Scuba Diver ANZ #42

CITIZEN SCIENCE

GET INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT THAT IS HELPING SAVE THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

TECH: TRUK LAGOON THE CHALLENGES OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY ON THE TRUK WRECKS

JUST JETTIES

WHY VICTORIA’S PIERS ARE A HAVEN FOR BOTH DIVERS AND FISH

NEW SERIES SHOWCASING THE ABUNDANT MARINE LIFE OF RAJA AMPAT

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

DAN COLUMN

CONSERVATION ISSUE #42

EDITOR IN CHIEF Mark Evans Email: mark@scubadivermag.com DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER Matt Griffiths Email: matt@scubadivermag.com CONTRIBUTORS Russell Hosp, PT Hirschfield, Jean-Pierre Nathrass, Marcus Blatchford PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Ross Arnold Email: ross@scubadivermag.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Penney Evans Email: penney@scubadivermag.com

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTHEAST ASIA TEAM 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

MAGAZINE 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

Times are changing and to keep the magazines 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. Your continued support is most appreciated.

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Learning to live with COVID in 2022

2022 is now well underway. We are learning to live with COVID and travel with COVID, both interstate and internationally. With each country adopting their own set of rules, travel is not quite as simple as it once was, but at least it is an option again. Over the coming months, Deborah Dickson-Smith from DivePlanit is dedicating her column to each country’s restrictions to assist with your travel plans.

There has also been a positive start to the year for the oceans and the marine life that inhabits them. The Costa Rican government has extended the national park around the Cocos Islands to over 53,000 sq km. This expansion is part of an agreement with Panama, Colombia and Ecuador to create a 500,000 sq km protected zone in the region.

Closer to home, record numbers of blue whales have been sighted off the coast of Western Australia, and there is positive news for the Great Barrier Reef, with coral restoration programmes helping to regenerate the reef.

On the topic of reef restoration, our first article, written by Russell Hosp, is about the fantastic conservation work carried out by Passion of Paradise and their commitment to sustainable tourism. In the South, PT Hirschfield extols the virtues of iconic jetties of the Mornington Peninsular in Victoria. Further afield, Jean-Pierre Nathrass introduces us to just some of the marine life that can be found in the waters of Raja Ampat. Don Silcock takes us to PNG for a tour around their numerous aircraft wrecks, and sticking with rusting metal, we have the first in a series of articles about Truk Lagoon.

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

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CITIZEN SCIENCE

GET INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT THAT IS HELPING SAVE THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

TECH: TRUK LAGOON THE CHALLENGES OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY ON THE TRUK WRECKS

JUST JETTIES

WHY VICTORIA’S PIERS ARE A HAVEN FOR BOTH DIVERS AND FISH

NEW SERIES SHOWCASING THE ABUNDANT MARINE LIFE OF RAJA AMPAT

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

DAN COLUMN

CONSERVATION ISSUE #42

PHOTOGRAPH © ADRIAN STACEY

Regular columns

Monthly features...

8 News round-up

20 Australia

The return of the Anilao Underwater Shootout, the Philippines named World’s Leading Dive Destination, and Captain Cook Cruises launches citizen science initiative.

16 DAN Medical Q&A

Divers Alert Network medical experts offer advice about recovery position and PFOs.

42 Divers Alert Network

The DAN Asia-Pacific team offer some hints and tips on returning to diving after a lay-off.

66 Conservation Corner

How the first coral IVF babies on the Great Barrier Reef have produced the next generation.

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The Coral Nurture Programme is helping the iconic Great Barrier Reef on the road to recovery – we find out more about this innovative project from the team at Passions of Paradise.

28 Indonesia

Raja Ampat is rightly known as the most-biodiverse marine ecosystem in the world, and for this new Creature Feature series, we will be highlighting a few of our favourite marine creatures that you can see during your visit to the region.

38 Underwater Photography

Underwater photography guru Martyn Guess goes back to basics and over the next few months will be focusing on techniques for those just starting out with their cameras.

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...continued

Gear & testing

44 TECH: Truk Lagoon

60 What’s New

In the first of a four-part series, Marcus Blatchford explains some of the challenges associated with collating the data required for photogrammetry on the iconic shipwrecks of Truk Lagoon.

50 Papua New Guinea

Scuba Diver’s Senior Travel Editor Don Silcock takes us on a tour of some of the best aircraft wrecks in Papua New Guinea’s waters, including the Deep Pete floatplane and the B17F Black Jack.

56 Australia

PT Hirschfield explores the piers of the Mornington Peninsula, which are home to a veritable smorgasbord of marine life.

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Scuba Diver Editor-in-Chief Mark Evans looks at new products coming to market, including the Sublue Navbow+ scooter, Scubapro’s S-Tek range of technical diving equipment, the Nautilus Strobe, the Ammonite System T-Valve, and the DivePro S17 dive light. Plus, a sneak peek of the new Fourth Element Scout mask.

62 Test Extra

Scuba Diver Editor-in-Chief Mark Evans rates and reviews the innovative J2 base layer from Fourth Element, giving it a good workout during some cold-water dives, as well as out on chilly mountain bike rides and walks with the dog.

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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/news

ANILAO UNDERWATER SHOOTOUT STAGES A SUCCESSFUL COMEBACK

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mateur and professional underwater photographers, divers and marine enthusiasts once again masterfully captured the beauty of Anilao in the entries to the seventh Anilao Underwater Shootout (AUS), recently mounted by the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Dubbed as the ‘World Cup of Underwater Photo Competitions’, the event highlighted the town’s teeming marine biodiversity, including its world-famous nudibranchs.

Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said the event showcased the country’s readiness to welcome back tourists and reclaim its position as the world’s leading dive destination.

“The Anilao Underwater Shootout is a platform to communicate the importance of safeguarding our delicate reefs and marine ecosystems for future generations. As we slowly rebuild and recover from the effects of the pandemic, this event is our way of announcing to the world that the Philippines’ diving industry is alive and well, and very much ready to welcome divers and underwater photographers,” Puyat said.

Supporting the department’s thrust to safely restart tourism in the country, Puyat also noted that more than 95 percent of the tourism workers in dive destinations are now fully vaccinated. Gathering a total of 120 participants flying in from all over the country, the event also spurred domestic 1st Place, Compact Class - Marine Behaviour Category, Regie Casia

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DOT Photographer of the Year and 1st Place, Compact Class - Fish Portrait Category, Teresa Sy Ortin

tourism activity in Anilao, trickling down to the community with engagement from the town’s resorts, dive guides and spotters.

This year’s edition garnered a total of 348 entries across the competition’s 11 categories. Winners were awarded over two million pesos worth of prizes from its official airline partner Cebu Pacific, and underwater photography gear from event partners Nauticam, Scubalamp, AOI, Scubastudio Philippines, and sponsors XDEEP, Crest, Fourth Element, Divers Point, Nautilus Dive, and Sports Centre, Squires Bingham, and Ultralight Control Systems, Inc.

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DIVE THE ex-HMAS BRISBANE 1st Place, Compact Class - Macro/Supermacro Category, Rafael Francisco

Open Class

• Macro/Supermacro category, winners are Dennis Corpuz, 1st place; Marivic Verdadero Maramot, 2nd place; and Emil Ribaya Jaranilla, 3rd place.

• In the Marine Behaviour category, winners are Ariel Careño Locsin, 1st place; Glenn Ian Diaz Villanueva, 2nd place; and Adrian Dan, 3rd place.

• In the Nudibranch category, winners are Dennis Corpuz, 1st place; Glenn Ian Villanueva, 2nd place; Armida Esteban, 3rd place.

• In the Fish Portrait category, winners are Dennis Corpuz, 1st place; Louis Myse Fae Ronquillo, 2nd place; Angelyca Paras Nery, 3rd place.

#1 Artificial wreck dive in Australia • Suitable for Open Water Divers • 133m long artificial wreck dive • Located on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland • Over 400 species of fish and corals • Turtles, Rays, Grouper, Octopus, crayfish • Family run business for over 40 years • Hassle free diving – short 40m walk to dive vessel • Over 150 car parks nearby • 25min boat trip from our dive shop • Spend the 1 hour surface interval in calm waters

Compact Class

• Macro/Supermacro category, winners are: Rafael Francisco, 1st place; Jorge Ida, 2nd place; and Fr. Nemer de Castro Chua, 3rd place.

• In the Marine Behaviour category, winners are Regie Casia, 1st place; Lloyd Respicio, 2nd place; and Anjeanette Fuentebella, 3rd place.

• In the Nudibranch category, winners are Penn De Los Santos, 1st place; Kim Morfe, 2nd place; Armando Panopio, 3rd place.

• In the Fish Portrait category, winners are Teresa Sy Ortin, 1st place; Patricia Santos, 2nd place; and Ronald Amboy Dalawampo, 3rd place.

• Special prizes were awarded to Dennis Corpuz in the Blackwater category and Paul Joseph Aristorenas in the Wide Angle category.

• Teresa Sy Ortin and Dennis Corpuz were named DOT Photographers of the Year for the Compact and Open classes respectively.

The international event has been organized by the DOT since 2013, in line with the identification of diving as a priority tourism product in the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP). This year’s panel of judges includes renowned underwater photography aficionados David Doubilet, Jennifer Hayes, Mike Bartick, Scott Gutsy Tuason, William Tan, and Underwater360 Group founder John Thet. Following COVID-19 restrictions, the event followed a hybrid format with underwater photography workshops hosted via Zoom and the competition’s official Facebook page. Judging and deliberations were also done through the video-conferencing application.

The 7th Anilao Underwater Shootout was mounted in partnership with Mabini Tourism, DOT Region 4 A Calabarzon #DiscoverCalabarzon, Solitude Acacia Resort, Aiyanar Beach and Dive Resort, Crystal Blue Dive Resort, Nauticam, Scubalamp, AOI, and Scubastudio Philippines. The event is also supported by Wetpixel, Underwater Photography Magazine, Underwater 360, and GRID Magazine.

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PHILIPPINES THE WORLD’S LEADING DIVE DESTINATION 2021

© Philippines Department of Tourism

The Philippines was again cited as the World’s Leading Dive Destination at the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2021.

Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said: “On behalf of all Filipinos, I extend our thanks to the World Travel Awards for recognizing the Philippines as the World’s Leading Dive Destination for the third year in a row. This distinction is indeed a great privilege, yet, it underlines our great responsibility of protecting and conserving our underwater resources so that these may also be enjoyed and experienced in their pristine natural state by future generations. Once again, thank you for this wonderful honour. Mabuhay po kayong lahat.” This is the third consecutive year that the Philippines has won this prestigious award.

Located in the heart of the fabled Coral Triangle, the Philippines offers a rich array of dive locations. The country boasts magnificent biologically diverse marine and aquatic resources and is home to 600 coral species, 2,000 reef fish species, and six out of the world’s seven species of marine turtles.

Top diving spots in the country include the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Palawan, Anilao in Batangas, Malapascua and Moalboal in Cebu, Balicasag, Panglao and Anda in Bohol, and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro.

