Q&A: BOB STADDON
EX-HMAS BRISBANE
SUPER SOCORRO
THE PARALYMPIAN TALKS SCUBA DIVING, AND STAYING POSITIVE
ADRIAN STACEY IS BLOWN AWAY BY THIS FORMER MILITARY SHIPWRECK
DON SILCOCK HEADS TO THE ‘MEXICAN GALAPAGOS’
All eyes on
MALAYSIA WHY YOU MUST DIVE THIS MACRO AND WIDE-ANGLE MECCA
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EDITOR’S NOTE SHARKS AND RAYS UNDER THREAT - AGAIN
Times are changing, and to keep the magazine free, we’re asking dive stores to cover their own postage costs. If you enjoy reading the magazine, think about helping out your centre with a small donation to help cover their costs.
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Mark Evans Email: mark.evans@scubadivermag.com
DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER Matt Griffiths Email: matt@scubadivermag.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Once again, sharks and rays are in the news for all of the wrong reasons. This time, however, it is not because of a shark biting a human. Instead, it is our impact on these fantastic creatures that is in the spotlight. The WWF has recently reported that an additional 39 sharks and rays have been reclassified as ‘threatened’. This takes the total of all sharks and rays categorised as ‘Vulnerable’, ‘Endangered’, or ‘Critically Endangered’ to 355. The bad news comes at a time when the Maldives are considering legalising shark fishing again, as a way to bolster their economy, and when the government in Western Australia is proposing a shark cull. The reason behind this somewhat-drastic action is because fishers raised concerns that their catches are being lost to sharks. In both cases, the respective governments cite the fact that recent conservation efforts have seen an explosion in shark numbers in these areas. Although with an estimated 100 million sharks per year killed by humans, it is probably fair to say that numbers worldwide are still declining. It would be a shame to undo the excellent results achieved in these regions and a small win for the sharks would not be a bad thing! In this issue of the magazine, we have some great destination features and a Q&A with a truly inspirational figure, Bob Staddon. The first destination feature is part one of my mini roadtrip to Rainbow Beach, which began with two amazing dives on the ex-HMAS Brisbane. Deborah Dickson-Smith from DivePlanit gives her insights to the different dive regions that Malaysia has to offer. Then, another great article from Deborah takes us on a journey to MOUA (Museum of Underwater Art) just off the coast of Townsville at John Brewer Reef. Don Silcock rounds off our destination features with his experiences at the world-class Socorro islands in Mexico.
Adrian Stacey, Editor-at-Large (Australia and New Zealand)
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTHEAST ASIA TEAM
Adrian Stacey Editor-at-Large (Australia and New Zealand) Tel: +61 422 611 238 Email: adrian@scubadivermag.com
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Q&A: BOB STADDON
EX-HMAS BRISBANE
SUPER SOCORRO
THE PARALYMPIAN TALKS SCUBA DIVING, AND STAYING POSITIVE
ADRIAN STACEY IS BLOWN AWAY BY THIS FORMER MILITARY SHIPWRECK
DON SILCOCK HEADS TO THE ‘MEXICAN GALAPAGOS’
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MALAYSIA WHY YOU MUST DIVE THIS MACRO AND WIDE-ANGLE MECCA
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: BEN SARINDA
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REGULAR COLUMNS
FEATURES...
8 News
15 Wreck Hunter
100,000 corals to be planted off Cairns and Port Douglas, Fiji celebrates a COVID-free milestone, preparations begin for World Ocean Day, fury as the Maldives contemplate shark fishing, yet more shark and ray species facing extinction, regenerative travel options, and a partnership between Alexa J and Soneva resorts.
16 Medical Q&A
The experts at Divers Alert Network Asia-Pacific discuss children and diving, and the reasons for depth limits for younger divers.
66 Conservation Corner
Conservation projects in and around Australia, New Zealand and SE Asia - this issue, PADI teams up with Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef for a massive citizen-science project.
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Underwater archaeology expert Mike Haigh discusses the use of metal detectors in underwater archaeology projects.
18 Australia
A stone’s throw from Brisbane there are two fantastic dive sites that Adrian Stacey had been itching to visit for a long time now - the exHMAS Brisbane, and Wolf Rock. His mini road-trip started with the wreck.
26 Malaysia
Diving Malaysia is as spectacular as it is diverse, from the coral gardens of the Malay Peninsula to the pelagic action of Sipadan Island, the world-class muck diving of Mabul Island, to the schooling hammerheads of Layang Layang, as Deborah Dickson-Smith reveals.
32 Underwater Photography
Clownfish are one of the most-recognisable fish on our reefs, but getting a good shot of one is not easy - Mario Vitalini offers some sage advice on shooting clowns.
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CONTENTS
...CONTINUED
GEAR GUIDE
34 Divers Alert Network Asia-Pacific
58 Test Extra
This month, the experts at DAN Asia-Pacific discuss the importance of going to the ER first, before heading to a chamber.
38 Q&A: Bob Staddon
While on holiday in Indonesia, Bob Staddon suffered a life-changing spinal injury, leaving him quadriplegic. Since then, this inspirational individual has gone on to win numerous swimming awards, including three bronze medals at the Paralympics - and he has learned to dive.
44 Socorro Islands, Mexico
Socorro - a true ‘bucket list’ destination is ever there was one! This group of four islands is located in the Pacific Ocean, some 600km from the west coast of Mexico, and it offers some quite unique underwater experiences, as Don Silcock found out.
Before we kick off the 2021 series of group tests, now that COVID-19 lockdown has been eased for outside leisure activities, Scuba Diver Editorin-Chief Mark Evans does a quick glance back at some of the award-winning products from previous reviews.
62 What’s New
New products coming on to the market in 2021, including the Mares Dual Adj 62X regulator and the Atmos Mission One dive computer.
50 Australia
What’s it like to dive a work of art? Deborah Dickson-Smith shares her experience diving the iconic Museum of Underwater Art.
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Each month, we bring together the latest industry news from the Asia-Pacific region, as well as all over our water planet. To find out the most up-to-date news and views, check out the website or follow us on our various social media (@scubadivermag) www.scubadivermag.com.au
100,000 CORALS TO BE PLANTED OFF CAIRNS AND PORT DOUGLAS
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n a unique research and tourism partnership, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation is working with the University of Technology Sydney and five local tourism operators to plant 100,000 healthy corals on reefs in the Cairns and Port Douglas region. The corals, grown in underwater nurseries from salvaged broken fragments, are being attached using Coralclip – an innovative device that fast-tracks coral restoration. The clips join the corals to the Reef to rehabilitate damaged areas and boost the resilience of healthy areas without the need for chemical bonding agents. It is faster and cheaper than traditional methods and has contributed to an impressive planted coral survival rate of 85 percent. Great Barrier Reef Foundation Managing Director Anna Marsden said the first 5,000 corals are already being planted as part of this project. “We’re seeing the effects of climate change on our Reef and the back-to-back bleaching events in 2016 and 2017 made it clear that reducing emissions is not enough,” Ms Marsden said. “In order to save this irreplaceable ecosystem, we have to take urgent action on reducing emissions and also fast-track its recovery by restoring reefs damaged by the effects of climate change.” Ms Marsden said bringing together science and tourism is key to the project’s success. “By bringing together the knowledge of marine science experts and the resources and experience of the tourism industry, we’re able to deliver local reef restoration at a scale never seen before on our Great Barrier Reef. “We’re also able to reach these scales thanks to the Coralclip technology. This Queensland invention has been a game-changer for coral restoration because it offers a fast and more cost-effective solution to out-planting corals.” University of Technology Sydney Project Research Lead Professor David Suggett said developing Coralclip has enabled us to replant coral twice as fast than ever possible before, and as it doesn’t use chemicals it has transformed how tourism
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can actively steward reef sites. “In trialling coral nurseries to propagate corals we’ve already shown we can fast track growth to the size they reproduce, meaning we can plant them on a reproductively challenged Reef to accelerate its recovery,” Prof. Suggett said. “Our research-tourism partnership is a world first model to ensure reef stakeholder efforts are not just about replanting coral, but using innovative science to make informed propagation decisions needed to nurture a more-resilient Great Barrier Reef under climate change.”
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Wavelength Reef Cruises owner John Edmondson said Reef tourism operators already undertake a number of site stewardship actions to help monitor and protect live coral cover. “This programme enables those actions to extend to actively growing and planting corals to boost live coral cover at those sites where it’s beneficial, such as assisting recovery after a cyclone.” The Great Barrier Reef Foundation is delivering more than 100 Reef-saving projects right now; and, through its Reef Trust Partnership with the Australian Government has invested in the Coral Nurture Programme over three and a half years with the University of Technology Sydney and tourism operators providing substantial in-kind support for field operations. Participating tourism operators are Wavelength Reef Cruises, Ocean Free and Ocean Freedom, Passions of Paradise, Sailaway and Quicksilver Group.
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After a couple of false starts, it is hoped that New Zealand will allow Australian travellers to enter the country without mandatory hotel quarantine from 19 April. This is great news for a beleaguered tourism industry and hopefully this will lead to further travel bubbles with other Pacific and Asian nations that have coped well with the pandemic. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said: “Cabinet was presented with advice that conditions for opening up quarantinefree travel with Australia had been met,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison welcomed Ms Ardern’s decision, saying: “We have ensured that both our countries have… not suffered the same types of virus impacts that we have seen in so many other countries. The fact that we can now combine again will mean more jobs, will mean people reunited.” Ms Ardern added: “While quarantine-free travel to Australia and vice versa will start in a fortnight, it will not be what it was pre-COVID, we absolutely wish to encourage family and friends to reunite and visitors to come and enjoy the hospitality New Zealand is ready and waiting to offer, those undertaking travel on either side of the ditch will do so under the guidance of flyer beware. People will need to plan for the possibility of travel being disrupted if there is an outbreak”. Most Australian states have already opened their borders to New Zealanders but when they return to New Zealand, they must undergo 14 days in hotel quarantine at their own expense. Under the proposed new system, if a flight back from Australia did need to go into managed isolation, people on board wouldn’t be charged.
FIJI CELEBRATES 340+ DAYS COVID-FREE As the end of March approached, Fiji reached a long 12 months of closed international borders, but also marked 340 days of being without any COVID-19 community cases. A mix of bitter-sweet there! The million dollar question the team at Volivoli Beach Resort get asked every single day is, ‘when will we be able to effectively travel to Fiji’? Volivoli’s Simon Doughty said: “If we had the answer to that bobby-dazzler of a question, Jeff Bezos would be in serious jeopardy of losing his #1 ranking as the world’s richest person!” “For us at Volivoli Beach Resort in Fantastic Fiji, we are forging on with renovations and upgrades that would be almost impossible to do with guests onsite, discovering and mapping new dive sites, working with the local community and of course enjoying amazing sunrises and sunsets while sipping cocktails and ice-cold beer under palm trees on the beach,” said Simon. “We are also delighted and proud to announce that we are CareFiji compliant and in alignment with the globally recognised Safe Travels, ensuring Volivoli Beach Resort is a safe destination for travellers when international borders eventually reopen.”
WORLD OCEAN DAY 2021 EVENT-PLANNING TOOLKIT With less than three months until 8 June, it’s a great time to start planning your World Ocean Day event. Check out the 2021 Event Planning Toolkit for inspiration and resources to help you plan and amplify your event, whether in person or online. With the recently announced 2021 Conservation Action Focus: Protecting 30 percent of our blue planet for a healthy ocean and climate, you can join together with the rest of the World Ocean Day community and the global movement to help achieve this ambitious and necessary goal. Once you plan an event, make sure to register it so the team can share it on the World Ocean Day event map. www.worldoceanday.org
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Puerto Galera Philippines
Photo Credits: Boaz Samorai
MALDIVES PLANNING TO LEGALIZE SHARK FISHING The Maldives is planning to legalize shark fishing to boost their economy, which has been hit hard by the pandemic. According to local news reports, the Maldives Minister for Fisheries, Zaha Waheed, has said that discussions are underway to legalize shark fishing in the Maldives. Speaking at the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs, Minister Waheed is reported to have said that shark fishing is ‘supposed to generate revenue for the state and is a profitable strategy’. Waheed reportedly also said: “Very few countries implement shark conservation. Since it is a means to generate profit, we don’t have to limit ourselves. [We can] open [shark fishing] as a managed fishery for a certain duration and fish without endangering the shark population.” Shark fishing was banned in the Maldives in 2010 after a reported decline in shark populations. Since then, shark diving
has become a valuable contributor to the Maldivian economy. A 2019 study into the economic benefits of Maldives shark diving found that direct business revenue from shark divers was around US $14.4 million. Added to that, the revenue generated from associated employment and local businesses was estimated to be US$55 million. By contrast, a 2009 study demonstrated that a single landed grey reef shark would be worth just $32 to the Maldivian economy. Local residents have created a petition to oppose the shark fishing initiative, which is gaining thousands of signatures already and can be easily signed online.
