ISSUE
N°15 M A Y 2016
TWO ISLAND, TONS OF SHARKS:
BIMINI ATOLL by Sergio Riccardo and Vincenzo Famiglietti
PORTFOLIO Francesco Turano MONTHLY CONTEST Topic: “Clownfishes” Join and enjoy
CRITTER CORNER Wrasses by J. Fifer DHARAVANDHOO The manta rays’ island by A. Gallucci
MURDER AT SEA by Ian Urbina - New York Times NAUTICAM NA-D5 New housing from Nauticam
Dear Scubashooters, what would you say if you see a photo of a Lion on a yellow cab in Manhattan? Fake? Not Natural? Photoshopped? Perhaps all of these comments; for sure that would be an astonishing image, very impressive and if well taken a beautiful and prize winning image but the real question is… how many chances are there that that photo is natural meaning that the Lion was actually there by its own and someone had a camera to frame the scene? There are some possibilities of course: the Lion escaped from the Zoo or from a circus or it was one of those extreme-pet-city-born-and-raised kind of things , there are possibilities, but very few. Now what would you think when you start seeing dozens of photos of Lions,and Tigers and Panthers all over around Manhattan spreading on social medias and magazines and winning photo contests? You would probably ask yourself “what’s going on over here? How come that till two years ago there were no Lions in Manhattan and now it seems the whole savana moved in?”. I hope you will forgive this weird introduction but this is the closest example I could find to let you understand what we see more and more in the Underwater Photography world. Species are moved and taken around the sea floor for the benefit of the ultimate shot, the winning shot. When we see a tiger shrimp on a blue tunicate we see of course a beautiful image but tiger shrimps do not live on tunicates, they usually live well hidden under the rocks… or, when you see those beautiful images of flying mimic octopuses you are looking at Manhattan Lion over a yellow cab as normally mimic octopuses live under the sand and when they go hunting they swim very close to the floor. Where shall we put the limit to all of this disrespect? Till which point are we as underwater photographers allowed to harass marine creatures for the benefit of a nice photo? After all we don’t go and take a white shark and move it into a better background, do we? We normally dive in cages when we want to shoot Great White Sharks and we take the photos that the fate, and the shark, that day will allow us to take! We don’t harass the shark so why should we harass a small nudibranch or shrimp? Exactly, just because they are small and un-offensive for us whilst the Great White could find us interesting to taste ! So we must of course realize that the great majority of Macro UW Photography is based on un-hiding marine species, like I said the under-the-rocks-living tiger shrimp, but one thing is to un-hide them, take the photos and let them go back to their shelters and a totally different story is to un-hide them,grab them with our hands and take them to a more-appealing-than-the-rock blue tunicate, take the photos and leave the poor shrimp away from its shelter when we are satisfied with the photos taken. This kind of behavior cannot be accepted in our opinion and as a network we will start talking about marine conservation and respect more and more, we will closely monitor photos submitted to our contests ,and when proofed they have been taken after manipulating the marine life , they will be disqualified. We will also have a “Green” month, dedicated to this topic. Our goal is to start making everybody more sensible on this very delicate topic. Thanks for reading and thanks for enjoying Scubashooters network. Keep staying with us Marino Palla Owner and Founder Scubashooters Network
Cover image
“The mermaid” by Francesco Turano
C O N T E N T S 3
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EDITORIAL by Marino Palla
DHARAVANDHOO The manta rays’ island by Alberto Gallucci
PORTFOLIO Francesco Turano
BIMINI ATOLL : Two islands, tons of sharks by Vincenzo Famiglietti & Sergio Riccardo
MURDER AT SEA by Ian Urbina
CRITTER CORNER: WRASSES the magnificent trasgender fish by John Fifer ReefID
NAUTICAM NA-D5
Editor: FABIO STRAZZI Verein Scubashooters, 8952 Schlieren - Switzerland
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DHARAVANDHOO The manta rays’ island Words and Pictures:
Alberto Gallucci
Dharavandhoo is a small Maldivian fishermen’s island, located in the Baa Atoll, about 120 kilometers north of Male. Since a small airport was built, you can reach it in twenty minutes flight from the capital. It is situated near the bay of Hanifaru, Unesco heritage site since 2009, where, from late May to November, the high concentration of plankton present in these waters gathers a large number of filter feeders, including the large manta rays. That’s the reason why last summer we organized this trip, together with other underwater photography enthusiast’s friends. We arrived in the guesthouse that will host us (Dharavandhoo is off the beaten
TRAVELS tourist circuit, being a fishing village) on the morning of 26 July, welcomed by Virgilio and Jessica, who run the dive center and have a deep knowledge of the Baa atoll’s seabeds and are ready, together with their staff, to lead us in the discovery of this corner of the Indian Ocean. We should rest because the night on the plane has grown us tired, but the desire to begin diving in these waters is so great that we decided to “open the ball” already in the afternoon. After preparing the photographic equipment and having eaten enough, we reach the large and comfortable dhoni waiting for us at the dock, not far from our guesthouse. The sky is blue and the water temperature is close to thirty degrees Celsius. Together with Marco Gargiulo and his daughter Lorenza (Mariolina his wife and their other daughter Lidia did not dive but have always been a pleasant company), Paolo Minzi, Paolo and Paola Lora and Mimmo Roscigno, we got ready with great enthusiasm and dove at the site Kihaadufaru Thila, assisted of course by Virgilio and Jessica. The visibility was not very good but after the first few meters, colorful coral structures appear, surrounded by myriads of fish of many different species. Our attention is especially attracted by some orange anemones, among whose tentacles clown fishes swim jerkily, and
