Scuba Diver #61

INTO THE RESSEL

KURT STORMS EXPLORES THE FAMED CAVE SYSTEM IN FRANCE’S LOT REGION

Q&A: MADISON BOWDEN-PARRY WE CHAT TO THE COMMITTED CONSERVATIONIST, NATURALIST AND MARINE PHOTOGRAPHER

INTO INDONESIA

WE CELEBRATE THE REOPENING OF THE COUNTRY’S BORDERS

THE TV FAVOURITE’S NEW SERIES SHOWCASES UK WRECK DIVING DAN COLUMN

SCHOLAR

WAKATOBI HOUSE REEF ISSUE #61

Paralenz Vaquita The underwater camera for divers like you. Record video in up to 4K 60fps, with auto-recording function, automatic depth-controlled color correction, ultra-light sensitive lens, depth, temperature, location sensors and more. Waterproof up to 350m / 1150ft. No additional housing needed.

Available now online or at your local reseller.

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mark Evans Tel: 0800 0 69 81 40 ext 700 Email: mark@scubadivermag.com DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER Matt Griffiths Email: matt@scubadivermag.com CONTRIBUTORS Madison Bowden-Parry, Adrian Stacey, Richard Aspinall, Kurt Storms PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Ross Arnold Tel: 0800 0 69 81 40 ext 701 Email: ross@scubadivermag.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Penney Evans Email: penney@scubadivermag.com

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British diving showcased on the telly

You can’t turn the TV on these days and flick through the channels without encountering at least a couple of diving documentaries, but all too often, these are filled to the brim with gorgeous images of tropical destinations, with sun-kissed beaches and blue skies. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but I always feel that the diving around our own shores needs more of a showcase - and now British diving is the focus for the new four-part series Ross Kemp: Shipwreck Treasure Hunter.

Kemp is obviously best known for his role as one of the menacing Mitchell brothers in EastEnders, but increasingly he has been raising his profile as a hard-hitting documentary maker, and now he is fronting a new Sky History programme aimed squarely at UK wreck diving.

He was already a recreational diver, but to prepare for this series he had to seriously up his skill set, first getting more diving verts under his belt with Mark Powell, and then his HSE Scuba course with Neil Brock.

Through the course of the four episodes, Kemp explores shipwrecks in the Orkney Islands and along the South Coast, delving into the stories behind their sinking, and the fates of their crew and passengers.

Now of course, as with any diving TV series that is aimed at a mainstream audience, it has more than its fair share of ‘moments of drama and jeopardy’, which may cause some veteran divers to scoff, but if the programme just ambled along on a load of routine dives, it wouldn’t hold the same attraction for Joe Public. I am happy to look past this and just savour the fact that UK diving is front and centre on our TV screens. Here’s to season two!

Mark Evans, Editorial Director

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INTO THE RESSEL

KURT STORMS EXPLORES THE FAMED CAVE SYSTEM IN FRANCE’S LOT REGION

Q&A: MADISON BOWDEN-PARRY WE CHAT TO THE COMMITTED CONSERVATIONIST, NATURALIST AND MARINE PHOTOGRAPHER

INTO INDONESIA

WE CELEBRATE THE REOPENING OF THE COUNTRY’S BORDERS

THE TV FAVOURITE’S NEW SERIES SHOWCASES UK WRECK DIVING DAN COLUMN

SCHOLAR

WAKATOBI HOUSE REEF ISSUE #61

Cover.indd 1

PHOTOGRAPH © SKY HISTORY

27/04/2022 14:04

Regular columns

Monthly features...

10 News round-up

20 Shipwreck Treasure Hunter

HMS Jason found after 105 years, Ghost Diving return to Ithaca, Malta’s P-33 is wrecked by winter storms, and tragedy in Malaysia and Scotland as two divers lose their lives.

32 Mustard’s Masterclass

Alex Mustard offering sage advice to help you avoid spending your hard-earned cash on the wrong set-up.

56 Divers Alert Network

Audrey Cudel continues her House of Cards series, this time looking at efficient propulsion techniques.

74 Our World-Underwater Scholar

This month’s column introduces the 2022 Scholars for North America, Europe and Australasia.

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We preview the new Sky History series Ross Kemp: Shipwreck Treasure Hunter, and talk to the man himself about his diving background, his steep learning curve, and what he loves about British diving.

28 Q&A with Madison Bowden-Parry

We chat to the up-and-coming young naturalist, conservationist and marine photographer, who has been named as a 2022 Girls That Scuba Ambassador, about her ambitious plans for the future.

36 Indonesia, Part One

As Indonesia reopens its borders to international tourists, Australia/New Zealand Editor Adrian Stacey showcases what people have been missing out on these past two years.

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...continued

Gear & testing

44 Indonesia

64 What’s New

As Wakatobi Resort prepares for its first visitors, North American Editor Walt Stearns waxes lyrical about the stupendous House Reef that is literally on the doorstep for guests.

50 Egypt

Richard Aspinall is a huge fan of Egyptian diving, and here he provides a quick and simple guide to getting the very best and most-eye-catching photographs of five great Red Sea subjects.

58 TECH: France

We present a round-up of the latest new releases, including the innovative Apeks Exotec back-inflate jacket, the Aquanaut and Navigator masks from Fourth Element, Scubapro’s award-winning Supernova fins, Tecline’s Protherm 5mm and 7mm wetsuits, and SeaLife’s Ultra-Wide Angle Dome Lens.

66 Test Extra

Scuba Diver Editorial Director Mark Evans rates and reviews the Tecline ProLight umbilical dive lamp, and the Otter Poncho over-jacket.

Technical and cave diver Kurt Storms celebrates the lifting of COVID restrictions by returning to France, where he ventures into the famous Ressel cave system at the Lot.

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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

WARSHIP HMS JASON

FOUND OFF HEBRIDES

Royal Navy warship HMS Jason has been found by divers on the Scottish seabed – almost 105 years to the day it sank Photographs by Dominic Robinson and Rick Ayrton

T

orpedo boat destroyer HMS Jason has not been seen since she struck a mine and sank off the island of Coll in the Inner Hebrides in April 1917.

But after five years of research and surveying, the wreck of the Jason was found first on sonar, then confirmed by a team of divers who plunged 93m into the chilly waters.

They found the warship in surprisingly good condition – but minus her bow, blown off when she struck the mine… ironically during a minesweeping operation in company with HMS Circe. The depth, weather and water conditions, the undulating seabed and the fact that dives are only possible at certain times of year have meant the wreck had not been found – despite Jason’s loss being accurately documented, even photographed, at the time.

The discovery is the work of historians Wendy Sadler and Kevin Heath from Lost in Waters Deep, who research contemporary records and the personal history of crew, and a team from Orkney-based SULA Diving, led by Steve Mortimer and their support boat MV Clasina, skippered by Bob Anderson. A sonar scan earlier this year suggested HMS Jason had been found – no other wrecks were known in the area – but it needed visual confirmation. At 93m down, divers had just 20 minutes to inspect the wreck before returning to the surface. They found tell-tale features of a warship – a pointed stern, a distinctive propeller, two 4.7in guns and Admiralty crockery. Among the dive team was Royal Navy officer Lieutenant Jen Smith, who works at the Fleet’s headquarters in Portsmouth.

“There was excitement at finding the wreck, but that’s quickly tempered by the fact that it’s a war grave – 25 men died here,” she said. “It’s incredibly moving to think that no-one has seen the ship since her stern disappeared 105 years ago. Families knew the fate of the ship, but now they will know where she is and that can bring closure.”

Mr Mortimer added: “It was a privilege to help identify the remains of this vessel. 25 families can now take comfort that the location of their relatives’ ship is precisely known. We think that’s important.”

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Twenty-five men were killed, but only one body was recovered – that of 25-year-old Stoker James Blackman from Southsea.

The warship – built in 1892 as a torpedo gunboat but turned into a makeshift minesweeper – ran over a mine laid by German submarine U-78, part of a field intended to block the Minches. She went down in little more than five minutes, enough time for three quarters of her crew to escape. Steps will now be taken to ensure HMS Jason is protected under UK law as an official war grave, allowing divers to visit – but not touch – the wreck, while the team who discovered the site plan to return to document the warship more thoroughly.

“Documenting the ship, showing people what she’s like today is important to me,” said Lieutenant Smith, who has 25 years’ experience as a diver.

“Naval war graves are often forgotten, as it’s hard for people to remember what you can’t see.

While land battlefields and cemeteries such as those in Normandy or the Somme can be visited by anyone, only a few of us can visit a shipwreck. So the more we can show, explain what happened to her and her sailors, the better.

It’s important to make sure those who served are not forgotten.” n

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GHOST DIVING RETURNS TO ITHACA

A major international marine protection endeavour on the island of Ithaca, in Greece, was announced for Earth Day (22 April). 2021 is known throughout Ithaca as the ‘year of the clean up’, and the organisations responsible for removing 76 tons of marine litter from the island’s seas and beaches last year are returning in 2022 to create an even-greater impact on the local community and environment.

Between March and June, Healthy Seas and Enaleia with its Mediterranean CleanUp project are spearheading ‘Fishing for Litter’. During the kick-off phase, two local fishers have been mobilized to limit their regular activity and instead collect marine plastic from remote coastlines, helping the breeding and reproduction of fish.

At the end of May, volunteer technical divers from the Ghost Diving organisation will travel to Ithaca to recover ghost nets and other marine litter from several locations throughout the island. A clean-up of the Vathy harbour will be carried out

by Ghost Diving with the involvement of the locals, giving the community a chance to witness the volunteers in action!

A significant part of the marine litter will be recycled while the nylon fishing nets will be handed to Aquafil to be transformed, together with other nylon waste, into ECONYL regenerated nylon, the basis for new sustainable products such as socks, activewear, swimwear, carpets, and more. Hyundai Motor Europe is the main supporter of the project.

Other key partners include Odyssey Outdoor Activities, the Municipality of Ithaca, the Hellenic Coast Guard. The project is held under the Auspice of the Hellenic Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy.

BOTTOM-TRAWLING BANNED IN FOUR UK MPAS

Bottom-trawling, dredging and other harmful activities are to be banned in four of the UK’s offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) from 13 June, in what the government claims is a victory for ‘Brexit freedoms’ that allow it to protect rare habitats and wildlife. The seabed-damaging practices will no longer be permitted under new Marine Management Organisation byelaws that the MMO says mark a ‘significant step’ towards ambitious plans for nature recovery in UK seas.

The four MPAs consist of the largest shallow sandbank in British waters, the Dogger Bank; Inner Dowsing, Race Bank & North Ridge off Lincolnshire (like the Dogger Bank, a Special Area of Conservation); and the Marine Conservation Zones South Dorset and, to the south-west, the Canyons, where rare deep-water corals can be found.

The byelaws, which follow what the MMO says was extensive consultation with industry and other stakeholders, harness new powers under the Fisheries Act, the UK’s first major domestic fisheries legislation in nearly 40 years. They cover fishing activities in MPAs ‘where there is evidence that they harm wildlife or damage habitats’.

All bottom-towed gear, which covers trawls, dredges, demersal seines and semi-pelagic trawls, is included in the ban, with additional restrictions on static gear such as pots, nets or lines in especially sensitive parts of two of the areas.

“Many of our inshore MPAs are already protected through MMO and Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority byelaws,” said MMO CEO Tom McCormack. “The Fisheries Act includes new powers allowing us to better manage and control fishing in our offshore MPAs. These new byelaws

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© National Oceanographic Centre

represent the next step in our nature recovery journey, ensuring our marine life can recover and thrive.”

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has been a leading voice in criticising existing ‘paper parks’, pointing out that 98% of the UK’s offshore seabed MPAs experienced fishing activity, and that in 2021-22 more than 5,000 hours of fishing, including bottom-trawling, had taken place in the Dogger Bank MPA alone. The MCS welcomed the bans but pointed out that the move should be seen as only ‘the start of a series of laws that ban damaging fishing in 36 more English offshore MPAs by the end of 2024’.

“The first four have taken a year to go through, but now that the process has been established, the rest should follow quickly,” said the MCS. “For us, that’s when we can really call these areas ‘protected’. Banning damaging fishing like bottom-trawling from these sites will be a real game-changer for our seas, as long as it’s done properly.”

“Keeping, implementing and enforcing strong laws around this will be ground-breaking and will show real international leadership,” said the society.

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EGYPT

SCUBA SCENE LIVEABOARD DESTROYED BY FIRE

Red Sea diving liveaboard Scuba Scene has been gutted by a fire that broke out soon after its departure from Hurghada, but according to reports from Egypt all guests and crew were evacuated unharmed (apart from some smoke inhalation), and taken ashore to safety.

The 43-metre steel-hulled vessel had been scheduled to begin a one-week Red Sea trip on a ‘Northern & Tiran’ itinerary on Monday 18 April when the fire broke out. It is believed to have started in the engine room.

Launched in 2011, the four-deck Scuba Scene was built to accommodate up to 26 divers in nine twin cabins and four suites. It was operated by technical diver and instructor Ahmed Fadel and marine biologist and shark diver Elke Bojanowski, both of whom hosted Scuba Scene diving safaris.

Their emphasis on the liveaboard’s compliance with ‘the most rigorous safety standards in the Red Sea’ would appear to have paid off in terms of the reported safe evacuation of everyone on board during the emergency.

Scuba Scene’s safety specification included life-jackets, three life-rafts, fireextinguishers in every cabin, saloon, kitchen, engine-room and all public areas, a fire-fighting and alarm system and smoke-detectors throughout.

