Scuba Confidential :: Dive Fitness :: Portfolio – Marionette Taboniar North Sea Dogger Bank Moby-Dick's

GLOBAL EDITION Sperm Whales July 2014 Number 61 Bali Tulamben Wrecks U-2511 Tech Checklists UW Photo Modeling Tips ITALY'S Shark Art Ponza Island Wolfgang Leander COVER1 X-RAY PHOTO MAG :BY 61 FRANCO : 2014 BANFI DIRECTORY X-RAY MAG is published by AquaScope Media ApS Frederiksberg, Denmark www.xray-mag.com

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SENIOR EDITOR Peter Symes Michael Symes, PhD - Science Diver with giant rockfish, Ponza Island, Italy. Photo by Franco Banfi [email protected] SECTION EDITORS contents PUBLISHER, MANAGING EDITOR Michael Arvedlund, PhD - Ecology & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Scott Bennett - Travel, Sharks Gunild Symes Andrey Bizyukin, PhD - Features [email protected] Larry Cohen - Photo & Video Kelly LaClaire - Marine Mammals ASSOCIATE EDITORS Catherine Lim - News, Books Scott Bennett, Toronto Roz Lunn - Equipment News [email protected] Bonnie McKenna - Turtles Catherine GS Lim, Singapore Michael Menduno - Tech [email protected] Robert Osborne - Features, Profiles Michael Menduno, Berkeley Ila France Porcher - Sharks [email protected] Don Silcock - Photo & Video Barb Roy, Vancouver [email protected] COLUMNISTS Gretchen Ashton - Dive Fitness Russia - Moscow Pascal Bernabé - Tech Talk Andrey Bizyukin, PhD Leigh Cunningham - Tech Talk [email protected] Andy Murch - Shark Tales Svetlana Murashkina, PhD Mark Powell - Tech Talk [email protected] Cindy Ross - GirlDiver Cedric Verdier - Tech Talk ASSISTANT EDITORS Lawson Wood - UW Photography Roz Lunn, London [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Robert Osborne, Toronto Kurt Amsler [email protected] Gretchen M. Ashton Don Silcock, Sydney Franco Banfi [email protected] Scott Bennett Sabrina Bellon USA Áthila Bertoncini Larry Cohen, New York City Maíra Borgonha [email protected] Fred Buyle Kelly LaClaire, Portland Sang Hak Choi [email protected] Lyn Boyun Chung Bonnie McKenna, Houston Andreas Gruber [email protected] Ki Joon Kim Cor Kuyvenhoven ADVERTISING Wolfgang Leander UNITED KINGDOM Steve Lewis 8 18 20 30 41 plus... Rosemary E Lunn, London Christian Loader Operation Deadlight Ron Akeson: Italy's Ponza Island Bali's Tulamben Profile: EDITORIAL 3 [email protected] Gareth Lock U-2511, Ireland Mission Well Done by Sabrina Bellon Indonesia Wreckers NEWS 4 Michael Menduno by ic erlinden by arb oy photos by ranco anfi by ick hallcross by ichael enduno USA & INTERNATIONAL Jeong Kweon Park V V B R F B N S M M WRECK RAP 14 Susan Kochan, Key West Ila France Porcher TRAVEL NEWS 15 [email protected] Simon Pridmore Matthew Meier, San Diego Barb Roy 48 60 66 73 86 EQUIPMENT NEWS 39 [email protected] Nick Shallcross The Drowned Lands Looking for The Art of Opinion: Brazil Competition BOOKS & MEDIA 56 Don Silcock Contacts page: Xray-Mag.com Oh Yong Sung of Doggerland Moby Dick Wolfgang Leander Checklists by À. Bertoncini & MARINE MAMMALS 65 Gunild Symes by Peter Symes by Kurt Amsler by Ila France Porcher by Gareth Lock M. Borgonha SHARK TALES 71 Peter Symes Marionette Taboniar PHOTO NEWS 84 Vic Verlinden Not yet subscribed to Ju Won Chung Hong Yang columns... X-RAY MAG? Sign up now! Jesca Zweijtzer It’s FREE! QUICK! EASY! SUBSCRIPTION 54 57 79 89 click here... X-RAY MAG International Edition in English is FREE Scuba Confidential: Dive Fitness: UW Photo: Portfolio: To subscribe, go to: www.xray-mag.com Water in the Tank Leg Strong Modeling Tips Marionette Taboniar COVER PHOTO: Eye of giant rockfish, Ponza Island, Italy by Simon Pridmore by Gretchen Ashton by Lyn Boyun Chung edited by Gunild Symes Photo by Franco Banfi

2 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 Amsterdam Barcelona Cape Town Copenhagen Kuala Lumpur London Moscow Orlando Oslo Paris Singapore Tacoma Toronto Vancouver Warsaw — Editorial editorial

On life and death

SEE IT In this issue there is an obitu- to the highest levels, introduc- and making the most of it rary. ing others to the wondrous while we have it. realm underwater, opening As long as I have been their eyes to a new world full Losing Ron made me sad and DEMA EXPERIENCE IT involved with making this pub- of adventure and excitement. pensive, but it did not shake lication and the one before For that, many of his past stu- my interest or belief in diving. this one, it has been my policy dents are eternally grateful. SHOW and principle not to delve into While his passing did serve deaths and accidents. After After spending more than two as a somber reminder never all, would a classic car maga- decades in this line of work, I to compromise on safety, it zine go on about all those have unfortunately lost a num- rather reaffirmed my belief in killed in traffic accidents, or ber of friends and colleagues diving. 2014 a travel magazine about the to the deep. As some of these SHARE IT crime and corruption in the were explorers operating at Diving makes me feel alive various cities and countries it and often pushing the bound- and appreciative of the natu- covers? aries, it is what happens some- ral beauty and wonders of our AT DEMA SHOW 2014 IN LAS VEGAS! times. blue planet. Diving is about joy, life and providing pleasurable adven- It also happens that we lose Ron, by living his passion and NOVEMBER 19–22, 2014 | LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER | LAS VEGAS, NEVADA | WWW.DEMASHOW.COM tures and enriching experi- loved ones due to accidents teaching by example, remind- ences. in traffic or in the work place ed me of this feeling, and I or because they succumb to have all good intentions to And that is how we are going illness. keep following his lead. I don’t THE WORLD’S ONLY INTERNATIONAL TRADE-ONLY EVENT FOR DIVING, ACTION WATERSPORTS AND TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS! to keep looking at it going for- think he would approve if I did ward. It doesn’t matter what we do. otherwise, and getting wet is the best hommage I can pay. FIND OUT MORE AND REGISTER NOW AT Our friend and associate Ron There is always a risk. We WWW.DEMASHOW.COM Akeson died while he was could keel over while playing Keep the adventures going! doing what he loved. tennis or while shopping at the local supermarket. —X-RAY MAG Diving was his passion, calling and profession, and he took it What matters is living our life

LAS VEGAS

facebook.com/demashow | twitter.com/dema_show | linkedin.com/company/dema-org | youtube.com/user/DEMAAssn | pinterest.com/demashow

3 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO from the deep

News edited by Peter Symes NEWS US to create world's largest marine park President Barack Obama has announced our children in the eye and tell them that, plans to create the world’s largest marine yes, we did our part, we took action, and park in the Pacific Ocean by expanding we led the way toward a safer, more stable the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National world,” adding that while protecting the Monument. Environmentalists are hailing the oceans is a task requiring the cooperation move, which aims to protect fragile marine of many countries working together, the life, as a step in the right direction. United States must take the lead in conserv- In a video message, Obama said: “Let’s ing fragile marine ecosystems. make sure that years from now we can look Detractors say the newly expanded park

NOAA Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (center of map) is to be expanded significantly to create the world's largest marine park

will have little impact as there is what his predecessor, President not much commercial fishing or George W. Bush, set aside for the drilling in the area since it is so far Pacific Remote Islands Marine away from ports. national monument in 2009, However, conservationists said according to a geographic analy- proactive steps now will pro- sis by the Pew Charitable Trusts. tect ecosystems in the future. In addition to expanding the Lance Morgan of the Marine marine park, Obama launched Conservation Institute said, “These a task force to curb illegal fishing are fairly long distances from any and fraud in the seafood indus- ports, and they’re very expensive try, preventing mislabelling to to get to,” but added, “Still, we hide a product’s origin. The White don’t know what all the future House said that one-fifth of wild uses are going to be.” fish caught each year are sold on Using the 1906 Antiquities Act, the black market, which costs the Obama could protect up to legal fishing trade US$23 billion. ■ USFWS 780,000 square miles, or nine times SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST Palmira Atoll National Wildlife Refuge

4 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Entrance to Akaroa news Harbour

New Zealand opens new marine park On World Oceans Day, New Zealand sharks; birds like penguins formally opened its newest marine and shags and marine reserve in Akaroa Harbour. With this mammals like fur seals and measure, the marine life of the area is Hector's dolphins.” protected and fishing is not permitted Visitors flock to this iconic PHILLIP CAPPER / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS in the reserve. harbour for its incredible Conservation Minister Nick Smith scenery of volcanic cliffs and odd nity,” she said. bed mining," said Forest & Bird advo- said, "Some of the hundreds of spe- sea stacks as well as the various rec- While conservationists applaud the cacy manager Kevin Hackwell. "New cies that will benefit from the reserve reational opportunities available in creation of the 512-hectare reserve, Zealand has the world's fourth largest include giant bull kelp, green and the area, according to Environment they say a lot more needs to be marine jurisdiction. It is so vast, a third horse mussels, sea tulips, hydroids, Minister Amy Adams. "The reserve will done. "New Zealand's territorial and of the world's seabird species and sponges, sea squirts, sea anemones, enhance Akaroa's growing nature- Exclusive Economic Zones cover 400 nearly half of the world's whale, por- cushion, snake and biscuit stars; fish based tourism and will be an eco- million hectares. And 99 per cent of poise and dolphin species have been like blue cod, butterfish, blue moki, nomic as well as an environmental those waters are open to deep sea reported within it." ■ leatherjacket and white pointer asset for the Banks Peninsula commu- oil drilling and various types of sea- SOURCE: TVNZ.CO.NZ

New Caledonia creates massive new marine park

In excess of 1.3 million square kilome- mammals, 48 shark species, 19 species tres, the new park will be one of the of nesting birds and five species of sea world’s largest. The protected area turtles. will be almost the size of Queensland. The government of New Caledonia Tourism authorities in New Caledonia wanted to establish one of the world's have announced the establishment largest protected areas on land and of one of the world’s largest nature sea, and protect the country's natural preserves as a historic moment for sus- wealth. tainable tourism. Years in the making, "This is an historic moment in marine the recent government decree has conservation, as well as sustainable paved the way for a management tourism," said Caroline Brunel, New plan for this vast, biologically-rich area Caledonia Tourism's sales and market- of the Pacific. ing director. "Such a measure exem- It is called Le Parc Naturel de la Mer plifies that it is possible to invest in the de Corail Marine Sanctuary, or Natu- long-term health and productivity of ral Park of the Coral Sea. It includes our ocean resources, whilst also invest- about 450,000 hectares of coral reefs ing in our tourism industry," she said. ■ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS and is home to 25 species of marine SOURCE: DAILYMAIL.CO.UK WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Araucaria columnaris trees, New Caledonia Location of New Caledonia in Melanesia, east of Australia

5 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO PETER SYMES news Feeling blue!?

to some) to the water. dopamin. Shortly afterwards, the fish's An adverse effect of sus- behaviour returned to nor- tained heightened levels mal. of dopamin is diminished memory and reduced Frustrated salmon capacity to react normally. In the Norwegian experi- As dopamin is also associ- ment, salmon were taught ated with the sensation of to associate light with a pleasure and plays a role in reward in the form of food. addiction, decreasing levels Omitting an expected can create withdrawal, with reward triggered frustra- all the sensations of feeling As low as tion. Levels of dopamin—a blue that comes with it. neurotransmitter that is pro- duced when new situations Crabs too $1499 are encountered and helps As reported a couple of 7 nights / 5 dive days increase attention—not only years ago in this publica- increased but did to a quite tion, a study conducted by high level. It was is if encoun- reseachers from Queen's tering ongoing unpredicta- University demonstrated that bity required the fish to be crabs not only suffer pain Fish have feelings too more attentive, which led to too but also retain a memo- an constant production of ry of it. ■

German scientists dis- positive situations. cover that chronic stress In the German investigation, zebrafish suffering from chronic can lead to depression stress as a result of a genetic and anxiety in fish, while mutation showed signs of a Norwegian research- depression in behavioural tests. er looking into stress An analysis of the "lethargic" zebrafish showed that they had response and frustration in an extremely elevated concen- fish finds that salmon have tration of the stress hormones emotional responses. cortisol, CRH and ACTH.

Meanwhile a doctoral thesis on Fish on Prozac stress response and frustration The scientists therefore postu- in fish by research fellow Marco lated that these fish were suf- Antonio Vindas at Norway's fering from chronic stress and environmental and life sciences were exhibiting certain aspects university has also established of depressive or perhaps hyper- that salmon have emotional anxious behaviour. To put this responses, defined as more or assumption to the test, the less unconscious reactions in the researchers added the antide- brain triggered by consuming or pressant fluoxetine (a.k.a. Prozac TIMOTHY KNEPP, USFWS / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Atlantic salmon

6 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO news The Boutique Liveaboard

Champagne stored on the bottom of the Baltic near classic wrecks The champagnes were lowered into the water close to the Åland shipwreck discovery almost exactly four ANDREW RANDALL CHRISTIAN Waters around Pitcairn Islands have "unique global value that is Pristine coral reefs √ years ago, where a stash of 47 bottles of Veuve irreplaceable" said an international team of scientists Clicquot from 1839 and 1841 were recovered. Pelagics from mantas to mola √ Macro from pygmies to blue-rings √ Four years ago a cargo of ter of Veuve Clicquot, Dominique Pitcairn Islands a treasure Raja Ampat √ old champagne was dis- Demarville a tasting of the more Ambon, Maluku √ covered at the bottom of than century-old champagne Komodo & Alor √ the Baltic Sea near the Åland showed an astonishing freshness trove of new species Luxury cabins √ archipelago close to Finland. and inspired the house to embark Massage & Spa √ Experts believed the vessel car- on the program. An international team of scientists have carried out 5 star service √ rying the champagne had been the first underwater surveys of the deep and shallow shipwrecked in the 1840s en route Åland vault to Russia and spent more than Veuve Clicquot has named the waters around the islands and discover 80 new 165 years underwater. underwater champagne cellar species of fish, coral and algae. Out of the bottles that were the Åland Vault, and filled it with salvaged, 95 were from the non-vintage Yellow Label (in 75cl The islands. which are best known biomass at Ducie Atoll, one of the Juglar champagne house, which and magnum bottles), Vintage for their connection to the mutiny least disturbed locations. closed down in 1829. The same Rosé 2004 and demi-sec wines. on the Royal Navy ship, Bounty, owners produce Jacquesson Demarville said about their in the 18th century, are one of Pure water today. Veuve Clicquot was underground cellar, “The Baltic the most remote places on Earth Perhaps the most significant represented by 46 bottles and Sea is a cool dark sea with a and have escaped overfishing discovery was down to the purity Heidsieck & Co by four. The temperature around 4˚C (39°F). and pollution that has damaged of the water. The scientists found Veuve Clicquot bottles were There is very little current so the many other regions of the world’s a type of coralline algae living dated 1841–1850. pressure remains constant and it oceans. deeper than anywhere else on is significantly less salty than other The researchers conducted Earth. "It lives at 382m that's more Record prices seas. These conditions allow us the first surveys of the deep habi- than 100m deeper than the previ- The Juglar bottle was sold for to measure the impact of the tats around the Pitcairn Islands ous record, because of the clarity 24,000 euros while the Veuve absence of oxygen on the aging using drop-cameras at 21 sites of the water," expedition leader Clicquot champagne, dating process in a stable environment.” from depths of 78 to 1,585m. The and co-author Dr Enric Sala told back to approximately 1841, The Reims cellars are at a con- scientists found healthy coral BBC News. went for 30,000 euros, set- stant 11°C (52˚F). reefs and an abundance of fish, Pitcairn Islands is a British ting a new world record. The Veuve Clicquot plans to around half of them not found overseas territory and, with only earlier record, set in 2008, was retrieve some wines from the sea anywhere else in the world. about 56 inhabitants, it is the least US$84,700 for two bot- on a regular basis and conduct A key indicator of the water's populous national jurisdiction in tles of 1959 Dom comparative tastings with the good state were the number the world. The inhabitants are Perignon Rosé. duplicate bottles from the cel- of top predators like sharks that descendants of the Bounty mu- According to lars in Reims in the presence of a the scientists recorded. They tineers and the Polynesians who the the cellarmas- panel of professional tasters. ■ accounted for over half of the accompanied them. ■ WWW. THEARENUI . COM

7 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO wreck rap

Divers on the wreck of the U-2511

Text and photos by Vic Verlinden At the end of Second World War, the allied forces were in pos- session of 120 German U-boats. They decided to let them sink in the deep water of the Atlantic Ocean during a special opera- tion for this purpose. The Grey Wolves was the nickname for the German U-boats that often assaulted the allied convoys in groups and torpedoed nu- merous ships. When the British battleships became more long- range and sonar was devel- oped, the U-boats were no long- er invisible and many of them were sunk. That is the reason why the Germans constructed a new 21-type that they called Elektroboot. These were created to stay entirely underwater dur- Operation Deadlight ing an operation and were able to top a speed of 18 knots. Other types had to rise to the surface On the January 30, the U-2511 finished its also commanded successfully the U-201 Gustloff was taken on board. On April 30, had its first contact with the enemy, but test trip in the Bay of Dantzig with Adel- with which he sunk several ships. On the the first type 21 U-boat went on patrol in three days later, Adelbert Schnee re- in order to charge their batteries bert Schnee and his crew who already return to Bergen in Norway, a few dozen the Caribbean in order to test the ship in ceived the order to "cease-fire". The war and aerate the boat. had a lot of experience with U-boats. He survivors from the torpedoed liner Wilhelm all circumstances. On May 1, the U-2511 was officially over at that moment, but

8 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Team member Joeri Vinks (left) wreck coming aboard rap the dive vessel Loyal Watcher

a few hours later, he caught Burying the Wolves sight of the British cruiser Norfolk in the depths and a few other warships that After the end of the Second he could approach within 500 World War, the seized U-boats metres. Schnee had the possibil- were gathered together in ity to execute a perfect assault, Lishally, Ireland. The Allied forces but he changed his mind and decided to sink an enormous ordered the crew to continue quantity of U-boats, which they the voyage to their home port torpedoed to the depths of in Bergen which they reached the Atlantic Ocean off the Irish on May 5. The U-2511 proved its coastline. Operation Deadlight efficacy but it was too late to was created, and they started bet on the powerful weapon to sink the 121 U-boats. with success. No member of Under the circumstances, the crew was wounded or killed a good many U-boats never during the patrol, and there reached the planned area. As were no victims on the enemy there were sometimes problems side. during the rigging with bad

Historical photo of elektroboots in the harbor Divers ready to enter the water from the dive boat

9 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Diver Frank Robert near the hull of wreck the U-2511 (left); rap Historical photo of the elektroboots in harbor (below)

the neighbourhood of Malin Head in North- ern Ireland. As I had already experienced something of the sort in the past, so I knew this was easier said than done. Considering the rounded form of the hull, the grapnel or an- chor, glided easily from the wreck, and the Linda was able to raise the grapnel several times before it finally clung to the wreck. The teams were dropped one by one, and my dive buddy and I were the fourth pair to go into the water. Floating to the buoy, I kept an eye on it just to be sure that this time I would not miss it. There was not much current and everything went smoothly going down. The visibility on the wreck was at least weather, it was possible that a sank that way in the shallows, wrecks. One of them was the decision was made to sink the contrary to prevailing belief at U-2511. The wreck was still in U-boat in shallow water. the time, and some of them good condition, so the expe- The U-2511 was rigged on were discovered when the dition was able to capture 7 January 1946, but the weath- technical divers came out in magnificent images of theele - er was so bad that the gear the 90's. ktroboot. The U-2511 is the only broke, and the U-2511 went type that was well preserved round in circles without any- Most important U-boat and is therefore an important body in command of it out in wreck archaeological find. open ocean. They decided A local diver, Al Wright, dis- then to sink the submarine with covered one of the wrecks in Diving a gigantic U-boat gunfire. After a while the boat 1999. Then in 2001, the English Everything was implemented sank little by little and reached U-boat specialist, Innes McCa- in order to grab the wreck of a depth of 72 metres in 20 min- rtney, undertook an expedition the U-2511 with the submarine utes. Many other submarines in the area and filmed several Loyal Watcher, which was in

10 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Diver with scooter at the propeller of U-2511 (left); wreck Rebreather diver Steve Brown rap inspects the midship section at 70m depth (below)

TECHNICAL INFORMATION Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg Date: 7 July 1944 Tonnage: 1,621 tons Length: 76 metres Width: 8 metres Propulsion: Diesel/electric 2 propellers Speed: 16 knots Range: 16,000 miles Armament: 6 torpedo tubes, 21 torpedoes

that one is not afraid of the cold and the sometimes rainy weather, you will enjoy a memorable dive in this area. ■

Having dived over 400 wrecks, Vic Verlin- den is an avid and pioneering wreck diver, award-winning underwater photographer and dive guide from Belgium. His work has been published in dive magazines and technical diving publications in the United States, Russia, France, Germany, Belgium, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. He is also the organizer of tekDive-Europe tech- nical dive show. For more information, visit: www.vicverlinden.com eight metres, and the grapnel was situ- the centre of the boat where we would ated near the tower in the middle of find the accent line to follow in order the wreck. to return to the surface. The hull of the I have dived on several wrecks of wreck was decorated with sea anemo- submarines from the First World War in nes of all colours, which transformed the North Sea, but they were nothing the wreck into a brilliant scene. compared to this giant with a length of We were now back at the tower 80 metres. with the periscope and several anten- We first went along the imposing nas, and we swam once more around tower and then followed the hull to the in order to have a good view of the back of the wreck. A few minutes later wreck. Inevitably, our dive comput- we arrived at a gaping hole where the ers indicated that we had to start the submarine was hit when the Allies sank climb back to the surface. During the it. From here we could see a part of the decompression stop of about one hour, interior and spied several spare parts. I had enough time to review the digital A bit later in the dive, we saw the two images I took during the dive. propellers of the wreck, with the blades The U-2511 is an absolutely superb still in good condition. wreck to dive, and I recommend it to We were already at the halfway anyone who intends to dive in the re- point of the dive and had to return to gion. Based on the condition, of course,

11 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO wreck rap Baltic tunnel project uncovers several 17th century wrecks Archeaologists surveying the seabed ahead of the construction of a fixed link between Denmark and Germany across the Fehmarnbelt find untouched wrecks of Dutch and Danish warships from The Battle of Fehmarn, which took place in 1644. The marine archaeology expeditions are the largest ever mounted in Scandinavia.

Working from both sides of ish waters around 8km south and protected for the the Fehmarn Belt, archaeolo- of Rødby has, however, been future. gists surveying the area of the kept in complete secrecy "We were struck by the future Fehmarn Belt Tunnel for since it was first located in 2008 extent of ship timber and important wrecks and prehis- while marine archeaogists pre- cannons strewn criss- toric sites have come up with pared for further investigations. cross on the seabed al- at least two significant wrecks. Whether the second wreck most like a Mikado game. One lies in German waters also dates to the same battle Some of the guns are on only 3km north of Puttgarten has not yet been determined. top of each other and from where the ferries to The investigation is one of must come from the gun Denmark depart. This is the biggest marine archaeo- deck that collapsed." probably the Danish war- logical surveys conducted in Furthermore, pottery ship, Lindormen, which sank Scandinavia for many years. jars, metal vessels, rig- in October 1644 during the Curator and marine archae- ging and ammunition has Batttle of Fehrmarn, which ologist, Jørgen Dencker, from been found. was fought against a Swedish- the Viking Ship Museum in Dutch fleet. As position of the Roskilde, Denmark, explains: Full deck preserved wreck has been widely known "On most wrecks in Dan- Until the artifacts have for several years, archaeolo- ish waters, only the bottom is been salaged, it is not VIKINGESKIBSMUSEET gists therefore expect that it preserved. The wreck of the possible to estimate the The first task for the maritime archaeologists is to sort out the chaotic tangle is partially looted by sports Fehmarn Belt is truly a gem, full size and condition of of fallen timbers, cannons, ropes and other artefacts divers. a treasure trove. As many as the wreck, but archeaol- The wreck is severely dam- possible of the delicate vari- ogists believe that at least one that it is likely to be a vessel that year, Zvaarte Arend, en- aged by shipsworm and will ous artifacts must be salvaged full deck is preserved. known either as Zvaarte Arend tered the scene, engaging in not last long However, or Zvaarte Adelaar (or Black the naval battle fought in the even if it is saved. while relatively Eagle). Fehmarnbelt where the Danes Therefore, the well-preserved, In the many naval battles suffered an ignominious de- plan is to bury the centuries be- fought in 1644 between Den- feat. The Danish fleet was dev- wreck under 4,000 neath the sea mark and Sweden in the Baltic astated—some vessels sunk, tons of sand to have taken Sea, this vessel sided with others ran aground while the protect it from fur- their toll, leav- Sweden. The most famous is crews tried to escape. Only ther deterioation ing a number the Battle of Colberger Heath three of the 17 Danish vessels during the con- of unanswered between Fehmarn and Kiel got away. With this defeat, struction of the questions sur- Bay on 1 July 1644. The Danish Denmark lost control of the tunnel. rounding the fleet was under the command Baltic Sea for a long time. wreck. One of of King Christian IV, who lost Both wrecks are protected Dutch wreck the mysteries the sight of his right eye in this by Danish and German law The discovery of a is the vessel's battle, which was otherwise and must therefore be exam- second wreck lo- identity, al- not decisive for the outcome ined more closely to figure out cated at depth of though Denck- of the war. how best to ensure the find- 24 metes in Dan- er is confident However, on October 13 of ings for posterity. ■

Battle of Fehmarn (1644)

12 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO wreck rap If it can be verified that the wreck found off Haiti's coast is the Santa Maria which wrecked over 500 years ago it would rank among the world’s most important underwater archaeological discoveries.

