"If you want to be strong and healthy, never shy away from water" (Andrzej Czesław Klimuszko).
Water is purifying. It removes toxins from our body, takes care of hydration, guarantees better sleep and improves metabolism. We also know that water gives joy, clears your head and allows you to float in the depths.
That's why reading or scanning the Perfect Diver Magazine is important: it gives us a substitute of underwater experience. We can virtually dive, travel, discover sunken history, increase the level of our own knowledge. And most importantly, we can use the knowledge and test it in practice, in our own lives.
The latest issue begins with an interview conducted by Wojtek Pruski in Crete. It's an interesting conversation including great photos. Here we have wrecks, caves, rocks and chances to meet a Mediterranean seal.
At the end of the magazine you will find surprising information about the most powerful flashlight "Ever" with 1000000 lumens!
And in the middle?
Ania Sołoducha's text concluding the story about Raja Ampat, answering the question if it is possible to do 31 dives in 10 days of safari?
Does Cyprus have more to offer than just halloumi cheese and the sunken MUSAN museum? Is the MS Zenobia wreck really that spectacular? Wreck of the ship Heweliusz. Do you ever have a dilemma whether you should dive on a wreck that has sunk as a result of a disaster? Or should we not disturb the peace of the cemetery? These are the subjects reflected upon by Łukasz Metrycki.
The Uluburun wreck, located in Turkey. According to Szymon Mosakowski: "This is one of the most fascinating and important underwater archaeological excavations of the late 20th century.”
As far as nature is concerned, with the pen of Agata Turowicz-Cybula we tell you about small fish of the Baltic Sea, and Wojtek Jarosz tells us about wading birds.
For fans of diving "under the roof", Kurt Stroms has prepared a story about Ressel cave: southern France, several kilometres of corridors, an adventure and a bit of history, as well as great photos.
Issuing such a magazine is a lot of work. If you appreciate our efforts, please invite us for a virtual coffee: buycoffee.to/perfectdiver
Enjoy your reading!
WOJCIECH ZGOŁA ul. Folwarczna 37, 62-081 Przeźmierowo redakcja@perfectdiver.com
Zgoła Karolina Sztaba
Anna Sołoducha
Szymon Mosakowski reklama@perfectdiver.com
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
Passionate about diving and pure nature. He likes to say that he travels by diving. He learned to swim when he was less than 6 years old. At the age of 15, he obtained a yacht sailor's license and has been diving since 2006. He has completed over 750 dives in various regions of the world. He wrote and published many articles. Co-author of photo exhibitions. An advocate of leaving the place of residence clean and unblemished. Diving promoter. Since 2008 he has been running his own website www.dive-adventure.eu. Based on extensive experience, in 2018 he created the new Perfect Diver Magazine, which has been successfully published regularly every two months in Polish and English for over 4 years.
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.
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; www.activtour.pl;
of archeology at the Nicolaus
University
A beginner diver starting his adventure with underwater archeology. A lover of photography, nature and basketball, and recently also diving.
ANNA SOŁODUCHA
KAROLA TAKES PHOTOS
Student
Copernicus
in Toruń.
SZYMON MOSAKOWSKI
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.
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
A diver since 2007. I always choose holiday destinations by asking myself: okay, but is there anywhere to dive?. Underwater photography is still new to me, but with each dive I learn something new.
"From the moment of birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders [...], but he only has to dive under the surface of the water and becomes free" – J.Y.Cousteau
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
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.
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.
SYLWIA KOSMALSKA-JURIEWICZ
LAURA KAZIMIERSKA
KLAUDYNA BRZOSTOWSKA
KURT STORMS
ŁUKASZ METRYCKI
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.
WOJCIECH PRUSKI
Diving and first aid instructor, a photographer and a founder of the Good Dive diving school. He himself dives the Prism 2, a vessel ideal for photographing more skittish animals. He is fascinated by cave and wreck diving. In addition to diving and photography, he also likes travelling and exploring previously unknown parts of the world. If he doesn't dive – he runs or rides a bike. He just likes to spend time actively and be in good shape. Diving gives him the opportunity to break away from everyday life and a feeling of total freedom. If he does not train under water, he can always be found with a camera or camcorder.
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JAKUB BANASIAK
Diver from 2008. Passionate of the Red Sea and pelagic ocean predators. Devoted to the idea of protecting dolphins, sharks and whales. He dives mainly where you can meet these animals and monitor the level of their well-being. Member of Dolphinaria-Free Europe Coalition, volunteer at Tethys Research Institute and Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit, associate of Marine Connection. For 10 years he has been involved in research on wild dolphin populations and audits dolphinariums. Together with the team ”NO! For the Dolphinarium” he prevents dolphins from captivity and promotes knowledge about dolphin therapy unsaid or concealed by centers which make money on this form of animal therapy.
AGATA TUROWICZ-CYBULA
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.
CRETE
RECREATIONALLY, TECHNICALLY AND TOURISTICALLY
Wojciech Pruski talks to Nikolas Giannoulakis
Photos Wojciech Pruski
March in Poland is still a cold month. I decided to find someplace warm to improve my instructor qualifications. The choice fell on developing in CCR diving. An Instructor Trainer friend from the SSI federation recommended a very qualified man who could train me. He turned out to be Nikolas Giannoulakis, who is also SSI's IT XR and specialises in training on the Hollis Prism 2. As it later turned out, he is the most experienced CCR instructor in Europe on this unit. He has gained his experience in both cave conditions, wreck diving and archaeology. In addition, he is an explorer and has a considerable list of wrecks to his credit, on which he was the first person after years after the disaster. Many caves in Crete have also been discovered by him.
After exchanging information via email and choosing a date, I flew to Crete to the town of Chania. In this village there is a dive base called Chania Diving, owned by Nikolas. I am very impressed with the knowledge, professionalism and the very person Nikolas is. I took the opportunity to interview him for Perfect Diver.
Wojciech Pruski: Since when have you been diving? How did your underwater adventure begin?
Nikolas Giannoulakis: I started diving at a very young age. I was 8 years old when I started freediving. This was the time when I remember myself enjoying being underwater. Then around the age of 14-15 I tried scuba diving. After that I had a long break and returned to scuba diving at the age of 21, when I remembered how fascinating underwater life is. I then progressed as a technical open-circuit diver, and then I switched to CCR.
WP: What moment in diving turned you to the caves and do cave dives fascinate you the most?
NG: From the very beginning of my diving adventure, I was fascinated by caves. This was because there are plenty of them here. I very quickly decided to become a technical diver
and started to find caves in Crete where no one had dived before. Crete is very rich in caves and so far, there are many passages that have not been explored. The terrain here is amazing – high mountains from which water flows into the sea all year round and gouges the corridors.
WP: I know that you are also fascinated by wrecks, especially those that you personally discover. How do you get information about their location?
NG: I get information in many different ways. Sometimes I have messages from locals or fishermen. Once I have information about the location of something underwater, I first go there in a boat with sonar. When the information is confirmed by sonar, I decide to dive directly to the location. Sometimes I find information in historical records about the approximate location of a wreck and start searching. Also,
we often act as a team with my diving friends and conduct the search together.
WP: I was with you on the wreck of the Arado AR 196 aircraft, can you say more about the finding of this wreck?
NG: It was about 3 years ago when I received information from a fisherman about an object under the water in which nets were getting entangled. Because of its small size compared to, for example, a shipwreck, it is very difficult to find such a small object with sonar. Very often the information about an object is not confirmed. This time was different.
WP: What about the Kiriaki wreck?
NG: This was the first shipwreck I found and documented with the help of Dimitris Galon. Dimitris is a good friend of mine, a diver and also an explorer. I located the likely
It all depends on the environment you are working in. Modern technology helps, but you need to have the basics and know how to use analogue tools as well.
location on the map. I dived and first found not a ship, but the wreck of a Messerschmitt aircraft. This was the first aircraft wreck I ever found. I realised it wasn't the only object in the area because the sonar showed a large object, so it was impossible that it was a plane. After diving again, I found the huge wreck of the cargo, but I didn't know what kind of ship it was. From the photos and with Dimitris' knowledge and from historical records, we identified it as the Kiriaki,
which had been sunk in an air raid during World War II. The depth at which the wreck lies is 64–85 m. It is an ideal site for technical diving.
