Scuba Diver #33 - European Edition

BERMUDA BLAST

WHAT’S YOUR WATCH?

INDONESIAN EXPEDITION

WE EXPLORE THE SHIPWRECK CAPITAL OF THE ATLANTIC

THE TEST TEAM RATES AND REVIEWS WRISTWATCH-STYLE DIVE COMPUTERS

ADRIAN STACEY FINISHES HIS 1,300-MILE LIVEABOARD ADVENTURE IN RAJA AMPAT

ALEX MUSTARD

SHOOT TO WIN

THE MAESTRO OFFERS SAGE ADVICE ON CREATING COMPETITION-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHS

ALL AT SEA

Entry and exit techniques when boat diving

UNEXPLORED Stunning SHORT FILM showcases cave diving – and GIRL POWER!

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EDITOR’S NOTE GLORIOUS GRENADA AND EYE-POPPING PICS In October, I was back out to Grenada for the annual Dive Fest, this time in its third incarnation. I have long been a fan of Grenada, its friendly locals, mountainous topside scenery and its awesome line-up of wrecks and reefs below the surface, and so I was glad to head out that way again. This time I dragged the Clan Evans (wife Penney and son Luke) with me so we could sample the ‘family diving’ side of Grenada and the actual Dive Fest event.

It was a non-stop, packed week involving three hotels, two islands (Grenada and its near-neighbour Carriacou) and multiple dive centres, but it further cemented the island’s appeal for me. And Luke had a blast, as many of the sunken fleet around Grenada fall into his Junior Advanced Open Water depth range, so he loved exploring the Veronica L, the Tyrrel Bay and the Underwater Sculpture Park.

He also tried his hand at lionfish hunting and only managed to bag the largest lionfish of the day at 37cm in length. A true monster - and very tasty when served up in garlic butter...

The article will be in a future issue, but keep an eye out for the dates of the Grenada Dive Fest in 2020 definitely one to put on your calendar.

Photography competitions are an enigma, and many budding snappers can feel overwhelmed and outof-their-depth when it comes to entering. In this issue, award-winning photographer Alex Mustard provides an ‘insiders guide’ on how to shoot compwinning images, and urges all to enter the upcoming Underwater Photographer of the Year competition.

As he says, you’ve got to be in it to win it!

Mark Evans Editor-in-Chief

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Mark Evans Tel: 0800 0 69 81 40 ext 700 Email: mark.evans@scubadivermag.com

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Matt Griffiths Email: matt@griffital.co.uk

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3

BERMUDA BLAST

WHAT’S YOUR WATCH?

INDONESIAN EXPEDITION

WE EXPLORE THE SHIPWRECK CAPITAL OF THE ATLANTIC

THE TEST TEAM RATES AND REVIEWS WRISTWATCH-STYLE DIVE COMPUTERS

ADRIAN STACEY FINISHES HIS 1,300-MILE LIVEABOARD ADVENTURE IN RAJA AMPAT

ON THE COVER ALEX MUSTARD

SHOOT TO WIN

THE MAESTRO OFFERS SAGE ADVICE ON CREATING COMPETITION-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHS

ALL AT SEA

Entry and exit techniques when boat diving

UNEXPLORED Stunning SHORT FILM showcases cave diving – and GIRL POWER!

#33 | £3.25

11

+

BALI

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‣ OUR-WORLD UNDERWATER SCHOLAR ‣ LEMBEH STRAIT

PHOTOGRAPH BY: ENRICO SOMOGYI

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27/10/2019 15:51

REGULAR COLUMNS

FEATURES...

6 News

22 Bermuda

30 Dive Like A Pro

34 Indonesia

66 Underwater Photography

42 Alex Mustard - how to win UW photo comps

98 OWUSS Scholarship

50 Focus on: Timor-Leste

Flight restrictions are lifted from Sharm el Sheikh, a bad time for whales off the UK, and a possible lifeline for coral reefs - from urchins!

Martin Sampson again focuses on boat diving, this time discussing methods of entry and exit, as well as the topic of UK liveaboards.

Martyn Guess looks at the best ways to shoot shoals of fish, from huge wide-angle shots to closer portrait images.

Kim Hildebrandt continues her stint of cold-water diving, this time in the chilly waters off Alaska and British Columbia in Canada.

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Stuart Philpott returns to Bermuda to see if it still deserves its title of ‘wreck capital of the Atlantic’, and finds some old favourites as well as some newly sunk diver attractions.

Lena Kavender and Byron Conroy sample the diving in Bali, and discover this island paradise has much to offer below the surface, from myriad macro critters to manta rays and mola mola.

Underwater photography supremo Alex Mustard provides an insider’s guide on how to shoot competition-winning images, and urges people to enter the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition.

First in a short series looking at specific areas of Timor-Leste, which is rapidly establishing itself as the ‘next big thing’ in Southeast Asia diving.

This month, the dive hotspots around Atauro island.

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CONTENTS

...CONTINUED

GEAR GUIDE

52 Indonesia

82 What’s New

Insight into the weird and wonderful critters which dwell in the Lembeh Strait in North Sulawesi, from mimic octopus and rhinopias to nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses and mantis shrimps.

56 Indonesia

Adrian Stacey concludes his epic 1,300-mile liveaboard voyage from Komodo to Raja Ampat, and says that a dive odyssey like this should be on every diver’s wish list.

74 DAN Europe: PFO and diving

This month, the DAN team looks at PFOs and diving, and the impact this condition can have on daily life, not just diving.

76 TECHNICAL: Mexico

Jacob Dalhoff Steensen, Maria Bollerup and Rannva Torfrid Joermundsson take you behind the scenes of Unexplored, a film on Mexico cave diving that is the first result of an innovative dive industry collaboration between five of the top brands on the market.

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We take a look at new products to market, including the Bare Exo Wear, Fourth Element’s Heritage clothing range and loose-fit rash guard, Mares XR3 drysuit, and the Best Divers tool kit.

84 Gear Guide

Editor-in-Chief Mark Evans and the Test Team heads for North Wales to dive a selection of wristwatch-style dive computers from Suunto, Mares, Shearwater Research, Aqua Lung and Oceanic.

94 Long Term Test

The Scuba Diver Test Team rate and review a selection of products over a six-month period, including the Aqua Lung AquaFlex and Bali wetsuits, Suunto D5 dive computer, and the Apeks VX1 mask.

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Each month, we bring together the latest industry news from right here in the UK, as well as all over our water planet. To find out the most up-to-date news and views, check out the website or follow us on our various social media (@scubadivermag) www.scubadivermag.com/news

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS LIFTED FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

FINALLY REMOVES DIRECT FLIGHT BAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK EVANS

F

inally, some four years after it was put in place, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is no longer advising against all but essential travel by air to/ from Sharm el Sheikh, which means that airlines can start operating direct flights into the popular dive resort once more.

In an update on 22 October, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website stated that the FCO advise against all travel to the Governate of North Sinai, and advise against all but essential travel to the Governate of South Sinai, except the area within the Sharm el Sheikh perimeter barrier, which includes the airport and the areas of Sharm el Maya, Hadaba, Na’ama Bay, Sharks Bay and Nabq.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that lifting the restriction was ‘the first step’ in restarting direct flights, commenting: “The safety and security of British nationals remains our top priority and this decision follows close cooperation between our aviation security experts and their counterparts in Egypt, and serious improvements in security procedures at the airport.”

This is enormous news for the general tourism and in particular diving tourism in the area. Sharm el Sheikh was the mainstay for divers, being the birthplace of true diving

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tourism in Egypt back in the day, and its popularity has endured, with Sharm being a mainstay of many dive club and centre holiday schedules.

That was all thrown by the wayside after the bombing of the Russian Airbus A321 airliner in October 2015, which blew up and crashed shortly after take off from Sharm, killing 224 people.

UK security service investigators believed that someone either put an explosive device inside the luggage area just prior to take off. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the tragedy, but whether they were actually behind it remains unknown.

In the aftermath, the UK government immediately suspended direct flights into the resort, with devastating consequences for businesses within Sharm that relied on British tourists. According to Foreign Office figures, some 900,000 UK visitors travelled to Sharm el Sheikh in 2015, but this dropped dramatically to just over 230,000 following the ban on direct flights.

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DS N E I R DIVING WITH F

MALDIVES

NEW: Faarufushi Maldives

INDONESIA THAILAND EGYPT S PA I N

NEW: Roses, Costa Brava

OMAN M AU R I T I U S JA PA N C R O AT I A

LET´S DO IT: DIVING WITH EURO-DIVERS! Hurghada, the surrounding bays and Marsa Alam were still bringing in divers, but Sharm is the gateway to the Tiran Reefs and Ras Mohammed, real diving hotspots, so this news will be welcome both by the businesses in Sharm itself, and the divers who have been chomping at the bit to come back.

Travel firm Tui has said it will reintroduce flights to Sharm el Sheikh in the wake of the decision, as a result of ‘customer demand’, while EasyJet also said it would ‘look at any opportunities’ now that the ban had been removed. n

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B O O K I N G A N D I N F O R M AT I O N :

www.euro-divers.com

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7 12:00 22.01.19

WORLD’S OLDEST DIVER AT AN ASTOUNDING 99 YEARS OF AGE A 99-year-old American made history last month when he set the scuba diving world record for the world’s oldest diver, breaking the record-breaking streak set by Brit Ray Woolley.

Accompanied by a crew of 30 friends and support divers, Bill Lambert celebrated his 99th birthday by taking the plunge © BARE / Greg Kent in Illinois’ 35-acre Pearl Lake.

However, unlike 96-year-old Ray, who has been a keen diver for 59 years, Bill is a relative newcomer to the sport.

According to Dan Johnson, owner and operator of Loves Park Scuba, Bill wandered into his dive shop in November 2018 and started taking dive lessons on a whim.

When Dan learned that Bill was in contention to become the world’s oldest diver, the team at Loves Park Scuba set out on a path to get him certified in Cozumel. He came in and trained an average of two to three times a week to practice.

On the day of his 99th birthday dive, Dan and his team pulled out all the stops to throw Bill a party befitting the occasion. After safety checks and prepping Bill, Dan and a few others accompanied the 99-year-old down to explore a purposesunk school bus at a depth of nearly 10m, for a total dive time of just over 20 minutes.

During his time pool training at Loves Park Scuba, Bill practiced breathing via long hoses so he could become accustomed to being underwater and equalising – the scuba tank came later. In addition to pursuing his late-formed passion for diving and claiming a world record, amazingly Bill still works, albeit part time. A metallurgist by trade, he still goes into the shop and gets his hands dirty once a week.

Despite having shattered the world record previously held by Ray, Bill isn’t planning on slowing down his diving exploits any time soon, and is training hard to break his own record next September when he’ll be celebrating his centennial, hopefully underwater. Now some may pour scorn on the fact that he only did a 10m dive for 20 minutes, whereas Ray went to 42.4m for a total dive time of 48 minutes, however, there is no getting away from the fact that this is a major achievement for someone knocking on the door of a century!

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17/09/2019 10:14

Five of the scuba diving world’s leading brands – Apeks, Fourth Element, IQSub, Paralenz, and Shearwater Research - have launched a collaboration to promote exploration, ocean awareness, and inclusivity within the sport of diving. The first outcome of this partnership, a short film called Unexplored, shatters the misconception that cave diving, often referred to as the most-dangerous sport in the world, is reserved for men. Read the full story on page 76.

As the first-ever collaboration of this scope in the diving industry, the project brings together innovators in the field of imaging, instrumentation, equipment, and clothing to present a progressive approach to some of the challenges faced by the sport and the environment.

The partnership will continue working together to increase awareness for our ocean through future projects. “It’s exciting to be part of this project,” said Jim Standing, co-founder of Fourth Element. “Initiatives like this show that together our organisations can achieve more than they can working in isolation. We’re looking forward to the next project.”

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BAD TIME FOR WHALES AROUND THE UK COASTLINE It has not been a good time for whales around the coastline of the UK, with the tragic deaths of two, one in the north and one in the south.

The carcass of a juvenile humpback whale washed ashore on a Northumberland beach near Dunstanburgh Castle on Sunday 22 September. According to Howick Coastguard Rescue Team, the whale’s body was found on the rocks around 2pm.

Then in early October, a sei whale was seen in the River Thames around the Dartford Bridge. It was closely monitored by volunteers from BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life Rescue), and at first appeared to be swimming and diving as normal, but concerns grew for its welfare, and sadly it was found dead on mudflats at Greenhithe a few days after the initial sighting. It showed signs of a boat strike, but it was not clear if this happened before or after the animal had died.

CHESTER SUB-AQUA CLUB AWARDED BSAC’S PREMIERE TROPHY Chester Sub-Aqua Club has scooped this year’s Heinke Trophy, BSAC’s premier trophy that recognises the essential role clubs play in the growth and development of BSAC diving.

Chester SAC has become the 57th winner of the Heinke Trophy since it was launched back in 1958. The trophy is awarded each year to the club that has done the most to further the interests of its members and BSAC, with the winning club also receiving £1,000. Club Treasurer Martin Holloway, who co-ordinated Chester SAC’s Heinke submission, said the news they had won the 2019 trophy has been a ‘huge boost for the club’. Chester SAC had entered the Heinke Trophy once before, back in 2007, when they were highly commended. Martin said that after a fantastic year for the club, it felt the right time to try for the trophy again.

He commented: “The whole process has brought the club closer together and has given us the drive to progress further in the future. It also means that the hard work and commitment over the past few years building the club has been recognised, and the prize money will be a welcome boost to our boat fund.”

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EGYPT TO CREATE UNDERWATER MILITARY MUSEUM OF ARMOURED VEHICLES For years now, governments and environmental organisations around the world have been sinking large pieces of outdated or damaged equipment into the ocean, turning them into artificial reefs. Subway carriages, naval ships, tanks and more rest on the sea floor, making homes for sea life and attracting divers. Artists have been busy as well, erecting underwater sculptures and memorials.

Nearby Aqaba, in Jordan, sank a Lockheed TriStar at the end of August, and a month before that sent an array of military vehicles – light tanks, heavy tanks, armoured cars, field guns, anti-aircraft guns and even two helicopter gunships – to the seabed as well. Now HEPCA (Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association) has submitted a project proposal to HE General Ahmed Abdullah, Governor of the Red Sea, to establish new artificial coral reef sites using outdated military equipment such as armoured vehicles, troop carriers, tanks and old cars, in Egyptian waters.

The project aims to reduce the pressure on the natural coral reefs around Hurghada, where the number of dives in some dive sites have reached more than 200,000 annually. Thus, there is no alternative solution but to create and establish alternative diving sites to mitigate natural coral reefs of high scientific, environmental and economic value. Each site that is created will generate thousands of dollars annually on the Egyptian national income.

HEPCA, in collaboration with the Red Sea National Parks Authority, has identified seven sites in front of Hurghada as suitable locations for sinking the equipment. In the first phase, 15 pieces of outdated military equipment will be sunk in three sites.

In co-operation with the concerned authorities, HEPCA will invite the Red Sea environmental protectionists and diving and watersports personnel to attend a conference in the near future to explain the components of the project, and to gather views and ideas on the most-appropriate sites, methods of sinking as well as a sustainable management of these sites which should be finalised by the end of this year. www.hepca.org

TECH DIVER DIES ON ICONIC HMHS BRITANNIC SHIPWRECK IN THE AEGEAN SEA An experienced technical diver from Yorkshire has died during a ‘bucket-list’ trip to the Greek island of Kea to dive the legendary shipwreck of the HMHS Britannic.

Father-of-four Tim Saville, who was 61 and from Huddersfield, was in the Aegean Sea to tick off a lifetime ambition to dive the sister ship of the Titanic.

The Britannic sank in 1916 and ended up at 125m.

Mr Saville was well known in diving circles and described as a ‘passionate and obsessive’ technical diver who loved exploring shipwrecks.

His wife Elizabeth set up a JustGiving page for donations to the St Abbs lifeboat. On the page, she said: “I have no words to express my loss and I know there are many of you who will share my pain. He was my soul mate and partner in crime and I will miss him forever. Instead of cards and flowers, I’d like to ask for donations to St Abbs lifeboat. A cause close to both our hearts, to create a lasting legacy in a place that meant the world to him.”