Has Columbus' flagship, Santa Maria, been found? Archaeological investigators think they may have discovered the wreck of Christopher Columbus’s flagship, the Santa Maria. Haiti asks for international assistance with the investigation.

U.S. underwater investigator flagship, which was the largest of ford said the "smoking gun" was Barry Clifford tells BBC evidence the three ships, was lost during the a cannon of 15th century design "strongly suggests" a wreck off expedition, shortly before Colum- found at the site. Haiti's north coast is the Santa bus returned to Spain. Maria. He said he is working with UNESCO to investigate the Haitian government to pro- Clifford told CNN he identified the In a letter dated June 12, Hai- tect the site for a more detailed potential location of the Santa tian Culture Minister Monique investigation. Maria through earlier archaeo- Rocourt asked for the support The Santa Maria, along with the logical findings that pinpointed a of the Scientific and Technical La Nina and La Pinta, were part likely location for Columbus's fort Advisory Body of UNESCO’s 2001 of Columbus's expedition in 1492, —a building that experts always Convention on the Protection of which explored islands in the thought was erected near to Underwater Cultural Heritage, re- Caribbean in an attempt to find where the ship ran aground. questing that a mission of experts a westward passage to Asia. The He also used information from be sent to the site. On June 23, the explorer's di- UNESCO confirmed it will provide ary, and a recent technical assistance requested. diving mission near the site further bur- The agency said in a press re- nished Clifford's be- lease that it will send a mission in lief the wreck was the coming months to examine the Santa Maria. the wreck located off the town of Cap-Haïtien, in the north of Greater protection The ship was found the country. Irina Bokova, the in the exact area Director-General of UNESCO, for ships lost in First where Columbus expressed concern about the risk said the Santa “of looting of underwater herit- World War Maria ran aground age sites off the shores of Haiti". more than 500 Many of the wrecks from WWI which applies years ago, Clifford Explorers, including Bill Clifford’s have for a long time been threat- to ships sunk said. The wreck team, already visited the wreck ened by salvage operations, at least 100 is stuck on a reef in 2003 and identified a cannon deliberate destruction and loot- years ago. The locations of many three British cruisers sunk in 1914 off Haiti's northern believed to date from the 15th ing. With the centenary of the of the wrecks of these ships are in the North Sea. HMS Aboukir, coast, 10 to 15 feet century. It has since disappeared. conflict coming up, these wrecks known and have proved popular HMS Hogue and HMS Cressy went beneath the wa- ■ will now begin to fall under with recreational divers but also down with the loss of 1,500 lives ter's surface. Clif- the protection of the UNESCO with commercial salvage com- but the remains of the ships were Convention on the Protection of panies. For example, in 2011, sal- destroyed for the copper and Painting (ca.1624) of the Santa Maria ship by Underwater Cultural Heritage, vagers dismantled the remains of bronze they contained. ■

ANDRIES VAN EERTVELT the Flemish Baroque painter Andries van Eertvelt

13 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO industry Malaysia Minister of Science invites news Kids Scuba to celebrate World Oceans Day Every year on June 8, the interna- Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. tional community celebrates World This year’s theme and slogan was Oceans Day, designated by the “Together we have the power to United Nations as a day to raise protect the ocean”. Holding a World awareness of the importance of the Oceans Day banner, three PADI News edited seas to humanity and the fragile bal- Junior Open Water Scuba students by Peter Symes ance of our threatened ocean eco- from Kids Scuba—Hanani, Danial systems. Hafiz and Najwa Amni, ages 16, 12 This year, Kids Scuba Malaysia, and 11 years old respectively—scuba the largest organization of its kind dived in the waters of the aquarium, in the world which won the PADI posing underwater for the press dur- VERNON SMITH, NOAA Outstanding Contribution to Diver ing the opening ceremony. Marine Education Award in 2014, took part awareness talks for kids and teens in the national event, as the head of and an underwater image gallery James Delgado honoured by the Spanish King the organization, Syed Abd Rahman, were also presented by Kids Scuba was invited by the Ministery of during the event. Dr James Delgado, Director the good of the nation, it is occa- deep. Delgado's identification of Science, Technology and Innovation Other leaders in the region's diving of the Maritime Heritage sionally awarded to foreign nations the wreck as Mercedes played (MOSTI) to help with preparations for community who attended included for extraordinary services and to a key role in Spain being able to the celebration in Kuala Lumpur. PADI Course Director Clement Lee Program, has been deco- foreign heads of state. Delgado's recover its property and patrimony. On June 8, YB Datuk Dr. Ewon Ebin, from Sabah, Regional Manager of rated by His Majesty King services on behalf of Spain are sep- Based on his work, Spain requested head of MOSTI, the government PADI Asia Pacific Johnny Chew, Juan Carlos of Spain for his arate from and were not part of his his pro bono assistance in another agency that manages the nation’s and Tim Hunt from PADI Asia Pacific role in protecting Spain's duties with NOAA. case before the International marine parks as well as all marine- Sydney office. ■ As President and CEO of the Tribunal of the Law of the Sea in related government organizations, underwater cultural patri- Institute of Nautical Archaeology, Hamburg, Germany, over excava- joined Kids Scuba along with other For more information on Kids Scuba, mony. Delgado provided detailed and tions in the Bay of Cadiz by a for- dignitaries for the opening ceremony visit: www.kidsscuba.com extensive pro bono services as the eign vessel ostensibly searching for at the National Science Center in The King has named Dr Delgado archaeologist for Spain in its lengthy oil and gas but found to have arti- an Officer in the Order of Civil and successful litigation to recov- facts on-board that had been clan- Merit, and decorated him with er artifacts including more than destinely removed from the seabed the Cruz de Oficial, or the Officer's 500,000 in silver coins taken with- without authorization. Spain's seizure Cross. Usually awarded to Spanish out authorization from the Spanish of the foreign vessel and its crew officials for exceptional service to Navy's frigate Nuestra Senora De for these violations was being con- their communities, provinces or the Las Mercedes, lost in combat in tested; Delgado's testimony was state, and for extraordinary services 1804 off the coast of Portugal in also key in Spain's ability to prevail performed by Spanish citizens for international waters nearly a mile in that case. ■

Kids Scuba Malaysia submerged in Kuala Lumpur's aquarium for World Oceans Day

14 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Worldwide Dive and Sail to offer Galapagos trips travel news The creation of the diver trail on the Under the new brand “Master Liveaboards”, the first yacht will be the Galapagos Master, currently operating as Deep Blue. Built in 2004, the vessel will undergo a HMS/m A1 submarine worked on the full refit in November 2014. A sister brand to the Siren Fleet, both brands will oper- premise that as a complete (single con- ate under the WWDS parent company. With a 12.5-knot cruising speed, the 32m steel vessel features nine modern cabins, spacious interior and generous outside text) submarine wreck, every visiting relaxation space as well as room for dive gear preparation. The vessel is set to be diver would be able to navigate and the most eco-friendly dive liveaboard in the Galapagos. Trips will commence May Edited by orientate themselves easily, even in 2015, offering 7-night and 10-night trips year round to cover the “whale shark sea- Scott Bennett son” (May - Nov) and the “manta ray season” (Dec -April). Reed more at: www. poor underwater visibility. masterliveaboards.com/galapagos. ■

Arriving without your gear

On average one in every 150 passengers who consigns luggage to an air- line’s baggage system arrives at their destination without it. While about 85 percent of these bags are reunited with their owners within 48 hours, this is cold comfort for ongoing dive travellers bound for remotely located resorts or liveaboards. The airline industry suggests the only way of preventing bag- gage mishandling incidents is to travel with hand-luggage only. Obviously few airline executives have ever been on a dive trip. Be aware that only the most comprehensive travel policies cover lost lug- gage; and even then, individual items can be limited to a maximum that won’t cover expensive items like a dive computer or regulator. So you need to establish what the airline’s policy is for reimbursing miscellaneous items required in the short term, as well as compensating you for new clothing you deem essential. Remember to keep all receipts for any necessary purchases. Airlines will usually only compensate lost luggage to a maximum that is well short of the actual value. ■

ENGLISH HERITAGE British Virgin Islands establish shark An underwater information guide for divers visiting the site has been designed that will aid navigation and assist visi- tors in recognising features on the HMS/m A1 submarine wreck sanctuary [email protected] * (+27) 83 303 8373 *www.africatour.co.za The British Virgin Islands recently became the third Our adventures in Africa are as varied and Caribbean territory to declare its waters a safe comprehensive as can be, providing explorers the UK’s first underwater submarine dive trail opens chance to spot the big five, delve into the haven for sharks. The ban on shark fishing covers region’s amazing—and still vibrant—human The trail is based around the coast of Plymouth in 1691 and group bookings of eight divers on nearly 80,117 sq km (31,000 sq mi) of water and also history, and simply stare in gobsmacked awe at protected wreck of a HMS/mA1 the Norman’s Bay sank during the demand. Contact the NAS. prohibits the sale and trade of shark products on the stunning beauty of one of our planet’s most treasured places. Africa beckons. Don’t make it which is the first British-designed Battle of Beachy Head in 1690 in An underwater information the islands. The decision to establish a shark sanctu- wait. submarine used by the navy that Sussex. guide for divers visiting the site has ary in the British Virgin Islands was made official on *Climb Kilimanjaro *Gorilla Trekking [Uganda & Rwanda] *Sardine sank in 1911 in the Solent. The pro- been designed that will aid navi- May 22 by cabinet members of the British-controlled Adventure *African Island Scuba & Snorkel *Serengeti Safari *Shark ject was launched by the English gation and assist visitors in recog- territory. ■ Adventure *Tailor made Safari & Bush Experience *Luxury Tenting Diving with Nautical *Eco Travel *Community Development Heritage as part of an initiative Archaeology Society (NAS) nising features on the wreck. The Tailor made trips to suite your requirements to create up to a dozen trails by Every year the NAS offers chances guide can be downloaded here. See more of Cuba www.sardinerun.webs.com 2018 for historic wreck sites from to dive the A1 Submarine Pro- The NAS intends to continue to the 17th to 20th centuries. Trails tected Wreck site (15m maximum) develop and administer the trail Cubanacan Travel Agency has expanded its scuba are already running on three along with the wreck of HMS Invin- and to look for new mechanisms diving programmes in Cuba. New nine to ten-day sunken warships including HMS cible (lost in 1758; 14m maximum to promote the experience of itineraries will cover the west and east shores of Colossus in 1787, which off sank depth). Please visit their Calendar diving on this underwater cultural Cuba visiting Cayo Levisa, Havana coastline, the off the Isles of Scilly. page for a list of dates. Additional heritage asset. Zapata Swamp, Santa Lucia and Marea del Portillo. The Coronation sunk off the dates can be made available for Watch video here ■ Cuba boasts 14 thriving national parks, six world

biosphere reserves and 236 protected areas. ■ Skype: sonja.newlands

15 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel news

You may have salad The most common cause of around meals. Wash your hands travelers’ diarrhea is food con- often and use a disinfectant taminated by fecal bacteria. when you travel. A classic advice reads: cook it, Travelers’ diarrhea is a frequent boil it, peel it or leave it. It is also occurrence and in some coun- true that bacteria and viruses are tries almost unavoidable. While killed by being fried or boiled. it is always inconvenient and will Common belief therefore has it jinx many travel plans, it is rarely that it’s enough that the food is dangerous, and in most cases, thoroughly cooked and hot and it will pass within three to five fresh salad should be avoided days. Profylactic vaccinations do altogether. exist but their effeciency is up for However, according to physi- much debate as they only offer cian Carsten Schade Larsen from protection against a limited range Aarhus University hospital, it has bacteria such as E.coli but not never been scientifically docu- salmonella. FILE PHOTO: Whale watching near Tadoussac, Quebec, Canada mented that the risk of travelers’ diarrhea can be reduced by fol- How about Cola? lowing dietary restrictions—which Dr Larsen also dispels the com- Could whale-watching replace whaling in Japan? contradicts prevailing common mon myth that Cola is a good sense. You should not drink tap remedy. The important issue is to Newly created Japan Whale and Dolphin Watching Council to promote marine mammal water, but avoiding the salad replenish lost fluids and electro- ecotourism. As interest in whaling wanes, tourism offers a lucrative alternative. does not reduce the risk of con- lytes or salts. Cola provides sugar tracting a runny stomach a.k.a. but no salts. The simplest remedy Japan has long had a bad Watching Council, a new tours are Japanese, said Matthew Dehli Belly, Pharaoh’s Curse or is to add two tablespoons of reputation for the killing organization to promote marine Collis of the International Fund Montezuma’s Revenge. sugar and a pinch of salt to a liter of whales and dolphins, practices mammals as ecotourism resources. for Animal Welfare (IFAW). This of water. Alternatively, have juice that persist despite mounting suggests the industry is capitalizing Wash your hands with some salty crackers. ■ international criticism and a recent 200 whale tour operators on and possibly even encouraging The most effective prevention is U.N. ruling that declares the Japan already has a robust a cultural shift in the way Japan proper hand hygiene country’s whale hunts illegal. whale watching industry, despite interacts with the cetaceans in particular However, the tide of public opinion overshadowed by its notorious residing off its coasts. is also turning; a 2012 poll found whale and dolphin harvests. 90 percent of respondents hadn’t Established in the 1980s, it now New generations bought whale meat in a year. includes 200 tour operators who “I think it’s demonstrating that As Japan’s interest in whaling served more than 200,000 tourists in there’s a new generation in Japan wanes, another, more mutually 2013. With a yearly growth rate of six that doesn’t look at whales as food, beneficial industry is helping take its percent, Japan is actually in the top but looks at them as the living, place: whale watching. ten percent of the global whale- breathing, magnificent creatures Tour operators from across watching market. that they are,” said Matthew coastal Japan recently gathered Collis. “Whales are far more fun to in Tokyo for the inaugural meeting Customers are Japanese shoot with a camera than with a of the Japan Whale and Dolphin Most of the customers on these harpoon.” ■ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

16 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO After 45 Years travel news Our World-Underwater Expands To:

Join X-RAY MAG on a trip of a lifetime to Wakatobi Dive Resort in Indonesia. This is going to be one epic holiday! Known as the 9–19 January 2015 greatest dive resort on Earth, PHOENIX Wakatobi offers what is argu- Phoenix Convention Center ably the most pristine coral Wakatobi Workshop Week 2015 December 6 - 7, 2014 reefs found anywhere on the Saturday 9AM - 6PM & Sunday 10AM - 4PM blue planet. This coupled with unparalleled service and easy Resort stay: 24-hour coffee, tea, hot chocolate or paddle boarding, kite boarding, wake LONE • 10 nights with 9 days of diving and drinking water; daily turndown service; boarding, yoga, wonderful spa treat- access makes it one special charter flight (January 9-19 2015) romantic private dinner on secluded ments, tours to local villages as well as STAR destination. • Palm Bungalow: USD 5,192 beach; warm towels, hot drinks or romantic dinners on the beach for just STATE • Ocean Bungalow: USD 5,762 water and snacks on boat dives; com- you and yours. Dallas/Frisco Embassy Suites Hotel, Unlike other remote dive areas, Waka- • 1 BR Villa: USD 7,852 plimentary in-room Internet access; tobi is comfortably reached by direct (with private dive guide and butler) aromatherapy bath products in all Wakatobi has facilities to make a stay Convention Center & Spa charter flight from Denpasar, Bali, to • 2 BR Villa: USD 10,132 rooms; three 70-minute boat dives daily very comfortable for travelers of all January 24 - 25, 2015 the resort’s own airstrip. No need to (with private dive guide and butler) AND unlimited shore diving; dive and ages. The resort is one of the most Saturday 9AM - 6PM & Sunday 10AM - 4PM worry about whether your gear is going For a better idea of the rooms at Waka- photo gear porter service on boats and remote on Earth and as such there are to make it onboard a domestic flight to tobi: http://www.wakatobi.com/amen- shore dives; guided village visit on pe- no other development outside of the some far away airport. This is luxury all ities/rooms.html. Have a look at this nultimate day; significant contribution resort itself. No restaurants, no hotels, the way. brand new not-yet-made-public 360º to Wakatobi’s award-winning conser- no shopping... nothing except some With more than three staff members virtual tour of Wakatobi, too. vation program. basic local villages. That said, the re- CHICAGO for every guest at the resort, your every sort’s own restaurant is truly spectacular Donald E.Stephens Convention Center, need will be catered to before you Flights: Optional extras: offering a very wide range of dining Rosemont, IL February 27 - March 1, 2015 even knew you had it. In addition to the above you need Spa treatments; nitrox fills, (O2), (He) options. You could travel here just for Dates at Wakatobi are 9–19 Janu- flights to DPS, Denpasar, Bali (approxi- and rebreather absorbent; sodas, the dining! There is also a very nice Friday 5PM - 9PM - Saturday 9AM - 6PM - Sunday 10AM - 4PM ary 2015. The latest departure from the mately US$1,500 for an economy return beers, wines, cocktails, cigars; à la boutique at the resort where you can The BEST DIVE & United States is January 6, and Europe, ticket) as well as your overnight there carte meal items or snacks; laundry ser- buy clothing items and necessities. January 7 (for latest January 8 arrival (US$200). More information on the Bali vice; FLUO diving or snorkeling; private TRAVEL SHOWS in Bali), returning January 19, 5:30PM or stopover is available upon request. Dive Experience Manager (included Wakatobi is a great place even if you UR WOR R/O LD TE -U A N D W later. with Villas); full scuba gear rental pack- (or your spouse) do not dive. The snor- F E Manufacturer Clinics Seminars R O W

D A

L T

R E On the way to the resort we need age; specialty and advanced scuba keling is out of this world, and they O R Trip includes: W In-Depth Workshops Film Festival C to overnight on Bali at least one night, Meet and greet at Bali’s international certification courses; “Best Friend in have dedicated snorkeling guides. H X I I C N A E G O O H but you may wish to arrive a few days airport when you arrive; curbside check Town” VIP service for your Bali stopover As a snorkeler, you can join the dive - - P DA LL CO Large Exhibit Area Travel Planning IS earlier and spend a few days on Bali in (at DPS) to Wakatobi’s air charter; boats throughout the day (so that AS/FR as there’s so much to do on this magi- standard luggage allowance on char- Topside activities: non-divers are not left on land alone all Equipment Sales Try Scuba Pool cal and very beautiful island, filled with ter flight, VIP lounge on departure; The main attraction at Wakatobi is, day). There are comfortable facilities what may be the most gentle and gra- comfortable accommodations in your of course, the world-renowned div- on the boats with drinks, snacks, tiled For More Information E-Mail: [email protected] cious people in the world. choice of room; delicious and varied ing, but you can also enjoy snorkeling, toilets with showers, etc. Watch a video meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner); kayaking, cave explorations, stand up showing the reefs found at Wakatobi ■ or Visit Our Website at: www.OurWorldUnderwater.Com

17 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Ron Akeson1957-2014 Mission Well Done

Text and photos On 23 April 2014, the courtesy of Barb Roy northwestern part of the United States and Canada I don’t think a week ever lost a true pioneer of diving went by where I didn’t as wreck explorer, Ron Akeson, passed away due hear Ron tell someone at to complications after a his Bellingham dive store, dive accident. The reason “My motto in life follows is still under investigation, the saying: growing old is but family and close friends surrounded him until the mandatory, but growing up end. A cascade of grief is optional.” If you ever had seemed to grip the local the pleasure of knowing or dive community in a domino meeting Ron Akeson, you effect as more and more heard of his passing. Multitudes Skin Diver Magazine so I took him to probably understood how he continue to call in, shocked to hear my favorite sites. That was around viewed life, because he truly their mentor, past dive instructor and 1985. We quickly became good believed in trying to squeeze friend would no longer be around. friends, and I began my underwater Ron was also a contributing writer photography lessons with a in every little bit of living into for X-RAY MAG for many years, Nikonos III camera in exchange for each and every day! specializing in technical diving introducing him to the critters of articles. Alaska above and below the water. CLOCKWISE FROM As the owner of Adventures That was a long time ago. Since ABOVE: Ron Akeson Down Under, a retail travel and full then Ron has provided my technical at propellor blade of service dive store in Bellingham, diving instruction, been a strict HIJMS Nagato, Bikini Washington, Ron’s reputation for proofreading editor for all of my Atoll; As a dive instruc- his dive training, vast knowledge, stories and has passed on to me a tor, Ron often led dive technical dive expeditions and great portion of his massive marine critter trips to Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada; stories preceded him everywhere he identification knowledge (he is Ron diving Clear Lake, went. He loved diving like no other also a marine biologist). We have Oregon, and with ver- activity. When he wasn’t able to enjoyed countless discussions of million rockfish in Hood go diving, he enjoyed hiking in the shipwrecks and future dive sites we Canal, Washington mountains, kayaking, bird watching, wanted to explore over gallons of State, USA filming wildlife and teaching others coffee and green tea. to dive. Wreck diving History I believe wreck diving was his I first met Ron in Alaska when I was greatest passion though. As a running a dive store and local dive founding member and president travel business. He wanted to write of the Maritime Documentation a story about diving in Alaska for Society (MDS), Ron was always

18 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO As a technical dive instructor, Ron was a favourite, as he shared not only a wealth of knowledge and profile advice but great stories too Ron Akeson was to dive in the world, he always picked his technical dives that way Association of British Columbia as replied: “Right here in the Pacific too.” a U.S. representative. He was also Northwest, hands down! We have so Rob Wilson, friend and MDS actively involved with the Marine much color and diversity of life in our founding member felt the same way, Resource Committee (MRC) in own backyard; you just have to get “Ron always planned all of our tech Whatcom County and worked with his out and go see it.” dives. He would have everything all local Whatcom County Dive Rescue planned out—which wreck we would Team. The list goes on… Fond memories dive on, when to jump in and how Not only does Ron leave behind When my husband, Wayne, could long we would stay. We just showed countless friends, students and not dive with me, Ron usually filled in, up and followed his lead. He will be business associates in the dive anxious to have another chance to missed but we plan to continue doing community but also a sister, jump in with his engine block. The last what we all love to do—diving on Jeannette, who resides in southern dive Ron and I enjoyed together was and exploring wrecks. He would have California; his four stepchildren, this past March under the Deception wanted that.” including Tallen Patrick, who many Pass Bridge on Whidbey Island in Ron was also an active member divers have met working by his side in Washington State, while on Lu Jac’s of the Washington Scuba Alliance the store for over five years; and nine Quest—the boat Ron always used (WSA), serving as their president grandchildren. for his San Juan Islands charters (in then vice president for many years. With each passing day, I am Washington State). It was a beautiful For over five years he served on the realizing just how often Ron and I day and visibility underwater was board of directors for the Dive Industry talked on the phone, almost daily. great. The amount of life reminded He touched so many lives me of why I dive cold water. around the world with his “Ron taught me how to dive dive stories, photography, Deception Pass,” commented Phil wisdom, advice and friendly Jensen, owner and operator of Lu attitude. lining up deep wreck expeditions and Jac’s Quest dive boat, “He taught me I would like to close this activities for the team. During their how to take a group of divers in there story about him with what I many journeys, Ron would always and choose the right slack current feel is an appropriate quote be seen lugging around his massive time for them to jump in. He always from Abraham Lincoln: “It’s professional Gates video system with knew what day would be best too. He not the years in your life that duel strobes that could turn night into count; it’s the life in your day. He liked to refer to his housing years!” as his engine block! I’m sure those who had to lift it out of the water Memorial would agree with this description. A Celebration of Life was Personally, from carrying it a few times held for Ron Akeson on myself, it seemed more like a freight Sunday, 22 June 2014, at train engine! Nevertheless, from the the Squalicum Yacht Club in film clips we viewed after dives, the Bellingham, Washington. footage was spectacular. He loved his I have decided to assist team like family. Tallen Patrick in continuing Ron did enjoy owning a dive store her father’s legacy in though, but those of us who knew him helping her open a new best liked to tease that he needed dive business in the same the store to support his wreck diving location, 2821 Meridian addiction. On several occasions Ron Street in Bellingham, told me he never tired of introducing Washington State, beginning new divers to the fascination of what in July 2014. Watch for more the underwater world had to offer, Ron helping to clean the HMCS Annapolis before details to come. ■ especially here in the northwest. And its sinking as an artificial reef (left) and with gorgon- when asked where his favorite place ian sea fan at Agamemnon Wall (above), British Editor Barb Roy with Ron Akeson on dive trip in California; Columbia, Canada Ron with lingcod in Hood Canal, Washington State (top)

19 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Italy’s

PonzaText by Sabrina Belloni Island— The Isle of Circe the Sorceress Photos by Franco Banfi 20 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Ponza

View of Ponza’s harbour. PREVIOUS PAGE: Diver with red gorgonia at Le Formiche

The power of the island of Ponza ranean shrubs. All are characterized by a lies in its ability to preserve an in- succession of small coves, bays and inlets that give them a special charm. tangible aura of magic, which na- The charm of the island of Ponza, one of ture has given it, in the marriage the most beautiful in Mediterranean Sea, of heaven and earth, water and remains unchanged, year after year; at fire, in the racing of land and sea sunset, the sun colours the sky red and the rocks pink—a thin strip of rose on the hori- after each other, relentlessly. zon, a line dividing the turquoise of the sea from that of the sky. The archipelago of the Pontine Islands is When getting to Ponza from a city, it al- an inexhaustible source of surprises, with ways seems a bit like a step back in time. its extraordinary landscapes, cliffs, caves A short ride on the sea and everything and laces of rocks. The island’s coasts are changes—the sounds, the smells, the at- very jagged, formed mostly by high banks mosphere. Whenever one discovers Ponza of volcanic rock, tuffaceous and vulcanite from afar, one sees the same magic; its structures of wonderful colours. The only slim profile seems to be the gateway to an exception is Zannone, which is formed by archipelago that doesn’t exist. A crest of limestone and dolomite, and looks like a tuffaceous rocks that rises vertically from gem. It is so green, covered with Mediter- the crystal clear water, and climbs up, Red and yellow gorgonian sea fans on wall of reef off Ponza Island Seahorse in seagrass

