Skin & Hair Care for Divers Adventure Crossing the Atlantic Palau GLOBAL EDITION June :: July War Wrecks 2006 Number 11 Canary Islands El Hierro Portfolio Patrick Chevailler Ecology Global Warming Can Corals Adapt? ARGENTINA Great Conveyor Belt Patagonia Creating Reefs in COVER PHOTO BY MARCELO MAMMANA the Maldives 1 X-RAY MAG : 9 : 2006
First page: Home Next page: → Last page: End Navigation, use keyboard Previous page: ← Exit: Esc DIRECTORY X-RAY MAG is published by AquaScope Underwater Photography Divers’ Costmetics Copenhagen, Denmark - www.aquascope.biz www.xray-mag.com Skin & Hair Care for Divers... page 67 ALOE GATOR LIP BALM IN SEVERAL FLAVOURS AVAILABLE FROM WWW.ALOEGATOR.COM PUBLISHER CO- EDITORS & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andrey Bizyukin Peter Symes Delicate Sea Anemone, Patagonia, Argentina. Photo by Marcelo Mammana - Caving, Equipment, Medicine [email protected] Millis Keegan MANAGING EDITOR - Opinions and ‘DiveGuru.net’ contents & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Michael Arvedlund - Ecology Gunild Pak Symes Jason Heller - Photography [email protected] Dan Beecham - videography ADVERTISING Michel Tagliati - Medicine Americas & United Kingdom: Leigh Cunningham Kevin Brennan - Technical Diving [email protected] Edwin Marcow Europe & Africa: - Sharks, Adventures Harvey Page, Michael Portelly [email protected] Catherine GS Lim International sales manager: Arnold Weisz Arnold Weisz [email protected] REGULAR WRITERS Robert Aston - CA, USA South East Asia Rep: Bill Becher - CA, USA Catherine GS Lim, Singapore [email protected] John Collins - Ireland Amos Nachoum - CA, USA Internet Advertising: Nonoy Tan - The Philippines Deb Fugitt, USA [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE SENIOR EDITOR Michael Arvedlund, PhD Michael Symes Dan Beecham [email protected] Andrey Bizyukin, PhD Eric Cheng TECHNICAL MANAGER Patrick Chevailler Søren Reinke [email protected] Leigh Cunningham Ethan Gordon CORRESPONDENTS Jason Heller Enrico Cappeletti - Italy Jerome Hingrat 25 33 39 45 50 plus... Jordi Chias - Spain PATAGONIA EL HIERRO DIVE GURUS ECOLOGY: DIVE MEDICALS Catherine GS Lim EDITORIAL 3 John Collins - Ireland ADVENTURE CANARY ISLANDS & OPINIONS CORAL BLEACHING BY MICHEL TAGLIATI Lev Fishelson NEWS 5 Jeff Dudas - CA, USA BY MARCELO MAMMANA BY JEROME HINGRAT BY MILLIS KEEGAN BY MICHAEL ARVELUND, PHD Thyge Dahl Hermansen EQUIPMENT 41 Tomas Knutsson - Iceland Marcelo Mammana - Argentina Marcelo Mammana BOOKS & MEDIA 83 Yonatan Nir - Israel Edwin Marcow BUSINESS DIRECTORY 90 Svetlana Murashkina, PhD 51 60 62 67 86 Svetlana Murashkina - Russia OCEANOLOGY: SCIENCE: OCEAN TRAVEL: DIVERS’ COSMETICS WAR WRECKS Gary Myors - Tasmania Gunild Symes ROSSING THE TLANTIC ONVEYOR ELT HE ALDIVES KIN AIR ARE ULAU Barb Roy - WA, USA Peter Symes C A C B T M S & H C P BY VETLANA URASHKINA H BY ETER YMES BY NDREY IZYUKIN H EDITTED BY UNILD YMES BY THAN ANIELS Yann Saint-Yves - France Michel Tagliati S M , P D P S A B , P D G S E D Garold Sneegas - KS, USA Arnold Weisz Not yet subscribed to SUBSCRIPTION columns... X-RAY MAG? Sign up now! X-RAY MAG International Edition in English is FREE. It’s FREE! QUICK! EASY! To subscribe, go to: www.xray-mag.com 48 75 77 92 SHARK TALES: TECHNICAL MATTERS: PHOTOGRAPHY: PORTFOLIO: click here... COVER PHOTO ATRICK HEVAILLER Humpback Whale, Patagonia, by Marcelo Mammana BITS & BITES THE WAKE UP CALL LUGGAGE! P C EDITTED BY PETER SYMES BY LEIGH CUNNINGHAM BY DAN BEECHAM EDITTED BY GUNILD SYMES (CONTINUED ON PAGE 4)
2 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 Amsterdam Barcelona Cape Town Chicago Copenhagen London Moscow Okinawa Oslo Paris Ravenna Reykjavik San Francisco Sharm El Shiekh Warsaw editorial Reefs Artificial and Real Reefs really made the that we are putting down headlines lately. artificial reefs like never before and that the world lead- But is it enough, and is it timely? First we learnt of the depressing ers finally seem to have gotten news that huge regions of coral the message. The main issue at hand is that reefs in the Indian Ocean, tens some changes can be restored of millions of years old and the Just to name a few prominent and developments reversed, basis of the food net, have now names, California Govenor while others cannot. This may irreversibly collapsed. I don’t Schwartzenegger has imple- seem like a trivial general obser- know about you guys, but I find it mented new laws striving to vation but the area of nature hard to stomach. It I like a night- curb the state’s contribution and environment and it’s pro- mare you can’t get out of. to greenhouse effect. Former tection has too often proved fer- US vice president Al Gore has tile ground for some dangerous Ka-BOOM! Down it went! turned environmental crusader misconceptions. “The balance The former aircraft carrier USS and has just come out with a of nature” for one. Some die- Oriskany now rests on the sea- documentary film on global hard eco-romantics have often floor off Florida as the latest and warming. And now even an referred to this inbuilt ‘wisdom’ biggest addition to the growing arch-conservative as Newt of mother Nature as an almost list of artificial reefs worldwide. Gingrich the former republi- fundamental principle often Make Reefs, not War. What a fit- can speaker of the House, has with some spiritual overtones of ting end for a warship in this day written to US president Bush higher purpose thrown in to pot. and age. urging him to help create a We’re sorry, but that it not how it huge marine part around the works. But can we ever restore, or Hawaiian islands protecting the even aid nature in compensat- corals here. Even Bush himself, Ecosystems are either stable or ing for the ravages humankind who came from the oil industry unstable. While they are argu- has set loose? Can we counter and who was behind pulling the ably always undergoing some the effects of global warming? US out of the Kyoto agreement degree of dynamic transition, Some research, as reported in has now finally come around the point in case is whether this issue, seem to indicate that and acknowledged that some- the rate of transition is what we some species of coral may be thing’s amiss and something has could call an “orderly” natural, able to adapt to some rise in to be done. gradual and expected pro- temperature. And isn’t it good That’s at least a start. gression where a high level of
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3 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED
editorial complexity is preserved - or a cata- the Indian Ocean, which have many. The issue with the emissions
strophic collapse where complexity now transformed into a completely of greenhouse gases and global and diversity is lost. Ecosystems different ecosystem of much lesser warming can only be dealt prop- are characterised by a web of complexity, productivity and diver- erly with on a higher political level complex relationships between sity. The former coral reefs are now – we need another summit. Mean- numerous species interacting just fields of dead limestone cov- while the rest of us can both help among themselves and with the ered with algae. keeping the issue in focus by initiat- ����������������� ��� physical environment - and com- ing a lot of small scale projects, like plexity often evolves with time as And like putting a collapsed build- the artificial reefs. do overall stability. ing together again it would be a While a sinking like the Oriskany Herculean task restoring these as surely creates headlines that go Think of a tall building with many you would both have to remove around the globe, lets not forget stories, compartments, shopping the cause in the first place (the the significance of the thousands malls and apartments . Tenants hightened water temperatures) of other artificial reef projects, or may move in and out, shops may and only then start piece it all say hundreds of thousands of reef open and close as they compete together again, which would take balls, some sources mention half - but the overall structure is in a ways and technologies even this a million, laid down.globally to steady state. This building can undersigned biologist cant glimpse restore ailing reefs or create new even sway elastically when sub- at this juncture. fishing and scuba diving sites. jected to external forces, perhaps Perhaps in the future. even resist an earthquake. But jolt Bottom line is there are a lot of it too hard and the whole structure The present shift in perceptions and projects that you and I can par- will come crashing down and turn acknowledgement of the problems ticipate in. It won’t save all these ������������������������������������� into a pile of rubble. This is what at hand is one big step in the right reefs, but it may make the differ- happened with the coral reefs in direction, but only a first one out of ence that could save the world.
Please also support SOS-SeaTurtles Sign the Petition online, click here ☼
Click here to send an email with a “Letter of pro- test” to the Governor of Bali, with copies to other important officials ������������� Link to SOS Sea Turtle’s main webpage ☼ KURT AMSLER / SOS SEATURTLES
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4 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED New form of lionfish is evolving in Red Sea awesome A new form of lionfish has form has subsequent- been evolving in the Red ly been found out- News edited by Sea during the past four side the Red Sea in Catherine GS Lim decades, according to the Pacific Ocean. and Peter Symes a study undertaken by However, a follow- Lev Fishelson of Tel Aviv up study on the same reefs in University. Eilat a few years ago found two NEWS Rather than the normal of the new form of lionfish among 35 ray-like tentacles which specimens examined, but these fish had appear just above the the eye-spot on just a single tentacle. Variation in the ornaments of Pterois volitans tentacles: (a) eye- eyes of the lionfish , the Precisely why lionfish in the Red Sea have mark on right tentacle only; (b) tentacles feather-like on the upper new form has evolved been undergoing this evolution to pro- part only, eye-mark on left and right side of the tentacles; (c) eye- feather-like tentacles in duce a new form isn’t known. marks on left sides of tentacles (photos by the Lev Fishelson and R. which one or both have Myers). Environmental Biology of Fishes (2006) 75:343–348 a sharply defined black Function eye spot with a white ring One hypothesis is that the eye-spots This shrimp was sup- around it, not unlike the appearance of serve to artificially enlarge the head of posed to have died out a peacock feather. In adults, this new the fish, which might be important in 50 million years go New species of hammer- form of tentacles are much broader and communicating with members of the can measure up to 5cm in length and same species, or defending itself against over 1cm in width at the tip. other species. Ancient species head shark discovered The other hypothesis is that the elliptical Evolution tentacles imitate tiny bait fish to attract still alive The yet unnamed species resembles the showed their DNA was completely Fishelson has been monitoring lionfish small predators that the lionfish can then scalloped hammerhead so closely that different from all other specimens of populations in the Red sea for the past 25 swallow with its capacious mouth. “It’s a new species of the genus the only ways to tell them apart are to scalloped hammerheads, suggesting a years, but in 1975 study, also by Fishelson, The evolution of these tentacles might Neoglyphea. The Glypheides were well compare DNA and count vertebrae. separate species in the Southwestern none of the lionfish specimens had this also be due to sexual selection as many known from the Jurassic and Cretaceous Reseachers at NSU Oceanographic Atlantic. spotted, feather-like tentacle although fishes select traits such as periods and were supposed to be extinct Center use genetics to identify sharks five specimens did have wider tentacles ornamentation. ■ at the Eocene, about 50 million years ago, exploited in the international fin trade, Mahmood Shivji director of the Guy than normal. explains CenSeam researcher Bertrand which is how they stumbled on the pre- Harvey Research Institute at the NSU The additional ornamentation of Richer de Forges viously unknown species of hammer- says the two species share the same the tentacles has been known about In 1906, the US research vessel head. Hammerheads are particularly waters but do not interbreed. Shivji for some time, and Fishelson has been “Albatross” caught one live specimen off vulnerable because their fins are worth adds that the unrecognized species monitoring the structure and its spread the Philippines but the significance was hundreds of dollars in the Far East, while may be less abundant than the scal- through the lionfish populations of the not recognised until 1975. In October their meat is much less valued. In trying loped, making it more susceptible to Red Sea. It is believed to have been first 2005, Bertrand Richer de Forges con- to develop a DNA forensic marker for fishing pressure. recorded in the Red Sea at the southern ducted an oceanographic cruise to the scalloped hammerheads, the research- ‘’They’re catching these things they tip of Sinai, but fish bearing the same seamounts below the Chesterfield Islands, ers collected tissue samples from around don’t know they’re catching. You characteristics have steadily progressed on the edge of the Lord Howe Rise. the world. They were puzzled to find that could wipe out a whole genetic up the Gulf of Aqaba. Over the past Trawling on the Capel Bank at 400 m, they the test worked on all the sharks except lineage if you are not man- decade, both lionfish morphs have been caught a strange shrimp a new species of for three, which were caught by recrea- aging these species sepa- found living together at the northern end the genus Neoglyphea! tional anglers off Fort Lauderdale. rately.’’ Shivji said. ■ of the Gulf. The feather-like tentacled For invertebrate scientists this is equiva- But more extensive testing on the lent to the discovery of the second spe- three South Florida sharks The peacock cies of coelacanth in Indonesia some feather like years ago. ■ ornaments. THE FULL PAPER “DISCOVERY IN THE CORAL SEA OF A SECOND SPECIES OF GLYPHEID (CRUSTACEA, DECAPODA, GLYPHEOIDEA)” IS PUBLISHED Photo: Lev BY THE JOURNAL ZOOSYSTEMA (VOLUME 28, ISSUE 1, 2006). Fishelson FISHBASE.ORG 5 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Census of Marine Life Still more cool discoveries Corals may survive global warming by gorging themselves
A new study published in Nature is why in some bleaching events, some says some species of coral are corals quickly died off while others close by were able to recover. able to survive bleaching events The researchers collected samples of by gorging themselves. An Montipora capitata, or “rice” coral, and experiment showed that when Porites compressa, “finger” coral and bleached, one species sharply placed them in sets of tanks supplied with natural seawater. Water from the increased its intake of food, reef was filtered to remove any plank- increasing the likelihood that it ton and flowed through the tanks in the would survive elevated water same way it does in their natural environ- temperatures. ment. In one set of tanks, the water was heated, mimicking the rising temperatures leading to a bleaching event. After a month, fragments of the coral were measured for energy reserves, photo- synthetic rates and growth rates of the coral. The results showed that both Porites and Montipora used up their inter- nal energy reserves. However, after a month of recovery on the reef (where plank- ton is naturally available) Porites continued to use up its JIM MARAGOS reserves while Montipora had Finger coral, Porites compressa, at Oahu, Hawaii. This spe- somehow managed to com- Twelve new species found in deep sea in Bermuda Triangle cies faces a bleak future if global warming is permanent pletely replenish them. ■ The quantity and diversity of tiny taking samples five kilometres beneath marine animals. Many live on floating The findings were unexpected said creatures found in a deep-sea the ocean surface -- well beyond the plants (phytoplankton), and many are in James Palardy, co-author of the usual depth of 1,000 metres for such stud- turn eaten by fish, mammals and crusta- Nature paper. “Previous studies survey in the Bermuda Triangle ies. ceans. showed that thick tissue layers or region of the Atlantic Ocean Catches from the deep include a pos- One of the aims of the Census of mounded shapes made corals resil- amaze the researchers. sible new species of dragonfish. Several of Marine Zooplankton (CoMZ), part of ient. But we found a new resiliency the animals—tiny zooplankton, shrimp-like CoML, is to provide a global inventory of factor – feeding. In evolutionary During a 20-day cruise an international things, little squid, bizarre worms and puls- these tiny organisms which will help scien- terms, corals that eat more may win.” team used trawling nets and scuba divers ing jellyfish—are featured in a new image tists look for changes induced by climate The study has broader implica- to explore down to 3 miles beneath the gallery. variations or other factors. ■ tions for the health of coral reefs ocean surface to better understand the The expedition has provided a new worldwide, given the predictions beady-eyed life forms that are a key part understanding of the diversity of gelati- Part of this work was to try that bleaching events are going to of the ecosystem and could provide cru- nous zooplankton, which the researchers to go where we know the least become increasingly frequent and cial information on the effects of climate describe as “the gooiest, stickiest, and about our planet, which is the severe as the world’s oceans warm. change. most transparently fragile animals of the biggest habitat on Earth. But what has puzzled the researchers JIM MARAGOS So far they’ve found at least 12 new sea.” They are rarely captured without —Peter Wiebe, Woods Hole Rice coral, Montipora capitata, (at Oahu, Hawaii) species and catalogued 500 animals after being destroyed. Zooplankton are tiny Oceanographic Institution seem to able to somehow adapt to warmning
6 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Putin: We Must Act To World’s oldest lake news holds also world’s Protect Lake Baikal newest genus Edited by Greenpeace hails pro-environment decision as ‘wonderful’ Peter Symes Russian president Vladimir proposed routing the pipe- Putin came to the rescue line less than a kilometer from of what is called one of the Baikal, alarming environmen- Light micrograph of seven underwater wonders of talists who said the lake’s diatom Amphorotia sp the world, Lake Baikal which is unique ecology could be also the world’s largest body destroyed if the pipeline were Scientists from Natural History Museum in of fresh water. Reaching more to rupture. London have discovered a new genus of than 1,620 m at its deepest The chief of the state-run diatom. Named Amphorotia, the genus point, Lake Baikal contains pipeline monopoly Transneft, contains 14 species, including six new to sci- one-fifth of the world’s fresh Semyon Vainshtok, reiterated ence. Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) are a group water and up to 1,500 unique his position that just a small of single-celled algae that photosynthesise species of plants and animals. amount crude oil would end - a process that coverts sunlight into chemi- At 20 to 30 million years old, it’s up in the lake “if something cal energy used by animals. Diatoms live in the oldest lake in the world unbelievable happened.” marine and fresh water and are extremely Putin chose the 20th anni- Afterward, he told reporters important for many animals as they form the versary of one of the world’s later that he was surprised by basis of the food chain on our planet. greatest environmental the announcement. The diatom diversity in Lake Baikal, espe- catastrophes, the Chernobyl “Fifteen minutes ago, the cially in its deeper waters, is almost entirely nuclear disaster, to make his Our late colleague John decision was taken that fun- unknown and unstudied. It is estimated that ruling following months of Neuschwander with the lake’s damentally changes the eco- there are over 500 species of diatom found protests in defense of Lake signature speoies, a gammarid nomics of the project,” he told only in Lake Baikal. This number increases Baikal. Speaking at a discus- reporters. He did not say how with each new biodiversity survey carried out sion with regional governors Putin, following a presenta- much moving the pipeline making Lake Baikal home to one of the most over Siberia’s development, tion by the deputy head of would add to the project, but diverse diatom communities in the world. ■ Putin said that the route for a Russia’s Academy of Sciences in the past he has said mov- Source: Natural History Museum planned Siberian oil pipeline who proposed the move, ing it would make the project should be moved more than surprised both pipeline offi- uneconomical. 40 km north of the lake. That cials and environmentalist by Environmentalists say distance would put the pipe- announcing, “The pipeline that the regulatory agen- must go further north than cies responsible for vetting has been indicated. If there is the planned route manipu- even the tiniest chance of pol- lated the review process in lution” then the risks must total- Transneft’s favor. ly eliminated, he said later. Greenpeace Russia spokes- “This means that the pipeline man Yevgeny Usov called must go beyond, to the north Putin’s decision “wonder- of, the watershed of Baikal.” ful.” “We are very glad that The Kremlin-backed, 4,100 the authorities have finally km pipeline is set to run from decided to listen to the opin- Siberia’s Irkutsk region to the ion of the public, scientists Amur region on the Chinese and experts,” Usov told The line beyond Baikal’s drainage border, then on to Russia’s Associated Press. ■ area, Pacific coast. Officials had
Russian president Lake Baikal’s unique ecosystem Vladimir Putin has come is very old and affectionately to the aid of Lake Baikal. known as the “green reef” Photos: Peter Symes Filephoto: ilexikon.com 7 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED WWF: New species of freshwater news stingray discovered in Thailand The Wildlife Fund Thailand (WFT) and the the discovery of Humantura Kittipongi Smithsonian Institute have jointly identi- was proof of the Mae Klong’s good eco- Edited by fied a new species of aquatic ray living logical system. Peter Symes in a river in Kanchanaburi province. “Ray species are generally very sensi- The stingray, measuring 60 centim- tive to ecological changes,” he said. eters in width, was first observed However, Chavalit expressed concern in 2004 but has only now been at the fact the rays were often caught in confirmed as a new species by fishing nets and any changes in the river, the researchers. such as a construction of a dyke, could “After research and comparing its adversely affect it’s existence. features with known species, we have “If the species disappears from the found this is a new species in the family of river, it becomes extinct. Unlike marine Dasyatidae,” said WFT expert Dr Chavalit fish, the species in the river does not Vithayanont. The new species was named have the possibility of spreading its spe- Himantura kittipongi after prominent Thai cies into the vast expanse of seas or WIKIPEDIA fish expert Kittipong Jaruthanin who first oceans,” he said. Thai rivers have been A new species of freshwater stingray observed the ray in 2004. plagued by serious pollution, overfish- has been discovered in a river in west- The ray’s outstanding features are its ing and dam building, which have ern Thailand, but its chances for long- dark, yellowish-brown shade on its back taken a deadly toll on Thailand’s once term survival are slim, warns WWF. and as many as 15 rows of small teeth diverse and abundant river life. The ray is in its mandible. Chavalit said he thought believed to exist in only small numbers. ■
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8 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED NAUI EUROPE workshops
To create a bigger and stronger NAUI in Europe and The workshop handles the following topics; ► Micro teaching demonstration to assist the members better in the local language ► Stock keeping NAUI europe works with NAUI REP’s to promote NAUI ► Standards and policies leadership courses ► Cap program and to assist with quality controle. ► Quality control ► Prospecting and recruiting new members ► Marketing and sales of the NAUI educational sys- A NAUI REP is an active status Course Director and tem The final exam is a combination of an instructor- designated to teach course director workshops. ► Why NAUI instructor-trainer and course director exam. These NAUI Master Before some one can call himself a NAUI REP he or ► Translations workshops are held on regular basis in the NAUI she first goes through a REP- workshop with the NAUI ► Administrative requirements Europe office. Scuba Diver Europe trainings department. In this workshop the ► Certifying instructors-instructor trainers and course The schedule is available on NAUI Europe website. candidates will be prepared to do their job in their directors www.naui-europe.com Course Materials area ► Evaluations of class room sessions get even Better! shows with several booths ments of NAUI in Russia. presentations. NAUI is pleased to announce the NAUI and it is clear that the NAUI Europe’s training The 7-day trip was upgrade of the audio component of Russian market will be manager Jelle Buisman done during a very cold the NAUI Master Scuba Diver Education Europe at the an important market was also present at both period in Moscow, under System from audio cassette to com- for NAUI in the coming shows, where he also with the temperatures pact disc. With this new component, ► European REPW MOSCOW future. Besides manning tought the new NAUI N- went to -30 C and where your students can now receive the (2-day representative workshop) the booths NAUI Europe’s tec to a group of techni- the masses of snow same high quality information previ- Thurday 9th February 2006 dive shows CEO, Dick Lucas, pre- cal divers and instructors sometimes made get- ously contained in the Master Scuba Friday 10 th February 2006 sented price winners of as well as assisting the ting to either of the dive- Diver audio cassette using compact the Dive Tek magazine NAUI representative in shows feel almost like an disk technology. International ICC This year there was two with their prizes on the Moscow with the evalu- expedition to the Arctic. (3 day instructor cross over course) concurrent dive shows gala evening of the ation of instructors in an NAUI Europe will go to The Master Scuba Diver CDs (item Monday 20th March 2006 in Moscow. NAUI was show. During the shows IQP. The diving was be great lengths to reach #20611) are also available for indi- Tuesday 21th March 2006 present at both shows he also spoke to several done in the Olympic and meet their mem- vidual purchase if you wish to upgrade Wednesday 22th March 2006 and represented by the NAUI instructors and dive swimming arena where bers through out entire Education Systems you may already Russian NAUI representa- professionals about NAUI, they used an 8 Europe. NAUI Europe have in inventory. For your con- ► International ITW tive and a delegation “Why NAUI?” and the meter deep believes in the value of venience, the Master Scuba Diver (2 day instructor-trainer workshop) of four from the NAUI possibilities pool for being present where Education System item numbers have Tuesday 21th March 2006 Europe office. and future confined assistance is needed and remained the same: #91200D (DVD Wednesday 22nd March 2006 Both shows were well develop- water of course to meet with version) and #91200 (VHS video ver- organized with a lot existing and coming NAUI sion). ► International CDW of international members. ■ (2 day course director workshop) attendance. NAUI The content has not changed, just the Thursday 23rd March 2006 had a big pres- media. Audio cassettes are still avail- Friday 24th March 2006 ence able upon request for a limited time. ► European REPW on Along with other courses, be sure to (2 day representative workshop) the stock up on your Master Scuba Diver Monday 27th March 2006 educational materials today! Tuesday 28th March 2006 For further information on NAUI affili- ► NAUI TEC week (week 14 and 15 ated stores, resorts, and certified diving 2006) instruction, contact NAUI at (001) 813- During these weeks NAUI EUROPE 628-6284 or [email protected], or offer Technical diver, Technical visit www.naui.org. ■ instructor and Technical Course
9 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED On becoming an new NAUI Rep Michael Henrichsen is his expansion in Europe and was soon shoulders. “I have been positively name, NAUIs first local enough also looking for new local surprised how many people, both reps that could carry the banner existing and prospective divers representative in Denmark. into the new territories. Needless to who already have a good prior While NAUI is one of the say one step quickly led to another knowledge about NAUI when big classic training organi- and Michael found himself ap- they come here. It seems that the pointed NAUI’ first representative in customers have already done their sations it has never had Denmark. homework and learnt about the a presence in Denmark Queried about what led him to options. I have been very pleased before, so we went to ask accept the position, the first an- with this.” Michael what made him swer came promptly: It was a mat- Michael also fancies that the ter of economy. First of all becom- courses seems to be a little more take on the challenge of ing a course director opens up a thorough, mentioning that the spearheading NAUI’s entry whole new professional venue and OWD course have 5 open water into this homeland. revenue stream for you personally. dive and includes first aid. Secondly the NAUI system makes it Having a dive center of his own We meet him In the spacious office easier to conduct instructor cours- while marketing the concept to of ‘Superdive’ - his Copenhagen es as, compared to the present other dive centers hasn’t clouded based dive center. alternative, is less requirements the matter either, Michael says. Michael explains that he has to the dive centers wanting to There are more degrees of free- been a PADI instructor since 1999 conduct instructor courses. In this dom and also a better economic when he received an attrac- system they don’t have to be an incentive in this system, he adds. tive offer to go to NAUI Europe’s ‘Instructor Development Center’ or The centers can conduct their own headquarters in the Netherlands any of the sort. instructor courses if they have an to cross over and train as a Course As regards to rising to the chal- instructor trainer. As a course direc- Director. The organisation is pres- lenge of implementing a ‘new’ tor he only needs to there as an ently undergoing a rejuvenated organisation, Michael shrugs his examinator, making the overall re- quirements less stringent and much easier to meet for the long list of Meeting Michael Henrichsen small and medium size centers that make up the bulk of the industry. So what’s the plan we wanted to know. The next steps Establishing the organisation firmly is a long term project that requires a joint effort with active involve- ment from the Headquarters in the Netherlands. Fist of all there are a range of training materials await- ing translation and distribution. Secondly it is about building up working relationships with all those centers for whom doing instructor courses is presently out of reach. It is exiting to be the first, Michael can’t quite quench a smile as we say our goodbyes. ■
10 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Photography by Alex Mustard
It is also important that divers are not put off from going to Sipadan - because without the income generated by tourism Sipadan would soon be consumed by the fishermen just as the rain Barge crashes into Sipadan forests and reefs around Semporna have been. If The international dive materials were intended important to note that this the island didn’t have the community was in for a for the construction of accident has not ruined divers and Malaysian army crude awakening to the improved rest facilities for diving on Sipadan. It has there it would be ravaged news that a barge - carry- divers visiting the island just heavily damaged a in days. In fact a fisherman ing thousands of tonnes of during the day, to replace section of the reef. It is was caught with nets filled coarse gravel, sand, steel the current temporary important to publicise this with Barracuda at Sipadan tubes, iron mesh, prime facilities. damage to insure it does at night during my stay. movers, a large bulldozer Writes Alex Mustard: It is not happen again. Down the same vein, the and a gigantic crane - dive operators expressed has crashed into Sipadan, in a joint statement that one of the world’s most they are collectively com- coveted and renowned mitting to working with diives sites and completel local and national govern- scoured one its famnous ment parties, who are cur- dive siites down, wiping rently conducting a dam- off the whole top coral age assessment survey, reef down to the unsightly to devise and implement limestone rick below a program for rebuilding between the old pier and restoring the affected and Barracuda Point. The area as soon as possible. ■ Viet Nam succeeds in changing seahorse colours
Vietnam’s Nha Trang Raising seahorses is by no icines, Ky said. Institute of Oceanography means easy but is gaining pop- The number of ornamental has succeeded in ularity in Vietnam as the latest seahorses exported is currently a feat once thought form of aquaculture, devel- between 5,000 to10,000 per impossible. Normally oped to improve farmer-liveli- month. However, Viet Nam’s seahorses are black, hoods in the Southeast Asian seahorse producers have not but with a little inge- country. Dr Ky believes the found access to the China nuity, the institute can seahorses can be marketed and Hong Kong markets, make a black seahorse for high profit by raisers without which demand seahorses for yellow – increasing a lot of risk. The price of an medicinal use. it’s value for aquari- ornamental seahorse is US$3-5 Although the fishery industry ums. A trial red-col- locally, but as much as $70-300 has yet to focus on a brand our seahorse in Hawaii, Ky pointed out. name, Ky feels the markets project, which is Export markets are in are there and more studies currently under- Singapore, the US and the EU are necessary on their marine way, has also achieved as aquaria fish and in China environment to perfect rear-
MANIPULATED good results. and Hong Kong as tonic med- ing for local aqua farmers. ■ PHOTO: PETER SYMES
11 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Designation Limits Oil Exploration In Unspoiled Marine Area Brazil Creates Buffer Zone Around Coral Reefs Off Atlantic Coast The Brazilian govern- Brazil’s Institute of Environment rying out their means of liveli- ment has created an and Natural Resources (IBAMA), hood through traditional fishing encompasses nearly 95,000 km2 and eco-tourism activities,” said official buffer zone – an area larger than Portugal Guilherme Dutra, director of CI- around the Abrolhos – and protects the entire Abrolhos Brazil for the marine program. National Marine Park region off Brazil’s central coast, The Abrolhos region, located off Conservation has a long to protect the bio- including several types of coastal the coastal town of Caravelas in tradition in Brazil and marine ecosystems with the far south of Bahia, northeast logically richest coral unique and endangered species, Brazil, is home to mangrove forests reefs in the South such as the humpback whales. and restinga (a uniquely Brazilian effects of oil and gas exploration Atlantic. Under Brazilian law, buffer ecosystem of sparsely vegetated and possible oil spills that helped zones around protected areas sand ridges) and a complex of motivate the effort by IBAMA to The buffer zone, created by offer strong protection, with spe- small islands, coral and algal get the buffer zone declared. cial permits from environmental reefs. Its natural resources directly Under the government declara- authorities required for any eco- support more than 100,000 peo- tion, oil and gas activities are pro- nomic use. ple. hibited in 75 percent of the buffer “The buffer zone will guaran- Since 1996, CI-Brazil has con- zone, and approval for such tee the biodiversity integrity in ducted biological monitoring at development in the other 25 per- the Park and ensure that local Abrolhos National Marine Park, cent would require detailed stud- communities can continue car- including assessments of the ies showing no adverse impact. ■
12 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ADEX is tiny compared to shows in the United States and Europe, and I Asia Dive Expo - Singapore, April 21-23 2006 was told beforehand by more than news one person to “not expect much.” But what I discovered when I arrived was a tight network of dive operators, Reporting by tourism representatives, manufactur- Catherine GS Lim ers, distributors, publishers, editors, and photographers working together to ADEX 2006 further the industry as a whole (for the & Celebrate the Sea most part). Three days hardly seemed like enough time to meet and befriend all of the people I wanted to see, and evenings February 24-26 were spent out dining and hanging out at bars, often into the early hours of the morn- ing. — Eric Cheng / wetpixel Celebrate the Sea contest finalists Photos: Eric Cheng/ Wetpixel Celebrate the Seas comprises, ADEX was perfect, as a large And then, all too soon, it was among other things, a master number of divers are also photog- over. Packing up (amidst lament- photographers gallery, photo raphers. ing the fact that ADEX lasted only and video competitions, work- At least, that was what I had three days), I was grateful that shops, seminars and sales of come to realise after manning everyone I met was happy to wel- imaging and dive equipment. the X-Ray Magazine’s booth at come a newcomer like me into That it took place alongside ADEX. It was my first time as an its midst, and I knew that I would exhibitor here, and it was cherish the experiences and enlightening to put a face friendships I had acquired here for to the people who read our a long time to come. ■ magazine. All along, I knew that divers were a friendly bunch, but I had never Where friends come to meet. ADEX 2006 were held in the Suntec venue been privy to it on such a Eric Cheng and Harald Hordosch large scale. It didn’t matter of Seacam. Photo: Paul Ng which part of the world you We had waited two industry peers and old friends at came from, it didn’t matter years for it to return to the Dive Business Seminars and whether you had a camera the exhibition proper. hanging from your neck or Uscil doloreetue feugiam consed Singapore. When it did, School students got a taste of a brand-new regulator in a magna facillaor sim iliquamcor on 21st to 23rd April, Asia the action as well, at the ADEX shopping bag, we all spoke adip exerostio dolor iurer augiam Dive Expo (ADEX) 2006 Sea Star Programme where they the same language and numsand ignibh eratis do dignim turned out to be well took part in interactive talks and shared the same passion nummodo lortionsenis nim dolup- workshops. Even members of for the underwater world. tat nibh eum ex enibh eugueri worth the wait. the public were able to take the There was a wonderful feel- uscipsu scilit lutem quat nullam plunge (literally!) for the first time, ing of camaraderie, and eugait wis auguercipsum dion- For one thing, it was ADEX’s big- donning scuba gear and diving I was forced to forget my sequisit digna facilit, quatuerit lut gest showing in 12 years, bring- into a large see-through tank at shy nature as I made new lortin velent wis estrud magnim ing a record 9,200 visitors face- the Asia Scuba Tour. friends in the industry and adip ero odolenismod te dolum to-face with 809 exhibitors from A main highlight at ADEX encouraged visitors to sign non et accum dolor init wis dio 26 countries. There was some- 2006 was the joint presence of up for free subscriptions exer ip essi blaorem incing eu thing for everyone, from the nov- Celebrate the Seas, the larg- to X-Ray Magazine and feuguer autet diamet lore dip ice diver looking for great deals est underwater film festival and Papua New Guinea: Emily Kamioka (PNG Japan), DivePhotoGuide.com, an erat aut lore tat, ver si bla alit aut- on scuba gear and photograph- competition in Asia Pacific. Held Tim Rowland (Aqua Ventures), Vilia Lawrence online resource for under- patetum velesequam erationulla ic equipment, to the dive profes- in conjunction with the World (PNG Divers Association), Max Benjamin (Walindi/ water photographers with consendre ex eliquis dunt la feuis- sional looking to touch base with Festival of Underwater Pictures, FeBrina/Star Dancer)Dive Expo - Singapore whom we shared a booth. sim non utpatem deliquat. Velit, Ron and Valerie Taylor talk about sharks
13 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The use of flippers by snorkellers news banned at all marine parks in Malaysia Resort operators have been stepped on them when trying Edited by instructed to notify their guests of to get a closer look. There was Peter Symes the new directive. widespread concern that the The move follows a recom- damage to the corals would mendation from the Fisheries become more extensive as the Department after the use of flip- number of visitors to the marine Plankton may give early pers had damaged corals at parks increased, especially dur- warning about quakes popular snorkelling sites in the ing long holidays. marine parks. However, divers will be Officials state the lure of the allowed to use flippers at dive
beautiful coral reefs was irre- sites identified by resorts and PETER SYMES sistible and snorkellers often chalet operators. ■ No, sorry - you can’t bring them Perhaps we can dive there soon Life seeps back into the Aral Sea
NASA The Aral Sea is set for a return its salinity go up from 10 grams Phytoplankton blooms can be seen to life thanks to a $60 million to 45 grams per litre. Seawater from space project to restore its water sup- has a salinity of 35 grams per plies. litre.The disaster left fishing Concentrations of the natural pig- The lake, which straddles the boats rusting in the dustbowl of ment chlorophyll in coastal waters border between Kazakhstan the former lakebed, which agri- have been shown to rise prior to and Uzbekistan, was once the cultural chemicals that ran into earthquakes. These chlorophyll fourth-largest inland body of the lake during the Soviet era increases are due to blooms of water in the world but a Soviet- were reported to have con- plankton. era programme of irrigation for taminated the dust and been
A joint US-Indian team writing nearby cotton and vegetable linked to respiratory disease NASA in the journal Advances in Space farms saw it shrink from 70,000 among the population border- The Aral Sea, in 2003, had shrunk to Research say the chlorophyll km2 in 1960 to 17,000 km2 in ing the former lake. well under half of the area it had blooms are linked to a release 2004. It has since divided into A World Bank-backed project covered fifty years before. of thermal energy prior to an three separate lakes and seen rebuild the canal system has earthquake. This causes the sea redoubled the flow of the Syr Darya surface temperature to rise and river, which feeds the northern half N increases the amount of energy of the lake and restore the north- The Ultimate ew Life seeps back into the moving from the surface to the air ern lake has already seen 775km2 Scuba Tank/Spear Gun Holder story/0,,1749419,00.html?gusrc=rss due to evaporation. of the former seabed covered with Scuba Tank/Spear Gun Holder In turn, thisl leads to enhanced water anew. Initial plans envisaged TEMPORARY – no permanent damage The Aral Sea, once described as the world’s worst PRE-ASSEMBLED – no hassles or headaches ecological disaster after Soviet-era irrigation plans upwelling - the process by which it would take up to a decade to INSTANT ATTACH & RELEASE – quick & effortless reduced its size by three-quarters, is returning to life cold, nutrient-rich water is trans- reach this level. But hope that the MULTIPLE HOLDERS – 2 & 3 tank racks- 1 speargun slot thanks to a £48m project to restore its water sup- ported from the deep sea to the entire lake could be restored is 4 tank rack has 2 speargun slots plies. surface. Upwelling boosts phyto- still far off. The southern portion of SPACE SAVER – compact for easy storage plankton productivity and gives depends on the Amu Darya river, 800-920-2910 The lake, which straddles the border between rise to blooms, which can be seen which is so heavily irrigated that PO Box 1967, Nokomis, FL 34272 Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was once the fourth- They say that monitoring peaks its waters rarely reach the former (941) 484-0714 Fax: (941)-484-2749 largest inland body of water in the world but a in chlorophyll could provide early shores of the lake. ■ www.scubastorage.com programme of irrigation for nearby cotton and veg- information on an impending earthquake. ■ Orphaned ship in former Aral sea, near Aral, Kazakhstan, 2003 P. CHRISTOPHER STAECKER 14 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED PADI now recognised by Greece Marine archeologist & “Sea Hunter” PADI has been officially recog- with current European Diving James Delgado gets new job Training nised as a diver training organi- Standards enabled the Greek sation in Greece by the Greek authorities to easily establish its Marine archeologist James Park Service before joining the Ministry of Merchant Marine. suitability for recognition. Delgado, co-host of The Sea Vancouver Maritime Museum in Edited by Official recognition was grant- The recognition of PADI by Hunters TV series, has resigned 1991. Peter Symes ed on May 4 2006. the Greek authorities will assist as executive director of the As co-host, with Clive Cussler, Recent changes to the laws PADI dive centres and resorts Vancouver Maritime Museum. of National Geographic’s The governing recreational diving in their use of the world’s most to become executive direc- Sea Hunters, the California-born in Greece have considerably popular diver training pro- tor of the Institute for Nautical Canadian Delgado was part of DAN improved the local business cli- grammes. It means that PADI Archeology, a Texas-based a team of underwater archeolo- Announces mate there for the diving indus- instructors can now work as pro- research group that has under- gists who explored famous and try. PADI’s proven compliance fessional instructors in Greece. ■ water archeological projects unknown shipwrecks. The show, the DES Quest around the world. Delgado will produced by Halifax- leave the Vancouver Maritime based Eco Nova Diving Emergency Specialist is a DAN Museum on June 30, but is dis- Productions, has Training recognition program designed SSI Creates Motion cussing whether to remain on been sold to more to commend divers who have continued its board of directors. He will than 170 countries. their education and training in order to Picture Diver Rating remain based in Vancouver. He also has trained obtain knowledge and be both better A California-born Canadian, archeologists in sur- buddies and better divers. It incorpo- for Movie Industry Delgado was the head of the veying and preserving rates DAN Training programs with those U.S. government’s maritime pres- sunken vessels and of other training agencies, providing the Scuba Schools International has ervation program and maritime their contents. ■ diver with a well-rounded dive education. joined forces with the Local 80 Divers historian for the U.S. National Association to create a recognition To achieve the level of Diving Emergency rating system that will help motion pic- Specialist, a diver must: ture production companies hire under- 1. Be a rescue level (or higher) diver with water “grips” (technicians) for filming their training agency movies. This alliance will help with the 2. Hold a current CPR and First Aid certifi- safety and efficiency of making movies cation underwater. 3. Hold a current certification in Oxygen Historically, there has been inconsist- First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries (or Pirates of the Caribbean, star- ency in the training of grips and an equivalent) ring Johnny Depp, was just inability for film production companies 4. Complete three of the following: but one movie having pro- to easily know if a grip they are hiring – Advanced Oxygen First Aid for duction staff work underwater has the skills needed to perform the Scuba Diving Injuries (or equiv.) required duties of a specific produc- – First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life tion. The SSI Motion Picture Diver recognition rating system has four Injuries (or equiv.) levels to identify the diver’s experience and training level. ■ – AEDs for Scuba Diving (or equiv.) – On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers (or equiv.) PADI Chamber Endowment Award winning Fiber Artist, Alma de – Remote Emergency Medical Oxygen la Melena Cox, creates “Telamadera (REMO2™) Fund to distribute more than Fusion,” by bringing fabric and wood The DES Quest will run from June 1 – Dec. together in a dynamic and unique mixed- 31, 2006. During the Quest, when DAN US$30,000 media expression. Her fine artwork is notified of a diver’s achievement of can be found in galleries in California DES, the diver will receive a specially Many divers assume there will be a hyperbaric chamber near and Oregon and by contacting the art- designed T-shirt and ballcap prize pack- their diving destination, but this is not always the case. To support ist directly. Please visit her website at: age. In addition, the diver will automati- these critical facilities, PADI established The Chamber Endowment cally be entered in a drawing for a DAN Fund in 2004. This fund is supported by a $2 donation from every Gift Certificate worth $250. ■ enrollment in the Diver Protection Program – which is available The Thief www.almaart.com Canyon to all divers globally and accepted by institutions worldwide. This 28 x 18 in. US$625.00 Alma de la Melena Cox 24 x 24 in. US$625.00 www.DiversAlertNetwork.org year, more than $30,000 is available to qualified applicants. ■
