🏅👩‍🚀Explorer’s Gold

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

We hope you have had a good week. A lot has been happening here at DDE HQ, so sit back, relax, and enjoy our weekly update.

EXPLORERS CLUB: CHALLENGE COIN AWARD

To celebrate the next generation of explorers, it was with great excitement that we presented a Challenge Coin from the Explorers Club to our youngest DD member, Perry Brandes.

Since the day we met his passion for exploration has been evident. Being the youngest diver surrounded by saltier, older sea dogs geeking out on WW2 history during our first expedition together last December, it has been an honor to see Perry’s adventurous drive continue to thrive. 

We understand how hard and confusing it can be taking an uncertain and unconventional route in becoming an explorer, and Perry’s unrivaled passion is a sure-fire way to exploring success. 

Congratulations Perry, you really are a shining example of the future of diving and we look forward to toasting your achievement with a frosty Natty Light on the next DDE expedition! Here’s to the Sea Donkeys!

Read more about The Explorers Club HERE

CHERNOBYL OPERATIONS RESUMING

Keen to strike a keen balance of being excited and not wanting to jinx it, we are over the moon to see that our November expedition to Chernobyl is going ahead with the extended exploration inside the powerplant being booked! If you are free next month, join us! We have a spot left with your name on it!

Rather topical this week, Chernobyl has been hitting the headlining bill on Netflix as David Attenborough’s witness statement detailing his experience with the devastating decline of biodiversity across his 93 years on earth is laid out in his latest film, A life On Our Planet. 

The film begins and ends in the great lands of Chernobyl and is a thrilling example of nature’s power to rewild and repair the seemingly irreversible damage that humans are causing.

Watch as David takes the viewer on a mesmeric journey into the harrowing state of the world we inhabit, as he appears defeated, and then empowers the audience with his tangible solutions to reverse the great death we are responsible for in order to preserve life for the future generations.

where in the world are TEAM DD?

If you ever dived with Aron, it is almost guaranteed he tagged your rebreather with the revered red spot! Here’s Laura on the HMS Cassandra with her tagged CCR! HMS Cassandra was a C-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. The cruiser experienced a short career, commissioned in June 1917, and sunk by a mine in the Gulf of Finland during the British intervention of the Russian Civil War at the end of 1918. 

Send us your pics of your DD stickers showing us where you dive for your chance to be featured.

🎧👂THIS WEEK’S DEEPERBLUE.COM PODCAST

Listen as producer Jason Elias sits down with Aron as they delve deep into what draws him to these wrecks, why he chases them around the world, and why seeing these wrecks up close has given him some perspective on himself and mankind. 

Available for streaming on a platform near you now. Click HERE to listen in.

Canvas Shop Update

This weekend we are offering 20% off on all our canvases. 

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 our selection and get your print here now! What image will you choose?

TRIP ALERT: Galapagos

Remember when we brought the most insane recreational Galapagos deal direct to you a few weeks ago? Well, we are doing it again today. 

When travel agencies reserve spots on charters, they receive special deals that then expire after a set amount of time. Since this period has now elapsed, we had a insider alert early this morning and DD is able once again to offer you these remarkable prices to visit the real Jurassic Park. 

Please write to us straight away if you want to reserve a spot because last time we released these cheap spots, we sold them within moments and it really is first come first serve.

Oh, and before you ask, these recreational charters are unable to cater to CCR guests. If you are interested in diving the Galapagos on your rebreather then see our website for our exclusive CCR charter dates.

Galapagos is always full, and always at full price. This is only happening while the vessel resumes operations. If your schedule is flexible, do not miss this opportunity!

Galapagos Availability 

7 Day Cruise

3570USD from 5950USD

09 - 16 November 2020

16 - 23 November 2020

14 - 21 December 2020

21 - 28 December 2020

10 Day Cruise

4560USD from 7450USD

03 - 13 December 2020

28 December 2020 - 07 January 2021

TRIP ALERT: Chernobyl

Like we mentioned above there is a opening on our 19-22 Nov 2020 trip that is going ahead next month. 1030USD.

Contact us immediately for more information.

🔥Exclusive DD Direct Line: the hot line

👇👇👇 True to our level of customer service, here is our direct line IM contact if you need to reach Aron quickly. Just use the WhatsApp camera to scan the code and get all your expedition questions answered.

That sums it up for Dirty Dozen this week. We hope you have some fun plans coming up this weekend but if not, don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely then we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

💰5 Cheats To Get That Money Shot

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

We hope you have had a good week. This week we were excited to have been featured in GUE’s very own blog, InDepth, as they showcase our Knowledge Base to all their members.

We have also been spending time cataloging our vast array of imagery that we have collected over the years from all our incredible expeditions. Our photos have been used in dive press all over the world, and so we thought we would share some of our wreck photography protocols for all those aspiring wreck hunters. 

A SEMI-PRO RIG IS NOT A DEPOSIT ON A HOUSE

A common misconception is that to get photos that adorn dive magazines worldwide you need years of experience and photo equipment that belongs on decks on National Geographic shoots.

Well, in part this is true, however, the daily rig that i acquired as a workhorse for DD expeditions as you can see in the photo below, cost me less than 3000$ second hand. It is not the newest DSLR on the market but it has already taken several magazine cover shots, with hopefully many more to come. I will list in detail what equipment I use personally for wreck photography below.

FIGURE OUT YOUR YOUR RIG - AND SETTINGS

Let me guess - you spent a fortune on your dream photo setup with offboard lights and you found yourself pretty flustered on the dive deck after taking the setup out the first few times! 

From learning how to weight your housing correctly to understanding what buttons to press, underwater photography is complicated at the best of times, especially with a rebreather. Mix in variable exposure, visibility and hundreds of moving objects in one shot at a time, and you could easily be overwhelmed.

When I knew my underwater photography was going to be wreck focused for quite some time - I decided to rig my setup to make it as simple as possible to operate while taking care of the people around me on our expeditions.

Having spent most of my career filming underwater, a simple mechanical housing with a fixed 15mm lens has worked best for me. It allowed me time to get comfortable with adjusting the important part - camera settings and lights while “restricting” myself to 15mm.

Photo Settings

Wreck: Shinkoku Maru

Location: Truk Lagoon

Depth: 20m/60ft

Camera/Housing: Nikon D800/Aquatica housing with Acrylic Dome

Focal length: 15mm SIGMA

F-number: 2.8

Exposure time: 1/250

Onboard Lights: 2 x 15K Lumens - Big Blue

The beauty of this focused learning curve is that once you have your camera settings dialed, they only need slight adjustments while your shoot in the same environment (inside or outside a wreck for example).

Getting familiar with your camera and honing a winning set of baseline presets to begin your dive will help you accelerate the rate at which your images improve on a dive trip.

PLANNING

For some background on the photo below: I had a light assistant, a professional model and only two dives to get the money shot on this very well-known wreck and we decided to head straight for the famous 16” guns! 

Sometimes you only get one shot, and this time was no exception. 

Step 1: Find a good model that is willing to sacrifice their own exploration on one of the dives for the perfect shot. 

Step 2: Find a light donkey/assistant to carry all the heavy offboards! Many liveaboard vessels rent these bad boys out including our vessel which can save you mega $$$ for this kind of set up. 

Step 3: DO NOT try and do everything on one dive. On this shot, Geoffrey and I figured out the offboard lights and test shot on the first dive. We left the lights on the wreck in position and returned on the second dive to shoot so we would have a much higher chance for success due to our careful planning and execution.

Photo Settings

Wreck: IJN Nagato

Location: Bikini Atoll

Depth: 60m/200ft

Camera/Housing: Nikon D800/Aquatica housing with Acrylic Dome

Focal length: 15mm SIGMA

F-number: 2.8

Exposure time: 1/25

Onboard Lights: 2 x 15K Lumens - Big Blue

Offboard Lights: 2 x 30K Lumens + 2 x 15K Lumens - Big Blue

We ended up spending the best part of an hour at 60m getting this shot. It can be very hard to decide what to spend your time and energy on. But for the money shot, you need planning.

