Scuba Diver ANZ #38

EPIC INDONESIA

THE ULTIMATE DUO

GREAT WHITE SHARKS

JEAN-PIERRE NATHRASS EXPLORES RAJA AMPAT IN THE OFF-SEASON

WE LOOK AT WHY CCRS AND PHOTOGRAPHY GO HAND IN HAND

DON SILCOCK GETS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AT THE NEPTUNE ISLAND

The seals of

MONTAGUE ISLAND WHY NAROOMA SHOULD BE ON YOUR

‘MUST-DIVE’ LIST

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

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EDITOR’S NOTE AUSTRALIAN DIVING ON THE SMALL SCREEN Netflix is globally streaming a brand-new TV series aimed firmly at the younger generation which puts scuba diving in Australia front and centre - in the appropriately named Dive Club.

The 12-part season one is filmed on location in Port Douglas, Queensland, and the sweeping cinematic views certainly make the most of the gorgeous topside scenery. The story revolves around the mysterious disappearance of one of a group of teen divers, and the adventures they get into while searching for their missing friend. The underwater sequences are well handled too, and while there may be the odd bit of dodgy acting and iffy plot holes, anything that puts diving in front of teenagers has got to be a good thing in my book.

Australia also features predominantly in this latest issue. On page 18, Senior Travel Editor Don Silcock focuses his attention on the much-maligned carcharodon carcharias - the great white shark - and describes what it is like to see them face-to-face at the Neptune Islands. On page 54, Nicolas Remy explains why the picturesque town of Narooma, just five hours south of Sydney, is well worth a visit by divers.

Times are changing, and to keep the magazine free, we’re asking dive stores to cover their own postage costs. If you enjoy reading the magazine, think about helping out your centre with a small donation to help cover their costs.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Mark Evans Email: mark.evans@scubadivermag.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER Matt Griffiths Email: matt@scubadivermag.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Adrian Stacey Editor-at-Large (Australia and New Zealand) Tel: +61 422 611 238 Email: adrian@scubadivermag.com Don Silcock Senior Travel Editor www.indopacificimages.com

ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP

MAGAZINE

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Adrian Stacey, Editor-at-Large (Australia and New Zealand)

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTHEAST ASIA TEAM

Martyn Guess, Terry Smith, Deborah Dickson-Smith, Nicolas Remy

Ross Arnold Email: ross.arnold@scubadivermag.com

Other features in this month’s magazine include Terry Smith’s insight into a turtle conservation programme in the Conflict Islands in Papua New Guinea, Jean-Pierre Nathrass’ exploration of Raja Ampat during the ‘off season’, and Nicolas Remy’s second article, a discussion about the challenges and benefits of combining rebreathers and photography.

To stock Scuba Diver in your centre, email: subscriptions@scubadivermag.com

PUBLISHERS

Rork Media ANZ Pty Ltd 193 Latrobe Terrace, PADDINGTON, QLD 4064 Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publishers. Copyright for material published remains with Rork Media Limited. Use of material from Scuba Diver is strictly prohibited unless permission is given. All advertisements of which the creative content is in whole or in part the work of Rork Media Limited remain the copyright of Rork Media Limited.

is a registered trademark of Rork Media. ISSN 2515-9593

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EPIC INDONESIA

THE ULTIMATE DUO

GREAT WHITE SHARKS

JEAN-PIERRE NATHRASS EXPLORES RAJA AMPAT IN THE OFF-SEASON

WE LOOK AT WHY CCRS AND PHOTOGRAPHY GO HAND IN HAND

DON SILCOCK GETS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AT THE NEPTUNE ISLAND

The seals of

MONTAGUE ISLAND WHY NAROOMA SHOULD BE ON YOUR

‘MUST-DIVE’ LIST

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

‣ DAN COLUMN ‣ WRECK HUNTERS

#38 | $1 DONATION

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: NICOLAS REMY

REGULAR COLUMNS

FEATURES...

8 News

18 Australia

Soneva Fushi launches carbon-neutral recycling studio Makers’ Place, Aggressor Adventures announces new yacht in Sudan, Our Living Oceans brings ocean conservation into the home on our TVs, DPG and Wetpixel Masters run the Masters Underwater Imaging Competition, and Netflix’s Dive Club brings diving to teenagers.

16 Medical Q&A

The experts at Divers Alert Network Asia-Pacific discuss how the dive reflex protects the brain and heart.

66 Conservation Corner

Conservation projects in and around Australia, New Zealand and SE Asia - this issue, regenerative tourism in the Philippines with Altantis Dive Resorts.

6

Carcharodon carcharias - the great white shark - is one of the ocean’s most-magnificent creatures, but they are also much-maligned, particularly by the mainstream media. Senior Travel Editor Don Silcock explains what it is like to see them face-to-face.

26 Papua New Guinea

Based in the picturesque Conflict Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative has a turtle conservation programme which protects and monitors nesting turtles to ensure their future, as Terry Smith explains.

32 Underwater Photography

Following his last article on working the subject, Martyn Guess provides some insight into pre-planning a photography dive.

36 Divers Alert Network Asia-Pacific

The DAN medical experts look at immersion pulmonary oedema for divers.

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CONTENTS

...CONTINUED

GEAR GUIDE

38 Wreck Hunter

60 What’s New

Underwater archaeology expert Mike Haigh looks at excavations on shipwrecks.

40 CCRs and underwater photography

It is no secret that rebreathers bring key advantages to underwater image-makers, yet they are also more complex to dive and maintain than traditional scuba gear. Underwater photography being a gear-intensive activity by itself, you may wonder, would it be wise to combine the two?

Nicolas Remy offers an insight.

46 Indonesia

Jean-Pierre Nathrass heads to Raja Ampat to experience what the area has to offer in the ‘off-season’.

looks at new products hitting the dive market, including the Fourth Element beach towel, tech cap and bucket hats, and the innovative Yamaha JetPod Pro Sea Scooter.

62 What’s New

Scuba Diver Editor-at-Large (Australia and New Zealand) Adrian Stacey rates and reviews the Suunto EON Steel Black dive computer, which can be used for everything from entry-level recreational dives right up to full-on trimix technical dives.

54 Australia

Narooma stands for ‘clear blue waters’ in the local Aboriginal language, and as Nicolas Remy explains, this picturesque town less than five hours drive south of Sydney is well worth a visit.

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Each month, we bring together the latest industry news from the Asia-Pacific region, as well as all over our water planet. To find out the most up-to-date news and views, check out the website or follow us on our various social media (@scubadivermag) www.scubadivermag.com.au

SONEVA FUSHI LAUNCHES

CARBON-NEUTRAL RECYCLING STUDIO MAKERS’ PLACE

S

oneva Fushi has revealed a ground-breaking new addition to its portfolio of sustainable innovations - Makers’ Place, a fully carbon-neutral island studio that will recycle waste plastic and aluminium into works of art, as well as practical objects and building materials.

The Makers’ Place studio was built in collaboration with British artist Alexander James Hamilton, founder of the Distil Ennui Studio, whose practice spans sculpture, painting, photography, film, lighting and installation. An advocate for sustainability at a community, island and governmental level for over 35 years, and a passionate ambassador for the ‘3 Rs’ (reduce, re-use, recycle), his art engages with the broader public sphere through interventions within natural landscapes and civic spaces alike, arts education, policy-making, issues of sustainability and ecocide.

Makers’ Place has been built from the ground up by Hamilton and his team, with hand-fabricated machinery and processes tailored to the facility’s unique island setting. With major soft drinks brands singled out as some of the world’s worst polluters, the studio aims to tackle the huge volumes of discarded plastic bottles and aluminium cans that choke the oceans, are burned in toxic fires or are dumped in landfill sites each year.

Within its first three days of operation, the studio processed 15,000 aluminium cans alone, creating a better end life for these once-discarded, unwanted materials, and removing them from the fragile ecosystem.

Makers’ Place will invite artists and guests to unleash their creativity, as well as engaging with the wider community through the Soneva Namoona initiative, a collaboration between Soneva and its neighbouring islands in the Baa Atoll to eliminate ocean plastics, promote better waste management and create a more sustainable future for the Maldives and beyond.

The bespoke facility includes a closed loop wash station to handle the final cleaning stage of the materials, which uses an innovative two-stage filtration system using granular media and coconut charcoal produced on-site, a highly effective natural filter. Unlike standard recycling facilities which are extremely water intensive, this efficient filtration system enables Makers’ Place to reuse its water over many months – a world’s first.

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The system also uses a modified exhaust system to capture harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon emissions when heating plastic or melting shredded aluminium, which uses activated carbon granules to ensure only clean air leaves the studio.

At the end of their life, both the water and VOC filters are transformed into concrete building blocks and waterproofed, which are then used for construction.

Each block is tinted red so that it is instantly recognisable in case of future development and can remain on-site and intact for re-use.

“Every piece of single-use material that is not recycled is exponentially adding to the problem of global warming that we are all facing today,” says Hamilton.

“Here in the Maldives we are 1,600km from the nearest landfall, and it is so sad to quantify that a large proportion of single-use packaging that is brought here has no tangible end-of-life or re-use.”

Sustainability runs through the heart of Soneva Fushi, which already re-uses or recycles 90 percent of its waste. Soneva was one of the world’s first hospitality groups to ban plastic straws back in 1998, produces and bottles its own water, and has been fully carbon neutral for both direct and indirect emissions since 2012. www.soneva.com

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ROYAL EVOLUTION JOINS AGGRESSOR ADVENTURES FOR SUDAN SAFARIS

EMPEROR PRICING MEANS NO HIDDEN EXTRAS

WE ARE DIVING IN THE RED SEA AND MALDIVES NOW! Contact us for the latest updates on new flight arrivals

Contact reservations@ emperordivers.com We’re the team to help you go diving again!

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14/06/2021 12:51

Aggressor Adventures is expanding its fleet of luxurious liveaboard dive yachts in the Red Sea with the addition of the Red Sea RE Aggressor, formerly M/S Royal Evolution. The Red Sea RE Aggressor hosts up to 24 guests with the finest liveaboard amenities in the southern Red Sea. With this expansion, Aggressor now has three dive yachts operating in Egypt and now to Sudan. The travel company also offers Nile River Cruises from Luxor to Aswan.

Beginning January 2022, the Red Sea RE Aggressor will offer three unique itineraries to Sudan, Deep South Sudan and Deep South Egypt. All Sudan itineraries, along with the Deep South Egypt, depart from and return to Port Ghalib, Egypt, thus avoiding any complexities flying in and out of Sudan itself.

“We are extremely excited to add Sudan to our growing list of destinations.

As a shark lover, I get an adrenaline rush just thinking about the addition of the Red Sea RE Aggressor and her southern routes,” says Wayne Brown, Aggressor Adventures Chairman & CEO. “We’ll have dives with schooling hammerheads, thresher, grey reef and silky sharks and whalesharks, all with a backdrop of amazing soft corals. Who could ask for anything more?”

‘Deep South Egypt’ itineraries are eight days and begin diving at St John’s and Dangerous Reefs. Two days are spent at Zabargad and Rocky Islands, where swift currents draw manta rays, dolphins and silvertip sharks. The week commences with stops at Fury Shoal and Dolphin House.

Fourteen-day ‘Sudan’ itineraries have check-out dives at Fury Shoal before cruising south to the Umbria wreck and the Sanganeb Plateau. Sha’ab Rumi is home to Jacques Cousteau’s Conshelf II underwater structures and fantastic hammerhead, grey and silky shark encounters.

‘Deep South Sudan’ 14-day itineraries are truly one-of-a-kind dive adventures.

The Red Sea RE Aggressor departs from Port Ghalib to the remote Suakin Islands, including Masamarit, Loka and Dahrat Abid. These pristine waters and mostly undiscovered sites offer astounding shark dives with massive schooling hammerheads, whalesharks, grey and silky sharks. The return route north is just as rewarding with visits to Sha’ab Rumi, Abington Reef, Pfeiffer Reef and St John’s Reef.

“Guests can take their Red Sea RE adventure to the next level by adding a relaxing river cruise on the Nile Queen, or Cairo or Luxor exploration to their itinerary. Aggressor travel agents can also customize a land programme specific to each guest’s wants and needs, complete with private transfers, accommodations, and private guided tours,” says Lisa Stierwalt, Travel Agent with Aggressor Adventures. www.aggressor.com

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LET’S MAKE THE PLANET A LITTLE BIT GREENER

OUR LIVING OCEANS BRINGS OCEAN CONSERVATION INTO THE HOME EarthxTV presents a new original series – Our Living Oceans – that reveals the hidden life within our oceans.

In partnership with the Khaled bin Sultan Oceans Foundation (KSLOF), Our Living Oceans engages scientists, conservationists and local leaders from around the world who are working to preserve, protect and restore ocean health.

Episodes feature HRH Princess Hala bint Khaled bin Sultan, National Geographic explorer-in-residence Dr Sylvia Earle, Dr Ved Chirayath of the NASA Ames Research Centre and many more at the front line of ocean research, education and outreach.

Deep-sea submersible pilot and 2013 National Geographic Young Explorer Erika Bergman hosts Our Living Oceans. In the premiere episode, Bergman leads viewers to the beginnings of the ten-year Global Reef Expedition that assessed the health and resiliency of one-fifth of the world’s coral reefs.

Our Living Oceans tells the story of how the ocean has been affected by climate change and the rapid increase of the world’s population over the last 50 years. With amazing ocean footage, the series uncovers what we can do to correct our current course. Dr Earle explains the crisis state that exists with the coral reefs – ‘Since the 1970’s, half of the coral reefs on earth have been lost or are in serious decline’. The health of the coral reefs directly affects humanity as it provides food, income, and protection from storms.

