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TWojciech Zgoła Editor-in-Chief
he issue of Perfect Diver which is in your hands or on the screens of your mobile devices will surprise you and confirm our strong conviction that the content we have prepared is of the highest quality.
New authors are emerging, and with them fresh stories and new spots.
Palau takes the lead, presented in the text of Ania Sołoducha and accompanied by the underwater photos selected by our editorial photographer Jakub Degee.
Palau is followed by magnificent Galapagos and intriguing report from the dives and the details of the escapade to the Lake Baikal.
Is being a freediver recklessness? Agnieszka Kalska makes an attempt to answer this question, while Jakub Banasiak reveals the truth about cruises to observe whales and dolphins.
And that is only a little fraction of what we have prepared for you.
I will only add that we also have a special treat for you: an article about diving and watching fish in rivers. Hardly anyone does it. For us, the text on this subject was written by Paweł Vogelsinger.
We would like the online version of our magazine to be free. For this reason we have a humble request – please, support us with any amount of donation: PayPal. Me/perfectdiver
I cordially invite you to enjoy our magazine and, on the occasion of the upcoming Christmas, I wish you a peaceful and joyful time in the company of your dreams, as well as good diving plans for 2019!
Palau, diving bestseller
The Galápagos Islands, a pearl in the Pacific Ocean
Lake Baikal…
The Cave of the Swallows – Xulo
Expedition to the caves of Bosnia
A situation of diving business
Andrea Doria, memories
fr O m a freediver's
I'm a freediver – does it sound proud or reckless?
Freediving disciplines carried out in open waters
Not only underwater… the phenomenon of whale & dolphin watching tours
The Baltic Sea, an unusual sea for everybody
Irena Kosowska
Mateusz Popek
Agnieszka Kalska
Jakub Degee
Agnieszka Gumiela-Pająkowska
Arleta Kaźmierczak
Lawyer Joanna Wajsnis
Brygida Jackowiak-Rydzak
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.
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.
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).
"I can not imagine life without water, where I experience freedom of the spirit in my free body."
● founder of the first freediving and swimming school in Poland – FREEBODY,
● freediving instructor Apnea Academy International and PADI Master Freediver,
● record holder and multiple medalist of the Polish Championships, member of the national team in freediving 2013–2018,
● finalist of the Freediving World Championships 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018,
● a Polish national championship champion and a member of the national team in swimming in 1998–2003,
● passionate about freediving and swimming.
Technical Diving Instructor and renowned Underwater Photographer whose style is famous within the Technical Diving community. She is specialised in Sidemount, Technical Sidemount & Cave Diving Training. She is based in Gozo but operates worldwide both for training and exploration purpose. Beyond her adaptive teaching recognition and her dedication to making each student a better diver, she is a passionate underwater photographer complementing each training and diving session with numerous shots which became famous within the diving industry and through social medias. Her work has been published in various magazines, Diving agencies websites, training materials & dive shows.
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.
Started as a consequence of birthday celebration when she got a birthday present in the form of a diving course. Today she is an experienced and passionate instructor. Eager to dive anywhere and with everyone – provided in a dry suit. Exceptionally sensitive to cold. But with unusually hot heart. Not only can you have fun with her, but also learn a lot about diving from a "feminine" perspective. Her life motto: "If you want to do something, do it properly" Looking for a way out matters – not looking for excuses. She loves Thai cuisine (after dives), snowboarding (between the dives) and everything that is chocolate (can eat chocolate even during diving).
A true enthusiast of the underwater world, an expert in all kinds of diving equipment and a lover of two wheels. An exceptional professional and dedicated trainer, instructor and adviser. He has been involved in diving since his childhood, and he knows the Red Sea from the inside out. A very experienced diver, in love with the abyss of the sea. Always positive to the world and with his love for water he can infect even the most stubborn ones. And as a real man befits – a Master chef. A passionate advocate of constantly improving qualifications, extending skills and practicing diving techniques, that's why he is happy to give you hints and helps all interested people.
Together they run the Balanced Divers Diving School in Dahab. They are a well-coordinated team on land and underwater. They both focus on safety and professionalism combined with joy and determination in discovering the depths.
A graduate of the University of Warsaw. An underwater photographer and filmmaker, has been diving since 1995. A co-operator at the Department of Underwater Archeology at the University of Warsaw. He publishes in diving magazines in Poland and abroad. The owner of the FotoPodwodna company which is the Polish representative of Ikelite, Nauticam, Inon, ScubaLampcompanies. www.fotopodwodna.pl m.trzcinski@fotopodwodna.pl
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!"
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.
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.
The owner of Seashell Diving Centre in Malta, has been diving for the past 20 years and teaching divers of all levels from his own base in Mellieha Bay. Hubert is an SSI and PADI Tec Trimix Instructor and regularly enjoys the best deep wrecks of Malta. In 2012 Hubert has helped to set up and hosted the first SSI Service Centre in Malta, giving the way to this new for Malta diving agency at that time. Hubert's diving centre is one of the few in the Maltese islands continually offering comprehensive diving services for those who would like to experience some of the worlds top diving.
An amateur filmmaker, a lover of diving in rivers, a photographer and researcher of the underwater world. A discoverer of the secrets small waterbodies. Also the propagator of the new Wild Aquarium movement in Poland, which is involved in reconstruction of biotopes of Polish waters in aquariums. Most of his free time he spends following his diving passion, gaining knowledge and experience in practice. He has made more than 100 short wildlife films. His goal is not only to astonish the spectators with the underwater views, but above all, making them aware of nature and the necessity of its protection. The motto of his work is the message "Get to know and love nature to protect it".
All videos are available on Youtube Channel Nantai Tv
IANTD diving instructor, cave diver, licensed parachute jumper, traveller and photographer – honoured in the National Geographic photo contest. He has a photographic profile the Essence of Life on Instagram (k_kapusta_diving_instructor) and runs a diving school www.divingcourses.eu. Thanks to his talent for science, which allowed him to win many contests, he explains with great ease the most complicated physico-mathematical issues to his students. He also has a high ability to perform mental calculations that surprises the instructors with whom he constantly improves his diving and teaching competencies. Raised on "diving medicine" he extends the boundaries of science being an experimental diver and taking part in the Diving Safety Laboratory conducted by DAN.
Dreams of close and distant trips have accompanied me since my childhood years… The desire to see the world was so great that I changed the corporate office for the freedom which me travelling, sightseeing and diving in the most remote parts of the world.
The reports from my trips are on the divingandtravel.pl blog, and I invite you for a joint trip with the Dive-away.pl travel agency of which I am a co-founder.
diving bestseller
l ooking at p alau from a bird's eye view, you can see dozens of scattered green points on the background of the dark blue ocean. this group of volcanic islands lying between the p hilippines and the island of g uam, belongs to the s tate of the f ederated s tates of m icronesia in the archipelago of the c aroline i slands.
There are no spectacular skyscrapers, cosmopolitan cities or highways here. This fabulous world situated at the crossroads of the Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Sea holds something much more valuable (not always appreciated in life) – values that it is hard to dream about in other parts of the world! Being in Palau, we can experience different types of dives, depending on our preferences. There are waiting for us large pelagic animals, endemics, a lake of jellyfish, rich macro world, falling walls, hidden cave systems and tunnels, huge gardens, well-preserved wrecks of the Japanese fleet dating back to the times of World War II (the islands were occupied by the Japanese since 1914). It sounds gorgeous, doesn’t it?
Micronesia lies in the equatorial climate, remarkably moist, characterized by humidity above 80%.
The archipelago has more than 200 islands built of coral reefs and volcanic rocks and it is one of
the most spectacular dive sites in the world. Dives are organized in the form of diving safaris (staying overnight in the boat), or in the form of trips from the selected diving centre (coming back to the hotel every day). Booking a diving safari for the time of all your stay in Palau gives you the possibility to do many dives and reach the most remote spots. From my own experience, however, I can say that the daily flow of ultra-fast, covered motorboats, equipped with two 150 horsepower Yamaha engines, between deserted islands overgrown with luscious greenery is incomparable to anything else! In addition, daily lunches on paradise islands full of coconut palms… something amazing. Dives, as I said at the beginning, are very different and should satisfy even the most demanding diver.
Blue Corner is my Top of the Top in Palau. There are very strong currents in that place. But if there is a current, it means that underwater something
Here the time spent underwater provides so many impressions that you are literally out of breath. Here each dive ends with a scuba sucked out to the limit, because there is so much going on!
interesting is going to happen, and this, in turn, is a sign that you will need a reef hook to stay in place. The diving centre which we used (Sam's Tours) gave us such a "gift" on the first day of diving. Pinned to the reef we were able to observe how smoothly sharks move, as if the current did not exist for them at all. Although it may sound disturbingly, the plateau to which we were pinned is located at the depth of just 15 m. You need only a lightly inflated vest and you can admire fat school sharks, barracu-
das, schools of cero fish and tunas, caranxes, and all of them against the background of dark blue water. Here the time spent underwater provides so many impressions that you are literally out of breath. Here each dive ends with a scuba sucked out to the limit, because there is so much going on!
The second place, where life underwater is generated by water currents is Ulong Channel. We dive inside a wide and very long corridor hollowed in the barrier reef on the western side of Ulong Island. We meet grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, tunas, groups of black snappers and barracudas. Lettuce corals, resembling lettuce heads, cover the bottom of the channel and are an interesting phenomenon. We dive with the current over a forest of corals until the pressure gauge shows us 50 bar…
If you like diving near walls, you will not be disappointed either when you come to Palau. Big Drop Off is a legend place. With visibility close to 40 m,
Palau constantly delights.
There are almost 1,500 species of fish, 700 species of coral, 130 species of sharks.
there emerges a vertical, steeply sloping wall, covered with soft corals and anemone. Around us we can see sail parrotfish, turtles, cichlids, anglers, angelfish or lionfish… a real treat for lovers of photography! The German Channel is another, phenomenal place. It owes its name… of course to the Germans, because during the Second World War it was the best way to the interior of the atoll, in which submarines moved, and it was the Germans who deepened it. Dives take place at high or low tide because at these moments the largest amount of plankton is delivered and it attracts manta rays. The German Channel – I have nothing more to add, you must see it for yourself!
Diving around the famous Rock Islands, we will be surprised by one more place, namely the Chandelier Cave, a substitute for Mexican cenotes. Diving in this unique cave will take us to five chambers, amongst which the innermost has an amazing look and quite rightly was named the Temple of Doom Combined chambers full of beautiful karst formations are carved deep into one of the rock islands (about 100 meters).
To adventure seekers we recommend Peleliu –where some of the more devastating battles of World War II took place. Peleliu Express is not for novices – diving in the drift you can stand eye to eye with everything that is in the range between a bull shark or a tiger shark and a marlin or a school of tunas! Diving around Peleliu, why not also go on the very island. It is only 6 km long and yet it has become one of the forgotten pages of the history of the Pacific War. Here one of the major battles took place, in which a total of more than 12 thousand soldiers died. The island where the Japanese
airport was located became a strategic place during the Second World War. During this moving history lesson in which you participate during the trip, you can see a runway, tanks, mortar shells and a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" fighter.
Micronesia, although it is quite a general geographical term, can also attract us with numerous wrecks of the Japanese fleet from the Second World War. In the Palau region, there are about 60 of them. One of the most popular is Teshio Maru – a ship that transported the Japanese army and was sunk in March 1944. We can admire the beautiful black corals growing on the wreck. We will also make an easy dive on Jake Seaplane – a small 11 meters long seaplane, which
at the end of the war was used as a bomber or participated in kamikaze missions.
Palau constantly delights. There are almost 1,500 species of fish, 700 species of coral, 130 species of sharks. A lot of currents, a lot of plankton, many animals and a lot of "large animals”. The figures speak for themselves. In the waters of the Pacific there is also a nautilus. It lives in the equatorial range from the equator up to the 15th degree of northern and southern latitude (meaning also in Palau). It is called a "living fossil", it has a beautiful, flat, spirally coiled shell, it has remained practically unchanged for nearly 400 million years. During the day, he lives in the sea bottom at the depth of 100 to 300 metres. At night, it goes towards the surface – reaching even 30 to 40 metres to feed on other crustaceans.
The shell is the outer protection of the animal and takes part in the regulation of its buoyancy. It is
divided internally into a series of chambers. By filling the appropriate number of chambers with gas, the submarine regulates its immersion and can achieve perfect buoyancy, which allows it to travel such large distances. An asymmetric tube connects them through the chambers, the so-called siphon, which is an extension of the nautilus body. The hole of the shell is closed with a fleshy hood and its interior is covered with a pearl layer. Until recently, one of the attractions offered by the diving centres in Palau was catching nautiluses in traps by luring them with fish or chickens when they reached lower depths while hunting. Nautiluses live in low temperatures, but they are able to survive about 48 hours in a lot of warmer waters, hence the idea of showing them to people diving. Thanks to the ability to equalize pressure in their shell, nautiluses do not suffer any harm when meeting scuba divers at such small depths. Scuba diving allows divers to photo-
p alau is a place that cannot be missed on your diving world map.
graph and see closely this unique type of cephalopods. Then the specimen is released so he can go back to the deep sea by itself. A few years ago, the president of Palau presented the government with a project prohibiting diving with nautiluses, in order to protect the species. Even so, diving in Palau we have still an irresistible impression that somewhere beneath us there are organisms that remember the beginning of the Palaeozoic…
When talking about Palau, one cannot fail to mention the worldwide unique phenomenon – Jellyfish Lake. The sea lake is located on the island of Eil Malk and is filled with salt water supplied by underground channels from the sea, while in shallower parts, water is already sweet, diluted by rains. The creatures living in the lake have evolved and
adapted to the unusual environment. Thousands of jellyfish have lost venomousness and thus their stinging properties, because their only natural enemy are small sea anemones living under mangroves. It was here where until recently we had an opportunity to snorkel with thousands of jellyfish deprived of their venom. Unfortunately, due to the drought, fresh water stopped feeding the jellyfish lake, causing a record level of salinity. Jellyfish began to disappear, and their population drastically dropped. At this moment, snorkelling in the lake is impossible, but we all believe that the population of these unusual organisms will be reborn again…
Palau is a place that cannot be missed on your diving world map. Certainly you will be fascinated by the exciting edges of reefs whose currents attract schools of sharks as well as manta rays. Fascinating, beautifully overgrown with coral steep drop-offs. Caves – a substitute for Mexican cenotes, as well as tunnels or wrecks of the Japanese fleet. It's a real dive bestseller. Simply.