SHOOT FROM THE HIP

Contrary to the advice above, one of the best tips I received from a dear friend was to shoot from the hip. 

With big memory cards that get cleared after every dive onto primary and backup drives, you have the luxury of space! Shooting random shots from the hip during the dive can come out great. It makes the whole process more fun and you can look forward to finding that great shot during post-production sessions in the lounge between dives.

Wreck: Nippo Maru

Location: Truk Lagoon

Depth: 40m/120ft

Camera/Housing: Nikon D800/Aquatica housing with Acrylic Dome

Focal length: 15mm SIGMA

F-number: 3.2

Exposure time: 1/250

Onboard Lights: 2 x 15K Lumens - Big Blue

POST-PRODUCTION CAN BE KEY

This is where the magic CAN happen! Note that your new best friend will be white balance, so make sure you shoot in RAW. Sometimes a rusty dome, pesky fish and plankton can be a distraction to the wreck story you want to tell. 

Photoshop Spot Healing Brush says no problem! But be careful here as there is a fine line between distorting reality and telling a story. Focus on transforming your underwater photos into something you would be proud to share.

Before editing in post production.

After editing using Photoshop.

FINAL TIP - REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN

Underwater photography can become an obsession, and I have found myself behaving in ways which were maybe not appropriate because I put too much pressure on the shot. This can be a hindrance to the enjoyment of the wreck diving for you and the people around you.

Try diving with a buddy who shares your passion for capturing the perfect moment, remember to have fun and the MONEY shots will come!

IN OTHER NEWS

#CCDD Episode 7. SJ Alice Bennett: Capturing Shadows Underground

“Caves are magical and unique.  There is so much variety it’s hard not to capture a good shot.”

DD’s Special Guest SJ Bennett 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 and during her time in the hot seat with Aron on Coming Clean with the Dirty Dozen, she gave us an extraordinary breakdown of her photography techniques. 

Catch up below now on SJ’s episode of #CCDD:

SJ Alice Bennett and partner Jon Kieren are running a trip for us! Fancy joining this dynamic duo on a trip of a lifetime to Truk Lagoon? We are now open for bookings on their expedition.

KNOWLEDGE BASE UPDATE

KNOWLEDGE BASE UPDATE

This week we have been glued to Jacque Cousteau’s Lagoon of Lost Ships in the DDE Knowledge Base and watching Philippe Cousteau search out the wrecks in the lagoon using a sonar scanning system to discover the wrecks of Truk Lagoon as they had been left mid-fight, 25 years before during the war

Check out this awesome film, and all our other resources in the DDE KB now. If you are not already on the email list inquire about it and we will send you the password!

That sums it up for Dirty Dozen this week. We hope you have some fun plans coming up this weekend but if not, don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely then we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

🚢 🏥 HMHS Britannic: A DD Expedition In The Making

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member, 

How has your week been? We have exciting news on the table to share with you!

The DDE Team has been looking for an opportunity to dive the ‘Everest’ of wrecks for quite some time now. We are of course talking about the HMHS Britannic. This ship was the third and final vessel of the White Star Line’s Olympic class of steamships. The other liners in the fleet included RMS Olympic and the RMS Titanic. 

There are a few challenges to diving this wreck that perhaps give it its revered status in the wreck dive world. 

Stringent permission is required from the Government as the wreck is situated in the deep waters of the Aegean Sea, near the Greek island of Kea, and lies at 120m.

We are not planning to make this an active part of our schedule, but more of a one-off special. The Britannic expedition is currently in the very early planning stages and a potential date for the dive is fall 2022.

SO, if you are MOD 3 CCR, have logged experience of deep diving in similar conditions, and are keen then email us now to register your interest and we can look at assembling an all-star DD team to dive the Britannic.

DD BRITANNIC KNOWLEDGE BASE

The Britannic has been mentioned several times during our lockdown podcast series #CCDD, notably and in length, with Dirty Dozen’s very own Special Guest, Richie Kohler. He has now dived the Britannic seven times, three of which in a submersible, and four diving expeditions.

“The reason why we went to the Britannic was that when the engineers looked at the pieces of the missing bottom of the Titanic, the double hull, and they started to come up with a theory that maybe these expansion joints are what broke the Titanic in two. We wanted to look at a similar ship, so where else would we go but the sister ship, the Britannic” - Richie Kohler.

Check out Richie in the hot seat and strap in for 90 minutes of epic interviewing:

Another great source of information while researching the Britannic is this historical docudrama that reveals the unique scenery on the ill-fated sister ship of the famous Titanic.

High-tech, deep-ocean submersibles and underwater research equipment allowed the team to capture unique footage of the sleeping giant in depths exceeding 100 meters and behold the long-gone wreck of the hospital ship in all her silent glory.

Watch the trailer here to get the urge to dive!

Richie is in good company with the other members of the Dirty Dozen Team who have dived the Britannic previously. 

Mark Powell visited this iconic wreck site and commented and his experience:

“The Britannic was one of my bucket-list wrecks. The Britannic, Truk Lagoon, and Bikini Atoll is probably on the bucket list for almost every diver. The Britannic, sister ship of The Titanic, absolutely fantastic wreck. The history behind it, the difficulty getting to it, and the wreck itself is just overall an incredible experience. Also, importantly, the divers that I did it with, same as The Dirty Dozen trips its the group that you go with that makes the trip memorable.”  Mark Powell

Check out our episode where we interview Mark Powell on Coming Clean with the Dirty Dozen. *Grab a notebook because you may want to remember some of this one.

IN OTHER NEWS

Aron’s been talking about travel, wrecks, and freedom in the latest episode of Fancy A Brew Podcast. 

Host Andy the Northern Diver talks to those who have influenced him as a diver, about their incredible experiences and how they found mental and physical resilience while devoting their lives to Scuba Diving. Check out the interview in the link below.

KNOWLEDGE BASE UPDATE

The latest edition to the DDE Knowledge Base is from OceanX with an ocean exploration initiative from Dalio Philanthropies.

OceanX is on a “mission to explore the ocean and bring it back to the world.” Check out their recent video from Bikini Atoll. Remember - our password to the Knowledge Base is: DDERocks

That sums it up for Dirty Dozen this week. We hope you have some fun plans coming up this weekend but if not, don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely then we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

🇪🇨Galapagos Availability (UPDATE)

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

Due to the unprecedented amount of interest this weekend over our exclusive 40% offer on Galapagos sailings until the end of the year, we decided to give you an availability update as of Monday morning, giving you a chance to see what dates are left should you still be interested.

These are all 7 Day Cruises and the price is 3570USD from 5950USD and the dates available as of 21 Sep 2020 are:

• 12 - 19 October 2020

• 26 October - 02 November 2020

• 02 - 09 November 2020

• 14 - 21 December 2020
  

This really is a once in a lifetime offer as Galapagos is always full, and always at full price. So if your schedule is flexible at the end of this year, get in touch! *PLEASE NOTE that this offer applies to standard Galapagos Master itineraries - no OC Tec or CCR support.

You can read more about the vessel and itineraries on our website or from our partner Blue O Two on THIS link.

Should you want to book - the time is of the essence as offices open this morning. Please send the following information to aron@thedirtydozen.org with the date you wish to request to book:

• Full Name as per passport

• Email

• Telephone Number

• Diving Certification

• Country of residence

That is our quick update this Monday morning. We hope you had a great weekend and don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely then we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

💥☄️Galapagos At Nearly Half The Price

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

We are here to pump you up for the weekend with an unreal offer from our newly reopened expedition vessel, The Galapagos Master.

EXCLUSIVE DD BLACK FRIDAY DEALS!

The Galapagos Master liveaboard is celebrating the commencement of operations from 14th September 2020 since they were grounded earlier this year. As the vessel does a soft re-launch, we are able to offer 40% off all remaining departures to Galapagos in 2020.

