Valentines Day Shopping for Divers Equipment Regulators Wrecks GLOBAL EDITION SS President Feb :: Mar 2007 Number 15 Coolidge The Deepest Cave Voronya of Caucasus Interview Bill Stone Portfolio Sue Duda MEXICO Science & Ecology Visibility :: Sea Kelp RivieraCOVER PHOTO BY J P BRESSER Maya 1 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 2 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 DIRECTORY X-RAY MAG is published by AquaScope Valentines Day Shopping: Copenhagen, Denmark - www.aquascope.biz www.xray-mag.com Gifts for the Special Diver in Your Life... page 53 STING RAY STICK PIN SCULPTURE AVAILABLE FROM CYNTHIA CHUANG & ERH PING TSAI AT WWW.JEWELRY10.COM PUBLISHER CO- EDITORS (continued) & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Millis Keegan Peter Symes Divers explore Riviera Maya caves, J P Bresser - Opinions and ‘DiveGuru.net’ [email protected] Michael Arvedlund - Ecology MANAGING EDITOR Jason Heller - Photography contents & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dan Beecham - videography Gunild Pak Symes Michel Tagliati - Medicine [email protected] Leigh Cunningham ADVERTISING - Americas & United Kingdom: Edwin Marcow Kevin Brennan - Sharks, Adventures [email protected] Michael Portelly International sales rep: Catherine GS Lim Arnold Weisz Arnold Weisz [email protected] REGULAR WRITERS International sales rep: Robert Aston - CA, USA Geoff Mellard Bill Becher - CA, USA [email protected] John Collins - Ireland South East Asia Rep: Amos Nachoum - CA, USA Catherine GS Lim, Singapore Nonoy Tan - The Philippines [email protected]

SENIOR EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Michael Symes Dan Beecham [email protected] Andrey Bizyukin, PhD J P Bresser TECHNICAL MANAGER Ken Corben Søren Reinke [email protected] Sue Duda Jason Heller CORRESPONDENTS Stein Jorgensen Enrico Cappeletti - Italy Millis Keegan Jordi Chias - Spain Brian Keegan John Collins - Ireland Teodor Kisimov Jeff Dudas - CA, USA Catherine GS Lim 23 33 35 37 49 plus... Tomas Knutsson - Iceland YUKATÀN’S RIVIERA MAYA THE FASCINATION RIVIERA MAYA SCIENCE: Edwin Marcow EDITORIAL 4 Marcelo Mammana - Argentina MEXICO OF CAVES ADVENTURE EQUIPMENT VISIBILITY Tatyana Nemchenko NEWS 6 Yonatan Nir - Israel BY ANDREY BIZYUKIN, PHD BY MICHAEL SYMES BY PETER SYMES BY MILLIS & BRIAN KEEGAN BY MICHAEL SYMES Svetlana Murashkina - Russia Constantine Stoilov EQUIPMENT 43 Gary Myors - Tasmania Gunild Symes DIVE GURUS 46 Barb Roy - WA, USA Peter Symes WHALES&DOLPHINS 47 Yann Saint-Yves - France Brigitte Veldman 51 53 57 66 79 BOOKS & MEDIA 77 ECOLOGY: ALENTINES AY NTERVIEW HE EEPEST AVE EQUIPMENT: Garold Sneegas - KS, USA Cedric Verdier V D I : T D C : SEA KELP OMANTIC IFTS FOR IVERS ILL TONE ORONYA OF AUCASUS REGULATORS BUSINESS DIRECTORY 92 Arnold Weisz R G D B S V C CO- EDITORS BY ARNOLD WEISZ BY GUNILD SYMES BY PETER SYMES BY TATYANA NEMCHENKO BY MILLIS & BRIAN KEEGAN Andrey Bizyukin Further info see contacts page: - Caving, Equipment, Medicine www.xray-mag.com Not yet subscribed to SUBSCRIPTION columns... X-RAY MAG? Sign up now! X-RAY MAG International Edition in English is FREE It’s FREE! QUICK! EASY! To subscribe, go to: www.xray-mag.com 87 94 70 75 click here... WRECK RAP: SHARK TALES: PHOTO & VIDEOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO: COVER PHOTO BY DAN BEECHAM UE UDA S CEAN UDES A Diver Explores Riviera Maya Caves, by J P Bresser SS PRESIDENT COOLIDGE BITS & BITES S D ’ O D EDITTED BY EDWIN MARCOW & JASON HELLER EDITTED BY GUNILD SYMES (CONTINUED ON PAGE 4) BY CEDRIC VERDIER

3 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 Amsterdam Barcelona Cape Town Chicago Copenhagen London Moscow Okinawa Oslo Paris Ravenna Reykjavik San Francisco Sharm El Shiekh Warsaw editorial Exploration & Evolution in Diving

History is made by people. Passions, the boundaries and taking technol- visions and a sometimes restless ener- ogy to its limits, leading the way to gy them to be on the move, further achievements in technology, transport things, twist the nuts and discovery and adventure. bolts and to dive in places where Where do we find the last white nobody has been before. It is these spots on the map of the world other people driven by their zest for knowl- than in the underwater underground edge and awed by what lies behind labyrinths? It is only here the modern the next threshold that started the disciples of Magellan, Jules Verne evolution of diving. and Norbert Castere can realise Genetic scientists studying the proc- themselves. ess of evolution use laboratory mice And that’s what this issue is all and fruit flies as their generation time about—exploring the inner and is very short. Those who want to study outer boundaries. We are how diving evolved can take a look about to go cave diving at the cave divers. This unique broth- and climb down some very erhood constantly alters, invents and deep holes. experiments with dive equipment. Come join us as we dive into Cave divers always were and remain the of Mexico and visit an elite and advanced research the deepest cave in the world, group of divers—pioneer explorers of Varonya in Caucasus. caves and scientists. hese are the people who are constantly pushing —Andrey Bizyukin, Associate and Editor, Russia

X-Ray Mag is growing! — we need more sales reps We are expanding all over the world. Want to be- come part of the X-RAY MAG team? Well, here’s Join ScubaBoard and over 70,000 divers discuss- your chance! We have new positions open for ing topics from Equipment to Dive brilliant, professional, friendly, self-motivated and Travel—500 dive topic forums, over 2,000,000 savvy sales reps in many territories around the posts, 40,000 user submitted images, free clas- world. Great rates. Interested? Email your inquiry sifieds marketplace to buy, sell and trade gear, and resume to: [email protected] travel, services and more at Scubaboard.com

4 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED editorial ShameThe shark finning continues on them As we all know, shark finning is not This bloody business has to stop. profit. They should be put on trial for only unbelievable cruelty to animals, Shark fins and other shark products crimes against humanity, or rather but totally unnecessary, as shark fins have been, and still are, traded by against the whole planet. Alas, we have no nutritional value whatso- some of the biggest online trading lack the laws to do so. You can be ever (they do, however, contain a platforms such as eBay, Amazon sent to the war crimes tribunal in lot of heavy metals). and, most notably, Alibaba. Since it The Hague and put away for life if As most of us are also painfully was drawn to the attention of fellow you commit genocide, but other aware, shark populations are dwin- divers, diving media and environ- species don’t count. Never mind if dling worldwide and crashing in plac- mental organisations this past fall you wipe out the sharks. They have es to the point where this important have place mounting on only been around for a couple of group of apex predators is becom- these platforms to stop the trade hundred million years anyway. ing ‘ecologically extinct’—mean- going through their portals. Amazon But that is not to say that the trad- ing, that their numbers have been consequently removed the shark ers are going to get away with it. reduced to such an extent that they products from their webshop. There is actually something you can cease to play a regulatory role in the Meanwhile, Alibaba.com and oth- do. Get on the case; get on their ecosystem. This is about to happen in ers have bluntly refused to do so and backs. Write a letter of protest to the Great Barrier where sharks continue to permit the trade—even the management of Alibaba,com were once plentiful. after being thoroughly informed and by following this link on www.shark- Yet, the sharkfinning industry goes asked the nice way. By their refusal life.co.za. on. In a recent report to the UN, it they are now knowingly driving sev- And watch out for news about came to light that the true numbers of eral unique and important species an upcoming boycott campaign killed sharks were probably four times to the brink of the extinction and on our website. higher than previously estimated. impoverishing the biodiversity of the —Peter Symes Simply because the catches evaded planet to the point where whole Publisher and Editor-In-Chief being reported through official chan- ecosystems are collapsing. nels, which perhaps isn’t so surprising. All just for the sake of a meager

X-RAY MAG is distributed six Unsolicited manuscripts, times per year on the Internet. photographs and illustra- Editorial statement regarding © 2004-2006 X-RAY MAG. All tions should be emailed to: News from NAUI in X-RAY MAG: rights reserved. [email protected] Material in this publication may not be reproduced or X-RAY MAG accepts no transferred electronically in responsibility for unsolicited any form without written per- materials sent to its office, X-Ray Magazine is mission from the copyright nor is it liable for loss or This issue of X-RAY MAG and a proud member of owner. damage to such materials. others includes news and press releases from NAUI in sections & Marketing Views and information X-RAY MAG observes a designated by the NAUI logo. Association expressed in articles are those strict privacy policy. No per- While the page design is done by X-RAY MAG as an integrated part www.dema.org of the individual author and sonal or private information of the magazine, these news sto- are not necessarily repre- will be shared with a third ries are brought to you by NAUI at sentative of views held by party without the written NAUI’s discretion. X-RAY MAG or its affiliates. permission of the owner.

5 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Census of Marine Life is a growing Linuche unguicu- global network of researchers in more lata - thimble jelly - than 70 nations engaged in a ten-year ~1cm - This species initiative to assess and explain the was packed with diversity, distribution, and abundance commensal algae of marine life in the oceans that provide the -- past, present, and future. color, and probably much of its nutrition.

News edited by Peter Symes

BODIL BLUHM AND NEWS KATRIN IKEN, NOAA.

Anemone crab with striped eye stalks collected during a Census expedition off Hawaii

Sea cucum- “Animals seem to have bers such as found a way to make a liv- Kolga hyalina were

the dominant sea floor fauna at ing just about everywhere” Leptocephalus - this is

several stations during an expedi- an eel larva. They are Jesse Ausubel tion to the Canada Basin flat like a ribbon with Sloan Foundation, transparent bodies reaching up to 30cm and 70,000 kinds of marine cies eating each other or living long before they move mammals. A couple of thou- on organic material that drifts to the seafloor. sand have been discovered down from above. during the census. They include life adapted to brutal condi- Other highlights tions around 407°C fluids spew- — Found alive and well, in the ing from a seafloor vent (the Coral Sea, was a type of shrimp hottest ever discovered), a called Neoglyphea neocal-

COML - RUSS HOPCROFT, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS mighty microbe 1 cm in diame- edonica, thought to have dis- ter, mysterious 1.8 kg (4 lb) lob- appeared millions of years ago. Census of Marine Life sters off the Madagascar coast, Researchers nicknamed it the a US school of fish the size of Jurassic shrimp. Manhattan Island, and more Amazing marine life forms revealed unfamiliar than familiar species — Satellite tracking of tagged turned up beneath 700 meters sooty shearwaters, small birds, A host of record-breaking discoveries and revelations that stretch the extreme of Antarctic ice. An under- that mapped the birds’ 43,500- water peak in the Coral Sea mile search for food in a giant . frontiers of marine knowledge were achieved by the Census of Marine Life in 2006 was home to a type of shrimp figure eight over the Pacific Thousands of new species have ducted 19 ocean expeditions followed more than 20 tagged thought to have gone extinct Ocean from New Zealand via been discovered during the this year; a 20th continues in species including sharks, squid, 50 million years ago. More than Polynesia to foraging grounds census in which 2,000 research- the Antarctic. In addition, they sea lions and albatross. 3 miles beneath the Sargasso in Japan, Alaska and California ers from 80 countries partici- operated 128 nearshore sam- There are nearly 16,000 Sea, in the Atlantic, researchers and then back. The birds aver- pated. The researchers con- pling sites and, using satellites, known species of marine fish collected a dozen new spe- aged a surprising 217 miles COML - RUSS HOPCROFT, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS

6 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED NOAA/NIWA

Cavolinia uncinata - a ptero- pod or pelagic “wing-footed” snail 7-10mm shell length. These Vestimentiferan feed by secreting large feeding worms - a type of nets or bubbles to which foods tube worm widely stick as they sink through the seen at the meth- water. They then suck in ane seeps - were the net along with the sampled from the food stuck to it “Builder’s Pencil” site. Builder’s Pencil, which cov- The ers 180,000 square furry metres, is one of filaments the largest seep on this her- sites in the world mit crab’s claws are thought to allow it to feed off the energy-rich chemicals from the seep

daily. In some cases, a breeding mineral grains. Tidbits pair made the entire journey

NOAA/NIWA •407°C of the hot- together. — A new type of crab with a furry test thermal vent known appearance, near Easter Island. — A single-cell creature big It was so unusual, it warranted a •78,000 marine species recorded enough to see, in the Nazare whole new family designation, by census since 2000 Canyon off Portugal. The fragile Kiwaidae—named for Kiwa, the •2,600 number of salmon tagged new species was found 14,000 Polynesian goddess of shellfish. Its before leaving rivers for the sea Jellyfish surge endangers feet deep. It is enclosed within a furry appearance justified its spe- plate-like shell, four-tenths of an cies name, hirsuta, meaning hairy. •20,000 types of microbe found in fish stocks inch in diameter, composed of one litre of seawater ■ A dramatic increase in jellyfish ple diet, populations are now threaten- before Phronema - This amphipod is stick- ing fish stocks around the British they are ing its head of its house, the hol- Isles, according to a group big enough New Species and lowed out living body of a salp, of marine scientists. Warmer to hunt more where it will eventually lay its ocean have substantial New Records of eggs and raise its family already seen jellyfish numbers prey. surge in the North Sea and As ocean temperatures rise Marine Species scientists fear they may soon over the next century, jellyfish Doubling Zooplankton dominate at the expense of populations will continue to Discovered in Census zooplankton researchers dis- other marine life. grow, putting further pressure covered 3 new genera and 31 new The predictions look particu- on fish stocks already devas- the Northwestern species of copepods and mysids, larly bad for cod stocks, which tated by overfishing. small crustaceans, in Southeast have already plummeted “Looking ahead over the Hawaiian Islands Asian, Australian and New Zealand through over-exploitation by next 50 to 100 years, all cli- waters. Analysis of collections from fisheries. Cod larvae hatch in mate projections expect the Marine National biodiversity hotspots, the deep sea, waters that are rich in plank- North Sea to become warmer, and other unexplored regions is ton, but these are also feeding so jellyfish will become more Monument on track to double the number of grounds for the jellyfish. Many common in our waters,” Over 100 new species known zooplankton species of the jellyfish species feed said Professor Attrill, whose records possible from directly on fish larvae or on the study appears in the journal, plankton and tiny crustaceans Limnology and Oceanography. A 4 kg rock lobster, Palinurus barbarae, that make up the larvae’s sta- ■

found off Madagascar COML - RUSS HOPCROFT, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS 7 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED NOAA

The remotely operated submersible Strange Flatfish Thrive Jason II caught this in Extreme Conditions image of a tonguefish —Water Up to 180°C swimming in front of Scientists on a NOAA expedition have wit- the cam- nessed the extreme lifestyle of tonguefish that era (fore- ground). like to skip across pools of molten sulphur Notice the Huge numbers of these flatfish—that belong to the tax- other fish onomic genus of Symphurus but are a species new to scattered on science—were seen to congregate around the sulphur the unsedi- ponds that well up from beneath the seafloor in the mented bot- Mariana Arc. tom of the “There are a lot of toxic heavy metals coming out fossil sulfur of these active volcanoes,” Dr John Dower, a fisher- lake ies oceanographer told BBC News. “The water is very warm, and it can be very acidic, the pH can be as low as two, like sulphuric acid. And yet, here we’ve got a group that has not previously been seen in this type of environment and they’re doing very well—they’re actu- ally thriving.” The Mariana Arc is a 1,200km chain of volcanic seamounts and islands between Guam and Japan. It hosts a number of hydrothermal vents—rock systems that draw water through cracks in the seafloor, heat it At Daikoku and Nikko volcanoes in the Marianas, tonguefish to temperatures which can be well above 100C, load and crabs cover the seafloor in some areas it with dissolved metals and other chemicals and then 30 New Fish Species eject the hot fluid back into the ocean. Discovered on Borneo Measured temperatures above 180°C (355°F) At least 52 new species of animals and plants Sharks on Face ‘Extinction’ “These flatfish live right up against the edge of the have been identified this past year on the pools, and in a couple of cases, we saw them out on island of Borneo, according to a Sharks living around the a remote Indian Ocean atoll. Shark-fin soup the surface of a pool,” said Dr Dower to BBC. report compiled by WWF, including ‘The more coral reefs of Australia’s Grey reef shark densities are “The fishing pressure on sharks is “We have video of a fish sitting on the molten sulphur 30 unique fish species. we look, 97% lower on fished and increasing dramatically. The total and then moving off after a couple of minutes, appar- The finds include a miniature fish Great Barrier Reef (GBR) poached reefs compared biomass of reported shark catches ently unharmed. They seem to be able to tolerate an measuring less than one centimetre the more face imminent “eco- with strictly protected no-entry on the GBR has increased four-fold in environment that no other flatfish, and very few fish in in length and found in the highly we find’ logical” extinction unless zones and a remote Indian the last decade,” says team member general, are found in.” acidic blackwater peat swamps of urgent action is taken Ocean atoll. This is according Sean Connolly. Sharks are fished for the island; six Siamese fighting fish, including to Howard Choat, who carried meat, or for their fins, which are sold So what do all these fish live on? one species with a beautiful iridescent blue- to protect them from out the study with colleagues to Southeast Asia for soup. “The density of these things is remarkable; we’ve green marking; a catfish with protruding teeth fishermen and poach- at James Cook University in Although the sharks are not in immi- determined that the abundances are actually about and an adhesive belly which allows it to liter- ers, according to the first Townsville, Australia. nent danger of extinction, they are at 100 times higher than what one typically finds on the ally stick to rocks; and a tree frog with striking study of the animals’ sur- Choat’s team predicts that the top of the coral-reef food chain, continental shelf,” said Dr Dower. bright green eyes. ■ numbers of grey reef shark and play a key role in maintaining But what sustains all that biomass? The researchers vival on the GBR. will continue to decline at the health of its ecosystem—a role speculate the flatfish may be living on resources in the the rate of 17% per year, and they will not be able to perform if their sediments, possibly worms or even bacteria. But they Grey reef shark densities are 97% the numbers of whitetip shark numbers fall below a critical level. may be omnivores. On one occassion, tonguefish at lower on fished and poached by 7% per year, unless urgent “They will be ‘ecologically’ extinct,” the vents were seen to rip apart a dead fish that had reefs compared with strictly measures are taken to prevent says Connolly. SOURCE: fallen out of the water column above. SOURCE: NOAA protected no-entry zones and over-fishing. Biology (Vol. 16, Page 2314) ■ and BBC News ■

8 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Tuna quotas cut as stocks decline

The annual catch of bluefin tuna as “weak, scandal- in the Mediterranean Sea and ous and inad- eastern Atlantic Ocean is to be equate”. cut by one-fifth in an attempt to The envi- conserve dwindling stocks. The 42- ronmental nation International Commission group, for the Conservation of Atlantic WWF, says Tunas (ICCAT) agreed the quota many EU fishing cut at a meeting in Dubrovnik, fleets are breaking the law Croatia. Scientific advice pre- and catching far more tuna pared for the ICCAT meeting con- than allowed. ■ ing, WWF has warned in a report. cluded that catches in the east- WWF found that the annual fish- ern Atlantic and Mediterranean ing quota of 32,000 tonnes, set by were about three times above Illegal fishing ICCAT, has been smashed for the sustainable levels. ICCAT also hits tuna stocks past two years. In 2004, the actual agreed measures to combat catch was 44,948 tonnes and this illegal hunting of the giant fish. Bluefin tuna stocks in the East rose to 45,547 in 2005. A cam- Conservation groups however Atlantic and the Mediterranean are paigner says the real figure may criticised the scale of the cuts being stripped bare by illegal fish- be well over 50,000 tonnes. ■

Farming Endangered Blue-Fin Tuna White Marlin May Soon Become Protected Species teria, no viruses and no parasites. The water The swift billfish, the White marlin, flows in circles in each which inspires huge investments tank—creating an each year in boats and tourna- effect like a tread mill ments by New Jersey sportsmen, for the 15 fish in each may become listed as a threat- tank. They need to ened or endangered species. keep moving to keep Federal officials are examining . Normally the species after pressure from well-travelled fish, they two environmental groups. A are capable of cross- federal judge approved a settle- ing the Atlantic in less ment to a lawsuit which followed SYDNEY UNIVERSITY than 50 days. a negative ruling by the National Tuna is hard to cultivate The tuna have to be shown Marine Fisheries Service to protect because it is difficult to recre- where to swim, so there are the White marlin, that included a ate the conditions they are streams of bubbles flowing away reconsideration by the agency. used to in the wild. But in the from the edges of the tanks, Environmentalists say that the city of Shizoka—in a small shed which guide the tuna away from White marlin are overfished by on a university campus—Akito the sides. The blue-fin will not sportmen. Fishermen say current Yamamoto is trying to recre- be big enough to breed or be regulation and recreational catch- ate the oceans that the tuna eaten for at least three years. and-release measures reduce the are used to. The tanks are spe- “I know some people are numbers killed. SOURCE: Asbury cially designed to keep the puzzled about why I am spend- Park Press. ■ tuna happy and the light is dim. ing so much on this,” said Mr Tuna, it seems, are rather sensi- Yamamoto. “But I am trying to tive to daylight and to pretty make a facility that could be much anything else. The water used for 10 or 20 years.” pumped up from deep down “However much we spend it’s under the surface is just about as worth it if we can provide safe www..com clean as you can get—no bac- food for consumers.” ■ NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF MARINE FISHERIES

9 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED news MONTY PRIEDE Mystery Lightshow

Edited by Witnessed in the Deep Peter Symes Researchers have published two like creatures swimming just above the Cave Sponges Play Important Role papers that announce the discovery of bottom of the sea. Why the animals deep sea lights in the Atlantic Ocean. produce the light is also not under- in Nutrient Cycle The research team assembled from stood. However, the squirting of lumi- Found: Unknown Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, nescent materials is most likely a way Dutch biologist, Sander Schef- coral reef according to divers Group of Oceanic National Oceanography Centre the animals defend themselves. fers, has found that sponges in viewing the area from above. Life Forms Southampton and the University of Researchers have discovered two caves play an extremely im- A larger living surface means Bristol recorded the spontaneous dis- hot spots so far of this mysterious portant role in the coral reef’s a larger filtering surface ac- An international group of play of light by small abyssal crea- deep sea light. Off the tropical West nutrient cycle. cording to Scheffers. This or- researchers has succeeded tures with the aid of a new stealth African coast, there is one spot at By investigating sponges in ganisms feed by filtering water in identifying a previously unmanned vehicle that has a high sen- 3200m depth. The other is off the west the coral reefs off the Carib- and taking up plankton parti- unknown group of algae in sitivity camera. coast of Ireland at a depth of 1000m bean island of Curaçao, he cles at a high rate. the Arctic Ocean. The newly Prof Monty Priede said “We have where some luninescence squirted gathered valuable information Because of their incred- discovered algae belong seen three kinds of displays, single by animals reach football-size balls of for nature conservationists who ible capacity to convert large to the smallest members of flashes of light, animals swimming along light.SOURCE: University of Bristol via steward the coral reefs. In- quantities of organic plankton photosynthetic plankton—the producing repeated flashes of light Physiorg.com ■ deed, the researcher says the into inorganic material, the picoplankton. and animals squirting a luminescent sponges probably pla the most hidden organisms like sponges As reported in the January substance into the water”. See streaming video of the biolumines- important role in the ecosys- play a key role in the marine 12th edition of the journal, The source of the light is still a mys- cence caught on tape here: tem. nutrient cycle according to Science, the researchers have tery, but it is thought to be small shrimp- www.oceanlab.abdn.ac.uk Scheffers used a special un- Scheffers. SOURCE: Nether- discovered a new group of derwater camera to capture lands Organization for Scien- microscopic organisms, which images of the marine organ- tific Research via Innovations they have baptized “pico- Potential Global Demand for Golden Bath Sponge isms and their communities in Report. ■ biliphytes”—pico because almost inaccessible caves. of their extremely small size, The golden bath sponge has been agricultural sector the leads can be The resulting film re- measured in millionths of found to have surprising benefits for ag- taken right through to market and quite vealed that the animals a meter, bili because they ricutlure, medicine and pearling, said quickly,” he said. as well as tube worms, contain biliproteins—highly Lights appearing at marine researchers. Australia is a global leader in many bivalves and tuni- fluorescent substances that baits on the sea floor A researcher from the Australian areas of farm husbandry and mainte- cates fill more than 60 transform light into biomass, at 1000m depth off the Institute of Marine Science, Dr Chris Bat- nance and can provide the capabil- percent of the coral and phyte meaning they are west coast of Ireland tershill, says that more study is needed ity of taking things into a clinic setting. cavities. In addition, it plants. ■ to farm sponges successfully. “In the SOURCE: ABC Rural ■ was noted that these caverns had eight times the surface area as that of the Plastic particles are ckoking the seas and fishing nets to the ubiquitous identified plastic particles of lets resembling fish eggs. Small particles of plastic could Dr Richard Thompson at the environment for possibly hundreds carrier bag, ends up in the world’s around 20 microns—thinner than Thompson and his team con- be poisoning the oceans, University of Plymouth is leading of years. oceans and are almost impossi- the diameter of a human hair. ducted experiments on three according to a British team of research into what happens when ble to clean up. Findings estimate species of filter feeders in their researchers. plastic breaks down in seawater Some are the raw materials of the there are 300,000 items of plastic The scientists are worried that laboratory. They looked at the They report that small plas- and what effect it is having on plastics industry spilled in transit per sq km of sea surface, and these fragments can get into the barnacle, the lugworm and the tic pellets called “mermaids’ the marine environment. Sturdy from processing plants. Others are 100,000 per sq km of seabed. Dr food chain. Among clumps of common amphipod or sand- tears”, often smaller than a and durable plastic does not granules of domestic waste that Thompson’s team also set out to seaweed or flotsam washed up hopper, and found that all three grain of sand, have spread bio-degrade, it only breaks down have fragmented over the years. out to find out how small these on the shore, it is common to find readily ingested plastic as they across the world’s seas. physically, and so persists in the Plastic rubbish, from drinks bottles fragments can get. So far, they’ve mermaids’ tears, small plastic pel- fed along the seabed. ■

10 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED NAUI Airforce?

NAUI CD Wilson van Heugten trained a complete team of the Royal Dutch Airforce from Scuba Diver up to Instructor.

His Royal Prince Pieter-Christiaan with a student Highness Prof. mr. Pieter van The Dutch Royals Take Vollenhoven ready to Disabled Diving enter the Special guests on through several spon- water NAUI and IAHDs Dive sors to organise a ‘Make challenge day were a difference day’. the Dutch Royal fam- As the pictures show, ily, HRH and father all involved had a great Pieter and son prince time. A good attention Pieter-Christiaan van value for the organi- HRH mr. Van Vollenhoven, who took sation and the dive- Vollenhoven several disabled divers industry, HRH Pieter van “Outstanding Exhibitor continent and our experience helping the on their first intro-dive. Vollenhoven promised Award” during the 2006 has been that this was our best disabled for This Dive challenge tour to stay in contact and WesBank National Boat show ever! This year’s show their first intro was made possible do more together. ■ Show which was held incorporated the Dive 2006 dive in Johannesburg, South pavillion, which was dedicated Africa. to the scuba diving industry and The “Outstanding showcased scuba diving gear Exhibitor Award” recipi- and ent is determined by equip- show organizers and is ment, awarded to the exhibitor acces- who is considered to be sories, the best at the show. Of serv- NAUI Service Center the 180 exhibitors who attend- ices, Receives Award from ed the show, NAUI was the only training exhibitor to receive this honor! and Africa’s Largest Boat “We are truly honored to be educa- Show! recognized as the “Outstanding tion, Exhibitor” of the 2006 show,” and Michael and Ursula van said Michael van Niekerk. “We travel Neikerk, operators of NAUI’s have attended this show for the destina- South Africa Service Center, last five years because it is the tions. ■ were the recipients of the largest of its kind on the African Ready to dive! Everone had a great day

11 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Tiny Crabs Keeps the Coral Clean PETER SYMES Tiny crabs that live in coral rates of coral, increasing help to prevent the coral the probability of bleach- from dying by providing ing and coral death. Many regular cleaning “services” corals can remove some that may be critical to the sediment from their surfac- life of coral reefs around es but high sediment loads the world, according to can be deadly. Predicted scientists reporting in the increases in sedimenta- November 2006 issue of tion threaten coral reefs the journal Coral Reefs. in many near shore areas The relationship between around the world. the corals and the trape- Coral reefs are threat- ziid crabs is mutually ben- ened by a variety of en- eficial, or symbiotic. The vironmental changes. For coral provides a home and example, higher water protection for the crabs. temperatures and in- The little crabs, measur- creased ultraviolet radia- NAUI Europe acknowledges the National Dutch Underwater Federation (NOB) ing only a centimeter tion, which are associated wide, make their home with climate change, are NAUI Europe are working closely together with the National DUTCH in branching corals like sources of widespread UNDERWATER FEDERATION, to create new divers, keep existing divers Acropora or Pocillopora. coral bleaching. Changing diving and make convincing prospects to start a diving career. This The crabs provide “house- land use patterns, caused project has run for more that a year and has been joined by PADI keeping” duties for the by population increase on and SSI making it a truly joint effort. coral, routinely “sweeping” the coasts increases the NAUI Europe has presented the NOB with a certificateof appre- out sediment that falls onto sediment load on coral. ciation. The certificate was presented on the holliday exhibition by the coral, according to the This is due to the higher Jelle Buisman, NAUI Europe training director, and he mentioned the study. The accumulation amount of water run-off The scientists showed the importance of trapeziid crabs by gently removing crabs from sec- unique fact that the 4 major agencies work together and that they of sediment on coral tissue from development, defor- tions of the two species of branching corals on a coastal reef. This resulted in 50 to 80 per- are all on the same page. ■ is known to reduce meta- estation with erosion, and cent of those corals dying in less than a month. By contrast, all corals with crabs survived. bolic and tissue growth expansion of agriculture. ■ (Filephoto) Visit NAUI During the following International and Regional Trade Shows in 2007! How Nature Keeps Coral Reefs Healthy Asia USA TEDX Show – Bangkok, Thailand Our World Underwater – Batfish Increases Reef’s Recovery Capacity (May 24-27) Chicago, IL (February 9 -11) PETER SYMES MDT Show – Kuala Lumpur, Beneath The Sea – Secaucus, A fish that gatecrashed an While herbivorous species like the we were amazed when we cap- Malaysia (July 6-8) NJ (March 23-25) experiment in Australia’s Great parrotfish and surgeon fish only tured on video the effects those CDEX Show – Beijing, China Ocean Festival – Ft. Barrier Reef has surprised nibbled disinterestedly at the fish were having. In five days they (August 25-27) Lauderdale, FL (April 20-22) scientists by emerging as algae, the batfish (Platax pinna- had halved the amount of weed. CDEX Show – Hong Kong Sea Space – Houston, TX an unexpected weapon tus) turned up and cleared the In eight weeks, it was completely (September 14-16) (March 31-Apr 1) against the worldwide weed within two months. gone and the coral was free to Scuba Show – Long Beach, CA decline of coral reefs. Professor David Bellwood from grow unhindered,” he said. Europe (June 2-3) Part of the research James Cook University said the Bellwood said declining coastal Duikvaker – Utrecht, Netherland DEMA – Orlando, FL (October involved generating a batfish’s voracious appetite for mangroves serve as nurseries for (February 10-11) 31-Nov 3) bloom of the tropical kelp weed saved the coral from being batfish, which are found in reefs EUDI – Roma, Italia (March 9-12) sargassum weed to mimic choked to death. around the world. The Dive Show – Birmingham, the effects of choking “The surprising finding was This highlights the need to pre- England (October) invasive weeds and seeing if that a different group of fish was serve mangroves and protect local weed-eating fish would responsible for reversing the algal these accidental weed warriors, Plan to visit the NAUI booth at each of these shows to catch up on the latest chomp their way through it. bloom. Batfish are normally con- he said. ■ news, view new products or get together with your fellow NAUI members. sidered to be plankton feeders so Batfish 12 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Did Norway drug some news of its commercial divers?