The second episode of the series airs on 20 September. Reefs and Mapping takes a closer look into coral reef research. Bergman speaks with the scientists that created the largest collection of high-resolution coral reef maps, asking the question ‘Can these maps help identify which reefs have a chance of surviving?’

Our Living Oceans will follow the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation and their partners on the Global Reef Expedition, in addition to others on the cutting edge of ocean research and advocacy.

Princess Hala, a director on the board of the KSLOF since 2016, and others – marine scientists, educators and communicators – from the Foundation will share their expertise and experience during the course of the series.

Among the contributors is the Foundation’s Director of Science Management, Alex Dempsey, who has been lead benthic scientist in all of the Global Reef Expedition missions.

Marine Ecologist, Renée Carlton; Director of Communications, Liz Thompson; and Director of Education, Amy Heemsoth, will also speak to the Foundation’s work supporting global coral reefs from their unique standpoints.

Alongside experts from the KSLOF, Our Living Oceans will feature Dr Ved Chirayath, whose work at the NASA Ames Research Centre has helped advance remote sensing and mapping of coral reefs; Sylvia Earle, who was the first female chief scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Angelo Villagomez, an Indigenous Chamorro from the Mariana Islands whose work with the Blue Nature Alliance showcases community support for large marine protected areas; and Ben Halpern, whose research lies at the interface of marine ecology and conservation planning.

Tune into Our Living Oceans at EarthxTV on Mondays 8/7c or catch the show on the EarthxTV app, Roku, Apple TV, Google TV or Amazon Fire TV.

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OUR LIVING DPG/WETPIXEL MASTERS UNDERWATER IMAGING COMPETITION

DivePhotoGuide (DPG) and Wetpixel are excited to announce the launch of the DPG/Wetpixel Masters Underwater Imaging Competition 2021. The contest celebrates the splendour of the oceans, the skill of the entrants, and the intricate and challenging art of underwater imaging.

For 2021, the contest aims to give back to those that have historically supported the Underwater Competition Series. The global pandemic continues to adversely impact dive travel and underwater imaging brands, so it is our turn to help them in their time of crisis. As such, the contest continues to celebrate its sponsors, but rather than offering sponsor-donated prizes, it will award the winners of each category a simple cash prize of $250. In addition, the Best of Show winner – the top image among the category winners – will receive an additional cash prize of $750! We call on underwater photographers and videographers of all levels, from novice to professional, to join and compete in what has become the ‘World Championship’ of international underwater imagery events. As well as the cash prizes, there is also huge status and kudos in being placed among the finalists. The selected winners are the world’s best underwater shooters, judged by an all-star panel. Their images and videos will expose millions of dive, travel and photography magazines and websites to their work worldwide.

Winners will be revealed on UnderwaterCompetition.com and published by supporting media partners worldwide shortly thereafter. The entry fees are US$10 per image or video entered. As with all Underwater Competition Series events, 15 percent of entry proceeds will be donated to marine conservation efforts.

DIVE CLUB LAUNCHES ON NETFLIX Scuba diving is being showcased to teenagers in a brand-new series now streaming on Netflix – Dive Club.

Filmed on the Great Barrier Reef, Dive Club is the story of Maddie, Lauren, Anna and Stevie. On the surface, they’re regular teenagers navigating life, friendship and romance, but under the water, the skilled divers enter a whole new world of adventure. It’s an idyllic existence that’s suddenly shattered when Cape Mercy is battered by a cyclone and Lauren, the group’s charismatic trailblazer, goes missing. The mystery of her disappearance, the arrival of a new friend, Izzie, and with suspicious holes in the official investigation, the girls are plunged into a desperate search of their own that raises more questions the deeper they dive. Dive Club is streaming now on Netflix globally.

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26/06/2021 07:29

Travelling to the beautiful outposts of the Earth makes one eager to bring home a small gift for family or friends, or personal trinket to remember the holiday by. Now, before you reach for the T-shirts, coffee or magnets, think about purchasing a souvenir that is not only truly authentic, but empowers a community of strong, creative women in the process.

Meridian Adventure Dive sells a small selection of gifts at their resort in Raja Ampat and choose to support local artists who create unique handmade gifts from materials sourced locally. Papua Designs is one of their main suppliers - they are based in Sorong and it was created as a women’s empowerment programme. Papua Designs products are created by women’s cooperative Anak Sehat Persada, which has been carrying out sustainable development work in West Papua for 13 years. This cheerful group of women creates magical prints using lino block printing and sales support sustainable income options for women from the cooperative.

Papua Designs is a ‘women’s empowerment programme through art’ with a unique approach, to enable local women to get together in a trusted and safe environment where they can explore their creativity. Lino-block printing allows the participants to express and share their stories, while guided discussions during working sessions touch the lives of women, their culture, health, financial situations, and daily challenges faced by home and family.

The Papua Designs Centre is a meeting place, where the ladies are creating magic through their colours and patterns, during which the cheerful group can be found laughing, discussing, sharing, and living life out loud! The mission is to establish a unique women empowerment programme, building a trustworthy platform yet creating a happy, productive, and safe environment. The women can come and recharge, get advice, learn new skills in English, business, financial management, which enables them to improve their current situations.

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SEEK ADVENTURE. Close to home but a world away.

LEARN MORE

© PADI 2021

Ask DAN DAN medical specialists and researchers answer your dive medicine questions HOW THE DIVE REFLEX PROTECTS THE BRAIN AND HEART

Q: What is the mammalian dive reflex?

A: The mammalian diving response, or ‘dive reflex’, is the way our body automatically prioritises blood delivery to the brain and heart when we hold our breath underwater. When your head is underwater, you are using up the oxygen in your blood and not replacing it by breathing, a condition known as hypoxia. The brain and the heart are exceptionally sensitive to hypoxia, whereas other parts of our body, such as our arms and our legs, can tolerate hypoxia much more easily.

Immersing your face in cold water triggers the trigeminal nerve (also called the fifth cranial nerve) in your face and sends signals to the brain. The brain then activates the vagus nerve (or 10th cranial nerve), which is part of the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system helps control things such as our heart rate and breathing without us having to think about it. The vagus nerve slows down the rate at which our heart beats - when it beats more slowly, it doesn’t need as much oxygen to function.

Simply being immersed in water creates a hydrostatic pressure effect on the body that essentially squeezes some of the blood from our extremities back toward our heart. The vagus nerve also causes certain blood vessels to constrict (called vasoconstriction), subsequently pushing even more blood from our extremities back toward our heart and brain.

Immersion of your face in cold water or breath holding can cause these effects, but they are much more pronounced if you hold your breath while also immersing your face in cold water.

Interestingly, there is also a response by our spleen to

breath holding underwater. Red blood cells carry oxygen in our blood to our tissues. Extra red blood cells are stored in the spleen and can be added into the blood circulation during times of stress - such as hypoxia, bleeding and strenuous exercise - by the action of splenic contracture. Extra red blood cells allow more oxygen to be carried to where we need it.

Some populations of indigenous breath-hold divers, such as the Bajau of Southeast Asia, have developed larger spleens and thus a larger reservoir of red blood cells and better tolerance to hypoxia. Conversely, we don’t see this effect in people who have had their spleen removed.

All diving mammals experience these dive reflexes, although in humans it is less intense than in diving animals.

Elephant seals, for example, can dive to more than 1,500m holding their breath and during migration can spend more than 80 percent of the time underwater. Researchers tracked an elephant seal that breath held to more than 1,200m for two hours.

Whether you fall into the water by accident or you are holding your breath for competition, your brain and heart need oxygen. While we may not be as adept as the elephant seals, you can see how the dive reflex helps to ensure our brain and heart get the oxygen they need when we hold our breath underwater.

If you have a medical question, send an email to medic@dan.org

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Down deep with

GREAT WHITE SHARKS G

reat white sharks are superbly evolved and truly an apex predator. But, unlike their terrestrial equivalents, there is very little reverence for them. Instead, they have become widely demonized as brutal man-eaters silently prowling our coastal waters in a perpetual search for victims, pouncing with ruthless and terrifying efficiency.

It is true that great whites have been held responsible for more deaths of swimmers, surfers and divers than any other shark, but what is the reality about these creatures - are they really what the tabloid media have made them, or are they just greatly misunderstood?

That reality is quite nuanced and very much depends on how you approach it. Because unlike lions and tigers, where the images we see of them often include cute, almost kittenlike cubs that are hungry and need to be fed, great whites are predominantly shown in a sensational manner that reinforces our preconceptions. Gaining a better understanding of these creatures requires work, a degree of patience and a desire to go deeper into things that interest you.

At the surface the sharks approach the cage because of all the stimulation present, whereas on the ocean floor their behaviour, approach and attitude is quite different 18

WHERE THEY ROAM

Great white sharks are present in almost all coastal and offshore waters with water temperatures range between 12°C and 24°C. Their largest known populations are found in the United States, South Africa, Japan, Chile, and… here in Australia. They are epipelagic fish, living in the upper layer of the oceans where marine life is the most abundant. Satellite tagging has shown that while they spend most of the time in less than 200m of water, they occasionally go deep – with one shark recording a depth of 1,200m. Why they do that, nobody really knows…

Here in Australia, great white sharks occur from northern Queensland, all down the east coast and around the south coast of Australia, up to the Montebello Islands in the northwest of Western Australia. Interestingly, the CSIRO have established there are two distinct populations – the east coast sharks, with an estimated total number of about 5,500, and a south-western population, whose total numbers have yet to be finalized but are thought to be around the same.

Overall, it seems there are probably around 11,000 animals in the roughly 20,000km of Australian coastline they are known

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Carcharodon carcharias - the great white shark - is one of the ocean’s most-magnificent creatures, but they are also much-maligned. Senior Travel Editor Don Silcock explains what it is like to see them face-to-face PHOTOGRAPHS BY DON SILCOCK

Great white sharks are epipelagic fish, living in the upper layer of the oceans where marine life is the most abundant. Satellite tagging has shown that while they spent most of the time in less than 200m of water, they occasionally go deep, with one recorded at 1,200m!

to roam. Our coastal waters are defined as 5.5km (3NM) from shore – so a total area of some 110,000 sq km. Which means, at best, one great white per 10 sq km of coastal water…

Clearly there are a lot of assumptions and averaging in that ‘back of the beer mat’ calculation - but you get the picture, they are not that common!

QUANTIFYING THE ENIGMA

Enigma: ‘A person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand’ – if ever one word could be said to describe the great white perfectly, I think it would have to be ‘enigma’.

Our perception of the great white shark has been greatly

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influenced by the toxic mixture of Steven Spielberg’s triple Academy-Awardwinning movie Jaws and the tabloid media. Jaws was the first major movie to be shot on the ocean and was a huge success. The movie was based on Peter Benchley’s book, which he wrote after reading about sport fisherman Frank Mundus’ capture of an enormous shark in 1964.

The movie is said to have inspired ‘legions of fishermen, to pile into boats and kill thousands of the ocean predators in shark-fishing tournaments’ in what was called the Jaws effect. Benchley later stated that he would never have written the original novel had he known what sharks are really like in the wild. While Steven Spielberg created the Jaws effect, the tabloid media have run with it for decades – tapping deeper into the vein of fear in our psyche the movie mined so well.

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Great white accompanied by trevallies

The facts are that you have a greater chance of dying from a bee sting than from a shark attack – in 2017/18, reliable data from Taronga Zoo shows that 45 people were involved in shark attacks and two died as a result. While, in the same period, data from AIHW shows that 927 people were hospitalized because of bee/wasp stings and 12 died. Such deaths are obviously tragic to all concerned, but when did you last see a bee sting death on the evening news or front page? The real travesty of all this is the way the media use a shark attack to provide cheap content!

UNDERSTANDING THAT ENIGMA

There is absolutely no doubt that great white sharks are completely unpredictable and potentially extremely dangerous animals. But… that is their role in the ocean, they are not some kind of satanically motivated killing machine! Their behaviour is driven by an instinctive capability to survive. And, as an apex predator, they do what they need to do when they need to do it, but with the ingrained caution and situational awareness their successful evolution has taught them.

Much of that instinctive behaviour seems to be driven by how hungry they are - which is a function of when they last ate and what they ate. Based on a ground-breaking 1982 US research paper, it was long believed that great whites can go for weeks before needing to feed. But a more-recent paper by the University of Tasmania (UoT), indicates that they actually eat much more often.

The difference between the two is that the first one used data from a tagged shark feeding on a dead fin whale to calculate how often it would need to eat. The premise of the UoT research being that the shark in the 1982 study had already found an abundant source of food. Therefore, its metabolic rate would have dropped as it worked leisurely on the ‘all you can eat’ buffet.

The Rodney Fox

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Preparing to lower the cage The cage goes in

HOW TO OCEAN FLOOR CAGE-DIVE

Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions is the most-experienced shark cage-diving operator in South Australia having started the whole thing back in 1976. They are also the only operator offering multi-day trips and expeditions, together with both surface and ocean-floor cage diving. Their newly refurbished, 32-metre-long expedition vessel the Rodney Fox has been designed to get you safely in the water with great white sharks and ensure the journeys to and from the Neptune Islands are both safe and comfortable! www.rodneyfox.com.au

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Australia is one of only four countries where you can experience in-water encounters with great white sharks.

Fully mature females are incredible creatures and can reach six metres long, but that additional metre practically doubles their body weight, making then an amazing, almost Jurassic-like sight to behold!

So, they tagged sharks hunting for seals at the Neptune Islands in South Australia, recording a much-higher metabolic rate that would necessitate eating more often. The Readers Digest version of it all is that great whites probably need to eat every day when feeding on open-water fish like silver seabream. Whereas, when they can feed on to fat-rich seals, consuming one every two to three days is probably enough.

