Daytime speakers

Divers often think about Truk Lagoon and Bikini Atoll as similar locations with some kind of wreck diving on offer, but the reality could not be further from the truth. Besides a shared location in the Pacific, Truk and Bikini are vastly different for reasons that encompass politics, history, diving depths, required skill levels, the types of wrecks and more. 

Aron Arngrimsson has owned and operated several high-profile technical diving operations, written for dive publications and training organizations, developed products with industry leading manufacturers and has regularly helped organizations develop training outlines. Aron has filmed documentaries and commercials along with hosting numerous TV and film productions including National Geographic, Dive Odyssey and Monty Halls and is now the co-founder of our sister company, Dirty Dozen Productions.

This is the story of the Ocean liner MN Viminale, sunk during World War II by an American torpedo boat off the coast of Palmi, South Italy. The Ship now lies at 107 m/350 ft of depth.

Andrea Murdock Alpini is a TDI and CMAS technical trimix and advanced wreck-overhead instructor based in Italy. He is fascinated by deep wrecks, historical research, decompression studies, caves, filming and writings. He holds a Master’s degree in Architecture and an MBA in Economics for The Arts. Andrea is also the founder of Phy Diving Equipment. His life revolves around teaching open circuit scuba diving, conducting expeditions, developing gear, and writing essays about his philosophy of wreck and cave diving. He wote the books: "Deep Blue: storie di relitti e luoghi insoliti" (2020), and in "Immersioni Selvagge" (2022). Actually he is working on a new book: "Andrea Doria: Un lembo di patria".

There are many thousands of shipwrecks around the UK, many have already been discovered but taking a  fresh look at sonar scans and venturing deeper has allowed forgotten wrecks to be rediscovered. This includes British warships HMS Jason, HMS Hoste & HMS Negro as well as the USS Jacob Jones.

UK based technical diver and Underwater Photographer Rick Ayrton has been involved in wreck discovery around the British Isles for many years. The past two years have been some of the most rewarding and productive. Rick is an award winning underwater photographer and he enjoys bringing images of long forgotten shipwrecks back into the public eye. In 2021 he published "Expedition Britannic" a book about the 2019 expedition that was well received by both divers and non-divers.

After a spectacular trip to one of the world’s best wreck diving destinations - Bikini Atoll, Super Typhoon Mawar left an already travel-weary group of divers stranded for ten days on one of the most densely populated and least visited places on earth. Ebeye Island, with no tourism infrastructure and little infrastructure in general, offered more than we could have imagined in the way of lessons we’ll all carry with us on future remote travel.    

              Raised on wreck diving and photography Becca Boring has been the Operations Manager of Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo for the last decade. She is passionate about documenting and helping others capture the beauty of the underwater world and has a particular fondness for the wrecks of the Pacific.

Explore the fascinating wreck and history of the Destroyer/Minesweeper USS Emmons. Sunk during the battle of Okinawa in April 1945 with the loss of 60 officers and crewmen, the Emmons remained undiscovered for more than five decades.  Resting in 145 feet of clear, warm, blue water the Emmons is one of the most intact, diveable warships from WWII.

Mike's fascination with maritime history and shipwrecks began after his first wreck dive off the New Jersey coast in 1971. Since then he has explored many shipwrecks in various parts of the world and has participated in numerous projects and expeditions. In 1985 he was part of the seven-man team that recovered the bell from the Italian luxury liner Andrea Doria. From 1989 to 1995 he operated a charter boat off the Virginia coast and discovered a number of wrecks, including the 4-masted steam-schooner Eureka that sank in 1888 carrying a cargo of general merchandise. While living in Europe from 1999 to 2004 he explored wrecks in the English Channel, Scapa Flow, Baltic Sea, Northern Ireland, Norway, and the North Sea - including three expeditions to document the wrecks from the Battle of Jutland. In 2002 Mike organized a team of English and American divers who traveled to Poland to dive the German liner, Wilhelm Gustloff, where more than 9,000 people perished after being torpedoed by a Russian submarine in January 1945, making it the deadliest shipwreck in history. From 2017 to 2022 Mike lived in Okinawa Japan, traveling throughout the Pacific, diving wrecks in Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Truk Lagoon, and Bikini Atoll.   Mike now lives in Florida, retired from work but not diving.

A key factor for the safety of diving operations is a correct risk assessment. This presentation focuses on identifying, mitigating, and managing risks derived from divers’ actions and interactions with the environment. Most of the diving mishaps originated not from a single step but rather from a chain of interconnected events. Interrupting even one of such events prevents escalating the problems. Good knowledge of the potential environmental hazards is also needed to develop a safe and proficient diving plan. Finally, the components of the diving team should be carefully chosen to create a synergic interaction that enhances the team's efficiency.