It is a pearl of Europe located in the middle of the Mediterranean. An archipelago of islands with all the facilities for people of sea and land, active and lazy, lovers and lonely. Malta, Gozo and Comino. Three islands full of magic, history, stories, life and sun.
From a bird's eye view, this part of the Mediterranean with protruding rocks, where people had settled thousands of years ago, is intriguing from the very beginning. Emotions and accelerated heartbeat will find here what they are looking for, relief and peace of mind.
A mixture of cultures and flavours over the years has created a specific atmosphere of the Orient and Europeanness, in which visitors can immerse. If we add to it a very large dose of sunlight, the possibility of using sandy and rocky beaches, we have almost perfect holidays at your fingertips!
What is missing in this short description are water sports, and to practise them you have azure sea water everywhere, on every side of the island.
With the help of the diving centre Dive on Malta we will learn about the best dive sites of the archipelago. All the more so as Malta is not only recreational diving to the depth of 40 m, but also demanding technical and wreck diving. The Dive on Malta Diving Center offers professional diving at all levels of training and is prepared to attend rebreather divers.
A lot of positive experiences await us here. We can also expect complete satisfaction and comfort as for the visibility, thermal and technical conditions and the preparation of both the base and dive sites.
With a big dose of luck we have the opportunity to meet a turtle, a dolphin or fish mola mola in natural conditions. If you like wrecks, there are here in abundance. I addition to it you have here caves and a very interesting terrain.
There is nothing else to do but call and send emails to Dive on Malta to find out whether they still have available places for the year 2019!
a pearl in the pacific ocean
Once my friend said that if i do not set off upon a journey, an adventure will not come to me. s ince that conversation a lot of time has passed and i have visited many beautiful places in the world. e ach of them was absolutely unique and unrepeatable. h owever, there is a nook on the e arth which has particularly influenced me and the way i perceive the world.
Icall this place perfect, the Holy Grail, a work of art, a white whale… These are the Galápagos Islands, which belong to Ecuador.
"Good morning to you", says the captain again.
"Please, fasten safety belts, in twenty minutes we will land at the airport of San Cristobal. The air temperature is 25°C, light clouds, we have a nice weather for landing". On the Galapagos we arrive in the early afternoon, pick up our luggage and go to the gates, where the airport staff scan our bags. No organic products such as fruit or seeds may be brought into the Galápagos territory. This could negatively impact the flora in this region of the world.
Michael, the manager of the boat on which we will sail on a seven-day cruise on the Galápagos welcomes us at the airport. We get on a bus and go to the port, the entire journey lasts only five minutes. On the spot is waiting for us not only a beautiful boat but something that we totally did not expect,
a real surprise! On the rocks and sand there are lying down sea lions, iguanas, seals. The presence of humans completely does not bother them. They are playing, feeding young, swimming, and are close, within reach. A beautiful beginning of our trip.
We get on the boat moored in the port, the crew is bustling about like crazy. All the bags are already in place, arranged on the lower deck. We are drinking a welcome fruit cocktail and getting to know the boat procedures. Michael speaks and presents the crew and the dive guides one by one. They warn us that during the cruise there will be no access to the Internet or GSM coverage… If you want to send someone a text message or call someone this is the last chance. We fill in the necessary documents, and when formalities are done, we go to unpack our bags, put the diving equipment in the special boxes, so that the crew could stow the empty suitcases below deck. After lunch, we dive, a short check dive that will allow us to check the equipment
and choose the right amount of ballast for the dry suits we took with us. The water temperature at the Galápagos ranges between 18°C and 24°C depending on the dive site. A dry suit plus thermal underwear is a great solution.
After a short siesta, we divide ourselves into two groups: "The Whale Sharks" and "The Hammerhead Sharks", but when Michael asked the question: "which of you wants to be a hammer?" – all burst into laughter and no one signed up… we eventually changed the name of the group to "Dolphins". Each group has its own zodiac boat and a captain, who always helps. Along with the diving guide we get on an inflatable boat and sail to the first diving stop. We stop at a small island on which one huge tree grows and under it there are napping sea lions and seals. Jump into the water, and then plunge several meters. The mammals that have been resting so far on the surface also decided to go swimming. We dive in the company of seals and sea lions, it is
a fascinating and incredible experience. Both seals and sea lions, although awkward on the surface, become extremely agile and fast under water. They are also very curious about people and love playing. Therefore, they do not leave but swing around in front of us and they do backflips and feats. This is another surprise in such a short period of time, which the nature has prepared for us.
We come back on the boat late in the afternoon, the Sun sets slowly. The briefing and delicious dinner are ahead of us. On a white board Michael wrote the plan for the next day, including a land tour. A wake-up at 6:00, a small snack, a briefing and at 6:40 we jump into the water… we get also the GPS transmitters and buoys in case a strong current catches us. The waters surrounding the islands of Wolf and Darwin are extremely rich in ocean life, but they also have very strong currents that can pull a diver into the depths of the ocean. In that case, with high waves on the surface, you need
the GPS locator to locate a person. Michael explains in great detail the way the transmitter works, and shows how to operate it, when the need arises.
For several hours we have been sailing towards the setting sun. The view is splendid. The next day we will reach the island of Wolf, which owes its name to the German geologist and researcher Theodor Wolf. In 1978, the archipelago was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The island is located to the northwest of the main islands of the archipelago. It is a true paradise for sea birds, which in an unusual way have adapted to the area's climate. A perfect example is the Darwin's finch, who developed unusual eating habits: he eats mainly the blood and eggs of other birds, especially the Nazca booby. The reasons for this behaviour can be seen in the very dry and harsh climate that prevails here.
In the morning we arrive to the island of Wolf. After turning off the engines, a blissful silence comes,
you can hear only the sounds of birds and sound of waves crashing on the rocky shore. We get up at 6:00 sharp. The climate on the island in the morning is dark and mysterious, the rocks and everything else around are covered by fog.
For this moment we have been waiting for a long time, the first immersion at the coast of the island of Wolf. We jump into the water with a negative buoyancy and immediately plunge to the depth of 20 meters. We sail along the rock wall. What appears to our eyes after a while is unbelievable. The herd of hammerhead sharks emerge from the depths, they swim one after another in a compact array. The current is getting stronger, we are grabbing the rocks and waiting, watching what is happening around us. Giant eagle rays, turtles, the endless schools of fish join the sharks. Tunas and barracudas appear. We are looking at it as if hypnotized admiring the richness of the Pacific Ocean. No description that I had read about this place was exaggerated. After
50 minutes, we are back on the boat, excited and happy. On this day, we will dive here twice more, and a land trip is also waiting for us.
After lunch we visit the second largest island of the archipelago, Santa Cruz. On the beach we go over the rocks, which are teeming with red crabs of different sizes. The land in this part of the island is very dry and orange. Here and there, low, lightbarked trees grow, called palo santo. You can also see prickly pears, which are resistant to high temperatures prevailing here. The latter enjoy great popularity among Galápagos land iguanas. This massive, orange-grey reptile feeds only on plants and cacti that he devours with spikes. On the rocks and sand there are giant sea lions, feeding the young and resting. The presence of humans does not bother them at all. Santa Cruz is an ideal place for photographers, researchers and ornithologists. We can observe mammals, reptiles and birds in their natural environment without limitation. You
We are looking at it as if hypnotized admiring the richness of the Pacific o cean. n o description that i had read about this place was exaggerated.
will not find here cages, fences, or any restrictions, but there is freedom in its pure form, so beautiful and pure, it truly moves me…
A few days old sea lion is calling her mother with a characteristic call. It is awkwardly moving on the sand, stumbles, falls over. Its mother went hunting, must ensure food for herself and her baby. For this purpose, she dives in the ocean, and her streamlined and elongated body shape makes it very agile underwater. They mainly hunt for fish, but do not disregard also squids and krills. Not always all sea lions, sea lions or seals return to the shore, some
are prey to sharks that fish off the coast of the island. On dark rocks, marine iguanas are basking. They can be found in the Galápagos in different places, but always they rest close to the water. To get food they dive in the ocean. Their diet is very simple, they feed mainly on sea algae, which they detach from the rocks and swallow quickly. Diving with sea iguanas is a real treat for divers, dreams come true.
On the island numerous bird species live and reproduce, but one in particular stands out against the other inhabitants of the island, it's a booby. Perhaps fate has mocked him by painting his "feet" with the blue colour? I think it wanted to make the world even more beautiful and that is why it created a booby. It is called so quite inappropriately, because in fact it is a wise and smart bird. He owes his unfortunate name to "naivety" that characterises him. He never showed any fear of man and could easily be caught.
I cannot ignore the magnificent frigate bird. It is one of the largest birds on the island, which prepares for mating in a special way. The frigate male, wanting to impress his partner and show off his best side, puffs a large, red, slightly feathered sac under his throat.
The Galápagos Islands are famous for their unique flora and fauna characteristic for this region of the world. To read about it is one thing, but to experience and see it for yourself, this is just an unbelievable experience.
Next day, before dawn we reach the Darwin's Island, which owes its name to the famous investigator and naturalist, Charles Darwin. It is the northernmost island of the archipelago. In fact, it is the peak of the undersea volcano. The harsh climate on the island makes it uninhabited. The only residents that we can admire from the boats are birds and sea lions sunning on the rocks. You can see that
the climate serves them and they are settled here. The island, although not accessible to people, is a true paradise for divers. The best diving takes place on the south east from the island around the characteristic Darwin’s Arch. Here come the largest schools of hammerhead sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, common molas and whale sharks. Most often underwater we see giant females of this species that come to give birth to the young.
The week before our expedition to the Galápagos, a group of French researchers flew here to examine the water surrounding the islands of Wolf and Darwin. No one so far has managed to determine where whale sharks really come into the world and where they later depart. The expedition took place, but no one solved the puzzle hidden for thousands of years. The expedition nearly had a tragic ending. The zodiac boat with one of the researchers dangerously approached the rocks surrounding Darwin's Arch. The current in this place turned out to be too strong, and the waves were too high and the
boat crashed into the rocks every now and then. The situation ended with broken ribs and teeth. The beautiful thing about our planet is that we know so much about it but there is still so much to discover.
Scuba diving by Darwin's Arch is a real challenge, the currents are very strong and, as in the case of the island of Wolf, we also plunge quickly and jump into the water with a negative buoyancy. Sometimes it is so hard that we have to climb over the rocks, and the bubbles from the exhaled air fly to the sides instead of flying to the top. I have an impression that a strong current will immediately break my mask from my face and will tear the camera out of my hand. It does not matter, however, because what the Pacific Ocean reveals to us is worth every effort. Hundreds of hammerhead sharks surround us on all sides. From time to time we get ourselves off the rocks and go to the depths to closely admire the whale sharks, which are equal in their size to buses. Countless schools
of fish are circling above our heads, and Galápagos sharks flow under us. An impassive turtle tears off the reef pieces and crushes them in its mouth, calmly swallowing its meal. On the way up we encounter a group of dolphins, which disappears as soon as it appeared. Positively tired, we return to the boat with a small break for a photo session at Darwin's Arch.
The best diving takes place on the south east from the island around the characteristic d arwin’s a rch. Here come the largest schools of hammerhead sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, common molas and whale sharks.
Our cruise on the waters of the Pacific Ocean lasted seven days, four of which we spent scuba diving on the islands of Wolf and Darwin. Next day we visited the island of Santa Cruz, which is inhabited by some of the largest turtles in the world – Galápagos tortoises. These beautiful giants feed mainly on plants, fruit and cacti. The largest found representative of this species weighed 400 kg and its length was 1.87 meters. Over the centuries, the turtles were an easy prey for sailors, whalers and pirates, who sailed across the water of the Pacific Ocean. The females were caught most often while they were laying their eggs in the sand near the coast. That is why they rarely occur in nature. The Government of Ecuador is doing what it can to protect the heritage from destruction. Numerous reserves and foundations have been created for the protection of fauna and flora in this region of the world.
Wojtek Zgoła talks to Michał Kosut, PADI Regional Manager
What is the condition of the diving market, especially when it comes to those who have just entered our community and did their first diving course?
I can only comment on PADI, of course, as I have access just to these statistics. Actually, looking at the last few or even several years, the, lets call it, highest numbers of divers fell for years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. These were very good years for diving industry.
do you mean there was a kind of "boom" in Poland?
Yes, it was the consequence of the fact that starting from the 90's up to the beginning of the 21st century many diving instructors completed their trainings and opened diving centers with the culmination point falling for years 2008–2010.
did the number of diving organizations, which entered the market then, have any influence on the situation?