WP: Wrecks, especially the old ones, are underwater archaeology. What does such archaeological research look like?
NG: I work with a team of the world's best archaeologists. We are currently working on the Antikythera wreck. This is a very valuable wreck because of the astrological mechanism that was found on it. This mechanism simulates the movement of all the planets in real time. This mechanism is the first computer in the world. It is a very precise device. We found a lot of other artefacts on this wreck. We work with very modern diving and photogrammetric equipment. We use a lot of modern techniques and make sure that we exca-
vate everything in an unaltered state. Based on the finds, we already have information about what the wreck was, where it sailed from and where it headed. How many people were on it at the time of the disaster. We have also found a lot of human bones which are very well preserved despite the passage of more than 2,000 years. The wreck lies at a depth of 40–60 m. Because of the depth, the ideal configuration for this type of dive in my opinion is the rebreather in the back version.
WP: Coming back to caves, because it's an interesting topic, what is the mapping of a particular cave like?
NG: There are lots of different techniques. From the old techniques i.e., a simple measure, compass, rope, to modern equipment i.e., sonar, DPV scooters. It all depends on the environment you are working in. Modern technology helps, but
you need to have the basics and know how to use analogue tools as well. You can, of course, cruise through the caves a few times with a scooter equipped with survey equipment and get a map, but apart from the map you will have virtually no additional information about the cave. The advantage of traditional methods is that we have time to observe the cave. We choose the method depending on what information we need about the cave.
WP: You have dived in various configurations, which one suits you best?
NG: My favourite configuration is the back CCR. I do most of my dives in this configuration. However, depending on what I want to do, I often switch to sidemount or CCR sidemount. I have tried all the configurations and I must say that I feel comfortable in all of them.
WP: You are currently diving on a CCR. You've probably dived on many different models so far. Which ones?
NG: I started with Sentinel CCR next was JJ. Then I met Nick Hollis and bought a Hollis Prism 2 and have stayed with it. It's a great reliable machine and, above all, it’s light compared to its predecessors. You can confidently use it for both technical and recreational diving. Both using a dry suit and a wetsuit with light fins. Deep, wreck or cave diving. It will work anywhere. It is also quite small, so it is ideal to travel with it. You know this yourself because you travel everywhere with your Prism 2. I also dive sometimes on the SF2 in both back and sidemount versions.
WP: Have you ever had a problem with a CCR underwater?
NG: No, nothing has ever happened to me with it. The only
problem that arises concerns cable connections, not because of the equipment, but because of loading, travelling.
WP: In your opinion, is the rebreather less safe compared to open circuit?
NG: This is a common question people ask. In my opinion CCR is safer than OC.
The problem is that many people who start diving on CCR are not mentally ready to start technical diving on both CCR and OC. Open circuit is easier in the beginning, but when you do more difficult deep, or cave dives then open circuit gets more complicated. The opposite to CCR. The longer you dive on it and the dives become more difficult and deeper, this is where the CCR gains the advantage. I am thinking here of gas management, shorter decompression. Above all, you need good training to understand the machine and to catch irregularities without having to look at the computer.
WP: We are in Crete. A beautiful place. What does your dive base offer and what interesting sites do you recommend to divers of different levels?
NG: Crete is a big island. We are in Chania, there are high mountains, long beaches, both sandy and rocky. Very interesting topography and landscape, the same is underwater. Underwater, there are plenty of caves, rock formations and remnants of World War II. This is an excellent holiday option. It's warm, sunny and there are lots of places of interest. There are no crowds, even during the holiday season, as the island is large. A great place for families, sightseeing, sports activities. The prices are affordable, the service in the facilities is top-notch. Our dive centre does most of its diving from a boat, all the dive sites are very close, so no time is wasted commuting. Chania is really an ideal place for all levels of diving, from recreational to deep technical as well as cave dives. We have 5 boats each going to a different dive area.
WP: Many divers are interested in marine animals. What kind of encounters can we count on in Crete?
NG: Marine life in Crete is typically Mediterranean, the same as in Italy, Malta, or Croatia, for example. There is plenty of it. In Chania, in Souda Bay, which is slightly different because of the microclimate, the marine life is much richer. You can also encounter turtles during the summer season. Octopuses are often seen, as well as cuttlefish. If we are lucky, after the season, we can encounter seals in Seal Cave.
WP: What does Chania offer on a non-diving day?
NG: Chania is home to beautiful beaches that encourage walking, pleasant restaurants with delicious food. In Chania we can go trekking in the mountains, see the monuments, the beautiful townhouses, the harbour. We also have a brandnew Chania Museum and an archaeological museum. The island is family friendly; we have 7 water parks. We
recommend the autumn months for your arrival when the weather is still great and not extremely hot.
You are welcome!
I have the impression that Crete is a place which is underestimated by divers and its waters still hide a lot to be discovered.
CYPRUS
Part II
from LIMASSOL to PROTARAS
Text and photos Wojciech Zgoła
THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2022 WAS APPROACHING. HALF OF OUR STAY IN CYPRUS WAS ALREADY OVER.
At the restaurant Kyrenia Fish Tavern located on the Mediterranean shore we were summing up our dives in the Limassol area, where there is a highly recommended diving base Blue Thunder. We went crazy and ordered a seafood plate for 4 people and white local wine. There was a light breeze blowing from the water. From there we shot an online dive for Perfect Diver's FB wall.
We were tired but very satisfied with the so far discovery of Aphrodite Island. However, there were still exciting explo-
rations ahead. Near Larnaca, Zenobia was awaiting us, and in Protaras we wanted to dive in Green Bay. To top it off, we also desired to take a walk in fins at MUSAN, an underwater museum in Ayia Napa.
We got up at 6 in the morning. The sun had also recently risen. The day promised to be warm and sunny. We arrived at the port of Larnaca 5 minutes ahead of time, parked the car
ZENOBIA
Length – 172 m
Width – 26 m
Depth – 42 m
and met our guide Andreas, from Scubaholics Cyprus Diving Centre. It was with him that we dived on the wreck.
The vessel was built in Sweden in 1979, and set out on her maiden voyage in the first half of 1980. The route was to be from Malmö to Tartus, Syria. Initially, the cruise went well. The first stop was in Crete and the second in Athens. It was between the stops that the captain discovered a problem. There was an excess of water that was mistakenly pumped into the side ballast tanks. Zenobia sailed on, however, and ended up in the Cypriot waters near Larnaca. It was June the 2nd, 1980.The repair unfortunately failed and the ship was diverted 1.5 miles from the port, where it was anchored. Zenobia began to heel dangerously to the port side. The captain decided to evacuate. It was the night of June 7, 1980 when the ship went down, and to this day she lies on her port side, on a sandy bottom. The wreck begins at a depth of about 16 meters.
There were about 30 divers on board, so jumping into the water was done successively and at appropriate safe intervals. Finally, the immersion took place. We slightly corrected the inflators, we cleared our sinuses, and freely and calmly we descended just above the wreck, which was perfectly visible.
Andreas was watching us, and after just a moment we swam following his directions, looking sharply around. There were many smaller fish around us. We descended towards the screw at a depth of 30 m. In the distance, large groupers showed up penetrating their territory. We checked the wreck’s hold, swam past the sunken trucks and the
lionfish guarding them. The latter had made their home here for good.
During the surface break between dives, we spoke with Tony, among others, who told us and showed us on his smartphone the twin ship of Zenobia, which still runs under the Polish flag. One has to go to Tri-City someday and cover it somehow ;)
After nearly 2 hours we jumped into the sea for the second dive. It was a bit shallower, we reached a depth of 27 meters and visited, among other things, the "hotel" part of the ship. We observed large, sometimes meter-long, groupers. You can see that they rule. You can also see barracuda, trigger fish, jackfish and sometimes even turtles. Returning to the drop line and swimming to the border of the safety stop, we also admired freedivers.
