Scubashooters net e mag issue n36 feb 2018 by Scubashooters Underwater Photography

ISSUE

N°36

F E B 2018

Portfolio by William Tan

Travels by Francesco turano

Marine Biology by Michele Solca

Monthly Contest

Preview

Travels

Music and Pictures

Claudio Ceresi wins “Nudibranches”

Ustica, Black Pearl of Mediterranean Sea Inon Presents The New Shoe Bases

Astrospartus Mediterraneus

Suzan Meldonian and Gator Fever

is back!

Share the beauty and win amazing prizes Entries accepted from 1st March till 22nd April 2018

sponsors categories DSLR MACRO DSLR WIDEANGLE CC MACRO CC WIDEANGLE SHARKS AND CETACEANS PORTFOLIO (5 TO 7 PICTURES) FRESHWATERS BEHAVIOR BLACK & WHITE DIVE DESTINATION (3 TO 5 PICTURES) NUDIBRANCH

special prizes BEST OF SHOW BEST SNOOTED PHOTO BEST MIRRORLESS PHOTO BEST ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTO

Dear friends, The great event of DeepVisions 2018 is ready to start. From the 1st of March to the 22nd of April, photographers from all over the world will enter our beloved Underwater Photography contest which year after year is setting up a new milestone on this kind of events. We can tell this from the numbers basically, first benchmark wether you are on the right direction or not. This year edition will feature 11 categories, 5 special prizes and an amazing set of prizes offered by world leaders in the diving industry. A well over 60000 USD worthed prize pane is awaiting the best photographers to fight for it... if you are not a photographer your eyes will be delighted by the incredible beauty of the Ocean shown through the lenses of our contestants. So Deep Visions 2018 will bring beauty to everyone! Stay tuned for more!

Marino Palla Owner and Founder Scubashooters Network

Cover image by: William Tan

CONTENTS February 2018 3

EDITORIAL by Marino Palla

10 TRAVELS Ustica, Black Pearl of Mediterranean Sea by Francesco turano

MARINE BIOLOGY: Astrospartus by Michele Solca

MONTHLY CONTEST “Nudibranches”: the winners

60 TRAVELS Puerto Galera - Part One by Paolo Bondaschi

PORTFOLIO: William Tan Music and Pictures 4

110 TRAVELS Gator Fever in Florida by Suzan Meldonian

122 TRAVELS Sistiana Diving, Gulf of Biodiversity by Davide Lombroso

134 PREVIEW Inon presents: New Shoe Bases

140

150

DAN EUROPE - Hydrocephalus And Diving

DEEP VISIONS - UWP Awards 2018: Rules

V erein S cubashooters - 8952 S chlieren G raphic

E ditor : F abio S trazzi - S witzerland 38668878

design and supervising :

S ilvia B ogni L ayout : S ilvia B ogni , E lisa F urlani T ranslations : P iera P irini

Categories and Prizes PORTFOLIO: 1) MALUKU DIVERS (7 nights full board + 3 dives each day x 1 pax)+ EMOZIONI (4 fine art stamps 60x40) 2) DAWOSUB (Athos M3 Speleosub torh) 3) INON (LF 1300 EFW torch + UV variable red filter M67)

COMPACT CAMERA WIDEA 1) CASA BAHIA ANIL board x 1 pax + 2 2) FLEXARM (2 carb FOTOSUB SHOP ( compact cameras 3) ISOTTA (100$ v

DSLR MACRO: 1) CRYSTAL BLUE RESORT ANILAO (7 nights full board x 1 pax and dive package) 2) INON (S2000 strobe) 3) IKELITE (Gamma Mark 2 torch) + FLEXARM (Plastic carbon arm 12 cm) + FLEXARM (clamp)

CETACEANS AND SHARKS: 1) CELEBES DIVERS pax full board + 2) SUBAIA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CAMPAN pax + 3 dives in a 3) PRINK (trolley by FLEXARM (clamp)

DSLR WIDEANGLE: 1) DHARAVANDHOO DIVERS (7 nights for 2 pax fullboard + 10 dives) 2) CARBONARM (2 Silver Carbon arms 50 cm) 3) IKELITE (Gamma Mark 2 torch) + FLEXARM (Plastic carbon arm 12 cm) + FLEXARM (clamp) COMPACT CAMERA MACRO: 1) GIOSIM (DSLR UW housing) 2) SHEIKH COAST DIVING CENTER (10 dives package) 3) ISOTTA (100$ value voucher)

FRESHWATERS: 1) COCOTINOS LEMB + dive package + 5 2) BINTANG DIVERS 3) FLEXARM (carryn + 2 triple clamps

BLACK AND WHITE: 1) CASA ESCONDIDA pax full board) 2) CAMPI FLEGREI D x 1 pax + 4 dive 3) HAYBOLS ANILAO shore dives)

ANGLE: LAO (4 days/3 nights full 2 dives each day x 1pax) bon fiber arms 25 cm) + (Auto magic filter for s) value voucher)

(7 days and 6 nights x 1 2 dives each day) NIA DIVERS (2 nights bb x 1 archaeological area of Baia) y American Tourister) + )

BEH (1 week full board x 1 pax 50% discount for the 2nd pax) S BALI (10 dives package) ng handle with 1 inch balls s)

A ANILAO (4 days/3 nights x2

DIVING CENTER (2 nights bb es in Baia) O (2 nights bb x 1 pax + 2

BEHAVIOR: 1) FISHERMEN’S COVE PUERTO GALERA (7 nights full board for 1 pax + dive package) 2) FOTOSUB SHOP (Noodilab Moby macro lens) 3) IKELITE (Gamma Mark 2 torch) + FLEXARM (plastic carbon YS mount) + FLEXARM (clamp) DIVE DESTINATION: 1) CAPE PAPERU RESORT (6 nights full board for 1 pax + 10 dives) 2) SHEIKH COAST DIVING CENTER (10 dives package) 3) IKELITE (Gamma Mark 2 torch) + FLEXARM (plastic carbon YS mount) + FLEXARM (clamp) NUDIBRANCH: 1) YOS DIVE RESORT LEMBEH (6 nights/7 days full board for 1 pax in twin sharing + 14 dives) 2) FISHERMEN’S COVE PUERTO GALERA (10 dives package) 3) IKELITE (Gamma Mark 2 torch) + FLEXARM (plastic carbon YS mount) + FLEXARM (clamp)

