Scuba Diver April 17 - Issue 2

WIN A RED SEA LIVEABOARD TRIP WORTH £1,225!

Egypt’s GRAVEYARD EXPLORING THE SHIPWRECKS OF SHA’AB ABU NUHAS

tricks of the trade How YOU can win in the battle of the baggage

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY ‘DUXY’ KICKS OFF THE FIRST OF A TWO-PARTER LOOKING AT COMPOSITION AND FRAMING

CYLINDER TESTING THE BATTLE TO STOP ANNUAL VISUAL TESTS BECOMING LAW

PLYMOUTH’S

PRIDE

DIVING THE HISTORIC CORONATION WRECK

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MID-RANGE

REGS RATED

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EDITOR’S NOTE The ever-changing face of the

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Nature is a wonderful thing. As divers, we are privileged to bear witness to some of the mostamazing, most-visually stunning topography that is hidden from the rest of the world’s population below the surface of the oceans, lakes and rivers. Gozo, that small island in the middle of the Mediterranean, is perhaps one of the best examples of a diving destination characterised by its unique natural sculptures, which include dramatic swim-throughs, archways, crevasses and overhangs., which never cease to captivate visiting divers.

However, the island has now lost one of its mostrevered natural attractions, the Azure Window, a magnificent archway that stood silent guard over the ever-popular Blue Hole dive site. This archway attracted tens of thousands of tourists annually, who flocked across the rough rocky coastline to stand at the cliff edge and see, photograph and be amazed by the picturesque scene. And it wasn’t just tourists who were smitten by the Azure Window - it was a favourite with the Hollywood crowd, too, who turned to this natural phenomenon whenever they needed a suitably dramatic backdrop for a key scene. It even popped up in an episode of epic TV fantasy Game of Thrones.

In the aftermath of the structure’s collapse in a storm, the internet was full of people lamenting the loss of this icon, but as you will see on pages 10-11, the diving fraternity has now been gifted with a fantastic new dive site which has something for all levels of certification. So don’t despair over the fall of the Azure Window, just plan a trip to Gozo to see the new Azure Window remnants dive site!

MARK EVANS Editor-in-Chief

EDITOR IN CHIEF

MAGAZINE

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WIN A RED SEA LIVEABOARD TRIP WORTH £1,225!

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY ‘DUXY’ KICKS OFF THE FIRST OF A TWO-PARTER LOOKING AT COMPOSITION AND FRAMING

CYLINDER TESTING THE BATTLE TO STOP ANNUAL VISUAL TESTS BECOMING LAW

ON THE COVER PLYMOUTH’S

Egypt’s GRAVEYARD

PRIDE

DIVING THE HISTORIC CORONATION WRECK

EXPLORING THE SHIPWRECKS OF SHA’AB ABU NUHAS

tricks of the trade How YOU can win in the battle of the baggage

6

MID-RANGE

REGS RATED

& REVIEWED ISSUE 2 | APRIL 17 | £3.25

+

Tobago ‣ Commercial diving ‣ Fiji ‣ TDI Advanced Wreck Diver WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

PHOTOGRAPHER: STUART PHILPOTT

REGULAR COLUMNS

FEATURES

Gozo’s Azure Window collapses, and a tragic coastguard accident in Ireland.

Jason Brown dives back into history as he explores the protected Coronation wreck, which lies off the south coast near Plymouth and boasts a ‘shipwreck trail’ to help you get the most from your visit.

10 News

32 Dive like a Pro

A panel of experts from all the main training agencies offer advice on packing a dive bag.

42 Underwater Photography

‘Duxy’ launches the first of a two-part series looking at composition and framing.

26 Plymouth

36 Mozambique

Al Hornsby craves big animal encounters, as well as appreciating the smaller critters, and he found both in abundance both on land and underwater when he headed for Mozambique.

46 Fiji

66 Industry News

The Frogfish Photography team make the epic trek to Fiji from the UK, and found the long haul was most-definitely worth it, especially when they ventured underwater and saw why the country is known as the ‘coral capital of the world’.

98 The Commercial Diver

52 FREEDIVING: News and Test Extra

Up-to-the-minute news and information from the main dive training agencies.

Warren ‘Sal’ Salliss provides an insight into the world of commercial diving.

08

Freediving news from around the world, compiled by the DeeperBlue team, plus a comprehensive review of the Suunto D4f dive computer.

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CONTENTS

56 Cylinder testing

With SITA, the training agencies and IDEST fighting tooth-and-nail to stop annual visual testing becoming the law in the UK, Rosemary Lunn provides an interesting comparison between the current rigorous testing conducted within this country and that done in the United States.

60 Egypt

Sha’ab Abu Nuhas is the wreck graveyard of the northern Egyptian Red Sea, and its rusty inhabitants - the Giannis D, the Kimon M, the Chrisoula K/Marcus and the Carnatic - all earn a coveted spot in many divers’ logbooks. If you haven’t dived them yet, it’s time you did!

68 Tobago

Washed by sometimes extremely strong currents, the tiny island of Tobago offers some of the most-adrenaline-filled diving in the Caribbean.

Gavin Anderson buckled up and went for a wild ride.

76 TECHNICAL: Cyprus

Stuart Philpott heads deep into the Zenobia off Cyprus for an intense, demanding TDI Advanced Wreck Diver course.

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GEAR GUIDE 84 What’s New

New products recently released or coming soon to a dive centre near you, including the Hollis SD 7, Suunto D6i Zulu Stealth, Zeagle Diver Tools, and Fourth Element’s OceanPositive Core collection.

86 Group Test

The Scuba Diver Test Team convened at Vivian Quarry in picturesque Llanberis in North Wales for its first group test of 2017, this time turning their attentions to mid-priced regulators from all the main manufacturers.

94 Long Term Test

The Scuba Diver Test Team gets to grips with a selection of products over a six-month period, including the Apeks MTX-R regulator, Aqualung Reveal X2 mask, Shearwater Research Perdix AI dive computer, Zeagle Halo BCD, and the xDeep NX Zen wing.

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News

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. scubadivermag.com/news

Gozo’s Azure Window finally succumbs The island of Gozo has lost one of its most-iconic landmarks – the fabled AZURE WINDOW in Dwejra Bay. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JASON BROWN/BARDO CREATIVE & PETE BULLEN/OCEANFOTO This magnificent archway, which was created when two limestone caves collapsed, attracted thousands of tourists over the years, who swarmed to the coastline to photograph the picturesque scene, which saw the famed dive site Blue Hole framed by the Azure Window behind it.

It was also a major hit with a string of Hollywood movie-makers, who crafted the location into several big-budget blockbusters, and it even cropped up in an episode of Game of Thrones.

However, winter storms had taken their toll on the structure, and large sections of rock were falling with increasing regularity from the archway itself and the surrounding supporting cliffs.

A three-month geological study took place in 2013 on behalf of the Environment Ministry, but while the report noted that a large percentage of the archway had collapsed during the previous 30 years and areas of the sides of the arch were cracked and fractured, according to one of the geologists, many of its recommendations were largely ignored.

Concerns about the Azure Window grew in the last year or so. Walking across the top of the archway was banned and made a fineable offence – as well as the potential damage to the site, it was gaining notoriety as a cliff-jumping destination - and after a three-year hiatus, the government reconvened a steering committee to oversee the site’s management.

Sadly, these fears proved to be well-founded, as a fierce winter storm swept on to the island on the morning of Wednesday 8 March and the archway finally succumbed, collapsing into the sea. Such was the ferocity of the destruction that the support stack also gave way, forever changing this unforgettable landscape.

For those mourning the loss, there is a second, less well-known arch at nearby Wied il-Mielah.

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Azure Window set to live on

Just days after the collapse of the Azure Window, the Maltese government announced an international consultation initiative for suggestions on how to memorialise the iconic structure.

Several officials, including Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis and Minister for Sustainable Development Jose Herrera, made the announcement, and said that the government wants the site to be ‘adequately remembered’ while still continuing to attract thousands of visitors.

The Government of Malta’s statement put forward several options it is willing to consider, which includes leaving the site as it is; recovering parts of the collapsed structure and putting them on display; use of digital technology to recreate the site for tech users; artistic installations at or near the site; or an interpretation centre that would showcase the structure in all its former beauty. While initially ruled out, a later press release said that an artificial recreation of the structure itself was still potentially on the cards.

In the meantime, what have divers got to look forward? Long-time Gozo resident photo-pro Pete Bullen (www.oceanfoto.co.uk), who specialises in small groups for private guiding, has dived the site, and said: “For any diver familiar with the classic Blue Hole/Azure Window route, it’s a bit of a shock to dive it now that the arch has collapsed, but eerily familiar at the same time.

“The classic first guided dive to the Azure Window typically took the following route. Enter the Blue Hole with the window looming over you, drop down and leave through the Blue Hole entrance facing the Window. Keep the wall on your right shoulder and swim through the Window, remembering to look up and admire the arch high above the water’s surface, then track around the back of the stack at whatever depth suited you, although I liked the shelf there at 15m as it was a great place to spot hunting amberjacks, and shoals of bream and baitfish.

Leaving the stack you headed across to the Chimney - for newer divers, this often meant a shallow mid-water swim over the seabed below them at 25m. Arriving at the Chimney entrance at 18m, depending on air, many people would either ascend the chimney and exit via Coral Garden, or come back over the top of the reef and follow the wall back to the Blue Hole.

“So what has changed? As you leave the Blue Hole, the rubble from the collapse starts to become evident - huge white boulders lie over the bottom reaching up to 6-7m below the surface, and the wall on the right (where the arch used to be) is now unstable and you should stay to the left of it. The original stack is now a pinnacle that reaches up to within a metre of the surface and, of course, there is no arch above you! The far side of the stack has new boulders down to the 15m shelf, but beyond the shelf nothing much has changed, it still drops steeply down to 60m plus and it’s already populated with jacks and baitfish again.

“Leaving the stack and heading SSE towards the Chimney, this is where you find the main body of the stack. It fell in this direction and has broken into three enormous boulders and a multitude of smaller ones. The largest one second from the base of the old stack rises from 35m to 6m, the other two are a little smaller, with the final one showing the original top of the stack facing the Chimney entrance about 15 metres further away.”

He added: “While it will need a little time to weather in, this is going to become an even-more versatile dive site for divers of all skills. There is now much more to see in the shallows, while still offering deep dives for the more experienced.”

WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

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News Egypt to hike price of tourist visa

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You would think that a country struggling to restablish their tourism industry would be doing all it could to help invigorate the market, but instead,

the Egyptian government has revealed plans to raise the cost of a tourist visa from US$25 to US$60 - that’s a 140 percent price hike!

Originally, the vast increase in the visa on arrival was planned for March, but now the government has delayed their plans until 1 July 2017. It will be interesting to see if it gets postponed again nearer this date, as it is not the first time that the Egyptian government has backtracked on introducing stricter visa policies. In 2015, there was talk of discontinuing visas on arrival for tourist visitors, but this was soon dropped after it dawned on the officials the impact this would have on tourism to the region.

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Nautical Archaeology Society appoint England’s first NAS-affiliated dive centre Atlantic Scuba in Cornwall has become the first dive centre in England to become affiliated with The Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS).

Traditionally, NAS organise skills days for their Recorder and Surveyor courses, as well as many other archaeology related courses. These are at a set location and a set date, organised up to a year in advance. Atlantic Scuba will be able to hold courses ‘on demand’, as they do for the range of diving courses they already offer. The Recorder and Surveyor courses can be taught as underwater courses for the qualified diver, or as intertidal courses for non-divers.

Mark Beattie-Edwards, CEO of the Nautical Archaeology Society, said: “Atlantic Scuba have set up a team of experienced instructors, including a maritime archaeologist. They are the licensees of four protected wreck sites in Cornwall, so they have plenty of fieldwork experience too.”

Atlantic Scuba intend to offer taster sessions, for anyone who is interested in Nautical Archaeology. They will also be offering fieldwork days, for Pictured, left to right, back row: David Gibbins, Mark Milburn and those who have already completed the Nick Lyon. Front row: Katrina Ryckiene and Sue Barnes. required NAS courses.

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ROCIO DEL MAR LIVEABOARD

News Emperor Elite gets new Executive Suite and overhauled Premium Cabins

She has always been a popular choice in the Red Sea but now Emperor Elite is set to impress even more with her latest massive make-over.

All cabins have been refreshed while the Junior Suite and upper and main deck premium cabins have been overhauled to include new beds, furniture and design. The premium cabins can be switched between twin or double beds according to the guest’s preference.

Up to 26 guests can choose from eight standard twin-berth cabins, three premium twin/double cabins, a double Junior Suite and, new for 2017, a premium upper deck Executive Suite. All have ensuite, independent air conditioning, flat screen TV, three towels and a bathrobe per guest.

The big transformation is the new 28sqm+ Executive Suite built to top standards and complete with space that does a top-notch hotel suite justice. There is lots of room for storage,

wall-mounted TV and ensuite shower room separated from the ensuite WC. Emperor Elite is a spacious boat with free WiFi (signal permitting), three sundecks, dive deck with platform, an air-conditioned salon and air-conditioned dining room where great food and free red wine with dinner is served.

Her middle deck saloon has been removed along with the top deck Jacuzzi which gives so much more space for guests to relax in the new upper deck coffee bar and cocktail bar.

She has all diving and safety equipment including two large RIBs with outboards, is also equipped with free NITROX and can handle tech diving on request.

Prices from £467 sailing South & St Johns on 31 March from Marsa Ghalib Port excluding flights. Other routes include Simply the Best, Reefs & Wrecks, Safaga, Brothers & Elphinstone.

For more on Emperor Divers Red Sea visit www.emperordivers.com

CRUISE SHIP CORAL CALAMITY CONTINUES

The Indonesian government is not remaining quiet after a cruise ship operated by a British company destroyed part of a pristine reef in Raja Ampat earlier this month, and Luhut Panjaitan, Co-ordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, has now reportedly summoned the UK ambassador Moazzam Malik for discussions on the situation.

He said that he was ‘disappointed to learn about the damage to this coral reef in West Papua, as we are with any environmental incident that occurs in Indonesia or anywhere else in the world’, and added: ““We hope the matter can be resolved quickly between the Indonesian authorities and Noble Caledonia, the company that is responsible for this accident and was managing the ship.”

The 4,290-tonne Caledonian Sky was taking 102 tourists on a bird-watching expedition when it hit the reef off Kri at low tide. The ship was eventually freed without suffering any hull damage, but apparently the destruction of the reef – some 1,600 sq m was affected - was made worse by failed attempts to pull the large vessel into deeper water with a tugboat without waiting for high tide.

People in the area who rely on dive and environmental tourism have been devastated by the damage to the marine-life-rich reef, which lies in a region known globally for its marine biodiversity, and local officials have suggested the captain could face criminal charges.

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Diving holiday specialists Regaldive have recently expanded their programme in Thailand with a hotel and three liveaboards in Phuket. The hotel and two of the liveaboards are owned

by Sea Bees Diving, an award-winning local dive centre that has been operating for over 20 years. The third liveaboard is part of the highly regarded Aggressor Fleet.

Palm Garden Resort Phuket The Palm Garden Resort Phuket is located in the south-eastern area around Chalong in a peaceful tropical garden.

The resort is just five minutes’ walk from Sea Bees Dive Centre and a short walk from the new pier, the bay and many shops. The Thai-style bungalows of the Palm Garden Resort are ideal for a relaxing stay, and there are a number of excellent dive sites scattered over an area that incorporates the islands of Koh Phi Phi, Racha Yai and Racha Noi. Liveaboards The renowned Similan Islands are located 100km northwest of Phuket and are best dived by joining a liveaboard out of Phuket. With snow-white beaches set

against picturesque granite outcrops above the water and spectacular dive sites in often crystal-clear water below, it is not surprising that the Similan Islands are ranked as one of the finest dive destinations in the world.

MY Genesis 1 is a 26-metre steel, mono-hulled liveaboard that comfortably accommodates up to 12 divers in five twin-bed cabins and two single cabins.

MY Genesis 1 offers two-night and five-night itineraries to take in the best diving of the Similans and the north.

The 23-metre MV Marco Polo liveaboard comfortably accommodates up to 14 divers in twin cabins. The MV Marco Polo offers a six-night itinerary to some of the best dive spots the Andaman Sea has to offer.

Thailand Aggressor is a spacious 35-metre yacht that has comfortable accommodation for 16 guests in eight spacious, air-conditioned staterooms. It offers a choice of two itineraries - ‘The Andaman Sea North’ and ‘The Gulf of Thailand’.

With its in-house team of diving enthusiasts, Regaldive is well placed to help divers to plan their diving adventures. www.regaldive.co.uk

Bahamas ‘swimming pigs’ killed by ingesting sand

Several wild pigs which were a staple tourist attraction on Big Major Cay in the Exuma Marine Park were found dead in February, causing a spate of wild speculation on the internet, including that they had been poisoned, or had died after being fed rum and other alcohol by visitors.

However, now that the pig carcasses have been examined by veterinarians, it appears the true cause of their sad demise was somewhat-less sensational. Large amounts of undigested sand was found in their stomachs, leading many to think that when the pigs foraged for food scraps left on the beach either on purpose or inadvertently, they ended up consuming far too much sand at the same time. This cannot be digested, so played a major role in their deaths.

Legislation is being passed to provide better protection for the remaining 15 pigs that call the Cay home, so you will still be able to spend time with the famed swimming pigs of Pig Beach – just make sure you don’t leave any food stuffs behind.

WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

Clear

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REDISCOVER YOURSELF

News Duttons Divers takes on Vivian Quarry

Vivian Dive Centre has changed hands! Previous owner Will Stratford had headed off to sunnier climes in Cyprus, and the quarry is now being run by Duttons Divers.

Duttons Divers came into being two and a half years ago after owner Clare Dutton initially fell in love with diving following a Discover Scuba Dive in Cuba, and subsequently progressed through the ranks, currently on her way to becoming a PADI Master Instructor. Clare laughs when asked about the company name, saying: “Granted, I was not very original with the name. I knew that I wanted to start up a diving business, and when asked at the bank for an account trade name, I panicked and ‘Duttons Divers’ was born!”

Duttons Divers first taught courses throughout Cheshire, Manchester and Lancashire, but then ended up teaching divers from all over the UK. The team slowly built up and they now have five Divemasters and two Instructors, Will and Jean.

Clare said: “I had always loved Vivian, having taken a number of students on dive weekends, and when the opportunity arose to take the place on, I couldn’t say no!”

Duttons Divers have big plans for Vivian. They are going to be offering a number of other services, including shore and boat diving packages along with accommodation, as well as kit sales and servicing. They will also continue to offer their worldwide trips.

Clare concluded: “I guess my aspirations for Vivian Dive Centre are pretty simple. I want to get more divers to visit Wales and see not just the most-picturesque dive quarry that I think you will ever find, but also get a taste of the Welsh coastline and see the spectacular marine life we have here. We will be offering a wider variety of dive packages, including our very-own Distinctive Speciality, the ‘Basking Shark Awareness Course’, that we have taught all over the UK, and my newest treat for divers, which will be the ‘Wrecks of Wales’, aiming to teach divers about the long-lost artefacts in our Welsh waters.”