This really is a once in a lifetime offer as Galapagos is always full, and always at full price. So if your schedule is flexible at the end of this year, get in touch! *This offer applies to standard Galapagos Master itineraries - no CCR support.

Email Aron now to claim your spot: CLICK HERE

Still MODERN-DAY Jurassic Park

We know that this destination is slightly different from our usual hangouts as this underwater paradise isn’t strewn with magnificent wrecks, but it is the best place in the world to experience pelagic diving so of course, we love it and we cannot wait to launch our CCR ONLY Expeditions!

Fancy exploring the Galapagos on a DDE expedition on a CCR? Check out our VERY rare and exclusive CCR ONLY itineraries as well as a mixed CCR/OC expedition in 2021/2022.

Contact us now to find out more as the dates are close to selling out.

PLASTIC BOTTLES ARE SO UNCOOL

Taking a leaf out of our partner’s book, we have joined the fight and all single-use plastic water bottles have been banned from our expeditions.

We invite you to become part of the solution in fighting the growing plastic problem, by bringing your own personal water bottle for your holiday. 

Stay cool and get your hands on an exclusive DDE Signature Series water bottle. Click on the picture below to visit our shop where you may check this and all our exclusive DDE merch out.

Knowledge Base UPDATE

First of all, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude for all the amazing responses we have been getting out in the community since setting up the knowledge base. This will energize us to keep stocking it up for many years to come!

One of the highlights of this week’s uploads is the National Park Service Submerged Cultural Resources Unit assessments of both Truk Lagoon and Bikini, available now in the base. An excellent resource to establish a baseline while doing research for either destination.

NPS SUbmerged cultural resources unit

Assesment of the fleet of Operation Crossroads at Bikini and Kwajalein Atoll Lagoons.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

NPS SUbmerged cultural resources unit

Submerged cultural resources assessment of Federated States of Micronesia.

Want to know more?

Video Highlight

We added quite a few documentaries and various clips from around YouTube that will keep you intriqued over the weekend. If you have not had the chance to see Radio Bikini yet, please do. It was nominated for an Oscar in the 80’s, one of the really few well produced documentaries of the history of Operation Crossroads.

If you have not gotten the password to the knowledge base yet, sign up to our newsletter by sending a inquiry and we will send it to you!

Wreck Watch Magazine

If you are into ocean exploration, adventure, marine conservation, history, archaeology & treasure, do not miss the opportunity to get your geek on and check out this new magazine only just launched onto the scene.

The inaugural double issue released in September 2020 features 113 packed pages, the biggest marine exploration magazine in the world, rich with cool content including Seven Seas News, features, scandals, iconic explorers, and further reading with some cool book recommendations.   

And of course, we couldn't let an opportunity pass us by to talk about wrecks! Stay tuned for an article from DDE coming soon in Wreck Watch Mag.  

Read more now, click the image above.

Well, that’s about it from us guys this week.

We hope you have some fun plans coming up this weekend but if not, don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely then we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

🤓 Knowledge Base BETA Launch

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

As always we hope you have had a great and dirty week.

Today we had to upgrade our subscription to the email provider we use because so many of you have signed up, and second because we reached a new level of subscribers. Thanks for everyone signing up! Now, lets get onto the highlights of this week.

DD KNOWLEDGE BASE BETA - Spreading Love: the DD Way

As we love sharing information with you all, we made a new resource for you to explore. Study up on the blueprints of the wrecks we dive in Truk and Bikini, get geeky with academic papers, and watch hard-to-find documentaries in our new Knowledge Base.

This is a password only page for our members and will be sent out in this weeks newsletter.

This knowledge base will be updated regularly and we are heavily updating it over the weekend, so make sure you drop in every now and again before your trip.

For those people keen to enter the Knowledge Base and who are not on this mailing list, subscribe now - drop us a inquiry at the bottom of the page asking for the password in the comments section.

USS Saratoga Schematics

DIVESOFT DIVETALKS EXTRA

Aron was in the hot seat last night at Divesoft.TV getting grilled by Jakub on all things Truk, Bikini, and Chernobyl on Divetalks Extra. This informal chat was accompanied by a few drinks and lots of laughs.

Catch up on the episode on the YouTube link above!☝🏼

DIRTY DOZEN FEATURED ON EXPLORERS CLUB SOCIAL

This week DD had a feature on the revered Explorers Club page. As a company, we go on quite a bit about the Explorers Club and often mention some of our Special Guests are members. Since its inception in 1904, the Club has served as a meeting point and unifying force for explorers and scientists worldwide.

Featured image from USS Lamson in Bikini Atoll.

The Club’s members have been responsible for an illustrious series of famous firsts: First to the North Pole, first to the South Pole, first to the summit of Mount Everest, first to the deepest point in the ocean, first to the surface of the moon—all accomplished by their members.

Our Aron is a proud member too and between this video and photo below - you can see their annual dinner in New York where all the club members meet for a weekend in the clubhouse, finishing off with a huge Gala dinner. Last year ECAD was celebrating 50 years since humans stepped on the moon, with Buzz Aldrin and seven other NASA astronauts in attendance.

Check out more about the club here, and if you fancy yourself as a member and think you have what it takes… drop Aron a line to ask him for a guidance and sponsorship.

DIVEASSURE C-19 UPDATE

Our affiliate partner DiveAssure is happy to announce that their new Dive&Travel membership plans currently include different kinds of Covid19-related coverage such as

• Medical expenses for treatment of Covid19 during a covered travel, as described in the schedule of benefits.

• Cancellation and curtailment of travel due to Covid19, as described in the description of coverage.

• Quarantine expenses during a covered travel, as described in the schedule of benefits.

 It should be emphasized that the membership plan must be completed within 14 days after the first payment of a deposit for the trip and at least 14 days before an infection occurs for the Covid19-related coverage to take effect. Furthermore, they are offering 15% discount on their Dive&Travel plans until the end of the September.

Interested? Click here to use our affiliate link to get the best deal.

Important Availability Update

⚡️⚡️⚡️ Trip alert: 1 space has come available on a coveted trip to Bikini Atoll with Special Guest Dr. Derek Covington departing June 2021. First come first served.

In other news

DD ARROW PROTOYPES ARE COMING TO LIFE

Remember when we said we got ourselves a 3D printer? We actually managed to break the poor thing while putting abrasive metal and wood infused materials amongst others. It got very Dirty so to speak and is under upgrade/maintenance as we write this very newsletter.

On top of that, we have hired a 3D Graphic designer to create the whole furniture set of DD accessories which will be presented to you on the trips. First off, we started with making a unique arrow design. This is a very early draft, but expect something to come up soon in our upcoming newsletters! Never a dull day at the office.

DD Arrow Prototype

Well, that’s about it from us guys this week. We hope you got some great plans coming up this weekend but don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

⌚ICYMI: The Clock Is Ticking Again

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

Can you believe we welcomed September this week?

Summer has departed and Autumn is here bringing with it a fresh breeze. Time to sort out some sunshine and diving to look forward to!

United Rocks🛬

The DDE Team are not the only ones celebrating travel this month. Remember we told you that United was waving their flight change fees when you book in August?

Well, they have announced this week that this perk will be ongoing forever on all standard Economy and Premium tickets for travel within the U.S. and making same-day standby free for everyone.

International change fee waivers will be valid until the end of the year.

Read more now in their article here.

Don’t be like Aron, the messiest donkey on board, shotgun YOU don’t share a cabin with him!

Checklist Resources📃

In light of us focusing on moving forward, we want to draw your attention back to one of the coolest resources you will find on the internet that we and some of our DDE team spent quite some time creating for you.

Initially, we set out to answer the burning question on every divers lip: I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO PACK. HELP!

Even the mere mention of dive trip logistics, packing, and getting to the other side of the world can make even the most organized explorer sweat. We’ve devised a protocol to get you into the water and up from your dives stress-free!

But we quickly got carried away and included a bulletproof checklist in co-operation with Richard Lundgren, Jill Heinerth, and Adam Hanlon.

