Scuba Diver ANZ #48 by scubadivermag

EDITHBURGH JETTY

WHY THIS DIVE SITE IS SO POPULAR WITH VISITING DIVERS

A NEAR DEADLY DIVE INSIGHT INTO A DIVE THAT NEARLY WENT TRAGICALLY WRONG

TECH: MARES HORIZON SCR ADRIAN STACEY MAKES HIS FIRST REBREATHER DIVES ON THE NEW UNIT

DON SILCOCK ON THE APPEAL OF SWIMMING WITH FLORIDA’S MANATEES

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

FIJI

DIVERS ALERT NETWORK ISSUE #48

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mark Evans Email: mark@scubadivermag.com DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER Matt Griffiths Email: matt@scubadivermag.com CONTRIBUTORS Deborah Dickson-Smith, Chelsea Haebich, Nigel Marsh 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 (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

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Diving HMAS Tobruk, and trying an SCR The La Nina weather system that has been creating somewhat unfavourable diving conditions around Australia has officially ended… for now! So, with dive conditions improving, I decided to hit the road. My first trip was up to Hervey Bay to dive on the latest addition to the HMAS wrecks scattered around our country’s shores. The HMAS Tobruk was sunk in 2018, and I am amazed at the sheer quantity of marine life the wreck has already attracted. In particular, turtles, which the ship has become an absolute mecca. Look out for my full trip report in an upcoming issue of the magazine. I also took a short trip over to North Stradbroke Island to try out the Horizon SCR rebreather - I have been attempting to do a trydive on this fantastic piece of apparatus for several months, and finally, I got my chance. To read more about my experience, go to the tech section in this edition of the magazine on page 56. In this month’s issue, we also have a great article from Chelsea Haebich about Edithburgh Jetty in South Australia, while Nigel Marsh shares his passion for the unique marine life that can be found around the vast coastline of Australia. Further afield, Deborah Dickson-Smith extolls the virtues of diving in Fiji from Captain Cook Cruises vessel Reef Endeavour, and staying in the Pacific region, Don Silcock provides an in-depth look at diving the fantastic waters of Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea. In a gripping article, PT Hirschfield shares her experience of a near-deadly dive that will make you think twice about just going with the flow! PT also continues her series of interviews with colourful characters from the dive industry. This month, the ‘diving with’ column features Dr Elodie Camprasse. We have a new bi-monthly column from Don Silcock about big animals and where to find them. DivePlanit explains why Raja Ampat is so special, and Alex Mustard continues to offer his sage advice to budding photographers. Plus, we have our regular contributions from PADI, SSI, and DAN. The conservation section this month focuses on marine science projects for the Great Barrier Reef. Enjoy! Adrian Stacey, Editor (Australia & New Zealand)

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EDITHBURGH JETTY

WHY THIS DIVE SITE IS SO POPULAR WITH VISITING DIVERS

A NEAR DEADLY DIVE INSIGHT INTO A DIVE THAT NEARLY WENT TRAGICALLY WRONG

TECH: MARES HORIZON SCR ADRIAN STACEY MAKES HIS FIRST REBREATHER DIVES ON THE NEW UNIT

DON SILCOCK ON THE APPEAL OF SWIMMING WITH FLORIDA’S MANATEES

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

FIJI

DIVERS ALERT NETWORK ISSUE #48

PHOTOGRAPH © WALT STEARNS

Regular columns

Monthly features...

10 News round-up

22 Australia

The world’s deepest shipwreck, Bob Kirby dies, Counting Coral in Fiji, protection for the Endurance, and Velocean and Arenui cruises Indonesia’s waters once more.

P18 DAN Medical Q&A

The Divers Alert Network experts answer a question about Marfan syndrome.

50 Divers Alert Network Asia-Pacific

The team at DAN Asia-Pacific focus on immersion pulmonary oedema, explaining what IPE is, and who is susceptible.

82 Conservation Corner

GBR Biology brings citizen science and other projects to the Great Barrier Reef.

Chelsea Haebich explains why Edithburgh Jetty holds such high regard among avid scuba divers in South Australia.

30 Fiji

There are over 300 islands in Fiji, as well as two of the world’s longest barrier reefs, and some of the best dive sites are found in its more remote corners. Diveplanit Travel’s Deborah Dickson-Smith discovered some hidden gems on a recent cruise with Captain Cook Cruises Fiji.

38 Diving with... Dr Elodie Camprasse

PT Hirshfield chats with marine ecologist Dr Elodie Camprasse, who extols the virtues of Australian waters, and reveals a soft spot for spider crabs.

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...continued

Gear & testing

52 Florida

74 What’s New

Scuba Diver Senior Travel Editor Don Silcock kicks off this series looking at different big animals - and where to find them – with a focus on manatees, and specifically those found in Florida’s Crystal River.

62 Papua New Guinea

Don Silcock explains how this large bay on the eastern tip of the Papua New Guinea’s ‘mainland’ is what first brought the country to the attention of travelling divers and underwater photographers around the world.

68 Unique Australian marine life, pt 1

The Scuba Diver teams looks at a host of new products coming to market, including the Fourth Element Xerotherm hoodie, the Mares XR Rec Ice wing, the Tecline Peanut 16 wing systems, the Apeks Ocea regulator, the Otter Watersports changing mat, the Crest CR-5 wristwarch dive computer, and the Shearwater Research Perdix 2 and Petrel 3 dive computers.

76 Test Extra

Scuba Diver Editorial Director Mark Evans dives the Tecline V1 Ice Tec II regulator.

In the first part of a new series looking at unique Australian marine life, Nigel Marsh focuses his attention on cephalopods, rays and sharks.

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“We are thrilled to be returning in a few months! The reef systems here are the most unspoiled we have seen in our travels around the world and the resort is paradise. We can’t wait to see all our friends at Wakatobi.” ~ Robert and Barbara Hay

An experience without equal At Wakatobi, you don’t compromise on comfort to get away from it all. A private guest flight brings you directly to a remote island, where all the indulgences of a five-star resort and luxury liveaboard await. The Wakatobi dive team will ensure your in-water experiences are perfectly matched to your abilities and interests so your underwater encounters can create memories that will remain vivid and rewarding long after your visit is concluded. While at the resort, or on board the dive yacht Pelagian, you need only ask and the Wakatobi team will provide any service or facility within its power. This unmatched combination of world-renowned reefs and first-class luxuries put Wakatobi in a category all its own.

www.wakatobi.com

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

VESCOVO DISCOVERS WORLD’S DEEPEST SHIPWRECK

eep-diving adventurer Victor Vescovo has discovered the world’s deepest shipwreck – the USS Samuel B Roberts – a destroyer escort that was sunk during the fierce Battle Off Samar in the Philippine Sea back in October 1944. The Texan financier, who owns deep submersible Limiting Factor, found the ‘Sammy B’ lying in 6,895m, with puncture holes from Japanese shells and damage to the bow from where it impacted the seabed, but otherwise reasonably intact. Vescovo, who was a navy reservist, said that it was ‘an extraordinary honour to locate the lost ship and retell its amazing story’. He commented: “The Sammy B engaged the Japanese heavy cruisers at point-blank range and fired so rapidly it exhausted its ammunition – it was down to shooting smoke shells and illumination rounds just to try and set fires on the enemy vessels. It was just an extraordinary act of heroism.” Last year, Vescovo found the destroyer USS Johnston at a depth of 6,460m. He was also the first person to visit the deepest points in the planet›s five oceans, and recently went into space on New Shepard, the rocket developed by Jeff Bezos.

Images © Caladan Oceanic/Eyos Expeditions and US Navy

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DOT’S PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL DIVE EXPO RETURNS IN AUGUST 2022

Time to gear up and get dive-ready as the Department of Tourism (DOT) stages the Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX), the country’s largest platform for the diving community, from 19-21 August 2022 at the SMX Convention Centre in Pasay, Manila. PHIDEX’s third edition seeks to continue the narrative of conservation, community, and convergence within the diving community through the theme ‘Back into the Blue: One with the Sea’. The expo will also showcase the Philippines’ readiness to welcome dive tourists from all over the globe, gathering local and international dive industry experts, dive tour operators, and partner dive businesses to share their ideas and experiences. “The entry of international travellers is a welcome development that will lead to growth in the travel and tourism sector, restoration of jobs, and the generation of much-needed revenue for tourism-related enterprises and communities. We are optimistic that these economic benefits will also extend to dive destinations around the country. The country remains a leading dive destination, which tourists all over the world are eager to visit after a long wait of two years,” said Tourism Development Undersecretary Woodrow C. Maquiling, Jr. “The DOT hopes to encourage divers to practice sustainability every time they dive to preserve the country’s seas. Sustainable diving practices are a huge part of the reason why the country’s dive destinations continue to operate despite challenges brought by the pandemic,” Undersecretary Maquiling added. PHIDEX is the only dive show in the world that combines in one event a Dive Travel Exchange (TRAVEX), a business-to-business (B2B) meeting program for local and international dive operators, dive conference and seminars, and familiarization tours to top and emerging Philippine dive destinations. Registration as consumer and trade visitors and exhibition booth reservation will open on June 24, 2022 through www.register.phidex.asia/

RARE JUVENILE OARFISH CAPTURED ON CAMERA

Wavelength Reef Cruises Master Reef Guide Tahn Miller knew he had come across something extraordinary when he saw a glistening silver ‘sword-like’ fish dancing through the shallows of Opal Reef on the Great Barrier Reef earlier this month. The individual was a juvenile oarfish (Regalecus russellii) and Mr Miller’s video footage is the first recorded encounter of this species on the Great Barrier Reef and the eastern seaboard of Australia. Mr Miller and his colleague, Marine Biologist Jorja Gilmore, spotted the 35 to 40 centimetres long, skinny fish with a shimmering mirror-like outer skin while leading a group of snorkellers on a Wavelength Reef Cruises Outer Great Barrier Reef tour. The unique physical characteristics of the species made them realise they had found something very special. “At first I couldn’t quite place what species of fish it was, but then I saw the shiny mercury-coloured body, two predominant eyes and the ultra-fine dorsal fin running head to tail, undulating like mini waves propelling through the water. I knew we had come across something rarely seen on the Great Barrier Reef,” said Mr Miller. “Luckily, I had my camera and started to film straight away. At that moment I felt like the ocean had delivered a secret treasure to us. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.” Oarfish are believed to be the world’s longest bony fish and can grow to an incredible eight metres in length.

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MALDIVES

‘TRUE DIVING PIONEER’ BOB KIRBY DIES

THE DIVER’S CHOICE FOR 30 YEARS AWARD WINNING SERVICE SINCE 1992

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20/01/2022 10:21

Bob Kirby, co-founder of US company Kirby Morgan, which came up with a succession of lighter, more comfortable and practical helmets and full-face masks for commercial divers, died at his home in California on 1 June. Seventy years earlier in 1952, Kirby had become a US Navy diver and welder, in the days when heavy, impractical surface-supplied diving helmets offering restricted views remained standard issue. He designed his first divemask, now known as the Kirby #1, while still in the service. After leaving the navy in 1956 Kirby became an abalone diver, enjoying the freedom to use a converted low-volume helmet with a large square faceplate. Over time he designed for his own use 16 ‘air hats’ with copper domes built on Yokohama breastplates, regularly tweaking the designs and selling each previous helmet on. He had no plans to exploit them for profit, until he realised that manufacturers had been developing his ideas to take to market. From 1963, Kirby carried out exploration work for oil companies off the Californian coast. In 1964, Associated Divers asked Kirby to design and build a lighter dive system, and within a month he had modified a Desco helmet to save 23kg in weight, and replaced the risky-when-wet Natron scrubber material with soda lime. A successful 90m test dive saw the helmet go into production. With saturation diving reducing demand for heavy gear, Kirby met diver and surfer Bev Morgan, and the two collaborated to manufacture glassfibre masks for abalone and commercial divers, before forming the Kirby Morgan Corporation. In 1965, the two designed and manufactured a model that was ‘the opposite of the Navy helium helmet he trained on’, as manufacturer Desco states in a tribute that calls Kirby a ‘major contributor to modern commercial diving’. Initial products included the BandMask and Clam Shell helmet, but in 1968, Kirby Morgan merged with Pacific Instruments, and when that company went out of business, Kirby sold out to Morgan. In 1974, the pair got back together as Diving Systems International to develop a glassfibre air helmet, with the US Navy eventually adopting their SuperLite 17 design. The company closed in 1980, after which Kirby worked on a variety of projects, and in 1989, built helmets and backpacks for his friend James Cameron’s film The Abyss. Kirby Morgan Dive Systems continues to this day in Santa Maria, California, and is said to make more than 80% of the world’s surface-supplied dive gear.

OZDIVE SHOW AND OZTEK ADVANCED DIVING CONFERENCE UPDATE

This Australian dive event (1-2 October) is designed by divers for divers - it is a unique combination of high-action, world-renowned presenters extolling their extraordinary feats of diving, exploration, discovery and inspiration; supported by the OZDive Show with photographic exhibitions, photography and freediving workshops, tips from the experts including training, travel, equipment, OZTek TV and fun virtual experiences, including those requiring you get wet! Recent presenters announced include Nathalie Lasselin, Xavier Vrijdag, Deborah Johnston, Professor Simon Mitchell, Dr Peter Buzzacott, Michael Menduno, Pete Mesley, Dr Matt Carter, Dr Dawn Kernagis, Gareth Lock, Kirk Krack, Adam Sellers, Maria Bollerup, Rannva Joermundsson, Dr Bill Stone, Rob Wilson, and Anthony Gordon. The bi-annual OZTek | OZDive Underwater Photographic Competition, including the Nikon Dive Shot of the Year, closes 31 July – details can be found on the website: www.ozdiveshow.com.au/photography The OZDive Show and OZTek Advanced Diving Conference will be held at the Melbourne Conference and Exhibition Centre (Jeff’s Shed). Tickets available online: www.ozdiveshow.co.au/tickets

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COUNTING CORAL IN FIJI Counting Coral is a nonprofit committed to the protection and restoration of the world›s coral reefs, and was founded two years ago by artist Jolyon Collier, who decided to connect the worlds of conservation and artistry to take direct action on the coral crisis. Counting Coral designs, builds, donates, and installs Sculptural Coral Banks, a new and advanced method to aid coral growth. At first glance, Counting Coral’s Sculptural Coral Banks are a layout of beautiful and elegant stainless steel sculptures arranged underwater. However, their brilliance only starts there. Beyond their aesthetic appearance, these sculptures are planted out with climate-resilient coral, and meticulously designed in order to protect and naturally propagate the reef systems, while maintaining a healthy coral supply for harvesting when needed. The installation of the first-ever Sculptural Coral Bank is this July, in the waters of Nacula Island, in Fiji. This installation, comprising 120 pieces, will not only provide immense support for the deterioration of Fiji’s coral reefs, but it will act as a catalyst for a future of installations around the world. This is Counting Coral’s first installation, and these images show Fiji’s sculptural coral bank – but as they expand, they will be designing different styled parks in collaboration with each community. The sculptures are made from marine-grade stainless steel. This material will naturally allow algae and sea plant

growth, and is not toxic or harmful in any way. The sculptural park will be securely staked on a sandy floor, neighbouring a reef in the appropriate current line to allow the coral on the sculptures to naturally propagate the existing reef. The flower petals that you’ll be able to see in the images are removable; in the case of severe bleaching events, they can be taken off of the sculpture. In addition, the flower petals are also expandable and foldable. This allows for them to be manually opened up as the coral grows, and protective enough so that the corals are protected from sea slugs and starfish. Along with other appropriate corals, the sculptures will be planted out with climate resilient coral. This will be revolutionary for the future of coral reefs. Counting Coral have spent years working with lead scientists in coral propagation, and particularly climate resilient coral, who will be present at the time of the installation. The fragmented corals on the sculpture will develop into a coral bank over time. They then allow the coral to grow to spawning maturity, which allows for natural propagation. The sculptures will naturally propagate the near reef systems, while maintaining a healthy coral supply for harvesting when needed. The coral banks themself can then be used for fragmenting onto secondary reefs, or back onto the natural reef – but acting as a coral ‘bank› for the entirety. The equally important side of this installation is the community. Any additional up-charge to dive/snorkel on the sculptural park will be directly given back to the community for community projects. Donation portals will be allocated to community as well. This installation will be largely focused on its giving back programme, this installation will open up job and training opportunities for the locals, increase tourism, and drive awareness.

