BLACK WATER DIVING Royal
Text by Gary Myors Tasmania Photos by Karen Gowlette-Holmes Tasmania’s Southwest National Park and World Heritage Area is the land that time forgot, and most of the civilized world has never heard of Bathurst Harbour. It is the home of the world’s oldest living plant, Kings Holly (Lomatatia tasmanica) discovered in 1934 by the late Deny King, an environ- mentalist and local legend who lived in the area most of his adult life earn- ing his living mining tin. On the banks of the Old River, bushwalkers able to penetrate the closely guarded secret Yellow Polyps, Parazoanthus Arial view of Bathurst location can admire a 10,500-year-old Huon Pine Tree. From the bird hide near the Melaleuca airstrip, you can watch the mating dance of a pair of orange bellied parrots, a species which breeds only in this region and has been saved from extinction by volunteers and the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. Apart from the rare flora and fauna, the landscape is as rugged and spectacu- lar as any wilderness on earth. Bathurst, Tazmania
81 X-RAY MAG : 7 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED features Biscuit star, Tosia australis Tasmania deepwater (100m +) are found in much place where the unique southern part in delaying our departure from shallower water due to the low light lev- Australian shelf-break species can be Hobart for the best part of two days. els. seen and studied in safe diving depths. Flying conditions can change within In the Bathurst Channel, this phenom- minutes of locating the isolated airstrip enon is enhanced due to Breaksea The first expedition adding unnecessary cost by returning to Island in the mouth of the Channel shel- On our first expedition in 2002 for a Hobart. tering the Channel from wave action, so smaller Japanese television company, This expedition was different from that the seafloor in the Channel is not we spent ten days diving and filming in many points of view: bigger budget, only dark, it is also relatively calm—mim- almost perfect conditions. All equipment smaller crew, and most importantly, icking conditions on the “shelf-break”, and personal were flown into the departing Hobart aboard the vessel we the edge of the continental shelf and remote Melaleuca airstrip. Seven were to use for the duration of the stay upper slope in depths of 80-200m, and Cessna flights transported the team of in Bathurst Harbour. The abalone mother the marine life we find living in the eight Japanese, two Eaglehawk Dive ship ODALISQUE was our chosen live Bathurst Channel is typical “shelf-break” Centre staff and the two Southern aboard. She is a modern 18-metre alu- species. The Bathurst Channel/Harbour Explorer crew. It was a logistical drudge minum vessel able to accommodate 12 area is unique in a world context, a with the weather playing a significant passengers and crew in comfort, a large
But having set the scene in this remote Area. The TWHA covers 20 percent of the corner of Tasmania’s world heritage Island State and encompasses a greater area, we were not here for any of the breadth of natural and cultural values above. We were on a mission for Japan- than any other World Heritage Area on ese television, filming a documentary Earth, according to the Tasmanian about the impact of the tannin-stained Department Primary Industries Water and freshwater layer on the marine life the Environment (DPIWE). The waterways that exists below it in Bathurst Harbour. were formed as the sea level rose after Eaglehawk Dive Centre has conducted the last ice age flooding the river valleys two successful underwater filming expe- with seawater, and the huge volume of ditions into this unique location. Both of black, tannin-stained freshwater flowing these expeditions were adventures that from the numerous rivers forming a dark most mere mortals only dream about. freshwater layer over the top of the sea- This story is of our most recent expedition water. The freshwater layer, usually 2-6m with the Japanese national public broad- thick, is so dark from the tannin that little caster NHK / Science and Environment light penetrates it. Below the tannin layer, Division. the seawater is very clear but dark even on the sunniest of days, the light levels The Territory are so low that you cannot see without Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour makes dive torches. This gives rise to a rare phe- up a large and ecologically significant nomenon called “deep water emer- part of the Tasmanian World Heritage gence”, where species usually found in Basket star, Conocladus australis 82 X-RAY MAG : 7 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED features Tasmania
back deck with cradles for 15ft and 17ft alu- stow everything and to sail from Hobart at the first day when Tomita, the cameraman, nearly minum dinghies, and two holds that kept our appointed time. We had advised the film drowned his digital beta-cam camera while equipment and extra provisions below deck crew that we might have to wait in traveling at dangerous speed in the dinghy in out of the weather. Recherché Bay if the weather on the south pursuit of a shot. Despite the conditions, Tom The expected duration of twenty days in coast was as bad as forecasted by the still managed to shoot some useable footage the wilderness required extensive and careful Bureau of Meteorology. It was a little lumpy before the journey westward continued. planning. To cater for five Japanese, two rounding Whale Head, but the vessel handled After a journey of about eight-hours from marine biologists, myself as dive guide and it well, and only a couple of the film crew Hobart that included the stop at Maatsuyker the ODALISQUE’s crew of three (skipper, took to their bunks. Island, we entered beautiful Spain Bay near deckhand and cook) in