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ISLE OF CIRCE THE SORCERESS View overlooking the rugged and varied landscape and coastline of Ponza Island Suspected to be the mythical island of Aeaea in Homer’s Odyssey, Ponza running sinuous upon the sea, form- that climb to elevated places, along Island is thought to house the cave of ing bays and inlets. It doesn’t change the lines of the hills, where the eye Circe, the sorceress who bewitched while climbing through the narrow sweeps over a breathtaking horizon. and seduced Odysseus, living with him for over a year, and turning his streets of the countryside, or on the And breath taking, too, because of men into animals. Known today as heights of the island, towards the vil- the effort to climb up the steep stairs, Grotta della Maga Circe, the cave is lage of Le Forna, where the houses the muscles of the legs groaning, the located on the west side of the island, seem to be balanced on the sharp breath becoming short. But it’s all between Chaia di Luna beach and ridge overlooking the two sides. worth it, because below, one can see Capo Bianco. Apparently, there are Ponza should be experienced in au- a panorama of rocks sculpted by wind archaeologists looking for evidence of tumn, when the time of the pink sunset and sea, the wide expanse of the Tyr- Homer’s Odyssey on Ponza today. ■ comes earlier and lasts longer, or in rhenian Sea criss-crossed by white trails SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA spring, when the island is covered by of small boats of a few tourists and a yellow blooms. September is a wonder- few fishing boats. Gusts of wind carry to see one of Ponza’s famous sunsets, ful month: the summer tourist chaos delicate scents of Mediterranean flow- when the calm sea becomes golden gives way to the tranquillity of the is- ers and play on the waves. When the and the sun sets over the horizon. land; the sea is crystal clear; the water winds turn violent, they rush through turns blue or emerald green, depend- the lanes and stairways, sculpting the Dive operation ing on the time of day and the depth rocks as if they were smoothed by the Similar to the harbour of nearby Vento- of seabed; the creeks are almost de- carving and expertise of an artist. tene Island, the main harbor of Ponza serted; and the rocks appear to have A walk to the promontory of Mount is a blaze of joyful colours and history sunnier and warmer colours. Guard takes us to the homonymous as well as the hub of life on the island. In autumn, the beauty of Ponza per- lighthouse on the southern side of the Here at the harbor, fellow divers and vades the streets and the staircases island. It is one of the best sites to go I are awaited by Andrea Donati and Entry to Ancient Roman murenario Faro della Guardia, lighthouse of Mount Guard; Church of Ponza (top)

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LEFT TO RIGHT: Cave with encrustating red sponge; Ponza Harbor; Dive boat Neptune

the team of Ponza Diving Center: a spacious, comfortable, furnished Daniela, Maria Paola and seasonal sundeck. Normally, it is moored in workers—a close-knit group of pro- front of the door of the diving center, fessionals devoted to and passion- from whence guest divers discover ate about diving—who have made the most beautiful dive sites of the customer satisfaction a modus oper- island, with different characteristics that helps divers survive underwater archipelago is the extreme clarity, andi, and safety and environmental and depths. on a rebreather, CCR’s are much saf- with backdrops that offer spectacu- protection a calling card, leaving In recent years, Andrea Donati— er than open circuit. And he aims to lar views and a set of colours and nothing to chance. Last but not least, the director and owner of Ponza Div- encourage and help divers to try this contrasts that are really unique. they offer delicious dishes from the ing Center—has started specializing different experience as well as sup- While the natural world of the is- kitchen of the dive boat Neptune in rebreather and technical diving. port technical divers who like to play land has lost most of its native spe- during full-day dive trips. Even in diving, as in all things, there is safer, longer and deeper. cies, replaced by flora and fauna The 16m-long Neptune is the flag- a trend, which has led to more and introduced by the inhabitants, under ship of the diving center—a fishing more divers going down into the wa- Diving the surface of the water, nature has vessel that has been completely ren- ter on CCR. Andrea firmly believes The unifying feature of all the waters remained healthy, with an extraordi- ovated and adapted for diving, with that beyond the high performance surrounding the islands of the Ponza’s nary richness of life that makes these Tanks and gear inside the dive center

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Mediterranean fairy basslet at La Botte (left); Octopus on reef (above)

saic of environments that support the Dive sites establishment of diverse benthic life. Le Formiche. One of the most popular In the shadows, the rockslides are cov- sites is definitely Le Formiche, a group ered by bright orange-coloured colo- of rocky outcrops that emerges in the nies of Astroides calycularis, one of the southeastern side of the island, in front few Mediterranean representatives of of the stacks of Calzone Muto. Le For- the Madrepore stony coral genus. miche spreads out over a vast area of At the base of the walls, small tun- seabed and therefore offers different nels and caves open up. Here, the paths, allowing for multiple dives. Here, darkness favours the establishment of divers can swim among giant col- typical biotic communities, with scio- lapsed boulders that have holes where philous characteristics that are usually fish settle; or among lush meadows seen in much deeper areas. Among of seagrass, miniature forests where waters one of the most beautiful and the cascade of boulders and rocks full dozens of unusual and curious crea- important marine areas of the Mediter- of holes and crevices, it is common to tures rest, especially visible during night ranean Sea. encounter octopuses and moray eels, dives; or, if one prefers, the steep walls The bustling coastal geography blennies and damselfish, white bream that descend to the sandy bottom at of the landscape, made up​​ of cliffs, and sea bream. There are huge and a depth of about 50m. coves, craggy headlands, cliffs, islets healthy fields ofPosidonia oceanica These walls, especially in deep and and rocks, slopes underwater in a mo- seagrass. shadowy areas of the northeastern Cleaner shrimp and moray eel (above); Small rockfish inside a shell (top)

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Hypselodoris fontandraui nudibranchs (left) Tunicates on yellow seafan at Le Formiche (above); Yellow cluster anemone at La Botte (below)

cinema of dreams covered by Parazoanthus dive, recommended only for expe- axinellae, or yellow cluster rienced divers. anemone. The arch is on the Here, divers dive into absolute threshold of a wide canyon blue waters and follow the anchor that narrows gradually. Di- chain down to the top of the bank, vers swim in single file, being at a depth of 34m. The long de- careful not to damage the scent offers one a feeling of total walls, and arrive in a beautiful aloofness from the known world round cave. On the return, halfway into the canyon, divers come to a tunnel con- side, are exposed to the currents nected to the rocky plateau from of the east and colonized by red which they started the dive, and gorgonian sea fans and dense find themselves under the dive colonies of yellow gorgonians (Eu- boat, Neptune. nicella cavolinii). They are home to an exceptionally rich ecosystem, Secca of Punta Papa. On the colonized by crinoids anchored on western side, beyond the Fara- gorgonians, as well as sea slugs, glioni of Lucia Rosa and the www.seacam.com forkbeards and groupers. cape of Capo Bosco, there is a Ascending to shallower depths, fascinating spot—the Secca of divers pass through a natural arch Punta Papa. It is a challenging

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THIS PAGE: Scenes from the wreck of the LST 349

and prepares you to enjoy the marine life that lurks beneath. A cloud of frantic damselfish greeted our group. We passed over them and stopped at our ascent point. Now we needed to reach the depth limit as soon as possible, down along a wall that ended at a depth of 56m on a sandy bottom. The wall was colonized by large red and yellow sea fans, oriented in the direction of the current, where the long antennae of lobsters could be seen peeping in and out. Among the crevices, we saw some moray eels and a pair of octopuses. Unfortunately, at these depths, the min- utes of decompression stops builds up fast, and our bottom time was penalized. For us it was time to go back, a journey that gave us some opportunities for long views into the blue in search of some pelagic fishes that often frequent the bank. This is probably one of the reasons why Andrea, a TDI Instructor, is now specializing in technical diving with Inspiration and JJ rebreathers. Sometimes he whizzed by us with an underwater scooter, a comforta- everyone. It is the wreck of Punta Papa, ble Zeuxo, with which we admired his twirls the LST 349 (Landing Ship Tank)—a flat- and excellent agility. bottomed boat used for the transportation of the troops and trucks of the Allied forces Punta Papa wreck. Not far from the Secca during World War II. of Punta Papa, there is a dive suitable for She was launched on 7 February 1943 Wreck of the LST 349, a British Landing Ship Tank sunk in 1944

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Cuttlefish (left); Invertebrate (above); Diver with scooter at rock with yellow cluster anemone and bryzoans, La Botte (above)

subsequent explosion of her boilers a night dive. It is only a few minutes pletely colonized by beautiful or- caused the ship to brake in two. from the port, behind the Grotte di ange Astroides calycularis coral. A The bow lies in a perfect position Pilato. curious cuttlefish, with the charac- for navigation to a depth of 26m. Its At dusk, we moored the Nep- teristic w-shaped eyes, watched dark shape, which stands out on the tune behind the stacks of the Punta us trying to go unnoticed, making white sand, offers a truly evocative della Madonna cape and dived its mantle quiver with the rhythm of scene. On the main deck, winches to a depth of only seven meters— the surf, suspended above a prai- and machine guns are still present, a dive which gently sloped down rie of Mediterranean seagrass. We while below deck divers can ex- towards the sea. Along the wall we climbed back into the boat that plore the holds that now provide saw small groupers, very colourful was now dark, but the lights of the shelter to some conger eel, small sponges and tubeworms. On the harbour welcomed us as soon as moray eels, scorpion fish and other sandy bottom, millet butterflyfish we turned the corner around the marine life. The surrounding sandy sifted the sand in search of prey. Cape and the Red Rock. bottom is littered with wreckage. At about 18m, we encountered Unfortunately there is not much left some rocks around which a group Topside excursions and assigned to military opera- of the stern. It lies not far away, at a of stiped white bream swam. The There are many topside adven- tions in the Mediterranean. The depth of 20m. light of day gave way to the shad- tures to enjoy on Ponza Island. vessel sank a year later, on 26 ows of the night and the sessile Bring comfortable and light casual February1944 at Cala dell’Acqua Punta Madonna. Another easy fauna, illuminated by our torches, clothing, a sweater for cooler eve- because of a storm that caused dive, suitable for all, is Punta Ma- fascinated us with its bright colours. nings, comfortable walking shoes the ship to break on the rocks. A donna, which is a fascinating site for The vault of an arch was com- and a map if you want to hike and TOP TO BOTTOM: Nudibranch, seaslug and tubeworms

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Inside Ancient Roman murenario (left); Piana Bianca rock formation at Ponza Harbour (above)

ty of tourists. Further on, visitors can see Afterthoughts The boat tour continues Cala Felce, Cala Caparra, Ponza Island has some of the to Punta Santa Maria, which Capo Rame, Punta Beppe most beautiful and wild dive welcomes visitors with its Antonio, Cala Cecata, Cala sites of the Tyrrenian Sea. many coloured houses that Cavone, Punta di Papa and There is an ease of access give the island its unique Cala dell’Acqua, where ships to the diving; with just a few character. The tour continues procure the island’s water metres from the diving centre past a rugged coastline and supplies. to the dive boat, trips are run arrives in the Baia del Fron- Turning around Punta Cor- by a professional dive team tone. te, visitors see a wonderful and a functional dive center. After passing the famous show: the Cala Feola, one of And the diving is suitable for rock known as “La Foca” in the most fascinating corners rebreather and technical the bay of Punta Bianca, the of the island. divers, with relatively cheap tour boat will reach the Cala You have to explore the dive packages. Honestly, I del Core, which has a wide beach of Lucia Rosa, Punta didn’t find any minuses to pebble beach. Here, visi- Capo Bianco, with its caves, the place except perhaps tors arrive at the Scoglio del and Chiaia di Luna, a wide that while English is spoken, explore the island. Parroco and the unsettling sandy beach surrounded by German is not. However, this The tour around the island Cala dell’Inferno, named a wall of clear rocks. is Italy afterall, and in town, by boat requires a few hours. for the famous remains of a The tour of the island ends there are superb restaurants, The boat tour passes by the wrecked ship. with the Punta del Fieno, pizzerias, pubs and wineries two beaches of St. Anthony After Punta Nera and Punta della Guardia, the inlet serving excellent fare at de- and Giancos outside Porto. Faraglione of Antonio An- of Bagno Vecchio, the Fara- cent prices. ■ They are very easy to reach iello, the tour boat reaches glioni del Calzone Muto and and because of this reason, Cala Spaccapolpi which Punta della Madonna. unfortunately, there are plen- lies next to a natural arch. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP CENTER: Sea urchin; Cnidarian on seagrass; Stingray resting on sandy seafloor; Diver with sidemount investigates sea fans on reef

28 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Ponza Harbour at night (right); Faraglioni della Madonna at Parata Beach; (below) travel Ponza

Parmesan cheese wheel and sausage (far left); Red chili peppers in NASA RIGHT: Global shop window (lower left) and fruit and vegetable stand in Ponza (below) map with location of Ponza Island continues to Formia and Anzio Nettuno, continue on the road Diving and lodging Switzerland. His work has been BELOW: Location Harbour. following the signs for Nettun- The center rents out Mares published in Animan, Focus, of Ponza Island on map of Italy By train, you can get to Ponza ense Anzio. equipment, Santi drysuits, JJ GEO, National Geographic Italy Island from the railway stations By boat, the season to reach rebreathers, and Teseo and and Terre Sauvage. He has won SWITZ. AUS. HUNGARY of Formia and Anzio. Reaching the island of Ponza on a ferry Zeuxo underwater scooters. awards for his images from the the station you will walk (5 min- are mainly in the summer. Write an email to the diving Travel Photographer of the Year SLO. Milan Verona CROATIA utes), following the signs to the Check with the ferry service for centre to get advice on travel, 2011 competition, Nature’s Venice Turin harbour. times of departure. accommodations, restaurants, Best Photography Ocean View FR. Bologna Ravenna BOS. SER. By car, you must get to the etc. Apartments are also avail- Photo Contest 2011 and the Genoa SAN MARINO & HER. harbour of Anzio. From Rome, From Anzio and Formia: able to rent, and the dive cen- 2010 International Photography Livorno Florence you can take the highway, then Hydrofoils Vetor tre can help you find what you Awards. Visit: www.banfi.ch MONT. Corsica Adriatic the mainroad Pontina towards www.vetor.it are looking for. As for tele- (FR.) PETER SYMES ROME Sea Latina, exit at junction Anzio- Motorboat Laziomar communications, hand VATICAN www.laziomar.it phones with national oper- CITY Bari ALB. Getting there Naples By plane, you can fly to Rome ators work properly. Visit Sassari Salerno Fiumicino or Naples Capodich- From Terracina: Ponzadiving.it or email: Sardinia Taranto ino airports. From Rome Fiumi- Motorboat Snap [email protected] ■ Càgliari Tyrrhenian Sea Ionian cino Airport, take a taxi or train Navigation Sea Messina to Rome Termini train station, www.snapnavigazione.it Franco Banfi is a widely Mediterranean Palermo continued to Anzio or Formia published, award-winning Sea Sicily Catania Harbour. From Naples Capodi- From Naples: underwater and wildlife Augusta chino Airport, take the train to SNAV hydrofoils photographer and au- ALG. TUN. Napoli Centrale station which www.snav.it thor based in southern MALTA

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Text and photos by Nick Shallcross TulambenWreck photos by Christian Loader — Muck Diving Heaven

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Pair of Coleman shrimp on a fire urchin. PREVIOUS PAGE: Risbecia tryoni nudibranch Standing on the beach staring Tulamben out at the deep blue water, Widely known as one of Bali’s most popular diving destinations, Tulamben it’s hard to imagine a world so was put on the diving map after the vibrant and full of life lying just discovery of the USAT Liberty wreck a few meters away from our lying just meters offshore. Once a feet. My dive group and I shuf- sleepy fishing village, it has now been transformed into a world famous dive fle slowly into the water, careful destination, and for good reason not to slip on the smooth black too. Located in the North East of the stones beneath our boots. With island, Tulamben sits in the shadow of all our gear in place and a Mount Agung, Bali’s highest volcano. Its name even derives from the word quick press of our deflators, batulambih meaning many stones, a we descend down into this reference to Mount Agung’s destruc- beautiful wonderland hidden tive past. It is these eruptions that CHRISTIAN LOADER / SCUBAZOO just below the surface. have shaped the region into what it Diver on the wreck of the USAT Liberty, Tulamben, Bali Tiny juvenile clown frogfish near the Liberty wreck

31 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO The main street running through town is lined travel with flowering trees Tulamben through the middle with noth- dishes such as Gado Gado, ing more than a handful of Nasi Campur and the vari- restaurants, bars and shops, ous Satay sticks with delicious and of course, plenty of dive peanut sauce are all delicious centres. and fantastic value. There is limited access to If you find yourself with some ATM machines, with only one free time when not diving, located in the town so don’t take a drive to the nearby forget to bring enough cash temples and water palaces for your stay or ask your driver to take in some local history to stop at one of the many and culture, visit neighbouring moneychangers along the town Kubu for some relaxing way. Most dive centres take Spa treatments or even just payment by card for the div- take a walk in the hills behind ing but you will need cash the town to get a feel for the when paying for meals in town spectacular scenery. No trip or any other activities. As far to Bali is complete with out as eating goes, there are a a stop off in Ubud, located few options in the dive resorts high up in the hills on the way and around town with restau- back to the airport and mak- rants and bars offering both ing a great stop off for a few local and western dishes to nights before heading home. suit everybody’s taste. Local Visit the local markets and

is today and gives the land- scape above and below the water a very distinctive feel. The fishing trade that once drove the town has made way for the diving industry leaving the protected waters in the surrounding area team- ing with marine life. The many people who would have once played their part in the busy fishing scene now keep the booming diving industry head- ing in the right direction by carrying out important jobs such as expert dive guides, Jukong boat drivers and tank porters. These porters can often be seen carrying up to 3 full sets of equipment on the back of their bike or balanced effortlessly on top of their heads without even breaking a sweat, don’t try that at home! The town itself still has that sleepy village feel, with one main road cutting A local porter carrying dive equipment to the beach View looking down the bay towards Drop Off

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tanks, the ease of diving in Tulamben was a welcome surprise. With our masks, fins and cameras in hand, we followed our expert guide on foot to the various entry points at the beach and moments later, our gear would arrive balanced on the head of one of the por- ters or piled up on the back of a motorbike ready to go diving. When we were done, we simply left our tanks lined up at the beach and our guide would call out to a passing porter on the short walk home, and the gear would then arrive back at the dive centre ready for a full tank of air for the next dive. The entries can be a bit wobbly and thick-soled div-

sloped off into the distance making for an easy relaxed descent. At around 6m the stones give way to a black volcanic sandy sea floor, which is home to the huge variety of fish and crit- jewellers, take a scenic stroll through little as US$20 per dive and most dive ters that make mile upon mile of rice paddies or centres offer accommodation and ing booties are recommended Tulamben so popular with even white water rafting for the more diving packages to keep things easy. to protect your feet while get- underwater photographers. adventurous. There are loads of dive centres in and ting in and out. I had my cam- The bay itself is home to many around town to choose from, with era passed to me once I was dive sites, most of which are Diving most of them situated within walking in the water and fully kitted up accessible from the beach, Most of the diving in Tulamben is distance of the beach. After seeming to minimize the risk of it being the most famous being the done from the shore along the large to spend most of my working career dropped while getting in. Drop Off, Coral Garden and curved bay making the cost of div- in the dive industry loading boats Wading out just a few meters of course the Liberty Wreck. ing incredibly low. Prices start from as or trucks with dive equipment and however, the seafloor slowly Conditions at these dive sites Crinoid squat lobster

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LEFT TO RIGHT: Huge frogfish lying in wait for its next meal; Ornate ghost pipefish; Longnose hawkfish on the wall at Drop Off

cater for most an eye out for cuttlefish impressively divers experi- camouflaging themselves with their sur- ence levels, with roundings, or catch a glimpse of the generally mild stunning blue and yellow ribbon eels. currents and These delicate little eels are usually great visibility seen with their heads poking out of and all sites can their burrows, but it’s easy to see how be dived at vari- they get their names when you see one ous depths. swimming freely along the reef. I found myself momentarily mesmerised by a Coral Garden. small black and yellow object fluttering Lying in the centre of the bay, the Coral towards me just like a ribbon on the end Garden hosts a huge coral reef span- of a stick. It wasn’t long before it disap- ning over 100m across the sea floor at peared into a small crack in the reef depths of 5–12m and provides plenty and my brief hypnosis came to an end of photographic opportunities, both and it was time to catch up with the macro and wide angle. With its sheer group. size and abundance of marine life, you Have a look out into the blue every can spend dive after dive swimming now and again to have a chance at between the beautiful coral formations. seeing some of Tulamben’s rare sightings This area of reef gives everyone some- like the occasional blacktip reef shark thing to see, whether that is sitting back and Napoleon wrasse. and watching the schools of snapper and sweetlips dance their dance or get Drop Off. Head towards the southeast your face right in close to search for the corner of the bay, you will find the Drop smaller things the reef has to offer. Keep Off, a stunning selection of lava flows Hypselodoris infucata nudibranch Brightly coloured ribbon eel

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Frogfish (left) on an artificial reef at Seraya Secrets; Anemone shrimp (above) in its protective home; Tiny pygmy seahorse blends perfectly with its surround- ings (right); The brightly coloured Nembrotha cristata nudibranch (lower right)

sloping rock faces that plummet that without the expert guidance down to the depths below you. of our guide, Komang, we would Scour the rocks as you slowly have easily missed. swim along for longnose hawk- Once presented with a large fish, hairy squat lobsters, soft gorgonian sea fan, he gestured coral crabs and leaf scorpionfish to us to search the fan ourselves Seraya Secrets. among many other things. Look to see if we could spot them. Travelling a little further carefully in the huge sea fans to After a few minutes of staring South, Seraya Secrets find the elusive pygmy seahorses cross-eyed we finally found one, is a must see for any real macro enthusiasts, accessible by car only a short drive from the main town. With no real major coral forma- tions, the gently sloping black sand is home to jutting out into the bay. You can of the dive is famous in itself for some of the amazing either enter from the beach or the infrequent sightings of the critters that make the rent one of the many Jukong bizarre critters like mimic octopus, area famous for macro boats to take you a little further skeleton shrimp and tiny juvenile diving. Seahorses, round the headland for a change frogfish. nudibranches, frogfish, from the usual shore dive. When Descending down past this camouflaged almost perfectly Coleman’s shrimp and harlequin entering from the shore, we usu- sandy plateau you soon find your- with the fan behind it. shrimp are amongst some of the ally started from an area know self staring down over the Drop Ecstatic and very proud of marine life you are likely to see as The River, which for most of Off. Depths here vary from the ourselves, we turned to Komang while exploring the sandy ridges. the year is a dry riverbed running shallow reef down to 12m, before who sat quietly giggling to himself The rich abundance of macro life down from the hills and out into a sheer vertical wall drops down while signalling to us that there makes this many divers’ favourite the bay. During the wet season, well in to technical diving ranges. were another five living I the site in the area, providing many this is the main source of the sedi- It is here where you will find a vast same sea fan. Admitting defeat interesting macro photography ment that settles on the seabed. array of fish and stunning scen- we invited him closer to effort- opportunities. This area at the start and end ery along the face of the steep lessly point them out for us. Leaf scorpionfish on the wall at Drop Off

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CHRISTIAN LOADER / SCUBAZOO

CHRISTIAN LOADER / SCUBAZOO

The wreck Lying on her starboard side just be very easy to forget that you are Without a doubt the most popular 40m off the beach, the wreck is very diving on what used to be ship. dive site in the area, the USAT Liberty easily accessible to all divers and Making your way down its side, wreck is what made Tulamben even snorkelers. Walking in off the you quickly get an idea of the sheer famous as a dive destination and beach, we were led down a small size of the wreck. Lying on her side at really put it on the map, drawing valley in the sand until the stern of depths ranging from 5m all the way people from around the world to the wreck appeared in front of us, down to 30m, and being over 120m come and dive it. instantly recognizable by the intact long, it can take a few dives too Once a United States Army trans- rudder sticking out of the black sand. really see the whole thing. porter, she was torpedoed by the Looming over us, the wreck shows While the wreck is home to a huge Japanese in 1942 during WWII. In an clear signs of its disastrous history, amount of macro life, it’s the big stuff attempt to save the ship from sinking, with large pieces of its thick metal that a lot of people come to see, it was towed towards land but had hull twisted and broken where it lies such as Napoleon wrasse, barracu- to be beached before it reached in its final resting place. da and the resident school of bump- port after taking on too much water. Due to the healthiness of the head parrotfish. These bizarre giants This is where she sat until 1963 when water, the entire structure is now arrive late in the afternoon and rest Mount Agung’s most recent and vio- encrusted with corals and sea fans, on the wreck overnight before head- lent eruption drove her into the sea and if it wasn’t for the recognizable ing off into the depths again early in to where she lies today. features that our still visible, it would the morning. CHRISTIAN LOADER / SCUBAZOO THIS PAGE: Scenes from the wreck of the USAT Liberty

