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  Diving is a kind of leisure activity we never really associate with Stone Age people
Diving is a kind of leisure activity we never really associate with Stone Age people

Did Stone Age people swim and dive just for the fun of it?

Surfer's ear is the common name for an exostosis or abnormal bone growth within the ear canal. Irritation from cold wind and water exposure causes the bone surrounding the ear canal to develop lumps of new bony growth which constrict the ear canal. The condition is not limited to surfing and can occur in any activity with cold, wet, windy conditions such as windsurfing, kayaking, sailing, jet skiing, kitesurfing and diving.

Underwater photographer Alex Mustard to receive an MBE

The Queen’s Birthday Honours List recognises a wide range of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom. The awardees are acknowledged for their distinguished work and achievements in a specific field, in this instance "the Arts, Music and Dance".

Alex Mustard will receive his MBE or Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medal in the next few months.

It's an incredible happy shock and I am delighted

It has therefore been fascinating watching Mustard's career flourish. He has won a number of awards including the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

In 2003 he received the Visions In the Sea Award for Outstanding Contributions to Underwater Photography. Ten years later, in 2013, Alex was named the GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his image Night Moves. The only time an underwater photograph has won this prestigious award. In 2016 he was given the ADEX 2016 Award for Extraordinary Contribution to Underwater Photography.

Lex Warner, John Chatterton, Richie Kohler, Rosemary E Lunn, Roz Lunn, stage cylinder, Scapa Flow, Scotland, XRay Mag, X-Ray Magazine, scuba diving news, CCR fatality
File Image: John Chatterton and Richie Kohler of the Deep Sea Detectives gearing up to dive in Scapa Flow, Scotland. Rosemary Lunn is assiting Richie Kohler to clip a stage cylinder to his left hand side | Image Credit: Simon Mills

The Lex Warner case continues a sad trend

On 14 August 2012 Lex Warner was about to conduct a technical dive off the Scottish coast. He was diving a rebreather and bailout stages and whilst he was crossing the deck of the dive boat, he stumbled, fell forwards and landed heavily on the deck. He went down on his knees, then onto his hands, before rolling onto his side and finally onto his back. Having been helped back to his feet by the boat’s crew, Lex Warner was reported to have expressed frustration and annoyance at himself for falling.

NOC hosts Marine Plastic Pollution Talk

On 10 May 2018 David Jones will be talking on "Marine Plastic Pollution: How did we get here and what can we do about it?"

Plastic pollution is undoubtedly one of the biggest environmental issues we face at the moment. Plastic has only been in our lives for around seventy years, so how did we get to where we are, what went wrong? More importantly, what can we do about it?" David Jones.

Pressure play, David Haigh, James Stagg, D-Day, Normandy Landings, weather forecast, General Eisenhower, Malcolm Sinclair, Rosemary E Lunn, Roz Lunn, XRay Magazine, X-Ray Mag, scuba diving news
Dr James Stagg briefs the Allied commanders (Image: Cambridge Arts Theatre)

'Pressure' - A different view of the D-Day Landings

The way our weather twists and turns can catch out even the most experienced meteorologist, as Michael Fish found out to his cost, following his infamous broadcast on Thursday 15 October 1987.

He stated "Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way... well, if you're watching, don't worry, there isn't!"

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The Play

Operation Overlord, June 5th 1944. All the factors have been accounted for, apart from the weather. 350,000 lives depend on the most important forecast of the 20th century. 

Thursday 1 - Saturday 10 February 2018: Arts Theatre, Cambridge

Tuesday 13 - Saturday 17 February 2018: King's Theatre, Edinburgh

Tuesday 20 - Saturday 24 February 2018: Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne

Mark Caney, Martin Parker, Jack Lavanchy, Rosemary E Lunn, Roz Lunn, EUF, European Underwater Federation, Dusseldorf, Boot Show 2018, XRay Mag, X- Ray Magazine, scuba diving awards, diving news
Martin celebrating his EUF Award at Boot 2018 | Image Credit: Martin Denison

Martin Parker Receives EUF Lavanchy Award At Boot 2018

The new award was to honour of former EUF Honorary Vice President, Jack Lavanchy. It would be presented annually to an individual who EUF members felt "had made a significant and sustained contribution towards the responsible development of the European diving community."

The inaugural winner in 2017 was Deric Ellerby.

Barb Roy on her way to dive Nootka Sound, British Columbia, Canada

Barb Roy — an inspiration to us all

By Rosemary E. Lunn and Gunild Symes

Barb was an avid technical and wreck diver, underwater photographer and instructor, having learned to dive in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1979. She was PADI Master Instructor and held instructor ratings with DAN, IANTD and NAUI. She became a NAUI Wreck and Archaeology Instructor to explore wrecks and an IANTD Trimix diver to photograph giant gorgonian sea fans at 200 feet.

The 1997 Doux de Coly expedition members won the Jubilee Trust Duke of Edinburgh Prize (L to R) Jez Nasse, Russell Carter, Bryan Schofield, Duke of Edinburgh, Robin Brown, Malcolm Foyle, Michael Thomas. (Team member John Cordingley is not in this photo)

Prince Philip, Champion of British Scuba Diving, To Retire From Public Life

As a younger man Prince Philip was a keen sports enthusiast and an accomplished sailor.

In 1939, Philip Mountbatten joined the Royal Navy, graduating from the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, in 1940 as "the best cadet in his course". His prize? A £20 book token. He subsequently saw active service in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean during WWII. In 1941 Philip Mountbatten was mentioned in despatches for his service on the battleship HMS Valiant. And he was in Tokyo Bay in 1945 when the Japanese surrendered.