| Dive
El Gouna with Regaldive A Learn to Dive holiday in the superb Red Sea resort of El Gouna with award-winning dive specialist Regaldive was recently featured on the UK’s most popular TV travel show.
El Gouna is a beautiful, self-contained resort situated just 30 minutes drive from Hurghada. Superb hotels coupled with excellent access to the best of the Northern Red Sea dive sites make El Gouna a great holiday destination for everyone. Built on 10 km of beach and spread across a myriad of islands interlinked by lagoons, El Gouna boasts a unique and diverse cosmopolitan style. For divers, the Northern Red Sea features around 40 dive sites including a number of well-known wrecks such as the Giannis D, the Carnatic and the Thistlegorm, with wild dolphins regularly accompanying day boats to and from dive sites. Spectacular coral gardens such as Abu Galawa and Sha’ab el Erg are ideal for less experienced divers, while drift and wall dives at Umm Gamar and Blind Reef offer a greater challenge. And for those non-diving days, El Gouna offers a host of activities including an 18-hole PGA rated golf course, horse riding, glass-bottom boat trips, a go-kart track, desert safaris by camel and quad biking. This season, Regaldive is offering some great diving deals to El Gouna for couples, friends and families: Couples and friends Valid
from now until 25 March and from 8 April – 24 June 2005: Valid
from now until 25 March and from 3 May – 24 June 2005: Families Valid
between 6 May – 24 June 2005: A range of accommodation options is available in El Gouna to suit all tastes and budgets. To find out more, visit www.regaldive.co.uk.
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750 divers break world record off Koh Tao coast Thailand broke the world record for the largest mass dive yesterday when 750 divers took part in an event off the coast of Koh Tao, an event which the provincial authority hopes will put the southern island firmly on the world diving map. Over 10,000 tourists flocked to the island yesterday to witness the event, which was promoted by the Koh Tao Diving Association and local administrative authorities. The 750 divers had gathered from Thailand and around the world to participate the event, which marks the biggest mass dive on record, breaking the record previously achieved by Australia two years ago when 590 divers gathered for a similar event. Mr. Wichit Srisang, head of the Koh Tao Diving Association, expressed confidence that the event would help turn the island into one of the world’s most important diving locations. Although included in yesterday’s event were a ‘Miss Dive Shop’ contest, longboat races and demonstrations from the Royal Thai Navy.
Competition
winners - London dive show tickets Martin Moore, Lynne Hutchinson, Chantelle Knoetze, Keith Manning and last but not least Wendy Dorling! Click here for the dive show preview.
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Tsunami
clear-up: Phi Phi Phi Phi island in Krabi province will stage a gathering of divers from all over the Kingdom who have volunteered to join the campaign to clean up the beaches and collect underwater debris. The campaign "We conserve Phi Phi'' was started by more than 100 tourist-related businesses including tour operators, diving schools, restaurants and resorts on Phi Phi island that were affected by the tsunami. Together they are working to revive the tourism industry on the island. The beach clean-up will start at Ao Ton Sai and Ao Loh Da Lum, with divers working at both beaches and also Ao Yong Ka Sem, cleaning up coral reefs affected by the tsunami. According to Somsak Chatcharkorn, the campaign's coordinator, it's an attempt led by the private sector, yet to recover from the disaster, to clear up after the tsunami. "We haven't been able to do anything for over a month now. Instead of just waiting for state agencies to help us, we decided that we must do something to help ourselves and revive the tourism industry on Phi Phi island,'' said Somsak. The campaign has sought the cooperation of scuba divers nationwide to participate in the campaign. Members of diving clubs from all over Thailand have been persuaded to help and the campaign has asked for support from related public agencies such as the Marine Police, Tourist Police, and Harbour Department, which have all agreed to help provide facilities and equipment to support the divers' voluntary work. The campaign is expecting 150 volunteer divers to participate in the clean-up. The collection of debris will run for three days from tomorrow until Sunday. Phi Phi island was one of the areas worst affected by the tsunami. The wave swept buildings and facilities into the sea and much of the debris is still there. As for cleaning up of the beach, it has asked students from nearby areas to help. "We hope to bring tourists back to Phi Phi as soon as possible,'' said Somsak, who is also the managing director of PP Aquanuth Scuba. The event will be presided over by Krabi provincial governor, related local authorities as well as Jaturon Chaisaeng, the deputy prime minister. It is also hoped that the campaign can be a forum where affected operators can talk with state agencies to find the most effective ways to restore the island's tourism industry. |
| Australia