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by a school of hundreds of yellow snappers drawing iridescent plastic figures into the blue with their synchronous and harmonic movement. During the decompression stop, a small turtle cruises not far away, as if to welcome us into its kingdom. Though, it is clear that our greatest desire is to see the famous manta rays that concentrate at Hanifaru Bay. It is a marine protected area located near an uninhabited island that looks like a natural bay, known among locals as Vandhumaafaru Adi and among divers as the Aquarium, which also serves as a nursery for these large inhabitants of the sea. Due to the exceptional nature of this site from a biological point of view, the underwater excursions are subject to specific rules, with heavy fines for those who transgress: you can visit it only every other day, at certain set times, and for a period of time not longer than fifty minutes / an hour. Diving with cylinders it is not allowed since the air bubbles would disturb the manta rays and is not even allowed to use flashes when taking photographs. The show appearing to our eyes after a few minutes of fin-swimming is outstanding and justifies alone the whole trip. At first, we just see indefinite black shadows. Then, approaching, several manta rays with their
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black mantle and white abdomen take shape, their large mouths open to filter the water and fins moving rhythmically, harmonically, like weird birds wings. They pass nearby, then go away to return shortly after. There’s some isolated specimen, but they are mostly in groups of three, five, eight, even fifteen, twenty specimens advancing in single file forming long undulating ribbons. Some make somersaults, drawing perfect circles in the water; others pass so close to us that we have to pull up our legs for not touching them! At the end of the time available to us, we have counted nearly a hundred mantas, and once back on the dhoni we re-experience the strong emotions, each one telling the others about the moments just lived in this miraculous lagoon! Our encounters with manta rays, though, do not end at Hanifaru Bay. In fact, Virgilio and Jessica led us more than a few times to dive at Hanifaru Gaa site, a shoal that soon become “mythical� to us, with its top at twenty meters deep and serving also as a cleaning station for manta rays. You just have to be lucky because their sighting is not certain. These days, apparently, luck is on our side because shortly after we reached the top of the shoal these wonderful huge behemoths appear, hovering majestic on the reef with regular, slow movements, giving us the opportunity to photograph them with some comfort, although we would have preferred a clearer water and therefore better visibility. The top
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is teeming with small colorful fish, sea fans and white crinoids. I stop behind one of them and wait for the moment when I can “catch� through my camera the crinoid in the foreground and the manta behind it. Operation that succeeds after several minutes of waiting. Unfortunately, the time on the reef passes quickly and we accumulate decompression even for a dive just over twenty meters deep, but it is absolutely worth it! We met other mantas in Vaadhoo Corner, Bodu Gaa and Dharavandhoo Corner sites. In the latter, while Marco and I were photographing a nurse shark resting on the sand, a big manta came to swim right over our heads, so that we found a way to prolong the dive that was coming to an end for
about ten minutes more. Wonderful dives are also those at Kihaad Thila, where at about twenty meters deep we met a fantastic school of several large batfish (platax teira), for which a bagarre unleashed between us photographers in order of being able to make good shots but without finding, at the end, a buddy’s fin or arm inside the frame; Nelivaru Thila, where there is a coral tower literally enveloped by a cloud of glass-fish; Dharavandhoo Thila, site inhabited by a large and photogenic leopard moray eel (gymnothorax favogineus) and Bodu Thila, where you can admire a beautiful and rare variety of bright yellow gorgonian. We couldn’t miss a series of night dives at Dhonfanu Reef, along whose walls was easy to meet shrimps with brown and white
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stripes (stenophus hispidus), various species of colorful parrotfishes in their curious nocturnal stillness, file fishes, box and porcupine fishes, white and yellow eels brown striped (gymnothorax fimbriatus) and big red hairy hermit crabs (dardanus megistos). Unfortunately, I had to stop diving a day before the end of our stay in Dharavandhoo because during a dive to Digali Haa, while I was shooting a porcupine fish, a mischievous bandit moray eel (gymnothorax breedeni) bit my left thumb which I had to medicate with twelve stitches. Despite the incident, I was delighted to
these wonderful Maldivian days that, thanks to the excellent company and the valuable support of Dharavandhoo Divers center by Virgilio and Jessica, have been truly unforgettable.
