Michel Labrecque & Julie Ouimet (N2Pix)

Michel and Julie are explorers and image makers who have traveled to some of the most remote areas of our planet. They are technical trimix divers, rebreather divers, the previous owners of an award-winning PADI 5-Star IDC center and accomplished dive training professionals.

Since 2014, they have devoted themselves to underwater imagery and exploration. Michel is a photojournalist and Julie is an expedition videographer and filmmaker. They are contributors for several dive publications, public speakers and the authors of a book.

Michel and Julie are both Fellows of the Explorers Club and Associate Members of the Boston Sea Rovers. They have twice been bestowed the honor of carrying the Explorers flag to Clipperton atoll and the findings of their 2 scientific missions to the atoll contributed to the creation of a marine protected area. In 2018 they received the Explorers Club Citation of Merit in recognition of their "exemplary accomplishments in Field Science and Conservation". In 2016, Michel was named a PADI Ambassador and in 2019, Julie was inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame.

Presenting: "Freaks...of Nature"

The ocean is home the many weird, ugly and even scary looking creatures. By their appearance or behaviors, they seem to be freaks of nature, mistakes of evolution and sometimes nightmarish visions.

See more of Michel and Julie's work at: http://n2pix.com/

Rick Morris

Rick Morris working in broadcast television for more than 30 years, 3 years as the documentary producer/videographer for the Census of Marine Life and the Encyclopedia of Life Projects. Rick has shot and produced programming for many of the major networks and cable channels as well as for non-profits and NGOs like The Nature Conservancy, The International Fund For Animal Welfare, The New England Aquarium, Oceana and The Conservation Law Foundation and was the primary cameraman for the television show, "Countdown with Keith Olbermann".

During his tenure with the Census of Marine Life Mr. Morris produced and contributed to more than a dozen films and productions for National Geographic, PBS, BBC and Canadian Broadcasting. Rick's footage has been seen on programs from Nightline to "Late Night with David Letterman". Morris also appears as a guest lecturer at conventions and symposiums. His films can be seen on the Census website, Vimeo and the underwater imaging sites for Wetpixel and DivePhotoGuide as well as the Smithsonian’s Oceans Hall portal and in the United Nations Video Archives. In 2015 Rick was nominated as Scuba Diving Magazines Hero of the Sea for September/October.

Presenting: "Hero to Heroes: Restoring the Reefs"

This is the first in a series of films about restoring the coral reefs in the Florida Keys and documenting it using cell phones. Rick's mission is to raise awareness about the earth and most of all the Ocean and to do so focusing on the 12-35 year old age groups.

See more of Rick's work at:

Nancy McGee

The Explorers Club recognized her with a Fellowship for her explorations, which include filming in locations so remote that local natives have never before seen Western people. Explorers Club Fellowship is the highest tier attainable by explorers and reserved for those who have distinguished themselves by directly contributing to scientific knowledge in the field of geographical exploration or allied sciences.

Nancy’s expeditions have opened several new regions to responsible eco-tourism, including the Andaman Islands (India) and the Forgotten Islands (Indonesia). She has dived seven continents in a marine career spanning more than 40 years.

Nancy produces, edits and films her own documentaries with a focus on conservation, education in addition to a unique historical spin on culture and the marine ecosystem. She is a frequent contributor to dive journals and is a featured speaker and emcee for national and international shows, film festivals and schools. was inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame and is the first female Exosuit, pilot. Nancy currently serves as Vice President of Chapters for The Explorers Club, and is Chapter chair for Texas.

Nancy has achieved these many goals while working full time in public education, personally touching the lives of thousands of children. After a 34-year career in public education, Nancy serves as the Vice President of Education for the Commemorative Air Force.

Presenting: "Uncomfortable"

Great things come from stretching your boundaries. Dive with an elephant, pilot a wearable submarine, or snorkel with a crocodile.

Learn more about Nancy's work at: https://explorersclubtexas.org/nancy-mcgee/

John Bricker, John Noonan and Ben Roberts

John Bricker: Captain John Bricker has been diving the waters off Long Island NY since 1983 and is certified in mixed-gas diving and closed-circuit rebreathers. In 1993 he began working on local dive boats, eventually obtaining his USCG 100 ton Masters license in 2001. While mostly diving off New York and New Jersey he also has dived the waters off the South China Sea in the Philippines.

Obsessed with shipwrecks he has dived over 100 wrecks including the Andrea Doria, RMS Republic, RMS Oregon and USS San Diego. A strong advocate for the sport, John has given many presentations increasing public awareness of the rich history that lies forgotten off the shores of Long Island.

John Noonan: Born and raised on the East End of Long Island and being surrounded by water, much of his youth was spent fishing and boating with his family. His father instilled in him a love for the sea and what lies below the surface, with regular local snorkeling trips to Shinnecock inlet. Over a 30 year period, John has owned various boats, and currently has a Downeast lobster boat that he reconstructed and set up specifically for wreck diving.

John became a certified diver in 2005 and immediately began wreck diving off of his boat. Visiting the wrecks that he had previously fished over, he was immediately hooked after seeing the historic time capsules on the ocean floor. Shortly after becoming certified he began crewing part time on various dive charter boats on Long Island. After obtaining a Coast Guard Captain's License in 2008, he has acted as a backup captain as well as crew member, and continued running his own boat as a private dive boat.

