Summer is almost gone, at least in Europe. So there are even more reasons to grab our Magazine and share it with your friends. It's always good to have a positive springboard and take at least a virtual dive.
All the divers among us know perfectly well just how relaxing water is for us when we finally descend.
So before you get immersed in what we have prepared for you, read our opening article.
Astonishing discoveries in the Lednica lake in Poland. Including a sword with a golden cross, an axe encrusted with silver, spears, arrow tips, crossbow bolts and many more. And above all – remains of a bridge from the times before the Polish state was formed. Incredible artifacts for both the European and global community. We are even more excited as Mateusz Popek, a member of our editorial team, was among the explorers. Congratulations!
Since its beginning, Perfect Diver has been committed to protecting our Planet. On numerous occasions we were involved in cleaning various water bodies (in 2020, after signing an letter of intent with the Our Earth Foundation [Fundacja Nasza Ziemia], we facilitated one of the great finals of the campaign at the Strzeszyńskie lake in Poznań), we wrote about microplastic, opposed the idea of dolphinariums and objected to cutting sharks’ fins to cook soup.
Sharks, those amazing sea creatures, almost at the very end of the food chain, are disappearing... The problem is very serious. An emotional text by Laura Kazimierska and a photographic account from Karolina Sztaba provide an explicit outlook of one the largest fish markets of this kind in the world.
This issue is bustling with numerous interesting topics. Grzegorz Białas has made his photographic debut in our magazine, by picturing the magic Christine mine, described by Irena Kosowska.
We're wrapping things up with some hints on how to get it on with cutting...
See for yourselves and enjoy. Donations are always welcome, should you whish to support our editors. You may order our paper issue at: preorder@perfectdiver.com
Wojciech Zgoła Irena Kosowska Mateusz Popek
Agnieszka Kalska Jakub Degee Bartosz Pszczółkowski Agnieszka Gumiela-Pająkowska Arleta Kaźmierczak
Reddo Translations Sp. z o.o. Adwokat Joanna Wajsnis Brygida Jackowiak-Rydzak The Editorial Office does not return unsolicited materials, is not responsible for the content of advertisements and reserves the right to shorten, edit, title the submitted texts and select illustrative materials. Reprinting of articles or parts thereof, copying only with the consent of the Editorial Board. Editors are not responsible for the form and content of advertisements.
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He often repeats that he travels by diving and that is his motto. In 1985 he obtained a yacht sailor's license, and only in 2006 began to dive. In the following years he improved his skills by obtaining the Dive Master degree. He completed nearly 650 dives in various climatic conditions. Since 2007, he has been taking photographs underwater, and since 2008 he has also been filming. As an independent journalist, he published dozens of articles, mainly in journals dedicated to diving, but not only. Co-author of photo exhibitions in Poland and abroad. He is passionate about and propagator of diving. Since 2008 he has been running his own website www.dive-adventure.eu. On the basis of extensive experience, in August 2018 he created the new Perfect Diver Magazine
”My passion, work and life are under water.” He has been diving since 2009. Since 2008, he's walking in caves. Underwater archeologist by education. He participated in numerous projects in Poland and abroad. He has been engaged in professional diving since 2011. In 2013 he obtained the qualifications of a 2nd class diver. Has experience in underwater work both at sea and inland. Since 2013 he has been diving in caves, especially in the mountains, and since 2014 he is a diving instructor CMAS M1. In June 2020, he obtained a doctoral degree in underwater archeology.
Regional Manager Divers Alert Network Polska, diving and first aid instructor, technical diver and cave diver. In love with all flooded, dark, cold, tight places and invariably from the beginning of the diving route – in the Baltic. Implementing the DAN mission, he conducts a series of lectures ”Dive safely” and Diving Safety Laboratory, so field research of divers for scientific purposes.
Polish photographer, winner of awards and distinctions in world underwater photography competitions, has already dived all over the world: with sharks and whales in South Africa, with orcs behind the Arctic Circle, on Galapagos with hundreds of hammerhead sharks and humpback whales in the Tonga Islands. He participates in specialist photographic workshops. He has been diving for 27 years, he started at the age of 12 – as soon as it was formally possible. He was the first in the world to use the Hasselblad X1d-50c camera for underwater macro photography. Recently, in the remote Chincorro archipelago on the border between Mexico and Belize, he did it again, taking a successful attempt to photograph the eye of a crocodile with a macro lens with an additional magnifying lens, which is the world's largest photo of the crocodile's eye living in the wild (in terms of pixel count, print size, quality).
agniesZka kalska
”I can't imagine living without water, where in a free body I experience freedom of the spirit.”
• founder of the first freediving and swimming school in Poland – FREEBODY,
• Apnea Academia International and PADI Master Freediver freediving instructor,
• world record holder in freediving (DYN 253 m),
• record holder and Polish champion, member of the national team in freediving 2013–2019,
• winner of the World Championships in freediving 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018,
• multimedalist of the Polish Championships and a member of the national team in swimming in the years 1998–2003,
• passionate about freediving and swimming.
That's my name and I come from Poznań. I have been associated with water practically from birth and with diving since I learned to walk. My grandfather instilled my passion for the underwater world, a CMAS*** instructor taking me to the lakes at any free time. I obtained my first qualifications in 1996. A year later I went to Croatia and literally went crazy at the sight of blue water, octopus and colorful fish;) I bought my first underwater camera – Olympus 5060 and started the adventure with underwater photography. I acquired my diving experience in the Canary Islands, Sardinia, Norway, Maldives and in Polish lakes. I am currently a Padi and ESA instructor, I train diving enthusiasts in Europe and pass my passion on to others.
I invite all lovers of the underwater world and photography to Beediver (FB) – see you soon.
Wojciech Zgoła
irena kosoWska
jakub degee
MateusZ popek
bartosZ psZcZółkoWski
Has more than 8000 dives on his account. He has been diving for over 30 years, including over 20 years as a technical diver. He is a professional with great theoretical and practical knowledge. He is an instructor of many federations: GUE Instructor Mentor, CMAS**, IANTD nTMX, IDCS PADI, EFR, TMX Gas Blender. He participated in many diving projects and conferences as a leader, explorer, originator or lecturer. These included the Britannic Expedition 2016, Morpheus Cave Scientific Project on Croatia caves, GROM Expedition in Narvik, Tuna Mine Deep Dive, Glavas Cave in Croatia, NOA-MARINE. Professionally, he is a technical director at TecLine in Scubatech, and a director of training at TecLine Academy.
A graduate of Geography faculty at the University of Wrocław and an incurable optimist… with a permanent smile on her lips! It was probably Destiny that led her to Activtour… and she's been here on permanent basis. She passionately fulfils the dreams of many, organizing diving trips around the world, and she has already been diving for more than half of her life. Each year she explores a different ‘piece of the ocean’, pinning another pin to her diving world map. In winter she changes fins into her beloved skis and gets away into the Alps. A recipe for life? ”The only a dead trunk flows with the current – the explorer's canoe flows up the river!” anna@activtour.pl activtour.pl; travel.activtour.pl; 2bieguny.com
A graduate of two Poznan universities, the Academy of Physical Education (coaching specialization – handball) and the University of A.Mickiewicz, Faculty of Biology (specialty of experimental biology). He connected his professional life with this first university trying to influence the direction of development of future professionals on the one hand, and on the other planning and implementing research, pushing laboriously in the right direction of the stroller called science. In his free time he spends his time actively – his main passions are sailing (sea helmsman), skiing (downhill skiing instructor), riding a motorcycle, recreational diving and many other activities, as well as photography, mainly nature.
Margita śliZoWska
aka "Mermaid". NAUI, EFR (premedical first aid) and DAN oxygen rescue instructor. Actress and singer. Versatile woman.
Diving is her passion and a way to help every person with whom she works above and below water. In her opinion, diving is not only exploring the underwater world. It is also getting to know and integrating with your own "I", building trust in yourself and a way to develop the skills necessary to overcome all life problems. Specialist for "difficult" students and children.
Owner of XDIVERS – Your Diving School. Trimix, cave and gas blender diver. Her biggest underwater love are caves, and diving priority – SAFETY. margita@xdivers.pl, www.xdivers.pl
Since I was a child, I had dreamed of becoming a marine biologist and I managed to fulfill that dream. I did a degree in oceanography, where I recently started my doctoral studies. My diving adventure began when I was 12 years old. I love observing the underwater life up close and I try to show other divers how fascinating the underwater, Baltic creatures are.
grZegorZ białas
My diving adventure began in 1998 in the “Meduza” shipyard divers' club at the Gdynia Shipyard S.A. Here, I performed underwater work: ship hull inspections, cleaning of propellers and others. I have been diving on a closed circuit for almost 5 years. I dive in wrecks, in quarries, flooded mines or caves. For over a year, underwater photography has become my second passion and I try to take the camera wherever possible, thus showing places that few can see.
On a daily basis I deal with mechanics and perform welding work on the construction and repair of fishing boats in The Netherlands. I have also lived here for over 12 years. As a diver I am DM and I have CCR Cave, Full TMX CCR certificates.
anna sołoducha
Wojciech a. filip
Wojciech jarosZ
agata turoWicZ-cybula
Laura Kazimierska is currently working as PADI Course Director at TrawanganDive Center on the Indonesian island of Gili Trawangan. Founder of the Divemastergilis portal. www.divemastergilis.com @divemastergilis For over 7 years she has lived and discovered the underwater world of Indonesia. She is not only an avid technical diver, but also the face of the Planet Heroes platform and the ambassador of the Ocean Mimic brand. She actively contributes to the promotion of the protection of corals and the natural environment of fish and marine animals by taking part in scientific projects, campaigns against ocean littering and cooperating with NGOs in Indonesia.
@laura_kazi
Karolina Sztaba, and professionally Karola Takes Photos, is a photographer by education and passion. She is currently working at the Trawangan Dive Center on a tiny island in Indonesia – Gili Trawangan, where she moved to live four years ago.She photographs above and below the water. In addition, she creates photographic projects against littering the oceans and polluting our planet with plastic ("Trapped", "Trashion"). He cooperates with NBO organizations dealing with environmental protection and actively participates in pro-ecological actions (coral protection, coral planting, cleaning the world, protection of endangered species). He is also the official photographer of Ocean Mimic – a brand that creates swimwear and surfwear from rubbish collected on the beaches of Bali. She cooperated with many brands of diving equipment for which she created advertising campaigns. In 2019, she became the ambassador of the Polish company Tecline. She has been a technical diver for two years.
I live actively and I do a lot of things that make me feel alive. Diving was not my dream, I did the first degree of OWD to increase my chance of getting into service in the fire brigade, which was not given to me. Currently I serve as a soldier and diving has become one of my main passions. It gives me the opportunity to see a piece of the world reserved for the few. Communing with the underwater nature and its wild side is amazing.
Passionate about water and its secrets. From an early age it was hard to get me out of it. In high school I got my hands on horror stories by H.P. Lovecraft. Dark? Cold? Ancient gods? I'm in! Currently during the Divemaster course. I am preparing to "take on the glove" as a military diver. The underwater world that I visit the most is the darker and less known one.
An amateur filmmaker, a lover of diving in rivers, a photographer and researcher of the underwater world. A discoverer of the secrets small waterbodies. Also the propagator of the new Wild Aquarium movement in Poland, which is involved in reconstruction of biotopes of Polish waters in aquariums. Most of his free time he spends following his diving passion, gaining knowledge and experience in practice. He has made more than 100 short wildlife films. His goal is not only to astonish the spectators with the underwater views, but above all, making them aware of nature and the necessity of its protection. The motto of his work is the message "Get to know and love nature to protect it".
All videos are available on Youtube Channel Nantai Tv
laura kaZiMierska
karolina sZtaba
paWeł vogelsinger
daMian MarcinkoWski
łukasZ kielasZeWski
Astonishing discoveries At
Lednica in 2020!
