walls with strong vertical currents, or just about anywhere else with Hooked on the currents I can’t drift dive. Now, I’m sure many would say it’s too How to string yourself along dangerous to be tied to the reef in strong currents, and some of the more politically correct critics In a past issue, one of our really good with it, you can work might even say we shouldn’t reviewers mentioned his surprise when yourself around to any point damage the coral with hooks. a dive guide on Palau took out a rope within a six-foot semicircle just by Nonetheless, people will continue with a hook on the end, attached changing the angle of your fins in to dive these sites, and if they’re himself to the reef, and “surfed” in the the . not using a reef hook, they will be strong current. Since then several This simple tool has become using their hands. The greater readers have mentioned doing the indispensable to me whenever I’m surface area of a hand causes same thing. Is it safe? Is it ecologically diving on submerged seamounts more damage to the coral than correct? In Depth subscriber Keith with very strong currents, or on the point of a hook. Reynolds makes his case. We would like to hear opinion on the subject. As to safety, these are danger- ous dives to begin with. You There are a few places in the shouldn’t be diving in these world where the diving is spec- conditions unless you are very tacular and the currents run like Got an Opinion? experienced. The reef hook rivers. Blue Corners in Palau and allows you to be more comfort- Dirty Rock at Cocos Island are How do you feel about roping yourself able in the current and gives you good examples. It is these power- to the reef? Write us your views. Our one or both hands free to handle ful, nutrient-rich currents that mailing address is cameras and console. Attaching a created and support the great quick-release buckle to the handle mass of sea life in these special In Depth will let you drop the hook instantly places. As breathtaking as these P.O. Box 90215 if you don’t have time to work it dives are, the currents frequently out of a crack. ■ encountered here are, at the very Austin, TX 78709 least, a huge inconvenience, and at worst, potentially very danger- ous. In many of these places, is either not practical or not advisable; you have to grab some rock or coral and hang on. But if you lose your handhold, lotsam & etsam you could easily get blown up or F J down the wall faster than you can compensate, ending up either with an embolism or narked to oblivion. One simple and cheap to dealing with these PUPPY PARLOR — ALL YOU CAN banks” (Deutsche Presse currents is a “reef hook” — EAT. I'm not worried much about Agentur). sharks, but catfish are another basically a four-inch fishhook with REALLY PRIVATE DIVERS. In our story. In February, Malaysian about three feet of nylon cord, a January issue, we discussed three rescue workers tried to catch a handle, and for extra safety, a traditionally designed live-aboards catfish seen gobbling up two dogs quick-release buckle. When that were operating in Indonesia struggling in the River Endau. hooked onto the rock or coral, from Bandanaira, Manado, and Armed with 80-pound lines, they you can surf one-handed in the Bira Beach in southern Sulawesi. were determined to reel in the 10- current. Attach it to a strap or D- The small vessels carrying four to foot-long fish “for fear it could ring on your BC, and you can fly six divers are being marketed as swallow villagers amid rising like a kite with both hands free to “Private Divers.” In fact, they were work a camera. When you get floodwaters along the river

©1995 Elephant Socks Publishing, Inc. 15 so private we didn’t give you the seemed that about 40 percent of the contact information. Phone/fax in time the plane didn’t make it. It In Depth is the consumer Jakarta is 011-62-21-880-2218; in the might mess up my schedule, bring up newsletter for sport divers that U.S., call 212-995-0386. the issue of divorce, and cause some reviews scuba destinations and job-related problems, but worse things NEW BLOOD. Don’t buy that new tank equipment. We accept no could happen than to have to stick yet: there’s a team of British and advertising. around and dive another week. Japanese scientists who think you and In Depth (ISSN 0895-2302, However, to get stuck at the other I might someday be able to dive USPS 001-198) is published end, in Honolulu, would be less without a tank! You see, alligators and monthly, with the December forgivable. Frontiers Travel, who has crocodiles have unique hemoglobin — and January issues combined, been pushing this destination located the molecule in red blood cells that by Elephant Socks Publishing, just three hours south of Hawaii, carries — that lets them stay 125 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., announced that they would be work- Larkspur, CA 94939. Second- underwater for hours without breath- ing with a new airline. Air Marshall class postage paid at Larkspur, ing. When they hold their breath, Islands has taken over the run down CA and additional mailing bicarbonate ions in their blood attach to Christmas, and its record for arrival office. POSTMASTER: Send themselves to the hemoglobin and and departure has been good so far. address changes to In Depth, cause it to release more oxygen into the Now all they need to do is reduce the P.O. Box 1658, Sausalito, CA blood. These scientists now claim to 94966. Copyright ©1995 $2,350 price of their seven-day pack- have created a molecule that is a cross Elephant Socks Publishing. age, and I’m there. between human and crocodile hemo- globin, a step toward creating artifi- NEW TROPICAL SEAS. Stick around a cial blood. Used to deliver oxygen to few centuries and you might find the Staff hard-working tissue, it just might give Bilikiki or the Sun Dancer off the Editor us oodles of bottom time and render California coast. Scientists have found John Q. Trigger guys like Jacques Mayol obsolete. that whole populations of starfish and [Nature] anemone have migrated north in the Letters to the Editor/ last 60 years in response to rising Submissions ANOTHER REASON NEVER TO CLIMB ocean . They compared INSIDE A SPONGE. The science journal To contact our editorial office, 1930 data from the same 35-square- Nature reports the discovery of a new write In Depth, P.O. Box 90215, yard patch of rocks and found an sponge in shallow caves in the Medi- Austin, TX 78709. Call 512- influx of creatures more common to terranean that uses hooked tendrils to 891-9812. Fax 512-891-9813. Southern California and a decrease in Please send stamped, self- drag down prey. Once the sponge has species common in the original study. addressed envelope if latched onto a crustacean, the prey submissions are to be struggles for several hours, indicating NAPOLEON’S PROTECTION. The returned. We are not that there are no paralyzing or toxic Indonesia Navy has been called in to responsible for unsolicited secretions. The sponge then grows prevent Hong Kong fishermen from manuscripts. new, thin filaments over the crusta- catching Napoleon wrasses and cean, completely enveloping it in one damaging the coral reefs in the day and digesting it within a few days. process. The fishermen are using Subscriptions/ This extreme variation from other poisonous potassium and explosives Address Changes sponges, which get their food supply to bag the wrasses for a lucrative To subscribe, renew, change by filtration, brought speculation by market. Hong Kong restaurants pay address, or order books or biologists that perhaps the new between $115 and $150 per kg (2.2 lb) back issues, call 800-326-1896, sponge had migrated up from the for the wrasses, which can grow up to Monday - Friday, 9–5 Pacific deep ocean, where life has evolved seven feet long. Time Zone or write In Depth, into bizarre forms due to a lack of P.O. Box 1658, Sausalito, CA The coral reefs of Irian Jaya and sunlight. 94966. Sulawesi, along with other parts of IT COULD BE CHRISTMAS. One of the remote eastern Indonesia, have barriers to getting to the little-dived suffered from the fishing. Indonesia is In Christmas Island (Kiribati) has been saying that it wants the fishing that Air Nauru flew in and out only stopped and has imposed laws with Depth once a week, or rather was supposed heavy penalties of up to 10 years in to fly in and out once a week. It jail and $47,000 in fines for people March 1995 Vol 10 No. 3 who damage the environment.

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