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ARENUI LIVEABOARD BACK AT SEA

Indonesia has recently reopened its borders to international travellers, and now the luxurious Arenui liveaboard has returned to sea to offer spectacular, sumptuous cruises around some of Indo’s best diving areas. The Arenui explores the waters around the Komodo National Park, taking in dive sites and landscapes from Bali right across to Flores and Alor, from May to October. Then, in November, the vessel moves towards Ambon and the Spice Islands in the Banda Sea as it works its way towards Raja Ampat. It then cruises Raja Ampat from December through to April. The Arenui itself is truly eye-catching. It is a Phinisi – a classic Indonesian wooden sailing vessel – but with all of the mod cons you’d expect from a five-star liveaboard. The hull was constructed by over 50 local craftsmen in South Sulawesi from traditional ironwood, and the superstructure was then completed in Java and Bali. Incredibly, more than 70 percent of the wood used to build the boat is recycled wood – in fact, many parts of the Arenui are made from recycled Javanese houses! Much of the next four to five years is already booked up, but there is limited availability between July and September on some stunning cruises: • 27 July-7 August 2022 – Alor-Komodo • 9-16 August 2022 – Komodo Focus • 18-26 August 2022 – Komodo Focus • 27 August-3 September 2022 – Komodo Focus • 17-27 September 2022 – Komodo Focus www.thearenui.com

ENDURANCE WRECK TO BE PROTECTED

The wreck of Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance is to be protected, with the implementation of a 500-metre perimeter around the famed vessel, which was finally located in March, some 107 years after it sank. The member states of the Antarctic Treaty had already declared that the shipwreck, lying on the seabed some 3,000m down in the Weddell Sea, is a Historic Site and Monument, but now they have asked for a management plan to guide its ongoing conservation, as well as increasing the protection zone from 150 metres to 500 metres. The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust has been tasked with drafting up a plan, which will determine exactly the restrictions and responsibilities placed on anyone wanting to go anywhere near Endurance in the future.

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ALL STAR VELOCEAN RAISES THE BAR ON LUXURY

It is rare for a boat to look almost identical to artist’s renderings, but the All Star Velocean is one of those vessels – and it is truly stunning, raising the bar on liveaboard luxury. The All Star Velocean plies the waters of Indonesia and caters for 18 guests in ten spacious, well-appointed suites, with a 24-man crew on hand, two custom-built dive tenders and a full array of gourmet meals, not to mention free nitrox and, for those who want to stay connected, wifi. This enormous vessel – it is 52 metres long and boasts three deck levels – has dedicated camera stations in the lounge area, allowing professionals and amateurs alike to pursue their passion while staying central to activities. The vessel offers trips around the Komodo National Park, Wakatobi Marine National Park and Raja Ampat. Repositioning trips through the Forgotten Islands of Alor and the Banda Sea are also available. www.allstarliveaboards.com

RAID RELEASES ACTION CAMERA COURSE

Lights! Camera! Action! Dive training agency RAID has teamed up with awardwinning film-maker Jeff Goodman to create their new Action Camera course. The new course is suitable for everyone, whether you are completely new to underwater cameras, or an aspiring pro with your own YouTube Channel. Goodman says the RAID course will ‘give you the help, information and coaching to move your results up to the next level… and more’. The course gives clear and concise guidance on how to get the very best results from your action camera. The rapid advances in technology for diving, as well as underwater camera equipment and lighting, mean that traditional photography courses don’t hit the mark. Goodman’s content is lively, up-to-date, detailed, thorough, and easy to follow. Moreover, his creativity and understanding of the challenges a diver faces to capture the perfect image – still or moving – make this programme unique and relevant for today’s diver. “Jeff has managed to condense the experience of more than 10,000 dives and countless hours of underwater film-making and photography in a really tight package for us,” says RAID’s P.J. Prinsloo. Prinsloo, RAID’s VP of Training, adds, “Jeff shows how versatile action cameras can actually be, and that as a product class, they have traveled light years away from the earlier versions with regard to capabilities, function, and quality.” Goodman, who is based in the UK, runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops aimed at rank beginners up to budding professionals. www.diveraid.com

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Surround yourself in an ocean of beauty while diving in The Islands of Tahiti. Here you’ll dive in the presence of deep-sea giants such as sharks, rays, turtles and dolphins. Our waters are teeming with life where each dive brings a new treasure to uncover and a new story for you to share.

DIVING.TAHITITOURISME.COM.AU

From the DAN Medical Line

DAN medical specialists and researchers answer your dive medicine questions

Marfan syndrome

Q: I have Marfan syndrome and would like information from someone who specialises in diving and its associated risks. My cardiologist has recommended against diving, but people with Marfan syndrome usually have limited physical activity, so I was not surprised. I have been treated my whole life and maintain a very active lifestyle, including swimming, water polo, basketball, and marathon running, against all recommendations. What are the risks for someone with Marfan diving, and is there anything I can do to mitigate them? A: Marfan syndrome has an extensive spectrum of presentation from mild to severe and requires your physician team’s assessment. Many factors may have influenced your cardiologist’s recommendation against diving despite the active physical activities that you describe. Physicians will carefully separate the list of appropriate activities. Diving affects various body systems, so the extra stress on systems that Marfan syndrome affects is an important consideration. The following are a few specific conditions to consider: • Dilation and dissection of the aorta: Fluid changes that occur while diving may stress the aorta. • Cardiac valvular conditions, cardiomyopathy, and dysrhythmias: These potential problems are often more significant if they occur underwater. • Pneumothorax: Marfan syndrome can have a higher association with pneumothorax. There can be a risk of spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsed lung) with little or no inciting event. Although problematic on land, it is lifethreatening while diving. Pulmonary barotrauma can cause a collapse of anyone’s lung. Upon ascent, trapped air expands and may cause a collapsed lung to develop into a tension pneumothorax, a medical emergency in which air cannot escape the pleural space around the affected lung, increasing the risk of a pulmonary overinflation syndrome such as arterial gas embolism. • Scoliosis: Spine curvature has been associated with Marfan syndrome. Depending on the severity, scoliosis may cause a reduced exercise tolerance, making routine dive activities such as carrying gear, climbing a boat ladder, or swimming against a current more difficult. • Spinal dura: There may be changes to the spine’s dura that can result in pain and headache. These changes may have a confounding impact on the diagnosis of spinal decompression illness (DCI). • Thermal regulation: Wearing thermal protection can delay the core temperature drop from immersion in water, but

you will eventually cool, and self-regulation may be difficult. You should review temperature regulation with your physician. Medications and your baseline wellness are also worth reviewing. Some medications may have adverse reactions that may be a contraindication to diving. Your daily wellness is a necessary consideration, as are any regularly occurring pain or deficits that may make diagnosing DCI difficult. It’s essential to have an open discussion with your treating physician and follow their recommendations. World.DAN.org

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10 WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO OUR OCEANS

rotecting our oceans is imperative as divers and ocean lovers. We need our oceans to be preserved for generations to come. There are many ways you can help out and be involved this year, from simply spreading your love of the aquatic world by introducing your friends and family to your favourite diving activities to going out into your community and taking action. Check Out SSI’s Top Ways to Make a difference:

1. Write to Your Leaders

One of the most direct and impactful things you can do to help our oceans is to send a letter to your nation’s leaders calling attention to the state of the ocean. You can research who your local representatives are yourself or use precreated letters from organizations.

2. Plan an Event

Hosting an event allows you to not only give your friends, family, and community members something to do to help our oceans, but it also draws attention to the challenges our aquatic resources face and ways we can help. • If you live near an ocean or large body of water, consider hosting an underwater and/or beach clean-up. • If you are stuck inland, you can still host a clean-up at a local park or national forest.

3. Speak Up and Speak Out

Social media has become the cornerstone of our daily lives in many ways. Why not use your social media accounts as a platform for calling attention to ocean conservation and encouraging change?

4. Join the SSI Blue Oceans Community

Blue Oceans, powered by SSI, is a free programme that helps divers and SSI Training Centres further ocean conservation and make a lasting difference. SSI’s Blue Oceans initiative provides the perfect starting point for divers, dive centres, and even non-divers to learn about and incorporate ocean conservation in their daily lives.

5. Reduce Your Plastic Use

Single-use plastic is one of the worst contributors to plastic trash on our planet today. The quickest way to greatly reduce your plastic waste is to replace as many of the single-use plastic items you use in your daily life. By being plastic-minded, you can have a significant positive impact on the world’s oceans. Switch out these single-use plastics: Straws, grocery bags, water bottles, and toothbrushes.

6. Use Reef Safe Sunscreen

Reef Safe sunscreen may be a new concept within the last decade, but it is catching on quickly within the oceanminded community and is helping to protect coral reefs. Typically, most sunscreens use oxybenzone and octinoxate as their UV-blocking agent. These chemicals can cause coral bleaching and are unhealthy for marine life. Reef-safe or reef-friendly sunscreens are usually zincbased and do not harm corals, so make sure you stock up on these sunscreens before heading to the tropics.

7. Take an SSI Environmental Specialty Programme

SSI currently offers six informative Ecology Specialty programmes to help you become an ocean ecology and conservation expert. These programmes are the perfect way to enhance your dive experience by learning about different marine life, how ocean ecosystems function, and how to dive safely with sharks, rays, and more!

8. Be Water-Wise

Planet Earth already contains all the water it will ever have, so we must treat it carefully. No new water is or can be created. Here is how to reduce your water use: • Turn off the water when it is not in use. • Take shorter showers. • Install high-efficiency (water-saving) faucets in your house. • Place water buckets in your garden to collect rainwater for your plants. How to increase water quality by watching what you put into it: • Use non-toxic cleaning products, low-phosphate detergents, and biodegradable soap, shampoo, and conditioner. • Use natural, non-toxic fertilizer in your garden. • Check your car regularly for leaks. • Use non-toxic car cleaning soap when washing your car.

9. Eat Sustainably

By eating sustainably caught seafood and responsibly grown meat, you can help to protect our oceans and landbased environments. You will be limiting what we are taking out of the ocean and reducing the land needed to produce food products. It’s as simple and effective as that.

10. Become an Eco-Diver

An eco-diver is anyone interested in taking extra steps to protect our oceans and other aquatic resources with lifestyle choices that help protect the environment. Ensuring that this planet will be filled with healthy dive sites for years to come depends on the actions we take as divers now. n

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ust how far would you travel to reach the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Well, for divers in South Australia, that distance is about 300km, or approximately three hour’s drive from Adelaide. The gold can be found on Yorke Peninsula in the sleepy town of Edithburgh – at the end of the main street, under the Jetty. Folklore tells us that at the end of every rainbow there is a pot of gold – but what IF that pot of gold IS a rainbow – a veritable kaleidoscope of colours and critters. That’s what you’ll find when you dive one of the best of the many Jetties that South Australia has to offer – Edithburgh Jetty. Instead of leprechauns and shamrocks, you’ll discover leafies and frogfish and a forest of candy-coloured pylons to explore. Ok, so you will need to take a leap of faith to make that trip if you have never been before. Admittedly, the trip down there isn’t exactly awe-inspiring. Grain and canola fields seem to roll on for days and the skies can often be grey and tumultuous. Halfway you start thinking to yourself “Where the hell am I?!” and “Is this really worth it!? – It’s much warmer at home!!” But as far as winter dive destinations go, Edithburgh is the place to be! It may be grey skies and sleepy streets above, but it’s a thriving, colourful metropolis below with an abundance of sea creatures and a rainbow of competing colours to warm and inspire you. Looking on the map Edithburgh is located at the southeast end of Yorke Peninsula - not the first place you would think for worldclass macro diving – but you could spend days exploring this Jetty and still find something new every dive. There’s been many a dive where I’ve hardly made it more than a few pylons down after a few hours of diving – there’s just so much to see. When the conditions are right, it really is that good! So, what makes Edithburgh Jetty the pot of gold AND the rainbow? Well, it has a lot to do with its location in the Great Southern Reef and its structure and the life this combination brings. Sitting at the bottom of Yorke Peninsula, Edithburgh Jetty dips its pylons into the nutrient-rich waters of the Great Southern Reef. Powerful southern upwellings of the Flinders current bring an abundance of nutrients to feed the thriving community under the Jetty, and the Leeuwin Current from the west brings relative warmth to this unique bioregion. The resulting outcome is an area high in biodiversity and abundant in endemic species – meaning you can dive here and see a concentration of familiar species as well life found nowhere else! The structure of the Jetty is also a reason why life under the Jetty exits here to such intensity. Built in 1873 and located right at the very end of the main street, the Jetty was built to service the export trade of salt, gypsum and lime and later, grain. It became the third busiest port in the state. Large companies quickly set up business in town – the Jetty being the lifeblood of trade exporting to Adelaide, Australia and New Zealand. It saw a lot of action! It was built for it too. Sturdy and wide to allow for carts and horses heavily laden with cargo, as well as steam and tall ships to dock. In its prime it was criss-crossed with rail tracks all busy loading the ships. It was built relatively low to the water too. This width and low clearance are what sets life underneath this Jetty apart from others, as it blocks out a lot of direct sunlight underneath it. No chance for kelps that need to photosynthesize to flourish – instead filter-feeding sponges, mussels and ascidians dominate all but a few of the outer pylons, bringing a mind-boggling array of colours and shapes to this underwater world.

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Jetty Chelsea Haebich explains why Edithburgh Jetty holds such high regard among avid scuba divers in South Australia Photographs by Chelsea Haebich

Jellyfish have no brain, heart, bones or eyes. They are made up of a smooth, bag-like body and tentacles armed with tiny, stinging cells. These incredible invertebrates use their stinging tentacles to stun or paralyse prey before gobbling it up.

With a good set of lungs and a decent tank of gas you can easily push toward a three-hour dive here as the depth ranges from a couple of metres to approximately 8m at the end of the Jetty 23

Blenny portrait

These sessile invertebrates eking out life on the pylons create homes and habitat for the many other creatures, seeking food and refuge, and are the backbone to what makes this site so superbly unique to dive – over and over again. Head down to the Jetty any time of the day or night and the local resident fishermen can be seen standing silently, backs to the wind, peering into the waters below. Most are quietly oblivious to the huge variety of life just at their feet. They look perplexed as divers sink into the blue-green waters below. Divers can gear up in the carpark at the top of the Jetty and after a very short walk, you will find steps either side to enter from. Edithburgh is one of only a handful of diving Jetties that conveniently has entry steps at the beginning of the Jetty. So, no soul-destroying walks that leave you losing the will to live before you start your dive at this site! Just pick the side that is most sheltered from any winds and once your fins are on, the discovery begins. The first time I dived Edithburgh Jetty was 12 years ago. The day after I had become a certified PADI Instructor, I took my leap of faith drive and followed my Course Director for the three-hour trip to the sleepy town for some R&R. My first impressions were mixed. It was dark and gloomy, and all seemed quiet. I felt like I had stepped into a scene from Alien. Razor clams carpeted the bottom under the Jetty and eerily resembled alien, pod-like eggs. Instead of aliens though, octopus, blennies and frogfish peeked out cautiously. As my eyes adjusted to the light and I familiarised myself with the site, I soon became a convert and understood why people came so far to dive this Jetty. The best way to dive this site is to take your time, travel down one side of the Jetty and back along the other half – simple right?! Easier said than done when curiosity kicks in and you are soon zigzagging all over the place to admire the colours and shapes.

Cuttlefish

Octopus

Jetties are home to many fish species

Blue ring octopus prowl and can be seen swinging like Tarzan through the cork weed in search of their next meal 24

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The jetty legs are smothered in growth

Cuttlefish are marine molluscs of the order Seplida. They belong to the class Cephalopods, which also includes squid, octopus and nautiluses. Cuttlefish have a unique internal shell, the cuttlebone, which is used for control of buoyancy.

Critter spotting often starts right away with this dive site. If you descend right by the stairs, you might be lucky enough to spot bobtail and dumpling squid buried in the white sands. Travelling down the Northern side of the Jetty the dappled light brightens the seagrasses, and a keen eye will spot the different species of pipefish all trying to evade detection. Holding themselves upright like a blade of grass you can watch them feeding on tiny mysids that are plentiful in these waters. Good luck photographing them though – a challenge I refer to as ‘shooting moving spaghetti’. Hey – you never know you’ve got patience until you need to use it! Moving further down the Jetty the depth starts to increase – marginally. It’s another reason why divers love this site. Relative shallow depth allows excellent bottom times. With a good set of lungs and a decent tank of gas you can easily push toward a three-hour dive here as the depth ranges from a couple of metres to approximately 8m at the end of the Jetty. Where the Jetty widens and gets deeper

The pylons are spectacular and underpin what makes life so prolific under this Jetty you will come across a band of cork weed that runs north at a right angle to the Jetty – with careful exploration here you might spot a colony of short-headed seahorses or the elegant and exquisitely beautiful leafy seadragon. Seaward, past the cork weed a large depression dips down to the 8m mark. This is the remnant scar left from ships pulling into port and dredging out the bottom over time. Down here is where broken-off sponge, kelp, grasses and debris settle. It’s also littered with discarded beer bottles, of which the most select ones have been taken as dwellings by the most discerning octopus. The real magic though happens about two thirds of the way down the Jetty, right underneath. The explosion of growth and colour on the pylons will have you craning your next skywards. My first impressions were that it reminded me of the rainbow-coloured popcorn you devoured as a kid. Take a torch with you to bring the true colour of the array of sponge and ascidian species to life – it’s well worth it.

The nearest dive shop is back in Adelaide, so you need to arrive in town with everything you need to dive. 25

The pylons are spectacular and underpin what makes life so prolific under this Jetty – but for a diver to really see how lively this place can be it pays to make the effort to see it at night. Life goes into overdrive and the real stars come out to play. Poisonous but adorable striped pyjama squid turn up to hunt and mate. Blue ring octopus prowl and can be seen swinging like Tarzan through the cork weed in search of their next meal. During the day they are hidden deep in the dead razor clam shells. Bumbling sponge crabs amble along hoping to go unnoticed. Warty prowfish and velvetfish are amongst a few of the bizarre stars to appear as well as the golf-ball sized frogfish hidden under the rocky substrate. All to the backdrop of those rainbow pylons – it really is the full cabaret at night. So now that you’re keen – what are the logistics to diving Edithburgh? It’s best dived on a West or South Westerly wind, and these tend to prevail in Winter in SA – hence why this site becomes diving Mecca in these chilly months. I’ve seen some of the clearest waters here in winter. However – it quickly turns to rubbish if anything Easterly reaches the site. Opportune time to head up to Port Hughes for a dive on those days. Your nearest dive shop is back in Adelaide, so you need to arrive in town with everything you need to dive.

Warty prowfish and velvetfish are amongst a few of the bizarre stars to appear as well as the golf-ball sized frogfish What are you looking at?

Macro life includes shrimp

Pack some spares and repairs – it’s a long way to go to have a simple O- ring ruin a dive weekend. Tanks can be refilled at the local BP service station. Online chat about the quality of the air is a past issue and I have had no problems with the air fills from the current owners. If you are planning a lot of fills, courtesy is to drop in and have a chat about your plans so they can accommodate. They open early – but don’t stay open late, so it pays to have a plan. Book some accommodation before you leave Adelaide. There’s lots to choose from. A favourite of mine is a cabin to myself at the Coobowie Caravan Park – but there’s lots of choice in Edithburgh for individuals and group bookings. Air BNBs are available, cottages, cabins and caravan parks, all well-equipped. Some allow for late check out on request – great for hot showers and gear washing before hitting the road back to Adelaide. Peak times this may be difficult to provide – but you can always ask. I also prefer to dive mid- week. If you are lucky, you will most likely get the Jetty to yourself. Weekends can be quite busy when the South Westerly winds blow and send everyone over from Adelaide. It pays to head over to Yorketown for supplies for breakfast and snacks AND if you are planning a long, late-night dive – dinner as well! It’s a sleepy town and getting anything to eat after about 8pm is impossible. That said there are two pubs in town and a third (my favourite) in Coobowie – they fill quickly, and the beers are cold! But dining late is not an option. Edithburgh is dived all year but it’s a favourite in winter due to the prevailing southwest winds that roll in – so it does get cold. A sturdy 7mm wetsuit, gloves and hood is a minimum and if you can, dive in a drysuit for maximum comfort and repetitive diving. Apart from the cold the only other real hazard of the site can be fishing line from above – it pays to be aware and courteous to avoid lines and angry faces on surfacing. So, it might be wintery, grey, cold and uninviting surface side at this time of the year. You may be enticed with the idea of staying in, at home, on the couch this winter – but maybe, if you take a leap of faith - like so many others have, you will find that it’s well worth it. For just below the surface, you will discover your own rainbow, and just maybe that pot of gold too. Rug up and I’ll see you down there! n

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Come visit the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef with the award-winning crew of Passions of Paradise. Snorkel in pristine waters, go for a dive, or relax with a drink and enjoy the sailing. The best memories on the reef, no filter required. www.passions.com.au +61 7 4041 1600 email: reservations@passions.com.au Departing from Cairns, Queensland

WHAT MAKES RAJA AMPAT SO SPECIAL? LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION...

ver heard divers talk about Raja Ampat, but not quite sure what makes it so special? In three words: location, location, location. In one: Biodiversity. But why, and how, and why again? Diveplanit Travel’s Simon Mallender explains.

Where exactly is Raja Ampat?

Raja Ampat means ‘Four Kings’ and is named for the four islands Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool in Indonesia’s West Papua Province, though in fact the archipelago comprises over 1500 small islands, cays, and shoals. It’s on the tip of what’s referred to as the Bird Head Peninsula, and if you look at a map of this region, you’ll see it is pretty much the geo-centre of the Coral Triangle. From a diving perspective, there are hundreds of dive sites, with concentrations in the north around the Dampier Strait, and south, around Misool. This region is sandwiched between the Pacific and Indian Oceans and subject to the Indonesian Throughflow – the steady current that arises as the Pacific Ocean slowly pushes 15 million cubic metres of water per second towards the Indian Ocean through the straits between the 17,000 or so islands of Indonesia. Interesting. But in terms of Biodiversity how does that current make the Coral Triangle such a hotspot for superlatives, like: ‘Amazon of the Seas’, 3000 fish species, 37 per cent of all known species on the planet, and 76 per cent of all known coral… etc?

Marine Biology

Here’s an oversimplified marine biology lesson: stuff dies. (And just think for a moment how much stuff is still left in the oceans despite our overfishing.) When it dies, it sinks to the bottom, unless it’s eaten on the way by something else – which will also die (fish aren’t particularly known for their longevity), where it decomposes. The currents which move faster when squeezing through narrower gaps between islands, stir up this nutrient rich decomposing stuff and bring it towards the surface where tiny critters, including corals,

grab it from the passing stream as food. And that’s the start of the ‘bigger fish eat smaller fish’ marine food chain. So essentially, there’s lots of food for everyone.

Biodiversity

The word biodiversity means ‘lots of species’ not just ‘lots of fish’; so we still haven’t quite answered the question, and that’s because there are two opposing theories. Centre of Origin: much like Mesopotamia is considered the cradle of mankind, so some consider this area to be the origin of all marine species generally. Centre of Accumulation: others believe that the conditions are so conducive for marine life, that once a species finds its way here – it sticks around. I can see the merits of both theories – if I was a fish born in Raja Ampat, I’d never leave; and if was born elsewhere and happened to visit, I’d never leave. So maybe both theories are correct. Either way, for a diver, Raja Ampat is simply one of those places that never disappoints. Get it on your bucket list, and if it’s already there, maybe push it to the top.

When to dive Raja Ampat

One of the best ways to dive Raja Ampat is by liveaboard, enabling you to reach a greater variety, and more remote dive sites. This can only be done in the dry season, between November and April, when the seas are calmer. Liveaboards such as Blue Manta, White Manta, Damai I and II, Pindito, Coralia and Dewi Nusantara have been exploring this region for decades and have a great knowledge bank of the best times for the best dives. Dive Raja Ampat based at a dive resort is an equally magical experience, and being landbased, accessible at most resorts throughout the year, with some, including Raja4Divers offering great discounts in low season (June/July). n For the best recommendations for Raja Ampat Resorts and liveaboards, according to yout specific requirements and wish list, contact the team of experts at Diveplanit Travel on 1300 607 913 or email us at enquire@diveplanit.com

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UNESCO World Biosphere PADI 5 Star Centre Silver Earth Check Certified resort In house Marine Biologist WWW.AMILLA.COM

Amilla-Maldives-half.indd 1

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The strong currents of the outer reefs bring nutrient-rich waters from thousands of miles around, and in turn, lure in some of the most-diverse life in the ocean, including everything from macro life to pelagic spectacles that defy the eye.

On this trip, our wonderful guide Sam was experienced and flexible enough to guide us expertly on a dive at the worldfamous Great White Wall on Taveuni’s Rainbow Reef, a tricky dive site to negotiate due to tidal flow and currents 30

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he Reef Endeavour is not your standard dive liveaboard, it’s an adventure cruise vessel catering well to both divers and non-divers, with a wide range of activities on offer to cater to a wide range of tastes. From snorkelling, ocean swimming and freediving lessons to kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and hiking for the more-active passengers. And for those here for the cultural experience, a wide range of historical and cultural activities including traditional lovo feasts, meke performances and excursions to remote communities that encompass a wide range of cultural differences. Passengers with a passion for ocean conservation and sustainable travel can engage with one of the four marine biologists that the cruise company employs to learn about the surrounding marine environment, help plant coral at a coral

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nursery at their private island, or join one of their Ocean Ambassadors for a beach clean-up. Diving is an important aspect of the Captain Cook Cruises Fiji offering. On the various itineraries on offer throughout the year, they visit more dive locations in Fiji than any other operator, from the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands, to Bligh Water and the Lomaiviti archipelago, Savusavu, Taveuni, Kadavu and the remote Lau group of islands. The diving on MV Reef Endeavour, and Captain Cook’s Tivua Island day trips, has been managed for many years by Viti Water Sports. Based in Nadi, the dive guides and instructors can cater to both experienced divers and absolute beginners, making this a great way to introduce your nondiving partner – or children – to diving for the first time. To cater for diving on some of the less-frequent trips to the more-remote islands, including Savusavu and Taveuni, such as the Remote North Cruise that we’re on, Viti Water Sports send selected guides to the region for a few weeks to learn about dive site locations in partnerships formed with local dive resorts.

Tivua Island

Our first stop is Tivua, Captain Cook’s private island which they run day trips to from Port Denarau each day on beautiful schooners. Non-divers can spend time lazing on the beach, snorkelling, kayaking and learning about the coral conservation programme managed by the company’s resident marine biologists. For divers, the main attraction is the Raiyawa Wreck, scuttled several years ago to create an artificial reef. In the few years it’s been underwater, it has attracted plenty of marine life, so expect to be buzzed by schools of reef fish and explore the nooks and crannies for cowries, nudibranchs and juvenile lionfish.

Makogai

Clownfish in an anemone

Each morning at the 8.30am dive briefing, the number of divers is confirmed, dive sites are decided for each diver according to experience, and guides are deployed accordingly. Depending on conditions, up to three dives are offered each day. On this trip, our wonderful guide Sam was experienced and flexible enough to guide us expertly on a dive at the world-famous Great White Wall on Taveuni’s Rainbow Reef, a tricky dive site to negotiate due to tidal flow and currents, and at the opposite end of the spectrum, take excellent care of my daughter and her friend on their first-ever diving experience.

Makogai is part of the Lomaivati group of islands, and until 1969 served as a leper colony for over 4,500 patients from all over the Pacific. Among the 1,241 souls interred here is Fijian Sister Maria Filomena, who worked at the colony since its inception and continued to care for patients after contracting the disease herself in 1925, for another 30 years. Sister Maria has a dive site named after her, a pretty meander through a coral garden on Makogai’s fringing reef. The outer reef here is spectacular, but conditions didn’t allow us to get there on this trip, so we dived the Makogai Pinnacles, not far from Sister Maria Slope, and… wow. A row of pinnacles, each one as beautiful as the next, vibrant soft and hard corals, enormous gorgonian fans and whip corals, teeming with reef fish. We managed to fit in three dives here and it was a highlight of the trip.

Remote North Cruise

Captain Cook’s Far North Cruise used to be called the Colonial Discovery Cruise, as it takes in historical locations such as the first colonial capital, Levuka, and an old leper colony in Makogai. ‘Far North’ is probably a better descriptor for divers, as it visits some of Fiji’s best dive sites in Savusavu, Taveuni and Bligh Water. The cruise also encompasses some unique cultural experiences such as a visit to Kioa, an island populated by Polynesian migrants from Tuvalu, who, with flowers in their hair, sing beautifully as they greet our arrival in dugout canoes. Exploring Fiji’s waters

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The reefs teem with life

This cruise provides a fantastic sampler of Fiji’s best dive locations Savusavu, Taveuni and Bligh Water. And you’ll also have a fantastic deep dive into Fiji’s fascinating and diverse culture Coral-covered shipwreck

Fiji’s corals are legendary

The country’s 333 islands support over 300 species of hard corals, more than 1500 species of fish and many species of soft corals, anemones, sea fans and nudibranchs. Circled by three of the world’s largest barrier reefs, Fiji presents the ultimate adventure playground for scuba divers.

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There is a wreck under that coral cover

Wreck diving in Fiji is enjoyable because of the large, sheltered lagoons and excellent water visibility. You’ll find wrecks scattered across the seafloor throughout Fiji.

Paddleboarding and kayaking

Savusavu

While the land lubbers are enjoying the hot springs, chocolate plantations and pearl farms of Savusavu, divers get to explore the dive sites made famous by Jean Michel Cousteau in the Namena Marine Reserve, and closer to shore, Split Rock and Golden Bommie. Golden Bommie is aptly named for its reefs and rocks which are covered in yellow soft corals. In the shallows, fields of anemones and deeper, enormous gorgonian fans.

Taveuni

Fiji’s ‘Garden Island’ is as beautiful above water as it is below. Lush rainforest and dramatic multi-tiered waterfalls. And then of course there’s the Rainbow Reef. The Rainbow Reef always provides spectacular diving every visit – but why? As always, it’s Location! Location! Location! And in this case the location is in the Somosomo Strait – a relatively narrow channel between two islands where nutrient rich waters from deeper areas at either end of the channel are brought to the surface and over the reefs providing a constant food supply for the ecosystem of marine life that lives there. The Great White Wall is one of the world’s top 20 dive sites, but timing the tidal flow to dive it must be spot on. Our dive guide Sam has spent time here with local dive resort Paradise Taveuni, and we hook up with them to ensure we hit the Wall at exactly the right time (they also shared their freshly baked cinnamon buns). On this drift dive, a swim-through descends to 25m and opens to a stunning vertical wall covered in ice white dendronephthya soft coral. Returning to 18m, another

swim-through brings you up to an overhang and the dive continues roaming the reef to savour the rainbow colours on the shallower parts of the reef.

Bligh Water

The last dive location for us on the Far North cruise is Nanu-I-Ra in Bligh Water. And what a way to end a dive trip. We spend around 70 minutes exploring Golden Dreams, a stunning dive site covered with soft corals of all colours, yellow being the dominant colour, but it’s one of those dive sites that evolves and changes, with new delights each corner you turn. This cruise provides a fantastic sampler of Fiji’s best dive locations - Savusavu, Taveuni and Bligh Water. And you’ll also have a fantastic deep dive into Fiji’s fascinating and diverse culture. Bring the kids. n

Book your adventure today!

For more information on diving Fiji with Captain Cook Cruises Fiji, contact the team of experts at Diveplanit Travel. diveplanit.com Ph: 1800 607 913 email: enquire@diveplanit.com

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DIVE FIJI WITH

CAPTAIN COOK CRUISES FIJI

Dive Fiji’s outer islands and reef systems on the Reef Endeavour with Captain Cook Cruises Fiji. From the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands, to the Lomaivati group, Savusavu, Taveuni and the remote Lau archipelago. With a wide range of activities above and below water, from ocean swimming to sunrise hikes, as well as unique cultural experiences, the Reef Endeavour provides a true Fiji Experience. For more information about diving the Fiji, contact the team of experts at Diveplanit Travel. diveplanit.com phone: 1800 607 913 email: enquire@diveplanit.com

PADI AWARE FOUNDATION

LAUNCHES ADOPT THE BLUE

ADI recently announced the official launch of Adopt The Blue, the world’s largest network of underwater sites for ocean conservation, to dive centres, resorts and professional members around the world. This programme, managed by PADI AWARE Foundation, will expand on the former Adopt a Dive Site initiative and actively support PADI Members like you to take local action for global ocean conservation. In the lead up to this upcoming World Oceans Day, PADI and PADI AWARE Foundation are calling on PADI Members everywhere to sign up for the programme. The application takes less than five minutes and can be completed either via the PADI AWARE App. Once completed, your underwater site will be displayed on the Adopt the Blue conservation map, visible to all PADI website visitors when it launches on June 6. If every PADI Member adopts at least one site between now and 2025, we can reach our goal of 10,000 underwater sites that will serve as the driving force for establishing new Marine Protected Areas around the globe in the coming decade. “The ultimate success of Adopt The Blue, like all AWARE programmes, is dependent upon the PADI Members’ active participation in the programme. By joining us in one of the most-ambitious conservation programs on the planet, we can work together to protect the underwater world we love,” says Danna Moore, Global Director of PADI AWARE Foundation.

When you Adopt The Blue, you will: • See your site and name displayed on the AWARE global map with the ability for consumers to contact you • Substantially increase your opportunity to receive AWARE community grants • Inventory your site with AWARE for future conservation projects and actions with related marketing support • Help drive marine protection globally • Receive a program badge in your My Ocean Profile Special thanks to Blancpain, founding partner of the PADI Marine Protected Areas Programme and ADOPT THE BLUE. n

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PADI AWARE Week 2022 17-25 SEPTEMBER

Join the Adopt the Blue movement, the world’s largest network of underwater sites for conservation action.

Founding Partner of the PADI MPA Program and ADOPT THE BLUE™

Diving with…

DR ELODIE CAMPRASSE

PT Hirschfield chats to Dr Elodie Camprasse, a marine ecologist with a love of Australian waters and a soft spot for Victoria’s spider crabs Photographs by Elodie Camprasse, Carole Brassac and Matthias Klapperstueck

r Elodie Camprasse’s passion is marine ecology. From her PhD research in seabird ecology to the current ‘Spider Crab Watch’ citizen science project she’s leading in Victoria, Elodie’s love of the underwater world is underpinned by her desire to understand the scientific interplay of species with other species as a foundation for advocacy. Elodie started diving at 13 years old in France when her father was a lifeguard. From her first dive where she encountered sea slugs and fish, she ‘was sold completely’ on the idea of becoming a marine biologist. At age 16 she completed the equivalent of the Advanced Open Water course. Some of her earliest dive adventures included cenotes in Mexico and cave diving in France. In 2009, Elodie was a ‘broke student’ doing inventory and tracking research on terrestrial animals and plants in Ecuador. With ten free days in her schedule, she made a decision to head to the Galapagos. She had no concept of how expensive liveaboards were until she arrived. ‘I approached a liveaboard with one last spot for the next day that they were advertising as discounted. I tried to

With ten free days in her schedule, she made a decision to head to the Galapagos 38

bargain but the guy realised I had peanuts, so he shooed me away. I couldn’t sleep that night, so I woke up and withdrew all the money in my account, determined to show up with my packed bags in the morning and take my chances. The guy behind the counter rolled his eyes when I turned up again. But I gave him my envelope of cash and got to dive with whalesharks, hammerheads, batfish, turtles and sea lions.’ Elodie did her Divemaster training in 2010 in the US, then completed her instructor course in Vietnam in 2013: ‘I was looking for a way to do my dive instructor certification as an internship because I still didn’t have much money. A lot of centres offered internships, but you usually had to commit to working there for at least six months. A dive centre in Vietnam took me on even though I could only commit to working with them for three months as they were struggling to find French-speaking staff. I couldn’t stay longer because my PhD had a set date that couldn’t be moved, so it was a win-win and again saved me lots of money’. Elodie arrived in Melbourne in 2013 to undertake her PhD on individual foraging specialisations in penguins and other seabirds. ‘Individuals tend to display specialisations

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in hunting strategies. Although a population of penguins or other seabirds can eat anything from worms and cephalopods to fish, individuals may have ‘preferences’ rather than go for the full spectrum. We think this is linked to increased hunting success. I was working to quantify the degree of specialisations in different species and why this might vary between species. It’s thought that individuals that are very specialised might not be very adaptable to changes in their environment as they might not be able to easily revert back to eating different things once they’ve optimised their hunting strategies.’ The same might serve as an analogy for many divers who develop a distinct preference for warmer waters, struggling to bring themselves to dive in colder waters which may be local to them but to which they aren’t acclimatised. But Elodie is strongly drawn to the temperate offerings of Melbourne’s massive, central bay where she is currently coordinating the Spider Crab Watch research project. ‘I had been thinking about spider crab research for a long time but it was very difficult to get funding to do that. It’s mindblowing that we know next to nothing about such an iconic species as the Great Australian Spider Crab.’ Again, Elodie’s perseverance paid off in the form of two successful research grant applications. Funding from the Victorian government, via Port Phillip Bay Fund and Coastcare community grants, allowed Elodie and her team to launch the citizen science programme at Deakin

Spider crab

Elodie is spearheading a project on spider crabs

Elodie can find marine life even topside

University where she has been teaching for eight years. Beneath Rye and Blairgowrie Piers where the spider crabs are most commonly known to gather for their annual mass moulting events, fixed cameras have been deployed that take one still image every five minutes during daylight hours to help unlock the mysteries of the aggregations. ’There are two parts to the research: Citizen Science and traditional science. We’re trying to understand where they come from, where they go after the aggregations, what triggers the aggregations - is it full moon? Water temperature? Why do the spider crabs choose these sites? What are the aggregations made of - males? Females? Sizes? Does that vary from year to year? The traditional science is an ongoing monitoring programme and we’re hoping further funding will allow us to run the citizen science

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programme for years to come.’ With her background of lowbudget, exotic dive travel, Elodie believes that Australia’s temperate waters are highly underrated: ‘I’m saddened by how little people understand what’s in their own blue backyard. The biodiversity we have here and on the Great Southern Reef with 80% of species that are found nowhere else in the world is precious. Yet when the average Australian is asked to think about a productive, beautiful, biodiverse marine system they’ll probably think about the Great Barrier Reef.’ ‘What we have here in this temperate environment gets so overlooked. Even Victoria’s state marine emblem - the weedy seadragon - which people travel from interstate and overseas to see, we know so little about.’ www.inaturalist.org/projects/spider-crab-watch. n

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Mustard’s MASTERCLASS In this installment, Alex Mustard explains how to get stunning fish portraits that will instantly connect with your audience Photographs courtesy of Alex Mustard / www.amustard.com

appily, I am coming to you from Sharm El Sheikh. It is great to be back! I’ve run underwater photography trips to the Red Sea in June/July for most of the last 20 years, but after two summers away, it has been a long wait for this trip. On the plus side, absence makes the heart grow fonder and I’ve been revelling in the magnificent reefs, captivating shipwrecks and awesome schools of fish that gather in the Ras Mohammed National Park. But if there is one thing that sends my heart soaring here it is the anthias. They may be small, but these joyous technicolour marvels shout ‘Red Sea’ to me. Right now, if I had to pick my favourite fish it would be small, orange and frequently spotted massed about coral heads. Truth be told, I can never settle on a preferred fish for long, there are just too many to love. But that isn’t a problem most of the population struggle with – the average-Joe-or-Jane-in-thestreet has never considered having a favourite fish. Which presents a challenge to us as shooters because fish are a major subject and we want to produce images that people are interested in. The solution starts with honesty. Much as we love them, we have to accept that scaly, slimy fish just don’t have the natural charisma of species like polar bears, pandas, or penguins. Nor are they A-listers like sharks, dolphins or turtles. We have work harder to create images that will really appeal. The solution is to to take the viewer beyond the scales and allow them to see an individual, a creature with character and personality. Unfortunately, fish aren’t always the most co-operative subjects, they are always on the move, darting in and out of focus, waiting for the exact moment we press the shutter to turn away and leave us snapping at their tails. Here in the Red Sea, fish really are everywhere, but stand-out photos are rare. On the plus side, if we can produce them, great fish portraits will really mark our work out.Photographing moving fish puts a lot of emphasis on autofocus performance, especially those like anthias that seem to

dance constantly and erratically. Add to this the lower light levels and the low contrast of the underwater world and you have one of the toughest autofocus challenges in any branch of photography. If you are a compact shooter, this is probably the discipline that your gear has the biggest performance gap to others. Fortunately, if you target slow or nonmoving species then this difference in eliminated. The latest mirrorless cameras have excellent autofocus, and the top models now have eye-tracking focus, which could prove revolutionary underwater. I have not had a chance to try it myself, yet. On SLRs the best mode is the tracking focus used by sports photographers, although the movements of fish are a little less predictable! Lighting choices are reasonably simple. Most underwater photographers favour two strobes in classic 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions for fish portraits. Unlike human portraits, where a photographer might look to use uneven lighting to create shadows and emphasize the features of their sitter, most fish are streamlined and lack the lumps and bumps to be brought out by this technique. Even lighting is usually best to reveal their colours and details. But in muck-diving destinations there are a plethora of gargoylian species, like frogfish and stonefish that should be celebrated ‘warts and all’ with uneven lighting. It is less fashionable these days, but in the past many photographers preferred the look of single strobe for fish portraits, arguing that the small drop shadow created both helped the fish stand out from the background and created a more three-dimensional look. These days shallow depth of field is the trendier way to separation, where the limited focus makes the subject pop out from its surroundings. F inding the right fish or situation is also key. Shooting anthias in the Red Sea, I target them on shallow easy dives, rather than in a howling current on an oceanic wall. I really like the local sites around Sharm for this, such as Temple, as the fish here see training divers everyday, so when we are quiet and still we easily win them over. A mild

Add to this the lower light levels and the low contrast of the underwater world and you have one of the toughest autofocus challenges in any branch of photography

The right pose or gesture can transform a picture

Shallow depth of field helps a subject stand out

The right pose will suggest emotions

Special shots come most readily when we meet a scaly supermodel, which is a particularly friendly fish that just wants to pose current is ideal as this will line up the fish and if we position ourselves slightly up current then the fish will swim towards our lens. Special shots come most readily when we meet a scaly supermodel, which is a particularly friendly fish that just wants to pose. Examples from my last week’s diving include a territorial lionfish that kept charging my camera, a farming sohal surgeonfish on the wreck that wanted to keep me off its veg, and an amorous yellow boxfish that was swimming right up to divers’ masks, fuelled by hormones and the desire to find a female. Whatever the cause, a fish that will repeatedly pose is an opportunity never to pass up. Fortunately, and especially so here in the Red Sea, many fish are incredibly beautiful and need only be shot in a simple id-style to create a visual feast. The veteran fishsnapper Roger Steene, whose photos fill many of the staple identification books, was the master of this approach. Although some are condescending to this ID style, Steene’s best images demonstrate how aesthetic the simple celebration of nature’s beauty can be. However, when we want our images to reach

beyond the converted, then our focus must shift to character. The golden rule here is strong eye contact, which peaks when we bend our back and get right down to the eye level of the subject. You’ll know instantly when you get strong eye contact, and if you have to ask whether a photo has eye contact - then it doesn’t! Some fish species have forward facing eyes and we should try and photograph the species from head on. This naturally arranges the fish’s features with their eyes, above a nose, above a mouth, forming a recognizable face. Once the viewer can see a face they won’t see a fish! Instead, they will see an individual they can relate to and will project character, emotion, or personality onto the subject. Even when it isn’t there! You may already have a fish photo where people say the subject looks grumpy, surprised, or curious. This is exactly what you want; it means your subject has transcended being a scaly, slimy fish and has become a character. Memorable fish portraits are not about really about photographing fish, but photographing faces. n

Images taken with the SportDiver

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LIVE TO DIVE

ANOTHER DAY PT Hirschfield’s 1,531st dive – and the boat trip she was on ended up being memorable for all the wrong reasons

ive 1,531 (19 March 2022) brought me closer to death than anything else in my life. It’s a dramatic story with lots of lessons learned, and writing about it here is helping me to process the enormity of what did - and didn’t - happen. This year, I’ve been spending a lot of time exploring Australian waters that are new to me. I reached out to someone whose underwater photos I’d seen on Facebook. After meeting in person, I was invited to join a dive adventure on his private 40-foot catamaran, which he had owned for the past year and a half. I told the owner captain that I was a writer for scuba magazines and he said ‘Great! Maybe you can write an article to help me to find new crew members’. The crew onboard the boat when I embarked consisted of the captain and three novice divers, whom I’ll call Adam, Teddy and Adam’s girlfriend, Amy. I awoke after the first night on the boat to the captain in the galley kitchen, looking at a weather app on his phone and shaking his head. ‘Conditions look much worse today than predicted last night’. ‘So no diving today?’ I asked. ‘No other boats will be leaving this marina today. Everyone else would think I was crazy for going out’. ‘So dives are cancelled today then?’ I enquired again. ‘I think we can get out to the dive spot early, then head back before it turns too feral’, he answered. As someone unfamiliar with the waters of this region, it didn’t cross my mind to challenge his judgement as we made the one-and-a-half hour boat journey out to the site. When we reached the site, the captain elected to stay on the boat with Teddy, instructing Adam (with 40 dives) how to navigate his girlfriend Amy (with 30 dives) and myself through the dive site and where it would be safest to surface under the prevailing conditions. I was not privy to the dive briefing, nor the fact that Adam (who had only dived the site twice before) was distracted by not being able to find his hood and wasn’t paying adequate attention to the instructions being given. As we began our descent, it became apparent that Amy’s tank was slipping loose from her BCD. After Adam tried

unsuccessfully to secure the tank at the relatively calm surface, Amy aborted the dive and swam back to the boat. That loose tank probably saved her life. I continued the dive with Adam. He seemed a competent diver, apart from his dive profile repeatedly going deep (maximum 23m) then shallow then deep again, creating potential risks for equalisation and nitrogen levels. After the dive, his computer dive profile graph showed at least eight red marks, indicating where he had violated best practice rather than starting deep then slowly levelling up. The dive itself was pleasant and mostly uneventful. Lots of fish and wobbegong sharks punctuated the increasing surge. An enormous numb ray slept on the sandy substrate. Adam indicated that it was time for us to commence our safety stop, so I clipped my camera to my bcd and slowly began to ascend. I started to feel a mild reverse block in my left ear, so I descended slowly until it resolved before rejoining Adam on the stop. We completed the three-minute safety stop at 4m without incident, not far from the rocky point where Adam had planted the marker buoy he’d been towing for later retrieval by the boat. Leaving the marker there seemed odd to me, but I assumed it was part of some prearranged protocol between Adam and the captain. Upon surfacing from the 72-minute dive, we were met with pounding three-metre waves, dangerously close to the rocks, making it impossible for the 40 foot catamaran to retrieve us. We lay on our backs and kicked as hard as we could away from the rocks, making little to no progress against the powerful waves forcing us repeatedly back towards the rocky point. I could only occasionally see the boat through the towering waves as the captain made several attempts to manoeuvre it close enough to attempt a rescue without getting too close to the exposed rocks. Adam caught the smooth white rope Teddy threw to him and was towed then pulled into safety, leaving me bobbing alone on the violent surface. The boat circled into position and the rope was thrown to me three times over 20 minutes. Each time

There was no way I could climb the ladder with fins on or remove my own fins. I raised my right foot above the surface and yelled

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it escaped my gloved hands like teflon. ‘Grab onto the rope!’ Teddy yelled to me over the waves. ‘It keeps slipping through my hands’, I screamed. In disbelief, I heard Teddy call back to the captain ‘She doesn’t want the rope!’ and I corrected him at the top of my lungs, ‘It keeps slipping away!’ I put my reg back into my mouth as the next thunderous wave pounded over me. Thank God I had surfaced with half a tank of air. I knew it might be hours before the water would calm enough for them to be able to collect me if the smooth white rope failed me again. I knew I couldn’t wrap the rope around my hand, having read articles about people having hands amputated by ropes during games of Tug of War. I finally managed to grab and maintain hold of the rope with both hands the fourth time, as now the crew had tied knots into it to prevent it escaping my grasp. I was towed through the relentless wall of waves further from the rocks and towards the relative safety of the boat. ‘Just hold on tight,’ I told myself as waves smashed my face and crashed over my head, knowing full well that panic is a primary cause of diver death. Staying calm would increase my chances of getting out of this dangerous water. Then, without warning, I was under the catamaran, its massive bow rising ten metres above the raging sea, while the solid stern crashed down less than a handspan from my face. ‘I’m going to die now,’ I realised with absolute

as they unclipped my camera and dumped it face down on the deck. ‘Move up onto the next step!’ they urged me. ‘I can’t move’, I either yelled or whispered, utterly spent. ‘Take the tank off my back. Do not drop it on me.’ They removed the tank and I begged them to keep dragging me up, still in imminent danger of toppling back down into the raging sea. ‘Don’t let her fall asleep!’ I heard Teddy tell Adam. Somehow I inched my way onto the next step, then slumped onto the deck. I vomited while the captain berated Adam for losing the marker buoy and not following his instructions about where to double back away from the rock point to end the dive. ‘I didn’t listen properly’, the novice diver confessed. Adam had dived that site and dive path twice before. But he was too inexperienced to understand that the old dive plan could be deadly under the treacherous new conditions that had developed on the surface. I sat on the lounge behind the captain with my eyes closed and my head in the spew bucket for the two and a half hours it took us to battle the monstrous sea back to the marina. I was beyond thankful to be uninjured, but my camera port now had a deep scratch across it, rendering it unusable without time-consuming repairs. That night as we ate ramen and played Monopoly Deal as though denying our collective state of shock, our conversation kept reverting to round-table debrief of the near-deadly dive. ‘Well, thanks everyone for saving my life

I finally managed to grab and maintain hold of the rope with both hands the fourth time, as now the crew had tied knots into it to prevent it escaping my grasp certainty, waiting for the boat to crack my skull or send me unconscious to the ocean floor. Despite my instinct to raise my arm to cover my head, I tightened my desperate grasp on the rope. Somehow I was either dragged by rope from above or propelled by surge below or both, out from beneath the backend of the boat. I found myself clutching a wildly flailing, narrow ladder as it threatened to smash, crush or sever whatever part of my body was closest to it at any given moment. There was no way I could climb the ladder with fins on or remove my own fins. I raised my right foot above the surface and yelled to Adam, ‘Get my fin off!’ He removed the fin and I managed to put my foot on the ladder’s bottom rung. Exhausted and with a 13-litre aluminium tank on my back, I was still being pummelled by ferocious waves. ‘You need to pull me up!’ I didn’t consider dropping my weights to make their task easier; I would have had to let go of the ladder to do that. Somehow Adam and Teddy dragged me up onto the first and second step of the boat and I face-planted on my belly, pinned down by the tank and weights. The boat was still rocking like a demented see-saw. When it tipped again I would surely slide right back into the violent waves with no strength or strategy to survive another rescue attempt. ‘I’m going to die,’ I told my unseen rescuers over and over, with no other way to communicate that my life was still very much in their hands. ‘No, we’ve got you’ they promised

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today’, I told the three men at the table. ‘I had to,’ the captain replied, ‘They would have come after me if I didn’t. I’d be in court with years of paperwork.’ This genuinely seemed his primary concern. I asked why they hadn’t thrown me the round life buoy that remained firmly in place on the back of the boat. ‘There’s no rope attached to it’, the captain replied, but I suspect tossing me the life ring hadn’t even been considered in the frenzied chaos of the rescue. ‘You could have descended when you saw how bad the surface was,’ the captain suggested, ‘Then ascended again further from the rocks to make it easier for us to reach you.’ Maybe. And maybe such a move would have compounded the life-threatening challenges. Or created new ones. ‘Or you could have just swum further away from the rocks during your safety stop?’ On our ascent we’d had little to no indication of how dangerously the surface had changed since we had entered the water. Sure it looked a bit lumpier from below than when we had got in, but the safety stop felt perfectly calm. Neither Adam nor I had felt any cause for alarm until after we had broken the surface. A moving safety stop away from the rocky point could well have made our return to the boat a significantly safer proposition. n Read the rest of this salutary tale online: www.scubadivermag.com/dive-another-day

Discover Fiji’s best dive regions Fiji’s colourful reefs are a bucket list dive for all dive enthusiasts. Balmy oceans and great visibility are just part of the reason why you’ll log memorable adventures here. The regions below are known for outstanding diving. CORAL COAST, BEQA LAGOON The Coral Coast is the stretch of coastline that runs from the Village of Sigatoka to the captial city of Savu, located on the southern shores of Viti Levu. Travel time from Nadi airport is anything from 1 to 2 hours. Beqa Lagoon is one of Fiji’s original soft coral wonderlands. The lagoon not only offers stunning soft corals, but it is also world renowned for its shark dives. Usually calm, this shallow lagoon

teems with marine life, and you can expect pinnacles, swim throughs, large overhangs, wrecks and a plethora of colourful corals. There is also plentiful reef fish, sharks and other pelagic visitors like turtles and even dolphins. Some of the most famous dive sites include Shark reef, Purple haze, Edge, Bordello and Sundance. The lagoon can be easily accessed from Viti Levu – from one of the many resorts

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that are dotted along this spectacular stretch of coast, as well as offshore Beqa Island. Accommodation and other adventurous topside activities like rafting, ziplining and off-road expeditions are plentiful in these locations. Popular resorts for divers in the area include the Fiji Hideaway Resort and Spa, Mango Bay Resort, Pearl South Pacific, Waidroka Bay Resort, Beqa Lagoon Resort and the Uprising Beach Resort. n

Topside Adventures • Explore the Arts Village • Go River Tubing on the Navua River • Catch Some Surf at Frigate Passage • Go Ziplining! • Go White Water Rafting on the Navua River • Take a Self-Drive Dune Buggy Tour • Take a Trip to Suva • Jet Boat on the Navua River

Guide to Fiji Flying – There are flights from most major Australian and New Zealand cities Direct to Nadi. From Nadi the Suncoast - RakiRaki region is around a 2-hour dive. Diving – is all year round, but rainy season is from November to April. The winter months between May – October are the main diving season with the best visibility from July to December. Currency – The Fijian Dollar (AUD 1 = FJD 1.5) Entry/Visas – Fiji has done way with most COVID 19 restrictions but it is always best to check what the current travel rules are on an official website or with a travel agent. Visas are not needed for visits of up to 4 months providing you have an onward or return ticket. For business you will be granted a stay of 14 days on arrival. Electricity – Fiji has the same voltage and plugs as Australia and New Zealand.

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IN FOCUS: IMMERSION PULMONARY OEDEMA

WHAT IS IPE AND WHO IS SUSCEPTIBLE?

condition experienced by divers and swimmers, immersion pulmonary oedema (IPE) is the sudden development of fluid in the lungs. IPE was first reported in 1989 and was originally thought to occur only in cold water. However, cases in warm water have since been reported, too. IPE is uncommon, and the causes of this condition are still not fully understood. Although IPE generally resolves quickly, respiratory distress in divers is very dangerous. As with many other health conditions in diving, it’s imperative to learn the signs.

Symptoms

Like drowning, IPE is the buildup of fluids in the aircontaining spaces of the lungs, interrupting breathing. But unlike drowning, the obstructing fluid comes from within the body rather than from inhalation of surrounding water. The obstructing fluid results from abnormal leakage from the bloodstream into the microscopic air sacs within the lungs (alveoli). This can be the result of heart failure or other cardiac problems, but IPE can also manifest in people for no apparent medical reason. Symptoms include coughing,

shortness of breath, and sometimes bloody and frothy phlegm. Unlike pulmonary decompression sickness (‘the chokes’), chest pain is not a symptom of IPE. Cases cover the spectrum of mild to severe and are analysed based on factors including diver age, water temperature, and previously existing cardiac conditions. Once the diver leaves the water, there is often spontaneous recovery, however, sometimes diuretics — standard treatment for pulmonary oedema — are needed. And IPE is not depth-dependent; it can occur even in very shallow water. If symptoms occur during a dive, the affected person

A condition experienced by divers and swimmers, immersion pulmonary oedema (IPE) is the sudden development of fluid in the lungs

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Although IPE generally resolves quickly, respiratory distress in divers is very dangerous. As with many other health conditions in diving, it’s imperative to learn the signs should communicate with their buddy and end the dive as quickly and safely as possible. Once safely out of the water, the diver should be provided oxygen if respiratory distress or any other symptoms persist, their exertion should be limited, and they should be evaluated by a doctor.

Return to diving

Experiencing IPE does not disqualify someone from participating in future dives, but caution going forward will be necessary. A return to diving should be based on full recovery from a previous episode, a diver’s physical condition and medical history, their doctor’s evaluation, and the type of diving they intend to do. A return to diving should be considered on a case-by-case basis. A younger diver with no history of cardiac problems who developed a mild case of IPE should not be disqualified from future dives, however, if IPE symptoms ever develop again, more extensive evaluation may be warranted before any return to diving. For divers with medical conditions who developed severe IPE and needed hospitalisation, further cardiac evaluation may be needed before they are permitted to return to diving. A doctor may want to look for underlying artery blockages or heart valve issues. Anyone who experiences recurrent

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episodes of IPE should probably stop diving.

Mysterious IPE

It is still unclear why some individuals are more susceptible than others to IPE. While there may be a link to cardiovascular conditions or hypertension, there are numerous scenarios in which a diver has experienced IPE without any apparent underlying conditions. Until individual susceptibility is better understood, it’s too difficult for doctors to make recommendations as to how it can be avoided. Hopefully, future research can reveal more about its causes, and doctors can better predict who is at an increased risk of developing it. Because it can happen in the absence of underlying conditions, all divers need to be aware of this condition so symptoms can be recognised and appropriate actions taken. n

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Scuba Diver Senior Travel Editor Don Silcock kicks off this series looking at different big animals and where to find them – with a focus on manatees, and specifically those found in Florida’s Crystal River Photographs by Don Silcock

he manatee and its close-but-smaller cousin the dugong are truly fascinating creatures - but they are naturally shy and are both listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with declining populations, so they can be hard to encounter and even more so to photograph. While there are a few locations with a decent track record of dugong encounters, like Abu Dabbab at Marsa Alam in the Egyptian Red Sea and around Busuanga in the Philippines, by far the best place to get close to one of these Sirenians is Crystal River in Florida. And the basic reason it is such a great location is really very simple - warmth… The Florida manatee is an iconic and generally much-loved creature found both on the eastern, Atlantic side of the state and on the western, Gulf of Mexico side. They are there because of the extensive seagrass meadows, which provide their primary source of nutrition - with each manatee consuming up to 40kg of seagrass per day, or roughly one football field of it! Contrary to what the rotund appearance suggests, their vegetarian diet makes manatees into really ‘lean machines’ with almost no fat or blubber to keep them warm in the winter months and they simply have to find a source of warmth.

Warm water…

The Florida peninsular is formed on a huge plateau of karst limestone that accommodates one of the world’s most-productive aquifers - the massive Floridan Aquifer, covering a total area of almost 260,000 km². Rather than running off into river systems, that porous limestone allows Florida’s rainfall to percolate down into the underground chambers of the plateau and, as new water makes its way into the aquifers, hydraulic pressure forces previous rainfall out where the chambers are closest to the surface. Importantly for the manatees, that water is a constant 22°C - two above the 20°C needed to maintain core body temperature and avoid death from cold stress. In very simple terms, the abundant seagrass and the warm winter water is why the Florida manatee is what it is.

Manatees are herbivores, with a diet of more than 60 species of underwater, shoreline and floating plants, but primarily eat seagrass along the sea floor.

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Manatees are more closely related to the elephant than they are to other marine creatures. Each species of manatee is a member of the sirenius family, which shares a common ancestor with the elephant, aardvark and small gopher-like hyrax.

AND WHERE TO FIND THEM THE MANATEES OF CRYSTAL RIVER

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Kings Bay

Located on the Gulf of Mexico side of the Florida peninsula, Kings Bay has in an area of 2.5 km², around 100 warm water springs - 15 of which are significant ‘first magnitude’ ones. Combined they pump out some 110 million litres of 22°C water every day - filling the bay and forming the head waters of the Crystal River, which flows out into the Gulf of Mexico. All of which makes the area prime real estate for the Florida manatee and has been for a very long time… The difference now though is all the humans with their boats and canal-side residences. If you are considering a trip to the Crystal River, you need to understand that not all the locals are enamoured with their Sirenian winter visitors, because of the access and speed restrictions introduced under legislation to make all of Florida a manatee refuge and sanctuary.

Swimming with the Florida manatee

The Crystal River is the only location in the United States where tourists are allowed in the water with manatees, because swimming with them was always a tourist drawcard and was ‘grandfathered’ through the legislation – something that would never be permitted if proposed today. Manatee

swimming is a significant employer in Crystal River and prepandemic there were some 26 companies catering to the estimated 150,000 tourists in the season. So be aware that the chances of a quality encounter are pretty slim if you are there on a busy weekend or when one of the regular busloads of excited schoolkids and their moms arrive!

The Three Sisters Springs

This set of three large springs is probably the most unique and inspiring place to see the Florida manatee. Located in a wildlife refuge of some 58 acres of pristine vegetation, the Three Sisters is one of Florida’s last remaining urban springs. Unlike the other springs in Kings Bay, at the Three Sisters those crystal-clear waters from the underground chambers do not merge with the darker waters of the canals and the bay until exiting the refuge. Which means that undisturbed the visibility is absolutely stunning and creates a magnificent backdrop for the manatees that enter through the narrow channel to the canal system. However… it is also open to the public and what can seem like a tranquil haven if you are there alone, quickly turns into thriving mass of assorted legs and torsos suspended from flotation sausages as the next party of excited tourists arrive!

When Lady Luck does shine on you and you get a great encounter, it really is an incredible moment - these animals simply grace you with their presence Out on a snorkel and dive trip

Manatee dives are shallow

Manatees are threatened by recreational boaters

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Snorkellers searching for manatees

Kayaking to the manatees

How to get good images

Obviously… you need to be there when the manatees are - which means in winter from November to April. But the best chances are when the water is coldest, which typically means around mid-December to late-January. Don’t expect to get great images in one to two days as there are just too many variables with the weather, water temperature and tourists. My first trip was ten days and I needed them to achieve most of my objectives because of a couple of washed-out days. What worked best was going out on an organised early morning trip to be at the Three Sisters by 7am when it opens - sometimes that saw me there with just a few others and at other times a couple of dozen people there is no way to plan, it’s all completely random. Then in the afternoon I would rent a kayak and go back to the Three Sisters where, if I was lucky, I would find a spot to tie up the kayak and snorkel my way into the Springs. Late afternoon can be really excellent as most of the day tourists have departed, the water is gin-clear again and the manatees are calm and relaxed.

Special use permit

The best chance of good images is with a special use permit from Fish and Wildlife Services. This requires watching an instructional video on how to behave and paying US$100, for which you are given a bright, numbered vest so the rangers can identify you, and are allowed to submerge rather than stay on the surface like all the other tourists. Under no circumstances can you pursue the manatees and you must ‘observe passively’, but you soon learn when the sleeping manatees need to breath and submerge in position to capture them mid-water – all without harassing them. Playful manatees

Manatee portrait

Equipment

You need a wide-angle lens to capture the manatees as they are big animals and I found that a 16-35mm zoom on my Nikon D800 DSLR was a great combination. Strobes are no longer allowed unfortunately, which obviously impacts early morning shooting, but there is plenty of light in the afternoon and if it’s behind you all is good!

In summary

My initial manatee trip was one of my first big animal trips and it taught me two basic things – firstly, it’s never easy to get good images and while preparation can get you in the zone, luck has a significant role to play… Secondly, when Lady Luck does shine on you and you get a great encounter, it really is an incredible moment - these animals simply grace you with their presence. Briefly but very significantly! n

Don Silcock

Don is Scuba Diver’s Senior Travel Editor and is based from Bali in Indonesia. 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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beyond technical

www.narkedat90.com

Over the Scuba Diver Australia and New Zealand Editor Adrian Stacey finally gets to grips with the innovative Mares Horizon SCR on a trydive at North Stradbroke Island Photographs by David Biddulph and Felicia Sutjahjo

Rebreathers offer an entirely new way to enjoy the underwater world. Whether it is the technology that attracts you or the potential to swim free without making bubbles, the decision to enter the realm of rebreather diving is a significant one

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hen I started my professional diving career many years ago in Egypt, I remember watching the rebreather divers meticulously plan their dives. They would then spend hours studiously checking their equipment and patting canisters of softener lime. I could see the benefits of the rebreather - no bubbles, so you can get closer to the wildlife, extended bottom times, so you can dive for hours at a time and, let’s face it, the diver who dons this extraordinary diving apparatus automatically gains a kind of James Bond-style coolness. However, it all seemed like a lot of effort, and I was quite happy to strap on a 12-litre tank of air or nitrox and go for a dive. In the intervening years, I have not given rebreathers much thought, my perception being that they were expensive and complicated. Then Mares released the Horizon Semi-Closed Rebreather (SCR). A device that operates on nitrox, significantly increases dive times and doesn’t cost much more than a high-end set of open circuit scuba equipment. This new device piqued my interest, so when Dan from Manta Lodge on North Stradbroke Island invited me over for a trydive, I was keen to give it a go. Before I talk about my trydive experience and what it entails, I should begin by explaining the basics of the various different types of diving systems: Open circuit - This is what most divers use, a set of regulators attached to a tank of air (21 percent oxygen, 79 percent nitrogen) or a tank of nitrox that contains a greater amount of oxygen (up to 40 percent for recreational divers). The demand valve regulators then give the diver gas as they breathe in and expel all the gas when they breathe out (minus the small amount of oxygen the body metabolises). The benefit of this system is its ease of use; the downside is that it uses a lot of gas, the gas is very dry, and it is relatively noisy.

I could see the benefits of the rebreather - no bubbles, so you can get closer to the wildlife, extended bottom times, so you can dive for hours at a time and, let’s face it, the diver who dons this extraordinary diving apparatus automatically gains a kind of James Bond-style coolness

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www.narkedat90.com Semi-closed rebreather (SCR) - This system uses a single nitrox tank and sofnolime to remove harmful carbon dioxide. The Horizon is a gas extender that delivers a constant flow of nitrox and will vent every five to seven breaths. The benefit of this system is that it will make a tank last five to seven times longer than an open circuit configuration, is considerably quieter, and delivers warm moist gas. While it is a bit more complicated than open circuit it is much easier to use than a closed-circuit rebreather. The downside is that it requires additional consumables. Closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) - These units require two gas sources and sofnolime. This complex system is very much in the realm of tech divers. An array of sensors works out when to add oxygen to a fully closed breathing loop. No bubbles are emitted from the unit, so it is very quiet, and unlike the SCR, which is restricted to 40m because of the gas mix, the CCR can go much deeper. The CCR will allow a diver to stay submerged for much longer, but the downside is it requires a lot of training, careful preparation and is very costly.

Adrian (right) on the Horizon SCR

Running through the pre-dive checks

Getting on the unit

My venture into the world of rebreather diving began in the classroom, where Dan gave me a brief history of rebreathers, their differences, and how they work. He then introduced me to the Mares Horizon unit and explained what the trydive programme entailed. The Horizon is a surprisingly compact system. It has three batteries, two oxygen sensors and uses minimal O-rings to reduce the risk of leakage. Two canisters of sofnolime, counterlungs and a variety of tubes make up the unit’s inner workings. It is also equipped with a wing-style bladder, inflator hose and regulator loop. Adrian checking his wrist-mounted computer

You can attach any tank you like, but we used a five-litre cylinder with 40% nitrox in a sidemount position. To this tank, a trimmed-down set of regs, including a primary and air gauge, is attached for emergencies. Once we had gone through the basics of setting up the equipment and how to use the unit, we headed for the pool for a skill set, and to get acquainted to diving on the Horizon. One of the most-important rules of using the SCR is not to allow water into the breathing loop, so when the regulator was not in my mouth, the loop had to be closed. This is done by flicking a small lever on the mouthpiece to the down position, making the system open circuit.

In the intervening years, I have not given rebreathers much thought, my perception being that they were expensive and complicated 58

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28/03/2022 15:57

Computers • O2 Cells • Gas Analysers Cables & Connectors • Rebreather Parts PathFinder Strobes • Sensors Tools • Solenoids The predive safety check is very simple, and the wristmounted computer tells you precisely what to do. First, I needed to check that the unit was watertight so I would not lose any air or allow any water ingress. This is achieved by opening the loop and breathing all the air out, creating a vacuum. Once this is done, I opened the tank valve to allow the computer to check I had the correct gas mixture. Finally, I needed to make sure the sensors were working correctly. This is achieved by opening up the loop, putting the device in SCR mode and taking a few breaths. That was it! I was then good to go. Once in the pool, we again checked everything was working and practised removing and relacing the mouthpiece. This skill was repeated underwater. We also went through the bailout procedure, which consists of switching from SCR to open circuit. Then it was time to practice buoyancy control. The big difference between open circuit and SCR is that with SCR, you cannot use your lungs to control your buoyance and believe me, I tried. After decades of breathing in to go up and breathing out to go down, training myself only to use the inflator and deflator buttons took a while to get my brain around. After floundering around the pool like a complete novice for a while, I gradually began to get the hang of it. Then it was time to head out for our open water dives. After the predive safety check, we backward rolled into the sea, and after taking a few breaths on the surface to make sure everything worked, and I was comfortable, we began our descent. Again, it took a bit of time to get used to the getting over obstacles without using my lungs to ascend or descend. Still, within ten minutes or so, I was comfortably using the inflator button instead of my hands to keep off the bottom. The silence and the warm breath were a welcome change to the dry breath and noisy bubbles you get with an open circuit system. The proximity to wildlife that I achieved on the SCR was incredible. With a depth limit of 12m, we could not go in search of the grey nurse sharks that visit the deeper gutters of flat rock in the winter months. Still, I did have some great dives at Shag Rock and the shallower side of Flat Rock, with a variety of encounters with a wealth of marine wildlife. Fish that would typically hide under a rock as I approached now allowed me Adrian enjoyed getting closer to the marine life

The Horizon is an SCR, which means it vents every five or six breaths

to get inches away, Turtles and wobbegongs were unfazed by my presence, and at one point, a large marble ray cruised past me within touching distance. I toughly enjoyed my first outing on a rebreather. It was a lot simpler to use than I had anticipated. The unit is lightweight and user-friendly. Also, the fact you can use any cylinder with it is a real plus. For me though, the real benefit of this SCR is the extended dive times it offers and the wildlife interactions it facilitates. The Horizon is a photographer’s dream and is not far off what you would expect to pay for a high-end set of open circuit equipment. n

Manta Lodge

Manta Lodge is the only dive centre located on North Stradbroke Island and has easy access to the plethora of excellent dive sites around the island. They offer morning and afternoon dives and cater to all levels of divers. The Manta Lodge instructors can teach courses from open water thought to advanced tech. The winter month heralds the humpback whale migration and the arrival of the grey nurse sharks, and the summer months are best for spotting mantas and leopard sharks. The adjoining YHA hostel provides cheap accommodation, and the Manta Lodge team is friendly, fun and professional.

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08/02/2022 18:33

Milne Bay

Photographs by Don Silcock

t was the mid-1980s when articles and images started to appear – still the very early days of liveaboards in exotic locations that few people had actually heard of… And yet here was this British ex-schoolteacher on board a locally built, custom dive vessel exploring a place called Milne Bay in a country named PNG. His name was Bob Halstead and, together with his thenwife Dinah, they established the first liveaboard operation in Papua New Guinea. Their boat, the MV Telita, was, shall we say, compact… but it enabled them to get to and dive the many reefs and islands that form Milne Bay. Bob, who passed away in December 2018, was always forthright in his opinions and seemed to relish being controversial – or as someone once described him, ‘not always right, but never in doubt’. But there was absolutely no doubt that he could take great underwater photos and captured superb images of the sites he and Dinah found in Milne Bay. Using them to illustrate the numerous articles published in the global diving media – effectively establishing Milne Bay as a ‘must-do’ dive location. Other adventurers followed Halstead, most notably Rob van der Loos with his boat MV Chertan - and the rest, as they say, is history!

biodiversity in the world. Studies of the Coral Triangle’s marine biodiversity have categorised more than 600 species of coral, together with 3,000 species of reef fish and to put those numbers into perspective – the Red Sea has around 200 coral species and 1,000 fish species, while the Caribbean has 50 and 900! The lifeforce of that intense biodiversity are the nutrient-rich, but incredible complex, regional and equatorial currents that nourish and sustain it all and also distribute the resultant eggs and larvae. Of those six countries, only PNG is touched by all of the main currents due to its location on the epicentre of the Coral Triangle and Milne Bay is effectively the very eye of that incredible storm of biodiversity. That’s why it’s special!

So… Why is Milne Bay special?

Milne Bay 101

Papua New Guinea is one of the six countries that form the Coral Triangle, the region of the Indo-Pacific widely acknowledged as the richest known area of marine

There are actually two Milne Bays… The first is the large, sheltered bay on the south-eastern tip of New Guinea island, named after the British Admiral Sir Alexander Milne,

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Manta rays birth little manta pups about every second year, conveniently rolled up like little burritos. However, this is a relatively slow reproduction rate, which makes manta rays vulnerable to overfishing.

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and then there is the much-larger province of Milne Bay. Milne Bay Province is roughly the size of New Zealand, but only about 5% of that area is dry land, and the rest are the waters surrounding the 600 plus islands that make up the province. With those islands falling into four main groups: the Trobriands, the D’Entrecasteaux Islands, Woodlark Island and the Louisiade Archipelago. Apart from the occasional exploratory trip, diving is largely concentrated in and around Milne Bay itself - which is still a really large area and is best thought of as the northern section, consisting of the Solomon Sea side of the East Cape peninsula together with the islands and seamounts around Nuakata Island. Then there is the southern part, with the area centred around Milne Bay’s former administrative capital of Samarai Island.

Located in the Asia Pacific region’s Coral Triangle, surrounding by the Bismarck, Coral and Solomon Seas, PNG has a stunning array of marine species just waiting to be discovered!

Diving Northern Milne Bay

On the northern (Solomon Sea) side of the long and narrow East Cape peninsula are numerous small bays – the headlands of which project out into the nutrient-dense current flows of the north coast. Those rich nutrients, together with the eggs and larvae carried with the currents, have created beautiful coral gardens on the sloping terraces that descend into the depths of the Goschen Strait between the East Cape and Normanby Island. They are effectively selfcontained ecosystems that host the myriad of marine life the Coral Triangle is renowned for and are a joy to dive. There are several to choose from, but my favourite is Deacon’s Reef - named after Sydney underwater photographer and diving pioneer Kevin Deacon.

PNG is stunning topside

Porcelain crab Divers approach massive seafan

Deacon’s is an absolute gem of a dive and never ceases to amaze me with both its intense richness and the random pelagic encounters that can happen there. The Goschen Strait and the north-east coast of New Guinea island is somewhat of a pelagic super-highway and you literally never know what chance encounters may happen and all the headland sites are known for the chance of a random encounter! The other incredible thing about Deacon’s Reef is that the bay, where its headland is located, is the place where ‘muck diving’ was born – Dinah’s Beach. Dinah Halstead’s home is the village of Lauadi and she convinced Bob to try diving the beach area in front of it and much to his surprise, he discovered all the critters in the black sand. Bob’s images of these strange and exotic creatures were captivating as many had never really been photographed before. He came up with the term ‘muck diving’ trying to convince a party of well-heeled American divers and underwater photographers to forego the beautiful reefs and try the black sand. In turn they thought Bob was just trying to save on fuel… but they gave it a try and the rest is also history!

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Gorgonian under the dive boat

Frogfish

Milne Bay is an all-year round destination as the shape of the bay itself and the many islands of the province mean that sheltered locations can always be found Diving Southern Milne Bay

If the 80/20 rule applies in the north, where 80% of the dives are on beautiful reefs and coral gardens, rich with wideangle photo-opportunities and 20% being muck and critters – then the south is 20/80… Where 20% of the dives are reefs and wide-angle, but 80% is muck and critter diving with abundant macro photo-opportunities. Let’s start with the 20% and my favourite dive in the south - Gona Bara Bara island and its wonderful reef manta cleaning station Giants@Home – the most reliable place in PNG to see these beautiful creatures. The site is in about 9m of water, just off the beach at Gona Bara Bara, and consists of a solitary bommie in an otherwise featureless sandy area. The bommie is about 5m high and is home to lots of cleaner wrasse that service the mantas when they are ready to be cleaned of parasites. Cleaning stations are a kind of marine version of a demilitarized zone, where the normal rules of the reef

(winner takes all…) are suspended under a process marine biologists call mutualism. It’s a fascinating and intriguing ritual to observe as the mantas hover above the bommie and the cleaner wrasse service them! Gona Bara Bara also has some good critter sites, but the very best of that 80% is without doubt Samarai Island jetty! Samarai was selected by the British in 1888 as the administrative capital of the province because of its strategic location near the southern end of the China Strait, the important channel that is used to enter Milne Bay by sea. And by 1900 the island had become a bustling and attractive cosmopolitan port town and major commercial centre. But unfortunately, those glory days are long behind it and the town has fallen into disrepair and nowhere is that more evident than the large jetty, much of which is basically crumbling… Dive boat on the jetty

Don Silcock

In more normal times Don is based from Bali in Indonesia, but is currently hunkered down in Sydney… 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 WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM.AU

Completely refurbished a couple of years ago, Oceania is a wonderful boat and very well operated Harlequin shrimp

norm, and late afternoon or night dives are available on the house reef at Tawali. Liveaboard-based: There are two liveaboards currently operating in Milne Bay – the MV Chertan and MV Oceania. Chertan has been based from Alotau for nearly 35 years and its skipper and owner Rob van der Loos knows the bay better than any other single individual. He is also a very accomplished underwater photographer specialising in exotic critters and the smaller side of things! Rob’s itineraries cover both the north and south of Milne Bay – but if critters and macro photography are your thing, then the south is the best choice! Oceania is skippered by Dan Johnson, another long-term PNG resident who normally bases the boat from Kimbe Bay on the north coast of New Britain. But Oceania relocates to Milne Bay in February and March as part of Dan’s plan to operate the boat year-round in the best locations in Papua New Guinea. Completely refurbished a couple of years ago, Oceania is a wonderful boat and very well operated. Its Milne Bay routes are designed to get to the best sites in both the north and the south – so it’s a great choice if that is what you are looking for.

When and how to get there

Milne Bay is an all-year round destination as the shape of the bay itself and the many islands of the province mean that sheltered locations can always be found. But to dive Milne Bay at its very best, you should visit from November through to late-March as that is the dry season for that part of Papua New Guinea and the minimal run-off from the rivers and streams means that underwater visibility can be exceptional. The only really viable option for getting to Milne Bay is by air from Port Moresby to Alotau’s Gurney (GUR) airport, which is served on a regular basis by both Air Nuigini and PNG Air. But underneath that decaying structure it’s a different story and critters galore have colonised the accumulated flotsam and jetsam of the last 130 years or so! The jetty comes out about 50 metres from shore and the various sections stretch about 150 metres along it, so there is quite an area to cover – but there is a lot to see with scorpionfish, stonefish, toadfish, crocodilefish, octopuses down in the rubble and baitfish, batfish, convict-fish, catfish and angelfish swirling around the pylons.

How to dive Milne Bay

There are a couple of ways to dive Milne Bay… either you can base yourself on the north coast at Tawali Dive Resort and concentrate on the East Cape and Nuakata Island sites, or you can use one of the two liveaboards that operate there and mix those northern sites with some of the southern ones. Resort-based: Tawali’s location on the East Cape peninsula means that excellent sites like Wahoo Point are just minutes away from the resort by day-boat, while Deacon’s Reef, Dinah’s Beach, Coral Gardens and Barracuda Point are about 30 minutes away. The farthest sites on the tip of the East Cape, Nuakata Island and the seamount sites are at most a 60-minute journey. Two to three dives per day, with lunch on the boat are the

In summary…

Located as it is in the heart of the Coral Triangle, Papua New Guinea has some amazing diving and Milne Bay has some of the very best. But you do have to make a bit of a choice between concentrating on the north or the south of the Bay… What would be the perfect trip? Well, for me, it would be about five or so days at Tawali to sample the wonderful north coast sites and then a liveaboard trip – on Chertan if critters and macro are your thing, or on Oceania if you want the best of both worlds! Tough choice, but wonderful options!! n Vibrant marine growth

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MADE IN AUSTRALIA

SIMON LORENZ | INSIDER DIVERS

Cephalopods,rays and sharks

ustralia, an island fortress isolated from other continents for millions of years, is home to some of the most-unique wildlife in the world - kangaroos, koalas, platypus, emus and kookaburras, to name but a few. However, Australia’s unique animals continue underwater, with the island nation home to many wonderful endemic marine species. Many of these marine animals are well-known and iconic, like the leafy seadragon, giant cuttlefish and Port Jackson shark, and attract divers from around the world to see and photograph them. But many more are less wellknown, but no less unique and fascinating, and they are some of the special species we are going to look at in this two-part article. The first part of this article will focus on the wonderful, unique and very diverse collection of sharks, rays, octopus and cuttlefish that divers can see while exploring Down Under.

Unique Aussie cephalopods

Australia is home to the world’s greatest variety of cephalopods, better known as octopus, squid and cuttlefish. Most of the species found in Australian waters are endemic,

and some of the strangest and most bizarre marine critters a diver can encounter. The bestknown and most iconic of these cephalopods is the giant cuttlefish, with the mass breeding aggregation at Whyalla each year attracting thousands of divers. However, there are many other unusual members of this family well worth looking for.

Southern sand octopus

The seas around Australia are home to dozens of octopus species, but of these the ones found in southern waters are the most unique, as they are found nowhere else. Many of these species look similar, so telling them apart can be difficult, but the southern sand octopus (Octopus kaurna) is one that stands out from the crowd due to its elongated head. As its name suggests, this octopus lives in the sand, hiding from predators by day and emerging at night to feed. Found off Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, this small octopus can obtain an arm span of 50cm, but most are much smaller, typically less than half this size. Night dives under any of the jetties in southern waters, such as Edithburgh Jetty, is the best way to find this unique octopus.

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In the first part of a new series looking at unique Australian marine life, Nigel Marsh focuses his attention on cephalopods, rays and sharks Photographs by Nigel Marsh www.nigelmarshphotography.com

Banded Stingarees are usually inactive during the day, and often remain partially buried in sand. Care must be taken when encountering this species as the venomous serrated spine on the tail can inflict an excruciatingly painful injury.

Many of these marine animals are well-known and iconic, like the leafy seadragon, giant cuttlefish and Port Jackson shark, and attract divers from around the world to see and photograph them

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Reaper cuttlefish

Australia is blessed with an abundance of cuttlefish, over a dozen species, but my favourite is the very cute reaper cuttlefish (Sepia mestus). Like all cuttlefish it can change its colour and texture to camouflage with its background, but its base colour, when relaxed, is a soft pink. The reaper cuttlefish grows to 14cm in length and is only found off New South Wales and southern Queensland. They are often found on rocky reefs throughout New South Wales, with the best place to see one is among the sponge gardens at Port Stephens.

Striped pyjama squid

The bottletail squid and bobtail squid are actually small members of the cuttlefish family, and not squid at all, as their names suggest. They all like to hide in the sand by day and emerge at night to hunt shrimps and crabs. Australia is home to a small number of these cute tiny cuttles, with the most unique member of the family being the wonderful striped pyjama squid (Sepioloidea lineolate). Looking like no other member of the family, the striped pyjama squid is white in colour with black stripes. Only growing to 7cm in length, the striped pyjama squid has a patchy distribution, found off New South Wales, South Australia and southern Western Australia. Night diving is the only way to see this dazzling cuttle, with one of the best places to see them being Edithburgh Jetty, but divers also find them in Sydney Harbour quite regularly at Clifton Gardens. Other wonderful endemic Aussie cephalopods to keep an eye out for include the highly venomous southern blueringed octopus and blue-lined octopus, plus the southern keeled octopus, Mourning cuttlefish and the very cute southern dumpling squid. Striped pyjama squid

Eastern fiddler ray

Unique Aussie rays

Everywhere you dive in Australia you will see an abundance of rays. Over one hundred species of rays are found in Australia waters, and while most of the tropical species are shared with other countries, the temperate water species are very unique.

Coffin ray

A number of electric ray species are found in Australia, but most occupy deep water or are rarely seen. But one species is very common, and has left a shocking impression on many divers. Known as the coffin ray (Hypnos monopterygius), this chubby ray has a very short tail and is so unique that it is placed in a family all of its own. The coffin ray grows to 70cm in length and is an ambush predator, hiding under a layer of sand until prey gets close enough to be attacked. Able to generate 200 volts via modified muscles, the ray uses these electric shocks to stun prey and for self-defence. Found off southern Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and most of Western Australia, the coffin ray is not the easiest of creatures to find, but Jervis Bay is a reliable location to encounter one, especially by accident.

Eastern fiddler ray

The banjo ray family contains eight species and most are found in Australia. These rays have a shovel-shaped head, but get their name from the members with a round banjo-shaped head. One of the most abundant members of the family is the very distinctive eastern fiddler ray (Trygonorrina fasciata), which is found in New South Wales and occasionally in southern Queensland.

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Southern sand octopus

Coffin ray

Epaulette shark

Stingarees are small rays that are often mistaken for being baby stingrays waters off Victoria, eastern South Australia and southern New South Wales, but is most common off Tasmania. Diving anywhere around Tasmania you have a good chance of encountering a banded stingaree, but I have consistently found them off Eaglehawk Neck and Hobart.

Thornback skate These sandy coloured rays reach 1.2 metres long and have a pretty banded pattern on their round head. While found almost anywhere across their range, they are more common in southern New South Wales at spots like Jervis Bay and Montague Island.

Banded stingaree

Stingarees are small rays that are often mistaken for being baby stingrays, but most only grow to 30cm wide. These small rays are well represented in Australia waters, with 21 of the 28 species found here. Many stingarees have plain sandy colouration, while others have spotted patterns, but my favourite is covered in bold dark bands and is known as the banded stingaree (Urolophus cruciatus). These small rays can grow to 50cm in length, but most are half that size. The banded stingaree is only found in shallow temperate

Skates are the only rays that lay eggs and most are found in very deep water, well beyond the range of even tech divers. Australia is home to a good variety of skates, but of these only a handful are found in shallow water. The most common member of the family found in southern Australia is the thornback skate (Dentiraja lemprieri). This small skate grows to 55cm in length and like all skates it lacks a tail spine and instead has thorny spines on its back. Only found off Victoria and Tasmania, divers often encounter this unusual ray in Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay and off the beaches around Hobart. Other unique Aussie rays that divers can see include the Australian bluespotted maskray, Australian whipray, eastern shovelnose ray, spotted stingaree and the impressive Melbourne skate.

Crested horn shark Thornback skate

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Northern wobbegong

Unique Aussie sharks

According to the media, Australian waters are infested with man-eating sharks, and while the nation is home to a diverse range of these predators, close to 200 species, the great majority are small, shy and completely harmless. While Australia shares many of its tropical shark species with other nations, the country still has many unique species found nowhere else in the world.

Crested horn shark

The horn shark family are considered to be quite primitive as they still have spines in front of their dorsal fins like many of their ancient ancestors. Three species of horn sharks are found in Australian waters, including the well-known and much-loved Port Jackson shark. But a more unique member of the family is the crested horn shark (Heterodontus galeatus). This cute little Aussie shark only grows to 1.3 metres long and is found off New South Wales and southern Queensland. It is far more elusive than its better-known cousin, with a tendency to hide under ledges, but is best seen at dive sites south of Sydney, especially in winter and spring when they breed.

Epaulette shark

Blind shark

Blind sharks are very uniquely Australian with the two members of the family only found off the east coast. These small shy sharks hide under ledges by day to avoid being eaten by wobbegong sharks. Of the two species the blind shark (Brachaelurus waddi) is the most common and found throughout New South Wales and into southern Queensland. Growing to a length of 1.2 metres, the blind shark obtained its strange name, not because it is blind, but because it closes its eyes when removed from the water. Finding these pretty little sharks with their faint brown bands and scattering of white spots is easy in some locations and difficult in others. The colourful sponge gardens of Port Stephens are a great place to find blind sharks.

Northern wobbegong

Wobbegongs are an iconic Aussie shark that all visiting divers love to see. However, they are not only found in Australian waters, with species also found in other parts of the Indo-West Pacific region. Twelve species are currently recognised, and of these ten are found in Australia, and while I could have included all the Aussie species in this article, I have chosen a unique and rare member of the family, the diminutive northern wobbegong (Orectolobus Blind shark

wardi). Only found in the tropical waters of Western Australia, the northern wobbegong grows to one metre in length and has a more-subdue mottle pattern across its body. These cute small sharks are occasionally seen on Ningaloo Reef, often hidden under corals or boulders, with the famous Navy Pier a good place to encounter one.

Epaulette shark

The epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum) is a member of the bamboo shark family, which contains 16 members found throughout the Indo-West Pacific. Several members of the family are found in Australia, with the epaulette shark the best-known and most iconic. These small sharks, also known as walking sharks because they creep across the bottom using their pectoral fins, grow to one metre in length and have elongated bodies that helps them to wriggle into tight spots to hide and also find prey. Once thought to range throughout the tropical waters of Australia, recent research has confirmed that the epaulette shark is only found off Queensland, and mostly on the Great Barrier Reef. With a preference for shallow lagoons this species is best seen at Heron Island and Lady Elliot Island. Other unique and wonderful Aussie sharks to look for include the Australian angel shark, draughtboard catshark, spotted wobbegong, banded wobbegong and the very shy varied carpet shark. In part two of this article, we will look at the wonderful and unique fishes of Australia. n

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Dive

THE SOUTHERN GREAT BARRIER REEF

Dive remote sites of the Bunker group on the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Lady Musgrave HQ offers unique liveaboard experiences. WWW.LADYMUSGRAVEEXPERIENCE.COM.AU 07 4151 5225 | BOOKINGS@LADYMUSGRAVEEXPERIENCE.COM.AU

Nigel Marsh is an Australian photojournalist, underwater photographer and author. Working with New Holland publishers, Nigel has produced a number of guide books for divers and snorkelers, and also a series of children’s books with marine related themes. FOR BOOK ORDERS PLEASE CONTACT NEW HOLLAND PUBLISHERS

02 89864700 | orders@newholland.com.au

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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

APEKS OCEA | SRP: AUD$TBC

The Ocea is the first of its kind – an environmentallyconscious regulator made from recycled materials and bioplastics, manufactured in a solar-powered facility. Based on the trusty XL4+, every single material and process was reconsidered to create the most eco-sensitive scuba diving regulator in the world. For instance, the leadfree brass can be endlessly recycled and it is stronger than standard brass. The Ocea is a truly game-changing regulator that removes five times its own weight in plastic from the environment, as each purchase funds the collection of 5kg of up-stream plastic waste (in collaboration with Plastic Bank). The compact machined first stage is based on the expedition-tested Apeks DS4 platform and has a unique over-balanced diaphragm design – as the diver descends, the over-balancing feature allows the medium pressure gas in the hose to increase at a faster rate than ambient. This results in superior performance at depth. It has two highpressure ports and four low-pressure ports. The lightweight second stage improves comfort and helps reduce jaw fatigue on long duration dives, and features a igh performance pneumatically balanced lever operated poppet valve, large, over moulded self-flushing and controllable purge button, and ergonomic Venturi lever that is easy to use and locate. The flexible nylon braided hose has better cold water performance than a traditional rubber hose, and it has the standard metallic hose connection for interchangeability. The comfo-bite mouthpiece has a unique bridge that fits across the upper palate and does not require bite pressure to stay in place, while re-useable mouthpiece clips make it simple to change mouthpieces in the field. www.apeksdiving.com

OTTER WATERSPORTS CHANGING MAT SRP: AUD$45 Getting changed in a muddy car park or on a rocky/sandy beach can be a real pain, as you don’t want to be getting dirty while trying to get into normal clothes apresdive. Otter Watersports have had divers covered on this front with their innovative drysuit bags, which open up fully to make a handy changing mat. However, they realised many people didn’t want to be standing all over their drysuit bag, and getting the outside dirty before it goes back in the car. Enter the Otter changing mat. Made from nice, thick neoprene, the changing mat rolls up and is secured with a Velcro tab. Once opened up, it makes a decentsized square on which to stand while you change. The thick neoprene is well padded against a stony surface, and once it does get a bit grubby, it can be given a good wash. www.otterwatersports.uk

TECLINE PEANUT 16 ASYMMETRIC WING SRP: €488-€894 Tecline boasts an impressive selection of backplate-and-wings, but here we are focusing on the Peanut 16 Asymmetric – the name relates to the 16kg lift provided by the uniquely shaped bladder. As with many Tecline products, there are a plethora of options available, from three different travel sets (Travel Set Comfort, Travel Set Light and Travel Set Ultra Light) through Kevlar variants with DIR harnesses to female-specific Comfort sets and full-on Kevlar Comfort rigs. There is a mesmerizing range of colourways too, including grey, red, camouflage, pink, pink camouflage, blue, black, and orange. Peanut wings – they come in 11kg and 21kg variants as well - are made with an internal PU-240 bladder and an external Cordura nylon 1000D or Kevlar layer. The DIR harness is simple one-piece webbing, but the Comfort harness has padded shoulder straps, adjustable pinch clips, etc. www.teclinediving.eu

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MARES XR-REC ICE | SRP: AUD$1,205 The success Mares saw last year with the new XR-Rec Silver Backmount Set came with many requests for a more-robust, heavy-duty version suitable for cold-water diving. Mares has a long history of listening to its customers, so they have introduced the new XR-Rec Ice Backmount Set. The XR-Rec Ice is the perfect companion for all cold-water technical divers. To increase this buoyancy system’s durability, Mares is replacing all aluminum components of the first version with stainless steel. The stainless steel backplate allows for double tank strap configuration, while stainless steel D-rings and buckles increase strength and offer a unique look. Although the XR-Rec Ice buoyancy system is robust, Mares does not compromise comfort. A soft back panel, lower back padding, and XR shoulder protection make wearing the weight required for cold-water diving a breeze. The XR-Rec Ice also includes two removable side weight pockets with D-rings. These optional pockets close with Velcro brand fasteners, and one pocket extends to store diving accessories. Available as a one-size-fits-all, this technical buoyancy system allows divers to create a custom fit when wearing the XR-Rec Ice Single Backmount Set. www.mares.com

FOURTH ELEMENT XEROTHERM HOODIE SRP: AUD$238 Fourth Element’s lightweight but super-comfy and warm Xerotherm hoodie is now available in three new colourways – rust, stone and blue – to accompany the existing, original black version. The Xerotherm undersuit was Fourth Element’s first technical product, and the Xerotherm hoodie references this with a minimalistic style. It is made from ECONYL regenerated nylon, made in part from lost fishing nets, and has a deep hood, generous hand-warmer pockets and thumb loops that essentially make it feel like it has built-in wrist warms – toasty! It comes packaged in a recyclable paper bag. www.fourthelement.com

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SHEARWATER PERDIX 2 | SRP: AUD$1,650-$1,700 PETREL 3 | SRP: AUD$1,600-$1,900

Shearwater Research has updated its two iconic flagship dive computers, the Perdix and the Petrel. The Perdix 2 has an armoured casing with precision titanium surround bezel and dependable titanium piezo touch buttons, while an aluminosilicate glass lens guards a fantastic 2.2” bright screen. A strong vibration customizable alert system draws attention at critical moments of the dive. Air integration with up to four Shearwater transmitters, the trusted and easy to find user-changeable single AA battery, and familiar ergonomic compact form factor. The Perdix 2 is available in Ti and Ti Black colour finishes. The Petrel 3 features an all-new, stunning, easy-toread, 2.6” AMOLED display is protected by a toughened aluminosilicate glass lens, titanium bezel, and piezo touch buttons. Air integration is now standard to all Petrel 3 models with up to four Shearwater transmitters. Safety is increased with a strong vibration alert system, and a userchangeable AA battery offers l ease of replacement. The Petrel 3 is available in standalone or rebreather monitoring models, including DiveCAN, 4-pin AK, and Fischer port connections. www.shearwater.com

CREST CR5 | SRP: APPROX. AUD$850 Crest might be a new name to the UK diving market, but the creative minds behind the company have a long history in diving. The CR5 is their latest product, and it is firmly aimed at the diving and sports enthusiast, being a fullfeatured dive computer as well as a smart sports watch. On the diving side of things, it is waterproof to 100m, can handle nitrox from 21 to 99 percent, and has a freediving and gauge mode alongside the scuba mode, which operates a Buhlmann ZH-L16C algorithm. On the sports watch front, it has built-in modes for hiking, biking, running, swimming, triathlon and workout. It also features GPS positioning, compass and heart rate monitor. The CR5 has a bright colour MIP LCD display, is very lightweight (80g) and the battery is rechargeable. www.crestdiving.com

TECLINE V1 TEC II ICE | SRP: €383 Mark Evans: Tecline Diving offers a touchpoint in pretty much every area of diving, and they have a couple of regulators in their line-up, and we got hold of the V1 Tec II Ice for review. The distinctive balanced diaphragm V1 first stage, machined from maritime bronze and ready for temperate water diving thanks to its dry chamber and cold-water kit, certainly stands out from the crowd thanks to its steeply angled ports. As per the norm, it has two high-pressure and four low-pressure ports, but these are arranged in a deep V shape (hence the name), which puts all of the hoses into a great orientation for effective routing, and ensuring that there is nothing poking up from your upper body that could be a snag hazard. This works well on a single-cylinder set-up as we had here, but would be equally beneficial if you have two of these first stages on a twinset. The other benefit of this hose routing is that when mounted correctly at the right height on your BCD, you can tilt your head back without touching the first stage. When I was in a nice trim position, I could look well ahead and be well-clear of the back of my head hitting the V1.

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Likewise, the Tec II pneumatically balanced second stage is also eye-catching, with plenty of shiny stainless steel around the large purge button, and on the large cracking resistance control knob. As I discovered, this knob is easy to locate and twist even wearing drygloves or thick neoprene, and the Venturi lever alongside it is also a decent size, so similarly simple to use. The ergonomic mouthpiece is very Aqualung-esque, much like the Comfo-Bite, and is just as comfortable. Combined with the lightweight body, this means you do not have to bite down too hard to hold the reg in position, so no jaw fatigue on long dives. The reg body is made of materials resistant for big temperature changes, and has additional heat exchangers for cold waters, plus there is a Teflon coating of metal parts as well. Myself and my fellow testers were impressed by the V1 Tec II Ice. It is a good-looking unit, it gave a smooth, dry breathe in all orientations, the mouthpiece is right up there with the best on the market in my opinion, and it comes in at a decent price point. The V1 Tec II Ice comes with a ten-year warranty for peace of mind. www.teclinediving.eu

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AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES

QUEENSLAND

DIVE EDEN

SHELLHARBOUR SCUBA & PHOTOGRAPHY

LADY ELLIOT ISLAND ECO RESORT

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: 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

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

DIVE IMPORTS AUSTRALIA t: (+61) 24 367 5512 e: info@diveimportsaustralia.com.au a: Shop 5/188 The Entrance Road Erina 2250 Central Coast NSW The Only PADI 5 STAR IDC Centre in Central Coast and Closest Dive Shop to dive ex HMAS Adelaide which located at Terrigal. www.diveimportsaustralia.com.au

EXPEDITION DIVE t: 1800 463 483 | e: info@expeditiondive.com.au a: Suite 683/41/464-480 Kent St, Sydney, NSW, 2000 PADI Courses • Guided Diving • Scuba Equipment. Expedition Dive is a full-service scuba shop with access to the best dive sites around Sydney. www.expeditiondive.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

OCEAN HUT FISHING AND DIVE t: 02 4476 2278 e: darryl@oceanhut.net a: 23 Graham Street, Narooma, NSW, 2546 We are a PADI retail outlet for most diver requirements including hire and air fills. www.compleatanglernarooma.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

SCUBA WAREHOUSE t: 61 2 96891389 e: info@scubawarehouse.com.au a: 1/50 George Street, Clyde NSW 2142, Sydney We are a PADI 5-Star IDC centre that specialises in personal tuition courses and outfitting divers in all things scuba. www.scubawarehouse.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

QUEENSLAND AQUA ADVENTURES PTY LTD t: 07 55917117 e: info@aquaadventures.com.au a: 95 Marine Parade, Southport QLD 4215 Padi 5 Star Instructor Development Centre, oldest and most experienced operating dive company on the Gold Coast. www.aquaadventures.com.au

BLUE DIVE PORT DOUGLAS t: 0427 983 907 | e: info@bluedive.com.au a: Port Douglas – Please call 0427 983 907. Superb private guided dives on the best Agincourt Reefs. Private multi-day dive charters. www.bluedive.com.au

BUNDABERG AQUA SCUBA 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

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

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 IQ t: +61 (0)404964878 e: info@scubaiq.com.au a: PO Box 588, Port Douglas, QLD 4877 PADI & TDI/SDI Dive operator. Courses for all levels – Guided Diving – Liveaboards to the Ribbon Reefs, Coral Sea + more. www.scubaiq.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

SUNREEF t: 07 5444 5656 e: info@sunreef.com.au a: 11-12/123 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba, QLD, 4557 World class dive sites & first class service. Dive the HMAS Brisbane Wreck, Stunning Flinders Reef or Swim With Whales! www.sunreef.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

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA

VICTORIA

RODNEY FOX SHARK EXPEDITIONS

ACADEMY OF SCUBA

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

t: +61422631110 e: info@academyofscuba.com.au a: 463 Browns Rd, Rye, Vic, 3941 Outstanding service on the Mornington peninsula. Gear hire and professionally fitted equipment sales. For Welcome to our diving family. www.academyofscuba.com.au

SCUBA COURSES PTY LTD

t: 03 5982 3432 e: info@extremewatersport.com.au a: 621/1623 Point Nepean Rd, Capel Sound, VIC 3940 Full sales, equipment servicing, training, rental, and Air fill services available onsite. On the water of below it you can’t go past Extreme Watersport! www.extremewatersport.com.au

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 BATAVIA COAST DIVE & WATERSPORTS t: 08 99214229 e: info@bcda.com.au a: Batavia Coast Dive, 118 Northwest Coastal HWY, Geraldton, WA 6530 We are a PADI 5 Star dive centre and THE local experts when it comes to oceanic adventures. www.bataviacoastdive.com.au

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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EXTREME WATERSPORT

OCEANSUITS 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

OCEAN DIVERS t: 03 9579 2600 e: info@oceandivers.com.au a: 223a East Boundary Road, Bentleigh East Ocean Divers is a PADI Five Star Instructor Development Centre and a Scubapro Platinum Dealer. www.oceandivers.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

CANTERBURY 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

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

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

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

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

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

WAIKATO

SOUTHLAND

DIVE ZONE WHITIANGA

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

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

TAURANGA

WELLINGTON

DIVE ZONE TAURANGA

DIVE WELLINGTON

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

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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DON SILCOCK FINALLY MAKES IT TO THE PHILIPPINES POST-COVID

DIVING WITH… JULES CASEY

MIKHAIL LERMONTOV PETE MESLEY GOES ON A WHISTLESTOP TOUR OF THE OCEAN LINER

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IVANA ORLOVIC GOES ICE DIVING IN THE LAKES OF AUSTRIA AND SERBIA

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ADRIAN STACEY IS BLOWN AWAY BY THE ‘SOFT CORAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD’

EXPLORING AUSTRALIA’S EX-HMAS ARTIFICIAL REEFS

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INDONESIA

THAILAND

MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY

ALEX MUSTARD

RAJA AMPAT

THAILAND ISSUE #46

ISSUE #47

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Photo provided by Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions

GBR Biology offers hand’s on citizen science to divers

xperience Co. is Australia’s leading adventure and tourism company operating ‘mild to wild’ experiences across multiple divisions with GBR Biology being one of these. GBR Biology is the largest team of marine biologist and indigenous cultural guides with unmatched professionalism and local knowledge operating in Great Barrier Reef Tourism. The new $7m marine science and tourism pontoon, Reef Magic, which launched in April has a purposebuilt onboard marine science laboratory and provides GBR Biology with an additional platform to carry out the important conservation work done by the team. With sustainability and the reef’s long-term protection the priority, the GBR Biology team are passionate about sharing knowledge and connecting guests to the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef and creating memorable experiences through on-board presentations and guided snorkelling adventures. Spending time with guests in the water, allows the team to frequently monitor sites and increase awareness on the dynamic state of the reef. From this, extensive site knowledge has been gained, which has laid a solid foundation to build research projects and reef education programmes to schools. GBR Biology through Reef Magic was the first organisation in Australia to implement and scientifically trial the use of Mars Reef Stars to stabilise coral rubble fields on the Great Barrier Reef. Currently Reef Magic has installed 439 Reef Stars with 6,480 coral fragments of opportunity. Through this, 55 different species of coral have been identified which represent a diversity of coral growth forms and looks like a natural coral reef. After the first installation of Reef Stars, they have seen a 50% increase in coral cover. Crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) are a natural coral predator within the Great Barrier Reef and are most famous for their capability to go from a very low density to high density populations. When these outbreaks occur on coral reefs, they can have devastating effects in a short period of time. After noticing an increase in juvenile numbers at the Reef Magic site, GBR Biology started their juvenile CoTS research project. In the time from 2014 to now GBR Biology has collected around the 13,000 juvenile CoTS (<150mm). This research programme has provided valuable insight

into juvenile CoTS ecology that may be useful to innovative programmes involved in the suppression of future outbreaks. The Kul-Bul project which GBR Biology is also involved in is a collaborative reef health programme based on Traditional Owner perspectives and contemporary knowhow. It has a holistic approach to monitor and evaluate coral reef health from combining recent modern scientific reef health data collected by our team with 60,000 years of Indigenous Ecological knowledge. The purpose is to create a functional decision tree to develop comprehensive site stewardship plans to manage Yirrganydji Sea Country at indigenous tourism sites visited by Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel. Hastings Reef has been identified as a Reef of cultural and socio-economic value and there is a plan to deliver reef intervention techniques to boost coral reef resilience at this important reef. This project is a collaboration between Dawul Aboriginal Corporation and GBR Biology and Reef Restoration Foundation. Just recently the Cotton On Foundation have donated $2m dollars to the Reef Co-operative of which GBR Biology are part of to implement interventions on Hastings Reef. n

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Scuba Diver ANZ #48

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Unique Australian marine life, pt 1

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