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PORTFOLIO Francesco Turano
PORTFOLIO
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I take photographs, draw, write and live of emotions by the nature since always. I love the sea since I wore the mask for the first time and started to take pictures under water, in the Mediterranean, in 1984. After experimenting with various techniques in the use of equipment and practiced to become partly fish, so to move to shooting in the liquid element easily, I expanded my horizons at the beginning of the nineties, working with several magazines (Oasis, Bell’Italia, Aqua and others), writing texts and providing photos for books and encyclopedias, as well as participating in some prestigious photo contests. Participation in competitions faded over time, despite the excellent results obtained, for the arrival of new ideals that see me more and more engaged in the defense of the sea and in the divulgation of knowledge about the Mediterranean. In 1999, I started my editorial production, with books always new and different. The first work is a little guide to the seabed of the Strait of Messina, my beloved sea, entitled “Journey to the bottom of the Strait” published by Laruffa Publisher. Follows a two-handed work, with the collaboration of Gianni Neto, which sees the birth of a beautiful book about underwater environments of the Mediterranean, accurately described and photographed. The title, “Underwater in the Mediterranean” (pub-
lished in 2001, reprinted and now out of print), has all the significance of a dense work, promoted by the SSI didactics, aimed at Mare Nostrum diving enthusiasts who want to know environments, fauna and flora during their dives. The work continues with the large volume “Illustrated Encyclopedia of marine invertebrates” (Arbitrio Publishers, 2002 - out of print) made with my friend Francesco Costa: a work unique in its kind. Then again with “Calabria, Mediterranean unknown” (large photographic volume, Iiriti Publisher 2007), a book in which the author presents the biodiversity of the Calabrian seabed with over 250 photographs. To take pictures with film, I always used both the Nikonos system, of which I have always been a supporter for its practical use in critical condition and the quality of results despite operational difficulties, and different reflex cameras in their housings, starting with an Olympus OM2 in Nimar housing (first experience), to move on to a legendary Pentax LX (with sports viewfinder) into Aquatica housing and then, after a few years, I finally converted to Nikon by using Nikon F4 bodies (still with sports viewfinder) in Nexus housing. I always alternated Nikonos system and DSLRs with housing, exploiting the benefits of the two systems, in my view complementary.
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In the digital era, I keep on using Nikon, but underwater I prefer the S5 pro Fuji sensor, always with Nikon lenses, all in a Sea & Sea housing, with different types of Sea & Sea and Ikelite strobes. The skills acquired using the film and the difficulties of working with diapositives have eased the task of shooting digitally. To all this, I have to add the experiences made in the dark room, transferred to the clear room (i.e., post-production). Nevertheless, my photography is conceived in a purely artistic and naturalistic sense, as underwater nature interpretation. Hence, the detachment by some channels of the Italian underwater photography and especially the lack of participation in competitions and contests! From 2013, I use two Nikon D7100 in Isotta housings, a company I work with as to the promotion of their image and tests on the equipment. As a draftsman, I deal with representing fishes and other marine invertebrates, strictly freehand. Moreover, I create comics on the underwater world for various purposes (gadgets, advertising) and produce graphical maps of diving spots in the Mediterranean, a specialty of mine, which today is an important service for a quality diving tourism and for those diving center who want to offer something different!
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As a marine biology instructor, I frequently write articles about marine biology, ecology, environment and tourism, publishing them on digital magazines and on some of the most visited portals about scuba diving in the Internet world. I collaborate permanently with Scubaportal and ScubaZone, while lately I’ve started working with ScubaShooters, where pieces are offered exclusively in English. My specialization in underwater naturalistic photography, with particular reference to the Mediterranean, led me to the realization of a large collection of thematic posters on single animal species photographed from every angle. Finally, I am a naturalistic guide and environmental education expert, and actively collaborate to the realization of educational programs in schools, constantly promoting initiatives in defense of the sea. I carry on my ideas on the use of underwater photography for the environment by promoting every year a series of workshops around Italy that, with the word “biofotosub”, wish to be the expression of photographing to know and make known the life in the sea.
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A journey in and around Capodacqua - Pictures and text by David Salvatori Publisher Punta Campanella Diving
Available from December 2015 “Reflections from the Past” is a photographic journey in the heart of Tirino valley in Italy, ending in the crystal clear waters of the Capodacqua lake, at the culmination of a journey in which the places visited by the author stimulated fascination and personal reflections. “Reflections from the Past” is an obvious line that connects all the photographic work, those of reflections of the images on the separate surfaces of water and air. In the end, Reflection is an instrument “of reflection”, a mirror to past fears and troubles, for which the exploration of Capodacqua and its surrounding areas is a “journey” whose powers of suggestion become encapsulated and processed in a symbolic way to represent an experience of personal growth of the author. The final goal is the achievement of a positive thought, peaceful, calm and as clear as the lake’s water; the communion with water being the road to rescue, the map to discovery of what is true and real in life.