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An international drug-smuggling ring has been blown wide open after two members of the gang surrendered to police in Western Australia – after being confronted by an angry seal.

The drama unfolded after a yacht ran aground and was abandoned on tiny Stick Island, some 7km from Burton Island in the Abrolhos archipelago, which lies off Western Australia near the port town of Geraldton. The authorities started a search after it was found, as a dinghy was missing, and initially there were concerns the occupants might be in difficulty. However, as airplanes combed the area, a crayfisherman saw someone on Burton Island ducking down in a bid to hide in low scrubland as the aircraft flew overhead, according to Geraldton volunteer marine rescue service vice-commander Damien Healy.

This raised suspicions, and police subsequently raided the island. The pair, Frenchman Antoine Dicenta and Briton Graham Palmer, hastily tried to hide more than a ton of methylamphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy – worth more than AUS$1 billion - in dozens of bags under seaweed. They then made a run for their dinghy, but were stopped in their tracks when they encountered a large seal, which was not happy about being woken up, reared up, puffed out its chest and bellowed at them.

Mr Healy said: “The guys basically had the choice of going through the seal or getting arrested, and they ended up choosing getting arrested.”

Police Commissioner Chris Dawson confirmed that three more men – American Jason Lassiter, Briton Scott Felix Jones, and Australian Angus Bruce Jackson – have also been arrested in relation to the drugs ring.

It is not known what species of seal thwarted the gang members’ escape. Only the Australian sea lion and the Australian and New Zealand fur seal can be found on the mainland and in Tasmanian waters.

DEEP-WATER SURVEY FINDS SHIPWRECK OFF THE ORKNEY ISLANDS A deep-water survey off the Orkney Islands appears to have stumbled across the wreckage of a merchant ship sunk in World War Two by a German U-Boat.

Scientists have been busy conducting surveys of the West Shetland Shelf Marine Protected Area, and now this latest scan may have found the Lagaholm, a Swedish cargo vessel which was known to have been sunk somewhere off North Ronaldsay in 1940 with the loss of one crew member after being raked by gunfire from a submarine. Historic Environment Scotland, Marine Scotland Science and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee are hard at work reviewing the collected data to confirm if the wreck is the Lagaholm.

There have been several surveys conducted of the West Shetland Shelf Marine Protected Area, which is similar in size to the UK’s largest national park, the Cairngorms National Park. And this wreck is not the first discovery, as a previous study uncovered a new species of worm which has eyes in its head – and also in its bottom!

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SANTA DIVERS TAKE THE PLUNGE FOR CHARITY AT VOBSTER QUAY Vobster Quay’s recording-breaking charity Santa diving event returns on Sunday 15 December 2019 for another round of festive fundraising frivolities. Run in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, this ever-popular annual fundraising event aims to raise sack-loads of cash for two very deserving charities.

Divers of all levels are invited to grab their Santa outfits - and as much festive cheer as they can muster - and head down to Vobster Quay near Mells, Somerset for a mass-sponsored Santa dive in aid of charity. In previous years, the event has attracted divers from the far corners of the UK to join in the festive merriment.

Back in 2015, the event smashed the world record for the most Santa divers, with 188 divers donning their festive finery – a record that remains unbeaten!

Vobster Santas isn’t just about world records - it’s also about raising some serious cash for charity. Vobster Quay encourages all divers to get into the spirit of the season to raise much-needed funds for the RNLI. Through individual sponsorship and JustGiving donations, divers can invite their friends, family and work colleagues to sponsor them to join the mass Santa dive in the balmy waters of Vobster Quay dressed in their finest festive gear. Since the events’ inception, Vobster’s Santa divers have helped to raise over £35,000 for the RNLI. Vobster Quay will also be raising money for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance by raffling off a selection of great prizes. Tickets will be available on the day for just £1, or can be purchased in advance from the Vobster Quay shop.

Divers wishing to participate can get involved by simply registering their attendance at www.vobster.com/vobstersantas

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS BABY SEA URCHINS BOOST CORAL SURVIVAL RATE New research into co-culturing – raising juvenile sea urchins alongside lab-spawned corals – has found the technique produces an eight-timeshigher survival rate in young corals, and could have major implications for the restoration of reefs around the world.

Researchers at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in London and the University of Derby spawned tuxedo urchins (Mespilia globulus) and reared them to a suitable size in time for the planned spawning of broadcast corals at their research laboratory. Compared to a coral survival rate of just five percent in a tank without any urchins, researchers found that 40 percent of the corals survived for six months in the tank with the most urchins (18 urchins reared alongside 1,250 corals).

Dr Jamie Craggs, lead researcher and curator at the Horniman Aquarium, says: “This new co-culturing technique using sea urchins makes possible a major up-scaling in the number of corals that could be reared and transplanted onto damaged reefs, and we’re already getting interest from leading reef restoration organisations around the world.”

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Dr Oliver Firth is a diving doctor with over 22 years of diving experience. He is an Approved Medical Examiner of Divers for the UK HSE and a medical referee for the UK Diving Medical Committee, performing many hundreds of diving medicals a year. As the senior doctor at London Diving Chamber for the last 13 years, he has supervised the treatment of hundreds of cases of decompression illness. He has now set up Hyperdive (www.hyperdive.co.uk) to continue his diving medical work with a global audience. With his accumulated experience, he has seen most things a diver might come across, but remains eager to hear from anyone with a medical conundrum they need a solution to! divingdoctor@scubadivermag.com Q: My daughter is a good swimmer and really enjoys her snorkelling. Naturally she now wants to try scuba diving, but I’ve heard there are potential risks to growing children from diving – something about bubbles in the joints? I don’t know much about it, and she’s only 14 – old enough to try it, but I’m worried about her doing damage to herself. Am I being an over-protective mum?

A: If you’re referring to bone growth, then you’ve touched on a question of some importance. The ends of the so-called ‘long bones’ (eg. the femur, tibia and fibula in the leg, and the humerus, radius and ulna in the arm) are called the ‘epiphyseal growth plates’, and they gradually elongate during childhood.

This continues until about the age of 18, when the plates fuse with the shaft of the bone. The plates are mostly cartilage and they don’t have much blood supply, relying on diffusion from nearby areas for their nutrients. So if they are damaged, stunting of growth and shortened arms or legs may result.

I’m not aware of any experimental or clinical data on whether diving causes damage to these areas, but looking at saturation divers, there is a risk of bone thinning after many years.

However, considering the depths and times that children are restricted to, the risk of this occurring is probably minimal.

Q: I’m relatively new to diving and I’m going on my first liveaboard soon. My worry is this - I suffer with frequent bladder infections, and often need antibiotics to clear them up. Am I likely to get more of these due to diving, and can I dive if I’m taking antibiotics? I don’t want to sit on the boat with my legs crossed all week!

A: Along with leg shaving, ‘monthlies’ and wolf-whistling brickies, another curse of being female is the diminutive urethra. The simple reason that women get cystitis and men (by and large) don’t is that the tube that leads from the

bladder to the outside world (the urethra) is much shorter in a female. The bugs that cause the infection therefore don’t have as far to travel to set up shop and multiply. Saltwater baths are often recommended as preventative treatment, so in this sense diving might be helpful. Peeing lots helps clear the bacteria more often, so keep well hydrated (especially on a liveaboard). Other tips include wiping from front to back, urinating after sexual intercourse, and indulging in cranberry juice or tablets (the theory is that this makes it more difficult for bacteria to adhere to the bladder wall). It’s a good idea to take a stock of antibiotics with you on the boat, as if all the above fails to alleviate the symptoms, you’ll need to start something before reaching dry land.

Q: Having recently completed our family I have nearly been convinced by my better half to go for the snip. I have almost run out of excuses; but both being avid divers, neither of us know whether the op would be a problem for future underwater adventures. Is there any reason I cannot keep diving following a vasectomy? And if not, what would be the recommended recovery time before I can get wet again?

A: My dear fellow, I wish I could offer you a lifeline here, to preserve your unmentionables. But the fact is, despite much agonising, I cannot think of a good reason why you shouldn’t carry on diving after this procedure. A vasectomy is a simple operation that involves removal of a small section of the testicular pipework (technically known as the ‘vas deferens’) through a tiny incision in the scrotum. It’s a doddle to do (many GPs do the procedure under local anaesthetic these days) and diving can generally resume when the incision has healed, usually in a matter of days. Diving itself will have no effect on your surgery, nor will the operation have any effect on your diving.

TRAGEDY AS MAN DROWNS WHILE PROPOSING TO HIS GIRLFRIEND UNDERWATER A US man has tragically drowned after proposing to his girlfriend at an underwater room in an exotic resort in Tanzania.

Steven Weber and Kenesha Antoine were on a ‘bucket list’ holiday to the luxury Manta Resort on Pemba Island, and had booked four nights at the resort’s signature ‘underwater room’, which is anchored in 10m of water in a lagoon. On the third day of their stay, Mr Weber, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, decided to pop the question to his girlfriend.

In a video Ms Antoine put up on Facebook, he can be seen swimming down to the viewing windows of the bedroom, wearing shorts, mask and a pair of fins. With his girlfriend watching from within the room, he pushed a plastic bag

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containing a note against the glass saying ‘I can’t hold my breath long enough to tell you everything I love about you. But everything I love about you I love more every day’.

He then proceeded to flip the note around to show the other side, which read ‘Will you marry me?’, and then pulled an engagement ring box out of his pocket, opening it to show the ring inside before swimming up out of sight.

Sadly, that initial message proved all too prophetic - he never returned to the surface and tragically drowned.

In a statement, Matthew Saus, CEO of the Manta Resort, commented: “A male guest tragically drowned while freediving alone. The accident is under investigation by the local police.”

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AVAILABLE 12TH DECEMBER

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OUR MAN IN MEXICO

We talk to Luke Inman, PADI Course Director, underwater videographer, photo pro, technical diver - and the only Mexican we know with a distinctly British accent...

FABULOUS PHILIPPINES

An overview of the best diving locations in this sprawling Southeast Asia archipelago, including Dumaguete, Puerto Galera, Malapascua and Anilao

GUADALUPE’S GREAT WHITES

Richard Stevens and Hailey Elizabeth board the luxurious Vortex liveaboard to go cagediving with Guadalupe’s famed great whites

BAIA - THE ITALIAN ‘ATLANTIS’

Dean Martin was blown away by a shallow dive out of Naples on the amazingly preserved Roman remains in the Marine Park of Baia

TECH: OPERATION GREENLAND Byron Conroy swaps his usual haunt of Iceland for the chilly waters around Greenland, and gets up close and personal with an iceberg

TEST EXTRA - EXCLUSIVE!

Bunaken National Marine Park

The Test Team rates and reviews a selection of dive gear, and Mark Evans gets a world exclusive on a brand-new product!

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The reef systems here are some of the most pristine I have seen anywhere in my dive travels around the globe, and Wakatobi resort and liveaboard are second to none. The diversity of species here is brilliant if you love photography.â&#x20AC;? ~ Simon Bowen

An experience without equal At Wakatobi, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t compromise on comfort to get away from it all. Our private air charter brings you directly to this luxuriously remote island, where all the indulgences of a five-star resort and luxury liveaboard await. Our dive team and private guides ensure your inwater experiences are perfectly matched to your abilities and interests. Your underwater encounters will create lasting memories that will remain vivid and rewarding long after the visit to Wakatobi is concluded. While at the resort, or on board the dive yacht Pelagian, you need only ask and we will gladly provide any service or facility within our power.

This unmatched combination of worldrenowned reefs and first-class luxuries put Wakatobi in a category all its own.

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BERM S

even years ago, I crossed the Pond to investigate Bermuda’s coveted title Shipwreck Capital of the Atlantic. Over the centuries, Bermuda’s treacherous coral reefs have claimed more than 300 ships. They now lie scattered around the coastline and include Spanish galleons, Confederate gun runners, luxury cruise liners and floating casinos. Some may still be laden with priceless treasures waiting to be discovered, although I’m sure wreck-finding celebrity, the late-Teddy Tucker, salvaged a fair amount during his reign.

I kept in touch with Mark Diel, the owner of Dive Bermuda (www. bermudascuba.com), and after some toing and froing, we firmed up dates for a return visit. The plan was to divide my time between Mark’s two PADI five-star dive centres based at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel located slightly to the west, and his latest acquisition at the Grotto Bay Beach Resort in the east, close to the airport. Assistant Instructor Mark is tied to a desk job during the week, but often spends his weekends either helping out in the busy dive centres or guiding divers. More importantly, he never fails to buy cakes and donuts for the dive staff!

Dive Bermuda are a top-rate outfit (check out TripAdvisor), and the daily schedule normally includes a two-tank morning dive followed by an afternoon dive, but this can be customised for larger groups. Boat journey times are a maximum of 15 minutes at the Fairmont, and around 45 minutes at Grotto Bay. There is no shore diving. Sea temperatures fluctuate between 66 degrees in the winter and peak at 85 in the summer. During my visit in September, divers were wearing everything from a rash vest and shorts to a 3mm shorty or full suit (a full suit is probably a wise choice due to fire coral).

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RMUDA Stuart Philpott returns to the shores of Bermuda to see if the island can still lay claim to its much-vaunted ‘shipwreck capital of the Atlantic’ title PHOTOGRAPHS BY STUART PHILPOTT WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

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The main tourist season is over the summer months, June through August. Mark said that late-September/early-October is a good time for divers to visit, as there are less tourists about and the water is still warm. Hotel prices are also less expensive, and there is more chance of finding a decent offer.

Underwater visibility can be more unpredictable at the end of the season, but on good days still tops 40 metres plus!

Accommodation options vary from AirBnBs to classy allinclusive hotels. AirBnBs seem to be flavour of the month as they offer a cheaper alternative and provide some extra cash for the local residents. I had booked into an AirBnB owned by Mike Cranfield. This was conveniently located just a few minutes’ walk from the Fairmont Dive Centre. Mike manages a number of AirBnB properties around the island (www.bda4sale.com). My accommodation turned out to be a one-bedroom self-contained apartment with well-equipped kitchen, sofa, dining area, separate bathroom and a swimming pool right outside all finished off to a very good standard.

I still recognised a few old faces at the Fairmont Dive Centre, including manager Chris and boat skipper, aka pilot, Heinz. Mark and Heinz worked together as diving instructors way back in 1980s. Once a week, top chef Heinz organises a staff get-together and cooks for everyone, which I thought was a really nice gesture. Mark has mainly employed instructor couples to work at the dive centres, which gave me the best choice ever for underwater models. A big thank you to Marlee, Hanna and Robyn - I couldn’t have got the pictures without your help and unwavering enthusiasm.

At weekends, dive boat Narcosis is often full to capacity with 25 divers. There are five regular wrecks and seven reef sites. We made our way out to the 65-metre-long Marie Celestia, an old Confederate gunrunner that hit a reef and sank in 1864. Lying at a maximum depth of 18m, the mostprominent feature is the skeletal remains of the massive starboard side paddle wheel which stands vertically. A few years ago, the wreck made news headlines when divers discovered a stash of wine and other priceless items hidden in the chain locker. This made the perfect warm-up dive, and prepared me for the hectic schedule that lay ahead.

The Hermes has to be Bermuda’s most-popular wreck site.

Built in 1943, she was originally used as a US Coastguard buoy tender. The ship changed hands and ended up transporting freight from one continent to another. In 1983, she developed engine trouble off the Bermudan coast and diverted to the nearest port. There was no money available for repairs so she was abandoned, claimed by the authorities and eventually sunk as a diver attraction.

The 50-metre-long, 254-ton wreck now lies upright and pretty much intact at a maximum depth of 25m. It’s possible

Penetration is possible on several Bermuda wrecks

Warm clear waters equal happy divers

Beth Neale with the anchor on the Christobal Colon

I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of marine life on show, including some veryintimidating barracuda circling the mast and grey snapper inside the bridge Inside the Niobe Corinthian

to penetrate the enclosed bridge area, holds, engine room and bow locker. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of marine life on show, including some very-intimidating barracuda circling the mast and grey snapper inside the bridge. The money shot had to be dive guide Hanna hovering above the coral-encrusted buoy boom with mast and support cables silhouetted in the background.

