Scuba Diver #64

LIVING THE DREAM

HOW TWO INSTRUCTORS ENDED UP RUNNING A CENTRE IN MALTA

Q&A: ANDY CLARK

AUSTRALIA’S HMAS WRECKS

THE YOUTUBE HOST TALKS DIVING, STUNT WORK AND MORE

WE SHOWCASE THE ARTIFICIAL REEFS MADE FROM AUSTRALIA’S FORMER NAVAL VESSELS

BOOK YOUR TICKETS! MARCH 4-5 2023

Porthkerris

THE EVANS CLAN LOAD UP THE CAMPERVAN AND HEAD TO CORNWALL’S LIZARD PENINSULA ALEX MUSTARD

TECH: THE ARACAN

DAN COLUMN ISSUE #64

STREAMLINE WITH TECLINE Wherever you are on your diving journey, you’ll value the flexibility of our modular system. Tecline is the smart way to customize your own perfect configuration.

Aqua Active distributors of Tecline in the UK. To open a trade account contact: info@aquaactive.co.uk

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 Andy Clark, Adrian Stacey, Alex Mustard, Leigh Bishop 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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PUBLISHERS Rork Media Limited 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, England, WC2H 9JQ Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publishers. Copyright for material published remains with Rork Media Limited. Use of material from Scuba Diver is strictly prohibited unless permission is given. All advertisements of which the creative content is in whole or in part the work of Rork Media Limited remain the copyright of Rork Media Limited.

is a registered trademark of Rork Media. ISSN 2514-2054

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Time to break out the camping gear!

As I write this, the unfeasibly hot weather that had been blanketing much of the UK in record-breaking temperatures had just ended, returning to a morenormal, but still comfortably warm, summer level, heralding the perfect time to break out the camping gear and venture off in search of some fabulous diving off our rich and diverse coastline.

To give you some inspiration, in this issue I head to one of the UK’s mostpicture-perfect locations for a spot of camping and diving - Porthkerris, on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. Here you can quite literally be camped overlooking the beach, a stone’s throw from the dive centre, beach, sea and, perhaps most importantly, the beach cafe!

Porthkerris Dive Centre runs two boats out of this location, but myself and son Luke satisfied ourselves with explorations of the Drawna Rock house reef, which turned up a plethora of marine life all in less than 18m of water.

At the other end of the scale when it comes to UK diving, Leigh Bishop explains how it took many, many years of diving and archive research to identify a mystery shipwreck lying in nearly 60m of water in the English Channel.

And for all those who toy with the idea of jacking in the day job and becoming a diving instructor, we talk to Ben Breakspear and Susie Williams, who did just that, first running a dive centre in the heart of Yorkshire, Scuba Leeds, and then recently moving to the sunnier climate of Malta, to New Dimension Scuba. They explain their motivations and how they achieved their aims.

Safe diving, wherever you get to in the next few weeks!

Mark Evans, Editorial Director

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LIVING THE DREAM

HOW TWO INSTRUCTORS ENDED UP RUNNING A CENTRE IN MALTA

Q&A: ANDY CLARK

AUSTRALIA’S HMAS WRECKS

THE YOUTUBE HOST TALKS DIVING, STUNT WORK AND MORE

WE SHOWCASE THE ARTIFICIAL REEFS MADE FROM AUSTRALIA’S FORMER NAVAL VESSELS

BOOK YOUR TICKETS! MARCH 4-5 2023

Porthkerris

THE EVANS CLAN LOAD UP THE CAMPERVAN AND HEAD TO CORNWALL’S LIZARD PENINSULA ALEX MUSTARD

TECH: THE ARACAN

DAN COLUMN ISSUE #64

Cover.indd 1

PHOTOGRAPH © MARK EVANS

25/07/2022 11:35

Regular columns

Monthly features...

10 News round-up

22 Cornwall

Dive Project Cornwall runs its first school week, an underwater marriage proposal in Malta, octopus numbers boom in Cornwall, and an oarfish seen off the GBR.

18 DAN Europe Medical Q&A

The Divers Alert Network experts discuss various ailments, including headaches after diving, and abdominal pain.

52 Divers Alert Network Europe

Claudio Di Manao looks at what you can expect when you arrive at your chosen dive centre on your next trip.

74 Our World-Underwater Scholarship Hannah Douglas ditches her scuba gear and learns to freedive in the warm waters of Bali.

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Editorial Director Mark Evans loads up the Ford Nugget campervan for a few days on the Cornish Riviera with the clan, and is seduced by the lure of Porthkerris’ Drawna Rocks shore dive.

28 Q&A with Andy Clark

We chat to Andy Clark, the distinctive face and voice behind the popular Andy The Northern Diver YouTube Channel, about exploring, stunt work and freediving.

34 Australia

Australia is renowned for the Great Barrier Reef, whalesharks, great white sharks and seadragons, but it is also home to some stunning wrecks, especially artificial reefs created by a veritable fleet of ex-HMAS warships.

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...continued

Gear & testing

42 Mustard’s Masterclass

62 What’s New

In this issue’s column, underwater photography guru Alex Mustard turns his attentions towards the best ways to capture eye-catching fish portraits.

46 Living the dream

Many people dream of running a dive centre, and that’s just what Ben Breakspear and Susie Williams did at Scuba Leeds, but now they have gone one step further and are taking the reins at New Dimension Scuba in Malta. Mark Evans spoke to them about their endeavours.

A selection of new products coming to market, including a 50th anniversary limited-edition drysuit and wetsuit from BARE. a handy smock from Fourth Element, the Mares SXS regulator, a snorkelling set from Oceanic, and a new colourway for the Tecline LightJet fins.

64 Test Extra

Editorial Director Mark Evans rates and reviews the brandnew eco-friendly Apeks Ocea regulator, and the retro Seiko Professional 300m ‘Tuna’ diving watch.

54 TECH: The Aracan

A ghost ship with no name proves irresistible for the wreck detectives - Leigh Bishop concludes his story from the previous issue of two intriguing English Channels wrecks.

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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

DIVE PROJECT CORNWALL RUNS FIRST ‘SCHOOL WEEK’

Dive Project Cornwall, the ambitious scheme which aims to introduce 400 lucky secondary school pupils from around the country to the world of diving and the underwater realm, has conducted its first ‘school week’ – and the feedback defied all expectations

D

ive Project Cornwall, founded by Andrew Forster and operating out of a purpose-built base camp near Porthkerris on the Lizard Peninsula, has been running a nationwide competition open to all secondary schools to win this experience of a lifetime – a six-day trip to Cornwall where the attendees will learn to scuba dive, enjoy outdoors adventures, take up beachrelated activities and attend presentations from leading marine industry experts.

A total of 20 students from Sir James Smith School, which is part of North Cornwall Learning Trust, took part in the first ‘school week’, which acted as a ‘trial run’ for all of the organisers of the project, and as can be seen from the below testimonial from Deputy Head Ed McGuffie, the results were nothing short of life-affirming.

‘We have just returned from what has been the mostamazing week of school ever. 20 of our students are now fully fledged ‘Ocean Influencers’, having completed the pilot week of Dive Project Cornwall (DPC). It is hard to describe how fantastic the DPC staff were – every one of them were superb. Andy, Darren and Gary (from Orca Scuba) were calm, patient and excellent instructors. The support given

by Gabe, Jo, Rachael and Roz was so reassuring for the

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students. Without their patience, the students would not have made such enormous strides in their confidence and diving ability. Tamsyn and Steve were the most-brilliant camp hosts, producing the most-amazing food – bbq steak on the first night set the tone for what was to become an unbelievable week!

‘The students have returned as completely different individuals. They have become more resilient and have developed their social skills in a way they would not have achieved in the traditional classroom. Every young person that attended Dive Project Cornwall developed huge confidence in the water – many arrived nervous and unsure of themselves on the Sunday. By the time we left Porthkerris, every student had overcome barriers and challenges they had never faced before.

‘In my 16 years of teaching, I have led day and residential trips in the UK, France and Italy. Dive Project Cornwall has been the best trip I have had the privilege of leading in my career. From a personal point of view, it has been the most-rewarding week of my career – from seeing students overcome challenges and achieving success in so many different ways to working with an amazing group of people.

‘It has been an absolute pleasure working with Dive Project Cornwall and I would highly recommend the trip to any young people. This is just the start of our journey – the students and staff are really excited to take our Ocean Influencer status to the next level.’

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OCTOPUS NUMBERS BOOM IN CORNWALL

Huge numbers of octopus have been seen along Cornwall’s coastline this month in what experts are describing as a ‘bumper year’ for sightings. Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s conservation officers now believe this could be evidence of an octopus population boom – an event last recorded along England’s South Coast more than 70 years ago.

Divers and snorkellers have reported an increase of common octopus in Cornwall, particularly around the Lizard Peninsula. Despite its name, this large species of octopus is rarely seen in UK waters and has been recorded by the wildlife charity just twice a year on average.

Matt Slater, marine conservation officer at Cornwall Wildlife Trust, © Shannon Moran said: “I got really excited when I started receiving messages from our Seasearch divers – not only because sightings of these striking animals are few and far between, but because they’d seen several of them on one dive.

“They are such amazing, alien creatures – one of the most intelligent animals in our oceans – and to witness a population explosion in our local waters would be incredible.”

Local fishers along Cornwall’s South Coast have also witnessed large numbers of octopus in their lobster pots and cuttlefish traps. One Mevagissey fisherman reported catching 150 octopuses in a day, compared to his usual catch of one or two a year.

The common octopus is known for its large eyes, soft bag-like body and tentacles which can span up to one metre. Like other cephalopods, their populations fluctuate dramatically as scientists attempt to learn more about their

behaviour and abundance. Massive population booms of octopus are uncommon, but not unheard of. The Marine Biological Association has reported on several major octopus ‘plagues’ along the South Coast of England from Land’s End to Sussex; first in 1899 and most recently in the summer of 1948.

Matt continues: “We hope this is a sign that octopus populations are healthy in our Cornish waters, but sadly not all of our marine life is thriving. By taking action for wildlife and recording your marine sightings with us, we can build up a picture over time and confirm if occurrences like this are a one off or if octopus populations are steadily on the rise.”

Cornwall Wildlife Trust is encouraging members of the public to record any octopus sightings with them via its ORKS app or online at www.erccis.org.uk/share-sightings

UNDERWATER MARRIAGE PROPOSAL IN MALTA

What a way to end the final dive of a diving course – with a marriage proposal to your fiancee!

That is just what Joe Page did to Soulla Maoudis as they reached the conclusion of their entry-level RAID OW20 course with Severntec Diving in the warm, clear waters of Malta.

Thankfully, Soulla said ‘yes’ when Joe popped the question – everyone at Scuba Diver wishes all the best for the future to the happy diving couple! www.severntecdiving.com

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EGYPT

SHARK ATTACKS CLOSE HURGHADA DIVE HOTSPOTS

Diving, along with other watersports, was suspended in the vicinity of Sahl Hasheesh, south of Hurghada, for three days at the beginning of July after two fatal shark attacks on snorkellers within the space of a few hours.

A 68-year-old Austrian woman, who has been identified as a local resident, was snorkelling just off the jetty when the first attack occurred. She lost an arm and a leg in the incident, and was sadly pronounced dead soon after arrival at the town’s Nile Hospital.

Initial reports indicated a mako as the shark in question, but it is now thought to have been an oceanic whitetip shark, the species implicated in several attacks in previous years.

In the second incident, a Romanian woman said to be in her late-40s was found some 600 metres from the scene of this first attack. Circumstances surrounding this second death have not been elaborated on. Egypt’s Environment Ministry announced at the time that a committee had been put together to look into these attacks and decide what measures, if any, were needed. Thankfully, attacks like this at inshore areas are extremely rare, but that does not make them any less tragic, and coming as Egypt’s tourism looks to get back on track after the effects of the COVID pandemic, it couldn’t happen at a worse time.

SOLDIER DIED AFTER PART OF TRAINING COURSE ‘SKIPPED’

An inquest heard that a 27-year-old soldier died at NDAC in March 2018 after a part of his five-week army diving training course had been skipped. Lance Corporal George Partridge, together with 11 fellow soldiers, was four weeks into the course when the tragic incident occurred at the flooded quarry near Chepstow. The Gloucester inquest in June heard that on the day in question, all the trainees had been scheduled to perform Dive 19 in their course, which involved going down to 21-23m.

However, the decision was made to skip that exercise and move straight on to Dive 20 – which involved dropping down to 26-27m to a submerged helicopter. The dive supervisor, Staff Sergeant Justin Dolly, was questioned about the reason behind the decision not to go ahead with the planned dive, and he initially said it was felt that the dive could be missed because the previous week, the trainees had done two deeper dives – including one to 30m in the Solent – but he also agreed with the assistant Gloucestershire coroner Roland Wooderson, who suggested that that reason for the change was ‘to do something more interesting and recce the helicopter’.

