News
NUPG – Best of 2018 competition results
This January for our monthly meeting we had invited talented photographer and multiple competition winning photographer Kirsty Andrews to judge our “Best of 2018” Competition. She had travelled from Bristol to see us and we warmed her up upon her arrival with a curry. I also think she finished the evening with some more warming coffee and whisky courtesy of Alex and Mich!
The competition had closed the previous week to give Kirsty time to judge the entries. She had done more than that as she had got a presentation together of her top 10 including her 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices in each of the categories along with her reasoning of why she liked particular photographs.
Kirsty mentioned the importance of composition and how she chose some shots as they showed good behaviour even if there was the odd thing that was not quite spot on with the image whilst other photographs were chosen as they were nicely lit and/or more technically difficult to achieve. She also advised on what could have been improved with some entries such as the removal of some stray bubbles or increasing or decreasing the contrast or saturation of particular colours.
Like the previous year there were a lot of entries and she said it was really difficult to choose from many excellent underwater photographs.
At the end of Kirsty’s’ presentation those present voted for their overall winner from the winner of each category chosen by Kirsty.
Overseas Macro and Overall Best of 2018 Winner by Caroline Robertson-Brown
Huge congratulations go to Caroline Robertson-Brown and her fantastic “Capturing the Moment” shot of Mandarin fish mating. This image was voted the Best of 2018 on the night as well as being the overall winner of the Overseas Close-Up Category. Runner Up and 3rd in this category were Justin Beevor with his image of a Scorpionfish in tunicates and Maggie Russell with her super-macro image of a pair of minuscule “Shaun the Sheep”.
Overseas Macro Runner-Up by Justin Beevor
Overseas Macro Third Place by Maggie Russell
Scottish Lochs featured prominently in the Open British Close-Up Category. The winner was John Spencer with this lovely shot of a hermit crab and brittlestars taken in a Scottish Loch with 2nd and 3rd places going to Caroline Robertson-Brown and her close-up shot of a fireworks anemone and Yo-Han Cha with a photo of a tiny scorpionfish on a sponge.
British Macro Winner by John Spencer
British Macro Runner-Up by Caroline Robertson-Brown
British Macro Third Place by Yo-Han Cha
There were a lot of seals in the British Wide-Angle Category but the winning shot was that taken by Paul Ansell with his great image of trout and a diver taken in a quarry using a mirrorless system whilst 2nd place went to Nick Robertson-Brown and his fantastically lit image of a diver in a plane fuselage, the thing about this shot that made it stand out was the non-classic pose of the diver, everyone loved the hands. Third place went to Alex Tasker and another nicely lit shot of a very tidy diver by the davits of a wreck.
British Wide Angle Winner by Paul Ansell
British Wide Angle Runner-Up by Nick Robertson-Brown
British Wide Angle Third Place by Alex Tasker
Nick Robertson-Brown took both the winning and runner-up shot in the Overseas Wide Angle Category with his shot of swirling baitfish taken in the Philippines and a great shot of a American Saltwater crocodile in Cuba respectively. This last shot was taken with an 8mm fish-eye lens, he was close to those teeth! Third place went to Justin Beevor and his lovely portrait of an Oceanic Whitetip taken in The Red Sea.
Overseas Wide Angle Winner by Nick Robertson-Brown
Overseas Wide Angle Runner-Up by Nick Robertson-Brown
Overseas Wide Angle Third Place by Justin Beevor
Once again congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone who entered, there were some great images.
If these pictures have inspired you then come along to our next meeting which is being held on the 2nd Monday of the month, the 11th February where we be welcoming Caroline and Nick Robertson-Brown who will be giving a presentation entitled “Telling Stories – Never let the truth get in the way of a good story!” Further details of this talk and this month’s competition theme “Front Cover” will be found on our website at www.nupg.org.uk shortly. Please come along and join us. Everyone welcome.
Whether you are a beginner or a professional diver – with the three new main regulators from DYNAMICNORD, everyone will find their favourite regulator. They all look super stylish.
Excellent performance with the TR-80
Quality and performance are the be-all and end-all for regulators. It is not for nothing that the TR stands for Tec Reg. The innovative design of the TR-80 guarantees absolute reliability – even in ice-cold waters.
Perfect breathing effort at 0.8 J/l / certified for diving in waters below 10 degrees / structural design made of solid brass for best cold protection / membrane-compensated design with dry seal of the first stage / reduced exhalation effort thanks to optimized exhalation membrane and bubble deflector / adjustable Venturi (dive/predive) and adjustment knob for individual inhalation comfort / innovative design of the front cover prevents free-flow in strong currents or when diving with scooters / design made of sandblasted brass, matt chrome finish / 2 HP and 4 LP outlets / mouthpiece made of high-quality, anti-allergic silicone for maximum comfort.
Amazing underwater adventures with the IR-50
The IR-50 is the top regulator for advanced and experienced divers. Natural breathing is the essence of this regulator.
Ideal breathing effort at 0.8 J/l /certified for diving in waters below 10 degrees / compensated membrane / adjustable venturi (dive/predive) and adjustment knob for individual inhalation comfort/ outlet valve and deflector for minimum exhalation effort and reduction of bubbles on the face / design made of sandblasted brass, matt chrome finish / 2 HP and 4 NP outlets / mouthpiece made of high-quality, anti-allergic silicone for maximum comfort.
The Workhorse – our CS-30
For diving centres and diving beginners – the workhorse stands for strong construction, reliability and robustness. Perfect for your training.
Optimal breathing effort at 0.8 J/l /recommended for diving in waters above 10 degrees / non-compensated piston / adjustable venturi (dive/predive) / outlet valve and deflector for minimum exhalation effort and reduction of bubbles on the face / design made of sandblasted brass, matt chrome finish / 1 HP and 3 NP outlets / mouthpiece made of high-quality, anti-allergic silicone for maximum comfort.
Octopus OP-30
The OP-30 is the ideal addition to all DYNAMICNORD regulators. It is identical in construction to the CS-30.
The TR-80, IR-50, CS-30 (DIN & INT) regulators and the Octopus OP-30 are available from DYNAMICNORD dealers and in the online store.
DYNAMICNORD – Your Outdoor Companion.
Renowned anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has been released from custody in Greenland after spending five months in detention. Denmark’s Justice Ministry rejected Japan’s request for his extradition, citing insufficient guarantees that his time already served in custody would be credited against any potential sentence.
The 74-year-old Canadian-American was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, when his ship docked to refuel. His arrest was based on a 2012 Japanese warrant related to a 2010 encounter in Antarctic waters. Japan alleged Watson obstructed operations and caused damage to a whaling research ship during efforts to disrupt illegal whaling. Watson has consistently denied these claims, maintaining his commitment to marine conservation.
Denmark, which oversees extradition matters for Greenland, concluded that while the legal conditions for extradition were met, the lack of assurances from Japan regarding time-served credit made extradition untenable.
In a video shared by his foundation, Watson expressed gratitude and relief, saying, “After five months, it’s good to be out… and good to know they’re not sending me to Japan.” He added that the most difficult part of his time in custody was being separated from his two young sons.
Watson is a pioneering figure in marine conservation, known for founding the Captain Paul Watson Foundation in 2022 after decades of activism with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. His bold efforts to defend marine life have earned him widespread support, including from celebrities and conservationists. His work has also been featured in the acclaimed reality TV series Whale Wars.
Watson’s lawyer, Jonas Christoffersen, praised the decision, stating, “We are happy and relieved that Paul Watson is now free.” He added that Watson is eager to reunite with his family and continue his vital work.
The arrest occurred while Watson’s vessel, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, was en route to the North Pacific with a team of 26 volunteers to intercept a Japanese whaling ship. His foundation described the arrest as politically motivated and emphasized that Watson’s actions were focused on ending illegal whaling practices.
Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after leaving the International Whaling Commission, asserting that whale meat is a cultural tradition. Conservationists, however, continue to challenge these practices, highlighting their impact on marine ecosystems.
Despite the challenges, Watson remains steadfast in his mission to protect marine life and bring attention to whaling practices. His dedication to ocean conservation has made him a globally respected advocate for the environment.
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