The bottom line being that the urge to eat and the availability of suitable food is probably the major driver of behaviour and great whites do need to eat quite often. How often is a function of the nutritional value of what they last ate. Seals are highly nutritious, silver seabream less so but still adequate, while humans provide very little nutrition and are simply not on the shopping list!

SEEING FOR YOURSELF

Australia is one of only four countries where you can experience in-water encounters with great white sharks – albeit from the safety of a custom-built cage. There is only one location though, the Neptune Islands on the edge of the Great Australian Bight, near the entrance to the Spencer Gulf. The islands are important locations on the great white ‘super-highway’ - their migratory

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corridor along the southern coast of Australia. The sharks have waypoints on that corridor where they should be able to feed and the large seal colonies on the Neptune Islands provide a very reliable source of high-nutrition food, particularly so during autumn and winter when recently weaned seal pups first venture out into open water!

Located some 40 nautical miles (74km) to the south of Port Lincoln, the islands were first sighted by Europeans in 1802 from HMS Investigator as the waters of South Australia were surveyed. They were named Neptune’s Isles for their isolation and because ‘they seemed to be inaccessible to men’. That isolation, the shelter the islands provide, and the large resident seal colonies make them an almost-perfect location for great white shark encounters.

Male sharks, which when fully mature reach up to five metres in length, are known to be present there all year round. The big females are more seasonal, arriving around the time the seal pups venture out alone in April.

Fully mature females are incredible creatures and can reach six metres long, but that additional metre practically doubles their body weight, making then an amazing, almost Jurassic-like sight to behold!

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HOW IT WORKS…

Given the virtually constant presence of great whites at the Neptunes, and contrary to what you might expect, there are no guaranteed encounters with them. While the cage-diving boats are, in themselves, a tremendous source of stimulation - emitting significant noise and electrical signals that may attract curious sharks, ‘attractants’ (a.k.a. berley…) are also required. These days cage diving is carefully licensed by the South Australian government and, integral to those licenses, are the type and amount of attractants used. Long gone are the days when gruesome ‘witch’s cauldrons’ of horse meat and whale oil were the order of the day.

A daily maximum of 100kg of strictly fish-based attractants is allowed and, if a shark actually takes a bait, there is a mandatory pause for 15 minutes. All of which is designed to allow the operators to get sharks to the boat and keep then there, but not to induce changes in their natural behaviour.

Overall, the rate for successful encounters is high, but the great whites are wild animals and the Neptunes Islands are not a safari park!

DOWN DEEP

Cage diving comes in two distinct flavours – surface and ocean-floor. Until last year all of my trips had been using a surface cage as that was the only option… It was a great one though, allowing me to see great whites in the flesh and up-close. Over time I moved from the mixture of intense trepidation and downright fear to seeing them as the magnificent creatures they are.

The catalyst for that change was the obvious caution of the older sharks, the seemingly reckless abandon of the younger ones and their overall behaviour patterns of the great whites. Basically, I realised that they weren’t the rabid killing machines the tabloid media would have me believe. And I used to explain all that by saying that you need to see great whites in their ‘natural environment’ to begin understanding them. Then it dawned on me that if I really wanted to see them in their natural environment, I needed to get some experience in an ocean-floor cage, which led me straight to Rodney Fox who, together with his son Andrew, developed the whole concept.

The ocean-floor cage allows you to see ‘natural’ behaviour

The ocean-floor cage really is the closest you can possibly get to ‘natural’. At the surface the sharks approach the cage because of all the stimulation present, whereas on the ocean floor their behaviour, approach and attitude is quite different.

Just like lions and tigers blend in almost completely with their surroundings, the great whites do the same. Viewed from above, their dark colouration makes them very hard to discern, while from beneath their white under-belly makes them almost invisible. They use this natural camouflage to great effect in the three-dimensional ocean and are able to appear at the cage almost unnoticed.

They seem motivated more by curiosity than anything else and your temporary immersion in their domain enables unique insight that is almost impossible at the surface. It truly is a special experience, and I cannot recommend it more highly if you really want to better understand the great white shark. n

Seals are on the main menu

Get up close and personal

DON SILCOCK

Scuba Diver’s Senior Travel Editor, in more normal times, Don is based on Bali in Indonesia, but is currently hunkered down in Sydney rediscovering Australian diving… His website www.indopacificimages.com has extensive location guides, articles and images on some of the best diving locations in the Indo-Pacific region and ‘big animal’ experiences globally.

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hile international borders have been closed, more Australians have been exploring Australian waters than ever before. This rekindled love for our own beautiful reefs has inspired a few dive centres to launch new liveaboard experiences. Here are three amazing new Australian dive experiences.

KIANA: WHITSUNDAYS OUTER REEF

Launching in early October 2021, dive the best of the remote outer reefs in the Whitsunday sector, on brand new five-day trips aboard Kiana, a 16.5-metre cutter purpose-fit for divers.

Trips will be limited to eight divers.

On these weekly scheduled trips, you’ll be able to dive newly discovered reefs including Bait Reef, Kennedy Reef, Wansfell Reef, Seagull Reef and Elizabeth Reef, on the outer continental shelf in very clear water.

The five-day trips start at $2,425 pp twin share and include 14 dives and all meals – including a Kiana special, the ‘Mariner’s Hungi’, a roast lamb dinner slow-cooked for 3.5 hours while you dive.

DIVE NINGALOO: NINGALOO REEF

Launching early March 2022, Dive Ningaloo’s new liveaboard will offer trips to the more remote parts of Ningaloo Reef. The luxury liveaboard comes with a cocktail bar, gourmet meals and a hot tub and will sleep a maximum 18 divers, in airconditioned ensuite cabins.

The liveaboard will visit both the West Side and Muiron Islands sections of Ningaloo Reef choosing the best conditions each day. The West Side is where whalesharks, humpback whales, manta rays, dugongs, spinner dolphins and orcas are usually sighted. The Exmouth Gulf and the Muiron islands are known for the soft coral gardens.

Dive Ningaloo plans three-, four- and seven-night trips, with the latter costing $5,900 pp twin share, including all meals, 25 dives, with Nitrox on offer.

PRO DIVE CAIRNS: RIBBON REEFS

After a successful minke whale season, Pro Dive Cairns has decided to continue weekly trips to the Ribbon Reefs, commencing early October, until at least the end of December.

On these trips you’ll visit some of the best dive sites on the Ribbon Reefs, including Steve’s Bommie, Coral Kingdom, Pixie Pinnacle and the world-famous Cod Hole. The three-day/threenight trips cost $1,500 pp twin share.

Contact Diveplanit Travel for departure dates and availability for all these liveaboard options. Email: enquire@diveplanit. com Phone: 1800 607 913 or visit Diveplanit.com

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Suited to both Divers and Snorkelers.

The Best Diving on the

Ribbon Reefs

Coral Sea & Great Barrier Reef!

Dive with giant potato cod, explore deep walls, witness shark action at Osprey Reef.

Ribbon Reefs Suited to both Divers and Snorkelers.

New Special Expeditions!

Check out our website for details.

T: +61 7 4053 0500 E: resv@mikeball.com

www.mikeball.com #spoilsportlive #mikeballdive

Come visit the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef with the award-winning crew of Passions of Paradise.

Snorkel in pristine waters, go for a dive, or relax with a drink and enjoy the sailing. The best memories on the reef, no filter required. www.passions.com.au +61 7 4041 1600 email: reservations@passions.com.au Departing from Cairns, Queensland

The Conflict Islands CONSERVATION INITIATIVE

Based in the picturesque Conflict Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative has a turtle conservation programme which protects and monitors nesting turtles to ensure their future, as Terry Smith explains PHOTOGRAPHS BY MIGRATION MEDIA UNDERWATER IMAGING 26

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I

n 2019, I was fortunate enough to visit the Conflict Islands and see firsthand the work the Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative (CICI) was doing through this programme. I have followed them since and here I hope to share with you their struggles, their achievements and their dedication to protecting sea turtles.

The Conflict Islands is made up of 21 islands spread in an atoll formation. The main island of Panasesa is the base for CICI, with a hatchery and nursery facility, with the other islands inhabited, varying in size, shape and spread in a wide area (the island of Aurora is 22km away from Panasesa). The islands are used by nesting green and hawksbill turtle in the nesting season, generally from November through to January.

It is this transition from sea onto the land which makes the female turtles the most vulnerable. Ranging in size up to 300kg, they are slow and cumbersome, making them an easy target for poachers. The shell of the hawksbill is highly sought after for fashion (jewellery is the most common), to make ornaments and for medical purposes, as well as the meat for consumption. Selling turtles has been illegal in PNG since 1966, but under this law is the exception that harvested turtles can be traded for other goods as this is a traditional practice which still continues today.

Once the eggs are laid, they face challenges from predators (a species of monitor lizard has a particular taste for these eggs), along with crabs and the presence of a parasitic fly which lays eggs in the egg chamber. But perhaps the biggest challenge that faces the nesting turtle and the eggs combined is the erosion of their nesting areas due to climate change. The constant battering on the islands by the changing weather causes the

constant erosion of the sand which, in turn, causes steep banks and topples trees. It’s these obstacles which make it hard for the turtle to reach a suitable nesting area. If a nesting area is too close to the sea or in a perilous sand bank, it could mean the eggs don’t have to time to incubate and fall into the ocean, or it’s too far into the vegetation line, where tree roots and harder sand make the nest too hard to dig, which could mean the turtle gives up, or the eggs are not deep enough. Its these threats of poaching and erosion that led to the creation of CICI in 2017 and was established as a charitable trust in 2018. In the words of the lead business owner, Mr Ian Gowrie-Smith, the custodian of the Conflict Islands, ‘Doing nothing is simply no longer an option!’

GOALS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

The CICI is working to understand and map the biodiversity of the Conflict Islands for consideration as a marine managed area. Legislated conservation protection is still limited in Papua New Guinea and the Conflict Islands remains relatively unprotected. Working closely with local communities to provide education, training and to improve the conservation of marine ecosystems and associated species. This has led to amazing results.

In 2020, the Conflict Islands was named as a ‘Hope Spot’. This is an acknowledgement from Mission Blue, an organisation that ignites support for marine conservation areas. Hope Spots are special places that are scientifically identified as critical to the health of the ocean.

I have travelled and dived in different areas around the world and I have never seen such healthy full coral cover. Very limited disease, no bleaching and no destruction, you could almost say 95 percent coral coverage.

A turtle’s shell is not an exoskeleton.

Some people mistake a turtle’s hard outer shell for an exoskeleton, but it’s actually a modified rib cage that’s part of the vertebral column.

They also have a second lower shell called a plastron, that joins with the upper shell, or carapace.

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It’s a very worthwhile accolade and working towards a Local Managed Marine Area (LMMA) is a necessary to protect it for the future.

The Turtle Conservation Programme began back in 2016 and is growing as more local rangers are being employed, which in turn is increasing the data collection. Also running are their plastic and marine debris programmes (collection and proper disposal), and they are currently developing programmes around sharks, rays, the coral reef and fish health and resilience. These programmes are all intertwined, which will lead to extended local marine environment protection and the ultimate goal of a national marine park, or Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA).

THE TURTLE CONSERVATION PROGRAMME

CICI’s Turtle Conservation Programme aims to monitor marine turtle populations at the Conflict Islands Atoll via a long-term tagging programme. The tag is located on the trailing edge of her front left or right flipper. The information recorded includes Species, Facial identification Photo, Date/ Time of laying, Island, GPS location of nest, description of Nest Habitat, Number of eggs laid (if possible), (Nest Attempts, Reason for Nest fail, Nest Relocation if applicable).

Beach patrols occur at night when the females are laying which allows for the tagging of green and hawksbill turtles, taking genetic samples where necessary and other necessary data collection. These patrols also protect the turtles and their eggs from poaching, enables education and awareness to be conducted when poachers are intersected.

The programme conducts emergence and hatchling success studies by collecting laid eggs and relocating them to the Conflict Islands Turtle Hatchery, if located in a hazardous area or vulnerable to treats (Nests vary between 30 cm to 60 cm deep for the different species). The relocated nests are incubated and temperature regulated, while awaiting their emergence. During the hatching period, any hatchlings that were observed to be weak, deformed or otherwise unfit for immediate release, were temporally held in the nursery until they could be released safely and successfully.

Through this study they will be able to create a baseline dataset of nesting and foraging populations around the Conflict Island Atoll that will inform the population’s trajectory (stable, increasing or decreasing), connectivity to other nations, and will help assess the effectiveness of the CICI programme and the surrounding communities ongoing conservation efforts.

Ranger working with a female turtle

Juvenile turtles in holding tanks Baby turtle emerges from its egg

HOW COVID HAS AFFECTED THE TURTLE CONSERVATION PROGRAMME

The programme was built around a voluntourism model that relied upon income from overseas volunteers, supplemented by the island’s owner Mr Ian Gowrie-Smith to fund the conservation work. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, the impact with border restrictions and lockdowns were looking significant. With the loss of funding from international volunteers and the travel restrictions, the islands were facing months of unprotected and unmonitored poaching of nesting turtles, their eggs, and the possible unemployment of the dedicated team of rangers who have for over four years worked so tirelessly protecting them.

