CARIBBEAN SHIPWRECKS
SUPERB SOCORRO
MASKS OVER £50
PART TWO OF A WHISTLESTOP TOUR AROUND SOME OF THE CARIBBEAN'S BEST WRECKS
DON SILCOCK DIVES THE RICH WATERS OF THE 'MEXICAN GALAPAGOS'
THE TEST TEAM RATES AND REVIEWS TOP-OF-THERANGE MASKS
JILL HEINERTH EXPLORES THE UNDERWATER DELIGHTS OFF THE COAST OF NEWFOUNDLAND
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Q&A: WAYNE B BROWN
‣ UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY
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Barefoot luxury in the heart of Indonesia
Bunaken National Marine Park I had a fantastic time at Siladen Resort. The resort itself is a quiet and idyllic oasis, the food was outstanding, but it’s the fishes that will have me coming back. The dive crew were some of the friendliest folk I have met. Always smiling, and so happy. I can’t wait to dive there again. Dr. Richard Smith
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EDITOR’S NOTE HERE’S TO A BETTER MORE-POSITIVE 2021
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Mark Evans Tel: 0800 0 69 81 40 ext 700 Email: mark.evans@scubadivermag.com
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MAGAZINE
CONTRIBUTORS
Stuart Philpott, Byron Conroy, Jill Heinerth, Don Silcock, Wayne B Brown
And not a ‘positive’ when it comes to a COVID-19 test either! As we have said before, the COVID-19 pandemic has put the diving world through the wringer. The industry has been hit doubly hard, as travel plays such an integral part of our watery world. However, news of at least three vaccines that have shown incredibly successful results (especially given the speed at which they have been concocted) in the last few weeks definitely gives us reason to think more-positively as we move into 2021. It is going to take time to get back to ‘normal’, but now, the chances of vaccines being widely distributed by the middle of next year looks a strong possibility. Another boost for the travel world is the news that the quarantine time is being slashed from 14 days to just five days, a far-more-palatable timescale which suddenly puts a whole host of diving destinations back on the planning board, and the chance of some winter sun becomes a strong reality. Yes, the vaccines are still in the early stages, and we are by no means over this pandemic yet, but we have to take every little bit of positive news and use it to steel us through the coming months. As I write this, we are coming out of the latest England lockdown, and I for one cannot wait to be able to get back under the water, whether that is a lucky coastal dive, or heading off to an inland site. The water and land temperatures may be plummeting, but those who brave the cold will be rewarded with some of the best visibility you could ask for. So break out the thermals, wrap up warm and get your diving fix!
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Rork Media Limited Tel: 0800 069 8140 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, England, WC2H 9JQ Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publishers. Copyright for material published remains with Rork Media Limited. Use of material from Scuba Diver is strictly prohibited unless permission is given. All advertisements of which the creative content is in whole or in part the work of Rork Media Limited remain the copyright of Rork Media Limited. is a registered trademark of Rork Media.
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“Welcome Back! I’m as passionate about exploring the world’s wonders as you are, so grab your passport and make a reservation today aboard our yachts, river cruises or safari lodges.
We’re open and ready for you!” —Wayne Brown, Aggressor Adventures® Chairman & CEO
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See our worldwide vacation specials at www.aggressor.com.
+1-706-993-2531 ¡ info@aggressor.com ¡ www.aggressor.com Aggressor liveaboards, safari lodges and river cruises are independently owned and operated.
CARIBBEAN SHIPWRECKS
SUPERB SOCORRO
MASKS OVER £50
PART TWO OF A WHISTLESTOP TOUR AROUND SOME OF THE CARIBBEAN'S BEST WRECKS
DON SILCOCK DIVES THE RICH WATERS OF THE 'MEXICAN GALAPAGOS'
THE TEST TEAM RATES AND REVIEWS TOP-OF-THERANGE MASKS
JILL HEINERTH EXPLORES THE UNDERWATER DELIGHTS OFF THE COAST OF NEWFOUNDLAND
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Q&A: WAYNE B BROWN
‣ UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: JILL HEINERTH
27/11/2020 19:06
REGULAR COLUMNS
FEATURES...
10 News
22 The Caribbean
The winners of the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2020 competition, a new survey on health and weight from DDRC, Deptherapy’s Dr Richard Cullen gets recognised, Big Blue is launched in Egypt, and a new book is released on the Thistlegorm shipwreck.
20 Medical Q&A
Dr Oliver Firth from Hyperdive answers more questions from readers.
48 Divers Alert Network
The DAN Europe team continues its overview of its Pro liability insurance.
66 Wreck Hunter
Introduction to our latest column by Mike Haigh, founder of the Wreck Hunter programme.
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Rounding out our two-part series, wreck fan Stuart Philpott trawls through his extensive archives to showcase some of the best wreck dives in the Caribbean, including the WIT Shoal II in the USVIs, the Lesleen M in St Lucia, the Cristobal Colon in Cuba, the Bianca C, Shakem and King Mitch in Grenada.
28 The Maldives
Byron Conroy swaps his usual cold-water haunt of Iceland for the warmer waters of the Maldives, as he heads to the Dhigali resort in search of big-animal encounters. And he was not left disappointed, with epic sightings of manta rays, eagle rays, sharks and turtles.
34 Underwater Photography
Underwater photography guru Martyn Guess has seen his foreign dive trips canned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, being forced to stay in Blighty has not stopped him, and he turned his focus to subjects nearer home - in this instance, grey seals, and how best to shoot stunning images of them.
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CONTENTS
...CONTINUED
GEAR GUIDE
38 Q&A: Wayne B Brown
56 What’s New
We chat to Aggressor Adventures CEO Wayne B Brown about the pressures of running a fleet of luxury liveaboards around the planet, the reasons behind the addition of land-based operations and river cruises, and his love of underwater photography.
42 Mexico
Underwater photographer Don Silcock heads for the Socorro Islands, a Pacific Ocean ‘bucket list’ destinations that is almost synonymous with giant oceanic manta ray encounters and other pelagic sightings, including whalesharks and other species of shark.
50 TECHNICAL: Canada
Celebrated Canadian film-maker, photographer, explorer and adventurer Jill Heinerth heads east to Newfoundland and waxes lyrical about the underwater delights that await divers in the cold waters off the coast of Bell Island, including World War Two shipwrecks and, at certain times of the year, icebergs, not to mention the famed Bell Island Mine itself.
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New products, including the Fourth Element Winter 2020 apres-divewear range, Mares Avanti HC Pro, Dive Pro S40 dive light, Thermalution Yellow Grade 2.0 heated vest, the Best Divers Tanu dive knife, and face masks proclaiming you’d ‘rather be diving’.
58 Group Test
A selection of diving masks from Apeks, Aqua Lung, Atomic Aquatics, Zeagle, Scubapro, Beuchat and xDeep priced over £50 are rated and reviewed by the Test Team.
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Each month, we bring together the latest industry news from right here in the UK, as well as all over our water planet. To find out the most up-to-date news and views, check out the website or follow us on our various social media (@scubadivermag) www.scubadivermag.com/news
NADIA ALY WINS OCEAN
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2020
A
ward-winning underwater photographer Nadia Aly has added to her collection after being named Ocean Photographer of the Year 2020 in the Ocean Photography Awards. Her shot of an aggregation of mobula rays off the coast of Mexico wowed the judges and took the top spot, but she also bagged the Collective Portfolio Award. More than 3,000 entries were received for the inaugural competition, organised by Oceanographic Magazine, and the final winners of the six categories (and the overall winner) were announced mid-November at a virtual ceremony. The Ocean Photography Awards, in partnership with SeaLegacy and supported by Princess Yachts, is a celebration of our blue planet and a platform to shine a light on the threats facing the ocean. All the winners and highly commended images can be seen at: www.oceanphotographyawards.com Will Harrison, editor of Oceanographic Magazine, said: “We’re delighted to finally be sharing the competition winner – the Ocean Photographer of the Year. Nadia Aly’s winning photograph mesmerised all seven of our judges, and it’s easy to see why – it’s a beautiful image that captures the vibrancy of life in the ocean.” Speaking of Nadia Aly’s winning image, Cristina Mittermeier, co-founder of SeaLegacy and one of the Awards judges, said: “The photograph is perfectly exposed, compellingly dramatic and deeply intriguing. I know from experience that this image was not easy to create. Nadia Aly’s acknowledgement as the Ocean Photographer of the Year is a testament not only to the sheer power and uniqueness of her imagery, but to her journey as a photographer as well. It’s not lost on me that this winning image was made by an incredible water-woman, making it especially joyous and personally inspiring.”
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Ocean Photographer of the Year winner – Nadia Aly
Young Ocean Photographer of the Year – Cruz Erdmann
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Ocean Exploration Photographer of the Year – Ben Cranke The Community Choice Award – Tobias Baumgaerter
Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year – Matt Sharp
Ocean Adventure Photographer of the Year – Jason Gulley
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DDRC HEALTHCARE LAUNCH WEIGHT AND HEALTH SURVEY DDRC Healthcare has launched a weight and health survey, with weight currently being a ‘hot topic’ with regard to good health, and never more so since the outbreak of COVID-19. At DDRC Healthcare, they have data regarding weight trends in divers going back as far as 1990! Back then, in their first anonymous study, their data showed 34 percent of divers were either overweight or obese. Twenty years later, in 2019, the latest anonymous data showed 69 percent of divers were overweight or obese – following national trends. DDRC’s Maguerite St Leger Dowse said: “This study is intended to get you all talking about, and thinking about, ‘watching your weight and health’! Please take part in this survey and get your dive club/school members to take part as well in DDRC Healthcare’s latest Health of Divers project. “All the information you give us will be totally untraceable to you, so we would value your participation in this project. There is a maximum of 30 questions in this survey, but you will not have to answer them all; so the survey should only take about five to ten minutes to complete. Please follow the online instructions to the end.” Questions regarding this survey may be directed to DDRC Healthcare: info@ddrc.org www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DDRCweight
DR RICHARD CULLEN BECOMES A FELLOW OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY
Please visit the website for more details 2019 Course Dates available www.commercialdivertraining.co.uk info@commercialdivertraining.co.uk 01726 817128 | 07900 844141
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© Stuart Green for Deptherapy
To find out more, why not visit us for Aptitude Day? Experience a Surface Supplied Dive, view the Facilities and meet the Training Team
Dr Richard Cullen, Chairman of scuba diving rehabilitation charity Deptherapy and Deptherapy Education, has been recognised as a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society is a prestigious Fellowship that is open to those who demonstrate a sufficient involvement in geography or an allied subject through publications, research or professional experience. Paul Rose, Deptherapy’s Vice Chair, and a world renowned explorer, author, broadcaster, is a former Vice Chair of the RGS and said: “This is a huge achievement by Richard. His Fellowship is richly deserved, and a direct result of his steadfast commitment to preserving our oceans through Deptherapy’s very powerful ‘Protecting Our Oceans’ Programme. I know the top team at the RGS are looking forward to welcoming Richard into the Society.” The RGS was founded in 1830 to advance geographical research, education, fieldwork and expeditions, as well as by advocating on behalf of the discipline and promoting geography to public audiences. www.deptherapy.co.uk
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BIG BLUE TAKES TO THE RED SEA The Egyptian Red Sea has a brand-new liveaboard in the sleek shape of the MY Big Blue, the brainchild of the team behind the award-winning Roots Red Sea and Pharaoh Dive Club. MY Big Blue is 38 metres long and eight metres wide, but despite its large size, it only offers a maximum of 24 berths. Why? Space. From the outset, MY Big Blue was designed with space in mind – space to eat, space to sleep, space to relax, space to shower and, of course, space to dive. MY Big Blue has done away with the unnecessary – and often unused – trimmings, such as hot tubs and in-room TVs, and has instead focused on what they consider the more-important aspects. Each cabin has a large, modern ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower, basin and WC, and is fully air-conditioned with independently controlled individual units. In addition to the luxurious standard cabins, MY Big Blue has two disability cabins on the main deck, with full wheelchair access. Ramped access, widened passageways, sliding doors and larger floor space all provide easier access to wheelchair users. This fits well with the existing partnership between Pharaoh Dive Club and Deptherapy. MY Big Blue can also accommodate technical divers. If it is a mixed trip, you would be diving the same sites as the recreational divers, but to a completely independent plan, however, full technical charters can be organized to deeper dive sites. The team can supply and support all technical requirements. MY Big Blue offers a range of regular itineraries, including the Ultimate Red Sea Wreck Safari, Pelagic Encounters in the Red Sea, and The Ultimate Brothers. However, with a full charter, they are happy to create a bespoke itinerary. www.mybigblue.com
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DIVING THE THISTLEGORM Diving the Thistlegorm is a unique in-depth look at one of the world’s best-loved shipwrecks. In this highly visual guide, cutting-edge photographic methods enable views of the wreck and its fascinating cargo which were previously impossible. The book is the culmination of decades of experience, archaeological and photographic expertise, many hours underwater, months of computer processing time, and days spent researching and verifying the history of the ship and its cargo. For the first time, Diving the Thistlegorm brings the rich and complex contents of the wreck together, identifying individual items and illustrating where they can be found. As the expert team behind the underwater photography, reconstructions and explanations take you through the wreck in incredible detail, you will discover not only what has been learned but also what mysteries are still to be solved. The hardback book, priced £35, is available now from www.divedup.com and other retailers.