a remote region that We made a brief stop at Maatsuyker Island the entrance to the Bathurst Channel an hour can only be reached by sea or light aircraft to film the huge colony of between 1000-1500 before sunset and anchored for the night. and is subject to extremes in weather, we had Australian fur seals at The Needles on the Our chef, Johnno, knocked up a first class to be very well organized. We even took a south side of the majestic rock that is home to meal, and we were in bed reasonably early ABOVE: Detail view of a sea pen, Sarcoptilus grandis washing machine. While the Japanese were a couple of volunteers who look after the her- expectating an early start and a busy first day TOP LEFT: Garden of sea pens with seastar over-equipped not knowing the isolation of itage-listed light house and buildings. in Bathurst Harbour. the location, we managed to find a place to The whole expedition nearly finished on that Karen Gowlett-Holmes, one of Eaglehawk
83 X-RAY MAG : 7 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED features Tasmania LEFT TO RIGHT: Botrylloides leachii;
Bryozoa Adeonellopsis;
Nudibranchs Dermatobranchus
BELOW: Bramble coral community
Dive Centre’s marine biologists, and I the next three or four days but this failed conditions were generally appalling, but searched for subjects to study or photo- were acting as guides for this expedi- to impress the film crew as the tannin we were here to dive, and dive we did! graph. tion. Karen had done a number of sci- wasn’t dark enough, wasn’t thick I moved away from them to seek out entific research field trips to the area enough and the animals were too few Diving in tannin my own creatures, and as I headed with CSIRO prior to our last filming expe- or too uncooperative. Having seen the Dropping over the side of the dinghy down the slope into the dark, I was dition the previous year. I had worked in finish documentary from the previous into the dark tannin layer can be rather amazed to see the scene behind me the area on several occasions during expedition they were under pressure to daunting for those who have never only grew smaller rather than disap- my ten years as an abalone diver. So, produce a superior product. It was diffi- experienced it before. Karen was first peared. Visibility horizontally was at we were well acquainted with the diffi- cult for them to cope with lack of tan- away while I geared up the two least 30 metres, but the red surface culties of extended diving in such a nin, and at times, the mood among the Japanese divers and over the side they glow faded away to black above me remote location. film crew became quite explosive. went with me following minutes later. as I reached a depth of 12 metres. The But then the rain came, and came As I descended through the tannin, all slope leveled out and sea pens The Bathurst Channel and kept coming for the next ten days. sound had ceased except for that of (Sarcoptilus grandis) started appearing The Bathurst Channel has several heavi- This created another set of problems, my exhalation bubbles. Visibility seemed on the silty bottom. ly wooded islands that offer shallow but it also gave the film crew a great absolutely zero then at about three water diving in beds of sea whips as example of how this bizarre ecosystem metres. I saw red lights below and shallow as 4m depth—these are usually originates. off to my left. Then, I was into the at least 35m deep. We had a surprise The falling rain soaks into the damp clear salt water below the tannin when we entered the water—we found button grass plains that act as a big liv- layer. I flicked on my video light that the tannin layer was almost non- ing sponge. The water has to flow and circled the divers, watching existent. through these marshy plains to reach them but avoiding the bottom silt, There had been a prolonged drought the rivers and the sea. The decaying which I knew would lift like dust in in the area, which usually has rain virtu- sponge-like peat below the living grass wind if any part of my body or ally every day, and the flow of tannin- is in a constant state of decomposition. equipment touched it. stained water from the surrounding riv- The rain saturates the damp plains and As I moved past the scene of sil- ers had dropped to a trickle. Usually, this water starts to flow from every crack houetted divers motionless behind site has a four to five metre deep dense and crevice into every creek, river and the video lights, I imagined I was on tannin layer (like very strong black cof- eventually the harbour itself. the set of an X-Files movie. Dull red fee) that blocks out all daylight and On its’ journey through this giant tea glow from the surface above con- makes each dive as dark as night, but bag, the water colour darkens. Within trasted with the bright scene in front this time the tannin layer had become 24 hours, the surface of the harbour was of the stationary video lights on very diluted (looked like weak tea) and as black as the night sky. The film crew’s Tomita’s camera. Hand held by the at depth, it had the appearance of div- black mood lifted as if it was being divers, roving torch lights flashed ing on a dull day. transferred to the surrounding environ- this way and that around the dark- We had a run of superb weather for ment. The wind blew a gale and the as-night perimeter as they each ABOVE: Tunicates, Clavelina australis LEFT: Biscuit star, Tosia australis 84 X-RAY MAG : 7 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Tasmania features LEFT TO RIGHT: Primnoella grandisqua- mis; Ascidian, Sycozoa pulchra; Kenya Tree Coral, Capnella