It was this adversity that showed such dedication and love for these turtles, as The Conservation Ranger Team was unwavering and were willing to come back for the season

These patrols also protect the turtles and their eggs from poaching, enables education and awareness to be conducted when poachers are intersected WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM.AU

QUEENSLAND WHY DIVE ANYWHERE ELSE... ...when the best diving is at your doorstep

GATEWAY TO THE

GREAT BARRIER REEF

• Just a few hours from any major Australian airport • World’s greatest biodiversity • Globally celebrated liveaboards • Highest quality day boats • Best place to do your diver training • Iconic shipwrecks

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The ranger team - Jayjay Evennett, Charles Ebilon, Dominic Moses, Steven Amos, Tonny Joe, Henry John, Koyo Inia, Patrick Lemeki and Toby Loasne

The hatching and emergence success rates of their relocated clutches produced an average hatching and emergence success rate of 93 percent to protect the turtles even without pay. Luckily enough, funds to cover some of the costs was raised with thanks to major sponsors for the season - Sea Shepherd and P&O, along with individual, in-country sponsorships and grants and allowed the 20/21 season to run, which showed fantastic results.

2020/21 SEASON RESULTS

The Rangers tagged 119 turtles, relocated 132 clutches and released 13,672 hatchlings to the wild. (The number of eggs laid in each clutch range from as low as 50 to as high as 220 eggs).

CICI successfully released 321 post-hatchlings after effectively rehabilitating them in the nursery. The hatching and emergence success rates of their relocated clutches produced an average hatching and emergence success rate of 93 percent, which in comparison to the success rates of other rookeries around the world was very promising. An interesting result was data collection on a hawksbill turtle that had been tagged in Australia’s Coombe Reef in the Howick Group in 2017, reinforcing the interconnectedness of our oceans and turtle population that is shared with Australia and possibly other nations.

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Another positive result was a significant reduction of the incidences of poaching of turtles and eggs from the islands.

This was the first season that the presence of armed security guards from Black Swan contractors accompanied the Conservation rangers on their nightly patrols. Having the outside help allowed open dialogue, created awareness and education, allowed the word to spread that this was a serious conservation effort which was being enforced. This meant zero incidences from December 2020 until the end of the season in February 2021.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

Despite the success, the CICI and its Rangers are faced with several limitations. The number of rangers, overall funding and the preparation of nesting areas in the months preceding the season (log removal, etc) needs to increase, which will all lead to the better protection of a fragile marine environment.

Create awareness by sharing their story on social media @ CICI_png and if you can, make a donation today to ensure the Rangers are funded for the coming 2021/ 22 season! n www.cici.org.au/donate

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MADE IN AUSTRALIA

SIMON LORENZ | INSIDER DIVERS

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY

PLANNING A PHOTOGRAPHY DIVE Following his last article on working the subject, Martyn Guess provides some insight into his thought process when pre-planning a photography dive to help create stand out images PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARTYN GUESS

M

y last couple of articles have looked at different photography techniques and observing behaviour to get some more interesting images. I touched on planning ahead in these articles and I recommend readers check them out and refresh their memories as I want to expand on the planning aspect.

I see a lot of budding photographers that turn up to dive and the only pre-dive decision they have made is maybe the choice of lens they will be using, be it macro or wide angle. In part, the decision is already made for them by the destination they are diving, such as a muck-diving macro location or a blue-water shark dive, for example, or maybe they are using a compact camera with a fixed lens. When diving they react to what subjects and scenes are in front of them. This is, of course, fine, and I know that when reacting to opportunities some good photographs are taken, but with a bit of pre-planning and thinking, maybe a different lens choice or technique can be planned and then brought into action and some more pleasing and different images created.

A lot of photographers get into the water and then forget to try different techniques, camera settings or types of lighting or strobe positions as they go into a safe mode and just want to get a shot in the ‘bag’. It is perhaps only up set was Image 1. Turtle silhouette. The camera for this shot as I knew there were a lot of turtles when they are back at their on the site and I planned ahead.

1/320th F18 no strobes computer that they start

Image 2. Motion blur grey seal. Dark overcast day so I pre-planned for this type of shot and set up my camera in advance 1/8th Sec ISO 100 F16

to think about what if I had tried opening the aperture or back lighting the subject, or using inward lighting techniques or made a silhouette (Image 1) or tried slow motion blur (image 2). Thinking specifically about different techniques to adopt before diving, taking into account the time of the day and conditions, will help concentrate the mind. As an aide memoire, I print cribs and messages to myself and stick these on the back of the camera housing and recommend this to help you remember what you have planned.

My thought process starts from notes taken during a previous trip and at home before a new trip. I am an avid note taker, and I will review the notes I made of what happened on a trip, camera settings and type of lighting for certain types of images that worked or failed, equipment used or required.

I then compile a synopsis which is usually made sitting on a plane coming home. When I go on the next trip, I refer to these notes beforehand and start to plan what I want to achieve. I will usually have seen an image or two from another

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A lot of photographers get into the water and then forget to try different techniques, camera settings or types of lighting or strobe positions as they go into a safe mode and

just want to get a shot in the ‘bag’

Image 3. Blue shark in the evening light.

I pre-planned the time of day to dive having regard to the bright sunshine

BIOGRAPHY MARTYN GUESS

Image 4. Caribbean reef sharks – overcast and stormy day so pre-planned to take this slow motion shot

photographer that I like and plan to try something similar, or perhaps I had tried something which didn’t quite work on the last trip so I plan how I can achieve the image I am after. This approach works very well for me and whiles the hours away sitting on a plane or coach! When I am on a trip, I then refine my plan by reference to the best time of day to get the light I want (Image 3), the equipment and accessories like diopters, magnifiers, strobe set up, Snoots, etc, that I plan to dive with.

By way of example - I like motion blur images. I may therefore plan to use the technique before a dive. I look at previous images I have taken that I am happy with to check out my settings in advance – what worked best and then on the day of the dive I take in to account the weather, the natural light, the depth, etc, that I will be diving to consider if this type of shot is feasible. If, for example, it is an overcast day, then I am going to plan shots of this nature as lower natural light levels are a real help with the very slow camera speeds required (Image 4). Maybe I need to take a neutral density filter with me to reduce the light that will hit the sensor with very slow shutter speeds or maybe I need to plan to dive deeper where there is not so much natural light.

Another example of planning ahead might be where I dived a site recently and am going to do it again. If I know

Martyn has been diving for over 30 years and taking underwater images for nearly as long. He is a well-known and successful underwater photographer with many successes in National and International competitions and regularly makes presentations to Camera and Photography clubs and Dive shows as well as The British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSOUP) and other underwater photography groups. Today he shares his passion and knowledge - As well as teaching personalized underwater photography courses he leads overseas workshop trips for Scuba Travel and his articles regularly appear in Scuba Diver Magazine.

there is a subject on the site which will look great with backlighting, such as a rhinopias (Image 5) or a leaffish (Image 6) or a seahorse. (Image 7), I will typically then check out some previous successful images in my library, look at the settings and then make sure the torch I am going to use is in my pocket and that my buddy knows how to use it (Much easier to explain on dry land than underwater!).

During a trip the same dives will probably be undertaken a few times and therefore you will already have an awareness of what you are likely to see. If not, the guides will tell you at the briefing of course but you might need to chat to them in advance so that you can prepare with lens choice, lighting, settings, accessories, etc.

I strongly recommend that you look at pictures in magazines, and images that appear in competitions and where you can, other photographers work on their websites.

You will quickly find images that inspire you and that you want to try and create yourself. Learn about the techniques

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UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY

Image 5. Lacey rhinopias -torch back lit with a tiny amount of front lighting. I pre planned the technique knowing the subject was on the site

that were used to create the images you like and then plan to practice wherever you have the opportunity.

The two techniques I have referred to in this article to plan before a dive are easy to master. Check out the specific article I wrote for this magazine for motion blur images.

BACK LIGHTING

You can use a strobe with a piece of old wetsuit arm attached to reduce the light beam, but I prefer to use a narrow beam torch, which is far easier to position than a strobe attached to an arm. I either place the torch behind the subject if it is safe to do so and nothing is going to be disturbed or alternatively get my buddy or dive guide to hold the torch for me, which does require the pre-planning that I have mentioned as they need to know what you want them to do (Image 8). Back lighting will work very well for an interesting shaped subject or one with a hairy or lacey edge, such as the rhinopias in image 5 or seahorse in image 7. Something which will become translucent such as the leaf fish in image 6 is worthy of backlighting and will create a memorable image.

The technique will hide a messy background and will elevate an image to something memorable. You can just rely on the back light itself so turn off your strobes and position yourself in front of the subject where you can’t see the torch beam.

You will see just the light around the edge of the subject. You might need to lower the camera speed to see the outline of the light around the edge of the subject. You can also use one strobe on a low setting to light the front of the subject and the backlight to create a bright edge. The image of the rhinopias is an example of back lighting where a blip of light illuminates the front and shows off the wonderful skin pattern. A backlight strobe will give you a much bigger light so has to be positioned well out of the frame.

Image 6. Leaffish with strong torch back lighting – I preplanned this technique knowing I would find this subject.

With wide angle Image 7. Seahorse with torch backlighting and a little front strobe light. Pre-planned technique as I backlighting the use of a knew I would find this subject. remote trigger will enable the strobe to be fired and positioned out of sight of the camera. This type of remote lighting must be preplanned with your buddy which again goes back to my planning ethos.

There are quite a few well known back lit images of a motorbike from the Thistlegorm wreck in the Red Sea, which are a great example of the impact that can be created with this technique.

The next time you go on a photography dive, think before you go about what sort of shots you want to achieve.

Research the technique you will need and the best settings for the equipment to be used before you dive. I am confident that pre-planning will help your images improve and help to create a diverse portfolio of images. n

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DIVERS ALERT NETWORK: ASIA-PACIFIC Divers Alert Network, widely known as DAN, is an international non-profit medical and research organisation dedicated to the safety and health of divers.

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IMMERSION PULMONARY OEDEMA FOR DIVERS

I

mmersion pulmonary oedema (IPE) is a build up of fluid in the lungs that specifically affects divers and swimmers. It was previously thought to be rare or present only in older divers with health complications, but new data shows that IPE can affect divers who are young and healthy, making this serious condition a hot topic for hyperbaric medical researchers.

When the body is immersed in water, blood flows from the extremities to the core, and blood pressure in the capillaries of the pulmonary circulation increases. If this increase in blood pressure is exacerbated by other factors, such as cold stress or increased work of breathing (due to a faulty regulator or exertion underwater), an abnormal leakage of fluid from the bloodstream into the alveoli (the tiny air sacs in the lungs) can occur. This leakage results in fluid build-up in the lungs and prevents gas exchange the same way that drowning does, but in IPE, the fluid comes from within the body rather than inhaled water.

When treated on the surface, most individuals recover quickly from IPE without ill effect, but underwater the symptoms can cause serious injuries or fatalities. Know the risks and keep yourself safe in the water.

then instances of the condition have been reported in warm water, but exposure to cold water remains a risk factor.

Pulmonary oedema due to exposure to cold is theorised to occur when the body’s response to immersion causes increased hydrostatic pressure in the capillaries and this increase is exacerbated by the shunting of blood to the core from peripheral blood vessels that constricted in response to cold. The combination of the two factors may increase pressure in the capillaries around the alveoli sufficiently to cause fluid leakage into the lungs.

Some researchers contend that some people may be abnormally predisposed to IPE, either from having left ventricular hypertrophy or a genetic predisposition, but these risk factors have yet to be confirmed. The specific mechanisms of IPE are not yet fully understood, but the risk factors are quickly being confirmed and accepted by the scientific community.

RISK FACTORS AND MECHANISMS

In healthy people, the primary risk factors for IPE are activitybased and environmental. These factors include exposure to cold water, high-intensity exercise and high work of breathing as you would experience with a high-density breathing gas at significant depth, or from a poorly performing regulator.

IPE is a relatively uncommon condition that was first reported as ‘cold-induced pulmonary oedema’ in 1989. Since

In healthy people, the primary risk factors for IPE are activitybased and environmental 36

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When the body is immersed in water, blood flows from the extremities to the core, and blood pressure in the capillaries of the pulmonary circulation increases IDENTIFICATION AND RESPONSE

IPE symptoms include coughing, difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest and frothy pink sputum. Should you experience any of these symptoms during a dive it is imperative that you end the dive immediately, or as rapidly as safety concerns allow. Divers with IPE should be towed by a buddy or picked up by a boat to minimise exertion levels, which can worsen symptoms, and should be removed from the water immediately. Once a diver is out of the water they should be stripped of their equipment and placed on 100 percent oxygen while immediate transport to a medical centre is arranged.

Prehospital treatment may include CPAP if symptoms are serious or begin to worsen, but most symptoms tend to resolve once a diver has exited the water (barring any acute medical condition). Because IPE can be caused by serious underlying medical conditions, and symptoms do occasionally get worse despite evacuation from the water, any diver with symptoms of IPE must be evaluated by a healthcare professional as rapidly as possible.

PREVENTING IPE

There are no drugs to prevent IPE, but identification and management of known risk factors can significantly reduce risk of condition onset. Overhydration, cardiac risk factors (including valve problems, coronary blockages and other

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cardiac conditions), high blood pressure and extreme exertion in cold water are known risk factors for IPE. Individuals who experience symptoms with or without obvious risk factors should seek immediate medical evaluation. Healthcare providers will work to identify and address possible risk factors before divers are cleared to return to the water. Any diver who experiences recurrent episodes of IPE should refrain from returning to diving, and even divers who have experienced a single episode of IPE should consult with their physician to discuss how and when to return to diving. Technical diving involving cold water, overhead environments or long decompression obligations may require further evaluation or consideration for individuals with a history of IPE. n For more information on IPE and diving, visit DAN.org/Health

DAN EMERGENCY HOTLINE

In the event of a diving incident, we encourage all divers to call the DAN Hotline promptly for advice: • Within Australia: 1800 088 200 • Outside Australia: +1 919 684 9111 • Within Indonesia: 21 5085 8719

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UNDERWATER EXCAVATION Mike Haigh, Project Director Wreck Hunters, focuses on underwater excavation, which is the diving equivalent of ‘the dig’ ‘WE OWE THE DEAD NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH’ – VOLTAIRE

F

or many, the culmination of work on any archaeological site is the excavation stage.

