Scuban diving june 2015

GEAR GUIDE: 13 NEW BCs TESTED P 27

SCUBA TEC DIVERS CHART

EGYPT’S DESERT SPRINGS

D I V I N G DISCOVER THE

HISTORIC WRECKS

P 46

OF TOBERMORY P 64

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF VERTIGO P 57

CARIBBEAN’S

PAST THE SURF AND ROCKY COASTS ARE UNCHARTED THRILLS

P 34 SCUBADIVING.COM JUNE 2015

AN EXTRAORDINARY KID: ZEBEDEE WAKELY

“I became so passionate about saving sharks, that I started an organization called (Save Our Sharks Bermuda). I collected over 1000 signatures and made an impact.”

A life under the sea with Kids Sea Camp fuels a passion for photography At the age of fve I started Article by Zebedee Wakely, Junior Master Scuba Diver, Age 13 and Kids Sea Camping. My parents signed me up in the FDA approved.

FDA: Family Dive Adventures (not to be confused with the Food and Drug Administration) I just don’t know where to begin with this. Kids Sea Camp is just too big and too great to even attempt to write about. But here you are now, attempting to read my jumbled mess of ideas and thoughts, so I’ll give it a go (no promises though).

I should probably start with the exciting stuff, like where I backward roll into a school of 50-plus sharks in Yap (the country, not the small annoying noise made by dogs), or when I’m charging at top speed through the current of Ulong Channel in Palau, but instead I’ll start at the beginning.

FAMILY DIVE ADVENTURES

group known as “SASY.” Little kids get to put on scuba gear, but substitute the Life Jacket for the BCD, so we float on the surface while breathing through a regulator. Tis gave me my frst experience with Scuba Diving.

Since I was already a water baby by six months and swimming by one, I thought Kids Sea Camp was created just for me. Quickly making my way through the dive ranks, I again returned for Seal Team. Tis was a landmark in my interest for Scuba Diving.

Seal Team is a program for eight and nine year olds to learn to dive in a confned water environment. However,

with Kids Sea Camp Seal Team you can dive in the ocean. I just fell in love with diving.

On my tenth birthday, my mom and dad chose Yap and Palau for our family adventure, and that’s where the real story begins. Te experiences I had in Yap and Palau were likely some of the best I will ever have. Completing my PADI Jr. Open Water certifcation with manta rays over head,was surely one of the greatest moments of my life.

Te feeling I had when I was diving with 15-foot mantas and some 50-plus reef sharks daily, was phenomenal — too amazing to fully describe. Just the idea of going there and doing that again will forever excite me.

Te encouragement given to me by Kids Sea Camp was amazing. Te families I

KSC FACT:

14

Number of weeks of Kids Sea Camp Zebedee Wakely has attended.

met became, and still are, some of my best friends and assets to my life. In Yap, Manta Ray Bay was where I properly learned photography. Te support from all of my friends and family is the reason I have stuck with it (unlike a lot of other things I’ve tried). I loved every aspect of Yap, from the diving, staf and the local people.

I can safely say that experience has significantly contributed to who I am today.

Getting back home to Bermuda, I was so passionate about saving sharks (with Palau being a shark sanctuary) that I set up a small organization called “Save Our Sharks Bermuda.” I collected over 1000 signatures and met with the Minister for the Environment to discuss and plan how best to protect our sharks. Bermuda then signed the “International Agreement on the Conservation of Pelagic Species.” I was

so totally delighted about this, because I had made an impact on Bermuda and the conservation of the sea.

Having the privilege to be diving from a young age is exceptional. Through diving with Kids Sea Camp over the years, I have climbed the PADI ranks from SASY, Seal Team, Jr. Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue and Master Scuba Diver with over one hundred dives and seven specialties.

This feels too good to describe.

Having a place like Kids Sea Camp, which allowed me to go through all the ranks, all the way to the top, is what I love the most. Te experience has been fantastic. I couldn’t have done what I have without it.

I have made lifelong friends and have been encouraged by Margo in a way I could never repay. So thank you, Margo.

Margo deserves a whole part of my story for herself. She created the best organization that I have ever known. She has infuenced me, trusted me and helped me in every aspect of life. She has guided me through diving one step at a time, and with each step I am even more grateful for her and my family fnding her. She is very focused on safety and an inspirational teacher who is helpful no matter what.

She is the heart of Kids Sea Camp!

I just don’t know how to end this.

So thanks Mom, Dad and sister Holly too. Our family of divers just can’t get enough. Next is Fiji Kids Sea Camp, to dive with the sharks of Beqa Lagoon.

See more of Zebedee’s images at: http:// instagram.com/zebwakely.

For more info on Kids Sea Camp weeks: www.familydivers.com , or email: dive@ familydivers.com , or call: (803)419-2556

ON THE COVER Get ready for a wild ride, where big animals like this barracuda will boost your adrenaline.

CONTENTS J U N E 2 0 1 5 // V O L . 2 4 I S S U E 0 4 // S C U B A D I V I N G . C O M

PHOTOGRAPH BY JODY MACDONALD

10

46

TA L K

ADVANCED ADVENTURE

Adventures and incredible animal encounters await divers on Bonaire’s windward coast; letters from our readers and a chance to win a Mares mask.

To uncover the secrets of Egypt’s hidden oracles, a team of cave divers follows in the footsteps of Alexander the Great. See what mysteries lie below the surface of the desert, and what’s left to be explored.

13 CURRENTS A big study on the world’s smallest creatures, wrecks making headlines this year, and other news in the world of dive.

52 TRAINING Learn the skills you need to fully enjoy the freedom of shore diving, the dire consequences of poorly planned dives, the facts about experiencing vertigo, and how to get rid of pesky backscatter in underwater photos.

21 ENCOUNTERS Experience the blind side of diving, explore Europe’s best-kept secret dive spots and encounter ocean sunfsh in Bali.

60 G E TAWAYS

27

Whether you prefer the warm waters of the Caribbean or the chill of the Great Lakes, adventures abound at these world-class dive destinations.

SCUBALAB We put 13 new and redesigned BCs through two rounds of rigorous testing, and the competition was tight. See which ones topped our list.

74 LOOK

TRAVEL: THE WILD SIDE Take a giant stride out of your comfort zone and experience the thrills that wait on the windward side of these beloved Caribbean Islands. Trust us, choosing the coast less traveled will reward you in spades — and by spades we mean sharks, eagle rays and knock-your-socks-of drifts.

34

Scuba Diving (ISSN 1553-7919) is published eight times per year (J/F, M/A, May, Jul, S/O, N/D, with bonus issues in June and August) by Bonnier Corp., 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789. Vol. 24, No. 4, June 2015. Periodicals postage paid in Winter Park, FL, and additional ofces. Subscription rate for one year (eight issues): U.S., $21.97; Canada, $30.97; all other foreign countries, $39.97. U.S. funds only. Contents copyright 2015 by Bonnier Corp. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Scuba Diving, P.O. 6364, Harlan, IA 51593-1864. CANADA POST: Publications Mail Agreement Number: 40612608. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: IMEX, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. For subscription questions, email: SCDcustserv@cdsfulfllment.com.

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JUNE 2015 / 6

FROM TOP: DIRK MUELLER; ZACH STOVALL

Say hello to the beautiful but deadly cousin of the blueringed octopus — just keep a safe distance.

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scubadiving.com // edit@scubadiving.com EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief Patricia Wuest Deputy Editor Mary Frances Emmons Managing Editor Ashley Annin ScubaLab Director Roger Roy Copy Editor Cindy Martin Editorial Interns Marina Guerges, Nada Hassanein, Gabbie Mont, Rachel Stuart CONTRIBUTORS Erica Blake, Tara Bradley, James L. Caruso, Eric Douglas, Jill Heinerth, Steven P. Hughes, Holly Lake, Miko Maciaszek, Travis Marshall, Eric Michael, Andy Morrison, Brooke Morton, Erin Quigley

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Bonaire Cuisine Month May 1-31, 2015 #BonaireEats

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TA L K S C U B A D I V I N G . C O M // E D I T @ S C U B A D I V I N G . C O M // @ S C U B A D I V I N G M A G

A WILD RIDE

The first time I was faced with diving a windward coast, I was apprehensive. I was on my third visit to Bonaire and had fallen in love with the island’s charms, from the wonderful open-air eateries in Kralendijk to the easy-as-pie dive sites of its leeward coast. Then my buddy and I got an invitation from a local dive guide to dive of Spelonk Lighthouse on the east coast, followed by snorkeling some inland caves.

We were briefed on the often-rougher conditions and the fact that the current turns unpredictably here. We experienced both: a bumpy ride in a small zodiac, and a current that seemed to come out of

nowhere. But what a day in the water! An eagle ray as soon as we backrolled in. A stingray flapping its wings, creating a mini sandstorm on the bottom, in search of crustaceans. Beautiful sponges and tons of fish.

The scattered patches of coral were pristine, and there wasn’t anyone in sight — definitely a diferent vibe from the island’s busy west coast.

Afterward we drove to one of the island’s inland caves, where we slipped through a small opening surrounded by cactuses and rappelled down a slippery wall to a lovely pool. There are 400 caves on the island, some of which are open for guided tours. Snorkeling this subterranean ecosystem, you’ll find stalactites and stalagmites, and gain an understanding of the island’s geology. (Bonaire is basically fossilized reefs; over time, the island’s limestone

formations were dissolved by rainwater, creating caves you can explore.)

Our staf has had countless adventures of untamed coasts and in blue water, from encounters with feisty oceanic whitetip sharks to being enveloped by a giant ball of jacks to encountering a mini whirlpool.

For our wild-side diving feature on page 34, we wanted to share with you our picks for the destinations that ofer of-the-map diving. We hope you enjoy it.

— PATR IC IA WUE ST, E DITOR- IN - C H IE F

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LETTERS / REBREATHE EASY The rebreather article in the March/April issue was a breath of fresh air. For years there has been a cloud over

A

LEARNING THE WAY OF THE CLOSED-CIRCUIT REBREATHER WILL FOREVER CHANGE THE WAY YOU ENJOY THE UNDERWATER WORLD

REBREATHE EASY

BY ERIC MICHAEL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TANYA G. BURNETT

Advanced Adventure article. I switched to rebreather diving a year ago, and with the exception of instructing, I use it exclusively.

There is another drawback, in addition to the ones you noted. At times it is difcult to get all the benefits because so few people use them. Like nitrox (which also stirred up controversy), as the negative cloud continues to dissipate and more people start to use them, people will see it isn’t a death machine but rather one that provides a level of diving enjoyment never before experienced. — HANZ LEHRKE, Doug Ebersole takes the closed-circuit plunge; opposite, a CCR diver explores the Kittiwake.

ZACH STOVALL; OPPOSITE: JON WHITTLE

scubadiving.com

MARCH/APRIL 2015 / 48

scubadiving.com

MARCH/APRIL 2015 / 49

rebreathers due to people not using and maintaining them properly, and commentary by uninformed “experts.” The fact is, rebreathers are safe and, like any piece of scuba equipment, when used properly and within its limits, provide a multitude of benefits as outlined in your

saving his pennies to purchase one after completing his training. We’re sending you a Polar Pro Red Filter 2.0 for your letter.

We’d also like to thank Grand Cayman’s Divetech (divetech.com) — owner Nancy Easterbrook was instrumental in making this feature a reality.

AWWW, SHUCKS I was watching the snow pile up on my deck, and wishing I had the time and money to attend one of the scuba shows like the one held in Long Beach,

STACY, MINNESOTA

Thanks for writing, Hanz. Count our writer, Eric Michael, as a convert to the joys of diving on a rebreather — he began

SCUBADIVING.COM

WIN THIS

MAY 2015 / 11

California. And then my Scuba Diving magazine came in the mail, and I realized that all the information, travel, equipment, gear reviews and dive training articles were right there. It was like being at a show, only better because I had a hard copy. It made me realize the efort of the staf writers, editors and all of the people who work so hard to send out this magazine. The photographs and layout are immaculate. You all should be very proud and realize that I am not alone in this opinion. — TODD HAMMOND, ARVADA, COLORADO

Tell us about your wildest dive — or anything else about this issue — for a chance to win this X-Vision Liquidskin mask from Mares. Write us at edit@scubadiving.com or post to our Facebook wall.

Barry Brown Curacao In 2004 Barry’s wife received an ofer to work on the Caribbean island of Curaçao. They quickly sold of their house and cars, left their jobs and friends, and moved to this small desert island 30 miles of of the coast of Venezuela. Barry bought an Ikelite housing right before the move and got ready to transition from nature photography to underwater photography. Now Barry works for Substation Curaçao, taking underwater photos of a 2.5 million dollar manned-submersible and photographing new fnds discovered by visiting scientists.

In conjunction with the Curaçao-based submersible Curasub and the Smithsonian Institution, Barry has spent the past 4 years searching depths up to 1000 feet (300 meters) for new fsh and invertebrates. In addition to major contributions to scientifc research, this dedicated efort has resulted in a magnifcent series of 10 Curaçao postage stamps! The results heighten awareness of our profound responsibility to protect the planet’s oceans and exemplify the benefts of the people-to-people ties that intertwine Curaçao and the United States.

Follow Your Vision...

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NOTES, NEWS AND STUFF YOU CAN USE

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY Get

POWERED BY PLANKTON

BY MARY FRANCES EMMONS

I

t’s the “dark matter” of the oceans — almost invisible, yet it rules the fate of all our seas, perhaps even planet Earth itself. Plankton makes up one of the world’s smallest categories of beings, yet it plays an enormously large role in life on this planet as the base of the entire ocean food chain. The Greek planktos means wanderer or drifter. Aptly >> scubadiving.com

JUNE 2015 / 13

COURTESY SECCHIDISK.ORG

involved in the battle against the lionfsh invasion; wrecks making headlines in 2015 P 15 SEA HERO Honoring two beloved divers for their commitment to conservation P 17 QUICK LOOKS A sneak peek at gear you’re gonna want P 18

health, or lack thereof.

