News

Oyster Diving help one of the world’s youngest MSD’s on his way

Published

2 years ago

December 30, 2020

Oyster Diving recently had the privilege on helping Toby Monteiro-Hourigan on fulfilling his dream of becoming the one of the world’s youngest Master Scuba Divers.

Toby, from London, UK, took his first step into the world of diving with the PADI bubblemaker program (aged 8) before moving onto become a PADI seal. After completing his PADI Junior Open aged 10 years and 5 days , he discovered that he narrowly missed becoming the youngest Junior Open Water Diver, so the quest for becoming the youngest Junior Master Scuba Diver was formulated!

Toby took his first PADI speciality course at Dubai Mall Aquarium, identifying sharks (sand tiger sharks, reef sharks, leopard sharks, tawny nurse sharks, zebra sharks). He has since been very privileged and lucky to have dived with mantas, tiger sharks, thresher sharks and hammerheads in the Maldives and has swam with Whale Sharks, gaining the unofficial title of “shark boy”! Other specialty courses included: peak performance buoyancy, navigation, digital photography and boat diver.

Toby managed to complete most of the specialty courses in the summer with Oyster Diving, so it meant that on turning 12 in December he could complete the remainder of his required courses while on holiday in the Maldives. Through Pelagic Divers (Fuvahmulah, Maldives) Toby completed his Junior Advanced and Rescue Diver, gaining his Junior Master Scuba certification aged 12 years and 1 day, the absolute minimum age for completion as well as racking up an impressive 80 logged dives.

Toby shares the accolade of being the World’s youngest MSD with just a couple of other youngsters around the world who have achieved their certification the day after their twelfth birthday.

Toby loves and respects the sea and is in absolute awe of the aquatic realm! He knows that the Oceans’ kryptonite is plastic pollution and intensive fishing practices! He aims to use the power of his learning together with his diving adventures to educate and join the battle to help save the World’s Oceans!

Find out more about Oyster Diving at www.oysterdiving.com.

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News

Midlands Diving Chamber donates £20k to Bite-Back

Published

11 hours ago

June 9, 2023

Team Scubaverse

Hyperbaric and dive medical experts, Midlands Diving Chamber (MDC), has underpinned its long-term support of Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with a one-off donation of £20,000, as the Rugby-based diving doctors wind down the charitable side of its operation.

The donation represents the single biggest financial contribution made to Bite-Back, delivering a huge boost to its campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products.

Spokesperson for Midlands Diving Chamber, Sally Cartwright, said: “For years we’ve admired and supported the ground-breaking work that Bite-Back is doing to save, protect and celebrate sharks. It’s a genuine pleasure to help ensure it stays at the forefront of shark conservation in the UK.”

Midland Diving Chamber first supported the charity at the inaugural Bite-Back at Cancer event in 2007 and then annually for the next six years. It even hosted its own James Bond-themed party on the Thames to fundraise for the marine NGO.

Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We can’t thank MDC enough for its continued support and now for this massive contribution to our pioneering shark conservation campaigns. It makes us very proud that the country’s premier diving medical experts have chosen to back our campaigns that extend from parliament to primary schools. This financial windfall will allow us to continue to lead the shark conservation agenda in the UK and deliver measurable shark conservation breakthroughs to keep the oceans healthy.”

Bite-Back’s No Fin To Declare campaign to end the UK’s import and export of shark fins is now just months away from achieving Royal Ascent into law and, earlier this month it launched a free 56-page teaching resource for Key Stage 2 & 3 students on the importance of sharks and the threats they face.

Midlands Diving Chamber is based at St. Cross Hospital in Rugby and operates a hyperbaric decompression chamber offering NHS funded recompression to divers with Decompression Illness (DCI) together with other Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) treatments. Any diver with medical concerns should contact MDC on either 01788 579 555 or 07931 472 602.

Find out more about Bite-Back at http://www.bite-back.com/

Marine Life & Conservation

Watch The Real Watergate from Live Ocean Foundation (Trailer)

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2023

Team Scubaverse

Sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke established Live Ocean Foundation out of their deep concern for health of the ocean and the life in it. Through their sport they champion action for the ocean, taking this message to the world.

Many of the issues the ocean faces are out of sight, but the science is clear, the ocean is in crises from multiple stressors; climate change, pollution and over-fishing. We’re not moving fast enough, not even close.

Live Ocean Foundation supports exceptional marine scientists, innovators and communicators who play a vital role in the fight for a healthy future.

Thanks to generous core donors who cover their operating costs, 100% of public donations go directly towards the marine conservation projects they support.

Find out more at https://liveocean.com/foundation/

WATCH THE REAL WATERGATE AT https://www.realwatergate.com/