His passion for shipwrecks, their history, and the artifacts found on them fuels his continued enthusiastic pursuit of wreck exploration. John has been diving a Closed Circuit Rebreather since 2010, and currently dives a Revo CCR. Of all the locations visited on dive trips, his home waters off of Long Island remains his favorite place to dive and explore.

Ben Roberts: Captain Ben Roberts is the co-founder and lead principal of Eastern Search & Survey (“ESS”), an organization established to systematically re-locate, image, research, identify, document and promote public awareness of shipwrecks off the US Eastern Seaboard. Since ESS’ inception in 2018, he has surveyed over 450 wreck sites ranging in depth from 10 to 850 feet and has announced several notable rediscoveries.

To further ESS’ mission, Ben developed custom tools such as search algorithms integrated with modern machine learning techniques, and a stable and heave-compensated side-scan sonar system that is capable of producing high-resolution, photorealistic imagery at depths to 1,000’. He is also an accomplished technical diver. Ben and his wife Jenny currently reside in Amagansett, NY.

Presenting: "Rediscovery of the Packet Ship Adriatic: a Civil War Casualty off Long Island"

Turning to increasingly desperate measures as they were losing the Civil War, the Confederates decided to send one of their star commanders on a risky commerce-raiding mission deep into Union waters.

On August 6th, 1864 Commander John Taylor Wood's CSS Tallahasee slipped past the Union blockade at Wilmington, NC and proceeded to destroy or capture 33 vessels during a dramatic 19-day voyage that took him as far as Nova Scotia, sending shockwaves throughout the North and boosting morale in the South.

The largest and most important victim of Wood's historic raid was the packet ship Adriatic, which was recently rediscovered off Long Island by a team of local divers.

This presentation provides historical context for Woods' raid, an overview of rediscovering and diving the wreck site, and a summary of how it was positively identified through archival research.

Learn about Eastern Search & Survey's work and discoveries at:
https://www.facebook.com/Eastern-Search-Survey-109413857123876/

Michael Salvarezza & Christopher Weaver

Michael Salvarezza and Christopher Weaver have been diving the waters of the world since 1978. In that time, they have spent hundreds of hours underwater and have accumulated a large and varied library of photographic images.

In 1994, Salvarezza and Weaver formed a company called Eco-Photo Explorers, a New York based organization to help promote public interest in protecting the underwater environment through knowledge and awareness using underwater photography. Their photo and freelance writing are all utilized to achieve this goal.

They have presented their work in many multi-media presentations, and have appeared previously at Beneath the Sea, Boston Sea Rovers Underwater Clinic, Our World Underwater and the Long Island Divers Association Film Festival.

Mike and Chris have been published in numerous magazines, including National Geographic Adventure, and have authored many articles for the majority of the dive publications the world over. Their work has also been used to support a number of research and educational programs, including the Jason Project for Education, the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium in New York and the Cambridge University and the University of Groningen Arctic Centre work on monitoring the transformation of historic features in Antarctica and Svalbard.

Presenting: "North Carolina: Shipwrecks, Sanctuaries and Sharks...Oh My!"

The waters off the fabled Outer Banks of North Carolina are often referred to as “The Graveyard of the Atlantic”. Lying in these waters are pirate ships, sunken World War II military vessels, historic Civil War era battleships and modern-day ships of all types. The entire history of the United States of America can be told by exploring the shipwrecks that lie near these dangerous shoals. Join Eco-Photo Explorers on an exciting adventure as they dive these shipwrecks and uncover the rich history that lies beneath these waves. Along the way, the audience will learn about the National Marine Sanctuary program which aims to preserve this maritime history for future generations, and they will encounter the large schools of Sand Tiger Sharks that have taken up residence here.

See more of Mike and Chris' work at: http://ecophotoexplorers.com

Tobias Friedrich

"From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free."
- Jacques-Yves Cousteau (1910-1997)

During his childhood Tobias Friedrich just loved to watch the adventures of the Calypso featuring Jacques-Yves Cousteau as its captain. The beauty of the world that is below the ocean's surface mesmerized Tobias. It still overwhelmes him every time he has the chance to dive. He loves the elegance and calmness of the world under water contrasting to the hectic atmosphere above.

Tobias is based in Wiesbaden Germany. Conveniently close to the Frankfurt Airport, a major hub for Germany. This facilitates his international travels for assignments around the globe. He first started taking pictures with a DSLR underwater in 2007. Since then his images have been published in prestigious scuba diving magazines and newspapers around the world. Several underwater photographic competitions, have honoured his work. Resulting in over 50 awards with 30 1st places. Recently he has been awarded “Underwater Photographer of the Year 2018” in the prestigious UPY London competition.

In addition he is "German Photographer of the Year 2019" in the Worldshootout. Tobias feels at home in all waters; ranging from subzero to 30° Celsius, as long as there are captivating images to shoot, he is game.

Another great passion of his is leading international expeditions and workshops where he invites everybody to join and share his love for the underwater world.

Presenting: "Greenland–Below Icebergs"

Diving in Greenland with a freediver under the ice at icebergs.

See more of Tobias's work at:

2022 Film Festival

Film Festival Presenters