Because phytoplankton live largely at the surface, they’re most susceptible to changes there. A 2010 report suggested there had been a drop of as much as 40 percent in the amount of phytoplankton around the world since the 1950s; other scientists disagreed.

“Part of the controversy stems from a lack of data about marine phytoplankton due to the fact that the oceans are vast, and there aren’t that many scientists to cover them,” Kirby explains. “This is why we launched the citizenscience Secchi Disk project

Secchi Disks can be made using the lid from a white bucket and measuring tape.

to study phytoplankton.”

The means by which divers and others can participate is called the Secchi Disk, “a plain white disk of

HANDHELD CITIZEN SCIENCE How can you get started? Turns out, there’s an app for that. It’s called Secchi and it’s free. The Secchi app includes full instructions on how to make your own disk, and capture and share your data. Find out more at secchidisk.org.

30 centimeters diameter attached to a tape measure and weighted from below.”

Participants can make their own disk — for example from a white bucket lid — as long as it is white and 30 centimeters in diameter.

By lowering the disk into the water until it just disappears, participants are able to gauge the Secchi Depth, an indicator of water clarity.

(In open ocean, that clarity indicates the degree of phytoplankton presence.) Kirby hopes for contributions from travelers on the high seas as well as from citizen scientists who might stake out a single sample site.

“A dive club may choose to set up a sample site and measure the Secchi Depth weekly or occasionally,” says Kirby, “or they can make recordings from different places. Their effort will help us understand the ocean’s biology much better.”

COURTESY SECCHIDISK.ORG (2). OPPOSITE: ALEX MUSTARD/NATUREPL.COM

named, these tiny plants and animals are at the mercy of the element that supports them. Phytoplankton produce 40 to 60 percent of the oxygen we breathe and, together with zooplankton, create a food web that supports all other marine life.

Scientists are now studying the effects of climate change — specifcally the warming of the sea surface — on all forms of plankton, and the possible dire implications of those effects on the marine food chain.

So much for why you should care. What, you ask, can you do about it?

Divers can participate in what could be the world’s largest marine citizenscience study, a global examination of phytoplankton.

Led by Dr. Richard Kirby, the Secchi Disk Study has succeeded in enlisting seafarers in all oceans to provide data on phytoplankton

CURRENTS

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YOUR first step to a warmer drysuit... and beyond

REEF’S LIONFISH RESEARCH PROGRAM

1

EAT MORE LIONFISH

Lionfsh aren’t merely edible — they’re delicious! A growing number of restaurants have added lionfsh to their menus. Opting for lionfsh at a restaurant helps to increase demand, which in turn supports local fshermen who make their livelihoods by hunting the invasive creatures.

Plus lionfsh have higher levels of Omega 3 fatty acids than other fsh, and are lower in mercury and saturated fats.

2

GET COMPETITIVE

Want to be on the front lines of the fght? Grab your gear and head for one of the many dive shops hosting lionfsh derbies. During these REEF-sanctioned events, teams of divers spend a day netting and spearing as many lionfsh as they can get their hands on. Prizes are awarded to teams that catch the most, biggest and smallest lionfsh.

Want to host a derby?

Go to reef.org/lionfsh/ events to fnd out how.

3

DOWNLOAD

Tech-savvy conservationists can join the cause by downloading the Report Florida Lionfsh app. A partner of REEF, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission worked with developer Solodev to create the app, which allows users to submit photos documenting a lionfsh sighting or harvest, and provides information on the invasive species. It’s free and available for iOS devices.

EXPEDITION SOCKS

MISSION Working to enact rapid-response protocols and removals of invasive lionfsh to assist scientifc investigations relating to the problem HQ Key Largo, Florida YEAR STARTED 1994 CONTACT reef.org PROJECT Powered by an army of divers, dive shops and partners, REEF’s invasive lionfsh program takes an active approach to combatting the nonnative species, and protecting the marine ecosystems of the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico

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JUNE 2015 / 15

RELIVING HISTORY

SCUBA

2015 BRINGS DETAILS OF MYSTERIOUS WRECKS TO THE SURFACE MUSASHI

MUSASHI BATTLESHIP The largest and most advanced ship of its era, the Japanese Musashi was found by a team of divers after nearly 10 years of searching. Downed in October 1944 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Musashi exploded underwater; the location of its remains has been a mystery until this year, when divers working with remote-operated vehicles located its wreckage scattered on the floor of the Philippines’ Sibuyan Sea at depths of over 3,000 feet.

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SKYRAIDER Of the coast of San Diego, a Naval Reserve A-1 Skyraider, AD-4L was found buried in sand 60 feet below the surface. Dennis Burns and Ruth Yu stumbled on the plane in 2013 and spent two years working with museum professionals to ID it before going public with their find. Burns has chosen to keep the exact location of the sunken plane under wraps, but divers interested in a hunt will find four cannons, an engine with all 18 cylinders, stainless-steel tubing and guns.

D I V I N G

HMS EREBUS More than 150 years after the ill-fated expedition of Sir John Franklin through the Arctic, a team of Parks Canada and Royal Canadian Navy divers is preparing to explore HMS Erebus. The ship was one of two lost vessels on Franklin’s notorious expedition through the Northwest Passage in 1845.

Franklin and his crew of 128 never returned. The ship was discovered in September 2014 of the coast of King William Island, and a team of divers will spend about 10 days in the area to research the remains later this year. The Erebus remains in nearly pristine condition, buried under more than 6.5 feet of ice, sheltering the vessel and giving divers ideal visibility.

PHOTO CONTEST 2 0 1 5

DEADLINE EXTENDED! The 2015 “Through Your Lens” photo contest deadline has been extended to June 7! We’ve added new categories but kept the same amazing package of prizes you aspire to: top-notch dive gear, like Scubapro’s MK 25 EVO reg; exotic liveaboard trips from Aggressor and Dancer Fleet; imaging equipment and gift certificates from SeaLife and Backscatter — oh, and $1,000 in cold hard cash.

Enter your best images at scubadiving.com/photocontest.

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SEA HEROES /

NED & ANNA DELOACH OCCUPATION AUTHORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS/ VIDEOGRAPHERS MARRIED SINCE EARLY 1990S HOW IT ALL BEGAN NED GOT A MASK AND FINS FOR CHRISTMAS AT AGE 8 WORKING ON NEXT EDITION OF REEF FISH BEHAVIOR

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wenty-five years ago, Ned and Anna DeLoach spearheaded the creation of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, now the largest marine-sighting database in the world.

For their dedication to the ocean, the couple are our June 2015 Sea Heroes.

Q: WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND REEF? A: Along with Paul Humann and Jim

Dalle Pazze, we founded REEF in the early ’90s after realizing the lack of information available on the distribution and abundance of marine species.

The first ofcial survey took place in 1993 in Key Largo, Florida, and to date our volunteer divers have conducted over 190,000 underwater surveys.

Q: WHY SHOULD DIVERS ID FISH? A: Scuba certification is a ticket to

the greatest wildlife show on Earth,

yet for some reason divers often seem oblivious to the dazzling life-forms surrounding them. You don’t have to learn it all — in fact, that would be impossible. Even with more than 70 years of diving between Anna and me, we still encounter unfamiliar animals on virtually every dive.

Q: HOW CAN DIVERS GET INVOLVED? A: Join REEF. Membership is free,

and you can sign up at reef.org. Its staf and volunteers have been teaching fish ID to all levels of divers and snorkelers for a quarter-century now.

Q: WHAT’S NEXT? A: We have just started work on a revision of our book Reef Fish Behavior — which first appeared in 2000 — and are working to expand the REEF fish survey project in the western Pacific.

Each Sea Hero receives an Oris Aquis Date watch valued at $1,595. At the end of the year, a panel of judges selects a Sea Hero of the Year, who receives a $5,000 cash award from Oris to further his or her work. Go to scubadiving.com/seaheroes to nominate a Sea Hero today.

SCUBADIVING.COM

JUNE 2015 / 17

People of action, devoted to protecting the planet’s oceans and marine life through conservation, technology or by simply helping others. If you spot a Sea Hero, join Scuba Diving, Oris and the 2015 Sea Heroes program by nominating him or her at scubadiving.com/seaheroes

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ZACH STOVALL

1 2 3 4

CURRENTS

The island’s leading dive school

Saint Lucia simply beautiful • • • •

Five Star IDC (Instructor Development Centre) Purpose-built 15m pool Two spacious, fully-equipped, 30 diver capable dive boats Partnered with London School of Diving (LSD), one of UK’s top dive centres and a PADI Career Development Centre • Beginner to Instructor level courses and guides dives conducted in English, French and German • State-of-the-art facilities & equipment • Big dive and watersport shop

Dive Saint Lucia | P.O. Box Gl 2042 | Rodney Bay | Gros-Islet | Saint Lucia

Phone: +1 758 451-DIVE (3483) | info@divesaintlucia.com | www.divesaintlucia.com

D I V E S T H AT P U M P Y O U R A D R E N A L I N E A N D L E AV E Y O U B E G G I N G F O R M O R E

ENCOUNTERS

SEA WATCH

IF YOU SPY ONE OF THESE OCEAN ODDITIES, CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY B Y T R A V I S M A R S H A L L Sightings of mola mola often happen seemingly at the whims of the sea. These pelagic travelers pop up in every ocean, and though the world’s largest bony fsh can grow to the size of a sedan, they spend much of their lives in deep, open ocean, where they remain something of a mystery. These unusual fsh are easily recognizable from >

scubadiving.com

JUNE 2015 / 21

JEFF YONOVER/TANDEMSTOCK.COM

MOLA MOLA

their shape, like a massive flattened bullet with long fins jutting from the top and bottom. (The German name for these creatures is schwimmender kophf, which translates to swimming head, if that gives a better picture.)

These massive fish might look intimidating, but mola molas are actually quite docile, posing virtually no threat to divers. Mola molas feed primarily on jellyfish, though they’re known to nibble on squid, crustaceans, small fish and zooplankton as well. In lieu of teeth, a “beak” allows mola molas to crack into the hard-shell part of their diet.

Divers are most likely to encounter mola molas near the surface. The reason for this is that mola molas occasionally venture up from the depths to float on their sides, BEST BET

SEA WATCH

BALI

NUSA PENIDA

as if they’re basking in the sun, which earned them the nickname “ocean sunfish.”

However, the actual reason for their midocean floats is something diferent entirely.

From afar, mola molas seem to sport an iridescentsilver color; up close, their skin is much less appealing, coated in mucus and infested with nearly 40 types of parasites. So the sunfish head to the surface in search of cleaning stations among shallow reefs or patches of kelp, where cleaner fish can pick them free of VULNERABILITY

FA S T FAC T S

MAX LENGTH

11 FEET MAX WEIGHT

UP TO 5,000 POUNDS L I F E S PA N

AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IS UP TO 10 YEARS E N D A N G E R E D S TAT U S

POPULATION IS CONSIDERED STABLE F U N FAC T

IT IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST BONY FISH

these annoying hitchhikers.

However, some of the resident parasites are so persistent, the cleaner fish are not able to do the job. To combat these parasites, the mola molas float on their sides at the surface, allowing sea gulls to pick them clean of burrowing pests.

While mola molas have been spotted throughout the world’s oceans — from Southern California to the mid-Atlantic — there is one location where divers can reliably get in the water with them. Just of the coast of Bali, the small island Nusa Penida is ringed by coral-reef cleaning stations, and every year from July to November, ocean sunfish ride cold-water upwellings from the deep ocean and line up along the shallow reefs for their cleanings. During the season, sightings are so common that dive centers like Lembongan Dive Center (lembongandivecenter.com) ofer Mola Mola Awareness courses so divers can learn more about these rare fish, and get a unique specialty certification as they dive.

ADULT SUNFISH HAVE FEW PREDATORS. THEY ARE: Considered a delicacy in Japan, Korea and Taiwan

KILLER WHALES

SEA LIONS

SHARKS

HUMANS

SECRET SPOT

LAKE BAIKAL Situated in southeast Siberia, Lake Baikal spans an area the size of Belgium.

It is the world's oldest, deepest and largest lake, and contains 20 percent of all fresh, running water on the planet. It's so vast that Siberian people call it a sea. When its surface freezes, the ice sheet is so clear that it is possible to see right through it. The transparency is a result of its exceptionally clean water — in fact, it can be considered distilled. Minerals like calcium or sodium salts, which would otherwise make the ice opaque, are found only at very low levels here. The visibility makes Baikal a fantastic dive site, but few have the courage to withstand the near-freezing temperatures. Many people fear Baikal’s depths — in the breathtaking abyss, one feels like a tiny helpless bug in an immense world.

But divers who take the plunge discover a magical underwater park.

TEXT AND PHOTO BY

NATUREPL.COM

OLGA KAMENSKAYA

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JUNE 2015 / 23

SECRET SPOT

CARNATIC SHIPWRECK Beautiful as it is hazardous, the Shaab Abu Nuhas Reef is one of the most interesting dive sites in the Red Sea. Here divers can fnd the remains of four ships that crashed into the reef; the oldest of these is the SS Carnatic.

The passenger ship ran aground in 1869, and subsequently split in half — killing 31 people. Despite the disconnect, the halves of the Carnatic sank juxtaposed; the 295-foot ship now lies on its port side parallel to the reef. I have frequently visited the Carnatic, and each time I have found a new angle to photograph the wreck.

In this image, I was shooting from inside looking out.