Zenobia captivated us very much. It is such a "must see" on the list of dive spots of Cyprus, Europe and even the world. The ship is included in the TOP 10 vessels to see. It is a large wreck, to which, if you wanted to penetrate it well, you would have to devote at least 10 dives. Personally, every time I am in Cyprus I do at least 2 dives on Zenobia.
Length – 25 m
Width – ok. 4 m
Depth – 23/24 m
The next day was again interesting and full of excitement, both underwater and on land. Overnight the weather changed a bit. It was still warm and sunny, but the wind appeared, and thus the waves. A boat was waiting for us from early morning to take us to two dive spots. Earlier in the evening we moved to the Ayia Napa area. We were diving with OceanLab ECO-Diving Centre. Upon boarding, we were told that we had to hurry up, as the waves would get higher by the hour. Quite quickly and efficiently, despite the boat’s rolling, we put on our wetsuits and gear. We had a short briefing and we jumped into the water. And at a depth of 24 m the shipwreck "Kyrenia" was waiting for us. Good visibility at 25 m made it possible to see the wreck, which we were to explore in a moment, practically immediately after submerging.
The ship was built by Hellenic Shipyard, named "Knossos" and put into service in 1978, as a patrol boat of the Greek Navy. In 2000, it was transferred
to the Cypriot Navy, where it was renamed "Kyrenia". After a dozen years, she was qualified for an artificial reef project and in 2015 came to rest in the Ayia Napa area on her keel, on the sandy bottom.
We came across a grouper, lionfish, schools of typical Mediterranean fish, snails. We penetrated the wreck inside and outside. It was a pleasant dive without additional divers.
Depth – 10 m
Now, after a short break, sailing near MUSAN, we changed our cylinders for the full ones. The maximum depth does not exceed 10 m. We swam at first in a line formation, and then separated keeping a safe distance. The Ayia Napa Underwater Sculpture Museum consists of nearly 100 submerged sculptures. They were made by Jason de Caires Taylor. We admire the underwater forest, human figures, some having a bush instead of a head, children looking at the world only through a cam-
era lens. The sculptures are inspired by nature and man. The creators hope that through the museum, the biodiversity of the area will be enriched over time.
The underwater exhibition, slowly becoming a habitat for underwater life, is also a story about modern people, presented from the perspective of an anonymous street. Ubiquitous cameras monitoring our lives, mutual surveillance and praying for a better, richer, but virtual life? Everyone has a different feeling diving between the presented sculptures. MUSAN is a contemporary world that tempts with form. Time passes differently here, as if it was running slower, although at the end we are still waiting to emerge.
Already at ease, after hanging up our gear and wetsuits to dry, we went into a nearby fish restaurant (Fish House Restaurant) near the port of Ayia Napa for a fresh and tasty meal, and to talk among ourselves about diving. /Read more about food in Cyprus in our Underwater Guide./
Before departing from Paphos and flying back to Poland we also had a day of diving, and as it turned out later, it was snorkelling in the Green Bay area. It is worth mentioning that the area from Ayia Napa to Protaras belongs to Cape Greco National Forest Park. It has some of the most beautiful natural attractions on the Island of Aphrodite. There are numerous hiking and biking trails. Diving is fantastic here. Cape Greco is the easternmost part of Cyprus, in a beautiful location, with diving opportunities at several interesting dive spots.
We dived in Green Bay with the Cyprus Diving Centre, and our guide was Tamara, a Swiss woman. Lots of basic and intro courses are held here, as the location is ideal for that as well. The entrance is rocky, then sandy. Slowly it gets deeper. This is where turtles are most often encountered. Diving does not exceed the 10 m depth. Some broken and glued fragments of amphorae lie here. Nearby is a patio, where statues and columns im-
itating Roman times have been arranged in human-sized ratios of 1:0.5. One can find here, in addition to turtles, barracuda, seahorses, cornetfish and a variety of fish. I recommend being here as early as possible. The parking lot fills up quickly with cars, lately the place has been visited in great numbers.
After our dives, we stayed here a little longer. When it became overcrowded and the sun was setting, we entered the water with only scuba diving kits and swam a good hour diving on held breath.
There are dozens of dive sites in Cyprus. I highly recommend The Island of Aphrodite, especially to those who like active exploration above and below the water. Everyone, regardless of the level of training, will find something for themselves here. In addition, this is the land of almost per-
petual sunshine and you can dive all year round, although not all bases are open between November and April. The Mediterranean Sea here is pleasantly warm, the waters are clear, sometimes reaching up to several tens of meters of visibility. It is worth adding that Cyprus is also an ideal place to start your adventure with diving, which I warmly encourage you to do.
UNDERWATER MEETINGS UNUSUAL
RAJA AMPAT CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THREE MAIN AREAS: MISOOL IN THE SOUTH, DAMPIER STRAIT IN THE CENTER, AND WAYAG AND KAWE ISLANDS IN THE NORTH. EVER SINCE SCIENTISTS BEGAN THEIR RESEARCH IN THIS AREA IN THE 1980S AND 1990S, IT HAS BECOME CLEAR THAT THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SPECIES FOUND HERE IS UNUSUAL.
Its location at the very far northern end of the Indonesian archipelago, exactly where a massive stream of warm water from the Pacific flows into the archipelago, along with its topography and geological history, has made Raja Ampat an ideal breeding ground for an astonishing number of species. Safari on the waters surrounding the archipelago is like a fairy tale. Views and landscapes are absolutely dazzling. Islets overgrown with lush greenery, cliffs, mangroves, sounds of birds and bats flying overhead create a magical
Text Anna Sołoducha
Photo Piotr Szczodrak
aura. During the 10-day safari, we did 31 dives – can you believe that?! What is more, each dive was worth going under the water! :)
Raja Ampat means abundance. Abundance of fish, species of corals, sponges, vegetation. Batfish, jackfish, various types of octopus including the beautiful "blue – ringed octopus", giant lobsters, Spanish mackerel, barracudas, huge, majestic turtles, devil fish, scorpion fish, crocodile fish... we can go on naming them endlessly. Moray eels hid in rocks, and black-and-white
clown fish defended their offspring in anemones. The topography of the places is usually similar, but during each dive we are surprised by something new. You can have an irresistible urge to spin your head around as there is always something "you can't miss ";) Not small schools of humphead parrotfish – often confused with the humphead wrasses beguiled many of our dives. Black – and whitetip sharks appeared from time to time, distracting us from what was happening on the reef. It is impossible not to mention the stunning macro world.
There are innumerable species, colours and sizes of critters –that is, small sea creatures. Nudibranchs (I had never seen so many types in my life!!), crabs, shrimps… the macro world is overwhelming, both by day and by night. Night diving on Raja Ampat is a real rarity.
