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See some of the photos from Andy’s adventures

Caves

Wrecks

Wildlife

Kayaking

Rough

Planning

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After some training jump we played around with can

After some training jump we played around with canopies.
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Do some close proximity training and a nice flyby by Ally.
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#skydiving #skydive #adventure #parachute #fun

90 second kit intro to SCUBA (managed it in 89 sec

90 second kit intro to SCUBA (managed it in 89 secs this time)
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Specially how we go from a high pressure gas source to a breathable pressure using SCUBA to step down the pressure until we get what we need.
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#diving #dive #scuba #scubadiving #kit

A few years back I was tasked with racing a Peregr

A few years back I was tasked with racing a Peregrine Falcon (the fastest animal on Earth).
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All in the name of science and STEM education I strapped some prototype jets to my thighs and jumped out of a plane (not before having a go with a motorbike - pics 2 and 3).
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Spoiler Alert. I won.
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Photos by @mikeylovemore
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#skydiving #skydive #falcon #engineering #science

Following on from Monday’s post I thought I’d

Following on from Monday’s post I thought I’d put up a little clip form the BBC’s Operation Iceberg of Doug and me diving a Blue Lake and looking for submerged ice caves.
I’m the idiot going into the cave and Doug is the one filming it. Obviously. We knew our roles.
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#diving #dive #ice #adventure #glacier

90 Second Kit Intro to Reserve Parachute Deploymen

90 Second Kit Intro to Reserve Parachute Deployment Back Up Devices.
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We have a couple of backup devices as well@as our Reserve handle - the primary method of deploying our Reserve Parachute.

The RSL - Reserve Static Line
and
The AAD - Automatic Activation Device
#skydiving #skydive #kit #equipment #parachute

Doug Allan past away last week trekking in the Him

Doug Allan past away last week trekking in the Himalayas.

He was a legendary wildlife, polar and underwater cameraman and filmmaker who had a hand in almost any major BBC wildlife series you can name. From his first experience with a camera, filming underwater in Antarctica when was was part of the British Antarctic Survey through his work with David Attenborough from the early ‘80s he contributed to Blue Planet, Blue Planet 2, Life in the Freezer, Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and much much more.
He was awarded 2 Polar Medal, won 8 Emmy Awards and 4 BAFTAs, got an OBE for his contribution to wildlife filmmaking and environmental awareness.

I worked with Doug many times but the best of it had to be on Operation Iceberg (where the photos above are all from). It included 3 of the things Doug loved, the poles (in this case the Arctic), diving and polar bears. I was once asked on a live BBC Q&A if we were related (since we shared a Scottish accent) to which I replied he was my Uncle. A barefaced lie but it became a running joke.

Professional, gifted and with a passion for what he did and a knack for cutting through the waffle to get the job done well.

Wherever he is I hope it’s cold, snowy with clear waters to dive and, because I think they may have been his favourite, Polar Bears.

Thanks Uncle Doug.

90 Second Kit Intro to - Reserve Parachute (or Can

90 Second Kit Intro to - Reserve Parachute (or Canopy) deployment.
The Reserve parachute has 3 ways to deploy, and I’ll make a video on the other 2 later, but the primary method is by pulling the Reserve Handle.
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#skydiving #skydive #equipment #kit #parachute

Photo from freediving. All taken by the Da(a)ns -

Photo from freediving. All taken by the Da(a)ns - specifically my friends Dan Bolt and @daanverhoevenfreediver
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Two incredibly talented and award winning photographers that manage to create these images on a single breath.
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#freediving #diving #dive #ocean #underwatwr

One way of getting on top of a hot air balloon is

One way of getting on top of a hot air balloon is to grab the central ring while it’s still on the ground and let the pilot fill it with hot air.
And enjoy the ride.
#skydiving #skydive #extreme #stunt #balloon

90 Second Kit Intro to - Dive Knives. More accurat

90 Second Kit Intro to - Dive Knives.
More accurately cutting tools as only one of my, up to 4, is actually a knife.
Positioned on different parts of my body so no matter the situation I can reach something each one has a different pro in diving.
From line-cutter to trilobite to knives to shears. They can all be useful to save your life.
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#Diving #dive #knife #knives #blade