www.reflectionsfromthepast.com
www.facebook.com/ReflectionsFromThePastTheBook
The Blue Marlin Diving Center is since more than twenty years a focal attraction for diving activities for Rome and its coast. Logistically it is within the magnificent structure of the Tourist Port of Rome, located on terfront Duca Degli Abruzzi at Ostia Lido. The Diving Center, designed fo “on a human scale,” is an ideal reference point for all divers of the cap beyond, who will enjoy all the conveniences and amenities offered by rina. Even divers accompanied by their families will find for them an e point of reference to their enjoyment. Its strategic position allows to pr enthusiasts divers a series of first-rate services, such as cylinders tran tion by electric carts, departure to the diving spots from the dock right the headquarter, changing rooms, hot and cold showers, as well as co equipments for hire. To reach the dive sites is used a fiberglass boat 9 ters long, that can accommodate 12 persons plus three crew members, be covered in winter for a further comfort. The Blue Marlin D.C is accre authorized center to effect dives in the Protected Marine Area “Secch Paterno” (Tor Paterno shoals), located in the sea of Rome, in front of Os is a protected area located 4.5 miles from the coast, a real submerge in the middle of the surrounding absolute desert, mainly composed b The highest point is 18 meters below the sea surface. This island, or be huge series of shoals, has been circumscribed at the surface by four la low marker buoys that delimit an area of 1200 hectares, thus offering choice of diving spots, each one different from the other. The Marine Pr Area of the Tor Paterno Shoals is undoubtedly a real “city” underwat sisting of a rocky bank, it is one of the few places in the Mediterranea you can find a surprising amount of vegetable and animal life. Nothi the rocky mountain emerges to the surface. Diving enthusiasts can me an extraordinary benthic life: from the seagrass Posidonia oceanica to colonial soft corals and the red gorgonians Paramuricea clavata, relativ famous red coral of the Mediterranean Corallium rubrum. This mysteri wonderful underwater world is also inhabited by a large number of fish either living on the seafloor or in open water. Actually, it is possible moray eels, conger eels, mullets and monkfishes, amberjacks, oblades, and salemas, sunfishes and turtles.
point of inserted n the waor diving pital and the maexcellent rovide to nsportat in front omplete 9,30 meand can edited as he di Tor stia. This ed island Owner: Sabrina Macchioni by sand. Contacts: Mobile +39/339/6644286 Shop etter this 06/56030293 arge yel- Address: Lungomare Duca Degli Abruzzi 84, 00121 g a wide Ostia Lido neg.851 Porto Turistico Di Roma rotected Free parking inside the Port of Rome ter. ConRequested level: Advanced an where ing from eet there the rare ve of the ious and species, meeting , breams
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BIMINI ATOLL :
TWO ISLANDS, TONS OF SHARKS
Words:
Vincenzo Famiglietti Pictures:
Sergio Riccardo
TRAVELS
48 The Bimini atoll consists of two islands connected one another by a boat service that has roughly the frequency of a subway ride at a big city: North Bimini, which is the center of local life, and South Bimini, less inhabited and characterized by long kilometers of beaches, deserted and immersed in the most captivating silence of nature. The capital of the atoll is located in North Bimini and its name is Alice Town, a rather quiet small town, whose rhythms of life flow with the speed of a Mexican siesta. Walking the streets of Alice Town, you get the feeling of a Caribbean culture fairly original, although it soon becomes clear that there are many, among the natives, to consume too much alcohol. Nevertheless, no one bothers you while you peacefully stroll down the small paved street in the center, between the scampering of electric cars and not too many tourists. Here came to do deep-sea fishing even Ernest Hemingway. A place for connoisseurs of the sea, then. However, the scuba diving capital is the South Island instead. The airport in South Bimini, a hut or so, is one of those airports that make you realize to be just landed in a place outside the world, remote. And here’s the strange rule that exists in the world of diving: a minuscule airport equals a wild marine environment and meetings that elsewhere you can only dream of. The Bimini Sea keeps one hundred percent his promises. We disembark with big ambitions: Sergio Riccardo, Leopoldo Palomba, Marco Bebi, Salvatore Grimaldi and me... a group consolidated by a dozen years of traveling coexistence. The first impression is to find ourselves in those lands that are metaphorically referred to as the back of a whale. Once arrived in the structure that hosts us, the Bimini Sands (more like a residence than a hotel, but very refined), we are greeted by a spiritual silence: we are at the beginning of March, still Caribbean
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winter season and hotel guests are few. Better. For me at least, ‘cause when I live the contact with the sea I am a big proponent of the motto “the less it is, the better off you are.” The next day we walk the fifty meters that separate us from the jetty and we appreciate the comfort of the diving boat. There are other guests, most of them Americans, but there’s no need to jostle. Let us come to the reasons for our trip. Why Bimini? Why in March? It is the season of meetings with the great hammerhead shark, the Sphyrna mokarran, a majestic animal reaching 5-6 meters in length and, according to some legends, there were also sightings of even larger. The Big hammerhead shark prefers water temperatures not too high, around 24-25 degrees Celsius, and from December to March grazes in the shallow waters. Our diving boat sets sail and reaches the dive spot
