arth – land and water, freedom and life are gifts that should never be destroyed. Unfortunately, there is an ongoing war in Europe. Our aspiration, as nations and individuals, should be peace. Unquestionably.
Since we started publishing our magazine, we have paid great attention to the planet and ecology. We show its natural beauty, and each of you can participate in this. You can plan your own escapade or embark on an e-trip with us.
Before you is the 20th issue of our magazine. I would like to thank the authors of texts and photographs for their engagement and invite you to a real underwater feast.
We open with a colourful and interesting text by Ania Sołoducha about the Galapagos. In the last issue she introduced us to the climate of Ecuador, now she moves on to underwater details, and we all know that everyone would like to visit the Galapagos in person. Anyway, even without looking inside – the cover alone, designed by Łukasz Metrycki – arouses curiosity. Dragons really do exist, and the ones on the cover can swim and dive.
Next, we have the picturesque story of a safari through the Red Sea in Egypt. It is about space, the sea and... See for yourself what Sylwia Kosmalska-Juriewicz has written this time.
This issue introduces new authors: Krzysztof Brudkowski describing the Dominican Republic, Joanna Wyrebek (with her colleagues) with the text The Cavettes, Aleksandra Łysek – in relation to the recent text by Wojtek A. Filip on women.
There is something for wreck enthusiasts. Kurt Storms talks about the largest wreck in European waters, in Arenzano, Italy. A very interesting and substantive article by Jakub Banasiak about orcas can also be found in this issue, as well as something about long-tailed ducks, turtles, and the valves that every diver must use.
Don't forget to check the ads! The list of companies where you can get 15% discount with the code: perfectdiver has been extended!
Among them is FOFU – and more about it is in our conversation with Marek Kucharz. You are cordially invited!
DIVER WOJCIECH ZGOŁA ul. Folwarczna 37, 62-081 Przeźmierowo redakcja@perfectdiver.com
Wojciech Zgoła
Mateusz Popek
Karolina Sztaba
Hubert Reiss
Agnieszka Gumiela-Pająkowska Arleta Kaźmierczak
Reddo Translations Sp. z o.o. Piotr Witek
Lawyer Joanna Wajsnis Brygida Jackowiak-Rydzak
(Julieta Ulanovsky) Open Sans (Ascender Fonts) Noto Serif, Noto Sans (Google)
WOJCIECH ZGOŁA
He often repeats that he travels by diving and that is his motto. In 1985 he obtained a yacht sailor's license, and only in 2006 began to dive. In the following years he improved his skills by obtaining the Dive Master degree. He completed nearly 650 dives in various climatic conditions. Since 2007, he has been taking photographs underwater, and since 2008 he has also been filming. As an independent journalist, he published dozens of articles, mainly in journals dedicated to diving, but not only. Co-author of photo exhibitions in Poland and abroad. He is passionate about and propagator of diving. Since 2008 he has been running his own website www.dive-adventure.eu. On the basis of extensive experience, in August 2018 he created the new Perfect Diver Magazine
”My passion, work and life are under water.” He has been diving since 2009. Since 2008, he's walking in caves. Underwater archeologist by education. He participated in numerous projects in Poland and abroad. He has been engaged in professional diving since 2011. In 2013 he obtained the qualifications of a 2nd class diver. Has experience in underwater work both at sea and inland. Since 2013 he has been diving in caves, especially in the mountains, and since 2014 he is a diving instructor CMAS M1. In June 2020, he obtained a doctoral degree in underwater archeology.
An IT specialist by profession, but a flesh and blood salesman who is not afraid of any job. Diving has always been my big dream. At the beginning it was supposed to be a challenge, a short episode but it turned out to be a passion for the end of the world and one day longer. Under water I react and rest. As a Divemaster, sidemount Razor diver, and recently also a photographer, I realize my dreams by admiring and immortalizing the beauty of the underwater world. "Passion breeds professionalism, professionalism gives quality, and quality is a luxury in life. Nowadays, especially..."
Karolina Sztaba, and professionally Karola Takes Photos, is a photographer by education and passion. She is currently working at the Trawangan Dive Center on a tiny island in Indonesia – Gili Trawangan, where she moved to live four years ago. She photographs above and below the water. In addition, she creates photographic projects against littering the oceans and polluting our planet with plastic ("Trapped", "Trashion"). She cooperates with NGO organizations dealing with environmental protection and actively participates 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.
MATEUSZ POPEK
HUBERT REISS
KAROLA TAKES PHOTOS
Has more than 8000 dives on his account. He has been diving for over 30 years, including over 20 years as a technical diver. He is a professional with great theoretical and practical knowledge. He is an instructor of many federations: GUE Instructor Mentor, CMAS**, IANTD nTMX, IDCS PADI, EFR, TMX Gas Blender. He participated in many diving projects and conferences as a leader, explorer, originator or lecturer. These included the Britannic Expedition 2016, Morpheus Cave Scientific Project on Croatia caves, GROM Expedition in Narvik, Tuna Mine Deep Dive, Glavas Cave in Croatia, NOA-MARINE. Professionally, he is a technical director at TecLine in Scubatech, and a director of training at TecLine Academy.
Polish photographer, winner of awards and distinctions in world underwater photography competitions, has already dived all over the world: with sharks and whales in South Africa, with orcs behind the Arctic Circle, on Galapagos with hundreds of hammerhead sharks and humpback whales in the Tonga Islands. He participates in specialist photographic workshops. He has been diving for 27 years, he started at the age of 12 – as soon as it was formally possible. He was the first in the world to use the Hasselblad X1d-50c camera for underwater macro photography. Recently, in the remote Chincorro archipelago on the border between Mexico and Belize, he did it again, taking a successful attempt to photograph the eye of a crocodile with a macro lens with an additional magnifying lens, which is the world's largest photo of the crocodile's eye living in the wild (in terms of pixel count, print size, quality).
A graduate of Geography faculty at the University of Wrocław and an incurable optimist… with a permanent smile on her lips! It was probably Destiny that led her to Activtour… and she's been here on permanent basis. She passionately fulfils the dreams of many, organizing diving trips around the world, and she has already been diving for more than half of her life. Each year she explores a different ‘piece of the ocean’, pinning another pin to her diving world map. In winter she changes fins into her beloved skis and gets away into the Alps. A recipe for life? ”The only a dead trunk flows with the current – the explorer's canoe flows up the river!” anna@activtour.pl activtour.pl; travel.activtour.pl; 2bieguny.com
"Wet photos" – He has photographed since he remembers. After several years of experience as a diver, he wanted to keep memories of underwater dives. He bought his first compact camera with an underwater housing. Over time, however, the desire to have the best photo began to dominate, which was not quite possible with the compact he used. That's why he switched to the Olympus PEN E-PL 5 reflex camera, which allows the use of several different lenses. He uses a combination of underwater flashes and lights. He focuses on wildlife photography, not arrangement. He photographs in fresh domestic waters as well as in the seas and oceans of the world.
He has already won numerous awards at Czech and foreign photography competitions. More photos can be found on his website, where you can also buy them not only as photos, but also as photos printed on canvas or on another medium. www.mokrefotky.cz
Laura Kazimierska is currently working as PADI Course Director at TrawanganDive Center on the Indonesian island of Gili Trawangan. Founder of the Divemastergilis portal.
www.divemastergilis.com @divemastergilis
For over 7 years she has lived and discovered the underwater world of Indonesia. She is not only an avid technical diver, but also the face of the Planet Heroes platform and the ambassador of the Ocean Mimic brand. She actively contributes to the promotion of the protection of corals and the natural environment of fish and marine animals by taking part in scientific projects, campaigns against ocean littering and cooperating with NGOs in Indonesia. @laura_kazi
Since I was a child, I had dreamed of becoming a marine biologist and I managed to fulfill that dream. I did a degree in oceanography, where I recently started my doctoral studies. My diving adventure began when I was 12 years old. I love observing the underwater life up close and I try to show other divers how fascinating the underwater, Baltic creatures are.
WOJCIECH A. FILIP
ANNA SOŁODUCHA
AGATA TUROWICZ-CYBULA
MICHAL ČERNÝ
JAKUB DEGEE
LAURA KAZIMIERSKA
WOJCIECH JAROSZ
A graduate of two Poznan universities, the Academy of Physical Education (coaching specialization – handball) and the University of A.Mickiewicz, Faculty of Biology (specialty of experimental biology). He connected his professional life with this first university trying to influence the direction of development of future professionals on the one hand, and on the other planning and implementing research, pushing laboriously in the right direction of the stroller called science. In his free time he spends his time actively – his main passions are sailing (sea helmsman), skiing (downhill skiing instructor), riding a motorcycle, recreational diving and many other activities, as well as photography, mainly nature.
SYLWIA KOSMALSKA-JURIEWICZ
A traveller and a photographer of wild nature. A graduate of journalism and a lover of good literature. She lives in harmony with nature, promotes a healthy lifestyle: she is a yogini and a vegetarian. Also engaged in ecological projects. Sharks and their protection are especially close to her heart. She writes about the subject in numerous articles and on her blog www.divingandtravel.pl. She began 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.
AGNIESZKA KALSKA
”I can't imagine living without water, where in a free body I experience freedom of the spirit.”
• founder of the first freediving and swimming school in Poland – FREEBODY,
• Apnea Academia International and PADI Master Freediver freediving instructor,
• world record holder in freediving (DYN 253 m),
• record holder and Polish champion, member of the national team in freediving 2013–2019,
• winner of the World Championships in freediving 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018,
• multimedalist of the Polish Championships and a member of the national team in swimming in the years 1998–2003,
• passionate about freediving and swimming.
BARTOSZ PSZCZÓŁKOWSKI
That's my name and I come from Poznań. I have been associated with water practically from birth and with diving since I learned to walk. My grandfather instilled my passion for the underwater world, a CMAS*** instructor taking me to the lakes at any free time. I obtained my first qualifications in 1996. A year later I went to Croatia and literally went crazy at the sight of blue water, octopus and colorful fish;) I bought my first underwater camera – Olympus 5060 and started the adventure with underwater photography. I acquired my diving experience in the Canary Islands, Sardinia, Norway, Maldives and in Polish lakes. I am currently a Padi and ESA instructor, I train diving enthusiasts in Europe and pass my passion on to others.
I invite all lovers of the underwater world and photography to Beediver (FB) – see you soon.
IRENA KOSOWSKA
Regional Manager Divers Alert Network Polska, diving and first aid instructor, technical diver and cave diver. In love with all flooded, dark, cold, tight places and invariably from the beginning of the diving route – in the Baltic. Implementing the DAN mission, he conducts a series of lectures ”Dive safely” and Diving Safety Laboratory, so field research of divers for scientific purposes.
Diver from 2008. Passionate of the Red Sea and pelagic ocean predators. Devoted to the idea of protecting dolphins, sharks and whales. He dives mainly where you can meet these animals and monitor the level of their well-being. Member of Dolphinaria-Free Europe Coalition, volunteer at Tethys Research Institute and Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit, associate of Marine Connection. For 10 years he has been involved in research on wild dolphin populations and audits dolphinariums. Together with the team ”NO! For the Dolphinarium” he prevents dolphins from captivity and promotes knowledge about dolphin therapy unsaid or concealed by centers which make money on this form of animal therapy.
PADI diving instructor and videographer. She spends most of his time in the water documenting a fascinating underwater world. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in the field of Fashion Design in Łódź and Film studies at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, trained as a tailor, and with a love of nature and a large dose of adrenaline. She loves everything related to water. Her diving adventure began with a backpacking trip in 2016. During her stay in Thailand she dived for the first time and from then on she got hooked on at this sport. Spending the last years and most of her days under water, teaching and showing the beauty of the underwater world in Asia, she believes that diving means unity –unity with own mind, nature and unusual creatures. @waterographyk
Belgium Military, underwater cave explorer and active technical/ cave/ rebreather diving instructor for IANTD. He started his diving career in Egypt on vacation, and his passion continues. Kurt is also the founder and CEO of Descent Technical Diving.
He dives on several CCRs such as AP, SF2, Divesoft Liberty SM. Kurt is involved in the creation of the document about the new salt mine in Belgium (Laplet). This project was featured in the news on Nationale TV. Privately, Kurt's true passion is deep cave diving. His wife (Caroline) shares her husband's passions and also dives in caves. In his free time, he visits Belgian slate mines, and when he is not exploring, he takes his camera to document the dives.
Joanna (Jojo) got into diving later in life (in 2014) but quickly fell in love and decided to share that passion with others by becoming an instructor a couple of years later... ...more in article The Cavettes, page 50.
JAKUB BANASIAK
KLAUDYNA BRZOSTOWSKA KURT STORMS
JOANNA WYREBEK
"Sitting at home is the greatest punishment" is my motto.
I am an enthusiast of all kinds of activities: diving, motorcycling, cycling, climbing, etc. I have been diving with aqualung for 10 years, 3 of which as a dive instructor. Overhead environments have been my main travel destinations for a long time. I fulfill my little dream of being a camera reporter in an underwater housing looking for thrills and spectacular landscapes. Black drysuit makes me look like a very serious technical diver, but those cylinders and colorful bungie rubber inserts quickly dispel that illusion ;)
A legal advisor by profession, trying to help, not win at all costs. A fan of warm climates and blue water. He started diving in 2018 as a development of his favorite snorkeling. He now plans almost every trip to get his fins wet somewhere. His teenage son Damian is his partner in diving. Recently, he has been watching the underwater world through the camera's viewfinder, wanting to preserve fleeting memories. He has reached the Deep Diver level in diving and it probably will not end there.
