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“Coming here is like getting your masters degree in diving,” said Coast Guard Lt. Alan Fitzgerald, a student enrolled in the Marine Engineering Dive Officer Course at the dive center.
Read moreI grew up in an artistic household in woodland near Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, spending summer holidays playing in temperate rock pools and snorkeling. We cared for orphaned and injured native wombats and kangaroos.
Read moreAll living creatures, and especially crustaceans, which leave their dwellings in the dark, are best captured with close-up or macro photography. Sleeping fishes can often be approached by inching closer and closer until you are just a few centimetres away. This gives you the opportunity to get close-up images of their eyes and fins, which, during daylight, are virtually impossible. Many UW-photographers ask me if flashing strobes will disturb a sleeping fish. Good news! It is scientifically proven that sleeping fish are not disturbed by strobes.
Read moreWide-angle lenses can be divided into three categories:
1) standard wide-angle with focal lengths from 28 to 40 mm (film equivalent);
2) super wide-angle with focal lengths from 17 to 24 mm; and
In Canada, a new federal policy aims to better protect and preserve archaeological resources found within that country’s national parks, both on land and underwater.
Read moreEvery diver must have their ability assessed by a provincially-accredited instructor before they can dive.
Read moreThe “hands on” field experience and the knowledge and experience of EFT biologists ensures a better understanding of our wonderful ecosystems and how they are interrelated.
Read moreUnfortunately, with some students, due to the stress of breathing underwater for the first time, good training and advice tends to go in one ear and out the other.
Read moreUpon arrival, the provincial tranquillity and smaller scale of things in Sabah instills a sense of coming to a safe and calm place, which seems to go about matters in its own time and direction, unperturbed by unrest elsewhere on the globe.
Read moreX-RAY MAG: You’re a structural engineer by training. Are you driven by innovation, looking for applications or projects for your inventions – or do you find solutions for specific projects?
Read moreThe importance of Narvik as a strategic harbour increased immediately at the outbreak of World War II. Germany needed large amounts of iron ore for their armaments industry, and had a big advantage, in that the ships carrying the ore could use neutral Norway and Sweden to get safely through, without the British navy being able to attack. The export from Narvik went ahead therefore, with ore ships from many countries.
Read moreHumanity’s increasing and wanton destruction of our seas is causing a spiral into extinction of this, the largest sea turtle and reptile on Earth.
The chapel was built by Muscovites in 2004—a tribute of love to the main water artery that feeds their native city.
Read moreOban has become an attraction for a whole range of adventure tourists. Hikers, climbers, wildlife enthusiasts all flock here in droves year round.
Read moreThe brains behind this machine, four Omer submarine engineers, were on their way from Canada’s École de technologie supérieure in Montreal. Meanwhile, we had been dealt a serious blow by the Ministry of Commercial Shipping’s Port Police Management. At the eleventh hour, they rejected our request for permission to place Omer 6 in the sea.
My wife, Carolina Sarasiti, was glued to her phone as Andreas studied his maritime law books desperately trying to find a solution to our dilemma. It didn’t look good. The weather continued to deteriorate and all flights in and out of Kefalonia were cancelled. The Omer submarine team was stuck in Athens. The bad weather and unexpected red tape had already delayed us by a day.
I took a leisurely walk with my father-in-law and Greek engineer, Vageli Sarasiti, in an attempt to clear my head. We came across a large catamaran getting smashed against jagged rocks and scrambled on board to help. The waves were relentless. We managed to free the boat from the rocks but one of the engines was jammed solid. Vageli and I grabbed a mask, knife and torch and dived into the murky water. It was like being in a washing machine but we eventually managed to cut through the rope that was wrapped around the propeller shaft.
After sailing for 29 days across the Atlantic Ocean, we were also left wondering where the calm, warm, sparkling blue water was of which the Ionian Islands were so famous for. At least my head was clear.
When the Omer team arrived we celebrated in true Greek fashion. The project remained blocked, but their high spirits helped us forget the bad news for a while. Surprisingly, after almost two years of planning the world’s first human-powered submarine expedition we had never met before this day. They were happy that I really existed and the whole thing wasn’t just some strange prank played out by a guy in his basement!
Later in the day, continual bad weather and red tape still prevented us from testing Omer 6 in the sea. We desperately needed to get the sub in the water so I could begin my pilot training. With no time to lose, I found a nearby resort that was willing to help us out. When I returned with the good news, drills were screeching as the engineers assemble the submarine.