Press Release
Received from: Tania Vellen I Messe Düsseldorf

“Ocean Tribute” Award of Boot Düsseldorf 2027 – Call for Entries Now Open

One Ocean Planet Foundation received the 2026 “ocean tribute” Award
Boot Düsseldorf

The call for entries of boot Düsseldorf’s “ocean tribute” Award is now open once again to all international research projects, innovative concepts and start-ups. The prestigious marine conservation prize has been awarded since 2018 by the trade fair organizers and the German Ocean Foundation, and has mobilized a large community of supporters in recent years. Previous winners include a wide variety of international projects from many parts of the world, all contributing to marine conservation through very different methods.

Press Release
Received from: Messe Düsseldorf

Cast off for boot Düsseldorf 2027

Boot Düsseldorf

“This year, we have felt the special spirit, the magic and, at the same time, the business engine of boot. In Düsseldorf, the latest trends come to life. This makes boot the international innovation forum and barometer for the entire water sports industry. I look forward to every single conversation with you, our exhibitors, and to working together to make January in Düsseldorf the center of the global maritime market once again,” explains boot Director Petros Michelidakis.

Boot Show Is a Blast

The expo in Germany’s industrial heartland, held in the middle of winter, has become an unparalleled powerhouse of a dive show that serves both the public and the dive community as a central networking event of growing importance.

At Boot 2026, a rain of confetti drizzled down over the award recipients and jury members at the Dive Award gala.
Dive Industry News and Matters

This was my 20th or so Boot Show. I never quite loved it, but I was always irresistibly drawn to it. This cognitive dissonance was beginning to grow into an itch for me to explain, not least to myself, and finally, the penny dropped. What I find is that the show is clinically effective. It is a top-trimmed apparatus. Every detail is taken care of, and the organisation runs a very tight ship. It is a showcase of German effectiveness, a well-oiled, finely tuned machine. 

Press Release
Received from: Tania Vellen, Senior Manager Press & PR | boot Düsseldorf

Boot 2026: Great Atmosphere on the First Weekend of the Trade Fair

Boot Show
Boot Düsseldorf

There was a great atmosphere in the 16 exhibition halls on the first weekend of Boot 2026. With its mix of high-calibre trade fair and hands-on experiences, Boot captures the spirit of the times and inspires people to take up water sports. Over 50,000 interested visitors came to Düsseldorf on the first two days.

This indicates that the number of visitors is comparable to that of previous events.

31 Unknown Shipwrecks Discovered in Lake Constance

A systematic underwater exploration uncovers paddle steamers, a rare sailing cargo ship and more beneath Lake Constance (Bodensee).

 

Wrecks & Archaeology

A ground-breaking project launched in 2022 has revealed 31 previously unknown shipwrecks lying on the bed of Lake Constance (Bodensee), offering a rare glimpse into the region’s maritime history. Using advanced mapping and robotic explorations, researchers have begun to uncover centuries of trading, travel and even wartime loss beneath the waters of this Alpine lake. 

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Boot Show 2025

News and trends from the world’s biggest public dive show
and dive industry networking event of growing significance.

Words:
Peter Symes
Images:
Peter Symes
➥ Download the full article as pdf ⬅︎
Dive Industry News and Matters

Boot show is truly a unique beast. There is nothing like it. A behemoth, it is the planet’s biggest boat and water sports event by a wide margin, attended by over 200,000 visitors. Seventeen large exhibit halls are crammed with anything and everything related to water, from billionaire mega yachts with helipads—and, yes, they are on display in the hall, hoisted in from barges on the river Rhine that runs through the city of Düsseldorf—to wakeboards and swimwear. And, of course, diving, which is found in Halls 11 and 12.

Press Release
Received from: Tina Kopseel | Head of Marketing & Communications | DynamicNord

Dynamic Nord Dive & Test Event in Hemmoor

DynamicNord

Divers will have the opportunity to test drysuits, regulators, BCDs and essentials. Those who give their feedback afterwards have the chance to win the beautiful ST-300 diving watch worth €379. There are small gifts for everyone on top.

 

DYNAMICNORD has also a great offer for all those who are convinced by the products. More is not yet revealed.

 

Anyone who signs up for the DYNAMICNORD newsletter also has the chance to win the innovative IR-50 regulator.

 

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Nuttlar Slate Mine

Nestled in the mountainous area of Bestwig in western Germany is the Nuttlar slate mine, which offers divers an intriguing opportunity to step into the past. Kurt Storms gives us a glimpse of the underwater passages in the mine.

Words:
Kurt Storms
Images:
Kurt Storms
Diver explores the Nuttlar slate mine in Bestwig, Germany
➥ Download the full article as pdf ⬅︎
Tech and Training

It was time to dive an old slate mine. So, we headed to Sauerland in Germany, where there is a little town called Nuttlar. The town, which has about 1,700 inhabitants, is a district in the municipality of Bestwig, located in northern Hochsauerlandkreis (North Rhine-Westphalia). 

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Maar Lakes of Germany's Volcanic Eifel Region

What is the origin of the unique lakes in the Volcanic Eifel region of Germany? In short, they were created from an explosion of water vapour when lava from a hot spot under the region met with groundwater thousands of years ago. The explosion created a round funnel, or crater, with earthen walls, which was later filled with rainwater. That is why the water is really clear and has rather good visibility. Author and underwater photographer Claudia Weber-Gebert gives us a glimpse into this beautiful underwater world and her new book about these special lakes.

Words:
Claudia Weber-Gebert
Images:
Claudia Weber-Gebert
Maar lake in Volcanic Eifel, Germany. Photo by Claudia Weber-Gebert
➥ Download the full article as pdf ⬅︎
Travel & Trips

Maare, Quellen, Wasserfälle: Die faszinierende Unterwasserwelt der Vulkaneifel (Maars, Springs, Waterfalls: The Fascinating Underwater World of the Volcanic Eifel)—this is the title of my book, which was published in September 2021.

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