diving
No. 12 6(12)/2020
november/december
Price 7,90 € Tax included
freediving
passion
knowledge
gulf islands honduras
through the lens henley spiers 1
2
the foreword
Wojciech Zgoła
Editor-in-Chief
“This world is strange” and the passing year has been strange. It has given us all a hard time. Local diving has become fashionable. Thanks to this, we can spend less time commuting and more time finding new water reservoirs, not located in thousands, but several dozen kilometers from our home. Christmas is coming. Contact with loved ones may be difficult, and it is always a time of quiet family celebration. Let us do everything we can to take a break from the ills of this world, take a distance and fill ourselves with optimism and positive emotions. Let the New Year be a good year, healthy, full of exceptional events. As a magazine, we are entering 2021 with specific plans. Follow us on social media. We are speeding up the publication of our bimonthly. Now we will try to make you have it in front of your eyes and in your hands at the end of the first month of release. So the end of January 2021, then the end of March, May, etc. The current issue has a lot to offer. Beautiful photos and a light pen of the authors will make you dive with us virtually. First we have Honduras for you. Finally, a very practical text about buoys. Inside, inter alia, an interview with the outstanding photographer Henley Spiers, whose photo adorns our cover, and as a curiosity – "pudding" from Lake Werbellinsee in Germany. And what exactly is this zooplankton. Explained and shown. I cordially invite you to come inside. All we have is at your disposal. You can now order a subscription for 2021. From January, the price for a copy is PLN 25 plus shipping. We also have a very nice calendar with beautiful photos. First come first served. Until stocks last. And your personal support in the form of a donation for our editorial office is appreciated.
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
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ta b l e o f co n t e n t s
16
32
40
travels 10
Gulf Islands. In search of the lost sand
24
Central Dalmatia
32
Sardinia. Under the sign of Aquarius
40
Pudding
our conversation 16
Through the lens – Henley Spiers
knowledge 44
Video System UV2
50
#divelocal #divesafe
62
"Medicine for divers". Review
Archaeology 46
4
Sacred waters
rookie's eye 58
XI ABC's commandments
planet earth 52
The ubiquitous plankton
54
A goose or not really?
Publisher perfect diver wojciech zgoła ul. Folwarczna 37, 62-081 Przeźmierowo redakcja@perfectdiver.com ISsN 2545-3319
54
editor in chief
Wojciech Zgoła
columnist
Irena Kosowska
underwater archaeology
Mateusz Popek
freediving photographer publicist, photographer english language translators legal care graphic design and composition
Agnieszka Kalska Jakub Degee Bartosz Pszczółkowski Agnieszka Gumiela-Pająkowska Arleta Kaźmierczak Reddo Translations Sp. z o.o. Adwokat Joanna Wajsnis Brygida Jackowiak-Rydzak
the magazine was folded with typefaces
Montserrat (Julieta Ulanovsky) Open Sans (Ascender Fonts) Spectral (Production Type) printing Wieland Drukarnia Cyfrowa, Poznań, www.wieland.com.pl
distribution dive centers, online store
tips & curiosities 64
preorder@perfectdiver.com
Buoyant mood
cover photo
Henley Spiers model
Tiger Cardinalfish Cheilodipterus macrodon place
Anilao, Batangas, Philippines
www.perfectdiver.com
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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If you like this issue, donate any amount! Donation is voluntary. PayPal.Me/perfectdiver perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
5
e d i to r i a l t e a m
Wojciech Zgoła
irena kosowska
jakub degee
He often repeats that he travels by diving and that
Regional Manager Divers Alert Network Polska,
Polish photographer, winner of awards and dis-
is his motto. In 1985 he obtained a yacht sailor's
diving and first aid instructor, technical diver and
tinctions in world underwater photography com-
license, and only in 2006 began to dive. In the fol-
cave diver. In love with all flooded, dark, cold,
petitions, has already dived all over the world: with
lowing years he improved his skills by obtaining
tight places and invariably from the beginning
sharks and whales in South Africa, with orcs be-
the Dive Master degree. He completed nearly
of the diving route – in the Baltic. Implementing
hind the Arctic Circle, on Galapagos with hundreds
650 dives in various climatic conditions. Since
the DAN mission, he conducts a series of lectures
of hammerhead sharks and humpback whales in
2007, he has been taking photographs underwa-
”Dive safely” and Diving Safety Laboratory, so field
the Tonga Islands. He participates in specialist
ter, and since 2008 he has also been filming. As
research of divers for scientific purposes.
photographic workshops. He has been diving for
an independent journalist, he published dozens
27 years, he started at the age of 12 – as soon as
of articles, mainly in journals dedicated to diving,
it was formally possible. He was the first in the
but not only. Co-author of photo exhibitions in
world to use the Hasselblad X1d-50c camera for
Poland and abroad. He is passionate about and
underwater macro photography. Recently, in the
propagator of diving.
remote Chincorro archipelago on the border be-
Since 2008 he has been running his own website
tween Mexico and Belize, he did it again, taking
www.dive-adventure.eu. On the basis of extensive
a successful attempt to photograph the eye of
experience, in August 2018 he created the new
a crocodile with a macro lens with an additional
Perfect Diver Magazine.
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).
Mateusz Popek
Agnieszka kalska
Bartosz Pszczółkowski
”My passion, work and life are under water.” He has
”I can't imagine living without water, where in a free
That's my name and I come from Poznań. I have
been diving since 2009. Since 2008, he's walking
body I experience freedom of the spirit.”
been associated with water practically from birth
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
• 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),
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 wa-
2013 he has been diving in caves, especially in the
• record holder and Polish champion, member
ter, octopus and colorful fish;) I bought my first
mountains, and since 2014 he is a diving instruc-
of the national team in freediving 2013–2019,
underwater camera – Olympus 5060 and started
tor CMAS M1. In June 2020, he obtained a doctor-
• winner of the World Championships in freed-
the adventure with underwater photography.
al degree in underwater archeology.
iving 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018,
I acquired my diving experience in the Canary
• multimedalist of the Polish Championships
Islands, Sardinia, Norway, Maldives and in Polish
and a member of the national team in swim-
lakes. I am currently a Padi and ESA instructor,
ming in the years 1998–2003,
I train diving enthusiasts in Europe and pass my
• passionate about freediving and swimming.
passion on to others. I invite all lovers of the underwater world and photography to Beediver (FB) – see you soon.
o u r au t h o r s
wojciech a. filip
robert styła
sylwia kosmalska-juriewicz
Has more than 8000 dives on his account. He has
President of Ocean-Tech Sp. z o. o., IT NAUI, wreck
A traveller and a photographer of wild nature.
been diving for over 30 years, including over 20
and cave diver. "Diving is not just about equip-
A graduate of journalism and a lover of good liter-
years as a technical diver. He is a professional with
ment. It is also discovering secrets and an oppor-
ature. She lives in harmony with nature, promotes
great theoretical and practical knowledge. He is
tunity to reach places that an ordinary mortal has
a healthy lifestyle: she is a yogini and a vegetarian.
an instructor of many federations: GUE Instructor
no chance to see. Over ten years ago, for this pas-
Also engaged in ecological projects. Sharks and
Mentor, CMAS**, IANTD nTMX, IDCS PADI, EFR,
sion, I abandoned the prospering business and
their protection are especially close to her heart.
TMX Gas Blender. He participated in many diving
founded the company Ocean-Tech, which in fact
She writes about the subject in numerous articles
projects and conferences as a leader, explorer,
is an online store www.nurkowyswiat.pl"
and on her blog www.divingandtravel.pl. She be-
originator or lecturer. These included the Britan-
gan her adventure with diving fifteen years ago
nic Expedition 2016, Morpheus Cave Scientific
by total coincidence. Today she is a Divemaster,
Project on Croatia caves, GROM Expedition in
she visited over 60 countries and dived on 5 con-
Narvik, Tuna Mine Deep Dive, Glavas Cave in Croa-
tinents. She invites us for a joint journey with the
tia, NOA-MARINE. Professionally, he is a technical
travel agency www.dive-away.pl, of which she is
director at TecLine in Scubatech, and a director of
a co-founder.
training at TecLine Academy.
Adrian juriewicz
agata turowicz-cybula
A traveler, photographer and the underwater
Since I was a child, I had dreamed of becoming
world filmmaker, an Asian cuisine enthusiast
a marine biologist and I managed to fulfill that
and a PADI diving instructor. He visited over
dream. I did a degree in oceanography, where
70 countries and dived on 5 continents (the
I recently started my doctoral studies. My diving
other two are planned for next year's expedi-
adventure began when I was 12 years old. I love
tions). For several years he has also been an
observing the underwater life up close and I try to
instructor and trainer of the unmanned aircraft
show other divers how fascinating the underwa-
flights. A co-author of a travel agency for divers
ter, Baltic creatures are.
www.dive-away.pl. He documents his expeditions with photos and descriptions of his journeys on his blog www.divingandtravel.pl
o u r au t h o r s
margita ślizowska
wojciech jarosz
julia zabrodzka i bartek kaftan
aka "Mermaid". NAUI, EFR (premedical first aid)
A graduate of two Poznan universities, the Acad-
They travel together with a camera (Julia) and
and DAN oxygen rescue instructor. Actress and
emy of Physical Education (coaching specializa-
a notebook (Bartek). Preferably to the countries
singer. Versatile woman.
tion – handball) and the University of A.Mickiew-
of Central America, especially Mexico and Gua-
Diving is her passion and a way to help every
icz, Faculty of Biology (specialty of experimental
temala, where they spent a total of almost one
person with whom she works above and below
biology). He connected his professional life with
and a half years. They have been writing for the
water. In her opinion, diving is not only exploring
this first university trying to influence the direc-
Polish and foreign press about the places they
the underwater world. It is also getting to know
tion of development of future professionals on
visited and the people they met on the way. Their
and integrating with your own "I", building trust
the one hand, and on the other planning and
photos and texts appeared, among others in
in yourself and a way to develop the skills neces-
implementing research, pushing laboriously in
"The Guardian", "El País", "Polityka", "Scripture",
sary to overcome all life problems. Specialist for
the right direction of the stroller called science.
"Wysokie Obcasy", "Zwierciadło", "Esquire" or
"difficult" students and children.
