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Five Cozumel Reefs Are Closed to Divers
Surprise Shark Attack in Belize
And Another Attack off Providenciales, T&C
Diving for Bubbly
An Unpleasant Discovery for California Sport Divers
Florida Diver Discovers $100,000 Treasure
Dubai is the Land of Extremes
Undercurrent Is More Than Its Newsletter

Five Cozumel Reefs Are Closed to Divers.   August 17, 2024

During August and September, five of Cozumel's reefs will be off-limits to divers and tour operators. To help them recover from a daily load of divers, Palancar Cuevas, Palancar Ladrillos, Colombia Somero, Colombia Intermedio, and Colombia Profundo will be closed. (Riviera Maya News)

Surprise Shark Attack in Belize.   August 17, 2024

After a dive at Half Moon Caye, with Belize Pro Divers out of Ambergris Caye, on August 6, 15-year-old Annabelle Carlson from Aspen, CO, jumped into the water for a swim. An unidentified species of shark grabbed her leg, and although she was able to fight it off, she was critically injured and lost the leg. After being stabilized at a hospital in Belize City, she was flown to a trauma center in the U.S.A. The Shark Attack File of the Florida Museum of Natural History has no prior record of an unprovoked shark attack in Belize. www.gofundme.com

And Another Attack off Providenciales, T&C.   August 17, 2024

On May 23, Lucas Arsenault, a professional Canadian kite surfer, was attacked by a shark while snorkeling at Leeward Reef. He was in a small group, snorkeling from a boat, and was in the water for less than 10 minutes before the attack. He lost his lower right leg, and his left leg was seriously damaged. "I cannot express how lucky I am to be here," he said. "This will present new challenges for me, but I am incredibly positive and thankful to be here doing well to continue living my life to the fullest. It's a speed bump in the road on this journey of life." www.gofundme.com (The Canadian Press)

Diving for Bubbly.   August 17, 2024

A group of Polish amateurs, diving in the Baltic Sea, surprisingly came across the 19th Century wreck of a sailing ship off the Swedish coast. It was loaded to the brim with crates of bottled champagne. The divers notified Swedish regional authorities about the wreck and that it would take time to bring all champagne bottles ashore. The cold, brackish water of the Baltic, which is home to an estimated 100,000 shipwrecks, is an attractive destination for divers, marine archaeologists and, more recently, looters.

An Unpleasant Discovery for California Sport Divers.  August 17, 2024

The body of a diver who disappeared almost two years ago was recovered off Santa Cruz Island in Southern California in early August. After two recreational divers reported seeing a possible body, Sheriff's Office officials and rescue divers recovered the remains. Ryder Sturt, 31, from Ventura, had been diving for lobster in November 2022 when his partner reported him missing.

Florida Diver Discovers $100,000 Treasure.  August 17, 2024

Salvage diver Grant Gitschlag and his crew were searching through the remains of a 1715 treasure fleet, a group of 11 Spanish ships that sunk off Sebastien, Florida, while carrying silver to Europe. They recovered over 200 silver cobs, coins of irregular shape, from the days before they were machine-minted. They found the coins in the debris field of one of two of the fleet's flagships. He believes the coins were minted in Mexico City between 1700 and 1715. (Mirror.co.uk)

Dubai is the Land of Extremes.   August 17, 2024

Not content with a normal swimming pool 10 feet deep, Dubai has a pool 20-times deeper. Deep Dive Dubai's underwater world is filled with cars, trees, libraries, and even a life-sized Lego character. Suitably depth-qualified divers can even have a game of table football. The pool features 27 underwater loudspeakers, which provide surround-sound experiences or, if necessary, broadcast safety announcements. With 3.74 million gallons of water, equivalent to six Olympic-sized swimming pools, it's enough water for ten humpback whales to swim in. Of course, Dubai caters to the well-heeled. A guided scuba dive to 30 meters will cost you $326. To 60 meters on trimix, if you are certified, it’s $490. https://deepdivedubai.com/ (Express)

Undercurrent Is More Than Its Newsletter.  August 17, 2024

Your independent Readers’ Reports are the lifeblood of Undercurrent. They are essential reading for anyone booking a dive trip and are an opportunity to tell everyone about the trip you experienced. You can tell both the good and the bad and everything in between. Unedited and unmoderated, your reports will brief other subscribers about dive resorts you've visited and liveaboards you have taken. Don't hold back. Over 11,000 entries have now become essential reading for traveling divers. You can post photos too. It's easy to post a report of your last dive trip. And your fellow divers will be thankful. File your report at www.undercurrent.org/SubRR, and we will also include it in this year's Chapbook, which will be sent to readers in early December.

Ben Davison, editor/publisher
BenDDavison@undercurrent.org

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Note: Undercurrent is a registered 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization donating funds to help preserve coral reefs. Our travel writers never announce their purpose, are unknown to the destination, and receive no complimentary services or compensation from the dive operators or resort.

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