News
Don’t miss BBC Seven Worlds, One Planet – LIVE in concert this Thursday at the O2 Arena, London
This Thursday, March 31st 2022, the highly anticipated UK concert premiere of the BBC’s landmark television series Seven Worlds, One Planet comes to The O2 Arena in London for one incredible night only.
This new rescheduled date (previously planned for December 2021) will be hosted by BAFTA winning British explorer, Naturalist and TV presenter, Steve Backshall accompanied by the very best hand picked musicians that make up the specially created Seven Worlds Symphony Orchestra & Choir, conducted by Matthew Freeman.
When the television series, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, was first broadcast in the UK, it took viewers on an epic journey that not only celebrated the diversity of life on each of the seven continents, but also highlighted the many challenges faced by nature in a modern world dominated by humanity. It went on to become BBC One’s most-watched factual TV show of 2019 and will finally celebrate its UK premiere live concert performance at The O2 Arena London in a very special one-off concert, presenting the very best footage and music from the highly acclaimed television series.
The live concert will present a selection of the most spectacular scenes from the television series displayed on a giant state of the art 4K Ultra HD LED screen. The series took a staggering 1,500 people over 4 years to make, including 92 film shoots across 41 countries.
Accompanying the footage on screen, the series’ hugely emotive score was composed by Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer and Jacob Shea for Bleeding Fingers Music, and features the captivating song ‘Out There’, produced specifically for the series by Zimmer and the multi-award winning artist SIA.
Steve Backshall says he was “thrilled” when approached to host the premiere.
“As a naturalist I was fascinated by the television series which presented the incredible beauty and diversity of the seven continents that now make up our amazing planetary ecosystem. To bring those stunning visuals, stories and the live music score of Hans Zimmer to the arena stage is something to behold. It is going to be one of the highlights of 2022, a very special event for those who love the environment, our planet and something for all the family to really experience and enjoy!”
During the concert, the audience will be taken on a journey of discovery through the ‘seven worlds’ – from the colourful paradises of South America to Asia’s vast wilderness; from the unforgiving deep freeze of the Antarctic to the searing heat of Africa; from North America via Australia to wildlife closer to home in Europe.
The documentaries produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit have inspired generations and helped shape people’s view of the planet, something which is now more important than ever. Featuring stunning, never-before-seen visuals, these programmes bring the miracles of the natural world to viewers all over the world, inspiring them to reflect on the power of our planet and have a positive, long-term influence on human behaviour.
The live concert format for these breathtaking television programmes has already proved hugely successful over the past number of years, with over half a million UK & European fans having already attended concerts for the outstanding Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II series.
All previously purchased tickets for the December 5th performance will remain valid for this March 31st 2022 performance.
If you haven’t already secured your seat, tickets are still available from www.seven-worlds-one-planet-live.co.uk and all usual ticket agents.
Blogs
TRAVEL BLOG: Jeff Goodman Dives SOMABAY, Part 2
Day three of my trip to Somabay and we were spending the day on the Lady Christina and diving on the wreck of the Salem Express.
Diving wrecks for me is always one of mixed emotions. The excitement of diving a wreck is more than often tempered by the thought of loss of life when she sank. The Salem Express was a passenger ship and a roll-on/roll-off ferry travelling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt. Most passengers were of poor class travelling home from their holidays while around 150 people were returning home from their pilgrimage to Mecca.
The ship struck a reef and sank within 20 minutes. Passengers were trapped below deck and the ship was filled with fear and panic.
The wreck area is strewn with personal belongings from the crew and passengers such as a transistor radio and a flat iron for clothes. A diver at sometime has put them in a prominent place to be seen.
Tragically only one life boat was launched while the others went down with the ship. More than 600 men, women and children lost their lives here.
It’s a stark reminder that the sea can be unforgiving and so when we dive on such wrecks we should do so with humble regard.
Returning to the surface, shoals of fish are gathered under our boat and seem to be welcoming us back into the light.
Back at the Breakers I sat in the dining area with a beer and a very good meal while my thoughts still remained with the day’s dive on the Salem Express.
Check in for part 3 tomorrow for Jeff’s last day of diving with Somabay on the off-shore reefs looking for turtles.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
Blogs
TRAVEL BLOG: Jeff Goodman Dives SOMABAY, Part 1
For a week at the end of February I was invited to sample the diving with Orca Dive Club based at the Breakers Diving and Surfing Lodge by courtesy of SOMABAY.
Somabay covers an entire peninsula and is home to several resorts as well as residential compounds. Somabay caters for scuba diving as well as many other sports, including windsurfing, golf, sailing, go-carting, horse riding and many other activities.
All the activities are of a world-class standard and any or all of these can be booked directly from The Breakers.
I took Easyjet from Bristol (UK) to Hurghada. Easyjet are not by any means my favourite airline but the flight was cheap and direct (except for the surprise extra £48 I was charged at the gate for my carry-on bag).
I was met at Hurghada airport by a driver and car and taken to the Breakers 28 miles (45Kilomaters) south along the coast. Once at the hotel I was too late for an evening meal and so a basic meal was delivered to my room. That and a beer from the fridge and I was fast asleep.
Early the next morning after breakfast I arrived for my rep meeting at the Orca Dive Center for 8.00am. I was immediately made to feel welcome, and after brief introductions I got some dive gear from the store, had a chat with my dive guide Mohamed and got ready to try the house reef situated at the end of a very long wooded pier where all diving gear and divers are taken out by buggies.
Once at the end of the pier, a helping hand from staff makes sure your gear is set and then it’s a short walk to the very end where you can either climb down a ladder of simply jump in the water next to the reef. The house reef extends both north and south giving a very easy and safe dive with plenty to see. At this time of the year the water temperature was a constant 22 degrees Centigrade and there was little or no current, so there were no issues in swimming back to the pier.
Quite a few divers were in dry or semi-dry suits, but being from the UK and used to the cold I found a 3mm wetsuit with a 3mm neoprene vest quite comfortable. Even after 50 years of diving I still find that first dive of a trip slightly nerving until I am actually underwater and then all becomes relaxed and I ease into auto diving mode. There was plenty to see with many of the Red Sea favourites along the way.
After the dive and a buggy ride back to the hotel for a very good buffet lunch I was back in the water, once again on the house reef for an afternoon dive.
Check in for part 2 tomorrow when Jeff gets on a day boat and dives a few of the off-shore reefs.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
-
News3 months ago
Hone your underwater photography skills with Alphamarine Photography at Red Sea Diving Safari in March
-
News2 months ago
Capturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs2 months ago
Creature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs1 month ago
Murex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Gear News3 months ago
Bare X-Mission Drysuit: Ideal for Both Technical and Recreational Divers
-
Gear Reviews2 months ago
Gear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Blogs2 months ago
Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Blogs3 months ago
The Thrilling Encounter with Tiger Sharks at Beqa Lagoon’s ‘The Colosseum’ with Coral Coast Divers