Dr. Giorgio Caramanna has more than 25 years of professional diving activity, primarily in high-risk environments (including caves, under the ice, and volcanic areas). He is a certified European Advanced Scientific Diver and American Academy of Underwater Sciences Scientific Diver. He is also a NAUI and DAN Instructor. He is a consultant for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (MA, USA), collaborating with the Diving Program in risk management for diving and scientific diving training. In 2018, he was awarded the “Golden Trident” from the International Academy of Underwater Sciences and Techniques for his contribution to the development of underwater science.

Fourteen flights, countless vans, three dive boats, an electric Land Rover and one hot air balloon carry documentary filmmaker Paul Cater Deaton to Kenya and Zanzibar for adventures high and low. First, diving off the coast of Kenya, then visiting the sprawling cities of Nairobi and Mombasa. On the Maasai Mara, at the northern tip of the Serengeti, PCD visits a Maasai village, films the Mara from a balloon and sees first-hand what Toto meant about the rains down in Africa. Then to Zanzibar, birthplace of Freddie Mercury, to dive the Indian Ocean and some surprisingly healthy reef systems.

Paul Cater Deaton is an award-winning Writer, Producer, Director and Cinematographer. Based in Galveston, he works all over the world on film, TV, music video and documentary projects. He is a popular speaker and master of ceremonies, making frequent appearances at international events. PCD is a member of the Television Academy, The Explorers Club, Boston Sea Rovers, Historical Diving Society and a NAUI Instructor. He is certified in Global Shark Biology, Biodiversity and Conservation by Cornell University and the University of Queensland and was recently named a Philippines Specialist by the Philippines Department of Tourism.

Diamond Shoals Light Vessel No. 71 was sentinel of the seas at arguably the most treacherous spot to navigation on the US East Coast, Cape Hatteras. On August 6, 1918 U-140, Under Korvettenkapitan Waldemar Kophamel attacked the Collier SS Merak, just off the outer Diamond Shoal. When the U-boat became aware that the nearby Lightship began transmitting wireless messages about the attack, the guns of the submarine turned on the unarmed lightship. Uwe Lovas first located and dived the LV 71 in . The vessel lies in 190 feet of water just to the South of Cape Hatteras. She is nearly intact and visually spectacular.

Marc Corbett, Panda Daniels, and Jay King are founding members of the North Carolina Shipwreck Project. A group dedicated to locating, exploring, researching, and documenting historic shipwrecks along the NC coast. The NC Shipwreck Project is a technical dive team, and extremely close group of friends who work together towards their goals. 

PROTEUS™, will change the way we explore and relate to the Ocean. Conceived as the International Space Station of the Sea, it is a collaborative global platform for researchers, academics, government agencies, and corporations to advance Ocean science. The platform will provide a transformative setting to enable significant advancements in climate solutions, renewable energy, future medicines and cures, and sustainable food sources.

Fabien Cousteau is the Co-Founder & Chairman and Chief Oceanic Explorer for rhe PROTEUS Ocean Group (POG). He is the grandson of Jacques Cousteau, and son of Jean-Michel Cousteau. Brian Helmuth, PhD is a 25-year Professor at the Marine Science Center at Northeastern University and Lead on POG Science & Research Strategy. Mark Patterson, PhD is a POG Lead Strategic Advisor and Northeastern Professor in Marine & Environmental Sciences/Civil & Environmental Engineering.

Renowned wildlife cinematographer Cristian Dimitrius highlights his fearless forays into Brazil's freshwater landscapes. With firsthand tales of diving among anacondas, caimans, piranas, and the graceful pink river dolphins, Dimitrius offered a riveting glimpse into these intricate ecosystems. He illuminated the challenges of filming in these environments, balancing the allure of capturing nature's raw beauty with the need for caution, all while emphasizing the urgency of preserving these fragile habitats.

Cristian Dimitrius is an Emmy Award Winning cinematographer, multi-task cameraman (top side and underwater), experient drone pilot and television presenter specializing in wildlife and natural history. In addition to several film credits including IMAX films, Cristian has shot and produce for the world’s top television networks including the BBC, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Netflix, AppleTV+, Animal Planet, Smithsonian, LoveNature, PBS and many others. With a large experience in the Brazilian Biomes, specially Amazon, Pantanal and the coastline, he is the right man to help you to get that stunning image your land mark series or any production working in Brazil. Due to its versatility and adaptation to different natural environments, Cristian has the ideal profile to get a better and more complete result in a shorter time. His cinematography has been acclaimed all over the world.

Plastic is everywhere... even in the paradise of Hawaii’s most remote and isolated Islands. It is adversely impacting birds and wildlife in one of the most distant places on earth, Midway Atoll, in the north central Pacific. Join Schoolyard Films and “the Wild Kids” on a journey to this incredible place to understand the impacts of plastic pollution and to try and educate everyone to "Turn off the tap!" And, meet the world's oldest banded wild bird, "Wisdom"... who may have life lessons to share with all of us.