36 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Tulamben

The day trippers arrive When to visit later in the morning so Diving in the area make this the first dive can be done all CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Bumphead par- of the day and enjoy year round, how- rotfish descending on Liberty wreck, late peaceful dives at some ever, from April to afternoon; Clown frogfish with colourful of the area’s other dive November the con- markings; Well-camouflaged soft coral crab; sites for the rest of the ditions are general- Mexichromis multituberculata nudibranch; Bright orange frogfish stands out against the day. ly at their best, with dark sea floor; Spearing mantis shrimp Even safety stops on great visibility and the wreck are interest- amazing marine life. Water temperatures Getting there ing with a large colony range around 27-29°C, and temperatures With Bali being such a popular destina- paddies and if you are lucky, even a few of garden eels living in do not drop as much as other areas of tion for tourists and backpackers from monkeys, the drive is a mini adventure in the sand that has built Bali so a 3mm suit is perfect. around the world, there are many flights itself, so have your camera to hand for up against the stern of Timing your trip right means you can landing in the islands main airport in any photo opportunities along the way. ■ the ship. These shy little combine your trip with some of Bali’s Denpasar everyday, making getting creatures look like a field other great dives such as the mola mola there easy from most countries. Nick Shallcross is a British underwa- of grass in the distance (sunfish) season in Nusa Penida from July Tulamben is a three-hour drive from ter photographer based in the Gulf of Night dives and dawn dives are a must but duck away as you approach them, to October. Nusa Penida is also one of the airport; you can either take a taxi Thailand. More of his work can be seen on the wreck, get up early to avoid the leaving nothing but tiny holes in the sea the best places to see manta rays year or arrange a pickup from the airport at www.nickshallcrossphotography.co.uk crowds, enjoy a nice long dive and be floor, making photographing them a fun round at the aptly named Manta Point through your resort in advance. With back at the resort in time for breakfast. challenge. and Manta Bay. spectacular views of the ocean, rice

37 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO NASA

tap water for health reasons, so stick to bottled water. Check with the WHO for up to date vaccina- fact file tion recommendations for the region. Bali, Indonesia RIGHT: Global map with Decompression location of Bali chambers BELOW: Location Bali Hyperbaric Chamber, of Bali on map Sanglah Pubic Hospital, of Indonesia Jalan Diponegoro, BOTTOM RIGHT: Pair of SOURCES: U.S. CIA WORLD FACTBOOK, ornate ghost pipefish Denpasar WIKIPEDIA, D. SILCOCK tel 62-361-227911

History Originally populated by with its many vol- Travel/Visa/Security Chinese migrants, the island of canic eruptions. THAILAND VIETNAM PHILIPPINES Philippine For most nationalities, includ- South Sea Bali has had a heavy influence The 1963 eruption China ing the United Kingdom, United from Chinese, Indian and Hindu saw the death of Sea States and Australia, you pay NORTH cultures. The Dutch East India thousands and BRUNEI for your Visa On Arrival at the MALAYSIA PACIFIC Company ruled Bali after their the displacement Medan Celebes OCEAN airport at a cost of US$25 for a MALAYSIA Sea invasions of Indonesia in the 1800s, of many others Borneo 30-day tourist visa and a passport until World War II when the island to other parts of Pekanbaru SINGAPORE with at least six months validity is Equator PAPUA fell to the hands of the Japanese. Indonesia. Terrain M Population required. Bali has a history of ter- Padang Sumatra Pontianak Biak NEW O West GUINEA Shortly after the end of the war, consists primarily of Kalimantan Sulawesi Papua 251,160,124 (July rorist attacks targeted at tourists, Banarmasin L Indonesia got its independence, coastal lowlands, U Papua 2013 est.) Ethnic however the situation is much Palembang which was officially recognized with interior moun- C Ambon groups: Javanese more stable and security is at a C NEW GUINEA by the Dutch in 1949. Strife con- tains on larger JAKARTA Makassar A 40.6%, Sundanese high level nowadays. It is worth tinued in Indonesia’s unstable islands. Coastline: Semarang Banda Sea S 15%, Madurese 3.3%, noting that Bali has very strict laws Bandung Surbaya parliamentary democracy until 54,716km. Java Minangkabau 2.7%, on narcotics and extreme sen- INDIAN Arafura President Soekarno declared TIMOR-LESTE Betawi 2.4%, Bugis tences apply to anyone caught OCEAN Denpasar Kupang Sea martial law in 1957. Soekarno Climate Tropical, Timor 2.4%, Banten 2%, in the possession of drugs. was removed from power fol- hot and humid, Sea Banjar 1.7% (2000 cen- lowing a fruitless coup in 1965 by with more mod- AUSTRALIA sus). Religions: Muslim Web sites alleged Communist sympathizers. erate climate in 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Indonesia Travel President Suharto ruled Indonesia the highlands. The Roman Catholic 3%, www.indonesia.travel/en from 1966 until 1988. Suharto water temperature is normally operation around the country lenges of improving the country’s Hindu 1.8% (2000 census). Note: was toppled in 1998 following a 28-29°C (84-86°F) year round, with and untold other forest ventures insufficient infrastructure, labor Indonesia is the largest Muslim round of riots, and in 1999, free an occasional “chilly” 27°C (82°F) operating illegally. Mining—tailings unrest over wages, and high oil country in the world. Visitors are and fair legislative elections took spot. Most divers use 1mm neo- from copper, nickel, and gold prices affecting fuel subsidy pro- encouraged to respect local place. Indonesia is the world’s prene suits. However, some peo- mining are real threats. grams. traditions and dress modestly. third most populous democracy, ple prefer 3mm. Internet users: 20 million (2009) Government: Republic. Capital: Economy A vast polyglot Currency The local currency Jakarta. Environmental issues nation, Indonesia has experi- is Indonesian Rupiah, although Language Bahasa Indonesian Challenges include industrial enced modest economic growth U.S. Dollars, Euros and Visa cards is the official language, plus Geography Located in waste water pollution, sewage, in recent years. Economic are also widely accepted around English, Dutch and local dia- Southeastern Asia, Indonesia is an urban air pollution, deforesta- advances were made with sig- the island. ATM machines usu- lects are spoken. In tourist areas, archipelago situated between tion, smoke and haze due to for- nificant financial reforms. In 2009, ally offer the best exchange rate English, Spanish and German are the Indian and Pacific Oceans. est fires. Logging—the rainforests when the global financial crisis hit, and the use of traveller cheques spoken. One of Indonesia’s thousands of within the combined West Papua/ Indonesia fared well compared to is becoming harder except in islands, Bali lies in the tropical Indo Papua New Guinea land mass its regional neighbors. It was one the main banks. Exchange rates: Health There are no major Pacific region, giving it huge eco- are second in size only to those of the only G20 members posting 1EUR=16,071IDR; 1USD=11,811IDR; health risks in this region of Bali. logical diversity. Mount Agung, of the Amazon, making it ‘the growth in 2009, alongside China 1GBP=19,785IDR; 1AUD=10,946IDR; Stomach upsets can be common Bali’s highest point at 3,142m has lungs of Asia’. In 2001, there were and India. However, the govern- 1SGD= 9,398IDR due to food and water, and it is shaped the island over the years 57 forest concession-holders in ment still faces ongoing chal- not recommended to consume

38 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO THE FACTS AND VIEWPOINTS IN THIS SECTION ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE VIEWS OF X-RAY MAG. EQUIPMENT PRESENTED IN THIS SECTION HAS NOT BEEN TESTED BY X-RAY MAG STAFF, NOR ARE THE ITEMS WARRANTEED. INFORMATION PROVIDED IS CONDENSED FROM MANUFACTURERS’ DESCRIPTIONS. TEXTS ARE USUALLY EDITED Trimix mixer FOR LENGTH, CLARITY AND STYLE. LINKS ARE ACTIVE AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION Spotted at the recent POINT & CLICK TekDiveUSA conference, Nardi ON BOLD LINKS Compressori’s TT-Mixing panel (photo at right shows near identical N-Mix) produces ready trimix gases simply by keying the blend on the touchscreen. According to the presentation, the Edited by panel can even analyse Peter Symes leftover gases in used tanks and calculate how Equipment to top them off with a new blend according to specs, minimising the loss of expensive Wingman gases while calculat- This practical bag for a bailout tank keeps ing the price for the your hoses tidy and regulator handy with no fill. The panel, which need for bungees and straps. Simply put can be remotedly the tank in the bag, close the zipper and controlled with an app, place the regulator inside the strap. The weighs 13kg and comes with bag is made from a mesh of ballistic brackets for easy mounting on a wall. nylon, which protects the NardiCompressori.com tank while allowing water to drain away easily. Comes in 5-liter (40 cu ft) and Cobalt 2 7-liter (80 cu ft) sizes. The Atomic Cobalt 2 is Available in black. a hose integrated Poseidon.com recreational dive computer capa- ble of support- ing up to six gas mixes, each up to 99% oxygen. The display has been HDC Tech Dry updated and now BARE writes that this suit is the the Cobalt 2 benefits toughest they have ever made. SMS75 from a bright, full colour, By combining three stretchy fab- The Hollis SMS75 side- high contrast LCD screen. rics, the designers have created a mount system fills the gap Atomic has also upgraded suit that is both lightweight yet rug- between the sturdy SMS100 the processor, making the ged enough to sustain heavy use in and the minimalist SMS50 light- Cobalt 2 more reactive. demanding environments with abra- weight siblings making it a Atomic states that the ‘soft sive surfaces. The patented Automatic hybrid that combines the best touch’ magnetic button navi- Torso Recoil system controls torso length of the two into this new harness. gation on the built-in compass is and eliminates the need for a crotch strap. Hollis states that it was designed easy to use. The Cobalt 2 is pow- The suit comes in 16 standard sizes but can with all environments in mind, with ered by a built-in lithium ion battery also be made to measure. Technical and a wing optimised for horizontal that provides 40 to 60 hours of dive cave divers can opt for an Expedition model diving with increased lift around time, with two options for charging. A that comes with a slim cut, crotch strap, big the hips. The SMS75 also supports fast charge via a mains socket or a slower pockets, Tech boots and a new Sealtek dry rear-mounted tanks and reversible charge when you use a powered USB port. hood. Baresports.com inflator positions. Hollis.com AtomicAquatics.com

39 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Bring your iPad down under iDive and Watershot have unveiled the first fully functional underwater touchscreen for smart devices. The team built the housing with a flex- ible membrane with the key component called the “Balance Module”, which automatically manages a positive pressure supply and enables the full functionality of the touch-

screen. The diver can choose between supplying air via a CO2 car- tridge or the first stage regulator or pony bottle. The iDive currently

has a recommended depth rating of 40 meters for CO2 supply and 100 meters for the first stage supply. idive-and-watershot Review Watershed HOG Zenith Chattooga Drybag The Zenith second stage from HOG Text by Matthew Meier is a pneumatically never balanced second The Chattooga Drybag is a found stage. All good sec- top-loading duffel sealed with the per- ond stages use a a ZipDry waterproof closure. fect bag venturi effect to assist Created and patented by to keep in maintaining flow, but Watershed, the closure resem- the cam- the venturi performance Scuabfest A6.indd 1 12/02/2014 12:17 bles a large ziplock seal and is era protected is less critical if the second both air and watertight. The bag and dry. The stage is pneumatically bal- is made of backpack-grade Chattooga performed anced. The center portion uti- nylon coated sheets of polyure- beautifully on both lizes a durable soft touch silicone thane film making it incredibly counts. The large 17in opening to make purging easier. According durable. Upon completion each at the top of the bag made it to manufacturer the new design also helps and every bag is inspected to easy to get gear in and out, controlling a free flow in a current. Edge-gear.com ensure that it is 100% leakproof. while the padded liner gave Anilao, Batangas, Philippines The Chattooga comes with a me piece of mind when the pair of rugged yet comfortable, bag was placed along the AP Diving announces additional oxygen cell supply padded handles, numerous hard floorboards of a small skiff. For lash points and various compres- different shooting scenarios, the for their Inspiration range CCRs sions straps. The bag weighs in at padded dividers allowed me to Due to interruptions in oxygen cell supply this year, less than 2lbs and measures 12 x travel with multiple lenses, plus a AP Diving has taken steps to secure a 20 x 10 inches, with a capacity flash. The top closure was simple second supplier. The cell from the new of 1,800 cubic inches (30 liters). to operate and sealed airtight. supplier, the same supplier as the Narked Optional accessories include a While no bag is perfect, the @ 90 cell, will have the designation APD16 shoulder strap, a padded liner Chattooga worked incredibly and has a white label (shown left). AP and a padded divider set. well and my gear came home Diving points out, while the APD16 has As an underwater photogra- safe and dry. an unfortunate trait in that once the pher, I spend a lot of time on For more information on the Inspiration scrubber warms up, the cells boats and like to bring along Chattooga DryBag and the rest read 0.05 bar higher than the actual PO2 my topside camera for shooting of the Watershed line, please this trait is repeatable and reliable and so [email protected] between dives. However, I have visit: Drybags.com is easily compensated for. APDiving.com DIVECBR.COM

40 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Interviewing Wreckers — Four Pioneering Wreck Divers

Author’s note: Though for the most part, the cave diving community was the first to pioneer mixed gas sport diving, beginning with Dale Sweet’s successful 1980 Heliox dive to 110m (360ft) at Diepolder II in Hernando County, Florida, USA, leading shipwreck divers were not far behind. By 1995, numerous groups of wreck divers in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe were using Trimix to improve the safety and performance of their dives. That year I interviewed some of the vanguard to get their perspectives on mix and how it was impact- ing exploration. Here are the original interviews as they appeared in aquaCORPS Journal #9: Wreckers, August 1995. — Michael Menduno

Text by Michael Menduno And to further stir the SAFETY COMES FIRST. Though the Photos courtesy of aquaCORPS, soup, grand daddy wrecker, rewards of shipwreck diving are Leigh Bishop, John Chatterton, Oceaneering International, the great, a diver can easily end up Joe Pass and Joel Silverstein global commercial diving con- paying the ultimate price if all the tractor whose crews dived the parameters of the dive (and diver) Lusitania over a decade ago, are not taken fully into account. August 1995—Today, ship- recently completed salvaging And when this happens, the entire wrecks are at the heart of treasure—five tons of silver and community suffers. Training and gold coins from the Spanish Brig experience are critical. Particularly a technological revolution of War, El Cazador, sunk in 1784 today, when competition for that is redefining the limits in the Gulf of Mexico—using their new wrecks has driven the cut- of what is possible. Within WASP Atmospheric Diving Systems ting edge ever deeper and more the last year, a leading (ADS) fleet to limit their ambient remote, increasing the operation- exposure. This after the techni- al and safety requirements for the team of tekkies mounted cal diving team led by Captain dives, as well as the costs. the first mix expedition on Billy Deans were found in viola- What is it about shipwrecks that the Lusitania to 90m (300ft), tion of the Occupational Safety inspire us to invest time and inge- long thought out of the and Heath Administration (OSHA) nuity and put our human frailties standards prohibiting deep self- on the line? Is it simply the knowl- practical reach of scuba contained diving the prior year edge that these failed human aficionados, and racked and was thrown off the job. “It’s a outposts may yield up potent trea- up over 120 dives. Other mental barrier, not a technologi- sures, or is it some complex piece cal one,” explained commercial of genetic code that compels us tech divers opted for the diving supervisor and wrecker to seek out our remaining rem- safety of a hose and com- John Chatterton. nants in the vastness of the sea? mercial cutting tools to lib- Although underwater limits Better go and ask a wrecker, if erate the artifacts of their are being redefined, the pain- she’ll tell you. Or better yet, go ask fully learned maxim of diving still two of three. dreams. applies, maybe more than ever:

41 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO THIS PAGE: Captain Billy Deans in action profile Wreckers eters of the dive you could MM: What are the limits of open circuit ment coming on stream, I believe there get killed. It’s a constant gas diving? are going to be a lot of opportunities vigilance that wears on a opening up. human being. To do it well BD: Sport diving has become much more you have to live, eat and reliable and safer. The technology and MM: For self-contained diving in a com- breathe technical diving. equipment that we have today has mercial setting? That’s the negative side— essentially doubled our working depth it’s so demanding. It has put from 40m (130ft) to about 80m (250ft) . BD: That’s correct. bags under my eyes, gray That’s our playground and I consider it to hair on my head and led to be a reliable working range. Outside of MM: Commercial diving today is based fights with my girlfriend. But I those limits, it’s a little more dangerous. It around surface supplied technology. won’t compromise on safety can be done, but it’s not for the people What kind of tasks can better be accom- because once you do, you that are just getting into technical diving. plished with self-contained equipment? become complacent and you get killed. That’s the MM: I understand that your focus has BD: Reconnaissance. You can put a thing that bothers me; it’s like shifted over the last two years from tech- team of self-contained divers on site with a black cloud on the horizon. nical training to the commercial aspects a minimal amount of equipment. They The technical diving market of diving. can survey an area, a wreck site, you expanding and I have an name it, come back and look at the uneasy feeling that we’re BD: It’s an aspect of the diving that has data. And it’s actually very, very cost going to have an increase in been a natural evolution for us. Karl effective to do that. We’re talking a 1 fatalities. That’s what we’re Shreeves (PADI’s Technical Diving Liaison) to 5 ratio. Then if there’s work to do, you trying to avoid. once said that he was so excited to be in can bring in a surface-supplied gear. PHOTO COURTESY OF AQUACORPS on the next evolution in sport diving. And MM: The Cazador was such an interest- MM: Because of the new I guess that I’m excited to be involved in MM: How about just sending down a ing project. Your team found the booty people coming in? one offshoot of technical diving and that ROV? and then Oceaneering came in with is, work for pay. There are definite, viable their fleet of WASPs and… BD: New people coming in opportunities there. The commercial mar- BD: Our experience is that the two go who do not have the proper ket sees it. And with closed circuit equip- hand in hand. On the Cazador project BD: ...and picked up five tons of silver.

JOEL SILVERSTEIN training. That’s one of the we called it “hunter- Yeah, it was great @#?#!! reasons we’re so adamant gatherer” mode. An ROV Captain Billy Deans about having tiered levels of training and was sent down to sniff MM: It would take a team of open-circuit Owner of Key West Diver Technical broad base of experience. Experience is out a possible target site, divers a long time to pick up five tons of Training Center and Deep Sea critical. in this case, to find coins. silver. Technologies, 38-year-old Captain Billy In the early days, there was a small Then the diver would Deans is recognized as one of the pio- cadre of technical divers. These people navigate out the ROV BD: I agree with you, particularly at the neers of technical diving. were highly trained, and committed to cable and survey and 90m (295ft) depths we were working. diver safety. I work the area. My only regret was that I wish we could MM: Billy you’ve been involved in tech- remember when Parker [Turner] Of course, putting a have had another five manned dives. It nical diving since the beginning. What got killed. It sent a shiver up my back, diver in the water is very, would have been nice to see what our would you say are the differences with because they were doing everything very inefficient; I don’t capability was, but if you look at it, put- recreational diving? right, right down to the last minute, and care if it’s on a hose, ting a guy down for four to six hours in a he still died. closed circuit, or open- WASP is really the way to go. But you also BD: We still do a lot of recreational diving. People need to understand this. They circuit. The advantage have to look at the cost. We fulfilled our It’s fun and it’s easy. You put your equip- can still have fun but they need to is that diver on site can contractual obligation. We went down. ment in a bag, sniff your air, throw your approach technical diving with the idea make rational decisions. We found the coins and we were able equipment on, jump in, and swim around that it is very dangerous. You learn to be It’s easier to mobilize an to bring a few up. That is the limitation of in 25m (80ft)of water. Technical diving is very, very cautious in this type of diving. open-circuit team then it open-circuit diving. totally different. It’s a philosophy, a mind- The positive rewards are great but on the is to bring in an ROV. But set. Everything you do is based on mak- negative side you can end up paying I think that the best com- MM: Do you think that commercial regu- ing that dive absolutely perfect because the ultimate price. And when divers die, bination is to use them lations are going to evolve to the point if you don’t account for all of the param- we all pay. both. of allowing self-contained equipment for

PHOTO COURTESY OF AQUACORPS

42 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Captain Billy Deans in Polly Tapson action (left and below) all kitted up profile Wreckers BD: Fifteen minutes used to be a long German U-boat. commit to the training and the dive. Now people are doing 25, 30, and We’re also looking at wrecks from the cost of the expedition about 35 minute dives at 61-77m (220-250ft). perspective of coming in as a profession- 18 months to two years before That’s what I see happening in wreck div- al team and helping people get set up, we dived. That was more than ing. for a fee. It has consistently been shown enough lead-time to actually that it’s better to pay a profession to set up the expedition. One fac- MM: What are your personal goals for the come in and set it up right as opposed to tor was that the U.K. members next 18 months? making all the mistakes and possibly hurt of the team were not trained in someone. In the long run, it’s more cost the use of Trimix and had very BD: What I’m trying to do, is stay focused. effective to pay professionals. So that’s little knowledge of gas mix- We’re one of the very few dive centers what we’re targeting, wrecks that could ing and the implication of this that are trying to make a living at tech- possibly turn some revenue for us. kind of technical diving at that nical diving. It’s very difficult to make a We have three real interesting projects time. Four months out, I knew living in the dive industry. You can drop coming up in 1995 that will probably take exactly what we were going your safety standards and make a lot of us away for a month of two. We’re talk- to do and what contingencies money and kill somebody. But we won’t ing 17th century shipwrecks that are well were available. We were meet- do that. We’re trying to make a compa- into the technical diving range outside ing on a regular basis to discuss rable living at our type of diving through the U.S. how to improve what had been qualified teaching, keeping our stan- planned. dards up, and doing these projects. But Polly Tapson we also want to have fun at it. Thirty-one-year old filmmaker and British MM: How many dives did you We get a lot of neat offers to dive wrecker, Polly Tapson, led the first techni- do in preparation for the dive? wrecks and we could spend the whole cal diving expedition to the Lusitania in year traveling and doing all these dives. June 1994. PT: We scheduled 49 dives in JOEL SILVERSTEIN There just isn’t enough time. That’s why preparation for the Lusitania. certain types of activities? I’m targeting the wrecks here locally. MM: How long did it take to plan and We were going out every There is a tremendous amount of history train for the expedition? other weekend last winter. We

BD: I truly hope so. The guys in the com- from in the Florida Keys. We have a num- conducted a lot of the deep LEIGH BISHOP mercial industry are smart. They see ber of targets off the Tortugas including a PT: I began to ask people if they would training in a close controlled what’s going on and a number of them environmental quarry in North Wales. The execution of our plan, right down to are turned on by it. They’ll take advan- U.K. team trained in excess of 90m (293ft) the number of vegetarian meals in tage of the technology and eventually because we didn’t want the Lusitania the packed lunches. We could have there will be changes in the Code of to be the team’s deepest dive when spent more money to hire assistants to Federal Regulations (CFR). That would be we arrived in Ireland. We needed to test help with the gas mixing or to help with the smart thing to do. everything. unloading the boat, but we decided not to. It was hard work. We got up early. MM: What do you see today as the fron- MM: How important was diver safety in We worked through the morning setting tiers of wreck diving? your planning? everything up. Everyone had a designat- ed task. We worked very well as a team. BD: Discovering new wrecks. When we PT: A great deal of thought went into our Of course, I didn’t really have a great first started planning to diver the Doria ‘what ifs’ and ‘what thens.’ I would stay sense of relief until after the last day’s ten years ago the Lusitania seemed up until 3:00 in the morning contemplat- diving when I knew that it had been an unreachable—nobody thought it was ing what could happen and how we incident-free trip. possible. Now you can charter a boat to would deal with it. We agreed as a team it. Even diving the Doria has changed. In to ban any form of competitiveness and MM: Technical diving appears to be pre- the early days the big thing was going encourage discussion. As a result our post dominantly a male bastion. Did you find down on the outside of the wreck and dive briefings became incredibly honest. that being a woman was ever an issue? getting windows. Now everyone is mak- ing penetration dives and looking for arti- MM: Did the expedition come out as you PT: I don’t have anything to say on that facts. had planned? subject. The answer is no. It was never an issue. I have encountered sexist atti- MM: And the dives are getting longer. PT: Yes, in every way. It was a perfect tudes from some men along the way but