OPEN WEEKEND

To help launch their new endeavour, Duttons Divers has organised an open weekend at Vivian Quarry on 15-16 April. www.viviandivecentre.co.uk

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CRABS FOR CHRISTMAS!

A unique destination has been added to the worldwide offerings from UK tour operator Diverse Travel - Christmas Island.

This is a truly exciting destination, as Christmas Island is known as ‘the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean’ and is one of nature’s most-impressive achievements. The island is full of natural wonders, from the annual red crab migration to rare birds and deserted beaches. Yet it also has a curious amalgam of cultures and history, emerging as a place where all these elements create a truly unusual travel experience.

At just 19km in length, clients can dive pristine reefs and drop-offs or take some time topside and marvel at the bird life. Diving is possible all year round, with reef sharks a regular sighting and whalesharks during November to May. “With easy flights from Heathrow to Jakarta and weekly charter flights from Jakarta, this is so doable,” says Jim Yanny, Owner of Diverse Travel. “We have a number of flight options for this exceptional destination and it’s ideal to combine with another such as North Sulawesi, Bali or Raja Ampat.”

Prices are from £1,999 per person for an eight-night package based on twin share, including return flights from London Heathrow to Jakarta and return direct flights to Christmas Island, 30kg baggage allowance, airline departure taxes, seven nights’ accommodation in twin/double room, five days’ boat diving with up to two guided day-dives a day with Extra Divers, one night B&B in a twin/double room at an airport hotel in Jakarta and all transfers. www.diversetravel.co.uk

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News

COMMERCIAL DIVER TRAINING LTD Working divers who train divers to work

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DUXY JOINS ULTIMATE DIVING AND OONASDIVERS

Scuba Diver’s underwater photography guru Paul ‘Duxy’ Duxfield has been a leading figure within the dive industry for the last ten years, initially as a mover and shaker within the world of underwater photography, appearing at dive industry events making the subject accessible to all within the diving community and helping move it from a niche subject into the mainstream.

He’s written articles and hundreds of blogposts on the subject, and is a well-known speaker, delivering talks and presentations the length and breadth of the country.

The last four years has seen him working as the Travel Photography Specialist for tour operator Scuba Travel and with them he has conducted over 30 workshops to the Red Sea and much further afield, teaching hundreds of people of all abilities how to improve their skills with a camera in the water.

Duxy says: “I’ve had a fantastic time working with a great bunch of friends at Scuba Travel and have shared many happy times with them all, however now is the time to move on and switch things up a gear.

“The guys and girls at Oonas and Ultimate are giving me a great opportunity to develop all-new escorted trips, and with their support I’m looking forward to meeting even more of you and showing you how best to get the most from your photography equipment. It makes no difference to me if you have a GoPro or muchhigher-end kit, and I have developed great techniques for you to achieve your full potential.” www.oonasdivers.com and www.ultimatediving.co.uk

One dead, three missing after Coastguard helicopter crashes off Ireland

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An Irish Coastguard SAR helicopter went missing off the west coast of Ireland last month. One crewmember was recovered, but died from her injuries in hospital, and three others are still missing.

Rescue 116 went missing shortly before 1am on Tuesday 14 March.

The Dublin-based crew had been providing top cover for another Coastguard helicopter that was performing a medical evacuation of a crewman requiring urgent medical attention from a UK-registered fishing vessel some 150 miles off the coast of Eagle Island in County Mayo. The R116 helicopter was returning to base when it fell out of contact some six miles offshore from Blacksod.

A huge search operation was

immediately mounted by other Coastguard helicopters, an Irish Air Corps airplane, RNLI lifeboats from Ballyglass and Achill, several local vessels and the naval ship LE Roisin.

A large amount of debris was found, along with the badly injured pilot, Captain Dara Fitzpatrick. Sadly, Captain Fitzpatrick was pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital, and there has been no trace of the other crew members.

The whole operation was carried out in conjunction with the Air Accident Investigation Unit, but Coastguard sources said there was no evidence that the crew of the stricken helicopter had attempted to send a mayday call, which would suggest that whatever happened, the crash was unlikely to have been caused by a mechanical fault.

However, the sources stressed that it was too early in the investigation to speculate on the cause.

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MEDICAL Q&A

News

Dr Oliver Firth has gained considerable experience in the field of diving and hyperbaric medicine since joining LDC in 2006. He is an Approved Medical Examiner of Divers for the UK HSE, and a medical referee for the UK Sport Diving Medical Committee. He is involved in the management of all types of diving-related illness, including recompression treatment, as well as providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy for non-diving conditions.

He remains a passionate diver and has participated in various expeditions and conservation projects throughout the globe.

Q: I was hoping you could give me some advice concerning an operation I am having soon. Due to a twisted testicle I am having an orchidectomy and have been offered a prosthetic testicle replacement. I have concerns whether a silicone or saline implant is suitable and safe for a saturation diving environment. I have read reports on the net that although there are no gas cavities within the implant there is a possibility that pressurised helium can diffuse into the implant causing problems. Any advice you could give me relating to this would be truly gratefully received.

A: OK, first bit of advice – never trust anything you read on the net. Abraham Lincoln said that. Or was it Churchill?

In any case, a lot more useful than my terrifying aunt’s advice when she was looking after me as a spotty teenager with zero confidence: “You can find sympathy in the dictionary, between shit and syphilis.” Back to your 2 veg.

There seems to be relatively little information available on this particular issue in diving. Whether that is simply because it’s uncommon, or because divers aren’t willing to declare the issue, I don’t know. A similar situation exists with breast implants and again I can find few reports on safety whilst diving, but there is very little evidence that it causes problems in practice.

Implants these days are generally fluid-filled and essentially incompressible, hence pressure changes should not affect them. I would make the surgeon aware of your job and concerns, but as there are no air cavities in the prosthesis, there is no risk of it imploding or exploding. As you say, there is a theoretical risk that helium can diffuse into the implant, but with the amount of gas loading we are talking about, I imagine the risk of a problem is minimal. Depending on the reason you require an orchidectomy, there might be other issues which have an impact on diving safety, so I’d always advise a check-up with dive doc before taking the plunge.

22

Q: I have a keratoconus, a thinning of the cornea in my left eye. It hasn’t stopped me from diving so far, but since I’m considering going pro I would like to know if a keratoconus is really a no-no condition which excludes diving. Mine has been stable so far and I’m told does not require surgery.

A: A friend rang me recently in a state of hysteria. She’d been all set to get laser surgery for short-sightedness but was declined on the basis of the same thing – keratoconus. Since the laser basically slices off layers of cornea, if it’s too thin to start with you can’t really go ahead. Apparently she used to rub her eyes constantly, which has over time worn the corneas away. In extreme cases, the cornea becomes so thin that it ruptures and fluid-filled swellings form on the surface, and a corneal transplant is required urgently to avoid loss of the eye. Diving-wise, the condition itself is not affected by pressure or depth changes. The risk is largely down to mask squeeze. If the cornea is sufficiently thin, and a negative pressure builds up in the air-filled mask space, then theoretically this could lead to rupture through the weakest point of the cornea. The current method of dealing with this is to use rigid but gas-permeable contact lenses. Gas-permeable lenses avoid the problem of bubbles becoming trapped between the lens and eye, whilst strengthening the cornea to stop it rupturing. The time course of keratoconus is variable: some are stable indefinitely while others progress rapidly or get unpredictable exacerbations, so if you’re considering turning pro then it will be important for you to keep a close eye on the condition (a pun punishable by sustained and merciless flogging; I do apologise).

Do you have a question for Dr Firth?

Email divingdoctor@scubadivermag. com with your query and we will pass it on to the team at London Diving Chamber.

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THE EMERALD ISLE

Cold-water adventures off the west coast of Ireland

CAYMAN KIND

We explore this Caribbean island trio

JEWEL OF THE DESERT

Diving the Sultanate of Oman

MANTA MAYHEM

Dancing with Yap’s resident rays

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There may be pretenders... why the Lembeh Strait is still number one

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WHALESHARKS AND MANTAS GALORE IN SOUTH ARI ATOLL IN THE MALDIVES

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The Fantastic

FOUR

By DR RICHARD SMITH | WWW.OCEANREALMIMAGES.COM

or many years the diving scene in the Philippines played second fiddle to Indonesia, but with many great all-rounder destinations throughout the archipelago, the Philippines is fast becoming the big Asian dive destination of the moment. The diving is extremely varied across the country, attracting divers in search of animals both little and large, stunning coral reefs and great wreck diving. Here I’ll share my four favourite destinations, which are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what the Philippines has to offer.

ANILAO, SOUTHWEST LUZON ISLAND

Anilao is the Philippines’ answer to Lembeh Strait, where multitudes of fascinating muck diving critters await the sharpest of eyes. There are a plethora of accommodation options all along the richly forested headland, which is just a few hours’ drive from Manila on the island of Luzon. Due to its proximity to the capital, and international airline gateway, it is a great add-on destination for another dive location in the country. Or, of course, it’s a great dive spot in its own right. The dive sites include intriguing soft coral and sponge reefs, black sand and rubble slopes. For the non-initiated diver, this might sound like a terrible collection of sites. In fact, for muck dive aficionados these are some of the richest substrates.

Anilao accommodates many of the usual muck dive suspects such as hairy frogfish, seahorses, mandarinfish and even the rarer Rhinopias scorpionfish, Coleman shrimps, mimic octopus and other treats. Anilao and Lembeh Strait are, however, rather different. I have been to Lembeh Strait many times, but in Anilao I saw quite a number of species I had never seen before. One group that seem particularly well represented in Anilao are nudibranchs. I saw many species I had never even heard of beforehand, and many that I’d only seen in pictures. One, Allen’s Ceratosoma (Ceratosoma alleni), I had been hunting for years but never had the fortune of finding. On one dive in Anilao I saw three chomping their way through a glade of the soft corals that they mimic and feed upon.

Dives are generally made from local-style outrigger boats, which quickly and easily navigate the waters between the mainland and some of the other sites on neighbouring islands. Night dives are great in the area and offer various highlights, from mandarinfish on the resort’s doorstep to black sand and silty sites that have resident bobbit worms and the like.

Muck divers will undoubtedly love Anilao.

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Seasoned dive photojournalist AL HORNSBY is left entranced by the underwater topography and marine life in the Komodo National Park, not to mention the fabled dragons

The Philippines offers a wealth of diving opportunities, RICHARD SMITH shares some of his favourites

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“The oxygen-depleted deeper dives make the sharks hypoxic, so they often come into the shallows to recuperate, sometimes surfacing to gulp in air. Some sharks have even been seen sucking up divers exhaled bubbles!”

here can’t be many dive destinations in the world where whaleshark and manta ray sightings are virtually guaranteed all year round. During my trip to South Ari Atoll in the Maldives, Prodivers Dive Centre delivered exactly what they promised with some awe-inspiring results, all while being pampered at a luxury all-inclusive resort surrounded by a palm-fringed sandy beach. Whatever happened to my rufty-tufty Brit diver image?

Vakarufalhi Island was my first port of call and I arrived in style via seaplane and boat taxi transfer. With all the check-in formalities completed, I ventured over to the dive centre located behind the reception building to meet Prodivers manager Antonio Ferraro. Antonio, Italian born and bred, was extremely friendly and approachable with a huge passion for life and the sea. He had been running the dive centre since 2009. His family lived on a neighbouring island, so Antonio had bought a speed boat to commute to and from work every day! The centre employed four full-time instructors and offered the full range of courses and daily guided dives to no less than 60 local sites.

The 76-room four-star superior deluxe resort reopened in 2009 after much renovation work. Antonio said that before the changes the resort had been well known on the Italian market as a diver’s island with more than 70 percent of the guests specifically coming to dive. The new classier upmarket image had seen a down turn in divers. Antonio said the busiest period was between December and March.

April, being much quieter, offered the best price deals.

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RUN CANNONBALL

Most wrecks of ‘historic significance’ tend to be off- limits, but the 300-year-old wreck of the Coronation is accessible to all. JASON BROWN pays her a visit Photographs by JASON BROWN

“Following the diver trail, you’ll be treated to cannon of many shapes and sizes – from two-metre-long 5.75 pounders to a massive 18-pound ‘Culverin’ cannon measuring over three metres in length”

A

ll wrecks have a story to tell. Like a sunken time capsule just waiting to be discovered, they capture a moment in history that, with a little digging, can reveal so much about the history of the time and its people. More often, though, wrecks raise more questions than they answer. What was the vessel doing in the area she now rests? Why did the vessel founder? And – more poignantly – what happened to the crew? It’s these stories that makes shipwrecks so much more than the sum of their wreckage.

Located to the west of Penlee Point near Plymouth, the historic wreck of the Coronation has a fascinating story to tell and more than a few mysteries just waiting to be solved. Often overlooked by divers visiting more contemporary wrecks like the James Eagan Layne, HMS Scylla and the Maine, the Coronation wreck site offers divers the opportunity to explore the remains of a historically important vessel bristling with cannon that has lain on the seabed for well over 300 years. Although most of the vessel’s superstructure has long since disappeared, what remains is a treasure trove of history, including some of the most-impressive cannon you’ll find outside the halls of the British Museum.

The Coronation was a second-rate ship of the line launched in 1685 by Master Shipwright Isaac Betts of Portsmouth. Commissioned in 1690, she served under Captain Charles Skelton. She saw action against the French in the infamous Battle of Beachy Head later that same year. At 50 metres long and with a beam (width) of almost 14 metres, she weighed a staggering 1,300 tonnes with a crew of over 600 able seamen. Like most second-rate ships of the time, she boasted three continuous gun

decks. She packed quite a punch too, with 90 cannon of various sizes ranged against potential targets. The largest of her cannon – 26 ‘32 pounders’ – could cause some serious damage to any enemy vessel unlucky enough to cross her in battle.

Little more than a year after being commissioned into the Royal Navy, tragedy would strike. In the late summer of 1691, the Coronation was part of a fleet commanded by Admiral Edward Russell that was tasked with blockading the French Navy in port. With the fleet off Ushant - a small island off the coast of Brittany - the weather took a serious turn for the worse and Russell’s fleet was forced to turn tail and make for the safety of Plymouth Sound. But with hurricane force winds blowing across the Sound from the South West, the fleet was lashed by torrential rain and forced to take in all sails. With no breakwater to protect them at that time, Plymouth Sound was a death-trap.

As the night wore on, many of the ships in Russell’s fleet would succumb to the maelstrom, but the circumstances that surrounds the Coronation’s loss still remains a mystery to this very day. What we do know is that she was anchored somewhere between Penlee and Rame when her anchor cables parted. With her masts torn down and no sails to provide any control over her fate, she capsized and was driven aground to the west of Penlee Point into Lady Cove. With over 600 souls lost on the Coronation alone, the destruction of much of Russell’s fleet rocked the nation – in just one night, nature had achieved more than the French Navy ever could.

The wreck of the Coronation would lay undisturbed for almost 300 years until she was finally discovered in 1967 by dive buddies George Sandford, Alan Down and Terry Harrison while diving together off Penlee Point. There they stumbled across some cannonballs - not unusual in itself, but exploring further, they found one cannon, then another and then lots of cannon, all lying clustered together in what would become known as the Penlee Cannon site. Over the next ten years, marine archaeologists surveyed the site extensively in an effort to positively identify what was clearly a significant find.

With the wreck’s identity still a mystery, it wasn’t until 1977 that positive proof was finally discovered when Peter McBride located a second cannon site nearby containing 16 cannon and three large anchors. Several days later, McBride would find the proof he needed to finally put the wreck’s identity to bed – a pewter plate bearing the coat of arms of the Lieutenant Governor of Plymouth, Sir John Skelton, the father of the Coronation’s Captain, Charles Skelton. Looking to protect the site from interference, McBride applied for a Wreck Protection order that made it illegal for anyone to dive his cannon site without permission.

“Armed with my trusty laminated ‘divers trail’ slate, navigating around the site is surprisingly easy with both bearings and distances clearly marked between points” WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

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To this day, McBride’s protection order remains in place. The site is now managed by a dedicated team of volunteers actively working together on the Coronation Wreck Project (www.coronationwreck. org). Access to the site is strictly controlled and can only be gained either by booking onto one of several approved local charter boats, or by contacting the project directly. In charge of managing access is diver Mark Pearce. As the visits licencee, it’s Mark’s job to control access to the site to ensure that all legal requirements are adhered to.

We asked Mark why his role is necessary. “The site is protected because it’s a wreck of national importance, and as such, needs to be protected from pilfering, disturbance and interference.

Although diving is permitted, we maintain a strict no-touch or removal policy. This means that the wreckage will be enjoyed by future divers in its current position”.

Taking Mark up on his offer to visit the wreck for myself, I joined members of the project team on a visit to the wreck site. To prevent damage to the site, the project has installed a series of anchored buoys which sit a few metres above the seabed.

Skippers can use these to identity areas that are designed as safe to drop their shot lines.

What remains of the Coronation now lies on a fairly unremarkable seabed of rocky outcrops and sandy gullies punctuated by the occasional patch of kelp. What the site lacks in marine flora, though, it more than makes up for in an abundance of fauna, with the sea life in the area afforded the same ‘no take’ protection as the wreck itself. The site is now home to crayfish, common crab, spider crab and even the occasional greater spotted dog fish.

SOUTH WEST DIVING

Plymouth-based South West Diving prides itself on offering an over-and-above charter boat service on its vessel TopGun – more a ‘weekend’s experience’ than just a day shuttle. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and bottled water are available, and between dives, warm pasties, fruit, biscuits and chocolate will be served –all included in the competitive charter prices. TopGun is fitted with a stern-mounted diver lift, kit bench and toilet, and is run by an experienced RYA-qualified skipper and rebreather diver, who will whisk you to a range of dive sites, from entry-level to full-on technical. www.southwestdiving.co.uk

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IN DEEP

In Deep was formed to offer diver training, to serve the needs of divers, to conduct marine research and to promote the conservation of the environment and wildlife in the local area. It is a PADI five-star Dive Centre, located in the Mount Batten Watersports Complex in Plymouth, and provides diver training, charter boat packages, a range of gas-filling services and a well-equipped online retail store. www.indeep.co.uk Armed with my trusty laminated ‘divers trail’ slate, navigating around the site is surprisingly easy with both bearings and distances clearly marked between points. To make life even easier, the project has installed a series of ten numbered ‘stations’ which mark the position of various cannon and anchors and also serves as a useful ‘you are here’ indicator to aid the directionally challenged. Even in good vis, it’s worth keeping the slate handy as it’s all too easy to find yourself leaving the area of the wreck site.