              Amy Giannotti is a marine ecologist and proudly represents Schoolyard Films as their Director of Development. Amy’s love of the sea spans generations, as her great-great grandfather was a prominent captain of sailing ships from Cape Cod during the 1800s. Amy has a B.S. in biology from Marietta College and a M.S. in environmental sciences from the University of Virginia. She has extensive experience in freshwater and marine environments, including underwater caves and problems with invasive species.

The recent devastating declines of shallow-water coral reef communities are expected to increase as oceans continue to warm, leading to more frequent and severe mortality events. Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs), located between roughly 30 – 100m depth, are often buffered from several of the local and global impacts affecting shallow-water coral reefs and it has been suggested, therefore, that MCEs may serve as an important refuge for coral species. Yet, MCEs remain underexplored compared to their shallow-water counterparts, in part due to restrictions to accessing deep sites using traditional SCUBA. If MCEs are in fact an important lifeboat for coral survival, it is critical to understand the various processes regulating community composition and ecosystem function. Here, I discuss recent work exploring community composition on Caribbean MCEs and biodiversity on offshore seamounts using closed-circuit rebreathers as a research tool. As we continue to advance diving technologies we can gain a greater understanding of our underwater world and potentially discover resilient habitats.

Dr. Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley received her PhD from Harvard University in 2009 where she studied the evolution of corals across the Caribbean. She subsequently held postdoctoral positions in Florida and Italy, before settling at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences. During her time at BIOS she became heavily involved with studying the invasive lionfish, a project that led her to technical diving as they discovered dense aggregations on deeper reefs. She quickly became fascinated with mesophotic coral reefs and over time transitioned to a closed circuit system. In 2020 she joined the Central Caribbean Marine Institute as the Director of Research where she lead a team focused on documenting biodiversity on deep reefs, understanding community dynamics, and examining the potential of mesophotic reefs as thermal refuges.

    Diving combined with lab experiments has recently produced some exceptional discoveries of octopus behaviors. Join our adventures worldwide to witness octopuses sleeping and dreaming with colorful skin patterns, octopuses on the Great Barrier Reef conducting elaborate courtship displays, blue-ringed octopuses demonstrating social recognition via chemical sensing through their suckers, and some exciting brain and nervous system discoveries that are reshaping our understanding and appreciation of the elegance and adaptability of these strange animals.

              Roger Hanlon is a diving biologist who studies rapid adaptive coloration in cephalopods. He has conducted detailed field studies worldwide with the aid of diving citizen scientists and film crews, and has published 250 scientific papers, several dozen of which involve two dozen octopus species worldwide. He is a Senior Scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole and was trained at Florida State University, the University of Miami, and Cambridge University. Active public outreach includes TED 2019, BBC, NOVA, Discovery, National Geographic, TEDx 2015, New York Times, and others.

Beneath the Ottawa River in Ontario, Canada, Jill Heinerth has discovered a remarkable community of endangered organisms that have never been documented. Protecting these animals requires understanding and protecting a unique biota including lake sturgeon and other threatened species. Jill will take the audience on a wild ride through over 10 km of submerged passageways.

More people have walked on the moon than visited many of the places Jill Heinerth has explored on Earth. From the most dangerous technical dives deep inside underwater caves to swimming through giant Antarctic icebergs, Heinerth has been the hands and eyes of climatologists, archaeologists, biologists, and engineers worldwide. She was named the first Explorer-in-Residence of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and inaugural recipient of the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration. Jill is a Fellow of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, Underwater Academy of Arts and Sciences, Women Diver’s Hall of Fame, National Speleological Society, WINGS WorldQuest and the Explorers Club, which recognized her work with the prestigious William Beebe Award for ocean exploration. The Wall Street Journal, Oprah Magazine, and the New York Times have lauded Jill’s best-selling memoir Into the Planet. Dolly Parton selected Jill’s book, The Aquanaut, for her Imagination Library program. Running Cloud Productions of Australia is currently filming a feature documentary that will be released in 2024 and previewed at the Sea Rovers Film Festival.

In this presentation, listeners will delve into the underwater world of cinematography and gain insight on the ins and outs of underwater filmmaking. Maxwel Hohn talks about his behind the scenes of wildlife filmmaking and working with large productions like Netflix, National Geographic, and BBC and the steps he took to turn underwater filmmaking into a full time career

An underwater and wildlife cinematographer with a passion for showcasing the world's stunning natural diversity. Maxwel grew up on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia before travelling around the world evolving his skills as a photographer. Maxwel currently works for productions like Netflix, Disney, National Geographic, BBC, IMAX, and more. He is a rebreather diver, cave diver, and a brand ambassador with Divesoft, Huish Outdoors and a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Dr. Kernagis will provide an update on the latest research in diver health and performance.