JOEL SILVERSTEIN 43 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO profile Lusitania dive team Wreckers wheels that were in motion, the imminent “deals”, the financial costs were via- southwest coast of England. We have arrival of the American divers and every- ble for everyone who I wanted to be the coordinates and we’ll be diving on thing that had been planned. involved, but the indirect costs of our mix. Another member of the team is time and relationships were higher than handling the organizational side of the MM: Cave divers have a saying, “Take anticipated. Everyone agrees that their expedition because of the time involved. only pictures, leave only bubbles.” I know contribution in man-hours was excessive I have professional commitments and that doesn’t really apply to a lot of ship- and cannot be adequately quantified. other affairs, which are my priority for the wreck diving, but your team decided not This was largely due to the learning curve time being. to take artifacts off the Lusitania. What we had to climb as a team and tak- was your motivation? ing the “what if/what then” approach John Chatterton to planning. One of our team reckoned Hardhat wrecker, John Chatterton, 42, is PT: It’s very simple really. There is a man it personally cost him in the range of an avid deep wreck explorer and works who claims he owns the Lusitania and GB£10,000 (about US$15,000 in 1994) as a commercial diving supervisor. He told us that we weren’t allowed to visit hard cash to prepare and participate in and Richie Kohler identified the “U-Who” the shipwreck. His claim has yet to be the expedition. as the U-869, later heralded in the New proven. But the maritime and merchant York Times best seller, Shadow Divers. marine laws were such that I felt that no MM: What are your personal exploration laws were being broken in visiting the goals over the next 18 months? MM: You’re a commercial dive supervi- shipwreck, which is why we were able sor as well as a wreck diver. Why do you to proceed unhindered. In addition, we PT: My goals are to identify several virgin dive scuba? were visited by the Irish Customs and wrecks beyond the 70m (228fT) off the Excise people and informed that if we JC: I started wreck diving the recovered anything the Lusitania, we same time I got involved in LEIGH BISHOP would have to hand it over to Customs. commercial diving. To me, nothing I couldn’t handle. Most of the to carry on anyway. Are you comfortable As a result, we felt that there was a cer- scuba is just another technol- Lusitania team was intelligent enough to talking about it? tain risk in recovering anything from the ogy. Philosophically, surface be above it. ship and so we decided not to take that supplied diving is a group PT: I don’t like talking about it or discuss- risk. project. The diver is just a cog MM: It seems that technical diving has a ing it in much detail for a very obvi- in a big machine. Scuba is lot fewer women than recreational diving ous reason. People are going to read MM: What would you say are the frontiers freedom. Independence. It’s as a whole (about 37% female accord- this and there is no guarantee of how today in shipwreck diving? the difference between the ing to PADI statistics). Our surveys suggest they’re going to interpret what I have guy driving down the road in it’s 5% or less. Can you offer any insights to say. What I don’t want to do is to be PT: I don’t think there are really any fron- his Lincoln Continental with a as to why that is? an example of someone who acted irre- tiers. house, mortgage payments, sponsibly and got away with it. And then and responsibilities which can PT: It has more to do with perception have someone else do the same thing MM: What do you mean by that? be really good compared more than reality. Men probably find the and subsequently ends up in a wheel- to the guy hitchhiking down sport easier than women because of chair for life. It is very difficult for me to PT: The limits are more a matter of eco- the road who’s totally free. the equipment and intensive nature of talk about it for that reason. nomics than anything else. Unless there is That can be a good thing technical diving. However, having said a promise of great gain, progress will be too. Remember, in commer- that, I’ve seen men who are not particu- MM: It was obviously a very personal relatively slow. I see the most potential for cial diving, nobody pays you larly strong who are able to wheel some decision on your part. You had worked progress being made in commercial and to dive. They pay you to do heavy equipment. I believe that women on the project for two years. scientific diving. Recreational divers will something that happens to be can overcome what might be perceived hang onto their coat tails as far as they under water and the way to to be a physical lack of strength if it’s PT: Yes, of course it was a personal deci- can go. It’s an expensive sport. get there is to dive. something that they really want to do. sion. I believed that my recovery was totally satisfactory in so much that I was MM: How much did it cost to mount the MM: There seems to be con- MM: I understand that you got “bent” on not going to cancel that trip. That’s not expedition, the training, planning the siderable fear and trepidation a practice run a week prior to the expe- to say that I intended to dive. I reserved whole thing? about scuba in commercial dition. That must have been a very dif- that decision for the trip. However, I circles. ficult personal decision for you to decide definitely was not going to let it stop the PT: By the time I had finished pulling in

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN CHATTERTON John Chatterton 44 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO John Chatterton diving the Britannic (left); near the wreck site of the Lusitania (right) 18km (11mi) south of Kinsale lighthouse in profile Ireland; and kitted up for a dive (below) Wreckers limits are. There are still a lot of things to much less be done with open circuit and it seems important, like there’s always a new formula, a new but I’ve recipe being cooked up in somebody’s got to deal kitchen. with other aspects, my MM: Do you feel a lot safer when you’re umbilical, diving a surface supplied system? for instance. The umbilical JC: No. It’s different. I don’t feel a great- could actu- er degree of safety. There are assets and ally end up liabilities to using either technology on tethering me a particular site. If I’m diving scuba, I’m to the wreck. diving solo. I’m not in direct contact with Generally, PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN CHATTERTON the surface. That’s a disadvantage, and I prefer to I have to take into consideration impor- rely on myself over a machine top-side. interested in the wrecks in my area that tant aspects of my dive, like navigation, Maybe that’s why I like scuba as much have been beyond sport diving until gas management, things like that. When as I do. now. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN CHATTERTON I’m on surface-supplies, those issues are JC: Most of the people in commercial shit out of ourselves, and be glad to get MM: What would you say are MM: Are both in deep water? circles view scuba as a toy that’s good up alive. That wouldn’t wash anymore. today’s frontiers in self-con- to about 9m (30ft). I find scuba a very tained ship wreck diving? JC: The U-550 is probably going to be interesting technology and technical div- MM: When you say tech diving in that about 100m (325ft) and it’s 125 miles ing has added another dimension. context, are you really referring to mix? JC: Shipwreck diving is becom- (201km) offshore. I’m not certain about ing a more global activity. The the Carolina. The problem is that is has MM: How has technical diving changed JC: It’s a little more subtle. Not every- oceans are getting smaller. been reported in several areas, but I shipwreck diving over the last five years? one is using mix or taking full advantage When I first thought about believe it’s going to be as deep as 80m of the technology. But even air divers the Lusitania, my reaction (260ft), something like that. JC: Two major things have happened. using an accelerated decompression on was “Wow. The Lusitania. It’s Number one, the surface area of the oxygen or nitrox are seeing an advan- a shame that it’s too deep.” MM: I understand you recently made a ocean floor that we’re able to claim tage in terms of increased bottom time. Well, depth is subjective. The positive I.D. on the U-Who? That sounds has been dramatically increased. You Increased bottom time is going to give Lusitania was a lot deeper on exciting. could draw a line and say, here’s our the diver increased productivity. my first dive than it was on my 40m (130ft) limit, but today, more and last dive. People are begin- JC: I believe we have positively identi- more guys are going out and diving 60m MM: What are the practical working limits ning to look at wreck that they fied the wreck as the U-869, but I’m more (200ft) and 60m (200ft) plus. ‘We’re down of open circuit wreck diving? haven’t considered diving interested in finding out exactly how it to where?’ Technical diving has come before and saying, “Hey, wait got off the coast of New Jersey. The sub along and nobody’s sure where the line JC: For a while, I was really into asking a minute. We can go there. was not supposed to be there. is. And with things like rebreathers on the people, ‘Where is this going to stop?’ I We can do that. We can make horizon, if you draw a line, you better went to Billy Deans, I went to this guy and it happen.” It’s a mental barri- MM: Wasn’t it supposedly lost off the draw it in pencil. It’s probably not going that guy, and just about everybody said, er; it’s not a technology barrier. coast of Africa? to stay there long. “The limits are right about where my feet The second thing is productivity. The are.” We’re limited by the technology to MM: What are your personal JC: Right. I’ve been to London, to the technically-oriented diver is a more some degree, but I also think we are lim- exploration goals over the next Ministry of Defense and worked in their productive diver. He’s much more goal ited by our vision… year? foreign documents section, and I have oriented and in a better position to been to Germany and talked with a accomplish the goals he sets. Setting up MM: Of what’s possible? JC: I want to focus on locat- bunch of the U-boaters and examined goals for each particular dive is the way ing some specific wrecks. One their archives. It’s amazing how much to make progress. That’s the way to be JC: Yeah. And looking at the limits is the U-550. Another is a liner of history is just somebody’s reasonable productive. We used to do a lot of 60m of technology, I don’t think we have called the Carolina that’s off guess. We have this boat that was sup- (200ft), 60m (200ft) plus dives, scare the enough insight to say where the absolute the New Jersey coast. I’m very posed to be in Gibraltar, but it seems to

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN CHATTERTON

45 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Roderick “Rod” Historical Farb in action painting of profile (left and below) CSS Alabama Wreckers MM: Why’s that? increases the risk. So I think it works both ways. JC: It’s going to take time before the people MM: What are the practical working limits who are doing deep of open circuit scuba these days as far wreck exploration as wreck diving is concerned? are comfortable with rebreathers. It’s going RF: A practical limit that most people use to go the same way the is 74m (240ft). You could probably go air-closed circuit div- deeper. I worked in Europe and divers ing went, starting off in there routinely dive 61m (200ft) with open shallow water. “I went a circuit on air. There is also an active tech- little deeper today than nical diving community that uses mixed yesterday. Maybe I will gas at those depths and beyond, but go a little deeper tomor- quite frankly, from my experience 72m row.” (240ft) is about the deepest most wreck divers regularly go. And most of it is still Roderick Farb being done on air. Photographer and film- maker Roderick (“Rod”) MM: What impact has mix had? US NAVY’S NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Farb, 43, recently filmed the CSS Alabama off RF: The impact has been rather limited to dive on air, and they do very well. If you logical excavations. There’s a Franco- the coast of France for a small group. It’s obviously growing, but look at the overall number of shipwreck American committee that oversees the National Geographic. locating sources of gas, or getting the divers here in the States, the percentage work on the site, and a group of volun- Farb’s team was the first equipment to mix it yourself is still a prob- using mix gas is relatively low. teers screened from a local wreck diving group of sport divers to lem. It’s still beyond the average wreck club are participating. get permission to dive diver. In Europe, for example, I’ve been MM: I understand you were recently in JOE PASS the USS Monitor in 1991. involved with a club on the coast of Europe filming the CSS Alabama? MM: What are today’s frontiers in ship- be lying off the New Jersey coast. WWII France with several hundred avid deep- wreck diving? wrecks are really fascinating because MM: How has shipwreck diving changed water wreck divers, and none of them RF: Right, I was on assignment for the first hand history, the people who over the last five years? dive mix at all because it is too expen- Geographic for six weeks during the RF: Most technical divers want to reach were there, are disappearing. A lot of sive. They don’t have equipment. They all summer. It was one of the most difficult deeper wrecks because they have been what wreck diving is about is understand- RF: Judging from the divers I see, and projects I’ve ever done diving-wise. The out of the reach of most divers and have ing the historical aspect of the wrecks. the questions posted on the Internet, I’d Alabama lies at 61m (200ft) 61m in the a lot of artifacts. But as the wrecks get That kind of information tells us who we say that the big changes are the volume English Channel in extremely dark 9°C deeper and deeper the technology all are. of gas that divers are carrying. They’re (49°F) water. And though the wreck’s not required gets more sophisticated. The going to bigger systems. Twin 80’s used extraordinarily deep, there is a narrow result is a point of diminishing return. The MM: It puts our culture in context? to be the standard. Then there were twin window of time when you can actually cost, the expense to go and collect ordi- 100’s. And now twin pumped-up 120’s make the dive because of very strong nary artifacts from a shipwreck is going to JC: History isn’t always what you’ve been from Europe, and the big titanium tanks currents. It’s only about a one-hour win- far outweigh the value, unless they have told. that have been imported from Russia. dow twice a day, and that’s decompres- some monetary value. The ordinary tech There has also been a blossoming of sup- sion, bottom time the whole nine yards. It diver will have a limit on what they’re will- MM: There’s a huge interest in rebreath- port equipment for wreck diving, like up- is an extremely, technically difficult dive. ing to spend to mount an expedition. Of ers right now. What will the impact of lines, reels, lights. course there will always be a very small rebreather technology be on wreck div- MM: Is it a closed site? group of people out there looking for the ing? MM: Has it made wreck diving safer? rare wrecks that haven’t been visited or RF: The site is not opened to sport diving. found. Their work will continue, limited JC: We are going to see nitrox rebreath- RF: I believe it has, but it also has opened The Ministry of Culture and the United by their imagination and the equipment ers moving in to the recreational area access to areas that were inaccessible, States government regulate it by treaty. available to them to reach those sites. but deeper exploration is not going to for example, the degree of penetrations The ship belongs to the U.S., but the benefit for that for a while. divers are attempting, which of course French have the authority to do archeo- MM: You recently purchased a Biomarine

JOE PASS 46 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Historical painting of USS Monitor in action against CSS Virginia by Julian Oliver Davidson (1853-1894) WreckersPeter A. Hughes, profile -Founder A shipwreck is a unique thing; it’s not RF: I use the Techdiver list, but I am becom- like a car or train wreck on land that gets ing increasingly unhappy with the amount cleaned up. It’s a time capsule and histori- of useless information that’s posted. cally important wrecks should be preserved. Unfortunately, bureaucrats tend to get car- ried away with being proprietary over their Where they are today? sites. I see that increasing. I’m fighting to get Billy Deans is retired from diving and is a my foot in the door, establish trust that I’m registered nurse and helicopter medic with not going to pillage and rape the wreck. LifeNet Key West, Key West, Florida. John I’m going to be doing something useful Chatterton remains an active wreck diver LIVE-ABOARDS! and valuable to the agency. It takes a long and resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He time. is a partner with Underwater Archaeology & Exploration Corp, an underwater survey MM: You mentioned the Internet. How and salvage company, and continues as important is it to your work? the owner of Last Breath Productions, which develops underwater projects for television. RF: The Internet might be an old part of the Polly Tapson and Rod Farb both passed information super highway, but in terms away from non-diving related causes in of technical diving it’s very young. I use 2000 and 2003 respectively. ■ Mosaic, a user friendly graphical based internet interface as a vehicle to get into Writer and technologist Michael Menduno the literature, the libraries, the journals. published and edited aquaCorps: The It provides a lot of information for my Journal for Technical Diving (1990-1996), US NAVY’S NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS research. It’s invaluable from that point of which helped usher tech diving into the Bay Islands, Honduras 155 rebreather. Are rebreathers the RF: No. I can’t. It’s an unexpected ship- view. In terms of getting information from mainstream of sports diving, and coined the enabling technology to allow wreck divers wreck that’s quite important in American fellow divers, I haven’t found it to be that term “technical diving.” He also organized to explore more? history and it’s in a country where access valuable thus far. the first Tek, EuroTek and AsiaTek confer- is very difficult. I have permission from the ences, and Rebreather Forums 1.0 and 2.0. RF: Absolutely. Rebreathers are going to be respective governments and so it’s a matter MM: Do you have a favorite online hang Menduno, who is based in California, USA, extraordinarily useful for a limited number of of doing the work. out? remains an avid diver. people. They aren’t going to have a high appeal for recreational divers because of MM: Your exploits have forced you to nego- all the equipment and support required. tiate with a number of governments. There They are going to be useful only to people was the Monitor project with NOAA, the with a specific need that could bring a Alabama with the French. Do you see this return on a financial investment. The ordi- as an increasing activity on your part? nary technical diver is not going to go out

and get a rebreather. But for a small group RF: It is, and getting more difficult because NEW! of explorers, it’s going to be a very useful of the sheer number of wreck sites falling piece of equipment. under government jurisdiction. Access is dif- ficult. Governments are run by bureaucrats MM: What are your personal exploration who are human beings; and human beings, Palua goals over the next 18 months? being what they are, are inherently suspi- cious and proprietary of their territory. The RF: I’m hoping to do a documentary on a problem becomes what I perceive as a new shipwreck in another part of the world. matter of trust. They want to know “why you DESTINATIONS! One that is very historically important. want to do it.” In many instances, unique sites should be protected. However sites MM: Are you going to tell me the name of it should allow diving access so that at the or… very least, people can be educated about www.DivEncounters.com them. US NAVY / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Historical illustration of USS Monitor at sea

47 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO The Drowned Lands of

DoggerlandText by Peter Symes Photos courtesy of Cor Kuyvenhoven, Jesca Zweijtzer and St. Andrews University

48 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO COR KUYVENHOVEN feature Doggerland

Once upon a time there was a land... Doggerland—a huge area of dry land that once stretched from Scotland to Denmark—was slowly submerged by water between 18,000 BC and 5,500 BC. Today it is a shallow bank and productive fishing ground in the middle of the North Sea.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Doggerland, or Dogger Bank as it is called today, is located in the middle of the North Sea between the countries of Great Britain and Denmark; Diver at offshore drilling rig ((left) PREVIOUS PAGE: Sunken fishing

COR KUYVENHOVEN vessel with nets

49 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO An Agent Based model, a virtual visualisation, of life in the Mesolithic Age in Doggerland (right); feature Illustration of settlement (below); Fossil of mam- Doggerland mouth remains found at Dogger Bank (below inset)

“Doggerland was the real heartland of Europe until sea levels rose to give us the U.K. coastline of today.” ­— Dr Richard Bates, geophysicist, St Andrews University

Glancing at a map of Europe, the North Sea appears to be quite an expanse of featureless open sea separating Scandina- via and the European mainland from the British Isles. The North Sea is, however, not an oceanic abyss but a shallow sea flood-

ing a low-lying part of the con- COURTESY OF ST. ANDREWS UNIVERSITY tinent. During the last Ice Age when sea levels were much coast to the Netherlands and the human population numbered in lower, Britain was connected to western coasts of Germany and the tens of thousands during the mainland Europe by a big land- Denmark and down the English Stone Age. It had its maximum mass called Doggerland. Geo- Channel as far as the Channel extent about 20,000 years ago logical surveys have suggested Islands. Research suggests that although part of this area would that it stretched from Britain’s east it was a rich habitat sustaining a have been covered with ice.

DR EUGENE CH’NG, UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM / COURTESY OF ST. ANDREWS UNIVERSITY

noceros. Interest in the and valleys, large swamps and tre of Doggerland, fed by the area intensified in the lakes with major rivers dissecting a River Thames from the west and 1930s when commercial convoluted coastline. As the sea by the Rhine in the east. It may trawlers dragged up a rose, the hills would have become have been the richest hunting,

COURTESY OF ST. ANDREWS UNIVERSITY number of prehistoric an isolated archipelago of low fowling and fishing ground in tools and weapons dat- islands. Europe in the Mesolithic period. When the ice melted, more land ing to an era when the area was At about 8000 BC, the north- From about 6500 BC it gradually was revealed, but the sea level tundra. But it was only when oil facing coastal area of Dogger- became flooded by rising sea also rose. companies started doing exten- land had a coastline of lagoons, levels, reducing the lands to low- For over 100 years, fishing boats sive surveys and geophysical saltmarshes, mudflats, and lying islands which was probably and dredgers have recovered modeling that researchers were beaches, and inland streams abandoned for good after being bones, ancient tree stumps, flint able to re-create what this lost and rivers and marshes, and devastated by a catastrophic tsu- used by humans and the fossilized land looked like. Findings suggest- sometimes lakes. A large fresh- nami. COURTESY OF ST. ANDREWS UNIVERSITY remains of a mammoth and rhi- ed a picture of a land with hills water basin occupied the cen- The wave was generated by Excavation site at Lepe Country Park, United Kingdom

50 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO THIS PAGE: Expedition team members document marine life thriving on Dogger Bank or caught in nets; Biologist Arjan feature Gittenberger (left) with sea snal on coral Doggerland up to 97km (60mi) broad located (6,800 sq mi) with a depth range from approximately right in the middle of 15 to 36 meters (49 to 118 feet) which the North Sea. The bank which is now puts most of this extensive area well a productive fishing ground extends within recreational diving range. over approximately 17,600 sq km Atlantic water enters the North

COR KUYVENHOVEN

COR KUYVENHOVEN

a catastrophic subsea landslide flooding. Analysis suggests the off the coast of Norway. The last tsunami over-ran Doggerland of the three so-called Storegga that has since vanished beneath landslides happened underwa- the waves. ter in the Norwegian Sea, dur- Dr Jon Hill from Imperial Col- ing which an estimated 290km lege London and one of the (180mi) length of Norway’s many researchers who has been continental shelf collapsed. The analyzing this event told BBC slide, which according to car- News: “The impact on anyone bon dating occurred between who was living on Doggerland at 6225-6170 BC, involved the col- the time would have been mas- lapse of some 3,500 cubic km sive—comparable to the Japa- of sediment, enough to cover nese tsunami of 2011. Scotland in a layer 45 meters thick. Given that the majority The area today of Doggerland was by this time The Dogger bank, as it is called less than 5m in height, it would today, is a large sandbank have experienced widespread about 260km (160mi) long and JESCA ZWEIJTZER

Monkfish (above); Biologists busy with samples (right) COR KUYVENHOVEN

51 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO feature Doggerland

COR KUYVENHOVEN JESCA ZWEIJTZER COURTESY OF ST. ANDREWS UNIVERSITY

THIS PAGE: Scenes from expeditions to Dogger Bank to document marine life and archeological sites as well as remove fishing nets; Diving this remote area requires a larger vessel suitable for weather conditions on open sea such as the Old Begium marineship Cdt.Fourcault (left)

covering the whole of the main North Sea basin, showed clear north-south differences in diver- sity, abundance, biomass and average individual weight of the COR KUYVENHOVEN soft-bottom fauna. The deeper shipping routes in the world area. The German federal agen- northern regions had higher diver- and having been the stage cy for nature conservation calls it sity, lower biomass, and lower of several epic navy bat- a “fascinating gem of European individual weights than the shal- tles, the area is also home marine life” and a world of reefs low southern regions. to many good dive-able and sandbanks that “offer a rich Most of the seabed in the North wrecks whose misfortunes home to exceptionally rare and Sea hosts soft-bottom communi- seem to have been strewn vulnerable species”. ties. On the rocky bottom, kelp generously across the Being located in the middle of forests are widespread, and many COURTESY OF ST. ANDREWS UNIVERSITY JESCA ZWEIJTZER banks. the North Sea, Dogger Bank con- species of flora and fauna find Sea mainly from the north. The North Sea water mixes with less But it is its natural resources that stitutes a bio-geographical divide shelter, food and surfaces for to the benthic community: crusta- topography produces an coun- saline water from the Baltic, and is are its prime asset. The North Sea with cold-adapted benthic (living attachment on the kelp and the ceans, molluscs, annelids, echino- ter-clockwise circulation. Water transported north along the Nor- is one of the world’s most produc- on or in sea bottoms -- ed.) spe- surrounding rocky substrate. The derms and others. entering from the Channel moves wegian west coast. tive areas for fish, and a large cies to the north and life forms benthos consists of the organisms As the North Sea is shal- eastward along the Belgian and With the North Sea being criss- number of commercially impor- preferring more temperate waters living near, on or in the seabed. low, there is a strong coupling Dutch coast. In the Skagerrak, the crossed by some of the busiest tant species are caught in this to the south. A 1986 survey, A wide variety of animals belong between benthic and pelagic

52 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO feature Doggerland

JESCA ZWEIJTZER JESCA ZWEIJTZER

processes, making the region North Sea Clean), extremely productive. The diver- has been organiz- sity of the offshore benthic com- ing expeditions to munities is high, except in areas the Dogger Bank of direct industrial impact, such with the aim of as offshore oil fields. both document- There are also only a few areas ing the nature of the North Sea that are not in these remote fished or left undamaged by areas and to trawling. In particular the beam remove lost fishing trawl -- which virtually ploughed gear. The removal up the seabed -- can cause of the ghost- damage to substrates and ben- fishing nets have thic habitats by altering sediment previously been structure and destroying ben- described by thic organisms. These structural Peter Verhoog in changes may have long-term X-RAY MAG #40: negative effects on the structure www.xray-mag. and productivity of the benthic com/content/ community. JESCA ZWEIJTZER ghostfishing. ■ be unpredictable. Due to its remoteness Diving and the logistical challenges, the area is For more information on the Dutch expedi- With its location far out to sea, largely unexplored by divers and with that tions, visit: www.expeditiedoggersbank.nl. diving on the Dogger Bank comes a unique sense of exploration and For more information on the photographer, requires the support of a larger adventure that is otherwise hard to find in Cor Kuyvenhoven, visit: www.corkuyven- vessel suitable for the conditions the middle of Europe. Since 2011 a Dutch hoven.com. in the open sea, as weather can JESCA ZWEIJTZER team, Duik de Noordzee Schoon (Dive Our THIS PAGE: Expedition members explore wreckage, marine life, documenting findings on film

53 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO opinion

Scuba Confidential How Did That Get in There? —Water in the Tank Mystery

Text by Simon Pridmore Anna’s husband, an experienced that a diver would only get a few min- amount of water inside ing the interior. instructor, takes up the story. “I had utes of air. Some might interpret the story accumulates until you have So apparently Anna’s story Anna’s story: “I was on my checked my wife’s set up as usual pre- simply as a mistake or a misunderstand- little pools forming in the is not far-fetched after all. eighth or ninth dive, about five dive. The pressure gauge was showing ing on the part of a new diver with a sup- bottom. The moisture inside With her cylinder containing a 190 bar on the surface. I had a habit of portive husband. causes corrosion inside the large amount of fresh water, minutes in and at a depth of checking on Anna frequently because However, when I heard the story, it cylinder, too. the volume of air in the cylin- around 13 metres when I real- she was still quite new to diving. A few brought to mind something that I came Bear in mind that we der was quite small, so once ized that my air was not com- minutes into the dive, I saw her hovering across when I ran my dive store in Guam were in Guam, part of she started her dive, she used ing out smoothly. I couldn’t away from the reef in mid water, sensed a few years ago. We used to conduct the United States where it up very quickly. The reading something was wrong and swam towards annual visual inspections on cylinders a stringent system of cyl- on her pressure gauge must think why this should be. I had her. She gave me a wide-eyed look and owned by local residents and were sur- inder inspections applies have been dropping fast dur- checked my pressure gauge on pointed at her regulator. I glanced at prised to often find a few centimetres of and is enforced by dive ing those first few minutes of her descent and it had shown 190 her gauge and saw it was at zero so I water in the bottom of the cylinder. This operators. The maximum dive, but she did not notice. bar. I switched to my octopus, gave her my octopus and we went up was always fresh water, not seawater. length of time between together. We made some enquiries and found that inspections is 12 months, Fuzzy thinking but there was no difference. “I was puzzled as to how a full tank this is fairly common and comes from the so inside the cylinders we Why do dive centres fill cylinders Soon the air became very thin. could become empty so quickly. It was almost universal practice in dive stores were opening, several while they are standing in water? I tried to stay calm and thought definitely no more than ten minutes into around the world of filling scuba cylinders centimetres of fresh water They do it for three reasons: the dive that the incident took place while they are standing in a bucket or a had built up in less than a for a few seconds. Everyone was and there had been no O-ring blow out. trough of water. year. 1. To keep the cylinder cool so going deeper and nobody was I removed the regulator from her tank The fill whips, hoses that are clamped In many places in the they can fill it faster and the air looking at me. By now the air after the dive then turned the valve on onto the valves of scuba cylinders to fill world where people pressure inside will not drop so had completely stopped and I fully. Nothing came out. Some instinct them, sometimes drop into the water dive, including the island much when it cools. (Divers object made me turn the tank upside down trough between cylinder fills. When they nation where Anna’s if they don’t get a “full” tank!) was holding my breath. I knew and, to my surprise, and to the surprise of are then attached to the valve of the dive took place, there something was very wrong. everyone around us, water started flow- next cylinder and the airflow is turned are no regulations gov- 2. As a convenient way to wash ing out of the valve—fresh water!” on, the pressure of the air in the fill whip erning cylinder inspec- salt off the cylinder post dive Then my husband looked around and is higher than the pressure of the air in tion, so it is not impos- saw that I was not following. He came An incredible story? the cylinder and the water droplets are sible that a cylinder 3. To protect the filler from harm if back to me, gave me his regulator and It seems incredible that a standard size driven into the cylinder. could go for many years the cylinder explodes during filling took me up to the surface with him.” scuba cylinder should be so full of water Fill the cylinder several times and the without anyone examin-

54 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO opinion

All three of these No need for a bath? reasons are the It is worth noting here that product of fuzzy not all dive centres that fill thinking. cylinders in water are igno- rant, negligent and unsafe. INTRODUCING 1. Filling the cylinder There are many dive centres in water has very little that do this but fully recog- POSEIDON impact on the cylinder nise the potential issues and temperature, partly take elaborate precautions SE7EN because the water to make sure the fill whips around it gets warmer. no and cylinder valves stay Fast filling still causes plastic dry during the process so the cylinder to get bucket or that water does not get into hot, and it has to be concrete their cylinders. filled to 20 bar or so trough is going to But if the likelihood that a scuba beyond its rated pres- protect the person fill- cylinder will explode during filling sure, so that when it cools, the ing it. Instead, it might is so remote, if a water trough will pressure of the air inside will be just contribute more shrapnel to not protect a filler if it does hap- 200 bar. (The only effective way the explosion. pen, if the water is not really an to stop a cylinder getting too effective way of removing salt or hot while it is being filled is to fill it Having said this, those aluminium reducing the cylinder’s tempera- slowly and from a bank of large cylinders that exploded were ture, and, crucially, if the practice cool high-pressure air cylinders made from a 6351 alloy contain- of wet-filling can lead to an inci- rather than directly from the com- ing lead, and it was the presence dent such as Anna’s, why do it at pressor.) of lead in the alloy that created all? the problems that caused them to Ironic, isn’t it, that, from day 2. Using the fill bucket to wash explode. Since 1988, no aluminium one, divers are constantly told the salt off the cylinder is ineffec- scuba cylinders have been made always to leave some air in their tive as all that happens is that using this alloy or with any alloy cylinder at the end of a dive so the water the cylinder stands containing lead. The vast majority that no water can get in! And becomes a little salty. A quick of scuba cylinders in service today yet... ■ blast with a hose before the cyl- worldwide (including all cylinders inder is taken into the compressor made by Luxfer and Catalina— Simon Pridmore has been part of room does a much better job. the top two manufacturers) are the scuba diving scene in Asia, made from an alloy called 6061. Europe and the USA (well, Guam) 3. Aluminium cylinders have Although during annual inspec- for the past 20 years or so. His exploded during the filling process tions, cracks have occasionally latest book, also called Scuba in the past, and when this hap- been found in 6061 cylinders, Confidential, is available in paper- pened, the consequences have none has exploded—ever! And back and e-Book on Amazon. www.poseidon.com often been fatal. However, an there are hundreds of millions out exploding cylinder is a bomb, and there.