After several days I moved out of the AirBnB and into the five-star Fairmont Southampton Hotel (www.southampton@ fairmont.com). The dive centre is conveniently located in the hotel grounds down on the beach. It’s about a five-minute walk downhill from the hotel lobby to the centre, but all uphill on the return. Fortunately, the hotel provides a courtesy shuttle bus service ,otherwise I’m certain there would be several cardiac arrests reported! The Fairmont is the biggest hotel on the island, offering 593 luxurious rooms and suites as well as a golf course. It’s a grand old hotel with sweeping staircases and high ceilings set in more than 100 acres of landscaped gardens, including a pond with a large family of friendly ducks.

Usually the two-tank morning trips include a wreck followed by a shallower reef dive. South West Breaker had some great swim-throughs and caverns to explore. I took some dramatic shots of dive guide Marlee hovering over the healthy corals with the waves breaking over the rocks in the background. For fish lovers there seems to be a reasonable amount of parrotfish, angelfish, damsels, trumpets and grouper flitting about. In May there’s a good chance of seeing turtles. Unfortunately, the invasive lionfish have found their way to Bermuda’s shores. Both dive centres offer lionfish hunting, so it’s not uncommon to see divers carrying hand spears. It’s a well-known fact that lionfish

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Bermuda’s reefs are stunning as well

make good eating, but Mark told me about Tara Cassidy from LaGarza Bermuda, based at Georgetown, who actually makes jewellery from the spines and fins. I managed to see some of her work and was well impressed. This was definitely a novel way of using the leftovers.

Après dive, the island has many interesting places to visit, including the capital Hamilton, Crystal Caves, the Royal Navy dockyard and a variety of forts. Transportation is pretty much limited to taxis, mopeds and bicycle rentals. Car hire is virtually non-existent. I did notice a growing number of electric hire cars appearing on the roads. They only carry two passengers, but one of the options also had room to carry two sets of dive kit. There is a good selection of restaurants

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Deep inside an engine room

Some wrecks are well flattened

available to suit all pocket sizes (note: most of the well-known fast-food chains have been banned). The more costconscious will be happy with the Swizzle Inn or the Astwood Arms pub. Angelo’s Bistro is a family owned affair that serves up some great fish dishes and pizzas. For the romantic, there’s always dinner at Mickey’s down at Elbow Beach.

Halfway through my trip I transferred over to the newly refurbished fourstar Grotto Bay Beach Resort (www. grottobay.com). All 201 rooms have been completely revamped with modern bathrooms and furnishings. My double room had an uninterrupted view of the bay with the dive centre just a twominute walk away. The all-inclusive option is definitely worth investigating, especially when diving all day. The dive centre has had a massive overhaul since my last visit. What used to be a cross between a marine salvage yard and somebody’s back room has been transformed into a modern, professionallooking shop. Robyn and Brendon managed the day-to-day running of the busy centre, which seemed to attract more local divers than at the Fairmont.

The dive boat was a little smaller, maximum 20 divers, but even when full there was plenty of room and a shaded area if needed. They offer seven wrecks and seven reef sites. I met up with South African freediving champion Beth Neale. Beth is currently working for a local charity teaching kids to freedive in between breaking records. The visibility on the 152-metre-

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long, 10,000-ton Cristobal Colon wreck must have been 40 metres plus. Robyn guided me from the two props (which are confusingly not at the end of the prop shafts due to the ship breaking in two and twisting around before sinking) past the engines, eight boilers and prop shafts to the remains of the stern. Beth, who was following topside, freedived down to 15m so I could get some shots of her lying in the bath tub which sits inside one of the darker recesses.

The Niobe Corinthian is Bermuda’s latest wreck-diving attraction. Built by Shell Oil in 1967, the 54-metre-long, 1,000ton ship was used as a tender for oil rigs. In 2004, she was sold and converted into a floating casino. The huge glass-domed bar located on the top deck was her most-impressive feature.

Gambling is illegal in Bermuda, so the plan was to take guests 19km offshore into international waters where they would be exempt from the strict laws. But authorities raided the vessel

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There were so many different rooms, corridors and stairways to explore and the visibility is much better

Rich sponge and coral growth on the Hermes

Some of the wrecks are very intact

Beth Neale showing off her freediving skills

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when it came back into port and seized more than 100 gaming machines. The ship’s captain Fermin Reyes and the casino manager George Kezas were later charged and convicted.

The ship was left in a state of decay until 2016, when the authorities handed her over to the diving community. The Stemper Foundation funded the clean-up project removing oil and waste products from the engine room and stripped out any diver-snagging hazards at a cost of around US$300,000.

She was eventually sunk at the north end of the island on 4 April 2017 and lies upright on the seabed at a maximum depth of 21m. The bridge is the shallowest part at around 6m.

After my exploits with Heinz earlier in the week on the Triton wreck, I was expecting to find nothing more than a rowing boat smashed into a thousand pieces. Although the crystal-clear waters of North Rock and Hog Breaker are only 1.5km away, the Corinthian usually suffers with poor visibility and this can vary greatly depending on how careful divers are with their fin kicks. I followed Robyn through the haze until I caught sight of the bow. This ship lies upright totally intact. In my mind, the inside is far more interesting than the outside.

There were so many different rooms, corridors and stairways to explore and the visibility is much better. For divers who like penetration, this wreck is an absolute playground! The rear stairway opens out onto what looks to be the main gaming floor. This leads through to another large room with a rounded counter in the corner. The main corridor branches off into smaller rooms and bathrooms with toilets, shower cubicles and mirrors. This either leads up another stairway to the bridge complete with centre console or down to the kitchen with cooker, and even further down to the cramped engine room and even tighter squeeze steering room. I spent more than an hour inside exploring each room and went back later in the week for a second helping.

My Bermuda adventure had absolutely flown by. This time around I seemed to appreciate the pristine coral reefs as much as the wrecks. In 40 metre plus visibility, the Cristobol Colon had been breath-taking. I can still picture the debris field disappearing way off into the distance. Exploring the Corinthian was one of my best highlights, but I guess scrabbling about inside wrecks is not to everybody’s liking.

Bermuda certainly has enough variety to satisfy a broad range of experience levels and is suited for family divers, who are just interested in doing a few mornings, through to dedicated groups wanting at least three or four dives each day. There are no long boat journeys, currents are minimal and the visibility averages 20 metres plus. I recommend spending a few days at each dive centre as they offer totally different wrecks and reefs. There was a friendly rivalry between the staff as to who offered the best dive sites. I’m afraid to say on this occasion Grotto Bay (east side) came out tops! My apologies Fairmont, there’s always next time! n

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Martin Sampson offers more tips on boat diving, including getting in and out of the water, as well as sage advice on planning a UK liveaboard diving trip PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK EVANS

TOP TIPS BOAT DIVING

O

n the actual day of diving, aim to arrive a little earlier than required because tides wait for no one. You can then set your kit up at a leisurely pace. Turn up late and the stress caused by time pressure may mar your experience of the whole day.

The skipper or crew will tell you where to stow your gear. At this point you quickly realise that the large boat that you saw on arrival doesn’t look that large anymore. You can help by stowing your kit as tidily as you can. A cheap and really useful accessory is a net ‘goody’ bag in which you can stow your mask, snorkel, fins, DSMB, etc. A tidy deck helps to prevent accidental breakages of equipment under unsteady feet.

Before the boat departs, the skipper should give everyone a boat safety briefing. This will include such details as where to find the oxygen and first aid kits. On liveaboards this will be more comprehensive and will be found in a folder for passengers to refer to during the charter.

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ENTRIES AND EXITS Getting kitted up on a moving deck or in a cramped RIB isn’t always easy - don’t be afraid to ask for help. Once into your gear remain seated and try to lean back so that the weight is transferred from your shoulders to the inflatable sponson or bench seat.

From RIBs and smaller hard boats, the usual entry method is a backward roll. Just before you exit, make sure that loose items such as cameras, gauges and torches are secure in your lap so that they don’t get snagged on such things as rope handles on the side of the boat.

From larger boats there will usually be a step entry from the deck or a platform. As you move to the exit point be aware that modern plastic fins may skid on a wet deck. I usually fit my fins right next to the exit point. Make sure that you don’t actual exit the boat until the skipper has definitely

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said ‘Go!’ I once saw a diver exit a liveaboard boat when it was still doing six knots and was over 200 metres from the drop-off point. To make matters worse, our premature diver had forgotten to put his fins on.

By the time he had been retrieved, time had marched on and we missed our slack water period.

Just before you leave the boat, don’t forget to put some air into your BCD and put one hand across your mask.

The rest of the dive will hopefully go as normal, but during the ascent don’t forget that there is a boat somewhere above you. Once you have completed your safety stop look up to make sure that you are not right underneath the boat, especially if the engine is still running.

Hard boats will normally have a boarding ladder to climb and the better ones are designed so that you can climb them in full kit, including fins. Make sure that you keep your mask on, regulator or snorkel in, and plenty of buoyancy just in case you fall back in. Better still, many hard boats have powered lifts that makes getting aboard almost effortless.

When retrieving divers be prepared to help them de-kit and move across the deck. Most of us are unsteady on our feet after being weightless underwater and this is the moment when divers can fall, hurt themselves and damage gear.

With RIB diving, you will normally de-kit in the water always pass your weights up first before taking off your BCD. It’s also very helpful to have someone lean over the side of the boat to hold on to you so that you can use both hands to remove gear without drifting away from the boat.

AVOIDING SEASICKNESS • Stay hydrated - especially in hot climates. Upset stomach may not actually be from ‘dodgy’ food or suspect water, but simply dehydration.

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, and eat good food - you might not feel like eating, but the energy can help defeat seasickness.

• If you take anti-seasickness pills, try them out on shallow dives first in case they exacerbate nitrogen narcosis. Take them about one to two hours before going afloat.

• If you start to feel ill, sit somewhere towards the stern of the boat but not near the engine exhaust.

On a liveaboard you might be better off sleeping in your bunk.

• Ask the skipper to take you to sheltered sites.

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UK LIVEABOARDS Below is a list of tips and questions I think a trip organiser should bare in mind when planning and booking a UK liveaboard.

• Research as much about the vessel, skipper and crew before booking, try and get feedback from past customers about the vessel so you know how the vessel operates and whether it suits your needs. Also check if the skipper is a diver - a skipper with good diving experience will have an excellent idea of what is possible on your trip.

• Speak to the skipper, ask him to provide you with a basic itinerary of what is usually covered during a charter, but bare in mind this is normally weather permitting and not set in stone.

• If you have a list of particular sites you want to dive again, chat with the skipper as sometimes what you think is do-able isn’t always possible due to tides and distance, etc.

• If planning an expedition to somewhere exposed, offshore or distant, be prepared to go somewhere else if the long-term weather forecast is unfavourable. Ask the skipper’s advice about Plan Bs, and don’t get missionfixated sometimes Plan B sites can be just as good, and in general some diving is better than none at all… A good skipper would prefer to have you diving rather than tied up in the harbour, so keep your options open.

• Ask about what dive equipment you need to bring and what is provided (weights, gas, etc). And very importantly, turn up with full cylinders ready to dive, as sometimes the first dive can be before breakfast.

• Have a good spares kit and liaise with the rest of the group so that there isn’t too much duplication, as space is normally a premium onboard (no need to bring the kitchen sink).

• Ask for a sample menu as good food onboard is just as important as good diving. In some cases, crucial in keeping moral up when the weather prevents diving.

• Most importantly, build up a good working relationship with the skipper and crew as communication is critical both ways when the weather intervenes and you have to fall back to Plan B. n

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Hard boats will normally have a boarding ladder to climb and the better ones are designed so that you can climb them in full kit, including fins

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Lena Kavender and Byron Conroy venture to the paradise island of Bali and discover that this Indonesian getaway can satisfy the desires of virtually any diver, whatever their particular ‘addiction’ PHOTOGRAPHS BY BYRON CONROY

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It can be a challenge to decide where to go on your next dive holiday with all these wonderful options and varieties.

Luckily, we’ve got great news for you – in Bali, you can get it all

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The mantas here are not afraid of divers, instead they actually seem to enjoy flying above the divers in order to get their bellies massaged by the bubbles

Harlequin shrimp

F

ancy big stuff like manta rays and mola mola? Or are you more into world-class critter spotting?

Why not pristine coral reefs in a million colours within one of the planet´s best national marine parks?

Oh, so you´re a shipwreck junkie?

It can be a challenge to decide where to go on your next dive holiday with all these wonderful options and varieties.

Luckily, we’ve got great news for you – in Bali, you can get it all. My partner and dive buddy Byron and I were at Lotus Bungalows in Candidasa.

The village is located on the east coast of the island, halfway between Sanur in the south and Tulamben in the north - truly an ideal location for exploring and experiencing the very best of Bali´s underwater landscape and creatures.

INDONESIA – WITH A TOUCH OF EUROPE

Upon arrival we were greeted by management couple Jan and Henriette, originally from Denmark, but ‘Indonesians’ for 15 years. While listening to an induction of the resort and the routines, we were seated next to the stunning infinity swimming pool facing the ocean.

To the left and right of the pool were spacious bungalows, all with their own terrace facing either the ocean or the lush garden. Beautiful Balinese-style outdoor bathrooms for each bungalow were a really nice feature. Having a hot shower while listening to the waves from the ocean was the ultimate relaxation after a day´s diving. The rooms include unlimited

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hot and cold drinking water, coffee/tea and there is also a minibar available with soft drinks and the local Indonesian Bintang beer.

Directly behind the pool is Lotus´ popular Italian restaurant, making some of the best pizza and pasta I´ve ever tasted, along with Balinese and Indonesian classics such as mie or nasi goreng, freshly caught local fish or Balinese chicken. At Lotus, you enjoy your meals with pool and ocean views from every table in the restaurant.

FUN DIVING, TRAINING AND CCR

Thanks to the location, Lotus Bungalows and its dive centre, Gangga Divers, are able to take you to the very best of Bali´s dive sites, from Nusa Penida in the south to Tulamben in the north, and everywhere in between. This gives you the unique opportunity to experience a mix of big animals, tiny critters, healthy reefs and world-famous shipwrecks such as the USAT Liberty and the Bogas wreck.

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Gigantic sea fan adds a splash of colour to the reef

The welcoming Gangga Divers centre

‘Sexy’ shrimp

Gangga Divers is a PADI five-star dive centre and offers recreational PADI courses from Discover Scuba Diving to Divemaster. It is also the first Poseidon rebreather centre in Bali with their own in-house rebreather instructor Jan. Jan and Gangga Divers offer pool-based Discover Rebreather test dive sessions, Poseidon MKVI/SE7EN recreational rebreather courses as well as Poseidon MKVI/SE7EN technical rebreather courses (40m, 48m and 60m). The centre also offers dedicated rebreather diving for already certified CCR divers, and provides different size cylinders, sofnolime and trimix fills.

Byron and I spent the first day of diving in the local area, Padang Bai, a short car ride from the resort and Candidasa.

We boarded Natalie, one of Gangga Diver´s two comfortable Balinese-style dive boats. Natalie and sister vessel Maya both have separate wet and dry areas, flushing marine toilets, towels and hot and cold water stations. Snacks and drinks are provided by the dive crew before, between and after dives.

On this first day, we chose to do three dives with surface interval and lunch on the boat in between dives. It was macro day and we were excited to see what critters were to be spotted in these Balinese waters. We started off by diving the Blue Lagoon, followed by the Drop-off, and it is safe to say that none of the sites left us disappointed. The sites were beautifully located next to a white sandy beach framed by coconut palm trees. We managed to spot several orange and black cockatoo waspfish, leafy scorpionfish, banded pipefish, short-tailed giant pipefish, orangutan crabs, ribbon eels and tons of nudis, to name but a few of our findings.

The third dive of the day was the Jetty. The Jetty was constructed five years ago as a dock for larger ferries and cruise ships. However, as the project was completed and the Orangutan crab

The infinity pool overlooks the sea

Lena on a blue-water dive

first ship was to arrive, it became clear that the jetty was not solid enough to cope with vessels of this size and the jetty was simply abandoned. It now makes for a perfect dive site with an abundance of fish and critters surrounding the pillars of the jetty. It is also a popular fishing spot, and we got instructions from our guide Wayan to stay directly under the jetty throughout the dive to avoid hooks and reels. An exciting and good fun experience, as well as an excellent macro dive.