Aa ll e uropean nations have their foundational myths or stories on their origins. they often concern a particular person or place. a bout such places one may say: “ this is were it all started. the history of our nation began here”.
nd the same goes for Poland. The historical beginnings of our country are strongly connected with an island and a lake that surrounds it. Ostrów Lednicki at the Lednica lake witnessed the most important events of Poland's early history
related with its first rulers – Mieszko I and Bolesław the Brave. For almost 40 years, underwater archeologists from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, in cooperation with the Museum of the First Piasts at Lednica, have been revealing traces of
Text mateusz popek
Photo Paweł Stencel
human activity in that lake. These are often everyday objects, but some of them were used during wars and skirmishes. But let’s start from the very beginning...
Ostrów Lednicki is the largest island on the Lednica lake, located in its widest part. There is a significantly smaller island Ledniczka located to the south-west from it and a tiny island called Ptasia Wyspa [Birds' Island] located to the north. On the first two islands the archeologists found traces of medieval gords and buildings.
First settlers arrived at Ostrów by the end of the 9th century. A small gord (fortified wooden settlement) was built there at that time. We call it “tribal times”, as there is no evidence of state structures in this period. Perhaps the gord on the island was a residence of the local tribe's chief. However, information regarding this period is rather scarce, as later investments destroyed traces of life from that period. Around the year 950, huge investments were made on the island. A large fortified gord with a palas and chapel was built. A church was erected next to the palas. Workshops and merchant stalls appeared within the settlement beyond the gord walls. Life on the island was flourishing. Investments also included water infrastructure – two bridges leading onto the island were built. The engineering concept behind them was very bold. The first bridge headed towards Gniezno and was 180 meters long, whereas the second led towards Poznań and was as long as 430 meters. There was also a third bridge, which had been built slightly earlier, leading to the little Ledniczka island. One thousand years later the remains of those bridges will be in the spotlight of underwater archeologists.
Photo Mateusz Popek
Photo Filip Nalaskowski
All these investments were made by one person, the duke Mieszko I, who is considered to be the first historical ruler of Poland. He turned Ostrów Lednicki into one of the central points of his newly established state. Perhaps it was there that the symbolical baptism of Poland, that all Poles learn about at school, took place. Baptismal pools located in the palace chapel may indicate that. After Mieszko’s death his son, Bolesław the Brave, became the ruler. He is mostly associated with numerous wars, but he also took part in more peaceful events in the European arena. In the year 1000 he met with Otto III and surprisingly it was the German emperor who visited Bolesław. He went on a pilgrimage to the grave of St. Adalbert of Prague in Gniezno. Unfortunately, the cathedral over the saint’s grave was not finished, so most probably the duke received his guest on Ostrów Lednicki. There is a legend saying that apart from
the lance of St. Maurice, Bolesław also received the golden throne of Charles the Great, which unfortunately fell from the bridge into the water during transport.
After Bolesław the Brave died, Mieszko II became the ruler. The beginnings of his reign were not easy and several years after he ascended the throne his country was overran by his neighbor, Bretislav I, duke of Bohemia. His army took over many gords and arrived at Ostrów Lednicki. A huge battle was fought on the bridges and the lake. Archeologists are finding its traces until today. Explorers have extracted more than 140 axes, around 50 spear tips, with three of them completely preserved, 8 swords, a nasal helmet and a chain mail. This is one of the largest collections of early medieval weapons in Europe. However, science usually offers many interpretations. Some scientist claim that armor and other objects found in the water are not remnants of a battle but are connected with rituals performed on the island.
Following those events, Ostrów Lednicki lost its importance. Although it has never again become the center of the state, many events took place there. The island was used as a cemetery and castellany – a local administrative center. On the smaller island there was also a residence of a local knight’s family and a bridge. Interestingly, archeologists found traces of a skirmish on the bridge remains. A large number of arrow tips and crossbow bolts suggests that the bridge also witnessed some fights. Numerous axes and spears from the 14th/15th century (the time of the knightly residence) were
Archaeologist exploring a spearhead
Photo Marcin Trzciński
found there. The history of the islands on Lednica lake ends with that period. Later they were used as pastures and palas ruins were the fabric of legends. Ancient researchers were also interested in it. But the objects in the lake were forgotten. From time to time local fishermen mentioned snugging nets on some piles. In 1959, a local clerk decided to check these stories and asked scuba divers to explore the lake. They found remains of bridges and numerous relicts, including the previously mentioned helmet. In 1982, scientists from Toruń started to explore the lake and still conduct their research there as the Underwater Archeology Center at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. It is not possible to mention all the relicts and present all research results, as it took several books and numerous scientific articles to hold them. In short, for almost 40 years archeologists have revealed the remaining elements of the bridges, studying their design and the materials used to build them. During their works they found numerous historical objects. These included everyday objects, farming tools and armor. Objects made of organic materials such as leather, wood or plant fibres are particularly valuable for archeologists. They were preserved thanks to the anaerobic sludge environment. This allowed us to learn what shoes looked like, how ropes were made, what spoons or bowls people used to eat at that time. Despite regular research, the lake surprises scientists every year. In the last few years many interesting historical objects were found there. One of
Photo Andrzej Kowalczyk
the most important discoveries was the bridge on Ledniczka island, previously unknown. Even more surprising was the fact that it was built before the great investments made by Mieszko I. In recent years archeologists’ works focus on this area. And so it was this season. However, the year 2020 was exceptional even for the team working there, who are used to seeing unique historical objects. During the first dive at the site one of the scuba divers discovered a sword. This is
an uncommon finding. The object was extremely fragile, so it was quickly taken to the preservation department for further analysis. It turned out that a golden cross is sculpted on the sword. Scientist were largely surprised. Other axes, arrow and spear tips were found later during the season, but one axe was very special. Not only was it encrusted with some other metal, but also extremely rare – similar items were found in the territories of Polabian Slavs and in Scandinavia. This was
Medieval hilt of a sword
Photo Mateusz Popek
Medieval sickle at the place of finding
Photo Paweł Stencel
Belts and arrows from the bridge on Ledniczka
Photo Mateusz Popek
another piece of knowledge about this place and the early Polish state. It was not only a center of power, but it also had contacts with distant countries.
The Lednica lake poses new challenges for scientists every year and generates new mysteries to be solved: What was the meaning of the cross on the sword? Where did the richly decorated axe come from? Who build the bridge to Ledniczka island before Mieszko I? Finding an answer to these questions requires many hours of office work and probably many seasons of fieldwork. Scientists form the Underwater Archeology Center at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
are not giving up and are still looking into the mysteries of this dark lake.
Both the island and the collections of relics are available for you to see while visiting the Museum of the First Piasts at Lednica (http://www.lednicamuzeum.pl/). 3D models of historical objects found during this research season are available from the Skerchfab platform (https://sketchfab.com/ UMK_UnderwaterArchaeology).
If you want to be up-to-date with the work of archeologists, you may find them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/underwaterarchcentre), or Instagram (@cua_ncu).
Article author extracting a spearhead
Photo Hubert Marecki
Sardinia
northwest, Alghero
o n the west coast of s ardinia, in the area of a lghero, there are limestone cliffs. they are rock formations majestically hidden in the blue waters of the Mediterranean s ea, full of mysterious caves with the famous n eptune's g rotto. there are more than 350 steps that lead to the cave, and inside it can fit the whole orchestra, which has already taken place before.
This cave is located in the Capo Caccia massif, which is separated from another interesting place, Punta Giglio, by the extensive Porto Conte Bay. In this bay, on a beautiful beach with white sand, you can eat a grilled sea brass (spiaggia mugone) while enjoying the view of the open sea.
The entire west coast of Alghero is dotted with smaller coves where local people come to rest during the weekend. My story is about one of these coves.
Capo Galera is a bay and a place where there has been a diving center on the cliff for over 35 years. A magical and unique place, in which you mainly dive in the surrounding caverns and caves. There are over 20 different diving spots where you can feel the atmosphere of cave diving, and it is a great opportunity for those who want to develop in this direction in the future.
You have to remember that for such diving you need flashlights, which you can rent or buy in the center.
Text and photos Bartosz pszczółkowski
Capo Galera Diving Center, fabulous and unique location of the diving center
Diving in closed spaces, tunnels and caverns is also fascinating because of the unique fauna. Congers, all kinds of crabs, moray eels like the crevices in the rocks where they live and often stick their heads out when a diver passes by. Groupers and barracudas are also a common sight during diving explorations, and more perceptive divers will be able to spot an octopus and tiny nudibranchs.
At Capo Galera, the dives are exciting, starting from the
closest reef in the bay that is like a kindergarten for underwater animals. The bay is famous for the presence of seahorses (cavalucio marino, hipocampus sp.), but you can often find octopuses, young barracudas, interesting monkfish (pece prete), and even rays or electric rays.
The dive centre takes divers daily with its wooden Patrizia boat which is very comfortable and spacious. Years earlier, it had taken tourists to the Neptune's Grotto. Currently, in
Octopus spreading its body
Barracudas from La Madonnina, Capo Caccia
Grouper
16 minutes, Patrizia reaches the nearest dive site called Grota di Enyo Falco (the Falcon Cave). An inconspicuous breach in the cliff, underwater, reveals itself as a majestic cavern with a sump leading to the dry part, with beautifully decorated walls and karst formations on the ceiling. Stalactites, stalagmites and columns create the image of a beautiful dripstone form, which is actually only available to divers.
Here you can also admire the red coral (gold of the Mediterranean) already at a depth of 5 meters. It creates clusters of twigs up to the size of a human hand. Among such twigs, you can meet nudibranchs and various invertebrates. Alghero, along with the rest of the west coast of Sardinia, has been called the coral riviera for centuries, and the history of the exploitation of red coral dates back to ancient times.
Underwater, the huge limestone blocks detached from the cliff and resting on the bottom just before entering the cave make a great impression. You can swim between them and, with a bit of luck, meet a spiny lobster waving its long antennae. Tunas flow here as well, but if it comes to a meeting, it lasts several seconds :). They are beautiful, large and very fast fish.
After twenty-minute navigation on Patrizia, we reach the Punta Giglio massif. At this point, we can dive in Grota del Stalatiti (the Stalactite Cave), where at the end of a large tunnel
Flabellina sp., gorgeous but a small nudibranch
Seahorse from Capo Galera bay
there is a lake where you can ascend, and returning to the exit in the upper part of the tunnel, we observe very interesting cave formations.
Grota del Cervi (the Deer Cave) is a fascinating place for a palaeontologist. You enter the chamber through a rather narrow S-shaped tunnel and emerge inside the rock massif in a small lake, you can breathe fresh air. In the cave there is meter-thick sediment with an accumulation of deer bones,
a species that is no longer present in Sardinia. According to the research of scientists, these fossils are evidence of a bridge between the island and the continent.
The pearl of Punta Giglio is the place considered to be the Cenote of the Mediterranean. Grota del Fantasmi (the Ghost Cave) is a unique place that attracts crowds of divers. The completely white walls of the cave inside reflect the light of the flashlight and create an amazing play of light and shadow in
Red coral in the ceiling of the Nereo Cave
Falco, red coral at a depth of 15 m
Blue lobster in one of the caves
The Stalatiti Cave
Entrance to the Stalatiti Cave
The Deer Cave
such a way that it feels like someone or something is lurking around the corner. There is practically no life in this cave. From time to time you can see a stray crawfish or moray eel. This place is liked by an interesting fish called brotula (a small fish that normally lives in the depths of the sea at about 200 m).
There is a place in the cave where you can admire a transparent, alabaster tongue, orange in colour. Sometimes a guide
illuminates the underside of this mineral layer with a flashlight to show how the light shines through its structure. The final stage of the trip is the Blanco Tunnel, a white tunnel leading divers to the initial parts of the cave. Outside, sun rays shine through the blue waters of Punta Giglio and on the way to the boat we can meet groupers and schools of barracudas searching the surface layers of water looking for food. Once on the boat, divers usually begin to experience, share their impressions and get excited about this magical place. For everyone, this diving leaves an unforgettable memory of cave adventures.
After a successful day, we return to the Capo Galera diving center, unload the boat, putting the cylinders and personal equipment on the elevator. At the base, taking care of the equipment, we rinse everything in fresh water and make an appointment for another day. You can eat here and rent a room.
