NOAA-Supported Mission Discovers Historic Shipwreck Off Turks and Caicos Islands

Maritime archaeologists today announced they have recently identified the wreck of the historic slave ship Trouvadore off the coast of East Caicos in the Turks and Caicos Islands. NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research significantly funded several years of archaeological research leading to the discovery by Don Keith and Toni Carrell, from Ships of Discovery, an underwater archaeology research institute.

The Spanish vessel Trouvadore was participating in the slave trade, outlawed in the British Indies, including the Turks and Caicos Islands. In 1841, after the vessel was grounded on a reef, Caicos authorities arrested the crew, and most of the 192 African survivors settled on Grand Turk Island.

Keith and Carrell believe the African survivors of the Trouvadore are the ancestors of a large portion of current residents in the Turks and Caicos Islands. For example, traditions on the Islands have a recognizable African origin. The Turks and Caicos National Museum is recording these traditions through oral histories and is educating the community about their ancestral history...[NOAA]

(Humor/How-To) - The Waterproof Guide To Scuba Sex

SCUBA diving sex. A how and when guide:

COUPLES often write into his column, asking for advice about how to have sex while scuba diving. Basically, although popular, scuba sex is not recommended. Potential problems include the inhalation of water droplets in horizontal positions (which can lead to chocking), keeping cumbersome equipment in the vertical position, losing buoyancy control when excited, and being unaware of the increased oxygen consumption required.

Stage 2:

If you do wish to have scuba sex, then equipment should always be kept to a minimum. A full wetsuit is not practical, particularly if the zip is on the back. Balance is critical, as trying to grab hold of rocks or coral during sex can cause injury to the diver, and can damage delicate coral reefs. Stinging organisms, spiky sea urchins, stone fish, and scorpion fish are to be particularly avoided. Finally make sure your partner knows the difference between your signs of distress and your signs of excitement. Thrashing about with your arms and legs could be an ambivalent signal. So if you feel you are in danger, we recommend a punch to your partner’s groin. That signal will not be mistaken – British Journal of Sexual Medicine 2008, vol. 31

No underwear required...[Anorak]

Underwater, He's an Extreme Success

Nobody can take a deeper breath than Tom Sietas.

The 31-year-old German has blown away the competition in the nascent sport of "free diving," in which people vie to see how long they can hold their breath underwater. Thanks to a large set of lungs and advanced training techniques, Sietas has pushed the boundaries of physical endurance far beyond what was thought possible.

Doctors once assumed brain damage was certain for anyone whose respiration stopped for more than three or four minutes. And yet, on June 7, in a swimming pool in Athens, Sietas submerged himself underwater for 10 minutes and 12 seconds, shattering the world record by more than a minute...[WashingtonPost.com]

Old planes being sunk to form new reef

Ten decommissioned military aircraft are being dumped in the Andaman sea, about three kilometres off Phuket, to create an artificial reef for divers.

Dubbed the "Coral Reef Squadron", the skeletons of four DC-4 Dakotas used in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and six Sikorsky S-58T helicopters are being sunk near Koh Weaw.

The operation, run by TDN Diving Association (Thailand), was initiated by the For Sea Foundation shortly after the tsunami struck the Andaman coastal provinces in 2004, causing grave damage to coral reefs in the area.

It aims to create new diving sites to replaced those destroyed by the tsunami, and to ease the tourist load on existing natural coral reefs...[Bankok Post]

Nikon D300 underwater housing review

When I was a 14-year old girl, I saw a movie about hammerhead sharks on Cocos. This movie fascinated me for two reasons. Firstly, because of the amount of hammerhead sharks swimming around the island. The second, and perhaps most important reason, was the fact that this island is situated so far from the living world that it seemed completely out of reach to me. In that time, I had not yet travelled abroad. To go to Cocos seemed as difficult to me as flying to the moon. Not within reality. Now, more than 20 years later, I am travelling on a ship, the Sea Hunter, to Cocos, where I will dive with hammerhead sharks. And where I will test the Nikon D300 digital SLR camera with the Subal ND30 underwater housing. It seems unreal to me...[LetsGoDigital.com]

RAF divers in dramatic shark tagging trip

PAIR of divers based at RAF Coningsby have been helping tag sharks in waters off Central America.
Plt Off Matthew Skulskyj, an air traffic controller and Cpl Matthew Wood, an aircraft mechanical engineer, are part of the Joint Services Shark Tagging Team (JSSTT), a group of divers who help scientists tag sharks.