BEST SNOOTED PHOTO: DEEPBLU Cosmiq+ dive computer BEST MIRRORLESS PHOTO: DEEPBLU Cosmiq+ dive computer BEST “ENVIRONMENT” PHOTO: DEEPBLU Cosmiq+ dive computer BEST OF SHOW: ASIA GRAND VIEW CORON (4 days/3 nights bb x 2 pax) REGGAE DIVING CENTER CORON (3 days of dives x 1 pax) FIXNEO (Fixneo torch 1500 SWR) FLEXARM (Plastic carbon arm set Universal light mount)

TRAVELS Ustica Black Pearl of Mediterranean Sea Words and Pictures

Francesco Turano

One warm October afternoon invites us to climb one of the peaks of the island of Ustica for a walking photographic excursion. Once at the top, on what is called the Falconiera, we overlook the Punta Omo Morto lighthouse, our look enraptured by the flight of a hunting bird of prey. The mind flies into the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ancient past, when one day, about a million years ago, a volcanic submarine mountain began to form in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. Slowly the volcanic building gained

space towards the surface of the sea, until it came out with a series of craters in full swing. The slow eruptive process led to the formation of a small island, a veritable peak emerging from a large submerged mountain, over 2000 meters high, with its base in the depths of the sea, on the hidden surface of the earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crust. Modeled by marine invasions and atmospheric agents, the island took over time the current appearance, with its terraces flattened by the sea and what remains of ancient craters. Of all the volcanic structures of the lower Tyrrhenian, Ustica is the only volcano above sea level born 12

from magma ascending directly from the earth’s mantle, connected to the opening of a whole series of deep crustal fractures in the abysses of the “Mare Nostrum”. A peculiar island, still under study today, undoubtedly interesting for its unusual geological ori-

gins. Today the island shows two different elevations: the Falconiera hill and the Guardia dei Turchi Mount. A third elevation (today called Banco Apollo), probably a volcanic cone adjacent to the island itself, is underwater and has its peak between 42 and 60 meters deep. In the Archaic age, it might have even been partially emerged, but we cannot know for sure. The last Ustica’s volcanic activity took place more or less one hundred and thirty thousand years ago, giving rise to the elevation of the Falconiera, where we are now. The spectacle of the landscapes below us cannot but remind us of the geological evolution of this wonderful “scorched earth” (in Latin Ustum). A land that, by diving in the Tyrrhenian Sea, creates unique environments and ecosystems in the Mediterranean, a veritable paradise of marine biodiversity. There are many dives to do in these waters. To give you 16

an idea of the variety of environments and marine fauna, we will try to describe some of the most beautiful among them. Let’s start our journey underwater diving into a place known as “Sutta a Za Lisa”, where the rock wall continues underwater with its almost vertical slope, up to rest on the sandy bottom around 18m deep. A very shallow and cracked seabed offers us a pleasant underwater path, to follow with the wall to our right on the outward journey and to the left backwards, at different depths. Despite the modest depth, not exceeding 30m in the most challenging point, we will be struck by the colors and the very varied morphology of the seabed, where the protagonists are the hard corals, the sea fans and different types of encrusting sponges. Here we will encounter groups of two-banded sea breams and some amberjacks, surrounded by clouds of damself-

ish, while at the bottom, with a little attention, we could find several species of small nudibranchs. On the way back, at lower depths, we find some horizontal cuts in the rock, one of which is very large and accessible by several divers at the same time. Then we get gradually 17

to the decompression depth, surrounded by the dim light and the orange of the hard corals! Another interesting wall, in the inshore, is the one facing Punta dellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arpa, so-called for the shape similar to that of the musical instrument. An almost vertical rocky slope reaches in fact the sandy bottom at around 30 / 35m deep. The volcanic rock

landslide formed after numerous collapses born from the overlying emerged slope, and today a multitude of marine invertebrates densely colonize it, dominated by the most beautiful red sea fans of the entire island, belonging to the Paramuricea clavata species. These cover, particularly, two pinnacles detached from the coast, on the sand right in front of the wall, at around 36m deep. The top of these bastions reaches 18m of depth, which makes the idea of the impressiveness of these beautiful rocks. The rest of the landscape, very varied, alternates with the Posidonia prairie and different types of bryozoans (especially sea roses) and calcareous algae colonize it, in a blaze of colors and life. However, we may appreciate the beauty of Ustica especially when we move away a little from the 19

inshore walls, to adventure us towards the shoals. Among these, the Secchitello is the undisputed symbol. From a detrital / sandy bottom stretched on the 40-60 m bathymetric, rise a series of rocky pinnacles of massive proportions, both in width

and height, grouped together with each other to form a single shoal. Considered the most challenging dive of the whole island, due to the descent in the blue and the depth, the Secchitello offers peaks with different morphology and extends abundantly in width towards the bottom. Sometimes it is possible to seeing the fusion, at the base, of the various neighbors peaks, which create scenarios of rare beauty with vertical walls colonized by different sorts of life. On this seabed, the benthic life prevails, although in summer the mucilaginous algae sometimes hide its charm, covering rocks and the coralligenous. A multitude of brown and red algae populates the rock at the top of the pinnacles, with a seasonal presence of Sargassum. Going down, this substrate leave place to red gorgonians (Paramuri20

cea clavata), yellow gorgonians (Eunicella cavolinii) and several ramifications of false black coral (Savalia savaglia). In a pelagic environment that is in open water, the show is incomparable: schools of barracudas and golden groupers, as well as large amberjacks, are a practically constant presence, performing large

fish carousels unique in the Mediterranean. Occasionally, we also see good-sized snappers, fairly confident, while almost ignore the banded sea basses and dreamfishes, having too many things to observe. Needless to say, black and pink damselfish make the atmosphere even richer close to the rocks, with their dense swarms moving in unison. Paying attention to the microcosm, among the sea fans, there are many more small fishes and large red scorpion fishes well hidden. Soft corals (Alcyonium acaule) are then a treat difficult to detect, such as the beautiful basket star Astrospartus mediterraneus, a brittle star of extraordinary beauty. Another important Usticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoal is the Colombara, with a broad hat, like a terrace, presenting a whole series of interesting sides allowing you to set several dives, depending on level. 21