With almost all of the Coronation’s wooden superstructure long gone, what now remains offers a fascinating glimpse into maritime history. Station 1 on the diver trail brings you to the first of two large main anchors. Weighing a good 3.5 tonnes, it’s hard not to be blown away by its sheer size – at five metres in length and 2.5 metres in width across the colossal flukes that fan out on either side of the anchor’s crown, it’s hard not to wonder just how big the Coronation herself must have been to need such a behemoth!

Following the diver trail, you’ll be treated to cannon of many shapes and sizes – from two-metre-long 5.75 pounders to a massive 18-pound ‘Culverin’ cannon measuring over three metres in length. Resting on a rocky outcrop, this beauty is a popular stop for visiting photographers! Even this cannon would have been dwarfed by the Coronation’s ’32-pounder’ cannon from the lower decks, which are located off the trail.

What makes the Coronation such a great dive isn’t just the historic nature of the site but the relatively shallow depth – most of the site is no deeper than 18m, making it perfect for divers of all levels. And with the site so close in to shore, it takes less than 20 minutes to arrive.

As divers, we feel a sense of privilege to visit the final resting places of wrecks that offer such a fascinating glimpse into our maritime past. All wrecks have a story to tell, but the Coronation’s story is one that eclipses most. She’s a vessel of national importance that marks a time in history when Britain’s dominance of the seas was still being challenged by our European neighbours.

A dive on the Coronation is quite literally a trip back in time to an age of sail that marked a turning point in our history. n

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DIVE LIKE A PRO

Until someone produces ultra-light dive equipment, packing your gear for a trip away is always going to be a fraught process. Here our panel of industry experts give their hints and advice.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK EVANS AND GARRY DALLAS/RAID

Packing for a dive trip

M

any of us love to head off to sunnier climes for a spot of tropical diving, but before we get to enjoy those crystal-clear, bath-tub warm waters, we have to negotiate one of the most-trying aspects of dive travel – packing all of your precious kit, ensuring it is as safe and secure as possible, while trying to avoid being crucified by the increasingly restrictive luggage allowances and over-weight bag fees.

John Kendall, GUE Instructor Trainer, said: “I spend a large portion of my life on aeroplanes travelling to teach classes, and packing for these trips is always hard. I have a couple of rules of thumb that I try and use.

“The first one is to carry your drysuit in hand luggage. There are many things that a dive centre are able to rent or loan you if your luggage doesn’t arrive on time, but it is rare for them to have a drysuit that fits you correctly. The other thing that goes in my hand luggage are my lights, as Lithium batteries should generally be hand-carried.

“With airlines constantly charging more and more for luggage, it’s important to look at the weight of everything, and that should include the cases/ bags that you use. I have on occasion headed to a bag shop with a set of luggage scales. Big hard cases can weight up to 10kgs, so you are using up almost half of your allowance just with the case, so find lighter weight alternatives. I tend to see what heavy equipment the dive centre can provide me with, and will rent items such as backplates or fins (And, in fact, I have several sets of these that I have bought and leave at locations that I regularly visit). Finally, make a list of everything that you need for a trip, and then go through it again and think about every item carefully. You probably don’t need a crack-bottle SMB and heavy reel if you are only doing some reef diving in the Caribbean, consider a small SMB and spool instead.”

Garry Dallas, RAID Rec and Tec Instructor Trainer and Director of Training RAID UK and Malta, said: “Most of us go away to dive our bucket list of fantastic destinations around the world, some more than others. The art of packing takes some consideration and experience, if you want everything intact against the odds of the ruthless baggage handlers.

“A bag is just a bag… right? Let’s consider beforehand, some key practical elements in choosing the ideal bag: Weight of the bag, volume and durability. Wheels, carry straps or shoulder harness? Hard, holdall or waterproof dive boat bag? Adjustable exterior fin straps? Colour? Material? Compartments inside and out?

“These key points should be taken into account when choosing your luggage so to avoid needing multiple bags. Typically, one 120-litre case/hold-all and a rucksack should be enough for most diver’s holidays.

“Keep in mind while packing, potential problems: Damageable items must be padded well. If your bag gets lost/delayed at the airport, how important is the equipment? Consider the weight allowance on the flight and the size/ bulkiness of your equipment, as well as the bag’s drying ability.

He continued: “Packing a bag efficiently is key. Pack sturdy stuff around the interior walls of the bag and place the harness/BCD on the base. Compress everything as flat as possible, removing all air and water from the BCD and dry everything – and don’t forget to remove weights when repacking!

“Fold neck and wrist seals of drysuit inside the wrists and neck of the suit, place wetsuit/undersuit in a separate lightweight drybag, and carry

32

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“Remove all hoses from first stages, plug them both ends and carry them, if weight is an issue. Carry dive computer and mask in hand luggage - it’s most personal! The rest of equipment can be hired easily.

“Finally, place wetsuit/undersuit on top, lace items like regs inside the folds of your drysuit.”

Martin Robson, PADI TecRec Instructor Trainer, commented: “Make a packing list! Lay everything out before you start packing and check it all works. Don’t forget spare O-rings or any specialist spares you might need. Consider sharing spares with someone else on the trip if luggage is limited.

If necessary, print out any safety data sheets for items such as batteries.”

PADI UK Regional Manager Matt Clements had some sage advice: “When I am loading the bag I tend to pack BCD first with the fins along the sides, then load the rest inside the slight protection this offers - fin foot pockets are great for more delicate items. Don’t forget spares - it’s amazing how often it will save your dive, or your buddy’s dive.”

PADI Course Director and UK Regional Training Consultant Emily Petley-Jones said: “Keep the box you purchased your mask in and use it. I have seen many people arrive on a dive boat and unpack their kit bags, only to find someone has unceremoniously bashed their bag and shattered their mask. When repacking your bag at the end of a dive trip, make sure the mask (and mask strap) is dry before you put it into storage.”

Vikki Batten, Director of Rebreather Technologies, Training Supervisor and Instructor Examiner at PADI, shared her secrets: “If you pack well and are adequately insured you shouldn’t need to take anything in your carry-on bag (some batteries have to be in your carry on – check with the manufacturer). I know it’s tempting to ‘baby’ your regulators or dive computer, but your journey through security will be easier - and your back will thank you for not overloading it during your journey.”

Mark Powell, TDI/SDI Business Development Manager, said: “Think about what you really, really need to take and what you can leave behind. Some of the things that are tempting to take but may be possible to leave behind are: “Fins - they are heavy and most dive centres can supply them for a minimal cost.

“Knives - do you really need it?

“Tool kit - the dive centre will have a tool kit, and unless you have some specific tool then you can leave it behind.

“Spares - while it might be useful to have a spare of everything, do you really need to take it or can you source spares at your destination? You can also share spares to cut down on weight.

“Batteries - take the batteries out of your torches and buy new ones at your destination.

“Integrated weights – yes, really, I have seen people taking integrated weight systems and forgetting to take out the weights.

“Backplate - while we use steel backplates in the UK, an aluminium backplate may be more appropriate for warm-water diving in a wetsuit or shorty.”

He concluded: “If you check with the dive centre exactly what equipment they have, you can determine what you can leave behind. This means you leave more space and weight allowance for the things that you really do need to take, such as your dive computer, mask and regulators.”

Eddie Clamp MBE, BSAC Travel Club Correspondent, said: “With luggage space a precious commodity on most trips, what is the most effective way to pack a holiday dive bag? Here’s my top hints and tips” 1 – Do not buy a dive bag that tells everyone it has lots of expensive goodies within… you don’t need them, and they take up space for the important stuff – your dive kit!

2 – Maximise the use of space within and around your kit - fins in bag on the bottom end to end with small items packed in the foot space. On top of that place BCD. Delicate items packed within it. Wetsuit on top of that. I mostly pack my regs in a dedicated bag and place it at one end of the main bag.

3 - Put all the clothes you think you may need into a pile next to your case, then halve it to the really necessary stuff.

4 - Pack all above clothes into a separate mesh bag which can easily be taken out. This really helps when fitting equipment up on a dive deck or dhoni.

5 – Make the most of your hand baggage – laptop, cameras, sometimes regs if limited to 20kg hold baggage can all go in your smaller bag. Don’t forget to include some underwear and maybe a T-shirt in your hand luggage to be used in emergency (Reason below).

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Finally, do not worry too much. On one liveaboard trip, my bag remained in Gatwick for the whole week. Get on with it, it happens sometimes!”

IANTD General Manager Tim Clements explained: “Rather than dipping ourselves in glue and rolling around in our dive cave, with a big bag of speculative ‘just in case’ items and a colossal bill for excess luggage, good divers of all levels will use bag packing as part of their dive planning.

Take a moment to imagine the dives you will be doing. This is an important process - run through your dive as if you were making a video. You’ll be able to identify use of both the standard items you always carry, and the ones which are specific to the purpose of your dive. Once you have worked through your dives, you’ll have a list of what you’ll need.

Next run through again, this time from unpacking your bag. Imagine what you would like to find in it after the baggage handlers have had a good go.

What spares do you need to fix what’s left? Run through your dive with some common problems. Do you have spare O-rings, hoses, etc, that you might need.

What can you imagine dropping on a dive that would prevent you completing your task or holiday? That needs to go on the list, unless you are sure you can get it in the field and at a price you can afford.

Think again about emergencies - that’s another list of gear you might need.

Once this is done, ensure that everything you are taking is serviced and functional. Why ruin the trip of a lifetime, or cause an expedition to fail, or an incident to become an injury, for sake of a service or tune up?

Only now are you ready to pack your bag. Assume that if it can be broken, it will. Take delicate items in hand baggage, remove CCR electronics if you can and pack smart with the rest. Protect regs with thermals or wetsuits, use fins/ backplates as a harder base in the bag and then weigh it - optimism won’t pay your excess baggage at the desk. Use robust boxes for CCR and take spare cable ties to reseal it after inspection. Take a brochure to demonstrate what it might be if it’s anonymous electronics with flashing lights.

Lastly, the most important items you need to take are your brain and your skills. Run your dive again and make an honest appraisal of the skills you need are they sharp and task ready?

“Enjoy your trip and discover something new, even on sites that are heavily dived. Pack curiosity - it’s free, and makes everything else worthwhile.”

SSI’s Richard Corner said: “Like most people working in the diving industry, I travel a lot and have gotten pretty good at packing for max safety and space.

The most-important thing is to have the right bag for your length of stay, and to ensure the bag weight is not eating too much of your baggage allowance.

I’ve moved away from big bags with trolley handles and am currently using the Mares Cruise Roller, which gives me 128-litres volume for 3kg bag weight and folds up nice and small for storage at home or on a liveaboard.

“A lot of divers are trying to take advantage of budget flights with no checked baggage and hiring kit at resort, but I have seen a lot of people still falling foul at the check-in gate because they have too many bags, or bags are too heavy or too big. Make sure you read the details for your airline - some only allow one bag total, so handbags or laptop bags need to go inside them. I tend to pack anything valuable or more delicate, such as dive computer, in the centre of the bag surrounded by my clothes to give them some impact protection. You can use any neoprene items you are taking for the same purpose, as neoprene offers great protection from the cold and is pretty good at absorbing impacts.

“Make sure everything is secured properly - your dive bags should have cinching straps which hold everything in place; any damage is most likely to come from kit bouncing off other kit inside the bag.”

He added: “Final advise is to only take the kit you need - I once saw a guy arrive at the airport and he still had lead in his weight pockets!”

Gary Asson, National Diving Officer of the SAA, said: “I always try to pack my dive bag so that I can get to the items I need in order, i.e. if I know I will need to kit up before getting onto, say, a RIB, I will make sure that I can get to the dry and undersuit without having to unpack everything else. Especially useful when kitting up in the rain.

“My main dive bag is basically a box with two zipped sections upper half

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and lower. It has two wheels, a telescopic handle, several other handles, and straps that convert it into a rucksack. I use the top half for drysuit, undersuits, etc, and the lower section for everything else.

Regulators go into a padded reg bag, primary mask in one fin pocket, hood and gloves in the other.

This protects the mask, and ensures everything comes with me to the dive entry point. If this is onto a boat of some sort, then fins, etc, are stored pre-packed in a goody bag inside the main dive bag, along with anything else that I cannot attach to me, i.e. DSMB, etc.

“The choice of bag has several dependencies. On a liveaboard, you may be limited to a single soft bag that can be stored easily, on a RIB, a goody bag.

When flying, weight is a major factor, with some airlines charging extortionate amounts for each kilo over the allowance. In most of these cases, you are limited to a soft bag. When this is the case, I use things like fins, and wetsuits, etc, as protective padding for the more-delicate items. When weight is a factor, I try to ensure that all of my kit is dry, and that the BCD is empty of water.

“The next thing is to ensure you arrive on site with the kit you want/ need. Most of us by now are past the point where we take everything we own.

Therefore, we need to be selective. The best way to ensure you don’t arrive at the dive site without the correct kit is to use a check list. Remember when compiling the list that you should start with the kit that you cannot dive without. Diving kit, regulators, mask, fins, safety kit, computer, cutter, etc, followed by the kit that is nice to have, plus any spares, tools, etc. Mentally dress yourself with the items in the list to ensure you have not missed anything. If you are very thorough, you can include the weight of each item. Only tick the item on the list when it goes into the bag. Uncheck an item if you remove it again. Laminated check lists are excellent for this, and have the advantage of being re-usable.

“The checklist is also useful when repacking the bag for the homeward journey, to ensure you have not left anything behind. If you leave a blank section, you can note any defects you have found with your kit, or anything you would have found useful.

This will give you a visual reference as to what needs to be fixed before the next trip.” n

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“Just a quick - the rigid inflatables they use here are definitely quick! - 3.5km ride out from the beach, Pinnacles is a collection of mounds that rises up from a 50m sand bottom, the shallowest top at 30m�

WILD

MOZAMBIQUE Mozambique’s picturesque coastal village of Ponta do Ouro promises lifetime memories both on the surface and underwater, as AL HORNSBY reports Photographs by AL HORNSBY

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TOP TIP

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO DRIVE FROM SOUTH AFRICA, YOU CAN CONNECT TO THE AIRPORT AT MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE, AND USE COMMERCIAL TRANSIT (APPROXIMATELY FOUR HOURS) TO PONTA DO OURO.

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eing rather a fanatic about both underwater and topside wildlife photography, I’ve managed to do a bit of wandering around southern Africa over the years, where both pursuits are world-class. And, when you get the chance to combine the two pleasures into one, easily organised trip, it’s something special, indeed. With a favourite African ocean-diving destination being Ponta do Ouro, Mozambique, an incredible dive/game park travel experience is simple to arrange: fly into Johannesburg, South Africa, rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle (a must for reaching Ponta do Ouro, as there are no paved roads reaching it), grab a map and head east.

Over the 700km journey, you can spend a couple of side-trip days in South Africa’s Kruger Park, with its incredible host of lions, leopards, Cape buffalo, rhinos, elephants and all the rest. Travelling on, after passing through beautiful scenery and remote villages, you can spend another

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couple of days at coast-side iSimangalso Wetlands Park, with its lakes, bayous and rivers entering the sea, where hippos, elephants and other marshland creatures abound.

The last leg takes you into Mozambique, with its rolling, sandy grasslands and its own incredible game parks, such as Gorongosa and Limpopo. The Gorongosa, especially, is known for ‘the big five’, although you’ll see many more species as well. You will once again meet the sea at your final destination, the village of Ponta do Ouro – Ponta, as it is familiarly called by South Africans - along the curving, sandy beaches of the Mozambique Channel, just north of the South Africa border.

Once a thriving, upscale Portuguese vacation town (during colonial days) with sumptuous villas, Ponta was heavily damaged during Mozambique’s long-running civil war, which began in 1975 and came to an end only in 1994. Until not long ago, the ruins of bullet-pocked homes and

the still-present landmine warning signs gave constant reminders of the human difficulties that occurred in this remote, wild place. When considering the contrast with its beautiful, natural environment, that old ‘follies of man’ saying was never far from a visitor’s consciousness. Thus it sat for many years, but now having been discovered by modern travellers (especially divers), it has begun to rebuild, without losing its incredible charm. In fact, some of the old pre-war hotels still operate – though a number of new resorts, cottage rentals and camping facilities are also available.

While strolling along its golden, waveswept beaches and wandering among its forested sand dunes and hillsides, or surfing or jet-skiing, could be all the amusement most people would ever need, for divers it’s what lays offshore that makes this secluded spot so amazing. The sea here, after all, is the warm, Indian Ocean, with all the exotic life one would imagine,

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with macro-subjects abound, swarms of schooling fish and colourful reefs covered in hard and soft corals, sponges and gorgonians. And, out a few kilometres where much of the diving takes place, the water is also Indian Ocean-clear, with vis of 25 metres and more.

As enjoyable as all that is, it’s what’s on the big end of the life spectrum that makes this place so special… like sharks – Zambezi (bulls), silvertips, whalesharks, hammerheads and the occasional tiger; mantas, eagle rays, and, on the bottom, huge blotched rays; and big potato grouper and turtles.

If that isn’t enough, there is a resident pod of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins commonly seen just off the beach (which aren’t shy of snorkellers) and, from May through November, magnificent migrating humpback and southern right whales can be watched offshore.

Throughout my dives around Ponta, a special place called Pinnacles remains my favourite. Just a quick - the rigid inflatables they use here are definitely quick! - 3.5km ride out from the beach, Pinnacles is a collection of mounds that rises up from a 50m sand bottom, the shallowest top at 30m.

It is action-central from the very beginning… huge schools of bluestripe snapper meander over the brightly-coloured coral slopes, large honeycomb morays extend from crevices and huge, resident potato grouper – seemingly curious of divers – appear on cue as you reach the bottom.

Most exciting, however, especially from September through May, are the many sharks that can be seen. Lovely silvertip sharks usually show up first, and when you are lucky (we always were), large Zambezi sharks soon follow. In our dives here, we always had two or three, big Zambies hanging around, three metres in length and nearly a metre across the snout. In the clear, blue water, they were awesome to see. Not aggressive, but definitely not shy, they seemed interested in us, especially in photographers and (most especially) our buddy with his large beta-cam system, as if the electronics were noticeable to them. On one dark, sunset dive (the witching hour for most sharks), a particularly active Zambie bumped the cam’s dome port several times before opening wide and trying an exploratory bite. The resulting footage was priceless – the shark’s open mouth and teeth over-filling the frame; with the accompanying soundtrack the shriek of those sharp teeth scoring the aluminum housing as it pulled away.

There are many shallower dive sites as well, most featuring huge shoals of fish, especially snapper and scad. But, looking more closely at the reef, Ponta’s collection of small and macro critters quickly becomes evident. A favourite among the shallow

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sites is Doodles, just ten minutes from the beach, which is found at 15-18m of depth. Among the sponges and corals of the reef can be found robust pipefish, leaf scorpionfish, symbiotic imperial shrimp and many other macro subjects.

When looking for critters here, though, do remember to look up occasionally – large potato grouper are likely to be following you, as if wondering just what you are so intently doing.