On the fateful dive, Lance Corporal Partridge – who had been rated by the instructors as the top student in his group – descended at 11am with his buddy Stephen Hart, but just minutes later got into trouble and when he was returned to the surface, his mask was hanging off, and his two cylinders were empty.

NDAC (National Diving and Activity Centre) was popular with recreational and technical divers, as well as being used extensively by the military, but it has now closed, and is being used as a ‘research facility’.

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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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FOR THE LOVE OF SHARKS 2022

Join a host of amazing, shark-loving speakers and the Shark Trust team at For the Love of Sharks, an evening celebrating shark conservation at the Royal Geographical Society in London this November.

The Shark Trust will be launching their new campaign and they need you to get involved at the event, which will take place on 24 November from 6pm.

The event will be a celebration of all things shark. Those lucky enough to get hold of tickets will hear from engaging guest speakers with a passion for sharks.

Lizzie Daly is a Welsh adventurer, explorer and wildlife biologist. She has worked on countless productions, most recently filming for the BBC on ‘The One Show’ and ‘Winterwatch’. She has hosted BBC ‘Blue Planet LIVE Lessons’ and run blue shark expeditions off the Welsh coastline. Lizzie has a real love for adventure and inspiring other women in the wildlife adventure space.

Lizzie said: “Sharks are undeniably fascinating, and every species of shark has their own story to tell. From Greenland sharks in icy waters to Portuguese dogfish that live in complete darkness thousands of miles below the surface.

Their diversity, range, biology and behaviour makes them an incredibly complex and fascinating group. Unfortunately, they are also one of the world’s most threatened groups.

“Organisations like the Shark Trust play a vital role in educating the public and policy makers about the importance of sharks. I want to do everything I can to help drive that critical work and so this is why I’m thrilled to be joining their mission.”

Dr Alex Mustard MBE is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading underwater photographers, and is a columnist in Scuba Diver Magazine. He has been taking photographs underwater since he was nine years old. He has dived with and photographed sharks and rays all around the world and will be sharing his incredible images and

© Frogfish Photography

stories. Other special guests will be joining the event via the power of video: Paul Rose is a new Shark Trust patron. He is at the front line of exploration (quite literally during this event) and one of the world’s most-experienced divers, field science and polar expert.

David Shiffman has just published a new book called ‘Why Sharks Matter› and is engaged in a worldwide tour speaking about the book and his work with sharks.

The Shark Trust team will also take to the stage to celebrate their 25th anniversary, to discuss the future of shark conservation and, of course, to launch their new campaign. The evening will include a brand-new, exclusive, shark art exhibition. The Shark Trust is bringing together artists from a variety of backgrounds who are passionate about wildlife, conservation, and using art as a tool for positive change. Those attending will get the chance to see some of the initial works and to meet some of the artists.

It’s an evening with something for everyone who is interested and fascinated by sharks. Join the Shark Trust, their Patrons, Trustees and staff, along with a host of supporters for this celebration of shark conservation.

CAPERNWRAY UP FOR SALE Fancy owning your very own inland dive site? One of the most-popular venues in the country – Capernwray, at Jackdaw Quarry near Lancaster – is up for sale for a cool £3m.

The sale comprises approximately 24 acres, and includes the lake itself, the extensive car park, the main dive centre building and the secondary toilet block / workshop facility, as well as woodland and open land.

Part of the land on offer benefits from planning consent for the erection of 19 self-catering holiday chalets (14 three-

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bedroom, two-storey, three two-bedroom, two-storey, and two two-bedroom single-storey) on the property, most of which would enjoy uninterrupted views over the surrounding countryside.

If you budget won’t stretch to the full deal, you can opt for just the Capernwray dive centre side of things, including the lake, the two buildings and the car park, for £1.2m, or just the 6.43 acres of land with planning consent for the self-catering holiday chalets, for £1.8m.

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VESCOVO DISCOVERS WORLD’S DEEPEST SHIPWRECK

TIME TO CELEBRATE!

© Caladan Oceanic/Eyos Expeditions and US Navy

Maldives Egypt Spain & Canaries Thailand Oman Mauritius Japan

© Caladan Oceanic/Eyos Expeditions and US Navy

Deep-diving adventurer Victor Vescovo has discovered the world’s deepest shipwreck – the USS Samuel B Roberts – a destroyer escort that was sunk during the fierce Battle Off Samar in the Philippine Sea back in October 1944.

The Texan financier, who owns deep submersible Limiting Factor, found the ‘Sammy B’ lying in 6,895m, with puncture holes from Japanese shells and damage to the bow from where it impacted the seabed, but otherwise reasonably intact.

Vescovo, who was a navy reservist, said that it was ‘an extraordinary honour to locate the lost ship and retell its amazing story’.

He commented: “The Sammy B engaged the Japanese heavy cruisers at point-blank range and fired so rapidly it exhausted its ammunition – it was down to shooting smoke shells and illumination rounds just to try and set fires on the enemy vessels. It was just an extraordinary act of heroism.”

Last year, Vescovo found the destroyer USS Johnston at a depth of 6,460m.

He was also the first person to visit the deepest points in the planet›s five oceans, and recently went into space on New Shepard, the rocket developed

by Jeff Bezos.

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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!

Find all activities around our 50 years Euro-Divers anniversary on:

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PAM OSBORN EXPLORES WAKATOBI’S HOUSE REEF

A book created by Wakatobi guest Pam Osborn documents the rich and diverse marine life of Wakatobi’s House Reef. This visually-stunning work, which was several years in the making, is all the more remarkable because all of the images showcased in the book were created without the use of scuba gear!

Pam devoted more than 1,000 hours of freediving photographs and numerous trips to Wakatobi to curate the material in the new book, which is appropriately titled Wakatobi’s House Reef.

Pam and her husband Wayne Osborn are award-winning photographers who consider Wakatobi to be their favourite diving destination. While Wayne has made more than 400 dives on Wakatobi’s reefs in pursuit of his photographic goals, Pam prefers the freedom of snorkelling as she focuses on the shallow treasures of the House Reef. Her photographic efforts have resulted in numerous awards and are now on display in her latest book.

The book begins with a dedication to the Wakatobi Resort staff, who Pam says were indispensable to the creation of this work.

She writes that ‘they embody the spirit of marine conservation and truly make a difference. I am grateful for the indulgence of the whole team at Wakatobi in supporting my 1,000-plus hours freediving the house reef. I would like to especially thank Hwee Keng [Maeder] for her friendship and everlasting sense of humour. She makes it a true delight to visit Wakatobi’.

“Wakatobi’s commitment to the health of the ecosystem and the well-being of the surrounding community is impressive,” Pam says. “It’s wonderful to see the very

positive impact the resort has for the local economy and marine environment. As a visitor, you feel your money has contributed to the region’s sustainability.”

RARE JUVENILE OARFISH CAPTURED ON CAMERA Wavelength Reef Cruises Master Reef Guide Tahn Miller knew he had come across something extraordinary when he saw a glistening silver ‘sword-like’ fish dancing through the shallows of Opal Reef on the Great Barrier Reef in June.

The individual was a juvenile oarfish (Regalecus russellii) and Mr Miller’s video footage is the first recorded encounter of this species on the Great Barrier Reef and the eastern seaboard of Australia.

Mr Miller and his colleague, Marine Biologist Jorja Gilmore, spotted the 35 to 40 centimetres long, skinny fish with a shimmering mirror-like outer skin while leading a group of snorkellers on a Wavelength Reef Cruises Outer Great Barrier Reef tour. The unique physical characteristics of the species made them realise they had found something very special.

“At first I couldn’t quite place what species of fish it was, but then I saw the shiny mercury-coloured body, two predominant eyes and the ultra-fine dorsal fin running head to tail, undulating like mini waves propelling through the water. I knew we had come across something rarely seen on the Great Barrier Reef,” said Mr Miller.

“Luckily, I had my camera and started to film straight away. At that moment I felt like the ocean had delivered a secret treasure to us. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.”

Oarfish are believed to be the world’s longest bony fish and can grow to an incredible eight metres in length.

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BLUE FIN DIVING OPENS IN SIDCUP At a time when headlines are dominated by rising prices and other negativity, it is refreshing to see someone take the bull by the horns and open up a brandnew dive centre – welcome, Blue Fin Diving.

Jamie Smith is the man behind Blue Fin Diving, which is based in Sidcup.

The centre is both a diving school – running pool sessions every Wednesday in Lewisham for DSDs, Re-activates and Open Water Diver confined sessions, and using Wraysbury, Leybourne and Stoney Cove for open-water lake dives – and a shop, offering customers the opportunity to buy in-store, or via their online marketplace. They sell many major brands, including Shearwater, Fourth Element, Suunto, XDEEP, Ammonite and Beuchat. Jamie explained: “The more I enjoyed teaching, the clearer it became that my ultimate goal would be to have my own dive school. I wanted to offer the full range of courses both for beginners in recreational diving, and for the experienced diver delving into the technical world, so Blue Fin Diving is a PADI and TDI centre.

“My focus is providing the ultimate client experience and outstanding teaching standards. The whole team at Blue Fin Diving are passionate about sharing our love of the underwater world, and are proud to produce confident and skilled students about to enjoy the thrill and adventure of diving.”

Jamie continued: “We also have an active Dive Club who love to meet up for monthly socials and regular dive trips all over the UK and abroad. We encourage our dive club members to dive as much as they like and support continued education and progression of their dive skills. We look after our club members with discounts, free pool sessions, five free air fills and much more.

We love that we have created a dive community in our local area and are connecting divers from all over the South and beyond. www.bluefindiving.co.uk

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RAID RELEASES ACTION CAMERA COURSE

Lights! Camera! Action! Dive training agency RAID has teamed up with awardwinning film-maker Jeff Goodman to create their new Action Camera course.

The new course is suitable for everyone, whether you are completely new to underwater cameras, or an aspiring pro with your own YouTube Channel.

Goodman says the RAID course will ‘give you the help, information and coaching to move your results up to the next level… and more’. The course gives clear and concise guidance on how to get the very best results from your action camera. The rapid advances in technology for diving, as well as underwater camera equipment and lighting, mean that traditional photography courses don’t hit the mark. Goodman’s content is lively, up-to-date, detailed, thorough, and easy to follow. Moreover, his creativity and understanding of the challenges a diver faces to capture the perfect image – still or moving – make this programme unique and relevant for today’s diver using today’s equipment.

“Jeff has managed to condense the experience of more than 10,000 dives and countless hours of underwater film-making and photography in a really tight package for us,” says RAID’s P.J. Prinsloo. Prinsloo, RAID’s VP of Training, adds, “Jeff shows how versatile action cameras can actually be, and that as a product class, they have traveled light years away from the earlier versions with regard to capabilities, function, and quality.”

Goodman, who is based in the UK, runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops aimed at rank beginners up to budding professionals, and says he is very happy with the course.

“I set out wanting to help students to get the very best video and stills from their equipment because it is possible to get wonderful results with just a little extra attention and a few secrets,” he explained.

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To find out more, why not visit us for Aptitude Day? Experience a Surface Supplied Dive, view the Facilities and meet the Training Team Please visit the website for more details 2022 Course Dates available www.commercialdivertraining.co.uk info@commercialdivertraining.co.uk 01726 817128 | 07900 844141

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Ask DAN

DAN medical specialists and researchers answer your dive medicine questions

Headache after diving

Q: I regularly suffer from a headache after diving. I do not suffer from migraine and do not suffer from a headache when I do short dives. What can be wrong?

A: Chronically recurrent headaches after long dives can have numerous causes. Most are: 1. Accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood caused by wrong breathing techniques. These headaches are very severe and last quite a long time.

2. Unfavourable diving position with overextension of the cervical spine. Often hardening of the neck muscles can be found.

3. Biting the mouthpiece of the regulator too hard can lead to overstressing the chewing and postural neck muscles and can therefore also lead to severe headaches, which should, however, resolve swiftly after the dive.

Abdominal pain

Q: I have been diving for 15 years without problems, but on my last couple of trips I experienced pain in my upper left abdomen under my ribs about 15-30 minutes into a dive. It becomes increasingly painful over the rest of the dive. I am healthy, take no prescription medications and exercise regularly. I usually take antacids prior to diving. I do not have this pain any other time. It gets more uncomfortable during ascent but goes away shortly after I get out of the water. It is starting to take the fun out of diving. Any suggestions?

A: Please note that we cannot diagnose you; you really need to be evaluated by a physician. Because your abdominal pain seems to change with pressure, it may be due to the expansion of gas in your gastrointestinal system.