I don't think it mattered that much. Then there were organizations such as the KDP, which was buoyant and had educated many of the instructors, or LOK. Then PADI came, clearly marking its position in recreational diving. Only a few years later other organizations appeared.
i see. and what happened next within our diving industry?
The year 2011 came and Egypt 'happened', that is to say it got worse in Egypt.
the arab spring…
Yes and this was reflected throughout the entire diving market. All Europe based in Egypt, especially
in its northern part. A mass tourist who went there and tried diving in the the reef, tended to return, often with some diving concept. And suddenly this option cut short or closed. The reduction of the number of divers was observed between 2011 and 2015. This was the worst moment as Sharm elSheikh was closed because of the bomb explosion on a plane. And it is the period 2011–2015 that was not the best time for Europe and for Poland.
Well, and was it a decline on a level of, let’s say, 50 percent?
No, if we are talking about the market in Poland, these were fluctuations at a maximum of a dozen percent. 11, 12 percent was the maximum year-to-year decline we could observe. And what happened in 2016? Then these numbers froze and stabilised. In 2017 we had about 9 percent growth and I'm talking only about certificates issued in Poland or by the Polish diving centers.
so people registered in poland…
Yes, precisely. And from that moment we have noted a growth. Last year it was 11percent. It concerns mainly divers beginning their adventure with diving. That is very important, because it is a "customer" for the whole industry.
yes, you start your diving adventure, buy the equipment. and the equipment at the moment is so good that you don't need to buy another set for a long time, so the best group of people are those entering diving.
Yes, definitely. There is no major replacement in equipment. However, what I also mean is that a person who becomes a diver starts this whole ‘diving life’ and suddenly becomes a customer for the whole industry. And now, from the level of the organization, we can see that people became divers but they fail to continue. It is hard to measure it. We just see that they do not do another certificate which, however, does not mean that they do not dive.
Is there any way to counteract this?
I think that something we should focus on is not
diving is a really safe sport. You have to break a lot of procedures to cause something bad happen.
only to train these people to the basic level, but to make them competent divers who take pleasure in diving.
and do not pose a threat to others… Others also, but above all, they are not a threat to themselves. Diving is a really safe sport. You have to break a lot of procedures to cause something bad happen.
Michał, according to you, why do people abandon diving?
I think some people give up diving because they do not feel confident underwater. Research in the States that I think also apply to Europe, shows that divers don’t enjoy diving. And when a diver does not enjoy diving? When he or she is not well trained. When you do not feel confident underwater. You probably remember this moment… I remember when I felt confident underwater. Only then did the diving begin to give me pleasure.
surely i can remember that. so the first training is very important. This is very important. On the one hand, we want to train more and more people and diving schools learn how to train more, but it is obvious that maintaining the quality of training with more people is a challenge. It does not mean that it is impossible, as you can train a diver in a smaller group as well as in a bigger…
and vice versa… [Laugh]… Yes, but it requires knowledge and skills. I think that today we have a problem of people that get the training but do not feel confident underwater and therefore do not continue the adventure with diving.
isn’t it so because these people, after the basic training, are left alone? they found
a diving center, they did this course, but then no one became interested in them, they did not enter any community, no club and were left alone without even a diving partner?
This is a great question. What you've said, perfectly illustrates the problem. Diving school are focused on training people, and of course, also going on diving trips with them, but the very classic example of the offer for the diver who completed the basic OWD course is another course, AOWD, while probably a lot better solution would be to persuade the diver first to go with us for the weekend and to dive a bit or maybe do the specialization in buoyancy. And another thing that you’ve said, is the community. When the diver gets involved in the community or the club, they can see they are not alone and have a company to dive with. Research also shows that the diver who buys own equipment does not abandon diving.
i makes sense, when you buy the equipment it makes things easier for you.
And we spend less time on logistics to go diving, not necessarily with a diving center, but with colleagues. But I think that own equipment also boosts confidence underwater. A diver, who gets each time a different jacket, different foam and different diving regulator must always first set up the configuration. Such a diver is not going to enjoy diving…
Something is always too tight, or too loose or too short…
As for the trend of not changing the equipment, since we're talking about the equipment: I can actually see it. I will speak out from the perspective of the training organization. We do not sell equipment and we are not related to any manufacturer. In my opinion, people should buy 2 or 3 sets of equipment in their lives, because for example, the assumption that they get trained from the beginning using technical equipment and then they will not have to invest further money in this equipment is doomed to failure. A beginner will not use such equipment, e.g. because of the
problem with a hose. Does the diver need a long hose during the basic course or immediately after it? In my opinion: no. If the diver goes further, e.g. into closed spaces, then a long hose will be necessary. Let people grow! In a typical recreational diving, however, such a long hose is superfluous.
a bit as if you just did a driving course and would take the first drive in ferrari.
A bit like this, but you probably wouldn’t be able to even start Ferrari.
even if you started, you wouldn’t be able to use all of its features.
And you wouldn’t be able to draw pleasure from it. In any case, producers, including Polish brands…
…which are strong and known worldwide… and do not quite want to advertise…
Yes… But I think that it depends. Every brand should be aware that it has grown from a certain market and should exceptionally support this market. This is something that I have seen, and I have been in the industry for a dozen or so years. I saw situations when brands stopped supporting the local market, stopped taking care of it. And when suddenly the global market got a little worse, because of the competition, it was hard for them to go back to the local market. If we have grown to a global scale, the more we need to support our local market, even if it does not generate the greatest profit. It is very pleasant when divers associate Polish brands with me, with my Polish roots. I feel so proud then.
one more question. are there any data about divers who finish their courses on the advanced course and are actively diving in the following years? They are not in the statistics of the organization, because they are not in training any longer, but they do 30–40 dives a year. and how many divers after oWd course drop their hobby?
A very good question and you get straight to the pint, but I’m afraid it is not measurable. As
We need to better promote the continuation of the training up to a higher level. but not because and only because we want to dive deeper, which is is logical, but also because we want to learn something more.
an organization we only see if they are active in training following their certificates. And as for the diving adepts, first moment is the most important. Discover Scuba Diving and convert to Open Water Diver. This is the first and most important convert, as we perceive it in the diving market; that's why it is very important that the Discover SD course is of a good quality. And when it comes to the percentages, about 30 percent of divers after OWD course take AOWD course.
Michał, i have friends who, a few years ago, did a basic course and dived for years at various depths, even 30 m. Once, when they went
abroad, they came to a diving center, a polish one, whose owner said that with the certificate allowing them to dive up to 20 m they cannot go deeper than that with him. There was consternation and attempts to explain that, after all, they had dived frequently as far as 30 meters in many other places. The owner told them they could go to those other places for a deeper dive, but not with him. this way he forced them to do the aoWd course.
And this is also a frequent motivation, beside the skills of the trainers. We need to better promote the continuation of the training up to a higher level. But not because and only because we want to dive deeper, which is is logical, but also because we want to learn something more. In General, the ones who do the AOWD course and buy equipment, stay in the industry and dive actively.
We, as an organization, would like the divers not to stop on the advanced level, but also do the Rescu course, so they could help not only themselves, but also their partners. Taking courses just for the sake of courses… You may, but the coolest thing is when you can use it in practice.
thanks a lot for the interview. You are welcome.
Text and photos Marcin trZciński
a trip promised to be great. You know, Baikal. the oldest and the deepest (1 642 meters) lake on our planet. a nd its location: in the Buryatia r epublic, in the heart of the r ussian s iberia. f or those who do not necessarily need to dive in warm waters – a real sensation, an adventure with a capital " a ".
Aforetaste of what awaited for me I already had at the beginning of the journey. As opposed to the rest of the world, the Russians don't design their planes paying any special attention to ergonomics, so the three-engine TU-154 Aeroflot didn't have enough space in the cabin to store my Peli box with the photo equipment. Finally, it was squeezed in the gap between the legs of the seats, occupying the space where I was supposed to accommodate my limbs. Great. Attempts to sit sideways ended up with me sitting cross-legged. Have you ever tried it on a plane?
Irkutsk. I don't know whether it was because of the weather or my tiredness, but the place didn't make the best impression on me. Severely potholed streets, blocks of flats built from concrete slabs mingled with wooden cottages and the impression of sadness emanating from the whole.
Such a city built with a creativity of the political system, luckily, already gone. I ticked the registra-
tion off in the office and I was ready for the great adventure. Before setting off we had to wait for the arrival of other participants of the expedition, whose planes were to come from different places of Europe within another several hours. In the end, when everybody was there, we headed in two large cross-country Isuzu vehicles towards a distant Olkhon Island. That's where our base was to be for the next three days before we would check-in on our ship. As soon as we left Irkutsk, the sun appeared. Was it thanks to the local deities for whom Tanya, the driver of our Trooper, left a few kopecks next to each passed "Shamaness"? Tanya had a whole stack of coins and whenever a characteristic, wooden pole decorated with colorful ribbons started to loom over the horizon, she opened the window a bit and dropped a few of them for the spirits inhabiting the area. When we stopped by one of the Shamaneses, my attention was caught by the movement in the nearby grass. Sousliks. Little furballs disappearing quickly in the entrances to
their tunnels, just to carefully look out after a while, sensing the danger. I started playing stalking. No, it was not easy. These animals were extra vigilant but the entertainment was terrific.
Three days at Olkhon went by in no time and again we were on our way. This time to Listvyanka, from where our safari was supposed to start. I don’t know how we had vexed the deities again, but it began to drizzle anew and when we reached our destination it was raining and blowing pretty hard outside. Nevertheless, we decided to do a test dive. This time just from the shore. I got read quickly and, as it had been agreed, without waiting for the rest of the team I dived for the first time in the Baikal waters. A large wave forced me to quickly descent to 12 meters, where the rocking finally ceased. Now I could look around calmly. The visibility was pretty good, and against the dark rock in front of me small fish were flashing. I headed north, observing the area. And looking for gammarids, here called 'gammaruses'. There are several kinds of them, but
near Listvyanka it is the easiest to find the supposedly most beautiful kind, golden. The problem was that I had never had the eye for the macro scale and without external help I could have passed within inches something interesting without ever noticing it. This time, however, it was not so bad and after a few minutes of searching I noticed my first gammarid in front of me. Bingo! Taking the photos I hardly noticed that the agreed 60 minutes of diving had already passed. It was time to go back, which turned out to be not so simple, as the increasing wave was furiously attacking the rocky shore. The wave was so fierce that two colleagues from Israel (both instructors, but blue water ones) entered the water only up to their knees, and then, surprised by the conditions, they resigned from the dive.
The first night on the ship. I had to get used to rocking somehow. It was so much easier that the wind had already calmed down, and the weather forecast for the next days was merciful. The clouds
i like to dive when no one disturbs or urges me and i don't feel like i 'm hindering others by taking photos.
ebbed away, and the sky was populated by millions of stars. I was sitting on the board staring at countless constellations we cannot see in our country. It was very dark, so nothing disturbed the observation. For such a view it is worth suffering the inconveniences caused by the waves. On the other hand, however, from the shore it would probably look similarly and without that wretched rocking…
We barely finished dinner when again it was time to dive. After a morning dive with Tanya, who posed for me next to the beautiful green sponges, it was time to take macro photos. Solo diving again, but to my question about the diving time I got an interesting answer from her: "skolko vazduha budiet" (until you have air). I like to dive when no one disturbs or urges me and I don't feel like I'm hindering others by taking photos. So I took the camera and jumped into the water. I circled the first sponges, looking for gammarids (this time the brown ones), fish and snails. Doing bigger and bigger circles I hit something worth capturing in the frame. What a fun it was! At one point, bored with the statics of slowly rolling gammarids, I tried to capture the picture of them swimming. That was a challenge. They swim very fast and, I do not know why, always in the opposite direction, never towards me… Finally it was time to return to the surface. Emerging from under the water I couldn't see the hull of the ship but probably I drifted a bit and the visibility was far from being good. I disrupted the surface of water with my head and looked around. Hmmm… The visibility got already very good, but there was no trace of the ship. I mean, there were some two or three vessels on the shipping lane, as all the time there is something floating over Baikal waters. But none of them was my ‘Mir’. Yes… Using fins I went in
We gradually came to an understanding in terms of diving with the r ussians. They had their deep "hundreds", and we struggled with our cameras in a bit more shallow waters.
the direction of the not-too-distant shore. That was a plus, however, the problem was the dense forest covering the shore and the fact that it was probably a million kilometers to the nearest settlement. And when you wear a dry suit, it was like two million. There was nothing left to do but wait. I dropped the equipment and I sat on the stone in a graceful pose of the Copenhagen Mermaid, awaiting for help to come. I have to admit that I didn't wait long. When the rest of the team noticed that I did not show up for the meal (and I am ALWAYS the first at mealtimes) they immediately began the search on the ship. And as they did not find me (which was obvious, since I was not in the mess room), they decided to go back.