Dr. Dawn Kernagis is the Director of Scientific Research for DEEP. Her research over the past decade and a half has centered around extreme environmental physiology, health, and performance optimization, funded by agencies including the US Navy, NASA, US Department of Defense, DAN, and the American Heart Association. Dawn has also been a diver since 1993; she was a diver and operations manager of multiple underwater cave and wreck exploration projects. In 2016, she was selected as a crew member of the NASA NEEMO XXI undersea mission. Based on her research and diving background, Dawn has been inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame, selected as a Fellow of the Explorers Club, and is the recipient of the 2018 Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society's Young Scientist Award.

Join us on a journey through European underwater history! Our career as support divers on underwater archeological projects takes us to rivers and seas, shallows and depths. We have seen the remains of a Roman bridge buried in the muck of the Danube river, Renaissance shipwrecks of Croatia, Roman piers in Slovenia. We will talk about the different environments we work in and our experiences as business (and romantic) partners on various projects throughout Europe.

Andrea and Tomas Kiss are instructors and passionate CCR divers. Over the years, SCUBA diving has become their lifestyle and profession. Founders of the AKITO dive team, with focus on diver training, underwater photogrammetry, support for scientific diving operations, and promotion of underwater environment and heritage protection.

Longtime Safety Supervisor, AIDA + CMAS Judge, and dive instructor Francesca Koe will share safety protocols from a host of high-performance international freediving competitions, along with best practices she's gleaned from lived-experience and real-world scenarios for every freediver, from novice to expert. The questions you will want to answer before diving in.

Francesca Koe, (longtime Editor-at-Large for DeeperBlue.com, and narrator of the smash Nextflix documentary "The Deepest Breath) brings extensive breath-hold & freediving competition experience as the VP of U.S.A. Freediving, a multi-agency & multi-disciplinary dive instructor, and as an active AIDA + CMAS judge for international depth & pool events. Francesca has worked at Vertical Blue for over a decade, collaborating in roles of safety, production & now as the Chief Media Officer of VB. Partnering with many other global schools & competitions, Francesca is focused on ensuring best-practices, medical training and safety are prioritized worldwide.

DEEP Research Labs and the DEEP Institute is pushing forward to future of underwater exploration. NASA has built spaceships and trained astronauts, DEEP aims to do the same thing with their underwater habitat design called 'Sentinel' and their training programs called 'Aquan'. DEEP is 70,000+ engineering hours into a 200m designed habitat capable of 30 days missions with 6 people. This habitat design is unique in that its expandable, redeployable and reconfigurable with a life span of 25-30 years. Additionally, DEEP is developing a line of submersibles to work hand-in-hand with the Sentinel habitat system. All of this is hand in hand with DNV, a classification and certification society.

Kirk Krack is a renowned ‘multi-disciplined’ diver and entrepreneur. Scuba instructor since 1988 and mixed gas instructor trainer since the mid-90’s, in 2000 Kirk developed one of the world first freediving educational systems, Performance Freediving International eventually training seven athletes to twenty-three world records and receiving the ‘DAN Rolex Diver of the Year’ award. He’s worked extensively in the movie industry recently training cast and crew for James Cameron on ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’. Kirk has joined DEEP Research Labs an ocean exploration and marine engineering company developing underwater habitats, submersibles and training.

Diving With a Purpose Collective  Approach to Restoring our Ecosystems (DWP CARES) is a citizen science-based initiative that teaches recreational divers the importance of the delicately balanced ecosystem that is the coral reefs and the effect of human impact on that ecosystem.  We train participants to identify and document the indicators of a healthy coral reef through reef monitoring.  Our participants are conducting surveys of reef fish, invertebrates and substrates over 5 years to assess the change in the ecosystem over time. Our program is growing and expanding from south Florida throughout the Caribbean and beyond.  Join us to learn about our efforts.

Chris Kraska is the son of an Irish mother and Polish Father who met and married in Scotland at the height of WWII while father was a seaman in the Polish Navy. As a marine archaeologist, divemaster, and underwater photographer Chris has made hundreds of dives in warm waters as well as on Lake Erie.   As part of his avocational work, Chris has been a member of MAST, the Maritime Archaeological Survey Team, since 2006 and served as the chairman of the board from 2012 until 2018. He has participated in numerous archaeological surveys as as a survey diver, dive safety officer, and project manager.Chris became involved with DWP CARES after meeting its Director while filming a documentary on Lake Michigan in 2019.  Since that time, he has helped shape the organizations educational platform and course structure as part of their education advisory board.Chris has degrees in political science, archaeology, and education.

