Lots Going on at Ocean Optics

[TimIngmire]

Just had this email from Steve at Ocean Optics - looks like they've been busy.


Understanding Sharks with Grant Bates
Tuesday March 11th 2008.
7.00PM until 9.30PM.

Of all the oceans denizens, sharks are the most enigmatic. Enshrined in folklore and immortalised on the big screen, sharks have long fascinated people. For many years that fascination was based on fear andrevulsion. But in more recent times, attitudes have started to change. At the forefront of promoting shark awareness are divers. We are the group that most often encounters sharks naturally in the wild. And bysharing our one on one experiences with the wider public, through our photographs and videos, we are beginning to make people care about them. With sharks under ever increasing threat from overfishing on a gigantic scale, they need all the support they can get. The Shark Trust is dedicated to helping to protect sharks. We're delighted that our good friend Grant Bates has agreed to make a special presentation for OceanOptics - Mavericks Diving about sharks and the Shark Trust. Grant is a Shark Trust trustee and a shark expert who has dived with them around the world. He will provide you with an intriguing insight into shark biology that will really increase your understanding of sharks and enrich your next diving experience with them. Grant will also explain about his work with the Shark Trust and expand on how, as individual divers, we can each contribute to their protection.

The Shark Trust is an organisation that Ocean Optics - Mavericks Diving does try and support when we can. All of us have been drawn to sharks and have been fortunate to dive with top shark experts including Andy Cobb and Andre Hartman. With Grant's help we launched Shark Day at London Aquarium last year with support from shark encounter and photography specialists Gavin Parsons, Mark Addisson and Tom Peschak.

If you are as addicted to sharks as we are, you won't want to miss Grant Bate's presentation.
£5.00 per head, all proceeds to the Shark Trust

2nd Talk
Dive into History. Explore The Waters That Inspired Sport Diving In Just A Long Weekend with Alex Diamond

During the 1920's, 30s' and 40's one small stretch of coastline inspired first the sport of goggling and then aqualunging. Here Guy Gilpatrick penned "The Complete Goggler" and popularised snorkelling. As a young man Hans Hass patrolled these same waters with harpoon in hand. Yves LePriuer invented the first recreational scuba unit and then formed the first diving club to let others tour beneath the sea using it. Crucially, Jacques Cousteau first ducked his head underwater here andwas set on the glidepath that created the aqualung to which all modernsport divers owe so much. Just one location binds the pioneers who made sport diving actually happen. It's still clear, it's still warm and it'sstill festooned with wrecks and teeming with life. And if you are looking for quality diving close to home for just a long weekend, it doesn't get much easier. It's the South of France and Alex Diamond of Diamond Diving is going to prove to you that if you've overlooked theCote D'Azur, you are sorely missing out on some superb diving opportunities. This region of France has long been a favourite haunt of the OceanOptics - Mavericks Diving team. Each year we attend the incomparable Antibes Underwater Image Festival and regularly dive from the beaches in our classic dive gear. Mark, Steve and AJ don twin hose regulators, leave the BCD's behind and throw on their 1960's cylinders to explore the same waters that diving's founding fathers did.

In 2007 AJ and Stevehooked up with Alex, put on nearly modern kit (insurance and all that) and had their eyes opened to the fantastic diving to be found just offshore. There's certainly something for everyone. Photographers will find clear waters and dramatic seascapes to focus on, while fish loverswill discover shoals of damsel fish and bream, dentex, grouper andbarracuda. For wreck devotees, there are not only great shipwrecks, manydived by the pioneers LePrieur and Cousteau, but also the famous "Rubis"- a full on mine laying Submarine. If you believed the only good diving lay at the end of a long haul flight, Alex Diamond will show how you can enjoy fantastic diving inexpensively over a long weekend just two hoursfrom the UK.

Let us know if you would like to attend. The event will take place in King's College London, meet first at Optics. As always, we all look forward to your company on Tuesday March 11th.

