Part of our “Inner Space Seminar” series at Hart House. Discover the fascinating advancements in engineering, such as the ADS (atmospheric diving suit), from Ken Murray, senior mechanical engineer at OceanWorks International. Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Ken talked to us about his project with one-atmosphere suits and other advancements in undersea technology such as turbines. The ADS is a one-person anthropomorphic submersible which resembles a suit of armour, with elaborate pressure joints to allow articulation while maintaining an internal pressure of one atmosphere.
The ADS has been used extensively in both commercial and military applications, and offers a unique and cost effective solution for the completion of many underwater tasks in depths of up to 360 meters (1200 feet). Smaller crew sizes, reduced training requirements, no decompression, unlimited vertical excursions, system portability, and lower capital equipment costs are some of the advantages the ADS has over traditional diving.
Part of our “Inner Space Seminar” series at Hart House. Freediving techniques with Martin Bonert, NAUI #33907. Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Have you ever dreamed of exploring the underwater world free from equipment? Free from the need to breathe? Freediving is the most natural and serene way to explore the depths of the oceans with minimal impact. We learned so much about freediving and breath-hold diving from Martin Bonert, one of our own NAUI Scuba Instructors. You can take advantage of some of these freediving techniques to increase your enjoyment of recreational snorkelling.
Martin gave us an enthusiastic view of the beauty of freediving and provided these video links so that we may also experience the world of freediving. Note: Do not try the extreme versions of freediving on your own without proper training and buddies.
Arctic Free Diving Helped Save Her Leg – Now She Has a World Record Short Film Showcase (National Geographic) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZZdnZQsOxU (Johanna Nordblad)
Beginner Snorkelling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GljSvw7r3g Note: Do NOT use sunscreen when snorkelling. It comes off in the water and is harmful to aquatic life. A rash guard shirt and a head/neck covering is the best option.
Part of our “Inner Space Seminar” series at Hart House. A Virtual Tour of all the galleries at the Toronto Aquarium, with live Q&A. Tuesday, March 23, 2021.
Our Aquarium tour covered all of the galleries, followed by a live Q&A session with a member of the Guest Experience team. We had a close look at the creatures from five different galleries, experienced interesting, detailed facts about each tank and the species that it houses, heard interviews with the Aquarium staff, watched animal feedings and listened behind the scenes to learn information from the husbandry team.
You even asked about going scuba diving in the shark tank!
Canadian Waters: Journey from coast to coast, from freshwater wildernesses to fisheries and kelp forests.
Rainbow Reef: Enjoy the kaleidoscope of colourful fish that flash around their idyllic home and learn more about their precious, but endangered, habitats.
Dangerous Lagoon: Come face to face with some of the Aquarium’s most jaw-dropping species.
Ray Bay: Experience the thrill of getting up close and personal with these captivating marine animals as they “fly” through the water.
Planet Jellies: Learn more about the four species of jellyfish.
Part of our “Inner Space Seminar” series at Hart House. Shipwrecks of Ontario — The R.H. Rae and Alpena’s Empire ship the Falstaff — with scuba divers and shipwreck historians, David Mekker and Durrell Martin, of Niagara Divers’ Association, Save Ontario Shipwrecks and Ontario Marine Heritage Committee. Tuesday, March 16, 2021
The R.H. Rae Sesquicentennial – 150 years of History: Come explore the mysteries of the R.H. Rae, one of Kingston, Ontario’s true marine treasures. She holds many secrets, having been lost only a year after her launch even though she was outfitted with some of the newest technology of the time. Descend with us and travel back in time and tell the story of her history, from her launch in 1857 to be discovered by Barbara Carson to being visited by Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
Alpena’s Lost Empire Ship The Empire Falstaff was the first ship to be lost in the Great Lakes after the 1959 expansion of the St Lawrence Seaway. Following World War II, vessels of war became ships of commerce. The British Empire Ship the Falstaff ended her career as the Monrovia 26 miles from Alpena, Michigan. The 447-foot ship now rests at 135 feet and offers fascinating diving opportunities for both recreational and technical divers. The hospital room, machine shop and galley can be viewed easily in less than 100 feet of water. More experienced technical divers will enjoy the spectacular engine room.
Bio
David Mekker David Mekker certified in 1989 at Tobermory. He received his Cave Certification in 1992, and was one of earliest users of Nitrox as a diving gas. Since then, he has extended his range of exploration with trimix diving. David’s second passion is Great Lakes shipwreck photography. He has a logbook filled with thousands of dives, as well as awards at Film Festivals. In the year 2000, David was one of the first divers to start shooting digital underwater video and using HID lighting. David is now able to combine his skills of videography and trimix diving to capture outstanding footage on some of the newly discovered shipwrecks around the Great Lakes. He created White Wind Productions with Joyce Hayward and Durrell Martin to produce multimedia presentations which he has shown at scuba diving shows across North America. David is a long-standing member of the Niagara Divers’ Association and is the current Chair of the annual Shipwrecks Symposium held each year in Welland, Ontario, bringing what began as a small show to the successful world-class event it is today.