I tend to only cave to get to cave diving sites. W

I tend to only cave to get to cave diving sites. Which often means hauling heavy dive gear up, down, along, round, over and back through dry cave systems.
It makes you appreciate the weightlessness that awaits.
-Pushing towards sump 3 in Pyll y Cwm in Wales. Photo by Chris Jewell
-Exiting Otter Hole after a successful dive to the end of sump 7. Photo by Pete Hall
-Trying to get through the tidal sump of Otter Hole before it closes. Photo by Pete Hall
-Another sci-fi style shote from Chris Jewell
-Almost out of Otter. Photo by Pete Hall
-Two diving cylinders, regs, wing and all the other gear as I sweat my way in a wetsuit towards the final cave dive. Photo by Chris Jewell.
-The Long Crawl. Photo by Gavin Newman
-Pushing my dive kit before me in The Cave of the Dark Well. Photo by Stuart Keasley
-Resting by a pool in an abandoned mine. Photo by me. Usurpingly.
-Another shot by Pete Hall from Otter.
-A final shot showing just how muddy Otter Hole is.

#diving #cavediving #mud #cave #caving

Re-enacting a cave dive from 1935 in Wookey Hole.

Re-enacting a cave dive from 1935 in Wookey Hole.
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91 years ago Graham Balcombe and Mossy Powell wore heavy, Victorian diving kit to truly begin the art of cave diving.
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The kit weight around 80kg and is difficult to walk in.
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Underwater it becomes near weightless and is actually comfortable to dive.
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But unlike modern cave diving where one must stay off the bottom to avoid kicking up silt and mud on this dive I had to walk and crawl my way forward.
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Video by @richstevenson.uk
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#diving #dive #cavediving #diver #history

90 Second Kit Intro to a Main Parachute deployment

90 Second Kit Intro to a Main Parachute deployment from a skydiving rig.
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Disclaimer - it took a wee bit more than 90 seconds.
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#skydiving #skydive #kit #skydiver #parachute

The Britannic documentary was filmed for the BBC a

The Britannic documentary was filmed for the BBC and hosted by @kmhumble and myself.
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The dive team consisted of @kohlerrichie (seen in photo 2) Evan Kovacs @deepimageuk (who also took all these photos including the selfie of him and Rich decompressing in the bell - photo 5), Barnie and @richstevenson.uk
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A beautiful dive to 120m (400ft) using trimix breathing gas and closed circuit rebreathers to film this iconic shipwreck.
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The two hour special documentary marked the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic’s Twin Sister.
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A highlight of my diving career.
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All photos by @deepimageuk
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#diving #shipwreck #titanic #dive #militaryhistory

A few years ago myself and @richstevenson.uk were

A few years ago myself and @richstevenson.uk were asked to explore and film a flooded mine system in Wales.
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After carrying all our diving and filming kit in we dived the submerged shafts and passageways to discover the history and evidence of people’s lives.
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A moment in time@never captured before.
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#diving #dive #cavediving #explore #tv

90 Seconds Kit Intro - Dive Lights . Often diving

90 Seconds Kit Intro - Dive Lights
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Often diving torches or underwater filming lights are essential - in night dives, on deep dives beyond the reach of sunlight or in cave diving.
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There are many types and configurations of dive torches and lights. This is just an intro to some of mine.
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#Diving #dive #equipment #light #adventure

Big thanks to everyone who turned out for the @god

Big thanks to everyone who turned out for the @godivingshow and for coming along to watch my talk.
It was an incredible weekend and hosting The Main Stage was great fun with a line up of top class speakers:
@lizparkinson1
@backshall.steve
@lizziedalywild
Chris Lemons
(And me)
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See you all at the 2027 show.
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Photos by @bardophotographic
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#diving #dive #diver #speaker #speaking

I love scootering on a DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehic

I love scootering on a DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) and not just because I’m lazy.
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You can cover so much ground on a dive, see more and the speed is fun.
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And it’s especially evident when on a cave dive.
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When flying through the natural tunnels at full speed you can’t help but hear the Star Wars theme in your head. (And I look a bit like Darth Vader in all my kit)
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Video by @richstevenson.uk
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#diving #dive #cavediving #speed #starwars

90 Second Kit Intro to a skydiving rig or skydivin

90 Second Kit Intro to a skydiving rig or skydiving system.
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The skydiving rigs has a number of components:
-The Harness
-The Container
-The Main Canopy (or parachute)
-The Reserve Canopy
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It also has some other safety devices inside the Container which I’ll cover in a different video.
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Thanks for watching.
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#skydiving #skydive #adventure #equipment #kit

HALO jumps (there’s no unified definition but no

HALO jumps (there’s no unified definition but normally a jump requiring supplementary oxygen to be used and carried in freefall (or under canopy if it’s a HAHO jump)) are normally military only.
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But there are more opportunities for civilians and sport jumpers to try out HALO.
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I worked as a Jump Master and HALO Operator last year for a number of sport jumper groups.
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It had a lot of cross over with diving - pressure changes, physics, physiology, breathing masks etc.
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So, much fun and the use of more cool kit.
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Photos by @mikeylovemore
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#skydiving #skydive #skydiver #halo #highlife
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This weekend I’m hosting The Main Stage at the U

This weekend I’m hosting The Main Stage at the UK Diving Expo, the @godivingshow .
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But I’ll also be giving a short talk on last year’s Skydive To SCUBA Dive - combining the two things I love.
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Hope to see some of you there.
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Footage and fellow jumper/diver - @allymilne1
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#diving #skydiving #dive #diver #skydive

90 Second Kit Intro to - Diving Dry Tubes. . Somet

90 Second Kit Intro to - Diving Dry Tubes.
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Sometimes in cave diving we need to use dry tubes to transport equipment underwater that we want to keep dry.
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This could be camping kit on big exploratory projects beyond a sump (an underwater section of cave) or medic kit in a rescue or survey equipment in a science expedition.
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It’s the best way to keep the stuff you need to keep dry, whether that’s your sleeping bag, med kit or LIDAR, actually dry.
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#diving #dive #cavediving #equipment #kit

It’s the @godivingshow this coming weekend and I

It’s the @godivingshow this coming weekend and I’ll be back hosting The Main Stage introducing the likes of @backshall.steve @lizziedalywild @lizparkinson1 Chris Lemons and The Underwater Photographer of The Year with @alexmustard1
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Ill@also be giving a short talk on last year’s Skydive To SCUBA dive project.
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Lots to see and do over the weekend so hopefully I’ll see some of you there.
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Cheers
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Photos by @bardophotographic
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#diving #dive #diveshow #speaker #host

Just another standard morning. . . #Coffee #mornin

Just another standard morning.
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#Coffee #morning #morningview #skydiving #morningslikethese

It’s hard to look cool when you run off the top

It’s hard to look cool when you run off the top of a hot air balloon.
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The fabric is slippery as hell and it’s like trying to run across a semi-deflated Bouncy Castle.
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But once you take that first step you’re committed. There’s no stopping or turning back.
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This is the final viewpoint from our project in Bulgaria skydiving off the top of a hot air balloon.
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Filmed by @ilko_iliev_
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#skydiving #skydive #balloons #balloon #extreme

Another 90 Second Kit Intro. This week the Side Mo

Another 90 Second Kit Intro. This week the Side Mount Diving System.
A very quick intro to the equipment we often use to mount our diving cylinders on our side when cave diving or into tight shipwreck.
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Short and simple.
#diving #dive #diver #adventure #cavediving

I’ve posted about rebreathers recently. Even exp

I’ve posted about rebreathers recently. Even explaining, in as basic as terms as 90 seconds will allow, how they work.
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But sometimes Open Circuit, what most people call SCUBA, is a better choice for cave diving.
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Diving beyond sumps, flooded sections of caves, can be easier with the more portable kit.
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This type of diving equipment, when side-mounted - with a cylinder tucked under each arm, mean cave divers have lower profiles and can fit into tighter areas.
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Both types of equipment have their pros and cons and, as in everything, you need the right tool job.
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Photos by @richstevenson.uk
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#cavediving #diving #diver #cavediver #scuba

After last week’s Behind The Scenes of myself an

After last week’s Behind The Scenes of myself and @ilko_iliev_ on top of our Hot Air Balloon a few of you asked to see a shot of the jump.
So here is one view.
FPV drone filming by @niki.tanera
#adventure #skydiving #skydive #balloons #dangerous

Another 90 second Kit Intro. This time to Diving D

Another 90 second Kit Intro. This time to Diving Drysuits.
#diving #adventure #dive #diver #cavediving

Standing (and jumping) on top of a Hot Air Balloon

Standing (and jumping) on top of a Hot Air Balloon.#adventure #skydiving #skydive #extreme #extremesports