ENVIRONMENT
Taking it further
The History Man
Jane Maddocks catches up with a past Chair of BSAC , maritime archaeologist Dr Nic Flemming , who has published a memoir of his career
Many years ago at a Diving Officer ’ s Conference Dinner I was on crutches , after a disagreement with a boat propeller . Dancing was in full spate , and my dancing partner elegantly swung to fast paced music on the back wheels of his wheelchair . I never forgot that dance - or that I had just met a BSAC legend : Nic Flemming .
A couple of months ago a friend flagged up the new publication : ‘ Apollonia on my Mind : The memoir of a paraplegic ocean scientist ’ by Dr Nicholas Flemming . At € 65 , the paperback version is beyond my budget , but it ’ s free to read on a computer screen , via the website at the end of this page .
So , who is Dr Nic Flemming ? He is a past Chair of BSAC , is still on our list of Vice Presidents , and is pre-eminent in the world of maritime science , with a special interest in submerged prehistoric archaeology and landscapes . His list of prestige organisations is a long one .
It is an amazing book on so many levels . The detailed accounts grab the attention , and the descriptions of recording the underwater remains of the ancient Greek outpost of Apollonia ( in Cyrenaica , or modern Libya ) will take older archaeologists right back to basics of site recording without the benefit of technology .
As I read , the detailed descriptions ensure the sun is shining , the viz is
always astounding , and the whole project seems to take on life .
Dr Flemming has written this book for the lay reader ; it is very readable although it deals with some fairly weighty issues . Chapter Seven deals with the accident and its aftermath that left him paraplegic . This is part of the sub-title of the book .
There is so much here about looking at challenges and doing the best that can be done to live life to the full , recognising limitations but then finding strategies to deal with them .
He has never stopped working all over the world , diving and doing science . It is a deeply thought-provoking chapter . BSAC has worked hard to develop true accessibility for all divers , and some of Nic ’ s comments are hugely pertinent to the way in which we work .
Chapter Eight is also a feast . This chapter is a must for anyone who wants to understand how things came about in the early years of diving with aqualungs . For example , the day that the HSE asked the scientific divers how they organised dives with such a good safety record ! Anyone who has HSE Scuba or dives on the Scientific , Archaeological and Media ACOP , or instructs with the Recreational ACOP will find this part astonishing - but good .
“ Stone Age Lands beneath the waves ”
Restored footage of the early expeditions can be viewed on Dr Flemming ’ s website
We also see the beginnings of mixed gas diving , possible rebreather technology , the beginnings of CMAS , and some old training techniques from BSAC that meant that being able to dive to the bottom of the pool to fit equipment had a real purpose .
These two chapters also place some of the historic ‘ greats ’ of diving : John Bevan , Hans and Lotte Hass , Jacques Cousteau , George Bass , and Keith Muckelroy . Some of us will know these people as giants from the past , for others they will just be names , but worth finding out about .
This memoir brings us to the present day . A chapter on ‘ Stone Age Lands beneath the waves ,’ reminds us that sea level rise is not a new phenomenon but has affected humans for thousands of years .
The shallow North Sea seabed was once dry land , populated by humans and a variety of fauna . The rate and pace of change , and the loss of lands for hunting great beasts may feel distant . This chapter makes us realise that it is not distant at all .
The final piece is titled ‘ Requiem for Apollonia .’ This is a fairly brutal reminder that sea level change is with us . Unstable weather patterns , and increased potential for damaging storms is very much part of now . Apollonia is no longer how it was when first explored by Nic Flemming and his team . For me it was a sad chapter .
This column is called ‘ Taking it Further .’ Dr Flemming really has ‘ taken it further ’ in so many ways . Yes , the paperback is expensive , but in my world the paperback version costs the same as a day out on a diving charter . When I am next blown out on a dive , I may well invest in the paperback version . It will be something to read that is all about adventure , archaeology , and the frustrating joys of doing science underwater .
Readers can access Apollonia on my Mind at sidestone . com / books / apollonia-on-my-mind You can also view a 20-minute film with restored footage of Nic ’ s groundbreaking 1958 Expedition to Apollonia at www . nicflemming . net �
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