SHARKS AND RAYS FACING EXTINCTION New updates on the conservation status of sharks and rays released last month by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) show that 39 additional species are now facing a risk of extinction in the wild. This takes the total of all sharks and rays categorised as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered to 355. “The alarm-bells for sharks and rays could not be ringing louder,” said Dr Andy Cornish, Leader of Sharks: Restoring the Balance, WWF’s global shark and ray conservation programme. “The sheer number and diversity of these animals facing extinction is staggering. Overfishing is by far the greatest threat and has to be reined in. The good news is that solutions to this crisis do exist. Governments and the regional fisheries management organisations, which manage fishing in the high seas, must act now and boldly to recover the most threatened species before it is too late.” Most alarmingly, IUCN reveals that one species of ray may have already gone extinct, as the Java stingaree (Urolophus javanicus) is now assessed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct). A unique ray from the coast of Java in Indonesia, it was previously listed as Critically Endangered (2006). This species has not been seen since the end of the 19th century.
Eight out of nine species that are ‘uplisted’ to the Critically Endangered category – meaning they are just one step away from extinction – are rays (mostly guitarfish and eagle rays). This continues the worrying trend that although rays may be less known and do not receive as much attention, they are doing even worse than sharks as a consequence of overfishing and overall lack of fisheries management. Nonetheless, it is not just the lesser-known species featuring in this round of Red List updates. A few reef sharks that used to be very common and abundant, and are particularly popular among divers, are now threatened. This includes the Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi) reclassified from Near Threatened to Endangered, lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) from Near Threatened to Vulnerable, and the Atlantic nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) from Data Deficient to Vulnerable. “The latest reassessments highlight that fishing is causing population declines across the spectrum of these ancient animals,” Dr Cornish commented. “Whether rays or sharks, those on sunlit coral reefs, far offshore, or in the deep oceans, large and small – few groups are unscathed.” Ever more species of sharks and rays are being pushed towards extinction. In 2014, 25 percent of all shark and ray species were threatened, with 25 species critically endangered. Right now, 36 percent is under threat and the number of critically endangered species has tripled (from 25 to 76). More than 1,200 different species of sharks and rays inhabit our global ocean. These diverse animals do not simply dwell there – they shape the ocean, and have done so for more than 400 million years. Sharks and rays are indispensable to ocean health and the well-being of millions of people across the globe through provision of livelihoods, food, and tourism.
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REGENERATIVE TRAVEL A year spent in our own homes has contributed to adjusted travel priorities and a desire for cause-based and conservationdriven travel where vacationers can enjoy more of the world’s natural resources. As we look towards Earth Month in April, Fiji’s most-exclusive private Island, Kokomo Private Island, offers guests a chance to explore the underwater world and dive headfirst into regenerative travel. With growing global awareness of threats to the environment, Kokomo Private Island is leading by example in its endeavour to embrace the new frontier of tourism by joining Regenerative Resorts - a consortia of leading and independently owned eco-luxury hotels and resorts seeking to advance crowdfree, conscious, and planet-friendly travel habits through the lasting impact of regenerative travel; ultimately leaving a destination better than you found it. Among their most important environmental assets is the Great Astrolabe Reef - the fourth largest reef barrier in the world - situated right next to Kokomo, which guests access through the private island’s unparalleled diving programme. With a rise in Regenerative Travel, Earth Month is something that all eyes will be on this year, and Kokomo is making incredible strides in how an exclusive luxury resort can use their platform to create positive and lasting change to better preserve our planet for future generations to enjoy. With a passion for conservation, Kokomo continues to prioritize preserving the environment, and celebrating the natural wonders surrounding the 140-acre island. www.kokomoislandfiji.com
SHRINKING SHARK NUMBERS ON GBR UNLIKELY TO HAVE CASCADING IMPACTS Shark populations are dwindling worldwide, and scientists are concerned that the decline could trigger a cascade of impacts that hurt coral reefs. But a new paper published in Ecology suggests that the effects of shark losses are unlikely to reverberate throughout the marine food web. Instead, the findings point to physical and ecological features, like the structure of coral reefs and patterns of water movement, as important regulators of coral reef communities. Lead author Amelia Desbiens, a marine ecologist at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, conducted the study using data collected by the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation during its 2014 Global Reef Expedition, which surveyed shark populations on the northern Great Barrier Reef. Desbiens and her team expected to see sharks keeping smaller predatory fish in check, which would allow even smaller seaweed-eating species like parrotfish to thrive. However, contrary to their expectations, the team found that reef shark density only had a small influence on the abundance of prey species. Control of the system seemed to point in the other direction. Physical features, such as higher levels of coral reef complexity and lower levels of wave exposure, were associated with higher shark abundance.
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ALEXA J AND SONEVA JOIN FORCES Alexa J and Soneva are honoured to announce their collaboration for the Spring Season of 2021. Bespoke itineraries have been developed combining the unique secluded yachting experience of Alexa J and Soneva in Aqua, and the renowned private island resort adventures at Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani. Soneva and Alexa J - For couples, small families and friends seeking to discover the world in a relaxed and elegant atmosphere, with the highest level of personalised service, safety and privacy on land and at sea. Soneva Fushi - Experience the ingenuity, sustainability and beauty of the new Water Retreats at Soneva Fushi, a luxury resort on an untouched island in the Maldives. Surrounded by white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, high-end restaurants, a secluded observatory, beach dining experiences and a luxurious spa. Soneva Jani - Set in a 5.6km private lagoon, it is a haven for watersports enthusiasts, with surfing and diving excursions to uncrowded reefs and surf breaks among the experiences available. At the heart of the resort is The Gathering, a three-story over-water structure that houses restaurants, a boutique, spa, gym, and the Maldives’ first over-water observatory. Alexa J - Without a doubt, one of the most-beautifully designed sailing yacht in the world. The yacht combines the sense of old-world charm with all modern comforts, and is the only yacht in the Maldives built for just one couple or small family. With a crew of six, including a private star chef, dive instructor and spa therapist, you will enjoy sailing the Maldives in absolute privacy and with complete freedom to plan your cruise.
EMPOWER SOLOMON ISLANDS YOUTH Dive Munda were able to train 105 local Solomon Island youth (with 60 percent being female) by the end of January this year – a phenomenal achievement. As we move into 2021, Dive Munda are continuing their fundraiser campaign to keep the local youth diving and training, and they are looking for more sponsors, partners and ambassadors. There are a whole host of incredible initiatives to get involved with that are starting from 1 April: Work with a group of 12 local girls certified under phase one to start off the Munda plastic recycling project, making arts and crafts for sale from the rubbish and plastic collected in and around Munda (above and below the water). Dive Munda have already partnered and secured some funding from PlasticWise Solomon Islands to help launch the training component of this project. Work with a group of 15 local Munda-certified youth to spearhead a coral restoration and rehabilitation programme started last year. With your help, Dive Munda will start with the SSI Coral ID Ecological course certification component during closed borders. Practical training will commence once borders re-open and the centre can bring expertise from abroad in to help them further expand the existing coral nursery at Alice in Wonderland Reef and add another coral nursery at Sosu Hite Reef. With donations, Dive Munda will embark upon monthly
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beach and underwater clean-up dives with the diving youth to give them more dive experience in a safe, controlled environment under instructor supervision while doing something good! Dive Munda want to train as many youth as possible to complete the SSI Advanced Adventurer certification course. They will offer this course at the same special subsidized rate of $250 AUD per certification. You can sponsor any one of the youth that certified under phase one or you can again work with your own youth sponsored under phase one to get more dive education and training.
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THE USE OF METAL DETECTORS IN DIVING ARCHAEOLOGY, PART ONE By Mike Haigh, Project Director, Wreck Hunters
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he image that most people have of ‘detectorists’ (as metal detector enthusiasts are often called) is probably derived from reports in the media of treasure being found in remote locations. Archaeologists’ traditional view of this activity was not positive – many regarding these activities as nothing better than the vandalism of historic sites. In recent times, however, relations between metal detector users and archaeologists have improved. Metal detectors are used in diving archaeology in three principle ways: During the pre-disturbance survey of the site to map concentrations of metallic objects and other isolated contacts; secondly, to ascertain the approximate position of objects in a layer which is about to be removed; The third use is to locate metal artefacts on bedrock, which are either invisible due to a covering of silt, because they are hidden in holes and crevasses, or in many cases disguised by marine growth. Underwater metal detectors, like the Aquascan AQ1B unit which we use, are called pulse induction metal detectors. The detector normally comes in two parts, an electronics pod containing the battery and circuitry which is attached to the coil or probe by a cable. The diver will see the presence of metal objects on a display, or more commonly by sound signals, either by using headphones or by using a ‘bone phone’. Instruments vary in the ways they report the presence of a target. In the case of the Aquascan unit, a steady pulse tone builds to a continuous signal when the coil is over a piece of metal.
SO HOW DO THEY WORK?
In the case of the AQ1B unit, the detector works based on alternating a transmit and receive signal at a rate of a few hundred cycles per second. In the transmit stage a strong direct current pulse, lasting a fraction of a second, is sent out. This pulse energises the surrounding area and creates a response from any conductive material, this is called an ‘Eddy Current’. In the receive part of the cycle any increase
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in sampled returned energy, from proximity of a conductive object, will raise the level in the receive path above the ‘at rest’ level. This produces the audible response we described earlier. Most metal detectors used on land are known as VLF (very low frequency) detectors. The problem with these is that their signal is significantly absorbed by saltwater and generally relies on continuous motion to generate a response. Pulse induction (PI) detectors on the other hand are able to work well in saltwater and without requiring motion. Due to the conductive nature of seawater, a level of returned energy is generated for a short time after the end of the transmit stage - this energy increases in level and duration as water depth increases. A switch setting allows the point of sample to be slightly delayed allowing this unwanted early energy to dissipate. A secondary control allows the optimum threshold to be restored at any depth. Maintaining optimum sensitivity allows maximum yield of contacts, albeit in many cases this will yield an old drink can or other discarded modern debris. However, the seabed will also provide many more metallic clues relating to maritime history. Sorting the ‘wheat from the chaff’ will probably only come with excavation of the site. I would add in here a word about the care of these units. Most modern underwater metal detectors have undergone a long production span and most ‘weaknesses’ have been weeded out. They are, however, reasonably expensive pieces of equipment and care should be exercised by those using them. Try not to drop your weight belt or tank on them! Rinsing them in fresh water after use is a sensible idea. www.wreckhunters.co.uk
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Ask DAN DAN medical specialists and researchers answer your dive medicine questions CHILDREN AND DIVING
Q: My 13-year-old son recently completed his Junior Open Water Diver certification, which provided training to a maximum depth of 18m. I understand there are physiological differences between a child and an adult, but what is the rationale for the depth limits? A: Opinions vary among dive medicine experts about how to mitigate the complex issues around children and diving, such as age requirements, training levels and limitations. Children are still developing both physically and mentally, which affects the decision about whether a young diver is fully capable or requires some modification. Some training agencies allow in-water experiences for children as young as eight years old and certification by age ten. Concerns about decompression sickness (DCS), out-of-air emergencies and gas toxicities that occur at greater depths affect depth-limitation guidelines, which vary among the training agencies. Along with DCS is the theoretical concern that bubbles from a dive could occur in and injure an epiphysis (the rounded end of a long bone). In children up to age 18, bones continue to grow from the physis (growth plate), which in long bones (arms and legs) is near each end. This area, which is quite vulnerable and consists mostly of cartilage, depends on the diffusion of vital substances to and from adjacent tissues that have a blood supply. An injury to this area could result in abnormal bone growth. The main causes of injuries to this region are from activities such as skiing, rollerblading, ice skating and football. Fortunately, no evidence exists of this growth-inhibition injury in young scuba divers, which may be the result of the safety measures imposed along with strict compliance by parents, guardians and dive operators. Decompression stress exists in most dives and at any age. Other concerns about children and diving involve their maturity level, ability to handle the weight of the gear, higher risk of barotrauma, susceptibility to dehydration, vulnerability to hypothermia, ability to do a self-analysis and willingness to accept risk. While a child’s maturity can be difficult to assess, questions such as whether you would allow that child to drive a car on the open highway (if trained and the law allowed it) starkly addresses the issue of maturity and judgement. Additionally, most children will not understand the significance of a subtle symptom or risky situation and
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may be reluctant to timely convey their concerns. Close, adult supervision is necessary. Comprehensive studies involving children are rare and extremely difficult because of the need for approval from an ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB), which is responsible for protecting the welfare, rights and privacy of human subjects and reviewing all research involving human participants. With more children diving, however, more data are being compiled. If you have a medical question, send an email to medic@dan.org
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Living in Queensland, Adrian Stacey is spoiled for choice when it comes to diving destinations. A stone’s throw from Brisbane there are two fantastic dive sites that he had been itching to visit for a long time now - the ex-HMAS Brisbane and Wolf Rock. His mini road trip started with the shipwreck PHOTOGRAPHS BY ADRIAN STACEY
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he ex-HMAS Brisbane was a guided-missile destroyer that was launched in 1966 and commissioned by the Australian Navy a year later. The Brisbane was deployed twice to the Vietnam War and once to the Gulf War. Eventually, it was decommissioned in 2001. After some deliberations about its fate, it was finally decided that scuttling this 133-metre-long vessel to make an article reef would be the best course of action. The bridge and one of the gun turrets were removed and sent to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Then, in 2005, the Brisbane was sunk 3km off the Sunshine Coast. The ship was filled with 250 tons of concrete and scuttled using 38 charges. The former warship now sits upright in 27m of water, with the smokestacks a mere 3m beneath the surface. A conservation park has been established around the wreck to protect the vessel and the marine life that is drawn here. This status means that the area is a marine life no-take zone and that it is forbidden to remove artifacts from the site. Permits to dive the wreck have only been granted to two dive operators, Scuba World and Sunreef Mooloolaba, so the wreck is never overcrowded. The moorings are sensibly placed and well maintained by the respective operators, meaning there is no need to drop anchor or tie onto the vessel, which can cause damage to the wreck and the environment. I have actually dived this wreck before, about eight years ago. Even back then, I was impressed with the coral growth and marine life that inhabited this enormous structure.
