Popular e.tv weatherman, Derek van Dam took his coolness a step further this morning by delivering lines while scuba diving in the I&J Predator Exhibit at the Two Oceans Aquarium. Fans watched his dive via the live streaming on the home page of this website and will be able to see his e.tv insert about climate change in the near future.
A passionate meteorologist, Derek also happens to be a qualified scuba diver. He took the opportunity to create awareness about climate change in the build-up to the COP17/CMP7 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban later this month.
Derek moved to Cape Town from the United States and has become well known for his enthusiasm and his style. He happily makes jokes about how he’s struggled to pronounce the names of some South African towns and provinces and coined the phrase “have a good one,” to end his e.tv weather reports. “I’m going to have a good one,” he said with a smile just before taking the plunge into the I&J Predator Exhibit, under the guidance of the Two Oceans Aquarium master diver, Iain Robertson.
He delivered his lines brilliantly underwater, while sharks, turtles, cob and yellowtail breezed past him. “My experience today in the predator tank at the was nothing short of incredible!” said Derek. “From the level of expertise of the individuals supervising the dive to the crew in the water, I felt 100% safe during the entire dive.”
He added: “It is very apparent in the staff at the Two Oceans Aquarium, that they are passionate about our oceans. Building awareness about the fragility and vulnerability of our oceans is something I support wholeheartedly. What better way to gain awareness than to be up close and personal with the fish that will be effected most by climate change? A special thanks must go to the Two Oceans Aquarium, the Southern African Institute of Maritime Archeology (SAIMA), Orca Industries and the WWF for making this special dive possible. I definitely recommend this as a ‘bucket list’ experience for anyone who’s passionate about our marine life.”
The United States television network, CNN, was at the Two Oceans Aquarium yesterday, also filming an insert about climate change and marine conservation, ahead of the COP17/CMP7 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