Comprising of more the 7,000 islands, there are plenty of undiscovered gems. The Philippines Department of Tourism is constantly seeking out new destinations for intrepid divers, with the likes of Romblon, Ticao Island, Southern Leyte, Camiguin, Davao, Sarangani and Siquijor considered emerging destinations that offer exceptional diving.

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Award-winning dive expeditions on the Great Barrier Reef and beyond Choose from 3, 4 or 7 night trips Learn more at spiritoffreedom.com.au

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CAPTAIN COOK CRUISES LAUNCH CITIZEN SCIENTIST INITIATIVE With the opening of Fiji’s borders for quarantine free arrivals, Captain Cook Cruises are expanding their conservation and education programmes with the launch of their Citizen Science initiatives, expanded coral planting and the announcement of January’s guest expert onboard lecturer as Prof Kris Helgen, Chief Scientist and Director of the Australian Museum Research Institute.

With its team of Marine Biologists and Ocean Ambassador programmes, Captain Cook Cruises have been pioneering conservation and marine science activities and education in Fiji through their three to 11 night cruises on Reef Endeavour and Day Cruises to Tivua Island. The reopening of borders gives new impetus to their programmes. Coral planting continues to grow at their private Tivua Island where passengers can take part in the ‘Buy a Coral Build a Reef’ programme. Tivua is surrounded by 500 acres of coral reef.

Both Captain Cook’s expedition style two to 11 night small ship cruising experiences as well as their tall ship day-sail experiences to Tivua Island lend themselves to immersive experiences. The marine science opportunities are also enhanced by remote destinations, cultural experiences, natural unspoilt beauty and the company’s fabulous Fijian crew. Their Citizen Science projects for each cruise allow passengers access to observations of species that have been made in each location by using iNaturalist as well as the opportunity to upload their own observations and even discover a new species as a result. As part of their Visiting Scientist Programme, Captain Cook Fiji are thrilled to announce Professor Kris Helgen will sail aboard Reef Endeavour 22 – 29 January on the first of the sailings they have to the Lau group and Kadavu in 2022. Harvard educated, Kris has in part spent the past 25 years exploring the Asia Pacific looking for new and overlooked species of mammals. He was a guest lecturer at the Smithsonian and National Geographic for 15 years, a Professor and Fullbright Fellow at Adelaide University and has travelled in over 50 countries doing field research on mammals.

He is well equipped with the very latest on coral reef research through his oversight of the work done at the Lizard Island Reef Research Station, which is part of the Australian Museum. “In my own role as a Trustee of the LIRRF I feel very passionate about the excellent work done there and the incredible contributions made to marine science,” says CEO of Captain Cook Cruises, Allison

Haworth. “I am so glad Kris will be able to update our passengers on all the latest news”.

A taste of some of his guest lectures will cover topic areas such as Wildlife of the Pacific Region, Where Fiji sits in Biodiversity in the Pacific, Coral Reefs with the latest findings from the LIRRF, Preservation of the Biology of Reefs, Life as a Species Discoverer, and more. Reef Endeavour’s voyage to the Remote Lau and Kadavu islands is only a few times a year. Due to popular demand an additional Lau departure has just been announced for 1 – 8 February. This remote bucket list destination provides an opportunity to immerse the visitor in the pristine natural environment and experience this unique culture first hand. Other voyages from January 2022 include sailings to the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands most Tuesdays and Saturdays, plus a monthly remote Discovery cruise on selected dates on one of three incredible itineraries - the seven- and 11-night Lau and Kadavu and the seven-night Remote North Discovery cruise to Levuka, Savusavu and Taveuni. www.captaincookcruisesfiji.com

MERIDIAN ADVENTURE DIVE TAKES PATA BEST TRAVEL VIDEO AWARD

Raja Ampat-based Meridian Adventure Dive was excited to have been nominated for the World Travel Awards 2021 under the category Asia’s Leading Dive Resort, and now they are pleased to share the news that the company is the winner of this category! A Meridian spokesperson said: “This wouldn’t be possible without our incredible team and all our supporters, thank you for voting for us, and for your continued support.”

You can see the winning video on their Facebook page. www.facebook.com/meridianadventuresdive

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INCREDIBLE VIRTUAL DIVERS SIMULATOR

In 2022, you can scuba dive in the comfort of your own home with the incredible Virtual Divers Simulator - more than a game, this diving simulator puts you in the diver’s seat! Virtual Divers International (VDI) is the world’s first realistic diving simulator. This App is as close to diving as you can get on your mobile device while playing a game at the same time. VDI has changed the game, both literally and figuratively, and this is only the beginning!

The Virtual Divers International App allows you to perform skills like mask clearing, regulator removal and recovery, equipment assembly, descents, and ascents and even hand signals. This game will engage new and experienced divers or anyone just wanting to learn more about our sport or even preparing for a course. If you just want to find out about the latest innovations in equipment, you will love the VDI app.

There are two primary sections to the game: • The first is a training module that simulates a training section with an instructor. You will practice actual diving skills the same as you would learn in a classroom.

• The other section is more like a traditional game, but you get to perform many of the same virtual activities you would perform on an actual dive, there is an element of gaming with gold coin collection you can use to buy equipment in the virtual store. There are two difficulty levels within the game.

The first is Easy Mode which allows you to cruise around discovering new parts of the reef and finding new marine life.

The Pro Mode level is more difficult and includes many real-world skills like controlling buoyancy and equalizing your ears.

Like a lot of traditional games, you can explore, collect gold, and get points.

There are additional skills and fun like a swim through ‘the rings of destiny’.

There are literally hours of fun and education for the whole family. Virtual Divers International has multiple courses due for release soon where you can explore options for future real certifications.

To introduce the VDI App, there is a one-time introductory offer of just $35 USD (normally $49 USD) including all features and updates for next twelve months. You can find the App in the App Store or Play Store.

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GREAT BARRIER REEF BABY BOOM

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06/01/2022 15:11

© Marie Roman

The Great Barrier Reef is booming with new life after the world’s biggest reproductive event – coral spawning – giving scientists a narrow window to help secure its future. In one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena on the planet, corals simultaneously reproduce once a year, releasing enough spawn to produce trillions of baby corals. This spawning event provides scientists with an opportunity to fast-track world-leading research to help the Great Barrier Reef resist, adapt to and recover from the impacts of climate change. Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said, “The Morrison Government’s $150 million Reef Restoration and Adaptation Programme includes world-leading scientific research into spawning and ‘Coral IVF’ to strengthen and restore reefs.”

“This time of year is an exciting one for everyone on the Reef but particularly for our scientists,” Minister Ley said.

“Latest reports on the Reef show that we are seeing strong increases of hard coral cover but there are still significant threats from rising sea temperatures and we are working with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Marine Scientists to ensure the resilience of the Reef.”

Great Barrier Reef Foundation Managing Director Anna Marsden said, “Climate change is the greatest threat to our Reef. In addition to reducing emissions, we need to pioneer new solutions to create a toolbox of techniques that can be used to help protect the reefs we have left, restore lost reefs and help corals adapt to warming ocean temperatures.”

“From Lizard Island in the far north to Townsville and Heron Island further south, scientists are busy collecting spawn as part of the world’s largest collaborative effort to protect an ecosystem from climate change, the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Programme,” Ms Marsden said. Southern Cross University Distinguished Professor Peter Harrison was part of the small team of researchers to discover mass coral spawning 40 years ago. He is on Lizard Island with research partners, Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and QUT to carry out a novel coral larval restoration technique that he’s spent many years developing and refining.

“We’re excited to be scaling up the coral larval restoration process on the Great Barrier Reef collaborating with research partners at Lizard Island, and our aim to optimise large-scale larval production directly on the Reef,” Professor Harrison said.

This research is part of the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program which is funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Partners include the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Great Barrier Reef Foundation, CSIRO, The University of Queensland, QUT, Southern Cross University and James Cook University.

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Ask DAN

DAN medical specialists and researchers answer your dive medicine questions

PFO CONCERNS IN DIVE INJURY MANAGEMENT

Q: I recently took DAN’s online Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid and Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries courses. I’ve heard it is best to put an injured diver in the recovery position on their left side because of the possibility of a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Is this true, and what would be the benefit?

A: A PFO is undoubtedly a concern with diving because about 25 percent of the population has one. The recovery position supports and maintains an open airway in an unconscious person or injured diver. The left-side preference was based on anatomy, not PFO concern. Blood from the venous system returns to the right atrium via the superior and inferior vena cava, so the idea of putting a diver on the left side was to alleviate unnecessary weight that might compress these large vessels and impede circulation.

Recent studies and recommendations from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), however, suggest there is no benefit to placing someone on their left side instead of their right side when using the recovery position. In the case of suspected decompression sickness (DCS), place the injured diver in a position of comfort, or if they are unconscious, one that allows you to monitor them as necessary.

PFO concern is not a factor in this case. If the diver is symptomatic and you are rendering care, then you need to treat the symptoms. Give them the highest concentration of oxygen available and get them to definitive health care and treatment. Remember that many conditions show symptoms that may mimic DCS. Just because someone was diving does not mean they have a dive-related illness. When creating your emergency action plan, note the location of the nearest emergency room or where and how to access local emergency services.

What is a PFO?

A PFO is a very small hole in the heart (often closed under normal circumstances) and which, during or after diving, can enable nitrogen bubbles to pass back into circulation in the blood rather than being expelled by the lungs, leading to DCI. If a PFO is suspected, the treating physician will often refer the diver to be tested. A negative result on the test does not necessarily mean there is no PFO, however, if one is present it is likely to be very small.

A positive test indicates there is an obvious route that bubbles in the venous blood can pass through the heart and enter the arterial blood, from where it can be taken to the brain, spine and elsewhere in the body. The PFO can often be repaired surgically, and some divers elect to have the hole closed. As with any surgical procedure there are associated risks and these need to be balanced against the desire to continue diving and the risk of diving without having the PFO repaired. Many divers continue to dive despite a small PFO and reduce the chances of a problem by limiting depths, repetitive diving, extending surface intervals, doing slow ascents and safety stops and using nitrox (with dive times based on air).

DANAP.org

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Monthly round-up of news from our SSI dive centres and professionals www.divessi.com

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s the world is opening up to travel, and Australia is opening up to each state and international travel, we can expect to see a return to a new normal. We will be able to visit our favourite tropical destinations and the beautiful reefs of Far North Queensland will be back on the agenda for the rest of Australia!

Exciting times ahead!

This being said, SSI has recognised that through the COVID pandemic, many Dive Professionals either returned to their home country or perhaps even moved into a new career path. This has left a shortage of SSI Dive Professionals globally. We saw that this was potentially an issue at the start of 2021 and launched our ‘We Want You’ campaign. This gained us over 3000 new SSI Professionals worldwide!

Now we are expanding this campaign to the ‘We Want You Pro initiative”

This is how it will work: • SSI Dive Centres list all of their upcoming Pro courses for the next 12 months into their Centre ‘Events’ calendars • SSI HQ have created ‘Push’ marketing promoting these upcoming courses to all recreational divers and Dive Professionals.

These divers will be directed to the courses conducted by their affiliated Dive Centres.

- Divers certified in Stress and Rescue will be directed to upcoming dates for the Dive Guide program with the call to action ‘Become a Divemaster’.

- Divemasters will be sent upcoming dates for Assistant Instructor and Instructor Training Courses.

