Izzy from Underwater Explorers saves a Gannet

Underwater Explorers, a Dorset based dive centre, established a Facebook initiative called ‘Chesil Beach Watch‘ a couple of years ago. It is a fascinating page to regularly dip in and out of because you get daily updates about the famous beach.

Yesterday – Saturday 9 March – Izzy Ismet reported that it was not a good day. Lost and discarded nets and other floating rubbish had washed up into the cove and a Gannet had got entanged in it.

A prime example of the menace that haunts our oceans at Chesil Cove today.

It was obvious to all that the Gannet was beginning to struggle and suffer, so Izzy Ismet donned his drysuit, grabbed his snorkelling gear and paddled out to the debris.

Ismet carefully removed a fishing net noose from the birds neck. The Gannet is now being treated by conservationist and wildlife activist Derek Davey.

Nicely done, all involved!

Scuba Diving Tip: Put your name on your Surface Marker Buoy!

Scuba kit (including surface marker buoys) laid out to dry at the end of a liveaboard trip | Copyright © Rosemary E Lunn / The Underwater Marketing Company. All rights reserved

It sounds obvious, but have you written your name and contact details on your surface detection aids? The RNLI recommend that you do.

Award winning photographer Mario Vitalini rolling up his DSMB | Copyright © Rosemary E Lunn / The Underwater Marketing Company. All rights reserved

A lifeboat crew recently recovered a Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB) floating in the sea. They didn’t know whether they had retrieved a misplaced DSMB, or if they needed to commence a search for a potential lost diver.

As a minimum you should write your name on your DSMB, because it helps the skipper to know who is underneath the surface detection aid when you are sea diving.

The RNLI would prefer it if you also add your mobile number. That way if they find your DSMB, they can learn within minutes if you are missing and need help, or if they have recovered the delayed surface marker buoy you lost.

Just grab a permanent marker and neatly print your details onto the DSMB. Remember the name needs to be read from afar. When the lettering fades, just refresh the text accordingly.

Boot Show 2019: Underwater Explorers are top dealer!

OMS held their awards ceremony last night, Tuesday 22 January 2019, at Boot, Dussledorf.

During the evening, it was announced that the top dealer is Underwater Explorers.

Underwater Explorers is based in the pretty resort of Weymouth and Portland, England.

The company was founded in 1998 when a core team of instructors were contracted to manage the then ‘Weymouth Scuba Centre’. Two years later the school / centre took over ‘The Scuba Centre’ (formerly ‘Parry’s Dive Centre’) in 2000, and focused on the Hogarthian / DIR style of diving.

Since then Underwater Explorers has grown and gained an excellent reputation for quality education, good advice and a well stocked dive centre.

It is great that Nina Hukkanen and Izzy Ismet’s hard work is being acknowledged. Congratulations to all at Underwater Explorers. Much deserved!

 

Portheras Cove ‘Friends’ potentially save a horses life

Balloons are real hazard to horses. In March 2017 a thoroughbred called ‘Fiesty’ fatally choked on a Mylar balloon. She panicked and bolted through a gate, and broke two legs and her neck.

Friends of Portheras Cove in Cornwall, England have today (Friday 18 January 2019) reported on social media that they successfully intercepted a balloon just before it was blown into a field of horses.

We had to sprint across the field to catch this – this is the first one we’ve managed to intercept before it hit the livestock fields!

No wonder turtles eat balloon debris – this looks just like a jelly fish.

This is not the first time that balloon debris has been recovered from the picturesque cove. ‘The Friends’ posted two more images of balloons they had recovered.

We find so many [balloons] washed / blown ashore here – people don’t realise the very danger they post to our wildlife.

It is also not surprising that marine-life such as turtles will eat a floating balloon.

Turtles consume jellyfish, and a translucent balloon floating on the sea can look a lot like a jellyfish. Balloon debris and plastic rubbish is a massive hazard for turtles.

Update your Marketing Toolbox

Whilst everyone thinks balloons are fun – adults might not admit it, but they love them as much as kids – it is time to update your marketing toolbox if you use balloons. It is no longer environmentally or socially acceptable to get a few hundred helium filled branded balloons, and use them to decorate an event or give them away.