Their first deployment was to the Coco's Islands in Costa Rica, working with the Shark Research Institute (SRI). The tags are used to research the sharks and help publicise their plight.


The Coco's Islands were the setting for the Jurassic Park films so the exercise was named Jurassic Shark...[Horncastle News]

Happy Thanksgiving!

Back in 1 week...

Fantasea FS-610 Underwater Housing for Nikon Coolpix S610 / S610c

Fantasea Line announces the addition of a new housing specifically designed for the Nikon Coolpix S610 and S610c digital cameras. The FS-610 housing is fully functional providing photographers with access to all camera functions. Fantasea’s new housing design and improved construction, together with a depth rating to 60 meters/200 feet, makes the FS-610 ideal for outdoor and underwater photographers. The Fantasea FS-610 housing has a double O-ring seal on all controls, anti-glare hood over LCD screen, and built-in diffuser. The FS-610 also features a 46mm port ring thread for easy attachment of accessory lenses and filters.

Underwater photographers can dive or snorkel and capture all the excitement of this fascinating world, while outdoor photographers also have the option of capturing the action of such activities as white water and paddle sports, sailing and boating, surfing, fishing, hunting, backpacking and camping. The FS-610 protects the Coolpix camera from water, sand, dust, and other damaging elements...[Photography Blog]

Jump-start your diving holiday

Some people love poking around in scrap yards. Some people love scuba diving among beautiful corals and exotic sealife. But every so often, the two passions can be combined.

One such place is the 'car graveyard', a short sail north of Khorfakkan, located along the Gulf of Oman, and just over an hours drive from Dubai.

In 1998 around 200 cars were cast overboard and have now become host to a wealth of corals and underwater passengers, swimming in and out of their static shells. Seahorses bob atop engines, which once boasted of their horsepower, eels in and out of wheels, barracuda flit between bumpers and frogfish do their best to jumpstart these long silent motors.

This is just one of the many delights off the coast of the UAE and Oman. While the Red Sea has built up a worldwide reputation among the scuba diving community, the Gulf sites remain less well known and visited. This – from a diving point of view – is a good thing. With its beautiful, sun-soaked sandy beaches and clear blue Arabian Sea the north and east coasts of the Emirates is a haven for diving, fishing or just relaxing...[Business 24-7]

Survey finds new marine species

Last spring, scientists from the Queensland Museum in South Brisbane, Australia, discovered this new coral species hanging underneath a rocky ledge about 50 feet deep off the northern end of Australia’s Lizard Island. They now hope to classify the coral, along with hundreds of other recently discovered marine invertebrates.

During the trip, which helped mark 2008 as the International Year of the Reef, researchers explored the reefs around Lizard Island at a range of depths to find species from a variety of habitats. During the next several years, these three-week expeditions to other regions of the Great Barrier Reef will continue to provide a baseline species inventory of the region. The inventory should help scientists understand how changing ocean conditions adversely affect reef biodiversity and, by extension, 30 million of the world’s poorest people who rely entirely on reefs for food...[POPSCI.com]

Down with the fishes: Ten unique ideas to give for the holidays.

A unique idea happening right here in Connecticut is the gift of scuba diving.

Whether your recipient is a curious newcomer to diving, a certified fresh diver or a long time experienced diver, an adventure for all is waiting for them in central Connecticut.Several nights a week, groups of local residents all with a similar passion for the water, gather at a community indoor pool and partake in educational classes of scuba.

Scuba Shack of Connecticut, a local scuba diving facility and training center located in Rocky Hill, CT, hosts an abundance of classes for every possible level of diver. Not only do they offer the basic introductory scuba diving certification but they offer technical and state of the art courses tailored for the diver wanting to become more comfortable in the water. They offer a new way to look at diving and finally be able to understand the evolution and the technology that is finally available to make scuba diving now the safest, most enjoyable activity in the water.

A class I recently participated in was the buoyancy program. This was a unique opportunity to learn about the newest evolution in diving equipment and theories. You will walk away from this class feeling more confident and experienced with techniques and more comfortable finding your “trim” in the water. The instructors are vividly interactive and compelling.