Catch up on the golden list here in: 🛩️🛄 Insiders Guide Traveling To Truk Lagoon And Bikini Atoll

DDE ❤️Recreational Divers

I know we bang on about tech divers, like, all the time but did you know we love recreational divers too?

To celebrate recreational divers as you know we put together a trip with the machine that is James Bond, ahem, I mean Andy Torbet (James’ doppelganger in the upcoming 007 film).

Of course, that is not his only claim to radness! BBC Earth and History Channel host, explorer extraordinaire, all-round dive junkie, Andy Torbet is a machine...

And as its September and we miss the sunshine already (it’s grey and raining here) we are giving away 60 heavenly days of no fees when you book onto this trip because we are feeling nice like that for the last few remaining spots.

This risk-free booking means that your first payment date is 60 days after you book.

Nice right?

Contact us now to secure space HERE, but first, check out how excited Andy is☝️

Top 5 recreational wrecks in Truk Lagoon🛳

Truk Lagoon is really a paradise playground for all divers, both technical and recreational. 

Putting our money where our mouth is we have launched a series of exclusive expeditions for recreational divers finnin’ off in March 2021 with trips scheduled up until 2025.

We made a list of just a few of the wrecks above 40m that make up 70% of the wrecks in Truk Lagoon that are perfect for recreational diving (and tech divers too)!

Read our post now: 🛳⚓️ 5 Incredible Wrecks for Recs. in Truk Lagoon, you will not be disappointed!

As with all our expeditions, you can enjoy small deposits, flexible payment terms, and friendly booking conditions because we want you to get down and dirty with some of the most wildly exciting wrecks on under the sea.

Interested in joining? Enquire now: HERE!

In Other News

One Strange Rock "Alien" now on Disney+

"To find out, we can't just look into space. We also need to look down here." Watch The Dirty Dozen explore untold secrets of Truk Lagoon in "Alien" on National Geographic's One Strange Rock, now also on Disney+ and United In-Flight Entertainment!

Episode Producer Chris Baron, National Geographic said of his experience: ⁠

“We recently worked with The Dirty Dozen Expeditions on a landmark new series for National Geographic Channel. The filming required two divers to penetrate various wrecks in Truk Lagoon, Aron was one of our on camera divers. The filming process can be challenging and myself and the crew were amazed at how easily Aron dealt with everything. Having such a highly experienced and talented diver on the team made our lives significantly easier. He quickly understood what we were trying to achieve and helped us get the shots we needed, which is such an incredible asset to have on these tricky dive shoots. This intuition was also very useful in all aspects of our shoot (topside and underwater) and would definitely recommend him as a location fixer or contributor. ⁠

⁠
He was also simply just a great guy to have on our crew, which is one of the most important things in my opinion and adds huge value to the whole experience. “⁠

That wraps it up for this week. We hope you had a great week planning your upcoming adventures, and don’t forget if you feel lonely, we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

👀Fresh Hall Of Fame Additions On Our Roster

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.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

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

🛩️🛄 Insiders Guide Traveling To Truk Lagoon And Bikini Atoll

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

It is time we return to a very popular blog post we covered last year and expand on it as the 2021 Truk and Bikini season gets closer and a lot of the DDE team members are already planning their wreck pilgrimage.

The mere mention of dive trip logistics can make even the most organized explorer sweat. We understand, so don’t panic. Getting to the other side of the world to join us on your trip of a lifetime does not have to be a nightmare, quite the opposite in fact.

Check out our summary of the most frequently asked questions below, with links at the bottom to read more so your travel is as we like it, totally seamless.

Q: I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO PACK. HELP!

It’s no secret, technical diving is as gear-intensive as it gets. If you’re packing for Truk Lagoon or Bikini Atoll — some of the remotest diving destinations in the world — you want to have all your essentials with you. Add a sophisticated underwater camera setup and an advanced life-support system, and you have a recipe for sleepless nights wondering just how much you can stretch the bounds of your luggage allowance.

That’s why we have made our bulletproof checklist in co-operation with Richard Lundgren, Jill Heinerth and Adam Hanlon. And you can forget about the hairdryer. (We’ve got one onboard!). We also try and organize rebreathers spares between divers that have the same units before departure.

Download Checklist here

Download checklist HERE

Q: HOW DO I GET THERE?!

truk Lagoon, Micronesia

You can fly to Chuuk (TKK) from either Guam, Hawaii, or Port Moresby, depending on where you are in the world. Flying from Mainland USA, Seoul, Tokyo or Manila will get you to these travel hubs.

Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands

You can fly to Kwajalein (KWA) from either Guam or Hawaii through the travel hubs mentioned above.

UNITED AIRLINES

A Star Alliance member, United serves both these destinations exclusively from Guam (GUM) and Hawaii (HNL) on the famous island hopper and the route is served 4-5 times per week. These is probably the longest flight legs you have ever taken, so we highly recommend arriving 2 days before the trip starts or do a stopover in Guam or Hawaii.

Take advantage of free flex tickets

Usually, there is a hefty fee on booking flexible airfares. In these extraordinary times, United has no change fees on new bookings and we highly recommend taking advantage of it for peace of mind.

Q: DO I NEED A VISA?!

VISA RULES

For most visitors, a free 30-day tourist visa is granted on arrival in Micronesia and Marshall Islands, which can be extended for up to 90 days.

US citizens can stay for one year.

Passports should be valid for 120 days prior to the departure date and guests must have proof of onward travel before they arrive.

ESTA

It’s important that you have the necessary VISA arrangements sorted out before you travel as you most likely will need an ESTA or a US Visa if you are not American while transiting through Guam and Hawaii because they are both parts of the US.

Q: I HAVE 70kg of LUGGAGE. HELP!?

United allows up to three 32 kg bags when traveling to either destination, depending on your status within Star Alliance and your departure city. If you are not a member of Star Alliance, look at your reservation for terms and conditions regarding your luggage. When traveling with a different airline, you must check their baggage allowance guidelines.

Q: I arrived EARLY. NOW WHAT?!

Its hardly surprising there is not a long list of apartments and chain hotels waiting for you while typing in “Kwajalein” on Booking.com. In Truk, we recommend the 3 hotels below, with the first 2 offering diving on-site.

Blue Lagoon Resort

+(691) 330 2439

blresort@mail.fm

www.bluelagoondiveresort.com

Truk Stop Hotel and DIve Centre

diveshop@dive-truklagoon.com

info@dive-truklagoon.com

www.dive-truklagoon.com

L5 Hotel

+(691) 330-7048/7049

admin@l5hotel.fm

www.l5hotel.fm

Getting to Bikini Atoll however, it a different story. As you land on Kwajalein Island when entering the Marshall Islands, Kwajalein is an U.S Army base, and they will waste no time escorting you to the ferry terminal from the airport where you will be promptly shipped to the neighbouring island of Ebeye until you get picked up by our boat. There is only one hotel, Hotel Ebeye.

Hotel Ebeye

Telephone: 692-329-5230

email: hotelebeye@yahoo.com

Persistence is key to securing your reservation as they are infamous for not replying, and it is the only hotel.

Cash is king in both destinations, bring plenty of American dollars as the ATMs rarely work. Bigger hotels will accept credit card payments and our expedition vessel does too.

Q: WHY ARRIVE EARLY IN KWAJALEIN/EBEYE?

This is not our first rodeo! DDE has learned from experience and we have a few tips that will help you ease into your expedition in a relaxed manner.

We recommend starting your long-awaited dream holiday jetlag free and ready for action. There are plenty of high-end chain hotels in Guam or Hawaii to recover the time difference two days early if you are going to Truk.

If you are heading onto Bikini then lace up your expedition boots and aim to arrive in Kwajalein two days ahead of ropes off to avoid a catastrophic luggage disaster.

As United’s island hopper makes up to five stops along the way, there is a tiny chance your luggage might not make it off the plane as ground staff can miss things in quick turnarounds if luggage has shifted during flight.

The boat won’t wait for you if it happens and you arrive same day of departure, and I am sure you did not plan to dive Bikini with half a rebreather and a rented wetsuit.