P-33 PATROL BOAT WRECKED BY STORMS

Malta’s newest artificial reef, the P-33 patrol boat, has been wrecked by winter storms before many divers even managed to dive on it.

The vessel, which was sunk in July last year, was sent to the bottom off Zonqor Point, coming to rest in around 20m between the existing St Michael and Melita purpose-sunk vessels.

She was the third patrol boat to be sunk for divers around the islands, joining the Kondor-class vessels P29, off Cirkewwa, and the P31, off Comino.

Sadly, reports are coming in that it has been torn apart by stormy conditions, and there is even talk that the remnants might have to be removed from the seabed. The 23-metre-long P-33 was a Bremse-class vessel that was built in East Germany in the early 1970s. It initially served in the East German Navy before being bought by Malta in 1992 to serve as a patrol boat in the Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta. It was decommissioned in 2005, and had actually been ear-marked to be sunk in Marsalforn Bay on Gozo back in 2012 before red-tape scuppered the plan.

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THE DIVER’S CHOICE FOR 30 YEARS AWARD WINNING SERVICE SINCE 1992

Emp2022_thirds.indd 2

15/01/2022 07:54

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PADI JOINS FORCES WITH SEALEGACY Two of the world’s most-respected marine-focused organisations – PADI and SeaLegacy – have joined forces to accelerate much-needed ocean protection.

The first initiative of this multi-year collaboration kicks off this month, with a grassroots campaign developed to spark immediate and meaningful change for our blue planet.

Scientific research indicates that protecting at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030 (i.e. 30×30) is critical to restore the health of the ocean, reverse existing adverse impacts, increase resilience to climate change, and sustain ecosystem services to humanity. But despite the clear need for increased protection, less than 5% of the global ocean is fully protected in no-take reserves.

The ocean is facing growing challenges triggering a global advocacy movement urging immediate and lasting change to protect it for current and future generations.

Illustrating the power of partnerships to amplify exponential change, PADI and SeaLegacy are harnessing one another’s strengths–leveraging the power of media, storytelling, and advocacy to compel ocean activists across the planet to take action and urge world leaders to step up to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.

“PADI is fueling a movement of one billion torchbearers to create ocean change, and we are thrilled to partner with like-minded organisations to scale this critical mission,” says Drew Richardson, CEO of PADI Worldwide. “Working with SeaLegacy not only allows us to rapidly grow the global torchbearer community, but also empower us all with meaningful ways to take real, positive action to protect our blue planet – and all life that calls it home.”

This April, PADI and SeaLegacy will launch a joint 30×30 campaign designed to generate immediate action from a combined global audience that includes millions of ocean enthusiasts, divers, snorkelers and conservationists looking for means to protect what they love.

The goal of the PADI and SeaLegacy 30×30 campaign is to urge world leaders to adopt the 30X30 target, calling for conservation of “at least 30% of sea areas globally through effective, equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas.” PADI and SeaLegacy will be pushing for an agreement to be reached at the UN Biodiversity COP15 in the third quarter of 2022 in Kunming, China.

© Cristina Mittermeier

© Shawn Heinrichs

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© Paul Nicklen

© Cristina Mittermeier

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TIME TO CELEBRATE!

© Cristina Mittermeier

Maldives Egypt Spain & Canaries Thailand Oman Mauritius Japan

© Cristina Mittermeier

“In a time when so many people around the world are concerned about climate change, biodiversity loss, sea level rise, and so much more, we need to channel that anxiety into action,” says Cristina Mittermeier, president of SeaLegacy. “People everywhere are looking for hope and opportunities to have real impact, and one great way to get involved is to sign our petition to have the 30×30 target adopted at the Convention of Biodiversity.”

With their shared 30×30 goal, SeaLegacy and PADI will work to increase meaningful marine protection around the world, including the creation and effective management of marine protected areas (MPAs) and biodiversity conservation, while collaborating with local communities and leaders on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

“The ocean offers so many of the critical climate solutions we need, and MPAs are a major piece of that. MPAs not only protect local species and ecosystems, but sequester carbon, increase coastal resilience, and revitalize local economies. We know that change is possible in this decade, and this kind of action will help us make major strides toward healing our ocean and saving our planet,” says Mittermeier.

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50 YEARS OF DIVING WITH FRIENDS Since 1972 we turn your diving holiday into a safe and unforgettable underwater adventure worldwide.

Let´s celebrate together!

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MENINGITIS KILLED CORNWALL SHARK AT TENDER AGE OF 100 The rare discovery of a female Greenland shark in Cornwall a month ago has now led to a diagnosis of meningitis as the reason for what was probably a live-stranding – and the first evidence of the infection in the world’s longest-living vertebrate.

The four-metre female shark happened to be spotted by a Zoological Society of London (ZSL) biologist walking her dog on a beach near Penzance on 13 March, but before it could be collected for examination it was washed back into the sea.

Two days later its carcass was seen floating off Newlyn from a tour boat, and was recovered by Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network volunteers.

Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) live in Arctic and North Atlantic waters as deep as 2.6km, but the meningitis diagnosis could explain why this one had strayed so far from its natural environment.

Infection of its brain by the Pasteurella bacterium is

thought to have caused the disease and led to the shark’s early demise. Greenland sharks can live for more than 400 years, and females are not considered to reach maturity until around 150 – making this one a century-old juvenile.

The post mortem was conducted by the Cornwall Marine Pathology Team, part of the ZSL’s Cetacean Stranding Investigation Programme (CSIP).

DIVERS CONFIRM GALAPAGOS DIESEL SPILL STEMMED Scuba divers have inspected a tourist vessel that sank in Galapagos on Saturday 23 April and confirmed that diesel fuel is no longer escaping from its tanks. The spillage from a pipe fractured in the sinking had raised fears of contamination at the World Heritage Site.

Four crew, the only people on board at the time, are understood to have escaped unharmed from the Albatros when it sank in Academia Bay, the natural harbour of the town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz island. Initial reports described the vessel as a scuba-diving boat, although long-established Albatros Tours & Dive Resort, which is based in Puerto Ayora, confirmed that its own dive-boat Galapagos Diver was unconnected with the incident. An underwater photograph issued by the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park (DPNG), part of Ecuador’s environment ministry, appeared to show a small vessel, although the directorate had stated that it had been carrying some 9,000 litres of fuel. It said that its rangers had taken immediate action to protect the marine eco-system by deploying floating barriers, oil-absorbent materials and biodegradable dispersants to contain the spillage.

The vessel’s owner has already begun an underwater

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© DPNG

clean-up of the wreck using its own divers, sealing the hole through which the diesel was escaping and starting to remove the remaining fuel. Two DPNG divers who surveyed the wreck have confirmed that fuel is no longer escaping but that contaminated debris remained scattered around the site. Under Galapagos’s strict environmental regulations the wreck has to be raised and removed once arrangements have been made with the insurers. Meanwhile warning marker buoys have been placed to keep other vessels clear of the site.

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EASTER BUNNY TAKES DIVERS ON EGG-HUNT

A scuba-diving event to raise money for the lifeboats was held off Weymouth in Dorset on Sunday 17 April, and has been hailed as a success by organising dive-centre Jurassic Aqua Sports.

“We had a great fund-raising day with our charity Easter Egg Hunt Dive,” reports skipper David Collins. “We had eight divers booked on, and raised more than £560 for the RNLI Weymouth branch.”

The dives involved a search to a maximum depth of 20m for coloured paddles, which were exchangeable for chocolate eggs. Jurassic says that its next charity event will be its annual Santa Dive for hardy divers on 17 December. Last year’s Santa Dive raised £800 for Weymouth Lifeboat Station – bookings can be made at: jurassicaquasports@gmail.com

MISSING MALAYSIA DIVERS – THREE FOUND, ONE DEAD

The recent reopening of Malaysia’s borders coincided with the tragic tale of four divers who went adrift, with three being found and one, a teenage boy, sadly dying. According to reports, 46-year-old Briton Adrian Chesters, his 14-year-old Dutch son Nathen and 18-year-old French national Alexia Molina were conducting a training dive for their advanced qualification with 35-yearold Norwegian instructor Kristine Grodem in the waters off Pulau Tokong Sanggol, near Mersing, on Wednesday 6 April. The group had returned to the surface but could not see their boat, and were then left adrift.

On Thursday 7 April, some 22 nautical miles from where they were diving, Grodem was rescued around 8.15am. She informed the authorities that she had become separated by currents from the other three divers.

Around 1am on Friday 8 April, Chesters and Molina were plucked out of the water, some 50 miles from where they were last seen. He spoke to the Malaysian Coastguard, and told them that his son had become too weak to hold out and died while they were adrift. As it was thought the boy would have drifted into Indonesian waters, the Indonesian authorities initially continued the search for the teenager’s body, but that has now been called off.

THREE-MINUTE LIFEBOAT RESPONSE, BUT DIVER COULD NOT BE SAVED

A man who died while scuba diving off the north bank of the Firth of Forth on Sunday 10 April has been named as Les Elder by Fife Police. The 45-year-old lived near Saline, a village some 34km from the dive-site at Kinghorn.

Elder had been on what was described as an organised dive off Kinghorn beach, which has a harbour on one side and a lifeboat station on the other.

An emergency call went out from a boat at around 9.10am, reporting that a diver had suffered a suspected medical event. It happened that first responders Kinghorn RNLI had just launched their lifeboat on a training exercise, so the volunteers were able to reach the scene in only three minutes.

“Our crew provided casualty care whilst the diver was brought to Kinghorn beach,” stated the lifeboat crew. “Treatment continued ashore prior to handover to the ambulance service.”

A Coastguard helicopter and police were also standing by on the beach but the diver was declared dead at the scene.

“Les was a much-loved family man and will be missed by everyone who knew him,” stated his family. A report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal, which is standard practice for all sudden deaths in Scotland.

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Ask DAN

DAN medical specialists and researchers answer your dive medicine questions

Knee surgery and diving

Q: I am an instructor and one of my students, who is already Advanced Open Water certified, had to undergo surgery through ‘arthroscopy at the left knee, partial lateral meniscectomy, lysis of the outer patellar tendon of the left knee’, when will she be able to start scuba diving again?

A: Since the surgery involves a joint that is very susceptible to decompression problems, it is necessary to wait until the local situation shows no signs of distress or inflammation, and there are no symptoms or functional limitations, even in the event of strenuous physical activity involving the limb in question. Much will depend on the outcome of the surgery and the success of the rehabilitation, but it is plausible to expect a period of no less than a month in the best case scenario (personally I consider this difficult). The surgeon who did the operation and the physiotherapist are the specialists who will be in charge of evaluating that a full recovery has taken place, and that there is the possibility of resuming normal activities, including training and sports.

It is always appropriate, after long periods of illness/ recovery to have a good general check-up to confirm that one is fit to dive before resuming scuba diving activities.

Fitness & Diving

musician (saxophone, flute, and clarinet) and would like to know how long I should wait with playing an instrument after diving without increasing the risk of a decompression accident. After a dive it is not advisable to do any physical exertion. I always wait until my dive computer Galileo Sol doesn’t show any desaturation time anymore. Are there any guidelines?

A: Being this the case of wind instruments, the risk relates to the possible increase in intra-thoracic pressure that can facilitate the arterialisation of potential circulating venous bubbles, both having a cardiac or pulmonary right to left shunt, but also with ideal anatomical conditions. This is because of significant quantities of VGE (venous gas emboli) which increase the right ventricular pressure and force the filter of the lung. Waiting for the total desaturation time, shown on the Galileo diving computer, is not wrong but very precautionary. The problem lies on VGE presence which cannot be detected after three hours from surfacing, in case of recreational dives. Time should be extended with advanced/tech dives but also in this case, VGE are rarely observed after four to six hours.

Wind instruments

Join DAN to get a number of benefits, including answers to all your diving-related medical questions: www.daneurope.org

Multiple sclerosis

Q: I love to dive, but was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Can I continue?

A: This immunologic disease occurring in both young and middle-aged people is characterised by episodes of neurologic dysfunction, often separated by remission. The extent of disability is quite variable. Treatment has improved in recent years.

• There is no evidence that diving in itself has an effect on the disease. About 20 years ago an unsuccessful effort was made to treat MS with hyperbaric oxygen. Patients neither suffered nor benefited from this treatment.

• Persons with MS are advised not to exercise to the point of exhaustion and to avoid becoming chilled or overheated.

Diving candidates with MS should respect that advice.

• In each individual case, consider whether the candidate can handle the physical load and master the water skills.

Diving candidates should talk to their DMO and neurologist about diving.

Q: This is NOT an emergency. I have a question: I’m a

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#AWatchToDiveFor 21/03/2022 08:51

ROSS KEMP

SHIPWRECK TREASURE HUNTER TV favourite and award-winning documentary maker Ross Kemp is showcasing the fantastic wreck diving around our coastline with his new TV series, Ross Kemp: Shipwreck Treasure Hunter Photographs by A+E Networks UK and Sky History / Ed Taylor Honey Bee Media / Johnny McDevitt

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he four-part series, which is available on demand on Sky History, initially aired through the end of April/beginning of May, and sees Kemp dive on everything from the remains of slave ship Iona II, discovered off Plymouth, to the Kaiser’s sunken Imperial Fleet in Scapa Flow, and experimental submarine aircraft carrier M2, that sank with all passengers and crew during its sea trials.

Through the four episodes he dives with advanced technical diver Emily Turton, skipper of MY Huskyan up in the Orkney Islands, and maritime archaeologist, commercial diver and technical diver Mallory Haas.

