News
Saeed Rashid: Wrecks of Aqaba at the July NUPG meeting (Watch Video)
The July NUPG meeting saw another top-notch guest speaker take to the virtual stage. Saeed Rashid joined the group to talk about diving in Aqaba and in particular the wreck photography opportunities this unique destination offers.
Saeed is a popular speaker at the dive shows and many of us have seen his engaging, interactive talks about underwater photography. He decided to offer the NUPG members something a little bit different and talked about his travels to Aqaba and the opportunities there for underwater photography. He started off with some beautiful shots of coral and marine life under jetties, as well as on the local reefs, but then quickly moved on to the main topic – the wrecks of Aqaba.
Saeed divided up the many wrecks into some of the older artificial reefs sunk in the 80s, like the Cedar Pride and the “tank” (which is not actually a tank but an anti-aircraft gun). He moved onto the deeper wrecks that can only really be visited by technical divers and finally talked about the many wrecks sunk more recently to attract new divers to the region. There are 2 big planes to explore: a C-130 Hercules and a Lockhead Tri-Star along with the Military Museum, which has over 20 military vehicles to explore.
Saeed showed off his wonderful underwater images from the press trips he has done there, and in doing so, made us all wish we too could dive there. Saeed finished up by showing us stunning topside images from Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea.
You can watch the video of Saeed’s talk here:
As always, the NUPG members also had a chance to show off some of their images in the monthly competition. This month’s theme was “Molluscs” and many were surprised at the range of marine life that fitted into this category.
The winning shot of a squid was taken by Ken Byrne on a night dive in the Lembeh Strait
The runner-up was a stunning octopus shot by Justin Beevor, taken on a night dive on The Barge in the Red Sea
In third spot was Maggie Russel with a lovely shot from Manado, Indonesia
For more information about the NUPG please visit the website by clicking here.
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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