Kari Todnem, medical director at Norway’s St. Edited by Olav’s Hospital, believes some North Sea commer- Willy Volk cial divers in the 1960s were systematically and unknow- ingly drugged in hyperbaric chambers during ascent in order to calm them -- and to spare diving gas. Todnem came to this conclusion after analyzing nerve and lung damage among the divers, interviewing surviving divers, U.S. COAST GUARD and inspecting hospital records, which refer repeatedly Lt. Jessica Hill and Petty Officer 2nd to drugs such as Medrol and Valium. Why would a gov- Class Steven Duque ernment drug its citizens? According to Todnem, “The only reason I can think of for this being done is a form of US Coast Guard divers’ deaths attrib- trickery, a way to decompress the divers without them uted to “a chain of events and decisions getting symptoms of sickness. This is crimi- nal.” The surviving divers are trying to sue the state for which, had any link been broken,” compensation, arguing that Norway was aware of the would not have occurred dangers posed by their diving. So far, the state has refused to accept responsibility, though some payments were On August 17th, Lt. Jessica Hill and Petty Officer 2nd approved by parliament in 2004. The case goes to court in Class Steven Duque undertook what the Coast Guard March. SOURCE: Aftenposten ■ has repeatedly referred to as a “cold water familiari- zation exercise.” Reportedly only diving to a depth of 20 feet—to inspect the rudder of their ice-breaker, the Two men rescued after being Healy—the divers were tethered to a support team trapped in a sub for 13 hours on the surface. Despite this, both divers drowned. In November, Hill’s father released the autopsy results of If you think being trapped in traffic is bad, imagine being his daughter. According to the autopsy summary, Hill trapped in a submarine 130 meters below the surface of suffered “an uncontrolled descent to a possible depth the ocean—for 13 hours. That’s what happened to a pair of of 189 feet.” But wait—weren’t the divers only sup- men in December. Performing a bi-annual certification of a posed to descend to a max depth of 20 feet? Why submarine rescue vehicle (the Remora, a 16.5-ton remotely- had Hill descended to 189 feet? operated rescue vehicle with room for seven people), the According to the Coast Guard’s recently-released men were inside the sub as it was being winched in by a report, multiple regulations were violated that con- ship when the cable failed. While rescuers riddled out how tributed to the deaths of Hill and Duque, including to bring the men to safety, the sub was lowered to the sea expired dive certifications, untrained personnel put floor -- 130 meters below the waves. Battling high seas, it in charge, faulty equipment used, and the presence took three rescue attempts to finally bring the men within of alcohol. Apparently, when Hill and Duque entered 15 meters of the surface, at which point rescue divers assist- the water, they were carrying more than twice the ed the men in their escape. While the submariners were amount of required for the dive. Unable to uninjured, this is a terrible setback for the Remora. Since the ditch the weight, the pair quickly entered free fall. rescue vehicle failed Single jerks on the line signaling “stop” were misinter- its certification test, if preted by unqualified dive tenders who—distracted there is an accident by the so-called “ice liberty” party going on top- on an Australian side—erroneously paid out more line. Hill descended navy submarine, to 187 feet, and Duque plummeted to more than help will have to 200 feet. By the time the tenders realized what hap- come from either pened, the pair was dead. The Coast Guard has Singapore or the US, vowed to take steps to ensure this will never hap- which could mean a pen again, but for the families and friends of Hill and delay of more than Duque, of course, it’s already too late. SOURCES: 24 hours. SOURCE: CNN, Seattle PI, Military.com ■ news.com.au ■

13 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Ballard to Belize suspends dive guide’s news explore license for a minimum of 5 the Gulf of years Edited by Willy Volk Mexico—from In October 2005, a seemingly innocent pleasure trip turned deadly. When divers on an outing Connecticut with Belize’s (ironically-named) Advanced Diving Famed explorer Dr. Robert experienced a power outage on their vessel, they Scuba diving professor wins Ballard is about to embark decided to swim for shore rather than float aim- on an unusual underwater lessly. Ultimately, three of the divers spent three climate change research award exploration of the Gulf of days and two nights adrift before being rescued; a Mexico’s Flower Garden fourth diver, Abigail Brinkman, died. In December James Crabbe, a scuba diving professor at Banks. What’s so unusual 2006, Belize suspended the license of Advanced the University of Bedfordshire, studies climate about that? He’ll under- Diving’s Vance Cabral for a minimum of five years. change by looking at the world’s coral reefs. take the investigation from In addition to citing his gross negligence—on top Ultimately, his offices at the Mystic of allowing the divers to leave, Cabral operated a Crabbe hopes Aquarium -- in Connecticut. single-engine boat that evidently had (a) no work- to produce a Through satellite technol- ing radio; (b) no emergency signaling equipment; predictive model ogy, a virtual submarine and (c) no drinking water for a trip to a destination NOAA for the effects of command center will allow located 20 miles offshore—Belize’s Tourism Board Dr climate, climate him to see what’s going on noted that Cabral’s behavior had placed Belize’s extremes, and at the site from the comfort of his offices. Interestingly, this exploration entire tour operating profession in disrepute. anthropogenic will not focus on marine life. Rather, it’s an investigation into the human Cabral will not face criminal charges, however, changes on the activity of an area previously above water. According to Ballard, because police dragged their feet for 13 months growth, physiolo- “We’re pretty convinced that ancient native Americans actually were before charging him. The statute of limitations gy and biodiversi- living there. So we’re going to the Flower Gardens with this technology expired after 6 months. SOURCE: Channel5belize ■ ty of tropical coral to see if we can find evidence of human habitation when it used to be reef colonies. land.” SOURCE: WTNH ■ Recently, Crabbe was awarded the Aviva/Earthwatch breaks Moonie pastor arrested for his involvement in trade Award for record in of leopard sharks Climate Change UNIVERSITY OF BEDFORDSHIRE Research. Worth Hurghada A British pastor of the Moonies church, Kevin Thompson, will soon be sen-

Professor James Crabbe HERBERTNITSCH.COM £6,000, Crabbe tenced for his involvement in a worldwide shark-poaching and -smug- plans to buy a video ray underwater ROV with On December 13, 2006, gling racket. Thompson, based at the Unification church in San Leandro, the money. Not to be confused with a death Austria’s Herbert Nitsch -- the California, is one of six men arrested for taking and selling thousands of ray, the state-of-the-art video ray will allow him first freediver to reach 100 undersized California leopard sharks. Investigators charge that Thompson to analyze coral at greater depths, even when meters using his own strength paid fishermen $2-3 for each baby shark they provided and, in turn, he dive teams are not present. Crabbe plans to -- turned in a static apnea sold the sharks to international dealers for $20-35. Reportedly, his shark visit Jamaica this winter with his ROV to collect performance of 9 minutes 4 operation grew so big that he had to store some of the fish at his church! more data, and will head to Belize next summer. seconds, setting a new world Authorities became suspicious of Thompson when dealers he supplied He also plans to launch new projects in Mauritius record. Static Apnea is timed were caught and testified against him. Thompson faces up to eight years and China. SOURCE: Bedford Today ■ breath-holding and is usu- in jail and fines of up to $1 million. Investigators believe that Thompson ally attempted in a pool, was trying to impress his leader, the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, who or -- if you’re David Blaine - frequently extols the virtues of fishing and refers to himself as King of the - in a giant sphere. SOURCE: Ocean. Lucky for Thompson, he’ll soon be able to refer Deeperblue.net ■ to himself as King of San Quentin State Prison pool. SOURCE: See NITSCH’S Independent ■ other records

14 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Underwater photographer Alessandro Dodi dies during news course

Edited by According to a friend, underwater photog- Willy Volk rapher Alessandro Dodi was participating in a rebreather course in Italy’s Lake Como in November, 2006. Apparently, Dodi made a dive using one rebreather, surfaced, switched to another unit, and descended again. Dodi’s buddy surfaced when he lost sight of Dodi and, having established that he was not at the surface, re-descended to WWW.MAR-ROSSO.IT Ikelite’s Ike Brigham dies find him motionless, on the bottom of the lake, his regulator out of his mouth. Dodi In the early 1960s, Ike Brigham and his was a winner in Diver Magazine’s Image 2003 photo competition, tak- dive buddies would gear up and explore ing four medals including gold in the Grand Master (Marine Life/People/ Indiana’s flooded limestone quarries. Not Scenery Prints) category. In 2004, Dodi’s website won the Best Artistic site happy diving in the dark, and not having award at the Antibes Festival. SOURCE: Divernet ■ access to quality lighting, Ike set out to design a small, robust light for himself and his friends. After fiddling around in his kitch- en, Ike ultimately devised a way to make Diver survives spear an inexpensive light quickly and cheaply gun shot through -- in his oven. Word soon spread about his neck “Ike’s Light,” and Drowned diver Julio Cesar Cu wanted to dive shops around On Christmas Eve, a 27-year-old man was with friends off South be an oceanographer. the Midwest began Africa’s East London coast when he was accidentally shot in the neck. failed to turn on calling in orders. According to the National Sea Rescue Institute, fellow divers sounded a dis- Instead, he wound up as a Ikelite was born. tress call and alerted authorities. Rescue officials were slow in arriving, howev- equipment sewer diver in Mexico City Ikelite has come a er, so the divers pulled the spear from ’s neck, since it “had missed In September 2005, diver Nigel Peter long way since since vital organs, including the jugular vein.” The spearfisherman was delivered to Mexico City, home to 18 million peo- Lees was diving alone off a char- 1962, and today the the hospital later that afternoon and released the following morning. While it ple, has some filthy sewers. They’re tered boat anchored near Ship company provides may sound macho, self-removal of the spear is the recommended not just regular filthy, though: they’re Cove, New Zealand. Planning only divers with housings, course of action. SOURCE: news24 ■ dangerously, disgustingly, putrefying- to check his gear, clear mussels strobes, strobe con- ly, puke-inducingly filthy. In addition off the mooring line, and collect IKELIGHTS trollers, arms, trays, to all the poop that sewer diver Julio crayfish, Lees was gone from the Ike Brigham flashlights, and com- Cesar Cu is forced to swim through, boat for a long time. Later, his boat- passes. Dedicated, Julio frequently encounters far more Squid mail mates found him dead at 15 meters, innovative, and constantly trying to make Surumail wretched items, like severed animal with his equipment switched off. a better product, over the years curmudg- Residents along Japan’s south- is ready heads and decaying human bod- Ordinarily a methodical diver, Lees eon-y Ike made many friends in the diving eastern coast have been using for mailing ies. Clearing the 20-foot-wide pipes evidently failed to use his equipment community, worked tirelessly to provide “Surumail” -- edible postcards made anywhere beneath the streets earns him $400 properly. A recently-completed the best customer service possible, and from squid -- since 2000. Produced in the world. a month. While many people would investigation revealed that Lees’ truly revolutionized both the sport of diving by the Susami fishing cooperative, The fishing probably grumble about his job, Julio electronic handsets had not been and the discipline of underwater imaging. Surumail postcards consist of surume cooperative claims has a bright outlook: “I like diving as turned on, and additional Ike passed away on December 20th, 2006. squid, which has been dried, flattened, they’ve sold 4000-5000 of these $3 a sport. As a job I like it even more. was not being put into the system According to his daughter, Jean, he had and vacuum-packed. Used in conjunc- cards since their inception. Fittingly, this I do a job that benefits a lot of peo- to compensate for that which was been fighting lung cancer. He will be sadly tion with the conveniently-provided is the same community that installed an ple.” Thank God for people like Julio. being used. SOURCE: Stuff.co.nz ■ missed. SOURCE: Scubadiving.com ■ adhesive label (for postage, deliv- underwater mailbox off its shore a few SOURCE: Signonsandiego.com ■ ery address, and a short message), months ago. SOURCE: Pinktentacle ■

15 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Training �����Puts More Ogle in Your Goggle! bulletin SSI Introduces Flat masks block over 75% of your natural field-of-view. Enjoy natural panoramic vision. See almost 5X more through a Double-Dome™ lens Edited by perfected with NASA technology. NanoFOG™ coating, applied at the Peter Symes Technical Diving factory, ensures fog-free dives. Only naturally nearsighted divers (broad Rx range) can use the MEGA® 4.5DD mask with their naked eyes. But over ers. The instructor can formulate 700 divers around the world with 20/20 vision wear disposable contact SSI enters the technical lenses to use this mask. These divers become temporarily nearsighted. The diving market with the offi- training around each customer’s incredible view is worth the effort. Endorsed by 1,000 eye doctors worldwide. individual goals and objectives cial launch of “TXR”, the Older divers love the Magic Bifocal phenomenon. Seeing is believing! Updated B2B web as students who just want to learn SSI Technical Extended more about the right decom- shopping cart for Range program pression procedures can stop PADI Members after the second course. Others www.HydroOptix.com LLC © 2006 HydroOptix PADI continues to devel- The TXR product launch includes who would like to go through op digital tools designed four courses which are: Technical the entire program to become a to make it easier for PADI Foundations, Decompression TEK DIVER have the option to do Members to succeed. Procedures, Normoxic and so. The program has also been PADI International writes: One exciting new devel- Advanced Decompression. designed to seamlessly integrate opment is a completely with the traditional SSI rec- No Barrier Tour Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary revamped business to reational products. The No Barrier Tour was estab- abilities such as cerebral palsy, PADI wishes the No Barrier Tour business web shopping lished in 1996 in the UK by Fraser Down’s syndrome and muscular every success for the future, in cart. Xtreme Training Bathgate, PADI’s Adaptive dystrophy. The name, No Barrier, their 10th anniversary year. To find The new iteration of The SSI TechXR program Techniques Adviser and the first was inspired by the belief that out how you can get involved, PADI’s online shopping was designed and tested paraplegic person to become a there are really no barriers in the contact PADI International Ltd. by cart uses the latest tech- under the most demand- PADI scuba . 2006 water, and everyone can experi- calling + 44 (0) 117 300 7234. nology as part of the ing conditions. All of the saw the Tour celebrate its 10th ence the freedom that scuba www.padi.com ■ organization’s overall complex information has anniversary—a real milestone for diving brings. Originally, No Barrier move to help members The academics for the four been broken down and made everyone involved. began in the UK, but during the embrace the internet courses will be presented in one simple to teach and understand. No Barriers was devised to bring past five years has also worked and expand their busi- manual with four sections. There The training materials for both a new dimension in sport for disa- internationally. ness perimeters through- will be an accompanying inter- the student and instructors were bled people, initially catering to out the online world. “As active CD and a series of dive developed by industry profession- those with spinal injuries, but over part of the PADI commit- planning slates. The TXR program als with years of technical expe- time reaching out to people ment to helping mem- has been designed to provide rience. SSI’s signature training with other dis- bers succeed in the dig- both students and instructors with method, the SSI Diver Diamond ital age, the PADI organi- an unprecedented level of flex- and Comfort Through Repetition, zation is reviewing and ibility. The four courses are build- has been applied to keep the upgrading online serv- ing blocks, which can be taught programs consistent and provide ices while continuing to individually and sequentially or the same high quality education explore additional online combined to meet specific train- as other SSI products. offerings,” said Budd ing objectives. The SSI TechXR If you want to know more about Riker, PADI Director of program is designed to meet the TechXR, contact your local SSI eBusiness. “The updated needs of divers and dive lead- Facility or www.ssiusa.com/txr. ■ web shopping cart will include a web catalog, enabling PADI Members to order training materi- als any time of day that’s most convenient.” ■

16 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED wreck rap JIM KENNARD/WWW.SHIPWRECKWORLD.COM

Treasure from the Wanli An early 1800’s schooner has been discovered in deep water off the southern shore wreck to go on exhibit of Lake Ontario near Oak Orchard / Point Breeze, New York. Shipwreck enthusiasts, Jim Kennard and Dan Scoville located the old schooner utilizing sophisticated side In year 1625, a Portuguese ves- scanning equipment. SOURCE: Shipwreckworld.com sel set off from China on a voy- age to the Straits of Malacca. Onboard were tonnes of china- ware and pottery that would 19th Century Schooner sits bring lucrative profits for the Portuguese. However, the ship almost intact in Lake Ontario now named “Wanli” never Shipwreck explorers Jim Kennard extending 21m (70ft) up in a dark, reached the Portuguese fort and Dan Scoville who located the almost oxygen-free setting. Its rig- of Melaka as she sank half schooner Milan in the summer of ging and sails have long disintegrat- way sailing through the South 2005 about five miles off Point Breeze, ed, but much else appears largely China Sea. The ill-fated voyage off Rochester, New York, have now undamaged. Both anchors are firmly WWW.TRADEWINDTREASURES.BIZ of Wanli remained a mys- videotaped the 93-foot-long, square- in place near the bow. The tiller, a tery until almost four centuries later when her wreckage was dis- stern vessel using an ROV built with large handle for turning the rudder, is covered buried deep in the ocean off the coast of Terengganu the help of college students. The ship intact. SOURCE: International Herald (Malaysia) together with her precious cargo. sits evenly on the lake bed; its masts Tribune. ■ A team of researchers led by a Kuala Rompin-based marine archeologist, Stan Sjostrand, discovered the shipwreck in Mica wreck offers glimpse into early shipping in the Mexican Gulf November 2003. During the team’s search and investigation in The Mica wreck, measuring 20m and laying under half a mile of water on the seafloor 2004, parts of the cargo comprising the priceless blue-and-white of the Gulf of Mexico, is a bit of a mystery. Why was the hull covered by copper sheets? pottery and other wares were also recovered. Such a coating, often The highly prized Ming Dynasty’s blue-and-white porcelain too expensive for small found onboard Wanli also indicated that the Portuguese had merchant vessels, was access to better quality Chinese wares than the Dutch, while commonly applied to the Wanli vessel itself was believed to have been constructed large vessels by ship somewhere in Southeast Asia. builders from the late Meanwhile, various steps have been taken by the Museums 18th century to the and Entiquities Department to extensively promote and incul- mid-19th century. It cate better understanding of the country’s rich underwater protected ships from heritage. Among them is a plan to create a permanent gal- wood-eating creatures lery for the maritime history at the National Museum. ■ such as barnacles. ■ U.S. MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE 17 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Truk’s Wrecks an Environmental Disaster? on the reef, you can imagine the dam- Truk Lagoon is arguably the world’s pre- threatening the island’s coastline. Local age it will cause from the loads of fuel wreck miere location. Boasting blast fishermen have illegally fished the being released.” rap dozens of wrecks (destroyers, transports, area for decades, causing damage to Although Micronesia profits from the cargo, subs, tugs, carriers, tankers and the wrecks. Consequently, the wreck’s vessels through tourism revenue, mari- other vessels) in her waters, the island’s disintegrating hulls are beginning to leak time law dictates that Japan still owns economy centers around these sunken diesel fuel, oil and other toxic chemicals. the sunken ships and planes. Together, ships. However, Micronesia’s greatest According to Joe Konno, former these two governments will have to asset may also be its greatest liabil- Director of the Truk Environmental come to a —and swiftly!—other- ity: massive oil leaks from the tankers, Protection Agency, “If one of those ships wise these divers’ dreams may mutate destroyers and other WWII relics are happens to break loose in the lagoon or into environmentalists’ nightmares. ■ German WW2 Sub Wreck With 65 Tons of Mercury Has Started to Leak

GEOCONSULT More than 60 years after being torpe- sunken wartime U-boat is entomb- doed by the British navy, the rusting ment. The wreck will probably be wreckage of the U-864, a German covered by a gigantic mound of submarine, now poses a major envi- gravel and sand, concreted for sta- ronmental threat due to its poison- bility and extending 12m above it to ous cargo. At the time of the sinking, allow for a shifting seabed. U-864 was on a top-secret mission to U-864 was sunk by the British sub supply Japan with advanced weap- HMS Venturer—the only recorded ons technology. As the German ves- fight to the finish by two submarines. sel sank in two parts into more than HMS Venturer (Lt. J.S. Launders) torpe- The remarkable story of the duel 120 meters of water, it took with it not does and sinks the German submarine between HMS Venturer and U-864, For 65 years, the wreck of the USS Arizona has been leaking only the 73 men on board, but also U-864 in the North Sea west of Bergen, and the results of a recent diving oil from its grave at the bottom of Pearl Harbor, staining the 60 tons of mercury for the Japanese Norway, in position 60.46N, 04.35E. This expedition to the U-boat wreck, was water, visitors often say, as if it were the ship’s blood. The leaks munitions industry and, some histori- is the only known incident in all of naval screened on a BBC2 Timewatch doc- come from about 500,000 gallons of thick, bunker C fuel oil cal accounts say, a newly developed warfare in which one submarine sinks umentary on 2 January. ■ that remain trapped in the deteriorating hulk—oil whose “cat- German jet-fighter engine—technolo- another while both are submerged astrophic” release experts now think is inevitable gy that was supposed to give the Axis powers an edge in the closing stages ROV footage of of the war. the wreckshows The long saga of the U-864, howev- the progressed er, is far from over. Many of the canis- deterioration ters containing the liquid mercury are corroding. Small amounts of mercury have seeped out and Norwegian government tests around the wreck have detected slightly raised amounts of the metal in crabs and fish—the country’s second biggest export after oil and gas. The Norwegian Government has announced that the most likely treat- ment for the toxic threat posed by a

Sidescan sonar image showing the broken U-864 on the seabed GEOCONSULT 18 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Artist’s rendition of the elusive japanese midget sub

Divers find three U-boats wrecked by secret war- Japanese WW2 Minisub found off Sydney time minefield Divers have found the wreck of a The missing two-man submarine M24 was Japanese midget submarine that one of three Japanese midget submarines that Divers have uncovered the launched a surprise attack on Sydney Harbour. wrecks of three Second World attacked Sydney Harbour in 1942 In darkness it slipped in past protective nets War German submarines off the and brought the Second World War to stretched across the harbour entrance on May British coast, shedding light on a Australia’s biggest city, ending a 64- 31, 1942, with the plan attack shipping, including British operation that has remained the American battle cruiser USS Chicago. secret for more than 60 years. year mystery over its fate. Historians were amazed at the dis- Divers were since told not to visit the wrecks, Two of the 46-ton subs were sunk. But the M24 covery of the severely damaged with a government minister saying the vessel fired two torpedoes, one of which sank the con- U-boats. The submarines are all might have unexploded weapons inside. The verted ferry HMAS Kuttabul, killing 19 Australian lying close to each other seven Federal Government has warned of huge penal- sailors and two Britons before vanishing under miles off Newquay in Cornwall, an ties for anyone who disturbs or interferes with the heavy fire. The other torpedo failed to explode. area where no U-boats had ever sunken vessel. been recorded as being lost. What became of the M24 after Filephoto of another midget submarine the attack was carried out After extensive research using de- has remained a mystery until classified wartime documents, his- recently when the wreck of torians revealed they were victims the long-sought submarine was of a deep minefield laid to defend found by recreational divers in supply lines. after the British inter- deep water 5.5km off Sydney’s cepted a radio message from a north coast. U-boat commander After several days of exami- nation by navy divers, Environ- His boat had sunk a British destroy- ment Minister Ian Campbell er after discovering a gap in the confirmed the wreck was the Irish Sea minefield that allowed missing M24. supply ships in to Cardiff and “The resident expert in the Bristol. He radioed the news to Royal Australian Navy tells us Germany but his message was that from what he has seen, this deciphered by British Intelligence. is the one. This will give the peo- The British then laid deep mines ple of Australia and Japan the to allow ships through but trap U- final piece of this maritime herit- boats. ■ age puzzle,” Campbell said in a

statement. ■ ADMIRAL NIMITZ MUSEUM 19th Century Shipwreck The hunt for Chile’s first submarine Recovered in Chile The search for the first subma- German immigrant to Chile, and and researchers from the depart- rine designed and built in Latin his young son were aboard the ment of sub-aquatic archeology A sub on a routine mission fell upon one of America has brought together sub when it sank. at the Universidad Internacional nearly 600 shipwrecks resting in the bay of Val- public attention and Chilean his- The Chilean President José SEK in Santiago. State-of-the-art paraíso. Artifacts found are of British origin and tory with civil, military, academic Joaquín Pérez had commis- equipment including high-fre- include nautical telescope, dishes, a sailor’s leaders and artists. The Flach sioned the submarine to assist the quency sonar to detect objects shoe buckle, metal handheld lamps and bottles submarine was launched in 1866 war effort between Chile, Peru on the ocean floor and a low-fre- dating back to 1850 according to the experts. to protect Valapariso harbor and Spain from 1864 to 1866. quency depth profiler to locate Archeologists say the vessel appears to be an from attack by the Spanish fleet. A filmaker, Juan Enrique objects buried in the sea floor as English merchant ship. Vessels such as this ran But the unique pedal-powered Benítez, has researched the sub well as an electromagnetic scan- a route from Great Britain to the west coast of vessel sank just days after its for the past year and coordinat- ner to identify metallic objects, North America. Most of the shipwreck is buried unveiling. Nine crew members, ed an effort to locate the vessel was used in a four-day survey of under sediment at a depth of 17 meters. It is the sub’s designer, Karl Flach a in collaboration with Nayvy divers Valparaiso harbor. ■ thought that the ship is split in two. ■

19 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ’s Ghost Ship British War Graves Vulnerable Underwater archaeological experts have now created to Desecration by Foreigners the most detailed sonar images to date of the HMS Royal Oak, which sank to the bottom of Scapa Flow in 1939. Vessels sunk with British servicemen inside The battleship took less than 15 minutes to sink with are under the protection of the British Pro- her crew of more than 1,200,833 who perished with her. tection of Military Remains Act of 1986. A U-boat ace Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien of U47 was loophole in the law which stops British citi- responsible for her demise as he slipped through Royal zens from penetrating the wrecks doesn’t Navy defences in Orkneys and shot four torpedoes into bar foreigners from diving them. the warship. Evidence of this form of desecration Oil leaking from the ship’s fuel tanks have presented a come in the form of videos posted on problem, much of it pumped out of the wreck, but still up the internet by foreigners. In addition, to 286,000 gallons are thought to remain trapped in the items taken from the wrecks are showing hull of the ship. up on eBay and on DVDs, which include In order to find out what state the wreck was in and how footage of human remains. Companies stable it was before attempting to empty the inner tanks, are now taking divers into battleships the Ministry of Defense called on Adus, wreck survey and according to officials. Foreigners cannot sonar experts from the University of St Andrews. Compu- be prosecuted for diving on wrecks in ter wizardry turned data collected into 3D images of the international waters, since there is no law wreck. protecting them from this activity. Maritime achaeologist with Adus, Martin Dean, said, There are individuals calling for a “The sonar images are of such accuracy that even small change in the law according to officials. changes in the hull over time can be monitored closely The new law would ensure that wrecks year on year... This will not only help reduce the impact of would get the same respect as war a catastrophic failure of the hull should it occur but, bet- cemetaries do. While visiting the outside ter still, allow a much greater understanding of how and of the wrecks are permitted, entering when the wreck might break up.” SOURCE: Navynews. the wrecks is restricted. SOURCE: icwales. co.uk, Diving-News.com ■ icnetwork.co.uk ■ ad ROYAL OAK SONAR SURVEY 2006 20 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Gallery Think you’re