55 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO media Truk Lagoon Dive Truk Lagoon: The Japanese WWII Pacific Shipwrecks, by Rod Macdonald. Everything you wanted to know and more about one of the greatest wreck diving locations in the world, all here in one book. Held in secret and fortified by the Japanese during the 1930s, this hidden lagoon in the central Pacific served as a for- ward anchorage for the Japanese fleet. Around 1944, the U.S. and Allied forces discovered this haven and attacked. Many ships were sunk, which are now grown over with rich marine life. Mostly forgotten since the end of the war in the Pacific, the many underwater treasures of this lagoon came to world-wide attention after Jacques Cousteau filmed several of the wrecks for a television documentary in 1969. Many of the wrecks were untouched since WWII. Today, thousands of divers flock to Truk to see the wrecks for themselves, from Japanese Navy bat- Freediving tleships to U.S. carriers, laden with war cargoes.

Deep, by James Hardcover: 288 pages Nestor. Follow the Publisher: Whittles Publishing author as he jour- Date: 31 July 2014 USS Indianapolis The clearest neys into the world ISBN-10: 1849951314 and most of freediving, ISBN-13: 978-1849951319 Out of the Depths: An Unforgettable strain free inspired by the WWII Story of Survival, Courage, and pair of extreme athletes the Sinking of the USS Indianapolis, sunglasses you in the field and by Edgar USMC Harrell, David Harrell, will ever own or renegade scien- Cenote Adventure Oliver North. The authors delve into a your money back tists investigating tale of one of the worst naval disas- the limits of the Heart of the Maya, by Eric Douglas. The ters in U.S. history. On 30 July 1945, the ● Blocks 100% of UVA/B human body fifth book in the Mike Scott Adventure se- USS Indianapolis, in the South Pacific and UVC as well as all and mind. He ries evolves around the theft of an ancient with 1196 souls aboard and a secret annoying blue-light addresses other Mayan statue as well as a kidnapping cargo of uranium for atomic bombs, secrets of the underwater world, and a murder, leading the story’s protag- was hit by six torpedoes in the mid- ● Fully polarized for ultra little known abilities of marine life, how whales can onist, Mike Scott, on a diving adventure dle of the night. The ship sank and the crisp visuals on the water communicate with each other over huge distances, in the cenotes of the Mayan Riviera. By crew faced five terrible days fend- how sharks can swim straight lines through areas chance he finds out that the death of ing for themselves in open ocean. ● Feather-weight frames of ocean where no light reaches, and how seals a friend 25 years ago was not an acci- Dehydration, exposure, shark attacks made of ultra durable can dive for up to 80 minutes to depths previously dent. To solve this murder mystery, Mike and saltwater poisoning plagued the Grilamid memory plastic thought impossible. He shares his own experience in sets out in pursuit of a missing Mayan crew, many of whom perished by the freediving, as he trains with the pioneers. statue containing the “heart of the time they were miraculously rescued. ● Lifetime replacement Maya” while a deranged drug dealer program covers you against Hardcover: 272 pages murders a friend and sows corruption Hardcover: 192 pages any self inflicted damage of Publisher: Eamon Dolan/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt among the Mayan people. Publisher: Bethany House Publishers any kind Date: 24 June 2014 Date: 6 May 2014 ISBN-10: 0547985525 Paperback: 220 pages ISBN-10: 0764212605 5% of all sales goes ISBN-13: 978-0547985527 Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st ed. ISBN-13: 978-0764212604 to Diveheart Date: 13 May 2014 ISBN-10: 1499544367 www.bendettioptics.com ISBN-13: 978-1499544367

56 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO dive fitness ED.— ALWAYS CONSULT A PHYSICIAN FIRST BEFORE BEGIN- NING ANY EXER- CISE OR FITNESS PROGRAM. Leg Strong Training Legs for Diving

Text and photos courtesy Divers also need to be particularly Body mechanics of Gretchen M. Ashton, aware of balanced leg strength to Most leg exercises train more than CFT, SFT, SFN, NBFE maximize equipment design. The most one muscle group with each move- ideal set of fins will function better ment. Without getting overly com- When exercising the legs with good muscle balance and bio- plicated, a close stance targets the to keep them strong for mechanics of the legs. The focus of outer thigh (abductors), but in the this fitness for diving workout is training same position, simply pressing the scuba diving, it is important the muscles of the legs, for strength, thighs together, as if squeezing a to develop muscle strength, endurance and flexibility to aid in ball between the knees, focuses on endurance and flexibility. proper function of the hip and knee the inner thigh (adductors). A wide The legs must be versatile for joints. stance targets the inner thigh (adduc- tors), yet in the same position, pressing diving activities, which place unique demands on the body. During this leg workout, divers will benefit from imag- ining themselves: safely rising from a seated position under the weight of gear; climb- ing boat ladders; traversing uneven shore terrain; turtling distances on the surface, moving against and across currents; kicking into high gear in an emergency; posi- tioning the body for underwa- ter photography; maintaining overall self-control preventing collisions with reefs and other divers with efficient fin-kick swimming.

FILE PHOTO: PETER SYMES Quad stretch Strong legs come in handy when schlepping gear to and from a dive site

57 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO TOP TO BOTTOM RIGHT: Sissy Squat ending fitness position for beginner, intermediate and Legs advanced

away from the center of the body (quadriceps). The hamstring mus- Leg strength and endurance may not recommended to use exercise against resistance targets the outer cles flex the knee joint so resistance also be developed with many forms cables or jump ropes that stretch, thigh (abductors). Squats target the during flexion of the knee trains of aerobic exercise such as walk- diving weights that contain lead, or front upper thigh while leg exten- the back of the thigh (hamstrings). ing, running, jumping rope, cycling, scuba tanks that lack good hand sions target the front lower thigh These muscles of the upper leg also group exercise classes, dancing, holds. It is also very important to (quadriceps). The quadriceps mus- act on the hip joint. In the lower hiking, swimming and sports activ- hold the rope or strap not just the cles extend the knee joint so resis- leg, the calf muscles assist forward ities. Leg muscle imbalance can handles. tance against extension of the knee movement when walking and fin- affect gait, foot, hip and back joint trains the front of the thigh kick swimming. comfort when performing aerobic Breathing activities possibly leading to injuries, For all of the exercises in this work- pain and interruption of exercise out inhale through the nose before programs. starting the exercise and during the Stretching is important for flexibility downward motion; exhale through and muscle balance. For example, the mouth during the upward tight hamstrings often lead to low motion (during exertion). If addition- back complications and pain, and al breaths are needed during hold tight quadriceps may pull the knee positions, work to keep the rhythm cap (patella) out of alignment. A and timing of the additional breaths few minutes of stretching every in sequence with the exercise. morning will make a noticeable difference in how divers feel and Form move. Stretching is best performed Distribute body weight evenly after a warm-up or a hot shower. throughout the muscles of the lower body and keep the abdominal Location muscles contracted during all exer- The featured exercises are per- cises. formed outside in a local park but with a bit of ingenuity the workout Repetitions can be completed at a fitness facil- Perform as many repetitions of each ity or other indoor location. Some exercise as possible in one minute. gyms have Sissy Squat apparatus Repeat the entire sequence one to that divers can lock their feet into four times. instead of holding a rope or strap. Exercise: Sissy Squat – Close Stance Equipment Wrap a non-stretch rope or strap All that is needed for this workout around a railing, pole or tree as is a good pair of athletic shoes, a shown. With feet in a close stance, strong cotton jump rope or strap, a rise as high as possible onto the dumbbell, and a set of stairs or curb toes. Lean back slightly and use (preferably with a railing). A sturdy the rope to suspend the position. tree trunk works well in lieu of a rail- Sit back into a squat as if reach- ing and a large rock might even do ing for a chair that is just a bit too the trick instead of a dumbbell. It is far behind. Establish a position of

Sissy Squat starting position

58 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Wide Stance Wide Stance Squat starting Squat ending fitness position position Leg Strong

right angles at the knees and position. In the Exercise: Calf Raise hips. Hold this position for 3 to 5 lower position, Finish the workout with calf raises. seconds, return to the starting the knee of Position a single foot with the heel position and repeat. For more the support- off of a step or platform as shown. challenge, continue to lean back ed leg may Press on the toes, contract the and press the hips upward by be over the glutes and raise the heel high squeezing the glutes. Be sure to toes. If there is above the toe to contract the maintain the 90 degree angle at any pressure muscles of the calf. With control, the knees. Progress over a peri- through the lower the heel and repeat. Bend od of weeks from beginner to knee or the the knee of the working leg slight- advanced. knee moves ly, hold a railing if needed for bal- well beyond ance, and pause at the top for the toes, stop a few seconds to maximize the the exercise exercise. ■ and reposi- Exercise: Wide Stance Squat the supported leg and lowering tion the supported foot in a more Gretchen M. Ashton is registered Establish a wide stance as shown. the suspended foot toward the forward position in relation to the with the National Board of Fitness Look down each leg to make ground. Hover for a few seconds body. Make sure to move the Examiners. An advanced diver, sure that the hip, knee and toe in the lower position before con- buttocks out behind the body International Sports Sciences As- are aligned. Hold a dumbbell or tracting the glutes and leg mus- slightly when bending the knee to sociation Elite Trainer, and world other weighted object in front of cles straightening the supported help with proper form. champion athlete, Ashton devel- the hips with elbows slightly bent. leg and returning to the starting oped the ScubaFit program and Sit back and down reaching for the compre- that chair or bench that is too hensive Fit- far behind. Once in the seated Diver program, position, the knee, hip and ankle which includes joints are to be as as close as the first mobile possible to right angles. At the app for scuba bottom of the squat, squeeze the diver fitness. glutes (buttocks) to reverse the Ashton is the direction of the squat. Note: Do co-author not lock out the knees at the top of the PADI of the range of motion. Always ScubaFit Diver look up (never look down) when Distinctive Spe- Step Down starting performing a squat. cialty course. position (above); For more infor- Step Down ending Exercise: Step Down mation, visit: position (right) Stand sideways with one foot Scubafit.com on a step or platform and the other foot suspended at the same height alongside as shown. Hold a railing or carefully bal- ance while bending the knee of

Calf Raise starting position Calf Raise ending position

59 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO marine mammals

Looking for Moby Dick ANDREAS GRUBER

It’s an adventure. You swim like Text by Kurt Amsler. Translation by Azores. Yet the whales are elusive and a champion, trying to be as Peter Symes, edited by Gunild their behavior is nowhere near what Symes. Photos by Kurt Amsler, Fred Herman Melville described in his famous streamlined as possible and novel, “Moby Dick”. Suddenly, a bul- glide effortlessly through the Buyle and Andreas Gruber water. Your heart rate is al- ready at its limits and your For three days now we’ve been cross-crossing the breathing borders on hyper- ocean between the islands ventilation. Your focus is on the Fajal and Pico in the Azores, sperm whale and its blow, in Norberto Diver’s bright which you can see just as you red RIB, for six to seven hours each day. We are joined slide into the water. You are on board by freediving hoping to get the animal in champion Fred Buhle and front of your camera, but it is a photographer Andreas Gru- ber. It’s peak season, the bit of gamble. weather is great and the sea is calm here in the KURT AMSLER Author Kurt Amsler photographing a sperm whale, photographed by freediving icon, Fred Buyle Whale spotter on the lookout for sperm whales

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THIS PAGE: marine Diving with sperm whales mammals in the Azores

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bous head sticks high out of the animal, waiting to see whether First vaguely, then more clearly,CY water. With flippers slapping the the 4m (12ft) long female as it swims, to my astonishmentCMY water, the sperm whale heads sperm whale remains calm in and delight, in a 45 degree anK - straight for us in order to ram us. our presence. Next, he very gle towards me. Crunch time! “Baleya Baleya!” Ahead to carefully closes the distance to Now, it is about not screwing starboard, Norberto cries out. about 100 meters while maneu- up this golden opportunity. He’s both excited and visibly vering into a position a little bit I focus, bring my galloping KURT AMSLER relieved after having searched in front of the whale. breathing under control and for the whales for over three It is now or never: “Go, go!” catch the right moment to hours. What now ensues is a With a last glance at the ani- dive. Not only is going down a carefully choreographed se- mal to fix its position, we slide better camera position, but it quence of maneuvers that has into the water. During this also allows to me to forestall been practiced countless times 100-meter sprint towards the any changes of direction and but still feels tense. The animal whale, every second counts. dive along with the whale. Go- may stay on the surface, but in The angle of the light rays ing vertically down head first is most cases it dives, and you steaming down from the sky the hardest part. If you lose have to start all over. serve as a reference point in or- sight of the animal, it is gone. I perform a superfast last der to stay on course, with our As I level out, I find myself at check of my camera equip- eyes searching ahead into the about 10m, and I start following ment and I am all set. Norberto blue, trying to catch the outline the action through the view- has years of experience in of a whale. We are about to finder. I gently keep triggering dealing with marine mammals find out if we got our hopes up the shutter and seconds turn and knows exactly how to pro- for nothing or whether the into minutes until the whale fi- ceed in order not to scare whales have, as so often be- nally breaks off and dives, with away a whale. At a distance of fore, dived and slipped away no chance for us to follow it. around 150 meters, he throttles out of sight. I am just about to Once I am back at the sur- back and keeps pace with the give up when I finally see him. fuce, I try to catch my breath, Kurt Amsler and Fred Buyle prepare to dive with sperm whales

61 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO mammals Moby Dick

KURT AMSLER Sperm whale family (above); Fred Buyle photographs sperm whale (left) KURT AMSLER and the words of freediving was only a long world’s cul- described exotic cultures in the slightly rounded at the top and champion Fred Buyle comes to time after the tures. style of the racist adventure lit- deeply notched in the middle. mind: “Don’t feel bad, Kurt. They author’s death Moby Dick erature of the day in order to fit The one blowhole is located at always win!” in 1891, when is based on right into the prevailing tone of the upper tip of the head. The the book was Melville’s the establishment. huge head of a sperm whale is Moby Dick well out of print, actual ex- to a large part filled with an oily This novel, which is now a literary that its reputa- perience The sperm whale substance, also called sperma- classic, was a commercial failure tion rose during on a whal- (Physeter macrocephalus or Phy- ceti. It is believed that the head when it was first published in Lon- the 20th cen- ing vessel. seter catodon). Even at birth the also serves as an “acoustic lens” don and New York in 1851. And it tury. The first He de- sperm whale breaks all records focusing sound waves sent out translations into scribed the for toothed whales; A baby during echo location. Emitting German ap- whale in ei- whale can weight over a ton. high-frequency clicking sounds peared in 1927. ther florid But it is their diving capabilities the animals scan the surrounding One of the mythical that really stand out. One speci- environment and are able to im- most distinctive terms or in men which was equipped with age a large area. features of the the lan- sensors and transmitters dove to The sperm whale is found in all book is the vari- guage of a depth of 2,270 meters. The oceans. It is most common in the ety of genres the early bulls can reach a length of 18 tropics and subtropics, but is also that appear. marine bi- meters and a weight of 40 tons. found in colder seas. In 2004, a Melville uses a ologists. As such they are the biggest sperm whale was even spotted wide range of Some pas- predators on the planet. The in the Baltic Sea for the first time. styles and literary devices to sages are written using the old body is stocky and the charac- On average, the males dive blend the complexity of the fas- jargon of the New England teristic bulbous head can ac- deeper than females. The dura- cinating whale, the ethical am- Quakers, others like the preach- count for a third of the total tion of a dive can be from 20 to bivalence of hunting these mag- ing tales of old bible translations. length. The dorsal fin is small and 120 minutes. How it’s possible for nificent creatures, and the in- He moved with ease from the it has short and stubby pectoral sperm whales to hold their KURT AMSLER credibly diverse appreciation of language of a sailor to the dry fins. The tail fluke is shaped like breath for such extended peri- Whale museum in Horta (above); Illustration whales and whaling across the prose of expedition reports. He two equilateral triangles and is ods of time has not yet been fully by A. Burnham Shute from early edition of Heman Melville Moby-Dick by Herman Melville (left inset)

62 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO mammals Moby Dick

KURT AMSLER

Sperm whale underwater; and in illustration from Moby-Dick (left)

than humans do, these waters, but the islands were used enabling them to for provisions and supplementing crews store large sup- with young, brave and energetic men plies of oxygen. from the archipelago. In time, the Sperm whales’ Azoreans took up whaling themselves preferred prey is and established their own whaling sta- squid, and parts of tions along the coast. the fabled giant On the islands, high above sea level, squid has regularly lookouts were established from whence been found in the so-called “Vigias da Baleia” or “look- their stomachs. ing for whales” could be conducted us- Females form ing binoculars overlooking the ocean. social networks These observers were the most impor- with their young tant men in the whaling, because only and live in groups their eyes could direct the whalers to of about 15 to 20 their targets. When a whale was spot- animals. Sexually ted, at first smoke signals were used, lat- explained. It is known that they are able mature males then leave and later form er rockets were shot into the sky until fi- to restrict and slow down their metabo- associations or groups with older males nally radios were used. lism to a minimum while diving, during but travel alone. The whalers were fishermen, craftsmen which time, blood is directed only to- or farmers who dropped what they were wards essential organs such as the Whaling in the Azores doing once a whale was sighted. The heart, brain and spinal cord. Whalers from America and later, Eng- cry “Baleia! Baleia!” signaled the men in In addition, sperm whales have 50 per- land, brought whaling to the Azores. the fields to leave what they were doing cent more hemoglobin in their blood Whaling was not actually performed in and head as fast as possible to the har- FRED BUYLE Kurt Amsler underwater with sperm whale

63 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Display of sperm whale mammals in the whale museum of Moby Dick Horta, which is housed in a former whale fac- tory on Faial Island in the Azores

KURT AMSLER

bor where their boats were con- out at sea. ter-long rope wound out rapidly. stantly ready to sail. If the whale surfaced, the crew This was the most dangerous part Early on, they went out in long had to row over to it as quickly as of the hunt, because if anyone slender rowing boats called possible. The “Arpoador” hurled got snagged by the rope reeling “Canoas” sometimes assisted by the harpoon by hand into the out, he would be pulled under. sails. In the second half of the 20th flanks of the giant. Hit by the har- Many whalers lost their lives in century, motor boats were used poon, the whales would flee, in the hunt. Whole boats could be to power the whaling boats, most cases, by diving deep. In pulled to the depths if the rope which had a crew of up to seven such cases, the up to one kilome- was not cut before the end was

KURT AMSLER reached. could spend days with the ani- squid per day! In 1984, whaling in the Azores mals without being disturbed. In The Azores, which are now my came to an end, making room for Polynesia, I have been freediving second home, is probably the a new lucrative business; nowa- with humpback whales, which best place to get a camera in days, the only hunting done is with bring their young to the warm wa- front of these giants. There are photo and video cameras and ters there. places, Mauritius and Dominica, not with harpoons. Many of the Another unforgettable experi- where the access is much easier, old observation posts are also in ence but the challenge and adventure use again this time by whale Experiencing cannot compare. watching companies taking tour- these giants was “We can only dream Despite being hunt- ists and divers out. Even some of simply huge. Appre- ed to the brink of the old “Vigias” are now back in ciating that hump- about the diving skills extinction by hu- action many years after the ban backs expend their of these whales.” mans, the animals on whaling came into place; they energy reserves dur- show absolutely no now assist the tourists with their ing the long trek ­—Freediving icon aggression when good eyes, which still provide an from the Arctic, I Fred Buyle you are with them important service. cannot let go of the in the water. Catch idea of also diving with these them on a good day, the sperm Freediving with whales creatures in the Arctic. But the whales can also be quite curious I have been so fortunate to dive most impressive of all cetaceans, and try to communicate with their with some of the largest whales of is the sperm whale which “Moby extremely well-developed cogni- the oceans. The first encounter I Dick” once made world-famous! tive abilities—our problem is to fig- had was in 1990 diving with resi- He is the beast of superlatives and ure out how to answer. ■ dent pilot whales. At that time, the largest predator that ever there were virtually no commer- lived on our planet. He can hold For more information, please cial whale watching or snorkelling his breath for two hours, dive to visit Kurt Amsler’s website at: KURT AMSLER tours and no regulations. We 3,000 meters and eats a ton of www.photosub.com THIS PAGE: Holding its breath for two hours, a sperm whale can dive to depths up to 3,000m

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Rewards offered for sighting Yangtze porpoise In a bid to try and save the Yangtze finless porpoise, Chinese authorities are giving people who report an injured or dead finless porpoise a cash reward.

The Yangtze finless porpoise is baiji, or Yangtze River dolphin, but the construction of a dam one of three recognised subspe- that was declared functionally and recent droughts have report- cies and is the world’s only fresh- extinct at the end of 2006. edly reduced its size by nearly 95 Mystery solved: Minke whale cause of bizarre water porpoise. The porpoises Experts say pollution and low percent. stay in shallow waters, up to 50m water levels are harming the Reporting that a Yangtze fin- quacking sound (160ft) deep, close to the shore, in fragile species. It is thought only less porpoise has been injured or waters with soft or sandy seabeds, about 1,000 of these freshwa- is at risk—and helping to save the or in estuaries and mangrove ter animals remain in the wild. animal before officials arrive— For decades, the noise—nick- swamps. Unfortunately, it seems About half the population lives in could be rewarded with 300 yuan named “the bio-duck”—has to now be on a similar path to Poyang Lake, which used to be (US$48, GB£29), the People’s Daily been recorded in the Southern extinction as the now infamous China’s largest freshwater lake, newspaper said. ■ Ocean, but the animal produc- ing it has remained a mystery. The strange sound was first detected by submarines about 50 years Female humpbacks head to shallower waters to ago. Those who heard it were surprised by its quack-like quali- shake off bothersome males ties. The researchers now say they have “conclusive evidence” Scientists believe females could term social bonds between male meant that the mother and her that the bio-duck is produced be choosing shallower waters to and female whales, and the baby had to speed up their swim- by the Antarctic minke whale. avoid unwanted advances from males approach lots of females ming nearly 75 percent. However, In 2013, acoustic recorders were males, save energy and give their in the hope that they will get the as they swam to shallower depths, attached to two of the marine calves a better chance of sur- chance to mate.” the number of males pursuing the mammals and recorded the vival. The findings revealed that fe- mother decreased. Hence, more whales making the strange noise. Lead scientist Dr Alison Craig, males with a newborn calf were often than not, the mothers in the ■ SOURCE: BIOLOGY LETTERS from Edinburgh Napier University frequently chased by one or shallows were found to be alone explained: “There are no long- more males in deeper waters. This with their calves. ■ NOAA Antantartic minke whale

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Edited by Ila France Porcher

Text by Ila France Porcher Photos courtesy of Wolfgang Leander At the almost venerable age of 73, Wolfgang Leander is one of the great pioneers of freediving with sharks, whose writing and photography have made him a legend.

