News
Event Report: Sharkfest 2016
The inaugural Sharkfest was held in Bristol on Saturday 24th September and has been hailed as a huge success by both the organisers and those who attended this fabulous event. Organised by the team at Fin Fighters, led by Lou Ruddell, this event invited shark-lovers from all over the country to meet up with like-minded people, listen & watch shark presentations and films and to visit stands that included shark charities, art, experiences and education.
The event exceeded all expectations with 400 tickets being sold, kids coming in for free, and other visitors to the venue joining in later. In total, over 1000 people came through the doors. This was, truly, an amazing achievement for a first attempt. There is a shark themed film tag-line that springs to mind…’’We are going to need a bigger boat” (or venue in this case!).
Talks ran throughout the day and at every single one, there was standing room only. Every stand had groups of people waiting to talk to the exhibitors and every now and then someone dressed as a shark, or pirate, would walk by. It was a brilliant family friendly day-out and simply bubbled with a superb vibe.
Abbie from WiseOceans enthused: “Sharkfest was an excellent event, it was fantastically busy and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting to so many passionate shark and marine conservation fans at our stand. We’re looking forward to the next Sharkfest already!”
The full line up of speakers & exhibitors was as follows:
The Shark Trust, Fin Fighters, The Manta Trust, Shark Guardian, Marine Conservation Society, Large Marine Vertebrates Project Philippines, The Gills Club, Frogfish Photography, Sharks4Kids, The Black Fish, Surfers Against Sewage, WiseOceans, Institute of Zoology, David Diley (Of Shark & Man), Jennie Hammond from BBC Shark, The Marine Biological Association, SKYODD, Sharks Teeth Limited, Shark Jewellery by DZN, Oh! Dakuwaqa Comics, Salt Water Life, Basking Shark Scotland, Incredible Oceans, Blue Planet Aquarium, Honolulu, Sharkstuff, Love the Oceans, Becky Jackson Design.
We loved being at an event where the main focus was the conservation of sharks and rays. We were up first to kick off the talks and had reservations that it might not be the best time-slot to speak, as many people may not have arrived yet. In fact, there was a huge queue at the presentation room door and many folk had to stand at the back once they were in. We did not stop chatting for the remainder of the event and left happy (if somewhat exhausted) at the end of the day.
And so it was that from 10am until gone 6pm, shark and ocean lovers had the chance to take part in a new and exciting event, all for only £10 (with the kids coming for free). We very much hope to see Sharkfest on the calendar in 2017. See you there!
M/Y Scuba Scene was launched in April 2023 and is the ultimate luxury steel-hulled liveaboard located in the Red Sea. She is 48m long, fitted to rigorous safety standards, and makes a great home away from home to enjoy some of the world’s most spectacular dive sites.
She is spacious, comfortable, and beautifully laid out, with a maximum capacity for 28 diving guests. Two large speedboats fitted with tank racks and dive ladders make life easier for divers – no more being hauled into a rib and face-planting on the dive gear. With no bedrooms on the lower deck, it means engine noise won’t spoil your sleep!
This boat comes highly recommended for shark and pelagic lovers, Tech divers, and fans of coral reefs and wrecks – a luxury yacht, friendly crew, knowledgeable guides, and delicious food.
GET 40% OFF Scuba Scene on the following dates:
2nd September – Wrecks of the North
9th September – Best of the Red Sea – Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone
21st October – Shark Week – Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone
Or 20% OFF:
28th October – Shark Week – Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone
11th November – North & Brothers
18th November – Shark Week – Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone
To book your space of for further enquiries please contact holidays@oysterdiving.com or call 0800 699 0243.
Gemma and Ian chat to Dawn Kernagis. Dawn joined DEEP in 2023 as the Director of Scientific Research. DEEP is an ocean technology and exploration company with a mission to ‘Make Humans Aquatic.’ DEEP’s undersea habitat and submersible systems, combined with multi-phased diver and human performance training, will create the next evolution of subsea science, research, and exploration capabilities. Dawn is a NASA-trained NEEMO Aquanaut, Explorer’s Club Fellow and Women Divers Hall of Fame Inductee and who is also tasked to establish DEEP’s first US presence in North Carolina. Dawn has also been a diver with numerous underwater exploration, research, and conservation projects since 1993, including the mapping and record-setting exploration of some of the deepest underwater caves in the world.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-kernagis-995383152/
The BiG Scuba Podcast is brought to you by Narked at 90. “Beyond Technical” Narked at 90 If you are thinking of moving across to tech diving or completely new to diving, Narked at 90 can advise and guide on the best equipment and set up for your personal or commercial requirements https://www.narkedat90.com/. There is currently a code for you to use for purchases and the code is BIGSCUBA2024.
If you are interested in the INSTA360 action camera we discussed then please click this link: https://www.insta360.com/sal/x3?utm_term=INRAI8S
We hope you have enjoyed this episode of The BiG Scuba Podcast. Please give us ★★★★★, leave a review, and tell your friends. Contact Gemma and Ian with your messages, ideas and feedback via The BiG Scuba Bat Phone +44 7810 005924 or use our social media platforms. To keep up to date with the latest news, follow us:
We are on Instagram @thebigscuba
We are on Facebook @thebigscuba
We are in LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian%F0%9F%A6%88-last-325b101b7/
The BiG Scuba Website www.thebigscuba.com
Amazon Store : https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/thebigscuba
Visit https://www.patreon.com/thebigscubapodcast and subscribe – Super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.
🎧You can listen to the BiG Scuba Podcast on all major podcast platforms including …. iTunes, SoundCloud, Spotify and Stitcher 😀. ISSN Number 2752-6127
-
Blogs4 weeks agoDive Indonesia Part 3: Dive into Lembeh Trip Report
-
Gear Reviews1 month agoGEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit
-
News3 months agoPADI Teams Up with Wellness Brand Neuro to Drive Ocean Change and Create a Blue State of Mind
-
Blogs2 months agoMurex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs3 months agoDiver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Blogs2 months agoSeagrass Awareness Month brings critical food source for Manatees to centre stage
-
Marine Life & Conservation3 months agoSave the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
Blogs2 months agoSOMABAY: Scubaverse interviews Wolfgang Clausen, General Manager, ORCA Dive Clubs