VII Underwater Adventure - an account of the fair

Probably not everyone was happy, but you can’t please everyone after all. That much is obvious. Underwater Adventure in Anno Domini 2016 has already made history. Summing up one of this year’s biggest diving and non-diving events in Poland, it is worth noting that the 3-day formula worked better than the 4-day one last year. The first trade day was ideal to talk quietly and completely without queue to order something at the bar, sit down and consume. Both business and conversation took place in a friendly atmosphere. The pool, which was ready to receive divers this year, stood unbroken that day.

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Saturday and Sunday, in addition to our diving fair, are cosmetic fairs. There was a big problem with free parking already from the early morning hours. But expensive car parks behind the barrier were free. Efficiently organised registration, preceded by an internet campaign, buying tickets and downloading applications, effectively dispersed the queues.

Considering the previous years I had the impression that less people visited the Underwater Adventure this year. Surely the organisers will be able to confirm or deny this when they have counted and communicated all the percentages and figures.

Talking to exhibitors, I found out that although there were fewer people, they were much better prepared financially and in terms of content. Many came to buy, not just ask questions. On Saturday, and less so on Sunday, the stands were invaded by visitors. It became crowded, but bearable. However, it was a bit too hot and stuffy according to many visitors.

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What was waiting for us?

Dive equipment with knowledgeable owners and excellent instructors who were willing and able to advise enquirers and seekers with confidence. The possibility of trips offered to various corners of the world through dive tourism or through bases stationed in Croatia, Malta and Gozo, or other areas of the world.

Also advertised were companies offering applications for searching dive sites with full access to information on the body of water, access and possibilities to rent equipment or fill cylinders. DiversGuide, already present on the market for some time, and the new Live underwater.

The world of diving media was worthily represented by Podwodny Świat, Nuras.info, Nurkowa Polska and by us, i.e. D24. The magazine Podwodna Przygoda had its premiere.

Those looking for information about underwater archaeology could talk directly to diving archaeologists and even sign up for postgraduate courses. There were diving clothes, lighting equipment and insurance. Details on the website: www.targinurkowe.pl

Saturday also saw the start of Nurgres, which enjoyed, in my opinion, average popularity. Apart from “Starnasio”, who always gathers crowds and I don’t know why he is out of time, there were less known and more stressed ones, like Wojtek Teclaw, who made his mark in the history of diving by setting a world record in solving Rubik’s cube at the depth of 100 meters. As it turned out during the story, it is not such a seemingly easy thing to do. Part of the presentation was conducted by Maciej Jurasz with Wojtek. It took the record-breaker just over a minute to lay the coloured cube.

Those curious about photography could settle for a meeting with Marcin Dobas, photographer for National Geographic. The only female presenter was Aleksandra Stępień, who shared with the participants her knowledge about stress in diving. She wondered aloud whether stress is our ally or enemy. Presentations on wrecks also interested many people. Tomasz Stachura talked about ORP “Orzeł”, and Mariusz Borowiak, a writer-mariner, talked about ORP “Kujawiak”.

It was also film-related. His latest film, actually a part of the series, was presented by Darek Sepioło. Beautiful pictures from selected inland waters of the world, interlaced with drone shots and calm music gathered a large audience. Similarly, the screening of Bart Łukasik, who came to us from Africa to show his film “Gulf of Sodwana”. Here the music was more lively, and some of the pictures allowed you to look into the eyes of the animals.

The biggest audience was, as usual, Krzysztof Starnawski. Some had to settle for supporting the walls, as there were not enough chairs. Starnawski had two “entrances” and talked in a peculiar way about the 2015/2016 cave explorations.

Seminars and workshops were also held during the fair. Cylinder legalisation, accidents, supervising students, archaeology as a diving speciality, pool hockey, Geocaching in Poland, the wrecks of Malta, diving on Gozo or in Marsa Alam.

The cosmetics fair meant that the queues at the bar, both for the cashier and for the table, were not insignificant. Minutes and minutes flew by before you bought something and sat down to eat. Fortunately, some stalls offered coffee, fudge and doughnuts, and the more determined ran to a nearby fast food outlet.

On Saturday, the pool also welcomed its guests, who tested the diving equipment in the conditions for which it was intended.

I think the Fair was a success. Years of experience bear fruit in a positive way. Now it’s time to pay attention and think about how to interest people who don’t dive yet and those who are just entering the underwater world. We often forget that the place we enjoy the most is not about a new jacket, a colourful fin or an extra mask. It is about communing with animate and inanimate Nature, discovering the secrets of submerged history, building partnerships, safety, peace, knowledge and experience. This is understood best or only by enthusiasts.