TEXT AND PHOTO BY NOAM KORTLER

Make it Your Choice

SCUBALAB

THE DOLPHIN TECH FROM IST SPORTS

2014 TESTERS’ CHOICE

WHAT IT’S LIKE

TO DIVE BLIND B Y M A R K D U M A L S K I , A S T O L D T O H O L LY L A K E

ILLUSTRATION: STEVEN P. HUGHES

W

hy on Earth would a person want to dive blind? That was Hubert Chrétien’s frst question. As executive director of Freedom at Depth Canada, he’d trained many paraplegics, quadriplegics and amputees, but I was new ground. What would I get from something so visual? It turns out, plenty. And it wasn’t long before Chrétien’s eyes were opened to that — no pun intended. It was 2002, and I was about to become one of Canada’s frst visually impaired certifed divers.

My vision is like looking through very scratched glass. Things are blurry and there’s no detail, just shadows. Trained through the Handicapped Scuba Association, my only adaptation to communicate underwater is tactile hand signals.

Post-course, my frst dive was the wreck of the Rothesay in the St. Lawrence River. The freedom and feeling of calm and weightlessness that came with it? There’s nothing else like it.

I love diving wrecks because they give me a point of reference. After someone guides me around to get a sense of its

features, width and length, I can explore independently. (I don’t get much out of diving in open ocean because I can’t sense where I am or what’s around me.)

While night dives spook some people, I prefer them because my light can illuminate things that ambient daylight washes out. The crystal waters of Bora Bora were an exception. It was so clear, I could see the bright fns of a fellow diver who I was able to follow around a wreck instead of having to be led.

Scuba’s great gift is the ability to see the world that waits beyond the surface.

While I know there are things I miss out on, I think in some ways I experience diving more fully. I’m not distracted by what I’m seeing, so my other senses are heightened. I feel the temperature, the current and the ripples in the sand to get my bearings.

Despite being blind, DIVE there’s as much for DEEPER me to see as for For more info on Freedom anyone else. I just at Depth, go to happen to interpret it www.fadc.ca in a diferent way. scubadiving.com

JUNE 2015 / 25

IST SPORTS’ DOLPHIN TECH T-24040 offers the brightest light for your night dives. This hand-mounted system with a push-button switch and three power levels offers convenience and ease of use. And, it includes a rechargeable battery that will last nearly two hours on the brightest setting.

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Legal Travel for U.S. Citizens

Cuba

L

earn about Cuba’s unique marine environment during an Oceans for Youth Foundation People-to-People educational program. Citizens of the U.S. will fly into Havana where they will spend a full day meeting with scientists about Cuba’s marine parks. After two nights in Havana, transportation is provided to the southern town of Jucaro, where the Jardines Aggressor liveaboard docks. Guests will depart for six days of scuba diving in the Gardens of the Queen (Jardines de la Reina) National Park, located 60 miles off the southern coast. Biologists will host discussions and presentations covering many topics including: proper mooring procedures and installations, fish tagging, commercial fishing, and other local environmental issues.

The Jardines Aggressor liveaboard is a floating resort with deluxe accommodations, onboard chef, professional crew and state-of-the-art diving amenities.

Join an Oceans for Youth Foundation People-to-People educational tour and learn about the many treasures in this Caribbean paradise, Cuba!

Cuba Travel Program Nine-nights, Thursday to Saturday · Two hotel nights in Havana · Transportation to Jucaro · Seven nights aboard the Jardines Aggressor · Program with scientists in Havana and Gardens of the Queen Marine Park Oceans For Youth Foundation is licensed by the U.S. Treasury Department for educational programs to Cuba and all activities are in full compliance with U.S. Treasury regulations. Under the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba, travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens for tourism is prohibited, however, licensed “people-topeople” educational visits are permitted.

Oceans For Youth Foundation (501c3) www.oceansforyouth.com info@oceansforyouth.com 1-855-568-4130 (toll free) +1-706-550-6658

H E A D -T O -H E A D T E ST I N G

FLOAT ON ScubaLab tested 13 new and redesigned jacket, hybrid, and back-infation BCs B Y R O G E R R O Y P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y Z A C H S T O VA L L

JACKET STYLE

WHAT’S NEW? Manufacturers continue to refne harness and weight systems to improve comfort, security and ease of operation. The BCs in this year’s test had varying methods for loading and ditching weights. But whether those systems pull, pinch, lift or slide, what testers liked were weights that are easy to load, lock securely, and release simply and quickly.

BUOYANT LIFT FIGURES

Buoyant lift fgures given are manufacturers’ specifcations for size medium, unless otherwise noted.

CRESSI AQ UA R I D E B LU E P RO This is the newest version of Cressi’s classic jacket BC, and our tests found that the latest round of updates has made it even better. A new infator has improved ergonomics, and the hose retainer doesn’t spin or slide out of place. The harness, lightweight back plate and tank band keep things comfortable and stable in any dive attitude. Cargo pockets are generously sized and have bellows sewn into the back so they don’t squeeze tight when the BC is infated. All of the jackets we tested had very low inherent buoyancy, but the Aquaride was actually neutrally buoyant, despite its well-padded harness. The Aquaride’s BUOYANT LIFT impressive pack-leading scores for valve operation, ascent control, INHERENT BUOYANCY surface foating position and cargo pockets, and its tying top scores +3 for ease of assembly, ditching weights, and attitude and stability in +2 the water, earned it a Testers Choice award in the Jacket category. +1 POUNDS As one test diver noted: “I can’t fnd anything negative to write down.”

0 PRICE $479.95 CONTACT cressiusa.com POUNDS

The BCs also had diferent methods of securing to diver and tank. Whether wraparound air cells, double or single tank bands, cummerbunds or buckles, the BCs that scored best were the ones that had dive-all-day comfort, and kept tanks and weights secure and stable in any attitude.

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JUNE 2015 / 27

29.2

JACKET STYLE

AQUA LUNG P RO H D The Pro HD is loaded with about every feature a BC can have. But more impressive are the details — low-profle valves to reduce drag and tangling, a streamlined, snake-skeletonlike infator hose retainer with dual hose clips, trim-weight pockets with hook-and-loop and buckle fasteners, and heavy-duty fabric at key wear points. Test divers liked the Pro HD’s harness and lightweight back plate, rating the BC very good for adjustability, stability, and ft and comfort — no surprise, since the harness has a nice range of adjustability, and the Pro HD is available in six sizes. The double-zip pockets are roomy (if a little tight when the BC is infated), and there are fve D-rings, though only one on the shoulder. A pair of octo and console pockets ofers several options to route and secure hoses. Divers liked the operation of the infator and exhaust valves, and rated the Pro HD among the best in the test for ascent control, valve operation and foating position.

»

PRICE $495 CONTACT aqualung.com

+4 +3 +2 +1

POUNDS

INHERENT BUOYANCY

BUOYANT LIFT

29 POUNDS

IST SPORTS M E RC U RY We were able to get the new Mercury only in size medium, but its easily adjustable cummerbund let it ft most of our test divers. Its full-length back plate is shaped to provide good lower-back support. The plate works well with the comfortable covering foam pad, which doesn’t add a lot of inherent buoyancy, and test divers rated the Mercury good for comfort, attitude and stability, and very good for foating position at the surface. Divers rated the integrated-weight system — which uses a buckle release — good for loading, but some said it was a bit tough to release the weights, especially when wearing gloves. The Mercury has good trim-weight pockets and large cargo pockets, and a large stainless D-ring on the shoulder, along with several smaller plastic ones. Testers rated the Mercury good for valve operation and ascent control. The exhaust valves have a low profle and interior diaphragms that prevent water from entering when the bladder defates.

PRICE $400 CONTACT istsports.com

+4 +3 +2 +1

POUNDS

INHERENT BUOYANCY

BUOYANT LIFT

38.2 POUNDS

INHERENT BUOYANCY AND BUOYANT LIFT Inherent buoyancy matters because for every pound of buoyancy built into your BC, you’ll need another pound of lead when you dive. You also need to know the buoyant lift capability of your BC so you can be sure it will support all the weights and gear you use when diving. Due to variations in how manufacturers test BCs, and the fact that BCs require handwork to manufacture and are made of fexible material, a 10 percent variation between stated and measured lift capacities is considered reasonable — all these BCs met that standard.

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Tight Competition

Scores were very close in this year’s test. What made the winners stand out were harnesses that were comfortable, easily adjustable and stable, and weight systems that were secure and easy to operate. — Roger Roy, ScubaLab Director

OCEANIC O C E A N P RO Oceanic markets the OceanPro as an economy model, but our divers didn’t fnd much in the way of cutting corners. True, there’s no octo pocket; the D-rings are plastic; and the large cargo pockets could have wider openings.

But the OceanPro seems like it could foat a heftier price tag. You can cut the cost even more by doing without integrated weights, but we think the weight system might be the best 50 bucks you’ll spend — they’re trim and thoughtfully designed, down to the hook-and-loop fasteners inside the pockets to keep weights from shifting.

The OceanPro’s weight system was the only one in our test to earn a score of “excellent” for both loading and ditching weights. Also winning praise was the harness, which is built around a back plate that’s integrated into the air cell, rather than strapped to it. The result was impressive comfort and stability, earning the OceanPro very good ratings and a Best Buy award.

PRICE $395 ($439.95 with integrated weights) CONTACT oce anicworldwide.com

+3 +2 +1 0

SHERWOOD SCUBA AV I D Updated with new harness webbing, trim pockets and exhaust valves, the Avid remains the same comfortable rig that earned it top scores in previous tests. The back plate, which is integrated into the air cell, is fexible, but the dual tank bands work with the back plate and harness to make it very stable and comfortable. Divers rated the latest-generation integrated-weight system good for ditching and very good for loading, and the Avid racked up very good scores for assembly, comfort, stability, valve operation, ascent control, and foating position.

Though the Avid is a big jacket, its parts are streamlined nicely, and it feels trim in the water. Despite its size and comfortable padding in the harness, we measured less than 1 pound of inherent buoyancy. The cargo pockets are 10 inches wide and 8 inches deep but, as with many jackets, they get pretty tight when infated. The Avid is festooned with attachment points for retractors, light, knife, console, etc., and has six beefy stainless D-rings.

PRICE $588 CONTACT sherwoodscuba.com

+4 +3 +2 +1

POUNDS

INHERENT BUOYANCY

BUOYANT LIFT

29 POUNDS

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POUNDS

INHERENT BUOYANCY

BUOYANT LIFT

34 POUNDS

FLOW-RATE TEST This tests the ability of the exhaust-valve system to prevent an uncontrolled ascent in the case of a stuck power infator. In the pool, an empty BC loaded with 20 percent of its stated maximum buoyant lift is held upright, and then the infator and each of the upper exhaust valves are simultaneously held open for 20 seconds. By industry standards, at least one valve should exhaust rapidly enough that the BC remains negatively buoyant — a test all of these BCs passed.

ERGO TEST Divers equipped with waterproof slates recorded their scores for performance on a scale from 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor) in the following categories: ASSEMBLY How easy is it to attach the BC to the tank and attach the infator hose? Are tank-strap adjustments and buckles easy to fgure out and operate?

LOADING WEIGHT SYSTEM How easy is it to load weights before donning the BC? Is it easy to load weights on the surface while wearing the BC? COMFORT AND ADJUSTMENT How does the BC feel while attached to a tank — especially in the water?

Are there enough adjustments? Is there adequate padding? Does the tank-strap system support the tank?

ATTITUDE AND STABILITY Does the

BC feel stable? Is it easy to maintain a swimming attitude and change positions?

POCKETS How easy is it to access pockets and use closures?

VALVE OPERATION Is the infator smooth in operation, and does it ft easily in the hand?

Is the pull dump efective? Are remote exhaust valves efective?

ASCENT CONTROL During a normal ascent, is it easy to maintain buoyancy and control?

SURFACE FLOATING POSITION How easy is it to maintain a vertical position?

WEIGHT-DITCH SYSTEM In the water, how easy is it to ditch weight pouches?

OBJECTIVE TEST We conduct three tests on each BC to measure criteria that’s important to function and safety:

The Liberator’s harness has a rigid back plate integrated into the air cell, which is broad at the hips but narrows at the shoulders to provide good freedom of movement.

Setup is easy — the tank buckle cam has a notch that holds it in place when securing the tank to prevent tank slippage. The Liberator was the only jacket in our test that lacked a right-shoulder exhaust, but divers rated the overall valve operation very good, and liked the power infator, which has a large, soft button that’s easy to fnd. The Liberator has only a single stainless D-ring and several smaller plastic ones, but the cargo pockets are big and the curved zippers provide decent access. The Liberator’s weight system has a two-step loading procedure that requires holding the weight pocket’s strap in place while buckling the overlapping lock mechanism. Some divers thought releasing the weights took a frmer pull than they liked. Other divers liked that the system displays a “LOCKED” label when properly latched, leaving no question that it’s secure.

PRICE $359 CONTACT tusa.com INHERENT BUOYANCY +3 +2 +1 0

POUNDS

JACKET STYLE

B C - 01 01 L I B E R AT O R S I G M A I I

A ScubaLab BC test has two parts: an in-water ergonomic evaluation by test divers and a series of objective tests we perform in a pool.

»

KATY DANCA GALLI (TEST IMAGE)

TUSA

HOW WE TEST

BUOYANT LIFT

31 POUNDS

BUOYANT LIFT To measure each BC’s maximum buoyancy, we mount it upright on a neutrally buoyant bucket, fully infate it, and add weight to the bucket until it sinks. Notably, every BC we tested met the manufacturer’s stated claim — and several exceeded it by 15 percent or more.

INHERENT BUOYANCY We submerge the BC, carefully remove all air from cells, pockets, pads, etc., then add weights in ½-pound increments until the BC is neutrally buoyant. Manufacturers have dramatically improved performance in recent years, with even the largest fullfeature BCs now displaying very little inherent buoyancy.

DIVE DEEPER

For more info, go to scubadiving .com/BC-Test.

Q: Does a brand-new BC require any special prep?

A: Check the exhaust valves for tightness.

