News
Zombies vs Aliens: Exploring Europe’s First Underwater Museum

They were lined up like a mini army, an eerie group of the walking dead; zombies from another world. Like some weird catastrophic event – something from a B movie – a whole population on the march, frozen solid in stone and drowned underwater!
But although eerie and zombie like, the statues in front of us were beautiful too, each one uniquely different. A man in a hooded top, a fisherman in a waistcoat and cap, a barefooted lady reading a book, a mother and her young child, and a child on her own gazing up towards the surface. What seemed weird is that these statues looked more at home than we did. They seemed alive and at home where they stood. It was us who were invading their world, breathing air from our tanks and creating streams of bubbles; we were the aliens.
As our guide took us on our tour through Europe’s first underwater museum I was excited about what we’d see next. The first exhibit we were shown was a couple taking a selfie of themselves! Then it was on to a group of traditional dugout canoes manned by young boys. It represented a scene once common on Lanzarote’s shores where boys would paddle out to sea to race each other and to fish.
Our next exhibit was even more topical and relevant. “The Raft of Lampedusa”, a tribute to the refugee crisis and depicting a scene throughout the Mediterranean, that of a small boat packed with whole families including young children risking their lives as they flee from war and persecution to find a safe country to escape too and start a new life all over again. All these exhibits were brilliant and thought provoking in their own right, but the group of statues we were hovering over was the most impressive to me.
As the sun filtered down through the milky somewhat chilly water, they were very evocative, and perhaps the reason they seemed so eerie was down to the less than perfect underwater visibility. We could just see the surface some 15 metres above us, but horizontal visibility was even less and variable and wasn’t helped by the vertical swimming positions of some of the divers in our group.
Arthur and I had been diving all week with Safari Diving out of Puerto del Carmen and had been recommended to book our Museum dive with The Dive College. Situated on the south west end of Lanzarote, there are a limited number of licensed dive centres with permits to take divers to the Museum. Each diver must pay a 7 euro entrance fee in addition to the cost of the dive, which tends to cost a little more than a regular dive on the island. Being a shallow dive it’s suitable for divers of all skill levels.
The museum has been designed and created by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor, who has also created similar amazing projects in Mexico, Grenada, and the Bahamas. The sculpture park in Grenada, which was the first of its kind in the world, has been listed as one of National Geographic’s Top 25 Wonders of the World; while most recently, “Ocean Atlas”, Taylor’s Bahamas creation, is the largest single underwater sculpture in the world, measuring 5 meters high and weighing over 60 tons.
Taylor’s statues are made up of a mixture of ingredients including wire and concrete, and are situated on sandy bottoms waiting to be transformed into completely new ecosystems, breathing rich new life into an area of low diversity.
The Atlantic Museum is best viewed as it is now by scuba diving, but soon areas will be created at shallower depths so snorkellers can easily swim down and enjoy the sculptures. As the museum grows and takes shape, a variety of very ambitious and exciting pieces will be added, including a giant mirror to create the illusion of a ‘pool’ in the sea, a large wall to create the walled garden, and an underwater fountain complete with actual lighting as its centrepiece.
As we left the amazing statues of men, women and children, we followed our guide into what we were told in our pre-dive briefing will be the amazing garden area. In this spot there were already a number of fascinating statues. Half human, half plant, we swam over to a series of giant cacti. Some had human heads, some didn’t. One was clasping its hands with its arms stretched out – like a gardener tending to his crops – his feet forming part of a cactus.
The Atlantic Museum project is massive. Originally 500 statues were planned at a cost of 700,000 euros of public funding. There was some controversy regarding the cost, and perhaps due to complaints things have been held up, as to date only 50-odd statues have been sunk. Due to statues only being permitted to be sunk in the winter season, no more are planned till later this year; but when it is finally completed, Lanzarote’s Underwater Museum will be fabulous and a real boost for tourism on the island (especially for Playa Blanca).
