There are a host of activities for all the family to enjoy at this year's GO Diving Show, which is taking place this weekend at the NAEC Stoneleigh.
Shipwreck survey
Fancy yourself as a bit of a wreck surveyor, or an underwater artist? Well this year for the first time, the Nautical Archaeology Society (stand 210) will be bringing their ‘shipwreck’, inviting all show attendees to help them archaeologically map it.
Their historic shipwreck will give visitors the chance to find out what underwater archaeology involves, and just how much fun it can be – even with a blacked-out mask!
Everyone helping to map the NAS shipwreck will be offered a discount voucher off a future course in 2025.
Breath-hold workshops
Through 25 years of teaching, NoTanx (stand 143) have put together a 30-minute freediving inspired breathwork session.
Marcus Greatwood and the team will introduce you to some fundamental concepts to improve your breathing, awareness and mental focus.
Simple changes, that you can implement into your daily routines, can have a dramatic effect on your personal wellbeing.
In this session, the team will concentrate on:
- Utilising your diaphragm
- Controlling your breath
- Focusing your mind
- Reducing O2 consumption
Reducing oxygen consumption will allow more tank time when scuba diving, and more bottom time when freediving, as well as benefiting health in your day-to-day life.
Mermaid Lagoon and trydive pool
Come and meet our friendly mermaids in their mesmerising lagoon and say hello – and grab that all-important selfie!
And if you fancy trying scuba for the first time, you can do a trydive at the GO Diving Show. And if you are already a qualified diver, there is the chance to do a CCR or sidemount trial dive. Spaces are limited, so book in advance to secure your spot. Book your GO Diving Show trydives here, and your sidemount trydives here.
Marine Biology Zone
In the Just One Ocean marine biology zone (stand 1051), there will be plenty for visitors to see and do with several interactive displays that reflect just some of the work being done to preserve the oceans by up-and-coming marine researchers from the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Marine Sciences.
Kelp scientist Joe Sargent will be showcasing a BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video) camera system, samples of video footage, kelp samples and a species identification challenge. The BRUV is used to assess the abundance and diversity of fish within coastal ecosystems and enable scientists to assess the nursery function and importance of essential habitats.
Kelsey-Marie Cadd will be demonstrating a prototype of one of her Seahorse Hotels. The degradable structure will be used as a conservation strategy to enhance the British seahorse population on the UK’s south coast. She will also be bringing a scale model of one of her Seahorse Cities, which will be deployed adjacent to seagrass beds to enhance the natural expansion of seagrass while also providing a home to vulnerable and rare species.
Georgia Sharpe-Harris will be running a microscope set-up so visitors can see exactly what is in their bottled water, and there will also be a microplastic identification challenge as well as a wave tank demonstrator that highlights how natural defences do a better job at protecting coastlines when compared to concrete structures.
Extreme Location Freediving Challenge
Marcus Greatwood and the NoTanx team specialise in exploring hard-to-reach freediving locations, such as underground lakes, which often require them to climb up a single rope – like abseiling, but in reverse!
At the GO Diving Show on stand 143, the team will be teaching both the basic skills of relaxation, and ascending a rope – and they are giving you the opportunity to test those skills on the Extreme Location Freediving Challenge!
Ascend a 25-metre-high rope (a purpose-built frame means you are never more than a few inches above the ground), then lower your heart rate enough to hold your breath.
There will be prizes on both days for the quickest times!
Virtual reality diving
You don't even need to get wet to experience diving! Join 3D photogrammetry guru and GUE technical instructor trainer John Kendall on stand 370 for this totally immersive experience – don a headset and grab the controls, and then embark on a stunningly realistic exploration of a 70m tech dive to the remains of the ancient Mars shipwreck.
And if you head to the Bahamas Tourist Board stand (962) at 11.30am and 2.30pm on both Saturday and Sunday, you can experience a virtual reality shark dive, courtesy of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Shark Trust organisation.
Young or old, diver or non-diver, these virtual reality dives provide the perfect ‘dive’ for you!
The GO Diving Show
The GO Diving Show – the only consumer dive and travel show in the UK – returns to the NAEC Stoneleigh on 1-2 March 2025, just in time to kick off the new season, and promises a weekend full of interactive, educational, inspirational and fun content.
As well as the Main Stage – this time headlined by TV star, author and adventurer Steve Backshall, making a welcome return to the GO Diving Show after a few years away, along with NASA-trained NEEMO Aquanaut and Head of Scientific Research at DEEP Dawn Kernagis, fellow TV presenter, author and perennial favourite Monty Halls, Dr Timmy Gambin, who will be discussing Malta's rich maritime and wartime heritage, and the dynamic duo of explorers Rannva Joermundsson and Maria Bollerup, who will be talking about their recent Expedition Buteng in Indonesia – there are again dedicated stages for UK diving, technical diving, underwater photography and inspirational tales. Andy Torbet will be MCing the Main Stage once again, as well as giving a presentation on the challenges of shooting technical diving for TV shows. A list of all of the speakers, including timings, can be found here.
Along with the stages, there are a host of interactive elements – the ever-popular Cave, the giant trydive pool, the immersive virtual reality tech-wreck dive, breath-hold workshops and lining-out drills, marine biology zone and, new for 2025, your chance to try your hand at wreck mapping with the Nautical Archaeology Society and their ‘shipwreck' – all scattered among an ever-increasing array of stands from tourist boards, manufacturers, training agencies, resorts, liveaboards, dive centres, retailers and much more.
This year also sees the NoTanx Zero2Hero competition taking centre-stage. This competition, aimed at newbie freedivers, will see an initial 12 candidates undergo training with Marcus Greatwood and the NoTanx team in London in late-February. Then five selected finalists will compete at the GO Diving Show over the March weekend, including static apnea sessions in the pool, to find the overall winner, who will get a week-long trip to Marsa Shagra Eco-Village, courtest of Oonasdivers.
Advance tickets now available!
Buy your day ticket now for £17.50 + booking fee and be ready for an educational, exciting and inspirational experience! Or with so many speakers over the two days, plus all the interactive displays and exhibitors to visit, why not make it a weekend, and snap up a two-day ticket for £25 + booking fee?
It will be £25 for a day ticket at the box office on the weekend of the show, so book in advance and save some money!!
Group ticket prices for 10+ people are also available if you are coming with your centre/club members.
Book tickets on Go Diving Show website.
And as always, the ticket price includes complimentary parking. And under-16s go free of charge, so bring the kids along for a fabulous family day out!