15 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Tiny Kiribati Creates World’s news First Deep-sea Marine Reserve The tiny Pacific island nation of Kiribati, islands stretching across several hundred Edited by located between Hawaii and Fiji, kilometres. Peter Symes has created the world’s third-largest It is the world’s first marine park with marine reserve. Commercial fishing will deep-sea habitat, including underwater be banned in the reserve, called the mountains, and the third-largest. The larg- Phoenix Islands Protected Area, to pro- est reserve is the 65,000 km2 Heard Island Taiwan urged to tect more than 120 species of coral and and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve in create coral reef 520 species of fish inside its 184,700 km2. Australia Kiribati comprises three coral island “If the coral and reefs are protected, protection agency groups and one volcanic island with a then the fish will grow and bring us ben- total land area of only 717 km2 spread efit,” said Kiribati’s President Tong. “In this The Taiwanese govern- over more than 3 million km2. It is the way all species of fish can be protected ment has been urged largest atoll nation in the world, with 33 so none become depleted or extinct.” ■ to establish an agency exclusively devoted to the protection of coral reefs in Sweden Denmark To Get Its First waters near Taiwan and Norway the removal of shipwrecks. Skagerak Marine Reservation Presently at least four gov- ernment agencies has to The European Union has granted Denmark 2 mil- get involved whenever the lion Euro to restore the marine seabed around the issues of shipwrecks and island of Læsø in the Northern Kattegat, and cre- coral depletion are raised. ate a diver’s paradise. Stone reefs are going to be Various wrecks litter the restored or created as they have previously been coastline and contrary to Kattegat mined for construction materials. The big stone reefs widespread belief that in Kattegat habours a very diverse marine life and these sites could become Denmark is covered with kelp, small sponges and softcorals. underwater artificial fishing The restoration of the reefs are going to cost DKK 35 reefs or foster coral growth Læsø lies in the Northern Kattegat. million and will require up to 80,000 m3 of new rocks the wreckage has instead Skagerak and Kattegat connects which has to be shipped to the island from Norway continued to impair the the North Sea with the Baltic. or Sweden. ■ growth of coral. The com- bination of the sharp metal Convention on missed the opportunity to fishing practices in inter- edges and the ocean’s Biological Diversity act themselves,” said Kristina national waters, including currents turn these areas Gjerde, World Conservation bottom trawling.” Such a a into “coral graveyards.” Flopped Union. ban should remain until As the debris is spreading, The Convention on This was in spite of a pro- appropriate conservation coral coverage continues Biological Diversity (CBD) posal for a moratorium on and management meas- to drop. The only option is in Brazil in April failed to do high seas bottom trawling ures have been established to remove it before more more than reiterate the presented to the meeting under international law. The coral, the local ecological previous calls for immediate by Palau. On the 22 March threat of loss of biodiversity is system and Taiwan’s tour- action. “The decisions on Palau banned bottom trawl- bigger than climate change ism resources are further high seas reflect that gov- ing making the practice in if we consider that once a compromised. It is estimat- ernments now recognize the Palau’s waters or by any species is lost, no mitigation ed that unless something grave threats to the unique citizen of Palau anywhere in measure can help bring it is done immediately, new high seas biodiversity and the world, illegal. back Dimas added. coral growth isn’t expected the need for urgent actions. EU Environment Commis- As the debate continues, to appear in these areas But countries have shifted sioner Stavros Dimas: “We high seas bottom trawling for the next 20 years. ■ the responsibility for action should put in place an inter- vessels continue to destroy SOURCE: TAIWAN NEWS to the United Nations, and im prohibition of destructive biodiversity. ■
16 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ROSS SEA INFO — WWW.ROSSSEA.INFO — INFO SEA ROSS whales
Do Whales Talk? Dolphins know each other by name
Edited by Humpback whale Songs Bottlenose dolphins call each other Gunild Symes by name when they whistle, mak- ing them the only animals besides Resemble Human Language humans known to recognize such identity information, scientists report- Humpback whales have ture (but does not necessarily give spoken vowel or syllable contains at ed. The evidence suggests dolphins
17 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED whales China Builds Reserve For Rare Dolphin �����Puts More Ogle in Your Goggle! Flat masks block over 75% of your natural field-of-view. Enjoy natural China is to the end of the year. panoramic vision. See almost 5X more through a Double-Dome™ lens Edited by set up a Pollution from factories, paper perfected with NASA technology. NanoFOG™ coating, applied at the Gunild Symes sanctuary mills and chemical plants has factory, ensures fog-free dives. Only naturally nearsighted divers (broad for the high- destroyed much of the dolphins’ Rx range) can use the MEGA® 4.5DD mask with their naked eyes. But over ly endan- habitat, the director of the project 700 divers around the world with 20/20 vision wear disposable contact gered white said. Only around 2,000 white dol- lenses to use this mask. These divers become temporarily nearsighted. The dolphin, phins are thought to exist, with most incredible view is worth the effort. Endorsed by 1,000 eye doctors worldwide. Older divers love the Magic Bifocal phenomenon. Seeing is believing! a spe- living in the Pearl River estuary. Australia Sees cies unique to the country. writes Some 19 white dolphins, also Recovery Of Xinhua News Agency. The reserve, called “pandas in the ocean” n the eastern province of Fujian on because of their rarity, have died Humpback www.HydroOptix.com LLC © 2006 HydroOptix the southern coast of China, will over the past three years as a result Whales include a rescue centre near the of pollutants, Chen Jialin, direc- city of Zhuhai. The reserve be about tor of the Chinese White Dolphin Whale conservation- 460 km2 with building to begin by Natural Reserve, said. ■ Newborn dolphins don’t sleep for a month NOAA Helps Ocean Racers ists are celebrating evidence of a come- Newborn dolphins and killer whales do not sleep for a Avoid Right Whales back by humpback whole month after birth, new research has revealed, and whales in Australian neither do their mothers, who stay awake to keep a close The round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race waters and a decision ter and wait. Once an unsuspecting eye on their offspring. that ends in June, after covering more than by private backers of gull would come down for a meal, The feat of wakefulness is remarkable given that rats die 28,000 miles of open oceans. With consider- Japanese whaling to the whale would lunge at it with if forcibly denied sleep. And in humans, as any new parent able time spent in the active (marine mam- quit the industry. open jaws. The whale, pleased with will know, sleep deprivation is an exquisite form of torture. mal) waters of the Atlantic, the safety of the results, set up the trap over and But the newborn whales and dolphins were continually race participants and marine species such as An International over again. After a few months the active, surfacing for air every 3 to 30 seconds. They also the endangered North Atlantic right whale Whaling Commission whale’s younger brother gave it a kept at least one eye open to track their mothers, who is improved greatly with the help of the committee meeting try. seemed to set the frenetic pace by always coursing ahead NOAA Right Whale Sighting Advisory System. in Hobart in April was “It looked like one was watching of their offspring. ■ Throughout the race’s trek across the North told humpback whales while the other tried,” says Noonan. Atlantic, the NOAA Fisheries Service has been off Australia’s east and Next, his mother adopted the trick, providing reliable and timely information on west coasts now num- and pretty soon all the orcas at the whale locations to Volvo Ocean Race bered about 16,000, facility were at it. UK warships are to be equipped organizers to ensure the safety of race compared with fewer participants and the endangered North than 1000 in the 1960s. Killer Whales “In general, humans have long with whale-sensitive scanner Atlantic right whale. ■ However scientists cau- pictured themselves as separate tioned that the recov- from nature, but one of the lessons To limit the danger of killing marine mammals when ery should not provide Set Traps for that we repeatedly learn when we powerful new sonars are used UK warships are to 104 hurt after any comfort to Japan, study animal behavior is that ani- be equipped with whale-sensitive scanners . The which would begin kill- mals and humans are much more Royal Navy is working with St Andrews University’s ferry hits whale ing 50 humpbacks a Gullible Gulls alike us than we ever imagined. It sea mammal research unit on a sonic data- year in 2007-08 under was once believed that most ani- base of whales and other marine animal More than 100 people were its so-called scientific Orcas learn from each other how to mal behavior, from the food they calls. They hope to use the calls to detect injured when a hydrofoil hit a program. set traps for prey. Michael Noonan, a ate to the places they slept, was any marine mammals within a two-mile range. whale off Cape Sata, Kagoshima They said Pacific professor of animal behavior at Cani- based on instinct,” Noonan said. The move follows post-mortem examination of beached Prefecture, on April 10. According populations near sius College, have observed how a “This new discovery supports the whales in Spain which linked their deaths to military emis- to the Regional Coast Guard 98 Tonga, Fiji and New four-year-old killer whale set up a growing view that animals like sions disrupting their echo-location systems. The RN’s of the 103 passengers and all six Zealand were still fail- trap for seagulls by spitting fish onto killer whales are very prone to 2087 sonar, which cost £160m to design, uses low-fre- crew members on the high-speed ing to recover from the water’s surface as bait. learning by imitation, and that quency pulses to seek out lurking submarines hiding ferry Toppy 4 were hurt. Of those, commercial whaling. ■ The whale would sink below the wa- they are ‘cultural’ in nature. ■ in ambush in the cluttered waters close 12 were seriously injured. Thirty-six to shore. ■ were hospitalized.■
18 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED outside the bay, when two Mexican brigs were spotted wreck chasing a Texan supply ship headed for Galveston. The rap Invincible engaged the two larger Mexican warships. The course of the battle saw the Invincible run into the shoals as a storm were approach- ing. The ensuing storm broke up the Invincible and over the next 48 hours she sunk below the water and ulti- mately below the sand where her nine cannon and a storehouse of other histori-
cal artifacts lie today. HMB ENDEAVOUR FOUNDATION. Texas Navy ship Invincible was lost outside of Galveston after The Endeavour fight with two Mexican ships on August 27, 1837. Finding her The National Underwater Captain Cook’s Endeavour The Search for Republic of and Marine Association (NUMA) began searching for may be found off Rhode Is. Texas Navy ship Invincible the Invincible in 1985. In 2004 the Texas Navy Association Four ships from a British fleet used during the National In the fall of 1835, with the the blockade and driving the joined NUMA to locate the Revolutionary War have been found off Rhode Underwater Mexican Navy blockading Mexican Navy from Texas Invincible. Last year the joint Island. One of them may be The Endeavour, the and Marine Texas ports, the provisional waters. But the Invincible, the venture completed a Marine ship that Captain Cook commanded on his first Association government of Texas cre- Navy’s finest, was given an Magnetics (Canadian com- voyage across the Pacific Ocean. The Endeavour (NUMA) ated the first Texas Navy. additional order - find and pany) magnetometer survey was the first British vessel to reach New Zealand in and the The flagship was the fast destroy the Montezuma, the of the new high-probability 1769 and Australia in 1770. Texas Navy clipper Invincible which was Mexican Navy’s newest and area which resulted in the Researchers with the Rhode Island Marine Association built in Baltimore and arrived most formidable warship. discovery of several promis- Archaeology Project said they believe the four has part- in Galveston for duty on On August 26, 1837 the ing targets. Test excava- ships, and two others previously discovered, are nered with January 1, 1836. Upon her Texas Navy returned to tions will be conducted part of a 13-vessel transport fleet intentionally sunk Cochran arrival, the Invincible was Galveston triumphantly. using Cochran Undersea by the British in Newport Harbor in 1778 to keep Undersea immediately outfitted with The Brutus towed a prize Technology DDRs (Dive Data French ships from landing to aid the Americans’ Technology 9 cannon. She then joined ship crossing the bar into Recorders) and EMC-20H drive for independence. to find the her sister Texas Navy ships Galveston Bay, while the dive computers. Dive pro- Archaeologists said it was unclear which ship Invincible and the privateers to protect larger, heavily laden (with files will be recorded using could be the Endeavour. “There is a 47 per- Texas shipping by breaking booty) Invincible anchored Cochran Analyst software. ■ cent chance that we have our hands on the Endeavour,” said D.K. Abbass, executive director of the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project. Photo-mosaics help scientists map Florida shipwrecks Four of the ships were discovered in August 2005 by the use of historical materials and sonar by Scientists with NOAA have docu- worked for more than a week to Professor Rod Mather of the University of Rhode mented five historical shipwrecks off create never-before-seen pictures of Island and graduate student Jamin Wells. the Florida Keys using a custom-made five historic wrecks that make up the Divers found ballast piles about 30 feet underwa- underwater sled fitted with advanced sanctuary’s shipwreck trail - the City ter, with the ship’s keel and other parts embedded SONAR and video equipment. of Washington, Benwood, San Pedro, in the sea floor. They also found at least one can- Now they will use their findings to Adelaide Baker and North America. non, an anchor with a 16-foot shank and a cream- produce photo-mosaics which will The images will be made available colored fragment of an 18th-century British ceramic provide NOAA with supplemental this summer at maritimeheritage. teapot. “As is the case with many 18th Century data of the ships’ remains and edu- noaa.gov. ■ shipwrecks, the newly discovered vessels were cate the public about the sanctu- Archeologists at work pinned to the bottom of Newport Harbor with their ary’s wrecks. The five-member team NOAA filephoto own ballast stones,” said Mather. ■
19 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Rare Spanish Ship Found On US Navy Base A rare Spanish ship pos- later period. The ship gin, archaeologists found wreck sibly dating as far back had been hidden under ceramic tiles, ropes as the 1500s has been sand for centuries, and and pieces of olive jars. rap unearthed at a navy researchers estimate the The Spanish settlement base in Florida by con- ship is currently buried in was founded in 1559; its struction crews rebuilding about 22 metres of sand. exact location is a mys- after Hurricane Ivan. The The exposed keel of the tery. The Spanish did not discovery could mark ship points upward from return until more than a the earliest of its kind the sandy bottom of century later in 1698 at dating back to the first the pit and gives some Presidio Santa Maria de Spanish settlement in the indication of the vessel’s Galve, now the naval U.S. but the presence of form. station. The Navy plans Divers have found two gold bars and iron bolts makes it more During initial work to to enclose the uncov- 15 silver coins which had been buried likely the ship is from a determine the ship’s ori- ered portion of the ship.■ beneath the ocean floor off Florida Keys for almost 400 years. The objects are believed to be from the shipwreck The Search For The El Salvador Exploration Of Sunken of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha, a Shipwrecks On Hold Spanish galleon that sank in 1622. A team of six scuba divers from Utah The bars were discovered by divers hopes to salvage gold, silver, and jewel- In 2004, Fathom Exploration found from Mel Fisher’s Treasure Salvors lery from the El Salvador, a Spanish ship four shipwreck sites near the mouth on the treasure-hunting ship the they believe went down in a hurricane of Mobile Bay. Needless to say they Magruder about 35 miles off of Key in 1750 and now rests in about 70 feet then wanted to salvage the sites West. They were found beneath about of water. Wilf Blum, president of Deep and claim any valuable artefacts 12 feet of sand in 20 feet of water. ■ Blue Marine, and leader of the expedi- that may exist. But those efforts tion, claims the ship’s manifest indicates have been tied up in federal court, there may be up to $500 million worth of where both the state and federal Thai Firm Wants To Search For WW2 Minisubs treasure among the wreckage. If the hull governments have laid claims to the is intact, Blum’s team will attempt to bring sites. A private citizen also has chal- A Thai marine-supply company based in is related to national security, the envi- it to the surface in one piece. Otherwise, lenged Fathom Exploration. southern Phuket is seeking permission to ronment and archaeology, and hence they intend to use dredging equipment salvage what it believes are two British the province had to first consult sev- to sift the seafloor for treasure. Whose wreck is it then? “human torpedoes” or Chariots, that eral agencies, such as the Fine Arts The federal government maintains have been lying in the sea near Phuket Department, the National Resources that the ships are U.S. property if since World War II, The Chariots sank and Environment Ministry and the Harbor the vessels belonged to the United near Dok Mai Island of Phuket Province Department, he added. States or a foreign country. State during a mission in World War Two. The Chariots are archaeological finds authorities contend the vessels However, authorities in Phuket would under the authority of Thai Fine Arts belong to Alabama if they lie sunk- first like East Marine to get British govern- Department, as they have been sub- en in state waters and that Fathom ment confirmation that the two vessels merged in Thai waters for more than Exploration would have to get a really belonged to the British Royal Navy 60 years “We also have to study the permit and negotiate an arrange- Some records say the British sub- environmental effects,” he said. “We still ment to split any proceeds it reaps. marine Trenchant carried two Mk-2 need information about how deep the At one point, the Alabama Historical Chariots for a mission at Phuket harbor naval weapons are under the water and Admiralty Pulls Out Of Search Commission was negotiating with on Oct. 27-28, 1944. how thick is the soil burying them.” ■ For US$1.2 Billion Spanish the company for such a permit “We need to have the evidence Source: www.chinaview.cn All parties agreed in December first, otherwise it could create prob- Booty Off Jamaica to put the case on hold for a year, lems for us later if the torpedoes US- based Admiralty Holding Company while they came to a consensus on are found to belong to another has pulled out from its search for Spanish how to proceed with the identifica- country,” Governor Udomsak precious metals and artifacts valued at tion of the ship or ships. Although said. Salvaging of the Chariots US$1.2 billion on the Pedro Banks, and Fathom Exploration found four loca- instead conducted a bathymetric search tions, the sites may have come from for oil also on the Pedro Banks which has a single sunken vessel that has bro- HMS Trenchard just been concluded. ■ ken into pieces over the years. ■
20 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Historic Schooner Shipwrecks Added to wreck US National Register of Historic Places
rap The wrecks of the coal schoon- sailors onboard ers Frank A. Palmer and Louise the vessels B. Crary, which rest on the lost their lives Stellwagen Bank National Marine when the ships Sanctuary seafloor, have been plummeted to listed on the National Register the bottom. of Historic Places, the National The remain- Oceanic and Atmospheric ing 15 sailors S.S: Baychino was sighted still afloat in 1969 by Eskimos, fast in the pack-ice of Administration has announced made it into the Beaufort Sea between Icy Cape and Point Barrow. Image shows her at The Maine-built wooden-hulled the Palmer’s S. S. “Baychimo” at anchor, Port Burwell, NU, June 1921 schooners Frank A. Palmer and longboat with Louise B. Crary played a vital only the cloth-
role as coal carriers during the ing they were NOAA/SBNMS AND NURC-UCONN ‘Arctic Ghost Ship’ Keeps Spooking urbanization and industrialization wearing, but Schooners Frank A. Palmer and the Louise B. Crary of New England at the begin- without food Treasure Left For decades, mariners in the The Captain realizing he and his ning of the twentieth century The or water. During the following four coal schooner archaeological western Arctic reported sight- crew were stuck and radioed for schooners rest on the seafloor, days, five more men perished site is there the same opportunity Unprotected In ings of an unmanned Hudson’s a rescue initiating what would their bows touching in the same from exposure in the open boat to study two vessels with such Indonesian Capital Bay Company cargo steamer. become the first “air lift” from the orientation in which they plunged before being rescued more than extensive preservation. How the Since 1931, the S. S. Baychimo Arctic. Twenty of the ships crew to the seafloor after their collision 60 miles east of Cape Cod. schooners sank, and the condi- Southeast Asia’s richest underwa- was seen drifting back and forth were flown out in two aircraft. in 1902. A miscalculation by the Investigations of the site revealed tion of the wreck site, provide a ter archaeological find in dec- across hundreds of kilometres of The crew decided to winter in a Louise B. Crary’s mate caused the vessels’ hulls to be nearly unique archaeological opportu- ades is stored in a leaky stable in ocean. Its last recorded sighting close by coastal area and rescue the schooner to smash into the intact with rigging splayed across nity to compare two similar, but Indonesia’s capital, guarded by was in 1969 and the question of the ship in the spring of 1932 as Palmer’s portside bow. Within min- the deck from the toppled masts. slightly different vessels, engaged marines who claim a solitary gun its whereabouts has become one she would free herself from the utes of the collision, six of the 21 At no other located New England in the same trade. ■ between them. At risk is priceless of the North’s most enduring mys- icy arctic grip. However a severe Indonesian history. Timber and iron teries. Now, a new Alaskan gov- storm in late November freed beams from a tenth-century wreck ernment project to locate and the ship unexpectedly, setting Finally! The USS But Who Can Sink This - which could provide information protect historic shipwrecks could her adrift and she disappeared Oriskany Sent To The One? Frigate Centre Of about ancient trading routes and finally answer that question. only to be seen occasionally ever the arrival of Islam in Indonesia since. Seabed Off Florida One Last Battle - lie in a bath under the tropical The 1,300 tonne steel ship was It took only 37 minutes for Tenders for the sale and disposal sun behind yellow police tape. built in Sweden in 1914 and Spotted repeatedly since the 888-foot ship to sink of the 36-year-old Leander class Several thousand centuries-old acquired by the Hudson Bay In 1932 an arctic explorer caught below the surface while hun- frigate will be closing as X-Ray Chinese ceramic bowls, fragile Company in 1919. The steamer sight of her as he was sled- dreds of misty-eyed veterans Mag goes to press with at least six copper mirrors, beautiful glass bot- was a key player in the open- ding across the arctic. The next looked on after strategically groups known to be interested in NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER tles and ancient ship parts are also ing of Northern waterways with year, Inuit hunters saw the ship placed explosives were det- ROYAL NAVY securing the old Navy vessel. being stored. After sitting under beginnings in 1920’s and set sev- and boarded it just as a storm onated on May 17. The the The Bay of Islands Group wants the ocean for a thousand years, eral long distance records during approached encouraging them 32,000 ton ship now rests upright on the ocean to add to a Northland dive trail covering Tutukaka, the treasures urgently need com- its annual 3,000 kilometre runs to leave. The ship was spot- floor in a north-south orientation at an existing Bay of Islands and Matauri Bay. However, Dive plex preservation treatments. Of between Vancouver and the ted again in September of 1935 artificial reef site at a depth of approximately Tutukaka director Jeroen Jongejans, who hopes to particular concern are the ship’s North West Territories. and November of 1939 near 212 feet, as requested by the state of Florida. The add the frigate to two other wrecks off the Tutukaka structural timbers and iron bars, Wainwright Alaska. In 1962 anoth- Navy will start to offer additional ships for artificial coast, believes the Bay of Islands group has left its which are sitting outside in a tank Getting caught by ice er group of Inuit kayaking the reefs later this year. ■ run too late. Dive Tutukaka has already applied and of salty water. While the fragments Each trip was dangerous and Beaufort Sea, sighted it. The last been approved resource consent to scuttle the frig- are not financially valuable, they each year it had to escape the sighting was in 1969 when a US ate. ``If you haven’t got a resource consent you’re provide important clues to trade grip of the polar ice. In 1931, the oil tanker Manhattan was cross- wasting your time.” ■ between Indonesian kingdoms, steel ship encountered one of the ing the Northwest passage and Persia, Africa, and China, said Horst worst years for ice and she was a party of Inuit said they spotted The Oriskany was the first ship to be environmentally Liebner, a maritime historian. ■ caught good in the ice masses. the SS Baychimo once again. ■ prepared using the US’ Environmental Protection Agency’s “Best Management Practices for Preparing
MILITARY NEWS Vessels for Use as Artificial Reefs. 21 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED TED DAESCHLER
Just 0.6 percent Secret Of Snail’s Food for thought of the oceans are currently protected Escape news as reserves, com- Can Cod Help Clean Up pared with 12 per- Snails with left-handed shells can have cent of the world’s a big advantage in life - predators The Baltic Sea? Edited by land, according to may find it impossible to eat them. Peter Symes UN data Scientists wrting in Royal Society’s jour- Imagine being out on a fish- through the microscopic nal Biology Letters have found that the Fossil ing trip in the Baltic, hauling plants and tiny animals of the crab Calappa flammea. is unable in cod for dinner. But rather plankton into fish and seals to open left-handed shells Of First than gutting the fish and and seabirds, which end up because it only has a tool - a throwing the offal overboard getting the biggest doses. ‘canopener’ - for peeling Fish That for gulls to feast upon, you put In particularly strong con- Scientists Find them on its right claw; so it Crawled Onto them away in plastic boxes centrations are found in cod Four New discards them. ■ carrying them ashore to make livers and researchers from Land Discovered sure they are safely inciner- Danish Institute for Fisheries Fish Species ated. Research has shown that fish- Off Western About 400 million years ago our fishy ing removed as much or more African Fish Leaps ancestors began hauling themselves Why? PCBs from the Baltic than Australia onto dry land. evolving from fish into There would be an underlying some other natural processes For Land Bugs land animals. Now a fossil from the very meaning to this seemingly irra- known to eliminate PCBs - as During a four-day Calappa beginning of that crucial transition has tional behaviour. In doing so for example by break-down in research trip scien- flammea Scientists have described a fish that been found in a river delta on Ellesmere you will have helped removing the water column, export to tists from Australia’s can hunt and catch its prey on Island in Arctic Canada some ugly toxins from the sea. the North Sea by ocean cur- Commonwealth land. The eel catfish, Channallabes The Baltic is still one of the seas rents. Scientific and apus, is found in the muddy Tiktaalik most polluted with chemical Industrial Research swamps in western Africa. The 30- The fossilized remains included a near- contaminants are long-lasting The numbers Organisation (CSIRO) 40cm-long fish is able to propel complete front half of a fossilized skel- pollutants such as PCBs (poly- For example the Baltic Sea has found four new itself out of the water and bend eton of a crocodile-like creature, whose chlorinated biphenyls) which contained 260 kg of PCBs in species of fish includ- its head downwards to capture skull is some 20 centimetres long and with are poisonous compounds the late 1980s–early 1990s. ing a stingray in deep insects in its jaws. The research- joints in its front arms. The new animal, that can impair reproduction. During the same time period, waters off Western ers hope this discovery will help to which lived some 375 million years ago, They have entered the fishing for herring, sprat, cod, Australia’s coast, explain how fish moved from sea to has been named Tiktaalik after sugges- Baltic Sea via the atmos- and salmon removed on aver- just beyond Rottnest land millions of years ago. ■ tions from Inuit elders. The name means phere and rivers and although age at least 31 kg of PCBs per Island. “large freshwater fish”. manufacture of PCBs stopped year. Scientist Peter Last Anti Freeze Gene Palaeontologists describing their find in 1976, they are still in the Because fishing also appears he is amazed that Fish such as cod that live in subzero polar waters posses special anti- in the journal Nature calls the specimen marine environment and to be the only method of PCB Cuttlefish are Masters the new species were freeze proteins that work by binding to ice crystals to prevent the crystals from the Devonian a true ‘missing link’, likely to be there for many removal over which we have found so close to growing larger and causing problems as it helps to fill in a gap in our under- years to come as they do not some control, one might ask of Disguise Despite Australia. More than standing of how fish developed legs for break down easily. Because whether environment and half of the 100 spe- Now scientists at the University of Illinois have discovered land mobility, before eventually evolving PCBs are easily absorbed by fisheries agencies around the http://www.underwatertimes.com/ cies of fish collected how the antifreeze-proteins have evolved from existing into modern animals. marine organisms, they tend Baltic should consider banning news.php?article_id=10816953274 are only found in the proteins by natural selection. Since the creation of these The fish-like tetrapods it seems did not to get mag- nified up the discard of cod liver and south-west of Western antifreeze proteins is directly driven by polar glaciation, by so much conquer the land, as escape the food chain other fish organs at sea. Cuttlefish are wizards of cam- Austrialia. Dr Last says studying their evolutionary history the scientists from the water. They haves bony scales SOURCES: BRIAN R. MACKENZIE, STURE ouflage. Adept at blending the fish are yet to be was hoping to pinpoint the time of onset of and fins, but the front fins are on their HANSSON, LISA ALMESJÖ AND NEIL FLETCHER DANISH INSTITUTE FOR FISHERIES RESEARCH in with their surroundings, named. “It’s a fairly freezing conditions in the polar and subpolar way to becoming limbs; they have the CHARLOTTENLUND DENMARK cuttlefish are known to have long process naming seas. However, Professor Christina Cheng and internal skeletal structure of an arm, E-MAIL: [email protected] a diverse range of body fish, not a five-minute her group have found the gene for the cod including elbows and wrists, but patterns and can switch job,” he said. ■ antifreeze protein has come from a non-cod- with fins instead of clear between them almost instan- ing region of their DNA known as “junk DNA”. fingers. The team is still taneously. New research from looking for more com- MBL Marine Resources sci- Arnold Schwarzenegger “This appears to be a new mechanism for plete specimens to get a entists, to appear in the May starring as Mr. Freeze in the evolution of a gene from non-coding better picture of hind part 2006 issue of the journal Vision Batman & Mr. Freeze DNA”, says Professor Cheng, ■ of the animal. ■
22 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Dingle, summer 2005: Dingle Turtle caught & Leatherback takes 5,000 mile journey Bay of Nova Scotia Biscay Marine biologists have been tracking have been started by the University of news Route taken by turtle a 15 year-old Leatherback turtle found Exeter who are focusing on the leath- first and tagged off the British Isles and erbacks who travel south from the UK Madeira journeying south all the way to the down to nest on the beaches near Ga- Edited by ATLANTIC OCEAN Canary Islands Equator around the Cape Verde Islands bon, West Africa. It is the animals last glo- Gunild Symes off Africa. The animal was rescued bal stronghold, It is thought by research- Cape Verde from entanglement in lobster pots in ers that the turtles may be traveling January Islands Dingle, Co Kerry, UK, by scientists from as far south as South America and the Turtles 2006 CARIBBEAN April 2006 Oceanworld aquarium. The turtle was Indian Ocean in search of jellyfish prey. ■ Signal regained Madeira fitted with a satellite tracking turtle heading Leatherbacks in the north device by experts from uni- versities in Cork and Wales. It Caribbean make a come-back is thought that the turtles long Red Tide kills endangered turtles journey was a quest for food Twenty-five years of con- of Planning and Natural rather than nesting beaches. servation and monitor- Resources. In the 1990s, A mass die-off of sea turtles on the Pacific shores of El Salvador was This the first time a leather- ing have helped the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife triggered by a lethal algal bloom called “Red Tide” reported a U.S. back has been tracked from endangered Caribbean Service made the nesting conservation group. Two hundred turtles perished last year from the North Atlantic southward. Leatherback turtle to beach at Sandy Point a exposure to Red Tide. Traces of saxitoxin was found in their blood, Data gathered will help con- increase their hatchling national wildlife refuge and which is produced by a species of sea plankton and algae found in servationists save this endan- numbers from 2,000 per participated in the moni- Red Tide, according to a report by the Wildlife Conservation Society gered species. According year to 49,000 according toring program. based in New York. Most of the affected turtles were Olive Ridley to experts, the turtles num- to a report published in Despite the good sea turtles and some were Green and Hawksbill turtles. bers have decreased from news for these Scientist say that Red Tide is becoming more common around the 115,000 adult females in 1980 Caribbean tur- world and causing profound impacts on wild marine animal popu- to less than 25,000 worldwide tles, leatherback lations such as shellfish, the industry of which has suffered massive today. turtle populations economic losses. Human waste such as agricultural fertilizer run-off Other tracking projects PHOTO BY NANCY BLACK. NOAA world-wide have and urban sewage contribute to the increase in algae blooms. ■ declined recent- ly from destruc- tive fishing practices such Tri-national protection as longline fisher- ies and human for Pacific sea turtles impact on nest- ing beaches. The Bismark Solomon Seas eco-region is set to ini- Despite beach tiate a conservation partnership between three conservation governments for the protection of Wester Pacific
PHOTO BY MATTHEW GODFREY. NOAA measures in the Leatherback Turtles. Indonesia, Papua New Guinea Eastern Pacific, and the Solomon Islands are joining forces to con- Biological Conservation. leatherback populations serve and manage the sea turtles, their nesting sties It is the first time increas- there have virtually col- and feeding areas as well as their migratory routes in ing trends for leather- lapsed and show little signs the region. www.layanglayang.com backs have been linked of recovery. It is the first partnership of its kind between three to nesting beach conser- Scientists supported by countres according to a statement from the WWF vation researchers told Earthwatch and working Solomon Islands. The move will help conservation ef- Earthwatch. Intensive mon- with leatherbacks in Costa forts of these endangered turtles to continue in the itoring efforts take place Rica report that nearly Solomon Seas Eco-region or BSSE, which is recognized at St. Croix’s Sandy Point twice as many turtles area of globally important biodiversity, and covers National Wildlife Refuge came to nest this season the Birdshead Peninsular of the provice of Papua in under a project that than last, but it is still 90% Indonesia,crosses the Admiralty and Bismarck archi- started in 1982 by the US less than the numbers 20 pelagos of Papua New Guinea and makes it way to Virgin Islands Department years ago. ■ Makira Island of the Solomon Islands. ■
23 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Inuit see signs of Arctic change news The Arctic, where 155,000 Inuit peo- and other elements the Inuit use for ple in Alaska, Canada, Greenland predicting the weather. and northern Russia, make their The Canadian government report- Edited by home, is disappearing. The warm- ed the warmest winter on record Gunild Symes ing trend and melting of ice caps is since 1948, and NASA satellites have forcing the people to face a new measured a meltdown of the ice way of life and abandon traditional sheet in Antarctica and Greenland Artic ecosystems see methods of survival. over the past ten years. Some Global warming has hit the Arctic regions are transforming from artic major changes from the hardest, where fish and wildlife to subarctic climate such as the global warming are following retreating ice caps Bering Stait according to researchers northward and polar bears are starv- at the Oceanography and Climate Animals are struggling to survive ing as the ice floes they need for Science program of Canada’s fish- as the profound impact of cli- hunting become fewer and fewer. eries department. mate change on their ecosys- Seals are also affected according Scientists predict that the changes tems, which may be irreversible, to local reports. They are not able to happening here in Inuit country is affects life and feeding grounds find stable ice upon which to give just the beginning, that the phenom- in the Arctic including the Ber- birth. Newcomers such as robins, ena will move southward to affect ing Strait where whales, walruses, barn owls and hornets are showing the rest of the planet. ■ seabirds and fish are starving and up in Arctic vil- dying off. lages where they Researchers state from obseva- were previously tions and surveys they have wit- unknown. nessed a major transformation of Inuit elders say an entire ecosystem which hosts they cannot pass almost half of all American com- on traditional mercial fishing. knowledge to the The norther Bering Sea is retreat- next generation ing and the sub-Arctic system of because it is no the south is taking over formerly longer reliable. Artic regions according to ex- They say every- perts. These changes could be thing has changed irreversible even if cold weather including cloud returns say Canadian and U.S. and wind patterns researchers who are part of a the Arctic study sponsored by the Uni- Polar Bears versity of Tennessee, the National Ursus maritimus PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Science Foundation and the Na- tional Oceanic and Atmospheric UK Pop Stars support new climate laws with song Administration (NOAA). Scientists say the Arctic is warm- Several famous British singers played over global warming. The UK govern- ing twice as fast as the global av- at a concert to support Friends of the ment recently stated that the UK will erage. Waters if the Bering Strait Earth’s Big Ask Live campaign. Rock- most likely not meet its target emis- have risen dramatically in the ers such as Thom Yorke and Jonny sions reductions goals of slashing 20% past ten years. Seals, polar bears Greenwood of Radiohead and of CO2 by 2010. and walruses are struggling to Gruff Rhys, of the Super Furry Animals The new law supported by Friends survive. Pacific grey whales are according to local reports. First in a of the Earth would force government heading northward to find food in series of concerts to draw attention to cut emissions of carbon dioxide by cooler currents. The hole they left to the campaign to change laws on 3% each year. The organization says in previous pastures have been CO2 emissions, participants said the that most people want their govern- filled by millions of pink salmon, experience was empowering, tak- ment to take action regarding cli- which affected bottom-dwelling ing away the sense of powerlessness mate change according to surveys. ■ species unable to adapt. ■ 24 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Patagonia Diving at the end of the World
The rugged coast of Patagonia Text and photos by Marcelo Mammano
Considered a windy place— You walk a few steps to the end of the cliff and I mean, very windy—so windy you watch the sea and the sandy coast 100 meters below you. Depending on what part of the must ask the wind about what you region you are right now, you can see some can do today. Consider the wind as different animals. Big animals, small animals. “mobile” as the “Donna” of the opera. Say, some fifty or more right whales and calves, He changes his mood at any time with hundreds of elephant seals basking in the sun, or thousands of Magellanic penguins toddling no warning. Mood, in terms of wind, is everywhere—some of them walking right beside direction, force, temperature, humid- you. Perhaps you are lucky enough to see a killer ity and all the weather changes that whale grounding on the beach and catching come with them. Now, put yourself in a sea lion pup. Then you realize that you are in a very special place—wild, almost untouched. a flat place, a plateau, with no moun- That is Patagonia. tains or trees to protect you and where Patagonia is a region so vast that it would take the wind surrounds you all the time. more than one article to describe it. So, that is what we are going to do. First of all, and from Stay there and wait. Take your time to our point of view (scuba divers and underwater look around. You begin to notice that photographers), there is a marine coastal region the soil upon which you are standing is and there is a river and lakes region. The first covered with marine fossils and guess faces the Atlantic Ocean and is dry and—you guessed it—very windy. The most attractive rightly that this was the sea floor some places for diving are the Valdés Peninsula in millions of years ago. the north and the Beagle Channel at the end
Female Southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina, showing us that we are too close 25 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Patagonia
LEFT: A curious sea lion bathed in sunrays peers into the camera lens
CENTER: The barnacle encrusted hide of a humpback whale
BOTTOM: Large male elephant seal snoozes under a warm sun on the dark rocks along the shore
A dazzling Patagonia coast
of the world. The other place lies at the foot of Today, it is not the expensive country it used es. You better travel by plane to reach your the Andes, which you can imagine are like the to be—economic crisis and the devaluation of destination. Once there, no matter where it is, Alps, but much more extensive, with beautiful the local currency are to blame—so expect to try to rent a car if you have some time to spare. lakes surrounded by mountains and green eve- see lot of tourist activity. This will give you time and freedom. Many rywhere. You can dive in both places, which Buenos Aires is considered by many as the places like the Valdés Peninsula offer so much both share one similar condition: cold waters. least “Latin American” of Latin American cities. in such a big expanse that it would take some But they are very different in other ways. This is due to European influence and immigra- days to really enjoy all the attractions. tion. Cultural offerings in this city are incredible, The places we are about to describe are per- The country people are kind and helpful with tourists, coffee fect for a family vacation and especially the A few words about the country will serve you to shops are open until very late in the night (some kids will enjoy truely wild contact with nature. understand its diving attraction. never close), tango is everywhere and although This is neither a zoo nor an African safari. There A friend of mine used to classify countries as Spanish is our language, you will find that most will be times where you will find yourself watch- those that “are” diving places and those that people can help you in English. ing a colony of thousands of elephant seals “have” diving places. Argentina is in the sec- with no human around you except your fam- ond group. It is not a dive destination, but has Patagonia ily members. Of course, if you choose to visit some pretty, interesting and seldom dived spots Patagonia is in the southern half of the country. them in a tourist bus, you should adhere to that are worth a visit. Life there is more expensive due to the distanc- their schedules and rules. Going by yourself will
26 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED LEFT: Strawberry anemone RIGHT: Bright yellow hard coral Patagonia travel CENTER: Delicate blue anemone on hard coral
the Valdés Peninsula, water temperature is around 10ºC, so a 5-7 mm wetsuit is okay for a couple of dives, but in the Beagle channel, expect less than 3ºC, so drysuits are man- datory. You can rent or buy diving equipment, but I would advise you to bring your own mask and fins just to avoid fit- ting problems. Photo or video equipment rentals are seldom available.
