News
Malta & Gozo: European Divers Meeting and Diving the MV Karwela
To celebrate Malta’s presidency of the European Union in 2017, the Malta Tourism Authority organised a European Divers Meeting and we were lucky enough to be invited along. As you have seen in our last post, we are based on Gozo and managed to get a day of diving in before the festivities started. Divers and journalists from all over the European Union have gathered to celebrate the diving here. The divers were spread over the many dive centres in Malta and Gozo, but on Tuesday night they all got together for the first time at the Popeye Centre on Malta (where the film starring Robin Williams was filmed).
Over 100 dive centre owners and employees, divers and journalists from the dive magazines throughout Europe gathered for a drink and meal together. The evening also included the launch of a new degree in diving (http://www.isdsm.edu.mt/) which will cover the full range of diving topics, from safety and diving medicine to conservation and biology. It is the first of its kind and will allow students to enrol and learn online, whilst also getting credit for any existing qualifications. A talk about the changing marine life of the islands followed, with posters handed out to all the dive centres to help them and their clients report “alien” species that are either known to exist already in these waters, or for those expected here soon.
The next day was the big event of the week, with all the divers gathering on Gozo to dive the MV Karwela wreck. First thing in the morning, the wreck was adorned with a flag from each country in the European Union attached to the hull rails as a form of celebration. The Karwela wreck lies, upright, in 40m of water off the south coast of Gozo. There is a kitting up area at the top of the hill, where refreshments were laid on for all who came and dived. DAN also had a tent setup to collect dive data from divers (along with Doppler bubble tests) to enhance their research.
Our host dive centre, Calypso Diving Centre, were a huge help to us. With Caroline still injured from a previous fall, their instructors and divemasters carried our dive gear down to the water (and back up the hill for us). We could not have done it without them! We also met up with Facebook friend Pete Bullen, Gozo’s most famous underwater photographer and promised to go to the opening night of his exhibition (more on this in our next post).
The wreck is just a short surface swim or dive from the shoreline. Its most famous feature is a central staircase but with the bottom step at 38m you do not get too much time to admire it… and capture your image. It was great to see all the flags lining the outside rail of the ship and, as an added bonus, we found a seahorse on the way back up.
The day was certainly a success, with so many divers from so many countries coming together to celebrate at the same dive site. There was a great atmosphere and most divers took advantage and did several dives (or free dives) over the day. More on our trip in our next post soon!
For more from Nick and Caroline, visit www.frogfishphotography.com
Last Thursday, Oyster Diving transformed Mercers Lake into a hauntingly unforgettable underwater realm for their inaugural Halloween Scuba Party. Approximately 20 intrepid divers plunged into the darkness, weaving through a mesmerising scene of spectral decorations, glow sticks, and eerie underwater pumpkins.
After the thrilling night dive, participants gathered to feast on a ghoulish spread of pumpkin soup, chilli con carne, and decadent fudge brownies, perfect fuel for the frightful festivities.
With a resounding success, Oyster Diving is excited to announce plans for this event to become an annual tradition. Next year, look forward to a fully licensed bar and live music, promising an even spookier celebration under the moonlit waters.
Join us next Halloween for an experience that promises to be a haunting delight!
Find out more about Oyster Diving at oysterdiving.com.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
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