Diving Holidays with Kairos Expeditions:

"Being one of the seven most important currents of the planet, the South."

The South Equatorial Current (SEC), strongly influences the whole Eastern coast of Africa. The SEC flows westward, just south of the equator until it reaches the coast of Tanzania. There it divides, one part going south into the Mozambique channel to form the Agulhas current, the other flowing northward to join the South Equatorial Counter Current (SECC).

This remarkable position of Tanzania, at the very point where these currents diverge, makes the Tanzanian coast and islands a gigantic reserve of food where we can observe movements of large pelagic fishes. Seasonal variations in current patterns can thus have a major effect on the distribution of such species.

The goal of this expedition is the making of a TV documentary (13mn, in 4/3 standard) studying these currents and their effects on the two main marine species known as the benthos and the pelagos. The behaviour of these animals is closely linked to their need to survive as long as possible, until the reproduction period that will ensure the perpetuation of the species. To this purpose, the animals need to maintain three essential physiological functions: breathing, eating, reproducing.

To realize this video study, we will adapt our equipment according to the natural environment, using the right professional device to get the best results and pictures. Each of you, as a member of the expedition, will take part in this study, bringing your own knowledge, ideas and actions to this exciting adventure.

The full expedition is scheduled over 9 weeks, split into nine stays of 7 days/7 nights, with a maximum of 12 guests. for each stay.

Expedition Leader : Jean Marc BOUR

Jean-Marc also dubs characters, lending his skills to top rated actors below the surface, as he did recently in Frédéric Schoendoerffer’s Secret Agents. You think you don’t know him yet, but you might in fact have seen him more than once on the silver screen. Always a perfectionist, Jean-Marc is very keen on tracking the newest techniques, the most up-to-date equipments so that he can push further the limits of each project he works on......

Scientific support : Suzy QUASHNICHKA (SRI)

Suzy has performed many roles in the Shark Research Institute : Researcher, fund raiser, public relation and press agent. She dedicated four years to collecting and cataloguing video material of Whale sharks in the field at Ningaloo Reef , Western Australia . This comprehensive library has been used by several research institutes to further an understanding of this rare species of shark. Because of her research she is very knowledgeable about whale shark behaviour, biology and the difficulties in filming the species. More recently she has represented SRI in the UK .

Most of the dives will be average-depth ones (between 5 and 30 meters), for visibility to befit video making necessities. Currents can be expected to sometimes be strong.

Some long video shootings will require the use of semi-closed rebreathers. Aboard the Kairos, we use Draeger Dolphin type of equipment.

Nitrox 32 or 36 is the main gas used, a most adapted blend for the security of this expedition’s type of diving.

Accommodation: The Kairos

36 meters long and 7 meters wide....

The Kairos, though an oceanographic research vessel, has been entirely conceived for the comfort and satisfaction of 12 guests in 6 spacious and fully air-conditioned cabins.

At a cruising speed of 8 knots, passengers can fully enjoy the comfortable and marine designed environment of this remarkably stable ocean-going ship.

A wide range of interior equipments contribute to the guest’s well being:

• 6 spacious guest cabins fully air conditioned, 3 of which with en-suite heads and showers, with both twin or double-berths;
• a large classroom for the briefings and certificate courses on the accommodation level with all kind of multimedia facilities (TV, DVD, VCR, library, 2 multi-media PC, LAN, color printer, Wireless network, Satellite phone...);
• a spacious dining-room and bar equipped with a king size plasma screen;
• a technical zone where every guest has a reserved space to put his own diving equipment;
• a professional galley, with two walk-in fridges, secret reserve from which the chef draws his daily inspiration, for the utmost delight of our guests;
• an outside dining-room, teak furnished, well shaded, to benefit from the beautiful views and refreshing sea breeze from breakfast to sunset.

The underwater digital photo and video workshop is available for all the guests free as far as it is used in the framework of the expedition.

All this equipment is at your disposal.

          Digital Video Cameras (DVCAM/MiniDV)

• 1 Sony PD150
• 3 Sony VX2100
• 2 Extreme Vision camera houses + 4" monitor
  
  Lightings
  
• 2 200w HMI spotlights with 100m surface power supply
• 2 50 w HDI spotlights
• 100m custom-designed optical fibre broadcast device with facial mask communication system interface

Digital Cameras

• 2 Olympus C5060 with camera houses

Computers and screens

• 42’ Plasma screen PDP 435 HDE
• 2 PC multi-media 400Go, flat screens
• Studio 9 media suite software
• Photoshop element 3

The South Equatorial Current Programme:

Including seven nights and days aboard.

Day 1 / Saturday : Airflight to Dar Es Salam.

Day 2 / Sunday : Guests arrive in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) on Sunday. Transfer and boarding on the M/V Kairos in the early afternoon. . Guests are welcomed by The Kairos Company at Dar es Salaam Airport, and then directly transferred by car to the ship - or to the tenders if the ship is moored outside the harbor. The Kairos will leave her mooring in the evening.

The first 24 hours will be dedicated to explanations, demonstrations, and in-water testing of the specific equipments, as well as setting up groups for courses and certificates.

Several workshops will be set up: underwater filming, lighting, bottom and surface security, making-of, and editing, according to each guest’s skills and experience. Each dive is carefully prepared with all guests, covering detailed objectives and concise logistics and timing.

Day 3 to day 8 / Monday to Saturday : Dive expedition around Pemba, Zanzibar and Mnemba islands for the making of the documentary.

Divers will be briefed every evening, a process that involves the review of the day’s rushes and the planning of the following day’s shooting. About two dives a day are scheduled, plus some night dives as well.

The Expedition Leader will define the planning on a weekly basis, according to the film progress and to the weather forecast. The dives will take place on characteristic spots where the currents have been observed: eastern and western coast of Pemba or Mnemba islands, and off the Tanzanian and Kenyan shores.

The shots will be edited on board, enabling each guest to bring a DVD back home, covering the segment of the expedition he took part in, as a souvenir. Return to Dar Es Salam in the night of day 8.

Day 9 / Sunday : In the morning, breakfast is served before the transfer to the Airport for the return flight home.

Prices for The Kairos Equatorial Current trip