Giving this gift is one of the most exciting 6 weeks your diver will experience! Once a week they will gather for class training including knowledge and in-pool techniques. Imagine being able to no longer be weighed down with lead weights and learning your own buoyancy control simply by breathing techniques...[Examiner.com]

Dear Santa...

Military divers watch used by the russian special forces (Diversants)

- Mechanical
- Mean daily rate from + 1 minute for 24 h
- 30-h winding
- Russian Watches PoljotThe case provides water resistance of the watch with water pressure no more than 3 kg/cm2 at a presence under water no more than one hour.
- Weight of the watch is 260 gramm.
- 15 Ruby jewels
- Luminous hands and indicies for night visibility
- The watch has a special protective lattice.
- Size is 56 mm in diameter x 23 mm
- Comes with special band and box
[RuGift.com]

The Great Wall (Dive) Of Andros

I’ve hurled myself out of a plane in Switzerland, repelled down rock walls in Ecuador and conquered three bungee jumps in a row in New Zealand. But those were mere child’s play compared to my most adrenaline-inducing endeavor: Diving to a staggering 185 feet below sea level in the Bahamas!

Since my seven-day scuba package at the Small Hope Bay Lodge was just about up, I decided it was time to take the ultimate plunge. Earlier in the week, I’d broken my standing depth record of a pitiful 65 feet by upping it to 90. And then came 110, then 130 and, finally, I dove all the way to 140 feet. But like any addiction, once you get a taste of the goods, you gotta have more. Not to say that I took the decision lightly. But as I realized during my previous deep dives, if I followed my trained underwater professionals, stayed calm and paid attention to my time and air, it was pretty much smooth sailing, er, floating...[Jaunted]

Luck of the Irish - Diver finds priceless ancient jewellery

A LOCAL diver has found a priceless piece of ancient silver jewellery whilst taking part in a search for a missing person.

Pat Treanor a member of the Boyne Fishermans Rescue and Recovery Service (BFRRS) found what is believed to be a Viking artefact dating back up to 2,000 years during a search of the River Lee.

It is currently being examined by the National Museum of Ireland but is believed to be at least 1,500 years old.

The piece, which is circular with a bulbous end and is thought to be either a bracelet or brooch, was found on the river bed sitting on top of stones in ten feet of water.

He originally thought the silver trinket, which was discoloured and blackened, was an ordinary piece of women's jewellery.

'When I took it out it was black and it was only when I cleaned it off that I realised it was actually silver,' said Pat, who lives in Castlebellingham. 'It was at that stage I realised it wasn't an ordinary piece of jewellery. It was quite heavy but there was no stamp on it, and there was a lot of wear and lots of imperfections on it, you'd know it wasn't recent.'...[Drogheda Independent]

Create an underwater scene

There’s another world under the waves, and in this tutorial, Fabio Sasso shows you how to recreate it convincingly. You’ll learn all sorts of ways to combine found images seamlessly, learning compositing and saturation techniques to integrate them into a backdrop that’s been created using Photoshop filters and gradients.

Sasso is skilled when it comes to tracking down and adapting images, and he shares some of his favourite sites for downloading free or donation-only brushes and images. Most importantly of all, you’ll learn to pay close attention to how light behaves and to think of your scene as a little world all of its own...[Digital Arts]

Marine Census Reveals Underwater Wonders

In a preview of the new Marine Census, due to be released in 2010, scientists presented some amazing discoveries, made over the course of the past couple of years. Among the most interesting things, they mentioned a "city" of brittle stars and an Antarctic octopus route, where the animals ride on a current of extra-salty water. In the Gulf of Mexico, researchers discovered a high concentration of tiny crustaceans on the ocean floors, with as much as 12,000 of the small creatures inhabiting an area as small as 1 square meter.

This fourth update on the census was released just ahead of the next Census meeting, scheduled to take place in Valencia, Spain, on Tuesday. During the conference, some 2,000 scientists from 82 countries will report their latest discoveries, and will add them to what is already known about the biodiversity of the planet's oceans. By working in collaboration with the PLoS ONE Journal, scientists with the Census hope to be able to make the information they obtain available to the open-public...[Softpedia]

Shipwreck! Nat Geo Expedition Week continues

The Quedah Merchant was a late 16th century Moorish ship that was hijacked in the Red Sea by the pirate/privateer William Kidd. Kidd renamed her and took her to the Caribbean where she was scuttled off the coast of Catalina Island in what is now the Dominican Republic. More than that, the Quedah Merchant was why the successful privateer Kidd had his career ruined and his life taken away in a pretty hideous manner.

But, really--you should see for yourself. Premiering tonight, November 18, 2008, at 8 pm ET/PT. Check local listings

Unparalled Underwater Footage Of South Florida’s Shipwrecks And Reefs

HDiveVideo.com has just released a new underwater DVD, Dive Florida Gold Coast. It features popular SCUBA diving sites on the coral reefs of Southern Florida from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach. All footage was filmed at the same awesome locations as recreational divers visit when they use the local charter boats.

The reef and its abundant, colorful creatures are filmed at depths of 50 to 60 feet. This breathtaking and fragile ecosystem runs almost continuously along the South Florida coastline. Four “must see” ship wrecks are included. Sandra Green, a satisfied Amazon customer, said that the “many species of fish, turtles, and colorful corals are spectacular”.

Dive Florida Gold Coast is a new release from HDiveVideo.com and features both the reefs and wrecks along the southeastern coast of Florida. It truly captures the color, beauty and wonder of the tropical marine environment...[PRLog]

Captain Kidd's treasure: Wood discovered, "living museum" in the works

The U.S. Agency for International Development has awarded Indiana University $200,000 to turn the Captain Kidd shipwreck site and three other underwater preserves in the Dominican Republic into no-take, no-anchor "Living Museums," where cultural discoveries will protect precious corals and other threatened biology in the surrounding reef systems under the supervision and support of the Dominican Republic's Oficina Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural Subacuático (ONPCS).

The news comes just months after the unexpected discovery of teak wood on the Captain Kidd site, a discovery that IU archeologists say confirms that this is the Cara Merchant, the ship Captain William Kidd commandeered and then abandoned in 1699 as he raced to New York in an ill-fated attempt to clear his name of piracy charges.

"When we removed a cannon this summer for future identification, we exposed the keel of the ship," said Charles Beeker, director of the Office of Underwater Science in IU Bloomington's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. "I'm just shocked that the keel is still there but the reason it's probably there is because it was teak, which is resistant to decomposition."...[Indiana University]

Close Call for Renowned Underwater Photographer Fred Buyle

On November 8, 2008, after three weeks of filming for a documentary series called Ocean Quest (more details on http://futurapnea.canalblog.com/), four-time freediving world record holder Fred Buyle nearly found death when he was run over by a boat speeding at approximately 20 knots in a marked 50-meter radius diving zone.

Scuba divers had just started their dive and Fred Buyle was still on the surface with his underwater camera in hand when the collision occurred. He recalls: “Nobody saw or heard it coming. First, the bow hit me on the back across the shoulders from left to right and the forefoot of the boat cut a 40 cm wound in my back. After this impact which registered as rather painless, a second one followed shredding my fins. I don’t know how, but my feet and legs are miraculously intact. The third impact involved my aluminum Aquatica underwater camera case which exploded into the propeller, pulling in my right arm with it. I will forever remember the sound of breaking bones.”

At the surface, in the wake of the speeding boat, Fred Buyle was conscious, despite a bleeding open fracture of the elbow giving his forearm the distinct look of a three-jointed limb. He had enough wherewithals to turn at the fleeing boat and yell in its direction. Its passengers looked back and saw him but the boat continued on its trajectory...[Deeper Blue]

Divers launch first underwater cleanup campaign

A group of divers from the Two Moon Diving Club (TMDC) have started the first cleanup campaign of its kind in Yemen- an underwater and beach cleanup. The cleanup campaign began October 30, and lasted two full days on Kamaran Island in the Red Sea.

The first day of cleaning took place underwater as 5 scuba divers scoured an area of half a square kilometer. Waste collected underwater included oilcans, plastic bags, pipes, plastic bottles, shoes, ropes and rusty metals. The team managed to collect 40kg of rubbish during its first dive.

Five divers from Yemen and Egypt participated in the cleanup campaign, and despite the bad weather and visibility they succeeded in collecting considerable amounts of garbage.

Druring the evening of the same day, divers continued clearing the underwater area, gathering another 10 kg of waste...[Yemen Observer]

Shark's loo stop caught on camera

It's as thick as your arm, smells revolting and now it's been caught on camera for what's thought to be the first time ever. What is it? Shark poo!

Biologists were so excited about spotting the whale shark going to the loo, they even scooped the poop out of the water so they could keep it!

But it's not as grim as it sounds - by testing the poo they can find out loads more about the giant creatures.

Despite being the world's biggest fish, very little's known about whale sharks...[BBC]

NYC Audubon Society presents: Alex Kirkbride, Underwater Photographer

On Wednesday, November 12, NYC Audubon and the American Littoral Society present a free lecture by underwater photographer, Alex Kirkbride. The lecture will be held at the Central Park Arsenal located on 64th Street and 5th Avenue. The event begins at 6pm sharp and will likely run 90 minuets.

In 2002 Alex Kirkbride set out on what he called "an immense creative challenge". Kirkbride, along with his producer and partner Hazel Todd, traveled the United States for 3 years, covering over 100, 000 miles. Along this trip, Kirkbride photographed underwater images from every state for his book, entitled American Waters, published September 2007.

From flooded quarries and cranberry bogs to freezing Alaskan waters and Elvis's swimming pool, he took a glorious and unique array of photographs. His creative approach and unerring technical ability enabled him to capture startling images � including the rare sight of a whale placenta and eerily still and beautiful wreck shots. The result is a collection of 150 stunning photographs depicting the amazing variety and astonishing beauty of underwater worlds unseen by most people in their lifetime. In this lecture Alex will take you on an extraordinary water journey across the country, sharing his experiences of "the greatest journey of my life."...[Science and the City]

A yellow submarine: 17-foot, 2-man vessel goes for sea trial at Point Hudson

"It's filling up!"

During the launch of a wooden boat, that phrase would be an urgent - though not unusual - call for help. But Monday morning, Jeff Hammers was thrilled as his yellow submarine filled with water for a brief sea trial at Point Hudson.

"This is my first submarine," said the man who has owned countless contraptions over the years.

For this shakedown cruise, Jeff wisely stayed on shore while Grant Ausk, Eric Helimann and Kevin Goatz of Townsend Bay Dive Shop tried it out. It didn't stay very level or go too far, but everyone survived.

Built to transport two divers, it's supposed to submerge but not sink or capsize. "It needs a little help," Jeff said. "It has a tendency to roll a little bit," and it's underpowered.

If he can get it working right, well, he might just take it to Key West and rent it out to divers, Jeff said. He's not a diver, but that didn't give him a moment's hesitation at the Stokes Auction in Port Orchard three weeks ago. Jeff said a friend of his had stumbled upon the submarine at the auction preview and immediately thought of him.

"I'm into weird stuff," Jeff said. "I'll take a submarine." Jeff wasn't planning to bid on anything but ended up with a 17-foot submarine...[PTLeader.com]

Secret Bay Dive Sites - Muck Diving in Bali

Secret Bay: This dive site is located in front of the docking area of Gilimanuk Harbor.

Be prepared - you are diving on fine black and gray volcanic sand and rubble and not on a coral reef! This place is a great place for the rare and unusual. This so called muck diving is one of macro-photography best sites. You will find frogfish hispidus, A. striatus, A. maculatus and A. nummifer, special nudibranchs, ghostpipefish, the rare picturesque dragonet and gobies, several species of sand eels, stonefish and devilfish, mimic octopus and even the Ambon scorpionfish (Pteroidichthys amboinensis), crabs and shrimps and many other critters that like to live on sand. Actually a new species was introduced somewhere between 2005 and 2006, the endemic Banggai cardinalfishes (Pterapogon kauderi). This is a beautiful fish which is used in aquariums,It wont recommended if you introduce it someplace completely else, probably just so some photographers can make nice pictures!

Look around the pieces of half rotten wood, among the sponges and specially under the garbage (inside the metal drums for example) and in the metal structures put up in several places. These objects act like a small oasis where animals can hide, so they are a good place to find camouflaged animals such as the frogfish or seahorses. We noticed, that there are seasonal changes at the Secret Bay dive sites. On one visit a place would be just full with certain nudibranchs on the sea grass, an other year only a few could to be found...[PRLog]

Idaho's Toughest Jobs: Search and Rescue Diver

It's a job that is often done in freezing temperatures, in zero visibility, and in treacherous conditions. The hours are long and inconsistent and the pay is terrible. We continue our series "Idaho's Toughest Jobs" as Brenda Baumgartner goes to work with Bingham County's Search and Rescue Divers.