THE BIG STUFF

If you have not already visited Nusa Pendida´s Manta Point and Crystal Bay, these sites should definitely be added to your diving bucket list. The former is a manta ray cleaning station and you have a very good chance at spotting these amazing animals during your dive. The mantas here are not afraid of divers, instead they actually seem to enjoy flying above the divers in order to get their bellies massaged by the bubbles. At Crystal Bay, the ocean sunfish, or mola mola, can be spotted seasonally from August to November, peaking in September and October. The molas are the heaviest bony fish in the world.

Anemonefish

We started off by diving the Blue Lagoon, followed by the Drop-off, and it is safe to say that none of the sites left us disappointed 38

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It now makes for a perfect dive site with an abundance of fish and critters surrounding the pillars of the jetty

Skeletal shrimp

Vast barrel sponge

THE SMALL STUFF

For fantastic critter spotting (and let’s not forget a world-famous wreck dive), Tulamben is the place. Gangga Divers take you there by an hour car drive north. Once in Tulamben all diving is done directly from the beach. We spent one day diving the famous macro site Seraya Secrets. Our guide asked us what we wanted to see – ‘pygmy seahorses, ghost ornate pipefish, harlequin shrimps, painted frogfish?’ An hour later we had seen all the above mentioned critters, along with more nudibranchs than I have ever encountered before, over 100 for sure.

Camel shrimp

THE WRECK STUFF

While in the area, one must not miss out on the opportunity to dive the USAT Liberty shipwreck. A United States Army cargo ship torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942, the wreck now acts as an artificial reef and is covered in colourful marine life. Early morning dives on the wreck are often rewarded by large schools of bumphead parrotfish cruising by.

On the sandy bottom, many free-swimming peacock mantis shrimps, along with big groups of garden eels, can be spotted.

Striped catfish

Peacock mantis shrimp

CONCLUSION

With our stay at Lotus Bungalows coming to an end, we had managed to experience a variety of diving from the largest to the smallest of marine life, as well as wrecks and reefs. Not bad for one week´s diving out of a single ‘home base’! n

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HOW TO WIN UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Photo supremo Alex Mustard offers hints and advice for budding snappers wanting to make an impression in the forthcoming Underwater Photographer of the Year competition PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF UPY

Jacob Degeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great hammerhead shark immediately grabs your attention with a dramatic subject in a graphically strong pose

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C

ome along to the GO Diving Show in February and you’ll see a gallery of stunning large-format prints from the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2020 competition (UPY). And on Saturday afternoon on the Main Stage you can catch the award ceremony, seeing even more winning pictures, and be able to pick up some insight from winning photographers. But UPY isn’t just a spectator sport - you could already have a winning shot or two nestled on a hard drive. Competition judge Alex Mustard shares his Top 10 tips to help you be one of the photographers being celebrated at the show. You have to be in it to win it. The contest is open now, and the closing date is 3 January 2020! www.underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

UPY attracts thousands of photographs across the categories and almost all of them are very good shots.

Your best chance of catching the judges’ attention is by standing out. This can mean showing us a subject or a technique that we’ve never seen before, but often it is about just putting your own twist on what everyone normally does. This might be shooting a macro subject with a wide-angle lens, or converting a colourful subject into a black and white image. The key is to think different - and enter what you have that others don’t.

You will always impress the judges with a notoriously challenging species, or try to increase the impact of

a shot with a secondary subject in the frame (like a shrimp on the head of a moray, or a shark cruising over a wreck). I am a big fan of images that reveal some natural behaviour from the subject, while many photographers like to use innovative or difficult techniques like split levels, long exposures, off-camera strobes or snoots.

Judges like to reward photographers who have made the effort to take their images that bit further, as long as the technique is justified in the picture.

PERFECT PRESENTATION

Judging a large competition always starts with several rounds of culling the entries. And when all the pictures are good, the judges will look for any imperfections to help reduce the numbers. We will look at the eventual winners more than a dozen times through the rounds and we often get to know them better than the photographers that took them. So little will escape our gaze.

Please take your time to process and properly prepare your photos for submission. It is better to submit five finished files, than ten sloppily presented pictures.

Importantly, this does not mean over-processing, the trick is usually to produce a naturalistic look. Over-sharpening, over-saturation and boosting the contrast too much are the most-common mistakes that lead to pictures failing.

Another common mistake is over-cropping. Tightly cropped pictures get instant attention and plenty of ‘likes’ when viewed on a phone, but we judge your images seen large, where a tight crop can limit their appeal.

The largest categories may have close to 1,000 images, so judging will always start by trying to reduce that number over several rounds, before a smaller selection is debated and discussed at length

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NOT ALL SHOTS ARE CONTEST SHOTS

Not all photographs are likely to do well in competitions. In fact, I know that many of my favourite photos are never likely to succeed and I have never entered them. Some photos are ideal for telling a story on the pages of a magazine, others the perfect piece of art to hang on your wall. Nothing wrong with that, but you need to recognise it.

First and foremost, competition photos should wow people. One of the best ways to find your images that have this immediate impact is to tile 20 or so across your computer screen and look away, then look back and see which immediately catch the eye. These are usually photos with rich colour and contrast, and contain strong compositional shapes.

If they get your attention, it is likely that they will do the same with the judges.

Do not take and enter photos that show stressed or moved animals – these shots are against the rules. Common transgressions are benthic species floating in the water column or creatures picked up and plonked on unnatural backgrounds. In UPY, all the judges are experienced underwater photographers and we have a good idea of what is natural. And even if you make it past the judges, you run the risk of being named and shamed by your peers when the results are out and the infamy of being excluded from the results. Furthermore, since we don’t want to promote the harassing of marine life, we are unlikely to award any images that might encourage others to do this when emulating a winning picture. So if your image could create an ethical doubt, it is highly unlikely to be successful.

AVOID EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT AVOID PHOTO COPYING

It is important to look at the winners from previous editions of UPY. This will give you an impression of the standard and the types of images that do well in each of the different categories. We start the judging by reminding ourselves of last year’s winners for the same reason. But it is definitely a mistake to submit a carbon copy of a well-known shot - even if you took your version first! Instead use the previous winners as inspiration, take the ideas on board and make them your own. The same goes for entering duplicates of celebrated shots taken by the judges, these will end up in the ‘seen it before’ pile.

RESPECT MARINE LIFE

The most-popular subjects for underwater photography are living creatures and UPY (and any decent photo competition) wants to promote the right kind of approach with wildlife.

Many photographers have taken photos capable of winning competitions, but not all of them enter the right shots. This is perhaps harder than ever because with digital cameras we can take so many frames it makes choosing what to enter harder than ever. The most-common mistake is to enter images that you are emotionally attached to.

Pictures that were difficult to take or came from an amazing dive are likely to be your favourites, but the judges won’t know how hard you worked for them. Enter your best photos, not the photos from your best dive. Winning shots must stand alone as images, without their backstory. So forget how hard it was to get the shot, or how many years you had to wait to see that species. Instead show your shortlist to friends, family or even colleagues at work. Non-divers can be especially valuable in guiding what you enter. If in doubt, try entering five shots that you love and five that your friends like the most and see which do better.

Anders Nyberg used a long exposure to reveal the movement in this fight between male anthias in Indonesia

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Nicholas Samaras captured the perfect moment as this ray swam over his head in front of the sun, creating a striking portrait in Greece

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Fan Pingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long exposure offers a beautiful and very fresh perspective of a Bahamas shark dive

Enrico Somogyi won the compact camera category with this innovative in-camera double exposure to create a split level macro image in the Philippines

Nick Moreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfectly timed image of a backlight porcelain crab feeding, really stood out in the black and white category where most images are wide angle scenes

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Henley Spiers’ used an advanced technique of combing a snoot lit subject with a long exposure, but importantly created an eye-catching frame of this Philippine cardinalfish with eggs

UNDERSTANDING THE COMPETITION

When trying to decide which images to enter it can help to consider the merits of the different categories and how competitions are judged. UPY usually attracts more than 5,000 entries, but some categories get more entries than others.

Statistically, you are far more likely to win in smaller category.

British waters categories get the fewest entries, with British Waters Compact Cameras getting the least.

The largest categories may have close to 1,000 images, so judging will always start by trying to reduce that number over several rounds, before a smaller selection is debated and discussed at length. Culling is a difficult job, and the easiest reason for judges to reject a photo is a technical flaw. Don’t enter shots that are not sharply in focus, correctly exposed, attractively light and interestingly composed. Get these basics right and you won’t give the judges an excuse to reject your shots before the business end of the competition.

FOLLOW THE RULES

Like any sport or competition, UPY needs rules to make the competition fair. We have tried to keep the rules short and simple, but please read and follow them. Each year we have a few entries that are immediately excluded because they have not followed one the rules. The most-common ones are being taken more than five years ago, or having the photographer’s name on the image. The other common transgressions are macro shots in the wide-angle category, or overseas photos in the UK category. Don’t let it be you!

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Pictures that were difficult to take or came from an amazing dive are likely to be your favourites IN IT TO WIN IT

Every year when the results come out someone will say to me ‘I have a much-better shot of that at home’. Well, the judges can’t give you first prize unless you enter! You aren’t going to win the lottery without a ticket. So make sure you don’t miss the deadline and get your pictures in. Even if you are not successful, we still give you feedback on how each of your images progressed through the rounds.

DON’T TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY

Photography competitions can bring out the best in underwater photographers, but also the worst! You should take your photography seriously and strive for those great shots, but treat competitions as fun. They are. Judging will always be subjective and even if you have amazing photos you won’t win every time. There is always an element of luck in getting the nod from the judges, especially when the margins are so small. You can never predict what other people will enter, and some years we may get a flood of photos of one species that makes it harder for all of them to do well. So if you don’t win, it doesn’t mean your photos are no good. You might well be top dog next time. n

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ATAÚRO ISL AND

T

imor-Leste, or East Timor as it is also known, is one of those hidden gems in the diving world that only a select few have heard of something which is becoming increasingly more difficult to find in this modern era. What’s even more extraordinary is that it is not some distant speck of land somewhere in a remote sea, it is located in Southeast Asia.

The territory of Timor-Leste is comprised of the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an enclave on the northwestern side of the island surrounded by Indonesian West Timor.

What is really starting to put Timor-Leste on the map are the pristine fringing reefs, abyssal drop-offs and clear tropical waters. Lying within the famed Coral Triangle, Timor-Leste boasts amazing marine life – in fact, Atauro has recently been found to have some of the most bio-diverse waters in the world in terms of reef fish.

Researchers discovered a total of 642 species around the island, and saw a maximum of 314 at a single site. Plus, there is always the chance of pelagic sightings.

As if that wasn’t enough to tempt you, Timor-Leste is also regarded as a global hotspot for various species of whales and dolphins, which can be spotted year-round, but especially during the migration season, which runs from October to December.

This month, we focus on Atauro, which is acclaimed for its walls, rich biodiversity, and epic visibility.

TOP DIVE SITES: ATAURO

Haruina Reef - This reef has been described as one of the most-biodiverse reef systems on the planet, and it has to be said that the coral architecture – comprising stunning hard coral tables and terracing staghorn gardens – is simply stunning. As well as the vibrant soft and hard corals and sponges, myriad varieties of reef fish can be seen, along with all manner of macro life, not to mention turtles, banded sea kraits, eagle rays and even, if you are lucky, the elusive dugong.

There is also a deep wall smothered in coral growth, in particular vast table coral formations in the mid-

section along with seafans, sponges and sea whips.

Expect to encounter schools of snapper, sweetlips and jacks, as well as the occasional hammerhead, blacktip, silvertip or grey reef shark, or other pelagic species, such as mola mola.

BIG FISH – This thrilling drift dive is only for experienced divers, but those with the necessary skills and abilities will be blown away by this ripper off the southwest end of Atauro. Thanks to the swift water movement, you have much higher chances of seeing big fish – hence the name! The list is endless – Napoleon wrasse, barracuda, giant trevally and sharks all put in an appearance, while on the surface you can see superpods of pilot whales, Risso’s dolphins and melon-headed whales.

ILIANA – Often touted as one of the prettiest dive sites on the whole of Atauro, Iliana promises a wide variety of coral and fish species. The dramatic wall is home to schooling sweetlips, snapper and unicornfish, while the occasional pelagic can also put in an appearance.

WATWAI REEF – This extensive reef system of hard and soft corals features both a sloping terrace and an impressive drop-off. Along the sheer wall are many overhangs, caverns and swim-throughs, which attract vast numbers of shoaling fish, from red bass, midnight and twin-spot snapper to grouper. In the shallows, endless streams of neon fusiliers are preyed upon by blue-fin trevally, and black-and-redtooth triggerfish fill the water column in constant movement.

AKREMA POINT – Like Big Fish, this dive site is reserved for more-experienced divers, as it is often exposed to strong currents. The reef system comprises of extensive ancient hard coral bommies peppered across a wide field of white sand that leads to an abrupt corner and drop-off. You can see swirling tornadoes of schooling barracuda, roaming groups of large bumphead parrotfish, not to mention hammerhead sharks. Pods of melonheaded whales, spinner and bottlenose dolphins can often be encountered enroute to the dive site. n

UNDERWATER

PHOTOGRAPHY The Lembeh Strait is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most-popular destinations for underwater photography, and there are a multitude of reasons for this PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRANDI MUELLER, JAMES EMERY AND LEMBEH RESORT

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Snapping a shot of a frogfish

Blue-ring octopus

T

he Lembeh Strait is well documented as being the ‘Critter Capital of the World’. Its extraordinary abundance and array of some of the world’s mostunique and unusual marine life is unparalleled, and as a mecca for underwater photographers, its reputation is unrivalled.

Lembeh’s predominantly volcanic, black-sand dive sites are home to mimic, blue ring, coconut and wunderpus octopus; eight frogfish species including the hairy; flamboyant cuttlefish; harlequin and mantis shrimps; three species of pygmy seahorse; rhinopias; scorpionfish; stargazers; the infamous bobbit worm - to name but a few. It’s no wonder that the Lembeh Strait has become a hotspot for some of the world’s most-accomplished underwater photographers, videographers and marine biologists. Diving Lembeh’s famous muck is an experience not to be missed.

If you have not tried muck diving before, you would be easily forgiven for wondering what all of the hype is about - after all, these black sand, barren-looking sites cannot possibly compete with the phenomenal coral reefs of other areas in Indonesia, such as Bunaken, Raja Ampat or Komodo.

Unlike when reef diving, however, muck diving is not about the big picture, it’s about taking a more-focused view and hunting for the critters, which in Lembeh are quite often hidden in plain sight. After just one dive in Lembeh you’ll see how deceiving these black sand sites really are and that where initially appeared devoid of life is actually a treasure trove of critters – and the hunting is highly addictive!

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The lack of corals at Lembeh’s most-iconic black sand sites, such as Air Bajo, Jahir, Air Prang and TK means that Lembeh’s critters are often extremely exposed. Any small coral growth, anemone, piece of driftwood or even man-made debris becomes a hotspot for critters looking for shelter. The number of species in Lembeh that can be found living on, under or in even the smallest piece of marine debris is quite remarkable.

When approached by divers and underwater photographers, the critters in Lembeh seem to be aware that any movement could give their presence away, their best hope to stay undiscovered is to remain perfectly still and to rely entirely on their camouflage. This is a tactic which makes them incredible underwater photography subjects. Many of the critters are bottom dwellers and while they can make a swift exit when needed, they are confident in their abilities to

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Tiny frogfish

remain undetected through camouflage alone, which means getting close up shots, repeat shots and different angles are all possible. Not only that but the sheer abundance of critters means that if you don’t come away with your best shots on one day, you can rest assured that you will be presented with another array of opportunities the next.

