Green Conch, Coventry (2026)

08/03/2022

Last weekend I had the pleasure and honour of meeting a significant proportion of the U.K. diving community at . It was amazing to be immersed (excuse the pun) with fellow water heads once more. Made all the more exciting as I received my medical clearance to scuba dive again the Friday prior! 🤙🌊💙🤿

I had the opportunity of helping out at the virtual reality MARS wreck ⛵️ exhibition and to learn all about the exploration, mapping and photogrammetry project conducted by GUE dive teams, including .gue himself. John has an incredible amount of knowledge of the Swedish King’s flagship. Before MARS sunk in 1562, she was in charge of taking down the Danish fleet in control of Baltic Sea trade routes. It was inspiring to hear about the exploration expeditions that you embark on as part of the GUE community and I am now even more interested in producing 3D images of my favourite wrecks and reefs!

What’s more, I got to complete the practical side of the Diver Medic course with the extremely experienced Chantelle and Ian. This increased my scope of practice as an emergency first responder to using oropharyngeal airways (OPA), I-Gels, and otoscopes. As well as, taking vital signs including using manual blood pressure cuffs aka sphygmomanometers (say that 5 times fast 😂), stethoscope for pulse, and blood glucose monitors. Thank you for letting us have fun playing with all the first aid gadgets at the DAN booth! 🩺🥼One of the most interesting was the smaller-than-my-palm ECG reader, the sinus rhythm charts were literally sent as a PDF via email, tech these days!! 🤯💌

Safe to say, with my experience on the FREC 3 course a couple weeks ago at 🚑 I am feeling more confident to treat signs and symptoms associated with diving incidents, and beyond. Stay tuned if you’re interested for some summaries of studies on factors influencing human freediving and apnea limits 💦 dive dive dive is literally all that’s going through my mind since the show 🤓😂🤿🦈💙

22/01/2022

Ocean SUPER Positive 🌊 x Covid Negative!!! 😎

I am free of my isolation shackles woohooo!!! And in perfect timing as I was sent this phenomenally good news story about a hidden and gloriously healthy coral reef! 😍🌊🐠

Underwater explorers 🤿 have discovered a "pristine" 2 mile coral reef at the unusual depth of 30m (~100ft) off the coast of Tahiti, French Polynesia. It’s one of the largest reefs found at this depth, as reported by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 🙌.

The reef was found during an expedition last Nov as a part of a global seabed-mapping mission called the “Seabed2030 Project”. It’s almost unbelievable for me to visualise a healthy reef of this magnitude, with foliose 🌹corals stretching as far as the eye 👀 can see!

I generally associate coral reef with the shallow, tropical seas 🌊. But now with a massive previously unknown coral reef system found, it makes me wonder about the possibility of more coral refuges out there! As more coral become sick and vulnerable from ocean warming, acidification, sedimentation and disease outbreaks, it’s possible that these deeper reef systems can serve as lifeboats of coral genetic diversity in our fast-changing oceans.

Researchers are still curious about the ecological role these deeper reefs serve, as such the next step is to determine the type of biodiversity (marine critters) that lives around and depends on these types of reefs 🦀🐠🐡🐙🐢🐟. Therefore they wish to map and protect them as quickly as possible!

16/01/2022

Ocean Positive 🌊 x Covid Positive 🤒 Week🔚 edition.

So I love to read all the wacky headlines of new Octopus studies. They can have such rebellious personalities, ie punching fish just for laughs 🤪🥸🐙. We are still trying to decipher the extent of their complex cognitive abilities!

This study from the 50’s particularly stood out to me. Bad boy Charles proved a challenging test subject as he continuously chose to damage the equipment, once he got bored of the Pavlovian test. It is reported that Charles deliberately picked out 1 of the experimenters to release his wrath upon, mostly in the form of shooting jets of water from his watery castle 💦🔫😆. His behaviour became so uncontrollable, they had to cancel the experiment as a result of all the biases caused by Charles’ rambunctiousness.

