The expression “everyone who’s anyone will be there” is often bandied about, but for this year’s expanded GO Diving Show over the weekend of 2/3 March it won’t be too wide of the mark.
The Main Stage speakers at the UK diving event of the year have already been announced on Divernet – by way of reminder, they include MONTY HALLS, MIRANDA KRESTOVNIKOFF, KIRK KRACK, JARROD JABLONSKI, SARAH DONOHUE, ALEX MUSTARD and master MC ANDY TORBET.
But that’s just the start, because a glittering line-up of technical divers has also been lined up to give 45-minute presentations on the Tech Stage at the NAEC, Stoneleigh Park, which is near Kenilworth in Warwickshire.
Rannva Jørmundsson
Seasoned technical diver, cave diver and explorer RANNVA JØRMUNDSSON is co-founder of NIXIE Expeditions, the team behind Expedition Buteng in Indonesia, and a member of the Explorers Club. Expect her to enthralli with her tales of epic explorations into the depths of cave systems around the world. (10.45 SAT)
Kurt Storms
Belgian mixed-gas diver KURT STORMS is an underwater cave explorer and active IANTD technical, cave and rebreather instructor. The founder and CEO of Descent Technical Diving, he is an accomplished photographer, specialising in capturing the hidden beauty of flooded caves and mines. (11.45 SAT)
Pascal van Erp
Dutch diver PASCAL VAN ERP embarked on his diving journey in 2005, and became known for pioneering the challenging business of tackling lost fishing-gear on wrecks in the North Sea.
He trained as a GUE technical diver and, with an emphasis on teamwork and safety protocols, founded the non-profit Ghost Diving, kick-starting a series of underwater clean-ups around the world, and training divers to undertake the tough work. He was also early into the idea of recycling collected ghost-net and line to create sustainable products.
Note that Pascal is the only Technical Stage presenter appearing on both days. (12.30 SAT, 12.45 SUN)
Leigh Bishop
LEIGH BISHOP became a prominent figure in UK technical diving in its formative years. In part this was because he was one of very few divers able to take excellent wreck photographs at technical depths – helped by a willingness to experiment and his use of rebreathers.
He took part in many of the biggest wreck expeditions from the mid-1990s on, including to the Britannic, Lusitania, Transylvania, Egypt, Flying Enterprise, Wilhelm Gustloff and Niagara. He also explored hundreds of virgin UK wreck-sites, with his research, underwater and archival, leading to many identifications.
In 2008 he co-founded the technical diving conference Eurotek. Leigh is a highly accomplished speaker, having presented at so many of the GO Diving show’s predecessors. (1.45 SAT)
Gareth Lock
GARETH LOCK, who spent 25 years working as a navigator, flight instructor and systems engineer in the RAF, has made significant contributions to scuba safety and performance improvement by applying lessons learnt from aviation.
Focusing on the role of human factors in diving incidents, the research of this advanced technical diver has been widely disseminated. His Human Factors Skills in Diving courses are run online for all divers and in the classroom for instructors, technical and cave divers, and his appearance at Go Diving provides visitors with an opportunity to pick up potentially life-saving pointers. (2.45 SAT)
Mark Powell
MARK POWELL started diving in 1987 and went on to develop a passion for deep wreck-diving. It wasn’t long before he was one of the UK’s best-known tech-diving instructors, through his company Dive-Tech.
The instructor-trainer is also director of global development for international training for TDI / SDI. His books Deco for Divers and Technical Diving – An Introduction have become must-reads for mixed-gas divers and he has long been a popular speaker at dive conferences, renowned for his left-field observations. For many years he used his vast experience to co-ordinate tech speakers at what is now GO Diving. (3.45 SAT)
Garry Dallas
Another renowned public speaker from the UK is GARRY DALLAS, whose nickname Sidemount Bob indicates his expertise in that configuration, but he was in his late 20s before he decided to become a diver.
Previously a dry caver, he quickly adapted to exploring Mexican cenotes, Spanish flooded caves and UK mines. He has co-authored training manuals for Dive RAID, for which he is recreational, technical and cave instructor-trainer and examiner, and has worked towards advancing sidemount diving, including CCR sidemount applications. (10.45 SUN)
Tim Clements
TIM CLEMENTS studied marine biology and oceanography and by 1993 was a BSAC Advanced Diver participating in scientific dive-trips in Ireland and going on to undertake environmental survey work, aquarium diving and media projects.
His diving has taken him to many countries, wrecks and reefs but he remains convinced that the UK offers some of the world’s best sites. He took up tech diving in 1999, going on to write manuals for IANTD, while with Nammu Tech he developed the RedBare CCR. Tim is well-versed in addressing divers, not only about technical diving but conservation issues too. (11.45 SUN)
Paul Toomer
Over his career PAUL TOOMER has worked as an instructor and instructor-trainer for various agencies, including PADI, IANTD, TDI, SSI and most recently Dive RAID International. He was in at the start when the latter replaced the original RAID in 2014, becoming its training director and later president before stepping away from the desk.
His focus had shifted entirely to technical diver training and expeditions in 2007 when he founded Diving Matrix Tec Lab, and he has participated in many cave and wreck expeditions, including to HMS Hampshire, Vanguard and Royal Oak in Scapa Flow and the submarine HMS Olympus. (1.45 SUN)
Lanny Vogel
Anyone who saw cave-diving instructor LANNY VOGEL at last year’s GO Diving will know to expect a lively presentation. The Royal Navy commander retired in 2014 to ensure that cave-diving took priority. He had started teaching people to dive in 2003, qualifying as a technical instructor two years later.
With his wife Claire, Lanny owns and operates the Underworld Tulum dive-centre in Mexico’s cenote country, and originated the Cave Camp annual gathering for divers and instructors worldwide. Buckle in for a colourful ride. (2.45 SUN)
And that’s just the start…
This year the GO Diving Show encompasses three halls at the NAEC, Stoneleigh Park on 2/3 March, expanding to cover a cool 10,000sq m of exhibition space. There is so much for visitors to see and do!
As well as the Main and Tech Stages, there are dedicated stages for UK diving, underwater photography and inspirational tales – more on their glittering line-ups of speakers to come.
There is also the ever-popular Cave, the giant Try-Dive Pool and, new for 2024, an Interactive Bouldering Wall and a Dual VR Diving Simulator so that you and a buddy can venture “under water” together.
All these attractions are scattered among an ever-increasing array of stands from tourist boards, manufacturers, training agencies, resorts, liveaboard operators, dive-centres, retailers and much more.
GO DIVING SHOW TICKETS, which are valid for the entire weekend and include complimentary parking, are available now, priced at £25.
Scuba Diver magazine subscribers receive a special discounted rate of just £11.68, and those who have completed a Discover Scuba Diver session, or an Open Water / Advanced Open Water (or equivalent – see website for full list of relevant courses from PADI, BSAC, NAUI, RAID, SAA, SSI and SDI) – since 1 April, 2023, are eligible for FREE tickets.
Verification of subscription or course-completion is required for these special offers.
If you’re a BSAC, PADI, SDI, NAUI, RAID, SAA or SSI diver, get in touch with your training agency for special member discounts on tickets that will save you ££££s!
The 2024 show also sees the Ocean Film Festival taking place on the Saturday evening – settle in and watch a host of award-winning films on our giant screen on the Main Stage.
Entrance to the Ocean Film Festival is included in a weekend show ticket, so it represents even better value for money! (A ticket solely for the Saturday evening film festival costs £14.94).