Some of the most-stunning, and often award-winning, shots taken in the Lembeh Strait not only feature rare and unusual subjects, but they also capture incredible critter behaviour. This is what really sets Lembeh aside from other muck-diving destinations. Not only will you see a coconut octopus, you’ll see it carrying shells and trapping itself inside; you’ll have front row seats as cuttlefish eggs hatch; you’ll watch mandarinfish mating; frogfish hunting; Rhinopias yawning and then after the sun has set you’ll see a whole new range of critters and behavioural displays – the Lembeh Strait truly never sleeps. Lembeh Resort (www.LembehResort. com) are at the forefront of discovering new ways to observe the action at night. Blackwater and bonfire night dives are a highlight around new moon, and fluoro diving is capturing the attention of many visiting underwater photographers.

Underwater photography is a key aspect for many divers visiting the Lembeh Strait and at Lembeh Resort, underwater photography is in their DNA. Not only do Lembeh Resort boast the first-ever Backscatter Authorised Photo Centre, they also have a full-time on-site Photo Pro (UK-born James Emery), photography and marine biology trained dive guides and their photo centre is now home to even more underwater photography tools and toys than ever before.

Lembeh Resort’s main aim is to ensure that every underwater photographer’s camera equipment is kept up and running so that they are able to shoot every day. The Lembeh Resort Photo Centre Team are Backscatter-trained and are on hand to assist not only with advice and guidance, but also with rentals, repairs and replacements. There have been many underwater photographers walk into Lembeh Resort’s Photo Centre with heads hanging as they hand over their flooded strobe, only to find that the next day it has been cleaned up,

Their marine biology training means that their success at finding the Strait’s most-iconic critters is not down to having good eyes alone

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James and the photo centre team

got back on track and they are shooting with it again. When you’re in a remote area of Indonesia, that’s quite a feat!

Jim Decker, CEO of Backscatter Underwater Photography and Videography, recently visited Lembeh Resort for the official opening of the new Photo Centre building and commented: “The photographic opportunities in the Lembeh Strait are amazing, the abundance and diversity of photographic subjects is unparalleled. If you want to take a picture of a hairy frogfish there are multiple opportunities – you will get the shot. It’s always possible to go back for additional shots, retakes and to try different techniques. It’s a truly unique destination and Lembeh Resort is the perfect location for Backscatter to have an authorised Photo Centre”.

In addition to repairs and rentals, Lembeh’s Photo Centre has a wide range of accessories, lenses and lights for sale – some of which are also included in their rental stock so finally, you can try before you buy!

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Shrimp on a snake eel

For anyone arriving at Lembeh Resort with a new camera rig or new accessories, a trip to the Photo Centre could be what ensures you have a successful week of shooting from the getgo. James Emery, who has years behind him in the underwater videography industry and as a resort Photo Pro, does not only shoot incredible imagery himself. James is a passionate educator who loves to share his wealth of knowledge with guests through tailor-made one-on-one courses.

While James is Lembeh’s full-time pro, Lembeh Resort also host a number of underwater imaging workshops throughout the year, their most famous of which is the Capturing Critters in Lembeh annual workshop, which features three world-class visiting pros. The January 2020 workshop, which will be hosted

by Todd Winner, Joseph Tepper and Saeed Rashid, is set to be one of the most-exciting yet with daily workshops, underwater practical shooting sessions plus one-on-one feedback and critique sessions. Capturing Critters has proved to be such a success over the years that Lembeh Resort are now taking reservations for their 2021 event, which will mark the event’s ninth consecutive year.

Aside from their extensive underwater imaging facilities, Lembeh Resort is certainly not a resort that requires you to sacrifice the comforts of home either. The resort proves that it’s entirely possible to enjoy the wonders of Lembeh’s world-famous muck diving in high-end accommodation, with exclusive service and fine dining. A stay at Lembeh Resort will

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Seahorse shot with a bokeh effect

leave you questioning just how remote you really are with à la carte evening dining and Lembeh Resort signature desserts – a welcome treat after a day underwater. If sweet delights are not to your liking, you can always kick back and relax in the spa and choose from a range of treatments.

If you prefer a more-exclusive stay, a private villa with personal butler service, stunning 180 degree views of the Lembeh Strait and your own private infinity pool is also possible. When Lembeh Resort say they aim to exceed expectations, it’s not a promise they take lightly.

On the diving side, the team of dedicated dive guides have over 70,000 combined dives in the Lembeh Strait alone. Their marine biology training means that their success at finding the Strait’s most-iconic critters is not down to having good eyes alone. They know what each species feeds on and its preferred habitat, which makes their spotting more of a scientific art than a case of being in the right spot at the right time.

Lembeh Resort also recognises that different divers and photographers have different needs and expectations. Their private guides and boat services are ideal for those who want a more-exclusive experience, or who are visiting for a specific purpose, including film crews and professional imagers.

Lembeh Resort certainly leave nothing to be desired. n

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Indonesian

EXPEDITION Komodo to Raja Ampat PART THREE

Adrian Staceyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s epic voyage so far had taken him from the magical waters of Komodo, along the beautiful north coast of Flores to Maumere, onto Alor via an erupting volcano, then across the Banda Sea to the Banda Islands. Along the way there had been encounters with manta rays, hammerhead sharks, fin whales and much, much more PHOTOGRAPHS BY ADRIAN STACEY

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Whale Rock consists of a steep sloping reef with elaborately decorated coral pinnacles at each end. Huge seafans of every description litter the site, apparently home to pygmy seahorses

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W

Massives shoals characterised the trip

e were almost two weeks into our 19day expedition when we arrived at the picturesque Banda Islands for our final restock and land visit day. Once again the fantastic captain and his excellent crew stayed on board to make sure enough food, fuel and water was delivered to last us for the rest of our journey.

While this essential task was carried out the rest of our party went on shore to explore. The Banda Islands are steeped in history. In the 17th century they were fiercely contested between the Dutch and the British. At the time, this small group of islands were the only source of nutmeg in the world, hence the nickname the Spice Islands. They are also the location of perhaps one of the worst property deals in history. The British gave the Dutch the tiny island of Run and, in return, received Manhattan. The Colonial influence is everywhere on the main island of Banda Neira. First we paid a visit to the Dutch fort that overlooks the harbour, then we strolled through the streets of the town to a traditional nutmeg plantation. Finally we retired to a beautiful Colonialstyle hotel on the watersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; edge, past its prime, but certainly not lacking in character. Even more importantly it was not lacking in the local brew, Bintang. The rest of the afternoon was spent in this magnificent setting drinking beer, admiring the view and watching the world go by.

Idyllic landbased stop off

Water erosion has created two large apertures in the reef wall just below the surface and these huge holes are framed by sea fans and soft corals 58

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After spending a culturally enriching day on land it was time to discover what the Banda Islands had to offer beneath the surface. The most-memorable dive was at the spectacular Batu Kapal (Ship Rock). The entire site was shrouded in juvenile redtooth triggerfish. Steep walls sprouted a profusion of huge sea fans; orange soft corals clung to the reef, creating a vivid palate for the triggerfish to dance rhythmically above. They in turn were joined by fusilier trying to escape the unwanted attentions of rainbow runners and blue-finned trevallies.

The diving in the area is rich and varied. Pulau Ai is a great wall dive that produced yet more schools of redtooth triggerfish. Hard coral gardens inhabited the shallows and barracuda and sharks roamed in the blue. Lava flow consists of endless terraces of mostly acropora and plate coral. This vast, hard coral expanse has formed on top of the lava that flowed in to the sea from the volcanic island of Gunung Api in 1988; the rate of its growth is staggering. For macro enthusiasts, Banda harbour is muck at its best, black sand, no coral and litter everywhere, but in among the rubbish are critters galore, pipefish, bobtail squid, nudibranchs and even the elusive mandarinfish.

The Banda Islands had been terrific both above and below the water but we still had hundreds of miles to cover before reaching our final port of call. With only three days of diving left it was time to move on. Our first dive of the day was at Pulau Koon followed by a dive at Pulau Madorang. These two sites were very similar, typified by sheer walls and immense table corals on the flinging reefs. Both of the dives were very

Pristine coral reefs

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The underwater topography is spectacular

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Gorgonian seafan

good and at Madorang we encountered eight or nine blacktip reef sharks racing up and down the reef, several metres below us. With another long overnight crossing ahead of us, we had to press on, no time for beach visits or dawdling of any sort.

Everyone was eager to get moving and make the most out of our two remaining days of diving in the holy grail of dive destinations, Raja Ampat.

We would only have time to scratch the surface of this massive marine park. The island of Misool Colourful is the southernmost island of Raja tunicates adorn the reef Ampat and the area boasts some of the most-spectacular coral reefs anywhere in the world. It is not just the amount of coral that can be found clinging to almost every available surface, but it is also the sheer variety of species. Boo Rocks is one of the most-famous dives and a favourite of photographers.

Water erosion has created two large apertures in the reef wall just below

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the surface and these huge holes are framed by sea fans and soft corals. The rest of the dive site is equally spectacular. A ridge covered in every imaginable colour and type of soft coral drops into the depths, its summit a swirling mass of marine life, which includes numerous types of snapper, fusilier, trevallies, rainbow runners and more.

A stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throw away is Nudi Rock, and Tank Rock. These two dive sites are actually connected by a submerged ridge and can actually be done in one dive, but this would do them a disservice. Both have their own unique topography and both display a staggering diversity of both soft and hard corals in a dazzling array of colours. Grey reef sharks, huge grouper and the usual parade of reef fish make for unforgettable dives.

Whale Rock consists of a steep sloping reef with elaborately decorated coral pinnacles at each end. Huge seafans of every description litter the site, apparently home to pygmy seahorses. The sheer size of the fans made finding these tiny creatures like looking for a needle in a haystack, refusing to admit that I need glasses also did not help.

The next day we were hoping to dive at another one of the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature dive sites, Four Kings, a reputedly stunning submerged reef. Unfortunately choppy seas meant getting on and off the boat would have been dangerous. Instead we dived at the more-sheltered Pulau Nubul, and any lingering disappointment soon evaporated; the site hosted the largest

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Watching them constantly morph into different shapes was almost hypnotising. It just goes to show that it is nearly impossible to find a bad dive site in Misool

Huge fish shoals characterise the reefs

Jellyfish swarm in the shallows

Restocking the boat

school of silversides I have ever seen.

Watching them constantly morph into different shapes was almost hypnotising. It just goes to show that it is nearly impossible to find a bad dive site in Misool.

Our final dive was at the fabulous Goa Farondi. This site has an ever-changing topography with coral-covered boulders, overhangs, caves and sheer walls. It was also home to literally hundreds of blue dragon nudibranch. With the diving finished we spent our final few hours in the magical Misool region, exploring a stunning hidden lagoon full of jellyfish.

After 19 days, 1,250 miles and 43 dives, we arrived at our final destination, the port town of Sorong on the northwest tip of Papua. It had been an amazing and unforgettable voyage. I had also been lucky enough to be on the boat earlier in the year when she had made the crossing from Raja Ampat to Komodo in April, but for most people it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This journey is not for everyone though. Spending almost three weeks on a 27-metre sail boat with 12 guests, five dive guides and eight boat crew can become a little claustrophobic. Bad weather meant dives had to be dropped sometimes; on some days only one dive was possible. Visibility was sometimes very low and on the reverse journey, in April, there were no hammerheads. Going into this experience with an open mind and an ability to go with the flow is essential. A willingness to join in is also helpful.

With no TV or internet access, we had to amuse ourselves in the evenings or during long crossings. This would involve quiz nights, card games and on one occasion after dinner, the trip leader, Steve, organised a talent show. Guides and guests alike had been roped into thinking up an act and after being given a few days to practice, had to perform in front of everyone. At first most people were reluctant, but on the night everyone got into the spirit and it turned out to be a hilarious evening. Fortunately I was a judge and did not have to embarrass myself.

This voyage is not just about the diving, but about the whole journey. Visiting deserted beaches, experiencing local cultures, or just watching the scenery drift by. It is important to embrace this trip for what it is. It is not a dive holiday it is an expedition, full of adventures that few people will ever have the privilege to experience. n

The reef is healthy and vibrant

Soft corals smother the reef

Topside is just as stunning

It is not a dive holiday it is an expedition, full of adventures that few people will ever have the privilege to experience

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UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY

SHOOTING SHOALS

Following his last article on fish portraits, Martyn Guess provides some tips on how to get the best pictures of fish shoals PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARTYN GUESS

M

y fellow Dive Pro at Scubatravel, Mario Vitalini, wrote recently about photographing fish aggregations and getting yourself in the best position to take great images. In this article I want to expand the discussion and look at different approaches and the photographic techniques to get the perfect shot.

Shoals of fish are amazing to behold underwater and go to the heart of the underwater world and can therefore make stunning images. Pictures of shoals are always popular with non-divers and can be very successful in competitions if taken carefully and imaginatively.

It is therefore important to get the basics right. The first thing to get into your head is, it is far better to get back from the subject rather than the established underwater photography adage to get close. Shoals can be huge and therefore if you want to photograph the whole thing, you simply have to get back. Successful shoal images tend to be those that show the whole shoal with the fish in a tight and orderly shape. You are more likely to achieve this if you are back from the fish and not frightening them into moving or changing direction.

If you are taking images of the whole shoal, then in all probability this will be an ambient light shot with no strobes and with a fish-eye lens. The reason being simply that the distance that the strobe light will have to travel, assuming you are well away, is far beyond your strobe’s lighting distance.

A fish-eye lens will give you the most coverage. Sometimes it can therefore be quite liberating to take your strobes off.

You will be able to move around much more freely and fire off rapidly without having to wait for your strobes to recycle.

When I know that there is a large shoal on the next dive (maybe a repeat dive), I will remove my strobes. One of the first things I do underwater is check where the sun is. Ideally you want this on your back and to shoot with the light. Time of day and the relative position of the sun is therefore very important for shoal photography.

At roughly the depth I intend to shoot the shoal from, I will what I call ‘shoot the blue’. I will shoot into the background water column and alter the camera speed and ISO to get the

Best of Manado

In dark or overcast conditions experiment with slow motion shots

blue I want. As long as you stay at roughly the same depth and shoot in the same direction, then the background blue in your images will be what you wanted. Too fast a speed, then the water column becomes dark blue or black. Too slow a speed then the surface can easily become white and uninteresting, or even burn the highlights out.

Shoal photography where the subject is relatively shallow and where you are shooting with ambient light only, is an ideal time to use filters, such as the Magic Filter invented by Alex Mustard. These filters will give you a very natural colour of the background water and the fish and in post-processing no colour casts on the shoal.

If the shoal is not too big, or maybe if it is really tightly packed, then it can be possible to get slightly closer and with a more open aperture and strobes on a relatively high power, throw the light out further, so to be of use lighting some of the fish. Beware though, fish are very reflective and if you get

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Martyn Guess & Manado workshop will enable you to go hone and advance your key photographic skills at Murex Bangka and Lembeh resort. The workshop will spend 5 nights at Murex Bangka followed by 6 nights at Lembeh resort, both on a full board basis (2 people sharing).

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BIOGRAPHY: MARTYN GUESS

Ambient light is liberating as you can take the strobes off

Martyn has been diving for over 30 years and taking underwater images for over 25 years. He has been very successful in national and international competitions and regularly makes presentations to camera and photography clubs and diving shows as well as the British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSOUP)and other underwater photography groups. Today he shares his passion and knowledge - as well as teaching underwater photography courses, he leads overseas workshop trips for Scubatravel.

With the sun directly overhead shoot straight or slightly down

You can get close and shoot the entire shoal where it is compact and tightly packed but beware of strobe power/burning highlights

too close you will easily burn the highlights out. Also, if you get too close with a fish-eye lens the shape of the shoal and some of the leading fish can get distorted.

The middle of the day and the sun directly overhead will give you problems with the surface burning out too easily.

This is because often a large shoal will cover quite a bit of depth, from close to the surface and down into the depths and ideally, we want to shoot slightly upwards, to include some of the under-surface texture created by waves and ripples and give a point of reference in the image. With the sun directly overhead, it is impossible not to overexpose the top part of the picture in this scenario, so it is best to shoot straight and not up to the surface.

In a previous article I wrote about the use of Histograms and they are essential to review in these types of images, where the contrast between the surface and deeper down is considerable. They will tell you graphically if you have overcompensated the exposure for the surface, making the rest of the image too dark. In the speed of the action, it is easy to keep shooting, resulting often in disappointment when back on the boat!

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Relaxed Red Sea

Holiday highlights... Join Martyn Guess for a week focused on getting more out of your camera!

