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Author Archives: Neil Hambleton
About Neil Hambleton
I am a British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) Advanced Diver and an Open Water Instructor. I have been diving since 1992, after joining South China Diving Club (SCDC), which is a Hong Kong-based branch of the BSAC. Having moved to New Zealand, I am now a member of BSAC New Zealand.
Coral Reefs: Winners and Losers
There has been a lot of talk about how global warming might affect coral reefs, and it seems clear that different reefs will be affected differently. It makes sense to concentrate on saving those reefs that can be saved, rather … Continue reading
Bodies Recovered in Subic Bay
The Philippine Star is reporting that both bodies have been recovered from the engine room of the USS New York. The divers were Tin Shun Chuen from Hong Kong, and Steven Brittian, who was an instructor at Johan’s in Subic … Continue reading
Two Divers Die in Lake Pupuke, near Auckland
Two divers on a training course have been killed on a dive in Lake Pupuke. The divers, Daniel Waata Stoneham and Tyron North, went missing on Friday 15th July. Apparently a third student was injured. Mr. North’s body was recovered … Continue reading
2 Divers Reported Missing in Subic Bay
There are reports that 2 divers have been missing since Sunday (17 July) in Subic Bay, the former US naval base that is north of Manila. They were diving the USS New York, which was scuttled in December 1941 to … Continue reading
Neil and the Homicidal Seal
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, long ago. OK so last weekend in Northland wasn’t that … Continue reading
Talk by Simon Mitchell
Last Wednesday I was very fortunate to go to a talk by Simon Mitchell at the Western Underwater Dive Club. Western Underwater Dive Club meets on Wednesdays and Fridays at their club house on Portage Road, which is also where … Continue reading
Equipment Care Course
Last weekend I was on a 1.5 day Equipment Care course taught by Mitch Horn of BSAC NZ. The course was intended to go through the following topics: Features of SCUBA diving equipment Maintenance and servicing Fault-finding and rectification What … Continue reading
HMS Hermes in Sri Lanka – Now Diveable
HMS Hermes of the Royal Navy was the first ship to be designed and built as an aircraft carrier. She was laid down in January 1918, launched in September 1919 and finally commissioned in 1923. In 1931 she was involved … Continue reading
Poseidon Project Trailer
On 9th June 2011 it was 80 years since HMS Poseidon sank off the coast of China after a collision with a merchant steamer. HMS Poseidon was a Royal Navy Parthian Class submarine and she sank north of Weihai … Continue reading
Effects of Increased Acidity on Coral
Further evidence that increased acidity of sea water could be bad news for the world’s coral reefs. In Papua New Guinea carbon dioxide is bubbling into the water on the slopes of a dormant volcano. This is making the water … Continue reading
BBC’s Top Ten New Species
The BBC have a photographic feature on the top ten species discovered in 2010 as by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University. It includes the bizarre-looking Pancake Batfish. You can see these on the BBC’s website.
TED Video by Richard Pyle from 2004
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. It is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading and its website has over 900 “TEDTalks” available online for free, from a wide variety of presenters. Richard Pyle is a self-proclaimed fish-nerd. He … Continue reading