Turn on the air in your tank, and infate

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JUNE 2015 / 30

T R A N S PAC X T W I T H E X P W I N G The Transpac XT harness was developed for cave diving, and as is usual with more tec-oriented rigs, setting it up for the frst time involved some fne-tuning with straps and hardware, including a 1½-inch-wide crotch strap and dual stainless roller-cam tank buckles.

Divers gave the BC top scores in its category for attitude and stability and valve operation, and rated it very good for comfort and adjustment and ascent control. The harness is built around a fexible back plate, but the double tank straps, integrated hip pads and lower-back support made the assembly as stable as if it had a rigid plate. The Transpacs we tried were paired with Dive Rite’s Voyager EXP wing and optional integrated-weight pockets (the assembly weighed about 8 pounds and was neutrally buoyant). The integrated weights use both a latch and hook-and-loop fap, which required a frm pull but released cleanly. (In size small, the weight pockets mount vertically, which divers liked more for loading and less for dumping.)

PRICE $690 (with wing and pockets) CONTACT diverite.com

+3 +2 +1 0

POUNDS

INHERENT BUOYANCY

BUOYANT LIFT

38 POUNDS

OCEANIC HERA The name and pastel highlights mark the Hera as a women’s BC, but test divers found there was more than aesthetics to its design. In fact, female divers gave the Hera their top scores of the test. What they liked best was the Hera’s excellent range of adjustability, thanks to clever shoulder-strap attachment points that allow almost 5 inches of front-to-back movement of the bottom of the straps. The strap positioners, which lock securely in place with hassle-free buckles, allow precise fne-tuning of the BC’s ft (and made male divers wonder why their BCs don’t have something similar). The back plate is built into the Hera’s hybrid air cell, which wraps well around the tank and has a fair amount of buoyancy in the low-cut waist. The result was a comfortable harness, zero tank movement and good surface position. Divers rated the Hera excellent for assembly, attitude and stability, valve operation, and foating position, and very good in every other category.

PRICE $599.95 CONTACT oceanicworldwide.com

+3 +2 +1 0

POUNDS

INHERENT BUOYANCY

BUOYANT LIFT

34 POUNDS

the BC to test for leaks and proper power-infator function. Pull all valve cords to make sure the exhaust valves are working. Then take it out for a test swim. Even a dip in the pool will help get you familiarized with all the BC’s bells and whistles. — Roger Roy, ScubaLab Director

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HYBRIDS & BACK INFLATION

DIVE RITE

»

HYBRIDS & BACK INFLATION

SCUBAPRO L I T E H AW K Aimed at travelers, the Litehawk weighs just a shade over 5 pounds (without integrated-weight pockets). It has a back plate fexible enough to roll up and a minimal harness with a belt-style waist strap. The Litehawk was very stable in the water, with very good scores in almost every category, and multiple divers selected it as their favorite in the category. The only place where the score dropped to good was ditching weights, with some divers fnding the buckle release fnicky. There’s a right-shoulder exhaust, two-position sternum strap, swivel buckles on the shoulder straps, padded neckline, and very good trim pockets. We measured just a little over a pound of inherent buoyancy, despite cushy padding in most of the harness. There are no cargo pockets, but there are four aluminum rings (the optional weight pockets add two more) and webbing loops sewn into the shoulder. The Litehawk is our Testers Choice in the Hybrids and Back Infation category.

»

PRICE $399 (weight pockets $80) CONTACT scubapro.com

+4 +3 +2 +1

POUNDS

INHERENT BUOYANCY

BUOYANT LIFT

31 POUNDS

SEAC S H E R PA The Sherpa’s most distinctive feature is an air cell that wraps tightly around the tank. While the cell is big (we measured a shade over 55 pounds of lift in size medium), the wraparound design keeps it streamlined whether infated or empty. Lift is concentrated in the back, but there’s enough in the waist for comfortable surface foating, and divers found the Sherpa easy to trim properly. The integrated weights use a latching mechanism on the outside, where it’s easy to see and reach. The Sherpa has lots of adjustability in its harness and plenty of spots to stow extras, with deep (though not very wide) pockets and six stainless D-rings, with two on the shoulder strap being adjustable. Divers gave the Sherpa very good scores for attitude and stability, comfort and adjustment, valve operation, ascent control, and foating position. They also scored it very good for setup, though some divers said the trim-weight pockets, which slide on the tank band, made it tricky for them to get the band positioned and locked in place.

PRICE $685 CONTACT seacusa.com

KATY DANCA GALLI (INSET)

+4 +3 +2 +1

POUNDS

INHERENT BUOYANCY

BUOYANT LIFT

55 POUNDS

SCUBALAB’S BC BUYERS GUIDE The BC is the most complex piece of dive equipment you’ll own — and one of the most important. It’s important to choose carefully based on the style of diving you’ll be doing most. Before you try on BCs, slip into the exposure suit you’ll wear most often. Look for a BC that fts snugly but doesn’t squeeze you when infated: Infate the BC until the overfow valve vents. While you’ve got the BC on, test all valves for accessibility and ease of use, then make sure the adjustments, straps, and pockets are easy to reach and use. Pay particular attention

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+

TRIAL DIVE We got these new models in only a single size, which prevented completing full tests. But here are some impressions from diving with them.

SHERWOOD SCUBA AXIS A favorite in our 2013 BC test, the Axis has been updated with new, smoother harness webbing that moves more easily through the adjusters, redesigned trim pockets angled outward for handier loading and a redesigned infater with more-precise valve operation. Those changes have all been to the good, improving what was already a solid, comfortable BC that’s compact and light enough to travel with (about 6.5 pounds in size medium), but has enough features and lift (we measured 34 pounds in medium) for all-around diving. The weights are easy to load and ditch, and the handles are tucked out of your way. Test divers rated the weight system very good, and liked the new trim-weight pockets. The neckline padding extends well down the sides, and there’s lots of padding throughout the harness, which makes it comfy but also brings up our one gripe: All that padding seems to add some extra inherent buoyancy. You won’t get much into the cargo pockets, but the curved zippers make them easy to access, and the Axis has four large stainless D-rings and an assortment of clips, snaps and retractor pockets for attachment points.

Oceanic Atmos This full-feature hybrid balances its lift well for easy trim underwater and stable foating on the surface. The harness ofers a very good range of movement without binding on the torso or shoulders. The tops of the shoulder straps are attached via webbing loops on the air cell, which is comfortable and allows the cell to collapse for good streamlining.

That’s good, because the air cell is a big one — we measured 55 pounds of lift in size large. PRICE $539.95 CONTACT oceanicworldwide.com

PRICE $588 CONTACT sherwoodscuba.com

+4 +3 +2 +1

POUNDS

INHERENT BUOYANCY

BUOYANT LIFT

34 POUNDS

Oceanic Excursion This rugged back-infation BC has a monster air cell (we measured more than 60 pounds of lift in size large) that, when defated, is kept nicely streamlined by a network of bungees. The harness, with a padded neck roll and lower-back support, is quite plush, but we measured no inherent buoyancy in fresh water. The generous cargo pockets don’t shrink when the BC is infated, and there are 11 stainless D-rings.

PRICE $569.95 CONTACT oceanicworldwide.com

to the infator hose. Is it easy to reach and extend over your head? Make sure there’s a clear distinction between the infate and defate buttons, and that you can operate them easily with one hand. Then take into consideration how much lift you’ll need. If you’ll be doing mostly tropical diving (with little or no wetsuit protection), you’ll probably need only about 12 to 24 pounds of lift. For diving with a thicker wetsuit or drysuit, you’ll need 20 to 40 pounds of lift. For technical diving (or diving under other demanding conditions), your BC will need to provide 40 to 80 pounds of lift.

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THE WIL ON THE WINDWARD SIDE OF THESE EIGHT

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS, THE OCEAN CAN PACK A WICKED PUNCH — BUT WHEN CONDITIONS

ARE RIGHT, DIVERS WILL FIND SITES THAT ARE UNKNOWN, UNEXPECTED — AND UNMATCHED

GREG LECOEUR

» BY BROOKE MORTON

The Bahamas is Shark Central for a number of species, including the lemon, which likes to feed at night.

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D SIDE T T R AV E L R O U N D U P

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THE WILD SIDE

GO TO A RESTAURANT OFTEN ENOUGH, and you’ll fnd that sometimes, the chef tinkers with the menu. Chances are it’ll be good, or at least diferent. A surprise. And so it is with diving. We have our go-to favorite locales, but sometimes we want the guide to take us to a little-visited location. Or a site the crew doesn’t feel comfortable taking just anyone to. Often, it’ll be somewhere near open sea, where strong currents and serious surface swell collide. It’s an ocean wilderness that ofers terrifc odds of seeing something impressive. Like that unexpected entree, it’s diving that’s not always on the menu. Quite the rush indeed.

|1| GR E N A DA

T R AV E L R O U N D U P

IN ANY WEATHER The massive M/V Bianca C, a 600-foot former passenger ship, is divable year-round.

Although you might not see the bottom when you drop down, you’ll at least be able to do a free descent. aquanautsgrenada.com

see 20 cruising round you.”

The cargo hold, which still contains much of the goods that once caused the vessel to sink, now shelters schools of fsh. Also out in the Atlantic is the Hema 1, a cargo vessel that was overloaded, causing it to sink in 110 feet of water.

Thanks to a 2005 hurricane, the ship is sliced in two. But Seupel says that’s a beneft.

“The current likes to run through that gap between bow and stern, and so do the sharks and eagle rays.”

ANDREW SALLMON. OPPOSITE: STEVE SIMONSEN

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“You go down fghting the whole way,” says Peter Seupel, co-owner of Aquanauts dive shop, of what it’s like to descend into the currents that charge overtop the wreck of the 240-foot King Mitch, 4 miles of Grenada.

“You fnd a place to hold on, and then it’s like a movie theater — you just watch the show.” And that show tends to be eagle rays. “It’s a cleaning station for them, so while you see two or three elsewhere on-island, here you

For divers who can handle temperamental seas, the former minesweeper King Mitch ofers plenty to explore, including its rudders.

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Sheer clifs and swell greet divers at Carval Rock, but underwater, they are rewarded with tons of fsh and coral-covered canyons.

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U. S .

V I RGI N ISLANDS

“My most memorable dive on Carval Rock was a day that we had a few cancellations — it was just me and one other diver,” says Travis Krueger, instructor at Red Hook Dive Center on St. Thomas.

Krueger says the islet (also spelled Carvel Rock) is the most exciting site visited by his outft. The sheer-walled formation sits a mile and a half of the island’s north side, smack amid the Atlantic Ocean. “We didn’t swim anywhere, but just sat in one spot and watched hundreds

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of fsh swirling overhead.”

The site, due to its location, is best accessed in summer, but if reached in winter is an ideal spot for hearing whale song. Regardless of season, it’s a hot spot for marine life.

Says Krueger: “It’s common IN ANY WEATHER Congo Cay is divable yearround because you start the dive on the protected side, then make your way over to the wall. Says Krueger, “You ease into it, but then it’s an in-your-face wall.” redhookdivecenter.com

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to see dozens and dozens of tarpon, snapper, schooling jacks and king mackerel feeding.” And while the occasional shark is sighted, the locale isn’t known for pelagics — but did at one time attract much-larger passersby. The rock’s twin peaks resemble sails, or so allegedly thought the pirates who once fxed lanterns on them to lure boats to crash into it.

More trivia: Competitors in The Amazing Race 25 climbed across the top of the rock before jumping into the ocean.

THE WILD SIDE

Currents that swirl around Sail Rock are a conveyor belt for schools of fsh — and a challenge for divers.

|3| FROM LEFT: STEVE SIMONSEN; DIRK MUELLER

PETIT ST. V I N C E N T

IN ANY WEATHER Santee recommends diving the Tobago Cays and Mayreau Reef, which are also located in the Atlantic but provide more protection from currents. jeanmichelcousteau diving-caribbean.com

“I saw Sail Rock every time I few in from Barbados,” says Don Santee, co-owner of Jean-Michel Cousteau Diving Caribbean. He opened the shop this past November on Petit St. Vincent, a privately owned island in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines chain. His frst order of business: Scout and explore dive sites. Sail Rock — the exposed feature jutting from the Atlantic along the island’s windward northeast coast — proved most enticing.

“There’s so much current

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that whatever grows there is on a small scale.” That is, except for fsh. It’s where Santee has seen the area’s biggest sharks and schools of snapper, and the greatest diversity of color. But it’s also the most challenging site.

“The currents carry you laterally, and up and down.” The unpredictable currents don’t deter Santee. “It turned out to be our best site so far,” he says. “Before we set up shop, the other local operators weren’t diving it; now, they all are.”

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A boka on Bonaire translates to “mouth”; it is where the sea cuts into the shore.

This is a remote boka on the island’s east side.

|4| B ON AI R E “It looks intimidating from shore,” says Bas Tol, a private dive guide based on Bonaire. He’s talking about a site called Boka Spelonk, found along the elbow of the island’s east side, the opposite coast of where most shore divers park their rental pickups. “The entry is steep ironshore, and people say, ‘How the hell am I going to get in?’” The trick is knowing which rock to crouch behind as crashing waves come in. On the return to shore, this same wave-break creates pools of foam on the surface, adding drama. In between, Tol says you’ll see more turtles than anywhere

else on-island. Boka Spelonk also packs species of small stuf not found on the west coast. It adds up to an experience that Tol calls the most exciting on-island. The area can be visited year-round, as long as conditions permit — a constant southeasterly wind blows in, and sometimes the waves are too huge to permit diving. Tol says accessing these sites depends even more on the divers, and their gear. He won’t take someone who doesn’t have good booties and a full wetsuit. Says Tol, “This diving is serious, but when wind picks up, it’s extra serious.”