The Art of Wolfgang Leander — Freediving With Sharks

Of German descent and now living in the feeling of flying weightlessly through being at one with nature, and he resist- 1968 in the British Virgin Islands, and just Cochabamba, Bolivia, Leander was fas- the spectacular submarine landscapes, ed scuba diving, and finally refused it, as he targeted a fish, a four-metre shark cinated from early childhood by the sea he honed his skills while exploring and because he thought he would lose that glided by him. He was riveted by the and its occupants. By the time he was fishing. sensation of freedom of motion under sight of it, and replayed the moment a teenager, he was spending his time the weight of the gear and tank. over again and again, trying to keep the spearfishing in the Mediterranean, which Freediving The first time Leander saw a shark enchantment alive. He found the expe- was then a diver’s paradise. Inspired by Freediving gave him the sensation of close-up, he was spearfishing alone in rience so moving that he began to seek Wolfgang Leander

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sharks out, and tried not only to see them, but to interact with them. Caribbean reef sharks were his favourites. He found them to be the most elegantly designed of sharks, and they accompanied him on his lone spearfishing sojourns. He saw them in many situations, and became increasingly famil- iar with them and the other sharks on the reef. He had always had an intuitive sen- sitivity to animals, and know- ing their body language, he learned to move with them in harmony with their moods. He soon perceived that they were intelligent animals, and was awed by their capacities to win out in countless situa- tions that developed in their THI PAGE: Scenes with tiger sharks

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The Australasia-wide perpetual photo and video shootout with close to complex environment. US$100,000 in prizes! Leander was one of the rare individuals who discovered on his own, independently of the rest of human kind, that sharks were nothing like what he had been taught, that they do not behave the way people believe they do, as shark mythology tells us that they do. Once he knew this, he became an avid shark advo- cate and a leader in the effort JOIN THE UNDERWATER SNAPSHOT OF AUSTRALASIA to save these maligned fish from extinction. underwaterproject.org Sharks in art Photographing them regularly, he tried to capture their essence in black and white, and fol- lowed his own instincts as he had always done, to remain faithful to his old Nikonos V camera long after the world went digital. THIS PAGE: Tiger sharks

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Leander's photography is straightfor- tography, and his uncanny sense of The presence of the tiger ward. He describes it as "minimalistic" harmony may be behind his skill in In March, 2007, Leander dove with as he concentrates on what he calls capturing striking images that reflect tiger sharks at Tiger Beach in the the bare essentials in photography in the supernatural beauty he found in Bahamas, and found the underwa- general: composition, composition, the ocean. He says that he has most ter presence of these great sharks composition, with nothing extraneous images in his head before squeezing spellbinding. Their curious and very to distract from the centre of atten- the shutter. slow approaches to gaze at him were tion. With their delicate shadows illumi- unexpected and irresistible. He writes, He is one of the very few under- nated by the white sand, Leander's “I looked into their dark eyes, and I water photographers who works with lighted images enhance the clean immediately felt what the French call available light only, and he does not and graceful silhouettes of sharks in 'le coup de foudre,' love at first sight.” use distorting ultra-wide-angle lenses motion. The black and white medium Leander returned again and again to create special effects. His camera emphasizes the play of light over the to swim and interact with tiger sharks, becomes an extension of his eye, lit- streamlined forms of his subjects while each time marvelling anew at the erally focussed on his subjects, as he his sharp eye captures dramatic com- intelligence he found reflected in their works. positions that highlight their elegance. eyes. Leander sees himself as a purist His works present the most fragile-look- At the same time, he has been a when it comes to diving and pho- ing harmonies of form. passionate, and at times vociferous, THIS PAGE: Various portraits of tiger sharks

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Divers with large tiger shark (right); Hammerhead shark on sandy bottom (far right and below)

Mystic Manta Ray, by Wolfgang Leander (left)

makes eye con- tact with the living shark, will recog- nize that it is not the monster it is portrayed to be. To Leander, no one can meet a tiger shark and fail to be enchanted by his or her beau- ty, peacefulness spokesperson for sharks, assur- phy fishing culture that domi- and intelligence, sensed, rath- ing others that humans are not nates public thinking in many er than seen, in the “dark and on their menu, and that they regions. inquisitive” eyes of the tiger. ■ are intelligent and peaceful He urges all those who fish animals who treat humans for sharks, and those who fear For more information about gently. He regularly denounc- or hate them, to go and meet how Leander crafts his images es their demonization by the them underwater, because he to transmit powerful visual media, their slaughter for shark is convinced that anyone who messages visit: fleander. fin soup, and the shark tro- sees them in their habitat and blogspot.ca

70 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Blacktip reef shark at Sea Life Centre; shark tales Baby black- tip reef shark at Sea Life Centre in Weymouth (lower right)

Flirting sharks at Sea Life Centres hold promise for wild populations Text by Ila France Porcher Marine scientists are hopeful it will nursery tank in Weymouth, Dorset. Photos by Mark Oakley of Sea Life provide a model for future captive Several centres in Britain are expecting Centre and Ila France Porcher breeding programmes. There are about pups soon. The females give birth to up 70 blacktip reef sharks in Sea Life Centres to six live young, and since the species A breeding programme for across Europe, and they are all reaching pursues a complicated social life in the blacktip reef sharks has been reproductive age at the same time. The wild, plans are being made, and ways facilities are preparing to welcome the are being found, to ease the capricious launched at Sea Life Centres in many pups soon to arrive with the best shark mothers-to-be through a successful Britain and Europe, with the goal possible care. birthing. MARK OAKLEY / SEA LIFE CENTRE of restocking wild populations A pup born in Scheveningen, Holland “We have the opportunity to establish them into the wild. Tropical sharks have females and pups at various centres, and fished out for the shark fin is now more than a year old, and three a world-leading captive breeding never been captive-bred before on a make suggestions for the questionnaire. more born in Oberhausen, Germany, programme, but we will need to learn significant scale, but the Sea Life team I was most impressed by the concerned market. two months ago, are thriving in a special a great deal very quickly—we have believes it has a unique opportunity dedication of all staff members involved, suspected pregnancies at several to achieve a breakthrough. A special as well as the radiant health of their centres,” said Sea Life senior curator, blacktip stud-book has been set up to sharks. marine biologist Chris Brown. “The help ensure a strong gene pool. “Blacktips are classed as ‘near pressures on sharks in the wild, mainly threatened’ in the wild,” said Sea Life from shark-finning, could result in captive- Raising sharks curator, Carey Duckhouse. “Though breeding programmes becoming vital With my background observing the still fairly common, some populations, to their survival. Reintroduction could species in the wild, I was invited to Britain like the one Ila studied, have declined soon offer their last hope, in which to discuss the care of the pregnant sharply through over-fishing for the shark case we would like to be able either to provide animals for release, or to be able to advise any specially established breeding centres how to achieve the best results.”

Shark Watchers To help staff at the centres remain up to date on all mating activity, Sea Life is calling on their visitors to help watch for signs of mating behaviour, through a new program named Shark Watch, which has recently received a lot of publicity. Helpful visitors are given a questionnaire and guide to make it as straight forward as possible to report their observations. What is learned in this exciting new program of hands-on research could be critical to successfully raising sharks ILA FRANCE PORCHER in captivity, and later reintroducing

Brighton Sea Life Centre MARK OAKLEY / SEA LIFE CENTRE

71 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Author Ila France shark tales Porcher

fin market. It’s possible that a Shark Watchers from amongst our housing blacktip reef acquisition in Shanghai, is being captive breeding programme visitors,” Carey explained, “and sharks, visitors will arranged. Stranded, injured, sick, Dive the best of for reintroduction could become with Ila’s help have devised a be invited to serve or orphaned seals, dolphins and necessary in the future, in which simple, and we hope fun, survey as Shark Watchers whales found along the shores of North Sulawesi With case everything we learn from our form, to help alert us to courtship throughout the Britain are systematically rescued “Gangga Divers” programme could prove valuable. and mating at the earliest summer. by Sea Life, and housed in one of Gangga - Bangka - Lembeh - Bunaken “As our own displays teams are opportunity, so we can plan If visitors report its specialized hospital facilities. unable to monitor our sharks day- accordingly.” mating activity or see MARK OAKLEY / SEA LIFE CENTRE www.ganggaisland.com long, we are recruiting volunteer At 25 centres across Europe it taking place, it will help enable Oakley explained, the first Sea Breeding Sea Life experts to Life centre opened in 1979 on Breeding endangered sea animals predict the likely the shores of Loch Creran in is another important aspect of birth period and Scotland. It was a new concept, the Sea Life Centres, of which the plan accordingly. the inspiration of John Mace, tropical shark project is one of the The mother could a fish farmer who wanted to latest. Sea Life is also breeding be corralled in a display the sea life off the shores 13 species of endangered rays. special region in the of Britain, for the first time. Visitors Since its inception, Sea Life has main display, where were enthralled by his imaginative tried to play a direct role in she could give birth exhibits, showing local sea life helping sea life of all kinds, and without other sharks in attractive natural settings. its enlightened approach stands preying on her pups, All animals were displayed with as a dramatic example of how or she could be greater room for movement and rescue, rehabilitation, release and placed in private in a larger viewing windows than had education can make aquaria nursery area. ever been done before, and the into important facilities for aiding Decades of shark centre was so popular that within wildlife, as well as displaying it. finning have stripped a year, it was the leading visitor Sea Life’s work provides a ray of these tropical reef attraction on the west coast of hope for the survival of the many sharks from their Scotland. When outdoor pools species of sharks threatened with habitats on coral for rescued seals were added, its extinction. ■ islands throughout popularity grew further. the Pacific, the The marine specialists at Sea Ila France Porcher, author of My Indian Ocean, and Life didn’t consider mammals, Sunset Rendezvous: Crisis in Tahiti, the Middle East. such as seals, dolphins and is an ethologist who focused The exact extent whales, appropriate inhabitants on the study of reef sharks after of the depletion is of an aquarium, and only housed she moved to Tahiti in 1995. Her unknown, but every animals who adjusted easily to life observations, which are the first of time it is studied, the in the spacious exhibits. their kind, have yielded valuable conclusions are more More and more Sea Life Centres details about their lives, including dire. were acquired around the world, their reproductive cycle, social and each time, the mammals biology, population structure, About the centre they had once housed were daily behaviour patterns, roaming As my host and Sea carefully released. Currently, tendencies and cognitive abilities. Life public relations the release of a beluga that Her next book, On the Ethology of ILA FRANCE PORCHER manager, Mark was housed in the latest Sea Life Reef Sharks, will soon be released. Sea Life information poster

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Text and photos courtesy of Gareth Lock At the Rebreather Forum 3 con- ference held in Florida in May 2012, a number of presentations were made which advocated the use of checklists as a means to prevent diving incidents from occurring, or at least reducing the likelihood of occurrence. Consequently, there was a con- sensus opinion made at the end of the conference that checklists should be more actively promot- ed by both the manufacturer and the training agencies and should become the norm. Significantly, there should be overt use by senior members of the diving community in the same way that leading figures in snowboarding and skiing have changed the attitudes over the use of helmets, with the result that it is ‘not cool’ to not wear a helmet. To further Checklists— A Tick in the Box emphasise the endorsement of the use of checklists, at the Checklists aren’t just about diving equipment, but also about the aim of the dive. Make sure the camera is not stuck on Manual Focus before taking the shot! 2014 TEKDive USA held in Miami from 17-18 May 2014, PADI pro- The reason why the presenta- cine and other fields and dis- checklists have improved safety and identity of the drugs being appear to be really obvious situ- vided T-Type CCR checklists for tions and consensus statement ciplines that shows the proper include making sure the limb for administered or making sure the ations which should not need arrived at this position was use of checklists reduces the amputation has been actively correct engine is being shut- an additional level of oversight, all attendees in the delegates’ because there is considerable probability of incidents occur- and correctly identified, posi- down in the event of an aircraft there are a considerable num- bags. evidence from aviation, medi- ring. Simple examples of how tive confirmation of the dose engine fire. Whilst these may ber of documented events

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Checklist where these things had gone September 2008 there was a have been expected to develop wrong because the wrong selec- World Health Organisation study serious complications based on tion or decision was made. to investigate the effectiveness our earlier observation data. But However, just because you of checklists in operating theatres instead just 277 did. Using the LIGHTWEIGHT have a checklist it doesn’t mean and hospitals to reduce the num- checklist had spared more than you won’t prevent incidents from bers of incidents, accidents and 150 people from harm—and 27 of occurring. An oft-quoted line, fatalities; at the them from death,” “In all of the CCR fatality inves- time there were To make [checklists] and, “The rate of tigations I have been involved 150,000 people death was 1.5% CHAMPION in, there wasn’t a single check- dying every year effective, the community before the checklist list present on the diver,” can in hospitals fol- has to create the envi- was introduced and (only 2kg) be countered with, “All of the lowing surgery. declined to 0.8% commercial airliners which have Despite these ronment where their afterward. Inpatient crashed in the last ten years have statistics, there use is the norm and also complications had checklists (hardcopy or elec- was consider- allows divers to be chal- occurred in 11% of tronic) in the cockpit.” able resistance, patients at base- This counter doesn’t mean that especially from lenged if they are not line and in 7% after checklists don’t have their use, the more senior completed properly. introduction of the they do, but to make them effec- doctors, surgeons checklist.” tive, the community has to create and consultants because they did The checklists themselves were the environment where their use not believe they made the mis- really simple but they required an is the norm and also allows divers takes and felt that they should be active element to tick off items to be challenged if they are not trusted to carry on with the status against a list rather than being completed properly. Given the quo. verbally completed from memory. culture in some parts of the com- However, despite the protesta- However, it wasn’t the checklist D9 BREATHABLE munity, this will be a major chal- tions, the trial was run across eight per se that was the most impor- • 4-Layer Breathable Ultra light shell • Flexible TIZIP Master Seal Front zipper • Fabric socks • Quick-Dry • Latex seals • Warm cuffs • SI TECH valves • Telescope Torso • Seam free crotch • lenge. hospitals in eight cities around tant factor in improving the safety Fabric socks • Integrated suspenders • Pre-bent knees • Knee reinforcement • Zipper cover the world. The results were stag- in the surgical theatres, it was The Checklist Manifesto gering. “Overall, in this group of empowering the very junior staff www.waterproof.eu Between October 2007 and nearly 4,000 patients, 435 would to prevent procedures from start-

74 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO opinion As the dive gets more complicated, the Checklists complexity of the checks also increases

being rushed, ‘rent a buddy’ and not being sure what they are expecting, not wanting to question another diver and so on. This situa- tion is made worse when divemas- ters or instructors do not undertake buddy checks either and therefore set a bad example for their charg- es to follow: “my instructor isn’t doing a buddy check, why should I?” Following RF3.0 a number of agencies provided CCR checklists for use on their courses, some of which were small enough to be clipped onto the unit at all time, whereas others were the size of a training slate. Evidence of effectiveness of checklists in diving A recent study by DAN in the summer of 2013 appears to have shown the benefit of completing checklists by conducting a trial where the group was split into a ad control group who could choose to complete formal checklists before they started their dive, and the subject group who were given a checklist to use just before they ing or progressing until the checklist vice to the checks. (Whilst it can’t equipment and therefore there is ance that their equipment is ready entered the water. The checklist items had been completed. reduce this possibility to zero, it seri- considerable skill required to target for use and will provide them with a group had fewer reported inci- This empowerment came from ously reduced the opportunity). checklists and their application. working gas supply and adequate dents than the control group and the most senior management This is the same process used in buoyancy. a number of issues within the hospitals and, in effect, multi-crew flight deck operations Diving checklists However, there is The non-completion were detected which provided ‘top cover’ for the nurses where one pilot reads the check- Many diver training organisations significant evidence would have otherwise and assistants to tell a consultant or list out loud and the other actions provide verbal checklists in their that these checks of checks happens at been missed had the surgeon to not progress, no matter it, confirming that the action has training manuals and try to instill are not completed all levels of diving, checklist not been fol- how much they protested. been completed when they have the habits and cultures to use regularly or effec- lowed. This was a massive change to done so. This process is known as them effectively and regularly. tively. The non-com- from beginners in blue A full analysis is the culture in the operating theatre “challenge and response”. Examples include BWRAF (BCD, pletion of checks water holiday environ- expected to be pub- where it had always been consid- Notwithstanding the above, care Weights, Regulators, Air and Final happens at all levels ments to technical OC lished shortly in the sci- ered that the surgeon or consult- must be taken to ensure that there Check), GUE EDGE (Goal, Unified of diving, from begin- entific literature. Now ant was ‘God’, but now one of the are not checklists for checklists, or team, Equipment, Environment, ners in blue water and CCR divers with this is only one study most junior staff could question this that checklists are appropriate for Decompression, Gases and holiday environments multiple stages. and only involved authority. their intended use. A single check- Exposure) and BAR (Buoyancy, Air to technical OC and one environment so By providing a means by which list cannot cover equipment prepa- and Releases). The idea being that CCR divers with multiple stages. there are likely to be some biases someone else confirms that the ration, pre-dive equipment/con- these are ‘last ditch’ checks com- The reason why they are not involved, but it certainly showed checklist is completed, it ensures figuration checks, in-water emer- pleted just before the diver gets in completed varies from relaxed or the merit of using checklists. that someone doesn’t pay lip ser- gencies, or post-dive dismantling of the water and provide some assur- complacent attitudes to checks, Another example was the Guam

75 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Checks can ensure that the correct equipment is car- ried on the dive By creating the ‘normal’ Checklists opinion situation such that the Application to divers are empowered to shame or disa- the correct social or cultural envi- the real world greement when ronment, you can also say you So how do we make stop someone going div- someone asks for are not getting in the water until checklists work in a ing with them if the gas the checks to be your buddy’s gas has been ana- sport or recreational isn’t analysed, we have demonstrated. lysed correctly—after all, it is your environment when Just because you gas too in the event of an emer- you don’t have created a check that are a divemaster gency. the same level of can be ‘challenged and or an instructor, I have personally not gone div- empowerment given it does not mean ing with a very close buddy of to you by someone responded to’. you won’t make mine until they have analysed the senior? Even more a mistake. gas. I have also been two minutes challenging, when you are just One of the processes described from jumping off the boat and diving with a buddy or friend and through all dive training covering realised that the stage cylinder not in a commercial environment nitrox or trimix is that all gas must hadn’t been analysed that day with a formal hierarchical struc- be analysed to measure the oxy- even though the regulator had ture. gen content before getting in the not been removed. I could have You achieve it by creating water to reduce the probability of jumped in and hoped it was the norm that checks are done, having an oxygen toxicity event. okay, but hope has no place in and if they are not, questions are The analysis should be done on diving especially when all it takes asked between buddies or team the day of the dive to ensure that is the time to unscrew the DIN, divers. This goes for instructors and there hasn’t been a mix-up with put the analyser on, open the divemasters; there should be no bottles or regulators. If you have valve, read the display, put the

Project, which ran for five years hours of in-water time. This was the GUE divers had completed and completed 9360 hours of down to following robust pre-dive nearly 900 hours in water and in-water CCR diving with a small checklists and procedures. never had one in-water failure team of divers operating two A final example is the GUE despite a number of failures being Mk15 CCR units. Although there CCR Beta programme which has detected on the surface, either were a number of unit failures involved 50 instructors, instructor- during the assembly period or the and problems detected on the trainers and experienced OC pre-breathe. Again, these were surface, they never had one in- and pSCR divers developing the all detected by rigidly following a water failure of their CCR units course material for the new GUE checklist. despite the massive number of CCR Level 1 programme. In all, Failures normally follow a predefined process—a process which can be reinforced through checklist use

76 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Really. There are no Dive Police out there! opinion Checklists

small plastic checklists that can has a series of actions to be completed be clipped onto the unit or har- with initial blocks next to each one ness by a bolt-snap so that it action to show that it has been complet- is available to the diver at all ed once signed, on the other could be times. However, there are exam- developed. This sticker is then attached ples of these checks not being to the unit or cylinders pre-dive in the completed because the diver same way that a gas analysis sticker is. has been rushed or has had Completing such a checklist has the inferred peer pressure to com- secondary effect of slowing down the plete the task more quickly. It checks which means divers need to be takes an alert buddy to make a little more prepared (which is no bad sure these checks are completed thing) but in some cases, e.g. hard-boat by watching them complete the diving where it takes a few hours to travel check; sometimes this is impos- to the dive site, it may not be possible to sible because they are on the write on the sticker (but graphite pencils other side of the boat facing the should work). other way! By initialling and signing the sticker Whilst the majority of agencies in the relevant sections, another team now teach team-diving in-water, member can quickly and easily check only a small number actively to be sure that their team member has promote and completed their own teach pre-dive, Some of the agencies have pro- checks correctly and in-water and that the unit is in a post-dive team duced small plastic checklists safe condition to dive. diving practises. that can be clipped onto the In the same way that This pre-dive a diver can stop the team approach unit or harness by a bolt-snap dive because there includes equip- so that it is available to the is no completed and ment configu- diver at all times. However, signed gas analysis ration demon- tape, they can do stration, access there are examples of these the same for the CCR to emergency checks not being completed pre-dive checklist. equipment No completed and and gas analy- because the diver has been signed checklist, no reg back on. So that is what I did. The Same ocean diving is not an unknown checklist can cover everything otherwise sis markings which are rushed or has had inferred dive. Simple. gas was correct. I also had a word with configuration. it becomes to unwieldy and will not be checked by team This approach is the my buddy about not checking my gas used. mates prior to entering peer pressure to complete the same as that used in analysis! Checklists: What are they? What we need to do is create a simple the water. If pre-dive task more quickly. surgical theatres; if By creating the ‘normal’ situation such The following section deals primarily with pre-dive checklist which ensures that ALL checks can be com- the checklist has not that the divers are empowered to stop CCR checklists because of the number of the basic life support capabilities are pleted in a challenge and response been completed then the procedure someone going diving with them if the of steps required to assemble and pre- working in the CCR unit and that there is manner with verbal responses or dem- doesn’t progress. The difficulty will be gas isn’t analysed, we have created dive check the units, but the basic prem- nothing likely to be lying dormant in the onstrated actions, why not consider the creating the environment whereby divers a check that can be ‘challenged and ise is the same and could or should be system that will impact the diver later in same process when looking at detailed are happy to be challenged by their responded to’. So why not create a simi- applied to OC. the dive. We also need to ensure that checklists such as those found in CCR team mate or buddy when they are not lar process for checklist use, especially There are a number of options avail- the other team members can see that diving? necessarily close friends or even know CCR where there is a much greater risk of able to divers when it comes to checklists the diver has undertaken and completed A potential approach could be the each other; this is because there is no missing something due to the complex- and their CCR units: build checklists, final the checklist, in the same way that a same as gas analysis tape which shows ‘norm’ at the moment. ity of the equipment compared to OC? pre-dive checklists, emergency check- properly completed gas analysis sticker when the analysis took place, the actual Whilst it could be argued that less scru- Maybe because there isn’t the same lists and post-dive breakdown checklists. shows that the gas has been analysed gas analysis and the initials of the person pulous divers could race through and level of dependency or reliance on other Each checklist has a differing level of correctly and is current. who undertook the analysis. A checklist scribble their initials to appear to get divers when undertaking CCR diving? detail within the tasks at hand; no one Some of the agencies have produced which is self adhesive on one side, and the checks done more quickly, there is

77 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Overhead diving introduces additional challenges which means checks are more opinion important Checklists CCR divers on a training course (below). A training course is the best place to develop and reinforce the mindset of checklists

an expected level of trust and to check their checklist sticker for the system to go diving if the sys- professionalism from divers who them, the use of a checklist will tem is not reliable. undertake dives where CCR reduce the number of pre-dive Another criticism likely to be lev- is required and therefore this issues if it is used properly. elled at such a procedure is that shouldn’t be much of an issue. It The more technical solution it is taking away personal respon- should also be recognised that it to this is to include the check- sibility and that divers should be will take nearly as much effort to list as part of the electronics in able to do everything themselves. ‘fake’ the checklist as it does to the system, e.g. Poseidon Mk In part, this is correct, but pilots undertake the activity properly VI and SE7EN, VR Sentinel and are trained to undertake emer- so why not do it properly the first Hollis Explorer, which would pre- gencies from memory and then time?! This responsibility towards vent the unit from working (apart follow up with checks because your teammate or buddy should from immediate life support) if a they may have missed something. be part of the mentality that checklist has not be completed. Why not CCR checklists? goes with team-diving—working A criticism of some of these sys- together for a safe outcome, not tems is the lack of reliability, which Application of checklists same ocean diving. means the checklist system pre- to the recreational diving This suggestion may not be vents the diver from diving due community acceptable to those divers who to a genuine system failure. Whilst The majority of this article has undertake solo dives, but even this is a good thing as it fails safe, been about the use of formal, it, introducing humour if need be. this isn’t about the Dive Police, surgeons thought they didn’t if they don’t have someone else it can lead to divers shortcutting predominately written, check- The hard part is if they refuse to but rather about demonstrating make a mistake before checklists lists in technical diving. do the check. My bigger concern sound practices. were introduced? They are pro- However, the most pre- wouldn’t be that they don’t want Unfortunately human nature fessionally trained and undertake dominate type of diving to do a check, it would be more means that we are more likely to these activities more regularly is recreational, normally about what their attitude is to the copy someone’s activities rather than you go diving and they still considered to be diving rest of diving safety. than listen to what they say and make mistakes. undertaken with no deco, follow that, especially if that per- Therefore whilst there is cred- single cylinder and shal- Summary son is someone we look up to. ible evidence that checklists can lower than 40m. Whilst it is fantastic that all of the There is limited value in hav- prevent a significant number of So how do we apply the agencies and the CCR manufac- ing a checklist to complete an incidents from starting, develop- same methodology and turers have provided checklists activity if there is no way to make ing and reaching fruition, the mindset to recreational for users, with the majority of unit sure the checklist is actually com- checklists themselves need to be diving? Easy. Just com- checklists downloadable from pleted e.g. verbal checks without properly used to be effective. ■ plete the checklists, albeit http://www.tdisdi.com/rebreath- independent monitoring. There is verbal ones, that have er-checklist/, providing checklists just too much scope for human Gareth Lock is an accomplished been taught in recreation- isn’t enough. There needs to be a variable performance to intro- technical diver based in the al diving courses. They are change in attitude to their intro- duce errors, errors which may cost United Kingdom. Currently serv- simple and easy to remem- duction and usage. a diver his or her life. ing in the Royal Air Force, Lock ber, they just need to be This runs from the first dives The irony is that divers don’t is undertaking a part-time PhD completed. when the OW instructor or dive- believe they make enough examining the role of human If your buddy, team master completes their BAR or mistakes to warrant the use of factors in scuba diving incidents. member or instructor BWRAF checks, even when no a checklist, but how many of For more information, visit the doesn’t do a check, students are watching, through those errors or mistakes would Cognitas Incident Research & prompt them and say that to instructors and instructor train- have been picked up by using a Management website at: you would like to complete ers when undertaking fun dives; checklist? Just think, how many Cognitasresearch.wordpress.com

78 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Diver with large school of fish (right), Cebu, Philippines; Diver on coral outcrop Underwater photo & (below), Eastern video Sea, Korea Modeling Tips

KI JOON KIM

“What do you have to Text by Lyn Boyun Chung Attitudes needed to change. do?” It is the first question Photos by Sang Hak Choi, I wanted to improve conditions Ki Joon Kim, Jeong Kweon and see what women divers asked by most people in scuba gear could do to when it comes to under- Park, Oh Yong Sung, Ju Won, Chung Hong Yang improve underwater images. So water modeling. As an I established a school for under- underwater model, my Fifteen years ago in my country, water modeling in Korea to give underwater modeling was done women divers new skills and answer is always the primarily by fashion models or professional opportunities in the same: “I have to blend female divers in swimsuits. Often diving industry. myself with the underwa- they were treated less than In the beginning, there were ter environment to further professionally, usually not paid, complaints about paying and in some cases, expected underwater models. However, enhance its beauty.” to provide sexual favors—and since then, there has been a the resulting images were not as gradual change in the under- good as they could have been. standing and appreciation of CHUNG HONG YANG

JU WON Diver on reef, Jeju Island, Korea 79 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO photo & Modeling video

how models who are scuba divers can optimize an underwater image. They have become recognized as professionals and equals in the field and have even been given an award category at national under- water photography competitions for the past three years.

