Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog » aqua news

Sir Richard Branson Set To Explore The Depths Of Every Ocean With Virgin Oceanic’s New Submarine

Noreen — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 17:48:29 +0000

Business tycoon, Sir Richard Branson, who already owns a mobile phone company, a record label, an airline, a Caribbean island, space travel and a handful of luxury restaurants among his 400⁺companies under the ‘Virgin Group’ branding, just added one more frontier to his portfolio- The Oceans!

Sir Richard Branson unveiled his new aero submarine christened the “Necker Nymph” in 2010

Virgin Oceanic, a once proposed undersea leisure venture of Branson’s, is now a reality with the launch of a brand new submarine. Last year, Branson unveiled a 3-seat submersible built in the likeness of a fighter plane, named the “Necker Nymph“. Battery powered and featuring an open cockpit, the Necker Nymph included scuba gear stored in the craft, and was capable of going to depths of up to 130ft. It was then itself that the billionaire entrepreneur expressed his lofty aspirations to eventually create a plane that could explore the deepest depths of the Oceans where very few have been before.

Designed by Graham Hawkes, the Virgin Oceanic submarine doesn’t look like your traditional submersible. It’s resembles the dynamics of a dolphin, but still looks more like an airplane. However, having an operating depth of 37,000 feet (about seven miles) means it has to be able to withstand outrageous pressure, 1,500 times that of an airplane. Constructed of carbon fiber and titanium (with a quartz dome), the craft is currently undergoing tests; at that depth even the smallest crack would result in certain death for the pilots, both due to the immense pressure of 1000 atmospheres (13 million pounds) and the simple fact that there are no other vehicles capable of a rescue mission. The craft can cruise at a maximum of three knots, and can dive at 350 feet per minute, so a dive to the bottom of the Mariana trench and back would take around five hours.

Virgin Oceanic sub's first swim test in the San Francisco Bay in February of this year

The mission and proposed plan is that over the course of of two years (2011, 2012), Branson and his team of modern day Jacques Cousteau’s will journey the one-person sub to the deepest part of each of Earth’s five oceans. The first dive, piloted by Chris Welsh an accomplished entrepreneur, sailor and aviator, will take the sub down to the deepest place on the planet- the Mariana Trench. They expect not only to reach the deepest point on Earth, but then to “fly” an additional 10 kilometers (nearly 6 mi) along the bottom of the Trench.

The second dive will be piloted by Sir Richard Branson himself and be to the bottom of the Puerto Rico Trench, the deepest spot in the Atlantic Ocean at over 8 kilometers (more than 5 mi). Following the success of those two dives, subsequent dives to the bottom of the Arctic, Southern and Indian oceans will be carried out in a similar fashion. The Virgin Oceanic project aims at collecting video and data of the deepest points of the planet that have ever been explored. In fact, less than 3% of the seafloor has been explored at all.

As ambitious as it sounds, Branson is determined and prepared to take this on. Working closely with oceanographers, a host of marine scientists and Google, the Virgin Oceanic team has been studying to take these journey’s where no man has been before. Let’s hope to hear of their success later this year with their first expedition and take the much needed step towards learning more about this alien world right here on out planet.

*Image credits: photo by virginoceanic on flickr

Source: www.virginoceanic.com

Halle Berry Dives With Great Whites For New Movie

Nevin — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 17:33:00 +0000

Scuba Divers, if you’ve ever wished to see what Halle Berry would look like in a wetsuit, then your prayers have been answered! In her latest film ‘Dark Tide’, currently in production, Halle plays the role of a Scuba Diving Instructor in an action packed thriller. The Oscar-winning actress known to play some intense and diverse roles such as fighting villains in James Bond, or running with mutants in X-men, Halle has braved some tough acting challenges and in her newest movie, will once again be put to the test with the unique challenge of diving with great white sharks.

