Descending: The Dive God

Published on Wednesday, September 11th, 2013, under Media

(click on the above image to watch video link)

Canadian Scott Wilson and Kiwi Ellis Emmett have been where no men have been before.

An 18 month trip took them to some of the world’s remotest dive locations – many of which have only recently been discovered.

Scott and Ellis chronicle these travels as co-hosts of a show, Descending on the Travel Channel. We’ll catch up with them each week about the destinations they’ve been to.

While island-hopping in the Caribbean, Scott and Ellis meet the ‘Dive God’. But there is trouble in paradise as the team learns of a poisonous, invasive species that threatens these beautiful blue waters.

Scott fills us in on this incredible experience.

1. What was your favourite dive site from this episode?

The wreck of the HMS Endymion, an 18th century war ship that is wrecked on the same reef as the General Pershing, another ship from the steel/steam area that sunk nearly 150 years later.

It takes some effort to find the site, but it is two troughs of coral splendour littered with canons, musket shot anchors and all kinds of shipwreck evidence.

Good dive sites take time, effort, local knowledge and a little luck from the weather to come together… we got lucky.

2. How did you get there?

We island-hopped throughout the Caribbean in order to try to show off a number of dive flavours.

Each of the islands seem to excel at one type of diving or another. Big fish, wall dives, macro-dives, shipwrecks etc. So we made sure we kept on the move.

A lot of small aircraft flights and a lot of great skippers got us to where we needed to go.

3. What diving risks were you concerned about in this location?

The Caribbean is quite forgiving for the most part. Certainly compared to a lot of Canadian diving!

Here the water was very warm, very clear, mild currents and swell, fairly predictable weather. Really the biggest threat is sucking your tank dry as you marvel at the fish, coral and visibility around you.

4. What’s one thing every traveller should try there?

Definitely try some Lion Fish for a meal. These beautiful fish are sadly invasive in this part of the world and are wiping out endemic species.

Thought to have been introduced from careless pet owners dumping them into the sea; the good news is… they taste fantastic, and you’ll be helping out the environment.

5. What should you avoid in this destination?

Don’t let anyone talk you into a fire-walk. When you see the episode you’ll understand.

6. Did anything go wrong on the dive?

Luckily this was one place where most things went according to plan. But you never know when you are in the Bermuda Triangle!

7. What’s the coolest thing you saw?

Probably diving with The Dive God and having him bring up what could be evidence to the long-standing mystery of the disappearance of a squadron of WWII era planes.

8. Do you have anything else to add?

This is a wonderful part of the world for tourists to kick back and relax in the sun, avoid the masses and escape beneath the waves to the true beauty of the Caribbean seen by very few.

Watch Descending, Wednesdays, 8.30pm on the Travel Channel.

– © Fairfax NZ News