The next days passed in a set rhythm. We gradually came to an understanding in terms of diving with the Russians. They had their deep "hundreds", and we struggled with our cameras in a bit more shallow waters. Even the colleagues from Israel untwisted a bit, although dry suits were still not their world. They did the courses in Eilat, two weeks before the departure to Irkutsk. And we could tell that. But every day brought improvement and gave them satisfaction from overcoming the further barriers. Up to a point… I arranged with Igor, who was about to do another 120 meters to take the pictures from decompression phase, to wait for him at 50 meters depth, when suddenly I felt a jerk of a fin. I glanced over my shoulder just to see Doron heading towards the surface… with his diving regulator activated, he was going upside down! What was he doing at this depth anyway? Hmmm… Photos didn't matter anymore. We had a problem. I wasn’t as fast as him, but still I managed to reach the surface a few minutes after him. The boy was floating on the waves mumbling something vaguely. Or was he speaking Hebrew? Have you ever towed anybody 500 meters to the ship wearing full equipment in configuration for deep diving? The crew saw us from the ship, but the RIB was buried under the diving bags and other stuff (the cabins were too small to contain it) and before they dug it out and put onto the water, we were almost at the side of the ship. Finally, I could rest. Just for a few seconds
because another problem came up. There were cylinders with oxygen, but just to beat the stages. And the key for the cylinders was with Igor, who was getting through his decompression somewhere and probably looking for me… Well, but everything ended up happily, although in Israel (not in Russia) Doron had to land in the chamber. And then he was banned from diving for another half-year.
A return from Russia was like going back to the real world again. Civilization (or what we mean by this in Poland), lack of swarms of mosquitoes hiding in the beaten-up ports of the rusty ships. But also the lack of unusual calm of that place. The great silence of the taiga and extraordinary kindness of the encountered people. And cool dives, although conducted according to the rules unknown here…
Text agniesZka kalska Photos audrey cudel does it sound proud or reckless ?
Iremember to this day, when having a dozen or so years, the movie "The Big Blue" was shown on television. Any sea and diving fanatic for sure has seen it at least once. Not having too much in common with the sea itself then (the only sea known to me personally was the Baltic Sea), and even less with diving (yes, I had tried it maybe twice, in a lake in Ińsko and in Łagów, that's all), I switched to another channel in the middle of this movie. The only thing that kept me glued to the movie were the scenes with dolphins, which I loved more than any other creatures since I had been a little girl. I was able to set an alarm clock to wake me up in the middle of the night just to turn on the TNT channel at the right moment and watch "My friend the Dolphin", which I had already seen several times, to get a good look at animals even though I did not understand any English dialogues. I did the same on Sunday morning, when they showed "Flipper". It did not matter that it was the only day when I did not have to get up in the morning for training. Look-
ing at the screen, I had my fingers crossed so that the TV showed the scenes of the "diving madmen" as little as possible and showed the dolphins instead. After some time there were practically no scenes with the animals and watching the scenes of, incomprehensible for me then, pursuit towards the bottom of the oceans, especially in such an "extravagant" way – it was just too much. Even at the expense of missing several scenes with my favourites, I changed the channel.
Freedivers can be called madman and compared to the mountain climbers climbing to the top, risking the loss of health or life, just to get to the top for literally one short moment, and then making not less difficult way down. In freediving it seems to be similar. A freediver goes down in one way or another, struggling meter after meter down, puts on more and more m³ of water producing higher pressure, thus increasing the pressure on every point of the body. At a certain depth the freedivers start to fall
at a certain depth the freedivers start to fall freely. They fall dawn as if they fell off the slope straight into the abyss. a nd as soon as they reach the right place, they turn back.
freely. They fall dawn as if they fell off the slope straight into the abyss. And as soon as they reach the right place, they turn back. Often, without stopping at the bottom, even for a second, they start their way towards the surface, which is the most difficult part of diving. Tens of m3 of water above them push them down, giving resistance preventing the diver from getting to the surface. However, when the freediver reaches the surface and takes the "first breath", this moment is as emotional as if it was the first breath in life. Isn't it the most important difference between these two activities? Certainly, we can indicate more evident differences, such as the fact that diving lasts definitely shorter and takes place in water, not in the mountains. How many other similarities or differences could you point out? I won't try such a detailed analysis
as I have nothing in common with the high mountain climbing. So I'll leave the analysis to others and today I will reveal why I, personally, feel proud of being a freediver.
At the beginning, it would be appropriate to explain the term "freediver", because perhaps it is not entirely clear. Hoping that every reader knows that freediving is nothing but a free dive on one breath, I assume that you happened to meet or just see someone doing freevdiving. Should we therefore assume that such a person is a freediver? And if the person dives in such a way on a depth of 2–3 meters, is he or she only a snorkeler? How to distinguish freedivers from snorkellers? May be we should consider the equipment used? Not really. Freediving is also diving without equipment, as the freediver, frequently using additional equipment like fins, mask, wetsuit or weight, can also do freediving wearing just a swimsuit! Could we take into consideration that freedivers dive just along the rope and deep down, while snorkelers swim only by the reef, looking at colorful fish? I couldn't agree also for such a division, because I love shallow diving among the smallest sea creatures, and yet I still call myself a freediver. According to my personal
when we become a freediver, we are a freediver all the time…
opinion, a Freediver (written with capital"F") is not a person equipped with a set of professional freediving equipment or exceeding certain depth limits, time limits or distances under water on just one breath. A Freediver is above all a person who is aware of what freediving really is, what risk is associated with it and how to prevent situations that threaten one's own health and life, as well as how to ensure adequate protection for a partner. In addition, a Freediver is someone who has experienced also the overwhelming feelings of relaxation and tranquility, which appear during immersion on one breath. Naturally, the theoretical knowledge must go along with practice. A weekend training confirmed by a certificate is not enough. Proper training with an experienced freediver is essential to possess skills, develop proper habits and practice various types of scenarios. Then, we could start thinking about ourselves as freedivers. However... can you be a freediver just at the weekends, and on weekdays completely someone else?
For me this element is a source of pride. If you are a Freediver and have experienced free diving in the right way, you have probably discovered something new about yourself and the surrounding world. Everything mentioned above about freediving concerns more the physical sphere, but those who have experienced a real freediving know how vast mental area it touches. One would think that a Freediver in a kind of an underwater yogi, but this is not quite an accurate comparison.
Yoga will never replace freediving, because there are certain behavioral mechanisms and instinctive processes which draw us deeper and deeper inside ourselves. Thanks to practicing freediving, we get to know ourselves, we learn about our weaknesses and reveal fears. And, above all, we begin to experience a deeper and deeper tranquility, which gives us bigger distance to external impulses and lets us master our composure in daily life over the surface. When we become a Freediver, we are a Freediver all the time, because it is not something that can be turned on and off at our will. However, as in any other discipline, one can meet freedivers with a different approach and even a completely different philosophy. There are people who have no desire to even think about taking part in competitions or trying to compete with others, although they practice or train freediving regularly to dive deeper. What for? It's because the depth strengthens the need to control one's own body and mind. To stay safe, you must be able to respond to any emerging problems on the way down and up. One negative thought, which we are not able to push back, can stop our instinctive calmness and rapidly increase the oxygen consumption, which can result in unsuccessful conclusion of our dive. Therefore, the pride of being a Freediver comes from a desire to discover yourself, own capabilities and from further work on the improvements in many areas, starting from the physical skills, through diet and lifestyle, up to the widely understood external sphere.
According to the organization rules AIDA (International Association for Development of Apnea):
cWt – constant Weight With fins, meaning deep diving (vertical diving) in the fins.
The discipline includes descending and ascending back to surface – both directions using diver's own muscles and only on the air drawn to the lungs before immersion. The swimming technique is optional, but the competitors cannot use ropes or other instruments, except the fins on their feet. Use the fins or monofins is allowed, and any weight of the ballast with which the diver is supposed to emerge on the sufrace. The aim of the dive is to achieve the depth declared earlier by the diver and bring back to the surface the ticket attached at the bottom of the rope. Diving time does not matter, and after emerging on the surface the competitor is responsible for maintaining the correct surface procedure and showing the tickets. For diving to less than the declared depth or loss of the ticket the competitor receives penalty points.
World record:
● 129 m, Alexey Molchanov, Russia
● 107 m, Alessia Zecchini, Italy
polish record:
● 100 m, Mateusz Malina
● 85 m, Agata Bogusz
cnf – constant Weight Without fins, meaning deep diving (vertical diving) without the fins.
The general rules are the same as for CWT. Here, however, the competitor cannot have additional equipment on feet. It usually involves movement of arms and legs alternately, a style similar to breaststroke but under water.
World record:
● 102 m, William Trubridge, New Zealand
● 73 m, Alessia Zecchini, Italy
polish record:
● 83 m, Mateusz Malina
● 46 m, Agata Bogusz
fiM – free iMMersion, deep diving (vertical diving) along the rope.
The general rules are the same as in CWT, but here the competitor cannot have additional equipment on feet and moves in both directions by pulling along the rope.
World record:
● 125 m, Alexey Molchanov, Russia
● 97 m, Sayuri Kinoshita, Japan
polish record:
● 113 m, Mateusz Malina
● 66 m, Agata Bogusz
According to the rules of organization CMAS (World Underwater Federation):
constant weight without fins (cnf) and the Free immersion (fiM) are held on similar terms CMAS, however, separates the records established in the salty and fresh waters into two categories.
CWT discipline is divided into cWt bi-fins – where separate fins are used and only the crawl (scissor) technique is allowed and cWt Monofin – here a freediver can use a monofin which is more effective.
up to 2017 an additional competition was also held – the jump blue (jb). Here, the competitors had to cover the longest distance along the perimeter of a square with the dimensions of 15x15 m at a depth of 5–15 m. They used additional weight to immerse, and used a monofin or fins to swim and ascend. This discipline was very controversial, because the distance-diving was conducive to a phenomenon called "shallow water blackout" during the ascent phase and resulted in frequent disqualifications of the competitors.
World record:
● 201,61 m, Arthur Guerin-Boeri, France
● 190,48 m, Alessia Zecchini, Italy
m eeting a pod of dolphins on the open sea is an exciting moment. i t is a wonderful opportunity to admire these marine mammals in all their glory, in order to know their diverse, natural behaviours, and perhaps even to experience a magical time, when they themselves willingly approach our boat. the larger the animal, the greater the experience.
The endorphins pump in the body, people scream with joy, camera shutters click, sometimes someone cries out of happiness and elation. No wonder whale & dolphin watching tours are so popular and attract crowds of tourists. They are, a great and, above all, ethical alternative to visits to dolphinariums and paying there for the slavery of animals.
There are more and more such tours, there are also more ships offering the possibility of encounters with dolphins and whales. Today, whale watching is the fastest growing form of ecotourism in the world, with more than 13 million participants each year. Many communities, for example, of the islands of the Pacific and New Zealand, consider whale watching an important part of the national
economy. Whale watching is becoming more and more popular in countries that continue to hunt whales, such as Iceland, Norway and Japan, and the profits coming from this activity often outweigh those that are generated from the sale of whale meat. The number of people using such trips has increased significantly since the 1990s, from 4 million in 31 countries in 1991 to 13 million in 119 countries in 2008. In 2008, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, a charity organisation dedicated to the protection of animals, estimated the value of the industry at 2.1 billion dollars. The validity of this data is confirmed among others by World Cetacean Alliance.
On the one hand, it is very good that so many people have the opportunity to experience encounters with the dolphins or whales in the wild. It seems that we really protect only what we love, and we love what we know. It is better that we learn about marine mammals in the sea than by buying tickets to marine parks, which are nothing more than prisons and a watery variation of the circus.
And is there is another side of whale and dolphin watching cruises? Hmm… Everywhere, where tourism becomes massive, there are problems. A dozen or so years ago, we may have been unaware of this, but now, when our knowledge of the noise and plastic pollution of the sea water and of the scale of collisions of cetaceans with boats and ships is bigger and bigger, we cannot pretend that there is no problem.
To date, dozens of studies have been conducted on the impact of whale watching activities on marine mammals, primarily on dolphins, humpback whales, sperm whales, minke whales, pilot whales and killer whales. The results as for the scale of the phenomenon and the level of risk for animals are not entirely clear because of the methodological difficulties. However, we already know that such cruises have specific influence on the behaviour of cetaceans, on the pollution of the ecosystem in which they live and on the well-being of at least some species. The research on minke whales in Iceland showed that whale watching boats following
whale & dolphin watching tours
these mammals cause reactions such as those that are caused by predators that threaten their lives in the wild: faster swimming, increased respiration, disturbed rest and preying. In that way they spend more time on moving and their energy balance is worse. The study of humpback whales in the waters of New Caledonia published in 2013 and in Alaska in the years 2016–2018 has shown that the presence of the boat increases the energetic cost of these marine mammals.
Similar observations were made in relation to bottlenose dolphins in the reefs of Egypt, in Shark Bay in Australia and in relation to other species of dolphins in Hawaii. At least one study of bottlenose dolphins confirmed that such long-lasting behavioural disorders affect the reproduction rate and the survival rate of calves. In turn, research on killer whales in Canada and the US shows that the noise of the engines results in the so-called masking effect of their vocalization, drowns out or significant-
ly impedes communication, and thus affects the cohesion of the pod or the efficiency of hunting. Consequently, this leads to a greater energetic cost in the communication process.
The problem is not just coastal zones, where most such voyages take place. Research in New Zealand shows that also on the high seas, the presence of whale & dolphin watching boats affects the way and efficiency of hunting by common dolphins. The dolphins spent less time looking for food when interacting with boats and sought food much longer after such meetings. It is worth noting that acquisition of sufficient quantities of food in the open ocean environment, where food resources are usually very scattered and unpredictable, can cause serious difficulties and involve large energetic cost.
In different places in the world, among others the Canaries and Hawaii, research is ongoing over the level of stress hormones in the bodies of animals
(mainly in the fat tissue of short-finned pilot whales) exposed to intense contacts with the whale watching boats. The changes observed in the breathing patterns, mobility, communication and time for rest indicate that this is a very important topic.
Boat operators are arguing that since the animals do not move to other areas, then the threat level for cetaceans is marginal, and these mammals have become accustomed to human activity. From the point of view of biology and research, however, this is not convincing. Areas intensely haunted by tourist boats can be great feeding areas, abounding in food, and further locations can in turn be full of predators. It can also happen that the cetaceans of a given population have developed specific methods and strategies of hunting only suitable to current conditions and are not able to obtain food so effectively on other waters. Therefore, even though they are disturbed by boats with tourists, they do not leave their habitat.
A separate issue is the physical threat from a boat and a high probability of a collision with a whale or a dolphin or injuring them with propellers. For example, boats at a dolphin reserve in Bocas del Toro, Panama, in the years in 2012–2013 struck and killed at least 10 animals in the population of around 250. The more boats in the water where they dolphins and whales live, the higher the risk of collision is higher. When we add to this the fact that many operators use more and faster boats and try for their clients to get as close as possible to the animals, this problem becomes very important.
In many places in the world, the so-called code of conduct has been introduced to minimize the impact of whale watching ships and boats on populations of cetaceans. In such codes it is very specifically defined how the boat could and how it should not approach a pod, or individual animals, at what angle, and at what speed. The guidelines for the number of boats that can get close to whales at
the same time, the time spent near the flock, how to deal with mothers with calves, and so on, are also clear.
However, there are still problems with these provisions. Two thirds of such codes relating to the observation of dolphins and whales is voluntary, and many of them are missing important information, such as the limitations and/or ban on feeding or swimming with the animals. And most importantly, the level of monitoring compliance with these rules is negligible. Another problem is often the lack of consistency in the event of breaking the law. Whilst in Hawaii, or in general in the United States the approach to this topic is quite restrictive, in the Canary Islands for example, which are visited by many of us, the law in this matter works very badly.
Tenerife is an important example. In the past year about 700,000 people went on whale & dolphin
watching cruises. There are 41 boats and ships that have permission to carry out such activities (they are marked by Blue Boat Flag). In addition, however, there are more than 70 illegal operators of whale watching cruises who to a negligible extent comply with the code of conduct. Despite the many complaints and demands of both NGOs dealing with the protection of cetaceans as well as scientists and operators from the Blue Boat Flag, local authorities are passive and are not eager to sort out this situation. It is not exactly known what in this matter belongs to whose competence. Requests, complaints and letters addressed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, to the Maritime Office and the Guardia Civil in the Canary Islands most often remain unanswered. According to the report of Tonina Association prepared in cooperation with the Foundation for Biodiversity, the Ministry of the Environment and the University of La Laguna – the southern colony of whales residing off the coast of Tenerife, most
often visited by boats with tourists, is characterized by a level of cortisol (stress hormone) much higher than the specimens that inhabit the northern, much quieter area of Anaga. And this is just one of many reasons to heal the situation in Tenerife and similar places as soon as possible.
What was supposed to be part of ecotourism, gradually ceases to have anything to do with ecology, care for animal welfare or love for marine mammals.
jakub banasiak – Member of the Dolphinaria-Free Europe Coalition, a volunteer at the Tethys Research Institute and the Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit, a Marine Connection contributor. For 10 years he has been involved in research on wild dolphin populations and dolphinariums audits. Together with the team "NO! For the Dolphinarium", he takes actions against keeping dolphins in captivity and promotes such knowledge about the dolphin assisted therapy, which is concealed or hidden by the centers profiting from this form of an animal assisted therapy.
More inforMation on the protection and Welfare of dolphins on the folloWing sites:
delfinaria.pl czydelfinoterapia.pl niedladelfinarium.pl delfinoterapiawpolsce.pl https://www.facebook.com/naratunekdelfinom/
whale & dolphin watching tours , teneryfa
legal boats and ships 41
illegal operators
700,000
people in 2017
Text and photos audrey cudel
s ome call it the cenote u ku c uzam or the c ave of the s wallows, in s panish it is la c ueva de las g olondrinas and this is what it is written on the wooden road sign that you can see after passing the village of m uyil. But who met the kind and brave man that used to watch after the garden of the cave until he passed away in 2014, would simply name it after him: "Xulo" (dzulo).
Among a variety of cenotes explored so far in the Quintana Roo State of Mexico and dived extensively now by a growing population of cave divers, Xulo’s singularity comes from the outstanding beauty and diversity of passages that will not leave any cave diver indifferent.
Xulo is one of four cenotes of the Caterpillar Cave System and was discovered about seven years ago. The system is considered small by Mexican standards, although as many as 13,500 meters of its passages have been explored and surveyed so far.
As you pass the entrance gate, you will be welcomed by the family who maintains the grounds and is now extending them with more facilities, forecasting mass tourism in the south of Tulum in the following years. They did the same in the south of Playa Del Carmen not so long ago. The owners enjoy surprising visitors by switching on the generator to light the bulbs that they have installed in the dry cave section of the cenote’s entrance.
The magic really begins after a few steps down when kneeling in the shallow, pristine water surrounded by pure white stalactites. After going head down, a short way, you enter the first clear, large and delicate room, full of speleothems. It resembles the interior of a cathedral. Continuing, you reach the second section, where the sulphur has left layers of yellow and black marks on the cave formations. Submerged roots have invaded the gas pocket that leads to the first minor restriction. The reward awaits you on the other side, where you will find a gigantic room haunted by what could be named after Giacometti’s sculpture “Walking Men”.
The route then splits into two very contrasting passages. The first deeper one leads to a 27 meters long channel, where we can observe a total change of scenery. Speleothems made of unsteady white
limestone seem to be skeletons. The second one, a complex circuit leading to the cenote Caterpillar, has become my favourite among all the cave dives I have been doing on the Riviera Maya for six years.
I met "el señor Xulo" in 2013, a year before he passed away and my first dives there led me to contact with Alvaro Roldan, one of the explorers of the cave, who was as passionate sharing his knowledge as I was mesmerized discovering more of it. Two years later, while attempting to traverse one Caterpillar passage I passed through a major restriction and broke a stalactite. It was a great challenge to pass through that passage and I learnt two lessons at that occasion:
● one should not assume that man has been where the permanent line is passing,
● there is no greater personal challenge than conservation of the cave.
Later, Xulo was the place I chose to lead my first cave survey experiences to get to know the place even better. Since than I dived in the same circuit many times and what used to be a labyrinth of restrictions seems to get larger. Unfortunately, the impact of more traffic in the cave has been growing. What will be left of the Cave of the Swallows in seven years from now?
According to the legend and for sailors, a swallow symbolizes courage, experience and value, navigating long distances and retuning to one’s home port. It is also said that if a sailor drowns, swallows will carry his soul to Heaven. I like to seek in each cave some sailor’s spirit and find in Xulo my home port to return to.
Rightnext to the car are piles of cylinders, cave bags, backpacks, a compressor, a tent and a lot of other stuff difficult even to name. I can't believe that in a moment all these things and the three of us, namely Wiktor, Kuba and I, will get into a small car. About 30 minutes later we manage to bend the space-time and pack everything inside. We have a 1,300 km way to the South before us. Direction: the caves of Bosnia.
After 20 hours of a journey in the car, we enter the beautiful mountainous Bosnia. To our surprise, we do not have the least problems on the border, and our car packed under the roof with strange equipment does not raise any interest of the border guards. Several kilometers from the border there is the first karst spring from our list, Izvor Klokot The road runs along a river with incredibly clean water. However, the entrance to the cave is blocked by the fishing farm, the owner of which gave us
a firm "no" to the question whether we could dive there. Without further discussion we pack back into the car and go to point number 2 – Vrelo Krusnica Like with the most of the karst springs, also to this one leads a winding, steep road on the slope of the valley, at the end of which we can see the spring. Our way is again blocked by a fishing farm, this time closed, but the road is separated by a chain. We decide to look at the cave. In the river we can see an incredible amount of trout, which in the crystalline water you can to catch with bare hands. The cave opening is separated by a barrage, the current does not look very strong, which encourages us to diving. However, we have to leave empty handed and set off for our next target. Are we not to dive in Bosnia?
Another point on our list is the Drabar cave. When we go downhill towards this cave, the words "steep" and "winding" take on a whole new meaning. However, the anxiety that we experience during this
i can't believe that in a moment all these things and the three of us, namely wiktor, k uba and i , will get into a small car. (…) we have a 1,300 km way to the s outh before us. d irection: the caves of Bosnia.
crossing is compensated by the view at the bottom of the valley. The karst spring is located below a steep rock, at the beginning of a very deep valley through which flows the river. We set up a camp right next to it and get ready for diving. From the data obtained previously, it appears that the cave is 60 meters deep. Unfortunately, we do not have any plan of the corridors. The corridor with walls and floor of white, eluted rock quite steeply falls down from the cave opening. The old ropes are torn in some places so we put on our own ones. From the 30th meter the corridor becomes more leveled, rocks change color to brown and have very sharp edges carved by quickly rushing water. We try to find a passage to the deeper parts of the caves, but at the 40th meter we circle a rock pillar and come across our own ropes. This time we have to give up. The next day we dive once more. At some point I can only see Kuba's fins protruding from some tight hole. When he emerges from the hole I can read from his eyes that he's found a passage to the deeper parts of the cave. We explore the corridors for a while and manage to meet and photograph the proteus (Proteus anguinus), a blind salamander
inhabiting flooded caves. After the dive we gather the equipment and move on.
We move south to the Sanica cave. When we get there the flow of water from karst springs is quite strong. Nevertheless we chose to do a reconnaissance. In order not to waste time preparing 3 sets of equipment, in the event that it will be impossible to dive, we draw lots. Destiny chooses me for this dive. For practical reasons we choose the sidemount configuration and two 4-litre cylinders. The maps show that the hole can be quite tight and a twinset can be of no use. We have to go some 500 meters down a path along the river, but the three of us carry everything quickly and efficiently. I get dressed, go to the hole and tie a reel with rope behaving as if it wanted to jump out of the cave. Not discouraged by this I try to immerse. The current pushes me out of the cave. Another attempt, this time I am more determined and holding to the rocks I push myself one meter under the water surface. That is a mistake. The current "catches" my fins and throws me out of the cave, onto the concrete threshold in front of it. I slide a few
more meters before I manage to stop. Despite my best efforts, nothing comes out of the dive. When we sit in front of the cave, two locals come up and ask what we are doing there. When we tell them about our attempt, they pat me on my shoulder, and soon this elderly couple leave with a slightly mocking smile. Time for another cave...
We arrive at the town of Drvar. Here we look for another karst spring called Bastasi. From the hotel the path leads us towards the old closed mill and straight to a cave of a unique beauty. While we are handling the equipment, an elderly man warns us that it is a drinking water intake and we are not allowed to dive there. But thanks to innate talent for diplomacy and my knowledge of five words in the local language, the elderly man, convinced of our good intentions, wishes us good luck and keeps his fingers crossed for our diving. Compared to other places, this one is exceptionally attractive for tourists and when we get into the cave, we are followed by the cheering of the Italian school excursion. The first part is a rather delicately bending, very wide tunnel with a white smooth rock walls. At about
the 30th meter starts a bottomless well and a chamber so spacious that we are not able to see its opposite wall. The well is 60 meters deep and then transforms into a horizontal corridor. When we go to the surface, the Italian excursion is gone, but the locals appear asking what we are doing there. As we realise that we begin to rise a little too much of unwanted attention, we collect our toys and head South.
We leave the north-east part of Bosnia and move south towards the city of Mostar. At the beginning we go through quite wild mountains travelling along gravel "roads" and passing one or two minefields and lots of vacant buildings. Leaving the mountains we get to a huge, uninhabited plateau whose, this time, straight roads lead us towards another chain of mountains sparkling on the horizon. In the town of Jablianica we enter in the Dinaric Alps and the landscape changes beyond recogni-
we start diving in the waters of the river, in which, to put it gently, one can see nothing. But suddenly at a depth of about 3 meters water becomes much cooler and crystal clear.
tion. We travel through a valley bottom down the Navrat river. We pass a huge hydro-electric power station, which is our signpost directing us towards the next cave.
Our main goal is Crno Vrelo. The cave, like the previous ones, feeds directly the Navrat river. We stop at a small parking bay on the main road. It is 40°C. We start transport from the twinsets. First a rocky path leads us down, then it turns left and steeply uphill over the entrance to the cave. Then only once more steeply down, a few steps over the stones and you can see the bay with a rocky arch that marks the existence of a cave. When we reach our destination we are worn out, the heat is unbearable, and it is only the beginning of the transport action. After some 30 minutes of going up and down over the rocks in the heat, our equipment is already in place. Preparation of the sets is interrupted by a close encounter with a snake, which fortunately ends up with just a little fear. We start diving in the waters of the river, in which, to put it gently, one can see nothing. But suddenly at a depth of about 3 me-
ters water becomes much cooler and crystal clear. A wide, rapidly sloping corridor is created by white, eluted rock. At 40 meters the ramp changes into a well, or rather a large chamber, which leads 70 m down and at the same time it gest shallow reaching 10 meters. After such a good dive, carrying the stuff back is much more pleasant.
Our first expedition to Bosnia for cave diving was very satisfying. The caves are attractive and quite easily accessible, and with good visibility. Unfortunately, we were not able to dive in all of them. Bosnia is not prepared to receive tourists, especially in its northern part, where it is difficult to find a hotel or a restaurant. For some, for this very reason, Bosna can be very attractive, for others – discouraging. This wildness and inaccessibility really attracts us. The situation changes in the south of the country near Mostar, which is prepared to receive large numbers of tourists. Food is quite cheap and you can easily use the Euro as a currency. The locals are very friendly despite the traces of the recent war that we met at every step.
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PaDi Divemaster
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PaDi iDC – instruktor nurkowania
PaDi Cavern
teC-reC (PL)
PaDi iDC – instruktor nurkowania
PaDi iDC – instruktor nurkowania
teC tMX (eg)
On the anniversary day, year by year, she would remember – “oh, on that day, twenty years ago, i was floating in the cold sea…”
Irena Kosowska talks to Davide Bastiani, DAN Europe Researcher, owner of the Diving Center Top One Diving in Italy, https://www.toponediving.it/
in 1956 there was a collision of two big ships, one of them was andrea doria, a beautiful liner and the most luxurious ship of that time. it was built according to the italian school and made 101 cruises. On that day, the 25th of July 1956 andrea doria had a crash with the ship named Stockholm. How old were you then?
I was not born yet. My mother was travelling with my grandfather, she was 12 years old. That was her first trip to the United States, with her dad, who was a tailor, and they were going to the US to buy a special kind of cotton.
So you know the whole story from your mother. My mother was very lucky, because at the moment of the collision she was on the upper deck in the restaurant. They were not downstairs, in
their cabin. It was on the right side of Andrea Doria, exactly in the place, where the ship was hit by Stockholm…
ohh…
I remember that the number of my mother’s cabin was 54. Her co-passengers, two young sisters, who were travelling in cabin 52, were downstairs when the catastrophy happened. The Stockholm hit exactly their area. One of those young ladies survived only through climbing from Andrea Doria to Stockholm, which was in fact now in the place of her cabin. Unfortunately the other sister did not survive. I remember that story being told by my mother in such an emotional way, about two sisters, one dying in the cabin and one surviving by moving between ships at the moment of the crash…
that day approximately 50 people died… I remember from newspapers that 46 people died immediately after the collision, but the number of victims was a bit higher. No one on Stockholm was hurt.
do you think your mother still thinks about that day? does she talk about some moments like the one with the two sisters? Does she still bring the past back?
For my mother that period was horrible, she doesn`t speak about that too often, and only to the closest family members. On the anniversary day, year by year, she would remember – “oh, on that day, twenty years ago, I was floating in the cold sea…”
that’s horrifying.
Yes, it is. Sometimes she was saying something about that day and she was pausing as if seeing some flashes in her mind, like being there back for a few seconds again. At the moment of the collision my mother was struck in her head and lost her consciousness for some time, so that for her it was even more confusing. I remember my mother saying that on the 26th of July 1956, eleven hours after the crash, Andrea Doria sank. She boarded Île de France, the French ship that was
there to rescue passengers. But when she was in hospital, she was still very confused about what really happened.
your mother was a girl, was she travelling with only her father or with someone else? No, just with her father, my grandfather.
how about him? did he survive?
Yes, he was rescued without any problems, only my mother was transferred to St. Vincent Hospital in New York after losing her consciousness because of the blow to the head. I do not know the details of my grandfather`s rescue, because he died before I was born.
If that was so emotional for your mother, is she afraid now of travelling by ship or by plane?
Of course, that remains very emotional after the accident, but she continues travelling both by ship and plane. She had her memories and it was visible that her mood would change before traveling. She cried sometimes for a few minutes dealing with memories. Even when she saw on TV, in Italy, when refugees from Africa were being transferred by boats, and they were close to the coast, that was very moving and she cried. She is very vulnerable, since the memories of being rescued in the same way remain in her mind.
davide, you are a diver. you are running your own diving center, you are also cooperating with dan to make diving safer. has the story of andrea doria had any influence on your diving career?
No, the story till today was very personal and reserved for me and my family. It had no impact on my diving career.
but you did a dive on the andrea doria wreck. Yes, the experience is emotional for me.
i would like to ask you about that experience. How did you get the idea that you would like to dive there? That idea was connected with the accident, or not?
Source: www.alertdiver.com
Yes and no. When I was diving on that wreck, I had to clear my mind, because it is necessary to be concentrated during a dive, especially a deep dive – it is more or less 70 meters, with a heavy drift and strong currents, low visibility. The very first moment when I descended to the wreck, was very emotional, I cired a few tears, I remembered all my mother’s stories for a few seconds. But that was very personal and emotional, so I put it aside and had to separate my personal emotions from my diving activity. I had to clear my mind to be safe there. That personal emotion involved me for not more than 10 seconds, right after that I remained concentrated as usually during diving.
so that emotion had no influence for example on gas consumption or any other diving parameters?
No, I was focused on my mission, which was to do a safe dive, to visit the wreck, to see it and touch it.
How does the wreck look like now? Is it in good condition?
No. I did there two dives in 2006. The wreck’s condition is very poor. A part of it has totally collapsed.
so you didn’t explore it?
No. I heard a lot of stories about diving there, with or without penetration, with dpv or without it, but for me it was not important. For me the
important point was the contact with the wreck. I just wanted to be there, to touch that ship. I was thinking that it will not be possible for me to do that again, so I wanted to feel that moment fully.
Would you like to go there back again?
Yes, but actually it is not possible for me.
Why?
Time, money and so on…
How did you prepare yourself to go there for the first time?
My uncle, who is a commercial diver, helped me. We had contacted divers in New York and booked the boat Wahoo. This is a special boat dedicated to taking divers to Andrea Doria.
Is there any special permission for that?
No, I just pay and go, very easy. Logistics is also very easy, you prepare two double tanks with the proper trimix and deco gases, such as 50% O2, 25 minutes of bottom time, you have a surface assistance, and a rope leading straight to the wreck. Planning the dive was very easy, as all those dives have the same requirements and are repeatable. I did not take any photos nor did I any activities, my mission, as I said, was very simple: to go to the wreck, touch it, experience it, and repeat if possible. To some people, like to my partner on that day, that ship is only a piece of iron. During the dive he was completely indifferent, cold as ice. For me it was totally the opposite.
one more thing about the catastrophy itself… that catastrophy should’t have happened. there was some issue with radars, but stockholm just hit andrea doria, and nothing happened to stockholm…
My mother remembered Andrea Doria’s sound, a specific warning sound made by ships. It was a very foggy day.
so maybe ships did not see each other?
I don’t know, but I’ve read in newspapers that it was really foggy and that Stockholm did not emit the fog-warning sound. Andrea Doria did, and my
mother remembered that. She also remembered the sounds that were produced by the contact of the two ships, like iron twisting, breaking glass, lots of glass, and then noisy chaos when she fell down and lost her consciousness.
sounds like an earthquake…
Yes, the same as during an earthquake. She also told me the story of a collapsing restaurant where only one table with a bottle of water was standing in the middle. It was so fascinating to us that she remembered such details, but that’s how our brains work. She also told me that she felt like time slowed down and everything around her was moving so slow, and then she saw all her life flash before her eyes. Probably that was because of the pain and stress. But while she was telling the story after the years she was calm, just sometimes paused speaking as if she was searching for something in her memory…
you are a diver, you already did that particular dive. Skipping the emotional part, would you recommend it to other technical divers? as you probably know, many divers died there. now, as you have seen the wreck – is it worth making that dive?
When I was there, in 2006, till that year 11 divers died on the wreck of Andrea Doria. I would say it is only for experienced technical divers. What is more, you have to pay for two double tanks with trimix, and it is much more expensive in the US than in Europe. You also have to consider strong currents – the ascent is only with the line, you have to hold it tight. What was also very unexpected is that on the first dive we saw two sharks.
Sharks?
Yes, but it was the only stressful situation for me then because it was unexpected. But the sharks just took a look at us from about 3 meters distance and swam away.
3 meters? What was the visibility?
The visibility was about 6 meters on the wreck. There is green water, on the bottom totally black.
When we were talking before the interview, you mentioned, that you have some documents like newspapers, tickets, letters…? Yes, all the documents are in my mother’s house. And the ticket..
Oh, you still have the ticket?
Yes, it is still possible to read the details, although it is very damaged, written with beautiful calligraphy! We also have the cabin key with the royal Italian flag – Marina Italiana – the hospital forms of my mother’s, and also the special editions of newspapers and some pictures…
you mentioned you have some letter…?
Letter, yes, a letter written to my grandmother, very simple, that they are alive and everything is ok. My mother wrote it during her stay in New York’s hospital. But they were back home in Italy before the letter came. Still, it is beautiful because of the special post stamps with the Statue of Liberty. It is also very emotional for me, reading it I am thinking of the situation of a young lady who is on the ocean during the accident, and then she must be in a hospital in a foreign country, and I am very touched by that. I sometimes wonder what I would do in the same situation, being on that ship on that day… But I will never have the answer.
Wow, that’s a fantastic story! For me it’s very emotional.
Thank you very much for sharing that with us. I am also very happy to share that personal story for the first time with you.
thank you!
Source: www.alertdiver.com
Text and photos hubert borg
hms s tubborn was a 66-metre-long s - c lass submarine which was launched on 11 n ovember 1942. s he was involved in many successful attacks on g erman ships and submarines in the Bay of Biscay and n orway before being deployed to the f ar e ast in 1945, where she was successful in sinking three Japanese vessels.
Unfortunately, she hit a depth charge and sank, hitting the bottom at 166 m (design limit of 90 m!) damaging the stern section. She returned to Malta where excessive damage was noted and she was scuttled off Qawra Point to be used as an ASDIC target (sonar practice).
dreaMing to dive a subMarine!
This story is dedicated to an old dream of mine, that came true almost 18 years ago and now I wish to share it with you…
Submarines have always attracted my attention. I was curious to learn how they operate, what keeps the submarine buoyant and how the submariners live beneath the waves. I used to dive deeper into history and technical specifications and discover the answers to my questions one by one. But a visit to a real Royal Submarine had always remained on my bucket list. The reader must understand, that one doesn’t often get a chance to see or visit a submarine in Malta. We can only read about them and admire their images.
The wreck looked very different from this angle –even more beautiful. m y dream seemed to have come true!
The wreck looked very different from this angle –even more beautiful; My dream seemed to have come true!
In the late 90’s I used to hear a lot of stories about the 4 wreck submarines, sunk or scuttled around the Maltese Islands. One of them, HMS Stubborn, was scuttled in 1946 at a depth of 58 m, which was a great deal for me at that time. Another, HMS Olympus, got lost during the WWII.
The other two legendary submarines lost in Maltese waters did not leave much traces after the
at 30 m we could see the seabed 25 m below us and at 45 m i looked down and saw a beautifully intact submarine lying on a barren white sand and shale seabed.
explosions, so I knew I had to dive the wreck of HMS Stubborn.
preparing for the Wreck dive
Due to the depths in which the wreck lies, helium is a requirement both to reduce narcosis and to reduce the decompression obligations. I had to undertake the normoxic trimix course, which allowed me to take these depths safely – and with a clear head to remember the dive. To spice things up, the course qualifying dives were usually conducted on the wrecks. Undertaking the courses in Malta also meant that fine weather and superb visibility were
almost guaranteed – something you could not guarantee in other places. As I remember, the way from St. Paul’s Bay to the dive site 18 years ago took us around 1,5 h! Today we have the luxury of diving with our own hard boat, starting the trip, which maximum takes about 20 minutes, from Mellieha Bay.
shot line descent to the Wreck of hMs stubborn subMarine
Upon the arrival to the dive site we kitted up, clipped the decompression stages on and set off. Swimming towards the shot line, before descending, we did a quick bubble check at a shallow depth. At 30 m we could see the seabed 25 m below us and at 45 m I looked down and saw a beautifully intact submarine lying on a barren white sand and shale seabed. I let out a whoop of joy at the sight! It had taken us only two minutes to descend the shot line, and after a quick check to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be, we swam off towards the wreck to get some shots of the two stern torpedo tubes.
The wreck looked very different from this angle –even more beautiful! The decompression was uneventful other than huge smiles of my buddies and i . m y dream seemed to have come true!
The intact conning tower with the open hatches, the venting hatches, the sleek hydrodynamic bow section and finally, the large torpedo tubes set back from the knife-edge bow. The top of the wreck was at 45 metres, there were 2 hatches open. The widest hatch was only 60 cms in diameter, with heavy sedimentation inside. The hatches were only wide enough to get a normally dressed man through, but no diver in a twinset, so no penetration was advisable. We found another hatch at the stern. However, we were nearing our planned bottom time. We looked back at Stubborn as we began to ascend after spending 25 minutes at the average of 55 m.
The wreck looked very different from this angle – even more beautiful! The decompression was uneventful other than huge smiles of my buddies and I. My dream seemed to have come true!
Text and photos agniesZka krotecka-elbendary and nabil elbendary
f rom the charming d ahab we go overland to s harm el- s heikh and then, by boat, to a place the existence of which was up to recently known to very few people. they were mainly local fishermen going fishing somewhere between h urgada and s harm el- s heikh.
Itwas thanks to them that in the 1955 Jacques Cousteau, together with a team of enthusiastic scientists from his research vessel "CALYPSO", performed a series of dives that ended up in the discovery of a ship wreck sunken during World War II –SS Thistlegorm. In 1986, residents and divers from Hurghada learnt about the existence of the Iron Lady, but kept this information secret fearing that tourists from Sharm el-Sheikh would destroy the wreck. Only a few years later the secret came to light. Despite the express prohibition of plundering the ship, many of its elements and objects on the deck began to disappear.
Therefore, despite the attempts to keep it secret, the SS Thistlegorm wreck was officially "discovered", and her story became one of the main, most exciting plots of the stories from World War II. As of today, it is at the top of the list of the most interesting diving sites in Egypt and is a kind of a crowning
of expeditions of diving enthusiasts from all over the world.
Each of us has probably heard about a unique wreck resting at the depth of 30 m in the waters of the Red Sea. No doubt, many of you had a chance to dive there. It impresses with its size, abundance of attractions, availability as well as diversity and colors of undersea life. SS Thistlegorm belongs to places that you will love and never forget. We are her absolute fans! In the middle of the wreck you can find military machinery (including rifles, trucks, ammunition… really!), clothing and breathtaking air bubbles under the ceilings of the decks. Moving between successive segments we can meet the beautiful blue moray leaning out shyly at the level of our eyes... It's impossible to have enough of a beautiful spectacle of "aircraft fireworks" which come out of the lower floors of the wreck. The size of the ship also amazes. The more than 100-me-
ter giant encourages us to pay another visit: the first dive around the wreck to assess and admire the size and beauty of this underwater giant. The second allows exploration of larger compartments. Near the wreck there is its anchor, which – by the way – is in a perfect place to anchor your safari boat remainig at the site overnight. It should be noted that diving on the sunken freighter does not belong to the easiest, so inexperienced divers and beginners are not allowed to go there. The diving difficulties are influenced by very strong surface and underwater currents, changing their direction depending on the time of day,
the crowds (!!!) of diving tourists. A very important role plays here an experienced guide, who should have a rich history of diving on this particular wreck, to know how to carry out a safe expedition and how to lead the group to fully benefit the pleasure of immersion.
This majestic ship attracts thousands of divers each year with its charm. Some appreciate its beauty and retain in memory its allure and uniqueness. Others, meanwhile, are not able to behave responsibly and destroy this underwater wonder, whether because of the lack of skills, or simple be-
i t impresses with its size, abundance of attractions, availability as well as diversity and colors of undersea life.
ss Thistlegorm belongs to places that you will love and never forget.
on the wreck, where boats can be anchored with the use of ropes. Boat mooring is very difficult and requires experience, vast knowledge and maps of the vessel in the head to secure the rope in such a way that neither the boat nor the wreckage will suffer damage. It is worth mentioning that every
safari boat must be moored in two different places on the wreck to maintain stability. Large safari boats that stay for overnight dives at the site must use 4–5 ropes to keep the balance. One boat = two ropes, a few boats = a dozen ropes… let the part be poorly anchored, and the misfortune's ready. Moreover, during summer months we can often meet on average 8 diving boats from Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada. On each boat there are approx. 25 divers, performing 2 dives, which gives us 200 divers and 400 dives… Inexperienced divers with poor buoyancy and without adequate surveillance hit the fragile parts of the wreck or deliberately change its condition, eg. scratching the sediment and rust of the machinery to see the hidden inscription, which causes irreversible damage. The Iron Lady is not only a beauty in herself, but also home to exceptional, colourful coral reefs and underwater creatures such as barracu-
das, tuna, lionfish, Serranidae and clownfish. The air bubbles mentioned above, although they are eye-catching, promote corrosion because of the
created that are trying to establish a daily limit for diving boats on the wreck, appointing guides / instructors authorized to moor a safari boat and
date of construction – April 1940
date of sinking – October 1941
displaceMent – 4 898 tones
DIMeNSIONS
● length – 126 m
● width – 18 m
CreW – 41
death toll – 9
arMaMent
● 120 mm anti-aircraft gun
● machine gun
Information: http://thethistlegormproject.com
cargo
● Trucks Leyland and Albion
● heavy goods vehicles Morris Commercial
● Universal Carrier armoured vehicles
● Norton 16h and BSA M20 motorcycles
● Bren machine guns
● ammunition
● Lee Enfield Rifles
● Wellington Boots
● Aircraft parts
● carriages
● 2 steam locomotives LMS Stanier Class 8F
history of journeys
● to America for railway rails and aircraft parts
● to Argentina for cereals
● to western India for sugar and rum
● the last journey to Suez Canal
Who among us has never had a problem finding an exceptional diving site? When we plan a trip or go somewhere on holiday, we want to visit the most attractive places, but that is easier said than done. Additionally, it can be a problem to locate a diving center that will take good care of us, provide us with all the equipment we need, and who’s instructors will gladly share their expertise as local guides with us – all at a good price. In response to these needs, ILiveUnderWater.com was created.
Diving in Europe, Turkey and Egypt is just a click away
The flagship functionality of our platform is our search engine for diving sites, one that has never been seen before. Also never before has anyone invested in a commercial product that will be completely free for divers.
The way it works is simple and intuitive: just enter the name of the region you are interested in visiting, it can be the country, city or even something more specific – like a particuA
lar wreck – and our map will show you points of interest in or near the location you provided. You can find thousands of dive sites and centers in one place with just a few clicks.
Markers on the map indicate: diving centers, bases, wrecks, lakes and rivers, caves and quarries, as well as other places, such as coral reefs. After clicking on a marker, you are taken to a page with a more specific description of the location. Each description page contains a lot of priceless information, such as maxi-
mum depth, special warnings, and much more. Diving bases and centers also include contact details and a full list of the services that they provide (if they have invested in promoting their image on our international marketplace). Many of the diving centers on our website are our partners.
The ILiveUnderWater.com platform not only allows you to search for diving sites, but also to find your dream trip on the date of your holiday.
Long time I was looking for a tool that would gather all the necessary information about diving in a given region in one place. And finally I found on ILiveUnderWater.com. Cool!
~Anna (translated)
ILiveUnderWater.com was established to shorten the distance between divers and the people organizing diving trips. Therefore, each center can register themselves in our database through our website, and has the option to set themselves apart from other diving centers by purchasing a special PRO package. As the manager of a diving center, all you have to do is log in via a special form on our website and join one of the nearly 2,000 diving centers in our database. Promoting your services has never been easier! With ILiveUnderWater.com, you can be exactly where your customers are looking for you.
I did not expect that there are so many diving sites. This platform opened my eyes to new challenges I can take on.
~Tomasz (translated)
The ILiveUnderWater.com website is not just a search engine, but also a compendium of knowledge about diving. We also have a blog
dedicated to those seeking knowledge where the founders of our platform share their diving experiences and knowledge. A significant part of the published entries serve as diving guides for various countries around the world. Apart from those, our blog is filled with many other interesting topics – it is a mine of thematic knowledge and a platform on which famous people from the diving world write.
In the future, our platform will also include social functions, replacing the internet forums that are becoming obsolete. Thanks to this, divers will be able to share their knowledge and experience in a simple way, and make new friends in the process!
The advantage of our platform is the fact that it was built to solve the real problems of divers and adapts to the ever changing needs of the underwater enthusiasts that it serves. ILiveUnderWater.com continues to grow and build on its friendly relationships with the diving community. Currently we serve Europe, Turkey and Egypt, in the future: we will cover the whole world!
Really like the blog I Live Under Water. I am a person who is just beginning diving, and I chose this as my source of information.
~Robert (translated)
water, especially the seawater, in our memory is associated with white, screaming birds. e ven for those who know the sea just from pictures. w herever there is the sea, there must be seagulls. there is no way not to stumble upon these birds on the sea coast or even inland where such meetings are not a rarity. s eagulls announce their presence giving away a loud scream: the greater the number of birds in the area, the lauder the scream.
In the vicinity of large breeding colonies, the noise is really hellish. There are other aspects of the life of seagulls to overlook (or sometimes omit) which is not possible. So how is it really: is it that we have entered the areas always belonging to these white aviators, or have the birds themselves decided to try luck between people?
Formerly it was believed that the gulls suspended over the vessels are souls of the sailors who passed away to keep the eternal guard. Even in the most difficult weather conditions, the birds did not fail to guard the boats, protecting of them in a way. However romantic it sounds, the true motivation of the gulls to follow the ship is the desire to catch the waste from the fishing nets and not to guard the sailors. Not without reason, the seagulls are more likely to follow the fish cutters than the tankers, warships or barges. Well, unless the latter transport waste to a landfill site… And here we find the answer to the question previously posed. The seagulls appear wherever they can find something to eat. And as
nature does not like to unnecessarily waste energy, these birds choose places where it is the easiest to get food. What is the food of the gulls? My less than the five-year daughter answers to such a question without hesitation that it is fish. And this is of course true, but not the whole. It would probably be easier to mention what seagulls do not eat, because in fact their menu can be extremely diverse. Of course, in this regard, there are some differences between the various species of seagulls, but most of them basically chase animal food in every form (also the one not really fresh). Not only fish, but also mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians of the proper size, when it comes to vertebrates. In addition, the entire spectrum of invertebrates, including not only organisms considered to be 'seafood' by us, but also for example, molluscs, earthworms and insects, which they are willing to catch in the fields, often accompanying even working tractors. In the diets of the gulls may also be included plant products. There are known cases of gulls eating the brewery waste left from beer production ending in… drunkenness.
The behaviors associated with obtaining food by these birds do not add to their charm in the eyes of those more sensitive and less immune to, let's call it, the dark side of the gulls' nature. The gulls can even resort to cannibalism. What may seem quite scary is that they can steal the chicks of their neighbors from the cologne and it was observed that they could even eat their own chicks. Sometimes, they do not wait for the hatchling of their own chicks, but they steal eggs from one another for culinary purposes. It happens, especially among representatives of larger species of seagulls that they hunt for adult, in no way small, birds. Sometimes they do it in the very light of the spotlights! This was the case at St. Peter's Square in Vatican, when from the windows of the Apostolic Palace the Pope released the "dove of peace", and not quite a peaceful seagull decided to hunt for it in the company of crows (it happened many times and also happened to the birds released and by both Benedict XVI and by Francis). As we have already referred to the Popes and their relations
with the seagulls, it is worth mentioning that the only ship under the Polish flag, where John Paul II was staying, was the minesweeper (after a later reconstruction – a minedostroyer) ORP Seagull – this took place during the Pope's pilgrimage to Poland in 1987.
Getting back to the subject of acquisition of food it should be mentioned that gulls often resort to truly bandit practices. Demonstrating no scruples, they attack other birds that managed to get something to eat, forcing them to abandon their prey. This happens often to the diving birds (e.g. cormorants, coots), which are unable to get rid of the attacker and give the gull whatever was the subject of the attack. Not only the birds are exposed to the pirate practices of the gulls – also those whose freshly served fish was unceremoniously stolen from the plate on the terrace of the seaside restaurant are not really fond of them – a moment of carelessness was enough! In these situations, we can observe a considerable quickness of the
seagulls. They learn quickly what is profitable and modify their behaviour to gain food more effectively. They can, for example, smash the shells of molluscs by dropping them from height to hard ground. Effective attempts to attract fish by spreading food crumbs on the surface of the water have also been described. Interestingly, the acquired knowledge can be passed on, usually by watching and imitating, and it happens also that the gulls cooperate in a group. One of the most interesting examples of this is the collective stamping on the ground to mimic the sound of falling rain, which effectively attracts the earthworms directly under the legs (and beaks!) of lurking birds. The seagulls have long since learned that a lot of food can be found in the vicinity of human habitation. They regularly patrol the waste areas where they feed not only on trash, but also e.g. on rodents, which are common in landfills. But is there anything that eats the gulls (the question applies to adult birds,
The seagulls appear wherever they can find something to eat. a nd as nature does not like to unnecessarily waste energy, these birds choose places where it is the easiest to get food.
as for the eggs and chicks there is always a long queue of takers)? In fact, only the birds of prey may threaten them. You can see the white-tailed eagles attacking seagulls and also in the menu of larger falcons these birds may appear. The gulls often show an astonishing lack of understanding of the seriousness of the situation, and when they spot a large bird of prey they attempt to chase it. A surprised bird looking for peace and quiet often tucks its tail and gives way to gulls. Such scenes can be observed most often close to the gulls' colonies.
The disturbed birds jointly defend their chicks and together chase away the intruder.
Seagulls include just over 50 species, taxonomically grouped in the gulls subfamily (Larinae) belonging together with terns and skimmers to the gull family (Sternidae) in a Charadriiformes order. They are mostly birds with white and gray plumage. The coloration of young birds differs from that of adult birds, making their identification, which is not always easy even for adult birds, difficult, especially for closely related species. In the nesting and brooding season the pattern of colouring is also different from the one beyond the season. A clear sexual dimorphism (differences in the structure and coloration between females and males) in these birds does not occur. Among some of the species during the mating season can be observed a distinctive 'dark hood' on their heads, as this type of colouring is sometimes called. An example would be the most common seagull in Poland (Eurasia) –a black-headed gull, but also other species of the genus Chroicocephalus (from the Greek 'coloured head'). Seagulls can be small or large. The largest
one, inhabiting also the Polish coast, is the great black-headed seagull the wingspan of which reaches 1.7 m. At the other extreme is a small seagull with a wingspan of around 0.7 m. And this species can be observed on the Baltic coast. Regardless of the size of the wings, their length and shape make the seagulls very efficient aviators. They can easily sense and use ascending currents drifting in the air for a long time without the slightest movement of their wings.
