AfricanDiver issue 1

AfricanDiver.com September 2008 First Edition

Whale shark strandings African news

Deep trouble

Exploitation of Africa’s oceans

Rocking Rocky Bay Raggies and more

Red Sea

Equalising in Southern Egypt

Sodwana Shootout 9th Annual Shootout

Sardine Run

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Wet & wild on the Wild Coast

Editorial

Contents

Written by Cormac McCreesh

Welcome to this inaugural issue of AfricanDiver.com online magazine.

Africa is not the dark continent it is made out to be. Rich in cultures, colours and plant and animal biodiversity it is largely undiscovered and un-nurtured. Africa is known for the big 5 in the mind of the average tourist and Africa’s seas are becoming similarly defined – great whites, tigers, raggies, whale sharks and the sardine run.

Of course, this is far from the Africa we African divers know. Yes, we do the big 5 but we get to experience unpredictable and lively seas, unspoilt beaches, great species variety and exciting wrecks.

Like many other African divers, Paul and I have travelled to other parts of the globe diving and exploring.

However, over the years we have come to realise that we have on our doorsteps (so to speak) wonderful, exciting and diverse diving. We have also recently become aware of how Africa’s seas are being exploited and plundered. We felt the need to get the message out – to Africans and the rest of the world – about the exploitation but also about how great the diving in Africa is.

AfricanDiver.com is our way of getting the message out. The online delivery of the magazine facilitates the speedy transfer of our message. With this, our first issue, we have been fortunate to receive contributions and support from divers with a deep interest and passion for Africa’s seas. Mike Markovina tells us of his travels through Africa researching the sustainability of fish stocks. Rob and Sam Bester share their research on whale sharks as well as the disturbing news of whale shark strandings off the South African coastline.

No African dive magazine would be complete without an article on the sardine run and Jean Marx shares his experiences. Gary Clamp keeps us up-to-date with diving activity on the South African KwaZulu Natal coast and Deborah Wright reports on the Sodwana shootout photography competition. Having once succumbed to malaria, I particularly welcome DAN’s submission on malaria and prophylaxis. DAN has a fantastic presence in South Africa and their service extends throughout much of Africa. Paul’s article on the southern Red Sea is a photographic delight that celebrates everything diving should be. And finally, we include a short note on the history of one of KwaZulu Natal’s often-dived wrecks.

Our hope for AfricanDiver.com is that it is relevant, thought provoking and positive. While this issue has a distinctly Southern African feel to it, future issues will include contributions from other diving places in Africa. We celebrate everything that African diving has to offer and we want you too as well.

AfricanDiver.com will be published every three months - the next issue being due on 31 December this year.

We welcome contributions, enquiries and feedback.

Please visit our website often, email us at info@africandiver.com and subscribe to be notified when issues are available for download. Spread the word, dive the seas and may Visit your bubbles always be free.

AfricanDiver.com click here Cormac and Paul

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Page 6 Deep trouble Exploitation of fishing resources in Africa

by Mike Markovina

Page 10 Whale shark watch Whale shark research in Sodwana Bay

by Paul Hunter and Samantha Bester

Page 14 Sardine run 2008 Sardine run report

Page 35 Fujifilm Sodwana shootout South Africa’s premier underwater photography competition

by Deborah Wright

Page 3 African news • Gabon • Illegal vessel captured in Mozambique • Whale sharks stranded

by Jean Marx

Page 19 Southern Red Sea Photographers delight

by Paul Hunter

Page 25 Rocking in Rocky Bay Exploring the reefs off Rocky Bay

by Gary Clamp

Page 28 The “Produce” wreck Everyone’s favorite wreck

by Cormac McCreesh

Page 31 Malaria prevention DAN’s guide to Malaria prevention in Africa

by Dr Frans Cronje

To subscribe to AfricanDiver.com click here

A Namibian fishing vessel has been detained for alleged illegal fishing in Mozambican waters.

African News

Source: Agencia de Informaao de Mozambique

The Antillas Reefer is the second vessel seized, owned by the company Omunkete Fishing. Paloma V was caught in New Zealand waters earlier this year. Both vessels were flying Namibian flags. According to the Mozambican news agency, Agencia de Informaao de Mozambique, a licensed Mozambican fishing vessel alerted the authorities to the presence of the Antillas Reefer off the coast of the central province of Zambezia. The Mozambican fishing authorities ordered the vessel to head south to Maputo.

The vessel had 36 crew members, most of them Spaniards. The authorities found 43 tonnes of shark, 4 tonnes of shark fin, 1.8 tonnes of shark tail, 11.3 tonnes of shark liver, and 20 tonnes of shark oil. Shark fins are eaten as an expensive delicacy in Asia, while shark liver and oil are used for medicinal purposes. The total value of the catch was around $5 million.

Also found on board were 65 tonnes of bait (frozen squid and fish), and illegal fishing gear. The Antillas Reefer was using long line, with anchors and weights that could keep the lines at depths of up to 2 kilometres, allowing the vessel to catch deep sea sharks.

The report said “the vessel was unlicensed, was taking species that may not be caught in Mozambican waters, and was using banned gear. In addition, the captain’s statements about the cargo proved to be untrue – he understated the quantity of shark fins and liver on board.”

The Mozambican Fisheries Minister imposed a fine of $4.5 million on the vessels owner and in addition confiscated the vessel and everything on board. Since then Namibia cancelled the fishing licenses of the two vessels that were found to have indulged in “illegal, unregulated and uncontrolled fishing”. The Antillas Reefer was employed in Mozambican waters by a Mozambican company, Sabpal Pescas. Sabpal was working with the ship’s owner, the Walvis Bay registered Ompala Fishing Pty Ltd. Sabpal told the Ministry that the vessel would fish for tuna. But before any license was issued, and before the obligatory inspection of the fishing gear, the Antillas Reefer was already hard at work, scouring the Mozambican seas, not for tuna, but for shark.

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On 1 July, a New Zealand court found that Omunkete’s vessel, the Paloma V, was involved in illegal fishing in the Antarctic for toothfish, an endangered species (sometimes known as Chilean seabass). This makes it likely that the Paloma V will be blacklisted by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which would prevent it from entering any ports in countries that are signatories to this commission (which include Namibia and South Africa). Although Omunkete pleaded innocence, the New Zealand Fisheries Minister, Jim Anderton, said the “Paloma V”’s computer records revealed that it had contact with known illegal fishing vessels and had resupplied them at sea. But the New Zealand authorities did not impound the Paloma V which has subsequently returned to Walvis Bay.

Fishing and illegal fishing in and around Mayumba National Park, Gabon submitted by Mike Markovina

In 2002, Gabon’s president Omar Bongo Ondimba announced and implemented a network of thirteen national parks, which protects nearly 11% of the country’s land and waters. As a result Gabon’s natural heritage is one of the most intact in Africa. Mayumba National Park is situated in southern Gabon and borders Congo. The park protects an area of costal sea approximately 900 square kilometers, and a narrow 1km x 60km of beach and coastal forest.

Apart from the incredible terrestrial biodiversity, the Gabonese coast is a rich fishing ground for the nation’s fleet of mechanized trawlers, and the government has established fishing zones to demarcate where each type of fishing may occur. For instance, no industrial fishing can take place inside a 3-nautical mile (5.5km) band that stretches out from the coast or from estuary mouths. This area is reserved for small-scale fishing, as practiced by the Beninese at Mayumba (southern Gabon); an activity vital to feeding isolated communities far from the nation’s capital. Over-fishing by unregulated industrial trawlers threatens not only the human population, but also the ecosystem. As these boats target lagoon entrances and other biologically sensitive areas, they interrupt the developmental cycle of many coastal fish species, threatening the stocks. Trawlers also disturb sensitive substrates, reducing the biodiversity of the system, and have been identified as an important cause of mortality for marine turtles. Turtles are also threatened by accidental capture by offshore long-line fishing vessels seeking tuna. Currently this fishery is unregulated and under continual pressure from international illegal fishing vessels. In Gabon, the inshore trawlers are medium to large sized, usually steel-hulled, industrial fishing vessels. To catch their fish, either one or two large sock shaped nets are dragged behind the vessel, with two large wooden pallets or ‘doors’ to keep the net open. After a predetermined time, the nets are winched on board and the cod end opened to dump the catch on deck. It is a very effective means of catching fish. There are two drawbacks however– for one, the amount of fish a fleet of boats can catch can decimate fish stocks if not controlled, and secondly, the trawl nets are indiscriminate and will catch whatever gets in their way; this may be fish, but may also be sea turtles. This unwanted ‘trash fish,’ called by-catch, is dumped overboard to create space for the higher priced target species, in this case the barr (Pseudotolithussenegalensis).