In May 2006, artist the World’s Travel News Jason Taylor opened Ultimate his Underwater Sculpture Gallery Diver? Prove it. in Grenada. The The Ultimate Diver Edited by Peter & Gunild Symes unique artistic dis- Challenge is a Survivor for play celebrates scuba divers, designed Caribbean culture to test the dedication, while it explores the skills, and knowledge that UDC Can Visitors Enter the Largest constantly changing goes into protecting the Marine Sanctuary on Earth in 2007? relationship between Walt “Butch” Hendrick, reef and engaging in safe art and the environ- of Lifeguard Systems will dive practices. Scheduled The Northwest Hawaiian Islands National Marine ment. More impor- design the UDC course for August in , National Monument is the largest marine sanctu- tantly, the Gallery is the competition’s vari- ary on earth. It boasts over 7000 species, a fourth of a fascinating dive ous challenges are set up to identify a team of which do not exist anywhere else in the world. It is destination. Though Ultimate Divers and, later, a single Ultimate Diver. the largest protected area governed by the U.S. The sculpting the pieces To determine the Ultimate Diver, participants will large atoll in the island chain, Midway, was once and placing them demonstrate knowledge of the fundamentals of accessible to divers. But it has been closed for about underwater looks diving; perform safety drills; demonstrate navigation five years. It is pristine territory, remote, untouched... time-consuming and search skills; deal with emergency situations; a diving wonderland. Three governmental agencies UNDERWATERSCULPTURE.COM and labor-intensive, and participate in a wild, day-long beach party. that run the Sanctuary have devised a plan that Underwater sculpture garden, Grenada for divers exploring Oh, wait—the beach party isn’t actually part of the would allow visitors access to the area in mid-2007. Taylor’s work, it’s competition. That’s part of the closing ceremonies. There will be a limit on the number of visitors per worth it. The pieces aren’t just statues or swim-throughs; SOURCE: Ultimatediverchallenge.com ■ night—30 per night in 2007 and 50 per night in 2008. they’re gorgeous, multi-dimensional displays of genius. La Activities like , kayaking, hiking and sight- Diablesse, for example, is fashioned from concrete and Cayman’s Stingray City rules to change seeing historic military sites on the island are listed steel and secured to the ocean substrate. The effect is 20-day Submarine Cruise The Marine Conservation Law on the Cayman’s as appropriate activities. Diving is not mentioned, a sublime underwater goddess -- at once beautiful and has recently been amended to help regulate the to Tour Great Barrier Reef unfortunately. SOURCE: Seattlepi.nwsource.com ■ wretched -- watching over the reef. Meanwhile, The Lost Correspondent is a forlorn, amazing work totally incongru- amount and type of food fed to the stingrays of New in the land down under is a spectacular ous at his desk under the waves. There’s no way words Stingray City as well as activities in other Wildlife In- 20-day cruisetour on the Sapphire Princess. 16th TDI Pro Development Center can convey the beauty -- and the unusual-ness -- of teraction Zones. There is now a limit of the number From Sydney, visitors go on an eight-day on Grand Cayman Talyor’s work. To begin to understand his art, check out his of boats that access the zone at specific times and escorted land tour after freshening up at gallery of images. Better yet, watch the video on his site the number of passengers that can be taken to the Rydges Jamison five-star luxury hotel in the sites. The measure was inspired by a growing Divetech on Grand Cayman Island is now one of only that takes you through his otherworldy underwater world. the center of the city. Then, it’s off to Ayers concern that human interaction might be having 16 TDI Professional Development Centers in the world. SOURCE: Underwatersculpture.com ■ Rock in the deep Outback where guests will to heavy an effect on the rays. Stingray City offers In order to gain such a status, the center must have spend the night at the Sails Resort. visitors an unique opportunity to interact with a lot two certified Instructor Trainers on staff. Returning from Next stop on the list is Kakadu National of wild but friendly stingrays. It is not the rays’ natu- Maine, USA, world headquarters of SDI/TDI, Divetech’s Gozo Gets New Hyperbaric Unit Park with a peak at ancient Aboriginal art ral habitat, but they have been coming here for Nat Robb carried a new certification as an IT with TDI sites and tons of wildlife. Onto Cairns where At Gozo General Hospital, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi decades after they were initially attracted to the and SDI. He was awarded several IT ratings includ- the real fun begins on a catamaran for a inaugurated a new hyperbaric unit. The unit is located in area by the tastey morsels the fishermen cleaned ing: TDI Advanced Trimix, Trimix, Extended Range, full-day tour of the Great Barrier Reef. This a converted laundry room that now houses the sophis- off their boats. SOURCE: Caycompass.com ■ Advanced , Decompression Procedures, Nitrox is where the snorkeling and submarine tour ticated equipment to treat divers with decompression come in. Diver, Nitrox Gas Blender, SCR Drager Dolphin, CCR illness. Inspiration, CCR Inspiration Mixed Gas, CCR Inspiration Breakfast and then back to Sydney where Arrival of this new unit makes Gozo a safer and more at- visitors climb aboard the Sapphire Prince Advanced Mixed Gas, CCR Evolution, CCR Evolu- tractive place to dive, since the center is just a few min- tion Mixed Gas, CCR Evolution Advanced Mixed Gas, to visit ports such as Melborne, Hobart, utes away from dive locations. It is all part of a marketing Fjord-land National Park, Christchurch and CCR Kiss, CCR Kiss Mixed Gas and SDI (Recreational). campaign to strengthen Gozo’s position as a quality dive Robb and Nancy Easterbrook now carry the flag as Tauranga in New Zealand, finally ending in destination. Other measures included the scuttling of the Aukland. The fun never ends. the two IT on staff at Divetech, which can now offer MV Cominoland and the MV Karwela in August. The total with their presence instructor level training for divers For more information, call Panda Travel investment for the niche tourism project of Gozo is 1.3 mil- at (602) 943-3383, (800) 447-2632 or e-mail who want to become instructors. SOURCE: Caycom- lion euros. SOURCE: MaltaMedia.com ■ pass.com ■ [email protected]. ■ PETER SYMES 21 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED A Dive Event of a Lifetime! BIGANIMALS PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITIONS is offering two National Park Service departures led by two extraor- Rebreather Events in the Join us in with Cocos Island dinary explorers: Dr. Kathryn Announces Ocean Sullivan and Dr. . The Dominican Republic Dr. Kathryn Sullivan & Dr. Sylvia Earle expeditions will rendezvous at Cocos Island, affording guests Park Stewardship on each trip the opportunity to —Silent Seas (16 – 21 April 2007) dive and interact with BOTH —Shipwreck 2007 Xploration (22 – 27 April 2007) They have been perfecting their parade these dynamic women. Oh, the Action Plan stories and the presentations for eons. they will share on board! Pirate’s Cove Dive Centre—the This will be followed on the At an event celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Virgin Islands Now they want to show off for your camera. Scientists, filmmakers and sport Dominican Republic’s latest state- 22nd April by Shipwreck 2007 divers have made the pilgrim- The ultimate adrenalin rush! of-the-art technical diving cen- Xploration. This unique event will National Park, the US National Park age to Cocos and Malpelo to tre—is proud to announce two include a wide range of activities, Service has announced the release of experience and photograph the the Ocean Park Stewardship Action Her Highness and Her Deepness are overwhelming sight of school- weeks of mouth watering special- training, dives, presentations and ing hammerhead sharks, awe- Plan—a comprehensive plan by the already on board … ist diving in April. the opportunity to interact with inspiring whale sharks and the The second Silent Seas (Pirate’s some of the leaders in the wreck agency for restoring and maintain- visceral thrill of witnessing a bait ball. Rebreather Week) will be in April. diving community. ing ocean resources in the national Last year’s Silent Seas was quite a Shadow Diver, John Chatterton, park system. The Ocean Park Plan will Join DR. KATHRYN special event, attended by many will be a keynote speaker at focus the organizational and scientific SULLIVAN, ”Her capacity of the Park Service on con- Highness,” May 21 like-minded divers, and they are Shipwreck 2007 Xploration. “This is –June 05 ’07, on a serving marine, estuarine and Great hoping to repeat the same expe- a one-of-a-kind event where we diving adventure rience this year. Silent Seas is for are actually going to try to find Lakes resources, in collaboration with to Cocos. Dr. Sullivan, a Ph.D. in oceanography, was the first all levels and experience (includ- a new wreck. I’m very excited state and federal agencies and park stakeholders. American woman to walk in ing interested open circuit divers) about this, as it will be a great space and was inducted into the allowing everyone to share the opportunity for people to take “The comprehensive program rep- Astronaut Hall of Fame. Dr. Sulli- best of all worlds. classes and learn, and then put resents a commitment to restore and van has served as Chief Scientist of NOAA. She is a passionate what they learn into maintain productive fisheries, habitats, and wildlife in the ocean parks, and advocate of science education practice and have a and conservation. lot of fun doing it.” ensure the recreational opportunities they afford to hundreds of communi- Join DR. SYLVIA If you would like EARLE, “Her to join Silent Seas ties and millions of visitors. The Ocean Deepness,” or Shipwreck 2007 Park Plan highlights collaborations with May 17 – June 3 ’07, on a diving Xploration, please go the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and private partners, voyage to Malpelo and Cocos. to www.piratescove- Dr. Earle, a world-renowned divecenter.com for including our recent agreement for marine biologist, is an explorer- registration details and a seamless network of ocean parks, in-residence at the National wildlife refuges, marine sanctuaries Geographic Society. Dr. Earle additional information. holds numerous diving records, and estuarine reserves.” SOURCE: U.S. ■ including the women’s world Department of the Interior ■ depth record for . JILL HEINERT AMOS NACHOUM, Director of BigAni- mals Photography, Colombian Navy Goes After Shark Finners also known as “Ambassador of The Colombian Navy’s Pacific crew discovered a boat with 14 us over,” many do not support the BigAnimals,” is a person with big task devotes most of its time dead hammerheads on it, Navy Navy’s new endeavor. SOURCE: dreams for exploration, a passion to the pursuit of cocaine traffick- Captain Luis Rodríguez was only Financial Times via Diverster.com ■ for photography and a source of ers. However, lately the group able to cite the vessel for endless energy. A professional The Colombian submarine ARC Pijao patrolling marine wildlife photographer, he has cast a wider net. Cruising having too few life jack- WHAT ARE will coach expedition guests in the seas, looking for illegal shark ets. Of course, many of BigAnimals action photography. finning boats, the Navy has the locals residing in the See you in the blue! started working to halt the cruel coastal villages depend YOU WAITING – Amos Nachoum poachers that ply its waters. Not on the fishing industry, are FOR? surprisingly, laws in the region they are not pleased with are lax, and the Navy doesn’t the navy’s new “pro-shark” have jurisdiction when it comes stance. Believing the “gov- Call now: 415 923 9865 Email: [email protected] http://www.biganimals.com to finners. For example, when the ernment is trying to screw US NAVY 22 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Riviera Maya The Yucatan Peninsula Diving the Ancient Mayan Underworld is located in the south of the contiguous Mexican states. The ground here is heated by the tropical sun—35°C makes for a hot and impassable jungle. The bogs—littered with iguanas, snakes and crocodiles— are drying up. A rare trop- ical storm suddenly and unexpectedly flies up from the Caribbean Sea. Black clouds, peals of thunder, bright lighting, squalls of wind and rain last no more than 15–20 minutes and again the damp stuffy mind- melting weight of the stifling heat returns. It is not the best place to dwell for the white man. But this land saw an era over 1000 years ago, when it was occupied by a surprisingly small-in-stature, dark-skinned people—the Maya. Text by Andrey Bizyukin Edited by Gunild Symes Photos by Andrey Bizyukin Brigitte Veldman, J P Bresser Alexander Andrianov and Peter Symes

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Mayan ruins; The coast of Yukatan; The mysterious under- world of the ancient Mayan people PREVIOUS PAGE: Diver explores cave

The Mayans completely adapted to the conditions of their environment, with superb observations of the nature around them, learning to cultivate maize and settling sea, everywhere smiling cheerful area does not exceed 18 meters, and in throughout their lands. In homage people with fins, snorkels, masks the vicinity of the city, there is only one to their Gods, they constructed and cylinders on their backs, a wreck. But one can see the same diving temples, pyramids and observatories. casino, noisy discos, night clubs pleasures you can find here in any other They developed an alphabet and and the popular Mexican bullfight place around Caribbean basin. So why wrote texts. They devised their every Wednesday. There are do experts recommend coming to this own calendar, composed legends huge divers’ supermarkets where location? To go here only for sea diving? and wrote down history of unique it is possible to buy everything one Definitely not. So why then, during the peoples. Mayans have maintained needs for diving. There are fleets high season, do 70,000 visitors come their unique guttural language and of dive boats heading out to sea when all the local hotels have put up the the original tenets of their culture up every morning with enthusiastic “sold out” notice? Why do these people to current times. skin divers onboard. choose Cancun and the Riviera Maya? Over 30 years ago, the government Certainly, there is interesting The answer to this question is that only of Mexico made a decision that for everyone in plunging into here, on the Riviera Maya, is it possible to changed the life of its native peoples. the underwater world of the see one of the truly great diving miracles The government set out to construct Caribbean Sea, to admire the of the world—the surprising and exciting a new resort on the southeast coast multi-colored tropical fishes, to world of the underwater caves of the of the Yukatàn Peninsula on a place place where the Mayan god lives), and are popular vacation spots and make- dive in thickets of soft corals, to take Yukatàn. hitherto unknown in a small fishing village. includes the area adjoining it which has up the diving capital of the Mexican pleasure in the strongest sea currents An old Mayan legend tells a story The city is now known as Cancun, which been built up with luxurious hotel—the Caribbean islands. Here, one will find around and to explore the underwater about how the gods, when they created translated from the Mayan language Riviera Maya. smart hotels, splendid palm trees, snow- bronze guns of Spanish galleons even the land, filled the peninsula with fresh means “the nest of the Snake” (or the Today Cancun and the Riviera Maya white beaches of coral sand, the azure though the maximal diving depth in this water, which they say is the “blood”

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feeding the ground of the Maya. When caves have become the focus of mass and it is necessary for all participants on cave divers dive in water with a visibility limestone collapses within a cave, pilgrimages of skin divers from all over the cave diving excursion to have an of no less than 10 meters, a depth of no freshwater lakes (in the Maya language the world. Open Water certificate. more than 33 meters and a distance is “cenotes”) become the inputs to People that come here in the hottest from the ’s entrance of no more the magical underground world of the part of the day will take pleasure in Cenote Etiquette than 65 meters. Often, the dive group’s ancient Mayan gods. In the past, during the crystal clear cool waters (+24°C) At the entrance of the cenotes, departure is a distance of 300-400 seasons of heavy draught, cenotes were and swim for a while at the mouth of a you will have to hear a meters for 35-40 for Mayans the unique, sacred sources of cavern with only a mask, a and a short lecture on how to minutes from fresh water. Here, at the cenotes edge, small torch in hand. Those who are more correctly do the frog kick the entrance Mayan priests made human sacrifices brave dive here with a skilled guide—an with your fins, how to of the cave, and dumped the bodies of the victims instructor with one cylinder behind his show signals by torch, and on into the caverns. From here, they took back and a noisy cheerful company how to use a guide line many sites water for irrigating maize fields. But the of friends. The rules of cave diving are and how to use the of such terrible pagan customs are long past simple enough: one guide should have “one third” tank rule. routes, gone in history, and now the underwater no more than four underwater tourists, As a rule, beginning there is

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Mayan warrior dances to invoke the spirits; Divers explores cenote caverns; Cenote welcome sign 25 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Riviera Maya

absolutely no daylight visible. “sit on an adrenaline needle” for a During these routes, it is always long time. possible to find several air chambers under the arch of a cave or outputs in Cave Diving Tourism dry cave halls. The popularity of cave Perfectly organized mass cave diving diving here has become so great that tourism is the brightest distinctive all dive centers offer similar rounds and feature and unconditional advantage will organize excursions almost daily. In of Cancun and Riviera Maya dive the afternoon, at an input to a cenote, centers. It is a real cave diving it is sometimes possible to see the lines paradise. To be on the Yukatàn and of several divers who are waiting for never dive the underwater caves is an opportunity just to begin a dive. to miss an opportunity to achieve a People go cave diving here only for diver’s greatest success. the pleasure of it. This is the reason why On the peninsula today, it is known it is has become so attractive for so that there are over 3,000 cenotes, many people. entrances to underwater limestone Underwater caves expand the labyrinths. Through the efforts of many diver’s erudition and open for them the brave cave divers, it was possible to Nah Chich, one of the longest cave mysterious world of the Mayan culture. prove that many of these cenotes diving labyrinths, having a total extent What you will see here completely were connected with each other and of underwater passages of more than contradicts preconceived opinions… had a general hydrological system. 68 kilometers. And in the deepest that cave diving is only for the elite— This means that if you dive in one of cave system, Dos Ojos, a depth of 106 groups of single-minded people who these cenotes, you can find an exit on meters has already been reached. always put on black equipment and the surface far from the place where Modern explorations and scientific cannot live without the feeling of you started your dive and come out in research confirms the old Mayan constant danger… those who like to another part of the jungle. So Nohoch legend about the huge underground THIS PAGE: Divers swim through passages and narrow crevasses. INSET: Ancient Mayan art 26 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED RIGHT: Divers traverse the stony landscapes of the Mayan underworld; Dancers perform traditional Mexican dances: LOWER RIGHT Riviera Maya travel INSET: A cenote sits silently in the jungle

river which connects together all checking equipment functionality the cenotes of the peninsula. It and capacity, one’s own and is my opinion whatever it is that one’s buddy’s regulators, gauges, exists here under the Yukatàn torches, reels, etc., as well as will be explored, and one of complete a bubble check. Once the greatest underwater cave again we repeat the dive plan, systems of the world will be and then we commence the discovered. Even though our time dive. was short here, our team decided Water tenderly embraces us, to try to make a few research fins wave easily, and we plunge dives into some of the most into the delightful known cenotes. world of Dos Ojos. We do a Cenote Dos Ojos circle of the A one-and-a-half-hour race with a small minibus at high-speed on a concrete-surfaced road takes us to a huge sign with the inscription “Welcome to the magic cenotes world”. We turn off onto a dirt road which winds into a dense jungle. Reed huts and native people are at patrol. We brake, exchange greetings and pay eight dollars to a person for the right to stay on their land and the permission to dive here. Another couple or three kilometers of ground, and we are at the site. With anticipation, we jump out from the vehicle and run to examine the limestone collapse. We find vertical walls covered with moss, roots of trees hanging perimeter of Entrance Lake. down and collecting Solar beams play and water from the shimmer in the water and underground on the walls of the collapse. lake at the Underwater labyrinths open bottom of the pool from different directions. where every stone is Above the entrance, visible. It would be great to hanging like the huge teeth of a take a dip right now, but dragon, are conical black stalactites. we are limited in time, and Our Mexican colleague, Huan, finds it is necessary to prepare the gold guide line and fixes a our equipment. jump-reel onto it. He then invites us As always, we run to continue the dive. We begin to through the habitual journey into the gloom, switch on our procedure of HID torches from which bright blue light

27 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Performers in tra- ditional Mayan Riviera Maya travel costume emanates filling the Without cave training and of a prehistoric shark hanging around caverns all around cave equipment, divers can his neck and an upper body covered us. Visibility of the die here.” It is obvious that it is with tattoos. He’s a water is more an advertisement for selling really big fan than 20 meters, cave diving education of sharks and we soar courses. Passing it, we take and cave over sandy some photographs and diving. We dunes into the continue on our path. joke, that underground Tunnels branch and all he tunnel. the yellow guide line Our way is looks endless. The stock blocked by a of air in our twin sets steadily disturbing sign with an expires to “one-third”. We image of an old woman—she is understand that only more Death with a scythe in a bony skilled teams of cave hand. The inscription on it says: divers can pass this point. “More than 300 divers, including Dos Ojos is not easy open water scuba instructors, to navigate. So, it is have died here in caves time for us to go just like this one. You need back. training to dive. You need We are met by cave training and cave snorkeling divers equipment to cave dive. at the cenote’s entrance. They are entertained by the sight of us, as if we are some kind of heroes with doubles coming back from the underground depths. They have the same enthusiastic interest in our group that visitors at a circus might have, who, for the first time, see an elephant. They examine us and our equipment. Some of them even dive toward us to check us out or even to shake our hands. Grand Cenote Our friend, Rahelio, looks like a tough guy—short cropped hair, ears sticking out of his head, a chain with the tooth

ABOVE: A group of snorkelers meet the team of Cave diver and writer, cave divers as they emerge from the depths Andrey Bizyukin after a good dive 28 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Gifts for Two travel Riviera Maya Valentines Cards Candy Boxes & Gifts Just for Divers by Divers

Works by Scott Bennett Sue Duda Ralph Hagen Carlos Hiller Kitti Narod Peter Symes Nonoy Tan

... soon to come Skincare from skynICELAND

Performer in traditional Mayan costume invokes the spirits Underwater photographer hovers under stalagtites.

needs now is a ring in his nose. to say goodbye to the daylight. Large cave catfishes are Rahelio gives us a signal that Despite all of this exuberant body A great number of a most exotic disturbed by our bright lights and we have come close to the goal décor, Rahelio is still a fine cave array of cave formations confronts majestically withdraw back into of our journey, so we add some diving instructor. us—forms that seem inspired by the darkness. We are already speed. The opportunity to find He suggests that we dive Grand a god’s amazing imagination— quite far from the entrance, but something new in the cave gets Cenote, a grandiose cenote including a plethora of stalactites, from time to time we meet small us carried away like bloodhounds. indeed, where we will dive as stalagmites, columns, limestone silvery fishes. They follow us into But suddenly, my buddy’s primary Fill this box by far as it is possible. We reach curtains and simple thin hollow tubes the depths of the cave or swim torch starts to blink and then Batik artist Sue Duda with the next limestone collapse and (spaghetti). There is simply no place back to meet us. What is the switches off. Mentally, I take into chocolate fish or maple sugar seashell locals collect an entrance fee free of limestone formations. reason that has brought them consideration that he might have candies for your ocean loving loved one from us. With a wide step, we As always, in serious caves, we here? Why are they bewitched insufficient light to be accurate in enter the clearest, cleanest lake are met with a menacing poster: by the gloom of the cave gloom navigating the cave, but I believe I have ever seen. It is teaming “Stop: Diving beyond this point is just like us? How are they guided that it should be enough for him The X-RAY MAG Store with darting little fish. Huge stone only possible for specially trained here without daylight? It is a riddle to use just a few small back-up A percent of all sales goes columns block the entrance to divers”. We certainly accept the of nature. lights to continue the dive. But the cave. We swim between charges on our account and in the back of my mind, I think in to ocean conservation them and take a quick look back continue the dive. Mayan sculpture this particular spot of the cave, www.cafepress.com/xraymag

29 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel

THIS PAGE: Scenes from the cenote caverns. RIGHT: Sunset over Yucatàn

was an “ambush”. Cenote Chac Mool exciting dives of our trip. Instead of exploring The huge influence that ancient beliefs There is a narrow underwater further, we have to of the Maya have on the modern culture passage. We squeeze into it to follow drag our legs away of Mexico is evidenced in the symbol of our guide and come into the next from here. In this the eagle holding a snake in its claws. cenote. Sunlight is seen again. The incident, we feel It is the symbol of Chac Mool, one of smooth surface of a silent forest lake something abnormal, the supreme Mayan gods, the god of a is above us, and green crowns of even mystical, rain and lighting. He is represented even trees are visible though the incredible into our bodies, and then continue on happened. It may on the national flag Mexico. Our next clear water. our path to acquaint ourselves with the be just that the great journey is to the Cenote Chac Mool. We pass through narrow underwater cave. Grand Cenote We are again in the jungle, and tunnels from cenote into cenote, Underwater tunnels, narrow passages, something is bound to go wrong. Five decided not to share its secrets with us ancient worn stone steps take us into the admiring the play of light and shadow. huge stones of a fallen arch and the minutes later, my primary light shuts down casual visitors. depths of the next cave we will explore. But soon our road leads far under the gloom of the cave—it all seems to us as well—the best HID torch on the market A small freshwater turtle met us An underground lake is hidden under arch of the cave. We proceed deeper already to get a little monotonous after with the highest reliability rating, which I on the entrance from the cave. As a stone arch. A few shafts of daylight into the cave and hit a . The just a few cave diving days, but at the never doubted. Go figure. indemnification for an unsuccessful dive, pass through a narrow crack somewhere feeling is like being pierced though a next turn we stop with sheer delight. A Rahelio looks at us with wonder when we follow her, take some pictures and above us. Careful not frighten away the liquid mirror. All of a sudden, it gets toasty huge, absolutely black cavern gapes we switch on our secondary lights of enjoy diving on the border of light and underground spirits, we enter silently into warm (+28°C). The water reminds me before us, and a laser beam of light— poorer quality and understands that it darkness. the and begin one of the most of warm milk. We stop to take the heat similar to the blue light of the swords of

30 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Riviera Maya

LEFT TO RIGHT: Maps of the Yucatan; Hibiscus flower; Mayan ruins at Tulum overlooking the Caribbean Sea

The first Europeans visited the island in 1510 when one of the Spanish ships wrecked at its coast. Only two of the crew survived. One of them was Gonzales Ortega who accepted the to entice tourists. All the other parts of the island to satisfy any, even the most Mayan culture, lived on the island, island are covered by jungle, and there exacting of divers. Dive centers are married an Indian princess, had children are also ruins of Maya pyramids. located in each of the 21 hotels on and eight years later, together with the There are 39 reefs surrounding the the island. They carry compressed air, native people, fought against the nitrox and . Divers will find even to touch it with our Spaniards. The second time the fascinating down to hands. island was explored was in 1518 five meters just off the beach as well as We try to take by a Spanish expedition under the good diving on wrecks with penetration, photographs of the command of a nephew of the underwater flights in currents with five beam, and each stop governor of Cuba. Forty-thousand knots speed or 100-meter walls for closer to the beam to natives lived on the island at technical divers with trimix. The island be better than previous. that time, but in a few years of survives only due to the dive-industry. Hence, we spend all our war, not more 300 individuals Yes, everything is more expensive film here. Now, we have remained. In the 17th century, the here—about 30 percent more than absolutely forgotten island became a favorite base on the continent—but on Cozumel, it boredom, and the for pirates from which to attack is absolute rapture of the sea. Inspired pioneering passion wakes “Gold Spanish carracks”. But sea landscapes and warm turquoise the Star Wars action heroes— shines in up in us immediately. We are again full of modern diving days, or the Gloria Caribbean waters entice thousands of the darkness. A small aperture is probably determination to dive and explore new of Cozumel, began in 1961 when divers daily. They arrive with huge cruise located somewhere up in the ceiling miracles of the underground world. the team of Jacque Ives Cousteau ships, ferries from the continent or via the of the cavern. The sunlight is passing shot a movie about the fantastic local international airport. All dive sites through the thickness of the earth and Island of Swallows underwater world of the island. are located on the western side of the refracting in the underground pool Cozumel Island in the Maya’s language Cozumel, today, is the standard island, which is protected from northeast creating this surprising optical effect. The means “Island of Swallows”. The small of the Mexican sea diving. One ocean winds. It is always the quiet sea blue beam amazes and fascinates all of island is only 16 by 48 kilometers long city is on the island. It stretches one finds here as well as currents, various us. It is impossible to tear our eyes off the and only 19 kilometers, or a half hour by for many kilometers along coast. depths and the most beautiful relief of sight of the beam. We want to swim up ferry, from Cancun. It seems that it is very There are small, cozy streets and the sea floor. to it, get closer to have a better look or close, but everything is so different on many tequila bars and restaurants Cozumel. The encounters between the first Europeans and the Mayans were rarely happy ones 31 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Iguana; Sea turtles: Matador and bull; Puma; Tree monkey; Land turtle; Dive writer, Andrey Bizyukin and zoo staff with crocodile

Diving Cozumel huge sea turtles, porcupine fish We have arrived on the island and hundreds of other kinds of only an hour ago, but already fish that have found a haven we are preparing for the next here. The current is so strong that dive. How often do you think it’s in 40 minutes we drifted three possible to see—on one dive— kilometers. Picturesque reef swept ancient anchors, Spanish canons, by before us with the speed of an statues and Maya sculptures, underwater express train. It is a bright tropical fishes, huge pity that to photograph on such barracudas and an underwater speed it is simply impossible! It cave with an underground river was necessary to embody only all running into the sea? Well, it is visual textures in memory. possible, if you dive on Cozumel Twelve days is too short a at a place called Chankanaab. time to get acquainted with riddles, the world accessible to Colombia reef is really an Mexico and even more so with everyone who comes here with exotic dive site off the island. Yucatàn. But to us, it has been an an open heart and a pure soul. Here, there are huge columns incredibly lucky opportunity open This is indeed the eighth miracle of freakish forms of heights up to to experience the unknown—the of the world, worthy of respect 20 meters with coral labyrinths. underground world of the Maya— and admiration. It’s very easy to lose one’s way. the world of stones and water, We shall return back to you, There are mustached lobsters, the world full of miracles and Yucatàn. ■

The Monument of Gonzales Ortega 32 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Solution cave Ice cave

Types of caves Generally speaking there The Fascination of are four main types of cave:

Solution caves: These are formed in carbonate and sulphate rocks such as limestone and marble by the action of moving water that dissolves the rock to Caves form tunnels and caverns. Lava caves: These are formed when the The formation of solution caves outer surface of a lava flow hardens This type of cave is of the most interest while the molten lava within continues to to tourists and to divers, as they are the flow and eventually drains out to leave a ones containing dripstone formations of tube. stalagmites and stalactites. Such caves can be formed in a number of ways but Sea caves: These are formed by the all of them must originally have been action of waves attacking the weaker formed above water level, be it sea level parts of rocks along the shores of oceans or water table level, since stalactites and and lakes. stalagmites, and curtains of dripstone, form only in the air .Their existence in a Glacier caves: These are formed by the cave indicates that the cave was, at drainage of melt water through the ice. some time, above the water table while the dripstone was forming. This occurred, for example, during the last glaciation, about 20,000 years ago, when so much water was locked up as snow and ice that global sea level was then about 130 From the earliest days Today, caves, especially underwater ones, meters lower than today. of mankind humans still seem to fascinate people, though not The process of forming these caves for their domicile properties. Speleologists is a very slow one, and is primarily due have been interested in go down into caves for the sake of pure to rain. Falling through the atmosphere, caves as a shelter from adventure while the same may be said rain absorbs a small amount of carbon both the elements and for divers entering underwater caves. dioxide, CO2. Further amounts of CO2 from predators. It was However, it is also the beauty of many of are taken up by the rainwater as it per- the caves and caverns themselves, with colates down through the soil to meet in caves like those of their magnificent formations of stalagmites the underlying limestone substrate. Now, Lascaux, in the valley and stalactites. that attract the visitors, limestone is basically metamorphosed of the Vésère in France, be it the ordinary tourist visiting the large chalk i.e. calcium carbonate, and is that humans also first Adelberg caves near Trieste, say, or the therefore practically almost insoluble Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, USA. in water with only about 0.014 g of cal- expressed their artistic For the diver, though, there are also the cium carbonate per litre of cold water. urges with their won- attractions of visiting underwater caves However, the presence of CO2 in the derful depictions of ani- such as those in Mexico. water changes the situation drastically mals. because calcium carbonate will react A lava tube on the island of Hawaii, with water that is saturated with CO2 to taken just above a lava fall. The floor is form the soluble calcium bicarbonate. cauliflower pahoehoe, a rougher form of pahoehoe. Note the tree roots coming Text by Michael Symes CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O → Ca(HCO3)2 Photos by J P Bresser in from the ceiling. Lava tubes tend to be fairly close to the surface

33 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Stalagmites create a hand of stony fingers Cave Formation surrounding a diver

Cenotes In the Yucatan peninsula are to be found the world famous underwater caves known as cenotes. These are freshwater pools with underwater caves and caverns that are favourite places for snorkeling or scuba div- ing. The word cenote is derived, via Mexican Spanish, from Maya conot. They were often used as a sacrificial site by the Mayas. The HCO3− ion is known as the Alternative cave formation They were formed some 1.5 bicarbonate ion, and calcium bicar- A new theory suggests an agent million years ago, during an ice bonate, which exists only in solution, other than carbonic acid may age, when the sea level sank is up to 100 times more soluble than be responsible for creating some about 100 meters. At this time, the calcium carbonate. of the largest cave systems in the rain water had carved holes in As this weak solution of carbonic world. It has been discovered that the limestone ground, and when acid seeps through the rock it forms sulphur was responsible for carv- the ice began to melt again the cavities and channels as it moves ing out enormous cavities from sea level rose and the caves downward and laterally. Thus, after the limestone of Capitan Reef, were again flooded. However, in thousands of years underground the fossil reef that contains New places the soil had been washed caverns and caves can be formed. Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns. away causing the overlying lime- Initially, these caverns will be water- Several million years ago stone crust to collapse, and thus filled but when the sea level goes hydrogen sulphide gas escaped exposing the water filled caves down they empty, partially or whol- from the oil deposits underlying beneath. They are therefore often ly. However, the acidic rainfall still Capitan Reef. This gas mixed with referred to as sinkholes or water- occurs with its consequent dissolving oxygen in the groundwater, and holes. of the limestone. When it reaches sulphuric acid was eventually pro- The water which fills the caves the caves below it can drip from the duced. Sulphuric acid is capable is partly intruding seawater but ceiling forming dripstone formations of dissolving vast amounts of lime- mainly fresh rain water. As the such as stalagmites and stalactites. stone, much more so than car- fresh water has a slightly less bonic acid. This can explain the density than that of sea water it Stalactites & stalagmites size of Big Room. After the water ‘floats’ on the sea water to give it As each drop of water hangs from table had dropped the cave an oily appearance, and is called the ceiling, it loses carbon dioxide. floor was exposed to reveal large a halocline. ■ The acidity of the water is thereby gypsum (calcium reduced so that the calcium bicar- sulphate) deposits, bonate cannot remain in solution a by-product of a This causes precipitation of cal- reaction between cium carbonate to be deposited sulphuric acid and as a dripstone – in this case a sta- limestone. lactite which is slowly built up drop Kane Cave in by drop, as it hangs down from northern Wyoming, the ceiling, over hundreds or thou- USA, is also thought sands of years. to have been Stalagmites grow upwards from formed by the same the floor of the cave, generally as process. a result of water dripping from the overhanging stalactite. Cave of Lascaux, France—Hall of Bulls 34 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED What started the dream: Readling Uncle $crooge & travel Crown of the Riviera Maya Mayas A Journey to the Underworld Text by Peter Symes Photos by Andrey Bizyukin and J P Bresser