The increased discomfort during ascent in particular suggests trapped gas as a possibility. It could be normal gas resulting from digestion, or it could be from drinking carbonated beverages. Avoiding gassy foods such as beans, broccoli, cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables may help. Many divers stay away from sodas prior to diving to limit the amount of gas in the gastrointestinal system. This may be evidence of a hernia. During ascent an isolated segment of bowel containing excess or expanding gas can expand, which may cause pain or injury. People should not dive with an unrepaired hernia. Other sources of abdominal pain include reflux, an irritated ulcer and other causes, but pain caused by these factors would be expected to occur at other times as well. Another possibility that you should consider is that this may be related to swallowing air while breathing from your regulator. Divers swallow a certain amount of air as a result of breathing compressed gas, and a second stage with very low breathing resistance or that is prone to free flowing can increase air swallowing. You might consider having your regulator serviced and discussing your issues with the service technician. A ‘tightening up’ of the second stage may help you. Remember this is all speculation and that an evaluation by a doctor is crucial.

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

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Porthkerris

Mark Evans loads up the Ford Nugget campervan for a few days on the Cornish Riviera with the clan, and is seduced by the lure of Porthkerris’ Drawna Rocks shore dive Photographs by Mark Evans and Porthkerris Dive Centre

You can grab yourself food on the go and in-between dives! The Porthkerris Galley Beach Café, located right on the beach, serves up fresh pasties, paninis, burgers, even Cornish cream teas, all from a stunning location!

The site consists of an island group of rocks some 100 metres from shore, with depths ranging from a maximum of 8-22m depending on the tide, to low single digits on the shallower portions 22

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D

rawna Rocks, or Dragon Rocks when translated from Cornish, is often cited as one of the best shore-diving sites in the UK, and it is easy to see why. It is very accessible, sheltered in all but east winds, boasts an immense variety of marine life, is extremely easy to navigate, Porthkerris Dive Centre is right on site for air fills, gear rental and purchases and, perhaps most importantly, there is an awesome little beach café within staggering distance for apres-dive coffees, teas and pasties!

The site consists of an island group of rocks some 100 metres from shore, with depths ranging from a maximum of 18-22m depending on the tide, to low single digits on the shallower portions.

The ‘Rocks’ lie a short distance north along the shore from Porthkerris Dive Centre, and space allowing, you can park up literally next to the primary entry point. Here the centre has thoughtfully erected a metal-and-rope handrail to guide you safely over the steepest – and slippiest – part of the rocks leading down to the pebbly beach. You then simply walk into the water, don your fins and mask, and then you can either descend and head east towards Drawna Rocks, or if your navigation skills are a little rusty, you can surface-swim out over the shallows and drop down next to the most-southerly pinnacle protruding from the water.

The ‘classic’ dive than consists of slowly exploring all of the nooks, crannies and gullies – with captivating names such as Cauldron, Chimney Cove, Steep Corner and The Canyon – along the deeper seaward side of the rocks, before eventually making your way around the northern end and coming back along the shore-side of the rocks in shallower water and then making a right turn on to the beach for your exit after venturing into the aptly named Fish Bowl (it is always swarming with chunky, inquisitive wrasse).

I had dived Drawna Rocks on a couple of different occasions in the past, and each time I had been impressed by the sheer amount of marine life that could be found. This visit was no different, and the two dives I did here with son Luke were simply magical.

As well as the usual array of seaweeds in a rainbow mix of colours, and varying greens of encrusting algae, certain areas were adorned with vivid jewel anemones, as well as ghostly dead man’s fingers. We even found a couple of bright pink sea fans, rising delicately from the seabed. Then there were dahlia and snakelocks anemones adding splashes of colour on the sandy bottom or on the rocks/weed.

Spider crab

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Porthkerris is camp ‘n’ dive heaven - spot the Nugget on the right hand side of the photo!

Mark and Luke heading off on a dive

Getting to Porthkerris

Porthkerris is found between Porthallow and Porthoustock on the Lizard Peninsula. Travelling south, you drive through Cornwall along the A30 and head towards Helston. You will the pass the helicopter base Culdrose on both sides of the road and, after passing the base, you will come to an island - turn left here following the road to St Keverne. At the next island turn right again towards St Keverne - you will now travel for five to ten minutes (speed depending) over ‘Goonhilly’ past the telecommunications centre. You then arrive at St Keverne, turn left into the square keeping the White Hart pub on your left, then turn left out of St Keverne past the fire station on your left. Follow the road towards Porthallow and you will pass some gates on your right with stone eagles at their entrance; shortly after this take the next right, (signposted), then next left to Porthkerris dive centre. There is plenty of parking a short distance from the entry point for the shore dive at Drawna Rocks.

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Porthkerris Dive Centre

Porthkerris Dive Centre doesn’t just boast a spectacular shore dive, it also offers boat diving from a small hardboat and a whopping great catamaran, as well as having camping available right on site.

Porthkerris is a family run dive centre located on a private beach offering spectacular views out to sea. It has been owned by Mike and Jo Anselmi since 1991 and is a PADI five-star IDC centre, offering everything from Open Water Diver to Instructor level courses, including several Specialties. The dive shop is relatively small but well stocked with a variety of equipment, and there is a wide range of rental equipment available for hire, including drysuits and semi-drys. The Porthkerris fleet is the Celtic Cat, a 14-metre catamaran, and the 8.5-metre Celtic Kitten Power Cat. They are all fully licensed and coded to MCA standards; the latter has a 20-mile operating radius, the larger Celtic Cat has a 60-mile operating radius. www.porthkerris.com

The Ford Nugget provided a handy kitting up ‘bench’

Common lobster

Dead man’s fingers Prepping lunch in the Nugget

…perhaps most importantly, there is an awesome little beach café within staggering distance for apres-dive coffees, teas and pasties!

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Luke finds a snakelocks anemone

What a view to wake up to on a morning!

Sunset walk to the pub in Porthallow

On both dives, we even found several large crawfish, or European spiny lobster, wandering about in the open without a care in the world Fish life was suitably spectacular – shoals of bass and pollack cruised above the fields of kelp, while weird-looking red gurnards foraged in the sand. You couldn’t help but be mobbed by various species of wrasse, which are immensely curious and will inquisitively follow divers as they explore the reef. Common lobster and spider crabs can be found sheltered in the rocks, or bimbling about the seabed, along with common and velvet swimming crabs, and various types of shrimp. On both dives, we even found several large crawfish, or European spiny lobster, wandering about in the open without a care in the world. We also spotted a distinctive John dory, came across some gigantic sea stars, and disturbed a well-camouflaged cuttlefish.

Drawna Rocks is one of those dives that is great for any level of diver, and we spent nearly 60 minutes underwater on both our dives. Newly certified divers will find it the perfect location to take those first tentative steps as a buddy diving team without an instructor in tow, while more-experienced divers will find much to keep them occupied. It makes a perfect afternoon dive for when you return from one of Porthkerris Dive Centre’s boat dive trips.

Photographers in particular will love this dive, as there is plenty for the macro enthusiast, but equally, enough wideangle opportunities and friendly marine life. n

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A room with a view

We have done various camp ‘n’ dive trips over the year, utilising everything from tiny two-man tents to luxury tents and campervans, and for this jaunt down to Cornwall, we were making use of a Ford Transit Custom Nugget campervan.

The Nugget makes for a comfortable long-distance cruiser, and it had more than enough room inside for two adults and a 15 year old. The kitchen is usefully contained in the back, leaving the middle for the seats and dining table, a layout we found very user-friendly and actually quite spacious.

From a mobile diving base point of view, one feature we particularly liked was the little shower that plugs in at the rear – it is only cold water, but great for rinsing off camera housings, etc. There is also a spacious fridge for apres-dive adult beverages, and plenty of prep space for evening meals.

At Porthkerris, we were right on the headland looking out over the beach – a truly stunning location to wake up on a morning, open the sliding side door, and sit under the awning with a cup of coffee. www.ford.co.uk

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THE RECYCLED DIVE FIN

R E C

F I N

N O C O M P R O M I S E O N Q U A L I T Y, DURABILIT Y & PERFORMANCE F I N D O U T M O R E AT F O U R T H E L E M E N T. C O M

ANDY CLARK

We chat to Andy Clark, the distinctive face and voice behind the popular Andy The Northern Diver YouTube Channel, about exploring our watery planet, getting into stunt work, the challenges of underwater photography and filming, and the attractions of freediving.

Photographs courtesy of Andy Clark

Q: As we always do with these Q&A sessions, how did you first get started in the world of scuba diving?

A: My first trydive was in Tenerife back in 2002, but life got in the way until I had a chance meeting over a brew with a now-close-friend Steve Kirkman in February 2016.

He was planning a military diving expedition deploying to Fuerteventura. He explained that if I was to get the BSAC Ocean Diver certification before we deploy in the October, I’d not only be put through the Sport Diver training, but I’d be used as a safety diver. Like everything I do, 100 miles an hour at 100 percent, scuba diving was the sport I’d been waiting for all my life, and I quickly became his right-hand man.

Q: I understand that you popped the question to your nowwife Ali on a reef off the Canary Islands – what made you opt for this unusual proposal?

A: After a previous marriage and other relationships, I’d resigned myself to never meeting ‘the one’. When Ali came along all that changed. She was adventurous, supportive, interesting and most importantly she broke my walls down and helped me mature into someone I really wanted to be.

So, two years into our relationship, I knew it was time to speak to her dad. Once his permission was given, I called Steve, who suggested we fly out to the Canaries and I pop the question on a reef.

We planned a weekend away where Ali would learn twinset. Back in Fuerteventura, the fourth dive was when I was going to pop the question and she’d had enough and didn’t want to get back in - I think she wanted to sunbathe while the boys went to play. With a little bit of coercion, she donned her twins and got on the RIB. We’d planned that Steve and I would head off to an area of the reef that had a swim-through / chimney, Ali and Martyn would follow.

With me on top of the reef she followed and was met with a dive slate and plastic ring from a Christmas cracker. More shocked than I can explain, she said ‘yes’.

‘Give me that camera...’

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Andy returning from a tech dive

Q: You are a qualified CCR and Sidemount diver. What are the challenges of these forms of diving over recreational scuba, and what led you down the technical path?

A: Since I first set eyes on the JJCCR at the Go Diving Show 2020 (Thanks to Alan from Techwise), I knew I’d end up with one. Kieran Hatton was my UK instructor of choice, through both recommendation and how well we got on. For now, I’m qualified to 40m on Air Diluent, commonly known as MOD1.

For Sidemount (SM), Garry Dallas was also the only choice for me. Not only because I knew him personally (I’d done his garden), but I’d seen some footage of him and needed

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that kind of stability in the water. Hearing him on the Speaking Sidemount podcast with Steve Davis about how SM wasn’t a speciality but a lifestyle ticked the right boxes for me. For open circuit diving, I think there is nothing better. Both can seem to be more faff than the recreational scuba configuration. But both also have many more advantages over it. I still love to just put a single 15-litre cylinder on my back and hang out in 5m of water at Porth Ysgaden or Cable Bay with my camera. But if I’m going to penetrate wrecks or checking out some murky depths, the SM or CCR are tools I have and can use to my advantage.

Both need to be embraced fully, only doing so for a long period of time will you really get to understand, respect and be at one with it.

Q: You are a BSAC instructor – what do you enjoy most about teaching people to dive?

A: I did all of my BSAC instructor training at the Joint Services Sub Aqua Diving Centre in their combined instructor event. This would allow me to teach anywhere in the world through the military – meaning I’d be taken away and paid to do so. What I enjoy the most is the trydives in

For Sidemount (SM), Garry Dallas was also the only choice for me Spider crab

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Andy on his rebreather

the pool. Getting someone that was initially nervous to get in the water and take off their mask or swap a regulator over while hovering mid-water, and see the excitement in their face at the end of the session is amazing. More so the week after if they return to the club and carry on their journey.

Q: I saw that you recently completed a freediving course with the other Andy (Torbet). What were your reasons for venturing into the world of breath-hold, and what was it like to be exploring the depths off Cornwall with no tank on your back?

A: Before I found scuba, I’d always owned a snorkel, so a duck dive for a few seconds was second nature. As part of my swimming training I have to complete two 25-metre underwater swims, which I’m struggling with. Ali had mentioned a while ago that she would love to freedive to allow her to experience the water without the bulk of all the dive kit. So, when Andy (who has been a great support to me over the last few years) announced he was putting on the course with Georgina Miller of Aquacity Freediving, it was a no brainer.

The weather, much like the underwater visibility at Porthkerris, couldn’t have been much better. My surface static breath hold was around one minute at home but with some help I got close to three. The depth we needed to qualify was 10m and I pushed to 17m. Our urge to breathe as I’m sure we all know is brought on by the increase of CO2, but we still have masses of useable O2. The course teaches us to understand this discomfort and how to safely use this extra O2 to stay under longer. Oh, and the silence is golden – much like CCR.