Another threat comes in the shape of large Korean ‘mother-ships’ that come to fish under license in Gabon, carrying up to 40 small wooden pirogues on board, manned by Senegalese fishermen. The mother ship waits in deeper water offshore, where it is permitted to fish, but the canoes motor in close to the coast, or fish close to the numerous oilrigs in the area. Using hand-lines, these experienced fishermen remove high market value fish species and sharks, which can have a major impact on a local fishery. Being small and wooden, they do not show up on radar, and are difficult to spot using a telescope. In 2007 the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) patrol boat stationed at Mayumba conducted 20 missions covering a total of 5800km over 236 hours to apprehend illegal trawlers. The missions comprised of Park director Dr. Richard Parnell, skipper and fisheries biologist Mike Markovina and a representative of the fishery ministry. The missions were based on surveillance intelligence gathered by Park eco-guards stationed in various beach field camps. The missions resulted in 25 vessels being chased down andreprimanded. From approximately 95% of the vessels approached, fish were confiscated by the fisheries ministry, and thereafter these vessels were released with a warning. Regardless of this situation, WCS compiled an official written report on behalf of the fisheries ministry for each vessel including photos, GPS positions, and other information necessary to pursue the fishing company to justice.

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Of the reports sent to the fisheries ministry, zero fines were administered to the companies in question, however of the 6 reports compiled regarding illegal fishing activity in the Mayumba National Park, two fines were issued. To avoid apprehension trawlers use the cover of darkness, often displaying no night lights, to fish up to 500 meters offshore and within the protected waters of Mayumba National Park.

Communities know that unless fisheries controls are taken seriously, over-fishing is inevitable, and its results can be devastating. There has been a motion to forgo the 3-nauticle mile ban on commercial trawling and replace the law with a quota system. The largest Gabonese fishing company, whose vessels continuously fish illegally with no apparent regard to the current laws, has suggested this notion. A change to the quota system would impact negatively on local fishing communities and already struggling fish stocks. The Nation still has time to avoid a catastrophe, but needs to maximize its monitoring and compliance efforts now, and support programs like that underway by the joint forces of the National Park, Navy and Fisheries in Mayumba.

Article written by Mike Markovina, Marine Resource Expedition.

Major contributions from WSC director Dr. Richard Parnell.

Whale Shark Strandings Submitted by Smantha Bester - Whale Shark Watch

Unfortunately there has been a high rate of whale shark strandings along the KwaZulu Natal north coast. A total of 20 since October 2006. The 3 most recent being recorded in the past months. Tissue samples have been taken from the stranded animals and sent to a lab in Mexico for analysis. We still await news as to the possible causes. There is very little currently being conducted on these strandings and little is known as to the cause. Such strandings are heartbreaking and tragic. South Africa is the only coastline that records such high rates of whale shark strandings. Even with high sighting records of Whale Shark in Australia, they have only recorded 3 strandings in the past 30 years.

Whale Shark Watch has now joined a group of international whale shark research stations that collectively add data and pictures to the ECOCEAN whale shark database. We are now registered as the SA Field Station. The beauty of a collective database is the ability to compare individual animals identified in the hopes of acquiring repeat sightings at other field stations. This has finally happened with the first 3 “inter-country� matches between Sodwana Bay and Tofo - really exciting stuff. Check out the Giant Fish link below for more details: http://giantfish.wordpress.com

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Deep Trouble The world’s oceans are in deep trouble. From the northernmost reaches of the Arctic Circle to the Southern Oceans surrounding Antarctica marine resources have been harvested at an unprecedented rate. Since the 1900’s, continued and often unregulated fishing may have resulted in a decline of many species by up to 90%, and unfortunately it does not stop there. Every aspect of the ocean is being mined for its resources; coral reefs are being destroyed by dynamite and cyanide for both food and the aquarium fish trade, which is suggested to top a billion dollars a year.

Seamounts have been targeted due to the aggregation of high market value pelagic species associated with them, like tuna.

Kelp forests, sandy shores, estuaries and the deep ocean are all relentlessly exploited by a range of fishing strategies and advanced technologies with subsequent devastating effects.

by Mike Markovina, Marine Resource Expedition.

Contribution: Richard Parnell, WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) director of Mayumba National Park, Gabon.

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There is no part of the ocean today that is safe from potential overexploitation of its resources. Current data suggests that approximately 100 million tons of fish are removed from the ocean annually. At this level of exploitation, sustainability of marine resources and in particular fish stocks is questionable. Although much work has been done examining the state of fisheries through various disciplines, the public perception of the state of the world’s marine resources is perceived as ignorant, and only recently starting to awake to the catastrophic nature of marine resource exploitation. It is to this extent that Linda and I launched the Marine Resource Expedition.

Linda grew up in East London and was fortunate to explore the exquisite Eastern Cape coastline through her camera lens from a young age. I spent my days diving, spearfishing, skippering boats and studying the seas from Cape Point to

Betty’s Bay, where I presently live. Both Linda and I are graduates from Rhodes University. Linda obtained a bachelor’s degree of journalism and media studies in 2006, and myself, a master’s degree in Ichthyology and Fisheries Science in 2007.

The initial idea for the expedition arose in the incredible but mosquito infested jungles of southern Gabon. During 2007 both Linda and I were stationed in Mayumba National Park where we worked for the Wildlife Conservation Society. I was in charge of all marine going expeditions, and Linda photography. It was easy to see the phenomenal biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial along the southern coast of Gabon. For Linda and I it was a true inspiration being immersed in Gabon’s biological wonders, and this became a major motivation in the development of the marine Resource Expedition.

The Gabonese coast is a rich fishing ground for the nation’s fleet of mechanized trawlers, and the government has established fishing zones to demarcate where each type of fishing may occur. For instance, no industrial fishing can take place inside a 3-nautical mile (5.5km) band that stretches out from the coast or from estuary mouths. This area is reserved for small-scale fishing, as practiced by the Beninese at Mayumba; an activity vital to feeding isolated communities far from the nation’s capital.

Unfortunately, trawlers routinely ignore these zones and fish close to the coast, stripping these waters of fish, potentially damaging fragile seabed ecosystems, dislodging local and traditional fishing gear and catching turtles as they approach the coast to nest.

Cover: Confiscated sharks from a local Gabonese pirogue engaged in illegal gill netting in the Mayumba National Park - Mike Markovina This page above: Amerger 9 being escorted to Mayumba National Park head quarters after she was chased down and apprehended for illegal fishing in the Mayumba National Park - Mike Markovina Right: Dead leatherback turtle, a result of bycatch - Mike Markovina

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In Mayumba, everyone knows about the trawlers, and there is a universal feeling of disgust when a vessel is sighted fishing close to the coast; a feeling that the community is powerless to defend itself against.

The National Park has hired six surveillance staff to occupy observation camps on the beach within the park. The teams use telescopes to identify trawlers spotted in the Park, and then communicate this intelligence to headquarters. At this point, we either telephone directly to the fishing company to inform them of their illegal presence in the Park, or we directly launch a boat mission accompanied by representatives of the Gabonese fishing ministry and Navy (for protection) to apprehend them.

Whichever option, a written report is produced with photos, GPS positions, and other

information necessary to pursue the fishing company to justice. The surveillance crews in the National Park rotate every 3 weeks. Not only are the Eco-guards monitoring the oceans for illegal fishing vessels in the park, but also comb the dense jungle for illegal fishing camps and illegal hunters. These eco-guards work extremely hard and for me it was an inspiration working alongside them especially in the field. For every illegal trawler, or illegal fishing camp in the jungle and the negative connotations, which are associated with them, there is a positive side, one that highlights dedication and motivation to instill change and awareness amongst local communities and villagers regarding the need to conserve their natural heritage. The Marine Resource Expedition is an initiative based on the underlying principles of the dedicated eco-guards with whom Linda and I were privileged to work with.