tops world in fatal shark attacks Australia ranked second behind the US for shark attacks last year, but led the world in fatalities. A total of 61 shark attacks were recorded around the world in 2004 - four more than in 2003, but fewer than in the three previous years. According to the International Shark Attack File, compiled by the Florida Museum of Natural History, the US had the highest number of attacks with 30, followed by Australia with 12 and Brazil and South Africa on five each. Of the seven deaths last year, the ISAF said two people were killed in Australia and two in the US, and there were single fatalities in Brazil, Egypt and South Africa. But the figures omitted one Australian death, as sharks killed three men in our waters last year. In July, Bradley Smith, 29, died after he was attacked by a shark near Western Australia's Margaret River. In December, Mark Thompson, 38, was killed by a shark while spear fishing at Opal Reef off Cairns. And a few days later, 18-year-old Nick Peterson was mauled to death by a great white while being towed behind a boat on a surfboard at Adelaide's West Beach. After his death, his father, Philip Peterson, came out against the culling of sharks, saying he and his son had always believed they were there to be "admired, appreciated and respected". The chances of being attacked by a shark remain less than of being struck by lightning. CSIRO Marine Research team leader Barry Bruce said yesterday the deaths were tragic, but the figures showed shark attacks were uncommon and there was no need to over-react. "There's no doubt it's a rare event compared with some of the other forms of accidental death or injury," Mr Bruce said. "We're still talking about remarkably small numbers. A shark attack is a real but unlikely danger, equally as tragic as any other form of accidental death or injury." The number of fatalities recorded worldwide last year was lower than the 11 deaths in 2000, but in the US the number of shark attacks fell, with 30 recorded last year, 41 in 2003, 47 in 2002 and 50 in 2001 and 2000. The ISAF linked the reduction in the number of shark attacks in US waters with the hurricanes that struck the Florida coast last year prompting humans to stay away from the water. For a state that usually records about a third of the world's shark attacks, Florida had only 12 in 2004, compared with 30 the previous year. But the ISAF said the number of shark attacks would continue to increase around the world as populations grow and more people spend time in the sea. |
Shark
finning law passed Despite the various conservation elements of the law, green group PRETOMA has criticised sections that permit what is seen as overuse of Costa Rican waters by foreign vessels and through sport fishing. “Due to the fact that so many species, such as sea turtles, dolphins, tuna, mahi mahi, rays, swordfish, sailfish and sharks migrate throughout the region, the only way to truly keep from wiping them out is to work on a regional level,” said a PRETOMA spokesperson. “This new law combined with a recent halt to illegal landings by foreign vessels at private docks and the Ministry of Environment’s vision for creating some form of protection for 25% of Costa Rican waters, are important steps. However, even with the best laws and policies in Costa Rica, without regional cooperation species and fisheries are still threatened,” they added.
Finally offered some protection in Costa Rica |
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Regaldive were delighted to be approached by the BBC at the end of last year to film a Learn to Dive feature for their flagship holiday show, Holiday. Main presenter, Ginny Buckley, was literally thrown in at the deep end with a PADI Open Water course in El Gouna. Filming took place just last week. Ginny had previously done a couple of try dives and was more than a little nervous at first. Typically, the mask clearing stopped her in her tracks and she even thought about giving it all up… So did she get her qualification? Tune into BBC1 on 21st February at 7pm and go to Regaldive's website here.Emperor’s berth announcement - luxury twin liveaboards Red Sea luxury liveaboard diving just got better with two new spacious additions to Emperor’s award-winning fleet of liveaboards. Customer designed and built to a superior standard, the Emperor Elite and Emperor Superior are both 38 metre boats, accommodating a maximum of 20 guests in 9 twin-berth cabins and a double master suite, all with ensuite and air conditioning. Add to that the three sundecks, dive deck with platform, two air-conditioned salons and air-conditioned dining room and you have a spacious vessel complete with all the diving and safety equipment, including two large RIBs with outboards. Although larger than any other boat in the Emperor fleet, Elite and Superior will still take just 20 guests maximum. They are also equipped for tech diving + NITROX and guaranteed to carry a minimum of two dive guides. Sailing from Marsa Ghalib, near Marsa Alam, these two new top-of-the-range liveaboards are setting new standards and superior diving with the same Emperor quality throughout all boats and routes, offering surprisingly good value for money. And finally, add to that Emperor's usual great service and these boats are right at the top end of Red Sea liveaboards. For full information, go to www.emperordivers.com.