Search and Rescue is a job that is not only tough but down right dangerous.

Bill Brown/Bingham County Search and Rescue: "On average 9 Search and Rescue divers die annually."

And what makes being a Search and Rescue diver even more challenging is these dedicated men and women do it for free.

Bill Brown/Bingham County Search and Rescue: "It's all volunteer. Our time, our gas, the gear is all our own."

As we head out to Ririe Reservoir on a cold autumn morning the question that keeps running through my head is why? Not only why do they do it, but why did I agree to try it out for myself.

Even with wetsuits, I've never felt water this cold. And when we are 30 feet underwater I am amazed at what little visibility there is...[KPVI.com]

Marine census update reveals octopus ancestor, shark cafe

The Census of Marine Life won’t be complete until 2010, but scientists are already sharing some of their discoveries, including 5,300 new species, an octopus ancestor and a “white shark cafe.”

Some 700 scientists are presenting some of their findings this week in Valencia, Spain, at the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity. The Census of Marine Life project began in 2000; in 2010 the scientists plan to produce a complete list of 230,000 marine species.

The press release for the event and this year’s census update quoted Census vice-chair Myriam Sibuet of France as saying, “The impressive number of landmark findings over the past two years reveals the richness of what remains to be discovered. The vastness of the ocean and our new research tools keep marine biology forever young.”

The new findings include evidence that many deep-sea octopi evolved from an Antarctic octupus species, descendants of which still exist in the Southern Ocean. The photo shows Megaleledone setebos, the closest living relative of the ancient ancestor. ..[EarthSky Blogs]

Completion of artificial reef announced

Southern California Edison will formally announce today the completion of a 175-acre artificial giant kelp reef just north of San Diego County, which the utility calls the first environmental restoration project of its kind.

As the nation's largest artificial kelp reef, it is expected to serve as a model for similar projects, according to Edison executives. The project was designed to compensate for environmental damage caused by the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

Edison will be required to monitor the reef's condition and conduct studies comparing its productivity with that of nearby kelp forests for about four decades.

The cost of construction and monitoring could approach $40 million and will be borne by Edison and other owners of nuclear plants, including San Diego Gas & Electric Co., according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

In addition to its habitat value, the reef may be alluring to local divers...[La Jolla Light]

What lies beneath

Ross Isaacs has had some unusual wildlife encounters. There was, for example, the time he was rushed by a 40-tonne humpback whale.

"You basically roll up in a little ball and hope for the best," he says.

And then there was the time he was used as a human shield by a big fish trying to escape from a false killer whale.

"Basically, I had to push the fish back over to the [whale] and sort of say: 'Here is your fish back. I don't want it.' You don't want to stir up big predators like that," he says.

Isaacs has been an underwater cameraman and documentary maker for 20 years and knows the thrills and perils of getting up close and personal with creatures from the sea. His most recent film, Humpbacks: From Fire To Ice, follows the first year in the life of a female humpback whale calf born near Hawaii...[Sydney Morning Herald]

Toxic gases in diver's tank

A trainee diver whose decomposed body was recovered three days after he went missing at Pulau Hantu had a scuba tank that was filled with toxic gases.

Mr Sue Qing Wen's body was found floating in the sea off the island on Feb 20 last year with the compressed air tank still strapped onto his body.

The tank, which should have contained 80 per cent oxygen and 90 per cent nitrogen, was found instead to have 785 parts per million (ppm) of carbon monoxide and 12.3 ppr of hydrogen sulphide.

According to Associate Professor Philip Eng of the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, that level of carbon monoxide would make a person dizzy, nauseous and convulse within 45 minutes, and unconscious within two hours.

After a three-day inquiry, State Coroner Victor Yeo returned an open verdict on Friday. He said there were many unexplained questions surrounding Mr Sue's drowning.

Neither could it be determined conclusively the effect of inhaling the toxic gases had on him and how the tank came to be contaminated with such a high level of carbon monoxide...[The Straits Times]

Sandals donation aims to help St. Lucia acquire hyperbaric chamber

A generous donation by a Caribbean resort operator aims to enhance diver safety and public health in St. Lucia.

The renowned Sandals Regency resort donated $15,000 to the St. Lucia Hyperbaric Committee to help the local dive industry acquire a hyperbaric chamber.

For over a decade, local dive operators have been working to establish emergency hyperbaric medical treatment for scuba diving injuries as well as treatment of non-diving diseases such as diabetes, which has reached epidemic proportions among island residents.

Sandals Regency General Manager, Jeremy Mutton, said the acquisition of a hyperbaric chamber would enhance diver safety and St. Lucia's reputation as one of the world's premier scuba diving destinations...[CDNN]

Underwater Medicine in Focus

Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) has won its bid to host the triennial International Congress on Hyperbaric Medicine in 2011, bringing leading specialists in the treatment of decompression sickness and underwater medicine to South Africa.

An announcement on the win was made at the 2008 congress or the organisation which took place in Beijing, China. South Africa bid against Argentina, Canada and Sweden.

Hyperbaric medicine, known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is the medical use of oxygen at a higher than atmospheric pressure. It is an area of medicine that is advancing rapidly and the University of Stellenbosch is a leading trainer in the field.

Ken Brown, director of African Conferences and Incentives, attended the Beijing conference with Dr Franz Cronje, director of the HBOT unit at the Eugene Marais Hospital in Pretoria. Brown said he was delighted that the South African bid proposal had been successful and that the prestigious conference would be coming to South Africa from 16 to 19 March, 2011...[Cape Business News]

Limbless heroes thrilled at scuba diving challenge

Petty Officer John Strutt is using his skills to help ex-forces men and women who had lost limbs to rediscover their confidence and to give them a chance to take up a new activity.

PO Strutt, who has served in the navy for 15 years, organised a diving weekend on November 1-2 at HMS Collingwood, Fareham, which saw nine members of the British Limbless Ex Servicemen Association (Blesma) take to the pool.

He said: 'It was very emotional for all of us in different ways.

'Watching the guys come down with such low confidence and then watching that disappear and the sense of achievement as they developed each skill was unbelievable. Some of them had a life-changing experience.'...[The News]

Introducing Tassie's underwater robot - 'Searise'

A miniature CSIRO submarine being used to study the health of Tasmania's waterways has officially been named 'Searise.' A year-two student from Burnie Primary School, Jacob Wise, made the winning suggestion in a competition run by CSIRO Education and CSIRO's Tasmanian ICT Centre. Entries were judged by an independent panel of experts including a children's author and a teacher.

'I called the robot Searise because of climate change in Antarctica,' Jacob said in his entry. 'If Antarctica melts the sea will rise because of all the water.'

There was also a colouring-in competition, which was won by Laurence McMahon, a year-six student from Albeura St Primary School in the Hobart suburb of Sandy Bay. Laurence will receive his prize during today's launch of the Tasmanian node of CSIRO's ICT Centre.

'We received 217 entries for the naming competition and 438 entries for the colouring-in competition from all over the state,' said CSIRO autonomous vehicles expert, Dr Paulo de Souza. 'We hope that, by stimulating students to think about science and technology in this way, we are motivating and inspiring the next generation of scientists.'...[Science Centric]

Under the sea with Scuba Scott

Off the Maine coast, University of Maine students swim beneath the waves, exploring a world accessible to few. This is the realm of the UMaine Scuba Club, a small group of certified divers who spend weekends alongside the fishes.

The club consists of four or five devoted divers, but they are looking for new members.

The president, senior mechanical engineering technology student Scott Brown, joined last year, stepping up to the plate when the former president graduated. He received scuba open water certification in 2004, completing a four-week, $475 course at Johnson's Sporting Goods in Portland.

Members of the club must be scuba certified. For this, Brown points students to Downeast Dive Shop in Dedham, which certifies new divers year-round. The three-week course is taught by certified instructor Bruce Loring. Between eight and 10 UMaine engineering students will be completing the course this Saturday, according to a shop employee.

Diving is purely a hobby for Brown, but most club members are marine science students. Two of the members cannot attend meetings regularly this semester because they are working at the Ira C. Darling Marine Center in Walpole. The research and teaching center has large flowing-seawater tanks and a complete scuba facility...[MainCampus.com]

As Oriskany sinks further, divers risk going deeper

Diving the Oriskany was the clincher for New York resident Bradley Gaiser.

It was part of the reason the 47-year-old master scuba diver and his new bride wanted their wedding in Pensacola last weekend.

He'd made the dive before. He'd traveled through the top of the impressive sunken wreck. He'd seen the array of marine life.

But this time he was back to touch the infamous flight deck.

"A lot of my students want to know how deep I can go," Gaiser said. "There's no reason to go down there other than to say that I did it."

At 135 feet, the sunken aircraft carrier's flight deck was already five feet outside the recreational diving limit, but instructors said it was still relatively safe for tempted divers to make the touch.

"People just had to touch it," said Eilene Beard, Scuba Shack co-owner. "And we'd say, 'OK, bounce down there and touch it and get back up here so you don't use all your nitrogen.' "

But after Hurricane Gustav pushed through the Gulf of Mexico, the sunken ship shifted about 10 feet deeper...[PNJ.com]

Turkey finds historical artifacts from shipwreck, to display in US

Historical artifacts unearthed from a shipwreck in Turkey will be displayed in the United States, the head of a business council said on Tuesday.

Haluk Dincer, the chairman of the Turkish American Business Council, said that 98 artifacts, discovered from a sunken ship named Uluburun, would be exhibited in New York in the second half of November.

"The artifacts will be on display in the 'Beyond Babylon: Arts, Trade and Diplomacy in the Second Millennium B.C." at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York," Dincer told a press conference in the Turkish city of Istanbul...[World Bulletin.com]

Divers find 1893 Erie wreck 'in remarkable condition'

A ship sunk by a fierce autumn storm 115 years ago has been discovered in Lake Erie, 25 miles north of Cleveland.

The 133-foot schooner Riverside was among a dozen sunken vessels and more than 50 deaths left in the wake of the storm, which blew across the Great Lakes in 1893.

"It's in remarkable condition," said Tom Kowalczk, a diver with Cleveland Underwater Explorers Inc.

The nonprofit group, in collaboration with the Great Lakes Historical Society, found the shipwreck last year. Members delayed announcing their find until they could photograph the site.

An estimated 1,700 shipwrecks lie at the bottom of Lake Erie; fewer than 300 have been found. ..[Cleveland.com]

Slimy snails do the (underwater) locomotion

How can a snail crawl along the surface of a pond while hanging upside-down underwater, especially when there’s seemingly nothing to grab? The spot-on snail solution, according to a team of engineers, is finding the perfect balance between surface tension and the motion of the snail’s large, slime-trailing foot.

The unique propulsion system, based on distorting the water surface just enough to get a grip, might inspire future applications such as small robotic swimmers that slink beneath the surface while carrying out military or environmental applications.

Snails and other animals have long inspired studies on locomotion. And locomotion, in turn, has given engineers plenty of fresh ideas for lumbering, crawling, swimming and even flying robotic devices based on everything from geckoes and cockroaches to bluegill sunfish and flies...[MSNBC]

DivePhotoGuide Awarded Best Website At Prestigious World Festival Of Underwater Images, Antibes

Popular underwater photography & video portal DivePhotoGuide has been presented with the best website award at the 35th Annual World Festival of Underwater Images, one of the most prestigious underwater photo & film festival in the world, held annually in Antibes, France.

Founder and Publisher Jason Heller said: “We are honored to receive this recognition from such a prestigious competition and I want to take this opportunity to thank all of our readers from around the world as well as our exceptional team - Wendy Heller, Matt Weiss, Gyula Somogyi, Richard Morris, Andrea & Antonella Ferrari, Keri Wilk and Miguel Novey. I'm honored to have such an amazing bunch of people on our team who share an intense passion for underwater imagery and the ocean.”...[Cameratown.com]

'Captain Nemo' explorer Jacques Piccard dies at 86

Swiss deep sea explorer and inventor Jacques Piccard, who holds the record for travelling to the deepest point underwater, died Saturday at the age of 86, a statement said.

"One of the last great explorers of the 20th century, a true Captain Nemo who went deeper than any other man, Jacques Piccard passed away on Saturday, ... at his home on the edge of his beloved Lake Geneva," it said.

Piccard, who was born in Brussels, together with Don Walsh reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench, 10,916 metres (35,813 feet) below sea level on January 23, 1960 -- the farthest point underwater.

He also witnessed living organisms at a depth of over 11,000 metres below sea level, a discovery that led to a ban in nuclear waste dumping into the ocean.

Piccard had also built four mid-depth submarines, including the first tourist submarine that carried 33,000 passengers deep into Lake Geneva in 1964 and carried on deep sea exploration up to the age of 82...[AFP]