[TimIngmire]

Also:

WHATS NEW AT OCEAN OPTICS & MAVERICKS DIVING
The following is just a few things that may be of interest to you thatwe are planning. If anything appeals, email us and we'll keep you informed.

Action Underwater Studios Tie-In
We're delighted to confirm we will be working closely with Action Underwater Studios in the near future. This fantastic facility has been purpose designed for the underwater production needs of the televisionand movie industry. The 9 by 12 metre tank is unique. Action Underwater Studios credits are very impressive - Bond, Star Wars and Bourne movieshave all been filmed at the Action Underwater Studios. Ocean Optics-Mavericks Diving has been extremely fortunate to be invited to use the studio. It's an incredible benefit for our clients. We'll be using Action Underwater Studios for our NAUI entry-level scuba, NAUI refresher and Diamond Reef Precision Buoyancy Control courses. We'll also be using the facility for underwater photography classes.Underwater photographers will also be offered the opportunity to havetime in the tank to independently practice their techniques. The tank is 6 metres deep and this means you can really work on skills such as wideangle close focus and diver photography.


Guest Underwater Photography Coaches To Help You Get Even Better Pictures
We are in discussion with several leading underwater photography instructors with the intention of holding special teach ins at ActionUnderwater Studios. This will make it easy to learn skills from the pros without having to travel to far from London. Ocean Optics-Mavericks Diving has underwater radiophones which will enable the photography instructors to coach you while you are submerged and practicing your photography skills. Martin Edge has already confirmed his interest inhosting workshops, as has Maria Munn of Ocean Visions.


Theory of Underwater Photography with Peter Scoones
Peter Scoones is unequalled in his experience, knowledge and careersuccess in underwater stills and cinematography. The man behind thecamera on such BBC blockbusters as Great White Shark, Life On Earth, Land of The Tiger, Life in the Freezer, Blue Planet, Sea Trek and Planet Earth, is renowned for the generosity with which he imparts information and knowledge he has worked so long and so hard to acquire. Peter has very kindly agreed to run a special course on the theory of underwater photography. This is a master class from an individual whose underwaterimaging track record is exceptional and who is considered theprofessionals professional. It will take place mid week for clients to attend after work. It is the nature of Peter's career that he can find himself on assignment with little warning. For this reason you will need to be flexible with attending this workshop as dates may change at short notice.


Marine Biology Course
We plan to host a special evening course to help our clients understand basic marine biology. The program will look at underwater environments, biodiversity and behaviour among other intriguing aspects of marinebiology. It's expected that the course will involve attending an evening session one a week for six weeks or so. It will be held mid week, so that you can attend after work. An overseas field trip to put your new knowledge into practice and learn even more will be optional. A qualified marine biologist with considerable field experience will teach the course.


Freediving Course for Underwater Photographers
We'll be teaming up with Emma Farrell and Simon Reid of Deeperblue to offer a freediving course that has been developed specifically to meet the needs of underwater cameramen and photographers. This course will take place at SETT - the Submarine Escape Training Tower. SETT is nearly 30 metres deep and an awesome diving experience in its own right. Emma and Simon will teach you the skills that will make it much easier towork with subjects more easily photographed breatholding than with scuba. These include whale sharks, orcas and, of course pilot whales -check out Gibraltar Magazine for Andrew and Steve's preliminaryexperiences with these.


Dive Gibraltar With Us
We're expecting to be running long weekend trips to the Rock in 2008. Gib is just two and a half hours flying time from the UK. It's great forf ish and macro photography. And for pilot whales -see Steve and Andrew's feature in Gibraltar Magazine. We're also looking to run NAS (NauticalArchaeological Society) courses through the Gibraltar Museum. Gib has lots to offer divers and photographers wanting exciting and interesting diving close to home. Ask us about long weekend trips to this bit of Britain in the sun.

http://www.mavericksdiving.co.uk
http://www.oceanoptics.co.uk