Departing from Hurghada, you will spend 7 nights on board on a full board basis (twin share cabin).

Based in Northern Red Sea with up to 21 dives over the week but the itinerary will vary, depending on the photo opportunities. All marine park fees, 12lt tank and weights are included in your package.

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UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY Divers add perspective and processing in Black and White can be very effective

Where the shoal breaks up or is messy, go in tight for a frame filling image

If the sun is high and you have no choice but to dive at that time, then you can consider shooting the shoals with sunball type settings and your strobes on high power (Small apertures and higher speed), but you do have to be very critical of the camera-to-subject distance, as the light will fall off extremely quickly. If you process an image that has issues with the surface being too bright then more often than not a black and white image will work better than colour. In high sun situations, I prefer to go close and just fill the frame with a section of the shoal - at least you avoid the issue with the surface burning out. Sometimes the shoals will not pack together tightly and just look messy. There is little you can do, if anything frankly, so it is best to go in tighter for frame filling images.

Shoal images often look better with a diver in them. A diver will give some perspective to the scene and an impression of how big the shoal actually is. It is unusual to dive on the sites where large fish shoals are common, with nobody else

MY ESCORTED TRIPS

Want to learn how to take or improve your underwater images? Why not come on a photo-specific trip? These trips are meticulously planned to the best destinations at the best time of year where the conditions should be perfect for building a portfolio of great images. The workshops, which are for all levels of experience but mainly aimed at people with a few trips under their belts, include classroom sessions and presentations as well as in-water help and guidance, all done in a relaxed and non-competitive friendly environment.

As I sit here writing this article I am about to depart to Bali with a group. There is a Northern Red Sea trip in November and again in July 2020 with open deck policy, so great for photographers. There are also trips to Lembeh/Bangka and Dumaguete Philippines in 2020.

Please contact the Scubatravel team or check out their website for details. www.scubatravel.com around you. Hang back and wait and I guarantee a diver will come into the frame. If I am diving with a group, we often will organise a model, normally the guide, who is otherwise bored out of his brains, waiting for everyone to finish their seemingly endless snapping!

In darker overcast conditions or maybe on a dive later in the day, try shooting at very low speeds and panning your camera for some slow-motion blur. My go-to settings will be a speed of around 1/8th sec to 1/10th sec, and then smaller aperture and perhaps if needed a lower ISO to ensure a good exposure. If the shoal is moving along but not too quickly, then with the camera held still use rear curtain sync (normally found in the flash settings of the camera). The strobe light will flash at the end of the shot freezing the moving fish but will have a streak of blur behind their bodies, giving the impression of movement. If the subject is moving faster, then you will want to use an accelerated panning of the camera from head to tail. In this situation change the flash mode to front curtain sync, where the strobe will flash at the beginning of the exposure and the panning affect will produce a streak of blur behind the subject.

I mentioned it earlier, but shoal images can look stunning in black and white. I use a bespoke software Silver EFeX Pro2, as I like the contrast of black and white tones that can be created. There are several other software packages on the market, which are all well worth considering. It can otherwise be difficult to get really strong contrast images, in Lightroom for example. n

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In the first of a two-parter, Martyn and Paul discuss working with models, and explain how to make maximum impact from having a diver in your photographs. Next month, Mario, Phil and Anne take centre stage.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARTYN GUESS AND PAUL DUXFIELD

There are certain underwater images which need a model – a diver in the MARTYN frame, in order to give the image more GUESS impact. A model can add perspective and help with scale, as the human form is instantly recognisable and it is therefore easier to judge how big something is - for example, a wreck or a section of a wreck, with a diver in the picture. A diver in the shot helps to tell a story and can make for a much-more-interesting image. A diver in a cave, for example, will help with a sense of exploration. A diver can add human interest and the viewer will often relate to the scene – on the basis that they have been there or somewhere similar. A diver looking at a specific subject can add a lot to the image as it will lead the viewer’s eyes into the subject and, if well placed in the image, can assist with the overall composition.

I use models in this way a lot. To get the best out of your model though, they need to understand what you are after and also how they will look in the image.

Firstly, you need to rehearse with your model how you are going to communicate underwater and create signals that you both understand. Making a circular motion with your hand or finger indicates that you would like her/him to go around again and repeat the swim-through, for example. My wife has her own hand/finger signals in response, when I ask her to go back and repeat too many times, particularly in a current!

Using your forearm and fist to indicate how you want the model’s body position to be angled – the fist representing the head, works well. Tapping your mask lens with two fingers and

then pointing in the direction you want them to look helps the model to understand where they should be looking. You don’t just want the model staring straight back at you, as this will not look very natural. I hold my hand up with palm towards the model and push back, if I want them further away, or I draw them in by beckoning them with my hand. Pushing my fingers away from my regulator and rubbing by thumb and fingers indicates that I would like my model to breath out and expel bubbles, which looks good when the diver is in the distance.

You, the photographer, have to decide, how you want the model to appear in the image and then organise yourself in terms of your position, and then also the model’s position, to suit what you are after. The model is not going to second

Master Macro 9th May 2020 £2895 excluding flights ESCORTED BY MARTYN GUESS

Holiday highlights... 10 nights in resort, full board divers plan & 24 boat dives – FREE Nitrox Join pro photographer Martyn Guess in the critter mecca Dumaguete. With 24 boat dives plus free nitrox (3 dives/day plus 1 day Apo reef) and Martyn’s workshop throughout, this workshop packs a real punch.

Additional travel options available, ask for details.

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guess what you are after. Something that I do quite a bit is to take a picture of the scene and then show the model the LCD and point to where I want them to be within the frame. If during shooting it isn’t working, show them the picture and again point to where you want them. It makes things so much easier for the model to understand. If you are after a specific shot, discuss it before you get into the water and there will be a far better understanding when you start taking your images.

Something which also works well is the fact that the model can often see their reflection in the dome port, bearing in mind with wide-angle photography you are actually very close to the subject. They can then place themselves in better positions, rather like looking in a mirror.

The model has to have good buoyancy and look natural in his or her pose, with hands clasped together and legs together. You won’t believe how awful diver images look if the legs are wide open – again, it doesn’t look natural.

Inexperienced models don’t feel comfortable posing and tend to just hang in the water staring at the camera, so it is worth talking through things on dry land and explaining that swimming through a scene naturally and looking ahead will work far better than just hanging in the water. By the nature of swimming through the scene, their body position will be much better and hopefully horizontal. With inexperienced models I tend to have them further into the distance rather than close up where the body position and eye direction is more critical.

It is important that the model makes sure that their equipment is properly attached, such as air gauges and octopus, as otherwise they can be very distracting in an image. Think about what the diver looks like for the image you have in mind. Long hair looks better with a hair band rather than floating around. You can if you intend to take model images seriously go as far as brightly coloured masks, hair bands, wet suits and fins, all of which help to make a model stand out. Try using a model in your shots, but remember communication is the name of the game!

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Relaxed Red Sea

Holiday highlights... 7 nights onboard Whirlwind, tanks, weights and open dive deck at least once a day!

Photographers can go at their own pace on a photography itinerary that is as relaxing as it is productive.

Welcome to the world of the Red Sea Relaxed Photo Finish. Dive a host of incredible Red Sea dive sites with an open deck policy, chosen by our photo pro based on their reliability as top notch photo-worthy dive sites.

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Our underwater photography professionals have, between them, literally thousands of hours of dive time and countless hours spent travelling the world shooting underwater images and teaching workshops. If you have a question you’d like them to address, email: mark@scubadivermag.com

I personally find having a diver, snorkeller, or often swimmer in my PAUL wide-angle underwater shots a vital DUXFIELD component of a good communicative composition.

Okay, let’s explore a little of what I mean of a ‘communicative composition’. Simply put it’s a shot that conveys a mood or impression, that can be seductive to the viewer by trying to imply that they could be the one in shot in this beautiful location. It sells the idea of scuba diving being an aspirational endeavour and I like to try and make this look like it’s more of an inclusive recreation than something that’s only available to the privileged few.

It’s a tricky balancing act as while you want to make it look like a lovely warm comfortable experience that is safe and relatively straightforward, you also want to have a thread of excitement running through the shot that is anything but the norm of sitting on a sofa and living life vicariously.

You want to make people want to be there, and so what better way than to use a fellow diver in your pictures, either with or without their active participation.

Most of the time, I am escorting a photo-style trip so I don’t like asking too much of my fellow divers, so I practice inadvertent modelling. I’m familiar, particularly at most of the Red Sea sites I visit, of the lay of the land, so I will have a shot in mind where the composition will be made by the inclusion of a diver, usually silhouetted in the blue section of

the frame, and fairly small in shot. So I will frame up sans diver and simply wait for an opportune moment for a diver to swim into shot, and fire away. Usually a couple of shots are needed to ensure that they’re looking good, isolated from the background and not breaking the edge of the shot. Great if it’s one of your group, but to be honest for these type of shots, the diver is usually unrecognisable and it really doesn’t matter who it is.

If you’re diving with a regular buddy, maybe communicate your intentions pre-dive, and visualise a shot you may like to achieve and come up with a set of signals that work for you both, communicating things like, up a bit, down a bit, etc, or if you’d like them to switch on a torch, or tuck their arms in, or keep their legs straight. Of course, it’s only courteous to return the favour if you’re both taking pictures.

Corals and Caves on

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Holiday highlights... Mario Vitalini will teach you to work with natural light and wide angle photography, as well as the secrets of amazing fish portraits and using strobes. He will help you build a stunning selection of classic Red Sea images, from the decks of the stable steel hulled Hurricane. There are 18-21 dives over the workshop, as well as all park fees included, 12lt tank/weights and FREE Nitrox.

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A whole other type of diver shot is where the diver is the main component of the picture and not just there to lend scale. So I’d suggest that you try and get some sort of eye contact as it will engage the viewer more.

If the background is uninspiring or I only want to concentrate the viewer’s attention on the subject, I will often delve into the bag of tricks and use a spin, pan or twirl shot to emphasise what I’m wanting to get across.

Because of the nature of my trips I am often photographing other divers with a view to using them to show a specific

photo technique or positioning in the water. Rest assured, though, if you find me blowing bubbles and snapping away within close proximity of your good self, it’s because I am thinking you’re looking good, well-trimmed and exercising conscientious buoyancy control.

At the end of the day, including divers in your shots makes a human connection with the viewer, and is a great way to convince our non-diving brethren that it’s a great accessible hobby we all indulge in. n

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Photo Finish

Malapascua

Holiday highlights... Join photo pro Mario Vitalini on this Philippines workshop to hone your images of the biggest sharks to the smallest critters. The workshop includes 20 nitrox boat dives plus daily presentations covering all aspects of underwater photography. Your holiday package includes 7 nights in a deluxe room on an full board basis – optional room grades available. Airport transfers are included.

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DIVERS ALERT NETWORK: EUROPE DAN Europe is an international non-profit medical and research organisation dedicated to the safety and health of divers.

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PFO AND DIVING Petar Denoble looks at PFOs, or Patent Foramen Ovale, and how they can affect divers

I

n June 2015, in Montreal, Canada, the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and DAN welcomed the most-knowledgeable professionals to the Patent Foramen Ovale and Fitness to Dive Consensus Workshop.

The topics discussed were how to diagnose a PFO, how to lower the risks involved, and of course how PFO relates to divers. To read more about it, you can download the proceedings from the Patent Foramen Ovale and Fitness to Dive Consensus.

A PFO can occur only after birth, if the Foramen Ovale fails to close properly. This happens in about a quarter of the population, even if most people never realize it. The Foramen

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Ovale is a hole in the wall between the right and left atria of the heart. The size of the hole and the amount of blood that flows varies. In some people the blood flow never stops, while in others it only flows following strenuous activity, such as lifting weights; but it could also happen after equalising using the Valsalva manoeuvre, after coughing, or defecating.

The most dangerous type of PFO for divers is a PFO with RLS, which is a spontaneous right-to-left shunt. This could result in a paradoxical embolism, that occurs when a clot (thrombus) passes from a systemic vein to a systemic artery and causes a stroke. After a dive, venous gas emboli (VGE) are present in the blood, so the risk is greater. The symptoms of a paradoxical embolism caused by VGE are usually

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The most dangerous type of PFO for divers is a PFO with RLS, which is a spontaneous right-to-left shunt

the ones associated with both neurological or cutaneous decompression sickness (DCS).

The risk of DCS for recreational divers with a PFO is quite low, but one of the questions the workshop tried to answer is how to identify the ones who are at risk and what to do about it. The guidelines state that divers who have had more than one episode of DCS with cerebral, spinal, vestibulocochlear or cutaneous manifestations should be tested for a PFO by experts in the field.

Divers at risk of DCS with a PFO have three options to reduce such risk. The first is to stop diving, the second is to dive conservatively and avoid straining themselves after the dive, and the third is to close the PFO, even if this does not guarantee that a DCS will never occur again. Here you find some useful tips on how to dive conservatively.

After a PFO closure, the minimum time that a diver needs to stop diving is at least three months. The tests should confirm that the hole has completely closed, and also the patient must have stopped taking anti-platelet medications.

It is important to keep in mind that DCS is caused primarily by a significant dive exposure (depth, time, and ascent rate).

Anyone engaging in extreme diving is at risk of getting DCS, even if they do not have a PFO. n References: © Alert Diver — Q4 Fall 2016

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Before leaving for your next dive adventure, make sure your DAN membership is still active. If it isn’t, join DAN, or renew your membership at: www.daneurope.org

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BEYOND TECHNICAL

www.narkedat90.com

What happens when talented cave divers Maria Bollerup and Rannva Torfrid Joermundsson join forces with some of the leading and most-innovative brands in the industry?

An impressive, thought-provoking short film called Unexplored, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what.

We go behind the scenes.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACOB DALHOFF STEENSEN AND NATALIE L GIBB

The main goal of the collaboration is to highlight the sport of diving as an inspiring and meaningful sport - we need to inspire more people to engage in diving, to become ocean ambassadors and thus help protect and promote the ocean

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We design, manufacture and retail scuba and rebreather equipment. We have fully equipped test and certification labs, and can pressure test large items in our vacuum chambers, as well as run fully automated leak test and dive simulations down to 400m. Our EMC and EMF lab is filled with state-ofthe-art equipment for testing electromagnetic compatibility and electromagnetic fields. We also have a large in-house laser for cutting and engraving on plastics and metals. www.narkedat90.com

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ive of the scuba-diving world’s leading brands - Apeks, Fourth Element, IQSub, Paralenz, and Shearwater Research - have launched a collaboration to promote exploration, ocean awareness, and inclusivity within the sport of diving. The first outcome of this partnership is a short film called Unexplored (search for it on YouTube), which shatters the misconception that cave diving, often referred to as the most-dangerous sport in the world, is reserved for men.

Unexplored follows two technical divers - Maria Bollerup and Rannva Torfrid Joermundsson – as they explore the Tortuga Cave in Tulum, Mexico. Scuba Diver talked to Maria and Rannva, as well as Jacob Dalhoff Steensen, Partnership Manager at Paralenz and the key initiator for this partnership, to gain an insight into the project.

Q: How did the idea for Unexplored first come to fruition?

A (Maria): Ha ha, I’m not sure if we all remember it the same way? Jacob, Rannva and I were hanging out at Eurotek in Birmingham, where we got talking about the cave-diving trip Rannva and I were doing a few months later. Jacob got superexcited about the thought of following our adventures. He has a grand vision about empowering women within the dive industry, by following them through the Paralenz cameras.

Naturally, we got equally as excited. Telling our story and hopefully inspiring some ladies along the way – sure!

A: (Rannva): Maria and I and a few of our other cave-diving friends from Denmark try to make at least one cave-diving trip per year. It’s a trip we are always excited for, and at Eurotek 2018, Maria and I were telling Jacob about our upcoming trip. Jacob, who always has an eye for exciting projects, immediately thought it would be a great story to tell, plus he is always looking for ways to get the industry working closer together, as well as promoting inclusivity. Suffice to say, as both myself and Maria are working in the industry, we thought this was a great idea and would love to be part of it.