Hot Tip: Labelling your luggage with the airport code TKK for Truk and KWA for Bikini Atoll in VERY BIG WATERPROOF LETTERS and tracking your luggage on the handy UNITED App.

Health Considerations

Vaccinations may be required before entering the Marshall Islands and Micronesia, check with your local clinic for the latest advice on how to stay safe during your trip. If you are traveling from a Yellow Fever area, proof of immunization might be required. It’s recommended that tetanus immunizations are also up to date before traveling.

Truk and Bikini are malaria-free zones and mosquitoes are not a problem on the boat. But they can be annoying onshore, so consider bringing insect repellent. The Chikungunya, Dengue, and Zika viruses have all been reported in the Marshalls and are spread by mosquitoes.

Ready For A Splash?

Once on board, settled, and ready to crush some awesome dives there is one more list you need to be familiar with. Predive safety checks, dive deck checks, and final checks are a crucial part of our safety protocol here at DDE.

Check out DD Special Guest Jill Heinerth running through our dive platform Splash checklist in the video below.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Q: Is my booking protected in the time of COVID?

The DDE team aims to give you clear, simple information about the protection of your booking. We pride ourselves on being direct, and we understand that sometimes plans have to change.

We have been upfront with you about having to cancel the 2020 Bikini season due to COVID, and also our efficient handling of the situation. All our guests have been contacted and rebooked onto charters leaving from 2021 so no one has been left at home.

Understand your rights and check out our partner Bo2´s Terms and Conditions and Coronavirus clauses. Blue O Two also, in the interest of customer satisfaction and financial protection has AVS booking protection insurance. Read more here

Closing Statement

OK team, we know this was a lengthy one but it’s an important topic for a successful expedition. We will load you up with even more insider info about how to navigate a successful globe crossing in our FB groups, group emails etc... We are here for you 24/7 before, during and after your trip of a lifetime!

And of course all the topics we have covered so far are detailed on:

https://thedirtydozenexpeditions.com/info-truk-lagoon

https://thedirtydozenexpeditions.com/travel-information-bikini-atoll

Share this blog with your wreck diving friends: https://thedirtydozenexpeditions.com/blog/insider-guide-to-truklagoon-bikiniatoll

DDE TEAM TOP TIP:

Our last hot tip, perhaps our hottest tip we can offer you, has to do with Aron. His idea of an orderly cabin has a lot to be desired and he sleeps on CCR parts. Whatever you do, don’t share a cabin with this donkey!

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

🛳🧼 Clean Living Aboard

Descending to wreck paradise from Truk Master

Hey Dirty Dozen Team Member.

We hope you are well and heading off to enjoy some adventures this weekend.

Dirty Dozen prides itself on the exceptional service our guests receive when they join us on board our boats.  Initially when we started DDE we set out to create luxury expeditions for divers who wanted to go that little bit further. We wanted produce perfectly curated, adventurous, off the beaten track holidays that are not your ordinary dive trip.  And we succeeded.  With epic destinations, expedition vessels built by technical divers and extraordinary Special Guest lineups, you have the chance to dive alongside your diving hero in style. 

USS Anderson in Bikini Atoll

Ahead of the curve

Due to our considered approach we have unknowingly been practicing socially distant procedures on board Truk Master since our first expedition.  With spacious boats made for 16 clients and our running capacity capped at 12, there is plenty of room to kit up, relax, and enjoy socially distant hangouts after diving. 

Truk Lagoon Expedition in 2019

Our partners at Blue O Two have always been serious about safety. Since inception, and continuing throughout their long history, crews have worked hard to ensure robust safety procedures to protect both the staff and guests, which is displayed by live drills during your cruise. This lets you feel safe and focus on the task at hand, having fun. 

Some of the new considerations that are happening onboard our boats include:

Whilst we believe our existing practices for hygiene and cleanliness are already industry leading, we have developed new operational protocols - with extra precautions against COVID-19 in mind and we want to share them with you.

Our plans include:

1. We may require team members to complete a pre-travel questionnaire, giving further confidence to fellow guests and crew that it is safe for you to travel to your vacation with us.

2. Additional training for crew in appropriate sanitation and cleaning practices with viral infections in mind. Where possible, sourcing environmentally friendly cleaning chemicals.

3. Enhanced, documented and inspected deep cleaning and sanitation of all areas of our vessels a minimum of three times a day, with special emphasis on high traffic, high contact areas. Where available, use of fogging and other devices.

4. Social distancing will be encouraged wherever possible, while maintaining the high level of guest service that we are known for. These plans include possible staggered briefings, diving activities, and mealtimes - where this is operationally feasible.

5. We hope to be able to source and provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves, to be worn as appropriate when onboard our vessels. This will apply to both our guests, and our crew. Additional hand sanitizer stations will be installed throughout our vessels.

6. Diving practices such as rinse tanks for equipment, suits and masks have been reviewed, taking into account the possibility of cross-contamination. We have also taken into consideration the provision of a towel service and rental equipment may be less available depending on the availability of suitable sanitising agents/sterile storage options.

7. We will be working hard with our suppliers and shore support agents to ensure logistical functions allow our vessels to operate. For example, provisioning and fuelling will be done in a manner consistent with social distancing principles.

These adjustments mean that the precautionary measures taken will allow your holiday to go ahead. We ask you to work with us and remember the changes are for the benefit of the safety of both our guests and crew.

Telegraph in the engine room of Fujikawa Maru in Truk Lagoon.

This means DDE has some high bars to live up to, but just look at some of our past testimonials, having all the extra space as standard has never put anyone off before:

“Small group of 12 of us, really comfortable boat and Aron’s safety program and staffing is second to none.” Jill Heinerth, Truk Lagoon 2020

“Trip was run like a well oiled machine, the boat was setup to accommodate technical/CCR divers and diver safety was always kept at the forefront of our priorities.”

Dallas S. Simpson - New York, USA - Bikini Atoll 2019

“What makes these expeditions by DD special is the limited number of people involved. This allows for some great camaraderie to emerge and sow the seeds of new friendships.”

Vincenzo Galli-Zugaro - Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar 2020

 Read more testimonials on our dedicated page HERE.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Decompression Hour with Nick Hollis and Jill Heinerth

Team members and friends Jill Heinerth and Nick Hollis sat down last week for the “Decompression Hour” to discuss how Jill uses rebreathers to tackle dives that would otherwise be very difficult, or on near impossible. Catch up on the stream on the link below.

#SOS Galapagos

It is sure bet that anyone without a penchant for shark fin soup is devastated about the current situation occurring just outside the Galapagos marine reserve. No longer hidden under the guise of COVID-19, China’s fishing fleet is ravaging the sea floor, and all that lie in it’s path, is now headline news across the globe. The fleet has been nicknamed the Great Wall of China by islanders as there is an estimated 26 million hooks and 265 vessels that span 300 miles which is almost double the length of the island archipelago itself. Not only are they fishing species that are illegal to sell in China and Hong Kong that suggests demand is high, the abhorrent amount of waste dumped overboard has been visible washed up on the beaches of the pristine islands.

Reports sat that China have agreed to pull the fleet in three weeks. We wait, heartbroken at the sheer volume of marine life lost, to see them leave. #sosgalapagos

#sosgalapagos

“The Chinese embassy in Quito said that China was a “responsible fishing nation” with a “zero-tolerance” attitude towards illegal fishing. It had confirmed with Ecuador’s navy that all the Chinese fishing vessels were operating legally “and don’t represent a threat to anyone”, it said in a statement last month. On Thursday China announced a three-month fishing ban in the high seas west of the marine reserve, but it will not come into force until September.” Read the full article from The Guardian here.

Our instagram algorithm has been full of activists raising awareness of this situation, and we salute them. We are avidly following @sharkgirlmadison, from Project Hui who has a keen eye for story telling and reporting.

Closing Statement

We understand COVID fatigue is everywhere, it is here for us too. There is nothing more that we would like to do than to be close with our teammates and friends like we are in the photo below. We have to think about this time as a something that will pass, and that for now to protect yourself and others we will have to be a little bit distant and the cleanest Dirty Dozen we have ever been, at least on the surface!