Caribbean Reef sharks readily recognized their own image reflected in the lens port of an underwater camera housing, single sharks making up to 18 passes to look at themselves. Among 3 divers identically suited in maille, they surrounded the one whom they had not previously encountered. These events point toward higher-order cognition including a Theory of Mind and sense of Self, much like us. Sharks come from an ancient lineage, almost as distant from humans in evolutionary terms as insects. Sameness in that context has profound implications for our relationship with life on Earth, which we ignore at our peril.

Mark Seth Lender is a producer for wildlife content and Explorer in Residence at Living on Earth, nationally  broadcast to 250 Public Radio stations. He does his own fieldwork and writes and voices his material on air (2009 – present). He has a monthly byline at Connecticut Examiner (http://ctexaminer.com/) and is an occasional contributor to Estuary Magazine (http://estuarymagazine.com/). He is the author together with his wife Valerie Elaine Pettis of the award winning and much-beloved children’s book, Smeagull the Seagull, A True Story (http://smeagull.com/) The Decisive Sequence, the work-in-progress of his first book of photography is at https://marksethlender.com/the-decisive-sequence/ . Mark was inducted into the Explorers Club in 2015.

Join Kayla as she leads team members Jill Heinerth and Charlotte Pilon-McCullough to explore the three-masted schooner, the OLIVER MOWAT, in the waters of Prince Edward County region of eastern Ontario. The OLIVER MOWAT was considered the crown jewel of the Millhaven shipyards when launched in 1873 and her career lasted 48 years, representing the last of the era of wind and sail. Lost in 1921 and re-found in 2004, the wreck was kept secret for its protection. Come discover this amazing wreck with Kayla as part of a 2023 Royal Canadian Geographical Society Flag Expedition!

Kayla Martin represents the upcoming generation of shipwreck divers and since 2014 has shared her passion at conferences across North America. She promotes preserving historic shipwrecks and low-impact diving as the Heritage Ambassador for Save Ontario Shipwrecks and serves on the board of Ontario Marine Heritage Committee.She volunteers as a member of the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association Dive Team and assists the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society in creating 3D photogrammetry models.Selected as a 2023 Royal Canadian Geographical Society Expedition Grantee, she is currently leading an expedition to document the Oliver Mowat, an intact Great Lakes schooner. 

During the past 70 years of the Boston Sea Rovers, there has been an obvious but surprising parallel to the growth and opportunities in dive travel. Delve into the intriguing parallels between the development of transportation and the opportunities for scuba diving around the globe. We'll uncover the expansion of scuba diving destinations, brought to life with stunning images of diverse marine ecosystems.Expert insights and adventurous stories will be shared, illuminating the profound connection between transportation and the exploration of the hidden wonders beneath the waves. Discover how advancements in transportation have unlocked new horizons.

Nancy McGee, an intrepid explorer and filmmaker, leads a life of thrilling adventures and remarkable achievements. She made history as the first female Exosuit pilot and garnered the prestigious Explorers Club Fellowship for her groundbreaking expeditions in uncharted territories. Her documentaries, centered on conservation and education, have left a lasting impact, while her roles as a prominent speaker and emcee further amplify her influence. Besides her stellar career, Nancy made substantial contributions to public education, touching the lives of countless children, and played a pivotal role in launching aerospace education for PreK-12th grade students.

             Recently back from a historic expedition to Antarctica, where citizen scientists participated in 3 different polar studies, Faith will discuss the potential for citizen scientists to have an impact on scientific research especially in remote areas. As data gatherers, educators, and advocates for conservation and awareness, citizen science has an important role in raising awareness about parts of the world rarely visited and poorly understood. See for yourself!

         Faith has spent her life educating people about diving through her love and enthusiasm for the ocean, she inspires people and instills in them a passion for diving in all its forms. In early 1990’s, she worked with DUI to develop the first women’s drysuits before becoming DUI’s VP of Sales and Marketing for 20 years. She created the DUI DOG Rally and Demo Tour Program which promoted local diving facilities across the US, teaming dive retailers together while divers test dive DUI products. She now is the co-owner of Blue Green Expeditions which guides expeditions to all the oceans on the planet including multiple polar expeditions. Certified in 1979, she has over 6000 dives including 1000 plus technical and polar dives.

Rebreather Forum 4 was an international meeting held in April 2023 to discuss the current state of the art and best future directions for rebreather diving. An important goal was to produce a set of consensus statements generated during the event to reflect current evidence and strongly supported opinion of the presenters and participants on important current issues. The four thematic areas were safety, research, operational issues, and education and training. This presentation will review the 28 statements, considering the relevant background, applications, and implications.

Neal W. Pollock, PhD. holds a Research Chair in Hyperbaric and Diving Medicine and is an Associate Professor in Kinesiology at Université Laval in Québec, Canada. He was previously Research Director at Divers Alert Network (DAN) in Durham, North Carolina. His academic training is in zoology, exercise physiology and environmental physiology. His research interests focus on human health and safety in extreme environments.

