Dive videos in High Def

Rick Stanton and the Cave Diving Expedition in Pozo Azul

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0100

On August 29th 2011, Rick Stanton, together with expedition leader Jason Mallinson, René Houben and John Volanthen, have achieved a new world record in cave diving. This team of cave diving experts managed to set a new record for the worlds longest cave diving penetration, covering a distance of over 9 km!

Earlier this year, we had a discussion with Rick about the previous expedition to the same cave, Pozo Azul in Spain, back in September 2010. Rick talks about the logistics involved in such en enormous adventure. He was right to say that we would hear back from them around August. What a fantastic result!

Duiken met een fysieke of geestelijke beperking met IAHD

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Duiken is voor iedereen, ook voor mensen met een fysieke of geestelijke beperking. Dat bewijst een organisatie zoals de IAHD. IAHD heeft als doel het promoten, ontwikkelen en uitvoeren van scuba duikopleidingen voor mensen met een lichamelijke en/of (lichte)geestelijke beperking en voor instructeurs die mensen met een beperking willen opleiden. Wat drijft een man zoals Gerard Oijnhausen, de bezielende kracht achter IAHD?

Freediving with sharks

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0100

This video features amazing shots of Ai Futaki which were taken during the Manta Fest in Yap island Micronesia in 2010. All the footage of Ai was not staged. The videographer just took the opportunity to take some pictures, while she was modelling for photographer Tim Rock. Then he combined this footage with shark footage he had in his archive. The intention is to show how you really can become a part of the environment you are in, without disturbing it.

Rosalie Moller, gem of the Red Sea

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0100

One of the most coveted wrecks of the Red Sea is the Rosalie Moller. With difficult diving conditions, a depth beyond recreational limits and often bad visibility, she is even for experienced divers a challenge. Sadly, over the years she has suffered considerable damage. Diveboats mooring and erosion by the sea have had a serious impact on the already fragile wreck. After 70 years we want to find out what is still left of her. Is the iconic wreck of the Red Sea still worth diving? Submerge Productions went deep into the hull of the Rosalie Moller, probably deeper than most divers. Here is the full story of the Rosalie Moller.

HMS Myngs: the wreck we were not supposed to dive

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The Red Sea boasts many shipwrecks. Some of them lie in shallow waters, so divers have the chance to explore them. Others lie to deep, and will remain a mystery forever. And then there are wrecks that are found in locations where diving is not allowed. Submerge Productions had the chance to film such a wreck, the HMS Myngs. This footage is unique, because very few divers have visited the wreck, as it is located very close to an Egyptian Military base, and off the dive charts.

Prins Hendrik Expedition - Brother Islands (ENG)

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0100

For years there are tales about the sinking of the dutch steam ship „Prins Hendrik“, but even today it is unknown where exactly it is sunk.

There are historical reports that say that the ship hit the west side of the Brother Islands, located in the middle of the red sea.

The crew of the lighthouse is sure that there is a ship sunk at the end of jetty of the Big Brother Island.

Expedition leader Horst Dederichs, and his crew of technical divers, wanted to locate and find the wreck of the „Prins Hendrik“. Using several teams and underwater scooters they dove the westside of the reef at a depth of 80-120 meters, where they expected to find the wreck...

The last coral gardens

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Coral reefs are disappearing at an increasing rate due to pollution, acidic rain, global warming and damaging fishing techniques. Lucky for us, some regions have been spared. Enjoy these beautiful images from the coral reefs in Indonesia; enjoy them while you still can.

This movie, the Last Coral Gardens, was filmed by Edi Frommenwiler during his voyages with his liveaboard “The Pindito”. Edi used a RED camera, which is one of the top cameras for professional camera work.

Get involved in the HEPCA Dolphin Project in the Red Sea

Tue, 31 May 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Never was the need for ecological initiatives so urgent than today. The Red Sea, very popular with divers, has sustained great strain from their increase in tourism over the years. Luckily, there are organisations such as HEPCA, specialised in both marine and land conservation around the Red Sea. Maddalena is a biologist, involved in the protection and conservation projects that Hepca organises, particularly the new Dolphin Project, where she assists in gathering information pertaining the dolphin population in the Southern Red Sea. She tells us what you as a diver can do to get involved in this interesting program.

Ai Futaki on freediving and her Guinness World Record

Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Ai Futaki started FreeDiving only very recently, but has made world fame in the meantime. She makes Underwater FreeDiving Videos and Underwater FreeDiving Photos. She recently set a Guinness World Record on female freediving when she completed the longest distance in a cave on a single breath-hold dive with a monofin and then a 90 meter dynamic swim without a fin.

We asked Ai what drives her to go freediving, how hard - or easy - freediving is compared to diving with tanks, and what her most precious moment was when freediving. This interview relates to the video of her Guinness World Record that was released earlier.

Wild Eye of Raja Ampat

Mon, 23 May 2011 00:00:00 +0100

A fantastic film from Edi Frommenwiler. Directly from Raja Ampat. Rare critters and creatures. Slivery snakes, sneaky octopus and manta rays. Lots of detail and colors, only to be found in those Indonesian waters. Edited in a very dynamic and entertaining way, with a captivating sound track to booth. Truly a pleasure to watch.

Guinness World Record freediving in a cave

Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Jan 07-2011. Ai Futaki attempted Guiness World Record for "The Longest Distance in Cave with only ONE Breath". With Fins for 100m.. the first women in the world, and without fins for 90m... the first HUMAN in the world who did it.

Amazing Thailand - Part 5: Similan Islands

Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 +0100

On the Similan Islands, another diving experience is in store for us. The islands' name is derived from the Malayan word "sembilan" and symbolizes the number nine. Large granite rocks are the visual trademark of these islands. The variety of different corals around the Similan Islands is sensational.

Abu Nuhas: the Ghiannis D

Sat, 14 May 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Das berüchtigte Riff von Abu Nuhas wird 1983 dem griechischen Frachter „Giannis D“, der wertvolle Tropenhölzer in den Laderäumen transportierte, wie schon vielen Schiffen hier zuvor, zum Verhängnis. Nach tagelangem Kampf mit Wind und Wellen versank das auf dem Riff aufgelaufene Schiff schließlich in den Fluten. Die „Giannis“ ist bis heute eines der schönsten zu betauchenden Wracks des nördlichen Roten Meeres.

Amazing Thailand - Part 5: Similan Islands

Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Rosalie Moller

Sat, 07 May 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Nur 2 Tage nach der Bombardierung der „SS Thistlegorm“ sinkt der englische Kohlefrachter „Rosalie Moller“ ebenfalls durch einen Treffer eines deutschen Henkel HE-111 Bombenflugzeuges. Innerhalb einer Stunde versinkt das Schiff, wobei zwei Matrosen ums Leben kommen. Nahezu aufrecht stehend ruht der 108 Meter lange Stückgutfrachter in 50 Metern Tiefe. Wenn Sicht und Strömung es zulassen, ist es für den begeisternden Wracktaucher ein Erlebnis, dass, sich auf 30 Metern befindliche Oberdeck zu betauchen.

Know what you are shooting

Wed, 04 May 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Becky Kagan, Owner of Liquid Productions, LLC gives you tips and tricks to shooting both topside and underwater video.

When you jump into the water to shoot video or stills do you know what you're shooting? I love watching videos and others' work, but I'm always plagued by one thought as I watch, there’s no storyline. As a photojournalist I'm taught to tell a story through images, I made this video to help give some advice and tips about taking your video to the next level! Hopefully it will help you think about what you’re shooting, and make a plan the next time you splash.

Das Dampfschiff Dunraven

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Auf ihrer letzten Fahrt von Bombay nach England, bestand die Ladung des englischen Dampfschiffes „ Dunraven“ aus Baumwolle, Tropenhölzern und Gewürzen. Am 22. April 1876 lief das Schiff nach einem schweren Navigationsfehler im nördlichen Roten Meer in der Nähe der Südspitze der Sinai-Halbinsel auf ein Korallenriff auf, geriet in Brand und versank. Bis in die Gegenwart halten sich Gerüchte um einen verborgenen Goldschatz in den Laderäumen.

Amazing Thailand - part 4: Phuket

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Phuket is Thailand's largest island which is located 900 km south of Bangkok in the Andaman Sea. The majority of Phuket's tourism can be found along the island's west coast beaches of Patong, Karon and Kata, where you'll find bustling bars, restaurants, custom tailors and lots of very affordable shopping.

The maritime life of the Andaman Sea is very versatile, and offers amongst many tropical fish.

Amazing Thailand - part 4: Phuket

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The maritime life of the Andaman Sea is very versatile, and offers amongst many tropical fish.

Der spektakuläre Untergang des Passagiers und Postschiffs Carnatic

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0100

1869 sorgte der spektakuläre Untergang des Passagiers und Postschiffs Carnatic wochenlang für Schlagzeilen in den englischen Gazetten. Auf dem Weg von Suez nach Indien lief der schnittige Dampfsegler, der neben Passagieren auch noch wertvolle Fracht transportierte, auf das Riff Abu Nuhas auf und riss, als das Schiff sank, 31 Menschen mit in den Tod.

Hartnäckig hält sich der Mythos, dass bis heute noch unentdeckte Schätze im Wrack zu finden sind.

A wreck near La Spezia in Italy: Colosso

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0100

This tugboat sank during the second world war when her cargo began to shift, and made her keel over. That is all that is known about the Colosso, resting at a depth of 40 meters in the bay close to La Spezia in Italy.

Wreck Expedition to Labrador

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Next to manufacturing great undersuits for all diving conditions, FE also organizes diving expeditions. Their recent trip to the ice cold waters of Labrador was really a quest for a lost sea plane. Jim Standing tells us how he managed to dive in freezing water, looking for the wreck. Question is: did they find the plane?

Amazing Thailand - Part 3: Richelieu Rock

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The Richelieu Rock is one of the best dive sites in the world! Completely covered by soft corals and sea anemone, the rock is home to an enormous amount of different species.

Amazing Thailand - Part 3: Richelieu Rock

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The Richelieu Rock is one of the best dive sites in the world! Completely covered by soft corals and sea anemone, the rock is home to an enormous amount of different species.

Extreme cave diving with Jarrod Jablonski

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

How about a cave dive, covering over 8000 meters, at 90 meters deep, spending 30 hours in the water? Or diving in China, combining spectacular dry caving with serious dives in a country where no diving was ever done on the premises, and where you have to haul all of the equipment you need from the other side of the world?

