THEY died doing what they loved best.
And in a fitting tribute, Zululand divers will remember fallen diving legends Peter Timm (51) and Adele Stegen van Deventer (45) with a morning dive at Sodwana Bay next month.
Zululander Peter and his Vryheid diving partner Adele tragically died last Wednesday in a diving accident while trying to retrieve research equipment off Umkomaas near Aliwal Shoal.
During the 58m ascent, Adele encountered some trouble and was assisted by Peter, who managed to get her back to the rescue boat, before he collapsed.
It is believed they had surfaced too quickly although the reason for this is not known.
Owned by the Oceanographic Research Institute, the equipment to sample biodiversity on the sea bed was lost during a research expedition last week. This was part of a multi-institutional collaborative conservation research programme led by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
The tragic loss of Timm, a name synonymous with coelacanths and conservation has shaken the diving, scientific and conservation community with tributes pouring in for the Sodwana Bay diving instructor.
‘On both land and water his enthusiasm and commitment were contagious,’ said Head of Ezemvelo’s Scientific Division, Jean Harris
‘His ability to foster confidence in the people he trained and in divers of all capabilities was remarkable. Conservation in South Africa has lost a true ambassador. He is a real legend.’
Pioneer
As owner of Triton Dive Charters in Sodwana Bay, Peter trained countless scuba and deep sea divers and was considered a true pioneer.
In one of South Africa’s most dramatic marine moments, Peter found coelacanths off Sodwana Bay by deep diving to more than 100m depth into the offshore canyons.
Adele, who was often Peter’s deep dive buddy, saw her first live coelacanth in February this year after a number of dives into Jesser Canyon.
Peter, who was also an Ezemvelo Honorary Officer, was recently awarded a Citizen Science Award by the South African National Biodiversity Institute for his contribution to marine science and conservation for the past 25 years.
Described as a ‘son of the tides’, he was an award-winning underwater photographer and pilot.
A memorial day starting off with a dawn dive to celebrate Peter’s and Adele’s life will take place on 5 July at Sodwana Bay.
