For over a year, I had been looking forward to a very special expedition that was planned for May 2014. But as you know, life does not always go the way you plan. The expedition was postponed, and once again, I had to find an alternative, at relatively short notice.
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.
Once upon a time there was a land... Doggerland—a huge area of dry land that once stretched from Scotland to Denmark—was slowly submerged by water between 18,000 BC and 5,500 BC. Today it is a shallow bank and productive fishing ground in the middle of the North Sea.
Over a number of years, the actions of fishermen and sea anglers have attracted the attention of marine scientists at the Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory who quickly became aware of these fishers catching spurdogs in the Loch Etive area near Oban on the west coast of Scotland.
Belize is a country blessed with an abundance of fabulous coral reefs, to which its newest underwater attraction—the sunken ship "The Wit"—adds another dimension. Angelique Brathwaite has the story.
The waters running north to south from the Long Island coast to northern New Jersey are nicknamed “Wreck Valley” by local divers. Larry Cohen and Olga Torrey share the stories of some of the war shipwrecks found in these waters, located off the US northeastern coast.
Gary Rose, a plastic surgeon, dive professional and researcher in marine microorganisms and large ocean apex predators, takes us on a delightful jaunt to Costa Rica to dive with giant mantas. He shares glimpses of the experience both above and below the waves.
The National Diving & Activity Centre is based at a large flooded quarry in Tidenham, Gloucestershire, England. This dive site is located on the English / Welsh border at Chepstow, just a few minutes' drive from the M48 Severn Bridge. For 52 years, this was a toll bridge - cars would pay £5.60 to cross the River Severn. When bridge tolls were scrapped on 17 December 2018, NDAC suddenly became financially more attractive to dive.
NDAC is permanently closed. We are not taking bookings for leisure activities or public diving.
Divers have asked NDAC about membership refunds. Ashley Bryce, NDAC Manager responded stating that all memberships had been extended by seven months to account for the Covid-19 lockdown.
At the time of writing this, it is not known what will happen to NDAC. Rumours have been circulating for a number of weeks that the Ministry of Defence has bought this dive site. This is unlikely. There are other rumours that the quarry is going to be developed into a holiday park. Whether recreational and technical divers will be able to access and dive these unique waters again, is not known at this point.
For the bona fide traveller, or should I say, the thrill-seeker, the thought of heading off to the far side of the world is enticing. Ponder this for a moment: Have you ever heard of the Marquesas Islands?
Climate change is increasing the crisis of our seas, already under pressure due to several human activities. Rising temperatures are affecting and changing the underwater environment all over the world. The Mediterranean Sea, unfortunately, is no different from other seas. A group of specialists, coordinated by Greenpeace Italy, are monitoring the situation in the waters around Italy. Lorenzo Moscia reports.