A talk with Jarrod Jablonski, director of GUE, who has participated in several cave diving projects, completing some of the most extensive dives ever done.

Amazing Thailand - part 2: Khao Lak

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Thailand, the land of smiles, a kingdom with countless myths and a culture with impressive ancient temple sites. It offers its guests rest and relaxation on sandy beaches and a wide range of lifestyle and trend sports.

You will find mile-long white sandy beaches as far as the eye can see. Khao Lak is the ideal starting point for day trips to the Similan Islands, or a liveaboard trip to Richelieu Rock, Koh Tachai and Koh Bon.

Amazing Thailand - part 2: Khao Lak

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Pierre-Yves Cousteau about Cousteau Divers

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

By uniting a community of divers who are concerned about the marine environment, Cousteau Divers brings the legacy of Jacques-Yves Cousteau to life, making each diver an agent of the study and conservation of the aquatic realm.

Cousteau Society develops a large program of participatory science based on the creation of a network of divers, the "Cousteau Divers". The Cousteau Divers and the affiliated diving centers are actively involved in scientific programs to monitor and conserve the marine biodiversity all around the World.

Become an agent for Cousteau Divers

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The Cousteau Society is developing a global monitoring program of the oceans based on the active involvement of recreational divers worldwide: Cousteau Divers. This program has several purposes: to raise the awareness of recreational users of the sea (divers and snorkelers) of its fragility and to empower them to help study and protect it.

Amazing Thailand - Part 1: Bangkok

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

To reach the international airport in Bangkok from Germany, it takes almost 10 hours by plane. From here, it is about an hour drive into the center of the city.

The city center is the ideal starting point for a round trip tour through the country.

Accident Analysis: is rebreather diving safe?

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

When a diving accident happens, the first priority is taking care of the victim. But what with the equipment that was used? What happens to the rebreather? Where does the unit go? What kind of information can we extract from the data? Can we say that CCR diving is safer than OC or not? Martin Parker talks about accident analysis.

Amazing Thailand - Part 1: Bangkok

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

To reach the international airport in Bangkok from Germany, it takes almost 10 hours by plane. From here, it is about an hour drive into the center of the city.

The city center is the ideal starting point for a round trip tour through the country.

Diving under an Iceberg: Jill Heinerth in the Antarctic

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Jill Heinerth is one of the few people diving in the Antarctic, spending two months in extreme conditions. Why does anyone want to dive in these unfriendly waters? Risking life and limbs every single dive? Despite shifting ice, tricky currents and freezing temperatures, Jill managed to film the largest moving object in the frozen world.

the dubious situation of the deco chamber in Germany

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Carsten Ruland talks with Dr. Ulrich Van Laak, Director of DAN Europe Germany, about HBO Therapy. HBO stands for hyperbaric oxygen, a form of therapy that is used since the 1950s in case of accidents like gangrene. HBO therapy is a high pressure oxygen treatment in a compression chamber. Also the decreasing number of hyperbaric chambers in the German speaking area is an alarming topic.

The Red Sea Dolphin Project

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Last Summer HEPCA launched the Red Sea Dolphin Project (RSDP), the first boat-based research project set up in Egypt, completely dedicated to improving the existing knowledge of Red Sea cetaceans and advance our understanding of their ecology and distribution.

HEPCA’ s Red Sea Dolphin Project (RSDP) research team is once again heading out to sea to enrich our knowledge of its amazing wildlife, as well as advancing our understanding of cetaceans ecology and distribution in the Red Sea. This ground-breaking research is the first of its kind in the Red Sea and a platform for eco-volunteers to be part of HEPCA’s research campaign and conservation efforts. Our international team of scientists are applying state-of-art technologies to engage our volunteers in a truly fulfilling experience. Eco-volunteers will directly contribute to research and conservation in one of the richest and most ecologically diverse marine environments in the world. They will be part of a uniquely interactive science based experience; observing and studying cetaceans, enjoying a breathtaking cruise on the Red Sea, and having the opportunity to experience these magnificent creatures up close and personal!

Save the Bluefin Tuna

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

A short animation video about one of the most endangered species of our planet: the Bluefin tuna. This video gives you the whole story of the Bluefin, with lots of detailed information and some shocking facts.

Diving in a Belgian mine: Condroz

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Belgium is home to beautiful underwater treasures, such as this flooded mine in the Condroz. This is the place where sandstone was mined and it still shows the traces of the former mining process.

Frogfishes - A face only a mother could love

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The family, antennariidae, is a distinct group of predatory fishes, with 12 genera, and at least 41 species with one very special feature – their modified dorsal spine which acts as a lure for prey. Mostly referred to as frogfish, 'anglerfish' would be a more accurate description, because of the way these creatures live, act and feed.

Frogfish vary in size from five to 40 centimeters. They have loose prickly skin, limb-like pectoral fins that look like fingers and toes and an elbow-like joint. Their first dorsal spine has adapted into a movable fishing rod – the illicium – and is tipped with a lure – esca.

They tend to dwell on or close to the sea floor and appear in habitats like rocks, coral reefs, sea grass or anything which matches their appearance for perfect camouflage. They wiggle their rod and lure to attract prey imitating a food source. If their prey approaches they can extend their jaws in an incredible fast yawning motion, creating a lower pressure and sucking the prey into its mouth.

Frogfish have taken the art of camouflage to perfection. Their unusual shape, color, and skin textures disguise frogfish. Some resemble stones or coral while others imitate sponges, or sea squirts with dark splotches instead of holes.

Videoblog Boot Day 9

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The highlights of Day 9 on Boot Düsseldorf 2011 in the Diving Hall: Bonex scooters, individual and group diving and diving in Bonaire.

Videoblog Boot 2011 Day 8

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The highlights of Day 8 on Boot Düsseldorf 2011 in the Diving Hall:Underwater housings, a new brand of dive torches and the results of the TopShot photo contest

Videoblog Boot 2011 Day 7

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The highlights of Day 7 on Boot Düsseldorf 2011 in the Diving Hall: Dive into warm water and exotic destinations

Videoblog Boot 2011 Day 6

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The highlights of Day 6 on Boot Düsseldorf 2011 in the Diving Hall: Cold water diving

Videoblog Boot 2011 Day 5

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The highlights of Day 5 on Boot Düsseldorf 2011 in the Diving Hall: Euro Divers, new photo and video equipment and brand new freediving courses.

Videoblog Boot 2011 Day 4

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The highlights of Day 4 on Boot Düsseldorf 2011 in the Diving Hall: a new exclusive diving centre in Zandfoort, Malta and toys for boys (and girls)!

Videoblog Boot 2011 Day 3

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The highlights of Day 3 on Boot Düsseldorf 2011 in the Diving Hall

Videoblog Boot 2011 Day 2

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The highlights of Day 2 on Boot Düsseldorf 2011 in the Diving Hall

Videoblog Boot 2011 Day 1

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The highlights of Day 1 on Boot Düsseldorf 2011 in the Diving Hall

When a technical dive goes horribly wrong: Carl Spencer’s last dive

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The Britannic expedition 2009. A group of very experienced divers are diving the famous wreck that lies in deep waters in the Mediterranean. They are going to dive and film Britannic, bringing back High Def footage of areas that have never been seen before. A busy shipping lane, fierce currents and long decompression dives cause the team to dive on the limit of their knowledge and skills.

Then, something goes very wrong. The worst imaginable happens. Carl Spencer, organiser of this expedition, loses his life. His good friend and fellow diver Leigh Bishop talks for the first time about this tragic accident in front of the camera.

Sea Shepherd: wie zijn zij en wat doen ze?

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

De Sea Shepherds staan weer in het nieuws, deze keer omdat Japan hen als grote bedreiging ziet voor hun illegale walvisjacht. Ten tijde van het interview met Geert Vons, directeur van Sea Shepherd Nederland, op Duikvaker was net een van hun schepen aangevaren door een Japanse walvisvaarder. Hij legt ons uit waarom Sea Shepherd de reputatie heeft van controversieel te zijn, hoe hun acties worden aangepakt, en wat het belang van de media is.

Liquid Productions Demo Reel

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Liquid Productions is a professional full service Video Production Company that specializes in High Definition video, 3D Stereography, and Still Photography both topside and underwater. This is their demoreel.

PADI TecRec: New Rebreather course range

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

For over 40 years, PADI has been offering a complete range of recreational diving courses. Ten years ago, the agency entered the world of technical diving. Today, PADI launches a brand new range of courses for Rebreather diving: from recreational courses to full tec.

Mark Caney is vice president for Rebreather Technologies with the Technical Diving Division of PADI. He knows exactly what they have in store. Obviously we wanted to know how their new range of CCR courses is structured, what kind of courses PADI will offer, and which rebreather they will work with.

Dive for Life

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In 2010, the theme of Music for Life is giving to the Aids orphans. The diving associations of Antwerp are contributing by organising a big event in the middle of winter. A couple of hundred divers are weathering the cold and snow to dive in the "Put van Ekeren" in Antwerp.

Searching for the Blue and White shark in the Adriatic

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In 2005, 2006, and 2009 SCS undertook shark search expeditions in the central Adriatic primarily focused on Blue and White shark research. In 2009 a suspected Blue shark pupping ground was proved and the data handed to Dr. Alen Soldo who is the SCS scientific advisor for this region. It is hoped that Dr. Soldo will be able to lobby for this important area to be closed to all fishing at the appropriate time of year.

Molnar Janos: exploring Budapest caves

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Budapest is known for its spas. Their water originates from the volcanic earth. One of the most well-known springs is Malom Lake. It is a doorway to the cave system called Molnár János. Only a part of it has been explored so far. Nobody knows how far or how deep below the city the tunnels reach.

Janne Suhonen has visited the caves together with his friend Antti Apunen, and they have written a book about it. Time to talk about how they did it.

Cannery Row: Sardines Underwater

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Most people know sardines as a canned fish swimming in tomato sauce or oil. But before this process happens, they live their life in a group of thousands. Huge schools of sardines attract predators like we know from the world famous sardine run in South Africa.

Since some years, a huge school of sardines settled themselves amongst the reefs of Moalboal on Cebu island in the Philippines. The last year, they cruise around Pescador Island, which is the most known dive spot in the area. The school of sardines create fantastic shapes which together with their reflexion in the sunlight, turn it into eye-candy for every underwater photo-or videographer.