In his free time he spends his time actively – his
"Kukbuku", as well as in travel magazines, such
Owner of XDIVERS – Your Diving School. Trimix,
main passions are sailing (sea helmsman), skiing
as "Podróże", "Voyage" or "Continents". They like
cave and gas blender diver. Her biggest under-
(downhill skiing instructor), riding a motorcycle,
water in every form – seas, lakes, and rivers – but
water love are caves, and diving priority – SAFETY.
recreational diving and many other activities, as
they consistently stick to the surface without ven-
margita@xdivers.pl, www.xdivers.pl
well as photography, mainly nature.
turing into the depths. You can see Julia's photos at: www.juiazabrodzka.pl
bogdan zając
tomasz wciórka "eternal"
I live in Świnoujście, I have been diving since 2009.
He has been involved in diving since 2009. Passion-
The current dive rank is advanced nitrox in IDF
ate, technical and cave diver. Owner of the Black
and AOWD in SSI. Photography course with Irena
Angel Divers diving school in Szczecin. Author of
Strangierska. Number of dives 450.
articles on diving. A perfectionist with a positive attitude to life, suitable as a test pilot for new diving equipment.
subscription 2021 subscription price
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75 eur
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t r av e l s
Gulf Islands In Search of the lost sand
Text bartek kaftan
Photos julia zabrodzka
Out of the three Honduran islands in the Caribbean Sea – Roatan, Guanaja and Utila – divers particularly like the latter, the smallest and the most inconspicuous. Is there anything to do here on the surface as well?
I
t is hard to believe, but I think we just landed on a Caribbean
Roatan Utila
Guanaja
island with no beach. On the neighbouring island – Roatan, everything was fine.
We lived in a log cabin in the midst of green, a few steps from an arched strip of sand at Half Moon Bay. In the morning we Honduras
10
dived in the bay and swam along the reef stretching along the
travels
a mask and a tube below the surface through the Blue Channel coral canyon. Day after day passed and we could feel sand under our bare feet. On Utila you cannot do without decent sandals or flip-flops. A bit of sand, which was artificially brought here, can be found only on the hotel Bando Beach. Apart from this, the coast is a range of rough, dark rocks. Those rocks were feared by the captains of Spanish galleons, exporting the treasures of the New World to Europe. But on the other hand, pirates liked the area very much. The Gulf Islands were the hideout of the shore, following colourful fish or a lonely turtle. In the after-
most famous marine robbers, led by Henry Morgan and John
noon we sat at the Sundowner’s Beach Bar to watch the sun
Coxen. The latter was even commemorated in the name of the
disappear in the Caribbean Sea with a bottle of the Honduran
capital of the archipelago, the town of Coxen Hole on Roatan.
Salva Vida beer in hand. In the meantime, we went for a walk
Today, only legends are left after the presence of the pi-
on the long West End Beach – only if it was only to rent a kay-
rates, but the rocky shores of Utila again act as a magnet – this
ak, swim 200–300 meters away from the shore and dive with
time for diving enthusiasts. They are a promise of splendour
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
11
that hides underwater: a coral reef stretching on the edge of the continental shelf of Central America, which on the northern side of the archipelago falls steeply into the abyss of the Cayman Trough. A huge variety of marine habitats makes underwater off the coast of the Gulf Islands extremely rich, with more than 95% of the species living in the Caribbean Sea. We get to know a small piece of it, swimming with a mask and a tube off the southern shores of Utila. We enter the sea in the bay on the west side of the town, where getting through the rocks is facilitated by piers. We immerse ourselves in the turquoise, and after a while we flow over the edge of the reef. It falls not so deeply as on the northern side of the island, but very steeply, almost vertically. Here and there are elk's antlers-like corals of the species acropora palmata, with a lot of colourful parrotfishes spinning, and where smaller sergeant majors are glittering like gold flakes. Suddenly, somewhere down from behind the reef, a stingray emerges. We hang over it motionless and watch as it flows slowly through a blue procession, intersected by rays of the sun. We will remember this meeting for a very long time.
12
The most peculiar and some of the most beautiful inhabitants of Utila, however, hide not on reefs, but on land. They are quite shy and avoid contact with people, but there is a place where you can almost always meet them. From the town centre we climb up the street towards Stuart's Hill, one of only two hills on the island, and turn left into a large Caribbean-style wooden house hidden among lush greenery. On the lawn in front of the building we see several palm thatch huts made of metal mesh. And in them the most important tenants – iguanas of the species ctenosaura bakeri. These reptiles are critically endangered. They are found only on Utila Island (which is 6 kilometers wide and 11 kilometers long), and they dig nests on a few narrow beaches on the northern side of the island. The Iguana Station employees and volunteers collect eggs and move them to a facility where the young hatch in incubators. Then they take care of the lizards until they grow up enough to cope in the natural environment.
of Utila, which quickly pass into a low mangrove forest. We go through the tangle of roots. No trace of any path, but our guide knows every angle here. Unfortunately, poachers are equally confident – meat and eggs of iguanas are still a delicacy for some islanders. They are not deterred by mosquitoes, nor by crabs sneaking out from under our feet, nor by mud. Although it is the end of the dry season, every few steps we fall into a sticky goo, sometimes all the way to the knees. Suddenly, an invigorating turquoise can be seen among the thickets. We come out on a narrow strip of light sand, surrounding the shallow Rock Harbour Bay. Apart from our group, there is no one, tourists from the town do not come here. This is the perfect place to release iguanas. We watch as the guide carefully takes them out and puts them on the ground. We observe from a distance so as not to frighten the animals unnecessarily. They look around for a moment, probably bewil-
14
We are lucky: tomorrow a few specimens will be released
dered by the Caribbean light, and then dive into the mangrove
into the wild. One of the experienced caregivers of the resort
thickets. And so do we, but into the warm water of the bay to
will take them to the place and agrees that we and two vol-
cool down before the laborious return.
unteers will accompany him. "Put on decent shoes and old
At the end of the stay, we find out that Utila – which we
clothes, because we are unlikely to come back clean," he warns.
initially believed to be without beaches – has an even more
In fact: the next morning, almost immediately after leaving the
Caribbean face than the Rock Harbour. We are going on a trip
Iguana Station, we delve into the wet scrubs that cover most
with a group of students from one of the diving schools. Many
backpackers travelling through Central America take their first steps in the underwater world on this island: the conditions are safe and pleasant, and the prices of the courses are reportedly among the lowest in the world. Our goal is the linked Jewel Cay and Pigeon Cay, two of a chain of coral islets at the southwestern tip of Utila. Interestingly, it is here that the oldest settlement on the island is located, founded in the first half of the 19th century by newcomers from the Cayman Islands. Today the islets themselves are practically invisible. They are tightly built up with houses and huts, and the structures supported on stilts spread over the sea that washes the rocky shore. There are no cars, no scooters, but everyone has a boat. A real water world. The trainees stay on Jewel Cay, we get into the canoes and row further west, first through the dark saffron depth of the strait, then along the shores of the two islets. Finally, it appears to our eyes: the Caribbean kitsch painted with the turquoise sea, the white of the beach, the green of palm plumes, flecked with red starfish lying in the shallow water. Water Cay is a triangle about two hundred, maybe three hundred meters long, only a few dozen wide, but it is not difficult to forget about the whole big world here. We lie down on the sand, squint our eyes, and bask like the endemic iguanas that have finally found their island.
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
15
o u r co n v e r s at i o n s
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Through the lens Henley Spiers Blue Shark perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
17
Shark Vortex
My conversation with Henley Spiers, photographer, diving instructor
Wojciech Zgoła: You take fantastic photos. Since when did
18
you start photographing underwater?
Thanks to your photos, we met. I liked the turtle photo in
Henley Spiers: Thank you! I would say 2014 is when I took
the cenote so much that I wrote to you and you agreed
up underwater photography, prior to that I’d had a couple of
to share the photo on the Perfect Diver wall sometimes.
compact cameras with me on some dives but it was just clicking
A happy meeting – I’m very pleased to hear you enjoy that
a few pictures as we went along on dives, memories rather
image of the turtle in the cenote, it’s a personal favourite and
than really thinking much about photography.
one many people have had a strong emotional response to.
our conversations
Constellation of eagle Rays
Between Two Worlds
You worked as an instructor in a diving center for a long
Lucia and we have since worked together as underwater pho-
time, but recently you have been focusing only profession-
tographers. My daughters are only 3 years and 3 months old
ally on photography, why?
so they haven’t yet joined the tradition, but hopefully one day!
When I was 25 years old, I abandoned corporate life to follow
Yes, I do dive on holidays, although perhaps I shouldn’t, as it’s
my heart and become a dive professional. After several years
difficult for me to slow down and just do a few dives, whilst also
working as an instructor in Indonesia, Philippines, and Saint
spending quality time with family.
Lucia, I started underwater photography and became so engrossed that I decided to switch from teaching divers, to full
Do you dive without a camera, with your hands free?
time underwater photography.
These days, no, never…I would feel naked without the camera! Even if I don’t take many shots, I would hate to miss out on
What's your occupation?
documenting something beautiful or unusual because I’d left
Underwater photographer, writer, and trip leader. I wish
the camera behind.
I could just be purely an underwater photographer, but the reality is I need to combine several skill sets to make it all work
Your best photo in your opinion?
as a profession.
Gosh, tough question…There are a few I’m very fond of…If pressed, I would say ‘Between Two Worlds’, my black and white
Does your family dive? If so, do you spend your holidays
shot of a cormorant diving down on a shoal of fish below. It has
diving, if not why?
a lot of power and a strong story to it, an image which anyone in
Yes, my father was my first dive buddy, and I met my wife, Jade,
the world could look at and understand. I also think the vision
and her father in a dive shop on Malapascua Island, Philipines.
and edit for it was, and still remains, pretty original.
Jade would then go on to become a dive professional in Saint
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
19
Battle of the Tompots
Marlin hunt
20
our conversations
Spider Crab
Marlin vs Sea Lion
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
21
Big Mouth
And then what is your dream of underwater photography,
governmental support, to one which fundamentally has far
because mine is to capture a marlin?
greater restrictions on plastic waste.
Marlin? Well then you have to join me in Mexico sometime for the striped marlin aggregation! I really enjoy animal behaviour,
Do you encounter rubbish while diving in different places?
so the opportunity to capture a never before seen behaviour
Yes, I have found it worst in developing nations, where there
would be my dream. Mating great white sharks maybe?
is both less awareness in some quarters, as well as a reliance on single use packs of basic necessities (such as shampoo or
What do you think of plastic in relation to the oceans and
food stuff) due to the low income levels.
animals? Well, I don’t think there’s anything positive to say in terms of
Do you dive in both wetsuit and drysuit?
plastic and the ocean. Our waste has become an enormous
Yes, although I admit the dry suit is a relatively recent addition,
burden for the natural world. I have witnessed plastic debris
and I am far more experienced in a wetsuit.
on dive sites, but what is even more worrying is the plastic we can’t see. Micro-plastics being ingested by animals throughout
Do you prefer warm or cold water? Does this object to pho-
the food chain, and ultimately, humans too. It’s such a new
tograph matter?
problem we don’t even fully understand yet what impact mi-
I prefer the feeling of warm water! But photographically, I am
cro-plastic will have on the health of the oceans inhabitants.
very inspired by the potential subjects in cold water… For sure
Clearly as a race we need to become less wasteful, and it has
a tropical coral reef is a delightful way to dive, but they have
been pleasing to see a global awakening on plastics in the last
been extremely well documented. I feel there may be more
few years. I’d say we’re at the stage where many people are
unique photographic opportunities and stories to be found in
aware of the problem, which is good, but now we need to en-
cooler waters at this stage.
ter the next stage, where the way we live is transitioned, with
22
advertisement
Diver, Cavern Jack
Have you ever dived in a lake with a visibility of 2–4 meters? No… So, I invite you to Poland in summer :) Ok great – what wildlife is there to see? We have fish such as pike, catfish, perch, sturgeon, eel and carp. In some places there are boats carved from a single tree trunk. They are sometimes over 1000 years old. But… anyway you wrote to me that you liked our Perfect Diver Magazine, can you tell me more? As a photographer, the first thing I do when picking up a magazine or book is look at the pictures. In browsing Perfect Diver Magazine, I appreciated the quality of the images, as well as the editorial lay-out. I was also intrigued by the subject matter, as i am not very familiar with European diving.
You can see more of Henley’s work, including fine art prints and trips at: www.henleyspiers.com You can also follow him on: Instagram @henleyspiersphoto, Facebook @henleyspiersphotography
t r av e l s
Central Dalmatia Text sylwia kosmalska-juriewicz Photos adrian juriewicz
How beautiful it is in the morning, when not everything has happened yet and everything can happen, you just have to take... Agnieszka Osiecka
W
e set out on a diving boat at dawn, from the marina located at the diving center in the Okrung Gorne dis-
trict, near Trogir. In this area there are thirty of the most interesting diving sites in Central Dalmatia. You can get there from the dive centre on 15 to 80-minute fast boat rides. The centre offers both full day and shorter dive trips, depending on your preferences.
Trogir Solta
Split
The boat glides lightly on the quiet surface of the water smooth as velvet. I savor this peace with all my senses and enjoy the most delicious dessert. With every moment we move
24
travels
further away from the marina, from the pebbly and bright
to COVID-19 has "forced" all of us to limit travel to a minimum
beaches and white houses covered with red tiles, which cas-
or abandon it at all. In my memories I go back to the times
cade down to the very shoreline. After a long break in travel-
when everything was possible. The isolation in which we live
ling, I am back on the high seas, in my element, on my way
has made us re-evaluate not only our lives, but also the way we
to diving. The sun's rays dance across my face and the wind
perceive the world, nature and other people. We have become
tangles my hair. I sit on the bow of the boat and breathe in
more sensitive and we are much more willing to help others.
the smell of the sea, revel in the feeling of true, undisturbed
Each of us learns in their own way to adapt to the new reality
freedom. Away from the mass media... I feel happy.
in which we live. Therefore, I appreciate more the fact that I am
It feels like light years since I last dived in warm sea waters. The dynamically changing situation in the world related
in Croatia with a group of fantastic people who, just like me, missed the sea, diving and the time spent together.
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
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Mahatma Gandhi was right in saying that: Freedom is a state of mind. We are sailing towards the island of Solta, the thirteenth largest Croatian island, situated in the Adriatic Sea. It is surrounded by small emerald coves and picturesque pebbly beaches covered with pine trees. These trees not only diversify the landscape, but also shelter numerous creatures, including cicadas, which are considered the loudest insects in the world. Adult males, wanting to attract a partner, emit noises that exceed 120 dB. They are so loud that they drown out the engines of yachts entering the port. The captain is mooring the boat near the island, after forty minutes we got to the first dive site, famous for a small but very beautiful underwater cave with a dry chamber inside. I put on my thermal underwear, put on a drysuit, and it is August. The air temperature exceeds 35°C, and the water temperature varies between 23°C and 24°C. Most people dive in 5 mm wetsuits, but I cool down quickly in the water, so for thermal comfort I took a drysuit and a hood. I put the regulator in my mouth, press the bleed button on the inflator and plunge into the sun-bathed Adriatic Sea. I slowly penetrate into another world, full of magic, silence and peace. A world that hides a lot of secrets.Sometimes it is capricious and we have to fight the currents, other times it is gentle, calm, ready to tell us its story... I drop slowly, like a bird descending to land and watching everything from above. The view is phenomenal, it exceeds 40 m, I look down and see the border where the light blue turns into the dark blue. I swim along a sloping rock wall overgrown with a variety of corals, sponges of irregular shapes and intense colours. They usually take the form of elongated trumpets and grow out of the ground. In numerous rock depressions, navy blue and red bristle worms hide. They have an oblong shape, resemble hairy caterpillars, and their cylindrical bodies consist of more than a hundred segments. They are covered with bristles that sting heavily. Not only bristle worms feel good in the Mediterranean Sea, but also pink and orange moss animals, which most often appear in the form of spherical twigs, growing on shaded underwater rocks. On the flat bottom, we also encounter anemones, they exist singly and are very intensely coloured, which
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In Dalmatia, we can see everything that the Mediterranean Sea has to offer, including: lobsters, octopuses, schools of fish, sea horses, sea urchins, starfish, all kinds of molluscs, nudibranchs, wrecks, gorges and caves.
makes them an unusual object to photograph. Below the thirty-fifth meter you can see red soft corals, and slightly higher up the yellow ones. They look like beautifully spread, lace fans. In Dalmatia, we can see everything that the Mediterranean Sea has to offer, including: lobsters, octopuses, schools of fish, sea horses, sea urchins, starfish, all kinds of molluscs, nudibranchs, wrecks, gorges and caves. I have dived in Croatia many times and I discover it anew each time.
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After the dive, we head to Maslinica, a small town on the island of Solta. A real paradise bathed in the afternoon sun. We enter the marina, which seems to be small, but both small dive boats and beautiful luxury yachts covered with chrome and varnished wood moor there. The marina is flowery, pink and white bougainvillea attract colourful butterflies, including swallowtails, one of the most beautiful representatives of this species. The town looks like a fairy tale. Low buildings made of light stone, charming cafes on the seafront, offering not only delicious coffee, but also ice cream that tastes best with friends. The restaurateurs invite you to try fresh seafood, fish and oven-baked pizza served with olive oil and herbs. Small shops, or rather galleries, offer handicrafts, paintings and jewelery that tourists eagerly buy. We have our favorite cafe in Maselnica at the end of the headland overlooking the sea, where we always relax, enjoy delicious cappuccino and ice cream, and then enjoy swimming in the sea and sun. After the surface break, we sail out for the second dive. The dive site is about 15 minutes from the island of Solta. We stop at a rocky island with a small, green lighthouse in the
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
29
which are much larger than those we saw while diving in the
Only by observing what surrounds us, we begin to understand the nature of the underwater world, which hides so many beauty and
Philippines before. You must be very lucky to spot them. These two individuals found refuge from predators amid the reef. Sea horses do not swim very well, despite being fish, so they hide and try their best to hide from their enemies.
secrets. There is no room for rushing, glancing
Only by observing what surrounds us, we begin to un-
nervously at the clock, or worrying.
derstand the nature of the underwater world, which hides so many beauty and secrets. There is no room for rushing, glancing nervously at the clock, or worrying. Diving allows you to achieve inner balance and peace.
30
center. The captain assures that in this place we will see yellow
We arrive at the diving center in the late afternoon, rinse
and brown seahorses and bombs without detonators from
the equipment in fresh water and return to the apartments
World War II. Mother nature accepted them, letting the coral
overlooking the sea. In the evening, when the sun is going
overgrow the metal bullets. They rest on the seabed among
down, we are going to Trogir for dinner. Places where moder-
long sea grasses. Like relics of old times, they remind you that
nity meets tradition. The old town of this charming port city is
it was not always so peaceful here. During this dive, in fact, at
situated on an island. To reach it, just cross the bridge, from
about six meters, we encounter yellow and brown sea horses,
which there is an amazing view of the old town, entered on
travels
the UNESCO List of Cultural and Natural Heritage. The historic Old Town is built of light stone and a huge gate leads to it. It extends through narrow streets paved with light stone with
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numerous boutiques, restaurants and open-air cafes. Cascades of colourful flowers hang from historic balconies, and lazy cats bask on the walls. Cafes and restaurants slowly fill up with guests, we also take seats in our favorite "Lavender" restaurant. We did not have to reserve tables in advance due to the small number of tourists, which is not normal at this time of the year. We needed these shared moments like oxygen to breathe. So much has changed in such a short time... Following the words of Ajahn Brahm, a buddhist monk who says: It will also pass..., both good and bad things in our lives pass. Nothing is permanent and is given to us forever. Therefore, let us enjoy the little things, practice gratitude, and appreciate every moment.
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t r av e l s
Sardinia under the sign of aquarius
Text and photos Bartosz pszczółkowski
At the Chrisso wreck with a master and the Tavolara island in the background
S
tarting from the north of the island we first get to Olbia,
lovers of the island climate. The water here mixes with the blue
one of the largest cities of Sardinia. It is a city of great im-
of the sky, and white clouds roll like pieces of wool scattered
portance due to a large port where we can catch a ferry with cartoon characters known from the Cartoon Network. There is also an airport to which we can fly from Europe or other parts of the world. Olbia hosts many events, concerts and festivals. My favorite is the regional streetFood, where you can try masterful panino con polpo or fried artichoke. A real culinary feast. Once your tummies are full, you can think of the pleasures of exploring beautiful sandy beaches or new diving sites.
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overhead, pushed by the wind. It is beautiful, but you have to get into the water to see what is really waiting for us here! I’m arriving at a place called Cala Paradiso, one of the housing estates with holiday bungalows. Here I can see the sign AQUARIUS DIVING CENTER 300 m. And indeed, the road ends and on the left there is a large banner with the name of the diving center. The diving village comprise literally a few houses where the
A few kilometers away from Olbia lies "horse tail" cape,
crew lives next to a huge board with a map of the local diving
Capo Coda Cavallo.A fabulous and extremely charming place,
sites, and of course Andrea, the boss and the owner of this
full of small bays where you can hide from the crowd of other
fabulous spot.
travels
Grouper hidden in the gorgonians, Papa due
This nice guy speaks perfect En-
Papa is our second dive site. We are in the "Area Marina
glish. He welcomes me and tells me
Protetta di Tavolara" park, which means that up to 9 people
to get ready because we are going
can be under the water at the same time. Everyone wants to
to dive soon;) Finally – I’m thinking –
dive here and such quantitative limits help protect the park's
I will finally dive!
underwater environment. This spot is in the open sea.
We sail on the board of "Master", a comfortable Zodiac boat, to dive next to the wall of Tavolara.
We’re jumping into the water. We’re meeting at the buoy anchored to the bottom at 30 meters. The impression during the descent is electrifying, es-
Tedja Liscia is our first stop. The name comes from a very
pecially since pinnacles, underwater mountains with peaks at
distinctive rock form with a huge boulder nearby. Under the
17 m, 20 m, 24 m and 31 meters, appear after a few moments
water we see amazing rock formations and Mediterranean
since the beginning of our dive. Here is a different world. The
reef in all its glory. Groupers are swimming timidly around us.
shoal of sardines shimmers like a disco ball in the sun's rays
They are large, but very active. In the rock crevices, the moray
shining through the water. Predators such as yellowtail kingfish
subjects itself to cleaning treatments of shrimps. Those with
chase shoals of sardines like sheepdogs. Three different types
a flashlight can look into the nooks and crannies and find the
of groupers, barracudas, moray eels, the aforementioned yel-
"cical" lobster.There are also a lot of octopuses that leave be-
lowtail kingfish, Mediterranean rainbow wrasses and Damsel-
hind stone piles. I really like these creatures as they are perfect-
fish introduce us to their underwater world, showing how rich
ly adapted to their environment. They can change color, shape,
and diverse it is.
and release a cloud of ink to confuse their enemy.
Here we will meet even pesce luna, or common mola (pos-
The temperature in water here in August reaches even
sible with a little luck). On the surface there is a herd of com-
27°C, and the thermocline occurs only at 30 meters. Visibility
mon dolphins, sometimes called Lampugus. Here you can dive
is sometimes 40 meters, and the water is crystal.
every day!
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33
Cratena peregrina, nudibranch
Diver and gorgonia
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Flabellina, purple nudibranch on pinnacle wall, Papa due
travels
Rhizostoma pulmo jellyfish surrounded by fish, Punta arresto
The slopes of these underwater mountains are covered
els. These mountain formations rise up to the very surface. It
with gorgonians, soft filter animals resembling fans made of
is a paradise for beginner divers, because here they can safely
plants. Nudibranchs of the genus Cratena peregrina or Flabel-
practice their buoyancy skills and develop their ability to find
lina are common here, and sometimes you can find Antedon,
interesting animals or plants. I love diving in places like this,
a crinoid, i.e. Mediterranean feather star, hiding among the
because it makes me feel like walking in the mountains. I can
branches of gorgonians.
also admire these unusual formations from a bird's eye view
The omnipresent blueness can make you dizzy.
and feel the effect of weightlessness and the enormity of the
After getting on the deck of the Master, there is a momen-
surrounding water.
tary silence, because this dive is a trip to a kind of Mediterra-
In the Marina Proteta di Tavolara Park we can also find
nean underwater temple. After a few moments, you get ex-
wrecks. One of them is Chrisso, a very famous wreck due to
cited about what you have seen and experienced under the
the fact, that for many years its larger part protruded above
water, and the emotions are buzzing;) This is one of the top
the water surface. The ship crashed into the rocks at the site
diving sites in the area, but only for advanced divers. While
of Punta La Grteca in 1974. Abandoned and devastated by
diving in the open sea, sometimes in the current and in the
winter storms, it has been decaying for years. Currently, from
depths, sometimes even without any reference point, you must
the surface perspective, you can see the engine and the bow
demonstrate high level of buoyancy.
section. A great place for divers due to the shallow depth, the
Another stop on our diving list is Punta Arresto. These are
possibility of safe exploration of the wreck and a chance to
two huge two rock formations cut through by a canyon. This
peek into various nooks and crannies. You can even snorkel
is the kingdom of moray eels and grouper. Very pleasant area
there: get to know the wreck by swimming with a snorkel
near the island of Molara and a diving spot for divers at all lev-
on the surface, and then dive deeper inside the wreck with
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35
Centimeter-sized sepia, like a spaceship, during a night dive on the backyard reef of Cala Suaraccia
Tre fratell, three brothers, rock formations located in the open sea, similar to the site of Punta arresto
travels
A screw on the Chrisso wreck
Part of the port side with poles, Chrisso wreck
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
37
Part of the Chrisso wreck protruding above the water
Hyspelodoris picta, large nudibranch found on the Chrisso wreck
aqualung and explore the selected parts. The average depth is 10 meters. Such depth gives us a lot of time to explore the wreck, but also sometimes, when the weather is windy, the waves occur, and the entire site is not suitable for diving for safety reasons. This is a great place for macro-photographers because the wreck is overgrown with various types of sponges and lush vegetation which is home to many species of nudibranchs, including Hyspelodoris picta in the first place. On the wreck you can also meet lobsters, Scyllarides and sometimes barracudas. This place can awaken your passion for wreck diving. Personally, I like diving on wrecks mainly because they crate an artificial reef. They are a new place to be settled by marine organisms, which can colonize any available surface in an unusual and very fast way. It is a perfect field for a photographer to show off, although it always brings about a dilemma which lens to take underwaTransparent shrimp that lives in the anemone
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View of Tavolara, Molara and the surrounding islands
View from the top of Tavolara, Our Lady looking towards Olbia. An angel ferrata leads to the top, a great way to get moving and get a vantage point to the whole area
ter. The wide angle will capture the wreck in a beautiful scene, but thanks to the macro lens we will be able to capture animals the size of a few centimeters or even millimeters. Diving on the Chrisso wreck completed my diving time with Aquarius and only aroused my curiosity about this area. There are still many dive sites to discover, amphoras, old anchors and black coral, as Andrea says. I am looking forward to my next visit to this place. Now it's time for a trip to the top of Tavolara, the island where I previously dived. After all, man does not live by diving alone. However, all in all, it’ll be just another short surface break :)
t r av e l s
Pudding
Text Tomasz Wciórka "eternal" Photos Bogdan Zając
The distance is only 80 km in the direction of Berlin from
In search of interesting sites to surprise us with something entirely new underwater, we travel to the most distant regions of Europe and the world. What if I told you that just beyond the Polish border, there is a lake with many wooden barge wrecks older than 100 years and rare, gorge-shaped rock formations?
the border crossing in Kołbaskowo. Comfortable access is provided by means of the A11 highway, which opens up right after passing the border. Take the A10 Chorin exit and head to Joachimsthal. You'll arrive at the lake after a 10-minute drive along a local road, leading through a densely wooded area. The reservoir is surrounded by forests and situated within the Schorfheide-Chorin biosphere reserve. This area offers numerous cycling routes, holiday resorts and recreation sites. It's very popular among divers and full of holidaymakers during the summer. With a depth of more than 50 m, it is one of the
Werbellinsee
Berlin
A
deepest lakes in Germany. With its considerable surface area ll of this with a visibility that usual-
(almost 8 square kilometers) and an elongated shape, the lake
ly exceeds 10 m. Are you interested?
encourages sailing and other water sports.
Let me present to you Lake Werbellin and its mysteries. Lake Werbellin is located in north-eastern Germany, in the land of Brandenburg.
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Lake Werbellin is a ribbon lake which was formed during the last glacial period. Thawing waters formed a canal, which was continuously deepened along with the increasing pressure of the water trapped under the glacier. Uneven pressure led
travels
to the creation of hills and valleys at the lake bottom. This
One that, in my opinion, is enchanted with an exceptional at-
process contributed to the formation of an underwater area
mosphere. One of the reasons for this is the fact that you'll
called “Puddingberge” – pudding mountains.
most probably be entirely alone underwater when admiring it.
Almost the entire bed profile of Lake Werbellin is sandy, with a very scarce littoral zone. In the most shallow zone, the
Puddingberge
majority of the bed is covered with freshwater molluscs. This
The pudding mountains that have been mentioned here
naturally brings the Baltic Sea to my mind. However, the color
are located in the more shallow part of the lake. Unfortunately,
of the water is totally different. It is usually bluish, as in lime-
it's also quite far away from the shore. You'll really need to put
stone quarries. Lucky divers may encounter really huge cat-
your back into the swim to get there. But I think it's completely
fish and burbots, which we saw numerous times in the barge wrecks mentioned at the beginning. Pikes also grow to equally impressive sizes here, although there are very few in this lake. There is a dozen diving sites around the lake, marked with appropriate signs. The signs are marked with the spot number, name of the dive site and maximum depth. It's enough to give this number to the emergency services in the case of a diving accident. Rescue will arrive from the water and air in just several minutes. Everything is perfectly organized. The most popular diving site is the “Dornsbuchwreck”. This is a more than 100-years-old, 40 meter-long wooden barge located not far from the shore. It sits at a depth of 35–38 m. There are many more such barges in the lake. However, in this article I would like to present a much less popular spot.
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
41
be admired. The largest formations are located at a depth of 25–30 meters and protrude out of the sandy bed, reaching even several meters. Water transparency in this region is usually very good and often exceeds 10 m. On a sunny day there is no need to use additional lighting. You are probably wondering why this place is called
42
worth it. An alternative is of course to take a DPV that will take
the pudding mountains. Well, in order to solve this puzzle,
you to your dream destination much quicker.
it is enough to touch one of the rock formations. You will
The area offers a car park and tables for divers to gear up
discover that they are soft like a sponge. Additionally, the
comfortably. Access to the water is also comfortable. Unfortu-
entire structure wobbles like pudding or jelly taken out of
nately, the cove bed is silty and each step in the water raises
a bowl. The “rocks” are rather delicate and easily damaged
sediments that give off an unpleasant smell. But what wouldn’t
by careless divers, so better move carefully. They're made
you do for an interesting dive?
of eroded marlstone, where less compact sand was flushed
In order to see the pudding mountains, you need to move
from between the structures by water, creating incredible
at a medium pace towards the other bank for approximately
landscapes. The pudding mountains, full of holes like Swiss
20–25 minutes. On the way, you'll pass by some mussel fields
cheese, recesses and cracks, form a perfect hiding place for
and rather scarce vegetation. The bed will slowly start to slope
smaller fish. Although there are not many of them, the ones
downwards and the vegetation will disappear completely. At
we managed to see look similar to those seen on reefs in
a depth of 20 meters, you will see the first corrugations and
more exotic locations.
bumps. This is the sign that you are moving in the right direc-
In order to complete this dive, you need at least a two-cylin-
tion. The underwater landscape is similar to desert dunes. Fur-
der set. If you wish to spend more time on admiring the place,
ther along, as the depth increases, cracks will get even bigger,
you may also need decompression gas. Though I have dived
up to several meters in height. The width of the cracks varies
there many times, I regularly return and discover something
largely, sometimes they're a meter wide, sometimes more.
new each time.
Numerous gorges, with various size, are scattered through-
If you prefer to be alone underwater, enjoy diving in Aus-
out the landscape and provide an impressive view. The pud-
trian lakes and are not a big fan of fish, you'll definitely be
ding mountains stretch over a large area, so there is a lot to
enchanted by the atmosphere of the Puddingberge.
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a r c h a e o l og y
Sacred waters Text mateusz popek
Photos wikimedia commons
Water is a natural magnet for divers. An element that literally drags you into its depths. I've always wondered what is so special about water that it makes so many people want to risk their lives, spend money, waste their time at the cost of family time in order to spend some time in these depths, even if it’s just for a moment.
Photo Mateusz Popek
A
nd I’ve never found an answer to this question. On the
We know a bit more about water and people from the later
other hand, another question arose and it is easier to an-
period, called the Mesolithic, which lasted from 11,000 up to
swer. How did people treat water in the past?
46
even 5,000 BC, depending on the region. During this time, peo-
If you dig deeper into the archeological, historical or an-
ple carved symbols on everyday objects and now the scientists
thropological studies, you’ll see that water has always been
interpret these symbols as waves or rain. Then, people select-
important for humans. It was a source of life-giving strength,
ed places located near water to live in and made intensive use
a source of food but also a destructive element that spawned
of water. As you can imagine, close proximity to water bodies
demons taking people’s lives.
was important for survival and maybe even for spiritual life.
People knew the importance of water already in the earli-
Water was certainly an object of cult of some sort in the pe-
est periods. Images of marine animals, penguins and fish, can
riod called the Neolithic. These are the times when agriculture
be seen in cave paintings from the Paleolithic period (approx.
was developed and people learned to manufacture ceramic
50,000–10,000 BC). Some of them could be identified, e.g.
pots. Votive offerings from this period, which were objects cast
salmon in the Abri du Poisson cave. It’s pretty hard to tell if
into lakes, rivers, streams or bogs, are being discovered. The
aquatic animals or the water itself had any significant meaning
context of the discovery indicates that people who were casting
for people at the time.
these objects into the water never intended to retrieve them.
archaeology
Bedivere
Archeologists find pots, some of which were damaged on purpose. The damage might indicate a certain ritual “killing” of the object. What was inside… remains unknown. Whom were these offerings made to? It’s hard to define if it was a deity who had a name and a specific form, the ancestors or whether the water itself was sacred. Scientists assume that casting vessels into such places was associated with imagery of fertility. The Bronze Age is a very interesting period, which saw
Abri Cave Fish
the advent of complex social structures appear. At that time, the most valuable objects were cast into the water, such as
believed to ride a chariot drawn by horses. Men were more
bronze weapons and ornaments made of copper or gold.
likely to cast weapons into the water, which was related to
These were certain “insignia” of the elite. In some cases, sci-
the cult of war. There were cases where weapons retrieved
entists are able to distinguish offerings made by women from
from a beaten enemy army were sacrificed. That’s exactly how
those made by men. Jewelry and elements of the horse gear
the offerings discovered in the Hjortspring bog were made.
were considered female offerings. The fertility goddess was
A multitude of shields, spearheads, swords and even an entire
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
47
Tales of romanse (1906)
Photo Mateusz Popek
The Lady of the Lake gives Excalibur to King Arthur
48
In the early Middle Ages, horses were also of great significance, especially for Slavic tribes and Scandinavian Vikings. The latter had strong connections to the sea, reflected by burying
20-meter boat were found there! Just think how great the
their dead in ships covered with mounds. Not only a ship with
victory must have been and how much the winners wanted
a bow decorated with a sculpture of a horse head was found in
to thank the gods.
the Ladby burial mound in Denmark, but also sacrifices made
The Iron Age is a period when the dynamic Celtic and Ger-
of those animals. No such strong connection to the sea is ob-
manic tribes wandered across Europe. They had a complex
served in the Slavs. Lake islands were of great importance for
religious system, which we know from the Romans, who had
these tribes. Large quantities of weapons and horse remains
contact these people on multiple occasions. Water was much
are often found around these islands; scientists assume they
venerated in these times as well. The number of deposits
are remnants of some rituals, which are unfortunately difficult
cast into bogs, rivers and lakes is enormous. During this pe-
to reconstruct because of the lack of written sources.
riod, apart from weapons, people sacrificed animals as well.
As the Europe adopts Christianity, water-related rituals
A particularly interesting place, where sacrifices were made, is
disappear. Some unclear remnants of them are preserved in
Skedemosse in Öland. Apart from throwing weapons into the
legends, superstitions and traditions of various local communi-
bog, which was a lake at the time, sacrifices of horses were
ties. One of these legends is the legend of King Arthur and the
also made. What was however especially interesting, was the
Lady of the Lake, who gave him a sword imbued with unusual
form of these sacrifices. People hung horse skin with its skull
powers. Curiously, scientists noticed that surprisingly many
and hooves on poles over the bog. What happened to the re-
swords discovered in lakes or rivers come from the late Middle
maining part of the animal? Hard to tell, but it may have been
Ages. Is it possible that the ritual of casting these weapons into
consumed during a ritual feast.
the water was preserved into the Christian times and the king's
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Photo Mateusz Popek
Extraction of the Oseberg ship in 1904 Photo by Olaf Væring, Kulturhistorisk UiO museum, Oslo, Norway
legend is its reflection? It would be unusual if the imagery related to water was so instilled in the minds of contemporary people that even such a profound change of religion couldn’t weaken it. Although we’re coming to an end of the story about the magical ties of people with water, I have to admit that I barely scratched the surface of this topic. The amount of archeological materials and the number of works on this topic is enormous. There are also many scientific interpretations of how the rituals could look like and what they meant. What do you think – what attracted people to water so much? What did societies find so special about the shiny surface of a lake for such a long time? And what attracts us to water now? Isn’t each dive a kind of a ritual, during which we want to meet mysterious deities and demons hiding in depths? Discover the answers to these questions for yourselves
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
49
k n ow l e dg e
50
DAN Europe is launching a new, multifaceted cam-
Identified by the hashtags #divelocal #divesafe, the cam-
paign to encourage, celebrate, and support local diving
paign, which kicked off with a new feature article in Alert Diver
in response to the pandemic, which has greatly restricted
– #Divelocal: How Diving Is Getting Its Groove Back – will help
divers’ ability to travel internationally.
local dive centers and their clients rediscover and get the most
"PADI has led the way and we’re happy to join them along
out of their local diving sites. Planned components include
with our industry partners and agencies to encourage divers
collateral materials for dive centers; stories featuring local
to explore local diving opportunities”, explained DAN Europe
diving in Alert Diver and the DAN Europe blog, talks and social
marketing director Cristian Pellegrini. “Given the public health
media lives, tools to help local divers connect with others, and
situation we find ourselves in, local diving is one of the things
of course continued safety recommendations. DAN Europe is
that will hopefully help boost our industry’s recovery".
committed to helping local diving grow.
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DAN Europe is also working on new insurance products, with the intent to meet the evolving needs of the diving community—particularly now with the emphasis on local diving, and reflecting the ever-changing situation of the market. The insurance will supplement divers’ national healthcare system coverages, which generally do not provide the specialized knowledge and assistance required for diving injuries or fully cover hyperbaric therapy. Details of the new plan will be announced soon. The new insurance product will complement DAN Europe’s basic 25€ membership package, which provides 24/7 access to the DAN hotline and diving medical advice, access to MyDAN, and the App (Google Play, iOs). In addition, the DAN Europe team is planning to support and participate in local diving projects of their own, following a recent successful citizen science project at the Pescara Springs Natural Reserve located a little more than a half an hour drive from one of DAN Europe's operations offices located in Central Italy. There the team joined marine biologists to survey the autochthonous freshwater crayfish living in Springs. "That’s the beauty of local diving", says Laura Marroni, DAN Europe Vice President, who was part of the team of volunteer research divers. "You can find unexpected treasures and wonder in your own backyard"! #divelocal #divesafe
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
51
planet earth
The ubiquitous
plankton
Text and photos agata turowicz-cybula
But what is all this plankton? The word plankton comes
Whether you dive in seawater or fresh water, warm or cold, huge or tiny reservoir, shallow or deep – you are never alone.
from the Greek (planktós) and translated literally means "wandering". To put it simply, these are organisms living in the depths that cannot withstand the water currents. They wander wherever the water carries them. Plankton can be divided into two types: phytoplankton and zooplankton. The former are microscopic plant organisms, the latter are usually small
E
animals, crustaceans, most often invisible to the naked eye. ven if you do not see any curious fish or large beast any-
Zooplankton organisms also include all kinds of jellyfish, both
where or you are not being watched by a crab hidden be-
our small Baltic moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) and huge lion's
hind a stone, “this” will always be you around: the plankton.
52
mane jellyfish growing up to 2 meters (Cyanea capillata).
planet earth
In order to be able to stay in the water, planktonic organisms have developed a lot of different types of protrusions, legs, antenna, flagella and cilia. It is they that increase surface area of the organisms, thanks to which they do not fall to the bottom of the water reservoirs. Additionally, they make these tiny animals look like aliens. Jellyfish, in order to be able to stay
Noctiluca sp., which, under favorable conditions, start to illu-
in the water, consist of 96% water.
minate, making the water sparkle with a bright blue glow even
The Baltic Sea is abundant in both zooplankton and phy-
in the middle of the night.
toplankton organisms. As a result, under the right conditions
Although it is usually invisible, the role of plankton is invalu-
(high sun exposure, high temperature and a large amount of
able. Phytoplankton is one of the main sources of organic mat-
nutrients in the water), blooms can occur. We have unequivo-
ter in the ecosystem. It is the basis of the food chain and the
cally negative associations with them, but it is the huge plank-
source of food for many organisms. In addition, phytoplankton
ton blooms (Trichodesmium erythraeum) turning water red
living in the oceans is responsible for the production of almost
which gave the name to the Red Sea, a favorite for all divers.
half of the oxygen on our planet. Zooplankton, on the other
In the Red Sea, we can also meet another very interesting
hand, is the main component of the diet of juvenile and small
phenomenon related to the presence of plankton, namely bio-
fish as well as a delicacy of the world's largest fish – the whale
luminescence. Responsible for it are the algae of the species
shark (Rhincodon typus).
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
53
planet earth
A goose or not really? Text and photos wojciech jarosz
There is a bird that lives in Europe, although “egyptianness” is inscribed in its name. Is it native or a stranger? – that's the question. Wise men say that this beautifully feathered animal is, after all, an alien species.
54
planet earth
B
ut then, is being a stranger synonymous to being a threat?
vouring eggs, chicks and even adult birds. The same applies to
After all, strangeness can have different faces. And if it is
a raccoon or a raccoon dog. Underwater divers can meet the
a threat: who does it threaten, why and in what way?
round goby or the spinycheek crayfish, the two species whose
Specialists from the Institute of Nature Conservation of the
stories are well known. The inhabitants of larger or smaller
Polish Academy of Sciences recognize the Egyptian goose as
islands or geographically isolated areas with unique fauna and
a potentially invasive alien species, which means that in the
flora, such as Australians or New Zealanders, can tell a lot about
event of an increase in the population size, it may adversely
changes in the ecosystem as a result of the introduction or
affect the native fauna. Therefore, such an answer should be
appearance of invasive species. In conclusion, it is not without
given to the question posed: time alone will tell. The problem
reason that biological invasions of alien species are considered
of alien species is so multifactorial that it is very difficult to
to be one of the greatest threats to the world’s nature.
forecast the real impact of the presence of newcomers on eco-
But let's go back to the goose. It naturally occurs mainly
systems in the long term. When the "invasion" lasts longer, it is
in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in the Nile Valley, where it
slightly easier to draw certain conclusions from observations.
used to be worshiped by the Ancients thousands of years ago.
And these are often genuinely disturbing. In our part of the
Where did it come from? It came to Europe via Great Britain,
world, one of the gloomier cases of alien species influencing
where in the 18th century the first individuals were freed. It
the water-related bird population is the spread of the American
has spread throughout Western Europe and representatives of
mink. It turned out that it eagerly uses the nests of birds that lay
the free-living populations can be found in France, Belgium, the
eggs both on the ground and in trees, as it can climb perfectly.
Netherlands, Italy, Denmark and Germany. It is most likely that
It makes the use of eggs, of course, for culinary purposes, de-
the bird "citizens" of the German Republic were the pioneers
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
55
with which the invader interbreeds, but it may be even easier
But let's go back to the goose. It naturally occurs mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in the Nile Valley, where it used to be worshiped by the
for the invasive species to share parasites or other pathogens with the native species, for which, in turn, a new world for colonization opens up (dear Reader, please forgive the author that he keeps coming back to the topic of alien species, but
Ancients thousands of years ago. Where did it come
who knows when the next opportunity will arise?). Returning
from? It came to Europe via Great Britain, where in
to the broods: geese are exceptionally territorial during that
the 18th century the first individuals were freed.
time. When the territory is breached, the males are ready to attack. They are not afraid to stand up to a bigger individual – there are descriptions of situations when a geese attacked... a helicopter in defense of its nest. You can find videos on the
56
in Poland. The first observations come from 2007, and the first
Internet about the attack of a geese on a drone. There are also
brood of three pairs was recorded in the country on the Vistula
jealous geese, which are similar in this respect to other geese.
River a year later. Speaking of brooding, like many species of
They also mate for life, work together to build a nest and raise
ducks, Egyptian geese do not limit themselves to romancing
the young. When there is a risk of losing family integrity, fe-
only with representatives of their species. There are, for exam-
males send their partners into battle and then watch them try
ple, crosses (hybrids) of geese and ... mallards (another species
to hurt or scare each other in an aerial battle. At such times it
of ducks – see Perfect Diver No. 9). Hybridization is one of the
can certainly show obstinacy and aggression!
significant threats associated with the invasion of alien spe-
It's time to clarify the name of the species. Before Alopochen
cies. Not only does it lead to the disappearance of the species
aegyptiaca became a shelduck, it was known as the Egyptian
goose. However, it turned out that the Egyptian goose is not
1994) on the basis of subfossil remains (not completely fos-
a goose at all. Its superficial similarity in terms of morphology
silized), because they did not live to see our times. As insular
and behavior, as well as its name, established in history and
species, they were quickly killed to the last one by Europeans
tradition, did not fool vigilant ornithologists. After all, it is not
colonizing these islands. Descriptions of the initially numer-
only the broadly understood phenotype that is taken into ac-
ous and then rapidly disappearing goose-like birds date back
count today when revising the taxonomic status of species. An
to the second half of the 17th century. And so the Egyptian
advantage over Linnaeus and Darwin is provided to modern
shelduck became the only representative of its kind in the
naturalists by the ability to compare the genomes of more
modern world. To please our eyes with its beautiful appear-
or less related species or even higher taxa – genera, families,
ance, we can go to Africa, for example while diving in Egypt,
orders, etc. It was no coincidence that in the article on geese
but we have a greater chance of meeting it in the middle of
(Perfect Diver No. 6) there was no space for this shelduck.
Europe. In the western part of our continent, you don't even
Indeed, Egyptian geese are related to a group of ducks called
have to make an effort to meet this species. It has become
shelducks. So in fact they are ducks, not geese, and one of
quite common and often not very fearful. It happens to use
its official names is the Egyptian shelduck. Apart from the
the riverside infrastructure to rest and sometimes even nest,
Ehygptian shelduck, the genus Alopochen includes two other
in which it is similar to its distant cousin – the mallard. Keep an
species, namely the Réunion shelduck (A. kervazoi) and the
eye out for the goose-like ducks and look out for the charac-
Mauritius shelduck (A. mauritiana) – both extinct. Interestingly,
teristic dark spots around the eyes – this is how you recognize
they were described and classified (Réunion shelduck only in
the Egyptian goose!
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
57
r oo k i e ' s e y e
Text margita Ślizowska Photos wiktor zdrojewski
C
hoose a SAFE LOCATION, ensure the company of an attendant, secure a way out of water. Every diving or
snorkeling accident starts usually on the surface – due to the deliberate omission of a part of the procedure or some
At the end of our snorkeling series –
oversight... Therefore find out WHAT DANGERS occur on
I’m presenting to you a set of XI ABC's
the site (e.g. currents, waves, eddies, changing weather, low
Commandments, which will remind you of the most important matters related to safety. Here they are.
water temperature) where you intend to snorkel (dive). Making an inquiry first to check if the place we want to visit is safe and asking someone for attendance – these really do not require much effort. And a conversation with someone who knows the water reservoir can additionally provide us
58
rookie ' s eye
with knowledge about, for example, attractions that are worth
ers. The easiest way to equalize pressure is to use the Valsalva
paying attention to.
maneuver. To equalize the pressure in the ears – pinch your
Never SNORKEL ALONE. Frequent communication and
nose and gently (briefly – for a second) blow into the pinched
closeness of a partner is important not only because of the
nose. Repeat the test with each subsequent feeling of pressing
time spent together and good fun, which is provided by the
in the ears...
right company. This mutual awareness and communication can save our life and health in the least expected moment…
Use the advice of experts when choosing and adjusting equipment. Only use masks made of tempered glass, as only
Critically EVALUATE your SWIMMING SKILLS. The fact
this material is suitable for use at increasing pressure under
that someone swims poorly and yet loves water and wants
water. Thanks to this, when you decide to immerse deeper
to enjoy its benefits is no reason to be ashamed or to pre-
under water (with your breath hold or with SCUBA equip-
tend it is otherwise. Use a wetsuit, life jacket or other source
ment) you will not have to change your favorite well-fitting
of buoyancy to avoid critical situations and exposing you and
mask.
your snorkeling partner to an unpleasant adventure. Note: if
Through the snorkel, BREATHE NORMALLY AND CALM-
we can't swim – an air mattress (to lie on) not only is not an
LY. When diving and snorkeling, our breathing should be
adequate protection, but also might be a potential source of
a little slower and a little deeper than normal. Make sure you
an accident!
exhale properly to get rid of carbon dioxide effectively. If you
If you go underwater – always EQUALIZE THE EAR PRES-
submerged below the surface – after surfacing, first BLOW
SURE. Remember not to wait until your ears start to ache. The
WATER FROM THE PIPE, to avoid choking on the water that
pressure should be equalized when we feel pressure in the
is left in the snorkel. It seems logical and obvious – but many
ears. When your ears start to ache, it's already too late. Then
people don't have the instinctive reaction to empty the water
you should immediately get back to the surface. The moment
before taking the first breath.
at which you feel pressure in your ears depends on your indi-
Make sure you CAN CONTROL THE CRAMPS and you will
vidual body structure and is not a determinant of your suitabil-
make it back to shore (if necessary) without fins. Stretching
ity for diving. Some people need to equalize the pressure more
your leg (because it is where usually cramps occur) is a fairly
often, starting from the depth of several dozen centimeters
simple and effective procedure, provided that you start doing
after submerging. And that doesn't mean they are worse div-
it when you feel the first symptoms of the cramp. Failure to
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
59
react quickly may result in a complete inability to reach the
This is especially true for SCUBA divers, who additionally and
shore on your own. Then we have to be towed to the shore
absolutely should follow the rule: "No oxygen – no diving."
by a partner...
I also remind you of the appropriate insurance. Check if you
If you feel BAD or you are cold – FINISH THE SNORKEL-
know the WATER EMERGENCY SIGNS. We are not the only
ING. We cool down in water more than twenty times faster
users of water reservoirs, so it is worth knowing the basic
than on land. The cold paralyzes movements and the ability
information and emergency signs in communication over
to think and judge situations. Wear a thin hat after snorkeling.
and underwater.
Protect your sinuses and ears after getting out of the water.
In my experience, people start to be interested in the ability
These are delicate organs, and are more susceptible to infec-
to help the victim and how to secure and prevent an accident
tion when in contact with water and pressure. Catching a runny
only when they personally encounter such a situation. For
nose suddenly will also not be helpful in your snorkeling or
years I have been involved in the subject of lifesaving and first
diving adventures the next day ;-)
aid (both regular and diving). I conduct workshops, meetings,
It is best to enter unfamiliar water in shoes. DO NOT
lectures and exercises. I promote safety above and under wa-
TOUCH the reef or animals. Especially in warm or tropical
ter. Therefore, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the
waters, where the underwater fauna and flora may contain
topic BEFORE you find yourself in an uncomfortable or dan-
toxins that threaten our life and health. Be quiet and calm.
gerous situation. I hope that thanks to what you have read in
An animal usually attacks when it feels threatened. Therefore,
my articles, you will be safer while practicing your passion for
let us take care of good relations with every aspect of life on
water. Please do not forget about your own safety and that of
our planet.
others. Below you will find a link to the movie "SNORKELING
DO NOT enter water after ALCOHOL or DRUGS. Stimulants interfere with the ability to concentrate and the abili-
i.e. essentials for ABC practitioner". Watch, recommend, train and... have fun
ty to react appropriately in an emergency. Take care of your physical condition. It is especially important to take care of
Thank you for the attention. See you above and under the
the proper circulatory capacity (including diet, medical tests,
water
exercise) and a skillful way of breathing (using the diaphragm
Your "Mermaid" – Margita Ślizowska
and a set of intercostal muscles). If you are not an ice swimmer – do not expose yourself to thermal shock. Keep your body
www.xdivers.pl
properly hydrated.
www.abcsnorkeling.pl
Have the EMERGENCY NUMBERS, emergency plan and information about the nearest hospital written down.
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60
video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGwLDd5PJFU&t=98s
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perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
61
k n ow l e dg e
Jarosław Krzyżak, Krzysztof Korzeniewski
Medicine for divers 4font Sp. z o.o. Publishing House, p. 906, 2020
Exactly 906 pages has a new work of Dr. med. Jarosław
this topic, we can read about the types of diving to smoothly
Krzyżak and prof. dr hab. med. Krzysztof Korzeniewski. This
move to the basics of decompression. Finally, after 350 pages
is the fifth version, the most comprehensive publication on
packed with knowledge, we come to diving diseases, which
diving medicine. Interestingly, all previous versions are virtu-
is described by the next 250 pages. Then, together with the
ally unavailable on the secondary market. This is perhaps the
authors, we can analyze diving accidents recorded by various
best review of previous releases. Let's see what has changed
organizations. There is also a chapter on dangerous marine
in the latest.
animals that has always been marginalized in most diving
This extremely cavernous book entitled "Medicine for
courses. Finally, we get an extensive collection of appendices,
divers" is a kind of compendium of diving knowledge. The
which include, among other things, procedures for dealing
authors of this publication approached the topic extremely
with diving diseases.
holistically, describing not only the direct topics related to
It is quite difficult to review such a publication. It is not
diving, but also everything related to it. The book begins with
a book that you read from cover to cover, but rather a publi-
a health qualification for diving, which is an attempt to answer
cation that you reach out to to expand your knowledge.
the basic question: "Who can dive?". Then the authors focus
Because probably knowledge is the most important in div-
on the preparation for a diving trip and methods of protec-
ing. It is the awareness of what is happening with our body
tion against possible diseases. The next chapter describes
that allows us to protect ourselves against a potential acci-
the basic laws of physics related to diving, because what else
dent. I believe that anyone who is serious about diving should
than physics affects the diver's health. Then we move on to
refer to this publication, because it will find a huge amount
the physiology of diving, i.e. a comprehensive description of
of useful knowledge. However, even such a good publication
how our body functions under water. When we go through
has its drawbacks. The first is the circulation. The premiere of the book took place on September 7, 2020. I am writing these words on October 27, 2020 and the website reads: "The book is temporarily unavailable. We are waiting for delivery". Hopefully the delivery gets there. The second disadvantage of this publication is the fact that it is only available in Polish. I haven't found a similar book in English in my research yet, and I think it would be worth sharing this knowledge. The book for PLN 298 with delivery can be ordered at https://www. medycynanurkowa.pl/, of course, when the delivery arrives. Mateusz Popek
r e v i e w
62
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perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
63
tips & curiosities ACADEMY
Buoyant mood Text Wojciech A. Filip
Photo Wojtek Filip
Does every diver need to use a buoy? What color to choose?
Previously, you may have read
When to use it?
the article on underwater light communication published in Perfect Diver. Now's the time to get your message to the top!
T
64
Let's begin with a few words on recent history. Several years ago, a diving buoy was called a decompression buoy and its main purpose was to compensate for a technical diver’s problems with controlling buoyancy in advanced diving that required maintaining a precise depth at decom-
hose who work underwater will take this literally, as they
pression stops. In the ‘90s, almost every diver used a buoy for
are permanently connected with the surface operator by
this purpose. A reel was used to deploy a buoy and the diver
means of a special wire. It enables unhindered two-way com-
was "suspended" on the reel handle. During this period, it was
munication similar to a telephone conversation. Alternatively,
important for the diver to inflate the buoy as much as possible,
some divers use wireless communication. However, the most
so that it would support them at the required depth.
popular means of communication with the surface, that is used
Over time, divers have improved their skills at controlling
by almost every diver, is a diving buoy.
buoyancy in the water. Currently, almost every one tries to
tips & curiosities
ACADEMY
master buoyancy to a level where they can ascend under
need to remember that most buoys looks similar from a dis-
any conditions.
tance and have a similar or identical color, so your observer
Does it mean that buoys fell by the wayside and were replaced
may be hard pressed to stick to the plan, while not being sure
with perfect buoyancy control? On the contrary, all divers who
that one of the buoys is actually yours. An identification mark
care about their own safety not only use buoys, but also more
made with a permanent marker in a highly contrasting color
and more frequently improve their buoy operating skills. The
will be very useful.
difference is that instead of hanging on the buoy, they use diving buoys for completely different purposes. If you don't have a support team, the observer is not 1. The primary function of the buoy is signaling from under-
informed what we mean by the individual color buoys
water to the surface
marked with our identification mark and we have not agreed on a course of action, buoy deployment... is pointless, because it will not cause any reaction.
It means that when underwater, you can alert the surface team that you have a problem. Examples: at sea, I was to ascend along the shot line, but the current
Does buoy deployment always signal a problem?
forced me to ascend in open water;
It depends solely on your needs and what was agreed with the
•
I don’t have enough decompression gas – I need help;
surface support team.
•
my suit leaks heavily and I have issues with buoyancy.
Nothing can prevent you from agreeing that the appearance
•
of Monika’s buoy, clearly recognizable from the shore, would When will it not work?
mean “light up the grill”
Let’s imagine the following situation. We are going to be diving
Such a solution was and possibly still is used by certain diving
in a wonderful lake. There's a lot to see, visibility is good, var-
organizations. Admittedly, I have not heard of the procedure,
ious depths and, of course, many divers underwater! On the
where a buoy on the surface means “spicy back ribs in 15 min-
surface, you will have a barbecue and great fun...
utes”, but two buoy colors may, for instance, have the following
Then you run into one of the above issues, so you deploy
meaning:
the buoy and wait for help. We wait and wait... Finally, upon
•
red: doing my deco stops, everything is all right;
ascent to the surface, you shout: Hey!!! Could no one see that
•
yellow: I have a problem and need help!
I need help? I've deployed my buoy! How much longer do
If you don't have a support team, the observer is not informed
I have to wait?
what we mean by the individual color buoys marked with our identification mark and we have not agreed on a course of ac-
Rule no. 1
tion, buoy deployment... is pointless, because it will not cause
Show your clearly marked buoy to a person who will observe
any reaction.
the surface the whole time when you are underwater (ideally, such a person would have binoculars). Rule no. 2
Using buoys in two colors to inform the surface team
Explain to the observer what they should do if they see your
about two completely different situations may be-
buoy.
come tricky when a diver loses one of the buoys. As you can imagine, if you lose the “I need help” buoy
What is the clear marking for? Why do it?
and you deploy the “Doing my deco stops, everything
Let’s go back to the lake for a moment. Let’s imagine that
is all right” buoy when you have a problem, results
a group of divers are practicing buoy deployment. Another
may vary. A two-color buoy may be the solution – you
person ascends using their own buoy, because they do not
may choose what buoy color will appear on the sur-
feel confident in open water and yet another diver used their
face. You can use two such buoys to communicate as
buoy to mark an interesting place to explore later. Let’s not
if you had four standard ones.
forget about your buoy that appears at the same time. You also
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
65
ACADEMY
●● Ascending to the surface in the open sea, when the current prevent your from returning to the wreck with the shot line. Under these circumstances, deploying a buoy as fast as possible, so that the observer from the boat can see it before the diver is too far away, is essential for the diver’s safety. The observer may mark the direction in which the diver is drifting away, come after them or send a RIB. The diver (or a team) completes decompression in open water and is drifting away from the boat not only due to the current, but also due to the wind (discussed in more detail later on in the article). When the observer reaches the buoy that is drifting away, they may “ask” the diver underwater whether they are all right. It can be done by slightly tensioning the line, at the end of which there is a spool or a reel held by the diver, and then giving two distinct tugs (“are you ok?”). The diver then also gives the line two tugs, which means that everything is all right. Another possible answer is a series of fast tugs that means “I need help!”. In complex decompression diving, such situations are always taken into consideration and the support team waiting on the boat is ready to quickly descend to assist the diver. The details of such procedures are discussed beforehand and practiced repeatedly. ●● Deploying a buoy with a message. Almost every diver Photo Mariusz Czajka
uses underwater wetnotes. Such underwater wetnotes may be opened and attached to the top of the buoy, so that others
caution!
may read a message written in it. The message should be short,
Inform your buddies on the surface about your plan to practice
easy to read and unambiguous. It usually is used in one of the
buoy deployment. This way, you will not cause confusion, especial-
two following situations:
ly if someone keeps an eye out for buoys deployed at the surface
1. 50 – lost decompression gas. It means that Nx50 is needed
at the time.
(in this case); it may be sent down by clipping the gas cylinder into the buoy line. 2. OTOX – it means that the team supports/transports a div-
“Buoy deployment” means that the buoy is sent to the sur-
er who needs help with their ascent. In such a situation, the
face; another term for this would be “shot the bag” (both are
help of a support team is needed and they should descend
used in this article). Generally, this is about taking the buoy
as fast as possible.
out our your pocket and sending it to the surface (without the diver ).
Under some circumstances, buoy deployment alone is not enough and the observer needs additional information. Usually, it is the case with more complex technical diving that require a long decompression. Below, you will find typical examples of buoy usage and the situations requiring it.
Photo Mariusz Czajka
66
tips & curiosities
ACADEMY
●● Marking objects. If you want to perform a series of dives The amount of gas inflated into the buoy before
to an unmarked wreck site, it might be a good idea to mark
its deployment should allow you to control the
its bow, aft or superstructures. It will help you to descend
buoy during the entire deployment process. The
directly to the specific wreck parts and estimate its location
gas will expand as the buoy gets closer to the
and size from the surface. Such markings are really helpful
surface. You may want to consider whether in-
for photographers, who plan photo shoots at specific sites,
flating as much gas as possible into the buoy is
identified beforehand.
necessary. Keeping a delayed surface marker
Abandoned nets hauled in by Ghost Diving are marked similar-
buoy (DSMB or SMB) filled with gas to 1/3 of its
ly. The first team searches for nets and once they find some,
volume underwater will require dropping an an-
they mark its beginning and end to be able to estimate its
chor – otherwise you will ascend to the surface
length – it makes it easier for the other team to haul the net
together with the buoy.
to the surface.
●● Deployment of a buoy without a line. Deploying your buoy like this may replace an underwater wetnote with the note: “no object at the bottom”. Such a buoy is easily recognizable, as it lies horizontally on the surface. It is fished out by the diving boat’s crew. Buoys are often used in such a manner in wreck diving. Once a possible wreck site is identified, one team descends to the bottom and informs the other divers whether the wreck they are looking for lies at the bottom. Similarly, a buoy attached “rigidly” to the wreck means “we have it !”. Of course, nothing will prevent you from deploying a buoy with a tether line and attaching an underwater wetnote with appropriate information to it if there is no object underwater. 2. Static buoy usage Static usage means that, when a buoy reaches the surface, you attach the line of the buoy to an underwater object. When to do so and why? ●● Securing your practice area. When practicing in a water body, where they may be other people on the surface (such as swimmers, but also drivers of water scooters and other vessels), it is good practice to mark the practice area, e.g. with four Photo Francisca Isadora Abuter Grebe
buoys forming a square. After your first dive, such marking will also help you quickly find the practice area again. One option is to use several buoys to secure a practice area
●● Transporting equipment and gas. If you spend a long
that requires underwater markings. This means that the buoy
time at one underwater site and perform activities requir-
should be stabilized with a small amount of gas at the appro-
ing the use of additional small equipment, such equipment
priate depth and using them, for example, to form a diver
may be lowered to the specific site by clipping it into the
propulsion vehicle (DPV) exercise track.
buoy line.
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
67
ACADEMY
The buoy and line may be used to securely transport empty
●● A night out at sea.
cylinders to the surface. In “multistage” diving, after using
Contrary to what it might seem, it is not a very rare occur-
up gas from stage cylinders, you do not have to carry them
rence. If it happens, you may help yourself by using a DSMB
during the entire decompression process – you may clip
as a “lifebuoy” of a sort, which will secure your position on the
them into the line and they will float up to the surface on
water surface. A good-quality DSMB can be fastened in such
their own (the line does not need to be attached, you may
a way that you encircle it behind your back and clip steel bolt
hold the blocked spool in your hand). It might be a good
snaps to the top buoy handle in front of you. You can do it
idea to check beforehand whether your empty cylinders have
even with two 12 L cylinders on yourself. A DSMB has a volume
positive buoyancy: the most common stage cylinders are
of approx. 24 L, which is more than the majority of buoyancy
11.1 L aluminum cylinders (S080) – they may be transported
systems used in two-cylinder rigs, and will ensure your posi-
in that manner. However, also common, but much smaller
tive buoyancy on the sea surface. In the case of groups, each
5.7 L aluminum cylinders (S040) are not buoyant enough for
person may encircle themselves with a buoy and clip it into
such transport.
the bolt snap of the partner’s buoy, which will make them face each other.
3. Using a buoy on the surface ●● Location signaling – call for help. Such use of the buoy may be required, for example, when you are diving in the current while on safari in Egypt and for some reason you cannot ascend at the planned boat pick-up site. The wind drowns out your voice and even the slightest waves effectively reduce the chances of being seen on the water surface. What you can do is dynamically move your firmly inflated buoy as fast as possible, treating it as an extension of your arms, to signal for help. A DSMB is particularly well-suited to that task. If you start signaling too late, it may prove ineffective – unfortunately, a lot of divers experienced it firsthand, when they were carried with the current to the open sea. ●● Location marking – air searches.
Photo Mariusz Czajka
An unfortunate development of the above situation is that the boat support team does not send help, because they do
4. Buoys in cave diving
not notice your signals. In such a case, you may expect an air search. The pilot will have an easier time locating you, when
Divers who usually dive in caves do not use buoys. Nonetheless,
an inflated DSMB floats next to you. If you are in a group and
you may want to consider equipping yourself with a buoy, when
each diver is prepared for sea diving (has an ocean buoy), you
the cave exit is located at the bottom of the sea. Such caves are
can improve your chances of being found on the sea surface
located, for instance, in Croatia. If, after diving in a cave, you as-
by connecting several DSMBs in one line. For those searching
cend and decompress in open water, it will be easier (and safer)
from the air, a diver without a buoy is a dark object, approx. 0.5
to mark your position with a buoy. It is especially important if
m in size (hardly anyone lies flat on the water when they see
the current is to be expected at your ascent site.
a plane or a chopper – they are more likely to be in a vertical position, which makes them harder to see for a pilot). A Ocean
5. Stabilization in any conditions
buoy in 1.8 m long and has an almost 30 cm long piece of tape.
68
Once connected, three such buoys will form a 6 meter long,
Apart from the situations described above, you may always
bright color line, which is much easier to see from the air.
use a buoy when you need additional stabilization during as-
tips & curiosities
ACADEMY
cent. Not everyone is prepared for ascending in open water and even experienced divers may have a bad day. You should deploy a buoy to assist with your ascent each time you feel that it will make you feel more comfortable, and consequently safer in the last phase of diving. You should also pay attention to the needs and well-being of your less experienced buddies. Do not wait until such a person is no longer stable in the water – ascend together, while using the line of the deployed buoy as a point of reference.
The diving buoy is usually called SMB or DSMB. Sometimes it is also called a bag or... sausage
6. Classification of diving buoys Color – buoys are available in various colors; those used at sea usually have an emergency color – orange or yellow. There is no one rule for this. It is essential that the buoy has a color that is easy to spot from afar and in any weather conditions (certain colors may be less visible in full sunlight). Types of diving buoys – the main classification is based on the shape and inflation method. Buoys can divided by inflation method into closed, semi-closed (fluted) and open. Shape Surface marker buoy (SMB). It is a narrow tube a little over one meter in length. It is great for practice and marking objects; it is fast to deploy. It is a good choice for every diver. It is a closed buoy. Photo Mariusz Czajka
Delayed surface marker bouy. It is tube-shaped. It is a multi-function tool for everyone who dives or plans to dive in the open sea. It is almost two meters in length and has a ca-
Filling
pacity of 24 L, which allows for using it for many rescue proce-
Closed buoys – buoys that prevent air from getting out and can
dures. It is a closed buoy.
be filled with your mouth or an inflation hose. The buoy nozzle
Other tube-shaped buoys are usually sized between that
prevents connecting the hose the same way as it is connected
of a SMB and DSMB. A buoy with a diameter similar to that of
to the inflator. The inflator hose should be pressed against
a SMB and a length similar to that of a DSMB is an interesting
the nozzle to inflate the buoy. You may also inflate the buoy
solution. It is used by wreck divers, as it is less susceptible to
by blowing into the nozzle with your mouth.
strong gusts of wind than a DSMB.
Semi-closed (fluted) buoys can be inflated with the use of a sec-
Round-shaped, pear-shaped and odd-shaped buoys are some-
ond stage regulator (also by exhaling air with a regulator in
times used for special purposes: for example, to extract small
your mouth) and an additional air gun connected to the quick
objects or haul a submerged diver, whose position is observed
disconnect inflator hose. Gas fills the buoy through a partially
by a person on the surface.
flattened opening in the lower part of the buoy. When posi-
perfectdiver No. 6(12)/2020
69
ACADEMY
tioned on the ground, this opening is a flat self-sealing valve,
7. Where to stash you buoy during a dive?
resembling a buck’s bill. When the buoy is inflated via this valve, a lot of water enters it. At the surface, semi-closed buoys start
There are several solutions.
to leak if they are not positioned vertically with their valve kept
The most simple one is to keep it in your drysuit pocket. If you
underwater. For this reason, they should not be used for res-
dive in a wetsuit, you may use a special buoy pocket fastened
cue purposes (e.g. in situations requiring diver stabilization
to the harness waist strap.
on the surface, as described in section 3). Semi-closed buoys
You may also use pockets in a classic jacket for that purpose,
are usually equipped with an additional valve, similar to that
but first you need to make sure that inflating a jacket would
in closed buoys. Please note that these models have a plastic
not prevent you from reaching the pockets, which may happen.
valve, which may be less robust.
It is always worth checking to see if you are able to easily re-
Open buoys – as is the case with semi-closed buoys, they may
move the buoy from its storage place during diving. You should
be inflated with the use of a second stage regulator or an air
wear diving gloves when performing any test.
gun. A typical characteristic of this buoy is that it is leak-proof only when the buoy is in vertical position and its lower part stays underwater. Most buoys are equipped with a relief valve that is almost identical to the valve in wings and jackets. caution! Before diving, check how the valve in your buoy works by conducting a dry run and inflating it several times. Some inflation valves are very intuitive, but others require pressing a certain element to inflate the buoy. Some valves also have a special valve lock nut. It’s best to check how it works on the surface to avoid any surprises underwater. Photo Bartłomiej Trzciński
8. Buoy deployment technique A buoy floats to the surface when it is inflated with gas. It is attached to the spool or reel with a line. This means that the diver needs to stay focused, as they operate a tool that may rapidly change their buoyancy, but also they may get entangled in the line. Such a configuration requires a very precise buoy deployment technique, which is mastered in small steps. Interestingly, many divers use entirely different techniques. They use different inflation methods and amounts of gas and operate the spool or reel differently. Bearing in mind how important and necessary the buoy is for a diver, I recommend to learn how to use it from an instructor. And I strongly encourage instructors to introduce buoy deployment exercises as early as during the basic course. It is worth practicing buoys deployment, regardless of your Photo Bartłomiej Trzciński
70
proficiency. The more complicated the functioning of a buoy
tips & curiosities
ACADEMY
It is not ideal to use large-diameter buoys (a DSMB) as primary buoys for fast communication. Such buoys are much more susceptible to strong gusts of wind at the water surface than buoys with smaller diameters. When blown by the wind, such large buoys haul the diver to the surface.
is, the more important it is for the entire team to practice it and have the same understanding of its usage. The above list of examples for using various types of diving buoys is not exhaustive. How you actually use a buoy depends solely on what you need and what was agreed with the team. Photo Tomasz Płociński
Are you interested in the topic or any issues brought up in this
If that is the case, Tecline Academy is here to help – we are
article? Would you like to compare various buoy models? Are
always at your disposal:
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https://teclinediving.eu/tecline-academy/#/
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