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Q: Your podcast ‘Are You a Scuba Diver – Fancy a Brew?’ podcast was what first brought you to the fore for many people, and your YouTube Channel soon followed. What is it that drives you to create content for your various channels?

A: For me, the podcast was never on the cards. I listen to podcasts more than the radio and struggled to find any scuba-related (other than Speaking Sidemount obviously) that were interesting with great sound quality. What I hoped to create was a platform that inspired me, with guests that had done stuff I barely knew about that might set me on a different path. I wanted it to sound genuine, so we would sit and have a brew without the formality of an interview.

I’d done my research on them and had an idea where the conversation would go.

Podcasting is hard work, long hours in post-production, it costs money to host, there’s obviously the research and planning to consider. While the financial rewards were small, thanks to several Patreons, the networking was immense.

I learned so much and investigated new avenues. Now at the end of my third season with around 80 episodes, I’m so proud of what it’s achieved without any commercial backing.

My YouTube channel was totally different. I had the opportunity to test some kit for Northern Diver back in 2019/20 before it was released and my wife suggested that I might want to start an Instagram account – I came up with the name Andy the Northern Diver, then the testing led on to me talking to a few people and the YouTube channel was spawned. My initial few videos were dreadful and since deleted. Over the first six moths I’d only had maybe 100 subscribers and most of them were friends and family. Then we were hit with the COVID19 lockdown, I had masses of free time. I studied and improved my understanding of how to be a YouTuber and quickly grew to 1,000 subscribers.

Andy in film mode

Andy has recently expanded into stunt work and other water activities

I’d say the driving force behind what I do comes from my need to meet and interact with likeminded people Understanding how people find your content is as important as what they find when they get there. You have to stand out from the crowd and be yourself. While some of my videos are similar to other YouTubers, what I have aimed to do is share little tips and tricks that I’ve been lucky enough to have been shown.

Then to showcase some of the phenomenal dive sites around the UK we’ve been to. I’ve consistently added 1,000 a year since then and had so many kind messages from all over the world, no mean feat on your own.

I’d say the driving force behind what I do comes from my need to meet and interact with like-minded people and then to help others in the same ways I’ve been helped.

Q: You have dabbled in the world of commercial diving.

This is a seriously different prospect to recreational or technical diving. What were the main challenges for you?

A: After several episodes of my podcast I was convinced that I could make it as an underwater camera operator. So, the HSE Professional Scuba course was booked with Neil Brock of Bristol Channel Diving Services.

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Andy on expedition around the UK

Busy editing for his YouTube Channel

On completion I improved my CV and sent it to everyone and anyone I knew or could find that might employ me.

Luckily, I’d written articles, ran expeditions and done quite a bit with my life that helped me get a foot in the door. My first job was in a really cold swimming pool in Kent chipping off broken tiles, followed by being a safety diver for Rich Stevenson in Manchester. This led on to me sailing around the Islands of Scotland with Bob Anderson on the Clasina and later with Rowan Holt on the Pelican of London. From there I was a dive supervisor for Miranda Krestovnikoff before landing a job as a safety diver on Emmerdale for ITV. The biggest challenge is to get your foot in the door and manage your expectations. Being proactive, helpful, volunteering and bolstering your knowledge of the industry you want to get into will all grease the wheels.

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Q: As I have seen on your Facebook page, you have been busy learning a host of new skills in pursuit of working as a stuntman. What on Earth possessed you to go down that road?

A: The Emmerdale job meant we were in the water at Capernwray waiting for any of the stunt team to have an accident and we were there to save them. The week after we moved to High Force Falls, where I had to take one of the stunt team down under the waterfall and release her to float up to the surface on cue. In this kind of work, it pays to get to know your colleagues, build up a rapport and develop an understanding of what they might need from you. In doing so it quickly became obvious that I wanted to be in their line of work. What’s involved in training for the British Stunt Register (BSR) is what I’ve been doing all my life, what they do for a job, I’d do for free!

Q: What does the future hold for Andy Clark?

A: Currently I’m building up towards completing my Rock Climbing Instructor assessment. Then heading off to the Red Sea with some military friends in September, so I need to get my JJCCR serviced and refresh my skills on it before then.

With all the training for the BSR I’ve been doing I’ve only managed to do one dive this year, in Silfra Rift in Iceland, for my birthday. The freediving course we’ve just done has now added to the urgency in which I need to get back in the water. n

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A

huge array of vessels can be found in the waters that surround Australia, but this article focuses on one particular group - the decommissioned ex-HMAS warships. Each mainland state has at least one of these intentionally sunk navy vessels, with WA and Queensland boosting two each.

The first to be prepared and sunk for life as an artificial reef was the HMAS Swann in WA back in 1997. The most-recent addition is the HMAS Tobruk, which was scuttled off the coast of Bundaberg, Queensland, in 2018. There are a variety of ship types, including Guided Missile Destroyers, Destroyer Escorts, Frigates and a Heavy Landing Ship.

The one thing they all have in common is that they have been well prepared and carefully considered artificial reefs. They have soon become outstanding dive sites, with significant amounts of marine life now calling these impressive wrecks home.

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Australia is not usually a dive destination that is associated with wreck diving. More famous for the Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo Reef, great white sharks and seadragons, it might come as a surprise to some that this vast country’s 34,000km of coastline is also home to a staggering amount of rusting metal Photographs by HMAS Tobruk - Tracy Olive, Commonwealth of Australia HMAS Brisbane - Kerrie Burow, Adrian Stacey HMAS Adelaide - Nicolas & Lena Remy HMAS Canberra - Keren Green, Corry Allan @ Dive Gear Australia HMAS Hobart - Chelsea Haebich HMAS Perth - Andrew Halsall Photography, Clay Varley Photography, Ben Bunney HMAS Swan - Amanda Blanksby

HMAS Tobruk was one of two Battle-class destroyers built for the RAN. Her sister ship was HMAS Anzac (II). During her ten years in commission, Tobruk made a significant contribution to maritime security in Australian waters and as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve.

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The Tobruk lies on its side

The Tobruk before her sinking

The wreck is encrusted with marine growth

HMAS Tobruk DEBORAH DICKSON-SMITH

The HMAS Tobruk is one of Australia’s largest wrecks, 127 metres of nooks, crannies and naval history scuttled off the coast of Bundaberg and Hervey Bay in 2018. During her distinguished 34-year long career, HMAS Tobruk provided heavy-lift capabilities to transport equipment and personnel to and from Australian and foreign shores.

With two helicopter decks, a tank deck, a vehicle deck and a roll on/roll off function, she was an imperative part of the Royal Australian Navy fleet, able to transport up to 18 tanks and provide accommodation for up to 520 troops.

The ship filled her passport with countless international ports, providing humanitarian aid to Pacific nations including Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu, following the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Isaac in 1982, and Vanuatu again in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Pam in 2015. She also participated in Samoa and Tonga in response to a devastating tsunami in 2008.

The ship was used between 1994 and 2000 for peacekeeping missions to Bougainville, and in 1999 transporting cargo and troops to East Timor, and in June 2000, provided support during the evacuation of Australians from the Solomon Islands after the overthrow of the central Government. A cease-fire agreement was made on board HMAS Tobruk between the warring factions.

She was decommissioned on 31 July 2015 and towed

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from Sydney to the port of Bundaberg in December 2016 for preparations for scuttling in Wide Bay in June 2018.

The HMAS Tobruk is seriously huge, meaning it occupies a colossal position on the ocean floor. Divers can swim over 100 metres in one direction inside the ship – no tumble turns required. All areas of the ship, including the troop areas, crew quarters, the tank deck and other sections can be explored.

If penetrating the ship makes you feel claustrophobic, there’s more than enough to see outside the wreck. A huge variety of marine life – including octopi, sharks, marble rays and accompanying king fish, manta rays, grouper, and large schools of Spanish mackerel, jacks, batfish and snapper – call Tobruk home. The occasional hammerhead has also been known to make a visit and the soft coral growth is stunning.

As the Fraser Coast and Bundaberg are popular breeding grounds for turtles, expect to see plenty while exploring the wreck and between May and November, including both hawksbill and loggerhead. Also listen out for migrating humpback whales. Both Bundaberg and Hervey Bay are an easy three- to four-hour drive north of Brisbane. Both towns also have airports if you are coming from interstate.

You can book a dive on HMAS Tobruk through one of the four experienced dive operators who hold permits to access the site who each offer a standard package of two dives over a total trip time of five to six hours.

Hervey Bay Dive Centre and Tobruk Dive Centre Hervey Bay operate out of Hervey Bay, and Bundaberg Aqua Scuba run from Bundaberg.

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HMAS Brisbane ADRIAN STACEY

The HMAS Brisbane was a Perth-class guided-missile destroyer 133 metres long with a displacement of 3,370 tons. Designed in the USA and built in Bay City, Michigan, in 1965, the Brisbane was launched in 1966 and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in 1967.

The ship was deployed twice to the Vietnam War and once to the Gulf War. The vessel was also involved in the post-Cyclone Tracy disaster relief operation. It was decommissioned in 2001, and the bridge and one of the gun turrets were removed and sent to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Then, in 2005 the Brisbane was sunk 3km off the Sunshine Coast. The ship was filled with 250 tons of concrete and scuttled using 38 charges.

The former warship now sits upright in 27m of water, with the smokestacks a mere 3m beneath the surface.

The wreck has been well prepared for life underwater, with large holes cut strategically along the hull to give easy access. These holes have the benefit of allowing in more light which is excellent for photographers.

In its 17 years underwater, the ex-HMAS Brisbane has become a remarkable artificial reef attracting a staggering marine life. An array of critters can be found on the wreck, including nudibranchs, pipefish, octopi, small crab and shrimps, to name but a few.

Numerous rays and even the occasional grey nurse shark visit this rusting hulk. There is an impressive amount of soft and hard coral growth on both the wreck’s exterior and interior.

Two dive centres have permits to visit this spectacular wreck, Scuba World and Sunreef. Both run daily trips and have permanent moorings on the vessel.

Heading down inside the Brisbane

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Impressive soft coral growth The Adelaide superstructure

HMAS Adelaide NICOLAS REMY

The HMAS Adelaide is a frigate from the Australian Navy, 138.1 metres long and 14.3 metres wide, with a displacement of 4,100 tons, and a range of 8,334km. This warship was commissioned on 15 November 1980, decommissioned on 19 January 2008, and scuttled on 13 April 2011.

It served the Australian Navy for a 27-year-long career, which saw it deployed three times in the Middle East (1990, 2001-2002, and 2004-2005), and notably took it to Fiji during the Coups d’Etats (1987) and to Indonesia when riots escalated (1998), in case Australian citizens would require evacuation. After being donated to the NSW government for the purpose of creating a diving wreck, the warship was prepared for scuttling, with large holes cut in multiple spots.

While it was originally sunk to a depth of 30m, the Adelaide has kept sinking through the ocean floor over time and reaches now 38m at its deepest. However, the wreck features many areas of interest at shallower depths.

For example, the bridge can be visited at 22m, where the control panels are very recognizable. The conning towers are also an interesting feature as they attract the most fish life, depending on the time of year, schools of kingfish, yellow-tailed yakka, bullseyes, bream, morwong and old wives can be seen around.

The internals of the wreck are always an interesting place to explore for the more-advanced divers with all the elevator shafts, corridors, the galley and bridge and other places.

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HMAS Canberra DAVE BAXTER

The ex-HMAS Canberra FFG-02 was scuttled at 2 pm on Sunday, 4 October 2009. It is magnificent as a wreck. It was the first artificial reef specially designed for scuba diving in Victoria, providing opportunities for divers from open water to advanced technical levels to enjoy this site.

The wreck is located offshore from Ocean Grove, within Bass Strait in Victoria. It is approximately 25 minutes by boat from Queenscliff Harbour (on the Bellarine Peninsula) or Portsea (on the Mornington Peninsula).

She is 138 metres long, 14.3 metres beam, and 4,100 ton displacement. She sits upright on the ocean floor with the radar tower reaching up to 10m from the surface. The sandy bottom is at 30m. The site offers divers the opportunity to explore a large portion of the HMAS Canberra, including flight decks, bridge, engine rooms, galley and accommodation quarters. There is a large array of fish life residing around the wreck. This includes perch, old wives, stingrays, morwongs and the ever-popular nudibranchs. Sealions and rays have been known to frequent the wreck in the cooler months.

Visibility ranges from 10-30 metres most days.