rock lobster wan- dered about as though it was night I saw a light moving away from secure from the the main group, so I headed par- threat of predators allel with it towards the seaward that would normally side of the island. Here, the cur- be evident in clear rent increased, and it was difficult sunlit conditions. to stay stationary while videoing. The wall and boulders above me Seapen beds The Maugean, or Port Davey, were covered with bramble One of my favorite sites on my skate is listed as endangered on coral, large lace bryzoans and previous visit was the seapens both Tasmanian and Common- numerous ascidians some of beds near Beebey Point. Here, wealth legislation. It is the world’s which I hadn’t seen before. Below the 6-13 metre bottom was not in only entirely estuarine skate and on the silty bottom, the occasion- total darkness and the ambient the only Australian skate listed as al sea pen appeared like some- light allowed divers to see several endangered. It has only been thing from the “Day of the metres beyond the range of their found in two areas, Port Davey- Triffids”. lights. Bathurst Harbour and Macquarie The day after, we moved from The sea pens, some nearly half Harbour. This unique skate is easily site to site looking for any subject a metre tall, stand like sentinels to recognised by its elongated that was worthy, mostly keeping the ancient world that had exist- snout. So, filming it in this habitat an eye out for the most elusive of ed here in the Precambrian was one of the main aims of the marine animals found in the Period more than 700 million years film crew. Michelle and crewman region—the Port Davey Skate— ago. I shot some of my best foot- Dave Denison were spending not seen in this area since 1990. age at this location. The Japan- hours each day searching the One of the team who had ese cameraman looked at one inner harbour for this elusive accompanied us on this expedi- sequence of nearly ten minutes beast. tion was CSIRO marine following a skate through the for- Diving in a seawhip garden at biologist Michelle est of seapens with envy, as his only 6-8 metres deep, we find Treloar who was gath- subjects that day had not been scores of basket stars living ering vital information as co-operative. amongst them and clinging to on this poorly known The mood at day’s end when their whips. They were in various species. Her research things went well was nothing short stages of feeding with their arms aims to discover their of buoyant. The bar opened, and outstretched. Basket stars usually abundance and distri- goodwill and friendly banter react to any light by rapidly fold- bution, whether there is made the evening meal a very ing their arms and retreating, but a decline in the area festive occasion. After several here, having never seen light of usable habitat, how bottles of excellent red wine, we TOP TO BOTTOM: under the tannin layer, they just Sourthern basketstar, Conocladus-australis vulnerable the species saw some of the results of the continued to feed unless we dis- Star polyps, Clavularia is to fishing pressure day’s shooting. turbed them, even when brightly Southern bobtail squid, Euprymna tasmanica and whether popula- lit with video lights. tions are stable or Forrester Point Draughtboard sharks, large BOTTOM LEFT: Australian swellshark, declining. The dive teams’ first dive at decorator crabs and southern Cephaloscyllium laticeps
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Forrester Point was in very strong current bunks total exhausted. trying to track the three as the wall drops down to about 25+ The first dive of the new day was a bit divers in the shallow black metres. This site has a small quantity of of a failure as we went searching for the water. I recovered the two LEFT TO RIGHT: Colored Tube Anemone, Cerianthus; Nudibranch, Marionia; Australian sea whips —including one species nor- Port Davey Skate. We searched in an Japanese divers and their swellshark egg; Sabellastarte australiensis; The mally found in 200m+ in the open sea— area north of the Celery Top Islands. The camera gear, but they Pot Bellied Seahorse, Hippocampus bleeke feathery seafans, soft corals and other water here is only about 4-5 metres deep hadn’t seen Karen since INSET: Nudibranch, Janolus creatures that thrive in high current with a flat, silty bottom. We had planned very early in the dive. areas. As evidence that others had lived to do a line search from north to south. I Karen is famous for eco- and worked in this region, I picked up a found it impossible to navigate, video nomical air consumption, couple of old bottles that appeared to and keep station with the divers to the and I started searching for additional training. Even experienced be discarded rubbish from the 1950’s. left and right. The end result was no her around the area she divers should refresh their night diving The diving progressed with the channel skates. had entered the water and buoyancy skills. Some of the loca- giving us good results and interesting sub- down to where I had picked Johno were also flying out with me, and tions have been listed, as off limits to jects. Some areas were off limits for future up the other two. Each time I did a pass I well-known Tasmanian marine biologist, divers as any disturbance to the delicate trips due to their extreme fragility. Beds of extended the run, and after what Graham Edgar, and a new chef were marine ecosystem could have long-term soft corals and delicate, fragile lace seemed like hours, I saw a strobe flashing replacing them. The strip was very busy, consequences. bryzoans that one lazy fin kick would weakly through the squally black night. as there hadn’t been any flights for near- Seven days later, I met the ODALISQUE obliterate exist in the inky black water Karen was only metres from being ly a week due to the evil weather. Many as she returned to Hobart, again having down the Channel. swept around the end of the island and of the bushwalkers, waiting for their flights extraordinary luck with the weather on Captain Pete decided to tie up at down into the main channel when I back to civilization, had been living on a the return trip. The tonnes of equipment Clayton’s Corner inside Kings Point. The reached her. The marine area of Port handful of boiled rice and water. were unloaded and returned to the dive Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service Davey and Bathurst Harbour comprises When my flight landed, Mick had all center, and we all adjourned to the local have upgraded the jetty that had origi- some 17,000ha. It was lucky we found her the little luxuries such as newspapers, sushi bar for a debriefing, dinner and nally been built by a local legend, Clyde when we did as it would have been very fresh bread, fruit and vegetables, and drinks. We have seen the finished docu- Clayton, brother-in-law to Denny King. unhealthy to have spent the night bob- beer to keep the Japanese happy. mentary (unfortunately only Clydie’s house is still in use and fresh bing about in the extreme conditions, This was Mick’s first trip to the region released in Japanese), which water is available from new tanks and trying to get ashore over the jagged and a chance for him to gain the skills brings the scorecard up to 100% installed by volunteers to collect rain knife edged rocks would have been and dive site knowledge for future expe- success for our two trips into the water from the roof of the house. This We had several night dives during the dangerous if not foolhardy. ditions. This area is so envi- land that time forgot. My next gave the whole crew a chance to go wild weather. As a result of the condi- ronmentally sensitive that trip is already in the planning ashore and take in the wildlife and fan- tions, we nearly lost Karen when she was Wrapping it up eventually only approved stages and with luck, will tastic view from Henry’s Folly, the hill carried by the current the length of one After 13 days, my diving was finished, guides will be allowed to be even better than behind Clayton’s house. of the islands in the Bathurst Channel. and I traveled up to the bush airstrip at lead dive trips into this region. the previous two. ■ After reviewing the day and another The night was black as pitch and visibil- Melaleuca to meet the aircraft bringing Inexperienced divers should not hearty meal, we planned our dives for ity reduced to less than 50 metres due to in my replacement, Mick Baron, another be encouraged to dive in the next day, then crawled into our horizontal rain. I was driving the boat and of the Eaglehawk team. Michelle and Bathurst Harbour without Ocellate Seastar, Nectria ocellata
86 X-RAY MAG : 7 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED fact file Special Port Davis, Tasmania History Aboriginal settlers resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, arrived on the continent from copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, Southeast Asia about 40,000 years nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, before the first Europeans began lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, exploration in the 17th century. petroleum; Agriculture: wheat, No formal claims were made until barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, 1770, when Capt. James COOK sheep, poultry; Industry: min- took possession in the name of ing, industrial and transportation Great Britain. Six colonies were equipment, food processing, created in the late 18th and 19th chemicals, steel; Exports coal, centuries; they federated and gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and trans- became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country port equipment was able to take advantage of its natural resources in order to Climate Of all the Austral- rapidly develop its agricultural ian capital cities, Hobart has the and manufacturing industries nation’s second-lowest rainfall and to make a major contribu- (626 mm or 24 inches). The aver- tion to the British effort in World age summer temperature is 21°C Wars I and II. Long-term concerns (70°F). Winter’s average is 12°C include pollution, particularly (52° F). Natural hazards: cyclones depletion of the ozone layer, and along the coast; severe droughts; management and conservation forest fires of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum The population of to change Australia’s status, from Population Tasmania is 472,000. Main cent- a commonwealth headed by the ers are Hobart (the capital city British monarch to a republic, was with 195,500 people) Launceston defeated in 1999. Government: (98,500) Burnie (18,000) and Dev- democratic, federal-state system onport (25,000). Ethnicity: Cau- recognizing the British monarch as casian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal sovereign and other 1%; Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Geography Tasmania Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11%, covers a land area of 68,332 sq other 12.6% anemones, lots of seaweed includ- Web sites km (26,383 sq. miles). Its terrain ing giant kelp forests. Dive comfort- Tasmania Tourism ranges from mountains, lakes, Australian Dollar ably all year in a 7mm wet suit. www.discovertasmania.com.au rivers and waterfalls to dense rain Currency (AUD$) Port Arthur Region forest. Tasmania has over 2000 km 220-240V AC, 50 Hz. www.portarthur-region.com.au of walking tracks and 18 national Electricity Plugs have three flat pins. A socket parks. The Tasmanian Wilder- Language English www.nauticteam.com [email protected] converter can be bought for ap- ness World Heritage Area cov- Dive Operators proximately $8-10 AUD. Eaglehawk Dive Centre ers 1.38 million hectares. Natural Colorful sponges, Diving www.eaglehawkdive.com.au ■
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