in just over five minutes. A long briefing by the book follows: when it comes to diving with sharks of considerable size, the whole world is country and we must respect precise and strict rules. The dive is very easy: we ballast above the norm because we have to sit, flattened at the bottom, kneeling and not move excessively. The depth is of six to seven meters and the environment is a sandy plateau. The guides bring down a steel basket filled with delicacies for the sharks: many specimens of a species close to tuna, well gutted, to stimulate the very sharp senses of the sharks, will be the best treat for the guests at the banquet. Just a few minutes and the first guests come quickly: a band of nurse sharks come close to food. The nurse is a timid shark, not very aggressive and very friendly with divers. It does not need to swim continuously to breathe like other species of sharks. They stop in front of divers as if hypnotized by the presence of food, while we got settled in a straight line and in close distance to each other, for safety reasons. Still the time to spit out some bubbles and the expected protagonist makes his appearance, sprouting from the blue... the first two Great hammerhead sharks. They don’t care too much of us bipedal, but are attracted only by the basket with the food. They stare at it, and raise their characteristic head at the time of the bite, receiving in exchange for their unforgettable show a generous morsel from the guides. The lightings of our strobes enlighten the scene. Among nurse sharks huddled on the sand and the comings and goings of mokarran, the show is like the abysses’ paradise. Yet we are below the surface for just a few arms. Time passes, the water is fresh, our teeth begin to rub unintentionally, feeling the early cold symptoms, but we hold up. There is too much of everything to get back up. Our dives last on average 80 minutes or more. At the end, we go up when we run out of the sharks’ buffet. Adrenaline increases when, a few meters from us, it appears the sinister silhouette of a bull-shark, Carcarinus leucas, a massive shark with a great mass and muscular power, which is among the most aggressive species. The Leucas was involved, in many seas of the world, in many cases of attack to humans, especially to swimmers. In short, it is good to keep an eye on it when you dive. Not surprisingly, the guides immediately made a
52 loud noise, banging a plastic stick on a metal surface, to send it away. And the Leucas remained, so to speak, at safety distance. Even the next days reserve the same surprising emotions. Carousels of nurse sharks, lunch invitation for the Great Hammers, and a bull shark that turns around but it is not invited to the party. The clarity of the water is also up to expectations: a heavenly visibility, ideal for photos and underwater filming. In addition to the site the locals call The Great for the presence of hammerheads, I still have time for a couple of dives. And the Bimini’s barrier reef is more than interesting. In a dive site called The triangle (wouldn’t it be one of the Bermuda’s, which includes this area ???) the amount of gray sharks of the Caribbean is amazing and there is no pasture to attract them. They swim peacefully two meters by the divers. Frequent schools of snappers enliven the Caribbean reef, always rather monochrome. Even the last day before departure still reserved a few moments of strong adrenaline to me. To the left of the resort lies a long deserted beach and I went there for a few hours, to read and relax. I’m about to get into the sea, the water up to my belly, and a couple of meters from me is haunting an eerie shadow. I recognize it: it is a Leucas or as they call it in the United States, a bull shark. Precisely a big shark in shallow water. Bimini is this: the excitement you don’t expect, all of a sudden.
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You can reach Bimini island from Fort Laudardale (FLORIDA) by flights lasting about 30 minutes. The airport is located in South Bimini, where there is also the BIMINI SAND RESORT. Connections to North Bimini, home to most of the shops and tourist services, are provided by Ferry at a cost of $ 2 per person each way. In many stores credit cards are not accepted, in others are accepted only for amounts over $ 25. The water temperature during the season of the Great Hammerhead Shark, from January to March, ranges between 24 and 25 degrees. The dives may last even over the hour, considering the shallow depths. Therefore, it is advisable a 5mm wetsuit, or a 3 mm but with a Lycra undersuit. Information: DIVING TOUR ITALY: 081-8789115
www.divingtour.it info@divingtour.it
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MURDER AT SEA A great reportage by:
Ian Urbina (New York Times)
REPORTAGE
68 MURDER AT SEA: CAPTURED ON VIDEO, BUT KILLERS GO FREE SHARJAH KHALID PORT, United Arab Emirates — The man bobbing in the sea raises his arms in a seeming sign of surrender before he is shot in the head. He floats face down as his blood stains the blue water. A slow-motion slaughter unfolds over the next 6 minutes and 58 seconds. Three other men floating in the ocean, some clinging to what looks like the wreckage of an overturned wooden boat, are surrounded by several large white tuna longliners. The sky above is clear and blue; the sea below, dark and choppy. As the ships’ engines idle loudly, at least 40 rounds are fired as the unarmed men are methodically picked off. “Shoot, shoot, shoot!” commands a voice over one of the ship’s loudspeakers as the final man is killed. Soon after, a group of men on deck who appear to be crew members laugh among themselves, then pose for selfies. Despite dozens of witnesses on at least four ships, those killings remain a mystery. No one even reported the incident — there is no requirement to do so under maritime law nor any clear method for mariners, who move from port to port, to volunteer what they know. Law enforcement officials learned of the deaths only after a video of the killings was found on a cellphone left in a taxi in Fiji last year, then posted on the Internet. With no bodies, no identified victims and no exact location of where the shootings occurred, it is unclear which, if any, government will take responsibility for leading an investigation. Taiwanese fishing authorities, who based on the video connected a fishing boat from Taiwan to the scene but learned little from the captain, say they believe the dead men were part of a failed pirate attack. But maritime security experts, warning that piracy has become a convenient cover for sometimes fatal score-settling, said it is just as likely that the men were local fishermen in disputed waters, mutinied crew, castoff stowaways or thieves caught stealing fish or bait.
To read the full story: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/20/world/middlee-
ast/murder-at-sea-captured-on-video-but-killers-go-free.html
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WRASSES THE MAGNIFICENT TRANSGENDER FISH The Wrasse family is a large and diverse group of fishes with many incredibly interesting traits. From their nocturnal methods of protection to their ability to change sexes when needed, the wrasse is a fish worth checking out. If you are reading this article, hopefully you have had a chance to see a beautiful white sand beach. Ever wonder where the sand comes from? Your friendly neighborhood Wrasse could actually be a sizeable contributor. The diets of many wrasses contains coral polyps. When a wrasse ingests these coral polyps, they also take in some of the coral’s skeleton. The skeleton passes through the wrasses digestive system and is turned into sand and then pooped out. How’s that for processed food? There are over 600 species of Wrasse. Most of them can be found in a variety of bright colors. Many of them have distinct patterns that radically change during multiple life phases. The most distinct of these differences being between the juvenile and adult phases where the two can look like completely different fish. Most species are less than 20 cm with the largest of the species, the Humphead wrasse, measuring up to 2.5 m. Wrasses live in both tropical and subtropical waters. They are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is not uncommon to find them in shallow waters darting in and out of reef and/or rock structures voraciously searching for food. Their diet consists of everything from coral polyps and small crustaceans to sea urchins. Some species including the Bluestreak cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus, take advantage of the discomfort of other fish to fill their bellies. By colonizing various locations on the reef, they establish so called “cleaning stations”. Visitors to these stations, often predatory fish, allow the cleaners to access their body surface, gills and sometimes their mouth in order to have parasites and dead skin plucked off. Through this process, larger fish are cleaned and the cleaners are provided with an easy meal while giving photographers a chance at some interesting behavioral shots.
John Fifer
In addition to their unique feeding habits, some wrasse species have unusual bedside manners to protect themselves as they sleep as well. Some employ the standard method of seeking out of an unoccupied hole while others burry themselves in the sand. Many species actually secrete a mucus cocoon over their bodies at night in order to disguise their smell from predators. One of the most interesting wrasse traits is their ability to change sexes based on the need to procreate. In some species of wrasse, a harem of female wrasses is generally managed by one large male. If the male is removed from the group, the largest female begins courting the other fish and becomes a male. When you see a slender fish darting around along the reef with purpose, don’t hesitate to stop and watch. You might be lucky enough to see one of the most interesting fish in the sea, the wrasse.
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From our beach, with our boat... ...come with us and enjoy your dive!
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NAUTICAM NA-D5 NA-D5 Housing for Nikon D5 Camera Nikon pro series bodies are the cameras that can go anywhere, withstanding unbelievable punishment in the field, and bring back images bordering on the fringes of what is possible from current imaging technology. Nauticam is pleased to announce the NA-D5 underwater housing, an ergonomic, rugged, and reliable underwater housing ready to take the camera underwater to the ends of the earth in search of these photographic fringes that make rarest and the most memorable images. The Nikon D5 Pro body performance is difficult to quantify on paper, but immediately evident when holding the camera in hand. Metal construction inspires confidence. The 12 fps continuous shooting speed (with AF) and a 200 shot RAW buffer keeps ups with the fastest action. A large, bright viewfinder offers a clear view of the shooting scene, and Multi-CAM 20K tracks focus with incredible accuracy. The D5 is capable of 3,780 shots per charge (according to the CIPA rating). We called the D4 a Professional Performance Powerhouse, and the D5 is even better. Nikon has upped the resolution count in D5 from 16 to 20.8 megapixels, but that is far from the most exciting news for most users. More interesting is the launch of the Multi-CAM 20K. This new autofocus system features 153 focus points (up from 51), of which 99 are cross-type sensors (up from 15). D5 has more cross-type focus points than the D4s had total focus points, and they are spread wider across the frame. The autofocus system in the D4s was already one of the best available, and the improvements offered by D5 will elevate performance even further. The D5 introduces a new, 180k pixel RGB metering sensor. This metering sensor drives the advanced Nikon exposure system, and is also used to provide scene data for 3D focus tracking, improving accuracy. In total, this is an extremely significant upgrade from Nikon. D4s was already one of the best pro bodies in overall low light performance. D5 increases the high ISO range to ISO 102,480, capable of being pushed to 3,280,000. The D5 camera has a better 3.2� LCD review screen with touch capability, and the most advanced auto focus system ever released. It is also the first Nikon DSLR body capable of 4K video capture. High frame rate capability allows more captures, and Multi-CAM 20K Focus ensures more in focus captures.
REVIEW Nikon D5 Key Features: • • • • • • • • •
20.8 Megapixel Resolution FX Format CMOS Sensor 4K UHD Video Capture at 24/25/30P Multi-CAM 20K Autofocus with 153 focus points 180,000 RGB Metering Sensor 12 fps Continuous Shooting with Autofocus ISO 100-102,400 (expandable to 3,280,000) 3.2” 2.36 m-dot XGA LCD Screen with Touch Functionality 3,780 Shots per Battery Charge (CIPA Rating) Dual XQD or CF Memory Slots
THE NAUTICAM NA-D5 UNDERWATER HOUSING Nauticam housings are evolutionary marvels, with advancements from previous systems providing the foundation that new models are built on. The new Nauticam NA-D5 housing incorporates advances from the NA-D4 that came before it, but features enhanced ergonomics, a more sophisticated flash triggering system, and reduced size / weight thanks to cutting edge manufacturing processes. NA-D4 was a significant elevation of the Nauticam DSLR housing game. Key controls, such as ISO, Video Record, and Playback, and Info were dramatically routed out to the housing grips. Nauticam recognizes that advanced DSLR cameras, and advanced DSLR users, rely on these functions more than ever to realize the full potential of advanced imaging systems. Advanced high iso and video functionality in modern DSLR cameras has redefined what “essential controls” are really essential. Buttons that seem like an afterthought in the D5 camera control layout, such as Info (which displays shooting data on the 3.2” color lcd screen), are critical for use in the housing. This button is routed to the left handle for convenient access. AF-ON, Movie Record, Playback, ISO, Pv, Fn1, Fn2 and Live View are all handled similarly. Considerable design and manufacturing resources go into this ergonomic reshuffling, but the benefit to the user experience makes is worth the effort. External Flash Triggering The entire external flash triggering system has has been reworked from the ground up in NA-D5, increasing ease of use, setup convenience, and reliability. A new LED flash triggering system is standard in every housing.
82 The Nikonos style bulkheads included in NA-D4/NA-D4s have been replaced by an integrated LED flash trigger. This optical flash trigger can fire at the full 14fps of the camera (mirror locked up). Optical systems, with fiber optic cables linking the external flashes to the housing, are far more reliable than any electrical sync cable system. The LED trigger circuitboard is mounted inside the housing, and connected to the camera with a hotshoe cable. This new system is more powerful than the hotshoe mounted LED triggers used in the past, and is compatible with all currently available optically triggered flashes! Powered by two CR2032 batteries, battery life is measured in the tens of thousands of flashes, driven by incredibly efficient electronics. With good batteries, we expect 3-5 years of service, up to 50,000 exposures Users of legacy flashes without optical triggering are able to add accessory Nikonos (26074) or Ikelite (26075) style bulkheads for electrical flash sync. These bulkheads plug into the LED trigger board for clean cable routing, and reliable connection. The Pv function, formerly known as Depth of Field Preview, is located next to the lens mount on the front of the body. This control is re-routed to the housing back, effectively serving as a second thumb lever capable of controlling one of dozens of assignable functions. The new AF-Mode Lever is a significant improvement, and one based on feedback from Nauticam customers in the field. Nikon AF Area modes have become so powerful that shooters are regularly switching between 3D Tracking, Auto Area AF, and Single Area modes. The AF-Mode lever is now easily located by feel from the left handle! The less critical AF-M lever has been replaced by a knob, making it less likely to be inadvertently bumped into manual focus. Fn1 and Fn2 are also located here, accessed by an over-sized rocker just forward of the handle. These assignable controls can be mapped to one of numerous functions for quick access. Extensive Customization for a Tailored Ergonomic Experience Professional Nikon cameras are known for to be extensively customizable. NA-D5 offers access to more of these functions than any previous Nikon DSLR, with the ergonomic treatment that have made Nauticam housings legendary. Pv is routed from the lens mount, and placed just under the right handle. Fn1 & Fn2 are moved all the way to the left side of the housing to avoid crowded right hand grip. These custom functions can be overwhelming at first, but the creative options they unlock can be incredibly valuable in the field. In short, these assignable buttons mean less time digging through camera menus to change camera functions, and more time capturing the scene as it unfolds.
There isn’t a right way configure these systems. Every photographer and shooting scenario has unique demands. Some ideas are listed below! • 1 Step Spd / Aperture, allows changing exposure settings in full fstop increments. Think about changing from a wide angle scenic mode with relatively open aperture and slow shutter speed to a close focus wide angle shot that requires a closed aperture to shrink a sun-ball. • My Menu, a customized panel with frequently accessed menus settings • Access Top Item in MY MENU, actually jumps into a frequently accessed sub menu structure for the top level My Menu selection, saving at least two button presses. (ie min shutter speed in auto ISO mode, or quickly define a preset white balance) • Quickly access another metering mode, toggling between the selected metering pattern and an alternate that more appropriately measure the current scene. • Flash disable / enable, this is a big one! Toggles external flashes on and off, allowing a switch between artificial light shooting (continuous shooting speed limited by flash recycle, and shutter speed limited by the strobe max sync speed at 1/250) to silhouette mode using only ambient light (full 12 fps continuous shooting speed, unrestricted flash sync speed). • AF-area mode + AF-ON – very cool functionality, for a quick way of accessing a focus mode other than the mode currently assigned and activating it while held down. Placed at the right thumb via the re-positioned PV lever, the current focus mode be overridden with something like auto area focus for quick grab shots where there isn’t time to move the selected auto-focus point.
