News
Review: The Great Northern Dive Show
After last year’s inaugural outing, was The Great Northern Dive Show 2017 a success?
When is a dive show not a dive show… but still a dive show? Stay with me here…
The Great Northern Dive Show is the brainchild of Ruth Mort, who owns and runs H2O Divers in Wigan in the UK with her husband Duncan. From the very beginning, Ruth wanted to do something different – and she’s certainly achieved that. There aren’t many dive shows that can claim to have Darth Vader wandering the aisles with a legion of Imperial Stormtroopers in tow; or a dinosaur walking (that’s right, walking) the show floor.
Yes, I hear you all say, Star Wars is indeed awesome (and if you’re not saying that, you’re wrong) – but what has it got to do with Scuba Diving?
Well the short answer is, nothing. And if I’m being totally honest, when I was speaking to Ruth on the phone months ago and she was saying things like “we’re going to have a dinosaur at the show”, and “we’ve got stormtroopers from Star Wars”, I found myself asking her the same question, and wondering if perhaps she had lost sight of what it was she was actually trying to achieve – putting on a dive show. But it turns out Ruth knew what she was doing all along.
Because despite sounding like she’d gone completely mad, Ruth has made her dive show accessible to families. Divers were able to take their kids knowing that they would be entertained. And big kids like myself enjoyed it too. It kind of works.
And it’s the only dive show (to my knowledge, at least) that has an opening ceremony (with a singer, which admittedly I missed) and closing ceremony (with fire dancers).
But what about the diving?
Like last year, this year’s show also featured the Aqua Theatre, which is the largest portable open windowed tank in the world. Freedivers from Apneists UK did stints in the tank dressed as mermaids, which was a definite crowd-pleaser and yet another big hit with the kids. Tech divers demonstrated skill sets, and Mark Powell from SDI/TDI even did a rebreather demo, so there was always something going on in the tank to keep visitors enthralled.
There were lots of great talks on the main stage given by well-known names from the UK dive scene. Highlights included James Rogers from RAID UK & Malta speaking about the training agency’s exciting and exclusive partnership with Blue Abyss; Scubaverse.com’s very own Nick and Caroline Robertson-Brown, who had only returned from a liveaboard trip to Socorro the previous day, speaking about their most recent diving adventure; and Mark Powell shared his experiences of diving the wreck of the Titanic’s sister ship, the Britannic. Other speakers included Sidemount guru Garry Dallas, Diver Medic Founder Chantelle Taylor-Newman, GUE Instructor Trainer John Kendall, and Dave Thompson from the Warrington Disability Partnership.
Once again, The Northern Underwater Photography Group (NUPG) held their annual print competition at the show. There were some stunning images on display, with the winning shots of the majority of the categories being chosen by the show’s visitors, and the overall UK and Overseas category winners being chosen by each category’s sponsor, Fleet Dive (UK category sponsor) and Safari Diving Lanzarote (Overseas category sponsor). Scubaverse’s UWP editor and NUPG member Caroline Robertson-Brown did well, winning both the British and Irish Wide Angle Category and the Overall Overseas category. Nick and Caroline’s full report on the NUPG print competition will be appearing on Scubaverse tomorrow.
The majority of the companies that exhibited last year were back for 2017’s show, and a few new exhibitors had taken the plunge and given the show a chance too. Visitor numbers weren’t as high as some were expecting, but were still respectable; the show just so happened to take place on the warmest weekend of the year so far, which may well have put some off spending their weekend inside. There were also some companies that were noticeable by their absence who hopefully will give the show a chance next year.
In its first year, the majority of those who attended The Great Northern Dive Show agreed that although the show was small and footfall wasn’t amazingly high, there was a great vibe and that the idea had legs. There was still an enormous amount of positivity this year, but there was also disappointment from some that more divers didn’t come through the doors. This will need to be addressed by Ruth and her team should the show go ahead for a third year.
I can’t emphasise enough though how refreshing The Great Northern Dive Show is. It has a lot going for it, and is a great opportunity for divers North of the border to come together and celebrate this great sport of ours. Now if only the rest of the industry would get behind it….
Blogs
EXCLUSIVE: Jeff Goodman interviews Mark Spiers, CEO of New Scuba Diving Training Agency NovoScuba
In a video recorded exclusively for Scubaverse.com, Jeff Goodman interviews Mark Spiers, CEO of new scuba diving training agency NovoScuba.
Find out more about NovoScuba at www.novoscuba.com.
News
Charting New Waters; NovoScuba Goes Global with the Launch of their Revolutionary Dive Training Agency!
Discover a New Era of Dive Education: NovoScuba Brings Innovation to the Surface! Fully ISO Certified and Equipped with Cutting-Edge Technology.
With a combined experience spanning over a century in the diving industry, a team of accomplished dive store owners, managers, and professionals unveils NovoScuba, a ground-breaking dive training agency poised to redefine the benchmarks of underwater education. Launching in May 2024, NovoScuba promises a revolutionary approach to dive training. Their vision is to make diving accessible to everyone, share success within the dive community and emphasise positive interactions with the planet.
NovoScuba’s global debut marks a significant milestone in the dive industry. Driven by a vision to challenge convention and harness the power of technology, NovoScuba aims to revolutionise the dive training landscape through its innovative business model, which is digitally native, making it the most technologically advanced dive training agency to date.
“We recognised the need for change in the dive training industry and saw an opportunity to leverage technology, and redefine existing business models to create something truly innovative,” said Mark Spiers, CEO of NovoScuba.
NovoScuba’s platform offers state of the art training programmes ranging from introductory up to professional diving, including various specialties. All programmes meet international standards and ISO certifications are in place. This commitment to shared success, accessibility and positive results for the planet, all at a cost effective and affordable level, is what will make NovoScuba stand out.
“Our deep understanding of traditional pain points for the industry, combined with our digitally native approach positions NovoScuba as a game-changer in dive education. Offering unparalleled initiatives such as student subscription, open access to all course materials, pay as you certify, no stock required, monthly membership payments, payment in local currencies, one-click certifications, and membership freezing, NovoScuba is set to redefine the industry. Available in 13 languages, at launch, the NovoScuba courses are written for the modern divers, with a focus on up-to-date content, interactive learning, and an engaging platform,” Mark Spiers concluded.
NovoScuba is challenging a change in the industry, redefining established traditional systems, and ushering in a new standard of excellence, support, and partnership. Their collaborations with dive stores, pros and underwater enthusiasts won’t demand exclusivity, prioritising earned loyalty, and an understanding that their Member’s success is key to their own.
NovoScuba
Diving Redefined.
-
News3 months ago
Capturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs3 months ago
Creature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months ago
Murex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs2 months ago
Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Gear Reviews3 weeks ago
GEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit
-
Gear Reviews3 months ago
Gear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months ago
Save the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
News2 months ago
PADI Teams Up with Wellness Brand Neuro to Drive Ocean Change and Create a Blue State of Mind