News
Water way to get married: Couple get hitched in training tank at The Underwater Centre
Adventurous couple tie the knot at special underwater ceremony
A self-confessed adrenaline junkie and her new husband made a splash recently when they had their recent nuptials blessed during a special underwater ceremony at The Underwater Centre in Fort William.
Around 100 guests watched Dorota Bankowska and new husband James Abbott tie the knot in The Underwater Centre‘s 1.5 million litre onshore seawater tank, which is normally used for subsea training and trialling new equipment.
The bride wore a traditional wedding dress and veil for the ceremony, weighed down for the occasion, while her husband wore a kilt. They were joined in the tank by bridesmaid Ala Bankowska and best man, Charlie Cran-Crombie, all four of them diving in Kirby Morgan helmets, using surface supplied diving equipment. The rings were even presented to the couple using one of the Centre’s inspection class ROVs.
The Underwater Centre’s Air Diver Training Manager, Ali McLeod, officiated at the ceremony, which was attended by many of the couple’s friends and family, some of whom travelled from Poland.
The couple officially tied the knot in Dorota’s home town of Plock in October, but were keen to mark the occasion with friends from the Fort William area at the Centre, which is based on the shores of Loch Linnhe, a tidal sea loch, on Scotland’s west coast.
Dorota is a self-employed commercial diver in the oil and gas industry, who is also trained as a saturation diver – one of only a handful of female sat divers in the world.
She first trained at the Centre in 2007 as an ROV pilot technician and later as a mixed gas/ saturation diver. She worked as an inshore diver for around three years in Scotland before she took her career to the next level and trained to be a saturation diver.
She completed the HSE Closed Bell training at The Underwater Centre in 2011, as well as the IMCA Diver Medic Technician training course, and has since worked as an air diver and a standby diver on North Sea vessels, as well as in Norway, the Yemen, Georgia and Russia.
Dorota, who spends her spare time ski-touring, surfing and climbing, also joined Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team and ski patrol.
“We’re both very happy to be able to complete our wedding celebrations in such a unique way; James and I don’t do things traditionally!
It’s great that my friends and family will be able to get a better idea of what my job is actually like, and the environment I work in.
We’re grateful to everyone at The Underwater Centre for putting on such a special event for us; the Centre has been so supportive to me as I’ve advanced my career. I consider the people I’ve met at the Centre to be good friends now, and I really love coming back to Fort William to work, and play.”
Steve Ham, General Manager of The Underwater Centre, attended Dorota and James’ wedding in Poland in October.
“Dorota first came to The Underwater Centre in 2007 to help further her career, and has supported our dive and ROV instructional teams since too. She is held in very high regard at the Centre and has many friends in the area who wanted to help her celebrate her marriage to James.
“The wedding in Poland was fantastic and we are really pleased that we were able to help her fulfil her dream of a blessing in the tank. It’s very typical of Dorota and we wish her and James every happiness for the future.”
The Underwater Centre is a purpose-built subsea training and trials facility and is based on the shore of a seawater loch, well sheltered by the surrounding mountains. The Centre’s unique location allows it to provide year-round training and testing in an open-water environment, while still being centrally located in the largest town in the Scottish Highlands.
With access to depths of over 100 metres, it is the ideal location to perform realistic and industry-specific saturation and air diver and ROV pilot technician training, as well as providing a convenient location for subsea equipment trials.
The Underwater Centre, which also has a school in Tasmania, comprises an extensive pier complex including four dive stations, classrooms, workshops and decompression chambers. With accommodation and additional classrooms based at the landward end of the pier, it is set up to provide its students with the skills and experience to succeed in their new careers, and continue providing the subsea industry with the workforce it needs.
Anyone interested in more information about The Underwater Centre should call +44 (0)1397 703 786 or email fortwilliam@theunderwatercentre.com.
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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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