TWOSOPHIES
What’ s your fin preference – tekky-heavy, Split, Force?
SR: I have split fins on the boat and they stay there. When travelling around and about some Apex rubber fins, which are shorter and heavier. Easy on a confined RIB, but I prefer the split fins for sure. I have tried force fins but felt they gave me no power in any current, and if I go freediving I will drag out the freediving fins I bought for the course and have not used since.
SH: Tekky-heavy, every single time. For me it’ s all about the power they give you and the way they just suit how I fin. I’ ve not managed to get on with force fins, however hard I’ ve tried! And as for split fins— surely they’ re the Marmite of the fin world, aren’ t they, so the less said about those the better( don’ t tell me Sophie Rennie has a pair!).
What’ s the coolest thing you’ ve seen in the water?
SR: Well this is a timely question as this very year, on the way to our first dive site out of Sali Bay, we spied and then followed a BLUE WHALE! It is the biggest living thing on the planet and after several attempts to jump in to see it, we got the chance and it swam right beneath me. It was a breathtaking moment and one I will savour for ever. Whale sharks in the wild come second, and second equal are turtles( because they have a pretty hard start in life) and manta rays because they are also awesome!
Mantis shrimp have the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom
A blue whale photographed remotely from the sky
SH: The mantis shrimp. Little things, but utterly extraordinary – dazzling colours, the most incredible eyes in the whole animal kingdom( they see colours and polarised light we can only dream of), and a punch so quick it can crack aquarium glass! For something so tiny they’ re endlessly fascinating. I’ d say much more interesting than a blue whale! �
Do you have a question about dive training, kit or safety for the Two Sophies to answer? Email SCUBA Editor Simon Rogerson, simon @ scubamagazine. co. uk
24