As of 2013, the entire 46,000 square kilometres of Raja Ampat has been a shark sanctuary. This means that when diving in this region, you can see a real multitude of them. We will see blacktip sharks, whitetip sharks and tope reef sharks here. But the species to be mentioned is the carpet sharks –Wobbegong. It is the species with flattened body with a wide and flat head. The skin folds on both sides of the mouth create a characteristic "beard". The carpet shark is one of the rarest sharks and is about 3 m long. Located in the shallow temperate and tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean and the eastern Indian Ocean, it is most commonly found in Australia and Indonesia, and in particular on Raja Ampat. It is far from the powerful, fearsome, torpedo image we have of most sharks. This decorative shark has a flat body that is well camouflaged with wide colour spots to match the surrounding reef. As they have the ability to pump water through the gills, they do not need to swim constantly and therefore spend most of their lives lying motionless at the bottom of the reef. They are completely harmless, you could even lie next them ;) The second species of shark worthy of distinction is the "epaulette shark", better known as the "walking shark". It's a shark that uses its abdominal paired fins to “crawl” on the bottom. It doesn't mean, however, that it can't swim! This is a rare
Photo Piotr Szczodrak
Photo Anna Sołoducha
specimen because apart from Raja Ampat, I have only seen it once at Galapagos
For enthusiasts of underwater photography, it will be helpful to know that macro or muck dives ("muck" is characterised by shallower dives and spending time on the sandy bottom, where the fun is finding hidden strange creatures) will work perfectly in this part of Indonesia. Pygmy seahorses, Ghost pipefish or a staggering number of species of nudibranches are a treat for fans of macro photography. Dwarf seahorses are probably the smallest macro-type species found on Raja Ampat, and indeed they are, as they measured about 0.5 cm by 1.5 cm. Noticing these seahorses requires a lot of skill, but if you see them – your joy is endless
The last species that cannot be omitted or left unseen when diving in West Papua – is the manta ray. One of the most famous places to meet these gentle giants is “Manta Sandy”. Huge, majestic, flying. Such were the manta rays on Raja Ampat. There are both black reef manta rays and the largest – giant oceanic manta rays, as well as rays and devil fish. Oceanic manta rays have a wingspan of 5 to 7 meters. Diving with manta rays of this size gliding over you explains exactly why their name comes from the Spanish word “la manta” meaning "blanket". It is interesting that dive guides try to recognise man-
Photo Piotr Szczodrak
Photo Anna Sołoducha
ta rays – by photographing them. Special software analyses the abdominal part of each individual by checking whether the manta ray is already in the database, or if it is a new, unknown to researchers yet creature! The photographs remain in the database to be compared with subsequent photographs of the encountered mantas. The method of mantra recognition was created by the Manta Trust.
PIANEMO
In addition to what happens underwater, the land part can also give you a surprise. Raja Ampat is known as the “coral islands” and one of them is Pianemo. The limestone islands in this area are nothing more than a geological record of physical phenomena that began about 15 million years ago and continue to this day. Today we admire a lagoon in the shape of a five-pointed star, created as a result of the collapse of underground caves. The communities surrounding Pianemo call this island “Little Wayag”. This is because if you look at this area from above, you will notice that this group of islands resembles the miniature Wayag Island. A walk to the viewpoint from which we could admire the lagoon with limestone formations is a must during our stay on Raja Ampat.
Photo Anna Sołoducha
Photo Anna Sołoducha
JELLYFISH LAKE
There is another unique place in this archipelago. Few destinations in the world can boast of such a phenomenon as… Jellyfish Lake. We sail towards a tiny, uninhabited island, hidden in the Papuan jungle. Here, a dense curtain of cliffs overgrown with rainforest shields the lagoon which houses a rare and beautiful ecosystem. At first glance, the island seems inaccessible, surrounded by a sharp limestone karst. With the help of our Indonesian guides, we climb on slippery boulders and overcome a steep, quite demanding hike and climb, finally reaching the beautiful lake, hidden in the heart of the land. Jellyfish Lake is one of only three places on our planet where jellyfish' nematocysts are devoid of their stinging properties. Living in isolation from predators, they got rid of these protective properties. The most famous representatives of these freshwater jellyfish species are: giant golden jellyfish, moon jel-
Today we admire a lagoon in the shape of a five-pointed star, created as a result of the collapse of underground caves. The communities surrounding Pianemo call this island “Little Wayag”.
lyfish and Cassiopea jellyfish. We snorkel in the lake equipped with masks, tubes and diving shoes as well as photo and video equipment. Tiny jellyfish circle around us and then head to the deeper parts of the lake. You can touch them, film them, face them – they are completely harmless, and swimming with them is an unforgettable experience.
BIRDS FROM PARADISE
Raja Ampat is not only one of the richest marine environments on Earth, with breathtaking landscapes, but also home to many bird species; more than 250 birds have been recorded on the islands of Raja Ampat. The most famous are the red bird of paradise (endemic species!) and Wilson's bird of paradise. I encourage you to take an early-morning trip to the tropical forest to see and hear these wonderful birds. It is one of the iconic symbols of Papua. These birds have appeared
Photo Anna Sołoducha
Photo Anna Sołoducha
in the mythologies of many cultures, and some indigenous people see the birds of paradise as ghosts representing their deceased ancestors. Others believe that they are the physical embodiment of the mythological creatures that inhabit the forests. Feathers were also used by the natives to decorate the body during weddings. Many traditional dances were inspired by the birds-of-paradise courtship shows, which can still be observed among the local community. When courtshipping females, males of red birds of paradise perform
a beautiful show, fanning and dancing with brightly coloured wings, plumes and tails.
Raja Ampat is a diving Mount Everest. This is the place where every dream comes true. Dreams and beautiful water, full of magnificent, colourful reefs, but also great representatives of the dreams of every diver: seahorses, manta rays, barracudas, Wobbegong sharks... does all this leave any doubts whether diving here is worthwhile? The water here hums with life.
Photo Piotr Szczodrak
Photo Piotr Szczodrak
Photo Anna Sołoducha
Photo Anna Sołoducha
BEST TIME TO DIVE
October – March (and the best is December-March) is the perfect time to dive into the Raja Ampat Archipelago!
DIVE CONDITIONS AND WATER TEMPERATURE
Expect currents – which at the same time results in a lot of “life” underwater, and take reef hooks with you! The water temperature is usually 30°C !
IMPORTANT!
The currency you will use during your stay on Raja Ampat is the Indonesian rupee. You are going to be a millionaire for a while!:) Please exchange your currency before arriving in Sorong because there is no possibility to do so, and any currency other than Indonesian currency will not be accepted on the boat, in resorts, restaurants and shops.
anna@activtour.pl, www.activtour.pl
Photo Piotr Szczodrak
Photo Anna Sołoducha
Photo Anna Sołoducha
MS Jan Heweliusz
An underwater museum or a cemetery?
A handful of my personal thoughts on how we should behave during wreck diving
Every single diver has their own reasons for descending under water. We all have our own chief motivations for pulling on an often still moist wetsuit at the break of dawn. We often descend before breakfast, or even before – God forbid – the first cup of coffee.
Never in my underwater career have I met divers so focused on their passion as those who love wreck diving. It’s hardly a wonder, as this type of diving combines the obvious pleasures of our hobby with a very intimate encounter with the world’s history, the majesty of sunken ships and a certain darkness that shrouds them. Wrecks we most often see are those from various armed conflicts, with the most prominent ones from WW2, but we can also find wrecks scuttled for tourist use as artificial reefs – specifically meant for divers. Good examples of such wrecks include Um El-Faroud – a Libyan tanker scuttled off the coast of Malta, or USS Lincoln County – an American tank landing ship, purchased by the Royal Thai Navy where it served until 2006.
The latter was scuttled off the coast of Koh Chang Island in 2012.
I believe that one of the more interesting wrecks (not a member of any of the above groups) is the ferry MF Jan Heweliusz, which encountered an unexpected violent storm (12 on the Beaufort scale) on 14 January 1993 during its voyage from Świnoujście to Ystad. The wind that night reached 180 km per hour and after one particularly strong gust, the vessel started to tip. Belts holding the cargo in place (the ferry’ cargo included lorries, trailers and cargo rail cars) gave in and the vehicles started to move around the deck, which made it impossible for the ferry to recover. Shortly after 5:00, only an hour after the storm broke out – the ferry sank. This voyage
was a tragic end for 20 crew members and 35 passengers, who couldn’t be saved. Ten people have never been found. The wreck rests on the bottom of the sea, off the coast of the German isle of Rügen, and it’s relatively well preserved. The depth you’ll need to deal with in order to explore it is also nothing exquisite, as the starboard is roughly 10 meters below surface, while the maximum depth to be expected
is only 24 m. This makes the Jan Heweliusz wreck an attractive destination even for recreational divers.