A: (Jacob): The idea came out of a passionate chat about a cave-diving trip to Mexico. Maria and Rannva told me about their planned trip, and as I and Paralenz have a genuine urge to create and tell inspiring and engaging stories, I felt like this would be the perfect project.

Q: What was the main aim of the short film, and do you think the finished production fulfilled your ambitions?

A: (Maria): With the short film, Paralenz and the co-lab brands aimed to show a more soft and accessible side of the technical world of diving. By combining a beautiful cave dive, executed on some of the absolute best and most-technical dive equipment on the market, Rannva and I were aiming to kill the myth that technical diving is a man’s world. I think we did just that.

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view all products online

www.narkedat90.com A: (Rannva): The main ambition was really to try and show cave diving from a different perspective, and ultimately urge more people to venture into cave diving, especially ladies. We also just wanted to show a bit of what cave diving can be, and what thoughts go through our minds when we go diving.

I am very happy and proud of the finished project, and I think we managed to achieve our goals.

A: (Jacob): The main goal of the collaboration is to highlight the sport of diving as an inspiring and meaningful sport - we need to inspire more people to engage in diving, to become ocean ambassadors and thus help protect and promote the ocean. In this context, telling a story about two girls going cave diving in Tulum just hit the spot on this agenda, and seemed like a great way to portray technical cave diving as an approachable sport of beauty, exploration and pushing your limits.

Q: The film is shot in the world-renowned cave systems of Mexico. What made you choose this location for the shoot?

A: (Maria): For my part, I tend to return to Mexico again and again for the sheer beauty of the caves. The cave itself (Tortuga) was chosen by the woman behind the camera.

The highly skilled videographer, cave diver, instructor and overall superwoman Natalie L Gibb from ‘Under the Jungle’.

She lives in the area and has an extensive knowledge of all the caves. And the cave was perfect for the job! The clean white saltwater tunnels had such a cool contrast to the brown and decorated freshwater tunnels.

A: (Rannva): Obviously, we love going to Mexico cave diving, as there are so many different and exciting caves to dive over there. Natalie (our videographer and director) chose Tortuga Cave because of its variations and beautiful decorations. It’s also a lesser-known cave, which meant that we were there alone and had no one disturbing us. For safety reasons, the cave had been explored before, and Natalie and her team knew the cave well, but it was new to Maria and I. A: (Jacob): The choice of location was a result of the planned trip. But obviously, the location added to the interest in making this into a minidoc.

Q: What were some of the more-challenging aspects of the film shoot?

A: (Maria): To be honest, I think Rannva and I had the easiest job! Natalie was working like a horse! She was managing the whole thing with such precision and authority, that I (for my part) felt hugely inspired by watching her work. I love every minute of diving in caves, especially on a rebreather… so three dives a day, on topnotch gear, watching Natalie light up the cave, was just a wonderful new way of hanging out underground! I wish I could bring her on all my

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future cave dives, like a little light Dobby. You know, send her ahead to open up the cave with artistic placement of lights.

A: (Rannva): You do spend many hours in the water and you really want to do a good job and not waste anyone’s time – I think one of the more-challenging aspects was ‘acting’ underwater and also trying to provide what Natalie wanted.

She, however, was brilliant, and had already laminated the shots she wanted to do, so she had a clear way of communicating with us.

A: (Jacob): As I was not involved in the shooting underwater, I will leave this to the girls to answer.

Q: You are all individually highly qualified and experienced divers. How did each of you get started in diving, and what was it that attracted you to the moretechnical side of the sport?

A: (Maria): I started diving when I was 16 years old, I wanted to be a marine biologist! I had been begging my parents for years. Once I got certified, I sold my pony and bought dive gear in order to dive myself into weekly hypothermia in the Danish waters… The parents were puzzled, but supportive (thanks!). When I turned 18, Rannva and Maria

Rannva and Maria relaxing topside

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Complex made easy.

Introducing the New i770R Color Dive Computer

technology allows wireless data transfer and settings management with the free DiverLog+ app.

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Monitor all your information with the easy-to-use interface and intuitive 3-button navigation

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COMPUTERS • O2 CELLS • GAS ANALYSERS CABLES & CONNECTORS • REBREATHER PARTS PATHFINDER STROBES • SENSORS TOOLS • SOLENOIDS I travelled to Jordan to become a Divemaster and at 20, I become an instructor in Malaysia. After a few years in Asia as an instructor in isolated places with great diving, I found myself a cocky immortal - until the day I found myself heavily bent by diving way too deep on air. It was bad. Afterwards, I got symptoms of DCS after the simplest dives, and I either had to quit diving for good, or radically change my approach.

As for so many others, diving is my free-space, and I therefore got obsessed by the world of technical diving, searching for the safest way of executing the dives that attracted me.

Rebreathers caught my heart straight away. Optimised gasses, larger depths for longer, the beauty of controlling the gear according to environment along with obtaining that sensation of absolute neutral buoyancy a rebreather gives you… it ALL got me hooked. But in the most-humble way, I must add, no more ‘cowboy-diving’ for me.

A: (Rannva): I started diving in Australia in 2008 – I had seen Finding Nemo and since I was close enough to the Great Barrier Reef, I thought I had to give it a shot – even though I was quite scared of sharks and other things in the water. That all vanished as soon as I got my mask on and was able to see underwater.

Technical diving came years later from Maria and my friends in Denmark, who always were super inclusive and encouraging – I also just love the challenges of the courses and then the actual dives afterwards, as well as the planning and the trust you put in your buddies and your team.

A: (Jacob): My personal career in diving started in Egypt. I did my Open Water course on a week’s holiday back in 2011, and I never went back. I starting my courses to become a diving instructor and worked as one in countries like Egypt, the Maldives and Thailand until I joined Paralenz in 2017. What draws me to technical diving is the science and theoretical aspect of it, as much as it is the exploration and pushing your limits. As Rannva so eloquently puts it, ‘You will never explore beauty unless you start facing your fears’.

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Q: What does the future hold for the three of you, both in further collaborations and in individual endeavours?

A: (Maria): Ha ha, we are frequently poking Jacob for other projects, it was such fun! Paralenz has the power to reach out to so many people, and it would be an honour to work with them on other great subjects. Preferably with favourite buddy Rannva. On a personal account, my adventures continue with the daily work as a destination manager for a dive travel agency - a work that allows me to travel and dive as much as I want. It’s amazing! My next big technical trip will be in February, where I am heading to Sulawesi for cave diving. The caves are largely unexplored, and I am so exited to be part of the exploration! I can’t wait!

A: (Rannva): I am always up for new adventures – especially with my favourite buddy and whatever amazing ideas Jacob might come up with. Personally, I will be doing a short cave-diving trip to Florida after the DEMA show, and then in January, I will be fulfilling a life-long dream, of going diving in Antarctica. My ultimate hope will be to go diving with a leopard seal.

A: (Jacob): I am not able to disclose too much of what is to come, other than it will be in the spirit of our collaboration, to inspire people to involve themselves with the underwater world and to create meaningfulness in diving. For as long as I am able, I will keep working to raise awareness of our beloved ocean - and try to inspire others to do the same! n

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DISCOVER

Magmadive Expeditions, Iceland magmadiveinfo@gmail.com www.magmadive.is

Untitled-1 1

ICELAND Multi day dive expeditions all over Iceland including Silfra fissure

05/10/2019 19:51

What’s New

FOURTH ELEMENT HERITAGE COLLECTION (SRP: £29.95-£59.95)

As Fourth Element celebrates 20 years in existence, the brand looks back to its roots and re-imagines some of its iconic earlier designs for this nifty Heritage Collection.

The Origin hoodie (£59.95) is made from recycled polyester/ organic cotton and printed with a simple design using waterbased inks.

The Heritage T-shirt has a classic, collegiate-style print and bold placement, reminiscent of Fourth Element’s earlier brand designs, but with a more-contemporary twist.

The Manta Attack T-shirt was Fourth Element’s best-seller for 82

many years, and imagines mantas as aeroplanes on approach.

The redesign gives the creatures a sun-ray burst from which to appear.

The Pressure Seeker T-shirt originally featured a diver silhouette, diving headfirst into the depths, but as now the classic diver profile is ‘in trim’, the redesign has a horizontal diver exploring the depths.

All the T-shirts (£29.95) are made from 100 percent organic cotton, and printed with water-based inks. www.fourthelement.com WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

MARES XR3 (SRP: £797) The Mares XR3 drysuit is a neoprene drysuit which is made to be both tough and flexible. The highdensity neoprene is pre-compressed, so it isn’t too affected by depth, and it is abrasion-resistent and hyper-flexible.

It has pre-mounted, comfortable elastic braces, a 4mm neoprene neck and latex wrist seals, 4mm embedded boots with a rigid sole (socks are an option), a widezippered neoprene pocket on the right leg, and graphite (Kevlartype) protection on the knees, shoulders and posterior.

It has a TM backmounted dry zip, and XR inlet and outlet valves. www.mares.com

BEST DIVERS TOOL KIT (SRP: £75)

All divers need a wellequipped travel tool kit for dealing with those lastminute emergency fixes when you are out and about.

The Best Divers Repair Kit includes an O-ring kit, silicone grease, and two microtools. www.bestdivers.co.uk WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

BEST DIVERS EXTENSION CLIPS (SRP: £15-£20)

Best Divers have added another colour to their extension clip line-up – fuscia, which is a vibrant pink. It joins the green, orange, yellow and black clips already available in three different styles – standard carabiner, strong carabiner, and Vela carabiner. Handy for securing cameras, torches and other accessories. www.bestdivers.co.uk

BARE EXOWEAR (SRP: £31.95-£239) Bare make wellregarded wetsuits, drysuits and thermal undergarments, and now the latter has been bolstered by the launch of the ExoWear range, which is available in male and female cuts.

The ExoWear utilises Omnired infrared technology in the fabric, which converts your outbound body heat into infrared energy, and reflects it back to your body for thermal warmth. The three-layer material is also water-repellent, windproof, breathable, quick-drying, wicking, and anti-microbial. And the four-way stretch provides maximum elasticity and breathability.

There is a wide selection of Exowear products, which can be used on their own or in conjunction with other items. These range from a one-piece suit (£239) to a top and pants (each £114.95), a zippered jacket (£134.95), vest (£89.95), shorts (£79.95), and hood, gloves and socks (each £31.95). www.baresports.com 83

Gear Guide

THIS ISSUE: WRISTWATCH DIVE COMPUTERS

Each month, the SCUBA DIVER test team assembles to rate and review a selection of dive equipment from a range of manufacturers. Products are split into price categories and are then evaluated for performance, comfort, ease of use, build quality, looks and value for money. The Test Team comprises Editor in Chief Mark Evans and a squad of volunteers, whose dive experience ranges from a couple of hundred dives to well over 6,000.

WRISTWATCH-STYLE DIVE COMPUTERS

This issue, we look at wristwatch-style dive computers. At one time, if you wanted a dive computer that doubled up as a watch, you basically bought a Suunto Spyder, and then the iconic Suunto Stinger, which became pretty much de rigeur wrist-wear for dive instructors.

Suunto had the wristwatch-style dive computer segment of the market to themselves for a long time, and they have bolstered their range substantially over the years, and still offer more of this type of dive computer than anyone else. However, most of the other manufacturers have now cottoned on to the fact that a lot of divers like to have a wristwatch computer, either as their primary unit, or as a handy back-up to their main dive computer, and so they have brought out a few into their line-ups.

We have assembled a selection of wristwatch-style computers here for the main test, but have also provided a round-up of the other computers offered in this style by these manufacturers.

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ON TEST THIS MONTH: • AQUA LUNG I200C • MARES SMART AIR • OCEANIC OCI • SHEARWATER RESEARCH TERIC • SUUNTO D5

Location: Tested at Vivian Dive Centre, Llanberis www.viviandivecentre.com Water temp: 11 degrees C Surface temp: 12 degrees C

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AQUA LUNG I200C | SRP: £299 Aqua Lung offer several wrist-mounted dive computers, including the full-colour i770R, but they had not ventured down the wristwatch route until they brought out the i450T (see below). That has now been joined by the innovative i200C, which represents fantastic value for money for a well-equipped, durable wristwatch-style unit.

It uses the tried-and-tested Z+ algorithm, and has a segmented LCD display, which is easy to read – for low-light conditions, it has a push-button-activated back light, which is handy on night dives or when you are in grotty UK conditions.

It has got four operating modes – Air, Nitrox, Gauge (with run timer) and Free Dive. Handily, the latter tracks calculations to allow unrestricted switching between free and dive modes. In Nitrox mode, it can handle two gas mixes, up to 100 percent oxygen, so will cover the vast majority of divers for all of the diving they will ever want to do.

It has a user-replaceable battery, so no sending it off to the manufacturer when it runs low.

It comes in six funky colours, from the more-subtle Grey and Dark Grey to in-your-face Bright Pink, Aqua, Blue, and Hot Lime. We got the Hot Lime for this Group Test, and it certainly stands out as a daily wear watch, often eliciting comments from even non-divers. It feels solid on your wrist, but is not what I’d call heavy. The best thing about the i200C is how easy it is to use – it literally takes a couple of minutes to get your head around the menu and four-button navigation and then you are away.

However, one of the i200C’s greatest attributes is down to how well it works with the DiverLog+ app (which is available for iOS and Android). The i200C seamlessly interacts wirelessly via Bluetooth Smart technology, and you can control all aspects of the computer from your phone or computer. I found it easy to jump into DiverLog+ and adjust all the settings – gas mix, salt or fresh water, alarms, etc – and then it is a simple matter to just fire that over to the i200C and, you are ready to dive.

Far quicker and easier than doing it all manually on the computer itself, to be honest.

On completing your dive, you can then throw over all your dive data from the i200C into your DiverLog+ app logbook.

Your dive profile, time and date, water temperature, etc, are all brought over from the i200C, and you can then add additional information, such as what gear you were using, your location, buddy’s name, any photographs or videos you took, and so on.

You can even get your buddy to digital ‘sign’ your logbook.

Once complete, you just hit the ‘share’ button and can send it out via all the usual channels – email, Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, etc.

The DiverLog+ app has many features beyond those described above – you can build up a file of buddies, locations, ‘gear bags’ for different conditions, and much more. Like the i200C itself, it is very intuitive and easy to use. With a decent range of capabilities, and coming in at just a shade under £300, it represents excellent value for money and is a nice user-friendly piece of kit, especially as it works so well with the DiverLog+ app.

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OTHER WRISTWATCH COMPUTERS The i450T (£434) was Aqua Lung’s first real foray into the world of wristwatch-style dive computers, and is a capable unit in its own right. It offers hoseless gas integration, and is compatible with three different transmitters and gas mixes on a single dive. The screen is nice and clear, it has a digital compass and, like the i200C, it has four operating modes - Air, Nitrox, Gauge, and Free Dive. www.aqualung.com/uk

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MARES SMART AIR | SRP: £266 Mares boast a wide array of dive computers, but only really made an impact in the wristwatch-style scene with the launch of the Nemo range and the Matrix (see below), but it was the Smart (see below) and the Smart Air - that really put them on the map.

The Smart Air is a neat, compact wristwatch computer that has subtle good looks - we like the grey-and-black strap and body of our test unit, and the flashes of colour on the screen surround. The minimalistic stying continues to the controls - there are only two buttons. This makes navigation around the menus very easy.

The computer offers hoseless air integration for up to three transmitters, and it gives you a graphic and numeric display of tank pressure on the screen. It is multi-gas compatible, and has a freediving mode with dedicated alarms. There is also a bottom-timer mode, and a backlight for when you are night diving or in low-light/ low-visibility conditions.

We found the screen nice and clear in use, and while the digits are not the biggest, they are very sharp and distinctive, so we had no problem reading the information on the screen. We were also able to operate the computer even wearing thick neoprene gloves.

The Smart Air has a user-replaceable battery, which is great news on a wristwatch-style computer, and saves you having to send it off to the manufacturer The computer provides the hoseless gas integration through the LED Tank Module (£178), which has a colour LED mounted on the end. This allows for visual tank checks pre-dive, but also it will alert your buddy to a low-gas situation during the dive.

The Smart Air works with the Diver’s Diary (Mac) and Dive Organizer (PC) apps, which allow for firmware upgrades, has full logbook functionality, and much more.