It was a strange feeling, frolick- I realized that my mental state had ing around in the shallows. I something to do with a childhood memory coming back to me—reading found myself sitting there in the a Donald Duck comic strip for a good tropics, in clear fresh water, night story while sleeping over at my not at the beach as one might grandparents’ house. In a now clas- expect but in a hole in the sic adventure, the famous ducks go to the Yucatán to search for archeologi- ground deep inside the jungle cal treasure— Indiana Jones style—the looking around at cliff walls and riches being gold and silver sacrificed by staring up under trees hanging the Maya into these ancient sink holes in over me. the jungle. As a little preschool kid, I was not only entertained, but also intrigued and a There were lily pads around me and lush little bit spooked reading the passages underwater vegetation of a species I for- of the ducks jumping into these dark got to ascertain but perhaps it was just watery holes in pursuit of the treas- strands of the omni-present Canadian ure. water weed (Elodea canadiensis) The story was which is known to every aquarist. penned down It was a tranquil scene, the by the leg- introduction to anthropology and arche- water was clear and still and not endary ology. So, don’t say that nothing good may sounds were to be heard. Carl comes out of reading comics. It kindled Yet my state of tranquillity was my interest in these disciplines. blended with a simmering uneasiness. So, here I find myself—a good third Was it due to the fact that I was just of a century later—sitting waist about to go diving into a cave, my first Barks deep in water, trying to con- venture of the sort, where I would be in an nect all the dots. swallowed up by a dark hole that led era Diving in under the to who knows where? Perhaps that had that pre- ledge and into something to do with it, but there was dated darkness, something else to do with it as well. the ‘scuba leaving It wasn’t the somewhat mind-boggling industry’ as the fact that these sink holes, the cenotes we know it and in which I was now sitting, were once certainly dive sacred places for a grand civilization travel as we know it. that had built palaces and temples Come to think of it, this around these parts long ago. story was probably my first

Divers swim through the clear Yellow-headed parrot J P BRESSER fresh waters of the Yucatàn ANDREY BIZYUKIN 35 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Divers head down a passage adorned with sculptural forms of limestone Riviera Maya travel BELOW: Swallowtail Butterfly

Weird warmth in the process. Furthest into the cavern, there was Under the halocline, the visibility a corner that was located much was pretty mediocre, so we didn’t deeper. Here, we were about to hang out for long. experience a weird phenomenon. Ascending through the non- We spotted a silvery layer of water transparent halocline once more with a different consistency, clar- to pop up into a cool but clear ity and colour. It was cloudy. We realm above was once again a descended slowly into this soupy somewhat weird experience—one substance, and we were struck you have to try to really compre- by a contrasting overlying layer of hend. clear cool water. It was also – and Once back at the surface and this is the strange part – warmer. de-kitted, I soon enough saw This was no , myself heading for one the best although it had some resem- ice teas I have ever had and a blance to it. It was a halocline, light snack before a very well- a separation of water layers that deserved siesta in a hammock is caused not by a temperature under the palms. When in Rome, gradient but by a difference in salt do as the Romans… so since we , which creates a are in Mexico, we’d better test all difference in density stronger than the customs—all in a day’s work the one caused by temperature. for this dutiful travel reporter in pur- This phenomenon can sometimes suit of doing the proper research be observed at estuaries where for this story, of course. ■ saltwater flatfish can sometimes be seen darting under the bellies of their freshwater cous- ins heading the other way in a layer of freshwater J P BRESSER overlaying

sun behind us, I was still a mixed bag of emo- a faint light from another hole to the outside, tively not the place to go bumping into walls or tions and somewhat filled with doubts about allowing the greenish hue of sunlight passing ceilings with their delicate structures like a bull the sanity of my present undertaking as I head- through foliage to stream down from above. in a china shop. Not only would you most likely ed straight into an overhead environment. But hurt yourself, but you may also risk breaking the an intruding it lasted only for the few transient moments it The room was vast, the water crystal clear. delicate structures which in some places have wedge of saltwa- took my eyes to adapt to the dim light inside One of the classic Cousteau quotes spring to the appearance of being pencil thin delicate ter beneath. And the spacious cavern that opened up beyond mind. It went something like “diving is like fly- structures. They have been millennia in the this is exactly what the entrance. I was in… a cathedral. ing, only without wings”. The exact wording making—much longer than the coral we are was at play in the Well, that was my first thought anyway. The escapes me, but you get the drift. also told not to touch as they re-grow slowly. cavern too. architecture inside had pretty much the dimen- Here, the ‘flying sensation’ is dramatically Most importantly, these stalactites and stalag- We were actu- sions, and some resemblance, of some of the boosted by the clarity of the water and the mites only form in air, not underwater. They ally diving in ocean huge medieval cathedrals in Europe. However, distance between the floor and the ceiling. I were formed when the sea level was much water, which had in this case, the master sculptor was not some definitively got a kick out of zooming around lower and the caves were flooded much later, penetrated even this human Michelangelo but Mother Nature her- in all three dimensions in a manner you really after their creation. far from the beach self. can’t do in the ocean or a lake. The place is a magic one, and it plays all through crev- Everywhere there were organ pipe-like sculp- One is still in shallow water here, so decom- one’s senses. You are truly in another world, ices, tunnels and tures of stalagmites and stalactites. And at the pression issues are not really a consideration. or at least, at the very entrance to it. That was caves, retain- far end where the altar would be, there was But mastering control is. This is defini- what the ancient Mayans believed. ing much of its

ANDREY BIZYUKIN 36 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Cave diving is a type of technical diving in which specialized SCUBA equip- Cave & Cavern “Because it’s there.” ment is used to enable the —British climber, George exploration of natural or Leigh Mallory, when asked Diving Training & Equipment artificial caves, which are why he wanted to climb Mount Everest at least partially filled with water. SPELUNKING —Wikipedia —Not to be confused with Speleology No amount of previous open water diving experience or training can adequately prepare you for cave diving —National Speleological Society

Spelunking, or caving, is what We have come a long way since the first is by practicing techniques, over and you do when you explore a diver ventured into caves. Today’s train- over again. In the process, becoming a ing and equipment goes well beyond just cavern/cave diver not only teaches you cave just for the hell of it. Or having an explorers’ mind, some wit and proper cave diving techniques, the train- as my husband likes to say, lots of luck. ing helps you know your limits and your inspired by George Leigh Basic cave diving training teaches you potential on a personal level too. Mallory, because they are skills well beyond recreational dive train- Through exercises, you learn equip- ing. To perform safe diving in a closed ment familiarity. That includes basic there and because we can. environment, you need to become equipment training such as handling a self-confident, and you need to be self- reel and dive lights, using proper finning reliant at all times. There are no short techniques and mastering emergency Text by Millis Keegan Photos cuts if you want to survive in an environ- procedures such as handling an out of by JP Bresser and Deep Sea ment where you have no direct access air situation, valve shut downs and regu- Production, www.deepsea.se to open air. The only way to get there lator switches.

Basic Safety Rules for Cave Diving You need three sources of light

► No cavern/cave diving without cumstances like loss of visibility, sharing the continuous guide line in complete proper training gas, even a temporary loss of guide line darkness is part of the training, but it contact, are all situations when the gas is a risky task, and unhooking your ► Dive within your limits consumption can increase. second light beats the fibbling in the dark. In cave diving, three bat- ► Use a continuous guideline to the ► Three sources of light tery powered lights is mandatory, cave exit Always use three sources of light. It is one primary and two back up not a question of whether a lights. In cavern diving, two battery ► will or will not fail, it is a question of powered lights, one primary and Always follow the 1/3 rule, that means when, and you should be prepared for one back up, since the light from turn around when 1/3 of your gas sup- that. Loosing a light could lead to dif- the cavern opening is considered ply is used up. The reason is that loss cir- ficulties in finding the guide line. Finding to be the second back up light. ■

37 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED “Deep Silt” Don’t get your self into “deep silt”. A diver can stir up a lot of sediment with the wrong fin kick. While cave diving, propul- sion techniques truly become an art form, there are fin kicks that leave virtually no traces, even when the bottom sediment is easily stirred up. Training propul- sion techniques used in a cave is something anyone can ben- efit from. We are sure everyone has a story to tell about careless divers leaving a trail of silt behind, destroying the visibility for others. Get a kick out of it Fin kicks used to avoid stirring up silt are variations of Frog kicks, Flutter kicks, Roof Walking and Shuffle kicks.

Note the line cutter used for cutting line if entangled—a potentially dangerous situation What you are training Getting Certified for is a rehearsed response to an emergency, which Where do I begin? could save your life. A very popular way to start is by taking Cavern you penetrating a cave system, it will a three-day combination package, The first level is the cavern course. be a limited penetration, and you are usually provided by probably every This class takes you through the basic no where near the skill level needed cave diving organization—the Cavern planning and organization of cavern for cave diving on all levels. Diver/Intro to Cave Diver combina- diving, the hazards of diving in an tion. These are cave diving classes that overhead environment and the special Apprentice cave allow you to do single tank dives only equipment needed. The dives take The third level is the apprentice cave into caverns/caves. It is a good way to place in a cavern, meaning a total diving course. In this class, more focus find out if this is something for you, and distance of 40 metres/130 feet from is placed upon expanded dive plan- an opportunity for personal growth. It the surface at any time. Minimum four ning skills through conducted dives. is a great experience and will give you dives over two days. The class also gives an introduction to experience you can use in your future jump and gap procedures. The class diving whether you decide to continue Cave is held over two days and includes at your cave diving training or not. The second level is the intro to cave least four dives. To become a fully certified cave diving class. In this class, you leave diver, you have to pass three levels of the cavern zone and the daylight and Full cave training before you can sign up for the make it into the cave system using Finally, you are ready for the Full cave Full Cave Diver Course. the main lines of a cave system. You diving course. This course focuses get some serious use of your basic on proper procedures for complet- The certification levels: overhead environment skills; you will ing traverses and circuits. During this • Cavern Diver train emergency procedures in the course, you will be responsible for • Intro Cave Diver cave, get good use out of the propul- all , gas management • Apprentice Cave Diver sion techniques you picked up during and the execution of the dive, which • Full Cave Diver your cavern class and learn some new you—thanks to the first levels of train- • Advanced Cave Diver ones. Even though this class will get ing—should be fully ready for. ■

38 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Equipment Cave The following is an (incomplete) list of “A tonne of stuff” agencies who offer cavern/cave diving Cavern and cave diving in any form is a very training. equipment intensive hobby. Below is a list of the minimum requirements. Note that when you make Worldwide organizations A safety reel this decision, you take your diving to a new level, with a min. of ►IANTD 3 line arrows and you should commit to this configuration of 75’/23 meters of line. A primary IANTD World Headquarters per diver your dive equipment. If you don’t understand that, Slate & 1545 NE 104 Street pencil cave diving reel you are not ready. You need at least: with approxi- Miami Shores, FL 33138-2665 USA mately 350’/106 www.iantd.com meter line 2 individual tankvalves/2 first stages ►Technical Diving International (TDI) International Training Duct tape 18 Elm St (to tape Topsham, ME 04086 USA mask and fin www.tdisdi.com straps)

►NAUI NAUI Worldwide Headquarters Watch/bottom PO Box 89789 timer, depth Tampa, FL 33689-0413 USA A 7’/2 meter gauge or dive www.nauiww.org long octopus computer The question is not hose for alterna- ►PADI whether a dive light tive air source 30151 Tomas Street Rancho Santa Margarita will or will not fail CA 92688-2125 USA but, rather when. www.padi.com A dive suit fitting the Training agencies found in USA environment you will be diving in ►NACD National Association For Cave Diving Alternative P.O. Box 14492 Air source Gainesville, FL 32604 USA attachment www.safecavediving.com Submersible dive tables ►GUE Global Underwater Explorers 15 South Main Street High Springs, FL 32643 USA www.gue.com Three battery powered diving lights, one with ►NSS/CDS at least 30-50 watt National Speleological Society, Cave power Diving Section NSS-CDS Administrative Office 2109 W US Hwy 90, Suite 170-317 A tank that holds Lake City, FL 32055 USA a minimum of 71.2 www.nsscds.org cubic feet or 2 cubic meters with a dual ori- fice (Y) valve or (H) valve

39 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Whale Sharks off Yucatàn

THIS PAGE: Views of a whale shark. Snorkelers enjoy the company of a whale shark (above)

bosh) in Mexico. It is one of the few areas on Earth they like to visit often. About 1,500 people live on this 26 mile long isand located near the northeastern tip of the Yucatan Pe- ninsula in the state of Quintana Roo of Mexico. It is part of the Yum Balam ecological reserve and is separated from the mainland by the Yalahua Lagoon. The whale sharks congregate here each year between June and Sep- tember. This a time when the ocean is rich with plankton. Regardless of their massive size, these great fish are docile creatures and feed on huge quantities of plankton. They do not at- Text edited by Gunild Symes tack humans. Photos courtesy of Yucatek Divers In 2002, Underwater Editions (UWE) launched a long-term video and pho- The world’s largest whale shark fins or meat, to identification behavior research fish, whale sharks, or injury through collision project of the whale sharks in coop- with marine traffic and eration with the local community of Rhincodon typuscan, Isla Holbox. can grow up to 15 meters habitat loss. Whale sharks As tourist interest grew in the whale in length according to are now listed as an sharks, UWE developed Eco-Tourism experts. It was thought endangered species and guidelines in 2003 to help protect the protected under CITES. species and provide guided oppor- that some could reach tunities for tourists to swim and snorkel up to 20 meters in length, with the whale sharks. Later in 2004, but these individuals are The huge fish is found worldwide the organization and CONANP helped no longer common due in tropical and warm temperate educate and train local guides, estab- seas between latitudes 30° North lish rules and guidelines for interaction to the threats that the and 35° South. Their migratory with the whale sharks. The program species currently faces path brings them to the tropi- continues to run today. SOURCES: including over-fishing for cal waters near Isla Holbox (hol- CITES, Shark Trust, Yucatek Divers. ■

40 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Ancient Maya Artifacts from the Cenote travel by Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler of Sacrifice, Chichen Itza, Yucatan Publisher: Stanford University Press; 6th edition Edited by Clemency Chase Coggins The Cenotes of the Riviera Maya Paperback: 931 pp. ISBN-10: 0804748179 Harvard edition World A Complete Guide for Snorkeling, Cavern Price: US$25.50 Amazon.com Paperback: 408 pp., 30 line illustrations, and Cave Diving the Cenotes of the This book traces the evolution of Maya civi- 300 halftones, 2 maps, 32 tables Riviera Maya by Steve Gerrard lization through the Pre-Columbian era, a ISBN 0-87365-694-6 Publisher: Steve Gerrard span of some 2,500 years from the origins of Price: US$75.00 Amazon.com Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Mexico complex society within Mesoamerica to the In this abundantly illustrated third and final volume on Paperback: 244 pp. ISBN: 0-967 7412-0-3 end of the Pre-Columbian world with the the artifacts found by Edward H. Thompson in the Well Price: US$49.00 Spanish Conquest in the 16th century. The of Sacrifice, specialists analyze the great variety of Appointed with page after page of sixth edition presents objects and debate whether they represent evidence incredible photographs of the mysteri- new archaeological of dateable prehistorical ritual. The collection includes ous underwater world, this book is more than just a com- evidence and histori- the rare remains of hundreds of textiles, wooden objects, plete guide for snorkeling, cavern and cave diving the cal studies and offers and copal incense offerings that were preserved in the waters of this Cenotes of the Riviera Maya. This book includes over 200 the most extensive limestone sinkhole, as well as the lithics, ceramics and bone and shell arti- colour photographs that show the breath-taking won- revisions of this clas- facts commonly found in Maya burials and caches and about 250 mam- der of the crystal clear sic work to date. malian remains. These objects are remarkable for having been cut, torn, water and incredible The result is the most broken, and burned before they were thrown into the green waters of sights of subterranean thorough and incisive the sacred well at Chichen Itza. See companion book below: Mexico. Not just a study of the origins coffee table book, and development of Cenote of Sacrifice Cenotes provides ancient Maya civili- Maya Treasures from the Sacred practical details zation ever Well at Chichen Itza by Orrin of where and how published. C. Shane (Editor), Clemency Sunken Cities, to swim, dive and Chase Coggins (Editor) Sacred Cenotes enjoy these beau- Publisher: University of Texas and Golden Sharks tiful caves located Paperback: 176 pp. Travels of a Water-Bound on the Caribbean ISBN-10: 0292710984 Adventurer coast of Mexico’s An Album of Maya Price: US$11.50 by Bill Belleville Yucatan peninsula. Architecture Amazon.com Publisher: University of AquaQuest.com by Tatiana Proskouriakoff Georgia Publisher: Dover Publications Hardcover: 248 pp. Paperback: 144 pages ISBN-10: 0820325929 ISBN-10: 0486424847 Sale Price: US$22.76 Price: US$13.22 This collection of essays is about plac- This magnificent guide presents es that are noted for archaeological 36 sites from Central America and treasures, rare plants and animals, southern Mexico as they appeared or great scenery. For example, more than a thousand years ago: Temple of the Cross, Palenque; in the Amazon, it is the quest Acropolis and Maya sweat bath, Piedras Negras; Red is for a freshwater dolphin, House and north terrace at Chichén Itzá; more. and in the Florida Keys, Each illustration features text of archeological finds it is the quiet past- and line drawing of remains. 95 illustrations. preserving Amazon.com backwaters. Amazon. com

41 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED LEFT TO RIGHT: Globe map showing Yucatán; Western Hemisphere map showing Mexico; fact file View of the ruins Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico of Yucatán

History An ancient land of North Pacific Ocean, between including advanced Amerindian civilizations, Guatemala and the US. The coun- Biodiver- Mexico succombed to Spanish try’s terrain is filled with high, rug- sity, Climate rule for 3000 years before gain- ged mountains and plateaus, low Change, ing independence in the early coastal plains and desert. Lowest Climate part of the 19th century. Mexico point: Laguna Salada -10 m; Change-Kyo- was thrown into economic turmoil Highest point: Volcan Pico de Oriza- to Protocol, after a devaluation of the peso ba 5,700 m. Coastline: 9,330 km. Desertification, hit the country in late 1994. It trig- Endangered gered the worst recession in over Climate varies from desert to Species, Hazard- 50 years. But the country continues tropical. Natural hazards: hurricanes ous Wastes, Law to make leaps in its recovery while on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and of the Sea, Marine economic and social concerns Caribbean coasts, tsunamis along Dumping, Marine Life continue to challenge the nation, the Pacific coast, volcanoes and Conservation, Ozone Layer including underemployment for destructive earthquakes in the Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, large numbers of citizens, low real center and south. Whaling. wages, unequal income distribu- tion, and few opportunites for Environmental issues include Economic Mexico’s free market modernization of the tax system Exchange rates: 1EUR=14.14 MXN, Alcatraces L44, M10, SM 22 advancement for Amerindian a lack of proper hazardous waste economy has recently entered and labor laws, and allowing pri- 1USD=10.95 MXN, 1GBP=21.47 MXN 77500 Cancun , Q. Roo, Mexico indivituals in the poor southern disposal facilities and natural fresh the trillion dollar class. A blend of vate investment in the energy sec- Phone/fax: 52-998-892-7680 states. In 2000, election results water resources with pollution mar- modern and outmoded indus- tor. Challenges also inclue boosting Population 107,449,525 (July Mobile: 998-105-7791 marked the first time since the ring the northern reservoirs, poor try and agriculture is increasingly economic growth, improving Mexi- 2006 est.) Ethnic groups: mestizo www.hiperbarica-cancun.com Mexican Revolution in 1910 that quality or inaccessible sources in dominated by the private sector. co’s international competitiveness, (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerin- the opposing party defeated the the rest of the nation; industrial The government has expanded and reducing poverty. Natural re- dian or predominantly Amerindian Cozumel Recompression Chamber incumbant party in government, pollution and raw sewage affect competition in seaports, railroads, sources: petroleum, silver, copper, 30%, white 9%, other 1%. Religions: Radio VHF 16 and 21, 872-23 87 and the Institutional Revolutionary Party rivers in urban areas; rural popula- telecommunications, electricity gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber. nominally Roman Catholic 89%, 872-1430, Calle 5 Sur #21B (PRI). In December of that year, tions are moving to urban areas, generation, natural gas distribution Agriculture: corn, wheat, soybeans, Protestant 6%, other groups 5%. Vicente FOX of the National Action widespread erosion; desertification; and airports. Per capita income is rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, Cozumel Hyperbarics Chamber Party (PAN) became the first chief deforestation; deteriorating agri- one-fourth that of the US. NAFTA tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy prod- Languages Spanish, various Radio VHF 65, 872-3070, Located executive elected in free and fair cultural lands; serious water and air has tripled trade with the US and ucts; wood products. Industry: food Mayan, Nahuatl, and other region- in the “San Miguel Clinic”, Calle 6 elections. Government: federal pollution in the nation’s capital and Canada since 1994. Ninety per- and beverages, tobacco, chemi- al indigenous languages. (between Ave 5 & Ave 10) republic. Capital: Mexico (Distrito urban centers along US-Mexico cent of Mexican trade is under cals, iron and steel, petroleum, Federal) border; groundwater depletion free trade agreements with over mining, textiles, clothing, motor ve- Deco Chambers Scuba Doc Mexico Directory causing subsidence in Valley of 40 countries including, Guatemala, hicles, consumer durables, tourism. César Soto Fernández, MD scuba-doc.com/divmex.htm Geography Mexico is located Mexico. Note: Lack of clean water Honduras, El Salvador, the Euro- Note: Corn (maize) is thought to Diving and in central or middle America, and deforestation are now consid- pean Free Trade Area, and Japan. have originated in Mexico. It is one Hiperbárica Cancún Web sites bordering the Caribbean Sea and ered national security issues by the Current administration is mired by of the world’s major grain crops. On Call 24-hours Mexico Tourism Board the Gulf of Mexico, between the government. Mexico has entered congressional opposition against State-of-the-art chamber www.visitmexico.com ■ US and Belize and bordering the some international agreements measures to improve infrastructure, Currency Mexican peso (MXN). Speaks English, German, Spanish

42 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED THE FACTS AND VIEWPOINTS IN THIS SECTION ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE VIEWS OF X-RAY MAG. EQUIPMENT PRESENTED IN THIS SECTION HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED BY X-RAY MAG STAFF, NOR ARE THE ITEMS WARRANTEED. INFORMATION PROVIDED IS CONDENSED FROM MANUFACTURERS’ DESCRIPTIONS. TEXTS ARE USUALLY EDITED FOR LENGTH, CLARITY AND STYLE. LINKS ARE ACTIVE AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION

POINT & CLICK ON BOLD LINKS

Show me the Edited by Millis Keegan & Peter Symes Equipment Pocket your light The compact size Scubapro NOVA Signature fits in the pocket of most BCs. A per- Dental Work fect little back-up light with a bright series uniform beam. It is light weight, has a These tough headlamps for Tired of aching jaws after comfortable grip, and it is reliable too. scuba, snorkeling, military and a dive? With the Seacure Promises burn time up to 6-8 hours. marine research, uses differ- mouthpiece that molds to fit www.scubapro.com ent colored LED lights for better your mouth, that pain could be vision. At crime scene investiga- just a memory. An orthodontist has tions, blue light traces fibers and designed this mouth piece, which hairs. Blue and green light minimize molds to a good fit around the disturbance of marine life and your teeth, gums and jaws. allows the scuba diver to get closer www.seacure1.com Dry or wet? to the marine life. www.foxfury.com Manta Necklace

Ever wish you could get a drysuit with This regulator necklace a streamlined fit for the price of is derived from a quality cold water ? Me the home-made too, and now we can—the Fusion gizmo made out from Whites. The Fusion consists of surgical tubing of two layers. The inner layer (Dry Dual that technical divers Core) is a membrane suit with latex used to keep their back-up sec- seals, a dry zipper and air intake Purpose ond stage close when needed. The material is and exhaust valves. The removable soft silicon rubber, it comes in two sizes and in outer layer of durable stretch fabric The Poseidon Platform, a back four colors including hot pink. is attached to the Dry Core at the plate designed with a simple quick www.mantaind.com wrists, ankles, valve openings and zip- release to change from tank to per to create the form fit. The Fusion tank, is the first product launched is loaded with great features, easy self after Poseidon and Cis-Lunar joined entry, heavy-duty, UV-resistant seals, Si forces. The back plate can be used Tech valves, reflective piping and an for both tanks and rebreathers. One anatomically correct CAD-designed size fits all. An ergonomical fit prom- pattern for a perfect fit. ises to give good back support to the www.whitesdiving.com diver no matter his/her height even on land. www.poseidon.se

43 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED UK International Kicking And there was light. Provided Lightly by an ampted pair of 5-watt white LEDs, this is the brightest light in its class. A unique opti - cal design unites the two high intensity LEDs into one beam, The creating twice the intensity Twin Jet Fin Zeagle that lasts to the bitter, I mean has it all, at battery, end. You can switch least according between full and half power to to its maker. The save battery life. Rated to 500 feet. split fin propeller Amazon.com technology delivers a more forward motion, with less effort than tra- ditional blades. Equipped with drag-reducing vents, Bouyancy Control it promises to decrease resis- Belt. This ”BCB” is tance on both the up and the a boyancy device spe cially down strokes in a way you will notice. designed for a freediver. A 4-cubic www.scubapro.com foot air cylinder, and a Razor valve regu - lator first stage combination will allow the diver to use the buoyancy advantages of a BCD and a tank. Saving energy dur - ing descend and ascent, the BCB will cut down on the risk of shallow water black out when passing through the danger zone. www.zeagle.com

Geo

Yet another dive watch enters the world, and it is digitalized all the way down. What GEO has that makes it stand out, is the possibility to set it in Air, Nitrox and Free Dive modes, Storm Power allowing it to double as a backup to any . This futuristic designed wetsuit Includes advanced digital fea- comes in 7/5 mm and 54mm. tures, like stop watch, daily alarms, For comfort, it promises some Aeris alternate time zone and more. And extra stretchy features and the it is sportylicious as well. Kevlar compressed kneepads The ATMOS LX has a large rear-inflation bladder, www.oceanicworldwide.com will keep the wear and tear off designed to wrap around for maximum lift. The inte - a little longer. This suit design grated weight system for up to 20 pounds has a “pos - comes in 5 or 7 mm. Plus, it’s itive-lock” system to keep the where they are made with a built in sixpack. supposed to be. Rear trip pockets for non-dumpable www.ralftech.com weight and a padded backpack with lumbar support for comfort. www.diveaeris.com

44 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Scubapro Module Light Haskel Mini Sport Booster

Versatility is the key with this modular Haskel International scored big in the light system from Scubapro. The dive market by unveiling this Mini light system gives the user flex- sport booster for charging

ibility with its interchangeable O2 cylinders for rebreath- heads. Top that with a bat- ers at the DEMA Show tery pack and housing adapt- 2006. The 4” Drive air able to a hand-held or umbili- driven gas booster cal configurations and you have is lightweight for quite a nice package to light your great portability. way. www.scubapro.com Charges gases up to 3500 psig with inlet gas as low as 100 psig. www.haskel.com

Swiss Surfacemarker This very marine, very Ralf Tech Using a webbing system, this safety The all new BC for the Ralf Tech range— blue, very limited edi- sausage promises a more easy way to ‘Club Tech’. Ideal for the beginning diver, tion diver’s watch deploy your marker when at a safety traveling diver or dive school, it’s a great is heading to be a stop. The idea is to reduce the risk of product at an attractive price. Comes in collector’s item. You entanglement normally faced with a XXS, XS, S, M, L & XL. www.ralftech.co.uk want the Maxi Marine free-floating string. The compact lanyard Diver or something is secured with an elastic cord and auto- else unique? Check out matically unravels itself underwater upon the home page for your deployment. www.surfacemarker.com nearest dealer. Immersion & www.ulysse-nardin.com

Very few watches on the market can stand up to the daily abuse of saltwater and sand—dive watches are among them. Freestyle presents the Aquanaut stainless steel men’s watch, and the Immersion—with all the features a dive watch should have— designed for watersports-minded people. The Neptunic black dial face of the Aquanaut includes Featured on Animal Planet, Discovery over- sized Arabic numerals Channel, and History Channel, the shark at 6, 9, and 12 o’clock, suit first tried out by 1978 luminous stick mark- has come a long way. The technology ers, and, of course, is basically the same, the design not the oh-so-important quite, but it still does what it promises, scratch-resistant prevents a shark bite from breaking mineral crystal. the skin. Neptunic builds full body shark The Immerson suits, the design resembles something comes with a out of early Star Trek movies. The screw down designs of these protective suits are crown and outstanding, and some of the suits night vision are actually shown at museums. backlight dis- www.neptunic.com play.

Amazon.com Amazon.com

45 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Section Letters & OpinionsAll perspectives expressed in this section are those of the individu- What do you think? al author and do not necessarily Get heard! Send us you opinion to reflect the views of X-RAY MAG, DiveGuru.Net, or their associates [email protected] by Jan 10, 2007, and get a chance to win these exquisite Silver Hammerhead Edited by Cufflinks generously sponsored by Millis Keegan ReefJewellery.com Shopping for Dive Equipment Online vs. In-Store

Online shopping is growing at From Florida: How does online Mr Congenialtiy STILL AT LARGE: an incredible fast speed making I live in Pompano Beach and got certi- shopping affect your When and where I shop is none of your it tougher and tougher for small fied in Mexico last spring. It was such a business, it’s my almighty dollar. I am just great experience, and I was psyched. business, and what are here because my wife told me to be Is it right or wrong, to business shop owners to suc- When I came home, I wanted to get my you doing to counter act here. What is online shopping anyway? ceed. Even though many shop own equipment and also take another —Non-diver feed the marine life? class or two. I found a dive shop nearby negative effects of Internet owners like to play the ostrich Is it right or wrong for Dive centers and and went there to talk to a professional based shopping? From Pennsylvania: Dive resorts to enable fish feeding by game, online shopping is here that could help me choose my equip- I love not getting what I want immedi- selling this kind of products? to stay. They will have to adapt. ment. I had a lot of questions. Half way ately. I like coming home from work and We would like to think that divers bring through, I noticed that she got more and finding a box outside my door. It’s like From Washington: to the water the notion of Take nothing It is not all bad, of course. Many dive more frustrated with me and my ques- I enjoy shopping in the stores, more than Christmas all over! But when it comes to but memories, Leave nothing but bub- shops run successful operations while tions, and all of a sudden she blurted I do online but only because I enjoy my dive equipment, I shop in-store. To bles. However, we all know, that that is some are struggling. We would like to out: “Are you going to buy something being in the vicinity of other people and me, it is all about safety while diving. not always true, and in many cases bad hear from the latter. or what!” Then she flat out told me, that because it gives me a chance to physi- Perhaps I am lucky, but the staff in my behavior is encouraged by the dive How does online shopping affect she thought I asked too many questions, cally see, feel and try out what I’m buy- dive store really know their stuff. I trusted centers and dive resorts. Feeding fishes your business, and what are you doing and that I probably was going to go ing. them with my training, of course, I trust while diving is a popular activity to bring to counteract the negative effects of home and shop online after using her —Mike G, Seattle, WA their judgment. They have good argu- the marine life to the divers/snorkelers Internet-based shopping? services. ments and every purchase I have made in a misguided attempt to enhance the We would also like to hear the view of There are many more dive stores has been a good one. underwater experience. customers. So, Shoppers, where do you around here, and someone else got In conclusion, yes to online shop- e-Shopper: We noticed that the Holidays put a shop and why? To spice it up a bit, and the sale. I personally prefer to shop in I do prefer online shopping—100 per- ping, and yes to in-store shopping. Why dent in the number of replies to the to get you started, I took the liberty of a store. I don’t even mind paying a bit cent. And yes, I do shop some of my choose when you can have the best of Diveguru. Well, the holidays are over, asking some divers aboard a extra for the service. But let me tell you, dive equipment online. Why shouldn’t I? two worlds? and it is time to have an opinion again. in Key Largo about their preferences. behavior like that is not okay. I get so much more information about —Jake Bunt, Philadelphia, PA We are leaving last issue at large, and —Millis Keegan —Mary, Pompano Beach, FL the products over the Internet, and adding another hot topic. ■ there is more to choose from. Plus, I can About the DiveGurus chat and get feedback from others. An Millis Keegan, owner and founder of From Canada: added bonus is that I find information Diveguru.net, the homepage that answers You need a local dive shop for your air and links to new places to dive, and I questions for divers, snorkelers, anyone with fill. They can’t live on that alone, so if you get knowledge in general about what’s a love for our oceans, is a new member of want them to be around, support them up in the dive community. What’s not to X-Ray Magazine. With the help of reputa- by shopping there. like? ble experts, www.diveguru.net will find the —Kate and Dave, Canada —The Ibuy freak answer.