Launched on 1 December 1978, the HMAS Canberra FFG-02 was built by Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation in Seattle, Washington, USA. The second of six similar FFG-7 Class Guided Missile Frigates, she was commissioned on 21 March 1981.

The wreck is heavily encrusted

Inside the bridge area

Baitfish shoal above the wreck

HMAS Hobart CHELSEA HAEBICH

Diver checking out the growth

Sitting off the coast of the Fluerieu Peninsula, in South Australia, is the wreck of the HMAS Hobart, a Perth-class Guided Missile Destroyer. Prepared and sunk in 2002 for the purpose of scuba diving, this wreck is coming up to its 20th anniversary and is a favourite wreck dive of the Adelaide diving community.

At 134 metres long, this 4,500-ton ship lies in 30m of temperate water and reaches up from the seafloor to just 8m below the surface – a colossal dive site that really needs to be taken in over a few dives at least. Now encrusted in abundant marine life, ‘the Hobart’ now has a second life as an artificial reef and is the crown jewel of the Rapid Head Sanctuary Zone located within the Encounter Marine Park.

Over the years it has become covered in a vast array of sessile marine life due to the strong tidal waters. Anemones, sponges, algae and kelp provide so much life and colour to this wreck. Over 50 species of fish have been recorded.

Diving this site requires a little bit of planning. Permits – which are available online - are required and it is a boat dive. It’s best dived on a ‘dodge tide’ as the currents are a hazard on this site. Dive operators such as Underwater Sports Diving Centre are very experienced with what is required to dive this site comfortably and safely. They schedule the dives to make the most of the slack part of the dodge tide and run to a tight schedule – it’s best to check schedules to see when they are planning their next trips.

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HMAS Perth GARRY WELLSTEAD

The HMAS Perth is a Guided Missile Destroyer, which was built by the Defoe Shipbuilding Co. in the USA, and launched on 26 September 1963. It is 133.2 metres long, 14.3 metres wide, and weighs in at 4,720 tonnes. It was equipped with two five-inch rapid-fire guns, standard anti-air Sponge and coral missile system, two Vulcan Phlanx close-in growth on the wreck weapon systems, four 50 calibre machine guns, and two sets of triple mounted antiThe top of the HMAS Swan submarine torpedo tubes. superstructure Together with her sister ships Brisbane and Hobart, HMAS Perth was regarded as among the best-balanced fleet units in service at the time. Her main task was air defence of the fleet along with significant anti-submarine and surface gunnery capabilities.

After 34 years of active service, and steaming over 1,000,000 nautical miles, HMAS Perth was decommissioned on 15 October 1999. She was subsequently scuttled as a dive wreck off Albany on the south coast of Western Australia on 24 November 2001.

Resting vertically in 35m of water on the southern side of King George Sound (which has an extremely rich maritime history) and 500 metres south west of Seal Island with her bow pointed to the east out to sea, the ship is marked by a navigational Special Mark and mooring buoys to the south side of the wreck.

With the radar mount platform at 5m making an ideal descent check point and ascent safety stop point, depths range from 32m on the stern through to 23m on the bow.

Throughout the ship there are many large diver access holes that were cut during preparation for the ship’s scuttling. These give divers clear easy entry and exit to the various decks, mess, galley, head, etc.

HMAS Perth experienced extensive naval service during her long commission, including three tours of duty to South Vietnam

HMAS Swan AMANDA BLANKSBY

HMAS Swan was named after the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia. There had been two other navy ships to carry the name Swan before her. She is 113 metres long, 12.5 metres wide, around 21 metres high, with a displacement of 2,100 tons. She was a River-class destroyer escort, built at the Williamstown Dockyard in Melbourne and came into service as part of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) fleet in 1970. She had an illustrious career, with numerous deployments to South East Asia, based initially at Garden Island in Sydney. From the mid-80s onwards she was based out of HMAS Stirling at Garden Island, Western Australia.

She was paid off in 1996, having travelled 775,870 nautical miles during 56,982 hours spent at sea. The Australian government gifted the ship to the Western Australian government, and she became the first deliberately prepared dive wreck in the Southern Hemisphere. She was scuttled in December 1997 in 30m of water and commenced the creation of an artificial reef and dive site.

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You realise how important these artificial reefs are, when surrounding the wreck is just sand and how they create a safe haven for marine life. On a clear visibility day the vessel’s bow is a towering structure to look at and swim round. There is surprisingly not that much growth on the sides of the vessel, but more so on the deck structure, including telesto and other soft corals, bryozoans and sponges. It is reported that the humpback whales will visit the wreck on their migration south and have a good scratch on its side though!

There are a number of diver access holes providing opportunities to explore the engine and boiler rooms, canteen and naval stores, officer’s accommodation, toilets and showers, to name a few. Fish congregate inside the wreck including bulleyes, western talma, blue devils and sweeps. Grey nurse sharks have also been spotted down at the depths of the stern, along with dewfish.

You can not access the site from the shore, but via a commercial or private boat. There are two commercial moorings and two public moorings, attached to the wreck.

Swan Dive are the team to dive the wreck with. n

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Mustard’s MASTERCLASS In this installment, Alex Mustard explains how to get stunning fish portraits that will instantly connect with your audience Photographs courtesy of Alex Mustard / www.amustard.com

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appily, I am coming to you from Sharm El Sheikh. It is great to be back! I’ve run underwater photography trips to the Red Sea in June/July for most of the last 20 years, but after two summers away, it has been a long wait for this trip.

On the plus side, absence makes the heart grow fonder and I’ve been revelling in the magnificent reefs, captivating shipwrecks and awesome schools of fish that gather in the Ras Mohammed National Park. But if there is one thing that sends my heart soaring here it is the anthias. They may be small, but these joyous technicolour marvels shout ‘Red Sea’ to me. Right now, if I had to pick my favourite fish it would be small, orange and frequently spotted massed about coral heads. Truth be told, I can never settle on a preferred fish for long, there are just too many to love. But that isn’t a problem most of the population struggle with – the average-Joe-or-Jane-in-thestreet has never considered having a favourite fish.

Which presents a challenge to us as shooters because fish are a major subject and we want to produce images that people are interested in. The solution starts with honesty. Much as we love them, we have to accept that scaly, slimy fish just don’t have the natural charisma of species like polar bears, pandas, or penguins. Nor are they A-listers like sharks, dolphins or turtles. We have work harder to create images that will really appeal. The solution is to to take the viewer beyond the scales and allow them to see an individual, a creature with character and personality.​ Unfortunately, fish aren’t always the most co-operative subjects, they are always on the move, darting in and out of focus, waiting for the exact moment we press the shutter to turn away and leave us snapping at their tails. Here in the Red Sea, fish really are everywhere, but stand-out photos are rare. On the plus side, if we can produce them, great fish portraits will really mark our work out.​Photographing moving fish puts a lot of emphasis on autofocus performance, especially those like anthias that seem to

dance constantly and erratically. Add to this the lower light levels and the low contrast of the underwater world and you have one of the toughest autofocus challenges in any branch of photography. If you are a compact shooter, this is probably the discipline that your gear has the biggest performance gap to others. Fortunately, if you target slow or nonmoving species then this difference in eliminated. The latest mirrorless cameras have excellent autofocus, and the top models now have eye-tracking focus, which could prove revolutionary underwater. I have not had a chance to try it myself, yet. On SLRs the best mode is the tracking focus used by sports photographers, although the movements of fish are a little less predictable! ​Lighting choices are reasonably simple. Most underwater photographers favour two strobes in classic 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions for fish portraits. Unlike human portraits, where a photographer might look to use uneven lighting to create shadows and emphasize the features of their sitter, most fish are streamlined and lack the lumps and bumps to be brought out by this technique. Even lighting is usually best to reveal their colours and details. But in muck-diving destinations there are a plethora of gargoylian species, like frogfish and stonefish that should be celebrated ‘warts and all’ with uneven lighting. It is less fashionable these days, but in the past many photographers preferred the look of single strobe for fish portraits, arguing that the small drop shadow created both helped the fish stand out from the background and created a more three-dimensional look. These days shallow depth of field is the trendier way to separation, where the limited focus makes the subject pop out from its surroundings. F ​ inding the right fish or situation is also key. Shooting anthias in the Red Sea, I target them on shallow easy dives, rather than in a howling current on an oceanic wall. I really like the local sites around Sharm for this, such as Temple, as the fish here see training divers everyday, so when we are quiet and still we easily win them over. A mild

Add to this the lower light levels and the low contrast of the underwater world and you have one of the toughest autofocus challenges in any branch of photography

The right pose or gesture can transform a picture

Shallow depth of field helps a subject stand out

The right pose will suggest emotions

Special shots come most readily when we meet a scaly supermodel, which is a particularly friendly fish that just wants to pose current is ideal as this will line up the fish and if we position ourselves slightly up current then the fish will swim towards our lens. Special shots come most readily when we meet a scaly supermodel, which is a particularly friendly fish that just wants to pose. Examples from my last week’s diving include a territorial lionfish that kept charging my camera, a farming sohal surgeonfish on the wreck that wanted to keep me off its veg, and an amorous yellow boxfish that was swimming right up to divers’ masks, fuelled by hormones and the desire to find a female. Whatever the cause, a fish that will repeatedly pose is an opportunity never to pass up. Fortunately, and especially so here in the Red Sea, many fish are incredibly beautiful and need only be shot in a simple id-style to create a visual feast. The veteran fishsnapper Roger Steene, whose photos fill many of the staple identification books, was the master of this approach. Although some are condescending to this ID style, Steene’s best images demonstrate how aesthetic the simple celebration of nature’s beauty can be. However, when we want our images to reach

beyond the converted, then our focus must shift to character. The golden rule here is strong eye contact, which peaks when we bend our back and get right down to the eye level of the subject. You’ll know instantly when you get strong eye contact, and if you have to ask whether a photo has eye contact - then it doesn’t! Some fish species have forward facing eyes and we should try and photograph the species from head on. This naturally arranges the fish’s features with their eyes, above a nose, above a mouth, forming a recognizable face.

Once the viewer can see a face they won’t see a fish! Instead, they will see an individual they can relate to and will project character, emotion, or personality onto the subject. Even when it isn’t there! You may already have a fish photo where people say the subject looks grumpy, surprised, or curious. This is exactly what you want; it means your subject has transcended being a scaly, slimy fish and has become a character. Memorable fish portraits are not about really about photographing fish, but photographing faces. n

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Living the

DREAM

Many people dream of running a dive centre, and that’s just what Ben Breakspear and Susie Williams did at Scuba Leeds, but now they have gone one step further and are taking the reins at New Dimension Scuba in Malta.

Mark Evans spoke to them about their endeavours Photographs courtesy of New Dimension Scuba

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The warm waters of Malta are now their playground

T

Susie and Ben on a British dive

he thought of quitting the day job and running a dive centre is a daydream of many ardent recreational divers, but alas, few ever go on to achieve this lofty goal. Dive instructors Ben Breakspear and Susie Williams bucked the trend, however, and not only managed a successful dive centre in the UK in the form of Scuba Leeds for several years, but have now headed for the much-warmer-waters of Malta to lead the team at New Dimension Scuba.

New Dimension Scuba (www.nds-malta.com) is located in St Paul’s Bay on Malta, a prime location that is not too far from some of the premier dive spots on the island.

For qualified divers, NDS can offer a range of dive packages, courses from beginner to technical levels, as well as professional courses, diving for children, freediving courses and a vast range of specialties.

New Dimension Scuba also has a well-stocked shop for all those diving essentials, or if you just fancy treating yourself to some new gear while you are on holiday!

Editorial Director Mark Evans chatted to the couple to find out a bit more about how they got started in diving, what it was like working in the UK diving industry, and then what drew them to the island of Malta.

Representing Scuba Leeds

Training session at Capernwray

However, we were lucky enough to snorkel with whalesharks between open water training dives three and four, and there’s just no going back from that!

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The calmness and clarity of Malta’s waters makes for excellent visibility, creating the ultimate conditions for first-time divers and beginners. For more experienced divers, there are plenty of challenging dives to try, ranging from reefs to shipwrecks and even airplanes.

With weekly pool sessions, we could ensure our students were 100% comfortable in confined water before heading to the open water sites Q: When did you first discover scuba diving, and were you hooked on the sport immediately?

A: (Ben) I was travelling around Central America and when I was in Utila, I decided to give diving a try. It was something in which I’d been vaguely interested in the past, but never really given it too much thought. However, we were lucky enough to snorkel with whalesharks between open water training dives three and four, and there’s just no going back from that! I signed up for my advanced course straight away, and ended up not taking my return flight, working my way up to Divemaster, and working out there as a dive guide for the rest of the season.

A: (Susie) I completed my first ever scuba dive in Crete back in 2001 and I hated it. The briefing was just that - brief.

