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Dive Fest Diaries – Day 1

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Each year the magical, Caribbean island of Barbados holds a festival to celebrate scuba diving, free diving and marine conservation. This year, Nick and Caroline went along to see what it was all about…


Wednesday 4th July: Day 1

We arrived in Barbados last night, and headed straight to our hotel: Coconut Court. We have a large room, with plenty of space for all our camera equipment and a stunning beach view from our balcony. We had dinner with the group and then headed back to our room to prepare our cameras for the diving tomorrow. At breakfast, we discovered that if you do not cover up your food, whilst heading to the buffet to collect items, the bananaquits, pearly-eyed threshers and any other savvy bird, will come in and steal your food and drink!

We are diving with West Side Scuba Centre for the first couple of days of Dive Fest Barbados and on this day one, we have two morning dives planned, before joining in the underwater clean-up dives that all the dive shops will take part in. West Side Scuba Centre is based at The Boatyard, and we met the team early in the morning to start to prepare for our day ahead. Peter, the owner, greeted us and informed us that the plan for the first dive was the SS Stavronikita wreck – a huge wreck that is a highlight of the diving here. It was going to be a great start.

The wreck does not disappoint. We made a tour of the exterior, marvelling at the incredible, lush coral growth on the deck and masts. The top of the deck lies in about 20 metres of water, with huge a-frame style masts reaching up to the surface, but not breaking it. These structures attracted schooling fish and even, at the very end of the dive, a solitary turtle. What a great start to Dive Fest Barbados.

Our second dive led us to explore a shallower reef, with a small wreck thrown in too. Alas, a tropical storm was heading our way and the waves and surge were picking-up and hence the visibility was not so great. However, even in these conditions, we found plenty to enjoy, hunting out tiny Flamingo Tongues, huge lobster, Moray Eels and Drumfish.

It was a short ride back to The Boatyard and time to grab some lunch at this busy and popular tourist hangout. While youngsters soaked up the sun and partook in drinking games, we re-hydrated in a more sensible fashion, as we still had another dive to do! Once we had eaten, we jumped back on the boat and headed to the National Park area to help out on the underwater clean-up. West Side Scuba Centre offered this dive to its customers for free, to ensure a large turn out to help collect any rubbish we found.

Underwater, all the volunteer divers formed a large line and we started our search for trash. Each diver had a mesh bag to collect the detritus and we found items of clothing, lighters, plastic cups and other plastic utensils, discarded fishing gear as well as plenty of undetermined pieces of plastic. Between us we pulled up a good amount of rubbish, but not as much as we had expected to – which is good news for this area.

Our day was rounded off with an exceptional Thai meal at the Zen Restaurant, where we watched the storm clouds build from behind the huge glass windows of this tranquil dining room. Our first dive of Dive Fest Barbados had given us some great diving, and shown us the spirit of this event: to bring together divers who are passionate about protecting marine life. Now we needed some well-earned rest…..


Want to join in on all the fun at Dive Fest Barbados 2019 – put the dates in your diary: 3rd to 7th July 2019!

www.divefestbarbados.com

www.westsidescuba.com

www.coconut-court.com

www.theboatyard.com

www.zenbarbados.com


Equipment used:

  • Nikon D800, Nauticam housing, INON Strobes
  • Olympus OMD EM-1 mkII, Nauticam housing, INON Strobes
  • Olympus TG5

Nick and Caroline (Frogfish Photography) are a married couple of conservation driven underwater photo-journalists and authors. Both have honours degrees from Manchester University, in Environmental Biology and Biology respectively, with Nick being a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, a former high school science teacher with a DipEd in Teaching Studies. Caroline has an MSc in Animal Behaviour specializing in Caribbean Ecology. They are multiple award-winning photographers and along with 4 published books, feature regularly in the diving, wildlife and international press They are the Underwater Photography and Deputy Editors at Scubaverse and Dive Travel Adventures. Winners of the Caribbean Tourism Organization Photo-journalist of the Year for a feature on Shark Diving in The Bahamas, and they have been placed in every year they have entered. Nick and Caroline regularly use their free time to visit schools, both in the UK and on their travels, to discuss the important issues of marine conservation, sharks and plastic pollution. They are ambassadors for Sharks4Kids and founders of SeaStraw. They are Dive Ambassadors for The Islands of The Bahamas and are supported by Mares, Paralenz, Nauticam and Olympus. To find out more visit www.frogfishphotography.com

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Dived Up Publications announces the release of The Diver and the Cookby Lasse Spang Olsen

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The Diver and the Cook

A ship lost. No survivors. A grim recovery mission begins, pushing a team of commercial divers well beyond their comfort zone.

Braving treacherous conditions, saturation diver Nico van Heerden single-handedly combs the cramped, debris-strewn, zero-visibility Jascon 4 shipwreck searching for any sign of the lost crew.

Then, in a scene akin to a horror movie, while exploring a small, isolated compartment, Nico feels a tap on his shoulder. Could someone have survived underwater for over sixty hours?

The Diver & the Cook is the incredible true story of a seemingly impossible underwater rescue. With first-hand accounts, authentic images and detailed reconstructions, author and documentary maker Lasse Spang Olsen brings this gripping tale to life. The book is the result of over four years of work, including intensive interviews, access to previously unknown material, and deep study of conversations and film recorded during the actual incident.

Witness the unwavering determination of the human spirit as Jascon 4 galley chef, Harrison Okene, fights for survival after his ship goes down. Meanwhile, rookie saturation diver Nico van Heerden faces a daunting challenge: spearheading the rescue mission in a perilous underwater environment. With time running out, what rules must the dive team break to save Harrison before it’s too late?

An unprecedented operation, this story provides a unique perspective on the dangers and challenges faced by divers, showing the importance of teamwork and communication in high-risk situations. An incredible survival story against all odds, with an equally surprising aftermath.

Quote from the author, documentary-maker Lasse Spang Olsen:

“There are a whole lot of different versions of this story out there. But I believe that by speaking directly to the key people involved, creating meticulous reconstructions and doing original research we have dug much deeper and got far closer to the truth about the rescue and the sinking than anyone has ever managed to before.”

About the author

Author and veteran filmmaker Lasse Spang Olsen – in a 40+ year career – has participated in stunts and FX on over 600 films, directed eleven features and filmed extensively underwater. He’s led expeditions uncovering historical mysteries like the Flying Enterprise wreck and documented adventures worldwide. He’s also a producer and lecturer. Originally published in Denmark as Dykkeren of Kokken (February 2024), this is his fourth book.

The Diver and the Cook (ISBN 978-1-909455-61-0) is released on 12 November 2024 in paperback and ebook. It is available via online retailers, bookstores, from DivedUp.com and to the dive trade via Nautilus UK.

Dived Up Publications website: www.DivedUp.com
Facebook @DivedUpPublications / Insta @diveduppubs / X @DivedUp / TikTok @divedup

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Spooktacular Underwater Adventure: Oyster Diving’s First Halloween Scuba Party at Mercers Lake

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halloween

Last Thursday, Oyster Diving transformed Mercers Lake into a hauntingly unforgettable underwater realm for their inaugural Halloween Scuba Party. Approximately 20 intrepid divers plunged into the darkness, weaving through a mesmerising scene of spectral decorations, glow sticks, and eerie underwater pumpkins.

halloween halloween

After the thrilling night dive, participants gathered to feast on a ghoulish spread of pumpkin soup, chilli con carne, and decadent fudge brownies, perfect fuel for the frightful festivities.

halloween

With a resounding success, Oyster Diving is excited to announce plans for this event to become an annual tradition. Next year, look forward to a fully licensed bar and live music, promising an even spookier celebration under the moonlit waters.

halloween

Join us next Halloween for an experience that promises to be a haunting delight!

Find out more about Oyster Diving at oysterdiving.com.

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