I started diving when I was 11 years old and knew immediately that this is what I want to do with my life. I managed to combine business with pleasure and for five years I have been working in the Nurkersi diving center and the shop szpejownia.com, and recently I am a divemaster. On weekends, I change my office work to underwater work – swimming with new divers, shows them what the underwater world looks like outside the course. It is with great pleasure that I share my experience, insights and comments with them. I am also a Tecline regulator service technician and I am an authorized equipment advisor. On a daily basis, I am studying management in the second year.
KRZYSZTOF BRUDKOWSKI
ALEKSANDRA ŁYSEK
MICHAŁ ANTONIUK
Galapagos
THE REPUBLIC OF ANIMALS
Text ANNA SOŁODUCHA
Land photos JAROSŁAW GOŁEMBIEWSKI
Underwater photos ŁUKASZ METRYCKI
Man! Dive under the water. If the beauty you see does not thrill you – then you will see nothing more interesting in your life.
Sit down comfortably. Place your hands between the stones or sit on the edge of the rocks as if you were going to fish. Alternating cold and warm currents caress your face, the only part of your body exposed to the "precious Pacific". Water temperature... nobody said it would be easy. The visibility – well, it has been better. You sit still, contemplating. You enjoy the silence. You glance at your dive partners playfully attached to the rocks, then at the computer and the manometer. Theoretically, you know what to expect. But in practice, as we (divers) know, things can be different. And then happens what you are waiting for, what I was waiting for 10 years. What I read, wrote, told while organizing diving trips. Pictures that I knew by heart from various websites. What was my dream, so distant and for many years – unattainable. What 20 years ago, completing my first OWD course – I did not even dream about.
TONS OF SHARKS. HAMMERHEAD SHARKS. Not a few, or a dozen, to be admired for a few minutes, usually at great depth. This was the "water march" of the rulers of this land, the republic of animals. Several dozens of them were swimming over our heads for 20–30 minutes, in fact, until we had to continue diving and leave this spectacle. It was pure magic, a phenomenon. 2-3-meter-long hammerheads were swimming endlessly in front of us and I...? I felt accomplished.
1000 km from the Ecuadorian mainland, 1600 km from Panama and 960 km from Cocos Island lie the Enchanted Islands. In the 16th century, a fleeing ship from Peru under the command of Diego de Rivadeneira was carried away by currents near the equator. The sailors could see the islands, but due to the strong current and wind, they could not approach any of them. This phenomenon made the islands seem to move away, as if they were "enchanted". Yes, these were the Galapagos Islands...
What we see is just the tip of a gigantic shield volcano rising 10,000 meters from the ocean floor, formed solely of basalt. About 5 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions created a chain of islands. The islands are located on so-called hotspots, from which magma flows to form underwater volcanoes that grow larger with each eruption. From the merging of their foothills, an underwater platform was formed – the Galapagos Platform. Some volcanoes have risen out of the water to form islands and islets, and the most important islands in the archipelago include Isabela (which
is an exception because it is formed by 6 volcanoes!), San Cristobal, Fenrnandina, Santa Cruz, Floreana, San Salvador, 13 medium-sized islands and 215 small islands. The uplifting process constantly continues due to the Nazca Plate sliding under the South American and Cocos Plates. The archipelago lies at their junction – the node of the triple Galapagos.
Interestingly – as a result of tectonic movements, the islands are moving in a north-easterly direction at the rate of 7 cm per year! The latest eruptions took place in 2018 – the Sierra Negra volcano on Isabela (this is one of the widest craters on Earth, 10 km in diameter!), and in 2021 – on Wolf Island, which is also the highest peak of the Galapagos (1707 m).
Galapagos is a special place. 97% of the archipelago is covered by the National Park status (since 1959) and in 1978, the islands were entered into the UNESCO list. In 2007, the archipelago was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, but the immense work that has been put into conservation programs is still having the desired effect. What immediately draws your attention upon arrival is the fact that the animals
are not afraid of humans, even though they have made their presence felt during their relatively short stay on the islands. Sea lions and Galápagos fur seals were killed for their furs, giant turtles that can live for months without food and drink were sent as food to whalers and pirates, and gentle iguanas were hunted with sticks. The days of killing have thankfully passed into history. Strict restrictions to ensure that nothing that could disrupt the delicate balance enters the islands begin at the airports on San Cristobal Island and Baltra Island. So, to get to this unique place – we must first get to Ecuador, to the city of Quito (the capital) or to Guayaquil. If we are not planning to stay in Ecuador longer than one day, I recommend a flight to Guayaquil. Quito is located at an altitude of 2,800 m, which unfortunately causes altitude sickness in most travellers. If we combine this with diving – we may not feel very comfortable on our dream trip. If, however, we plan to visit the land part of Ecuador – you can safely choose the capital as a stop on the trip, before departing for the Galapagos. Before the flight, however, travellers must fill out a dec-
laration with information on how much time they will spend in the Galapagos and whether they have plants, animals, or tourist equipment in their luggage. The contents of suitcases are very carefully checked – after all, in the sleeping bag or in the soles of trekking boots there may be seeds of invasive plants. It is mandatory to pay the entry fee to the Galapagos National Park in the amount of 100 USD/person and purchase a tourist card. The uniqueness of this place manifests itself from the moment of arrival. The airport on Baltra Island, which is separated from Santa Cruz Island by the Itabaca Channel –was the first airport in the world to be certified as having zero CO2 emissions! It is the first of its kind to be fully powered by renewable energy. The airport, located on a small, uninhabited island, gets its energy from solar panels, which cover 35% of its energy needs. The remaining 65% is provided by wind turbines. Recycled materials, such as steel pipes from the oil industry, were used to build the facility. Because of the low rainfall in Baltra, the water used at the airport comes from a natural desalination process carried out by plants, which is handled by a unit called Ecogal. The airport also uses natural lighting and underground air ducts to provide air conditioning for the premises. The island itself (Baltra) is formed by the uplift of undersea lava flows. It is dry, overgrown by the saltbush, prickly pear, and the famous Palo Santo trees. It is also interesting to note that during World War II, a U.S. Air Force base was established there to protect the Panama Canal. After the end of World War II, the base was handed over to the Ecuadorians who dismantled much of the buildings, although the outlines of their foundations are still visible from the air. Why is it that in the Galapagos, no one pays attention to wild animals in the urban centres? The answer is simple. There are a lot more of them in the
The islands are at the intersection of 7 major ocean currents which makes the local marine life is unique.
water! The Galapagos is still one of the most active volcanic regions in the world, which along with its isolated location creates a unique marine fauna environment. The islands are at the intersection of 7 major ocean currents which makes the local marine life is unique. The biggest influence on the ecosystem is the Equatorial Current (Cromwell) which brings cool water masses from the west, the warm Panama Current bathes the archipelago from the northeast and the cool Peru Current (Humboldt) brings "Garúa" or cold air masses, forming a cloud cap over the islands. Each attracts different species, creating a rare mix of tropical, subtropical, and temperate marine life. Diving in the Galapagos is not for everyone. Water in this place can be turbid, and currents very strong. Diving here does not resemble diving in tropical waters in a variety of the most popular choice for divers. Drift diving in the depths is often prohibited. Although it seems indisputable to prepare yourself reef hooks – diving guides at the first briefing strongly advise against taking them underwater. Here we will not find the edge of the reef where we can hang on the hook and levitate in the water to watch the underwater spectacle. Besides, being attached to a hook a few meters above the bottom – sharks simply won't come up to us. This is not a dive
for the faint-hearted; the water can be icy, is rarely calm, and horizontal and vertical currents – ascending or descending – happen basically on every dive. For this reason, each diver is given a GPS locator (Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS) for the duration of the diving safari which, after an activation procedure, emits a signal that is received at a distance of 55 km by all boats using the automatic identification system (AIS). There are significant climatic changes between summer and winter. The warmest months are from December to May, when the weather can be considered subtropical, or even tropical in the north. From June to December is the cold season, during which you can witness unusual anomalies such as huge clouds of fog around Roca Roddonda. All of this is mixed together by global climate change, the unpredictable effects of changing ocean currents and the fact that each island has its own microclimate. What attracts divers from around the world, however, is the possibility (and actually a guarantee!) to see large representatives of marine species: hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, silky sharks, barracudas, manta rays, iguanas, or sea lions! The best time to see the largest animals is in winter – when they are attracted to cooler waters. Whale sharks begin to appear in late May when the water tempera-
ture drops to about 15°C. When the temperature warms up to 27°C – we have a chance to meet manta rays. However, no matter what time of year you arrive in the Galapagos, thermoclines are a serious problem. One moment you’re swimming in 25°C, and the next second it drops to... 12 degrees! I am not joking ;) It also has a terrible effect on visibility, so it's hard to predict what time is the best to go. However, it is commonly believed that the best time is when the seasons change, so November-December, and April-June.
LET'S DIVE!
The dive safari gives you the opportunity to explore the dive sites located at the different islands of the archipelago. We dive off the island of Santa Cruz, at the site of Punta Carrión. The first impression – cold! However, after a while I stop thinking about it completely, because my eyes see mola mola, which in Latin means "millstone" and is supposed to describe its shape. It is the largest bony fish in the world! This several-metre-long fish weighs up to two tonnes. Its brain is the size of a peanut. From the depth of up to 200 m, where the temperature falls below 12°C, the sunfish come to the water surface several times a day. This is because the sunfish can regulate their
body temperature in a way that allows them to warm up even seven times faster than they cool down. So, they swim up and down several times a day, spend a while at the surface, and then return to the depths to continue a long hunt. The second reason for staying close to the water surface is to be able to get rid of parasites. The body of a sunfish is not covered with scales, but with a thick and flexible skin, which is why it is so often attacked by parasites, even up to 40 different kinds. Some species of birds, including albatrosses, have been observed to peck and then eat parasites from their skin, thus cleaning it. The cleansing process takes place when the sunfish "lays down" on the surface of the water. It is also commonly said that these strange fish swim weakly and slowly, but this is not true – they move well ;) Very important in the Galapagos (and not only) is not to swim up to the animals, and even more so to the mola mola. The guides explain that if we want to be close to them – we should not swim or move – they will come to us. And this is exactly what happened Yet how quickly we found an exception to the rule... Sea lions (Galápagos sea lions) are another species we had the opportunity to see in this unique place. These amazing acrobats even demand to be played with – and here, contrary to everything we had
previously stated – we have to be active, play with them and show interest ;) Galápagos sea lions are an endemic species. They delight in performing various acrobatic feats, which are an incredible attraction for divers. Their flexible body allows them to turn, twist and dodge quickly. When the sea lions have finished playing, they look away from the diver as if waiting for applause, or they start imitating him by blowing bubbles. They also like to play with various marine flora and fauna, such as starfish or red-lipped batfish (but more on that later), they may even be tempted by a diver's fin! However, be wary of male sea lions protecting their territory and harem. The female sea lions that we met many times on the dives, apart from playing with us – also played with each other. These were such incredibly close and charming encounters that will remain in our memories for a long time.
Isabela, the largest island in the seahorse-shaped archipelago, forms a barrier between the Pacific Ocean and the other Galapagos islands. Through its location, it divides the currents
in such a way that entering the water on its western shore is like stepping into an ice bath. The cold Cromwell Current flows around it from the west, striking the islands of Isabella and Fernandina before heading north to Cape Marshall and Roca Rodonda. Combined with the fact that the volcanoes in this region are still active, this creates another mini ecosystem, as we find when diving off both of the above islands. Squeezed between rocks, boulders, or chasms we find moray eels – in numbers so huge that we meet several of them on basically every dive. This is the first dive site where within a week I saw an incredible number of different species of moray eels, often in shimmering yellow and gold colours, such as palenose moray, jewel moray, whitemouth moray, yellow-edged moray, mosaic moray or dark-skinned species such as panamic green moray, fine-spotted moray, and hourglass moray. They are 2–3 m long and hide only their heads in the rocks, while the rest of their body remains in plain sight. Do they think we cannot see them? ;)
The Galapagos is a Mecca for endemic species. During one dive, you can see several species of marine fauna which you have never seen before in your life. A perfect example is the Galapagos bullhead shark, also known as the Peruvian horn shark. The large head, upturned snout and dark spots on the grey-brown skin give this fish the appearance of a bizarre, skinny hybrid of a leopard and a pig ;) Relatively large pectoral fins add to its distinctive appearance and allow this shark to... crawl on the ocean floor!!! All these attributes may make it seem dangerous, but beware – its maximum body length is only 105 cm! It is small and completely harmless. The Galapagos bullhead shark has two types of teeth. The small front teeth are hooked for grabbing prey such as crabs, while the side teeth are flat, ideal for crushing and grinding shells. The two small dorsal fins have a sharp spine that helps to deter predators. However, this does not prevent the species from often being eaten by the much larger, aggressive tiger shark. This shark resides on sandy bottoms, near rocks – and that's where we encountered it!
The strangest creature I encountered in the Galapagos was a fish called red-lipped batfish. This creature lives from a few metres to 76 metres deep, reaches a maximum length of about 25 cm and can be found in the waters around the Galapagos Islands and in Peru. The red-lipped batfish looks like an elderly lady, an aristocrat, or an unfulfilled actress who has had her five minutes but is still trying to attract attention by wearing strong make-up. The second association is as if she just drank the blood of her victim and did not wipe her mouth ;) All thanks
The Galapagos is a Mecca for endemic species. During one dive, you can see several species of marine fauna which you have never seen before in your life.
to its pouted, almost fluorescent red lips and bulging eyes. This animal is additionally equipped with a special lure for bait placed in front of its eyes. It grows out of the dorsal fin and releases special chemicals. Instead of swimming, this fish usually moves awkwardly along the seabed using its fins, which have special tabs and look just like limbs. Although this fish looks downright ghastly, it poses no danger to humans. In addition, various other species of fish are very common here – variously coloured frogfish, pufferfish, scorpionfish, or stingrays such as the Peruvian torpedo ray. The Galapagos can surprise you. Every dive, of which there were four in one day, we encountered a whole lot of fantastic creatures. The kinds we really dreamed
of seeing. During one of the dives, just after playing with the sea lions, we saw a "projectile" falling into the water. This projectile was a cormorant. A flightless cormorant, which has completely lost the ability to fly, is very clumsy on land, but is a great swimmer! There are only 800 pairs in the world, so if you see one, you are very lucky! The bird drops into the water like a stone, chases its prey and rushes with it to the surface to satisfy its hunger on land. The sight was so surreal that we felt like we were on a film set.
Reptiles occupy one of the most important places in the underwater world of the Galapagos. The most famous endemic species is the marine iguana studied by the renowned Charles Darwin. It is the only lizard in the world with the unique ability to feed in the sea –it feeds on food found in the seabed.
If you're lucky, you can see these exotic creatures inhabiting the volcanic rocky coastline, basking in the sun near the islands of Punta Espinosa or Fernandina during the warm afternoon hours. The most fun, however, is seeing them dive and eat the algae that grows on the underwater rocks. Dives with iguanas are very shallow – the sun's rays cut through the surface of the water beautifully illuminating the marine iguanas. The surface waves and currents don't make it easy for us to observe these unusual animals, but the whole phenomenon is so mesmerising that we stay with them for a whole hour. Interestingly, they have the ability to slow their heart rate and stay underwater for about 60 minutes! The reptiles are often compared to dragons, when they expel clouds of steam from their nostrils, getting rid of excess salt, which looks really threatening... Well – the iguana, after all, is the royal lady of this phenomenal land...
We spent our days mostly underwater, as it happens during a diving safari. However, one afternoon we went on an excursion, conquering Bartolomé Hill. The volcanic black sand island is a great stop on the journey between the central and western islands of the Archipelago and what cannot yet be seen on the horizon. On the island, we were greeted by sea lions lounging in the sun, completely uninterested in the arriving guests. We climbed up the path prepared for tourists. The view we saw is probably the most characteristic landscape of the Galapagos, often seen on the Internet, or decorating the illustrations of tourist guidebooks. In a word – breathtaking.
An expedition to the Galapagos is a journey off the beaten track, to places where nature takes the spotlight. Under water we have already seen a whole range of creatures unique to the world. However, what I was looking forward to the most in the world was somewhere far away, where sight does not reach. Somewhere in the distance, two islands were waiting for us, without which diving in Galapagos would not make sense – Wolf and Darwin...
To be continued…
Far south
Text SYLWIA KOSMALSKA-JURIEWICZ
Photos ADRIAN JURIEWICZ
Adelicate light penetrates the blind and falls with all its power through a rectangular window into the cabin number 5. I watch through my sleepy, slightly tilted eyelids, as the rays of the morning sun dance on my sheets. Yesterday night late we arrived at the Port of Ghalib in Mars Alam in the south-eastern part of Egypt, from where today after breakfast we set sail on a week-long dive safari on the Red Sea. We took the ST. JOHN’S ROUTE, which offers a unique variety, beautiful caves, phenomenal canyons, a rich coral reef. We sail to the far south, which is ideal in terms of difficulty for both advanced divers and those who are just starting their adventure with diving. The Grand Sea Serpent is a 45 meters long, new and very comfortable boat that a few months ago set sail on her first voyage.
I hear the sound of a bell, which shyly comes from the upper deck, and after a while a dynamic knock at the cabin door. It is a message from the crew that there is half an hour left till the morning, organisational briefing. Such wake-up calls will be repeated every day during the whole cruise. I take a quick shower with a view of the sea and after a while I am ready to happily enter the last day of the old year. After breakfast, we screw together the diving equipment, choose ballast and hang foams and dry suits on specially designed hangers. Moments before twelve o'clock the moorings are unhooked, Grand Sea Serpent sails majestically from the port to the open sea, swinging slightly to the sides. The weather is favourable, the air temperature exceeds the pleasant 24°C, and the water is 23°C. A gentle wind from the south gently wrinkles the surface of the water, from which on the horizon emerge the dorsal fins of the dolphins. Their appearance always brings us a lot of joy. Dolphins are like promises, promises of a successful voyage.
Every place you visit becomes, in a sense, a part of you, an important part of your extraordinary story. You won't know what it is really like on a dive safari until you stand on the boat yourself and go on a journey in unknown waters...
We do the first two dives in the vicinity of Mars Alam, exactly 17 km from the shores of SHAAB MARS ALAM (here we do a check dive) and SHAAB SHARM, these two locations teem with marine life, and a beautiful coral reef, rising straight from the sandy bottom. After jumping into the water, I immediately thanked inwardly my friend who had advised me to take a dry suit with me. Both during the whole dive and after leaving the water, I feel thermal comfort, in contrast to some people who dive in 5 mm foams and cool down significantly in the water.
After finishing the second dive, the dining room on the deck of the boat changed beyond recognition, it had colourful chains and chubby balloons hanging from the ceiling. To our surprise, there was also a Christmas tree decorated with balls and lights. On the wall there was a large banner announcing the arrival of the New Year 2022.
We start the New Year's Eve party early with a gala dinner, where we appear on time at 8 p.m. dressed in evening outfits. We get Santa hats with the red twinkling inscription: 2022. In excellent company and bubbly moods, we celebrate an unfor-
gettable time on board a boat moored in the Red Sea under a starry sky. We welcome the New Year with bubbles of champagne accompanied by the song "I ciebie tez" by Podsiadlo, wishing each other good wishes. Some people decided to dive under the surface of the water at midnight o'clock to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. A little after midnight, the captain turned off all the lights on the boat. When the "Egyptian darkness" reigned, the sky shone with a million stars, showing the Milky Way and numerous constellations. We received a beautiful New Year's gift, the cosmos showed us its beauty in all its perfection.
The next day, at dawn, we arrived at a place known as HABILI ALI in the area of St. John’s Island, after last night's celebration, there's only one person who apart from us that has woken up for a morning dive. We jump into the sea straight from the boat and slowly dive under the surface of the water, accompanied by the rays of the rising sun, which like star swords cross crystal clear water. Various corals, including huge orange and pink gorgons, they grow a steep, rocky wall sinking into the sea. We sail at a depth of about twenty-five meters, and below us appear two large size blacktip sharks. We're going the same way. It looks like we have gone diving together this morning, we have gone on a New Year's dive. I look down, I look at them, I like to watch them, watch their beautiful, agile, streamlined bodies. We swim along the oval wall, millions of red-orange anthias fish surround us from all sides, and when we try to get close to them, they hide nimbly in the reef, and after a while
they emerge from it again. The spiky lionfish poses for a picture against the background of an orange gorgon, and a dappled moraine carries out its hygienic treatments by inviting to is muzzle some cleaner fish so that they can clean its mouth. Life under the surface of the water flows according to its uninterrupted rhythm, which only a man can disturb when he or she forgets for a moment that he or she is only a guest here...
On the same day we do three more dives, one in GOTTA KABIRA, a place famous for its caves, tunnels and numerous clearances in the rocks. We also have two dives (a night dive included) in DANGER REEF, one of the most beautiful reefs on our route, which is full of anemones.
ABU GALAWA SOGHAYR is located twelve kilometres from Wadi Lahami in the western part of the Fury Shoals. This place is characterised by a very good water transparency, minute currents and shallow depth, which makes it a very attractive location for people with little diving experience. At the foot of the reef at sixteen meters, resting on the right side lies the wreck of a small sailing yacht, which immediately catches our attention. Its name and date of sinking are unknown. The synthetic structure was adopted by sea creatures, which settled in its interior. Based on their growth, marine researchers date the sinking of the yacht to around 1982. It can be accessed, but it is best to see it from the outside because there is very little space inside, which may damage the corals. Not only is the wreck a unique attraction of this location, but it is also a beautiful canyon whose coral walls split the reef in half. Spotted stingrays
rest on the sandy bottom beneath the corals. When I get close to them, their enormous eyes are staring at me, I'm not coming too close not to scare them off. We swim through the canyon slowly, floating, levitating over coral blocks to fully enjoy their beauty. I stay slightly behind, hang motionless, try to grasp and embrace the perfection of this place, which delights not only with its form, but also with the colours and diversity of life. The rays of the setting sun envelop the coral reef with their warm orange-yellow glow. I feel like I'm in an underwater temple, the
Life under the surface of the water flows according to its uninterrupted rhythm, which only a man can disturb when he or she forgets for a moment that he or she is only a guest here...
sanctuary made up by the water, the sea creatures and the light . It is amazing how quickly the sun sets after our ascent, how it instantly dissolves in the sea, leaving a pink glow in the sky for a moment.
Mindfulness can be learned, the underwater world is an excellent teacher, it is enough to immerse yourself under the surface of the water and allow yourself to be present here and now in this one moment in which so much is happening. We disappear underwater at a place called ST. JOHAN’S CAVE.
Once a wise man told me:
“The bigger fool you make of yourself, the more interesting you will be for dolphins.”
We jump into the sea from a boat, the water temperature is 24°C, this is the second dive we do that day. Immediately after immersion, we reach the cone-shaped reef. Due to the strong current, for a while we sail just above the bottom along the beautiful reef formations, and after a while we rise higher where the wide entrance to one of two caverns. The opening is wide, but we go in one at a time. The transparency of the water is excellent, the walls of the cave are covered with both soft and hard corals, in which small shoals of fish have hidden. A pair of yellow-coloured Chaetodontidae fishes are watching us closely, we are watching one another for a while. Some creatures, such as crocodile fish or stingrays, rest on the sand in stillness. A bright light penetrates through the cracks and holes in the rocks to the inside of the cave and fills it with luminous streaks, the view is spectacular. We do not use flashlights, it is very bright, we swim slowly so as not to stir up the sandy bottom. Crossing the entire route in the underwater system of caves and tunnels takes us about 30 minutes. After leaving them, we stay underwater, dive over the coral reef, where in a hurry a large moray is searching for shelter in a rock crevice, and a large napoleon is flowing right next to us.
After dinner, we get on the zodiac and sail to a place known as SATAYA, which is also called the dolphin house. Snorkelling with them is a unique experience full of interaction and fun. I always thought that if I stayed calm, I'd practically stop moving and breathing and become invisible to dolphins, and I would be able to enjoy their company for longer. Nothing could be more wrong. Once a wise man told me: “The bigger fool you make of
yourself, the more interesting you will be for dolphins.” He was right, dolphins love to fool around, have fun and they are very interested in people, they can enjoy life in a beautiful way. It is this joy that we should learn from them...
I am always very happy to return to ABU DABAB, which is the last place where we are diving during our safari. I feel like I'm floating over a huge underwater green pasture where turtles graze. On the one hand, sea grass grows from the sandy bottom, and on the other hand, there are beautiful rock formations covered with a coral reef inhabited by countless species of sea creatures. It is here that you can most often encounter a panicked remora, which in a hurry is looking for its host and stowaway transport. The live shark sucker, because it is also called so, is a unique creature, which is characterised by a streamlined body shape and an unusual appearance of the head, which is slightly flattened on the tip. Between its head and its spine there is a characteristic oval sucker, which resembles the sole of a shoe. Thanks to that body part, remora is attached to large animals such as turtles, sharks or manta rays. It feeds on the leftovers they leave behind. Her presence indicates that there is a large individual nearby, whom she lost for a moment. Like the remora, we also dive in search of turtles, and if we are very lucky, we will also meet a dugong, called a sea cow, which we had the opportunity to see a month ago in this location...
During our dive safari, we performed eighteen dives in the most beautiful places that the far south has to offer. Our destinations are Shaab Marsa Alam, Shaab Sharm, Habili Ali, Gota Kebira, Danger Reef, Gota Soraya, Umm Aruk, Claudia, St. John’s Caves, Sataya Sud, Abu Galawa, Elphistone, Abu Dabab 3. Each of these places tells its extraordinary, different story, which can only be known in one way – by going in person to the far south. The warmest greetings in the world Sylwia
in the Caribbean Sea? Is it worth diving
Text and photos KRZYSZTOF G. BRUDKOWSKI
Desirous of sunshine and warmth, we searched during the Polish winter of January for an interesting destination for leisure combined with diving. We wanted to visit a place which was different from the traditional destinations of diving trips such as Egypt, where we have been a few times recently. At first we chose Zanzibar, but eventually, due to the ratio of the price of the entire trip to the length of the planned stay, we opted for the Dominican Republic, located in the eastern part of the island of Haiti. However, we just assumed that diving would to be an addition to our leisure, not the main purpose of the trip.
From our perspective, the Dominican Republic seemed like a paradise with guaranteed weather, beautiful beaches with
fine light sand and the stunningly blue and warm water of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other side of the island. The whole family was delighted with the pictures found on the Internet of fabulous coastal views of green forests and long beaches. But is it worth diving in the Dominican Republic? The available information showed that underwater life is not as abundant in the Caribbean Sea as in the Red Sea, but on the other hand, scuba diving videos, which can be found on the popular streaming service, showed that we will have something to watch.
On one of the Facebook groups, I found an offer of a Pole who lived for years in the Dominican Republic related to organising dives there. Leszek proposed to stay at the hotel of his choice in the Bayahibe/Punta Cana area, which was supposed to facilitate the transfer to the diving centre. By the time we left for the Caribbean, we had already set up about where we would be diving. The plan included reefs around the island of Catalina with the possibility of beaching on the island and wrecks of St. George and Atlantic Princess. We set prices for 3 diving days covering all the necessary equipment, which was convenient, taking into account the weight limits of the luggage.
Upon arrival the Dominican Republic delighted us not only with beautiful sunny weather and rich vegetation, but also with the open attitude of its inhabitants, who love music.
We stayed in one of the resorts located on the side of the Atlantic Ocean in the area of Punta Cana hotels. Upon arrival the Dominican Republic delighted us not only with beautiful sunny weather and rich vegetation, but also with the open attitude of its inhabitants, who love music. The holiday was going to be great, and diving was supposed to be the icing on the cake.
The Dominican Republic offers many opportunities to spend free time in an interesting way. It does not have to be just beaching on wild beaches, that are often only described as such in adverts. Some beaches are famous for being shot in advertisements of a certain known rum. We can confirm that it is worth visiting the Samana Peninsula, considered the most pristine part of the country. Many attractions can be enjoyed during such a trip. You can visit the rainforest, admire the coastline, see the humpback whales emerging from the Samana Bay, "hunt" for the best shot of the water they release through their blowhole, or sunbathe on the so-called Backardi beach, sipping cold coconut milk or something stronger with a paper straw.
After a few days of blissful rest we started diving. Leszek took us from the very gate of our resort to the ScubaFun diving center in Bayahibe, a former fishing village, from where
we were to set off on a motorised catamaran for the first day diving in the Caribbean Sea. We quickly chose the right sizes of short foams, fins and jackets, and the rest of the equipment was to wait for us on board. Most boats sail off from a small bay, to which you can walk from the nearby base. The entrances to the bay are guarded by a cannon taken from the vessel Cara Merchant, captured in the lagoon of Isla Catalina by the pirate Captain William Kidd, considered one of the cruelest and bloodiest pirates of the 17th century.
There are more than 10 officially accessible dive sites near Bayahibe that can be reached by boat in 20-30 minutes. The next ones are more distant, like Shark Point, and require an additional fuel charge and a group of divers to form. We started our diving adventure on that day from a place called the wall (in Spanish: la Pared Catalina) near the island Isla Catalina, which next to the aquarium (in Spanish: El Acuario) is considered to be one of the best places to dive in this area, and maybe even in the whole Dominican Republic.
We were fortunate enough to visit this place when the sky was not covered by clouds (passing clouds were every day during our stay), and the water was not disturbed by currents, so the reef appeared in the most intense colours and there was
quite a lot of visibility underwater. Here we have access to an amazing reef covered with an impressive variety of corals of many colours, shapes and sizes and inhabited by various forms of marine life. We did not see before such funnel and tubular shapes of massive sponges and colours of marine creatures, from yellow to purple. We saw fish from the family of puffers and Aulostomidae (Caribbean trumpetfish, in Spanish: la corneta), shoals of Haemulidae and a beautiful crab. The entry in the logbook could therefore be ended with the note "superb diving". The second dive of the day was not very deep, and it was done in a place called the "aquarium". Also this time it was a very successful dive, one carried out among colourful reefs, in the water with fantastic visibility to a depth not exceeding 13 m. After we got out of the water, our impressions were as good as after the first descent. The immensity of aquatic life, the diversity and the range of colours made us feel fantastic. Summing up the dives, we concluded that despite the good temperature in the water reaching 27 degrees (even at a depth of 25 m), we did not feel comfortable diving in short sleeve wetsuits.
The day was supposed to end on a beach, on the very island of Catalina, advertised as a place famous for beautiful beaches, full of dazzling white, fine sand and palm trees. My family members who did not dive went there in a zodiac at
the very beginning. Unfortunately, the tour advertised as an opportunity to combine relaxation, all-inclusive beaching and snorkelling on a fantastic coral reef turned out to be a partial misunderstanding. The number of people arriving by various boats from Bayahibe and La Romana, gathered on the narrow shore of the island, deprives this place of any magic and the opportunity to relax, and snorkelling in the nearby waters did not provide an experience similar to those known to us from Egypt.
The next day of diving we changed the wetsuits with short sleeves to the ones with long sleeves (my partner even put on two ones). Unfortunately, this procedure, as it was to turn out later, did not prevent the development of a minor infection, which had to be caused by cooling down the body the previous day and winding on the boat that happened during the return from diving. The rain that fell us on the way back to Bayahibe did not remain without any impact on our health condition either. When planning dives in the Dominican Republic, you should take into account periodic cloudiness and fleeting, short-term precipitation, even if they are to take place in the dry season, which prevails at the beginning of the calendar year.
Two more dives were to take place on the reefs closer to Bayahibe. We jumped into the water at a place called Coco Reef and couldn't believe it was a reef in the Caribbean Sea.
Unfortunately, we came across such turbid water and a cloudy day that nothing had any charm for us. The dive was "saved" by a beautiful octopus, which thanked us, spreading its body like an umbrella and letting itself be admired for a long time, before escaping in the gray-brown corners of corals. After getting out of the water, we decided that diving in such conditions did not make sense. Fortunately, the dive site can be changed, Leszek accompanying us all the time offered us to dive on the shallow Atlantic Princess wreck, which is available even for novice divers.
Diving on this wreck should not be difficult. The wreck itself offers the opportunity to watch colourful life at shallow depths. The ship was intentionally sunk in 2008, and it has now grown soft and hard corals covering all the elements. It is home to shoals of fish from the snapper family, groupers and all underwater tiny creatures that love al the nooks and crannies. The wreck is well lit, it is also a fantastic place for underwater photographers. With a bit of luck, you can see reef sharks here, which unfortunately did not happen to us.
Due to my partner's rhinitis, we had to take a few days break from diving, which we spent resting in the resort, walks along
(...) but wrecks can even stun with how they have merged into the ecosystem, giving a good example of how nature can use for its own purposes what we have left.
the stretching beach and exploring the nearby part of the island – the aforementioned Saona Peninsula. To postpone dives was not a problem for our guardian.
During the last day of diving, we decided to visit the Atlantic Princess wreck again, but we started diving from the wreck of Saint Gorge, requiring a deeper descent to around 40 meters. We were recommended diving on this wreck as one of the best dive sites in the area. The wreck Saint George, like the Atlantic Princess, was also deliberately sunk, only earlier, in 1999, for the purpose of making it an attraction and habitat for marine life near Bayahibe. It is an impressive wreck measuring
240 meters, lying at 44 meters and the peak reaching around 15 meters. The wreck has become home to many organisms that can be easily observed. We saw there a big crab, and it is probably not the only one we noticed. You can often encounter barracudas near it, shrimp hide in the nooks and crannies, and sponges and corals overgrow it. In many places you can no longer see almost the original metal.
You can easily penetrate the wreck, swim inside and get out through numerous holes. In the open parts of the wreck there was good visibility, but in the corners floating particles did not allow the torch light that we used to photograph and record. Due to the depth, careful monitoring of the air supply and non-decompression time during diving is essential. One dive on this wreck is definitely not enough to be able to get to know it well. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford more time.
The Dominican Republic is a great place to look for the sun and warm water, a mixture of cultures, natural beauty, and at the same time gain new diving experiences. You have to have some luck to appreciate the difference in marine life on the Caribbean reefs, but wrecks can even stun with how they have merged into the ecosystem, giving a good example of how nature can use for its own purposes what we have left. An undeniable added value for divers are wonderful landscapes, which, preserved in the photos, will allow the memories to last until the next trip.
ENDANGERED SPECIES OF TURTLES OF THE RED SEA
Most likely, anyone who has dived into the waters of Egypt has encountered a turtle of some sort. Chances are it was a long encounter, and the animal itself was bold and eager to interact. These animals often live on reefs or feed among grasses. It would seem that turtle populations in Egypt are doing well, however, this is not entirely true...
STATUS
Scientists currently recognise seven living species of sea turtles around the world. Five of these can be found in the Red Sea. The most common are the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate). Less common are leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), the loggerhead
turtle (Caretta caretta) and the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). The first listed species has endangered status with a declining population trend. The latter is critically endangered – both are listed by the IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature – https://www.iucnredlist.org).
Photographic identification remains the main method for obtaining data on endangered species. It allows us to identify each individual turtle by photographing and characterising its body parts. By identifying each individual, we can learn about their movement patterns and, above all, whether they tend to return to the same area. By knowing where they go, we learn where to protect these globally endangered species.
GREEN TURTLE
The name green turtle does not come from the colour of the carapace, which is usually brown or olive, depending on the habitat, but from the greenish colour of the skin. Weighing up to 300 kilograms, green turtles are among the largest sea turtles in the world. Their proportionally small head (which they cannot hide!) protrudes from a heart-shaped carapace that measures up to 150 centimetres. Males are slightly larger than females and have a longer tail. Both have paddle-like flippers, making them powerful swimmers. Adult green turtles are the only herbivorous sea turtles. As younglings they
are carnivorous, feeding on snails and ctenophores. As adults they eat seaweed and sea grasses. A well-known diving site in Egypt, Abu Dabbab, is home to many green turtles. They stay there to feed on the extensive seagrasses and rest in the bay. Often, around 10 large green turtles can be seen on a single dive at Abu Dabbab.
HAWKSBILL TURTLE
The hawksbill turtle has a beautiful carapace that caused it to be hunted almost to extinction. The hawksbill was prized for its shell, which was used in combs, brushes, fans and furniture. Today, the hawksbill turtle is listed as critically endangered, meaning that commercial trade is prohibited. These animals are named for the shape of their beak, which is similar to a raptor's beak.
You can find interesting facts, research and photos related to sea turtle conservation in Egypt under the following links: https://www.medasset.org/support/ https://www.hepca.org/projects/project/115
Killer whales
KILLERS, VICTIMS, MOTIVES AND MYSTERIES
Text and photos JAKUB BANASIAK
Are orcas truly killer whales? Who is guilty and who is the victim? Are orcas dangerous for people? These questions recur from time to time in the media, but also in the minds of tourists and divers who meet orcas in various places around the world.
Orcas are some of the most powerful marine predators that kill a variety of animals to survive, and their diet varies among populations around the world. But where did the word 'killer' come from? Until about 60 years ago, orcas were widely viewed by humans (apart from the indigenous people of North America) as the embodiment of evil, ready to destroy boats and devour sailors at every opportunity. In 1973, US Navy diving manuals described the orca as "an extremely vicious animal", warning that it "attacks humans at every opportunity" (although there was absolutely no evidence to support this claim).
Instead, orcas have been an important part of coastal indigenous cultures for millennia. In the Pacific Northwest, indigenous people have always related to orcas with awe and respect, which is why these mammals hold an important place in their art, mythology and social life.
For example, the Haida people of the Haida Gwaii Islands on the north coast of British Columbia revered the orca, or Ska'na, as the most powerful inhabitant of the underwater world. Among the Kwakwaka'wakw on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, the orca, or Max'inux, was one of the
Orca in captivity
earliest ancestors, mythical beings from which every family group descended. The orca was regarded as the supreme ruler of the world below the ocean's surface. Many coastal First Nations believe that orcas can embody the souls of deceased chiefs.
Throughout the world, orcas are found in a wide range of habitats, both in the open ocean and coastal waters. They have the most diverse diet of all cetaceans. Different populations tend to specialise in acquiring their characteristic foods. They often follow a coordinated hunting strategy, working as a team like a wolf pack. For this reason, they are sometimes called "wolves of the ocean".
Although the diet of orcas depends to some extent on what is available where they live, it is primarily determined by the culture (i.e., learned hunting tactics) of each ecotype. For example, one ecotype of orca in the Pacific Northwest of the United States (called residents) feeds exclusively on fish, mainly salmon, while another ecotype in the same area (called transients or Bigg's killer whales) feeds mainly on marine mammals and squid.
Orcas use very diverse and complex hunting strategies. Moreover, they adapt their techniques to the type of prey. They are extremely creative, learning, improving their hunting techniques and passing them on from generation to generation.
We could read about the Norwegian population of orcas, hunting herring and using "carousel fishing" and "lobtailing" strategies, in PERFECT DIVER No. 19, in Klaudyna Brzostowska's wonderful report entitled "Shoals of herring, matriarchy of killer whales and humpback whales, or Norwegian winter beyond the Arctic Circle".
Orcas inhabiting the waters off the coast of South America are very keen on hunting sea lions, especially inexperienced juveniles lying on the beach or
playing in the shallows. In order to catch a young sea lion, the orca accelerates and swims out onto the beach using the wave’s momentum. It is important to catch the prey as quickly as possible and withdraw to deeper water. If it settled on the beach, it would end up dead.
Some orcas have developed a technique for killing sharks and can handle such dangerous species as mako shark, blue shark, tiger shark or even great white without much trouble. When attacking a shark, the orca first tries to push its opponent towards the surface, then strikes its prey with a powerful tail fin, effectively stunning it. Observations in recent years show that orcas are probably aware that they can induce the tonic immobility by holding the shark upside down. Even great white sharks can be rendered immobile in this way.
They employ a completely different hunting strategy towards large cetaceans such as minke whales, juvenile grey whales and humpback whales. Since these mammals need to breathe air, orcas simply try to drown them by
pouncing on them from above and not allowing the exhausted whale to swim away to catch its breath. Most often, orcas only eat the tongue and lower jaw of a hunted whale.
The hunting of orcas for seals in Antarctic areas is particularly interesting. First, one of the orcas sticks its head high above the water (so-called spy hopping) in order to spot a seal on the floe. Then a group of several orcas starts a coordinated manoeuvre: two or three of them try to create a strong wave on one side of the floe, so as to flush the lying seal into the sea, while on the other side of the ice sheet other individuals are already waiting to catch it. If this strategy does not work, the orcas push against the floe with their bodies so that the seal slides into the water under its own weight.
Such hunts, as well as moments when females teach their cubs the art of hunting, every now and then grabbing and releasing a whale calf or tossing a sea lion puppy into the air, look extremely dramatic. No wonder the term killer whale is still in use.
Orcas near Skjervøy
DO THESE SOPHISTICATED PREDATORS ALSO ATTACK HUMANS?
Until now, there have been very few cases of wild orcas attacking humans. Most marine biologists believe that these recorded incidents were due to the orcas initially misidentifying humans as prey. In such cases, the orca instantly aborts the attack when it realises its mistake.
One of the most dramatic examples of such behaviour was an incident during the Terra Nova expedition of 1910. While the expedition was traversing pack ice, a group of orcas attempted to overturn the cracked ice sheets and throw people and dogs into the water. However, most marine biologists believe that the attack was caused by mistaking the barking of dogs for the sounds of seals and was not an intended attack on humans.
In fact, there is currently only one confirmed case of a wild orca attack on a human. This attack took place in 1972 and involved surfer Hans Kretschmer. Kretschmer encountered seals in the water while surfing near Point Sur. Shortly after, he felt something extremely strong grab his thigh. A large predator grabbed his leg with its teeth and released him in a moment. There was no further attack and the swimmer made it safely to shore. The bite was deep but clean. Although it required more than 100 stitches and could easily have led to death, the whole situation looked more like a mistake made by the orca than a deliberate attack on the man.
In recent years, the media have reported a number of further alleged attacks on humans by orcas, but a close examination of individual cases leads to a rather different interpretation of events.
In September 2017, orcas appeared during the semi-final of the Lofoten Masters surfing competition in northern Norway, on Unstad beach. Most of the pod was swimming some distance
away from people. Suddenly, one individual turned towards a surfer, coming within half a metre of him before quickly changing course. Researchers from the Norwegian Orca Survey (NOS), which has been observing the local orca population for more than 20 years, believe that the orcas were searching for seal prey at this location. These predators use echolocation to better investigate their habitat and prey. According to the NOS team, it is very likely that the charging orca realised at the last second that the surfer was not a seal, so it turned sharply and simply moved away. Renowned cetacean researcher Dr Naomi Rose takes a similar view, pointing out that any predator can be confused by stimuli that mimic prey, but orcas, thanks to their abilities, can realise the situation very quickly and change their intent. They are not mindless killers. In 2020, even more surprising interactions between orcas and humans occurred off the coasts of Portugal, Spain and in the Strait of Gibraltar. During the summer months, mariners and sailors from many small vessels reported confrontations between orcas and their boats. Orcas would come very close, hit the hull, push the boats, turn them around, block and bite the rudder. In some cases, the damage was extensive and the boats not only lost parts of their rudders, but also their ability to manoeuvre. At least one crew member was injured as a result of the shocks and sudden movements of the boats. These were not random encounters. In one incident near A Coruña, a port
...any predator can be confused by stimuli that mimic prey, but orcas, thanks to their abilities, can realise the situation very quickly and change their intent. They are not mindless killers.
city in north-western Spain, a yacht was struck by an orca around 15 times. The damaged boat had to be towed back to port. Near Cape Trafalgar, nine orcas reportedly hit the boat for more than an hour and forced the crew to shut down the engine. In most cases, these large dolphins were primarily interested in the rudder – nibbling and destroying it.
Orcas have often approached sailing boats before, but this was simply a sign of curiosity, and the orcas did not rub up against the boats. The current behaviour has surprised everyone and has become the subject of in-depth research. Last autumn, some scientists concluded that only three juveniles were responsible for the described incidents. They called them Black Gladis, Grey Gladis and White Gladis. But why did they do it?
Jörn Selling, marine biologist for one of Tarifa's whale watching operators, suggests that this behaviour could be a consequence of the first lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. From March 2020, there were no yachts in the region at all for almost three months before they reappeared and their return may have been stressful for the orcas, especially as it coincided with the hunting season for tuna, which migrate into the area at that time.
Another explanation may be the conflict between orcas and fishermen. These dolphins have been stealing tuna from fishermen for decades, biting off large chunks of these valuable fish and sometimes stealing whole pieces and teaching their young to do so. There are many indications that fishermen are aggressively trying to defend themselves against orcas. Photo-video documentation of orcas from the area reveals many wounds on their bodies, including puncture wounds, which must have been passed with something like a spear, pike pole or harpoon. Perhaps these alleged attacks on sailboats were
a reaction to what the fishermen had previously done to these orcas.
Boat and ship traffic in the Strait of Gibraltar has long been a problem for marine animals. Apart from container ships and ferries, even cruise ships and whale watching boats do not always maintain the required minimum distance of 60 metres from animals. There have been numerous collisions between the animals and various vessels, propeller injuries and for many sailors and boat owners an encounter with a cetacean is not at all a desirable adventure. There is a thriving drug and migrant trade on the border between Europe and Africa. Smugglers' boats obviously do not follow any cetacean welfare advice, do not slow down and do not avoid dolphin pods. In April 2020, nine smaller dolphins were found dead
on the beach in Ceuta with their fins cut off and their bodies shot.
In human terms, it could be said that orcas have many reasons to show their displeasure at the excessive traffic and number of vessels, especially during their tuna hunting season. Environmental pollution, noise that disrupts communication within the family group, physical pressure, incidents of crew aggression towards marine animals are all strong stressors. However, scientists do not believe that orcas wish to harm the people on board the vessels or attack the boats out of revenge. In the opinion of some researchers, the behaviour of orcas is rather related to play. Biologist Renaud de Stephanis claims that such incidents do not at all resemble the aggressive behaviour often observed when orcas hunt. When
planning an attack, these cetaceans always sneak up on their prey and are very aggressive. Their hunting behaviour is different from the behaviour towards the boats they claim to be attacking. Renaud de Stephanis therefore believes that these orcas are simply playing. In the animal world, play means not so much entertainment as exploration, experimentation, learning by experience. It is a manifestation of curiosity and an element of learning new behaviour.
A report by the GT Orca Atlantica team indicates that what attracts and interests orcas the most is the rudder of the boat. Stopping the boat, stopping the engine and letting go of the rudder causes their interest to drop and, in most cases, they stop the interaction. Only 50% of the boats they interacted
Marine trade routes and cetacean routes often intersect and can lead to collisions.
with suffered any damage. It is therefore difficult to speak of aggression and intentional attack.
However, there are places where orcas attack, injure and kill people. This happens in oceanariums, dolphinariums – where these great dolphins are kept in captivity. Leading orca scientists agree that captivity is devastating for these marine mammals, which in the wild form close relationships with each other, travel more than 100km a day and work in packs to hunt and find food suitable for themselves. Many orcas have been captured and forced to perform in captivity, to live in completely unnatural conditions. These conditions cause them stress, anxiety and depression that is not seen in wild orcas.
There have been over 150 well-documented dangerous behaviours of orcas towards humans in captivity, including 4 fatalities. What could be their source? Let us go back in history.
On 18 November 1961, the first orca was captured in Newport Harbor, California. She was placed in a 30x15x6 m oval tank. She immediately began bumping into the walls and swimming restlessly in her new, unnatural environment. Less than two days after her capture she was found dead in her pool. Many biologists believe that her death was a suicide. After unleashing herself, she hit the walls with her body until she fell as a result of her injuries. Such acts of self-harm are not natural behaviour for orcas but are quite common in captivity. Many captive orcas inflict pain on themselves because they are bored and frustrated with their environment. One of the most common ways of self-harm is through dental destruction. Orcas in captivity often bite and chew the covers and edges of pools, causing great pain and damaging their teeth. All this is indicative of the great frustration, boredom and stress that constantly accompanies them.
The only recorded fatal attack by one orca on another occurred in cap-
However, there are places where orcas attack, injure and kill people. This happens in oceanariums, dolphinariums – where these great dolphins are kept in captivity.
tivity. Because orcas in captivity cannot choose their companions, we often see more dominant cetaceans intimidating younger ones in enclosures. Sometimes individuals from completely different populations are kept in the same facility, 'speaking' in completely different dialects. Lack of communication also con-
tributes to many problems among orcas in oceanariums and dolphinariums. The aggression shown by orcas in captivity is not just limited to other orcas, but also to humans. Perhaps the most notorious incident was the death of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau after she was attacked by a male orca, Tilikum, who had already killed two other people. Tilikum was caught from the sea off the coast of Iceland when he was just two years old. Taken to the neglected Sealand of the Pacific marine park, Tilikum lived in very harsh conditions for a long time. He was denied food and often endured attacks from two dominant females. He had to perform eight times a day, seven days a week. For Tilikum, being such a highly intelligent,
Orcas kept at Loro Parque in Tenerife captured as they refused to take part in the show
emotional and socially complex animal, captivity was physically and mentally devastating.
Readers who have watched the documentary "Blackfish" will probably remember that Tilikum was not the only
one to kill. Home to another killer orca is the infamous Loro Parque in Tenerife, so popular among Polish tourists. It was here 12 years ago on Christmas Eve that the orca named Keto killed Alexis Martinez, a young coach. Attempts
were made to hide the fact that it was an obvious act of animal's aggression, it was suggested that it was the trainer's mistake, that Keto's behaviour did not indicate any danger. There was no mention of the fact that the animal was frustrated and stressed. Here is what Loro Parque owner Wolfgang Kiessling had to say on the matter: "It was an accident. Accidents happen..." The truth about the actual course of the accident was concealed even from the victim's mother. The most important thing was to keep it quiet so as not to lose the clientele!
SeaWorld as the rightful owner of Keto remained silent, so did Loro Parque. Much was only revealed after a male Tilikum killed trainer Dawn Brancheau two months later in another SeaWorld-owned marine park. The death of a staff member was harder to conceal in
Former SeaWorld orca trainer John Hargrove reveals details of Alexis Martinez's death (Whale Fest 2015)
Loro Parque orcas forced into unnatural behaviour
The orcas from Loro Parque were described as the most dysfunctional group of orcas in captivity. They were all separated from their mothers at an incredibly young age (something that would be very unlikely in the wild )
the United States than on the Canary Island, where Loro Parque has enormous influence.
A journalistic investigation and consultation with scientists revealed that many moments in Keto's life could have foreshadowed the tragic ending. Orca researcher Ingrid Visser gathered information from various sources about four
other incidents in which Keto showed aggressive behaviour towards his trainers. Nothing happens for no reason. From a young age, Keto has been moved from one SeaWorld facility to another an alarming number of times. And every such transport is a huge stress for an animal. Finally, he was sent from the United States to Loro Parque in Tenerife together with 3 other random orcas. The orcas from Loro Parque were described as the most dysfunctional group of orcas in captivity. They were all separated from their mothers at an incredibly young age (something that would be very unlikely in the wild). As there was no dominant adult and experienced pack leader in the group (as always happens in the wild), the social situation among the orcas at Loro Parque was characterised by stress, uncertainty
and aggression. Keto and the other individuals had to constantly fight for their position in the pool.
As described by journalist Tim Zimmermann, the constant boredom caused stereotypic behaviours in the orcas, including health-threatening gnawing and chewing on concrete pool edges and strips of Metflex, a rubber compound used for waterproofing. These behaviours caused Keto to have significant cavities in his teeth threatening infections, and Metflex poisoning was suspected. He was also observed to have a mucus running from his left eye, a likely sign of irritation from the chemicals poured into the pools. As Zimmermann wrote in his publications, "A frustrated killer whale – whether it's struggling with captivity, social structure, sexual tension, poor health, or
Ingrid Visser presents the scale of injury as a consequence of aggression between orcas in the oceanarium (Brighton 2014)
training failures – is a potentially dangerous killer whale."
Finally, it is worth mentioning Alexis's mother, Mrs Mercedes Hernandez. Despite a great personal tragedy, this extraordinary and strong woman became, after the loss of her son, a defender of orcas and an activist against their captivity. Together with local animal protection groups, she protests against the cruel conditions in which orcas are kept in places such as Loro Parque. For years she has dreamt of meeting orcas in their natural habitat. Thanks to the support of her family and friends, she was able to fulfil this dream. A few years ago, she experienced an unusual and very exciting encounter with free-ranging wild orcas in Canada, off the coast of Vancouver Island. She was able to admire the orcas from her sea kayak from several dozen metres, observe their family groups, natural behaviour, listen to their characteristic sounds. And all this in conditions where no one is threatened, and the name "killer whale" ceases to make any sense.
Let this article be a tribute to Alexis Martinez and the other victims not only of enslaved orcas, but above all the greedy cruel and dirty dolphin cap-
tivity industry, which keeps wild marine animals in conditions that violate their natural needs.
Apathy and awaiting coach's attention
John Hargrove during his presentation on orca casualties and the deaths of Alexis Martinez and Dawn Brancheau
For Ocean From Us
TWO DIVERS IN CONVERSATION ABOUT ECO GLASSES. MAREK KUCHARZ RESPONDS, WOJCIECH ZGOŁA ASKS.
Glasses photos FOFU
Underwater photos MAREK KUCHARZ
Wojciech Zgoła: Hi Marek! Marek Kucharz: Hi :)
WZ: It is different to talk seeing each other face to face without masks.
MK: Exactly.
WZ: Before we start about glasses… How long have you been diving?
MK: It's been almost 18 years now, I started when I was 17. So, it's been a while. My first dive was in Poland, but mostly I dived outside of Poland. On the Great Reef in Australia...
WZ: Oh, I envy you, it's one of my unfulfilled dreams so far ;)
MK: I saw a lot of cool stuff there. In fact, for a dozen or so years I had such a job that I dived on almost all continents. I still have Antarctica left. The last years I spent in the Canary Islands where I had the opportunity to dive several times a week. And there you could see the change the most, less and less fish and more and more plastic. I'm talking about diving in the same places.
WZ: And where specifically did you live?
MK: On Tenerife, but I dived around all the islands. I always had this urge to try to do something cool somewhere. I was surfing the Internet... and I came up with the idea of making something cool out of this collected plastic. But in a special way.
WZ: What way, why is it special?
MK: You know, everyone is eco now, the banks and their eco-cards. Seriously, only 30% of plastic is recycled, and that doesn't change anything about what's in the forests and lakes. Plus, so-called biodegradable plastics... I still have them buried in my garden. It's been three years now and nothing has happened. Why? It's biodegradable but only if it's not mixed with other plastics, the temperature is above 60°C and the environment is very rich in oxygen. Then it will decompose in about 40 days. Where in Europe are such landfills?
WZ: So another marketing ploy…
MK: Exactly. That's why I wanted to do something that was quickly noticeable.
WZ: Quick results.
MK: Yes, you collect something, it's not in the environment and it's not going to end up in the ocean. The idea was to make something out of this rubbish that would be usable. And then wait, maybe in 20, 30 years' time someone will invent a technology that will allow us to do something with this plastic that will benefit the environment...
WZ: And it worked!
MK: (smile) The easiest and cheapest way is to buy processed pellets and make something out of them. All in all, it will also be an eco-product. However, this is still the 30%, and I wanted
to go further. I wanted to collect and make something out of it right away. And that it would ultimately be a usable product. And that is how FOFU was created.
WZ: And why this name?
MK: For Ocean From Us. I wanted to build a story around this. I've always had something to do with seas and oceans, so that's where the acronym comes from, plus we're in Silesia, one of the most polluted regions in Poland. I wanted to do something for the environment from Silesia. That is why there is the inscription "From Silesia With Love" on the inside of the frame.
WZ: And so, the name FOFU was born, as well as the idea.
MK: You know, doing something like this is a big investment. As I returned to Poland just before the pandemic, and had more time, I created those machines myself. It was time to put ideas into practice and do something with that rubbish.
WZ: But how was it with these machines?
MK: Initially, I wanted to buy them. However, the prices I was offered quickly made me make them myself. I came to an agreement with the guys from Barcelona about the form because they wanted too much money from me in Poland.
WZ: At this point you decided that it would be glasses.
MK: Yes, a universal product, used by virtually everyone in the world. And my idea is that by the end of the year all
...(biodegradable plastics) It's biodegradable but only if it's not mixed with other plastics, the temperature is above 60°C and the environment is very rich in oxygen. Then it will decompose in about 40 days. Where in Europe are such landfills?
production will be based on solar energy. I want it to be 100% ecological.
WZ: That's why you need to be supported and shown to the world! It's cool that there are such people who bring dreams/ideas to life.
MK: (Smile) Thank you. Many people laugh at me. But they will see that in a few years it will be the largest recycling company in Europe and then in the world. Something must be done, or we'll drown in this plastic!
WZ: What about the colours?
MK: We are unrestricted when it comes to colour. The easiest way is to dye it, but we don't do that. The reason is simple, it has to be pure PP or HDPE plastic, which are the safest plastics for human consumption. As far as we can say that plastic is safe, this is the safest one. These include trays, cutlery, packaging etc. It can be recycled repeatedly if it’s without admixtures.
WZ: You can see that these glasses are made of multi-coloured plastic.
MK: My mother-in-law collected some flowerpots on the beach. I ground them together and that was it.
WZ: The colour came out quite interesting.
MK: Yes, exactly. That was the idea, but normally we segregate plastic into colours and then we make a specific one. There's so much of it that the colour palette is very diverse.
WZ: You could say that we both deal with waste by diving. We have been doing it for many years. Me, maybe less productively, because I just collect this rubbish from the seas, lakes and rivers, sort it and send it to landfills. You took it a step further. You choose plastic, segregate it, and make glasses out of it. Tell us, is any plastic suitable for your FOFU glasses? Like, for example, plastic bags?
MK: Theoretically we can also make glasses out of them (plastic bags). However, it is LDPE plastic – that is light, I call it "blown". Such glasses would be very, very flexible. But let me add right away that I have an idea to use this plastic to make waist bags or, for example, baseball caps. But we take it easy, one step at a time, because you won't stretch a day.
WZ: Of course. Marek, if there is going to be a Clean Up the World 2022 final, I already invite you to it, you are coming with one of those machines, because you told me on the phone that you also have mobile machines which you use to educate.
MK: Yes, we have 2 such machines, one to grind and one to inject.
WZ: And are you able to make glasses during the event, out of the plastic we pull out of the lake?
MK: I need 20 minutes :)
WZ: A matter of sorting out the rubbish, isn't it?
MK: Yes, we segregate plastic and we're ready to go.
WZ: So, a diver can come without glasses and return with glasses?!
MK: If he wants to, he can make them himself.
WZ: Fantastic. Diving is a cool thing :) Okay, so kept thinking about, but how long did it take from the decision to the final product?
MK: 6 months into my first pair of glasses. There were glasses but with no lenses yet. So, from the decision to start up, getting very good lenses and hinges, to creating some small stock took a year in total. Why so long? You know, you can buy lenses in China for a dollar, I personally wouldn't want those. I don't know if that would be worse for the eyes than not wearing glasses... I wanted lenses with filters, which are a medical product. I wanted it to be a Polish product and I agreed with the manufacturer in Gdynia, Poland.
WZ: My congratulations. I am very impressed.
MK: Thanks. I would like to add that we also have a finished design for an eco-case. It will also be produced from plastic waste.
WZ: And how much plastic do you need to collect to make these glasses?
MK: 21 grams.
WZ: There was this film, 21 Grams, about how much a soul weighs...
WZ: Yes, although that's just a coincidence. They are generally very light. At first, I thought this was a disadvantage. However, users have persistently persuaded me otherwise. On top of that, while browsing the Internet, I found out that scientists have calculated that 21 grams of plastic are consumed on average by each person per month.
WZ: Seriously, it's a disaster with this microplastic that we eat willy-nilly...
WZ: Unfortunately, yes, it is a disaster.
WZ: Distribution?
WZ: I am in the process of making arrangements with a company that has 50 outlets in Poland. There are Diving Centres that have FOFU in their offer. Plus social media.
WZ: We as Perfect Diver join in.
WZ: The plans are there, I hope it will develop.
WZ: And we wish you that! Thank you very much for meeting and talking to us, and for the 15% discount on glasses for our readers.
WZ: Thank you for your interest and we’ll be in touch.
KUCHARZ did not think that writing a few sentences about himself could be such a big problem. "I will definitely not become a national prophet. I started my diving adventure over 15 years ago and to this day I definitely prefer the company of sharks to people. Thanks to various circumstances, and then thanks to my work, I had the opportunity to dive almost on all continents, in the most remote corners of the world. Unfortunately, I started my adventure with photography a little later, so I have to come back to most of these places and it scares me. The changes in ecosystems are drastic, when I take pictures I want to show what is not visible – the beauty of the underwater world, which we need to start taking better care of. I hope that the photos will make the public aware that there is something to care for and that changes can be stopped so that the next generations can enjoy the underwater world full of life."
MAREK
In this work I wanted to draw the viewer's attention to the turquoise glow of the water around the creatures living in the coral reefs.
When diving around those objects, it feels as if the organisms living on the coral reefs were creating a glow around themselves. This is clearly visible even in the photos taken during visits to the reefs.
The streamlined, flexible and changing shapes are an endless source of inspiration for me, looking at a photo of a coral I imagine how it moves underwater, what colours it glows with and what colours the surrounding water is. This is how I form my language of artistic expression.
Painting entitled "RAFA" ("REEF"),
Format 81 x 60 cm, Technique – acrylic on canvas
Maja Woźniak, born 16 September 1996 in Bydgoszcz Student of Painting, currently in the fourth year of studies, at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (major: painting in architecture, Stained Glass and Artistic Glass Workshop). Currently resides and continues her studies in Toruń.
In her work she mainly draws inspiration from marine motifs, fish and plants.
In her works, she captures the state of being under water. She finds herself best in abstract organic painting.
Author’s contact: majaw580@gmail.com
THE CAVETTES
Text JOANNA WYREBEK
Take three female diving instructors with one shared passion, add some water and boom: The Cavettes is born!
(Well it wasn’t as simple as that )
In 2020 we met on social media, and despite being from across Europe, bonded over each other’s passion for diving, adventures posts and photos. We got talking and
realised that despite our combined diving careers spanning over 27 years, we hadn’t ever been in an all-female team for any exploration, cave/mine or deep wreck dives. We decided that had to change and arranged to meet and explore the beautiful underwater world together. From that initial meeting the idea began to form – we could unite to promote the sport positively for more women, breaking down some of the perceived barriers particularly to the technical, mine, cave and cold-water side that's heavily male dominated (even most equipment is designed principally for you ‘guys’ – e.g. the Triton is a lovely rebreather but doesn’t work well with larger chests!).
Photo Jacek Rożycki, Joanna
Photo Magnus Määttä, Sara
Photo Hedwig Dieraert, Sanne
WHO ARE WE:
Sara (Sweden)
Queen of the North! She absolutely loves cold. Green waters, ice and snow are her natural element. She easily handles >2 hour dives in 1°C water without using any heating system (crazy right?!).
Super organised, smart and the ‘loudest’ one in the group, her sense of humour is brilliant!
She trains a lot and is very hard on herself, that’s what makes her such a good diver.
Has been diving on a JJ CCR unit since 2019.
Everything from mines, wrecks, caves and nature dives is what she enjoys!
Sanne (Belgium)
Often called Barbie thanks to her love of pink, this misconception is quickly shattered once you see her underwater; her perfect trim on the Kiss Sidewinder CCR has been mastered over hundreds of hours (over 200 hrs to be exact).
Perhaps the most passionate of the group, it’s hard not to be infected and fall in deeper love with diving whilst in her presence!
Show Sanne a tiny restriction underwater and she will squeeze through it effortlessly; who doesn’t love a tight hole!
Joanna aka JoJo (Poland/UK)
Jo’s the oldest of the group and apparently wisdom comes with age but noooope! Everyone Jo dived with before she moved onto a CCR used to love being underwater with her as it was the only time she’d shut up. Unfortunately that all changed in 2018 when she did her Mod1 on a JJ (before converting to an XCCR); now there is no respite above or below! Jo got into diving later in life but quickly fell in love and decided to share that passion with others by becoming an instructor a couple of years later.
Photo Jacek Rożycki, Joanna
Photo Patrik Grönqvist, Sara
Photo Alexandre Legrix, Sanne
The Swedish Princess Tuna mine was amazing but at the same time some dives were challenging and plagued with issues (well, maybe not for Sara because she almost lives there) as it is not uncommon that gear optimized for warmer waters tend to have a need to be adjusted for colder waters.
On this trip we were incredibly lucky to be joined by several of our friends and some amazing photographers. You can see some of their work on social media.
Over the course of the week-long trip we created a true diving family bond and laid the foundations for The Cavettes. Our ideas started to flow on just how we could work together to spread the word to more women, encourage them to one day see the beauty of the world we had just explored, and what else we could do to support them and grow our community.
Opposite to Sara, she loves her heating systems while diving, yet she always feels the cold, even in the UK (which isn’t cold according to Sara)!
OUR FIRST TRIP
Full of trepidation about potentially not getting along in person, and not being comfortable under the water together as a team, we met in December 2021 to embark on our first adventure together. We had decided to discover the cold beauty of Sweden's Tuna Hästberg mine – (facts and info about mine – Perfect Diver No. 19, Swedish Princess, Tomek Ramutkowski, page 11). Thankfully all our concerns were quickly put to rest and we got on like a house on fire!
The three of us were joined by another female guest, Maria Bollerup, and thankfully we didn't scare her off. She absolutely loved every minute of it and so did we!
WHERE NEXT?
Hot on the heels of our first trip we wanted more; we had to spend further time underwater together and given we all love mines, decided to look at other European destinations. Sanne is currently exploring mines in Belgium and suggested she could host and we would accompany her.
We are planning to spend a week there in June and will possibly also dive the North Sea (if the sea allows us) so we can be joined by some guests who aren’t as comfortable underground.
During this time we hope to start sharing our knowledge and experience with other female divers, both those joining us and through materials we will post on social media. I’m pleased to say that our guest list is large already but we always welcome more new friends
Photo Guy Trees, Joanna
Photo Guy Trees, Joanna
Photo Hedwig Dieraert, Sanne
The whole idea of the community we are trying to build is to share our experience, offer support, and hopefully inspire others. Beyond organising trips we also want to work with female divers locally as well as in a group setting.
FUTURE
I said at the start that we want to encourage more women into the deeper, darker, colder side of our beloved sport… we want to organise even more trips, host workshops, write in more publications, and continue posting to social media.
Though our main efforts are directed towards women in diving, men are more than welcome and also encouraged to join our trips and adventures as we recognise that our community is not one or the other gender, but we are ONE
Our plan is to arrange one trip a year, minimum, where we come together to explore new places, meet new people and share our experience with each other. Belgium is our first trip for 2022 where we seek to meet other women who share the same passion and interest for diving, as well as women who might be thinking about taking their first steps into the technical world. We don’t yet know where/when the next will be after this but we hope to build on the success of Tuna in 2021 and keep growing our community – all of friends’ voices matter and suggestions are welcomed.
The whole idea of the community we are trying to build is to share our experience, offer support, and hopefully inspire
others. Beyond organising trips we also want to work with female divers locally as well as in a group setting. Our ambition is to grow an ambassador network initially in Europe where we all are, but branching out to other parts of the world is one of our aims. By organizing meetings, try-dives, and instructional courses aimed at women we hope to encourage and inspire more to keep diving and evolving. We want women to come to us. We recognise the diving industry can be intimidating and overwhelming to women these days and in particular the tech community is so male dominated, it can feel harder for female divers to step into it, or even know where to begin. There are so many of you out there who will be awesome divers and you might be looking for that last little push, or someone to answer what might feel like an embarrassing question (ever wondered how to use a she-pee or if wearing a nappy is comfortable after 240 minutes in the water?!). We are seeking to embed an open culture that’s seen as inviting to all; there is no such thing as a stupid question. We have all the helping hands and dry gloves ready and waiting
We want to believe us WOMEN should inspire, help and encourage each other in order to be better divers and better people in general.
If you are reading this and thinking of joining the Cavettes, think no more… Our dry suits are always damp, our fins will never rest, and our home-baked cookies are both tasty and if you find them on a line then you know we’re in that mine! Come and join the crazy bunch! See you underwater.
Social Media: Instagram – the.cavettes; Facebook – The Cavettes
Photo Magnus Määttä Sara Photo Jacek Rożycki, Joanna
Trip report
AMOCO MILFORD HAVEN WRECK, ARENZANO, ITALY
Text and photos KURT STORMS
After not being able to travel for an extensive period because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we traveled back to Italy. I completed my instructor course – CCR-OC Trimix Instructor – under the supervision of IANTD ITT Paul Lijnen. After a few exciting and heavy days, I can now proudly call myself a fully-fledged IANTD CCR/OC Trimix Instructor.
Iowe this certification to my good students and help and support from the two other instructors who also obtained this rank. The course took place on the most beautiful wreck of the Mediterranean – the MT Haven.
MT Haven was a VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) – Class oil-tanker built as Amoco Milford Haven in 1973. The Haven was incredibly large: 334 m/1,069 ft long with a 51 m/167 ft beam and a displacement tonnage of 110,000 tons. In 1987, it was hit by a missile in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War. Extensively refitted in Singapore, it was then sold to ship brokers who leased it to Troodos Shipping.
Around 12:30 pm on April 11, 1991, the Haven was unloading a 230,000-ton cargo of crude oil on a floating platform 11 km/7 miles off the coast of Genoa, Italy. Having transferred 80,000 tons, it disconnected from the platform for a routine internal transfer operation to pump oil from two side-holds into a central one. While still loaded with 144,000 tons of crude oil, the ship exploded and caught fire, killing five crew members. As the fire engulfed the ship, flames rose 100 m/328 ft high and, after a series of further explosions, between 30–40,000 tons of oil poured into the sea.
The Italian authorities acted quickly with hundreds of men fighting a fire which was difficult to access and control. They distributed more than 9 km/6 miles of inflatable barriers around the vessel, submerged 1 m/3 ft below the surface, to control the spillage.
On day two, Italian authorities towed the MT Haven closer to the coast in a bid to reduce the coastal area affected and ease intervention efforts. As the bow slipped beneath the surface, the towing crew passed a steel cable around the rudder, and tugs applied towing pressure. On April 14, the 250 m/820 ft main body sank 1.5 km/1.5 miles from the coast, between Arenzano and Varazze, flooding the Mediterranean with up to 50,000 tons of crude oil, making it the worse oil spill in the Mediterranean.
The Haven is also the Mediterranean and Europe’s largest shipwreck in the sea and lies at a depth of 33 m/108 ft to 83 m/273 ft off the coast of Arenzano (Genoa).
I have been diving on this beautiful and unique wreck for the last three years, and I can truly say that I am in love with this big baby. But I want to warn every reader – she can be a killer and a dangerous monster for untrained or inattentive divers.
Depending on the day, the current can shift from mild to strong, and the visibility can change from a perfect +30 m/+100 ft to a very poor 5 m/16 ft. Inside the wreck is a giant labyrinth where one can get lost, like in any cave system. There are also sharp metal edges and huge amounts of
The Haven is the Mediterranean and Europe’s largest shipwreck in the sea and lies at a depth of 33 m/108 ft to 83 m/273 ft off the coast of Arenzano.
silt that can turn the water milk-like and trap you. The wreck is enormous and deep, and you can lose your orientation as well as your notion of time and your gas consumption. So, plan your dive, and dive your plan.
No heroes allowed here: You must be humble and patient enough to discover the wreck step by step, piece by piece, and according to your own level of training and experience. The 250 m/820 ft long main section of the Haven lies peacefully in an upright position. Part of the superstructure, which originally reached a depth up to 24 m/79 ft is now gone, and the shallow-
Inside the wreck is a giant labyrinth where one can get lost, like in any cave system.
est part of the entire wreck, the smokestack, now stands at 33 m/108 ft deep. (Note, that a piece of the upper deck was found at 94 m/310 ft by Andrea Bada.)
Resting at a depth of 40 m/131 ft, you find the empty wheelhouse, from which Captain Petros Gregorakys from Cypriot, maneuvered the tanker – he later died in the explosion. All the instruments and controls burned away before sinking. Installed on the upper deck, isa memorial plate and statues of the Virgin Mary. You can easily penetrate the steering house by heading down or up the inner stairs. It is also very easy to go up or down the main lift opening that goes through all bridges, or to follow the outside walls. The windows on the side are numerous, but too small for most divers, but every room has a door.
There are six different bridges about 23 m/75 ft high with bedrooms, the kitchen, and workrooms. You can penetrate almost everywhere, but it's a labyrinth – consider it as a cave and use a guideline. From the bridge, technical divers can descend to the deck in the back of the tanker, past the winches, pipes, and valves that are proportional to the size of the ship, and then free fall down to the propeller at 81 m/266 ft. Here, the excessiveness is still striking–the rudder is 20 m/66 ft high and the propeller more than 7 m/23 ft in diameter.
The dark becomes darker as we move under the shadow of the wreck and lose light from the surface. At its maximum depth, the Haven is breathtaking; looking up from this point, she is majestic.
The engine room entrance is just under the chimney below – 52 m/171 ft, and from there you can go deep inside the ship. Here, you will find a gigantic 8-cylinder diesel engine. The various steel panels and counters are still in perfect shape and intact. Going up on the port side, there is a huge opening left by one of the two explosions. The gaping hole is so large that it is difficult to comprehend its dimensions, the plates twisted like a broken can.
You need to be a technical diver to dive the MT Haven and complete these dives with hypoxic gasses. As always, don’t do this dive without proper training. There are two dive centers that can provide all of your supplies for diving the Haven. Both are in the Marina of Arenzano. Organization is perfect, and safety non-negotiable.
There is a fixed deco station with decompression bars at 6 m/20 ft and 3 m/10 ft with sufficient spare tanks. The descent lines are fixed and lead you down to the quarterback at – 33 m/108 ft.
Enjoy your dive!
Divers: Kurt Storms, Willem Verrycken
Long-tailed ducks
COLD-LOVING DIVERS
Text and photos WOJCIECH JAROSZ
In Polish, the term "lodówka" is definitely more often used to name a white cooling device, that is a fridge. However, the “lodówka” from the title is not an electrically powered device for lowering the temperature of the environment, but a wonderful effect of the natural evolution of living organisms, it is a duck.
This species of duck, however, has something in common with a refrigerator, because it copes quite well with the cold, after all, ”lodówka” (Clangula hyemalis), according to its name, is a bird of cold waters. They spend the breeding season in the distant tundra of Eurasia and North America. Fortunately, we don't have to travel that far to see them. Long-tailed ducks (“lodówka” is called like that in English) come to us when the water in the North gets frozen, making the Baltic Sea the most important wintering site in Europe (and not only) -
up to several million birds fly here every year! This makes long-tailed ducks the most numerous species of all sea ducks wintering in the Baltic Sea. When looking at ”lodówki”, it is good to know that they are completely unique birds. On the pages of the Perfect Diver magazine we need to start off with describing their underwater exploits! Longtailed ducks are the only ducks that use wings when diving (although the main underwater propulsion are legs with feet armed with membranes). This ability allows them to dive much deeper than oth-
er ducks. As a rule, they search for food at shallow depths, but they can regularly dive up to 60 m below the sea surface (and some experts say even deeper). There is no need to make the reader aware that at these depths you usually can't see much, but they can still find something to eat thanks to their senses. In their diving they differ from other ducks also in that they are underwater more often than on the surface. They spend three times more time on underwater culinary tourism than on floating on the sea waves. The target of their frequent dives are most often molluscs, but they also eat crustaceans and other small invertebrates, not despising from time to time, some plants. When they have choice, they prefer to "order" mussels in a saltwater, underwater restaurant. Their good taste applies not only to gastronomic matters, because it also manifests itself in relation to their feathered apparel.
How do you identify long-tailed ducks among other sea ducks? The most distinctive features that enable species identification are found in males. Birds have it that males are usually more interesting and impressive in their plumage and colouring (as I have had the pleasure to prove many times in my previous bird stories, the ugly sex in birds is not the one marked with the Mars symbol). Among these features, a fancy tail formed by strongly elongated tail feathers comes to the fore. There is a reason why the English name of the species is long-tailed duck. The colouration of the male is also chic, as the distinguished blacks and whites are accompanied by fawn colours. However, it must be added that it is highly variable and in a rather unique way. The complicated nature of long-tailed ducks’ moulting leads to three different coats (not counting the so-called transitional forms). The one described above and visible in the photos is the winter coat. Such long-tailed ducks can be observed on the Baltic Sea. The spring coat is distinctly different, when the male has a blackish-brown front with white sides and a reddish pattern on top. Only a few weeks the ducks wear the so-called autumn coat, when a dark spot on the side of the head is noticeable, the eye area is light, and the crown is black. In each coat, the male long-tailed ducks have a stylish black and pink beak. Young birds resemble females in colouration. Long-tailed females also change their "dress" as a result of moulting, but these changes are not as conspicuous as in the case of male representatives of the species. The differences in colouration can often be seen directly comparing males and females, since long-tailed ducks are very sociable birds and are often found in large flocks. On the Polish coast, you can observe them as much as you want, in the Gdansk Bay, e.g. in the Vistula mouth, but also in the western part of the coast it is not difficult to come across them. If you are lucky, you can observe them up
close in sea harbours or, for example, near the pier in Sopot. If you manage to spot a flock of long-tailed ducks, you will probably also be able to hear their interesting and unique voices. Between dives they call each other in a very characteristic way, which allows them to maintain contact in the group.
Long-tailed ducks are still abundant, but they are categorised as vulnerable or high-risk (VU, an acronym for vulnerable) by specialised conservation organizations, including the Interna-
tional Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In the Polish legislation they are also under species protection. The main threats to the birds are entanglement in fishing nets, contact with petroleum substances, and hunting, as there are countries around the world where long-tailed ducks are shot at.
So when you are at the seaside, in the cold season, look out for the amazing divers on the surface of the water – beautiful long-tailed ducks, while it is still possible.
A woman’s view
ON DIVING
Text ALEKSANDRA ŁYSEK Photos EDITORIAL TEAM
For five years, I’ve been working at a diving center and a diving store where I also advise divers or divers-to-be on the choice of equipment.
People laugh at me, like: what, a woman? I ask each customer tons of questions, but I’m doing it to get to understand their needs to the maximum extent possible and make sure I choose such equipment for them that they would always want to buy only from me. It surprises me that men are more eager to answer my questions, whereas women tend to say: “because
my husband said this one would be OK for me”, “my diving professional told me so”, not paying attention to whether a piece of equipment feels good, comfortable, but also feminine.
Properly selected equipment, combined with the appropriate knowledge and experience – these three aspects affect not only the diver’s safety, but also their well-being and mental comfort.
We learn the basics before we dive for the first time, but the learning process continues throughout our diving career. Each dive is a unique and priceless experience we gather. On the other hand, we need to bear in mind that no learning is going to be efficient and no experience valuable, if the equipment we dive with is not providing us with safety, comfort and well-being.
In the previous issue, we could see diving women from a man’s point of view. Today, I’d like to tell you what does it look like from a perspective of a WOMAN – a regulator service engineer, equipment advisor and divemaster.