Recently, predators started to show up. The number of spanish mackerel, big eye trevally and tunas are constantly increasing. A very exciting new predator that arrived is the pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus), which came down in small numbers to feast on the sardines. Occasionally whale sharks pass by, but also the other residents like turtles, needlefish, snappers and lizardfish take advantage of the new food source. Every dive on Pescador Island is a new experience, because there are more predators waiting to come out of the deep blue for a quick meal.

Discussing deco algorithms with Bruce Wienke

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Studying the physics of bubble formation in the human body during deep, long duration diving has led a researcher at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory to discover a new system of dive tables. What are deco algorithms, what is the difference between the dissolved gas and bubble model? Which model works best? And how do you come up with a model? We asked all of these questions and then some to Bruce Wienke.

The wreck of the Bolzaneto in Italy

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Bolzaneto is a freighter built in 1918 to transport iron bars; during the second world war it was bombed by an airplane in the port of Genoa but it was not seriously injured. Instead on June 29th 1943 it was hit by the torpedos of an Allied U-Boot in front of the town of Bonassola, in Liguria where it dramatically sank and almost all the members of the crew lost their lives. During the sinking the ship was carrying a cargo of cast iron, that was subsequently recovered.

The wreck now lies on the sandy bottom at a depth of 56 meters divided in two parts. The stern emerges from the sand leaving the propeller and big part of the wreck quite visible at a depth of around 45 meters while the bow was almost entirely destroyed by the explosion.

Heavy storms during the Italian spring can dramatically reduce the visibility during the dive. But this is what diving in the Mediterranean can be like.

Analysing Carbon Dioxide with Dr. Simon Mitchell

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Two years after our conversation about the dangers of CO2 during diving, Dr. Simon Mitchell is back at Eurotek to discuss the topic of hypercapnia.

We want to know what exactly divers need to know about CO2 retention and breakthrough, and what the status is on CO2 analysers for rebreathers. The use of CO2 analyzers in rebreathers will be critically reviewed, and the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches to analyzer positioning in the rebreather loop will be discussed.

The Evacuation of Hanko

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Fall 1941. Germans have encircled Leningrad. Further west, Russian troops in the surrounded naval base of Hanko are running out of food.

Russians decide to evacuate Hanko. One of the biggest Baltic Sea naval operations during the World War II begins. Almost 30 000 men are on the evacuation ships, which are all overcrowded.

Many ships meet their fate in Finnish coastal artillery bombing and the mines. Thousands of men lose their lives in the dark waves of the Baltic Sea.

Now, 70 years after the tragedy our Finnish team of divers searches for the lost ships and dives some of them for the first time. The first found wrecks and dives to them have already changed the way history about them is written.

The full documentary coming in 2012. Stay tuned.

Duiken bij de Koninklijke Nederlandse Marine

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Duiken bij de Koninklijke Nederlandse Marine. Een job vol uitdaging en avontuur. Dennis Van Der Meule is Luitenant ter Zee en vertelt ons wat de taken zijn van duikers bij de marine, welke de opleidingscriteria zijn, en met welke apparatuur wordt gedoken. Hij is alvast enthousiast over zijn carrière!

Raja Ampat - The last frontier (part2)

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The documentary "Last Frontier" takes you to a unique place on earth where bad fishing practices and oil companies etc. ..... have not yet destroyed the ecosystem. We show you the fauna and flora like it’s nowhere else in the world. This is part two.

Minediving in Finland with Antti Apunen

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Finland is one of those countries which has no natural caves. When divers want to explore what is goig on underground, they venture in lime mines. Ojamo lime mine is situated in Lohja, some 60 kilometers west from Helsinki. The mine is the most popular cave diving site in Finland as there are no diveable natural caves. The conditions for diving are excellent all year round. The ground water is crystal clear and there is current.

Photographing deep wrecks with Leigh Bishop

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Regarded by many as one of the worlds foremost deep shipwreck photographers, Leigh Bishop has been diving for two decades and photographing wrecks for half that time. He has been a photographer on just about every major deep wreck expedition and has dived Britannic and Lusitania both on 3/4 separate expeditions. Around the English coast particularly the Channel he has dived an estimated 400 virgin wrecks and written extensively on many of them.

We ask him why he does this, and if he has a favourite wreck.

The Museum of Diving collects old rebreathers and regulators

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Duikvaker is de plaats waar je naast de allernieuwste duikmaterialen, ook een hele collectie antieke stukken kan bewonderen. Jan Willem en Jeroen zijn verwoede verzamelaars van rebreathers en oude ademautomaten, en tonen trots hun Museum of Diving.

Raja Ampat - The last frontier

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Tino De Rijk en de Commissie Technisch Duiken

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Als je de switch maakt naar technisch duiken, kom je onvermijdelijk in contact met begrippen zoals DCM tabellen, Buhlmann, Gradient Factors en Deep Stops. Tino De Rijk is een oude rot in het vak, en ondertussen voorzitter van de Technische Duikcommissie van de NOB. Een gesprek over de polemiek van decompressie en Deep Stops.

Cave diving: Source de Landenouse

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Lot and Dordogne in France are known for their beautiful caves, where divers from around the world come to indulge in the various caves. This video was shot during a nice cave dive with a breathtaking visibility in the Source Landenouse. The cave meanders nicely in big turns and in every corner divers can enjoy the shapes and structures carved by water.

Duik de Noordzee schoon met Klaudie Bartelink

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Duik de Noordzee Schoon heeft onlangs de AD Paul Fentener van Vlissingen Natuurpijs gewonnen. Deze prijs, onderandere een mooi geldbedrag, wordt jaarlijks uitgereikt aan een organisatie die zich inzet voor het natuurbehoud in Nederland. Klaudie Bartelink is onderwater cameravrouw, en is betrokken bij dit vrijwilligersproject dat zich vooral concentreert om de Noordzee zichtbaar te maken bij het brede publiek. Zij vertelt ons meer over de moeilijke duikomstandigheden waarin wordt gewerkt bij hun schoonmaakacties op de woelige Noordzee.

Finding new wrecks with Mark Bullen

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A very modest guy, but at the same time a very experienced wreck diver. Mark Bullen loves diving close to home, searching for unexplored wrecks. He doesn’t fall under the category of the expedition diver who goes out to document a famous wreck, but prefers looking for new wrecks, trying to identify them. We are asking him what the approach is to successfully find virgin wrecks and identify them.

Diving around Rinca in the Komodo National Park

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100

What could be nicer than making relaxed dives around the Komodo National Park? We have the luxury to schedule our dives the way we want to, and so, one day, we make two very long dives around Rinca, an island in the South of the Park. The visiblity in the South is not as clear as up North, but still we see lots of life, including a few sharks, and a feeding turtle!

Richie Kohler and North Sea Wrecks

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100

With a guy like Richie Kohler on board for this expedition, leading the US contingent, it seems that the divers are in for a treat. When a group of technical divers gets together, even with careful planning, things go wrong. People forget parts of their equipment, spare material needs to be found, and problems need to be solved before sailing out.
Richie and the rest of the gang are looking forward to a week of fun diving, exploring the North Sea wrecks. Let’s ask him what he has in store for the group.

De sfeer op Duikvaker 2010

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Duikvaker is de beurs voor liefhebbers van de duiksport in de Lage Landen. De 18de editie van dit jaarlijks evenement werd in een nieuw kleedje gestopt, op een nieuwe locatie. Submerge Productions was ter plaatse en snoof de sfeer op van Duikvaker 2010.

Meeting the Komodo Dragon

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100

When diving the Komodo National Park, we simply have to go on land to see the famous Komodo Dragon! Looking like giant lizards, they seem a bit slow and harmless, until you watch them devoure a full fish carcass in seconds... Not so harmless after all! Two weeks after our visit, a couple of divers got stranded on Rinca after getting lost in the current. Imagine surviving a dangerous dive, and then having to fight off these impressive monsters. The dragons are almost extinct, so it still is a privilege to see the largest monitor on the planet in it’s natural habitat.

Edoardo Pavia and technical diving in Italy

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100

It’s an international group leaving on this expedition, having people from Belgium, the UK and the US, and Italy. Edoardo Pavia stood at the cradle of technical diving in Italy, and explains us what the status is of technical diving today in the Italian market. Edo is also an accomplished cameraman, taking his filmgear to several famous deep wrecks, amongst which the Viminale. We ask him what he is looking forward to footage wise on this expedition, keeping his camera ready for unexpected shots.

Stephen Burke and the Graf Zeppelin

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The day before the Commandant Fourcault sails out on a wreck diving expedition in the North Sea, we’re on board to talk about wreck diving to several expedition members. Stephen Burke started diving at a very young age, and got passionate about diving in cold water, mainly around Cornwall. He has written a book about the Graf Zeppelin, the last Nazi warship built in Germany. This ship sank in the Baltic, and Stephen tells us why it is his ultimate dream wreck.

Diving the Komodo National Park

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100

For a week we are diving the Komodo National Park. A phindisi schooner is taking us from one spectacular dive spot to the next. Our trip takes us to rich waters, with an enormous biodiversity. The Indonesian Throughflow transports fresh and warm water from the Pacific into the Indian Ocean, affecting visibility and temperature. Diving around Komodo means lots of underwater life, but also lots of current!

The NYPD scuba dive team

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Frankie Pellegrino is a cop with 20 years of experience, diving the New York waterways for 11 years as part of the NYPD Scuba Team. Today he is gearing up for a wreck diving expedition on board the Commandant Fourcault.
The policing of New York’s waterways are provided by the men and women of the NYPD Harbor Unit. The Harbor Unit is on the cutting edge of marine law enforcement. From its 3 bases and 27 boats, the Harbor Unit provides the City of New York with a marine force that is equipped to handle all water borne security, public safety and rescue concerns. This includes: enforcement of maritime laws, missing persons in the water, evidence recovery, air-sea rescues, narcotics interdiction, anti-terrorism and security for United Nations.
Within the harbor unit is the elite NYPD Scuba Team. The team is unique among police dive teams. At any time of the night or day, there is a dive boat and police divers ready to answer the call. In addition, The NYPD Aviation Unit can deploy two scuba divers into any waterway in New York City within 8 minutes. The NYPD dive team is the only police dive team in North America to have scuba divers assigned to helicopters all year through. We’re asking Frankie what kind of person it takes to do this job.

A trip around Bali, island of the Gods

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This episode is the first in a series about Indonesia and diving in the Komodo National Park.
Before heading out to the KNP for a week of spectacular diving, we make a trip around Bali. While the following episodes focus on underwater life, this part shows what you can enjoy on Bali when you’re not diving! The island of the Gods is mainly Hindu, and large part of the population lives off what the land and sea provides. Renowned for a rich nature, and sophisticated art forms, Bali has become popular with tourists who come to enjoy the tropical climate and wonderful beaches with luxury hotels.
We travel around the island to get a feel for the life in the streets.