46 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED whales & dolphins Living on the Edge: Hector’s Dolphins Edited by Peter & Gunild Symes Hector’s dolphins are one of the smallest species of dolphins to hit the endangered species list. They may be facing extinction. Found around the New Zealand coast- line, the dolphins Poster from the Adopt a Hector’s Dolphin Challenge of meet their fate all the WWF-New Zealand. www.wwf.org.nz too often in gill-nets and trawl-nets in which they become entangled and die a long excruciating death. It is esti- mated that more than 100 Hector’s dolphins may be succombing to death in this way each year, each one a dignificant death as each can have Extinct: Baiji Dolphin a serious impact on the survival of some dolphin populations. Apparently, fishermen are not following the voluntary codes of conduct, which request The baiji dolphin, one of the world’s most endangered that they not set their nets in sensitive areas. The New Zealand government dophins, is now presumed extinct by zooligists working in has put forth new measures, also based on voluntary control, to protect the China. According to researchers, these rare dolphins lived dolphins. If you would like to send a letter to the New Zealand Ministers for along the lower end of the polluted Yangtze River where Fisheries and Conservation urging them to do more to save the Hector’s dol- they were thought to have lived for about 20 million years, phin, go to the WDCS e-campaign page here: wdcs-uk.org. SOURCE: WDCS ■ unchanged as a species for at least 3 million years. Upon confirmation, the baiji will be remembered as the first large aquatic mammal driven to extinction in our times since the Caribbean monk seal was overfished to extinction in the 2007 is the 1950s. Ocean Arts August Pfluger, director of baiji.org, told the BBC, “We UN’s Year of lost the race... It is a tragedy, a loss not only for China, but Gallery & Emporium for the entire world.” He was the joint-leader of a six-week the Dolphin where a percent of all sales goes to expedition using both visual and acoustic monitoring The UN has designated this ocean conservation equipment to search for the endangered creature. They year as the Year of the Dol- found none. What they did find is that another dolphin is phin in an effort to protect also feeling the effects of pollution in the river, Yangtze fin- dolphins from threats to their www.oceanartsgallery.com less , whose numbers have fallen below 400. survival and possible extinc- Nicola Hodgins, director of the Whale and Dolphin tion. Working in collabora- Conservation Society’s International Projects said in the tion with the Whale and Dol- Buy this beautiful poster (above) with artwork organization’s newletter, “The demise of the Baiji should phin Conservation Society, by Carlos Hiller, a talented adventure diver and be viewed as a warning and a reflection of the way the the United Nations Eduction painter in Costa Rica, and help save the oceans... actions of human kind can have a devastating effect on Program has plans to involve a percent of all sales goes to ocean conservation. wildlife and our natural resources. The Yangtze River, now governments, conservation Available in two sizes: 23 x 33” (58 x 84cm) or 14 x one of the most highly polluted rivers in the world, supports organizations and members of the private sectio to increase awareness 20” (35.5 x 51cm). Go to The X-RAY MAG Store at some 350 million people, as well as wildlife. It has never of the plight of the dolphin species and the need to protect them. As part www.cafepress.com/xraymag been more important to act to avoid mass extinction of of the program, various pro-dolphin events will be organized around the other vulnerable cetacean species.” ■ world. To join the effort or submit your ideas, go to: www.yod2007.org ■

47 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED whales & dolphins Near Record Deaths for Whales Attacked Florida Manatees in 2006 by Seagulls Off the coasts of Argentina’s Valdés Red is to blame for a near record-setting Peninsula, the southern right whale year for the number of deaths in the endan- is being attacked by blubber crav- gered manatee populations of Florida, accord- ing seagulls. Authorities blame ing to state wildlife officials. In 2006, there were uncovered garbage dumps and 392 manatee deaths compared to 415 deaths waste from fish-processing opera- in 1996, when red tide, a deadly marine algae tions to the increase in the number bloom, was also a factor. Boat collisions were It’s Open Season on Dolphins in Japan of kelp gulls in the area. While the also to blame, claiming 82 manatee lives. While gulls usually feed on dead animals An estimated 20,000 dolphins are killed each year by Japanese fisher- the annual survey claimed manatee popula- and blubber dislodged by whales men. They call it “pest control”. Slaughtered behind giant tarps, which tions have risen from 1,267 in 1991 to 3,117 in when they breach, some gulls mask the bloodbath, the dolphins are killed because they eat too 2006, scientists argue that the increase is mainly are getting much more aggres- many fish. Even though there has been mounting international pres- due to better techniques for locating mana- sive with their feeding habits. They sure to stop the brutal killing, a small coastal town in Japan called Taiji tees. While the manatees are still protected love blubber and some of them has launched their yearly culling season. The fishermen there say that by the federal Endangered Species Act of will land on the whales and peck the dolphins are the same as fish and killing them is the same as killing 1973, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation through the skin to get to the blub- cows for beef. Ric O’Barry of SaveJapanDolphins.com told the Inde- Commission voted unanimously in February to ber, which is a calorie rich source pendent that the slaughter is more about reducing competition for fish take the manatee off the endangered species of food for the birds according to rather than ancient Japanese tradition. As 2007 has been declared list. Now it is identified as a threatened species Marcelo Bertellotti, a biologist at the Year of the Dolphin by the U.N., there is ongoing speculation as to since its population is on the rebound accord- Argentina’s Patagonia University. what role the organization will take in this matter. ■ ing to the recent survey, even though scientists The birds nest near prime breed- continue to warn government that the mana- ing waters of the endangered tee population will drop 50 percent over the whales, and mothers and calves Leaping Dolphin Injures Boat Passenger next 50 years due to habitat loss, red tide and PETER SYMES are most often attacked by the boat collissions. SOURCE: The Ledger ■ voracious birds since they spend A 27-year-old New Zealand woman aboard a boat in the Bay of Plenty more time at the surface. The was struck by a dolphin which jumped from the sea into her boat. The wounds inflicted often become in- dolphin caused a number of injuries to the woman who was rushed to fected with bacteria and viruses. intensive care, while the dolphin swam away unharmed. Alan Baker, Thwaps, Waps, Grumbles and Snorts The calves have the worst of it as dolphin expert, told New Zealand Radio, “I’ve been studying dolphins FRITZ GELLER-GRIMM their skin is softer and the spend for 40 years and this is the first time I’ve heard of a dolphin jumping into —Whales Have Elaborate Vocabularies the most time at the surface. a boat.” SOURCE: int.iol.co.za ■ This situation is causing a change Recearchers at the University of than ten.” However there are times when in the normal behavior of the Queensland in Australia have Ranging from underwater a whale will make sounds by whales. Bertellotti told National discovered that humpback sounds including what could be itself, thus suggesting that whale Geographic that the attacks force whales have a much broader underwater blows as well as sur- language is not limited to social the whales to dive and flee which vocabulary than previously face generated sounds created intercourse. interrupts crucial feeding and rest thought. From land, the scientists by breaching and slaps of the The study is important in help- periods, thus causing the animals monitored humpback sounds tail or fins, the whale language ing scientists and governments NOAA to expend energy normally used and activity along the whales’ seems to have social uses that understand what impact the to create fat. This fat is important migratory routes off the east help mothers and calves stay noise of ships and other indus- for long migrations and the pro- coast of Australia, the breeding together. The study also suggests trial sounds have on whales. The Attack of the Killer Dolphins! duction of mother’s milk. Now, the grounds inside the Great Barrier that some sounds are com- ocean is becoming more and whale mothers spend up to a quar- DANIEL GAMMERT The setting is the chilly Black Sea; the victim, a drunken Ukranien; the Reef and the Antarctic feeding petitive calls between groups of more noisy according to Dun- ter of their day fleeing gull at- situation, he decides to go for a swim. What happens next? A pod of grounds. adults that could be specific to lop, and researchers have yet tacks. SOURCE: National dolphins attempts to push him out to sea. Soon the rescue workers Rebecca Dunlop, one of one sex. A previous study also to find out how this noise pollu- Geographic ■ come to his aid. They hit the water with clubs to scare away the dol- the scientists involved with the found that the whales practice tion is affecting the whales. The phins, then, retrieve the intoxicated man, reportedly in good condi- research, told LiveScience, “The grammar. The male whale love first step to understanding is to tion, although bewildered as to what was in his drink. It is thought that most surprising thing was there song appears to have song units find out how whales communi- the dolphins saw the man as competition for the fish upon which they were 35 different types of sounds key to sexual signals when single cate in a noise-free ocean, said were feeding. SOURCE: int.iol.co.za ■ found. We were expecting less males joined females. Dunlop. ■

48 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED JP BRESSER

In a previous issue the known effect is the scattering of the par- scattering has therefore little influence on science reason for the blue col- ticles in a colloidal suspension, known as visibility. the Tyndall effect. This is seen when light our of water was dis- passes through spilt milk, for example, Rayleigh scattering: occurs at molecules cussed. For the purposes when it has a bluish appearance. Even and particles that are small with respect of simplification it was the blue colour of the sky is caused by to the wavelength of light i.e up to about assumed that the only the scattering of sunlight by molecules one tenth of the wavelength, which in the atmosphere. Both these two latter means about 50 nm. It is the source of phenomenon affect- processes are caused by the scattering the blue of the sky, and, as we can all ing the passage of light of the shorter, blue wavelengths of the see by looking at the sky, intensities can through water was the incident light. be quite high. aborption coefficient The amount of light scattered by a par- Text by Michael Symes ticle or molecule depends on its size and Mie scattering: occurs with particles that of pure water. Now any shape, and is a function of the wave- are larger than the wavelength of light. It diver knows that the vis- length of the incident light. typically occurs with microscopic organ- ibility through sea water isms such as phytoplankton which are Types of scattering 20 - 200 μm in size. (Visible light has a is not always very good. There are three types of scattering, wavelength of 0.4 – 0.7 μm). It is this form It can, in fact, be terrible. depending on the size of the molecules of scattering which is most important for and particles that cause the scattering. visibility under water. Unlike Raman and Visibility is often affected by Rayleigh scattering, the scattered light inorganic particulate matter Raman scattering: occurs when the inci- has the same wavelength composition as such as silt particles or organic dent light interacts with molecules. The the incident light, i.e. it is “white”. Such a matter such as algae. Although scattered light is of a different wave- dissolved substances such as length from the incident light and the Lake Thingvellir, Iceland, boasts probably inorganic salts can also affect scattered intensities are low. This type of the best visibilty on the planet. And, yes, the colour of the water, and those ARE divers in the distance thereby the visibility, it is the par- Rayleigh scattering is the ticulate matter that is the great- source of the blue of the sky est factor affecting visibility. Scattering Light passing through a medi- um is said to be scattered by particles suspended in it, i.e. it is the process of changing the direction of the light. We observe scattering, for exam- ple, when we see suspended dust particles dancing in the air in a beam of sunlight. The dust particles are very small, and it is this scattering of light Underwater visibility that makes them easily visible to the naked eye. Another well

The term Tyndall effect is usual- ly applied to the effect of light scattering on particles in colloid systems, such as suspensions of particles in water. Colloids may be colored or translucent because of the Tyndall effect. (Location: Cenote in Mexico) PETER SYMES 49 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIALVIZ FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED PETER SYMES

Editor Andrey Byzuikin along the shoreline of Lake Baikal, Siberia. The lack of nutrients makes the water ����������������� ��� devoid of algae

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scattering effect is generally called of from a calibrated turbidity. nephelometer are called Nephelometric Turbidity Units, Measurement of Turbidity NTU. In the United States, for There are several ways to quantify example, the allowable stand- turbidity, the most direct being ard for turbidity for drinking water Secchi disc some measure of attenuation is 1 NTU. This amount of turbidity is of light as it passes through a easily observable. column of water. However, the Turbidity standards can be is inversely proportional to turbid- most meaningful measurement obtained with various values of ity. However, this method has the of turbidity in water is obtained NTU’s. These are mostly used to disadvantage that it cannot be by determining the amount of calibrate nephelometers. There are used in relatively shallow waters ������������� scattering directly. Turbidity meas- also portable turbidity meters avail- where the disk can still be seen on ured this way uses an instrument able for the measurement of tur- the bottom. called a nephelometer (from the bidity over the range 0 to 4000 NTU. Although it appears to be a Greek word for cloud). It does so In a simpler, and cheaper but very simple phenomenon, tur- by employing a light beam and more approximate, way turbidity bidity is a very complex analyti- a light detector set to one side can be measured using a Secchi cal measurement which can be (most often at 90º). This method disc. This is a black and white disc affected by many factors. Most generally provides a very good which can be lowered into the divers, though, will just use their correlation with the concentra- water until it can no longer be eyes to estimate visibility under tion of particles in the water that seen. This Secchi depth is then water, and be perfectly satisfied ���������������� affect clarity. recorded as a measure of the with that. ■ A nephelometric turbidimeter transparency of the water which ���� ��������� �������������� ������� ���� ���������� ��������� ����������� �������������������������������������������������������������������������� always monitors light reflected ������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������� ����� ����� ������ �������� ����� ���� ����� ������������ ��� ���� off the particles and not attenu- ���������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������� ation due to cloudiness. The units A digital nephelo- ������������������������������������ ��������������������������������������������� metric turbidimeter 50 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED (Hudson) Lamouroux, Laminaria digitata

Kelp harvesting Kelp harvesting takes place in several Eat Kelp countries around the world. The harvest- Text by Arnold Weisz ing of kelp for the manufacture of food Photos by Stein Johnson additives and agrochemical products and Peter Symes is a significant business in Asia, Europe and parts of North America. Giant kelp has been harvested off the southern Did you know that kelp is an ingredient in many household foods? California coast for more than 90 years. Edibles like frozen foods, cakes, puddings, salad dressings, sham- In the 1970’s, yearly harvests of more than 170,000 tons supported a California poos and even toothpastes contain alginate. Alginate is an appar- kelp industry worth US$40 million. Also ently safe derivative of seaweed (kelp) and is used to maintain the desired texture in many products.

This food additive is the dehy- drated and ground prod- uct prepared from different species of kelp: Macrocystis pyrifera, Laminaria digitata, Laminaria saccharina, and The rainforest of the ocean the kelp leaves. Within the labyrinth of Laminaria cloustonii. The kelp forest has a high production the kelp forest, many shrimp, crabs, sea Giant kelp is one of the and very high biological diversity. Kelp stars and anemones also find their food fastest growing plants in the forests are among the most productive and housing. Scientists have counted up world. When conditions are and species-rich ecosystems in the world. to 100,000 life forms on a single kelp. good, kelp can grow two Kelp plants create a structural complexity feet per day! Giant kelp pre- throughout the water column that pro- A kelp dredge harvests kelp with its large rake-like fers water temperature in the vides habitat for many kinds of fish, inver- teeth that can rip dozens of kelp from rock at a time 50-65°F range. Kelps occurs tebrates and other algae. This makes the at and below low-tide levels kelp forest an amazing place to scuba in cool temperate regions dive. If coral reefs are said to be the cit- throughout the world. They ies of the ocean, the kelp forests have to are a group of large brown be the rain forest of the ocean. seaweeds that live on the In the shadows within the kelp forest, rocky sea bed as far down hundreds of species of fishes and inverte- as sunlight penetration will brates ply their trades. The kelp forest also allow. The plants often grow offers a great place to grow offspring. together in large numbers to Many vulnerable larvae of fish spend form dense forests, usually their formative months in the kelp forest composed of a single kelp instead of having to face the dangers of species. A giant kelp plant the open ocean. can live up to six years. The Just as in the rain forest on land, the plant is continuously pushing kelp forest houses different species at dif- up new fronds to the surface, ferent levels. While some fish thrive under while the older fronds break the canopy, other animals make their off. Reaching lengths of more lives further down in the aquatic forest. than 30 meters, it is the largest Various predatory snails and gaily color- marine algae. ed nudibranchs graze on the stem and

(Hudson) Lamouroux, Laminaria digitata Bladder Wrack, Fucus vesiculosus 51 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Red Rags, Kelp features Dilsea Carnosa the depletion of fish stocks, as the kelp forest is a nursery for juvenile fish and are also major feeding grounds for blue water species. Less fish could also mean fewer seabirds. It will take some time before this study and others around the world can give satisfactory answers on weather com- mercial kelp harvesting is sustainable or not. ■ Kelp is a rich source of miner- als and trace elements—iodine in particular, an adequate supply of which is essen- tial to the proper functioning of the thyroid gland and the many important bodily which is carried along the sea bed on kelp harvesting. In Norway, the Institute processes con- raised skis. The weight of the dredge as of Marine Research (IMR) started a long trolled by it. Each it is pulled forward rips dozens of kelp term project in 2003 to investigate the tablet provides plants from the rock, holdfast and all, effect of kelp harvesting. According to 150mcg of Iodine which assists thy- which are then caught between the IMR only about 0.3% of Norway’s kelp roid hormones teeth. are harvested, but up to 40% are eaten control , growth and devel- At the end of a harvesting run, the by sea urchins. Nevertheless, disap- opment. Healthydirect.co.uk dredge may have been drawn 50-250m pearing kelp forests may contribute to along the sea bed, and have over a tonne of plants hanging in a compact mass from its teeth. The process at the factory begins with the harvested seaweed being thor- oughly washed in sea water to remove sand, silt, shells and small stones. Rotary drum dryers are used to dry the sea- weed to be processed into seaweed meal. Resource management Kelp harvesting is not without criticism. Several past and current on-going stud- TOP: A common Baltic shrimp traverses Toothed Wrack fronds ies reveal the impact of commercial BOTTOM: Toothed Wrack, Fucus serratus harvesting. Kelp harvesting impact on invertebrate species, seabirds and Norway is also harvesting kelp on a large- ing is managed on a rotational basis, other marine mammal populations has scale base—170,000 tons are harvested ensuring that each area is harvested only not been satisfactorily investigated. on the Norwegian west-coast every year. once every four years to allow regrowth Invertebrates, of all the groups of spe- Kelp harvesting is undertaken by tug- of the plants. The kelp dredge itself cies that rely on kelp forests for their sized custom-built vessels with open holds resembles a huge, iron garden rake—3m habitat, may be the most affected by the size of large caravans. Kelp harvest- wide with elongated spiked teeth— Carrageenan or Irish Moss, Chrondus crispus 52 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED THE FACTS AND VIEWPOINTS IN THIS SECTION ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE VIEWS OF X-RAY MAG. ITEMS PRESENTED IN THIS SECTION HAS NOT BEEN TESTED BY X- RAY MAG STAFF, NOR ARE THE ITEMS WARRANTED, INFORMATION PROVIDED IS CONDENSED FROM MANUFACTURERS DESCRIPTIONS. TEXTS ARE USUALLY EDITED FOR LENGTH, CLARITY AND STYLE LINKS ACTIVE AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATIONS

POINT & CLICK ON BOLD LINKS

Edited by Gunild Pak Symes

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE VENDORS Gifts for that special diver in your life... Two Playful Dolphins Kiss Some Fish! encircle one another to form Chocolate Carp or Angelfish in dark or milk chocolate this beautiful ring from Seaside made by Chocolaterie Durig, one of Switzerland’s fin- Designs in Florida, USA. A lus- est chocolate makers, of high cocoa content choco- trous 5.5mm pearl balances late (with pure cocoa butter). With strong and subtly between dolphins with dia- pronounced flavours, Durig’s chocolate is made mond eyes totalling .04ct. from the finest cocoa beans mainly from the South Measures about 5/8” wide. American Criollos bean. All natural ingredients. No Also available in white gold artificial additives, colourings, flavourings or preserva- or 18k gold on request. tives. Carp: 200g each, 23cm x 12cm, priced: 19 Swiss Price: US$412.00. Francs (€11.41/US$14.58). Angelfish: 100g each, 12cm Seasidedesigns.com x 8cm, priced: 9 Swiss Francs (€5.60/US$7.29). durgi.ch

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55 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Interview with an explorer & pioneer

Text by Peter Symes. Photos by Peter Symes, Bill Stone Bill Stone, Ken Corben, Paul Heinerth Caves, rebreathers, risk assess- X-RAY MAG: You’re a structural engineer by said I’d like to come down here and test this ment, the meaning of life, training. Are you driven by innovation, looking diving equipment because Wakulla is legen- for applications or projects for your inventions dary. acceptable risks, the future of – or do you find for specific projects? In the diving world, it is a pretty amazing diving and what it takes to be place, so it is has got this 100-meter diameter a true explorer—Bill Stone lays Bill Stone: It was always the latter. It was the crystal clear basin with upwards of 70 meters it all out on the table for X-RAY Pena Colorado expedition in 1984 that forced immediately of depth us to develop closed cycles systems because We were developing you can work in. It is MAG publisher, Peter Symes, what we wanted to do was either going back gear for ourselves an ideal place to test who gets to hear about the dirt to the Pena Colorado system or St. Augustine rebreathers, and that and glory of the birth of modern to continue. The game was that we were try- to use to explore is why I wanted to go rebreathers through the eyes ing to beat the French for the world deepest and it was these there. cave. Now we are trying to beat the Russians, So, I submitted this of the man who helped start it but it is still the very same game, and that is two underwater proposal to the state all with his pioneering efforts in about the need to be able to traverse very tunnels that was of Florida, and ulti- closed-circuit systems. long distances. mately, they came We were developing gear for ourselves to driving the tech- back to me. But in use to explore, and it was these two underwa- nology and that order to make the ter tunnels that were driving the technology, whole project go, and that was what very few people real- was what very few we had to change a ize. They think we went to Wakulla people realize. few things. Now, the (Springs and caves in Florida other top cavers in —Ed) because we wanted Florida—who at that time included Wes Sklies, to explore Wakulla, , Paul Heinert and a lot of other but that’s not true. people—had put in a written We went there proposal which, as a second- because I needed ary objective, stated the a place to test continued mapping of the the Mk1, so I spring, because at that time, went to the it had been closed for almost state of 20 years due to private own- Florida, ership. So, they let us put and I that into the proposal as CREDITS: PHOTO: YUMMI BUTT

57 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Bill Stone profile an objective because diving equipment had changed kgs of lead at the problems are there with quite a bit in the past 20 bottom of it. And breathing? There are a thou- years. The State of Florida we ended up sand little questions about came back to us and said, getting ROLEX to how you use a rebreather that “All this is very interesting, but fund that—the we learned for the first time in we are interested in the spring”. open circuits plus 1987—y’know, what works, what So, they asked us to change the the vehicles which doesn’t, what swimming attitudes priorities and make the exploration of sleds and everything were best… the first priority. We said, is what became the We had streams of data from that dive “Ok, that is fine.” Wakulla project. and a dozen other dives, which enabled We still got the permission to test the It was kind of a sideshow that we did us to move on to more generations of rebreather. So, as a result of that change all this rebreather testing, culminating the rebreathers all the way up to Mk5. Brief Bio of priority, we were imme- with this 24-hour underwater test we did diately confronted with on December 3rd and 4th, 1987. I did Exploring Huautla with Mk4s Doctor in Structural engineering, Ph.D. P.E the problem that every- that in a Poseidon Unisuit, ending up But it was the Mk4 was the one that was Professional Affiliations: one knew the place was reading two books specifically developed to go going to be deep, push- underwater and also “That call of the raw back to Huautla plateau to – American Institute of Aeronautics & Astro- ing 90-95 meters. ended up filling the continue on the work we left nautics And so, we started think- drysuit up full of pee. unknown has a certain off with in 1984. So, it took us – American Society of Civil Engineers ing, as early as January So, by the next after- subliminal beckoning to a ten years to get to the point – Tau Beta Pi & Chi Epsilon National Engineer- 1986 or so, that we need- noon, I was pretty rare few true explorers” where we were able to go ing Honorary Fraternities ed to do something about darn cold. In order to back—as – Member, AIAA Task Committee on Aerody- decompression. stay warm, I had to we did in 1994. namic Decelerator Systems – Member, ASCE Committee on Space Engi- come up with something. OK, Wakulla We used the MK4 to crack that tun- neering & Construction Ultimately the design springs has got this 30-degree sand slope nel that was 600 meters long, and we – Member, CII Committee on Wireless Data came out of this variable that goes down towards the entrance. explored another 3kms on the other side Communications depth decompression So, I had all these guys bring in a lot of before we hit another underwater tun- – Member, ASCE Committee on Automation habitat, this ice cone lead, and I would take my fins off and nel at a distance of about 7kms from the and Robotics in Construction shape thing with 12,000 walk down the slope with my Mk1 on my back. I would then run back up to get Holds 11 patents, including Digital Waterproof warm; I just kept going up and down that Lap Counter, Breathing Apparatus Mouth- hill. I did that all afternoon on December piece, Breathing Apparatus Gas Routing 4th to stay warm until I could get out. Manifold, Breathing Apparatus, High Speed, Amplitude-Variable Thrust Control, Breathing When we got to the shore, there were Apparatus Mouthpiece, High Speed, Ampli- about 12 journalists from various press, tude Variable Thrust Control Method and we cracked this bottle of cham- “Robots are not pagne. But the interesting thing about Technical Experience: that was that we only used half of the and will never supplies—half the life support that was in 25 years of structures, dynamics, systems be a substi- the rig. design, spacecraft, and life support research tute for human work, including the development of: X-RAY MAG: How did you get it all in exploration, there? – Non-Line-of-Sight real-time metrology – Virtual construction site simulators simply because – Automated control systems for construc- Bill Stone: Oh, we didn’t get in the cave tion machinery it is in human at all. It was really about testing the – Procedures for conversion of Space Shut- nature to be equipment. Did the electronics work? tle external fuel tanks into safe, low cost Does the breathing system work? What laboratory facilities in low earth orbit curious” – An intelligent, piezoelectric spacecraft The Cis-Lunar MK-2R included dual rebreath- reaction control system ers and six onboard computers. Nigel Jones is – The MK1, MK2, MK3, MK 4 and MK 5 Cis-Lu- shown debugging the initial embedded con- nar rebreathers ►► troller circuitry [photo ©1990 Bill Stone]

58 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED 1998 - Bill Stone drives the 3D DWM – The portable 6-person underwater habitat (digital wall mapper) back to the used on the Wakulla 1 project and the surface at Wakulla basin Bill Stone launch system for the saturation habitat for profile Wakulla 2 St. Augustine – An autonomous 3D digital full-wall mapper When we went back to St. Augustine in for automated cave surveying 1994—we were there for 4.5 months and most of it went to logistical setup, logisti- Selected cal derigging—there was only one period of about seven days that we spent Expeditionary Experience: beyond that, on the underwater tunnel. 1994 San Agustin expedition (4 1/2 All the rest in between were exploratory months), Oaxaca, Mexico, expedition leader. dives. Reached -1475m beyond San Agustin sump. I think we did over 22 missions out of this incredible, remote place. People 1988-91 Four expeditions to Cueva Cheve, don’t appreciate that there were 3km Oaxaca, Mexico (4 months total), expedition of rope rigged, and you—in order to get co-leader. Extended Cheve to present depth to this place—had to go rapelling down at -1386m. all these ropes just to get to the place where the dive started. There were 3kms 1987 Wakulla Springs Project (10 weeks), Florida, expedition leader. Three kilometers PAUL HEINERTH of ropes going down into a hole in the of new discoveries mapped at 90m water ground where there were three under- depth. entrance, but the logistics were such that ground camp sites, which were moving we were only able to get two people out inwards day by day to get to the point 1984 Pena Colorada expedition (4 there, and given the nature of it—it was where we wanted to be. months), Oaxaca, Mexico, expedition leader. the end of a 4.5-month expedition—we The final camp was located outside were unable to take rebreathers any fur- the dive site, and there was no dry land Nine kilometers of new discoveries near ther to look at the tunnel that stopped there. We had to build platforms sus- Huautla resurgence. us. So, that challenge is still sitting out pended three meters above the water, there. so if there was a flood, we weren’t going 1981 Agua de Cerro expedition (4 to be swept away. months), Oaxaca, Mexico, expedition co- There were hammocks on rock bolts in leader. Sistema Huautla extended to -1253m the roof, so we slept there. But we did 22 depth. exploratory missions before we actually 1980 Rio Iglesia expedition (4 months), broke through. Some of those diver were Oaxaca, Mexico. expedition co-leader. First of the order of two to three hours dura- KEN CORBEN American team to reach -1000m. tion at 30 meters depth. 1997 - preparing for the first-ever deep dive with a MK5 rebreather Of all those dives put together, the total gas consumption was 100 24-liter record that spring. But as it turned out, for Wakulla Springs, including the 3-D they don’t care. They are not going to bottles of 86/14 and one 2000-liter the thing was much more difficult when it mapper, micro sat systems and propul- use it, and if someone is going to die, so bottle of oxygen. Those were our supplies came to the raw logistics. We had rope sion gear... and things like that. It has what? It is a military man, and occasion- for that entire expedition. transport, food transport and what not. been a continuous string of expeditions. ally, you are going to lose a few people But from a diving view point, it was an But from an equipment development —or something like that. Sure they might X-RAY MAG: That must have been a enormous change. view point, it has been driven by a desire think it is bad if you lose someone, but it logistical nightmare when you also con- It was when we came back that to go some place that one wants to go, is not them—it’s not their families. sidered food and other supplies. Richard Pyle contacted me regard- but wasn’t able to get to before. In our case, we were the end users, ing using the MK4 that was a leftover And that is really the thing. It wasn’t and that makes you think completely Bill Stone: Yes, and had we had more from the 1994 expedition, which was a driven by commercial economics or, differently about what you are going time—we still had the logistics of taking National Geographic project. “Hey, let’s build this piece of equip- to design. You start thinking, how do I the rebreathers down to the sump—we At that point, he started off using MK5s, ment... Now, let’s see what we can do design this rig for survival? How do I make would possibly have broken the world and we got the chance to go back to with it”. No, it didn’t work that way. it lightweight, since I am going to carry Wakulla Springs in 1999, and from that We developed this gear for ourselves, it? How do I make it impact resistant? All Beyond the Deep by Billi Stone and point, two things happened. and we were the test pilots. When you these things. Barbara am Ende chronicles the explora- One, is that we commercialized the MK5 think that way, you design it completely tion of the “Most Treacherous Cave”— and sold 100 of those. The other was that different from somebody who designs it X-RAY MAG: I read a quote from your Mexico´s Sistema Huautla. Amazon.com we developed a lot of new equipment for the military. They are engineers and exploration of Cheve Cave: “When we

59 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED EXCITING * FUN * EDUCATIONAL (What’s) Wakulla Project? Bill Stone Groundwater is a critical resource and Russians. Wakulla does not. springs provide valuable information on So, in these small international the quality and quantity of this water. games we are playing, you go Wakulla Spring is one of the world’s where the opportunity is. deepest springs and one of Florida’s largest individual springs in terms of X-RAY MAG: But where is the average flow. Wakulla cave is a branch- limit—when you say, OK, I am ing flow-dominated cave that has devel- doing something that is, quite oped in the Floridan Aquifer under the obviously, very dangerous. I Woodville Karst Plain of north Florida. The trust my equipment, but we Wakulla Project aimed to investigate and are pushing it. Where is the map these resources edge of the envelope?