- Divemaster Instructors who fulfil the pre-requisites for Assistant Instructor Trainer will receive Instructor Trainer Seminar dates with the call to action ‘Become an Instructor Trainer’.

Our goal – to fill our SSI Dive Centres Pro training schedules!

To add to this initiative we have an added benefit for our Dive Professionals who conduct this Pro Training!

It is that time of year again when Dive Professionals and Dive Centres are requested to renew their membership for the 2022 period. As always, SSI are looking at ways to support our loyal customers. SSI Instructors receive reward points for every student that they certify, this includes those that are registered for ‘Try Dives’. These reward points can be used against their SSI renewal fee OR to purchase SSI professional digital kits to upgrade their Instructor specialty

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ratings. This can be a significant saving on renewal fees at the end of the year, with many Instructors having no fee whatsoever.

This year, to sweeten the deal, from 15 October, SSI Pros will receive the equivalent of 20€ in their reward points for each Dive professional that they certify! This should greatly alter the renewal fees for those pros that participate!

Instructor Trainer Seminars are coming up!

The SSI Instructor Trainer is the highest recreational trainer rating in the SSI system. It is the greatest achievement that an SSI pro can aspire to!

After an uncertain 2020 and a bumpy 2021, we will be running TWO Instructor Trainer Seminars in 2022! This will be an application process and any Divemaster Instructors wanting to join ‘The best of the best’ will be invited to apply.

The dates: 23 May – 3 June - NSW hosted by Pro Dive Central Coast.

For any information in regards to any of our SSI programmes, promotions or renewal process, please contact our friendly customer service team. n

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s the marine tourism industry in North Queensland continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Passions of Paradise, based out of Cairns, is continuing their efforts to grow and plant coral on the Great Barrier Reef through the Coral Nurture Programme.

Under the supervision of Professor Dave Suggett and Dr Emma Camp of the University of Technology Sydney, Passions staff have spent the last 18 months refining their techniques, resulting in the planting of over 4,500 coral fragments at three dive sites on Hastings Reef. The Coral Nurture Programme is a new approach for the Great Barrier Reef and a globally unique partnership between tourism and science. Passions of Paradise first joined the programme in May 2019 and is part of a team of six other local operators participating in the scaling stage of the programme. As one of the key participants in this groundbreaking study, Passions of Paradise has been able to strengthen its commitment to conservation and sustainable area management. The programme is part of a larger management strategy that also includes crown-of-thorns starfish eradication and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s ‘Eye on Reef’ monitoring programme. Managing Director of Passions of Paradise, Alan Wallish, has made conservation and site stewardship his main priority since founding the company in 1989.

“The Great Barrier Reef is an amazing ecosystem and a vital natural wonder,” says Alan. “It has always been in our best interest to look after the long-term sustainability and health of our reef sites.

We have had to contend with a lot of impacts in the last 30 years: Mass bleaching events, cyclones, crown-of-thorns outbreaks. But the reef is an amazingly resilient ecosystem, and through management techniques at the federal, state, and local levels, we have the opportunity to continue showcasing this amazing ecosystem to our guests.”

While the idea of farming and planting coral is not new, the Coral Nurture Programme takes an innovative approach in the way coral is attached to the reef floor. A patented Coralclip (developed by Programme co-founder John Edmondson of Wavelength Reef Cruises), a 25mm masonry nail with a stainless-steel wire attached to it, is driven into the limestone bedrock of the reef. Coral fragments, either harvested from coral fragments detached from the reef and on the seabed or from one of Passions’ ten nurseries, are then placed under the wire after a quick brush to remove any sand or algae. The coral fragment then sits under pressure, immobilised, and after approximately six weeks, will hopefully

A team of eight divers can potentially plant up to 3,200 corals in a day, with a target cost of $1 per successful coral colony

The Great Barrier Reef is home to countless species including six species of turtles, 215 species of birds, 17 species of sea snakes and more than 1,500 species of fish! 10% of the world’s total fish species can be found within the Great Barrier Reef!

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The Coral Nurture Programme is helping the iconic Great Barrier Reef on the road to recovery – we find out more about this innovative project Photographs by SOTA YAMAGUCHI Author: Russell Hosp

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Attaching coral fragments to the framework

…the reef is an amazingly resilient ecosystem, and through management techniques at the federal, state, and local levels, we have the opportunity to continue showcasing this amazing ecosystem November 2019...

...to March 2021

have cemented itself to the limestone rock and started the process of growing a new colony.

Professor Dave Suggett, the lead researcher and cofounder of the project, has been looking for ways to increase conservation on the reef for years.

“The genesis of the Coral Nurture Programme has been via research into ways to speed up coral planting, which led to the testing of Coralclip,” explains Dave. “This patented device is a small clip that enables a diver to attach a coral fragment or larval settlement unit to the reef in just a few seconds. This avoids the need for messy and laborious chemical fixatives that have long been favoured to re-attach corals to the reef. An experienced diver can plant over 100 corals using Coralclip in a dive. A team of eight divers can potentially plant up to 3,200 corals in a day, with a target cost of $1 per successful coral colony.”

Dave is quick to point out that this approach is not intended to replace coral on a reef-wide scale. “The intended scale is multiple, geographically separate, individual locations across the Great Barrier Reef, of around one to two hectares each with ongoing coral planting when appropriate, rather than a once-off effort. Scale is achieved through collective actions of the tourism operators – who

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Healthy hard corals

Dive boat on the reef

Attaching coral to the frame

are simply amazing in their efforts for positive change to reef conditions” So where do these coral fragments come from? While many fragments come from Passions’ 10 on-site nurseries, coral planting can sometimes be done without the need for a coral nursery. As Dave explains, “On a healthy reef with reasonable coral cover, it is normal to have some broken coral. In the same way that old trees can fall in a forest and break surrounding vegetation, large colonies of fragile coral are vulnerable to damage in rough weather. Fish such as bumphead parrotfish can also be quite destructive when they are feeding.”

“Loose coral fragments (called ‘fragments of opportunity’) sometimes re-attach, but this is often prevented by wave action; they may fall onto another coral colony or fall onto sand and ultimately be smothered. The easiest source of coral fragments that can be planted is from regularly collecting these broken fragments and planting them securely in places where they have room to grow well.”

What types of corals are ideal for this type of planting?

As it turns out, there are strict permit conditions about collecting and planting these ‘opportunity’ corals. Dave explains that, while all corals are feasible, certain coral colonies are of particular interest. “Finding coral fragments from corals that have survived coral bleaching, where their neighbours have died, has potential to be a meaningful way of slowly, but methodically, increasing the prevalence of the corals that are already adapted to that site, what we call ‘survivor corals’.”

For Passions of Paradise CEO Scott Garden, the Coral Nurture Programme is a natural extension of the company’s long-term commitment to sustainability.

“We’ve taken massive steps over the last 20 years to promote ourselves at the benchmark when it comes to responsible ecotourism,” says Scott. “We have been an eco-accredited product since the mid-nineties and have

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spent the time since constantly looking for new and exciting ways to promote sustainability. We have been involved in numerous scientific endeavours through about a dozen different universities. We have worked with the Oceania Chondrichthyan Society promoting awareness regarding the plight of sharks worldwide and have even set up a scholarship to encourage new generations of scientists to become active in shark conservation. We became carbon neutral in 2013 and work extensively with the Rainforest Conservation Foundation in the Daintree to help replant native vegetation, an endeavour that has earned us the status of ‘Climate Action Leader’ from Ecotourism Australia.”

Alan and Scott have gone on several of the coral planting expeditions and have together planted almost 500 pieces of coral together.

“It’s really fulfilling,” says Alan. “You have these little corals, and just like in a garden, you protect them from predators, monitor their progress - you really feel an investment in watching them as they get bigger.”

Scott agrees. “The satisfying part is checking for signs that the coral fragments have finally adhered to the limestone bedrock. Once we see signs of that, it’s almost certain that we will have a new colony start growing.

Supersized Reef!

The Great Barrier Reef is greater is size than Tasmania and Victoria combined! For context, that is the size of 70 million football fields…

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Tending the coral growing on the frame

Diver meets anemonefish

We have been involved in numerous scientific endeavours through about a dozen different universities And the growth rates can be mind-blowing. While many species of coral take decades to grow to a decent-sized colony, some of them seem to almost grow right in front of your eyes.” Managing all of these activities on the vessel is Passions of Paradise’s Environmental Manager Russell Hosp.

Originally from the United States, Russell started diving the reef back in 2003 as a university student. With a background in sustainable tourism, Passions of Paradise, and in particular the Coral Nurture Programme, was a perfect fit.

“I fell in love with the reef on my first-ever dive. It’s an amazing, inspiring ecosystem,” says Russell. “I instantly knew that I wanted to spend my whole adult life working on the reef and being involved in its conservation. I incidentally did my first-ever dive on the original Passions boat, and what blew me away were the company’s values - the commitment to sustainability and environmentalism. After meeting with Alan and Scotty, I knew instantly that this organisation was the real deal, that these were two owners who practiced Surveying the corals on the reef

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Impressive hard coral formation

what they preached. I’ve been lucky to have many roles within the company, and when they made me ‘Environmental Manager’ in 2013, I felt like that was the first step towards all of us really gearing towards these types of long-term projects. I’ve been with the company 13 years now, and the Coral Nurture Programme is hopefully the first of many more conservation efforts we can spearhead.”

The Coral Nurture Programme has been such a boon not just to the reef, but to Passions as a company, that Russell is starting a PhD in Sustainable Area Management next year.

“My focus will be in the brand-new field of Regenerative Tourism,” says Russell. “It’s the idea that a sustainable tourism economy allows the resource to be managed and used responsibly and indefinitely - so that jobs, biodiversity and traditional cultural values are sustained. In a regenerative tourism economy, we’re looking to improve those factors any way we can. Activities like the coral nurture program allow us to do that. The main idea is that ‘Mother Nature’ can fix herself - all she needs is a little boost from us as a human race. Tourism, especially ecotourism, provides the perfect avenue to give that boost.”

Russell has the support of Alan and Scott in this endeavour, and the Coral Nurture Programme will hopefully be the start of some big projects in the company’s future. n

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· GREAT BARRIER REEF · AUSTRALIA ·

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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

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What you need to know before you go…

With regular flights via Singapore, the Maldives is a great destination for Australians to start planning for now. Best known for its luxury resorts and romantic over-water bungalows, the Maldives is also one of the world’s greatest diving destinations.

These Indian Ocean atolls are surrounded by deep water and attract large numbers of pelagic creatures, including whalesharks, turtles, sharks, dolphins, the largest aggregations of reef mantas and nurse sharks in the world, and 21 species of cetaceans.

The Maldives reopened its borders back in July 2020, and since December has allowed entry to visitors who present a negative PCR test for COVID-19 on arrival.

The test and negative PCR certificate must be issued no more than 96 hours prior to departure, clearly showing the name and address of the laboratory, as well as the date of the sample taken, regardless of your vaccination status.

The result needs to be attached to the Traveller Health Declaration form, which must be submitted online within the 24 hours prior to arrival. Visitors are asked to download the national contact tracing app, TraceEkee, and use it during their journey. These restrictions were temporarily dropped for fully vaccinated travellers earlier in the year but have since been reintroduced.