Kemp was well placed to film the series, as he was already a diver – he did his Open Water Diver course in Cyprus back in the mid-1990s, and then he went diving on a holiday in the Maldives with his then-girlfriend. However, being left adrift on the surface for some six hours after the dhoni crew mis-counted the guests put him off the whole diving scene – until the opportunity arose for this series, which came about after a discussion revolving around the wreck of the Victory in the Maldives. However, he had no experience of diving in a drysuit or with a full-face mask.

My great-grandfather ‘Pop’ joined the Royal Navy during World War Two at a very young age, maybe 12 or 13 20

In preparation for Shipwreck Treasure Hunter, Kemp spent two months brushing up on his diving skills in the waters of Wraysbury and NDAC. He underwent various SDI training courses with Mark Powell, Director of Global Development for TDI, SDI and ERDI, to get a solid foundation of moreadvanced diving techniques, moving from his OW cert through Advanced and on to Rescue, and then took a demanding HSE Scuba course with Neil Brock at Bristol Channel Diving Ltd (Neil also served as the Dive Supervisor for the series).

Talking about the HSE course, he said: “It was a bit like Reservoir Dogs turning up to a reservoir, all these serious-looking guys kitted up in all the gear. People were wondering ‘who are this lot, and how did they get privileged parking?’.”

Kemp continued: “It was a seriously sharp learning curve. It is a tough course, and I can’t remember the last time I’d had to sit a fivehour exam! At one point, when I was knelt at 20m calling for scaffolding pole to be sent down on a rope to build a frame, I did question why on Earth I’d spent three years as a ‘luvvy’ drama student to end up building scaffolding underwater!”

Filming Shipwreck Treasure Hunter proved a real eye-opener for Kemp, who commented: “I had no idea about British business interfering in the war of the Confederacy.

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By diving on the Iona II off Lundy, I found out that British businessmen, 30 years after the abolition of slavery in the United Kingdom, were very happily supplying guns and aid to the Confederacy.

“Had they not done that, the war between the North and the South could have been resolved some two years earlier, ending slavery two years earlier in the United States, saving thousands and thousands of lives – it was just the pure greed of some people in this country that helped to prolong that very violent civil war.”

Kemp was also able to get truly hand’s on with marine archaeology during a dive on HMS Amethyst. He explained: “HMS Amethyst was a star of its day. It fought in the American War of Independence, and it sank numerous American, Spanish and French ships. It was considered one of the luckiest ships of its day. It was incredibly manoeuvrable, very fast and carried a lot of guns.

“Bear in mind in those days the Navy encouraged crews to keep a percentage of the booty if they took cargo vessels. So, it was a ship that people wanted to be on because not only was it the fastest and most heavily gunned, but it was also considered very lucky and very profitable to be on.

“She sank by mistake in Plymouth Sound, and she was buried in very shallow water but it’s very dangerous water to get into. I personally found, with the help of Mallory and a metal detector, part of the ship’s copper hull.

In those days to make vessels quicker, they covered the hull in copper, and any vessel or anything belonging to the Navy in those days had an insignia on it.

“I know that sounds like ‘Ross, you found a little bit of copper that was off the side of a boat’ but when you’re the person that finds it, you understand why people go off metal detecting every weekend.

Along with his fascination for seafaring history, Ross has a personal reason for undertaking this adventure as members of his family served at sea, with some being shipwrecked and not surviving to tell their tales.

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Ross communicates with Emily and Mallory on full-face coms

Ross is joined in his adventures by expert diver Emily Turton, maritime archaeologist and professional diver Mallory Haas and dive supervisor Neil Brock as they delve down into Britain’s incredible shipwrecks!

Prepping kit on the Huskyan

There is an incredible sense of connection with your country’s history. For me, connecting with history like that makes it incredibly real. “We were looking at the edits and we had to take the ‘whoas’ out, because I’m going ‘whoa, whoa’ all the time! Although one of my most-memorable moments didn’t even involve a wreck – it was when a cormorant swam between my legs at 25m!”

Kemp is hopeful that the series will encourage more young people into the hobby, and be enjoyed by both divers and non-divers alike. He acknowledged that elements of Diving on the wrecks in Scapa

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Recovering tyres from the seabed

drama had been added to ensure that its engaged with a more-mainstream audience, but said that they did have some moments of ‘genuine jeopardy, but that it goes with the territory’. The actor and film-maker has a fascination for seafaring history anyway, but he had a personal reason for undertaking this endeavour as members of his family served at sea.

Kemp said: “My great-grandfather ‘Pop’ joined the Royal Navy during World War Two at a very young age, maybe 12 or 13, and did that for two years, then he joined the Merchant Navy, where he stayed until he was in his early 70s. He survived being shipwrecked twice during World War Two and survived to tell the tale. I have a picture of him when I was very young, being on his knee. Apparently I was fascinated by him because he smoked a pipe, hence his name ‘Popeye’. “My great-uncles Bertie and Albert both served and perished aboard HMS Hood when it was sunk by the Bismarck in May 1941. I think there were 1,300 sailors on

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Readying the dive boat

Ross had to master FFM

Ross getting ready to dive

It’s been challenging; it’s been emotional, but it’s also been lots of fun. There are plenty more shipwrecks in the ocean and I can’t wait to dive on them Mallory and Ross

board at the time, only three survived.”

Being involved in the TV series also highlighted to Kemp how fragile the ocean environment is, and how divers can do their bit to help protect it. He explained: “Mallory works on a project called 1000 Tyres, that aims to remove 1,000 tyres out of Plymouth Sound. I think that should be taken up globally.

“Sadly, tyres are just some of the things that we managed to pull out of the water; that is not treasure, that is pollution.”

However, it wasn’t all negative – it brought home to him what dwells in our waters: “I’m very lucky to have dived in the Maldives and a barrier reef in the past, but I was honestly surprised at the amount of marine life that we do have in our waters, and you know, it’s something that we should treasure, something that we should look after, and not something that we should pollute.

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Ross experienced varying visibility during filming

Ross Kemp initially became a star for his role in EastEnders and other film and TV work, but in more-recent years, it is his award-winning documentaries that have hit the headlines.

Shipwreck Treasure Hunter will stand out to me as one of the mostenjoyable documentaries I’ve ever made, and there is plenty to explore in a second series of the show Mallory returning from a dive

Ross with Emily and Neil on Huskyan Ross filming topside for the series

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Ross, Mallory and Neil after a dive

“Some people might say that those rusty wrecks are pollution, but they’re there for a reason. They’re part of the history of the story of these islands, but rubber tyres for me certainly aren’t.”

Kemp initially became a star for his role in EastEnders and other TV and film work, but in more-recent years, it is his award-winning documentaries that have hit the headlines.

Asked how Shipwreck Treasure Hunter compares, he commented: “I’ve always been a team player, and in previous documentaries I’ve had to rely on my colleagues to some extent, but in diving, you really rely on your buddies and dive team. We only had a limited period for filming, so we had to take what we could get weather-wise, but I was with an amazing group of people, and I couldn’t have got through it without them – it was an honour to work with them all.“ Kemp continued: “Shipwreck Treasure Hunter will stand out to me as one of the most-enjoyable documentaries I’ve ever made, and there is plenty to explore in a second series of the show. This country is absolutely littered with shipwrecks because of our maritime past from all over the world, and undoubtedly there is still a lot to explore despite the amount of diving that’s been done around the islands.

An unusual greeting for Ross

Ross learned about recompression chambers

“The bravery of those on board, the deviousness of those on board, and the cruelty of those on board, they’re all stories that need to be brought to the surface. And I think diving on wrecks is a great way of bringing history to life – it is a tangible way of telling the history laid out before you. I had some very personal moments on those wrecks, thinking about the lives on board, and in some circumstances that were lost.”

He jokingly concluded: “There is no shortage of wrecks all over the world, and I do hanker for somewhere a little warmer than the North Sea… That’s a big indication to those at Sky History!” n

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MADISON BOWDEN-PARRY

We chat to the up-and-coming young naturalist, conservationist and marine photographer who has been named a Girls That Scuba Ambassador for 2022 - about her ambitious plans for the future, which include being on stage at the GO Diving Show in 2023.

Photographs courtesy of Madison Bowden-Parry

Q: As we always do with these question-and-answer sessions, how did you first get into scuba diving?

A: Since as far back as I can remember, I have always been fascinated with and passionate about our marine and coastal ecosystems. I’m very fortunate to have grown up along the Gower Peninsula coastline in South Wales, and have spent most of my childhood and teen years exploring its diverse marine and coastal habitats and wildlife.

Before I even tried scuba diving, you’d mostly find me snorkelling or rummaging around the intertidal zone to find marine life that I could boggle at. In 2014, I finally took the giant stride for the first time and as you can imagine, I was instantly hooked.

Later that year, I gained my Open Water certification and from there on, all I wanted to do was dive and explore the underwater world. I then started to dive locally with clubs and in Cornwall during my University years. Now, I have been diving in Spain, Iceland, Australia, California, Egypt and Malta.

Q: When did your enthusiasm for conservation come to the fore?

A: The Gower Peninsula and my numerous marine and coastal adventures have shaped my passion for conservation. It was (and still is!) the nuances in my day-today adventures that really struck a chord with me, and time and time again, nature continued to inspire and empower me to pursue a career in conservation. Whether I walked the same stretch of coastline or dived the same dive site, not one time was it ever the same, nor did I see the same wildlife I did before. This dynamic nature, and thus ascertain vulnerability of the natural world, is what drives my dedication towards its conservation.

Madison shooting a selfie

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Madison in the Inland Sea on Gozo

As a child the way I viewed the natural world is very different to the way I view it now, but as I’ve grown older, my wildlife and marine adventures that I gained as a child, fuel my work in nature and oceans recovery, conservation and advocacy today. My curiosity with how the natural world works, our oceans, what wildlife can be seen in different marine ecosystems and habitats and how I can help protect them, encouraged me to pick up a camera, buy a housing and soon after, commit to a University degree that specialised in marine and natural history photography and conservation storytelling.

The more I dived, the more diving adventures I went on with my camera and the more I read about the marine ecosystems, habitats and wildlife I was photographing, the more the fragility of our oceans, and coastal habitats, came to the forefront of my work.

I have always loved to tell stories of my interests and passions and my University course allowed me to bridge both my love for marine wildlife and adventure. I spent the majority of my University degree telling stories of vulnerable

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Damselfish in the Red Sea

As a child the way I viewed the natural world is very different to the way I view it now wildlife, using my camera as a voice for the voiceless. I travelled for three seasons to Baja California, documenting blue sharks (and some shortfin makos!), which one of the most-exploited species of shark globally. I told stories of the social pressures and negative perceptions that sharks face, their ecological significance as a keystone species and their vulnerability to exploitation, all while photographing wild blue sharks and learning from some of the best shark scientists and underwater photographers out there. It’s a time in my life that I truly cherish and am fortunate to have experienced.

Q: You have travelled extensively in the course of your academic work – where are some of your favourite diving destinations?

A: This is a great, but very tough question! I’d have to say West Wales and Cornwall, California (in general!) and Steep Point, Australia (the most westerly point of Australia). Across all three of these areas, I’ve seen critically endangered giant sea bass, tope sharks, extensive and protected kelp forests

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and Jacques Cousteau’s memorial monument, my first-ever grey nurse sharks in Australia and some of the best British dive sites to see huge aggregations of rhizostoma pulmo, or commonly known as the barrel jellyfish. There are so many dive sites that I plan to visit. As you can imagine, I have a long list of adventures and marine species I’d like to see and tell stories of. So, watch this space!

Q: Getting communities actively involved in conservation projects seems to be at the heart of many of your campaigns – why do you think this is so important?

A: The natural world is facing many unprecedented changes.

These changes don’t only effect biodiversity, but people too. To tackle the challenges ahead sustainably, we need to first understand that the ecological objectives for nature and oceans recovery, and thus a sustainable future, are inextricably linked with the many social and cultural ties that communities have with nature and its natural resources.

Our marine and coastal ecosystems provide natural solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation, but as a

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natural resource they also support community well-being globally, whether that be through recreation, livelihoods or general ways of life.

In addition to the well-being and cultural well-being support of these environments, it’s now recognised that education and strengthening our connection with the global ocean, is needed within its protection efforts.

Understanding how we influence our oceans, and how our oceans influence us, can often be overlooked in marine conservation efforts. But an ocean-literate society can help us achieve improved understanding and sustainable use of our oceans, and contribute towards the goals of the UN Ocean Decade.

This is the sole reason why I am an advocate for community-based conservation efforts that focus on increasing education and understanding of our oceans, and help foster healthier human-ocean relationships.

By utilising a community approach, locally and globally, we combine both the ecological and social objectives for conservation. This approach not only works to rebuild and protect, educate and build awareness, but recognises the importance of community well-being and livelihoods, and benefits from working with local people, local knowledge and local practice.

Madison on a photo shoot in Anglesey

Blue shark

Tompot blenny

Q: You studied Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University – what do you enjoy most about underwater photography, and what are some of your favourite subjects?

A: I’ve been practicing marine photography since I started diving, so around eight years now. Through out those years, I’ve been able to photograph incredible, though vulnerable species and ecosystems, as well as learn from some of the most-inspiring underwater photographers out there.

What I love most about marine photography is the opportunity to inspire, tell stories and contribute to a newfound perspective. Story telling has and always will be a huge part of my career and using my camera as the microphone will always be my favourite way to tell them.

There’s something very captivating about planning a story and capturing what you intended, then come the next, throwing yourself into the deep-end and seeing what wildlife and story awaits you. The more time I spend studying and

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photographing wildlife and being able to witness such incredible encounters and habitats, the more stories I want to tell. And, seeing others’ admiration for those stories and the opportunity for them to feel as connected to our oceans and marine wildlife as I do, there’s just nothing comparable.

Q: You have been involved in a number of projects with Aqualung – what are the main benefits of working with such a large company in the diving world?

A: I’m very fortunate to have a long-term future partnership with Apeks, a brand within the Aqualung portfolio, in support of not only my diving adventures, but my work within conservation too. With this support, I am provided with more

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opportunities to explore and tell important stories of the underwater world, as well as its need for global protection.

Their support and platform, to which I can share my own, and the voice of our oceans, is an important and ambitious step that all diving manufacturers should be taking. Our oceans need more stewards - and diving companies, divers, ocean goers and others alike, have a responsibility to be those agents of change.

As a collective that love to spend time exploring the marine realm, and all it has to offer us, it’s important that we give back. It’s important that we advocate for its protection through the power of our voices and make choices that support its future - and, it’s inspiring to see their environmental values are at the forefront of their brand and identity, but also their approach to business.

will build your confidence as a diver. We’re quite used to these dives here in South Wales as we don’t get consistent visibility. I wouldn’t say they are my worst diving memories as they can be quite common in Welsh diving, but they sure aren’t as exhilarating as blue sharks, giant sea bass and inquisitive California Sea lions with crystal-clear visibility. The visibility and wildlife encounters may be better elsewhere, but cold water diving is pretty epic (and my favourite!) anyways.

Q: What is your most-memorable diving experience?

A: I have so many! All of my favourite and most-memorable diving experiences all feature either a characteristic habitat or some pretty epic wildlife encounters. Diving through the kelp forests of California with California sea lions, horn sharks, giant sea bass, tope sharks and garibaldis (just to name a few) is quite magical. But seeing my first ever grey nurse sharks in Steep Point, Australia, being sandwiched between and touching the tectonic plates of Europe and America in the Silfra Fissure, Iceland and being approached by a juvenile male bottlenose dolphin in Egypt were all very exciting dives to say the least!

Q: On the flipside, what is your worst diving memory?

A: You know, I don’t really have a ‘worst’ diving memory.

Diving is such a safe sport, if you follow guidelines and ensure you make it safe. I would have to say that my ‘worst’ diving memories are those of what I call ‘experience’ dives.

Experience dives are the those where you’ll need two torches for a day dive, and the vis is pea soup. You won’t really see any marine wildlife on these dives, but they are fantastic for continuing good practice with your buddy and Madison in the kelp forests

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Madison on a dive

Q: You are going to be on stage at the GO Diving Show in March 2023, and you have been named as a Girls That Scuba Ambassador for 2022, but what else does the future hold for Madison Bowden-Parry?

A: What a great question! I plan to continue telling stories of wildlife and advocating for our oceans with my camera in hand. Coupled with more diving adventures and dive sites that I haven’t seen before - of course, I’ll return to some of my favourite dive sites too. In the future, I hope to visit communities across the globe that are active in oceans conservation and understand and learn from their practices too. Personally, the journey is the most exciting part of any career as it’s where we find the most answers, where we grow, learn and understand our influence in this world. To me, that influence is believing in, and continuing to fight for a sustainable future with thriving, protected oceans. n

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Mustard’s MASTERCLASS Alex Mustard turns his attention to cameras and housings, offering sage advice to help you avoid spending your hard-earned cash on the wrong equipment set-up for your requirements Photographs by Alex Mustard / www.amustard.com

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ummarise underwater photography equipment in one word? Expensive! Which among other things raises the stakes on selecting the right gear, because while the good stuff is costly, it is even more painful buying the wrong equipment first and then having to stump up again for correct stuff.

On top of this, the underwater world is also a highly challenging environment to create images, where poor set-ups are punished with poor images, inferior ergonomics mean missing the shots others bag, and the reliability of sub-par equipment is ruthlessly exposed. But I don’t want to come across all doom and gloom. While underwater cameras look broadly the same as a five, ten, or 20 years ago, their performance and reliability has rocketed in recent times, making it much harder to end up with a lemon.

The aim of this month’s column is not to get tangled in the arguments differentiating brand A over brand B. Instead, I want to furnish you with some guiding principles for those big system purchases of cameras and housings.

Cameras are where we all start this process, but despite these being the focus of this month’s column, I think most of us get too obsessed here at the expense of the rest of our set-up. Lenses and lighting (which I’ll cover next month) make much more of a difference to underwater images than cameras, yet time again I see photographers splashing the cash on their camera body, and looking to cut corners on the items that really matter. That said, it is still critical to get that first choice correct - just don’t blow all your budget!

The big debate currently among serious shooters is the choice between SLR and mirrorless cameras.

There is no doubt that mirrorless is the future and if you are starting right now, it would be foolish not to make these your first consideration. Most cameras are great these days, but not all can take all the lenses we need below. If you are thinking of a camera that few others use underwater, then make sure you research

its suitability thoroughly. For those currently invested in SLRs, the ‘upgrade or not’ arguments are more nuanced, which can be hard to hear in the barrage of industry hype about mirrorless cameras. Remember every camera company, housing company and camera shop wants us to upgrade to mirrorless, because it means buying new everything! For my money, the best SLRs still have a small edge for underwater use in important areas, like lens choice, flash synch speed, viewfinders and, arguably, autofocus. I prefer a mirrorless above the surface, but underwater the camera I choose to use is still an SLR. The other current conundrum to get our heads around is the plateauing of tech. Since the start of digital underwater photography, cameras have routinely appeared every two to four years that made very strong cases for us to upgrade. Huge progress has been made on autofocus, megapixels, dynamic range and high ISO noise that has made staying upto-date a no-brainer. However, over the last decade the cameras have increasingly matured to a point where their specs really do exceed everyday needs underwater. Now is the time to divorce our mindset from the upgrade cycle letting us save unnecessary expense. This should also mean that we are less concerned how quickly housings come to market and instead focused on buying one that is well made to take this extended workload.

The housing is your interface with your camera, and once we’ve invested in a brand and its accessories, we’re unlikely to change. A reliable housing with refined ergonomics regularly makes the difference between coming home with a shot or with just a story. This is one of our most-important purchase commitments and one, by definition, that most make when we are starting out, rather than after years of experience. With that in mind, I believe in finding a retailer I like and trust and then buying from them, rather than simply searching for the cheapest items online. A good retailer will save you both time

Cameras and underwater housings are expensive, so we want to choose well

Electronic viewfinders still lag behind optical viewfinders for composing typical highcontrast scenes

Underwater photography pushes gear to the limits and poor equipment will be exposed

For my money, the best SLRs still have a small edge for underwater use in important areas, like lens choice, flash synch speed, viewfinders and, arguably, autofocus and money with their advice. Most underwater photography retailers will sell just one to four of the 20 or so housing brands that exist, which simplifies your choice too. This also ensures you have a brand with local support, should anything go wrong just before a trip. It is also sensible to choose the same brand as your buddies, so that you have a ready source of advice and can share accessories as you get going.

The most-important feature on a housing are the primary controls: shutter release, aperture and shutter speed dials. You will use these controls for almost every single shot, and you will often need to access them without looking and in a fraction of a second to keep up with the action. All three need to fall easily to your fingertips and be easy to adjust, giving a good feel of the controls beneath.

Next check access to other important features, like ISO, back-button autofocus, autofocus point selection and image review. Some of us have big hands some small, some dive in thick gloves some wear no gloves. So just because someone else tells you a housing is the best, remember if it doesn’t feel right, it is not right for you. If you regularly dive in gloves, you must take them to the shop when trying out housings. n

Some subjects demand top quality autofocus, like small, darting fish, but many do not

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This stunning scenery also extends down under the water. Part of the fabled Coral Triangle, the reefs of Indonesia are spectacular, and the variety of marine life is staggering

Corals are actually animals, not plants!

They may seem like a plant because they don’t have any significant movement, but corals really are animals who are related to jellyfish.

As Indonesia reopens its borders to international tourists, Scuba Diver Australia and New Zealand Editor Adrian Stacey showcases what people have been missing out on these past two years Photographs by Adrian Stacey

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ndonesia is one of the top dive destinations in the world, offering everything from big animal encounters to tiny critters, stunning coral reefs and impressive wrecks. So, to celebrate the fact that the Indonesian government has recently flung open its doors to international travellers and lifted all quarantine requirements, we thought it would be a good idea to look at what divers from around the world have been missing out on over the past two years.

The destinations mentioned in this article represent some of the best-known dive locations around this vast country, plus some lesser-known gems. This is by no means an exhaustive list of Indonesian diving, but it does demonstrate the diversity and scope for adventure on offer. Before we look at specific dive areas, I think it is important to understand the geography of the country and what makes the diving so good.

Indonesia is vast - it stretches from the bottom tip of Thailand to the northern end of Queensland in Australia. This huge archipelago consists of over 17,000 islands and is the 14th largest country by landmass. With a population of over 270 million, Indonesia has a rich and interesting history and boasts incredible biodiversity from rainforest to savanna and, of course, coral reefs.

Many of the country’s birds and mammals are endemic, including the impressive Komodo dragon. Part of the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, Indonesia is home to more volcanoes than any other country in the world and has been blessed with some spectacular scenery.

This stunning scenery also extends down under the water. Part of the fabled Coral Triangle, the reefs of Indonesia are spectacular, and the variety of marine life is staggering. Much of the bustling reef’s success is due to the geography of the country and the Indonesian throughflow (ITF).

The ITF, one of the most-significant movements of water on the planet, is an ocean current that flows from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. Vast amounts of water are flushed through the maze of islands at the eastern end of the country. These islands act like a giant sieve, filtering the nutrient-rich water from the Pacific.

Travelling around the Indonesian archipelago is not always very quick or easy. For instance, Komodo and Raja Ampat look relatively close, however, getting from one to the other involves two flights with a long stopover in either Jakarta or Makassar. If you are looking at diving multiple locations, it is wise to map out a route well in advance. An excellent website to help plan a trip is Rome to Rio, or speak with a good specialist dive travel agent. With Indonesia’s wealth of diving, it isn’t easy to know where to start. As Bali is perhaps the most well-known location in Indonesia and was the first to reopen, it makes sense to begin with this bustling tropical island.

Hosting over 25% of the world’s fish species, as well as over 72% of the worldwide coral species, Indonesia is often cited as the world’s epicenter of biodiversity with the greatest marine life variety ever recorded on Earth.

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Vibrant shoals of fish inhabit the reefs

Bali

Bali is perhaps better known as a party destination, especially among Australians. Still, this stunning island also has some great dive sites with outstanding big animal encounters and a world-class wreck. To the south of Bali are the Nusa Penida islands. This area is famous for manta rays and the elusive mola mola, and it is also well known for strong currents along the east coast in Amed, Padang Bai, Candidasa and Tulamben, which is home to the Liberty shipwreck. The Liberty has mainly collapsed now, but what is left is covered in coral and home to all manner of little critters, including the tiny pygmy seahorse. Amed is also great for muck diving, and the occasional mola mola has been known to cruise past. To the northwest coast of Bali, the quieter end of the island, is Menjangan Island, Permurtaran, Lovina and Gilimanuk. This area offers excellent wall diving, with great hard and soft coral coverage.

Indonesia is equally stunning above water

Komodo

This UNESCO-listed region is simply stunning - the savannalike landscape is patrolled by the largest living lizard on Earth, the Komodo dragon. Underwater the landscape, topography and animal encounters are even more spectacular. The Komodo National Park is renowned for its ripping currents and consists of three main areas, the North, the middle and the South. The North can be reached by day boats from the small town of Labuan Bajo on Flores. To get to the park’s central and southern reaches, you need to be on a liveaboard. In the North, famous dive sites like Castle Rock and Crystal Rock attract vast schools of fish, attracting predators of every description. The Cauldron, also known as the Shotgun and Batu Balong, are two other dives not to be missed. Manta Alley is one of the best places to dive with mantas, while the Tatawa and Siaba islands offer endless coral gardens. In the middle section of the park, there are some stunning dives around the island of Padar.

The spectacular walls of Pilaarsten and the coral-covered pinnacles of the Three Sisters are particularly good. World’s End is another great dive along coral-encrusted walls. Other highlights include the dive sites around the southern tip of

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Porcelain crab

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Barrel sponges on the reef

Komodo dragon

Hard corals provide a hiding place for smaller fish

Bali actually has five different wrecks around its island shores!

The world-famous USAT Liberty wreck is rated as one of the best wreck dives in the world and can be visited by almost anyone from beginners to avid scuba divers.

Still, this stunning island also has some great dive sites with outstanding big animal encounters and a world-class wreck. To the south of Bali are the Nusa Penida islands Rinca - this area is fantastic for macro life. The pick of the dive sites here has to be Cannibal Rock. There are also several dive sites on the West Coast of Komodo, which are also spectacular, but these are rarely visited.

Alor

Alor is not quite as well-known as some other Indonesian dive destinations, but this is an unspoilt gem.

Prone to strong currents, the area boasts untouched coral gardens and superb macro life, including the photographer’s favourite, nudibranchs and rhinopia. The strong currents also attract some pelagic species like thresher sharks and mola mola.

Banda Sea

You can freedive some wrecks

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Although the Banda Islands themselves do have a couple of dive shops and the diving around these remote islands is very good, this is most definitely liveaboard territory. A dive site called Nil Desperandum is hundreds of miles from the closest land, and in the right season, huge schools of hammerheads can be found around this stunning hard coral reef. Other highlights include Manuk and Gunung Api, both of these islands are famous for sea snakes. Scores of these curious but highly venomous creatures can be found on these pristine reefs.

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With over 17,508 islands and situated in the heart of the coral triangle, Indonesia is a diver’s paradise. From tiny pygmy seahorses and macro critters to magnificent manta rays and the mighty mola mola, there’s plenty to see.

Ambon Striking array of soft coral growth Soft corals await the diver as they venture through an archway

Ambon lies at the northern edge of the Banda Sea and is another of Indonesia’s extraordinary muck diving sites, home to rhinopia, wonderpus, seahorses, nudibranchs and the very photogenic psychedelic frogfish. Ambon is not just about critters, though, and besides excellent muck diving, there are beautiful soft corals and fantastic wall dives with overhangs, caves and caverns, plus plenty of fish.

Raja Ampat

Turtle on the reef

Raja Ampat is famous for having the greatest marine biodiversity on the planet. The reefs here are stunning, and the amount of marine life is staggering. Raja Ampat covers a vast area encompassing over 1,500 islands. Divers can choose to dive from a liveaboard or base themselves on land to explore a particular region. There are three main areas in Raja Ampat. The northern part includes islandlike Wayag, renowned for its stunning topside scenery.

Keawe also boasts spectacular dive sites like Black Rock, with its amazing soft coral gardens and Eagle Rock, which houses a manta cleaning station. The central zone includes the Dampier Straight and has some of the region’s most well-known dive sites. Manta Sandy, Cape Kri, Blue Magic and Melissa’s Garden, to name but a few. The diversity of marine life here is second to none. Huge schools of fish can be found at Cape Kri, mantas galore at Manta Sandy and spectacular hard coral gardens at Melissa’s Garden. To the south of the marine park is Misool. This region is famous for its coral coverage, both hard and soft corals vie for space, and it seems like every inch of rock is covered in multiple layers of coral growth. Plus, plenty of schooling fish, reef fish and sharks of varying descriptions. n Disclaimer: Although there is no quarantine restriction for Indonesia at the time of writing this article, some travel restrictions are in place. It is always best to check with your travel agent or on a reputable website for up-to-date information.

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Bunaken National Marine Park w w w.s i l a d e n.c o m

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“We are thrilled to be returning in a few months! The reef systems here are the most unspoiled we have seen in our travels around the world and the resort is paradise. We can’t wait to see all our friends at Wakatobi.” ~ Robert and Barbara Hay

An experience without equal At Wakatobi, you don’t compromise on comfort to get away from it all. A private guest flight brings you directly to a remote island, where all the indulgences of a five-star resort and luxury liveaboard await. The Wakatobi dive team will ensure your in-water experiences are perfectly matched to your abilities and interests so your underwater encounters can create memories that will remain vivid and rewarding long after your visit is concluded. While at the resort, or on board the dive yacht Pelagian, you need only ask and the Wakatobi team will provide any service or facility within its power. This unmatched combination of world-renowned reefs and first-class luxuries put Wakatobi in a category all its own.

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on the house

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he wait is over - Indonesia is open to travellers, and Wakatobi Resort (www.wakatobi.com) is once more welcoming divers and snorkellers. Guests from around the world are already making plans to visit this remote island paradise, the resort staff are now readying everything for their arrival, and the resort’s iconic fleet is standing by to ferry divers to world-class sites within Wakatobi’s private marine preserve.

But not all divers will be catching the boat. Each day, some choose to stay behind and dive from shore on Wakatobi’s famous House Reef. Guests have been known to devote entire days into the night to shore-based diving in front of the resort, and many return year after year to repeat the experience. Enthusiasm such as this has earned the House Reef a reputation as ‘The World’s Best Shore Dive’.

What exactly makes the Wakatobi House Reef worthy of this accolade? It is a combination of factors that include easy access, habitat health, diversity of ecosystems, an abundance of unique marine life and the sheer size of the site.

The shallow water playground

Between the beach and deep water is an expansive stretch of shallows filled with grass beds, sand flats, colourful stands of soft corals and scattered hard coral formations, all remarkably healthy and quite dense in places. It’s something you wouldn’t expect so close to a resort. Much more than a swim-over between shore and reef, this area is prime grounds for a cornucopia of marine life that includes frogfish, stonefish, ornate, robust and Halimeda ghost pipefish, moray eels, blue-spotted stingrays, a variety of cephalopods (octopus, squid, cuttlefish), jawfish, shrimp and goby pairs, a plethora of nudibranchs, cuttlefish, eagle rays soaring through at certain times of the year, and more.

The shallow depths of this area of the House Reef allow ample sunlight to flood the seabed, revealing bright colours that would be lost at greater depths. This generous supply of ambient light combines with the abundance of subjects to provide photographers with an ideal underwater studio. The shallows also hold a special appeal for snorkellers, who can enjoy an up-close look at the seabed without venturing far from shore.

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Wakatobi is located at the world’s epicenter of coral reef biodiversity and is designated a UNESCO Marine Biosphere Reserve. This means that while diving at Wakatobi you can see the greatest diversity of marine life.

Diving on the edge

Some 70 metres from the beach, the contours of the House Reef make an abrupt transition from shallow water. A stunning wall fans off to the north and south from the end of Wakatobi’s jetty. Here, the reef crest begins just 2m from the surface and plunges to depths of more than 70m. This dramatic topography creates an ultimate opportunity for multi-level diving profiles.

This underwater rampart is riddled with overhangs and crevices. A thriving array of sponges, hard and soft corals shelter a diverse population of invertebrates and fish, with the mixture of species changing as depth increases.

Water clarity in the 30-metre-plus range allows ample ambient light to filter down into the depths, adding to the visual drama of the walls and undercut slopes. This diverse landscape provides endless opportunities for critter hunting among the corals and the shadow-cloaked refuges that cleave the slopes. Divers can follow their interests to a chosen depth, then work their way slowly back towards the surface, creating profiles that allow for hour-plus bottom times and end with safety stops among lively coral formations. Green and hawksbill turtles are commonly seen cruising the edge of the water or taking a snooze beneath the overhangs in the wall.

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As Indonesia opens its borders to international travellers, and Wakatobi Resort prepares for its first visitors, Walt Stearns waxes lyrical about the stupendous House Reef that is literally on the doorstep for guests Photographs by Walt Stearns

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Near the jetty

The jetty at Wakatobi extends to the outer edge of the House Reef, providing divers who don’t feel like swimming from shore with convenient access to the drop-off. The jetty is also a noteworthy dive in itself. The supporting pilings of the jetty create shelter and shade that hold large schools of fish. Closer looks reveal a wealth of macro subjects. The jetty’s large concrete columns and beams are home to an assortment of shrimps, crabs, and crocodilefish, and the surrounding area is noted for numerous colonies of anemones and their attendant clownfish and damselfish. More than a half dozen species of these photogenic little fish can be found among the tentacles of their host, providing easy opportunities for one of the most iconic of underwater images.

More exotic creatures also lurk beneath and around the jetty including leaf scorpionfish, ghost pipefish, cuttlefish often in pairs and for those with a keen eye Pegasus seamoth. A swim into the shallows may also yield an encounter with some of the resident banded sea kraits who favor this location to hunt.

Fish shoals about vibrant sea fans Even snorkellers can enjoy the reefs

Turtle chilling out

Taxis and drifts

A thriving array of sponges, hard and soft corals shelter a diverse population of invertebrates and fish, with the mixture of species changing as depth increases Anemonefish

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The jetty is merely the centre point of the House Reef, which stretches into other named dive sites to the north and south of the resort. This vast expanse of reefs and shallows provides near-limitless opportunities to explore. To help divers reach more distant sections of the reef, Wakatobi maintains a fleet of taxi boats for drop-off up current from the jetty. Depending on which way the water is moving, taxi boats will drop divers well north or south of the resort for an extended drift dive that ends at the jetty stairs. These fiveto seven-metre launches are electric-powered for minimal environmental impact and can comfortably carry five divers or snorkellers to a chosen location. Taxis operate from dawn until dusk each day, and guests can reserve a ride or simply ask at the dive centre and wait for the next available boat.

This makes for a stunning drift along the reef back to the jetty. Check with the dive centre on tide changes.

To make drifts that last 90 minutes more, divers can request high-volume tanks from the dive centre to ensure an ample gas supply. These drifts are also a favourite with rebreather divers, who are able to extend dives into multihour excursions. The current record for a rebreather drift dive on the House Reef stands at more than six hours!

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The reef is pristine and well populated

The name ‘Wakatobi’ is a portmanteau of the four largest populated islands of the Wakatobi Regency. They are Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia, and Binongko.

The archipelago is made up of hundreds of islands but most remain unpopulated.

More exotic creatures also lurk beneath and around the jetty including leaf scorpionfish, ghost pipefish, cuttlefish often in pairs and for those with a keen eye Pegasus seamoth The dark side of the house

The House Reef is available to Wakatobi guests day and night. For some, sunset is the best time to visit. As light fades, creatures active during the day begin to seek shelter, while others emerge from their lairs to feed in the darkness.

Cunning, colour-changing cephalopods such as cuttlefish and squid can take on a range of vivid pink, purple, red and yellow hues, and patterns that can be used for camouflage, communication or even to hypnotize potential prey.

Dive lights reveal eels out and slithering through the corals, and turtles napping with heads tucked into overhangs on the wall. Observant divers may find surgeonfish and other members of the day shift nestled deep into the recesses and crevices of the reef. Since fish don’t have eyelids to close, they may not appear to be asleep, but they are in fact enjoying their version of an overnight rest. Some fish do more than just bed down for the night. Parrotfish perform one of the best-known bedtime rituals on the reefs, secreting a jelly-like mucous bubble that envelopes their entire body.

Night dives also present a unique opportunity to witness the phenomenon of marine fluorescence with the resort’s Fluo-dive programme. Instead of conventional dive lights, fluo-divers and fluo-snorkellers are given special blue lights, along with yellow filters that fit over the dive mask. When the beams of these lights are swept along a reef, certain corals and animals light up in eerie glowing colours, turning

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There are all manner of nudis off Wakatobi

the night into a bizarre light show. Want to add the House Reef to your diving repertoire? Wakatobi is now accepting reservations for the summer of 2022 and beyond. But with time slots filling fast, it’s best to contact a Wakatobi representative soon if you are considering a trip. Go. I can assure you, the Wakatobi House Reef and the walls and reef systems beyond are well worth the visit. In fact, guests return year after to this magical place, some have repeated their visit more than half a dozen times. n

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Snorkel in pristine waters, go for a dive, or relax with a drink and enjoy the sailing. The best memories on the reef, no filter required. www.passions.com.au +61 7 4041 1600 email: reservations@passions.com.au Departing from Cairns, Queensland

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Thistlegorm is Gaelic for Blue Thistle. A 131-metrelong British vessel, it was attacked from the air and sunk in 1941 while carrying a cargo of war supplies, including rifles, motor bikes, train carriages and trucks.

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Richard Aspinall is a huge fan of Egyptian diving, and here he provides a quick and simple guide to photographing five great Red Sea subjects Photographs by Richard Aspinall

Wrecks

The Red Sea holds one of the greatest collections of shipwrecks in the world. From the open, coral-rich splendour of the Ulysses, to the deep and atmospheric Rosalie Moller, wreck fans will not be disappointed!

Great light and visibility, a wealth of marine life, and easy exploration all combine to make diving on Egypt’s wrecks a stunning experience. Whether you’re departing from Sharm-el-Sheikh or Hurghada for the northern liveaboard circuit, or just planning a few day-dives from your hotel, wrecks will be on your radar. But how to get that perfect Red Sea wreck shot?

It’s all about wide-angle

The Red Sea is sometimes referred to as the “Underwater Garden of Eden”. This is mainly due to the sublime submarine paradise full of 1,000 different kinds of fish, more than 1,000 species of invertebrates and about 400 types of corals.

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The scale of a wreck calls for wide-angle photography and using the lens or setting that will give you the widest possible coverage of your subject. DSLR and compact system users will choose their widest lens, or widest zoom setting. On a DSLR, a fisheye lens in the 10-12mm range is ideal. Make sure you match your lens to your camera though, some lenses for cropped-sensor cameras will not work well with full-frame bodies. I had to ditch my old Nikkor 10.5mm when I upgraded to the full-frame Nikon D800. I chose the Sigma 15mm, which is quick to focus and ultra-sharp, even at the edges of the image.

Compact camera users may want to add a wet lens to achieve greater coverage. These are interchangeable lenses that are fitted onto the housing and can be mounted or removed underwater, hence the name ‘wet’.

Some compacts will have a wide-angle setting built-in, so make sure you ‘zoom out’.

You might read about the differences between rectilinear and fisheye lenses. Rectilinear lenses such as the Nikkor 16-35mm capture less-distorted images, for when you wish to retain the straight lines of a wreck’s structure, and want to avoid the ‘fisheye effect’. Rectilinear lenses do best when coupled with a very high-quality dome port. Some smaller domes can cause blurring on the periphery of the image.

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DRYSUITS

The stern of the Giannis D

The Thistlegorm

No visit to the Red Sea will be complete without diving the SS Thistlegorm. Perhaps no single wreck has been photographed as often, nor provided more pages for print and website alike. Its cargo and long-term care have caused more professional squabbles than any other pile of iron. People get passionate about this boat, and for good reason. It’s an attractive wreck on the outside, but it’s inside that the Thistlegorm contains its real treasures - trucks, motorbikes, aircraft parts, rifles and more war-time material.

If you’re on a guided dive you might not have a great deal of time in the holds to capture a photo you’re proud of, so the key is careful use of flash and careful finning to avoid kicking up silt. If you can get in first, do so, and get your shot. You can tour the exterior later. Select a strong subject and frame your shot carefully for maximum drama.

If you’re using twin strobes, vary their power output to provide more even lighting, but don’t let the subject look over-lit, you want to retain a sense of atmosphere.

Shoaling bannerfish

Taking an image that captures the reef as you remembered it, in all its colourful majesty, can be challenging The Giannis D

The Giannis D is a great subject! Typically well-lit and in clear water, the wreck from the 1980s offers the chance to get an entire boat in the frame. As the bow is now part of the reef, you will easily locate the stern for this classic shot. Make sure you’re one of the first in the water if you want to avoid other divers.

You’re going to want to select a fairly high ISO level (560-800 is ideal) to give you plenty of scope to use a narrow aperture to give as much depth of field as possible (scenic mode on a compact will achieve the same result). As for flash, even the strongest strobes on the widest arms aren’t going to illuminate all of the boat, so use natural lighting. If you’re using a compact, it might be best to make sure your flash is turned ‘off’ to avoid any backscatter (if left on ‘auto’, it’s likely to fire). If you can, shoot in RAW and correct the white balance later in Photoshop, to give a more natural-looking effect. You could try a colour-correcting filter to counteract the blue cast to the light, but remember to take it off when you turn your flash back on. Keep a look out for dolphins as well, they often turn up later in the day and can make a safety stop an unforgettable experience.

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Pyjama nudibranch

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Clownfish

Call them ‘anemonefish’, call them ‘clowns’, call them ‘Nemo’ if you must… everyone will try to photograph a clownfish.

Their ebullient nature and refusal to leave their anemone home means you have a subject that is not going anywhere - rare behaviour in a fish! The key with shooting any fish is to get the eye in focus. In this shot the edge of the fish’s eyes are crisp and bring the portrait to life, leading your eye into the picture. Many pros rely on manual focusing to guarantee they get the perfect focus point. I use a dedicated macro lens (a Nikkor 105), though many compacts have superb macro functions, The Olympus TG series, for example.

Another technique that can capture clowns and their anemone home in context is close focus wide-angle. As the name implies, the technique relies on the close focusing ability of wide-angle lenses (sometimes less than ten inches) and allows the subject and surroundings to appear in the frame in full focus.

Many photographers using this technique opt for minidomes in the four to six-inch diameter range. They can work really well with fisheye lenses and allow you to get much closer to the subject. In this shot I was shooting the clowns in this rose anemone and managed to capture a buddy pair, giving an extra element to what would otherwise have been an acceptable, but relatively dull picture.

Oceanic whitetip shark Anemonefish

Pyjama nudibranchs

Photographing nudibranchs can become an obsession and deserves more than I can provide here, but if you’re a newbie to nudis, then the pyjama slug might be the first of its kind you see, and the first you photograph.

Pyjama slugs are the most frequently seen nudibranch on a Red Sea reef. They are often seen on night dives as their vivid colouration makes them easy to spot in a torch beam.

Again, the key is focus, and you’re going to want to ensure the animal’s rhinophores (twin sensory structures at the head end) are in the sharpest focus possible. Even though they are not eyes, they appeal to that part of our brain that wishes to make an emotional connection with an animal.

Select a high aperture value (your camera’s macro mode should have done that for you if you’re using a compact) and use a focus light or torch to help ensure you’re focusing on the rhinophores. Luckily, nudis aren’t fast moving, but as you’ll be close to the subject even small movements can cause blurring!

The Red Sea is famed for its soft corals

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Coral reefs

Taking an image that captures the reef as you remembered it, in all its colourful majesty, can be challenging. Pictures seen on a screen at home may look drab and lack colour.

Our mind’s eye has a different recollection from the camera’s true rendition. Shooting reefs means you’ll be ‘going wide-angle’ and this is where a rectilinear zoom might be handy as you can get a wide reef shot, but if the need arises (perhaps a turtle passes by), you have the reach for a portrait shot. Compacts with zooms built-in might have the advantage here! You can also try close focus wide-angle by selecting a single dramatic coral formation (or even a fish) as your main subject and using ‘the blue’ as a frame and as contrast to the subject’s colour. Needless to say, strobes are important in bringing out colours, but one trick that many divers should try is shooting upwards. Shots of reef life taken from above tend to look very flat. Shooting upwards with a strobe gives you the chance to capture the sun in the blue and adds contrasting colour to the image.

For compact camera users this is where you can really improve your images by adding a strobe to your set-up. Of all the pieces of kit available, the addition of a strobe to a compact camera is the single best buy you can make to dramatically improve your photos! As the strobe is physically further away from the lens, you’ll get less backscatter bouncing back at you and you’ll get more colour in the finished picture compared to the camera’s built-in flash. You can also begin to invest in professional components (strobe arms and the like) that will give you years of service as you upgrade to more professional equipment. n

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CUSTOMER REVIEW

Fantastic company, the guys and girls are so easy to communicate with from the UK and take care of all your needs which makes everything so relaxed. They have fantastic knowledge of the Red Sea and always have the customers interests – CP, UK at heart. Amazing!!!

E

lite Diving is an Award Winning British owned and managed dive centre in Sharm El Sheikh.

Owners Alun and Moyra, moved to Sharm in 2002 to work in the recreational diving industry and have been there since.

They now run their award-winning Dive Centre with their son G and his wife Valeria, and have just won yet another award, the coveted Best Dive Centre in The World which has been awarded by DIVE Magazine.

Alun puts Elite Diving’s success of winning many awards down to the staff that work with elite in Sharm and the loyal divers

who have dived with them and keep voting for them. “It’s the enthusiasm of our Dive Instructors and dive guides that keeps people coming back again and again,” said Alun.

With the lack of direct flights not only for the pandemic years but for political reasons before that, there are new divers who have never experienced the world class reefs and tropical marine life which are on offer around the reefs of Sharm.

There are also very experienced divers who haven’t visited Sharm for far too long, and are now able to get back here with direct flights.

Diving in and around Sharm is as good as it ever was with the lack of divers over the last six years. Also, with much reduced numbers due to events in Eastern Europe, we are getting many reefs to ourselves.

Sharm must be the best pound for pound dive destination being the closest coral reefs to Europe With Iconic dive sites such as Shark and Yolander Reefs in the Ras Mohamed national Park, Gordon, Thomas and Jackson reefs in The Straits of Tiran and one of the best wreck dives in the world the World War 2 wreck of SS Thistlegorm.

Contact Elite Diving for information about diving in Sharm El Sheikh!

CUSTOMER REVIEW

The team at Elite are a very welcoming and professional group.

We had the most amazing diving experience with them. I was still learning and attained my AOW certification with them, my daughters experienced their first dives with Elite, my eldest always remembers the diving and how – FW, UK supporting the team were to her. THANKYOU Elite.

Telephone: 0020 1224 308 780 | email: admin@elite-diving.com www.elite-diving.com

DIVERS ALERT NETWORK: EUROPE

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

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EFFICIENT PROPULSION TECHNIQUES Whatever your diving ambitions are, mastering trim, buoyancy control and propulsion techniques are very important for a safe and enjoyable dive, explains Audrey Cudel

M

etaphorically, as a passenger on their own small boat floating in perfect balance on the surface, the diver deploys the ‘paddles’ to manoeuvre and propel the boat, turn, reverse course to avoid collisions, and should conditions worsen, advance against a mild current. The efficiency of the propulsion comes from the strength given to the rotation of the paddles when their surface is exposed to the water, the chosen technique is applied using one side or the other of each paddle, while synchronising their motion in order to produce the desired movement.

Fins are to a diver what paddles are to a small boat; they are propulsion and manoeuvring devices. However, it is important to note that there is metaphorically no ‘one size fits all’, nor one ideal pair of fins. As such, fins need to be chosen carefully, for each of their characteristics (apart from their colour) has its importance. Trying a variety of fins before purchasing the appropriate set can be challenging; it likely requires visiting a facility that has a wide range of models to choose from. However, during training, a proper assessment of the fins can be conducted in order to determine two critical elements that vary from one diver to the other, that is their appropriate weight and stiffness.

Rubber and plastic are the most-common materials used today in fin construction. Plastic fins tend to be longer and offer a narrower surface, and as such, might not provide the optimal propulsive power or manoeuvrability compared to rubber fins, particularly when it comes to fine tuning some of the finning techniques. Also, the longer the fins, the more damage they can create in overhead environments. It should also be noted that split fins, which are popular from a marketing perspective, don’t provide the diver with the proper support or efficiency over the range of appropriate finning techniques.

Some fins are more flexible along the blade than others, which also might not be the best option. Overly flexible fins can generate a ‘wave’ effect, which ends up cancelling the desired propulsive thrust. Typically, the stiffer the fin, the more power that can be generated through the kick.

The downside is that stiffer fins are more demanding on the muscles and the joints. As such, every diver needs to find the right balance between flexibility and stiffness to

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match their own fitness. As mentioned above, another major criteria for selecting the right pair of fins is their weight. Fins that are too heavy, or too buoyant can potentially affect divers’ trim and eventually result in muscle fatigue and back pain. As individuals, every diver is unique when it comes to their weight and bone density, preferred suit options, be it a wetsuit or drysuit, and their choice of boots or rock boots.

All of these parameters need to be assessed in order to determine the optimal pair of ‘glass slippers’, err fins, that will provide the diver with the proper propulsion efficiency and comfort, and be effective for manoeuvring.

Call it ‘the right tool for the right job’, but be aware that there are actually several different jobs involved: propulsion, manoeuvring and positioning. All of these require the use of specific techniques. Let’s start by defining what the proper technique is, and why the traditional swimmers’ flutter kick is not appropriate for divers.

A technique is a series of movements or kicks that aim at creating the appropriate power and efficiency, while minimising the impact on the diver’s gas consumption, optimising team positioning, and safeguarding the environment. Unfortunately, the flutter kick, which is a legacy inherited from swimming and early scuba diving, has been passed down and adopted by the recreational diving community, largely as a result of ignorance.

This kick alternatively brings both legs under the horizontal axis of the diver’s trim causing drag. It also requires continual muscular effort increasing diver’s gas consumption, and tends to produce a cloud of sand or silt when used close to the bottom. This can damage the environment and create an unsafe situation for other teams of divers that might follow.

DAN Membership

Before taking the plunge make sure your DAN membership is still active. If it isn’t, join DAN or renew your membership at: www.daneurope.org Your DAN membership ensures the services of the biggest international network for assisting divers anywhere, during any emergency.

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As explained in the ‘Doing It Right’ (DIR) philosophy, the frog kick offers the most-efficient conversion of muscular work into thrust of all the various propulsion techniques. Without going into an extensive description or decomposing and analysing each of the component movements, the frog kick involves both an extension of the lower part of the leg, and a mirrored rotation of the ankles, which keep the fins above the horizontal axis of the diver’s trim. Each kick is followed by a gliding phase that takes advantage of the thrust produced by the power stroke to gain distance, and provides rest before starting the next kick. The intermediate moment when the forward movement slows, also tends to be a good indicator of one’s buoyancy control. This technique combined with the breathing cycle should allow one to exhale during the power stroke and inhale during the gliding phase, preserving and lowering divers’ gas consumption, while protecting the environment from a silt out.

In a similar way, the back kick is executed as a reversed frog kick with a gliding phase. It is probably the mostdifficult propulsion technique to learn, and it can highlight buoyancy and/or trim control issues. As such, in order to develop proper muscle memory, it is best decomposed into its constituent components and practised repeatedly as part of land drills—practising each step of the movement while lying on the ground or sitting. Practising on land helps divers to remain in trim underwater and identify whether they are correctly using the top of the fins combined with a rotation of their ankles, rather than conducting the kick from the hips.

The control of the upper body, including the extension of the arms, and looking forward is essential to maintain a proper trim during each stroke. A full back kick with the extension of the lower leg, enables a diver to reverse direction and move backward from a dead end. A modified back kick involving only the rotation of the ankles, helps fight the ‘magnet effect’ between two divers facing one another, enabling them to maintain a suitable distance.

Some refined propulsion techniques are employed when the surrounding environment is space limited and there is a potential for a silt out. While they provide limited thrust, they are used for short portions of the dive, both for team safety and for conservation of the environment. Among them are:

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The modified frog kick, which does not include the extension of the lower leg , is conducted while keeping the ankles close to one another. The rotation of the ankles pushes the water with the back surface of the fins. This constrained movement prevents one from touching walls, breaking formation, or moving silt in overhead environments when close to the bottom.

The modified flutter is conducted by alternating the extension of the lower part of the leg by opening the knee together with the ankle, from a 90-degree to a 180-degree angle, while pushing the water with the top surface of the fins. This technique is suitable for silty conditions, keeping the fins at a greater distance from the bottom.

Other techniques are used for manoeuvring or repositioning purposes. The helicopter kick enables the diver to conduct an axial rotation by combining a simultaneous clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation of the ankles, with a slight extension of the lower leg part. This enables the diver to turn in order to reposition themself relative to the team, or with regard to the surrounding environment.