With very little instruction given on equalising, it was no surprise my ears hurt the whole dive while they guided us around a harbour with poor visibility. I remember after the dive I was in a lot of pain, and thought “well, thats one thing ticked off the bucket list, but I’m glad I’ll never have to do that again”. It wasn’t until I gave it another go almost ten years later that I got hooked. It really shows that the correct understanding of how to stay safe and comfortable underwater makes the difference between continuing to dive or just trying it out once. Luckily, I’m stubborn and didn’t let that first experience put me off!

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Q: When and where did you get qualified as a dive instructor, and what is it that you love the most about teaching people to dive?

A: (Ben) After working in Honduras I came back to the UK and took my instructor course in Leeds in 2010. For me, the most-rewarding part of teaching is working patiently with a struggling student and seeing them gradually start coming into their own.

A: (Susie) I completed all my professional training at Scuba Leeds. I passed my instructor exam in December 2019 in a cold quarry in the UK, it was a proud day for me.

The next day I handed my notice in at my old office job keen to make this my full-time passion. I love teaching all levels of divers and all ages, and pass on the knowledge I’ve gained over the years.

Q: You ran Scuba Leeds for several years. What was it like running a dive centre in a land-locked part of Yorkshire, and what did you learn from your time at the centre?

A: (Ben) Running a dive centre landlocked away from the water comes with its challenges - we couldn’t just jump in the water. However, it does come with advantages. With weekly pool sessions, we could ensure our students were 100% comfortable in confined water before heading to the open water sites. It’s also great being able to provide an

49

opportunity for previously holiday-only divers to take up a sociable, regular hobby.

A: (Susie) I leant a lot! I’ve always wanted to run a dive centre and Scuba Leeds was a great centre to learn the basics of operations, such as organising a dive team, planning students’ course dates and the logistics of a dive day. I could also get my teeth into what goes on behind the scenes that customers rarely see, such as cylinder testing, maintenance, paperwork (lots of paperwork) and the accounts. I’m truly thankful for the opportunities Scuba Leeds gave me to allow me to spread my wings somewhere warm and sunny.

Q: You are now out in the much-sunnier and warmer climate of Malta, heading up the team at New Dimension Scuba. What are the main differences between running a centre here in the UK and out in the Mediterranean?

A: (Ben) The most obvious one... lack of drysuit! But in other ways... In the UK, you’re geared more towards the regular hobbyists and as such there is much more emphasis on equipment sales and servicing, weekend trips, and the social side of diving. The courses and trips are tightly structured to slot around busy people’s work schedules.

Here in the Mediterranean, divers are often only here for a week or two. We have a beautiful house reef right on our doorstep, and many more fantastic dive sites less than 20 minutes drive away. All this leads to a much more flexible approach. The plans can change at a moment’s notice, which is actually great when you have such a wealth of diving options around the island.

Ben and Susie outside New Dimension Scuba in Malta

Ben and Susie were at Scuba Leeds through COVID

We already feel a strong connection to the dive centre and our lives here in Malta A: (Susie) The basics are the same, we are teaching to the same standard as in the UK, the same courses, but we have instant access to the water. Its an amazing feeling that someone can walk into our dive centre and within the hour they can be diving on our house reef.

Q: What are your main ambitions for New Dimension Scuba, and what will you be offering customers?

A: (Ben) At Scuba Leeds we prided ourselves on delivering a very friendly and personalised service, with small group sizes to make every customer feel special. We are keen to continue that at New Dimension Scuba. We already feel a strong connection to the dive centre and our lives here in Malta, and we’re passionate about keeping that going.

A: (Susie) My main ambitions for New Dimension Scuba is to be a dive centre that helps protect what we love – the ocean. I’m a strong believer that a problem out of sight doesn’t feel like a problem and I think that is true of marine debris. If everyone could see the amount of trash in our waters I believe they would be doing more to stop litter. I feel very proud of divers who pick up trash as they dive - even just a plastic bottle on every dive will make a difference.

Q: On a more-personal front, what do you hope to achieve during your tenure in Malta? I know that Ben is an entrylevel Tech Instructor and keen to expand his technical diving experience.

A: (Ben) Yes - after completing my Tech 50 Instructor course, I’m now keen to get as much experience as possible on our deeper dives (and it’s a good excuse to go visit some more of the amazing wrecks here in Malta!).

A: (Susie) As cliched as it sounds, I just want to make sure 2022 is a success for New Dimension Scuba. I want our customers to continue having safe and fun dives, and hopefully return again on their next holiday. On a personal level, I’m very grateful to be running the dive centre with Ben. I also get to dive in Malta every day, and we both feel we are living the dream. n

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DIVING ETIQUETTE:

THE DIVING CENTRE Claudio Di Manao looks at what you can expect when you arrive at your chosen dive centre on your next trip

Y

ou made it right on time - got off the plane, looked forward to your travel bag with your dive equipment, and nearly cried in relief when you spotted it on the belt.

When you arrived at the hotel, you grabbed your key but didn’t head to your room - you rushed to the diving centre first, with your Advanced OWD certificate between your teeth. You finally found out that a wreck dive was scheduled for the following day, and booked your place.

“Can I have a look at your logbook?”

As soon as the young lady at the counter pronounced the word, an eerie silence descended over the diving centre.

You felt like fainting, and got pale before a 20-year-old girl.

Yes, diving centres have a thing about logbooks, especially in paper format. They love logbook keepers, they love to flick through the pages, download them, tee-hee over awkward stamps. They desperately want to know where you dived last time. It’s not about being nosey, it’s just for the sake of your safety and that of your diving buddies. If you don’t have a logbook, you could be requested to do a check dive.

Check dives

If the word ‘logbook’ makes people uncomfortable, ‘check dive’ triggers anxiety, panic, and anger. Especially if you’re from southern Europe. If you’re from northern Europe, you’ll mutter, but you’ll eventually agree.

Declaring that you have no intention of demonstrating anything to anybody isn’t a good answer. Either you won’t be able to take part in a guided dive, or get your tank and weights if you’re planning to solo dive. Replying to a young instructor “You weren’t even born when I learnt to clear the mask!” won’t help you achieve your goal.

Asking too much

Divers generally suspect that Divemasters keep the best dive sites secret, for their own enjoyment. This is tantamount to believing that the Netflix CEO shuts himself off, watching movies all alone. Divemasters could actually lie if you ask them what is their favourite dive site. If your technical skills aren’t good enough, they could lie and suggest an easier dive site. They don’t mean to mislead you, they’re just being kind - they don’t want you to feel envy. And, don’t confuse

52

Europe and Africa with the US - Divemasters won’t serve you tea or coffee on the dinghy, and won’t assemble your equipment.

Space in diving centres is governed by a counterintuitive rule

It’s a universal rule - the horizontal surface available is inversely proportional to the size of the diving centre. You’ll soon find out that the largest diving centres, as well as boats, seem smaller than they actually are. This is because you spread all your gear everywhere. If you immediately arrange your equipment in your designated space, something amazing will happen - you’ll have more room for standing and sitting. This will also increase good mood and prevent people from tripping on inevitably wet floors. Although surfaces are covered by miles of carpeting and rubber mats, they’re slippery and, statistically, they’re the most crowded areas, where people walk barefoot or in flip-flops.

Spreading your equipment all over is a threat to safety, however, it helps to build social relations. It seems that many marriages between divers (a union that is legally recognized in many countries) originated from accidentally grabbing someone else’s equipment. However, diving for a whole week wearing fins two sizes smaller or bigger than yours could negatively affect your comfort and safety. Keep in mind that you could accidentally grab the equipment of someone you don’t get along with.

Rental equipment

Rental gear is obviously used gear. You’ll find new rental gear only if it’s just been replaced or if a diving centre has recently started up. You should treat gear like you would treat the elderly – properly, and with respect. Just like people are more likely to fling cigarette butts and litter on a dirty pavement, they’re more likely to mishandle worn equipment. You could selfishly feel you’re allowed to do so because it doesn’t belong to you. Faulty and mishandled equipment could take revenge on divers. Good manners and respect for the elderly aside, handling your equipment carefully will guarantee survival in a foreign environment.

You should return it in the condition you received it. Well rinsed, if possible.

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As soon as the young lady at the counter pronounced the word, an eerie silence descended over the diving centre. You felt like fainting, and got pale before a 20-year-old girl Rinsing tanks

The rinsing area of a diving centre is like a china shop, it’s where you should be most careful. Sea salt, sand, bacilli, and body fluids can cause malfunction and embarrassment.

Remember that diving centres don’t often use disinfectants for the environment’s sake. Chlorine aside, if you relieved yourself in your wetsuit, don’t rinse it together with masks and regulators, please! Also, don’t wash your boots with BCDs and regulators: sand and precision technology aren’t compatible. True, relieving yourself in a wetsuit is even recommended if you’re getting really cold, but no one wants to come into contact with your pee afterward.

If you really cannot hold it

Usually, if you rent a car at the airport, you don’t pee on its seats and mats. This should also apply to rental wetsuits. In your own car, or wetsuit, you can do whatever you like, but not when there is a shared rinsing tank. If you have your own wetsuit, rinse it separately. What if you relieved yourself in a rented wetsuit? I understand this is hard to confess, but you should rinse it separately and ask for some soap and disinfectant.

Advice for the experts

If your credibility is built on your rigidity, you may miss the

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fact that divers just want to have fun and leave the stress behind. They won’t like a dictatorial check dive, especially if you charge the price of a standard dive. Treating people at the counter as if they were algorithms is one of the mostdangerous global trends.

Providing overhauled and well-maintained equipment is a good start if you want to surround yourself with smiling people and avoid grudges. It’s also a simple stratagem to avoid legal action.

I’ve never seen cases of mononucleosis, or Ebola, attributable to regulators purging in rinse tanks like snails, but a little amount of bicarbonate (natural disinfectant) is welcome attention. Two rinsing tanks, one for fins, socks and suits, and one for BCDs, regulators and masks, are better than one. A shower with a bar of neutral soap where divers can rinse the wetsuit that ‘suffered the mishap’ will earn your centre 18 stars. n

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Not a member? Renew or join DAN Europe today at daneurope.org

53

beyond technical

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A ghost ship with no name proves irresistible for the wreck detectives - Leigh Bishop concludes his story from the previous issue of two intriguing English Channel shipwrecks that both make for great dives Photographs by Leigh Bishop

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Alan Boness examines mill-stones on the forward section of the site

F

Diver completing deco after a dive

ebruary is always a little early for deep wreck diving in England, but although the water was cold, the visibility was darkly fantastic. My powerful torch had picked out a row of the keel-pins once used in the construction of the wreck that now lay before me.

Their unusual size and appearance, as they protruded from the gravel seabed, reminded me of an old fence in need of serious repair. I was hunting for a bell because we needed identification of this ship. I paused to photograph this area of construction before my torch beam picked out a large anchor. I had to be around the bow area, a likely place where the ship’s bell may have been. A quick safety check of my Inspiration rebreather’s electronics, and a glance at my Shearwater computer, indicated that, even at 57m, I still had time to search the gravel. I delved for some time in and beneath the ship’s keel, now half-buried in the deep gravel banks, until eventually, my dive time drew to a close.

I surfaced none the wiser to the identity - as so many divers have done since its discovery.

Weymouth boat captain Grahame Knott had first investigated this unknown wreck site in the English Channel, almost 20 miles southeast of Portland Bill. His divers stated they believed the wreck to be that of a vessel dating as far back as 1850. It was a sailing ship, possibly ocean-

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going, judging by the iron knees and columns used in its construction between decks. There were still a dozen or more sailing ships unaccounted for off this part of the English Dorset coast, but none of them matched the cargo description this wreck carried. Divers had identified dozens of shipwrecks within a radius of almost 50 miles, but with this one, though clues to its identity were there, time after time, they simply led back to the drawing board. Could it have been one of Britain’s most-important wrecks? Some researchers who had dived the site believe it may be.

An early investigator was one of the UK’s original mixedgas divers, Allan Yeend. He and Knott both thought they had at last found the missing Forest, a ship that had collided with the popular Portland wreck Avalanche, lost during a violent storm in 1877. The mystery wreck matched the period, and the porcelain recovered bore the Ashworth Ironstone hallmark and was dated to around 1862. “We only suspected that it was the Forest because of a yachtsman eyewitness report of the Navy trying to sink her in that approximate position,” says Grahame Knott.

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The old wooden sailing ship lies within a depth range that makes for a mid-range technical dive listed as having been lost in this area of coastline during that particular period. Several belt buckles found bore the name of the Staffordshire Volunteers 80 regiment. I contacted the researchers at the regiment’s Lichfield museum, but still, we found nothing.