Visitors are allowed to split stays between hotels.

However, if you spend more than 48 hours in the Greater Malé area, you must take another PCR test before moving elsewhere. Those who are not fully vaccinated are permitted to stay in guest accommodation in local islands provided that 60 percent of the population, including 90 percent of over-65s and 95 percent of tourism staff, are fully vaccinated.

Temperature checks and screening procedures are in place on arrival, and travellers presenting symptoms of COVID-19 upon arrival will be subjected to a PCR test at the traveller’s cost or at the cost of the tourist facility where the traveller is booked to stay in the Maldives.

Checklist for entry to the Maldives

• Negative PCR test result and certificate • Proof of full vaccination • Travel Insurance • Download TraceEkee App • Traveller Health Declaration Form • Travel Voucher for pre-booked accommodation and/or cruise Testing services are available in the Maldives for tourists who need COVID-19 test results to return to their countries of origin or another destination. Talk to your accommodation provider for details.

Links

Traveller Health Declaration Form: imuga.immigration.gov. mv/ethd/create Latest Travel Bans Information: travelbans.org/asia/maldives/ TraceEkee: search on Apple App Store or Google Play Apps

Book with Confidence… with a Travel Agent

Travelling post-Covid can be hard to negotiate, so for peace of mind, we recommend booking with an experienced travel agent to help navigate all the exit, transit, and entry requirements. Visit Diveplanit.com for more information, email us on enquire@diveplanit.com or call us on 1800 607 913 Diveplanit.com

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Raja Ampat part one

Raja Ampat is rightly known as the most-biodiverse marine ecosystem in the world. The abundance of healthy coral reefs and marine species is a divers’ dream. For this series, Jean-Pierre Nathrass will be highlighting a few of our favourite marine creatures that you can see during your visit to the region Photographs by Meridian Adventure Dive

A Dutch diver by the name of Max Ammer began to spread the word about Raja Ampat in 1990. He had spent time in the region searching for sunken World War Two ships and airplanes and realized the biodiversity was like nowhere else in the world.

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Nudibranchs

The smallest creatures that get the most attention from divers worldwide. More than 3,000 species of these gastropods have been identified worldwide. If you keep your eyes peeled for these small critters, you can expect to see as many as 100 of these on a single dive in Raja Ampat.

Ranging from 0.5cm to 60cm in all colours and shapes, nudibranchs are unique animals to observe. While some species can be easier to spot and more commonly found on the colourful reefs, the area is also home to some of the rarest of the species.

The Varicose Phyllidia, also known as the scrambled egg nudi by some, is one of the more-commonly found nudibranchs in the area. With their blue-grey ridges and yellow spikes that run the length of the black body, these nudibranchs can be found on almost every reef in the area.

You will mostly encounter them on bare coral, and rock formations and are often found in groups.

The Dusky Nembrotha or Neon nudi is a dark nudibranch with bright; almost neon-coloured raised green spots and stripes that run down the length of its body. These nudibranchs can be distinguished from similar species by their bright neon orange head, oral tentacles, and foot that give the effect of a glimmering neon sign. Keep an eye out for these show-offs in patches of dark green coloured coral, moss, and short dark patches of seaweed mostly found in shallower parts of reefs.

Chromodoris Anne or Anna’s sea slug is a colourful and flamboyant nudibranch species. This blue-greyish nudibranch can grow up to 5cm and are generally wider than other species of that size. The yellow edges of the foot and mantle are raised and with black borders that frame the entire upper body. Further, the species have bright orange gills resembling tree branches - a unique and magnificent variant to observe. As the name suggests, Leopard Nudibranch is identified by the unique black spots found on the brown areas of this species. The size of this area and the spots are different in each individual nudibranch.

Usually, these have a shimmering blue line that borders the body of the nudi. In the right light, it can give the illusion that it is hovering above the surface it is found on. While not as bright or ornate as many of the other species in the area, spotting this rare nudibranch is an excellent addition to the list of spotted critters.

Ranging from 0.5cm to 60cm in all colours and shapes, nudibranchs are unique animals to observe

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Cuttlefish

The cuttlefish is a truly unique sea creature. Found seemingly hovering a few centimetres above the reef with a strange glimmering effect, it will then suddenly propel away with the effect reminiscent of a UFO in a sci-fi movie. This alien-like mollusc has a soft outer body with an internal shell known as the cuttlebone. Air/water chambers are used to regulate its buoyancy, allowing it to hover gracefully.

The cuttlefish uses a fin that surrounds the bottom of the body to swim. When the need for faster movement arises, the fin is shaped to suck in and then forcefully displace water, similar to that of a water jet engine. While the cuttlefish can quickly escape predators using this technique, it is also a master at distraction and camouflage.

When threatened, the cuttlefish can release an ink-like substance to provide an opportunity to escape. Furthermore, cuttlefish are able to instantly change colour and texture to perfectly match that of the environment. Watching a cuttlefish undergo this transformation is an incredible experience, as this not only allows them to hide from predators but also makes them the perfect hunters. Using their camouflage, they can stalk and hunt larger fish, crabs, squid, and even other cuttlefish. There are over 100 known species of cuttlefish varying in size and location. The giant cuttlefish has been known to weigh as much as 10kg. In Raja Ampat it is possible to spot cuttlefish from the size of a nail to one the size of a foot.

Cuttlefish

Turtles

Raja Ampat is the perfect diving location to find four of the seven ocean turtle species of the world. The area is an official sea turtle sanctuary and home to the leatherback, green, hawksbill and Olive Ridley species. While it is more common to encounter the green and hawksbill in the Waigeo region, the leatherback and Olive Ridley are known to nest in some of the more-remote and less-visited areas in Raja Ampat. While to most divers, these species of turtles will look the same, some defining characteristics make it easier to identify each.

Both the oldest and the largest of the turtle species are leatherback turtles. This species is believed to have survived the dinosaur extinction. They can grow up to an impressive size of over two metres and weigh up to 900kg. While their size alone should be enough to identify these turtles, they also have a softer shell structure than other turtles that resemble leather, hence the name.

There are over 100 known species of cuttlefish varying in size and location. The giant cuttlefish has been known to weigh as much as 10kg Nudis come in all shapes and sizes

Turtle chilling on the reef

Underwater Amazon...

If there is one place underwater that can rival the dense flora and fauna of the Amazon rainforest, it is Raja Ampat. Over 600 unique hard corals and over 1,300 species of unique marine fishes have been discovered in the waters of Raja Ampat – that is approximately 75% of the total number on the planet.

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Green turtles are one of the larger turtle species growing to sizes up to 1.2 metres, and they are listed as endangered because their eggs are considered a delicacy in some regions. In addition, the green turtle is the only species classified as a herbivore, feeding primarily on seagrass, getting its name from the greenish colour of fat and cartilage rather than the colour of its shell.

As the name suggests, the hawk-like shape of their beaks easily identifies hawksbill turtles. This sharp protruding beak is perfectly adapted to feed on sponges found in the crevices of reefs. Unfortunately, these sponges are toxic to most other marine species and, if left unchecked, could overgrow and suffocate other coral formations. The hawksbill turtle is one of the smaller turtle species growing to up to 90cm. These turtles are most often encountered gracefully swimming over reefs and slopes or busy feeding on shallow reefs.

While the Olive Ridley might not be the best-known turtle species, they are the most-populous species worldwide.

This small turtle only grows to 70cm and is often incorrectly identified as a green turtle due to its olive-green shell colour patterns. Despite the small size, the species are migratory and travel considerable distances between their feeding and nesting areas. This turtle is known to dive as deep as 150m to feed on crustaceans found on the seabed.

Turtles play a vital role in the marine ecosystem, with most turtles feeding on jellyfish, keeping the natural balance in check. Jellyfish commonly feed on more undersized and juvenile fish species, and without turtles keeping the jellyfish numbers controlled, these fish species run the risk of becoming endangered over time. Turtles numbers are drastically declining worldwide, with Raja Ampat being one of the most-important protected areas in the world for the survival of the species.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to swim with jellyfish? Well you can in Raja Ampat! There exist lakes in Raja Ampat that are home to non-lethal, non-poisonous jellyfish that you can swim with.

Feather star, or crinoid, on soft coral

Anemonefish

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Large anemone and attendant clownfish

Raja Ampat reefs teem with life

Also known as anemonefish, clownfish are primarily found in the warm waters of shallow and sheltered reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and there are about 30 different identified species Feather starfish

Although not an actual starfish, the feather starfish is a close relative to the starfish and is known to be one of the oldest and most-primitive species of animal alive in the world. These starfish have many appendages that grow from their bodies which resemble feathers. While these so-called feathers vary significantly in their colour and exact shape, they are all perfectly suited to blend in with their environment. These starfish are often hidden between soft coral formations, which their colour and shape perfectly mimic, where they feed on micro-organisms found in the reef systems. Feather starfish can detach themselves from their hiding spots and use the ocean currents to gently drift, much like a feather in the wind to a new area.

While this is an impressive feat and makes for some incredible photo opportunities, what is even more impressive is that the feather starfish can walk along the reef and seabed. Despite the large number of appendages on the body of the starfish, it can move slowly over a surface using small movements on each individual appendage.

These starfish can be found in a variety of colours and shapes, from pitch black to vivid orange.

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Clownfish

While clownfish might have found their fame from Finding Nemo, these distinctive fish are much more interesting than an animation film can ever do justice. Also known as anemonefish, clownfish are primarily found in the warm waters of shallow and sheltered reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and there are about 30 different identified species. Besides the famous bright orange and white striped variant, these comic fish sport colours ranging from reds to blacks. Some are even classified as false clownfish. These fish are mostly found living in a symbiotic relationship with anemones. In many cases, these will match colours to provide natural camouflage, and while there are thousands of anemone species, less than 20 of these can support this relationship. In some instances, a single pair of clownfish will be the only ones ever to call a single anemone their home.

Clownfish males are role model dads; they will do all the preparation, guarding, and maintenance of the nest, and while the males play the role of caretakers, the females are in charge of the school. All clownfish are born male but will change sex when their partner dies, or the school has lost a number of females to balance out the group. n

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BECOMING A PADI DIVEMASTER

A

re you questioning your next certification level? Are you asking what happens after Rescue Diver or even after Advanced Open Water? Whether you want to develop your own skills or those of who are around you, the PADI Divemaster programme is one that will enhance your diving experience, take your diving to the next level and start you on the course to becoming a PADI Professional.

Who can become a PADI Divemaster?

It may seem like an odd question but it’s actually perfectly understandable to ask yourself if you are ‘Divemaster material’. If you’re questioning yourself then chances are you’re right for the role – cautious, concerned and taking it seriously. Of course, being a Divemaster is a big responsibility but it’s also a lot of fun. If you love meeting new people, travelling to new places and have a thirst for adventure, then taking your PADI Divemaster course will open up a whole range of opportunities.

There are some other requirements too – you’ll need to be at least 18 years old, a PADI Rescue Diver with an Emergency First Response certificate dated within the last 24 months, 40 logged dives and a medical statement signed by a physician in the last 12 months.

What’s involved?