Whatever the future holds, we will promise to keep on pursuing ever safer travel to keep giving you a dive trip like no other.

Don’t forget, if you feel lonely at any point, we are always here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team 

🌆 Finding Your Way To Pripyat

Hey DDE members!

With the headlines full of confusing travel scenarios, we wanted to let you know we are keeping our finger on the pulse at DDE HQ.  It is our main priority that your travels with us are completely seamless and we have taken extra care to adapt to the new situation at that is coming our way, taking particular notice of entry requirements to the Ukraine for our upcoming Chernobyl tours and how to remain within the local regulations once you have arrived.

BEFORE ARRIVAL

The most important takeaways for you at this point are:

• Arriving travellers have been divided into two groups, Green and Red.  Check out the list of countries to check the status of your origin as of today. https://visitukraine.today/

• If arriving from Green approved countries you do not have to self-isolate on arrival.

• This list is constantly changing, being updated by the Ministry of Health every week. Travelers are advised to regularly check the Ministry of Health’s website to verify whether their country of departure falls within the Red category.

• Passengers transiting through a Red country will be treated as having arrived from a Red country, unless they were there for less than 24 hours.

• Passengers arriving from Red labelled countries will have to produce a negative test not older than 48 hours, and if negative you will not have to self-isolate.  The other option is testing on arrival to the Ukraine. Read more about this option below.

HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NO ISOLATION ON ARRIVAL:

Passengers arriving from a Red countries now have several choices to avoid mandatory self-isolation.

• They may now take a PCR test in their country of departure no more than 48 hours before their departure. At the border, they must present an official document detailing their negative PCR test. Passengers presenting a negative PCR test alongside a valid insurance policy which covers expenses relating to COVID-19, will be allowed to enter Ukraine without quarantine or the need to use the “Diy Vdoma” monitoring app.

• Unfortunately, private PCR testing is not readily available globally and can be very expensive.

• Conveniently, passengers from Red countries now have the possibility of receiving a test at three major Ukrainian airports: Lviv, Boryspil and Kharkiv. The tests costs UAH 1,500 (around $55). 

• A testing service has also been launched at Kyiv Zhuliany Airport (IEV) by the private company “Verde Clinic.” The cost is reported to be UAH 1,700 (around $60.) 

• The procedure takes 15 minutes. However, team members may have to stay in isolation at their lodgings until their “Diy Vdoma” app has updated with their negative test result. We highly recommend acquiring the test beforehand if possible to keep Murphy at bay but if you choose this at your entry, make sure to arrive some days before for this procedure!

• It is imperative that you have the correct insurance documents with you as you can see in the video above.  The insurance policy should be issued by a company registered in Ukraine or a foreign insurance company that has a representative office in Ukraine or a contractual relationship with an insurance company partner in Ukraine.  The policy must cover the costs associated with the treatment of COVID-19, observation and the entire duration of stay in Ukraine and you can sign up for insurance policies for your respective dates directly on https://visitukraine.today/

•  DDE has also been working with our on site legal team to create a policy that will cover you if you want it done in-house. 

INSIDE UKRAINE

When in transit and in public the rules are as follows:

• Wear a face mask (Children under 6 years old are allowed to go without face mask)

• Use antiseptic hand gel regularly when out and about

• Avoid crowded places

• Always keep your identity documents with you

• Keep your distance from others, 1.5m

• Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap as often as you can

Mask Advice in the exclusion zone:

Our founder Aron Arngrímsson and the initial research team donned masks for the first time at Chernobyl, approximately six months before we went into lockdown. Nowadays these are common place, and it is recommended that this level of mask is worn as much as possible in the exclusion zone. The special rules you have to follow were a bit unusual at the time as one of our guests Jakub Slama recalls:

“Don’t sit anywhere, don’t touch anything, don’t put anything on the ground and don’t drink or eat outside of the vehicle. You would be surprised how much we are accustomed to be able to do those things in our everyday life. This is all second nature to us but not as easy as you would expect to unlearn while visiting the town of Pripyat. This was one of our first stops in 48 hours spent in The Exclusion zone. “

Surgical masks are examples of personal protective equipment that are used to protect the wearer in the exclusion zone. You will be allocated personal appropriate PPE when you enter the powerplant.

Antti Apunen in the “Golden Corridor” at CHNPP

Arrival at Chernobyl

Once we reach the Exclusion Zone there is more paperwork and checks that need to be completed before we get stuck in to the Zone.  This is not an instagram influencers’ day out at the Ferris wheel! The Zone is not an amusement park, it is a place for gathering knowledge. Our expeditions are led by explorers, scientists and previous Pripyat residents and know what to teach us to ensure our absolute safety while exploring the Zone. ⁠The Chernobyl Zone is a place where even usual things work completely different comparing to our normal daily life.⁠

Although it is impressive and beautiful, it is, nevertheless, a harsh territory. Our guides are explorers and pay exceptional attention to educating us during the visit. Be ready to learn and build up your knowledge to understand more about the Zone, its nature, and processes behind it.⁠

From the Exclusion Zone to inside the newly opened and infamous Control Room Number 4, you are now able to experience Chernobyl in a whole new way.  Check out the atmosphere inside the powerplant and feel the pressure when you watch this video from our last trip inside the control room in Unit #3.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Who are the real stalkers?

Stalking Chernobyl: Exploration After Apocalypse is a new documentary series that delves deeply into what the modern day experience is like exploring the zone as an extreme sports aficionado, an artist, a tour company and the people who aren’t allowed to be there, the illegal hikers known as "stalkers."

Watch the documentary in the link below:

Availability Update Alert 2020:

2 spaces available for 10 - 13 September

2 spaces available for 15 - 18 Oct

1 Space left 19-22 Nov

This sums up the updates we have for you about Chernobyl at the time of writing.

We are so excited to start the season soon and sharing this incredible experience with those of you joining us. If you want to join, drop us a line now to discuss how you can join onto one of our excellently curated, and considered expeditions.   

As always, we 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, we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team 

☢ Commemorating Operation Crossroads

Dear Dirty Dozen Member,

I hope this message finds you well.

During the month of July, we have been taking time to reflect on one of the most famous weapons test series in history,  Operation Crossroads. The test took place in Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands from 1 - 25 July, 1946.

What initially began as nuclear weapons testing on warships ended up as a total of 23 tests including Castle Bravo, with nuclear testing ending in 1958 with a combined yield of mindblowing 42 megatons.

Today, Bikini hides it’s explosive past under the surface of immense beauty and intriguing surroundings. After being out of the spotlight in more recent world history, Bikini Atoll became the site for the world’s media, government dignitaries and half of the world’s cinema equipment to capture harrowing scenes witnessed on a global scale that unknowingly would be more destructive and devastating than anyone could have imagined. 

A total of 242 naval ships, 156 aircraft, 25,000 radiation recording tools and 5,400 animals arrived. The latter were to serve as test subjects. More than 42,000 US personnel played a part in the testing program under the lead of President Harry Truman.

Unluckily for Bikini in retrospect, it’s isolation meant it was a perfect location for Operation Crossroads.  After church one Sunday, Navy Commodore Ben H. Wyatt gathered the hundred and sixty seven native Bikini Islanders and asked them to leave their home so the US could begin testing bombs. He stated it was for “the good of mankind and to end all world wars.”  King Juda, the Bikini monarch, was understandably confused but entered into discussions with his people.

They decided to leave: “We will go believing that everything is in the hands of God.”

The first test that took place on 1st July 1946 was called Able, and the actual bomb itself was “Gilda”. With the power of 23 kilotons, same as Hiroshima, it was dropped from the air from a B-29 airplane, on top of USS Nevada that was painted bright orange for the occasion. As the crowds watched on the bomb exploded 500 ft above sea level.