Together with the Secchitello, it represents the top of Ustica diving, an incredible place to fully experience, with clear waters and lots of fish. The classic dive starts from the hat of the shoal, located only three meters deep, where an incredible variety of green and brown algae cover the lava rock: the seascape as soon as you enter the water is gorgeous, with a charm enriched by water clarity and the blue and green hues contrasting with the black of the damselfishes clouds. From the hat, with little effort, we move towards the edge, where on one side we find vertical walls and on the other a landslide of large boulders with some walls, depending on the points, all sloping down towards a depth of about 25/30 meters. A large plateau, 30 meters deep, at the base of the vertical walls, is then dotted with scattered rocks of different sizes, colored by beautiful sponges. The diver will be immediately struck by the constant presence of schools of fish: barracudas first of all, but also snappers, amberjacks, black seabreams and large sharpsnout seabreams. Needless to say, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see groupers everywhere, mostly brown, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no lack even of the usual red grouper. 22

Damselfishes, bogues and saddled seabreams, complete a particularly rich picture, wholly to experience. Since some years, the Colombara has also been offering another interesting dive. In fact, at a precise point of the shoal, the wreck of a ship remained stuck on 21 February 2005. The wreck of the motor-ship ITA, flying a Panamanian flag, is scattered on the cliff in several pieces and creates habitats for fishes and numerous species of invertebrates. However, this volcanic islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dives offer not only walls and shoals. The lava rock has created numerous caves, submerged and half-submerged, one more beautiful than the other. Among the submerged caves, the primacy in beauty belongs to the Shrimpsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cave, easily reachable by following the lava rock landslide and its protruding towards the facing sandy bottom, with a wide and easy entrance and a vault, in half-light, very colorful. As soon as we enter the actual cave, we skirt it keeping the wall to our left, following an ideal path accompanied by the blue light of the entrance, which will allow us to peek into that dark world where swarms of red shrimps (Plesionika narval) 23

move frantically, disturbed by the light of our flashlights. It is not uncommon to see some forkbeard and, more rarely, some conger eel. The path to follow involves a passage from the larger room to a narrower and elongated ambience, which goes back to lower depths, to the exit at 28 meters. During this cave ascent, we will have the opportunity to make other encounters: small fishes and invertebrates nestled into the cracks. At

the exit, we will be facing a fall of boulders well populated by groupers, goldlines and sea breams of fair sizes. With the landslide of rocks to our right, we will start the journey back, ending with the decompression stop at the edge of the Posidonia prairie. Among the semi-submerged caves, there is the Cowries Cave, which has its entrance underwater at about 18 meters deep, from where it gradually rises to reach its emerged part: a huge air chamber where you can stop and watch the unknown side of the cave. 24

This environment, hidden in absolute darkness, is only visible to divers armed with flashlights: with the changing colors of lava and the drawings created on the reddish stone by the roots of the plants above, the show is definitely worth living over and over again. The dive is easy, even if the cavity has particularly dark stretches and you must ensure having a good control of the buoyancy during the underwater itinerary, to avoid lifting any suspension. The very large environment does not create problems even for the less experienced: access is comfortably feasible, considering the blue of the entrance light accompanying us almost until weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll go up to the surface, in the innermost part of the cave. Finally we arrive, along a stretch in shallow water, to a small lava beach through a path in the dark that, favored by the flashlights of a small group of divers, will become a color show. We should travel through everything backwards, seeing again the penetrating blue atmosphere from the large entrance, towards which we will head for going out and finish our dive. Just 5 minutes by boat from the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s port, right after the Blue Grotto, opens the Pastizza Cave. The dive is easy and feasible also at night, given the many sur26

prises. Everything without ever exceeding 20 meters deep. Entering the cave, at about 10 / 12 meters deep, we find a whole series of interconnecting corridors, with two rooms emerging above sea level. In one of the emerging rooms, we can admire the statue of the island’s patron saint: San Bartolicchio. The blades of light inside the rooms are very suggestive and the path is not to be considered complicated. In the bay in front of the cave, on the plateau, lies one pierced seastack, crossable and fun to observe. During night dives, encounters multiply and between rock and Posidonia we might meet many small fishes, cuttlefishes and the beautiful nocturnal anemone Alicia mirabilis! There is much more to say about other interesting diving spots, but let me conclude for now by mentioning the rock symbol of the island of Ustica, where underwater itineraries are never-ending. Not far from the integral reserve area, this rock emerges a few hundred meters from the coast. Called “Scoglio del Medico” (Doctor’s Rock), dialectal adaptation of “Scoglio Omerico” (Homeric Rock), it emerges a 27

few meters above water surface and jumps into the sea slowly sinking on the different sides in a changing way, offering several ideas for a series of ever interesting dives, characterized almost all times by clear waters. The richness of the coralligenous contributes then, together with the geomorphological variety and the many possible paths, to make this dive point one of the most interesting of the entire island. The crown jewels of this seabed are the barracudas carousels and the large size amberjacks. A unique show, virtually guaranteed. Groupers of all sizes abound, with greater presence of brown and red groupers, as well as some beautiful specimens of golden grouper. There are also schools of goldlines, bogues and banded sea breams in a riot of species offering all the real taste of a Mediterranean dive. The Doctor’s Rock offers us a classic external path, towards the submerged rock stack, good to observe fishes; an external path called “The Arches”, between 30 and 45 meters, more challenging, with less fish but very suggestive scenarios between arches of rock and passing-through tunnels. 31

Then there are some cave paths, under the rock, where a tight alley cuts in two the rock itself starting from a very large cavity known as “The Whale.” Here you can make some timid penetration in total tranquility up to 26 meters, amid walls decorated with sponges and hard corals. One side of the cliff then presents, in its descent across imposing rocks towards the depth, several vertical cracks, some of these accessible

and one in particular, known as “The Canyon”, with light play going down up to 30 meters deep. At this point, after so many nice words, we can only try to dive into the heart of the Mediterranean, where the scorched island is waiting for us to make us fall in love with its sea! Blue Diving Ustica was born after years of experience in the field of recreational and technical diving in the Mediterranean. Today it is a PADI Diving Center and Training Facility PSAI, and is located in the center of the small village of Ustica. At our premises, you will find everything you need to spend your diving holiday in the best way! Customized packages, complete with stay and diving, will satisfy all needs with maximum flexibility. The center has an equipment stock consisting of two large dinghies for 40 complete scuba gears. For technical divers, we offer the double-scuba-tank rental, and a dedicated blends refill service. We organize all our outings at sea by dividing the dives according to the divers’ level of experience. For non-divers, the Center organizes guided snorkeling and “baptisms of the sea”, the first underwater experience. The Center also offers courses in underwater photography and marine biology, in collaboration with Francesco Turano, curator of photographs and maps of the Center’s seabed (also on social networks)!