A visit to Mozambique’s Ponta do Ouro is worthy of any diver’s wish list, especially considering the easy access to some of Africa’s notable game parks while you are there. The diving is remarkable, and the place, in the wild heart of Africa, is lovely and captivating – all the stuff of which unforgettable memories are inevitably made. n

“Among the sponges and corals of the reef can be found robust pipefish, leaf scorpionfish, symbiotic imperial shrimp and many other macro subjects” WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

COMPOSITION IS KING DUXY kicks off a ‘top ten’ two-parter, listing his first five tips for composition and framing PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL ‘DUXY’ DUXFIELD

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common request I get asked on my escorted trips is to help with framing and composition, and of course, I love doing my best to help in this regard.

Regardless of the camera being used, it’s some-thing that can be of benefit to all concerned - from GoPro to DSLR, it’s the fundamental skill that un-derpins all photography.

The good news is that we’re born with this skill and all we need to do is develop and nurture it.

So in a two-parter spanning two editions, I’m going to share with you my ten favourite tips to get your creative juices flowing.

1 Get closer

This one’s easy, and is probably the fundamental mistake most beginners trip up with. A famous war photographer once said: “If your pictures aren’t good enough, then you’re not close enough” and so make a conscious effort to move closer to your subject matter. This has a knock-on effect for your diving as you’ll need to raise your game with your buoyancy skills, and your movement and trim in the water as you get even closer to skittish subject matter. So it’s a win-win all around.

2 Turn the camera 90 degrees

Obvious when pointed out, however I’m as guilty as the next person in this area and have to remind myself to try and frame pertinent to the way the subjects are arranged in front of me, and I often forget to frame in the vertical or portrait format, but when I do I’m usually pleasantly surprised as to the out-come.

Shot 1 Rhinopias. This remarkable-looking creature wasn’t being done justice by being placed against the messy bland background it was resting upon, so getting in close and isolating its face has shown its character.

3 Use the rules, but loosely

Shot 2 Whip Goby Pair. This pair of whip gobies lent themselves to framing in the vertical, as if I’d been lazy, shot horizontal and cropped, it would have been a waste of pixels and reduced quality.

matter

All photography and many other arts are linked to aesthetic guidelines that through the ages have proven to work visually, creating satisfying results for the viewer.

I’m not going to go into great detail here, but why not Google or search Wikipedia for the Rule of Thirds, the Golden Section or even the Rule of Odds, which I have on good authority is the go-to placement skill behind flower arranging!

The thing about the most-practiced photographers is that they also have a feel for when these ‘rules’ can be broken too, so while the accepted wisdom is a great way to set you on the path to creative nir-vana, it’s good to know when you can play fast and loose with age-old traditions.

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Shot 3 Giannis Anemone. I have very loosely used the rule of thirds in this composition with both the diver placed very roughly on the thirds section, bottom left, and top right.

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ESCORTED TRIPS

I would like to use the opportunity here on the pages of Scuba Diver to say I am very pleased to announce that I have now taken a post at Oonasdivers and Ultimate Diving, and will be carrying out a range of escorted trips and workshops for them, with the first planned for 31 May 2017 to the Red Sea. I’d like to take this chance to thank Scuba Travel, my previous employers, for four happy years working within a great team of lovely people. In particular, Tony Backhurst and his wife Julie, who were responsible for getting me involved in the first place and have shown me great kindness over the years.

It’s all happened rather quickly and I’ve just returned from Egypt researching exciting new trip potential, and so very soon I will have a full schedule of trips for your delectation for the latter half of 2017 and right through to 2018, and am looking forward to welcoming lots more of you onboard for an all-new take on a tried-and-tested formula, guaranteeing fun while developing your underwater photographic potential to the max.

matter

Shot 4 Thistlegorm Bike. This juxtaposition of diver in background and bike to the fore, lent itself perfectly to the square cropping which I applied using the content aware scale rule in Photoshop.

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4 Crop creatively

We live in exciting times and the millennials are leading the way on social media with the biggest pic-ture-sharing site on the planet. “What’s that then?” I hear you say. I’m referring to Instagram, and unless you’ve been living in a shed communicating only via sema-phore, then this graphical tour de force surely can’t have escaped your attention.

While you can share pictures on IG in any format you wish, the site became popular for its immediate-ly recognisable square format.

This way of framing, while nothing new, has had a massive resurgence of late and been adopted by some of the most-creative people on the planet today. I’m not suggesting that you only shoot and crop square from now on, but give it a go, set up your own Instagram account and crop away, you’ll

Shot 5 Lionfish Reef. It can be easy to make the mistake of getting subject focused and ignoring the basics, here I simply dropped a foot or two so that the lionfish was placed against the blue rather than lost amid the fire corals.

be surprised how it makes you rethink your established thought patterns of graphical layout.

5 Shape, form, colour and texture

Shot 6 One Giant Leap.

Don’t forget to shoot above the waterline, as all the practice you do topside pays dividends when you’re next underwater.

Underwater we are lucky to be presented with a myriad of different choices to record. The shape of corals, fish and other marine life can catch our eye, and is definitely worth recording for that reason alone. As are the bright colours we encounter often set against a palette of different blues.

So when framing a colourful critter, make sure you have good separation between it and any other picture elements, something like a humble lionfish is lost against a reef backdrop, but comes alive when placed on a beautiful blue background, so you move and get your subject placement skills fine-tuned.

Sometimes we struggle for things to shoot, but usually all it takes is a good helping of rule one and to get in closer for the intricate patterns in the hard and soft corals, and these abstract textures blown up big can make great pictures all on their own. n

BIOGRAPHY

Since returning from Egypt working as a guide in the early noughties, Duxy has been at the forefront of underwater photography technology and how it has changed the way we all now take underwater photographs. Working as Sales Manager for the two leading underwater photography retailers, and more lately as the Photography Travel Specialist for a multi-award-winning dive travel agent, his light-hearted take on the diving world and underwater photography has resulted in him being a regular speaker at the Dive Shows and at clubs up and down the country, sharing his knowledge and experience with all levels and abilities of underwater photographer.

He likes nothing better than to get a beginner started on the route to rewarding pictures, and approaches the subject with an inclusive, rather than exclusive, manner. He now has more than 40 escorted trips under his belt and is continuing to develop new ways to pass on the knowledge and share the love. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter @takeiteasyduxy and Facebook as Take iT Easy.

TRIPS

matter

Duxy will be conducting escorted trips for all comers of all abilities, both in the Red Sea and worldwide and is currently planning his trips for the latter-half of 2017 and into 2018 - watch this space for further details.

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Fabulous

FIJI NICK AND CAROLINE ROBERTSON-BROWN make the long trek to the ‘soft coral capital of the world’ and end up smitten by the whole experience Photographs by NICK AND CAROLINE ROBERTSON-BROWN

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here is nothing like coming in to land at a tropical destination and being able to see a series of islands surrounded by reefs and clear blue water to whet the appetite for your trip. This was how we started our tour around the varied and beautiful islands of Fiji.

It was a wonderful sight, that was to be repeated on numerous occasions, as we travelled on small, twin-engined, turbo-prop aircraft from island to island to experience some of the best diving, not only on these south Pacific islands, but in the world. After a long flight, we were warmly welcomed and grateful to be taken to a nearby hotel, Novatel Nadi, to relax, get some lunch and most importantly, freshen up, before our onward flight to Taveuni later that afternoon. Our trip was going to cover four diving resorts on three different islands, to give us a real flavour of what the amazing islands of Fiji have to offer.

Jean-Michel Cousteau christened Fiji ‘the soft coral capital of the world’ and Taveuni is world-renowned for its beautiful, soft corals on Rainbow Reef. This was to be our first destination, and we were soon watching our not-insubstantial luggage being loaded onto a Twin Otter plane and then flying over the lush vegetation of the mountains, and the turquoise ocean. The flight is just over an hour and so it was not long before we were being whisked to Garden Island Resort. Taveuni was one of the islands which was very badly hit by Cyclone Winston early in 2016, and so the resort had only recently been rebuilt. We were here to see what damage, if any, had been done to the reefs, and whether they were well on the road to recovery. First, however, it was time to unpack and our room was fabulous, with large patio doors leading out onto the beach and the water lapping just yards away. Heaven. While Garden Island had a dive shop that was just minutes away from the reef, in order to share the love, we were to dive with Paradise Taveuni. They are based further to the south of Taveuni, and again were particularly badly damaged by Winston, but were also just about finishing their final repairs and renovations. We could not wait to see what the diving was going to be like and very much hoped it would live up to expectations.

As we dropped into the warm water, we could not have hoped for what we were about to see. Rainbow Reef really does live up to its title, and the colours of the coral were amazing! Healthy soft corals clung to every available surface as far as the eye could see (and that was a long way). It was simply gorgeous!

Of course, to have coral like this, you also need a good flow of nutrient-rich, pollution-free water, and so we knew to expect some current. As we drifted along the small wall of a dive site called Rainbow’s End, while attempting to get a great photo might have been a challenge, our enjoyment was only heightened by this drifting tour. All too soon it was time to get back onto the boat, the Taveuni Explorer, for a snack and a chat as we anticipated the next dive. As we were the only guests on board, our trip being perfectly timed to fit in just before the Christmas rush, we were able to squeeze-in another two great dives

on Rainbow Reef that day, but we were already looking forward to one of Fiji most-famous dives, White Wall, the following morning.

The Paradise Taveuni team really pulled out all the stops, getting up very early to ensure we could fit in two more dives and still be safe to fly the next morning. Thankfully the tides were also in our favour, and we were able to start the day on White Wall, which is regularly voted as one of the world’s best wall dives. The start of the dive sees you descending down a cut in the wall, so that you arrive at White Wall in spectacular fashion. You have to see it to fully appreciate the sight, as the vertical wall is covered in a white (actually very pale blue) field of soft coral. It seemed to glow in the sunlight and was like nothing we had ever seen before. The current allowed us to drift the length of the wall, before ascending to shallower water to enjoy the top of the reef. We were diving with the owner of Paradise Fiji, Alan Gortan, and our final dive was to be one of his favourites, a shallow dive called Small Cabbage Patch. Here, this hard coral stretched out into a large reef (although there must be an even bigger section nearby!) and several, different schools of fish swirled on top and within the coral.

Alas, all too soon, our Taveuni diving experience

“Octopus displayed on the reef, barracuda schooled in the deep blue water close to the reef, and our guide found us nudibranchs, eels and ghost pipefish”

NATIONAL DRINK

was coming to an end. We cannot move on without commending the staff and food at Garden Island Resort. Phil, the owner, made us feel very welcome, and the staff all gathered together to serenade us goodbye the next morning when it was time for us to move on.

We were back in Nadi (pronounced nandi) by late morning and once again were deposited at the Novotel, although this time, as our next flight was early in the morning, we would be spending the night.

We had an afternoon to kill, and so the Fiji Tourism team offered to take us to the botanical Sleeping Giant Gardens, followed by a mud spa and massage at the Sabeto Hot Springs. This was a great way to unwind, and apparently also knocks a few years off how you look if local legend is true!

Matava, on the island of Kadavu, was to be our next destination, and getting there requires an adventurous spirit, with another small plane ride, a bumpy, but very short, truck ride to the sea’s edge, followed by an hour and a half on a boat to reach the isolated, but astounding, eco-resort. There are no roads to this location, so everyone must travel by boat, locals and tourists alike, to get there. Matava prides itself on its eco credentials, growing organic food to serve to the guests and getting all their electrical power from the solar panels installed on the traditional-style buildings. For the diving, they are famous for their manta ray dive.

On top of the diving, Matava had a surprise in store for us, as their instructor fell ill, just as a guest was arriving to finish his PADI Open Water Diver referral! As they had flown all the way from Seattle to start their diving adventure, we agreed to step-in and complete his open water dives and to teach him on the two afternoons we were there.

Alas, we were more than a little crushed to find out that the weather had picked-up and we would not be able to do the manta dives. We were going to have to be content with diving the local reefs and our first morning of diving saw us enjoying more incredible reef dives. In the afternoon, we took a small boat to the private island opposite the resort, to use their sandy beach and patchy shallow reef as the perfect place to complete our new student Josh’s dives. The dive shop that had been responsible for his theory and confined water (Seattle Scuba) had obviously done a great job, as he was great in the water right away.

That evening, we took part in a traditional ‘Lovo’ night, where local food is prepared in a hot pit covered by banana leafs and the local drink ‘Kava’ is served. The food was great, but if you were expecting fizzy wine to be served with it, then you would be disappointed! Kava is a drink made by soaking pepper plant roots in water. The resulting liquid looks a bit like a muddy puddle. It had a strange

48

KAVA, ALSO KNOWN AS YAQONA, IS PRETTY MUCH THE ‘NATIONAL DRINK’ OF FIJI. IT MAY TASTE LIKE BITTER WATERY MUD, BUT IT IS NOT, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEFS, A HALLUCINOGENIC.

“Never had we seen anything like it! It was a riot of colour, with every available space filled with corals and critters”

numbing effect on the mouth and we decided that, as we were diving the next day, moderation was probably the sensible option!

The reef wall dives the next morning saw us have a close encounter with a couple of whitetip reef sharks. They were much bigger than any we had seen before, but were not that keen to hang around. The dive boat headed into a beautiful mangrove-filled bay for our surface interval, where we supped on tea and biscuits and chatted to the group. Then, after lunch, it was time to put Josh through his paces and, fingers crossed, certify him as a diver. We went out on the small boat again, but this time to a nearby island that had more depth available. Again, he sailed through the skills and demonstrated a natural ability for buoyancy. We then got to enjoy a tour of the reef, pointing out his first-ever anemonefish, damselfish and a slightly unnerving sea snake! n Check out: www.scubadivermag.com/fiji to read the rest of this article.

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Fantastic

Fiji

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Choose from a range of resort-based and liveaboard itineraries.

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Combine with Garden Island Resort, Taveuni for a magical twin centre adventure.

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WIN! A LIVEABOARD TRIP TO THE RED SEA WORTH £1,225!

Scuba Diver has teamed up with award-winning dive specialist tour operator Scuba Travel to offer one lucky reader the chance to WIN a space on this year’s ‘Liveaboard of the Year’, Hurricane!

Hurricane is a true hero in the Red Sea. She’s the right boat in the right place - her stable steel hull and speedy engines make light work of the sailing in the southern Red Sea. The diving never disappoints, and few guides are more experienced than the long-standing Tornado Marine Fleet crews.

Looking for pristine reef diving? The remote St Johns mixes up wall diving with lavish pinnacles and cool cavern dives.

Love sharks? Simply the Best is the itinerary for you, where the plunging walls and currents attract in the big fish. The Brothers, Daedalus, Elphinstone, Rocky and Zabargad… these are the fabled marine parks where the action comes in thick and fast.

With direct flights into Marsa Alam, Scuba Travel’s fully bonded ATOL packages mean you can travel with peace of mind, too.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer this question:

Which reef system is famous for wall diving, pinnacles and cavern dives?

To enter, log on to: www.scubadivermag.com/ competitions and provide your answer, along with your contact details.

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PRIZE DETAILS

Prize includes a flight from Gatwick direct to Marsa Alam, transfers, tanks and weights, nitrox, full-board onboard and three to four dives a day. Not included are any extras bought onboard, insurance or visa costs.

The holiday must be taken in 2017 and is non-refundable or transferrable.

The editor’s decision is final. Closing date 12th May 2017.

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FREEDIVING NEWS Message from the Deep

The team here at DeeperBlue.com are excited to be teaming up with Mark and the Scuba Diver team to help power the Freediving section of this great new magazine.

Freediving is an amazing growth area in the sport of diving and has been recognised by virtually all the major diving agencies over the past few years. Freediving is so much more than just setting records or competitions, the amazing experiences you can have while holding your breath mean that the popularity is exploding. Join us as we take you on a monthly journey into the world of freediving, with news and features covering everything for the beginner and beyond.

Stephan Whelan Founder, DeeperBlue.com

Yoga and diving = Red Sea relaxed Whether you’re a hardened scubie, or a hippy freediver, this scuba, yoga and freediving liveaboard trip from 13-20 May has got it all. Led by freediving pro Emma Farrell and based onboard luxury liveaboard Cyclone, there’s the opportunity for everyone to take part in pre-dive yoga classes in the morning designed to help you breathe and move better, and yoga nidra relaxation at night under the stars. If you’re as stiff as a board and never done yoga before, then it’s perfect for you, and everything is tailored to the individual.

As well as diving the northern Egyptian Red Sea all day, scuba divers also get the chance to do a free Try Freediving course (worth £75) during the week, and each evening, Emma will be giving talks and workshops on everything from head massage to equalisation, to dolphin behaviour!

Prices start from £1,295, including flights from Gatwick and all transfers. www.scubatravel.com

DAN JOINS FORCES WITH PFI

The Divers Alert Network (DAN) has announced that it is creating an educational alliance with Performance Freediving International (PFI) to improve freediver safety.

“Freediving is an exciting and invigorating activity, and freedivers are a growing part of the diving community that DAN serves,” said William Ziefle, President and CEO of Divers Alert Network. “As with any underwater activity, there are risks and safety concerns that are best addressed through research and the dissemination of accurate information. PFI has been a leader in the development of freedive safety education and training in risk mitigation techniques, and their experience in the field over two decades provides an excellent foundation for our collaboration.”

“We are very proud to work with Divers Alert Network toward our joint goal of improving safety in freediving,” said Kirk Krack, the founder and CEO of Performance Freediving International. “The service DAN has provided to the diving community is immeasurable and their medical courses have long been a requirement for our professional instructors. We look forward to working closely with DAN’s excellent medical and research staff to share our expertise.” www.dan.org / www.performancefreediving.com

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DeeperBlue.com is the World’s Largest Community dedicated to Freediving, Scuba Diving and Spearfishing. We’ve been dedicated to bringing you the freshest news, features and discussions from around the underwater world since 1996.

AIDA Egypt launches in capital Cairo

In another piece of good news for the beleaguered diving destination, Egyptian freedivers successfully launched their AIDA national body with a first meeting of AIDA Egypt in the capital on 29 January.

Egypt has had a strong freediving history, which started way back in 1999 when a national team was involved in some of the very first AIDA International competitions.

However, despite over 17 years of freediving history, it was only in 2016 that AIDA Egypt was formed and official documents submitted to AIDA International for recognition of the national body.

Dance from the Deep

Just when you thought you’d heard everything… After underwater dining, underwater weddings and even underwater music festivals, now we’ve got an underwater dance event, which aims to shine a spotlight on the monster amounts of plastic currently threatening the world’s oceans.

This bizarre event, scheduled for October during the Amsterdam Dance Event and conducted in partnership with the Mission Live Foundation, is the brainchild of Dutch DJ Oliver Heldens, who will not only be manning the decks in a purpose-built studio at 40m, he’ll be freediving down to his venue.

To be able to reach this depth, Heldens is currently hard in training with Dutch freediver Nanja van den Broek, the Variable Weight (VWT) world record holder.

