Scuba Divers Explore Icy Underwater World of Lake Sassolo, Switzerland

We're not quite sure why this article insists on referring to the underwater ice formations as "eerie" -- we think they're beautiful!

These stunning shots show the beautiful and eerie underwater world of a Swiss ice-filled Alpine lake.

Taken in Lake Sassolo, close to the southern border with Italy, these were taken by diving photographer Franco Banfi.

Although the high altitude region is known for its sunny weather, the lake was formed by the run-off of the Alps surrounding it.

The giant ice structures dwarf the tiny divers as they explore the nooks and crannies of the icebergs.

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The Magic and Horrors of Encounters at Sea

An awe-inspiring, tragic, must-see presentation by Brian Skerry.


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Visit Brian on the Web at www.brianskerry.com

Tassie Divers Blame Commercial Operators for Rock Lobster Decline

And, of course, commercial fisherman point the finger at recreational scuba divers in return.

Tasmania's recreational fishermen have hit back at calls for rock lobster diving to be banned.

Last week the Rock Lobster Fishermens Association called for diving with compressed air to be banned for the state's 21,000 recreational fishermen.

The association says divers target larger females, which lowers reproduction levels for rock lobsters.

But Don Paton from Recreational Fishing Tasmania says commercial fishermen are responsible for falling fish stock levels.

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WWII Helldiver to Rise Again

If that's not a dubious-sounding post title, we're not sure what is!

After 65 years at the bottom of a San Diego reservoir, salvage teams have obtained necessary permission to raise a World War II Navy dive bomber.

City and state permits have been obtained for a $125,000 operation to bring up the SB2C-4 Helldiver from Lower Otay Reservoir, said Nelson Manville, a city assistant lakes manager.

The work could begin within a few weeks, with the goal of eventually displaying the plane in the National Naval Aviation Museum in Florida.

"We're just waiting for the recovery team and museum to give us a date," Manville told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "This is drinking water, so a lot is going into this because we're going to have to shut the lake down from the system."

Divers with Chicago-based salvage firm A&T Recovery examined the plane last year and will have to dredge silt from around the aircraft to see whether it can be recovered.

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Tech Divers Pay Homage to Fallen Heroes of HMS Repulse

Cool article, courtesy of Big Blue Tech.

Shortly after the outbreak of war in the Pacific on 8 December 1941, the HMS Repulse left Singapore in company with the other major element of the Eastern Fleet, including HMS Prince of Wales, and 4 destroyers, to try and intercept Japanese invasion force heading towards Malaya (Malaysia).

On December 10, 1941, after failing to find any Japanese invasion forces, and turning south, Japanese aircraft were spotted. The fleet was attacked by 86 Japanese aircraft from the 22nd Air Flotilla based in Saigon, which attacked both HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse.

The HMS Repulse survived a bomb hit and managed to dodge 14 torpedoes before being sunk in 20 minutes after receiving 5 torpedo hits. 327 crew members died in the sinking. Including a young electrician Arthur Frederick Cavell.

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White’s Fusion Series DrySuit

In this episode from Talking Scuba, host Bob Shoemaker interviews Whites and AquaLung Midwest Regional Manager Jeff Wandschnelder during a local dive shop drysuit demo day. Bob asks some hard hitting questions about the new White Fusion Sport drysuit durability and cold water functionality.


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Divers' Shellfish Code Introduced for Dorset Coast

Ladies and gentlemen, it has come to this.

The underwater life of the Dorset coast is being threatened by divers taking too many shellfish, according to conservationists.

Dorset Wildlife Trust is concerned that some divers are collecting large numbers of the marine animals.

The trust maintains this is putting the wildlife balance in the reefs at risk.

Divers who take too many lobsters, crabs and scallops could be depriving fellow divers of the chance to see these creatures alive in the wild.

Animals such as wrasse [brightly coloured marine fish], conger eels, cuttlefish, rays and sharks depend on shellfish for food, so there is also a 'knock-on' effect when numbers are reduced.

Julie Hatcher, marine awareness officer at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: "We are worried about the sizes and numbers of shellfish, especially scallops and lobsters, which are being taken by recreational divers.

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A Divers' Shellfish Code is being launched at the Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve, as part of the Selfish Shellfish Divers Project, and will be distributed free from the slipway at Kimmeridge Bay throughout summer 2010.

It is hoped that following the code will help ensure there will always be plenty of shellfish around for divers to see.

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