The ocean holds extraordinary secrets.
Ships lost for centuries. Forgotten stories waiting to be told. Underwater places that few people have ever seen.
But every discovery raises a new question:
What responsibility comes with being the first to find something?
At Diving Talks 2026, three remarkable speakers will take us into the fascinating world of underwater discovery, maritime heritage and exploration ethics.
⚓ JIM HANSSON — The Äpplet: The Forgotten Sister of the Vasa
Built in the 1620s by the same shipbuilders responsible for the famous Vasa, the Äpplet remained hidden beneath Swedish waters for centuries.
Jim takes us behind the discovery and documentation of this extraordinary wreck, revealing what it tells us about 17th-century shipbuilding and the challenges of conducting maritime archaeology in extreme underwater conditions.
🔎 HEATHER KNOWLES — The Discovery of the SS Allentown
Lost with all hands off Massachusetts in 1888, the SS Allentown became the subject of a remarkable collaborative investigation.
Heather reveals how technical divers, scientists, historical research and advanced technology came together to discover and identify a shipwreck — and recover an important chapter of maritime history.
⚖️ DUBRAVKA VEJNOVIĆ — Ethics Under Pressure: When Exploration Meets Responsibility
Finding something doesn’t automatically give us the right to disturb it.
From shipwrecks and submerged caves to fragile environments and sensitive scientific information, Dubravka explores the ethical decisions that every responsible underwater explorer must consider.
Three perspectives. Three extraordinary subjects. One essential conversation.
Because exploration is not simply about what we can discover.
It’s also about what we choose to protect.
📅 Sunday, October 25 · 11:30
📍 Cordoaria Nacional, Lisbon
Some discoveries change history. Others change the way we think about exploration.
🎟️ BE THERE.
#DivingTalks #DivingTalks2026 #BeThere #MaritimeArchaeology #WreckDiving