Diving in Norway

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Diving in Norway. Most people associate Norway with freezing cold water. Why would anyone dive in ice cold fjords?
Tom Lundahl is based in the south of Norway, and explains us what diving in Norway is like. It boasts a variety of fauna and flora, going from kelp forests with abundant fish life in the south, to the orcas and seals in the north. The sea bed can be shaped like rocky bottoms or steep walls, and all along the coastline the bottom is littered with interesting wrecks dating from centuries ago. This mix caters for both sport and technical divers, who can unwind in Norway’s lovely nature after their dives.

The Jura wreck in Lake Constance

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

On February 12, 1865 the wooden passenger ship "Jura" collided with the Swiss ship "Stadt Zurich" and sank within minutes near Bottighoven in Lake Constance. All passengers were rescued by the other ship that had almost no damage.

Cause of the collision was the dense fog making it extremely difficult to navigate without modern navigating equipment.
The "Jura" is a classic wooden steamer with on both sides a typical paddle wheel, which transported passengers from Germany to Switzerland.

The wreck has been well preserved but with the rising popularity of the wreck with divers, it loses details years of years of.
Not only vandalism and trophy hunters ensure destruction. When penetrating the wreck the breathing gases affect the wood, whereby the delicate wooden structure quickly erodes. Even divers with poor diving skills cause much damage. And anchors dropped on the wreck by many dive charters have also taken their toll.

Photos taken at the beginning of this century, therefore, show a different wreck than the one we have seen. We have been careful to pay tribute to this magnificent piece of history.

Peter Schneider and the sharks of French Polynesia

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

He’s an underwater cameraman with a passion for French Polynesia, and for sharks.
When Peter Schneider saw what was going on about shark finning, he and his partner decided to use their cameras as a weapon against this terrible practices. First, he portrayed sharks as an important part of the ecosystem, and not as a dangerous monster. Later, he even went as far as Hong Kong to document shark finning . This resulted in a movie, which stirred up emotions, and fired up discussions in French Polynesia. It took some time, but in 2006 a law was passed to protect the sharks.

Cavediving in France: Emergence du Ressel

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Relaxing cave dive in one of the most famous if not the most famous cave in France. Large boulders on the bottom show through which kind of power the water has shaped this cave which flows into the River Cele.

Discussing the risk of DCS with Professor Marroni, President of DAN International

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Whenever divers are introduced to the wonders of the underwater world, they are also warned against DCS. Decompression disease is a term often used when discussing the risks of scuba diving. We ask the expert, Professor Marroni, who also is the president of DAN International, what DCS is all about. What are the symptoms? Is it easy to recognize? How do we need to respond? How about in water recompression? And finally, how can we prevent it?

Inside the Devil: Ginnie Springs

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Ginnie Springs is home to Devils Cave system and is one of the most visited caves in the world. Gin clear water, over 23,000 feet of surveyed passage and unique geology attracts divers of all experience levels, from all over the globe, to the quaint town of High Springs Florida. They come to penetrate the darkness…explore a tunnel they've never seen, and dive the 72 degree, warm, clear water for hours. We produced this short HD video in March 2008. Cave conditions around Florida weren't ideal but the river that was flooding into Devils Ear provided some unbelievable shots, and we still returned with some beautiful footage from outside, and Inside the Devil.

Todd Essick, picturing goddesses, sirens and mermaids

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Most of the underwater photographers are interested in taking images of underwater fauna and flora. Some of them focus on specific fish species, while others concentrate on making pictures of stunning wrecks. Sometimes it is the photographer’s goal to portray divers as part of the underwater world. But what drives someone to photograph people in the water without dive equipment? And how does it tie in to fine art photography? Todd Essick is showing us the connection we have with the sea, documenting …”the union of the human form and the beauty of the sea”. Only by understanding this belonging will humans understand the importance of preservation of our blue planet and its oceans.

Liquid Jungle Productions Demoreel

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Valentina and Nick are the owners of Liquid Jungle productions, and they are based in Egypt. This video is their latest demo reel, showing off full HD footage shot all around the world in the last couple of years.
Val and Nick both use scooters for a lot of their deep water filming, and have worked together with Dive-Xtras Ben McGeever to fine tune their scooter-camera systems. With the help of their scooters their diving and filming horizon has increased even further….

3D underwater - Is it possible?

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

These last few years, 3D has become more popular. With the release of 3D movies in the cinema, the public has warmed towards this technology. What many of us don’t know is that 3D has been around for quite some time though! Werner Bloos has made this amazing technology available for the consumer, who is even able to film underwater in 3D with very specific equipment!

Kingdom of a clown

Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Clown fishes live in close association with large sea anemones. Each species has a preferred anemone host, although, most occasionally occur in a number of other anemone species, and individual anemones occasionally host more than one species of anemone fish.
They never live without an anemone, but it is not uncommon to find suitable anemones without anemone fish. Large anemones often host a semi permanent monogamous pair of adult anemone fishes and several small juveniles. Anemone fish are protandrous hermaphrodites, that is all individuals mature as males, and all females are sex-reversed males. Sex and growth are socially controlled by a dominant female. In the absence of a female, the largest male will turn into a female and the largest juvenile will rapidly mature into a male. The growth of the remaining juveniles is stunted by the adult pair. Spawning usually takes place around the full moon, all year round in the tropics, but only during the warmer month in warm-tempered areas. Typically, several hundred adhesive eggs are laid in a patch of cleared rock near the base of the anemone and cared for by the male. Hatching occurs at night after about a week, and the larvae drift in the plankton for 16 days or more before settling and seeking an anemone host. Anemone fishes feed primarily on zooplankton.

In the hyperbaric chamber with Dr. Adel Taher

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then the chamber is the diver’s best friend. This remarkable phrase was discussed at the Boot show with Dr. Adel Taher, founder and director of the Diving chamber of Dahab and Sharm EL Sheik in Egypt. Every year, thousands of divers come to the Red Sea, to enjoy the magnificent underwaterworld. Most of them take only good memories home. But what happens when things go wrong? What if you need a recompression chamber? How is the chamber organized? Dr. Adel Taher explains us why a chamber was needed in Egypt, why the chamber was built in a very particular way, and what kind of diving accidents they encounter mostly. He’s proud to say that since opening the Sharm Recompression chamber, it has been operational every single day, without failure.

Journey to an Undersea Rainforest

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Just off the southern California coast from some of the world’s busiest ports, a swaying forest of the world’s largest kelp thrives, invisible to us land dwellers. At some point in their lifetimes, nearly 800 species of invertebrates, fish, and marine mammals seek shelter and sustenance amid its 100-foot stalks.

Cave Diving: Eagles Nest Sink

Sun, 16 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Rebreathers, Trimix, DPV's, 600 watts of light and our cameras traveled 2000 feet Upstream to Kings Challenge illuminating one of the most unique underwater cave systems in Florida. The passageways in Eagles Nest are so large we could still only light a section of it. We spent an hour at 270' to capture this never before seen video.
This video was shot over 2 days. One day for Upstream and a second day for the Downstream section. We swam downstream so the video will take you past the Lockwood jump down into the Pit. This video is an updated version to my 2007 Eagles Nest Video.
Please do not attempt to dive Eagles Nest Sink unless you are fully trained to do so.

Under the Red Sea

Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Red Sea has been one of the most popular diving destinations in the world for many years. Jacques Cousteau once said "The Red Sea is a corridor of marvels - the happiest hours of my diving experience have been spent there". For many divers this statement is still true today. All the way from the North of the Street of Tiran to St Johns in the the Deep South, the ocean bed is covered with spectacular coral reefs, where a myriad of fish species have found their home. The reefs that make life here possible are treacherous to ships navigating around them which has led to some truly amazing wreck sites. It is a place offering amazing dive experiences both for beginners and seasoned divers.

Tiger Sharks at Tiger Beach Bahamas

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Tiger Beach is located about 20 miles north of the West End of Grand Bahamas. It’s not an actual beach; it's a shallow sandbar 20 feet deep at the edge of a deep-water drop off. Tiger Beach is home to several species of sharks including Lemon Sharks, Tiger Sharks, and the occasional Hammerhead! Crystal clear waters provide the perfect place to encounter and photograph these amazing animals in their own environment. We used no cages, no chain-mail, ONLY cameras to document the sharks.

Crystal River Manatees

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This video is an informational piece on the Florida Manatee. One of the most gentile creatures you could ever be in the water with! I hope you find it fun, educational and touching.
The Florida manatee, a subspecies to the West Indian manatee is the largest of all living sirenians. They can be found in fresh water rivers, and are completely adapted to an aquatic lifestyle.

The Egyptian Chamber of Diving and WaterSports

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0100

To get the most from your diving holiday, whether you are an expert diver or just a beginner, you should pick a safe and well-equipped diving center suitable for your needs. With a myriad of diving centres in the Red Sea, it is not easy to know which ones are up to par, and which ones you should avoid.
The Chamber of Diving and Watersports, founded by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism in 2007, was appointed to improve quality, safety and standard of services in the diving and watersports industry, as well as to preserve unique environment of the Red Sea.
It is a dedicated body under the umbrella of the Egyptian Tourist Federation committed to all diving and watersport activities which take place throughout Egypts coastal waters. Prior to its formation there was no official body to regulate or support Egypts booming diving and watersports industries.
We have a chat with the chairman of the CDWS, Hesham Gabr, and ask him why it was so important to have a control organism in the Red Sea, and what the accomplishments are after only 3 years in the field.

MenaDive in Safaga - Your Divebase in the Red Sea

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Within the hotel Menaville Christa, Laurenz and their team offer since 1992 diving vacation for the finest of sensations.
The modern diving center offers generous space, is exemplary equipped and will also impress you!
From the base it goes directly to our own marina where the ships are ready to depart. Our extensive diving options offer Half and whole day trips, house reef diving, night dives, Early Morning Dives and wreck diving.
Following a diving course, where the sun always shines, in crystal clear water with pleasant temperatures all year round, colorful coral fish from the first minute, this is no dream, with us it's reality! Try it out yourself!
The diving area around Safaga still is considered to be one of the nicest diving areas in the Red Sea. Fauna and flora offers everything what a diver's heart desires. Coral gardens, single coral towers, bigger and smaller coral blocks, wall and wrecks are easy and quick to reach. From the novice up to the pros, Mother Nature caters for every diving experience. In only 30min to 90min all dive spots are reached. Also your bodily welfare will be taken care of. Daily anew prepared refreshments are presented as a buffet, soft drinks, water and tea are offered by our crew.
As an active member of HEPCA (reef protection organization and the Project Aware of PADI), we dive in harmony with the environment.

Underwater Olympics

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

On the occasion of the Olympic Games in 2008, it seemed like a good idea to follow the Belgian Olympic team under water during their training sessions. Although these trainings take place in top-secret locations, we were able to find the team! This funny movie shows the outstanding underwater performance of a select group of “top athletes”, supervised by a few big sharks.
A clip with a wink.

Dermot Keane and the Shark Sanctuary in Palau

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

When Irishman Dermot Keane visited Palau for the first time, he wasn’t aware of the disruptive fishing techniques, or the shocking shark finning that was going on around the island. But once he did, he decided to do something about this. Big time!
With the help of other organizations, he managed to attain the impossible. When the president of Palau became a key supporter of his initiative, he publicly set fire to shark fins that were found aboard a foreign vessel caught in Palau waters. This speeded up the process and after eight years of lobbying, and still as passionate about his cause, it resulted in something truly magnificent: the President Toribiong of Palau stood up in the United Nations General Assembly, and declared Palau a Shark Sanctuary. A historic moment for Palau, for Dermot, but most of all, for the sharks, who can roam free in the beautiful waters of Palau!

The Blue Hole of Belize - Part 2

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Great Blue Hole is an underwater sinkhole, located in the middle of Lighthouse Reef, an atoll off the coast of Belize. With a diametre of about 1000 feet, and a depth of 412 feet, this perfectly circular sinkhole has become a very famous divespot that is part of the Barrier Reef of Belize.
It was Jaques-Yves Cousteau, who brought this spot to the attention of the public, when in 1971, ha came with his ship “the Calypso”, to chart its depths. Originally a limestone formation, the roof of this cave collapsed. Today, it features stalactites, which proves that the cave used to be above sea level during the last Ice Age.
John and cameraman Evan Kovacs, attempt to plan and execute an extreme technical dive to the bottom of the famous Blue Hole of Belize. Not an easy task.
Part 2 of 2

Diving to 300 meters with Mark Ellyatt

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

While most of us divers are happy diving in 20-40 meters of water, there are technical divers who descend to depths of perhaps 100 meters. Only a very select group of people on the planet have done extreme depths, diving to the edge of reason and beyond. A few years ago, Mark Elyatt descended to 300 meters. We wanted to find out why he wanted to do such a dangerous expedition, and what deep diving does to the human body. How do you plan for a dive that goes beyond every known depth limit? And what do you do when things really go wrong? A conversation about ambition, danger and crisis situations.

The Blue Hole of Belize - Part 1

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Great Blue Hole is an underwater sinkhole, located in the middle of Lighthouse Reef, an atoll off the coast of Belize. With a diametre of about 1000 feet, and a depth of 412 feet, this perfectly circular sinkhole has become a very famous divespot that is part of the Barrier Reef of Belize.
It was Jaques-Yves Cousteau, who brought this spot to the attention of the public, when in 1971, ha came with his ship “the Calypso”, to chart its depths. Originally a limestone formation, the roof of this cave collapsed. Today, it features stalactites, which proves that the cave used to be above sea level during the last Ice Age.
John Chatterton and cameraman Evan Kovacs, attempt to plan and execute an extreme technical dive to the bottom of the famous Blue Hole of Belize. Not an easy task.
Part 1 of 2

Interview with a Mermaid: Kristen Koscielniak

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

There are divers, and photographers. And then there are underwater models. We’re not talking about the funny clownfish, powerful sharks or elegant manta rays, but about real people, which pose for the camera underwater. We are talking about models that look like mermaids. They appear to be completely at ease underwater, almost blending into their liquid environment. They are pretty girls, smiling into the camera, looking very serene. The job of an underwater model may seem like a piece of cake, but in reality these girls are putting their lives into the hands of the support divers. Wearing flowing gowns, locked to the bottom of the seabed, holding their breath, they show us a very unique interaction between humans and animals underwater.

Interview with a Navy Seal

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Have you ever wanted to know more about the life of a Navy Seal? We talked to a member of the German Naval Specialised Forces. Part of the “Kampfschwimmerkompanie”, these guys dive with closed circuit rebreathers, staying underwater for hours. They are also involved in secret operations in Afghanistan, and are many times the final solution for rescue operations. We asked them how they cope with dangerous situations, and what it takes to be a Navy Seal.

Interview with a Navy Seal

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The wreck of the Cedar Pride in Jordan

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A colourful wreck in the Gulf of Aqaba. Philippe Madeira visited Cedar Pride, a Lebanese cargo ship that was sunk deliberately in 1985 off the coast of Aqaba Beach. The wreck can be dived from the shore, and lies at a maximum depth of 30 meters. Penetration of the Cedar Pride is possible, but even staying on the outside guarantees a spectacular dive, as the hull is almost intact, and overgrown with beautiful soft corals.

Interview with Mr. Jungmichel about organising Boot Düsseldorf

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

When Mr. Goetz-Ulf Jungmichel took over the organisation of Boot Düsseldorf two years ago, he wanted to make some changes. Today, Boot is targeted towards young people, inviting them to participate in the different activities that take place in the Messe halls.
We’ve heard that Mr. Jungmichel, a freshly certified diver, is going to set the example, diving in one of the waterbasins. Let’s see if we can persuade him to get in front of the camera, and explain to us why Boot is so successful this year, and what he’s got up his sleeve for future editions.

Prins Hendrik Expedition - Brother Islands

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

For years there are tales about the sinking of the dutch steam ship „Prins Hendrik“, but even today it is unknown where exactly it is sunk.

There are historical reports that say that the ship hit the west side of the Brother Islands, located in the middle of the red sea.

The crew of the lighthouse is sure that there is a ship sunk at the end of jetty of the Big Brother Island. Expedition leader Horst Dederichs, and his crew of technical divers, wanted to locate and find the wreck of the „Prins Hendrik“. Using several teams and underwater scooters they dove the westside of the reef at a depth of 80-120 meters, where they expected to find the wreck...

The Making of Sharkwater - Part 3

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

“An eye-opening film…visually stunning… this movie will change the way you see our oceans.”
- Bonnie Laufer,
Tribute Magazine

For filmmaker Rob Stewart, exploring sharks began as an underwater adventure. What it turned into was a beautiful and dangerous life journey into the balance of life on earth. Driven by passion fed from a life-long fascination with sharks, Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas. Filmed in visually stunning, high definition video, Sharkwater takes you into the most shark rich waters of the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world’s shark populations in the marine reserves of Cocos Island, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. In an effort to protect sharks, Stewart teams up with renegade conservationist Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Their unbelievable adventure together starts with a battle between the Sea Shepherd and shark poachers in Guatemala, resulting in pirate boat rammings, gunboat chases, mafia espionage, corrupt court systems and attempted murder charges, forcing them to flee for their lives. Through it all, Stewart discovers these magnificent creatures have gone from predator to prey, and how despite surviving the earth’s history of mass extinctions, they could easily be wiped out within a few years due to human greed.
Stewart’s remarkable journey of courage and determination changes from a mission to save the world’s sharks, into a fight for his life, and that of humankind.

We are going behind the scenes, with "the making of Sharkwater".

Part 3 of 3

The Making of Sharkwater - Part 2

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We are going behind the scenes, with "the making of Sharkwater".

Part 2 of 3

The Making of Sharkwater - Part 1

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We are going behind the scenes, with "the making of Sharkwater".

Part 1 of 3

Sharkwater - The trailer

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

“An eye-opening film…visually stunning… this movie will change the way you see our oceans.”
- Bonnie Laufer,
Tribute Magazine

For filmmaker Rob Stewart, exploring sharks began as an underwater adventure. What it turned into was a beautiful and dangerous life journey into the balance of life on earth. Driven by passion fed from a life-long fascination with sharks, Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and
reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas. Filmed in visually stunning, high definition video, Sharkwater takes you into the most shark rich waters of the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world’s shark populations in the marine reserves of Cocos Island, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
In an effort to protect sharks, Stewart teams up with renegade conservationist Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Their unbelievable adventure together starts with a battle between the Sea Shepherd and shark poachers in Guatemala, resulting in pirate boat rammings, gunboat chases, mafia espionage, corrupt court systems and
attempted murder charges, forcing them to flee for their lives. Through it all, Stewart discovers these magnificent creatures have gone from predator to prey, and how despite surviving the earth’s history of mass extinctions, they could easily
be wiped out within a few years due to human greed.
Stewart’s remarkable journey of courage and determination changes from a mission to save the world’s sharks, into a fight for his life, and that of humankind.

This is the 2 minute trailer.

Interview met Frank Van der Vegte over duiken en de wet

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Zijn er veel regels en voorschriften rond duiken? Wat mag en wat mag niet volgens de wet? Moet je een brevet hebben om te mogen duiken? Deze zijn slechts een paar vragen die wij stelden aan Frank Van der Vegte. Hij is vakspecialist Duiken bij de Waterpolitie in Nederland, en beantwoordt al onze vragen. Hij vertelt ons ook wat er kan gebeuren als je de wet overtreedt, en waar je alle informatie kan vinden als je wil duiken ‘volgens de wet’.

The diversity of Palau - Part 2

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, two very experienced divers and world known explorers, have come to Palau - or Belau - to revisit some of their favourite divespots. The Republic of Palau, an island in the Pacific Ocean boasts a tropical climate with a rich underwater life. Tourist activities focus mainly on scubadiving, and divers can visit barrier reef walls as well as many World War II wrecks.
John and Richie return to their favourite places both on and off the Rock Islands. They dive the reefs, wrecks and caves they love. They also show us what you can do in Palau when you’re not diving, and drive us around the island visiting interesting local places.
Part 2 of 2

Interview met Dr. Herman Van Bogaert over Duikers bij de Belgische Defensie

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

De Belgische Defensie stelt vandaag heel wat duikers tewerk, zowel bij de Land-, Zee- als Luchtmacht. Deze beroepsduikers vinden een thuis bij de Marine als Duiker-Ontmijner, als gevechtszwemmer bij de Genie of de Para’s, of bij de Search & Rescue als Duiker-Redder. Om in aanmerking te komen voor een opleiding als duiker, moet je niet alleen in goede fysieke conditie verkeren, er komen ook psychologische testen aan te pas. Dr. Herman Van Bogaert is bedrijfsarts bij de Belgische Defensie, en ziet jaarlijks alle kandidaten passeren. Hij vertelt ons hoe deze selectie in zijn werk gaat, en waar Defensie specifiek naar op zoek is bij een kandidaat-duiker.

