Commercial diver Chris Lemons was thrust into the spotlight after he miraculously survived being on the seabed some 100m down in the North Sea for 40 minutes after a freak accident cut him off from his surface-supplied gas, light and heat, and he will be talking about this incident on the Main Stage at the GO Diving Show ANZ (5-6 September).
Chris has been a commercial diver and supervisor for over 20 years, and currently specialises in deep sea saturation diving, operating almost exclusively in the oil and gas industry.
This highly specialised form of diving involves living in the claustrophobic confines of a decompression chamber for up to 28 days at a time, commuting daily to the seabed in a diving bell, and working at depths of up to 275m for six hours at a time.
In September of 2012, a freak failure of the dynamic positioning system of the vessel he was working under resulted in the umbilical which provides him with breathing gas, light and heat being severed completely. He was left on the seabed, in complete darkness, 100m below the surface, with only the five minutes of breathing gas he carried in the emergency tanks on his back, and no way to protect himself from the freezing temperatures.
It took his heroic rescuers over 40 minutes to come back and fetch him, and his miraculous survival story has baffled experts ever since.
His extraordinary story was subsequently immortalised in the hit Netflix/BBC documentary Last Breath, a version of which was developed into the 2025 Hollywood movie, starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu and Finn Cole.
Chris is joined by technical diver, underwater photographer and wreck hunter Pete Mesley, marine biologist, award-winning author and documentary film-maker Sheree Maris, underwater photographer and conservationist Ross Long, and the intrepid team from Shipwreck Hunters Australia, who will be taking us behind the scenes of the popular TV series.
This year we are also showcasing the stunning images of the winners of the prestigious Underwater Awards Australasia photography competition on the Main Stage on the Saturday afternoon, where the huge video wall can display them in all their glory.
The GO Diving Show is taking place at the Sydney Showground on 5-6 September
GO Diving Show ANZ 2026
The GO Diving Show ANZ, now in its third year, returns to the Sydney Showground on 5-6 September and promises a rich smorgasbord of world-class speakers, inspirational exhibitors and entertaining activities – whether you are a novice diver, an experienced recreational diver or a hardcore techie, there is something for everyone. And with kids under 16 going free, it is the perfect weekend of water-related fun for the whole family.
As well as the star-studded Main Stage, there are also three dedicated secondary stages – Photo Stage, Tech Stage, and Inspiration Stage – boasting a cracking line-up of presenters, including underwater photographers Vanessa Mignon, Michael Aw and Brett Lobwein, technical divers Mark Tozer, Yana Stashkevich and John Kendall, and many more.
There are also a host of interactive features to suit young and old, from VR diving experiences, a demonstration pool, a trydive pool, and much more.
Surrounding the stages and features will be a broad range of exhibitors, from tourist boards and tour operators to resorts, liveaboards, training agencies, retailers, manufacturers, and conservation organisations.
Get your tickets now!
Tickets for the GO Diving Show ANZ are on sale now – advance day tickets are $12 instead of the on-the-door price of $15, but the first 1,000 tickets are 2-for-1 with code TWO4ONE, making it incredible value for money, so get your skates on and book now. Kids 16 and under get in for free, making it the perfect family day out. There is plenty of parking on-site and the venue is easy to get to with plenty of transport options, so get the dates in your diary now and prepare for an epic weekend celebrating all forms of diving.