Proper breathing, along with good buoyancy control and proper trim are a prerequisite for efficient propulsion techniques. Paddling will not get one far if your small boat is unable to float horizontally on the surface. At the same time, small boats will end up crashing into other boats or the shore if not propelled and or manoeuvred properly. The mastery of finning techniques is also fundamental to the team’s effort and situational awareness. n

About the author

Audrey Cudel is a cave explorer and technical diving instructor specialising in sidemount and cave diving training in Europe and Mexico. She is also renowned in the industry for her underwater photography portraying deep technical divers and cave divers.

Her work has appeared in various magazines such as Wetnotes, Octopus, Plongeur International, Perfect Diver, Times of Malta, and SDI/TDI and DAN (Divers Alert Network) publications.

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beyond technical

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A continuous guide line is maintained at all times between the leader of a dive team and a fixed point selected outside the cave entrance in open water.

Often this line is tied off a second time as a back-up directly inside the cavern zone.

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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

Technical and cave diver Kurt Storms ventures into the famous Ressel cave system at the Lot in France Photographs by Kurt Storms

Cave diving has been perceived as one of the more deadly sports in the world. This perception may be exaggerated because the majority of divers who have lost their lives in caves have either not undergone specialized training or did not have the correct equipment for the environment.

You feel like you are going to the abyss, and actually you are - an abyss below ground, and underwater. But now they were even more curious about the famous Pit 4 of the Ressel

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Computers • O2 Cells • Gas Analysers Cables & Connectors • Rebreather Parts PathFinder Strobes • Sensors Tools • Solenoids

F

inally! We can go to the Lot again! The COVID conditions have already thrown a spanner in the works, but because we are all vaccinated, we can finally leave. This time for a week of training and then a week of holiday diving with my wife Caroline Massie. I have two students (Jo Croimans and Bram Van Gorp) with me for the training. The next few days, they will be busy with skills and dry teaching. Theory has already been given in Belgium so that we can get the most out of our dives.

The water in Ressel can be very clear

Why the ‘Lot’?

The area in France is famous because most European divers take cave classes so they don’t have to travel to Mexico or Florida.

One of the most-famous caves around here is Ressel. Ressel is located in the village of Marcilhac-sur-Célé in the heart of the Lot. Most pictures you can see online show dramatic and huge blocks of white rock, flat structures, and the shafts of this cave. The facilities are nice, we have a large parking for our cars, and finally there is also a nice building with a toilet. From the car park we have to walk about 100 metres to get to the entry point on the River Celé. Here we can put all our equipment ready for our dive.

History

The Ressel was first dived in 1968, by two divers of the speleoclub Auvergnat. Martin and Debras reached 150 metres. It was only in 1973 that the line was extended to 300 metres, with a maximum depth of 30m. In 1975, Fantoli and Preparing to enter Touloumdoian reached Pit 4 and went to a depth Ressel of 45m. Further exploration continued over the years, especially by Jochem Hasemayer in the early 1980s, where at 1,100 metres into the system he On 12 August 1990, Olivier Isler was the first to cross Sump 1. planted his knife in the rock and attached his line. This knife The total dive time back and forth was 10 hours 35 minutes. is still there.

End of Siphon 1 is at Lac Isler, and from here on you can continue to the next siphons. Ressel consists of five sumps, of which siphon 1 is the longest (1,850 metres) and the deepest (83m). From Pit 4 onwards, the deep section begins, which can only be done with trimix mixtures.

In the following years the further sumps were explored by gentlemen like Rick Stanton, Martin Farr and Jason Mallison.

In 1999, the end of Sump 5 was reached. The total length on the main line is 4,415 metres.

On 12 August 1990, Olivier Isler was the first to cross Sump 1.

The total dive time back and forth was 10 hours 35 minutes WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM

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Spectacular views

To be honest, the visibility is spectacular all around. More than ten metres visibility, which was about 5cm before the start in the Celé River - quite a change. As soon as you get to the entrance, it looms up, and the water clears like snow in the sun. The first thought that ever crossed my mind was – ‘how on Earth did they find this cave?’ How, with the visibility of the river, can you see a hole that is 6m below the surface on one side, which is frankly not that big. Enquiries with the locals revealed that when the cave is full of water, you can even see a geyser in the river! Another impressive detail.

There is a rope that runs from the point where you get in, all the way into the cave, and it continues to the main line - you don’t need a primary reel here – so it’s really easy to find the entrance. Then there is a huge tunnel, with white giant boulders impressive.

The first dives were only up to the T (180 metres), here the obligatory skills were practiced, so that later one can widen the comfort zone. This is also a very beautiful part, especially because of the large blocks that lie here. There are even two exceptional phenomena visible, these are two blocks consisting of white limestone, with a large black spot in it. You won’t find these black spots anywhere else. It is wonderful to be able to admire nature like this. We got in, and on the first dive, with sidemount sets consisting of two 80 cfts , we did the first T, taking the left corridor, and on the next T, we continued towards the shaft, to take a look, to a maximum depth of 30m. It is so impressive! You feel like you are going to the abyss, and actually you are - an abyss below ground, and underwater.

But now they were even more curious about the famous Pit 4 of the Ressel.

Heading to the Ressel entrance

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Caroline in the Ressel system

To be able to do this dive, we had to bring the right amount of gas. The first dive was with Jo, he had his sidemount configuration with an extra seven-litre along, I dived with my Divesoft Liberty SM rebreather. There we went, all prepared.

The way there is about a 28 minute dive. On the way I showed Jo the shunt that goes to the deeper part of the first loop. Enjoying the ride, we continued until we reached the point of the shaft. Here I asked Jo if everything was OK and we descended to a depth of about 40m. You could see in Jo’s eyes that he was enjoying himself. But we didn’t have much time to enjoy ourselves, because we had to go back again. If you have deco, you can do it all on the way back on a NX50. For the advanced divers, you can take your O2 at 6m and finish any decompression on O2.

It’s actually a great dive, and the cave allows for a variety of dives, just by choosing different depths in the tunnels to have different perspectives.

Once we got to the top, Jo was unstoppable about the amazing beauty of this cave, and especially Pit 4. This made Caroline want to go and have a look too. This dive was done a few days later, when both gentlemen had gone home.

This time we did the dive by scooter, a big difference. At 13 minutes we were at the shaft, and again I saw a happy face. How nice it is as an instructor to be able to pass on your passion. This is what we do it for. Ressel is also one of the most-beautiful caves in Europe. It remains an easy, accessible system.

The Ressel is, and remains, a special cave. Last year, I did the deep loop (1,160 metres and 73m depth) with two friends.

And I still enjoy it when I talk about it. We still have to come back to do the rest of S1. n

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“...a durable, well-made and robust drysuit which most certainly does not blend in with the endless line up of black suits.”

SCUBA DIVER Magazine August 2020

PHOTO: Silvano Barboni

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Each issue, the Scuba Diver test team bring you the latest product and equipment releases from the dive industry. Cannot wait for the next edition? Keep up-to-date with all the latest gear news and reviews by heading over to the Scuba Diver YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/ScubaDiverMagazine

APEKS EXOTEC | SRP: £747

FOURTH ELEMENT MASKS Fourth Element Navigator (SRP: £74.95)

The Apeks Exotec BCD is a revolution in diving comfort, functionality and seductive engineering design. Created to fit like no other BCD and flow with the natural movement of the diver’s body, through the innovative BioReact articulation, and constructed with the usual exacting Apeks build quality, the Exotec is a paradigm of form and function.

The BioReact articulating waist system allows maximum comfort and freedom of movement, while GripTek fabric keeps the BCD is place both on the surface and underwater.

The bladder is constructed from super-tough Armoguard slick skin for increased abrasion resistance, faster drying and a reduced risk of bacterial growth due to the slick surface.

Anodised aluminium hardware is both strong and lightweight, and the G-hook chest strap and tank retainer allow for one-handed simple operation. The three-position height-adjustable backplate allows for optimum fit, and it has adjustable waist and shoulders. Two large pockets can be folded up flat when not in use to reduce drag.

The SureLock I Mechanical Weight Release System (patented) provides a safe, single-pull release. Inserting weight is as simple as insert and ‘click’. With SureLock, your weights are secure in the BC. Once engaged, the only way to release the weight is to pull on the handle.

There are four dump valves in all, one in each corner.

Three are proprietary flat valves, very streamlined and effective, while the dump valve on the upper left is the rapid exhaust valve found at the top of the Powerline inflator, which boasts one of the fastest inflation rates in the industry. www.apeksdiving.com

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The innovative Fourth Element Scout mask has been joined by two more masks. First up, the Navigator, which is a dual-lens mask with large, almost teardropshaped lenses, which offer wide peripheral vision all-round.

The soft silicone skirt ensures a good, comfortable fit, and it is available in classic and wide-fit, so you will be able to find one for you regardless of your face-shape!

The tempered glass lenses come in Clarity (designed to maximise the amount of transmitted light, without any tint from impurities in the glass, and thus the ideal lens for night divers and photographers), and Enhance (filtering ultraviolet and HEV (High Energy Visible) radiation, the Enhance lens is designed to protect the eye and enhance the visual experience). The Navigator comes with a moulded silicone strap, but you can retro-fit the elasticated Fourth Element mask strap (available separately).

Fourth Element Aquanaut (SRP: £64.95)

The Aquanaut mask is an extremely compact, low-profile dual-lens mask, which makes for a great all-round dive mask, but is especially suited to freediving.

The mask has a soft silicone skirt, which sits comfortably on your face, and it comes with a moulded silicone strap (but like the Navigator, you can retrofit the elasticated strap).

The Aquanaut is available in black or white, and comes in black or white with a Clarity lens (in black or white), or in black with Contrast (When diving in temperate (green) waters, images seen through this lens show an increase in contrast, accentuating brighter and darker areas, increasing the perception of visual acuity).

Both masks come with the half-shell cushioned EVA mask case, which protects the lens during transport and storage, and can be tucked into a fin pocket thanks to its compact size. www.fourthelement.com

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TECLINE PROTHERM WETSUIT SRP: £176.80-£311.82

SCUBAPRO SEAWING SUPERNOVA | SRP: £189

Tecline has launched a wetsuit offering protection for a range of water temperatures, in the form of the Protherm.

The Protherm is available as a full-suit in both 5mm and 7mm, and there is also a shortie (again in 5mm and 7mm) complete with integral hood to add additional warmth around the torso. This can also be worn independently in warmer waters.

The wetsuit has been designed to be unisex, and easy to take on and off thanks to the supersoft, supple material used in the construction. A plush liner adds a further degree of warmth and comfort. The wrists and ankles feature double-seals to minimize water ingress, and zippers to aid with donning, while Kevlar patches on the knees and shoulders help prevent abrasion damage in these high-wear areas. www.teclinediving.eu

SEALIFE ULTRA-WIDE ANGLE DOME LENS SRP: £370 SeaLife has introduced a new ultra-wide angle dome lens for the Microseries and ReefMaster underwater cameras that increases the camera’s field-of-view by almost 50%, allowing photographers to get three times closer to the subject.

The wide-angle dome lens design uses high-grade optical glass components arranged in a 4-element/4-group array that delivers crisp edge-to-edge sharpness. All optical elements are fully, multi-coated to prevent internal glare and maximize light transmission. The lens has a 13.3mm filmequivalent effective focal length when used with the SeaLife Micro 3.0 and is waterproof to 60m.

The lens fits all SeaLife Micro-series cameras (Micro HD, HD+, Micro 2.0, Micro 3.0) and works with the SeaLife ReefMaster RM-4K, increasing the tiny camera’s shooting angle to a massive 196°. The new lens is a ‘wet lens’ and easily attaches and removes underwater. A locking ring prevents the lens from accidently detaching when bumped or in rougher water conditions. The SeaLife Dome Lens weighs 331 grams and is negatively buoyant.

The inner airspace is backfilled with nitrogen to prevent fogging in extreme temperature conditions. The rotatable light shade prevents unwanted glare from external lighting or sunlight, as well as protect the dome lens from bumps. www.sealife-cameras.com

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Scubapro’s Seawing Supernova represents the next generation of powerful Scubapro fins. Winner of the prestigious, internationally recognised Red Dot Award for product design, the new Seawing Supernova is a step up from the Seawing Nova in performance, construction, fit and versatility. The proven Pivot Control Technology (PCT) works in tandem with the unique Auto-Adjust central panel to always provide the optimal angle of attack for the blade. The PCT hinges pre-set the blade in the 40º to 50º range that is ideal for converting kicks into forward motion.

The flexible Auto-Adjust central panel then fine-tunes the angle of attack according to the strength of kick by counterpivoting, providing a milder angle of attack for comfort when kicking gently, a more-aggressive angle of attack when kicking at full strength, and anything in between. When it comes to frog and alternate kicks, the new twin-tip winglets (which can be colour-coded to match your other dive kit) increase control and markedly improve manoeuvrability.

The Seawing Supernova’s innovative two-piece design, with blade and foot pocket molded separately, makes transport easy, and with the optional full-foot pocket (£42), the fin can be modified to handle any warm-water dive scenario. The Supernova is made from premium Monprene for durability, and the open-heel foot pocket features an upgraded heavy-duty bungee strap that allows for microadjustments to accommodate different boot types, while extended grip pads provide an improved non-skid grip on wet surfaces.

A durable Socket-Lock Connecting System allows for easy construction, and a key fob-style multi-purpose tool is included for assembly and disassembly of the foot pocket and blade, along with a travel-friendly storage bag. www.scubapro.com

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Each issue, the Scuba Diver test team bring you the latest product and equipment releases from the dive industry. Cannot wait for the next edition? Keep up-to-date with all the latest gear news and reviews by heading over to the Scuba Diver YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/ScubaDiverMagazine

TECLINE TECLIGHT | SRP: £688.57

Mark Evans: I have dived with and used many different types of dive light over the past couple of decades, and they’ve all had their pros and cons, but I have to say that the Tecline TecLight is one of the best all-round I have seen in a long time.

