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Star Trek is fundamentally about curiosity, exploration, and respect for all forms of life. This can be found from the Enterprise’s stated mission (“to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before*) to the Vulcan code of IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations), and you’d be hard-pressed to find a popular television series that portrays scientists better. The ideals of Star Trek have quite a bit to do with saving the oceans, and I’m not the only one who thinks so.

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To boldly go SCUBA diving where no one has gone before: Meet the Roddenberry Dive Team

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Mr De Vries, 52, got into difficulties on Saturday and apparently passed out as he was coming to the surface pulling up a kingfish he speared on Hunter’s Bank, about 10 kilometres offshore, between Kapiti and Mana islands.He was a well-known member of Wellington’s small free-diving community who prefer to snorkel, holding their breath, than use scuba diving gear.

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Tragic last dive of Eric De Vries, Kiwi spearfisher; ‘so talented, reliable and careful’

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Two divers have been rescued after drifting several miles along Britain’s South Coast after becoming separated from their dive boat.

According to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the pair were in a group which carried out a drift dive off Portland Bill yesterday.

Their charter boat, Skin-Deeper, put out a prompt emergency call to Portland Coastguard at about 11am when it was realised that they had not returned to the boat as planned.

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Divers recovered after South Coast drift

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Every month we raise a topical issue on Divernet and put it to the vote. If you take part and yours is the email address drawn at random, you win a 3 litre Luxfer compact emergency pony cylinder with DIN convertible valve worth £106, from Sea & Sea.
Only one vote per person, please Will you enrol on any diving training courses this year? Answer yes or no, and feel free to comment.

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The Big Question 96

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Local divers have discovered what appears to be a Bermuda Cedar tree root still planted in its original location – 53 feet deep on North Shore. The Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute and the Department of Conservation Services within the Ministry of Public Works has teamed up with the local divers to further study the root and have taken samples for testing to determine the age of the stump. Mr. Conyers discovered what he thought might be a tree root on the ocean floor adjacent to a tall coral reef ledge some nine miles to the north of Bermuda in 53 feet of water. Mr. Conyers explained: “At first I thought it might be a piece of a wooden shipwreck just emerging from the sand and wedged up against the undersea coral cliff. This of course piqued my interest – but upon closer inspection it was clearly recognizable as a piece of a tree – a tree stump and root in fact.

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Cedar tree root found 53ft deep in water nine miles off Bermuda; ‘it had grown there’

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Scuba liveaboard specialist blue o two is offering savings of up to 10% off bookings on board its Red Sea vessels for trips departing in January, February, March and April 2012.
The discount offer applies to most scheduled itineraries on board M/Y blue Fin, M/Y blue Horizon, M/Y blue Melody and M/Y blue Voyager.
“With a variety of itineraries to chose from, including Best of Brothers, Deep South, Northern Wrecks & Reefs, Simply The Best, and Strait of Tiran & North, there really is a holiday for everyone,” says blueotwo.

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Winter Red Sea savers from blueotwo

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The common dolphin is indeed common in Britain’s Western Approaches, according to seasonal sightings by marine observers.
A series of observation trips, run by Paul Semmens of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, were made from April to October this year aboard Scillonian III, which plies between Penzance in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

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Common dolphin prevalent off South West

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The Countryside Council for Wales has earmarked about a quarter of a million pounds for operations to remove highly invasive sea squirts from Anglesey’s Holyhead Harbour.

The creatures, which originate from Japan, are thought first to have been brought to Western Europe on the hulls of ships, then to have spread further on the hulls of smaller boats.

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Squirt cull in Wales

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Sharm El Sheikh’s Camel Dive Club is marking its 25th anniversary in December with a double celebration.
Not only has Camel provided outstanding Red Sea diving holidays in the Egyptian resort for the past quarter century, it has also reached a landmark 20 years’ membership of PADI’s retail association for scuba businesses.
The PADI award recognises the company’s long-standing commitment to excellence in diver training, making Camel one of a select few Red Sea dive centres to achieve this milestone.

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Camel Dive Club celebrates

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Regaldive is offering a massive saving of £675 off its Philippines Siren ‘Southern Visayas’ scuba itinerary, departing on 3 July next year. But bookings must be made before the end of this month. Now costing from £1410 based on two sharing, this includes 10 nights’ full-board accommodation, three to four boat dives a day, and air/nitrox, scuba tanks and weights. Flights are not included but can be arranged through Regaldive. “The itinerary takes in Cabilao Island – home to some of the best diving in the Philippines and particularly noted for sightings of Hammerhead Sharks,” says Regaldive. The successfully managed marine sanctuary dive site of Apo Island is another highlight and manta rays are a common spectacle. Dumaguete on Negros offers possible sightings of frogfish and ornate ghost pipefish, whilst The Pier may reward you with the opportunity to see mandarin fish.”

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Regaldive offers huge Philippines saving

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