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T T R AV E L R O U N D U P

IN ANY WEATHER The wreck of Hilma Hooker, a freighter with a colorful history of illegal drug running, is accessible from shore. Divers may fnd tarpon and territorial sergeant majors guarding their nests. buddydive.com

THE WILD SIDE

T T R AV E L R O U N D U P scubadiving.com

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|5| C OZ UM E L Guillermo Mendoza has spent 25 years diving the island of Cozumel — and the past fve looking for an area that’s local legend. Since the mid-’70s, neighboring Isla Mujeres was famous for caves of sleeping Caribbean reef sharks, until an infux of divers scared them of.

“I knew they had resettled somewhere close,” says the co-founder of Aldora Divers.

In February 2014, Mendoza found it: six caves, all approximately 6 nautical miles from Cozumel’s northeast tip. “I almost cried,” he says.

The caves vary in depth from 80 to 110 feet, and inside, on a good day, Mendoza has

Divers ride in small boats tossed by choppy seas to dive Coz’s east side — but the payofs can be huge.

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laid beside four sharks. “It’s peaceful to watch their gills, and the remoras cleaning their bodies,” he says. The area is reachable only when winds die to less than 10 knots, and waves are no higher than 3 feet. Mendoza says February to June is the best time of year for seeing the greatest number of sharks.

In this virgin oceanscape, there’s always a chance of encountering an eagle ray hunting crustaceans.

JOE DOVALA/GETTY IMAGES

IN ANY WEATHER Aldora Divers specializes in diving the island’s northeast tip, and the eastern side. There, one of the more unique dives is an unidentifed Spanish galleon with 17 cannons and countless cannonballs — but good luck fnding the ammo.

“I hide them after every dive so nobody’s tempted to take them of-island,” Mendoza says. But he is also quick to uncover them so divers can hold and feel the history contained in just 8 pounds. aldora.com

THE WILD SIDE

Divers make their way back on board the boat after diving of Tobago.

T T R AV E L R O U N D U P

|6| TOBAG O

On Tobago, there’s a site called Heart Attack, named by a visiting Italian who deemed the reef one of the best adrenaline inducers he’d experienced. “It starts with a negative entry,” says Sean Robinson, owner of Tobago Dive Experience, of the Atlantic Ocean spot. And by that, he means you purge all air from your BC before rolling of the boat into the 4-knot current. “You point your head down, then when you reach the rock formations, you

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hold on — it’s pretty wild,” he says. The maximum depth is 110 feet, and the area, best visited June through October, is the cruising grounds of everything from mantas to whale sharks. As IN ANY WEATHER Dive Shark Bank, and you’re following an underwater mountain range from 110 to 50 feet. Says Robinson, “The chances are good you’ll see pelagics — there’s tremendous marine life.” tobagodiveexperience.com

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for the Italian diver, he kept encountering sharks. Says Robinson, “Wherever he turned, a big reef shark was swimming up in his face.”

Another open Atlantic Ocean site that quickens the pulse is called Washing Machine. “The currents form a vortex that spins you around and pulls you down,” says Robinson. “For an experienced diver, it’s the wildest roller coaster that you’ve ever been on, and it’s all fun as long as you don’t panic.”

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C O N CE P T I O N I S L A ND, BA H A M A S “We call it Heaven; it’s challenging to get to in that it has to be the right day, right current, right weather to dive,” says Dan Doyle, captain of the R/V Sea Dragon liveaboard, which visits the hard-to-reach south side — the windward side — of Conception Island in the summer months. The Atlantic Ocean site Doyle speaks of is listed on maps as Tunnel Heaven, a drop-of starting at 70 feet. “It’s a series of tunnels that look like teeth,” he says. Inside the tunnels,

GREG LECOEUR. OPPOSITE: KADU PINHEIRO

IN ANY WEATHER If you can’t dive the south wall, you can put in along the island’s shallower western wall, where the corals grow much bigger and the visibility can exceed 100 feet or greater. seadragonbahamas.com

hulking goliath grouper stand guard. Outside, lucky divers may encounter the odd hammerhead or tiger shark cruising past. As is true throughout the Bahamas, “you see Caribbean reef sharks any time you want to dive the site,” says Doyle.

Another plus: The island’s center is a large mangrove and creek habitat, which serves as an important nursery for fsh. The island enjoys another advantage: “The marine life gets so much bigger because commercial fshermen don’t reach these areas,” says Doyle. That marine life includes sponges of gigantic proportions, and pristine black corals and sea fans.

The Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezii) is a requiem shark that can grow to 10 feet long.

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THE WILD SIDE

JASON BRADLEY. OPPOSITE: PETER ALLINSON

|8| BRITISH V I RGI N I SL A N DS

“The best dive in the whole British Virgin Islands isn’t the Rhone, but the Chikuzen,” says Duncan Muirhead, owner of the S/Y Cuan Law, a trimaran customized for weeklong dive trips in the Caribbean island chain. The Chikuzen, a 246-foot former refrigeration ship, lies roughly 10 miles northeast of Virgin Gorda and is best reached in summer months. “It’s such a good dive site because it’s surrounded by sand desert — it’s the only habitat for miles,”

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Muirhead says. Nurse sharks, schools of amberjack, and cobia take notice, swirling constantly overtop the upright structure. “There’s a huge number of great barracuda behaving like a school, IN ANY WEATHER The RMS Rhone of Salt Island is undoubtedly the best-known local dive: It packs swim-throughs, artifacts and intact structure.

But few visitors see it at night, when monster lobsters run wild. cuanlaw.com

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pointing the same direction like one, big silver wall,” says Muirhead. For big pelagic trafc, Muirhead also likes a site called the Invisibles, just north of Virgin Gorda’s eastern tip: It’s a current-swept, twin-rock pinnacle that rises within 4 feet of the surface.

The site gets its name because operators look for breaking waves to reveal the formation’s location. Says Muirhead, “It’s so great to dive because there’s nothing between you and Africa.”

MR. DIVER’S WILD RIDE TO ACCESS THESE SITES, YOU’LL MAKE A ROLLER-COASTER SEA CROSSING — BUT THE REWARDS ARE WORTH IT

Mona Island, Puerto Rico Land-based dive operators make only rare, special trips to Mona, on Puerto Rico’s wild western side.

It’s a 45-mile ride to reach this remote ecological reserve where the Atlantic and Caribbean mix it up. Be prepared for rough seas with swells, hold-ontoyour-reg currents, housesize coral heads, and shark, humpback whale, turtle, and dolphin encounters. gotopuertorico.com

Weather often prevents dive boats from getting to the Chikuzen, but dives here are worth the trip.

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Gladden Spit, Belize During the full moon from March through June, spawning snapper aggregations at Gladden Spit of southern Belize entice whale sharks to this open-ocean reserve. It’s an hour-long boat ride over stomach-churning ocean, a fast descent to 60 feet, and serious fnning to follow your guide — but what a payof when the sharks join the party. splashbelize.com

T R AV E L R O U N D U P

Isla Mujeres, Mexico Life-and-death scenarios play out from January to March every year in the clear waters of Mexico’s Isla Mueres, an island about 8 miles from the Yucatan coast: Schooling sardines attract hunting Atlantic sailfsh with few table manners.

Guides look for frigate birds dive-bombing the baitball, and then you plunge in for the photo op of a lifetime. prodivemex.com

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ADVANCED ADVENTURE

Unveiling secrets of Egypt’s western desert meant venturing into many caves — above and below the ground. scubadiving.com

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TEXT AND PHOTOS

BY JILL HEINERTH

CHASING THE

ORACLE ALEXANDER THE GREAT BELIEVED THAT EGYPTIAN DESERT SPRINGS — OASES THAT SHELTERED MYSTICAL ORACLES WHO WOULD CONFIRM HIS DIVINITY, AND HIS DESTINY — WERE CONNECTED UNDERGROUND. AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF TECHNICAL DIVERS BRAVES THE ARAB SPRING TO RETRACE HIS FOOTSTEPS AND TEST HIS THEORY.

teenage boy wearing a shabby uniform and brandishing an AK-47 points us toward an abandoned shack. My preexpedition training had taught me how to shoot this very rife, and how to identify whether there’s a round in the chamber. More uniformed men with guns stumble out of the shed, wiping boredom from eyes that haven’t seen a stranger in weeks. In the unforgiving and ruthless Egyptian desert, I’m hoping my Canadian smile and a box of dates will soothe the tension. I leave the negotiating to my guide, Fathi.

“In sha’Allah,” he says.

We’re in God’s hands now.

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   Alexander the Great may have been the world’s frst underwater explorer. Aristotle — Alexander’s tutor — described an early

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diving bell that Alexander used to explore the Mediterranean Sea in the 4th century B.C. Alexander’s device was “a very fne barrel made entirely of white glass,” which was towed out to sea and lowered into the water.

Alexander also may have been the frst person to envision cave diving, and that’s what lured me on this dangerous adventure halfway around the world.

Marching an army from Cairo across the Great Sand Sea, Alexander’s mission was to consult the oracle at the Great Temple of Amun in Siwa, near the Libyan border. Many men died on his perilous journey, but Alexander was saved from starvation by a black crow that guided him through a blinding sandstorm. The oracle informed him that Alexander was the frst true Pharaoh of Egypt and would go on to conquer the world.

The oracle itself is in fact a spring. Alexander’s prophet was a well inside the temple, and it was the water in that well that foretold his fate.

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JACQUELINE WINDH

A D VA N C E D A D V E N T U R E

Clockwise, from above: Author Jill Heinerth; Dr. Jacqueline Windh examining a map to improve understanding of Siwa’s surfcial geology; Heinerth and Phil Short peer into a blue hole near Siwa Oasis.

Alexander also may have been the frst person to envision cave diving, and that’s what lured me on this dangerous adventure halfway around the world.

Cairo LIBYA

Siwa Oasis

EGYP T

SU DAN

This parched desert landscape is dotted with verdant green oases. There are 200 springs in the immediate vicinity of Siwa, the nexus of fve major historic caravan routes.

Cave divers know that water fowing from springs emanates from deep groundwater sources. Alexander suspected the springs in Siwa were connected, and that a person could swim from the temple to the nearby Mountain of the Dead.

That idea was irresistible to my explorer’s heart. What would we fnd? Would we discover ancient clues about temperature, rainfall and climate change? Would we fnd troves of artifacts telling the story of nomadic Bedouins? Was there life in oases springs?

There was only one way to fnd out.    By the time my proposal made it through approvals at National Geographic, the tumultuous Arab Spring was upon us. Egypt

was in a dynamic, leaderless transition, and the country had descended into turmoil. Travel advisories warned of danger. Journalists were being detained, and sexual assaults on Western women in Cairo were reported in the news.

The press desks in Cairo’s media ofces were replaced with tripod-mounted machine guns.

My nervous husband could not fathom why I wanted to go to Egypt at such a time.

But I have learned that news stories are not always accurate, and the reality of life on the ground can be warm and generous in even the most difcult situations. With my veteran technical diving colleagues Kevin Gurr and Phil Short, along with a small team of scientists and adventurers, we traveled across the world and through the sands of time. We faced fearful, suspicious adolescents armed with guns, and defused the tension with goodwill and bountiful gifts of food.

It seems ironic that Google Earth should be

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ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE ORACLE AT SIWA Oracles in antiquity were believed to see into the future, and were consulted before any momentous occasion or decision.

The oracle at Siwa (below) was well known across the ancient world, particularly in Greece. Alexander the Great, a Macedonian by birth, made the difcult trek in 331 B.C. — it’s believed he sought confrmation that he was a son of the god Zeus, who was associated with the Egyptian god Amun; a “yes” would give Alexander legitimacy as ruler of Egypt, which he had recently conquered. But the oracle went much further: According to legend, it confrmed that he would one day conquer the known world. Did the oracle also foretell his early death, in 323 B.C., at age 32? No one will ever know, because Alexander was accorded the unique privilege of hearing from his oracle directly, and not through a priest, as was common.

Clockwise, from top left: the exploration team; reaching for his camera, Phil Short explores a desert well; an irrigation canal moves groundwater from an oasis; an intricately painted tomb in Siwa’s Mountain of the Dead.

my guide. My Bedouin chaperone, Fathi, of the Amazigh tribe, has no conception of the Internet and doesn’t know how to read two-dimensional maps. While he directs our travel based on ripples in the sand, I follow our GPS and printed sheets of satellite aerials.

“I’d like to fnd that lake near Tehbaghbagh. I think we need to turn east,” I muse. On my lap is an image of an enormous blue lake dotted with black spots that I believe are sinkholes. Fathi sighs and says that we cannot go there. “The route is impossible, in sha’Allah.”

Preventing us are decades-old land mines, miles of salt-mud quicksand, military checkpoints and high rock blufs that mark the edge of the steep Qattara Depression. What I cannot understand from the images before me are the perils of a landscape that Fathi’s people know as well as the backs of their hands. Still, I want to try.

I simplify my request. “Fathi, please take me to all the places where there is water in the desert.”

What unfolded before us was a parched landscape that is reliant on the largest fossil aquifer on the planet. The Nubian Aquifer once held a tremendous volume of water, deep below Egypt, Libya, Chad and Sudan. But with only a scant rainstorm every 25 years or so, this precarious water supply may be doomed.

Without replenishment, the fossil aquifer will eventually be drained. And without water, the ancient civilizations here will die.

We explore intricate Roman-built pools and irrigation canals that link the water supply to date-palm oases. We plunge into wells and bubbling springs, and fnd artesian geysers spewing water high into the air in the naked landscape.

They tell a story of scarcity, and paint a picture of a life that can exist only in the presence and relative abundance of water. The people of Siwa, and other small oases, will survive only if the freshwater continues to fow.

In the 1980s, Russian oil prospectors drilled voraciously into the landscape around Siwa.

They unleashed the power of the aquifer, rocketing high-pressure water jets into the sky.

Disappointed with the results, they moved on, hoping to fnd black gold elsewhere.