Valdés Peninsula After a few days in Puerto Madryn (Argentina’s diving capital) where we have dived some nice shallow wrecks in not so clear waters, we decided to take more time, but will allow than 20 meters, mostly in the head to the peninsula. you to enjoy a more personal range of 12-15 meters. Puerto Madryn is a big city approach. Go to Punta Tombo, You must ask special permis- that was the first place touched for example. There, millions of sion (in advance) if you want to by the Welsh immigration to Maguellanic penguins form the dive with some of the animals Patagonia. This is a very nice spot biggest colony in the continent. in this region, because this is to use as a base and visit the dif- You will be literally surrounded a protected area. An officer ferent places of the region. by these funny little animals. goes with you (not underwater) Welsh tradition can still be This is definitely a place for the explaining what you can and enjoyed by visiting a couple of family. But diving is better left for cannot do. You can learn a lot small and beautiful towns not so advanced divers. Although you from these guys. Some rules are far from Madryn: Dolavon and don’t need to be an expert, it a bit... (look around first to see Gaiman. There, you can enjoy would be ideal that you feel if there is one of them around, a typical Welsh tea. Believe me, comfortable in cold and some- please) ridiculous. For example, you won’t want to eat anything times not so clear waters. With a diver cannot appear in the the night before, so you can the exception of a few deep photograph with the animal. reserve your belly for it. Just try it. wrecks, diving is done in (What?!?!) But others rules I will not tell you anymore. places no are simply logical and Near Puerto Madryn there are deep- perfectly under- some small beaches where, dur- er standable. ing the whale season, you can In the gulfs see those giants swimming and that surround playing a few yards from the coast. El Doradillo, just 15 km. Internet is everywhere today, go to a wild place far from civili- cover the Valdés Peninsula, as north of Madryn, is the best spot. but don’t expect to find a good zation. it is probably the most widely You can dive in Madryn, and it is connection (or a connection at We will leave the Beagle chan- known place, and join me in a there where you can find most of all) in some small villages. That’s nel and the Andean region for typical Patagonian diving adven- the dive shops. what you get when you want to future articles. Let’s try first to ture. There are a couple of artifi- Close-up of a striated mollusc 27 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Rugged coast of travel Argentinian Patagonia Patagonia a main road and two short streets plateau. Marine fossils are every- At first glance, all you see are that connect it to the beach, where. The air is clean, and you just rocks. But then, you care- a few houses and shops, some feel lucky enough to be able to fully begin to watch below the beach bars and that’s it. It gets enjoy such a place. rocks and notice that the colors crowded during the summer Let’s go back to our diving. you have seen in warmer waters months, but in winter, even with are also here. You simply can- some tourist buses around, the Punta Pardelas not believe that such variety can place is still a paradise. There For a few days, the wind doesn’t exist in these rough conditions. are a couple of nice small hotels help our whale watching, so we From time to time, small in which to stay. You will enjoy do some beach diving instead. groupers, no longer than 15 cm, the solitude, the silence, maybe The most beautiful place is very begin to bite you, trying to get some kids playing football in the near Piramides: Punta Pardelas. you out of their territory. You let streets, small houses with windows There, submerged in a rocky bot- them try, and then go on your ornate with conchs and fossils, tom, you can find colorful and way. At no more than a meter and very quiet and smiling peo- delicate little creatures. behind you, you discover a sea ple. A few dive shops can advise Be warned, however: Patagonia lion that is watching you. It is big, you about the better places for is not like the Caribbean where bigger than you thought. Then, beach diving, which are not so you can buy a card illustrated in a second, she (they are almost far away. with fish and corals, which, once always females) disappears. In the afternoons, a walk in the underwater, you can find and You spend more than an hour surrounding cliffs will show you the identify effortlessly. Here, you in waters no more than 12-15 vast expanse of the Patagonian must look for them. meters deep. It is cold and you
cial reefs used mostly for diving sible with rock reefs very close to come here. But not us. Besides, I “baptisms” no deeper than 12 m shore. just get seasick even in a carrou- made with old cars and buses. To cover the 90 km to the sel. I prefer to see those beautiful Groupers, sea salmons, octopus main village, Puerto Pirámides, beasts underwater. and occasionally a sea lion will we cross the Istmo Ameghino, a Southern right whales come join you in most of the dives. thin strip of land that, from time every May and stay here until Wrecks were sunken on pur- to time, lets you see the sea on late November. In these calm pose here and are very interest- both sides of the road: the San waters they mate, give birth and ing for black and white wide- José Gulf at north and the New feed their calves. In summer, angle photography. They are Gulf at south. Diving is currently they depart to feed in colder also in shallow waters, so when not allowed in the northern gulf. and more plankton-rich waters, current is present, backscatter is This is to protect the fauna, espe- perhaps near Antarctica. These a problem. The best wrecks are cially the southern right whales. areas are still under study and the Emma, the Folías and the But don’t worry. In the proper not clearly identified. Albatros. time of the year, you can see During the whale season, boats With special permission (not whales even from the balcony of depart from early in the morn- difficult to get if you ask the dive your hotel room. ing until there is enough light to operator), you can dive under see the whales jump, rest on the some piers, which are covered Puerto Pirámides surface, or play with their calves. with sponges, soft corals and Puerto Pirámides is a small town A very nice experience indeed. anemones. (no more than 200 people living Then, late in the afternoon, the Best and less crowded places there) but is visited daily by thou- last bus leaves the little town, for diving are, however, in the sands of tourists. Whale watching and you find yourself almost peninsula. The waters are usually is a controlled and well-organ- alone. clearer and beach diving is pos- ized activity. That is why tourists Puerto Pirámides is very small—
Turquoise blue sea wraps around cliffs 28 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Patagonia
TOP LEFT TO RIGHT: The impressive bar- feel the cold in your hands and lips. mer months, they migrate a few seals. They live in an enormous nacle encrusted face of a humpback So, you decide that’s it for the day. kilometers to the Punta Pirámides colony (population around 3000) whale; Dramatic view from under a colony, where the shallower waters in Punta Delgada. It’s open sea, whale; Giant silhouette of a humpback Whales allow the puppies to swim safely. so water is neither clear nor calm, enjoying a bubble bath expelled from On the next day, the wind calms. We approach them slowly. We and these guys aren’t as friendly as a diver’s air tank So, we go for whales. Rules are sim- are still gearing up, but they have sea lions. So, we just visit them to BELOW LEFT TO RIGHT: ple: you don’t hunt them—just spot already jumped into the water. photograph them on the beach. Whale eye; Diving sea lion one, approach her very slowly and They are females. The males just Males are big (5-6 meters long) and see her attitude towards the boat. stay at the top of the rocky islets, very, very heavy. But also, very fast If she is willing to stay, she will begin watching and monitoring us. It is if they think you are invading their to make some passes below the better to dive a bit far from them, territory. So, you better approach boat, scratching her back against just in case. them slowly. the boat bottom. Diving with sea lions is so magic In a quiet afternoon, the big boss The officer says that we should that you can spend hours with sleeps while some young males look for young adults. Mothers with them. They are fast, elegant, funny. fight not far from him. He doesn’t calves are a bit jealous and will not You try to photograph them, but pay attention to them. They are still allow us to approach. Calves are they move so fast, it is very difficult very young to compete with him. also very curious, but still can’t con- to compose an image. Worse yet. All around, beautiful faces watch trol their enormous bodies very well, They bite you all the time. With their us. They are females. They are bask- which makes them a bit dangerous. lips, they bite your hoses, snorkels, ing in the sun, blowing from time You can spend some days until fins, everything. Yes, trying to pho- to time, to get rid of the sand that you eventually find the whale that tograph them is a nightmare. A enters into their noses from the stays around long enough to be wide-angle lens is a must. Since the wind. We approach them as close photographed. Maybe you are dive is in very shallow waters, you as they allow us. Some ignore us, lucky and she is there the first time. must use strobes just for fill lighting, some show us their open mouth, But this is not the rule. On the days but most of the time (especially for and we slowly retreat. the whales decide not to “collabo- black and white) you just use ambi- In the afternoon, while the sun rate”, there are other animals that ent light. With such movement, disappears on the horizon, we head would love to dive with you. shallow waters and fine sandy bot- back to Puerto Pirámides. We see tom, backscatter is a problem, so some ñandúes (Patagonian ostrich- Sea lions you surely will end up leaving the es, smaller than the Africans), maras Sea lions are very common in these strobes in the boat. (world biggest hares) and guana- waters. From April to December, cos along the road. It’s a long trip they can be found at Punta Alt, Elephant seals however, and we arrive late at where a colony lives in the coast Other animals we wanted but night. and little islets around. In the sum- could not dive with were elephant We left Punta Norte for another
29 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Patagonia
LEFT TO RIGHT: Magnificent tale of a hump- back whale; Sunning elephant seal gives a territorial bark; Detail of a red starfish; Green sea anemones cling to the coral reef in families; Curious penguins grin for the lens
opportunity. It is far in the north, and it is deeper than 12 meters. The returning without a photograph. And end this dive with some broken bones. better to visit in autumn to witness nature water is green and visibility after those initial minutes, I had almost The four-meter wide tail gets closer and in its wildest form: killer whales ground- is scarce, no more than breathed half of my tank and still had closer and I stay still waiting for the best ing on the sand trying to catch sea lions. 5-6 meters. I will use my no photographs in my camera. You defi- (or the worse). But nothing really hap- Maybe this year... Nikonos V with a Nikonos nitely need to learn to dive with these pens. Like the pilot of a big Boeing, she 15 mm lens, an SB105, and guys. That was what I was thinking about, maneuvers her body so perfectly that the Diving with whales TMax100 black and white when I saw the cloud again. Right over tail passes beside me at no more than a This is the day, I say to myself. The wind film pushed to 400 ISO to me, in the very place where my bubbles few centimeters, without touching me. is calm, the sea is almost flat, and some increase the contrast. reach the surface. I begin to ascend with Amazing! whales can be seen from the coast. I adjust my buoyancy the air bubbles rising up. It seems that she I lost her There we go. and begin to swim. I enjoys the bubble bath, because she is for To dive with a whale is different from can’t see her. I am alone. completely turned upside down, with her anything you have ever done before. It’s A “safety” (!) diver, a belly to the sun and her back receiving kind of magic. It’s a privilege. Not from boy who goes with us the caresses of my bubbles. the government, but from Nature. A gift. in the boat, snorkels on As I approach her, she notices me and After looking for a “collaborating” the surface. He signals begins to turn very slowly. I get a shot of whale for our photo session for more than goes first with a mask and snorkel to try somewhere, but I can’t see anything. her eye at no more than a few cen- a couple of hours, we spotted one that to secure some photos, and then, if the Suddenly, a cloud covers the sunlight. timeters. As she turns her enormous was in a typical position: head down, whale remains around, the shooter goes A big, fast moving cloud. A cloud with body, all the water moves around with the tail out of the water. Scientists back to the boat for scuba gear. an eye! There she was. With a delicate me and we emerge together in still don’t agree about why they do this. I am not the strong, athletic kind of stroke of her tail, she passes beside me an explosion of foam and waves, Some say they are just resting, others say diver. I am small, and diving with a drysuit almost effortlessly, but fast enough to not like a submarine. I grab a shot of they are “sailing”, using their enormous and weights and snorkel is almost a giving me time to compose a first shot. I her respiratory operculi and the tail as a sail, pushed by the wind. Others torture for me. So, I decided to risk the try to follow her, but it’s impossible. She little parasitic cyamids that sur- just admit they don’t know. opportunity, spend the time to gear up continues to play the same game, again round them. I turn to my right Anyway, as we approach her, she completely and go for her in scuba. My and again. After ten minutes of swim- and notice her tail approach- adopts a more “normal” position, but choice was correct. For the time, I begin ming I am so tired, that I decided to rest ing me, so I begin to move doesn’t go away. On the contrary, as my descent, she was still there, curious to on the sandy bottom. my legs trying to get far from the captain shuts off the engine and see what was that black thing that was Many have asked me if I was afraid her. I think to myself, I am the boat slowly drifts to her, she begins approaching her. of swimming with such giant animal. To going to die. Well, maybe to circle us. Usually, the photographer We are close to shore, in a place no tell you the truth, my biggest fear was not die, but I’ll definitely
30 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Penguins pruning their feathers populate travel the stony beaches to rest under the sun Patagonia
awhile. I have a few PSI in my tank Puerto Pirámides. I have decided I was bubbles. The guys in Pirámides (they and only one frame left in my camera. too tired and sick—seasickness is my know about whales) had never seen The “safety” guy keeps pointing at her karma—to repeat the dive. It was the such behavior before, so if you ever doing some gestures I cannot under- last friendly whale of that trip. The wind dive with a whale that uses you as her stand. After swimming with no direction blew so hard the following days that personal “Jacuzzi”, please, just give her for a couple of minutes, I eventually the port was closed and we couldn’t my regards. ■ see her. She is in the upright position dive anymore. again. With the tail outside, her head I dedicated those bad days to get- almost touches the bottom, so she must ting some photos of the penguins at measure about 14-16 meters. I begin to Punta Tombo Reserve, some 180 km meter the background as I approach south of Puerto Madryn. But the whale her from behind. I don’t want to fail. I dive was the highlight of the trip and reach her holding my breath and shoot will remain with me forever. Fortunately, a vertical photo just before she moves whales keep coming every year, so I on and disappears into the green plan to dive with them again. There is water. a cycle to their movements and the TOP CETNER: Detail of sea anemone I get back to the boat. I am really same whale is supposed to come to TOP RIGHT: Poka-dotted nudibranch exhausted. But it was a great dive and I Valdés every three years. Maybe, I can LEFT: Sea lion swims under a gleaming sun am really happy. We slowly go back to find her again. She is the one that loves INSET: Smiling female elephant seal
31 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED
BOLIVIA
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i R PARAGUAY Language Spanish (official); English is Salta widely spoken in main cities and tourist areas;
a San Miguel n Italian, German, French ra de Tucumán Pa fact file Rio Patagonia, Argentina Corrientes a n Posadas Travel How to get there: definitely, go a r ANDES a P by plane. It’s a long trip to Madryn. Once
o i San R there, you can rent a car to travel the area. Córdoba Santa Juan Fe Concepción The only airline that currently flies there is Carro San Lorenzo del Uruguay Aerolíneas Argentinas. Check before you go Acaroagua San Martin Mendoza Rosario to see if they go to Puerto Madryn. They usu-
SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN URUGUAY Buenos Aires ally don’t, and you must fly to Trelew (about La Plata Rio 70 km south of Madryn) and then take a bus. de la Plata History Argentina gained its independ- degradation, desertification, air pollution and Mar del Your travel agent can arrange it. Once there, ence from Spain in 1816. The following period water pollution. Argentina is a world leader in Plata take tours, or better yet, rent a car. Distances CHILI PAMPASBahía saw internal political conflicts between liber- making voluntary greenhouse gas targets Blanca are large, and the whole round trip to the als and conservatives and between civilian San Carlos Viedma Peninsula (from Puerto Madryn) is about 400 and military groups. The end of World War II Climate The coastal area of the de Bariloche km. The only paved road is the one that joins Marcelo Mammana is an argentine underwa- saw the establishment of Peronist authoritar- Patagonia is arid and dry, due mainly to Punta Puerto Madryn to Puerto Pirámides. Drive ter photographer (and physician). He was born Colorado ian rule in Argentina, after which continued scarce rainfall (no more than 200 mm/year) SOUTH easy and beware of the stones that other and lives in Buenos Aires. He has dived since political turbulence led to a military junta and strong western winds that blow almost ATLANTIC cars can throw when they are passing you. he was 13, and has done so in the Patagonia, taking power in 1976. Democracy made continually. Their intensity increases in the OCEAN They can break your windshield. Brazil and the Caribbean. He is a self-educat- Comodoro a comeback in 1983, and remains despite warmer summer months. Temperature: 15- Rivadavia ed photographer (he actually first learned to challenges including a severe economic crisis 18ºC in summer and 6-7ªC in winter. Security The usual recommendations for photograph underwater before top-side), and ANDES in 2001-02 that errupted into violent public Water temperature: about 16ºC in February big cities: don’t walk alone, ask before ven- although he uses color film for editorial work, protests forcing the resignation of several and 8ªC in August. Tidal variations are among turing in some places (especially at night), he prefers to shoot in black and white. Visit his interim presidents. Government: republic. the world’s greatest, so in some areas there Falkland Islands don’t leave your values unattended, etc. Life awardwinning website www.light-underwa- (U.K.) Capital: Buenos Aires are strong currents. This, associated to wind Río Gallegos is definitely more peaceful in Patagonia. ter.com. He is currently working on a photo- and the topographic characteristics of the Strait of Magellan Voltage: 220 v. graphic project on Patagonia. Geography Argentina is located in the terrain (with some places with strong “up Marcelo’s black and white images are Ushuaia Scotia Sea southern end of South America. Patagonia wellings” or cold water ascending currents) Food/water Don’t miss Argentine “asa- taken with Kodak TMax100 (pushed 2 stops to Beagle Channel (a region shared geographically with Chile) produces a rich biological area (plankton) Cape Horn dos” (barbecues) and “dulce de leche”. increase contrast, in whale and sea lions imag- occupies most of the southern half of the Drake Passage Water is Ok for drinking, although many es). He uses Fuji Provia for color shots. country. The Valdés Peninsula is on the coast Seasons in the Southern Hemisphere, would prefer to dilute it with a good Malbec Underwater shots are taken with a Nikonos V, of Chubut, one of the five provinces that summer goes from December to March, and while inflation rose to12.3 percent in 2005. (especially with the “asados”) Nikonos SB105, Nikkor UW 15mm, Nikkor UW are located in the region. Coastline: 4,989 winter, from June to September Agriculture: sunflower seeds, lemons, soy- 35mm + extension tubes. Land shots are taken km. Terrain: to the north, rich plains of the beans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, Seasonal fauna Whales: from May with a Nikon F601, Nikon AF 24 mm. Pampas; to the south, flat to rolling plateau of Economy Advantages: rich natural wheat, livestock. Industries: food processing, to December. Penguins: from January to Contact info: Marcelo Mammana, Buenos Patagonia; to the west, rugged Andes along resources, high literacy rate, export-oriented motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, December, but best from September to Aires, Argentina, [email protected] the border. Lowest point: Laguna del Carbon agricultural sector and a diversified indus- chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, met- March. Sea lions: All year round. Elephant [email protected] 105 m. Highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 trial base. Disadvantages: inflation, external allurgy, steel seals: All year round. Killer whales: from m. As mentioned in the article, Patagonia is a debt, capital flight, budget deficits. Negative February to April. Dolphins: from December vast plateau with the Andes to the west. This growth in 2000 due to skepticism of the gov- Currency Argentine peso (ARS) to April plateau ends in pebble beaches or sandy ernment debt repayment while maintain- Exchange rate: 1 peso = .32 USD, .25 EUR Websites coasts usually (but not always) enclosed by ing peso-US dollar exchange rate, bond Dive Links Puerto Madryn Tourist Office high cliffs. Millions of years ago, sea level problems, massive bank withdrawals, sliding Population 39,921,833 (July 2006 est.) Scuba Duba, Puerto Madryn www.madryn.gov.ar was 100 m or higher, so the current soil was consumer and investor confidence despite Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish and www.scubaduba.com.ar Province of Chubut once the sea bottom. Marine fossils are eve- the government efforts to rectify the situa- Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian Golfo Azul, Puerto Madryn Protected Areas Office rywhere. Natural hazards: heavy flooding, tion with reforms. Following a stabilization at and white ancestry), Amerindian, or www.pinosub.com Contact them in advance for permits earthquakes in San Miguel de Tucuman and a low level, growth is making a comeback other non-white groups 3%. Religions: Patagonia Scuba, Puerto Pirámides www.chubutur.gov.ar Mendoza areas in the Andes, pamperos, or driven by domestic demand, solid exports, Roman Catholic 92% (about 20% practic- www.patagoniascuba.com AR Tourism, LLC violent windstorms, hit the Pampas and north- and positive external conditions strong rev- ing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2% The Paradise, Puerto Pirámides Argentina & Patagonia Travel Specialists east. Environmental issues: deforestation, soil enue performance and a budget surplus www.hosteriaparadise.com.ar www.artourism.com
32 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED In Columbus’ time, El Hierro was considered the limit of the known world in Europe. For over 1700 years, the small- est island of the Canaries was the land of the Zero Longitude El Hierro and the ocean beyond was Diving at the Edge of the World the realm of the unknown. Today, a lighthouse at the Western end of this enigmatic island marks the meridian site. Hierro’s claim to fame does not end here. It is a beautiful and wild island of many contrasts. One of them being a near absence of tourists...
Text and photos by Jerome Hingrat
Hierro is not stuck in time. It’s just that very few tourists choose to make the trip and the island has been spared the ghastly developments of its Canarian sisters. Besides, Hierro is still unchartered terri- tory to many scuba divers from mainland Europe. Underwater, the spectacular diversity of its landscape is every bit as striking with a bewildering variety of cliffs, pinnacles, caves and lava fields. Dives have that special flavour that result from the meeting of Atlantic species with sub- tropical ones. Having dived in the rest of Canaries, I am struck by the diversity of the fish life around Hierro. It surpasses anything I have seen in the Canaries. The marine reserve and the absence of large-scale fishing around the island has something to do with it. But it is also due to Hierro’s greater distance from the colder up welling found off the African coast. As a warm Caribbean current encircles the I soon learn to distinguish butterfly ray with a wingspan of island, the water here is warmer than off between chucos and ratones, I over 2 metres, one of the trade- the eastern islands of Fuerteventura and mean eagle rays and stingrays. marks of Hierro. Antonio, my dive Lanzarote. It is June and the water is 24 We have come across all man- guide, tells me that Maromas degrees! ners of rays: electric rays, eagle (Manta rays) are also regularly rays, stingrays and the stunning spotted about the local dive TOP: Scorpionfish LEFT: Roque de la Bonanza ABOVE RIGHT: Curious grouper with diver 33 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel El Hierro
ABOVE: A few meters below the surface INSET: Stingray LEFT: Fireworm on lava sand
sites. I put this down to a bit of Spanish your way to minutes by blarney. But, back at the centre, a a dive site. In RIB from the glance at the many photographs the case of harbour. The taken locally tell the story of their regu- El Bajon, the temptation lar sightings. They even have a video most popu- to go deeper of their last sighting filmed around the lar dive spot, in 30 m visibil- site of El Bajon. And the list doesn’t just the shore ity is hard to end here. Last month, a whale shark is within swimming distance. A steep resist... And if you want depth, El Bajon was spotted further off the coast and double-humped pinnacle, El Bajon has plenty of it with maximum depths photographed by local divers. combines spectacular scenery and fish down to 70 metres! The saddle part in life. Oceanic currents ensure a con- 10-15 metres is full of action and great Deep waters stant supply of nutrients and a regular for fish life. The place teems with a In the absence of a continental shelf, supply of visitors such as barracudas, great variety of fish, from large pelag- deep waters are found very close to bonitos, triggerfish, amber jacks, etc. ics to the shy Canarian lobster. One the shore. And it is not uncommon to I find myself drawn back to this site of its highlights is the swarms of bright encounter dolphin and pilot whales on during my stay, which is less than ten ornate wrasse spawning en masse. If
34 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Up close with a Zebra bream travel El Hierro
Fish life The ray saga continues off El Dessierto (the Desert) where we come face to face with an impressive electric ray perfectly camouflaged with its beady eyes peering at us. If it wasn’t for our guide, I would have missed it in spite of its size. On every dive, bright fire angle, you can find subjects worms can been seen crawling on for every lens. the dark volcanic sand and to say For a second, shallower dive, local they’re hard to photograph would be caves abound this end of the island. the biggest lie of the century. That’s This is where the boxfish and tamboril the thing with Hierro, macro or wide- are found hiding in the dark and it ECKHARD PECHER
ABOVE: Phoenicean Juniper (Juniperus phoenicea) at El Sabinar, El Hierro LEFT: Moray eel with shell INSET BELOW: Fast moving Zebra bream RIGHT: Pancho, the friendly grouper
you want action and exciting direction. On photo opportunities, look no another lunch further, El Bajon has it all, strong dive, I come currents included. The cliff-like across a large walls of the pinnacle offer pro- nurse shark tection for a safety stop. asleep in the In between dives, I decide to sand. All this, check the harbour after talking in just eight to Antonio. I slip off the moored metres off RIB while everybody heads for the harbour lunch. As I make my way to the mouth, where bottom, the dark sand seems the rays are to lift off: a large butterfly ray known to takes off like a magic carpet. hide in the Who says my camera should dark ripples of the lava sand. of luck as a local man tells me be turned off when the horizon Returning to the pier after that the turtle is always around. looks deceptively clear? While nearly 80 minutes in the water, I Before I know it, I find myself I curse my luck, two large sting- find a turtle within meters of the considering another dive in the rays take off in the opposite pier. I’m out of film but not out harbour!