The fourth atomic bomb ever to be detonated was decorated with a photograph of Rita Hayworth or “Gilda” cut from the June 1946 issue of Esquire magazine

Three weeks later they were back at it again, only this time they were going for the underwater approach.  Keen to test if the military could knock out a whole flotilla from a single sub shot, they positioned the bomb 400 yards from the American attack submarine, Pilotfish, who had made six successful tours of the pacific during its service.

Detonated at 27m/88ft underwater beneath LSM-60, the 23 kiloton bomb, named Helen of Bikini, was released from the torpedo chamber on the 25th July, 1946, no part of LSM60 has been identified to this day, presumed vaporised by bomb.

In total, 95 vessels were caught in the crossfire of the Able and Baker bombs dropped on Bikini Atoll.

USS Arkansas, at 26.000 tons being flipped up in the air like a leaf in the wind.

Today the nuclear refugees are still without their island home due to increased radiation levels and the only residents habiting Bikini are a handful of caretakers.

From the misery and destruction wrought by the nuclear tests, Bikini’s nuclear ghost fleet has risen to the top of every wreck junkies bucket list to visit in the name of exploration and historical importance.

At DDE we believe wreck diving is a very unique part of scuba diving. Our founder Aron Arngrímsson recalls spending his career on coral reefs, deep walls, in mines or in caves, but the real thrill came when he went on his first wreck expedition to discover USCGC Alexander Hamilton off the coast of Iceland in 2012 and subsequently lay a memorial plaque for the 26 men still onboard.

For the DDE team it is about having good intentions, and for us education is at the forefront of our expeditions. We enjoy researching wrecks, discussing with the team about the events of the past which brings to life the happenings that led to atrocities, and then go on to see first-hand the impact of these decisions.  For the team, this could not be more of an anti-war message.

The human factors of lives lost in a conflict, war, nuclear tests should be remembered and behind every wreck is a story to be told, artifacts to be discovered or heroes to be honored.

Let’s make it clear that we are aware we maybe come across as having a morbid fascination with dark tourism, when in fact it is quite the contrary.  Our team believe we should make history real, and immerse ourselves in environments that we can learn from so that we may spark change for the future.

Sonar image of Bikini Atoll by Art Trembanis of the University of Delaware

USS Saratoga Schematics - Download Here!

This can help the current and next generation to be responsible and prudent guardians of the past as we make it our responsibility to share the full story of this rarely visited and unique place.

We also take into account the environmental impact events of the past have affected the destinations we visit.  It should come as no surprise that some wrecks could pose to be incredibly hazardous, just check out the image below to see for yourself.

Navy photo by LeighAhn Ferrari, chief mate, U.S. Naval Ship Salvor

In 2018, as we descended onto the famous heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen in Kwajalein, we were the last divers to see that wreck that year.  After our visit the military hot tapped 229.000 gallons of oil from the wreck before it became a biological disaster, as you can imagine the devastation that alone would wreak on the surround delicate ecosystem of Kwajalein.

Commercial Divers from U.S Navy hot tapping Prinz Eugen in 2018. Photo courtesy of U.S Navy

Therefore, as we grow as a company, we are establishing more collaborations with research organizations like Major Projects Foundation, which through their incredible work help to contain environmental disasters before they happen.  Stay tuned to follow our story as it develops.

Dirty Dozen Team Members Antti Apunen and ZB at the Prinz Eugen the following year after the Navy operation.

Important Availability Update

Alert: two spaces 25 May - 04 June 2021 on our Bikini Atoll expedition with Richie Kohler have become available, first come first served.

DDE has sold out our 2021 Bikini Atoll season as we informed you two weeks ago, and now as a roll on effect on top of usual demand, we only have availability on two dates left in 2022, see calendar below. After that, we start selling 2023. Bikini was always a destination you had to plan ahead for, but current situation has brought dive plans to a whole new level.

Drop us a line now to discuss how you can join onto one of our excellently curated, and considered expeditions.  

Check out our other calendars: HERE!

As always, we 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, we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

🔥 Hot Off The Press

Dear Dirty Dozen Member,

I hope this message finds you well and healthy. We had a busy week at DDE which turned out to be a bit RAID themed and figured we’d fill you in.

The first issue of the brand new digital dive magazine The Edge is on the scene. Brought to you by training agency RAID it covers the latest in industry news, travel reports, equipment reviews, and RAID training updates. The Dirty Dozen team members can be found all over the magazine, having a blast! Amongst others Jill Heinerth took the hot seat for some Q&A and I did a feature piece detailing some of our knowledge of our favorite topic of conversation, wrecks!

Talking Bikini Atoll, we discuss Operation Crossroads, and perhaps our favorite wreck in the Pacific, the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga. Click here to read the article.

Dive RAID South Africa’s Director of Technical Diving, Member of the Explorer’s Club and Dirty Dozen diver PJ Prinsloo gave a live presentation about his highlights from his bucket list DDE expedition to Truk Lagoon.  Join him as he captivates the audience with his informative talk on some of his favorite wrecks in the Lagoon and shares some awesome shots, cool infographics, and answers questions posed by the audience.

Watch it over on Facebook here.

And finally, we are celebrating the launch of the DeeperBlue.com podcast this month!  If it isn’t already, make it be your weekly guide to everything that is happening around the world… underwater.  Each week they cover everything that is happening in scuba diving, freediving, dive travel, and ocean advocates world. 

This week on Episode 4, Jason Elias, the host, and creator of another dive podcast, “Big Deep”, which debuted at DEMA last year with a launch party at the DeeperBlue.com booth gets some top tips for big expedition planning from yours truly.

“you should not be discouraged and do your research.  Dive shows are a great place to gain ideas on trip planning, read the dive mags, do some online investigating, and vet the people you give the responsibly to take you.  Bigger trips are not just for the mega-rich and famous if you have your heart set on a big expedition, there is a way. “

Listen here now, and don’t forget every share, like and listen, counts.

Booking trips with DDE is a great way to plan as we can work out affordable payment schedules over large time spans and we have temporarily lowered our deposit amounts to 15%, so you can book onto your trip in confidence at a very affordable price.

Contact us now to find out more about our new payment schedules where final payments are as late as 90 days before departure. Our calendars are scheduled unit 2025 so your dreams can be realized and away you go on your trip of a lifetime.

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, we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

Bikini Atoll 2020 Cancelled

Despite our best efforts, The Dirty Dozen Expeditions has also been affected by COVID, and it is therefore with a heavy heart we must announce the following:

The DDE Team recently let all our affected guests know that there will be no charters heading out on trips to Bikini Atoll in 2020. Despite great effort from our team to work out new plans and logistics to see our divers set sail for the rest of the season in the Marshall Islands, we were regrettably unsuccessful given the world situation. Along with our partners, we held out as long as possible within the margin for logistics and safety, but in the end, rescheduling became the only option.

Despite the very disappointing news, we are striving to focus on solutions for the future. All our guests have been contacted and rebooked onto charters leaving from 2021 so no one has been left at home.

We would like to let you know that Bikini Atoll 2021 is now fully booked. We are already accepting bookings for 2022 so get your names on the list now if you think exploring this unique destination is for you.

Reason being, the first of five DDE expeditions to Bikini in 2022 is already sold out now and we continue to see high demand for this exclusive destination. Dirty Dozen holds over 40% of worldwide availability for Bikini Atoll in 2022 and onwards along with our partner Blue O Two and we don’t want you to miss out on your chance to join us in the future!

Click here to review the schedule from 2022 onwards

Watch the trailer by clicking on the photo!

In other news, we are excited about season 3 of the National Geographic TV show - Draining the Oceans.

For those of you that missed the premiere in May, Bikini’s nuclear ghost fleet has risen once again as National Geographic reveal what lies beneath in a fascinating look underwater in their epic show featuring USS Gilham, USS Pilotfish and the USS Saratoga.

Following the small crew of research scientists, Drain the Oceans does what it says on the tin. 

Except, instead of actually draining the ocean (the most asked questions on Google if you search the show), they use the latest in high tech scanning equipment and the most advanced sonar mapping system ever to scan Bikini bottom.

“Drain the Oceans dives deep into the unknown; a truly epic, truly original series that takes underwater adventure and earth science illustration into a whole new era. Ambitious exploration, advances in scientific research, and innovative technology mean Earth Science and History step forward to expose hidden evidence of the most amazing undersea mysteries, as never seen before.” National Geographic.

Producing meticulous 3D models of the wrecks, you are effectively taking them out of the water and can accurately decipher the impact of the nuclear blasts and fathom the reason why some of the almost unsinkable ships were sunk.

We consulted with the production company beforehand and managed to meet the crew in 2019 during filming, and one of our good friends Dan Stevenson that we worked with on Monty Halls 8 years earlier was onboard. It sure is a small world.

Lastly, our charters at the end of the year/beginning of next year are not affected at this time of writing, and rest assured we are constantly keeping a close eye on any developments.

We are so thankful for our clients for being so supportive and understanding and look forward to our many exciting years ahead of exploration but of course don’t forget, if you feel lonely, we are here to chat Dirty.

Love,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

5 Incredible Wrecks for Recs. in Truk Lagoon

We’ve said it before and we are saying it again! Truk Lagoon is really a paradise playground for all divers, both technical and recreational.

Here are just a few of the wrecks above 40m that make up the fleet of 50+ wrecks in Truk Lagoon that are perfect for both recreational diving and tech too!

1.    The Betty Bomber

At 18m on the seabed the Betty B is a relatively intact Japanese bomber.  Although the two engines are located a short swim away from the main wreck itself the surrounding area of the plane is littered with artefacts from inside the aircraft including the radio, machine guns, and a toilet.  It is even possible to enter (if certified) the fuselage and swim all the way through the wreck.

2.    Rio De Janeiro Maru

The average depth of the Rio De Janeiro Maru is 23m.  The ship was a large eight-deck liner that was converted into a submarine tender in the early part of the war, before being converted a second time into a special transport vessel.  Her rear holds have burst with hundreds of beer bottles, some still in their cases. The stern of the Rio has an impressive gun set on a large platform, docking telegraph and two photogenic propellers set between a single rudder.

3.    Yamagiri Maru

A popular wreck with divers, the Yamagiri is famous for the huge gun shells that are found in one of her holds along with a steamroller and other construction equipment.  You can check out the huge gun shells in the holds of the Yamagiri Maru. The engine room, main superstructure, and forward holds all offer plenty of interesting areas for exploration.

4.    Nippo Maru

An all time favourite is the Nippo Maru that has an average depth of 30m and has the probably the best bridge in the lagoon with the ship’s telegraph and steering binnacle still in remarkable condition.  Scattered over the wreck is a small Japanese battle tank, the remains of trucks and twin-barrelled anti-aircraft guns. Down in the holds are various types of ammunition, range finders, mess gear, beer bottles and water tanks.  The spectacular engine room is widely believed to be the first point of contact by enemy torpedoes in Operation Hailstone. ⁠⁠

5.    Shinkoku Maru

Thinking you need a good coral fix while you are there?  Then the Shinkoku Maru is a must dive and with an average depth of 25m, this has it all. Boasting amazing coral growth and lots of interesting marine life, this is a real stand-out wreck dive in Truk Lagoon. The large engine room is accessible through a torpedo hole on the port side and both bow and stern guns are intact and heavily encrusted with life.  There is lots of accessible penetrations for those who are trained and comfortable with entering the superstructure.  Inside you can pay a visit to the sickbay that is still complete with operating table and tools.  Elsewhere there are accommodation spaces with tiled baths, a galley, and lots of refuelling hoses. There are three telegraphs in the remains of the bridge and piles of artefacts scattered around the decks. Shinkoku Maru is widely considered to be one of the best night dives on the planet.

What do you think? Want to join us on our recreational expedition in January 2022 with Andy Torbet? Email us HERE

🔥Hot New Expedition Dates

The news is full of future travel plans and I get the feeling many of you are pretty excited.

Yesterday we filled the last space for Bikini 2021 so the season is officially SOLD OUT!

Don’t worry, there is plenty of opportunity to explore Bikini and our other cool destinations: Truk Lagoon, Galapagos and Chernobyl.

Bikini is one of the most remote diving destinations in the world,  it sits quietly just north of the equator in the Pacific Ocean (halfway between Hawaii and Australia). Although it is almost completely lacking in infrastructure we have devised the best way for you to explore this world class wreck site and even though it takes a while to get there, diving on the nuclear ghost fleet more than makes up for any lengthy journey.

Check out our updated expedition calendar below that runs until 2025. We can offer small deposits, flexible payment terms and friendly booking conditions on all our trips to get your down and dirty with some of the most infamous wrecks on the planet.

Interested in joining us, get in touch here…

Not quite as off the beaten track as Bikini Atoll, there is a shop on land that sells a variety of spam and some booze, but it is still quite a long way away is Truk Lagoon. A diver’s paradise and surprisingly for some, this wreck yard that is strewn across the seabed is super accessible to recreational and technical divers alike.  

We have our first recreational expedition coming up with Special Guest Andy Torbet in March 2021, as well as a bunch of specialized technical expeditions which are the essence of DDE. See the dates on the calendar below.

Fancy exploring this beautiful playground sometime?  Register your interest now, here!

I don’t think I need to introduce this wonderland, it’s heavenly reputation almost certainly precedes it.  Diving in the Galapagos is rewarding but occasionally demanding, even for very experienced divers. To make sure you enjoy your trip, it’s good if you have some experience with strong currents. 

Join us on our very exclusive and rare CCR ONLY itineraries as well as a mixed CCR/OC expeditions in 2021/2022.

Wanna join us?  Register your interest now, here!

Last but not least. Less remote and a bit closer to home but no less wild, we are now scheduling trips to Chernobyl.   

There is no argument that this one of the world’s biggest technogenic radioactive source, so how can it be safe to explore?  The average radiation exposure each day in the Zone is the same as a regular aeroplane flight, about 2 μSv (or 200 μR in micro Roentgens).  That is much less than when you have an X-ray!

The Zone is not an amusement park, it is a place for gathering knowledge and our guides (explorers, scientists and previous Pripyat residents) will lead us down a route with the least exposure.

Register here and explore more on the Chernobyl section of our website which is an exciting resource full of information and the details of the trip.

Interested? Send us an inquiry now for any of the expeditions you want before we fill up, and don’t forget if you feel lonely, we are here to chat Dirty.

5 Reasons Recreational Divers Love Diving in Truk Lagoon

The tranquil blue waters of Truk Lagoon are hiding a paradise so incredible you need to see it, to believe it.  Under the enticing calm azure hues lies a seabed of exploration awaiting your arrival.  Don’t be misled though, this playground is not out of your depth and the inclusive nature of the wrecks means that single tank divers are welcome. 

We certainly recommend to get the best of your experience that you are AOW (Advanced Open Water or Equivalent) certified and that this is accompanied by Nitrox and Wreck Diver Speciality. Here are 5 reasons recreational divers love diving in Truk Lagoon:

1.     70% of + 40 wrecks lie within the 40m/141ft range. Despite often being regarded as a deep, technical diving location with big challenging wrecks and advanced penetrations this is simply not the case.

2.     It is ideal to visit throughout the year as the environmental conditions in Truk Lagoon are excellent.

3.     The vis in the lagoon is generally quite good all year round, but not excellent. During the dry season November to February visibility can reach25m/80ft or more.  12-20m/40-60ft is the norm and 11m/30ft visibility would be a bad day.

4.     You can penetrate (if certified) to visit engine rooms, check out artillery trucks, bags and bags of ammo, huge tanks, guns, torpedoes and much more.

5.     The wrecks have been in the lagoon for more than 60 years and are covered in soft and hard coral growth but they are still largely intact.

Our first recreational trip kicks off January 2022 with our good friend Andy Torbet, BBC Earth and History Channel host, explorer extraordinaire, and all-around dive junkie. ⁠. Contact us now to find out more and book.