FIND YOUR OWN ORACLE On Feb. 1, 2015, Google opened one of its most powerful apps — Google Earth Pro — to the universe. For a decade, businesses, scientists and hobbyists from all over the world have been using Google Earth Pro for everything from exploring remote regions to placing 3-D architectural models in cityscapes. For everyday divers, Google Earth Pro can help you measure, visualize and record HD simulations of fyovers to your next dive destination. To play with Google Earth Pro, or to just have fun fying around the world, grab a free access key and download Google Earth Pro today.

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COURTESY GOOGLE (GOOGLE EARTH PRO). OPPOSITE: BRENDA WEAVER (MAP)

On my lap is an image of an enormous blue lake dotted with black spots that I believe are sinkholes. Fathi sighs and says that we cannot go there. “The route is impossible, in sha’Allah.”

from the earth. Our sophisticated rebreathers and underwater camera equipment will do us little good — a simple snorkel is now the most important tool in my underwater exploration kit. We retreat, making tea from the boiling spring water, and dive back into our maps and imaginations, seeking more targets to explore.

The oracle at the Great Temple of Amun is actually a shallow, drying pool. It may have once linked to the Mountain of the Dead, but now a rock pile blocks access to any ancient caves or tunnels. The water is clean and satisfying but rapidly dwindling from the demands of encroaching development.

Perhaps this meager well in the distant desert is meant to remind us of humanity’s fate. We are not here to conquer the world as modern-day Alexanders, but rather to fnd and appreciate the desert’s most remarkable treasure — these precious pools of water.

DISCOVERING ABU SHURUF Located 20 miles east of Siwa, the Abu Shuruf spring is a source of precious water for the local villagers of Az-Zaytun, as well as being a popular swimming hole. During Roman times, a stone wall was built around an artesian spring that discharges warm water from a boulder pile in the pool’s center. Roughly 15 feet deep, the spring also has a sand boil at its bottom. An underwater doorway allows water to flow into an irrigation canal, which has a solid floor and walls. The same irrigation system is used in a number of springs found in the Siwa area.

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A D VA N C E D A D V E N T U R E

Today, these uncapped wells continue to fow and spread water into the desert, creating enormous lakes that soon evaporate into hypersaline seas. The salty water, now useless for irrigation, continues to fll the desert and deplete this fragile resource.

After a difficult day of travel, we fnd ourselves near the edge of a great lake I was eager to explore. We’ll have to slog through mud and then swim a good distance, but nothing is going to stop me from reaching the headsprings and sinkholes we spotted on Google Earth.

Then we discover a hard fact that will prevent us from exploring any substantive caves: The fowing groundwater is 125°F, creating a nasty thermocline with the contrasting 50°F winter lake temperatures.

As we near the source, we are hit with blistering jets of scalding water, hazy thermoclines, and pulverizing mud and rocks emanating

THE CHASE CONTINUES Unexplored caves in Turkey may yield the next clues in our quest for the oracle. Very few of the springs in Turkey have been explored by cave divers — even fewer have been visited by divers at all, yet they have yielded artifacts that are significant to history. A few miles from the coast of southern Turkey, the ancient site of Didyma is home to another natural spring that was visited by Alexander the Great.

The goddess Leto is reported to have spent “an hour of love” there with Zeus before giving birth to Artemis and Apollo; today, locals claim to have seen Leto swimming, bathing and rising out of springs situated in the ruins of Romanera archaeological sites. Nestled among these ruins, clear water gushes from deep and bountiful sources near known caves at Kirkgoz springs and Burdur Insuyu Magarasi: prime targets for future exploration.

I N S T R U C T I O N A L T I P S T O I M P R O V E Y O U R S A F E T Y, S K I L L S A N D B O T T O M T I M E

DIVE HACKS Cut ties with the

dive boat and fall in love with shore diving P 52 IMAGING Eliminating pesky backscatter using Adobe Photoshop P 55 DIVING DOCTOR What you need to know about vertigo P 57 LESSONS FOR LIFE Failure to plan for an emergency has deadly consequences P 58

DIVE HACKS /

PARTING THE WATERS SIX TIPS TO BRAVE THE WAVES AND FIND YOUR SHORE-DIVING SANCTUARY

BY ERIC MICHAEL

at Southern California institution Dive N’ Surf, to share a few of his best practices. The veteran of more than 700 beach dives has been exploring the nearshore reefs of the Golden State since 1997 and guiding guests into the surf as a professional since 2001.

These are some of the trade secrets he shared with me: scubadiving.com

SURVEY THE SCENE Practicing solid situational awareness is a key for any safe dive plan, but when adding the more unpredictable elements of a shore entry — pounding surf, sudden drop-ofs, hidden rocks and other challenges — being hyperaware of your surroundings is even more important. “I know of no book or class that can give you all JUNE 2015 / 52

you need to know to make the necessary assessments,” says Raemer, who combines careful observation with advice from divers familiar with current local conditions. “Always consider that borderline ‘safe’ conditions can change while you’re submerged, so be sure to check tides, wind and swell forecasts beforehand. And listen to your inner voice,

JASON BRADLEY. OPPOSITE: COURTESY MARES

S

hore diving is the ultimate in scuba freedom.

With no dawn-cracking boat schedules or draconian limits on bottom time, this diving style appeals to the most adventurous of our tribe. In destinations such as Bonaire, California, Hawaii, Philippines and Grand Cayman, there are worldclass reefs and wrecks within a few fn kicks of the beach. But making a dive from shore requires an entry strategy, some surf-specifc tactics and a healthy sense of self-reliance.

To ease the learning curve, I asked Joe Raemer, an assistant instructor

because a shore diver must always be willing to say, ‘We’re not getting wet today’ — no matter how much you want to make the dive.”

LOCK DOWN YOUR RIG Even small surf and light surge can wreak havoc on your kit, so be prudent in securing all your tools.

“Don’t hold any gear, like dive lights or cameras, just in your hands,” Raemer says. “And don’t hold your fns in your fsts, but rather loop them over your wrists so if you slip and stick out your hand to stop your fall, you won’t lose them.”

BRACE FOR THE PUNCH Waves are the main barrier of entry into the underwater world. “My best advice — be prepared to get knocked down, slip or fall,” says Raemer. “Remember to hold your mask frmly on your face with an open palm

when going through a wave.

If you’re wearing a hood, put on your mask frst, then pull it on over your mask strap, so your mask can’t be yanked of. And always enter and exit the water with your mask on and your regulator in your mouth, so if you get knocked down, you will still be able to breathe and see.”

passes over, the back suction from the wave’s forward momentum can return you to a standing position. With a little practice, even large waves can be safely bypassed using this method.”

STEP CAREFULLY Because wave action clouds visibility, it can be difcult to identify potential hazards.

Rocky entries create further complications, so an added dose of precaution pays of.

“Often slippery algae will grow on rocks along the water’s edge,” says Raemer.

“And rocks can move underfoot, so always test your footing before committing to a step; remember, with all your gear donned, it’s easier to lose your balance.”

DUCK THE WAVE Even when faced with what looks like a tsunami, there are ways to avoid a total wipeout. “Most of a wave’s force rides along and above the surface, so if a diver can get under a wave, most of the power will pass right over them,” Raemer explains.

“When coming face to face with a breaking wave, lower your body as much as possible by bending your knees or even going into a kneeling posture. Try to keep a frm footing and lean slightly into the wave, so when it

EXIT GRACEFULLY Conventional wisdom advises to never turn your back on the ocean — so don’t. “Employ a sideways

step so you can easily look forward and backward,” Raemer says. “In the event you do fall and can’t get up, keep your regulator in your mouth and crawl out. It won’t look graceful or cool, but you’ll get out safely.”

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A

TRAINING

5 TIPS /

AVOIDING NITROGEN NARCOSIS BEING NARCED IS A LITTLE LIKE GETTING HIGH — YOU FEEL GOOD, BUT YOUR FRIENDS THINK YOU’RE ACTING STUPID

75 or 80 feet, I was relaxed and enjoying the reef again. Later, I learned that for some divers, being narced causes anxiety rather than euphoria.

Researchers don’t know for sure what causes nitrogen narcosis in divers, but here’s what we do know: Your thinking process slows down.

In an emergency, you’re more likely to make mistakes.

You can’t multitask as easily. You tend to fxate on a single thing — like the “pretty fshies.” That means you’re not thinking about your gas supply, time, depth, etc.

You lose short-term memory. That means you could forget your dive plan.

T O AV O I D T H E E F F E C T S O F N I T R O G E N N A R C O S I S :

1 TAKE A COURSE IN DEEP DIVING You’ll learn the warning signs of narcosis and the skills to deal with it.

2 MAKE SURE YOU’RE RESTED Fatigue might be a contributing factor.

3 AVOID ALCOHOL AND DRUGS A hangover, and even the efects of over-the-counter drugs, can make narcosis worse.

4 PLAN YOUR DIVE, DIVE YOUR PLAN Decide depth, route, frequency of buddy checks, etc., and stick to it.

5 WATCH YOUR BUDDY Does he seem uncoordinated? Silly? Acting odd? If so, signal to him to ascend. Often, an ascent of only 10 or 20 feet will clear your head.

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Photo © Patrick M. Rose

SHUTTERSTOCK

BY PATRICIA WUEST

s I prepped for my advanced open-water certifcation, fellow divers had warned me about what it was like to have nitrogen narcosis: “You’ll be waving at all the pretty fshies and forget to look at your gauges,” one had told me. When my instructor took me to 130 feet during my training, I felt normal for the most part, though a bit chilled and nervous. My instructor had given me some simple math problems at the surface and timed me while I completed them, and now, using his slate, he asked me to do the problems again. I was just as quick and accurate underwater. But I was relieved when we began our ascent. By

obvious backscatter. You can double-click on the zoom tool to get there, or use the keyboard shortcut OPT-CMD-0 (Mac) or ALT-CTRL-0 (PC). Hold the space bar down to temporarily access the Hand Tool, and continue holding it while you click and drag to move your photo. Look for a medium-size piece of backscatter to target.

Go to the filter menu and select Noise>Dust and Scratches. In the ensuing panel, reset both sliders to their lowest values. Radius should read 1 and Threshold 0. Click in your image on the piece of backscatter that you located earlier, and you’ll see it appear in the Dust and Scratches preview window (see below). Move the Radius slider to the right until the spot has completely disappeared. Check your image. If there’s still a significant amount of backscatter, nudge the slider a little farther to the right until most of it is gone. Ignore any large or blurred particles — you’ll fix those later.

3 >>

Move the Threshold slider slowly to the right just until the spot begins to reappear, then back it of until you can’t see the spot or any edges surrounding it. The Radius slider removes ofending particles, and the Threshold slider restores grain. Check your image closely to make sure there are no artifacts or edges remaining. Toggle the Preview checkbox in the Dust and Scratches window on and of to see the before

4

TRAINING

IMAGING /

OUT, DAMNED SPOT! QUICK AND DIRTY BACKSCATTER REMOVAL IN PHOTOSHOP TEXT AND PHOTOS

BY ERIN QUIGLEY

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here are as many ways to remove backscatter as there are to shoot it, but the technique I’m going to show you is one of my favorites for a quick and relatively easy fix.

I learned it first from Photoshop guru Eddie Tapp, and although a few versions of Photoshop have come and gone since then, it still remains as apt as ever. This technique’s efectiveness varies with every image, and it works best when there’s not a lot of detailed information in the background.

SCUBADIVING.COM

Before you start, make sure you can see your History Panel. If not, go to Menu>Window>History, and make sure that History is checked on.

1

Zoom in to at least 100 percent on an area in your image with

2

Steps 3 and 4 P H O T O S H O P T I P Click on a piece of backscatter in the image to reveal it in the preview window. Toggling the Preview checkbox of and on reveals the before and after efects of the filter.

Keyboard shortcut P

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and after of your image. You can also use the keyboard shortcut “P” for “Preview.”

Step 6

Even though the entire image appears blurred, click OK.

Step 6 continued

5

The History Panel tracks all of your edits in Photoshop. Right now, the last step on the list should be “Dust and Scratches,” since that’s the last thing you did. The Dust and Scratches step should also be highlighted (the default color is light blue) to show that it’s selected. Look immediately to the left of the Dust and Scratches step, and you’ll see a small empty box. Click on it to set that step as the source for the History Brush. You should see a teensy icon of a brush with an arrow in the box.

Now click on the layer immediately above Dust and Scratches to select it. The

6

Click in the checkbox to the left of the Dust and Scratches step to set the History Brush source.

the Dust and Scratches filter. DON’T FREAK OUT! Select the History Brush from the Tool Panel. It looks just like the little icon next to the Dust and Scratches step in the History Panel. Make sure you have the History Brush Tool and not the Art History Brush Tool.

7

Click above the Dust and Scratches layer, making sure the History Brush icon remains attached.

Step 8

Set the mode to Darken. Wherever you use it, the History Brush will revert your image to the Dust and Scratches state you selected in the History Panel.

8

Use a large, soft brush at 100 percent opacity to restore the efects of the Dust and Scratches filter, changing to a smaller, more-precise brush as you get closer to areas of sharpness or detail. The right and left bracket keys make the

9

History Brush source icon should be next to the Dust and Scratches step. All the work you’ve done will vanish, and you’ll see the image as it was before you opened

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brush bigger or smaller, and holding down the shift key while using them changes the hardness or softness of the edge. If you make a mistake, tap CMD-Z (Mac) or CTRL-Z (PC) to undo. You can also undo by selecting progressively earlier steps in the History Panel.

Check your image for stubborn spots and telltale signs of editing. When you remove lots of backscatter, you risk leaving flat spots without grain, or blurred edges that were painted over with the History Brush. Use the Spot Healing Brush, Clone Stamp and Patch Tool to finesse any boo-boos.

10

» Erin Quigley is an Adobe ACE certified digital-imaging consultant and an award-winning shooter. GoAskErin.com provides custom tutorials and one-on-one instruction for the underwater photographic community.