35 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel El Hierro takes a torch to ferret them out bour of La Restinga. The whole divers and fish! A sizable por- open to sport divers but not to of their crevices. Some grow to area is in the lee of the island tion of these coastal waters commercial fishing. This ensures considerable size and inflate and offers shelter from the pre- form the reserve and is divided the conservation of a pretty their spiny body to scare off their vailing winds. There’s not that into no take zones or restricted unique ecosystem. It is not hard predator. In a local cave, we many diving areas that offer zones. The central chunk of the to imagine that the presence spot six Canarian lobsters on a calm and crystal waters all year reserve is closed to both diving of such a large concentration ledge and a beautiful pair of round with protection for both and fishing. Restricted areas are of fish attracts larger preda- red nudibranchs. On the way out of another cave at El Salto, we come across a shoal of trumpet fish, resting motionless in a dense formation, oblivious to our presence. Marine reserve Since 1995 the south tip of the island has be declared a marine reserve by the Spanish government. The protected zone runs along an area known locally as Mar de las Calmas (sea of calms). The area runs from the Orchilla lighthouse (historical landmark of the Zero degrees merid- ian) all the way to the har- Red mullet find their food in sand
tors spotted regularly by divers and fishermen alike. This also means that large specimen and numerous species can be found all year round. Needless to say, fishermen and divers can be said to get on like a house on fire... At El Desierto, the cliff dives along a black sandy slope which is home to a large colony of sand eels. The site is anything but a desert with a large sand Moray with cleaner shrimp eels colony the Red Sea would be proud of. Hundreds of them few snaps. Back on the boat, I won- they catch him by accident. How stick out in the black lava sand der about the life expectancy of will they tell him apart? His size aside, and are a sight to behold. this magnificent grouper. How long the grouper has one clearly shorter Further along, a large grouper before Pancho (that’s his name) spine on its dorsal fin that sets him takes over the dive master strays away from the reserve and apart from the rest... duties and decides to escort gets fished? Esther reassures me: us over its territory. The friendly Pancho is very territorial and dive More fish... and curious animal shadows us centres have informed local fisher- At La Herradura, I spot no less than during every dive, posing for a men about their grouper friend who five moray eels dotted around the have promised to release him should rock formations, including the beau- Angel shark 36 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel El Hierro tiful fang tooth moray and golden tail They seem more skittish swimming togeth- abound in the water around Hierro and morays. er than on their own. We follow a series I cannot recall any destination with such But after several encores at Punta of ledges and stop to look at a shoal of numbers. It is almost impossible not to see Restinga, just off the harbour, I’ve yet to jacks hidden in a cave. The current picks them on a dive. Their tube-shaped body exhaust the diversity of this site. It com- up and we drop down to the tempo- is unmistakable and they’re fascinating bines scenic and deep diving with a rary shelter of a spectacular arch at 45 to watch. They sometimes join forces with wide array of species. The beautiful pairs m. While photographing the specimen a parrotfish or a non-carnivorous reef fish of scrawled file fish, a colourful variety of black corals, I stir up a large black and follow them like their shadows. This is of unicorn fish, are worth the dive alone. stingray from the white sandy patch that a handy way of getting prey by using the They can be a challenge to approach lights up the water below the arch. camouflage of their host. When grub is in and photograph when swimming in pairs. Trumpet fish (also known as cornet fish) sight, they harpoon it swiftly under cover of their host. On their own, their hunt- ing behaviour is just as arresting. As they hover closer to their prey, they freeze, dip forward and hit their victim in a flash. They feed on tiny fishes, which only they seem capable of spotting. Many a diver has passed by them wondering if these weird looking fish had not smoked the weed. After a few days, you might think Diver has a chat with Pancho, the friendly grouper you’ve seen too many of them, but look again, you will eventually spot their us. Antonio tells me that the Northeast Dive operators strange feeding behaviour. coastline offers spectacular diving and is With more than 10 dive operations, there The major dive sites within the reserve virtually undived. Something tells me that is no shortage of dive centres and pack- are also marked with permanent moor- I’ll be back on Hierro... ages to suit all tastes. Another proof of ings that are maintained by the local the quality of diving here. We dived with council and fishing patrols. We dived off Diving El Tamboril www.eltamboril.com that a large RIB that our skipper Antonio has The harbour of La Restinga is located at overlooks the harbour of La Restinga. Run moored, only our skipper is also our dive the southern tip of the island and offers by a friendly Spanish couple, we had master and so gets in the water with us. plenty of accommodation within walk- the RIB virtually to ourselves for 2 weeks This is a feature of our diving week and ing distance of the pier. The island has an and could go back to our prefered dive we get used to the sight of RIBs floating impressive network of quality roads and is sites as we got more familiar with Hierro. seemingly unattended. easy to visit. It is also a hill walker’s para- Esther and Antonio went out of their way dise with some of the most stunning vistas to please us and waited patiently for More to find... in the Canaries. You can easily spent a the photographer... Esther speaks fluent The following Sunday, the Atlantic week walking across the island without French and English, Antonio will help you reminds us of its unpredictability. While meeting any tourist. Most of the walks brush on your Spanish. They offer full dive sheets of rain unfurled, the locals are are quite steep and you will come across packages, with substantial discounts if sorting out their differences on the black sleepy villages and isolated haciendas... you stay 10 days or more. They can also sand of a football pitch. Spectators The population is less than ten thousand arrange accommodation locally if nec- watch the game from the shelter of that lives mostly in the two main towns of essary. Our appartment was located 5 their car and honk every time a goal is Valverde (capital) and La Frontera. minutes from their dive centre. scored... With its relative isolation, it is the home of Jerome Hingrat is a freelance under- As I peered over a map of Hierro, I a large, prehistoric lizard that had seem- water photo journalist. His articles and realise that there’s a lot more left to ingly gone extinct and has reappeared a images have been published in Sport dive. We decide to venture along the few decades ago. We spotted a ridicu- Diver in the UK, Océans in France and coast as far the impressive Roque de la lous number of birds of preys similar like FINS in Ireland. He is an avid traveller Bonanza. A natural arch carved by the kestrel. One of the islander’s favourite and is currently working on his first book wind and sea sits in a large bay. The dive past time is hunting, and they use typical of photographs. For more information, matches the spectacular scenery around Canarian hunting dogs. please visit: www.jeromehingrat.com or email [email protected] ■ Jacks in slow motion 37 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Back issues of X-Ray Mag ATLANTIC OCEAN Lanzarote La Palma Do You Have Them All?
Tenerife You can link from here factEl Hierro, file Spain Fuerteventura La Gomera Gran Canaria #4 Canary Islands, Spain ► El Hierro
The island of El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain
History In the 16th and 17th centu- Europe bordering the Bay of Biscay, the GDP that is 80% that of dic types; Religion: Roman Catholic 94%, ries, Spain was a powerful world empire. Mediterranean Sea, North Atlan- the four leading West other religions 6% However, by the end of the 17th cen- tic Ocean and Pyr- European economies. tury, Spain’s command of the seas finally enees Mountains The euro was introduced Currency Euro (EUR) Exchange rates: yielded to England. In addition, Spain of southwest of on 1 January 1999. President 1 EUR = 1.28 USD, .68 GBP, 2.02 SGD, 1.68 AUD #6 was slow to embrace the industrial and France. Spain is Aznar’s administration advo- mercantile revolution, which put it well home to two au- cated liberalization, privatiza- Language Castilian Spanish (official behind Britain, France and Germany in tonomous cities— tion and deregulation of the econ- language) 74%; Catalan 17%, Galician economic and political power. During Ceuta and Melilla—and 17 omy. Tax reforms were introduced 7% and Basque 2% (regional languages) the world wars, Spain remained neutral- autonomous communities includ- to that end. Unemployment fell but suffered a devastating civil war in ing the Canary Islands and Balearic steadily but remains high at 10.1%. Diving 1936-39. Following the death of dicta- Islands. There are three small Spanish Growth from 2003-2005 has been Dive conditions are good all year round tor Francisco Franco in 1975, a peaceful possessions off the coast of Morocco—Is- satisfactory given the background of a in the Canaries as the water is warm and transition to democracy came with rapid las Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas and sluggish European economy. Economic CLEAR. Water temperature is 20-22˚C in economic modernization. In 1986, Spain Penon de Velez de la Gomera. Coastline: and social reforms initiated by socialist winter, 24-26˚C degrees in summer joined the EU. Nowadays, Spain is one of 4,964 km; Terrain: Plateau—large, flat to President Zapatero, are generally popular the most dynamic economies in Europe. dissected—surrounded by rugged hills but opposed by religious and conserva- Travel information #10 It has become a global champion of and the Pyrenees in north; Lowest point: tive groups. Spain’s challenges: adjusting Flight to Tenerife, ferry from Los Cristianos freedom. However, the Basque Father- Atlantic Ocean 0 m; Highest point: Pico to monetary and economic policies of an (harbour nearby Las Americas), 4-hour land and Liberty (ETA) terrorism continues de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands integrated Europe, reducing unemploy- crossing. It is possible to fly over. Hierro, in to plague Spanish politics as well as rela- 3,718 m; Natural resources: coal, lignite, ment and absorbing widespread social spite of its size, has its own airport tively high unemployment; Government: iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, changes. Agriculture: grain, vegetables, parliamentary monarchy; Capital: Madrid tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, flu- olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; Websites orspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; El Hierro tourist office Geography Spain lies in southwestern hydropower, arable land; Environmental Industry: textiles, apparel and footwear, www.el-hierro.org issues: raw sewage and effluents from the food and beverages, metals and metal offshore production of oil and gas pol- manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, Dive operators & resorts El Hierro International lutes the Mediterranean Sea; water quan- automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay Actividades Turísticas El Submarino #7 Underwater Photo Competition tity and quality nationwide; air pollution; and refractory products, footwear, phar- El Matorral, 78. El Matorral The local council runs an open com- deforestation; desertification maceuticals, medical equipment petition of high standard every year Base de Buceo El Submarino (usually around October) that attracts Economy From 1986 to 1990, the Span- Climate Temperate; Interior: clear, hot Avda. Marítima, 2. La Restinga mostly Spanish divers from the mainland ish economy boomed, averaging five summers and cloudy, cold winters; Coast: 34.922557068. Fax: 34.922557068 and a smattering of foreigners. It is run percent annual growth. In the early 1990s, more moderate, cloudy summers and over 2 days with 4 dives on the top sites Spain experienced a European-wide partly cloudy, cool winters Centro de Buceo El Hierro of the marine park, more information at recession, but resumed moderate growth Avda. Marítima, 16. La Restinga www.openfotosub.com starting in 1994. It has a mixed capitalist Population 40,397,842 (July 2006 est.); 34.922557023. Fax: 34.922557023 ■ economy, which supports a per capita Ethnic groups: Mediterranean and Nor-
38 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Section Letters & OpinionsAll perspectives expressed in this section are those of the individu- al author and do not necessarily reflect the views of X-RAY MAG, DiveGuru.Net, or their associates Hurricanes in the Caribbean, Tidal Waves in the South Pacific area, Terrorist attacks in the Red Edited by Millis Keegan Sea area. Is there even a safe place left for a dive?
Vacation! This is the time for you to forget your worries, relax and The recent bombings in popular dive Yes, unfortunately some countries are Q: I am going to Tanzania this summer, to enjoy yourself. Stay away from the news, that way there will be destinations in Egypt are upsetting. Egypt Amore prone to terrorist attacks. And study for ten weeks. Should I be concerned? is one of the most popular dive destina- Egypt (Sinai especially) right now at this Is there any registered terrorist activity no reminder of all the bad things happening in the world. Well in tions in the world, and we have received junction in time is such a country. There are there, and if so, what can I do to keep out these days, in these times, don’t! As part of your risk assessment, a number of questions in the matter. active cells in the area that I don’t think of “the line of fire” so to speak. Marlene, Egyptian authorities have a complete check Uppsala, Sweden Here to address your worries is MAGNUS make it a habit to check in on the news and the weather. on. And, as someone said, lightning can strike NORELL, PhD and Director of the Center twice in the same place (and have, in the for the Study of Low-intensity Conflicts case of Egypt). But then again, it can hap- A few years ago Tanzania was being and Terrorism (CLIENT) and a Senior pen in London or Madrid as well. targeted, back in 1998. At the moment I I know what you are going through, from A Q I have a ticket to Sharm-El Sheikh a Analyst at the Swedish Defense Research The name of the game is terror, and it will assume Tanzania to be “safe”. However, personal experience, and so does a friend week from now. Vacation is approved, the can strike any time, anywhere. I am sorry to there are reasons to be cautious in general, of mine that faced the same decision, in Agency. dive bag is packed, passport and money, say, there are no telltale signs to speak off. I but seeing that you are going to study, you April 2000, after the kidnapping and killings all ready to go, but my mind is not. In the only wish… It has happened on a few occa- should be safe. of tourists in Malaysia. He went ahead and Q: Is there anything I can do to protect lights of recent events in Dahab (April 2006) sions in Israel that guards became suspicious Of course there are Islamists in Eastern made his trip, with the reasoning that light- myself and help my chances of not being a I must admit I am scared. I go over the of people wearing clothes to warm for the Africa as well, but as far as I know, no nation- ning doesn’t strike twice at the same loca- victim of a terrorist attack? Johnny, Florida bombings in my mind, over and over again. weather, in order to cover up a bomb vest, al government has assessed Tanzania as tion. He later found out that lightning does I can’t even begin to understand how the especially dangerous. strike twice, but that’s another story. Check but it is not at all common. families of the victims feel, or the survivors. A Q: Are there dive places or countries that are http://travel.state.gov/ for travel advice week ago I was dead certain that I would more dangerous and more prone to terrorist As for the kind of terrorism we witnessed in -- and travel warnings. not let some bleeping terrorists rule my life. attacks? The Dive Hippies Egypt (namely Islamic terrorism), they do very If we let their terror rule our life and make us often target ‘non-combatants’ for example The Diveguru: Thank you Magnus Norell. alter our plans, they win. Right? It’s so easy DON’T LET TERRORISM DICTATE YOUR LIFE I Q: Is Egypt an especially bad choice for a tourists as they consider them to be ‘a bad And on a finishing note, there are measures to be brave on your couch in the safety of say don’t let terrorism dictate your life! I am dive trip? Lotta, Stockholm, Sweden influence’ (spreading western ‘corruption’ and you should take; making a risk assessment is your home. Now that I’m actually holding a not going to let any stupid suicide bombers so forth) in their home countries. The same one of them, and something you as a diver kind of motivation lay for example behind the ticket to Egypt in my hand, all my certainty intimate me. I say we all make a commit- Q: Will it help to be more observant? I mean, already should do as part of your dive plan. and bravery is floating away in a wave of ment not to change our plans because of bombings on Bali. It deserves to be pointed When traveling, always leave your travel will a suicide bomber show any tell-tale signs, out that these are views not shared by most cowardice. Part of me wants to cancel the terrorist threats. Mikael / Gdansk, Poland like extra bulky clothes, or carrying unnatu- itinerary with a friend or with family. When trip; another part of me says to stay with my Egyptians! traveling to countries that have a higher risk rally big bags (this must be a stupid question, I don’t think Egypt is ‘an especially bad conviction. Should I go? Jenny / Odense, in a back packer place like the Sinai every- of terrorism than others, also contact your Denmark Big words in a small world, and quite a choice’; there are risks but at the same time embassy before you go and ask if they want statement. Although I agree with you in one carries big bags). Or do they wear like a the Egyptians are fully aware of the impor- secret tattoo or badge, or scarf that proves your name and travel information as well. This is one tough decision you have to theory, it is not that easy, as Jenny from tance that the tourist trade have, and they It won’t help you prevent an attack, but it Denmark quite accurately points out. This they belong to some secret organization of are therefore prepared ‘to go the x-tra mile’ Amake, and as much as I would like suicide bombers? Lena, Gothenburg, helps the authorities in the aftermath of an to help you out on this one, I has to be a personal decision and should to protect people (it’s not like the police and Sweden event. am sorry to say, you have be made without pressure from anyone. security forces are just sitting around waiting for to make it alone. the next attack). No 100% guarantees though! What do you think? When traveling, always leave your travel Get heard! Send us you opinion to [email protected] by July PETER SYMES itinerary with a friend or with family. 1 2006 and get a chance to win these exquisite Silver Hammerhead Cufflinks generously sponsored by ReefJewellery. ( See more details next page) 39 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Hurricane Season is near ONE INDUSTRY. ONE SHOW. ONE MAGICAL LOCATION. Do we even care any more?
Rising ocean temperatures, urban and agriculture run-offs, evidence of Prozac, estrogen, the ever popular anti-bacte- rial soap and other chemicals have been detected in and the oceans and around our reefs. The environmental stress makes it harder and harder for the reefs to recover.
This year entire colonies have Caption died all over the Caribbean area, leaving ghostly white Planning a dive trip to the your cell phone dry and battery skeletons of once colorful reef Caribbean this year? Florida, charged, as that might be your behind. It’s an unprecedented Mexico, Belize? Hurricane Season only way to communicate with die-off, never seen before. is here, be ready. Check the your family for a while. weather report regularly during Locals have enough to worry Are we to blame? Do we even your stay and do not ignore hur- about in the aftermath of a hur- care any more? We want your ricane warnings. You have to ricane, taking care of ignorant opinion. prepare for loss of drinking water, tourists should not have to be part and food for a long time. For how of that job. Listen to the authori- DEMA long depends on where you are, ties and follow their recommen- About the DiveGurus since some countries have bet- dations, before and after. DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF DEMA SHOW! ter infra-structure than others, but Millis Keegan, owner and found- DEMA Show 2006 is the ONLY international trade event for diving, drinking water and Non-perisha- Evacuate any coastal areas. er of www.diveguru.net, the adventure travel and action water sports professionals—creating an ble food for a minimum of a week Hurricanes can flip cars and homepage that answers questions exclusive environment focused on addressing every possible need you even in the best of countries is mobile homes up-side down, tear for divers, snorkelers, anyone with have as a dive retailer or instructor. a love for our oceans is a new recommended. Make sure you walls and roofs off a building, and member of X-Ray magazine. With CONNECT with 600+ companies gathered in one global have cash, can opener, matches bury a house in sand up to the the help of reputable experts www. BUSINESS marketplace—see, demo and buy virtually every product, or a lighter with you, as those ceiling. Do not make the mistake diveguru.net will find the answer. service and technology you need to stay competitive items can be hard to find.. Keep of thinking you can sit one out. HAVE FUN while networking with more than 10,000 industry PLEASURE professionals during the show and at the industry’s biggest This month’s sponsored prize social event, the DEMA Awards Party
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40 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED THE FACTS AND VIEWPOINTS IN THIS SECTION ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE VIEWS OF X-RAY MAG. EQUIPMENT PRESENTED IN THIS SECTION HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED BY X-RAY MAG STAFF, NOR ARE THE ITEMS WARRANTEED. INFORMATION PROVIDED IS CONDENSED FROM MANUFACTURERS’ DESCRIPTIONS. TEXTS ARE USUALLY EDITED Tusa FOR LENGTH, CLARITY AND STYLE. LINKS ARE ACTIVE AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION Why be con- POINT & CLICK ventional? Who ON BOLD LINKS said that diving equipment can’t be fashionable? Check out Tusa’s Gotta have it new colour com- Edited by binations Andrey Bizuykin www.tusa.com & Peter Symes Equipment Dive data logging Sensus Ultra is ReefNet’s third- Halcyon generation dive data logging The new Evolve dual cylinder wing device – and still a simple and owes its design to Halcyon’s success- convenient tool for collecting ful Eclipse circular bladder single-tank Oceanic VT3 detailed dive log data. Inside wing, allowing for precise control The VT3 is Oceanic’s next its diminutive size (1” x 1.3” x of in-water buoyancy and trim. generation dive computer 1.75”) are a sophisticated sen- Horizontal trim is easily accomplished combines design and technol- sor, flash memory and processor through the addition of lift at the ogy with ease of use and cus- capable of storing 1500 hours of base of the cylinders. Gas trapping tomization, allowing the user dive data with a 10 second sam- on one side or the other of the to focus on what’s important, pling interval. Reefnet.ca wing is virtually eliminated. diving. With Oceanic’s wireless The Evolve wing inte- transmitter, the diver can also grates seamlessly monitor gas pressure from up to with Halcyon’s three independent cylinders – existing line of ideal for both technical diving MC systems, applications and recreational and is avail- diving with our new Buddy able in 40 lbs. Pressure Check feature. The (18 kg), and Oceanic VT3 can be switched 60 lbs. (27 kg) during the dive between up lift capacities, to three different Nitrox mixes either individual- containing 21-100% oxygen. ly, or as part of www.oceanicworldwide.com their complete MC System. www.halcyon.net DUI So drysuits are meant to go with cool water. Well, think again. The 30/30 Tropical drysuit from DUI is meant to go with colourful fish. Available from June 2006 this model comes with Blackwave a shoulder-entry zipper and slim fit Blackwave Dive Assistant is the complete Pocket PC designed to be worn with light insula- and PC tool for logging, planning and managing your tion. Comes with suspenders, latex dives, as well as keeping track of your dive kit, qualifi- ankle seals with protective cuffs and cations and other diving information. Download and valves from Apeks try a copy from: www.dui-online.com www.blackwave.com.
41 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Noisemaker Ralftech How do you get your buddy’s atten- The Travelight from tion, or help from others? The solution Ralftech must be the Give ReefNet’s new “H2YO” a shake to lightest buoyancy emit a loud and distinctive rattle that compensator on the can be heard at great distances under- world market today. water. To make sure you sound unique, Depending on size it H2YO is offered with two sounds: only weighs in at 1,9 * Rattle - several balls inside to 2,4 kg depending * Clank - one large ball inside on sizes. It is also sim- reefnet.ca ple as there are no rigid parts, so it can quite easily be rolled up into a small pouch for travelling. www.ralftech.com DEALERS WANTED Nocturnal Lights Redtech The new SLX LED dive light from Nocturnal Slovenia based RedTech have put on the Light combines a 5500k beam with a 4 hour market a series of high end buoyancy com- duration on a set of 6 AA batteries, making pensators, suitable for technical and more it well suited for photographers and techni- demanding recreational diving. The inno- cal divers. Simply add a light diffuser and the vative Quick Slide System (patent pend- ball joint adapter to the handle and you’ll ing) – provides a safe and easy way of have an auto focus assist light. Because the adjusting and securing straps, which bulbs used do not generate too much heat, enables easy and quick donning. it can also be used as a flashlight above One of the original unique aspects of water, making it a great all-around dive light the RedTech system is the complete for all kinds of divers. The batteries which will modularity of the system enabling easily last several regular dives can be easily the diver to build a personalized replaced between dives. configuration that will meet his or www.nocturnallights.com her exact needs and ideas 2x Mares www.redtech.hr Mares Demon mask known for it wide field of vision and soft skirt which makes is very comfortable to wear for long durations will now be available in new colours clear/blue and clear/yellow. Scuba Hides Three additional colours will be availa- Scuba Hides can trans- ble in early September. Avanti Excel full form a tank into a bill- foot fin is an offspring of the acclaimed board only your poten- Avanti Quattro Excel open heel and tial customers, and other will be available in June in colours Blue divers will see. With lay- and Yellow. www.mares.com out and color choices as limitless as your imagi- nation, your message will be heard loud and clear. As Scuba Hides will be used and seen by divers, they offer a unique target marketing opportunity to anyone in the diving industry
www.scubahides.com
42 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Cis-Lunar Returns Why be dull? When Cis-Lunar launched the legendary MK Mouthpieces in Lego-colours from Apex can V rebreather back in 1998 it was state-of-the- either liven up your diving day, or help art, fully automatic and built for ultra long dives with you locate your kit on the drying rack the safety and ruggedness necessary for advanced on the liveaboard. www.apeks.co.uk cave exploration was available. A little over 100 units were built and most are still in use. The dot. com crash in the early 2000 stopped the Cis- Lunar from financing serial production and that seemed to be the end of it. But now Cis-Lunar is teaming up with a Swedish industrial group, DP Scandinavia, based in Marstrand, to commercialize underwater technology developed by it’s inventor Dr Bill Stone and his team.
Polespear Free diving legend Manny Puig stands behind the intro- duction of perhaps the finest a depth of 60 meter. Small polespear on the market. The enough to even be carried in a modular three piece pole-spear is Aunoc pouch on a bcd strap this is a handy constructed from thickwalled 6061T6 Believe it or not, this little cool emergency backup light request. anodized aluminum. The use of pole- baby with the intense output is - with Powered by a Lithium battery and spears for under water hunting differ its 3 inches in length - only the size sealed by a single o-ring. Lamp is from that of spearguns because our of a lipstick. Yet, thanks to its sturdy switched on and off by simply twist- arms can only hold so much band construction in hard anodised alu- ing the lamphead. pressure and our muscles tire quickly. minum alloy 6061, it is rated to www.aunoc.com Where a polespear can make up for its shortcomings is by providing a blow with more mass and momentum at close quarters Oceanic Versa Pro revision 2A button is depressed to activate Consumers should immedi- than a traditional spear flung Digital Dive Computers. While the unit, it is held depressed ately discontinue further use of operating in the User Selected until the Diagnostic Mode Versa Pro 2A Dive Computers from a speargun. A stream- Digital Gauge Mode, displayed screen completes its countdown for User Selected Digital Gauge lined and stiff design is crucial Elapsed Dive Time can be in and the Serial Number screen Mode operation (as a Depth in the rendition of a more excess of actual elapsed time. appears displaying the module’s Gauge/Timer) and take it to any striking and accurate blow at Oceanic has received a report SN and software firmware revision Authorized Oceanic Dealer, or prey in close range where the of two Versa Pro revision 2A units (r2A). The unit will shut Off when return it directly to the factory higher mass, or “backbone” Oceanic Worldwide that experienced the offset time released. for an Upgrade to Versa Pro revi- as we call it, delivers a strik- Announces Voluntary displayed while operating in User Authorized Oceanic dealers sion 2B. Should you have any ing blow at even large fish. In Recall of Versa Pro revi- Selected Digital Gauge Mode. sold Versa Pro 2A modules, that questions, please contact our developing the Manny Puig No injuries have been reported. were manufactured between toll free Recall Helpline at (888) sion 2A Dive Computers Polespear all these principles Oceanic Versa Pro 2A Dive March 21, 2003, and February 7, 854-4960 or locally at (510) 562- Computers subject to the recall 2005, in wrist and console mount 0500 between 8 am and 5 pm were kept in mind with the In cooperation with the U.S. are only the revision 2A units configuration during March 2003 Monday through Friday Pacific aim of keeping it versatile Consumer Product Safety which have serial numbers 12000 through April 2006 for between Time. enough for small and medium Commission (CPSC), Oceanic through 18176 which is located $429 to $639, depending on the fish and with the necessary Worldwide of San Leandro, on the side of the module and configuration with other instru- characteristics to take down California, is voluntarily recalling can be viewed if after the front ments. www.oceanicworldwide.com big fish. www.omersub.com
43 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Poseidon underwear pressrelease Poseidon will deliver a base layer underwear with all stand- ard Jetsuit TNG Technica and Unisuit Exclusives at no extra Poseidon to cost. This means that we will give the divers the start kit to a total system for isolation under water. The layer closest be acquired to the body is the base layer which helps to wick moisture away from the body so that you stay dry by DP and warm. The outer layer is the protection against the outside Scandinavia. environment and the cold. In this case it is the suit. This part A Letter of Intent has of the system is what you get been signed with regard when you buy a Poseidon suit. to the acquisition of The base layer with the suit is Poseidon Industri AB by DP the minimum you should wear Scandinavia AB. The take- at all dives. In addition to this over date is planned for you can add the heat layer that June 30th 2006. consists of three parts (sold as a kit). A pair of trousers, a zipped Poseidon Industri AB sweater and a zipped west. This Poseidon was founded gives the diver total flexibility to 1958 to manufacture div- adapt to the situation and his ing equipment for the own preferences. rapidly growing diving www.poseidon.se industry. The company has ever since been a tech- nology leader in the world Six Gill diving industry with the first The Six Gill fin is Deepoutdoor’s bid for single-hose regulator, the the next step in the evolution of dive wet suit and the dry suit. fines. The gills expands during kicks Manufacturing and to create a pump action and on the operation is located out- downstroke they create a vortex that side Gothenburg, Sweden. channels water off the blade. The For further information, scoop on the front expands during contact; during upstroke and contracts dur- Stefan Jennefalk ing downstroke reducing resistance. [email protected] 3rd impulse The short blade is also reef-freindly + 46 (0)31 734 2900 Since Aqua Lung introduced the first www.deepoutdoors.com IMPULSE snorkel in 1989, it has been DP Scandinavia AB the best selling snorkel in the world. DP Scandinavia is located Today, after continued refinement in Marstrand on the west and evolution, the Impulse 3 is coast of Sweden. The more streamlined and produces company hasrecently a higher performance than its acquired all rights to predecessors Cis-Lunar Closed Circuit www.aqualung.com Rebreather and related technology. For further information, contact; Kurt Sjoblom [email protected] +46 (0)303 248540
44 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Softcoral, Asia Nephtheidae Ecology family
Can tropical stony Edited by corals adapt to Michael Arvedlund, PhD bleaching? ILLUSTRATIONS BY GUNILD AND PETER SYMES Coral
Corals are animals with unicellular yellow-brown algae called zooxanthellae living symbiotically within their tissue. It is the nutrients supplied by the zooxanthellae in the form of photosynthetic products that make it possible for the corals to grow and reproduce quickly enough to create reefs. In turn, the coral provides protection and access to light for the zooxanthellae. These coral polyps of the Goniopora family are Bleaching individual animals in a colony who filter the water for food particles
You may have heard photosynthesis. However, this rela- Coral bleaching can have Can corals adapt? or read about it – coral tionship can only exist at tempera- many causes Some researchers, such as the tures above 18°C. and below 31°C. Coral bleaching is a phenomenon two world famous scientists, bleaching is happening with When very hot summers occurs, and that can be caused by a lot of Daphne Gail Fautin and Robert W. an increasing frequency in they do with a fast increasing fre- different factors that stresses the Buddemeier introduced in the nine- tropical areas. Worst was quency, the zooxanthellae instead coral. It can be caused by different ties a hypothesis called “adaptive the global bleaching event produces something called “super kinds of pollutants or by an eleva- coral bleaching.” This hypothesis oxygen”, that is oxygen with extra tion of the average temperature in builds on the assumption that an in 1998. And coral reef energetic levels donated by elec- the specific habitats or microhabi- adaptation by the coral to the researchers are now fearful- trons. This is poisonous for the coral. tats. But in all cases it is caused by new conditions (the elevation of ly awaiting the next bleach- Therefore the coral rejects the cell changes in the surrounding milieu the temperature) has taken place ing event. Will it be just as with the zooxanthellae. Thereby the that stresses biological ecosystems through symbiotic adaptation with coral looses the green and brown as the subtropical and tropical zooxanthellae that are able to resist devastating as the 1998 colour nuances from the zooxan- coral reefs. the increase in temperature, by one? thellae, and looks “bleached”. which the host coral avoid to be Temperature poisoned by super oxygen. But what is coral bleaching actu- Especially phenomenons ally? No, it is not mum that has stint- that include temperature Adaptive bleaching ed bleach over the lovely colourful elevations as the green- The adaptive bleaching hypothesis tropical corals….although it looks house effect and El Nino (ABH) is based on lots of observa- like it. The explanation is quite differ- have been discussed in tions in the field. Professor Daphne ent. Normally, tropical shallow-water details through the last Gail Fautin and Professor Robert stony corals only exist to dept’s years. Such phenom- W. Buddemeier have worked out where sunlight is able to reach. This enons have involved a a generalized conclusion on their is because they contain in their tis- general decrease in the qualitative description of the ABH, sue a specialized kind of brown coral reefs of subtropi- in light of the existing field observa- algae called zooxanthellae. These cal and tropical regions. tions and data. The conclusion of algae are crucial for the survival of Calculations have shown this qualitative description of adap- the coral. that if such conditions are tive bleaching is that the coral- Text by Tyge Dahl Hermansen, The coral is supplied with nutrients maintained, all coral reefs zooxanthellae symbiosis is able to Michael Arvedlund & Peter Symes from these zooxanthellae. They pro- will become extinct in the make a dynamic response to the duce energy and nutrients through Microscope photo of zooxanthellae algae, year 2050. environment. Photos by Peter Symes Courtesy of NOAA
45 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Softcoral Red sea Nephtheidae family Zooxanthellae of various corals have been found to belong to at least 10 different algal taxa. Curiously, zooxanthellae found in closely related coral species are not necessarily closely related themselves, and zooxanthellae found in dis- tantly related coral species may, in fact, be closely related
“It turns out that there is information that cor- “Clearly, there are limits als and their symbionts to acclimatory processes may be capable of accli- that can counter coral matization and selective bleaching” adaptation to elevated tem- peratures that have already resulted in bleaching resist- ant coral populations.”
Evidence of adaptations and adaptive shifts in their popula- conditions that have induced coral In a recent science review, the coral tions at higher temperatures. Such bleaching. reef researchers Stephen L. Coles mechanisms, when considered in and Barbara Brown have summa- conjunction with experimental and LImits rized the existing evidence for adap- observational evidence for coral Stephen L. Coles and Barbara Brown tive coral bleaching. “It turns out recovery in areas that have under- continues: “Clearly, there are limits that there is information that corals gone coral bleaching, suggest an to acclimatory processes that can and their symbionts may be capa- as yet undefined capacity in cor- counter coral bleaching resulting ble of acclimatization and selective als and zooxanthellae to adapt to from elevated sea temperatures, adaptation to elevated tempera- but scientific models will not accu- tures that have already resulted in rately predict the fate of reef corals bleaching resistant coral popula- until we have a better understand- tions, both locally and regionally, in ing of coral–algal acclimatization/ various areas of the world.” adaptation potential. Research is particularly needed with respect Mechanisms to the molecular and physiological There are possible mechanisms mechanisms that promote thermal that might provide resistance and tolerance in corals and zooxanthel- protection to increased tempera- lae and identification of genetic ture and light. These include induc- characteristics responsible for the ible heat shock proteins that act in variety of responses that occur in a refolding denatured cellular and coral bleaching event. Only then will structural proteins, production of we have some idea of the nature oxidative enzymes that inactivate of likely responses, the timescales harmful oxygen radicals, fluorescent involved and the role of ‘experi- coral pigments that both reflect and dissipate light energy, and pheno- When corals bleach they commonly typic adaptations of zooxanthellae lose 60-90% of their zooxanthellae and each zooxanthella may lose 50-80% of PETER SYMES
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCE its photosynthetic pigments 46 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED USGS ecology Coral Bleaching to cooler areas as they warm, ence’ in modifying bleaching tolerate higher temperatures. thereby changing the distribu- impact.” As described elsewhere in this tion of species creating new issue (see page 6, “Corals may reefs further from the equator The Future survive global warming by However, this is also likely to be If global temperatures rise as gorging themselves”) some spe- a very slow process and as there predicted by the current cli- cies will be better at adapting are other ecosystems already mate models, water tempera- to changes than others. Also, in place elsewhere the whole tures in 100 years will be much different colonies of the same picture becomes quite complex greater than those that cause coral species may respond to and unpredictable. But because bleaching now. Consequently thermal stress differently. If only the cooler areas warm, these corals would need to accli- the most temperature-toler- warm adapted species gain an matise continually to survive. ant corals survive a bleaching Bleached corals off Hawaii. Porites spp extra advantage in advance. However, most research indi- episode, the offspring from But only the future will show if cates that acclimatisation is those corals might be on aver- have never been estimated. the almost 800 species of reef such settlements will succeed. limited and unlikely to allow age more temperature-tolerant building corals can change the corals to adapt in due time. than the previous generation. Replacing the algae type of dominant zooxanthel- Recovery to the predicted rise in water Again, there will be limited Corals can host several types lae or, indeed, what stimulates There has been short-term temperatures. how high the temperature can of zooxanthellae in their tissues. the change. recovery of coral reefs after rise before corals reach the limits Another possible adaption to However, results from the bleaching events. When a reef Natural selection of of survival, and thereby their warmer conditions could be laboratory shows that some is only slightly stressed, a few A second process by which possibilities of adaptation. This changing the dominant type of corals can adapt to the heat scattered corals will die, and the coral populations could adapt would invariably also lead to zooxanthellae within their tis- resistant types of zooxanthellae effect will be barely noticeable. to new conditions is by natu- extinction of species. Such ad- sues. Corals with a certain type under artificial circumstances. When a reef has been exposed ral selection. This results in a aptations are thought to occur of zooxanthellae can tolerate Increased temperature toler- to prolonged heating, most cor- gradual change in the tem- slowly, over several generations up to 1.5°C higher temperatures ance may also come at a cost. als will die, and it can take many perature-tolerance of the (with most corals having genera- than corals of the same species For example it has been ob- years for the area to recover, population through the elimina- tion times of at least 5-10 years), without that type. served that juvenile corals with in particular if large, old corals tion of the corals that cannot but potential rates of adaptation It is not known how many of heat-tolerant zooxanthellae have been killed. grow up to three times slower The long-term recovery of than those with a different reefs from bleaching will de- zooxanthellae type. The type pend on the frequency of of zooxanthellae that occurs in bleaching events. If bleaching the corals may also affect other becomes more frequent reefs aspects of coral health. may change greatly in charac- It is possible that a combina- ter. Unless there is a greater ca- tion of natural selection and pacity for adaptation in corals switching of zooxanthellae than scientists currently believe may help corals cope with to be likely, today’s diverse climate changes. Faster rates of community of corals may be change are possible for zoox- replaced by a smaller number anthellae than for the coral of tolerant species. Or worse still, because the algae have much replaced by completely differ- shorter generation times ent and less diverse ecosystems such as dense algae cover Moving Some vulnerable coral species A third process is one in which may come to be found only in larvae from warm-adapted cooler areas. ■ coral populations may disperse
Coral polyps
PETER SYMES Tubastraea spp 47 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Student Study in the Bahamas Java Sharks shark tales An exciting new study hosted by the CCU’s Costal Carolina University study-abroad scheme will allow its Now in the Med students at a cost of US $2000 dollars per head. To par- ticipate in a series of lectures, discussions, analysis of research papers and best of all personal encounters with many different species of shark. Edited by Bits Edwin Marcow and Peter Symes & Bites The Java Shark (Carcharhinus amboinensis), a threatened species, has a greyish colour with a white belly . It has a thick-set head, a short, broad and blunt snout, small pig-like eyes and large, triangu- CSI – Shark? lar, saw-edged upper teeth . It is considered potentially dangerous Experts and conservation enforcement to humans although there have been no recorded attacks to date offers have a new weapon in their fight 400 million against the illegal marketers: A data- The sighting of a huge and rare of tropical species have been base. The database will contain DNA species of shark off Italy’s Calabria coming into the Mediterranean profiles of nine protected species of years old coast is both good and bad from the Atlantic Ocean and the sharks his will enable fisheries officers news for the environment . The Red Sea,” says Dr. Alessandro De to prosecute poachers in the courts. An American scientist is hoping to use fact that a Java Shark has been Maddalena, the president of the “Having DNA fingerprints for these spe- medical technology to better understand spotted swimming near the town Italian Ichthyological Society. “It cies gives us a legally defensible method the inner workings of a 400-million-year of Crotone is a sign that the is normal for the odd Whale Shark of checking evidence in cases of ille- old shark which is the oldest known intact Mediterranean in is relatively clean and Tiger Shark to come here gal fishing,” said fisheries biologist Rory shark fossil in the world. The shark has been and healthy. On the other side occasionally, but this trend is a McCauley of the Australian Department encased in rock for 400 million years and is it may be another ominous sign little strange. “We’re pretty sure of Fisheries. Interest in this database may almost flat but John Maisey, a paleontolo- of global warming that this shark they don’t breed here, so they are well come from government agencies gist with the American Museum of Natural which usually inhabits tropical coming into the Mediterranean in the US, South Africa, and Asia. “Illegal History in New York, plans to use CT scan to waters off Madagascar, Sri Lanka, because it’s warmer . “In the long fishing is a global issue”, added Dr Ho allow him to construct a three-dimensional Indonesia, Papua New Guinea term this could be a problem for – explaining that this system could be picture of the ancient shark and use com- and Australia are now being the Mediterranean species that adapted to any species. ■ puters to calculate its original shape. sighted in the Mediterranean. The are used to temperate waters”. “Obviously we can’t chop it up or sec- Java, which is also known as the Around 50 different species of tion it mechanically, but CT scanning pigeye shark, can grow up to a shark have been identified in the allows us to look inside the fossil to see its length of three metres. It feeds on Mediterranean up to now. Whale sharks on the rebound? anatomy in greater detail.” Says Maisey. a variety of fish, rays and smaller The Campbelton specimen is the size of a sharks, squid, shrimps, cuttlefish, It is hard to predict which Constant sighting of whale sharks in both Meanwhile there has also been regular small, modern shark and. It is a rare find, octopi, lobsters and marine gas- Mediterranean marine species are the Phillippines and Thailand may indi- sightings of a group of five whale sharks because it includes skin, cartilage and tropod and such a large predator most exposed to the impact of cate improving. about 8 metres long were just seen again bone. Because sharks are mostly cartilage, would not be wandering around global warming on their habitat. Sightings of whale sharks along at the famous diving point of they don’t usually fossilize well. ■ the Mediterranean if there were Dr De Maddalena stresses the seas in Barangay Buhisan in the Richelieu Rocks near Surin not plenty of prey for it to feed on. though that the survival of the Phillippines is an indicator of an improv- Islands in Thailand. The sea’s 16 endangered species ing environmental condition in the whale sharks are looking “Tropicalization” of the Med of shark and many other types 60,000-hectare Davao Gulf, an council for plankton near the islands Italy’s Central Institute for Scientific of marine life is threatened by official said. as there are rich sources here, and Technological Research a much more immediate threat “This is the result of the consciousness and as this is also a favourite place (ICRAM) said that it first observed - the fishing industry . “Over- of the people in the barangay as they for divers whale sightings are com- this ‘tropicalization’ of the fishing is a problem because it become vigilant in guarding their waters mon but not always guaranteed. In Mediterranean in 1995 and that takes away the sharks’ prey and of illegal activities including illegal gar- Thailand they are mostly found near the process is accelerating . “In because the sharks themselves bage disposal.” Whales could also be the Richelieu, Purple and Red rocks recent years an increasing number are often caught in the nets too. ■ seen almost every week. in the Andaman Sea. ■ UNIVERSITY SALZBURG 48 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Great White Sharks Robosharks? Pentagon’s Trek to Holiday Town! next spy recruits could be Holiday makers looking to relax, sharks swim and surf in the warm waters Soon we may be able to get inside of Plettenberg Bay a holiday town the mind of a shark and experience this author knows well from growing how it is to swim silently through the up in South Africa are not alone in ocean, sensing faint electrical fields, their pursuit. They are being joined homing in on the trace of a scent, by increasingly large numbers of Great White Sharks most likely enjoy- and navigating through the fea- ing the last of the sardine run in that tureless depths for hour after hour. area. The sharks have been sighted Engineers funded by the US mili- swimming close to shore and circling tary’s Defense Advanced Research the beaches. National Sea Rescue Projects Agency (DARPA), have suc- Institute local station commander ceeded in creating a neural implant Ray Farnham said. “The sharks, rang- designed to enable a shark’s brain ing in length EDWIN MARCOW signals to be manipulated remotely, from 3.5 to controlling the animal’s movements, 7m, are visibly EDWIN MARCOW and perhaps even decoding what it patrolling along our stretch of is feeling. coast”. Marine Counting Sharks at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Neural implants consist of a series biologists were of electrodes that are embedded quoted that the For most people drawn to the species”, said Dan Abel, associ- dictable ripple can go through into the animal’s brain, which can sharks will likely warm waters to swim and surf ate professor of marine science an entire ecosystem”, Abel said. then be used to stimulate various remain in the – seeing sharks are about the at Coastal Carolina University. “If sharks aren’t around to functional areas. Pentagon hopes area until about very last thing they would want The professors and students go feed on large fish, those fish in to exploit sharks’ natural ability to the middle of to see. Unless you are one of into the waterways several times turn eat more smaller fish, which glide quietly through the water, this month. ■ the researchers from Coastal a week through from May to in South Carolina can lead to sense delicate electrical gradi- Carolina University – who make November. Through a catch and large populations of sea trout or ents and follow chemical trails. By New Zealand considers their annual trek to the coastal release program sharks and sting- red drum and a corresponding remotely guiding the sharks’ move- protecting great white waters of Georgetown County. rays population fluctuations can drop in smaller fish – important ments, they hope to transform the “If shark or stingrays popula- be monitored. to the ocean environment”. ■ animals into stealth spies, perhaps sharks tions are declining, it could “If the local shark population is capable of following vessels without The New Zealand government indicate problems for other not carefully managed, an unpre- being spotted. ■ is reportedly considering joining other nations, including Australia and the United States, in protect- Professor discovers mysterious ing the great white shark. gathering of lemon sharks New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter said. “They Why was about 100 adult lemon are an object of fear and fasci- sharks hovering over the ocean nation, but sadly there is growing floor in about 90 feet of water evidence that this magnificent off the Jupiter inlet in Florida? and rare species is in trouble inter- Professor Samuel Gruber, who’s possibly extracting urine nationally.” an authority on sharks, has been samples from the females. in nurseries in bays or The number of sharks fluctuates Carter said the great whites are trying to find the answer to this But why they’ve chosen lagoons. They prefer the safety from year to year. In some years, often caught by mistake, their phenomenon which hasn’t been this particular spot to con- and plentiful food supplies at the aggregation consists of as fins are sought in Asia, and trophy observed elsewhere in the world duct their courtship remains a mangroves and in warm shallow many as 50 female sharks that hunters will pay thousands for a Gruber’s initial theory is that mystery. Does it have something waters. Because so many gather produce 600 to 700 babies per great white. female sharks are emitting chemi- to do with a combination of the in such a small place, the sharks reproductive cycle. If the site gets Among actions being consid- cal signals called pheromones currents, water temperature, and are particularly vulnerable. The heavily fished, it could decimate ered by the government, are fines that attract male sharks. He plans its salinity? aggregation of lemon sharks near the lemon shark population all of as much as $250,000 for delib- on collecting water samples While little is know about the inlet could prove attractive to along Florida’s coast. erately killing a great white. ■ around some of the female sharks the adult lemon sharks, juve- commercial and recreational fish- Once the sharks reach about 3 and testing the water chemistry or nile lemon sharks congregate ermen as well as divers. years old they vanish. ■
49 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Medical Scientists isolate anti- Dive Medicine malaria compounds & Health from mussel
Indian scientists have isolated two compounds from mussels that have been found to have anti-malarial activity. Malaria kills more people than any other communicable diseases except tuberculosis. The molecules, named NIO-1 and NIO-2, have been disocvered by the scientists at the National Institute of Oceanography. Studies have shown that the two compounds act by directly killing the malaria Michel Tagliati, M.D. parasite, “Plasmodium falciparum,” rather than just causing inhibition of their growth. Importantly, the compounds were found to be non- toxic to human cells The compounds, already patented, are cheap to Motion sickness medication obtain and can be prepared in bulk without killing the mussel. ■ gave me hallucinations at depth Being a labdlubber, going out on the Baltic usually means that fine, the conditions very good, that my mask was fogging up on PRESS RELEASE it necessary to take some kind of the equipment perfect and the me as it might have done on pre- motion sickness medication. dive went according to plan. Also, vious thousands of dives I have Most divers have been told that after taking off the transdermal done. Diving & Diabetes the side-effects of medication will patch and diving again under be altered with increased pres- the same conditions as the first Lesson learned Diabetes Communications has sure. Most commonly in relation dive there was a remarkable dif- Scopolamine transdermal patches contributed an alliance with to drugs which will alleviate swol- ference in awareness, calm and and trimix diving is not an accept- Diabetes Research Institute of len mucous membranes in the cognitive abilities. However these able combination. Not everyone San Mateo/San Francisco, CA. upper airways and problems to observations must be considered will hallucinate, but the compro- Mills-Peninsula/Diabetes equalize, which as all know is con- a case-report only and not full mise if you have to travel great Research Institute offers knowl- traindicated and relates to risks of fledge scientific investigation to be distances at sea to get to your edge, symposiums, presenta- reverse block and ruptured tym- reproduced. In general very little destination is to put these patches tions and solutions to diabetics panic membrane (eardrum). With research has been done, it has on 4-6 hours before your trip starts on the West Coast and now motion sickness, the use of scopo- been pre-clinical and in laboratory and remove them 12 hours prior expanding to worldwide pres- lamine, and anti-cholinergic sub- environment only. No case reports to your dive. Preferably, don’t use entations with a new Training stance has been on the increase has been published. these drugs at all in conjunction and Skills for Diabetic Divers since the introduction of transder- Yet more alarming is the combina- with diving. Stick to the newer DVD; “Diabetics and Ocean mal patches which permitted slow tion of trimix gases and the lack of types of anti-histamine drugs but Water Safety Tips” DVD from release over a 72-hour period. mental sedation which nitrogen do consult your own doctor. PADI instructor and LA County The known side include GRAPHIC: PETER SYMES otherwise brings (which we of It is quite possible that pressures Trained instructor, Lauran impaired accommodation course do not want). above 5 bar while breathing trimix Gangl-Plant. (blurred vision) brachycardia1) or Scopolamine passes the blood Personally, as a physician and gases increased serum concentra- For further information, con- reduced salivation and can occur tion is that an unusual but report- brain barrier, in other words it starting out as a technical, closed tion resulting in a higher frequency tact Victoria Cathay at Beach regardless of the mode of distribu- ed side effect of scopalamine is can exercise its pharmacological circuit rebreather diver with the of unwanted side effects. Better be Cities School 310-669-4534. tion. and these need to be consid- ”disorientation, anxiety and hallu- effects on receptors in the brain. aim of taking pictures of General safe than sorry. There are enough To receive a copy of the DVD, ered when diving. cinations”. The occurrence is set to Personally, I have experienced von Steuben (see X-Ray #8 , p 81- task loading with CCR, trimix, cold please contact Diabetes Another aspect which technical be less than one out of thousand a level of anxiety, stress and fear 87) , I found, after comparing my water deep diving and video cam- Communications LTD. Email: divers need to take into considera- cases, but, needless to say, this and after nearly 20 years of diving experiences with my dive buddy era work without having to deal [email protected] ■ wouldn’t be a good experience along with medical training I real- back on the surface that I have with medication problems. ■ Bradycardia, as applied in adult medicine, when trying to read your com- ized that there were no sensation had visual hallucinations and that is defined as a resting heart rate of under 60 puter at 70m in 4° C pitch black or cognitive input that explained my video footage from several References (links): MICHAEL TAGLIATI, M.D., IS CERTIFIED IN HYPERBARIC MEDICINE beats per minute, though it is seldom sympto- IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EUROPEAN DIVING TECHNOLOGY matic until the rate drops below 50 beat/min waters, right? these sensations. The dive was dives was out of focus - I though Pubmed 1, pubmed 2, pubmed 3 COMMITTEE ( E.D.T.C.)
50 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED CrossingOceanology the Atlantic on the Akademik Ioffe Text and photos by Svetlana Murashkina, PhD in Geography
“The subject of oceanology is moment)2, exploration of the oceans the study and research of the was conducted by “Homo Curious”— from the very first people to venture totality of events taking place out into the open sea up to the great in oceans, seas and lakes,” explorers of the Imperial Age. wrote geographer, academi- The exploration of the oceans cian and founder of Russian occurred in parallel with the develop- ment of other sciences, cartography oceanology, Juli Shokalskiy, in particular. Every new heroic expe- in 1917. Oceanology, or dition acquired new data, descriptive oceanography1 as it is more at first (as in the early period of the commonly called in the West, great geographic discoveries) rather than numerical, such as depth meas- is an integral part of natural urements and ocean bottom relief sciences. The ratio of water views, grounds, temperatures, salinity, to land on the planet Earth transparency and colour of oceanic water as well as direction and veloc- is approximately 71 to 29 ity of oceanic currents. percent. Furthermore, water British expeditions led by James surface is not only greater Cook in the late 18th century were in square kilometres, but it is considered to be the first scientific voyages. Three journeys taken by also continuous—whereas, Cook, aimed at finding the south- land surface is finite and ern continent, enriched the era’s presented by separate parts geographical knowledge greatly, washed over by the world’s both directly and marginally. On one hand, new lands were discovered oceans. So, in essence, oce- (the eastern shores of New Zealand anography studies this one and eastern Australia), geographic continuous body of water, maps were created, detailed reports were made and oceanographic the World Ocean! data collected on the physical fea- tures of oceans and water movements. By this point in history, nobody had On the other hand, the expedi- yet taken the responsibility of deter- tions served as a challenging push mining the validity of oceanography for further expeditions. During the first as a science. Historically, if not con- voyage, for instance, no traces of an sidering Moses from the Bible to be expected polar continent in the mod- the first oceanographer (as he parted erate latitudes of the Pacific Ocean the Red Sea, allowing his people to were found. As a result, new French escape their pursuers at the right expeditions were sent there.
Crew members and research staff at work on bow of the Akademik Ioffe 51 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED adventure Crossing the Atlantic parted company after well as observe physical, chemical and sity of planned explorations. rounding Cape Horn. biological features on the surface and Since then, oceanographic stud- Nadezhda turned to at depth. The composition of officers ies have been part of obligatory Kamchatka to explore was selected with respect to the ocea- programs for nearly every marine Okhotskoe and the nographic research-oriented character venue enterprise. Japanese seas, and of the expedition. Detailed “field” tasks It is evident that a revolutionary Neva, lead by Captain- were prepared, special devices were change in the very approach to lieutenant Juri Lisianski invented and designed, and laboratories ocean science and to data col- went to the Northern were constructed. lection has taken place during Pacific and to Alaska. The Naval wooden corvette the last 100 years. This change The ships met up later Challenger, having clocked 68,900 sea is a transition from data collec- and returned back miles, made 362 deep stations and tion by separate expeditions to HMS Challenger, 1872. By William A. Herdman. around the Cape of determination at every point of depth global systematization of data Courtesy of the Freshwater and Marine Image Bank Good Hope. and grounds. Bottom water samples collection and management of During that three- were taken and temperature measured rational collection strategy. many kilometres wide whirling like atmos- year journey, depth The appearance of new technol- pheric cyclones and anticyclones, which temperatures were ogy—distant satellite research, compu- appear all the time—they appear, move measured as well as ter processing of giant data files, new and disappear. We now know that a so- the first observations high precision measuring devices—all called “thin structure” exists, which are of vertical ranges at these provided the possibility of a quali- steady layers of water having vertical ocean depths made. tative jump in the 1960s, from a view dimensions of several meters and horizon- Geographic discover- of the ocean as an environment with tal dimensions of several kilometres. ies in high Southern features slowly changing in time and latitudes were accom- space to an understanding of the fact Modern exploration of oceans plished within the that in the ocean there exist lots of com- It is true that nowadays research vessels Pacific archipelagos. paratively narrow zones with sharply sailing under various flags are stead- In 1819-1821, changing parameters, oceanic fronts ily tracing the World Ocean, from the the Russian Marine Department organ- Portrait of Captain James Cook RN 1782, by John Webber. ized the first Russian Collection: National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, Australia. Pur- Antarctic expedition chased in 2000 by the Commonwealth Government with the on board the military generous assistance of Robert Oatley and John Schaeffer boats Vostok and Mirnyi under the general Great Britain was the first to estimate leadership of Captain 2nd rank Faddey the importance and dominant position Bellinsgauzen (Fabian Gottlieb von of the sea, including its scientific signifi- Bellingshausen who later rose to admi- cance. The idea was actively accepted ral). Mirnyi was captained by Michael by France and also Russia from the Lazarev. Faddy Bellinsgauzen, 1778-1852 beginning of the 19th century. After Their journey reached 69 degrees of (Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen) Cook’s enterprises and until 1872, there Southern latitude when they discovered were 29 expeditions undertaken around lands lying to the East of Cape Horn and on the bottom and at different depths. the globe, 11 of which were British and made remarkable descriptions of geo- Surface currents were observed as eight Russian. All in all, the number of physical aspects of the Southern Polar well as some underwater currents. scientific marine expeditions during that province. Meteorological observations were period amounted to 75. The British round-the-globe oceano- made every hour. The first round-the-globe trip by Russian graphic expedition of the Challenger Challenger’s accumulated data and sailors was made on board the ships (1872 -1876) was a key event in the reports (50 volumes!) appeared to be Nadezhda and Neva in 1803-1806 under development of oceanography. The a special epoch in the development the leadership of Lieutenant Captain expedition had vast aims: to study the of oceanography. With Challenger WORLD DATA CETNTRE FOR GLACIOLOGY, CAMBRIDGE Ivan Kruzenshtern. The expedition ships ocean bottom landscapes and relief as came the understanding of the neces- Vostok (East) and Mirnyi (Peaceful), 1819-1821 52 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED adventure Crossing the Atlantic parameters. It is dur- consequently makes it pos- ing the sea journey sible to obtain a series of data that one can touch with reliable observations for “live” the main study of the variability of water hydrological param- masses, adding to repeated eters that character- data gathering of sections by ize sea water such as WOCE–CLIVAR in the North salinity, temperature and pressure—the so-called CTD parameters. They are some of the main topics of interest in physical oceanogra- phy. (See Block 1). Cast off! It is the summer of 2005, and I am heading out across the northern Atlantic Ocean on board
ABOVE & INSETS: Sonding devices
Atlantic Ocean4. The planned duration of this journey is a little less than three weeks. That much time ABOVE: The churning Atlantic is needed to head out of port RIGHT: Hoisting the carousel from Gdansk, Poland, journey aboard across the Baltic Sea, put out to the North Sea via the straits Equator to the Arctic and also very important with regard the Russian research ves- of Kattegat and Skagerrak the Antarctic. There are to economic concerns as well as sel, Akademik Ioffe (Block 2), around Denmark, reach 60 nearly no “white spots”, space and defence issues. which can not, of course, be degrees northern latitude and or unexplored areas on During research voyages, studies compared with the National cross the Northern Atlantic, the map of our planet. are made from the deck of the ship expedition that took this route record the oceanographic But in the abyss, strikingly blue or and multi-directional with some- and the ability to forecast weather by remote methods. The practice in 18893. It is practically regu- section from the Faroe Islands iron-grey, there are lots of them. times fundamental and, at other gives us the possibility to make of expedition study includes cur- lar now, this short scientific to Greenland, and then, Moreover, all the processes taking times, applied importance. sound decisions in the choices of rent velocity measurements, obser- cruise. Russian oceanogra- turn to the south to reach place within the oceans are still not First of all, there is the prob- prospective methods of develop- vation of light regimes and biotic phers are completing it for the Newfoundland. an open book for scientists at all. lem of climate and its variability. ment that are harmonious with the factors of environment as well as fifth time. The last three times Now out to sea, I see that Modern research is differentiated Knowledge of the nature of climate environment. Trade forecasts are measurements of hydro-chemical took place annually, which the Gdansk port cranes disap-
53 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED adventure Crossing the Atlantic LEFT: The windmills of Denmark A day in the life of Ioffe continue working or miss inter- INSET: The port of Copenhagen When the ship reaches 60 mediate stations under severe degrees latitude, work in the weather and sea conditions. open sea begins. The scientific The target: to collect data crew now labours in permanent until we get to the very end of round-the-clock shifts, and the this ocean section. It may sound chief of the expedition becomes a bit dramatic, but obtained Denmark the main data—input of this expedition director on and the whole Russian national board (after oceanographic science com- the captain, munity—goes to the international of course). The cooperation and research effort. chief scientist The ship sails along a marked is the person course and makes stops at points responsible where deep measurements are for deciding planned. These are stops for whether to hydrological stations with CTD- to Canada
In Russia, scientists play different roles at the same time—they are researchers, managers, providers, etc.. In foreign countries, it is not the same. Special managers are responsible for the technical provisions of the project and equipment. In Russia, all respon- sibilities are carried out by the chief of the expedition and the chiefs of various departments. Transportation of all the loads on board, winding of new rope peared from sight long ago, as well view of all the space out to the very to the operational winch, set-up of as the Danish wind mills producing horizon, a forest of antennas on the the research camp including unpack- electricity—the symbol of modern upper deck and the navigator deck... ing and checking high-precision Denmark. The huge hull of our white Everything looks reliable and instills a devices, preparation of work places, ship breaks waves under the sunny sense of confidence. reliable fastening of computers and blue skies of summer upon the North But excitement is still palpable on other devices onto tables —nobody Sea. I see the stoic silhouette of the deck. Anticipation is an essential com- can rule out roughness at sea. Vira captain’s bridge and steering deck- ponent of the sailor’s profession. And slow! cabin where one can take in a grand research always has a lot to consider.
Arriving in St. Jones, Newfoundland 54 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED adventure THIS PAGE: Carousel deployment Crossing the Atlantic extremely careful, even know- water thicknesses and to deter- the deck. Hydro-chemists hurry ing that the ship is above a plain mine the position of the nucleus to take necessary quantities of (lower terrain) and not above of each water mass and the fron- deep ocean water for laboratory the Reykianess Range (oceanic tiers between them. tests. ridge), for example. The next exciting moment is the The station is done, and the ...400 meters to the captain’s bridge bottom... 200 meters to receives the order the bottom... “Winch, to continue mov- half... hundred meters ing ahead. The ship to the bottom... Maina steadily increases its dead slow, 50 meters speed, and we move to the bottom, winch onward to the next to stop! ...Winch here— planned station. stop.” During this cruise, The signal to close the oceanographic sec- “deepest” bottle is sent tion as long as 1,164 by a simple movement sea miles was com- of the computer mouse. pleted. Complex sensing ability (determining verti- Air temperature is 7.3˚C. The deck up to 3,000 meters, must be kept Then, a smooth ascent measurements of sea cal profiles of electrical conduc- is wet, splashed by the salty sea. in a vertical position. This can be begins with stops at pre- water parameters tivity, temperature and depth) A complex device nicknamed achieved only by the fine work of viously planned depth from the surface to and water sampling (See Block 3). “carousel” is prepared for deploy- the navigator, especially with the values. Bottles, one by Gathering ocean water for investigation the bottom of the Current ship time is 16:41:01, ment. Ropes that secure it on wind velocity equalling 20 meters one, are forced to close ocean were made at which means GMT (Greenwich) board are undone. The winch is per second and swells as high as after being filled with ocean instant when the carousel shows 40 points. At these stations, mete- is 18:41:01. Akademik Ioffe slowly readied. “Vira!”—Upwards! 6-8 meters while the ship moves in water. Stops occur on levels that itself! The winch is ordered, “Vira orological observations were but steadily reaches the position The rosette of devices, guided a direction opposite the wind. correspond with various water slow!” The sonde is pulled over made and gigabytes of informa- of the planned stop for station carefully by strong men’s hands, At this time, any unfastened masses in order to get a uniform board by the hook, and the men tion about acoustic features of #1152 (#36 according our section loses contact with the deck and objects on the ship tend to float picture of samples along all carefully hoist the device onto the bottom were registered. The schedule), and the level of “scien- moves forward above the gun- freely in space, so wet tific” activity on board increases wale and over board to hang table clothes are placed on dramatically. above the water. Now, the trick is the tables in the saloon to Coordinates of this ocean sec- to catch the next wave. This con- avoid the “running away” tion are 59 degrees 50 minutes struction weights 200 kg, but in the of plates and covers. But Northern Latitude and 39 degrees water, it achieves amazing buoy- the deck hands continue to 20 minutes Western Longitude. ancy, so one must be extremely work. Supposed depth is 2,840 meters. careful. Done. Slowly giving the The men on duty watch- Supposed duration of labour at rope to the winch, the carousel, ing corresponding data on this station is 2 hours 10 minutes. looking like a turquoise jelly-fish, a monitor screen, guide The ship slows down. A moni- descends... disappearing from the winch-men: “Winch, tor showing the parameters of sight. 1,000 m passed... Continue our movement reveals steadily When deploying and raising to descend... Continue to decreasing speed: 6.7 knots…. up the sonde, it is very important descend.” The ship goes up 5.6….. 1.6. One knot really means that the process be very smooth, and down on the waves. that the ship has come to a without jerking and bumping the Velocity is 1 knot, winds “stop”. We have reached the sta- deck, since it is upon these fac- are 15.8 m/sec. The moni- tion position, but the engines must tors that the future fate of the tor shows the line of the continue to work. The captain rope, devices and cruise results rope with sonde deploy- cannot stop the engines com- depend. ment. The two kilometre pletely under such rough condi- In order to measure currents mark is passed. “Winch, tions. precisely, the rope with the 500 meters to the bottom. The water temperature is 9.6˚C. devices, which reaches depths Maina slow!”. One must be
55 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED adventure
Researchers working in labs and on deck
data will be processed later when we Commission), the WMO (World veyer belt activity within ten-year peri- return home. Meteorological Organization) and ods, and what atmospheric processes Everything was okay. No extraor- other intergovernmental organizations. are “reliable” for that fluctuation? The dinary situations arose. Greenland The North Atlantic research cruise is glaciers appeared in the fog, and a good example of Russian participa- Akademik Ioffe turned to south tion in international research. Indeed, The P-Frame, a lifting device towards St. Jones. Sometimes, to the the North Atlantic is the very place on the stern left and to the right of the deck, little that hosts one of the world’s main fountains appeared. Then humped regions for intensive energy exchange backs appeared—whales were pass- between ocean and atmosphere, of thousands of US dollars. ing by heading in their own direction. which determines the moderate cli- To satisfy these costs, peo- We met no ships coming or going— mate of Western Europe and the cli- ple in the Russian Institute of 60 degree latitude is not the most mate of the European part of Russia. Oceanology, with the support popular route. It was just us and the It is also here, where the Atlantic of the Ministry for Economy of ocean, which changed its colour from branch of the so-called “global the Russian Federation, cre- bright silver to mysterious blue. And convective circulation of the World ated and brought to life a suc- the people on board were still not yet Ocean” locks—turning from a north- cessful pattern of partial fund- tired of looking into the very depths erly to southerly direction and heading ing of research cruises using of the ocean. They are true romantics downward. This circulation is similar recruited funds from tourist of oceanography who dreamt of sea to the ocean conveyor belt on the answers to these questions are very companies. journeys since their college days and planetary scale, which transfers giant important just now when, during the The results of every independ- consider scientific data obtained on volumes of water masses between past decade, unprecedented warm- ently accomplished expedition enrich these journeys to be more precious high and low latitudes of the main ing of the North Atlantic and Arctic Russian science not only directly than publication in a foreign magazine oceans—the Pacific, Indian and Oceans have been observed. through research procedures and or academic status. Atlantic. That’s why transatlantic cruises are data obtained, but also indirectly. By The fact that European climate is so important. They are the Russian contributing its input into international International cooperation determined by the character of ener- contribution to international programs cooperation, Russia possesses equal Alex Sokov is the deputy director of the gy exchange between ocean and such as CLIVAR (Climate Variability), rights to use the results obtained by P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of atmosphere in the Northern Atlantic NORDIC WOCE (North Ocean other countries that accomplish pro- the Russian Academy of Science and and the intensity of the conveyor belt Circulation Experiment) and ASOF grams within the framework of interna- principal investigator of the Russian at work has been known for several (Arctic Sub Arctic Ocean Fluxes). Not tional projects—and that is necessary interdepartmental project “Meridian– decades already, but many important every state can afford to conduct for acquiring an integral picture of the Plus” of the Federal special program details of this connection still need full-scale oceanographic research world. “World Ocean”. Russian oceano- more quantitative specifications. on independent cruises. A full day’s graphic research lies within the sphere One of the problems that needs to work on one of the ships belonging Heading for the Antarctic of interests of international programs be settled for the forecasting of cli- to the Institute of Oceanology, such Measurements in the World Ocean led under the patronage of the IOC matic changes is: What factors cause as the Akademik Ioffe or Akademik are not limited by sonding from our UNESCO (International Oceanographic fluctuations in the intensity of the con- Mstislav Keldysh, costs several tens ship’s board. Data obtained during the
56 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED adventure The Akademik Ioffe Crossing the Atlantic the Arctic Basin, play a major now being finished. role in forming global climate. In particular, it was found that increas- Furthermore, these regions are ing temperatures of the Atlantic Layer very sensitive to fluctuations and in the Arctic ocean, which have been possible climatic changes. observed since the early to mid-1990’s Acoustic thermometry is a up to the present, did not take place uni- method of remote observation of formly, but occurred with arrivals to the large-scale variation of tempera- Arctic Basin, from time to time, of anoma- ture in the ocean. The method lous warm “spots” of Atlantic origin. ■ of acoustic thermometry of the ocean is based upon the almost linear dependence of the speed COMMENTS of sound underwater upon tem- perature. The system includes a 1 In Russia, despite the fact that discussion fixed source (acoustic transmit- about the application of the terms, oceanol- ter) and a receiver (array) in the ogy, study of the ocean, and oceanography, ocean. description of the ocean, continues within The first Arctic acoustic ther- the scientific community, both terms are used mometry experiment took place nearly equally nowadays. In foreign literature, in April 1994. Due to the efforts of the term oceanography is most often used. the employers of several research bodies of the Russian Academy 2 Munk, Walter. The evolution of physical of Science, ice camp Turpan oceanography in the last hundred years. was established 300 km north of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, Spitsbergen. During the whole California, USA. month, powerful Russian acoustic transmitters sent signals at 20 Hz 3 The German expedition on board the across the entire Arctic Ocean National, which investigated the Northern to receiving arrays located at part of the Atlantic Ocean in 1889 accom- ice camp Narwhal in the Lincoln plished the journey from Northern Europe Sea and ice camp SIMI in the approximately along the 60th degree Beaufort Sea, covering distances Northern Latitude to Greenland, and further of 2,100 and 1,200 km. to the south, Newfoundland, then continued North Atlantic cruise of the research ves- two autonomous floating buoys were and a half-thousand similar devices It became possible to measure, with on to the Bermuda Islands. sel Akademik Ioffe is being processed. launched supplied with navigational (belonging to other countries) floating in great precision, the main parameters of Meanwhile, the other ship of the Institute instruments and CTD sensors. The buoys other parts of the World Ocean. the signals describing features of ocean 4 This hydrological section is assigned to of Oceanology, Akademik Sergey are to float for the next two years in the water and sea ice cover. Acoustic Russia within the framework of the interna- Vavilov, went out in October 2005 to rarely investigated region between the Acoustic research in the Arctic monitoring in the Arctic was regarded tional program CLIVAR (Climate Variability). complete the next cruise along another southern part of the Atlantic and Indian Dr Sergey Pisarev, coordinator of as worthwhile by administrators, and in In 2005, 40 stations along 1,164 sea miles route: Kaliningrad (Russia) – Cape Town Oceans. Devices on the buoys will “shut- the Russian-American project ATOC October 1998, within the frames of first- were checked. Measurements enable sci- (SAR) – Antarctica – Ushuaia (Argentina). tle” from the surface to a depth of 2,000 (Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean hand actions of the Russian Federal spe- entists to determine year-to-year variations The Chief of Expedition was Dr Sergey m and back scanning CTD parameters Climate), is a leading research scientist of cial program, “The World Ocean”, a new of water features in the investigated region Gladyshev, Russian coordinator of the of water masses and transmitting the the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology and autonomous acoustic source was according to their thermohaline (variations international experiment researching the data via satellite upon surfacing. Satellite of the Russian Academy of Science. He deployed by the Russian team at the sea of temperature and salinity) and hydro- South Ocean for which such countries as information will come to the data collec- said that two original systems of acous- bottom close to the shelf border north- chemical parameters in the moment of sharp Russia, France, Germany, SAR and USA tion centre ashore. tic thermometry have worked for more west of the Franz-Joseph Land archi- climate changes as well as changing of bor- participated and placed their research After the successful launch of these than one and a half years, all in all, in the pelago. This source, together with an ders between separate water masses in the programs on board. two buoys, Russia gained operation Arctic Basin—the least accessible loca- American autonomous receiving array, section by means of comparing the results During this expedition and in addi- of several similar devices in the World tion for traditional oceanographic “con- worked nearly one and a half years. The with data received during previous sections tion to complex oceanographic meas- Ocean, which enables Russian scientists tact” measurements. processing of the enormous amount of in 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004. urements taken by the research staff, to use results from all the other buoys The deep regions of the Arctic Ocean, data received from the device is only
57 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Crossing wrecks in Narvik LEFT: Carousel deployment ice diving in Arctic adventure BELOW: Water sampling the Atlantic killer whales in Vestfjord water density, thus participating in peculiari- are various weight- diving in wrecks & nature in Gulen ties in the formation and movement of water lifting devices on wrecks & nature in Strømsholmen masses, influencing the character, direction board (i.e. cranes, corals in Trondheimsfjord and intensity of currents. winches), research NORWAY king crabs in Jardfjord instruments and maelstrom in Bodø Temperature equipment for ...with the Norway specialist trimix expeditions Temperature depends on the quantity of complex studies of solar heat meeting the water surface, water- the ocean: deep atmosphere heat-exchange, closeness of big water, multi-radial ice formations and oceanic currents. Ocean and parameter www.xoholidays.com [email protected] Norway +47 21647845 UK +44 (0) 870 486 7580 water temperature is measured directly with echo-sounders, side metallic resister thermometers and thermo- hydro-scanner, a stats. Temperature influences the instrument system of dynamic error (faults, mistakes) of other sensors that positioning, modern navigational system GPS, have direct contact with water, which causes automatic meteorological station, acous- the necessity to introduce amendments to the tic Doppler current gauge (measurement results of measurements of other parameters. device), special hydro-acoustic complex, CTD’s and water sampling devices, a sta- Hydro-static pressure tion of registration and processing of satel- Hydro-static pressure is needed for the deter- lite information. There are 12 laboratories mination of the depth to which measuring on board—their general area is 300 square devices are deployed and at which other meters. Block 1. CTD PARAMETERS parameters are measured. At the same time, CTD parameters include conductivity, salinity, hydro-static pressure data are an inevitable Block 3. DEVICES: CTD Sondes temperature and depth. Salinity is calculated part in the process of the determination of CTD sondes are used widely to measure CTD through conductivity, and in fact, not the salinity and density of ocean water, sound parameters. Nowadays, it is the main device ad depth, but hydrostatic pressure is measured. velocity within water and some other water used during expedition research cruises. At Water temperature changes are usually characteristics. The dependence between every station of the section, a measuring accompanied by changes in other factors, hydro-static pressure and the depth of complex is deployed practically to the sea most importantly in currents, which determine device deployment is rather complicated, bottom: a carousel with 24 5l-volume bottles the physical features of water masses. CTD but for practical purposes, relatively simple (these are special vessels made of a chemi- parameters serve as a basis for calculating equations connecting absolute pressure and cally pure material for water sampling from important features of ocean water such as depth are used. density, vertical stability, ductility, tempera- ture of freezing, sound velocity and refraction Block 2. AKADEMIK IOFFE of light coefficient. CTD parameters can be Akademik Ioffe is one of the regarded as a signature, since they are the research vessels of the P.P. most independent group of parameters, dif- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology ferent from the other environmental factors, of the Russian Academy of which depend more or less upon salinity, Sciences (IO RAS), sister-ship of temperature and pressure. the Akademik Sergei Vavilov based in Kaliningrad. It was built Salinity in Finland in 1989. Velocity: 10.5 Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content knots (max – up to 15 knots). of a body of water. Prior to 1978, salinity or 6,700 tons displacement. Max halinity was expressed as ‰ (“promille”). In length is 117.1 m, width 18.2 m, 6 1978, oceanographers redefined salinity in m set. Board height is 10 m. The Download Practical Salinity Units (psu). Salinity depends vessel is autonomous regarding X-RAY MAG’s on atmospheric precipitation, river drain- fuel and water for 60 days. It can MEDIA KIT Now! age and evaporation from water surfaces. host 117 passengers on board Changes in salinity influences changes in with 43 crew members. There
58 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Crossing the Atlantic
separate ard 19-inch electronics rack. depth levels in Receiving CTD data order to Schematic of Akademik Ioffe SEASAVE software is used to receive CTD examine data. It enables one to set the connection salinity, dissolved oxygen contents, silicon conductivity and one temperature sensor of the board unit and computer. This soft- and phosphates); oceanographic sonde, (fitted with a TC Duct and constant-flow ware makes it possible to determine ports which continuously registers temperature, pump) and an internally mounted tempera- and data transmitting velocity from the car- electrical conductivity, pressure, transpar- ture-compensated Paroscientific Digiquartz ousel, the order of bottles closing (one by ence; acoustic current speed and direc- pressure sensor for 6800 meters (10,000 one or in a given order). The software also tion profiler; and an altimeter showing the psi) full-scale range. Input channels and provides the possibility to register GPS data distance between the deployed device bulkhead connectors are provided for an into a CTD file or separately. During data and the sea bottom. CTD sondes make it optional second (redundant) pair of tem- transmission, one can see on one diagram possible to receive profiles (during vertical perature and conductivity sensors. Other the distribution of four given parameters with ������� descent and ascent) of the vertical distribu- standard features include an 8-channel, 12- depth range. tion of temperature and conductivity (salin- bit A/D converter with differential inputs and ����� ity). Depending on the model, CTD sonde low pass filters and high-power capability for Precision ���������������� transfers information to an on board com- support of commonly used auxiliary sensors Modern science demands measurement puter via special cables on-line or accumu- (e.g., SBE 43 dissolved oxygen, SBE 18 or SBE precision to the millesimal regarding tem- �������������� lates data in memory blocks of the sonde 27 pH, transmissometer, fluorometer, ambi- perature and salinity. During measurements itself, to be retrieved after sonde ascent. The ent light, altimeter), a modem channel for in the ocean, precision of CTD measure- ��� main producers of these devices are the real-time water sampler control and a port ments are lost mostly because of different ������������ American companies, Sea-Bird Electronics, for connection of an optional bottom con- inertia (Inertia: the time needed for the sen- ����������� Inc. and Falmouth Scientific, Inc., and Italy’s tact switch. sor to change its data, or testimony, due to IDRONAUT S.r.l. SBE 11plus V2 Deck Unit includes RS-232 penetration into new water layers with new and IEEE-488 computer interfaces, a modem dimensions of the measured environment ad Hydrological channel for real-time water sampler control parameters) of temperature and conductiv- measurement complex (including water sampler control push but- ity sensors. SBE company found the way to The 911plus is a premier real-time CTD accu- tons and status lights), NMEA 0183 interface overcome different inertia of their sensors. rate to the highest international standards. for adding GPS position to CTD data, 12-bit The sondes are washed by water in a differ- It features high resolution sampling (24 Hz), A/D input channel for surface PAR sensor, ent regime—not like in real time, depending pump-controlled T-C ducted flow up to switch-selectable 115/230 VAC operation, on descending sonde velocity, but uniformly, 10,500 meters (15,000 psi) depth capabil- audio tape interface (data backup), LED with fixed speed. The fixed speed is provided ity, maximum auxiliary sensor flexibility and read out for raw data and audible bottom by a special pump that circulates sea water optional modem channel for Water Sampler contact (or altimeter) alarm. The 11plus V2 via sensors during sonding. control. The 911plus has eight 12-bit A/D also provides a remote pressure output (use- channels, and supports redundant C&T sen- ful as an input signal for towed vehicle con- CTD data processing sors or custom auxiliary digital inputs. The trol) and a programmable serial ASCII data Data processing is made with the assistance 911plus consists of the 9plus underwater unit output containing up to of SBE Data Processing software. and the 11plus V2 Deck Unit. seven variables in com- Data processing consists of data The underwater unit for the 911plus CTD puted engineering units. levelling regarding pressure; data includes modular temperature and conduc- Calibration coefficients averaging in the given interval tivity sensors with TC Duct, SBE 5T submersible are stored in EEPROM, regarding pressure, depth and pump, redundant T and C input channels, and a separate micro time of registration; introducing ����������������������� 8 differential inputs, low pass-filtered A/D controller converts raw amendments; calculation of all channels, a water sampler modem chan- CTD data to tempera- parameters; filtration of data and nel, stainless steel guard cage and SEASOFT ture, depth, salinity, etc. creation of graphs and diagrams.
��������� software. The 11plus V2 is shipped ■ The standard SBE 9plus underwater unit in a free-standing cabi- has an aluminium housing rated to 6,800 net with a hardware kit meters (22,300 ft) and is supplied with one for mounting in a stand- Dr Sergey Pisarev on the Akademik Ioffe in Copenhagen 59 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ILLUSTRATION REWORKED FROM ORIGINAL FROM STUTTGART UNIVERSITY The global water circulation start off Iceland and Antartica where the currents sink to the seafloor and start a long journey taking science them around the globe
By Peter Symes
The Thermohaline ConveyorCirculation Belt The thermohaline Can global warming trigger latitudes forming North Atlantic circulation is the a shutdown or slowdown Deep Water. The evaporation of term for the global ocean water in the North Atlantic density-driven circu- the circulation in the world’s increases the salinity of the water lation of the oceans. oceans? as well as cooling it, both actions force is differ- Term is derived from increasing the density of water at ences in density thermo (heat) and The globe is encircled by a pattern the surface. The combined process- and temperature. Yet haline (salt), which of ocean currents known as the es is known as evaporative cooling. the current velocities in deep together determine ocean conveyor belt. Heat is trans- Dense water flowing south water masses can be significant the density of sea ported from the equator towards The formation of sea ice further although much less than surface Red water. the poles by both the atmosphere increases the salinity as saltier brine speeds. The density of ocean water arrows The vertical and by ocean currents, with warm is left behind as the sea ice forms is not globally homogeneous. indicates sur- exchange of dense, water near the surface and cold around it. The dense water then Sharply defined boundaries exist face currents which sinking water with water at deeper levels. As such, sinks and the circulation stream between water masses which form are relatively warm. Blue arrows indicate bottom cur- lighter water below it the state of the circulation has a continues in a southerly direction. at the surface, and subsequently rents of cooler and denser water. is known as overturn- large impact on the climate of our This dense water then flows maintain their own identity within There are only a few major regions where ing. Hence, another planet. downhill into the deep water the ocean. They position them- the currents travel vertically - most notably off name, emphasizing basins, steered by the bottom selves in layers according to their Greenland and Antartica where the currents sink the vertical nature Gulf Stream topography, only resurfacing in density, which depends on both and pole-to-pole The best known segment of this cir- the northeast Pacific Ocean some temperature and salinity. This is Ocean. In the Norwegian Sea Africa and into the Indian Ocean character of this kind culation is the Gulf Stream, a wind- 1200 years later. Extensive mixing known as “stratification” evaporative cooling predominates, and on past Australia into the of ocean circulation, driven gyre, which transports warm therefore takes place between the and the resulting sinking water Pacific Ocean Basin. There is no is the meridional water from the Caribbean north- ocean basins, reducing differences Deep water masses mass, called the North Atlantic corresponding flow from the Arctic overturning circula- wards where its effect in warming between them and making the The dense water masses that sink Deep Water starts a slowly south- Ocean Basin into the Pacific as the tion. the atmosphere contributes to oceans one global system. into the deep basins are formed ward flowing current. The route narrow Bering Strait is too shallow. warming Europe, cooling all the In the deep ocean, where wind in quite specific areas of the of the deep water flow is through By contrast in the Weddell Sea off while and eventually sinking at high is absent, the predominant driving North Atlantic and in the Southern the Atlantic Basin around South the coast of Antarctica near the
60 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED It is not the thermohaline However, the thermohaline circulation that is the primary rea- circulation does warm Western science son Western Europe is so temperate. Europe by about 2 °C relative Europe is warm mostly because it to the similarly located west lies downwind of an ocean basin. coast of Canada.
edge of the ice pack, the effect Upwelling Deep waters do however have the sinking water masses is pre- What goes down must come up their own chemical signature and dominantly caused by brine exclu- elsewhere. All these dense water tracking trace elements of silicon sion when the surface waters masses sinking into the ocean from deep water there is clear indi- freeze. The resulting water mass, basins displace the water above cations, though not solid evidence, the Antarctic Bottom Water, then them, so that elsewhere water that the bulk of deep upwelling sinks and flows north into the must be rising in order to maintain occurs in the North Pacific. A Atlantic Basin. It is so dense it actu- a balance. However, because number of other models of ocean ally flows under the North Atlantic this thermohaline upwelling is very circulation place most of the deep Deep Water. Once, flow into the widespread and diffuse, it has upwelling in the Southern Ocean, Pacific is blocked, this time by proven quite tricky to measure associated with the strong winds in the Drake Passage between the where upwelling occurs using cur- the open latitudes between South Antarctic Peninsula and the south- rent speeds, given all the other America and Antarctica. ■ ernmost tip of South America forc- wind-driven processes going on in ing the current eastward. the surface ocean. So, Will The Gulf Stream Close Down? In 2004 an analysis of satellite the North Atlantic Drift had virtu- case. While previous prehistoric data demonstrated the North ally disappeared. Out of normally shutdowns have caused cooling, Atlantic Gyre, the northern swirl of seven to twelve giant columns, the current overall climate is dif- the Gulf Stream, has been slow- only two were found, both ferent; and sea-ice formation in ing markedly over time. Also The extremely weak. particular is less because of over- National Oceanography Centre This has led to some fear that all global warming. Modelling also in the UK found a 30% reduction global warming may be able to suggests that increase of fresh in the warm currents that carry trigger the type of abrupt massive water flows large enough to shut water north from the Gulf Stream temperature shifts which occurred down the thermohaline circula- from the last such measurement during the last ice age. It is also tion should be at least an order of in 1992. thought that it was large influxes magnitude greater than currently There is, however, presently no of low density meltwater from estimated - and such increases evidence for cooling in north- the Greenland ice sheet lead- are unlikely to become critical ern Europe or nearby seas but ing to a disruption of deep water within the next hundred years. for quite the reverse. The bulk of formation and subsidence in the In coupled Atmosphere- available evidence seem to point extreme North Atlantic that even- Ocean models the Termohaline that the Gulf Stream is relatively tually caused the climate period Calculation tends to weaken some- stable, whereas there is possibly a in Europe known as the Big Freeze what rather than stop, and the weakening of the North Atlantic which lasted for about 70 years in warming effects outweigh the cool- drift. the 1300’s. ing, even locally. The North Atlantic In May 2005, investigations is, actually, currently warmer than under the Arctic ice sheet found It is very unlikely in the earlier measurements sug- that the giant columns of sinking It is, however, by no means clear gesting that either the circulation water, in which the cold dense that sufficient freshwater could is not weakening, or that it does water normally sinks down to be provided to interrupt thermo- not have the hypothesised cooling the sea bed and is replaced by haline circulation. Present climate effect - or that other factors are warm water, in turn generating models indicate that it is not the able to outweigh any cooling. ■
61 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Text by Andrey Bizyukin, PhD Photos by Andrey Bizyukin, Alexander Andrians and courtesy of the Marine Lab archives
What are the Maldives in a nutshell? Astonishing lagoons of turquoise and Maldives completely transpar- Sea Laboratory of Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru ent water, dazzling white sands under a tropical sun, lush fig trees and coconut palms... all of these ele- ments conspire to create this world renowned tropi- cal paradise. Hundreds of thousands of divers and other holiday-mak- ers aspire to come to the Maldives. Now imagine all these islands with all their sunbathers, snorkellers and divers, most of whom want to experience the wonders of the underwater realm, the corals, colourful tropi- cal fishes, turtles, dolphins, and for a few brave souls, perhaps a shark or two. Needless to say, this con- stant year-round influx of humans has an effect on the coastal ecosystems of these tiny islands. How long this romantic legend, this tropical paradise with a worriless life under palm trees, cloudless blue skies and an ocean full of fish, can withstand the pressure remains an open question.
Sunset on the pier 62 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ◄ The islands of the Maldives with their long jet- ties stretching out over the reefs are surrounded by crystal blue waters. BELOW THREE PHOTOS: Maldives travel Measurements are taken in the coral growth study
Enter the sea laboratory Banyan Tree divers. It is a very far cry from the usual- not grow on the island. Vabbinfaru, which, under the skillful ly dry and, at times, seemingly geriatric The Lotus sits on a shoal 20 meters direction of Abdul Aziz Abdul Nakim, academia. Here, marine science is laid west of the sunset jetty on the island. is already working on solving some of out bare for everyone to see and par- A constant electrical current of 3 volts these problems. take. Yet, researchers who are famous flows through the metal, keeping a Very few individuals among the visit- in their fields come here to conduct slight negative charge in relationship ing divers seem to reflect much upon their research and to offer popular lec- to the surroundings. Titanium plates the fact that this wonderful underwater tures on the latest scientific advances with a positive electric charge of plus world can be destroyed in an instant. in straight-forward language. 3 volts are located around the perim- We need only to recollect the event The Maldivian archipelago is an eter of the metal construction, at a of 1998 when excessively warm water unique underwater world where the distance of 1 meter. brought to the islands by a very pro- ecosystem has had millennia to evolve With the exception of the Lotus con- nounced El Niño raised the tempera- and enter a steady state. However, struction, most experiments here have up and start a phase of rapid regrowth tures of the surface layers of the ocean they still remain fragile and prone to been done with small metal pyramids once fastened to the structure. The from 28-29° C to 30-31° C even in the outside disturbances. welded from rods. Initially these struc- symbiotic algae, the zooxantellea, area of the Maldivian islands, which lie The sea laboratory is set to study all tures look very much out of place and which lives symbiotically within the in open ocean. aspects of sea life and is simultaneously without an obvious purpose, but soon coral, soon return to their hosts giving Just this seemingly insignificant working in several key directions at enough they start to perform their small them their vibrant colours. increase in temperature of a couple once, explains Abdul Aziz. miracles. The results of the experiments have of degrees causes bleaching, which With the aid of electrolysis, the surpassed all expectations. The new ultimately, within a few weeks, leads to The project: an artificial reef growth of small corals is stimulated and corals, grown under somewhat artificial mass destruction of corals down to a The biggest flower in Banyan Tree the framework turns into structures of conditions, seem to be stronger and depth of five meters. Vabbinfaru is not something that grows corals with remarkable speed. more resilient against the ravages of The sea laboratory is located only 20 on a stalk or a tree, but on a metal Fragments of corals are stuck in disease, pollution and the rising ocean minutes by speedboat from Male, the construction, 12 meters in diameter place with plastic fasteners to the temperatures. capital of the Republic. But as you take and four meters deep, welded from metal lattice where the weak current Their apparent health is a testament to the first step onto the island, it seems metal rods. induces rapid growth in the corals. the successful growth of coral gardens like you have reached another world. The structure has been nicknamed They soon grow to cover the whole even in the presence of certain other This unorthodox scientific laboratory Lotus due to its superficial similarity to structure. Even slices of coral that were inhabitants of the sea. The predatory works in close collaboration with visiting the famed flower, which in fact, does very sick, or almost dead, seem to liven starfish, crown of thorns, for example. Abdul Aziz Abdul Nakim 63 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED A diver inspects the coral growth found on the 12m diameter and 4 meter deep metal construction, Lotus, created to stimulate coral growth with a constant low Maldives travel current of electricity. BELOW: Coral spawning
These starfish live off coral polyps and sible for eco-conscious visiting divers to par- young corals, and near which a lot of elec- have ravaged huge areas of the Great ticipate in surveys. tronic temperature gauges are spread out. Barrier Reef off Australia. Consequently, Divers quantify these new inhabitants of Scientists, volunteer divers or visitors who divers on the Maldives have always been the sea by diving along these cables writ- are simply inquisitive, regularly dive down keen to collect them and take them ashore ing down their observations on slates. All to photograph and measure the sizes of and out of harms way in order to protect the data collected this way aids in monitor- new coral polyp colonies growing on the the corals. ing the development of the corals in more tiles. Thus, the laboratory staff can study the In addition to the rapid growth of corals, detail. For this reason, every helping hand is relationship between growth rate of corals huge congregations of butterfly fish also sig- much welcomed. In return, the visitor gets and depth and temperature fluctuations of nals a healthy coral colony. an insight into a very interesting and promis- water. In order to manage the develop- ing scientific project and a rare opportunity An event that is exciting even for sea- ment of coral plantation at Banyan Tree to dive with a greater purpose. soned scientists is the spawning of the Vabbinfaru, a technique is employed Around the island of Banyan Tree planted corals, which has previously only whereby hundreds of meters of cable are Vabbinfaru and across a house reef in a been described in Australia and Okinawa. laid underwater to form the basis of artificial depths to up to 30 meters, we find a lot of Not until now has it been witnessed and reefs. In this underwater laboratory, it is pos- small flat cement tiles, now overgrown with described in the Indian Ocean. A diver emerges from a coral formation near the pier 64 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Maldives
Scenes from the shark cage: research staff captures, weighs and measures Blacktip sharks ◄ Tagging a shark
ing of the wildlife case. Sharks and people will study each small party. anymore. of coral reefs,” said other, face to face, in the enclosed The sharks But I ask Aziz. space. It is going to be interesting to see are nerv- Shahid, our The research into who will be frightened, or God forbid, ous and dive-guide, artificial reefs has who will suffer from the close encounter. rush at me. I to provoke been taking place Rule no. 1: Above all, do not give the fade back, the sharks here for only a short sharks an opportunity to attack. For this nestling on to move in number of years, reason, I lie down heavily upon the bot- a sea floor a shelter. If but the project has tom as I am overloaded with photo- again with the expert Under the full moon on March 23, already drawn a lot of attention from the graphic equipment. the continu- often feeds under Abdul Aziz’ watch, the corals of government and has been rewarded a It is not a good idea to reason out the os descent of my camera. the the sharks, they apparently act like the project spawned in unison. On this special prize by the Republic’s President many different ways a shark might bite I notice that the sharks are led by an old friends and understand each other. unique night, which only occurs once Maldivskoj. you. But it is necessary to lay easily on individual. One of them, which is larger, Obeying orders, Shahid, moves the per year, all the polyps in a colony, as if the sea floor and confidently repeat to flies directly by my right ear. sharks as if with a magic wand, and they have all entered an agreement or The shark study oneself the same words over and over Ah-h!!! My adrenaline flies off the scale! aligns them all in a line like trained circus following some command, spawn huge In the sea, approximately 200 meters off again, “I am not afraid of sharks. I adore What was that? A practice attack or a animals, which begin moving clockwise, quantities of eggs and sperm giving life the coast, we find mesh wire fencing off sharks. They are white and fluffy.” gesture of despair? I check my camera circulating in an open-air cage. Here to new coral reefs. a small area in the water. This is a holding At this moment, the sharks merge. chamber and correct the position of the that common language means! “Probably in the future, our knowledge cage for Blacktip sharks. We are going to Unbenownst to us, the sharks have gath- flash. I am again enveloped—this time Rule no. 3: Do not test fate more than and techniques will allow us to acceler- dive into it. ered together in a flight response, ham- by two sharks. once. Therefore, after having finished ate growth to restore or even to increase As we gingerly descend down a slip- mered up into a corner and observing Rule no. 2: Do not exhaust and pin shooting a film, I finish the dive and the quantity of coral reefs in various pery rusty ladder, we grip hard onto our us. I take a deep breath and take the an animal in a corner—do not create politely bowing, indicate that I am retir- areas of world ocean. We need only cameras. We enter the opposite world. first series of pictures. a desperate situation for the animal. ing from the shark house with a trouser time and help from both experts and Usually divers are protected from My self-confidence rises and I decide Contradicting logic, it will strike out with full of unforgettable impressions. regular divers engaged in the sea envi- sharks by being in a cage, but here in to aggravate the situation a bit—I begin the most desperate actions. Therefore, I “Blacktip sharks are a very rare kind ronment to achieve a better understand- this research experiment, it is not the by confidently moving toward in their decide not to come near to the sharks in our waters. Therefore, we study them.
65 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ◄Mugshot of a sea turtle BELOW: A Sea turtle heads to the sea with technology on its back Maldives travel to track its movements
Some sharks live continuously in our tail, weigh it and place open-air cage-cell. We feed them, we labels under fins. study their habits, we catch them peri- We also were not kept odically to measure and weigh them from the temptation to and when they have grown enough, hold a live shark in our we tag them with special labels and hands. It was surpris- we set them free in the sea,” said Aziz. ingly warm with gentle Sharks are absolutely amazing crea- rough leather skin. It is tures. For example, when a couple simply an unforgettably of sharks are mating, the male holds pleasant sensation. The the female with his teeth with all its white skin of a shark is force, causing some absolutely awful most similar to the white wounds. Any other animal would be enamel of the teeth of lost from such traumas, but the phe- mammals, only it has, of nomenally powerful immune system course, elastic proper- of sharks allows them to cope with ties. any problems. There is a Russian say- Aziz marks the sleep- ing about healing of this sort, one ing sharks, pinning an would say: “heals like a dog”. On the inker into their skin with Maldives, one would probably say, a standard sized tetraciclinе ring. The to wake it up from its sleepy, drowsy “heals like a shark”. antibiotic tetracicline stays a long time state. Gently woken, the shark starts to To catch sharks, harmonious direc- in the skin of a shark. By repeatedly move, at first languidly, but then, as if tion, work and skill is required, han- catching a shark over the long term, having regained consciousness from a dling sharks with the magic of a on increased at a rate of tetracicline dream, it moves confidently back into conjurer. The main skill is to correctly ring, it is possible to calculate the its native element, the sea. It is simply seize a shark and confidently turn its growth rate of an animal in its natural a miracle. belly up. If one manages to get the environment and dwelling. shark upside down, a sharp change In order not do too much harm to Green turtle study of blood-pressure places the shark an animal, all scientific procedures are It is considered that green sea tur- into almost instant relaxation. In such completed in no more than 20 min- tles can become a dieing breed. a sleepy state, you can do anything utes. After that, the shark is put back Therefore, the work of collection by a with a shark, pull it out of the water, into the water, belly turned down- laboratory is connected with educa- measure its length from the nose to a wards. The hunter quietly pats it, trying tional lectures among the population ABOVE: Safe from predators and other dangers, Above and below shot of the lagoon at the Banyan Tree resort, Vabbinfaru juvenile sea turtles enjoy a free swim in clear waters 66 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED BELOW: Research staff have opportuni- ties to relax on the beach in comfy ham- mocks. BOTTOM RIGHT: The shark pens Maldives travel where researchers study Blacktip sharks
Maldive’s turtles can be vast. get closer and more acquainted with the life of reefs and sharks. Be accu- Life at Banyan rate and close to the sea. Do not Scientists at Banyan Tree Maldives collect corals and cockle shells. Help Vabbinfaru are not isolated within us maintain the unique underwater the precincts of the laboratory. They world of the Maldives. We are always give lectures at schools, invite visitors glad for visitors,” said Aziz to finish the to the islands to participate in their story. For more information, email: projects. “Support us in our scientific [email protected] research. Come to us and you will
A sea turtle soars through the shallows
of atolls and the study of the ways of the migration of these ancient animals. For this purpose, special labels of laboratory with the instruction of date, a place and Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru address which fasten in axillary areas of the turtle fins are used. For the same purposes, a portable radio beacon fixed on back armour of an animal is sometimes used. If you meet such a turtle somewhere in the Indian Ocean, inform Aziz about it. Regular divers have been very helpful with the work of scientists. Observers found one of the endangered turtles near the Seychelles and another off the African coast. Now, we know that the migration routes of
A diver inspects the Lotus, an electrified artificial reef 67 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED fact file ANDREY BIZYUKIN, PHD MICHAEL SYMES PETER SYMES Maldives Arabian Male Atoll Sea MALE
MICHAEL ARVELUND, PHD SVETLANA MURASHKINA, PHD EDWIN MARCOW History The Maldives was long a sultan- east monsoon (November to March); ceeding $300 million. Over the past Laccadive ate, first under Dutch and then under rainy, southwest monsoon (June to Au- decade, real GDP growth aver- British protection. It became a republic gust) aged over 7.5% per year. As a result Sea in 1968, three years after independence. of the tsunami, the GDP contracted Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul Population 359,008 (July 2006 est.) Eth- by about 5.5% in 2005. Agriculture: GAYOOM - currently in his sixth term in nic groups: South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs; coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; office - has dominated the islands’ politi- Religion: Sunni Muslim; Internally displaced fish; Industry: fish processing, tour- cal scene. Following riots in the capital persons: 11,000 (December 2004 tsunami ism, shipping, boat building, coco- LEIGH CUNNINGHAM MICHAEL AW GUNILD PAK SYMES Male in August 2004, the president and victims) (2005) nut processing, garments, woven his government have pledged to embark mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and Meet the people upon democratic reforms, including a Languages Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect sand mining who bring you the stories more representative political system and of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), Addu Atoll Gan expanded political freedoms. Tourism and English spoken by most government of- Currency rufiyaa (MVR); Ex- fishing are being developed on the archi- ficials change rates: 1 USD =12.6 MVR; 1 pelago. Government: republic; Legal sys- EUR = 16.09 MVR; 1 AUD = 9.55 MVR; 1 SGD has a knowledgeable staff that knows tem: based on Islamic law with admixtures Economy Tourism, Maldives’ largest = 7.95 MVR; 1 CAD = 11.26 MVR where and when to find it. However, the of English common law primarily in com- industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and Maldives are best dived from live-aboards BUY ADS mercial matters; has not accepted com- more than 60% of the Maldives’ foreign ex- Visa Valid passport, onward/return ticket to get to the pristine dive sites in the more pulsory ICJ jurisdiction; the US does not change receipts. Over 90% of government and sufficient funds required for entry. 30- remote locations. Support your magazine and get seen have an embassy in Maldives; Capital: tax revenue comes from import duties and day no-cost visitor visa issued upon arrival. [email protected] Male tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a second Extension 90 days with sufficient funds stay- Decompression Chamber Two rec- tel. 00 45 4695 0644 leading sector. The Maldivian Government ing at a resort or hotel or present a letter ompression chambers are available in the Geography Southern Asia, group of began an economic reform program in from a local sponsor. Stays over 60 days Maldives. One is on Bandos Island (fifteen atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-south- 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and face heavy fines and deportation. Air- minutes by speedboat from Male) and the west of India (3 15 N, 73 00 E). 1,190 coral opening some exports to the private sec- port departure tax charged. Yellow fever other is in Kuramathi (one hour by speed islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhab- tor. Subsequently, it has liberalized regula- immunization required if travelling from boat and about twenty minutes by air taxi ited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist tions to allow more foreign investment. infected area. from Male.) resorts); archipelago with strategic loca- Agriculture and manufacturing continue NONOY TAN YANN ST YVES JOHN COLLINS tion astride and along major sea lanes in to play a lesser role in the economy, Local Customs Alcohol, pork, images Health Immunisation against typhoid, Indian Ocean. Coastline: 644 km. Terrain: constrained by the limited availability of or worship and pornography are prohib- hepatitis A and polio is recommended. flat, with white sandy beaches; lowest cultivable land and the shortage of do- ited. Alcohol is available at resorts and on Precautions should be taken to avoid sun- point: Indian Ocean 0 m ; highest point: mestic labor. Most staple foods must be safari boats. burn and dehydration. There is a good pri- unnamed location on Wilingili island in the imported. Industry, which consists mainly vate hospital on Malé and first aid facilities Addu Atoll 2.4 m; Natural resource: fish ; of garment production, boat building, Diving The Maldives compromise of are available on all the resort islands. Food Natural hazards: low level of islands makes and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% 7000 low-lying coral islands in a 1200-mile and water in the resort hotels is generally them very sensitive to sea level rise; Envi- of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about chain Southeast of India. About 200 of risk-free. Medical insurance is advised. MICHEL TAGLIATI DEB FUGITT DAN BEECHAM ronmental issues: depletion of freshwater the impact of erosion and possible global the islands are inhabited (although visitors aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming on their low-lying country; 80% have very little interaction with the 175,000 Websites warming and sea level rise; coral reef of the area is one meter or less above predominantly-Muslim residents), and sev- Maldives Tourism bleaching sea level. In late December 2004, a major eral are devoted entirely to small resorts www.visitmaldives.com tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 that offer average to excellent tropical Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru Climate tropical; hot, humid; dry, north- displaced, and property damage ex- reef diving with big fish action if the resort www.banyantree.com/maldives
SCOTT BENNETT SØREN RINKE KAI GARSEG 68 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED THE FACTS AND VIEW POINTS IN THIS SECTION ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE VIEWS POINT & CLICK OF X-RAY MAG. ITEMS PRESENTED IN THIS SECTION HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED BY X-RAY MAG STAFF, NOR ARE THE ITEMS WARRANTED. INFORMATION PROVIDED IS ON BOLD LINKS CONDENSED FROM MANUFACTURERS’ DESCRIPTIONS. TEXTS ARE USUALLY EDITED FOR LENGTH, CLARITY AND STYLE. LINKS ACTIVE AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION
Super protection for fun under the sun
Edited by Gunild Symes Divers’All photos are courtesy of the manufacturers Cosmetics Divers often find themselves out in CARIBBEAN BLUE - SUN SHIELD SPORT SPORT XTREME Ocean Potion the elements under a harsh sun 100%, all-natural sun protection made SPF 30 Sunblock is an advanced, with tropical oils, botanical extracts light-absorbing cream designed for in the tropics or scathed by whip- and anti-oxidant vitamins, Sun Shield is outdoor enthusiasts, which offers ping icey winds in the Arctic. Our a completely natural, non-whitening Broad Spectrum protection against skin, face, lips, eyes and hair take cream that protects, moisturizes and UVAI, UVAII and UVB skin damag- a beating. Plus there are also nasty soothes the skin. Instead of synthetic ing sunrays. Very water/sweat chemical ingredients, it contains natural resistant, oil free, Paba free and stings to deal with from critters like zinc oxide in a new patented transpar- non-greasy. Contains Parsol® mosquitoes and jellyfish. So, we ent form called Z-cote. It is made using 1789 and anti-oxidant vitamins searched the cyberwaves for some the latest scientific research on sun pro- A, C and E to help reduce cell- of the best UV protection, hair and tection: UVB rays cause sunburns, while damaging free radicals. Price: the deeper penetrating UVA rays cause US$8.00 www.opotion.com skin care products that will help premature aging, wrinkling and even skin divers maintain that healthy glow cancers. Bug n’Sun is also all-natural, non- and silky mane regardless of how toxic, moisturising, DEET-free—an effective repellent with full spectrum sun protection many dives and adventures we great for kids. www.gocaribbeanblue.com enjoy.
KISS MY FACE face factor sun has spf 30 fragrance free protection for your face and neck. www.kissmyface.com Xterra Sunblock SPF 44 & Lip Ice are the only brand of sunblock and lip balm tough enough for the Xterra off-road triathlon series, maybe they’re tough enough for divers too. SolRx and ALOE UP’S best selling sunscreen is Pro SPF 30 Xterra’s eight hour waterproof/sweat- Sport Lotion sunsceen is a unique 8 hour water- proof sunblock have signed a global resistant formula based with 35% pure aloe vera license agreement to brand and produce gel. The Pro Series sunscreen is non-greasy, sweat Xterra sunblock. They are the industry leader proof, non-comedogenic, hypo-allergenic and in function testing certifying a full eight hours of certified biodegradable. Priced at 4oz for $10.99, protection. Apply today...Reapply tomorrow. Visit 1oz $4.99. Look for it and check out other use- their website at www.solrx.com for more information. ful products such as Lip Ice, Water Sports Jelly, For more Xterra products go to www.xterragear.com Sunburn Relief Jelly, Facial Moisturizers and Pure Aloe Vera Gel at or email: [email protected] scuba shops or Aloe Up’s online store at www.aloeup.com
69 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED KINESYS Sunscreen Spray SKINCEUTICALS Sport UV Defense SPF 45 cosmetics with Parsol® 1789 is a fast drying oil is for people with active lifestyles. A true broad- free, alcohal free, PABA-free, water spectrum waterproof and sweatproof sunblock, Skin Care and sweat resistant, hypoallergenic it delivers maximum protection during high- & Protection and non-comedogenic SPF 30 energy activities. Contains transparent zinc microspray—no rubbing of tender oxide and other active sunscreens to help skin! Has broad spectrum UVA/UVB protect against damaging UVA rays that protection. Mango scented. Perfect cause premature aging of the skin. To for sports. Sprays on wet and dries reduce the chances of irritation, ingredi- in 2-3 minutes leaving no residue ents are encapsulated in dimethicone Barracuda Aquia Hydrating Body Lotion & Gel to affect grip. Price: US$5.00-16.00 to provide increased SPF with fewer for waterlovers is a refreshing, light, quick absorb- www.kinesys.com chemicals. www.skinceuticals.com ing lotion that replenishes the natural moisture in the skin. This unique lotion was specially formu- lated by swimmers for swimmers to help counteract damage to skin caused by repeated exposure to chlorine, hard WET DREAMS ZinClear violet radiation reaches humans to be a critical factor in water, wind or sun. Luxuriant texture Natural Sunscreen was moreso than any other country, the development of melano- applies smoothly with a fresh formulated in Australia where leading to the highest occur- mas later according to experts. scent. Barracuda Aquia clear cloudless summer days rance of skin cancer per capita Therefore, the use of sunscreens Hydrating Body Gel also and a mostly unpolluted atmos- in the world. Skin damage occur- is paramount. Wet Dreams All replenishes skin’s moisture phere means that more ultra ring in youth has been found Natural Sunscreen relies upon lost to chemicals, wind, or the natural ingrediant, zinc oxide sun. Try Aquia’s Shampoo to make up a sun shield. ZinClear for swimmers to restore zinc oxide works by reflecting UV damaged hair exposed to light while allowing visible light chlorine, salt, sun and wind. to pass through the skin (unlike Lotion Price: US$8.50 Gel & most synthetic chemical actives) Shampoo Price: US$7.00 each thereby limiting the need for www.trivillage.com multiple active ingredients and reducing the chance of malig- nant melanomas. Contains only natural or nature identical ingre- Dr Andrew Weil for Origins™ dients. Great for sensitive skin. Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Serum www.wetdreams.com.au IS SUNSCREEN DAMAGING TO CORAL optimizes the skin’s defenses against aging, skin REEFS? While chemical and pesticide run- sensitivity, extreme dryness, redness, hyperpigmen- off is known to degrade the coral reefs, it is not known what impact the sunscreen tation, lines, wrinkles, puffiness and flushing due to ANTHONY LOGISTICS humans wear in the ocean has on cor- inflammation, which Dr. Weil calls “the fire within,” who believes it to be als and reef ecology. To be safe, wear a the cause of several seemingly unrelated conditions. This serum con- After Sun Soothing Cream for Men Allergy Tested. Fragrance-Free. Aloe enriched body moisturizer wetsuit and use sunscreen on exposed skin tains a unique blend of some effective natural substances includ- soothes, cools and conditions the skin. Takes the heat out and only, thereby limiting the amount of chemi- ing Hypsizygus ulmarius, Cordyceps and Reishi mushrooms, Ginger, cals sloughed off of our bodies on our preserves the tan. Anti-inflammatory ingredients with calming Turmeric, Holy Basil, Resveratrol and Argan Nut Oil. Plantidote™ dives, which may negatively affect and soothing properties for men’s skin includes glycerin to hold Mega-Mushroom Face Cream with the corals we so enjoy. and retain moisture and help bind moisture to the ski; squalene Hypsizygus ulmarius and Chaga mush- derived from wheat germ softens and lubricates the skin; aloe rooms helps to quiet and calm the skin DO CORALS NEED PROTECTION FROM vera soothes, moisturizes, calms, promotes healing and helps immediately by mimicing a process THE SUN? Yes, and according to Austral- to restore the natural pH level to skin; grapefruit oil, a natural ian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), they that sends Narcissus Lily Bulbs into dor- astringent, soothes and revives; Mandarin lessens scarring have their own natural sunscreen provided mancy as a means of “self-protection”. and stretch marks and tones the skin; azulene derived by an amino acid (MMA). Current research Menyanthus and Heather extracts keep from German chamomile is an anti-inflammator that is developing a natural sunscreen for hu- skin firm; Fucoidan from Okinawan sea- calms and soothes the skin is also a natural astringent mans based on the substance that provide weed discourages moisture loss,Vitamins protection for corals. For more information, with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties; C and E defend against destructive oxi- see: www.aims.org.au mint and orange refreshes, sluggish, congested skin. dation. www.origins.com www.anthony.com
70 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED JASON Natural Shampoo & Conditioner PURE ESSENTIAL™ Hair Care for Water Lovers Swimmers & Sports™ Pure plant essential extracts of natural Rejuvenating Shampoo and Revitalizing Conditioner chamomile, bergamot, rosemary, ivy, cosmetics nettle, yucca, lavender, cherry bark, for aquatic sports enthusiasts contains no lauryl/lau- Hair Care reth sulfates and are fortified with Panthenol, Aloe myrrh and other extracts gently replenish Vera and Vitamins A, C & E and Sea Kelp. A mild natural oils, leaving your hair shiny, soft & Accessories shampoo, it helps keep hair soft while stopping dam- and manageable, without synthetic oils. age to hair and scalp due to chemicals, chlorine, Aromatherapeutic natural fragrances minerals, salt and sweat. Hair loses its shine when it is invigorate, calm, relax or soothe. Whole exposed to the sun, and the water from chlorinated wheat and soy proteins repair split pools, hot tubs, health spas and the ocean, becom- ends and moisturize dry, over-brushed, ing brittle, dull, dry, unmanageable and prone to permed, blow-dried or environmentally breakage. Sea kelp extract in the conditioner sof- damaged hair. pH balanced from 5.0 to tens, hydrates and plumps up each hair shaft to give 6.0. No artificial colours, parabens, for- hair flexibility, fullness, bounce and shine, while a maldehyde, toxins, petroleum products, vegetal protein complex and vitamins protect, repair harsh cleansers, carcinogens, dryingv- and reinforce hair fiber. UV protection is provided by soaps, animal testing or ingredients. Visit: natural sunscreens. www.jason-natural.com www.earthessentials.com DO WEAR Bandana & Stubby No-Tie for Apivita Propoline Sports Ladies and Gents Shampoo for Hair and Body The Wickie Wear Tie-Back is a product for both body is the high tech bandana Got Long Hair? and hair, especially for after for active women. It has a tie The Action and Water Sports water sports. Offers anti- back design for a custom fit with Hair Glove® line is the first-ever mycosis and anti-oxidant a built in pony tail keeper, DriSmart hair accessory designed for us protection to the skin and moisture wicking shell, Transpor long-haired water and action sports enthusiasts. The protects from sweat and dry layer sweatband, CoolMax/ “Extreme” Hair Glove® line is water resistant and pre- chlorine. Ingredients include Lycra stretch band in back for vents tangling and knotting even under the waves. extracts of echinacea, cit- fit and comfort. One size fits all. Lots of Protects hair from sand, salt, wind, dirt and other rus, grape seed, tea tree, cool colors, patterns and fabrics. The Polar “elements” while still stylin’ in appearance. Wear it wheat proteins and panthe- SweatVac Cold Weather Cap (shown in with wet suits, dry suits or jeans. Exclusive patented nol, which all work to boost green) has a DriSmart™ shell with Transpor™ built-in Flex-Hook™ keeps hair stationary, tangle free the skin’s natural defense. liner and thin windproof ear panels. Extremely and neat all day. Perfect when the look is as impor- 8.5 oz. Price: US$14.50. comfortable under-the-helmet or hood sweat tant as the function. www.hairglove.com beautyexclusive.com management tool with sleek ‘stubby’ tail. Doesn’t itch and dries four times faster than cotton. UPF 40+ protection. Machine Washable. Price: US$16.95-24.95 www.dowrap.com Biodegradable Shampoo Sprint Shampoo and Body Bath cleans and removes all chemicals found in water using a special PH balanced formula containing Salt Removal with PhysiClean Sports Shampoo is created for a conditioner and skin moisturizers which Peppermint & Eucalyptus the active body and promote healthy hair. The help restore hair and skin to a healthy con- The Training Zone Sports Hair mild formula is enhanced with lavender, clove, dition after water sports activities. Low suds and Body Shampoo is a revital- rosemary and eucalyptus. Offers key vitamins, pro- shampoo is easy to apply and rinse out. izing shampoo and body wash teins and minerals to further ensure renewed vital- Safe for the environment because its 100% that even removes chlorine ity in a healthy scalp and skin. Cleanses hair from Biodegradable. Only small amounts neces- and salt while giving your scalp oils and impurities. PhysiClean offers the first high sary for effective use. Bottle is 8 oz. in size. a little kick of tingling eucalyp- end Spa quality line of personal care products Price: US$ 5.49 www.sprintaquatics.com or tus and peppermint oils. specifically designed for active bodies. www.swimsuitsforall.com www.tzsports.com www.physiclean.com
71 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED BRAVE SOLDIER Friction Zone cosmetics Endurance sports formula is a superior anti-chaf- After Sting Gel Tender Corporation’s ing, cold water and sweat resistant occlusive new Jelly Fish sting treatment provides Extreme Cold silicone/botanical barrier, which protects and immediate, effective relief. After Sting conditions skin for hours. Help to prevent blis- Gel stops the painful burning, itch- Sun/Wind Burn ters and reduce rash irritations. Contains no ing and swelling of stings and bites Insect Bites & Jellyfish Stings petrolatum, so it’s safe for wet suits. Long last- and begins the healing process. The ing protection from any sports activity where sooner you apply After Sting Gel gear chafing of your skin is a problem, while after being stung, the sooner you the antibacterial formula helps prevent will get relief. 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Protect Jurlique puffiness and darker circles due to stress-related nutri- your face from the extreme Day Care Face Cream ent and oxygen depletion. cold with a layer of Vaseline from Australia provides maximum hydration Contains rice peptides to Petroleum Jelly, a staple in and protection in extreme climatic conditions on dry and hot, minimize wrinkles; Vitamin medicine cabinets since cold and windy days. Free of mineral oil and petroleum jelly, it is K to increase circulation 1870. Extreme divers in ideal for babies. Made with plant ingrediants such as, Calendula, and lighten dark circles; Scandinavia have used this Chamomile, Daisy, Marshmallow, Rose, Viola, Green Tea, Grape Mandarin Peel to reduce well-known product for dec- Seed, Turmeric, Shea Butter, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Vitamin C, puffiness; Icelandic Kelp ades. Protects skin from wind Vitamin A, Bitter Orange Oil, Rose essential oil and Vitamin E, it to revitalize and fight burn and chapping. 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72 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED OLE HENRIKSEN OF DENMARK H2O Sea Mineral Mud Mask Spa Salt Rub n’ Buff scrub is for all skin cosmetics Their best selling mask! Kaolin clay naturally types. Do-it-yourself spa strength draws pore-clogging oil and dirt from the stimulating action and body exfo- Pamper yourself skin while sea fennel and aloe vera gel help liation with this popular energiz- with sea spa hydrate and act as anti-inflammatory agents. ing sea salt scrub. In this dense Sea extracts of neptune kelp, dulse and aromatic scub, soothing and treatments gigartina help reduce the production of calming Lavender is met with excess oil, and soothing allantoin helps stimulating Lemongrass Essential Oils stimulate cell renewal. Other ingredients leaving your skin ultra soft, clean and include Eyebright Extract, Panthenol/ lightly scented. It’s certainly addic- From Down Under Provitamin B, Sea Fennel, Wakame, Witch tive. Ole Henrikson, the creator of the Australian Organics under- Hazel, Sea Lettuce, Birch Bark Extract, famous spa line, was born and raised stands the fundamental Kaolin, Oyster Shell Extract, Vitamin E, in a tiny Danish country village, but technical aspects of hair and Montmorillonite Clay. 3.5 fl oz, 104 mL. Ole had a thirst for adventure, scalp nutrition and treatments. PRICE US$25.00 www.h2oplus.com which took him to Indonesia. They say, when the overlap- Unfortunately, his skin became ping scales of hair shafts are inflamed with cystic acne while sealed, the hair shaft appears H2O Sea Plankton Restructuring there. Fortunately, he found a tal- smooth and shiny, so they try Spa Shampoo and Conditioner are ented aesthetician named Lagita for better looking hair by promoting smoothness of the hair shaft formulated to strengthen and protect who treated him at her clinic in Jakarta. Using various botanicals, Lagita’s from root to tip by careful cleansing of the roots and correct condi- stressed and overexposed hair. Contains magic worked and brought Ole’s complexion back to a healthy glow. tioning, moisturizing and sealing of the hair itself. According to these Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, Provitamin B, Sea This piqued Ole’s interest in skin care, which led him to pursue degrees in Aussies, hair is made up of about 97% protein and 3% water, and Plankton and Algae Extract, all ofwhich skin care and cosmetic chemistry in London before making the leap over hair is a lot more fragile when wet, so gentle cleansers are neces- protect hair color from becoming dull to the United States where he continues to do skin care magic for celebri- sary to avoid breakage and damage to hair shafts. Their products and flat from exposure to environ- ties and all who seek his wonderous treatments. www.olehenriksen.com contain no Sodium Lauryl Sulphates, but include beneficial plant mental elements. H2O’s high-intensity proteins and extracts such as water soluable Almond Glycerides— conditioner nourishes and increases powerful humectants that moisturize, silken and improve manage- flexibility of fragile or damaged For Active Men ability— Horsechestnut Extract to improve blood circulation to the hair without weighing it down and American Crew Sport scalp and Provitamins. www.australianorganics.net provides maximum moisturization Tea Tree Shampoo by delivering conditioning and is a sahmpoo and smoothing agents while rebuilding conditioner in one with the hair shaft, making the hair shine. 8 fl oz or Tea Tree Oil, Panthenol, 251 mL PRICE: US$14.00 www.h2oplus.com and soothing Allantonin. Fun Suds for Kids Gentle enough to use daily on any type of hair. Drawing in the Bath Budding young H2O Sea Marine Mini Spa Everything a traveling Thoroughly cleanses hair and artists will love taking a bath with Crayola diver with a penchant for pampering needs for a spa leaves it manageable without Bath Gel Pens. It’s the fun, creative way to experience on the go. Five nourishing, sea-derived treat- build-up. Tea Tree Oil is a natu- get clean! Kids will surely enjoy bath time ments for the body and hair come in convenient travel ral oil known for its antiseptic with these nifty bath gel pens designed sizes. Set includes one fluid ounce each of Sea Salt Body properties. Peppermint oil bal- like Crayola crayons. Set includes Crayola Wash, Sea Marine Body Scrub, Hydrating Body Butter, ances, conditions and stimulates Coloring Terry Washcloths with fun Sea Marine Revitalizing the scalp. Allantonin is a natural pictures for children to color, Shampoo and Marine humectant that helps to promote lather up and get spar- Collagen Conditioner. healthy scalp and hair. American kling clean. Kids can Makes a great gift. Crew Sport Body Wash is a hardcore also draw or write on PRICE US$8.75. shower gel for active men. Peppermint their own bodies! For Regularly $12.50; oil and Ginseng extract help refresh ages 3 and up. now only $8.75! the body while Tea Tree deodoriess and PRICE: US$10.00 www.h2oplus.com cleanses without stripping essential skin www.h2oplus.com moisture. Vitamins A & E, containing essen- tial anti-oxidents, also help improve the tex- ture, feel and firmness of skin. 200ml. Price: GB£6.95 [US$12.23] www.blushingbuyer.co.uk
73 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED SKIN & SEA: ALGAE & SEAWEEDS IN COSMETICS AN AMAZING SIMILARITY According to experts, cosmetic formulaes have long used the polysaccharides derived from algae. Algae cosmetics The human race originated as polysaccharide derivatives are valued for their high Marine marine animals. The first living cells gelling, bonding and viscosity-increasing properties. But, recent studies have shown other strong active Cosmetics were formed in the sea and we have properties of algae and seaweeds: from the Sea maintained a special link with this envi- * Algae of the Laminaria genus are famous for their ronment: blood plasma and seawater powerful sebum-regulating properties. * Chondrus crispus, commonly known as Irish or have very similar compositions and the carrageen moss, is a source of carrageenan (sul- protective membranes of seaweed and of phated polysaccharide) and also acts on sebaceous our skin possess similar defence, protec- functions. * Rhodymenia palmate (dulse) is a red sea- tion and regeneration mechanisms. weed that grows on stone at the low tide line in the —Phytomer Laboratories Northwest Pacific and North Atlantic oceans. It is a PHYTOMER has developed products for exfoliating and good source of vitamins and also has anti-sudorific cleansing treatments to give you soft, clean, revitalized actions, which can be successfully used in the devel- MODE DE VIE nesium, zinc, skin. The marine ingredients start to gently work from opment of anti-perspirant products. Loofa soap com- iron and sul- the first daily application www.phytomer.com * Ulva lactuca (sea lettuce) has some anti-inflam- bines Shea butter fur. So, while the matory and antioxidant properties. May also stimu- and red algae soap removes dead late the production of elastin and collagen. floridae, which skin cells, it also deep swells a little when cleans and softens Source: Beauty-On-Line.com wet, so the soap the skin naturally. becomes slightly rough Price: $13.50 each to the touch resulting in a pleasant www.modedevie.com massaging effect. The exfoliating Seamud Hair Mask is a shampoo and cleansing action helps stimu- and conditioner in one. It is also White Algae OSEA Skin late circulation and soften the skin made with marine clay from Mount Care was developed for sen- while removing dead cells. Seamud St Michel Bay, which also provides sitive or dry skin including rosa- soap is made with Shea butter and vitamins and oligo elements to cea. This high tech all natural marine clays collected around restore the coat of your hair, giv- treatment mask provides mul- the Chausey Islands in Mount Saint ing body and brilliance as well as tiple benefits including deep Michel Bay in France. The clay is strength to fine hair. Price: US$6.15 hydration while visibly tighten- full of trace minerals such as mag- www.modedevie.com ing and lifting, soothes and calms irritated skin and evens out skin tones. Contains calci- um rich White Algae, Copper, ALGOTHERM Power of Seaweed Manganese and Zinc Peptides, Eyes Relax Fresh Mask combines active ingre- White Wine Extract and White dients from marine and plant including red Tea, which help bring about algae, cornflower and bitter orange extract healthy skin. Price: US$48.00 to moisturize, tone and soothe the eye area. Dead Sea Skin Care AHAVA Since ancient times, the health Eyes Target Gel is specifically formulated to benefits of minerals from the Dead Sea have been used to aid beauty Red Algae OSEA mask is not like help tired eyes by soothing, decongesting, and well-being. King Solomon and Empress Cleopatra were supplied traditional clay-based “purifying” masks and moisturizing the entire eye area. The with Dead Sea beauty compounds, the craft of which was lost until that dry out the skin, Red Algae Mask maximizes the active seaweed ingredient in both products descendents of the early apothecaries resurrected their knowledge. rich vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and is Chondrus crispus. Algotherm Seaweed Now you can enjoy the all-natural skin care products made with sea trace elements of Red Algae, potent with a various Salts are combined with Laminaria sea- water from the Dead Sea, which holds ten times the amount of min- antioxidants to purify pores and help heal breakouts. weed. They dissolve quickly in water to erals as ordinary sea water. Minerals such as magnesium, calcium, At the sames time, Red Algae Mask employs the release trace elements and mineral salts bromides and potassium elements necessary for glowing skin. Ahava’s properties of Red Wine polyphenols, herbal extracts which provide fundamental elements necessary for Hand Cream for Men is a mud-infused high performance Dead Sea and a phosphoric diester of Vitamins E and C to fitness. The active seaweed ingredient in this prod- Mineral enriched cream for rough and damaged hands, which condition, hydrate and nourish the skin during treat- uct is Laminaria digitata. www.algotherm.co.uk absorbs quickly to treat dryness and cracking. www.Ahavaus.com ment. Price: US$ 36.00 www.oseaskin.com
74 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED of Palau The Lost Japanese Wrecks
Text and photos by Ethan Daniels World War II gas mask
Hidden beneath the serene waters most powerful navies in the world at the time. of Palau’s lagoon lie dozens of coral As a whole, the sunken fleet in Palau is certainly one of the world’s most unique sets of ships due encrusted Japanese ships. These long to their history, accessibility, and diversity. Over lost hulks were all sent to their final a dozen world-class wrecks lie either in or within resting places during a devastating minutes of Malakal Harbor, Palau’s main port. American air strike over 59 years ago From small ships like the astonishingly colorful Buoy 6 wreck to the 150 m long Amatsu Maru the and have since gained notoriety as fleet contained a wide variety of naval and mer- some of the world’s most alluring ghost- chant ships, few of which survived the violence of filled vessels. Desecrate One. Over half a century Before dawn later, most of these on March 30, wrecks still remain as 1944 Operation seawater and encrust- Desecrate One ing organisms slowly began as the deteriorate the bat- American Carrier tered ships. The dead group, Task Force fleet now serves as a 58, sent an end- series of artificial reefs less stream of air- throughout the shal- borne sorties over low lagoon, collecting the Japanese fleet an entirely different anchored in the set of fish and inver- complex maze of tebrates then what Palau’s Rock Islands. are found on Palau’s The unrelenting biggest attraction, the bombing and straf- dropoffs of the bar- ing that continued rier reef. Most people through March 31st annihilated the unprepared know of Palau as having some of the most consis- Japanese defenses and destroyed over 50 ships tent shark dives in the world like Blue Corner, New and countless planes, the remnants of one of the Dropoff, and Peleliu Cut. The shear walls and reef
Divers float in eerie suspension around INSERT: Amunition shells the silhouette of a Japanese tanker from Japanese warplanes 86 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED feature Japanese Wrecks
ABOVE: Japanese warplane LEFT: Shells and gas mask of the Helmet wreck, Palau
phantom-like wrecks visions The marine life that has grown on the of Japanese wraiths enter ships’ equipment hides the jagged one’s mind. Moving deeper, metal and unsightly gear strewn about a large, indistinct shadow on the decks. The upright ships are also below becomes visible and more safely and easily penetrated as plateaus that jut out into the Philippine causes the spine to tingle in suspense. vertigo doesn’t seem to be as much of Sea generate incredible currents, which Drifting deeper still, the dark blue a problem. As most of these ships car- in turn support an incredibly complex shadow begins to gain detail and the ried cargo or oil they have kingposts reef ecosystem that includes some of ship, which went down in action, slowly the highest marine diversity in the world. comes into focus, manifesting itself out Corals, gorgonians, sponges, and an of the gloom. Overgrown equipment endless variety of reef fishes seem to be and wreckage litter the decks and everywhere. are now lairs for reef fish of every hue, The attraction of exploring rusty crabs, octopus, and other creatures. historical ships is quite different from Several wrecks are even home territory sightseeing on colorful reefs, though to Spotted eagle rays. Palau’s sunken fleet does blend into A number of the vessels are lying the natural seascape as if they were upright which allows fantastic views of meant to be part of the ecosystem. their decks from above. The Iro, the Each of the wrecks is completely cov- Chuyo Maru, the Amatsu Maru, and ered with life, from black corals and the Ryuku Maru all went straight down gorgonians, to Giant clams, Cock’s to the silty sea floor with virtually no list. comb oysters, and assortment of inner On bright days when the lagoon waters lagoon fishes never seen along the bar- provide excellent visibility these ships rier reef. When descending on Palau’s are astounding to drop down upon. INSET: Haunting remains of the fallen RIGHT: Diver investigates the shipwreck 87 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Japanese Wrecks The sculptural forms feature of a coral garden
Tail end of a dugong
and masts that still reach far resisted the attempts of most above the decks toward the encrusting marine organisms, surface and make ascending allowing a clear view of the both enjoyable and interesting. plane from the surface. Another Several planes that were shot complete plane, a Zeke or Navy down in Palau’s lagoon dur- Carrier Fighter, lies upside down ing the war are also excellent on a white sand bottom in 20 dives. In particular the Jake meters of water. One of the 20 seaplane, a Japanese Navy mm machine guns mounted Reconnaissance Floatplane shot in one of the wings now has a down in 15 meters of water, is flower-like tube worm flourishing one of the most aesthetic. The out of the barrel, a definite sign entire plane sits upright on a that war is gone, but not forgot- shallow, coral laden patch reef ten. near Koror. Sunlight plays off The wrecks littering the lagoon the clean aluminum that has bottom are not the only remind-
Wreck of Zeke (Navy Carrier Flighter) Dugong and diver share sun rays 88 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED feature Japanese Wrecks
er of the violent and brutal fighting that occurred in Palau. Between September and November of 1944, almost 13,000 men were killed on Peleliu, one of the southern most islands in the archipelago, during one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific cam- paign. Caves that pock the rough lime- stone island still contain human remains and equipment as the jungle slowly covers scars that are long to heal. Burned out Japanese and American tanks, some with foliage growing out of them, are still evident along the coral roadsides and bullet riddled build- ing serve as sentries from an age gone by. Long forgotten pill boxes, some with guns and equipment still remaining, are hid- den all over the archipelago, including the exquisite Rock Islands. Just a few years ago a Palauan hunting birds in the Rock Islands discovered a Japanese bomber that had been shot down. The pilot, whose remains have since been repatriated to Japan, was still strapped into the cockpit. The thick foli- age that covers the limestone islands had kept this secret for almost 60 years.
The fabled islands of Palau still bare secrets, many of which will never be learned by man. This is an important dimension and part of the mystique of these isolated islands. Ghosts, long undisturbed, both above and below the water, continue to await the adventurer. Interested in learning more details about the WWII wrecks in Palau and Truk (Chuuk)? Check these books out, as both of these authors have done extensive research on all of the known, and still to be found, wrecks in these areas. ■ ABOVE: Diver and References Whaleshark Bailey, Dan E. 1991. World War II Wrecks of Palau. North Valley Diver Publications.
Lindemann, Klaus. 1991. Desecrate 1. Pacific Press Publications, Assoc. Belleville, MI.
www.northvalleydiver.com
Tasselled Wobbegong www.aquaquest.com 89 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ADAM BUTLER technical matters
Leigh Cunningham The Wake Up Call Confessions of a Deep Diver
A long time ago, I sat in hoosha training and equipment for the nately very much for the better, same goes for many other deep It’s your own decision (Bedouin tent) after a deep air type of dives I was planning and both from a diver training, safety, or particularly technical dive sites Ultimately individuals need to dive in the Blue Hole (Dahab, trying to conduct. Spectacular good role models and decent around the world which has been decide for themselves if the South Sinai, Red Sea). My good deep sites is what does it for me, food point of view. labeled “dangerous”. There is type of diving they do is beyond friend and dive buddy had less staying shallow was not an option So back in the ‘good old days’, not a dive site in the world that’s the realms of the type of train- than an hour ago peeled me of - and neither was dying. independent aluminum tanks dangerous - people are danger- ing they’ve had, and if they the wall near the bottom of the were strapped together with ous. I’m living proof of that. I want to do something about it. Blue Hole. I had succumbed to 60 meter dives offered extra long cam bands, a-clamp survived the earlier stages of my Experience counts for a lot, but it deep water blackout, caused by At the time I worked in a small first stages were mounted with diving career due to one reason doesn’t replace training. a high degree of stupidity, wrong concrete and wooden hut with enough second stages to deco- - “luck”. Tragically many divers After basic scuba training kit and inadequate training. a compressor in one corner and rate a medium sized Christmas were not as lucky as me. (OWD and AOWD) divers have a some miscellaneous well worn tree, BCD’s seemed to had more licence to conduct non-stop dives I now had to make one of two dive gear in another. The hut holes than a slab of Swiss cheese Changes for the better (no deco) to a max depth of 40 choices, which I should is still there today, in the same and had inadequate lift for the In the modern day of diving with meters, in the type of environment have made sooner: place, around 5 km south of the job even without the holes, not to a lot of training, experience a they were trained in. With experi- Give up diving all Blue Hole at a dive site called mention appropiate training that good few thousand dives and a ence, and a level head, divers together, or invest the Canyon. The hut is called a was seriously lacking. Having all couple of scuba records under could gradually progress safely in appropriate dive center, which at the time of the above qualified you as a my belt, I now like to be the role to harsher environments (colder, was quite a novel feature in the technical diver at the time. model for others, in a manner that darker, surge and swell, surf entry area. The order of the day was didn’t exist back then. and exits and so on). guiding groups of certified divers My lame excuse In the Sinai the technical diving around local dive sites, the most To be honest, I have to admit that community has now come full cir- Why not stay shallow? popular ones being the infamous it took a few near death experi- cle. Where it didn’t exist 10 years For the large majority of divers Blue Hole and Canyon. Dive ences (rock climbing in the blue ago, now everyone and their pushing beyond 40 meters or guides would even offer, under hole being the last) to give me mother seem to be a Technical exceeding the NDL *), would never the counter, recreational guided the wake up call I needed. diving Instructor at one be a consideration. dives through the Blue Hole’s Arch In my defense I can only say that level or another. Talking from experi- which is at a depth of 60 meters. I good role models did not exist The fact of the matter is I survived the ence, in most tropical can say, hand on heart; I did not then as they do now. I consider technical instructors and reef environments the take part in this. this to be a very lame excuse for technical training and earlier stages vibrancy of the reef being well out of my depth, but facilities are a necessity of my diving and volume of tropical No role models it’s the only one I have. in an area where there fish in the first 30 meters Back then technical diving and happens to be awesome career due to is breathtaking. training and facilities for such Relying on luck dive sites in deep water. one reason - And this is a very Confessions of a deep diver deep a of Confessions were as common as igloos and Tragically the Blue hole have The reduction of numbers good reason for some Eskimos in the Sinai. Things have since become a sunken grave- of deep diving accidents “luck”. to stay shallow. ► changed quite a lot since - in the yard, giving it the undeserved now, as compared to 10 last 10 years or so – and fortu- reputation it has today. Much the years ago, speaks for itself. NDL: NO DECOMPRESSION LIMIT
75 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED technical Due to this and the fact that matters NDL’s between 30-40 meters rap- idly becomes quite short and gas consumption increase propor- tionally with depth, most recrea- A story all to tional divers in tropical reef envi- common ronments stay on the shallower I was recently side of 30 meters. made aware of a In this case there is no need true story about for technical (Advanced Nitrox, a group of 10 certified divers Extended Range, Mixed gas- on a day diving trip to the SS I now had to make one ses) training. Having said that I Thistlegorm (which is a very nice firmly believe that all divers dur- World War 2 wreck in the Gulf of of two choices, which I ing entry level training should be Suez, off the Sinai peninsular rest- should have made sooner: trained and certified at least in ing at 32 meters); the story is all stops are required. Want to win one of these? Give up diving all the use of Basic Nitrox mixtures, too common. giving all divers the skill and All divers had varying degrees What’s acceptable Always analyze and label your gas. If you’re want- together, or invest in knowledge to utilize the optimum of certification, from AOW to before decompression ing a simple solution for Nitrox analysis, take a look at diver training is required? Is it appropriate training and mix for specific depths if they so Open Water Instructors but none the compact GA-O2 Check Oxygen Analyzer from desire. Basic Nitrox is not techni- of the group had technical train- 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes of deco Technical Diving Limited www.techdivinglimited.com equipment for the type of cal diving but air will become a ing of any sort. On the second - or more? “The line is not so Since it’s launch, the GA-O2Check Oxygen Analyzer dives I was planning and gas of the past for recreational (and last dive) of the day, the clear”, seem to be the indi- has taken the U.S. diving world by storm. Probably divers in the future. group entered the water for a vidual’s view. because this durable splash proof analyzer is easy to trying to conduct. 25 meter repetitive dive. This fol- use, runs on user replaceable AAA batteries and is Definitions lowed an hour’s surface interval Take more training quick responding. So, if you fancy getting your sticky The big question is “where do after a first dive to 30 meters. All For what its worth, I would paws on one, just jump onto www.techdivinglimited. we draw the line between rec- divers exited the water after a advise all divers planning com —they ship worldwide reational and technical diving in 30-50 minute dive time and after dives below 30 meters or open water?” completing between 5 and 25 making dives that require To win one, send in your answers Training agencies have a minutes of decompression stops decompression stops, regard- to Leigh’s three quiz-questions general definition: A NDL dive – with most of the group having less of the duration, to at [email protected] to a maxium 40 meter is cat- 15 minutes or more. According least take the first step on the by July 20 to participate in the egorized as a “Recreational to training agency definitions, all technical ladder, advanced draw for one GA-02 Check dive”. Anything beyond 40 ten divers carried out a “techni- nitrox. Oxygen Analyzer generously sponsored by TDL. Prize will be meters or exceeding the NDL, cal dive” but none had technical The line needs to be drawn shipped directly from TDL. or a combination of both, is training at any level. somewhere, the harder you categorized as a “Technical push, the bigger the bite in Questions relate to Basic Dive”. Responsibility the arse! If you have arrived Nitrox diving and planning But while the answer In my opinion a small degree at the point where you think Editor’s decision is final. from a training of responsibility falls on the dive you might be exceeding your agency’s stand- guide who should have encour- level of training, then you are. point is quite aged the divers to leave the bot- Looking at the bigger pic- clear, it seems tom and initiate the ascent before ture, technical training will to be less clear clocking up required decompres- give you no guarantees in from the div- sion stops. The higher degree of itself, but it will dramatically er’s point of responsibility falls on the individual increase the likelihood of Leigh Cunningham is the rent holder of the record view. diver to initiate the ascent before coming back. ■ technical manager and for deepest wreck dive TDI Instructor Trainer for - and attempts of reach- Ocean College, Sharm El ing extreme depths, he QUIZ 1 — WIN GA-O2 CHECK OXYGEN ANALYZER FROM TDL Sheikh. also has a wide range of 1. What is the recommend- 2. What is the maximum 3. What is the equivalent Probably best known teaching credentials to his ed maximum depth and training depth for the TDI air depth of EANx 38 at for his records - Leigh curriculum: TDI instructor max. operating depth of Extended Range? And 22 meters? once held the record for trainer, DSAT Tech Trimix
Confessions of a deep diver deep a of Confessions EANx 40? (assuming a max the TDI Advanced Trimix the deepest dive in the instructor, PADI MSDT pO of 1.4) course? 2 Red Sea, and is the cur- IANTD Technical diver ADAM BUTLER 76 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED
photography WWW.GLOBALSOUNDANDIMAGE.COM
Edited by Jason Heller Pelican cases seen at: & Daniel Beecham www.globalsoundandimage.com
Packing Travelling with camera equipment Everyone has his or her own methods of packing camera equipment, so if your method is working so far, keep going with it. If not, maybe the following meth- ods will be helpful; Many modern camera systems are so Luggage small that they can easily be transported in hand luggage. A comprehensive camera system such as the one pic- By Daniel Beecham tured, which includes a wide-angle lens Airport photos courtesy of Scandinavian Airlines and an external flash unit, weighs just a few kilos. This kind of system can be wrapped in a towel or piece of foam In issue #9 we took you through heavy equipment that must be trans- and fitted into a small rucksack. Things some tips of the trade for select- ported as well as diving gear and can get trickier if you’re using an SLR or normal clothes, it can become a video system, which will generally be ing a dive operator that will real challenge getting all your gear a lot bigger and heavier. If this is the help you properly facilitate your to your destination. Checking your case then because of weight and size underwater photography. In this camera gear into the hold is often restrictions on hand luggage you’ll issue we’d like to share with you undesirable; baggage handlers are probably be forced into check- nicknamed ‘throwers’ for a reason; ing a portion of your system some hints and tips for getting and the last thing you want to hap- into the hold. If this hap- all of your valuable camera pen is your camera gear to arrive pens I’d recommend equipment to your desti- damaged, stopping you from shoot- keeping cameras nation safely, and without ing. You can also run the risk of get- and lenses with ting charged large sums of money in you, and incurring costly excess excess luggage fares. check- baggage fares. There are however a few tricks of the trade, and loops in the system Many underwater photographers you can use to get yourself and all encounter problems when they your camera equipment safely with- begin their dive trips. With lots of out incurring those costly fines.
