News
Diving with… Lomo Watersport, Glasgow, Scotland & online at Lomo.co.uk
In this ongoing series, we speak to the people who run dive centres, resorts and liveaboards from around the world about their businesses and the diving they have to offer…
What is your name?
Grant Pollok.
What is the name of your business?
Lomo Watersport.
What is your role within the business?
Customer Service.
How long has the business operated for?
Since 2000.
How long have you dived for, and what qualification are you?
7 Years, Master Diver.
What is your favourite type of diving?
Happy as long as I have my camera with me. I focus mainly on macro photography so even if I’m diving in the wreck of a ship I’m still looking for small marine life most other divers might not realise was there.
If you could tell people one thing about your business (or maybe more!) to make them want to visit you what would it be?
We’re different from most other brands of diving gear because we only sell direct to the public. Because we don’t pay distributors or resellers it means our products are much lower cost than most other manufacturers for a given quality of product. But if you don’t visit us you’ll never see our gear!
What is your favourite dive in your location and why?
Lochaline wall near the Sound of Mull. A shore dive with a stunning landscape. Head out over the white sand and clear water then come to a line of rocks that drop straight down to below 60m. It doesn’t matter what depth you are at, there is always plenty of life. Fantastic for macro photography and usually very good visibility.
What types of diving are available in your location?
The west coast of Scotland caters for all types of diving; shore dives in the lochs, boat dives in the Firth of Clyde, wrecks, walls, reefs and some very good training sites. Well worth taking a camera.
What do you find most rewarding about your current role?
Meeting new people, whether they are seasoned divers, kayakers or whatever watersport, or just getting out there. Also helping customers that are just taking up a sport and are looking for advice on how to get the most from it. It’s a business where you meet so many people with a passion for what they do and it’s nice to pass that on to others.
What is your favorite underwater creature?
Nudibranchs; so small and delicate, yet an apex predator and they come in so many various shapes and colours. I have to try and see one on every dive.
Are there any exciting changes / developments coming up in the near future?
We’re always developing new products and released around 40 in the last year alone. Next year should see the same type of rate for product development which is always really exciting for us.
As a manufacturer what is the biggest problem you face at the moment?
We are seeing lots of cheap products being shipped directly from the Far East to the consumer via online marketplaces. Sometimes the consumer gets a bargain, but in something like diving quite often it means that the products don’t comply with the safety requirements of each sport.
Are you involved in any environmental work?
As a manufacturer we mainly focus on how our products have as small an environmental impact as possible. One big area we lead on is reducing packaging waste. What’s the point in making a product in a box that has 10 different leaflets and other bits of cardboard inside that will all end up in the bin?
We try to use the least packaging possible whilst still keeping the product safe to transport. We also reuse all our inbound packaging so that the boxes we receive product in from the factory are reused to ship orders out to customers. It can be amusing sometimes though when a customer who ordered a pair of fins gets a box that says ‘children’s snorkel set’ on it.
How do you see the SCUBA / Freediving / snorkeling industry overall? What changes would you make?
Reduce the focus on black coloured products. In an emergency you’ll be found much quicker in brightly coloured products! So unless you’re a Navy SEAL, being seen is of benefit.
What would you say to our visitors to promote the diving you have to offer?
As a manufacturer and retailer we don’t actually offer any courses or trips. But as Ambassadors for our local area…. COME TO SCOTLAND! If you don’t like the diving, you’ll love the Whisky!
Where can our visitors find out more about your business?
Our main outlet is through our website www.Lomo.co.uk. You can email us on admin@lomo.co.uk or call us on +44 (0)141 221 7674. Or if you’re in Glasgow pop by our shop at 96 Hydepark Street, Glasgow, G3 8BW.
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
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.
Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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