When it comes to our trip, we set off from Kołobrzeg aboard the research vessel “Doktor Lubecki,” which carried us on a long overnight journey towards Bornholm. The trip was rough and we all felt it, but after slight adjustments to the initial plan of our journey forced upon us by the weather conditions – we were able to reach our destination and we began dive preparations. Our first dive was reconnaissance. We marveled at the lorries and trailers, which formed an impressive pile of rubble due to the superstructure collapse. Still, the vehicles, despite their size, looked like miniature “matchbox” cars next to the massive 125 m vessel. We also saw the remains of the bridge and the car deck cargo holds. Our diving conditions were fine, as the visibility reached 7 m, and the water temperature fluctuated around an acceptable 11 degrees Celsius. Our second dive was dedicated to exploring the aft, with the rest of our time spent on making sure we didn’t miss anything. To sum up – our wreck dives of the Heweliusz were surprisingly nice and simple. Surely, this was due to the good weather conditions, but the parameters of the wreck itself also contributed to this, including the depth we have to descend to, which means operating under constant natural light illuminating the wreck and making navigation easier.
A certain question rose in my mind after diving though and it has been on my mind ever since. Although I was only four when Jan Heweliusz sank, the disaster was big enough that I can still remember the atmosphere in Poland at the time. I recall the conversations my parents had concerning what had happened and what mark it had left on our society at that time.
My question is: “Where to draw the line between pursuing your hobby and paying respect to the victims of the tragedy?”
The year 1993 is fresh enough in our collective memory for the wounds left by those events to have yet to heal for many people, especially the relatives of the victims. Are the standard diving rules that say you mustn’t touch any sunken objects and have to return to the surface “empty handed” enough to show respect that is due to such an underwater cemetery?
All too often social media feed us cozy photos of a diver without their fins, walking down the stairs inside a wreck or proudly holding the ship’s wheel or the steering wheel of a car in the cargo hold. Also common are sessions where freedivers touch sea turtles, grab dolphins by their fins and interact with the underwater denizens in ways that are formally forbidden. Unfortunately, instead of condemning such misconduct, we often look the other way. Typically because “that’s a nice photo,” where today a dominant part of our lives happens virtually, so the image in question is often key to creating your own identity.
And so, since we live in the times of “virtual identity” and expecting people to respect even the most basic rules is sometimes a lot to ask for, are we mentally ready to take yet another
step towards self-control, remembering the scale of the tragedy that happened? Or perhaps we should go even further and make all the wrecks connected with loss of human life off limits. Or perhaps we should at least limit the number of diving permits issued for them, imposing more stringent selection criteria and reducing the risk of site deterioration?
I won’t be able to provide you with answers, as everyone should answer this question for themselves, as their own conscience dictates. I do believe though that it is marvelous for us as divers to be able to experience such magnificent historical monuments as shipwrecks and since they are made available to us, we should seize the opportunity. At the same time, I think that we would all do well if we went the extra mile in showing respect to the place we visit – it’s not only an underwater museum, but also, perhaps even more importantly, a cemetery.
KEY CAN
Equipment packed. Is everything there? Mask, undersuit (I don't want to dive in jeans again), full bottle...
We agreed to meet at the lake at 9:00 a.m. We chose Lake Cisie (Bledzew, Poland), there is no infrastructure but there is a pier to which you can drive up close. We arrive right on time. We chat for a while, take a last sip of tea/coffee, and get our gear together. Some of us carry fins, masks, and cameras to the dock first. Last time to use the toilet – there's a portaloo here as of late.
We took some time to inspect everything. It's hot, about 26°C. The first beachgoers, or rather pier-goers, are arriving by bicycle and car ;)
We zip up the wetsuits and whatever else needs to be zipped up or fastened and check everything again.
We lock the cars and... it turns out that none of us have a key box. The only option left is to hide them on the wheel, in the lock from the fuel filler, or in the leaves under a tree... But people are watching because they're interested in the people with all the gear on them... And in the car, there are valuables like smartphone or wallet...
This time none of us took companions who would stay ashore and guard the possessions...
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Photos Mirek Kruk, Audrey Coudel
RESSEL CAVE THE FAMOUS
Text and photos Kurt
Storms
EMERGENCE DU RESSEL IS A FAMOUS CAVE IN FRANCE’S SOUTHERN DEPARTMENT LOT. ITS FURTHEST REACHES HAVE ALREADY BEEN EXPLORED BY MANY FAMOUS DIVERS. BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DESCEND 4 KM DEEP INTO THE PIT TO APPRECIATE ITS MAGIC.
LOCATION: LOT REGION IN FRANCE
Finally!!! We can go visit Lot again. This time for a week of training and then another week of diving vacation with my wife. I have some students lined up for their Intro-To-Cave Diver course. Over the next few days, they’ll be busy with skills and dry practice. They’ve already completed the theoretical training in Belgium, which will allow us to get the most out of our dives. Apart from the students, a few other certified divers will join
us later to dive together towards the end of the trip, hoping to shoot some nice photos. Conditions in all the cave systems are exceptional, with visibility reaching over 20 m.
WHY LOT?
This region of France is famous, as most European divers complete their courses here, so they don't have to travel to Mexico or Florida. One of the most famous caves around here is
Ressel. It is located in the village of Marcilhac-sur-Célé, at the heart of Lot. Most pictures available online are taken in that cave, portraying its dramatic huge blocks of white rock, flat structures and shafts. The facilities around the cave are nice, with plenty of parking space and a toilet in a separate building, which has been awaited for years. From the parking lot you need to walk some 100 meters, which brings you to the entrance on the Celé river. This is where we can prepare all our equipment for the dive.
HISTORY
Ressel was first dived in 1968 by 2 divers from the Auvergnat speleo club. Martin and Debras dived a distance of 150 meters from the entrance and it would take until 1973 for the mainline to reach 300 meters, with a maximum depth of 30 meters. In 1975, Fantoli and Touloumdoian reached Pit 4 and descended to a depth of 45 meters. Further exploration would continue over the years, especially by Jochem Hasemayer in the early 1980s. This is the time when he planted his knife in the rock and attached a line to it, some 1100 meters into the system. This knife remains there until present day.
On 12 August 1990, Olivier Isler was the first to cross siphon 1, with a total dive time of 10 hours and 35 minutes.
Siphon 1 terminates at Lac Isler and from here you can continue to the next siphons. Ressel consists of 5 siphons, with siphon 1 being the longest (1850 meters) and the deepest (-83 meters). The cave’s deep section begins at siphon 4 and can only be dived with trimix.
In the years to come, additional siphons are explored by gentlemen such as Rick Stanton, Martin Farr, Mallison. Explorers reached the end of siphon 5 in 1999, closing the mainline with a total length of 4415 meters.
SPECTACULAR VIEWS IN THE FIRST SECTION
To be honest, the experience is impressive, with spectacular visibility all around. More than 10 meters of visibility, up from
about 5 cm at the Celé river, is quite the change. As soon as you get to the entrance, the water clears up like snow in the sun. The first thought to cross my mind was “How on earth did they find this cave?”. With the visibility you can expect in the river, how can you spot quite a tiny hole that is 6 meters below the surface. Some quick inquiries with the locals revealed that when the cave fills up, you can see a geyser in the river! Another impressive detail.
There is a line that runs from the entrance point all the way into the cave, connecting to the mainline, allowing you to forget your primary reel here. Finding the entrance, which is located at 6 meters, is really easy. It opens up into a huge tunnel, with white giant rocks, again – most impressive.
Our first training dives only took us to the T (180 meters), where we practiced mandatory skills to ensure that the comfort zone later on would be more extensive. This is also a very nice section of the cave, especially because of the large blocks to be seen here. You can expect to see some marvelous and extraordinary phenomena here, namely 3 blocks of white limestone with large black spots that cannot be seen anywhere else. It is wonderful to be able to admire nature like this.
You can expect to see some marvelous and extraordinary phenomena here, namely 3 blocks of white limestone with large black spots that cannot be seen anywhere else. It is wonderful to be able to admire nature like this.