TRAINING

DIVING DOCTOR /

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A: Vertigo is the feeling that the world around you is moving, spinning or tilting while you are remaining essentially still. Vertigo can be a result of a number of ailments, ranging from an infection in the inner ear to chronic problems such as Meniere’s disease.

Vertigo is not uncommon among divers, and your experience with it occurring when you are at signifcant depth is fairly typical. Diving physics tells us that the greatest pressure changes occur closer to the surface, but as the diver descends, equalizing the pressure in the middle ear is still very important. Divers generally continue to descend even when having difculty with equalizing. Plus, the middle ears need to equalize during ascent as well.

You are experiencing alternobaric vertigo, which is caused by unequal pressures between your middle-ear compartments. The pressure diference does not have to be very great. The inequality is communicated to the inner ear organs, resulting in vertigo. Divers can also experience nausea and vomiting. Vertigo is usually more common while a diver ascends. Not only are the symptoms uncomfortable, but they also can lead to catastrophic problems for the diver. Vertigo can also occur when diving with a hood if one side of the hood seals over the ear tighter than the other.

Prevention of vertigo during diving requires careful, gradual and continuous equalization of the pressures within the middle ear throughout the dive.

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TRAINING

LESSONS FOR LIFE /

FAIL TO PLAN, PLAN TO FAIL NO PHOTO OR FOOTAGE IS WORTH LOSING YOUR LIFE BY ERIC DOUGLAS

THE ACCIDENT The current crossed the wreck from port to starboard, putting Elaine directly in stream. She had to fght harder to stay close to the deck. Elaine had been at depth 16 minutes when she realized she was out of air. She looked for Matthew, but he was on the opposite side of the ship’s bridge and completely out of sight. There was no way she was going to get to him in time.

Her only thought was getting back to the anchor line and the surface. In a panic, Elaine swam directly for the surface, but then angled toward the anchor line. She reached the line at 60 feet below the surface and met up with the divemaster. He realized Elaine was in trouble and tried to give her air from his alternate air source, but she refused his help. She was disoriented.

The divemaster brought Elaine up the anchor line, still trying to get her to take his alternate air source. When they reached the surface, Elaine lost consciousness. The boat crew got her on board and began resuscitation

his video was going to go viral — Elaine was sure of it. Using small, wide-angle cameras, she was recording the port side of a shipwreck; her buddy Matthew was doing the same on the starboard side. They had already planned to edit their videos together, giving viewers a stereo look at the shipwreck.

Elaine was two-thirds of the way to the stern, nearly 150 feet down, when she realized she was almost out of air.

logged hundreds of dives, together and separately.

THE DIVER At 47 years old, Elaine was in good shape. She dived at least once a month, and had a passion for underwater photography and videography.

Both Elaine and Matthew had dived wrecks for several years, and each had

1 PLAN THE DIVE Plan not only what to do on a dive, but also how to make it happen safely.

2 STAY WITH YOUR BUDDY Or if you can’t stay close enough to your buddy to give or receive aid in an emergency, get trained as a solo diver and carry the equipment you will need to care for yourself.

3 PAY ATTENTION Don’t get so wrapped up in videography, wreck exploration or whatever else you are doing underwater that you forget the basics of monitoring your depth, time, and breathing-gas supply.

THE DIVE Conditions were perfect when the boat arrived at the dive site. There was a slight current on the surface, and during the briefng the divemaster said that this site typically had a

LESSONS FOR LIFE

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MIKO MACIASZEK

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stronger current on the bottom. He recommended that they stay sheltered behind the wreck’s structure so they wouldn’t be fghting the current throughout the dive. He also advised Elaine and Matthew to stay on the ship’s upper structure and watch their depth. The wreck rested on the sand at more than 160 feet, with the deck at 148 feet. The dive boat tied of to a permanent mooring buoy.

Elaine and Matthew decided to stay close to the deck, and agreed they would each flm one side of the ship so they could edit their footage together afterward. That way, the viewers would feel as if they were fying low across the ship and could see both sides of the wreck at once.

To keep the audio as clear as possible, Elaine and Matthew agreed to turn of their dive-computer alarms. They didn’t want to record annoying beeping sounds.

eforts, but they were unsuccessful.

Matthew surfaced a few minutes later without incident.

ANALYSIS It would be easy to say that Elaine died because she ran out of air and didn’t have an emergency plan in place. But panic also played a part: Upon realizing she was out of air, Elaine made poor choices that ultimately killed her.

But neither conclusion tells the entire story. This accident began at the planning stage. Elaine and Matthew had spent time discussing their video plan but not their dive plan.

They didn’t have an emergency protocol in place. Even though they were dive buddies, they planned to be separated and weren’t positioned to help each other in an emergency.

A number of mistakes were made on this dive. For the production of this type of video, Elaine and Matthew should have taken the same precautions professional videographers utilize: Using two teams of divers and placing safety divers in the water who would have stayed shallow and kept an eye on both teams. Elaine and Matthew had none of these.

Elaine and Matthew also exceeded the recommended depth, and failed to plan for the depth properly by using appropriate breathing-gas mixtures and cylinders with increased gas capacity. They also intentionally separated, efectively making a solo dive during their deepest interval. However, neither diver had an independent spare air or pony bottle, and neither had training in solo diving.

Finally, Elaine and Matthew turned of the dive-computer alarms that would have warned Elaine she was getting low on air, which sealed her fate. An autopsy was not performed, but this was most likely an air embolism. As Elaine ascended, she probably didn’t exhale adequately, causing the air in her lungs to expand and make its way into her brain. This would have caused confusion and strokelike symptoms and, fnally, death.

Like most dive accidents of this nature, this death was tragic but also avoidable. > Eric Douglas co-authored the book Scuba Diving Safety, and has written a series of adventure novels, children’s books, and short stories — all with an ocean and scuba-diving theme. Check out his website at booksbyeric.com.

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LIVEABOARD BELIZE SUN DANCER II

BEYOND THE BLUE HOLE DIVERS ARE SMITTEN BY THIS PARADISE — AND FOR MUCH MORE THAN ITS MOST FAMOUS SITE

•

B Y TA R A B R A D L E Y

Lighthouse Reef’s Blue Hole may be the best known site in Belize, but encountering blacktip reefes is a real adrenaline rush. scubadiving.com

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spoiled. Where are all the sharks? It also doesn’t help that my GoPro has stopped working.

Back on board, a busted O-ring confrms my fears.

“You never know what you’re going to get,” O’Meara says. “I’ll never forget the time I was diving with a pod of dolphins and almost missed the whole experience because I was fussing around with my camera settings. I’ve learned that sometimes you just have to enjoy what’s happening around you.”

A SHARKY START Belize is located on the Caribbean side of Central America, bordered to the north by Mexico. It’s easily accessible from the United States, with daily fights into Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Ladyville, a short drive from Belize City. From there, the Radisson at Fort George dock provides the perfect spot for a rum runner before boarding the Dancer Fleet’s 20-passenger dive yacht Sun Dancer II for fve-and-a-half days of nonstop diving.

Our frst dive of the trip begins at Site Y on the southwest side of Lighthouse, where we explore a wall that begins with a smooth, sandy bottom. On descent, stealthy moving shadows along the reef’s edge materialize into two feisty blacktip reef sharks. Greeting us like playful Labs, they circle our group in innocent curiosity, until they decide they are more interested in our cameras than us. After a few lens bumps, they depart as quickly as they arrived.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: GREG LECOEUR; COURTESY AGGRESSOR (2)

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he bell rings and we gather around the dry-erase board on the middle deck of Sun Dancer II like an amped-up soccer team. Second Capt. Megan O’Meara has created an illustration of Belize’s iconic Blue Hole, our frst dive of the day. Sipping justbrewed cofee, I expect a briefng flled with secret caves, lost treasures and mythical creatures hiding in the depths.

I’m still waiting for a spine-chilling anecdote when O’Meara summarizes: “It’s basically a big blue hole, but the topography is impressive, and great for photography.”

She’s right. The 400-foot submarine sinkhole in the heart of Lighthouse Reef Atoll drips with underwater structures, stalactites and stalagmites. Yet, by our fourth day at sea, we’ve become a little

01

L LIVEABOARD

VIP DIVING When you swim up to the ladder, don’t be surprised if one of the divemasters jumps in the water to remove your fins for you — the Aggressor and Dancer Fleet crews are known for their attention to their guests.

Once you’re back on board, you can take a warm shower and dry of with a heated towel.

02 NITROX, NITROX, NITROX Multilevel profiles make nitrox your best bet for making the five dives a day you’re likely to log. It also helps that you’ve got instructors on hand, so you can make the ocean your classroom.

03 BANANA BREAD Each meal is like your very own

feast (hello, taco night!) but nothing beats getting out of the water to warm, just-baked banana bread.

Surface from your night dive, and you’re treated to a steaming cup of spiked hot chocolate.

04 SO LONG, SOCIAL MEDIA! Even the biggest social-media mogul will secretly enjoy being forced to log of. Your best read for the next few days will be the good old-fashioned kind — a book.

05 DIVE BUDDIES FOR LIFE Divers usually just like one another. “You spend the entire trip with the other divers, allowing you to get to know everyone on a more personal level,” says Cafery Joseph.

Squadrons of torpedo-shaped reef squid are often spotted at night; one way they communicate is by changing colors.

“I was so busy looking at the wall that I almost missed the sharks, until one of them just about clipped me,” my partner and dive buddy, Jamie Connell, says once we’re back on board.

Big-animal encounter complete, we aren’t disappointed in the wall either.

With viz at 100-plus feet, we can see the reef is in such good shape — with the exception of a few lionfish not yet picked of by the crew — that it’s obvious the only people who explore these parts are the finned kind.

“It’s clear the Belize government has taken a lot of efort and care in protecting the marine environment,” says fellow passenger Cafery Joseph.

Indeed the reef speaks for itself. On our next dive along Half Moon Caye Wall, we spot a curious green moray eel weaving through the crevices of the coral, a couple of angelfish darting about on a supersize sponge, and a pack of tarpon showcasing its version of an underwater square dance. Of course, no wall dive is complete without an eagle ray drive-by — we get one of those too.

octopuses and green moray eels hunt; and sleeping parrotfish tuck themselves safely away in their made-to-fit bubblelike cocoons.

“I saw sharks, turtles, eels and lovely coral,” says Cafery’s wife, Rebecca, after one of our evening dives, at Lighthouse’s Long Caye Ridge. “But the smaller fish were my favorites because there were so many of them.”

While the active critters at night are the big draw for many divers, some discover that not having the visual distractions of the daytime reef makes diving easier.

“I found that I went through less air,” Jamie confides. “It was also easier to navigate, knowing that many of the cool things weren’t far from the anchor line. Right under the boat I spotted a seahorse and an octopus, and caught a green moray eel tearing into some unfortunate fish.”

Cafery also experienced some firsts on the post-sunset dive. “Rebecca and I found an electric stingray — that was a first find for me,” he says. “And we saw a red seahorse, a pair of scorpionfish — very hard to spot, but cool when you can find them — and a school of squid, all of which are pretty amazing to find out in the open,” Cafery adds.

THE AFTER-HOURS CLUB Belize is the perfect place to fine-tune your night-diving skills, to see another side of these untamed waters.

At dinner, forgo the unlimited wine for a night dive afterward. That’s when the ninjas come out to play. Basket starfish unfurl tangled legs into open water; SCUBADIVING.COM

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THE LAST FLING As every diver knows, your next dive promises the possibility of being your best. For us, that comes during our final dive at week’s end, at Sandy Slope, west of Northern Lagoon in Turnefe Islands Atoll. Turnefe is the

FROM TOP: COURTESY AGGRESSOR (2); SHUTTERSTOCK

5 REASONS TO CHOOSE BELIZE SUN DANCER II

largest of Belize’s three atolls and the closest to the mainland. Sandy Slope is a popular spot, and we soon see why. All our favorite creatures make an appearance: A curious grouper follows us; a swirl of blue tangs darts along the reef; an octopus tries to blend in with a coral head; and a loggerhead turtle nibbles on sponge, with his angelfsh sidekicks coming in from the back for scraps.

We hit our safety stop under the boat, and a 10-minute fnale strikes up, from a 100-plus orchestra of horse-eye jacks.

If you haven’t had the honor of hovering in the middle of a school of these silvery gents, add it to your list — you’ll get some killer video too. Burning my borrowed camera battery dry, we head for the surface.

Then, as if O’Meara had cued the encore herself, we are welcomed by a pod of dolphins playing in the wake of a passing boat. I hastily try to squeeze a last bit of juice out of my battery, but the camera stubbornly goes dark.

I start for the boat to grab a backup when I remember O’Meara’s advice, and stop to enjoy the next 20 minutes of dolphin time — and come away with one memorable surface swim that will be tough to top.

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A 3 mm wetsuit is recommended.

OPERATOR Dancer Fleet (aggressor.com) operates the 138-foot steel-hulled Sun Dancer II, which carries up to 20 people in 10 staterooms, and departs from Belize City, Belize. Trips run from Saturday to Saturday. Shared public areas include the galley for dining, dive deck and two sun decks.

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© Bone Dry Photo

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DRIVE AND DIVE CANADA

D

T

O, CANADA ONTARIO — THE ONLY CANADIAN PROVINCE THAT BORDERS THE GREAT LAKES — IS A WRECK LOVER’S PARADISE

•

TEXT BY ERICA BLAKE PHOTO BY ANDY MORRISON

he thrill of diving the shipwrecks of Tobermory came long before I made a giant stride into the frigid Canadian waters of Lake Huron. It was born of the countless stories told by Great Lakes divers who shared accounts of the magnificent shipwrecks and spectacular scenery. It also came from numerous accounts rating Tobermory among the best the Great Lakes has to ofer.

I needed to see for myself.