Yeend had also recovered a broken piece of china from the wreck. It bore the Union Castle tain Chief Divers prepare to leave harbour on Wey line crest. It was almost certainly not from the II during the early days of exploration wreck, because the Union Castle line at the time owned no sailing vessels within its service; it had most probably been taken aboard from another vessel.

The cargo was not crucial to our thoughts, as she was However, this didn’t stop us from spending hours searching probably carrying some that the crew had organised. the Union Castle archives - just in case. One of Dunster’s Kingston diver Alan Dunster had researched and dived long-time friends, and an excellent researcher in his own Portland wrecks since the 1970s. He dismissed the original right, was a local historian and diver Nick Chipchase. theory after one dive to the wreck. The Royal Navy, he Chipchase had recovered a silver spoon from the wreck, claimed, had sunk the Forest after the collision because and a silversmith dated it to approximately 1895! Dunster she was a hazard to shipping. If this wreck was the Forest, disagreed with the estimate. If the ship had been this recent, it would present itself in quite a different way. As Dunster’s it would not have been in military service, because steam notes stated, the entire bottom of the Forest had been propulsion had taken over by this time. I informed the blown out to effect the sinking, and would now lie scattered Receiver of Wreck about the finds although, as it happened, across the seabed, rather than complete, as this wreck was. this Government department had no record of the wreck However, the divers noted that a large section of the cargo either, let alone any idea of a potential legal owner! consisted of munitions and that various sections of the The old wooden sailing ship lies within a depth range wreck were scattered with grapeshot. that makes for a mid-range technical dive. It rests over a Another clue came in the form of wooden barrels. The seabed of fine stone and shingle, which provides an area wood had rotted away, but the hoops remained, and they of good visibility in which it had been possible to survey were made of brass. Could the barrels once have contained almost the entire wreck. The timbers and planking had long gunpowder and the reason for the brass expense to make since rotted, the poison that seeps from the copper keelthem intrinsically safe? Were the divers dealing with a pins possibly speeding up this process. These were the pins military vessel of some description? Neither Grahame nor I had seen - they once held the ship together, and remain any of the investigating divers could find any military vessel standing in rows protruding up from the seabed.

Long keel pins exposed, although still secure on the starboard bow

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Computers • O2 Cells • Gas Analysers Cables & Connectors • Rebreather Parts PathFinder Strobes • Sensors Tools • Solenoids Keel pins holding together the ship’s ocean-going construction Divers completing deco on the line as they slowly ascend

The hull must have been made of durable wood, probably denser than that used for the frames. The stern end of the wreck is to the east, where a rudder gudgeon could be seen. A mast lies out to the northeast, and just behind this is an area where various items of crockery, including bowls and bottles, were discovered - possibly the galley. The wreck had an intact rounded half-moon counter-stern that is now only slightly above the shell/gravel seabed. What looked like 8in-diameter shells could be seen here as well.

They appeared solid and were possibly made of pig iron.

Going forward, the wreck rose to a height of about three metres and consisted of what almost certainly would have been cargo. A mound of munitions can be seen here, as can a large pile of manufactured furnace bricks. The main section holds a mound of 5cm-diameter steel hawsers, coiled up in rolls about two metres across. Some of these rolls had fallen outwards onto the remaining section of the hull. It had been suggested that the cargo has shifted, because it appeared to flow down the starboard side, breaking down to the seabed at an angle, but appears in steady bulk over to port.

Stoneware jars manufactured in the UK are scattered almost everywhere

Most of the wood here had again gone, leaving steel hawsers supported on rows of copper pins. Despite their weight, this had left a clear space underneath. Aside from the hawsers was a collection of copper strips, about three metres long and about 50mm x 6mm in cross-section. There was also some thin copper plating, which might have been carried separately to repair the hull’s copper sheathing.

Forward of the hawsers, I found several millstones, which were surrounded by stone bottles and jars manufactured

by Powels of Bristol. Further forward again, the wreck began to peter out where three hatchways could be seen a few inches above the seabed. It was here that we saw a fisherman’s anchor lying flat on the bed, with a large pile of chain. Swimming round to the port side, we found two more classic anchors, upright and side by side. Everywhere around the wreck are beer bottles, drinking glasses and stoneware bottles, some with an intricate twist-neck design. Along each side of the wreck are deadeyes that the rigging ropes once passed through.

There are also lots of scattered greenish hoops of varying sizes, possibly those used in the construction of barrels.

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www.narkedat90.com Alan Boness examining an artefact found within the shingle on her bow

Aracan sailed against the fastest ships of her day and often out ran famous ships such as the Cutty Sark and Thermopylae

Eventually, a breakthrough. A piece of pottery recovered was identified by experts as having been manufactured in January of 1867. This ship could have sunk earlier than that, but we found no vessel to fit into the period. Our research came to a frustrating end. It appeared that the moment we discovered a promising lead it led to nothing. We certainly had an identity crisis on our hands, with no answer to solving it.

Several years passed by before GUE (Global Underwater Explorers) divers took up the challenge.

The team spent a week systematically surveying the wreck, after identifying a stable point of reference central to it. They made line references to video in each section and study the evidence topside.

Maritime historians who could not dive to the wreck then studied the footage. Their expert eyes brought a new dimension to the project - though still no identity.

The Shipwreck Project team, led by Grahame Knott, was then experimenting and honing its skills with airlifting and water-dredging equipment on the wreck of East Indiaman the Earl of Abergavenny in Weymouth Bay. They planned to move onto the mystery wreck, to airlift two key areas looking for clues that they hoped Various artefacts

would conclude this long-running saga. It was expected to be a tricky operation, given the depth, strong tidal flow and short slack water periods with which the English Channel is blessed. As tantalisingly as this saga was, the secrets of the ship may well have been hidden a few centimetres beneath the shingle bed.

The final piece of the jigsaw then fell into place - the answer had been under our noses all along, not on the wreck itself but after revisiting the documentation and research that it all dropped into place. The man who originally discovered the site and set his heart on solving the mystery finally did just that. Grahame Knott had undertaken an ingenious piece of detective work and discovered the key parts of the secret hidden away in the archives. He named the mystery sailing ship the clipper Aracan, built in 1854 and sunk 20 years later after a collision with the steamer American.

Aracan sailed against the fastest ships of her day and often out ran famous ships such as the Cutty Sark and Thermopylae. Knott had even discovered a rare painting of the ship - a beautiful and elegant lady, Queen of the Seas. She was everything we had ever wished her to be and more!

I last dived the wreck with Portland Charter boat Skin Deep. There was still so much to see, and I enjoyed every minute of the dive. A depth of 57m means the wreck makes for an excellent dive in the extended range trimix depth for anyone qualified. n

recovered from the site

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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

BARE 50 YEARS DEEP ANNIVERSARY EDITION X-MISSION EVOLUTION DRYSUIT | SRP: £2,429.95 BARE is celebrating 50 years in business by introducing a very special X-Mission Evolution drysuit for recreational and technical divers. The 50 Years Deep Anniversary Edition X-Mission Evolution boasts timeless iconography and the durability and features divers know and trust. Based in British Columbia in Canada, BARE has been making premium immersion wear and diving equipment for half a century, with many innovations along the way. Today, the pinnacle of BARE’s know-how and expertise is the flagship X-Mission Evolution drysuit.

To mark the milestone, BARE’s 50th Anniversary X-Mission Evolution is offered with some unique features and details. This stunning suit is ideal for working commercial divers, advanced technical divers, or recreational divers who want the best combination of flexibility and durability in a travel-friendly package. The suit is offered for a limited period only.

This innovative X-Mission Evolution uses the mostadvanced materials and construction methods, designed and purpose-built in partnership with a team of technical cave divers to meet their demanding requirements. With material that’s rated most flexible among all BARE drysuits, this suit is perfect for movement in the water and on the surface, and is highly packable for travel.

BARE has made some changes to the standard drysuit to make this X-Mission Evolution stand out from the crowd.

It is available in unique Military Green and Anthracite Grey colour combination, and features special ‘50 Years Deep’ badging on the right shoulder. Below the left shoulder, a maple leaf emblem highlights the company’s proud Canadian heritage.

Buyers will also receive a free anniversary beanie hat and coozie emblazoned with retro-inspired BARE badging.

These are unavailable to buy and limited to Anniversary drysuit owners only. Two versions are available - a men’s and women’s 50th Anniversary Edition X-Mission Evolution.

Nineteen standard men’s sizes are offered from S to 4XLS, and 11 standard women’s sizes as well as made-to-measure (MTM) custom fit models in both. www.liquid-sports.com

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FOURTH ELEMENT WINDBREAKER SMOCK SRP: £119.95 With protection against wind and rain, this softshell-style smock is the perfect throwon whatever the season. The durable water-resistant outer allows water runoff during wet weather and keeps you protected from the elements, especially in exposed coastal spots. The soft grid effect lining allows for exceptional warmth and with generous hand warmer pockets, you’ll be cosy even when the worst of the weather strikes.

It only weighs in at 1.16kg, so you can take it on your travels, has a relaxed fit with fully adjustable hood. www.fourthelement.com

BARE 50TH ANNIVERSARY REVELATION AND ELATION WETSUITS | SRP: £219.95 BARE is also celebrating its 50 years in business by introducing two very retro limited-edition anniversary wetsuits, the Revelation (mens) and the Elation (womens). The 50th Anniversary 3/2mm wetsuits are designed for, and inspired by, the multi-sport water enthusiast who has endless energy and passion for the adventure that awaits.

This 3/2mm ensures ultimate performance and protection with Bare’s proprietary blend of neoprene and laminate, and outstanding levels of fit, comfort and flexibility with their anatomically correct 3D pattern design. The Revelation and the Elation are developed from a proprietary blend of neoprene that generates extreme levels of stretch for an easy in and out of the suit, improving comfort and mobility and wrapped in a buttery soft exterior finish. The Revelation comes in sizes from S to 3XL, and the Elation from 2 to 14. www.liquid-sports.com

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OCEANIC SNORKELLING SET | SRP: £89.95 Water lovers packing for their summer holidays will want to pack the new Oceanic snorkelling set. Over its 50-year history, Oceanic has proved it understands the needs of snorkellers, travellers and explorers, with a range of diving and snorkelling equipment already available, including the Predator freedive set and highquality masks and snorkels for scuba diving.

This brand-new silicone snorkelling set consists of modified and adjustable Oceanic Manta Ray fins, Ultra Dry snorkel and a Cyanea mask with elastic strap.

It should prove popular with those who want to explore a reef or marine life while on holiday. The snorkelling set is also ideal for clubs and organisations who want a high-quality, low-cost snorkel set for students and members.

The Oceanic snorkel set products look similar to the regular Oceanic mask, fins, and snorkel, although there are slight variations – the Manta Ray fins are smaller in length and feature a different strap, the Cyanea mask is offered with different colours, and the Ultra Dry Snorkel is smaller, with a different mouthpiece and additional GoPro mount. The set comes presented in a useful fabric zipper-closure beach shoulder bag, to protect from damage and keep the contents together. Customers can choose from two available sizes, either small/medium or large/extra large. www.liquid-sports.com

MARES SXS 62X | SRP: £377

Mares have always been at the forefront of regulator developments and new technologies, and the SXS 62X maintains that tradition.

The tried-and-tested 62X diaphragm first stage is nothing new for 2022, and is a proven top performer, being Mares’ most-compact first stage. It features Mares’ natural DFC on all the low-pressure ports, ensuring high air flow regardless of depth, and all of the ports – low- and high-pressure – are pre-orientated for optimal hose routing.

The 62X features AST, which prevents water entry into the regulator, and has an eye-catching pearl chrome finish.

The new SXS (which stands for Second eXtra Small) is the innovative side of things – this is Mares’ smallest and mostcompact second stage made from ultralight technopolymer, and can be used left- or right-sided, so lends itself to sidemount diving as well as single-cylinder recreational diving. It has an easy-to-use, soft purge button, an extended exhaust tube to vent exhaled gases, and comes with a superflex braided hose. www.mares.com

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TECLINE LIGHTJET | SRP: £107.36

Tecline offer a range of fins, but their LightJet is one which will appeal most to the travelling diver, as a large LightJet weighs in at just over 1kg, making them one of the lightest jet-fin-style fins on the market. The LightJets are made from TPV (Thermoplastic Vulcanisate), which is 100% recyclable, which is great news for when your fins eventually reach their end-of-life, though they are also very durable, so you’ll get years of service out of them.

The fins have a robust stainless steel spring strap, with a large rubber thumb loop for easing donning and doffing.

The LightJets did come in black or white, but now they have have joined by an eye-catching aqua blue colourway. 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

SEIKO PROSPEX PROFESSIONAL 300M ‘TUNA’ | SRP: £1,300

Mark Evans: As we’ve explained before, Seiko has a rich heritage when it comes to dive watches, being at the forefront of technological developments for over 55 years, ever since launching its very first dive watch in 1965. In those decades since then, the company came up with market firsts such as the 1990 Scuba Master computerised dive watch, and the follow-up Diving Computer Watch in 2000 – a real precursor to the wristwatch-style dive computers we know today.

However, Seiko know where their strengths lie, and so they have an epic line-up of dependable and desirable dive watches in their always-expanding Prospex range, but close to the top of the tree is the Prospex Professional 300m ‘Tuna.’Seiko like to give their watches fish or marinerelated names, and the ‘Tuna’ collection has been around since 1975 – this specific watch was named the ‘Tuna’ because of its larger diameter and bold shape (like a tuna tin). This collection goes beyond the simple dive watch, and is made with saturation divers and technical divers in mind (hence the 300m depth rating over the standard 200m).

In fact, the very first Seiko monocoque diving watch was

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created in response to a letter the company received in 1968 from a saturation diver from Kure City in Hiroshima, Japan, who complained that Seiko diver’s watches were not robust to impact and could not withstand exposure to deep underwater pressure for prolonged periods.

Seiko engineers took on the challenge to create the ‘ultimate professional diver’s watch.’ These engineers, led

by Ikuo Tokunaga, decided to develop the new Seiko Tuna watches for saturation diving from the start. Tokunaga and his team began development in 1968 and released the first Seiko Tuna watch seven years later with more than 20 patents.

Today’s Professional 300m ‘Tuna’ is a handsome device, and what sets it apart from the crowd for me is the chunky body of the watch, which really harks back to those vintage timepieces you’d see adorning the wrists of commercial divers in the late-1970s/1980s. The chief reason for this distinctive ‘look’ is the protective, screwed-on shroud surrounding the body of the watch (it is a feature on all ‘Tuna’ watches).

The watch features a 7C46 Seiko 7-Jewel Hi-Tech Quartz movement, so you’ll never need to worry about accuracy,

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and the silicone expansion strap (another Seiko world first invention from 1975) keeps it securely on your wrist. This will easily go around a wetsuited wrist, it is a little on the short side for use with a bulky drysuit, but with something like this, it is not really an issue (more about that later).

The case is made from satin-brushed stainless steel with a super-hard coating, and it has a curved sapphire crystal, with an anti-reflective coating on the inner surface. The dial is matte black with luminous indexes, and the hands are coated in Lumibrite – I can testify that these are really bright, and it positively glows in the darkness.

We dived the Professional 300m both here in the UK and abroad in the warm waters of the Red Sea. As expected, it coped admirably with recreational dive depths of 30m or so, which are not even a tenth of its abilities, and the uni-directional bezel was a joy to use, with a smooth, robust movement. However, as we have said before, while Seiko’s Prospex range is more than capable of being dived – in this case, to extreme depths – and some people will wear them as a back-up dive timer, it is an undeniable fact that the vast majority of these dive watches will never actually go on a dive. Instead, they will proudly adorn the wrist of divers when they are topside, singling them out to fellow divers as ‘part of the dive tribe’, hence why earlier I said the length of the strap was not really an issue. The Seiko Professional 300m Tuna is a fantastic piece of engineering that has a nice heft on your wrist, but I’d expect to see it exploring the depths of the nearest dive bar rather than the ocean – it certainly garnered plenty of positive comments from fellow divers when I was wearing it après-dive with a cold bottle of Sakara Gold in-hand. The Professional 300m comes in a nifty padded and zipped case. www.seikoboutique.co.uk

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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 OCEA | SRP: £509 Mark Evans: Being eco-friendly and ecoconscious is becoming more and more prevalent in day-to-day life, and the dive industry is following suit. We are seeing more and more products made from recycled materials, be that wetsuits, fins, apres-divewear, and more, but the Ocea is a real first - an environmentallyconscious regulator made from recycled materials and bio-plastics, manufactured in a solar-powered facility.

Based on the trusty XL4+, every single material and process was reconsidered to create the most eco-sensitive scuba diving regulator in the world, so it is made from recycled plastic waste, plant-based bio-plastic and lead-free brass, which can be endlessly recycled and is actually stronger than standard brass.

The Ocea also removes five times its own weight in plastic from the environment, as each purchase of the regulator funds the collection of 5kg of up-stream plastic waste (in collaboration with Plastic Bank).

The compact one-piece machined first stage is based on the expedition-tested Apeks DS4 platform and has a unique over-balanced diaphragm design – as the diver descends, the over-balancing feature allows the medium pressure gas in the hose to increase at a faster rate than ambient. This results in superior performance at depth, and

it is more than capable of handling cold water. It has two high-pressure ports and four low-pressure ports, so more than enough for all your requirements. The Ocea variant has a subtle engraving into the metal which is certainly eyecatching, while not being in your face.

The lightweight second stage improves comfort and helps reduce jaw fatigue on long duration dives, and features a high performance pneumatically balanced lever operated poppet valve, large over-moulded self-flushing and controllable purge button, and ergonomic Venturi lever that is easy to use and locate, even wearing thick neoprene gloves or drygloves.

The flexible nylon braided hose has better cold water performance than a traditional rubber hose, and it has the standard metallic hose connection for interchangeability.

The Comfo-bite mouthpiece – which I still consider the most-comfortable on the market - has a unique bridge

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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 OCEA | SRP: £509 ( continued...)

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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 OCEA | SRP: £509 ( continued...)

that fits across the upper palate and does not require bite pressure to stay in place, while re-useable mouthpiece clips make it simple to change mouthpieces in the field.

The Ocea is quite a lightweight regulator, thanks to that second stage, so it would be great for the travelling diver, but because it is cold-water rated as well, it is perfect for diving right here in the UK throughout the year. The Apeks Flight was a great travel reg, but it was not suited to cold water, but with the Ocea handling both with aplomb, it is something you could use most weekends and take on your next foreign jaunt.

My wife Penney stole it for a recent trip to Egypt on assignment, in place of her trusty Aqualung Micron, and she loved the Ocea, as the smaller second stage suits women and teenage divers thanks to its compact size, while not losing anything on the performance side of things.

The Ocea can be supplied with either a yoke/A-clamp fitting as we had here, or a DIN connection. As far as colour schemes go, there is a grey version available, but we think this aqua finish sets it apart from the crowd. The regulator comes in a cardboard box that can easily be recycled. www.apeksdiving.com/uk

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In house IDEST test station and workshop for on site repairs. www.dorsetdiving.co.uk

UNDERWATER EXPLORERS t: 01305 824555 e: info@underwaterexplorers.co.uk a: Unit 1, Maritime Business Centre, Mereside, Portland, Dorset, DT5 1FD Leading Dorset dive centre stocking all major brands, air, nitrox, trimix fills, rentals and servicing beside Portland Marina and across from Chesil Beach. www.underwaterexplorers.co.uk

ESSEX BESPOKE SCUBA DIVING LIMITED t: 01708 837032 e: contact@bespokescubadiving.co.uk a: Becontree Heath Leisure Centre, Althorne Way, Dagenham, Essex, RM10 7FH Our mission is to provide quality & professional scuba training in a relaxed friendly environment. www.bespokescubadiving.co.uk

BLACK WATER DIVING t: 07841 561680 e: info@blackwaterdiving.co.uk a: 18 Lower Park Road, Loughton, Essex, IG10 4NA PADI Dive training focussed on beginners.

Try Scuba Diving for £20. Private swimming pools. Learn to scuba dive with 1:1 instruction at Blackwater Diving. www.blackwaterdiving.co.uk

DIVERSE SCUBA t: 01375 892444 e: info@diverse-scuba.co.uk a: Ye Old Plough House Motel, Brentwood Road, Bulphan, Essex, RM14 3SR Diverse Scuba are one of the leading 5 STAR PADI IDC dive centres in the UK providing scuba diving courses and services to the Essex region. www.diverse-scuba.co.uk

ORCA SCUBA DIVING ACADEMY t: 01268 520111 e: info@orcascubadivingacademy.co.uk a: 17 Repton Close, Burnt Mills Estate, Basildon, Essex, SS13 1LN Established in 2007 the Academy a vision of Gary to deliver the very best Scuba Diving School in Essex. www.orcascubadivingacademy.co.uk

KENT BLUE OCEAN DIVING t: 01622 212022 e: scuba@blueoceandiving.co.uk a: West Park Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 7AF 5* PADI scuba diving courses and training, organised diving trips and events, scuba equipment and friendly advice based in Maidstone. www.blueoceandiving.co.uk

KENT KENT TOOLING DIVING PRODUCTS t: 01227 700374 e: sales@divingproducts.co.uk a: Windgates, Church Lane, Waltham, Near Canterbury, Kent, CT4 5SS Kent Tooling Diving Products produce the widest range of rebreather and diving supplies and accessories in Kent and the UK. www.divingproducts.co.uk

HARROGATE DIVESHACK UK t: 07779 605863 | e: tim@diveshack.uk.com a: 17 Station Parade, Harrogate, HG1 1UF Harrogates number 1 dive store. www.diveshack.uk.com

LANCASHIRE CAPERNWRAY DIVING AND LEISURE LTD e: info@dive-site.co.uk a: Jackdaw Quarry, Capernwray Road, Over Kellet, Lancashire, LA6 1AD The UK’s finest inland dive site... Welcome to Capernwray, the beautiful diving venue on the edge of the Lake District. www.dive-site.co.uk

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

YES TO YSGADEN

Mark Evans explores one of North Wales’ mostpopular shore-diving locations - Porth Ysgaden.

Q&A: DONOVAN LEWIS

We chat to the underwater photographer and aquarium shark diver about his love of big animals.

THE GEAR THAT TIME FORGOT

Nick Lyon takes a humorous look back at oldschool dive equipment, and asks if any of it deserves a place in a modern diver’s kit bag.

TOTALLY TUBBATAHA

Don Silcock finds a liveaboard in the Philippines delayed due to COVID was worth the wait.

TECH: SCAPA FLOW

Kurt Storms finally makes the trek from mainland Europe to dive Orkney’s iconic German wrecks.

GEAR GUIDE: TEST EXTRA

Editorial Director Mark Evans dives the Tecline Peanut wing and Fourth Element’s Halo AR.

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

BREATH-HOLD IN BALI Photographs by Blaze Parsons and Adam Sellars

O

ne last slow breath... remove snorkel, equalize, dive. This series of steps was drilled into me during my PADI Free Diver level 1 course with Adam Sellars.

After three days of cancelled, delayed and narrowly missed flights from Dublin to Bali, I arrived in the middle of the night in Amed. In the darkness, I found my way to my guesthouse and fell fast asleep.

The next morning when I awoke, the sky was bright pink and the sea looked like molten copper. The spectacular Amed sunrise welcomed me along with hot tea and a warm coconut pancake.

After breakfast, I went up to Blue Earth, where Adam and some of his instructors we ready for me. It was great to finally meet Adam after several months of emails back and forth. He led me through a day of theory classes, followed up by an evening spent in the pool with the wonderful Mick working on static and then later on, dynamic breath holds.

The calm presence of Mick and Francisco was infectious and soon I was ticking off all of my pool requirements with ease.

The next morning was open water dive day.

We finned out to the line of buoys at the mouth of Amed Bay and I spent the morning working with Morgan on my first-ever open water free dives.

It was brilliant to experience the entirely new sensation of slipping into water and descending on a single breath. I was brought completely into the moment by the physiological and physical sensations of it. Everything in my scuba diver brain was screaming at me for holding my breath, after years of being told and then telling others the ‘No. 1 rule of scuba diving, do not hold your breath’.

Within free diving holding your breath is the rule. I was amazed by the quiet serenity that I found below the surface.

Watching the movement of the rays of sunlight dancing in the water, I felt at home. There is a connectivity between the body and the breath that is only felt when you slow down and listen. The process of learning to free dive was all about learning to do just that. Listening closely to the body allows you to become more aware of the various sensations that occur on a single breath hold. It was felt incredible to reach a new personal best of 20m on a single breath while feeling completely at ease and relaxed.

On a personal level, I found that the course directly linked

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with some of my own experience in training and teaching yoga. The focusing of the mind and the calm control of the breath. During my freediving introductory course, I was able to tap into my yoga training to help with the breath work and my scuba experience for the body positioning and comfort in the water. I have long been fascinated by the link between scuba diving and yoga and I found this course to be the first step towards a deeper understanding of the topic.

I would like to say huge thank you to Adam Sellars and all of the instructors at the Pressure Project for introducing me to the world of free diving.

I would like to also thank Rolex and OWUSS for giving me these incredible opportunities to explore and discover in the underwater realm. Also thank you to all of my equipment sponsors, Fourth Element, Suunto, Halcyon, Reef Photo and Video and Nauticam. n

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