A short article on the wreck of the SS Royal Shepherd has been added to BlueBeyond.com.au in our Wrecks of Sydney section of our Dive Site Description articles.

Enjoy, and of course appreciate any comments or suggestions.

BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog | BlueBeyond.com.au | The Surface Interval Show podcast

Surface Interval Episode 019 (mp3 - 12MB - 33 min)

LISTEN HERE TO SURFACE INTERVAL

Welcome another exciting episode of The Surface Interval Show podcast.

Des and Bear kick off this show with a discussion of a few things going on in the diving world, including

• Bear laments on delays to the sinking of the ex-HMAS Canberra in the Melbourne area and the future sinking of the (soon to be ex) HMAS Adelaide off the NSW central coast
• Feedback on the Captain Trevor Jackson interviews in Episode 016, 017 and 018.
• An update on the adventures of Trev on his boat Flight Risk
• Bear’s photo published in the latest issue of GUE’s magazine, Quest
• Des discusses a desire to get dive shop owners to give quick input into the show to tell us about the diving in their areas. Email us at podcast@thesurfaceinterval.net
• Bear’s upcoming adventures on the June long weekend, and Des’ upcoming teaching and fun dives

The interview this episode is with Richard Nicholls, owner of Sydney’s Dive Centre Manly, as well as Australian distributor for Halcyon. Tricky, as he is known, is a PADI Course Director, and is an Instructor Trainer for DAN Asia Pacific, Emergency First Response, DSAT TecRec and for the Draeger Atlantis and Dolphin Rebreathers. In many ways, Tricky is a pioneer of tec diving in Australia, certainly of tec diver training. Join in our discussions covering:

• Tricky’s early diving experiences
• Emigration to Australia as a golf professional
• Getting into the dive industry through snorkelling programs on cruise ships in the South Pacific
• Working at Manly Sports and Dive, which Tricky now owns as Dive Centre Manly.
• Tricky’s love of diving, teaching, the fun he’s had along the way
• Pioneering tec diving in Australia, and the need to leverage a formal training system
• Early of Enriched Air diving and the formation of a technical diving training agency
• The current state and future of tec diving
• More is less, and the need for a streamlined rig, and a uniform approach, making the sport safer for all participants
• The permeation of tec diving concepts back into recreational diving
• Developing better buoyancy techniques in beginner divers
• Better skills = more divers
• The current state of Rebreather technology, and the great progress of electronic closed circuit rebreathers
• The risk/reward for most people of rebreather use for going deeper
• To embrace the technology, we need to take a similar approach to training and protocols as do the military
• The sadness of diving fatalities and the myth of “dying doing something you love”
• The large number of conscientious people who do use the CCR technology well, and with the right approaches
• Dive Centre Manly started originally in the late-50’s as Ron Harding’s Sports Store, later became Manly Sports and Dive, and finally Dive Centre Manly.
• The diving in Manly, which has evolved into a fantastic dive location with weedy sea dragons, dusky whaler sharks, angler fish and more

If you like Surface Interval, tell a friend. Also, we’d appreciate it if you’d consider popping over to PodcastAlley.com and giving us a vote, or giving us a review on iTunes or PodcastAlley.com.

If you’d like to leave a voice message for us, do so by clicking here. Or you can call (02) 90189302 (in Australia) and leave a message there!

BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog | BlueBeyond.com.au | The Surface Interval Show podcast

This last week saw a few news posts, as well as some updates to the BlueBeyond.com.au site.

BlueBeyond Dive News & Blog Updates

• PADI Asia Pacific Announced 2007 Member Awards
• Solomon Airlines Awaiting Rights to Fly to Santo
• Midget Sub Not to be Salvaged
• Dive Blog: The Loader (Bass Point) 27 May

On the BlueBeyond.com.au site, I updated the Sydney Wreck Diving Pages, separating out the descriptions for the SS Undola, SS Tuggerah and the Valiant.  I also added a new write-up on a very unique wreck, the TSS Currajong.

BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog | BlueBeyond.com.au | The Surface Interval Show podcast

Lighter posting in this last week, but some interesting updates nonetheless.