Seagulls are a cosmopolitan group – they can be found on all continents, even on the Antarctic coasts, as well as in the Arctic. Some species are only present in specific locations, such as the lava seagull (interesting for many reasons, e.g. it is a territorial species and does not form a dense colony), but many species have a wide range of prevalence. Most often they are found near sea coasts or over inland reservoirs – they basically always accompany divers (unless someone dives only in caves), as well as lovers of all other water sports and aquatic activities. A unique in terms of habitat is the grey seagull (not to be confused with common gull), which nests
r egardless of the size of the wings, their length and shape make the seagulls very efficient aviators. They can easily sense and use ascending currents drifting in the air for a long time without the slightest movement of their wings.
in an exceptionally dry place, that is in the Atacama Desert in South America. Apart from the nesting and brooding season, it behaves as befits a gull and arrives at the Pacific coast, for many species change their habitat after nesting and brooding is completed. Most of the birds travel not very long distances, although there are exceptions – the Franklin's gull travels from Canada to the south of Latin America. Some species, after nesting and brooding, become typical pelagic birds, that is, living in the open sea. Due to the presence of the interdigital webbing they are great swimmers so the rest on the water surface does not pose any difficulty for them. In addition, gulls can drink sea water because they
have salt glands that allow them to remove excess salt from their body. The swallow-tailed seagull after nesting and brooding on the Galapagos Islands heads towards the high seas. This species is characterised by its unprecedented night life. It hunts for fish and squids in the moonlight, for which it is perfectly adapted. Seagulls have excellent eyesight, but the swallow-tailed gull has the best eyes among gulls equipped with a well-formed nictitating membrane. Its task is to reflect the light in the direction of photoreceptors and thus improve the quality of vision (the presence of a nictitating membrane in animals with good vision in low light or no light causes eyes to shine when a beam of light, e.g. from a torch, reaches them). When in the following season the time to return to the nest comes, the seagulls recreate the same pairs – they are usually monogamous and tend to use the same places where the previous nesting and brooding took place. Such returns can take place several times as some gulls live up to dozens years!
Next time, while watching the aviation skills of the gulls, keep an eye on your sandwiches. And your dog, if you have a Yorkie!
Text and photos agata turoWicZ
cold, dark and mysterious – the Baltic s ea is an unusual and one of a kind sea in the world. the uniqueness of the Baltic s ea is due to the fact that it was created only 12 000 years ago, which makes it the youngest sea on e arth. d uring the formation process, the Baltic s ea was interchangeably a sea and a lake. i t got the shape as we know it today only 3 000 years ago.
location and a large inflow of fresh water from rivers and rainfall are responsible for another feature distinguishing the Baltic Sea –it is the sea with the freshest water on our planet. The average salinity of the seas and oceans is approximately 35 ‰ while the waters of the Baltic Sea have an average value of 7‰.
Thanks to both these features, for researchers the Baltic Sea is a great object for research and observation of the changes that may occur in the new seas. For divers it is a great place to explore unusual and unique waters.
The Baltic Sea is a treasure trove of history and a paradise for divers loving explorations of the wrecks. Low salinity, relatively cold water and a small amount of epiphytes allow to keep ship wrecks at the bottom of the Baltic Sea in a virtually intact state. It is there, between the islands of Gotland and Olandia, that the Swedish expedition, exploring the sea bed with a sonar, found a wreck sinking of which dated back to the fourteenth century. The turbulent history of the region of Europe, in which the Baltic Sea is located, meant that at its bottom only in the very Polish zone lie about a thousand of watercrafts.
However, not only the wreck diving enthusiasts can find their favorite places there. The Baltic water is home to many unique organisms. It is here that you can meet cousins of seahorses, i.e. a broadnose and a straighnose pipefish, which, in order to remain safe, with their shape and behavior resemble the sea grass in which they live. In shallow waters we can often observe a shoal of three-spined sticklebacks which, if we are lucky, will show us in their blue and red mating colors. At the rocky bottoms we can easily see round gobies building their nests and various species of crabs crawling on the bottom in search of food. We can dive among the hats of harmless jellyfish floating in the briny.
The trained eye of a diver will certainly notice the almost transparent shrimps hiding in the rocks or among the Baltic Sea vegetation. And this is just one of the many animals that are worth seeing in the Baltic Sea.
The Baltic Sea hides many secrets waiting to be discovered. Everyone will find something for themselves. Both: the amateurs of wreck diving and divers loving underwater life. To experience a wonderful adventure, let yourself immerse in the Baltic Sea waters and enjoy its unique beauty.
at the beginning of n ovember 2018, representatives of d ivers a lert n etwork carried out an advanced d iving s afety l ab on the deepest lake in p oland – h ańcza. we want to bring you closer to the goal and the course of the research and to indicate how each diver can contribute to an increase in diving safety.
Divers Alert Network, or DAN, is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 to increase the safety of diving. Today, it brings together over 400 000 divers around the world. DAN's mission is to conduct research, to promote safe diving and knowledge of the first aid rules, and to help divers in emergencies by providing medical assistance. It was precisely the implementation of the mission's goal that guided the November DSL.
Who did We exaMine?
Our main goal was to study and document deep technical dives, which are still a highly unexplored area. We compared the number of bubbles of similar dive profiles at the same depths in divers using OC, CC or various gas mixtures, men and women, those using a scooter and those propelled by their own legs with fins.
What did We exaMine?
In the field laboratory located on the so-called "third car park" we conducted an interview with divers about their diving history and experience, as
well as we carried out medical surveys. Each diver gave a sample of blood and urine before entering the water. After completing a self-planned dive, we again examined both blood and urine, but this time we were also interested in what is happening with the bubbles in a diver's bloodstream. Therefore we carried out Doppler and echo tests of the main vein supplying the "carbonated" blood to the heart, as well as the veins in the calves. As for the calves, we were most interested in the muscles. Each diver also shared his full dive profile from a computer and filled out a survey after diving. All these data are used to image the processes taking place in our bodies.
doppler ultrasound – detection of microbubbles
An audio signal is recorded between the third and fourth ribs at the left end of the sternum. Bubbles are monitored from zero to about 90 minutes after a dive: the peak level will most likely occur after 30 minutes.
echocardiographic test – detection of microbubbles
After placing the probe on the chest, the signal is recorded and the ventricles are monitored. This test can show the presence of bubbles after a dive.
density/ alkalinity of urine – indicates the level of hydration
The urine density test determines the specific gravity of the urine, which depends on the hydration status of a given diver. For a healthy human, the density of urine is 1015–1025 kg/m³.
Test procedure: after spontaneous urination, a urine sample is collected in a disposable plastic container and examined with a refractometer.
hemoglobin/ hematocrit – hydration and much more
Taking a small blood sample allows you to determine the amount of hemoglobin in the blood, as well as the state of hydration. Furthermore, changes in hemoglobin may indirectly indicate the activation of stress responses associated with diving.
hoW can you help?
Advanced Diving Safety Labs do not take place often, but every diver, after every dive, may contribute to the database created and analysed by DAN researchers.
Simply register at https://www.diversafetyguardian.org
The aim of the Diver Safety Guardian project is to collect as many different dives as possible and have information about them given directly by a diver in the form of a survey. The portal is an intuitive tool, dedicated to both open and closed circuit divers, as well as to freedivers.
The online algorithms will analyse our dive profile and using the Buehlmann ZH-L16 model they will show us our "perfect profile" superimposed on our actually performed dive. We will also get feedback on how safe according to DAN researchers our dive profile is and what decompression risk we have taken.
What is more, data after anonymisation will be attached to the global database of over half a million profiles. Every diver who is a member of the DAN can use it in order to assess his style of diving and the risk to be taken. We believe that engaging in such action will help us to plan our dives better and consequently increase their safety.
is a theoretical dive profile that you will get at diver safety guardian?
The parameters of a real, completed dive, such as the maximum depth and time, will be correlated with the theoretical safe profile (so-called perfect diving), generated on the basis of the most up-to-date medical and diving knowledge. This will help you to plan better your future dives. You can also use the tool for even more effective debriefings with your diving students.
The database contains more than 122 000 dive profiles from more than 8 000 divers.
To carry out such advanced research was made possible thanks to the excellent organization and commitment of many people.
We especially want to thank Baza Banana Divers and Jarek Bekier, as well as the divers from CN Deep Adventure, CN Seahorse and CNN Croco-
diles, and also the equipment manufacturers that supported us – Seacraft and Santi. Particular thanks are due to Dr. Adam Koleśnik, who enabled echo tests on a large scale at the diving site, to divers who normally are not "experimental", probably the first time in Poland! Without you this really would have not been possible!!!
Text and photos paWeł vogelsinger Co-operation beata konoWrocka
The world of water has attracted me since my childhood. Sitting by the river was a favourite way of spending free time. I caught various water creatures into the jar, and then I spent a long time observing them. However, the fish were always in the centre of attention – too agile and clever to be easily captured. Then came the time for fishing and joy with each successful catch. As a rule, I did not take the fish with me, most of them made it back into the water. The idea was to watch them and enjoy myself with their closeness.
Over time, I became convinced that fishing does not give me satisfaction. Fish only as a trophy on the hook? For me it was too trivial. To experience direct contact with live fish, to touch, to caress, to know the world in which they live – it was all my desire. I became fascinated by aquariums, thanks
to which I could have them within easy reach. But it did not give me full satisfaction.
Then came the idea of a literal immersion into the world that fascinated me. I discovered scuba diving. At the same time, I developed my passion for filming, for recording through the lens those ephemeral moments, exceptional experiences which came my way. To see marine life up close, and above all, participate in it, it was finally a dream come true.
The long-awaited time has come when the rivers began to reveal their secrets to me…
People often react with astonishment, when they hear that I dive in rivers and actually… in the shallows. They are inhabited mainly by small species. What can be exciting about it? It could seem that great things are more interesting than small things.
d iving in shallow rivers can provide nature lovers with many attractions. The views make us delighted, particularly where rivers flow through wild, wooded areas.
Animals with impressive sizes. Huge, open spaces. Vast depths. Certainly it all does impress. But my imagination is more awakened by what is small and inconspicuous.
On a big thing you can see every detail. Mini and micro have their secrets, invisible at first glance. I noticed that small fish are often overlooked and undervalued. And yet, any little thing is an important part of the entire ecosystem, without it, larger species could not exist. Everything makes a coherent whole.
Diving in shallow rivers can provide nature lovers with many attractions. The views make us delighted, particularly where rivers flow through wild, wooded areas. Observations start from the first moment of arrival. With good water transparency already from the shore, you can see what awaits us after immersion. Watching the water also brings a lot of surprises, such as the fish collecting food, river-side vegetation and insects circulating around it. With a little luck you may also come across larger animals living in this environment, such as otters, beavers, various species of birds.
After immersing and covering a long stretch of the river, a great variety of underwater landscape – both the vegetation and the river bed – will surely surprise you. I love the rivers due to their unpredictability, the diversity of biotopes, the richness of species of fauna and flora. Apart from fish you can encounter a variety of micro-organisms. From the barely visible plankton through a variety of crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic larvae to such curiosities as freshwater sponges and predatory plants. The opportunity to discover rare and protected specimens is great!
The great advantage of the river diving is the fact that this form of activity is available almost for everyone. It does not require time-consuming preparations, expensive equipment, long distance travel or special skills. Usually, a mask and a tube are enough, but it is worth getting a thin wet suit. In mountain rivers, or during cold seasons, the water can be very cold.
It is quite frequent to have a direct contact with the smaller fish. Those who dive on a regular basis will have the opportunity to virtually participate in their lives and will observe the way of feeding, the relationships between species, the migration of
large herds. The extremely patient divers will have a chance to witness such amazing events like predation, defence of territory, spawning, breeding, and even the entire development cycle of each species.
Fans of big fish will also be satisfied. They have the opportunity to meet with them in numerous holes, under the branches of windblown trees, in a thicket of lush vegetation. I managed to see fairly sizable chub and perch, which being curious came close to the camera. Tenches that feed on zeba mussel, greylings struggling with a rapid current of water. I have witnessed such spectacular performances as the hunting of pikes.
Diving in the shallows of rivers has given me the ability to watch many interesting and rare species of fish, among others, schneiders, Kessler’s gudgeons, stone loaches, Balkan loaches, European bullheads. Beyond the cognitive aspects (observations bring me a lot of satisfaction and, above all, help to broaden knowledge) the aesthetic experiences are of great importance to me. It is hard to describe how wonderful experience it is to find oneself among the swarm of hundreds of beautifully colourful common minnows or look at river lampreys during spawning. Before my eyes was a bewitching spectacle whose climax is a male dance around the female, culminating in an amorous embrace. Entwined with the male she is aroused to deposit eggs, which the male wraps. A one-of-a-kind event for me was hand-feeding wild fish. They were not at all afraid, passing be-
tween my fingers, and even allowing me to capture them in the palm of my hand.
It is worth mentioning that the diving in shallow rivers gives me the perfect conditions for filming. The lens gets enough natural light for the image to be in focus and look naturally. However, during deep sea diving visibility is limited or almost zero, so you have to use artificial light. Light in large quantities also affects the ability to admire a variety of vegetation, which in these conditions is growing expansively.
Although the fish are at the centre of my attention, I have the soul of the explorer and every curiosity associated with the aquatic environment gives me a lot of joy. In Piława and Rurzyca rivers I managed to track the phenomenal freshwater sponges –
i t is quite frequent to have a direct contact with the smaller fish. Those who dive on a regular basis will have the opportunity to virtually participate in their lives…
their colonies create a very interesting, slightly dark landscape. I came across bladderworts – an unusual plant which feeds on insects. I watched the predatory larvae of dragonflies that are able to attack even young fishes.
I know that I still have a lot of new discoveries ahead. Water of the rivers is an inexhaustible treasure trove. I encourage you to check! I hope that after hearing my story, diving in rivers will never seem boring to anybody, especially as it enriches our knowledge of the native waters. Sometimes we look for adventures in distant countries and we dream about visiting exotic places. Meanwhile, a nearby small river can provide us with equally intense experiences, or at least many relaxing moments in the bosom of nature. As the old proverb says, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence"…