Durrell Martin Durrell Martin discovered scuba diving in 1994, with over 20 scuba certifications including Divemaster, Cave and Trimix. Completing thousands of dives around the world, his true love is Great Lakes shipwrecks. Currently he is the Vice president of the Niagara Divers’ Association, President of Save Ontario Shipwrecks and sits on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Marine Heritage Committee. For the past 26 years he has helped to organize the annual Shipwrecks Symposium, which is Canada’s largest shipwreck show. Durrell loves to explore and document shipwrecks. In 2003 he was part of the team that did the site survey on the Cornielia B. Windiate for the NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Over the years with his partners in White Wind Productions, Durrell has presented at shows across North America. His most recent endeavor is being a team member on the Hamilton & Scourge Monitoring Program, which is being run by The Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society under license with the City of Hamilton and the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture.
This Sundance award-winning film, Chasing Coral, follows a team of scuba divers, photographers and scientists on a thrilling adventure to capture why warming ocean water is causing coral reefs to vanish at an unprecedented rate. Find out what’s happening below the waves and solutions for preventing further warming of our oceans.
Chasing Coral taps into the collective will and wisdom of renowned marine biologists, an ad man, a self-proclaimed coral nerd and top-notch camera designers as they invent the time-lapse underwater camera to record bleaching events as they happen. With its breathtaking photography, nail-biting suspense, and startling emotion, Chasing Coral is a dramatic inspiration to engage audiences.
Part of our “Inner Space Seminar” series at Hart House. Intelligence to rival humans Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021 at 7:00 pm
It’s a shape shifter with 3 hearts, 9 brains, massively strong arms that grip like a vice. It has no skeleton, but a soft elastic body, and the supernatural power of invisibility. It is a powerful, extraordinarily intelligent, complex predator, that sees with its skin, moves with the grace of a ballet dancer, is a master of disguise, and the star of many a sci-fi horror film!
Part of our “Inner Space Seminar” series at Hart House. Diving into History is a seminar in three parts from scuba diving enthusiast Kayla Martin. Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021
Kayla Martin’s presentation included the “Fate of the Waome” and diving the cold, dark wrecks in Ontario. However, many divers prefer warm water and coral reefs, so we also ventured to Hawaii with great ideas for shore diving as well as diving with the giant manta rays. Then back to Canada to dive the relatively warm waters of the St. Lawrence River for the history of shipwrecks in the region.
The mysteries and curses of the Waome, Muskoka
The wreck of the Robert Gaskin, Brockville
Shore diving from Honolua Bay on the Island of Maui to the Place of Refuge on the Big Island — and giant manta rays
Links Kayla mentioned several other websites in her presentation, such as:
Kayla Martin has logged hundreds of dives exploring the history of Great Lake’s Shipwrecks and the beauty of tropical coral reefs. Since 2014, in hopes of inspiring the next generation of divers, Kayla has been creating presentations to share her experiences and love of diving. She also organizes annual events for promoting Women in Diving. For the last four years she has been presenting at dive shows across North America, including the prestigious Our World Underwater Evening Film Festival in Chicago, where Kayla stood out as the youngest presenter in the 49-year history of the event. Currently Kayla is active doing field work with the Ontario Marine Heritage Committee and is the Membership Director with the Niagara Divers Association. She is in her third year of studying Applied Water Science (BSc) at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Part of our “Inner Space Seminar” series at Hart House. Fish Identification of the Indo-Pacific with Kathryn Cullen, NAUI #7446, and Trivia Quiz with diving enthusiast, Amelia Davies. Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Learn the names of creatures you see on your dives,
Understand distinctive identifying features,
Retain key memory tips for fish identification,
Take away a handout for future reference,
Participate in our Fish Identification Quiz to test your new knowledge!
More great information Check out the Reef.org website. Get your own ID and password to access the amazingly detailed information about the undersea world.
P.S. That’s a Picasso Triggerfish in the top photo (Rhinecanthus aculeatus).
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More Fish Identification Handouts: Bonaire Invasion: Bonaire’s Top 25
Part of our “Inner Space Seminar” series at Hart House. Jill Heinerth joined us in person to discuss her life as a cave diver. Tuesday, March 2, 2021. All are welcome to join these seminars.
Thank you Jill Heinerth for a fabulous presentation about your work. We learned so much more than just cave diving techniques. We are inspired to be better stewards of our water resources on this beautiful planet where everything is interconnected.
Want to view more from Jill Heinerth? Visit her YouTube Channel and see the links below her bio.
Jill Heinerth, underwater explorer
Bio Jill Heinerth has been specializing in cave diving since the early 1990s, and is recognized worldwide with the following awards: Sea Hero of the Year, Women Divers Hall of Fame, Medal for Exploration by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Canadian Polar Medal from the Governor General of Canada, Beneath The Sea Diver of the Year Award, and she is to be inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame. Jill’s writings, images and documentaries are published in prodigious magazines around the world and on TV.
This was a fabulous presentation with videos on the techniques of underwater archaeology. All archaeology involves the careful study of artifacts, structures and features to reconstruct and explain the lives of people in the past. Doing it underwater involves many extra layers of complexity.
remote locations below the surface of oceans, rivers, and lakes
on wharves, canal locks, marine railways and sunken aircraft
specialized techniques and equipment
underwater communication systems
delicate removal of sediments
specialized equipment for recording information while underwater
preservation of artefacts and evidence when excavated
reconstruction work
This would make a fascinating career!
Bio
Emily Franklin is a masters student in computer science who joined HHUC’s Learn to SCUBA program last year. Emily is interested in ways to apply her diving skills outside of recreation, and to volunteer in the broader diving community. Since high school, Emily has been interested in history. And underwater archaeology is a great way for divers to volunteer their skills to help discover and preserve the history of the waters we dive in.