Patented Port Locking System Unveiled on the very first Nauticam DSLR housing in 2009, this locking lever has become a signature of the Nauticam brand. No twisting or threading action is required to mount a port,and it locks securely in place with this lever. Nauticam also offers locking extension rings, meaning a dome will never twist, even when used with a long extension ring.
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Housing Locking Latches The industry’s easiest to use housing closure system, requiring very little hand strength to close, secures the housing back in place. The latches are securely closed, but easy to open for a quick battery or memory card change.
Multi Controller Pad Located within easy reach of the right thumb, virtually recreates the Nikon D5 multi selector allowing full multi-directional use of this powerful tool, including diagonals. No other manufacturer has it.
Integrated Vacuum Monitoring and Leak Detection Circuitry included as standard equipment provides constant monitoring of water tight integrity when combined with an optional Nauticam M16 Vacuum Valve II (PN 25625).
Stainless Steel Handle Brackets Stiffening handle brackets are included with the housing. These brackets eliminate any flex or wobble when using big strobes, and provide multiple attachment points for lanyards or other accessories.
Stainless Ergonomic Rubberized Grips Another legendary Nauticam feature, these rubberized grips have been used every Nauticam DSLR housing release, and are some of the most comfortable in the business.
Clear Control Labeling All camera controls are clearly labeled, allowing easy identification.
86 The redesigned LED Flash Triggering System has allowed for a much lower housing height. This the smallest, easiest to pack Nauticam Pro DSLR housing yet! Compared to NA-D4, the previous Nikon pro body housing from Nauticam, the smaller size is immediately apparent. Integrated Vacuum Check and Leak Detection System The Nauticam vacuum check and leak detection system is shipped with NA-D5 as standard equipment. Combined with an accessory vacuum valve (PN 25625), this monitoring system provides constant updates on the water tight and safe-to-dive status of the housing. A simple color coded LED lighting system lets the user know that the vacuum is solid, or that the housing is losing vacuum. Leak detection is built into the same circuit, so if there is water intrusion, an audible and visual indication will occur. Ease of Use No system is easier to assemble or break down. The camera drops into the housing with a quick release camera tray. The camera tray has an extending bracket that allows the AF-M selector to be easily positioned to match the camera. No controls need to be preset, as housing functions for dials and switches align automatically (on/off, af-m, still photo/ video). The large 120mm housing port opening allows even the largest popular pro Nikon wide angle lens (14-24 /2.8G) to be used, and the camera can even be mounted in the housing with this large lens attached. Viewfinders The standard optical glass viewfinder is very good and travel friendly, but many photographers prefer the ease of a magnified viewfinder with adjustable diopter. Nauticam produces a “straight” 180º enlarging viewfinder and a 45º angled enlarging viewfinder to enhance the ease of close quarters work often associated with macro shooting. Both viewfinders have high quality optics, and allow bright viewing of the entire image. A patented external dioptric adjustment allows personal adjustment to a sharp-as-a-tack standard underwater and viewfinder changes can be executed in less than 30 seconds without using tools. Exceptional composition and focus accuracy have never been more accessible. Premium Professional Optics Experienced shooters know a camera is only as good as the lens in front of it, and the same is true when choosing optics for an underwater camera system. Four optically coated glass dome ports (250mm, 230mm,
180mm, and 140mm diameters) and a series of acrylic ports support popular lenses from Nikon, Sigma, and Tokina. Port configurations are extensively tested at Nauticam to determine the ideal extension ring length for best performance. For macro and super macro shooting, the Nauticam Super Macro Converter is a revolutionary accessory. This is an entirely in house design, optimized for use in water. The water contact correction offers the highest overall sharpness, free from chromatic aberration and purple fringing, with reproduction ratios exceeding 2:1 when used with a Nikon AF-S 105mm /2.8 VR Lens.
Recommended Accessories Magnifying Viewfinders • •
180º Enhancing Viewfinder (32201) 45º Enhancing Viewfinder (32203)
Other Accessories • Patent Pending Super Macro Converter (81201), providing 2.3:1 reproduction ration with the popular AF-S 105mm /2.8G VR Macro Lens • M16 Vacuum Valve (25612) • Complete line of flat and dome ports for all major lenses, available in acrylic and glass • Locking port extension rings from 10mm to 90mm • Monitor/Recorder Housing for Atomos Ninja2 (17902) or Shogun (17904) • Monitor Housing for SmallHD 502 Monitor (17906) • Fiber optic cables for Inon (26211) and Sea&Sea (26212) • Full line of mounting accessories for lighting, including mount balls, strobe adapters, arms, clamps, and specialty items • Multiple styles of lanyards • Lens holders, including flip-up • Focus and Zoom gears for many Nikon, Tokina, and Sigma lenses • Port Adapters for Aquatica, Ikelite, Inon, Nexus M5 & M6, Sea & Sea NX, Seacam, Subal Version 3 & 4, and Zillion • Handle accessories including smaller handles, handle extensions for cold water diving • Spare Housing O-Ring (90134) Details and Specifications • • •
Depth Rating: 100m Weight: 3.67 kg Dimensions: 357mm x 224mm x 148mm (W x H x D)
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N O LL II M M I IT T N O
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