www.bluedivingustica.it 33

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MARINE BIOLOGY Astrospartus Words and Pictures

Michele Solca

Imagine diving yourself in a dark, gloomy environment, perhaps enlightened only by some pale ray of moonlight... light with your torch and suddenly there appears a curious animal with unusual appearance... think of the dismay and restlessness that it might assail you if you did not know that the cluster of snake-shaped ramifications that evokes the mythological Medusa, others is but a splendid Gorgon Star (Astrospartus mediterraneus), an echinoderm ophiuroid of the family of the Gorgonocephalidae. Echinoderms are benthic organisms characterized by the presence of a cal- 1 - Using Paramuricea clavata as a support careous skeleton formed by plates, welded or articulated, placed under the epidermis (dermal-skeleton), often covered with tubercles or thorns. Another feature of all the organisms of the philum is the so-called pentamerale symmetry: the body is divided into five sectors arranged around a central axis, which is why there are so many different animals in appearance as starfish, hedgehogs and Cucumbers (which are actually bilateral-symmetric animals but retain a reminder of the penta-radial symmetry at the level of the ambulacral tube feet, arranged in five longitudinal rows). Among the echinoderms, the Ophiuroids (Brittlestars) are easily distinguished by the clear distinction between the central disc and the 40

2 - Detail of the Anchorage mode to Paramuricea Clavata.

arms. Their size is variable: you reach values of 20-25 cm for the only disc in the Euriale (the largest ophiuroids), in which the arms - generally five - can be branched. The Astrospartus mediterraneus, better known as the Gorgon Star, is an ophiuroids of large proportions with a fascinating appearance and unique morphological and adaptive characteristics. The scientific name comes from aster (latin for: star) and spartos (latin for: shrub); the english name (basketball star) comes from the habit of curl to basket during the day with branched arms. The italian name of Stella gorgone instead takes inspiration from the myth of the Gorgons (Medusa, Steno and Euriale), figures of greek mythology that had snakes in place of hair, metaphorically associated with the serpentine ramifications of the Astrospartus itself. Very rare, photophobic and typically nocturnal, it is located in the western Mediterranean sea, on the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and Spain. It is common in Algeria and Morocco; in Italy it has been reported in 41

3 - Association with Eunicella Cavolinii, which houses our Astrospartus.

various locations (from south to north: Scilla, Maddalena Archipelago, Tor Paterno, Livorno, Santo Stefano, Portofino and surrounding areas). Because of its photophobia, it can be observed at significant depths, from 30-40 meters (rather rare) up to more than 100 depth; typical inhabitant of the biocoenosis coralline and of debris and rocky territories, it is generally placed on branches of coelenterates such as Paramuricea clavata, Eunicella singularis and Eunicella cavolinii or on sponges like Axinella polypoides, which are used as support for hunting, which takes place mainly in the night hours. 4 - The use of the Axinella Polypoides sponge as support: The photo was taken in the sandy part of the St. morphological Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shoal, where the current game allows the The features include a Astrospartus to feed easily

pentagonal central body similar to that of the most common brittle from which a series of ribs are departed, which are divided over and over in roughly dichotomy mode, ultimately forming a plot tangled with arms, very thin and curled ends: it may seem at first sight a curious cluster of branches of plant origin! The coloration is greyish or beige, with lighter hues at the ramifications; the apical parts are able to envelop themselves: very long compared to the body and snake-shaped, they are deprived of ambulacral tube feet and are opened only at night or in presence of strong currents able to carry plankton in abundance. Posteriorly, small appendices prehensile allow the animal a perfect anchorage on the sea fans. The body has a diameter of approx 4/8 cm, while with arms explained, the maximum width of the entire animal can reach even to 80 centimeters. Unlike other serpentine stars, which like to hide in ravines or under 44

the stones, the Astrospartus assumes a typical form during the daytime hours (or in situations of poor passage of planktonic elements), with the arms contracted towards the side of the body from which the mouth opens, made so little visible and protected thus by the light; physical characteristics, camouflage abilities and the usual depths of its habitat make Astrospartus a meeting so beautiful and special as difficult and exciting. Host - not parasitic - of the sea fans and sponges, the Gorgon star at night captures planktonic organisms by moving the intricate arms, with which it tries to capture what the marine currents carry. The presence of a small and ineffective mouth - it does not bite or inoculate poison - makes in fact the Gorgon star a passive animal filter that feeds, through the open tentacles, of microparticles planktonic (copepods, larvae of fish and crustaceans, annelids...): the filtration is carried out through targeted movements of the arms, to select the preys. The thin ends of the same hold the plankton through small hooks present on the joints and block it with a layer of mucus that makes it impossible to escape; the preys are then transported to the mouth by contractions of the arm responsible 5 - The arms are curled to allow a more stable anchorage for the capture, on Axinella polypoides while the other arms continue unperturbed the chase, reaching to filter even thousands of gallons of water in a single night. In order to be able to nourish itself effectively, the Astrospartus must seek the best currents (in terms of the richness of plankton) by moving 45

from one gorgonia to another until it finds an habitat in which to be placed permanently: in the absence of external agents (nets with demersion, rising temperatures, pollution) will tend to stabilize for even rather long periods.

6 - Note that in the central section, five sectors are developed, highlighting the pentaraggiata symmetry typical of echinoderms

Its reproduction is little known: certainly it is known that the sexes are separated and that there is no sexual dimorphism; fertilization occurs in clear water and the larva, called Ofiopluteo (like all those belonging to the Ophiuroids), leads a short planktonic life and then fixated on the substrate where the metamorphosis will take place. I met several times this animal in the marine protected Area Portofino, especially in points of diving characterized by a constant flow of plankton that can serve as nourishment for both the Astrospartus and the sea fans on which it leans; the depth to be met was always between 30 and 50 meters. On the shoal of Santo Stefano (Imperia) instead we have been meeting 46

7 - Detail of the arms in which it is possible to observe the continuous development of dichotomy of branches, which here appear partly stretched and partly curled

8 - Highlight the structure of the arms with the typical curled conformation of the spe

ecies

9 - Here a situation quite rare: in a late twilight dive in Portofino I came across a Astrospartus in motion, ready to stop shortly after on an eyelash to ensure the necessary nourishment

10 - The presence of particularly rich currents can lead to a concentration of several individuals very close: here one observes two specimens on two contiguous branches of Paramuricea clavata, in the marine protected Area Portofino

in the last years very few specimens that remain slightly higher (the meetings took place in depths between 24 and 33 meters): the peculiarity of the habi11 - Star Gorgona deployed in an attempt to capture plankton tat, characterized by a dense network of Sea fans and constant currents, seems to give the Astrospartus a great niche to be occupied to live without too many problems, trawling nets permitting. The night - or an hunting situation due to strong currents, which encourages access to food - is an excellent time to observe and photograph the Gorgon star in all its wonderful splendor, with arms stretched out to possible prey...Photophobia of the animal makes the artificial light provoke its closure, which is why it is necessary to have a certain speed in the evaluation of the scene and the shot. Always a place of excellence for the development of myths and legends, the Sea with its bottomless abysses well lends itself to stories of women with snakes instead of hair that turns stone to those who look at them, to elusive meetings and to exciting tales... abuse a good so precious with destructive fishing techniques and in general with attitudes that do not reflect love, respect and protection against him is likely to remove even that function of myth - creation without which we would risk to lose even our essence ...

Love, Learn, Respect, Protect. 51

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TRAVELS Puerto Galera A Macro Paradise - part one Words and Pictures

Paolo Bondaschi

It happens often, by meeting friends with whom you share the passion of underwater macro photography, dreaming about the coming trips, imagining scuba diving and to discover new seas ... Lately, one of the most frequently circulated names concerned a territory located in Southeast Asia between New Guinea and Malaysia, far from the main land travel route: the Philippines (Republic of the Philippines), an archipelago, second in order of size just to that the Indonesian one, extends from north to south for 1,800 kilometers and

from east to west for just over 1,000, consisting of about 7,107 volcanic islands that appear emeralds, set in the blue of the ocean lurking by spectacular beaches of blinding white; of which only 2000 are inhabited and 2500 of them do not even have a name, are covered by a lush tropical forest and bathed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean to the east, from the South China Sea to the west and the Celebes Sea to the south. The tropical climate in the Philippines has two dominant seasons, the rainy season, between June and November, and the dry season from January to May. 62

The average annual temperature is 25 ° C, the best time to visit the archipelago is between December and May, paying attention that in May temperatures may reach 40 ° C. The Philippines like to define themselves as the place where “Asia smiles”, This means the transportation are convenient, here you can eat well, there are plenty of accommodation options and English is spoken almost everywhere. ... and when I read about a trip to Puerto Galera on the island of Mindoro, I tell to myself: do not miss the opportunity. Five hundred years of Spanish domination still feel: the names are a testimony, the conquerors called this quiet town overlooking a natural harbour, Puerto Galera - in recent times the romantic translation, “The Port of Galleons”, has held sway over the more academic alternative, “The Port of Galeras”. No matter the actual origin, Puerto Galera certainly offered a safe anchorage for many galera and galleon, during tropical storms and typhoons (hurricanes/cyclones) that frequently cut across the country during the months of May through November. It is located on the northeast coast of Mindoro Island; a 14-nautical mile offshore separates it from the city of Batangas on the island of Luzon, where the capital Manila is only about 150 km away. Puerto Galera, one of the oldest Spanish settlements in the Philippines, was founded in 1572, becoming the first provincial capital on Mindoro Island; the area was designated a Man and Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO in 1973. 66

Back in the year 2000, Puerto Galera was awarded with the exclusive and prestigious membership to the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club, an international non-government organization based in Vannes (France) which aims to promote, protect and develop marine and bay sources. It is the only bay in the Philippines, which has been rewarded so far. Today, the rapid and unregulated development of the tourist sector, which also led to population and economic growth, is the biggest problem of Puerto Galera. The marine environment has benefited in the recent years due to income from tourism. This has seen a huge reduction in the number of fishermen in the area, as they gain higher revenue from tourists. The conservation of coral reefs has been recognized as one of the main tasks of the Biosphere Reserve since healthy coral reefs are important for the conservation of biodiversity, the maintenance of the traditional lifestyle and culture, tourism revenues, education and research. Puerto Galera is known also as â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Pearl of Mindoroâ&#x20AC;?, a soothing vision of shimmering seas surrounded by numerous pocket isolated beaches and stunning tropical scenery. The coastline is truly spectacular and you can find secluded beaches and valleys just waiting to be explored by the more adventurous; all this makes the paradise of nature lovers and photographersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dreams. 67

Diving in the seas of Puerto Galera will be an unforgettable and always different experience for every underwater photographer.

LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GO DIVING Centrally located, Puerto Galera is a hub of marine biodiversity, offering some of the best diving in the Philippines. It is home to a variety of dive operators and accommodations that are sure to suit to the most discerning dive enthusiast and photographer. Diving can be done all year round. The water temperature vary from a maximum 30+C/86+f in the rainy season to 25C/77f in the dry season. A 3mm wetsuit will suffice in the warmer months while a 5mm full suit and vest/hood is recommended for the other period. Visibility varies with the prevailing weather and currents, but averages between 15-25 meters /50-80 ft, sometimes offering up to 30+m/100+ft in some locations. 70

Wet season generally starts in June, with showers popping up regularly in the afternoon/evening. July through September is wetter, and then late October and November is the beginning of drier weather.

For almost 50 years Puerto Galera attracts expert studying the ecostructure of microorganisms, marine life, animals and plants. The University of the Philippines Marine Biological Station was set up in 1934 and in 1973 the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Program International declared the whole area a research center and the reefs a marine sanctuary. Puerto Galera is well known for its numerous scuba diving spots. It has some of the most diverse coral reef diving in Asia, located at the very heart of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coral Triangleâ&#x20AC;?. With over 450 identified coral types, about 3,000 species of fish and a thousand of invertebrates of which a third endemic, the great ecological complexity and the abundant species have earned this area is 72

home to the best of the planetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marine biodiversity concentration, probably more than any other area in the Philippines, because of this great biodiversity it attracts underwater photographers from all over the world.

The Verde Island Passage divides Puerto Galera from Luzon Island, being very deep, it carries cold water and strong currents from the South China Sea, which cross over Puerto Galeraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promontory. This generates a unique planktonic concentration ideal for maintaining and developing of marine life conditions. Puerto Galera offers more or less 40 prime dive sites are as varied as the species youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find there. There are sloping reefs, and the occasional small wreck and walls sinking into the blue, muck dives on the sand in search of the most bizarre creature and fantastic night dives.

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PORTFOLIO William Tan

William Tan has been fascinated with the creatures of the sea since childhood. While studying at the Johns Hopkins University (USA), much of his spare time was spent gazing at the extensive marine collection of the National Aquarium in Baltimore. A violinist with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, William earned his scuba diving certification in 1994. Thereafter, without his prized antique Italian violin, he travels extensively between concert seasons throughout the Pacific region judging underwater photo competitions, and photographing marine life for tourism organizations, scientific research groups, dive magazines, camera manufacturers, and resorts. William works very closely with Canon Inc. Singapore; and is generously sponsored by Fourth Element Equipment for Adventure, Fun-In Underwater Equipment, Nauticam International Limited, RGBlue Underwater Lighting System, and Scubalamp Underwater Photography Equipment. 80

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TRAVELS

Gator Fever In Florida

Words and Pictures 111

Suzan Meldonian

Well of course. It is about time! was the first thing that came to mind when I heard about this opportunity and I had to jump on it… well not literally, that’s the last thing you’d want to do. Sorry just being cheeky. Ok, let’s talk some facts. Florida has got to be the Alligator capitol of the world, if not hold one of the richest populations of alligators in the world. Just about every wildlife reserve that I visit is laden with them. They are seen crossing the streets, they hang out by the thousands in the Everglades and have been known to grab a dog or two from camp grounds. In a word, here in Florida . . . we are surrounded. Regularly there are news reports like, “ The frequency of serious, unprovoked alligator bites has grown in Florida along with the state’s population but fatal attacks remain rare.” …followed by Headlines of “Woman 71, attacked by 10 Foot Alligator in a Gated Community.” One might think, “how dangerous can they really be when we continue to allow them to proliferate almost to the point of the Land Before Time?” Shift gears to those amazing Croc shots taken in the wilds of Cuba & Chinchorro Bay, Mexico .Don’t know about you, but this was getting

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me mighty jealous. However, I kept thinking, “what are you nuts!” to “do you really want to sit in a hot un-air conditioned pup tent? Finally, someone who really knows alligators. Meet Chris Gillette of Animal Planet’s Gator Boys. Born and raised in Florida, he’s been handling alligators for many years and is a real live alligator wrestler for 20 some years and an underwater photographer! We had him as a speaker for the South Florida Underwater Photography Society Meeting, http://www.sfups.org this past summer when he gave the surprise announcement that you can now book a “dive” to come out and shoot the alligators with him (and a camera of course!) at his current location @Everglades Outpost in Homestead, Florida where he also performs with these wild alligators. Chris tells us these are nuisance alligators that have been trapped by the authorities. In laymen’s terms that means they were picked up for bad conduct, or snatching someone’s dog, Fluffy. So yes, these are wild alligators in containment. But yes, they are still very wild. If they aren’t contained they will go right back to where they were caught and do it again. The alternative for nuisance gators is death. Don’t be fooled, they haven’t grown fat and happy. Gators can be cunning, and work by stealth mode, are very deceiving and yes, they have the agility/ability to snap their jaws down on you and do the death roll. Chris is there by your side the whole time and seems to have a really interesting relationship with the big one, a 12’ American Alligator named Casper, which you see in my images here. He takes groups of up to 3 or 4 with only one person in the pond at a time, and we rotated, in 30 minute intervals. Chris is able to handle the alligators and gives very thorough instructions on what to do or not to do. No scuba, just walk in with your camera and a snorkel. As we walked by some pens with younger hissing, snapping alligators, the hairs on my arm stood up. Whew! We placed our gear on stadium seats, went through the gates, walked past a couple of really big gators that were sunning themselves in the sand. They lifted their heads up to see who was coming into their yard and went back to napping. Chris warns us, “Now, just because I am here, don’t ever take your eyes off the alligators. They are still predators and act instinctively. 113

There are 14 of them in the here, so watch where you are stepping. (14??!!! That wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in the brochure!). Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t touch them. If you do, they can snap at you in an instant and their jaws are very strong with a bite grip of 2900 psi (three times as much as a lion). 114

If you notice one swimming towards us, make sure you tell me. Don’t assume that I see everything. Don’t touch them for any reason. They are reactive creatures. ” It is quite intimidating when you dip down as you go for the sun-kissed silhouette shot, while this massive dinosaur with giant T-Rex claws glides over you. You cannot help but be humbled by the powerful prehistoric build of its armor plating, the size of them, that primeval smile and the eyes. I prayed I could hold my breath long enough while it was still passing me, which seemed to take forever… how long did he say this alligator was? I kept getting visions of me coming up for air- bumping it by mistake and it whipping back at me to do the death roll. You cannot hear them moving. You can’t even hear them breathing at the surface. As you start figuring out your settings, where the sun is, the shadows from the trees, and oh yes, the other 13 alligators-why can’t I see them?

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A little panic spirals up â&#x20AC;&#x201C;good God, where are they??!! The pond visibility is fairly clear except for a slight powdered dust of sugar sand from their claws as they come in and out from their sandy beach spot. Underwater, there are dark patches along the bottom everywhere. Some patches are really alligators, some are just dark patches. I walked ever so carefully for fear of waking one up unexpectedly. And over my head he glides again. Massive creature! During the second round, the gator got a bit more into my space and quite snappy. There was a little piece of twig in the water right in front of my port, and instinctively I went to grab it and toss it out of the way. Snap bang boom! Chris yanked me back, the jaws went snap-and now the gator was literally on my port. So . . . I took tonsil shots.. while I backed up a bit more.

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All shots were taken with a Tokina 10-17 lens in a Zen 6â&#x20AC;? dome port, dual Inon Z240 strobes set at half power. Lighting can be tricky, especially for split shots as it is much brighter out of the water. Settings were between F/8 and F/11, 1/250th sec, ISO 125. With F/16 shots I changed ISO to 160. Oh and my trick for water spots on the domeâ&#x20AC;Ś I use my sea drops on the dome port like I am priming my scuba mask. To do this dive, contact Chris Gillette on Facebook!

www.facebook.com/christopher.gillette.75

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TRAVELS Sistiana Diving Gulf Of Biodiversity Words and Pictures

Davide Lombroso

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Trieste, as well as for the famous and beautiful Piazza Unità d’Italia directly overlooking the sea, the bora and the “Spritz”, offers many places to visit and various routes to discover the different sides of the city, interesting for both the tourists and the inhabitants. Living in such a beautiful city offers the opportunity to choose and distinguish regular routes from the essentially touristic ones. Between history, monuments and memories, the sea is obviously an integral

and important part to Trieste’s charm. The shores in the city, where the port, clubs and restaurants set in, where is located the famous international sailing regatta “Barcolana” and the Barcola seafront, the seaside resort of the Trieste natives, are the most popular areas to enjoy the sea. So different from all the other seas washing Italy, the Adriatic is able to surprise even the most demanding diver and underwater photographer for the variety of its seabed, its biodiversity and the various species of fish inhabiting it. 124

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As known, the Upper Adriatic Sea, a quite closed sea, is the area where the major Italian rivers open into, whose consequences are lots of mud deposited on the bottom, causing often a limited visibility. Considering also the frequent algae blooms of the warmer months, it might seem paradoxical to come practicing underwater photography in Trieste. Notwithstanding, although it is not easy to diving in these conditions, the Miramare Park area is able to offer enormous satisfactions to macro photography and marine biology enthusiasts, who will appreciate the biodiversity and assorted marine life. The Sistiana Diving Center gives a great support to discover the most interesting sides, being located directly on the beach of the Sistiana bay, inside the Caravella Park. Beach, ample parking, direct access to the sea are the must-haves that every underwater photographer favors to facilitate his/her divesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; logistics. The Center is perfectly organized with large areas reserved for scuba divers / underwater photographers, fresh water tanks for equipment rinsing, showers and services, the compressor for recharging and the inevitable charging station for batteries and strobes. 126

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The owner of the diving center Andrea Sauro, PADI instructor, who recently lost his friend and partner Barbara Camassa (well known as a very skilled and talented underwater photographer) with whom he managed the Diving, welcomes us into the structure designed and conceived for the needs of divers and underwater photographers, to allow everyone spending a pleasant and joyful day. Photographically speaking, we must emphasize that due to the muddy bottom, the management of dive, buoyancy and movement is of primary importance to make it enjoyable. Macro lenses and additional lenses are the most suitable in this area, although also wide-angle lenses can give huge satisfactions. The dive is suitable for both beginners and experts; the entry into the water, easy even carrying photographic equipment, takes place directly from the Diving through a preferential route. As soon as we put our head under water, we realize that the environment is the classic marine-coastal area: rocky degrading into boulders, with stretches of pebbles and muddy zones up to a maximum depth of 15/18 meters. Schools of fish such as salema porgys, breams, saddled sea breams and 130

mullets, blennies in quantity, crustaceans, nudibranchs, seahorses and sponges are the common life animating these seabed. For macro photography enthusiasts, the most interesting area is that of the shoreline and the first 2 meters, shelter for various species of blennies and several nudibranchs. The Sistiana Diving Center also collaborates with the Duino Cliffs National Park, whose they are guides, offering guided dives in the natural reserve. Getting out of the water, once the equipment is rinsed and hanged out, close to the Center inside the Caravella Park thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also the possibility to satisfy the palate thanks to several bars and restaurants, offering from a simple sandwich to the most complete lunch. Finally, but in my opinion very important, even the non-diving companions will have the opportunity to spend a pleasant day thanks to the Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equipped beaches. Please contact Andrea for more details and information.

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PREVIEW Inon New Shoe Bases

INON INC. is pleased to announce official release of three different new type of Shoe Bases offering simple yet compact strobe/light/ action camera etc. installation on the Accessory Shoe (Cold Shoe)of underwater housing from various brands. They are:Shoe Base 1/420UNC, Shoe Base M6 and Shoe Base BALL. Each of them works as a shoe base with 1/4 in. screw, M6 screw or ball-joint and disassembled upper part of them are attachable on a tripod. provides more secure installation on an accessory shoe. These new Shoe Bases provides more secure installation on an accessory shoe.

Left: Shoe Base 1/4-20UNC Center: Shoe Base M6 Right: Shoe Base BALL 134

Directly attached on the Accessory Shoe of a conventional underwater housing etc. or INON Shoe Base Spacer etc. (*1)

These new Shoe Bases are designed to separate upper Head Adapter and lower Shoe Base Adapter. All Head Adapter has 1/4 tripod screw hole on its bottom to attach on a tripod etc. All Head Adapters are available separately while Shoe Base Adapter is identical among three Shoe Bases to create different combination only with an optional other type Head Adapter.

Upper from left :Head Adapter of Shoe Base 1/4-20UNC, Shoe Base M6 and Shoe Base BALL. Lower :Shoe Base Adapter 135

Head Adapter standalone is usable as tripod head. Shoe Base 1/4-20UNC and Shoe Base M6 is equipped with a ball head to support wide movable range (360-degree rotatable and 180-degree back and forth) with compact body. These two Shoe Bases have a Locking Wingnut on the side to lock movement or unlock to adjust combined product orientation. These design/construction provide intuitive controllability and ample load capacity to hold combined product.

Left image shows :Shoe Base 1/4-20UNC 360-degree horizontal movement Right image shows :Shoe Base 1/4-20UNC 180-degree back and forth movement

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Shoe Base 1/4-20UNC A Shoe Base equipped with 1/4-20UNC male screw on its head adapter to attach a conventional digital camera or underwater housing directly as they originally have 1/4-20UNC female screw hole on the bottom. Use INON Single Light Holder LE/LF for Tripod when attaching INON LE/LF series LED flashlight

Left: Compact digital camera attached on an underwater housing via Shoe Base 1/4-20UNC Center(L): LF series light attached on an underwater housing via Shoe Base 1/4-20UNC/Single Light Holder LF for Tripod Center(R): An action camera attached on an underwater housing via Shoe Base 1/4-20UNC. Right: An action camera attached on an underwater tripod via head adapter of Shoe Base 1/4-20UNC. (*The underwater tripod in the image is to be released in 2018).

More info and details at: www.inon.jp 137

Enjoy your passion. We make it possible.

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DAN EUROPE

Hydrocephalus And Diving

Hydrocephalus, shunts, and scuba diving – can this be safe? Can someone with a shunt go scuba diving? The answer to this question is not an easy one and a bit complex. In general, a shunt is a system that shifts fluids. In this specific case a shunt is an artificial pathway made of fine tubes, a catheter, and a valve. The fluid to be shifted is from the brain to the body’s periphery because the person has been diagnosed with a hydrocephalus (from Greek “hydro” for “water” and “cephalus” for “head”). Our brain and spinal cord swim in a so-called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that buffers it against concussions and also protects it otherwise. Scientifically it’s called Liquor cerebrospinalis. The CSF fills cavities, socalled ventricles in the brain. Usually the CSF is produced and then absorbed by the brain and its adjacent layers in a balanced way. A hydrocephalus is caused by a deficiency regarding the absorption of the brain’s fluid which can evolve from a bleeding in the brain caused by a previous stroke or ruptured aneurysm, or can just be a birth defect. It is a very serious, life- threatening neurological condition and jeopardizes all vital functions since it puts the brain under increasing pressure. The pressure cannot go anywhere because the skull is a bony and solid structure which cannot expand. The symptoms of a hydrocephalus may be low blood pressure, bradycardia, slurred speech, inability to walk, speak, think, eat, drink or act in any way, extremely slow movements, comatose tiredness and, finally unconsciousness. A person with these symptoms needs immediate help and medical attention. In an emergency situation like this, a neurosurgeon will drill a hole in the skull and release the fluid and the pressure. If the hydrocephalus is a permanent condition, the insertion of a shunt system is indicated as a permanent solution to continuously release the superfluous fluid from the brain. People can live a normal – terrestrial – life with a shunt. The shunt’s catheter is positioned centrally in the brain’s ventricular system and connects to the tube via an adjustable unidirectional overpressure valve. The tube runs subcutaneously, i.e. under the skin, along one side of the body and leads either into the abdominal cavity or to the atrium of the heart. Fluid will be shifted from the brain to the 140

periphery of the body when the pressure in the head overcomes the pressure setting of the valve. Those shunts are called either VP shunt or VA shunt. VP stands for ventricular-peritoneal and VA for ventricular-atrial. “Peritoneal” means the abdominal cavity (peritoneal cavity), “home” to our inner organs and intestines, while “atrial” refers to the atrium of the heart. Both peritoneal cavity and atrium have the capacity of taking up the additional fluid which can be absorbed and finally be excreted via the kidneys. Which shunt system is inserted lies mainly upon the discretion of the operating neurosurgeon. Shunts shift fluids and under normal circumstances there would be no air involved. Therefore, pressure differentials are not necessarily expected from the changes in pressures of diving. Ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunts are considered less likely to cause problems when diving whereas ventriculo-atrial shunts (VA) bear an increased risk of bubble formation at the point of shunt insertion, shunt malfunction due to high pressure or extreme pressure changes, and an increased risk of epilepsy following the insertion. In case of such epileptic seizures a seizure-free and anticonvulsant-free period of at least 5 years would be required before considering diving or going back to diving again. Studies have shown that a person with a VP shunt is assumed to be able to dive safely up to four atmospheres of pressure. This means that it is most likely safe to dive down to 100 feet (33m), as was demonstrated in hyperbaric chambers where normal functioning of the shunts up to this pressure was shown. Specialists believe a VP shunt will drain normally because the ventricles in the brain as well as the abdomen will be equally affected by the increased ambient pressure of the deeper water. VA shunts, however, are affected by the blood stream in which nitrogen bubbles may form while surfacing from a dive. These bubbles have the potential to interfere with the well- functioning of the shunt. VA shunts are therefore not allowed by most diving certification agencies. Clearly, diving should be suspended if there are any problems with breathing, headaches or neurological disorders (like spasticity). People with shunts should be warned about the risk that there is poor functional reserve in case of either any problem with the shunt or any problem with DCI. Regarding DCI, as long as the hydrocephalus is managed well and the ventricles are not enlarged, it is not assumed 141

that there is an increased risk of DCI in VP shunt carriers. Another real threat can be infections. Surgery sutures after shunt insertion should be healed completely before any water – fresh- or sea water – comes in contact with them. The catheter reaches into the brain’s ventricular system but its other end is just below the skin of the skull. If there is a wound on the scalp close to the top ending of the catheter and the area gets infected, it could quickly reach the brain – and a brain infection is a life-threatening scenario. Generally, a person with a shunt should think twice whether traveling abroad and diving in remote locations are both activities worth considering. In order to make an informed decision about it, it is advisable to consult a neurosurgeon specialized in shunt systems and a dive physician knowledgeable in the same field. Both neurosurgeon and diving physician need to know the entire medical history, the preexisting condition that led to the insertion of the shunt, and the person’s current health status before they can give a complete answer. 142

In most cases, a person with a hydrocephalus has experienced serious, life-threatening temporary brain deficiency. Only quick diagnosing and immediate insertion of a shunt system have probably saved the normal brain function. A shunt system is an artificial and technically complicated system. Material damages or defects can occur - as in any artificial system. Such dysfunctions or malfunctions require immediate intervention. Only a clinic with a neurosurgical department can help in this situation. Determining a shunt dysfunction or malfunction usually requires brain imaging with a CT (computer tomography). After locating the defect and determining its severity, it will require immediate brain surgery and probably a replacement or partly revision of the shunt system. In some cases, only the valve may need adjustment. Not every clinic has this special technical equipment. Some valves can be adjusted by magnets from the outside and surgery will not be necessary but you need to find a hospital with this specific magnetic system. Since there are several valve and shunt systems on the market, you are lucky to find one that has exactly yours, and really unlucky if you don’t. In many dive spots such state-of-the-art medicine and higher standard health care might not be easily available. Take home message: Divers with a shunt should watch out for neurological disabilities, numbness of extremities and “autonomic” instabilities (e.g., postural hypotension, blood pressure changes and disability to react to cold water immersion). Neurological deficits should be documented for any diving physician in case of an accident. A copy (or the original) of the valve pass should be carried. The shunt should be fully functional and have no dysfunction. You should get information what kind of restrictions you have to follow while diving with a shunt. Neurosurgeons and dive physicians should well explain the involved risks. It is advised to arrange dives with specially trained dive instructors and to inform dive buddies about the implanted shunt system. Be a responsible diver! Good luck and good health to you! 143

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