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Growing gap between two tectonic plates | Mail Online

8 months ago

by dive mistress in Underwater Photography

/ Photograph by Alex Mustard

British scuba diver Alex Mustard dives between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates near Iceland and takes these amazing photographs.

The area is full of underwater canyons and is riddled with faults, valleys, volcanoes and hot springs, caused by the plates pulling apart at about one inch per year.

Alex and his dive buddies swam through fresh water canyons Silfra, Nes and Nikulasargja, which are up to 200ft deep.

He also took photos of the Arnarnes Strytur chimney, which forms a cloudy plume as 80C water is ejected from Earth’s crust and hits the cool 4C seawater.

Mr Mustard, from Southampton, said: ‘The photos show diving in the unique underwater world of Iceland which, like on land, is formed by the volcanic landscape of the country.

‘Many people visit Iceland to see these features on land but they also continue underwater.

‘For a scuba diver these are spectacular places to visit – being able to fly through the clear water and explore the fault lines in three dimensions.

‘I have dived all around the world and this is almost certainly the clearest water I have ever been in.

‘Many people have an experience of vertigo from the sheer walls and clear water.’

The growing gap between the Eurasia and North American tectonic plates | Mail Online.

Trip Report : Diving the Rainbow Warrior

10 months ago

by dive mistress in Trip Reports, Wreck Dives

It was pouring with rain when we left Auckland and it only seemed to get worse as we headed towards Paihia.
I had been looking forward to this weekend in what seemed like forever. The weather was not going to get me down.
This was the fourth time I had planned to dive the Rainbow Warrior and I was hell bent on doing it!

The Rainbow Warrior is a special wreck.

From Wikipedia – Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior:

The sinking of theRainbow Warrior, codenamed Opération Satanique,^[1] was an operation by the “action” branch of the French foreign intelligence services, theDirection Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure (DGSE), carried out on July 10, 1985. It aimed to sink the flagship of the Greenpeace fleet, the Rainbow Warrior in the port of Auckland, New Zealand, to prevent her from interfering in a nuclear test in Moruroa.

Fernando Pereira, a photographer, drowned on the sinking ship. Two French agents were arrested by the New Zealand Police on passport fraud and immigration charges. They were charged with arson, conspiracy to commit arson, willful damage, and murder. As part of a plea bargain, they pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced to ten years, of which they served just over two.

The scandal resulted in the resignation of the French Defence Minister Charles Hernu.

We headed out from Matauri Bay with Paihia Dive.

Myself and my dive buddies almost filled their RIB (rigid inflatable boat) but we are used to working like this, so we shuffled our gear together as close as possible and still managed to fit at least another 5-7 divers who were doing their Advanced Open Water course.
I have to say I was really impressed with how the crew handled us – and our gear – would totally recommend the team from Dive Paihia!!

Dropping down on to the stern – two things caught me by surprise.
The Rainbow Warrior was smaller than I expected. I knew she was colourful but the amount of colour blew me away.

I spent an hour on her on my first dive (backgas of 21% and a 42% in a stage cylinder) with my 60mm macro lens.
The second dive was a little shorter.
I’d go back again for sure but next time with a wide angle lens.

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