Joe Romeiro has spent nearly two decades filming some of the oceans top predators around the globe and has one of the largest libraries of various species both day and night. Joe will be presenting about some of his latest work with sharks and showing off some never before seen footage.

Joe Romeiro is a multi-award-winning veteran wildlife filmmaker and Executive Director of 333 Productions. He is a member of the Explorers Club and in 2019 the Boston Sea Rovers awarded him the esteemed “Diver of the Year” award. Joe has spent over a decade filming and interacting with sharks all over the world. He has worked with many top celebrities and holds producer and filmmaking credits for Discovery Channel, National Geographic, BBC, Animal Planet and many more. His mission is to showcase sharks as beautiful creatures that are critical elements to our oceans ecosystem through personal interaction, education, research and filmmaking.He has worked with many respected scientists in the field to bring to light some of the world's first knowns about shark behavior and activities that astound audiences worldwide. Joe and his wife, Lauren, own a 45' research vessel located in Rhode Island, the R/V WARFISH, and has co-authored many scientific papers on shark behavior, movement, ecology and biology. His work focuses on his local New England waters, fighting for the survival of native species with an emphasis on the mako, blue, porbeagle and great white shark. His work has fueled awareness and legislation to protect these species not just regionally, but worldwide.

There’s a jungle off the California coast. It is lush, and green, and filled with a marvelous diversity of life. It is every bit a wilderness, with a complex ecosystem that is both resilient and fragile. And if you were to look at the islands poking their heads above the water about an hour outside of Ventura, you’d be surprised to be using those words. The islands look barren and dry. Hardly the place for thick jungles of plants and trees. But beneath the waves off these coasts lie the magnificent kelp forests, dense groves of mesmerizing plants swaying with the movement of the water and harboring some of the most beguiling temperate marine life to be found anywhere. Join Eco-Photo Explorers as they explore the kelp forests of California’s Channel Islands.

                 Michael Salvarezza and Christopher Weaver have been diving the waters the world since 1978.  They have presented their work numerous times at the Boston Sea Rovers Underwater Clinic, and all of the major dive conferences, and have published more than 200 articles in numerous magazines, including National Geographic Adventure. Their work has been used to support a variety of research and educational programs. Their expeditions have taken them from the Arctic to the Antarctic and many places in between.

The name Boston Sea Rovers is synonymous with exploration. Since the organization’s inception, some of its members have braved oceans around the world in the name of shipwreck discovery. From Spanish galleons to ocean liners to modern submarines, Sea Rovers have been behind some of the most important underwater discoveries and excavations of all time. Associate Sea Rover Joe Mazraani and Jennifer Sellitti of D/V Tenacious will lead you on a journey through time and highlight these famous shipwrecks and the Rovers who found them.

      Jennifer Sellitti is Marketing Director of Atlantic Wreck Salvage and a crew member aboard the company's vessel, D/V Tenacious.  She manages topside operations during dive expeditions, conducts historical research, and leads the team’s effort to educate the public about the importance of shipwreck discovery and salvage. A criminal defense attorney by trade, she is also a diver and a U.S.C.G. licensed ship captain. 

     Since childhood, Joe Mazraani has been fascinated by the the underwater world. Growing up in Lebanon, Joe spent his summers by the Mediterranean. He immigrated to the U.S. at age 15 and became a certified diver in the mid-90s. Joe quickly took to diving sunken wrecks off the Northeast U.S. coast. Shipwreck exploration is a way of life for Joe. He is president of Atlantic Wreck Salvage and operates the dive vessel Tenacious, which was specifically acquired and outfitted to accomplish several projects, including locating and exploring U-550 and other deep, uncharted wrecks in the North Atlantic. A criminal defense attorney by trade, Joe is also a U.S.C.G. licensed captain.

Shoreline Diving Services  has identified the remains of Defender, an experimental submarine designed and built by eccentricmillionaire and inventor Simon Lake. Lake designed and built Defender for military usein 1907, making one of the earliest examples of an American-made submarine. A team assembled by Richard Simon, vice president of Shoreline Diving Services, researched the vessel’s final resting place and dived and identified Defender’s remains on April 16,2023, more than seventy-five years after her sinking.Lake’s work was inspired by Jules Verne’s classic novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” and his designs often reflected scenes from the book. He builthis first vessel, Argonaut, in 1897, and it became the first submarine to operateextensively in the open sea. He built Defender for the United States Navy in 1907, but a competitor beat him out for the contract he sought. Lake spent years adapting andrefitting Defender for everything from underwater rescue missions to arctic expeditionsto salvaging gold from wrecked ships but, unlike his other submarines, never found abuyer for Defender. The vessel languished at the docks in New London, Connecticut and later beached on the mud flats at Old Saybrook. Defender was scuttled by the Army Corpof Engineers in 1946. Lake went on to build other submarines and secured more than 200patents for his inventions, including ones for periscopes, ballast tanks, and diver compartments. 