We were at the end of our tour and had reached what was undoubtedly my favourite piece. I’m not sure if it’s actually called the Tree of Life, but that’s what I would have called it. An artificial tree reaching up to the sky, it was home to hundreds of tiny fish taking shelter within its branches, feeding on the algae already beginning to cover it. Like tiny little lights, the fish reflected and bounced light all around the tree, making it look like it was being illuminated by loads of tiny fairy lights blinking off and on as the fish turn one way and the next. A lone predator watched them, waiting to pounce; it must have swum by and chanced upon this oasis in the desert.
Taylor’s pioneering projects have become hugely successful in terms of marine conservation, stimulating people to engage and become aware of the need to protect our fragile marine world. His creations are works of art that grow and change as the marine world shapes them, colours them and adds to their beauty. It will be interesting to see when his Atlantic Museum is finally finished – and where Taylor’s next project will take him.
Read Gavin’s article about diving other parts of Lanzarote here.
All of Gavin’s diving was arranged by Safari Diving Lanzarote.
Marine Life & Conservation
IUCN Spotlights Green Fins at Bali Ocean Days 2025, Calling for Stronger Business Model in Marine Conservation

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Global Ocean Director, Minna Epps, has spotlighted Green Fins Indonesia along with a call for stronger business models that sustain marine conservation. Speaking at the inaugural session of Bali Ocean Days 2025 held on 7-8 February, Epps emphasised the need for sustainable financing to support and scale marine conservation initiatives such as Green Fins.
Activities earlier in the week with the Coral Triangle Center in Sanur and Ceningan Divers in the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area shaped the IUCN Ocean Director’s message at the conference and showcase, aligning with the theme of the blue economy and impact finance to sustain marine ecosystems.
“Tourism has such a big impact on marine biodiversity, and we need it to adhere to a certain code of conduct,” Epps said. “That is why through our funding facilities, we worked with The Reef-World Foundation advancing Green Fins so dive operators can become certified with standards. But this kind of initiative has been around for a long time and it’s also a tool used to improve [MPA management], but it needs to come with a business model. I also believe in market-based instruments to evolve this programme.”
IUCN’s visit is part of their Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF), which supports at least 21 projects around the world, building the business case for investing in the future of our ocean.
In Indonesia, the project supported by IUCN was developed in partnership with The Reef-World Foundation, the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and the Coral Triangle Center, which serves as the local implementing organisation for Green Fins. The initiative engages marine tourism businesses through voluntary sustainability certification based on the only internationally recognised environmental standards for diving and snorkelling operations. Green Fins’ activities aim to reduce negative environmental impacts associated with marine tourism activities as well as improve the management of marine protected areas.
IUCN’s promotion of Green Fins in Bali Ocean Days signals the need for greater private sector engagement in marine conservation across Indonesia and beyond.
Investors, donors, marine tourism operators and stakeholders looking to support scalable marine conservation solutions are encouraged to explore opportunities with The Reef-World Foundation, the international coordinator of the Green Fins initiative. To learn more about sustainable marine tourism and how to get involved, visit www.reef-world.org.
About Reef-World
The Reef-World Foundation is a registered UK charity which delivers practical solutions for marine conservation around the world. The charity promotes the wise use of natural resources – particularly coral reefs and related ecosystems – for the benefit of local communities, visitors and future generations. It is dedicated to supporting, inspiring and empowering governments, businesses, communities and individuals around the world to act in conserving and sustainably developing coastal resources.
Reef-World leads the global implementation of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, which focuses on driving environmentally friendly scuba diving and snorkelling practices across the industry globally. As such, the charity provides low-cost and practical solutions to local and industry-wide environmental challenges associated with the marine tourism industry. It provides education and capacity-building assistance to empower environmental champions (within the diving industry, local communities, authorities and governments) to implement proven coastal resource management approaches.
Visit www.reef-world.org to learn more or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and X.
About Green Fins
Green Fins is a proven conservation management approach – spearheaded by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the UN Environment Programme – which leads to a measurable reduction in the negative environmental impacts associated with the marine tourism industry. The initiative aims to protect and conserve coral reefs through environmentally friendly guidelines that promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling tourism industry. It provides the only internationally recognised environmental standards for the diving and snorkelling industry and has a robust assessment system to measure compliance.