Bill Stone: It becomes a psy- chological issue once you have broken certain ties. With the rebreather, we broke the tie with the compressor. We are doing the same thing with other techniques that contrib- ute to the logistics. This past year, we were working in another element of the Cheve system called WAKULLA SPRINGS STATE PARK the J2 and were 1200 meters Wakulla Springs are classified as a First deep and 9 km again from the magnitude spring and is the longest and OUR WORLD-UNDERWATER BILL STONE entrance. These were sepa- deepest underwater cave system in the rate pieces of a giant system world. Wakulla Springs is a major exposure “It wasn’t driven by commercial that focused together like a tree. The two point for the Floridan Aquifer. The spring has it all! elements were coming together in a nexus forms the Wakulla River which flows several economics or ‘Hey, let’s build this more than 20 kms away —which is incred- miles to the south where it empties into the Featuring hundreds of booths on: piece of equipment...Now, let’s ibly remote. You can’t just imagine that. It Gulf of Mexico. is days and days of traveling time, and it is Dive Travel — Equipment Manufacturers see what we can do with it’. No, Retailers — Dive Apparel — Training Agencies physically threatening in terms of i.e. huge The Woodville Karst Plain Project or WKPP, it didn’t work that way” water falls coming down. So, you have to grew out of a cave diving research and Dive Publications — Film Festivals constantly think, second by second. You exploration group established in 1985 to Seminars — Workshops reached sump two (the second underwa- can’t go lax. If you miss a connection with map the underwater cave systems underly- ter tunnel —Ed), it felt like we were on the a …then .... ing the Woodville Karst Plain, a 450 square other side of the Moon—and that was still But to make a point... What we have mile area that runs from Tallahassee, only a quarter of the way. To go all the way learned is to minimize the equipment yet Florida, USA to the Gulf of Mexico and would be a +30 day journey in total dark- include what is most likely to go wrong. includes numerous first magnitude springs, ness beyond all hope of rescue. But that So, a lot of thought goes into the including Wakulla Springs, and the Leon call of the raw unknown has a certain sub- spares kit. How do you repair some- Sinks Cave System, the longest underwater liminal beckoning to a rare few true explor- thing if it breaks? What happens if the cave in the United States. ers.” WKPP is the only organization allowed The reason why we left to dive these caves, which are all on Bill Stone: That is still true. That place is still a Wakulla is that we discovered State, Federal, or private land, due to the FEBRUARY 9-11, 2007 much greater exploration challenge than extreme nature of the systems and the dis- Donald E. Stephens Convention Center we experienced at Wakulla, which isn’t fin- Cheve Cave which gives us cipline required to safely explore them. This Rosemont IL ished by the way. The reason why we left the opportunity to beat the has been a controversial issue at times, as Wakulla is that we discovered Cheve Cave, many people think these caves should be www.ourworldunderwater.com which gives us the opportunity to beat the Russians. Wakulla does not. open to the public. SOURCES: FLORIDA SPRINGS, HYDROGEOLOGY CONSORTIUM 60 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Rio Iglesia Falls at -1450 m. One of the most important discoveries of the 1994 expedition was the junction between the Rio Iglesia and the subterranean Rio San Bill Stone profile Agustin. Their junction forms the “Main Drain” for Sistema Huautla, through which the majority of the water for the vast karst plateau flows. Rio Iglesia, by compari- son, carries nearly 4 times the water previously seen in Sistema Huautla. Barbara am Ende illuminates the spectacular 13 meter waterfall that marks the junction

X-RAY MAG: So a big part of tried fiber optics in 1994, and that had its couple of kilometers of underwa- it has to do with dealing psy- own issues. But lately, we’ve been using ter tunnels down 1500-2000 meters chologically with being so far this very thin single wire system that uses and 10 km from the entrance, there away? And the real barrier the earth, ground, for communication. is nobody that can drag you out. is that you can’t go beyond Up at base camp, you just put a stake in There are not enough people in what it possible logistically. the ground and with the proper amplifi- the world trained to do that. At the cation, you can actually talk with people very best, we have started train- Bill Stone: Yeah. The thing you across 9 km. ing people now to go back to J2 in always need to be thinking That has dramatically changed the 2008. about is what is the emergen- logistics because there is less error in the cy bail out path, and what communications. Before, it was all done Going back do you need in terms of the by messenger that had to go back to with rebreathers very bare minimum to make the last camp, where another would We hit a third underwater tunnel at you comfortable to do that. relay the message on to the next camp 1200 depth. The idea is to go back One of the things that has and so forth. Now we just call the surface there with very compact rebreath- changed over the years is directly i.e. if we are running low on food. ers. Put 6-8 people through there that we have developed a who are going to be self-contained single wire communications X-RAY MAG: It sounds for upwards of 25-30 days system that we run with us. similar to the problems ...it makes you beyond the last crew at Normally, that was one of engineers are currently think about how you camp 3, and we will see discussing how far we get. in regard to are going to fix things. The logistic maps that sending peo- we have projected from ple to Mars. How do you deal that point onwards are looking at a with it, not only practical sense, 22-day round trip just to get to the most nobody has seen before. BILL STONE but also psychologically, when remote camp we expect to see estab- Bill Stone: I used to have canned answers you have a little group of peo- lished. for when people asked me these things cable to the display on my rebreather ple who must get along a rely Usually, you then have about ten days but in most cases, it is just more of the breaks? What I am going to do? What if upon each other under stressful exploration beyond this point. So, that will same, like another canyon. But every a battery goes flat when you go there? conditions in a remote location be 30, 35 or 40 days in total. We can do once in a while, if you have gotten past Or you tear a hole in your counterlung? beyond any practical rescue? that in just a couple of years. some really tough obstacles, sometimes All these ideas go into the spares kit. when you go back to camp at night you When you go into these underwater Bill Stone: As I said, it makes Last frontier get this wow-sensation... I had one of tunnels with a crew, you start thinking you think about how you are And there is no other place on Earth that those in 1994 when we had gotten past where to place emergency depots and going to fix things. I believe that you can do this. If you go into a jungle, the St. Augustine sump and 1 km beyond what should be in them. You always the Russians are far ahead of you can be extracted by a helicopter. camp 6. have to think of the retreat. Where to put anyone in space in terms of fix- Pretty much the same thing if you are rope stashes. What if someone breaks a ing things psychologically. We anywhere underwater—if you are in a “This is it” leg? Then I need to have enough equip- are starting to learn that on the submersible or whatever. But this is real We had been going in and out of all ment to hoist the injured out. Where do I International Space Station— exploration, and that is what attracts me. these little bypasses and finally came to put sleeping bags? but, yes, that is how we think It is the last good frontier on Earth before this one place, and we said, “This is it”. If I make it to a chamber, I can’t sit in underground. we make the leap outward—and there There was another sump, and we had my dive suit as I would go hypothermic. We always think about where we’ve got projects we are working on as made a firm decision that we weren’t So, I need to have sleeping bags and “There is no other place on Earth that you can do this.... our spares are, where our spare well. going to do any more diving as we were foam pads and hammocks. So, how can This is real exploration and that is what attracts me” gas is… everything that you only two of us and only a couple of peo- you make those things as small as possi- need to get out of there again X-RAY MAG: What goes through your ple at the supply camp further back. So, ble? How do you communicate with the those things we never did—the two-wire in an emergency, but on your own. If head when you come around the next we thought we better not screw up. people on the surface —that’s a big one. military systems didn’t work well. We also you break a leg, and you are beyond a corner and see the next section that But we came to this place that went

61 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED At about 2,900 feet (900 meters) deep, After 160 feet (50 meters) of squeez- Marcus Preissner eases his way across a ing through a ceiling collapse 3,200 pool of water in Cheve’s Black Borehole. feet (1,000 meters) down, caver For safety, expedition members carefully John Kerr is on his way to more Bill Stone profile rig rope systems wherever possible open terrain in Cheve Cave tion. You couldn’t see anything up every photon that was coming off our up, anything left, or right and lights. It just went on and on for quite a nothing ahead of you. It was all way until it finally narrowed back down total blackness. So it was like, to a general river passage. That is the I have just stepped onto the kind of thing people get exited about if back side of Pluto. you go underground. I yelled, and that echo just carried on for ten sec- Just seeing blackness onds. That still sends The other really good shivers up my spine. I yelled and that one is coming around Just to walk into echo just carried on a corner and looking a place like that, for 10 seconds. That down and just seeing and you know that blackness. And you say, nobody ever even still send shivers up “That is an interesting conceived that a my spine. place.” You pick up a place like this existed. rock and toss it, and you It was over 200 meters start counting. After about wide and 80 meters tall, and it six seconds something clicks over in your was more than enough to suck head that goes, “Holy shit!”, before you BILL STONE count to seven, eight, nine, ten… And the point when the rock hits the bottom, it still takes the sound a second and a although I knew the gear was good, I Half of you says: “I wanna get out of half just to get back to you before you had no doubt about the gear—the real here. I want to get home.” But the other hear that roar down there echoing in the question was: Why did he die? half then says: “Wait a minute. There is distance. And nobody really understood that, too much invested. This is an unfinished That sets off all kind of thoughts. The first and because of that, there was a lot of piece of business, and we got to carry it is that you back away, right? Because freak factor going on. Normally, rational through.” you just realize that what you just thought people like engineers, scientists and X-RAY MAG: So, how did you handle it? BILL STONE was trivial, now turns out to be higher technical people who should know bet- than the Sears Tower or the Petronas ter, were constructing gremlins: “If it killed Bill Stone: We stowed the equipment and off in four different directions, and I tower—and you are standing over it with- him, it is going to kill me.” So, the expedi- then went over to England and had a looked at the three of them, swam out a rope on. tion almost collapsed at that point. big wake. Ian was a great guy. He was over and took at look at them, but The second one is “Oh man. We need And that expedition had been ten an extraordinary explorer. I can’t say there was nothing there. to get a lot of rope.” years in the making—Wakulla was just an enough good things about him. The final direction looked deep, incident on the way to that expedition. The one thing that was a problem for with the ceiling coming down in When a buddy dies... So, by the time we got there and already him was that he had acquired adult on- the distance, and it looked like one spent four months on the site, it was like set diabetes about a year prior to the of these low air spaces where you X-RAY MAG: Do you ever get to the number one—yes, we lost a good friend. expedition. As he had been with the just have to taut your neck and put point where you start to question these So, the question was, what the hell hap- project for about eight years it was a your nose up and then it ultimately explorations and whether it is worth the pened? very difficult subject to deal with. So, we becomes an underwater tunnel. risk and when the price for curiosity is The second one was, we can’t lose talked with all of the endocrinologists Well, it was a mirage. too high. For example, when somebody everything that took ten years to get this and as a many experts that we could dies, like your friend, Ian Rolland, did in far. You don’t think like this, if you have get hold of. They concluded that he was ...the back side of Pluto Oaxaca? just come on board as a team member. good and an asset to the expedition. When I got further into it, the ceil- But you do if you have organized it. And as long as he was able to maintain ing slowly started to lift up, and it Bill Stone: Yeah, there were emotions You got 60 corporate sponsors, his insulin levels under exertion, then they was a reflection. So, it looked like it on all kinds of levels going on right then. National Geographic, Rolex... Everybody couldn’t see any reason to stand in his was closed. But suddenly, it opened Probably the biggest one in the back who would ever possibly back your expe- way. So, for 3½ months everything went up to this sand beach on the other of our minds was—and probably in me ditions in the future is sitting there silently great. side. From that point onward, you more than anyone else on the team looking over your shoulders thinking, What we believe happened is the fol- couldn’t see anything in any direc- because I had designed the gear, “Well, what is he going to do?” lowing:

62 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED “What you find, almost invariably, it is human Bill Stone profile error that kills” where he realized that something was was nothing wrong with the rig. We knew I never considered myself wrong and just didn’t make it back to that for a fact, as Barbara Am Mende a diver. It was just an shore. used the very same rig for the final push with no change. exploration tool for going X-RAY MAG: So it was essentially the dia- deeper into the Earth betes that killed him, not an equipment Tough one malfunction? The tough part was, of course, learning You try to rationally limit that fact for the first time when the risk to the point where Bill Stone: Yeah, Everybody who Kenny Broad marched into you hope that you can from hypoglycemia. camp three after midnight reduce the probability of Because, unlike any would ever possibly after everyone had gone to hardware failures that will other piece of diving back your expeditions bed with the news that some- kill you—or environmental apparatus to that date, body is not coming back factors that will kill you—as we had a black box in in the future, is sitting as planned. This happened much as possible. And the MkV, and we inter- there silently looking periodically, and you just get what it then really reduces rogated it. over your shoulders this gut feeling that we got a down to is the probability of And sure enough, serious problem and what are human failure. the Oxygen level was thinking, “Well, what you going to do? You just got I have lost 16 friends on well within breathing is he going to do?” to go do it. expeditions—not all on my Jack Harrison Schmitt on the Moon range and there were Kenny did the reconnais- expeditions. We had four no other signs of distress. sance to find out what hap- fatalities on the 53 projects He and Kenny Broad had just surfaced He didn’t die from heart attack either. pened, and I went in to collect the data. that I have run. What you behind 600 meters of tunnels and found He was very fit. This was pretty cut and We actually had slates on which we find, almost invariably, is that this earth-filled chamber. Now Kenny was dry—we investigated everything. There is wrote up all the dates in case the battery it is human error that kills. So, not a dry cave explorer. But Ian was this a 25-page report with all the physicians died. Power was still running though, so what do they do? multi-discipline guy who was not only a giving their say and looking at the data. we got a huge amount of data just off diver but also a top-rated rigger and dry The conclusion was, for sure, that there the screen in addition to what the black A lesson from Cheve cave explorer. So, I said to him, “Why Cave don’t you go?” And so, he did. box recorded. So from Well, there was this fella in 1991 in Cheve Well, in the world of exploration of then on it was just: “Ok, Look for the Cave who came down and—against all underwater tunnels—particularly where all right, how are we signs that tell advice—tried to go to a second under- low or zero visibility is a factor—it’s gener- going to get him out of ground camp straight from the surface. ally consensus to do solo diving. That’s a here?” you when Well, the distance was too far, and he subject for another whole discussion—but things don’t got fatigued and started making mis- this is just the way it is. If you go to the UK takes until finally, when he was going or anywhere else, they will tell you that a feel right. down a fairly steep shaft—and you have partner is a greater risk to your life than X-RAY MAG: So, are And if you re-rig points on the ropes to prevent yourself with a whole lot of redundant fatalities like that are just abrasion and things like that—he just systems. a price that you have sense those didn’t clip in for safety, and he put his So, Ian was over there, and in the to accept when explor- signs, stop. descending device on the rope below, excitement of doing what he was doing, ing? and jumped on to that. he over-exerted himself. He actually had Guess what? That clip, that carab- to get out of the water and walk 100 Bill Stone: In 2004, NASA asked me to iner, that connected to his harness was meters, and his gear was heavy. participate in a very small workshop on not locked. So, here we have three We had the Mk4 plus two bailout bot- risk and exploration. There were some errors in a row. One, caving while he tles and tackle bag. That is probably 70 wonderful proceedings that came out was fatigued. Two, not clipping in his kg. He only weighed 65 kg, so getting out it. There were mountaineers and astro- safety device. And three, not bothering of the water and all that... But he had nauts like Jim Lovell from Apollo 13, Jack to check whether it was locked for his candy bars in his belt that he was going Harrison Schmitt and others of that calib- descent. to eat. He then headed off, and he got er. What we concluded was that explo- All these things summed up. So, ulti- about 30-40 meters into the next tunnel ration, by its very nature, is…risky. mately when he sat down, his carabiner

63 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Careful to avoid rocky edges and a roaring waterfall (right), mem- Bill Stone struggles through John bers on the 2003 expedition take turns dropping 490 feet (150 Kerr’s dig in Aguacate’s sump profile meters) into the vast beauty of Saknussem’s Well in Cheve Cave. (flooded tunnel) bypass Bill Stone involved at the bottom of a have them underground and underwa- went out and did a dive on corals deep cave —in particular if I ter. That is what is left. And in our free and followed a slope down and am not the lead diver. I take time we are trying to figure out how we ended up at plateau around 87 the person aside and I say: get back to the Moon. meters where Richard showed me “Look, don’t let those people some of the wildlife. pressure you into diving if you X-RAY MAG: What is the main thing We spent a couple of hours down don’t like the situation you’re about exploration that gets you? there, before we decided to go up. in. If you get down there—you Then, as we hung out at around 40 might have had 25 support Bill Stone: It is about the thrill of going meters with some hours of decom- personnel turning all of your some place where no one has gone pression still to gp, Richard suggest- equipment, rebreathers, tanks, before. For a tech diver, it might be ed that we go over to have some back-up lights, reels …every- about going down and finding a 500- fun around some commercial tourist thing, hundreds and hundreds year old galleon or something. I can real- submarines. of kilograms of gear kilometers ly appreciate the excitement in some- They were a couple of kilometers down there, and it might have thing like that. It is just not where I would away, so we started swimming, taken four or six weeks —and like to go. I like geographic exploration went over there and swam back, you find you have a leak in as opposed to artifact localization and doing our decompression all the a high pressure hose, or you such. But the feeling for don’t like the way the electron- those people, I believe, ics are powering up on your is the same. It is what RYAN TIETZ rebreathe, then abort. That is it! excites you in life. It is the No question asked. Stop! And curiosity that you are sat- then reassess.” isfying. way along. When we surfaced after about six hours we felt great—as we Control & stress X-RAY MAG: So, if you were diving on Heliox and didn’t really were to sell the idea of think about the distance and time we Bill Stone: To me, I start to lose diving to a mixed audi- had spent underwater. stress when I arrive at base ence, what would you It was only afterwards, when we got camp, because then I am in emphasize? back to shore, we both realized that this BILL STONE control. And that is one of the had been really special because we beautiful things about explora- Bill Stone: If you talk about felt so natural and at home down there unclipped at his harness, and there he tion in my mind, at least here on Earth, strictly diving, I never con- completely forgotting about the fact was with 25 kg of equipment hanging because you are dealing with a static sidered myself a diver. It that we were underwater and for that by one hand over 40m of empty space. adversary. was just an exploration long. It was like, “Hey man, let’s go over You can figure out what happened next. Now, it might be slightly different under tool for going deeper there and see the subs, what the hell?” That is the kind of thing that will come water, you may go into a place and into the Earth that I was How many people would decide to go up and bite you. Where NASA has not while it has very low probability, a lot of looking for. I never spent on a four-hour swim at 40 meters depth gotten to is the stage where they realize sharks may show up. That is what falls into much time in the ocean. and come back and think nothing of it? that you have to accept the fact that the category of unknown or uncontrol- For many reasons. One It didn’t occur to us that this was any- teams working in remote locations are lable risks. That is, by the way, the reason being that when you go thing eventful. We had just suddenly responsible for their own lives—and that why I don’t do high-altitude mountain- into the ocean you are become elements of the environment. people will occasionally make mistakes. eering. There are too many uncontrolla- entering the food chain, We were just underwater and that is We aren’t machines. We are not perfect ble risks, like weather, crevasses that you and therefore, you are where we belonged. And coming back machines. don’t know the shapes of, avalanches... entering a higher risk envi- up was actually the stranger part. You can be conservative. Those who Some of the best mountaineers in the ronment that is unpredict- That is what sold me on rebreather div- are still alive have learned something in world are dead simply because of ran- able, and I like to control ing. I believe that kind of experience is the form of discipline which says, look for dom probability, such as they were in risk. That is one thing. life-changing for people who experience the signs that tell you when things don’t the wrong place when the avalanche But, I was out in Hawaii it. You won’t get it with open circuit feel right, and if you sense those signs occurred. with Richard Pyle, and scuba. It was a fundamental change stop. To me, it is about choosing your fron- that was shortly after the during which we lost contact with the I give this lecture every time we go tier—but mountains are not frontiers MkV had become com- on an expedition, where cave diving is anymore. They have been climbed. We mercially available. We 2004 - Bill Stone rappels out after completing ANDY HUNTER the second pitch of the Aguacate dome climb 64 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED After traversing 4.6 miles (7.5 kilometers) from Cheve’s entrance, caver Bart Hogan wades through the entrance of a gorge 4,300 feet (1,300 meters) deep. The team sched- ules its trips to Cheve in the middle of Mexico’s dry season Bill Stone profile to avoid dangerously high water levels and flooding.

today is too big and bulky and to be revolutionized. Because people only something that your typi- will start realizing they can start on a cal male tech diver will wear. rebreather and not open scuba where It is not a thing that a teen- you learn some nasty skills that have ager or the average adult to be unlearned later when you go on female diver finds desirable. So, rebreathers. Once the training organiza- how do you design a comfort- tions realize this, everybody will shift and able unit that everyone can fall in line. easily carry? Secondly, how do So, you will have: Intro to rebreath- you design them so they are er, Advanced rebreather, Technical inherently safe? rebreather courses and so forth. But a lot It’s called Because rebreathers have of other stuff will be gone, such as nitrox followed a techni- and trimix, as it is inherent in cal dive path and Almost everything the rebreather. been associated It can happen soon, as Earth Day. with complicated will be closed circuit early as in the next two to projects, all kinds because it is so cool... three years. I don’t think of stories also flour- any longer than five... ish—like if you are It will not be a toy. It Market forces will drive it going use them will be the beginning that way. Once the Club you are going to Med diver has started hav- That’s not to say die on them. of the revolution” ing fun on these, that will be it. Yes and no And all those tech divers we need to treat it They were complicated tech- that are out there now... they are going nical devices that in many to look down on it and call it a toy. But it senses were over-engineered will not be a toy. It will be the beginning BILL STONE with a lot of options. But if you of the revolution. Eventually, they will start like Dirt Day. start looking at the problem tinkering with it too, because it can fit in fact that we were in this environment. from the other end and look into design- your suit case. This is what the new diving experi- ing them from the ground up, where the To me, there is another aspect to it ence is going to be and it is coming with rig is looking after you and the proce- and that is, once you understand how it rebreathers. There will institutional resist- dures are simple—so you can get the works, and you have it working well, you ance. But it is going to come to a point perfect rebreather experience—this will have all the time in the world to resolve where rebreathers will supplant open all change. That is the next threshold. problems underwater. One of the lead- circuit diving. Almost everything Rebreathers need to be very small ing causes of fatalities with open circuit will be closed circuit, because and very light and look after diving is in wrong situations. But on it is so cool. you. a rebreather you are not going to alter the duration if you breathe a little fast- X-RAY MAG: What will it take er—you still have hours to figure it out. The revolution After more than thirty years, we thought it was time that the other 72% of the planet got some attention. Which is why we’re to get to that point? What is coming I believe they are safer in every are the main challenges But this step is already on respect. They require a different disci- asking people to Dive In To Earth Day the week of April 22nd . So grab some friends and install a mooring, do a reef survey, or when it comes to technol- the horizon, and when it pline than open circuit, but I take that organize an underwater cleanup. Everybody into the water. For more information, visit www.coral.org or call (415) 834-0900. ogy, physiology and peda- happens, diving is going they are much safer. So, when you see gogy ? 500,000 rebreather divers as opposed to 500,000 open circuit divers, I Bill Stone: There are two Once the Club Med diver believe the accident rates will be fronts: How do you build has started having fun on lower because you wont have panic something that is really com- failures and time related failures that pact? Everything we have these, that will be it. will kill people. There you go. ■ dirtday07_8.25x10.875.indd 1 9/21/06 12:31:12 AM

65 X-RAY MAG : 13 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED rebreathers

Voronya TheCave World’s Deepest

Taking your dive gear down to 2158 meters—in Caucasus

Text by Tatyana Nemchenko, The Mexican cenotes and springs in Russian Geographical Society Florida may all be places of pilgrim-

Photos by Teodor Kisimov age for technical divers. You can often and Constantine Stoilov watch brave men and cool-headed women laying out their guidelines as their frog-kicks take them further in through awesome arches and into this mystic realm lit only by the powerful beams of their HID torches. But there are also other caves in the world, less famous ones perhaps, but caves that are yet even more impressive, with shafts that keep on dropping into the

abyss in seemingly endless cascades CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Base camp on Gagrinsky Ridge; Author Tatyana Nemchenko of deep pits. Descending the cascading pits of the cave; Dropping into before her dive in the sump the pit of the sump

66 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Pit dropping into the Kvitochka sump Voronya Cave

Fitness required it is actually very close to Europe. It is in In such caves there are passages, which Abkhazia, which was once a Soviet repub- are completely filled with water. Cave lic. divers dive into these submerged tunnels, When Juri Kasjan, in 2004, declared which are called sumps. These adventurers that an expedition of the Ukrainian are not only divers, but capable mountain- eers who are able to climb both upwards and rappel downwards on ropes. These people are very fit, as they need to be able to bring with them into the cave cylin- ders and all other sorts of heavy equip- ment. Where? But do you know where the deepest cave in the world is located? Believe it or not, Speleological Association under his leader- ship had penetrated the cave of Krubera (Voronya)—which lies in the Gagrinsky range in the Caucasus—to the depth of 2080 meters, the world was awestruck. At that time, only about ten vertical caves around the world had actively been explored down to 1,500 meters. But this cave went to an astonishing depth of two kilometers! There are, at present, no comparisons or competition for Krubera (Voronya) cave’s status as the deepest cave in the world. The entrance of the deepest cave is located in mountains at an altitude of 2240 meters, and the bottom point (as it is presently known) is about 100 meters above sea level. It is not surprising that there are sumps, or flooded passages (also called ‘siphons’) at the bottom of these caves. These sumps are the deep- est in the world in regard to their position under the surface. So, it is no wonder that ambitious cavers and divers from the Ukraine and Russia have begun a private competition in attempting to dive through to the lower sumps and penetrate further into the cave system. Kvitochka: 1980m below ground The expedition detailed in this article, under the leadership of the same Juri

1980 meters below the Ascent up ground, divers gather from the pit of in Kvitochka sump Kvitochka sump 67 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Voronya Cave RESERVED FOR SOME AD ad Camping in the cave

Kasjan, took place October 2006. For Flooding a whole week, cave explorers moved But then something unforeseen hap- all needed equipment to the bottom pened. Sudden warming of tempera- of the cave inxlusinf underground liv- tures outside the cave led to fast melt- ing and diving explora- ing of snow on the tion for two cave divers, surface, leading to Gennady Samokhin The powerful roar underground streams and Juri Kasjan, who becoming overfilled dove through the sump, that announced the by water. Waterfalls Kvitochka, at the depth beginning of the started roaring in the of 1980 meters under- underground flood cave. ground. This sump was 20 Fortunately, the nat- meters long with a depth gave the cave explorers ural cataclysm began of four meters. time to evacuate at night, when the With them, they car- cave explorers were ried cylinders and diving resting in the under- equipment for the next dive. They ground camp. The powerful roar that TOP: Gennady Samokhin before descended into the next deep pit announced the beginning of the under- the dive cave passage that wasn’t flooded. It ground flood gave the cave explorers seemed like there was just a little water time to evacuate from their dangerous BOTTOM: Preparing for the dive here, so the caver divers followed it position. The water level rose rapidly in into unknown underground spaces. the bottom part of the cave, and further

68 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Original Worn by professional and sport divers who demand the best. Tested down to -1.5ºC. Voronya Cave & the Best Chosen for comfort and versatility. For more information and a list of our retail outlets, Only made visit our website: for and by:

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���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Transportation of equipment ���� ������� ���� ����� ���� ������ ������ ����� ���� ������ ������ ������ ��������� ��������� ������ �������� ���� ��������� ��� � ����������������� ��� ����� ������ ����� ����� ���� explorations were now out of the question. ���������������� This September, the team made anoth- ����� ��������� ��� ��� ��������� ���� ������������� ��������� ���� ����������� er attempt, which was successful. They ���������� ��������� ���� ����������� �������� ��������� ������������� descended along air filled passages ���������� ���� ������������ ������� ���������� ������������� �������� beyond the Kvitochka sump, found a ���������������������������� new and unflooded passage and dived ��� ����������� ���� ���������� ���� ��������� into a new sump at 17 meters depth and ���������������������������� ����� ��� ���� ������ ��� 40 meters in length, at the end of which ��������������������������������������������������� they found a huge rock blocking the nar- ���������������������������������������������������� row sump. Now, the depth of the deepest ������� ���� ����������� ���� ������ ���� ������������� ������ ����� ������ ������� ���� cave penetration stands at 2158 meters. �������� ����� �� ������ ����� ����� ���� ������ What lies further ahead? “We shall look ���������������������������������������� into how we can better forecast weather ������������ and foretell floods. Certainly, we’ll con- tinue our cave diving exploration because we like it, because this is very interesting to us and because we want to know more. �������������� Crawling through the toothy narrows What is there on the bottom of the world’s �������������������������� on the way to the bottom of the cave deepest cave so very close to sea level?” said Juri Kasjan. ■

69 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED wreck rap SS President Coolidge The Lady & The President Henry Nelson. Does the name 1980, was also the second most ring a bell? You’ll not find important US base in the pacific him in any history book or during WWII. The 80 islands stra- see any monuments to his tegically located between Fiji honor. However, the thou- and Australia is still home to sands of scuba divers who visit some remains of Vanuatu every year should this strange time. bless this name. This former Amongst them is French/English colony, which the wreck of the SS was named New Hebrides till President Coolidge.