“there is a positive side, one that highlights dedication and motivation to instill change and awareness amongst local communities and villagers”

Above: Amerger 8 with her nets retrieved after she was apprehended for illegal fishing - Mike Markovina Right: Fisheries and food web education in Mayumba conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - Linda Schonknecht

On the 21st June 2007 Linda and I were sitting sweating profusely in our ridiculously hot bedroom, which was small and conveniently attached to the office. We decided right there and then, largely based on our disbelief in the persistence of fishing companies to send their trawlers to fish illegally within the National Park boarders, that we had to make a contribution to the awareness and importance of conserving our fragile and finite marine resources. That evening we sat down with some old maps and plotted an ambitious route literally around the world.

We had two thoughts, firstly, if we are truly dedicated then there was a huge possibility that we could pull it off, secondly, that we might have gone mad. Kingsly Holgate said to Linda and I when he bundled through the Gabon jungles and stumbled upon our office, “look to family and friends first when you start looking for sponsors, then get off your behinds and just do it.” I constantly felt depressed at the scale of bribery and corruption of fishing companies and the inability of effective compliance. We therefore decided that this expedition must focus on the positive aspects of marine conservation.

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There are so many unsung heroes who are dedicated to make a difference in their communities and it is their story that the expedition decided to document. By focusing on “what we are doing right” in marine conservation, we hope to create an important network of information between projects globally. This information I feel will be pivotal in providing South Africa with accurate and up to date information and concepts regarding marine conservation. We believe by using the media and producing a documentary we will have the ability to influence a wider audience, more so than if Linda or I stayed in academia.

The Marine Resource Expedition officially powered by Fujifilm sets of from Cape Town on the 25th of August 2008, and aims to return to Cape Town by August 2010. The route will cover various coastal countries of west and east Africa, Europe, Russia, selected countries in Asia (including Japan), India and the Arabian Peninsula over approximately 24 months. The aim of the expedition is to understand holistically and objectively the exploitation of marine resources, the effectiveness of marine protected areas and the potential development of aquaculture. By understanding the problems of fisheries globally, The Marine Resource Expedition hopes to highlight the positive aspects of marine resource conservation, something that is often overlooked. The collective imagery and information gathered on the expedition will be used to try gauge where South Africa features in relation to other nations on the fine balance between sustainability and overexploitation.

Prior to our departure for Namibia on the 25 of August 2008, Linda and I will be filming a new and exciting marine conservation initiative in Hermanus. The South African Shark Conservancy (SASC) is doing fantastic work in creating awareness to shark fishing not only through education in the community but workshops and scientific based fieldtrips as well. It is this positive initiative that the Marine Resource Expedition wishes to investigate globally.

“To see giant leatherbacks on the beaches at night in the hundreds, to see the bustling array of marine life on isolated reefs, to swim free with the whales and dolphins is all a privilege that everybody has the right to. For Linda and I this expedition hopes to show just how privileged we all are and how sometimes in the middle of nowhere there are people who truly care about our marine heritage.”

Click here to visit the Moving Sushi website

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Oh my what a big mouth you have!

Compiled by Paul Hunter with submissions from Whale Shark Watch

I

t was a perfect day on the ocean at Sodwana Bay, South Africa. The sun was out in full force and the ocean was flat. We were heading back from an awesome dive on 7 mile reef when the skipper brought the boat to a sudden stop and pointed to a very large shadow just under the surface.

There was pandemonium on the boat as everybody scrambled to see what it was. “Whale shark“ somebody shouted. As we approached slowly to establish the shark’s behavior it became clear the shark was not in a hurry. Excitedly we all donned our fins and masks and slowly entered the water.

The shark had moved in closer to the boat to investigate. It slowly circled the boat three times. We got to spend an enjoyable time with the whale shark before it had had enough of us and slowly moved away continuing on it’s voyage south. The experience of swimming with these amazing creatures is something I cherish every time.

The whale shark, which inhabits most of the world’s tropical and warm-temperate oceans is a filter feeder — one of only three known filter feeding shark species (along with the basking shark and the megamouth shark). It feeds on phytoplankton, macro-algae, plankton, krill and small nektonic life, such as small squid or vertebrates. As a filter feeder, it has a large mouth which can be up to 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) wide and can contain between 300 and 350 rows of tiny teeth. It has five large pairs of gills and its two small eyes are located towards the front of the shark’s wide, flat head. Its skin can be up to 10 centimeters (3.9 in) thick in places. The body is marked with pale yellow spots and stripes. These spots are unique to each whale shark and because of this they can be used to identify each animal and contribute to an accurate population count.

Paul Hunter

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The Whale Shark is ovoviviparous and gives birth to live young measuring approximately 70cm in length. The Whale Shark is not only the largest shark species, it also has the largest litter size of all sharks. Very little is known about the habits of the Whale Shark. Sub-adults may live in small groups, but these are seen only very rarely. Adults are usually solitary and nothing is known about the way these giants find each other, nor how and where their mating occurs. Whale Sharks are on many peoples “must do” list and in spite of their general scarcity, encounters with these gentle giants can be had off Sodwana Bay annually between October and April due to their natural migratory patterns.

Paul Hunter

Globally, Whale Sharks also appear often around the Seychelles, Similan Islands (Thailand), Christmas Island, Ningaloo Reef (Western Australia), India, Sri Lanka, Belize, Mexico, Kenya and Mozambique. Like many other shark species, the whale shark has innate biological characteristics, such as its large size, slow growth, late maturation and extended longevity. These probably limit reproduction and make it particularly susceptible to exploitation. International conservation status of the species is unclear - it is listed as having an ‘Indeterminate’ status on the World Conservation Union’s Red List of Threatened Animals.

Commercial fisheries for this species are limited at present, but may expand from an increased demand for food products. There is a developing market for whale shark fins, with reports that some may recently have been sold in Hong Kong. In the Maldives the limited fishery for shark liver oil has ceased in recent years, and in June 1995 the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture introduced specific legislation banning all fishing for whale sharks. This protection was introduced because of the low profitability of the fishery, the possible serious impact that the fishery may have been having on whale shark stocks, and the possible benefits to both the tuna fishery and tourist industry.

I have been fortunate enough to meet and participate in an expedition with Rob and Sam Bester from Whale Shark Watch who are based in Sodwana. Rob and Sam owned and operated a dive charter in Aliwal shoal from 1990 - 1994 before relocating to Sodwana Bay on the Northern Natal coast of South Africa. In 1994 they established Whale Shark Watch to contribute to the preservation of the marine environment. Subsequently an opportunity arose when they were requested to assist with a Whale Shark tagging program initiated by the Shark Research Institute. This program then led to a research project undertaken by shark research scientist, Andrew Aitken, on behalf of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to determine the viability of a dedicated Whale Shark tourism industry in Northern Natal in 1997. Unfortunately, the 97/98 Whale Shark season in Sodwana Bay recorded extremely low sighting numbers and Andrew went on to study Tiger Sharks at

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Research and Monitoring

T

he acacessibility of the seasonal aggregation of whale sharks in the south eastern Mozambique and Sodwana Bay regions provide an excellent opportunity for researchers to undertake studies of this rarely encountered and poorly understood shark.

Initial research efforts lacked clearly defined objectives and were often hampered by limited scientific research of whale shark biology and ecology. Some aspects of this research should seek to provide information to environmental management bodies in order to minimize possible detrimental impacts of tourism pressure. Researchers studying whale sharks should “move beyond the purely descriptive natural history approach and design and implement sustained programs of investigation, using the most advanced equipment and techniques”.

Paul Hunter

Aliwal Shoal instead. Rob and Sam, already very passionate about Whale Sharks at this stage, opted to continue an annual data collection program on Whale Sharks in the region. This data collection project was run under the auspices of Jeremy Cliff at the Natal Sharks Board and was a catalyst in founding Whale Shark Watch which has just celebrated its 10th year in existence. Fortunately, whale shark numbers have seen increases in the past 6 seasons and continue to remain high. The past 3 years have produced Whale shark sightings for each month annually, and not just in the identified Whale shark season which is November to April.

