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Valentines Day: Romantic Gifts for Divers Science: Water Temperature Egyptian Cave Ras Muhammad Italy’s

GLOBAL EDITION Elba Feb :: Mar 2008 Number 21 Siberia Lake Baikal Ecology Sex on the Reef Profile

PAPUA NEW GUINEA Richard Pyle Portfolio Todd Essick Tawali1 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 cover photo by wolfgang pölzer - Wreck off Elba DIRECTORY X-RAY MAG is published by AquaScope Media ApS Frederiksberg, Denmark www.x-ray-mag.com

PUBLISHER SENIOR EDITOR & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Symes Peter Symes [email protected] [email protected] contents CO-EDITORS PUBLISHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrey Bizyukin - Features Gunild Pak Symes Arnold Weisz - News, Features [email protected] Michael Arvedlund - Ecology Tony White - Photography PUBLISHER & GENERAL MANAGER Scott Bennett - Travel HARALD APELT Edwin Marcow - Sharks [email protected] Correspondents Associate editors John Collins - Ireland & representatives: Enrico Cappeletti - Italy Russia Editor & Rep: Gary Myors - Tasmania Andrey Bizyukin, Moscow Marcelo Mammana - Argentina [email protected] Svetlana Murashkina - Russia Barb Roy - WA, USA South East Asia Editor & Rep: Robert Aston - CA, USA Catherine GS Lim, Singapore Nonoy Tan - The Philippines [email protected] Contributors this issue Malaysia Editor & Rep: Harald Apelt Simon Kong, Kuala Lumpur Michael Arvelund, PhD [email protected] Andrey Bizyukin, PhD Karen Brussard Florida Editor & Rep: Leigh Cunningham Wulf Koehler Jen Hennessey, Miami Jason Heller [email protected] Nikolay Ivanov Stein Johnsen Wulf Koehler ADVERTISING Simon Kong International sales rep: Catherine GS Lim Arnold Weisz (Americas & Asia) Marcelo Mammana [email protected] Wolfgang Pölzer Bernardo Sambra International sales rep: Gunild Symes Harvey Page (Europe & Africa) 23 40 45 50 plus... [email protected] Michael Symes Ta w a l i Pe a r l s o f t h e Me d : Ra s Mu h a m m a d Sc i e n c e : EDITORIAL 3 Peter Symes Pa p u a Ne w Gu i n e a It a l y ’s El b a Eg y p t i a n Ca v e Te m p e r a t u r e NEWS 5 International sales rep: Cedric Verdier b y An d r e y Bi z y u k i n , p h d b y Ha r a l d Ap e l t b y Le i g h Cu n n i n g h a m b y i c h a e l y m e s Geoff Mellard (Europe) Tony White M S BOOT REPORT 10 [email protected] EQUIPMENT 34 International sales rep: Further info see: WHALES&DOLPHINS 38 Simon Kong (Malaysia) contacts page: 57 60 62 87 BOOKS & MEDIA 72 [email protected] Ec o l o g y : Va l e n t i n e Gi f ts Pr o f i l e : Po r t f o l i o : To d d Ess i c k www.x-ray-mag.com BUSINESS DIRECTORY 83 Marketing Manager: Se x o n t h e Re e f f o r Di v e r s Ri c h a r d Py l e Me r m a i d s & Ma n a t e e s Yann Saint-Yves b y Mi c h a e l Ar v e l u n d p h d b y Gu n i l d Sy m e s b y Pe t e r Sy m e s b y Gu n i l d Sy m e s [email protected] 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.x-ray-mag.com 68 74 79 84 Sh a r k Ta l e s : Te c h Ta l k : UW Ph o t o & Vi d e o : Un i q u e Di v e Si t e : click here... COVER PHOTO a k e a i k a l in i n t e r Mediterranean Wreck, Elba, Italy, by Wolfgang Pölzer Bi ts & Bi t e s Si d e m o u n ts Wr e c k s L B W (Continued on page 4) e d i t e d b y Ed w i n Ma r c o w b y Ce d r i c Ve r d i e r b y Pe t e r Sy m e s b y Pe t e r Sy m e s

2 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 Amsterdam Barcelona Cape Town Copenhagen Hamburg London Miami Moscow Oslo Paris Ravenna Singapore Sharm El Shiekh Sao Paulo Warsaw Editorial Enjoy pure ease Dilemmafacing up to our I like airplanes. I think There is this one thing that has been whereas cars, trains and other means of they are cool, and bothering me a lot of late. land transportation can possibly be electric, I still marvel at how Through this magazine, we are advocates or run on sources other than fossil fuels, it these wonders of for ocean awareness and conservation appears that there are no real alternatives for human ingenuity seem efforts, and we encourage going diving commercial aircraft in sight. to defy gravity as they as a means of gaining understanding and The airline industry is obviously painfully accelerate their mas- sive hulls and precious experiencing the blue wilderness at first aware of what this does to its image. Just cargo down the run- hand. Yet, going on a dive trip often involves days ago, we got a press release from way and commence embarking on a lengthy flight spewing out a Airbus, about how their new super-jumbo their graceful lift and lot of greenhouse gases. jet, the A380, is “Greener, Cleaner, Quieter, climb in seemingly Smarter” and can run on alternative fuels. slow motion upwards What a contraction in terms that is. (It is now posted on our website). All very into the skies, carrying commendable, but don’t be fooled. Don’t hundreds of people Like most others, I am deeply worried about take it as an excuse that everything is honky across oceans and the peril the planet is in. I also want to be dory—it’s all about spin and the result on the continents in almost able to go on dive trips once in a while, like bottom line. “Greener” is not the same as perfect comfort. once or twice a year. In these two respects, “green”, and every flight will still generate I love travelling. I am probably not much different from the tonnes of harmful gasses. It is but a little step Watching the land- bulk of this magazine’s readers. Yet, I cannot in the right direction, but most of the journey

scapes pass under- just be a hypocrite and go on preaching in making transportation CO2 neutral still lies neath the plane on about conservation issues and not do ahead of us, and it looks like a long walk. the way to my desti- something about my own carbon footprint. So, if we want to continue fly out to the nation is part of the The carbon footprint is a personal measure Maldives, Red Sea, Caribbean and other adventure. of how much carbon dioxide each individual faraway places, it appears we also need to creates and how much each contributes to make some concessions elsewere. Nature

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3 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED driving vehicles. Flights are the next equal, it makes a huge difference What else can you do? biggest source of individuals’ CO2 whether you are a heavy meat- Donate your air mileage bonuses emissions. eater, a regular meat-eater or an to disaster relief or reforestation That means, if we, as individuals, occasional meat-eater. If other charities, take action in the way could lower our personal emissions parameters are low, a heavy- you live, use wind or solar to power by 25 percent, that would affect the meat eater has twice the carbon your home and office, plant a tree total by 10 percent. That is a good footprint of a vegetarian. Now or donate to tree-planting charities, start, and 25 percent sounds feasible that’s food for thought. encourage governments and to me, if we each do a little here Some fish sold at supermarkets industries to aid tropical countries in and there by adjusting daily habits, have been sent on a 30,000 km not cutting down their rainforests but replacing wasteful technology, journey before they end up on in becoming diligent stewards of our and choosing greener alternatives. your dinner plate. Fish caught off planet’s oxygen fields, spread the Going on a bicycle once in a while, Antarctica can first go around word to others. See how below: or carpooling to work, won’t kill you. China for filleting and packaging Using the new low energy electric before being sent to Europe or the CARBON OFFSET PROGRAMS: bulbs and shutting down all the US—another long trip that in turn Sustainabletravelinternational.org many domestic appliances that causes additional and essentially HERO MILES: Fisherhouse.org run on standby over night doesn’t unnecessary CO2 emissions. Do we TAKE ACTION: require much of an effort either. really need to send fish all the way StopGlobalWarming.org Eating less meat would perhaps be to Asia for filleting just because SMART FISH PICKS POCKET GUIDES: a bit of a sacrifice, but according labour is cheaper in the Far East? Environmentaldefense.org to some of the carbon footprint What is the ultimate price for saving TheGreenGuide.com calculators that are now everywhere half a buck? So, please read the PREVENT DEFORESTATION OF on the internet, all other things being labels and shop wisely. RAINFORESTS: Greenpeace.org.uk ■

Post scriptum: achieve using clean-fuel technology to Virgin Atlantic aims to be the first reduce carbon emissions. No passen- commercial airline to use biofuel in gers will be on board for the demon- a demonstration flight planned for stration flight. this month. The airline will fly one of its virgin Atlantic president Sir Richard Boeing 747 aircrafts on a sustainable Branson stated: “The demonstration type of biofuel from London Heathrow flight next month will give us crucial to Amsterdam in a bid to demon- knowledge that we can use to dra- strate what the aviation industry can matically reduce our carbon footprint.”

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4 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Sea Cucumber “New Malaria

News edited Weapon” by Peter Symes & Catherine GS LIm A new weapon in the fight malaria. It is when the parasites are in their early against malaria may have stage of development called the ookinete, that NEWS been found in the unas- Lectin can be effective, according to research- suming sea cucumber, ers. according to research- Malaria kills over one million people each year Climate change not to blame ers. A new study sug- and causes severe illness in over 500 million world gest that the slug-like wide. Estimates report that over 40 percent of the for North Atlantic warming creature produces a world’s population are at risk of contracting the protein called lectin, disease. So, the stakes are high. A new study published in the jour- Lead author of the study, Susan to unravel that natural which has the ability The technique of genetically engineering nal Science suggests that termpera- Lozier, a professor of physical oce- variability to get at the part to impair the devel- mosquitoes so that the malaria parasite cannot tures in the North Atlantic Ocean anography at Duke University, told humans are responsible opment of parasites grow inside them is not without its challenges. have risen, in the past 50 years, Science: “The winds have a tre- for.” that cause the dis- Professor Brian Greenwood of the London School in an inconsistent manner across mendous impact on the underlying Despite this statement, ease. of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told the BBC: various areas, with cooling subpolar ocean. The take-home message is results of the study do not In the study, geneti- “The key factor that will determine wheth- er regions and warming tropical and that the NAO produces strong natu- undermine data from other cally modified mosqui- these approaches will ever become subtropical regions. ral variability. The simplistic view of oceans showing warming trends, toes carrying the malaria a practical malaria control tool is The North Atlantic Oscillation global warming is that everything say researchers. Scientists say that parasite, were engineered finding a way of ensuring that (NAO), a natural and cyclical wind forward in time will warm uniformly. any warming in the North Atlantic to produce lectin in their gut while feeding. Lec- the genetically engineered circulation pattern, is the explana- But this very strong natural variability caused by human activity is being tin disrupts the growth of the parasites in the mosquitoes take over tion behind the tempurature chang- is superimposed on human-caused masked by the natural variability of insects’ stomachs. Results showed that lectin was from the wild ones.” ■ es according to the study’s authors. warming. So researchers will need NOA. ■ SOURCE: Science poisionous to several of the parasites that cause source: BBC

Anti-Cancer Discovery: Key Trigger in Marine Product

A chance discovery in marine biomedicine has ploying non-oxidized chlorine, which is led to key information about the production of a found in nature in, for example, cancer fighting substance in a marine organism, table salt.

noaa according to researchers at the Scripps Institution Moore told ScienceDaily: of Oceanography at UC San Diego in the US. “This was a totally unex- First Time On Record: Northwest Passage Clear of Ice New applications of the natural product in the pected pathway. There treatment of human diseases could result from are well over 2,000 chlo- For the first time since monitoring be- cover and report that it is progress- The BBC reports that Canada con- the finding. rinated natural products gan in 1978, the Northwest Passage ing more quickly than expected. siders the passage Canadian territo- The discovery involves the enzyme, SalL, found and this is the first exam- is clear of ice, according to the Eu- One of the most fabled sea routes rial waters, while the EU and the US by a research team led by UCSD professor, Brad- ple in which ropean Space Agency. Due to un- on Earth is the Northwest Passage, view it as an international waterway ley Moore, inside a marine bacterium, Salinispora chlorine precedented shrinking in this year’s which served as a short cut for ships open to all. tropica, identified by Scripps researchers in 1991. is assimi- summer reduction, the ice cover travelling between Europe and Asia International research teams will The key triggering ingredient for strong cancer- lated by this has steadily retreated to leave the through the Canadian Arctic. Now, continue to study the ice reduction fighting natural products is a chlorine atom. The kind of path- passage on open shipping route. disputes over the control of the pas- and historial markers that might shed marine bacterium incorporates this atom in a way.” ■ Salinispora Researchers have linked global sage are being raised by Canada, light on the future of the passage. ■ different way. It uses a substitution method em- tropica warming to the retreat of the ice the European Union and the US. SOURCE: BBC, ESA Image courtesy of University of California - San Diego 5 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Divers Find New Species in Aleutians

