Divers, underwater photographers and journalists from across the UK joined Scubaverse.com’s Underwater Photography Editors Nick and Caroline Robertson-Brown at Ocean Leisure in London last night for the launch of their new book ‘World’s Best Wildlife Dive Sites’.
Also in attendance were the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and the South Australian Tourism Commission, both of which organised trips for Nick and Caroline so they could do research and take photos for the book. The two organisations were definitely in the party mood; the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism got things started with some Bahama Mamas (a concoction of white rum, dark rum, coconut rum and fruit juices), and the South Australian Tourism Commission supplied red and white wines from the region and a Virtual Reality headset experience which gave party guests the opportunity to ‘dry dive’ with the fur seals of South Australia.
Underwater Photographer and BSoUP (British Society of Underwater Photographers) Chair Paul Colley, who has written the Foreword of ‘World’s Best Wildlife Dive Sites’, said: “It’s been a superb evening. It’s been great to get underwater photographers together like this to chat and swap stories and ideas – in fact as a community, we don’t do this sort of thing nearly enough.
Nick and Caroline with Anthony, Maria and Iain from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
“I’m a huge fan of the book, which is why I was delighted to write the foreword for Nick and Caroline. These days we all have such limited time to fit everything into our lives, and it’s hard sometimes to figure out what to do next; so it’s great when a book like this comes along which is so inspirational and really gets you fired up for your next trip.”
Later in the evening, celebrity wine critic, writer and Nick’s personal friend Oz Clarke joined the party to offer his support too.
Nick and Caroline with Frances from the South Australian Tourism Commission and celebrity wine critic and writer Oz Clarke
Nick and Caroline with Richard and Hayley from Black Manta Photography
“We were overwhelmed by the turnout this evening, and would like to say a big thank you to all who came and of course to Ocean Leisure for hosting the event,” said an elated Nick at the end of the evening.
World’s Best Wildlife Dive Sites is a 288 page hardback book, published by Reed New Holland. It boasts some 250 images from 16 countries. Each of the 32 locations is chosen for a particular key wildlife phenomenon, whether that is coral reefs, whales, seals, manta rays, and so on. Each chapter comprises captivating images, a written account and a concise fact-panel outlining the key species, tips for visitors, equipment to take and the best time to visit.
Experiences include: crocodiles and silky sharks in Cuba; Great White Sharks and Weedy Seadragons in Australia; Whale Sharks of Mexico and Manta Rays in the Maldives; Hammerhead Sharks in the Bahamas; Basking Sharks and seals in the UK; turtles and Humpback Whales in the Caribbean; schooling fish and corals in Egypt; the Sardine Run in South Africa; Manatees and kelp forests in the USA; and the critters of Indonesia. It will be the ultimate tour of the world’s marine wildlife hot-spots, guaranteed to whet the appetite of divers, snorkelers and armchair naturalists everywhere.
Nick and Caroline are a husband and wife team of underwater photographers. They both have degrees in biology from Manchester University, with Caroline also having a masters in animal behaviour. Nick has been awarded a Fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society and he also has a diploma in teaching studies (Dip Ed). They are ardent supporters of marine conservation and hope that their images can help to inspire people to look after our seas and oceans.
‘World’s Best Wildlife Dive Sites’ is available now in hardback for £19.99. Buy it here.
To find out more about Nick and Caroline, visit www.frogfishphotography.com.