As a non-funded project, Whale Shark Watch offers interactive experiences and Educational awareness of Whale sharks at Sodwana Bay to sustain data collection.

Clients are afforded the opportunity of participating in the data collection and photo identification.

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In developing a scientifically objective research and monitoring program, there are a number of factors to be considered, including ethical and logistical issues. Research should be of a non-invasive nature if at all possible, and must not cause the animals unnecessary stress. The large size free-swimming epi-pelagic nature and sporadic appearance of whale sharks makes study of these animals intrinsically difficult and creates numerous technical and methodological problems.

As has been seen with cetacean research, the time required and complexity of programs examining any large marine animal must be considered at the design stage. There are also obstacles in initiating further research in areas where a whale shark watching industry is already in place. Attempts to investigate the population size and structure may suffer from sample size and range problems and serious population studies require large sample sizes which is a major problem when working with rarely encountered species, especially if individuals cannot be captured or restrained. Accurate morphometric data and samples for age/growth determination (such as vertebral centra) can only be obtained from restrained or dead animals. Research and monitoring studies must be properly designed and have access to the necessary resources to ensure that their objectives are achieved.

Whale Shark Identification Photos

The 2007 whale shark season saw the introduction of the I3S Photo-Identification program so that Sodwana images will now be added to the database of the Indian Ocean Whale Shark population records from Mozambique, Seychelles and Ningaloo, as well as to the ECOCEAN global database.

Whale Shark Watch are requesting photographers that have whale shark pictures (side-on of the gill slit area) to contribute their pictures to them for inclusion on the database. The photographer will be credited for the picture and it may not be produced for any other purpose but inclusion to the database. We hope to get some archived pictures in this manner to be able to compare with sharks we are recording here presently to determine their repeat visit status. You can send your Whale Shark photos by e-mail to info@whaleshark.org.za and send us some comments on your encounter.

Photographers submitting images to Whale Shark Watch for inclusion into the I3S program should ensure photos contain ALL three reference points: • • •

Top of the 5th gill slit Bottom of the 5th gill slit The point the flank lines up with the most posterior point of the pectoral fin.

Ideally, the best photos will have good contrast, no light refraction and be completely flat on, containing the three reference points and be very clear.

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Anyone for a sardine?

Written by Jean Marx

Jean Marx took himself off to experience the sardine run this year. This is what he learned.

In a world of countless stories of “been there done that�, people often go to extremes to find that something special or new. I have been diving for a long time and have been all around the globe in search of that new, special place - from the Galapagos to the Coral Sea, and most places in between. I had often heard about the sardine run, but never got round to experiencing it. As with most things in life we often overlook what is right on our doorstep.

Common dolphin - Raffaella Schlegel

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Top left and above, Humpback whale - Jean Marx Bottom left, Blacktip sharks - Jean Marx

Earlier this year, I went on a Tiger Shark dive weekend to Umkomaas. We were hosted by Dietmar and Raffaella of Blue Rush. They specialize in shark encounters and the sardine run. We had an awesome experience gaining good images of Tiger and Blacktip sharks. On one dive we saw dolphin and humpback whales and the conversation after the dive turned towards the sardine run. Raffa said that she would bring some photos to dinner that evening. That night, we were in high spirits after a very exciting day when the photo album came out -images of breaching whales, dolphin surfing waves and frantic bird action. I decided that this year I was going, come hell or high water. Unfortunately high water came.

“the photo album came out -images of breaching whales, dolphin surfing waves and frantic bird action�

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Torrential rains hit the KwaZulu Natal and Wild coasts.

Visibility was down to zero and with 4 meter swells there was no chance of getting out to sea. I was very disappointed but kept on watching the forecasts.

I saw a forecast that showed a potential break in the weather and phoned Dietmar in Port St Johns, where Blue Rush was based for the 2008 run. The Sea was calming down and most importantly the visibility was improving. I was on the plane the next day on my way to the Wild Coast where Dietmar and Raffa were hosting a group of Italians for the week.

The sardine run happens every year between May and July.

There are many theories why the sardines “migrate”, but no scientific proof. One of the accepted theories is that changes in the frontal system, move cold water from the Agulhas Bank northwards and the sardines see this occurrence as an extension of their habitat. The run begins in deep water off the east coast, or Wild Coast, of South Africa and then moves on to the KwaZulu Natal coastline. The continental shelf defines the sardine run experience to be had. Along the east coast the continental shelf is very close to shore and it gets deep very quickly. This is where you will find the classic “bait ball” where predators surround a group of sardines. On the KwaZulu Natal coast, where it is quiet shallow, you will find a lot of shark activity resulting in the so-called “doughnut” formations. This is where a shark is surrounded by sardines and it looks like a doughnut from the air. This is also where the sardines will get pushed up to shore on occasion. This activity is not really dived but promises some opportunity with big schools of game fish also joining the hunt.

Ideal sardine conditions comes with good visibility and calm seas. But the chances to see the sardines improves with colder water and a south westly wind that helps blow the sardines closer to shore. Expect a long day at sea, a lot of swimming and getting in and out of the boat numerous times in order to keep up with the ever-moving sardines.

Top: Aerial view of Port St Johns - Jean Marx Far left: Cape gannet - Jean Marx Left: Wild coast - Jean Marx

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Bryde’s whale - Raffaella Schlegel

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The best indication of sardine action is cape gannets circling in the air and then and diving into the water. Just before they reach the water they pull their wings back like a fighter jet.

It is quite strange to hear a loud crack and then be suddenly faced with a bird with a sardine in its mouth 10 meters under the water. The truth is, once you get into the water, you don’t know what to expect, sardines being targeted by gannets, big predators, like dolphin or shark. We saw only common dolphin but bottlenose are seen. The sharks that you can encounter are mostly dusky, copper and blacktip with the occasional zambezi (bull shark) thrown in for good measure. The dolphin hunt by blowing bubbles and using their sonar to keep the sardines together. They then hit the ball at great speed. Sharks are normally present but will patrol the fringes and bottom of the ball for a snack. The real jackpot is when bryde’s or minke whales start feeding.

Penguin and cape fur seals can also make an appearance.

There were sightings of sailfish and even false killer whales joining the hunt this year, but these sightings are rare.

So basically your day is spent looking for sardine action. But the activity that you can see from the boat is an action movie in its own right. Humpback whales breaching, super pods of between 500-1000 dolphin, birds such as cape gannets, cormorants and gulls are abundant with the odd albatross patrolling the skies. If all this activity fails, the scenery of the Wild Coast is wild to say the least. Massive cliffs mark the ragged shoreline where the continuous pounding of the waves has created caves and eerie shapes in the rock.

Waterfall Bluff is one of only 4 waterfalls in the world that fall directly into the sea.

I think all divers will agree that diving is like a lucky dip and we gladly take what gift Neptune will show us. The only difference is with the Sardine run, Santa joins the party with a big sleigh of goodies.

Left top: Dolphin action - Jean Marx Left middle, bottom: Sardine activity - Raffaella Schlegel Right top, bottom: Sardine activity - Jean Marx

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Southern Red Sea Written by Paul Hunter

The “Deep South� as it is sometimes referred to must be one of the best kept secrets in the Red Sea. It’s unspoilt, secluded, and diverse with some of the best diving I have ever done. This is really a special place to visit and dive. One which I highly recommend. If you are looking for an adventure with unspoilt reefs and secluded dive sites this is the place for you. It may be further to travel but that is little to sacrifice for world renowned encounters with friendly dolphin, wall diving, which must be some of the best in the world.

Forests of soft coral covering every inch of reef and perfect conditions and visibility that stretches on forever. To me the ultimate benefit of being further away from the hustle and bustle of the north was the fact that 4 days went by before we saw another boat on the same reef as us.

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Cover: Beautiful sunset over the Egyptian desert - Jean Marx Left: Images from Elphinestone - Paul Hunter Below: Habour in Marsa Alam - Paul Hunter

“There is something mystical about the place, I think it has something to do with history dating back thousands of years. A time of Pharaohs and Gods and a civilization ahead of it’s time. It was time to return to Egypt and the Red Sea.”