Two of the species are sea anemones, the kind of sea anemones that drift across the Say hello to ... “Mick” seafloor as they feed. They range from the size of a softball to the size of a basketball. A fish called Mick The third one is a kelp or brown algae, dubbed “Golden Scottish scientist discovers V Kelp”. Measuring up to ten feet long, the kelp may rep- six new species on a re- resent a new genus or even a seach mission to the new family of the seaweed. It southern Indian Ocean. was discovered near thermal vents. He was probably expecting some The three species were dis- aftershave, but one Scot got an covered by a team of scien- early Valentine’s gift when his tific divers from the University fiancee named a new speicies of Alaska Fairbanks. According of fish in his honour. When Dr Nikki to Stephen Jewett, a professor King discovered the 42cm long of marine biology and the dive brown eelpout at the bottom leader, the scientists are reason- of the Southern Indian Ocean, ably sure that the kelp is a new her boyfriend seemed to have species, while more work needs sprung to mind. Now, geophysi- to be done to confirm that the Is This a New Species of Frogfish? cist Mick Cousins has the dubi- sea anemone species are com- ous honour of lending his name pletely new to science. Maluku Divers has rediscovered a very interesting frogfish in Ambon Bay to the Pachycara cousini. The The organisms were found species was found along with while surveying more than During a dive on Laha, surfacing, said he had only is one of a pair and is about five other ‘new’ specimens dur- 1,000 miles of rarely-explored which is just 15 minutes from seen this species once 10cm long. Now, with photo- ing deep sea research. Dr King of coastline, from Attu to the the resort on the southern before, and that was 15 graphic evidence, a proper Aberdeen University was working Tigalda Islands. Logging more coast of Ambon in the vil- years ago. They realised identification may be possi- on board the royal research ship, than 300 hours underwater, the lage of Latuhalat, dive- that they couldn’t identify ble. Anyone with suggestions Discovery, at the time, and had divers collected hundreds of master Toby Fadirsyair and exactly what type of frog- as to the scientific name of originally been investigating the water, biological and chemical owner Buck Randolph were fish it was and contacted this specimen, please email waters around a small sub-Arctic samples over 440 dives. incredibly excited to spot several top fish identification Maluku Divers to help in their archipelago. However, her suc- Armed with underwater cam- this little specimen. Toby experts to see if they could identification quest. ■ cess rate increased as she moved eras and video cameras, they has been diving this region establish the scientific details to warmer waters. Dr King’s finds took hundreds of photographs for over 18 years and, after of the specimen. The frogfish were confirmed after painstaking and dozens of short movies of tests at her base. Both Dr King and the creatures that inhabit the Professor Monty Priede are quoted coast of the Aleutians. New Species of Scorpion Fish Discovered Off Hawaii in the article. ■ Source: University of Aberdeen “Since the underwater world of the Aleutian Islands has been Scientists in Hawaii have of Hawaii and several fed- bonus of the trip was the dis- studied so little, new species are returned from a pioneer- eral and state agencies, covery of what looks to be a “Happy Valentines, Dear” being discovered, even today,” ing expedition, the first of its employed the pisces sub- species of scorpionfish new said Jewett. He adds that even kind, to a coral reef over 30 mersible to explore the reef. to science, and this is just more new species may be miles deep off the coast of Located in the Au’au chan- the beginning. Exploration revealed as samples collected Maui. In five dives over six nel southwest of Maui, it is of these depths by the team during the dives continue to be days, scientists from Bishop one of the deepest know will continue over the next analyzed. ■ Museum at the University coral reefs in the world. A three years. ■

6 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Got algae smothering the reefs? Roll out the Vacuum Cleaner Hawaii’s radical solution to the problem with seaweed smothering coral is a huge but gentle vacuum. The lowly sea urchin will then make short process of the rest

Algae have smothered at least the smallest seaweed fragments The hopes of long-term solution half the reefs in Kaneohe Bay flushed back into the water rest largely on the sea urchin, on Oahu’s west coast and have reseed the reef with the aggres- which eats the invasive algae. begun to spread to waters sive algae. beyond and threaten coral reefs One of the problems is that the and the fish, turtles and other sea No one knows that better than populations of urchins around life that depend on them. After Eric Conklin, a doctor of zoology Hawaii have plunged because years of trial and error, scientists who has spent hours and hours of excessive harvesting. They are believe they have arrived at a feeding clumps of “gorilla ogo” collected for their gonads, which solution. and “smothering seaweed” and are prized as uni by sushi-bar other invasive algae into the patrons. At the lab on Coconut It involves a giant underwater Super Sucker. Island, university researchers are vacuum that they call the Super learning how to propagate one Sucker. The suction is created “If all we were doing is vacuum- species, the collector urchin, so by back-pressure from a spe- ing the reef, it would come back they can scatter baby urchins on cial vacuum pump that doesn’t and we’d be back at it again,” freshly vacuumed reefs. damage any animals inadvert- Conklin said. “Our plan is to knock ently scooped up—and it doesn’t back the growth, so it won’t The strategy has worked in small chop the algae into bits, which spread and give our long-term test plots, where thumb-sized could make the effort futile. Even solutions a chance to take hold.” nubs of corals have rebounded. Now the university, working with the Nature Conservancy and Sunscreen is Lethal to Coral Hawaii’s Department of Land Avoid sunscreen before your dive. A new The researchers estimate that 4,000 to and Natural Resources, is scal- study has found that four com- 6,000 tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers ing up the program to attack the monly found sunscreen ingredi- annually in oceans worldwide, and that up invaders a reef at a time. ents can be lethal to corals to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened The chemicals in sunscreen by sunscreen-induced bleaching. Even low Invasive seaweed is not unique are capable of awakening levels of sunscreen, at or below the typical to Hawaii. Vast areas of the dormant viruses in the symbiotic amount used by swimmers, could activate Mediterranean seafloor have algae called zooxanthellae that the algae viruses and completely bleach become swaying fields of a killer live inside reef-building coral spe- coral in just four days, the results showed. algae called Caulerpa taxifolia, cies. These viruses replicate until which was mistakenly released their algae burst open, spilling virus Several brands of popular sunscreens were into waters by the Oceano- particles into the surrounding sea- tested and all had four ingredients in common: graphic Museum of Monaco. The water causing the infection to paraben, cinnamate, benzophenone and a fernlike Caulerpa was popular in spread to neighbouring coral camphor derivative. The study appeared saltwater aquariums because it’s communities. online in the journal Environmental easy to grow. Seawater surrounding coral exposed Health Perspectives. ■ to sunscreen has been found to con- The article in X-RAY MAG #17, tain up to 15 times more viruses than “Why & How: The Structure of Eco- unexposed samples. Caulerpa taxifolia is a species of seaweed, native to the Indian systems”, has further explanations Department Ocean, commonly used as ornamental plant in aquariums. It has of the dynamics between algae, of Marine Normal coral (left) exposed to ultraviolet Science, Polytechnic turned into an invasive species threatenening to alter the entire corals and sea urchins. ■ University filters found in sunscreen “bleaches” white of Marche, ecosystem by crowding out corals while being inedible to animals Ancona, Italy (right) when the algae living inside it die

7 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED All indications are that the “With reduced fishing mortality white marlin stock has grown the population should remain since we last estimated the stock stable or continue to increase” size in 2002

White Marlin Makes It Off the Red List P apahanaumo k ua ea M arine N ational M onument NOAA’s Fisheries Service announced that the Atlantic white marlin, a billfish highly prized by recreational anglers, does not warrant listing as threatened or endangered under the Endangered A lemon-yellow bamboo coral tree discovered in the Pacific Species Act anymore. Based on the biological status of the species the species is not in danger of extinction. Population is expected to remain “stable or continue to increase”. ■ Researchers Find New Deep Water Corals Researchers have discov- cies that many will not be ered what they believe revealed for decades to is a new deep water come. The vast national coral and unique sponge monument, nearly 100 beds several thousands times larger than Yosemite of meters below the National Park, was created ocean surface in the by President Bush last year Papahanaumokuakea out of the Northwestern Marine National Monu- Hawaiian Islands, which ment. Samples of the cor- stretch out 1,000 miles from Fish have good memory als and sponges were col- the main Hawaiian Islands. lected for taxonomic iden- “Most of the monument Researchers at the National Marine tification and DNA analysis is below scuba diving Aquarium in Devon, United Kingdom think by the Pisces V submersible depths,” said Randy Kosaki, they have disproved the age-old theory operated by the Hawaii the National Oceanic and that fish have bad memories. Undersea Research. Atmospheric Administration christopher Kelley, the research coordinator for Whether it’s good memory or a good principal investigator of the monument. “It’s impor- appetite, the resident humphead wrasse, the project, said the monu- tant to find ways to explore Bentley, has been obediently coming to ment is potentially protect- these deep water ecosys- Loss of deep-sea species’ could lead to oceans’ collapse food when a dinner gong is sounded. He ing so many new species tems where the inhabitants even remembered the sound after a four- and new records of spe- are virtually unknown.” ■ The loss of deep-sea species preserve biodiversity, and espe- and supply to the upper ocean, month break and raced to his favourite poses a severe threat to the cially deep-sea biodiversity, and food) and are essential for meal of squid and prawns. Scientists with the University future of the oceans. because otherwise, the nega- the sustainable functioning of of Washington have found tive consequences could be our biosphere and for human Now, the aquarium is going to test its glass sponges about 30 miles In a global-scale study pub- unprecedented,” said Roberto wellbeing,” the researchers con- experiment further with sharks. west of Grays Harbor. This is a lished in the January 8th issue of Danovaro of the Polytechnic cluded. significant find because until Current Biology, the researchers University of Marche in Italy. Kelvin Boot from the aquarium said: “There recently, they were thought found some of the first evidence “Our results suggest that the is a popular misconception that fish are to be extinct for 100 million that the health of the deep sea “Deep-sea ecosystems provide conservation of deep-sea bio- not very bright and that they do not have

years. The first discovery of Vi c toria increases exponentially with the goods (including biomass, bio- diversity can be crucial for the long memories. But we are finding that this the glass sponge was found in of diversity of species living there. active molecules, oil, gas, and sustainability of the functions of is just not true at all.” ■ protected waters of Canada’s minerals) and services (climate the largest ecosystem” on the Source: BBC

Georgia and Hecata straits U ni v ersity “This shows that we need to regulation, nutrient regeneration planet. ■

8 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Center (SERT C ) Having

S out h eastern R egional a Nice T axonomi c Home Does Sand Fiddler crab Tawali Adventures (Uca pugilator). Male fiddler crabs, “Hoodie” Increases PAPUA NEW GUINEA PREMIER PROPERTIES renowned for hav- a Fiddler Crab’s ing one oversized claw, Chances of Sex Tawali || Spirit of Niugini MV Chertan sometimes build small sand hoods that hide the entrance A “hoodie” increases your to their burrows. During courting chances of having sex, if you’re a season, they come out of their male fiddler crab living in a neigh- burrows and wave their large bourhood plagued by predatory TuckedTucked away in a pristine rain forestforest accessible only by boat, Tawali is Papua claw, in an attempt to birds, say researchers. New Guinea’s premier resort. Scuba dive, snorkel, kayak or explore the localocall attract females culturel on guidedid d bbushh walkslk to remote villages,ill skullk ll caves andd waterfalls.f ll Size Female fiddler crabs visit the burrows to assess the suitability Located on a volcanic bluff overlooking the clear water and coral reefs of of their owners and eventually Milne Bay, Tawali offers travelers a unique location to relax and enjoy the choose a mate. They are known unspoiled wonders of this magnifi cent part of the world. Doesn’t to be very choosy, but their cri- “The key factor seems to be teria checklist is still a topic of the strength of the mechanical debate. advantage gained by owners Matter having access to the burrow “Their choice is based on various during fights,” Dr Backwell said. cues including claw size and wav- In the world of the fiddler “Something must happen when ing rate,” says Tae Won Kim at crabs become homeowners that Ewha Women’s University in South crabs, having the home changes how they fight. It could Korea. The size of a male’s burrow advantage makes it a be that being able to position is also known to play a role, and near certainty that you’ll yourself in the burrow provides a females from at least two species win a battle against an biomechanical advantage when of fiddler crabs seem to prefer grappling with opponents, or per- males with hooded burrows. intruder—regardless of haps by retreating into the burrow your opponent’s size. it makes it harder for the oppo- The females’ preference for nent to fight without expending hooded burrows is entirely based Male fiddler crabs have been energy digging you out.” on self-preservation. Her choice found to have an “owner advan- appears unrelated to whether tage” when defending their bur- Fiddler crabs—which can be rec- or not the males will prove bet- row that equates to a 92 percent ognised by the single oversized ter mates in terms of providing success rate. Dr Patricia Backwell claw of males—have to retreat for her or her future progeny. The from the Australian National into their mangrove mudflat bur- researchers attracted predatory University said that previous theo- rows as the high tide approaches. birds to a sand flat at the entrance ries include the possibility that Those without homes—floaters— to the Panama Canal. They found owners might be inherently better become prey to sea predators. that the female crabs showed fighters or that established crabs But the floaters have little chance an even greater preference for could call in support from neigh- of protecting themselves and hooded burrows when they were www.tawali.com bours, but she said these had less securing a ready-made burrow at greater risk of being eaten. ■ of an effect than having access when owners win almost all fights. Source: PLoSONE (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000422) to the burrow during a fight. ■ Source: The Australian National University

9 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED BOOT 2008 Snorkel und Schnitzel & cigarette smoke

Photographer and In an otherwise turbulent and X-RAY MAG contributor Kurt ever changing world, it’s almost Amsler in the Seacam booth reassuring to visit the massive BOOT expo in the Ruhr district, Germany’s industrial heartland. for a whopping nine days. This behemoth of a trade exposi- Obviously, those who have tion not only sets it mark on the to haul those mega-yachts city of Dusseldorf, where it is held, into the hall for display, with promotional banners draped from perhaps across the world, all over the city. Of course, it is not need a little more than a wee ference aside from having more ence, but that just adds a The fair- just a dive show. It is really a boat weekend to make the effort dates to chose from, but it is only little spice. Who would have grounds show—as the name implies— worth their while, and so the dive obvious that the duration takes thought that German would by the river which drags in the big audiences expo has to go along for the full its toll on the booth-holders. Every be a bit exotic? Rhine are and tugs the dive part along as duration. late afternoon, you could just The many present interna- easy to get a side dish. It also sets it mark on For a one or two day attendee, watch how the exhibitors gradu- tional booth-holders have to by rail, the exhibitors, since the expo lasts this may not make much of a dif- ally drooped out off the race English either as their native or motorway and hung in their booths, absent- preferred second language. (goes right minded and glazed-over with The Germans are gener- by) or plane exhaustion. So, if you want them ally good at English, so the (airport is in all perky, come early. language barrier is just per- the back- Overall, it is a good and vibrant ceived, but not really there, ground) show—and it is, not to forget, by making the place ideal for far the biggest consumer dive networking. a bit lame. That is not to say that Yet, filled ashtrays are seen too show in Europe. Just in the dive It’s also good for the general there wasn’t a lot of equipment often behind the booth counters, section, you can spend days public outside Germany, as so there—there is, and the manufac- and it is beyond me why the show walking the isles. So what sets many overseas resorts are here turers had a lot of new gear on management doesn’t police the this expo apart from other dive in one place. And the distances display. It’s just not at this venue matter much more strictly. The air shows? First of all, aside from the to the expo are not really that that they unveil their new prod- inside the halls was pretty yucky by sheer size of it, the whole back- bad. Colleagues from southern ucts with trumpets and all the fire- the end of the day. I have been drop is German and different England made it here in as little works. That predominantly takes informed, though, by next year all from the usual Anglo-Saxon ambi- as four hours by car, and oth- place at DEMA in the US. But you smoking in public places will be ers drove up from Austria in just can see it here. outlawed in Germany, too. So, seven. It is a good meeting place I do have one thing that really don’t let the issue with smoking X-RAY MAG co-publisher, Harald and a good place to take a look bothers me about this otherwise keep you from going in 2009. And, Apelt, got chummy with the German at dive travel. good show—the constant indoor oh, the shopping in Dusseldorf is Navy’s elite frogmen. Don’t ask what It is just on the equipment side smoking. It says on big signs every- good, too, and there are a lot of went into that witches’ brew of theirs. of matters that the show seems where that smoking is prohibited. good restaurants. ■ Egg, vodka and... well, never mind 10 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Amy Winehouse has taken up scuba diving and is enjoying her new hobby with Bryan Adams, according to reports