New boats from emperor |
Police
warning over lake's secret garden after deaths A gnome garden at the bottom of England's deepest lake is a death trap - blamed for three divers losing their lives. But every time police divers remove gnomes from the silt bed 260ft down - others are put back days later. Local divers have known about the secret collection for years. The first gnome was put at the bottom of the lake by a diver as a joke. But others soon copied him and the gnome garden just got bigger and bigger. It has now become an unofficial and dangerous tourist attraction. Police fear more divers could die as they search for the figures in three-mile long Wastwater, Cumbria. Inexperienced divers are spending too long in the water at too great a depth trying to find the gnomes. Local diver Paul Renucci said: "It's a bit of a secret society among divers which no one is meant to know about. But now the secret has been revealed. "Divers from all over the country have been coming to Wastwater for years to visit the garden and have tried to keep it quiet. "I've seen around 40 gnomes down there but there must be more. They are all over Wastwater." One gnome is sitting on a wooden aeroplane. There is another cemented to a brick, one with a lawnmower and one affectionately nicknamed Gordon. The gnomes can be found near an area known as the Pinnacles, where there are also plaques dedicated to divers who have lost their lives in the lake. There is a rope leading directly to the garden and precise directions can be found on the internet. Rob Watkins, chairman of West Cumbria Sub Aqua Club, said: "There is a temptation for divers to exceed their depth so they do need to be careful. "The gnome garden was created because there is very little to see in the lakes. It gives divers something to visit. Wastwater was probably chosen because it has the clearest water. "When people see the gnomes they think they are hallucinating." PC Steve Carruthers, a member of the Cumbria Police dive team for 14 years, said: "The gnomes were a big attraction. People were driving from all over the country to see it. "Tragically, we had three fatalities in quick succession so they had to be removed." Gnomes
underwater at Wastwater |
| Was
it right to vacate Sipadan? Although the argument to vacate the operators was based on environmental imperatives, another floor speaker warned it may open the door to lawless abuse. Identifying himself as a former resort manager, the diver stunned the packed audience about a bitter experience on Pandanan Island where beautiful corals and even giant clams once thrived. He said after Pandanan was also raided by Abu Sayyaf kidnapers several years ago, the lone resort operator packed up and left and its place was filled by people meant to protect the island. "But now, Pandanan's corals and giant clams are a forlorn scene of destruction," he claimed. On whether he was suggesting that the island's environment was destroyed after the security personnel took charge, another resort manager confirmed the allegations to be true. Given these incidences, one floor speaker then questioned the wisdom of vacating the resort operators from Sipadan and urged for a rethink. Dr Elizabeth Wood , a Sipadan pioneer who made her first dive in Sipadan in 1977 "when not a soul was around except fish," said environmental degradation in Sipadan from resort development was confined to land where there was a 40 per cent loss of vegetation and some turtle nesting sites. Otherwise, the presence of resort operators was clearly positive in terms of marine conservation , she contended. She said the operators' zealous efforts in shooing off fishing boats and chasing away fish bombers virtually turned Sipadan into a "No Take Reserve" - an objective which many marine scientists have been struggling to convince governments to undertake. As a result of this private conservation effort, fish stocks in Sipadan had not only doubled but there are clearly more bigger fish as well. Studies had shown 84 per cent of divers stay in deep waters, touch no corals and do no damage but 74 per cent of diver-induced damage are inflected by about four per cent of divers, she said. In the case of Sipadan which she has been monitoring, she found limited impacts and where such damages were found, they were "localised." Given the current disruptions and clear statistical evidence that the diving population has risen from 5,000 several years ago to close to 8,000, Robert Lo said this increasing international and domestic interest in Sipadan is at the same time met with directives that divers must stay on board boats and not allowed to land on Sipadan even for toilet purposes. Todate, he said the diving industry has yet to see a plan to solve these urgent practical problems. Nevertheless, the future plan is to put Sipadan under the care of Sabah Parks. Dr Wood recommended that the boundary be one nautical mile out every direction, following the contours of the island. However, Prof. Ridzwan proposed this be expanded to three nautical miles because he discovered spectacular reefs on the edges of the Bornean continental crust beyond the Sipadan's famed mile wide 3000ft deep chasm that separates the undersea andrasite oceanic volcanic cone, which must be protected from fish bombers.