After a disappointing trip to the Northern Red sea I was hesitant to return. I had placed the Red Sea on a pedestal. Yes the conditions were perfect and the visibility awesome but there was nothing to see from a fish life perspective. I have to admit though that the two wrecks we did, the Thistlegorn and the Dunraven, were unbelievable and an experience of a lifetime. After much persuasion I was convinced to return, but this time hundreds of kilometres south; the Deep South. I was told that the reefs were what the north was like 15 years ago.

Let’s face it travelling to Egypt and the Red Sea is an adventure unlike anywhere else in the world. There is something mystical about the place, I think it has something to do with history dating back thousands of years. A time of Pharaohs and Gods and a civilization ahead of it’s time. It was time to return to Egypt and the Red Sea. Driving through Marsa Alam en route to the harbour you soon realise that this once small fishing village on the western coast of the Red Sea is blooming into a Riviera.

It is destined to become another Sharm El Sheik as a top diving destination. Marsa Alam is located some 250km south of Hurghada. Since the opening of its international airport in 2001 this small village has become more popular and accessible to all. In some way you want to be selfish and stop progress so this place and the unspoilt reefs can remain just as they are.

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Dolphin Reef, as its name describes, is home to a very large pod of friendly dolphin. It’s a shallow horse shoe shaped reef structure basically in the middle of nowhere. I would highly recommend this experience to anybody who is in the near vicinity of this magical place. To spend time with these highly intelligent mammals and in such an awesome environment is a once-in-a-lifetime must. From the time you hit the water it is almost a sensory overload swimming with them, from their high pitched clicking sounds bouncing off your body to being surrounded by no less than 10 dolphin at a time. The more we wanted to interact with them the more they seemed to want to interact with us. I was unsure if they were used to interaction with people or were

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just unafraid of us as they came right up to me, swimming continually around me in circles or straight up from below.

The interaction was surreal and I’m unsure who was having more fun, them or us. We must have spent 90 minutes in the water with them before we had to call for the boats to pick us up as we were all exhausted.

Above: Friendly Dolphin on Dolphin reef - Paul Hunter Left: Coming in close to check you out - Jean Marx Below: Dolphin and divers interacting - Paul Hunter

The Red Sea and ship wrecks are synonymous so this trip would not be complete without at least one wreck dive. The Abu Galawa wreck is not a big wreck, in fact it’s only a sailboat which lies at the base of the reef on its starboard side in 18m of water. The wreck is very picturesque and great for photographers and the opportunity should not be missed. The boat is mostly intact, except for decking and the upper structure. The inside is filled with a massive shoal of glassfish. I have tried to find out more about this wreck but to no avail, the only information I do have was from the guides who told us that’s it’s an American sailboat which sank in 2002.

Above and Left: Images of the Abu Galawa Wreck - Paul Hunter

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Diversity, diversity and more diversity is something this trip had from the start and St John’s Cave was no different. From the surface it looks like somebody went to work on the reef with a pizza cutter. You could make out the myriad of tunnels which form this underwater maze through the reef. With our boat moored on the southern side of the reef we were informed that there were two openings to the north of the boat which would lead us into the tunnel system. At this stage I must point out that we were extremely lucky with the captain and dive guides who both gave us a lot of freedom. The captain was very flexible in terms of the different dive locations and the dive guides let us do our own thing. This helped with the bunch of photographers onboard and went a long way in keeping the peace. The dive on this reef was another highlight for me.

What we found while diving here was unbelievable. There were deep cracks in the coral plate which provided us with tunnels to navigate and explore. These same cracks allowed shafts of light to penetrate down to the floor. It was mesmerising and cathedral-like to witness. What a pleasure to photograph these scenes. Although some of these cracks were narrow to swim through we never felt unsafe or lost as the cracks always opened up to bigger cabins or to the sea again.

What we found while diving here was unbelievable. There were deep cracks in the coral plate which provided us with tunnels to navigate and explore.

Both images taken at St John’s Cave - Paul Hunter

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With big names like St Johns and Elphinestone to mention a few, we knew the wall diving was going to be good. The wall diving exceeded my expectations. The walls were covered from top to bottom with pristine hard and soft corals. In some places we saw forests of soft coral on the slopes. This made for awesome underwater photography opportunities. We were very fortunate that we never really had strong currents on our dives. This meant we could do the dives at our own pace and really get to enjoy some of the wonders on these reefs. Elphinestone lived up to its name as a magical dive site with unbelievable corals and a large variety of fish life. Another good reason to visit this location is the possibility of seeing the Oceanic Whitetip shark. Unfortunately we did not get to see any this time but that is nature and what will keep me coming back.

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All images taken at Elphinestone - Paul Hunter

“Elphinestone lived up to its name as a magical dive site with unbelievable corals and a large variety of fish life.�

Rocking at Rocky Bay Written by Gary Clamp Images by Cormac McCreesh

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T

he reefs off Rocky Bay, mainly known as Landers Reef, are a diving paradise. We experience a large and varied fish-life on a weekly basis and together with a topography which consists of many walls, crevices, caves and swim-throughs, this must make this one of the top diving spots on the coast. While Aliwal Shoal is widely known and dived by a great number of divers on a weekly basis, the reefs off Rocky Bay remain relatively quiet throughout the year. The main reason for this is that many of the best dive spots lie between 26 and 34 metres in depth, which puts them out of reach of the novice diver. This has resulted in dive operators being unwilling to set up an operation which would only cater for advanced divers. As a result, divers need to own or pre-hire all the necessary equipment and to have their cylinders filled prior to arriving at the launch site. This pre-supposes that a skipper that knows the reefs and is willing to take his boat to Rocky Bay for a launch has been pre-arranged. Needless to say, very few dive groups make the effort to do this on a regular basis.

To those of us who dive here every week-end, the fact that we are most times the only ones diving on the reef gives us the feeling of diving on our own piece of paradise. We take videos on each and every dive and share the experience with whomever else happens to be at the ski-boat clubhouse after each dive, while carefully guarding the location from the local fishermen.

The past couple of weeks have seen us encounter a number of humpbacked whales on our journeys to and at the dive sites off Rocky Bay. These giants of the ocean have been seen breaching and frolicking at the surface regularly. We have been privileged to see them rolling on their backs and coming to within 15 metres of the boat. This has given us wonderful photo opportunities and has been a wonderful addition to our diving experiences.

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Rocky Bay has traditionally been a fishing area, it was also a whaling station in the past, and fishing continues to be the predominant activity undertaken from the launch site. Recently controversy has arisen from an incident in which 3 Tiger Sharks were allegedly caught and landed in a Marine Protected Area, which is clearly against the law.

This incident has given renewed fuel to the fire between the interests of the divers and fisherman at Rocky Bay. As far as we understand, this matter is now the subject of a police investigation and as divers we would like to see, if the allegations are proved, the full weight of the law being brought down on the perpetrators of this despicable action.

There has always been, and always will be, an issue between sharks and fisherman. The fishermen maintain that sharks steal their catch and that their livelihoods suffer as a result. However we all need to do what we can to ensure a healthy ocean and this cannot be done by eradicating the apex predators from our oceans with the disturbance to the delicate ecological balance this will cause.

Winter on the Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) south coast brings warm days, good visibility (due to the lack of rain during at this time of year), the annual sardine run and, last but not least, the annual migration of the raggies to the south coast reefs.

The sardines were, with the exception of a few scattered smallish groups, a disappointment for the third year in a row. The reasons for the non-appearance of the anticipated large shoals have been blamed on a major storm which hit the south coast of KZN at the beginning of July. The experts suggesting that this storm ensured that the sardines stayed far off-shore.

My fellow divers have pointed out an alternative reason for the poor sardine showing, the sea temperature. We have been experiencing sea temperatures of around 20 – 21 degrees Celsius for the past few weeks. The general consensus is that the sardines prefer colder sea temperatures and that a temperature of around 18 – 19 degrees Celsius is much more likely to bring the sardines closer to shore, thus ensuring a successful sardine run. Whatever the reason we will have to wait another year for “The Greatest Shoal on Earth”.