After a week of intensive diving, training and above all lots of fun, I can certify my student divers and they make a few more supervised dives in Ressel. I enjoyed the training and made friends with some of the students.
NOW THAT THE TRAINING IS DONE, IT IS TIME TO MAKE OUR PRE-PLANNED PHOTO DIVE
This team for this dive will consist of me, my wife Caroline, Elfi and Bart. We’ll all be using DPVs to move around, which will
allow us to reach the site of our photoshoot in less than 15 min. We’re headed for the well-known pit 4, some 400 meters from the exit.
We’re are diving closed circuit to get the longest possible bottom time and I will be diving dive my beloved Divesoft Liberty SM CCR.
For the photo session, Olivier Bertieaux gave me 2 demo lights to test and use. These will be strategically placed or held by a fellow diver during the photo session.
Once we arrive at the spot, we attach DPVs to the line and Bart and I move into the pit to place a lamp there, so that we can create an effect along the bottom.
Once the divers hoover in place, I start shooting according to the plan that was agreed before we started the dive. This is the first time that I will not be using strobes and only work with artificial light from lamps, which required some adjustment at the beginning. But let me tell you – wow, the results are great. You need a lot of lumens and I’m glad I can use lights with 60,000 and 30,000 lumens. Dissipated light still makes the photos more beautiful and natural.
Once we have already accumulated some bottom time, we decide it's time
to turn back. We re-attach our DPVs and as soon as everyone is ready, we head back until we arrive at the gallery that is still some 10 meters under water. Here we’ll take another shoot, but with the DPVs, so we have some pictures of that as well.
After about 100 minutes of dive time, I signal that I have enough images and we calmly set off on our way out.
After surfacing, I’m teeming with enthusiasm about the lights we got. The difference compared to a flash is enormous. Over the past week, I took my camera out a few times to take pictures of my students. This was done with strobes and the results were much different. My first words to Caroline are “I need to get such a powerful lamp, but the price tag is a bit disappointing”. But I am not the only one who is happy. All the faces I see on the shore are happy, including my students who have pushed their comfort zone, who have come to know the beauty of the caves. I can also see pride in the path they chose to take. How wonderful it is to be able to convey your passion as an instructor.
If any of you would want to dive Ressel, let me assure you that the system is one of the most beautiful caves in Europe and is very easily accessible. Do not however enter it without some prior knowledge and the necessary training.
Location: France, Emergence du Ressel
Divers: Kurt Storms, Caroline Massie, Elfi Elsen, Bart Hermans
Sticklebacks, ninespine sticklebacks and Spinachia
Text Agata Turowicz-Cybula
STICKLEBACKS
The Gasterosteidae family is represented in the Baltic Sea by three cousins: stickleback, ninespine stickleback (also called tenspine sticleback) and the rarest – Spinachia. These three can be found all over the Baltic Sea.
Most often they choose coastal, shallow regions, overgrown with underwater vegetation and algae, although it is not uncommon to meet a school of stickleback in the open part of the Baltic Sea. All three representatives are united by a rather unusual structure of the dorsal fin. Instead of standard rays, connected to each other by the tissue
Photo Paweł Vogelsinger
forming the fin, they have prickly spines that are not connected to each other. The number of these spines varies depending on the species, and so the stickleback usually has 3 spines, the ninespine stickleback 9, and Spinachia about 15. In addition, all these three species are united by the fact that males build a nest and take care of the spawn and the fish larvae hatched from it.
Sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) often form large shoals that shimmer under water with a silvery glow. In spring, during the mating season, males change their colour and become red-blue. They fight with other males for territory and build a nest at the bottom or among plants and lure various females to it. When the females lay spawn in it, the
STICKLEBACKS
male immediately fertilises it. Females, as is often the case in nature, choose the largest and strongest males for breeding. It happens that weaker individuals who have not managed to build a nest become similar to females in order to get to the nest of their rival. Once in it, they fertilise the spawn, leaving the deceived male with not their parr. Adult individuals reach from 5 to 8 cm.
The ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) is smaller than its cousins. It reaches the length of only 6 cm. At the time of spawning, the abdomen of males from silver turns black. Like all sticklebacks, males build nests in which the female spawns. The male takes care of the young until the moment when they grow spines, then chases them out of the nest and the parr have to fend for themselves. Ninespine sticklebacks can often be found among the school of stickleback.
Spinachia (Spinachia spinachia) is by far the largest of the three. It reaches about 22 cm in length and is characterised by a beautiful, golden shade of scales, covering its elongated body. It spawns exactly the same as its cousins, with the difference that females die after laying spawn in the nest. It is extremely rare species, which is why until recently it was under strict protection in Poland, and now it is subject to partial protection. A trained diver's eye will certainly notice more than one representative of this species, hidden among the marine vegetation.
In the Baltic Sea, all three of them can be found in the Gulf of Gdansk. The sandy bottom and the presence of seagrass in the area of the Orłowo Pier in Gdynia make it an ideal place for diving with these interesting fish. It will be especially interesting to observe them in the spring. Then males in mating colours will diligently guard their nests, chasing away all uninvited guests.
Photo Paweł Vogelsinger
SPINACHIA
Photo Dreamstime
NINESPINE STICKLEBACKS
Photo Dreamstime
BLOOD-BEAKED WADING BIRDS
Text and photos WOJCIECH JAROSZ
Contrary to the title, it will not be a story about barbarian creatures ruthlessly attacking their victims and dipping their beaks in their blood like a Witcher with his sword in the flesh of strigas, gargoyles or the drowned from swamps. Although the Hitchcockian tone can be exciting, this time we will look at a peaceful and discreet species of wading bird, which can only threaten the invertebrates it eats.
The name is "redshank" comes from the colour of its legs [note from translator: in Poland – the name is "redbeak", and comes from the colour of its beak], as you Dear Readers already guessed. In the mating season, a vivid red colour is clearly visible, and only at the beaks end it turns into black. However, not only the beak is red in the redshank, because such are also its long, as in most Charadriformes and certainly in wading birds, legs. It turns out that in many languages it was this feature that was more noticeable to the creators of genre names. So we have the British redshank, which translates to red-legged, as in the Danish rødben, German rotschenkel, Croatian crvenonoga prutka, Portuguese maçarico-de-perna-vermelha or Estonian punajalg-tilder. Speaking of the names, the Latin name of the spe-
cies is Tringa totanus. Latin must lead us to systematics, since taxonomists in this language, in accordance with the tradition dating back to the beginning of the classification of species, name species so that there is no misunderstanding whether it is a redshank or a redbeak, for example. With this beginning of classification I may have exaggerated a bit, after all, Aristotle, considered the father of systematics (and a whole lot of other fields of science) was a Greek. However, only Latin translations of his works survived to later times. Aristotle also gives rise to the concept of genus and species, perpetuated by Carl Linnaeus (another systematic luminary and revolutionary) in the form of a binominal nomenclature. Therefore, today we still use Latin, two-part names – respectively they are generic and species names (Aristotelian genus and spe-
cies). We use it also when we describe new species previously unknown to science. Returning to the merits, redshanks belong to the subfamily of wading birds, the Scolopacidae family and the Charadriiformes order. This is the same group to which the common sandpipers, described not so long ago in Perfect Diver, belong, as well as many birds with a similar built. Long legs and long beaks are characteristic for them. Like many of their cousins, redshanks get food in places where there is water (this is one of the main reasons for the presence of this text in the Magazine for divers and water sportsmen). With its beak, although not the longest among Scolopacidae family, equipped with sensory receptors, they look for insects, crustaceans, polychaetes, molluscs and other invertebrate animals, and sometimes morsels of plants. Long legs allow them, according to the name of the subfamily, to wade in shallows and flooded places.
They like the company of slightly higher vegetation, in which they hide the nest. There is a well-known custom of redshanks incubating eggs, consisting in dragging the shoots of plants over their heads to make the masking the nest even more effective.