WELL-FITTED GEAR
As I already mentioned, women mostly rely on men’s knowledge/suggestions. I feel like they were too self-conscious to ask questions, ask for something prettier or more feminine – often they don’t know such versions even exist. When women come to choose a wetsuit for them, it turns out they have no idea about some aspects of it. After taking measurements and checking the proper size with the table, I always offer several options and, sometimes, several sizes, as for example the wetsuit must be longer due to beautiful long legs or an oversized wetsuit must be considered to accommodate beautiful large breasts or wide hips. The ultimate goal is not to squeeze yourself into a wetsuit but rather to be able to move comfort-
We need to bear in mind that no learning is going to be efficient and no experience valuable, if the equipment we dive with is not providing us with safety, comfort and well-being.
ably and be happy with your own looks, the aspect which should never be forgotten. Come on, we all know diving gear is the sexiest thing you could wear in the entire world ;)
BUT SERIOUSLY…
Nowadays, manufacturing companies not only provide their customers with maximum functionality or the ability to adjust your equipment to whatever path you choose to follow, but also to “customize” it, meaning not only the possibility to print whatever text you like on your BCD or drysuit but also to match the diver’s sex, ensuring an aes-
thetic look. Modern drysuits are very much different from those from a good few years back. We have waist-cut drysuits – highlighting women’s silhouette, or completely different wing and jacket harnesses – specially profiled for the breasts, so that nothing pinches or causes discomfort. All of this is to ensure that we, women, dive comfortably.
Dear ladies, the diving worlds is changing for us as well! Since there is a possibility to use “female” versions of diving equipment, you just have to use it! Don’t be too shy to ask for colors, patches, cuts, lines; do not avoid talking about your breasts, bum or hips. Remember: the fact that men do not have even the slightest idea about certain topics does not make these irrelevant! Do care to feel underwater not like a diver, but a DIVERESS :)
APPROPRIATE KNOWLEDGE
There is no need to hide the fact that women are great divers! It has been known for a long time that we learn completely differently from men (any
Diving is not about competing. It’s a buddy sport, so we help each other.
idea why boys were always asking us for notes at school?). Personally, I always get stressed with every diving course –maybe I have little self-confidence – but I come 100% prepared and I presume most of you are the same. I’m not afraid to ask questions if something is unclear to me, if I don't understand something or I’m not completely satisfied with the message. Curiosity is just a part of women’s nature… so is contrariness – after all, we can’t be worse than men :) This is beautiful, smart and responsible and there is nothing to be ashamed of.
During trips and training I’ve noticed that ladies are more thorough than men. If all equipment elements need to be secured, they really are. There is no “dangling”, nothing left for later and, of course, women are far less likely to be looking for any lost equipment. I also noticed that we need to break down
technical issues down to the basics and re-assemble them in our own way, which does not mean we are worse in some topics or need special treatment. The diving world is full of female technical divers who are great in what they are doing and often even better than guys :)
EXPERIENCE ACCUMULATED
We gain experience with each dive. Sometimes it takes more time than we would like it to, because of work, home, family, kids, millions of other circumstances that make our time scandalously lengthy… but eyes on the prize! We often feel stressed, anxious, disoriented or even helpless, but all this put together also enhances our experience, teaching us in particular how to deal with diverse situations not mentioned in manuals.
Don’t forget you are not alone. A heavy cylinder, jacket with weights –do not feel uncomfortable to ask men for help. I keep doing it in my worse moments and, besides the fact that I was never said “no”, I even notice it gives
them a kick. We don’t have to be Wonder Women. We are physically weaker than men by design. Being tenacious and stubborn as in “I’ll do it myself”, “I don’t need no one”, “Fake it till you make it” does not do any good – we only get anxious, stressed and worried about being inferior. And for what? Diving is not about competing. It’s a buddy sport, so we help each other.
We gather experience and share it with other divers. If you were taught by a great diving professional, with a fantastic approach – let your male and female friends know; they will be happy to follow your referral. If you visited a shop where you were wisely advised on equipment selection –spread the word! I’m sure both men women and men will make use of it.
TECHNICAL DIVING IS ALSO FOR WOMEN!
If you want to be technical divers, you’re more than welcome. But remember, this is a steep path, requir-
ing vast knowledge, appropriate experience and unconstricting, well-fitting and safe equipment. A well-fitting wing harness and a tailored drysuit will let you breathe a full breast ;)
The color of the mask does not matter – it only needs to fit well and have reinforced glass. Nowadays, even full bladder issues do not limit you anymore. Now, not only men are able to use a relief valve underwater – we can do it as well.
Dear ladies, girls, baby girls! The world of diving is wide open for us –seize the moment! We only need to know what we want and what we are doing, as a conscious diver is a safe diver! …and if, apart from that, we can look and feel sexy, then… what are you waiting for?
If you would like to talk about diving equipment, you’re more than welcome to reach out. I’m available for you all the time. You’ll find me offline in the Nurkersi Diving Center in Łódź or online on szpejownia.com.
Scuba cylinder valves
INTRODUCTION AND THEIR IMPACT ON A DIVER’S ACTIONS
Text WOJCIECH A. FILIP
Photo Tomasz Płociński
In some cases, the only thing a beginner diver would know about the cylinder valve is that you need to open it when you start your dive and close it when you finish. For a diver with a DPV in a cave, a more important thought might be whether cutting the right valve knob after hitting a protruding rock will cause the valve to leak. Can a cylinder valve affect the diver’s position underwater? …or can it affect narcosis?
very cylinder has a valve of some kind – we usually associate it with the moment when we are getting prepared
for a dive: you need to open the valve to check your gear. The next moment when the valve comes into play is when we finish diving – you need to close the valve to disassemble your gear. Is there any reason for us to know more about scuba cylinder valves?
This article will be divided into 3 shorter texts, with something interesting for each and everyone.*
To start with, let’s pick the most convenient set of information: for simplicity, they will be marked as A, B, C.
A. I’m not interested in cylinder valves – if I need to know anything about them, let it be the bare minimum.
B. I’m using several valves on each dive – I’m interested in learning more than just how to open and how to close it.
C. I know that details matter. I prefer configuring my gear on my own in a way that would increase the comfort and safety of my dives.
A.
(reading time for the entire article: around 30 seconds)
Do you have your own cylinder?
—No, I don’t.
Ask your instructor to explain how to open and close the cylinder valve.
—Yes, I have one!
Ask your instructor to explain how to open and close the cylinder valve.
Valves require maintenance, just like regulators. Have your cylinder maintained, asking for a full service of the valves once a year and each time you experience any issues with opening or closing a valve. Any gas leakage, bubbles near the valve knob or the connection between the valve and the cylinder also indicate that the valve requires repair.
B.
(reading time for the entire article: around 4 minutes)
For advanced divers (B): assume that each cylinder (also your argon system) requires annual valve maintenance. The valve is opened and closed multiple times: before, during and after a dive; we tend to carry the cylinder holding it by the valve; the valve knob often gets hit during transport to the dive site – this should suffice as a reason to take care of your valve’s technical condition before it refuses to cooperate.
If you travel and do even complex dives on rented cylinders, you should check your valves’ operation – see details at the end of part B.
LET’S HAVE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE INFLUENCE OF THE VALVE ON DIVER’S ACTIONS
Single cylinder or a twinset on your back
1. Position
The location of the valves behind the diver’s head has direct influence on the diver’s position underwater. Start each trimming exercise from achieving a completely relaxed position, where you can move your head freely all the way up and back. In order to do so, you need to move your valves as low as possible.
You will find the details on preparing your gear setup in Perfect Diver magazine issues no. 7, 8, 9 and 10.
2. Reduced ventilation
If your cylinder valves are placed too high, they may, together with your regulators, limit your ability to breathe freely. Being unable to exhale freely (lowered head, partially closing the respiratory tract) results in consistent increase of CO2 in our body, which leads not only to increased gas consumption but also enhances the narcotic effect.
3. Movement and maneuvering techniques
Fatigue when learning to move and maneuver, as well as ascending instead of moving backwards are two most com-
Photo Bartek Trzciński
mon signals that should encourage you to have a few photos or videos taken, starring yourself. Ask a friend to take a few close-ups on the position of your valves against your head –this is the best way to verify whether they rest on your head or are positioned close to it.
NOTE!
You might think that only extremely low positioned valves are the right and safe solution. This is not true. First of all, valves cannot block free movement of the diver’s head, which should lean a bit to the back during the entire dive. But valves must also remain within the diver’s reach, so that they could open and close them freely during the dive.
Stage cylinders
1. Diver’s position
For stage cylinders, the lower the valve body profile – the better. These of course require proper positioning of the stage regulators (low profile valves require the short HP hose to be place differently), but in return they limit the diver’s overweighing to the front. On average, each regulator with a valve weighs around 1 kilogram. If you strap 2 stages on the front, the resulting imbalance will effectively ruin your position. High profile valves combined with heavy regulators work just like moving your weight upwards or to
the front, looking at the horizontal diver’s position. Add to it a twinset that is excessively high on your back and you know why you have to struggle to maintain a horizontal position throughout the dive or look like some technical divers, resembling a horse.
2. Moving backwards with full stage cylinders. Valves with an excessively high profile on stage cylinders are a pain especially during fine maneuvers (e.g. when reversing), constantly turning the diver with their legs upwards. Placing your left forearm on the valves and pushing them slightly backwards might be a solution, at the same time minimizing the rocking of the stage cylinders forward and backward.
End of part B or how to check your valve in a rented cylinder:
am I able to screw the regulator into the valve and screw it out easily YES/NO am I able to open the valve easily when my hands are cold YES/NO
—am I able to close the valve easily when my hands are cold YES/NO
are there gentle bubbles at the joint between the argon cylinder and the valve when put into water YES/NO any of the above, if answered “NO” (with the exception of the argon cylinder), means you need to replace the cylinder/set against one with properly functioning valves.
Photo Mariusz Czajka
There should be no bubbles in any cylinder, but those supplying drysuits are often neglected in the detailed inspection. However, even a slight “steaming” instead of clear bubbles may empty our argon cylinder.
What does it mean to open and close a valve easily?
The valve should operate smoothly from one limit position to the other, turning without jamming, not requiring tightening it with force to close it completely or struggling to open it.
C.
(reading time for the entire article: around 90 seconds)
It is obvious that fitting valves to different diving cylinders and their operation during diving has a great impact on solving emergencies and maintaining diving comfort.
Configurations:
Twinset valves.
2x10, 2x12 and some 2x7 sets have the same valve distance. In such sets, the separator knob should be positioned in the direction opposite to your head. This allows to freely operate the valve versus the “towards the head” position, where the separator is located between the regulators, requiring the div-
er to lower their head and keep it low (partially blocking the respiratory tract) while operating the valve.
2x15, 2x18 and 2x20 sets have a wider valve distance, yielding more space for a hand in a dry gloves with rings to operate the separator valve. Additionally, greater cylinder diameter moves the valves away from your head, which provides enough space to keep your head up while operating the separator which in the case of those twinset types will work better in the position towards the head.
Formally:
The valve should close with more than two full turns – this protects it from being rapidly closed accidentally when in contact with the ceiling (so-called left valve roll-off).
Technically:
Valve seals (o-rings) should have the hardness of 90Sh. This is particularly important if the valve spindle is butt sealed. A “gummy”, stretchy movement of the valve may be a sign of a wrong seal used or its wear.
Separator o-rings prevent leakage of the gas from between the cylinders, at the same time allowing separator operation (the pressure load is only on one of 2, sometimes 3 o-rings used at this site).
Practically:
It is very rare to hit the separator knob against the ceiling, and it seldom results in failure, even when hitting the right or left valve knob, due to the diver’s low pace. This is different when
Photo Tomasz Płociński
Photo Mariusz Czajka
the dynamic contact happens when on a DPV. If the diver is assaulted by a malicious cave, the left or right valve knob may bend (spindle deformation), resulting in inability to operate the valve. In particularly aggressive caves, such contact may end with shearing the valve knob off, usually not causing a leak, but with a bit of unluck and a preceding roll-off, you may end up with the left regulator supply cut off.
WHAT A LONG ARTICLE ON VALVES…
Its length changes with the your perspective on cylinder valves
There could be yet another part to the article, as I did not mention what valve to choose for a single cylinder, whether an extension valve is better than a “T” valve or whether it is worth buying 300-bar valves instead of 230-bar ones.
…and what about the knobs, because there are plastic, rubber and even fluorescent ones?
In the context of technical divers, we did not say anything about the “burst disc”, how our valves get along with the compressor guy or would the valve “syphon” keep the water from the cylinder away from our gear.
If you find this topic worth a follow-up, let us know on Perfect Diver social media channels!
CONCLUSION
Diving experience also increases gear awareness. It would be good if our understanding of the equipment we are using reached beyond theory. Your growing appetite for deeper and more complex dives should translate into understanding how equipment works and how can it be used. It is no less important to anticipate the behavior of your equipment in extreme, unfavorable situations, e.g. when the equipment is not working properly. Properly devised practical training should follow.
Various diver training associations use similar, but possibly differing in details, valve operating procedures. Therefore, if anything in this text is not in line with what your instructor said, consult with him what you have read.
It might happen that overloaded training programs, with their weekend schedules, won’t allow for covering the topics concerning operating the equipment on a stress-free level in detail.
If you want to know more, you're welcome to join Tecline Academy seminars and workshops to extend your knowledge and skills concerning diving gear.
https://teclinediving.eu/tecline-academy/#/
Photo Bartek Trzciński
as the only ones in Poland, finished with the certified Polygiene® technology, against the growth of bacteria and unpleasant odors
