News
Get ready for DIVE 2014
The last weekend of October sees the UK’s Dive Show of the year at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.
Even when you aren’t diving you can still have fun in the company of divers, and that’s what the Dive Shows are all about.
Enthusiasts have had a long wait since the London Dive Show took place in February, but this year’s Birmingham NEC event on 25/26 October is now taking shape and advance bookings are being taken.
Booking ahead not only saves significantly on the ticket price but puts you in the frame for the possibility of winning a three-week dive trip of a lifetime for two to Papua New Guinea worth £12,500 – the biggest Show Grand Draw prize.
KIT UP AND GO
So what can you expect to find at the NEC this year? More than enough dive-gear manufacturers, distributors and retailers to ensure that all your kit needs are covered – compare and contrast, try and buy.
The doors are open to dive centres from all over the world as well as tour operators and training agencies, all with specialists on hand to discuss your next dive-trip, whether it’s purely for fun or with a skills-boosting slant.
The Asia-Pacific Showcase, Caribbean Village and British Isles Experience (look out for free dive-computers from Suunto) help to make specific providers easy to find.
WETTER THE BETTER
Talking of skills, the PADI Village will dazzle you with possibilities for travel and training, while BSAC and SSI are among other training agencies set to have a presence at the Show, the former with its Branch Pods.
The Try-Dive Pool, which gives youngsters and others a chance to get a taste of breathing under water, is now run by staff from the Dive School at Stoney Cove, the UK National Diving Centre, so the kids will be well-supervised.
The Technical Pool, run by Midlands Rebreather Diving, provides a chance for divers to get wet with unfamiliar kit, especially the new breed of closed-circuit rebreathers.
And expect more in-water activity with Marcus Greatwood’s NoTanx freediving crew, who will also be conducting free dry breath-hold training sessions and leading you through the 3D Simulator and Total Immersion Freedive Experience.
TALKING STARS
The full special guest presentation line-up has still to be finalised, but already set to speak are divers of the calibre of TV presenters Monty Halls and Paul Rose; Australian great white shark deep cage-diving specialist Andrew Fox; and technical instructor Mark Powell, whose latest provocative presentation title is “Are Rebreathers Safe?”
Newcomers at DIVE 2014 will be crime-fighting divers Claire Gwinnett and Laura Walton-Williams, who run courses in underwater forensics; and South Africa’s Patrick Voorma, who seems to be uncovering historic wrecks by the month.
Other technical wreck-divers include the familiar faces of Jack Ingle, with his workshop on being a better wreck-diver, and Leigh Bishop, who is taking part this year in some extraordinary, deep and at the moment still secret expeditions.
At the less hairy end of the diving spectrum, we hope to have some recent Miss Scuba champions present to share their experiences, too!
IMAGE CENTRAL
Beside the two main presentation areas, the DIVER Stage and the Centre Stage, expect a powerful line-up of audio-visual presentations in the two Ocean Theatres.
Centre Stage is where you’ll be able to see presentations by PhotoZone experts dedicated to helping visitors hone their photographic and videographic talents, including the likes of Saeed Rashid, Paul Duxfield and John Carlin.
One-to-one advice on technique and equipment will also available in the PhotoZone from British Society of Underwater Photography (BSoUP) members and others.
BSoUP’s annual Prints Competition entries will be displayed, with the chance for you to get involved in the judging, and there will also be a special big pelagics photography display by Danny Kessler and Doug Perrine.
RIB-EYE VIEW
Look out too for Humber’s exciting 7m dive RIB, purpose-built for Great British Expedition leader Monty Halls, which is set to be unveiled at the Show.
BOOKING NOW
Book online for DIVE 2014 now and you save £3 per ticket – advance tickets cost just £9.50, instead of £12.50 on the door. Under 16s accompanied by an adult can enter free.
Order six or more advance tickets and save even more, paying only £8.50 per ticket – just visit www.diveshows.co.uk.
Shells of the World: A Natural History by M.G. Harasewych
Shells of the world is a guide to the world of marine, shelled molluscs. And what a varied and interesting world it is. Some of my favourite things to find on a dive are detailed in this book, including disco clams (or Electric File Clams as they are correctly names), the cephalopods, giant clams and sea hares. There are also many on my wish list, top of which is the Nautilus.
Each chapter provides a detailed description of the species, along with beautiful images. You can dive deeper and discover where they live, both with global distribution and the habitat they prefer. Learn about their diet, reproduction and diversity.
Having dipped in and out of this lovely book over the past few weeks, it has inspired me to learn more about this group of animals that we see on most divers, wherever we are in the world. Some of the shells are incredibly intricate and beautiful. I have always agreed with never collecting, or touching, marine life. The description of a certain set of cone shells should be a warning to those that are happy to pick up marine life! One of the cone shells has a local name called the cigarette snail. Why? Because once the venom is in your system from this animal, you only have time to smoke one cigarette before the affects of the venom are fatal!
What the publisher says:
Mollusks are invertebrate animals with a remarkable natural history and a rich fossil record, and their shells are prized for their breathtaking variety and exquisite beauty. Shells of the World provides a wide-ranging look at the incredible diversity of marine mollusks. An informative introduction outlines the lineages covered, followed by a directory section, split into classes, that profiles a broad selection of different taxa to give a sense of their sheer numbers and variety.
- Features hundreds of beautiful color photos, depicting both the live animals and their shells
- Discusses mollusk evolution, anatomy, life cycles, behavior, and ecology
- Describes unique characteristics, distribution, habitat, and size
- Provides valuable insights into the conservation of the world’s marine mollusks
- Ideal for malacologists and shell collectors everywhere
About the Author:
M. G. Harasewych is research zoologist emeritus and former curator in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is the author (with Fabio Moretzsohn) of The Book of Shells: A Life-Size Guide to Identifying and Classifying Six Hundred Seashells.
Book Details
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Hardcover
Price: £25
ISBN: 9780691248271
Published: 9th April, 2024
Stahlsac dive bags and travel luggage are built for our community of divers, surfers, kayakers and outdoor explorers who need bags that are constructed with durability, toughness, and 
the highest quality the industry has ever seen. We were founded by one man determined to build better watersports and dive bags, and today, that mission is carried on by many. Adventure doesn’t just present itself; it requires discovery. When we design dive bags, we make sure they are tough enough for you to explore in all conditions—warm and cold, wet and dry—to the nearest and farthest reaches of the earth. And for those times you want to push the boundaries of adventure, Stahlsac dive bags make sure you can truly GO ANYWHERE.
Abyss Duffels
Made to be your partner-in-crime on every adventure, Stahlsac’s Abyss Duffels protects your gear from Mother Nature’s worst. Tough and 100% waterproof with double-TPU nylon material that shrugs off daily wear-and-tear, and RF-welded seams further boost the bag’s potential for lifelong exploring. Get Wet. Get Lost. Go Anywhere with Abyss.
- A weatherproof duffel for trips, travel, and adventure
- Ultra-durable double-TPU nylon protects your gear
- Material repels water and keeps your equipment dry
- RF-welded seams are flush, tough, and waterproof
- Removable straps transform duffel into backpack
- Zippered internal stow compartments carry essentials
- External zippered flap is easy to open and close
- Welded external handles make transporting a breeze
Panama Mesh Backpack
The most copied design in scuba diving, the Stahlsac Panama Mesh Backpack is the “original” design and features two high-density foam padded shoulder straps, extra durable polyester mesh, duffel bag handles and our unique zippered dry pocket inside that combines with a wet pocket outside. The bottom’s built from reinforced 18-gauge PVC nylon to combat the wear and tear of your active coastal lifestyle, and, as a bonus in every bag, we supply a 12″ x 12″ mesh drawstring satchel for extra stowing utility. Pack up your beach kit and go.
- Density foam padded shoulder straps
- Outside wet/dry pockets
- 2 Carry handles
- Tough, snag-resistant polyester mesh
- Reinforced PVC bottom
For more information about Stahlsac bags, visit www.stahlsac.com/dive-bags.
Sea & Sea is the home of Stahlsac and other leading diving brands in the UK.
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