Since all wading birds are similar to each other, how to distinguish the redshank from its relatives? The easiest way in the breeding season is by the colour of the beak and legs,
which has already been discussed. But the bird is not always close, we do not always have binoculars to look at morphological details, so what then? Then the eye must be replaced by the ear, or rather not replaced, but supplemented. Redshanks are noisy animals, especially in breeding grounds. Their characteristic soft, flute whistles are easy to recognise (only marsh sandpiper T. stagnatilis, when disturbed, will emit similar sounds, but in Poland they are extremely few when it comes to breeding). Invariably, I encourage you to look for bird voices on the Web, this time of redshanks, because it is an interesting acoustic experience. I refer once again to the xeno-canto.org website, where about 750,000 recordings of over 10,500 species of birds are already available. And the numbers keep rising! When we keep an eye on the bird, we should notice characteristic dark patterns of stripes, especially on the upper side of the body, but in flight, the bird appears uniformly brown from above. Among the characteristic features, it is worth adding the occurrence of a white ring around the eye and a delicate, bright eyebrow.
Where can we have a chance for an encounter with a redshank? They breed in open, wet areas, accompanied by flooded places, preferably with shallow water. In central Europe, they often nest in floodplain meadows and pastures in river valleys, but also on the shores of lakes and ponds. They like the company of slightly higher vegetation, in which they hide the nest. There is a well-known custom of redshanks incubating eggs, consisting in dragging the shoots of plants over their heads to make the masking the nest even more effective. Their territories are marked by singing, although they are not particularly territorial. With good availability of food, even during the breeding season, they can feed in groups. They are also not disturbed by the nearby nests of other wading birds. The male begins to become more nervous only when there is an immediate threat to the partner or chicks. After the breeding season, during which both parents jointly incubate the eggs and then take care of the chicks (which, as befits precocial species, quickly become independent), the redshanks begin their migration. Then we have a chance to see them in groups, both next to the inland reservoirs and on the coast. They do not like the open beach, but rather they prefer a slightly more secluded
place. They feel good in coastal salt marshes and on tidal flats. Therefore, very large concentrations of wandering redshanks can be found in the Wadden Sea, where birds from northern European populations gather. Outside the breeding season, the intense colours of the beak and legs fade, which is worth remembering when trying to mark the observed wading birds. Wintering habitats of these birds are located, among others, in north-western Africa, but during warmer winters many individuals stay in western and southern Europe. They are then found on the sea coasts, but it is also possible to meet them on the mainland. Interestingly, during the flights, redshanks migrate mainly at night, in which habit they are not at all unique. Look out for blood-beaked birds and listen to their characteristic calls. Meetings and observations of these birds will certainly provide you with a lot of good emotions. As their population declines, try to protect the places where they can nest. For example, do not drive your car to the very edge of a water reservoir if there is no beaten track, especially in spring. When you notice a group of feeding birds while walking your dog, not only of redshanks, do not let your pet loose. In this way you can save many bird (and not only) lives.
ULUBURUN
Text Szymon Mosakowski
Photos Wikimedia Commons
Photo Dreamstime
UNDERWATER EXCAVATIONS IN WARM WATER WITH AMAZING VISIBILITY ARE A DREAM FOR ANY UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGIST. ONE SUCH A SITE IS THE ULUBURUN WRECK. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING AND IMPORTANT UNDERWATER
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS OF THE LATE 20TH CENTURY.
Famed underwater archaeologist George Bass and his team conducted extensive underwater research at the wreck site, finding a wide range of artifacts from all over the Mediterranean Sea. From August 18–27, 1983, the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, under the direction of Cemal Pulak, conducted preliminary underwater excavation work on the shipwreck, which was dated to the Late Bronze Age. The wreck itself lay on the bottom near Uluburun, Turkey.
In the fall of 1982, a sponge fisherman, Mehmet Cakir, after completing a dive, told his colleague about the metal fragments with ears he had seen on the bottom. There was a lot of interest among the fishermen, as they knew that archaeologists would certainly want to examine what had been discovered. The sponge fishermen reported the find to the local museum in Bodrum. The INA team, in cooperation with the museum in Bodrum, immediately went to the site indicated by the fishermen.
The first underwater prospecting of the site took place in 1983 and was dedicated to learning about the condition and
size of the wreck to help plan a full excavation, which took place as early as 1984 and continued for the next 10 years. The Uluburun wreck lies about 100 meters from the shore, with elements of the wreck scattered over a rectangular area measuring 10 by 18 meters, at a depth of 43 to 51 meters. This depth is a significant difficulty for underwater archaeological research, as it poses a great danger to divers. The bottom around the site is steep and very rocky. All indicates that the ship sank right next to a large, boulder-like protrusion, which prevented parts of the ship from sliding into the sea.
A search of the bottom around the wrecked vessel uncovered a well-preserved fragment of wood that was certainly a part of the ancient wreck. A smaller fragment, probably from stowage, was excavated from the bottom and later identified as a structural element.
According to investigations, the ship was carrying 10 tons of copper and 1 ton of tin. These raw materials were transported in the form of stretched ox hide. Each ingot weighed about 27 kg. This appears to have been the prevailing standardized
Wooden model of the Shipwreck from Uluburun
Real-size replica of Uluburun shipwreck, St. Peter's castle, Bodrum, Turkey
Scenery with replica and original artefacts from the Uluburun exhibition at Bochum
unit of payment in Mediterranean trade during the Bronze Age. In addition to this form, the metal also came in discs. The ship also carried interesting artifacts made of gold, such as a badge with a goddess holding gazelles in her hands, a gold ring, a gold pendant with a hawk, a chalice and gold scarabs bearing the name of Nefertiti, which helped date the ship to the 14th or 13th century BC.
Also among the artifacts discovered were silver jewellery, glassware such as glass bars in the form of thick discs, Egyptian ebony, murex opercula snail shells, which were used to make purple and incense, numerous ceramics pieces, as well as beads of amber, agate, carnelian, rock crystal, gold, bone, shells, faience and glass.
The above-mentioned cargo items are extremely important for archaeologists, as they are a clue for the study of trade in the Late Bronze Age. However,
in addition to cargo, the ship also contained items related to the crew, which was an integral part of any voyage.
The ship's crew had to be armed, as the life of a Bronze Age sailor involved great risks, including on the water. Numerous arrowheads and spears have been found. The spars, of course, have not survived. Daggers, Mycenaean swords and axes were also found. The sailors also carried numerous tools, among them axes, pliers, chisels, a ploughshare and hoe, grindstones, sickle blades, drills, awls and a saw.
One of the most interesting artifacts are two wooden planks, connected by a hinge. The rectangular boards have indentations, which you could fill with wax and then write on it.
Thanks to careful excavations, remnants of the food supplies used by the crew were also found. They consumed almonds, figs, oil, grapes or raisins, wild
Photo Dreamstime
Egyptian jewelry from Uluburun shipwreck, St. Peter's castle, Bodrum, Turkey
saffron, black cumin, sumac, coriander and pomegranates. Wheat and barley grains were also found. It is likely that the sailors also fished, as evidenced by the harpoons and hooks found.
Based on the preserved parts of the hull, it is estimated that the length of the ancient ship was 15 meters, and the width was about 5 meters. It could carry up to 20 tons of cargo. It was made of cedar wood, most likely harvested in areas of Syropalesta.
Thanks to careful excavations, remnants of the food supplies used by the crew were also found. They consumed almonds, figs, oil, grapes or raisins, wild saffron, black cumin, sumac, coriander and pomegranates. Wheat and barley grains were also found. It is likely that the sailors also fished, as evidenced by the harpoons and hooks found.
Based on the preserved parts of the hull, it is estimated that the length of the ancient ship was 15 meters, and the width was about 5 meters. It could carry up to 20 tons of cargo. It was made of cedar wood, most likely harvested in areas of Syropalesta.