Green Fins encourages and empowers members of the diving industry to act to reduce the pressures on coral reefs by offering dive and snorkel companies practical, low-cost alternatives to harmful practices – such as anchoring, fish feeding and chemical pollution – as well as providing strategic training, support and resources. By reducing the local direct and indirect pressures tourism puts on coral reefs, it helps make corals healthier and more resilient to other stresses such as the effects of climate change. Look for the Green Fins logo when booking your next dive trip.Visit www.greenfins.net to learn more or follow the initiative on Facebook, Instagram and X.
News
Filming 360 in The Bahamas

In December 2024, the Shark Trust had a very special opportunity to film sharks and rays in The Bahamas. Frogfish Photography are the Bahamas Dive Ambassadors for the UK. And Caroline, Deputy Editor at Scubaverse, is the Marketing Manager at the Shark Trust. So, when the need arose to film footage of several species of shark and ray for a new Shark Trust project, The Bahamas seemed the perfect fit. A huge thank you is needed here to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. As they stepped in to fully support the trip both financially and practically. Ensuring that the filming expedition ran smoothly, and that we got as much time as possible in the water with sharks and rays, during the 10 day, 3 island trip.
The Bahamas is famous for its sharks and rays. Divers flock there to experience getting up close to a range of species. Our itinerary saw us visit Nassau, Bimini and Grand Bahama. It packed in as many in-water experiences as possible and had us dive, snorkel, and even take a submarine to experience them in a variety of different habitats and to capture them on film. We saw 148 sharks and rays from 8 different species (all of which have been logged on the Shark Trust Shark Log!).
But why were we there? The expedition was designed to fulfil the needs of two new projects being launched by the Shark Trust in 2025. The filming done underwater on this trip was the start of creating OneOcean360: A Shark Story. A new 360 immersive experience designed primarily for immersive domes and planetariums. The film will be the nearest experience to getting in the water with sharks and rays without getting wet! It will bring the world of sharks to an audience that may never get the chance to experience it first-hand. A Shark Story aims to deepen people’s understanding of sharks, uncovering and illustrating why they are so wonderful as well as being vital to marine ecosystems.
The film is being made in collaboration with Real Immersive. Also based in Plymouth, they have an immersive dome and are providing the technical expertise behind creating this unique experience. Reviewing the footage in the dome has been an invaluable part of the process. Both inspiring the team and allow us to refine the filming techniques to suit this immersive theatre.
You might imagine that we are using expensive cameras and even more expensive housings. But this is not the case. The entire project is being filmed using Insta360 X4 cameras. With only a few simple additions to the standard dive setup. The INON weight plate allowed us to attach this camera to a dive weight, set it down on sand or wreck, and then swim away and let the sharks be the stars. And the results are very exciting. The film will be ready this autumn. It will be accompanied by an educational pack for teachers to take away after school trips to see the film. Encouraging all those that see it to continue learning about these incredible animals.
You can support the creation of OneOcean360: A Shark Story by heading to the crowdfunder page and donating or selecting a reward.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/a-shark-story
Read about the shark and ray dives we did on Nassau, Bimini and Grand Bahama in our next blog post coming soon on Scubaverse.
-
Gear Reviews1 month ago
Gear Review: SurfEars 4
-
News3 months ago
Santa Divers take the Plunge for Charity
-
Blogs3 months ago
Scubaverse Christmas Gift Guide 2024: Day 5
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months ago
Paul Watson Released as Denmark Blocks Japan’s Extradition Bid
-
Blogs2 months ago
Jeff Goodman Launches Underwater Moviemaker Course with NovoScuba
-
News2 months ago
Dive into Adventure: Limited Space Available for January Socorro Liveaboard Trip with Oyster Diving
-
Blogs2 months ago
Experience Malta and Gozo in 2025: A Paradise for Divers and Culture Lovers
-
Blogs3 months ago
The Benefits of Underwater Photography Workshops