The Lady and the Unicorn, symbol of the SS President Coolidge, used to be located in the 1st class smoking room

This huge luxury cruise liner used Because of a communication to travel between San Franscisco problem, the captain was not and the Pacific Rim before being made aware of a mine field that transformed into a troop carrier was laid down around Luganville, in 1941, under the same captain, the main harbour in Santo, to Henry Nelson, who was already 63 protect the area from lurking years of age. October 26th, 1942, Japanese submarines. At 09:30, the SS President Coolidge came there was a loud explosion. The back to Espiritu Santo carrying ship struck two mines. After hav- more than 5,000 US soldiers and a ing considered his options, the Text by Cedric Verdier. Photos by Cedric Verdier and Allan Powell whole load of military and medi- captain decided to beach this cal supplies. 200-meter long ship on the near-

70 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED wreck rap SS President Coolidge

by shore. All the men on board were able to safely swim and walk to the shore. But due to the shape of the seabed and the tide, the luxury cruise liner sank on a gentle slope at a depth of 20 to 70m, only an hour later. Today, the SS President Coolidge has become the biggest, most accessible wreck in the world— a dream come true for scuba divers all over the world. Now divers can just walk into the site right from the beach, swim 50 metres and explore this huge shipwreck. Diving The President Everything is interesting on what the local divers call, “The President”. Thousands of fish swim around or stay protected in the cargo holds. Huge groupers and moray eels are so accus- tomed to divers that they act like pets, distract- ing visitors from the impressive number of jeeps, vehicles and military supplies that lie every- where. With nine decks, the wreck is so complex that it looks like a maze—a feeling intensified by the fact that the ship rests on her port side. Navigating inside the wreck could be quite chal- lenging, except for the native dive guides who find their way to the most interesting artefacts on a daily basis. Maybe the most amazing feature of The

President is her good state of preservation even after more than 50 years on the seabed. Twice a day, avid wreck divers explore this ‘Titanic of the shallows’. Through the hull—which has been opened up several times for salvaging opera- tions—the divers swim into a living museum full of helmets, gas masks, guns and china. Divers look for the barbershop, the post office or the huge machine room. They take pictures of the several guns that were supposed to protect the ship from the Japanese threat she never met. They dream about the peaceful time when rich passengers were swimming in the multi-coloured swimming pool that now rests at 55m. Then

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The anchor; Artist’s rendering of the wreck; The bow. INSET: One of the jeeps in the first cargo hold 71 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED wreck rap SS President Coolidge

View of the swimming pool aboard the wreck. INSET: The SS President Coolidge in its glory days. LEFT: Magnificent lamp fixture on the ceiling of a dining room

shop, multiple smoking rooms and dining rooms. Their immense size—200m long by 25m wide, and weighing in at almost 22,000 tons—made these ves- sels the biggest merchant ships of the 1930s. Two huge propellers give them the ability to reach 21 knots and the SS President Coolidge went on to hold the speed record in the Pacific Ocean twice. Only a few years later however, the President Hoover would end her life on the shores in Taiwan. The SS President Coolidge came to a similar end, but not until 1942. She was repainted green. All her precious wooden furniture was removed and guns

they stop and quietly contemplate the symbol of this forgotten cruise liner—a bas-relief that used to be in the first class smoking room named, ‘The Lady and the Unicorn’.

The habitats are also very The history of the SS President Coolidge convenient as a seat to gear up Launched in 1931, during the Great Depression in the US, by Dollar Steamship line (after its owner Robert Dollar!) the SS President Coolidge and her sistership SS President Hoover are among the most luxurious ships of their day. Designed to carry 1000 passengers and 380 crewmembers, they both boasted a gymnasium, a theatre, two swimming pools, a ballroom, a library, a barber-

Crew leaving the foundering Steering wheel of SS President Coolidge submerged jeep 72 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Wreckswreck rap SS President Coolidge

and extra toilets were installed. simply climb down a ladder and US soldiers who were sent down Why? To carry four battalions, walk to the beach. through Luganville, the main light tanks and all the supplies The minefield never hurt any city of Santo Island, in 1942. including the malaria drug, qui- Japanese targets, but sank an Before the invasion, Luganville CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: nine, for the Pacific operations. American destroyer, the USS used to be a small trading post Crew members deserting For months, the US Navy tried to Tucker, just a few weeks before with a few hundred inhabitants. the foundering SS President prove that her captain (a mer- they caught the SS President But in just a few months, the Coolidge; The wreck’s tele- chant navy officer) was the main Coolidge. At the end of the war, troops built up an entire city, graph and compass; Shells person responsible for the tragic various Australian and French with a square grid of streets full and munitions loss of the ship, strongly refut- companies salvaged the two of jeeps. As the main base for ing the fact that no information shipwrecks for their propellers the US Army in the Pacific, Santo about the new minefield was and contents in their cargo became the starting point of all ever sent to the ship. holds. the military operations around Only an Artillery officer and Guadalcanal and the Solomon a fireman was killed, the rest of The Americans Islands. Fifty years later, almost the passengers calmly waited in the New Hebrides everything is still there: buildings to climb into a rescue boat or 200,000—That’s the number of and Quonset huts (standard

73 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:Medical artifacts on the wreck; Divers’ lamps wreck rap shed light on secret areas of the SS President Coolidge wreck; Remaining quonset huts of the once bustling US military base on Santo are now used for workshops; Stern of the SS President Coolidge

size: 30 x 12m) are now used as workshops. Commercial airlines took over the airport that was used by the Corsair fighters. But at the end of the war, all the trucks, jeeps, cranes and forklifts of the US Army were dumped into the sea, as they became useless and too expensive to bring back to the US. This dive site, now known as Million Dollar Point, is an impressive pyramid of vehicles from 40 metres deep up to the surface. Nature came back and lots of fish swim between tires, trailers, half-tracks and bulldozers—a very strange vision of American logistics, fully appreciated by the tourists to whom the locals kids sell small bottles of Coca-Cola they’ve apparently found in this huge histori- cal junkyard. ■ About the Author Cedric Verdier is the founder of the TRIADE Project, established in 1999, discovering and exploring more than 20 virgin wrecks located in the south of France between 70 and 130m (230 ft) and 430 fsw. In 2002, he was Philippines in November 1944 and resting at a depth of 200m (660 ft). the first diver to identify and dive the British Cedric is a PADI Course Director and a Trimix Instructor Trainer for IANTD, cruiser HMS Manchester off Tunisia. Amongst PSAI, ANDI, DSAT and TDI. He spends most of his time teaching cave other dive firsts, he pushed the limits of the Sra Keow cave in Thailand in and mixed-gas rebreather courses at the diver and the instructor level. May 2006, using his Megalodon Closed Circuit Rebreather, to an Asia- He is a past Regional Manager for PADI Europe and DAN and has writ- Pacific cave depth record of 201m (660 ft). He is currently planning ten five books and more than 150 articles about diving. As he is always the Yamishiro Project, an international expedition aiming to dive the travelling all over the world, you can mainly contact him by email at: Japanese battleship HIJMS Yamashiro sunk in the Battle of Leyte in the [email protected] or visit his website at www.cedricverdier.com 74 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The passing of shark tales Ralph EDWIN MARCOW It is with great sadness I report that Ralph, one of four whale sharks housed at the Georgia Aquarium who was profiled in the last Edited by Sharktales, died sud- Edwin Marcow denly on Thursday, January 11th. Ralph stopped swim- ming on Thursday and was quickly moved to another part of the aquarium. There, staff tried to revive him, but he lost his fight for life New Kid On The Block! some eight hours later. 15 specialists per- 320 million years in the making, submarine. Professor Long and his formed a necropsy on having swum the ocean depths team of researchers then spent Ralph’s remains to try before the beginning of time, more than a decade ensuring to determine the cause and an incredible further 12 years these two new species were of death. This is the first of research to positively identify exactly that, before publishing time this procedure has and match these two new spe- their results in the journal Zootaxa been performed in the cies—the two fish in question are in October and December 2006. US. the Galapagos and Whitespot Among the first to see these new Ralph’s remains were Ghost shark discovered near the species was John McCosker who later cremated. This Galapagos Islands in 1995 and found the Galapagos Ghost Shark tragedy follows less They’re coming cloooser found at a depth of plus 1,200 on his 50th birthday in honour of than two weeks after “Close to 100 bull sharks were However, all evidence is still anec- yet,”said Dr Walker. feet. “It’s amazing what you find his new scientific find, the fish was the death of the aquar- sighted near to the shore along dotal, and one cannot jump to For those scuba divers who lying around the bottom of the named Hydrolagus mccoskeri. ium’s Beluga whale, the St. Lucie County Coast conclusions based on individual don’t like sharks and are about ocean,” as St. Mary’s College More than a dozen new species Gaspar. Read more Florida,” reported the local sher- cases such as those in Florida. to hang up their scuba gear, Professor Douglas Long has dis- were documented on this same on: Xray-mag.com ■ iff’s department. It appeared that you can take comfort that shark covered. expedition, along with the Ghost this mass gathering were stalking Climate change attacks along the Florida coast The two deep-sea fishes—odd- and Whitespot Shark funded by baitfish close to the shore. It has Michael Brown is not alone in his are substantially lower than the looking shark relatives that broke the Discovery Channel back in also been noted that along this thinking. “Climate change could 2000-2003 average of 33 attacks off on their own evolutionary path 1996 for a documentary on the coast from Daytona Beach to cause those sharks that pose the according to the Florida Mu- some 320 million years ago—were Galapagos Islands. Read more on Palm Beach, sharks are predating highest risk to humans—including seum of Natural History. In Cape unceremoniously sucked up a Xray-mag.com ■ on baitfish from the Indian River The Great White, the Bull and the Town, South Africa, at Muizen- vacuum tube into a research Lagoon’s inlets to warmer waters Tiger—to travel further south and berg beac—a popular beach near the Gulf Stream. A number feed more voraciously,” said Terry with swimmers and surfers—Great of warnings were given to people Walker from the Department of White sightings are down a stag- from a PA on a circling helicopter Primary Industries Australia. “The gering 65%. to keep their distance. implication is, when waters are For now I think the jury is out. ■ In the previous edition of Shark warmer, they tend to feed more Tales, I mentioned the theories of voraciously or are more active... Michael Brown of Australia who I don’t think the tempera- stated that as global sea tem- tures of the water Smalleyed rabbitfish, Hydrolagus affinis. From peratures rise, this could bring have changed plate 10 of Oceanic Ichthyology by G. Brown sharks closer to shore—thus closer enough for that Goode and Tarleton H. Bean, published 1896 to humans, resulting in tragedy. to have happened

Bull Shark FISHBASE.ORG 75 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Face of spiny dog fish Preservation Issues Critcitically endangered and over states to adopt and support tragic collapse, Australian sci- track fished in the Atlantic oceans, the Germany’s proposals to list these entist William Robbins at James to eco- Spiny dog fish and the Porbeagle two species on the CITES list and Cook University has remarked. logical sharks are considered critically to further restrict trade of these Grey Reef Shark numbers have extinc- endangered. The Shark Alliance is two fishes under CITES Appendix II. fallen by around three percent tion be- placing immense pressure on the of unfished levels. Their numbers coming so European Union to follow scientific Collapsing populations are declining so fast that within rare, that they advice on the precarious future of Sadly, their fate is not alone. 20 years, they could collapse to will no longer play their these two fishes’ futures. Coral Reef Shark populations 1/1000 of unfished levels. “Reef part in the ecology and food Their mission is to get all EU on the Great Barrier Reef are in sharks are effectively on a fast web of the reef,” stated Robbins.

More depress- Far Left: ing news is that Spiny dog about 100 decapi- fish being tated shark heads were handled washed ashore at Erton, putting during on the little town on the map. A of NOAA’s commercial fishing boat operat- surveys. ing in local waters is suspected of from fishing NOAA Left: committing this barbaric act. by NZ flagged boats. Porbeagle Anyone violating this law will be shark On a lighter note fined NZ$250,000 and face up to In all this depressing news there is six months in prison. It will be illegal some good. From April 2007, within to hunt, kill, or harm a Great White a 200 nautical mile zone around shark within this exclusive eco- New Zealand, Great White sharks nomic zone. It will also be illegal to currently included on the CITES either posses or trade any part of

NOAA Appendix II will be protected a Great White shark. ■ NOAA

Meet Your Cousin Shark Hell at Bells... (why you should dive, not surf) Researchers from Singapore and control of these genes is believed “It will take at least two more At Bells beach in Victoria, Africa, Namibia, and the Pacific. sitting on his board with his legs the States have made a surpris- to be the cause of many human years to sequence the entire Australia, 25-year-old surfer The Sevengill can grow up to four dangling over the side and the ing discovery. We humans and illnesses. shark genome,” said Associate Peter Galvin was attacked 100 meters in length. With its distinc- shark came up from underneath the Elephant shark found in the The teams from Singapore’s Professor Byrappa Venkatesh. metres from shore as he sat on tive broad head and unique and grabbed his leg in the calf oceans around New Zealand Institute of Molecular and Cell Could man and the Elephant his surfboard with his feet dan- seven gills, this very active and and thigh area.” A chunk was and Southern Australia, share an Biology and the J Craig Venter shark be closer than we think? ■ gling over the sides of his board sometimes aggressive shark will also taken out of his surfboard, astonishing large amount of DNA. Institute began their research last at dusk. The suspected culprit is cruise near the surface. and the unlucky victim was left a This could potentiality have far year and found that we share Australian Ghost Shark or the lesser know Sevengill Shark, tooth in his wetsuit as a memen- reaching implications in the a staggering 5,000 common Elephant Fish Notorynchus cepedianus. Mistaken identity? to! future for medical research and DNA fragments with the WIKIPEDIA With a lower profile than the Capable of sudden bursts of Another surfer helped Mr treatments. DNA in the human Elephant shark. usual suspects, its greatest claim speed and power, the Sevengill Galvin to shore where paramed- genome controls genes that to date is that this is the favour- feeds on salmon, anchovies, ics treated him. Mr Galvin sus- produce proteins that are funda- ite shark of legendary Great smaller sharks and eagle rays. tained very large lacerations to mental to the body’s develop- White Shark wrangler Andre One can only guess that at dusk the back of his knee with gaping ment. Any disruption in the Hartman. It is found mostly this was a case of mistaken iden- wounds. “It appeared that the in shallow waters, bays, tity. shark mauled him rather than and close to shore in Senior Constable Lisa Kennedy bit him,” reported one of the Australia, South of Torquay Police said, “He was attending paramedics. ■

76 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Dragon Sea A true tale of treas- Giant media ure, archeology, and Stride greed off the coast Divers Alert Books Film DVDs CDs of Vietnam. Network Edited by Peter Symes By Frank Pope (DAN) will & Michael Symes Publisher: Harcourt launch a Hardcover: 368 pp. new edi- POINT & CLICK ISBN-10: 0151012075 tion of Giant ON BOLD LINKS Sale Price: £11.66 / $16.50 Stride, the Amazon.co.uk organisa- In this gripping true tion’s pub- thriller the author takes lication aimed at prospective, stu- us inside the daring bid dent and new divers, in early 2007. to raise the precious Giant Stride introduces new divers to Whales’ Angels sunken cargo of 15th the sport through information, stories A seagoing adven- century porcelain from and safety tips. ture of international the depths of the Dragon Each student enrolled in DAN’s intrigue and murder Sea, a treacherous stretch Student Membership Program will By Paul J. Mila of water off the coast of Vietnam. The receive a complimentary copy of Publisher: AuthorHouse The Tragic History of the Sea tale of the dramatic deep sea recovery of the cargo from Giant Stride. The publication is also Book Publishing Shipwrecks from the Bible to Titanic the Hoi An wreck has a cast of compelling characters. available for distribution to all dive Company Edited by Anthony Brandt Renowned Oxford archaeologist teamed up centers and instructors at no cost. ISBN: 9781425939373 Publisher: National Geographic Books with a financier, a crew of hardened saturation divers and The magazine covers such topics Paperback: 268 pp. Hardcover: 329 pp. the Vietnamese military in a test of ingenuity and resolve. as an introduction to scuba, what Price: US$15.99 List Price: US$24.00 Sale Price: US$17.52 The stakes were high, but so were the potential rewards. If to expect during training, resources Newlyweds Terry Hunter The editor has compiled 29 tales of ship- they could survive the threat of typhoons and pirates, Bound at a diver’s disposal, dive safety and ex-NYPD detective wrecks from the past 2,000 years. Each would have the chance to discover a lost era in Vietnamese and etiquette, profiles on divers who Joe Manetta are busy true story is reproduced in its original civilisation, and his backer stood to make millions at the auc- have made the sport their careers or running their Cozumel form, with an introduction by Brandt. tion block. This is a page-turning real-life thriller packed with hobbies and common medical issues dive operation and The Tragic Story of the Sea makes a wel- danger, adventure and ambition. It is a fascinating object of interest to new divers. Giant Stride starting a family. But a come addition to the library of historians lesson in what happens when scholarship and commerce is scheduled to be published once chance encounter with a and landlubbers alike. Amazon.com combine in the recovery of lost treasure. Amazon.com a year and is distributed throughout female diver from Holland the dive industry. leads them on a globetrotting adven- (DAN) is a ture. While diving with humpback whales non-profit medical and research in the Dominican Republic, they learn Troubled Waters regarded as nothing more than an eco- organisation dedicated to the safety a rogue sea captain is illegally hunting The changing fortunes nomic resource. Today, interest in these and health of recreational scuba whales and killing activists attempting to of whales and dolphins enduringly popular animals is at an all divers. The Student Membership stop the hunt. By Sarah Lazarus time high but do they continue to swim Program is open to all entry-level But far more dangerous for the whales Publisher: Natural History Museum, London in troubled waters? This gripping narrative divers, and any certified scuba is a conspiracy led by Japan, Iceland, Hardback: 224 pp, 8 pp colour section explores the fates of whales and dolphins instructor in the DAN Americas Finland and Norway, to overturn the plus scattered b&w illustrations and how they became intertwined with region may enrole their students. A International Whaling Commission’s whal- ISBN: 0 565 09192 1 human history. The story begins over 1000 new DAN Is My Buddy DVD is avail- ing ban at the Commission’s upcoming Price: GB£12.99 years ago when hunters first took up har- able to all instructors for use in their meeting in Iceland. Terry and Joe travel Dispelling common misconceptions – are poons and went to sea in search of the classes. to Iceland offering their assistance to dolphins really supernaturally intelligent? rich rewards of meat, oil and whalebone. A new interactive website, www. save the whales and solve a cover-up Are the great whales in danger of extinc- Troubled Waters charts a course through danismybuddy.com, was created reaching the highest levels of govern- tion? – and opening up current argu- the whaling boom of the 18th and 19th to answer questions and concerns ment. Their involvement entangles them ments, this gripping investigation explains centuries, the tragic implications of com- commonly expressed by new divers in a dangerous world of international pol- just why whales and dolphins became one mercial fishing and noise pollution, the and to provide excitement and infor- itics, intrigue, and murder, where fate has of the major harvests of the sea, and how controversial keeping of dolphins in cap- mation when a new diver wants it a surprise in store for them. Amazon.com humans are destined to affect their future. tivity, and the current row over Japanese most. For centuries, whales and dolphins were and Norwegian whaling. Amazon.co.uk For more information or to request materials, please call (919) 684-2948.

77 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Banzai Facing Darkness Saipan diving sites now on DVD Spot Light A film by Nathalie Lasselin A DVD containing scenes of the many diving sites dvd Wing Beach This film is a documentary about on Saipan is now available, not merely for the caves and cave diving. In the diving aficionados but for everyone who wants Peacock cave system, like in most to have a memento of the numerous beauty Eagle Ray City of the cave system, passages can spots on the island. Producer and underwater B29 Grotto be really different from one to the cinematographer and videographer Mike Tripp Ship Wreck other. Explorers as Sheck Exley, Lamar recently finished work on the DVD film, called The Hires gave names to these passages. Underwater World of Saipan. Tripp said his 105- Ice Cream Other explorers dived there hundreds minute interactive DVD provides a picture of the of time to survey and map these sys- “incredible beauty and bio-diversity of Saipan’s Dimple tems. With a line and a boussole, just underwater world.” The DVD, under the Mike imagine the kind of work done there. Tripp Productions, is now available for US$25 a Thanks to these people, new cave divers copy. Tripp said it is now being sold at the CNMI Forbidden Island can now travel through these systems in a Museum of History and Culture, PHI Pharmacy in much more safe way. Productions Pixnat, Dandan, CNMI Council of the Arts on Capital Hill, A Reef Manager’s Guide 2006. 45 min. Price: US$29.99. Amazon.com Joeten Susupe and Garapan, Hotel Nikko Saipan, LauLau Beach To Coral Bleaching and the Managaha Island Gift Shop. Mass coral bleaching events have increased in frequency and severity Obyan The ShipSinkers Naftan over the past two decades associ- This is a hi-definition video documentary ated with anomalously high sea showing the processes of preparation and surface temperatures. These events scuttling ships as part of the world-wide have produced wide-spread coral ship reefing programme. Shot mainly Washed Up mortality and significant ecologi- on location aboard F69. It is definitely The Curious Journeys of Flotsam and Jetsam cal, social and economic impacts worth getting a copy when its avail- By Skye Moody to coral reefs and the communities able online. The producers, Sea of Steel Publisher: Sasquatch Books that depend on them. What can Productions, is planning on providing Paperback: 240 pp. local coral reef managers do to a source for this high definition DVD. ISBN-10: 1570614636 address coral bleaching events? ShipSinkers tells the story like it is, with Sale Price: US$13.22 Amazon.com The Reef Manager’s Guide pro- all of the suspense that’s there right up In late 1990, hundreds of Nike shoes began wash- vides information on the causes and to sink time. Happy to take pre-orders via ing up on the beaches of Vancouver Island and consequences of coral bleaching, [email protected] Queen Charlotte Sound. They were relatively new and management strategies to help shoes, and local flotsamists amassed a substantial local and regional reef managers collection of them. There was only one problem: The reduce this threat to coral reef eco- Welcome to Underwater Video Basics majority of shoes pulled from the wrack were right- systems. Emmy Award winning Cameraman and footed. Meanwhile, farther south, in Cannon Beach, Produced by the National Steve Miller provides you Ore., other Nikes were appearing, most of them left- Oceanic and Atmospheric with the most comprehensive instruc- footed. Beachcombers up and down the Pacific Administration (NOAA), the tional program for divers who want Northwest were scratching their heads. Australian Great Barrier Reef to take the plunge into the world of W. James Ingraham and Curtis C. Ebbesmeyer, oce - Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), underwater video. In this DVD, you’ll anographers who track flotsam to better understand and the International Union for the learn about: ocean currents, stepped in to decipher the source of the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the • Equipment Selection mismatched shoes. A container vessel, en route from Korea to the United States in Reef Manager’s Guide includes • Camcorder Selection and Operation May 1990, had encountered severe weather in the North Pacific and lost 21 of its contributions from over 50 experts in • Underwater Housing Operation containers overboard, five of which held about 80,000 Nikes. coral bleaching and coral reef man- • Setup and Maintenance The shoes drifted for more than 200 days, the right-footed ones tacked north - agement from 30 organisations. • Camera Shots and Moves eastward into the Alaska Current, while the left-footers joined the California For hard copies contact: • Dive Skills and Safety Tips Current. This “spill of opportunity,” although surely a headache for Nike and the [email protected] • Communicating Underwater insurers of Hansa Carrier, resulted in a boon of data for Ingraham’s Ocean Surface [email protected] • Storytelling Techniques Currents Simulation computer model. All this and more is chronicled in Skye [email protected] • Interaction with Marine Life Moody’s book, who’s subject is anything that floats on, sinks in or washes up from For more information contact: Publisher: AuthorHouse Book the sea: ambergris, seed pods, driftwood, barnacles, beeswax and messages in [email protected] or Publishing Company bottles. She covers Taiwanese propaganda set adrift for the Chinese mainland, [email protected] Price: US$29.95 Amazon.com beached sea monsters, lost BMWs, floating glass balls and, of course, shipwrecks. ■

78 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED technical matters

Edited by Brian Keegan A collection of cliassic regs: Scubapro MK25 and X650, V32 and Abyss, Legend LX ACD, ATX100, VX200 , Aqualung Titan LX Supreme, Poseidon Xstream. How to choose a regulator

After my very first pool session, I was Well, the almighty instructor said that hooked. Every thought I had circled with a different breathing and handling around diving and dive equipment. I technique, I could avoid these incidents could not wait for my next session. The in the future, and he was right; there are instructor was a God, and what he said things you can do to avoid freezing regu- must be true. I was an easy target! By the lators, but they are not bullet proof. Trying end of the class, I walked out of there not to reveal my age, it was back when with an Open Water dive certificate and only a few regulators were made to with- a great deal on a dive package. stand arctic temperatures. Poseidon was one of them and still going strong. Most Or so I thought... Living in Sweden, regulators were made for diving environ- in the Northern part of the world, the ments like the Mediterranean Sea, which weather is not always at its best behavior even during winter provides a different and definitely not warm most of the year. water temperature than the cold I mean, the Polar circle cuts through lakes and the Baltic Sea up north my home country for crying out loud! A provide us Viking-spirited divers. month later, I had my first free flowing Today, you will find a number experience, and let me tell you, was I of high-quality cold water envi- glad we practiced that in class! Escorted ronmentally sealed regulators by bubbles from a lively mouth piece, on the market. Most of them meet I made it to the surface. My mind was the European standard (EN250) for cold racing. What can I do to avoid this in the water—a standard you can use when future? choosing your weapon of arms.

Text by Millis and Brian Keegan

79 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Regulators First, ask yourself Regulators “What kind of diving will you be doing, and in What kind of diver are you? which environ- There are different kinds of regulators. While the ment are you basic function is to provide you with air, you will going to dive?” find that there are different regulators for differ- ent kind of activities. We will go through what you need, step by step. The first thing you need to decide is what kind of diving you will be doing and in what environment you are going to dive. This is perhaps the most important piece of your dive equipment and nothing to be rushed into.

What kind if diver are Or a Cold Water Diver? When diving in cold water, it’s you? vitally important that you use What environment are you regulators designed for cold going to dive? Identifying your water. You will be looking for both needs will help you choose the a first stage that limits formation right regulator for your activi- of ice, as well as second stage ties. that doesn’t freeze in an open or closed position when the warm Are you a Warm Water moisture in the diver’s breath Diver? touches the cold regulator. A warm water diver is some- one who dives only in warmer Then choose: water temperatures who does This should go without saying— not require extreme measures use regulators designed for cold to be safe and comfortable water diving! Look for regulators while diving. According to the that meet the EN250 standard for EU norm cold water diving cold water performance. Cold Heat sink: begins when the temperature water regulators are either envi- Many piston regulators utilize of the water is equal to or ronmentally sealed or use some- some heavy metal parts, like the drops below 6°C (50° F). thing called a ‘heat sink’ . A heat spring or part of the body to trans- sink uses the cold water to ‘warm’ fer warmth from the water to help Then choose: the first stage, which limits the keep the water around the piston While it never hurts to buy formation of ice. By default, cold from freezing. the best equipment you can, under those circumstances where there is no risk, at any Can I use a cold water regulator in warm water? 200bar (2900psi) or 300?(4350psi) time, that your regulator will Yes. A regulator designed for cold water is by necessity SCUBA tanks come in a variety of freeze while breathing—it is not a top performance regulator that can handle the most pressure ratings from around 200 necessary to buy a top-of-the- extreme conditions. Any good quality regulator from a to 300 bar. Different pressures are line regulator. reputable dealer will provide you with air in a safe way, common is different countries. when diving in warm water.

80 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED tech talk DIN or Yoke? Which is better? Which brand? water regulators are high performance regulators. Sorry, but here is no straightforward answer. There are a lot of great regulators on the market and an almost bewildering variety. Are you considering Nitrox? A recreational nitrox diver is a diver that Look for well reputable makers, narrow down the choices and uses nitrox during a dive for a safer dive, concentrate on them. Do your research and don’t be afraid to ask by using the air tables. When diving questions when you shop around. with the gas mix nitrox, there are certain things to consider. You will dive with a higher content of oxygen in your tank, priate mixture, each tank needs to be technical phrases and fancy words, call which is a flammable gas, and you need analyzed for O2. him/her on it and have them explain. That to adjust your equipment for this. Most new high performance regulators is what they are there for, and one good are either nitrox-compatible or ready for reason to spend your money in a dive Then choose: nitrox use, with a DIN or yoke first stage. shop instead of shopping online. First, make sure you are trained for nitrox diving. Dealing with nitrox means deal- Ask your local dealer Don’t be cheap ing with a risk of explosion, albeit small. At this stage, you should now be concen- To think cheap can be costly. There are Your dive equipment needs to be grease trating on details like comfort and airflow. sometimes huge price differences on dive free. Because mistakes can be made in If the sales person tries to baffle you with equipment in different parts of the world, mixing the O2 and air to get the appro- and although you might be tempted to DIN connectors are rated at 200 and 300 save money while traveling, don’t do bar / 3000 and 4500 psi (ISO12029-2) and A few points to check it unless you have done your research yolk connectors are rated at 230 bar/ Does the second stage feel comfort- before the trip. If you do buy a regulator 3450 psi (ISO 12209-1). Also DIN connec- able? Is the mouth piece a good fit for made overseas, stick to an international tors provide a sturdier connection, drop a you? Bear in mind the mouthpiece can brand, or you could be in for an expen- SCUBA package on the first stage and it be changed. Consider the dental ones sive surprise when it is time for service. can come dislodged from the valve. Sure, your regulator was a find, but if your Is the second stage heavy, does it “drag” new find is not sold in your country, it is in the corner of your mouth. Details quite possible that you wont be able to like that can get real old real quick, find a service technician trained for that believe me. brand in your neck of the woods. On top of that, if you do find someone, the parts Do you want to be able to adjust might have to travel overseas as well. You your second stage air flow? do the math. Make sure you know what If you do do, can You han- brands sells in your country, and if the war- dle the adjustment easily, ranty is valid in your home country, before with and without gloves? going on a shopping spree. ■

Will you travel with your equipment? Include weight and size in your requirement for a good regulator. Can you handle Does the regulator come with a warran- the adjustment ty? And if so what is covered. Can your easily, with and regulator be serviced regularly? without gloves?

If the second stage feels like dragging, perhaps try one with a different hose configuration. 81 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED How does it work? Regulators and what differentiates regulator from another?

First stages can process very The balanced piston first stage ate pressure side and down the hose to The unbalanced piston first stage The diaphragm first stage large volumes of air. At 200 Bar The piston first stage has a piston that the second stage. When the pressure on In an unbalanced piston first stage, the The diaphragm first stage has a flexible has a sharp knife edge that seals against the intermediate side gets high enough, high pressure seat is mounted in the end diaphragm that separates the internal some can process much more a high pressure seat. A spring and the its force against the other side of the pis- of the piston shaft and seals against the parts from the surrounding water. air in one minute than most push one way against ton overcomes the combination of the knife edged orifice through which the On the water side, the water pressure scuba tanks hold. So how does the piston and try to move the knife spring and ambient pressure, and the high pressure air flows. As you see in the and a spring provide a force to help the regulator transform that high edge of the piston away from the high pistons slides so that the knife edge once diagram—just like in the case of the bal- open the valve. pressure seat and let high pressure air again seals against the high pressure seat anced piston—the spring and ambient When you breathe and the intermedi- pressure air to a steady supply flow through the piston to the intermedi- and cuts off the air flow. pressure act to move the piston and ate pressure drops, the spring and water of ambient pressure air when open the flow of air and the you need it? High pressure from cylinder intermediate pressure acts to High pressure from cylinder move the piston the other way and close off the air flow. Spring that It’s a two step process and your regula- Piston closes valve Diaphragm High pressure seat Unbalanced tor has two parts or stages to do the job. Filter piston first The part you attach to your tank valve is stage called the first stage. It’s job is to supply Spring that opens valve air at a fixed pressure above the ambi- Piston High pres- ent pressure. The second stage uses this sure seat High pressure to supply you with breathable air on and valve from cylinder demand. There are two main types of first stages, Spring High the piston and diaphragm. pressure seat and valve Output to pres- sure gauge

Output to second stage Output to pressure gauge Output to second stage Output to second stage Output to pressure gauge The difference here is that the Balanced piston first stage Piston-type first stages are simpler to make than the dia- high pressure air is pressing phragm type. They provide higher performance when against the high pressure seat and is Diaphragm-type first stages are more complex breathed at depth. They need more careful mainte- helping the spring and ambient pressure and have more components than the piston nance because some of the internal moving parts are to move the piston and open the flow type. They are more responsive; they provide exposed to water and contaminants in the water of air. The problem is that this force var- gas when the diver uses little inhalation effort Ports! ies as the tank pressure changes. As the There are high pressure tank pressure drops during the course of ports for pressure gauges the dive, it takes less and less intermedi- pressure flex the diaphragm in and lift a and low pressure ports for ate pressure to close off the air flow. This poppet. Depending on the model of the most everything else. is what makes it unbalanced. Since the regulator, the poppet has either the knife In some older regula- second stage is built to work with one edge or the high pressure seat. The air tors the ports were the specific intermediate pressure, as the flows until the intermediate pressure and same size. Don’t put a low pressure hose in a intermediate pressure drops in the regu- a small spring on the same side win the high pressure port! lator, it gets harder to breathe. battle and reseat the poppet.

