News
Iona II Dive Trail shortlisted in the AHI 2015 Discover Heritage Awards

The Iona II Dive Trail off Lundy Island in the UK’s Bristol Channel has been shortlisted in the Association for Heritage Interpretation (AHI) 2015 Discover Heritage Awards in the Interpretation for a Target Audience category. The shortlist nomination adds to the growing recognition of Historic England’s underwater diver trails for protected historic wreck sites.
Launched last summer, the Iona II Dive Trail was created by Historic England and Wessex Archaeology with the local diving community to encourage responsible licensed access to the only protected 19th century paddle steamer lying in British waters.
The Iona II has a colourful history as it was believed to have been involved in running guns and supplies for the Confederate Forces of the American Civil War. She sank in 1864 in foggy conditions in the Bristol Channel on her first trans-Atlantic voyage amidst rumours about her cargo.
Divers on the trail are given underwater guides to help them navigate the wreck and recognise key features such as the remains of the ferry’s engines, boilers and components of the paddle wheels which are still visible on the seabed. Divers can also actively help in the preservation of the wreck by sharing their images and video footage allowing changes to the wreck site to be carefully monitored over time.
Alison James, Maritime Archaeologist for Historic England said: “The Iona II is the newest of five underwater dive trails we have successfully launched since 2009 and is proving popular. This exciting nomination adds to the growing awareness of Historic England’s diver tourist trails. UNESCO has already recognised the trails as international examples of best practice for public access.”
The four other underwater trails run by Historic England with partners are: HMS/mA1 Submarine, the first British-designed and built submarine used by the Royal Navy which sank in 1911 in the Solent; HMS Colossus, a 74-gun warship built in 1787 which sank off the Isles of Scilly in 1798; the Coronation built in 1685 and lost off the coast of Plymouth in 1691; and the Norman’s Bay Wreck, possibly a Dutch ship which sank during the Battle of Beachy Head in 1690 near Bexhill-on-Sea in Sussex.
AHI received a record number 49 entries to the re-launch year of its prestigious awards, now being held biennially. AHI Discover Heritage Awards are the only UK and Irish awards to recognise all types of heritage interpretation. Projects of all shapes, sizes and budgets were entered from England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The quality of interpretation was consistently high, which reflects the strength of heritage interpretation across the UK and Ireland. Shortlisted and commended sites were chosen by a team of interpretation experts from around the UK and Ireland.
The winners will be announced by AHI patron Loyd Grossman at the gala awards ceremony, held at the AHI conference on 21 October 2015 at the Hilton Central Hotel, Newbury.
Bill Bevan, AHI Vice-Chair said: “The number and quality of entrants into the AHI 2015 Discover Heritage Awards made short-listing an exceptionally tough process. The shortlist represents some of the best recent heritage interpretation projects in Britain and Ireland. We are delighted that the shortlist ranges from small to large projects. It is an international badge of excellence whether a site wins, or is shortlisted or commended in one of the categories.”
The AHI Discover Heritage Awards are the only UK and Irish awards to recognise excellence in all types and sizes of heritage interpretation whether held in museums, historic buildings, visitor centres or any type of outdoor location. Any form of media is suitable including exhibition, print, digital, art or live. An eligible project can be small or large. Whether it is a new leaflet or a million-pound visitor centre (or anything in between), the awards celebrate projects that best meet their interpretive aims and successfully communicate their key messages to their audiences.
For a full list of shortlisted and commended entries, click here.
Competitions
WIN a Beuchat Air Light Bag!!!

For this week’s competition, we’ve teamed up with our good friends at Beuchat to give away an Air Light Bag!
The Air Light Bag from Beuchat is a practical travel bag that takes up minimum storage space.
- Material: 600 denier and 1,000 denier nylon/PVC
- Soft roller bag, easily stored in its mesh bag
- Internal retaining straps
- Zip fastener with eyelets for padlocks
- Side compartment for fins
- Outer document pocket with coated zip and carry strap
- Backpack style straps concealed behind the foam back-plate
- Drainage vents
- Red over-moulded wheels; detachable wheel block
To be in with a chance of winning this awesome prize, all you have to do is answer the following question:
In a recent post on Scubaverse.com (which you can read here), we reported that Mexico is to host the first annual Cancun International Boat Show and Marine Expo this year. But when is the event due to take place?
Is it:
- A) 9th – 11th July
- B) 16th – 18th July
- C) 23rd – 25th July
Answer, A, B or C to the question above:
Miscellaneous Blogs
Jeff chats to… Jill Heinerth – underwater explorer, author and presenter (Watch Video)

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Jill Heinerth.
Jill is one of the world’s premier underwater explorers, and the first person to dive inside iceberg caves. According to filmmaker James Cameron, “More people have walked on the moon than have been to some of the places Jill Heinerth has gone right here on earth.”
An acclaimed polar explorer, cave diver, author, speaker, filmmaker, and climate advocate, Jill is the first Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. She is the inaugural recipient of the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration and Canada’s Polar Medal.
Jill leads expeditions into extreme environments to advance scientific and geographic knowledge. Her projects have been broadcast on the CBC, BBC, PBS, Discovery Channel, and television networks worldwide. Jill was announced as the recipient of the William Beebe Award from the Explorer’s Club and was inducted into the International Scuba Divers Hall of Fame in fall 2020.
Her bestselling book INTO THE PLANET – My Life as a Cave Diver has drawn acclaim from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and O Magazine. Heinerth details her journey into the extreme world of underwater cave exploration, where she has had to overcome fear in order to go where no one has gone before.
Find out more about Jill and her work at: www.intotheplanet.com
Rather listen to a podcast? Listen to the audio HERE on the new Scubaverse podcast channel at Anchor FM.
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