• Course Announcement: Digital UW Photography Course (commences 27 May)
• The Surface Interval Show Episode 018 – Capt. Trev Interview Part 3
• Dive Log: Byron’s Drift Sunday 20 May

Over on the main BlueBeyond.com.au site, the Dive Courses section was updated with a new page and information on Tec Diving Courses available.  I can offer a range of TDI programs, including Advanced Nitrox, Decompression Procedures and Nitrox Gas Blending Technician.  I can also offer the DSAT Enriched Air Gas Blender program.

BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog | BlueBeyond.com.au | The Surface Interval Show podcast

Surface Interval Episode 018 (mp3 - 12MB - 33 min)

LISTEN HERE TO SURFACE INTERVAL

Welcome another exciting episode of The Surface Interval Show podcast. In this episode, Des does a quick kick off before launching into part 3 of Bear’s interview with Captain Trevor Jackson of the MV Esperance Star. Listen in as Trev and Bear discuss

• Trev’s crowning as Tech Diver of the Year at OzTek 4 and the reasons for tec diving
• Trev’s Scarborough (WA) to Scarborough (Qld) bike ride
• Trev’s new book Wreck Diving in Southern Queensland, available directly from him (contact by email at enquiries@esperancestar.com.au)
• The selling of the Esperance Star
• Trev’s next adventure – solo circumnavigation of the world in his yacht Flight Risk
• Future diving goals

If you like Surface Interval, tell a friend. Also, we’d appreciate it if you’d consider popping over to PodcastAlley.com and giving us a vote, or giving us a review on iTunes or PodcastAlley.com.

If you’d like to leave a voice message for us, do so by clicking here. Or you can call (02) 90189302 (in Australia) and leave a message there!

BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog | BlueBeyond.com.au | The Surface Interval Show podcast

Interesting news, views and reviews on the BlueBeyond Dive News & Blog over the past week.

• I love my Oceanic V12 fins….
• New Book Review on BlueBeyond.com.au: Dark Descent
• New Book, Scuba Diving Safety, Published
• Barrier Reef voted best travel spot

On the main BlueBeyond.com.au site, I started the process of splitting various dive site descriptions into separate pages, starting first with the various sites of the Illawarra, NSW area.

I’ve also updated the Dive Courses page with dates for upcoming courses, which include a PADI Digital Underwater Photographer course commencing on 19 May 2007, and a PADI Assistant Instructor course commencing on 16 June 2007.

There was also a new book review for a great book on diving the wreck of the Empress of Ireland, Dark Descent.

BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog | BlueBeyond.com.au | The Surface Interval Show podcast

I’ve just posted a new book review over on BlueBeyond.com.au, for the book Dark Descent: Diving and the Deadly Allure of the Empress of Ireland, by Kevin McMurrary.

In the tradition of books on wreck, diving, and the divers who dive wrecks, Dark Descent relates a fascinating story of the sinking of this magnificent ocean liner in 1914, the initial salvage operations on it, the early divers who located and dived it, through to the modern tec diving activities on it.

This book is certainly recommended for all interested in wreck diving.

Read the full review.

BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog | BlueBeyond.com.au | The Surface Interval Show podcast

Interesting news, views and reviews on BlueBeyond Dive News & Blog over the past week

• Solomon Airlines launches new plane and services
• The Cause of Global Warming: CO2 Emissions or Ocean Currents
• saveTheDivers Game
• Diving Company Fined Over Diver’s Death
• Photo of Solomon Airlines/SkyAirWorld Embraer E-Jet
• UwP Magazine Issue 36 Available for Download
• Bass Point and Wollongong Diving - 5 & 6 May

BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog | BlueBeyond.com.au | The Surface Interval Show podcast

Some interesting posts on the BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog over the past week.

• Solomon Islands and Iceland Establish Diplomatic Relations
• Upcoming Courses (taught by Des Paroz)
• Book Review – Shadow Divers Exposed
• Qld Police Arrest US Man Over Reef Death
• DAN Launches New Online Dive Magazine
• Rebreather Divers Survives Incident on HMAS Brisbane

 BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog | BlueBeyond.com.au | The Surface Interval Show podcast

I’ve just posted a book review on Shadow Divers Exposed by Gary Gentile in the Book and DVD Reviews section of BlueBeyond.com.au. 

I’d appreciate any comments you might have…..

Book Review - Shadow Divers Exposed.

BlueBeyond Dive News and Blog | BlueBeyond.com.au | The Surface Interval Show podcast