The event will be streamed online to a worldwide audience, helping to raise awareness of the ‘plastic soup’ clogging the world’s oceans and endangering marine life. www.missionliveocean.org

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BFA ANNOUNCES UK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

The British Freediving Association (BFA) has recently announced the UK team that will compete in the 2017 AIDA Depth World Championships, which will be held in Roatan, Honduras, from 22 August to 3 September.

The competition, held in AIDA’s 25th anniversary year, will include Free Immersion (FIM), Constant Weight (CWT) and Constant Weight No Fins (CNF), and the UK team members were selected based on the highest-proven performances in all three disciplines.

Liv Philip, Helena Bourdillon and Nancy Gibson will constitute the female portion of the team, with Kate Goodwin in reserve. The men will be represented by Michael Board, Dean Chaouche and Carl Atkinson, with Adam Mustoe in reserve.

The association said: “The BFA congratulates these world-class athletes on their selection to the UK team and wishes them every success. The BFA will share regular training updates on its social media channels from UK team members as they prepare for this landmark competition.”

Online freediving travel show

Australian freediver Adam Stern is launching a new freediving travel show called Adventures on One Breath. The innovative show will follow Adam on his globe-trotting travels as he competes at the elite level of freediving competition and dives around the world.

Stern, a PADI Freedive Instructor Trainer, is an accomplished freediver and the current Australian Free Immersion record holder with a depth of 88m.

He is also part of the ‘100 Club’, having dived down to 100m with the Constant Weight method of freediving.

You can find Adventures on One Breath on YouTube, where you can subscribe so you never miss an instalment.

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FREEDIVING TEST EXTRA SUUNTO D4F (SRP: £275)

DeeperBlue.com/Francesca Koe: The Suunto D4f Black is a specialised version of the popular Suunto D4i dive computer, that strictly focuses on essential features for freediving. As a fan and owner of two D4i’s myself, I was eager to take the new, pared-down D4f for a whirl in the water, facilitating trials both indoors and outdoors in the open ocean, to see how Suunto’s newest dive computer would fare and compare in overall user experience.

As luck would have it, I was already on my way to immerse myself in the warm waters off the Big Island of Hawaii when I received the D4f computer to test. Simultaneously, across the pond, I had a troop of apnea enthusiasts embarking on a visit to Belgium’s NEMO-33, where they would try out the D4f in one of the world’s deepest pools. At first glance, I found the stainless steel bezel and black strap to be an aesthetically handsome combo; and since the function and setting buttons live and work in the familiar fashion of other Suunto computers, set-up was a breeze - and the implementation of my own personal preferences (for alarms and notifications) a snap. In a quick test of one of the fun features that Suunto Diving has added - you can program how long your backlight stays on, anywhere from five seconds to 60 - we found on the new D4f that it works very well!

As I performed some warm-ups on a dive line, and pulled down to acclimate, it became clear that the D4f display would provide the consistently sharp and legible contrast of data in the water I have grown accustomed to from Suunto products. Operating depth, time and temperature were all prominent and easy to read. Upon surfacing, the D4f showed me my max depth and my surface interval for proper training breath-up intervals, like a dependable old friend.

The testing continued with my confirmations of a resonant and audible single signal for depth notifications, and consecutive beeping signals for the depth alarm and time at depth alarm; key features especially for beginners trying out target dives and for spearfishermen who need to remain vigilant about bottom times. While I cannot guarantee the next set of outcomes for anyone else, I did take it as a wonderful omen that during our Suunto field-test battery, we were joined by playful spinner dolphins, and singing humpback whales - coincidence? Who knows! But we were grateful for the company of those marine mammals. Maybe they liked the sounds of the D4i alarms too…

The adjustable, striated elastomer strap of the D4f sits comfortably on the wrist, with ample room for fitting over any wetsuit, or for anyone with bigger bones. Additionally, the computer felt very lightweight to me and non-noticeable in terms of extra drag. In my opinion, the Suunto D4f is born out of the trustworthy Suunto legacy of building stylish, reliable sports gear. It is a very affordable addition to their family of expert dive products.

CONCLUSION

At nearly less than half the cost of the D4i (and even less than half the cost of a D6i), Suunto’s new freediving-friendly D4f is a fantastic option for spearos on a budget, or beginning freedivers who won’t be needing scuba functions but do want the accuracy and expertise of industry-leading technology. There is a reason that all the top athletes in competitive freediving around the world rely on and wear Suunto computers - it’s because they work well and have unparalleled standards. Streamlined, scientific and successful, the D4f gets five stars from me for value, appearance, and functionality. If you are in the market for a new freediving computer, I would recommend the D4f as the perfect solution. www.suunto.com

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Proposed changes to UK

CYLINDER TESTING The UK recreational and technical diving industry is continuing to lobby against a forced change to a proposed ISO cylinder testing standard. ROSEMARY LUNN reports on the situation Photographs by IDEST, AND ROSEMARY E LUNN/ THE UNDERWATER MARKETING COMPANY

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istorically, the UK cylinder testing regime for scuba cylinders used to be every two years (visual) and every four years (hydraulic). The cylinder is also visually tested when it is hydraulically tested.

This changed in September 2002, when IDEST (Inspectorate for Diving Equipment Servicing and Testing) was one of the parties that advocated that the hydraulic test period should be increased to a five-year period in the UK. Therefore, the visual inspection period was increased to two-and-a-half years. In other words, the test cycle time was extended!

Now the UK is under pressure to amend this test cycle and bring in an annual cylinder visual test. While we do not know what the new test specifications are going to be, it could be a retrograde step, and may not be as rigorous as the current 30-month British visual.

What is equally maddening to the UK diving industry is that there is no evidence that this change is necessary, nor that it will proportionally increase safety. In fact, many diving professionals and agencies worry that it will make diving less safe because a certain amount of cylinder filling will go ‘underground’ as divers look to save money on testing.

There is already anecdotal evidence on social media that divers will buy a personal compressor to avoid cylinder testing. This is a typical comment: “Buy your own compressor. £1,500 outlay but no more testing! (You can do your own visual if you want). I bought mine six years ago, perfect air fills every time, 240 bar, no half fills, no dodgy air, or waiting for dive shops to open, and I average 50p per fill costs, including twice yearly servicing the compressor. It’s a no-brainer for me.”

The fear is that this new annual standard will put the divers at risk because there will be less adherence to the current inspection and testing regime. Divers will simply not get their cylinders tested. No one wants to be around a cylinder when it fails, and it is possible that when a cylinder is not inspected for a number of years that it will fail at some point, be it at a dive site, on a dive boat, or in a car when it is being transported.

The proposed ISO annual test is an international standard and it is being applied to every cylinder across the board - from 0.5-litre to 120-litre - in every industry, from aviation and brewing through to cryogenics and diving. This new standard is being pushed by America and Australia - two countries where quite a lot of diving is done on aluminium diving cylinders, where there has been issues with the cylinder necks cracking.

So, let’s compare the UK IDEST visual test process against the USA process.

UK - The cylinder is logged in on a job sheet.

- The boot and any stickers on the cylinder are removed.

“I can definitely see this having impact on people coming into UK diving… I know I am going to have to start shrinking my cylinder collection if this comes in”

- The cylinder is externally assessed for damage and corrosion.

- The cylinder is checked to ensure it is empty. If it is not, any gas is released.

- The valve is removed using a special jig to ensure that it is not damaged.

- The stem threads (the part that is screwed into the cylinder) and the outlet threads (where you screw your DIN regulator into the valve) are cleaned.

- Once cleaned, both the stem and the outlet threads are checked with a GO gauge. If the GO gauge does not go all the way, then the threads are inspected to find out why this could not happen.

- The stem and outlet threads are then checked with a NOT GO gauge. This should not go on more than two turns maximum on the threads. If it does, there is a fault with the threads and they are duly inspected.

- In the case that the valve passes the GO / NOT GO gauge test, it is then dismantled and put into an ultrasonic cleaner to clean all the parts.

- The cylinder is placed on a bench and internally inspected using either a drop light or a Boroscope. If a drop light is used, then a dentist’s mirror is utilised to check the inside of the shoulder for damage, corrosion, or anything abnormal.

- The valve is washed in fresh water, dried and reassembled with new O-rings and white Teflon washers.

- The valve is then screwed into the cylinder and made ‘hand tight’. It is then torqued to the correct tension.

- The cylinder is stamped with the IDEST centre’s unique stamp, including whether it has been visually or hydro-statically serviced. It is stickered to show when it is next due for a service.

In the USA, cylinders are visually inspected only.

While the threads are closely looked at using a magnification device, they are not physically checked with GO / NOT GO gauges, nor is the valve always serviced at this time. It may be serviced. It may not be serviced. Unlike the UK, there are no set standards for cylinder inspection, other than a hydrostatic test must be conducted every five years.

In other words, in a typical USA visual service, the valve is whipped off, a technician takes a look and puts the valve back in. It is a basic inspection and does not remotely compare with the current, safer IDEST visual inspection.

IDEST – A POTTED HISTORY IDEST was founded in 1985 by Mike Todd. Before this time (in the UK), there was no standard for servicing cylinders and regulators. Divers, therefore, had no guarantee as to the technician’s skill or expertise, nor to what level the equipment was serviced to. For instance, one technician could visually test a cylinder by taking off the valve, looking inside it, and then replace the valve, while another would service the cylinder valve before replacing it.

Today, IDEST centres work to set standards. IDEST ensures that test stations and their technicians adhere to CP11:2011 Code of Practice, thus ensuring high-quality service and testing, thereby keeping scuba customers - and the people who fill their cylinders - safe. IDEST centres are tri-annually inspected, and there is an appeals process for customers who feel that their equipment has not been correctly serviced. IDEST itself is accredited by UKAS to ISO / IEC 17024. (UKAS is the UK’s Accreditation Service and it is recognised by the British Government to assess the competence of organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services.) IDEST is therefore also (annually) inspected and checked by the Government to ensure that it also adheres to the highest standards at all times.

In February, a BSI (British Standards Institute) meeting was held in Pretoria, South Africa, to deal with 130 amendments to standards. Only 58 standards were covered, and a follow-up meeting is scheduled for late-April 2017.

The British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) sponsored Gavin Anthony, a forensic scientist specialising in the testing of diving equipment, to attend this meeting.

Gavin Anthony was the only scuba specialist in the room. He advocated against this standard, asking for the evidence that shows annual visual testing will make diving safer. There has been a lot of talk, but no solid evidence has been forthcoming.

The UK voted against the standard change, but was outvoted. However, the final content of the standard is not yet fixed and IDEST is still pursuing a proposed amendment to the recommended interval for internal visual inspections.

In the meantime, IDEST has not seen any evidence that this change is necessary, nor that it would proportionately increase safety and so, with the support of SITA and the UK recreational and technical diving industry, is against an increase in the frequency of inspection for diving cylinders.

IDEST has got data proving that the 30-month visual inspection is satisfactory. They have been monitoring why cylinders fail. Their data confirms that on a small percentage of cylinders fail because of internal and external rusting.

However, 75 percent of failures are caused by thread issues. Given that 75 percent of failures are due to thread wear / damage, what is the logic of increasing the frequency of removal and refitting?

Since 2012, thousands of cylinders have been tested in the UK. In that time, there have been approximately six cylinder accidents. One cylinder exploded. It had suffered massive corrosion and had not been tested for six years.

The reason that the UK recreational and technical diving industry has been safe up until now is that thanks to IDEST, we have a thorough, periodic internal inspection regime that encompasses thread gauging.

For instance, it picks up on the issue of mismatched valves and cylinders. This occurs when an untrained person screws together a valve with one size thread (say M25) into cylinder with another size thread (say G3/4). It is possible that when the cylinder is filled that the valve may not fully come out and air leaks from the cylinder. Unfortunately, last year, a member of staff in a dive shop in Europe was killed when a valve blew out of the cylinder he was filling. It hit him in the face, and he died three hours later.

The use of GO and NOT GO gauges also ensures that where cylinders and valves fail the thread gauge tests, they are taken off the market and destroyed. If the use of thread gauges is not part of a visual inspection, it will cause issues.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The adoption of the ISO standard is automatically undertaken by the countries who signed up to the Vienna Agreement in 1991, and this includes the UK. Consequently, this would apply whether or not the UK is in or out of the EU because the decision to comply with the Vienna Agreement is one made at governmental ministerial level.

In the meantime, the whole of the UK’s recreational and technical diving agencies, along with SITA and IDEST, continue to advocate on behalf of UK divers and explore alternatives to the proposed testing changes. One possible route is via a risk assessment.

Not all pressured cylinders are treated the same way in the USA. Diving cylinders are classed as ‘sport and recreation’. They are not classed as ‘commercial cylinders’. Therefore, BSAC has been discussing the idea of introducing a risk assessment alternative for domestic cylinder use with the HSE. However, divers may have to prepare for an increase in cylinder inspection frequency if this is not successful.

It is currently anticipated that, if implemented, the cylinder testing changes could come in as early as October 2017. n

“You cannot just look at a cylinder valve and say ‘this is ok’” Tony Marshall, IDEST 58

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Egypt’s

WRECK

GRAVEYARD The reef of Sha’ab Abu Nuhas has claimed countless ships over the years, but the remaining four are a magnet for avid wreck divers Photographs by MARK EVANS AND STUART PHILPOTT

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he northern Egyptian Red Sea is a hotspot for fascinating shipwrecks, being home to the likes of the legendary Thistlegorm, the Dunraven, the Million Hope and the Rosalie Moller, but there is one location which is a magnet for serious wreck divers – Sha’ab Abu Nuhas.

Sha’ab Abu Nuhas is an unassuming reef which would probably not even merit a mention on any diver’s hit-list if it wasn’t for the fact that it lies close to the major shipping lane to the Suez Canal, and thus it has claimed more than its fair share of ‘victims’ over the years. Surrounded by relatively shallow waters and reasonably protected from adverse weather conditions, it is a regular on most northern liveaboard itineraries, and can also be reached by dayboats. The shipwrecks that have fallen prey to its coral reef are all in decent shape, especially the ‘newer’ vessels, and so this, combined with the depths and sheltered location, means they are perfect for all levels of diver, and the ideal ‘classroom’ for wreck-diving courses in a real-world environment.

GIANNIS D

Of all the wrecks on Abu Nuhas, the Japanese-built, Greek-owned freighter Giannis D is by far the most-popular, and for good reason – it is undoubtedly one of the best wreck dives in the entire Red Sea. The ship was carrying a cargo of lumber and hit the reef in 1983 going at full speed – a fact made obvious when you see the twisted prop, which mangled itself as it ground into the coral – and now it is split into three distinct sections The midships is smashed beyond all recognition, with lengths of wood, steel plates and metal panels strewn over the seabed. There is plentiful coral growth, and a plethora of marine life, but this is the least-interesting area of the wreck site, and is generally just passed over by divers transitioning between the more-intact bow and stern sections.

The bow lies on its port side, and is still in one piece, so makes for an interesting spot to explore.

There are limited penetration possibilities, but the bow itself is an impressive size and the bow mast is always surrounded by reef fish.

However, it is the stern section which really makes this wreck special. The stern is fully intact from just before the rear superstructure, which means if you are appropriately trained, you can penetrate deep into the engine room, crew’s quarters and bridge. The deepest part of the stern lies in just 24m, and it is possible to enter the ship here, and then work your way through her engine room and then up several floors to eventually exit through the bridge. A torch is useful so you can pick out the details, but there is so much ambient light from the open doors, windows and hatch covers that it isn’t strictly necessary. For photographers, the stern is a great photo prop, as is the twisted propeller, which will dwarf a well-placed model.

CARNATIC

While the other three wrecks all went down in the 70s or 80s, the Carnatic is far, far older. She was a sleek 90-metre steam-and-sail-powered passenger and mail ship which hit the reef in 1869. She didn’t sink immediately, instead sitting hard aground for a couple of days. The captain mistakenly assumed the ship was sound and that the pumps were handling any incoming water, but the constant seesaw mo-

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“The stern is fully intact from just before the rear superstructure, which means if you are appropriately trained, you can penetrate deep into the engine room, crew’s quarters and bridge”

UNBELIEVABLE! UNBELIEVABLY, DIVERS HAD BEEN DIVING THE FREIGHTERS EITHER SIDE OF THE CARNATIC FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERING THE MUCH-OLDER VESSEL ON A DRIFT DIVE.

tion on the sharp coral took its toll and the vessel split in half and sank, sadly taking some five passengers and 26 crew down with her. The survivors managed to make their way on to Abu Nuhas itself, and then in lifeboats to nearby Shadwan Island, where they were picked up a short while later by the passing SS Sumatra.

The Carnatic now lies on her port side in 26m, rising to 12m at the bow. Coral growth is profuse because she has been down almost 150 years, and she is almost part of the reef now. Much of the wooden decking has fallen away, revealing the holds and the four-cylinder steam engine and boilers, and penetration is simple because of all the entry/ exit points through the iron framework. Inside, you can find the broken remnants of hundreds of wine bottles, and there are often swarming shoals of glassfish which will ‘swallow’ a diver who carefully swims through them.

CHRISOULA K/MARCUS

The third-most-visited wreck on Sha’ab Abu Nuhas is the Marcus, but the reason it is so well known in diving circles is probably due more to the continued saga of whether it really is the Marcus, or the Chrisoula K. There are arguments for both identities, and while it is now considered a pretty safe bet that the Marcus is its actual name, there are still those veteran divers out there who will remain convinced it is the Chrisoula K. Regardless of its true name, what is known without a doubt is that this was another Greek-owned freighter which ran aground and sank in 1981.

She was carrying a vast cargo of Italian floor tiles, which gives the wreck its nickname ‘tile wreck’ and

it is possible to see stacks and stacks of these in the hold.

The vessel is pretty much intact, with the midships upright and sitting in 26m-28m and the stern section twisted over towards starboard. The holds are quite open, with lots of ambient light and entry/ exit points through the deck. Full penetration is possible in certain areas for experienced wreck divers, though be warned – the engine room is a tight squeeze to get into compared with the cavernous void of the Giannis D, and I’d advise a primary torch, a back-up and a third spare, as it is extremely dark once you are inside.

KIMON M

The fourth wreck on Abu Nuhas is probably the most-infrequently visited, which is a shame, as it is still a great dive, even if not in quite the same league as its neighbours. This German-built freighter was carrying 4,500-tons of lentils – hence its nickname, the ‘lentil wreck’ – when it drove hard onto the reef at full speed in 1978, destroying the bow section. It stayed on the reef top, before the

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“The shipwrecks of Sha’ab Abu Nuhas hold a siren call for divers, with many having numerous logbook entries for all four of the sunken vessels” weather conditions eventually took their toll and it slid off the reef into 30-32m of water, coming to rest on its starboard side.

Due to later salvage efforts, which saw a hole cut in the port side and the engine and other machinery removed, it is relatively easy to get into the engineering department, and from here into the holds.

