Round-the-clock diving for conservation

The countdown echoed around the UCT swimming pool complex at 11:59:50 on Saturday 19 February, to finish off 24 hours of continuous diving. It began when the first pair of 48 divers descended into the pool at lunchtime on Friday, to be tagged out every hour by a new pair.

Happy time: A diver can be entertained for hours underwater.	Ready to go: Opening divers Nicola Thompson and Ashley White all set and ready to kick the marathon off.

Named DIVER24 2011, part of the Underwater Club's DIVER outreach brand, the annual event aims to raise funds for and create awareness of the work of its principal beneficiary, the Save our Seas Shark Centre, based in Kalk Bay.

Many divers entertained themselves during their hour's underwater vigil by reading magazines, playing cards, building toy cars, writing messages to each other and watching the swimmers train overhead.

A campout on the lawn saw supporters and participants spend most of their weekend out at the pool and added to the atmosphere of the event. Tired organisers concluded by commenting how powerful it was that in the space of one day, almost 50 divers got to do a dive, donated money for conservation and were able to support a cause. View the event video.