Another amazing dive site is Grotta di Nereo (the Nereo Cave), called the mother of all caves. About 30 minutes of navigation on Patrizia from the diving center, the grotto is located in the Capo Caccia massif near the Neptune's Cave. The Nereo Cave is a long and spacious horseshoe-shaped tunnel. Inside, you can observe huge congers swimming next to divers, and lobsters live in the bottom rock crevices. Twigs of red coral
Final parts of the Nereo Cave Ghost Cave, lots of a spacious chamber
cover the ceiling of the tunnel. On the wall you can sometimes see a slipper lobster or a crawfish. This dive site is so large that you can make four dives here and each dive will be different. The cliff walls go down to 40 meters deep, and at 30 meters there is a great entrance to the Kidneys Cave that is called Trasversale Bassa. At a depth of 15 meters is the heart-shaped main and most popular “cuore” entrance to the cave, and on the way back you can take a shortcut across Trasversale Alta to the exit. In the final part of the cave we go through Archi di Nereo – these are huge rock arches through which the light shines into the dark corridors of the Nereo Cave. You definitely have to dive here :)
Diving around Alghero is unusual. The entire area is under protection and constitutes a national park. Thanks to this, the multitude of fish is noticeable with each dive. The vertical walls of limestone cliffs, perforated like Swiss cheese, as a result of karst processes, have left behind a magical landscape that is accessible to divers of all skill levels. Experienced divers will certainly benefit the most from the charms of these undersea wonders, but also beginners will be able to enjoy diving in the cavern space of many caves. The experiences they live will be remembered for a long time.
To be continued...
Slipery lobster
Tremiti Islands
Text and photos wojciech zgoła
s eptember is one of my favorite months to spend time in the Mediterranean. i f you combine it with a hitherto unknown piece of i taly and the memory of the taste of their ice cream, hidden deep in the taste buds, it can turn out to be a wonderful adventure.
Ihave targeted Gargano. Rarely frequented for diving, but with a diversified shoreline.
The Internet worked at peak speed. I was looking for a variety of dive centers near Vieste. It turned out that there are not many of them, and this side of the Italian shoe is one of the less frequented in terms of diving. The Adriatic Sea here is characterized by the fact that the visibility under water often fails, which I have repeatedly confirmed by snorkeling.
Determined, I wrote to my friend from DAN – Cristian. He responded enthusiastically to take a look at the Tremiti Islands. There are 2 diving centers there, and the dives will not disappoint me.
Thanks to him (thanks Cristian!) I found out about the existence of islands in the Adriatic – belonging to Italy. After all, it is known that the Adriatic islands are Croatia – on the other side of the water.
And here is such a surprise!
The internet screamed. Fortunately, he obeyed and opened a few windows. There were indeed two dive centers. I wrote to both stating when I would like to dive and how many times. I decided to get involved with those who will react faster.
Now I was checking ferry connections. From where to get to the Island , how long does it take to get there, how often and for how much. A positive surprise again. During the season, ferries run from every major town on the Gargano coast.
Holidays started to fall into place. The Diving Center wrote back. The offer was interesting. Joy in the heart unrestrained. What can I say, I like discovering the underwater secrets of new places.
The plane had one of the longest delays in my flying career. Finally, however, it touched the ground at the airport in Bari,
from where I rented a car to the suburbs of Vieste, where I was stationed for a week.
The Gargano peninsula with the Gargano National Park covers about 2,000 km2. The interior is upland, but the coast is sandy, gravel or cliff. It is in the vicinity of Vieste, a beautiful city that was built years ago on a small hill, with wide, sandy beaches. I snorkeled here.
A dozen or so kilometers from here there is a diving center with which I had an appointment for 2 dives next day. They called (luckily) in the evening and said there was a storm at night and the visibility was terrible. There is no point in diving. The next day they called again that the sea still hadn't settled down and there was no point in diving. The next day they found that they were actually finishing the season and didn't have time for diving...
Fortunately, there were also the Tremiti Islands. I bought a return ticket and went on the ferry the next morning. There
were few people, a bit swinging, but after about an hour and a half, we reached another pearl of the Mediterranean Sea. I took a dry foot on the mainland of the Tremiti Islands. This mini archipelago consists of 5 islands, 2 of which are inhabited. Only in the summer season, the islands are visited by 100,000 tourists. When looking at its surface with the naked eye, the crowd must be wild and inexhaustible In that time! That's why I like September, among other things ;)
The route from the marina to the diving base took 5 minutes, because I was looking around. A bit uphill to the right and I was already in Tremiti Diving Center. I just chose them. Not everyone spoke English, but as it is in Italy, they spoke, smiled and were friendly.
After completing the formalities with a group of 8 Italians, I found myself on the zodiac. We were supposed to dive between the islands of San Domino and San Nicola. A rollover and salty, blue water cooled the body tired from traveling. It was great because I was under the water. I immediately noticed that there is a lot of life here, and the shape of the water rocks is very varied. We met 4 species of nudibranchs, rockfish, moray eels and barracudas. There were, of course, the crabs and drobica characteristic of this sea.
The second dive was in a smaller group. It turned out that the older men who are here on vacation often dive only once a day. We descended to a depth of over 25 meters. The water
temperature at the bottom was 20°C. At the surface of 27°C. We dived while admiring the landscape. At one point, I noticed two small rockfish sitting on a rock shelf with their mouths facing each other. I stopped and watched because this is the first time this picture happened to me. After a while it turned out that these two fish are fighting for territory. They pressed against each other, jumped back and rested. I don't know how long it lasted and how it ended. As a straggler from the end of the peloton, I was called to a group whose beginning I have not seen anymore. This is how only one in the group tries to take pictures.
After a day of break and sunbathing, I went back to the base to dive around the Tremiti Islands. This time we were diving with the base owner, nice Antonio. He showed us narrowings, tunnels, caves and crevices. Very diverse landscapes, full of life. Here I saw a snail with a "house" the size of an adult's hand. The second dive took place in a place with a slight breeze. The currents herald larger fish. Mostly.
We met a large grouper. It was a good meter in length. Herds of barracudas that initially kept their distance and then flashed very close to us. Thousands of chestnut chromis, sarpa salpa fish, oblad and others swam around. Foaming waves could be seen above us. Big blue accompanied us at the safety stop, and on the surface it turned out that from this side of the island the waves reach 1.5 heights. After a while we breathed a breath in the port. It stopped swinging and my thoughts wandered to the restaurant... I was delighted to hand over the newest issue of Perfect Diver Magazine to the owners and put our sticker on it. When you had no idea for another trip, I sincerely recommend the Tremiti Islands. Very positive dive, with a good, friendly atmosphere. I liked it so much that I would like to go there for the whole week. Out of season, of course. It could be in September. I like September on the Mediterranean Sea
What about an Adriatic Safari
a lfred h itchcock claimed that the sunset seen from the Zadar seaside promenade is more beautif ul than anything he had admired over the years in c alifornia.
The naturally setting sun is seen more than once or twice, but only in July and August. At this time, you can join thousands of Zadar inhabitants who, after turning off the electric lighting, gather with candles at dusk, celebrating the fading rays of the sun under the cloudless summer sky... We admired
our Croatian sunsets in an atypical way – from the deck of a boat during a diving safari, crossing the waters of the Adriatic Sea.
The Dalmatian coast, which was created by the flooding of mountains parallel to the shoreline, is dotted with a system of
Text anna sołoducha Photos łukasz metrycki
longitudinal islands and peninsulas. They are small or large, rocky or covered with forests and aromatic herbs, uninhabited or with traces of ancient civilisations. More than a thousand Dalmatian islands surrounded by the turquoise Adriatic Sea enchant with natural beauty and old stone towns. A diving
safari gives you the opportunity to penetrate the diving sites around the islands – both from the coast and the open sea. We started the expedition in the small port of Sukošan, located about 10 km from Zadar, in North Dalmatia, on Vranjak 1. It is a steel, 27 meter ship, built by divers... for divers. The boat has 10 air-conditioned double cabins with bathrooms, a living room with dining area, a diving deck and a sundeck. There is cleanliness and order everywhere. Delicious meals! The organisation of dives is impeccable: short and specific check-ins, smooth filling of cylinders, peace of mind and relaxation. The opposite of a diving safari in Egypt – we do not get up at 5.30 and do not dive at 06:00! Here the time flows slower and calmer. Due to quite deep dives, there are 2 descents underwater during the day and one night dive during the whole week. Tomislav – the owner, a diving instructor and our diving guide, from the very first moment introduces us to the climate of safari and tells about the specifics of diving in the Adriatic. Here, each of us is an independent diver. We do not dive blindly following our guide, we do not descend to the depth to which our group descends, but only to the depth to which our powers and well-being allow us. Kind of obvious, and yet I have the impression that diving in different places in the world strictly under the care of diving guides, we forget to "think" underwater on our own. The first evening and night we spend on the island of Ugljan. Kukljica – the village where we were located is often called "gates" to the Kornati National Park and the Telašćica Landscape Park, and the island itself is a kind of a suburb and garden of Zadar. We spend time in the shade of century-old pines, the air smells of olive water, and the setting sun announces that tomorrow we start diving!
We had several routes to choose from: the northern route (Zadar – the Kornati National Park – Dugi otok – Premuda), the southern route (Zadar – Rogoznica – Žirje – the Kornati National Park), a combination of the northern and southern routes (Zadar – Tribunj – Zlarin – Vodice – Žirje – the Kornati National Park), the Vis and Kornati tour, and the Hvar and Trogir tour. We choose the Vis and Kornati route, which is designed to meet the expectations of recreational divers, as well as those who can go deeper During World War II, the island was the headquarters of the Tito guerrilla command. Here you can visit the cave that still bears the marshal's name, as well as the headquarters of the former Yugoslav navy, which has been made available to foreigners since 1989. We, however, focus on what is most interesting for divers, namely wrecks, because Vis is famous for shipwrecks and planes scattered along the entire coast.
brioni is a shipwreck that is a passenger and cargo vessel. The steamer sank in 1930 in the section between Split and Vis during a storm, due to poor visibility and heavy rainfall, hitting the rocks. It carried wine and tobacco on board. The wreck lies on the port side, with the stern facing the coast. The shallowest
spot on the wreck is 38 m, but if we want (and can) examine the stern and the propeller thoroughly – we have to descend to about 60–65 m. The wreck impresses with its size and splendour, and is beautifully covered with yellow sponges. If you are lucky, you will be able to see brittle stars, scorpion fish or colourful starfish! Unfortunately no more than a third of the shipwrecks can be seen during recreational no-decompression diving, so it is definitely a treat for technical divers!
Vassilios T is probably my best memory when it comes to diving safaris! A wonderful wreck ship, 107 m long. It sank in 1929, carrying a cargo of coal, which was mined by the inhabitants of Komiža and for a long time heated the houses of the islanders. The wreck of this Greek steamer can be admired at a depth of 22 m. The propeller is at a depth of 45 m, and the port side touches the bottom at 55 m at the deepest point. Beautifully covered with yellow and orange sponges, the masts, the funnel and the handrails tempt you to stay underwater even longer! The dangling anchor chain of the wreck makes a phenomenal impression. The penetration of Vassilios at a perfect visibility allows us to see nudibranchs, orange scorpion fish, swinging anemones, starfish and sea urchins. While
sailing around the wreck, you can look into the spacious holds, admire the huge anchor and the impressive propeller. In several places we meet shrimps, lykopods or a beautiful, brown octopus! My impressions after diving? Priceless!
The wreck of Teti is also worth mentioning. It is a wreck of a steamboat which, when hitting the islet of Mali Barjak, landed at a depth of 35 m in 1930. The most remembered feature of this wreck is the spare steering wheel, luxuriantly covered with yellow and purple sponges. The ship was carrying paving stones, which were scattered on the sandy bottom around the wreckage. Teti lies at a depth of 11 to 36 m. It is definitely more damaged than the aforementioned Vassilios T. The area around the wreck is covered with grass, moray eels and slipper lobsters, and we are surrounded by a charming school of rainbow wrasses, parrot fish and cuckoo wrasses.