The technique Underwater modeling can be divided into two major areas. The first is scuba

JU WON real from the camera’s point of view. When skin diving, the model’s primary objective is to blend in and project the aesthetics of her form into the water. The model becomes one with the underwater environment while enhancing it with the beauty of her form. Silhouette modeling is the most basic scuba diving modeling. Understand the camera and the lens When planning the silhouette scene, it is essential that you and the photog- rapher work as one. To properly assist, the model has to understand how the photographer will take a photo and has to be able to visualize the framing that the photographer is planning. The model has to know what cam- era is being used, the focal length of the lens, and what aperture will be selected. Cameras can be divided into two major types: those with full or cropped sensors. Depending on the JEONG KWEON PARK sensor, it will affect the position the diving and the other is skin diving. model will take in the framing. When scuba diving, the model’s pri- If you don’t understand the camera JU WON mary objective is to make the subject and think that just posing will work, Diver and giant jellyfish (above), Eastern Sea, Korea; Diver and coral garden (top left), Jeju

of the photo appear beautiful and you’re not correct. With a cropped SANG HAK CHOI Island, Korea; Diver and soft corals (left), Raja Ampat, Indonesia; Diver with whip coral (far left)

80 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Diver on reef (right) and in silhouette under the Diver with white-plumed sun (below) Raja Ampat, anemone, Eastern Sea, Korea photo & Indonesia Modeling

video the best position for the pho- tographer to take one shot in silver the shortest time possible. The position of the model also depends on the lens. Most are within the 10 to 16mm focal range. Depending on the angle of view and the characteristics of the lens, it is recommended that a photograph of the model be taken before the dive. This preliminary image helps to identify and ana- lyze the particularities of the selected lens and options. In addition, another photo- graph should be taken after the underwater housing has been set in place. The image will identify any distortions or angle inflexions the framing will have in the final setup. Fill empty space with the figure of the model In silhouette poses, it’s not pos-

cinema of dreams

OH YONG SUNG sible to see the details your equipment. Lines, hoses, of the model’s face or gauges, and other extremi- the color of the suit. ties should be secured to your However, the model’s side and not freely moving figure can be clearly about. Your body position is and precisely seen— critical. You can spread your every single curve! arms. However, if you do feel Therefore, if you pose confident with the natural with a relaxed and expression, place your arms comfortable posture, together neatly in front of your as you would do dur- chest. Always keep your thighs

JU WON ing a normal dive, it together! From the knee to will be very difficult to the calf, you have to bend sensor, the model will be too close, yourself. However, you’re wasting project a very simple slightly to give the impression www.seacam.com filling the frame. With a full sensor, valuable time and not perform- and beautiful figure. that wearing your fins is very the model will be too small in the ing as a professional underwater To achieve the natural. Also, you can have frame. Of course the photographer model. The objective of a profes- desired pose, you one leg straight and the other can signal to you how to position sional underwater model is to be in need to simplify slightly bent, while keeping OH YONG SUNG

81 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Diver (right) and soft coral, Raja Ampat, Indonesia; Diver (lower right) Modeling photo & with octopus, Eastern Sea, Korea; video Diver (below) with coral encrusted wreck remains, Eastern Sea, Korea

SANG HAK CHOI your toes pointed to straighten Use an underwater lamp position is too low, it may cap- your fins. Again, always keep your or torch ture mostly the waist and hipline. thighs together! In the silhouette Preparation of the underwater Hence, it is best to hold the torch pose, you will appear very natural lamp or torch is essential. When right below your chest. swimming with fins. you choose a torch, it should not The direction of the light is impor- Another position is to keep your be too big or too bright—just ade- tant, too. If illuminating directly into legs straight in a standing position. quate. It should cast a wide beam. the lens, the light will be reflected Although the pose lacks action, This type of torch will make things and become too strong, bury- it can be used to emphasize the easier and more visible. Having red ing the upper body with light. The subject or scene underneath the or yellow color filters will bring out direction of the light should be model. the originality of the photo. slightly tilted downward. As a side note, the model should Additionally, the position in which twist her waist a little to make her the torch is held is important. If the Express yourself freely hips stand out. In this posture it is an position is too high, it may mostly as if you were dancing advantage if the model is female. capture the whole face. If the How you’re filling the empty space

JU WON JEONG KWEON PARK

82 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Diver and bright pink coral (right), Eastern Sea, Korea; Diver with sea fans Modeling photo & (far right), Raja video Ampat, Indonesia

is the model’s role in creating the photograph. Once the dis- tance from the lens and the location of the empty space is understood, your movement within it should be very free and fluid with the subject. You can pose in the same direction as the subject or pose in the oppo- site direction, JU WON creating a very dynamic shot. You can turn off designer, Lyn Boyun Chung is the torch and naturally widen your an avid diver, dive instructor hand movements to emphasize a and underwater photographer feminine look. What is important is based in Korea. She ran her own how well you want your pose to fit dive shop for 11 years and par- within the color and shape of the ticipated in several underwater other subjects in the angle of the photography competitions. At frame. the time, she saw a need for Although silhouette modeling professional models and estab- is the most basic of underwater lished the Korea Underwater photography, appearing easy, it Model School in 2001. Since is how you express yourself that affects the beauty of the final shot. Women, especially, have beautiful figures. As a female diver, you can express your fig- ure. If you are a female diver who SANG HAK CHOI loves the ocean, I highly recom- mend that you to try modeling then many photographers Korea the opportunity to become and feel what it is like to make the have won grand prizes for their professionals working in the dive underwater environment more underwater images incorporat- industry. To that end, she aims one beautiful. ■ ing her as a model, and she day to establish a women’s scuba has built the school up to ten diving association in Korea. For Coming from an artistic back- professional members, hoping more information, email: ground as a ceramicist and to give more women divers in [email protected] SANG HAK CHOI Diver and coral reef, Raja Ampat, Indonesia Author and model Lyn Boyun Chung

83 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO photo & video

Edited by PRODUCT SHOTS Don Silcock COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURERS

Nauticam NA-D4s Housing

Nauticam has announced the release of their new hous- ing for the Nikon D4s top of the range DSLR. The release of the new housing coincides with Nauticam’s new Nikon Flash Trigger that enables strobes to be triggered manually via fiber optic with the D4s, which does not have a pop-up flash. The NA-D4s housing is fitted with the necessary electronics for the Nauticam vacuum sys- tem and also features improved focus knobs with a higher gear ratio. The housing is available in two versions—one with two Nikonos bulkheads at MSRP of US$5,100 or without the bulkheads at MSRP of $5,000. The Nikon Flash Trigger has a MSRP of $220. ■

a-boxes mer Ca BS-K Subal E-M1 Housing from inetics ng The Austrian housing manufacturer Subal has released a new e dli BS Kinetics GmbH rg an housing for the highly regarded Olympus OM-D E-M1 mirrorless on sy h Großweierer Straße 70 omic and ea 77855 Achern camera. Subal’s entry into the mirrorless housing market is a Germany Fon: +49 7841 668437 significant development, as it provides further evidence of the less an tain d UV growth of these small but highly functional cameras with under- s -re sist water photographers. The E-M1 is the flagship of the Olympus ant small ht, , s to 8 range and considered one of the best mirrorless cameras avail- ig tr d up 0 m l on ize able, and Subal clearly sees it as worthy of their support with g & pressur a premium housing. The Subal EM1 housing provides access for n amera – early of c to all of the key functions of the camera such as video, menu, each type white balance, ISO, exposure compensation, OK, multi func- ter photog wa rap tion keys, Info, AFL and AEL. The housing is manufactured from er hy a solid block of high grade seawater resistant aluminum, which nd u is then anodized and put through a patented chemical harden- & e ing process, before a final three layer powder-coating. All control r

b shafts and screws are made from high-alloy chrome-nickel steel i f

to maximize their durability and the housing features Subal’s Quick n

o

Lock closure system and uses the new T2 port system. The housing b r

is available at a MSRP of US$3,150. ■ a c

m .co www.bskinetics

84 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO photo & Sony

video Sony has released the latest itera- tion of their top of the range RX100 compact cam- era. The new RX100 III is the Aditech third iteration of the highly Mangrove regarded and successful RX Video Light series, which has also proved to be very popular with underwater photographers. An Aditech has announced the release of their indication of just how popular the RX100 has been is that the first new Mangrove VC-3L6 video light. The new light and second iterations of it are still available, at a lower MSRP features a 6750 lumen output at a color temper- to the RX100 III. The new version has a large aperture F1.8-2.8, ature of 5000°K and is powered by interchange- 24-70mm Zeiss lens, built in OLED viewfinder and Sony’s BIONZ X able Li Ion batteries. Aditech state that the light processor, which is featured in several high-end Sony cameras will run for 55 minutes at full power. The Mangrove such as the full-frame α7, α7R and α7S models. The camera VC-3L6 is available at a MSRP of US$718. ■ uses the same high-resolution 20.1 MP BSI CMOS sensor as the existing RX100II model, but adds 5 axis image stabilization. The RX100 III retails at a MSRP of around US$800. ■

Nauticam NA-a6000 Housing Nauticam has released its new hous- ing for the Sony a6000 mirror- less camera. The NA-a6000 housing is designed for Sea Dragon 1200 Lumen Light one-handed control of with Micro Tray, perfect for compact cameras like GoPro® both the Sony a6000 camera’s command dials plus the option of rear button AF Sea Dragon actuation. The 2000 Lumen Light shown with SeaLife housing also has DC1400, includes a redesigned and new Flex-Connnect tray and grip colored record but- ton to activate the a6000’s video capa- Powerful new lights for bility. The NA-a6000 dive, video or photo. Light for has a MSRP of any camera, any dive, any adventure. US$1,650. ■

sealife-cameras.com facebook.com/SeaLifeCameras

85 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO photo & video

Environment Category: First Place, Alvaro Velloso (left); Second Place, Ulisses Turati (above); Third Place, Alexandre Ornellas (right)

Salvador hosts the Brazilian National Underwater Photography Competition Text by Áthila Bertoncini Similar to the other fascinating and Maíra Borgonha localities that have hosted previ- ous national photo competitions For the very first time, Salvador, such as Fernando de Noronha the Brazilian capital of axé music Island and the cities of Vitória, (samba-reggae) and Trio Elétrio, Cabo Frio and Arraial do Cabo, the dives in Salvador provided was elected to host the coun- rich opportunities to photogra- try’s largest underwater photog- phers from all over Brazil to bril- raphy competition. On March liantly capture its gorgeous diver- 26-30, 36 participants—pho- sity of life, highlighting the impor- tographers, models and assis- tance of preserving this marine heritage. tants—dived the waters known Besides the rich diversity found as the “Brazilian Caribbean”, in Salvador waters, the choice of searching for the best shots to Salvador as the host city of the please ten jurors representing Brazilian Underwater Photography Competition represented a great chal- follow the tide dynamics, which resulted five nationalities. lenge, as all the dives needed to strictly in a variation of visibility quality as well as The First Rogério Rupollo Prize of Underwater Photography went to author Áthila Bertoncini

86 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Environment With Model Category: First Place, Alvaro Velloso (right); Second Place, Marcelo Prim (below); Third photo & Place, Fabio Freitas (bottom left)

video Close-Up Categroy: First Place, Carlos Montechi (far right); Sec- ond Place, Marcelo Prim (center right); Third Place, Fabio Freitas (bottom right)

mal, showed up at the beach for The shipwrecks and shore dives the photographers who woke up provided unique opportunities to early. Unfortunately it did not show photographers resulting in high up during the competition days, quality images, which can be which were slated for innovations observed in their portfolios and the of the competition, such as apnea medalists’ images. images. Besides Porto da Barra, two About the competition shipwrecks served as competi- The Brazilian Competition follows tion areas, accessed by boat the CMAS Underwater Photography with Sharkdive and Bahia Scuba World Championship rules, while it showcases Brazilian representatives. marine fauna. During the competition, each Salvador is known for great dive photographer is requested to sites, such as the Cavo Artemidi present five images as follows: shipwreck, and the shallow reefs Environment, Environment With of Baía de Todos os Santos, par- Model, Close-Up, Close-Up With a ticularly rich in coral cover. The Theme (which was the color blue) diving site of Porto da Barra served and Fish. as the headquarters of the event. Unique to the 2014 competi- The place offered calm waters for tion, a special prize was created— training dives, where it was just 20 the First Rogério Rupollo Prize of paces to the beach from the Dive Underwater Photography. This prize Bahia dive center, crossing a short consisted of an image, obtained avenue. during the competition days and Located next to two of the city’s selected by each photographer, postcard spots—Farol da Barra (or to be printed, exhibited and voted Santo Antônio Lighthouse) and on by photographers, models and Forte de Santa Maria, a white colo- assistants, during the night of the nial fort built from 1614 on—Porto prize ceremony. da Barra is blessed with some of This prize was a tribute to the Brazil’s most dramatic, gorgeous memory of Rogério Rupollo, a great scenery at its urban beach, with the competition when an easy- dive centers. The Germânia and friend, passionate underwater pho- amazing sunsets. going peixe-boi (or manatee, Bretagne shipwrecks sank close tographer and marine life enthusi- The greatest surprise at Porto da Trichechus manatus), the most to each other in 1876 and 1903, ast who passed away last year. His Barra occurred two days before endangered Brazilian marine mam- respectively. wife, Denise Glaser Rupollo, daugh-

87 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Close-Up With Theme (Blue) Category: First Place, Carlos Montechi (far left); Second Place, photo & Álvaro Velloso (left); Third Place, Fernando Clark video (lower left) Fish Category: First Place, Ulisses Turati (right); Sec- ond Place, Edson Acioli (lower right); Third Place, Marcelo Prim (below)

on technical matters as well as opportunities to meet old friends and make new ones. The complete ranking and portfolios can be viewed at the Brazilian National Confederation of Underwater Photography and Video website at: www.ima- gemsub.com.br Acknowledgements The Brazilian Underwater Photography Competition 2014 was promoted by

The Rogério Rupollo Prize Áthila Bertoncini

The grand winner in Salvador 2014 was Alvaro Velloso, with his model, Carlos Saade. They will compose the Brazilian team with the 2013 winners (Áthila Bertoncini and his underwater model, Maíra many people Mergulho Ocean; the environmental Borgonha) to run the 15th CMAS who believed projects Meros do Brasil, Coral Vivo and Underwater Photography World in the project Garoupa; Andrômeda T-shirts; Etiquetando ter Mel Rupollo Calixto, and First Place: Álvaro Velloso Championship in the Netherlands and dedicated do seu jeito; Revistas Mergulho and grandson, little Jorge, were at the Second Place: Ulisses Turati during May 2015 (www.nether- their precious DiveMag; Clínica de Olhos Dr Waldemar ceremony to receive the pho- Third Place: Marcelo Prim lands2015.com). Now it is time to time to orga- Oliveira; and to Pleuston & Neuston Photo. tographers’ tribute and hand the start training for cold water dives. nize this suc- special prize to the winner. Below Close-Up Category Netherlands, here we come! cessful event. Oceanographers Áthila Bertoncini and are the winners lists. (and Close-Up With a Theme) Following tradition the Brazilian Thanks go to Maíra Borgonha work on conservation First Place: Carlos Montechi Underwater Photo-graphy FUNDIVE; projects in Brazil such as Projeto Meros do Best of show Second Place: Álvaro Velloso Competition 2014 turned out to Sharkdive, Brasil and Projeto Ilhas do Rio. Among their First Place: Álvaro Velloso Third Place: Fábio Freitas be an opportunity to meet some Bahia Scuba research tools are local ecological knowl- Second Place: Carlos Montechi big names in Brazilian diving and Dive Bahia; edge, scientific diving and underwater Third Place: Ulisses Turati Fish Category and underwater photography. Grande Hotel photography. Email: [email protected] First Place: Ulisses Turati This celebration of underwater da Barra; and [email protected]. Or visit: Environment Category Second Place: Edson Acioli images traditionally promotes Scuba Lab; www.athilapeixe.com (and Environment With Model) Third Place: Marcelo Prim moments of learning, exchanges Centro de

88 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Marionette Taboniar

PORTFOLIO

89 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Humuhumu 4 (right) and Humuhumu 3 (previous page) by Marionette Taboniar Taboniar portfolio Reverse acrylics on plexiglass, 12 x12 inches. Humuhumu is short for Painting on plexiglass, the self-taught American artist humuhumunukunu Marionette Taboniar creates liquid worlds of tropical fish life -kuapua’a which is the Hawaiian State fish. It and colorful reef scenes. X-RAY MAG interviewed the Michi- translates to “fish with gan native who now lives and teaches at her studio on Kauai. a nose like a pig”

Edited by Gunild Symes workshops, reading books, my biochemistry degree from Photos courtesy of and lots of practice. I studied the University of Michigan. After Marionette Tabonair pastel portrait painting with my I graduated, I worked for a neighbor when I was about 12 chemical company for 14 years X-RAY MAG: Tell us about your years old back in Michigan. That while doing my art part time. In background. How did you was really my first introduction 1992 I took my first vacation to become an artist, and how to professional art and art the island of Kauai, Hawaii, and did you develope your artistic materials. Before that, I was knew I would move there some method or process? always drawing and painting day to pursue my art career full with markers, crayons and poster time. I just fell in love with the MT: I am mainly a self-taught paint. I took a few classes in art bright and bold tropical colors of artist, learning mostly through as electives while I was getting the island both above and below

Humuhumu 5, by Marionette Taboniar. Reverse acrylics on plexiglass, 12 x12 inches

90 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO portfolio Taboniar vision here as well as bright and X-RAY MAG: What about the sea of Kauai, you are only moments warm sunlight. All of these things and its creatures inspires you? away from its beautiful and contribute to the bold, tropical breathtaking seascapes. I love colors seen in the landscapes, MT: I love the fact that I am to park by the ocean and just foliage and sea life of Kauai. surrounded by the ocean. watch the waves. You can Anywhere you go on the island sometimes see a turtle or tropical

Humuhumu 6, by Marionette Taboniar. Reverse acrylics on plexiglass, 12 x12 inches

the water. In 1999 I opened a Paradise in the town of Waimea, X-RAY MAG: What is your artistic small studio in Michigan where Kauai, on the island’s sunny west mission or vision? I was more of a weekend artist side. I create my art there as well while I was still working at my day as teach watercolors, acrylics, MT: With my art, I aim to capture job. This gave me the opportunity pastels, silk painting, encaustics, the bright and beautiful colors to discover that I loved to teach Chinese brush painting, mixed of Kauai. Being in the middle of art, and then I put my plan into media and more. Through the ocean, the air is so clean action to move to Kauai to teach teaching almost every day, I here which makes the sky a art full time. I made the move in have been able to develop my really amazing shade of blue. 2004 and haven’t looked back. artistic process over these last ten Due to the daily trade wind I now own and operate Painting years, and it has been a blast. showers, rainbows are a frequent

Hawaiian Tropical Fish 3, by Marionette Taboniar. Reverse acrylics on plexiglass, 12 x12 inches

91 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO portfolio Taboniar

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:: Honu, Honu 4, Honu 2, Honu 6, Honu 3, by Marionette Taboniar. Reverse acrylics on plexiglass, 12 x12 inches. Honu means sea turtle in the Hawaiian language

fish riding inside the wave itself. In you can jump into the ocean with the winter months, the enormous your snorkel gear, look down into humpback whales come to mate the water and see lots of colorful and give birth in the warm waters tropical fish, turtles and dolphins. It of Hawaii. I never tire of seeing is a truly amazing experience and these amazing creatures jump out it’s so easy. of the water as they breach. I can sit and watch them for hours. X-RAY MAG: What are your favorite dive sites, underwater subjects, X-RAY MAG: Tell us about your locations? experience in the underwater world, scuba diving or snorkling. MT: On Kauai the best places to snorkel on the north shore MT: I first learned to snorkel as a are Tunnels Beach, where there tourist on my many trips to the are actual lava tubes under the Hawaiian Islands before I moved water, and Ke’e Beach, which here. On almost any boat trip, is protected by a reef, making they will stop the catamaran and it a wonderful place to snorkel

92 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO portfolio Taboniar

and safely swim in the summer see lots of turtles, and the rare X-RAY MAG: How are your months. On the south shore, I like Hawaiian monk seal will make paintings made? to snorkel at Lawai Beach, which an appearance there now and is a small beach just steps away then. MT: In my recent series of from a very nice reef. There I can underwater paintings, I use a

Hawaiian Tropical Fish 4, by Marionette Taboniar. Reverse acrylics on plexiglass, 12 x12 inches

painting method called reverse actually quite easy once you the painting, you are actually acrylic painting on plexiglass. It’s know the process. After the first looking through the plexiglass at exactly what it sounds like. I paint layer is painted, I often come the subject. To me it reminds me with acrylics on the back of a back with a scratching tool to of looking through the glass of an piece of plexiglass. Because I’m scratch in more detail and then aquarium. painting on the back surface, fill that in with more paint. When the details have to be painted I am almost finished, I actually X-RAY MAG: Do you use first, then you work towards paint the ocean by finger underwater photography in your the background. That’s why painting. I love the feel and creative process and how is it it’s called “reverse” painting. It effect of swirling around the paint incorporated in the art work? sounds very challenging, but it’s with my hands. When you view

Hawaiian Tropical Fish 5, by Marionette Taboniar. Reverse acrylics on plexiglass, 12 x12 inches

93 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Mermaids, by Marionette Taboniar Reverse acrylics on portfolio plexiglass, 12 x12 inches Taboniar MT: I have found that in teaching art, you also teach people to relax and enjoy life. Art is a form of meditation, because while you are painting, you are basically thinking of nothing else... your problems and worries seem to vanish. You are literally living “in the moment”. In today’s world, we are constantly being bombarded by left brain activities, such as using a computer, cell phone, video games, etc. We need a little right brain creativity to keep us balanced. I encourage all of my students to do some kind of artistic activity at least once a week, if not once a day. It’s good for your health and well being, plus it’s just beautiful!

X-RAY MAG: What’s new and what’s next?

MT: My artwork recently appeared in the November 2013 issue of The Artist’s Magazine, and last year I did a special commission painting for Victoria’s Secret. This summer I hope to finish putting together my next online class, Painting Seascapes and Waves in Watercolor. I have been practicing waves, lava rocks and water a lot recently and would love to pass this information on to my many students. I currently have one online class available for purchase, Painting Plumerias in Watercolor. It is available as an instant download here: http:// www.etsy.com/listing/110539880/ instant-download-pdf-online- watercolor?ref=shop_home_active_1 MT: I have mainly used the mermaid paintings come strictly our ocean life. My paintings and it is a work-at-your-own-pace disposable underwater cameras from my imagination. bring good memories to my art class. ■ but am now looking to buy a nice collectors of their trip to Kauai underwater digital camera, after X-RAY MAG: How does your and the wonderful time they had For more information, visit the artist’s my friend let me borrow one last art relate to conservation or snorkeling or scuba diving. website at www.kauai-artist.net. From year. Most of my sea life paintings environmental issues facing our there you can find more information come from my imagination, oceans and reefs? X-RAY MAG: Why do you think about classes, purchasing art and especially when it comes to color. art is important? What are the links to the artist’s YouTube page In my turtle paintings, I love to MT: My ocean art is used mainly challenges and benefits of being where she has several, free tutorials use a rainbow of colors, and my to celebrate the beauty of an artist today? available. Mermaids 2, by Marionette Taboniar. Reverse acrylics on plexiglass, 12 x 24 in.

94 X-RAY MAG : 61 : 2014 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO