Recent News
Below are some of our most recent news items.Major move to Osprey Quay Portland planned in 2010 (09/10/09)
PORTLAND, DORSET, OCTOBER 2009:
Atlantic Enterprise UK Ltd is investing over two million pounds in a new Offshore Services Support facility at Osprey Quay, Portland. Plans are being finalised for the new purpose-built premises to support the company’s worldwide diving and hyperbaric services.
It will include office space, training room, workshop, diving complex and recompression chambers. Specialised dive tanks will be made available to training organisations. The unique facilities will provide divers an opportunity to experience a variety of commercial diving techniques such as hyperbaric wet transfers, dry chamber dives and umbilical diving as well as simulating confined space and wreck penetration diving in controlled conditions.
Enquiries from training organisations welcome.
Contact: Spencer Phillips
Telephone: 01202 660826
Basking shark migration patterns discovered (15/05/09)
For many years, scientists have wondered about the range and route of basking shark travels. Recent tagging results have revealed the extent of their migratory habits.
UK sea acidification study to be funded (29/04/09)
An £11 million study is underway to look at the effect of CO2 being absorbed into the oceans, making it more acidic in the process. The rate of change is apparently the fastest seen for at least 65 million years.
Audit work on Egyptian dive centres continues (28/04/09)
In an attempt to ensure common, safe standards are offered by dive centres in Egypt, the Chamber of Diving and Watersports (CDWS) are continuing with their audit of current operators. The process started in May 2008 and is due for completion by 31st July 2009, and will ensure that all dive operators are working to the same EN standard for recreational dive services.
Their website shows a current list of approved operators, as well as a blacklist of those Egyptian dive operators failing to meet the criteria and have been shut down, or if they are continuing to operate, they are doing so illegally.
Research suggests that hermit crabs do feel pain (01/04/09)
Researchers from Queens University Belfast have carried out a study which suggests that hermit crabs do in fact feel pain.
Elephant Shark sees in colour (01/04/09)
Genome sequencing on the elephant shark has revealed that its vision is closer to that of humans than any other fish. Published in the March 2009 issue of Genome Research, this research is set to shed light on how color vision evolved in early vertebrates over the last 450 million years.
German U-Boat U-40 found (30/03/09)
Divers have discovered the final resting place of the German U-Boat, U-40, which was sunk on June 23, 1915 off the coast of Eyemouth.
Hungry Oceans - what happens when the prey is gone? (17/03/09)
Oceana has published a paper discussing the declining prey stocks in the ocean and what effects this could have if the decline isn't arrested.
Coastguard release 2008 dive incident statistics (11/03/09)
Everything has been counted and the figures for the 2008 dive season have been published by the Coastguard. Looks like number of incidents are down, though sadly still too many fatalities.
Weymouth researcher studying declining ocean foodstocks (05/03/09)
A Weymouth researcher is part of a team looking into declining ocean foodstocks during a two-month expedition to the Antarctic.
Once gathered, results will be analysed at the Cefas laboratory in Weymouth.
An alternative way to build Portland diving reef? (26/02/09)
Divers familiar to the Dorset area may well already be acquainted with the sterling work of Wreck to Reef. They are attempting to gain the funding and permission necessary to decommission and sink wrecks east of Portland, in a sheltered location, which would blossom into a wonderful artificial reef. Similar projects around the World have had a tremendous positive impact on marine life. One inventor believes that it may be possible to use concrete to provide the basic structure ...
Work to continue on Europe's first artificial surf reef (26/02/09)
Following delays due to weather, work is due to restart on the production of Europe's first artificial surf reef off of Bournemouth, Dorset. Due to be finished in September 2009, it will be one of only four Worldwide that are aimed at amplifying waves for surfers.
Marine life also looks set to benefit, with the established reef providing a further attractive dive location in Dorset. Marine ecologists from Bournemouth University have been working on the project and have found that equivalent projects elsewhere tend to either concentrate or enhance marine populations.
HMS Victory found in English Channel (25/02/09)
A shipwreck that is thought to contain more than a billion dollars of gold has been discovered at the bottom of the English Channel, a salvage company says. The famed British warship, HMS Victory - the predecessor to Nelson's Victory, sank in 1744 and was said to be carrying Portuguese gold at the time. The vessel was found in 2008, but it's identity has only now been released.
Efforts are underway to protect the wreck following recent legislation.
10 Fantastic Marine Biology Videos (25/02/09)
From killer whales to jogging shrimps! See some great marine biology videos.
Hospital uses hyperbaric chamber to treat fire victim (25/02/09)
Woman suffering from smoke inhalation following a house fire was treated in a hyperbaric chamber.
Hyperbaric chamber saves shark attack victim's hand (25/02/09)
One surfer from Florida had a narrow escape after a shark bite left his hand torn to pieces. Hyperbaric oxygen was used to promote faster, more complete healing, avoiding the need for amputation.
UK study on the use of hyperbaric oxygen to speed up alcoholic detoxification! (24/02/09)
A pilot study is underway in the UK looking at the use of hyperbaric oxygen to speed up alcoholic detoxification. This follows a 15 year period of research in Russia.
Military landing craft rescued by coastguard off St Albans Head (22/01/09)
Portland Coastguard have coordinated the rescue of three individuals from a military landing craft (LCP 02) which broadcast a mayday signal alerting the marine emergency service that they were taking water.