The objective this phase is to discover, record and explain the stratigraphy of the site in order to understand it. In the words of the father of British archaeology, Sir Mortimer Wheeler, ‘We are not digging up things, we are digging up people.’ This is an unrepeatable experiment. We do not normally get a second chance.

It is in the excavation phase that the diving archaeologist enjoys an advantage over his/her land-based colleague.

Unless blessed with superpowers, the terrestrial archaeologist will not be able personally to ‘fly’ over the site effortlessly as their diving counterparty can.

From the site survey a master plan will have been developed, which will form the basis of the excavation. It is not easy to discern successive layers of deposit underwater, but it can be done. In the case of the Mary Rose, the remains and deposits from the ship could be distinguished from the ‘gear’ of 19th century salvage divers, and the occasional losses of objects from pleasure craft travelling over the site. People like to talk about shipwrecks as ‘time capsules.’

Unfortunately, these ‘capsules’ are not sealed.

The trick to making a complete record of the site is careful recording. Every historic object, whether raised or merely observed and recorded in situ must have its own number together with a short label describing what it is. We covered in a previous article the methods for recording and lifting objects. A high level of discipline is needed in all this which hopefully will deal with the ‘diver in the hole’ syndrome where a diver, having found one object, is lured on by the hope of finding more. Everyone on site must understand that nothing is to be touched, moved or raised until fully recorded.

This may be by measurement, drawing, photography or ideally all three. Excavation is destruction, the only justification for which is proper recording. In addition, a whole set of diving safety protocols needs to be in place, as this is, of course, a

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diving operation.

As with any excavation, below or above water, the logistics need to be carefully planned. There needs to be a working platform, which can range from a simple inflatable to a purpose-built pontoon. Often a substantial grid is erected around the site for divers to rest on to avoid contact with the remains of the wreck. Most tools used for digging underwater are simple. A lot can be achieved by ‘hand fanning’ and the use of simple tools. But sometimes a compressor needs to be situated on site to run more powerful equipment.

When a lot of material, usually sand or sediment, overlays the site ‘heavy gear’ is often needed to remove it. The three most-used devices for this being the airlift, the water-dredge and the prop wash. The latter was invented by treasure hunters to remove large sand deposits. It works by using the thrust from a vessel’s propellor, directed downward by means of a tube with a right-angle bend. Used carefully, it can be a useful tool; used carelessly, it leaves the site looking like the result of a bombing raid!

For the diver involved in excavation there are two overriding concerns - correct weighting and the cold. You may spend long periods in unusually shallow or deep water where your weighting needs careful attention. Not helped by the fact that you tend to be working in one place without moving much, so not generating much heat. This often results in the need for more insulation and the need for more weight. Most archaeological diving ends up requiring you to maintain close contact with the bottom. Don’t stint on the weight.

This may all seem like an insurmountable tangle of theories and regulations, but it can be done right. Anyone who has done much underwater archaeology will testify to the vividness and excitement which discoveries can give the ‘diving digger’. www.wreckhunters.co.uk

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WRECK HUNTERS

2022

Barefoot luxury in the heart of Indonesia

It’s finally happening!

Calling would-be undersea detectives for 2022!

Plus, the chance to meet the project director at the Go Diving Show.

As you all know, international COVID travel restrictions have impacted everyone. But the good news is the Wreck Hunters project can finally get underway for an extended season in 2022.

This is a unique opportunity to take part in the beginning of a diving archaeology programme on the Caribbean island of Utila. The focus will be getting to the heart of the story of a wreck called ‘The Oliver’, its rich history and the life of 18th Century mariners.

Learn all the skills of undersea archaeology, from traditional to cutting edge techniques. If you’re a relatively experienced diver with some skills or experience in drawing (artistic or technical), surveying, photography or in construction work this could be just what you’re looking for (See website for full details).

Project Director Mike Haigh will be on hand to explain the details of the course at the Go Diving Show 2022, March 4-6 at the NAEC, Stoneleigh, Kenilworth. Find us near the entrance.

So, if you think this project would help put a smile on your face, why not get in touch to find out more at

www.wreckhunters.co.uk 0117 9596454

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Bunaken National Marine Park

info@wreckhunters.co.uk

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09/10/2019 09:04

H

aving spent 800-plus hours taking photos while on a rebreather, I certainly see several pros and cons to consider, before you invest $1,000s on training and equipment. In this article, I will review how rebreathers benefit underwater photography, but also highlight the specific challenges they come with.

Using examples from my own experience, I will hopefully help you decide whether getting a rebreather is the right thing for your photographic journey. Be I jump in, remember you must not dive a rebreather without proper training. This article is a high-level overview of decision factors - speak with a CCR instructor to get all the details.

THE PROS

Perhaps the most sought-after advantage of rebreathers is getting closer to wildlife. With no bubbles and no first stage regulator noise, welcome to a true silent world!

Most marine critters will welcome the change too, allowing you to get closer. I dove ‘le Graillon’, a popular shore-dive in the French Riviera for four years without ever seeing the endangered dusky grouper in that spot. The first time my wife Lena and I dived with rebreathers there, we saw three! As soon as we heard bubbles in a distance, the grouper nearby went to hide. Even in places where fish are more comfortable with divers, such as Sydney’s shore dive sites, my rebreather gets me a tad closer to subjects. As we all know, getting just 50cm closer makes a big difference in underwater photography.

Rebreathers also make it easier to get below large animals and frame upwards wide-angle compositions, without bubbles ruining the shot or spooking the creature. When diving Manta Bommie (Stradbroke Island, Australia) last year, I didn’t have to hold my breath while manta rays slowly cruised towards me.

At some point, Lena was shouting in her loop to get my attention, as I didn’t notice the manta stationed just above my head.

How often did you curse your SPG when shortage of gas meant you had to ascend and leave a great photo subject?

Rebreathers are game-changers on bottom time - my closed-circuit rebreather gets me three hours of no-deco diving at

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20m. For deeper or longer dives, decompression accumulates slower as you’re breathing an optimized gas mix. This extra time opens lots of possibilities underwater - covering long distances, exploring further, and navigating back and forth regardless of currents (within reason). There is just more flexibility in planning a dive. For example, my wife and I sometimes dive ‘The Leap’, a drift dive at the entrance of Botany Bay (Sydney), which is dived on an incoming tide, with the tide helping divers reach the exist steps, 350 metres into the bay. When it suits our photographic goals, we jump at slack time, spending two hours near the entry point, and then another hour swimming against the current and taking extra photos over 300 metres. There is also flexibility to amend the dive plan, depending on which photographic opportunities appear underwater. Last time I dived Australia’s famous Fishrock, I spotted

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It is no secret that rebreathers bring key advantages to underwater image-makers, yet they are also more complex to dive and maintain than traditional scuba gear. Underwater photography being a gear-intensive activity by itself, you may wonder, would it be wise to combine the two? Nicolas Remy offers an insight PHOTOGRAPHS BY NICOLAS AND LENA REMY

Rebreathers have actually been around far longer than traditional scuba equipment. In fact, the first basic rebreather based on carbon dioxide absorption was patented in France in 1808 by Pierre-Marie Touboulic, a mechanic in Napoleon’s Imperial Navy.

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a large shadow in the distant blue, the opposite direction from the mooring I was heading towards. Could it be the elusive school of hammerheads, which sometimes visit the rock? Fair enough, I had spent a long time at depth already, reaching ten minutes of mandatory safety stop, but my dive computer said that another five minutes at that depth would only increase my safety stop by one extra minute… Yes, I will be fighting a bit of a current on the way back, but hey, after two hours of diving I had only consumed 50 bar on my three-litre oxygen tank, so there was ample gas available…

All-in-one, a rebreather allows you to maximize photographic opportunities, within the limits of your experience, equipment and surface commitments.

Sometimes, the photographer’s challenge isn’t getting closer to marine life… but away from fellow homo sapiens!

Fishrock (Australia) features a photogenic 120-metre swimthrough ocean cave, often visited by many divers, and such abundant company makes it hard to strike a pleasant composition. With no constraints on gas consumption, we happily let groups pass by, wave them bye-bye, and enjoy this beautiful underwater studio just for ourselves. Same thing on the Umbria wreck (Sudan) a few years back - we waited for other divers to leave, let the visibility settle down, and only then started shooting the famous three Fiat cars.

Communication for photo buddies is always a challenge, but it is made easier with rebreathers. It took us a while to get used to ‘speaking’ in a breathing loop, and though we’re not really formulating sentences, we can understand simple sounds that convey a meaning. For example, if I call my wife’s name and she hears me (easier when there are no open-circuit divers nearby), she will look towards me and understand from my signals if I need her to strike a pose, or just want to show her something. If Lena is adjusting the position of a snoot for backlighting, I will make appreciative sounds to tell her when I like the lighting. This way, I can give her feedback without looking away from the viewfinder. Lastly, rebreathers are very stable to dive - the breathing gas circulates between the unit’s counterlungs and your lungs, without gas losses (for closed-circuit rebreathers), meaning without buoyancy changes. Think macro shoots where you cannot lay down on the seafloor, this extra stability can be pretty helpful.

A pair of dusky grouper fighting during breeding season. A rare event that we could observe and photograph up-close

Getting up close without disrupting the circling grey nurse sharks

THE CONS

However, this stability comes at the expense of… flexibility.

Gone are the days where I could just take a deep breath and find myself ‘hopping’ away from the photo subject. My lungs were a sophisticated buoyancy compensator which I controlled just with my mind, how amazing was that? This paradigm change means you must learn or re-learn buoyancy control, aqnd this doesn’t come day one. Besides, on a

I am very satisfied with the possibilities which rebreathers have opened for my photographic pursuit, and although they come with some disadvantages, I would not look back

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Open-circuit buddies had to ascend after an hour, but we could keep on enjoying the sponge gardens of Old Man’s Hat (Sydney, Australia) for an extra 30 minutes

rebreather, depth changes mean additional gas consumption - those three-litre tanks can last hours… provided you avoid going up and down the reef too much. You get used to it though, rebreather divers learn to swim around obstacles, instead of above or below.

Another issue is the Work Of Breathing - traditional scuba equipment is comfortable to breath in any position, since the regulator constantly has 10 bar extra pressure of gas to push in our mouth, all we need is to let it flow. On a rebreather though, breathing gas circulates only with the action of your

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Make an appointment for our personal fitting service, great for anyone wanting to get kitted out with scuba. We specialise in divers under 55kg and over 100kg with options to make you comfortable under water. 40 unique brands to choose from, we fit divers of all sizes.

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18/08/2021 07:27

Lena takes a close-up portrait of a wobbegong shark

All-in-one, a rebreather allows you to maximize photographic opportunities, within the limits of your experience, equipment and surface commitments lungs (pumping in/out). In standard diving position (nearly horizontal, torso slightly up) most rebreathers are very comfortable to breathe. Getting upside down to photograph is another story. I simply don’t do this anymore.

Also, a CCR mouthpiece is bulkier than a second stage, especially when a bailout valve is fitted. This will be a problem with DSLRs, where you must look through the viewfinder - you may not be able to get close enough. I have resolved that issue by installing an external 45 degrees viewfinder onto my housing.

In the maintenance department, pre and post-dive procedures will take longer with a rebreather. Pre-dive, the rebreather needs to be properly assembled and tested, and post-dive it needs to be rinsed, disassembled and dried. It takes me around 30 minutes to assemble my rebreather (bit less when I don’t need to change the CO2 absorbent), and around the same for full post-dive care, which can be shortened when I am diving again the following day.

In the water, ‘flying’ a rebreather involves extra tasks, even on non-decompression dives. Along with BCD and drysuit, there is a new volume of gas to look after buoyancy-wise your lungs and the breathing loop. You can still release gas from your nose, but you will need to push buttons to add gas (on CCR). Moreover, a rebreather diver must frequently monitor the oxygen mix that he/she is breathing to ensure it remains safe, and add oxygen or diluent accordingly (only on CCR).

This can be done pushing buttons, but as a photographer, I chose to dive an electronic rebreather which will automate some oxygen additions and free my hands. Yet, electronics may fail, so it is critical for the diver to keep awareness of the

44

gas mix and take manual actions when/if needed.

Lastly, rebreather support isn’t available everywhere, especially in remote places. CO2 absorbent can be shipped ahead of the trip, Nx32 will suffice if you dive a semi-closed rebreather. For closed circuit rebreathers, the dive centre will have to fill 100 percent oxygen tanks. Depending on your specific rebreather model, you might be restricted to using specific two- or three-litre tanks, which you will need to travel with, if they aren’t available to rent locally.

CONCLUSION

All-in-one, I am very satisfied with the possibilities which rebreathers have opened for my photographic pursuit, and although they come with some disadvantages, I would not look back. Over the years, I have had many experiences which I couldn’t have on traditional scuba gear.

The extra logistics did lead me to discard specific dive destinations here and there, but the world is big, and I never found myself out of travel options. Besides, the trend of recreational rebreather diving is picking up, manufacturers are releasing new units that are simpler to dive, maintain and travel with. I expect we will see more and more photographers diving these machines over the coming years! n

WANT TO SEE MORE? For more images from Nicolas and Lena, visit their website, www.nicolaslenaremy.com or follow them on Instagram and Facebook @nicolaslenaremy

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hile Raja Ampat offers incredible diving experiences year-round, most divers prefer to visit the area between December and April for the famous manta ray encounters.

With the large number of divers and liveaboards that flock to the area during this time, it can become very crowded on famous dive sites, with many dive operations sticking to these sites to give guests the best opportunity to see the mantas. While it is true that this is an incredible experience, and should be on everyone’s bucket list, many are missing out on what Raja Ampat has to offer during the so called ‘off-season’.