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THE NEW STANDARD IN
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Dave Not Coming Back is a hard-hitting, thoughtprovoking documentary by film-maker Jonah Malak, which follows the fateful dive in South Africa that claimed the life of Dave Shaw. Boesmansgat cave had long held an allure for cave divers, and Dave Shaw and Don Shirley set out to break the record for deepest cave dive in its depths back in 2004. They achieved their aim, but also came across the body of a young open-circuit diver who had never returned. They immediately decided they needed to recover the body, to provide some closure for the family. They roped in eight fellow divers to be part of the team, and hired a cameraman to document the dive, which would represent the world’s deepest body recovery. Tragically, Shaw never returned from this epic dive in 2005, and Dave Not Coming Back follows the drama as the team assembles, prepares for the dive, and then sets off into the depths – and then deals with the aftermath. Dave Not Coming Back is available on VOD and all digital platforms.
NAUI FREEZES MEMBERSHIP FEES FOR 2021 FOR CROSS-OVER INSTRUCTORS
Discover Worldwide Destinations Indonesia. Maldives. Socorro. Sri Lanka. Palau + so many more
> 01473 852002 > info@diversetravel.co.uk > www.diversetravel.co.uk
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NAUI have also frozen the membership fees for 2021 for instructors crossing over or restarting. And as a boost to help the diving industry, NAUI are still offering a free instructor cross-over course together with five free certifications to all instructors. This can include Open Water, Advance, Rescue, Nitrox and various other specialities, and can be mixed and matched so all five do not necessarily need to be for the same certification. NAUI’s Southern UK Rep Simon Lodge said: “Throughout this year, the diving industry has severely suffered so as a result, to help kickstart the diving industry, NAUI will not be charging membership fees 2020/2021 to any new instructors.” Founded in 1960, NAUI Worldwide is one of the scuba industry’s largest not-forprofit agencies, whose purpose is to enable people to enjoy underwater activities as safely as possible by providing the highest quality practical education, and to actively promote the preservation and protection of the world’s underwater environments. As a pioneer in diving education, NAUI has developed many of the programmes and concepts accepted throughout the diving industry. For more details, contact Simon Lodge (Southern UK Rep) on simon@europe. naui.org or Craig Warner (Northern UK Rep) on cwarner@europe.naui.org
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DISCOVER
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BITE-BACK 2021 CALENDAR HITS THE SHELVES Giants from the world of underwater photography have joined forces with Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation to create a unique and stunning 2021 calendar to raise funds for its campaigns to make Britain’s retailers sharkfree. The line-up of awardwinning contributors includes Alex Mustard, Amanda Cotton, Christian Vizl, David Doubilet, Doug Perrine, Ellen Cuylaerts, George Probst, Greg Lecouer, Jason Isley, Laura Storm, Shawn Heinrichs and Tanya Houppermans. Each photographer has handpicked and donated a breathtaking image along with commentary that features month-by-month in the top-class publication. Graham Buckingham, Campaign director at Bite-Back, said: “This edition is packed with spectacular images to celebrate the marine environment in all its glory. Significantly every purchase of this calendar will directly fund our campaigns to end the trade and consumption of shark products in the UK.” Alone, Bite-Back has made significant progress in limiting the sale of shark fin soup, shark meat and items containing shark, such as supplements, nationwide. Graham added: “For the equivalent of £1 a month, we hope scuba divers and ocean lovers will enjoy admiring this rare and magnificent collection of images all year long. And, of course, it makes a fabulous Christmas present too.” The high-quality A4 calendar is printed on recycled paper using vegetable-based inks by a climate-neutral printer. It can be purchased at www.bite-back.com/ shop for £12 (including free UK delivery) and shipped worldwide.
NEW AGREEMENT TO DEAL WITH OIL TANKER THREATENING THE RED SEA The United Nations has announced that a new agreement allowing a UN team to inspect and secure an abandoned oil tanker off the Red Sea coast of war-torn Yemen has been reached. The oil storage vessel FSO Safer has been languishing unattended for more than five years as the civil war in the country wages on, and it has fallen into a dire state of disrepair, with rust spreading around her hull and on-board equipment. It is loaded with more than a million barrels of crude oil, and not just any type of crude – this is Marib Light, which mixes more easily with water. Now if this starts to leak into the surrounding waters, it would be a huge environmental catastrophe for the Red Sea, with estimates that the spill would be four times as large as that of the Exxon Valdez back in 1989, but with a crude oil that mixes down into the water column. Worse still, it is thought that, over time, the crude oil has been steadily releasing flammable gases, meaning the FSO Safer could even explode. The FSO Safer has found itself in the middle of Yemen’s civil war. It was seized by Houthi rebels when war broke out in March 2015, and with no end to the conflict in sight, it is currently being used as a bargaining chip. The UN has previously tried to organise an expedition to board and assess the state of the vessel back in 2019, but to no avail, so this announcement that the Houthi rebels have now agreed to allow a UN inspection is welcome news.
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WRECK HUNTERS SEASON ONE 2021
INNOVATIONS FOR TECH, READY FOR REC
Calling would-be undersea detectives! A unique opportunity to take part in the beginning of a diving archaeology programme is opening up in the summer of 2021* on the Caribbean island of Utila. The Wreck Hunters project is offering a onemonth, limited availability window for divers to be a part of the Season One team. This all-inclusive package (prices to be announced on the website) is about getting to the heart of the story of a wreck called ‘The Oliver’, its rich history and the life of 18th Century mariners. Learn the skills of undersea archaeology, from traditional to cutting edge techniques. If you’re a relatively experienced diver (PADI Advanced Open Water with at least 30 dives), or equivalent (See website for full details), this could be just what you’re looking for.
X-MISSION
Project Director Mike Haigh’s ideal candidates have a ‘good sense of humour’ and enjoy team work.
EVOLUTION Designed in partnership with a team of cave divers, the X-Mission Evolution was built using our most advanced technical materials and construction methods to meet the most demanding requirements.
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So if you think this project would help put a smile on your face, why not get in touch to find out more at
www.wreckhunters.co.uk 0117 9596454
info@wreckhunters.co.uk
*COVID restrictions may result in a change of operation dates.
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Dr Oliver Firth is a diving doctor with over 22 years of diving experience. He is an Approved Medical Examiner of Divers for the UK HSE and a medical referee for the UK Diving Medical Committee, performing many hundreds of diving medicals a year. As the senior doctor at London Diving Chamber for the last 13 years, he has supervised the treatment of hundreds of cases of decompression illness. He has now set up Hyperdive (www.hyperdive.co.uk) to continue his diving medical work with a global audience. With his accumulated experience, he has seen most things a diver might come across, but remains eager to hear from anyone with a medical conundrum they need a solution to! divingdoctor@scubadivermag.com Q: Hi, I have recently been for a routine medical for my job. The doctor suspected that there may have been a problem, so sent me for an ECG, the results for this came back and now he wants me to go for an ‘echo’ to see if I have an enlarged heart. Have you ever known anyone with an enlarged heart that would be safe to dive? I had a basic dive medical last year (ie blood pressure, ears, reflexes) and my blood pressure was 120/70, which I understand is OK for a 33-year-old male. My blood pressure was 136/80 on my last test three weeks ago. A: There are various different forms of heart enlargement, but the principle is similar to your central heating system at home. Imagine your blood as the water, your heart as the boiler, your arteries and veins as the pipes, and your blood pressure as the water pressure. If your pipes get furred up, then the boiler has to work harder to keep up adequate water pressure, and to cope with this, your heart muscle enlarges. You might think this would make it a more-effective pump, but in fact the reverse is true. The heart sits in a stiff sac, so any heart muscle growth occurs inwards, reducing the amount of space within it for blood – so less is pumped with each beat. Exercise capacity therefore drops, and any sudden strain on the heart can push it into failure. Heart enlargement produces tell-tale signs on your ECG, which your doc is likely to have spotted, and hence you need an echo test to look at the heart chambers. It’s this test that will determine your fitness to dive. Q: Is it safe to dive if you suffer from Marfan syndrome? My 34-year-old husband has this condition and would like advice. Many thanks.
A: Named after the French paediatrician who first described it, Marfan is a genetic disorder affecting men and women equally, which is most often inherited, although it can arise from new mutations in 15-30 percent of cases. The defective gene causes problems with the elastic proteins found in the connective tissues of the ligaments, major blood vessels (the aorta in particular) and many other areas. So, the resultant symptoms and signs include great height, long, slender limbs and a wide handspan. These manifestations would seem to be pretty useful in the aquatic world: carving through the water like the Thorpedo with zero resistance and great big paddles for feet and hands. However, some of the other consequences are more detrimental to diving, including chest wall deformities, curvature of the spine, and abnormalities of the aorta and heart valves. The condition often goes undiagnosed until complications occur. Once diagnosed, treatment of Marfan involves regular heart checks with the aim of slowing the damage to heart valves and the aorta. There are also some procedures that can correct the skeletal problems if they are severe. The biggest risk in terms of diving with Marfan is its effect on the lungs. The chest wall deformities can restrict lung expansion, and is a risk factor for spontaneous pneumothorax. About 10% of patients have some lung abnormality, and there are case reports of lung collapse occurring even with small pressure changes. So you can imagine that there is a significant risk of lung problems given the large pressure changes that occur in the first few metres of a dive. My advice would be to adopt a slightly less dangerous activity.
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DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED IN THE UK SINCE 1981
ARE YOU FIT TO DIVE?
Nick Lyon discusses what it means to be ‘dive fit’ and the risks with being overweight, outof-shape and not ready for the water.
Q&A WITH PATRICK WIDMANN We chat to renowned cave explorer Patrick Widmann about Mexico, crazy global adventures and testing diving equipment.
BACK TO BLACK
Underwater photographer Mike Bartick take you into the weird and wonderful world of blackwater diving off the Philippines.
DIVING IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA Don Silcock is a regular visitor to the shores of PNG, and here he gives you an insider’s view on the country’s diving delights.
“I BELIEVE I CAN FLY!”
Editor-in-Chief Mark Evans saddles up for some serious scooter fun in the ripping channel currents in the Maldives.
GEAR GUIDE: TEST EXTRA
Editor-in-Chief Mark Evans and the Test Team have been playing with new kit, including the Garmin Descent MK2i.
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All ROHO dry suits for men, women and children are available for MADE TO MEASURE AT NO EXTRA COST. The ROHO team are also available to help you bespoke your suit with size, colour and accessories to make your suit truly original and unique.
AFTER ALL THERE ARE NO TWO DIVERS THE SAME, SO WHY NOT HAVE A DRY SUIT THAT REALLY FITS YOU!
