Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,
We hope you are all well, happy, and planning some cool adventures. We are traveling this week catching up with family for the first time since before lockdown and feeling very blessed to have some time with our loved ones.
We wanted to communicate the joy we are feeling with you and tell you about a few special topics that are also making us very happy.
Unusually for us, we are we’re drawing maximum joy from cave divers this week. To our avid wreck fans, think of it as a breath of fresh compressed air, and don’t worry, our normal wreck service will resume next week!
Jill Heinerth Gives You Wings
There is no doubt that DDE’s Special Guest Jill Heinerth has one of the coolest jobs on, or should we say under the planet. As she has boldly gone further through the veins of Mother Earth, a term that she uses to describe the feeling she has when penetrating unknown cave environments, where no other person has been before.
Her long list of incredible accolades is by no means a fluke, Jill has dived the world’s longest, deepest and narrowest caves, including an iceberg in Antarctica to name but a few. She is a member of The Explorers Club, an original member of the Women’s Diving Hall of Fame and this year has been inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.
When Jill is not submerged, she avidly works in and around the community across the world encouraging divers and non-divers alike to pursue their dreams and not be disheartened by any ceilings one may encounter.
So it goes without saying we were over the moon last week when into our inbox Jill dropped links to her brand new documentary about her life a radical cave diver, by Red Bull.
Canvas Shop Update
Second up on our list is the amazing response we have had on our Canvas Shop. Another bright idea we had during lockdown when we, like everyone else, took some time to work on our homes.
Originally, Aron our founder was just going to upload his own photography. However, we quickly realized with the fantastic line up of special guests past/present/future that we would be able to provide a huge array of incredible photos from incredible photographers.
Scroll through the selection below to see some of or canvases from Truk and Bikini that have already found a wall to adorn in our team member’s houses!
We make canvases by gallery stretching, a method in which part of the image falls on the ends of the frame, it is then wrapped tightly over the mount and it has no gaps around the edge. This kind of printing does not require any additional work and your canvas is immediately ready to hang on your wall to add some adventure as soon as it arrives.
Check out the Galleries here and get one for your living room!
Upcoming Special Guests
Finally in our news this week we are making fresh additions to our awesome Special Guest lineups as the 2022 roster starts to fill up. They not only make us stand out from the crowd but allow you the chance to dive alongside a selection of real modern-day pioneers and cool characters. Check out the other team members here!
We have several new announcements to make, but we would like to start with our dear friends Jon Kieren and SJ Alice Bennett.
With a background in event and documentary photography, SJ has a passion for creating images that tell a story, and that allows the viewer to relive the moment of capture, as it was experienced.
With a camera in her hands since the age of 10, and degrees in communication and graphic design as well as visual and motion design both with a focus on photography, it was only natural for SJ to combine those skill sets with her passion for diving.
Settled in Tulum, Mexico full time, SJ works as a full-time offering land and underwater photography, print and digital design services, brand development as well as design projects to businesses around the globe.
Global Underwater Explorers Photo Of The Year 2020
SJ's photos are unreal with an ethereal quality, check them out for yourself on the ‘gram here!
You may recognize more of her work than you think as all the DD branding and design is her awesome handy-work since day 1.
Her partner in crime, Cave, tech and CCR instructor trainer Jon Kieren has spent the past twelve years working on improving diver training on a global level. As an active TDI/IANTD/NSS-CDS and GUE Instructor, TDI Training Advisory Panel member, and former training director for TDI, he sure is the person for the job.
As an instructor, Jon works alongside his students to give them an unforgettable learning experience so they may confidently achieve their diving goals.
Fancy joining this dynamic duo on a trip of a lifetime to Truk Lagoon? We are now open for pre-bookings on their expedition.
That pretty much sums up the news for this week.
I hope you all had a great week and have some fun plans this weekend. If not, or even if you do, don’t forget, if you feel lonely at any point, we are here to chat Dirty.
Love,
Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team