What I particularly liked was the practicality and ease of use of the head unit. Rather than being a lamp head plonked on top of a separate Goodman handle, the TecLight has a sleek unit which incorporates the light head itself and the Goodman handle. This sits comfortably on the back of your hand, and the handle can be adjusted quickly and easily for a good fit regardless of whether you are diving bare-handed, in neoprene gloves, or even in drygloves. There is also a circular hole titled DPV, which on questioning Tecline is designed so that you can slip the lamp head off your left hand and slot your right thumb into this hole to securely hold the light while your left hand is occupied – say you are checking your gas supply.

Turning on the light, and cycling through the different modes, is simplicity itself – there is a large push button on the back of the lamp head which is easy to operate whatever exposure protection

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you have on your hands. One push turns it on, and then each push cycles to the next mode. Press and hold and the light goes off. The different modes are also a stand out from the crowd.

Rather than just having low, medium and high settings from the same LED(s), the TecLight has what Tecline call three operating modes – communication, video, and combined (communication and video).

What this means is that when in communication mode, the central XML2 CREE spotlight is on, which has a beam angle of 6 degrees and pumps out 1,300 lumen. This has a burn time of seven hours, and it penetrated into the gloom of a typical British quarry with ease. Obviously, a bright, narrow beam such as this is ideal for attracting your buddy’s attention, hence the mode title.

In video mode, the seven XPG2 CREE LEDs that are arrayed around the outside of the main lens come into play, and pump out 2,600 lumens with a 120 degree spread.

This effectively gives a soft halo with a light temperature of 6,500K, which is perfect for lighting up video and still photography subjects without any

hotspots.

The burn time in this mode is two hours and 30 minutes.

Finally, there is the combined mode, which as the name suggests, brings both the communication and videos modes into play at the same time. So you have the 120 degree halo beam of 2,600 lumens from the seven outside LEDs, as well as the 6 degree spotlight at 1,300 lumens from the central XML2 LED. This mode has a burn time of one hour and fifty minutes.

Recharging time for the Tecline battery pack is two hours and thirty minutes. However, it is worth noting that the TecLight is fully compatible with the Ammonite System batteries if you decided you need extended burn time across all three modes, or wanting to combine using the light with a heated undersuit.

Rather than just having low, medium and high settings from the same LED(s), the TecLight has what Tecline call three operating modes – communication, video, and combined 67

Each issue, the Scuba Diver test team bring you the latest product and equipment releases from the dive industry. Cannot wait for the next edition? Keep up-to-date with all the latest gear news and reviews by heading over to the Scuba Diver YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/ScubaDiverMagazine

TECLINE TECLIGHT | SRP: £688.57

The Tecline TecLight is made from anodised aluminium and Delrin, and has a durable, quality feel to it. It is depth-rated to 150m, but has been tested to 200m, which is more than enough for the vasy majority of tech divers.

The TecLight is also travel-friendly. It weighs in at only 1kg for both the lamp head and the battery, and as 75Wh Li-Ion batteries are commonly accepted by commercial airlines as hand luggage, it can venture off on your next foreign jaunt without taking too much valuable luggage space.

There is also a dedicated sidemount set-up for the TekLight, which has a 1.5-metre cable instead of the stand 1.2-metre cable, which is £734.86.

However, while this may be the ideal rig for sidemount diving, fellow tester Richard was diving in sidemount and was using a standard TecLight without any major issues caused by the slightly shorter cable, so it is feasible to use the ‘normal’ model for all kinds of diving. www.teclinediving.eu

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Each issue, the Scuba Diver test team bring you the latest product and equipment releases from the dive industry. Cannot wait for the next edition? Keep up-to-date with all the latest gear news and reviews by heading over to the Scuba Diver YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/ScubaDiverMagazine

OTTER PONCHO | SRP: £95

Mark Evans: Never let it be said that dive manufacturers don’t listen to their customers… well, ok, perhaps not always, but in the case of Otter Watersports, a definite ‘yes’. Otter supremo John Womack had been asked many times for an Otter ‘poncho’ – you know the sort of thing made insanely popular by all these open-water swimmers and surf types – and now he has delivered just that.

The Otter poncho is the perfect garment to chuck on to keep your core temperature up pre-dive and post-dive. Pop it on over your drysuit or wetsuit, or even over your swimsuit if you are very brave. The hand warmer pockets are deep and toasty, and the zippered pocket on the chest is the ideal size to slot your phone in and keep safe.

The oversized hood, complete with drawstrings to keep it snug, further helps to retain your warmth on a chilly day.

It might be designed with divers in mind, but it is also great for putting on over your muddy clothes at the end of a winter’s day of mountain biking, so you don’t get the interior of your car clogged with grunge. I have also taken to keeping it on the RIB when we head out to sea, as it is great to throw on if the temperature drops a bit. The Otter poncho comes in at around 2kg, and can be packed up quite small, so it doesn’t take up a huge amount of space in your bag.

It isn’t a DryRobe – these have an immensely fluffy inner lining and are much, much bulkier (as well as being more expensive) – and is more in line with the Fourth Element Storm poncho and their new Tidal robe. The Otter poncho comes in a selection of colours – black, grey, navy blue and red – in three sizes: medium, large and extra-large. You can then choose a short zip version, or a full zip. www.otterwatersports.uk

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EAST LANCS DIVING e: info@eastlancsdiving.co.uk a: Daisyfield Pool, Daisy Ln, Blackburn, BB1 5HB East Lancashire’s only PADI approved Dive Centre - Undertaking all PADI courses and Specialities from Try Dive to Professional. www.eastlancsdiving.co.uk

LEICESTERSHIRE SCUBA 2000 (LEICESTER) t: 07724 412161 | e: info@scuba2000.org.uk a: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Leisure Centre, 50 Duns Lane, Leicester, LE3 5LX Learn to dive or build confidence, experience and skills. Family-friendly, small groups (2:1) and a ‘no-rush’ approach. 1:1 coaching available. www.scuba2000.co.uk

MILTON KEYNES MK SCUBA DIVING t: 07957 710334 e: contact@mkscubadiving.co.uk a: Unit 50A, I-Centre, Howard Way, Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, MK16 9PY Friendly, professional and patient PADI, SDI and TDI scuba instructors, we proudly offer you high quality service, equipment and facilities. www.mkscubadiving.co.uk

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE GO DIVE t: 01332 665353 e: sales@godive.net a: Nottingham Road, Spondon, Derby, DE21 7NP Take your diving to the next level with GoDive, the UK’s first fourth element concept store. Start shopping with us today! www.godive.net

PLYMOUTH AQUANAUTS t: 01752 228825 e: info@aquanauts.co.uk a: 88 Vauxhall Street, The Barbican, Plymouth, PL4 0EY Waterfront full service centre with direct access to the best wreck and reef diving the UK has to offer. www.aquanauts.co.uk

ROTHERHAM DREAM DIVERS LTD t: 07976 526050 e: info@dreamdiversltd.co.uk a: 18-20 Greasbrough Rd, Parkgate, Rotherham, S62 6HN PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre based in Parkgate, Rotherham. Our instructional team has been teaching PADI courses together in the Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield and surrounding areas of South Yorkshire since 2005. www.dreamdivers.co.uk

SHROPSHIRE SEVERN TEC DIVING t: 01939 291303 e: severntecdiving@gmail.com a: Seventec Diving, Unit 1J, Leaton Industrial Estate, Shrewsbury SY4 3AP We are a Scuba Diving Training Center with over 20 years experience with a multi-agency approach to scuba diving. www.severntecdiving.com

SOMERSET DIVE ACADEMY t: 01935 353525 e: info@dive.academy a: Unit 7-8 Boundary Avenue, Commerce Park, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8UU Somerset’s Premier. Scuba Diving Centre.

Book a lesson. www.dive.academy

SUSSEX NORWICH CHRISTAL SEAS SCUBA LTD t: 01603 485000 e: info@scuba4me.co.uk a: 62 Whiffler Road, Norwich, NR3 2AY We are Norfolk’s Premier dive centre with our own on-site swimming pool and well stocked shop with the latest equipment. www.scuba4me.co.uk

OYSTER DIVING t: 0800 699 0243 e: info@oysterdiving.com a: Maritime House, Basin Road North, Portslade, E. Sussex, BN41 1WR PADI 5-star IDC centre in London and S.E. Holidays around the world, active club and local dives.

Exclusive lake in Surrey. www.oysterdiving.com

SUSSEX PLANET DIVERS t: 07889 883232 e: info@planetdivers.co.uk a: Planet Divers, The Angling Club, Royal Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 7AA A Friendly Crew, Great Diving all year round.

Excellent, Fun trips UK & Abroad for all levels, non-divers welcomed. www.planetdivers.co.uk

YORKSHIRE BELOW THE SURFACE t: 07967 733764 e: info@belowthesurface.co.uk a: 26 Albert Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 8AH A PADI 5 star centre with over 30 years’ experience, we teach in small groups & at your pace. www.belowthesurface.co.uk

DIVEWORLD

WEST MIDLANDS AQUASPORT INTERNATIONAL t: 0121 706 6628 e: info@aquasportonline.com a: The Dive Centre, 50 Lincoln Road, Olton, Solihull, West Midlands, B27 6PA The only purpose built diver training centre and dive shop in the West Midlands and the only PADI Dive Centre in the whole of Greater Birmingham and Solihull. www.aquasportonline.com

t: 01142 332995 e: info@learn2dive.co.uk a: 185 Holme Lane, Hillsborough, Sheffield, Yorkshire, S6 4JR Welcome to Diveworld, dive school, dive club, dive retail and servicing, dive travel and more, the complete scuba package. www.learn2dive.co.uk

Your diving memories deserve

the best home www.divelogs.com

Recreational, Instructor, and Technical Dive Logs Custom Dive Logs Log Book Stamps Gear ScubaTags Compact Lightweight Binders Custom Dive Slates Dive Maps Fish Identification Certification Card Holders

WILTSHIRE DM SCUBA TRAINING t: 07920 556116 e: instructor@hotmail.co.uk a: Filton leisure Centre, Elm Park, Fiton BS34 7PS DM Scuba hold pool training sessions in Bristol, Swindon and Bath giving you plenty of choice. www.dm-scuba.co.uk

SUBLIME SOUTH COAST

We take a tour around some of the very best dive sites along the South Coast with Saeed Rashid.

Q&A: CRISTINA ZENATO

We chat to the ‘shark whisperer’, about the men in grey suits, as well as her mastery of cave diving.

FREEDIVING GRENADA

Lexi Fisher waxes lyrical about the underwater delights of Grenada, but explains how she now spends most of her time on breath-hold.

ON SAFARI IN THE RED SEA

Stuart Philpott is treated like a star during his week on board the VIP One liveaboard in Egypt.

TECH: GERMAN MINE DIVING

Kurt Storms ventures into the impressive Nuttlar slate mine in Germany.

GEAR GUIDE: TEST EXTRA

Editorial Director Mark Evans dives the Tecline Peanut wing and SDC Great White watch.

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

INTRODUCING THE OUR WORLD-UNDERWATER 2022 SCHOLARS

S

ince 1974, the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society has provided first-hand experiences in underwater-related disciplines to young people considering careers in the underwater world, and each year, the Society selects three Scholars – one each from North America, Europe, and Australasia.

As long-time readers of Scuba Diver will know, as we follow the UK Our World-Underwater Scholar via their blog, each Scholar, working closely with leaders in the marinerelated fields, spends a year immersed in a wide variety of hands-on activities that further the Scholar’s knowledge and experience of the underwater realm.

The range of experiences may include active participation in field studies, underwater research, scientific expeditions, laboratory assignments, equipment testing and design, photographic instruction, and other specialized assignments. The Our World-Underwater Scholars receive funding for travel and living expenses during their Scholarship year.

The 2022 Scholars of the Our WorldUnderwater Scholarship Society are: • Rosie Poirier – 2022 North American Scholar • Hannah Douglas – 2022 European Scholar • Amelia Mannering – 2022 Australasian Scholar For Rosie, the OWUSS Scholarship is a dream opportunity to learn about marine conservation on a global scale. Through this scholarship, she plans to explore the fields of fisheries management, Marine Protected Area (MPA) development, and community engagement. Rosie plans to use the OWUSS scholarship year to gather the most-effective tools she can to pursue a career in ocean conservation.

Hannah’s objectives after university are to continue studying life in the ocean while broadening her knowledge of economics and politics by delving into the world of resource management and legislation.

She holds the firm belief that you should, ‘Be the change you wish to see’, and for Hannah, that is a global awakening to the beauty of our oceans and a wave of policy change to protect it.

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Millie was originally selected as the 2021 Australasian Scholar, however due to COVID-related travel restrictions in the region during the early part of her scholarship, the decision was made to defer her scholarship until 2022.

During her deferment, Millie has been working as a scientific diver in a range of projects throughout New Zealand, including for the University of Otago and the Department of Conservation. A highlight for her has been working in remote areas, such as Fiordland, where she monitors and controls the spread of the invasive seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida. Millie also joined an expedition to the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand as the Heritage Expeditions True Young Explorer. She aims to help raise the profile of the islands, advocate for the protection of the threatened species that inhabit them, as well as other wild places across the planet. This is a focus Millie is looking forward to pursuing throughout her upcoming year as the 2022 Australasian Scholar. n

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