From the archaeological material collected, it can be concluded that this ship participated in large trade exchanges between Egypt, the Middle East and the Aegean world, and indirectly with the Baltic area. It probably sailed from the Le-
vant off the eastern Mediterranean coast. It is possible that she was heading to one of the Mycenaean cities. Maybe she was sailing to the Black Sea, since javelins and a ceremonial mace from the Danube estuary were found on the wreck. Passing Cape Uluburun, she was carried away by a strong and frequent southern wind in the region and she sank.
The Uluburun wreck has yielded an amazing array of ancient artifacts that provide valuable insight into the lives of the people who lived, traded and sailed the Mediterranean during the Late Bronze Age.
The discovery of the Uluburun wreck has helped shed light on aspects of the Late Bronze Age that were previously unknown. Archaeologists were able to analyse artifacts and learn about the maritime trade networks that linked Mediterranean cultures at the time. From the artifacts found, it is clear that the Uluburun was a trading ship, carrying goods from Canaanite, Cypriot and Mycenaean cultures, as well as from regions further afield, such as Egypt and Anatolia.
Underwater archaeological investigations of the Uluburun wreck have provided a wealth of information about the Late Bronze Age trade and cultural practices. The artifacts allow us to understand the people, as well as their activities that took place during this period. As such, the Uluburun wreck has proven to be an invaluable source of knowledge about this period and has provided a unique opportunity to study the history of the region.
Scrap metal from Cyprus, Uluburun shipwreck, St. Peter's castle, Bodrum, Turkey
Cargo as it was scattered over the seabed, Uluburun shipwreck, St. Peter's castle, Bodrum, Turkey
Scenery with replica and original artefacts from the Uluburun exhibition at Bochum
African ivory found in the shipwreck
1 MILLION LUMENS
Text Wojciech A. Filip
COMPLETELY NEW FLASHLIGHTS FOR DIVERS
A brand new technology, based on the quantum split, allowing unprecedented luminous power.
The most powerful diving flashlights reach some 10 thousand lumens. The new one is 100 times stronger. How much would you be willing to pay for such a flashlight? *link to the flashlight at the end of the article
Just like you, I am a diver.
I know nothing about the technology behind my lights, I am no expert in light measurements – I can’t measure how much a thousand lumens is and how much 8 thousand is.
I’ve been diving long enough to write about how I thought I knew something about light and bought a couple of really strong and expensive flashlights. Interestingly, when I was buying them, I fought like a lion with anyone who would dare question my choice.
What are you using your flashlight most often for?
´ for night diving (so that I could see anything)
´ to illuminate videos (social media )
´ for communication (to signal something to my partner)
Experience
Get into your car on a foggy night and try to choose the best headlights for the drive.
With low beam, you are actually able to see something, with high beam you see nothing but a wall of white in front of you.
Paradoxically, you will see the most details with only your position lights on.
If your high beam lights had two or even three times stronger bulbs, would you be able to see through the fog?
Of course not, it would have been even worse.
What you already know, but a refresher won’t hurt
You can compare flashlight power underwater with driving at night in the fog. Beyond a certain limit, the stronger the light, the less you see. This is in part because water is more dense
Photo Jon Borg
Photos Isadora Abuter Grebe
Torch with a good light output and no overexposure effect
Torch shining broadly with no visible communication beam – illuminates photos/videos well
than air and always carries a suspension of some kind.
Interestingly, while visibility underwater may reach several dozen of meters, the “fog” in which you can’t see a thing mainly concerns the stream of light. In other words, a flashlight too strong will create such a dense stream of light that you will see it as a white super sword sticking out of the flashlight’s head.
You cannot illuminate much with it, as it blinds you; you cannot show real colors, as all you can see is a white spot. If you switch such a flashlight on in the Baltic Sea or in a body of water with limited transparency, it would be as if you were standing in a dense fog or a blizzard – by switching on the flashlight, you are switching on zero visibility. It is then very easy to lose your sense of direction which you would probably get back if you switch off the overly powerful flashlight.
How to quickly check whether the flashlight will create a white wall effect?
´ On the surface
Direct the light stream onto the palm of your hand from approx. 50 cm –look at what you can see; you should be able to see the details of your skin. If you see a white spot or squint, the flashlight is too strong.
´ Underwater
Take a peek inside a cavity – it might be a shipwreck, a pipe or simply a rock overhang – can you clearly see the tiny details of the place you are illuminating? If yes, then the flashlight is worth your consideration. If the first thing you see is a white spot, the flashlight is not a good fit.
´ On social media
Swim towards your partner with a small camera.
Take a few photos, shoot a short video, while illuminating them. If, as a result, instead of a well-lit diver, you see your partner with a white spot in
Photos on page Przemysław Zyber
Torch with a good beam and no overexposure effect on an illuminated area
An interesting combination of a torch with a good beam of light and a wide angle – very good for communication and taking photos/videos
Torch shining with a broad "soft" light – the best solution for taking photos/videos
the place you are illuminating, the flashlight has too much power.
My history, continued
When I became a technical diver, I was convinced I needed special equipment. My flashlight was at the very top of my list of things to change. I researched which model is believed to be the strongest and considered the absolute top when lights under water were concerned. I bought it. After the purchase, I was sure I had the best diving light ever. It did not dawn on me that I couldn’t read the text on the side of a shipwreck because it was too bright. Neither did the fact that a fried of mine had no problem at all to read the text, although he was using a Lumen 6 flashlight (I wonder if someone still remembers these). With time, there were more and more divers with the strongest flashlights available. Can you believe that no one has ever admitted they can hardly see with their flashlight? We assumed that if someone is manufacturing stronger and stronger ones, it meant they were the best. We ignored the fact that in order to see something, we had to direct the stream of light away from the object. I bought a total of three such mega-blinders, each one stronger than the other.
It was only a few years later that I asked for the help of an engineer working in lighting technology and light measurements, who he asked me a riddle.
The riddle
How do you convince someone to buy a particular product if they know nothing about it but need it?
Solution
Show them clearly that this product is better from other similar ones. If you manage to do that, it is easier not only to show them a product better than the others but also the supreme one – something that will outclass any other similar ones (e.g. a million-lumen flashlight).
Photos on page Bartek Trzciński
Torch with too many lumens – overexposes the object being illuminated
A torch properly selected – illuminates the object accurately
Torch in the cave: on the left well matched, on the right over-exposing (too many lumens)
If you were to choose between two flashlights, one with 2000 lumens and the other with 8000 lumens, which one would you choose for yourself?
In such situations, lacking expertise, we are not always making wise choices.
You will choose what seems obvious to you: more seems better than less. Yet a less powerful flashlight, with 2000 lumens, will do a much better job underwater that the one with 8000 lumens, which you would probably rate higher at the beginning.
I want to buy a flashlight – how do I do it?
Before you pay for something, take your candidate model for a dive, shine it onto your hand or manometer, peek into some
underwater recess, looking for details, post a video from your testing on social media, showing your partner illuminated during the dive. Try to be objective – can you see what you are shining at or do you only see a white spot?
Are you asking for advice on Facebook? Don’t mention the brand, just show the results of how it shines.
Good luck!
WAF
PS The 18th issue of Perfect Diver brings you a piece on interesting methods for testing flashlights. Hungry for more knowledge? Look there or visit the Tecline Academy, where you can test various flashlights in person!
*Alright, where do I buy this new one-million-lumen flashlight!?
Luckily, there is no such flashlight. However I am sure that if it existed, there would be people interested in buying it. By the way, the introduction to this article is a simple test on diving flashlights knowledge: did you think at first that such a flashlight is completely useless or you wondered what the price tag on it was… ?
https://teclinediving.eu/tecline-academy/#/
Photo Isadora Abuter Grebe
The ideal light for the diver: despite its close proximity, it does not overexpose the signal OK and at the same time has a good communication beam
Ask in DIVING CENTERS
In front of you is a GUIDE to a selection of the Island of Aphrodite’s dive spots, hopefully the best or most interesting ones.
Ideal for divers, free divers, lovers of the azure water and water sports, but also for those who accompany them.