Dark Tide is a thriller centered on a diving instructor (Halle Berry) who returns to deep waters after a near-fatal encounter with a Great White shark. Directed by John Stockwell, who brought us surfing and scuba films such as Blue Crush and Into the Blue, Dark Tide attempts to uncover the terrifying emotional challenges and the test of courage to return to diving after having a terrible encounter with a Great White Shark. The film is scheduled for release in 2011.

Halle was spotted recently looking sexy in a bikini and wetsuit, donning her scuba diving equipment before getting into a shark cage aboard a boat while filming for Dark Tide in Seal Island, False Bay, South Africa. Seal Island is populated by 60,000 cape fur seals and is known to have waters teaming with sharks including the Great White which prey on their favorite food, the seals. Halle and the Dark Tide crew will be spending three months in South Africa filming the breathtaking underwater sequences in the heart of white shark country. Halle will actually be attempting cage diving in shark infested waters for the film.

The film has been criticized by shark experts in South Africa who claim that this new movie will only advance the fear of Sharks in general, and in particular, the Great White shark which already has a bad reputation fueled by Hollywood movies such as Jaws. The shark experts of South Africa wish to try to change people’s perceptions of sharks, and feel portraying a near fatal encounter with a great white and fighting off a shark in the movie will only serve to undo the work they have been trying to achieve.

photo from flickr by g-na

Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival Florida

Nevin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:04:44 +0000

As strange as it may sound, on the weekend of the 10th July in Florida, the stage was set for one of the most unique underwater events ever, the 26th annual Underwater Music Festival, at Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary.

Each year as many as 600 enthusiastic divers and snorkelers gather at the Looe Keys National Marine Sanctuary, an area of the reef located approximately six miles south of Big Pine Key to take part in this one-of-a-kind event where underwater musicians “perform” music which is broadcast underwater using Lubell Laboratory underwater loudspeakers suspended beneath boats. While actual underwater instruments aren’t used, divers dressed in costumes instead of wetsuits with mock instruments designed after underwater creatures “play” along to the tunes much to the entertainment of the snorkelers and divers gathered. All of the music played at the festival is water themed such as “under the sea” from the little mermaid, or “Octopuses Garden” by the Beatles and songs are chosen based on how well they sound acoustically underwater as well.

Looe Key is known as the most spectacular living reef in North America for its diverse population of corals and its colorful array of tropical fish, and the Music Festival celebrated each year carries with it a serious message of coral reef preservation and diver awareness built into the entrainment.

The 26th annual Underwater Music Festival was held Saturday, July 10 and each year a different theme is given to the event. Last year was the Silver anniversary celebration or the 25^th Annual Music Festival and was themed in honor of the Beatles Yellow Submarine.

The 2010 festival this year pays homage to the classic children’s tale “Alice in Wonderland” with the festivities dubbed “Alice in Waterland”, and will feature divers dressed up in costumes from the story ranging from the Mad Hatter dubbed the “Mad Haddock” the “March Herring” and several other memorable characters from the recently released film.

Divers and snorkelers eager dive in to in the 2010 Underwater Music Festival just need to grab their scuba gear and reserve space aboard boats run by private charters from Lower Keys dive operators, or launch their own boats and participate. Where else in the world can you spend the weekend diving in pristine coral reefs of the Florida Keys and unwind by attending an underwater music festival.

New Coral Reefs Discovered in India’s Angria Banks

Nevin — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:40:23 +0000

The Angria Banks are a shallow submerged atoll island located 100 miles off the western coast of India. For decades the existence of this shallow has been known by mariners navigating India’s coastline who steer clear from this navigational hazard, which lies just 20meters from the surface of the ocean. But it was only recently that the Angria Banks have been researched and explored by Marine Biologists to conduct a feasibility study as to make the area as a destination for marine tourism.

In 2008 the government of India announced a large research grant to to determine the feasibility of further marine tourism in the area with the expectation that the banks contained extensive coral reef that may provide habitat for variety of fishes that could make the area one of India’s best recreational diving destinations.

In a recent Times of India article, India’s Union department of science and technology (DST), conducted a two-day exploratory study of the Angria Banks with five scientists to document and survey the area which spreads over 400 km and only 20 meters below the seas surface. The sea floor surrounding this bank is about 100 feet deep and suddenly rises to just 20 meters The lead scientist Sarang Kulkarni noted that he could not believe the marine wealth that existed there, and claimed it could easily be the largest discovery of coral reef in the entire country because the area is as big as the size of Mumbai which is one of India’s largest cities. The scientists documented at least 1,000 varieties of fish species, and coral life including Great White Shark that inhabit the waters.

This find is great news for scuba divers and a place to watch out for as a prime future scuba diving destination. Its close proximity to the Indian Subcontinent means that the sites are accessible from major Indian cities like Mumbai and Goa with a four hour, high speed boat ride. However to fully appreciate the Angria Banks one would still have to have a liveaboard as there is so much unknown about what treasures and marine wealth inhabits this underwater oasis. Currently however there are no major dive centers offering recreational diving though some may arrange for trips on request. The researchers are pushing the Government to declare the Angria Banks as a protected marine reserve and develop scuba tourism and protect the region from fishing trawlers. So we will simply have to watch and wait to see if the Angria Banks emerges into a prime scuba destination.

Photos from flickr.com by Mr eNil

Strange But True Scuba Diving Records

Noreen — Sat, 22 May 2010 13:15:12 +0000

People are always looking to push the envelope in the sport of scuba diving. Most times it’s to dive the deepest or longest and while some do so in the pursuit of science or discovery, there are some that do things just for the thrills or to create a bizarre record.

Here’s a look at some wacky and strange scuba records that we’re not sure really changed the world or make a difference, but they did make ‘a splash’ in the news and place for themselves in record books-

Most people cringe at the thought of having to iron a load of laundry, but 72 Australian scuba divers decided that ironing their clothes the traditional way (above water!) wasn’t exciting enough, so they set the world record for ironing underwater and strangely enough, broke an existing record for the same. Since then groups of divers in large numbers have taken it upon themselves to jump in the water with their irons and ironing boards not to mention their linen in an attempt to break the 72 ironing diver record.

For More Scuba Demotivational Posters- CLICK HERE

Another Australian, this time a marine biologist, spent 13 days living underwater in a capsule that was 6ft high. He rode a bicycle – in fifteen feet of water – to provide electricity and urinated on algae to provide air.
Port Vila in Vanuatu, has the world’s first and only underwater post office. It is open 1 -2 hours per day, depending on how busy it gets. The Post Office is 50 meters offshore and just three meters below the surface, for those who’d like to send some waterproof mail/postcards (available in Vanuatu) to loved ones back home. Since opening in 2003, the underwater post office has received an estimated 100,000 visitors.
David Rae, managed to cut the hair of 33 people in one hour in a pool is London, England, breaking the old Guinness Book of World Records mark of 11 haircuts in 60 minutes. David Rae, owner of The David Rae Hair Spa in Petts Wood, took on the challenge back in 2007 to raise money for Children in Need.
Again in London, England -500 people dined underwater to raise money and to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. At this formal sit down affair in a suburb of London guests were served a three course meal while wearing an 18lb weight belt to ensure they didn’t ascend part way through their dinner. Each participant had to sign a lengthy health waiver and take lessons on how to eat while under the water.
32 year old Will Goodman set a new scuba diving world record by spending 48 hours, nine minutes and 17 seconds on the seabed off the coast of Indonesian island Lombok. He passed the time underwater inside a metal cage and had fresh oxygen supplied to him by a support crew, who doubled as a comedy act to keep his spirits up. We’re still trying to figure out the point of his actions.

Sources:
Scuba Herald
Lingfield Country Border News
Vanuatu Post
DiveTime

Giant Cage to Protect Treasure of Croatian Shipwreck

Nevin — Sun, 02 May 2010 16:36:48 +0000

The Adriatic Sea is teeming with undiscovered ancient shipwrecks and untold treasures. Most recently an ancient Greek shipwreck estimated to contain a cargo of around $5-8 million was fitted with a large safe like metal cage that will protect the ship’s cargo from scuba looters who may be tempted to plunder the artifacts.

The wreck is a second century Greek trading vessel that was carrying a cargo or earthenware amphoras of olive oil and wine, sank just off the coast of Cavtat which is a small town, 20 km south from Dubrovnik, Croatia. Boris Obradovic, the head of a local Scuba Diving center found the wreck in 1999 and now guides more experienced scuba divers down to the wreckage.

The wooden ship is almost totally decomposed, however surprisingly enough the ceramic amphora’s containing the wine and olive oil are still intact and stacked row upon row in the ships hold. This cargo which has great historical significance and value is worth a great deal of money in the black market, causing Croatian authorities to protect the wreck with a large heavy duty metal cage.

The cage itself is around 67 feet long and 35 feet wide and is fitted with a large hinged door which can be locked, and occasional access to experienced scuba divers and photographers can be obtained, where you are escorted through the cage and supervised by a diver from the authorities to ensure that none of the artifacts are touched.

The cost of excavation and recovery of these 700 vases of precious cargo is currently too daunting and expensive a task for the Croatian authorities, so until then the cage protects the wreck and provides Scuba Diving tourist with a unique diving opportunity.

photos from flickr by: Lori_NY, Tolka Rover

Now Travel to your favorite Dive Destinations and plan your Scuba Holidays with LeisurePro.com

Avatar 2 To Take Us Underwater Into Pandora’s Ocean

Noreen — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:30:12 +0000

James Cameron’s subtle underwater influences in the blockbuster Avatar didn’t go unnoticed by us the first time around, and his love for scuba diving and the sea certainly won’t be missed by the millions of Avatar fans in the much awaited sequel. The Oscar-nominated director announced recently that a large part of Avatar 2 will take place in the teeming oceans of Pandora to create a brand new canvas for the environment of film.

Cameron was stated telling the LA Times Hero Complex blog- “Part of my focus in the second film is in creating a different environment – a different setting within Pandora. And I’m going to be focusing on the ocean on Pandora, which will be equally rich and diverse and crazy and imaginative, but it just won’t be a rainforest. I’m not saying we won’t see what we’ve already seen; we’ll see more of that as well” (see full interview)

With Cameron’s enthusiasm for the deep waters and his previous work including ‘The Abyss’, ‘Titanic’ and ‘Volcanoes of the Deep Sea’, it will definitely to be very interesting to see his vision of Pandora’s underwater and it’s inhabitants. If this an ocean adventure with the Na’vi is any thing like the first Avatar which was the highest-grossing film of all time, we’re in for a treat when it does come out.

The makers are attempting to complete the sequel in half the time and half the cost of the last movie, however Cameron think this will be an unlikely goal to accomplish due to the challenging nature of the shooting and the expectations to create the same magic they did the last time. In the meantime, you can now grab your very own copy of the original “Avatar” DVD or Blue-ray as Fox released it yesterday which was also ‘Earth Day’. And if that’s not enough for you, the film will make a comeback to theaters in August with an extra 6 minutes of added footage!

*Photo Source: EW.com/WENN.com

Richard Branson’s New Boy Toy- An ‘Underwater Plane’

Noreen — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:45:38 +0000

Sir Richard Branson billionaire Entrepreneur, recently showed yet again his extravagant side with the unveiling of his new aero submarine christened the “Necker Nymph” which is unlike anything else in the world. Branson, who already owns a mobile phone company, a record label, an airline, a Caribbean island,space travel and a handful of luxury restaurants just added one more frontier to his portfolio- The Sea!

The 3-seater submersible built in the likeness of a fighter plane, uses the same principles of flight through air underwater. The Necker Nymph that runs on battery that’s so quiet it just glides through the water with very low noise emissions and low light to avoid interfering with fragile ecosystems. It has an open cockpit and passengers use scuba gear, stored in the craft which can dive to depths of up to 130ft. The unique submersible cost around 415,000 British pounds and the billionaire has lofty aspirations to eventually create a plane that explore depths of 35,000 feet. Designed by Hawkes Ocean Technologies, the Necker Nymph is the first underwater plane to ever be designed and an entirely new class of vehicle.

As of now it’s a great Boy-Toy to glide around reefs and explore dive sites without having to do any work at all and Branson hopes to uncover some shipwrecks as it can cover more ground than just scuba diving. Sir Richard recently allowed cameras to shoot as he went for his first ride on the Nymph, describing the experience as ‘brilliant’ through microphones fitted on his scuba gear. To catch his ‘virgin’ flight underwater in his shiny new and very awesome underwater plane take a look at this clip from Oprah, where he gave presenter Nate Berkus a tour of his Island, yacht and aero submarine- click here.

For guests who spend $88,000 to rent Branson’s high-end yacht for one week, the Necker Nymph can be hired out for an equally princely sum of $25,000 per week.

Endless Ocean – A Scuba Diving Simulation Game for the Wii

Nevin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:43:18 +0000

Are you looking for a good console game that combines your love for gaming as well as your love for Scuba Diving? Well look no further than Endless Ocean, the unique Scuba Diving simulation for the Nintendo Wii which is sure to have any Scuba Diving enthusiast intrigued at the least.

Endless Ocean is not a new release for the Nintendo Wii, and in fact was released in early 2008 by Arika and received high accolades for its ability to offer unique and unorthodox game play experiences on the Wii Console.

The setting for the game takes place off the coast of the fictitious island of Manoa Lai where you play the role of a diver on a liveaboard and possess the ability to explore the waters of Manoa Lai from shallow reefs, underwater caves, wrecks and underwater cities to the deep blue hole which is a 500 foot abyss. The game doesn’t offer any set objectives to accomplish other than exploration the stunning simulated waters of Manoa Lai and identify various marine life while simply enjoying your dive. The lack of game direction and the laid-back nature of the game tend to frustrate several gamers, however we still feel it is a Scuba Diving game designed for true fans of scuba diving.

Diving in Endless Ocean is a relatively simple process, you point which direction you wish to fin to using your wii-mote and click, and your diver will move to the selected area. You can also interact with several of the fish and marine life you across, from petting the fish to feeding them.

The visuals in Endless Ocean are simply stunning and perhaps what drives the game. As a Scuba Diving enthusiast, you’d be pleased to discover the wonderful variety of marine creatures you come across from Napoleon Wrasse and Dolphins to enormous Blue Whales that simply glide on past. The game really helps you with marine life identification, as there is an in-game fish ID log that helps you identify new fish you come across and also provides you with a description of that fishes behavior, habitat and identification help. Additionally Endless Ocean features a cooperative online mode where, you team up with a buddy to explore the sea.

Despite the unique concept and game play, Endless Ocean still has several inconsistencies with reality that are bound to annoy the true Scuba Diver such as not worrying about running out of air, decompressing, monitoring surface time between dives, petting fish to ID them, diving solo without a buddy and being able to dive to ridiculous depths. However once you get past these annoyances, Endless Ocean offers a great way to sharpen those Fish ID skills, and while away a lazy week-end when you can’t go out and experience the real thing.

We rate Endless Ocean a 4 out of 5 as we love the fact that game developers are finally looking into creating great Scuba Simulations.

A Website For Scuba Divers by Divers, Soon To Be Hosted Underwater!!

Noreen — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:11:51 +0000

DiveBuddy.com, the world’s largest online social network designed exclusively for scuba divers announced in a Press Release today that they are soon moving their server underwater. This will be the first time a website is completely hosted underwater and be fully functional at under 18″ of water in a controlled indoor environment. With the exception of a few cables that will breach the surface to provide power, the video/input devices, internet connectivity, the computer and all networking equipment will be submerged in a specially designed waterproof case. A liquid cooling method and other high tech devices were researched and will be implemented in a few weeks to make this a reality and a first!

How fitting for scuba diving social network!

More information about this project to be updated at DiveBuddy.com