There is decent ambient light, but a torch is a good idea for some of the more-enclosed sections. Marine life is not as plentiful as on the other wrecks, but she is still worth a page in your logbook.

CONCLUSION

The shipwrecks of Sha’ab Abu Nuhas hold a siren call for divers, with many having numerous logbook entries for all four of the sunken vessels. Being located where they can be reached by both dayboats and liveaboards, they are visited by hundreds of divers every year, and if you have yet to dive Egypt’s wreck graveyard, I’d suggest adding it to your diving bucket list. n

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Dive Agency News Each month, we invite all the main dive training agencies to showcase new courses, forthcoming events, staff changes and promotions, and so on. scubadivermag.com/agencynews

IANTD IS PROUD TO ATTEND THE GREAT NORTHERN DIVE SHOW THIS MONTH FOR THE FIRST TIME. Bob Scullion, instructor trainer, and his team will be on hand to discuss any aspect of technical diving. Bob has been exploring the deep wrecks of NE England for well over 20 years, with many discoveries - if you want to know about wreck diving, don’t miss this chance to catch up with someone who would have written the book if he wasn’t so busy diving. Also in the news is IT Ian France achieving CCR DPV Instructor status after a rigorous internship and evaluation from Technical Director Phil Short. Ian specialises in cave and overhead training, running programmes in the UK and France throughout the year. www.iantd.uk.com

PADI WINS TAUCHEN AWARD FOR BEST DIVER TRAINING ORGANISATION For the 19th consecutive year, PADI has been awarded the prestigious TAUCHEN Award for Best Diver Training Organisation.

The popular German-language magazine, which focuses on topics of interest to European divers, asks readers to annually select their preferences in 17 different industry categories. PADI has been the enduring favourite, taking home the coveted bronze statuette for the Best Diver Training Organisation every year since its inception.

SSI LAUNCH NEW WEBSITE We are excited to announce the launch of the new SSI website – it is live now in several languages, with more to come!

The new SSI website is completely redesigned to enhance the user experience and provide a better service to visitors, as well as SSI divers and Dive Professionals. It is composed of three major parts: • www.divessi.com - this is the new corporate/marketing website (Typo3-system based, same as the EMS) • info.divessi.com - this is the product info repository (Magento-system based) • my.divessi.com - this is the mySSI site for ‘logged-in customers’ (Divers, Dive Pros and Dive Centres)

BSAC VIDEO COMP NOW OPEN BSAC’s #GreatBritishDiving video competition is now live – with divers and snorkellers invited to get creative and make a short video that captures and illustrates just what great British diving means to them.

As the national governing body for the sport, BSAC is asking divers from all agencies to show just how amazing UK diving is by capturing the spirit of great British diving and snorkelling - from marine life to shipwrecks, great coastal as well as inland sites, to groups and clubs of happy divers enjoying UK diving at its best.

Entrants are encouraged to keep videos snappy, under 1:30 minute in length. Closing date for video submissions is 31 August. Fellow divers and the public will be asked to vote for the video that they feel truly embraces real British diving.

Prizes are sponsored by Simply Scuba, winners will receive Simply Scuba vouchers; 1st place - £500, 2nd place - £250, 3rd place - £100.

Find out more and enter online – www.bsac.com/scubadivingvideo

SSI has also launched a series of new Ecology programmes – Shark Ecology, Sea Turtle Ecology, Fish Identification, Coral Identification and Marine Ecology. These programmes offer a wealth of knowledge about different aspects of the underwater world, including how to identify fish based on physical appearance and behaviour, the life-cycles of sea turtles, the unique reproductive cycle of corals, and how human behaviours impact the marine environment.

These programmes are available to divers and non-divers alike, and are the perfect opportunity to learn more about the fascinating underwater world. www.divessi.com

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PADI LAUNCHES THIRD ANNUAL WOMEN’S DIVE DAY For the past two years, divers from every corner of the globe have come together for PADI Women’s Dive Day to bond over their passion for diving. This growing tradition will continue on 15 July 2017, further strengthening and supporting the dive community through a day of fun, adventure and comradery. PADI Members will look to build upon the success of last year’s historic day for women in diving, whereby 703 events across six continents and 77 countries were held. www.padi.com

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UPDATE: RAID DECO 40 AND 50 COURSES. Following RAID is proud to announce the update of the RAID Deco 40 and 50 courses, accompanying instructor programmes and the launch of the Deco 40 and 50 Instructor Trainer module.

In keeping with their ethos of standing out from the crowd, RAID have rewritten their technical manuals with a focus on progression. Because generic information is contained in their entry-level courses, the new technical manuals are aimed at the diver depending on their experience, certification level and personal desires.

Designed for recreational divers, the RAID Deco 40 Diver course is unique in the marketplace. While there are many 40m courses available, only Deco 40 can introduce divers to trimix as a deep gas with tech-reational equipment and skills.

The RAID Deco 50 programme has undergone a massive revamp to align with changing equipment technology and new techniques in diving. Written with the technical diver in mind, this programme has emphasis on managing skill mastery while neutrally buoyant, and also caters to sidemount divers. www.diveraid.com

GLOBAL UNDERWATER EXPLORERS TV Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) have announced the launch of their DiveGUE.tv video platform. This website is full of diving videos, ranging from Skills and Drills to Expedition reports and documentaries. With new content going on all the time, this is a great resource for all divers, whether they are interested in GUE training, are already GUE trained, or are just interested in seeing the aquatic world from different perspectives. This is a pay site, but you can sign up for a free three-day trial to see whether you like it or not. Find out more at: www.divegue.tv

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STAFFORDSHIRE TECHNICAL DIVERS Want to polish up your skills in decompression diving? Staffordshire Technical Divers are planning a series of dives in May, and have an opportunity to run two long weekends back to back, or one week, with Discover Diving on the Isle of Man. Both open circuit and rebreather divers welcome.

The aim is to use this time to polish up skills/drills/coaching and courses, etc, or just simply go diving.

The first trip is 21-23 May, the second is 25-27 May, or for the week 21- 27 May, with the 24 May as a rest day.

Depth range first weekend is 20m-40m, second weekend 40m-60m, all weather permitting.

Accommodation is £20 pppn self-catering and the boat is £50 per person per day based on a full boat. Cylinders and weights are available, as is all the gas you will need.

If this appeals, please contact www.staffordshiretechnicaldivers.com for more details.

FILEY BRIGG DIVE CLUB Filey Brigg Dive Club celebrates their 50th birthday this year. This extremely active SAA Club does many dives from Filey and Flamborough, either in one their RIBs or from the shore. During the winter months you’ll find this friendly group diving in quarries and lakes.

With experienced instructors and a great opportunity to dive various sites in the North Sea, we can see the appeal.

“We are extremely lucky to have some incredible dive sites on our doorstep. Whether your interest lies in wreck diving, viewing marine life, shallow diving or deep diving, you will find it all here,” explained Paul Thompson, Diving Officer. www.saa.org.uk

CROSSOVERS TO TDI/SDI 2017 has already been an incredible year for TDI/ SDI, with record numbers of dive centres crossing over to TDI/SDI, and February has continued in the same way. In Deep in Plymouth have recently crossed over and will be offering recreational courses through SDI and technical courses through TDI. In Deep are one of the best-known and loved dive centres in the country and have always been at the forefront of new developments, so it is great to welcome them on board. Their existing instructors have crossed over and in addition they hosted an SDI Instructor Development Course in early March so that James Balouza could qualify as an SDI Open Water Instructor and start teaching SDI courses immediately. In Deep now have a full set up with SDI and TDI courses.

Diving Explorers in London are now a TDI/SDI Facility and instructor Krzysztof Bialecki will be running TDI and SDI courses, including Solo Diver, in Polish and English.

Darkside, the sister facility of Divestyle in Reading, have also crossed over to TDI and SDI. They will be offering technical courses through TDI as well as recreational courses through SDI. Last but not least, James Taylor from Dive Newquay has also crossed over and will be offering rebreather courses through TDI. SDI will be running a Course Director crossover course at Divemaster Scuba in Nottingham in May. If you are a Course Director for a Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC) recognised agency then you can cross over to SDI and become an SDI Course Director. www.tdisdi.com

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Caribbean CURRENT

GAVIN ANDERSON saddles up to ride the sometimes extremely rapid currents which make Tobago such a heaven for marine life Photographs by GAVIN ANDERSON

“Underwater the sea breaks over the rocks, creating beautiful white surf which makes for fantastic atmospheric conditions, especially when the suns shines into the surf, throwing amazing light in all directions”

R

ight at the southernmost extreme of the Caribbean, just a few miles north of Venezuela, the islands of Trinidad and Tobago couldn’t be more different. Trinidad, situated just seven miles off the mainland, is the economic and political mainstay of the country and where most of the islands’ population live. Its little sister, Tobago, located some 21 miles further northeast, is very sparsely populated, underdeveloped and a delight for tourists wanted to escape the world for a week or even two if they’re lucky enough.

The island is incredibly beautiful, stretching 27 miles from southwest to northeast, but just six miles across at its widest point. The terrain, low-lying in the west, is where the main tourists tend to stay, especially around the Pigeon and Crown Point areas, but towards the north and east there are spectacular mountains and rainforests. In fact, one of the oldest rainforests in the world is located here, protected as a nature reserve since 1776. The reserve is a haven for wildlife with rare and spectacular butterflies, bats, snakes (non-poisonous) and some 210 species of birds. Complete with waterfalls and amazing views, it’s a must-do visit on an afternoon off diving.

There are over 50 different dive sites spread around the island. The north side of the island is under the influence of the Caribbean’s warm gulfstream, while the south side of the island is affected by the Atlantic. Here the Guyana current brings nutrient-rich waters from the mightly Venezuelan Orinocco river. The underwater visibility can be affected, especially in the rainy season, but the marine life and reefs are, as a result, incredibly rich in life. Divers can expect to see bizarrely-shaped giant barrel sponges, spectacular forests of sea fans and deepwater gorgonians, and schooling pelagics such as jacks and mackerel, alongside the normal tropicals such as angelfish, parrotfish, Creole wrasse and grunts. You can also swim alongside hawksbill turtles, nurse shark, occasionally mantas and even hammerheads and tiger sharks. The nutrients that feed the reefs of Tobago have undoubtedly helped lead to the creation of one of the world’s largest brain coral colonies. It’s found off Speyside at a place called Kelleston Drain, and measures an incredible five-and-a-half metres wide and three metres high.

If you are an experienced diver, you might want to consider spending most of your holiday at Speyside, as it’s also close to St Giles Island and the spectacular London Bridge, home to some legendary dives. Much of the diving here and off Speyside is suited to intermediate or experienced divers. If you

are a beginner, you might want to spend most of your time on the Caribbean coast, where the dive sites are shallower, and the current much milder.

The diving around Tobago can generally be split into five different areas - the Columbus passage, Crowne Point and the northwestern coast, the north coast and Man O War Bay area, St Giles Island and, of course, Speyside in the east/southeast.

Speyside is situated along the mostly sheltered east coast. Although only a small village based around Tyrels’ Bay, the whole extended area around the village is also referred to as Speyside. Most of the dive sites are off the south side of Little Tobago Island, a beautiful little island barely a couple of miles offshore, Goat Island and a series of rocky outcrops to the south, known as North East Rock, Middle Rock and South Rock.

A site called Bookends has to be one of my favourite Speyside dive sites. It’s located off Middle Rock. It gets its name from channels or cut between the rock, which resembles two bookends. Underwater the sea breaks over the rocks, creating beautiful white surf which makes for fantastic atmospheric conditions, especially when the suns shines into the surf, throwing amazing light in all directions.

Another great site close by is The Alps, also known as Grand Canyon. A strong current transports you on a wonderful reef covered in barrel, vase and tube sponges.Tarpon are again commonly seen especially towards the end of the dive in an area known as the Tarpon Bowl. As well as tarpon, there are loads of queen angelfish, filefish, Creole wrasse, French grunts, and grey and blue chromis.

Another site that’s only diveable in calm weather is Picker. Here a fantastic wall drops almost vertically from very shallow water right down to below 40m. Pelagics are always present such as black and Crevalle jacks, tarpon, mackerel, and even on occasion manta ray.

To the south of Little Tobago there’s a great little dive site located in a more-sheltered position. Black Jack Hole gets its name from the numerous black jacks that congregate and follow your bubbles as you drift along in usually a gentle current, past enormous elephant ear and yellow tube sponges, deepwater gorgonians and the odd sea plume.

Just to the west of Black Jack Hole is the renowned Kelleston Drain, home to the enormous brain coral. It really has to be seen to be believed.

It’s absolutely massive and you can’t dive Tobago without seeing it.

Off Goat Island there are a couple of great sites, called Japanese Gardens and Angel Reef. Angel Reef is only a five-minute boat ride from to the Speyside dive centres. It features a sloping reef with a maximum depth of 30m and is a great place for spotting different angelfish species. It’s a popular place for less-experienced divers.

Japanese Gardens begins in the shallows and slopes away well below 40m. Schools of pelagics are common here along with patrolling Creole wrasse and bicolour damselfish in their thousands. As you drift along you’ll find the current increases, and you reach two massive rocks. This is the Kamikaze Cut, and one needs to take care as the rocks are covered in fire coral! Hawksbill turtles and nurse sharks can often be found at this site.

To the north of Speyside is St Giles Island. It’s around here that the Caribbean and Atlantic Oceans meet, so it is not surprisingly there is a lot of surge and current and, at times when conditions allow,

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EYE SPY IF YOU ARE A KEEN BIRDER, TAKE A TRIP TO LITTLE TOBAGO, A SEABIRD SANCTUARY OFF SPEYSIDE WHOSE RESIDENTS INCLUDE TERNS, BOOBIES AND THE RED-BILLED TROPIC BIRD. awesome diving. A massive archway known as London Bridge lies to the west of the islands and is a cool place to dive. You can dive right under the archway and as you come through it you’ll pass two underwater pinnacles which reach up to just 6m below the surface.

They are covered in gorgonians, sea fans and sponges, and there are fish everywhere, from jacks to angelfish, morays and rays.

Located on the exposed north side of St Giles Island is Washaroo. It’s only dived when sea conditions are perfect. Washaroo isn’t a name referring to the sea conditions, but is actually the local name for midnight parrotfish, which can be seen here grazing on corals.

Directly north of Washaroo are the two rocky formations known jointly as Marble Island, where when conditions are on the rare occasion calm enough, you can dive through the narrow surge channel, which is very pretty due to the amazing encrusting life and exciting due to the pelagics that like to congregate there.

Moving west from St Giles Island back on the main north coast of Tobago, there are several small sheltered bays that make up the area known as Man O’ War Bay. Here there are a handful of sheltered dive sites. Close to the settlement of Charlotteville is Pirates Bay and the Pirates Reef dive site. It consists of a reef that extends 50 metres from the shore. It features patches of elkhorn coral and broken coral home to various juvenile tropical reef species such as angelfish.

Continuing west on the north shore of Tobago is a town called L Anse Fourmi. Offshore from it are two rocks called The Brothers, where a steep slope starts gradually in 10m before dropping off fairly steeply.

It’s a good place to see Atlantic spadefish, schools of jacks and chevron barracuda, and it’s a pretty site with sea fans, gorgonians and some wire coral. Just to the northwest of the Brothers rocks are the Sisters! They offer some amazing dives over a large area consisting of five separate pinnacles which rise up from 35m plus right up towards the shallows. An advanced dive site with often strong currents, it’s not for the fainthearted. Deep water gorgonians, sea whips and wire coral

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offer a great backdrop to schooling pelagics and between November and February, hammerheads often visit this site. The site is huge, so split into three different areas, the Quarry, East and West Sisters. The amazing tiershaped formations and fantastic scenery surrounded by deep blue waters make East and West Sisters awesome dive sites.

Two bays down from L Anse Fourmi is Englishman’s Bay, and a site called Scotch on the Rocks, or sometimes Rum & Coke. The reef is full of soft corals and turtles are often seen. It is a reasonably easy dive down a gentle slope with boulders and large coral heads. Being rockier than other bays, visibility tends to be better. The quality of the coral improves as you descend deeper.

The bay is also good for snorkelling. There are lots of encrusting corals, tunicates and sponges on the rugged sides of the bay.

Still further west is Anos Vales Bay. Intricate rock and coral formations, navigable cracks and scattered bombies mean it is locally known as the Nursery due to the vast amount of juvenile reef fish that inhabit the area.

The bottom composition means that when swells come down the Caribbean coast, visibility can be very poor and not worth attempting.

Two bays down still further is Mount Irvine Bay, where the wreck of an old Trinidad-Tobago roll-on, roll-off car ferry can be dived. The Maverick was previously named the Scarlet Ibis before it was cleaned up and sunk on a sandy bottom devoid of any reef by the Tobago Dive Association in May 1997 to form an artificial reef. The top deck of the ship sits in about 18m, the bottom at 33m. Its hatches have been removed, so the rear hold is completely open and after 20 years on the bottom, it’s totally covered in coral. Snapper and grunts shelter inside and there are always loads of schooling jacks cruising around her upper deck, often joined by some large barracuda. It’s a good dive but visibility at best is 15 metres and its quite a dark, eerie dive where you’ll need a torch.

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The best of

Turks and Caicos Islands Scuba Diving WEST CAICOS • PINE CAY • NORTHWEST POINT • GRACE BAY • FRENCH CAY

Tel: Island (001) 649 946 5040 or US (001) 954 351 9771 or email: diving@diveprovo.com

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PLANNING A VISIT? TOBAGO SITS WELL OUT OF THE CARIBBEAN HURRICANE BELT, AND THE DRIEST MONTHS ARE BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND MAY.

“Intricate rock and coral formations, navigable cracks and scattered bombies mean it is locally known as the Nursery due to the vast amount of juvenile reef fish that inhabit the area” 74

As you reach the western end of the island you’ll start to come across the various resort hotels and guest houses where the bulk of tourists visiting Tobago stay. There are some lovely sandy beaches, lined with tropical palm trees and little beachside restaurants. Sections of the beaches are dotted with windsurfing boards, kite surfing buggies and various other watersports equipment and occasionally a dive shop, but there aren’t that many dive sites close to the shore here.

Off the western coast lies the Columbus Passage the passage that lies between Trinidad and Tobago - and it is home to a number of great drift dives.

Right at the edge of Canoe Bay, which runs parallel to the airport, is a site called Flying Reef. Depending on currents, this can be a slow easy dive or a very fast drift which can end up with divers flying along at great speeds! Nurse sharks, rays and barracuda are common sightings here, as are blacktip reef sharks and eagle rays. If you are flying along too fast, you may fail to spot a 200-year-old anchor that lies on the reef here!

At the southern side of Canoe Bay just past Columbus Point is Cove Reef. Also known as Cove Slope or Deep Cove, it’s an advanced dive site where a rich and healthy coral reef slopes from its crest at just 8m down to 25m. The Atlantic current takes divers along a reef where nurse sharks, large green moray and turtles can be found under ledges.

Five miles out into the Columbus Passage southwest of Crowne Point are two dive sites definitely for advanced divers only. Conditions must be exactly right as the currents can be severe. When conditions are good and diving possible, expect an amazing dive alongside eagle rays, blacktip sharks and even on the odd occasion tiger sharks! Nurse sharks and turtles are common on a reef full of thousands of giant barrel sponges which have been misshapen by the currents. Some are over two metres across.

In summary, if you have dived all over the Caribbean and haven’t yet discovered Tobago, then a feast of exciting diving awaits you. The only problem is you’ll need more than a week - and probably at least a twin-centre holiday, basing yourself for a week at Speyside and a week at Crowne Point!

The eastern side of the island rises steeply into the hills which make up the central Main Ridge.

This is where the main rainforest is located. From here the rainforest that falls sharply away to the palm-fringed, sandy beaches below. Dripping with moisture and shrouded in mist, the rainforest is a paradise for naturalists and birdwatchers. Once you’ve done a spot of birdwatching and are feeling the heat you might want to strip off and dive into the swimming pool beneath the impressive Argyll falls! n

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“

Congratulations, you’ve just killed everyone,” said Chris Demetriou, the Ops Manager at Dive-In Larnaca, based in Cyprus.

We had ventured deep inside the MS Zenobia wreck and, sure enough, the dive hadn’t gone as planned, but where had I made such a fatal mistake? This had been my penultimate dive on the TDI Advanced Wreck Diver course. The past three days had been more psychologically demanding than I had ever imagined. Chris said: “I don’t have to load the course with simulated problems, they just happen in real time.”

He was dead right - pitch black, encased in claustrophobia-inducing metal, without any lights or guidelines; situations could get quite interesting, if not extremely tense!

The Zen is an ideal wreck for technical diver training. On 7 June 1980, the 165-metre-long, 10,000-ton, roll-on, roll-off ferry sank in the middle of Larnaca Bay. She now lies on her port side at a maximum depth of 42m. Her demise has long been steeped in controversy and intrigue. The most-plausible theory is she sank due to a malfunction with the computerised system controlling her ballast tanks. There have never been any salvage operations.

A full cargo of 104 articulated lorries and heavy plant machinery still lie chained to the decks and stacked inside her holds. This popular dive site is conveniently located just a few minute’s RIB ride from the harbour.

Chris has spent a number of years developing the course itinerary. Most of the training dives are conducted inside the officer’s day room and the captain’s bedroom. The two rooms are totally enclosed, with some daylight filtering down from a row of rectangular windows above. Chris explained: “You don’t need to go deep inside for the course.” Just to confuse matters, the Zen lies on her port side so doorways, walls, ceilings and windows are not where they are expected to be. Chris said: “When planning any penetration dives, it’s vitally important to consider room orientation and the overall wreck layout.”

Although there are some theory sessions, most of the four-day course focuses on practical exercises. Ex-Londoner Chris said: “This is my favourite TDI course; we’ve already run about ten this year.” He usually limits numbers to two divers per course. Minimum certification requirements are PADI Advanced Open Water Diver with the Wreck Specialty and 50 logged dives, or any certifying agency with a wreck familiarisation certificate and the prescribed number of dives. Divers really have to be in the right mindset for this course. Chris said: “We don’t have to fail anybody, they end up failing themselves.” He continued: “This course is not for ‘badge collectors’. By the end of the second day, I know if they are going to make it or not.”

My first dive was basically an orientation. This gave me a chance to get familiar with the wreck’s key features and my own equipment configuration. I had been partnered with Scott Ayrey, an experienced trimix diver.

All participants have to be geared up with twinsets and a stage cylinder.

Chris prefers to keep his kit as streamlined and as basic as possible – “I don’t want to look like a Christmas tree diver,” he says. There are no cages covering his manifolds, or rubber boots and nets on the cylinders. Chris said: “It all ends up snagging on the wreck.” Chris guided us to the bulkhead door that led into the officers day room. We checked depth, time and cylinder pressures before entering. Our first task was to sketch a map of the

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before – EDGAR ALLAN POE Photographs by STUART PHILPOTT

entrance and highlight any distinguishing features inside the room. This included piping ducts, windows, carpet, wiring, hatchways, etc. Over the next few dives, Scott and I would become very familiar with the layout.

There was definitely no time for sight-seeing.

Taskmaster Chris got us doing a number of gas isolation exercises simulating a fractured manifold or a dislodged regulator. A catastrophic gas leak in an enclosed, overhead environment is a real threat.

Chris showed us what to do and then it was just a case of following the procedure step by step in a calm, co-ordinated manner. All of the skills were performed at around 25m.

On the ascent I switched over to my 50 percent O2 stage cylinder. Gas-switching computers make decompression management a whole lot easier.

Permanent marker buoys have been placed at the stern, amidships and bow of the Zen, and there is even a trapeze set up at 5m to make deco stops more comfortable. Chris was still piling on the pressure. We stopped and practiced deploying our delayed SMBs, which turned out to be quite eventful when someone - who shall remain nameless - forgot to tie the reel line to the SMB! Subsequent dives mainly focused on lost mask procedures, laying/retrieving a guideline and using Scott’s long hose in an out-of-air scenario. I spent the first few moments of each exercise gaining composure and thinking about logistics, i.e. make sure the long hose is free of any restrictions when air sharing and remembering to keep the line placement as simple and snag free as possible before reacting to the task. The course also taught me the importance of carrying a back-up mask and at least two cutting devices. As Chris had said: “It’s the simple things that are life saving.”

Dive four turned out to be the toughest of them all. I had to wear Chris’s special blacked-out (leaky) mask and find my way out of the officers day room

“By mistake, I put my primary tie off on the existing line and reeled in from this point. I put directional arrows on the line to show the way out, but placed my arrow on the wrong line.

This meant we would have got completely lost inside the wreck”

TDI ADVANCED WRECK DIVER COURSE COURSE DURATION: FOUR DAYS NUMBER OF DIVES: SIX ZENOBIA WRECK DIVES PARTICIPANTS: TWO PER COURSE COST: 625 EURO (INCLUDES BOAT FEES, TUITION, GAS AND CYLINDERS. MANUAL AND CERTIFICATION ARE AN EXTRA 84 EURO).

KIT HIRE IS NOT INCLUDED.

“Permanent marker buoys have been placed at the stern, amidships and bow of the Zen, and there is even a trapeze set up at 5m to make deco stops more comfortable” by feel alone. It was similar to playing the popular party game ‘put the tail on the donkey’, but on a grander and much more serious scale. Chris spun me around and moved me up and down so I was totally disorientated. There was no guideline this time, so I would have to rely on my memory of the room layout and try and find a familiar object to use as a reference point.

My whole sense of perception was left in a severe state of chaos and confusion. This was quite a scary moment, even though I knew Chris was there with me watching my every move. My gut feeling was to ascend a few metres until I bumped my head on the windows and then move across to a corner where I would hopefully find the carpet. Eventually, after ten minutes of fumbling about, my fingertips felt the familiar texture of woollen fibres. What a relief - I knew this would lead to the bulkhead door and eventual freedom. Chris said that the record for escaping the room

was two to three minutes, but some divers had taken more than an hour to find their way out. I’m not sure I would be able to keep my nerve for that long!

Our last day involved planning and implementing two relatively ‘simple’ wreck penetration dives. Scott and I entered through the bridge and took it in turns to lay a line from the laundry room through to the upper car deck. On the way out, we had to simulate an out-of-air and a ‘light out’ exercise. Chris told us we should always carry a primary light and two backups in case of any failure. As I had already discovered on ‘buttock clenching’ dive four, not being able to see inside a wreck is a nightmare scenario.

Scott was first to lay a guideline. I always thought there would be plenty of pipes, hinges and handles to wrap the line around, but it wasn’t that easy. Chris said that on a previous course one of the participants had wrapped the line around

a floating plastic sheet. This was obviously not a good tie-off point for a guideline!

Chris had already taught us about snoopy loops, line arrows and suitable tie offs, so we were completely clued up and raring to go.

On the return journey I was leading the way while simulating out of air using Scott’s long hose. We were in single file moving along a narrow passageway. It was absolutely pitch black so I slowly and methodically ran my fingers along ten metres of nylon line back to the primary tie-off point. Along the way we had to negotiate a tight hatchway and go up and over a doorway. If I moved too fast, Scott’s regulator would have been pulled from my mouth and if I had let go of the guideline, I would be totally lost. I was 100 percent dependent on Scott and really didn’t like this feeling of reliance. We eventually got back to our entry point and successfully completed the training exercise.

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The Inland Sea is an expanse of shallow water that meets a sheer cliff, which is split by a large crack running up out of the water. This runs through the rock face to the open ocean.

You enter the fissure in just a couple of metres over some boulders, but the depth soon increases into the teens as you head further inwards, and soon an intense blue appears as the opening to the ocean comes into view. This fabulous sight has been a long-time favourite of a multitude of underwater photographers and videographers, but really has to be seen firsthand to get the full impact.

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We then reversed the roles and went through a second time.

This is where my lack of experience laying guidelines really taught me a lesson. There was already a guideline inside the wreck leading off into a different room. Chris said he had often been inside wrecks where other divers had left discarded lines.

By mistake, I put my primary tie off on the existing line and reeled in from this point. I put directional arrows on the line to show the way out, but placed my arrow on the wrong line. This meant we would have got completely lost inside the wreck.

Chris said: “You won’t make that mistake again.” He was right, and this was by far the best way to learn - under controlled conditions. The more problems I encountered on the course meant I would be more capable of dealing with them in real life.

The TDI Advanced Wreck Diver course had given me a whole different perspective to playing around in the dark. Although it had been a tough four days, I had enjoyed every moment.

We had started off with the basics and worked our way up to some heavy task-loading exercises. Chris made sure we had a thorough de-briefing after each dive. This gave us a chance to sit down and discuss any problems and go through remedial actions. I soon realised that it was essential to keep a cool head. It also pushed home the fact that my buddy had to be just

as level-headed. I was lucky to have Scott as my training partner. All I can say is choose wisely. Chris said: “Panic will kill you all day long.

The key is to never give up.” I had performed all of the skills in a ‘controlled’ environment and Chris was always close at hand if any real problems had occurred. Although I satisfactorily completed all the training exercises I still couldn’t stop thinking how would I react in a real life-or-death situation?

Pitch black, deep inside a wreck with no guidelines, no buddy and no visible exit - what would I do? n

Frameless 2 The mask that is all about fit, comfort and vision.

Ultrasoft face seal

• Dual elastomer silicone skirt with “UltraSoft” faceseal for superior comfort and fit.

• Optical quality “UltraClear” lenses.

• Frameless design is simple, hydrodynamic and leak-free.

• Low volume yet extremely large viewing area.

• Squeeze-to-adjust buckles.

• Clear or black with color accents.

• Folds flat to fit in a pocket or traveling.

• 3 fit sizes: Standard, Medium and Large.

Atomic Aquatics Europe GmbH www.atomicaquatics.co.uk

What’s New

FOURTH ELEMENT OCEANPOSITIVE CORE COLLECTION | SRP: £19.95-£44.95

Fourth Element has launched its OceanPositive Core Collection, which incorporates a new rashguard for men and women, and a limited range of classic black swimwear.

The mens Hydroskin Black rashguard comes in long-sleeve (£44.95) and short-sleeve (£38.95) variants, and both are designed to wear under a wetsuit or semi-dry suit for comfort, and as a UV shield for other watersport activities. Simple, tight-fitting design with tonal grey side panels and circular OceanPositive print to back. Made using sustainable techno-fabric made with 100 percent regenerated polyamide fibre from post-consumer materials.

The womens Hydroskin Black rashguard is made from the same material and also comes in long-sleeve (£44.95) and short-sleeve (£38.95) versions. It has a simple, streamlined panelled design with OceanPositive print to the back and pops of aqua green.

The Maluku Bikini Top Black (£23.95) is a panelled crop top with streamlined athletic styling and cut-out racer back. Lightweight, shaped padding (sewn in), and no clasps or ties, so perfect to wear under a wetsuit.

Machine washable at 40°C. Would suit cup size A – C. The Maluku Bikini Bottoms Black (£19.95) are panelled mini briefs with streamlined athletic styling. The fourway stretch premium Italian Lycra is composed of 78 percent recycled nylon and 22 percent Lycra, which has been developed to have improved chlorine and salt resistance.

The Cayman Shorts Black (£24.95) are simple and comfortable swim shorts with a contrast drawcord and subtle logo, and are made from the same material as the Maluku Bikini Bottoms. Machine washable at 40°C. www.fourthelement.com

STAHLSAC DRY SAC 12-LITRE TO 60-LITRE SRP: £27.50-£51

Stahlsac luggage is well known for being super-tough and durable, and now the company has released a range of dry bags (12-litre - £27.50, 30-litre - £36, and 60-litre - £51), which have a nylon shell that is pliable but highly resistant to abrasion and puncture, and a urethane coating, which makes the bags waterproof inside and out. The RF-welded construction offers superior waterproof protection compared to taped and sewn seams, and the semi-opaque ripstop panel allows for easy location of contents. Comes with a handy detachable shoulder strap with heavy-duty attachment clips at the top and bottom of the bags. www.stahlsac.com

ZEAGLE DIVERS TOOL KIT | SRP: £64 This nifty little set comes in a perfect carry pouch that you can attach to your BCD. It features a Zeagle dive knife, which is made from a single piece of stainless steel and is six inches long, with a nearly two-inch blade (the tip can be blunted by the user with a wet stone, grinder or similar device if desired), and a set of Zeagle EMT shears, also made from stainless steel. Both securely fasten into the pouch with webbing straps. www.zeagle.com

SUUNTO D6i NOVO STEALTH ZULU | SRP: £695 The new, refined Suunto D6i Novo Zulu is a watch-sized dive computer for those who take their diving seriously. Including a tilt-compensated digital compass and wireless air integration, gas switching between up to three gases, and five modes including freediving, the Suunto D6i is in favour with many professional divers. The extremely durable Zulu strap, originally designed for military use, can take heavy-duty wear and tear and is widely trusted by hardcore divers. It is easy to adjust on a wetsuit, but also comfortable for everyday use on your wrist. www.suunto.com

HOLLIS SD 7.1 | SRP: £369 The new cold-water Hollis SD 7.1 Semi-Dry Suit has been cleverly designed to avoid surface wear and tear in high-risk areas. The suit has been fitted with a new-generation T-Zip on the back, meaning the zips are more lightweight and flexible, and there are two tech-utility pockets with in-built D-rings and drain holes. The sleek design of glue and double blind stitching on the inside and out creates a sense of black illusion. Comes in ten different sizes, colour black, and available to both male and female. It also includes a separate dry hood. www.hollisuk.com

XDEEP STEALTH 2.0 RB | SRP: £639-£679 Technical sidemount diving is growing in popularity. xDEEP have expanded the range from the three current models, the STEALTH 2.0 Classic, Rec and Tec, and now offer the new RB (Redundant Bladder) version of each of these wings, offering those who require further redundant buoyancy a solution for tech sidemount. www.xdeep.eu / www.blue-orb.uk

SCUBAPRO ALADIN MATRIX SERIES SRP: £230-£285

Divers looking for affordable, full-featured dive computers have two new choices. The new Scubapro Aladin Sport (Matrix) and Scubapro Aladin H (Matrix) offer loads of features and dive computing power for the money.

Featuring attractive metallic-silver faceplates, both computers come equipped with Scubapro’s time-proven Uwatec ZHL16 ADT MB algorithm and Predictive Multi-Gas. Both dive computers let you program three gas mixes from 21 to 100 percent 02, both offer microbubble settings, and their PDIS (Profile Dependent Intermediate Stops) systems calculate safe ascents. Also, the screens on both computers feature an updated display that includes an eye-pleasing dot matrix section with an easy-to-use on-board digital compass.

Depth-rated to 120m, with these new Aladin (Matrix) computers you also get audible and visual alarms, dive planners and logbooks that can be uploaded to a PC and are also Android and iOS app compatible via a new 4.0 Bluetooth interface. The battery for each model is good for 200 to 300 dives and is user-replaceable.

The Aladin Sport (Matrix) (£230) offers three operating modes - Scuba, Freedive and Gauge. It can be worn on the wrist or mounted in a two-gauge console with a SPG. The Aladin H (Matrix) (£285) is air-integrated, making it an ultra-compact hose-attached dive computer. It factors Remaining Bottom Time (RBT) into its algorithm and offers two operating modes – Scuba and Gauge. www.scubapro.co.uk

Gear Guide

THIS ISSUE: REGULATORS FROM £275-£475

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.

REGULATORS A good, reliable set of regulators is probably the single-most important piece of your diving equipment arsenal, as without them, you aren’t going to be heading off diving, unless you are the Man from Atlantis or The Little Mermaid!

A large array of manufacturers produce regulators, and our aim here at Scuba Diver is to give you the widest selection in each review. Alas, a few are missing from the 2017 group tests - Oceanic and Hollis do not have their new models in stock yet, and Sherwood Scuba currently does not have a UK distributor.

ON TEST THIS MONTH: • APEKS XTX50 • AQUALUNG CORE • ATOMIC AQUATICS Z3 • MARES ABYSS 52x • SCUBAPRO G260 • ZEAGLE ONYX

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Location: Tested at Vivian Dive Centre, Llanberis www.viviandivecentre.co.uk

Date tested: 20/02/17 Water temp: 6 degrees C

WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

APEKS XTX50 | SRP: £434 Apeks has been a staple in the armoury of many British divers for over 40 years, and the XTX50 is the UK company’s solid middle-of-the-range unit. It is best described as utilitarian in the looks department, but aside from the rather drab second stage it is well equipped with everything a UK diver could want, including an environmentally sealed first stage, large purge button, braided hose, chunky venturi lever, cracking resistance control, four low-pressure ports on a swivelling turret, and two high-pressure ports.

Following on from the triumph of the MTX-R, the Apeks XTX50 was similarly acclaimed universally for its stunning performance. Looks of the rather-dated second stage aside, there is simply no faulting the pedigree of this cold-water beast. The Comfo-Bite mouthpiece received praise, as did the large and accessible venturi and cracking resistance controls, which did actually make a noticeable difference to the performance. The Test Team also singled out the interchangeable exhaust tee - you can fit a small or a large version - for the thumbs up, along with the flexibility of the braided hose.

CHOICE

VERDICT

Efficient, smooth and functional, though hampered a little by its looks. Another great regulator from Blackburn-based Apeks.

SCORE

••••••••••

AQUALUNG CORE SUPREME | SRP: £280 The Core Supreme is Aqua Lung’s mid-range regulator.

This regulator is not only lightweight, travel-efficient and a wallet-friendly price, it comes with a host of neat features, including the company’s auto-closure device (ACD), which keeps corrosive water out of the first stage to ensure top performance.

It has a balanced diaphragm first stage which is environmentally sealed for cold-water performance, and a pneumatically balanced second stage.

The T-shaped first stage provides optimum routing for the four low-pressure and two high-pressure ports, and it also has a venturi lever and a Comfo-Bite mouthpiece.

The Core Supreme scored highly with all the Test Team members, who were impressed by its smooth, dry breathe in all positions and its comfortable mouthpiece. The oversized venturi lever was easy to use, but the effects were negligible. The looks and performance belied the price of this reg, which came in substantially less than its rivals in this price bracket. We also liked the large purge, which was very easy to locate and operate. The exhaust also ensured that bubbles were moved away from your face.

BEST VALUE

VERDICT

Well-priced cold-water regulator, with a comfy mouthpiece, solid performance and robust build quality.

SCORE

••••••••••

ATOMIC AQUATICS Z3 | SRP: £460 Atomic Aquatics are renowned for producing high-end, high-performance regulators, but with the Z3, they have managed to bring all this workmanship and technology into a more mid-range package.

The Zirconium - that’s what the ‘Z’ stands for - delivers corrosion-resistance apparently three to four times that of conventional chrome plating, and the second stage lever, orifice and spring are titanium, as with the higher-spec (and price) models.

It is equipped with a factory sealed first stage, huge purge button, comfort swivel, and no less than seven low-pressure ports and two high-pressure ports.

As with all Atomic products, the reg benefits from a limited lifetime warranty - not contingent on proof of service - and boasts a two-year/300 dive service interval.

The Z3 scored very highly with the Test Team. While there has been a slight price increase from last year, you still get a lot of reg for your money. It looks good, is extremely well made, boasts a silky smooth breathe and has some neat features like the comfort swivel on the hose, and the control knob that adjusts everything in one go.

VERDICT

The Z3 actually looks more expensive than its pricier B2 cousin, and benefits from a fantastic warranty.

SCORE

••••••••••

MARES ABYSS 52x | SRP: £395 The Abyss 52x has been around for many years, but it is still an eye-catching regulator thanks to its all-metal second stage, which has a large purge and is refreshing simple, with no diver-controls.

The 52x first stage is solid but compact, equipped with two high-pressure ports and four low-pressure ports, and with the Natural Convection Channel (NCC) boasts superior cold-water performance.

The all-metal second stage has a lightweight Superflex hose, and a ‘mesh grid’ cover to reduce the chance of freeflows even in strong currents.

Mares have always turned out great regulators, and the Abyss 52x continues this trend. It is simplicity itself, just get it out of the box, stick on the octopus, hoses and gauges and you are ready to go - there are no diver-adjustable controls, it just breathes well right from the get-go. The Abyss gave a smooth breathe in all positions, and was surprisingly lightweight for an all-metal reg. The large purge button works well, and the small but comfortable mouthpiece also got the thumbs up from the Test Team.

VERDICT

The tried-and-tested Abyss is teamed up with the 52x first stage to make a great-performing and well-priced regulator.

SCORE

••••••••••

REGULATORS

Quality Beneath The Surface

T3 The ultimate; lightweight and corrosion free, designed with the travel diver in mind.

ST1 The world’s first “Green” regulator.

M1 Extreme Performance without compromise.

B2 The perfect combination of comfort, performance, and style.

Z3 Exclusive Atomic features at a mid-range price.

Atomic Aquatics Europe GmbH www.atomicaquatics.co.uk

SCUBAPRO MK17EVO/G260 | SRP: £399 Scubapro has been making regulators for over 50 years, and the G260 second stage has that retro appeal for those lamenting the passing of the tried-and-tested G250. It features metal components including air barrel and valve inlet tube, which increase resistance to freezing when diving in extreme conditions, and has cracking resistance and venturi controls.

For this test is was paired with the MK17EVO balanced diaphragm first stage, which is made from chrome-plated marine-grade brass and in its new EVO guise boasts a slimmed down body, increase in airflow and a smaller dry chamber and spring.

Even with the new EVO version of the MK17 first stage, this regulator package still comes in at a cracking price.

The Test Team were taken by the old-school looks, which incorporated a large purge button, huge venturi lever and a chunky cracking resistance control, all of which were easy to operate even with thick neoprene gloves on. The comfortable mouthpiece also won praise, and the small but efficient exhaust valve easily cleared the exhaled bubbles.

VERDICT

Old-school-style regulator with modern technological advances, which comes in at a very good price point.

SCORE

••••••••••

& CR Testing We care for compressed air

W31 MARINER High Pressure Compressor Charging Rate: 105 or 140 lt/min Working Pressure: 225/310 bar Dimensions (CM): W44 L81 H52 Weight: 65 kg

Alkin and Aykom Compressor Distributors

C & R Testing Ltd

W32 CANOPY High Pressure Compressor Charging Rate: 180, 250 or 300 lt/min Working Pressure: 225/310 bar Dimensions (CM): W70 L100 H130 Weight: 280, 290 or 300 kg

Unit 1, Owenshaw Mills, Old Cawsey, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax HX6 2AF Telephone: +44 (0) 1422 410 466 | Email: info@candrtesting.co.uk | Website: www.candrtesting.co.uk Opening Times: Monday to Friday 9.00am-17.00pm | Saturday and Sunday - Closed

ZEAGLE ONYX | SRP: £395 As with its top-of-the-line F8, Zeagle have worked with Atomic Aquatics to produce another solidly constructed regulator.

The Onyx has an environmentally sealed balanced diaphragm first stage made from durable brass, and featuring a precision-machined advanced polymer seat, five low-pressure ports and two high-pressure ports.

The second stage has a durable thermoplastic case, large cracking resistance control, venturi lever and is equipped with a flexible thermoplastic cover, lightweight braided hose and a silicone mouthpiece.

The price point of the Onyx will help Zeagle make a solid push into the world of regulators. Like the Atomic Aquatics B2 and Z3, the Onyx actually looks a more-expensive regulator than its pricier sibling the F8, thanks to the sleek chrome inset on the second stage.

As with the F8, the cracking resistance control is large and easy to use, as is the venturi lever, but again, neither made a vast difference. Sadly the mouthpiece and exhaust combo is similarly uncomfy as it rested on your chin, which is a real shame as otherwise it’s a nice reg.

VERDICT

Overall decent reg, with good looks and a reasonable breathe, but let down by the comfort of the mouthpiece and exhaust.

SCORE

••••••••••

VERDICT

The water temperatures of 6 degrees C in the depths of Vivian Quarry were a good test of the mid-range regulators in this review, especially as we pushed them to the limit by doing everything you shouldn’t do rapidly breathing them on land prior to immersion, extended purges topside and underwater, hard breathing underwater, etc.

Overall, once again, they all provided decent performances.

The Scuba Diver Choice award went to the Apeks XTX50. It may lack in the looks department, but there was no faulting the performance. The Scuba Diver Best

Value award went to the Aqualung Core Supreme, which is astonishingly good for the price point and looks far more expensive than it really is.

RRP £745.00

@Typhoon_international

TyphoonInt

www.typhoon-int.co.uk

Long Term Test THERMALUTION RED GRADE ULTRA

NEW

ARRIVAL

Mark Evans: The Thermalution heated vest was a big hit with the Test Team when it was first released on to the market. Able to be worn under a wetsuit or a drysuit, it pumped out a decent amount of heat that helped stave off the cold.

Now things have moved on. Thermalution have now launched the Red Grade Ultra, a full-body undersuit that is equipped with a wireless controller that can be reharged wirelessly and additional heating elements located on the thighs. It is a professional model most suitable for those who dive deep, or in a drysuit.

With the additional heating elements focused on your thighs, the Red Grade Ultra will improve INFORMATION the blood circulation of your Arrival date: April 2017 lower extremities and provide Suggested retail price: £1,050 you with unparalleled comNumber of dives: 0 fort - just the thing for British Time in water: 0 hrs 0 mins diving in cold waters.

ZEAGLE HALO Mark Evans: I have been impressed previously by the build quality and robustness of Zeagle BCDs, and the Halo is another solid effort from the US company. It is more of a traditional BCD than its other popular wing designs, but still has many of the features we have come to expect, including non-dump trim pockets, and a power inflator that detaches so you can flush out the interior of the bladder with freshwater from a garden hose.

One thing I was pleased to see was that the Halo came with zipped weight pouches to go in the integrated weight pockets.

This makes handing up your integrated weights into a RIB much easier, as you can now just undo the pocket zip and then fish the weight pocket out. It even has a grab loop to make this even more simple. And if you INFORMATION need to dump the weight in Arrival date: January 2017 an hurry, the Halo also has Suggested retail price: £567 the Ripcord system – grab Number of dives: 3 the red handle, pull and the Time in water: 2 hrs 15 mins pouches are jettisoned.

APEKS MTX-R Mark Evans: The MTX-R has now been put through its paces on several dives in low single-digit temperature water, and it never missed a beat. I have always found Apeks regulators to be excellent in cold water, but this one stands out even in that crowd. I also like the fact that it just works well straight out of the box, and there aren’t any knobs or levers to fiddle with. My go-to reg is an Apeks Black Sapphire, and once I got it set up to my preferences, I have never touched the cracking resistance control knob or the venturi lever, so losing these is no real hardship.

The MTX-R was a worthy winner of the Choice award in last month’s high-end reg group test, and put up with rigorous testing procedures designed INFORMATION to push a reg’s tolerances to Arrival date: December 2017 the max. Trust me when I say Suggested retail price: £529 that you will be hard pushed to get this nifty unit out of its Number of dives: 16 Time in water: 14 hrs 25 mins comfort zone.

DEEPBLU COSMIQ+ DIVE COMPANION Dave Hope: This is not a computer that you can just strap on your wrist and go diving with. You need to pair it up with your phone or tablet first, and this then updates the Cosmiq+’s software, sets the time and so forth, and requires you to create a profile that you download your dives to. It doesn’t take long to do, and once you have paired the computer with your phone or tablet, making any changes to gas mixes, etc, is extremely straightforward. The ground-breaking social media mobile app is still in beta stage, so there are improvements to be made, but I’ll get onto those in a later review.

INFORMATION As a brief measure of the Arrival date: February 2017 appeal of this computer, on a Suggested retail price: £230 trip to Grenada in March, one Number of dives: 1 of the dive guides wanted to Time in water: 0 hrs 54 mins buy it!

AQUALUNG REVEAL X2

Dave Hope: Masks are very personal things, either they fit or they don’t. The Aqualung Reveal X2 seemed okay on the surface, but the first time I dived it I took my regular mask along just in case. What a waste of time that was! The Reveal X2 fitted like a glove. Comfortable, INFORMATION easy to adjust, no leaks, dead Arrival date: March 2017 easy to clear, and good allSuggested retail price: £46 round vision for a twin-lens Number of dives: 1 mask. I’m going to like diving Time in water: 0 hrs 54 mins this.

RATIO iDIVE SPORT EASY Mark Evans: Ratio is an innovative company based in Italy, and unfortunately, at the moment, I am still awaiting delivery of the iDive Sport Easy, but it is due to be winging its way across Europe in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, I thought it was useful to list a couple of the many features that the iDive Sport Easy hides within its wristwatch-size casing.

The iDive Sport Easy has a long-life rechargeable battery (rechargeable via a USB), which can give up to 25 hours as a dive computer, and up to two months as a watch. It can manage this thanks to its nifty ‘sleep’ mode, whereby if it stays still for five minutes, it automatically turns off its display, which reduces the battery drain by up to 80 percent. As soon as the iDive’s sensor detects movement, it switches the display straight back on. It also boasts a barometer, altimeter, thermometer and even INFORMATION a weather forecast function.

Arrival date: March 2017 You are, without a doubt, Suggested retail price: £375 going to win the ‘my computNumber of dives: 0 er has more functions than Time in water: 0 hrs 0 mins yours’ competition in the pub!

SHEARWATER RESEARCH PERDIX AI Mark Evans: I was a big fan of the original Perdix, and the AI functionality on the new version is just as user-friendly as the rest of the computer. The display as before is totally user-customisable, and through the transmitter can show the remaining pressure in up to two separate cylinders, as well as your gas time remaining (GTR). Linked in with the original functionality, this just makes the Perdix AI pretty much the complete dive computer.

The Shearwater Research transmitter is currently going through CE-approval, but as we said last month, it is the same Pelagian transmitter supplied with Oceanic and Aqualung computers, so if you own one of these and are upgrading to the Perdix AI, you won’t need to splash out on another transmitter.

It also comes in a nifty little padded and zippered box – especially useful given the recent UK flight ban on electronics from certain countries.

If your precious INFORMATION computer has Arrival date: February 2017 to go into the Suggested retail price: £870 (comp only) hold, at least you Number of dives: 2 know it is well Time in water: 2 hrs 10 mins protected.

XDEEP NX ZEN Mark Evans: The xDeep NX Zen we are getting for Long Term Test is still with another reviewer who is not relinquishing his grasp on it, but while we are waiting for this unit to arrive, we can look back on the handful of dives we completed on a Zen a few months ago when we took one on assignment to the Bahamas.

It is the ideal rig for travelling with, thanks to its relatively compact bladder and skeletal backplate, but it still boasts the robust build quality for which xDeep has built up such a strong reputation for. The first thing which catches your eye about the Zen is the location of the power inflator hose. Instead of being mounted over the left shoulder as is the norm, this one comes out from the top centre of the bladder.

This means that it can be INFORMATION routed over either shoulder Arrival date: February 2017 if you so wish, but more imSuggested retail price: £535 portantly is ultra-streamlined Number of dives: 2 to reduce resistance as you Time in water: 2 hrs 35 mins glide through the water.

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PADI, BSAC, SSI and TDI Center. Providing recreational, technical training, plus guided and independent diving services.

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W: www.evolution.com.ph

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55 Marden Road, Whitley Bay, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE26 2JW, UK T: 0191 253 6220 E: emmet@deepbluedive.com W: www.deepbluedive.com The UK’s number one diving equipment store with all the top brands, at competitive prices. Your one stop shop for diving equipment.

OYSTER DIVING

Maritime House, Basin Road North, Hove, BN41 1WR, UK T: 0800 699 0243 W: www.oysterdiving.com www.oysterdivingshop.com The UK’s premier PADI scuba diving and travel centre. Equipment sales, PADI courses from beginner to Instructor and holidays around the world.

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MARKETPLACE

BRIGHTON

DIVER

10m Blyth Cat with dive lift and kitting bench.

Diving Charters for Groups & Individuals / Novice to Technical / Home Port Brighton / Diving Sussex from Brighton & Eastbourne.

Contact: Paul Dyer | 07901 822375 www.brightondiver.com

BUCCANEER

Ten metre dive boat, with kitting up bench. Diving Charters for Groups & Individuals / Novice to Technical / Home Port Shoreham / Diving Sussex coast from Shoreham.

Diving Medicals Nottingham

Sport Diver medicals £55

HGV/PSV/taxi medicals £55

Occupational Health Medicals

HSE commercial diving medicals £120

Oil and Gas UK Offshore Medicals £110

Discounts for students and large groups

Contact: Chris West | 07802 571056 www.buccaneer-diving.co.uk

For appointments call 0780 2850 084

CHANNEL

DEFIANCE

DIVER

or email: mclamp@doctors.org.uk

11mtr Cat with Dive Lift & kitting up Bench. Diving Charters for Groups & Individuals / Novice to Technical / Home Port Brighton / Diving Sussex from Brighton & Eastbourne.

Offshore 125 with Dive Lift & Kitting up Bench. Diving charters, Groups and Individuals from Novice to Technical, Home Port Eastbourne, Diving Sussex from Eastbourne & Brighton.

Contact: Steve Johnson | 07970 674799 www.channeldiving.com

Contact: Paul Jackman | 07711 325986 www.brightonboat.co.uk

OUR W

Offshore 125 with Dive Lift & Kitting up Bench. Diving charters, Groups and Individuals from Novice to Technical, Home Port Eastbourne, Diving Sussex from Eastbourne & Brighton.

Contact: David Ronnan | 07764 585353 www.dive125.co.uk

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YOUR CHARTER

HERE! FOR AS LITTLE AS £35 PER MONTH. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE GET IN TOUCH.

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THE COMMERCIAL DIVER Warren ‘Sal’ Salliss is a Director of Commercial Diver Training Ltd, based in Cornwall, and here he offers an insight into the commercial diving arena, and how the company aims to ensure that all students leave equipped with the necessary skills to take on this competitive environment. www.commercialdivertraining.co.uk

ENTER THE WORLD OF

COMMERCIAL DIVING PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF COMMERCIAL DIVER TRAINING LTD

W

hen Scuba Diver magazine asked us to write a column about the world of commercial diving, it made me think how I arrived at where I am today.

Without telling “when I….” stories, my diving career started in the Royal Marines. I was tired of just being a Marine, I wanted more - plus you got paid extra! Alongside my military diving, I undertook all my recreational qualifications up to PADI Staff Instructor, BSAC Advanced Instructor, TDI Instructor, etc. The thing is, I just loved being a diver.

I then started on my HSE commercial diving courses - Professional Scuba, Surface Supplied and Surface Supplied (Offshore Top Up), as they are now known.

Although I loved being in the Royal Marines, I needed a change after 15 years and diving was my choice. It offered me a challenging career working alongside motivated individuals. I then went off working all around the world both recreationally and as a commercial diver.

Eventually I found myself as a Supervisor running jobs for inshore civil engineering companies. It felt a world away from where I started. During this time, I found myself on a job where my team didn’t have the skills to operate BROCO (underwater thermic lance cutting gear) and underwater rigging. The divers could dive, but that was it. Every evening I was training the guys so that the next day’s work could progress. There was obviously a skills gap at a basic level. My business partner George Gradon also recognised this, and so Commercial Diver Training Ltd was born.

We developed our courses to truly reflect what was

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required within the industry. No-one ever pays you to go diving, you are there to perform a task. The courses are broken down as follows: HSE PROFESSIONAL SCUBA - four weeks HSE SURFACE SUPPLIED DIVER - four weeks HSE OFFSHORE TOP-UP - one week All you need to start is an entry-level scuba qualification, we teach you the rest. Students live aboard our dive vessels for the duration of our courses (except weekends), so that the dive team spirit is ingrained and seamanship skills are learnt. This pays dividends for the students’ future careers as they become comfortable in all aspects of the marine environment. You can’t learn these skills in the bar! Total cost, including drysuit, foul weather gear, lifejacket, overalls, T-shirt, logbook, manuals, etc, is £11,000. From the day you leave, you are ready to take your place in the world of commercial diving.

So, the million dollar question is “do I like what I do?” Absolutely! No two days are the same, I work with great people, and you have to rely on each other. Not everyone can do what we do, and we’re absolutely cool with that.

Next time we meet, I will go through our training process in more detail - until then, safe diving. n

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Kate Middleton - New Zealand Freediving Record Holder

Image: Daan Verhoeven

OUR GREENEST BLACK YET The Ocean Positive Core Range.

Made from 78% recycled Nylon from ghost fishing nets. No clasps or ties, designed with divers in mind. Here to stay.

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