The diversity of Palau - Part 1

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Interview met Wim Breeman over CRM en het Gatenkaasmodel

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CRM, of “Crew Resource Management”, is een begrip dat zijn oorsprong vindt in een workshop van NASA uit 1979, met het oog op verbeteren van veiligheid in de lucht. Onderzoek had aangetoond dat de meeste vliegtuigongevallen veroorzaakt werden door menselijke fouten. Meer nog, door een aaneenschakeling van kleine foutjes, kwam Murphy gelijk met de hele familie langs. Meteen rees de vraag hoe deze ongevallen konden vermeden worden.
Het CRM model moest hier een antwoord op geven. Het omvat een hele reeks aan instellingen, vaardigheden en kennis die vooral gericht zijn op cognitieve en interpersoonlijke waarden, eerder dan op technische kennis. Wim Breeman van Traumahelikopter Rotterdam verklaart hoe dit CRM model vandaag wordt toegepast in de gezondheidszorg, en welk verband kan gelegd worden met duiken. Want, zeg nu zelf, hoe zit dat toch met het ‘gatenkaasmodel’?

Interview met Dr. Schuivens over DOSA

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Door de jaren heen zien we dat in de duiksport bepaalde procedures wel eens kunnen wijzigen, dat andere tabellen worden gebruikt, en dat vele apparatuur wordt aangepast en verbeterd. Dit kis meestal het gevolg van degelijk onderzoek, maar ook van duidelijke ongevallenstatistiek en analyse, uitgevoerd door vb. DOSA. Dr. Schuivens, voorzitter van Duikongevallen, Statistieken en Analyse, legt ons het doel uit van deze organisatie, die ontstaan is vanuit de Werkgroep Ongevallen Registratie van de Nederlandse Onderwatersport Bond. Ondertussen kunnen sportduikers van alle organisaties terecht bij DOSA, waar alle duikincidenten en ongevallen die in Nederland worden aangegeven een centraal registratiepunt vinden.

Interview met Dr. Germonpré over zijn recent DAN onderzoek

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Vele duikers onder ons zijn aangesloten bij DAN, een verzekering die specifiek naar duikers is gericht. Met al dat lidgeld wordt een heleboel onderzoek gesubsidieerd. Dr. Peter Germonpré, directeur van DAN Benelux en Frankrijk, en tevens diensthoofd van de hyperbare kamer in het Militair Hospitaal te Brussel, heeft recent een onderzoek gedaan onder de auspiciën van DAN.
Welke invloed heeft een massage, een sauna of het eten van een stuk chocolade bijvoorbeeld op de vorming van stikstofbellen, en op ons cardiovasculair stelsel? Dr. Germonpré bracht in Brussel een aantal Belgische duikers samen om dit te onderzoeken, en daar wilden wij eens het fijne van weten!

Maine Scallop Dive

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

It is winter in rural Maine. With temperatures barely reaching 10 degrees Fahrenheit, you wonder what drives people to jump in the ice cold water and go diving. Well, the answer is easy: they want to collect fresh Maine Scallops! Diver scallop season is open from November 15 until April 15. The harvest is brought in primarily by small fishing operators, using simple equipment. Every day weather permitting, divers will go to the bottom, hand-picking the best mature scallops they can find. A good scaloper can bring in over 100 pounds of scallops a day. These scallop divers select only the best scallops, looking in areas where there are lots of current, lots of food for the shellfish, which results in healthy, tasty scallops. On top of this, there is no bycatch, no dragging of nets over the bottom where the natural habitat is massively interfered.
Our friends John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, put scallop diving to the test. They dive for fun and dinner in “Vacationland”. Chef Richie serves up dinner!

Two Days in South Africa

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A compilation of video shot over two mornings in the Cape Town area, South Africa. First some free-diving action with the Cape Fur Seals at Seal Island and a shallow wreck in Maori Bay, just round the corner from Hout Bay. A brilliant trip with Steve Benjamin of Animal Ocean.
Second part is a Great White Shark cage dive out of Kleinbaai with Sharklady Adventures. Thanks to Kim for the opportunity to get close to these magnificent animals. I was hugely impressed by the variety of wildlife both in and out of the water around Cape area. It’s left me itching to go back for more…
Technical details for those who are interested- shot on a Canon 5D Mark II in Ikelite housing. Sigma 15mm fisheye for the seals & a Tokina 10-17mm with 1.4x converter for the sharks. No filters, as I was also trying to shoot stills with the seals, with strobes (not much success there due to bigtime backscatter). Manual white balanced at about 5m. Conditions were tricky for photos on both days- quite a bit of particulate matter in the water- especially at the seal site. Sun coming in and out of the clouds, which made exposure tricky. And seals kept blowing bubbles which stuck to the dome!

The Gentle Giants of Djibouti

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Gentle Giants of Djibouti: A Short Film on the Whale Sharks in Djibouti, set to music. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world, supposedly reaching 18 metres in length. They feed on plankton and small fish and are generally approachable by divers and snorkellers and not aggressive. Whale Sharks are found around the globe in tropical and sub-tropical waters. In some parts of the world they are prized for their flesh and fins, and this, combined with boat collisions and net entanglements could be threatening the survival of this magnificent species.
The Gulf of Tadjourah, in Djibouti (East Africa) is among the best places to encounter these gentle giants. During Fergus' visit, in November 2007, they had up to 50 encounters and up to 4 whale sharks in their field of view at a time.
It was not allowed to use lights with the sharks during the night dives, so the photographer made sure to do most of the shooting near the boat’s lights.

A journey through Philippine Coral Reefs

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelago of 7107 tropical islands set in deep blue water that contain some of the richest marine-life systems on earth. It is the second largest archipelago in the world after Indonesia.
Scientists believe that the triangle formed by the Philippines, Peninsular Malaysia and Papa New Guinea is where most of the Pacific’s marine organisms evolved before they spread out to colonize other oceans.
This area has the widest variety of marine species in the world. 915 reef fish species – 60% of the total number of reef fish species worldwide. More than 464 hard coral species – 50% of the global coral species count. The Philippines truly are a globally important biodiversity heritage area.
So experience the rich Philippine underwater realm as you glide through colorful coral reefs, watch turtles drift through the crystal blue water and marvel at the amazing fish and animal life.
Meet spectacular and rare marine animals like the harlequin ghost pipefish which is almost invisible due to its perfect camouflage, the vibrant colors of harlequin shrimps and nudibranchs or the flamboyant cuttlefish which deposit eggs in coconut shells.

Antarctica - Part 2

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A travelogue of a fascinating "Antarctica"
The last continent, only discovered in the 19th century, is apart from a few hundred scientists, completely uninhabited. Yet there lives a large variety of animals, who have all adapted to the harsh climate. Bruno Vanherck visited this ice desert and made a travelogue with the most incredibly beautiful images.

This is part two of his story. Despite the cold conditions he managed to bring back underwater footage. On camera, he captured the famous Leopard seal in action. This seal, a swift robber of 400 pounds, has voracious appetite for penguins.

Antarctica - Part 1

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A travelogue of a fascinating "Antarctica"
The last continent, only discovered in the 19th century, is with the exception of a few hundred scientists, completely uninhabited. Yet there lives a large variety of animals, who have all adapted to the harsh climate. Bruno Vanherck visited this icy destination and made a travelogue with the most incredibly beautiful images.
This is the first part of two episodes. This episode shows breathtaking images of Antarctica like it is above the sea. Part two will be published shortly. That episode will also show you its icy underwater world.

Sexy Sharks (English version)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Sexy Sharks is a black and white art movie with Mrs. Germany 2008/2009 Elischeba Wilde. Followed by a quote from Chief Dan George, the underwatermodel shooting is mixed with wildlife shark footage from Bahamas and the Red Sea.
Music and sound effects composed and conducted by Bluespine.

"Sexy Sharks" by Andreas Schumacher, Germany, makes the silent statement about sharks as the beautiful and important creatures they are. This film helps drive home the old saying, "sex sells" by starring a winning contestant from a German Beauty contest."
- Hawaii Ocean Film Festival -

Sexy Sharks (German version)

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Interview met Dos Winkel over wat er mis is met vis

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Vandaag krijgen we als consument overal te horen dat we regelmatig vis en visolie moeten consumeren. Doen we dat niet, dan zouden we het risico lopen op allerlei allergieën, maag- en darmproblemen, en vooral op hart- en vaatziekten en allerlei vormen van hersendegeneratie, inclusief de ziekte van Alzheimer. Zelfs sommige vegetariërs beginnen te twijfelen en gaan onder druk van artsen aan de visoliecapsules of eten dan toch maar een enkel visje... (Bron: Dos Winkel)
De waarheid is echter compleet anders. Onze zeeën worden leeggevist, vis zit vol contaminanten en gekweekte vis is geen oplossing. Wat kunnen wij als consument dan wel doen? Een gesprek met Dos Winkel.

Interview met Dr. Herman Van Bogaert over het gebruik van gasmengsels

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Vandaag zien we een evolutie naar het gebruik van andere gasmengsels, naast de gebruikelijke perslucht. Waarom kiezen duikers voor andere gasmengels? Welke zijn de meest courante? Wat zijn de voordelen ervan, en zijn er ook nadelen? Hoe zit het dan met DCS? Allemaal vragen die wij stellen aan Dr. Herman van Bogaert. Hij is Arbeidsgeneesheer voor de Belgische Defensie, en tevens duikarts. Een gesprek over Nitrox, Trimix en andere exotische mengsels.

Interview with Pim Van der Horst about his dive to 236 meters

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Although diving is a relatively young sport, these last few years there has been a tremendous progress and development with regards to equipment and technique. This change allows for deeper dives and longer bottom times, performed in a safer environment. Progress is made by pioneers, they are the reason why we can deepen our knowledge about our favourite sport.
One of these pioneers has recently set a new record for deep wreck diving. Pim Van der Horst, an experienced rebreather instructor, has made a dive in the Lago Maggiore to the Milano wreck, lying at a depth of 236 meters, together with Mario Marconi and Alessandro Scuotto. We asked him all about this unique experience.

Interview met Dr. Catherine De Maeyer over duiken op leeftijd

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Is er nog hoop voor duikers op leeftijd? We vroegen Dr. Catherine De Maeyer wat er gebeurt bij veroudering van het lichaam. Welk zijn de risicofactoren verbonden aan duiken op leeftijd? Zijn er zaken waar kan op gelet worden? Kunnen we bepaalde testen ondergaan om te zien of we nog fit genoeg zijn? En ten slotte, hoe lang kan iemand blijven duiken, of is er een maximum leeftijd?

Interview met Kris Peelaers over de organisatie van het Symposium voor Duikgeneeskunde en Duikveiligheid

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Wat komt er allemaal kijken bij het organiseren van een symposium voor Duikgeneeskunde? Welk is het belang van dit symposium, welke zijn de deelnemers, wie organiseert het? Kris Peelaers, verantwoordelijke voor de Hyperbare kamer aan het Universitair Ziekenhuis in Antwerpen laat ons een blik werpen achter de schermen. Zij staat eveneens in voor de behandelingen in de deco kamer, en vertelt ons hoe we de evacuatie van een duikongeval best aanpakken.

Interview met Dr. Paul Vander Eecken over duiken met kinderen

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Wanneer enthousiaste duikers kinderen hebben, willen zij graag hun passie overbrengen op hun kroost. Bij duiken is dat niet zo voor de hand liggend. Kinderen denken anders en reageren anders dan volwassenen. Daarenboven is hun gestel nog niet hetzelfde als dat van volwassen duikers. Vaak hebben kinderen chronische oorproblemen, en ouders komen dan snel met de vraag of oorbuisjes een oplossing kunnen bieden. Dr. Paul Vander Eecken legt ons uit wat diabolo's zijn en of kinderen erna nog kunnen duiken. Daarnaast vragen we hem ook hoe het komt dat duikers vaak last hebben van oorsuizinge, of tinnitus.

Interview met Joost-Jan Waanders over zijn expeditie naar het Bikini Atol

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Wanneer de Verenigde Staten hun testen voor waterstofbommen uitvoeren op het Bikini Atol, had niemand gedacht dat er 60 jaar later een Nederlandse duikploeg zou neerstrijken om alles onder water in kaart te brengen.
Het atol werd tijdens operatie Crossroads letterlijk de geschiedenis in gebombardeerd, omdat het als testgebied diende voor de waterstofbom. Door de radioactieve vervuiling raakte de omgeving tot honderden kilometers zwaar besmet en veel eilandbewoners zijn getroffen door schildklierkanker.
Joost-Jan Waanders, leider van deze Nederlandse expeditie wil met het vastleggen van de wrakken niet enkel beeldmateriaal mee terugbrengen. Hij wil ook meer aandacht voor mensen met schildklierkanker. De expeditie heeft dan ook een humanitaire missie.
Het verhaal van een team met een passie voor wrakduiken, en met een hart voor kankerbestrijding.

Interview met Tom Argeerts over duikongevallen in het buitenland

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Duiken op vakantie, en liefst op een exotische plaats, in een ongerepte natuur, ver van toeristische centra staat vaak bovenaan het verlanglijstje van elke duiker. Maar vragen we ons wel af hoe het ter plaatse zit met zuurstof, evacuatieprocedures en decompressiekamer? Tom Argeerts, adjunct spoedgevallen, was enkel jaren geleden betrokken bij een ernstig duikongeval in een afgelegen gebied. Hij vertelt ons zijn verhaal van een "mission (im)possible".

Red Sea Wrecks 2008 - the South - part 2

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A winter trip to the Red Sea brings the team of Submerge Productions to the most interesting places in the Deep South.

In one week, we are cruising the area around Daedalus, Elphinstone and Zabargad. Our goal is to revisit the Maidan, a wreck that lies at 100 meters depth, near Rocky Island. We've been there only once, and will be exploring the Maidan for a second time. Less deep, but no less interesting, lies the Moma, a Russian spyship, worth a visit.

Another wreck is situated close to Daedalus Reef. Far out in the Red Sea, the Zealot lies at the Northern tip of the island, marked by currents and deep seas.

Finally, Elphinstone. We're diving this small reef, famous for it's vibrant underwater life, chances to see large pelagics and for the arch, situated at the southern tip at 60 meters.

Part 2: Daedalus and the Zealot

Interview with Marc Sluszny and Bruno Vanherck about diving with sharks

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

An adventurer who constantly breaks his own limits, in search for more challenges, surpassing the unimaginable. Whether it's base jumping, sky diving, gliding, or climbing the Anapurna, Marc Sluszny has been there and done it. Together with underwater cineast Bruno Vanherck he went on his most recent adventure: diving with sharks. Marc explains what he felt like, in the midst of the forces of nature, taking himseld to the limit and beyond. Surrounded by tiger sharks and ultimately by the great white. Bruno Vanherck stood by him and filmed this incredible story.

Interview with Paul Strike, managing director of Fourth Element

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

At the previous edition of Duikvaker we talked with Jim Standing, one of the founders of Fourth Element. He explained us what's so special about their range of underwear for drysuits. In the meantime, the brand has achieved a strong position in the market and their range has expanded enormously. Besides undersuits that can be used in all kinds of dive situations, they've developed a series of wetsuits and some pretty cool clothing as well.

At Duikvaker 2009, we managed to get Paul Strike, managing director of Fourth Element in front of the camera. During the interview he talks about their latest developments, including the Ozone.

Red Sea Wrecks 2008 - the South - part 3

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A winter trip to the Red Sea brings the team of Submerge Productions to the most interesting places in the Deep South.

Another wreck is situated close to Daedalus Reef. Far out in the Red Sea, the Zealot lies at the Northern tip of the island, marked by currents and deep seas.

Finally, Elphinstone. We're diving this small reef, famous for it's vibrant underwater life, chances to see large pelagics and for the arch, situated at the southern tip at 60 meters.

Part 3: Rocky island and the Maidan, Zabargad and the Moma

Red Sea Wrecks 2008 - the South - part 1

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A winter trip to the Red Sea brings the team of Submerge Productions to the most interesting places in the Deep South.

Another wreck is situated close to Daedalus Reef. Far out in the Red Sea, the Zealot lies at the Northern tip of the island, marked by currents and deep seas.

Finally, Elphinstone. We're diving this small reef, famous for it's vibrant underwater life, chances to see large pelagics and for the arch, situated at the southern tip at 60 meters.

Part 1: logistics and Gotta Marsa Alam check dive

Interview met Eline Feenstra, de scholar voor 2009 voor OWUSS

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Als scholar voor de "Our World Underwater Scholarship Society", krijg je ongeëvenaarde kansen om de onderwaterwereld te verkennen. Een stage in de decompressiekamer, duiken met een rebreather, op expeditie naar de Zuidpool, werken voor een duikmagazine. Het maakt allemaal deel uit van een jaar onder de vleugels van OWUSS. Wij ontmoeten de scholar van 2008, Eline Feenstra, in haar thuisland, aan het eind van een onbeschrijfelijk jaar.

Interview with Ralf Kiefner and Andrea Ramalho about the making of underwater footage

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A couple with a heart for the underwater world. Publications in all sorts of dive magazines. Films who have won several prices at different festivals. Ralf Kiefner and Andrea Ramalho have found their destiny in making underwater footage. Their documentary "Beyond Fear" is their crown piece, and is about freediving with the great white shark. The footage, although regarded as being very controversial upon release, has been praised by Discovery Channel and National Geographic. Ralf and Andrea tell us how they managed to create a documentary about the biggest predator on earth. Next to sharks, they also follow the track of whales and dolphins. With their footage, they try to change the public opinion about sharks, to ensure their future.

Red Sea Wrecks 2008 - the South - part 4

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A winter trip to the Red Sea brings the team of Submerge Productions to the most interesting places in the Deep South.

Another wreck is situated close to Daedalus Reef. Far out in the Red Sea, the Zealot lies at the Northern tip of the island, marked by currents and deep seas.

Finally, Elphinstone. We're diving this small reef, famous for it's vibrant underwater life, chances to see large pelagics and for the arch, situated at the southern tip at 60 meters.

Part 4: Sataya Reef and dolphins, Elphinstone and the arch

Interview met Danny Huyge over zijn werk als onderwatercineast

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Wat gebeurt er als een passie voor het maken van filmpjes samenvloeit met een steeds groeiende interesse in wrakduiken? Danny Huyge is ondertussen een geen onbekende meer in de wereld van High Definition film. Zijn werk als technisch duiker en onderwater cineast heeft al meerdere malen fantastisch beeldmateriaal opgeleverd. Danny heeft al enkele unieke diepe wrakken door de lens bewonderd, en filmde onder andere de Andrea Doria, de HMS Victoria en de Leopoldville. Hij vertelt ons hoe het allemaal begon.

Interview with Dr. Erich Ritter about shark behaviour

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Sharks are probably the most misunderstood creatures on this planet. Feared by most, these creatures lack the much needed lobby to stop their on-going slaughtering. The killing of sharks is one of the biggest ecological time bombs. A bomb that will go off if not defused in time. Sharks have been around for over 400 million years, making them one of the most successful creatures in the animal kingdom with humans as the only true threat for their very existence. It is estimated that over 150 million sharks are killed each year because of their fins, as by-catch or through “sport” fishing. (Sharkschool)
Listen to Dr. Erich Ritter talk about shark behaviour and it's interaction with humans.

Interview met Joop Stalenburg over het Sepiaproject en de versteviging van de dijken in Nederland

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Het is een uniek spektakel wanneer in mei de sepia's naar de Oosterschelde afzakken om er te paren. Zij trekken zich weinig aan van hetgeen rondom hen gebeurt, dus rond die tijd zakken vele duikers af naar duikstekken rond de Zeelandbrug. Hoe lang dit nog zal duren weet niemand. Als het van Joop Stalenburg afhangt, graag nog heel lang. Hij is medevoorzitter van het Sepia Project, en ijvert jaar na jaar om de broedplaatsen van deze dieren te waarborgen.

Tegelijkertijd kaart hij ook het probleem aan van de versteviging van de dijken in Nederland. Dit noodzakelijke project van Rijkswaterstaat wil hij graag laten verlopen op een manier waarbij het onderwaterleven zich op lange termijn weer kan herstellen. Een gesprek met iemand die zich met hart en ziel inzet voor duikstekken in eigen land.