Contact our team on 01924 444888 dive@roho.co.uk
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Stuart Philpott has dived around many Caribbean islands, and he has trawled through his archives to bring this round-up of some of the best shipwrecks in the region PHOTOGRAPHS BY STUART PHILPOTT 22
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THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS
The US Virgin Islands are made up of four main islands - St Thomas, St John, St Croix and Small Water Island. St Thomas has some really nice wrecks but is not often visited by UK divers. Choices are limited to a handful of dive centres, including JJ Divers and Coki Dive Centre. Blue Island Divers has just closed down. Originally owned by a Brit, Aitch Liddle, they ran a friendly, professional service at the Crown Bay Marina Suite. In all there are 40 sandy beaches. Accommodation varies from selfcatering apartments to resort hotels. Dive centres usually offer pick up from hotels with water frontage, otherwise for all other accommodation it’s best to hire a car. There are more than 20 wrecks scattered along the south coast. Most are at a depth of around 30m and no more than 5km offshore (35 minute boat ride). Some even have portholes and brass fittings still attached. The WIT Shoal II is probably the best wreck dive on St Thomas. The 99-metre-long LST (Landing Ship Tank) was built in 1943 by Kaiser Co Inc. She saw intense action in the Pacific during World War Two and was involved in a number of the infamous beach landings. By the early 1980s she had become a non-functioning derelict and was sunk during Hurricane Klaus on 6 November 1984. She was re-floated in order to be scrapped but sank while being towed to her final destination. She now lies at a max depth of 28m, just 3km outside of St Thomas harbour. There are five deck levels to explore. The engine room is well worth a visit, although finding a way in can be quite tricky. The stern, wheelhouse and crane are the best areas. Two knot currents are quite common, but diving with some water movement does have its advantages. Monotone bulkheads transform into a blaze of colour when thousands upon thousands of tiny orange cup corals open up to feed. This wreck is perfect for night dives.
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Prop on a wreck in Santiago Bay
The Kennedy is a 45-metre-long landing craft barge fitted with a concrete platform. It was used to ferry personnel to and from the aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy. In 1986, it sank just off the coast, max depth 20m. The weighty platform detached from the hull and plummeted to the seabed. It now lies in front of the barge. Most of the upturned hull is camouflaged by dense flora. Southern stingray sightings are almost guaranteed. Giant sea anemones adorn the cargo hold. The 125-metre-long SS Grainton (6,042 tons) was built at Stockton on Tees in 1911. She was used as a Royal Naval Collier and then as a cargo vessel hauling wheat from the USA, Canada and Australia. On 31 May 1928, the SS Grainton hit rocks off Saba Island. Although attempts to re-float her were successful, she began to take on water and eventually sank while being towed back to St Thomas. She now lies at a max depth of 33m. Her boilers and huge three-cylinder steam engine stand proud. Big fish sightings are quite common including nurse sharks, barracuda and eagle rays.
The stern of the Lesleen M
The wrecks off St Thomas are smothered in corals and sponges
ST LUCIA
St Lucia is also located in the eastern Caribbean. Barbados and Grenada are neighbours. The lush tropical island is well known for weddings and honeymoons. There is a good range of resort hotels and luxury spas on offer, including Airbnbs. Public beaches are just as plentiful, including Anse de Sables, Pigeon Island and Reduit. Visiting divers can choose from approximately ten resident dive centres, Scuba St Lucia, Eco Dive, Scuba Steve’s and Dive Fair Helen to name but a few. The west coast has about 22 named dive sites, mainly boat dives. There are quite a few reef dives especially in the Soufriere marine park area, including Superman’s Flight, Anse Chastenet Reef and the Pinnacles. This is complimented by two wrecks. The 50-metre-long cargo ship Lesleen M, lying in Anse Cochon Bay, is by far the most popular. Sunk by the Department of Fisheries in 1986 as an artificial reef project, she now lies upright surrounded by sand and eelgrass at a comfortable depth of 20m. This is without doubt one of the most-colourful wrecks in the Caribbean. Over 34 years, the smooth white painted hull has been transformed into a thriving mass of tube Sponges, gorgonians and alcyonarians. Her two gaping cargo holds are easily accessible. But watch out for the large spotted moray that lives by the toppled mast! Divers can go
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Six-inch gun on the Cristobol Colon
This is without doubt one of the most-colourful wrecks in the entire Caribbean inside the engine room via the second hold. The engine itself and any snagging wires and pipework have been removed. Only the prop shaft remains. From the engine room it is possible to fin up the stairwell into the cabin area. Shoals of blackbar soldierfish congregate in the open doorways. Macro life includes frogfish, seahorses and octopus camouflaged on the coral-encrusted decks. Hawksbill turtles have taken up residency just off the bow.
CUBA
Surprisingly Cuba has quite a few interesting wrecks scattered around the coastline. Even the capital Havana has its own wreck site. The battle of Santiago is Cuba’s equivalent to Scapa Flow, although the wrecks bar one don’t come up to the same standard. During the American-Spanish Civil War in 1890, Admiral Pascual Cervera Y Topete set sail for the Caribbean with six Spanish warships. Upon hearing this grave news America mobilised their entire fleet with orders to hunt down and destroy the enemy. After searching for several weeks, the warships were discovered at anchor in Santiago Bay. The Americans tried to blockade the harbour P383 Destroyer at Varadero
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The Bianca C is heavily encrusted
entrance with a coalier called the Merrimac, but her steering mechanism was damaged by gunfire and she drifted out of position, allowing the Spanish to escape up the coast in a westerly direction. The Americans gave chase, picking off the warships one by one. The 112-metre, 8,000-ton Italian-built Cristobal Colon managed to break away from the pursuing American warships, but eventually it was reeled in, and Captain Emilio Diaz Moreu gave the order to open the stop cocks and scuttle the ship. In a matter of hours, the Battle of Santiago was over. The Spanish Caribbean Squadron had been completely destroyed. All six ships had either been sunk or scuttled, 474 men were dead or injured, and 1,800 men had been captured. A number of American ships had been damaged, but none were actually sunk, and only one US seaman was reported dead. Most of the wrecks are well broken up and lying in the shallows at a max depth of 10m. Cristobal Colon is the only exception. The wreck is still relatively intact lying at a depth of between 6m-30m. There are literally 1,000s of brass ammunition cases lying in the hold. Passing the funnel heading downwards to the bow divers can explore a number of six-inch side-mounted deck guns. A brass lantern and many other artefacts still lie inside the wreckage. The Merrimac lies in the middle of the busy harbour entrance at a max depth of 20m. It’s only possible to dive the wreck on an incoming tide due to the amount of sediment that flushes out of the harbour. Visibility is around ten to 15
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metres. A torch is essential and some careful finning required owing to the fact that the bottom composition is made up of fine sediment. Most of the topside structure has collapsed. The stern area seems to be more intact, with the massive propeller being the main feature. Varadero is probably the most-popular tourist destination in Cuba. There are more than 50 hotels fronted by white sandy beach and a central ‘town’ area with plenty of restaurants. The P383 Destroyer is located inside the Cayo Piedra Underwater Park about 15 minutes boat ride from the dive centre. The Russian warship, a remnant of the Cold War, was sunk as an artificial reef project in 1998. The 97-metre-long wreck sits upright at a max depth of 28m, which allows plenty of no-deco time for exploration. The ship was sunk with a full load of armaments including a number of gun turrets and rocket launchers. The radar tower is also still intact complete with satellite dishes. The small gun turrets located amidships port and starboard are perfect for photographs and their rounded shape looks very similar to the Daleks in Doctor Who! There is not much coral growth but plenty of fish activity, including jacks, damsels, barracuda and lionfish. Dive guides don’t usually allow divers inside the wreck.
GRENADA
Grenada is known as the ‘wreck diving capital of the Caribbean’ with more than 40 different sites on offer, 14 of which are good-quality wrecks. It’s recommended to visit during the summer months when there are far less tourists about. The only slight negative is the sea can turn green and this can happen any time, there is no particular season. There are around seven dive operations on Grenada and two on neighbouring Carriacou, including Aquanauts Grenada, Dive Grenada, Eco Dive and Deefer Divers. The Bianca C, known as the ‘Titanic of the Caribbean’, was built in France during World War Two. From 1959, the 180-metre-long ship sailed between Naples, Italy and Guaira, Venezuela, making regular stops in the Caribbean. On Sunday 22 October 1961, she lay at anchor just off the coast of Grenada, when a huge explosion tore apart her engine room. More than 700 passengers and crew scrambled for the lifeboats. Three crewmen died and six others were badly burnt. The ship’s Captain Francisco Crevaco escaped unharmed. Local
The King Mitch
This prop is disappearing beneath marine growth
firefighting services couldn’t cope with the raging inferno, so a distress call was put out to British frigate HMS Londonderry. The Bianca C lit up the sky for two days solid before the warship arrived on the scene. There were concerns that the Bianca C would sink in the entrance to St Georges Harbour, so the Londonderry towed her out to sea. But the stricken vessel was already sinking. Bad weather hindered progress and six hours later the towline snapped. Soon afterwards the massive cruise liner disappeared beneath the waves. Her final resting place lies approximately 5km from the harbour entrance, close to popular tourist spot Grand Anse Beach. This is a huge wreck although much has now collapsed or is unstable due to being weakened by the fire. The prop shafts are at a depth of around 40m. Both propellers were salvaged in the 1970s and sold for scrap, leaving great big empty holes. The portside rudder is stuck at an unusual angle confirming that they had indeed jammed during the blaze. The hull has multiple entry points amidships with rows of portholes. The base of the foremast is a garden of beautiful purple and yellow gorgonian sea fans and the access ladder leading upwards was just a mass of soft corals in hues of orange, pink and white. The huge dramatic-looking bow stands 20 metres proud of the seabed. The anchor lies at 50m, which is the deepest point. Try and plan at least three or four dives to fully appreciate this wreck. The 60-metre-long freighter Shakem sank in 2001 fully laden with a cargo of cement bags. The stern and prop is a lush forest of colourful pink and white soft corals. Max depth is 30m. Penetration is possible with doorways leading inside the bridge and cabin areas. The Atlantic wrecks can be more challenging with strong currents and choppier conditions. The ex-navy minesweeper turned cargo ship King Mitch sits proud of the seabed at a max depth of 36m. Nurse sharks are often sighted under the hull and in the bridge area. Part of the upturned hull is covered in beautiful orange anemones. The cargo holds are easily accessible. Turtles can be found sleeping inside.
CONCLUSION
Hopefully I have managed to whet everyone’s wreck-diving appetite. The Caribbean really does have some exciting wrecks to explore, from entry-level right through to trimix CCR. There are plenty more exciting wreck dives on the Caribbean islands I haven’t mentioned, but I will save these for another time. n
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have always wanted to visit the Maldives for its pure beauty of white sand, blue water and magical sunsets. Also, just hearing someone mention the Indian Ocean makes me start dreaming of a tropical underwater paradise. When starting to do some research on this place, I quickly found out that shark fishing has been completely banned in all Maldivian atolls since 2010, and ray fishing since 2014. I suddenly got even more excited for our trip. My partner and I arrived at the Dhigali resort in a tiny propeller-driven seaplane, some 45-minute flight from Male international airport. The island is located in the Raa Atoll in the northern part of the Maldivian archipelago. We got a warm welcome and a useful orientation briefing by manager Kate. My first impression of Dhigali was that the island was very green and jungle-like, creating an authentic and exciting atmosphere. The island is one kilometre long, which is quite big compared to many other resorts with similar guest capacity. This, together with the owner´s intention of keeping as much natural vegetation as possible, has created a very lush, genuine environment.
DOING THE JUNGLE WALK
While exploring the island, we stumbled upon the ‘jungle walk’. Here, 80 percent of the vegetation is preserved and joined by little wooden signs with interesting facts about the wildlife and the plants found here. As we continued along the jungle walk, a group of flying foxes landed in a fruit tree just in front of us. We could also hear many different species of birds around us. On the ground, a small lizard made its way into the bushes.
