News
Suunto Vertical Blue 2015 Now Under Way in the Bahamas
Twenty Four world-class athletes from 13 different countries have joined event host and dual world record holder, William Trubridge, to compete in the 2015 Suunto Vertical Blue Freedive Challenge at Dean’s Blue Hole, Bahamas.
This freediving depth competition is considered to be “the” sporting event of the year for elite competitive freedivers – the “Wimbledon of Freediving”, as dubbed by the NY Times. Now in its eighth incarnation the Vertical Blue event provides a spectator-friendly competition zone and record breaking battles among the world’s most talented freediving athletes.
Comprised of three freediving depth disciplines – Constant Weight, Constant No-Fins and Free Immersion (CWT, CNF, FIM respectively), this AIDA judged competition offers competitors six official dives to challenge themselves and their rivals to obtain the coveted Suunto Vertical Blue Championship title. Performances will be filmed on the surface and at depth using GoPro cameras to give the viewer a complete perspective on how deep these dives really are, amazingly all on breath-hold.
Among the many record holders in attendance this year for the first time is Annelie Pompe of Sweden, a world renowned mountaineer who was the first Swedish woman to summit Everest. Pursuing his own records is William Trubridge who currently holds the world record in what most say is the purest form of freediving, constant no-fins. Trubridge may seek to deepen his existing world record of CNF 101 meters/ 331 feet to an ever deeper 102 meters/ 334 feet.
“This year I am competing in three events almost back to back in May and June: Suunto Vertical Blue, the Caribbean Cup and Nirvana. Of course it’s also a World Championships year, and that event, scheduled for September in Cyprus is the focus of my training, but I hope to be already reaching good enough results that I can start pushing some boundaries in the coming months. I’ve been focusing on CNF (no fins), but I’m also doing dives in both CWT and FIM to keep those disciplines trained,” said Trubridge. “It’s been a while since we’ve competed in Dean’s Blue Hole during the spring months, when weather and water clarity tend to be better, so I’m looking forward to that as well. My gas tank of motivation is topped off, and I’m ready to step on the gas!”
Freedive enthusiasts from across the globe can tune into the Vertical Blue Facebook page and Trubridge’s Twitter feed as well as the Vertical Blue twitter handle & hashtag #VB2015 for up-to-date news and results.
News courtesy of Freedive Magazine.
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Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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