The Smart Air represents awesome value for money - a wristwatch-style computer offering hoseless gas integration is an absolute steal.

OTHER WRISTWATCH COMPUTERS The Nemo range was Mares’ first delve into the world of wristwatch-style dive computers, and these were followed by the Matrix (£400), a well-equipped dive computer, with a clear dot matrix display, rechargeable battery, upgradeable firmware, and a full-tilt digital compass.

The Smart (£248) is a full-featured wristwatch-style dive computer, which can deal with two gas mixes, and also has freediving mode, and a bottom-timer mode. It comes in a range of colours - black, black-and-white, lilac-and-white, lime-and-white, black-and-red, and black-and-grey. It also has a user-replaceable battery and, as it is the basis for the Smart Air, also only has two buttons for navigation/ operating the backlight. www.mares.com

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HEATED FLEX UNDERSUIT 2.0

OCEANIC OCI | SRP: £499 The OCi is Oceanic’s range-topping wristwatch-style dive computer, and it incorporates an awful lot of features. As with most Oceanic computers, it is equipped with the patented dual algorithm, so you can select from the Pelagic Z+ (Buhlman ZHL-16C) or the Pelagic DSAT (Spencer/Powell data basis) algorithms, and as well as air and nitrox modes, it also has free and tech free (where it calculates nitrogen during a freedive) modes.

It also has hoseless gas integration, and is capable of communicating with up to four independent transmitters, with up to four nitrox mixes from 21-100 percent. That should be more than enough for entry-level technical divers.

The OCi has a digital compass which is easy to use and clear to read, and in fact the entire display is nice and simple to navigate. It doesn’t have the biggest screen - the Geo 4.0 is larger, with a bigger display - but the digits are nice and clear, and navigation via the fourbutton controls is straightforward.

Like the Geo it has a user-replaceable battery, though it is recommended to have it pressure-tested by a dealer. Our test unit came in a cool white colour scheme, but it also comes in black, black-and-yellow, black-andblue, black-and-grey, and black-and-red.

OTHER WRISTWATCH COMPUTERS The Geo (£319.95), now in its 4.0 incarnation, was Oceanic’s first wristwatch-style dive computer, and this latest version is a solid unit. It can handle air and nitrox (up to three gas mixes between 21-100 percent), and also has a gauge and freediving mode. The menu is easy and simple to navigate via the four button controls, and it has got a backlight for low-light conditions. As with most Oceanic computers, it is equipped with the patented dual algorithm, so you can select from the Pelagic Z+ (Buhlman ZHL-16C) or the Pelagic DSAT (Spencer/Powell data basis) algorithms. It will also work with the Pelagic DiverLog+ app, which can be downloaded for free from the App Store. This handy tool not only logs your dives but also allows you to control and change settings from your phone via Bluetooth. Pre-dive you can select your gas mix and algorithm, set alerts for time and depth, etc, and then fire it across to your computer. After the dive you can reverse the process, sending all your dive profile information across to your phone, where it can then be embellished with photos, videos and more. www.oceanic.com

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SHEARWATER RESEARCH TERIC | SRP: £918 Now most of the other wristwatch-style dive computers on the market user a dot matrix LCD display, and these are generally nice and clear, and easy to read. However, Shearwater Research decided to utilise all of their skills with full-colour screens, as with the Petrel and the Perdix, and shoehorn it all into a wristwatch-sized unit.

The result was the Teric, and while it is by far the most-expensive computer here, it also boasts a mind-boggling array of features, as well as one of the brightest screens I have ever seen in all my years of testing dive equipment.

When Gabriel from Shearwater Research was describing the Teric to me prior to the arrival of our test unit, he said ‘the Teric is like the sun and the Perdix is like the moon’.

I have always been impressed with the colour and clarity of the screen on my Perdix AI computer, so I thought he was maybe exaggerating - until the Teric showed up. Set on its brightest setting, the Teric obliterates its sibling.

Light conditions, dark conditions, lousy vis, it makes no difference, you can easily read the information on the

AMOLED screen of the Teric, and if you really have bad eyesight, you can set it to ‘Big Layout’, which makes critical information largest.

Menu navigation is done via four buttons, but you can configure it so that a single button can access your mostused tools, such as compass, timer, etc.

The Teric is hoseless gas integrated, and can monitor up to two transmitters on two different tanks. It has tech, OV tech and CCR tech modes, with up to five trimix and nitrox gases, so even hardened veteran technical divers will find that this has the capabilities to match their skill level.

The computer also has a freediving mode, and as well as a ‘techie’ black finish, you can also get it in black-and-white, black-and-green, black-and-yellow, black-and-blue, and even black-and-pink.

It has a rechargeable battery, but uniquely, this is wirelessly charged - you simply pop the Teric into the cradle and it starts charging. Even the screen display rotates 90 degrees so that you can still read it and use it as a timepiece even when it is being charged. There are also three displays on the screen - a normal digital readout, a digital ‘analogue’ style with hands, and then a funky display with circles containing the hour and minutes, and one with seconds, moving around the screen. www.shearwater.com

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XL4

+

Lightweight | Compact | Cold Water Unique Freeze-Resistant First Stage 2 HP Ports | 4 MP Ports Designed For Cold Water Lightweight - Just 905G | 2Lb*

Image © APEKS. All Rights Reserved

*Din Version

Picture: Vis | Croatia

a p e ks div in g.com | @ap eksdivin g | #ap eks d i vi n g

SUUNTO D5 | SRP: £610

Suunto have a mighty line-up of wristwatch-style dive computers, but they gave the range a shake-up with the launch of the D5. Sitting in the price point between the D4I Novo and the D6i Novo, the D5 takes a different track.

It has a three-button navigation control, and a full-colour screen, which really makes it stand out from its brethren.

If you are used to Suunto’s existing range, it doesn’t take long to get your head around the D5, and if you have an EON Core or Steel, you will instantly find the menu familiar. The screen is clear, especially if you set it to the highest brightness, but you can always give it a short extra ‘boost’ of brightness by pressing the middle button.

It has a digital compass which is clear and simple to use, and hoseless air integration with up to three different tanks, as well as fully updateable software. It can handle up to three gas mixes (from 21 to 100 percent) and uses Suunto’s latest algorithm, Fused RGBM 2. There is also a freediving mode, and a gauge mode.

One feature we really liked was the vibration alarm, which sounds when you miss a stop, break a depth limit, etc. It vibrates when you start your three-minute stop, and then vibrates again to let you know you have completed it.

It will Bluetooth to the Suunto App on your phone, and you can then download your dive logs, as well as add additional information and photographs.

It also has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which means you never have to worry about your computer running out of juice on a dive trip and having to scrabble around to find someone to change the battery.

One neat feature about the D5 is the strap system. You can literally remove and replace a strap in seconds. There are a wide variety of colours and styles available, and even a leather strap for evening wear (Suunto don’t recommend diving in that one!), so you can swap and change as much as you want.

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OTHER WRISTWATCH COMPUTERS As we mentioned in the introduction, Suunto kickstarted the whole wristwatch-style dive computer with the launch of the Spyder, and then the Stinger. The extensive line up now includes the D4i Novo (£395)., which uses Suunto’s RGBM algorithm, has three dive modes - air, nitrox and free - and has optional hoseless gas integration. Then there is the D6i Novo (£735), which is equipped with the Suunto RGBM algorithm, and has a steel casing, 3D compass and hoseless gas integration. It has four dive modes - air, nitrox, gauge and free - and can switch between up to three nitrox mixes. The range-topper is the DX (£1,089), which at its launch was the world’s first watch-sized CCRcompatible dive computer. It has a titanium bracelet, and utilises Suunto’s Fused RGBM algorithm. It can handle air, nitrox and trimix, can switch between up to eight gas mixes, has a 3D digital compass, and optional hoseless gas integration. www.suunto.com

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Long Term Test ROHO X-FLEX SOLO

Mark Evans: The X-Flex Solo is Roho’s latest offering - a frontentry telescopic suit featuring the soft-and-supple X-Flex fabric, triple-bonded and taped seams, Melco Cordura kneepads, dual tech pockets on the thighs, 4mm neoprenelined boots, latex seals (neoprene optional), Apeks valves, and BDM dry zip. www.roho.co.uk

SEALIFE SEA DRAGON MINI 1300S

INFORMATION Arrival date: November 2019 Suggested retail price: £829 Number of dives: 0 Time in water: 0 hrs 0 mins

SUUNTO D5

Mark Evans: The Suunto D5 might only be wristwatchsized, but that full-colour screen is certainly easy to read.

Here Ross is in the depths of the hold in the TriStar in Aqaba and the screen is even clear when I have INFORMATION Arrival date: April 2019 just triggered my strobes Suggested retail price: £545 to banish the blackness of Number of dives: 67 the plane’s interior.

Time in water: 65 hrs 15 mins www.suunto.com 94

Mark Evans: Luke made full use of the Sea Dragon Mini 1300S when he was out in Malta.

He found the torch the perfect size for his then12-year-old hand, and also the right size to securely slot into the pocket on his Pro HD BCD for when he was descending and ascending.

He used it inside the wrecks and inside the INFORMATION Arrival date: July 2019 Santa Maria Caves, where Suggested retail price: £130 it showed off how bright it Number of dives: 25 really is on full power.

Time in water: 23 hrs 45 mins www.sealife-cameras.com

MARES GENIUS Mark Evans: The Genius is like having a widescreen, highdefinition TV mounted on your wrist. That fullcolour screen is just unbelievably bright and easy to read at a glance.

The clear colourcoding in place for the relevant information is intuitive, and the large buttons make navigation simple, even wearing thick gloves. Thanks to its design, though, it doesn’t feel ridiculously huge on your wrist. www.mares.com

INFORMATION Arrival date: August 2019 Suggested retail price: £711 Number of dives: 14 Time in water: 13hrs 40 mins WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

AQUA LUNG BALI Mark Evans: The Aqua Lung Bali 3mm arrived just in time for the Clan Evans to head off to Grenada for the Dive Fest event. Penney found it was extremely comfortable and easy to get on and off, and kept her core nice and warm.

From my point of view, the coral polyps on the arms looked great in photographs and added a splash of colour where otherwise it might have just been black neoprene. www.aqualung.com/uk

APEKS VX1

INFORMATION Arrival date: October 2019 Suggested retail price: £112 Number of dives: 16 Time in water: 15 hrs 55 mins

AQUA LUNG AQUAFLEX

Mark Evans: Our dual test AquaFlex wetsuits have been getting plenty of use, and again, as with the Bali above, the use of colour on the arms of the women’s suit really adds another element to any photographs. I always hate shooting black wetsuits, as they just absorb the light of your strobes, and so it is a welcome change when a suit has some colour on it. The ‘Galaxy’ design certainly INFORMATION Arrival date: April 2019 stands out - and also Suggested retail price: £260 makes it easy to find it on Number of dives: 89 the drying rack!

Time in water: 86 hrs 45 mins www.aqualung.com/uk WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

Mark Evans: Finally got the VX1 back from a long-term loan, which was great timing, as sadly my Hollis M3 mask died when I was in Grenada through a tank-mask interface.

I have long been a user of black-skirted masks, so it felt a little odd moving over to a white-skirted mask, as in this test version (they do a black version too), but you know what, I like it. It still blanks off any light coming in the side as per clear-skirted masks, which I detest, but it somehow doesn’t feel so restrictive.

It is also supremely INFORMATION Arrival date: September 2019 comfortable, which with Suggested retail price: £69 a mask is of primary Number of dives: 33 importance.

Time in water: 31 hrs 25 mins www.apeksdiving.com/uk

OTTER WATERSPORTS ATLANTIC Mark Evans: The Otter Watersports Atlantic has come to the end of its stint in the Long Term Test stable, and guest tester Jason Brown has been hammering it on recreational and technical dives throughout the year. The suit is well made, durable, looks good, and can cope with the rigours of British diving with no issues.

And backed by Otter’s legendary customer service, it should definitely be on your list when it comes to checking out potential drysuits. www.drysuits.co.uk

INFORMATION Arrival date: February 2019 Suggested retail price: £1,560 Number of dives: 85 Time in water: 84 hrs 15 mins 95

ANTHONY’S KEY RESORT STUART PHILPOTT VISITS THE AMERICAN DIVING FAVOURITE OF ROATAN

INDONESIA ADVENTURE 1,300-MILE LIVEABOARD VOYAGE FROM KOMODO TO RAJA AMPAT

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TECHNICAL: DEEP DIVING NEIL BENNETT EXPLORES THE MINDSET NEEDED TO SAFEL Y MASTER TECHNICAL DIVING

DIVE LIKE A PRO: BCDS HANDY HINTS ON HOW TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF THE HUMBLE BCD

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SCHOLARSHIP DIARY

The Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society is a non-profit, educational organisation whose mission is to promote educational activities associated with the underwater world. It has offered scholarships for over 35 years. owuscholarship.org

COLD-WATER DIVING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA PHOTOGRAPHS BY KIM HILDEBRAND AND MAXWELL HOHN

I

n September and October, my Scholarship journey took me to the stunning regions of British Columbia and Alaska, where I have immersed myself in a diverse range of experiences. And I must admit, I totally fell in love with both these regions, and the cold water diving there!

First, I flew to Vancouver, where I visited many institutions, including the Vancouver Aquarium, the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, Nuytco Engineering, and Shearwater Research. I was very impressed by each of these institutions, who are all progressing the underwater world in such a different way, and I really enjoyed learning about each and every one of them.

Next, I made my way over to Vancouver Island, where I visited seaproof.tv to learn about Underwater Minimentary Production, and I also met with Maxwell Hohn to speak about underwater videography techniques. I was then lucky enough to join Maxwell on a very unique British Columbian experience - we filmed and photographed the salmon, which were travelling up the rivers at this time of the year to spawn.

Still on the island, I spoke with Dive Safe International about commercial diving, and I even got to try out a tethered dive in a Kirby Morgan diver helmet, which was a great yet very different experience! Another day, I visited the Royal Canadian Mounted Police´s Dive and Boat Unit, which were also very impressive, both in terms of their Divers Training Programme and them providing police services for the whole of the very inaccessible British Columbian coastline.

After the jam-packed time in British Columbia, I then flew to breath-taking Alaska, where I was going to spend three weeks at the Alaska Sealife Centre in Seward. Here, I assisted the centre´s head vet Dr Carrie Goertz in the pre-transport acclimation of two sea otters, who had been rescued and rehabilitated in the ASLC last year. Because they were rescued as young pups, they unfortunately can´t be released into the wild, but will find their new forever home in Europe. To make this long journey as stress-free as possible for them, we worked towards familiarising them with their transport boxes and other transport-related stimuli, and I monitored their stress level by recording the body core temperature changes through temperature-sensitive radio transmitters that are implanted into their peritoneal cavity. The otters showed

Kim Hildebrandt

quick progress in their acclimation and I am convinced that they are now well prepared for their travels.

Additionally, I got to jump into Alaskan waters three times: one shore dive on the remains of the old train tracks which got struck by the Great Alaskan earthquake in 1964, and two dives from a boat in Resurrection Bay. And I found myself in the most-beautiful underwater landscape.

Back in Vancouver, I participated in the 2019 Diving for Science Symposium of the American and Canadian Academy of Underwater Sciences, to learn more about a variety of sciences that diving can be a tool in, and it was an invaluable opportunity to get to know diving safety officers and underwater scientists from different parts of the USA, Canada, and other parts of the world. The North American Rolex Scholar Neha and I also gave a presentation about the Our-World Underwater Scholarship Society, and were able to catch up with the 2019 AUS OWUSS Mitchel Scientific Diving Research Intern Elizabeth Hasan.

Overall, it is to say that the months of September and October have been absolutely incredible, bringing me to places that I have never seen before, and that have shown me a complete other world of diving. I am in awe with what cold water diving can offer you! n

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LET´S EXPLORE. TOGETHER.

SUUNTO D5 The new Suunto D5 is designed to be so clear and easy-to-use that you can just enjoy and focus on exploring the wonderful underwater world.

Play with style by changing the strap to match your looks. After diving, connect wirelessly to the Suunto app to re-live and share your adventures with friends. www.suunto.com

Suunto Diving UK

@suuntodivinguk