However, the next moment I reminded myself that I actually get up at 6am every morning just to fit in three or four dives a day, and I suddenly felt a lot better! 28
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Byron Conroy heads to the Maldives in search of big-animal encounters – and he is not left wanting PHOTOGRAPHS BY BYRON CONROY
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Manta ray
LIVING ON THE BEACH
Between the green jungle and the blue ocean is the whitest sand beach I have ever seen. It is soft, warm and perfect. No shoes needed! Our villa was located right on the beach on the sunset side of the island. It was incredibly spacious with a luxurious outdoor bathroom full of banana trees, large bedroom, living room area, walk-in closet, indoor bathroom, extensive minibar, private pool and a terrace with a prime ocean view. Even though it was only our first day here, I kept thinking how I never wanted to leave this place. For an ocean and wildlife lover like myself, what can be better than living with the jungle in your backyard and the turquoise water right in front of your living room?
THE DHIGALI APP
Once we had installed ourselves in our dreamy villa and had a quick dip in the private pool, it was time to go find the dive centre, operated by Eurodivers Maldives (www.euro-divers. com). As we had a lot of dive equipment to carry, we decided to make use of the free buggy shuttle. In the Dhigali App, we could see on the digital map how one of the two shuttles was just approaching our side of the island. We quickly walked out to catch a ride. Since the island is quite big, the free shuttle is a convenient service. The fact you can track the shuttles live in the app is a cool feature that I, for some reason, did not expect on a remote island in the middle of the Indian Ocean!
NEW FRIENDS AT EURODIVERS MALDIVES
At the dive centre we were greeted by dive manager Bruno from the Netherlands, Rebecka from Germany and Ethan from China. Even though we had not met any of them before, it instantly felt like we were surrounded by friends sharing the same passion for the marine environment and diving. After filling out the necessary paperwork and certification checks, Bruno asked us when and where we want to dive, and what we would like to see during our stay here. A short chat later we had, together with Bruno, come up with a plan for giving us the best chances of pelagic encounters, colourful reefs and even some macro spotting over the following week. The Maldives is renowned for its fish shoals
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HAALI SUNSET BAR
Back home in the villa, I checked the Dhigali App to see what was on for tonight in terms of island entertainment and dinner options. We decided to head for the Haali sunset bar, where there would be live music and a promising sunset. At Haali, you can enjoy a cold beer in one of the roof-top jungle swings, or sip on a cocktail in a comfy bean bag on the beach.
DINNERS AT CAPERS
When the last rays of sun had disappeared behind the horizon, we moved on to the Capers restaurant for a buffetstyle dinner. The food at Capers is plentiful, delicious and delivered with great and friendly service. We only arrived at the island a few hours ago, and it had been a great day already. I was excited what the rest of the week would bring. The next morning as I was walking to breakfast, I was overtaken by a couple of keen joggers making use of the resort’s prepared running track and the comfortable early morning temperature. For a second I felt a bit guilty for not having packed my trainers. However, the next moment I reminded myself that I actually get up at 6am every morning just to fit in three or four dives a day, and I suddenly felt a lot better!
DIVING IN THE LABYRINTH
We were meeting Rebecka at the dive shop and made our way to the boat. We headed out for a two-tank trip to Miyaru Thila,
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Vast shoal of blue-striped snapper
Stingray makes a flypast
It was by far the healthiest and most-colourful reef I’d seen in the Maldives
where we were got really close to three grey reef sharks. Next up was Bruno and Rebecka’s personal favourite site called the Labyrinth. It´s a large coral bommie, or thila in the local language, which is broken up into several pieces. This creates mini channels, swim-throughs and overhangs. The thila is covered in beautiful soft corals and sea fans. Everywhere I looked there were schools of Bengali snapper, oriental sweetlips, fusiliers, surgeonfish and anthias. It was by far the healthiest and most-colourful reef I’d seen in the Maldives. There were no other divers with us, so we could really take our time, get the photos, and just slowly cruise around the site before its time to surface.
TIME FOR MACRO
After a nice a la carte lunch at the Faru grill restaurant, we decided to jump in for a leisurely macro dive off the jetty just outside the dive centre. It was a pleasant surprise to find a reef wall sloping down to 20m. We bumped into two huge octopus sitting almost next to each other on the wall. Octopus are typically hard to spot and even harder to get close to, but these guys didn’t seem to care about us at all. Probably they were too occupied by each other. We stopped for a good ten minutes to watch the action, but not much happened other than the two octopus sitting there, occasionally shifting in colour, and us hovering next to the wall. After a while, we gave up and moved on. Several blennies, gobies, hawkfish and different species of clownfish were catching our attention as we dived along the wall. In the shallows towards the end of the dive we found a large number of picturesque powder-blue tangs and convict tangs. After three good dives it was time to have a look at
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the day’s photos and write down what we had seen and experienced throughout the day. I also checked the Dhigali App to see that evening offered a ‘Cinema under the Stars’ in the pool area. But first dinner at Capers. That evening was Sri Lankan night and we were joined by Bruno, Rebecka and Ethan. Too many portions of delicious curry and fruity desserts later, we were stumbling out of the restaurant, and again I thought to myself I should have brought those trainers for a morning jog…
IT´S NOT ALL ABOUT DIVING…
Dhigali offers a lot more than diving, good food and sunset drinks. Are you a diver but your partner is not? No problem. The watersport centre run by Eurodivers is offering snorkelling excursions, jet ski rental, parasailing, kayaking and glassbottom boat tours. Visits to a local island, fishing, sunset cruises and photography workshops can also be arranged. Are you planning on travelling with your kids? Younger guests can enjoy the Dhigali Kids Club with indoor and outdoor fun activities. Hawkfish
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Beach villas
Anemonefish
…BUT THE DIVING IS REALLY GREAT
Over the next couple of days, diving together with Bruno and Rebecka, we met manta rays at Vaadhoo Thila, had close up reef shark and eagle ray encounters at Kottefaru Thila and spotted marble rays and sharks at Maa Faru Caves. All the dives site were located a 15 to 45 minute boat ride from the resort. The Dhigali dive boat was really comfortable with shaded wet and dry areas, sundeck, toilet and freshwater showers. Yet the friendly and professional boat crew was the best part. They offered assistance with anything you needed, whether it was gearing up, changing tanks or helping you climb the ladder after surfacing.
SAFE HAVEN FOR SHARKS AND RAYS
My partner and I have been lucky enough to dive quite a lot around the world but nowhere else have we seen as many sharks and rays as in the Maldives, both in terms of numbers and different species. The reason for this is spelled ‘protection’. Since 2010, after 15 years of negotiations, petitions, scientific surveys and foundations of shark rescue groups, shark fishing is banned over all 26 atolls of the Maldives. Since 2014, this ban also includes all type of rays, including mantas, mobulas, eagle rays and stingrays. The Maldives depend on tourism, and tourism in the Aerial view of Dhigali
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Between the green jungle and the blue ocean is the whitest sand beach I have ever seen. It is soft, warm and perfect. No shoes needed! Maldives to a great extent depends on a healthy marine environment. I would not have come to the Maldives if it wasn’t for the great chance of pelagic encounters and other marine life. All fellow guests we met during our time on the island, divers and non-divers alike, had chosen to spend parts of their days in or on the water. Whether it´s diving, snorkelling with baby sharks, dolphin cruises or boat tours to see manta rays, the ocean attracts visitors and it´s fantastic to see how the Maldivian government have implemented these regulations in order to protect the marine environment. A week later and it was time to check out and say goodbye to Dhigali and Eurodivers Maldives. We had not only had several amazing dives and a great time on the island, we had also met some fantastic people, all very passionate about their work and the environment. I will genuinely miss them all and I hope we get to meet again. n
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24/09/2020 14:24
UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHING
GREY SEALS
Following his last article on photographing sharks and other larger subjects, Martyn Guess provides some insight into, and also tips on, photographing that popular British mammal - the grey seal PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARTYN GUESS
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n these surreal Covid-19 times, I have not been able run my normal overseas photographic workshops and all of them have been postponed until 2021, when hopefully safe travel will be back on the agenda and my students and I can once again dip our toes in warm water. As a result, at the beginning of the summer I made a conscious decision, that as soon as the green light shone and we were able to travel around the country and as diving opened up again here in the UK, that I was going to spend as much time as I could under the surface of British waters. Safe to say that the summer window of relative freedom, before the regional restrictions that we are currently in the middle of arrived, enabled me to do more UK diving than I have ever done in one summer. I was able to travel to some great diving locations, and in particular I found myself in the sea around Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel for five days of diving in July and then in early September at the opposite end of the country at the Farne Islands, off the coast of Northumberland, for a couple more days in the water. 2020 has given me seven full days of diving with, and photographing, the grey seal colonies that live in these locations and experiencing possibly the best way of getting up close to these amazingly friendly and photogenic animals. The conditions that I experienced in these locations were at opposite polls, with relatively dark light and poor visibility at Lundy and bright sunshine and very clear visibility in the Farnes. I therefore had to use different photographic techniques to get some images that I am happy with, and thought that I would share them with you. The majority of the seal interactions that we have in the UK are in relatively shallow water around the rocks where the seals haul themselves out onto at low tide (image1). Being shallower means photography is a little easier, as the ambient
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Inquisitive seal pup, well-lit in the shallows
light tends to be brighter. My first piece of advice is to take yourself closer to the shallows when you are diving with seals, so that at least you have the light advantage. It is then in the lap of the Gods, whether the seals are going to be interested in interacting with you or not. The locations with the seal colonies are not zoos and they are of course wild animals and their behaviour can change from day to day. When the presence of seals and close interactions are a little slow, don’t be tempted to chase the opportunities because they just won’t happen in my experience. My friend Alex Mustard adopts a technique of actually ignoring the seals and not even looking at them. When the action was slow when we were diving together in the Farnes, he appeared to look the other way when the seals passed in the distance. Of course, he was actually looking at them out of the corner of his
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eye! Grey seals are incredibly curious animals and if nobody is paying them attention, they will want to come in closer to see why you aren’t interested. Take your time and don’t immediately start shooting as this will probably frighten them away. Eventually they will come in really close and even start mouthing your camera or your fins and slowly you can start to take some pictures. When we arrived at the site we were going to dive at the Farnes, there were loads of seals around at the surface, but frustratingly they just disappeared when we were diving. We were not sure why – some thought that there was a large shoal of herring offshore and they had gone off to hunt. We persevered and while in only 3.5m of water I swam around not seeing many seals. Eventually the odd individual came into the middle distance. I ignored them and hey presto after a few minutes, one pup came in closer to look at me. It seems that I was right by his favourite scratching rock – the place he loved to come to and rub his body against the smooth rock. I just stayed still occasionally looking at him and taking the odd shot until he was entirely comfortable with me being there. After a few minutes of scratching he would dash away or up to the surface but quickly return and on each occasion, he got more confident and even closer (Image 2). I had 45 minutes with this little chap until I had to return to the boat. The main reason I believe the interaction went on for so long was very fortuitus for me. I was having a problem with my flash trigger and the only way I could shoot was with ambient light. Being a bright sunny day and only in 3.5m of water the conditions were ideal to shoot only with natural light. I didn’t even have my strobes attached. Most of the time as photographers we tend to have our strobes attached and ready for use and it is not often that we try ambient light only dives. I can totally recommend you try. I set my camera up to shoot silently and on continuous shutter release - the little guy didn’t even know I was taking photographs! In a situation like this, it is important to get the sun on your back as being so shallow the subject will be fully lit. You don’t have the ability to flash fill shadows, so it is important to get in the right position and shoot slightly downwards, so that you are not shooting into shadow areas. I also got the Seal pups will come right in close if you are patient
Seal in the middle distance showing off its habitat
In shallow water try to get reflections or the surface texture in your image to add interest
background water colour just how bright I wanted it by adjusting the camera speed. As I was shallow and conditions were bright, I needed to shoot with a faster speed to darken the water colour and this speed was faster than the maximum speed my strobes would normally sync to (1/320th Sec), so shooting without strobes I was able to set the speed at what I needed, which was 1/500th of a second. I was using the Nauticam WACP (wide-angle corrector port) so could happily shoot at F8 or even more open and get good corner sharpness, but anything from F8 to around F14 would work okay behind a dome port. The focus was set to full auto, which on my camera gave me 153 focus points and all the images I took were sharp. Most photographers with a seal as the main subject will try to get as close as possible. While these are great portraits to take and the audience definitely will engage with a close up, try to balance your portfolio of seal images. You should try to have some wider shots with the seal maybe in the middle ground showing off its habitat (Image 3). This is so much easier in bright conditions as due to the nature of the subject being further away you can only use ambient light as flashlight falls off quickly underwater. Being shallow also provides great opportunities to show off the underside of the surface and also reflections (Image 4). When I went to Lundy Island the sun decided not to come out and it was raining for some of the time we were diving. The conditions were totally different from the Farnes. This time, luckily, my strobes were working fine! As the water background was really dark it was necessary to get very close to the seals and use strobes to light them. I remembered a similar situation whilst diving with Caribbean reef sharks in the Bahamas when it was very overcast at the surface and relatively dark underwater. We used the opportunity to try very slow shutter speeds to try and get some movement blur into our images. I loved the look of the images I took in the Bahamas - they are some of my favourite shark shots, so I decided to try this technique on the seals. I set the camera speed to 1/8th Sec then an aperture of around F8 and selected an ISO to give me a good exposure (Use the Histogram in your camera to make sure the exposure is correct). As you
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UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY Slow motion panning showing off movement and speed
are shooting with a slow speed you need to be careful of the power that your strobes are set to and the amount of strobe light hitting the subject, so again check histograms to make sure the underbelly or top of the head of the seals are not burnt out. If so, dial down the strobes. With motion blur on potentially fast subjects like seals, set your camera to front curtain sync. This fires the strobe at the beginning of the exposure and then pan your camera through the subject, eventually overtaking it. The image will show streaks of movement behind the subject emphasizing the speed it is moving at (Image 5). If the subject is not moving very quickly then set to rear curtain sync and hold the camera still while the subject moves through the frame. When panning I tend to shoot from the hip as it were – it’s a bit hit or miss, but when you get the whole of the subject in the frame with some movement streaks it will give a different look to standard seal images (Image 6). This technique is possible with most camera types, as long as you can use manual exposure mode and select front or rear curtain, so check out your camera manual. Shooting from the hip while panning is best tried with a wide -angle lenses or your zoom lens set to wide if Slow shutter speed 1/8th Sec and Front curtain sync helped show the spiraling of this dive-bombing pup!
using a compact. Remember when shooting close up shots of seals, that as you get closer remember to move your strobes closer to the housing. If you are lucky enough to get the seal nibbling your dome port, then unless your strobes are really close in you risk underlighting the main part When the seals come of the subject’s really close, move your strobes close to the face, leaving it in housing to light shadow (Image 7). all of the face The underbellies of seals are normally quite light so set your strobe positions in a 10 and 2 (like a clock face) position to avoid burning out the whitish fur. As with all animals and fish, it is important where possible to get good eye contact as this will help people looking at your images to engage with the subject and makes for a more memorable shot. Next time you are lucky enough to enjoy what is probably one of the best reasons to dive in UK waters (which hold a significant part of the world’s grey seal population), try some of these techniques and I guarantee they will help your images. n
BIOGRAPHY: MARTYN GUESS
Martyn has been diving for over 30 years and taking underwater images for nearly as long. He is a well know and successful underwater photographer with many successes in National and International competitions and regularly makes presentations to Camera and Photography clubs and Dive shows as well as The British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSOUP) and other underwater photography groups. Today he shares his passion and knowledge - As well as teaching personalized underwater photography courses he leads overseas workshop trips for Scuba Travel and his articles regularly appear in Scuba Diver Magazine.
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Q&A: WAYNE B BROWN Scuba Diver chats to Aggressor Adventures CEO Wayne B Brown about the challenges of running an international company of liveaboards, safari lodges and a river cruise, what the future holds post-COVID, and find out why he loves underwater photography PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF WAYNE B BROWN / WWW.AGGRESSOR.COM & MICHELE WESTMORLAND
Q: How did you get into diving in the first place? A: When my son turned 15, I was concerned that by 16, he would be off spending the majority of his time with friends. I wanted to find an activity we could pursue together. I passed a scuba diving shop on my way to the office every day and asked my son about that. We agreed to try it and fell in love with scuba diving. Q: You are a renowned underwater photographer with an obvious passion for capturing stunning images. When did you get into underwater photography, and why does it mean so much to you? A: I had always enjoyed topside photography and experimenting with light and shadows, many times trying to mimic the great black and white photographer Ansel Adams. When I started scuba diving, I quickly realised the importance light and shadow had on bringing out the best in an underwater photograph. I started with film, as many did, and you had to quickly learn how to shoot well with only 16 chances on a dive to get a great shot. Once digital became available to underwater photographers and the ability to not only shoot as much as you want, but to immediately see the results, it opened the door for all the amazing photographs you see today. Whenever I ask one of our guests what was the draw for a particular destination, the answer always starts with the spectacular photographic library we have of it. Q: You are the CEO of Aggressor Adventures, but you were originally a guest on some of their liveaboards. How – and why – did you make the transition from ‘guest’ to ‘CEO’? A: When I transitioned from day boats to liveaboards, I knew this was the kind of diving I could enjoy for a week or more at a time. I have always been a huge proponent of businesses that offer exceptional customer service. When I stepped onto the Galapagos Aggressor in 2005, I was instantly a fan of their five-star level of
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service and the commitment of each staff to their customers’ enjoyment. In 2006, I was on the Belize Aggressor when in a conversation with the captain found out the owner had passed away a couple of years earlier and the company was for sale. After my due diligence ensuring I was buying a profitable business with good growth potential and not a hobby, I completed the purchase in April 2007. It has been an incredibly fulfilling journey being able to build upon our fivestar service for our guests every year.
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Q: You ‘host’ trips on some of the Aggressor Adventures liveaboards periodically through the year. What do you like best about getting ‘out in the field’ with your customers, and why do you think this is sort important? A: I have always been very hand’s on with all my businesses knowing that without being intimately involved in all aspects, I would not be able to make the best decisions for our guests and my company, no matter how great my surrounding staff were. I have always been a people person, so getting to an adventure with all-new guests is incredibly enjoyable for me. I also get to understand who our guests are, what makes them happy about our service and adventure, and hearing their direct feedback is critical to any companies success. Q: Aggressor Adventures is a global brand, with yachts dotted around the planet. You are bringing on new yachts and destinations all the time – what is your criteria for new yachts and locations, and what do you strive to bring your customers? A: I have a very long list of future destinations. However, it takes the right local owner that meshes with our service philosophy as well as the asset of yacht or lodge that can offer the level of amenities our guests expect. The local environment, of course, has to offer a week of incredible adventure. But we also evaluate the ability to source ingredients that our chefs can create five-star food service coupled with local trades that can offer repairs when equipment calls for it, as well as readily available parts. If any of these are missing, we put it on the back burner until they are.
I have always been a people person, so getting to an adventure with all-new guests is incredibly enjoyable for me
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Q: Aggressor Adventures now has the land-based Aggressor Safari Lodges in Sri Lanka. You are well known for your ever-expanding fleet of luxury liveaboards, but are more land-based resorts on the cards down the line? A: Absolutely. The ability for us to grow and add value to our brand and our local owners is to build as large of a customer base as possible. The safari and river cruise market is vastly larger than scuba diving and allows us to cross promote for everyone’s benefit. We have several safari and river cruise destinations in the pipeline, with a Costa Rica safari lodge starting out next fall. Q: Aggressor Adventures has a huge amount of return clients. What do you think keeps them in the ‘Aggressor Family’ and booking with you time and again? A: There are really two things that have to happen to keeping return clients. The first is offering the level of adventure and service they are looking for, and then second is delivering on this commitment every day at every destination.
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Q: As we always do in this Q&As, what is your mostmemorable diving moment? A: I was diving off the coast of Costa Rica and this large oceanic manta kept circling the divers. We realised it had a large fishing lure hanging off a wingtip. The manta would swoop in close with that wingtip beside a diver and sit for a few seconds. One of the divers reached out and removed the fishing lure. The manta immediately started looping over and over, which must have been painful when the fishing lure was on that wingtip, and you got the feeling it was extremely grateful. Q: On the flipside, what is your worst diving memory? A: As with every underwater photographer, it is flooding a camera! I have been lucky that the three floods I have had have been at the very end of a charter, so I did not miss out on at least bringing back some memories. Q: COVID-19 has thrown the entire dive industry through the wringer, but we are starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. What does the future hold for Aggressor Adventures? A: I challenged my staff early on to see how many ways we could come up with to keep all of our customers engaged during a shutdown and quarantine. We came up with so many great ideas that were given high praise from our guests that a lot of them have been incorporated permanently into our business model. Now that destinations are reopening and our loyal customer base is eager to get back to travel, it has reenergised all my staff to ensure their trip delivers the ‘Adventure of a Lifetime’. n
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The
O
ften referred to as the ‘Mexican Galapagos’, this group of four islands located some 600km from the west coast of Mexico are so special that in July 2016, they were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, in November 2017, the government of Mexico created North America’s largest marine-protected area, making the whole area a national park with total bans on fishing, mining and tourism development. Confusingly though, Socorro is actually just one of the four islands that make up the Archipiélago de Revillagigedo - the correct name for this location… However, most English-speaking people struggle with actually pronouncing Revillagigedo. So, the pragmatic Mexicans stopped trying to use the formal name with most foreigners and refer to the archipelago as ‘Socorro’.
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LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION…
Semantics out of the way… just why are these islands quite so special? The answer to that question is really quite simple – location! The four islands of San Benedicto, Clarion, Roca Partida and Socorro are actually the peaks of underwater volcanoes. Which, in turn, are part of a submarine mountain range far below the surface. The overall location is where the northeast Pacific Ocean marine biogeographic region converges with that of the Eastern Pacific. It is also where the California Current meets the Equatorial Current, all of which creates an
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Don Silcock heads for the Socorro islands, a Pacific Ocean ‘bucket list’ destination that is almost synonymous with giant oceanic manta ray encounters PHOTOGRAPHS BY DON SILCOCK
For North American divers, it is not too bad as all the liveaboard dive boats servicing Socorro operate from Cabo San Lucas, the major resort city on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Known for its beaches, sea-sports and nightlife, Cabo (as it is commonly referred to) is a busy place that is very well serviced by all the major US airlines. For the rest of the world, some long-haul flights are required and for us Australians, it is a journey of epic proportions! Getting to Cabo is just the first part of the overall journey though, as it is another 24 hours by boat to get to San Benidicto Island, the nearest of those four islands to Mexico.
SAN BENIDICTO ISLAND incredibly complex and highly productive transition zone. Being the only landfall in such rich waters, the four islands have an incredible mix of resident sharks, manta rays and dolphins. Plus, they act as beacons to migratory species such as humpback whales and whalesharks. Little wonder then that the area is renowned for being a ‘big animal paradise’.
GETTING THERE
The sheer remoteness of the Revillagigedo Archipelago means that diving Socorro is not something to take lightly… Just getting there is an adventure in itself!
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Formerly known as Isla de los Innocentes, San Benedicto at some 10 km² is the third largest of the four islands in the archipelago. Very much volcanic in origin, it has no source of fresh water and is completely uninhabited. San Benedicto is visually striking and has two very prominent features. Bárcena, near the southern tip of the island, is the volcanic crater left from its eruption in 1952. Viewed from sea level, Bárcena is impressive, but viewed from a drone, it is simply awesome! Second are the volcanic arch and nearby pinnacles on the west side of the island, which when viewed up close are truly awe inspiring.
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The pinnacle at El Boiler
SAN BENIDICTO ISLAND – ‘EL BOILER’
There are a number of dive sites around San Benedicto, such as Fondeadero and the Canyon. They are good, but none of them comes close to El Boiler, which is located near to the volcanic arch and is an absolutely incredible dive! The site consists of a huge pinnacle that rises up from the seabed at 45m, coming to within 4m of the surface. That top area is to be avoided because of surge and swell, but the rest of the site is straightforward, and you basically just choose your depth and then make your way around the pinnacle. El Boiler is a tremendous place to encounter oceanic manta rays, as they use the pinnacle as a cleaning station. The amazing thing about the giant mantas is that they are quite used to divers… and being intelligent and curious creatures, they will often initiate the encounter and come to you! So the best way to dive El Boiler is stay relatively shallow to conserve air, then make your way around the pinnacle, watching out for the mantas. Obviously, there is no guarantee they will appear, but they usually do and when that happens, try to separate yourself a bit from other divers and wait. There is simply no point in trying to chase them – they are just too fast. Better to let them come to you!
Bottlenose dolphins at Cabo Pearce
SAN BENIDICTO ISLAND – SILKY SHARKS
While the oceanic manta rays are very much the stars of the show at El Boiler, the dependable co-stars at San Benidicto Island are the resident population of silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis). Clearly very used to the liveaboard dive boats that visit the island, the silkies gather in some numbers around the boat looking for scraps. Relatively large animals, with an intense curiosity and bold attitude, silky sharks are considered to be potentially dangerous.
Giant Pacific manta ray
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Whaleshark and attendant jacks
The amazing thing about the giant mantas is that they are quite used to divers‌ and being intelligent and curious creatures, they will often initiate the encounter and come to you! Whitetip reef sharks
SOCORRO ISLAND
Socorro is by far the largest of the four islands at some 132 km2. It is an impressive sight when first seen, particularly so from a drone! It is also the only island that is inhabited, albeit by about 250 Mexican Navy personnel and their families, their role being to enforce the rules and regulations of the marine protected area and national park. There are three main dive sites around Socorro Island – Punta Tosca, Roca Oneal and Cabo Pearce. The first two are certainly interesting dives, but Cabo Pearce is very much the main attraction and its stars are ocean manta rays and bottlenose dolphins! Plus, schooling hammerheads are often seen out in the blue. Cabo Pearce is a long finger formation that is located on the eastern side of the island and was created by lava flow from when Socorro was an active volcano. Underwater, that finger extends right out into the deep surrounding waters. Care is required at Cabo Pearce as strong currents run either from the south to the north, or vice versa, which strengthen as they sweep across the top of the underwater part of the lava finger. Both the oceanic mantas and bottlenose dolphins are used to interacting with divers and will come to you, which makes for some really great encounters!
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DON SILCOCK
In more normal times, Don is based from Bali in Indonesia, but is currently hunkered down in Sydney. His website - www.indopacificimages.com - has extensive location guides, articles and images on some of the best diving locations in the Indo-Pacific region and ‘big animal’ experiences globally.
Schooling hammerheads in the blue Silky shark at San Benedicto Island
ROCA PARTIDA
Giant Pacific
Located about 100km to the west of Socorro Island, manta ray Roca Partida is the visible tip of a huge underwater mountain. It is hard to imagine a more-remote, awe-inspiring and exciting dive site! Compared to the three other islands, Roca Partida is pretty Finally… a really interesting feature of Roca Partida are its small. Just 100 metres long and eight metres wide, and the snoozing whitetip sharks. Located on the eastern side of the name means ‘Split Rock’, which refers to the two peaks on the rock are several recesses that act as ‘shark platforms’. These rock – one 25 metres high and the other 34 metres. are where the resident whitetip sharks, which hunt at night, Its sheer and complete isolation means that Roca Partida gather during the day to rest. has its own ecosystem and resident population of marine Seemingly safe in numbers, the recesses are often creatures. Plus, it naturally attracts migratory animals and you crammed to overflowing with whitetips. just never know what may appear around the corner! Swept as it is by strong easterly currents, Roca Partida is DIVING SOCORRO – IN SUMMARY… best dived by entering the water around the middle of the The four islands of the Archipiélago de Revillagigedo are truly rock on the east side, which is the ‘split point’ for the current very special. While only three of the four are dived regularly and where the water velocity is minimal. - Clarion Island is another 290km to the south-west of Roca Then it’s a choice of left or right to the corners of the Partida and very few boats go there - diving Socorro, San rock, where the current is strongest and the action is Benidicto and Roca Partida is an experience that will stay with pumping. Huge schools of fish pulse in the current, sharks you for many years. are a constant presence and the chance for random pelagic The combination of their remote location, exceptional encounters make the corners of Roca Partida an incredible biodiversity, incredible encounters and exciting diving are hard underwater experience! to match - anywhere. n San Benedicto Isand
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DIVERS ALERT NETWORK: EUROPE DAN Europe is an international non-profit medical and research organisation dedicated to the safety and health of divers. WWW.DANEUROPE.ORG
PROTECT YOUR ASS(ETS), PART TWO Concluding his two-part feature, Michael Menduno discusses putting DAN Europe’s ‘Pro’ Liability Insurance to work for you
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AN Europe’s Pro policies also enable instructors to extend their diving accident coverage to a specific number of ‘first level’ students, so that they may enjoy accident insurance during the course. Typical courses covered include Discover Scuba Diving (DSD), Try Scuba, Open Water, 1° Degree, 1 Star CMAS, REC 1 and GUE fundamentals to name a few. Freediving classes like 1° degree, spearfishing 1° level, 1 Star CMAS, AIDA 1, and SSI Free Diving Basic and Apnea level 1 are also covered. This ability to provide insurance to new students can also be a selling tool for your business. The coverage limit is €15,000 per student for worldwide emergency treatment including €2,500 for search and rescue, however the three plans allow varying numbers of students as follows Pro Bronze: 15 students, Pro Silver: 40 students, Pro Gold: 70 students. Note that the instructor must list the students on MYDAN page for them to be covered. In addition, professionals can purchase insurance for a cost of €8 per student, in the event their initial coverage expires. DAN Europe’s Pro insurance also includes three optional benefits that can be added to your plan. First, the payout in the event of death as a result of a diving accident can be extended to either €25,000 or €50,000, however that excludes technical diving. The normal payout is €6,000 for Pro Bronze and Pro Silver and €25,000 for Pro Gold, however under this plan, death as a result of a technical diving accident only pays €6,000. In addition, professionals can elect to extend the duration of their coverage to non-diving emergencies abroad to the whole subscription year i.e., 365 days under the Pro Silver and Pro Gold plans. Otherwise the number of days covered are from Bronze to Gold respectively: 60 days, 90 days, 120 days, similar to the DAN Europe Sport plans. Finally, professionals can include nuclear family members (partner and or children) under their non-diving emergency (travel) coverage.
number of instructors/guides and up to 40 entry-level students. Similar to DAN Europe’s Pro Plans, student names must be entered in MYDAN prior to coverage. Note that neither plan provides individual diving accident and travel insurance to the professionals involved; coverage must be obtained individually. Both plans cover tank maintenance and filling by trained personnel, which is excluded in individual Pro plans. Third Party Liability, including legal defense totals €1,500,000 for the Club Member policy and an additional €25,000 for legal expenses related to dive services and not necessarily a liability claim, for example, a dispute with a client or service provider, or other legal work in conjunction with the club or centre. Club Member Plus offers €4,000,000 for Third Party Liability including legal defense, and €35,000 for diving service-related legal expenses. For a comparison of plans in your country see: Club Member Comparisons. Club members can also purchase student insurance for First level, Advanced, Specialty and Freediving Stage. For a detailed description of options see Student Insurance.
LET’S GO CLUBBING
DAN Europe’s IDA subsidiary also offers two liability insurance plans for dive clubs, centres, stores, schools and associations: Club Member and Club Member Plus. Club Member coverage provides for the dive centre and ten instructors/guides, and diving accident insurance for 15 entrylevel students, while Club Member Plus covers an unlimited
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DAN Europe’s Club insurance also provides several important optional coverages. First, clubs and centres can add ‘Try Dive’ insurance which covers medical expenses and hyperbaric treatments up to €15,000 for incidents involving a maximum depth allowed by the relevant teaching organisation but not to exceed 15m. The number of insured, Try Dive clients is unlimited, and they do not need to provide their names to DAN Europe. Second, clubs can add DAN Europe’s Premises Liability insurance, which protects your organisation for injuries suffered by individuals present on the club’s premises, for up to a maximum of €50,000.
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DAN EUROPE IS HERE FOR YOU
Unlike most general insurers, DAN Europe, which was created for divers, by divers, does a lot more than simply providing you with needed professional liability coverage. Similar to the extensive international DAN network of 180-plus diving doctors, diving professionals have access to the DAN Europe Legal Network, staffed by diving attorneys who speak your language, are there to support you in the event of a diving accident, and provide legal expertise every step of the way. You don’t have to face the situation alone. What’s more, in contrast to some diving federations and general insurers, DAN Europe’s Pro Liability plans provided by IDA, cover more challenging forms of diving instruction such as cave, technical, rebreather and advanced freediving. As British Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) cave and technical instructor John Kendall, who is longtime DAN Pro member, put it, “It can be hard to get good coverage for tech and cave diving. Fortunately, DAN Europe actually understands what I am doing.” In addition, a portion of the monies that DAN Europe collects for accident and liability insurance goes to fund advancements in diving medical research, which serve as an important benchmark for the global scientific and diving communities. DAN Europe also develops and promotes safety campaigns which focus on increasing diving safety. These aspects are not true of other insurers, and are additional reasons why you should consider DAN Europe’s professional liability insurance. Hopefully, you will now have a better understanding of DAN Europe’s plans for diving professionals, and dive clubs, centres, stores, schools and associations, so you can get the coverage that’s right for you, your clients, and your business. Safe diving! Safe teaching! n
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BEYOND TECHNICAL
www.narkedat90.com
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n the pale light of a wintery Canadian dawn, the Arctic blast persuades me to snug my hat securely down over my ears. Emerging from the neck of my parka, my muffled voice emits curly wisps of white vapour into the cold air. A barrel-chested John Olivero vaults clear of his truck in a long-sleeved T-shirt loudly announcing ‘let’s go diving!’ My sturdy Canadian resolve cannot hide my disbelief. “First, we have to get out of the driveway, Johnny!” I mumble. “No problem!” he smiles backs. “We have a secret weapon!” Who would have imagined that a diving expedition would require a snowplow? On this day, we need it to move the metre-deep snow that has accumulated overnight. But the list of necessary tools is even more peculiar. For months, John Olivero and Ocean Quest Adventure Resort (www.OceanQuestAdventures.com) owner Rick Stanley wrangled volunteers, convincing them to heft pickaxes and shovels to prepare for our visit. The group of selfless volunteers moved tons of iron ore, built decks and benches, and installed critical lighting in preparation for us to dive into the depths of the Bell Island Mine. February never deterred their dedication. On the contrary, there is plenty of time in the winter for projects and diversions. In Newfoundland, summertime is an orgy of outdoor activity – 18-hour days crowded with whales, World War Two wrecks, beach picnics and icebergs, leaving little room for manual labour. Winter is work time. Summer is for play.
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Newfoundland
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We design, manufacture and retail scuba and rebreather equipment. We have fully equipped test and certification labs, and can pressure test large items in our vacuum chambers, as well as run fully automated leak test and dive simulations down to 400m. Our EMC and EMF lab is filled with state-ofthe-art equipment for testing electromagnetic compatibility and electromagnetic fields. We also have a large in-house laser for cutting and engraving on plastics and metals. www.narkedat90.com
Jill Heinerth waxes lyrical about the underwater delights that lie in store for adventurous divers off the coast of Newfoundland around the picturesque Bell Island PHOTOGRAPHS BY JILL HEINERTH WWW.INTOTHEPLANET.COM
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BEYOND TECHNICAL
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When I met the genial Rick Stanley, I knew I had to go back to tell the story of its hidden geography Most vacationers to this area don’t visit in February, but choose instead to enjoy the summertime. Newfoundland might not the first name that comes to mind when planning a vacation. North America’s easternmost point balances on the verge of Canada’s Atlantic frontier like a launching springboard diver rising from his toes into an aerial pike to be free of the continent. The vibe of this place is inspiring - strong, homey, and a little bit quirky. Living life in extremes breeds a true sense of community. You can’t leave this place a stranger because a new family will have captivated your heart. I first visited Newfoundland by bicycle after making a 7,000km ride across Canada. When I met the genial Rick Stanley, I knew I had to go back to tell the story of its hidden geography. Flooded iron mines cover nine square miles and descend over 1,800 feet beneath Bell Island. Historic shipwrecks lay just offshore. The mines were once the area’s economic engine providing extremely high-grade iron ore to shipbuilding efforts in the Great Wars. Recognizing the strategic importance of the mines, German U-boats twice raided the island in 1942. The Germans knew that if they could disrupt the export of shipbuilding materials, even temporarily, then the Allied war efforts would be seriously affected. In two separate attacks, German submariners sunk the vessels SS Saganaga and SS Lord Strathcona, followed by the SS Rose Castle, and Free French vessel PLM 27, while destroying the ore-loading wharf on Bell Island.
The sheer audacity of the attack awakened North Americans that they were now on the front line for the Battle of the Atlantic. Part of the mine closed not long after World War Two due to a decline in the ore market value, but the economic hammer slammed down hard over the Christmas Holidays in 1966. When miners returned to work in January, they discovered that the mine was full of water. Determining that extraction was no longer feasible, owners had pulled the plug on the dewatering pumps and let the network of tunnels slowly fill, leaving the entire island in jobless despair. The remaining dry sections of Bell Island collected cobwebs until a modest museum opened up at the No. 2 Mine entrance. Offering walking tours of the first 650 feet down to the water line, guides keep their family histories alive by telling (and even singing) stories about over 100 men that died in the course of their work there. Pump in Bell Island Mine
Torpedo hole on the PLM 27
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COMPUTERS • O2 CELLS • GAS ANALYSERS CABLES & CONNECTORS • REBREATHER PARTS PATHFINDER STROBES • SENSORS TOOLS • SOLENOIDS John Olivero and buddy braving the cold water
Squared off walls marked with large white numerals enumerate every crossing rib in this maze of hematite ore, that descends one foot for every body length we swim. Nearly five metres above the floor, electrical wiring with bright turquoise insulators and wooden crossbars lead us on a trail toward some of the heavy machinery that once kept this place dry. A crumpled bucket, pair of old leather shoes, broken shovels, and saws make it seem as if the site is frozen in time. What remains is a time capsule conserving the demoralizing moment of economic desperation when the pumps were turned off. Gliding over the chassis from an ore cart, we reach a large dewatering pump. A hulking crippled wheel connects long silent gears with broken pistons that supply severed pipelines. An inscription on the wall catches our attention. ‘James Bennett’ has scrawled his name beside a cartoonish caricature sporting a small pipe and watchman’s cap. I envision this man taking a smoke break in the dank dustfilled darkness. A nearby tangle of rusty box springs may be evidence that he took a few covert naps as well. Around the next corner is an epitaph. A tiny white cross adorns the wall in a place where a miner has lost his life. Was it a fall of rock, or was he run over by a cart racing through the darkness on this now-empty track? It was a tough business, and not a single family was spared tragedy. If you didn’t lose a loved one in the mine, you might have a family tale about the nights that torpedoes brought the war to your doorstep. The wrecks themselves convey a sort of intimacy. You might stumble across an antique LP record or even a sextant, as one of our teammates did a few years ago. Inside the wrecks, the telegraph and other artefacts are still intact, a testament to Canadians’ strict protection efforts. But for me, the exterior beauty is second to none. Every square inch of heavy plating is festooned with colourful life. Puffs of plumose anemones frame the entrance to an intact Marconi room, where an operator made a call for help. Bulbous red lumpfish guard eggs in a ventilation shaft, and large cod swarm a massive anchor locker. Brass plates identify unfired
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Rick Stanley on the Strathcona
deck guns, but parts of the ships bear wounds where torpedoes ripped them apart. Each year things are a little different. The icebergs mow a path through the debris in winter, and summer growth of marine life hides the scars once more. While giving a presentation to schoolchildren on the island, I thought the gymnasium seemed too large for the assembled kids. The island population is one-fifth of its former glory, and yet the room is filled with vibrating energy there are not too many presentations like this on Bell Island. After our workshop, we chat with kids about their vision of the future. Although most will leave the island for work, some are discovering their sense of place. A small boy walks up to us, and enthusiastically offers a simple statement that lets me know we have accomplished our work. “I didn’t know we were important. I didn’t know Bell Island mattered.” Strathcona
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www.narkedat90.com Massive anchor on the Saganaga
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Visit Jill’s dedicated page on her website: www.intotheplanet.com/ newfoundland
Part of the mine closed not long after World War Two due to a decline in the ore market value, but the economic hammer slammed down hard over the Christmas Holidays in 1966 EMBARK ON AN OCEAN QUEST
Diving alongside an iceberg
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Ocean Quest Adventure Resort co-ordinates all local diving activities. Certified cave divers are escorted into the mine, briefed, and supported by local safety staff. Landlubbers can enjoy a fascinating tour of the No. 2 Mine and Museum, or a hike through abandoned mine tunnels at the ‘Grebe’s Nest’. Ocean Quest offers packages, daily recreational, and full technical excursions to dive the World War Two wrecks, large enough to merit numerous visits. Advanced diving qualification is essential, but personal guides and instruction are also available. No trip is complete without a Zodiac excursion to swim with wildlife such as humpback whales that feed in the region in the summer months. In late June and early July, a parade of icebergs drifts down the coast. Advanced divers comfortable with navigation, down currents, and free ascents may participate in this activity based from a RIB. Divers wear provided helmets and should carry a compass and surface marker buoy so they may ascend away from the ice face. n
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There are many moments like this in the future.
EUROPEAN MADE
www.xdeep.eu
What’s New
DIVE PRO S40 (SRP: £159.95)
At 4,200 lumens, this is the most-powerful handheld torch on the market - designed for the diver that wants the maximum light output, but still in handheld light format. At full power, it has a run time of 50 minutes, but there are two other output levels - 2,100 lumens and 420 lumens, which have run times of 100 minutes and five hours respectively - giving the diver enough options to get the optimum run time and output for the dives they are doing. Given this flexibility, it’s an excellent choice for anything from pretty much any type of dive, including wreck diving, cray hunting, reef diving and night diving. Despite its high output, it is still easily held in the hand, but also has an optional quick-release Goodman glove. It comes with a rechargeable battery, charger, wrist lanyard and is backed up by an impressive two-year warranty. www.nautilusdiving.co.uk
MARES AVANTI HC PRO (SRP: £61)
The tried-and-tested Avanti fin is back, in HC Pro guise – it has a soft ergonomic foot pocket with lateral inserts, overmoulding on the back rib which further optimises thrust and performance, and ridges on the back of the blade which reinforce it while optimising pivoting geometry. During the kick cycle, the blade bends in a spoon-like shape that creates greater thrust with less effort. www.mares.com 56
THERMALUTION YELLOW GRADE 2.0 (SRP: £900)
The Thermalution heated vest is back – and its better than ever. The Yellow Grade 2.0 sees some significant differences over the Yellow Grade Plus, namely thinner and lighter rechargeable batteries, which offer the same performance, and adjustable battery pockets. It is made from 1mm neoprene for the ultimate in comfort, and with a side zipper, it is easier than ever to take off. As with previous Thermalution heated vests, the Yellow Grade 2.0 can be used wet or dry, so you can use this for warming yourself up in your drysuit, but also adding core temperature when you are in your wetsuit. The vest is depth-rated to 100m, and features three temperature levels, offering between 180-240 minutes of use. www.miflexhoseshop.co.uk
PRINTED FACE COVERS (SRP: £10)
With the need to wear face masks when visiting shops, etc, in these COVID-19 pandemic times, the distribution team behind Miflex Hoses, KUBI DryGloves, Thermalution and Best Divers, among others, have brought out some face coverings that leave people in no doubt what your hobby is. You can choose from ‘I’d rather be diving’, with a diver’s face and regulator second stage, and ‘I’d rather be exploring’, which a diver’s face and CCR mouthpiece. The face coverings come in two sizes, and are made from three-ply polyester with a cotton inner, with black elastic straps which come with adjustable strap locks for resizing. www.miflexhoseshop.co.uk WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM
FOURTH ELEMENT WINTER 2020 COLLECTION
Fourth Element has launched its winter 2020 lifestyle collection of T-shirts and hoodies. A spokesperson said: “Our women’s offering this season diverges from our usual classic fits, into a range more relaxed and modern with simple designs that are wearable not just in a dive environment. In our men’s range we have incorporated some more heavyweight, relaxed styles and the addition of a pocket design and polo shirt. You’ll also find the addition of new colours and textures, keeping the range fresh and modern. “As with each of our lifestyle collections, our designs are printed in water-based inks, these are free from harmful chemicals and therefore more gentle on the environment. Each T-shirt in this collection is made from 100% organic cotton; traceable from farm to factory, GMO-free and grown without the use of chemicals. www.fourthelement.com WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM
BEST DIVERS TANU KNIFE (SRP: £66-£75)
The Best Divers Tanu knife is available in grey or lime, complete with a plastic sheath and a stainless steel blade, and then in the same colour schemes but with the addition of a BCD adapter plate. www.miflexhoseshop.co.uk 57
THIS ISSUE: MASKS OVER £50 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.
MASKS OVER £50 Masks are a vital piece of your diving gear arsenal, as without one, you are not going to be seeing much underwater! A well-fitting mask will make all the difference to how relaxed you are underwater, as dealing with constant leaks, etc, is just frustrating and can take your mind off far more important issues. However, masks are a very personal piece of diving equipment, and finding one which suits your face is the goal of all divers. These eight masks were looked at for fit, comfort, ease of clearing, range of vision, and price, and in this cost bracket, you are starting to see lens coatings, different straps, etc.
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ON TEST THIS MONTH: • APEKS VX1 • ATOMIC AQUATICS SUBFRAME • AQUA LUNG MISTIQUE • BEUCHAT MAXLUX S • MARES PURE WIRE • SCUBAPRO D-MASK • XDEEP FRAMELESS
• ZEAGLE MONO SCOPE Location: Tested at Moreton Hall
www.moretonhall.org
Date tested: 19/10/20 Water temp: 30 degrees C
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APEKS VX1 | SRP: £69 Apeks have earned a solid reputation in the diving industry for their world-class regulators, and have cemented their appeal by releasing quality wings and robust fins. They rounded out their offerings with the VX1 mask, which has garnered plenty of accolades since it was launched a couple of years ago. The VX1 is a frameless mask, and it is available in white, black and a cool gun-metal grey colour. The frameless design makes the VX1 quite low profile, which in turn makes it easy to clear from partial and full floods. It also means it can fold flat as a back-up mask. The buckles for the strap, which are mounted on the silicone skirt, have push-button quick-release, which is operable evening wearing thick gloves. The strap itself is silicone and the wide design at the back really cups on to your head to hold it in place. The surgical-grade silicone skirt is a great blend of firm and soft, holding its form where it needs to, but being ultra-comfy on your face. The Pure Clear lens are supposed to ‘provide maximum optical clarity with no distortion’, and I have to say they are indeed. It comes with a neat padded and zippered case. It also includes a spare strap, made from webbing and neoprene. www.apeksdiving.com/uk
CHOICE 2020 GROUP TEST
MASKS
TECH SPECS & VERDICT TYPE: frameless | STRAP: silicone/webbing and neoprene VERDICT: The Apeks VX1 is an extremely comfortable frameless mask, with a crystal-clear lens, a great padded case, and the option of two straps.
SCORE
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ATOMIC AQUATICS SUBFRAME | SRP: £89.95 Atomic Aquatics have always prided themselves on producing high-end dive equipment built to last, and the Subframe mask is no exception. In fact, Atomic are so sure that this mask is all but indestructible that they provide a lifetime warranty against frame breakage! The dual-lens Subframe sees Atomic Aquatics use patent pending technology to have the internal frame molded directly beneath the surface of the silicone rubber skirt. This subframe design provides incredible strength and rigidity as well as eliminating a bulky plastic frame. A stainless-steel insert across the nose holds the lenses in place and adds more strength.This design makes the Subframe quite low profile, and thus easy to clear when you are diving. The soft silicone skirt is very comfortable against your face, and you can be sure to find a good fit as the Subframe comes in regular, medium fit (for narrower faces) and slim fit. Our test mask had Aquatic’s UltraClear lenses, which don’t have the green tint normal tempered glass has, and this provides better clarity and high light transmittance. You can have precision ground optical glass lenses in diopters between -1.0 to -8.0 in .5 diopter increments factory-fitted. www.atomicaquatics.com
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TECH SPECS & VERDICT TYPE: frameless | STRAP: silicone/webbing and neoprene VERDICT: The Apeks VX1 is an extremely comfortable frameless mask, with a crystal-clear lens, a great padded case, and the option of two straps.
SCORE
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AQUA LUNG MISTIQUE DS | SRP: £86 Aqua Lung have always been strong when it comes to masks, and the latest DS range - which comprises the Profile, Horizon and Mistique - continue this trend. We had the Mistique on review. The Mistique has the most-unusual frame shape of the three, and this is designed to give a wide peripheral vision. It does have a slim frame, but thanks to the design, which sees the strap buckles bonded directly on to the silicone skirt, it is still low profile so easy to clear - and it can fold flat for storage as a back-up mask. The soft silicone skirt fits well against your face, and the dualbutton buckles are simple to release and adjust, even with gloves. The wide silicone strap cups the back of your head well to hold the mask securely in-situ. The DS range come with two lens options, the Plus and the Blue HD Mirror lens. Our test had the Plus, and these coatings are designed to block high-energy visible (HEV) light, which can be detrimental to your eyes. However, the downside is that the wearer’s eyes are not so clearly visible, so maybe not a mask for an underwater model. An anti-fog coating also helps keep the lens clear. It comes with a neat padded and zippered case. www.aqualung.com/uk
TECH SPECS & VERDICT TYPE: frame | STRAP: silicone VERDICT: The Aqua Lung Mistique is a very comfortable single-lens mask, with an unusual frame design and an effective lens coating. Not so good for UW models.
SCORE
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BEUCHAT MAXLUX S | SRP: £51 Beuchat is a long-established company which is enjoying a bit of a renaissance in the UK market now that it is being distributed by the Suunto UK team, and the Maxlux S certainly makes a splash. The first thing you notice about the Maxlux, especially in certain colours such as this orange, is that it is BRIGHT! The vivid colour schemes certainly stand out from the crowd and make a nice change from the normal black. For those shrinking violets, a black version is available! The Maxlux S is a frameless mask that is very low profile and easy to clear, and it folds flat for back-up mask situations. The range of vision from the Maxlux S is very good, and it is extremely comfortable on your face thanks to the super-soft silicone skirt. The wide silicone strap fits well on to your head, and the buckles - although they use quite an archaic mechanism - do work fine, though they are not as userfriendly as the push-button systems on other masks. The Maxlux S is available in black, blue, electric blue, grey, orange, pink, raspberry, red, silver and black, and yellow. It is great for UW models as you can clearly see their eyes, and the bright colours add another dimension to photographs. www.beuchat-diving.com
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BEST VALUE 2020 GROUP TEST
MASKS
TECH SPECS & VERDICT TYPE: frameless | STRAP: silicone VERDICT: The Beuchat Maxlux S is an extremely comfortable, low-profile mask, which is easy to clear, offers good vision, and is great for UW models in its bright colours.
SCORE
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MARES PURE WIRE | SRP: £63 Like Aqua Lung, Mares have always had a strong range of masks, and they are not afraid to try something different, and that is definitely the case with the Pure Wire. The Pure-Wire is an unusual mask in that it blends the tried-and-tested single-lens frameless style with a frame, of sorts. This bi-material frame, which comes in a wide range of colours schemes to complement the skirts, can be easily swapped by the user for a different colour, if they so wish. But it is not all for looks – the frame is designed as such that it provides extra support to the skirt where needed. I have to say, this was one of the most-comfortable masks I had used in a long time. Being a frameless design, it is low profile and easy to clear from partial and full floods, and it can fold flat for storage. The buckles are a bit old-school compared with some of the others here, but they do work okay, just a bit more fiddly with gloves on. The silicone strap comfortably cups the back of your head to hold the mask in place. It might look like it comes in a takeaway container, but this is a plastic-free storage solution – not sure how this would stand up to regular use, though. It is available with clear skirts and black skirts combined with the removeable frame in a wide range of colours. www.mares.com
BEST VALUE 2020 GROUP TEST
MASKS
TECH SPECS & VERDICT TYPE: frameless | STRAP: silicone VERDICT: The Mares Pure Wire is one of the most-comfortable masks I have used, and it is a neat blend of frameless with a frame, with a progressive storage solution.
SCORE
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SCUBAPRO D-MASK | SRP: £155 As with Mares and Aqua Lung, Scubapro is another longestablished brand with a good selection of masks over the years. The D-Mask is their top-of-the-line mask, and has some neat features and comes with various accessories. The D-Mask stands out from the crowd thanks to its unusual shape, and it has the smallest lenses here. Thanks to the low-profile, clever design, you still get a wide peripheral view. The skirt is soft and comfy, and I like the ‘grip’ on the nose piece. The elasticated strap, more akin to something you’d see on ski goggles, is very comfortable and really eliminates the need to adjust when swapping from warm to cold water conditions. The D-mask has ‘true colour’ UV protective lenses that deliver a balance of surface protection and underwater clarity, and thanks to this, it doesn’t obscure the eyes if you are taking a photograph of the user. The D-Mask comes in a neat padded zippered case, and has a mount for the Scubapro HUD dive computer included, along with black inserts if you don’t like the blue-fade-to-black - designed to match the D420 regulator - on the mask already. It can come with a black or a clear skirt, in three different sizes for the perfect fit. www.scubapro.com
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TECH SPECS & VERDICT TYPE: frame | STRAP: elasticated VERDICT: The Scubapro D-Mask stands out from the crowd, and is comfy and easy to clear. I love the elasticated strap. It is quite expensive against the competition.
SCORE
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XDEEP FRAMELESS | SRP: £60 Polish brand xDeep has been making waves in the diving world thanks to their superbly engineered backplate-and-wings, and their mask is also gaining plenty of fans. The xDeep Frameless is, as the name suggests, a frameless mask. It has a very wide single lens, which offers a great peripheral field of view, and it is exceptionally low profile, so very easy to clear from a partial and full flood. However, as I have found with some lowprofile, frameless masks over the years, this one presses on to my forehead. It all depends on your face shape, so don’t write it - or any other frameless mask - off before you try it yourself. The super-soft silicone skirt is very comfortable and moulds well to your face. The push-button buckles for the strap are effective and can be used wearing gloves. As with some other masks here, xDeep utilises Ultra-Clear glass for the lens, so gets rid of that green tinge that standard tempered glass can have. The xDeep frameless comes in black or clear skirt, with the clear version being great for underwater models, as combined with the large lens, you can see much of their face and get some expression from their eyes. www.xdeep.eu
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TECH SPECS & VERDICT TYPE: frameless | STRAP: silicone VERDICT: The xDeep Frameless is extremely low-profile and has a huge lens, so fantastic all-round vision. The clear version is ideal for UW models.
SCORE
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MTX-RC REGULATOR CONTROL IN THE EXTREME
apeksdiving.com
ZEAGLE SCOPE MONO | SRP: £69.95 Zeagle are a brand perhaps best known for their robust BCDs and wings, but with the Scope range of masks, they are making inroads in that arena as well. The Scope Mono is a frameless mask that is very reminiscent of the Oceanic Shadow, albeit with a much-wider nose pocket, and that is no bad thing, as the Shadow is a cracking mask. The Scope Mono is very low profile, making it easy to clear, and it offers decent vision all-round. The silicone skirt is actually quite stiff, but it is still very comfortable on your face, and seems to seal well. The big standout of the Scope Mono is the elasticated strap. Attached to the skirt by plastic units - which still allow it to be folded flat for back-up mask storage - the elastic strap is, like the D-Mask, something you’d expect to find on ski goggles. It is very comfortable, doesn’t need adjusting to move from a bare head to a hooded head, and it has grippy rubbery elements on the elastic to make sure it grips your head and stays in place. There is also an elastic snorkel holder. If you want to stand out from the crowd, you can get colour-kits, which add a splash of vibrant colour to the buckle and attachment points. www.zeagle.com
TECH SPECS & VERDICT TYPE: frameless | STRAP: elastic VERDICT: The Zeagle Scope Mono is a comfortable frameless mask that stands out from the norm thanks to its mega elastic strap.
SCORE
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VERDICT Masks are an essential part of a diver’s arsenal, and finding one that fits properly is imperative. All of the masks here put in a good showing, so you would not be disappointed in any of them if they fit your face. Right, to the awards. The Best Value was a tough one, as there were several potentials in the running. The Zeagle Scope Mono, the Beuchat Maxlux S, the xDeep Framless and the Mares Pure Wire were all in the mix. The xDeep just got nudged out due to the fact that the lens pressed on my forehead, and the Zeagle, despite having an awesome strap, just missed out. It became a battle between the Beuchat and the Mares, and it was next to impossible to split them, so we have given them both Best Value. The Choice award was also a close-fought thing. The Scubapro D-Mask, the Apeks VX1 and the Atomic Aquatics Subframe were all in the fight. In the end, the Apeks just won out thanks to its comfort, looks and performance, but the Scubapro and Atomic were snapping at its heels.
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COMFORT & JOY NEW fourthelement.com
HOODIE
This Christmas, give the gift of a warm surface interval. This is outerwear, with undersuit technology.
LEARNING THE SECRETS OF THE UNDERSEA DETECTIVE – CARIBBEAN-STYLE BY MIKE HAIGH, WRECK HUNTERS PROJECT DIRECTOR
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reck Hunters is a unique diving archaeology course based in the warm waters of the Caribbean, which has been half a century in the making. It’s my way of opening up the world of undersea investigation to the general diving population. It’s a fascinating story which began in the 1970s with the discovery of an 18th Century wreck known as ‘The Oliver’ in 18m of water a short distance from the golden sandy shores of Utila. The team, part of Operation Fathom, had originally set out on a treasure hunt. While there was no pot of gold on the seabed, the skeletal remains of the wreck produced a veritable treasure-trove of centuries-old artefacts. While many were retrieved, to this day the story has not been fully investigated and so the site remains a place of mystery, with many questions unanswered: Where was she built? How was she built? What was she carrying? What was her destination? Who were the crew members? I’ve returned to the island numerous times since my first visit and my plan is to make ‘The Oliver’ the site of a modernday diving archaeology course, where divers can learn in detail the multi-faceted skills and techniques to help solve these burning questions. As a graduate in archaeology and veteran UK diver, it has been a long-held ambition of mine to create an original course for divers with a desire to acquire the sort of skills normally reserved for professionals. The goal is to achieve a diving archaeology qualification to add to your scuba skills and involves everything from excavation of the site using scaffold frames to an underwater vacuum and, of course, lifting bags for recovering heavier finds. The course will include techniques old and new; some of the latest technology is to be deployed, such as advanced
underwater metal detectors, underwater comms and mapping techniques with the aid of video and stills cameras. Wreck Hunters gets underway with Season One in the summer of 2021 (COVID-19 restrictions permitting), when the groundwork for the course-proper will be carried out; followed by the full course in Season Two in 2022. Wreck Hunters is a unique opportunity for people to learn the skills of diving archaeology in an environment which is not stressful, but gives the chance to work on a real wreck, a real time capsule and to help unravel the secrets of this historical treasure. It’s open to divers with PADI Advanced Open Water, or equivalent (See website for full details (www.wreckhunters. co.uk). Over the coming months, I’ll be keeping readers updated on the project with a series of articles in Scuba Diver Magazine. In these, I will be taking you thorough some of the complex techniques diving archaeologists use to overcome the challenges they face, a sort of ‘how-to’ guide in diving archaeology. Many of the examples will be drawn from my own personal experiences on projects that I have been involved in over the years; some others from nonarchaeological projects I was involved in as a ‘working diver’. Where possible, l will link them to subjects we will cover on the Wreck Hunters course. This is diving with a purpose. www.wreckhunters.co.uk
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