Visiting Raja Ampat during the off-season opens several extraordinary diving opportunities, that may be considered as ‘off the beaten track’. Seasonal changes in wind direction mean that some little-known dive sites offer better visibility and incredible marine encounters.

Paired with the many sightseeing highlights, and activities that the area has to offer, the off-season is the perfect time for those who want to experience the ‘Last Paradise” in a more relaxed, personal way.

ALYUI BAY

The tranquil Alyui Bay lies in the north of Waisai, with incredible beaches and scenery hiding some of the least-dived areas in the whole of Raja Ampat. One of the best in the area is White Wall, a gently sloping reef that gets its name from the soft coral sponge growth that covers large parts of this dive site. Usually dived in a medium current, this dive site offers the opportunity to appreciate the sponge growth while schools of fusiliers pass you by. While in the area, give the Atlas Pearl Farm in the bay a visit. Visitors are treated to a guided tour of the facilities, to see how the pearls are grown, and then have the opportunity to purchase a pearl of their own.

WAI ISLAND

Located near Batanta Island, to the south of Waisai, you find the small island known as Wai. This picturesque island offers visitors an incredible beach experience, with white sand beaches and crystal-clear water. However, the best reason to visit the island is to see what lies beneath the water’s surface. The island is surrounded by an intricate reef system, with a rich ecosystem providing many stunning dive sites that are home to a huge variety of marine life, from large schooling fish to pygmy seahorses.

While Raja Ampat comprises of some 1,500 islands, they are home to just 50,000 people. As you can imagine, this means plenty of open space, endless empty beaches and pristine nature topside and underwater.

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in the off-season

Jean-Pierre Nathrass heads to Raja Ampat to experience what the area has to offer in the ‘off-season’ PHOTOGRAPHS BY MERIDIAN ADVENTURE DIVE WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM.AU

Raja Ampat reefs are pristine

FAM ISLANDS

Located in the west of Raja Ampat you can find the famous Piaynemo viewpoint in the Fam Island group. This is a ‘must see’ stop on any trip to Raja Ampat, but why not pair it with some incredible dive sites. While most divers will be familiar with Melissa’s Garden, the area is home to many other incredible dives, starting off with Keruo Channel and Keruo Wall. Both these sites are home to barracuda and other schooling fish, while the reefs are covered in incredibly colourful hard and soft coral. Slightly to the north you will find the sloping reefs of Galaxy and Barracuda. As the names suggest, both these dive sites offer divers the opportunity to see masses of fish move through the area in stronger currents. While both are best dived under these stronger current conditions, the surface is appropriate for non-divers, or the less experienced, to snorkel at the foot of the Piaynemo viewpoint.

EQUATOR ISLANDS AND KAWE

Expect crystalclear waters

Located in the west of Raja Ampat you can find the famous Piaynemo viewpoint Manta ray

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When visiting in the off season, why not take a day trip to the Equator Islands and Kawe. Besides having the bragging rights that you have crossed the Equator in a boat, you also have the opportunity to swim on the Equator, an experience not many can say they have had. While in the area, take the opportunity to dive some of the most-remote and impressive diving sites in the northern Raja Ampat region.

Eagle Rock may not look like much from the surface, but this pinnacle hides one of the most-diverse diving sites you can imagine. The pinnacle serves as a cleaning station for mantas during the manta season and, on occasion, they can even be found here in the off season. The impressive black corals and masses of fish, including snapper, fusiliers, Napoleon wrasse and barracuda, make this dive site an incredible experience year-round.

Another hidden gem of the area can be found at Chango.

Most will give this tiny pinnacle, with a few lonely trees and bushes, no heed but at Chango you will find an incredible labyrinth of boulders, swim-throughs, and crevasses, all while you are surrounded by masses upon masses of fish, from jacks to batfish.

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The reefs swarm with fish species

In the mangroves

There are more than 10 languages spoken around the islands and this doesn’t even include the multitude of dialects from island to island.

The impressive black corals and masses of fish, including snapper, fusiliers, Napoleon wrasse and barracuda, make this dive site an incredible experience year-round YEBEN SHALLOWS

Found to the west of Waisai, Yeben Island is home to beautiful white sand beaches and lush tropical growth, the perfect place to spend a beach day. The shallow reef that surrounds Yeben Island, and connects the smaller islands in the area, is ideal for snorkelling, while the unique layout of these sloping reefs create an incredible dive site. From walls and gentle slopes that are covered in colourful and lush corals, to sandy patches, where you can find thousands of garden eels cautiously sticking out their heads and swaying in the currents. Yeben Shallows is a dive site that never disappoints, and with so many routes and sections to dive it is easy to spend a day of diving exploring the area.

WOFOH

The Wofoh Islands offer incredible vistas of towering cliffs and tropical growth. At the southernmost point of these islands, you can find Edi’s Black Forest. This wall is home to gently swaying soft coral, most notably black coral that gives the site its name. While swimming along the wall, take the time to look at the macro marine life in the coral, with a keen eye it is possible to spot the elusive ornate ghost pipefish or even pygmy seahorses. The site then gently slopes up, to the perfect safety stop depth, over a field of soft coral bommies alive with colour and marine life. It is often possible to find wobbegong sharks swimming around in the area or hiding under a coral outcropping.

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AN ICON IN 30 YEARS!

It may be hard to believe, but Raja Ampat has only been known to foreigners for 30 years. Dutch diver Max Ammer was the first to spread the word about the area in 1990 after he spent a period here searching for sunken World War Two shipwrecks and airplanes, and realised very quickly that the bio-diversity all around him was like nothing else on the planet. He soon invited Australian fishery expert Gerry Allen to survey the area, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Did someone say ‘island paradise’?

Soft corals, sponges and crinoids dominate

The island is also host to Red Patch Wall, a site found on the opposite side of the island but, when diving, it feels and looks like a different world. While the wall is stained red, giving the site its name, it is covered in sponges and soft coral, with vibrant colours and rich marine life.

The dive ends on a gentle slope, with masses of hard coral outcroppings that are alive with marine life, a true underwater garden. Both dive sites are best dived when the sun is out, to really see how the colours come into their own.

THE PASSAGE

Anemonefish

While the Passage is a well-known dive site, that appears on many itinerates and ‘must dive’ lists, it is a dive site that is best dived in the off season. The Passage is found in a natural saltwater river, formed between the islands of Gam and Waigeo. Surrounded by towering cliffs on either side, this passage has some of the most breathtaking scenery in the entire Raja Ampat. Shallow reefs, caves and caverns line the cliffs at water level, making the area is perfect for a snorkel safari. Below the surface, the passage offers a unique diving experience for the adventurous. While you can dive the site with no current, the true adventure arrives with the current. While drifting down the river, you will be treated to scenes of incredible sea fans, and other soft coral mangrove forest roots, while the topography of the cliffs extend below the surface, providing incredible views that make you feel like you are cruising through an extension of the beauty you saw above. When dived in light currents the area allows you to explore the many caverns, swim-throughs, and caves in the passage, while admiring the large numbers of nudibranchs, shrimps and other marine critters found in the sandy patches.

While this is only a short list of dives, and adventures, that are great for the off season in Raja Ampat, the area offers many more opportunities. From paddle boarding and kayaking safaris to cultural homestays, where the local communities are always eager provide the best stays, to visits to the famous Blue River or guided bird watching tours. Raja Ampat has something to offer all visitors to the area, with the added benefit of avoiding the crowds. n

Dive boats are fast and comfortable

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ONE PLANET ⅼ ONE COMMUNITY ⅼ ONE OCEAN

Narooma stands for ‘clear blue waters’ in the local Aboriginal language, and as Nicolas Remy explains, this picturesque town less than five hours drive south of Sydney is well worth a visit PHOTOGRAPHS BY NICOLAS REMY AND LENA REMY

Montague Island is one of the best spots in Australia to dive or snorkel with fur seals, with two colonies calling the island home Australian fur seals and New Zealand fur seals (also called the long-nosed fur seal), the latter mostly seen near Pebbly Bay, towards the middle of the island WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM.AU

The island was first sighted by Europeans in 1770 by James Cook and named Cape Dromedary, then identified as an island and named by the master of the Second Fleet convict transport Surprize after George Montagu-Dunk, Second Earl of Halifax.

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L

ess than five hours drive south of Sydney lies the picturesque town of Narooma, one of my favourite weekend getaways. Narooma is a great destination for the outdoor enthusiast, with a variety of water and land-based activities on-offer, and wildlife observation opportunities all around.

The pristine waters are particularly inviting, from the Wagonga inlet to surrounding beaches. Narooma stands for ‘clear blue waters’ in the local Aboriginal language, and it lived up to its name during my five visits there. Within the town itself, you can observe large stingrays, fur seals and pelicans approaching fish-cleaning stations as boats return, in hope for a free meal. Narooma’s biggest attraction for divers and snorkellers is the neighbouring Montague Island, home to more than 1,000 seals at certain times of the year.

DIVING WITH SEALS

Montague Island is one of the best spots in Australia to dive or snorkel with fur seals, with two colonies calling the island home - Australian fur seals and New Zealand fur seals (also called the long-nosed fur seal), the latter mostly seen near Pebbly Bay, towards the middle of the island. While they look clumsy on land, below the surface fur seals turn into agile torpedoes, swimming at dazzling speed, spinning, turning, playing or fighting each other. Their show is better experienced than described in words - if you haven’t dived with seals yet, I urge you to give it a try. Our very first encounter with Montague Island’s seals was in October 2007, which I fondly remember as one of the best dives of my life.

Seals are wild animals and interactions will vary in number and intensity. Over five trips to Narooma, we have always seen some seals on the rocks and some in the water, but the experience has rarely been the same. Sometimes you see plenty of seals resting on the island, that wouldn’t bother getting wet, but sometimes they jump in the water with excitement as they see your boat approaching, craving a play.

At times there aren’t many seals on dry land, most being in the water. Under the surface, you might find a frenzy of 30plus seals going about, or very few, if they’re gone hunting at sea… but then a mob of seals might appear on their return from deeper water and stop to investigate you on the way. Other times, there could be one very cheeky individual that decided YOU are the funniest thing and wants to play, like a puppy of the sea. Then you have to play your part to

Fur seal checks out a Port Jackson shark

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Narooma has ‘clear blue waters’

keep the interaction going - your turn to exhibit twists and somersaults, keeping eye contact. Do the right thing, and there’s a good chance the seal will ‘dance’ with you, swim around you, and make your day! Seals like to observe you from behind and sometimes will show teeth, gently bite your fins, but in my experience, this is just playtime and they don’t mean to hurt. When a seal swims by, try and do all sorts of crazy things to make yourself interesting, and possibly trigger that sort of interaction.

In any case, when you go with a local dive operator like Underwater Safaris, you can be confident to be taken wherever the chances of seal interactions are highest, while being protected from the island’s currents.

MORE THAN SEALS

Seals are not the sole reason why I love diving at Montague Island. First of all, the waters surrounding the island generally have good visibility, we had days with 20-30 metres and others were 10-15 metres. This helps appreciate the underwater topography and spot wildlife from a distance.

The shallow scenery comprises rocky boulders with little kelp, but colourful seaweed near the water’s edge. As you venture below 10m, more kelp and sponges appear, with the reef gently sloping down to a sandy bottom at 25-35m. Most of the dives explore that slope in various spots around the western side of the island, but at places the slope gives way to dramatic walls or large boulders several metres high. In terms of marine life, we have encountered the typical stars of New South Wales diving, including friendly blue grouper,

Other times, there could be one very cheeky individual that decided YOU are the funniest thing and wants to play, like a puppy of the sea

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Up close and personal

UNDERWATER SAFARIS

Situated in Narooma, Underwater Safaris is a PADI centre which takes divers and snorkellers to the unspoiled waters off Montague Island. Service and safety are their top priority, with qualified PADI Instructors/Divemasters in the water on every trip.

Their fast dual-engine RIB comfortably sits up to 16 divers and the journey to the island takes less than 15 minutes.

Curious fur seal comes in to play

Large rays are common

WANT TO SEE MORE? For more images from Nicolas and Lena, visit their website, www.nicolaslenaremy.com or follow them on Instagram and Facebook @nicolaslenaremy

inquisitive combfish and Maori wrasse, old wife, stripey, red morwong, whiting and leatherjackets, to name a few. We have also seen several shark species - wobbegongs on the lookout, Port Jackson sharks sometimes resting in groups, or quite active in the shallows. Grey nurse sharks were an additional highlight, cherry on the cake for warmer months.

Another callout is the large bullrays which we saw in every dive, sometimes with seals around! One day we also spotted two green turtles. Besides what you see, in Spring it isn’t rare to also hear whales singing from a distance, a soothing treat for the soul. On the way between Narooma and Montague Island, our Underwater Safaris skipper would always be on the lookout for whales and dolphins, allocating extra time to let passengers appreciate those special encounters.

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WHEN TO GO

While diving is good all-year round in Narooma, the experience and highlights will vary along the seasons.

The Southern humpback whale migration takes place in Spring, with October being the month with highest chance to observe these gentle giants, and pods of dolphins, from the comfort of the boat. In Spring the ocean provides plenty of food, attracting seals in their numbers, and the water is warming up, with an average of 18 degrees C. However, this can trigger an algae bloom which lowers visibility. Anyways, when a seal looks you in the eyes at arms’ length, the visibility stops mattering too much!

In Summer the water gets clearer and warmer, ranging from 21 to 24 degrees C, which is inviting enough for grey nurse

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Fur seal fly past

Montague Island is one of the best places in Australia to swim and dive with fur seals.

sharks to travel back to the island.