77 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED photography
baggage handlers are nicknamed ‘throwers’ for a reason ing housings, flash units and lights into the hold using a reliable brand of hard case, I’d recom- completely dry so that no mend Storm Cases; they’re water gets into the foam. stronger and lighter than most If it does the foam may other brands, and they have a deteriorate over time. great range of sizes, so you’ll find Even if you carefully dry something to fit your system nicely all your gear, water could without any having wasted space be stuck inside control shafts or inside the case. other spaces you can’t get to. recommend that you always Pack cases with at least an Because of this it is usually a good remove your camera from its under- inch to two inches between the idea to treat a box as a dry box or water housing when you’re trans- exterior of the case and the items wet box, you obviously don’t want porting it. Knocks and jolts can move inside, and separate each item to get water onto your cameras housing controls out of alignment; with a decent layer of foam to or lenses. transport the camera separately stop items knocking against each There are a few other golden and use the space inside the hous- other. When repacking your box rules that I follow when transport- ing to keep soft bits and pieces such after a dive ensure all your gear is ing cameras and housings. as o-rings in. Just don’t put heavy or sharp items inside! Rules Try and get caps or covers for your Remove o-rings from housings- the housing and ports, this will help to change in ambient pressure at keep o-ring grooves and sealing sur- altitude can create a vacuum faces clean and stop them getting inside an underwater housing, this scratched. can be so great that it can be difficult to open the housing Camera jackets when you’re back on terra Photographers often use camera firma. To avoid this simply jackets carry bulky equipment when remove o-rings from the hous- they do not want to use a bag or ing and keep them in a self-seal case. You can use these jackets bag inside the housing. This will when you’re travelling; they have allow air to flow freely through pockets that are designed for tel- the housing. ephoto lenses that are perfect for Remove cameras from housings- I would
78 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Put TSA approved locks on photography your baggage. The security agents can open the locks and relock your lug- gage.
locks and relock your luggage. If you use standard locks and they inspect your bags, they’re getting future clipped and your baggage continues to its destination with who’s targeting your equipment from Avoiding Fines meets large flashguns, and you can fit camera no locks at all. stealing it. Recently there have been mul- Most airlines will allow extra baggage bodies, cables or any other accessories tiple incidents where underwater photog- allowance to passengers carrying golfing classic in the other pockets. These jackets can Add a notice raphers travelling through San Juan Puerto or skiing equipment. Unfortunately this rule come in handy when you’ve got equip- Another tip is adding a laminated notice Rico were consistently arriving at their final generally does not apply to scuba divers, ment that you want to carry with you to security agents, affixed to the inside destinations only to find that their under- although some airlines are now seeing the on the plane, but your carry on bag has of each piece of baggage, kindly asking water photography equipment was miss- light. As strange as it may sound, a few gone over the weight allowance; hav- them to be very careful when inspecting ing. Some (probably all) of it was found divers I know actually use golfing bags to ing items on your person is not regarded your equipment, which is very fragile and for sale on e-bay. transport their dive gear or camera gear, as excess luggage. The downside is that needs to be repacked the way it was Currently we have no update on the and manage to avoid excess luggage using camera jackets can be uncomfort- originally. Make it obvious where every- situation in the San Juan airport. However, fines that they would have otherwise able, and they do not protect equipment thing fits into the case, this way whoever this example of airline security-gone-bad is incurred. Naish, the popular manufac- as well as a case or bag would. is inspecting your bag SHOULD put it back the exception turer of surfing, windsurfing and into the correct place, so it can continue and kite-boarding equip- Security its journey in safety. not ment have taken this a For those travelling from/to/’through the Besides the TSA locks, secure the zip- the rule. Generally step further, printing US, the TSA has the right to open and pers with cable ties. Hand the agents speaking, locks and cable ties logo’s of golfers inspect any checked luggage, and when extra cable ties to replace the ones they will help deter thieves who are and golf- your dive or underwater photo equipment will need to cut off when inspecting your trying to do their deeds quickly. ing goes through the main x-ray machine, bags. Locks and cable ties are not a you have a fairly high chance that TSA guarantee, but when other bags don’t will be selecting your bags for “random have any security, a thief focused on a inspection”. The first step is to put TSA quick fix will target other bags. Of course approved locks on your baggage. The there’s nothing that’s going to stop a thief security agents can open the
Up to new shores! www.seacam.com Sweden • Norway • Denmark • Finland Bäckebolslyckan 18, SE-422 54 Hisings Backa Tel + 46/31/769 09 70, Mob + 46/708/29 33 41 e-mail: [email protected]
79 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED photography the plane as well as checking more gear into the hold if you want - to as well as travelling in style! Take the time to work out how much the excess luggage fines are going to cost you compared slogans on their bags. Maybe some dive luck, especially if you’re to the additional cost of upgrad- equipment manufacturers would reap the booking a late flight ing. rewards if they did the same… that the airline is trying Luggage going to or from the US has to sell. Just make sure Fly via the United States higher limits than other parts of the world. you get in writing that Often when flying via the states Excess luggage fees come in the form of they’ve changed the passengers are given extra bag- ‘per excess bag’ changes. However, do status of your baggage allowance, other gage allowance. A sneaky way to not forget that when travelling between wise you may find yourself in a situation Frequent flyer points take advantage of this is making a other countries, you will be charged ‘per that I’ve been in where you’ve packed Racking up frequent flyer points may part of you ticket a destination in excess lb./kg’. Regardless of the country, more equipment than you otherwise make you eligible for special treatment the states, even if you don’t intend you bags will be weighed, and often that would of, and you then get told when from multiple airlines, including upgrades on going there. Make sure that the includes your carry on. checking in that you have less allowance and additional luggage allowance. Join ticket you buy if fully refundable, than expected! as many frequent flyer programmes as and then once you get home you Just ask… possible, and take advantage of the spe- simply claim the cost of the US It sounds obvious, but approaching airline Left luggage cial treatment. portion of the ticket. staff in a polite, civil manner may carry This one is a bit sneaky, but it does work… you a long way. Smile, joke and laugh If you have a piece of luggage that Fly business or first class Hopefully that’s given you a few with whoever is checking you in, then ask you want to carry onto the plane, but For most of us it’s out of our budgets, but helpful pointers on how to get nicely for a few kilos grace, it’ll probably you’re worried that your going to be told when flying business or first class you’re yourself and your gear to your work. it must be checked into the hold, take it given much more baggage allowance. destination safely. In the next issue to the left luggage counter. After you’ve The additional cost of flying in a better we’ll look at ways in which you can Asking in advance checked in simply go and collect it; the class can be comparable to paying for set your dive gear to make your When booking your flight ask for extra airline staff never even knew you had it the excess luggage fines. This means you time underwater easier and more baggage allowance, you’ll often be in and you’ll be carry it on with no problems. can carry more equipment with you on productive. ■
Wetpixel is proud to announce a DiveFilm Podcast Video, has The podcasts are produced by cerns regarding sharks and partnership with DiveFilm.com, a now become the first podcast Mary Lunn Price, who started one mantas. Other episodes fea- website dedicated to showcas- of underwater content to make of the first streaming video web- ture a short film by renowned ing underwater video. DiveFilm the iTunes “Featured Education sites for underwater videos back underwater photographer Eric features underwater filmmakers Podcasts” list. in 2000. Hanauer on the sunken P-38 and offers high quality video Subscribing to the video pod- The most recent of the 17 fighter plane off the coast of Del podcasts about the underwater casts is free and they can be current DiveFilm episodes avail- Mar and a video featuring shark world, available through a free accessed on any computer able, “Beqa, Fiji,” focuses on footage by renowned cinema- iTunes subscription and other through the free iTunes program Fiji’s locally managed Marine tographer Marty Snyderman a podcast subscription mecha- by clicking on the following link: Protected Areas. Past episodes two-part series on the massive nisms. Contrary to the name, http://tinyurl.com/je8ro include an interview with the squid spawning events off the video podcasts do not require a late Peter Benchley, authour of California coast that includes video iPod, and you can watch This will launch iTunes on the “Jaws”, a podcast on “Diving historic footage and interviews the broadcasted video right on computer and open DiveFilm’s Scandinavia,” and episodes with a Scripps scientists. ■ your computer monitor. ■ Podcast Video page. highlighting conservation con- www.divefilm.com Free Underwater Video
80 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED photographynews
Sealux Sealux CD200 www.sealux.de These days it seems to be all about housings for the Nikon D200
Sea & Sea X-D200 Housing New Nexus www.seaandsea.com D200 Housing Body World’s BEST SELLER Stuff www.nexusamerica.com UNDERWATER DIGITAL GUIDE
AN ABSOLUTE ESSENTIAL for those who wish to capture successful digital pictures underwater – now in the new 2nd Edition
Light & OUT NOW Motion Ikelite Titan D200 D200 housing UPDATED www.ikelite.com With more ‘How to’ techniques www.uwimaging.com Professional secrets
PHOTO ERIC CHENG Recommended Retail US$20.00 A couple of Nikon D200’s features 10.2 effective megapixel CCD image Near-instant response with 0.15 sec. ORDER NOW sensor. Shutter speeds ranging from 30 power-up, 50-millisecond shutter time Email [email protected] for details to 1/8,000 sec. 11-area AF system with lag. Image sensor features high-speed trade enquires welcome: www.michaelaw.com selectable 7 wide-area AF mode. Fast 4-channel data output and a newly 5 frames per second. Large 2.5” LCD developed Optical Low Pass Filter. A well-structured, comprehensive work, lavishly sup- monitor with 170° viewing angle. www.nikonimaging.com ported with explanatory diagrams and magnificent images the, Essential Guide To Digital Underwater Hugyfot Photography will undoubtedly prove to be as much HFN D200 an educational tool for novices as it will a reference www.hugyfot.com Seacam Subal work for those with greater proficiency in underwater D200 housing ND 20 image making. www.seacam.com ( no picture of housing yet ) www.subal.com — “David Strike” Editor NEKTON 81 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED photographynews Casio The EWC-60 underwa- ter housing is compatible with the Casio Exilim EX S600 and EX-S500 digital cameras and should available in retail as this issue goes to press. The Casio EWC-60 will be available at Sony takes over as retail from April 2006. A flash diffuser, strap, silicon paste as well Konica Minolta pulls out as an anti-condensation kit are included in the delivery package. Granted, Minolta was never one The 6 Megapixel Casio Exilim EX-S600 of the big makes in under- is equipped with Anti Shake DSP technology and water photography and DVD guide to digital In addition to improved resolution over the EX-S500, there were only a few hous- the EX-S600 has a 3X zoom and increased battery life ings But the innovative brand photography allowing up to 300 shots per battery charge. that introduced autofocus and Adobe releases Camera anti-shake had its devoted follow- Photo-i, in association with Canon, Raw 3.4 and CS2 ers. Recognising that the market is going to produce a series of DVDs had become too competitive on digital photography. The first one Adobe has released a new version Olympus E-330 Underwater Pro kit of its Camera Raw plug-in and an to make a profit, Konica Minolta is ‘A guide to digital photography’ update to Adobe Photoshop CS2. era’s large 6.4cm ing it from a rough ride top- decided to cease the camera showing you how to get the best Camera Raw 3.4 now supports the HyperCrystal LCD. side. www2.olympus.dk business all together and trans- results from your digital camera. The Canon EOS 30D, Leaf Aptus 65, For underwater pho- fer its technology to Sony with DVD contains a series of assignments Leaf Aptus 75, Olympus EVOLT 330, tography this whom there has already been a and tutorials and pictures are manip- Olympus SP-320, Pentax *ist DL2, is of special development cooperation with ulated in Adobe Photoshop CS). It’s and Samsung GX-1S. The Adobe Olympus E-330 consequence since last year. Sony states that it visual, informative and packed with Photoshop CS2 (9.0.1) update fixes a Underwater Pro kit pairs the as the difficulty of framing intends to develop a D-SLR called lots of tips and ideas. PAL format, few problems discovered after CS2 Olympus E330 DSLR digital a shot using the eyepiece α based on Minolta’s lens mount. English language. Running time is 2 was released. SLR with the PT-E02 housing. while wearing a diving The new SLR is due out “this sum- hours, 20 minutes. Price: £14.99 The E330 DSLR is the first dig- mask. The PT-E02 is depth mer”. www.sony.net/Products/dslr www.photo-i.co.uk ital SLR to provide continuous rated to 60 metres. With its live previews. Now photog- durable, high quality poly- raphers have the freedom of carbonate construction, it framing while looking at the protects the camera from live preview on the cam- water while also cushion-
You got to Digital Underwater Photographer only covers the basic concepts for review hand at least Manual is no exception and while the beginners- which is often the one thing to it is meant as a training manual for hardest to do. The manual gives PADI. They do very good a PADI specialty course it is still a you a clear explanation of the teaching materials and better standalone product than so various file types, image resolution, their products are very many other books on the subject exposure, sharpness and depth- thoroughly made. out there. They should sell this book of –field, composition, use of flash They are very good at alone too. It is, with its 88 pages and postprocessing and organis- ’un-complicating’ matters. This only a quite light booklet and it ing images. ■
82 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Movies media free! Books Film DVDs CDs Edited by Peter Symes & Gunild Pak Symes
POINT & CLICK ON BOLD LINKS
Deep Sea Tycoon: Diver’s Paradise Create your own undersea getaway! The fol- low-up to the original by Pixel After Pixel, Deep Sea Tycoon 2 lets you enter a world under the waves to explore coral reefs, swim with whales, The Great Barrier Reef e-Book Over 70 play with turtles, feed the manatees and ride pages of everything you need to know about div- the turtles. Slow down and enjoy dazzling lights ing the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Written by and hypnotic sounds while adventuring your Lucy Joyce, an Australian diver with over 25 years way through 30 challenging missions with mul- experience in the area, this beautiful e-book can tiple modes of play. Incredilbe graphics and be downloaded FREE from the Internet. You will Deep Blue new camera angles. Suitable for ages 3 and find information about liveaboards, day trips, typi- Studio: Miramax up. e-Games North American release date: 24 cal 3-day liveaboard itineraries, various dive sites, dive Actors: Michael Gambon, David June 2006. www.virginmegastores.co.uk education in Australia, accommodation, bargains, Attenborough, Pierce Brosnan camping, land attractions, adventure activities and Director: Andy Byatt, getting around in Cairns, Port Douglas, Townsend, Cape Alastair Fothergill new Tribulation and the Daintree Rainforest, marine life on Length: 91 minutes, Rated G GAME! the reef as well as dangers to watch out for. Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Special DVD Features: Making-of Visit: www.diveadvisory.org Sharks & Other Sea Monsters 51 minute featurette, English and by Robert Sabuda Spanish subtitles. and Matthew Reinhart ASIN: B000E5KQQ4 For High Flying Divers Publisher: Candlewick Press Swarms of fish, plunging Albatross, Lost and confused? Look no further, the Date: June 2006 schools of hunting sharks, sleek dol- first ever comprehensive book on master- Age range: 5 years and up phins, polar bears stalking beluga ing airline, hotel and car rental loyalty ISBN: 076362229x Hard cover whales, sea lions attacking a baby programs has just come out. Mileage Pro: Price: US$27.99 gray whale, killer whales, penguins Insider’s Guide to Frequent Flyer Programs Just when you thought it was safe to go caring for their young, poisonous will help you manage and maximize your back in the water, another pop-up book hot gasses spewing out of ocean travel mileage with practical information about prehistoric sea monters pops up! ridges and underwater chimneys, on earning and redeeming miles. Co- Co-authors, Robert Sabuda and Matthew slow rhythmically moving jellyfish... author, Randy Petersen, a former market- Reinhart, have done it again. Following From the creators of the BBC series ing and merchandise presentation man- their best-selling Encyclopedia Prehistori- “The Blue Planet”, this compel- ager who spent much of his time flying ca: Dinosaurs, Sharks and Other Sea Mon- ling film, heavy on imagery from a has become known as one of the most sters is sure to enthrall and amaze young spectacular setting in the Marianas influential frequent flyers in America and a marine biologists and their landlubber Trench, sparce on script, has less leading expert on airline loyalty programs. parents. The book has captivating pop- emphasis on education and more His best effort to date is the launch of the ups of massive prehistoric sharks, giant emphasis on engaging adventure Mileage Donation Center, which helps indi- squid and huge scorpions. Get it before it with breathtaking images of some viduals donate unused miles to charity groups. His compatriot, Tim gets you! www.candlewick.com of the Earth’s most mysterious crea- Winship, who co-authored the book, launched FrequentFlier.com tures and underwater ecosystems. in 1997 and has 20 years experience in the travel industry and loy- DVD Price: US$29.99 alty-marketing management. Price: US$19.95 www.oag.com www.amazon.com
83 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED media Upcoming Movie Books Film DVDs CDs
Footprint: Diving the World An invaluable reference compiled by avid divers Shaun and Beth Tierney. Get comprehensive coun- try-by-country reviews on dive loca- tions in Australia, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Maldives, Belize, Honduras, Mexico, The Galápagos, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, East Africa including Kenya and Tanzania and Micronesia including Palau, Yap and Truk Lagoon. Information on affordable and acces- sible dive travel includes descriptions Dive In Style of 200 dive sites and 354 pages of full By Tim Simond colour photography. Price: GB£19.99 Publisher: Thames & Hudson www.seafocus.com Date: April 24, 2006 Patricia Tobin wrote: Hardcover: 288 pages I cannot thank you enough for the ISBN: 0500512922 beautiful book. I started reading my List Price: US$40.00 copy last night and was just amazed by Get it at Amazon.com for $25! the wealth of information. Such great Meg Luxury and diving? Sign me up! Twenty-six destina- work, it is precise, detailed, easy to use. Release date: 2007 I love the introductions and the pictures tions from around the world, including four luxury Directed by Jan de Bont are outstanding. You truly captured the liveaboards, are outlined in detail for dive travelers passion we all share for diving Writing credits: Steve Alten with a penchant for pampering. Each location’s (novel) and Shane Salerno most spectacular dive sites are described with the (screenplay) marine life particular to the area and the ultimate places to stay. White sands, carpets of corals, Life on an Ocean Planet Meg, short for Megalodan, a humpback whales, sharks, private picnics on sandy Student Textbook supersized prehistoric shark, is beaches... The good dive life presented in over 200 ISBN# 1-878663-34-8, US$62.50 the focal point of a new movie full color illustrations taken by the author, Tim Si- Laboratory & Activity Manual from the director of “Twister” and mond, a keen diver and underwater photographer ISBN# 1-878663-35-6, US$20.75 “Speed”. The film is an adapta- based in London. Well-researched and thorough, Teacher Curriculum Guide tion of Steve Alten’s National the guide gives a comprehensive look into each re- ISBN# 1-878663-36-4, US$28.30 Bestseller about the hunt for the sort that caters to the diver in you as well as provide Transparency Pack most deadly predator of all time, many activities and features the whole family can ISBN# 1-878663-38-0, US$291.25 the 100,000 pound, 80-foot long enjoy. Practicalities such as resort layout and archi- Teacher Digital Resources & Assessment Megalodon shark. tecture, dive center operation, what kind of boats Tool ISBN# 1-878663-37-2, US$255.25 are used, and the best time to visit are covered. This educational package of materials writ- This suspense novel in which ten in hip language to inspire high school stu- paleobiologist and deep sea dents integrates marine science curriculum with explorer Joanas Taylor comes biology, chemistry, geology and physics. lots of labs and activities fro indi- eye to eye with the monster from vidual and group inquiry, easy access equipment and materilas, slide show, a world seven miles under the data sheets, references, teaching strategies for teachers. Package includes waves was originally released Student Textbook, Activity Manual, Teacher Curriculum Guide, CDROM in 1997 and is back due to LIsten to the Divester podcast Digital Resources & Assessment Tool, Transparency Pack. Produced by popular demand—reprinted in review of Dive In Style: Current Publishing division of PADI in association with the Center for Ocean a new extended edition, with www.divester.com/podcasts Science Education Excellence in California, USA. a Tyrannosaurus Rex by Nimba www.currentpublishingcorp.com Creations on the cover. www.stevealten.com 84 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED media First Philippines Dive Guide & Spotter Workshop Books Film DVDs CDs in Mabini, Anilao by Nonoy Tan, Philippines
On May 11-12, 2006 local dive guides and “spotters” for underwater photographers converged at Solana Bezo Resort (www. divesolana.com) of Anilao, Philippines to participate in a workshop organized by the Mabini (Anilao) Resort Owners Association and the local government. review Conceptualized by videographer Underwater Video Guide coaching you through all the chapters. Downloadable Underwater Marissa Floirendo, the workshop intended “Annie created this step-by-step DVD, At first I couldn’t help feeling that the Films: The “critters” Trilogy to strengthen local capability of provid- conversational format was a wee bit too “Your Guide to Creating Underwater The trilogy, “critters”, “coral critters” ing world-class dive guiding and spotting NONOY TAN Video,” to teach you visually how to articulated and teleprompted but think- and “night critters”, which won services to underwater photographers. Arrow crab, Dauin, Philippines make better images both above and ing it over I couldn’t see anything wrong the unprecedented double Palme Trainers were Nonoy Tan, Gutsy Tuason, below the water. Whether you are new with that, it just stood out a bit as seen d’Or award at the World Festival of Karina Escudero and Marissa Floirendo tography too. This convergence of dive to shooting or have owned your cam- from the European tradition in which I Underwater Pictures in Antibes, France, – all Filipino underwater photographers guides/spotters from different parts of the era system for years and simply want to am rooted. And generally the Americans in 2000, was filmed by John Boyle and and videographers. Also, the aim was to Philippines was the first of its kind. Coming refine your techniques, there’s no better are way ahead when it comes to doing Fionn Crow Howieson of the UK’s Shark deepen cooperation among stakehold- from varying backgrounds, the trainees tool available to help you achieve your educational material, this dvd being a Bay Films who spent over a thousand ers (private and government) in providing were able to share experiences, learn from underwater video dreams.” point in case. hours submerged in Lembeh Strait, alternative sources of income for subsist- each other, and develop camaraderie. And, being a still photographer, I was Indonesia. Watch warty frogfish, hairy ence fisher folks. During the workshop sessions, the train- Click to view sample chapter also rather impressed by the ease and ghost pipefish, Ambon scorpionfish, Throughout the Philippines, numerous ees were presented with a set of protocols (Quicktime movie - will take a while to load) elegance in the explanations given of flamboyant cuttlefish, yellow pygmy dive areas continue to be discovered that to follow before, during and after the dive some of the basic concepts like field of seahorse and solar powered nudi- are of special interest to macro under- with an underwater photographer. They I know... this doesn’t sound very profes- depth, over- and underexposure, and branchs as they make a living in the water photographers. The potential of were also given an introduction to basic sional, but this DVD is rather cool, and more. I could make good use those snip- underwater ecosystems of this fascinat- these areas is yet untapped because camera setups and had an opportunity extremely well produced. No unfishished pets in my own photography teaching. ing place. Based at Kungkungan Bay the underwater macro life have been to handle different cameras. Also, the patches or cutting corners blemish this —Peter Symes www.anniecrawley.com Resort, the filmmakers captured unique largely unknown, even to local residents. trainees were provided tips on where and DVD, which takes you effortlessly through footage for their critter flicks including However, as more divers explore these how to find macro critters, including an all the most important aspects and a mating scene between blue-ringed seemingly barren reefs, the need for pro- explanation of behavioral characteristics considerations to make when ventur- octopus and unexplained head-butt- fessionally trained dive guides and spotters that are of interest to underwater photog- ing into this exciting field. It is a guide, ing of pigmy seahorses. Price: GB£4.00 will surely increase. Hence, this workshop, raphers. After completing actual dives, the the title tells us, and that is quite for each 1GB download. Visit the web- which is a precursor to a series of training trainees were able to develop maps of fitting because guidebooks site: www.travel-dive.com activities, especially targeted for those the dive spots, which illustrated the various are mostly meant to residing in coastal villages. Before becom- critters found in the areas. Furthermore, prepare you before a ing dive guides, some of the train- with the aid of books, they identified their journey and wet your ap- ees in the workshop had been sub- common and scientific names. The list petite. Which this one did. sistence fishermen. of critters included species of frogfishes, Granted, some guidebooks The trainees came from differ- ghostpipefishes, sea moths, dragonets, are also meant as references ent parts of the country. Six dive nudibranchs, commensal shrimps, eels, and how-to guides but in my guides were from Anilao, one from etc. Finally, the workshop closed with a humble opinion there is no way Calatagan (Batangas), two from “graduation” ceremony and night socials. you can acquire a skill like under- Davao (southern Philippines), and The workshop was a tremendous suc- water videography by watching a two from Donsol, Sorsogon. Anilao is cess and has inspired the organizers to DVD or reading a book. You have a popular destination for muck div- expand the training course to other places to get wet and practice - and that ing, and a frequent host to profes- in the Philippines, as well as convert the will always be the limit to these me- sional underwater photographers. training materials into local dialects. The dias. At the same time, Davao is being project received invaluable support from At a first glance the video opens up al- explored as a macro photography various stakeholders. These included Joel most like a tv-news studio with two hosts. destination. Donsol, albeit known Uichico (President of the Resort Owners Here author Annie Crawley is sparring for its whale shark interaction, will Association of Mabini) and Mayor Rowell with her edtor Jeff Morse, talking and Underwater Photographer soon be promoted for macro pho- Sandoval (Mabini, Batangas). ■ and macro expert, Nonoy Tan 85 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED New Zealand Dive Experiences Bottom Bunch Dive Club, San Diego, US Divers Supply, USA —Shop us for the Dive Operators AMERICAS Dive Operators RED SEA Expand your diving and underwater Promoting safe diving and having fun best prices, equipment and service! At the Water’s Edge, MA, USA Emperor Divers, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt photography horizons in Kiwi country www.bottombunchdiveclub.com www.diverssupplyusa.com When you just gotta dive! Your Red Sea dive specialists www.nzdivexperiences.com British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC), UK Dykkercentret, Denmark www.lovetodive.com www.emperordivers.com Ningaloo Reef Dive, Western Australia Where sport diving began... 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Safe, personal & organised www.peterhughes.com Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 5 star PADI instructor development ctr To order a directory listing: Europe’s most southern dive center www.delphis.com.mv www.ubcps.bc.ca www.thygedive.dk www.diveacademy-grancanaria.com Sipadan Water Village Resort, Sabah SCUBA & UWP Clubs Call or email to reserve space Diving World, Netherlands Luxurious diving resort in Borneo Dive Shops 30 days before publication. Text Dive travel specialists www.swvresort.com Aalesunds Sportsdykkerclub, Norway due 15 days before publication www.divingworld.nl Tioman Scuba —Finest diving at the På Voldsdalsberga ved Borgundfjorden Watersport, Copenhagen, Denmark Dive Travel Agents date. Send link and text info to: Dykkercenter Langeland, Denmark best price in Peninsula Malaysia www.aasdk.no Located in Amager Strandpark Dive Discovery, Houston, TX, USA Cabins & Wreck diving in Denmark [email protected] www.tiomanscuba.com Ajax Scuba Club, Ontario, Canada Complete dive & adventure travel www.dykkercenterlangeland.dk Ocean Adventures —Philippines Serving Durham Ontario since 1975 www.divediscovery.com Eden Roc Amigos Del Mar €195 PER YEAR: Welcome to the world of wonder www.ajaxscubaclub.on.ca Penguin Travel International, Europe Costa Brava Irish owned, reef, wrecks, Six serial text listings (60 x 15 mm, www.oceanadventure.com.ph Alberta Underwater Council, Canada Dive travel to Lake Baikal & White Sea caves, Clubs & individuals welcome 3 lines x 30 characters per line Swanido, Biak, Indonesia Discover the Underwater sports & eco-awareness Carlsens Dykkercenter, Denmark www.penguintravel.dk www.eden-roc-dive.com incl. spaces). 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Dive Operators www.deep-six.com An underwater paradise in the Med Abyss Scuba Diving, Sydney Australia Wet & Weird www.ustica-diving.it FORMAT: Scuba diving in Australia is worldclass Scuba.Lu, Luxemburg —Diving Luxem- LINE 1: Business name, city/state www.abyss.com.au burg-Worldwide expeditions Ugly carp rakes in the dough or province, country Aquapro Dive Services Australia www.scuba.lu LINE 2: Slogan or services/offers Your first choice for instructor training Timuna Sea, London, UK Fisherman in the midwest are making the Illinois River. Commercial fishermen LINE 3: Website or email address Premier diving specialist in East London www.aquaprodive.com a bundle selling a presky invasive fish who invested in new stronger nets and (active link) www.timunasea.com Deep Sea Divers Den, Australia called the Asian carp. The fish was intro- grinding machines are making money West Wales Diving Center, UK Diving Great Barrier Reef & Queens- duced to the Illinois River in the 1960s to by selling carp ground up into ham- Longest serving dive center in Wales land www.diversden.com.au eat algae in catfish farm ponds. But the burger-like patties according to local News edited by INFORMATION: www.westwalesdivers.co.uk Eagle Hawk Dive Center, Tasmania rascals escaped and are now populat- reports. Some are selling up to 2 million Gunild Symes www.xray-mag.com Zapp Divers, Denmark Tazmanian Peninsula dive specialists ing waters of the Mississippi River in large pounds of carp in the major US cities. ■ [email protected] Dive tours around Jutland www.eaglehawkdive.com.au numbers making their way up to the Source: United Press International www.zappdivers.dk Great Lakes. It is estimated that there Big head Asian carp com- are about 65 million pounds of carp in petes with indigenous fish ASIANCARP.ORG
1 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Coral Reef Alliance —Working togeth- Lines & Shadows —Home of the best Underwater Australasia —Australia & Michael Portelly, UK er to keep coral reefs dive source of UWP, travel & adventure Asia Pacific’s most popular dive portal UW Photo, Video, Film Director and Cinematographer www.coralreef.org www.linesandshadows.com www.underwater.com.au Alex Mustard, PhD, UK www.portelly.com The Manta Network NauticFriend.com —The Ultimate UnderwaterTimes —A daily journal of UWP and Marine Biologist Nonoy Tan, Metro Manila, Philippines Help Save the Mantas Worldwide Watersports Directory life in and around water www.amustard.com Underwater images of the Philippines www.save-the-mantas.org www.nauticfriend.com www.underwatertimes.com Amos Nachoum Big Animals [email protected] Onderwaterfoto, Netherlands University of Michigan, OSEH Worldwide expeditions & adventure Poppe Images, Philippines Online Dive Resources Digital UWP Forum Dive links by Larry “Harris” Taylor, PhD www.biganimals.com Marine Iconography of the Philippines www.onderwaterfoto.net www-personal.umich.edu Bill Becher Outdoor & Adventure www.poppe-images.com Business Cairns Scuba Diving Australia One Ocean —Earn frequent diver WetPixel, USA Writing & Photography —CA, USA Thomas Peschak, South Africa Dive training & travel holidays points toward equipment & travel Digital imaging for divers www.becher.com Africa’s Oceans and Coasts Directory www.divedirectory.com.au www.oneocean.com www.wetpixel.com Cathy Church, Cayman Islands www.currentsofcontrast.com DiveGuru, Deerfield, FL, USA Patrick Musimu, Freediving Champion World-Newspapers.com UWP Center, Classes, Trips, Services Tony White, UK When you want answers... 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Publishers www.diveguru.net www.patrickmusimu.com www.world-newspapers.com/scuba City Seahorse, Dallas, TX, USA www.seaofdreams.co.uk DiveIndex.com —All links diving related Scuba Duba —Online diving resource UWP & Raja Ampat stock & tours UV Foto, Norway Best Publishing Co, Flagstaff, AZ, USA Newest, top-rated, most popular for news, equipment, buddies & travel UWP Competitions www.cityseahorse.com Underwater photos of Stein Johnsen Scuba diving & hyperbaric medicine www.diveindex.com www.scubaduba.com Edwin Marcow, UK www.uvfoto.no www.bestpub.com DivePhotoGuide —The essential Scuba Spots —The World’s Oldest, National Wildlife Photography Awards Marine & Wildlife Photographer Water Ventures Oceans Enterprises resource for UWPs & Videographers Largest Scuba Directory Deadline: July 15th, 2006 www.edwinmarcow.com Travel, diving and culinary images Diving and Underwater Books www.divephotoguide.com www.scubaspots.com www.nwf.org Jack Connick, WA, USA www.waterventures.no www.oceans.com.au Diverlink —A comprehensive resource Scuba.start4all.com —Diving directory Santa Barbara Ocean Film Festival UWP & Graphic Design Pine Belt Publishing for divers and dive businesses in cooperation with Diving World Deadline: August 30, 2006 www.opticalocean.com Onlline Book Distributors www.diverlink.com www.scuba.start4all.com www.ocean.com John Collins Photography, Kinsale, UK www.pinebeltpublishing.com Divester ScubaDiveSites.com, Australia XARIFA Unterwasser Foto & Film Festival Cool Waters-Emeral Seas Weblong’s premier diveblog Listing Dive Sites Worldwide 14-15 October 2006, Germany www.johncollinskinsale.com www.divester.com www.scubadivesites.com www.uwfv.de/xarifa Jon Gross & Keith Clements, WA, USA Dive Manufacturers Dykcentralen, Sweden UK Diving —UK Scuba Diving World Festival of Underwater Pictures Marine Life Index Cochran Swedish divelink index Resource & Network 25-29 October 2006, Antibes, France www.seaotter.com Undersea Technology www.dykcentralen.se www.ukdivers.com www.underwater-festival.com www.divecochran.com Dive Junkie, Singapore —Fun, fashion- able and expressive scuba dive t-shirts Wet & Weird www.divejunkie.com.sg ACM-R5 robosnake Diving Unlimited International, USA Subaquatic cyclists encounter hazards slithers like the real Unlimited comfort, performance, quality thing in the water dui-online.com Cable Bay in New eye on their competition. and crawls like a Fourth Element, UK —High tech, high Zealand was the site Only spectators on the serpant on land quality dive clothing and design of this year’s Nelson beach had any idea who www.fourthelement.com Underwater Club bicycle was winning the race by WWW.NEDO.GO.JP Nocturnal Lights, CA, USA —Advanced race under the waves. watching the meander- News edited by lighting systems for diving, UWP, video While ten of the club’s ing buoys attached to the Amphibious robosnake Gunild Symes www.nocturnallights.com diving members com- bikes. The winner, Todd Reefling Clothing peted without incident, Ramsey, pedalled across charms enthusiasts Divewear that inspires diving one diver got caught in a Cable Bay in 45 minutes. www.reefling.com fishing line and another hit But another pedalling The Japanese have done it once of mechanical snakes these days. A Silent Diving Systems, USA a flounder in slow-motion. diver was disqualified again, this time with a slithery 8 km 32-bit microprocessor is fed informa- Closed circuit rebreather distribution Others experienced bouy- from the race when the snakebot ACM-R5 that takes mech- tion form sensors that guide remote www.silentdiving.com ancy problems falling off ump caught him swim- anized snakery up a notch. Powered operation. It is thought that once their cycles or front wheels ming. With an inaugural by a 30-minute lithium ion batter, the released for humnaitarian work such rearing off the ocean event as fishy as this, one roboreptile has a snout-cam and as locating victims of earthquakes Non-Profit Organisations floor due to insufficient wonders what next year’s slithers naturally in the water as well and disasters, it will probably find
International Association of EVAN BARNES/NELSON MAIL. WWW.STUFF.CO.NZ weight. Low vis was also race will reel in. ■ as crawls and climbs.The serpant itself fitted with reconissance equip- Handicapped Divers (IAHD Foundation) Froggy friends line up at the starting line a factor for competitors can even to some logrolling, which ment or weaponry in the long run. ■ www.iahd.org in this year’s inaugural subaquatic cycling who could not keep an Source: www.stuff.co.nz is the latest required competence Source: www.engadget.com competition at Cable Bay in New Zealand 2 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED LEFT: Coral Grouper & Corals Oil on canvas, 46”x29”
BELOW: Packed Small Mouth Grunts School Oil on canvas
Patrick Chevailler was born in Bordeaux, France, in July 1946. All during his teen age years, he admired the paintings his father created as a hobby, thinking he would never be able to paint like his father did. Chevailler received a diploma as a medical doctor in 1972 and settled in the countryside of southwestern France as a general practitioner. Since his child- hood, Chevailler always enjoyed sailing. In 1977, he sailed his boat from France to the Caribbean, where he began painting in 1978 while practicing as a doctor in the tiny islands of Les Saintes to the south of Guadeloupe in the West Indies. Patrick Chevailler P O R T F O L I O
92 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED portfolio
TOP RIGHT: Glasseye School. oil on canvas, 30x46” BOTTOM RIGHT: Acanthurus Leucosternon School, oil on canvas, 20x60” Chevailler LEFT: Surf Parrotfish portrait, oil on canvas, 26”x40”
93 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED portfolio Chevailler
Spotted Blue Parrotfish, oil on canvas, 26”x40” Banded Butterfly Portrait, oil on canvas, 26”x40” Tiger Grouper Portrait, oil on canvas, 29”x46” Queen Angel Head, oil on canvas
A few years later, Chevailler’s father painted With a basic oil set, Chevailler began to paint oil paintings of all sorts of old time sailing ships. a miniature oil painting of two old fighting frig- a reproduction of what he saw in the book. It They usually ended up being sold or given away, ates as a gift to decorate his son’s boat, and took him a month to complete a 5”x 8” highly from time to time, to friends and family, directly Chevailler kept asking his father to paint another detailed copy (you can even count the number or through some casual exhibitions. one in order to have a pair. But his father was a of cannons on the battleships!) of the large scale In 1996, Chevailler resettled on Palm Island of busy man, and the painting was never made. original painting. Chevailler found out that he St Vincent and Grenadines in the West Indies. One day, while reading a book on naval histo- liked doing it so much he began painting other There, he was commissioned to paint a large ry, Chevailler stopped on a print of the Trafalgar images of naval battles. underwater scene (8’x4’) by a fellow diving fan. battle, and just thought: “Wouldn’t it be ideal as Without any knowledge of the basics, he Since it was so large, Chevailler had to paint it part of my pair?” Then he thought, “If Dad is able developed his own technique, and little by lit- outside and was amazed by the interest shown to paint what he paints, why shouldn’t I be able tle, freed himself from copying. Over the next by people passing by. In all respects, he had a to paint too?” twenty years, he painted as a hobby, about 150 lot of fun painting this new kind of subject matter.
94 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED portfolio Chevailler
ABOVE: Hamlets and Sponges Oil on canvas
LEFT: Cocoa Damselfish intermediate Oil on canvas
RIGHT: Lobster Couple Oil on canvas
95 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED portfolio Chevailler
ABOVE: Chevailler then painted some smaller underwa- ABOVE: Wreck and ter scenes, which sold immediately. Since then, Red Hind, oil on canvas Bannerfish the painting hobby has turned into a real job, and Oil on canvas his medical practice (he still practices as an emer- RIGHT: gency sailing doctor) has turned into a secondary Indigo Hamlet, LEFT: activity. Chevailler barely succeeds at painting Oil on canvas Red Hind enough to complete the many commissions he Hiding Out already has and keep a minimum stock. BELOW: Oil on canvas Chevailler’s technique is very classic: oil paint on Epinephelus marginatus canvas. He uses both his own diving experiences Oil on canvas, 26”x40”
(now assisted by a digital camera with housing) and a lot of various documentation about fishes, corals and sponges... for the details. Chevailler’s work is now dis- played in many galleries in most of the Caribbean islands, Mexico, Florida and other US states in a gentle but constant expansion of exposure. From his original oil paint- ings, Chevailler produces high-end limited edition giclée prints on can- vas in three different sizes as well as ceramic or glass mural tiles, which are custom made to the dimen- sions desired. Six dozen different subjects are now available. ■
For more information or to order originals, giclée prints and tiles, please visit: www.artandsea.com
96 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED portfolio Chevailler
ABOVE: Turtle Swimming Up the Drop Off Oil on canvas 26”x40”
LEFT: Grey Angel and Orange Corals Oil on canvas
RIGHT: Porkfish and Grunts Oil on canvas
97 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED portfolio Chevailler IN OUR NEXT ISSUE Diving the Red Sea Sharm el Sheikh Jordan
ABOVE: Above and Under Oil on canvas
Anthias Group Oil on canvas
COMING IN AUGUST ABOVE: Burda’s Reef, oil on canvas LEFT: Basslet’s Reef, oil on canvas Subscribe now FREE! www.xray-mag.com
98 X-RAY MAG : 11 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED