AQABA IN JORDAN THE KINGDOM OF WRECKS FOR ALL! diving freediving passion knowledge
LWOJCIECH ZGOŁA Editor-in-Chief
uckily, hot weather is not a worry underwater, and even if it is too hot on the surface, we can go deeper, and it will immediately get cooler. I have had situations like this before, last year in Croatia, for example. When submerged, the water of the Adriatic Sea was 25°C, and at 30 m depth it was only 14°C. This is far better than air conditioning ;)
We are in the middle of summer vacation, at least in Europe, and a sweeping July heat wave.
In the current issue, which I highly recommend, we prepared several articles on the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately, not all of them made it into the magazine, although they will appear in the next issue. The atmosphere that accompanies the dives is amazing – local music, the characteristics of the local cuisine, the sun and sea salt settling on the skin and hair...
We also have a special treat for you: Jordan with the cover of this issue, and Bali – Part 1 – rather overland than underwater, but still exciting and very exploratory. There are also a few words about Lanzarote and an interesting look at Dahab.
Recently, we could read about a shark attack on a tourist swimming around in the Red Sea, or the closure of beaches in five Barcelona municipalities due to the appearance of sharks. The movie "Jaws" continues to take a toll on these animals. We have two great articles on the subject. Read the text about the fear of sharks and a factual look at these beautiful fish.
We warmly invite you to this year's upcoming diving conferences, Diving Talks and Baltictech.
What else? We wonder "How to become a better diver", because it is always important to dive safely, and to try to achieve maximum perfection.
Do you like our view on knowledge? I have already mentioned sharks, but we still have an insight into the behaviour and life of octopuses. They are incredible, did you know that?
And did you know that some species of swallows build their "homes" under the platforms of the lakes in which we dive? In this issue, in addition to swallows, we briefly discuss Lake Niedack, which we recommend especially for divers who like the littoral zone.
This issue, this edition, is yours! Click, read, and dive in!
TRAVELS
All around Malta in
Aqaba in Jordan, the kingdom of wrecks for
Bali before you dive
Dahab's "health resort" viewed a little differently
WOJCIECH ZGOŁA ul. Folwarczna 37, 62-081 Przeźmierowo redakcja@perfectdiver.com ISSN
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
WOJCIECH A.
FILIP
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).
ANNA SOŁODUCHA
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
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.
MICHAL ČERNÝ
JAKUB DEGEE
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.
”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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Based in Marseille on the Mediterranean, Anthony Leydet is a french underwater photographer, blogger, and writer, published worldwide in diving magazines. website: www.zesea.com Insta: @anthonyleydet_uw_photography
Is a modest woman with many passions, the greatest of which are sharks.
IRENA KOSOWSKA
AGATA TUROWICZ-CYBULA
ANTHONY LEYDET
MAGDALENA SOKOŁOWSKA
KRZYSZTOF BRUDKOWSKI
BARTOSZ PSZCZÓŁKOWSKI
AGNIESZKA KALSKA
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.
Professor at the Department of Sociology, Adam Mickiewicz University. A psychologist, sociologist, and forensic expert in animal welfare, dog ethology, and human-dog relations. She initiated the creation of the Inter-species Relations Section in the Polish Sociological Association. Member of the Local Ethics Committee for Animal Testing. A two-time scholarship holder of the Fulbright Foundation, British Council, Leibniz Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning in Erkner (Germany), Central European University in Budapest, European University Institute in Florence, Stefan Batory Foundation, the winner of Polityka magazine scholarship campaign, and numerous awards and distinctions. Multiple participant of Socrates Erasmus and Socrates Erasmus Mundus programmes. She lectures in Poland and abroad and has extensive international cooperation with the United States of America. She works towards understanding animal needs and promoting animal welfare in human social practice. In her academic work, she pays great attention to making interdisciplinary connections between different scientific fields in order to integrate activities and information that promote an understanding-based approach to human-nonhuman relationships. She collaborates with law enforcement agencies in Animal Welfare Act investigations. She also works with non-governmental organisations, local authorities, and homeless animal shelters. She runs a temporary home for anxious, withdrawn, and distrustful dogs.
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
In the Foundation, he is the commander-in-chief of the Clean up the World – Poland Action and manages the works of strategic projects. Grzegorz realizes himself creatively in ideas for new campaigns and methods of promotion as part of the Foundation's Clean Up the World – Poland and Eco-education programs. Arranges strategies and coordinates the work so that everything goes according to plan. During off-road activities, he wears yellow gloves and naturally carries kilograms of waste. He often takes the helm of the foundation's Facebook and Instagram profile to talk about what we can do together for our immediate surroundings. In his free time, he sails, runs and traverses mountain trails. A graduate of the Faculty of IT Management and Finance at the University of Economics in Wrocław and the Faculty of Journalism and Social Communication of the University of Lower Silesia in Wrocław. Certified specialist in the field of obtaining EU funds and communication on the Internet.
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.
I resumed diving after a very long break (about 25 years) since 2009. Underwater photography is my passion and most of my trips are dedicated to it. I started with a small Go-pro style webcam. Currently, I already have reasonably good equipment with several lenses. Both photos of large and small wrecks and macro photos with their non-obvious details, and while processing photos, finding actors in the background is a lot of fun. In 2021, I decided to make my dreams come true and set up a Diveworld diving center on the island of Gozo near Malta.
ALEKSANDRA ŁYSEK
WOJCIECH KARKUSIEWICZ
GRZEGORZ MIKOSZA
KLAUDYNA BRZOSTOWSKA
HANNA MAMZER
KURT STORMS
IT TAKES A LOT OF MANTAS TO START A CYCLONE
Hanifaru Bay
Text and photos
Klaudyna Brzostowska
Swimming with mantas is one of the most memorable moments of our underwater adventures. Much has been written about what a unique experience it is to spend time with dancing mantas. The truth is that in order to understand exactly what is being talked about, you have to experience an underwater encounter with manta rays yourself. Thanks to the efforts of several organisations, there is one place on Earth where you can experience an encounter with a shoal of mantas in an environmentally sustainable way. The chances in the right season are high. We are talking about Hanifaru Bay belonging to Baa Atoll in the Maldives.
It takes many mantas to start a cyclone. Mantas are filter feeders, which means they swim around trying to take in as much plankton as possible. They catch the tiny plankton in their filtering mouths while simultaneously expelling the seawater through their gills. Mantas use different feeding techniques depending on the type, where they feed and whether they feed individually or in a group. When individual mantas feed on plankton, they engage in straight feeding, sur-
face feeding, flip feeding (or also called barrel rolling), side feeding and bottom feeding. On the other hand, when they group up, the techniques they use are called chain feeding and cyclone feeding. And it is the latter technique that results in the manta cyclone – an impressive phenomenon that happens seasonally in Hanifaru Bay.
Cyclone feeding starts small – often with single mantas forming a line during chain feeding. The cyclone begins as more mantas join in and form a loop. Up to 150 feeding mantas may join together to form a large, tight circle around a dense group of plankton. This looks like an underwater cyclone in which the mantas circle together in a counterclockwise direction for about 60 minutes. Cyclone feeding enables the mantas to take in a lot of food with little effort and little energy. By using body power, the reef manta rays feed together, pulling in plankton.
Hanifaru Bay is located on the south-eastern edge of Baa Atoll, in the northern Maldives. The area covers 1,2 km2 – the size of a football field. Nowhere else in the world will you find such sizable gatherings of manta rays in one place ready
to feed. Whale sharks are also unusually frequent visitors to the bay, joining the buffet. Since 2012, Baa Atoll has been entered on a UNESCO List and recognised for its extraordinary biodiversity and high concentration of many coral species. The best time to visit the bay is between May and November. Diving is forbidden, only swimming and snorkelling is allowed. The use of cameras without lights or flashes is also permitted. Excursions to the bay are organised and it is necessary to join a group led by certified guides. Without a doubt – this is an experience that will be remembered for a long time.
For manta lovers – I recommend visiting the Manta Trust. On their website you can find a lot of interesting content about mantas precisely, educational material and interesting facts. Also, you can upload a photo of the mantas you met to their database – photo ID allows to monitor these animals and thus protect them. In addition, you can adopt a manta ray – which might turn out to be a nice gift for a beloved buddy.
GOZO I CHOOSE YOU!
Text and photos Wojciech Karkusiewicz
MALTA, GOZO AND COMINO ARE DEFINITELY AMONG THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLANDS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, WITH A RICH HISTORY THAT IS EVIDENT ANYWHERE YOU GO, FROM NEOLITHIC TIMES TO THE PRESENT DAY.
Above all, the history of the archipelago is visible in neo lithic structures dating back to approx. 3500 years B.C. and, secondly, in saltpans used until today, which will never allow you to get bored when visiting the island. This can be done in a number of ways, starting from a regular bus, through individual, organized trips with small cars and tuktuks or by bike. Driving through the island is a fun experience and an adventure, while the mountainous shape of the island guarantees spectacular views at every turn.
But let’s get back to Gozo and diving. This small island, about 15 km long and 7 km wide, offers some extraordinary dive sites.
I have moved to Gozo with my family quite recently. We are opening the Diveworld diving base in Marsalforn – a tourist destination and the largest accommodation base. Gozo is Malta’s smaller sister, but it has much to offer. Sometimes Gozo is
referred to as a quiet village. We have spectacular views and megalithic ruins of Ġgantija in Xaghra. The Citadel towers over Victoria, the capital of Gozo (also known as Rabat), with its massive fortifications. It offers a beautiful view over the entire Gozo. The largest, red-sanded beach in Gozo, Ramla Bay, where you can relax and take a swim in the sea, and watch the sunset from the Tal-Mixta cave, provides an unforgettable experience.
What will surely catch your attention is that there is a church in every village in Gozo (all worth seeing, as they have beautiful interiors), surrounded by bars with delicious food – also highly recommended. The community of Xewkija is home to the basilica of St. Johannes der Taufer with allegedly the third biggest dome in the world. One should of course also mention the Ta Pinu basilica as a place of Marian devotion.
Saltpans are spread throughout the island, but most of them are in the north. They are used to source salt from sea water – and you can even buy yourself a bag of this salt. Wied il-Gharsi is a paradise for people seeking tranquility. This secluded fiord, as one could call it, attracts with the possibility to swim among unearthly views, compensating for any missing infrastructure. And Ta Cenc cliffs are perfect for viewing sunsets which, you can believe me, are definitely worth it!
Dwejra – a remnant of the Azur Window, Inland Sea and Blue Hole. Boats can take you for a short trip on the Inland
Sea for a small fee out to the open sea to watch the cliffs from the water.
Let me just add that a trip to Comino is a fantastic idea. Unfortunately, this paradise island is crowded in the summer, but if you do not mind that, you can spend a nice day there or at least a couple of hours. It features a marvelous blue lagoon, you can enjoy a sandy beach and crystal clear water.
One could write about Gozo endlessly, but I prefer you to come and see for yourself why we decided to live and work here.
We have the most interesting dive sites here. When the Azur Window collapsed, it created several interesting rock formations that you can swim through. It is an attraction both for beginner divers and for those who want to take a deeper dive. The Dwejra region, also known as the Blue Hole, offers a few caverns with depths ranging from 12 to 30 m. You could basically spend 3–4 diving days here, each time diving somewhere else. Of course, it all depends on the diver’s skills and certifications, and recreational divers do about 4 dives in a week here.
We also have caves that are safe to swim inside, the largest being the Billinghurst Cave, about 130 m long, with a spectacular air chamber at its end, which is about 50 m wide and a few meters high. The view is astonishing, especially when there is someone already in the dome, illuminating it. On your way back, you swim through the dark part of the cave and you cannot be deceived seeing the entrance lighted up by the sun. You need to monitor your depth to slip through the upper part of the entrance and ascend.
Not far from the Billinghurst Cave, we have another large cave with an air chamber and an additional opening in the wall, letting in a small amount of light, but the main source of light here is the light coming from the huge entrance, causing a blue glow in the entire chamber and the water around us. It is a spectacular show!
In the northern part of the island, there are a few more caves and rock formations, such as the Double Arch or Triple Arch, Bottle Neck Cave, Shrims Cave and many more. Most of them are available for OWD divers, while some require appropriate equipment and decompression gases.
The next diving chapter is wreck diving and also here we have a lot to be proud of, as in the area of Malta and Gozo there are several wrecks sunken especially for divers and some historical ones, including ORP Kujawiak at about 100 m and HMS MAORI at 14 m. We have three wrecks off Gozo, all of which are accessible from a single site – the Wreck Dive Site – with a comfortable car park and access to water. In Malta, right next to the ferry harbor in Ċirkewwa, we have two wrecks: the patrol boat P29 and the tow boat Rozi, while south off Malta, the huge tanker Um El Faroud. All the wrecks lie at the depth of some 40 m.
One can say that diving near the third island of the archipelago, called Comino, is a separate story. It offers the patrol boat P31, lying picturesquely on the sand at about 18 m and some minor, beautifully located caves and rock formations.
There are tuna farms around Malta and Gozo, with nets reaching up to 40 m of depth, where for a socalled small fee you can dive with large tuna fish.
Personally, I do not recommend it, but if you are OK with meeting a 2-meter tuna in captivity face to face, then why not…
In my opinion, Malta and Gozo are the most beautiful sites in Europe due to their incredible diversity. No more than 3 hour’s flight away, connections from almost every airport in Poland (and Europe) even three times a week, good weather and warm sea water guaranteed. Maltese and Mediterranean cuisine with seafood and local wine at affordable prices… This should suffice for a comfortable vacation or to spend some time training in warm water with visibility reaching up to the horizon.
MALTA IN WEEK ALL AROUND
Text Aleksandra Łysek
TLATELY, TOGETHER WITH MY DIVER FRIENDS, IHAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING MALTA, ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE DIVE SITES IN EUROPE YET AGAIN.
his island, located in the Mediterranean, is the perfect place both for those who are looking for underwater thrills, as well as those who value onshore adventures more.
For a week we’ve been staying at St. Paul’s Bay, where our dive experience was provided by the Polish diving center Dive On Malta. Wonderful people, when put together with picturesque views, astonishing weather and incredible underwater sights ensured that the (really) early morning wake up calls we’ve had everyday did not cause any of us any trouble. Each and every one
of us, smarter with yesterday’s experiences and craving for more, reported fully ready to dive in the early morning hours.
The most popular form of diving in Malta are shore dives, that is why every day the center’s cars took as to another dive site and since the weather was on our side, we managed to complete all our diving plans.
One cannot omit the abundance offered by the waters around Malta, which ensures satisfaction for all divers, both newbie enthusiast and the seasoned veterans :)
Triton Fountain, Valletta
Photo Aleksandra Łysek
WHAT WOULD BE MY TOP PICKS FOR DIVING HERE?
TUG BOAT 2
This wreck lies at a depth of 20 m. During a storm, it was dragged on the seabed over a distance of some 50 m and driven into the reef. More and more sea creates inhabit the wreck every year.
HMS MAORI
A wreck that dates back to the times of WW2, it was sunk during a German bombing raid in 1942 at Valetta. The wreck lies at some 20 meters, on a sandy seabed. A large number of holes and penetrations grants it an exceptional feel. You can dive this wreck all year long, as it lies in a small cove and is protected against wind. Unfortunately, numerous storms have caused its structure to become less and less stable, that is why wreck penetration is not recommended in this case.
P29
One of the wrecks at Cirkewwa, sunk especially for tourists. The maximum depth on this wreck is 32 m, it is located some 5 minutes away from the shore. What immediately catches your eye is the magnificent mast. All dangerous items were removed from this wreck, so it’s easy and safe for penetration. Weather needs to smile down on you in order for you to be able to see it. During windy days, descending into the water can be very tricky.
ROZI
This is the second wreck at the Cirkewwa shore. Maximum depth on this wreck is 32 m. Rozi lies closer to the end of the cape, therefore you have much more chances of seeing the currents between Malta and Comino manifesting there. They impact the wildlife inhabiting the wreck, as even though Rozi sank earlier than P29, mentioned before, there is less growth on it, with much more animals.
Photo Zbigniew Aftański
Photo Sebastian Głowacki
Photo Zbigniew Aftański
Zdjęcie Anna Brojewska Photo
Photo Aleksandra Łysek
Entrance to Rozi and P29
Photo Zbigniew Aftański
Photo Sebastian Głowacki
GWAR LAPSI
It’s a picturesque small village on the southern coast of Malta. Diving here will not take you deeper than 22 m. This place is famous for its reefs and beautiful caves, available for divers at various training levels. A lot of fish, jellyfish, octopi and even lobsters await you under the water here. But before seeing all this, you have to tackle the magical stairs challenge.
UM EL FAROUD
This is Malta’s absolute “must see”! This site is extremely popular with tourists also because of the Blue Grotto. At 10 in the morning this place is already swarming with tourists and it’s really hard to find a parking spot, so I recommend seeing Faroud early in the morning. During repair works at a shipyard, the tanker was damaged by a gas explosion. It was sunk off the coast of Malta as an artificial reef. Diving here is exquisite, but not always that simple...there are often strong currents here, making your trip to the wreck more difficult. The wreck is broken in half and lies at a depth of between 30 and 35 m.
As a diver, I fell in love with Malta. I recommend the Maltese waters to anyone, along with Dive On Malta – you don’t have to worry about anything with them, they’ve got you covered :)
And out of the water, on land...well? Every tourist guidebook will give you tons of information about a multitude of places worth seeing when on Malta. I’ve spent most of my time there diving and even if I was out of the water, a wetsuit is not exactly the proper attire for sightseeing I can surely say that who-
Photo Aleksandra Łysek
Photo Sebastian Głowacki
Photo Sebastian Głowacki
Photo Zbigniew Aftański
Descent to Lapsi
ever visits Malta should go and see their capital, Valetta. You can use public transport to move around the entire island and, what’s important, they have comfortable and air-conditioned buses :)
The Tritons’ Fountain is one of the characteristic spots in Malta’s capital, located just outside of the city walls, close to the bus stops. On hot days, this place will provide much-needed refreshment.
Upper Barrakka Gardens is somewhere you should go, regardless of the season. A flood of green and colorful flowers, combined with a breath-taking view, provide the perfect background for cannon fire and the entire accompanying ceremony. You should also visit this place because of a Polish element in its history. This is where the plate commemorating the Polish navy ship ORP Kujawiak is located.
For all those who still find time and the energy for additional sightseeing when out of the water, I recommend seeing Malta’s old capital – Mdina, which is located in the central part of the island. This medieval city, with its narrow streets, located on the top of a mounting, offers an astonishing vista of the entire island.
Malta is wonderful and unpredictable...
At times, this place looks like this...
While at others like this...
But it’s always absolutely worth it!
Sources: https://diveonmalta.com/ home-page/
POTRZEBUJESZ KUPUJESZ NURKUJESZ
Photo Aleksandra Łysek
Photo Aleksandra Łysek
Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta
Tablica pamiątkowa ORP Kujawiak
DIVING TALKS 2022
We could mention that the Hotel bar ran out of stock last year and other episodes, but we prefer not to. Instead, we invite the readers to join us this year and see by yourselves.
Photos www.divingtalks.com/2021-photos/
Diving talks is an international event promoting and sharing knowledge on the underwater environment. It will have its second edition in Portugal, October 7 to 9, and bring to Portugal one more time the world's leading explorers, scientists, researcher and divers, sharing their best of best recent achievements. The strength of this show that last year was unanimously considered to be "the best diving event in 2021" is a result of three factors:
1. The Speakers and their talks: The Portugues show attracts incredible people to talk about their underwater experiences and challenges the traditional setup of these events, promoting new formats – like debates – about critical topics for the diving community. This year's examples are the debate about the investigation in diving physiology that will join Dr Alessandro Marroni, Dr Oscar Camacho and Dr Simon Mitchell, three of the most reputed doctors in hyperbaric medicine and physiology investigators and the PADI, SDI and SSI discussion about the future of teaching in diving with these three organizations sending Troia their most respected representatives.
2. Exhibition and trials: The show is all-around the supporting brands. The concept promotes the brands' interaction with their clients and the audience of the Diving talks. There are opportunities to engage strongly with interested divers, and they can even try the equipment underwater. In this edition, attendees can test dive with scooters, rebreathers, etc.
3. The Venue: The physical setup promotes networking, sharing experiences, discussing topics and having lots of fun during the weekend. We could mention that the Hotel bar ran out of stock last year and other episodes, but we prefer not to. Instead, we invite the readers to join us this year and see by yourselves.
Someone recently wrapped it all, explaining why you must attend the show with these words: "I went to the inaugural event in 2021 and truly enjoyed it for a nice change. But if I have to sum it up, it was the blend of interesting presentations, a pleasant and relaxed ambience, and the venue was nice and comfortable. That we were treated some really good food also scored a lot of points."
No doubt the Troia Peninsula scores a lot of points, too. How often do you have the opportunity to do what you like the most – go diving – without lots of negotiation with your loved ones? Diving talks is also known as the diving show for non-divers because of everything around it. For you coming to Portugal might be a diving-related trip. For those coming with you, it will be simply a leisure trip they want to re-edit in the show's next edition.
PORTUGAL 2022
INTERNATIONAL DIVING SHOW 7-9 OCTOBER
BREAKING NEWS !!!
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HERE IS A BIT OF INFO ABOUT DIVE STOP
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AQABA IN JORDAN
THE KINGDOM OF WRECKS FOR ALL!
Text
Translation
and photos Anthony Leydet
Karolina Pierścieniak
Less well-known than neighbouring Egypt - the world's diving mecca, Jordan has no more than thirty kilometres of coastline with a view of the Red Sea and the city of Aqaba, located on the southern edge of the country. Thanks to the strong will of the government and under the aegis of King Abdullah II, Jordan managed to increase its attractiveness for divers from all over the world.
Aqaba will allow you to do some amazing dives, starting from the most famous place, the world's only underwater military museum! However, Aqaba offers a lot more and will be an important place on the map during your stay in Jordan.
Squeezed between Saudi Arabia in the south and Israel in the west, Aqaba offers Jordan a tiny window into the Red Sea. At the end of the 160-kilometre Gulf of Aqaba, which separates Sinai from the Arabian Peninsula, lies one of the ends of the Red Sea. This quiet seaside resort is focused on water sports and, in particular, diving. However, taking into consideration
that Egypt attracts most divers, the government has decided to strengthen the diving sector. King Abdullah II is an avid diver and has greatly contributed to the success of this project. The vast majority of the Aqaba seabed, about seven kilometres long, has been classified as a marine reserve for several years.
UNDERWATER WAR SCENE AT THE UNIQUE MUSEUM IN THE WORLD!
For several decades, Aqaba has been known as a wreck dive site. in 1999, The Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan (JREDS) decided to create an artificial reef by sinking the fa-
mous M42 Duster, which is located on a sandy shoal at a depth of 5 m near the shore and attracts both snorkelling enthusiasts and divers. In 2019, the most surprising underwater museum was created, designed especially for lovers of military machines. The Military Underwater Museum, the only one of its kind in the world, consists of 21 military aircraft set on a gently descending sandy bottom in tactical combat formation, which is an exciting underwater adventure. At a depth of 6 to 28 meters, it is easy to get caught up in the game and get the impression that you are in the middle of a war scene. Helicopters, anti-aircraft guns, tanks, ambulances, reconnaissance vehicles, transporters, Jeeps – machines of various origins and from different eras follow one another in front of astonished divers. It's an unusual place. In order to appreciate the work put into creating the museum, at least two dives are needed, because the area is extensive. In the middle of machines it is fun to come across numerous marine species that come here to find shelter. A baloonfish hides under a metal door, and a shoal of catfish roams between two tanks. Two jeeps located on a sandy platform will be a pleasant ending to your under-
water expedition. Jordan, which has not been involved in any armed conflict since 1973, is a stable and friendly country. No wonder there are more tanks under the surface of the water than on land!
WORLD-CLASS WRECKS
Other spectacular wrecks were also created in the waters of Aqaba. Sticking to the military theme, let's start with the Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, belonging to the Royal Jordanian Air Force, sunk in 2017 at a depth of 17 m. Originally undamaged, it was smashed by a strong storm, which gave it a more dramatic appearance, we get the impression that it crashed into the sea.
In August 2019, a massive passenger plane was sunk to create a new, unusual dive site. The 54-metre-long Lockheed TriStar is placed on the sandy bottom at a depth of 15 to 28 metres and is easily accessible to divers. The door was dismantled, as was the middle row of seats. It is possible to visit any corner of the aircraft, e.g. the cockpit, or the air inlet exit at the rear of the aircraft.
Referring to a more classic wreck, one of the most famous in Aqaba is the Lebanese cargo ship Cedar Pride. Considered one of the most beautiful wrecks in the Red Sea, it was deliberately sunk in 1985 at the request of King Abdullah II. This 74-metre cargo ship arrived in Aqaba in 1982 and was partially destroyed by a violent fire in August of the same year. After she lay abandoned in the harbour, the idea of creating a wreck, the thing that had not been seen before in Jordan, was born. Lying on the port side at a depth of 27 m at the deepest point of the wreck, like most places in Aqaba, it is available to divers at all levels of advancement. Nowadays it is a very well colonised, a colourful wreck with soft corals, many hard corals and a lot of marine life. It is also possible to visit the interior of the wreck completely safely.
It should be noted that all these wrecks have been cleaned and disinfected, and the places of their assembly have been carefully designed so that the interference with the natural environment is as small as possible.
WRECKS, BUT ALSO BEAUTIFUL CORAL GARDENS
Aqaba is a place where diving focuses on wrecks, although it is available for divers of all levels. Let us not forget, however, that we are located on the Red Sea, which is characterised by extraordinary biodiversity and magnificent coral reefs. Even if the reefs are less developed than in Egypt, and the Jordan coast, due to its size, does not offer the same opportunities,
you can perform very beautiful dives in coral gardens, where each massif is abundantly populated by many species. Underwater photographers are delighted with the easy access from the shore and the depth that allows for stress-free diving. The house reef of the Deep Blue dive centre, near the Tala Bay beach south of Aqaba, is matched by some house reefs in countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines, offering an incredible array of creatures. Anglerfish, morays, nudibranch, ... all these wrecks have been cleaned and disinfected, and the places of their assembly have been carefully designed so that the interference with the natural environment is as small as possible.
GOOD TO KNOW:
Getting there: travel to Amman airport or directly to Aqaba airport. The Jordan Pass is very advantageous (include visa and entrance to most visited touristic attractions) https://www.jordanpass.jo/
When to go: diving is good all year long, but the best period is from april to november. Be careful of the very warm summer.
Stay at: Marina Plaza Hotel, Grand Tala Bay Resort, Lacosta Hotel, Hilton Hotel Dive with: Deep Blue Dive Center Aqaba
More info: https://www.deepbluedivecenter.com/
Diving details: currents are very low in Aqaba, Deep Blue Dive is a PADI center.
Hyperbaric chamber location: located at the government hospital in Aqaba
Water temp / exposure protection: 21°C–28°C, in summer, the sun is very intense and hot
Water visibility: good to very good visibility 30 m+
Getting around: car rental, walking, bikes, scooters, boat. Taxi is easy to move in Aqaba, but I’s possible to walk too especially in the center.
Don’t miss: visit of the Aqaba Castle
Topside: kitesurfing, snorkeling, eat seafood at Captain’s restaurant
Top Tip: allow at least 3 or 4 days to enjoy Aqaba and its beautiful dives. Drones are forbidden. UK Electric plugs
shrimp, clownfish and boxfish are just a small sample of what can be found beneath the surface. The presence of several pontoons allows you to spend successful moments of photographing, playing with lights and tracking hidden species!
The obligatory item on the agenda is the power plant, which is the only real drop in land in Jordan! The wall begins at a height of about 15 m and sinks into the abyss. A little higher there is a magnificent coral garden, which leads us almost to the edge, with plenty of corals, we can admire the yellow of lettuce corals!
Aqaba is often considered a place where tourists can try a single dive, many of them are later disappointed that they have not planned more time to fully enjoy the seabed of Aqaba, which is a real place to dive, and not just an addition on the map of underwater adventures!
WHAT TO DO IN JORDAN OUTSIDE AQABA?
To explore everything Jordan has to offer tourists, both culturally, naturally and archaeologically, you would need to spend a few weeks... Amman – the capital, a trip to the Dead Sea, countless archaeological sites and museums. Speaking of two places you can't miss, there's undoubtedly Petra and the Wadi Rum desert are in the lead. These two sites, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, are known all over the world.
Starting with Petra, Jordan's main tourist attraction. It is an amazing Nabataean city, founded almost three millennia ago, whose most famous monument is Al Khazneh (treasure). It is steeped in history, and reaching the Siq outlet (the canyon leading to the city of Petra hidden in the mountains), where this giant sculpture appears in the rock, provides incredible emotions that will remain forever in your memory. The city is
www.zesea.com
Instagram: @anthonyleydet_uw_photography
LANZAROTE
The volcanic island of Lanzarote is completely different from other Canary Islands. As you drive the length and breadth of this area of land, you will admire the landscape unspoilt by human hands. The absence of high voltage power lines, the lack of multi-coloured advertisements, the absence of tall buildings subconsciously calms our overstimulated brains.
But what is it like underwater? What does diving in this part of the Atlantic Ocean look like?
The hot lava in contact with the ocean has created a unique bottom. In some places you can see how the lava has advanced. Uplifts, grottos, walls, and further down the sand, where I think, one is always trying to spot some angelsharks or stingrays. In smaller holes hide sizable moray eels, crabs, and other nocturnal animals. A trained eye may even spot some seahorses, spider crabs, snails, and shrimps. The sand can be black, grey or white. There are plenty of lizardfish, flounder, and other demersal fish. Every now and then we also encounter small cuttlefish that camouflage themselves in the surrounding environment.
Are there wrecks here? Is it worth diving at the Museo Atlantico?
It is possible to come across two shipwrecks, an angel shark, a marbled electric ray, a stingray, and a grouper in one dive. Just sail the zodiac out of Puerto del Carmen and after a 5-minute swim there is a dive spot with wrecks. There are 2 of them lying here. The former ship, resting at 20 m depth, it is crooked and lying on its side. The other wreck, or rather its larger and smaller fragments, are scattered over a larger area of the bottom, at 40 m depth.
The Museo Atlantico is part of the Cabildo de Lanzarote's Centre for Art, Culture and Tourism. It was created to preserve nature and experience the unique beauty of the island's landscape. The author of the sculptures is Jason de Caires Taylor. The sculptures and installations are located on the sand over an area of 2,500 m2. The opening for divers took place in January 2017. It is worth mentioning that it is eco-friendly and pH-neutral cement was used to build the installations.
The night dives here are amazing. There are even more animals, many of them are on the hunt. In the light of torches, you can witness spectacular scenes such as a golden moray eel catching and devouring a cuttlefish. You will encounter slipper lobsters, 20 cm lumpfish, octopuses, stingrays, crabs, sea urchins, etc.
Each time after successful dives we return to our base – Bonito Diving Lanzarote – to rinse and hang up our equipment, quench our thirst, fill in our logbooks and chat. Usually, we ask for restaurant recommendations, and the cuisine in Lanzarote is so to die for! The options are numerous. From seafood, fish, and burgers to vegetarian and vegan cuisine. There's something for everyone. The local starter is potatoes served with red and green sauces, and you can order local wine with dinner.
Bali
BEFORE YOU DIVE
Text Sylwia Kosmalska-Juriewicz
Photos Adrian Juriewicz
Three years ago, before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out all over the world for good, and we were forced to leave Bali on the last plane after a six-month stay in this extraordinary place, I asked a shaman, a healer from under a waterfall: Does he not fear the vision of closing Indonesia to tourists and living in isolation?
The shaman replied in his calm voice, “Now is the time to rest and purify Bali of the energy that has upset the balance of this place. Tourists come from all over the world, visit temples and constantly ask for money, success, good health, love, but give nothing in return, do not thank and do not feel gratitude... Now is the time for everything to balance out, for Bali to reach a balance, for nature to strengthen itself. It will be a difficult time for people, but not for nature or animals". Finally, he added: "Good luck, good luck, good luck". Today we returned to Bali on one of the first planes, after the opening of Indonesia to tourists. After almost three years, I stood before the same shaman from under the waterfall and asked him how the time of isolation caused by the pandemic was for Bali and its inhabitants? The shaman hugged me warmly, his eyes started glowing at the sight of me. He replied in the same calm voice that I remembered – "The children returned to their parents in the country because they ran out of money and had nothing to live for in the city. The family ties were tightened, the land yielded crops and they had something to eat. People helped each other and they continue to help each other, sharing what they have even though they have little.... Bali has cleared, the energy has changed, now there's a balance. Everything returned to its place, to the beginning, to its roots...’’
I'm walking on the shore of the ocean, and the foamy waves wash my bare feet. After 19 hours of travel we landed at the airport in Denpasar, we returned to Bali. Everything seems to be the same as the last time we saw this place: still and humid air, trees growing on the beach, dogs running on sand and enjoying life in their own beautiful way, a coffee shop with my favourite coffee... but it is somehow different. There are no tourists, or rather there are few of them, there are no traffic
jams on the roads, most shops and restaurants are closed. Every time another plane lands at Denpasar Bali airport, it comes to life. It awakens from post covid's lethargy, but for a long time it will remain as I see it now. We are going to dinner at a restaurant located on the beach in Sanur. It's late, and the moon and our mobiles' torches light the way. Somewhere between the ocean and a narrow sidewalk made of grey cubes, on the sand, in the moonlight, we see two large shadows. These are two green turtles, a species threatened with extinction. The females came ashore to lay their eggs. They use their wide paws to bury the eggs in the sand. We watched this unusual event for a while so as not to disturb this intimate act. For a moment I could not believe what I see, that in the place where so much is happening since morning (local residents and tourists are walking their dogs, running, doing yoga, etc.) there is such a natural phenomenon... A great amazement and emotion were expressed on my face...
The next day, I wake up before dawn. The sounds of birds and geckos come from the beautiful garden in which our hotel is located. I open the door and invite a new day inside with all its intensity of colors, smells and sounds. I go to a narrow beach, made of stones, a path that leads me through
a tropical garden, the air temperature exceeds 28°C, and the humidity is 80 %. One more corner and I see bright streaks of light against the orange sky. The orange glow embraces everything within its reach. A small group of children is playing on the shore of the ocean. Someone has placed the camera on a tripod and immortalises this extraordinary moment. After breakfast, we go to Ubud, which is especially loved by artists. It takes one hour to get from Sanur to the place we go. The road abounds in beautiful views that gain more and more charm with every kilometer covered. We stop at a parking lot next to Monkey Forest located in the center of Ubud. We enter the rainforest through an underground tunnel carved in the rock, to which a wooden pier and stone stairs lead. On the other side of the tunnel, there is a wonderful green world, inhabited by 1,049 macaques forming 6 gangs. These unique creatures live here for 12.5 hours and enjoy freedom. The rainforest is their home, but also a very important and sacred place for the Balinese. The Monkey Forest, also called a sanctuary, creates a kind of bridge and harmony between humans and animals. The Balinese believe that macaques are the embodiment of good and bad powers and should be treated with respect. You can't scare them, you can't feed
When the monkey jumps on our head or back, we have to wait politely for it to jump off.
them, you can't look them in the eye, you can't chase them away, you can't touch them. When the monkey jumps on our head or back, we have to wait politely for it to jump off. Rapid movements and shouts can only upset a macaque, which in turn can result in a scratch or worse, a bite. Monkeys in the Monkey Forest are regularly vaccinated and tested, but this does not change the fact that the bite is very painful and ends with a visit to a medical point. The Monkey Forest is a very mysterious and beautiful place, and these feelings are amplified by bright light, penetrating the tree crowns, and by the sounds of animals. There are three Hindu temples in the Monkey Forest: Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal Temple (alias main), Pura Holy Beji Temple (purification) and Pura Prajapati (cremation). There is a cemetery near the latter. There are many mysterious figures in the rainforest, depicting deities and animals. We will also find small pools with water, which monkeys use to cool down. A unique attraction of this place is also the dragon bridge, hidden among the trees. It owes its name to two dragons which squirm and form railings of stairs. It is also a very grateful subject for photography. Early morning is the time to feed macaques, which get food three times a day. Their diet consists of sweet potatoes, coconuts, corn, cucumbers and bananas. Once tourists could buy fruit before entering the forest and feed with them the macaques. However, it had a bad impact on their weight, they became thicker and lazy, so feeding the animals was forbidden. Today, these playful creatures are not afraid of people. Most often they steal from people water, glasses and whatever catches their eye at the very moment. Staff in the forest is responsible for both animal and human safety. At the end of the visit in the rainforest we take a selfie with a macaque ;-)
In Ubud you can spend a few days and always something will delight you, surprise you and attract your attention, e.g. Pura Sarawati temple with ponds filled with pink lotuses, which
you enter straight from the street. A market with stalls hidden in a network of narrow alleys, which are teeming with colourful sarongs, wicker baskets, incense sticks, oils of various kinds, various stands and wooden figures... Bazaars always attract tourists who want to buy something or just watch. In such places, people engage in long conversations not only about the price, which is always worth negotiating, but also about life, weather and the world.
After a visit to the market, in the restaurant with cocos and in the temple with water lilies, it was time for the Tegallalngan rice terraces, which are about 15 minutes away from the centre of Ubut by car. You cannot miss them, because everywhere there is a tourist attraction, there are also stands with souvenirs and cafes visible from a distance. Our bus stops on the road in front of one of these stalls, where we get off and head towards the rice terraces. We are very fortunate because cascading terraces are covered with blades of rice and create beautiful lush, green carpets. During the harvest three to four times a year, the landscape changes and does not resemble the one that now stretches before our eyes. We descend the stone stairs, which after a while turn into high steps made of beaten earth and the clay. We stop at the moment when the
inscription Bali swing appears on our way, a swing that takes us so high up that we feel like we're flying and touching the sky with our feet. One of the attractions that is definitely worth visiting when you are in Tegallangan.
Bali smells of rice, the cooked one, left in the air, in the sun and rain. Everywhere: in taxis, cars, buses, in front of the entrance to the houses, at the chapels in the main street or in the store, we will come across small, square baskets of thanksgiving. Into green baskets made of palm leaves, followers of Balinese Hinduism (the dominant religion in Bali) put rice, flowers, coins, candies, cigarettes and cookies, and then light incense and send their intentions, requests high to the gods. Thanksgiving baskets accompany drivers and taxi passengers throughout the day. They are located on dashboards, spreading their unique fragrance, which only grows stronger with each subsequent hour.
A temple with a waterfall hidden in the rainforest is one of my favourite places in Bali. Only a few tourists know about its existence, which is why it is not as trampled and commercialised as most temples in tourist guides. We discovered this place by accident, three years ago, when we were living in Bali. We got lost riding a scooter, got lost in rice paddies, and the navigation on the phone stopped working. After a dozen or so minutes of wandering aimlessly, we saw a parking lot and a faded banner hanging on a tree informing that there is a temple and a waterfall in this place. We parked the scooter and took the sandy road leading to a small souvenir shop. We stopped in front of him, enchanted by beautiful wooden figures depicting images of deities and animals. In a glass, slightly dusty case, bracelets and necklaces made of natural stones were laid. Wayan, who is the “Leader of the Ceremony”, runs the shop with his wife, and according to the inhabitants
The guide brought us to a place that I can compare to a botanical garden. There are many species of trees, shrubs, flowers and plants such as papaya, vanilla, cocoa tree, coffee, cinnamon tree or ginger.
of Bali, he was chosen and anointed by God to perform ceremonies and help people. That day, Wayan and I went to the temple with a waterfall. We tied sarongs on our hips, and in our hands we held thank-you baskets prepared for us by his wife. Today we are on the same road with a group of wonderful people, friends who came with us to Bali. Before we reach the waterfall, we climb a dozen or so high stone stairs. We stop along the way, in different places, with spring water flowing straight out of the rocks. Together with the thanksgiving baskets, we offer our intentions and express our gratitude for this extraordinary, shared experience. We light incense and meditate, we try to imitate Wayan, who guides us in focus
through individual stations. The place is magical, green with an intense colour of moss growing over rocks. The fine rain bounces off the large leaves of the trees and falls noiselessly to the ground. We enter under the waterfall wearing bathing suits and wrapped in sarongs, the water is icy, fantastically refreshing... finally, after leaving the waterfall, we sit crosslegged wet and happy in a in a specially designed place, and Wayan sprinkles us with water from a holy source, sticks rice to our foreheads and gives everyone a few grains to eat. After a visit to the waterfall, we go for a delicious coffee. The guide brought us to a place that I can compare to a botanical garden. There are many species of trees, shrubs, flowers and plants such as papaya, vanilla, cocoa tree, coffee, cinnamon tree or ginger. The place is phenomenal, it smells of soil, flowers and coffee. We walk through narrow alleys paved with small pebbles. We watch, touch and taste the fruit that we pick right out of the trees. We stop before a small canopy, where a woman in the prime of her life stirs the coffee beans with a metal spoon in a cast-iron frying pan on a small furnace. The air is filled with the aroma of freshly roasted beans, which are later crushed in a special vessel resembling a mortar. It is served from an drip coffee maker and has a rather sour taste. Kopi
Luwak is one of the most expensive coffees in the world, and it is obtained in a rather unusual way. First, animals called civets (the local name is luwak) are fed with coffee beans, which subsequently are subject to digestive processes in the animals' digestive system, and then excreted in the faeces as a whole. The beans are carefully excavated from the faeces, dried, roasted and ground, and then brewed and served in beautiful cups. Putu works in a café overlooking a garden belonging to a plantation. He tells us where we can sit, relax and order coffee. He comes up to us after a while and asks if we want to place an order, and then he adds – "You Europeans have a cappuccino, and we have a cacuchino, I invite you to tasting". On site, you can try coffee kopi luwak, several kinds of tea and cocoa. Drinks are served in small glasses, carefully described.
to be continued
DAHAB „HEALTH RESORT”
viewed a little differently
Text and photosKrzysztof Brudkowski
We can read many slogans that tell us about diving in Egypt’s Dahab, located on the Sinai Peninsula. They usually describe the dive spots there as magical, iconic or famous.
As for the town itself, we learn from the Internet that it used to be a Bedouin village, but today it is a cosy resort or a small tourist town. However, do those encouraging, often delightful statements aimed at encouraging newly minted divers to buy a trip are not far from the truth? Or maybe the time of the pandemic has made fundamental changes in the activities of local diving centres so that the business has collapsed, and the outflow of tourists has had
a negative impact on the colour and atmosphere of the city known to us from earlier trips? We decided to check it out, hoping to return to the known places and people, and to escape, at least for a while, from the overwhelming news of our neighbours' tragedy in Ukraine.
We made our last trips to Dahab long before the pandemic. At that time, the unique atmosphere of the city and the diving sites we visited made a very positive impression on us. Since then, expeditions to other regions of Egypt, the Canary Islands or the Dominican Republic have provided us with many new experiences. Before leaving, we wondered if now the magic of this world, which is above and under the water, would fade?
After landing in Sharm EL Sheikh, with a stopover in Katowice (that's how Air Cairo flies now), and a forced one-hour stop behind the wall of Sharm in order to collect a few buses and coaches for a "convoy", after 1.5 hours of driving, we arrived at Happy Life Hotel at 7 a.m., being exhausted of that
trip. Part of our team went to sleep off the flight, but the other part, the most thirsty of dives, immediately checked into the Lagona Divers base to plan diving attractions.
It immediately became apparent that the local law now required a “welcome dive”, regardless of the level of certification and experience of the diver, which is of course an extra charge. It was comforting that it also served as an orientation dive on the house reef, so some of our team immediately did this and another dive, visiting the house reef in the north (towards Moray Garden) and in the south (not further than Golden Blocks). Whoever slept through the time of that first diving had to start another day with this dive.
The advantage of the chosen option of staying at Happy Life Village Hotel, and not at the hotel of the well-known diving base Planet Divers, was that the time saved on trips to diving sites could be used for other forms of entertainment, snorkelling or blissful laziness on a sun lounger. In fact, that's exactly what happened, because we had almost all the famous dive spots at hand. To the right of the hotel beach there are
dive places called Moray Garden, Triple Pools, Umm Sid, Caves, and to the left Golden Blocks and Southern Oasis. Having checked efficiently the completeness of the equipment in the base and having packed everything on a pickup, it was possible to enter the water after a short while.
We were looking forward to this moment. Will there be anything to admire underwater? Is it better, because the pandemic caused that fewer divers have come here, or is it worse, because the climate is changing, and corals are dying due to water temperature and other stressful factors. Such doubts and questions bothered us until we entered the water. Already the first dives on the house reef gave hope that we would not regret our choice of place, because the encountered diversity of marine life was delightful and almost made you dizzy. Small yellow-headed morays, clownfish, which are not afraid of curious and strange-looking newcomers from another planet, shy as always octopuses, elegant ray-finned fish and large puffers, or the multitude of popular reef fish (anthias) accompanied us at almost every block of the reef when we headed towards Golden Blocks. We also saw something new in every place. On Caves, we met a beautiful red scorpionfish and watched shrimp, and at the end of the dive, we traditionally watched the navey blue depths from inside one cave, scaring off some big puffers.
We were very happy that nothing had destroyed our old friend big gorgonia, which majestically spreads out at a depth of about 18–20 meters on Golden Blocks. These golden blocks are two towers made of hard corals in golden sand colour,
which can be seen even from the shore. Almost all of the most interesting marine life around these formations is concentrated here, with which are invariably fascinated. We can find here both anemones and clowns fish, pairing specimens of red sea bannerfish (heniochus intermedius), my favourite red reef fish (anthias and pseudoanthias), as well as soft corals resembling broccoli (litophyton arboretum). On a sandy slope covered with seagrass leading to Golden Blocks, we have one of the most interesting encounters of the last dive, about which I will tell you in a moment.
We cannot forget about Blue Hole, which is a vertical deep well that is the most famous dive site in the Red Sea, not only because of the impressions that accompany the dive, but also because of the large number of accidents that took place here, and we are reminded of this by the plaques commemorating our colleagues who took their last breath here, underwater. We used to do two dives here. The first was to descend along the "bottomless" wall near the Arch, the famous exit from this well, which is located at a depth of 52–57 m, and which can be entered by technical divers. Our team had to content themselves with admiring the outlines of this giant dark bow "hanging" for a short moment at 40 m. The second dive in
Already the first dives on the house reef gave hope that we would not regret our choice of place, because the encountered diversity of marine life was delightful and almost made you dizzy.
this case with El Bells took place also classically, descending in a narrow chimney to the depth of 32 m and gradually ascending with a longer stop over my favorite place called a saddle, over which a 3-minute safety stop is usually made.
The whole most colorful marine life focuses here actually on this fragment of the reef, which at some point lowers to about 5–7 m, creating an arched formation resembling a saddle in cross-section and for which crowds of snorkelling people come here, usually blocking the divers' entrance to El Bells. A large group of them accompanied us this time too.
This place of the reef is usually very well lit. Sun rays, refracting in perfectly transparent water and reaching the coral walls create fantastic scenes and well reflect the colours of not only corals, but also the multitude of all busy marine lives. Swimming among a huge number of fish, mainly composed of red reef fish, provides an unforgettable experience. The beauty of this place is well reflected in the photos of my friend Bruno Waligora (I encourage you to find his website on the Internet).
Fortunately, on the surface in this place nothing has changed for the worse as for the service offered for divers. On the shore you can choose from a number of Egyptian pubs, where divers, as well as other people, including the always fascinating freed-
ivers, wait for diving and discuss their impressions. Then you can choose something to eat, or drink a strengthening Egyptian "tea" with vitamin C or a fantastic fruit smoothie.
In the following days we explored other places according to our individual choice, some divers chose the famous Canyon, and the others preferred to dive alone, that is, without the care of an Egyptian guide, on the house reef at the hotel. This solution is good, especially for photographers and divers who like to watch marine life. Fortunately, we formed a team with an experienced photographer from Germany, whose aim was to relax through diving and we spent together the next dives on the house reef. At some point it turned out that we had only one dive left out of the purchased package of 10 dives, but due to the required time called "no fly", we could only do it early in the morning on the day before departure.
The next morning (at 6.00) the divemaster told us that he had a cough and a runny nose (hotel air conditioning can be tricky!) but, fortunately, nothing prevented us from diving just the two of us. After quickly preparing the equipment, loading it onto a pickup truck and agreeing on a dive plan, we were ready for a new adventure. I dived in the Red Sea before with only one companion, but it was a night dive on a safari and
at a safe distance from the boat, and now we were supposed to be really alone.
We agreed that we would sail across the surface towards Golden Blocks to use less gas mixture, to the first block, and not going deeper than 20 m, we would hang around the area, and then we would go back to the hotel pier, where diving usually begins. It turned out that it was a great idea. At some point, as we swam out from behind the block, we saw a turtle, which became a grateful subject for photography. The multitude of reef fish no longer impressed us, so we focused on searching for other attractions. We were looking at stingrays while they were huntig lionfish, and we enjoyed every nudibranch we could find. That's how we ended our dive trip.
So far I have not mentioned anything about the town of Dahab, its climate, pubs, e.g. Friends, Nemo or Ali Baba or the popular Chicken House. Who does not know this must see for himself what this famous other Egypt looks like. To enthusiasts I only need to mention that the pedestrian area in the center is expanding and gaining a granite pavement, and the atmosphere of small shops and pubs is invariably the same. We just have to return to the diving resort as soon as possible. I wish we could do it, both you and me.
Dive with GOOD DIVE in Lake Niedack
WHY?
Because it is a ribbon lake and is precious on the scale of Poland. It is located in Kociewie, in the municipality of Zblewo, at the northern end of the Tuchola Forest. It is an ideal place to try diving and an amazing place for divers who enjoy the shallow littoral and the animals that live in it.
And although we can dive from 0 to 30 m deep in the lake, the vast majority of divers do not go deeper than 5 m. Because from spring to late autumn, there is a veritable plethora of fish here. Hundreds of perch we swim into as they move away. Tench swimming in small groups, pike in numbers of up to a dozen on a single dive, common rudd, common bleak, single catfish and crayfish. All these fish can be encountered on one dive, although catfish are the hardest to see.
The bottom is covered with lush vegetation, green meadows so to speak. Among other things, water soldier and various types of pondweeds can be found here.
And, most importantly, there are no cultivated fields around the lake, and the land, apart from the Twardy Dół centre, is uninhabited, which is why underwater visibility is so good. At the worst time of the year visibility reaches up to 4 m, while at the best time of the year visibility is as high as 14 m.
It is a good place for the rubbish search competition, as there is very little or none. If they are found, it's fresh ones recently thrown in by someone inconsiderate. The lake is looked after by members of the Good Dive diving school.
WHAT ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR DIVERS?
It is very pleasant. The hangar where you will find the kingdom of Good Dive Base stands right by the lake. They are very well equipped and prepared. They rent equipment (everything) for both wet and dry divers. You can easily rent a dry suit here, fill a cylinder with air or nitrox and even do an intro on a rebreather.
The entrance to the water, when diving from the beach, is about 5 m from the base. If you wish to dive on the other side of the lake, Good Dive will organise this – there is a small zodiac available. And best of all – you can come here with unannounced and without reservation. The base fee is only 20 PLN.
Twardy Dół is an ideal place for the whole family to relax. The Good Dive school also specialises in diving and training for children. Camps for children are organised here every year.
The local and only resort offers accommodation and a restaurant. It is surrounded by forests, and there are opportunities for cycling, jogging, fitness, Nordic walking, kayaking, and hiking.
In autumn, the Good Dive base together with the Twardy Dół centre offer a discount on accommodation for divers and people who just want to start their diving adventure.
Diving in the old NUTTLAR lime stone mine
Text and photos KURT STORMS
IT IS TIME AGAIN TO GO DIVING IN AN OLD LIMESTONE MINE. THIS TIME WE ARE GOING TO SAUERLAND GERMANY. THERE IS A LITTLE TOWN CALLED "NUTTLAR". NUTTLAR IS A DISTRICT OF THE MUNICIPALITY BESTWIG IN THE NORTHERN HOCHSAUERLANDKREIS (NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA) AND HAS ABOUT 1700 WINHABITANTS.
From the middle of the 19th century Nuttlar lived mainly from slate extraction from the local mine. Five men founded the Gessner company in 1857 and through constant modernisation the business developed favourably, so that in 1878 it was approved for underground mining. This was the beginning of "the Nuttlar slate mine".
The number of employees rose to about 100 in 1900; children and young people also worked there. Slate mining did not
have any negative effects due to the "First World War", as the arms industry needed slate for insulating the electric moulds.
But due to competition from cheaper slate from Spain and the use of Eternit, slate mining stopped in 1985.
It is an enormous labyrinth of mile-long tunnels and large spaces. After the closure, the electricity was turned off, causing the pumps to stop, so the water reached its maximum level after 7 years. Of a total of 5 floors, the 2 lower ones are
Briloner Str. 48a D-59909 Bestwig
Germany from Brussels it is 3:30hr drive
flooded. These passages have a length of 12 kilometres and the maximum depth is 14 to 30 metres.
The drive to Nuttlar takes 3:15 hours from my home town. Together with my wife Caroline and my regular buddy Willem Verreycken, we left at 6:30am for our dive site for today.
The drive went smoothly, and once we arrived we were pleasantly received by the owner, we got a briefing, about the operation, where the compressor is to possibly fill between dives.
The mainline is clearly visible everywhere between all the stuff we come across. In between, Willem turns to take a photo. We have only just left, and are already as happy as a child.
They fill here air, Nitrox, Trimix and O2 for the rebreathers.
Once this briefing was given, we went back to the car to take the right road to the entrance of the mine, where there is a large parking for 7 cars.
The entrance to the mine can be easily recognised by the yellow container. Here we get our second briefing. What we have to pay attention to, where we have to sign in and out.
Once this briefing was over, we could get ready with excitement.
Wim and I put our Bail-out on the waterfront, and here we took our first glimpse in the direction of the water, wow, how clear was my first thought and we continued to get ready. Me and Wim both dived on our Rebreather. We spent some time getting the Rebreather ready for diving and going over the tests. Today I am diving with the Divesoft Liberty SM.
Once in the water and having done our S-drill, we descend below the surface and our dive begins. The agreement was that we would do a dive of about 2.5.
After a few minutes, we arrived at a junction where several cars were shunted around, not knowing that they would never
move from their places. It is a spacious corridor, but you have to be smart not to touch another wagon to avoid a Silt-out.
We follow the line where we have to place a 'cookie' in between, the water is cold at 8 degrees. So I am obliged to put on my heating. The view is extremely clear. There are pipes and cables everywhere so that light bulbs could be provided with electricity.
The mainline is clearly visible everywhere between all the stuff we come across. In between, Willem turns to take a photo. We have only just left, and are already as happy as a child. Willem swims in through a small passage and we end up in a beautiful room as big as a house. The walls that cover this room are beautiful, which makes the link that these were made by sawing and not by blowing up black powder. It is an enormous labyrinth, in which you can spend hours. The splendour of the past is shown to its best advantage here. The carriages, the rails, this gives you even more respect for the people who once worked here. When we get back to the top after 2,5 hours, we have only seen the first part, but we are satisfied. Immediately we are making plans to explore the deeper part.
INFO SLATE MINE
The slate mine (Schieferbau Nuttlar) is open from April to mid-November on weekends. In winter, the mine is closed due to the hibernation of the bats. Reservation is compulsory. A maximum of 12 cave divers can enter per day and a day ticket costs €69.
GOING INTO THE MINE WITHOUT A CAVE DIVING LICENCE
Would you like to go further down into the mine but don't have a cave diving licence? Or do you doubt that cave diving is something for you? Here you can have a fantastic experience under supervision. Under strict guidance you can go further in a small group where there is no ascent possible. Floating above the rails, you dive along tubes, cables and old materials. The gas planning is conservative, the experience is great! However, there is a prerequisite for participation. You have to have a preliminary technical basis. This means that you dive with a double set, long hose and lights, but also that you master all the procedures such as gas sharing and valve turning. So it's not for everyone, but an absolute must if you have the level. So you don't have to go to France or Mexico for your first unforgettable cave diving adventure!
Sport divers without a cave diving licence can also enjoy this underwater world under supervision. You will be accompanied by an experienced cave diver from the Nuttlar. It is compulsory to dive with equipment that is suitable for cold water, i.e. separate breathing systems, a suitable suit and some diving experience. There is no possibility to rent equipment on site. The cost is 69€ per dive. Don't forget to bring your valid medical certificate, your certification and a valid diving insurance, which will be checked before you dive.
If you already have your certification, and you want to dive with a guide, this can be done in addition to the normal entrance fee for 50€ per person extra. You get a guide who dives with a maximum of 3 participants.
STAYING IN THE AREA
There are many possibilities to stay overnight. A good hotel is Gasthof Sauerwald, which is only 3 km away.
Don't want to dive but still want to visit the mine? This is possible in the form of a dry tour in the non-flooded part. A 2hr tour costs 23€, a 4hr tour costs 33€ and a 7hr special tour for photographers costs 65€. These prices include a small snack and a drink.
Website: www.schieferbau-nuttlar.de
BALTICTECH 2022
It was 2007. Various conferences and diving fairs were held in several European cities. There were no such events in Poland, and yet the potential in the sense of good divers and interesting dive spots was significant. The number of wrecks in the Baltic alone reaches hundreds, if not thousands.
Sharing knowledge, experience and fears from various types of dives has become an end in itself. Already in 2007, returning from the Technical Conference from the Czech Republic, the participants talked about organising a similar meeting in Poland, and in March they began to work hard to turn the idea into action. At that time, the idea was to organise the Tri-City Technical Conference. They were interested in the facility in Jastrzębia Góra – a holiday resort that guaranteed an appropriate standard for the logistical organisation of the conference.
23 of November 2007 was set as the date.
The weather was not favourable, but against all odds, after breakfast on Saturday, the lectures began. Already then, in the break between presentations, the guests could get acquainted with the offer of invited companies and equipment distributors. In a separate room you could see heating for dry suits, underwater scooters or lighting.
The special guest of the first Conference was a well-known and respected instructor and wreck diver – Richard Lundgren. He presented two projects. One about the destroyer Erich Giesse and the other about the Polish destroyer Grom.
At the end of Saturday there was a screening of Sławek Paćko's films that talked about the exploration of The Caves of Florida, and the time of the integration of the participants began.
On Sunday there were 2 more presentations, including the one about decompression by Dr. Krzyżak.
The first TKT (Tri-City Technical Conference) was attended by 170 participants and 11 companies.
The following year, 2008, was the second conference, also held in Jastrzębia Góra. This time more than 230 people took part, and among the foreign guests Nick Touissant, Alessandro Fenu, Andrew Georgitsis had their presentations.
The next conference – Baltictech 2009 – gathered nearly 400 people, including 18 speakers and 30 exhibitors.
In 2010, there were changes. From a logistical point of view, the organisers were looking for another location for the Baltictech Conference 2010. They chose Gdynia. It turned out that organising such a meeting, with invited guests, with interesting lectures at a high level, with a presentation of the latest solutions in the equipment, perfectly met the expectations of both visitors and exhibitors. 500 people took part.
In 2011, it was decided that future Baltictech conferences would take place every two years. Technical, wreck and cave diving were widely treated, but freedivers and diving travellers also had their place there. In 2013, lectures were conducted simultaneously in 3 different rooms.
In 2015, the 7th edition of Baltictech was organised in Gdynia, in the Pomeranian Science and Technology Park. It gathered over 600 guests.
In 2017, due to its round, 10-year anniversary, it was a unique event, one of the most important events in Europe. The two-day meeting gathered 750 participants, 39 lectures and 39 exhibitors. It became very international, and the presentations took place simultaneously in 3 different rooms.
The speakers Tomasz Stachura and Łukasz Piórewicz told the story of the organisation of the first event, from which 10 years had just passed. Undoubtedly, it is the largest event in Poland dedicated to wreck and technical diving in the Baltic Sea. Interestingly, they showed
how this conference had evolved over time, how much it had changed and grown.
In 2019, the 9th edition gathered hundreds of divers again. Speakers simultaneously presented their topics in several rooms. Recently, more and more people have switched from open to closed circuit. Baltictech turned out to be a great opportunity to see and compare the most popular units at one place.
The next edition due to the Covid-19 Pandemic has been postponed from 2021 to 2022.
It is officially known that BALTICTECH 2022 will take place at a new place. On 26–27 November 2022 we meet at Oksywie in Gdynia, in the building of the Main Library of the Naval Academy, ul. Śmidowicza 69 (entrance to the parking lot from Jana Grudzińskiego Street).
It was necessary to look for a place that would host a larger group of guests.
During this year's Baltictech Conference, an amazing attraction for participants will be the opportunity to test the equipment in the water. On Saturday, a multifunctional swimming pool with a movable bottom belonging to the AMW (Naval Academy) will be available on the premises.
Baltictech is one of the three largest meetings of technical divers in the world. The other two are held in Australia and the United Kingdom. The conference takes place periodically, every two years in Gdynia and is dedicated to diving issues. THE NUMBER OF SEATS IS LIMITED! Don't
CAN CONTACT WITH A CEPHALOPOD BE THERAPEUTIC?
THuman relations with the animate world are based on consumption in the broadest sense of the term, which is why very few who order octopus rings in a Mediterranean restaurant are aware that they will be consuming a dish prepared from the arms of animals endowed with extraordinary cognitive abilities.
hey are highly mysterious creatures, with a complex structure, intricate behaviour, and uncommon abilities. Classed as cephalopods, octopuses, as their name suggests, have eight arms “growing out of their head”. In fact, they have six arms for grasping food and two for locomotion (walking on the bottom). In addition to these eight limbs, they have three hearts, one pumping peripheral blood throughout the body and two (known as branchial hearts) with which they pump blood through the gills. The heart, which is responsible for pumping blood through the body, does not do so when octopuses are swimming. Thus, they tire quickly and therefore greatly prefer to walk on the bottom. Their blood is a greenish blue colour due to the copper-con-
taining hemocyanin instead of the iron present in hemoglobin. Octopuses are molluscs distinguished by their great ability for complex movements. They learn based on individually collected experiences as they are solitary animals, spending time in pairs only during the mating season. Thus, they do not pass on knowledge from generation to generation, as the parents only take care of the hatching of the larvae from eggs. One is tempted to ask, however, what would happen if octopuses passed on knowledge between generations, like, for example, cetaceans? How much would their intelligence have developed and how cognitively proficient would they be? Scientific studies indicate that these mysterious cephalopods have a short – and long-term memory, which
Text Dr hab. Prof. UAM Hanna Mamzer Photos Wojciech Zgoła
enables them to find their way efficiently through labyrinths. The results of Robin Crook's study, published in “Science” 2021, indicate that the way octopuses experience pain physically and psychologically is similar to that of mammals1. Octopuses exposed to pain at specific locations in the aquarium (where they were injected in one arm with diluted acetic acid), later avoided these locations in return for settling in those areas where the researchers relieved their pain (they were given an analgesic injection). Although solitary, octopuses communicate with other individuals by changing the colour of their skin and are able to communicate their moods to each other, including threatening behaviour. Adapting their colour to the environment also allows them to hunt effectively while protecting themselves from predators. It is even more effective
as they are able to change the texture of their skin.
The unusual nature of the complex behaviour of octopuses was brilliantly demonstrated in the startling 2020 documentary film “My Octopus Teacher”, directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed. A year later, the film won an Oscar (for best feature-length documentary) and numerous other awards and nominations. The documentary drew the attention of audiences to the kind of relationship octopuses are able to build with humans and how humans are able to relate to these animals. The film is the story of the therapy that the main character and narrator, Craig Foster, has had for himself, somewhat by accident.
Foster, an overworked filmmaker in whose life a number of emotional problems accumulated in a short period of time, became ill with depression. In the
face of all his troubles, returning to his childhood memories, the happy time when he and his brother swam in the ocean, the protagonist felt that in order to regain his mental and emotional balance, he should return to those youthful encounters with water. To immerse himself in it again and thus understand his needs. Following his intuition, he began regular dives in the Atlantic Ocean, around Cape Storms (in South Africa).
Aiming to regain his 'connection' with nature and himself, he dived without a suit, which he considered a kind of artificial barrier separating him from the natural environment. Thus, becoming part of the ocean, immersing himself in the underwater world, swimming through kelp forests, he came across an unusual structure formed of colourful shells and stones. It was an octopus-built shelter. This encounter
Although solitary, octopuses communicate with other individuals by changing the colour of their skin and are able to communicate their moods to each other, including threatening behaviour.
fascinated Foster so much that he regularly came to stay with the animal. The octopus, distrustful at first, slowly began to get used to the diver and one day decided to touch the man's outstretched hand. So began a healing relationship for the man, full of emotions and diverse sensations, based on mutual trust and respect between the human being and the animal and its ecosystem. The relationship was evidently forged by the octopus – meaning that the octopus consented to the human touch – in fact, it touched the human. Craig Foster's relationship with the octopus evokes complex emotions in the
viewer. It shows trust, interest, and the desire for contact with oneself, but at the same time it provokes sadness, fear and reflection on the further fate of the octopus. Living in a natural body of water, the octopus is exposed to threats: attacks by predators, exhaustion, disease, and ultimately death, which is, on the one hand, the stage that ends the life of the individual, and on the other hand, the moment that begins the circulation of matter in nature, and thus gives another life. Meeting an octopus, the protagonist of the film experiences dilemmas: should he feed the sick octopus? Should he protect it from predator
attacks? How to deal with the death of the animal? Does man have the right to interfere in the natural world, even if he has good intentions? These and many other questions are posed to the viewer by the authors of the film, forcing the viewer to dive into their reflections. The moment when the octopus first touched Foster's hand with its arm became a turning point in the relationship – at least from the human protagonist's point of view. Craig Foster had waited 26 days, and he interpreted the octopus's touch as acceptance, which also allowed him to understand how much he needed acceptance from humans.
OCTOPUS in Hamburg Polish Diving School
The world of animals often becomes a source of such positive feelings for humans, due to the fact that animals judge differently than humans, build relationships based on different characteristics and behaviours than humans. Although perhaps using the term 'animals' is too much of a generalisation, linking organisms from very diverse taxonomic groups. This problem was highlighted by Peter Singer in "Animal Liberation", pointing out that such broad generalisations cause us to lose important differences – small but important.
Craig Foster has managed to establish a peculiar and poignant relationship with the octopus of a very emotional nature. Similarly, Sy Montgomery (author
of a book describing the biography of a pig treated as a companion animal, "The Good Good Pig") talks about octopuses. The authors of these popular science or even pop culture messages have enormous power to influence mass audiences – they are able to educate about what kind of animals octopuses are. And although for most people octopuses are a food ingredient or an attraction in water parks, where they are caught from the wild because they cannot reproduce in captivity, it turns out that they can also be a friend. In Craig Foster's case, an octopus accidentally encountered during a dive became the object of the protagonist/ narrator's own projection of his emo-
tions. By diving into the ocean, Foster was given the opportunity to immerse within himself and his thoughts, and ultimately through this he found contact with his loved ones. This is how following a childhood memory helped the protagonist to deal with an existential crisis. The octopus was both a teacher and a friend. And diving was a form of occupational therapy.
I would like to thank Marta Stawska-Puchalska for help in editing the text.
TFear is a certain feeling of anxiety and tension. It is a natural feeling and has already accompanied our ancestors by warning them of predators and other dangers, allowing them to attack or escape quickly.
oday, we understand the fear better, but at the same time the anxiety may appear in greater numbers of situations where we are not really threatened, because the subconscious gives us an idea of a threat that is not really there.
When we experience anxiety in our body, some biological changes take place. Being aware of their existence, we can deal with "false alarms" more easily:
dizziness is associated with rapid and deep breathing the heart beats faster to deliver more
oxygenated blood to important organs
tingling or feeling cold in the hands and feet means that the blood has been directed to the muscles that are more important in the face of danger
difficulty concentrating is associated with decreased blood supply to the brain and more to the muscles
trembling is also caused by increased blood supply to the muscles
sweating is just a reaction cooling the body so that it does not overheat stomach problems occur because the
Text Magdalena Sokołowska
Photo BEEDIVER Bartosz Pszczółkowski
blood is redirected from the digestive system to other parts of the body
Fear is really your ally, and it's trying to protect you from danger, but it can also keep us from having unforgettable adventures. If you're even a little afraid of something, your subconscious gives you reasons not to do something.
My adventure with diving is a consequence of my fear of sharks. I do not know a diver who has not watched the film "Jaws" from 1975. No one expected this work to have worldwide consequences. This film portrayed sharks as mindless killing machines that attack everything and eat people. Since then, everything has changed in the shark world. Before the film was made, no one treated sharks as a great threat, people sailing in the seas and oceans did not care much about them.
I saw the film "Jaws" before I even went to my primary school. I watched it myself, without the supervision of my parents – a big mistake that had huge consequences. From that moment when
I was swimming in the lake, I thought a shark was going to appear out of nowhere and attack me. The same thing used to happen when I was swimming in the pool. I was looking around to make sure if there was no shark swimming at me. Every time I went into any water, my imagination knew no bounds. In addition, I often had bloody nightmares with sharks in the lead role. My anxiety was very irrational.
When I was a child, there were no TV channels such as National Geographic, Discovery Channel or Animal Planet, and nature programmes could only be watched at weekends on Polish Television. One day I came across a program about underwater life, where, among others, sharks were shown and their diet was described. Human flash was not included in it, but I still had my doubts. However, I was waiting for programmes presenting the underwater world and the terrifying sharks. When the satellite dish appeared in the house, nature channels became my favourite, and as
No one would have thought my fear would turn into a dream to meet a shark face-to-face in the water.
hypnotised, I watched the life of underwater creatures and learned more and more about sharks. For several years, watching sharks on TV, then searching for information on the Internet, unconsciously my fear was decreasing, and curiosity was growing, which eventually turned into passion. I've come to the conclusion that it's worth getting to know the "enemy", getting to know them. It was hard to pull me away from the glass of the shark tank at Sea Life Aquarium in Barcelona.
No one would have thought my fear would turn into a dream to meet a shark face-to-face in the water. I already had tremendous knowledge, and my friends knew I was a shark freak. I even made presentations about them at classes at my university (Poznań University of Economics) – the topic was to be the role of a leader, except that my leader lived underwater.
When my colleague became a diving instructor, the next day after passing the exam, he called me and announced that
Photo BEEDIVER Bartosz Pszczółkowski
Photo Sylwia Kosmalska-Juriewicz
I would be doing a diving course with him to fulfil my dreams (it was Bartosz Pszczółkowski cooperating with Perfect Diver). It was with him that I saw my first shark, an oceanic whitetip, on the reef of Elphinstone in Egypt. The experience of diving with my first shark aroused a desire to see other species.
Then I spent my savings on diving trips where I could see different species of sharks. I've been to Egypt a few times, the Maldives a few times, the Philippines, Thailand, Fiji, and many other countries where you can't see sharks, but you can go diving. In Fiji, where I experienced typical diving only with sharks, I used the visualisation method (mentioned in the PADI textbooks). Before I went into the water, I imagined possible scenarios – what could happen underwater and how I should react. Of course, my imagination was still in full swing and I imagined what would happen if I was bitten by a bull shark or tiger shark, which is known for liking to try everything with its jaws. The shark number 2 on the list of the most dangerous sharks in the world was half a meter away from me, and I wanted to hug it (which of course we never do while diving).
Another of my dream species is hammerhead shark (in the Bahamas).
Sharks are constantly trying to fight against their bad reputation, and divers are making a big contribution to portraying sharks as beautiful, harmless creatures, needed for the underwater ecosystem of the world, which also affects our life on the surface. Thanks to diving, I was also able to learn another method of overcoming anxiety: "going into deep water". In this experience, I was also accompanied by Bartosz, whom I visited at that time in Sardinia, on the Capo
Photo Magdalena Sokołowska
Galera. I flew quite spontaneously, expecting easy, pleasant diving on shallow reefs. I was surprised when the first day of the dive I received a large and powerful torch as part of my compulsory equipment. I did not read on the Internet what dives were offered there, and they were dives in grottos and caves that I had never dealt with before. I had no choice but to overcome all the difficulties of these dives.
Diving is like discovering another planet, that is why it is no wonder that we are often accompanied by fear. When you feel fear of entering the water, remember that it is only your subconscious that exaggerates everything. Books, films, courses, gaining knowledge, should be used to learn about a given topic and get used to potential fear. Then there is practice – conscious, gradual exposing oneself to fear. We learn in small steps that we are able to survive unpleasant sensations and
that we are not in danger. The more we expose ourselves to fearful situations, the less fear we will experience.
Visualise the entrance to the water and all activities learned in the course. You can also breathe consciously – take a slow deep breath through the diaphragm – making a "balloon" out of your belly, hold it for a moment and exhale slowly. Repeat it several times focusing only on your breath. Don't be shy to tell your Dive Master about your concerns, ask for safety information.
What should you remember from this article:
dear parents, be careful on what your children watch, because it may cause trauma to them —fear may be our ally fear can be dealt with by knowing exactly its cause, using exposure to the fear factor, visualisation, conscious breathing we do not always have influence on
what happens to us, but we have a choice of how we look at the reality.
Photo Sylwia Kosmalska-Juriewicz
Photo Adrian Juriewicz
SHARKS
Text Anna Sołoducha
INTELLIGENT. THEY HAVE SHORT AND LONG-TERM MEMORY. SOME HAVE STEREOSCOPIC VISION, WHICH ENABLES THEM TO JUDGE DISTANCES PERFECTLY.
Binocular vision makes the animal able to orient itself better in three-dimensional space, with a more precise sense of the depth of the visual field. They are some of the fiercest predators in the ocean and, at the same time, some of the most sensitive sea creatures. They played a starring role
in the 1975 Steven Spielberg-directed film... but did they gain notoriety as a result?
Sharks have been roaming the oceans for 400 million years and are undeniably the rulers of this realm. They are known as excellent hunters, sow terror and often inspire fear. What is really myth and what is truth? What lies behind the iconic characters of the movie “Jaws”?
Contrary to popular belief about sharks, they are among the most harmless predators on the planet. Statistically speaking – the number of sharks, their frequency of occurrence and confrontation zone compared to the number of beaches, surfers and, above all, divers, can practically rule out any danger. It is the media that has created the image of the 'killers' that create so much fear in us. Fears of water, darkness, depth, and unknown environments. It is history that has taught us to be cautious, that has created a survival instinct. For more than
Photo Red Sea Diving Safari
10,000 years, humans have been fleeing and fighting predators. However, what every person in whom a shark inspires fear needs to understand is that it is not the shark, but the situation we find ourselves in – which we ourselves in fact create – that is a threat to us. As divers, swimmers, surfers, anglers – we are entering their environment, their oasis, their refuge, their home. It is often the case that the shark smells the bait and takes us – humans – as it's source. What should be done in such a situation? What should you keep in mind to feel safe around these predators? The first time I came across shark diving guidelines was in South Africa. There, a dive with blacktip sharks awaited us. Before entering the water, we were given very precise instructions on how to behave during the dive. As human skin shines underwater like fish scales, it is very important that our hands are not visible. We must not make sudden movements, because when we start splashing with our fins – the sharks will immediately swim up. It is important to maintain a vertical position (i.e. any position other than horizontal) at all times. However, the theory that by adopting a horizontal position we become more like a seal, fish, or turtle – the object of shark desire and potential prey – is wrong. Sharks have excellent underwater vision and can also distinguish colours. They have a large brain and are not primitive.
And most importantly, but not at all easily – we always have to look sharks straight in the eye. Sound abstract? Maybe it is abstract, but it is effective! Indeed, if we find ourselves in such a situation, we instinctively look for an escape route. The shark, on the other hand, often starts to move. And us? We start to get nervous. That's when we have to remember – we position our body upright and look the predator in the eye. By remaining calm – the shark's interest will slowly begin to diminish. Important! The shark is looking for fleeing prey. Therefore, since we are not fleeing – we are not interesting Sharks rely on sight. It is taken for granted that if a shark is circling around us – it will definitely attack. The reason, however, is to find the aforementioned eye contact. The animal is curious, but it keeps an appropriate distance. It wants to watch us – that is why it swims up. When the shark calms down (because the truth is that it is more nervous than we are) it swims up even closer. And this is where our imagination goes wild. The brain suggests the worst possible scenarios – we start to see frames from the movie "Jaws" in our mind. Our body's defensive reaction is to move our hand – so as to drive the predator away from us. This movement of the water causes it to hit the gills which makes the shark start to retreat. We must remember that the gills are the most sensitive organ – not only in sharks, but in
Photo Red Sea Diving Safari
all fish. Even the slight pressure that the water exerts on the gills causes the shark to immediately move away. In the case of such behaviour between sharks, this means that another shark will attack it out of fear, or it is simply establishing a hierarchy in the herd. Such movements are therefore definitely not advised ;)
Each species has its own body language, and each individual within the species differs from one another. Males differ from females through size and hormones. Young animals are livelier than the older ones. No single shark or situation is the same. This is why it is so important to respond to each according to their psyche. There are times, for example, when sharks are withdrawn and need to be calmed down. It is paradoxical that such a large animal is afraid, even though they surpass us in strength and speed. But they don't know this. Looking at us from their perspective – they just don't know who they have in front of them.
Sharks are not thick-skinned, they assess risks, they act instinctively. If they don't like something – they will give us a sign before they react, they are cautious. If they don't understand the situation – they will swim away instead of reacting. In an un-
usual situation (because they do happen), we need to observe the animal and try to predict its behaviour. Some sharks swim towards the boat, others keep their distance. Those that are curious are in a different mood than those that avoid us. They can be ignored from the boat, but not in the water. A shark that is a few metres away from you is different from the one that is close by. The one that swims up feels good, is lively or trusting. If it trusts the individual in front of it – it does not run away, but 'glides'. Gliding means that the animal is relaxed. Lowered pectoral fins indicate the same; they certainly do not indicate an attack ! On the contrary! It is a sign that the shark will swim away. When it swims with its mouth closed, we say that it is holding its breath and we don't know what to expect, it is not relaxed, but it will not attack. So, as you have already noticed – if we know the body language of a shark, we understand its behaviour. Our misinformation about these predators comes mainly from films and novels... The most famous myth is the assumption that sharks are attracted to the smell of human blood! Nothing could be further from the truth! Our blood completely does not "turn them on";) Also if you injure your heels from fins or shoes and blood pours... no worries. No one who
Photo Red Sea Diving Safari
lives in the deep sea will be interested in you. It is also often thought that sharks are constantly eating, and in fact their food represents about 2–3 % of their body weight on a daily basis. Which does not mean that they are constantly hungry! When it comes to intelligence, on the other hand, sharks are very aware of their body and the three-dimensionality of objects. They recognise structures and can avoid them. They can also turn around and feel the touch of parasites. They learn by observation and have an excellent memory. An interesting fact is that sharks have more than 5 or even 7 senses! They are great example of how predators improve with evolution. They certainly deserve recognition and respect. In addition to their excellent sense of smell, they have many perceptual organs, as exemplified by their skin and its flattened scales. It is covered
with millions of sound-absorbing dermal denticles, which gives them the ability to silently approach their prey... The denticles also reduce the density of the water, which makes the shark move very fast. The shark's skin has another property – a socalled lateral line organ which extends from the head to the tail. This is a 'gift' from evolution that enables it to recognise water movements. This makes the shark able to sense an approaching fish, which is why it also hunts at night. It is able to detect changes in the electric field and thus sense the pulse of its prey. Also noteworthy are its teeth, which are extremely sharp and grow back quickly. The shark's skeleton, on the other hand, is very light and made of cartilage. They are truly remarkable animals. However, it would be hard not to mention the attacks on humans – which of course do happen. There are
Zdjęcie Pro Dive
We need to start perceiving sharks differently, to discard the myth of monsters from the deep. Fear of them is created by the media.
from only a few, up to a dozen a year. In fact, sharks do sometimes attack, but that's because WE are the ones teasing them, upsetting them, and testing how they will react. Sharks defend themselves against what they perceive as aggression. We dive all over the world. In very many places we encounter these animals because, like us, sharks like temperatures above 17°C. So, if there are some accidents, they occur in Florida, South Africa, or Australia. The number of sharks is not higher in these places, but there are more aggressive species. There are more than 500 species of sharks in the world, of which only 12 can attack. Of this dozen, about 5–6 species can actually threaten us. The others do not really attack. Some of the more aggressive species are bull sharks, tiger sharks and great white sharks. Interestingly, the most frequent attacker is... the blacktip shark! However, its bites are not dangerous because it has a very
small mouth, they are mere bites. Serious attacks are very rare. Large sharks, like the great white shark, attack 3–7 times a year and such attacks only rarely end tragically. The hysteria that most often occurs is usually unjustified.
We need to start perceiving sharks differently, to discard the myth of monsters from the deep. Fear of them is created by the media. In the case of attacks – the word aggression is often used, thus emphasising that they are dangerous. This is not true. Sharks do not attack us to hurt us. They do not perceive us as prey. They do not want to kill us or hurt us. They attack when they are stressed, whether it is a situation where only the sharks are present, or a human is present. Sharks do not know that our skin is thin, they do not want to hurt us. Any attack is a result of the situation they are in. If a shark takes an interest in a shoal, and a diver is nearby, it will be considered part of that shoal. A shark in this situation may attack, even though the human does not match the size of the rest of the prey. When a shark looks for prey, it has an image of it in its mind. If it smells it – it expects to prey. It looks for a suitable animal, emitting such smell and making 'fear' noises. Humans definitely do not fit into this image. Our scent mixes with that of the shoal, but we do not match visually. When the shark sees us, it gets lost. It is interested in the sounds and smell, but the image surprises it, so it won't take a chance, because after all, we could be dangerous.
Sharks are predators and underwater they are second to none. They get to their prey in no time and tear bone and
Photo Activtour archives
Photo Łukasz Metrycki
muscle with their teeth, but they certainly do not feed on humans. They are distrustful and wary. They rarely swim up to us. As I mentioned, accidents occur in exceptional situations when humans and animals meet at the wrong time. They inflict most of the wounds with their gums, checking what they are dealing with. It can be dangerous, but a shark only approaches us when curiosity is stronger than fear. It feels our fear and, by attacking us, wants to see if it knows the surface of our body (in the case of us divers, mainly neoprene). This is why injuries are not deep. Serious wounds only happen when the shark grabs our hand, and we pull away. Then the tissue breaks against the teeth and a deep wound is caused. If, on the other hand, we do not move – the shark swims away. Of course, we have to approach a great white a little differently from a blue shark. But the principle is always the same. It all depends on the situation we find ourselves in. And believe me – sharks really are likeable
You will read about the species of sharks, the regions in which they are found, as well as the dangers that threaten these magnificent animals and what will happen if sharks become scarce in the next part of the article 'SHARKS'.
WYBIERZ KIERUNEK
Photo Łukasz Metrycki
SWIFT SWALLOWS
Text and photos Wojciech Jarosz
"A swallow is a black dagger, torn from the breasts of the wind. A sudden anchor od sadness, from an invisible yacht..." – this is how the text of one of the most recognisable Polish songs begins.
Irecall these words because, apart from an extremely accurate description of the characteristic morphology of swallows, it uses comparisons that strongly refer to water issues – wind, anchor, yacht. But that is not the only reason why I decided to look at these wonderful birds in Perfect Diver. Swallows can simply be found over the water, and this is the basic argument why we want to talk about them here, after all, in our bird cycle there are descriptions of species related to water. This relation to water can have a different character
and intensity. So I wrote once about the ocean birds that spend weeks and months on the waves, and sometimes about the small inhabitants of the rushes. The direct reason for choosing swallows as the protagonists of this text was the inspiring observation of barn swallows (Hirundo rustica), which established their nests under the planks of a bridge over one of the lakes in Poznań (the one that is the closest to my house). Swimming around this platform on the recently fashionable SUP board, I was even surrounded by swallows flying in a group to their nests with a supply of food for their flightless young and by those who left the colony for another portion of insects.
The very nesting on the water, which is not the norm for barn swallows, most often applies to sand martins (Riparia riparia), which dig their minks in the river slopes (just like riverkingfishers!). Before swallows were so strongly synanthropised (they decided to live in the vicinity of man), they built their nests on rocky walls, steep cliffs and similar places. Now, in Europe, far from people, there are sand martins, barn swallows and common house martins (delichon urbicum) that have specialised in the use of man-made buildings as nesting places. Barn swallows usually stick their clay cup-shaped nests inside
Barn swallow
buildings, such as barns, sheds, stables or pigsties (hence the English name: barn swallow), while common house swallows, as the name suggests, create their much more closed structures outside buildings in window recesses, under cornices, wall hoods, etc. Why would swallows have the idea of choosing such a living environment? One of the basic reasons mentioned by experts in swallow habits is the high availability of flying insects (the basic food of swallows), which often accompany animals kept by humans. For the same reason, swallows are eager to live in the vicinity of water reservoirs – after all, you can always meet insects there!
It is also worth mentioning how these birds get clay, preferably the well soaked one, which they use to build their nests. This material is easily available primarily on the banks of water reservoirs, to which swallows eagerly fly from the immediate and distant vicinity. It is estimated that in order to build a nest, a pair of swallows must go for material well over a thousand times! There is another situation when lovers of aquatic and underwater activities may encounter swallows, both in large and even very large groups. When the breeding season is over, the swallows gather for departure. They like to spend time, especially at night, in reed fields. This is probably where one of the Polish old folklore superstitions came from, saying that swallows spend the winter in the mud of a lake bottom, with their tails intertwined and forming long ropes. It was also believed that when winter is driven out by spring, the first person to see a spring swallow is to be lucky and successful throughout the year. Houses where swallows have their nests are considered happy, and
the destruction of the said nests is associated with bad fortune that brings various punishments to those who dare do it, for example, getting freckles on their face... There are many more superstitions and symbolic meanings. All because swallows have been close to humans for a long time. In the culture, not only folk culture, there are many references to swallows, to recall, for example, Słowacki ("Kordian"), Sienkiewicz ("Janko Muzykant"), Staff ("Droga") or Shakespeare ("Richard III").
It would be good if swallows were still with us, and unfortunately that is not so obvious now. In many countries, the number of barn swallows or house martins is falling dramat-
House martins
House martins
ically (e.g. in Hungary), and in Poland, which, together with Bulgaria, is home to the largest number of swallows from among European countries, there are also changes that may have a negative impact on the swallow population. Changes in the agricultural landscape are to a large extent the cause of the disappearance of swallows. In villages, old buildings that used to have many angles, cracks or exposed roof beams, and have been a dream place for swallows so far, are being modernised or replaced by new ones. The said buildings were also a favourite place for wagtails, black redstarts, common redstarts, starlings, and even owls.
Of course, swallows can also be found in smaller and larger cities. The biggest ones, too. Window niches of residential blocks are very willingly inhabited by common barn martins, but due to fecal contamination of the glass, their nests are often removed by people living there. If Dear Reader were to wonder whether there is any other solution leading to a clean window apart from chasing away swallows (and we should remember that these are legally protected animals), I would be pleased to inform you that there is. There are special shelves for swallows available in pet shops, which provide space for a nest and preventing contamination of the facade or window. It is worth remembering that where there are swallows, mosquitoes, midges and other insects, which these birds eat in huge quantities, our lives will be much less difficult. Therefore it is worth hosting "the sisters of the storm" (quoting the chorus of the song mentioned at the beginning).
Finally, a handful of information on the biology of these birds. Swallows, from a taxonomic point of view, belong to the order of the passeriformes and the family hirundinidae, which
they form together with river martins. In total, there are 85 species in the family. In addition to our close cousins, there are exotic swallows, such as saw-wings, Mascarene swallows, tree swallows, purple martins, rough-winged swallows, tawny-headed swallows and others. The body type is usually similar, the colours are usually repetitive, with some deviations. Our barn swallow has, for example, a rusty forehead and throat areas, the black-and-rufous swallow is all red on its bottom, while the red-rumped swallow has red only on the back of its head. Our sand martin is definitely more brown than black, but the sawwings are all black. Interestingly, sexual dimorphism among swallows is generally absent – females and males are often indistinguishable. The multitude of species means that almost every corner of the world with the right climate has its swallows, which can often be admired during distant trips and journeys –apart from Antarctica, they occur on every continent. European species usually migrate to wintering grounds (sometimes even 10,000 km!), e.g. in Africa, and return to the same areas in subsequent seasons, which in turn means that at different times of the year you can encounter the same birds in different parts of the globe. An interesting fact about these migrations is that swallows breed in the far north, e.g. behind the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia, travel further south than Central European birds, which stop in the sub-Saharan part of the Dark Continent. Watch swallows during your next aquatic activities! Perhaps you will have a chance to see how they drink water in flight, or with what efficiency these great pilots maneuver just above the surface catching more and more insects.
Barn swallow
Sand martins
as the only ones in Poland, finished with the certified Polygiene® technology, against the growth of bacteria and unpleasant odors
ALL THE TRASH IS OURS!
The underwater trash too! Last year there was a record that we hadn't seen for years. More than 300,000 volunteers relieved nature of 442 tons (!) of waste in the 28th Clean Up the World Action - Poland! This number also included divers who, together with us, cleaned up Lake Bystrzyckie and Lake Ciecz from the garbage lying there. Unfortunately, this is proof that we still produce rubbish and we do it a lot. This year, for the 29th time, we will go out to clean Poland of the garbage in nature. Will you join us?
WHAT LIES AT THE BOTTOM?
I ended my last article in Perfect Diver with the ominous-sounding headline "hard work ahead of us", because despite the impressive results of last year's edition, there is still a lot to do. So, Dear Readers, the time of hard work is coming, and we are once again flying the flag of the Clean Up the World Action and... we go underwater. In Poland, the awareness of underwater littering is rather low. We focus more on what is visible to the unaided eye. Therefore while walking in a forest we come across a wild dump, it immediately arouses our indignation. I often see posts on Instagram and Facebook with
a picture of scattered garbage, with a critical comment, usually directed to the one who threw the garbage there. And what about the wild underwater dumps? Despite the fact that often on holidays we rest only a few meters from the lake where someone a moment earlier threw home renovation remains, it does not seem to bother us. The reason for this is simple: "what eyes do not see, the heart regrets not". A wild dump can directly threaten our health, but since it is deep under water, we are just not aware of it.
THE DIVER WILL TELL YOU THE TRUTH
Only when a group of phenomenal volunteer divers enters the water, collects what lies at the bottom and pulls it ashore, we (diving laymen) open our eyes with amazement. Bottles, food packaging, electronics, household appliances, paint cans, tires... Without you, divers, the secrets of underwater garbage would remain undiscovered, still poisoning the environment. So I am going to ask you, Dear Readers of Perfect Diver and all the divers who will read this news, to help us look at the bottom of Polish waters and to make the manifesto of non-littering in nature resonate widely also from the surface of the water. It's time to say out loud: all the trash in the whole world is ours; this left by man in nature and this cleaned up by man. There is no another type of trash on our planet.
THE 29TH WORLD CLEAN UP ACTION – POLAND!
This year, for the 29th time, we will go out to clean Poland of the garbage in nature. The Clean Up the World campaign started on 22 April and will last until the third weekend
WSZYSTKIE ŚMIECI SĄ NASZE
29. AKCJA SPRZĄTANIE ŚWIATA-POLSKA FINAŁ AKCJI 16-18 WRZEŚNIA 2022
of September (16-18 September) when the traditional Grand Finale will take place. Similarly to last year, one day of the Grand Finale, Saturday, 17 September, is scheduled for underwater cleaning. And we will do it together with our Partner – Perfect Diver Magazine. So follow the information – also on our social media channels: @naszaziemia.pl – where we will soon publish more details (also regarding where we will clean and how you can join us). However, if you plan to go underwater by the end of September and clean up a reservoir, you can easily register your underwater action on the www. naszaziemia.pl/ssp2022 website. Your results will be entered in the official report of the 29th action and you will receive a certificate of participation.
Finally, I encourage you to be an Ambassador of Non-Littering. Together, let's propagate the problem of littering in nature, among friends, colleagues, in the media and social media. Why? Because the voice of many sounds louder and travels further. But also because the Clean Up the World Action is not about cleaning all the time, but about making litterers stop littering. So keep repeating the slogan of this year's action: "ALL TRASH IS OURS" and invite others to do underwater cleaning together. Let us discover the shameful truth hiding at the bottom of Polish lakes.
Grzegorz Mikosza Chief Coordinator of the World Clean Up Campaign in Poland
HOW TO BECOME A BETTER DIVER?
Text Wojciech A. Filip
Photo Tomasz Płociński
A KNOWLEDGE CHECK AWAITS YOU AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE – DO IT TWICE: BEFORE AND AFTER READING THE MATERIAL!
FROM TIME TO TIME, PERFECT DIVER PRESENTS SIMPLE TIPS TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE YOUR DIVING TECHNIQUE. THEY CAN BE USED BOTH BY THE BEGINNER DIVER, AS WELL AS THE VERY EXPERIENCED TECHNICAL DIVER OR INSTRUCTOR.
Here’s the deal: by spending 15 to 30 minutes, you will improve:
´ your position underwater
´ buoyancy control
´ reduce gas consumption
´ increase rescue safety
Which gear element impacts almost everything we do underwater?
Our hero:
The crotch strap – our gear’s most crucial piece of material
The crotch strap is a standard element of rigs that include a harness and plate, but it can be successfully used in many traditional jackets.
The purpose of the crotch strap is to hold your gear on your back in such a way so that it cannot move towards the diver’s head. In other words, whether your head underwater is directed towards the surface or the bottom, it cannot cause your gear to shift.
In this article, we will separately discuss the impact of the crotch strap on beginner and advanced divers. No matter how advanced you are, I recommend reading the entire material,
as many consequences of using the strap are common for all divers.
BEGINNER DIVER
You will feel safer on the surface, also at sea with higher waves
Without the crotch strap or with one that is too long, when you inflate your BCD with gas, instead of “pulling” you as high as possible above the water surface, it will only move the gear up, while your head will remain close to the water. Correct crotch strap length eliminates the problem.
You will improve your buoyancy control
A properly adjusted crotch strap allows you to take any position underwater freely. You can stand on your head easily and use it to peek into a shipwreck or another interesting place
If your crotch strap is too loose, it will cause the entire gear to move along your back towards your head, preventing you from raising it. You will automatically start holding your breath, which will change your buoyancy. Shifting gear means shifting the weight, which in turn will impact your position (to maintain control, you’ll start falling into the unwanted “seahorse” position). With your head stuck under the gear, your orientation will be limited – you might lose contact with your team or miss any signs given to you. Buoyancy control is also related to the next item concerning gas consumption.
You will reduce your gas consumption
With stable gear positioning on your back, you should have no problem with raising your head and breathe more easily (see the advanced divers part to learn why getting rid of CO2 translates to lower gas consumption from the cylinder). The
PROPERLY ADJUSTED CROTCH STRAP – HIGH, COMFORTABLE POSITION ON THE WATER SURFACE.
CROTCH STRAP TOO LOOSE – LOW, UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION ON THE WATER SURFACE
Photos on page Christian Caruso
ability to raise your head freely at any time during your dive – this is the same movement you make to open up the airways when providing first aid; it makes you breathe effortlessly. Being able to control your position freely, open airway and the possibility to control the environment also translate into less stress and all this results in significantly lower gas consumption – even up to 30%.
Simply adjust your crotch strap properly.
If your gear shifts towards your head, you will lower your chin to the chest and partially obstruct the airway, increasing your gas consumption.
ADVANCED DIVER
Contrary to what you might think, it is most often the advanced divers and instructors who can be seen with their crotch strap loosely dangling or even missing.
Here are some less obvious problems that can be easily eliminated by adjusting the crotch strap properly.
Underwater and surface rescue
When transporting a diver inside a shipwreck, cave or in open water, we use the so-called “sandwich”, where the rescue diver is on the back of the rescued. During rescue we should keep the victim’s airways open. On the surface, whatever procedure we use, we should open the victim’s airways (tilt the head back), give a series of rescue breaths and make sure to avoid secondary drowning, which means we keep the airways open and the head above the water.
A crotch strap that is too long, when coupled with a non-standard regulator configuration could block the victim’s head in a position that would prevent the airways from opening (due to the victim’s gear shifting high up their back).
Rescue operation – oxygen poisoning victim. Even if we assume that during rescue it is enough to only minimally open the airways to prevent barotrauma and full respiratory action will be restored on the surface, an overly long crotch strap may needlessly complicate the rescue operation on the surface, preventing rescue breaths prior to removing the gear.
Transporting and stabilizing the victim is way easier when a properly adjusted crotch strap length prevents the gear from shifting towards the head and the head itself can be easily tilted backwards at any moment.
Stabilizing position and buoyancy control in multiple stage cylinders diving
During multigas dives with multiple stage cylinders, the diver should be able to assume the same positions as a OWD diver, still having a really good time. Think how many technical divers have you seen standing on their heads bejeweled with stage cylinders?
This is no joke. Such position is part of rescue operations in caves and some shipwrecks.
If the crotch strap has the proper length, it will stabilize the entire gear, preventing it from sliding towards the head, rapidly changing the trim, and the diver can easily change their position as they wish without the risk of loosing control. The more gear you have on you, the more important crotch strap adjustment becomes.
If the crotch strap is too short (DPV d-ring between the legs), then during diving with a DPV you may experience a sensation of your trunk constantly lifting, which is dangerous during DPV dives in confined spaces. Moving the d-ring to the diver’s belly will significantly improve the position. In many harnesses, this can only be achieved by extending the
Photo Michał Motylewski
crotch strap, because the DPV d-ring is usually sewn and locked on the strap.
When doing boats dives with large 2×18 or 2×20 twinsets, fasten the waist strap after passing it through the crotch strap, leaving maximum freedom until you get into the water. This is because large sets with the appropriate crotch strap length prevent you from seating comfortably on the gear bank with your gear on. Leaving your belly strap only loosely secured for the time when you are getting prepared for entering the water is very helpful. Fasten the strap before entering the water!
Gas consumption and inert gases narcosis
The more complex the dive, the more important unrestricted breathing becomes, and its control largely depends on CO2 retention. An increase in CO2 level not only increases respiratory rate and the associated gas consumption, but also the risk related to a more “dynamic” course of inert gases narcosis. Increased CO2 levels may accelerate oxygen toxicity. Looking straight ahead, or keeping your head high up, causes the airways to open, which translates to increased safety at every stage of the dive.
HOW TO ADJUST YOUR CROTCH STRAP?
A more detailed description, with photos and additional information, can be found in the article “Harness adjustment” in Perfect Diver issue 9 – just click and print the
PHOTO OF THE AUTHOR DURING A MANY-HOUR DECOMPRESSION AFTER DIVING ON “HMHS BRITANNIC”
material you are interested in: https://issuu.com/perfectdiver/docs/pd_9_issue/68
Photo Krzysztof Niecko
Photos Bartek Trzciński
KNOWLEDGE CHECK
It is important to understand that proper length means neither the shortest nor excessively loose crotch strap. After reading the entire article, read the following list and try to answer the question: “why does this happen?”.
I encourage instructors to perform a similar analysis, extended with very precise but easy to understand explanations you may give to your students during your courses.
An excessively long crotch strap may cause:
´ increased gas consumption
´ “seahorse” position
´ problems with opening up the airways during rescue
´ difficulties in swimming backwards
´ increased levels of inert gases narcosis
´ assuming a position with lowered knees
An excessively short crotch strap may cause:
´ problems with putting the gear on both in the boat and in the water
´ difficulties in penetrating shipwrecks
´ assuming a vertical position when using a DPV
How to become a better diver?
Your diving quality is impacted by three interdependent factors
1. Knowledge
2. Experience
3. Gear
If you improve your gear’s functionality, it will have a positive impact on your diving experience, thus enhancing the comfort and safety of diving.
Adjust your gear to perfectly match your body and it will support all your diving ideas!
DO YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS?
Visit the Tecline Academy we will choose, adjust, show how to test your gear, but we will also improve your setup from any manufacturer!
See you there!
WAF
https://teclinediving.eu/tecline-academy/#/
Photo Tomasz Płociński
Klapki w stylu „japonek”
Calzuro Aqua
Wykonane z materiału bezlateksowego EVARITE®, o doskonałych parametrach technicznych.
Stworzone z pojedynczego bloku, co ogranicza możliwość łamania klapek w krytycznych punktach.
Calzuro Aqua są tak ukształtowane, że powierzchnia sprzyja prawidłowemu ukrwieniu. Antypoślizgowa podeszwa zapewnia trzymanie stóp w takich miejscach jak baseny, spa czy plaże.
Calzuro Aqua to komfort, relaks, lekkość i wodoodporność.