These balloons were recovered by the ‘Friends of Portheras Cove’, Cornwall, England

Invariably some of the balloons will end up floating off and they post a real threat to marine creatures and land animals alike because they can accidentally ingest them, or become tangled in the plastic.

Why do we always have to count on luck where sky lanterns land?

A sky lantern landed in Carpi, Italy on Saturday 1 January 2019. Luckily it was not lit because it came to earth near hay bails and a fodder store | Image Credit Lucia Cavazzuti

Lucia Cavazzuti had an ugly start to her day this morning (Saturday 5 January 2019).

She found a spent Chinese Lantern just 3 mt / 10 ft from hay bails, and 90 mt / 300 ft from her stables and fodder shed in Carpi, Italy.

I was lucky, but why do we always have to count on luck? Lucia Cavazzuti

Cavazzuti highlighted on social media that the sky lantern had two thin metal wires that could have easily ended up in her cows fodder if she was not so vigilant.

The wire in a sky lantern can maim and kill livestock | Image Credit Lucia Cavazzuti

“There is a strong probability that if the wire had ended up on the cattle food, it would have damaged their internal organs, caused bleeding and the animal would have to be slaughtered.”

Cavazzuti’s fears are justified. A farmer in Northampton, UK had two cattle die after suffer from internal bleeding after eating wire in silage, whilst a farmer in Cheshire, UK had a prize Red Poll cow (Underhills Sprite) suffocate after the wire frame from a Chinese lantern ruptured the beast’s oesophagus.

Sadly many people are unaware of the potentially deadly consequences of the release of sky lanterns can have for wildlife and other animals.

I think that most people who saw the kind of injuries or fatalities we have, would think twice. Cattle have died after bits of sky lantern have fallen into their feed. David Bowles, RSPCA

Cavazzuti’s voice joins many others asking when sky lanterns will be banned.

 

BOLO: Oxygen Set stolen from Anglesey Divers

Martin Sampson of Anglesey Divers has advised on social media that his primary oxygen therapy kit was been stolen from the back of his car in Holyhead, North Wales. The theft took place overnight and was discovered this morning, Sunday 16 December 2018.

The kit was contained in a bag that looks exactly the same as the bag above.

This is life saving equipment

“This set has already saved the life of one man“, stated Martin Sampson. “Please be aware that if you are offered it, or try to use it without necessary training, you can do a an awful lot of harm with it, both medically and generally it can be a major fire hazard in the wrong hands. It is useless to anyone else because I am probably the only person in the UK with spare parts to service it.”

If you have any information relating to this stolen Oxygen Kit please email Martin.

 

Mark Powell wins EUROTEK.2010 Publication Award

One of the features that I like on Facebook is ‘timehop’. When the system refreshes your memory of what was happening on this day in your personal history. This morning it reminded me about EUROTEK.2010 and the awards.

Eight years ago I was delighted to award Mark Powell the EUROTEK Publication Award for ‘Deco for Divers’ Mark had previously launched this book at the inaugural EUROTEK back in 2008.

I had a dig through my computer and found my speech.

“One of the nicest things about diving is that it covers many topics – you can learn about maritime history, or become a champion bug spotter of all things soft and squiggy. And the other great thing about diving is that you can never stop learning.

One good way of getting valuable and pertinent information is through the media and publications. Tonight the EUROTEK Publication Award is being given to a diving book. Diving books can cover so many aspects such as adventure and friendship, and I’m thinking of ‘Shadow Divers‘ here. Or they can cover more serious subjects.

One publication keeps on being talked about, praised, poured over and devoured because it has proved to be very useful for many divers.

They have said this is “the Best book a diver can buy” and “a must for all divers“. It’s also “a solid and practical guide that is well written and hard to put down“.

Another comment was “it made the theory easier to understand“. And “I have been diving for 26 years and am qualified to teach. This book has made me aware of so many aspects of diving and opened my eyes as to what goes on whilst I am underwater and surfacing again“.

So what is this useful, easy to understand and well written book?

Perhaps it might help if I added “one of the best explanation of M-Values I’ve come across” and “if you are sincerely interested in the theory behind decompression and differences between different algorithms, this IS the book to buy“.

I am delighted to announce that the EUROTEK.2010 Publication Award goes to ‘Deco for Divers: Decompression Theory and Physiology’ by Mark Powell.”

‘Life After Loss’ conducts a balloon release to raise awareness of infant mortality

‘Baby Loss Awareness Week‘ is held on an annual basis in mid October giving bereaved parents, family members and friends the opportunity to commemorate the brief lives of their babies. The week is important in that it also provides a crucial opportunity for people to talk openly about the subject and raise awareness of baby loss.

This year ‘Life After Loss‘ announced that it would be holding its annual Belfast Balloon Release on Sunday 14 October 2018 at Malone House.

Several members of the public contacted ‘Life After Loss’ through their website and on their Facebook page asking the charity to rethink the balloon release aspect. Every message was politely made, highlighting that balloon releases can maim and kill farm, wild and marine life whilst causing mass and unnecessary littering.

A second aspect was highlighted to ‘Loss After Life’. Helium (balloon gas) is finite. It cannot be manufactured, it is mined, and ironically this valuable gas is needed for medical scanners, not to be profligately wasted to release a bunch of balloons.

The charity and its members ignored the lobbying, and went ahead with the balloon release.

Some of those who took part in the balloon release made these comments on social media

Well my emotions come before your facts 🙂 like I said if I wanna let a balloon go I will

I am aware of what damage the balloons could do and like I said I don’t care as there’s a lot worse that could be done and is done everyday

I wanna remember my son by letting of a balloon and all your comments aren’t going to change my mind

There’s so much more happening in day to day life that is effecting wildlife and the environment ! I understand that balloons are causing damage but there not the only thing !

Everyone has an impact on damaging the environment not just a few balloons so why not keep your opinions to yourself and let people grieve in whatever way they like ?

Malone House

This mass balloon release took place at Malone House, a property is owned and managed by Belfast City Council. It is therefore a council facility. This balloon release immediately contradicts Belfast City Council’s Environmental Policy Statement.

“Our vision. We are committed to protecting the environment. In doing so, we will try to improve the quality of life of all of our citizens, both now and for future generations.” Belfast City Council Environmental Policy Statement

I spoke to a member of staff at Belfast City Council who stated “the council discourages balloon releases, we have a voluntary ban in place.” However Belfast City Council did not stop this mass balloon release.

We can tell the difference between a balloon and a jellyfish, but marine life can’t. It is not surprising that marine life can choke and die after ‘eating’ a balloon

Time To Act

“It’s only a few balloons”, but there are hundreds of thousands of people saying the same thing. So where do ‘just a few’ (million) balloons end up after you have said your prayers and lost sight of them?

In May 2018 a peer review study by Delia M. Webb was published that revealed 2,223 pieces of balloon litter were found on 39 beaches across Cornwall between July – December 2016.

The study entitled “Just a balloon? A local study of the extent and impacts of balloon litter on beaches” has reported that some of the balloons found on Cornish beaches had travelled from other parts of the UK, Ireland and Europe. It is more than probable that the balloons released in Belfast, will end up in Cornwall.

It is time that we now ban balloon and sky lantern releases – its on a par with fly tipping. Unfortunately it seems that contacting the organisers of these wanton littering events and asking them nicely to cease and desist, does not always stop this environmental hazard. We now need a law change.

Book your space on the GUE Swanage ‘Experience Day’

GUE UK are holding an ‘Experience Day’ in Swanage.

If you have heard about GUE and not sure whether it’s for you or not, or you are just curious to know more about GUE, then head to Dorset on Saturday 28th July 2018.

You’ll have the opportunity for a bit of “me time” to work on some dive skills that may have become rusty.

You will also be able to chat with GUE instructors and dives about training, courses and exciting projects.

Spaces are limited and cost £25 per head, so please contact John Kendall to secure your space, or get your questions answered.

‘Discover UK Diving’

Suunto Diving UK is hosting a special weekend this weekend and you’re invited.

If you learned to scuba dive overseas, or you have only dived our inland sites, this event is for you.

Our seas are not boring, silty and cold – British Seas Are Cool!

‘Discover UK Diving’ is being held on 16 and 17 June 2018 at Wraysbury Dive Centre.

The UK has some of the very best wreck diving in the world, and you’ll learn about Great British Diving from some great guest speakers.

Topics include the fauna and flora found within British waters, club diving and photography tips.

Come and ask questions, and test dive the Suunto EON core, you will be made most welcome.