Talk with Roz Lunn about organising Eurotek

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This video podcast is in honour of Carl Spencer, who tragically lost his life while diving on an expedition to the Britannic, doing what he loved most.
He truly was a great explorer. Never “just a plumber from Dudley”.
For Carl.
1970-2009
After months of preparation, Eurotek 2008, the first European technical diving conference in over 10 years was a fact. Roz Lunn, Carl Spencer and Leigh Bishop have spent days and nights organising and fine-tuning this fantastic initiative. They made sure that the top of technical diving attended, together with over 600 divers.
During 2 days speakers from all over the world presented their specialties, from cave diving, to medical issues and from underwater filming to decompression strategies.
Both Carl and Leigh are deep technical divers, and participated in several expeditions on deep ocean wrecks such as Britannic, Carpathia and Lusitania. They have acted as speakers on different diving conferences and are fellow members of the Explorers Club.
Roz Lunn, an experienced technical diver and instructor herself, joined the team last summer. She has been on several deep wreck expeditions and also worked for Deep Sea Detectives for the History Channel.
The Organising Committee explains more about the why and how they decided to organise Eurotek.

This is part 2 of 2

Talk with Leigh Bishop and Carl Spencer about organising Eurotek

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This is part 1 of 2

Diving the wreck of the Al Qamar

Wed, 13 May 2009 16:42:54 +0100

Late summer 2007 – Rumor goes that a group of divers has found a sunken ferry, the Al Qamar, off the coast of Hurghada, Egypt. This wreck is supposedly lying in 85 meters of water. GPS coordinates are published via the Internet.

November 2007 – The Submerge Productions dive team boards the MY Obsession in Hurghada and sets sail for this wreck. Nobody has been able to verify the coordinates. The team is fully prepared: 5 trimix rebreather divers, scooters, 4 support divers, a top side film crew, underwater cameras and two zodiacs. An extensive briefing is organised late at night. Dives are planned up to 180 minutes. Several “what if” scenarios are discussed at length. Everyone knows his role. Time to go to bed.
Will the wreck be found the next morning?

After a short night sleep, the team is woken up by the crew. Bad news – the original coordinates are wrong. But there is hope. The captain has found a location nearby that has a similar depth profile. Will they find the Al Qamar?

Diving the wreck of the Maidan

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:07:11 +0100

A beautiful wreck, over hundred meter long in crystal clear water in the Egyptian Red Sea ... the dream of every wreck diver.
The challenges?

The vessel sank in 100 meters (330 feet) of water on a small remote island. Currents can be strong in this part of the Red Sea. Finding the wreck is not easy because there is no permanent marker on the wreck and the location is only known to a select group of people. And if a diving accident were to happen, the nearest deco chamber is hours away.
The "Maidan" is certainly not your average wreck dive.

In October 2008, the Submerge Productions team had the opportunity to do a single dive on this rarely dived wreck.
This video podcast tells the story of their dive, shows you this magnificent wreck and gives you an overall impression of what deep wreck diving is all about.

Tec Talk with Fabio Ruberti about his expedition to the Szent Istvan

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Head of IANTD Italy, Fabio Ruberti is born and bred in Pisa, starting his diving career at the age of 16. Today, he has been leader of several technical diving expeditions to some of the most interesting wrecks of World War I and II.
His passion for archeology has taken him and his team from the cold waters of the Baltic, exploring the wreck of the Wilhelm Gustloff, to the discovery and identification of the troop carrier steamer Re Umberto and the destroyer Intrepido off the coast of Albania.
Fabio's team also tried to resolve the mystery of the sinking of the Scirè, an Italian submarine that was intercepted by allied forces and which sank close to Haifa during World War II. At Eurotek he presents an overview of his expeditions to these wrecks. The research he did on the Szent Istvan however, resulted in a technical dive film, that has won awards at film festivals in Italy, Antibes and Serbia. This is the story of a filmmaker whose passion for history and wreck diving have sent him on several missions to explore wrecks with historical and archeological value, and ultimately to find the truth.

Tec talk with Geraint Ffoulkes-Jones about deep diving logistics and decompression theories

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

How do you handle diving logistics on a technical expedition to a deep wreck? How do you calculate decompression? Which method do you use? How do you plan the what-if scenarios?
Dr Geraint Ffoulkes-Jones had to find answers to all of these questions and more while being in charge of diving logistics and safety on the 2003 expedition to Britannic. He acted as one of the 10 exploration divers on this first closed circuit expedition to the Britannic, which involved dives in the 100m range, with bottom times of over 30 minutes.
Geraint also improved the “divers bible”, an operating procedure manual that documented different roles and responsibilities for all the divers. He has a vast experience with decompression strategies, acting as a beta tester for different deco models.

Tek Talk with Richie Kohler about the Titanic

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A technical wreck diver and shipwreck explorer, Richie Kohler is known worldwide for his work as a host of History Channels Deep Sea Detectives. He has always had a passion for researching shipwrecks and locating lost vessels. Identifying the German U-boat, the U869, launched his career into the making of documentary films.
Richie Kohler's name is also intimately linked with the Ship of Dreams, Titanic. In 2005, he and his buddy John Chatterton, organised an expedition to Titanic, trying to solve the mystery of its sinking. When they left the harbour of Newfoundland on board of the Keldysh, they risked losing their home and their reputation should no evidence be found. With only a small window of a few days of diving the MIR submersibles, the drama of the expedition unfolded after the first dive. The ribbons of steel, their clue to discover the reason of sinking proved to be a red herring. Cornered, and with their reason of being there gone up in thin air, they started looking for other evidence that would lead to the how and why Titanic sank.
This story is documented by Brad Matsen, the author of the book "Titanic's last secrets".

Tek Talk with shipwreck explorer and Deep Sea Detective Richie Kohler

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A technical wreck diver and shipwreck explorer, Richie Kohler is known worldwide for his work as a host of History Channels Deep Sea Detectives. He has always had a passion for researching shipwrecks and locating lost vessels. Identifying the German U-boat, the U869, launched his career into the making of documentary films.
Teamed up with his buddy John Chatterton, the pair headed on a quest for the RMS Titanic, an expedition which provided new evidence about Titanic's sinking. This discovery lead to the production of three award winning History Channel documentaries. At Eurotek, Richie tells the story of the USS Lagarto, the US submarine that sank in the Gulf of Thailand at the end of WWII. Besides the location, there was no information available on the circumstances under which the USS Lagarto sank.
Richie's team was able to find out what had happened in the last moments before the sinking, offering the families of the crew closure about this tragic event.

Tec Talk with technical diving pioneer Kevin Gurr

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

One of the first Trimix instructors in Europe, a solid reputation in the world of technical diving and the brain behind the development of the Ourobouros and VR Dive Computers. All of this and more applies to Kevin Gurr, marine engineer and Director of VR Techology.
His experience in technical diving started in the beginning of the 1990s, when Kevin wanted to develop a rebreather with safety fundamentals built in, testing several prototype units. Continuously pushing on exploration, he set up IANTD in the UK and has taught many of today's UK foremost technical diving instructors. At Eurotek he won a lifetime achievement award for his relentless efforts defining the way technical diving looks today.
Kevin tells us the story of how computer tables and algorythms are developed, and he explains why VR Technology developed a new dive computer, the VRX, and what the difference is with the popular VR3.

Tec Talk with dive medicine expert Dr. Simon Mitchell

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

How do you introduce someone like Dr Simon Mitchell? The man is known all over the world for his experience with diving physiology and decompression illness. An outstanding diver, with over 6000 dives in his logbook, he's still passionate about diving both from a professional standpoint as from someone whose love for the sport never dies.
Starting out as a marine biologist, Simon quickly changed his career path towards medicine and today he has a PhD in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine, having treated many cases of decompression sickness. He has written more than 45 papers in the medical literature, and has co-authored the updated version of Deeper into Diving, a must-read on decompression theories and technical diving. After his training with the New Zealand Navy and supervising the Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine, he recently specialised in anaestesiology.
One of the topics we wanted to cover with Simon was CO2 retention. During the interview Dr Mitchell discusses the danger of CO2 and how it can be recognized or even avoided. Simon also gives his opinion about another obscure phenoma that made some highlights on the net recently, the off-effect.

Tec Talk with Deep Sea Detectives cameraman Evan Kovacs

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

From light assistant to lead underwater cameraman on a award-winning adventure series, this is the story of Evan Kovacs. Evan started his filming career 6 years ago, but has since moved to the absolute top of underwater camera work, using high definition cameras, ROVs and submersibles on deep wrecks and cave dives all over the world.
He worked for the History Channel on the famous Deep Sea Detectives show and participated in several other deep wreck expeditions like the Titanic and the Britannic. Besides the traditional camera technology, Evan has recently been looking into shooting 3D underwater footage.

Tec Talk with Terry Fisher from Ambient Pressure Diving

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

After 11 years of production, the APD Inspiration has become the most used rebreather in the world. Terry Fisher, APDs chief engineer, has been with the company since the beginning.
He started out as a tool maker, and has followed the development process of this success story up close and personal. We asked him the most important question of all: is rebreather diving safe? How can we improve on safety and avoid problems? And where do CCR divers mostly go wrong?

Tec Talk with female deep wreck diver Teresa Telus

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Teresa Telus is one of the leading female deep CCR divers in the world. She has participated in several deep wreck expeditions, such as the Brittannic, diving down to 120 meters, and having runtimes of up to 6 hours, or the HMS Vandal, a submarine at 100 meters, where the visibility was only 1 meter.
She has also visited the HMS Russel in Malta, where she had to take care of tying in at 112 meters. Teresa has recently come back from an expedition to Truk Lagoon, where together with her partner they filmed some deep wrecks.
She explains us how she handles all the equipment on such dives and how she has claimed her place as one of the very few deep female CCR divers in the mens world of deep wreck diving.

Tec Talk with Simon Pridmore on IANTD UK at Eurotek 2008

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Simon Pridmore was one of the first divers to introduce technical diving in Asia. Today, he is head of IANTD UK.
At Eurotek, he talks about the role that IANTD has played within the history of technical diving. He also discusses the major changes he has seen over the last 10 years within IANTD UK.

Tec Talk with Rick Stanton on Cave Exploring at Eurotek 2008

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Rick Stanton is one of the top cave explorers in the world. He has over 30 years of caving experience, both in dry caving and cave diving.
His adventures have taken him all over the globe, from the Lot region in France to New Zealand. He is an expert in adapting and designing his own equipment, and has recently developed a unique side mount closed circuit rebreather. At Eurotek 2008 he won the award for Diver of the Conference.
In this interview, Rick talks about cave diving and about some of his breathtaking adventures.