The raggies have been around for a few weeks now and in large numbers. Everyone expects to see a large congregation of the sharks on Aliwal Shoal, and I can confirm that this is indeed the case with up to approximately 60 sharks being reported in and around Cathedral and a further 60 or so being seen around Raggies cave and Shark Alley. What we have found interesting is the relatively large numbers of raggies which we have seen on Landers Reef off Rocky Bay. Groups of between 10 and 20 individuals have been encountered, which according to my dive buddies is more than is normally seen in this area. Much discussion has taken place as to the reasons why. Perhaps the newly proclaimed MPA (Marine Protected Area) has something to do with this, and we are sure that the authorities will claim that it is proof that the MPA is effective.

But we believe that the MPA has not been in effect for long enough to have been solely responsible for the higher numbers of these sharks in this area.

Whatever the reason, we divers are thankful for the opportunity to dive with these beautiful creatures.

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Tanker sinks off Umkomaas

Compiled by Cormac McCreesh Produce images by Andrew Woodburn

The South African coastline is littered with wrecks. Many of which are not accessable to the average diver , or have been broken apart by rough seas and are no longer recognisable as vessels. One of the wrecks most often dived off the east coast of South Africa is the Produce.

Luckily no lives were lost and the rescue is somewhat of a legend.

She is approximately 119m long and lies on the seabed facing North on her starboard side. The wreck is home to many fish species, including Giant Brindle Bass and Harlequin Goldies.

Harlequin goldies are endemic to the wreck and can only be found on her and the Nebo (another wreck in the vicinity).

The Produce is a worthwhile dive if conditions are favourable.

The following text is the original newspaper articles reporting on the drama of the sinking and subsequent rescue of the crew.

The top of the wreck starts at approximately 22m and goes down to 34m on the sea floor. The wreck is therefore considered a deep dive that can be complicated by high currents, surge and poor visibility. The wreck is populated with Fire coral and divers should avoid touching the wreck.

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The Produce is an old cargo vessel that was carrying molasses at the time of sinking. Many legends abound of how she came to strike the reef of the the Aliwal Shoal. The Produce was heading south from Durban when it struck the shoal on 11 August 1974.

Brindle Bass: Cormac McCreesh

Tanker sinks off Umkomaas DURBAN – A 20 000-ton Norwegian tanker, Produce, sank shortly after ramming the notorious Aliwal Shoal about 1 1½ nautical miles off Umkomaas in rough seas yesterday afternoon.

In a radio telephone interview, the master of the Oranjeland, Capt U Weiner, said the survivors were generally in a satisfactory condition, although the women were suffering from shock.

Its crew of 34, including 4 women, were dramatically rescued by two commercial ski boats, a helicopter from the South African Air Force and a South African freighter, the S.A. Oranjeland.

He refused permission for them to be interviewed, saying they were resting.

Most of the crew were picked from the pounding seas by the ski-boats who braved the storm conditions in a bid to rescue the survivors. Three survivors were hoisted to safety from the hull of the ill-fated tanker by the helicopter while 14 crew, including the women, managed to reach the safety of the Oranjeland in one of the tankers two lifeboats.

A spokesman for the ship’s agents said last night that all the crew were saved and none was seriously injured.

The tanker, laden with molasses, sailed from Durban shortly after 11.30 yesterday morning bound for the United Kingdom.

S.O.S. SENT She is believed to have struck the shoal shortly after 2.30 pm and soon afterwards sent out an S.O.S. which was picked up

by Durban Radio and relayed to all shipping in the vicinity.

The Safmarine cargo vessel, S.A. Oranjeland, sped to the stricken tanker’s assistance and took on board 21 survivors.

A helicopter from the No. 19 Squadron raced to the scene and hoisted three crewman off the vessel.

Two ski-boats operating out of Umkomaas also picked up several survivors from the storm-tossed seas and took some to shore and the others to the Oranjeland.

Among the survivors on board the Oranjeland were four women crew members, one of them the radio operator. The others are stewardesses.

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Capt. Weiner said the rescue operation had taken about four hours, but had been hampered by heavy seas and high winds.

He said the survivors would be put ashore when his vessel called at East London today.

The anti-pollution vessel Kuswag Ι left for the scene loaded with detergents shortly after the vessel was reported sinking.

The National Sea Rescue Institute lifeboat Wesr also left harbour, but was recalled soon afterwards when it was learnt that all the crew had been rescued. – Sapa.

Fisherman saved 17 lives DURBAN – Battling against heavy seas, two commercial ski-boat fishermen, Mr. Tony Janssen and Mr. Clive Home, yesterday saved the lives of at least 17 people off the stricken tanker at Umkomaas.

The two, who will go down in history as heroes of the day, told how they launched their boat through heavy surf, to pluck the survivors from the sea.

JUMPING “Somebody had told me that the crew were jumping from the ship.

I knew I needed to help, so I phoned Clive Home and asked him to join me.

“I launched my boat and as I crossed the back line of the surf, I saw the Produce turn almost completely over.

“I saw a lifeboat crammed with people and made for that, but they waved me towards survivors floating in the sea. I picked up nine in all. They were very cold and exhausted and could hardly speak.”

Mr. Clive Home described how he was awoken from his sleep by Mr. Janssen.

“As I got to the beach, I could see Tony already through the surf.

The first man I reached did not have a life jacket and was swimming desperately towards me. Among the survivors I rescued four women.

“My crew and I decided that the beach landing would be far too dangerous so I made for the S.A. Oranjeland.

“One of the survivors, an elderly man, was so exhausted that we has to secure him with ropes so that he could be hauled up off the side of the ship.” - Sapa

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Malaria prevention and prophylaxis Frans J Cronjé, MBChB(Pret), BSc(Hons) Aerosp Med Albie De Frey, MBChB(Pret) Hermie C Britz, MBChB(Pret), BSc(Hons) Aerosp Med

DAN receives many inquiries from members regarding malaria. Indeed malaria has become an increasing problem due to drug resistance. As divers venture deeper into the African tropics they incur increasing risk of contracting malaria. Lack of medical facilities, transportation and communication add additional complexity to managing this medical emergency.

Three DAN members have required evacuation by air over the last three years due to malaria. Understanding malaria prophylaxis and general preventative measures is therefore of the utmost importance. The following section covers the most important considerations in selecting and using malaria prophylactic measures and medications. The treatment of malaria, which is complex and requires close medical supervision, falls outside the scope of this document.

The three commandments of malaria prevention and survival are: 1. Do not get bitten 2. Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect malaria 3. Take “the pill” (anti-malaria tablets/prophylaxis)

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Do not get bitten • Stay indoors from dusk to dawn • If you have to be outside between dusk and dawn – cover up: long sleeves, trousers, socks, shoes (90% of mosquito bites occur below the knee) • Apply DEET containing insect-repellent to all exposed areas of skin, repeat four-hourly • Sleep in mosquito-proof accommodation: Air-conditioned, proper mosquito gauze, buildings/tents treated with pyrethrum-based insect repellent/insecticide • Burn mosquito coils/mats • Sleep under an insecticide impregnated (Permacote®/Peripel®) mosquito net (very effective) Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect malaria • Any flu-like illness starting 7 days or more after entering a malaria endemic area is malaria until proven otherwise • The diagnosis is made on a blood smear or with an ICT finger prick test • One negative smear/ICT does NOT exclude the diagnosis (repeat smear/ICT diagnosis is made, another illness is diagnosed or the patient recovers spontaneously – i.e. from ordinary influenza) Take “the pill” There are several dangerous myths regarding malaria prophylaxis: • Prophylaxis does not make the diagnosis more difficult • It does protect against the development of cerebral malaria • Is not 100% effective – hence the importance of avoiding bites • Not all anti-malaria medication is safe for diving • Malaria is often fatal – making prophylaxis justified • Anti-malaria drugs, like all drugs, have potential side-effects, but the majority of side-effects decrease with time • Serious side-effects are rare and can be avoided by careful selection of a tablet or combination of tablets to suit your requirements (Country, region and season) The following drugs are available for the prevention of malaria: Doxycycline (Vibramycin® or Cyclidox® or Doryx®) Used extensively in the prevention of Chloroquine resistant malaria. About 99% effective. Not officially recommended for use in excess of 8 weeks for malaria prevention, but it has been used for as long as three years with no reported adverse side effects. Offers simultaneous protection against tick-bite fever.

Dosage: 100mg after a meal daily starting 1 to 2 days before exposure until 4 weeks after exposure.

Doxycycline should be taken with plenty of non-alcholic liquid.

Side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, allergy, photosensitisation. May cause vaginal thrush infections and reduces the efficacy of oral contraceptives.

Use in pregnancy: unsafe (as is scuba diving). Also, avoid during breast feeding and in children younger than 8 years of age.

Doxycycline is DAN’s first choice recommendation for divers in areas with choloquine resistance/”resistant malaria”.

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Chloroquine (Nivaquine ® or Daramal ® or Plasmaquine ®): Contains only chloroquine. Must be taken in combination with Proguanil (Paludrine ®) Dosage: 2 tablets weekly starting one week before exposure until 4 weeks after leaving the endemic area Contra-indications: known allergy, epilepsy Side effects: headache, nausea & vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes, may cause photosensitivity (sunburn – prevention, apply sun block) Use in pregnancy: safe (note scuba diving is not considered safe during pregnancy) Proguanil (Paludrine®) Must be taken in combination with chloroquine (Nivaquine® or Daramal® or Plasmaquine®) Dosage: 2 tablets every day starting one week prior to exposure until 4 weeks after Contra-indications: known allergy to Proguanil. Interactions with Warfarin (an anti-coagulant incompatible with diving) Side-effects: heartburn (tip: take after a meal, with a glass of water and do not lie down shortly after taking Proguanil) mouth ulcers (tip: take folic acid tablets 5mg per day if this occurs) loose stools (self-limiting – no treatment required) Use in pregnancy: safe but must be taken with folic acid supplement. 5mg per day (note scuba diving is not considered safe during pregnancy) The combination of chloroquine & Proguanil is about 65% effective falciparum malaria. Although not a first choice, its relative safety and limited side effects may justify its use in certain individuals.

Atovaquone / Proguanil (Malarone ® ; Malanil ®) Registered in South African as a causal prophylaxis in February 2004. Safety in diving has not been established. Preliminary data suggests it may be safe for pilot and divers.

Effective against Malaria isolates that are resistant to other drugs.

Controlled studies have shown a 98% overall efficacy of Atovaquone / Proguanil in the prevention of P. falciparum malaria Dosage: 1 Tablet daily for adults, starting 24 – 48 hours prior to arrival in endemic area, during exposure in endemic areas and for 7 days after leaving the endemic area only.

Dose should be taken at the same time each day with food or a milky drink.

Contra-indications: Known allergy to Proguanil or Atovaquone or renal impairment (i.e., significant renal disease is likely to be incompatible with diving). Safety in children < 11kg has not been established.

Side-effects: Heartburn (Tip: Take after a meal, with a glass of water & do not lie down shortly after taking Proguanil); mouth ulcers. To date Atovaquone has been well tolerated and the most common adverse reaction being headache.

Use in Pregnancy: Safety in pregnancy and lactating women has not been established. (Note: SCUBA diving is not considered safe during pregnancy) The safety of Malanil has not been confirmed in diving. Accordingly, even though preliminary data suggests that it may be safe, we are not able to recommend it. Doxycycline remains the first choice for divers diving in Africa where there is resistance to chloroquine.

Mefloquine (Lariam® or Mefliam®) About 90% effective Dosage: one tablet per week.

Side effects: may cause drowsiness, vertigo, joint aches and interfere with fine motor coordination (making it difficult to exclude DCI in some cases) Pregnancy: probably safe in early pregnancy and may be used with confidence after the first trimester of pregnancy. May be used in breast feeding and babies weighing more than 5kg.

Mefloquine is considered unsafe for divers and pilots. It is contra-indicated in epilepsy but us a good first choice for other travellers Pyrimethamine/Dapasone (Maloprim® or Deltaprim®/Malzone®) No longer regarded as effective but still recommended in Zimbabwe Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine (Fansidar®) No longer used as a prophylactic.

Quinine (Lennon-Quinine Sulphate®) Not used for prophylaxis but is the backbone in the treatment of moderate and severe malaria. Serious side-effects are not uncommon during treatment.

Arthemeter (Cotexin®) The “Chinese drug”. Available in some areas of Africa. Not for prophylaxis. Used in combination with other drugs in the treatment of mild to moderate malaria.

Halofantrine (Halfan) Not used for prophylaxis and best avoided for treatment.

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Recommended malaria drug prophylaxis in DAN Southern African region (Africa and Indian Ocean islands)

Area

Malaria

Kruger Park Mpumalanga Northern Transvaal Kwazulu Natal (excluding Ubombo)

Low: June to October / low rainfall High: hot wet seasons November to May

Ingwavuma

Ingwavuma and Ubombo

and

Recommended drugs # high risk persons: Mefloquine, Doxycycline, Malanil, Chloroquine and Proguanil low risk persons: *nothing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; see right # high risk persons: Mefloquine, Doxycycline, Malanil, Chloroquine and Proguanil

Throughout the year

*nothing Swaziland

# high risk persons: Mefloquine, Doxycycline, Malanil, Chloroquine and Proguanil

Throughout the year in lowveldt areas

*nothing Mainly November to June in areas below 1200m and throughout the year in Zambezi valley

Zimbabwe Angola Comoros Kenya Madagascar Malawi Mozambique Zaire

Throughout the year

Botswana

Mainly November to June in northern parts of the country (e.g. Okavango)

# high risk persons: Mefloquine, Doxycycline, Malanil, Chloroquine and Proguanil *nothing # high risk persons: Mefloquine, Doxycycline, Malanil, Chloroquine and Proguanil *nothing # high risk persons: Mefloquine, Doxycycline, Malanil, Chloroquine and Proguanil *nothing

Namibia

# high risk persons: Mefloquine, Doxycycline, Mainly November to June in northern rural areas Malanil, Chloroquine and Proguanil (e.g. Ovum, Kavango and Etosha) *nothing

Zambia

Mainly November to June in areas below 1200m and throughout the year in the Zambezi valley

Seychelles

No malaria

Mauritius

Only benign forms of malaria in the north

# high risk persons: Mefloquine, Doxycycline, Malanil, Chloroquine and Proguanil *nothing Chloroquine in northern areas * nothing

* In situations where the risk of contracting malaria is low, (e.g. in cities, air conditioned hotel or when rainfall has been low, etc.) the traveller may be advised to take no drug prophylaxis but stand-by treatment mus t be carried unless medical care is readily available.

Personal protection against bites must be adhered to at ALL TIMES. # high risk people include babies and children under 5 years, pregnant woman, elderly people (and greater than 65 years), people with suppressed immunity (e.g. diabeties, etc) Notes: 1. Prohpylaxis significantly reduces the incidence of malaria and slows the onset of serious symptoms of malaria 2. All anti-malaria drugs excluding Mefloquine are considered compatible with diving 3. Like with all other medications, anti-malaria drugs should be tried and tested on land well in advance 4. If unpleasant side-effects occur, please consult your diving doctor 5. Whether or not you take prophylaxis, be paranoid about malerial symptoms. Malaria can presrnt in many ways varying from fever or diarrhoea to flu-like symptoms. Always inform your doctor that you have been in a malaria area. Symptoms can start within 7 to 14 days from first exposure until 30 days (and rarely even months) after leaving a malaria area.

6. No single medication is 100% effective and barrier mechanisms (personal protection against bites e.g. mosquito repellents, nets, protective clothing, not going outdoors from dusk to dawn) must be applied.

7. Any strange symptom occurring during or within 6 weeks of leaving a malaria area should be regarded with suspicion and requires medical attention.

The above mentioned recommendations were compiled from material supplied by the National Department of Health and Worldwide Travel Medical Consultants.

If you think that you may have malaria or are concerned about unexplained symptoms after visiting a malaria area, contact DAN immediately on 0800 020111 or +27(0)11 242 0112.

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The Fujifilm Sodwana Bay Shootout 2008 Written by Deborah Wright 35

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Cover left: Open Unrestricted Wide Angle 2nd - Martin Prest. Cover right: Open Traditional Macro Winner - Kathy Cave This page left: Open Traditional Macro 2nd - Sean Sequeira. Above: Overall Winner - Sarel Coetzer.

Underwater photography competitiveness at itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best One... two... three... go! The countdown marked the familiar backward roll from the rubber inflatable boat into the waves, with the hope that the ocean would play her part in delivering good visibility for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sodwana Shootout Photographic competition. As I descended into the blue depths on that first morning the joy of being underwater again, at one with nature, was enhanced by the realisation that the conditions were truly wonderful for the competition. The visibility was greater than 20 metres, the surface conditions were calm and there were no major currents or surge. What bliss. Now if only I could get those really great images. Of course we all had the advantage of the great conditions so it was a case of being creative in deciding what to shoot. I was glad I had again entered this year.

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Left: Open Traditional Wide Angle Commended - Deborah Wright Middle: Open Traditional Wide Angle 3rd - Martin Prest.

Right: Open Unrestricted Wide Angle Winner - Sean Sequeira.

It was May again and time for the annual photographic shootout at Sodwana Bay on South Africa’s North East coast. The shootout is held at Sodwana as it is arguably the best dive destination in Southern Africa. Not only does it have a multitude of coral reefs, but also an impressive variety of subtropical sea life from seahorses to whale sharks. Another very important aspect of Sodwana is that with its large amount of varied accommodation, and numerous dive operators, it can handle the mass of keen underwater photographers. Of course it was unthinkable not to enter. The competition itself was always a spectacular one on the diving calendar, and this year was no different.

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“The shootout is held at Sodwana as it is arguably the best dive destination in Southern Africa “

The organisers, sponsors and entrants all played their part and 2008 was a special year. The prizes were generous, the entries were at a record high and the event itself, the 9th one in its history, was well organized with social events most evenings involving prominent people in the industry. Add to this good food, convivial ambience and an opportunity to hone oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underwater photography skills and rub shoulders with fellow enthusiasts. And of course to thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the diversity of the underwater jewels that Sodwana has to offer. A shootout, so some have said, is a rare format for an underwater photography competition. Most competitions require on-line entries over several months with the judging taking, what feels like, an even longer period.

Left: Entry - Anthony Grote.

Below left: Open Unrestricted Wide Angle 3rd - Martin Prest Below: Open Unestricted Macro Winner - Simon Metcliff.

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“The prizes this year were also well worth the effort. The overall 1st prize was for a trip for two to the Red Sea, the 2nd prize a trip for one to Raja Ampat in Indonesia.”

Left: Open Traditional Wide Angle Winner - Jean Marx.

Below: Open Unrestricted Macro Highly Commended - Gordon Patterson.

Winners, and losers, await remote notification of the results. Not so, the Sodwana Shootout. This event takes place over three days. Two for the entrants to shoot and submit their images, and a third for the judges to deliberate and determine the winners. It is an intense event and definitely an exciting one. All competitors are exposed to the same sea conditions and reefs, and all get to witness the images and the judges’ decisions and prize allocation at a fun-filled evening event on day 3 that crowns the competition.

On top of this there are several categories, novice, compact digital and SLR, with sub-categories for macro and wide angle shots. There are also opportunities for those who prefer videography or wish to enter the creative digital category. The prizes this year were also well worth the effort. The overall 1st prize was for a trip for two to the Red Sea, the 2nd prize a trip for one to Raja Ampat in Indonesia. In addition there were a myriad of other prizes including cash, local trips, gear, training, subscriptions etc.

In short, no prizes that an underwater photographer wouldn’t grease the odd o-ring for. Besides the prizes, there was also the sheer fun of taking part in the competition. Most competitors share boats and accommodation with other competitors and a spirit of friendly competitiveness (in most cases) descends

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on the picturesque village of Sodwana during this period.

Many of the evening talks are geared at how to improve techniques. Most conversations centre around how to get that ideal image, what has worked and what should be tried next to make improvements. The actual image shooting is only one half of the skills required to participate.

Sometimes the more difficult part is deciding on which two images should be submitted. Most competitors can be found crouching over laptops late into the last evening to decide, or to get others to help them to decide. That is, where they feel they can trust the advice given...

Please diarise the dates for the competition for next year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the 10th Shootout is bound to be worthwhile given the existing track record.

To find out more about the 2008 and 2009 competitions visit www.gups.co.za or www.shootout.co.za

Above: Overall Runner-up - Debra Westcott.

Right: Compact Wide Ambient Light - Allen Walker.

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The 10th anniversary Shootout Written by Cormac McCreesh

2009 will see the 10th anniversary of the Sodwana Shootout. And given its growing popularity, not to mention occasional controversy, it seemed appropriate to look back at the history of the competition in this edition.

The inaugural Sodwana Shootout (or shootout as it is sometimes referred to) was conceived by Marc Montocchio and Debbie Oscroft. At the time Marc was a sometimes Sodwana resident (who had responsibility for selling Sea & Sea cameras and housings to divers) and Debbie (along with her husband Rod) a manager at Coral Divers. It was thus a marketing opportunity for Marc and Debbie as well as an opportunity for promoting Sodwana as a diving destination.

If memory serves correctly, there were 12 participants in the first shootout. Regardless of the number of competitors in the first and subsequent competitions, the shootout has grown in popularity and stature.

From these humble beginnings, the shootout has grown to be (arguably) the premier South African photographic competition with the most prizes (in quantum and in value) and an annual fun diving affair.

The shootout remains true to its founding principals, which is why the event takes place over two days.

In the dark days (before digital), participants took their photographs on slide film. Each participant was given two rolls of 36 slide film which they shot off over two days. The idea being that all participants should partake of a ‘level playing field’. At the conclusion of the two-day shooting period, participants were to choose two slides for judging.

In keeping with this tradition, shootout organisers have adopted digital camera use, using sophisticated techniques to ensure the integrity of the images, to embrace the growing popularity of underwater photography.

Apart from the adoption of digital technology there have been myriad other changes to the shootout.

Over the years, many photography categories and subject matter categories have been tried and tested.

The core categories remain: wide-angle, macro and standard, with variations thereof to accommodate the full range of cameras being used. Allowance has been made for the full range of cameras from compact point-and-shoot cameras to digital SLR’s.

In time, the shootout expanded to include video too. Video participants were granted the grace of an additional day to allow for editing. Thus, the video component of the shootout takes place over three days.

Perhaps the change with the biggest impact has been the move towards greater professionalism in the judging process. A contentious issue at the best of times, judging is a complex art that requires absolute integrity on the part of the judges.

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In the early years, judges were presented with all of the shootout entries laid out on a light-table. Through a process of discussion, the judges would select the winning images. Clearly, this process has its flaws.

Not least the potential for one or more judges to dominate proceedings. In the last few years, judging has adopted a ‘salon-type’ process. In this manner, judges see the images in a sequence and score each image electronically. The image with the highest score wins, with ties being rescored on the same basis.

The process is managed by a judge convenor who ensures that no discussion is entered into among other responsibilities.

Each year the shootout has used the entry fee proceeds to advertise and grow the popularity and professionalism of the competition. But in later years, excess proceeds (resulting from the growth in the number of participants) meant that funds could be channelled elsewhere. The benefactor of these excess funds is the local school and community.

With over 140 entrants in 2009, the challenge for the future of the shootout is to grow in a sustainable manner. While there is no doubt that the competition serves the need of the diving and local community, there is the impact on the Sodwana reefs to consider. A greater number of participants over an short period creates a risk to the Sodwana reefs. This challenge is foremost in the organisers minds as they approach the 10th aniiversary shootout.

Challenges and opportunities notwithstanding, the shootout organisers remain true to the founding objectives ñ to grow the popularity of underwater photography; create an opportunity for dive operators to work with underwater photographers and to be of benefit to the local community.

If youíre looking for further information on the shootout, visit www.shootout.co.za or www.gups.co.za The dates for the 2009 shootout are 20 - 23 May.

Thanks to all the sponsors

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