Technical diver, instructor and underwater photographer James Neal will be giving a must-see presentation at the GO Diving Show in March on the Inspiration Stage, detailing – warts and all – his battle to get back to dive fitness after surviving a grade four bleed on the brain in the form of a subarachnoid haemorrhage.
An experienced recreational and technical diver and instructor, James is a brand ambassador for Atomic Aquatics, BARE, Hollis, Oceanic, Stahlsac and Zeagle, and an accomplished underwater photographer and feature writer, as well as being a passionate wreck and cave diver.
He is well known in the diving fraternity for having survived a serious subarachnoid haemorrhage, and for fighting his way back to dive fitness when many said he would never dive again. He has stood up against stigmatism, ignorance and discrimination in the dive industry against the disabled for over ten years and has now completed over 1,200 dives post-haemorrhage, some 1,650-plus in total to date (and counting), to depths in excess of 80m, and he enjoys travelling the globe in search of his next diving adventure.
His presentation will cover his entire journey, from his initial recovery, medical sign off, anxieties, challenges (physical and mental), stigmatism and discrimination, starting from recreational all the way through to technical and cave diving.
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, 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.
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 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. Click here to register for your chance to compete.
2-for-1 tickets now available!
Grab a bargain now – early bird 2-for-1 tickets are now available, representing fantastic value for money.
Buy your ticket before 31 January 2025 for £17.50, and get your buddy, your spouse or your best friend in with you absolutely free! Or why not bring that non-diving mate along so they can see all of the wonders of the underwater world they are missing out on!
Effectively, the 2-for-1 offer equates to each ticket being just £8.75. And as always, this includes complimentary parking. And under-16s go free of charge, so bring the kids along for a fabulous family day out!