82 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Venturi Effect Medium pressure from 1st stage All the manufacturers that use it have their own cleaver name for it, but the principle is the same. With this venturi or vacu- um assist effect, once air Valve (red) flow is initiated, it takes little or even less than no effort to continue the Spring Mouthpiece inhalation. The way this is accomplished is that the air flow is designed Valve opening to hold the diaphragm arm (dark green) drawn in until the diver Output to stops inhaling. divers lungs Purge button (yellow)

Diaphragm Exhaust valve The Second Stage Air on demand (blue) that valve causes the main The second stage’s job is to take the inter- Even though there are other valve to close and stop the mediate pressure air that comes from the variations of basic second air flow. They can provide first stage and deliver it to you at ambient stage designs, one of the extremely easy breathing pressure when you demand it. There are characteristics that all mod- Diagramme over a second stage but can’t handle very high a variety of basic designs of second stag- ern designs share is that they supply pressure. The hoses One or two hoses? es. In the most common design, when have demand valves that that come with these sec- you inhale, the drop in pressure inside the only deliver air on demand instead of a not so bad. Some models, from Poseidon ond stages have a built in over-pressure A twin hose regu- second stage draws in a large, flexible constant flow of air. Most, called down- for instance, are upstream valves. Their relief valve. It is very important that they lator, with a diaphragm. The diaphragm depresses a stream valves, are designed to free flow diaphragm activates a very sensitive always be used with the correct type of diaphragm lever that acts to move a low pressure if supplied with excessively high pressure pilot valve. The airflow from this pilot hose. first stage, seat away from a knife edge and allow air. That might not sound so good but valve opens the main valve. At the end can offer com- air to flow. When you stop inhaling, the air considering that the alternative is that of the breath the pilot valve is closed Balanced or unbalanced plete flow allows the diaphragm to return to its the valve slams shut and will not open it’s by a very small spring and the closing of Second stages can be balanced or environ- original position, and a spring presses the unbalanced. In balanced second stages, mental and low pressure seat against the knife edge air flows through the part that holds the freeze protec- around the inlet orifice. When you exhale, low pressure seat into a chamber at tion—no water comes in con- an exhaust valve allows the exhaled air to the other end. This helps counteract the tact with any moving parts. They are popular flow out. force of the air pushing the low pres- with some photographers, biologists, etc., sure seat away from the knife edge. The because the exhaust bubbles are behind reduction of this force allows the use of a your head rather than in front. weaker spring to close off the airflow. The effect of this for you is that the weaker types of minor free flow that may devel- spring reduces the amount of force op between servicing. needed to start the air flowing. Some second stages also have a small Many second stages now come with knob that adjusts a vane or other device external adjustments. Scubapro was the that effects the characteristics of the first to provide an adjustment knob for air flow inside the body. In these mod- the spring tension that closes the second els the air flow is designed to hold the stage. This can be used at times, such as diaphragm drawn in until the diver stops X-Ray drawing of a second stage - from when entering the water, to increase the inhaling. With this Venturi or Vacuum the Scubapro regulator manual. The breathing effort when entering the water assist effect, once air flow is initiated it adjustment knob alters the sensitivity or or swimming in a head down position. takes little or even less than no effort to opening pressure of the inlet valve It can also be used to help stop some continue to inhale. This is handy when

83 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Some cool tech talk Regulators Accessories you are breathing but can cause the your buddies gear, it’s easier for you regulator to free flow when it’s in the to see them. Check for the kind water and out of your mouth. The adjust- of leaks around the hoses we ment allows you, for example, to stop mentioned in the service sec- that effect and help prevent free flows tion. After each dive you when you are at the surface and not should rinse off the regu- using the regulator. Before a dive I often lator especially after diving tune mine to the point just before the in salt water. The best way to “Remove before Dive” Dust regulator free flows after the purge valve do this is to soak the regulator cap with extra o-ring from is pressed. During the dive if I feel that in water, preferably warm water. German Divedelight protects the breathing effort is too high I adjust Leave it attached to the tank with the your precious reg when not in it to full venturi effect. But that’s just my air turned on. This keeps water from get- use. www.divedelight.de (NB: Site in German) personal preference, you should experi- ting in where it shouldn’t be. If you can’t ment and find the settings that suit you soak it, disconnect it from the tank, dry best. the first stage dust cap and secure it in place. It’s ok to dry the dust cap with air Service from the tank but be careful not to blow Regulators should be serviced once any water into the inlet of the first stage. a year or about every 100 dives If the dust cap is supposed to have an which ever comes first. The limit on o-ring make sure it is in place. Then the number of dives covers excessive you can use a hose to rinse with. If wear and the time limit covers aging Warranty you do it this way be sure not to press Hoseprotectors of the soft parts. Over the course of In the US the warranty usually covers the purge button, which would allow time the soft parts deteriorate and cially the high pres- defects and the parts needed for stand- water to enter the hose. Be careful when Swivel for second stage take a set over time. sure hose that connects the pressure ard maintenance. Most manufactur- you rinse the second stage, don’t blast hose - eases the pull on It’s easy to damage a regulator during gauge. If you look carefully at that hose ers will require as terms of the warranty water at it, as it can displace or damage the jaw. This one found at service and special tools and instruments you can see a line of small perforations. that the regulator be serviced once a the delicate diaphragms. After rinsing, www.zeagle.com are needed to properly work on, assem- These are pin holes through the rubber year by an authorized dealer using only allow to dry thoroughly. You can give it a ble and adjust a regulator so service outer layer of hose. The inner layers con- parts supplied by the manufacturer. As shake and pour water out of the second should only be performed by a trained tain the pressure and the holes allow you we mentioned before regulators are stage or wipe the outside with a cloth technician who has access to the latest to see when the inside of the hose has life support equipment so regular, quali- to help it along. It is best not to store the Suffering from from the manufacturer. developed a leak. In the old days before fied maintenance is important for your regulator by hanging it or curling the jaw fatigue? During service the soft parts of the the perforations the outer layer would diving comfort and safety. The service hoses too tightly. This stresses the hoses Try a dif- regulator are changed, like the o-rings up like a balloon. Another common replacement parts are also an important and can cause them to fail prematurely. ferent and pressure seats. Also place for a leak to develop part of the warranty. Over the course One thing you can do to help the hoses mouth- piece. the knife edges, dia- is at the end of the hose of the regulators lifetime the cost of the is to have hose protectors put on them. This one from Seacure Regulators should uses your own dental phragm, exhaust valves, where the pressure gauge replacement parts can easily add up to These are plastic sleeves that are placed be serviced once a year impression. mouthpieces, etc are is mounted. There is a little more than the original cost of the regula- up at the first stage end of the hoses to www.seacure1.com inspected and replaced or about every 100 dives adapter with two small o- tor. The warranty can differ from country distribute the stress of bending the hoses. as necessary. If there’s rings that goes in between to country, keep that in mind when you The sleeves should be constructed so any corrosion or buildup which ever comes first the hose and the gauge buy. Will the warranty be as good as it that they drain water and don’t promote The Isolator Valve is used to shut off of salt, lime a s o, on the and these o-rings, which are would be if I bought it at home? Will I corrosion. the air supply in any situation where metal parts they can be cleaned in an exposed to the outside environment be able to get authorized service and Between servicing you can check out 2nd stage isolation is desired.t ultrasonic cleaner. Both stages will be don’t last forever. replacement parts? the mouthpiece, check to see that the www.zeagle.com properly lubricated during service, reas- Except for the parts covered by the bite blocks are not partially bitten off. sembled and the intermediate pressure warranty that must be returned to the Maintenance Check for cracks and splitting, espe- (IP) and breathing resistance will be manufacturer, all the old parts should be When you are in the water cially at the end of the part of the checked. returned to you so you can see what you check for air leaks. Be second stage body that the mouth- The regulator should also be checked paid for. a good buddy and piece is mounted on. They are prone for leaks. Hoses can develop leaks, espe- look for leaks in to splitting right where the tube like sec- Warranty? tion they are mounted on ends. ■

84 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED be warmed by the surrounding If you have a second stage with water. Therefore keep the 2nd a breathing resistance adjust- stage under water until it is time ment, set the adjuster to minimum to dive. Put the mouthpiece in as when not in use. you submerge and take your first If you dive with a redundant air breath with it under water. If you supply, switch to that and then for any reason need to stick your shut off the tank valve a few min- head above the water again utes and then turn it slowly back before the dive, remove your on. mouthpiece in water and keep it Do not use your buddys air submerged. supply for this exercise, since Text: Millis Keegan the extra demand on his regula- Images: Peter Symes Inflate your BC slowly, preferably tor can cause his equipment to while you exhale, to reduce the freeze as well. How to avoid free flows stress of the first stage.

While the use of a cold water regulator Freezing & Freeflows is the first step of prevention, the second and the zen of being a cold water diver step is to minimize the demand on it

All regulators will perform it enters the second stage. In Then make sure that your tank differently in cold water each stage of the regulator, the valve orifice is dry before attach- air temperature keeps dropping, ing your first stage to avoid moist compared to warmer and droplets inside the mecha- being drawn into the inside. water temperatures. If you nism may form ice crystals, which Cold water divers may also dive in cold water, chanc- in turn can cause a malfunction choose to dive with two inde- es are you will experience such as a free flow. pendent scuba regulators for extra safety. a free flow sooner or later. When water temperature reaches It is not a matter of if, it is a 5°C and colder, a regulator is Prevention matter of when. No regu- at risk of freezing. The first stage The key to avoiding free-flowing lator, no matter how well freezes in an open position, which incidents is prevention. While the causes a free flow of air. It is use of a cold water regulator is manufactured and full with designed to do so, as a failsafe the first step of prevention, the fancy features it is, can feature, since the option would second step is to minimize the safeguard you completely be blown hoses, which is an expe- demand on it. Use these simple rience we could do without while precautions and you are way on diving. The rapid airflow in turn your way to become a true cold Since you are a diver, you should can cause the second stage to water diver. already know that gases heat up freeze While not being in a pleas- Take every opportunity to prac- during compression, (i.e. while fill- ant situation, one can still breathe tice in safe conditions, simulating ing a tank), and that they cool from a free flowing regulator a situation by pressing the purge during expansion which is what ...until it runs out of air. button. This way you will find what happens you breathe them from Cold water divers may also works for you. a scuba tank. This cooling may choose to dive with two inde- affects the regulator in various pendent scuba regulators for Breathe only under water ways, When air from a cylinder extra safety. In winter, the air will often be undergoes a drop in pressure, colder than the water so avoid which happens when air passes Precautions breathing from the 2nd stage out through the first stage, the pres- It is important that the air in your of the water when the air tem- sure is typically reduced to 11 Bar tank is dry. Usually vapor will be perature is low. (the interstage pressure) before trapped by the compressor, A cool 1st stage can, however,

85 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Rehashing your basic training Breathing from a Free Flowing Regulator

What to do: Hold the regulator second stage loosely in your • Remain calm: Stop - Think - Act mouth, allowing excess air to escape. If possible If you are confident in breathing from a angle your head slightly to avoid bubbles in front of free flowing regulator do so, but check ���������������������������� your eyes. and prepare alternate sources just in case. No-nos • If an alternate air supply is preferred and • Avoid taking a “test” breath from your regula- available switch to it. tor in temperatures near freezing. The moisture • Head for the surface. in the atmosphere and your breath can easily • If a buddy is available, or you can reach cause icing in the second stage. the cylinder valve, switch off the cylinder • Avoid pressing the purge button. and slowly switch it back on. • Avoid heavy breathing • If you run out of air then the only option • Avoid adding air to your BC in is a free ascent, possibly accellerated by small bursts removing the weight belt. Ensure • Avoid using your regulator you don’t hold your breath, for secondary use. While and the air inside filling up a safety sausage the lungs will use your exhaust valve, expand. ■ in Otter Ultimate droogpak) and if you need to fill a lift bag in cold water, consider using a spare tank for that pur- pose.

When a regulator suddenly free-flows it can be very startling as there is a sudden roar of bubbles and visibility is reduced. The main strategy is to: foto: John Neuschwander (Noordpool, foto: John Neuschwander ������������������������� ���������������������������������� ������������������������� �������������������������������� ������������������������������������ ������������������������� ���������������������� �������������������������������������� ����������������� �������������������������������������� ����������������������������� ���������������������� ������������������������������ DIVING INTERNATIONAL

86 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED BreathingHow to understand the Diagram Why is it an important tool?

The regulator is Let’s make one thing clear, it is not an important tool for you while connected to an air supply and choosing a regulator, but it is an important tool for a manufac- placed in a hyper- turer while designing a regulator. What you, as a recreational diver baric chamber. The should look for when shopping for a regulator is whether it passed chamber is filled with water and the US Navy tests, and/or EN250 standards. pressurized to the test depth Text by Brian Keegan ANSTI Those tests are done on a system called The machine also supplies pressure, through the lungs—37.5 liters in one Reading a breathing diagram European standard EN 250 demands, The ANSTI Demand Regulator Test Station. simulating the air pressure in a tank to minute. Lets look at a dia- that total work of breathing from a regu- The system scientifically evaluates a regu- create a realistic diving situation. The An average breathing rate during gram. If we start on the left side, the lator on depth in 50 meters at intensity lators performance, simulating human regulators are tested at several different a stress-free dive is generally between curve above the horizontal axis repre- of breathing in 62.5 liters per minute breathing. It is designed to measure breathing rates. When the regulators are 25-31 RMV. The initial testing begins at sents the exhalation. The area under and cylinder pressure in 50 Bar does not the dynamic performance of SCUBA tested, the ANSTI measures the inhala- 37.5 RMV—a number chosen because that curve (S1) is the effort required to exceed 3 J/l. demand regulators to 80 metres at the tion and exhalation in liters per minute it best represents a regulator’s perform- exhale a breath. Then, the inhalation This is done by the machine making 25 maximum ventilation requirements of (RMV*) times the size of the breath (Tidal ance during a dive made by an aver- curve runs from right to left with the inhalations per minute with vol- EN250. The ANSTI can identify if a regula- Volume). age fit diver. A higher work rate—stand- area above that curve representing the tor passes or fails a test criteria. Example: At an RMV of 37.5, a diver’s ards used both by the US Navy and the effort required to inhale the During the testing, the ANSTI system lungs are filled with 2.5 liters of air on European EN250 while evaluating a regu- breath. takes continuous readings, a work of every inhalation and forcing the same lator’s performance—is used during the Thus, the total work of breathing diagram is generated by a amount out on every exhalation. The second test, which is done at 62.5 RMV. breathing is represented by breathing machine simulating a human RMV at 15 breaths per minute would the sum of the two areas breath. It shows how much effort it takes be 18.75 liters per minute during inhala- to complete a breathing cycle under tion and 18.75 liters per minute during different circumstances, like diving at dif- exhalation, which equals total air moved ferent depths, and in different tempera- tures. The effort is referred to as the Work RMV: RESPIRATORY MINUTE VOLUME IS THE VOLUME OF AIR WHICH CAN BE INHALED (INHALED MINUTE VOLUME) OR EXHALED (EXHALED MINUTE VOL- of Breathing (WOB). UME) FROM A PERSON’S LUNGS IN ONE MINUTE

The display of the ANSTI machine Ansti Test Systems Ltd specialises in the design Exhale and manufacture of test facili- shows the results ties for performance measure- of a breathing ment of underwater breathing test in the form apparatus. The facilities are WORK of a Breathing turnkey packages, which Inhale Diagram. The utilise computerised diagram give data acquisition tech- researchers and niques to display in real designers an idea time the dynamic per- of how a regulator formance of the breath- performs during a ing apparatus under test. breathing cycle. www.ansti.com

87 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED tech talk Regulators ume of 2,5 liters of air per inhalation. This is Phase two Conclusion considered representative of a diver per- Now that the air is flowing, the breathing In conclusion, don’t get too hung up on forming hard physical work. The regulator resistance drops. The air is coming from the numbers. On the one hand, lower is supplied with air at 100 bars. the hose and the intermediate pressure WOB is better, but on the other hand, The inhalation phase is the part of the area in the first stage. If the second stage the quality of your breathing experience breath that really differentiates regulators has a venturi assist feature, the air flow is also greatly influenced by how natural these days. Along with the total work of holds the valve open, and the flow of air each part of the breathing cycle and the breathing effort, we can get a better idea can actually exceed the demand. If this cycle as a whole feels. of how this relates to the way it feels to is excessive, you feel like you are being Add to that, that even if the ANSTI breath on a particular regulator. force-fed air. Not having to work is nice, machine is very sensitive and can meas- Lets look at Fig 2. but the regulator designers don’t want ure differences down to 0.1 J/l, you can’t. you to feel like you’re being inflated like A human being is only able to feel a differ- Phase one a balloon. As we near the end of phase ence in the effort down to about 0.5 J/l. ■ We see the beginning of the breath in two, the intermediate pressure is dropping phase one. When the diver starts to breath to the point where the first stage will open in and sucks air out of the second stage, and start to replenish the available air with The inhalation the diaphragm is drawn in and eventually air from the tank. opens the second stage valve and starts phase is the part of the air flowing. This is commonly referred Phase three the breath that really to as the cracking effort, and we see this The first stage is opening now. If it is poorly differentiates regula- as an initial spike in the curve. Too much designed and waits too long to open or cracking effort doesn’t feel natural, you can’t supply air fast enough, we would tors these days have to really work hard and all of a sud- see an increase in WOB effort here. Note: den – woosh, lots of air. With modern regulator design that is no longer a common problem. Common standards Here are three standards that regulators are judged by: 25 Exhale This WOB U.S. Navy Class B graph, Depth of 40 m with a supply pressure of shows 100 bars, 25 2.5 liter breaths per minute 15 phase 1, with WOB less than 1.4 joules per liter. phase 2 and phase U.S. Navy Class A 3 as men- 5 tioned in Same criteria as Class B except at the text. mbar depth of 60 m.

European Standard EN250 Depth of 50 m with a supply pressure of 50 bars, 25 2.5 liter breaths per minute - 15 with WOB less than 3.0 joules per liter

A3 A2 A1 - 25 Inhale Tidbit The most powerful breathing machines PHASE 3 PHASE 2 PHASE 1 is found in the possession of Aqualung. It can simulate a dive down to 100 meters in water temperature down to 0 degrees

88 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Photo & Videography

This section is sponsored by: Edited by Daniel Beecham & Jason Heller Magic Filters get results

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89 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Photo & Videography Filter and URPRO discs Sponsored by

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Raw image file adjustment on the computer

90 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Cleaning? Delkin Devices, Inc., makers of high quality dig- ital photography products and accessories, announced their photography SensorScope™ System for cleaning digital SLR image sensors. The SensorScope’s use of magnification and focused, high intensity light, enables camera owners to inspect their camera’s sensor to news see if it needs cleaning. Why risk damaging your camera—don’t Sponsored by clean your sensor if it doesn’t need it! www.delkin.com

Corel upgrade Corel has released a free update Three new houses for Canon 400D to Paint Shop Pro Photo XI, which extends Corel’s support for camera raw formats, including a signifi- SEALUX cant improvement in the quality of CC400 imported raw images, enhanced The most support for IPTC metadata, and support for additional camera mod- important els (Nikon D200, Sony DSC-F828, part of a Photoshop CS3 - Beta and Sony DSC-V3). Corel will contin- housing is Adobe has released a beta ue to add support for new models the viewfind- version of Adobe Photoshop in future updates of Paint Shop Pro er, accord- CS3. Probably the Photo XI. This ing to Sealux. most significant point update also fea- Chose be- in this release is the tures enhanced tween the Inon House for Canon fact that it is a uni- performance in inexpensive LD viewfinder that gives a good overview Inon’s new X-2 series DSLR hous- versal binary version many areas of over image and camera data, or Sealux’ special bril- ings for Canon EOS20D and 30D allowing it to run on the program, Mac computers with especially in the liant GD (grand) view finder that offers a spectacular cameras comes with three user the new Intel chip, organizer and viewfinder image. www.sealux.de interchangeable viewfinder while at the same thumbnail gen- options, including the 45 degree time—not to forget eration features. Viewfinder. Each housing is their Windows cus- Many issues equipped with two fiber optic tomers— supporting have been fixed Hugyfot’s HFC sync connectors supporting four XP and Vista. Adobe including saving 400D is very ergo- directly connected strobes, each says this is to allow 16-bit images as nomic, allowing capable of S-TTL operation. The a smoother transi- TIFF files, support for one hand housing is supported with a multi- tion to newer hardware plat- for transparency when saving PNG photography, coated optical glass port system forms—namely, the Mac. The files, retention of EXIF data when free beta can be downloaded files are duplicated, and prob- and is depth with Magnetic Rotary System at Adobe’s website by any user lems moving floating text. This free rated down (MRS) manual focusing possible with a valid Creative Suite 2 or update is recommended for all cur- to 100 meters. on some models. Photoshop CS2 serial number. rent users. It is available for down- The housings are www.inonamerica.com labs.adobe.com load at www.corel.com/support CNC milled out of solid blocks of aluminium. The Photo & Videography Section is sponsored by: www.hugyfot.com Sea&Sea’s DX-400D underwater housing for the Canon EOS 400D/Digital Rebel XT is made from a combination of corrosion resistant aluminum alloy and polycarbonate. Depth-rated to 180 feet, the housing also includes a 3 pin N-type connector (for attach- ing a YS-series strobe); a A TTL con- Welcome to the Future of Photography verter; a leak sensor; and a 0.66x For more information, please visit: www.h2ophotopros.com viewfinder. www.seaandsea.com

91 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED New Zealand Dive Experiences Bottom Bunch Dive Club, San Diego, US Danish dive shop & online store Dive Operators AMERICAS Dive Operators RED SEA Expand your diving and underwater Promoting safe diving and having fun www.dykcen.dk At the Water’s Edge, MA, USA Emperor Divers, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt photography horizons in Kiwi country www.bottombunchdiveclub.com Diveshoppen, Denmark When you just gotta dive! Your Red Sea dive specialists www.nzdivexperiences.com British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC), UK In the heart of Copenhagen www.lovetodive.com www.emperordivers.com Ningaloo Reef Dive, Western Australia Where began... www.diveshoppen.dk Captain Slate’s Atlantis Nemo Divers, Eliat, Israel Preferred operators on the West Coast www.bsac.co.uk LondonDivingNet —The best place in For the very best diving in the Florida Red Sea’s best little dive center www.ningalooreefdive.com.au Dansk Sportsdykker Forbund, Denmark London to learn to dive Keys www.captianslate.com www.nemodivers.co.il Perth Diving, Australia —Western Aus- 7500 members in 152 clubs in Denmark www.londondiving.net Tiedeman’s Diving Center, NY, USA tralia’s premier diving organisation www.sportsdykning.dk Ocean Dive Explorers, Denmark Long Island’s Premier Scuba Ed Facility www.perthdiving.com.au Los Angeles Underwater Photographic TDI/SDI Scandinavia Dive Operators AFRICA Business www.tdconline.com Society, USA www.laups.org www.oceandive.dk Tuneffe Island Lodge Dive Solutions, South Africa —Diving Northumbria Sub Aqua Club, UK SuperDive.dk —Copenhagen Directory A private Caribbean Island Mozambique, tech & rec dive educ Dive training and trips dive center, tours and trips www.tuneffelodge.com www.divesolutions.co.za Nautilus Explorer , USA www.divenorthumbria.co.uk PADI, NAUI and NAUI Tech Dive Center, Honduras Diving Mantas to Icebergs Saddleworth Sub-Aqua Club, UK NAUI representative in Denmark Welcome to the Whaleshark experts www.nautilusexplorer.com Based in the Pannine hills of Lancashire www.superdive.dk www.utiladivecenter.com Dive Operators ASIA Ocean Rover —Cruises in Thailand, www.saddleworth-subaqua.co.uk Simply Scuba, UK & International Utopia Village —Coming 2007: Dive, Bali International Diving Professionals Myanmar, Indonesia and Malaysia Southern Division Diving Club One-stop online dive shop Fish, Relax in Utila, Honduras. 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A sudden brainstorm brought an urgent call to Longest serving dive center in Wales www.aquaprodive.com Bao Xishun, a herdsman from Inner Mongolia. At 7 feet, 9 News edited by INFORMATION: www.westwalesdivers.co.uk Deep Sea Divers Den, Australia inches, he is the world’s tallest man. Xishun came to the Gunild Symes www.xray-mag.com Zapp Divers, Denmark Diving Great Barrier Reef & Queens- aquarium and stretched his 41. inch long arms into the [email protected] Dive tours around Jutland land www.diversden.com.au dolphins’ mouths to physcially remove the plastic from their

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SOURCE: Newsvine.com ■ www.eaglehawkdive.com.au 92 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED —Working togeth- Lines & Shadows —Home of the best Underwater Australasia —Australia & Michael Portelly, UK er to keep coral reefs dive source of UWP, travel & adventure Asia Pacific’s most popular dive portal UW Photo, Video, Film Director and Cinematographer www.coralreef.org www.linesandshadows.com www.underwater.com.au Alex Mustard, PhD, UK www.portelly.com The Manta Network NauticFriend.com —The Ultimate UnderwaterTimes —A daily journal of UWP and Marine Biologist Nonoy Tan, Metro Manila, Philippines Help Save the Mantas Worldwide Watersports Directory life in and around water www.amustard.com Underwater images of the Philippines www.save-the-mantas.org www.nauticfriend.com www.underwatertimes.com Amos Nachoum Big Animals [email protected] Onderwaterfoto, Netherlands University of Michigan, OSEH Worldwide expeditions & adventure Poppe Images, Philippines Online Dive Resources Digital UWP Forum Dive links by Larry “Harris” Taylor, PhD www.biganimals.com Marine Iconography of the Philippines www.onderwaterfoto.net www-personal.umich.edu Bill Becher Outdoor & Adventure www.poppe-images.com Business Cairns Scuba Diving Australia One Ocean —Earn frequent diver WetPixel, USA Writing & Photography —CA, USA Thomas Peschak, South Africa Dive training & travel holidays points toward equipment & travel Digital imaging for divers www.becher.com Africa’s Oceans and Coasts Directory www.divedirectory.com.au www.oneocean.com www.wetpixel.com , Cayman Islands www.currentsofcontrast.com DiveGuru, Deerfield, FL, USA , Champion World-Newspapers.com UWP Center, Classes, Trips, Services Tony White, UK When you want answers... 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93 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Sue Duda Editted by Gunild Pak Symes All images are original batik on silk by Sue Duda Blending her love of the sea and its cherished creatures with the ancient art of Batik, a die and wax technique on silk, Sue Dudas has created an ocean of art work to delight the most hardy sea lover.

Sue Duda received her education in art at the University of Wisconsin-Ste- vens Point in the U.S. where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Art in 1976. She spent the next 22 years working as a studio potter. Experiences in scuba diving and snorkeling led Duda to incorporate the ocean’s won- derous colors and intricate patterns on silk, using the wax-resist method of batik. On silk, vibrant colors harmoni- ously blend creating bright, eye-catching designs. Duda says that foregrounds of the batik paintings are uniquely enhanced by the crackled backgrounds. The

textural effect emulates the look of sunrays streaming through water, which enhances the allure of Duda’s underwater pieces. Through her batik work, Duda hopes to share her love for the rich environment of the underwater world, its color and life. By drawing attention to the ocean with her images, she wants to positively influence human- COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Beaked Butterflyfish; Quilfin Blenny, 22 x 27 inches; Ascent, kind’s awareness of the ocean’s fragile ecosystem. 30 x 24 inches; Clown Triggerfish; Red Banded Wrasse, 24 x 28 inches Bringing the splendors of the underwater world to the surface, Duda

94 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Lookdowns design (right) is available on sweatshirts, Sue Duda t-shirts, mugs, tote bags and other apparel and gifts portfolio through www.cafepress.com/xray-mag.com

creates cheerful art for others to enjoy and ocean art enthusiasts can enjoy building distinctive col- lections. Duda recommends framing your original batiks on silk between two layers of glass in order to allow light to pass through the batik. It creates a spectacular conversation piece when placed near a window in your home, office or on your yacht. Originals can also be framed in conventional styles as well. The artist has won several local and regional awards for her art work. Several of her pieces have been published by Sundance Graphics See her work at the following websites: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Mandarinfish, 23 x 28 inches; and Ocean Arts Gallery. Duda focuses on Ocean Dudes by Duda Lookdowns, 24 x 28 inches; Queen of the Sea, 28 x 24 inch- sea life but also creates freshwater fish, Original batiks, greeting cards and prints es; Trunkfish; Bluestripped Grunt Quints, 25 x 19.5 inches; nature, and music batiks. www.oceandudes.com Cardinalfish, 22.5 x 28 inches

95 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED portfolio Sue Duda

Ocean Arts Gallery The X-RAY MAG Store CLOCKWSIE FROM TOP LEFT: Head Green Border; Head Red Border, Tail Fine art giclée prints of batiks T-shirts, apparel, gifts and more Blue Border; Spotfin Butterflyfish and Juveniles; King Angelfish; Spotted www.oceanartsgallery.com www.cafepress.com/xraymag Hogfish

96 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ◄ Sue Duda shows off her original batik on silk of Two Moorish Idols, framed with primavera wood between two layers of glass Sue Duda IN OUR NEXT ISSUE portfolio The Red Sea Saudi Arabia New Zealand

BARB ROY

BARB ROY

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Dive Flag, 20 x 24 inches. The artist created this brand new batik especially for X-RAY MAG. It might very well be the only batik dive flag design avail- able; Moorish Idol; Banded Butterflyfish, 30 x 24 inches

A percentage of all sales from The X-RAY MAG Store PETER SYMES and Ocean Arts goes to ocean conservation! Masterpiece Giclees can be ordered in 3 differ- ent sizes on the customer’s choice of canvas or watercolor paper. The color on these giclées is fabu- COMING IN APRIL lous! Inquiries about purchasing original batiks can Subscribe now FREE! be sent to Sue Duda at: tel. 715-356-4526, e-mail: [email protected]. Prices of some of the originals www.xray-mag.com can be viewed on Sue’s website: www.oceandudes. com ■

97 X-RAY MAG : 15 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED