in their behaviour towards other sharks within the hierarchy, as well as towards us divers. Additionally, I was lucky enough to be with BAD at the same time as their resident researchers, Dr Juerg Brunnschweiler, and Dr Kerstin Glaus, who told me about the results of their research on the Fijian bull shark population. Did you know, for example, that bull sharks give birth in fresh water environment, more exactly rivers, which is where the juveniles supposedly spent the first two to three years of their lives? Through catching and tagging of juvenile bull sharks, and followingly the signal reception of receivers at the river mouths, the movements of the juveniles could be tracked, and will be tracked for the coming years. n
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The compact Suunto EON Core is a great dive companion whether you are just beginning diving or an active diver exploring new depths. The key details of your dive are easy to read from the clear colour display with large, prominent digits and intuitive menu logic. This fully-featured and customisable dive computer is your reliable partner no matter if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re exploring shipwrecks or admiring the colourful marine life. www.suunto.com
Suunto Diving UK
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