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Wreck
plan aims to attract divers Ambitious plans to scuttle a warship in Scapa Flow are being drawn up in Orkney in a bid to attract more divers. A similar scheme off the coast of Devon has boosted visitor numbers since HMS Scylla was sunk last year. More than 3,500 sports divers visit Orkney every year, injecting an estimated £3m into the local economy. However, the organisation behind the idea has issued a warning over the long-term future of the sector unless action is taken. The secretary of the Orkney Dive Boat Association, Bob Anderson, said: "We have inherited a resource of wrecks that is deteriorating. I think the benefits of a project like this in sustaining that industry in the long-term is going to be very welcome. "I think that without an investment in the future in practical terms things will decline. "In 20 or 30 years' time there won't be a diving industry up here if we leave the status quo." Marine consultant Tim Hartmann has been recruited to make the project happen. "The dive industry is an important part of the tourism industry here and perhaps one that is not recognised for the level of income that it brings in," he said. "More than two thirds of the divers' spend actually goes to things other than the dive boat operators themselves so it is an important part of the industry." "I think the benefits of a project like this in sustaining that industry in the long-term is going to be very welcome." Barbara Foulkes, the chief executive of tourism body VisitOrkney, agreed that it was a very important niche market. "It has really got world status as a dive centre," she said. "When you speak to the diving fraternity it is well publicised, it is well known and it is a very attractive venue for them." Scapa Flow is one of the world's largest natural harbours and has been used as a shelter for ships for centuries. In 1919, German sailors scuttled 72 ships which had been interned in the harbour area. Most of the wrecks were salvaged, but seven warships remain - along with the British battleship Royal Oak, which was sunk in 1939 by a German U-boat with the loss of more than 800 lives. Last year HMS Scylla was scuttled off the coast of Plymouth to create Europe's first artificial diving reef. The area is already seeing the economic benefits, with estimates that the new diving facility will generate about £1m each year. A decision on the plan to sink a wreck in Scapa Flow is not expected for another two years. |
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Eco Divers hosts Asian Diver’s ‘Shoot-Out’ competition This summer, Eco Divers and Asian Diver Magazine invite underwater photographers to pit their skills against each other, enjoy a relaxing holiday in North Sulawesi and have a chance to win one of 14 fantastic prizes from a panel of distinguished judges. Eco Divers is the first company to host Asian Diver’s ‘Shoot-Out’ competition, to be held at Kungkungan Bay Resort in the famous Lembeh Strait (macro) and at Tasik Ria Resort in Manado, diving award-winning Bunaken National Park (wide-angle). Entrants can choose to enter either one of the back-to-back Shoot-Outs (one-week stay) or both (two-week stay). The amazing array of marine species in North Sulawesi gives the photographer a unique opportunity to shoot many of the best images of their life! The judging panel consists of world-famous underwater photographers, David Doubilet, Jennifer Hayes, Ned DeLoach and William Tan. Digital Editor of Fathom Magazine, Rod Klein, will be on-hand throughout, giving invaluable advice and tips. Joining him will be Eco Divers’ resident photo professionals, Cary Yanny and Steve Coverdale, to advise on general photographic techniques. At the end of each week, results will be presented to the judges to win critical acclaim and a myriad of prizes for both film and digital photography: The competition for Macro photography ‘Shoot-Out’ takes place at Kungkungan Bay Resort from 23 July to 30 July 2005 and the Wide-Angle photography ‘Shoot-Out’ takes place at Tasik Ria Resort from 30 July to 06 August 2005. Prizes include top-quality 4 and 7 night holidays in Indonesia and the Red Sea, diving equipment and more! As well as giving divers the chance to make their mark in the world of underwater photography, this is also a great opportunity to dive one or both resorts and experience two very different worlds of diving in Bunaken and the Lembeh Strait. For information, accommodation and diving prices, please check out www.eco-divers.com.
Eco-divers hosts photography competition in Manado |
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Go
Diving 2005 show - Birmingham NEC Have a go with the latest kit in the Watersports Pool, get advice from the experts, see cutting edge equipment in action and listen to top speakers share their experience and knowledge in the Watersports Theatre ... This is the Show that diving has been waiting for! You'll also have a chance to check out film and photography from the world's best underwater filmmakers, or experience the underwater world without getting wet in the Virtual Dive Experience. With all the latest brands, retailers and onsite advice this is a fantastic way to get started or further your passion for the sport. Click here for their site.