The PADI Divemaster course is an exciting, challenging and ultimately rewarding experience. Your relationship with your instructor is very different to what you will have experienced so far - they will be your mentor and they’ll be open to discussion and observation.

The course is designed to give you the tools to be a leader and to take charge of diving activities independently as well as alongside other PADI Professionals. Throughout the course you’ll develop your skills through knowledge development sessions, water skills exercises, workshops and hands-on practical assessment. Your instructor will provide you with regular feedback.

own pace and around your existing commitments. Practical sessions can often be completed over weekends in many areas, meaning a longer course overall but no time off work.

If on the other hand you are planning to start a new career and are ready to (literally) dive in then opt for an internship which will give you day in and day out experience of being part of a dive shop team. Internship lengths vary from region to region and dive centre to dive centre so it’s worth looking around to find one that suits your needs.

What next?

First off, browse the PADI Job Board to get inspired with Divemaster career opportunities. Next, use the PADI Dive Store Locator to find dive centres offering the Divemaster course in your local area. Ask what is available but remember to explain your needs and requirements too. n

When?

There is no right or wrong time to start your PADI Divemaster training and now with so many learning options available it is easier than ever – gone are the days of needing to take a month off work for an internship, unless you want to. PADI eLearning allows you to work through the theory components from home at your

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Live the Dream in 2022 Become a PADI Divemaster ®

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STARTING OUT IN UW PHOTOGRAPHY

Following his last article on working the subject, Martyn Guess provides some tips, information and advice for novice or new underwater photographers in order, to help them on their photographic journey Photographs by Martyn Guess

I

realise that for a beginner underwater photographer, it must be very daunting looking at the amazing images that adorn the internet and magazines and wondering how they can possibly hope to take pictures of the same quality. Whether you have a real interest in capturing the underwater scenes and subjects we have the privilege to witness as scuba divers or through some form of peer pressure to buy a camera, we all must start somewhere.

I have helped many budding photographers on their journey so my aim in the next few articles is to give some guidance and basic instruction to help you on your way. My view is that if you can get a few reasonable shots in the bag relatively quickly you will want to continue in your quest for knowledge. For many beginners, they have perhaps been diving for a while and now want to add another dimension to their enjoyment of the underwater world.

This was definitely the case for me. Some people decide to buy an underwater camera but have no knowledge at all about photography apart from using their phone perhaps, or a compact or bigger camera in fully automatic mode.

Others perhaps with a bit of an advantage are keen abovewater photographers and have at least some photographic knowledge. Whatever your knowledge or type of camera that you have access to or own, be it a compact, mirrorless or DSLR, there are some basic first principles to take on board. My advice here applies to all types of cameras and knowledge base. The first thing to accept is that you are a diver first and a photographer second, so don’t let the latter get in the way of your safety and that of your buddy!

It is important to understand the controls of your camera and what the various buttons and menus do. If you don’t understand them on land, there is no hope when you get underwater. So, spend time reading the camera manual, researching online, and watching any tutorials for your camera that you can find. I am going to talk about basic

Image 1. Tom pot blenny, Swanage, UK - F22 1/320th Sec High DOF

camera controls like Automatic or Programme Aperture Priority, ISO, Aperture and Speed and Manual M. Unless you are content snapping close-up images of small critters in automatic mode and with the camera’s flash, and I mean very close, then the first lesson is to try and not be tempted to only use the automatic setting underwater.

The camera’s electronics are designed for use on land, and it will struggle to take on board the complexity of lighting and deep shadows underwater, as well as the density of the particles suspended in our oceans. Some compact cameras have an underwater mode but, in my experience, they don’t work that well other than the foregoing very close-up critter shots. So, if you want to progress, please don’t use them.

My preferred setting is Manual or M although as a learning

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Image 3. Porcelain crab on anemone, blurred fore and background - F5.6 1/200th sec

Image 2. Blue ribbon eel, open aperture - F4 1/200th Sec

progression, Aperture Priority can work well. Manual means that you are taking full control and inputting settings for aperture and speed. Aperture Priority (AP) means that you are setting just the aperture and the camera the speed.

For those that don’t know, the aperture controls the lens diaphragm which controls the light getting through to the camera sensor. It also controls what is known as depth of fields (DOF), the amount of the picture in focus from foreground to background. A small aperture such as F22 and known perversely as a high F-stop will give you the biggest DOF, but the smallest amount of light getting through (image1). A larger aperture say F5.6 or low F-stop will reduce the amount of the background and also foreground in focus, which can be desirable for some arty macro shots (image 2) or to disguise the backgrounds in our images (image 3). It will also allow a lot more light though, which can be useful for very dark conditions in combination with ISO (More later). In AP, the camera will compensate for the amount of light getting through to the sensor by reducing or increasing the speed automatically. Slow to let more light in and the reverse for less light. If you can get your head round this, you are already on your journey!

For those who want to go straight to full manual Control M, then in addition to aperture, you are also able to control the shutter speed. This is the speed at which the camera’s curtain opens and shuts and thus controls the amount of time that the light hits the sensor. It is important in freezing the action with moving subjects and underwater helps to freeze the shot while we are swaying around in the current. (image 4). It is almost impossible to be as still underwater

Image 4. Grey seal, Lundy UK, freezing the action – F11 1/320th sec ISO 1000

as we are on land! Speed can also help to control the background water colour underwater. A lower speed will give you a brighter colour be it green or blue water (image 5). A higher speed the converse. If you want a black background, for example, in a macro shot, then a high speed will assist (Find out what the highest speed your camera will sync with the internal flash or external strobes and don’t exceed this if using an artificial light source). In manual, the camera settings are used together harmoniously to create the best exposure, i.e. desired DOF, and the background lighting level and also to help freeze the action.

The next setting is ISO, which is the equivalent of film speed for old film cameras. You can adjust this whether in M or AP or fully automatic. ISO is how sensitive your camera is to light. Each ISO number be it higher or lower is a doubling or halving of the sensor’s sensitivity to light. Be aware that the higher the ISO, the more digital noise will be introduced, which degrades the image quality, so be aware of the optimum maximum ISO for your particular camera. More recent cameras can handle higher ISO settings very well and thus ISO is a very useful tool in getting the best exposure.

Say you want to take a black background macro shot with lots of detail. Set a high Aperture, say F22 for maximum DOF, a high speed to darken the background. Take a shot and the image is too dark. Increase the ISO in combination with these settings to allow more light in and the image

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Image 5. Whip coral goby, blue background – F16 1/50th sec

Image 6. Grey seal, Lundy, UK - F22 1/320th sec ISO 1000

becomes lighter. Its trial and error, but you will get a feel for the right settings.

I haven’t yet mentioned in any detail strobe lighting.

Basically, we need to introduce artificial lighting underwater to bring back the vibrant colours we see underwater with our torches. Bear in mind that red disappears very quickly to our eyes, so at 5m we won’t pick red up. At 20m everything is mostly a green-blue. It is important therefore to introduce inbuilt or external flash/strobe lighting to make our images pop with colour. Don’t though assume that the flash will

light up a very dark image on its own. My rule is to get the exposure right first and then introduce the strobe light to paint the picture with colour, whether this is just part of the foreground or a critter. Underwater flash photography is very different from land flash photography as the water column will reduce the effectiveness very quickly with distance. So going back to my macro settings of F22 and a high speed, introduce strobe lighting to pick out the subject in full colour and adjust the strobe intensity and ISO in combination to achieve the desired look that you are after in your image (image 6). All digital cameras have LCDs to review your images so you can easily review what you are taking and adjust accordingly. When you use strobe lighting though, please remember about the intensity of the light falling off very quickly, so the adage of ‘when you think you are close, get closer applies!’ We all think we are closer than we are underwater.

The closer you get to your subject, the less water column between the camera and the subject and the less suspended particles getting in the way of clearer images.

Generally speaking, beginners or novice underwater photographers will find Macro and close-up photography easier to start with. I strongly suggest that you start with this type of photography first. Practice on land with your camera with the various settings I have described and see if you can take a shot of a small ornament or flower with a black background (image7). When this is achieved easily then move onto more shots with open or low apertures to see if you can blur the background with an out-of-focus look, or bokeh, as it is described photographically. Don’t be frightened of adjusting aperture and speed in Image 7. Tulips in my garden, black background M or just the aperture – F16 1/320th Sec ISO 200 in AP. Help lighten or darken the scene with small adjustments of ISO and then introduce some flash lighting. If you can achieve this on land, then you will be very well prepared for your next dive with a camera. Next time I will take you through some more basics to slowly build up your expertise and knowledge, but like everything in life, practice and practice to get better! n

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SHAKE OFF THE DUST AND RETURN TO DIVING

or many, 2020 and 2021 forced people indoors and caused a host of cancellations, including weekend getaways and diving holidays. While some fortunate divers continued to dive thanks to access to local waters, many didn’t have that luxury and were forced to take time off from the sport. Now, there are glimmers of hope emerging that returning to the water is just around the corner.

While scheduling and planning dive trips may be a welcome task, be prepared that those first few dives may feel tough. There may be a bit of rust. Personal fitness levels may have waned - when communities were locked down, access to gyms evaporated and unless an individual made it a priority to exercise at home or outside, overall fitness may have deteriorated. Muscle memory will only get you so far and ignoring current fitness level could make for an uncomfortable and unsafe first dive back.

It’s perfectly fine that your fitness may have suffered over the last few months, and it’s important to consider that factor as you return to the sport. Scuba diving can be quite a physical challenge when you calculate lifting heavy tanks or

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swimming against currents. As a new dive season kicks off, here are some considerations:

Getting fit for the season

When scuba diving, it can be really easy to forget the physical fitness levels needed to perform safely in the water, thanks to currents and a seemingly weightless environment (with proper buoyancy control, of course). But even a relaxed, easy dive can spike your heart rate and cause changes in blood flow. An emergency could create even more physical exertion. Physical demands increase as equipment, sea state and entry and exit conditions intensify.

This is why it’s important for divers to assess and maintain personal fitness. In a non-pandemic year, it’s recommended that divers perform about 30 to 60 minutes of exercise three to four times per week to ensure they meet the demands of diving. Because the pandemic altered fitness regimes for many, plan weeks ahead of that first dive to rebuild your fitness levels. Just like a person gearing up for their first marathon, you won’t be able to run 42.2km right out of the gate — you need to gradually build up the strength,

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Anything can happen while diving, which makes it crucial to stay physically fit and maintain an exercise regimen stamina and endurance. In those weeks before your dive, slowly crank up your fitness with a mix of both low- and highintensity workouts — walking, running, yoga, lifting weights, cycling and swimming are all great options with their own benefits. Don’t anticipate your body being able to perform where it was pre-pandemic. The aim is to re-establish and strengthen endurance and cardiovascular fitness.

Timing is everything

As your workout regimen gets a boost, be mindful of exercise timing. Performing exercise too close to diving can be incredibly problematic. Increased physical activity could raise the chances of bubble formation, which could indicate an increased risk for decompression sickness (DCS). If you exercise too soon after a dive, you could also stimulate bubble formation through a combination of factors. To reduce the risk of DCS, it is best to avoid exercise 24 hours before and after diving.

If you’re truly concerned about your upcoming dive and your current fitness levels, consult your doctor - this is also an adequate way to monitor overall personal health. For divers older than 45, a cardiac stress test is a good indicator of physical fitness and helps determine heart health.

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Rust is natural

Anything can happen while diving, which makes it crucial to stay physically fit and maintain an exercise regimen. And while it may be tempting to brush this aspect off and go straight to the boat, don’t let your pride stand in the way of your personal safety. In addition to rebuilding physical fitness levels, be sure to check your own gear - from snorkel down to fins - for any leaks, tears or problems, and take a refresher skills course to stay sharp.

Remember you’re not alone in this - other divers had to take time off, too. You can lean on them for guidance and tips. While those first few dives may feel a bit rusty, take it easy and listen to your body.

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BEYOND TECHNICAL

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Truk Lagoon

Is 60,000 photographs excessive for a two-week dive trip? Not when you are aiming to record the iconic ‘Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon’ via photogrammetry, as Marcus Blatchford explains Photographs by Marcus Blatchford and Pete Mesley / www.petemesley.com

Being a self-funded project, it became very clear that there was a huge difference between the wish list for kit and the cost of extra baggage with the airlines - I really would have to take only the essentials for the project and, if weight allowed, then add some clothes and personal items

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s I am sure all wreck divers can appreciate, the wonderful hunks of metal we spend our time swimming around are forever changing, rusting and degrading as Mother Nature takes them back. After 76 years, the Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon is no different. With technological advancements and one man’s dream, I have been lucky enough to be assisting in spearheading a huge project - a project to scan, survey and capture the Ghost Fleet, so it may last forever.

For many years, Pete Mesley has organised and lead trips to this Mecca for wreck divers. Over the years, Pete has seen the wrecks evolve as they decay. This visible change combined with seeing first-hand the illegally salvaged missing wrecks in the Java Sea sparked the idea to capture the Chuukese wrecks in a way that will last for eternity. With recent advances in technology, namely photogrammetry, the time had come to start the process to capture and document. With my experience in photogrammetry, desire to push the technological boundaries and knowledge of the Ghost Fleet, I was invited to play a part in the project - very excited at the opportunity to be part of such a prestigious project, on the outside I tried to stay calm and composed as I said ‘okay’.

With the project evolving from an idea to reality, now the hard work of planning had to begin. How could we do it?

How much could we achieve on the first trip? What kit was required and how was I going to get it there? What would be the optimal method of scanning? How would I process, and to what level? Being a self-funded project, it became very clear that there was a huge difference between the wish list for kit and the cost of extra baggage with the airlines - I really would have to take only the essentials for the project and, if weight allowed, then add some clothes and personal items. So what would be required?

• Basic dive kit – mask, fins, wetsuit, DSMB • Life support - rebreather, two sets of bailout regs • Photographic equipment - camera, housing, arms, lighting • In-water propulsion - DPV/scooter • Processing hardware – Top-spec MacBook Pro, back-up hard drives • Ancillary cables and chargers for above

The Aikoku Maru is encrusted with marine growth

All of the this weighed in at around 120kg - far too much both financially in excess luggage and physically for one person to navigate four different airports with!

After a lot of whittling down and ‘do I really need this’ conversations with myself, I finally managed two 23kg bags, one 32kg bag, carry-on bag and laptop bag - I even managed to pack some clean clothes!

The Betty Bomber

The Amagisan Maru

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Side view of the Gosei Maru

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So how did I plan for us to scan the wrecks? With Pete having to do his ‘day job’, the majority of the scanning was down to me. With the camera mounted to the front of my scooter, I estimated I should be able to scan around 10,000m2 per hour. During the hour, the camera would capture 3,600 photos or one every second. Those 3,600 images would equate to around 128GB of data.

A decision I had to make at home was whether to use strobe or constant lighting. I would have used both if I had enough weight allowance - they each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

The strobes offer more light power (albeit in very short flashes) for the weight, however, video lights don’t have a recharge time between flashes but are heavy. Ultimately the weight allowance made my choice for me - strobes it was. My scooter, the Dive-Xtras CUDA 400 has a runtime of 120 minutes.

To make the most of the scooter runtime, my camera would require two 128GB cards and my strobes may be asked to fire up to 7,200 times on a dive - this certainly wasn’t going to be a holiday for me or my kit! How much did I think we could achieve on the first trip? From the very beginning I was aware that there wasn’t enough time to recharge scooters between dives, so I planned it likely to do a scooter dive in the morning and swim in the afternoon. As well as the strain on the kit, I had to consider my own wellbeing.

Taking into account the theoretical 10,000m2/hour and keeping run times within 150 minutes using a 50/70 gradient factor, all going well I assumed two scooter dive hours per wreck should be enough for complete scans this was of course assuming visibility, currents, equipment and personal health were playing ball. Based on 12 dive days, I estimated six models should be achieved over the course of the trip - more if Pete was able to assist with the scanning. n NB: Find out how the scanning mission went in part two next issue.

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orld War Two came to New Guinea in January 1942 when the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Rabaul in New Britain, turning the region into a major theatre of war in the battle for the Pacific. There were many brutal encounters between the Japanese and the defending Allied forces.

Conditions were often appalling, and the fighting was incredibly fierce, with many young lives lost on both sides.

World War Two was the first time that air power played a major role in combat and both sides had some formidable aircraft in action during the campaign for New Guinea.

War is, of course, deadly by nature, but for the pilots and crew of those aircraft, the rate of attrition was particularly high. Many of them were shot out of the sky, others suffered mechanical failures, while others just got lost and simply ran out of fuel. The majority of those planes have never been found because they came down in remote jungle locations or far out to sea. But some have, and the story of the underwater wrecks offer a unique insight into a time long gone.

B17F Black Jack

Lying in deep water just off the fringing reef from Boga Boga village on the tip of Cape Vogel is what many consider to be the best aircraft wreck in Papua New Guinea. The wreck is the B-17F Black Jack Flying Fortress, which takes its name from the last two digits of its serial number 41-24521 – 21 is a ‘blackjack hand’ in the card game of Pontoon.

Black Jack’s final flight was on 10 July 1943, when it left 7-Mile Airdrome in Port Moresby on a mission to bomb the Japanese airfields at Rabaul in New Britain. The flight was troubled from soon after take-off with two of the four engines developing problems, however the pilot Ralph De Loach and his crew of nine managed to reach Rabaul and deliver their bombs.

On the return journey Black Jack ran into a violent storm on approach to the coast of New Guinea, a situation De Loach later described as ‘the blackest of black nights…

the worst flying weather I’d ever seen in my life’. Low on fuel and with two malfunctioning engines, De Loach decided to head southeast towards Milne Bay, but was forced to ditch the plane at Boga Boga. The crew survived the landing and scrambled out of Black Jack before it sank down to the sandy seabed 50m below, where it lay undisturbed for another 43 years. The discovery of Black Jack reads like an adventure novel, with three Australians - Rod Pierce, Bruce Johnson and David Pennefather - stumbling on the wreck almost by accident in late-December 1986 while searching for a completely different wreck…

The villagers had told Pennefather about a plane crashing near their reef in World War Two and he believed it might be the Australian Beaufort A9, which had crash-landed off Cape Vogel in November 1942. Pierce, Johnson and Pennefather organized an exploration trip on Pierce’s liveaboard diveboat MV Barbarian to search for the wreck.

Pearce found Black Jack as he made his way along the edge of the fringing reef at Boga Boga and, for someone who had dedicated his life to wreck diving, it was like finding the Holy Grail… Over the next few days they dived the wreck as much as its depth of 50m would allow, entering the inside of the plane and finding the Radio Call Plate and 24521 serial number - which

Scuba Diver’s Senior Travel Editor Don Silcock takes us on a tour of some of the best aircraft wrecks in Papua New Guinea’s waters Photographs by Don Silcock

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diving png’s best

AIRCRAFT wrecks

Expanding across the Pacific and the east Asian mainland, forces sought to conquer territory for the Japanese Empire, and, in particular, to drive out western influences in the region. By 1941, they had expanded far south and Australia was in their sights!

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allowed them to identify it as Black Jack. Diving the wreck is a unique experience as the plane is so intact and it is almost like a set from a Hollywood movie! The nose is badly crumpled from the impact of the landing and the propellers on the four engines are somewhat twisted, but the rest of the plane is all there and is a quite remarkable sight after over 70 years underwater.

Kimbe Bay’s Zero Wreck

As the story is told around the bar at Walindi, the day the Zero was found by local villager William Nui was not long after a small plane had crashed on take-off from Hoskins Airport in Kimbe Bay. So, when William saw a plane laying on the sandy sea floor, he thought he had found the wreckage of the recent crash - not that of a World War Two Japanese fighter plane that had remained undisturbed for nearly 60 years!

William took his story to the local authorities and word of the discovery made it to the late Max Benjamin at Walindi Plantation Dive Resort, who doubted the veracity but felt that it should be checked out.

What Max found was a World War Two Mitsubishi Zero in quite remarkable condition with no signs of bullet holes or combat damage to indicate it had been shot down. Rather the ‘off’ position on the throttle lever and the pitch control set to reduce air speed clearly pointed to a controlled crash landing. The aircraft’s serial number and date were still visible on the wreck, and military records show that the plane went missing during the battle of Cape Gloucester on 27 December 1943. The pilot on that day was Tomiharu Honda and local legend is that he was helped ashore by nearby villagers and guided back to Japanese-held territory.

New Ireland’s Deep Pete

While Rabaul was Japan’s main regional base, Kavieng in nearby New Ireland also played a significant role and the original Australian-built airfield was expanded and a seaplane base established. Both became important targets for the Allied forces when the tide of war turned and as a result there are more known aircraft wrecks around Kavieng than anywhere else in PNG and my personal favorite is the Deep Pete. The plane is a Mitsubishi F1M floatplane, which was designed and built to be launched by catapult from battleships, cruisers and aircraft tenders and used for reconnaissance missions.

The F1M was a biplane, with a single large central float and stabilizing floats at each end of the lower wing and early versions suffered from poor directional stability in flight, and were prone to ‘porpoise’ when on the water, which may explain why the wreck is actually there…

Deep Pete

Zero fighter in flight... ...and on the seabed in Kimbe Bay

Vast shoal of snapper

Don Silcock

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

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04/11/2021 07:24

Aircraft wrecks have a totally different ‘feel’ to shipwrecks

Allied and Japanese aircraft played a very significant role in the fighting in PNG. Because of that many planes were lost – either shot down in combat, mechanical failure and simply running out of fuel.

Only a fraction of those lost aircraft have ever been located. Not really surprising, given the distances involved and the terrain of Papua New Guinea.

What makes the Deep Pete so photogenic is the resident school of yellow sweetlips that stream in and around the wings plus the batfish and barracuda that patrol in the clear blue waters above the wreck The name ‘Pete’ comes from the way the Allied Forces identified enemy aircraft during World War Two as the actual Japanese naming convention was difficult to understand and pronounce. So, the Allies used code-names instead, with men’s names were given to fighter aircraft, women’s names to bombers and transport planes, bird names to gliders and tree names to trainer aircraft.

The wreck of the Pete floatplane is located on the western side of Nusa Lik (small Nusa) Island which, along with Big Nusa Island, provides the shelter for Kavieng’s harbour.

The wreck lies on its back, with the remains of its main float sticking up, on flat white sand in 40m of water – hence the name Deep Pete. As it is on the Pacific Ocean side of Kavieng, diving it on an incoming tide, means that the visibility is often exceptional and usually in excess of 30 metres.

Although its tail is broken, its biplane shape is remarkably intact given the relatively lightweight and fragile nature of the aircraft. What makes the Deep Pete so photogenic is the resident school of yellow sweetlips that stream in and around the wings plus the batfish and barracuda that patrol in the clear blue waters above the wreck.

At just 9.5 metres long and with a wingspan of 11 metres, Deep Pete is not a big wreck but given its depth and the square profile of the dive, there is rarely enough time to fully explore it.

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New Ireland’s Catalina Wreck

The wreck of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) PBY Catalina A24-11 lays in 20m near the entrance to Kavieng’s harbour. The Catalina flying boat was developed by the US Navy in the 1930s as a long-range patrol bomber and, although slow and somewhat ungainly, they served with distinction during World War Two. PBY A24-11 had taken off from Rabaul with six other RAAF Catalinas on a mission to attack the Japanese base at Truk Lagoon and had landed at Kavieng to refuel before heading north into the Pacific. After refueling at Nusa Island, the Catalinas took off again one by one, but disaster struck A2411 when one of its wing bombs exploded during take-off.

The force of the explosion killed the crew instantly and sent what was left of the Catalina to the bottom, where it lay until 2000, when Rod Pierce found the wreckage.

The engines are what makes the Catalina wreck special as they stand proud on the seabed, surrounded by those parts of the plane not obliterated in the explosion, and my thoughts always return to the brave crew suspended in the flimsy fuselage below those massive engines. Like all the crews of the aircraft wrecks of Papua New Guinea, they were simply doing their duty to their country. Some lived to tell the tale, but many did not and those wrecks are poignant reminders of the sacrifices they made. n

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never dived between my first Discover Scuba on Magnetic Island in 2001 and my Open Water Course in Vanuatu nine years later as I had no idea how accessible and rewarding temperate diving could be in my home state of Victoria.

The Mornington Peninsula - where I have now dived over 1,000 times - is one of Victoria’s mostpopular tourist destinations, serviced by no less than five scuba centres. Many of the piers dotted along its picturesque coast offer easy access to the relatively calm waters of Melbourne’s 1,930 square kilometre Port Phillip Bay. These piers offer exciting underwater playgrounds for divers and underwater photographers of all levels. Current is rarely an issue, and a reliable system of webcams - coupled with weather apps to assess wind speed, direction and swell for each site - assists with dive planning. Year round, and at any time day or night, divers park their cars and within minutes are submerged in water 3m-10m deep, straight off the shore or via giant stride from pier landings. Water temperatures range from 10°C in winter (making drysuit diving, gloves, hoods and thermals a popular choice), to 22°C in summer.

Undeterred, divers avail themselves of the relative safety and simple navigation of pier diving, as well as easy access to marine life diversity that rivals the Great Barrier Reef. Because of their close proximity, it’s not uncommon for divers to explore two or three piers across a day - double and triple The blue-ringed octopus is roughly 20cm dives at one pier are also popular (Care must be in length, but it is one of the most taken, particularly in summer when fishing hooks, venomous animals in the ocean. boat and jet ski traffic abound in the same shallow Its bite causes paralysis in the waters).

Blairgowrie Pier

Attached to a bustling marina, the expansive T-shaped Blairgowrie Pier has a dedicated divers pontoon and ladder and is diveable in most conditions. The substrate is comprised of sand, weed and shell, appealing to muck divers searching for nudibranchs, gobies, dragonets, velvetfish, stargazers

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muscles and can easily kill an adult human!

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A WELL-KEPT

SECRET revealed

PT Hirschfield explores the piers of the Mornington Peninsula, which are home to a veritable smorgasbord of marine life Photographs by PT Hirschfield, Ruth Betteridge & Gary Bell WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM.AU

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and other fish life. Hundreds of pylons supporting wooden and concrete seawalls are encrusted with kelp, sponges and ascidians, harbouring seahorses, decorator crabs and sea stars. Baby seahorses and pipefish can often be found swimming just beneath the surface. Those with sharp eyes may detect cryptic tasseled anglerfish along the seawalls.

Concrete matting covered by growth and running the length of the pier from the pontoon provides seasonal sanctuary for giant cuttlefish, stingarees and Port Jackson sharks. Fiddler rays and enormous smooth rays cruise between the fishing end of the pier and the shallows.

your eyes peeled the whole way for occys resting inside bricks, toilets and tubes, engaged in mating behaviours, or going for their morning, afternoon or evening strolls.

While you might meet some friendly stingrays, those who encounter a wobbegong or who cross paths with a little penguin or some of Port Phillip Bay’s resident dolphin population consider themselves to be especially lucky!

Note: It’s anticipated that Rye Pier will undergo reconstruction from early-mid 2022 which will exclude divers from diving until construction is complete.

Rye Pier

On the opposite side of the peninsula, Flinders Pier offers easy access via shore (the vis tends to clear as you swim) or an easy walk down a concrete pier to the divers platform (which can only be used to exit on high tide). Exposed to Westernport Bay, conditions at Flinders are considerably less predictable and more tide and swell dependent than piers on the Port Phillip side. Aim for flooding tide with swell under a metre for the best chance of minimal surge and decent vis. Northerly winds (typically avoided at the other piers) are viable here as you search for Victoria’s iconic marine emblem, the weedy seadragon. These gentle creatures are almost guaranteed to be floating slowly over thick carpets of weeds, around the base of pylons, and directly beneath the fishing end of the pier.

Marine life here can include Maori octopuses, large smooth rays, Shaws and ornate cowfish, grass whiting and rainbow cale. Occasional draughtboard and Port Jackson sharks and giant cuttlefish also make an appearance.

The 360-metre L-shaped Rye Pier is renowned for spider crab aggregations, and its reputation as ‘The Octopuses’ Garden’ often proves well deserved, with pale, maori, southern keeled, sand and blue ringed octopuses frequently present. Entry is from the shore across several sand banks (preferably on high tide) or via a long pier walk to a wide divers platform; stairs go down into the water, followed by direct descent into 3-4m depth. The absence of sea walls attached to this pier facilitates ample light on a sunny day.

Seahorses, goatfish, globefish and more are frequently seen as you swim the length of the pier - hunting cormorants sometimes duck and weave between divers. If you’re willing to venture beyond the pier, count three pylons right from the elbow, then follow star pickets out to an unkempt pile of metal, bricks, concrete and a shopping trolley guarded by a faded lion statue, known as ‘Elsa’s Reef’. Follow more pickets from this trolley to more trolleys and toilets. Keep

Flinders Pier

…it’s definitely the sea dragons that set divers’ hearts and camera shutters aflutter, especially in October/November when males carry bright pink corn cobs of eggs on their tails Snorkeller with a spider crab

Spider crabs have a thick shell-type skin with small spines and tubercles. These spiny tubercles also cover the carapace, which in turn blends with the ocean floor, highlighting their ability to camouflage.

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Rye Pier

Weedy seadragon with eggs at Flinders Pier

Note - 180 metres of wooden pylons running parallel to the concrete pier are slated to be removed in the near future; this may impact diver access when underway.

can yield a cornucopia of critters.

Portsea and Sorrento Piers

Mornington Pier

Portsea Pier, near the western tip of the peninsula, is the meeting site for charter boat dives into Port Phillip Bay. While the site is quite surgy due to dredging, diving it on ebb tide is less challenging (particularly for shore exits!).

Small rocks covering the substrate are home to sea slugs and related molluscs. Weedy seadragons are common here, and lucky divers might spot a goblinfish. There’s often a large school of globefish near the junction of the L-shaped pier, and simple structures towards the fishing end are worth investigating.

Sorrento Pier can only be dived at night, once the Sorrento to Queenscliff ferry has finished for the day. This site is subject to strong currents, so is suited to experienced divers. On the right night, this pier and the sandy shallows Mating seahorses at Rye Pier

While the favourite of some divers, Mornington is considered by others to be more trouble than it’s worth due to boat hazards and often quite silty vis. Conditions typically range from average to diabolical when the wind pounds through, and sections that look like ancient underwater ruins are testament to some of the more-destructive impacts of raw nature across the life of the pier. Entry is either down a short ladder onto a slippery concrete ledge, or a giant stride directly from the carpark platform.

While not considered a premium dive site by most divers, Mornington offers greater depth (around 10m). It’s not uncommon to find fiddler rays that have found themselves tethered to the substrate by line and hooks, so taking a line cutter is a wise choice.

Conclusion

Shallow shore dives without tide restrictions allow for dives as long as your air lasts or until you get cold (whichever comes first). Whether you spend a day, weekend, week or lifetime diving Mornington Peninsula’s piers, you can almost always look forward to easy diving with a high chance of epic critters. What more could you possibly want? n Diver beneath Blairgowrie Pier

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Each issue, the Scuba Diver test team bring you the latest product and equipment releases from the dive industry. Cannot wait for the next edition? Keep up-to-date with all the latest gear news and reviews by heading over to the Scuba Diver YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/ScubaDiverMagazine

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Ammonite is a brand most well-known for its robust range of dive lights, but now it has launched a compact T-valve designed for use with heated suit systems. www.ammonitesystem.com

DIVEPRO S17 | SRP: US$160

The DivePro S17 is a company primary LED dive light, which via its CREE XHP35 LED pumps out 1,700 lumen at full power. You get 120 minutes of run time at full power, and a whopping 2,400 minutes at low power, which still pumps out 85 lumen. It takes six hours to charge up, and is charged via a USB cable.

The DivePro S17 is depth-rated to 100m and the light functions are operated via a stainless-steel push button. www.divepro.com

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SUBLUE NAVBOW+ UNDERWATER SCOOTER SRP: AUD$1,899

Have an extraordinary diving experience unrivalled in its class. Introducing the Navbow+, a new generation of underwater scooter. Experience cutting-edge technology with smart safety features and undeniable power and speed. Equipped with three-speed switches, a digital compass, intelligent APP control, and more to take your diving experience to the next level. Navbow+ is the fastest among Sublue’s underwater scooters with three speed switches of up to 2m/s. With their advanced and patented waterproof batteries, it can operate at depths of up to 40m with a long-lasting battery of up to 60 minutes.

Navbow+ offers superior smart safety features, including a flashing OLED screen, buzzer, and auto-shutdown if something goes wrong during your dive. You can even use the APP to set the depth and battery alarms. So head out into the water and feel safe knowing that your underwater scooter has got you covered. With Sublue’s cutting-edge technology, confidently head out into the water and use the built-in compass, as well as the water depth and temperature sensors of Navbow+. This will help you better navigate your journey underwater. With their latest anti-corrosion technology, Navbow+ is designed to be extra durable with hassle-free maintenance. This is to ensure that you’ll be able to enjoy Navbow+ for a really long time. Sublue definitely aim to give you value for your money. Capture the most stunning underwater images with Navbow+. It can mount a Sublue photography platform (sold separately) where you can attach action cameras, waterproof LED lights, float arms, etc.

Moreover, you can easily customize it according to your thirst for an underwater adventure.

Select Navbow+ on the app to generate your underwater experience logs, such as the water depth and temperature throughout your whole dive. Then, make sure your family and friends know what you’re up to by sharing these logs on social media. Exclusively distributed in Australia by underwater.com.au

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TEASER – FOURTH ELEMENT SCOUT SRP: AUD$TBC – AVAILABLE LATE-JANUARY

Available later this month, Fourth Element’s Scout mask is the company’s first foray into diving hardware. With a choice of four lenses, designed for different diving conditions, this single lens mask features super-soft silicone skirts and a further choice of four different mask straps, all made from recycled nylon and recycled plastic from the auto-industry.

So you can create your own mask, whether you are taking photos, diving in temperate waters or snorkelling in bright tropical seas. We’ve tried them - full review coming soon. www.fourthelement.com

NAUTILUS STROBE | SRP: AUD$222

The Nautilus strobe is a high-end option for use as either a personal or marker strobe. Ideal for divers and shot lines, it emits an extremely bright flash, which can be seen a considerable distance underwater.

Made from aircraft-grade aluminium alloy, it is equipped with a CREE XM-L2 U2 emitter, and has a brightness from 0-2,500 lumens. It is depth rated to 100m and is operated via a magnetic rotate switch. www.nautilus.uk

SCUBAPRO S-TEK RANGE The new S-Tek Technical Diving programme re-invents the classic backplate and wing system with a clever design focused on adjustability, fit and comfort. A comprehensive line of accessories rounds out the collection offering a unified programme for technical divers. The revolutionary design combines premium materials and durable construction with purist features and technology - 3D formed backplates with fully radiused edges, softened organic shape and recessed wingnut socket increase diver comfort; angled webbing slots optimise webbed harness threading, offering greater comfort and reduces webbing abrasion over time; and durable S-Tek donuts feature rounded profiles, allowing for smooth, controlled air migration and a new best-in-class Scubapro-designed K-Style inflator.

The S-Tek is available as a Pro System, with molded Monprene pads that cushion shoulders, waist and back for increased comfort, and highly adjustable TEK LOK shoulders that contribute to a snug, individualised fit, and as a Pure System, with a continuous webbing harness and a stainless-steel waist buckle that provides a custom, individualised fit.

A comprehensive line of accessories rounds out the collection offering a unified programme for technical divers, including single tank adapter, bungee regulator necklace, low profile or cold-water stage kits, trim weights kit, pro fluid form weight system, expedition thigh pocket, expedition Reels, spinner spools, cookie monster and arrow monster markers, glide, D-ring and bolt snap hardware and exclusive colour kits. www.scubapro.com

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Each issue, the Scuba Diver test team bring you the latest product and equipment releases from the dive industry. Cannot wait for the next edition? Keep up-to-date with all the latest gear news and reviews by heading over to the Scuba Diver YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/ScubaDiverMagazine

FOURTH ELEMENT J2 BASELAYER | SRP: AUD$162 EACH

Mark Evans: There is nothing worse than feeling cold when you go for a dive, and if you want to keep diving right here in the UK through the winter months, then some proper, effective thermal protection is essential. I tend to dive in my Fourth Element Halo 3D all year round, and even in the depths of winter, I have generally been able to last for a full dive, but call me nesh, I had taken to wearing a basic base layer under it for that little bit of extra core warmth when it got really cold.

Son and heir Luke was keen to rub in the fact that along with his Fourth Element Hydra neoprene drysuit and Xerotherm undersuit, he also had a J2 baselayer – and I didn’t! – but that was rectified in the run up to Christmas and so we were both able to head off for dives properly bundled up with our J2s under our respective undersuits and drysuits.

Now some people might baulk at the thought of shelling out over $300 for a base layer top and bottom, when you can pick up a basic base layer set for under $30 in your local

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supermarket, but they say you get what you pay for, and in the case of the J2, that certainly holds true. This is not your ‘normal’ baselayer, it is an extremely advanced garment.

The J2 baselayer was developed specifically for the US Deep Caving Team’s 2013 expedition to explore the Cheve cave system in Mexico. Keeping the skin dry can be critical to success on an epic exploration such as this, whether it is staying warm, or preventing infections, and the J2 baselayer was designed to wick perspiration away from the skin and maintain a dry zone next to the skin. Air is a better insulator than water and consequently, the baselayer ensured better thermal protection. The J2 baselayer system takes this performance further with tried-and-tested antimicrobial silver ions embedded within the fibres of the fabric, which enables long, repetitive wear without the risk of skin infections developing – this was critical during the 2013 expedition.

The J2 wicking performance also comes into its own when the fabric gets wet. Water is wicked away from the skin, and with the right combination of drysuit underwear, further away though the fibres of the undersuit. Even in the event of a suit flood, the J2 will retain some of its performance.

Silver ions are incorporated into the fibres when they are manufactured, ensuring that the bacteriostatic and antifungal properties of the fabric last. This cannot be washed off. The silver ions prevent the formation of bacterial cell membranes, preventing most bacteria from growing in the fibres of the garment. However, this will not adversely affect the naturally occurring bacteria on the skin itself.

A simple, close-fitting design with flat seams for next-to-skin comfort offers the perfect solution under any drysuit underwear. This top is not only easy to don, it has good aesthetics and is extremely comfortable thanks to excellent all-way stretch fabric and flat seams.

We found that you do have a fetching ‘waffle’ pattern left in your skin after wearing it, but it is incredibly comfortable.

You would not think adding a thin baselayer under your undersuit could make such a difference, but it really does – the additional warmth from the J2 was immediately obvious, and even more so towards the end of hour-long dives. I tested the works-when-wet claim when I forgot to adequately treat the zipper on my plastic T-Zip and got a constant trickle into my drysuit for the entire dive. I was wet, but the J2 – and the Halo 3D – kept the water away from my body and I only realised I had suffered a leak when I got out of my suit at the end of the dive.

The thing about the J2 is that it can be employed for many different uses – I have already worn it when walking the dog on frosty winter days, and when mountain biking in North Wales when the temperatures dropped to single figures. It is so comfy, you can even lounge around in it at home! www.fourthelement.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

SHELLHARBOUR SCUBA & PHOTOGRAPHY t: 02 4296 4266 e: info@shellharbourscuba.com.au a: 41 Addison Street, Shellharbour, NSW, 2529 Free guided shore diving at Bass Point reserve.

SDI/TDI scuba training. Dive photography & travel.

Retail Sales, hire & servicing. www.shellharbourscuba.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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KPT DIVING & MARINE SERVICES t: 07 4783 1519 e: info@yongaladive.com.au a: 36 Braby Street, Alva, QLD, 4807 We provide unique trips, including a beach launch & a fast, exhilarating ride to the dive site! www.yongaladive.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 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

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

SCUBA COURSES PTY LTD t: 0407 580 580 e: simon@scubacourses.com.au a: 1/83, Mount Barker Road, Stirling, SA 5152 PADI Dive Centre, Open Water through to Assistant Instructor courses, and specialties. Tank fills and shop. PADI MSDT, experienced instructors. www.scubacourses.com.au

WESTERN AUSTRALIA OCTOPUS GARDEN DIVE CHARTERS t: 0438925011 e: kimroyce@gateway.net.au a: Casuarina Boat Harbour, Bunbury, WA, 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, WA, 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

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AUSTRALIA

NEW ZEALAND

VICTORIA

AUCKLAND

NORTHLAND

OCEANSUITS

KIWI DIVERS NZ LTD

SUBAQUA DIVE CENTRE

t: 03 9702 4993 e: sales@oceansuits.com.au a: Unit 3, 101 Wedgewood road, Hallam, Victoria, 3803 Australia’s foremost authority on wetsuits and drysuits. Manufacture custom wetsuits. Miraculous repairs service all brands, styles for over 30 years. www.oceansuits.com.au

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

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

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

NEW ZEALAND AUCKLAND AQUATECH 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

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

WAIHEKE DIVE & SNORKEL 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

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

TAURANGA DIVE ZONE TAURANGA t: 0064 7578 4050 e: info@divezonetauranga.co.nz a: 1213 Cameron Rd, Tauranga, New Zealand Join our friendly crew for a great day out exploring the dive sites of the Bay of Plenty, you will be well looked after onboard our comfortable Dive Boat Ruku Moana. www.divezonetauranga.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

NORTHLAND DIVE NOW

GLOBAL DIVE

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

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

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

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SOUTHLAND

PAIHIA DIVE

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

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First coral IVF babies on the Reef have produced next generation

T

he first coral IVF babies on the Great Barrier Reef have produced the next generation as part of this year’s mass coral spawning event, becoming the first time a breeding population has been established on the Great Barrier Reef using the innovative process.

Researchers have found 22 large coral colonies that were born through the first coral IVF trial on the Reef in 2016 have survived a bleaching event, grown to maturity and were filled with eggs and sperm ready to spawn after the recent full moon. Many of the other smaller colonies are not quite large enough to reproduce, but should be breeding next year. Great Barrier Reef Foundation Managing Director Anna Marsden said: “We couldn’t be more excited to see that these coral babies have grown from microscopic larvae to the size of dinner plates, having not only survived a bleaching event but are now reproducing themselves – helping to produce larvae that can restore a degraded reef.

“Our Reef is an irreplaceable ecosystem that is home to many thousands of marine species, but it’s under threat from climate change. We need to reduce emissions as well as pioneer new solutions to help reefs recover and adapt to the warmer temperatures we’re already locked into.

“After seeing the potential of this game-changing technique the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and its partners brought coral IVF to the Reef back in 2016 bringing together people and science to give nature a helping hand.

“Saving the Reef is a huge task, but having proof that this innovative, cutting-edge science works gives us hope.”

Lead Researcher and Southern Cross University Distinguished Professor Peter Harrison said: “Coral IVF is the first project of its kind to re-establish coral on damaged reefs by collecting millions of coral eggs and sperm during the spawning season, growing them into baby corals and releasing them directly onto degraded areas of the Reef.

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“The ultimate aim of this process is to produce new breeding populations of corals in areas of the Reef that no longer have enough live corals present due to being damaged by the effects of climate change.

“This is a thrilling result to see these colonies we settled during the first small-scale pilot study on Heron Island grow over five years and become sexually reproductive.

“The larvae generated from these spawning corals have dispersed within the Heron Island lagoon and may settle on patches of reef nearby, helping to further restore other reef patches that have been impacted by climate change.

“This has given me and the rest of the team renewed enthusiasm as we research additional techniques on Lizard Island, through the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Programme in collaboration with CSIRO, QUT and with support from Australian Institute of Marine Science, that will enable us to scale up and optimise this technique.”

The Reef Restoration and Adaptation Programme is the world’s largest and most-ambitious effort to develop, test and deploy at-scale protection, restoration and adaptation interventions to ensure that the Great Barrier Reef and coral reefs globally can resist, adapt to, and recover from the impacts of climate change. The Programme is funded by the partnership between the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and is delivered by a collaboration between Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, CSIRO, The University of Queensland, QUT, Southern Cross University and James Cook University. n

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