The official report reads as follows 🐙:

“1) Whereas Albert and Bertram gently operated the the lever while free-floating, Charles anchored several tentacles on the side of the tank and others around the lever and applied great force. The lever was bent a number of times, and on the 11th day was broken, leading to the premature termination of the experiment.

2) The light, suspended a little above the level of the water, was not the subject of much “attention” by Albert or Bertram; but Charles repeatedly encircled the lamp with tentacles and applied considerable force, tending to carry the light into the tank. This behaviour is obviously incompatible with lever-pulling behaviour.

3) Charles had a high tendency to direct jets of water out of the tank; specifically they were in the direction of the experimenter. The animal spent much time with eyes above surface of the water, directing a jet of water at any individual who approached the tank. This behaviour interfered materially with the smooth conduct of the experiments, and is, again, clearly incompatible with lever pulling.”

😂😂😂😂

Sadly I do not have any underwater photos of me & octopus, but I do have 1 of me diving in Phuket, Thailand, with a groovy cuttlefish - - another member of the cephalopods 🐙🐙🦑🦑

14/01/2022

Ocean Positive 🌊 x Covid Positive 🤒 Day 2

What is an Icefish and why are their colonies so big? 🧊🐠
A breeding colony of 60 million fish has been discovered in Antarctica's ice-covered Weddell Sea - you may from recall where Weddell seals 🦭live. However most of the seafloor and other ecosystems in this area the size of Malta, remain unknown 🤷‍♀️.

The enormous colony, believed to be the world's largest gathering of fish life, is home to the 🥶 icefish (Neopagetopsis ionah). These cool fish have transparent skulls and colourless blood which lacks haemoglobin. To survive such low sea temperatures, their blood contains an anti-freeze protein to prevent ice crystals forming ❄️.

The breeding colony was discovered in early 2021 by the German polar research vessel, Polarstern 🛳, which was surveying the seabed about half a kilometer deep. Their expedition was initially focused on oceanic currents and prevalence of ghost nets. Then there appeared fish nest after fish nest. The researchers witnessed nests for over 4 hrs of sailing, during which time they covered approx 6 km (3.7 miles) of seafloor.

🐟 Researchers said it’s not only is the amount of biomass that’s significant but the uniform nature of nest formation. With, on average, 1 nest for every 3 m2 -- it’s estimated that the colony includes about 60 million active nests! 🙌🙌. One question researchers want to answer is how long the adult fish guards it’s eggs -- experts suspect it could be months -- and whether it was the male or female standing watch. It appears that that the reproductive behavior of most icefish revolve around male courtship through building a 'good' nest for its sweet❤️.

While the Weddell Sea is covered with sea ice all year round, the 🌊🧊 ice is relatively thin -- 3 ft thick -- meaning that photosynthesis 🌞 can still occur and life can thrive. Around 2,000 seals residing in the area likely dive in the breeding area and feed on icefish.

Researchers predict only 1% of the Weddell Sea floor has been filmed. Who knows what else is to be discovered in this deep sea community?! ⁉️🧐

13/01/2022

Hey guys, I’m going to be creating 7 days of isolation content - kind of Ocean Positive 🌊 x Covid Positive 😷 piece.

It’ll basically be something interesting I read about our oceans each day whilst waiting for my immune system to kick Covid a$$. Plus it gives me time to browse through my photo library of beaut ocean pics I haven’t posted over the years 💙.

Day 1 has led me to learn about the concept of non-human rights in policy making. Specifically, should marine life have ownership of the high seas? 🤔🌊🏴‍☠️
Later this year, the United Nations (UN ) finishes hosting final negotiations on a new conservation treaty for the high seas (this name being for waters that lie outside national jurisdiction 🌎). These cover more than half of Earth’s surface and contains massive amounts of the planet’s biodiversity.

So far conversations on how to protect the high seas miss out a crucial element - one that could be the single boldest and momentous move of humankind - recognising the property rights of marine species living there 🦭🐢🦈🐋🦞🐙🐠🐟. This concept isn’t unprecedented, many laws afford certain non-human animals legal interests to environments they inhabit. New models envision property rights as overlapping, a pluralistic conception of ownership in which humans and non-humans alike can both have legal interests in the same physical space. As applied to the high seas, this suggests marine animals could be understood as owners, or at least co-owners, of the oceanic commons 🇺🇳🌎☮️

By the UN affording legal recognition of animal interests alongside that of the nations that collectively own the high seas, it would require subsequent treaties to consider wildlife interests - & not solely the human-centric goal of sustainable fisheries 🎣🐠♻️
…continued in comments

14/12/2021

I miss you

(scuba diving)

14/09/2021

The spotted eagle ray, locally known in Honduras as “choo choo”

Known by taxonomists as Aetobatus narinari

There are 19 known species of eagle rays. This particular spotted kind has a wide distribution across the world. For this reason, they are the most commonly depicted and most charismatic of the eagle rays. The spotted pattern makes them very distinct and inspires a lot of art and design (like and swim suits 😍🖤)

The reticulate or “ornate” eagle ray (Aetomylaeus vespertilio) is one of my favourite ray species. Decorated akin to Persian upholstery, they are sadly a rare sighting and listed as endangered (IUCN, 2006). Eagle rays like many other ray and shark species fall victim to discarded fishing equipment, known as ghost nets, and are captured as accidental bycatch in fisheries. One of the best ways you can help to protect rays is to source responsible seafood or avoid eating it at all if possible.

🐠

09/09/2021

National records on top of national records!🏅What an honour it was to witness these glorious dives. Felicidades competitors!! 👏👏

- Pepe Salcedo 92m CWTB, 101m FIM for Mexico 🇲🇽
- Ricardo Montans 90m CWT for Argentina 🇦🇷
- Rafal Poliwoda 80m CWTB, for Poland 🇵🇱
- Sun Young Kim 86m CWT for South Korea 🇰🇷
- Natalie Rudman 70m CWT, 67m CWTB, 66m FIM, 55m CNF for South Africa 🇿🇦 (all National and Continental Records in every discipline!)
- Amerigo Moran 71m CWT, 66m CWTB for Guatemala 🇬🇹
- Marco Guirola 65m FIM, 60m CWTB, 45m CWT for El Salvador 🇸🇻
- Andrea Merlo 25m FIM, 20m CWTB for Honduras!! 🇭🇳

First in the video is who beat her personal record at the competition to get her to the depth of 60m. She was fierce and strong the entire comp. Give my love to Amber! 🧡🐶

Next is who was the deepest diving woman in the constant weight discipline (monofin) at 86m. You were a delight to safety, always smiling and sweet. Congratulations on your big dives!! 👏

Last but not least who triumphed in the constant weight bifins and free immersion disciplines. I don’t have to say much, he’s already a bit of a super star 🤩

Shot at the Caribbean Cup, safety lines on my

07/09/2021

Want to know how the Caribbean cup went down? ⏬
Firstly, it was an absolute blast to be a part of the safety diver team! I was safetying on the warm up lines before the athletes headed over to the pit in time for their official top. Not only was it interesting to see how each athlete warmed up their body and mind in preparation for the big dive, but it was a real treat to have a casual morning chat, see where their head is at, remind them to enjoy their dive, and let the pressure of the competition wash over them. The pride, determination and love in the sport has been a mighty inspiration for me to keep diving head first! 😸 All the competitors had sparks of energy, and the atmosphere was radiant. They shone with pride as they beat their own personal bests or achieved a national record for their country!

is the only female Honduran with a score on the board at any competition thus far. It was the most humbling and honourable experience to safety her. She kept on beating her own record with style each day of the comp! I am certain this will not be the last one we see her at as she wants to continuously improve her skill and comfort level underwater. I’m excited to follow her downwards journey! 🤪

Now I want to shout out to The Oyster Boys!! .sv A team of El Salvadorian commercial freedivers who dive to collect oysters from the seafloor. Their profession has trained them to be strong freedivers and I was so happy to see them relishing in the competition. All whilst looking incredible in their sleek silver wetsuits! Thank you .guirola for bringing the oyster boys to where they can showcase their talent and expertise! You guys were definitely the most fun to safety with your crazy NPSA antics! 😆✌️💙

Huge thank you to for organising and hosting the cup, & for welcoming me onto the safety team . Next time I’ll be back, pit ready!!

Next post will highlight all the national records achieved 👏👏👏

15/08/2021

As you may have already heard the sad news, Ocean Mimic are closing. This brand has always been more than sustainable swimwear to me, they have been an ocean plastics mission and feminine figure head of the “mimic movement”.

I remember meeting Emma and Chelsea, cofounders of OM, in Canggu, Bali, for their debut and was BLOWN away by their spring suits. The colours and patterns were so unique, bold and popping! I fell in love!! This was first time I had seen Econyl swimwear made from recycled ocean bound plastic. Sustainable recycled plastic bikinis are all over my Instagram feed now so it’s hard to imagine back to a time when I realised this is was revolutionary stuff! Speaking and learning more, I fell deeper for their mission, purpose and spirit. I celebrated their humble dive instructor beginning that spurred their motivation for cleaner oceans. “I’m a dive instructor, maybe I can rally future ocean conservation movements, these women are making a difference here and I want to be involved via any possible avenue!”

After a few weeks of following their journey on social media from my new home town, Pemuteran, Northwest Bali, I saw they were looking for ambassadors. Excitedly, I put together a brief info and statement of the conservation work I was doing a few hours north of them, facing similar problems and uniting the local community to address them. They had ocean mimic cleanups at Canggu beach, I had my events, they were pooling together educational resources for local schools on ocean plastics, I had just had just created an ocean-themed PowerPoint in Indonesian for the dive centre’s kids English class. Anyway, a few email exchanges later and I was officially onboard! What a whirlwind to go from admirer to ambassador. I am still as proud to be a mimic as I was back then. 💖🧜‍♀️🌊💙🐠

*** continued in comments

06/07/2021

When the husband refuses to stop and ask for directions.

💚The water clarity by the shore here is quite murky and green due to the high concentration of algae. Spring algae blooms are common because during the winter the water is cold and there is not as much light for the algae to use to photosynthesise. So, algae alive through the winter does not use up many nutrients and a lot accumulates in the bottom sediment. In spring time, the water warms up, nutrients are released back into the water column, predominately phosphorous, so the algae can rapidly multiply causing a spring bloom. During summer time, life flourishes and organisms feed on the algae, then the concentration in the water drops in the fall.

💚Spring algae blooms which consist solely of algal plants are non-harmful and usually not a cause for concern. However, there is another type of algae called blue-green algae, which is not a plant. It is actually a bacteria, known as Cyanobacteria, that behaves similarly to the plant type of algae because it also contains cholorphyll to turn sunlight into energy. Certain types of the blue-green algae can be toxic. It is difficult to tell the plant algae apart from blue-green algae without a microscope, but I recently learned one way to tell them apart is to scoop up a small handful and let it drain between your fingers. Plant-type algae is usually in a stringy form, leaving behind long strands of algae. But if all that’s left are little bits, it is most likely the blue-green algae form. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after as it’s not a fool proof method.

❌Harmful algae blooms are becoming more frequent as more nutrients enter our waterways. They may come from municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents, agricultural runoff containing fertilisers, septic systems, or from natural sources. We must be careful to recognise blue-green algae before wild swimming, kayaking, or letting our pups and children splash around, etc, and not enter the water.

Green Conch

08/03/2022

22/01/2022

16/01/2022

14/01/2022

13/01/2022

14/12/2021

14/09/2021

09/09/2021

07/09/2021

15/08/2021

06/07/2021

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category