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Mencap
takes the plunge and launches Dive:24 Mencap is launching a 24 hour sponsored scuba diving event. Divers who really want to have fun while testing their skills can sign up now to take part in Dive:24 anywhere in the UK on 18-19 June, the summer’s longest weekend. Dive:24 is so called because each dive team will consist of a minimum number of 24 divers (12 buddy pairs) taking it in turns to dive over 24 hours. Each pair will undertake two 1 hour periods underwater with a surface interval in between, therefore ensuring that at least two divers are underwater throughout the event. Dive teams can choose to dive in either indoor or outdoor locations. Anyone with an interest and enthusiasm for diving can take part in Dive:24. Mencap is also aiming to encourage divers with a learning disability to take part as scuba diving is one of the most accessible sports available to people with a learning disability. Divers will be asked to raise a minimum of £50 sponsorship. Money raised will help Mencap support children and adults with a learning disability, their families and carers. For more information about Dive:24 contact 0845 977 7779 or email events@mencap.org.uk.
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| Restaurants
May Be Forced to Drop Shark And Turtle From Menus In an effort to prevent the extinction of sharks and turtles, Burmese authorities are planning to stop hotels and restaurants from putting these endangered sea dwellers on their menus, a private journal reported Thursday. Brig-Gen Maung Maung Thein, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, said that shark conservation areas have already been designated and projects are under way to hatch turtle eggs and release the youngsters into the sea, according to the Flower News journal. Sharks have been decimated in Southeast Asian waters, with fishermen hunting them down for a regional delicacy, shark fin's soup. Turtles and tortoises are also popular with diners. Burmese authorities occasionally raid restaurants that serve exotic dishes made from armadillos, turtles, tortoises, lizards, snakes and other wildlife and take action against owners. The journal said that more than 170,000 turtles were released in the sea from hatcheries between 2001 and 2004. Burma harbors 32 species of turtles and tortoises, of which 5 species are regarded as endangered, it said. Quoting a fisheries department official, the semiofficial Myanmar Times newspaper reported recently that the turtle population in Burma declined by about 80 percent from 2000 to 2004 due to human activity. Fisheries officer Maung Maung Thein said his department has conducted education programs for fishermen and villagers living in Burma’s Irrawaddy delta and other areas of the coast. They are urged not to collect turtle eggs and release turtles accidentally caught in fishing nets.
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Improve
your underwater digital photography…and relax!
Take your digital photography up one stop and join Kungkungan Bay Resort between 6 and 27 August for some of the best professional tuition in what is arguably one of the best destinations on the planet for macro photography – North Sulawesi’s Lembeh Strait. Rod Klein, Digital Editor of Fathoms Magazine, will conduct a series of underwater digital photography workshops throughout the period with schedules arranged to meet guests’ individual needs. Normal workshop length will be 6 days. Topics
include digital versus film, proper camera set-up and preparation,
exposure of digital cameras, media cards, file types, underwater
lighting and composition, and photo retouching. Seminars in
PhotoShop will also be offered. Whether a complete beginner or experienced photographer, these workshops will teach you all you need to know to achieve excellent results. For
full information and prices, email Eco Divers: info@eco-divers.com
or go to
Sea Snake - Copyright Rod Klein 2005 (click to enlarge)
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| Sipadan
nearly has closure The Semporna District Office will demolish all man-made structures on Sipadan by force if remaining stubborn operators refused to comply with the directive to this effect when the deadline expires. Of five operators on the island, only two - Borneo Divers and Pulau Sipadan Resort - had so far fully complied with the Government directive by removing all properties on the island. The rest had been doing it at a very slow pace. National Security Division (BKN) Sabah State Director, Che Moin Umar, said the tour operators are aware of the deadline and two options were given to them. "Either they dismantle their properties to be relocated or they let the structures to be torn down by the authorities. No more extension will be given to the operators to stay on the island and no compensation or incentives either. "By Feb 1, 2005, the tour operators and their staff must vacate the island because we are not going to issue any more permits to them. Divers are only allowed to dive at the 12 points on the island from 6am to 6pm,". He emphasised that strict action await those who stay on the island without permits under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959, where the offender can be charged in court, accordingly. "The BKN will only seal the designated area for the demolition purpose and police will be present to make sure the security situation will be under control. Two BKN officers will be sent to the Island together with some personnel of General Operation Force and Sabah Parks officers to be responsible for implementation of policy matters on the island," he said. The initial deadline for the operators to move out was Dec 31, 2004. However, the authorities gave another three weeks until Jan. 21 this year since the operators could not meet the deadline. The operators were then given another extension up to the end of this month. An 'Evacuation and Demolition Committee of Sipadan Island' chaired by State Secretary Datuk K.Y Mustapha had set up several sub-committees to implement the Government stand.
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DAN Unveils International Tsunami Relief Information Portal on Internet Working in conjunction with its affiliates DAN Europe, DAN South East Asia-Pacific and DAN Southern Africa, DAN America unveiled Jan. 19 its new DAN International Tsunami Relief information portal. The portal provides a coordinated response by DAN America and its international affiliates to the effects of the tsunamis in South and Southeast Asia in December and the efforts following it. It relays and consolidates news that affects DAN Members and other divers, diving and travel updates in the area, relief efforts, vital information, personal stories of some survivors and more. It may be found at a link from the home page of the DAN website, www.DiversAlertNetwork.org, or by directly going to www.DiversAlertNetwork.org/tsunami/ The portal will be updated periodically with information received from DAN affiliates worldwide. The general public as well as DAN Members are encouraged to check it regularly to get the latest details to the millions of people affected by this event and see how DAN as well as the international community at large tries to help them recover.
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Tighter regulations for Red Sea boats - and guests New rules brought in by the Red Sea Association for Diving and Watersports have set stricter requirements for liveaboard and day diving charter boats.
Guests on will need to:
All day-diving boats need to provide:
Day-diving guests will need to:
Diver says diving company left him at sea, sues for $4M A diver who says he drifted for five hours after a boat crew left him at sea has sued the diving company for $4 million. Daniel Carlock Jr. filed a lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Ocean Adventures Dive Co. and its employees, accusing them of negligence, inflicting emotional distress and fraud. Carlock, 46, alleges Ocean Adventures left him off Santa Catalina Island on April 25, 2004, then lied about his location, delaying his rescue for five hours. He was eventually rescued by Boy Scouts in the area. He developed skin cancer as a result of extended exposure to the sun that day, according to the lawsuit, which also asks for an unspecified amount in punitive damages. |
London
International Dive Show Over 240 exhibitors are going to be taking part in the London International Dive Show (LIDS) at ExCeL in March. This makes the show the biggest ever-diving exhibition to take place in the Docklands, and also one of the most exciting! Just by visiting the show, which is taking place on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th March, one lucky person will walk away with a fantastic holiday for two to the exotic island of Bonaire in the Caribbean. And, for groups of eight or more who buy their tickets to the show in advance there is also the opportunity to win a week-long Red Sea holiday for the whole group on a fantastic ship called ‘Hurricane’. In addition to being able to win these amazing holidays there are also many other opportunities to win prizes from exhibiting companies who will be showing the very latest diving gear, clothing, holidays, training opportunities, boats and diving memorabilia. And, if you want a break from the hustle and bustle of the exhibition halls there are a whole host of free talks and presentations being given by some of the sport’s top divers and wreck explorers. World-champion freediver Loic Leferme will be visiting the show to talk to visitors about this recent record-breaking breath-hold dive. And, alongside him South African Great White Shark expert Mike Rutzen will be jetting in to the exhibition to show visitors how he has learnt to ‘tickle’ these fantastic creatures. Taking a massive leap back in time will be TV presenter and ‘Superhuman’ diving expert Monty Halls, who will be talking about Operation Zembe, a fascinating expedition to cave systems in the Cape areas of South Africa in search of the oldest traces of civilisation underwater. The expedition was complicated by the number of Great White sharks that took a liking to Monty due, he says, to the fact he strongly resembled a seal whilst underwater! If you fancy a visit to the show and don’t mind getting your hair wet there’s the opportunity have a dive in one of the show’s pools. For people new to the sport, or just wanting to see how easy it is to learn to dive, there is the ‘Try Dive Pool’ which is manned by experts and has all equipment provided. Seasoned divers wanting to try out the latest kit can also get immersed in the British Sub-Aqua Club’s Rebreather pool. So, if you are an enthusiastic diver, or if you just want to find out how and where you can take up this fantastic sport, there’s no better place to start than at LIDS 2005. Tickets to the show cost £7.50 in advance or £9.00 on the door (children £2.00). Tickets can be booked online on www.diveshows.co.uk or by calling +44 (0)208 977 9878. For every ticket booked in advance, 50 pence will be donated to the Disaster Emergency Committee’s Tsunami Appeal.
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News archives :
January 7th to January 30th 2005.
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