Railings are coated in marine growth Penetration is possible
The entire superstructure has a healthy covering of algae, coral and sponges
You can swim down the smokestack
This wreck will only get better with age, and I am definitely not going to leave it so long before my next visit WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM.AU
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What also struck me was the thought that had gone into sinking the ex-navy ship. The vessel had not just been cleaned and sunk. Large holes had been cut at strategic intervals along the length of the hull and on the deck to allow easy access. For photographers, there was the added benefit of allowing more light into the usually dark and gloomy interior, with all internal areas offering three points of natural light. Further fuelling my desire to revisit the ex-HMAS Brisbane were the reports that while we were all in lockdown, the marine life was having a huge party on wreck - like a bunch of teenagers that had been left alone by their parents for the weekend. Plus, I had also received a call from Mike, the owner of Scuba World, saying that the conditions were fantastic and that he would personally guide us around the wreck. So early one morning in January, we packed the car and headed north full of optimism and a good amount of excitement. When we arrived at the dive centre, there was a bit of a buzz around the previous day’s dive conditions; 30-metre visibility only happens a few times a year and usually in the winter months, when the water is generally clearer. The dive site is only about a 30-minute boat ride from Scuba World, which is conveniently located on one of the many canals that lead out to the open ocean. After winding our way
through the placid waterways that are lined with luxurious properties, we reached the mouth of the marina and powered the short distance to the site of the wreck. The visibility had dropped slightly compared with the previous day, but we were still greeted with an excellent 20 plus metres. Our first dive started at the forward gun turret, the once-smooth barrel now knobbly with encrusting corals and sponges. From here, we made our way to the stern along the port side walkways where bannerfish, sergeant majors, angelfish, and wrasse nibbled away tirelessly on the railings, deck, ceilings and bulkhead. The exterior of the wreck also offered plenty of opportunities for critter hunting, and we encountered various nudibranchs, leaf scorpionfish, tiny shrimp and octopi, to name but a few. Just off the wreck, a commotion caught our eye, and upon further investigation, we encountered an immense bait ball being harried by jewfish, kingfish, snapper and trevallies. The multitude of fish species that congregated around the outside of the wreck was just incredible. The first dive is usually spent navigating around the outside of the vessel, an orientation dive
This diminutive creature had no fears about repeatedly pecking me on the head as I tried to get a good shot of his home clearly not a big fan of the paparazzi
The impressive deck gun
The interior is swarming with bait fish
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Heading into the engine room
SCUBA WORLD
Scuba World is conveniently located just off the motorway in Mooloolaba. The dive centre has a great layout, is clean and well maintained. It has its own pool and is excellent for conducting courses. Its location on one of the canals that criss-cross the region offers easy access to the exHMAS Brisbane and local dive sites. The staff are friendly, experienced, professional and always keen to help. www.scubaworld.com.au
Bright orange jewel anemones coat the interior
to appreciate the ship’s sheer scale and investigate points of interest like the gun turrets, bow, stern, and superstructure. However, on Mike’s suggestion, we made our way back to the mooring line through the ship’s interior. Mike reasoned that firstly, no one else would be inside the wreck, so it would be better for taking photos and secondly, the interior is stunning at the moment and packed with fish. Mike was right on both counts but in particular, the second. It is no exaggeration to say that every room we went into was a heaving mass of fish. This is definitely where the party was still in full swing. Immense schools of glassfish swayed back and forth, jostled by huge schools of juveniles from numerous different species, including barracuda and barramundi. Cave sweeper were hanging around the peripheries. Menacing looking lionfish and grouper dwelled in the glooming corners waiting for an errant glassfish to break ranks. This curtain of fish would part as we swam through, the void quickly getting filled on our departure. We Colourful corals on the deck
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ventured from one room to the next via walkways plastered in coral, and in each room, it was the same story. In what looked like the missile control room bright orange jewel anemones added a splash of colour to the walls and ceiling. In another room, a particularly vivid patch of broccoli coral was overzealously guarded by an aggravated and quite frankly aggravating damsels. This diminutive creature had no fears about repeatedly pecking me on the head as I tried to get a good shot of his home - clearly not a big fan of the paparazzi. Eventually, we made it to the mess hall, where we exited the boat and made our way up the superstructure to the smokestacks. Here we completed our safety stop surrounded by glittering silver baitfish. Adrian inside the Brisbane
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The Brisbane is home to many species of fish
Checking out the coral and sponge growth inside the wreck
SEASONS / WATER TEMPERATURE
Summer: October – May / Max 26 degrees C – min 22 degrees C Winter: June – October / Max 22 degrees C – min 18 degrees C
BEST TIME TO DIVE
The diving on the ex-HMAS Brisbane is yearround, and while the summer months offer warmer water, the conditions can be a bit more hit and miss. The winter months generally provide better visibility and have the added bonus of the whale migration from April to November.
HOW TO GET THERE
The closest major airport is Brisbane international, which is about an hour’s drive from Mooloolaba. Scubaworld Dive Centre
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The entirety of the second dive was spent investigating the Brisbane’s inner chambers, which suited me just fine. Our entry point was through one of the two smokestacks. It seemed counterintuitive to be making our way down this vertical tunnel into the depth of the ship. But I have to admit this was one of my favourite aspects of the dive, especially as we exited into the boiler room that was – surprise, surprise - full of glassfish. From here, we ventured into the engine room, and then slowly, we snaked our way through the welllit interior of the Brisbane until the conclusion of our dive back at the smokestack. Along the way were the ever-present glassfish, vivid corals and a whole host of interesting marine life from all links in the food chain. The ex-HMAS Brisbane is a sublime dive site. The wreck is easy and fun to navigate through, the interior is teeming with life, and the exterior attracts a huge variety of marine life from sharks and rays to turtles to giant schools of fish. The wreck is covered in coral both inside and out and is home to plenty of little critters. This wreck will only get better with age, and I am definitely not going to leave it so long before my next visit. Its reputation as one of Australia’s best wreck dives is well deserved - definitely one to put on the to-dive list for 2021. n
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Diving Malaysia is as spectacular as it is diverse, from the coral gardens of the Malay Peninsula to the pelagic action of Sipadan Island, the world-class muck diving of Mabul Island to the schooling hammerheads of Layang Layang, as Deborah Dickson-Smith reveals PHOTOGRAPHS BY LAYANG LAYANG RESORT MALAYSIA AND HEATHER SUTTON
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On the west coast of Sabah, you’ll find stunning coral reefs in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (TAR Marine Park) off the coast of Kota Kinabalu in the west, and experience adrenalin-pumping dives with huge schools of hammerheads at remote Layang-Layang Island
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Bumphead parrotfish
The reef walls descend around 2000m, and in season, hammerheads are visible at almost all dive sites as they swim close to the atoll
T
he diving locations in Malaysia can be roughly divided into two regions, the east coast of the Malay Peninsula and the north coast of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. On the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, islands such as Tioman, Perhentian and Redang offer stretches of healthy fringing reef to explore as well as some pinnacles and shipwrecks. On the west coast of Sabah, you’ll find stunning coral reefs in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (TAR Marine Park) off the coast of Kota Kinabalu in the west, and experience adrenalinpumping dives with huge schools of hammerheads at remote Layang-Layang Island. Over on the east coast, world-famous pelagic action at Sipaden Island and fabulous macro dives at Mabul and Kapalai Islands.
Terumbu Kili for its great coral variety, mainly dendronephthya soft corals, mushroom corals and gorgonian sea fans, which attracts many reef fish and its fair share of green turtles. Pulau Chupak to the southeast has some of the region’s best coral gardens. You’ll likely find batfish, rabbitfish and white-eyed moray eels, and loggerhead turtles have also been spotted here.
LANG TENGAH AND PULAU KAPAS
The islands along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia are easily accessible by road and ferry transfer from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. They are best visited between April and September, and in fact some (including Tioman) are closed during the monsoon season between October and March.
Located between Redang and Perhentian, the smaller island of Lang Tengah offers great diving opportunities. Close to shore, the pretty islands of Pulau Kapas and Pulau Lang Tengah are popular with day-trippers and despite their proximity to the mainland, the diving here is quite good, with lots of reef fish, including Moorish idols, butterflyfish and several species of wrasse, and nearby Pulau Kapas is a World War Two wreck and a few smaller Thai fishing wrecks. Between April to August, hawksbill and green turtles nest along the coastline, with a turtle sanctuary, Lang Tengah Turtle Watch (langtengahturtlewatch.org), that invites volunteers to help protect hatchlings from poachers.
REDANG
TENGGOL
PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
Redang Island lies within the Terengganu Marine Park, nearby the city of Kuala Terengganu and is one of the most-popular dive destinations on the peninsula. Stand out dive sies include
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Tenggol Island boasts over 20 dive sites - mostly wall dives. Teluk Air Tawar is the place to find turtles, with bumphead parrotfish also common, and for those interested in wrecks,
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PERHENTIAN
Baby turtle emerging from the sand
This marine park is divided into two islands, Pulau Perhentian Kecil and Pulau Perhentian Besar, with dive sites all very close to each other. At Tiger Reef you’ll likely see green turtles, and at Gua Kambing, divers can enjoy an underwater manicure with some very obliging cleaner shrimp. To the north of Perhentian Kecil, at D’Lagoon, there’s a great drift dive through coral gardens where you’ll be joined by large angelfish, parrotfish and black-spotted snapper. Sail Rock is a beautiful pinnacle which offers multi-level diving as you circle it from bottom to top checking out the huge staghorn, lettuce and table corals. Blue-spotted stingrays, boxfish, angelfish and parrotfish are commonly sighted.
MALAYSIAN BORNEO
Sabah is Malaysia’s easternmost state, perched on the north eastern corner of the island of Borneo. It is bounded by three seas - the South China Sea, the Sulu Sea, and the Celebes Sea. Known as the ‘Land Below the Wind’, it is unaffected by typhoons. This, and the fact that Sabah sits close to the centre of the Coral Triangle, make diving Borneo’s Sabah a holy grail for most divers: a place you have to have dived at least once in your life.
SIPADAN
the Kuantan Wreck is a great little wreck, easily penetrable by divers. It attracts a veritable array of fish life, including batfish, leopard sharks, moray eels and even turtles on occasion. Whaleshark are sometimes sighted between July to September.
TIOMAN
Located off the east coast of Pahang, Tioman is easily accessible by boat, with the local dive centre providing road and ferry transfers from both Singapore and Kuala Lumpur international airports. Popular sites include Pulau Renggis, off Tekek Beach, where you’ll find an assortment of reef life in vast gardens of hard corals, including cuttlefish, angelfish, barracuda and turtles. Pulau Chebeh is a good spot for manta sightings, and wreck divers will enjoy the Soyak with its many soft and hard corals. Moorish idols, trevally and angelfish abound here in a sunken hull not deeper than 20m. Labas, or Pirate Island, offers stunning underwater topography with large submerged and semi-submerged boulders.
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Just off the northeast coast of Sabah is Sipadan, an island made famous by the legendary Jacques Cousteau, in his documentary Ghosts of the Sea Turtle in 1989 – ‘I have seen other places like Sipadan, 45 years ago, but now no more. Now we have found an untouched piece of art’. An isolated island off the continental shelf in the Celebes Sea, the surrounding deep water makes this a great place to see pelagic marine life. At the drop-off, the wall plunges down 2000m, offering stunning drift dives. Bumphead parrotfish often rumble past in bison-like hordes, the odd hammerhead shark will saunter by, and huge schools of barracuda and jacks circle in the blue as you drift by. The island is also a busy turtle nesting location, so you are almost guaranteed turtles on every dive.
MABUL
The island of Mabul is slightly larger than Sipadan with a small village, and while pelagics are the main stars in Sipadan, Mabul is a macro haven with its diversity of tiny marine life. Jacks swarm below the surface
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I have seen other places like Sipadan, 45 years ago, but now no more. Now we have found an untouched piece of art
Hammerhead shark
Just off the edge of the island’s jetty is Froggy Lair, a site typical of the island. The visibility is usually limited to a few metres, but that won’t bother you as become enthralled with the teeming fish life on the seabed and in the holes. They range from the well-camouflaged crocodilefish and frogfish to pipefish, scorpionfish and the colourful mandarinfish. There are also a number of artificial reefs accessible as shore dives, notably, the home reefs at Scuba Junkies Resort and Seaventures Dive Rig, a re-purposed oil rig platform just off the coast of Mabul, where you’ll find a wide diversity of nudibranchs, frogfish and other curious macro creatures.
LAYANG LAYANG
Hammertime! Layang Layang is a ring of 13 coral atolls in the middle of the South China Sea and between March and July, you have a good chance of spotting large schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks. The reef walls descend around 2000m, and in season, hammerheads are visible at almost all dive sites as they swim close to the atoll. Dogtooth Lair, at the eastern point of the atoll, is named for the large schools of tuna found here, and the site also features schools of fusiliers and jacks. Elusive mola mola (sunfish) have also been sighted here on occasion.
LANKAYAN
Off the coast of Sandakan in Sabah’s north, Pulau Lankayan offers a fascinating variety of dives in a remarkably small area. It’s also the best dive location in Malaysia to see whaleshark, especially between March and May. Otherwise, you will have to be content with bamboo sharks, mandarinfish, mimic octopuses, porcelain crabs and ghost pipefish. Right in front of the island’s only resort is the Lankayan wreck, a scuttled illegal fishing vessel, now home to wide variety of reef fish including yellow pikes and grouper.
Fish shelter in this jellyfish
September, with some islands (including Tioman) closed for diving between October and March. Sipadan is a year-round destination with the optimum overall conditions being from April to December. July and August are often described as the best months with visibility sometimes exceeding 40 metres around the island. Advanced booking is essential for the resorts in the Sipadan area. Lankayan island, also on the east coast of Sabah, largely enjoys the same weather patterns as the Sipadan area, so it is reasonable to follow Sipadan’s seasonal recommendations. The picture is different in Layang Layang, off Sabah’s west coast, where the diving season runs from March to August. March to May is considered the best time to see hammerheads. The resort closes between September-February.
HOW TO BOOK A DIVE HOLIDAY IN MALAYSIA BEST TIME TO DIVE
Scuba diving in Malaysia is good all year round, but seasons vary from location to location. On the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia, the best time to dive is between April and
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Malaysia is a country with dive destinations spread across a vast area and conditions varying throughout the year. For optimum timing and conditions, contact a Malaysia dive travel specialist, such as Diveplanit Travel (Diveplanit.com) n
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Great tuition from beginner through to instructor training for family groups, small groups and one-to-one training. We are a PADI 5-Star IDC centre and offer 18 PADI Specialty course options on our Master Scuba Diver program.
Make an appointment for our personal fitting service, great for anyone wanting to get kitted out with scuba. We specialise in divers under 55kg and over 100kg with options to make you comfortable under water. 40 unique brands to choose from, we fit divers of all sizes.
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02/10/2020 14:34
UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOTING A CLOWNFISH IS NO
LAUGHING MATTER Clownfish are one of the most-recognisable fish on our reefs, but getting a good shot of one is not easy – Mario Vitalini offers some sage advice on shooting clowns PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARIO VITALINI
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member of the damselfish family, clownfish come in many sizes and colours. In the Red Sea, you will see only the Red Sea anemonefish, however, in places such as Indonesia and the Philippines, you can find many species on a single dive. They may look a bit different from each other, but will all be living in their anemone and behave in a similar way. Clownfish, or anemonefish, are one of the mostphotographed inhabitants of the reef. You will find them on most dive sites around the Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea. Made incredibly popular by the movie Finding Nemo, just about everyone with an underwater camera will try to take a pic at some point or another, but unfortunately, for many, the end results are not always worth sharing - I’ve taken plenty of clownfish tail pics in my time! Here are my tips and tricks to get the best shot of a clownfish, so you can have the last laugh!
Maroon clownfish can be very aggressive and will chase you away from their anemone
THE CHALLENGE
Perhaps the biggest challenge is how fast these little guys move! Clownfish are very territorial and constantly protect their anemone, darting in and out of the tentacles as you get close. When you get too close, they tend to retreat hiding between the anemone tentacles. Establishing eye contact and filling the frame can be tricky. Be careful too of getting your hands too close. They do bite and some species, in particular, seem especially aggressive… I’ve even been chased away from an anemone by a clownfish that just would not give up.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
As I mentioned, these little guys don’t stay still, you will need some patience for this job. Wait it out. Be willing to spend
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After waiting for some time near the anemone, theses little fellas let me get close enough to take this shot
ten to 15 minutes studying your subject, they do get used to your presence. I do think they have a very bad memory because after a while they seem to forget you are there, it’s like you have become part of their reef. Once they have calmed down you will be able to approach the fish without spooking it. Use that time to study the way the fish moves, clownfish tend to swim in a predictable pattern. I have never had success chasing them around and take a decent photo, they are way too fast for most cameras. Instead, start by composing your shot - get the anemone positioned how you want it, make sure the background is not distracting and looks good, then take a few test pics to get the exposure right. Always aim to get a fast shutter speed so you can freeze the movement, you may have to compromise a bit by increasing your ISO, but most modern cameras can deal with the digital noise this creates very well. If you are using strobes, check the position and ensure you do not have hotspots or backscatter. Once you have prepped the scene and your camera is set, just wait for the clownfish to swim into your shot. You may have to take several pictures but do not despair, patience will be rewarded. Unless you are using a DSLR camera with an optical viewfinder, your camera will have a very small delay while the image is rendered on the screen, for this reason, I do not trust 100 percent what I see on the LCD, as it is not real-time image. Instead, I frame my shot and then look at the scene
Good eye contact is probably the most important rule you need to follow when photographing not only clownfish but any fish
over the camera and only take the shot when I see the subject in place with my eyes and not through the camera screen.
COMPOSITION
Never forget one of the most-important rules of underwater photography – eye contact. Establishing good eye contact will help your picture to pop and stand out. Try to get as low as possible and wait for the clownfish to swim toward you to get the best eye contact. Because fish can move each eye independently, frontal shots can be a bit tricky as is unusual that both eyes will be looking at you. Try instead to frame the fish so only one eye is fully visible. You need to pay attention to the negative space (ie the background), you can use the anemone tentacles to frame and complement your subject. Avoid distracting surroundings such
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UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY I the bright green tentacles give a hint of colour to the otherwise completely black background of this lovely Skunk clownfish
A diver in the shot can balance your scene very well, make sure the diver eyesight is directed to the subject and not to the camera
as rocky backdrops. Anemones come in many different colours, from soft pastels such as yellow and orange to dramatic reds and purples. Theses colours can make for a gorgeous backdrop for your fish subject.
LENS CHOICES
Using a wide-Angle I was able to complement the anemone with the beautiful sunbeams Using a wide-Angle I was able to complement the anemone with the beautiful sunbeams
Wide-angle or macro? Good question! In practice, both options work very well. Use your macro lens to get one or two clownfish as your main subject with a hint of tentacles. Or your wide-angle to show the anemone in its natural surrounding area and why not consider also include a diver in the shot.
LOOK OUT FOR! If the clownfish are especially aggressive, they can be guarding eggs. Look carefully under the anemone and you may find them. They can be a very interesting subject if you have a good macro lens. If you travel to the Far East to places such as Indonesia or Malaysia pay close attention to how the clownfish behave. Some will constantly open and close their mouth, have a closer look and you may be in for a surprise. Some clownfish are unfortunate to have parasites in their mouth. This little bug will attach to the fish’s tongue. You can see their eyes peering out at you! They make for a very unusual pic. Clownfish are not the most exiting subjects and many divers disregard them preferring to look for more ‘fancy’ creatures. I do, however, think these little chaps have tons of character and I will always stop to take a shot or two when I see one. And after a long year without diving, I cannot wait to get in the water and start looking for these gorgeous little guys. n
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DIVERS ALERT NETWORK: ASIA-PACIFIC Divers Alert Network, widely known as DAN, is an international non-profit medical and research organisation dedicated to the safety and health of divers. WWW.DANAP.ORG
ER FIRST, CHAMBER SECOND
T
wo divers bob in the swell, their surface marker buoy deployed, waiting on a pick-up from their dive boat. After a 24m wall dive and a whaleshark sighting, morale is high. About an hour later, the divers hike back to their bungalow. One of them feels pretty spent after the dive and decides to take it easy and rest a while in the hammock on the porch. When he awakes from his fourhour nap, he gets out of the hammock and experiences severe pain in his upper left arm and some tingling in his extremities. His wife assumes he’s bent - she’s familiar with the symptoms and recalls seeing a sign for a hyperbaric facility just a few miles away. She loads her husband into their rented Jeep, and the two make haste toward the chamber. When they arrive, they meet two staff members at the entrance. The woman explains that she and her husband have been diving all week and now, just a few hours after their dives today, her husband is experiencing symptoms of decompression sickness (DCS). The attendants ask to see their referral paperwork. Referral paperwork? Almost every hyperbaric chamber that treats divers requires the injured diver to be referred to the chamber by a physician. The staff explain to the couple that the man needs to be evaluated by a physician before he can be treated - and fast. DCS is a life-threatening condition that is most effective if treatment begins soon after symptoms appear. Luckily for this couple, the nearest emergency room was only about 15 minutes away. On the way to the emergency department, the man began to experience shortness of breath and chest pain. This really sent his wife into panic mode, so she put the pedal to the metal. When they arrived at the hospital, he was immediately triaged and taken in to see a physician. The diagnosis myocardial infarction. Heart attack. Fortunately for this diver, the delay in care that resulted from travelling to the chamber first did not cost him his life. DCS can be an ambiguous condition - it shares symptoms with many other conditions, and delays in care can be costly, so you must seek emergency care if you suspect DCS. Many hyperbaric chambers do not have physicians on staff to evaluate divers that come in to seek treatment, and many more do not have the capacity to treat divers. Even if chambers do treat divers, they require referrals to ensure that any immediately life-threatening conditions are addressed.
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Referrals also help to ensure that injured divers receive the best possible treatment. When emergency department physicians diagnose DCS, they often begin by assessing diver’s symptoms and running diagnostic testing to rule out other conditions. In this diver’s case, the symptoms and diagnostic testing immediately revealed that his case of suspected DCS was actually a heart attack, which warranted immediate intervention that could only be effected in a hospital setting. If you suspect DCS, administer emergency oxygen and activate emergency medical services or bring the injured diver to an emergency department for evaluation. When you can, call DAN. Our medics can give guidance on where to seek treatment and can even help walk you through first aid, telling you what steps to take. Calling DAN (1800 088 200 within Australia or +1 919 684 9111 outside Australia) also keeps you from violating any insurance protocols, ensuring that your DAN dive accident coverage will cover your accident. For these divers, DAN would have told them to skip the hyperbaric facility and head straight for the emergency room, saving them time they could barely afford to lose. www.DANAP.org
DAN EMERGENCY HOTLINE
In the event of a diving incident, we encourage all divers to call the DAN Hotline promptly for advice: • Within Australia: 1800 088 200 • Outside Australia: +1 919 684 9111 • Within Indonesia: 21 5085 8719
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Q&A: BOB STADDON
We chat to Bob Staddon about life after his water-slide accident, winning three bronze medals at the Paralympics, and what it means to be able to dive PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF BOB STADDON
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hile on holiday in Indonesia, Bob Staddon suffered a life-changing spinal injury when a water-slide accident resulted in him becoming a quadriplegic. Since then, this inspirational individual has gone on to win numerous swimming awards, including three bronze medals at the Paralympics - and he has learned to dive. Q: What achievement are you most proud of? A: Learning to dive and becoming certified Open Water Diver without restrictions. This was largely in part due to my instructor John Read. We are still mates 30 years later. John was a commercial diver in the Bass Strait and a scuba-diving instructor when I met him, and his professionalism is the main reason that I dive today. Q: What was it like competing in the Olympics? A: I competed in the 1984 Paralympics, which were held at Atate Mandeville, England. It was very different compared to anything I had done before. There were years of training for this one day. In the end, I competed in four swimming events, coming away with three bronze medals. My sporting career was basically me trying to get fit after the accident. Unfortunately, competing in sport as a disabled athlete, there was no sponsorship, so basically you had to do your own fundraising from the local community. Q: When did you start diving, and what drew you to the sport? A: I started diving in March 1990 with my then-wife Karen, without her support and help I would never got through the course. Being dyslexic has its own problems, especially when you’re trying to learn and read books and manuals. I first tried scuba-diving when I was a kid with the old tank and harness on double-ended hose. I thought, ‘how amazing is this’ and from there on I was pretty much hooked. Bob in his ‘happy place’
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Bob is at home in the water
Q: What do you find to be the most-challenging aspect of diving? A: Probably the most-challenging aspect of diving for me is finding accessible dive sites or accessible dive boats. To the best of my knowledge ,in New South Wales there are only two wheelchair accessible dive sites - a little beach at Nelson Bay and the other being at Clovelly Pool in Sydney. Fortunately, most of the people I dive with are more than happy to help me in and out of the water. At one of the dive sites at Swansea, we just use a trolley on wheels to get up and down the ramp. Q: Tell us more about your work with disabled divers. A: When RAID International, the dive agency started, I was approached by Jim Holliday of Neptune Wetsuits, who asked if I would be an honorary advisor in relation to people with disabilities and diving. Through contacts I had in Sydney, at Ryde Rehabilitation Centre, we started doing some introductory diving and this led to a programme with four students a year becoming certified as adaptive divers. One of the great joys I get from being involved in this programme is the look on people’s faces when they first breathe underwater, and they realise that they can actually swim while using scuba gear. During the course of the programme, it’s amazing to see the changes both in the students and instructors in their attitudes. One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed in the students is they become more positive. In a lot of cases pain levels are reduced and there is increase independence and motivation for day-to-day activities.
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Bob’s early days of diving
This is one of the great benefits of scuba diving and it is a great way to interact with people and increase your social contact within the community. The benefits are absolutely amazing across the whole spectrum of life. Q: How would you make diving more accessible to disabled divers? A: This is a fantastic question and one of the biggest problems we face in relation to adaptive diving. It’s very hard to convince operators and instructors to get involved in adaptive diving. It’s difficult to show people the benefits of taking disabled people diving and one of the biggest problems is the added cost involved with putting on extra staff to help. The only way around this is to have people volunteer to take disabled people diving and to help do adaptive buddy courses. Plus, there is the issue of physical access to dive sites and dive operations, and the difficulty of getting people in wheelchairs physically in and out of their chair and putting on and removing dive gear and accessing dive doats and dive sites. Q: Could training agencies, government or council be doing more? A: It would be absolutely fantastic if councils adopted a policy of trying to make dive sites wheelchair friendly. In relations to dive agencies we are talking about a very small percentage of the population with disabilities who want to learn to dive and the cost of training instructors is quite prohibitive. Having said that we are trying incredibly hard to get more instructors certified as adaptive instructors and as many dive buddies as possible.
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Q: You are an ambassador for SharkSkin, what difference has the new Chillproof Titanium product made to your diving? A: My relationship with SharkSkin goes back at least 15 years, if not longer. As I have a spinal-cord injury, it’s of upmost importance to maintain my core body temperature, which can drop up to 4°C upon entering the water for diving, and can take up to four days to come back up to normal, which itself creates a whole stack of problems. One of the things that I found with the Titanium Sharkskin is that this problem is virtually eliminated and I find I’m less fatigued. I feel better, with less pain and definitely a lot warmer before, during and after the dive. The other great thing about Sharkskin is that it is made locally in Newcastle, so I can go directly
I competed in the 1984 Paralympics, which were held at Atate Mandeville, England 39
to the factory for any alterations, or for customisation of the product. Over the years I would hate to think how much money I’ve spent on wetsuits. Now with the new Titanium range, I can wear it all year around but it really comes into its own in the summer and winter, when it maintains my body temperature. We have given it to other people with spinal cord injuries to use and the results have been absolutely amazing. In one case we had a young lady who couldn’t even stand to be in a swimming pool. In her training she got too cold even though the water temperature was 25°C - since we added the Titanium SharkSkin under her wetsuit and included a hood, all those problems were resolved instantly. In fact, we had trouble getting her out of the water because she was just so comfortable. Q: A question we always ask in our Q&As is, what is your most-memorable moment in diving? A: This is a fairly easy one to answer. I’ve done over 1,300 but my most-memorable moment was my first ocean dive, with John and my then-wife Karen. Going down under the water to start doing my skills and seeing fish and seaweed in the ocean and realising that I was breathing underwater. Q: On the flipside of that, what is your worst diving memory? A: It was on a dive under Swansea Bridge, here in Newcastle. I was wearing a new BCD for the first time and I spent considerable time adjusting it trying to make it fit properly. However, during the course of the dive, the BCD moved and I found that I couldn’t reach any of the buckles or releases or the power inflator hose. Just to make things even more interesting, the tide turned while we were under the bridge forcing us back out in the wrong direction. The two guys that I was diving with literally had to drag me along the bottom. Upon exiting the water, I took the BCD and threw it straight in the bin, never to be worn again. It’s the closest I’ve come to drowning and the scariest I have ever been underwater in my 30 years of diving.
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I first tried scuba-diving when I was a kid with the old tank and harness on double-ended hose Bob out on a dive
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WRECK HUNTERS SEASON ONE 2021
Calling would-be undersea detectives! A unique opportunity to take part in the beginning of a diving archaeology programme is opening up in the summer of 2021* on the Caribbean island of Utila. The Wreck Hunters project is offering a onemonth, limited availability window for divers to be a part of the Season One team. The focus this year is about getting to the heart of the story of a wreck called ‘The Oliver’, its rich history and the life of 18th Century mariners.
Q&A: WAYNE B BROWN
SUDAN ODYSSEY
GEAR GUIDE: MASKS
WE CHAT TO AGGRESSOR ADVENTURES CEO ABOUT LIVEABOARD LIFE
EXPLORING THE REMNANTS OF COUSTEAU’S PRECONTINENT II EXPERIMENT
THE TEST TEAM RATE AND REVIEW A RANGE OF DIVING MASKS
DISCOVERING WHERE SMALL THINGS ROAM IN THE PHILIPPINES
Over the
RAINBOW
Exploring New Zealand’s Rainbow Warrior wreck
THE GREAT BARRIER REEF ADRIAN STACEY HEADS OUT ON A DAYBOAT TO THE ICONIC REEF
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‣ CONSERVATION ‣ UW PHOTOGRAPHY
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Learn the skills of undersea archaeology, from traditional to cutting edge techniques. NSW ROADTRIP
If you’re a relatively experienced diver with skills or experience in drawing (artistic or technical), surveying, photography or in construction work this could be just what you’re looking for (See website for full details). Project Director Mike Haigh’s ideal candidates have a ‘good sense of humour’ and enjoy teamwork. Check out www.wreckhunters.co.uk Or Telephone: +44 0117 9596454
Q&A: ARON ARNGRIMSSON
WE CHAT TO THE DIRTY DOZEN EXPEDITION FOUNDER ABOUT TRUK LAGOON AND BIKINI ATOLL
VIVA MEXICO!
MELBOURNE MAGIC WHY THE SEA OF CORTEZ SHOULD BE ON YOUR DIVING NIGEL MARSH DIVES BUCKET LIST FOR 2020THE PIERS AROUND PORT PHILLIP BAY
TALKING SHARKS
INFORMATIVE QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GREAT WHITE EXPERT ANDREW FOX
TEST EXTRA SPECIAL RETRA FLASH PRO AND DIVE RITE XT FINS RATED AND REVIEWED
Dive into
PNG Don Silcock waxes lyrical about Papua New Guinea’s underwater delights
CRIT TERS
SMALL, BUT BEAUTIFUL, EXPLORING NEW ZEALAND’S POOR KNIGHT ISLANDS MARINE LIFE
So if you think this project would help put a smile on your face, why not get in touch to find out more at
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COCOS ISLAND
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Q&A, pt II
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ADRIAN STACEY CONTINUES HIS DRIVE-N-DIVE EXPEDITION - THIS ISSUE, COFFS HARBOUR
19/01/2021 11:49
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Bob has team up with RAID
Bob and his buddy
Q: What does the future hold for Bob Staddon? A: I would like to think that the future for me holds lots more diving and when it’s safe to do so, lots more travelling. Especially back to Vanuatu, which is my favourite place to dive. It would be great if I could get involved with some more adaptive diving. To help get more people with spinal cord injuries to enjoy the incredible world of scuba-diving. Probably one of the other main things I would love to see is if all shops, regardless of agency or ownership, try and work together to promote diving overall. It would be absolutely incredible if there was an adaptive diving programme that could be used by any agency anywhere in the world. On a personal note, thank you so much for the opportunity to write this article for your magazine, as anyone who knows me will tell you, my passion is diving, promoting diving and the people who enjoy diving. n
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The
O
ften referred to as the ‘Mexican Galapagos’, these islands are so special that in July 2016, they were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then in November 2017, the government of Mexico created North America’s largest marine protected area. And made the whole area a national park, with total bans on fishing, mining and tourism development. Confusingly though, Socorro is actually just one of the four islands that make up the Archipiélago de Revillagigedo - the correct name for this location. However, most English-speaking people struggle with actually pronouncing ‘Revillagigedo’. So, the pragmatic Mexicans stopped trying to use the formal name with most foreigners and refer to the archipelago as simply ‘Socorro’.
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LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION…
Semantics out of the way… just why are these islands quite so special? The answer to that question is really quite simple – location! The four islands of San Benedicto, Clarion, Roca Partida and Socorro are actually the peaks of underwater volcanoes which, in turn, are part of a submarine mountain range far below the surface. The overall location is where the north-east Pacific Ocean marine biogeographic region converges with that of the Eastern Pacific. It is also where the California Current meets the Equatorial Current, all of which creates an incredibly complex and
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Socorro – a true ‘bucket list’ destination if ever there was one! This group of four islands is located in the Pacific Ocean, some 600km from the west coast of Mexico, and it offers some quite unique underwater experiences, as Don Silcock found out PHOTOGRAPHS BY DON SILCOCK
For North American divers, it is not too bad as all the liveaboard dive boats servicing Socorro operate from Cabo San Lucas, the major resort city on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Known for its beaches, sea-sports and nightlife, Cabo (as it is commonly referred to) is a busy place that is very well serviced by all the major US airlines. For the rest of the world some long-haul flights are required, and for us Australians, it is a journey of epic proportions! Getting to Cabo is just the first part of the overall journey though, as it is another 24 hours by boat to get to San Benidicto Island, the nearest of those four islands to Mexico.
highly productive transition zone. Being the only landfall in such rich waters, the four islands have an incredible mix of resident sharks, manta rays and dolphins. Plus, they act as beacons to migratory species such as humpback whales and whaleshark. Little wonder then that the area is renowned for being a ‘big animal paradise’…
GETTING THERE
The sheer remoteness of the Revillagigedo Archipelago means that diving Socorro is not something to take lightly… Just getting there is an adventure in itself!
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SAN BENIDICTO ISLAND
Formerly known as Isla de los Innocentes, San Benedicto at some 10 km², is the third largest of the four islands in the archipelago. Very much volcanic in origin, it has no source of fresh water and is completely uninhabited. San Benedicto is visually striking and has two very prominent features. Bárcena, near the southern tip of the island, is the volcanic crater left from its eruption in 1952. Viewed from sea level, Bárcena is impressive, but viewed from a drone, it is simply awesome! Second are the volcanic arch and nearby pinnacles on the west side of the island, which when viewed up close are truly awe-inspiring…
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DON SILCOCK
In more normal times, Scuba Diver’s Senior Travel Editor Don is based from Bali in Indonesia, but is currently hunkered down in Sydney. His website - www. indopacificimages.com - has extensive articles and images on some of the best diving locations in the IndoPacific region and ‘big animal’ experiences globally.
Schooling hammerheads in the blue Silky shark at San Benedicto Island
SAN BENIDICTO ISLAND - EL BOILER
There are a number of dive sites around San Giant Pacific Benedicto, such as Fondeadero and the Canyon. manta ray They are good, but none of them comes close to El Boiler, which is located near to the volcanic arch and is an absolutely incredible dive! The site consists of a huge pinnacle that rises up from the SAN BENIDICTO ISLAND – SILKY SHARK seabed at 45m, coming to within 4m of the surface. That top While the oceanic manta rays are very much the stars area is to be avoided because of surge and swell, but the rest of the show at El Boiler, the dependable co-stars at San of the site is straightforward, and you basically just choose Benidicto Island are the resident population of silky sharks your depth and then make your way around the pinnacle. (Carcharhinus falciformis). Clearly very used to the liveaboard El Boiler is a tremendous place to encounter oceanic manta dive boats that visit the island, the silkies gather in some rays, as they use the pinnacle as a cleaning station. The numbers around the boat looking for scraps. Relatively large amazing thing about the giant mantas is that they are quite animals, with an intense curiosity and bold attitude, silky used to divers… And being intelligent and curious creatures, sharks are considered to be potentially dangerous. they will often initiate the encounter and come to you! So the best way to dive El Boiler is stay relatively shallow SOCORRO ISLAND to conserve air, then make your way around the pinnacle, Socorro is by far the largest of the four islands at some 132 watching out for the mantas. Obviously, there is no guarantee km2. It is an impressive sight when first seen, particularly so they will appear… from a drone! But they usually do and when that happens, try to separate It is also the only island that is inhabited, albeit by about yourself a bit from other divers and wait. There is simply no 250 Mexican Navy personnel and their families… Their role point in trying to chase them – they are just too fast. Better to being to enforce the rules and regulations of the marine let them come to you! protected area and national park. San Benedicto Isand
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The pinnacle at El Boiler
There are three main dive sites around Socorro Island – Punta Tosca, Roca O’Neal and Cabo Pearce. The first two are certainly interesting dives, but Cabo Pearce is very much the main attraction and its stars are ocean manta rays and bottlenose dolphins! Plus, schooling hammerheads are often seen out in the blue. Cabo Pearce is a long ‘finger’ formation that is located on the eastern side of the island and was created by lava flow from when Socorro was an active volcano. Underwater that finger extends right out into the deep surrounding waters. Care is required at Cabo Pearce as strong currents run either from the south to the north, or vice versa, which strengthen as they sweep across the top of the underwater part of the lava finger. Both the oceanic mantas and bottlenose dolphins are used to interacting with divers and will come to you. Which makes for some really great encounters!
ROCA PARTIDA
Located about 100km to the west of Socorro Island, Roca Partida is the visible tip of a huge underwater mountain. It is hard to imagine a more-remote, awe-inspiring and exciting dive site! Compared to the three other islands Roca Partida is pretty small. Just 100 metres long and eight metres wide and the name means ‘Split Rock’, which refers to the two peaks on the rock – one 25 metres high and the other 34 metres.
Bottlenose dolphins at Cabo Pearce
Its sheer and complete isolation means that Roca Partida has its own ecosystem and resident population of marine creatures. Plus, it naturally attracts migratory animals and you just never know what may appear around the corner! Swept as it is by strong easterly currents, Roca Partida is best dived by entering the water around the middle of the rock on the east side, which is the ‘split point’ for the current and where the water velocity is minimal. Then it’s a choice left or right to the corners of the rock, where the current is
Giant Pacific manta ray
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Whaleshark and attendant jacks
The amazing thing about the giant mantas is that they are quite used to divers… and being intelligent and curious creatures, they will often initiate the encounter and come to you! Whitetip reef sharks
strongest and the action is pumping! Huge schools of fish pulse in the current, sharks are a constant presence and the chance for random pelagic encounters make the corners of Roca Partida an incredible underwater experience! Finally… a really interesting feature of Roca Partida are its snoozing whitetip sharks. Located on the eastern side of the rock are several recesses that act as ‘shark platforms’. These are where the resident whitetip sharks, which hunt at night, gather during the day to rest. Seemingly safe in numbers, the recesses are often crammed to overflowing with whitetips…
DIVING SOCORRO – IN SUMMARY
The four islands of the Archipiélago de Revillagigedo are truly very special. While only three of the four are dived regularly – Clarion Island is another 290km to the south-west of Roca Partida and very few boats go there - diving Socorro, San Benidicto and Roca Partida is an experience that will stay with you for many years. The combination of their remote location, exceptional biodiversity, incredible encounters and exciting diving are hard to match – anywhere… n
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on the What’s it like to dive a work of art? Deborah Dickson-Smith shares her experience diving the coral greenhouse and gardens of the Museum of Underwater Art PHOTOGRAPHS BY GEMMA MOLINARO / REEF ECOLOGIC & MATT CURNOCK
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The experience of helping to plant the first coral seedling on the Museum of Underwater Art, indeed, the first coral seeding on any piece of underwater art in Australia, was incredibly special
Jason deCaires Taylor’s projects aim to open debate about our relationship to our seas and highlight the importance of conserving them, and he hopes to usher in a new era of culturally and environmentally aware tourism through his art pieces.
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There are 25 sculptures outside the greenhouse and eight human figures, benches and other small sculptures, including pots, cups, and a microscope inside
Planting corals on the MOUA
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he spires of Jason deCaires Taylor’s Coral Greenhouse come into view fairly quickly as I descend the clear water of John Brewer Reef. I’ve been hoping to dive the Museum of Underwater Art for months, and when the stars finally align for me, I’m surprised with an even-greater experience - an opportunity to participate in coral gardening at the installation. Diving this work of art is an enigmatic experience, somewhere between diving a wreck and a coral reef. The greenhouse itself would look impressive as a centrepiece in the gardens of a grand old estate or botanic garden. Underwater, the structure is enhanced with a slightly ethereal atmosphere, as we float noiselessly through the main entrance, passing several barracuda, batfish and a rather surprised-looking pufferfish. While the barracuda and batfish swim above us, smaller reef fish flit about the hanging planters and among the soft corals already growing on nearly every surface. Surrounding the greenhouse, a landscape of tall tropicallooking trees, garden beds and scattered coral bommies, with several ghostly life-size figures standing around the lagoon’s sandy bottom. On closer inspection, I realise all these figures, the Coral Greenhouse’s Reef Guardians, are tending this garden in some way. Some holding planters, some with secateurs looking up at the trees, some with watering cans and some squatting on the sandy floor contemplating a patch of garden.
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A ‘scientist’ and his microscope
This beautiful installation, inspired by both reef and rainforest, is the second of a planned four structures to be installed as part of deCaires Taylor’s Museum of Underwater Art. The first, Ocean Siren, is located in shallow water on The Strand in Townsville and is modelled on a local Wulgurukaba Traditional Owner, Takoda Johnson. The Siren illuminates at The MOUA is visually night glowing different colours indicating stunning live water temperature data from Davies Reef weather station on the Great Barrier Reef, sharing a crystal-clear message (and warning) of the ocean’s rising temperature and the implications that has on the Reef. The Coral Greenhouse is deCaires Taylor’s first-ever underwater architectural structure, and it was the sculptor’s wish that the installation would offer
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opportunities for scientists, marine students and tourists to engage in action-based learning and to conduct research on coral reef restoration. Located approximately 80km from Townsville on John Brewer Reef, around 90 minutes to two hours by boat, the structure is made from stainless steel and PH-neutral materials to complement natural coral growth. It sits at a depth of 16m and rises up to 12m with three main entrance points. There are 25 sculptures outside the greenhouse and eight human figures, benches and other small sculptures, including pots, cups, and a microscope inside. The conservation programme associated with the structure is being managed by Reef Ecologic and I was lucky enough to join scientist Gemma Molinaro to plant the very first coral ‘seedling’ in the Greenhouse, as the structure enters a new phase - coral gardening. The team at Reef Ecologic will plant coral ‘seedlings’ in the various pots and planters on one side of the Greenhouse, leaving the other side to attract coral growth naturally, so they can monitor the difference, both of coral growth and fish life. After our initial inspection of the Greenhouse and surrounding garden, Gemma and I swim over to the edge of the lagoon in search of ‘corals of opportunity’, small pieces of coral that have broken off the reef and fallen on the sandy bottom of the lagoon, where without solid footing, they would soon die. Gemma is in search of a particular type of coral, one that
will fit nicely into the chosen plant pot. After scouring the sea floor, we finally find a suitable piece and head back to the greenhouse, where we prepare the surface of the pot with a little scrub and fix the coral seedling in place with some Selleys Knead, a hand-kneadable fast-setting epoxy putty. I can’t tell you how excited I was to see this little baby coral (which I’m considering my very own charge) in its planter, watched over by its a beautiful Reef Guardian. Once our little seedling has been planted, we measure it, tag it (No. 1), take a photo – both for research and posterity – and head off to explore the reef wall. The Coral Greenhouse is located near one of the prettiest sections of John Brewer Reef, with a nearby channel, festooned with soft corals, whips and gorgonian fans, leading to the outer wall where we’re greeted by a sloping wall of vibrant coral, teeming with reef fish. The experience of helping to plant the first coral seedling on the Museum of Underwater Art, indeed, the first coral seeding on any piece of underwater art in Australia, was incredibly special. Equally inspiring is the main objective of this project, a collaboration of art, science and storytelling, to inspire ocean advocacy. The Museum of Underwater Art can be dived with Adrenalin Dive on Thursdays and Sundays. Yongala Dive also visit the installation on Fridays and Saturdays. More information can be found at: Diveplanit.com n
The Coral Greenhouse is located near one of the prettiest sections of John Brewer Reef Inside the MOUA
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Adreno’s biggest ever dive megastore has arrived.
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Shop online at scubadiving.com.au or visit our Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or Perth Megastores.
T
he rocky outcrops and barrier reefs along Queensland’s vast coastline have scuppered many ships in its few hundred years of European exploration and settlement. Several more have been scuttled to create artificial reefs for recreational divers. Here are a few of Queensland’s best wrecks for divers.
SS YONGALA
Consistently listed in the top 10 wrecks in the world, the SS Yongala lies in open water about 20km off the beach, a 30- to 40-minute run in a fast RIB from Alva Beach, south of Townsville, or a longer trip from Townsville itself. A passenger ship transporting people, their possessions and some freight along the eastern seaboard in a time when the Pacific Highway was still a footpath back in 1911, she was caught in a category 5 cyclone and sank, with all lives lost. The ship itself remained lost until 1958. From a diver’s perspective she is a magnificent, isolated reef 15 metres high sitting in 30m of water within her own marine protected area, where seemingly all the fish in the locality hangout. Diving the wreck, all around and silhouetted overhead are squadrons of fish battling to make their presence felt - batfish, GTs, jacks, and barracuda cruising through. Much of the surface is encrusted with growth of one kind or another: vibrant soft corals, whip coral and xenia. In among that are the little fish, yellow and black damsels, the coral bream, parrotfish and patches of young lunar fusiliers and olive sea snakes. A few Maori wrasse may come and join you during the dive, as well as several species of rays.
provides the ideal artificial reef for divers with a huge array of sea life to discover. The wreck is now home to over 200 different species of fish, including Queensland grouper, squid, yellowtail kingfish, red emperor, snapper, lionfish, angler fish, blennies, sea hares, batfish, as well as colourful sponges, soft and hard corals, turtles, and eagle rays.
EX-HMAS TOBRUK EX-HMAS BRISBANE
Despite its name, the ex-HMAS Brisbane is not situated off the Queensland capital, but on the Sunshine Coast between Maroochydore and Mooloolaba, laying in 15m-28m of water, 2.9 nautical miles off the coast. A former Royal Australian Navy warship, which operated between 1967 and 2001, ex-HMAS Brisbane was sunk in 2005 and the conservation park created around the wreck now
Scuttled in 2018, Australia’s newest wreck has already attracted an amazing amount of marine life, with some divers even comparing it to Yongala. The once-bare surfaces are covered with soft corals, and the entire structure is teeming with life, with resident turtles, huge schools of barracuda, bat fish, jacks and snapper. The ex-HMAS Tobruk is a 127-metre-long navy vessel that was in operation for 34 years. In that time, she made the equivalent of 40 trips around the world on 26 major missions in destinations such as the Middle East, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Scuttled 15 nautical miles off the coast of Bundaberg it’s an easy wreck to explore with wide openings and a top depth of 12m, so accessible for open water divers. Advanced divers have the opportunity to descend a little deeper and access the wreck itself. Contact the team of dive travel specialists at Diveplanit Travel for the best diving packages to Australia’s best wrecks. Diveplanit.com Email: enquire@diveplanit.com Phone: 1800 607 913
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Gear Guide
THIS ISSUE: AWARD WINNER ROUND-UP
Normally, each month, the SCUBA DIVER test team assembles to rate and review a selection of dive equipment from a range of manufacturers. Products are split into price categories and are then evaluated for performance, comfort, ease of use, build quality, looks and value for money. The Test Team comprises Editor in Chief Mark Evans and a squad of volunteers, whose dive experience ranges from a couple of hundred dives to well over 6,000.
AWARD WINNER ROUND-UP
With the COVID-19 pandemic raging around the world, and the UK - as with many other countries - on lockdown with only essential travel allowed, the Test Team has obviously not been able to get out and run the next group tests. These tests will be conducted as soon as we are permitted to travel, which was right as we sent this magazine to print, so Group Tests and Test Extra should resume next issue. In the meantime, we thought we’d bring you a round-up of some previous Group Test Choice and Best Value winners.
ON TEST THIS MONTH: • PRIMARY CUTTING TOOLS • PRIMARY DIVE LIGHTS
Location: Tested at Vivian Dive Centre, Llanberis www.viviandivecentre.com Water temp: N/A Surface temp: N/A
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AQUA LUNG SMALL SQUEEZE KNIFE | SRP: ANZ$70 Aqua Lung have become experts at producing well-made and useable dive knives, and the Small Squeeze Knife range continue this tradition. That name is used to signify the use of Aqua Lung’s patented ‘Squeeze Lock’ design, which securely holds the knife in its sheath, but when the diver needs it, a simple squeeze of the hand and the knife is deployed with a minimum of fuss. The handle and sheath are nylon with fibreglass fill. There is a lanyard hole in the hilt, and the sheath has drainholes. It comes with mounts to attach it to grommets in your BCD or wing. The 304 stainless steel versions come in either blunt tip or sheep tip. The blunt tip has a screwdriver tip, sharp section, serrated section, line cutter and a bottle opener. The sheep tip has sharp section, serrated section, line cutter and bottle opener. There is also a spear tip version in titanium, which is supremely lightweight. This has all the features of the others just with an extremely sharp spear tip. All three easily sliced through every test, and the handle was comfy and easy to use even with thick gloves on. All-round winner. www.aqualung.com
CHOICE 2019 GROUP TEST
KNIVES
TECH SPECS & VERDICT WEIGHT: titanium 72g / sheep 111g / blunt 103g VERDICT: The perfect BCD knife, whichever version you choose. Lots of features, and efficient locking/release system, and a very competitive price.
SCORE
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MARES HAND LINE-CUTTER B TITANIUM | ANZ$109 The styling of the Trilobite is also evident in this line-cutter from Mares. However, Mares being Mares, they have elevated it to another level with this ‘B’ version. The ‘B’ version features a ceramic cutting blade on one side, which is ultra-sharp and needs no apres-dive care as it won’t rust, and a military-grade titanium serrated blade on the other, which is safely behind a hinged protective shield. When you need to use it, you just flip up this shield and away you go. There is also an ‘A’ version, which moreclosely resembles the Trilobite, and has a line-cutter on either side, but each of these blades is ceramic, so it will never rust and needs no after-dive care. Both versions have a finger hole to aid deployment from its webbing sheath which can attach anywhere on your BCD or wing - and a webbing ‘hilt’, but they also have generous thumb and forefinger grips so you can firmly hold it in use. Well designed and with two very useful sections, it proved a formidable tool, slicing through every test product with ease and being easy to handle even with thick gloves on. Great as a primary or back-up cutting tool. www.mares.com
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CHOICE 2019 GROUP TEST
KNIVES
TECH SPECS & VERDICT WEIGHT: 36g VERDICT: The Trilobite influence is easy to see, but Mares have lifted it to another level. We like the blend of cutting blade and serrated edge, and the use of ceramic/titanium.
SCORE
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BIGBLUE TL3500 | SRP: ANZ$429.99 BigBlue have successfully carved out a niche for themselves in the competitive world of underwater lighting, and I am seeing many videographers utilising their products now, as well as divers for general lighting purposes. The TL3500 delivers - as the name suggests - 3,500 lumens at full power for oneand-a-half hours via its three ultra-highintensity LEDs, and while much of this is concentrated in a ten-degree spot, there is also a wide peripherary beam as well. This makes it great for penetrating through floating detritus - as often encountered in UK waters - and also for signalling. The halo of peripheral light is also enough to illuminate wider surroundings without burning everything out. There are four power settings - 100 percent, 50 percent, 25 percent and 10 percent, with the latter giving an awesome burntime of 15 hours! There is also an SOS setting. The push button is easy to operate even wearing thick gloves, and the colour indicator - blue at full charge, green as the power drops, and red when nearing re-charge time - is handy too. It is quite comfortable just held in your hand, but also comes with a lantern-style handle, and a soft Goodman handle. www.bigbluedivelights.com
BEST VALUE 2019 GROUP TEST
TORCHES
TECH SPECS & VERDICT WEIGHT: 447g RECHARGEABLE: Yes VERDICT: The BigBlue TL3500 is a compact unit, but it sure pumps out some light, and we like the design of the push-button on/off with indicator light.
SCORE
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MARES EOS 20RZ | SRP: ANZ$499 Mares have produced a strong line-up of torches with the EOS RZ range, and the 20RZ is the top of the line, but it doesn’t have a ridiculous price point, coming in at a very reasonable cost. It is one of the larger units in this review, and it weighs in at 594g, but even then, it is no beast, comfortably sitting in your hand. Part of the reason for the weight is the enlarged front of the light, which offers a nifty zoom function - twist that chunky head and you can alter the beam from a tight, bright 11 degree spot to a wide 75 degree flood, which still retains an even spread. A narrower beam penetrates well in lower vis, and the wider beam can light up a wide area when things are clearer. The three CREE XP-L LEDs put out 2,300 lumens at full power, and it has three settings - high (100 minute burntime), low (three-hour burntime) and SOS mode. It is depth-rated to 120m, and recharges by simply unscrewing the end cap and then plugging in a cable to your laptop or a wall socket (via a mains/USB plug). To turn the 20RZ on and off is easy - you just slide the locking mechanism across and thumb the slide switch forward. Ever push forward cycles through the settings. www.mares.com
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CHOICE 2019 GROUP TEST
TORCHES
TECH SPECS & VERDICT WEIGHT: 594g RECHARGEABLE: Yes VERDICT: Great torch for use as a primary dive light. The zoom beam is a neat feature, and the on/off is simple to use even with gloves on. Great unit.
SCORE
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What’s New
MARES DUAL ADJ 62X (SRP: ANZ$699)
Created to satisfy ongoing requests from the US and Asian markets, the Dual Adj 62X is now the smallest, most-compact first stage ever released by Mares – making it the perfect travelling diver’s companion worldwide. The 62X first stage breaks records as the smallest first stage in the diving market, coming in at a mere 63mm in height and weighing only 464g (DIN). This small-but-mighty first stage is ten percent smaller and lighter than its 52X predecessor and has 30 percent less volume.
The 62X first stage may be compact, but it still boasts all of Mares regulators’ innovative features, such as Auto Sealing Technology (AST) which protects against water entering the first stage. Mares, however, didn’t stop here. The core parts of the 62X were re-designed to generate an even better seal, making this an excellent regulator for coldwater diving. The addition of the optional Twin Balanced Piston (TBP) makes this one of the highest performing regulators in cold water. Specific technical innovations of this first stage’s internal workings include a new poppet seat that is now sharper with a smaller cone radius and decreased angle to define the sealing surface better. The lightweight Dual Adj second stage offers smooth, easy breathing at all depths. Enhanced with a pneumatically assisted design (P.A.D.) and the unique, Mares patented Vortex Assisted Design (VAD) systems, the Dual Adj is second to none in ease of air delivery. The newly designed adjustable breathing knob helps divers enjoy a customized breathing experience, even when wearing thick gloves. www.mares.com
ATMOS MISSION ONE (SRP: ANZ$899)
The Mission One is a powerful and intelligent dive computer, and by syncing with the ATMOS App, you can view the dive site’s GPS and keep your unforgettable diving stories. A sleek and robust construction make it one of the most-desirable dive companions to ensure your best diving experience. It has a 1.2-inch high-res colour display, providing outstanding readability, and has vibration, visual and audible alarms. The constant backlight is ideal for murky and night dives, and 62
it has an easy-to-use menu with intuitive user interface. The digital compass is on-screen constantly, and allows easyset compass bearings and the ability to mark entry and exit GPS locations. It can handle air, nitrox, freedive and gauge modes, using a Buhlman ZHL-16C algorthim, and you get up to 15 hours out of a single battery charge. www.atmos.app WWW.SCUBADIVERMAG.COM.AU
Barefoot luxury in the heart of Indonesia
Bunaken National Marine Park I had a fantastic time at Siladen Resort. The resort itself is a quiet and idyllic oasis, the food was outstanding, but it’s the fishes that will have me coming back. The dive crew were some of the friendliest folk I have met. Always smiling, and so happy. I can’t wait to dive there again. Dr. Richard Smith
w w w.s i l a d e n.c o m
AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES
QUEENSLAND
DIVE EDEN
BUNDABERG AQUA SCUBA
t: 04 1002 6990 e: diveeden@gmail.com Guided dives of the wrecks, vibrant wharves and shoreline in Eden, Merimbula and Tathra. Scuba and Freediving courses are available. www.diveeden.com.au
t: 07 4153 5761 e: Julian@aquascuba.com.au a: 17 Walla Street, Bundaberg, QLD, 4670 Bundaberg has world class wreck diving sites, access to the Southern Great Barrier Reef and the best coral reef shore diving in Queensland. www.aquascuba.com.au
FEET FIRST DIVE t: 02 4984 2092 e: enquiries@feetfirstdive.com.au a: 97 Stockton St, Nelson Bay, NSW, 2315 SDI/TDI SCUBA, Snorkelling, & Spearfishing Retail & Training Centre. Shore dives in marine sanctuary, grey nurse shark double boat dives. www.feetfirstdive.com.au
LETS GO ADVENTURES t: 02 4981 4331 e: fun@letsgoadventures.com.au a: Shop 8W, d’Albora Marina, Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay, NSW, 2315 PADI facility Introductory dives through to Instructor Courses. Guided shore & boat trips for divers & snorkellers. Retail Sales & Servicing. www.letsgoadventures.com.au
SCUBA HAVEN t: 0407 457 542 e: info@scubahaven.com.au a: 20 Merrigal Rd, Port Macquarie, NSW, 2444 SCUBA Diving Port Macquarie and Laurieton Areas. Offering Dive trips, Courses, Introductory dives, Sales and services. www.scubahaven.com.au
SOUTH WEST ROCKS DIVE CENTRE t: +612 6566 6474 e: info@swrdive.com.au a: 98 Gregory Street, South West Rocks, NSW Australia’s best Shark and Cave dive. Family owned and operated for over 40 Years. swrdive.com.au
ST GEORGE UNDERWATER CENTRE t: 61 2 9502 2221 e: info@stgeorgeunderwater.com.au a: 1/148 Bellevue Parade, Carlton, NSW, 2218 We have been in the industry for over 62 years. We are a TDI SDI 5 star training centre. We service, train and travel. www.stgeorgeunderwater.com.au
WINDANG DIVE & SPEARFISHING t: 02 4296 4215 e: info@windangdive.com.au a: Shop 1, 239 Windang Road, Windang, NSW, 2528 Scuba Diving Courses to Instructor. Spearfishing needs and servicing of all brands of scuba and spearfishing. www.windangdive.com.au
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SOUTH AUSTRALIA RODNEY FOX SHARK EXPEDITIONS t: 08 8363 1788 e: expeditions@rodneyfox.com.au a: 107 Henley Beach Road, Mile End, SA, 5031 Great white sharks, SCUBA, Ocean Floor Cage, Surface Cage, Australian Sea Lions and our own wine all on the 32m liveaboard MV Rodney Fox! www.rodneyfox.com.au
LADY ELLIOT ISLAND ECO RESORT t: +61 7 5536 3644 e: reservations@ladyelliot.com.au a: Lady Elliot Island, Southern Great Barrier Reef, QLD Lady Elliot Island ‘Home of the Manta Ray’ boasts 20 incredible dive sites and is renowned for amazing marine encounters. www.ladyelliot.com.au
MANTA LODGE AND SCUBA CENTRE t: 07 34098888 e: info@mantalodge.com.au a: 132 Dickson way, Point Lookout, QLD 4183 Amazing diving all year round. Manta Rays, Sharks, turtles and whales along with a huge variety of marine life. www.mantalodge.com.au
OZAQUATEC SCUBA SERVICE CENTRE t: 07 3399 1413 e: admin@ozaquatec.com a: 4/89 Gosport St, Hemmant QLD 4171 Brisbane’s largest SCUBA servicing centre. Servicing all brands of SCUBA gear, Air/Nitrox fills and SAI Global accredited Test Station for all your tank hydro needs. www.ozaquatec.com.au
PASSIONS OF PARADISE t: 07 4041 1600 e: Reservations@passions.com.au a: Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence Street, Cairns, QLD Dive, snorkel and sail the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns onboard a sailing catamaran with locally owned Passions of Paradise. www.passions.com.au
SCUBA WORLD t: 07 5444 8595 e: info@scubaworld.com.au a: 207 Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba, 4557 QLD, Australia We create safe, comfortable, enthusiastic divers who always have a fun, personal and enjoyable experience at Scuba World. scubaworld.com.au
TASMANIA EAGLEHAWK DIVE CENTRE t: 0417013518 e: info@eaglehawkdive.com.au a: 178 Pirates Bay Drive, Eaglehawk Neck, TAS, 7179 We have world-class temperate water diving, with sites suitable for divers with skill levels from novice to advanced technical. www.eaglehawkdive.com.au
WESTERN AUSTRALIA SOUTHCOAST DIVING SUPPLIES t: 08 98417176 e: whale@divealbany.com.au a: 84b Serpentine Road, Albany, Western Australia, 6330 Diving Albany means diving anything from wrecks to reef, plunging drop offs to awesome canyons with unbelievable colours and fishlife. www.divealbany.com.au
VICTORIA ALL ABOUT SCUBA t: (03) 9939 4913 e: info@allaboutscuba.com.au a: Unit 17/30-34 Maffra Street, Coolaroo, Victoria, 3048 A fully equipped SCUBA service centre with a passion for servicing so we can safely explore the underwater world! www.allaboutscuba.com.au
DIVE GEAR AUSTRALIA t: 03 9702 3694 e: sales@divegearaustralia.com.au a: 11/53-57 Rimfire Drive, Hallam, Victoria, 3803 DGA is a PADI 5 star training dive store with a huge range of scuba diving, snorkelling and spearfishing gear. www.divegearaustralia.com.au
SCUBA CULTURE PTY LTD t: 03 9808 0033 e: info@scubaculture.com.au a: 117 Highbury Road, Burwood, Victoria 3125 Full service dive shop providing equipment sales, service, hire, training, dive club, dive travel and air/ nitrox fills. www.scubaculture.com.au
WARRNAMBOOL DIVING t: 03 5562 1685 e: scubaone@live.com.au a: 179A Fairy Street, Warrnambool VIC 3280 Warrnambool offer some of the best shore dives along the great ocean road with access to the ship wreck coast. www.divingandfirearms.com.au
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NEW ZEALAND SOUTHLAND
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
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
DIVE DOCTOR t: +09 530 8117 e: info@divedoctor.co.nz a: 20R Sylvia Park Rd, Mt Wellington. (1 min off the M’way) Scuba servicing centre – all brands. Wide range of products and hard to find items instore and online. 300 Bar fills, NITROX, O2. Quality dive training. www.divedoctor.co.nz
DIVING ACADEMY LTD (AUCKLAND SCUBA) t: +64 9478 2814 e: info@aucklandscuba.co.nz a: 49B Arrenway Drive, Auckland 5* PADI centre, beginner to Instructor courses (student loan approved), quality equipment retail, rebreathers, scooters, dive trips, servicing, air fills. www.aucklandscuba.co.nz
GLOBAL DIVE t: +64 9920 5200 e: info@globaldive.net a: 132 Beaumont Street, Westhaven, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand NZ’s Premium Dive Store. Leaders in Training, Servicing and Travel. Home of Fourth Element, OMS, Shearwater, XDeep, Light&Motion, DUI, Cinebags. www.globaldive.net
KIWI DIVERS NZ LTD t: 09 426 9834 e: info@kiwiscubadivers.co.nz a: 8 Keith Hay Court, Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand Air, Nitrox & Trimix fills. SSI & TDI Rec, Tech & Rebreather courses. 2 dive boats. Brands: Hollis, Oceanic, Zeagle, Atomic, Bare/Stahlsac service centre. www.kiwiscubadivers.co.nz
NEW ZEALAND DIVING t: 00 64 9422 3599 e: dive@nzdiving.co.nz a: Unit 2, 23 Morrison Drive, Warkworth, New Zealand Leading dive centre offering training and charters. Tank testing, air/nitrox fills, gear sales, service, hire. SCUBA and Freediving/Spearfishing. www.nzdiving.co.nz
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CANTERBURY DIVE HQ CHRISTCHURCH t: +64 3379 5804 e: sales@divehqscuba.co.nz a: 103 Durham Street South, Sydenham, Christchurch South Island’s Premium Dive Centre, Specialists in Scuba Diving, Spearfishing & Freediving. Brands: Hollis, Oceanic, Atomic, Zeagle, Beuchat, Bare & Rob Allen. www.divehqscuba.co.nz
MARLBOROUGH GO DIVE PACIFIC t: 0274 344 874 e: info@godivepacific.nz a: 66 Wellington Street, Picton, Marlborough, New Zealand Dive one of the biggest cruise ship wrecks in the world, the Mikhail Lermontov, suitable for recreational to advanced technical divers. www.godivepacific.co.nz
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
WAIKATO DIVE ZONE WHITIANGA t: +64 7867 1580 e: info@divethecoromandel.co.nz a: 10 Campbell Street, Whitianga 3510, New Zealand Dive charters, training, service and retail store. Many and varied dive spots. Beautiful coastal town location. Offshore islands & Marine Reserve. www.divezonewhitianga.co.nz
WELLINGTON DIVE WELLINGTON t: 04 939 3483 e: dive@divewellington.co.nz a: 432 The Esplanade Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand Wellington’s Padi 5 Star Centre, right across the road from Taputeranga Marine Reserve. Come and dive or snorkel with us. www.divewellington.co.nz
NORTHLAND DIVE NOW t: 09 438 1075 e: info@divenow.co.nz a: 41 Clyde St, Whangarei We’re Northland’s largest SCUBA, Spearfishing & Freedive retail store offering great deals on gear along with SCUBA and Freedive courses. www.divenow.co.nz
Q&A: WAYNE B BROWN
ROTTNEST IS CALLING WHY ROTTNEST ISLAND HAS PLENTY TO OFFER THE VISITING DIVER
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
TOP-OF-THE-RANGE RATED AND REVIEWED BY THE TEST TEAM
LIFE THE LIVEABOARD LYRICAL ABOUT
GEAR GUIDE: MASKS
SUDAN ODYSSEY
EXPLORING THE REMNANTS OF COUSTEAU’S PRECONTINENT II EXPERIMENT
SULTANATE OF OMAN
THE TEST TEAM RATE AND
MELBOURNE A RANGE OF REVIEW MAGIC NIGEL MARSH MASKS DIVING DIVES THE PIERS AROUND PORT PHILLIP BAY
TALKING SHARKS
INFORMATIVE QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GREAT WHITE EXPERT ANDREW FOX
TEST EXTRA SPECIAL RETRA FLASH PRO AND DIVE RITE XT FINS RATED AND REVIEWED
Dive into
PNG Don Silcock waxes lyrical about Papua New Guinea’s underwater
DISCOVERING WHERE SMALL THINGS ROAM IN THE PHILIPPINES
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
TO AGGRESSOR WE CHAT IN OMAN ADVENTURE GEAR GUIDE GROUP TEST ADVENTURES ABOUT WAXES STACEY ADRIANCEO REGS
delights
Over the
RAINBOW New Zealand’s Exploring Rainbow Warrior wreck
THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
HOW TO COMPOSE THE PERFECT PHHEADS OUT ADRIAN STACEY DOLPHIN PHOTOGRA
+
New Zealand
ON A DAYBOAT TO THE ICONIC REEF
‣ Q&A: Orkney and Shetland Charters
+
DAN COLUMN
+
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EXPLORING NEW ZEALAND’S POOR KNIGHT ISLANDS UW photography
‣ Pete Mesley Q&A, pt II ‣ Sabah, Borneo
‣ CONSERVATION ‣ UW PHOTOGRAPHY
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World’s largest dive community joins forces to protect the GBR
P
ADI, the world’s leading scuba diver organisation, is teaming up with Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef on a first-of-its-kind citizen science project to help protect the earth’s largest reef system. The Great Reef Census provides opportunity for divers everywhere to impact the long-term health of one of the most-iconic dive destinations on the planet through online image analysis. “As the impacts of climate change and other threats accelerate around the world, there is an urgent need to scaleup conservation efforts globally, which requires everyone to take part,” says Andy Ridley, CEO of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef. “The global dive community is in a unique position to support these efforts with the skills, passion and knowledge needed to support marine conservation efforts.” From October to December 2020, divers, dive boats, marine tourism operators and others in the reef community were mobilised to create a makeshift research flotilla. Their mission - to capture large-scale reconnaissance data and images from across Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Dive crew, scientists, tourists and conservation groups volunteered hundreds of hours and surveyed more than 160 reefs from the tip of Cape York to the remote southern Swains. Over 13,000 images were uploaded to the platform to be analysed. “As PADI scuba divers and professionals, we are all ambassadors for our oceans,” said Michelle Barry, a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer based on the Great Barrier Reef. “The Great Reef Census is a ground-breaking idea for ocean conservation that is inclusive of anyone with access to the internet. This allows people all around the world to visit the Reef virtually and to be part of an important project to protect it.” PADI and Citizen of the Great Barrier Reef are calling upon divers worldwide, and all who care about the future of the ocean, to help turn these images into meaningful data,
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helping scientists and managers better understand the health of the reef system. Each image can be analysed by anyone, anywhere, with internet access and a few minutes to spare. “This is the future of conservation on the Great Barrier Reef. This is where anyone can show that they care,” says Russell Hosp, PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, Environmental Manager and Master Reef Guide at Passions of Paradise, a PADI dive operator in Cairns, Australia. “If people are really serious about saving the GBR, this is their chance to go to greatreefcensus. org, and say, ‘Yes, I want to be part of the solution’.” The Great Reef Census is the first to test the effectiveness of mass-scale engagement in a significant underwater research project. If proven successful, the model can be rolled out across the world, providing real-time status updates for the planet’s treasured reefs. And, ultimately, serving as an influential tool to establish greater legal protections for coral reefs worldwide. From climate change to marine pollution and deforestation, the pressures on global ecosystems is accelerating rapidly. The Great Barrier Reef has experienced three mass coral bleaching events in the last five years, meaning traditional management and monitoring resources are becoming increasingly stretched. “One of the greatest challenges to the Great Barrier Reef is that much of the world believes it’s already gone. But the Reef is massive, the same size as Germany, so the reality is it’s a patchwork system of incredibly healthy, degraded and recovering reefs,” said Ridley. Only five to 10 percent of the Great Barrier Reef is regularly surveyed, the Great Reef Census is designed to help fill critical gaps in our knowledge of how individual reefs are coping and has already returned valuable data. n
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There are many moments like this in the future.
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