December sees the birth of cute seal pups, who will spend their first few weeks on land, then in February get brave enough to play in the water.

Come Autumn, juvenile seals are getting more adventurous, playing with each other in and out of the water, progressively losing their juvenile brown coat. The water is still relatively warm, above 20 degrees C in April-May, and we have seen grey nurse sharks staying around as late as mid-May. Finally, there still is a chance to observe dolphins while travelling between mainland and the island.

In Winter, temperatures drop further around the 14-17 degrees C mark and days get shorter, with fewer diving/ snorkelling charters operating. Though this is low season tourism-wise, don’t let the cold stop you, with a proper wetsuit/drysuit some great seals dives can be had, with more individuals staying on the island during that season.

Narooma is also home to large fish shoals

Underwater Safaris’ fast RIB

Besides marine life, the island is a birdwatcher’s favorite, with more than 90 bird species living around, including NSW’s largest colony of little penguins!

CONCLUSION

To me, seal diving is one of the most-exhilarating experiences that can be had underwater. Over my 14 years’ diving career, I have had seven dive trips focused on these animals in three continents. Five of these trips took me to Narooma, and I can’t wait for my sixth trip. Even when seals don’t play, the pristine clear waters make diving very enjoyable around Montague Island. Besides marine life, the island is a birdwatcher’s favorite, with more than 90 bird species living around, including NSW’s largest colony of little penguins!

Back on land, I find Narooma to strike just the right balance of convenience and amenities, while keeping a relaxed coastal village atmosphere. n

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BEARSKIN EXPEDITION SET AVAILABLE FOR ORDERS CONTACT NEAREST SANTI DEALER

AFTERDIVE

YAMAHA JETPOD PRO SEA SCOOTER SRP: AUD$1,499

Whether its scuba diving or you just having fun in the pool, the Yamaha JetPod Pro Sea Scooter is the perfect companion for a water enthusiast’s travel needs. The JetPod Pro is the first of its kind in both form and function, a compact yet powerful single-motor sea scooter with foldable features available at a reasonable price.

The Yamaha JetPod Pro Sea Scooter is compact, lightweight, travel friendly and is the only available foldable sea scooter in the market - just pop out the handles and you are ready to go! The ultra-light swappable lithium-ion battery has a run time for more than an hour at full speed and takes only three hours to charge. The JetPod Pro also has a built in LED power display allowing you to keep track of the battery usage when you are out in the ocean.

The JetPod Pro has a powerful rotor capable of generating propulsion to reach a maximum speed of 5.3mph. The responsive throttle allows the user to choose between three different speeds - low, middle and high speed - using the speed selector button.

The low-density materials used in this sea scooter enable aquatic manoeuvrability up to 30m in depth. The sea scooter only weighs 3.8kg, making it easier for anyone in the family to enjoy, whether carrying it down to the beach or travelling around the world.

The JetPod Pro has a positive buoyancy preventing it from sinking. If the sea scooter is released, it immediately floats back to the surface.

The JetPod Pro has a built-in camera mount compatible with a full range of action cameras. It’s positioned right in the front of the handles for 360-degree recording, allowing you to record your favourite moments in your adventure. underwater.com.au 60

FOURTH ELEMENT OCEANPOSITIVE BEACH TOWEL | SRP: AUD$65 The sea sponge - one of the oldest forms of animal life present on our planet today. These ancient creatures have survived millennia because of their simple structure, which allows them to adapt and evolve quickly to suit different environments.

Sponges and their photosynthesising endosymbionts produce up to three times more oxygen and organic matter than they consume, they filter and purify a huge volume of water every day and make a major contribution to the marine food web and maintenance of reef biodiversity.

Worldwide rising ocean temperatures, over-harvesting, dredging fisheries and sewage discharge are putting these unique creatures under threat. Fourth Element wanted to bring this small but mighty creature into the spotlight, highlighting and raising awareness to its importance in our ocean environment.

Their super soft and absorbent, 100 percent GOTS-certified organic beach towel design was inspired specifically by the glass sea sponge. One side of this towel is soft terry loops, ideal for drying, and the other side is a luxurious plush velour, perfect for relaxing in the sun. www.fourthelement.com

FOURTH ELEMENT DIVER APPAREL SRP: AUD$46 Fourth Element bucket hat Bucket hats are perfect for life outdoors, keeping the head, neck and face protected from the sun and shielding you from downpours. Lightweight and quick drying with a silicon and faux suede branded badge, this soft hat is made from recycled plastic bottles, reducing the amount of plastic entering our oceans. Available in sand or black colour schemes.

Fourth Element Tech Diver cap Fourth Element’s best-selling Tech Diver design reimagined into a baseball cap, great for all those adventuring to their techincal limits. A modern six-panel design made from recycled polyester with adjustable metal closure for fit. www.fourthelement.com

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WE PAY THE PRINTING. YOU COVER THE POSTAGE. SIMPLE. Drive Traffic In-Store

DIVING NEW IRELAND DON SILCOCK VISITS PNG’S PROVINCE OF NEW IRELAND

Keep Divers Engaged

SHOOTING NAPOLEON HINTS AND ADVICE ON PHOTOGRAPHING THESE CHARISMATIC FISH

KNOW THE LOCALS

WORK YOUR SUBJECT

JEAN-PIERRE NATHRASS

MARTYN GUESS SHOWS HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF PHOTO DIVES

MEETS THE FRIENDLY NATIVES LADY ELLIOT ISLAND WHY THERE IS MORE TOIN RAJA AMPAT THIS ISLAND THAN JUST MANTA RAYS

CORAL SPAWNING ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

FEEL THE FORCE

BYRON CONROY JUMPS ON BOARD BLUE FORCE ONE IN THE MALDIVES

THE BALI EXPERIENCE

DON SILCOCK PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE DIVING OPTIONS ON BALI

JOHN MAGEE ENCOUNTERS A RARE FIND ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

MONSTER TR ACKING WHALESHARK TAGGING IN THE GALAPAGOS

WRECK HUNTER

ADRIAN STACEY GETS UP CLOSE WITH SEX GREYON THE REEF NURSE SHARKS THE ANNUAL MASS

HARRY

THE GURU GRAND PRIZE WINNER REVEALED

IN CONVERSATION WITH DR RICHARD SMITH

WOLF ROCK’S SHARKS

HAIRY

UNDERWATER TOUR AWARDS

SEAHORSE WHISPERER

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We produce Scuba Diver with one in thing in mind – keeping certified divers enthused and actively diving, and inspiring the next generation to take the plunge.

The best way to do that is on the front line - through the dive stores - and we want to help YOU retain your existing customers and gain some new ones!

Get people used to collecting Scuba Diver from your store. Let them know when the latest issue is available via your social media, and drive more foot-traffic through your door – remember, every person stopping by to pick up a magazine is another potential course or equipment sale.

NICOLAS REMY EXPLAINS WHY THIS HOME-GROWN HOTSPOT SHOULD NOT BE OVER LOOKED ‣ UW PHOTOGRAPHY ‣ DAN COLUMN #36 | $1 DONATION

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Use the magazines to your advantage – include a few copies with every manual on courses, get them even more inspired and excited to go diving before even hitting the water.

Want to attract new divers to your store? We provide stickers to go on the cover of the magazines where you can put your store details and then hand out copies at local dentists, doctors, social centers, and so on.

PLUS – we also give you a $500 AUD ad credit as a thanks for being a partner store!

www.scubadivermag.com.au/distributor

SUUNTO EON STEEL BLACK | SRP: AUD$1,395 Adrian Stacey: Suunto has pulled out all the stops to firmly establish the EON Steel Black as the must-have dive computer among the moreadvanced and tech dive fraternity. The device is CCR, trimix and multi-gas compatible.

Suunto has even equipped the EON Steel Black with two algorithms, their proprietary Fused 2 RGBM and the Buhlmann 16GF, in a clear attempt to dispel any lingering doubt about the conservatism of their computers. I was intrigued to see how the two algorithms would stack up against each other and eager to test how easy the device is to use. To put the Eon Steel Black through its paces, we went for two dives on the impressive wreck of the ex-HMAS Brisbane, which sits at a depth of 30m.

GENERAL USE AND FEATURES As you would expect from Suunto, the EON Steel Black is well designed, aesthetically pleasing, and durable. The first thing I noticed when I took it out of its box was the unit’s weight - it felt reassuringly heavy and capable of taking a lot of punishment. It also looks very stylish with a black brushed stainless steel front cover and chunky stainlesssteel buttons, conveniently aligned down the right-hand side. For a computer that boasts a considerable amount of functionality, it is remarkably easy to use. Without reading a manual, I could easily set the time and date.

Nitrox and tank pairing was simple, as was turning off all those unwanted and often annoying alarms. It is sensible to read the manual if you are going to start playing around with the algorithms and gas mixes, but overall, I found the menus to be intuitive and easy to navigate.

What also helps is the large colour screen this computer boasts. With its anti-glare coating, I found the EON Steel Black as easy to read in the full glare as in the bowels of the wreck. The screen also means that the compass feature is very usable.

Other features include a USB rechargeable battery that offers a whopping 40-hour charge. The device will also retain this charge during long periods of inactivity as it goes into a deep hibernation when not in use. It is rated to 150m and, for some reason, can be paired with 20 tank pods simultaneously; I am not sure under what circumstances you would need this particular feature, but it is there none the less!

CONNECTIVITY As with almost every electronic device these days, the Suunto has an app, Bluetooth connectivity and GPS. This is

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simple to set up, and I could upload my dive details, display them in the form of a standard log or a graph format, add pictures, and easily and quickly share on social media. For increased features and functionality and to facilitate more in-depth planning, there is the Suunto DM5 programme for both Mac and PC. This programme will be of particular interest to tech diviners who like to plan each dive meticulously. The DM5 programme also allows the display and screen options to be customised.

There are three different display layouts to choose from, with further customisation within each layout possible.

ALGORITHMS As I mentioned earlier, the EON Steel Black has two algorithms, but thankfully this is not as complicated to navigate as it sounds. You have a choice before you start the dive to pick which one you prefer to use.

The Fused 2 RGBM –

This new algorithm has been developed by Suunto with the more-advanced diver in mind, giving greater flexibility to adjust personal settings. This algorithm offers an easy way to adjust how aggressive or conservative you wish to be on a dive with five present options.

Buhlmann 16 GF – With adjustable gradient factors, this algorithm allows a diver far more control over how conservative or aggressive they would like to be on a dive.

So, to sum up what can become a highly complex discussion about algorithms, the RGBM has a certain amount of safety built-in while the Buhlmann leaves it pretty much up to the diver. The Suunto Fused 2 is less complicated and can be run aggressively if needed. In contrast, the Buhlmann with its gradient factors allows for great flexibility but requires a greater understanding of decompression and technical diving to use safely.

While on my test dives, we ran both algorithms side by side, and I was surprised that there was very little difference between the two. Granted, I was only at a max depth of 30m for both of my dives and was not planning on any deco diving. Still, with previous Suunto computers like my old Vyper, my second dive would have been incredibly restrictive at that depth.

Suunto has now also removed the lockout feature for both algorithms, which means that you will not get locked out of the computer while on a dive if you have violated a deep or safety stop. Instead, the device will continuously recalculate deco stop if several are missed on an assent, which tech divers have been eager to see redressed.

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CONCLUSION Nice styling and ease of use have never been an issue with Suunto products, the real test of the EON Steel Black was to see how it performs as a tech computer. Suunto has long held a reputation for being too conservative, punishing a diver for not doing as the computer has instructed and even locking out while still on a dive! An unforgivable sin in the eyes of some divers. These drawbacks have now been redressed, and Suunto has created an incredibly versatile dive computer that is great for recreational divers because it is as easy to use as you want it to be. It also ticks all of the boxes for the hardcore tech diver with the option of two algorithms. Could this be the dawn of a new era for Suunto dive computers? www.suunto.com

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AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES

QUEENSLAND

DIVE EDEN

BUNDABERG AQUA SCUBA

t: 04 1002 6990 e: diveeden@gmail.com Guided dives of the wrecks, vibrant wharves and shoreline in Eden, Merimbula and Tathra. Scuba and Freediving courses are available. www.diveeden.com.au

t: 07 4153 5761 e: Julian@aquascuba.com.au a: 17 Walla Street, Bundaberg, QLD, 4670 Bundaberg has world class wreck diving sites, access to the Southern Great Barrier Reef and the best coral reef shore diving in Queensland. www.aquascuba.com.au

FEET FIRST DIVE t: 02 4984 2092 e: enquiries@feetfirstdive.com.au a: 97 Stockton St, Nelson Bay, NSW, 2315 SDI/TDI SCUBA, Snorkelling, & Spearfishing Retail & Training Centre. Shore dives in marine sanctuary, grey nurse shark double boat dives. www.feetfirstdive.com.au

LETS GO ADVENTURES t: 02 4981 4331 e: fun@letsgoadventures.com.au a: Shop 8W, d’Albora Marina, Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay, NSW, 2315 PADI facility Introductory dives through to Instructor Courses. Guided shore & boat trips for divers & snorkellers. Retail Sales & Servicing. www.letsgoadventures.com.au

SCUBA HAVEN t: 0407 457 542 e: info@scubahaven.com.au a: 20 Merrigal Rd, Port Macquarie, NSW, 2444 SCUBA Diving Port Macquarie and Laurieton Areas. Offering Dive trips, Courses, Introductory dives, Sales and services. www.scubahaven.com.au

SOUTH WEST ROCKS DIVE CENTRE t: +612 6566 6474 e: info@swrdive.com.au a: 98 Gregory Street, South West Rocks, NSW Australia’s best Shark and Cave dive. Family owned and operated for over 40 Years. swrdive.com.au

ST GEORGE UNDERWATER CENTRE t: 61 2 9502 2221 e: info@stgeorgeunderwater.com.au a: 1/148 Bellevue Parade, Carlton, NSW, 2218 We have been in the industry for over 62 years.

We are a TDI SDI 5 star training centre. We service, train and travel. www.stgeorgeunderwater.com.au

WINDANG DIVE & SPEARFISHING t: 02 4296 4215 e: info@windangdive.com.au a: Shop 1, 239 Windang Road, Windang, NSW, 2528 Scuba Diving Courses to Instructor. Spearfishing needs and servicing of all brands of scuba and spearfishing. www.windangdive.com.au

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA RODNEY FOX SHARK EXPEDITIONS t: 08 8363 1788 e: expeditions@rodneyfox.com.au a: 107 Henley Beach Road, Mile End, SA, 5031 Great white sharks, SCUBA, Ocean Floor Cage, Surface Cage, Australian Sea Lions and our own wine all on the 32m liveaboard MV Rodney Fox! www.rodneyfox.com.au

LADY ELLIOT ISLAND ECO RESORT t: +61 7 5536 3644 e: reservations@ladyelliot.com.au a: Lady Elliot Island, Southern Great Barrier Reef, QLD Lady Elliot Island ‘Home of the Manta Ray’ boasts 20 incredible dive sites and is renowned for amazing marine encounters. www.ladyelliot.com.au

MANTA LODGE AND SCUBA CENTRE t: 07 34098888 e: info@mantalodge.com.au a: 132 Dickson way, Point Lookout, QLD 4183 Amazing diving all year round. Manta Rays, Sharks, turtles and whales along with a huge variety of marine life. www.mantalodge.com.au

PASSIONS OF PARADISE t: 07 4041 1600 e: Reservations@passions.com.au a: Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence Street, Cairns, QLD Dive, snorkel and sail the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns onboard a sailing catamaran with locally owned Passions of Paradise. www.passions.com.au

SCUBA WORLD t: 07 5444 8595 e: info@scubaworld.com.au a: 207 Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba, 4557 QLD, Australia We create safe, comfortable, enthusiastic divers who always have a fun, personal and enjoyable experience at Scuba World. scubaworld.com.au

TASMANIA EAGLEHAWK DIVE CENTRE t: 0417013518 e: info@eaglehawkdive.com.au a: 178 Pirates Bay Drive, Eaglehawk Neck, TAS, 7179 We have world-class temperate water diving, with sites suitable for divers with skill levels from novice to advanced technical. www.eaglehawkdive.com.au

WESTERN AUSTRALIA OCTOPUS GARDEN DIVE CHARTERS t: 0438925011 e: kimroyce@gateway.net.au a: Casuarina Boat Harbour, Bunbury, Western Australia, 6230 Wreck & reef diving (small groups, min 2/max 11). Photographers paradise. Hire gear available.

Prolific fish life. 10-18 metres. www.octopusgardendivecharters.com.au

SOUTHCOAST DIVING SUPPLIES t: 08 98417176 e: whale@divealbany.com.au a: 84b Serpentine Road, Albany, Western Australia, 6330 Diving Albany means diving anything from wrecks to reef, plunging drop offs to awesome canyons with unbelievable colours and fishlife. www.divealbany.com.au

VICTORIA ALL ABOUT SCUBA t: (03) 9939 4913 e: info@allaboutscuba.com.au a: Unit 17/30-34 Maffra Street, Coolaroo, Victoria, 3048 A fully equipped SCUBA service centre with a passion for servicing so we can safely explore the underwater world! www.allaboutscuba.com.au

DIVE GEAR AUSTRALIA t: 03 9702 3694 e: sales@divegearaustralia.com.au a: 11/53-57 Rimfire Drive, Hallam, Victoria, 3803 DGA is a PADI 5 star training dive store with a huge range of scuba diving, snorkelling and spearfishing gear. www.divegearaustralia.com.au

SCUBA CULTURE PTY LTD t: 03 9808 0033 e: info@scubaculture.com.au a: 117 Highbury Road, Burwood, Victoria 3125 Full service dive shop providing equipment sales, service, hire, training, dive club, dive travel and air/ nitrox fills. www.scubaculture.com.au

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NEW ZEALAND SOUTHLAND

AUCKLAND AQUATECH

WAIHEKE DIVE & SNORKEL

t: +64 2156 3563 e: servicing1@yahoo.com a: 4 WOULDBANK Way, Welcome Bay Aquatech is a scuba service centre. We service scuba regulators / full face masks / oxygen regulators. Underwater Scooters. www.aquatech.kiwi.nz

t: +64 9217 4892 e: info@waihekedive.com a: 110 Ocean View Road, Oneroa, Waiheke Island, Auckland, NZ, 1081 NZ’s most fun little dive shop! We’re your choice for online retail, diving & snorkeling adventures – just 35 mins from Auckland CBD! www.waihekedive.com

DESCEND NZ – MILFORD SOUND t: +64 (0)27 337 2363 e: info@descend.co.nz a: Deepwater Basin Milford Sound – bookings essential Dive in the majestic and unique Milford Sound where deepwater species such as black coral live in diveable depths. www.descend.co.nz

DIVE DOCTOR t: +09 530 8117 e: info@divedoctor.co.nz a: 20R Sylvia Park Rd, Mt Wellington.

(1 min off the M’way) Scuba servicing centre – all brands. Wide range of products and hard to find items instore and online. 300 Bar fills, NITROX, O2. Quality dive training. www.divedoctor.co.nz

DIVING ACADEMY LTD (AUCKLAND SCUBA) t: +64 9478 2814 e: info@aucklandscuba.co.nz a: 49B Arrenway Drive, Auckland 5* PADI centre, beginner to Instructor courses (student loan approved), quality equipment retail, rebreathers, scooters, dive trips, servicing, air fills. www.aucklandscuba.co.nz

GLOBAL DIVE t: +64 9920 5200 e: info@globaldive.net a: 132 Beaumont Street, Westhaven, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand NZ’s Premium Dive Store. Leaders in Training, Servicing and Travel. Home of Fourth Element, OMS, Shearwater, XDeep, Light&Motion, DUI, Cinebags. www.globaldive.net

KIWI DIVERS NZ LTD t: 09 426 9834 e: info@kiwiscubadivers.co.nz a: 8 Keith Hay Court, Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand Air, Nitrox & Trimix fills. SSI & TDI Rec, Tech & Rebreather courses. 2 dive boats. Brands: Hollis, Oceanic, Zeagle, Atomic, Bare/Stahlsac service centre. www.kiwiscubadivers.co.nz

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE NEXT ISSUE! Contact Adrian on +61 422 611 238 or email adrian@scubadivermag.com

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CANTERBURY DIVE HQ CHRISTCHURCH t: +64 3379 5804 e: sales@divehqscuba.co.nz a: 103 Durham Street South, Sydenham, Christchurch South Island’s Premium Dive Centre, Specialists in Scuba Diving, Spearfishing & Freediving. Brands: Hollis, Oceanic, Atomic, Zeagle, Beuchat, Bare & Rob Allen. www.divehqscuba.co.nz

MARLBOROUGH GO DIVE PACIFIC t: 0274 344 874 e: info@godivepacific.nz a: 66 Wellington Street, Picton, Marlborough, New Zealand Dive one of the biggest cruise ship wrecks in the world, the Mikhail Lermontov, suitable for recreational to advanced technical divers. www.godivepacific.co.nz

WAIKATO DIVE ZONE WHITIANGA t: +64 7867 1580 e: info@divethecoromandel.co.nz a: 10 Campbell Street, Whitianga 3510, New Zealand Dive charters, training, service and retail store.

Many and varied dive spots. Beautiful coastal town location. Offshore islands & Marine Reserve. www.divezonewhitianga.co.nz

WELLINGTON DIVE WELLINGTON t: 04 939 3483 e: dive@divewellington.co.nz a: 432 The Esplanade Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand Wellington’s Padi 5 Star Centre, right across the road from Taputeranga Marine Reserve.

Come and dive or snorkel with us. www.divewellington.co.nz

NORTHLAND DIVE NOW t: 09 438 1075 e: info@divenow.co.nz a: 41 Clyde St, Whangarei We’re Northland’s largest SCUBA, Spearfishing & Freedive retail store offering great deals on gear along with SCUBA and Freedive courses. www.divenow.co.nz

SEX ON THE REEF

KNOW THE LOCALS

JEAN-PIERRE NATHRASS MEETS THE FRIENDLY NATIVES IN RAJA AMPAT

MASS CORAL THE ANNUAL SHARKS WOLF ROCK’S WORK YOUR SUBJECT SPAWNING GREAT ON THE GETS STACEY ADRIAN

MARTYN GUESS SHOWS HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF PHOTO DIVES

HARRY

JOHN MAGEE ENCOUNTERS A RARE FIND ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

SUBAQUA DIVE CENTRE t: 09 988 9508 e: subaquadivecentrenz@gmail.com a: 108 Cameron Street, Whangarei, NZ Friendliest dive shop in town. Stocker of Hollis, Ratio Dive computers, Atomic Aquatics, Bare, Oceanic and Zeagle. www.facebook.com/subaquadivewhangarei

Here come the

SPIDERS MELBOURNE'S MEGA SPIDER CRAB AGGREGATIONS

+

CONSERVATION

THE BALI EXPERIENCE

FEEL THE FORCE

DON SILCOCK PROVIDES AN

BYRON CONROY JUMPS ON BOARD BLUE FORCE ONE IN THE MALDIVES

DIVING OF THE DIVING NEW IRELAND OVERVIEW DON SILCOCK ON BALI OPTIONSVISITS PNG’S PROVINCE OF NEW IRELAND

NURSE SHARKS

HAIRY

PAIHIA DIVE t: +64 9402 7551 e: info@divenz.com a: 7 Williams Rd, Paihia 0247, New Zealand We run daily trips to the Canterbury wreck, The Rainbow Warrior wreck and reef sites in the Bay of Islands. www.divenz.com

REEF BARRIER WITH GREY UP CLOSE

SHOOTING NAPOLEON HINTS AND ADVICE ON PHOTOGRAPHING THESE CHARISMATIC FISH

LADY ELLIOT ISLAND WHY THERE IS MORE TO THIS ISLAND THAN JUST MANTA RAYS

UNDERWATER TOUR AWARDS

THE GURU GRAND PRIZE WINNER REVEALED

MONSTER

TRACKING

WHALESHARK TAGGING IN THE GALAPAGOS

SEAHORSE WHISPERER

IN CONVERSATION WITH DR RICHARD SMITH NICOLAS REMY EXPLAINS WHY THIS HOME-GROWN HOTSPOT SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED

‣ THE MALDIVES ‣ WRECK HUNTER

THE PHILIPPINES

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• NEWS • HINTS AND ADVICE • IN-DEPTH TRAVEL • INTERVIEWS • GEAR • PHOTOGRAPHY *All subscriptions auto-renew. Subscriptions can be managed online at www.scubadivermag.com.au.

You can cancel at anytime before the subscription renews. No refunds offered if subscription is not cancelled before the renewal date.

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Regenerative tourism in the Philippines Join Coral Restoration Foundation, The Living Planet Aquarium, The Mead Foundation and Atlantis Dive Resorts on a unique, pioneering experience to help restore coral reefs in the Philippines

C

oral Reefs are a fascinating underwater ecosystem, complex and ancient habitats, over 500 million years old. Often referred to as ‘rainforests of the sea’, they are a critical component of life in the ocean. Coral reef ecosystems are one of the most biodiverse in the world, inhabiting around 25 percent of all marine species, including sharks and sea turtles, crustaceans, and schooling fish.

Coral reefs are sensitive to water conditions, which affect their health. They are under threat from various factors, mostly derived by human activity. We have lost more than half of the world’s coral reefs in the last 30 years, and without immediate action, all shallow water coral reefs may vanish by the end of this century.

Understanding the importance of collaborative effort through education, Atlantis Dive Resorts teamed with three incredible NGOs to bring coral restoration to the heart and core of our activity – our divers! Join us on a fulfilling week at our Dumaguete resort, along with our incredible partners - Coral Restoration Foundation, The Living Planet Aquarium, and the MEAD Foundation and help us build and maintain the largest coral nursery in Dauin.

WHEN

24 September – 1 Oct, 2022

WHERE

Atlantis Dive Resorts in Dumaguete offers all-inclusive dive vacations with the best service. A beachfront tropical resort surrounded by green lush gardens, Atlantis Dumaguete offers divers the opportunity to see unique macro marine life while critter diving on the coastal sites, and visiting the healthy reefs around Apo Island with over 400 documented species of corals (that’s 65 percent of the world’s corals).

The resort is located in Dauin, the macro capital of the

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Philippines, with black volcanic sand. There are 25 dive spots two to ten minutes away by boat from the resort. The diving is mainly on sandy slopes, with some hard coral patches and artificial reef structures (from cars to concrete blocks and even a toilet!), very relaxed diving, spending lots of time on each dive spot, searching for small magnificent critters. It is the frogfish capital of the Philippines, we have seven different species here, along with blue ring, matoti, mimic and coconut octopus, cuttlefish, stargazers, jawfish, various eels, pipefish and more!

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT THIS WEEK

Educational sessions • Learn about coral ecology and the unique conservation techniques developed by the Coral Restoration Foundation • Learn about coral restoration efforts in the Philippines, using the above techniques, which were brought by the Living Planet Aquarium and the MEAD foundation.

Restoration dives • Collect broken coral fragments from the reef • Placing coral fragments on the nursery trees • Maintain already populated nursery trees • Plant corals back on the reef ** Fun dive at Dauin’s amazing dive sites ** depends on the development of the existing coral fragments Contact: reservations@atlantishotel.com

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