"Abandon all hope you who enter here" – this was the inscription on the gates to hell in Dante's Divine Comedy. The heroes of one of the songs are the lovers Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta. The couple were murdered by Francesca's betrayed husband and Paolo's brother, Giovanni Malatest. After their death, the lovers ended up in the 2nd circle of hell,
intended for those who sinned with sensuality. The souls of the damned are torn by a hurricane wind which is supposed to remind them of their unstable feelings... And it is on the wreckage named after the aforementioned heroine of Divine Comedy where we do another dive! Francesca da Rimini is a wreck of a German transport ship located off the coast of the island of Kaprije. The ship was probably torpedoed by passing British fighters in 1944. The deck of the wreck, more precisely the stern part, begins at a depth of 38 m and descends to the bow to 45 m. The maximum depth is 65 m. The wreck stands on the keel, slightly tilted to the port side. Apart from the damage caused by torpedoing and two broken masts, the wreck is well preserved. The diving itself is hmm… dark. The view under the water does not knock you to your knees; it is dark and cloudy, although there is certainly something to see. The remnants of the explosion that caused the ship to sink lead to cargo holds filled with ammunition. The missiles were secured with steel bars and cement bags. The wreck is covered with sponges, multi-coloured bryozoans and polyps of yellow corals. With a bit of luck, you can find single sea basses and lobsters. Diving ends with... a lot of deco diving. This wreck’s name… a coincidence? I don't think so
"On the last day of creation, God wished to crown his work and then created the Kornati Islands out of tears, stars and breath," wrote Bernard Shaw, delighted with their austere beauty. Strong words, but it is hard not to admire this place. The Kornati National Park was founded in 1980 on an area of 234 km2. It covers the Kornati archipelago – one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean Sea, with about 140 islands and islets, while the park is protected by 89 islands and reefs that make up 2/3 of the Kornati archipelago. Almost 537 species of invertebrates live here, about 160 species of fish, and one type of turtle. The landscape is captivating and constantly enchanting! We sail between rocky islands devoid of vegetation. Due to the harsh conditions, the vast majority of the islands are uninhabited. The islands are privately owned and the owners are mainly inhabitants of the islands of Murter and Sali. The individual plots are separated by stone walls, and the mosaic that forms them is one of the most interesting cultural attractions of the National Park. The chain of islands is named after its largest island – Kornati. The name is associated with the famous phenomenon that of the park – the crown. This is what the steep cliffs on the outer side of the island that run deep into the sea are called. All of this is the result
of extensive geological activity as the African tectonic plate slipped beneath the Eurasian tectonic plate to conquer part of the Earth's surface. The surface of the islands is dominated by karst formations composed of limestone and dolomite, caves, hollows and valleys that are partially underwater. Diving here is pure pleasure! The water seems more crystalline and the marine life is richer! The vertical walls fall to a depth of several dozen meters, and in the rock crevices we had the opportunity to see crawfish, scorpion fish, octopuses and moray eels, which were so numerous here! During one dive we managed to see at least six at the depths of 20–30 m! In the Kornati islands,
it is hard to get bored underwater. The stunning walls are covered with giant fans of purple and red gorgonians! We will also see the underwater wealth of many varieties of snails, echinoderms and anemones with a huge variety of colours, shapes and sizes. In addition, we have got there crystal clear water as befits a national park! At shallower depths we watched sea cucumbers, octopuses, anemones, swinging crinoids, starfish or bristle worms. What is more, it was during dives in the Kornati National Park that I saw the famous Peter fish! It is a very distinctive fish, strongly flattened with a distinct black eye in the centre of the lateral surface of the body. Legend has it that St. Peter while still being an apostle of Jesus caught this fish on Christ's command to get a gold coin out of its mouth. Before joining Christ, however, he was a blacksmith, so his hands were always dirty and black because he was constantly working with metal. When he caught the fish, two black spots remained on it from his fingerprints. In this way, the fish was called Peter, or the fish of St. Peter. The Adriatic Sea can really surprise you!
Days flow like waves. On the penultimate evening we got to a small settlement with a stone pier called Levrnaka. Besides two fantastic dives during the day, we also did a night dive.
Life was bustling underwater! Crabs, crawfish, sea urchins, shrimps, cuttlefish – which can change its colour by adjusting to the colour of the surroundings... It is here that I was able to see the conger for the first time in my life! It is a predatory sea eel resembling a moray eel with a different mouth. Its head resembles a dog's snout; it has large, blue-grey, glassy eyes, which we most often see first in the reef crevice where it hides. The goal was achieved, we could go home
The undeniable advantage of a diving safari in Croatia is the opportunity to see different diving regions during the week, as well as evening stays in the marinas. Every afternoon or evening, we moored in a port chosen by the captain, including Vodice, Rogoznica, Vis, Komiža or Primosten, plunging into narrow stone alleys leading between old town buildings. You can feel the magic of summer in the air. We spend every evening walking, admiring local monuments or tasting Croatian delicacies in atmospheric restaurants. This is how we can live!
The sunset from the top of Lavrnaki is breath-taking. The landscape reminds me of the National Park Komodo (Indonesia). We are slowly saying goodbye to the crystal waters of the Adriatic Sea. Once again, I found out that diving allows you to release everything that is best in you, and a diving safari shows that Croatia, so known to us all, can be rediscovered. You just have to change your perspective sometimes. "We do not need better technology, better phones anymore. We need more feelings and sunsets."
a travelling diver
Part 2
Whether you are taking a 23-hour flight to the other end of the world or a 23-minute trip to the lake, there's a journey of some kind behind each and every dive. That is why safety is crucial aspect of our mission here at dan. this smart guide is a fast and easy tool to help you prepare for a diving trip to local and remote destinations. In the first part of the guide, we discussed issues concerning logistics and documents; today – a few words about health, flights and equipment.
health while travelling
Most divers are aware that in order to dive safely, you need to keep fit. We also know how to avoid hazards in the water and learn how to be environmentally neutral – “leave nothing but bubbles, take nothing but memories”. Yet before travelling, you need to consider several other “nice-to-know” factors.
Dehydration
What is it? happens when the amount of water in the body and other bodily fluids decreases. It can impair our body’s ability to function properly.
Why does this concern travelers? Whether you are travelling by car, bus, train, plane or boat, you may be lacking proper access to drinking water. Travelling by plane is especially dehydrating, as air on planes is very dry.
What should you do? Prevent dehydration, taking one or two bottles of water with you. When travelling, keep an eye out on the color of your urine. In properly hydrated people, it is light, almost clear. If it is dark, drink something right away. Avoid alcohol and coffee! We recommend still drinks, tepid natural isotonics (e.g. water with honey, lemon juice and a pinch of salt or water 1:1 with natural apple juice). If you feel very thirsty, are unable to pee, have dry skin, feel dizzy or disoriented, refrain from diving and seek medical assistance immediately.
Deep Vein Thrombosis – DVT
What is it? DVT happens when clots develop in the deep veins of your body. They usually develop in the legs. This may lead to life-threatening conditions, like a pulmonary embolus or brain stroke.
Why does this concern travelers? Long periods of idleness which hinder normal blood circulation.
What should you do? Whether you drive or fly, remember to stand up and straighten your legs from time to time. If you know you are at an increased risk of DVT, wear compression stockings and ask your doctor about taking anticoagulants. Find more information in the DAN online library and at www.alertdiver.eu
Foodborne diseases
What is it? Foodborne diseases are conditions where food incubates the bacteria, transmits it between humans or from animals to humans or when other toxic substances (as in the case of poisonous fish) are transferred. In extreme cases, it may lead to death or cause life-threatening symptoms.
Why does this concern travelers? According to the CDC, diarrhea is the most frequent condition in travelers and may occur in even as many as 50 percent of people travelling abroad. It is often caused by inappropriately processed food or water that had not been purified.
What should you do? Avoid raw or undercooked meat or seafood, raw fruits and vegetables, unpurified water and ice cubes, as well as any dishes you suspect they might have been prepared without regard for sanitary conditions.
Vector diseases
What is it? Vector diseases are diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and other insects. Vector-borne diseases include tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease (the tick is the vector), malaria, West Nile fever, Dengue fever (the mosquito is the vector).
Why does this concern travelers? These do not concern travelers as such but rather they are endemic to some areas of the world. One should be aware of the threat.
What should you do? Learn whether there is a risk of a vector disease related to your destination and take appropriate safety measures that may include vaccination, insect repellents or avoiding particular behavior or certain places.
Our advice
Check for all endemic diseases and special conditions you may be exposed to, especially if you are planning to travel abroad. These may include different conditions, from malaria to heatstroke. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov) are a perfect source of comprehensive information on the current alerts and common diseases at your destination.
Flying aFter diving
Flying before diving to the destination located close to the sea level entails almost no risk. Flying after diving, however, increases the decompression burden, as the plane cabin pressure is lower than the atmospheric pressure at ground level. During travel, DAN recommends adhering to the following guidelines:
dive profile
Single non-decompression dive
Multiple dives throughout the day
hours or more
hours or more
Several days of diving 18 hours or more
Dives with mandatory decompression stops more than 18 hours
Note that each increase of altitude – even using ground transport (e.g. travel through mountains) – increases the decompression burden!
take dan with you
DAN is available for you 24/7, every day, wherever you are. If you need information on emergency medical assistance, visit daneurope.org or dial the medical hotline number provided on your DAN card.
In case of an emergency, this is what you should know before you call:
• Remember! Give your name and surname
• Name and surname of the injured person
• Your location
• Telephone number to call back
• Description of the emergency or accident
• Names of prescription medicines taken by the injured person (if possible)
• All previous health problems or concerns (if possible)
Remember: DAN provides help in case of dive incidents but also travel assistance or support in sudden illnesses not related to diving, including medical evacuation.
Our advice
Whether you are travelling locally or abroad, check the availability and location of emergency medical services at your destination. Adjust your diving plan accordingly and have a realistic emergency plan for emergencies.
diving equipment
As divers, we all know the requirements concerning travelling with diving equipment. Fortunately, regular maintenance and carful storage of your equipment may not only make your diving experience safer, but also help you plan your travel. Remember to thoroughly flush and dry your equipment (not in direct sunlight!), to store it according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and to perform annual maintenance. Before you travel, check all elements of the equipment for proper functioning and after diving make sure you collect all your equipment from the boat or center.
We hope our advice and guidelines will help improve the preparations for your diving expeditions even further. Find more articles, not only on travelling, at www.alertdiver.eu.
saFety and eMergency sytuations in water
Text margita Ślizowska Photos wiktor zdrojewski
even the best swimmers, snorkelers and divers can experience emergencies above and below the water. therefore, it is worth remembering to observe the safety rules. even if it takes effort.
My guess is that some of you have already thought: "gee, how boring, talking about safety again, and it was so nice...". But please think that it is better to learn from someone else's mistakes than to experience later a difficult and sometimes dramatic situation that cannot be reversed. We usually feel the seriousness of matters related to safety when we witness or participate in an accident. Then the approach to the matter changes dramatically. Therefore, please – let's do it in advance. Let's not wait for an accident. Let's minimize its risk. And let's promote a safe way to spend time on and under water.
Number one is the surface diver's attendant. It is a person who knows how to help, in the event of a threat, has access to a first aid kit, and knows how to provide first aid. A person who sits on the shore, observes people swimming or snorkeling and knows the procedures for dealing with a drowning or calling for help. Remember that the safety of the rescuer is the most important. This means that if we are going to save a drowning (or panicked) person, we must have equipment that we throw at the drowning person, while remaining at a safe distance from the person in need. It can be a lifebuoy on a rope or a safety buoy (swimming, rescue buoy). You can buy such a buoy in any good sports store. Another topic every water user should be familiar with is knowing watermarks. This will allow you to avoid the dangers of shipping traffic and read information that is on the surface of the water. We do snorkeling (diving) in a permitted place, away from the waterway. A partner is compulsory in such cases. Before entering the water, we set a snorkeling plan (time, direction, communication method, etc.), and while on the water we keep an eye on each other and communicate if everything is OK. Additionally, the place of snorkeling (diving)
should be marked with a signal buoy, informing that there are snorkelers (divers) on the surface (or below it).
Another important topic is the realistic evaluation of our swimming skills. If we swim with the feeling that we must have the ground under our feet – additional sources of buoyancy are necessary, which of course do not allow us to lose vigilance or to swim far away from the shore. It can be a snorkeling wetsuit, which thanks to its structure ensures low buoyancy. It can be a buoy that has a storage compartment for dry things or a drink, and it can be used as a support if we want to rest. It is worth attaching a whistle to the buoy, used to summon help. But if you have any doubts about your swimming skills – I recommend you to snorkel in a well-fitting and comfortable lifejacket. This is by far the safest option. Especially at sea. We cool down in water much faster than on land, so after snorkeling (diving), we immediately take off the wetsuit and wipe ourselves dry. Let's not forget about the ears, which, like the sinuses, are extremely sensitive. It is worth having a thin hat that will protect them from the wind or excessive cooling. And now an issue that we all know about. There is a lot of said about it and... what? We know that we do not enter the wa-
ter after drinking alcohol. We also know that we do not enter the water when exhausted. We bathe in permitted and secured places. We don't go far from the shore. Because the waves, the whirls, the currents, etc.... We know about it, off course, BUT... do we personally practice safe behavior in the water? Unfortunately, it is often similar to the commonly practiced "duck dive" into unknown water. Everyone knows that we shouldn't do it, and every year there are more and more alarming statistics about drownings after alcohol or permanent spine injuries... Water emergencies. A fairly dangerous and frequent water emergency is cramps. Most often we get a cramp in legs, because when swimming in fins work different groups of muscles than those we use on a day-to-day basis. What to do then? You must act immediately. Don't wait for the pain to go away. So we act. First, we signal the snorkeling partner that we have a problem. The partner immediately appears next to us and gives us assistance. We lean on the buoy or partner, grab the fin at the end of the leg (in which the cramp has occurred) and stretch firmly: first foot, knee, whole leg – until the leg straightens. It hurts and is very unpleasant. But necessary to get rid of the bothersome pain that can worsen and spread, making it even
more dangerous. Stretch the leg, breathe slowly and calmly. After a while the pain should subside...
An even greater risk is panic. We absolutely cannot allow it to happen. If for any reason we feel a growing nervousness – let's act immediately. Immediate action is necessary to ensure that stress or fear does not turn into panic, because in panic one does not act rationally. A panicked man is a threat to our health and life, because they only act instinctively. A panicked person does not pay attention to whether their behavior will harm someone. How to prevent panic? We signal the partner that we need help. We can lie on the water on our back and relax in our own ways. Or we can use the very simple breathing procedure. We focus on breathing as slowly as possible in order to breathe out properly. We focus on counting the seconds of the breath. Breathe in counting to four, breathe out counting to five. We repeat the procedure a few or several times. It often helps to close your eyes and hold your partner's hand. It is especially important to breathe out thoroughly to get rid of the carbon dioxide in the lungs. It is worth training the entire procedure on the surface (to develop a habit) and testing it under various stress conditions. It really works
Finally, familiarize yourself with the basic diving signs so that you can communicate with your surface assistant without using your voice. And you must know the signal of calling for help on the water, which is a wide wave of arms and hitting open palms on the water surface. But the most important thing is to plan everything to avoid any dangers before going snorkeling. And have a great time with our snorkeling partner while enjoying the stunning beauty of the water. I wish you safe snorkeling!
głębokie lake
near Międzyrzecze
Głębokie lake is one of the most interesting lakes in the lubusz lakeland. It is located in the northern, landlocked part of the tunnel valley, which runs longitudinally from the village of Rojewo through the villages and settlements of Głębokie, Św. Wojciech, all the way to Kęszyca. Głębokie lake represents the classic type of a closed lake – without any surface inflow or outflow. It is the largest landlocked lake of the Lubusz Lakeland. This is how you can briefly and encyclopedically describe this beautiful part of the Lubusz Voivodeship. However, this description does not reflect the tourist and diving values of this place, nor does it show the magnificent vegetation covering the varied relief of the lake bottom, nor tells us anything about the wonderful transparency of the water, which attracts dozens of divers every year. Both beginners and advanced divers will find their diving Eldorado here. The very well-equipped extreme-dive base run by Jacek Michno, located on the eastern shore of the lake, offers a place to put up a tent or other accommodation on its own premises or
in the neighboring resorts. High standards of recognized diving organizations such as PSAI or SSI guarantee a safe and responsible approach to diving.
The underwater infrastructure, both the training one and the one that is an attractive adventure during summer or winter dives, reaching far beyond the area of both diving bases, is probably one of the most extensive and attractive of all natural reservoirs in our country. If not all family members got infected with diving, Głębokie Lake is the perfect choice. Fishing, a vast beach with platforms, water equipment rentals, a cafe, a restaurant and a relatively short distance from Międzyrzecz give them the opportunity to spend their time and prevent boredom. For those who love hiking in the forest or picking mushrooms Głębokie offers a beautiful high forest with a predominance of deciduous trees, rich in berries and mushrooms, and history lovers will find not only the old dugout canoe submerged in the lake, but also the Piast castle and museum in Międzyrzecz, as well as bunkers of the Międzyrzecki Fortified Region in Pniewo.
No matter where you travel from, you will surely come across Głębokie without any mistakes. It is enough to leave the S3 road at the Międzyrzecz Północ junction, and then take the municipal asphalt road (former DK3) in the direction of Skwierzyna (roundabout at the Orlen petrol station). After driving about 3 kilometers, we turn left and we are next to Głębokie lake, ready for a dive.
See you soon!
Kursy nurkowania
Wyjazdy nurkowe
a także: Spływy kajakowe
Paintballa
Jazdy Quadami
Kursy wspinaczkowe
Imprezy integracyjne
e-mail:
Crested divers
Grebes are a group of nineteen species living in different parts of the world (we have already managed to say goodbye irrevocably to three species and are on our way to enlarging this group), most often in the vicinity of freshwater reservoirs. In this article, I will focus on the most common great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus), but many of its features are common to all grebes. Coming back to diving, the adaptations of these birds to life in and out of the water are truly delightful. Their body structure allows them to move extremely efficiently on the surface of a lake, pond or lagoon, but above all they become truly brisk under the water surface. Grebes are g rebes are typically aquatic birds. their evolutionary bond with the aquatic environment is so strong, that in case of danger they do not fly away, like most of their bird cousins, but simply dive! Below the surface they feel… like a fish in water (using any other term here is simply out of the question!).
Text and photos wojciech jarosz
Red eyes are a hallmark of great crested grebes, like many other grebes species
birds that use their legs to propel themselves under water, as do cormorants and loons, rather than wings, which is the case with gannets. They do not have a webbing between the digits, but instead have lobe-shaped, scale-covered projections that increase the surface area. Thanks to this, each finger moves separately, which eliminates unnecessary resistance. What's more, the legs are clearly shifted towards the back of the body, which is better for speeding up in the water, but prevents normal walking on land. Grebes are certainly not walkers – they avoid the land as much as they can. If they are forced to walk on land, they do so by swaying from side to side and helping themselves to keep their balance by flapping their wings, and they still experience a hard "touchdown" with every step (some individuals then give up and try to crawl in a seal-like manner). Another adaptation to moving in water is the long neck and streamlined body shape. In addition, grebes have an efficient uropygial gland and eagerly use it, lubricating their feathers which, thanks to these treatments, become nonabsorbable. This helps the birds to maintain the
right body temperature, the more that the feathers are really dense, even resembling fur in some places. All this makes grebes perfect divers. From the first moments of their lives they dive, and with time they gain skill that allows them to descend to twenty or even thirty meters. As a rule, they spend several dozen seconds under water, actively looking for food during this time. The grebe menu includes fish, amphibians, crustaceans and even insects. With their pointed beak, devoid of teeth and projections, skillfully catch rather small fish and only those that cannot escape. Thus, they play the role of a selection factor, thanks to which fish populations have a chance to preserve those gene variants in the gene pool that may translate into better adaptation to environmental conditions. Concluding the culinary thread, it is worth mentioning an interesting custom of grebes, consisting in eating feathers. Parents also give feathers to their chicks. The reasons for this behavior have not been fully explained. The most frequently mentioned theory suggests that feathers protect the stomach from the bones of eaten fish, but also help to form pellets, which are a fairly common way for birds to get rid of undigested remains. How to recognize a grebe? It is easiest during the breeding season, when grebes have characteristic ruffs and crests on their heads. The presence of this feature has been recorded
Eating plumages is one of the grebe's habits
How to recognize a grebe? i t is easiest during the breeding season, when grebes have characteristic ruffs and crests on their heads. the presence of this feature has been recorded in the names of selected species: the great crested grebe, the horned grebe, and the little grebe.
in the names of selected species: the great crested grebe, the horned grebe, and the little grebe. In our part of the world it is easiest to meet the first of these species. This species is considered the most "dressed up" grebe, because the bunches of feathers in shades of black and brown that appear before courtship undeniably add to its charm. Observation of characteristic behaviors will also help identify a grebe. During courtship, grebes perform a whole range of dance moves to
emphasize interest in a partner and build a bond. The most common features in choreography are head-shaking, feather-nibbling, raising crests and ruffles, and even making gifts in the form of a bunch of seaweed (yes, it is not our species that invented giving the opposite sex a bouquet of flowers). All this takes place when the female has already chosen her mate. Earlier, males organize duels consisting of spectacular rearing and running on the water towards each other with raised feathers (especially on the head, of course). All this so that the ladies could assess the qualities of the suitor and choose the only one who will be allowed to hand them over the aforementioned bouquet.
After accepting each other, the couple begin building the nest. From a distance it appears to be just a small pile of aquatic plants, but this is only an illusion. Grebes build a sizable nest floating in the water, most of which is under water (sometimes allowing its peculiar anchoring). The nest carries the eggs and the bird brooding them, provides a good camouflage in the absence of parents (then the eggs are additionally covered with vegetation) and additionally thermally protects the comfort of the eggs, which is due to the decay processes taking place inside the nest. It is a bit similarly to crocodiles, but in the case of grebes, their presence in the nest is, however, necessary for the proper development of unhatched chicks. When the young hatch after less than a month, they are almost immediately ready for their first diving attempts.
Grebes are constantly vigilant during a slumber in a shady place, and in case of danger they dive under the water
When males compete for the favor of the opposite sex during the mating season, they often assume such positions to frighten one another
However, they would not do without their parents who look after them until they learn to hunt efficiently and become fully independent. Before this happens, the young take refuge under their parents' wings, literally! The parents of young grebes carry them on their backs, and it happens that they even dive with them. The coloration of young birds is different from mature birds. In addition to the characteristic stripes, young grebes have featherless spots near the head. Bird behavior researchers found that the young use these spots to send signals to their parents. When the spots swell or change color, it is a signal that adolescents want a snack, play or fulfill some other life need. After about 10 weeks, young grebes resemble adults, although they may retain some traces of juvenile coloration. At the end of the season, as it gets colder and colder, the grebes begin to remember what it was like to flap their wings, because most of them will fly south and west where they will spend the cooler part of the year. Seeing a grebe in flight is a real treat, because most often it is possible to see a flying grebe just during migration. During the season they fly reluctantly. They choose diving!
Sexual dimorphism in the Great Crested Grebe is practically non-existent – it is difficult to distinguish between the female and the male
Fish are often featured on the grebes' menu
We've received many signals that after meeting the lumpfish in no. 3(9)2020, you want more. We'd like to make it up to you in our photo essay. Here's the lumpfish, here are lice, here's the party :) editing teaM
Photos Bartosz pszczółkowski
Baltic sea horses
i n the shallow waters of p uck Bay (the Baltic s ea), among the sea grass growing in the undersea meadows, there are fish that resemble a blade of grass.
These are a broadnosed pipefish (Syngnathus typhle) and a straightnosed pipefish (Nerophis ophidon), which many refer to as Baltic sea horses because they belong to the Actinopterygii group, which includes seahorses and Syngnathidae.
Carl Linnaeus was the first to describe both of these families in the first edition of Systema Naturae. Syngnathidae differ from sea horses in body shape and, unlike seahorses, some species can inhabit fresh and brackish waters. Their body is very narrow and elongated, and the color varies from green to dark brown. The straightnosed pipefish, apart from
the dorsal fin, has no other fin, while the broadnosed pipefish also has tiny pectoral fins and a small caudal fin. Apart from the shape of the mouth, it is thanks to the presence or absence of a caudal fin that the two species can be easily distinguished from each other. The broadnosed pipefish has a narrow, stretched snout, the length of which is half that of the head. The snout of a straightnosed pipefish, on the other hand, is shaped into a tube, strongly flattened laterally, with a length of more than half the length of the head.
The most remarkable, however, is the reproduction cycle of these small fish. As
in the case of seahorses, during spawning the male of broadnosed pipefish develops a special brood pouch. This phenomenon is called male viviparity and is the only known example of male pregnancy in the animal world to date. Such a method of reproduction means that the size of the body of the individual plays a significant role in reproduction. According to scientists from the Jagiellonian University, both females and males prefer larger partners. This is because females of smaller sizes produce a small number of small diameter eggs compared to larger females. In contrast, large males can incubate more embryos,
Text agata turowicz-cy Bula Photos paweł vo gelsinger
Michelangelo i Donatello komputery do nurkowania / freedivingu.
To idealne komputery do sportów podwodnych, dzięki możliwości dezaktywacji funkcji „nurkowanie” , która pozwala wyłączyć niepotrzebne alarmy podczas snorkelingu lub pływania.
which results in greater reproductive success. The male of the straightnosed pipefish, however, does not form a brood pouch, but carries spawn glued to the underside of its body. The males of both of these species take care of their eggs until they hatch, which makes them, next to the shorthorn sculpin and lumpfish (described in previous issues), the best Baltic fathers.
They are peaceful fish that usually do not run away even from very curious divers. It often happens that they themselves get tangled up in a diver's gloves. They mainly eat small zooplancton. Due to climate change, there are fewer and fewer pipefish in the Baltic Sea. It is related to the disappearance of underwater meadows and the extinction of seagrass (Zostera marina). Therefore, both of these species in Poland were under strict species protection for a long time. However, the condition of their population began to improve and therefore they have been under partial protection since 2014.
In addition to the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea, they can be found along the coasts of Europe, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Azov Sea, and also in the Atlantic Ocean. It is best to look for them at shallow depths, above a sandy bottom, among seagrass or algae growing on underwater structures.
Straightnosed pipefish Source Wikimedia Commons
Donatello
Michelangelo
Text irena kosowska Photos grzegorz B iałas
Christine mine
The Christine mine is a slate mine located in Willingen, Sauerland in Germany, which has been operated for over 100 years. One can explore its four massive beds, 2 to 20 meters thick and 350 to 400 million years old. After it was closed in 1971, the mine’s passages were opened for visitors. One of the interesting aspects of the area is that even today you can find churches, houses or walls made of slate originating from Christine. In the passages, as well as in the water, the temperature is maintained at a constant low – about 8 degrees – all year around; a visit requires sufficiently warm clothing, while diving there will surely require a sufficiently warm undersuit and a drysuit!
Apart from appropriate clothing, the right equipment will also be needed for this overhead dive. The staff managing div-
the christine mine has been tempting us for quite a long time. shrouded in mystery and inaccessible, with a gloomy feel and wellpreserved equipment dating back to its golden times, yet at the same time luring with perfect visibility and very well-prepared corridors.
ing in Christine are absolutely strict about this – in order to dive there you need to book a date, which is only possible if you present the necessary documents – appropriate diving certificates issued by recognized diving federations (only certificates from a few international federations are accepted), medical and insurance documents. This place is all about the famous German order and there are no exceptions – any inaccuracies will prevent you from diving in Christine.
When planning a dive in this mine, bear in mind that it is located at a skiing resort, in the mountains, so you need to take into account altitude differences both during your dive and when going back home through the mountains.
Yet before you start diving, your first challenge will be to locate the mine entrance – behind some buildings, in a tight
passage, leading through a door that looks like it’s leading into a cellar. This is where the vestibule is located, which offers a place to prepare your equipment. Only a few stairs separate the vestibule from the water surface, leading along sloping rails, through a flooded corridor to the first chamber of the mine. There is no compressor or any facilities on site – you unpack your car directly onto the benches and it’s best to exit directly to the car park.
Mine diving is an exciting experience. The flooded labyrinth of passages is over 1.2 km long on the “upper” level – reaching a depth of 23 meters, and the “lower” level – reaching 41 meters. Passing the corridors meter by meter, you can still find shoes, bottles, tools, minecars, railways and many other remnants from the operation and excavation times.
The mine’s renowned, astonishing visibility begins already after passing the first flooded, rather muddy, steep entrance
m ine diving is an exciting experience. the flooded labyrinth of passages is over 1.2 km long on the “upper” level –reaching a depth of 23 meters, and the “lower” level – reaching 41 meters.
tunnel, on the first level, which is vast and broad, with numerous side chambers and an impressive amount of underwater artifacts. The main corridors are very well-prepared, with guidelines stretching along their length – but should you choose to stray from the main path and explore the side corridors, you’ll need need to put up your own line.
Christine didn’t disappoint us. The lower level uncovered some of its most intricate secrets before our eyes, unraveled by our incredible guide and the author of the photos for this article. It was documented not only in our memories but also in the eye of his camera. While on the upper level, we were shocked by the unbelievable condition of the chambers, tools, artefacts from the days of the mine’s past glory, as well as the very arrangement of corridors, bridges spanning above them, rock formations of the walls and astonishing colors that – together with the crystal clear water – made the mine the leader in our subjective list of the most beautiful places.
Many thanks to our guide and photographer for his trust and showing us around this beautiful place that we will certainly visit again.
A TY? KIEDY WYBIERZESZ
A TY? KIEDY WYBIERZESZ
A TY? KIEDY WYBIERZESZ
A TY? KIEDY WYBIERZESZ
A TY? KIEDY WYBIERZESZ
SIĘ NA SPACER?
SIĘ NA SPACER?
SIĘ NA SPACER?
SIĘ NA SPACER?
SIĘ NA SPACER?
Aktywność fizyczna poprawia kondycję.
Rehasport
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www.rehasport.pl
Rehasport www.rehasport.pl
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Aktywność fizyczna poprawia kondycję.
Aktywność fizyczna poprawia kondycję.
Aktywność fizyczna poprawia kondycję.
Aktywność fizyczna poprawia kondycję.
78% POLAKÓW NIE JEST DOŚĆ
78% POLAKÓW NIE JEST DOŚĆ
78% POLAKÓW NIE JEST DOŚĆ
78% POLAKÓW NIE JEST DOŚĆ
78% POLAKÓW NIE JEST DOŚĆ
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Kantyna Quarry
Text and photos
First day of s eptember. the weather was not good. i t was gloomy and rainy, but... the desire to leave and get to know a new place undoubtedly outweighed.
Together with Łukasz, we decided to go and get to know a completely wild lake and now I can admit that it is also dark.
This former quarry, where granite was mined, is now an abandoned excavation in the hands of nature. Trees grew, rainwater and groundwater
damian m arcinkowski and łukasz k ielaszewski
legnica Wrocław Kantyna Quarry
flooded it. Interesting cracking systems can be observed on the vertical walls protruding from the water. The longitudinal slots are often filled with veins of pegmatite, quartz and aplite.
The quarry is located in the town of Chwałkowo. Access was deliberately difficult due to previous accidents that took place there. We did a reconnaissance and it turned out that you need to walk about 40 meters from the stopping point of our car. We cleared the equipment and, dressed, went to one of the two possible, safe walks to the water surface.
Now is the time to explore the underwater world. After submerging the dive, visibility to a depth of 4 m was poor 3 m, and below 4 m visibility fell to a meter. I think the weather contributed to it, for our safety we decided to sail around the whole area, sticking to rock ledges at different depths. After passing the thermocline at 4 meters, we found it dark and cold, the water was about 8 degrees. We descended to a maximum depth of 17 meters. Reportedly, according to the internet, the maximum depth is 32 meters, but it was not possible to verify this. Due to the lack of good lighting, we did not go deeper,
as we had to take into account the possibility of encountering a large number of fallen trees and their branches.
We managed to spend 58 minutes underwater, but we did not find sunken cars. Regarding life in the quarry, we encountered a few small perches and crayfish. This quarry has its dark charm, which could be felt, but that's our passion! We will definitely come back there with better lighting and in better weather
A fish worth more than gold
Text laura kazimierska
Photos karolina szta Ba
tanjung luar fish market, lombok. it sounds exotic and encouraging, and for someone who loves seafood, it might seem like a great highlight of a trip. an hour away from the popular tourist destination of kuta lombok, it seems like a unique attraction as well as a great place to have a local lunch.
But is it worth it? What's the truth behind the tempting tourist attraction?
Tanjung Luar is a small town whose inhabitants for generations have lived off fishing. The bay is a starting point for a trip to the picturesque Pink Beach, as well as a base for divers, those with cylinders and those with only basic ABC equipment.
I, as well as most of the Gilis dive instructors, know this place from the darker side. The Tanjung Luar Fish Market is one of Indonesia's biggest selling and exporting points of sharks, rays and other great and endangered species.
Due to the fact that I spend most of my time underwater in the company of these beautiful creatures and I am fascinated by the underwater world of the ocean, I delayed my visit to the infamous market as long as I could.
After 7 years of living on Gili Air and Trawangan islands, it was finally time to face the fear and get to know the dark side of paradisal Indonesia, which is known to most, but few want to remember it on their dream vacation. An additional motivation was the cooperation with the organization The Dorsal Effect, which aims to provide an alternative lifestyle for fishermen from the Tanjung area.
We woke up before sunrise, accompanied by the morning prayer coming from the mosque. In half-asleep, together with Karol (a photographer known under the pseudonym Karolatakesphotos), we got ourselves into a motorboat to get to Lombok. The driver was already waiting for us there. The goal was to reach the market at the same time as the fishermen returning from their catch. Three hours by car amidst the picturesque landscape of Lombok full of green coconut trees (seen from behind the car window) and we were there.
Many warned us about the musty smell of fish decaying in the hot sun. However, in reality the stench exceeded all my expectations. The odour of the market could be felt long before entering the parking lot, so our driver did not even have to say that we were almost there. I covered my face with a handkerchief to prevent the irritating scent from going straight to my nose, but it was impossible to escape the stench.
At first glance, Tanjung Luar fish market looks like an ordinary bazaar. Women sell fruit, vegetables and the so-called "catch of the day" of mackerel, octopus, squid and other smaller fish. Due to my passion for diving, I prefer to see fish alive than dead, so I have long since dropped all fish products from my diet. Even at the sight of a dead octopus, being aware of its intelligence and camouflage abilities, I feel my heart breaks and tears flow into my eyes.
As you walk towards the larger market hall, it's hard not to admire the sight of colorful fishing boats, families living off the sea for generations, and the sun's rays reflecting from the bay. However, I was quickly brought to the ground by the sight of dozens of sharks lying just like that, on a concrete platform, waiting for the most precious part of their body – their fins –to be cut.
Suddenly it dawned on me that right here, in front of my eyes, I have a defiled, disrespectfully treated, innocent and extraordinary specimen of the evolution of nature.
Developed young sharks poured out of their ripped bellies. ALIVE!!! In the future, they would bring in several hundred thousand dollars from diving tourism in Indonesia. Today they
will end up in the gutter or as food for stray dogs.
a shark is not as Black as it is painted...
Various species of sharks die at the hand of man before we can study them and understand their enormous value for our ecosystem. Hammerhead sharks, Common threshers, Wobbegongs, Black and Whitetip Sharks and many others, often given to traders for less than $ 100.
Later they end up on tables in restaurants for tourists.
A shark. Many of us tremble with fear at the mere thought. Negative marketing, including films such as ‘Jaws’, ‘Meg’ and ‘Shark Invasion’, as well as many others, equally idiotic productions, contributed to this. Polish names (Blacktip Shark, Blue Shark) of these majestic kings of blue, also do not evoke sympathy and bring rather negative associations. However, it is worth realizing that more people die from toasters, falling coconuts or car accidents than from shark attacks. But nobody panics when they see a coconut palm tree or a toast with cheese for breakfast.
Sharks appeared on our planet even before the dinosaurs. There are over 1,000 species of sharks and rays in the ocean. From tiny hand-sized ones to floating giants. Some of them, such as the Great White Shark, are also leading predators, contributing to the balance of the ecosystem. We can meet them at the depths ranging from 5 to several thousand meters. They
are a perfect example of the evolutionary precision, harmony and beauty of nature. Despite their surprising intelligence and domination, they are not able to protect themselves from humans. They often accidentally fall prey to commercial fishing, and entangled in fishing nets they end their distant sea escapades. Over the past several decades, we have managed to annihilate almost 90% of the shark population, and the catch is still going on.
This is not just a Third World countries' problem. Spain and the UK continue to contribute to the export of fins and shark products. You can often find them in the cult "fish'n'chips", fish oil, heavily advertised by pharmaceutical companies in Poland, and many other products. However, the greatest in-
come comes from exporting the product to China, Hong Kong and Japan.
And this is only so that they are an addition to soup, which does not even add flavor, but is rather only decoration and a manifestation of prosperity and affiliation to a privileged class.
s o much noise aB out soup
Shark fin infusion was first mentioned in China in the 10th century, during the Song Dynasty. It has become a symbol of wealth, status, hospitality and all prosperity. Available only to the chosen and richest members of the community, it quickly became a symbol of class superiority. Between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, with the increase in wealth, it gained in popularity and at the same time became much more accessible. Since the 17th century, the demand for this unique delicacy has been growing steadily with the rapid population growth. With China's 60 million inhabitants during the Sang Dynasty compared to 1.4 billion today, shark fishing to get this regional specialty has become a serious environmental threat. The broth-like soup is made with chicken or pork, and the valuable fin is only for decoration. Many believe that the in-
fusion has healing powers. It prevents cancer, is a source of sexual potency and restores the so-called Qi energy (the body's balance). However, this is in no way supported by scientific knowledge, but rather by beliefs. Given the enormous mercury content of shark meat, it is hard to believe that it has any therapeutic value. Quite the contrary. Even so, it is still a symbol of wealth and prestige, often served at banquets and weddings to show class superiority. Since the 1980s, the development of the economy in China and its economic importance have stimulated the appetite of the new rich for the cult delicacy. The result is an enormous demand for the product, leading to the death of up to 100 million sharks per year. The question is whether it is worth it? Answer for yourself.
the Fisherman has to catch something
When I look at the fishermen in Tanjung Luar, I get angry, infuriated, frustrated and impotent. The annihilated species for which I would donate my fortune to admire them while diving, are rotting trivially in the hot, tropical, Indonesian sun. Having been divers for years, Karol and I are able to say out loud that it is more and more difficult to meet these wonderful animals in their natural environment. We are here at the market to witness how fin after fin is torn out without much effort with a sharpened machete. Day after day the same ritual.
If you have a camera, fishermen are eager to pose for photos, smiling, not realizing that they are contributing to a global ecosystem collapse. Lack of education and any alternative and tempting earnings prompt them to go fishing much further.
Most of them do not understand why their catch is less than that of a few years ago, and the caught specimens are getting smaller. When you ask "What will they do when the sharks finally run out?" They laugh in the eyes and say: "Sharks will never run out, because they have been in the waters forever, and always will be". That's their vision. Oh how wrong they are!!!
Indonesia has an extremely diverse underwater ecosystem and is at the forefront of the world when it comes to diving conditions. There is a huge number of species of fish, aquatic mammals, turtles and all kinds of other underwater creatures. To understand the economic situation, we must pay attention to its geographical location. More than 17,000 islands make up this wonderful and so religiously and morally diverse country of Southeast Asia. Many coastal communities have lived off fishing for generations. Even though the demand for fins in Indonesia only started in the 1980s (with China's economic growth) it has quickly made Indonesia one of the largest exporters of shark products in the world.
It is easy for us to blame the fishermen that if they did not go to sea, the sharks would not be in danger either. How-
ever, we need to understand that the profit they get is only a tiny part of the value of the commodity that smart traders buy and sell. Currently, the value of a dead shark on Tanjung Luar ranges from $ 70 to $ 100. The profit is distributed among the fishing families who have no other job alternative. Sometimes the only thing fishermen get in return is one or two pieces of fish to provide them with food. Importers, on the other hand, estimate the value of the fins in the range of $ 400 per kilogram, not to mention that for whale shark fins or the Basking shark fins, the price can even reach $ 10,000 or $ 20,000 apiece.
Simple fishermen don't realize that the same ALIVE shark would make more profit than a dead shark. Divers from all over the world come to Indonesia to admire these majestic specimens of nature and leave a huge amount of money for the state budget. However, this has no bearing on the lives of families like those of Tanjung Luar. The government is doing nothing to support them financially or to create a substitute kind of income.
hope is in us!!!
Our captain and guide was a fisherman from Tanjung Luar. Today he is looking for blacktip reef sharks for us. His smile and excitement reach its zenith as he pulls our hand with all his strength to make us swim faster because he notices three young sharks on the reef nearby. It's hard to believe that someone so delighted to see them now, in the past stood in the same hangar with a machete in hand, ready to dismember and desecrate these wonderful and at the same time severely endangered species.
The Dorsal Effect, with whom we went on an educational trip, Project Hiu, Divemastergilis and many other non-governmental organizations operate in Indonesia and take the initiative to transform fishing boats into eco-tourist boats, giving fishermen and their families funds for a new type of income. This is one way to protect our precious species from extinction. Many of them are eager to swap their fishing nets, fins, mask and tube to offer snorkeling and excursions to the lovely Pink Beach. Those who succeeded greatly appreciate this kind of income and say that they will never come back to fishing for sharks, because they finally have time for their family and the profits are better. The lucky ones are still few.
The Indonesian government is slowly (very slowly) beginning to see the true value hidden beneath the blue of the water surrounding every bit of land. Meanwhile, the only protected shark species is the Whale Shark. The introduction of new rules and policies for the protection of endangered species in the country and in the world must take place much faster.
I am concerned about the current situation. I even have a dream, I go under the water and there is Nothing, no sharks,
no rays, NOTHING! As a result, we will soon be gone too, but maybe that would be better...
I have been teaching diving in Indonesia for years and more and more often I notice environmental degradation for short term gain. Fishing boats with their huge nets appear on protected coral reefs and diving sites. More than once I had to cut fish, corals and myself from ropes and nets carelessly left at the bottom of the sea. I keep asking myself if anyone will notice that we've just caught the last shark in the world? Why is financial profit more important than the millions of species that had lived in harmony with nature before we appeared?
Is it worth visiting places like Tanjung? Absolutely! But visit them consciously. Sometimes you have to experience a shock and see with your own eyes a tragedy that you read about in newspapers or see in movies. It provokes reflection and action.
Each of us can give something back by supporting organizations such as The Dorsal Effect or other local initiatives, and on your dream vacation, check what is really hidden behind a tempting tourist attraction.
Taking people underwater and showing how wonderfully diverse and fascinating the world below is is my contribution to protecting our planet. The more people see that the ocean is not just a flat, blue surface, but a vibrant, hidden cosmos and an amazing ecosystem, the more people will appreciate it and therefore protect it.
For the 27th time, Our
Earth Foundation
cleaned Poland... on land and under water
On September 18, 19 and 20, 2020, that is traditionally on the third weekend of September, the Our Earth Foundation set off on field campaigns to Warsaw, Wrocław and poznań, not only to clean, but also for the 27th time to coordinate the largest ecological action Cleaning the world – poland. our earth foundation team collected over a ton (1025 kg) of waste during the final field actions.
amBassador's march
On September 18, on the first day of the finals, under the leadership of HE Ambassador of Australia, Mr. Lloyd Brodrick, together with representatives of 23 Embassies, we cleaned the banks of the Vistula River. our field action resulted in over half a ton (525 kg) of rubbish. With this symbolic gesture, we announced that the matter of Mother Earth is an international matter and there is something to be concerned about. Glass and plastic bottles, disposable grills and chips packaging dominate the banks of the capital's river. Volunteers even fished out a sunken scooter.
saturday For earth
On the second day of the final, we encouraged Poles to clean up their piece of Poland. This year we invited the third
saturday of september 2020 to be saturday for earth. We cleaned up the beautiful Lasek Pilczycki in Wrocław. Among the Friends of the Our Earth Foundation: the Vice-President of Wrocław, Adam Zawada, the EKO UNIA Association, the Akcja Miasto Association, residents of Pilczyce and Maślice districts and employees with families representing Kaufland, we collected over 440 kg of rubbish.
underwater garBage
On the third day of the final, we dived in the beautiful Lake Strzeszyńskie in Poznań. Together with 20 divers invited by the Perfect Diver Magazine, we took out 65 kg of rubbish in less than an hour, with very limited visibility. Shoes, sunglasses, beach accessories accompanied traditional waste such as glass and plastic bottles or a car tire. There was also no shortage of intentional waste, such as concreted plastic pots, which are a carefree human action. You can see underwater debris is no different from land debris.
our land volunteers
Friday is also the day when schools all over Poland set off on their field campaigns. As at the end of 27 editions of the Campaign, 1,534 local group coordinators were registered. They are
usually teachers, but also heads of hobby and neighborhood groups. Due to the pandemic, schools could also choose, in accordance with the restrictions and internal regulations related to the Covid-19 pandemic: either a field action or an educational project prepared by the methodological team of the Our Earth Foundation. We are waiting for the Coordinators' reports from field actions carried out in Poland until the end of September and then we will know the results of the entire Action.
The slogan of this year's Action: plastik? i resign. i reduce. i segregate. The graphic was close with the excellent poster by Andrzej Pągowski, who has been supporting the Our Earth Foundation for 25 years as an ambassador and donor. We hope that the slogan of 27 Actions will inspire Poles to change in everyday life, and when going on a trip, vacation, picnic or for a walk, we will take back with us and properly dispose of all used and unnecessary waste: from a drink bottle to disposable wipes. Because in parks, forests and beaches, we should take a break from nature and not kill it with our waste.
More information:
beata butwicka, Chairman of the Board, Our Earth Foundation
Our Earth Foundation is a non-governmental organization that has been operating continuously since 1994. The foundation was established by Mira Stanisławska-Meysztowicz. From the very beginning, the Foundation has been coordinating the largest, ecological Action, Clean Up the World – Poland. To this day, it is a flagship point in the Foundation's daily work for the protection of the natural environment. The founder of the Foundation and the initiator of the Action Cleaning the World-Poland is, inter alia, a laureate of the Order of the Smile, deco-
rated with the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and a Man of Polish Ecology, but also the Patron of the Primary School in Żdżary. The Our Earth Foundation, which she founded, can boast many prestigious awards, such as the Golden Leaf of the Minister of the Environment, the European Award of the Ford Foundation or the Flag of the Republic of Poland. In the year of the 25th anniversary of the Our Earth Foundation, she received the Ekolaur of the Polish Chamber of Ecology 2019 for all activities for the protection of the natural environment.
g et it on with underwater cutting
Text wojciech a. Filip
did you ever wonder why a diver needs a knife? you must have several ideas. 30 cm long, with a blade covered with sharp, saw-like teeth at one end and a steel “hammer” at the hilt’s end? the knife rests in a sturdy rubber sheath that may be attached in the calf area.
Before you start grinning, let’s take a look at the history of diving, which will somewhat change your perception of this large piece of diving equipment.
Once upon a time, a diving knife had several purposes:
• during underwater searches it was used as a small “shovel” for testing the bottom;
• the toothed side was used for cutting strings and cords of large nets;
• the hilt with a steel head was useful for opening air tank reserve valves;
• it was used as a small axe to prepare wood for a bonfire.
Photo Bartłomiej Trzciński
Sounds somewhat exotic?
Several decades ago, divers often went for multi-day trips, diving camps and underwater searches. It was always an Adventure. Everybody knows that adventures are very often somewhat dangerous For a good many years, brave men guarded their camps with various weapons, and being a diver meant that you were silently allowed to carry a really large knife
Grinning yet ? Then you are in for a surprise: today, almost every traveler and many people leading a sedentary lifestyle use EDC knives*.
Even though I only ever used my old trusty knife to whittle a stick to roast sausages in the fire, I was always prepared to fight underwater monsters – perhaps they all have given me a wide berth when they saw my knife and that is why I never fought in a blood-curdling duel that seems to be bread and butter for protagonists in books and movies ?
But wait a moment – a diver is at risk of getting tangled in a fishing line or a net – and what are they supposed to do then?
*EDC knife – a knife for everyday use, not only for travelling (EDC = everyday carry)
This article will tell you what you can cut underwater and how to do it. We will touch upon safety, various cutting tools and how to tell when cutting is really necessary. enjoy!
Let’s start from the most important topic.
When may a diver need to use a knife?
Many of you may have heard about divers that got tangled in a net or a fishing line.
Could a knife be useful in such a situation?
It could, but you should be aware that using a knife may also really worsen the situation of a diver entangled in these obstacles.
Why? Cutting yourself out should be enough to get unstuck. Well, it's actually all about this “cutting”. To cut a single fishing line that we can clearly see, we need to catch it and stretch it, take out a cutting tool and find the fishing line with it. It often turns out that the device is more suited to cutting ropes, and it is not as good at cutting fishing lines...
You will surely say “It isn’t so – I can cut any fishing line with my special forces titanium knife”.
now, it’s time for a test
Prepare a diving knife and one meter of a fishing line.
Catch the fishing line in one hand and try to cut is with the other, using your knife.
Do not give up too quickly.
A fishing line hanging loosely is almost impossible to cut! Even a true samurai would have serious problems with it.
“Yes, but underwater it is another matter!”
You are right of course. Now, it is time for a water test. It would be best to conduct it in a perfectly controlled environment. You can do it in a basin, a bathtub, a swimming pool or shallow lake water.
It turns out that water density doesn’t make a difference – a fishing line is hard to cut anyway.
Be creative – the diving equipment market offers many cutting tools.
Cutters or an easycut will increase your chances, but it still will be less than ideal.
Photo Bartłomiej Trzciński
Photo Bartłomiej Trzciński
now, it’s time to test your imagination.
You will need a comfortable chair and possibly Internet access. Imagine a diver diving in the Baltic Sea and exploring an interesting wreck (if you are having trouble at this point, try to find some pictures on the Internet).
The diver has their entire equipment and uses a drysuit that protects them from the cold. They dive at 25 meters, which is not very deep, but it is getting rather dark and the visibility is “good for a Baltic Sea”, which means around 3–4 meters.
The diver moves carefully, as they do not want to disturb the all-pervading sediment and further restrict visibility. They turn around for a moment to see their partner. The partner is a little above them. They try to go back to exploring the wreck, but... something grabs them from behind. It feels as though someone tied a rubber line to some part of their equipment...
pause – pause for a moment and take a good look at the diver. Their tank valve got caught on a single fishing line – a simple matter!
To unhook it they need to stay still and wait for their partner, who can pull the line from the valve handwheel with one finger. Then they may continue their exploration.
play – see what the diver does instead.
They do not stay still and signal that they have a problem. They try to see what grabbed them and start to turn around. They get caught on another fishing line. They try to tug free. Visibility is decreasing and the they start breathing faster. The diver pulls out their knife and tries to reach above their head to the thing
that is holding them. They try to cut it. The knife gets stuck on something and falls out of their hand. The diver is prepared for that eventuality, as you need to have several cutting tools in the Baltic Sea. They pull out another tool that is attached to their forearm – special anvil cutters, efficient at cutting fishing lines. They reach above their head, which is not easy because the drysuit restricts their movement. The diver does not give up – they cut behind their back with the cutters, not sure what they are cutting. Even if they reach a line that is holding them back, they have no way of telling. Now, their breathing gets rapid, they do not have the time to control buoyancy, so they start to sink to the bottom. Something stops them – fishing lines. They tug with the hand holding the cutters, as it got stuck. When turning around, the strap of their mask gets hooked on a fishing line and the mask quickly fills up with water. The diver than decided to inflate their jacket/wing, as they are highly buoyant. They manage to reach the inflator, presses it, start to ascend and... get stuck after two meters. It gets more and more difficult to breathe and the mask is entirely filled with cold water.
STOP – turn off your imagination.
Time for some facts.
you won't be able to cut through the net holding you on your own.
It will inevitably lead to getting even more entangled, which will prevent even a well-trained technical diver from reaching the surface.
Each year, there are news about fatal solo diving accidents due to entanglement. Let’s think about the line cutting test for a moment and consider the matter carefully. You surely came to the following conclusions:
1. Cutting a single fishing line is difficult even in a perfectly controlled environment.
2. Cutting a single fishing line is much more difficult when it is placed behind your back.
3. Underwater, a diver usually gets a part of their equipment on their back caught on a single fishing line.
4. An attempt to cut through it on your own may lead to an accident with serious consequences.
Photo Marcello di Francesco
ACADEMY
What you can do in case you get entangled then? How to deal with it? What can be used to cut it?
You may have realized that entanglement is not the root of the problem. It all starts with getting caught on something and only then you get entangled in lines or a net, when you try to turn around or cut.
Procedures applied by wreck divers that explore wrecks with abundant nets.
Prior to your dive, collect the following information:
1. What are the conditions on the wreck
• visibility;
• net type;
• current;
• thermocline/mixing of fresh and salt water (or other phenomena that may reduce visibility).
2. Teamwork
• never dive with a random person;
• move slowly;
• if you get caught on something, stay still and maintain neutral buoyancy;
• make one careful attempt at breaking free, by retracing your last step, e.g. if you fell that you got caught on
something when swimming forward, try to move backwards very slowly;
• if your attempt is unsuccessful, signal a problem to your partner with the “Attention” sign, i.e. slowly moving your light, stay still and breathe very calmly;
• your partner should approach you carefully and assess the situation, trying to identify the entanglement point;
• they detach the fishing line/net, and cuts it if required*, moving really slowly the whole time to avoid getting entangled themselves;
• continue diving.
*if a fishing line needs to be cut, it is much safer if done by your partner than by yourself. Your partner can see what they are cutting, can use both hands and the fishing line is usually a little stretched.
let’s wrap up this section:
The best way to cut through an obstacle is to ask your diving partner to do it.
In 9 out of 10 cases, they will not even need any tool to help you free yourself from entanglement, or more precisely – getting snagged.
However, they should have an easily removable tool that can easily cut what is needed, should the need arise.
Photo Wojciech A. Filip
ACADEMY
Where to attach your cutting tool?
We cut using our hands, which is why the tool should be attached in a place that can be easily reached without making wide movements (and risking entanglement).
It seems that the optimal location is in the front, from the waist up.
It certainly should not be attached to your leg ! Secondly, you need to consider the way of pulling out the tool in preparation for cutting.
Both the place of attachment and the manner of securing our tool should fulfill two conditions:
1. ensure easy removal;
2. making the tool hard to lose when not in use.
Small cutting tools may be attached to forearms or harness straps.
It is a good idea to make sure that attaching the device to the computer strap, for example, will not cause the strap to be cut, while you pull out/sheath the tool.
Where do experienced divers attach their tools? More on this in the training section.
Which tool is the best?
You surely noticed than we use various kitchen knives?
They differ not only in form and size according to their function, but also in color and decorative elements. Cooking enthusiast usually have their favorite knife. Why?
This one cuts better, dulls less, fits well in their hand or they just like it better – they can slice tons of soft tomatoes with it*
A diving knife should be your favorite knife. Don’t buy it online, because it may not fit in your hand at all. You need to touch it, put on a diving glove and ensure that you can use the knife effectively. Find a good diving store and go there to “try it on”.
No one can stop your from buying your dream knife , but it may be a good idea to also buy a knife that will work well when underwater. If this is not the same knife, well the good news is – you will have two knives from the start
As with any other part of your equipment, you need to verify a cutting tool yourself.
Just because your instructor uses a Jedi sword, it does not mean you have to use it as well!
Why!? It’s simple: your Jedi Knight certification is still pending
Photo Bartłomiej Trzciński
ACADEMY
on a serious note: listen to advice, but do not buy impulsively – check if the selected knife is truly the one you need. if your instructor’s knife were always the best, every diver would use the same knife
*test your knives in the kitchen – a soft tomato test should do it. Place a tomato on a chopping board (the tomato must be soft). Use the knife to try to slice as thin a slice as possible without putting a lot of pressure – check also kitchen knives and replace or sharpen them
training
Just having a cutting tool does not mean that you know how to use it.
Have you ever heard of practicing cutting underwater? Slim chance. But you have surely heard that you need as many as three cutting tools when diving in the Baltic Sea! It’s sort of like carrying around language books with yourself so they can help you speak, for example, in Japanese, if needed Does no one practice underwater cutting techniques? They do. For example, GHOST DIVING, a group of divers that dive close to abandoned nets and specialize in recovering them.
Cutting nets that are to be recovered is a hard task, which requires a lot of experience and the appropriate tools. Surprisingly, the knives used by Ghost Diving members resemble those 30-cm-long ones mentioned at the beginning of the article.
Ghost Diving groups that rid the underwater world of abandoned nets function in many countries – see for yourself whether there is such a group in your area and get to together to train. You don’t know how to find them? See here: https://www. ghostdiving.org/
apart from this, practice with your partner. How to do it (where do the experienced divers attach their cutting tools)?
Start from practicing in the most comfortable conditions available.
It may be a platform: your partner holds a piece of a line (the same as on your spool) and you get in front of them. Then, try to imagine where would you like to have your cutting tool attached so it is easily removable. Repeat the movement a few times.
Now, pull out a tool from the place that you chose while being on the surface and consider, whether it is comfortable (if not, find a better place while underwater).
Pull it out carefully, especially if your knife has a very sharp tip – you may easily puncture a glove or your drysuit. The tool should be easily removable – without having to tug and search for it.
When you determine the most convenient location, practice pulling it out and putting it back many times every time when diving. This way you will build muscle memory.
The next step is cutting a thin fishing line. With your partner, prepare several pieces of fishing line with ends tied to sticks. That way, it will be easier to hold them during your tests and practice exercises. Pull out your cutting tool smoothly and try to cut a fishing line held by your partner. Do it gently so as to check the effectiveness of a tool. It does not matter, if you use a knife, cutters or another tool – it should cut through the line easily.
Be ready to face that your tool may not meet your expectations. In such a case, you will absolutely need to replace it for
Photo Bartłomiej Trzciński
one that may be used effectively and help you in a dangerous situation.
Finally, some other useful information for you – in no particular order.
• Cutting tools often get lost, both underwater and on the surface, so you need to think through how much you want to spend on your knife. It will be easier if you assume that it will get lost at some point
• You will not cut anything underwater if your position is not stable – the most important skill to practice when diving in places, where you can encounter fishing lines and nets, is buoyancy control.
• Three pieces of equipment that most often got hooked on a line or net are:
Ì tank valve,
Ì manometer,
Ì fin strap.
• If you want to dive wrecks, find a good instructor with extensive wreck-diving experience and, first and foremost, learn as much as possible about the configuration you will need for such activities.
• Learn communication with light and always dive with your flashlight on.
• Find out how to use the breathing resistance adjustment wheel on your regulator to limit gas consumption – if you get entangled in a net, all that matters is that you have sufficient gas to last until your partner helps you.
• Underwater cutting is not always a way to solve problems sometimes, you will need to mark something with a line, which will have to be cut or tied for that purpose (ask your instructor how to do it). It is a good idea for a practice exercise that will involve several matters discussed in this article.
are you interested in safety when cutting tools have to be used?
Would you like to make sure that your configuration is safe for wreck diving?
...or perhaps you would like to try out various cutting tools ?
tecline academy is here to help – contact us, bring your diving friends along, visit us and learn about safe diving!