My much-anticipated frst dive was on the Arabia, a striking three-masted wooden barque that sank in October 1884 in heavy seas, forcing the crew to abandon ship. Sought out because of its beauty and interest to divers, only the experienced should attempt the Arabia because its depth — about 120 feet — and cold waters can create difficult conditions.

I descended the line to the bow, where my dive buddy and I spent most of our air, despite knowing an intact captain’s wheel — a defnite must-see — stood at the stern. The Arabia is an excellent example of how the chilly, fresh water of the Great Lakes preserves maritime history: Rigging hung from the bowsprit that pierced the water, and chains spilled of the windlass onto

the deck. Deadeyes stared up at me as I hovered over the railings while taking my time exploring the mostly intact hull. I couldn’t ask for more.

Another of Tobermory’s more-challenging dives is the Forest City. A threemasted wooden schooner later converted into a steamer, the Forest City sank in June 1904 after running full-steam into an island in a dense fog.

The ship now rests almost perpendicular to the island, with the bow at 60 feet, gradually descending to about 150 feet at the stern.

Stick to your dive plan on this wreck because the ease of the descent and the sights found among the ship’s broken decking can easily lead you beyond your planned depth. Thanks to 50-plus-foot visibility, I was able to observe the Forest City’s intact stern railing — its signature feature — while staying at my planned maximum depth of 120 feet.

Tobermory is located at the northern tip of the South Bruce Peninsula, a slice of land that juts out into Lake Huron, forming

The Forest City met its fate after ramming Bear’s Rump Island; the most interesting parts lie between 100 and 150 feet. scubadiving.com

JUNE 2015 / 64

scubadiving.com

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ITINERARY TOBERMORY

DAY TWO

DAY THREE

It’s not unusual to see some great wildlife, maybe even a bald eagle. Take one of the tour boats that run out of Little Tub Harbour. Blue Heron Company and Bruce Anchor Cruises ofer glass-bottom boats and jet boats for excursions around Flowerpot Island, as well as some of the smaller islands and along the peninsula’s coast. Back on land, check out The Fish & Chip Place, where you can order the namesake dish with a side of poutine — french fries topped with a gravylike sauce and cheese curds.

A trip to the Fathom Five National Marine Park Visitor’s Center is a requirement

Accommodating charter captains will ofer a chance to view and photograph Georgian Bay’s Flowerpot Island, a much-visited destination that is named for the unusual pillars perched on its eastern shore, formed as a result of weather and time. Camping, kayaking and hiking are available. And while seeing a real beaver is a possibility, a beaver-tail fried sweet-dough dessert from the appropriately named Beavertails found along the Little Tub Harbour boardwalk is almost a necessity.

NEED TO KNOW

L

DAY ONE

to register as a diver in the park. Build in extra time to explore the center, which also ofers exhibits suitable for all ages, a theater program about the park, and a 65-foot lookout tower. For dinner, enjoy live music on the patio of The Crowsnest Pub, which overlooks Little Tub Harbour. The grilled local whitefsh dinner is a staf favorite; however, there is an abundance of choices including gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options.

WHEN TO GO The dive season in the Great Lakes usually begins in late May and lasts through early October. Because this is a tourist destination, hotels can fll up quickly in the summer, so book early.

LIVEABOARD

DIVE CONDITIONS There are nearly 40 known wrecks and dive sites near Tobermory, ranging from novice to technical.

The water is cold (it fuctuates between 35 and 65°F), so a drysuit is rec-

the western border of the Georgian Bay. Peppered with islands, the waters around Tobermory attract all sorts of water enthusiasts.

Divers come because of the abundance and variety of shipwrecks, ranging from novice depths to technical. Sharp underwater inclines, which loom into islands above the water’s surface, meant captains cruising along in deep water might unexpectedly fnd themselves colliding with a shallow shoal. The result: several downed ships, many of which can be reached on a single tank of air.

ommended. Visibility can range from 20 feet to 50 feet and beyond. For more information on Fathom Five National Park, go to tobermory.com/do-see/ shipwrecks.

OPERATORS Divers Den (diversden.ca) and G+S Watersports (gswater sports.net), are located in Little Tub Harbour. Gear rentals are available at both dive shops.

CITY OF CLEVELAND ARABIA

LAKE HURON

FOREST CITY

TOBERMORY

NIAGARA II

Fathom Five National Marine Park protects many of these treasures. Canada’s frst national marine park, Fathom Five was designated in 1987 and encompasses 45 square miles consisting of 20 islands and 22 shipwrecks. Parks Canada charges divers a nominal fee before they can enjoy all Tobermory has to ofer.

OUTSIDE THE PARK Not everything is inside Fathom Five, however, including one of the area’s best — the City of Cleveland.

The boat ride out to the wreck is nearly two hours,

but it is worth the trip.

A 255-foot steamer that sank in September 1901 after being forced of-course by devastating waves, the City of Cleveland has been called the most impressive shallow dive in the Great Lakes. While many of Tobermory’s shipwrecks are better suited for the experienced diver, the City of Cleveland is a playground for all experience levels. The only drawback is the long boat ride it takes to reach it, but it’s worth the lengthy round-trip commute.

The steamer’s bow sits at about 10 feet below

the water’s surface, with its deepest point at about 30 feet. The shallow dive meant more bottom time to check out the steam engine with its massive boilers, the rudder, and the main attraction — an immense propeller resting upright in sand.

Just when you think you’ve seen all of Tobermory’s amazing oferings, your dive boat will drop anchor at one more. For us, it was the 182-foot Niagara II, also outside the park boundaries.

The Niagara II was purpose-sunk in 1999 by the Tobermory Maritime Association to alleviate pressure on the area’s older wrecks. The 182-foot sandsucker sits at about 100 feet, ripe for exploration. Locals had a bit of fun prepping this wreck for divers, adding items like a piano, which is fairly smashed up now.

We tied in at the bow and descended into the cold, clear water. We spent a lot of time at the pilothouse, where a ship’s wheel can be found, thanks to a replica placed by association members. We then slipped along the portside deck to the stern, penetrating the hull and slipping over rails along the way.

After four days spending as much time on and under the water as possible, it became clear — Tobermory defnitely lives up to its reputation. We’ll return soon to dive some other don’t-miss sites: the 175-foot former barge James C. King and the 130-foot former schooner San Jacinto, as well as Dunk’s Point, North Otter Wall and the Caves, which is at the base of a limestone clif and features two underwater entrances that lead to a picturesque grotto in 20 feet of water.

AFTER SPENDING AS MUCH TIME UNDER THE WATER AS POSSIBLE, IT BECAME CLEAR — TOBERMORY DEFINITELY LIVES UP TO ITS REPUTATION. scubadiving.com

JUNE 2015 / 66

TOP 100

THE CAYMAN SISTER ISLANDS •

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: JENNIFER PENNER; RODGER KLEIN/VWPICS/REDUX; DAVID DOUBILET/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE; SCOTT JOHNSON

1

OUR READERS LOVE THE QUIETER CAYMAN ISLANDS TOO: TOGETHER LITTLE CAYMAN, CAYMAN BRAC AND GRAND CAYMAN SCORED 12 HONORS IN OUR ANNUAL TOP 100 VOTING — INCLUDING FOUR FIRST-PLACE WINS

BY BROOKE MORTON

O

ur readers voted for their favorite dive destinations in our 2015 Top 100 Readers Choice Awards, and once again, no destination in the Caribbean matched the total number of awards that the Cayman Islands garnered. The islands have been a perennial winner in multiple categories every year since we launched our survey in 1994, and we thought it was time to showcase GC’s Sister Islands.

WALL-TO-WALL ACTION The Bloody Bay Marine Park on the western half of Little Cayman’s north coast contains more than 15 dive sites along a 6,000-foot drop-of. This stretch helped defne the destination, and award the Cayman Islands top honors in the category of Best Wall Diving. These sites all have potential for encounters with big stuf, from pelagics to nurse sharks and sea turtles. They’re also riddled with scubadiving.com

JUNE 2015 / 67

Rife with marine life like sea turtles and Nassau grouper, Little Cayman is known for its healthy marine environment. Pair that with Brac’s Capt. Keith Tibbetts Russian destroyer and sites flled with hard coral and macro life like arrow crabs, and these islands are a diver’s dream.

swim-throughs. At sites such as Marilyn’s Cut, you can opt to start the dive worming through a small tunnel, exiting onto the stage that is the great wide open where wall meets open ocean.

QUALITY OF LIFE These islands are as much defned by what they have — a marine reserve, epic wall diving and star-packed skies — as by what they don’t. There is no night life, no movie theater, no mall, no high-rises.

And thus, they still have the charm you’d expect of small, sleepy islands.

“That’s why I live here,” says Sharon van Niekerk, instructor at Reef Divers on Little Cayman. Even if you stay just a week, you’ll come to appreciate the simple life’s pleasures, like watching an

iguana sun itself or, come sunset, chatting with your fellow travelers rather than staying glued to your smartphone.

Adds Niekerk, “The longer I stay, the less I fnd I need.”

LetsGoHonduras.com

Whale Shark Capital of the Caribbean

Smallest of the three Bay Islands, but with the Biggest Fish

623-217-4557 shara@utiladiveventures.com www.utiladiveventures.com

EXPERT CREW The exchange rate might not favor U.S. dollars to the extent that a few other Caribbean currencies do, but the higher cost of living translates to fatter salaries for dive guides, making jobs here among the most desirable in the entire region.

Guides are more knowledgeable on everything from the incubation period of jawfsh eggs — eight days — to why Nassau grouper understand the gesture of pointing, which warrants a longer explanation best saved for happy hour, so buy your instructor a cold one.

T O P 10 0 T H E C AY M A N S I S T E R I S L A N D S

PLAY

EAT

SLEEP

Hiking on Brac is almost as popular as diving. The Lighthouse Footpath, a 90-minute trail, winds past the nests of brown boobies and starts or fnishes — begin at either end — at clifs overlooking breaking waves.

On Brac, Wednesday is chicken night at Barry’s Golden Jerk, a roadside barbecue stand near the airport. Portions are generous, as is the heat.

Barry also grills pork, but for that, you’ve got to wait until Friday.

Little Cayman Beach Resort (littlecayman .com) is set on the beach; walk from your room right to the dock. A pool, spa, bar and two restaurants are all located on site, as is the full-service scuba shop Reef Divers.

011-504-957-63-697 info@DeepBlueUtila.com www.DeepBlueUtila.com

For Utila Dive Deals & Honduras Dive Guide

VISIT: www.scubadiving/bayislands

NEED TO KNOW

DEEP BLUE RESORT A beachfront resort set in its ow n g ro u n d s s u r ro u n d e d by indigenous plants and animals.

Spacious, rooms with A/C and private balconies overlook the Caribbean. With a max capacity of 20 guests, our resort makes for a real get-away-from-it-all hideaway. 3 boat dives per day and unlimited shore diving only 40 feet from your room.

TOP 100

UTILA DIVE VENTURES

Providing amazing all inclusive vacation packages for SCUBA divers, snorkelers, and beach paradise getaways. Whether you’re looking to learn how to dive, are an experienced diver ready to explore the second largest barrier reef, or just want to relax on a beachfront resort; we’re your one stop shop! Utila Dive Travel Specialist: Working directly With Laguna Beach Resort & the Luxury Live aboard – M/V Caribbean Pearl II.

NEVER-ENDING STORY All three Cayman Islands are famous for lack of runof, and the Sister Islands have almost zero development, which explains why a minimum of 100 feet of visibility is a given on these two outlying isles. It’s more likely that you’ll note every passing pelagic, be it an eagle ray or Caribbean reef shark, with much more time to make a connection.

And when you take in the wide view, swimming from the wall into blue water,

READY TO MINGLE In no other Caribbean destination are the Nassau grouper so curious about divers as they are of Little Cayman.

Part of that stems from their protection within Bloody Bay Marine Park.

Add to that the fact that one of their last remaining spawning grounds lies ofshore. They’re present in large numbers, and they follow divers, especially guides, much like Labrador retrievers do their tennis-ball-toting owners. Because the fsh are territorial, it’s easy to keep track of who’s who and, yes, many have nicknames.

WHEN TO GO The Sister Islands are a year-round destination; winter can bring strong winds, but with dive sites on several sides of each island, there’s always a lee to be found.

TRAVEL TIP You might have trouble booking a fight if you’re searching sites like kayak.com; instead, start with the schedules of Cayman Airways, which fies from Grand Cayman to both satellite islands.

DIVE CONDITIONS Water temps range from 77°F in winter to 84 in summer.

Visibility is typically 100 feet and higher.

scubadiving.com

JUNE 2015 / 68

FROM LEFT: SHUTTERSTOCK (2); COURTESY LITTLE CAYMAN BEACH RESORT

photo by: Wally Diehl/Blue Ocean Ink

For more info 800-410-9608

GARDEN OF MACRO DELIGHTS It’s easy to be so enamored of the wall-dive experience that you fail to recognize that these islands are also a Lilliputian wonderland. For the Caribbean, they ranked No. 2. Take the M/V Capt.

Keith Tibbetts: In the sand surrounding the 330-foot Russian frigate, you’ll fnd headshield slugs and fapping dingbats, another slug — this one shaped like a crescent. Both are no bigger than a pinky nail. Another reason to keep your focus tight: It’s common to see jawfsh with egg-packed maws.

it’s hard not to be bowled over at the sweeping panorama.

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LOOK

PHOTOGRAPHER Jefrey Chua de Guzman LOCATION Anilao, Batangas, Philippines ABOUT THE SHOT The mototi octopus is a close cousin of the blue-ringed octopus and shares the same deadly cocktail of toxins. Unlike its cousin, the mototi has only two iridescent blue rings — one on either side of its body. To get this shot, I used a Nikon D800E and 105mm VR macro lens in a Nauticam housing set at f/20, 1/320 sec, ISO 100, a pair of Sea&Sea YS-250 strobes and an i-torch Carbonic II focus light.

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