Perfect Diver Magazine 19 issue by perfectdiver

diving

No. 19 1(19)/2022

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

Price 12,50 € Tax included

freediving

passion

knowledge

SWEDISH PRINCESS MAURITIUS An island of the DODO bird WHAT KIND OF DIVERS ARE WOMEN?

LATARKA TA KTYC Z N A TACTICAL AKCJ E SEARCH PO SZ U KI WAWC Z E RATOWN I CTWO P O DWO D N E

RESCUE

the foreword

WOJCIECH ZGOŁA

Editor-in-Chief

e have entered the New Year 2022. Before you is a new edition of our magazine, in which, among other things, we talk about resolutions for the upcoming less than 365 days.

But first I would like to mention the Kingdom of Tonga. On Saturday, 14th of January 2022, the underwater volcano Hunga Tonga erupted there. This beautiful archipelago was hit hard not only by the eruption itself, but also by the resulting tsunami. The dust poses a direct threat, as it settles on the lungs (and one needs to breathe) and contaminates drinking water intakes. Tonga was considered a great place for diving. You could see tropical fish, the reefs were in very good condition, and the possibility to swim with humpback whales was the most appealing attraction of the islands. I hope that nature will recover quickly and will not suffer as much as it might seem. In the magazine you will find a lot of content – this time about mines. The issue begins with Tuna written by Tomek Ramutkowski, who also designed the cover. There are slate mines in Germany and a mine in Belgium. Another highlight is the little-known "Kamyk" quarry. You can expect to read a whole lot about travel, too. Bogdan Trzcionka writes for you about Mauritius in times of pandemics, Michal Černy about Cuba, and Ania Sołoducha invites you to Ecuador. After the last issue's text on the slaughter of pilot whales, these beautiful mammals are back again. This time Jakub Banasiak describes short-finned pilot whales living off Tenerife. Winter is the season for swimming with orcas, perhaps the best hunting predators of the seas and oceans. Klaudyna Brzostowska went for a swim with them and shared her story with us. At the very end in Tecline Academy, an interesting article about female divers. You are sincerely invited to dive right into it. Let us conclude with some information. We would like to thank Bartosz Pszczółkowski for supporting the editorial team in the past time. Since January our team has been supported by Karola Takes Photos. We’re going to keep on publishing the magazine as a 2-monthly. We have not raised the price for the printed version, but for ecological reasons we are providing it to subscribers and writers. See which companies are supporting us this year! We will be supporting them and recommending them for your purchases. On some of them you will get a discount with the CODE perfectdiver :) And you can always support us financially!

PERFECTDIVER

No. 1(19)/2022

ta b l e o f co n t e n t s

UNDER THE CEILING 11

Swedish princess

Denée. Belgian black marble mine

Slate Mines in Germany

32 ARCHAEOLOGY

TRAVELS 50 18

Mauritius. An island of the dodo bird

Cuba. The Pearl of the Caribbean

Prelude to the Galapagos, Ecuador, on both sides of the equator

Vasa… the most wonderful

QUARRY 48

'Kamyki' Quarry

PLANET EARTH Publisher PERFECT DIVER WOJCIECH ZGOŁA

Essential Provisions

Pilot Whales from Tenerife

Shoals of herring, matriarchy of killer whales and humpback

ul. Folwarczna 37, 62-081 Przeźmierowo redakcja@perfectdiver.com ISSN 2545-3319

whales, or Norwegian winter beyond the Arctic Circle 71

Singing Travelers editor in chief

Wojciech Zgoła

underwater archaeology

Mateusz Popek

photographer

Karolina Sztaba

Hubert Reiss

marketing

english language translators

Agnieszka Gumiela-Pająkowska Arleta Kaźmierczak Reddo Translations Sp. z o.o. Piotr Witek

legal care graphic design and composition

Lawyer 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

preorder@perfectdiver.com

TIPS & CURIOSITIES 74

What kind of divers are women?

cover photo

Tomek Ramutkowski place

Tuna Hästberg, Sweden

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.

If you like this issue, donate any amount! Donation is voluntary. PayPal.Me/perfectdiver PERFECTDIVER

No. 1(19)/2022

e d i to r i a l t e a m

WOJCIECH ZGOŁA

HUBERT REISS

He often repeats that he travels by diving and that is his motto. In 1985

An IT specialist by profession, but a flesh and blood salesman who is not

he obtained a yacht sailor's license, and only in 2006 began to dive. In the

afraid of any job. Diving has always been my big dream. At the beginning

following years he improved his skills by obtaining the Dive Master degree.

it was supposed to be a challenge, a short episode but it turned out to be

He completed nearly 650 dives in various climatic conditions. Since 2007, he

a passion for the end of the world and one day longer. Under water I react

has been taking photographs underwater, and since 2008 he has also been

and rest. As a Divemaster, sidemount Razor diver, and recently also a pho-

filming. As an independent journalist, he published dozens of articles, mainly

tographer, I realize my dreams by admiring and immortalizing the beauty of

in journals dedicated to diving, but not only. Co-author of photo exhibitions in

the underwater world. "Passion breeds professionalism, professionalism gives

Poland and abroad. He is passionate about and propagator of diving.

quality, and quality is a luxury in life. Nowadays, especially..."

Since 2008 he has been running his own website www.dive-adventure.eu. On the basis of extensive experience, in August 2018 he created the new Perfect Diver Magazine.

MATEUSZ POPEK

KAROLA TAKES PHOTOS

”My passion, work and life are under water.” He has been diving since 2009.

Karolina Sztaba, and professionally Karola Takes Photos, is a photographer

Since 2008, he's walking in caves. Underwater archeologist by education.

by education and passion. She is currently working at the Trawangan Dive

He participated in numerous projects in Poland and abroad. He has been

Center on a tiny island in Indonesia – Gili Trawangan, where she moved to

engaged in professional diving since 2011. In 2013 he obtained the quali-

live four years ago. She photographs above and below the water. In addition,

fications of a 2nd class diver. Has experience in underwater work both at

she creates photographic projects against littering the oceans and polluting

sea and inland. Since 2013 he has been diving in caves, especially in the

our planet with plastic ("Trapped", "Trashion"). She cooperates with NBO or-

mountains, and since 2014 he is a diving instructor CMAS M1. In June 2020,

ganizations dealing with environmental protection and actively participates

he obtained a doctoral degree in underwater archeology.

in pro-ecological actions (coral protection, coral planting, cleaning the world, protection of endangered species). She is also the official photographer of Ocean Mimic – a brand that creates swimwear and surfwear from rubbish collected on the beaches of Bali. She cooperated with many brands of diving equipment for which she created advertising campaigns. In 2019, she became the ambassador of the Polish company Tecline. She has been a technical diver for two years.

co n s ta n t coo p e r at i o n

WOJCIECH A. FILIP

ANNA SOŁODUCHA

LAURA KAZIMIERSKA

Has more than 8000 dives on his account. He

A graduate of Geography faculty at the University

Laura Kazimierska is currently working as PADI

has been diving for over 30 years, including over

of Wrocław and an incurable optimist… with a per-

Course Director at TrawanganDive Center on the

20 years as a technical diver. He is a professional

manent smile on her lips! It was probably Destiny

Indonesian island of Gili Trawangan. Founder of

with great theoretical and practical knowledge. He

that led her to Activtour… and she's been here

the Divemastergilis portal.

is an instructor of many federations: GUE Instruc-

on permanent basis. She passionately fulfils the

www.divemastergilis.com @divemastergilis

tor Mentor, CMAS**, IANTD nTMX, IDCS PADI, EFR,

dreams of many, organizing diving trips around the

For over 7 years she has lived and discovered the

TMX Gas Blender. He participated in many diving

world, and she has already been diving for more

underwater world of Indonesia. She is not only an

projects and conferences as a leader, explorer,

than half of her life. Each year she explores a dif-

avid technical diver, but also the face of the Planet

originator or lecturer. These included the Britan-

ferent ‘piece of the ocean’, pinning another pin to

Heroes platform and the ambassador of the Ocean

nic Expedition 2016, Morpheus Cave Scientific

her diving world map. In winter she changes fins

Mimic brand. She actively contributes to the pro-

Project on Croatia caves, GROM Expedition in

into her beloved skis and gets away into the Alps.

motion of the protection of corals and the natural

Narvik, Tuna Mine Deep Dive, Glavas Cave in Croa-

A recipe for life? ”The only a dead trunk flows with

environment of fish and marine animals by taking

tia, NOA-MARINE. Professionally, he is a technical

the current – the explorer's canoe flows up the river!”

part in scientific projects, campaigns against ocean

director at TecLine in Scubatech, and a director of

anna@activtour.pl

littering and cooperating with NGOs in Indonesia.

training at TecLine Academy.

activtour.pl; travel.activtour.pl; 2bieguny.com

@laura_kazi

JAKUB DEGEE

MICHAL ČERNÝ

AGATA TUROWICZ-CYBULA

Polish photographer, winner of awards and dis-

"Wet photos" – He has photographed since he

Since I was a child, I had dreamed of becoming

tinctions in world underwater photography com-

remembers. After several years of experience as

a marine biologist and I managed to fulfill that

petitions, has already dived all over the world: with

a diver, he wanted to keep memories of underwa-

dream. I did a degree in oceanography, where

sharks and whales in South Africa, with orcs be-

ter dives. He bought his first compact camera with

I recently started my doctoral studies. My diving

hind the Arctic Circle, on Galapagos with hundreds

an underwater housing. Over time, however, the

adventure began when I was 12 years old. I love

of hammerhead sharks and humpback whales in

desire to have the best photo began to dominate,

observing the underwater life up close and I try to

the Tonga Islands. He participates in specialist

which was not quite possible with the compact

show other divers how fascinating the underwa-

photographic workshops. He has been diving for

he used. That's why he switched to the Olympus

ter, Baltic creatures are.

27 years, he started at the age of 12 – as soon as

PEN E-PL 5 reflex camera, which allows the use of

it was formally possible. He was the first in the

several different lenses. He uses a combination

world to use the Hasselblad X1d-50c camera for

of underwater flashes and lights. He focuses on

underwater macro photography. Recently, in the

wildlife photography, not arrangement. He photo-

remote Chincorro archipelago on the border be-

graphs in fresh domestic waters as well as in the

tween Mexico and Belize, he did it again, taking

seas and oceans of the world.

a successful attempt to photograph the eye of

He has already won numerous awards at Czech

a crocodile with a macro lens with an additional

and foreign photography competitions. More

magnifying lens, which is the world's largest photo

photos can be found on his website, where you

of the crocodile's eye living in the wild (in terms of

can also buy them not only as photos, but also as

pixel count, print size, quality).

photos printed on canvas or on another medium. www.mokrefotky.cz www.facebook.com/MichalCernyPhotography www.instagram.com/michalcerny_photography/

co n s ta n t coo p e r at i o n

WOJCIECH JAROSZ

AGNIESZKA KALSKA

BARTOSZ PSZCZÓŁKOWSKI

A graduate of two Poznan universities, the Acad-

”I can't imagine living without water, where in a free

That's my name and I come from Poznań. I have

emy of Physical Education (coaching specializa-

body I experience freedom of the spirit.”

been associated with water practically from birth

tion – handball) and the University of A.Mickiewicz, Faculty of Biology (specialty of experimental biology). He connected his professional life with this first university trying to influence the direction of development of future professionals on the one hand, and on the other planning and implement-

• 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-

ing research, pushing laboriously in the right di-

• record holder and Polish champion, member

ter, octopus and colorful fish;) I bought my first

rection of the stroller called science. In his free

of the national team in freediving 2013–2019,

underwater camera – Olympus 5060 and started

time he spends his time actively – his main pas-

• winner of the World Championships in freed-

the adventure with underwater photography. I ac-

sions are sailing (sea helmsman), skiing (downhill

iving 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018,

quired my diving experience in the Canary Islands,

skiing instructor), riding a motorcycle, recreational

• multimedalist of the Polish Championships

Sardinia, Norway, Maldives and in Polish lakes.

diving and many other activities, as well as pho-

and a member of the national team in swim-

I am currently a Padi and ESA instructor, I train

tography, mainly nature.

ming in the years 1998–2003,

diving enthusiasts in Europe and pass my passion

• passionate about freediving and swimming.

on to others. I invite all lovers of the underwater world and photography to Beediver (FB) – see you soon.

SYLWIA KOSMALSKA-JURIEWICZ

IRENA KOSOWSKA

A traveller and a photographer of wild nature.

Regional Manager Divers Alert Network Polska,

A graduate of journalism and a lover of good liter-

diving and first aid instructor, technical diver and

ature. She lives in harmony with nature, promotes

cave diver. In love with all flooded, dark, cold,

a healthy lifestyle: she is a yogini and a vegetarian.

tight places and invariably from the beginning

Also engaged in ecological projects. Sharks and

of the diving route – in the Baltic. Implementing

their protection are especially close to her heart.

the DAN mission, he conducts a series of lectures

She writes about the subject in numerous articles

”Dive safely” and Diving Safety Laboratory, so field

and on her blog www.divingandtravel.pl. She be-

research of divers for scientific purposes.

gan her adventure with diving fifteen years ago by total coincidence. Today she is a Divemaster, she visited over 60 countries and dived on 5 continents. She invites us for a joint journey with the travel agency www.dive-away.pl, of which she is a co-founder.

o u r au t h o r s

TOMEK RAMUTKOWSKI

JAKUB BANASIAK

KLAUDYNA BRZOSTOWSKA

KURT STORMS

He has always been fascinated by

Diver from 2008. Passionate of the

PADI diving instructor and videog-

Belgium Military, underwater cave

the underwater world, and from the

Red Sea and pelagic ocean preda-

rapher. She spends most of his

explorer and active technical/ cave/

very beginning of his diving journey,

tors. Devoted to the idea of protect-

time in the water documenting

rebreather diving instructor for

he has been associated with the

ing dolphins, sharks and whales. He

a fascinating underwater world.

IANTD. He started his diving ca-

wrecks of the Baltic Sea. Currently,

dives mainly where you can meet

She graduated from the Academy

reer in Egypt on vacation, and his

he has completed several thousand

these animals and monitor the lev-

of Fine Arts in the field of Fashion

passion continues. Kurt is also the

dives in various places around the

el of their well-being. Member of

Design in Łódź and Film studies at

founder and CEO of Descent Techni-

world. He dives mainly technical-

Dolphinaria-Free Europe Coalition,

the Adam Mickiewicz University in

cal Diving.

ly, wreck and cave. Fascinated by

volunteer at Tethys Research Insti-

Poznań, trained as a tailor, and with

He dives on several CCRs such as

rebreathers and underwater pho-

tute and Cetacean Research & Rescue

a love of nature and a large dose of

AP, SF2, Divesoft Liberty SM. Kurt is

tography. Tomek is an Instructor

Unit, associate of Marine Connection.

adrenaline. She loves everything

involved in the creation of the docu-

Trainer, rebreather, technical, wreck

For 10 years he has been involved

related to water. Her diving adven-

ment about the new salt mine in Bel-

and sidemount instructor in sever-

in research on wild dolphin popu-

ture began with a backpacking trip

gium (Laplet). This project was fea-

al training organizations. For over

lations and audits dolphinariums.

in 2016. During her stay in Thailand

tured in the news on Nationale TV.

10 years, he has been sharing his

Together with the team ”NO! For

she dived for the first time and

Privately, Kurt's true passion is

knowledge with others, focusing on

the Dolphinarium” he prevents dol-

from then on she got hooked on at

deep cave diving. His wife (Caroline)

high quality training. Founder of the

phins from captivity and promotes

this sport. Spending the last years

shares her husband's passions and

4baltic Association, owner of Deep-

knowledge about dolphin therapy

and most of her days under water,

also dives in caves. In his free time,

busters and Wreckbusters.

unsaid or concealed by centers

teaching and showing the beauty of

he visits Belgian slate mines, and

www.4baltic.pl

which make money on this form of

the underwater world in Asia, she

when he is not exploring, he takes

www.deepbusters.pl

animal therapy.

believes that diving means unity –

his camera to document the dives.

www.wreckbusters.pl

unity with own mind, nature and

www.facebook.com/tomekramutkow-

unusual creatures.

skitechnical

@waterographyk

+48 502 138 403 http://www.deepdivingslesin.pl/ baza-nurkowa-honoratka/

DIVING CENTER DIVING SCHOOL

o u r au t h o r s

ŁUKASZ KIELASZEWSKI

DAMIAN MARCINKOWSKI

ANDRZEJ ZALEWSKI

MICHAŁ ANTONIUK

Passionate about water and its se-

I live actively and I do a lot of things

I dive with passion, for over a dozen

"Sitting at home is the greatest punish-

crets. From an early age it was hard

that make me feel alive. Diving was

years mastering my knowledge and

ment" is my motto.

to get me out of it. In high school

not my dream, I did the first degree

skills. Every free moment I devote

I am an enthusiast of all kinds of

I got my hands on horror stories by

of OWD to increase my chance of

to my passion, which I practice with

activities:

H.P. Lovecraft. Dark? Cold? Ancient

getting into service in the fire bri-

friends and acquaintances, that

cycling, climbing, etc. I have been

gods? I'm in!

gade, which was not given to me.

makes it even better. Almost always

diving with aqualung for 10 years,

Currently during the Divemaster

Currently I serve as a soldier and

I record my dives on film, I hope that

3 of which as a dive instructor. Over-

course. I am preparing to "take on

diving has become one of my main

they can be an inspiration for others

head environments have been my

the glove" as a military diver. The un-

passions. It gives me the opportu-

to explore the underwater world.

main travel destinations for a long

derwater world that I visit the most

nity to see a piece of the world re-

See you on the other side of the mirror

time. I fulfill my little dream of being

is the darker and less known one.

served for the few. Communing with

YouTube channel: Andrzej Z

a camera reporter in an underwater

diving,

motorcycling,

the underwater nature and its wild

housing looking for thrills and spec-

side is amazing.

tacular landscapes. Black drysuit makes me look like a very serious technical diver, but those cylinders and colorful bungie rubber inserts quickly dispel that illusion ;)

BOGDAN TRZCIONKA I am an ASTD Trainer, PADI Instructor, technical and cave diver. For my passion, born back in time black and white picture tubes with Jacques Cousteau, I parted with IT and gave up a comfortable job to enter the professional path in 2014 and open your own diving center. I adore diving tourism and each year I organize a dozen or so distant and close diving trips. After several thousand fantastic dives I still do not feel full of the world and I try to infect others with love for blue planet. Currently, I also run the Polish branch of the Association of Sport and Technical Divers.

DIVING CENTER

Głębokie Lake Lubuskie

@bazanurkowaextremedivelubuskie extreme-dive.pl

under the ceiling

Swedish princess

Text and photos TOMEK RAMUTKOWSKI SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, 197 KM AWAY FROM STOCKHOLM IN A STRAIGHT LINE, 250 KM AWAY FROM OSLO, NORWAY, 542 KM FROM COPENHAGEN, DENMARK AND 970 KM FROM WARSAW, THERE IS A MAGICAL PLACE.

PERFECTDIVER

No. 1(19)/2022

under the ceiling

t is hidden between

face. It is the main level that can be accessed without getting

mighty spruce trees

wet, leading to the diving zone.

of an old Scandina-

Who treaded these stairs will know how impressive the ex-

vian forest. Just at the

perience is. Their surroundings are exceptionally interesting, as

outskirts of a small town,

you can watch the remains of the old mine’s infrastructure. It

quite often covered with

is a wonder that the miners of the time would use it everyday

pure white snow, partic-

going to work (and back! – ed.). Looking at all these elements we

ularly in December, when

have to admit that those people were of an exceptional courage.

I last visited it. Both the snow

Who walked these stairs also knows that climbing them

cover and air temperature, typ-

up back to the surface after an entire day spent underground

ically around -15°Celsius, made the climate there truly enchanting.

diving is quite a challenge even for the fit divers. Luckily, there is a cargo rail lift going both ways. You can

Well, that’s all cool and stuff, but this magazine is supposed

pack all your dive gear there and have it delivered to your de-

to be about diving, not “Frozen” winter cartoon landscapes, so

sired depth, from where it can be further transported by hand

where can I dive there, you might ask.

carts to the diving zone, and then after you are done diving, it

The place is Tuna Hastberg – an iron ore mine, which attracts divers from all over Europe like a giant magnet.

can be comfortably sent back to the surface. Just to think that the first crew to explore the mines had to take their dive gear all the way down to do the dive and then

UNDER THE SURFACE

they had to get back to the surface carrying all that stuff. And

To discover the beauty of the place, you need to go deep un-

all that in just one night, as at the time the mine was officially

derground, descending down more than 400 steps, inclined at

off limits. Back then the infrastructure was not yet adjusted

a 45 degree angle, leading 120 meters below the Earth’s sur-

to meet divers’ needs, so logistics were much harder.

under the ceiling

PERFECTDIVER

No. 1(19)/2022

under the ceiling

` a dry and warm zone with a dining area equipped with a microwave oven and a wireless kettle. Preparations have been made at the mine to make sure spending several days there without even getting back to the Luckily, the mine is now available to the public and even more importantly, adjusted to accomodate “dry” trips orga-

surface would be pleasureable. That’s of course if you remembered to bring some food with you:)

nized there. But that’s not all, it’s ready for diving! INTO THE WATER AT LAST! PREPARATION

The underwater part of the mines is just magical, incredibly

In the diving zone, you can find everything you need to com-

beautiful, exceptionally charming and fabulous. I could sing

fortably prepare for diving, setting your gear straight after div-

its praises till the end of time. However there are no words

ing and catching a breather before going under again.

to fully express the atmosphere of this place. There are no

The diving zone is fitted with:

you explore more corridors with anticipation, curious about

` benches where you can gear up

what can wait around the next corner, in the next room. You

` a deck with seats just above the water, where you can make

just have to be there, to experience it on your own. To see

your final preparations before going in ` access to gases: air, oxygen, nitrox, trimix

words to express the emotions, the excitement you feel, when

for yourself how it feels to float in the depths, surrounded by artefacts from the place’s glorious past.

under the ceiling

The water is crystal clear, so you’re under the impression

documented experience in this particular mine in the first level

that you’re flying around old passageways, spacious chambers

and obtain permission for this dive. As you might know from

dozen or so meter high, elevator shafts or smaller gateways

a story of some Finnish divers ;), these rules are followed to the

between levels.

letter by the mine’s management.

You can find carts left on the tracks there, as if someone

Water and ambient temperature is 4°C practically every-

was mining there just a day before. Ladders scattered around

where. There are but a couple of corridors where, for unknown

in many places, like a set of giant jackstraws. Spools of various

reasons, it drops down to 2°C. You will need a high-perfor-

cables and so on. Finally you can find many rooms with old

mance undersuit and underwear to go with your drysuit. It is

electricity boxes, which were used to distribute power through-

also definitely a good idea to get an electric heating system,

out the mines, and wooden room structures hanging in the

which makes diving super enjoyable.

darkness like treehouses above the abyss. And all this is waiting only in first level, extending no deeper than 35 meters down.

A HANDFUL OF HISTORICAL INFORMATION We do not know the exact date when people started min-

The level below lies at 75 meters depth , so it is only avail-

ing for iron ore in Tuna. Some sources suggest that it

able for trimix divers, but it doesn’t really matter much, be-

started in the middle ages, however it is more likely that

cause there are so many interesting things to see in the first

the first mining operations took place in the 16th or early

level that it would be hard to see everything in just one trip.

17th century.

If you want to dive in the second level, apart from having

What we know for sure is that in the late 16th century, in

trimix diving certification, you also need at least 10 hours of

the nearby village of Laxsjön, there was a crude iron production

PERFECTDIVER

No. 1(19)/2022

under the ceiling

hut, and in the following years their number around the mine

Diving requirements:

kept growing.

` overhead (mine or cave diver) certification is required

Despite operating for hundreds of years, the mine hadn’t flourished until the 20th century, due to modernization and mining advancements.

` solo dives are forbidden ` briefing with a check dive provided by the staff are mandatory during your first visit to the mine

Eventually Tuna was closed in summer 1968, thus ending

` at least 10 hours of documented experience in this par-

the hundreds of years of mining. Six million tons of ore were

ticular mine is required before you can get permission to

extracted there over those years and it is estimated that deep in the mines there are still significant deposits, at least 16 million tons.

dive deeper ` dive parameters must be recorded on the board (team, time, place, etc.) ` trimix certification for deeper dives

SAFETY RULES AND REQUIREMENTS

` cave dpv certification if you use a DPV

The safety rules are typical for a mine. You are required to wear a helmet from the moment you enter the stairs until you reach

Non-overhead dives are possible in the mine, in the open

the diving zone. It is especially important, as the corridors are

part near the entrance, where the corridor with open access is

not high and there are sharp rocks and pieces of metal pro-

quite long, which allows open water divers to feel the taste of

truding from the ceiling, which can be really dangerous. I was

how awesome this place really is. However, I must say that the

thankful for my helmet more than once:)

true beauty of the mine can only be found after you descend to the first level.

When diving in an overhead environment, such as mines, caves or wrecks, a rebreather is a diver’s true friend. It provides much more freedom and much better safety in comparison to diving OC. But this is a topic for a separate article :) SUMMARY The Tuna mine in Sweden is undoubtedly a unique place. It is one of the “must visit” European overhead diving locations for those who have the appropriate certificates. For those who don’t, Tuna can be a great source of motivation to constantly improve and get new certification, and more importantly – skills, to be able to dive in this incredible place. I hope this article and the photos it contains, which only show a fraction of what you can see in the mine, will also motivate you to progress as divers, to claim your unforgettable dive in the fantastic Tuna mine as your prize. I wish you all good luck and I am always ready to help.

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Mauritius

AN ISLAND OF THE DODO BIRD Text and photos BOGDAN TRZCIONKA

once met a Mauritian woman, whom I had the opportunity to teach skiing in Slovakia. The girl who saw the white fluff for the first time in her life walked on it barefoot, despite

the fact that we gave her shoes. So, I thought then that in Mauritius people live in huts and do not know shoes. Imagine my surprise after landing... (there was even an airport!). Motorways, urban agglomerations, cars that I have not seen in Europe – there were even shoe stores. Not everyone knows (I didn't know either) that the Republic of Mauritius is not a single island, but an island state located in the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean, about 900 km east of Madagascar. The

A virus brazenly spreading on our planet has once again thwarted a fantastic diving plan on the wrecks of Florida. Putting Key West off, we were forced to look around for another, equally interesting destination, and this way we learnt that after a year and a half of total isolation, in October 2021, Mauritius is opening up to tourists.

safety procedures required the vaccination certificate from our entire 18-person group, but also additional tests 72 hours before departure, on-site tests at the hotel immediately upon arrival and additional tests on the fifth day of stay on the island. It was a bit overwhelming, but a man thirsty for sun and water will do anything. Fortunately, there were no unpleasant surprises. Despite a few minor shortcomings, our hotel turned out to be very good, with palm trees planted around and with 3 swimming pools, a gym and a spa. We decided to live in the northern part of the island in the town of Trou

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The underwater world of Mauritius is very different from that known from Egypt. It is in vain to look for similar, colourful reefs here. In this respect, nothing will probably not beat the Red Sea. However, the abundance of life in different locations and the availability of wrecks at small depths surprised me very positively. On subsequent dives we had the opportunity to see willingly posing for photos, largesized lionfish, moray eels, reef catfish, crabs, snappers, electric rays, stonefish and sweet amphipriones, bustling about in multi-coloured anemones. There were also giant turtles and tiny nudibranchs. In short, everything a diver needs to be happy. I'm not going to be smart and list all the aux Biches ("Trobish" – as Creoles say) because of the best

species here, because I'm not a marine biologist. However,

conditions for diving. Serving us The Blue Water Divers div-

I will write with conviction that it is worth visiting this place

ing centre, located a kilometre away from the hotel, provided

at least once in your life. The added value of our accidental

transfer, and Hugues, the owner of the centre and our guide

selection of Blue Water Divers was the fact that its owner was

to the vastness of the underwater world, turned out to be

probably recognized by the underwater creatures as part of

a real enthusiast and at every step you could see how much

the ecosystem. By making specific guttural sounds under the

he still loves what he does, despite thousands of dives behind

water, he was able to summon a huge moray and dance with

him. We were lucky to get to this place. In general, the diving

it underwater salsa! You don't know what to think while watch-

area is divided into 3 zones. We dived in the first zone, as part

ing such a spectacle.

of the basic diving package – all dives from boats on nearby

Due to the climate and quite a large annual amount of

reefs and wrecks located a maximum of 20 minutes from the

rainfall, the island of the dodo bird is a very green, volcanic

marina. The seasons in Mauritius are not the same as ours. In

land with magical craters, majestic waterfalls, lush forests

October, summer, which falls between November and April,

and astonishing mountains. Going on such a long journey, it

was barely beginning, so our aspirations for further waters and the desire to dive with sharks were effectively tempered by Hugues, informing about powerful currents at this time of the year, which we had the opportunity to face somehow closer to the shore. On one of the dives in the zone of stronger currents, our colleague made a mistake, swimming too high above the reef and within a moment disappeared into a big blue. Such situations always make me anxious, but Mark's experience, his composure and the immediate decision to release a buoy meant that he was quickly noticed and taken by the crew of our boat. On the official website of the diving centre we can read that having a minimum of one buoy per pair is required. During the debriefing, I wondered aloud what would happen the current took away a person without a buoy? When going diving in the seas and oceans, definitely every diver should have a buoy, a compass, and maybe even a whistle and a mirror and should know how to use them.

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would be difficult to stop at only exploring the underwater

incense sticks. Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are the main

world. After five days of diving, we decided to learn more about

religions that can coexist peacefully with each other. The lan-

the nature and history of the country. Our guide around the

guage most often spoken by the inhabitants in my presence

island was Gertruda – a Pole who has been living on the is-

seemed very similar to French. As I learned from Gertrude, for

land for 20 years. I was surprised to learn that there are no

the Creoles – people of African descent with an admixture of

native inhabitants on the island. The first people here were

any other blood, French was too difficult and they developed

the Portuguese visiting the island just to replenish the water

their own variation of this language. It is reportedly used by

supplies on the ships. Following the Portuguese, unfortunately

80% of the island's inhabitants. However, only in speech: the

the aforementioned large dodo bird, endemic here, in 1638

language is relatively rarely written down. When visiting the

on the island appeared The Dutch. They, however, decided

island, do not forget to call in greeting 'kimanie' with an accent

to colonize the island and named it after Prince Maurice of

on the last 'e' (I have no idea how to spell it), which will bring

Orange. A large bird meant a lot of meat, so it's easy to guess

a smile on your face and favour, because it means something

the rest of the story. The Dutch ate all the birds and almost

like 'how are you?'.

nothing is known about their life in the wild. Without going

During the two days dedicated to the trips, we visited the

into details – in the 18th century the French took over the is-

capital of Port Louis along with the local bazaar, filled with co-

land, and in 1810 the British. The latter abolished slavery and

lours and scents, the crater of an extinct volcano, the temple of

began bringing workers from India. That is why today more

Shiva, the Chamarel waterfall, as well as the Pamplemousses

than half of the island's inhabitants are Hindus. We had the

Botanical Garden – one of the oldest gardens in the world,

opportunity to see fantastic, multi-coloured Hindu temples, as

astonishing with unusual, colourful and diverse vegetation, in-

well as numerous altars, even on beaches, where the faithful

cluding 82 species of palm trees. Particularly noteworthy is the

made sacrifices to the gods in the form of gifts of nature and

place called the Seven Colours of the Earth. The appearance of

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this area is the result of erosion of volcanic ash and the richness of the soil in terms of saturation with various minerals. Nowhere in the world have I encountered such a phenomenon. One of the points of sightseeing was the Eureka colonial house built in 1830 on the Moka River, where we could get to know the life of the inhabitants of that time and feel the atmosphere of those times. While visiting the gardens belonging to the estate, you can come across 4 beautiful waterfalls and endemic vegetation on the banks of the river. I was captivated by the beauty of the porcelain rose, also known as ginger lily, which on its long stem lasts for almost half a year. When visiting Mauritius, it is worth remembering that it is one of the few African countries with a stable democracy with regular free elections and respected human rights. Thanks to its developed tourism sector and foreign investment, Mauritius has achieved one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa. Going there, you do not have to be afraid of organized

crime or walk around with pepper spray in your pocket. Yes, there are thefts like everywhere in the world, but a bit of awareness is enough to protect yourself from it. There is also no need for additional vaccinations before departure. You have to watch out more for monkeys than humans. Small macaques living in the wild, although quite intelligent, don't understand jokes and it is easy to arouse aggression in them. This is why the one who used the buoy earlier in solitude, was returning from the trip barefoot (apparently misfortunes come in pairs). You learn all your life – you can't run away quickly in flip-flops. The current currency of Mauritius is the Mauritian Rupee. You can easily pay in euros, but local shopkeepers and taxi drivers convert the currency at a rough guess, to the disadvantage of tourists. There is no major problem with ATMs and payment by credit cards is possible, except in bazaars and small shops. In October, the air temperature was 28oC, and water 26oC. We would like to thank the tour operator Safpol Safaris from South Africa for great organization. Meanwhile, I am starting to plan the next expeditions in 2022. See you above and below the water!

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Cuba

THE PEARL OF THE CARIBBEAN

uba begins to open up to the world, especially America. In March 2016, the US president of that time Barack Obama visited Havana. 88 years have passed since the

cooling of relations between these countries. Already in April of the same year, the first regular shipping line was launched,

Text and photos MICHAL ČERNY

The whole world is changing very fast, but there are places that are changing even faster, and one of them is Cuba. For example, Thailand, Bali or Mexico will be about the same in the next five years as they are today, but Cuba will be completely different.

and at the end of August, regular flights between Florida and Santa Clara were resumed. So if you want to experience at least a little bit of the unique atmosphere of the island of freedom, this is the best time to come here. GEOGRAPHY Cuba is the largest island in the Greater Antilles. At first glance, it may not seem like a large island, but from west to east it measures almost 1,200 km, that's like the distance from Prague to Kiev, at its widest points the island is 190 km. In addition to the main island, Cuba has nearly 4,000 smaller islands. The

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official language is Spanish, but in tourist resorts you can usually speak English without any major problems. There are two currencies in Cuba – the Cuban Peso (CUP), which is mainly used by residents to pay, and the Cuban Convertible Peso

can easily rent such a car for the whole day or just for a ride

(CUC) that tourists pay. Those residents who go to the CUC,

around the main attractions of Havana.

i.e. tourists, have very good local conditions, while the others are still partially dependent on the rationing system still func-

QUEEN'S GARDENS

tioning here.

By far the best place for diving in Cuba is the Jardines de la Reina archipelago, which consists of over 400 coral islands and

HAVANA

is located in the Caribbean Sea south of the main island. The

Going to Cuba, Havana should definitely not be missed, espe-

archipelago was named by Christopher Columbus in honour

cially Old Havana has its own special charm. There are many

of Queen Isabel of Castile, and in the translation the name

bars and pubs in the narrow streets with live music and es-

means Queen's Gardens. The archipelago has been declared

pecially in the evening people are practically dancing in the

a national park, and diving and fishing have their own strict

streets. It is best to sit in one of them, order a glass of good

rules. Fishing is allowed here only with the use of the sport

Cuban rum, smoke a Cuban cigar and fully enjoy the atmo-

system of catching, biting and releasing. The Cuban govern-

sphere of this city. And since we are in these bars, it is definitely

ment only issues around 1,000 permits a year to visit the park,

worth a visit to the Floridita Bar, where they serve the excellent

most of which are bought by fishermen, so divers only reach

daiquiri, and where Hemingway used to be, today you will find

this beautiful place in an amount of around 400 times a year.

his bronze statue here. The unique atmosphere of Havana is

According to the indications, however, it can be assumed that

also created by classic American cars, you can still find many of

this number will increase significantly in the coming years. Div-

them here, most of them function as taxis for tourists and you

ing and fishing are done here in the form of a weekly safari,

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i.e. the Caribbean reef shark, on each dive we saw from 10 to 20 of them, the largest of which was up to three meters long. This species of shark lives mainly at the bottom at a depth of about twenty meters, where it usually waits at the place where the bait is placed, after feeding it emerges with the divers to the surface and waits for getting something else. Another popular species of shark is the silky shark, which moves in open water on the surface and grows up to three and a half meters, thanks to a bait you can approach these beauties up to several meters. If you are lucky, you will also see a reef shark, lemon shark, and even a whale shark. The lionfish is also a bit related to sharks, as you probably know, this is a non-native species in the Caribbean that has no natural enemy here, and therefore it breeds here and causes considerable damage to native species of fish. That is why, local divers usually dive with a small harpoon and if they come across a lionfish they shoot it mercilessly and after that some sharks appear. All you have to do is wave over your head a blade on which the lionfish is stabbed, and in a moment a shark will come and pull it out of the harpoon and "go mad". Sharks are the main reason for diving in the Jardines de la Reina and there

with boats departing from the small port of Jucaro. The safari boat is then moored among the mangrove forests and individual dives take place from smaller boats. There is also snorkelling gear on these boats and the staff is always taking care of changing the cylinders, making the diving very comfortable. The dives always take place three times a day and there is really a lot to look at. The main attraction for diving here are sharks, they can be found during practically every dive, and thanks to a bait you can get close to them. The most popular species is the perez shark,

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are not many other animals here. There are several species of groupers, including the largest giant grouper, which grows up to three meters long and weighs 300 kilograms. Another majestic and large fish to be found here is the Atlantic tarpon, usually a little larger than a meter, but their silver bodies reflect flash light very strongly, so taking pictures of them is not easy. The American stingrays can also be found among large fish, which bury themselves on the sandy bottom. And of course, you will also find shoals of smaller fish here, we can mention, for example, rattlesnakes, snappers, rays, jack mackerel, stargazer fish. Among other animals, you can find the largest sea slug, protected by a queen conch. If you are lucky, you may have a very unusual experience between dives – snorkelling with a crocodile, specifically an American crocodile. If the crocodile is smaller than a human, there is nothing to be afraid of and you can easily go into the water, but if it is larger, it can attack

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you. We were lucky to meet an individual which was less than 1.5 meters long, one of the crew members tied a piece of chicken thigh to the rope so that the crocodile would have more motivation to stay with our boat and we could have this unique experience. I must admit that I was a little sweating during this snorkelling, sometimes only a few dozen centimetres separated us from the pointed teeth of this crocodile, what is more, the view of this animal is completely different compared to the view of a shark. SANTA LUCIA Another place where we dived in Cuba was the Santa Lucia resort in the north of Cuba, i.e. in the Atlantic. We chose this place for two reasons, on the one hand interesting shipwrecks, and on the other hand, there is a chance to meet bull shark. When we started our first dive on a smaller artificially sunken wreck, we still looked for where the sharks were, but these are not Jardines de la Reina,

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caves – here called casimbas – where fresh and salt water mix. The first few meters is freshwater, then there is a zone with brackish water (a place where fresh and salt water mix) and salt water. In one dive, you may encounter fish that you have seen there is simply no guarantee of meeting sharks, the sea is gen-

before in the sea, and at the same time you may encounter

erally poorer to live in, but there is also a lot to see. Bull sharks

freshwater animals such as freshwater prawns. The caves also

dive to a special place where local divers invite them and feed

have a nice dripstone decoration. Of course, an experienced

them directly from the hand, but the chance of sharks appear-

local divemaster will accompany you on all dives and take you

ing is 40 %. Unfortunately we were unlucky, the sharks just did

to a cave dozens of meters from the entrance lake, but never

not make it that day. But we were rewarded by meeting a little

so far that daylight or sunrise is not seen. During the socialist

hornbill, which we discovered at a shallow depth just before

era, several Czech divers took part in the discovery and explo-

the end of the dive

ration of these caves. Today you can dive here, for example, in the Casimba Ilona cave.

BAY OF PIGS

You can also see a large crab migration on the road that

Another interesting place for diving is the Bay of Pigs in the

runs along the bay. Crabs cross the road as they come out of

southwest of the island; The bay is mainly known for the land-

the bush to lay their eggs in the sea. Fortunately, traffic is not

ings of Cuban counter-revolutionaries (supported by the US),

heavy yet, but thousands of crabs do not reach their destina-

whose attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro failed. In the town

tion every day. Drivers do not care too much about them and

of Playa Girón you can also visit the Museum of Invasion – and

even though the crabs tighten their shells when they meet

in it, among others, you can see the Czech weapons used in

a car, they have no chance. If you are interested in Cuba and

defence of the revolution. You can, of course, dive in several

diving and are considering going there, do not hesitate too long

places in the sea, but we chose the second option, diving in

to taste the true taste of Cuba.

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Prelude to the Galapagos ECUADOR, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE EQUATOR Text ANNA SOŁODUCHA

The Galápagos Islands is a dream of every diver. It is an obligatory item if we consider the top diving destinations in the world.

Photo Jarosław Gołembiewski

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owever, in order to reach these islands which are 1000 km away from the mainland, we have to reach the smallest Andean country in South America, which

despite being tiny, can enchant even the most demanding tourist... Buenos dias Ecuador! Ecuador – a lifeline. On May 24th 1822, on the slopes of a volcano on the outskirts of Quito, a battle between Spanish royalists and Ecuadorian insurgents took place, who after a colonial era finally gained independence. The country became part of the Great Colombia, a geopolitical project that collapsed in 1831. The new independent country needed a name. The traditional name "Quito" kept by the colonisers provoked opposition from two important centres – Guayaquil and Cuenca. Eventually a more "neutral" name was chosen, referring to the country's location on the equator. The very idea of calling these lands "Ecuador" came from French scholars who years earlier had explored these lands and the equator itself.

Photo Anna Sołoducha

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Photo Łukasz Metrycki

The longest parallel wraps the entire Earth in a ribbon of

to the geographical configuration – the proximity of the ocean

sunshine, abundant life and extraordinary wildlife. Climate

and mountains, in Quito there is a constant air temperature

change makes the hottest places on the planet even hotter,

of about 18°C, and what is interesting – the first half of the

although this unique country located on the equator has sur-

day is usually dry and sunny, while in the afternoon it almost

prised me more than once with its weather variations. A per-

always rains. This, however, makes it possible to plan a good

fect example of this is the country's capital, Quito. It is consid-

sightseeing :) It is also worth remembering that at such an

ered by Ecuadorians to be the highest located capital city in

altitude a sickness may occur (or rather does occur;)) and if

the world (2,800 metres above sea level), while by Bolivians

we plan to dive during the trip (and we surely do ;)), it is worth

– second only to La Paz (the capital of Bolivia, although located

spending a few days on the mainland to let our body accli-

higher – is not the constitutional capital of the country!) Due

matize. Situated at the foot of the Pichincha volcano, the city impresses with its colonial infrastructure. Eclecticism – the combination of styles from different eras is manifested here at every turn – churches and cathedrals are characterised by neo-gothic arches, baroque interiors, Moorish ornamentation and classicist porticoes. In addition, the beautiful urban ensemble of Quito's historic city centre is on the UNESCO list of World Hertiage Sites. It is even more interesting when you consider the fact that it was entered on the list in the same year as Krakow (1978), and to be more precise, one month after it :) This unique city also has a specific, elongated shape – at its widest point it does not exceed 8 km, while its length is as long as 50 km! The streets of Quito are full of colours – Indian music can be heard at every corner, there is a smell of freshly ground coffee everywhere (Ecuadorian coffee is exported

Photo Anna Sołoducha

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Photo Jarosław Gołembiewski

made by the indigenous Ecuadorian people for generations. The scorching sun, as it is on the equator, somehow forced people to invent something to protect their heads from the heat. The leaves of the palmate spoonbill, found on the coast, were ideal for this. In 1849, a Spanish merchant, Manuel Alfaro, transported around 220,000 hats to Panama. When construction of the Panama Canal began in December 1879, the builders needed hats to protect them from the terrible heat in Panama. Light and airy hats from Ecuador had another advantage – they could be bent and put in pockets without losing Photo Anna Sołoducha

their cut. Workers were immediately attracted to this headgear and it became widely used.

to more than 50 countries in the world and is consumed by lo-

Hence the name Panama. However, the greatest promotion

cals regardless of the time of day or night – it is not only a drink,

of these hats was a photo of president of the USA – Theodore

but also a part of their culture!), and the markets are abundant

Roosevelt wearing one, taken during his visit on the construc-

with fruit not encountered anywhere else, such as pitaya, ram-

tion of the Panama Canal. Then, cinema stars in the 20s of the

butan, tomate de árbol (a relative of tomato), prickly pear or

20th century were fond of wearing Panama hats... and so are

my favourite, naranjilla. The undisputed king of Ecuadorian

we during our visit to Ecuador;)

fruit is of course the banana, here called platano. Ecuador is

Quito is also the only capital city in the world which is di-

the largest producer and distributor of bananas in the world.

rectly threatened by an active volcano. During past eruptions,

Ecuadorian banana exports cover more than 26% of the world

the city was covered in ash, but it was never destroyed. I men-

demand for this fruit. There are more than a dozen varieties of

tioned the volcano for a reason. In the Andes range called the

banana: yellow, green, pink, red, potato-flavoured, apple – and

Avenue of Volcanoes in Ecuador we can find 29 active and sev-

pear-flavoured bananas. Finally, there are large green banan-

eral dozen extinct volcanoes. Ecuadorians used to call them

as, which are only eaten hot, or used for frying banana chips ;)

"nevado" – snow-white. It is not difficult to guess why ;) Most

It is also impossible not to mention the famous "panama" hats.

of them are massive, ice-covered peaks. However, most volca-

The most expensive ones can cost over 10 thousand dollars,

noes do not pose much of a threat – the peaks and beautiful

and it takes 0.5–1 year to weave one! These hats have been

caldera lakes are among the country's flagship tourist attrac-

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Photo Jarosław Gołembiewski

tions. The highest peak of Ecuador, and at the same time an

amazing. In the area around the symbolic "lifeline" dividing the

extinct volcano – Chimborazo (6263m) is the most distant point

globe into the southern and northern hemispheres there is

from the Earth's core on its surface (!) This is conditioned by

an interactive museum called Intiñan, where accompanied by

its considerable height and proximity to the equator. Areas

a guide you can participate in various experiments showing

located on the equator are the farthest from the centre of the

the unusual properties of the Earth resulting from its rotation

Earth, this distance decreases with increasing latitude and is

(for example, see with your own eyes the effect of the Coriolis

the shortest at the poles 

force co-responsible, inter alia, for the direction of rotation of

Speaking of the equator again... 20 km from Quito there

cyclones and... "twist" of the water released from the sink –

is a place where you simply have to be. La Mitad el Mundo in

the opposite for the northern and southern hemispheres). For

Spanish means "the centre of the world". This is probably the

patient and skilful tourists there is a competition of setting an

country's most emblematic tourist attraction! Ecuador is one

egg on a nail... I recommend this one!

of the 15 countries on Earth crossed by the equator. Already

Before the conquest of South America by the Spanish, Ec-

in the 18th century, French surveyors tried to determine the

uador belonged to the Inca Empire. In the 21st century, one

centre of the Earth. During one of the expeditions, a monument

might wonder, is there a chance to meet real Indians, descen-

was built at the very base of which a line was drawn, according

dants of the Incas? Is it possible to have a look at their everyday

to the knowledge of that time, this line coincided with the line

activities and take a piece of Indian handicraft as a souvenir?

of the equator. Unfortunately, as it turned out at the end of

It seems impossible... Just 110 km north of Quito, at the al-

the century, thanks to the GPS technology, the real equator

titude of 2500 m, there is a wonderful valley called Valle del

is 240 m north of the determined line... ;) This fact does not

Amanecer (Valley of the Dawn), and in it – Otavalo, an Indian

take anything away from this place! The place is absolutely

market, the largest of its kind in the whole South America! The

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Photo Adrian Worożko

Costa (the coast) from Oriente – Amazonia. This is probably the most mysterious part of the country, located in the Amazon basin. Although the river does not flow through Ecuador, it was from the present-day territory of this country that its explorers set out. The flora and fauna of this area fascinate, and it was Oriente – or Amazonia – that impressed me the most... Staying here allows you to immerse yourself in a world completely different from anything you can Photo Jarosław Gołembiewski

see even in Europe. Ecuador is considered one of the 17 countries with the

still living culture and presence of the Kichwa Indians makes

greatest biodiversity in relation to surface area. It is also the

this place extraordinary. Otavalo is a beautiful and energetic

first country to include the rights of nature in its constitution!

city, home to a large number of indigenous people, known

There are more than 17,000 plant species. Orchids are partic-

for their handicrafts. Surrounded by the Imbabura, Cotacachi

ularly rich here; over 4000 varieties can be found throughout

and Mojanda volcanoes, there are over 21,000 Indians, the

the country, 1714 of which are endemic! Most of them grow

indigenous people of this land. Every Saturday (but not only)

on the eastern slopes of the Andes, right in the Amazon basin.

some of them come down to Otavalo, where they sell various

Travelling from the capital, where the perceptible tempera-

items: ponchos, jumpers, hats, jewellery, ceramics and other

ture is around 23°C, we ascend to an altitude of 4,500 m cross-

local wonders. Beautifully embroidered shirts, slippers, leather

ing the West and East Cordillera, where the cold air pierces our

bags – these are real treasures of this place! In Otavalo you

skin to the core. We head to the western part of Oriente, which

can also buy scarves made of alpaca wool or ethnic jewellery

is a unique combination of humid equatorial forest ecosystem

made by Indians. Really worth it! :)

and mountains. Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve is the goal of our

"The backbone" of Ecuador are the Andes – which, thanks

expedition. Spoilt by the hot sun, which has accompanied us

to their southerly location, constitute a separate climatic zone

since we crossed the Andes, we boarded traditional canoe

of the country. The Sierra – the mountainous area – separates

boats, where we had to cross the Río Aguarico and Cuyabeno

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Photo Edward Wronka

rivers for 4 hours, and suddenly... the "Ecuadorian sky" re-

is humid and heavy, with temperatures ranging from 20°C

minded us where we were... on the equator, because it was

to as much as 40°C!).

pouring down!

On each hike deep into the rainforest, the guide would tell

Lodges hidden in the depths of the jungle seem to be places

us about each plant, tree and leaf we encountered. Almost

at the end of the world. We can completely forget about the

every element of the local flora has a function – it soothes

telephone signal. The electricity generated by solar panels is

wounds and burns, the stems accumulate considerable water

switched on only for a few hours a day, the water under the

resources, other plants help to unblock sinuses, regulate the

shower is... cold, and at night it is louder than during the day

menstrual cycle of women, and even – fight COVID-19 (!). The

;) At night the animals come to life and are a great substitute

leaves, seeds and also the fruit are natural antibiotics, medi-

for mobile phone music. The beautiful wooden huts situated

cines and vitamins, still used by the tribes inhabiting Cuyabeno

on stilts are modestly but cosily furnished. Despite the fact

– Siona, Cofan and Seciya. The tasting of larvae and lemon ants

that malaria does not occur in this part of the equatorial forest

was quite an experience ;) The night hikes were also unforget-

– each bed is surrounded by a sizeable mosquito net to min-

table – spiders, caimans, lizards and boa snakes accompanied

imise biting insects and other encounters with exotic fauna...

us every night... and piranha fishing. All you need is a piece of

More than 12,000 species of plants and around 1,320 spe-

raw red meat and a handmade fishing rod. Catching piranhas

cies of animals can be observed on over 600,000 hectares

is not an easy task, but the joy of a successful catch was un-

of protected land. There are 165 species of mammals in the

paralleled (remember, though, that piranhas' triangular teeth

park, including bats, peccaries, armadillos, sloths and various

are razor sharp;))

species of monkeys! Cuyabeno is also a paradise for ornithol-

Leaving the Amazon we experienced one more encounter

ogy lovers – more than 500 species of birds can be observed

– we were bid farewell by real "river spirits" – Amazon river dol-

here: over a dozen species of parrots, including macaws,

phins. These mammals are not as eager to play as the dolphins

toucans, harpy eagles (predators!), umbrellabirds, hoatzins

we know from various other diving sites around the world, but

and jacamars.

with their pink colour – they are unique. A surprisingly long

Each day of our stay included several hours of walks deep

and narrow snout, disproportionately tiny eyes and grey or

into the rainforest or river cruises. Clad in wellies and cloaks,

pink skin are the main characteristics of the creature which

we quickly adapted to the hot and humid climate (the air here

is found in the South American river system. They weigh up

Photo Łukasz Metrycki

Photo Arkadiusz Majewski

to 200 kg and measure up to 2.5 m in length, making them the largest of the four river dolphin species. The others live in the Ganges and Indus (India and Pakistan), the Yangtze (China) and the La Plata (Argentina and Uruguay). Their most striking feature is their bright pink skin colour, which can vary in shade. The animals are grey when they are born and throughout adolescence, then the colour changes over time as they grow up. In addition, males are often more pink than females, but this all depends on the clarity, temperature and location of the waters in which they live... The Amazon is an extraordinary place. Evenings are spent in a hammock with a book, fishing or trying your hand at paddle boarding. In this land time stands still. Ecuador as a whole is a real melting pot of diversity which you take in wholeheartedly. So before you go to the Galapagos – stop for a moment on the mainland. Take a breath, close your eyes, stand on the equator, lose yourself in the abundance of Ecuadorian nature and don't wait – there will never be a perfect moment.

PERFECTDIVER

No. 1(19)/2022

under the ceiling

DENÉE

Belgian black marble mine Text and photos KURT STORMS

Today it is time to take my wife Caroline and former student

In the past, a lot of black marble was mined in Belgium, especially on the Namur side. The mining industry was an important pillar in the past. The black marble was spread worldwide.

Nico into this beautiful underwater world. Both have recently become members of the VVS but have never dived here before. And at their request, we went for a one-day trip today. I agreed with Nico that he will pick up a key so that we could go in. The key would be in a locker at the VVS office. I used to be the key manager, but due to changes in the regulations this was no

We arrived at 10 o'clock, and as usual Nico is right on time

ne of these mining sites was the black marble mine

and eager to get to the car park. We drive into the narrow cor-

Denée. Denée is a Belgian village which has been part

ridor so that we can park close by. Before I give the briefing on

of the municipality of Anhée in the province of Namur

what we might encounter, I laughingly show them the descent

since 1977. The abbey of Maredsous is nearby. The Carriere is a well-known mine among Belgian/Dutch

cave divers. Once I also took my first steps in cave diving here.

longer possible.

we must take to access the mine. I can already hear sighing voices, do we have to go down here, and up again later? That is going to be a struggle.

This mine is an hour's drive from my house, so I regularly

After the briefing, we load everything with speleo bags

spend some time there with my buddy Willem Verrycken.

to make the transport easier. Access to the mine is via a steep

However, the mine is closed off with a fence. To get access

descent, for which we use a rope to keep us stable, it is sporty,

you have to be a member of the VVS or UBS, I am a member

especially later when we have to go back up. There is a lot of

of the VVS (Flemish Association of Speleologists) through my

rubbish down there, even though two years ago they removed

speleoclub Sience Explorers.

two containers of rubbish, but you can still see the remains like

under the ceiling

PERFECTDIVER

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under the ceiling

car tyres or fridges that were dumped here in the past. Even a small car wreck was once brought down here. After a few trips up and down the hill, we are ready to change and put on our dry suits. Once ready and at the water's edge, we get prepared to dive. S-drill, go over our dive, and our heads disappear underwater for the bubble check. We dive in 1 team of 3 divers. The corridors are large, and the water is very clear, so the visibility is enormous. After about 50 metres we come to a fork, here I take the right side. We pass some remains such as a large wheel. I sign to pose here for a moment so that I can take some photos. Then we continue down the corridor and here and there I turn around to take a photo and check that everything is OK with the team, especially since they are here for the first time. We stop at a familiar pulley hanging from the ceiling. It's unimaginable how people used to get the slate up here. After about 30 minutes, we return to the exit. Here I am overwhelmed by the beautiful words and wonder. After a short break of about 5 minutes, we leave again and take the left passage, which leads to a large room, from where you can go up a ladder through a chasm and out into another part of the mine. We don't take the choke today because Nico is with the rebreather. I let them look around the room and make a sign to them, showing them a bubble in which we can put our heads a bit. I can see from their eyes that they both love it. After a minute or so, we disappear completely underwater again, and I give the sign to go to the exit. After the dive, everyone is satisfied, and we start the journey up. We pull ourselves up with the rope, blow out briefly on the way up and then, panting, we reach the cars. We have to do this several times. But the satisfaction of our dive eases the pain. Denée is a very beautiful mine, but very sporty when it comes to the transport to and from the water's edge. It is also the ideal place to train all your skills and moods. Because you don't do cave diving in one day. This is a process of years, and a lot of training. But for me, diving under a ceiling remains the most beautiful thing there is.

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under the ceiling

Slate Mines in Germany Text ANDRZEJ ZALEWSKI Photos MICHAŁ ANTONIUK

Willingen and surroundings. Although the area is mostly known for skiing and ski jumping, there are other reasons for trips there! For several years I have been visiting the mines in West Germany in the autumn.

t started modestly, I don't remember exactly when. Grześ

difficult mine is 70 meters. There are three entrances to the

said: come, it's not deep, but it's fun. He wasn't wrong. This

water, but reaching the maximum level is optimal from the first

time the goal was four mines. Three I already knew, the

one. From the others it is best to aim for the shallower levels.

fourth, deepest was a new item on our agenda.

Schwalefeld is quite a complicated system, where we will defi-

The first mine we visited was Schwalefeld. Authorizations

nitely meet with crossings, do some traverses. It is definitely

of IANTD, GUE, NSS-CDS and NACD organizations are accepted

recommended for full cave divers and those with higher skills.

here. Having others you have to reckon with verification diving.

We entered in three teams for two reasons. First of all, the

The maximum depth in this beautiful and probably the most

space in open water is comfortable for only two divers, with

under the ceiling

One can often encounter the so called "cappuccino", i.e. about 1 m of visibility. This time it was quite clear, as for this place it was about 3 m. The best visibility is at the level of 70 m, where the water seems to disappear, of course not literally. The site has great potential, certainly not just for one dive but for many more. The next day we went to Christine. Authorizations are the three it gets cramped, which requires some empathy from the

same as at Schwalefeld. The galleries in this mine are on the

team. Four people is already an extreme, but it's also doable.

level of 25 and 50 m. The place is a little different than all the

We had different plans. My team focused on the 20 m and 37

mines we have visited. Navigation at level 25 m is easy, but

m levels, the others decided to go down to 70 m. Visibility is

difficult at the same time, because during the dive, if we want

an important aspect for a diver. At the 20 m level it is usually

to see not only the corridors, but also the spaces from where

good or very good. And this time it was so, the halcyon lights

the slate was extracted, we have to reckon with the saw-type

proved their power by illuminating the entire chamber. Visi-

profile. Our ears were exposed to great strain. None of the

bility at a level of 37 m is unfortunately not so kind to divers.

chambers, despite the fact that some go to the surface, allow

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under the ceiling

us to go outside. Keep this in mind when planning the route

Finally, our last stop was Nuttlar. This is a multi-level mine

you want to take and don't overestimate your ears. I left level

with various routes, where you can spend a lot of time explor-

43–50 for another visit. It is different from the shallower ones

ing the corridors and passages between them. The entrance,

and resembles caves. Another advantage of this place is the

like Christine and Schwalefeld, is a real gateway to Narnia. Out-

visibility, if not for the walls it would be over 30 m. Christine is

side we have a yellow shipping container with tables for equip-

the smallest facility, but you can still spend a lot of time there.

ment, and then the actual entrance to the mine. It is spacious

Felicitas, you hear about it and you can already imagine

and gives an idea of what we can expect from the dive. In the

the machinery there. First, however, you have to cross the

water there is a platform that makes it easier to attach addi-

"milky way" in the descent shaft, which this time stretched

tional cylinders. A narrow tunnel leads from the large space

for about 15 m. The main gallery was located at 30 m depth.

into the mine, which at about the 13th meter ends with a fork

However, it is worth checking beforehand, because the water

to the different routes. The mine is characterized by wide and

level changes depending on rainfall, and this is important for

high corridors. If you deviate a bit from the rope while diving,

OC divers, so they could choose the optimal gas. The mine is

you can see objects left behind by the miners. In many places

divided into two parts, the left one, where we find machines

the walls are stacked with mined stone, which looks very nice.

and evenly drilled chambers, and the right one, which was

There are several places in the mine where we can emerge, but

exploited by blasting. This one looks like a cave in places, but

none of them are exits. However, there are at least two places

of course is not devoid of traces of the infrastructure from

on the red line for emergency exits closed during normal dives,

years of exploitation. Visibility in the corridors is usually good,

so it is important to sign in on the information board.

reaching about 10-15 meters. Navigation is not really compli-

Willingen and the surrounding mines were generous with

cated here, the ropes are placed in a very orderly manner.

good visibility to us. The water temperature was more pleasant

We can do some small traverses. The place is good for both

than most lakes at this time of year in our latitude, ranging

mastering the skills of diving in the overhead environments,

between 8–10 degrees Celsius. Although for most of the par-

as well as for diving tourism. Felicitas has a very well organized

ticipants of the expedition it was not the first time in these

infrastructure, and a full "blender room" provides filling of

mines, we will certainly be back. These are places with poten-

any gas we need.

tial, where there is still much to discover.

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q ua r r y

‘Kamyki’ Quarry Text ŁUKASZ KIELASZEWSKI Photos DAMIAN MARCINKOWSKI

quarry

its closure is given as the 70s, twentieth century.

The visibility leaves a lot to be desired, it ranged from a meter to four. The

Access to the reservoir itself is not

quarry is surrounded by several hun-

difficult, the narrow asphalt road leads

dred meters long walls which are used

directly to the shore.

by climbing enthusiasts in summer, and

The descent to the water is quite

in winter turn into picturesque icefalls.

steep, covered with boulders and stones. In the coastal zone it is quite shallow so you can easily put on your fins, mask and check your equipment before diving. Sailing on the right side, right next to the shore, we come across the cob-

FROM THE EDITORS Melaphyre, or palaeobazalt, is an igneous rock with porphyry structure from the Palaeozoic. It has an almond texture and a grey-purple, red-brown or greenish-black tint. It is a Young Paleozoic equivalent of basalt.

bled remains of a building or a bridge, and on the left side, undoubtedly, the greatest attraction awaits us, namely the remains of a metal structure, the foundations of which are located below three meters under the water. The whole thing is noticeable at the surface of the water reservoir, its elements practically stick out above the water (they are marked

with a plastic bottle). At the bottom, you can find the remains of machinery used

ogether with Damian, we decid-

to extract ore, such as metal parts of ma-

ed to visit another less known

chines, sections of tracks several meters

water reservoir. The fins carried

long or huge loading buckets.

us towards Głuszyca Górna (Poland), to the old melaphyre quarry.

In the coastal zone of around the reservoir there are sunken trees that have

'Kamyki', as that is the name of the

been decorated over time with water veg-

quarry, began to operate most likely at

etation and serve as a home for local fish.

the beginning of the 20th century under

The mine is quite a shallow reservoir,

the name of Krause & Co. It is located at

only about six meters in the deepest

585 m above sea level and the date of

place.

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a r c h a e o l og y

VASA... the most wonderful Text MATEUSZ POPEK Photos WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Vasa, a fully intact 64 gun warship from the 17th century that was salvaged

On August 10, 1628, the Stockholm harbour was crowded with people whose eyes were focused on one place, where King Gustav II Adolf himself was standing.

1,210 tons, and the crew consisted of

at sea. Galleon flotillas participated in

437 sailors. The ship was equipped with

spectacular battles. Among these trou-

64, guns, which was a formidable fire-

bled times one man stood out – com-

power at that time. The king personally

mander, strategist, reformer, warrior,

supervised the construction and equip-

"Lion of the North", Gustav II Adolf, king

ment of the ship, so that it would be

of Sweden. He waged wars with Russia

second to none.

and Germany, reformed the army and

The entire ship was to be a floating

made Sweden the hegemon of the Baltic

declaration of the power of the Swedish

Sea. However, he was most in conflict

king. The deck was decorated with sculp-

with the Republic of Poland, where his

tures referring to the Bible or Greek he-

great-uncle, Sigismund III Vasa, was on

roes. There are also sculptures of the

roud of his work, baptised his

the throne. Their conflict was not only

king's worst enemies, i.e. Poles, placed in

greatest ship, giving it the name

political or family, but also symbolic.

the bow of the ship. These figures were

Baltic states clashed, both on land and

"Vasa" to emphasise the great-

Such a symbol of victory and domi-

huddled under the benches, which was

ness of his dynasty. After a while, the

nation was to be the greatest warship

supposed to refer to the habit of "bark-

ship was proudly leaving the port set-

of all time, which Gustaw Adolf had built.

ing back" (the habit of making a slander-

ting the topsails and the crowd cheered.

Its splendor was supposed to outshine

er back his or her wrong words). These

As an unexpected gust of wind filled the

all the ships sailing on the Baltic Sea.

sculptures were placed in such a way so

sails, the ship leaned over, the king paled

The keel was laid in 1626 and the works

that the sailors relieving themselves in

and the crowd fell silent.

lasted for two years. At that time, a huge

the latrines could see them perfectly,

In the 17th century, the Baltic Sea

ship was built, 61 meters long and more

knowing how to treat the enemies of

was an arena of constant fights. The

than 11 meters wide. Its buoyancy was

the crown.

archaeology

Vasa, May 14th 1961

The main builder was a boatbuilder

After the catastrophe, Vasa was not

of Dutch origin Henrik Hybertsson, who

immediately erased from memory. In

died during the works. This caused some

the 60s of the 17th century, the oper-

confusion in the construction, which

ation of extracting some cannons from

was deepened by the constant changes

the wreckage was carried out. A bell was

made by the king iny. This one wanted

used for this dive and it is one of the old-

the ship to be slender, but the largest, as

est operations of this type.

well as the richly decorated superstructures to look great.

Time, however, passed inexorably and the position of the wreckage was

On the fateful day of August 16, 1628,

forgotten, and the object itself became

the king, his court and all his subjects,

a legend. It was not until 1956 that the

gathered on the Stockholm quay, waited

amateur archaeologist Anders Franzén

for the sail to be luffed. As the wind blew

found the wreckage. Quite quickly,

and the ship tilted, the crowd froze and

a committee was formed to raise funds

the king paled. When the tilt persisted

and equipment to recover the historic

and water began to pour through the

wreckage.

professionalism and courage of these

open dividing gates, Gustaw Adolf al-

Five Swedish Navy divers under the

people, because at that time diving was

ready knew that it would be a spectacu-

command of Per Edvin Falting were

not a hobby, but hard and extremely

lar… catastrophe. After a while, the ship

commissioned to recover the huge

dangerous work. The dives took place

capsised and sank, dragging more than

wreckage. Their aim was to dig 6 tun-

in heavy classic equipment. The divers,

30 sailors to the bottom.

nels under the unit through which the

who often were undersestimated, did

disaster,

ropes needed to extract the object were

a key job in the extraction. It should be

a commission investigating the matter

pulled. Everything happened at a depth

remembered that it is still one of the

was established. The committee mem-

of 32 meters, with absolutely zero visi-

largest and most spectacular wooden

bers accused Polish spies of sabotaging

bility. An amazing number of 1,300 dives

wreck extraction operations in the histo-

the project. They were accused of intro-

was made during the Vasa extraction

ry of underwater diving and archeology.

ducing technical sketches, changes that

operation without any serious accident.

Currently, the wreck can be seen in

made the vessel unstable, which result-

After that, the wreck, attached to two

the Vasa Museum in Stockholm, where

ed in its sinking. The spies were never

pontoons, was excavated and transport-

it is presented. It may be a chuckle of

caught. However, it was implicitly known

ed to a dry dock.

fate, but over 300 years after the disas-

Immediately

after

the

that the king's whims and his constant

The work of the divers during the

ter, the Vasa ship has become the largest

changes to the original design made the

extraction operation was immense and

and most spectacular wreck you can see.

ship out of balance and unstable.

admirable. It is worth mentioning the

I wonder if Gustav II Adolf would like it…

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planet earth

Essential Provisions In the photo Laura Nina Yan Felix

Text LAURA KAZIMIERSKA Photos KAROLA TAKES PHOTOS

Christmas and New Year's Eve are behind us and ahead of us are months of gray weather and temperature fluctuations. Oh, and the New Year's resolutions, which must be fulfilled.

Sidemount course, as two cylinders are better than one. Sidemount is a configuration where the cylinders are mounted on the sides, along the body instead of traditionally on the back. This style originates from cave diving, but in the last decade is gaining popularity among recreational divers. This is due to: double the amount of gas you can take with you under the water, increased safety in case of failure of one of

ow about this year we choose something that will give

the breathing apparatus, more streamlined position during

us great joy, and in addition raise our physical fitness

the dive, which reduces energy consumption, and at the same

and qualifications or help our planet? Of course,

time we gain convenience with diving equipment because of

I'm talking about diving New Year's goals here. After all, they're

the packability. The advantages and the applications are nu-

so easy to fall under the standard resolutions that virtually ev-

merous. From diving in wrecks and caves, to deeper descents

eryone has before midnight, hoping for better to come.

in open water, and besides, in this configuration you look quite

Where is it worth to go, and above all, where can you go,

RESOLUTION #1:

I will learn something new!

impressive, kind of like James Bond.

what courses to take to diversify your underwater expeditions,

The basic course consists of about four to five hours of the-

how to take care of the marine environment, sometimes even

ory and familiarization with the new setup, a session in a pool

being away from the water.

or a pool-like area and a minimum of three dives, although

planet earth

In the photo Laura Kazimierska

In the photo Samuel Mason

you may be tempted to do more. You don't need a lot of ex-

chines we use today began to be improved and produced on

perience, just a basic OWD course and a minimum age of 15.

a larger scale during World War II, and then by trial and error

Personally, I recommend that those joining the course have

new models were created and the electronics were improved

a minimum of twenty dives (however this is not a standard

to increase their reliability and safety.

prerequisite) or feel fairly confident underwater and have excellent buoyancy.

Now, more and more often we see CCR on the backs of technical and deep-sea divers. Because of the fact that their

Sidemount is a great intermediate course between recre-

functionality, performance and technology can make under-

ational and technical diving. Here we start to get into the tec

water exploration easier and largely reduce the cost. The

setup at recreational depth and time limits. So it is a good test

only thing that limits your time underwater is the carbon di-

to see if technical diving is something you would like to get into.

oxide absorbing substance that allows you to dive for up to

Try it quietly. CCR adventure.

6 hours. Contrary to popular belief, CCR is not intended only for

The Closed Circuit Rebreater (CCR) is more advanced and quite

deep-sea divers. It is a great equipment if you want to get clos-

an expensive piece of equipment, but it is worth trying out at

er to the underwater fauna. When you don’t exhale bubbles

least once.

from the rebreather, you truly become part of the underwater

Rebreather is a device that allows you to use the same

world. This is great for photographers and videographers, and

breathing mixture repeatedly. Among others, we use it in

you don't even have to go deep. What's more, on shallower

medicine and diving. The concept of the machine appeared

descents, our no-decompression time limit (NDL) compared

already in the 17th century thanks to Giovanni Borelli. The ma-

to the open circuit is significantly increased.

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p l a n e ta z i e m i a

To start your closed circuit adventure you don't need to have any technical diving experience, just to be at least 18 years old and certified as a Nitrox and deep-sea diver. So called "Try CCR" can be done in one day. First you learn the theory and basic principles of diving with this type of equipment, then the instructor takes you

Get involved in protecting what you love.

for a shallow dive in the open waters.

With the New Year it is great to give something back, and there

How about learning more about the equipment.

RESOLUTION #2

I will take care of my health (my own and our planet's)

are many ways to do so. It's fun to get a mesh bag or the TRSHBG gadget to take with you underwater. When you spot debris

Diving equipment and additional accessories can give us a head-

on the reef during your dive, you can pack it in and then log

ache. Currently on the market we have an extensive range of

your findings on the ProjectAWARE app, Dive Against Debris.

options, and manufacturers are competing in terms of colours,

All information from this app is fed into a larger database that

quality and functionality to enhance our underwater expeditions.

monitors the category and amount of debris found underwa-

How to choose the right, functional configuration, that will allow us

ter from different parts of the world. The database is used

to develop skills and diving experience at a low cost? How does a re-

to understand the extent of pollution in our waters and take

breather work and what should we pay attention to when choos-

appropriate action to protect the environment.

ing fins, a mask or a surface marker buoy? The TecLine Academy

Another way is to organise clean-ups. Whether it will take

answers these and many other questions in each issue of Perfect

place underwater or in the nearby forest, it does not matter. As

Diver. You can also make an appointment with them. Two days

we all know – what we find on land, at some point we will see

spent in an authorised diving salon under the supervision of pro-

in water. You can register such an action on the PlanetHeroes

fessionals will allow you to delve into the world of new diving equip-

platform and earn money. You can use the fund to finance

ment solutions and technologies. This option is available to diving

equipment, similar events, donate to a foundation working for

instructors of any diving organisation.

sharks or coral reefs, or simply keep it for yourself as a reward

In the photo Sany i Siận

for a great deed. (Or join the Clean Up the World campaign organised in Poland by the Our Earth Foundation – see editor's note). Another resolution idea is to limit the consumption of fish and seafood or avoid dietary supplements such as shark liver oil, which can easily be replaced by a plant-based equivalent. Overfishing is a huge problem affecting our ocean and fishing communities. This is due to the lack of clear regulations and controls on fishing, the use of environmentally destructive fishing gear, commercial fishing and the huge demand for seafood products. Studies show that the European Union is the largest importer of fish and seafood in the world. "It is us, EU citizens, who by making consumer decisions influence what happens in the world" says Anna Sosnowska of WWF. When ordering another plate of sushi, it is worth considering where the fish we eat comes from and what impact it has on the coral reefs we admire so much. RESOLUTION #3:

I will read more! Find time for a book This resolution was on the third place of the most popular New Year's resolutions in 2021. No wonder – reading is worth it. Especially if it is to deepen our knowledge of diving and the underwater world. I particularly recommend these three books. I couldn't stop myself from reading them: "Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver" a book written by one of the most famous cave divers Jill Heinerth. It describes, step by step, her path to exploring the underground world. Here you will find a good piece of history about how cave diving developed and a bit about the evolution of diving equipment, interesting anecdotes, as well as an attempt of explaining what

PERFECTDIVER

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planet earth

In the photo Georgina Swain, Laura Kazimierska

drives us to this hostile for man environment, where even the smallest mistake threatens with loss of life.

"The Brilliant Abyss" is written by Helen Scales who is a marine biologist, author of many books and radio journalist. Here

"Shadow Divers" by Robert Kurson is one of the first div-

we delve into the extraordinary and very alien world of the deep

ing books I ever picked up. It was published almost twenty

ocean. We discover organisms living in highly extreme conditions

years ago and is based on actual events. Kurson tells the story

and look at their existence in this underwater world thousands

of finding and trying to identify a German submarine sunk

of metres away. Even today, we know less about the depths of

to a depth of seventy metres off the coast of New Jersey. The

the ocean than we do about the outer space, and almost every

story is set in the early 1990s. It describes the challenges of

organism or phenomenon is a new and fascinating discovery.

avid wreck searchers and their mission to identify the myste-

The author raises the issue of this world being extremely endan-

rious boat, which is not mentioned in historical documents.

gered, even though we know so little about it. Deep-sea excava-

In those years technical diving equipment, gas mixtures and

tions and the extraction of raw materials from the bottom of the

procedures were still in development and new and better

ocean, which are planned for the next few years, may seriously

methods of decompression diving were being discovered.

damage this fragile ecosystem and have disastrous consequenc-

The present day is intertwined with the history of World War

es for the ocean. The book prompts the question: is modern

II and fragments of lives of the officers who rest at the bottom

eco-technology really as renewable as we think it is? What effects

with the wreck.

will the extraction of raw materials have on our planet.

In the photo Dennis Hooghoff, Frederike Leurs, Matthias Baumann

RESOLUTION #4:

I will travel more How about Mexico... Mexico during the pandemic period was one of the few places with fantastic diving sites that remained open to foreign tourists and it seems like the new wave isn't going to change anything. From east to west, from cave diving to swimming with whales. Mexico has everything a diving soul could desire. If you are interested in caves (cenotes), it is best to stay near Tulum or Playa del Carmen, although cenotes can also be found in many other places on the Yucatan peninsula. There are many operators, including some from Poland, offering cave diving which does not actually require any additional qualificabreathtaking, and the surrounding stalactites, stalagmites and fossils take us back to prehistoric times.

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FOT: KAROLATAKESPHOTOS

tions apart from OWD and good buoyancy. The play of light in the cenotes is

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If diving in small spaces and darkness is not for you, go to Cozumel island, forty minutes by ferry from Playa del Carmen. The current dives there will provide plenty of excitement. The reef that you can see there is the second largest in the world. The dramatic topography, passages and caves, through which every diver can easily pass, will delight you every time you go underwater. Stingrays, turtles, bottlenose sharks and a magnificently preserved shipwreck are a fantastic addition. For fans of fauna, I recommend diving into the Sea of Cortez in the Baja California area on the west coast (We wrote about this in the previous issue – see editor's note). A popular and expensive option is a diving safari to Socorro Island or Guadalupe Island, which surely will knock your socks off. You can also choose a cheaper option, such as day dives around La Paz or Cabo San Lucas. These too will provide great experiences and encounters with underwater nature. Depending on the season and the diving site, you can meet eye to eye with seals, see hammerhead sharks, whales, manta rays, bull sharks and silky sharks gathering in large groups. This region is definitely one of the best diving destinations in the world.

...or maybe Egypt this year. After all, Egypt also counts among the diving hot spots. Co-

underwater escapades very enjoyable. It is also worth going

lourful coral reefs, sharks, stingrays and dolphins will make

on safari and spending some time in good company crossing the Red Sea. This is a perfect place for underwater photography because of the variety of marine life found in this region, where visibility ranges from twenty metres upwards. Those who love underwater landscapes will definitely find something for themselves. Dramatic walls covered with tons of coral, caves and isthmuses will create an amazing scenery. The diving season lasts virtually all year round, so it's a great way to forget about the dullness for a while and feel the warming rays of the sun on your skin while sipping drinks after an exciting day spent under the azure surface of the water. No matter which of these options you choose, each will ensure that you spend New Year 2022 in a truly diving mood, which is, after all, what we're all about.

Rehasport - motor medicine

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

ONLINE Specialty or name City

Find injury Select the body part in which you feel pain.

www.rehasport.pl PERFECTDIVER

No. 1(19)/2022

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Pilot Whales from Tenerife Text JAKUB BANASIAK Photos SERGIO DAVID HERNANDEZ HERRERA

MOST OF US HAVE HEARD OF THE DRAMA OF LONG-FINNED PILOT WHALES BEING KILLED EN MASSE IN THE FAROE ISLANDS. IN "PERFECT DIVER" NO. 18 IN THE ARTICLE BY HANNA MAMZER ENTITLED: "RITUAL SLAUGHTER" WE COULD READ ABOUT THE TRADITION OF HUNTING THESE ANIMALS.

ive thousand km south of the

largest dolphins – killer whales. Which

vicinity of Tenerife and La Gomera in the

Faroe Islands, off the coast of

is a pity, because these massively built

Canaries provides them with great living

Tenerife, there is a population of

cetaceans with bulbous heads and

conditions.

short-finned pilot whales, whose safety

rounded dorsal fins are an extremely

These animals, sociable and accus-

and well-being seem to be diametrically

interesting species, especially in terms

tomed to the presence of humans, are

superior.

of behaviour and family life.

concentrated here in the strait separat-

Pilot whales, belonging to the delph-

Unlike their long-finned cousins, the

ing the southern coast of Tenerife from

inidae, are generally much less known

short-finned pilot whales prefer warm-

the neighbouring island of La Gomera,

than their cousins – bottlenose, com-

er waters. Their main foraging habitat

and their observation is possible at any

mon or spotted dolphins, and finally the

is squid-rich areas. The reservoir in the

time of the year.

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Bottlenose dolphin off the coast of Tenerife

These cetaceans are called "pilot

Pilot whale calves have a poorly de-

together with oceanic killer whales,

whales" in English. This name probably

veloped beak and their dorsal fin is more

false killer whales and the pygmy killer

comes from the fact that it was once be-

pointed, more upright and more similar

whales, as well as melon-headed whales,

lieved that stocks of these animals were

in shape to the dorsal fin of smaller dol-

belong to the group of dolphins known

led by pilots. In addition to the rounded

phins, such as bottlenose dolphins. The

as "blackfish".

head, pilot whales can also be identified

latter are also often found southwest

by their distinctive back curved, rounded

of Tenerife.

The short-finned pilot whales feed almost exclusively on squids and octo-

dorsal fin at the front of their body. In

The body of the pilot whales is black

puses, sometimes only on small shoals

males, the base of the dorsal fin is longer

or black-brown, with a large gray sad-

(e.g. cod, herring, mackerel). They eat up

and generally larger.

dle behind the dorsal fin. Pilot whales,

to 45 kg of food daily.

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Females reach sexual maturity at the age of 6–10 years, and males at the age of 12–15 years. Gestation lasts approximately 15 months and occurs every 3 to 5 years. Most births take place in summer. At birth, the calves are approximately 1.8 meters long. The young are fed with their mother's milk for 2 to 4 years. Thanks to the photo-identification technique of individuals, we know that short-finned pilot whales live in stable social groups and form matrilineal kinship groups. In such groups, all individuals are genetically related to the oldest Young pilot whale

short-finned pilot whales only females care for their calves. Research on short-finned whales in Hawaii, USA shows that males have more than one partner – typically there is one sexually mature male in every eight mature females in the group. Males generally leave the family group, while females can stay there for life, attending the calves and youngs. Probably the same pattern is in Tenerife. The maximum life expectancy is considered to be 45 years for males and an average of 60 years for females. Calves (less than half the length of adults) usually swim close to the mother, and newborns (with lighter lines visible on the body – a remnant of wrinkles in the prenatal period) do not move away

female, and mating takes place between

the matrilineal stocks of killer whales

from her at all. At this age, the risk of

individuals from different groups.

living here.

being attacked by a shark or killer whale is very high.

Between 1991 and 1992, Jim Boran

On the other hand, research on

and Sara Heimlich identified 495 short-

long-finned grids confirmed that in this

Usually individual animals in a family

finned pilot whales in 46 flocks south-

species all-parental care ("foster" care

group or the whole group dive togeth-

west of Tenerife. Based on the patterns

for offspring that are not the offspring

er. Juveniles often emerge earlier or

of occurrence, we know that groups

of the caregivers) is common, and that

sometimes remain completely afloat.

that come here for a short time and

even more than half of the calves are

Often, so-called "preschool groups"

residents, i.e. groups of permanent res-

cared for by non-parents. Both sexes

can be observed with a few adults and

idents of this area, appear in this area.

look after the calves and the caretak-

a few young animals – walking togeth-

Research shows that mating takes place

ers and calves can come from different

er or resting together on the surface of

between individuals of different stock.

groups. Alloparental care also occurs in

the sea.

Researchers also found similarities be-

short-finned pilot whales, but is less re-

Jumps above the water are much less

tween them and the social structure of

searched. It is believed that among the

frequent in pilot whales than, for exam-

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ple, in the case of bottlenose dolphins

than a year and a half with a body length

pilot whales have been nicknamed as

living nearby.

of 2.20 m dived 10 times to an average

the “cheetahs of the deep sea” for their

Pilot whales are amazing freedivers.

depth of 100 m, also descending on the

deep, high-speed, sprint-dives to chase

They dive at a speed of about 2–5 meters

same day to a depth of 370 m. Research

and capture large squid.

per second to a depth of 500–600 meters.

has also shown that night dives are

When we understand how dynami-

There, they slow down, use echolocation

definitely shallower, reaching approx.

cally and deeply pilot whales dive, it is

to orientate themselves in the field and

100–300 m, because squid at night are

easier to understand their regenera-

start fast hunting at a speed of 25–30 km

active at shallower depths. Short-finned

tive behaviour on the surface. These

/ h, to an average depth of 700 m. If we compare this with the diving speeds of other species (2 m/s for sperm whales, 1.5 m/s for beaked whales), it turns out that the pilot whales that we often see lying motionless in the water are not slow or lazy at all. They are downright professionals! During the research conducted by SECAC (Sociedad para el Estudio de los Cetáceos en el Archipiélago Canario), a male was observed, who made 17 consecutive dives at a depth of over 700 m between 9.00 am and 4.00 pm! Even a calf less

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or both pectoral fins or raise their heads out of the water to peek around. Such "spy hopping" can also be observed in the performance of adult individuals. In some cases, when boats get too close or go too fast, pilot whales begin to move, dive or move away. When animals rest or sleep on the surface of the water, they usually do not make sounds that could be heard using a hydrophone. But when they "socialise" with each other, dive or hunt, you can hear many different clicks and whistles. Short-finned whales have a wide vocal repertoire, including whistling, chirping, buzzing and other hoarse sounds used in social interactions. Clicks are also used for echolocation. Pilot whale – spy hopping

Herd communication, social life, interpersonal relationships, and perhaps also emotional issues, are very important to pilot whales. Researchers have repeatedly documented how pilot whales mourn the death of a calf. A mother can keep a dead newborn baby with her for many days, not wanting to part with it.

Use the qr code to see this behavior

Similar situations have also been observed in the Strait of Gibraltar. One day a family group headed by a female with A young pilot whale shows its fins

a dead calf came to the whale watching boat. She stayed by the boat for several

dolphins spend long periods of rest,

their oxygen supply. When observing pi-

minutes, keeping the little pilot whale's

almost like logs on the surface of the

lot whales, it often seems that the prox-

carcass afloat. Perhaps it would be an

water, to prepare and oxygenate before

imity of the boat does not bother them.

anthropocentric abuse, but it looked like

the next great-depth hunt for squid and

However, it should be taken into account

she was asking people for help, helpless

fish. This makes them easy to observe,

that animals may be too tired to move

in her pain.

as long as we don't bother them.

away or dive.

Can these social, intelligent, empa-

In the resting phase, they breathe

It happens that the youngs come

thetic, but also powerful animals pose

gently for a few minutes and replenish

to the boat and "play". They show one

a threat to swimmers or divers? In 2004,

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Michael Scheer, Bianka Hofmann, Itay

to 2 m, scanning a person with echolo-

Shortly thereafter, Lisa was dragged

P.Behr published the results of their

cation and swimming left or right while

down by the same pilot whale and near-

1996 and 2001 field research on the

maintaining eye contact, approaching

ly drowned. The animal grabbed her leg

interaction

whale

a person at a distance of less than 2 m,

several times and let her go for a mo-

with swimmers in the ocean off the

scanning by echolocation in the bel-

ment, only to pull the woman several

southwestern coast of Tenerife. They

ly-up position and maintaining stereo-

meters under the water in a moment.

described the pilot whale behaviour

scopic eye contact.

Lee Tepley recorded most of the inci-

short-finned

repertoire from 11 interactions with

The only well-documented case of ag-

humans, and compared it with previ-

gressive behaviour by wild pilot whales

ously described pilot whale behaviours

towards humans was in 1992 in Kealaka-

reported in the scientific literature.

kua Bay in Hawaii, when photographer

Researchers observed only the affili-

Lee Tepley and his friend Lisa Costel-

ate and exploratory behavior of pilot

lo swam very close to a group of pilot

whales, primarily marked by curiosi-

whales on a high-speed motorboat.

ty. These were: repeatedly swimming

They entered the water with a group

around a person in the water at a dis-

of pilot whales about 8 miles offshore.

tance of 5–20 m, swimming frontally

Lisa swam very close to the animals and

to the swimmer at a distance of up

started petting the curious big male.

dent so that the entire incident can be closely analysed.

Use the qr code to see some footage of this accident

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No. 1(19)/2022

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On the other hand, in the study "Del-

have often endangered or harmed div-

known for his aggressive behaviour.

phinids on Display: the Capture, Care, and

ers and their caretakers in the water.

In 1965, local newspapers called the

Exhibition of Cetaceans at Marineland of

This frightened the public and prompt-

male Bimbo a "psychotic" when a doc-

the Pacific, 1954–1967" describing the

ed the owners of Marineland to sedate

tor called by Marineland diagnosed the

situation of cetaceans held in captivity

pilot whales with psychotropic drugs.

animal with a manic depressive disor-

in Marineland, we find numerous ref-

Particularly known for attacks on em-

der after he had refused to perform

erences to the threats posed by pilot

ployees and film crews was the female

for two years, lost weight, had "violent

whales there to aquarium workers. Due

pilot whale – Bubbles, which led to sev-

tantrums" and killed several other ceta-

to their size and strength, pilot whales

eral serious accidents. Bimbo was also

ceans in the reservoir where they lived.

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In early 2021, scientists listened to 2028

For pilot whales, being in an aquar-

long-finned pilot whales' vocalisations

ium is very burdensome. They are bio-

off the coast of Australia. They were

logically adapted to travel long distances

surprised to hear 19 instances of vocal-

every day, diving several hundred me-

isations that resembled the ones pro-

ters deep, hunting with the use of echo-

duced by killer whales – their rivals. Kill-

location, living in complex family struc-

er whales compete with pilot whales for

tures. In captivity, they cannot, in any

food, and are also potential predators

way, satisfy their locomotor and social

of long-finned pilot whales. Pilot whales

needs and use the senses of hearing and

foraging or eating rests of killer whales'

echolocation. And yet such slavery lasts

food may go unnoticed if they use kill-

for many years. The oldest pilot whale

er whales' sounds. It is not yet known

living in an aquarium – the female Bub-

whether a similar acoustic mimicry takes

bles – the same female who spent about

place between short-finned pilot whales

20 years in Marineland, was held captive

and killer whales near Tenerife.

in the San Diego SeaWorld artificial res-

The main danger for pilot whales

ervoir for another 30 years.

is the contamination of the seas and

The pilot whale, rescued from being

oceans with toxic chemicals (including

stuck on a Florida beach in 2011, was

heavy metals), which accumulate in their

held by SeaWorld in Orlando until his

bodies by bioaccumulation and which

death in 2019 from a bacterial infection.

pass from adipose tissue into breast

Short-finned pilot whales have been

milk. Such a contaminated milk can be

kept in captivity at various marine parks

fatal to the calf. Noise pollution is also an

in southern California, Hawaii, and Ja-

issue. Excessive tourist traffic, the noise

pan, possibly from the late 1940's.

of boat engines (including whale watch-

Historically, they had low rates of cap-

ing boats), jet skis, fishing boats, ferries,

tive survival – less than half survived

which are numerous in the Canaries,

24 months. The fact that dolphinariums

and finally warships with their low fre-

are now able to keep pilot whales alive

quency sonars make communication

diametrically longer in captivity does

difficult and are an additional stressor

not mean that they can provide them

for dolphins. The greater the stress, the

with a long life of well-being, only a long

more difficult it is for the whales to re-

imprisonment.

cover from exhausting dives, and the

If you want to meet pilot whales,

less energy they have for essential activi-

meet them only in their natural envi-

ties such as caring for offspring, learning

ronment. In their world, on their terms.

to hunt, etc. There is also a greater risk

Without causing any distress to wild-

of miscarriage.

life at sea. Tenerife short-finned pilot

Fortunately, pilot whales are not caught in aquariums at present (ex-

whales are waiting. It is only a 5-hour flight from Poland.

cept for Japan, where pilot whales are These behaviours prompted Marine-

still taken to marine parks in Taiji, and

land personnel to release the Bimbo

where entire family groups are killed).

back into the ocean in 1967.

If they live in captivity, it is because they

Many thanks to Sergio David Hernandez Herrera from

Short-finned whales in the wild have

were caught from their natural habitat

BONADEA II from Puerto Colon,

virtually no natural enemies, apart from

years earlier or kept in aquariums after

Tenerife, for the opportunity to

killer whales and a few species of sharks.

rescuing them from sickness or from be-

learn more about pilot whales

Scars on the body of adults are usually

ing stranded on the shore at the beach.

during the hours spent together

traces of a fight with giant squid. The re-

It also happens that one of the western

at sea and for sharing photos

lationship between pilot whales and kill-

aquariums buys a pilot whale from some

and recording pilot whales.

er whales seems particularly interesting.

Japanese marine park.

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Shoals of herring, matriarchy of killer whales and humpback whales

OR NORWEGIAN WINTER BEYOND THE ARCTIC CIRCLE Text and photos KLAUDYNA BRZOSTOWSKA

Each year in November, the fjords of the Troms County in the north of Norway turn into a stage for an extraordinary spectacle of nature. Massive shoals of herring gather here, to start spawning. They are followed by hundreds of whales ready to hunt.

orway's fjords are becoming a temporary home for humpback whales, fin whales and killer whales, which search the fjords to satisfy hunger. The chances of

meeting these animals are high and the November event attracts tourists and photographers from all over the world. The northern part of Norway is also one of the few places on Earth where you can still dive with killer whales. This year I had the opportunity to go on a week-long cruise in the fjords beyond the Arctic Circle to photograph killer

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whales. For seven days, my base was a 22-meter tall sailing ship

suddenly emerge from the stormy water. Sometimes we stood

called Duen III. The purpose of the expedition was to dive with

on the deck at -16°C for hours trying to spot at least one whale.

killer whales. Each day looked more or less the same: waking

Limited daylight, waves, wind and a large area made finding

up at 7:00, breakfast, dressing in dry or wet suit (I preferred

killer whales a real challenge. Once the black and white pred-

wetsuit as it allowed me to dive freely), leaving the port and

ators were spotted, all of us got into the RIB in full readiness.

looking for animals, interacting with killer whales in the water,

The skipper swam as close as possible to the animals and when

returning to the sailing ship and resting.

we managed to find a family of killer whales who were curious

The whole group took an active part in the morning search

about our presence, we went down calmly into the water. It

for animals. Everyone was trying to spot black fins that could

was important to calmly and slowly enter the water and then

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sive tail. In the end, they collect unconscious victims, piece by piece. Interestingly, the killer whales do not swallow the herring whole. They bite each fish separately at the base of the head and, clenching their jaws appropriately, bite off only a part of the fish, leaving the head and bones in the water. wait for the whales to come closer to us. They are extremely

In November, Norwegian waters are 4°C, the outside tem-

intelligent creatures, curious about what is happening around

perature is -15°C and the winds blow quite often. In such con-

them, and whenever they feel like it and are not discouraged

ditions, a few hours on a RIB in soaked wetsuit sounds like

by loud splashes, they often interact with people.

madness. The body loses heat quickly and it can be really cold.

There have been individuals who were reluctant to interact

However, if you survive the Spartan conditions and are lucky on

and drifted away quickly, but there were occasions when a cu-

a given day, free diving among killer whales is a truly magical

rious pod would come closer and closer and, with a bit of luck,

experience. The photographer Julia Ochs, who was on board,

killer whales could be admired for a long time. The spectacle

described the event in this way: When I boarded the RIB, I was

everyone is waiting for is the moment when the killer whales

prepared that for the next hours I would not feel my fingers and toes.

hunt herring. Then the whole pod hunts for fish, the water be-

I knew that only the power of my mind could help me overcome the

comes cloudy from the remains, and happy divers can admire

drastic cold. At -16°C and in freezing winds, there was no doubt that

an unusual event up close, which sometimes lasts for hours.

it would be incredibly cold. Especially when you wear a 5-milimetre

The killer whale (Orcinus orca), undoubtedly the most dangerous predator of the oceans, is found in seas all over the

soaked wetsuit. I knew that as soon as I enter the water and the killer whales appear, I will forget about the cold. And so it was.

world. The Norwegian killer whale population is estimated at 2,000 individuals, making it the second largest killer whale pop-

ulation in the world. They feed mainly on herring, which in win-

LOCATION: Skjervøy, Norway

ter flows to the north of Norway in huge quantities. These pred-

SEASON: November (it is worth booking a place with the

ators are known for their interesting and sophisticated hunting

operator several months in advance)

strategies. When hunting herring, they use the methods called

ANIMALS TO SPOT: killer whales, humpback whales, fin

carousel fishing and lobtailing. The killer whales group a shoal

whales, less often pilot whales

of fish into a tight ball and wait for the right moment to attack.

EQUIPMENT: ABC, wet or dry suit

When this occurs, they stun the fish with a blow of their mas-

FLIGHT FROM POLISH: to Tromso and then by bus (3 hours)

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Singing Travelers Text and photos WOJCIECH JAROSZ

This time, I am going to invite you to the world of small and rarely noticed on a daily basis birds (this does not apply, of course, to ornithologists and 'birdwatchers'). We have visited this world several times with Perfect Diver (getting to know the bearded reedlings, PD No. 13, and the wagtails, PD No. 17) and we return to it to learn about the next species of bird, which we may be able to hear or even see while preparing for the next dive in inland waters.

including breeding, these birds prefer the covered with vegetation shores of water reservoirs, both flowing and stagnant water. Their preferences are therefore similar, to some extent, to those who love sports and water and aquatic activities. We, humans, rarely purposely get ourselves into reeds, but we take a bath, dive, sail or just walk right next to it. That's when we have a chance to meet these feathery inhabitants of the rushes. Most often we will hear them, as their songs and voices are an inherent element of the waterside natural surroundings. There will be time to write about the scratchy and loud singing of the great reed warbler (A. arundinaceus), probably in one of the next editions of PD (if the Editor-in-Chief finds this topic interesting for the Readers of the Magazine), so now let's focus on the sedge warbler and its singing. As is most common in birds, males sing. They do it in order to persuade the females to set up a nest together. In the case of birds of this species, it has been observed that

edge warblers (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) are birds

the nicer and more diverse the male singing, the greater the

of the Acrocephalidae family, i.e. a group of passerine

chances to arise interest of a representative of the slight-

birds that have taken a liking to the environment of

ly less beautiful sex (this is not a mistake, after all, in birds

wet open areas with high and compact vegetation, forming

the males are usually prettier). The variety of singing of male

primarily reed beds and sedges. As places of their existence,

sedge warblers consists in folding into one song a variety of

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ple, on sedge warbler's cousins – marsh warblers, indicate the fact that they imitate the singing of a huge number of species (over 200!), of which a slightly larger part concerns species found not in the breeding area, but on wintering grounds in distant Africa. Perhaps what is more important is the more creative juxtaposition of overheard phrases and song fragments compared to the rivals? Is it not the same as with us, people? After all, the poet uses the same words as each of us, and only in their selection and order of compilation lies the secret of the difference between Mickiewicz's Polish alexandrine and the call of the potato seller from the local market. Of course, the greater supply of words makes it easier for the poet to effectively express their intentions, so perhaps this is also the point of birds? I apologize to the experts of poetry and language science for gross simplifications and far-reach-

syllables and phrases that can be a copy of the singing of

ing ignorance, but such examples can sometimes activate our

various birds belonging to other species. It is the richness of

curiosity and imagination without requiring in-depth knowl-

the repertoire that is to be the decisive factor in the success

edge of the field they concern. Coming back to the birds and

in seducing the lady sedge warbler. Birders explain these ob-

to the Africa mentioned a few sentences earlier. It is there,

servations differently. One of the suggestions is that the male

more precisely in the sub-Saharan part, that European sedge

imitates in his singing mainly birds from the neighbourhood.

warblers overwinter. When they raise their young, and some-

If so, it means that he recognized the area well, and this may

times it is done twice during the season, they prepare for

translate into a deeper knowledge of places where there is

a long flight. And what preparations these are! Well, these

more food, and even which places will be the best in terms of

birds simply begin to eat without moderation. The goal is

setting up a nest there. The subject probably requires further

to quickly double the body weight and turn from a 10-gram

research, because the studies that were carried out, for exam-

bird to a 20-gram ball of feathers with a solid fat reserve. This

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biological clock, thanks to which they perfectly interpret the position of our Daily Star in the sky. In addition, birds are great observers and they remember and recognize specific places without errors, both during their stay in the breeding grounds and during their migrations. We still do not know everything about bird orientation, and although science is making great progress, also in the field of ecology and ethology of birds, still some water in the rivers will flow before we know all the bird secrets. I hope we will have the opportunity to do so, because the rate of extinction of insufficiently known species of organisms has not slowed down recently... So far, sedge warblers, fortunately, are still doing well, as their numbers are increasing. However, they require the protection of habitats, which is all because sedge warblers do not like to stop on their way.

is generally true for most species of birds and not only, from

In fact, they only make one stop in southern Europe, where

Europe and the whole world.

they replenish their supplies, and then in one jump (4,000

So how to distinguish a sedge warbler from other birds

km!) They move to the tropical regions of the Black Continent.

inhabiting similar biotopes? Certainly, the characteristic eye-

Sedge warblers have adopted a strategy of quickly covering

brow will be a clue here (I refer to the photos), but although

long distances, hence the need to accumulate the so-called

it is not extremely skittish, it will not always sit at such a dis-

migratory fat, which enables long-term active flight.

tance that you can look at it comfortably (that's why we take

While flying non-stop, they probably use different naviga-

binoculars for birds). However, we should not have a problem

tion systems at the same time. Researchers report that birds

hearing the males sing. To flawlessly assess that the heard

can use many complementary ways of orienting themselves

sing is emitted by the sound-forming apparatus (anatomically

in space. Not so long ago, it was even established how birds

called the larynx) of the sedge warbler, it is good to support

'see' the Earth's magnetic field, thanks to which they flaw-

yourself the first or second time with a bit of help (record-

lessly reach their destination – that is due to the presence

ings on the Internet) or an application for recognizing bird

of a photoreceptor protein from the group of the so-called

voices. An excellent tool was created by specialists from the

cryptochromes. Hitting the same nest box or reed clump af-

Cornell Lab of Ornithology – an application for mobile devices

ter traveling many thousands of kilometers seems surprising,

to download in places from where we usually download appli-

but the navigation of migrating birds is indeed excellent. Birds

cations. I recommend it because it works – I checked it many

also support themselves with astronavigation and a precise

times in the field.

PERFECTDIVER

No. 1(19)/2022

tips

& curiosities ACADEMY

What kind of divers are women?

Text WOJCIECH A. FILIP MY TWENTY YEARS AS A DIVING INSTRUCTOR TAUGHT ME THAT WELL-TRAINED WOMEN ARE BETTER DIVERS THAN MEN.

Photo Tomasz Płociński

municate their needs clearly, evaluate risk adequately

DIVING DOES NOT MAKE YOU SLIM

and… have no problem with saying they won’t do some-

I know, I should have written quite the opposite.

I won’t, because its only purpose would be to prove my point…

more on our way, a barbeque after the first dive not to lose

to men.

our strength and after the second dive we eat some more

hey are more focused during learning, usually com-

thing because they can’t or are afraid. I could give numerous examples to illustrate my words.

In today’s article, I’ll focus on a few things that might help women dive better. There are THREE AREAS worth reviewing to ensure diving comfort. Comfort, in this context, means safety, building the right

On a diving day, we spend only several dozen minutes in the water, but we have breakfast in the morning, eat some

to somehow endure the tough day. Of course, on the way back, we hit another bar at a gas station. Any attempts to calculate a negative balance of calories with two dives would require extreme and incurable optimism which would eventually yield to mathematics.

self-assessment and getting the most pleasure out of diving. KNOWLEDGE, EXPERTISE AND DIVING GEAR

1. Gear My gear is what they gave me, because this is only a beginners’

All of these areas impact each other, while all of them taken

course or my husband had bought new gear for himself and

together and each one separately will influence the comfort

gave me the old stuff or there’s no need to worry, because it

of female divers.

will be fine anyway.

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ACADEMY

A woman’s body is more complicated in shape, so the time you need to fit your gear appropriately should be longer than for men. This concerns the beginners’ course in particular and should become easier afterwards. Women have breasts. If they are bigger, there is no way for you to learn to dive in a typical jacket or a harness not fitted to a woman’s body. If you ignore this, you’ll be facing buoyancy control issues from the very beginning; your cylinder will slide to the sides and the comfort of the exercises you perform will be rather low. If diving is to mean pleasure, I presume you want to feel it from the very beginning – not only once you’ve actually learned how to do it. The time spent on learning the basics is critical for your future behavior in the water, so before you start a course, ask your instructor if you can get gear dedicated for women. Such gear exists and you shouldn’t accept the false theory saying you won’t need it in a swimming pool. Something is bothering you, is unstable, you can’t seem to control it – report it immediately and eliminate the problem. You must feel comfort and pleasure. CONCLUSION: There’s plenty of gear models designed specifically for women. If someone invites you to a course for women, demand such gear. If you are buying gear for yourself  choose gear for women. Photo Ash Embi

If you get your husband’s old gear  sell it and buy yourself gear for women!

Sounds familiar?

Always see if you can try the gear before buying it – it might

So, a moment of technical analysis through analogy:

happen that gear for women is such in name only.

You’re going to a party with friends you haven’t seen for several years. You’d do everything to look good, even if it’s going

2. Knowledge

to cost you continuously adjusting your clothes so that they

Women are among the best technical and cave divers. Any

won’t reveal what they shouldn’t, and your high heels are hurt-

woman can get maximum pleasure from the most complex

ing so much.

dives if she has the appropriate knowledge and skills.

You know best how costly is the magic behind getting ready and the continuous inspections to see if everything is OK during such a party.

Women often are more eager to learn – why should it be any different in diving? Women perceive technical topics differently. It means they

You know that as soon you’re back home, you’ll put on your

require an instructor who, instead of repeating the same be-

comfy pajamas, your tight shoes will stop hurting your feet,

cause he got used to the fact that this method works for the

your skin will start breathing without the make-up and your

male audience, will explain the matter in a clear manner. Such

belly will finally get some rest after being continuously pulled in.

an instructor will not only win some grateful female audience,

But how does this translate to diving gear?

but will also share all the knowledge with them, stimulating

A women’s diving gear MUST be as comfortable as your paja-

the ladies to explore the topic more in-depth. This calls for an

mas on the day you need some time all for yourself.

experienced teacher who has what it takes to explain topics

It must evoke only positive associations, whether in terms of comfort, performance or color.

related to physics and physiology in such a way to encourage learning them.

PERFECTDIVER

No. 1(19)/2022

tips

curiosities

ACADEMY

Photo Tomasz Płociński

If a woman cannot understand something, it means… she didn’t meet the right instructor.

Even the most complex diving topics need to be explained in a hopelessly simple manner so that it becomes

I know I’m simplifying greatly, but don’t let your instructors

clear for a female trainee who had never heard of them be-

be lazy and read out patterns from books. Each one of you is

fore. If this is not the case, you’re wasting your time or be-

different and requires a different, individualized approach. Af-

coming dangerous to yourself and other divers. Seek good

ter all – this is what you are paying for! So expect an adequate

instructors and require their full involvement. If you report

level of service.

that you don’t understand something and the instructor just repeats the same thing all over again instead of changing their explanation, this might mean he doesn’t under-

DIVING MAKES YOU SLIM

stand it very well either. From my own experience, I know

Wait a minute! It did not a moment ago – I DON’T UNDERSTAND!

this happens.

The diver's safety is influenced, among others, by the efficiency of their circulatory and respiratory system, as well as the amount of

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

fatty tissue. When diving, our body becomes saturated with differ-

Your safety underwater depends on how well you master the

ent gases. Our fatty tissue contains few blood vessels, which are

theory of diving.

responsible for transporting, among others, the gases dissolved in

Each time something is not clear, say: I DON’T UNDERSTAND!

the fat. The more fat you have, the more difficult it is to get rid of

1. The instructor is there for you to share his knowledge and

the gas, which may result in decompression sickness. Once the gas

this should be the goal of any training.

gets into your blood vessels, it must be efficiently expelled – which

If their purpose is to show who’s the instructor here – go

means that we decompress by breathing and for that we need

seek another instructor 

a healthy heart and healthy lungs.

2. Choose courses for women – the more the merrier.

Right… and in a nutshell?

3. Ask yourself whether you feel comfortable during the train-

Diving makes you slim if you prepare for diving through additional

ing – if not, change the instructor, break the pattern and

workout and working on your fitness in a conscious manner. Less

take the course in a different city or with another diving

body fat and being in better shape = increased safety.

center.

tips

& curiosities

ACADEMY

Photo Karola Takes Photos

3. Experience

Learn to react quickly if you loose gas supply to your drysuit.

It takes years to accumulate experience in diving – mostly be-

In both cases strong pressure may be exerted, causing the

cause… we dive sporadically.

implants to move.

Experience results from knowledge, gear and the number of

I had facial surgery

dives. If we dive with inaccurately chosen and poorly fitted gear

Get a mask that fits you well (inhaling air through your

from the very beginning of our diving career, this will shape

nose is not a method to choose a mask) and make sure you

our experience in a particular way. Remember: poorly chosen

are able to equalize pressure in the mask before you feel

gear will work to some extent, so you might conclude that “no

tightness.

one said it would be easy; after all, this is diving”. You might

I have permanent makeup

also hear some theoretical fun facts, like “a diving woman must

Get a mask with a wide glass and clear silicone rubber – it will

be tough”. All this creates a false belief that it just has to be

boost your eyes’ color and look great in photos 

that way.

I’m a technical diver, what about women’s decompression?

Build your experience based on gear that is carefully cho-

This is a complex topic that would require several extensive

sen and fitted to a woman, relying on knowledge you not only

articles. By nature, women have more fatty tissue than men

understand but also are able to use once in the water.

and are therefore more prone to the cutaneous form of DCS

Share information about good instructors, gear advisors

with longer dives. Consider a decompression strategy that al-

and groups of women who insist on diving to give them…

lows you to raise temperature in the second part of the dive,

pleasure.

including ascent (a full heated undersuit and pumping more

A few important things – technicalities for women

gas into your suit may help). I’m using ShePee for peeing underwater; what do I do during my period?

I have breast implants

Consider using a menstrual cup instead of a tampon – leaving

Get yourself a properly shaped harness, e.g. Tecline LADY.

all other things unchanged.

PERFECTDIVER

No. 1(19)/2022

tips

curiosities

ACADEMY

Photo Karola Takes Photos

Dear ladies! You have almost always made concessions, choosing solutions that often satisfy us men at the cost of your comfort. Once under water, there is no place for the “barefoot and pregnant” attitude, doing everything for others and putting yourself last. It cannot be the case for many reasons. One of the most important is that a conscious diver takes care for the safety of their own and of others, which means: ABSOLUTELY NO CONCESSIONS! …and since we declare that you are so important to us, it’s time to call the bet! As usual, take a moment to check out the Tecline Academy seminars dedicated exclusively for women. Let us know about the topics you would like to discuss – the rest will be there for you. PS (mostly important for men) Almost the entire article may also be applied to male divers. Just switch off that part of your everyday software with the bug making us think we’re better than women… 

https://teclinediving.eu/tecline-academy/#/ Photo Karola Takes Photos

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Perfect Diver Magazine 19 issue

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Shoals of herring, matriarchy of killer whales and humpback whales / Perfect Diver Magazine 19 issue

Singing Travelers / Perfect Diver Magazine 19 issue

DENÉE Belgian black marble mine/ Perfect Diver Magazine 19 issue

Pilot Whales from Tenerife / Perfect Diver Magazine 19 issue

Cuba - the Pearl of the Caribbean

Mauritius an Island of the Dodo Bird

What kind of divers are women? Perfect Diver Magazine 19 issue

Perfect Diver Magazine 19 issue