Richard M. Simon grew up diving and crewing on New England dive boats. Rick is a Boston Sea Rover & Frank Scalli Intern (2005) and  a TDI dive instructor holding both recreational and technical ratings. Rick is also the president of Manta Industries- a dive equipment manufacturing company; and is the vice president of Shoreline Diving Services, INC.- a commercial diving company specializing in inspection, salvage and construction. Rick is an avid diver; especially enjoying cave and wreck diving mostly on the East Coast but really anywhere around the world. When he is not diving he enjoys spending time on his with- with his wife Erin and their many farm animals.

The shark biologist who quite unexpectedly found himself in the middle of the newest white shark hot spot tells his story and the story of these magnificent creatures. Based on his book Chasing Shadows, written with Ret Talbot, Skomal highlights this remarkable conservation success story, which is loaded with cutting-edge science, drama, and controversy. From the fascinating early days of shark research on the east coast to the consequences of the so-called Jaws effect and the heart-stopping moment when he found himself beneath a 17-foot white shark off Cape Cod, Skomal sets the record straight about this iconic species.

Dr. Gregory Skomal is an accomplished marine biologist, photographer, and author. He has been a senior fisheries biologist with the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries since 1987 and currently heads up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program, where he has been actively involved in research on the life history, ecology, and physiology of sharks. He has written dozens of scientific research papers and his work has been highlighted in several film and television documentaries including programs for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and PBS.

Well-known videographers, Jim and Pat Stayer working with several experts around the world have compiled a comprehensive video library of marine animal behavior.  Topics include, approaching animals, cleaning stations, peculiar behaviors & rituals. They will share how to recognize animals mating, laying, bearing, and protecting eggs. This information will give you a better understanding of the underwater world and allow you to get the shots of your dreams.

The Stayers, Boston Sea Rovers Associate Members and Explorer Club Fellows, are well-known underwater filmmakers dedicated to sharing shipwrecks, animal behavior, and remote dive destinations around the world. Jim & Pat have discovered several historic shipwrecks, co-authored 3 books, produced hundreds of multimedia presentations, and their footage has appeared on numerous major networks worldwide.  They have directed several evening film festivals and are popular presenters across North America. The couple have been diving for 49 years and ran a charter boat on the Great Lakes.  Jim is a USCG Captain and Pat is in the Women Divers Hall of Fame. Together they have led an amazing life of adventure

Arguably the most important aspect of powerful photography is the idea behind it. Developing a complex idea that not only conveys what you're photographing, but shows it in a deeper, more intricate way is a challenge that all photographers deal with. More than just the technical aspects of photography you have to understand how you, as an artist relate to your subject and how in turn you relate it to others. Learn from Jake as he discusses the use of a photographic series in development of artistic, photojournalistic, and personal photography. Through this talk you’ll be able to get a better grasp of how to develop ideas around any photographic subject. With specific exercises and examples Jake will set forth a road map of how photographers can come up with ideas to create meaningful imagery.

Jake Stout is a wildlife photographer specializing in natural history photojournalism. A native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Jake developed his love of nature spending summers in New Hampshire. Jake has been sharpening his photography skills since 2009 and has worked across many genres of the medium.

Jake began his SCUBA journey in 2017 and never looked back. A year later, he was the recipient of the Boston Sea Rover’s internship in which he traveled around the world doing underwater photography with marine scientists, BBC and National Geographic photographers and filmmakers. In 2019 Jake had the honor of presenting his work at the Boston Sea Rovers Film Festival, the longest continually running dive show in the world, and was inducted as a full active roster member in 2020. He is currently developing underwater camera technology in the Red Sea at the Derya Akkaynak COLOR lab.

The Great Lakes region boasts a rich maritime history, with numerous shipwrecks resting on the lakebeds, ranging from remote locations to popular dive sites. This presentation delves into the allure of these submerged time capsules, shedding light on the stories of the ships and their fateful voyages. Additionally, we explore how modern divers are employing photometry and video technology to protect these precious wrecks. By documenting and sharing these underwater treasures, we can raise awareness about the importance of their preservation, ensuring that future generations can continue to appreciate the historical significance of these submerged relics.

Greg Such, a distinguished boat captain, seasoned explorer, and dedicated instructor trainer, has dedicated three decades to the dive industry. Greg's passion for underwater exploration has taken him to the far corners of the globe, with a special focus on wreck diving. His expertise extends beyond diving, as he imparts his knowledge to train both divers and instructors. A true advocate for accessibility to remote dive sites, Greg actively collaborates with organizations to ensure divers can access these hidden gems. His commitment to preserving maritime history is evident through his efforts to document these sites for museums, ensuring that the world can share in the wonder of these submerged treasures.

This presentation will discuss the thought processes and methods used to design and build a carbon fiber rebreather chassis optimized for minimal size and weight, maximum strength and streamlined balanced performance.

Captain Eric Takakjian a professional mariner has been sailing ships and oceangoing tugboats to various corners of the world since 1978. Eric has conducted extensive historical research on New England shipwrecks. Since 1985 Eric and his friends have conducted expeditions resulting in the location and exploration over 70 previously undiscovered shipwrecks in the waters around New England and outer continental shelf waters An avid shipwreck diver since 1975. Captain Eric has been a fellow of the Explorers Club since 1997, a member of the Board of Directors of The Steamship Historical Society of America, and an associate member of the Boston Sea Rovers.

Come take a walk on the wild side!  Whether photographing macro or wide angle, a new creative technique can give a commonly photographed subject an entirely new life and tell a unique story about the dynamic underwater world.  This presentation will showcase some very creative in-camera photography captured with special techniques, tips and tools, as well as share the secrets of the magic behind the shot. Sit back and enjoy marine life big and small from the waters around the world presented in an unexpected way.

Ron Watkins has been an award-winning photographer for 20+ years, writer, public speaker, conservationist and photography instructor specializing in underwater and topside nature photography. Ron is known as an adventurer who is passionate about sharing his knowledge of photography and gets as much of a rush from nailing a shot as teaching someone else how to do the same.  As a Backscatter Photo Professional Affiliate, he leads trips, reviews gear and teaches workshops.  His imagery and stories have been featured in numerous publications including Oceanographic Magazine, Alert Diver, Ocean Geographic, Scuba Diving, Scuba Diver Ocean Planet, and Unterwasser.

For 18 years, the Sea Rovers’ Summer Internship has played a major role in our mission to produce the next generation of diving leaders.  Following the spring semester, the 2024 Intern will partner with members of the Boston Sea Rovers and associates located throughout the United States to experience a wide variety of jobs and career choices.  Based in part on the personal interests of the Intern, the Internship will provide advanced dive training courses and ample opportunities to dive and train with a variety of dive professionals in a broad cross-section of diving environments.  Opportunities can include hands-on work with professional under water photographers and filmmakers, educational specialists, marine engineers and scientists, equipment manufacturer’s representatives, and dive shop owners.  In addition to the unique time spent with some of our most distinguished members, the Sea Rovers Intern will be outfitted with dive equipment (provided by Sea Rover corporate sponsors) for their use throughout the summer and will receive the necessary financial support to ensure travel and living expenses.  

Brady Watson of East Greenwich, Rhode Island is the 2023 Boston Sea Rovers Annual Summer Intern.  Brady will be a freshman at the University of Rhode Island in the fall, majoring in geological oceanography.  He is a certified divemaster and plans to pursue technical diver training.  His interests outside of diving include gardening and serving as the sports photographer for his high school yearbook.  He works for a pool company and as a divemaster.

This presentation will explore the use of a buddy system as a fundamental cornerstone of recreational diving and the responsibilities of a buddy diver.  The presentation will also examine the legal duty that a buddy diver owes to his/her diving partner and the liability that a buddy diver may face by deviating from those duties.  Finally, the presentation will discuss real case studies, present hypothetical scenarios to the audience, and offer suggestions to minimize buddy diving incidents.

Ron is an Assistant State’s Attorney at the Division of Criminal Justice in Connecticut.  He has been a prosecutor for 30 years and, before that, a civil trial attorney.  Ron is also an Adjunct Professor at Quinnipiac Law School and an instructor for the Connecticut Police Academy.  As a PADI IDC Staff Instructor for Scuba Shack, Ron enjoys presenting on topics where the law and scuba diving intersect.

March 24th, 2024 marks the 15 year anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Lady Mary. The Lady Mary was a 71’ scallop fishing vessel that sank on March 24th, 2009 approximately 60 miles off Cape May, New Jersey with the loss of 6 crew and one survivor.  In the following months a team of divers made several trips to the wreck.  During those trips the team was able to recover a member of the crew and document the shipwreck with both video and still photography. This photo and video documentation was turned over to the United States Coast Guard and was found to be vital to the USCG’s Board of Inquiry.  This presentation will talk about the sinking of the Lady Mary, the subsequent dives to the shipwreck, some theories regarding her sinking, and the findings of the USCG’s Board of Inquiry.

Paul Whittaker has been an active diver since 1987 when he first obtained his scuba certification.  Since then Paul has traveled all over the world diving in various locations to include Bikini Atoll, Truck Lagoon, Halifax, Okinawa, Guadalupe, Socorro, and the Great Lakes.  His favorite dive destinations are off of New Jersey locating and diving shipwrecks, and North Carolina diving for meglodon sharks teeth.  Paul is a retired New Jersey State Trooper and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.  He resides in Galloway, New Jersey with his wife and dive partner Jennifer.