Winehouse ‘Saved’ By Scuba-Diving

Troubled singer Amy Winehouse credits Caribbean scuba-diving trips with Bryan Adams for helping her battle her drink and drug addic- tions. The Rehab hitmaker spent It’s a different Christmas and the New

world down there. Year with the rocker at his F esti v al E uro c k é ennes I can look at home in Mustique. And the star insists the trip has changed her outlook on life. She says, “I’ve learned to appreciate Paul Watson and Terri Irwin in front of ship things in a new the simple things, like the beauty of nature. And it’s taught me to face my fears. It’s a dif- Via Coral Reef Alliance Sea Shepherd Renames Ship ‘Steve Irwin’ way.” ferent world down there. I can look at things in a new way. I’ve come to the realisation that life is too short; I want to make sure I live every minute of it.” ■ source: www.pr-inside.com Terri Irwin has granted the Sea Shepherd Tiffany & Co. Foundation Conservation Society permission to rename its ship says coral is “Too Precious currently known as Robert Hunter in honor of her late Militants Cross the Indian- husband, Steve Irwin. Captain Paul Watson, founder To Wear” and president of Sea Shepherd and Terri Irwin offi- More Gore Pakistani Border Underwater You don’t have to dive in an exotic cially announced the new name for the ship Steve A spokeswoman for former Vice President Al Gore has suggested Using Air Pillows location to see the very real impacts of Irwin at a press conference at 12:00 on December that scientists cited in a new Senate minority report that calls glo- reef destruction. Just take a look at the 5th at Victoria Docklands in Melbourne, Australia. ■ bal warming worries “entirely without merit” have been bought Infiltrators on the Indo-Pakistani bor- brilliant red and pink coral products in off. der are thinking out-of-the-box in their souvenir and jewelry stores. efforts to make it across to India. A new campaign to increase aware- The U.S. Senate report documents hundreds of prominent sci- ness in the fashion and design industry— Terri Irwin to launch whale research entists—experts in dozens of fields of study worldwide—who say “We have found that militants use aptly titled “Too Precious to Wear” —has Terri Irwin will launch non-lethal research of whales in global warming and cooling is a cycle of nature and cannot seemingly ordinary air pillows, which been launched by SeaWeb, one of Antarctic waters next year in hopes of showing that legitimately be connected to man’s activities. fitted with a small rubber tube, acts as CORAL’s allies in the reef conservation Japan’s scientific whale kill is a sham. primitive scuba tank allowing its user to movement. This high-profile campaign Tokyo has staunchly defended its annual cull of But Gore spokeswoman, Kalee Kreider, told the Washington Times breathe underwater and swim across is all the more important in light of the more than 1,000 whales as crucial for research, that after a quick review, about 25 or 30 of the scientists cited in the border. Whenever there is patrol- recent failure to obtain a certification saying it is necessary to kill the whales to properly the report may have received funding from Exxon Mobil Corp. ling, they dip into the water bodies and under the Convention on International gather information about their eating, breeding and breathe easily through these pipes,” a Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for migratory habits. However, Mobil spokesman Gantt H. Walton dismissed the claim, Defence spakesman explains. threatened and endangered corals. Environmentalists and anti-whaling nations say telling the newspaper the company is concerned about climate Tiffany & Co. Foundation, who par- the slaughter is commercial whaling in disguise, change reports, and doesn’t pay scientists to “bash global-warm- Even though the border fence has tially funded the campaign, also fund- because much of the meat from the whales ends ing theories.” ■ source: WorldNetDaily.com been a deterrent for infiltrators, they ed an information signage project cur- up being sold commercially. ■ have been trying new ways to sneak rently being prepared by CORAL staff in, and this improvised air pillow is a in Marine Life Conservation Districts in cheap and a steady option, which Hawaii. Chinese Frogmen to Guard the Olympics police say was used in two recent infil- CORAL’s work helps people con- tration attempts. nect the dots. What we do in our own A contingent of 78 naval frogmen will surveil open communities—and what products we water areas for Beijing Olympics 2008. Security forces say rivers like the buy—have a very real, tangible effect Munnawar Tawi and the Chenab form on places many of us enjoy and upon The divers from a search and rescue troop of the People’s natural gaps along the Line of Control whose sustainability the world depends. Liberation Army (PLA) Navy are believed to take the responsi- and the international border. The mili- Every purchase of coral contributes to bility of clearing underwater security threats for Olympic water tants are increasingly using these gaps. the destruction of habitats and liveli- Join X-Ray Magazine on Facebook sports venues, the PLA Daily reports submarine from 86 meters ■ Source: www.ibnlive.com hoods. ■ below the sea surface, the newspaper reported. ■ Via Coral Reef Alliance

11 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Piet Spaans

Finally, some good news Sticklebacks Let

Prawns Lead Variable Weather www.underwater.com.au Them to Good Places to Dine May Save Corals According to a new study by the Wildlife Conservation Research into the behaviour patterns Society, corals living in variable temperatures are bet- of sticklebacks highlights the fact they use ter able to survive warmer seas due to climate change. prawns to determine the best place to be.

It is a common experience for most of us implications for feeding. When strange Researchers discovered that ter adapted to environmental to look at what other people are doing and familiar groups of prawns were coral reefs in sites with varying variation. Consequently, they are when we ourselves are not sure of what accompanied by a swarm of water fleas seasonal temperatures are more more likely to survive dramatic to do next. One of the benefits of being that the fish could see but not capture, likely to survive the “hot pulses” increases in temperature. a social species is that we can tap into the subject stickleback made more of Climate Change. Conversely, the expertise of our fellow humans to attacks at the water fleas nearest to the reefs living in environments with “The findings are encouraging in improve our own chances of success familiar group of prawns. The implica- stable but higher temperatures the fact that at least some corals dive in. when circumstances are uncertain. tion is that choosing to be near prawns are more susceptible to “bleach- and reef locations will survive the Sticklebacks use another species to find from their own habitat influences not only ing,” a global phenomenon warmer surface temperatures to the right place to be. where sticklebacks go, but also where where beneficial algae are come,” said Dr. Tim McClanahan, they feed, and what they might end up “evicted” by corals, ultimately Senior Scientist working for WCS’ explore. Sticklebacks occur alongside common feeding upon. leading to the reef’s demise. Coral Reef Programs and lead prawns in the brackish waters of many author of the study. “They also of the estuaries in British Isles and forage In contrast, the prawns cannot use stick- The researchers also discovered show us where we should direct discover. together within the same areas of shal- lebacks to find the right place to be. that the coral reefs in sites with our conservation efforts the most low water. Experiments demonstrated Prawns are attracted to other prawns the most temperature variation by giving these areas our highest that when a stickleback on its own was that come from the same habitat as were in the “shadow” of islands, priority for conservation.” put in a position where it could either join themselves, but not to sticklebacks from protected from the oceanic cur- a group of prawns that had been kept the same habitat. As a result, the rela- rents that reduce temperature The study, which appears in in the same environmental conditions as tionship between the species is asymmet- variations in reef ecosystems. the latest edition of the journal itself or a group that had been kept in ric, and sticklebacks could be said to be According to the authors of the Ecological Monographs, presents different conditions, the fish spent more exploiting the information contained in study, the results suggest that the results of an eight-year study time with the prawns from its own envi- the presence of prawns from their habi- corals in these locations are bet- on the reefs of East Africa. ■ ronment. tat. The prawns are signals that combine together with chemical cues to provide A further experiment information to sticklebacks on showed that this where to be. ■ choice could have important

Tailgating the lone dugong, KAT, on Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Photographed by Karen Willshaw ~ underwater.com.au member Piet Spaans Peter Symes 12 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED A “touch tank” in the Albert P. Crary Could a Net of Science and Underwater Pipes Help Engineering Curb Global Warming? Oceanography Center at NSF’s McMurdo Two of Britain’s best known Station on scientists proposed to curb Antactica contains global warming by sow- Sub-glacial System some of the ing the world’s oceans with creatures thousands, perhaps mil- Under Antarctic Ice found in lions, of giant vertical pipes McMurdo Sound. Water pumped up pipes—say, Researcher Teeming With Life 100 to 200 metres long, 10 metres Sam Bowser is The complex sub-glacial system but the most important find is the in diameter and with a one-way holding a sea under the Antarctic ice might evidence that microbes can live flap valve at the lower end for spider be teeming with life in the form in the subglacial lake, deriving pumping by wave movement— of mineral-hungry microbes. energy from minerals, the report would fertilize algae in the surface According to a report in the states. waters and encourage them to National Geographic News, the Lakes in Antarctica have been bloom. This would pump down car- watery environment under Lake isolated from the atmosphere for bon dioxide and Vostok, might be more than one- more than 30 million years, ebbing West , NSF produce dime- and-a-half times the size of the and flowing as they empty into Peter thyl sulphide, the “Emergency United States, making it the world’s the polar sea. The reason for their precursor of nuclei treatment largest wetland. fluid state is because the ice sheet Antarctic Creatures Yield Clues to New A SEM micrograph that form sunlight- The lakes may also hold an above acts like a gigantic down of a foramnifera reflecting clouds. could come untapped wealth of climate blanket, trapping heat rising from Technology records that could improve our Earth’s interior. ■ “We need a fun- from stimu- understanding of how life evolved, Understanding how Foramifera build their shells damental cure lating the could lead to stronger biological adhesives for the pathol- Earth’s Diver ogy of global Henry Among the most abundant organisms sive. The foundation of heating,” wrote capacity to “A Whole Kaiser in the oceans, the scientifically interest- the adhesive appears James Lovelock, cure itself.” New World” helps his ing aspects of Foraminifera, or forams to be a protein, originator of the colleague, for short, far exceed their physical size. which in turn is heav- Gaia hypothesis David From a global perspective, the drive to ily coated with sticky that the Earth itself is a type of liv- Huang, understand these creatures is, in part, a carbohydrates. The ing organism, and Chris Rapley, prepare to result of their role in recycling nutrients cells secrete the differ- director of the Science Museum leave the in the oceans. Because of the huge ent components from in London, in a recent letter in dive hole numbers of Foraminifera in the seas, distinct organelles into Nature. “Emergency treatment when they make their calcium carbon- a membranous pocket, could come from stimulating the ate shells, they act as a “carbon sink,” and then draw the com- Earth’s capacity to cure itself.” absorbing carbon from the water. posite into a sticky fiber. If Scientists are very interested in know- the effort reveals the chem- “We thought a small scale test at ing how this contributes to balancing istry underlying the naturally a tropical island with a coral reef greenhouse gases such as carbon diox- produced glue, the research would do for a start,” Lovelock ide in the atmosphere. could lead to the development told AFP. If that worked, the of stronger biological adhesives scheme could be extended to a When these tiny organisms build their that could be a boon in fields as larger area, such as the Gulf of miniscule, but sophisticated, shells out diverse as dentistry, neurological Mexico, which might need 10,000 of grains of sand they are also using an surgery and the development of to 100,000 pipes at least 100

West , NSF extremely effective underwater adhe- artificial arms and limbs. ■ metres long. ■ Peter 13 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Our World Underwater New Educational Foundation and Rolex Offer Scholarships to Youth Named After PADI Co-Founder

In April 2008, young people will be An educational foundation has educate divers until 1990, when awarded one-year scholarships been created in memory of the he moved to Texas and lived sponsored by Our World Underwater late Ralph Erickson, co-founder with his family until his death in and Rolex. The grants are designed of PADI, who passed away in May of 2006. to help qualified individuals acquire 2006. The newly formed organi- The foundation was formed experiences in a wide range of ma- sation reflects Erickson’s dedi- by Patrick Hammer and Karen rine-related fields. With over 35 years cation to diver education. Erickson. Its mission is to assist running in the US, these scholarships Erickson was a pioneer in underprivileged divers begin are now available for a second year diver education during a time their careers through a grant in the Australasian region (Australia, when there were no rules and program. The founders believe New Zealand, South Pacific islands) diving was considered an that people with a passion for and have been available for seven extreme sport for a few adven- diving should have the oppor- years in Europe. From each of the turous types. He revolutionized tunity to pursue their dreams three regions, one scholar is select- the industry with his ideas on despite financial difficulties. ed to work with leaders in the under- dive education and the found- For more information and water fields in order to get hands-on ing of PADI with his business application forms, visit www. experience in aquatic-related en- partner, John Cronin. Erickson reefoundation.org or mail: deavors. For more information, see opened a PADI Instructor train- Ralph Erickson Educational www.owuscholarship.org ■ ing Center with Patrick Hammer Foundation, 16336 S. 104th in 1987 where he continued to Avenue, Orland Park, IL 60467 ■

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14 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Training bulletin New Rebreather Training Edited by Organisation Offers Peter Symes Recreational CCR Courses Rebreather Association of International Diving (RAID) SDI Recognized by is a new dedicated, e-learning oriented, recreational RSTC Europe rebreather training programme intended to cover a

range of rebreathers under one standardized system SDI has formally been accepted into RSTC Europe. The In response to the lack of gener- Consequently, RAID has taken the al and standardized recreational step to formulate a dynamic rec- vote to accept SDI closed-circuit rebreather training reational closed-circuit rebreather into this prestigious programmes, RAID has instituted a training programme to embrace all organization took set of minimum standards for edu- levels, from beginners to Instructors. place at the RSTC cation from Level 1 to Instructor The programmes will provide for Trainer. This has meant collabo- individuals who have never dived Europe yearly meet- ration with manufacturers and before, all the way through to an ing and was unani- obtaining agreements to minimum existing qualified rebreather and/ mous. equipment conformity without or open circuit diver, from any of jeopardizing innovation and safe- the recognized agencies. RSTC Europe (Recreational ty. Divers, who have been trained Scuba Training Council) in the unique and progressive RAID RAID’s electronic academic learn- was founded in 1994, and programme, wil be able to com- ing allows for flexibility and up-to- members affiliated with fortably and safely dive a closed- the-minute information, whilst at the the organization include: circuit rebreather from any of the same time providing practical, thor- ACUC, BARAKUDA, NASDS, accredited manufacturers. ough training with a RAID Instructor. PSS, SNSI, IDEA Europe, IDD, PADI and SSI. The influence Another need RAID identified is So far, the following Closed-Circuit of these member agencies continued education for recrea- Rebreathers is RAID Registered: covers all European coun- tional closed-circuit rebreather tries as well as most of the divers. After open water training, • Poseidon Cis-lunar “Discovery” Red Sea and the Maldives. there was nothing more provided • Ouroborus “Sentinel” The aim of RSTC is to sup- unless you want to go the way of port the diving industry technical diving. More info: www.diveraid.com ■ and to present a profes- sional forum that is both respected and recognized throughout the world PADI Launches 2008 Go Pro Challenge! of recreational diving. Members of RSTC Europe PADI is once again inviting dive professionals to share their most compelling provide a non-prejudicial reasons for becoming a PADI Pro and challenging them to expand and share code of diver safety prac- their dive knowledge through the launch of the 2008 Go PRO Challenge. tices for governmental PADI’s Go PRO Challenge is one of several innovative marketing campaigns bodies working to improve designed to increase business for PADI dive centers and resorts. As in 2007, diving and diver safety there is a US$10,000 worldwide prize. The Go PRO Challenge Testimonial standards. ■ Contest deadline is 15 September 2008. ■

15 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED China’s Guangdong provincial government has come up with a novel way of putting the Nanhai on display for the public—by building an underwa- ter museum. Visitors will be able to view sections of the wreck, which, by Remains of an Ancient wreck virtue of its submersion, will not require the usual conservation techniques Civilization Discovered On required to stabilise a structure exposed to air. The museum, thought to be rap the first of its kind in the world, will involve a five-hall layout costing an esti- the Bottom of a Lake In mated £10 million. The museum is expected to open around mid-2008 Kyrgyzistan

An international archeological expedition to Lake Issyk Kul has Nanhai 1 now raised found evidence of an advanced civilization dating back 25 cen- from South China Sea turies. The expedition resulted in sensational Chinese archaeologists have raised a merchant ship that sank in finds, including the discovery of major settlements presently buried underwater. the South China Sea 800 years ago while transporting a cargo of Side by side with the settlements are rem- precious porcelain, gold and jewel exports. Dubbed the “Titanic of nants of ritual complexes of times imme- China”, the Nanhai 1 treasury ship, built during the Song dynasty morial, dwellings and household outbuild- that ruled China from 960-1279, is believed to contain one of the ings. largest discoveries of Chinese artefacts from that period. Stunning finds A 2,500 year-old ritual bronze cauldron “It’s the biggest ship of its kind to be The salvage team began building a mas- The artifacts will also give historians was found on the bottom of the lake. found,” said professor Liu Wensuo, and sive steel cage around the 30m long much-needed information on a time The subtlety of its craftsmanship amazed archaeologist from Sun Yat-sen University. vessel in May in order to raise it and the when China was trading with the archeologists. Such excellent quality “It lay in about 25m (82ft) of water and surrounding silt. The cage was made up world. of joining details together can, pres- was covered in mud—perfect conditions of 36 steel beams, each weighing around ently, only be obtained by metalwork for preservation. Both the ship and its con- 5 tonnes. Together with its contents, the During the Song dynasty, most of the in an inert gas. How did ancient people tents are in excep- cage weighed more than 3,000 tonnes. country’s trade was with India and the achieve their high-tech perfection? Ship lifts cage containing Nanhai 1 from tionally good con- The heavy lifting was completed two hours Middle East. Later, that trade would the South China Sea. On 21 December dition.” later and placed on a waiting barge. shift westwards. “People often think of Also of superb workmanship are bronze 2007, the Nanhai 1 was lifted from the ancient China as being a closed soci- mirrors, festive horse harnesses and many seabed by a crane in two hours As many as 6,000 arte- ety, but in the Tang and Song dynasties, other objects. Artifacts identified as the facts have already been China traded with the world—much like world’s oldest extant coins were also As many as 6,000 artefacts have retrieved from the 13th today,” Professor Liu added. found underwater in the form of gold already been retrieved from Century vessel, mostly blu- wire rings used as small change and a the 13th century vessel, mostly ish white porcelain, as well The Nanhai 1 will eventually be moved large hexahedral goldpiece. bluish white porcelain, as as personal items from crew mem- to a new purpose-built museum near well as personal items from crew members, in- bers, including gold belt buckles and Yangjiang in Guangdong province. The Lake Issyk Kul has played a tremendous cluding gold belt silver rings. A further 70,000 artefacts are dramatic building—still far from com- role since the inception of human his- buckles and silver believed to be still on board, many still in pletion—is being built on the beach. tory due to its geographic location at rings. A further their original packing cases. The ship will be stored underwater in a the crossing of Indo-Aryan and other 70,000 artefacts massive tank, in which the water tem- nomadic routes. The Great Silk Road are believed to Reclaiming history perature, pressure and other conditions lay along the lake’s coast until the 18th be still on board, In the mid-1980s, a number of ships, will be identical to where it lay on the century. Archeologists found traces of many still in their containing enormous hoards of Chinese seabed, allowing visitors to watch as many religions here—Zoroastrianism, original packing porcelain, gold and silver, were found archaeologists uncover its secrets. Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. cases by foreign treasure hunters. Their val- Somewhere in the vicinity was Chihu, the uable cargoes were sold at auction China has invested about US$40 million metropolitan city of a mighty state of houses in the West. At the time, China in this project in the hope of reclaiming Wusung nomads, which ancient Chinese An artist’s impres- was too poor to bid for the artefacts. The a part of the country’s history and ensur- chronicles mentioned on many occa- sion of how Nanhai loss of such an important part of its history ing that, this time, it stays in Chinese sions. ■ may have looked spurred the government into action. hands. ■ Source: China Internet Information Center

16 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Cannon believed to Mazotos Shipwreck    wreck be part of the remains of a Surveyed      rap ship aban- doned in the The Cypriotic Department of      17th century by Captain Antiquities has announced the Edited by Kidd. The completion of the first under- Peter Symes wreck remains water research project of the SeaCure™ Custom Mouthpiece were found Mazotos shipwreck. off an island in is moldable and remoldable. the Dominican Republic Its study is of great significance for the Created by an orthodontist, nautical and economic history of the SeaCure is designed to fit Eastern Mediterranean, as it is one of your mouth, teeth, and the very few shipwrecks of the Classical period found in such a good state of gums . . . PERFECTLY. preservation, the department said. The shipwreck seems to have been a Available at your local dive center.

I ndiana v ersity U ni commercial vessel of the Late Classical period (mid 4th century B.C). Part of the cargo of the ship lies on the sea bot- tom and consists of amphorae, most Captain Kidd’s Ship Found probably from Chios. No other ceramic Indiana University team discovers 1699 Captain Kidd types were identified for the time being www.seacure1.com Shipwreck in less than 3 meters depth off Domican island or any other parts of the ship (such as anchors), but the spatial distribution of Resting in less than 3 meters of Anthropologist Geoffrey Conrad, the amphorae may indicate that the Caribbean seawater, the wreck- director of IU Bloomington’s Mathers hull of the ship is buried under the sand. Ghost Ship Festival 2008 age of Quedagh Merchant, the ship Museum of World Cultures, said the “The results will throw light on impor- abandoned by the scandalous 17th men Kidd entrusted with his ship report- tant research questions such as the Ghost Ships Festival is a conference devoted century pirate Captain William Kidd edly looted it, and then set it ablaze commercial relations between the to Great Lakes Scuba Diving and Maritime as he raced to New York in an ill- and adrift down the Rio Dulce. Conrad North Aegean and the South Eastern History. Exhibits, workshops, and presentations fated attempt to clear his name, has said the location of the wreckage and Mediterranean and the role of Cyprus cover just about every aspect of maritime his- escaped discovery—until now. the formation and size of the cannons, in these transport routes during the last tory and Great Lakes scuba diving. Historians differ on whether Kidd was which had been used as ballast, are phases of the Cypriot city-kingdoms actually a pirate or a privateer— consistent with historical records of the as well as on types and sizes of ships Clive Cussler’s Team to Speak someone who captured pirates. After ship. They also found pieces of several amongst others.” ■ On Friday, March 7, nationally known and his conviction of piracy and murder anchors under the cannons. “All the respected underwater archaeologists Ralph charges in a sensational London trial, evidence that we find underwater is Wilbanks and Harry Pecorelli will share their he was left to hang over the River consistent with what we know from his- amazing adventure of locating and raising Thames for two years. torical documentation, which is exten- CSS H.L. Hunley, the first combat subma- sive,” Conrad said. “Through rigorous rine to sink a ship. Hunley was the South’s Historians write that Kidd captured the archeological investigations, we will “secret weapon,” built to break the Quedagh Merchant, loaded with valu- conclusively prove that this is the Union blockade of Charleston’s harbor. able satins and silks, gold, silver and Capt. Kidd shipwreck.” On February 17, 1864, after sinking USS other East Indian merchandise, but left Housatonic, the Union’s largest battle- the ship in the Caribbean as he sailed An underwater archaeology team ship, Hunley and her crew vanished. ■ to New York on a less conspicuous from Indiana University has been of P irates . sloop to clear his name of the criminal licensed to study the wreckage and charges. to convert the site into an underwater The 9th annual Ghost Ships Festival preserve, where it will be accessible to takes place on March 7th & 8th, 2008 Howard Pyles classical illustration of the public. ■ Depiction of a Greek trading vessel at The Wyndham Milwaukee Airport William “Captain” Kidd relaxing on deck from the Classical period and Convention Center H oward Py le ’ s B oo k

17 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Oriskany Boosts Local Are Artificial Reefs Really Beneficial? Economy With $3.6 Million A study by the University of West Florida indicates a US$2 million annual eco- Artificial reefs provide a environment—some have proven Not a replacement for the crossing a huge empty expanse nomic impact on Escambia County from base for corals, sponges ineffective or actually harmful. For real thing where they might get gobbled scuba divers visiting the USS Oriskany, example, tires dropped off the “Natural reefs are obviously still up,” Perry explained. “I do think the world’s largest artificial reef sunk off and other life to encrust, in coast of Fort Lauderdale in the valuable,” Perry said. “You can’t having artificial reefs is better than time drawing the rich diver- Pensacola in 2006. When the impact to 1970s ultimately broke loose from just destroy a natural reef and put having just natural ones. Baldwin County, Alabama, is added, the sity of sea life for which their restraints, killing natural reefs out an artificial reef as a replace- There is possibly evidence Artificial economic impact increases to US$3.6 coral reef ecosystems are as they drifted about. Other trash ment. Artificial reefs may help off- that artificial reefs actually reefs may million. The Oriskany generated more was simply unsuitable for mak- set the growing worldwide loss of augment natural habitat renowned. But as such reefs than 4,200 chartered dive trips during the ing reefs—the enamel coating on natural reefs a little bit, but they areas as long as they’re help offset year, attracting visitors from across the have at times done more washers and dryers, for example, should not be the only answer.” not right on top of them.” the growing United States and abroad. ■ foils growth. harm than good, concerns worldwide do linger as to whether arti- Another concern during many “Decommissioned naval 10-Acre Artificial Reef “We’ve gotten smarter since then. years was that artificial reefs would vessels may take a long loss of natu- ficial reefs are good for the We now know what materials to use take fish away from natural habi- time to prepare, but Proposed For Hawaii oceans. to build artificial reefs,” says Mark tat. “By concentrating fish all in once cleaned out, they ral reefs a The barren seafloor off the coast of Perry, executive director of one place and making them eas- provide a huge habitat, a little bit, but ‘Ewa could become home to coral The creation of artificial the Florida Oceanographic ier to catch, they may exacer- lot of space for wildlife to and other marine life if an artificial reef reefs goes back to at “Artificial Society. “We don’t want to bate issues of overfishing,” said live in there,” Perry said. they should project is approved. The state is seeking a least the 17th century in reef think- just throw anything out there Jack Sobel, director of strategic Construction rubble is also not be the Conservation District Use Permit to create Japan, where fisherman in the water—artificial reefs conservation science and policy often used, and relatively a 108-acre artificial reef offshore from the built reefs with oyster shells ing is get- aren’t just dump sites.” at the Ocean Conservancy. But benign in and of itself. only answer ‘Ewa district. The reef will be between the to attract fish. The past ting more according to Perry, it has never depths of 60 feet and 120 feet. 50 years have seen artifi- It is also important to make really been proven that conflict or In addition, artificial reef The artificial reef is intended to provide cial reefs created on any- refined” sure that artificial reefs are competition happens. designers are even crafting mate- shelter and surface area that will improve thing from obsolete oilrigs placed in a fairly stable rials into balls, pyramids and other marine habitat quality, prevent over-fishing and decommissioned warships environment and be outside of Artificial reefs may provide corri- precise shapes that may favor cer- and replenish overexploited fish species. ■ to junk such as tires and wash- surf-pounding areas. “You want to dors of a sort, allowing smaller fish tain species “such as grouper or ing machines, and not all such avoid them getting moved about to safely migrate from one natural snapper,” Perry said. “Artificial reef reefs have proven boons to the by wave action,” Perry said. reef to another, instead of just thinking is getting more refined.” ■ Florida: City of Jacksonville Lifts Moratorium On Warship to be sunk in the St. Lawrence River Creating Artificial Reefs The Jacksonville City Council has approv- ing 21 offshore sites that are suitable for Canada: Plans have been expects that a reef created by ing. HMCS Terra Nova was built Other Canadian warships have been scuttled in the past man-made reefs. Most of them are arti- unveiled today to sink an the sunken ship will attract some in 1956 and served during the to serve as artificial reefs, including the destroyer escorts ficial reefs that have deteriorated, said old navy warship in the St. 10,000 recreational scuba divers Cold War as an anti-subma- HMCS Chaudiere and HMCS Mackenzie, which now lie Jacksonville spokeswoman Kristen Key. Lawrence River to create to the region in the first year. It also rine warfare vessel that in British Columbia’s Georgia Strait, and HMCS Saguenay, an artificial reef for diving says that sinking the 113-metre shadowed numerous which now rests in Nova Scotia’s Lunenberg Marine Park. In 2000, Jacksonville imposed an adminis- enthusiasts. warship will relieve pressure on his- Soviet subs patrolling the The destroyer HMCS Yukon was scuttled near San Diego trative moratorium on artificial reefs after toric wooden wrecks North American eastern in 2000 and drew 22,000 divers in its first year. getting a complaint that oil may have The Eastern Ontario Artificial Reef in the area that are seaboard. ■ been leaking from a sunken barge reef. Association says it hopes to sink the quickly deteriorat- The city took notice, even though a U.S. decommissioned destroyer escort Coast Guard investigation showed no oil HMCS Terra Nova by late 2009. The was coming from the reef. Due to public proposed site is in the Thousand safety, liability concerns and a lack of Islands region near Gananoque, oversight for the reef program, the city east of Kingston. The association imposed the moratorium. ■

18 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Sevan trout (Salmo ischchan) is an endemic fish species of Lake Sevan in Armenia. It belongs More Marshall Islands Woes to the genus Salmo Travel News Besieged with persistent mechani- ated by ships. Officials confirmed of the salmon family cal difficulties, the Marshall that US$700,000 is needed to (Salmonidae) Islands’ grounded national air- repair the two grounded aircraft, line may close the doors of the but the cash-strapped govern- Edited by country’s premier tourist desti- ment, already in default on an Scott Bennett nation. Bikini Atoll’s renowned existing loan, is unwilling to inject sunken World War II fleet attracts more funds into the ailing airline. hundreds of divers annually, but With tourism from diving a the collapse of the national air- major money-earner, the last Thistlegorm reopened line could deal the local diving thing anyone wants to see is Diving Kazakhstan industry a devastating blow. With more cancellations. “If this kind After several weeks of con- bookings for the 2008 nearly full of misfortune continues into servation work, the Red Sea’s and the start of the diving season this upcoming dive season, our famed SS Thistlegorm wreck is in February imminent, officials reputation, what is left of it, will once again accessible to div- from Air Marshall Islands are grow- be destroyed because of AMI’s ers. The project, co-ordinated ing increasingly concerned about inability to fly,” stated Bikini dive by the Hurghada Environmental the lack of progress in getting its official Jack Niedenthal. Despite Protection and Conservation planes airborne. all this, he remains optimistic. A Association (HEPCA), was set in Last September and October, charter aircraft may be brought motion to combat years of dam- dozens of divers cancelled trips in until the grounded planes age caused by thousands of when the planes were repeatedly can be repaired. However, he dive-boat shotlines. In addition, grounded with mechanical prob- added, “If the government can’t trapped air bubbles exhaled by lems. Stranded groups of divers fund the airline, then it should get divers have also steadily con- already at Bikini had to be evacu- out of the airline business.” ■ tributed to vessel’s erosion.

The Prague-Ruzyne international greater than 100ml aboard all air- airport will be the first to test a craft. “If this identification system unique anti-terrorist device that is proves successful, it could be the able to analyze liquids. Called the first step towards the lifting of the Emili 1, it was developed current security measures,” by a team headed by Prague airport security German scientist Norbert manager Stanislav Jonas When one thinks of Kazakhstan, diving unique microclimate, ensure that the lake Klein at a research cen- told Prague’s daily Lidove doesn’t exactly spring to mind. That honour remains ice-free in winter. Flowing into the tre in Juelich, Germany. Noviny (LN). However, liquid falls to Borat, the clueless boorish reporter lake are approximately 180 rivers of various Utilizing microwave restrictions would remain in immortalized by Sacha Baron Cohen. sizes, providing a continuous supply of fresh radiation, the detec- effect during the test trial However, this landlocked former Soviet water from nearby glaciers. Curiously, no tor is able to distinguish in Prague. A number of

Peter S ymes Republic situated in Central Asia offers the water flows out. a liquid’s composition, airports, including Tel Aviv Aided by local dive operators unique experience of altitude diving. Resting As well as posessing sublime scenery, the differentiating harmless and Dubai, have already and enthusiastic volunteers, 32 at an altitude of 1600m and encircled by area is also rich in history. Settlements were beverages from acids expressed interest in the mooring lines and a number of the lofty snow-clad peaks of the Tien Shan established as far back as the seventh cen- and combustible sub- device. air-escape outlets were added Mountains, Lake Issy-kul is the world’s second- tury, when the region was part of the legen- stances. In addition, Klein and his to prevent further damage. largest alpine lake after Titicaca in South dary Silk Road. Over time, they were eradi- After London’s ter- team are working on further While an additional number of America. Known as the “The Pearl of Central cated by a combination of invading forces rorist attacks in July modifications. A proto- outlets are to be drilled in the Asia”, this enormous sheet of water measures and rising water levels, but remains may still 2005, European air- type hand scanner and a near future, further closures of 180km long and up to 70km wide. Despite be seen underwater including ceramics, ports tightened security special pad that would be the site will not be necessary. depths plunging to 700m, Issy-kul translates bronze cauldrons, ceramics and coins. measures and banned able to detect explosives Similar projects are in develop- as “Hot Lake” in the local dialect. Thermal Dolphin Dive Club is a SDI TDI Facility in passengers from taking and ceramic weapons in ment for the Rosalie Moller and activities, combined with mild salinity and a Kazakhstan. ■ liquids, creams and chil- shoes might be completed other wrecks. ■ dren’s food in quantities as early as February. ■

19 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Via press release: New liveaboard in NOAA National Indonesia

Marine Sanctuary Arenui Liveaboard offers different Program Offers Indonesian cruise programs. Their new New Guide 37m long wooden vessel is just being built, and will raise its anchors in June 2008. The to Diving Arenui will touch not only all traditional in America’s sites but also destinations not yet reached Underwater by recreational diving tourism. cruise programs include Komodo, Treasures North and Central Sulawesi, Wakatobi and in particular, the new frontiers of Raja The NOAA National Ampat, Maluku, Cendrawasish Bay, Alor, Marine Sanctuary Flores and Taka Bone Rate Atolls. Program has developed “The Boutique Liveaboard, the slogan a colorful new printed of the Arenui, expresses our vision of sim- guide and web page for ply providing maximum quality offerings in scuba diving enthusiasts terms of diving and extra curricular activi- about diving in USA’s 13 ties, as well as exquisite accommodation national marine sanctu- facilities for our guests,” says Luigi. aries, home to some of The Arenui guests, at a maximum of 18 America’s most spectac- passengers, will enjoy spacious cabins ular underwater sights. (minimum 17 square meters) which are The new diving guide furnished with inspiring handicrafts from describes the wonderful each of the Indonesian provinces. Each world beneath the sea diving group will not exceed six peo- at each of the national ple, guided by divemasters. Cruises are marine sanctuaries, planned with the intention to guarantee from the shipwrecks the most favorable weather conditions. and nutrient-rich waters As for the food on board the ArenuiOur, of Stellwagen Bank off Luigi has this to say, “Our special daily a Massachusetts to the la carte menu presents wonderfully taste- pristine coral reefs of Fagatele Bay in American Samoa. ful experiences for gourmet cuisine lovers. • Meet underwater pioneer Neville Coleman The brochure also offers tips on how to be a safer, more The boat also offers an Open Skydeck Bar • Attend a photo clinic with Matthieu Meur responsible diver by mastering buoyancy control, respect- in addition to other comprehensive lei- • Underwater photo & video shootout competition with over $20,000 in prizes ing marine wildlife, and how to volunteer for habitat moni- sure and recreational facilities such as on • Marine Visions art competition & exhibition toring activities in your local marine sanctuary. board spa, Internet connection, as well • Olympus underwater camera try-outs Available in PDF format at http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/ as an extensive selection of books and • Introduction to SCUBA - Snorkel tours visit/diving.html, the new guide can be downloaded and movies in a library/entertainment center.” • Dolphin kayaking - Guided seabird walks • Marine wildlife and underwater photography customized for use by dive operators and tourism compa- Online bookings are open at launch presentations nies to give their customers. price. Discounts for non-divers, groups • Festival Finale featuring the Underwater Village “NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries have something and charters are available. • Kids events including the Byron ArtiFishal Reef Project to offer every diver, from the most experienced to the For further information: For more info and booking go to newly certified,” said Daniel J. Basta, sanctuary program www.thearenui.com BYRON BAY, 30 APRIL – 4 MAY 2008 www.underwaterfestival.com.au director. “We hope that all divers visiting our sanctuaries [email protected] ■ will want to join efforts to help preserve and protect these special places for future generations.” ■

20 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED South Africa CONSERVATION – Scuba diving prohibited

Inadequate law enforce- A ban on scuba diving and snor- Diving ban—too drastic kling along most of South Africa’s Keeping divers out of the water ment resources creates Cape coast has attracted a is not always a good way to pro- scuba diving bans. The storm of criticism from the diving tect the enviroment, both the South African government community. The Cape coast’s industry and conservation ora- lapses to easy but unsus- recreational diving industry faces ganizations agree. a shut-down as a result of the “We’ve done nothing but pro- tainable solutions to pro- government’s lack of ability to mote environmental awareness. tect their marine environ- fight poaching. Anonymous law We’re one of the few industries ment. enforcement officers have told that makes our clients aware of media that they don’t have the underwater environment. I By Arnold Weisz funds to police after office hours, can’t see why the government hence leaving the coast free for is damaging our industry. It’s a the poachers. ridiculous ban,” says co-owner of The South African Dive Courses and Charters, Peter Environmental Labuschagne. Affairs Minister, Also, one major enviromental Marthinus van protection organization has react- Schalkwyk, pro- ed publically with mixed feelings posed a scuba to the proposed diving ban in diving ban in a areas along most of the Western further effort to Cape coastline in an attempt to protect the coun- curb abalone poaching. WWF try’s fast diminish- warns that such drastic measures ing perlemoen could alienate one of marine (abalone) stocks. conservation’s most avid support- “The envisaged ers, scuba divers and snorkellers. prohibition, sub- “Perhaps a middle way would be ject to a proc- to permit diving only during day- ess of public light hours on weekends, when comment, will most recreation diving takes take effect from place. Such an arrangement February 1, 2008,” would still assist in compliance, Department of whilst also allowing scuba divers Environmental to appreciate the beauty of this Affairs spokesper- area,” says Dr Deon Nel, Manager son Mava Scott of the WWF Sanlam Living Waters said. Partnership. ►

Want to go diving Woodburn today? Well, that is too bad. The zodiacs can’t take you anymore F ile ph oto : A ndre w 21 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Battle for resources On a related note The ban on all diving activities on the Cape coast is meant to A worrysome trend? save their fast dwindling aba- lone (Haliotis midae) popula- By Arnold Weisz tion. Years of poaching have devastated South Africa’s aba- First line of defense lection by scuba divers. This has lone population, more com- Although the diving industry in not deterred scuba diving. On monly known as perlemoen, general by no measure has a contrary, it probably has had the with thousands of tons taken 100 percent clean slate regard- opposite effect. THE BIGGEST from coastal waters every year. ing protecting the environment, In Brazil, the environmental pro- South Africa hopes that many it has a self-interest in guarding tection agencies are split on the DIVE EVENT IN ASIA of the commercial fishermen our undersea environment. Laws matter. The State of Sao Paulo’s RETURNS TO SINGAPORE affected will move to tourism- and regulations have abso- enviromental protection agency, THIS YEAR related industries. Addressing lutely no effect if they are not Secretario Estadual do Meio the South African media follow- enforced. Ambiente, wants organized scuba ing a cabinet meeting, govern- More often than not, a diving within state park boundries. ment spokesperson, Themba change of attitude and educa- They also recognize the value of Maseko, said politicians had tion are much more effective divers visiting the marine park. also approved a social plan to measures to protect the environ- “The fishermen stay out of the provide alternative employment ment. Many countries regard marine park when there are opportunities for legal fishers of scuba divers as their first line divers there. And if there is any the shellfish. of defense against poaching illegal fishing, the divers will report poor people battle for their and illegal harvesting of marine this to us. As we can’t be there everyday existence, and the resources. 24 hours, seven days a week, need to protect the ocean’s The Caribbean island of divers are important in aiding us resources is creating more and Bonaire has gone further than in protecting the park,” says Julio more friction—not only in South most in integrating scuba div- Vellardi, park director at Laje de Africa, but in most parts of the ing as a part of protecting the Santos State Marine Park. world. The people that actu- marine environment. The entire The federal Brazilian Institute ally harvest the marine life are reef system around the island is of Environment and Renewable often expenable pawns in an a national park and has given Natural Resources (IBAMA) wants international trade that supplies this tiny Dutch island an iden- to keep scuba divers out of the the demand from the rich and tity. Their approach on environ- water in some places. IBAMA wealthy—in this case, the South mental protection is a matter of allows the Brazilian navy to use African abalone. The abalone is national pride. the Alcatrazes islands, a bit further prized by gourmets, particularly Sweden has had in effect for north of Laje de Santos, for tar- in Asia, as a delicacy reputed to many years a total ban on any get practice, but has prohibited have aphrodisiac properties. ■ kind of fishing and seafood col- scuba diving! ■ ADEX 2008 18 – 20 APRIL 2008 New Zealand plagued by a series of diving accidents SUNTEC SINGAPORE, HALLS 602 – 603 Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) aging people to practice safe div- people died while diving before the is now urging people to take more ing habits. Then, Water Safety New end of April. The industry standard WWW.ASIADIVEEXPO.COM care while diving during this holiday Zealand statistics showed that five of New Zealand says that all divers season following a series of recent scuba divers and one snorkeler should have a medical exam before diving accidents in the Bay of Plenty, drowned in 2005 in New Zealand embarking on a diving course. The resulting in several fatalities and inju- waters. Between January 1996 and New Zealand Underwater Association ries. December 2005, 47 people drowned (NZUA) website provides information IMAGE BY: GRAME BINT ‘HIGHEST COMMENDATION’ – ADEX PHOTOGRAPHER COMPETITION 2007 Already a year ago, the police of in scuba diving accidents and 20 in on medical conditions in relation to Wellington issued an article encour- snorkeling accidents. In 2006, three diving. www.nzunderwater.org.nz ■ TMX Show Productions Pte Ltd, 1 Raffles Boulevard, Suntec City, Singapore 039593 tmx.com.sg

22 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKSADEX08_XRay.indd SCIEN 1 CE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED1/14/2008 12:04:24 PM Tradition, culture & vibrant reefs

Text by Andrey Bizyukin Photos by Andrey Bizyukin, Text and photographs by Scott Bennett TawaliWulf Koehler, Nikolay Ivanov 23 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Andrey Bizyukin CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Cuttlefish; Spanish dancer; travel Black Jack aircraft from WWII; Nudibranch Tawali After that ordeal, it was a relief to arrive in Port you can even say that about an island which was Moresby—the capitol of our dream destination— already inhabited. In any case, it is the and take our first deep breaths of warm and Spaniard, Don Jorge de Meneses, moist tropical air. Looking around, we noticed who is credited with setting that everyone except us were very dark- the first European foot skinned, yet had what appeared to us to be on these amazing distinct Russian features—the same noses, lands. Here, he met eyes, lips and expressions as some of our the Melanesian relatives and friends, just with more curly hair Aboriginals and and darker skin. The sense of kinship made named us feel right at home. papua New Guinea is the largest island in the world, second only to Greenland,

and the Europeans discovered it in 1526—if N i c k Iv ano v

“You want to go to Papua for your intended depar- Wulf K oe h ler New Guinea?” The ques- ture.” Naturally, we were tion was posed with marked aghast with such a reception “... in human life, we have surprise during our visit to from an official representa- romanticism. It is this that the Australian tive who should brings to humankind God’s Embassy, really be hap- will for us to adventure to which looks pily promoting the other side of commonness. after the inter- the destination, This is the inspiration of the but that didn’t ests of Papua human soul that pushes indi- New Guinea stop us. Being in our coun- possessed of a viduals to great achievements.” try (Russia). sense of cama- — Fridtjof Nansen “You’ll need raderie with the

at least one Wulf K oe h ler great travellers and a half Nudibranch mounts a tunicate and explorers months to get through all the of the past and a persistence paper work and procedures only Olympic champions required to obtain a visa to share, we managed to cut Papua New Guinea. Why through all the red tape and have you already bought air bureaucratic obstacles to, tickets? We don’t think that by the end of it all, make it to it is possible to get all the Papua New Guinea on time.

formalities sorted out in time Koehler W ulf 24 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Tawali

the island There are no species after their curly of ape and monkey on hair. Its present the island but the biodi- name, Papua, versity is profound and comes from still intact. the Melanesian More than a language in thousand Papua- which papuwah Melanesian tribes means curly- speaking 800 local headed. Much languages live here, water has too. It was actually in passed under Papua New Guinea the bridge since that, more than the day of Jorge de 10,000 years ago, Meneses, but scientists land was first cul- A ndrey B i z yukin still refer to Papua New tivated. Long Guinea as a garden of before the Eden. There are more ancestors of than 11,000 species of the present plants, 600 species of day birds, 400 species of amphibians and about N ic k I vanov 100 known species of Europeans LEFT TO RIGHT: Exotic tribal ritual, school of Barracuda, detail close-up of mammals. took to agri- Spotty shark (inset)... Great biodiversity is everywhere, underwater and on land As recently as 2005, culture, Papuans scientists venturing into knew how to grow gave this marvellous place a very exotic heading an expedition black from the jungle—which is still taro roots with which tone. But Papuans are very friendly. From to what was then the nature. completely isolated from they are still cooking the children to old people, they favour chew- most distant point from Their eye- the rest of the world— local dish Mu-mu. ing betel-nuts, which is lightly narcotic modern civilisation— lashes are found 20 new species of The capitol of Papua New stimulant causing them to salivate, which Papua New Guinea. long and amphibians, four new spe- Guinea, Port Moresby, is, causes this appalling red colouration. This Russian traveller, beauti- cies of butterfly and five according to statistics on The first Russian to make a landing on the who had curly hair him- fully curved. new species of palm trees. crime, one of the three most coast of Papua New Guinea was Nikolay self, was fascinated with Breasts of The researchers also found a dangerous cities in the world. Mikluho-Maklay who arrived aboard the the Papuan land and young girls Wulf K oe h ler new rhododendron with huge But for us, who survive the vessel Vitiyas in 1870. Prior to his trip to the Papuan people from Eye of a shark are coni- flowers, an unique species of mar- daily life of Moscow, nothing Papua, he worked as a marine biologist in the moment he first set cal in shape supial (a golden tree kangaroo), a seems out of the ordinary. the Red Sea where he conducted research foot on shore. “Papuan’s caresses are very and stay small and pointed until their first long nosed echidna, and rediscov- The abundance of Papuans on corals, sponges and sharks. And like different,” Maklay noted after his first night breast feeding, and their buttocks are very ered Berlepsch’s six-wired bird of with stylish multicoloured ward- many modern-day divers who often go to with a black island woman. well developed. The men like it very much if paradise, which was believed robes and the appearance of the Red Sea, he came to a point where he Maklay wrote in his field notebook: “The their wives wriggle their back parts as they to be extinct. It is the real “lost having bloody mouths (like would like to see something different. So, Papuan women have smooth skin with walk in such way that one of buttocks should world” of Arthur Conan Doyle. they have just drunk blood) he decided to set out on a new adventure a light-brown hue. Their hair is thick and move to a side exactly with each step.

25 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Anemonefish are usually aggressively defensive about their host anomone but this one doesn’t seem to mind the presence of commensal shrimp (probably Periclemenes Holthuisi) which may Tawali travel act as a cleaner “Here is some Russian spirit.” This happy travelling tale of Mikluho Not surprisingly, the Papuans actually Maklay reflects how the semblance tried to kill the Russian traveller at first, between Russians and Papuans still but after a while, they took to him. He benefits Russian travellers in Papua decided to help the Papuans by pro- New Guinea today. It is in stark contrast viding medical treatment, offering the to some rather unfortunate events that Papuans metal objects and giving use- happened to less fortunate missionaries ful advice. According to tales passed in the past. down through the generations, Maklay Some old Papuans still talk about the told the Papuan forefathers that stone tale of “the inedible feet of white peo- axes were not sharp, but blunt, and ple”. In the beginning, Papuans met Wulf K oe h ler were best thrown away into the forest. cordially with missionaries, but later, Replacing the stone tools, Maklay gave they decided to kill them. Missionaries PNG saw some heavy battles them iron knives and axes. He was the were stabbed to death with spears and during WW2. Diver explores the white Papuan who came to be known eaten in order for the Papuans to take wreck of what seems to be as the “Tamo-russ”, the Russian, or over their force, wisdom and power. Japanese Zero fighter plane “Karran-tamo”, the man from the moon. It was the first time that Papuans, who Koehler Koehler W ulf W ulf 26 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED WET PIXEL QUARTERLY ISSUE #1 WELCOME Y QUARTERLY

PORTFOLIO: NORBERT WU | CONTESTS: DEEP INDONESIA & OUR WORLD-UNDERWATER | SHARK FINNING: PROTECTING THE PREDATOR Wulf K oe h ler travel L R E T www.wetpixelquarterly.com R ISSUE #1 US$15.99 / CAN$17.49 PRINTED IN CANADA Cover image © Magnus Lundgren Cover A

Big eye squirrel fish poses in front of a back- Wulf Koehler drop of ...how many nudibranchs are there?

We stilll spot new ones in this image U Over the years I have concentrated onQuartertly cine and video. Your remarkable almost over- Crab- whelming portfolio of still photography makes me realize what I have missed. e never used shoes, cooked white peo- eye goby ple. But the Papuans didn’t remove the illustrates impact, range of subject, color saturation and virtually all other visual factors transcends

white people’s shoes first. Most parts how any range I can now create with video. And the collection in one publication of World Q of the cooked white people seemed con- Class stills is unprecedented. Keep up the ow of pure gold. Your beautiful publication is tasty enough—except their feet. The fusing an honored keeper in my library. Papuans couldn’t chew their way or intimi- through the shoes. It was just not possi- P.S. And the above is no B.S. dating false ble. Later, the older and wiser Papuans eyespots can be taught the younger ones how to pre- Stan Waterman pare white people in a tasty way. Pioneer underwater lm producer and photographer The journey to Tawali It took just one hour with a small Fokker

( ) PORTFOLIO: NORBERT WU PORTFOLIO: NORBERT WU PORTFOLIO: NORBERT WU ruthlessly edit your images and Diver explores the wreck of a WWII Corsair aircraft. San Clemente Basin, California show only your very best images. Solomon Islands

some examples of images that are my favorites, and even tell you why they are my favorites.

For example the cardinalfish shot commuter plane completely filled with (pg 11); I saw that these Banggai cardinalfish were at Lembeh (Lembeh Straits in Indonesia), so I made a special detour to go back through there to shoot them back in Jan 2005 after coming back from

where I knew a certain subject was All images above ©Norbert Wu there and spent several days trying to get the perfect shot. divers mixed with Papuans, to take us (pg 10) was a difficult shot because of the dusk light. Luckily, a relatively high ISO and Ikelite TTL electronics made this shot possible. In the past, if you bumped up your ISO by using fast film in low-light conditions (or by setting the ISO higher on a digital camera), your flash units would overpower the

to Alotau on the eastern part of Papua flash, which as far as I know is only offered by Ikelite at this time for digital cameras (this was shot this with a Nikon D200 in Ikelite housing).

Lots of planning went into the Antarctic shot of the grounded Underwater observation chamber, McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Originally used to allow biologists to (Chauliodus spp.) chasing observe Weddell seals in their natural habitat, the New Guinea. Another one and half Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) chamber has been used more recently to observe the (Sternoptyx spp). travel towards their spawning grounds. Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia diving behavior of emperor penguins. British Colombia ClipboardPageNumber WETPIXEL ClipboardPageNumber WETPIXEL WETPIXEL ClipboardPageNumber hours of land transport followed taking ClipboardPageNumber WETPIXEL WETPIXEL ClipboardPageNumber ClipboardPageNumber WETPIXEL All images above ©Norbert Wu us out on dirt roads across the jungle OUR WORLD-UNDERWATER: WIDE-ANGLE TRADITIONAL OUR WORLD-UNDERWATER COMPETITION 2007 DEEP INDONESIA 2007: REEFSCAPES In late 2006, Wetpixel.com and DivePhotoGuide.com teamed up again 1ST PLACE: JOIN US at Wetpixel Quarterly, the new with Our World-Underwater to celebrate the beauty and delicacy of the marine environment with the 2nd annual international underwa- Gary Tan Yew Hin ter photography and video competition. Esteemed judges Stephen “The Ray of Life” Frink, Dr. Alexander Mustard, Tony Wu and and Eric Cheng selected winners. Raja Ampat, Indonesia Nikon D100, Aquatica housing, Ikelite SS200 The competition included a category for images that focus on conser- strobe; f5.6, 1/60s, ISO 200

taken by compact digital cameras. on shaky, one-way bridges over wild print magazine devoted to high-quality Winners were announced on stage at the 2007 Our World-Underwater We would like to thank the following sponsors. Without them this competition would not have possible.

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1ST PLACE: Carlos Villoch

Palau 2ND PLACE Nikon N90s, Ikelite housing, Dual Nikonos Giordano Cipriani Each quarter, we pack the pages of our 105 strobes; f16, 1/150s, ISO 200 we moved still further into the coun- Anthias over coral , Red Sea Nikon D2X, Seacam housing, Sea & Sea strobes ; f13, 1/100s, ISO100 publication with brilliant underwater ClipboardPageNumber WETPIXEL tryside. We then arrived at a landing Image above ©Carlos Villoch Images above ©Gary Tan Yew Hin (left) stage on a deserted beach below the imagery from both professional and and Giordano Cipriani (right) dense jungle and were taken aboard amateur photographers around the our next form of transport. Six miles world. more on the night sea and finally we moored in a cosy bay of Tawali. The Spirit of Nuigini dive safari boat operates out of the Tawali resort To subscribe, visit www.wetpixelquarterly.com, or call +1-415-449-1456

27 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Close but not too close, please. An epaulette Tawali travel shark keeps an wary eye on the Tawali underworld approaching diver It is finally time for our first dive: We take a giant stride off the side step of the boat and immerse ourselves Yellow sponges in the deep blue unknown sea light up the reef around us.

A ndrey B i z yukin visibility is about 20 meters. We were told us that normal visibility should be around 30 meters. we descended along rocks cov- ered with huge sponges in all shapes and sizes. It is not necessary to drop down into the alluring abyss—all the underwater attractions are found in depths shallower than 40 owners of this meters. place There are plenty of can- —the two famous yons and underwater caves underwater photographers, Bob between the reefs and rocks. Hollis and Rob Vanderloos, came Corals, sponges and fishes like out to greet us. “Tawali means ‘reef’ in the local totems on the The mouth of a giant clam looks language,” they started to explain. columns pro- going like an abstract artwork “We came here a few years ago. tect Tawali’s guests. vessel, fast and It was a quiet bay set in a frame- There is a spacious hall for guests, steady on the ocean work оf limestone rocks mixed with pictures on the walls, and all the swells. We ordered Nitrox fills for basalts covered by primordial jun- rooms are equipped with all the our cylinders and a big tank of fresh gle. We were instantly charmed modern conveniences as well as water for our underwater cameras. by the beauty of this amazing cosy balconies, which overlook the Diving is excellent everywhere in place. And when we dived here, peaceful bay. There is even a sat- the bay, in the open ocean, in the Wulf K oe h ler we realised, being underwater ellite dish and Wi-Fi for connecting strong currents as well as close by photographers, that we had stum- to the outer world if you so desire. the local rocks where you can find bled across a rare treasure. The It is like a white man’s dream of a a virtual fish soup of sharks. biodiversity, concentration and tropical paradise size of the underwater life and ani- for which reason mals were unique and astounding. Rob decided to We had not seen such miracles become a Papua anywhere else. That was why we New Guinea decided to build our hotel exactly citizen and com- on this spot, even if it is so remote, pletely devoted far from civilization.” himself to Tawali. Two hundred people from the local villages worked a full year to Diving build this miracle of wooden archi- Diving in Tawali tecture. Houses on poles rise out of takes place from the tropical bush. Local colouring the comfortable and creative components of the day boat Tawali Papuan spirit and the local tribes Explorer, which is are reflected abundantly in the equipped with a magical wooden sculptures. There big dive deck six are huge sea crocodiles, wooden meters wide. It is masks and canoes. And the tribes’ a genuine ocean- Down “ Luxurious daily dive boat Tawali ”

28 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Tawali were delighted with the photographs they us and had little choice than to cling took and what they saw on their dives. onto a head of corals while we, in a mix- The many woes that have affected coral ture of horror and exhilaration, watched reefs in other parts of the world seem not the sharks in a feeding frenzy. to have affected Papua New Guinea yet. Our adrenaline levels went off the In Tawali, it seems appropriate not to speak charts, and all the problems in the world just of coral gardens but of coral jungles. were suddenly put into a new and dif- “There is a jungle both above and below ferent perspective. There is nothing like the surface,” was the spontaneous a little excitement to clear your mind. delightful comment of my dive buddy. The blood is rushing in one’s veins while It is not like a “fish soup” either, but watching these perfect ocean more like a “fish stew”. creatures first hand. It is a common belief that Papua New Guinea is a para- The well-camouflaged dise for macro photographers. waspfish is almost There is an abundance of nudi- translucent when branchs and worms of every backlit. imaginable colour and size, brightly coloured prawns in rain- bow drapes, pygmy sea horses, tiny gobies, crawfish and many other charming creatures many of which are species new to sci- ence. But Tawali is also the place for connois- Wulf K oe h ler seurs of big pelagics. You can dive in the to hide there. We blind them with our bright LED strong currents and torches while taking our first shots. feed sharks in open It was really spectacular to get into one of the seas—just don’t caves and watch from the inside how the sun forget to mount rays played with the light and shadows around your wide-angle the cave entrance. lense. we appreciated the splendid organization of A ndrey B i z yukin the diving and the extra attention given to the underwater photographers from the first day. The dive guides not only followed us discretely, but they also pointed out to us the most inter- esting habitants of the sea. We were given the optimal opportunities to focus on exposure and picture composi- tion. This enhanced our Already on Wulf K oe h ler photographic effec- our next dive, Papua’s seas are full of unique life. LEFT TO RIGHT: wild tiveness on each dive we accidental- dolphin; school of batfish; a blenny peeks out from inside many times over. ly violated the div- a featherstar (inset); I don’t recall any ing regulations they other trip where it have here. We forgot NEXT PAGE: View of a magical sunset from the Tawali was possible to take the rule about not touching anything observation deck; Colourful nudibranch and tiny shrimp; so many great shots. underwater because we found ourselves Guests congregate on the observation deck (inset) All the photographers in a strong current with sharks all around Wulf K oe h ler 29 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED “We got food from boiled taro. I asked: Do local people use spe- cial tapir (Papua New Guinea plates) for human meat. They said no. They told me that human meat was boiled in the usual pots and given to guests in the same tapirs. And only because they offered me no meat today, was I sure that this was not human“ —Nikolay Mikluho-Maklay

It was an unique experience that will stay with us forever. Diving with sharks is the pinnacle of diving, and we were happy to participate in this underwater show in the Papuan sea. Bob and Rob told us that one famous photographer from National Geographic called Tawali one of the best dive sites of the world, and he did most of his shots just at one dive site less than 15 minutes from the hotel. Therefore, the next day we decided to head for this “famous” dive-site, which was close to a cracked rock. The underwater landscape was made up of rocks that had rolled down on a shallow sunlit plateau with a verti- cal reef wall divided by canyons. Only half an hour into the dive we came across a plethora of different forms of

Wulf Koehler A ndre y B i zy u k in A ndre y B i zy u k in 30 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Nikolay Miklukho-Maklay (1846-1888) first came to Papua New Guinea in 1871 and he returned travel to New Guinea island four more times. His eth- Tawali nographic and anthropological experiment was unique for the time. Even now some peo- ple of the Bay of Austrolabe on Maklay Coast use Russian words such as topor (axe)! A ndre y B i zy u k in

FAR LEFT AND ABOVE: Scull caves

The jungle and disasters. Cannibalism was out- To come to Papua New Guinea and lawed by the government about one not visit the jungle would be like just hundred years ago. Although, from lying on the sofa and watching an time to time, some travellers who are adventure channel on TV. Surely we just a little too adventurous or brave had to go into the real thing and see for their own good, disappear in the the jungle life and people with our local mountains. But incidences like underwater landscapes and unique photo own eyes. these are quite rare. subjects ranging from macro to wide Since the beginning of time, Jungle inhabitants now hide skulls in angle. Papuans were cannibals and fought caves, and for 30 kina, you can visit we saw nudibranchs, turtles, a school to get human meat for cooking. Skulls one of these caves close to Tawali. of barracudas, huge groupers, fascinating of killed and eaten enemies were It is a huge dark cavern with stalac- anemones, grottos and canyons, fire cor- kept in the victors’ tites and about 500 skulls stacked in als, fans and the biggest gorgonia I have houses, to several heaps. Our guide picks ever seen, about five meters in diameter. protect the liv- up the skulls without a second This was sheer and undiluted pleasure. ing from ailments thought and poses for the what places Tawali in a league of its own is the closeness and availability of so many Japanese tank—a astounding dive sites, which will satisfy the reminder of ambitions of even the most demanding the Japanese diver. Here, the photographer will find both occupation during the understanding of the photographer’s WWII requirements and the advantage of a comfortable hotel combined with a good safari boat. There is no need to spend all your time, day and night, out on a stormy sea. All the various dive sites are within comfortable reach with a day boat. And in the evening, after an exciting dive day, it is good to have a rest on land, review your shots and discuss tomorrow’s plans in the comfort of a 5-star hotel located in a jungle on the edge of civilization. Andrey Bizyukin Wulf K oe h ler 31 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Tawali travel A ndrey B i z yukin

The dive boats offer comfortable rides and spacious dive platforms

Contrasts meet. The delicate structure of a tunicate versus the brute muscular power of a patrolling reef shark Wulf K oe h ler

Welcome to the beautiful Tawali world! A ndrey B i z yukin Wulf Koehler A true mood-enhancer. Pod of playful wild dolphins adds to the local bright and cheery hospitality

camera as if there was nothing to it. with Bob Hollis and Rob Vanderloos attention to getting the best underwa- Tawali, you will probably be pleased to Some of the skulls have holes testifying enjoying the vista of a fiery sunset, ter photographers of the world here, know that Papua New Guinea airlines to the sudden and brutal death of the comfortably seated with a glass of which is why he is going to start provid- permit divers an extra 15kg in luggage. previous owner. A blunt force trauma Australian wine in hand, and watching ing the servicing of underwater hous- But at the same time, they will prob- is the term I think is used for ings in Tawali. ably cancel a flight or remove your this type of death in modern “The Papuans are staying close to my partly we came out of the jungle booking for at least one leg of the forensics. back to the sea. A big group journey, and for an indefinite time, lose The guide tells us that destroyed shack, fearing ‘Tamo-russ’ (Russian peo- of about 30 dolphins came your luggage. cannibalism is already his- ple) … they call to me from afar their last ‘Emme- to meet us. It seemed like But don’t get too worried about tory, but local people still me’ and ‘E-aba-e’; and when the clipper moves fur- they were very enthusiastic these trivialities. A journey to Papua discretely remove skulls and and welcoming and wanted New Guinea is a great adventure, take them back to their ther away, the beating of the ‘barum’ (big drum), to see us off. We took our which leaves nobody indifferent. It is houses. Old ways die hard, informs the villagers that the man from the moon last shots and prepared our- better to take these small problems in and apparently some tradi- selves mentally for our long stride than to forsake what is possibly tions still exist. They do it to has left Papua” — Nikolay Mikluho-Maklay journey back to civilization on one of the few remaining opportunities find protection against all sorts the opposite side of the planet, to dive in a magical underwater world of disasters, protection in the remains the Southern Cross rise up on the night which now lies ahead of us. It is time in one of last frontiers between truly of enemies killed by their courageous sky. Bob told us about his big plans to to rush to the aircraft. But the dolphins wild nature and modern civilization, ancestors perhaps hundreds of years open a facility for technical diving and don’t have to be in a hurry; they can which seems to be destroying every- ago. rebreather classes, which would be play endlessly in the wonderful coastal thing. You won’t regret it, and you will After a couple of days of very the first on Papua New Guinea. But first waters off Tawali. never forget this romantic journey. ■ delightful diving, we sat on the porch of all, they were going to pay special If you are coming this way and visit Wulf K oe h ler 32 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED NASA WORLD WIND NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN Equator RIGHT: Location of SOUTH Papua New Guinea on New PACIFIC Ireland OCEAN world map Wewak Bismarck Sea Rabaul FAR RIGHT: Map of Mount Madang fact file Papua New Guinea Wilhelm New Tawali Kieta and its islands Mount Britain

INDONESIA Goroka Hagen Lae Bougainville New Guinea Solomon Gulf of PORT Sea Daru Papua MORESBY SOLOMON ISALNDS

Torres source: US STATE DEPT & world fact book Strait AT WWW.cia.GOV History Archeologists have New Guinea which is the sec- takes place in May to October; govern- found evidence that indicates the ond largest in the world, was there are slight seasonal tempera- ment Coral Sea arrival of humans on New Guinea divided between the UK (south) ture variations. Natural hazards: relaxed sion- about 60,000 years ago, most and Germany (north). The UK’s active volcanoes; PNG is situated spending ary AUSTRALIA likely by sea from Southeast Asia area was transferred to Australia along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”; constraints in 2006 Soci- during an ice age when distances in 1902. In World War I, Australia frequent and sometimes severe and 2007 as elections ety 8%, An- between islands was shorter. occupied the northern region earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis. approached. Challenges facing glican 5%, Evan- Most likely, the first Europeans to and continued to administer the the government include regain- gelical Alliance site New Guinea were Spanish combined areas until independ- Environmental issues defor- ing investor confidence, restoring 4%, Seventh-Day and Portuguese navigators sail- ence in 1975. In 1997, some 20,000 estation of rainforests as a result of integrity to state institutions, pro- Adventist 1%, other ing in the South Pacific in the lives were claimed by the end growing commercial demand for moting economic efficiency by Protestant religions early 16th century. Don Jorge of a nine-year secessionist revolt tropical timber; pollution from min- privatizing moribund state institu- 10%, indigenous de Meneses accidentally found on the island of Bougainville. ing; severe drought. PNG is party tions, and balancing relations with beliefs 34%. Inter- the main island In 1526-27. He is Government: constitutional par- to the following agreements: Ant- its former colonial ruler, Australia. net users: 110,000 credited with naming it “Papua,” liamentary democracy with legal arctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate There is also a worsening HIV/AIDS (2006) after a Malay term for the curly system based on English common Change, Climate Change-Kyoto epidemic and chronic issues in hair of the Melanesians. In law; PNG has not accepted com- Protocol, Desertification, Endan- law and order and land tenure. Languages 1545, a Spaniard, Íñigo Ortiz de pulsory ICJ jurisdiction. Capital: gered Species, Environmental More than $300 million in aid will Melanesian Pidgin Retes, applied the term “New Port Moresby Modification, Hazardous Wastes, come from Australia in FY07/08. serves as the lingua Guinea” to the island because Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, This accounts for nearly 20% of franca, English he thought the islands’ people Geography PNG is made up Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pol- the national budget. Natural spoken by 1%-2%, looked similar to those found on of a group of islands in Oceania. lution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical resources: gold, copper, silver, Motu spoken in Pa- the African Guinea coast. It includes the eastern half of the Timber 94, Wetlands natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries. pua region. There Europeans contin- ued island of New Guinea east of Agriculture: coffee, cocoa, copra, are 820 indigenous to visit and Indonesia, between the South Economy Papua New Guinea palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, languages spoken explore Pacific Ocean and the Coral Sea. has an abundance of natural sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, in PNG, which is the It shares the island of New Guinea resources, but rugged terrain and vanilla; shell fish, poultry, pork. over one-tenth of with Indonesia and has one of the the high cost of developing infra- Industries: copra crushing, palm oil the world’s total. islands world’s largest swamps along the structure has hampered develop- processing, plywood production, and their southwest coast. Its area is slightly ment. 85% of the population prac- wood chip production; mining of Telephone services are not Decompression Chamber coastlines for larger than California. Coordi- tice agriculture subsistence living. gold, silver, and copper; crude oil widely available; fixed-line and Melanesian Hyperbaric Services the next 170 nates: 6 00 S, 147 00 E. Coastline: Mineral deposits provide almost production, petroleum refining; mobile-cellular telephone density P. O. Box 111, Jacksons Airport years. In 1885, 5,152 km. Terrain: mostly moun- two-thirds of export earnings. That construction, tourism. is less than 3 telephones per 100 Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea the eastern tainous with rolling foothills and includes copper, gold, and oil. Emergencies: 6930305 or 6931202 half of the coastal lowlands. Lowest point: The government of Prime Minister Population 5,795,887 (July 2007 Health Very high degree of risk (ISDC: 675) [email protected] island of Pacific Ocean 0 m. Highest point: SOMARE, the first prime minister est.). Below poverty: 37% (2002 of food or waterborne diseases Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m ever to serve a full five-year term, est.). Ethnic groups: Melanesian, such as bacterial and protozoal Web Sites occupies itself with remaining in Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, diarrhoea, hepatitis A and typhoid PNG Tourism Climate tropical; northwest power. While it has brought stabil- Polynesian. Religions: Roman fever. Vector borne diseases such www.png-tourism.com monsoon takes place in Decem- ity to the national budget mainly Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Pres- as dengue fever and malaria are About PNG on Lonely Planet ber to March; southeast monsoon through expenditure control, the byterian/Methodist/London Mis- high risks in some locations (2007) www.lonelyplanet.com

33 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED 34 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 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 Sherwood SR for length, clarity and style. Links are active at the time of publication The SR utilizes a pneumati- point & click cally balanced second on bold links stage, with a two-piece flow-through first stage pis- ton for precise balance and intermediate pressure control. Gee Whiz The first stage is environmentally sealed featuring a dry-sealed spring chamber, two high Edited by pressure ports, five low Arnold Weisz pressure ports on a 360 degree swivel and is Equipment compatible with a yoke or DIN attach- ment. The second stage contains a SMART demand lever and float- ing crown which reacts to depressuriza- tion and relieves the load on the seat, extending seat life while promoting consistent performance. www.sherwoodscuba.com N2ition Zeagle Introduces New N2ition Dive Digital Computer. Zeagle has released its newest com- Mask Nanospotter puter, the N2itition. The Liquid Image Digital Underwater The Spotter is ultra compact This user-friendly nitrox Camera is aimed at those who and makes use of five super computer features want to snap underwater but don’t bright LED bulbs, powered by an expansive want to splash the cash on really four AAA batteries, which last up to 60 screen, big bold expensive camera kit. Costing hours at maximum output. Unlike the Scooter vest data digits, handy around the 100 US-dollars this old chemical “Stick Lights” the Nano screen prompts mask lets you record both Spotter is environmentally friendly Apollo vehicles weigh up to three and three control video and still images thanks and re-usable. This specially pounds in water. The new 5mm black neo- buttons that take any to the upto 5-megapixel designed and unique multi- prene vest helps protect cover and light- confusion out of navigat- camera that’s placed just purpose LED Light application ens the load. Designed for use with any ing the options and set- above the nosebrigde of comes with small colored Apollo scooter, the vest attaches with tings. Three color coded the mask. The lenses are plastic discs allowing for Velcro and can be used with or without bar graphs provide at-a- complete with crosshairs that various lighting options. a saddle. AV-2 owners will appreci- glance tracking of ascent help you focus your under- The Nano Spotter is per- ate the integrated viewing area for rate, nitrogen loading and water shots. The camera fect for diver identification battery level indicator. Black 5mm oxygen exposure. The N2ition has comes with an internal 16MB memory, during night dives, cave neoprene vest attaches with vel- the ability to handle two nitrox and an external microSD card slot. The dives, wreck dives and cro. A vehicle weighs1.5-3lbs mixes on a single dive. You can camera and mask combination is avail- allows for easy identification in water (varies with battery program it to calculate your sta- able in both a 3.1 and a 5.0 MP version. in any group situation. type). Use of vest helps pro- tus on a 21 to 50 percent mix for The shutter press is located on the top www.fantasea.com tect cover and lightens the your bottom work and 21 to 99 of the goggles, so as you see something load. OK for use with saddle. percent mix for decompression. you want to capture you simply push Able to view battery levels The N2ition uses a Modified the button. www.liquidimageco.com on AV-2 without removing Buhlmann algorithm (12 tissue cover. www.diveapollo.com compartments). www.zeagle.com

35 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Via Press release Atomic Aquatics mask wins prestigeous red dot design award Elastek wetsuit The BARE Elastek from BARE Sportswear The Frameless Mask is a piece of scuba diving equipment combines a new material with ana- designed to maximise visibility under water, as well as to tomically correct patterning and 3D minimise the use of materials and parts in its manufac- shape, components like a color- ture. Its functional and aesthetic ergonomic design is Still going matched G-lock zipper and graph- the result of efforts to create a universal visual style for Like a Porsche 911 some ics to produce a full-stretch suit. The the Frameless Mask. great designs BARE Elastek wetsuit line consists of a never go out of 3, 5 and 7mm fullsuit with an option- fashion. al 7mm overvest for both men and Next gen- women. It comes in 15 sizes for men eration of and 13 sizes for women. Mares best- www.baresportswear.com 2008 DUI DOG Rally & Demo Tour selling fin - Diving Unlimited International (DUI) the Quattro is has released the dates for the announced to Recall 2008 DUI DOG Rally & Demo Tour. hit the shelves Celebrating its 11th Anniversary, in March. ROMI Recalls Scuba Regulators this event has allowed tens of www.mares.com Due to Drowning Hazard thousands of divers to experience the joy of drysuit diving and some of the products that DUI has in its The U.S. Consumer Product range. About 125 to 350 divers test Safety Commission, in coop- diving DUI equipment each week- eration with ROMI Enterprises, end during the event. DUI has announced on Dec. 11, 2007, a designing a new 38-foot trailer to voluntary recall of the Oceanic hold even more equipment. and AERIS scuba Regulator First Stages. Consumers should At each event you may expect: stop using recalled products • Meet Industry Leaders and DUI immediately unless otherwise Factory Professionals instructed. An internal com- • Free Collectors Edition DUI TEST GPS Tracker ponent that seals air between DIVER Hat The Trackstick II Personal GPS Tracker records the high-pressure first stage • Educational Seminars & its own location, time, date, speed, head- and the intermediate-pressure Presentation by Divers Alert ing and altitude at preset intervals. With second stage can fail. This can Network over 1Mb of memory, it can store months result in uncontrolled flow of air • Free Barbecue Lunch of travel information. The Trackstick is the to the diver and pose a risk of • JUST FOR DOGs! Test Dive a DUI perfect tool for individuals looking for a serious injury or death. Delta BCS and get a FREE T-Shirt way to track anything that moves. Use it For further information or to • Join Us Saturday Night for Dinner for recording the exact routes you take determine if your specific unit and Program with Raffle Prizes when hiking, biking or vacationing. is affected, contact ROMI toll- Record the location of everywhere you free at (888) 636-9390 between For more info, dates and locations went, import pictures and other infor- 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific for the event visit: mation into Google™ Earth to offer sQuba - an Time, Monday through Friday. www.dui-online.com an entirely new perspective of your Oceanic customers can send journey. Includes GPX photo stamp- Underwater Car an e-mail to service@oceani- ing feature for adding your favorite cusa.com or visit the firm’s web photos to your own maps. Okay, who wants a car that site at www.oceanicworldwide. www.earthgizmos.com drives underwater? I’m cer- com. AERIS customers can tain every hand is going up as send an e-mail to info@dive- Rinspeed has actually made a car aeris.com or visit the firm’s web called the sQuba that can turn you site at www.diveaeris.com. into Captain Nemo, motorist. www.rinspeed.com

36 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED silver

cinema of dreams

www.seacam.com

37 X-RAY MAG : 20 : 2007 whales & Interaction with humans Speak Dolphinish? dolphins shapes dolphin noises An Australian researcher has Dolphins appear to change their vocalisations depending on their discovered that certain whistles physical and social environments of bottlenose dolphins are linked and level of human interaction to specific behaviour. such as feeding, new research Edited by by a University of Queensland, PhD candidate Liz Hawkins from Southern Peter Symes Australia student, Melinda Cross University’s Whale Research Centre & Simon Kong Rekdahl shows. spent three years listening to more than 50 different pods of dolphins. Using the Miss Rekdahl studied about 120 starting and final frequency of the sound dolphins from groups of wild dol- and its duration, she distinguished 186

Peter S ymes phins in Moreton Bay, captive distinct whistle types among the 1650 dolphins at Seaworld and provi- recorded, of which 20 were common to sioned dolphins at Tangalooma more than one pod. Ms Hawkins said the Wild Dolphin Resort. She spent sounds were not evidence of a language How Marine Mammals Avoid two weeks with each dolphin but showed the dolphins were communi- group and recorded hundreds cating “context-specific information”. of hours of dolphin noises such as burst pulses and clicks and ten ”A specialist in linguistics would not call Brain Damage From Low Oxygen hours of whistles. this a language,” she said. ”They are wild “Captive and provisioned dol- animals and generally wild animals only Specific proteins found in the But the idea did not stand up to closer they also wonder whether these proteins phins whistled more than the wild make sounds or transmit information brains of marine mammals may scrutiny. Despite adaptations such as hold clues to brain health and aging. dolphins while feeding with cap- that is essential to their survival. be behind their ability to stay higher capillary density and blood flow Whales are known to live for as long as tive dolphins showing the highest It suggests their commu- that could be shunted preferentially to two centuries. Perhaps these globins play rate of whistles,” Miss Rekdahl nication is a lot more underwater for long periods the brain, blood oxygen levels still plum- a part. said. “Feeding was the behaviour complex than what without suffering oxygen depri- met after just a few minutes underwater. most influenced by humans in the was generally vation. “What was remarkable was the level of captive and provisioned environ- thought.” ■ Instead, it turns out that marine mam- variability we found,” said lead author ment.” ■ SOURCE: THE DAILY Our brains need constant oxygen. So mals have high levels of certain oxygen- Terrie Williams, professor of ecology and TELEGRAPH why can certain mammals dive under- carrying proteins called neuroglobins evolutionary biology. “Some animals had water for up to 90 minutes without and cytoglobins, residing in the brain three to ten times more neuroprotect- blacking out? The standing hypothesis tissue. In an article just published in ing type globins than others. These wild 12 Species of whale was that they possessed some hitherto the Proceedings of the Royal Society, species may hold many clues about and dolphin found in unknown physical capabilities to either researchers at the University of California how to turn on protective mechanisms in store or deliver more oxygen to the brain. at Santa Cruz describe the quantity of the mammalian brain to protect it from Pakistan’s waters these special oxygen-carrying proteins conditions of low oxygen, also called Led by an expert from the United across 16 mammal species. The swimmers hypoxia.” Kingdom, a Pakistani research had significantly higher levels, up to ten team has for the first time times as much as those who live on land. Treating strokes identified and recorded Evidence points to cytoglobins playing a The discovery could have important the presence of 12 spe- role in moving oxygen out of the blood implications for understanding stroke and cies of marine dolphins stream and into the brain, even when aging in humans, according to Williams. and whales in the Sindh- oxygen levels are very low. Neuroglobins, It’s not yet clear whether it is environ- Balochistan waters. The on the other hand, appear to be able to mental stimuli that affect the production identified species include grab reactive oxygen and prevent the of globins but the amounts appear to be five dolphin species, formation of destructive free radicals. malleable. That’s promising because if one porpoise species, globin production could be boosted in two species of the Researchers don’t know if certain ani- humans, then brain damage due to dis- toothed whale and mals are born with higher brain globins ease or aging could potentially be mini- four species of the or whether they develop over time. And mized. ■ Source: University of California baleen whale. ■ NOAA 38 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED whales & dolphins US judge limits marine Japan Agrees to Suspend Its military sonar in California A US federal judge has set limits for the use of marine sonar by the military in California, a practice environmentalists Hunt of Humpback Whales have long accused of putting sea life in danger. Japan has agreed not to whales at least until after the vest. Whales experience a wide Judge Florence-Marie Cooper issued hunt humpback whales dur- next annual meeting of the range of threats including the an injunction barring the Navy from ing its annual whale hunt that IWC, slated for June. This year, unintended interaction with fish- using mid-frequency active sonar when is underway in the seas off Japan was planning to tar- eries, ship strikes, pollution, plas- marine mammals are within 2,200 Antarctica. US Commerce get 50 humpback whales for tic debris, and habitat loss. ■ meters and requiring it to monitor the Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez the first time in its Antarctic SOURCE: NOAA area for an hour to ensure no marine life applauded the decision and research program along with is in harm’s way. Hector’s and Maui’s said it was an act of good- 50 fin whales and up to 935 Happy whale? however, Cooper allowed the military dolphins still left will towards the International minke whales. In 1986, the IWC North Pacific humpback whale to use the equipment within 20 kilom- Whaling Commission. placed a moratorium on com- breaches eters of the coast, rejecting environ- unprotected Japanese officials said mercial hunting to allow species mentalists’ demands for a 40 kilometer they would postpone of whales to recover exclusion zone. The New Zealand government has the harvest of from decades The National Resources Defense delayed a final decision on how best humpback of over har- Council, which led the environmental- to protect one of the world’s rarest dol- ists’ suit, called the decision a victory, phins. while the Navy said it planned to review the decision. Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins are among Marine life advocates have argued the rarest in the world, with as few as 8,000 since 2005 that the use of Navy sonars Hector’s left. DOC monitoring shows 23 Hector was endangering whales’ lives by caus- and four Maui dolphins have died in the past ing them to become disoriented and year, some after becoming tangled in nets. stranded on beaches. ■ SOURCE: TERRA DAILY The government had been looking at bringing in permanent restrictions on set nets in areas where the dolphins are found. The New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries says Walrus Habitat is Melting Away it has had more than 2,000 public submis- sions on the management plan for the Global warming is melting The Arctic sea ice has plummeted to its mammals and wants more time to away the sea ice in Alaska lowest levels since 1979. Research suggests consider them. that experts fear their efforts to that diminished sea ice and warmer water Forest and Bird says it’s good save the walrus, polar bears and may decrease plankton, which are food for the ministry is taking public ice seals are in vain. Every sum- creatures on the bottom, which in turn are feedback seriously, but it’s mer, 3,000 to 4,000 young eaten by walruses. If the walrus population disappointing another walrus die in stampedes stays within 30 miles of shore in summers, deadline will not be when they are stranded they could over harvest the avail- met. ■ on land instead of sea able food. ■ SOURCE: sott.net SOURCE: ONE News ice. This diminishing piece of ice located on the Russian side of the Chukchi Sea is forc- ing the walrus to stay on coastlines putting pressure on nearby foraging areas NOAA instead of feeding in the rich waters offshore.

39 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED pearls of the mediterranean Italy’s Elba About Napoleon & Sunfishes

Pearls of the Mediterranean: Porto Azzurro, Isola d’Elba, Italy

Porto Azzurro is on the south eastern edge of the third biggest Italian island, Elba. It is the first destination in ourPearls of the Mediterranean series, upon which we would like your eyes to feast. Elba is only about 10 kilometres off from the coast of Italy and is the biggest island of the Tuscan archipelago. Although the island thrives on tourism nowadays, the small seaports on its 150 kilometres of coastline are not yet over-run by mass tourism. Porto Azzurro—the blue harbour—is the pearl of this island.

wolfgang pölzer

Text by Harald Apelt Photos by Harald Apelt & Wolfgang Pölzer

It was not a “big hello”... There were now had to be satisfied with being no red carpets, and when the new a small Bonaparte for the rest of his sovereign of the princedom of Elba life on one of the loveliest islands in entered his island at the island-capital the Mediterranean. He was allowed of Portoferraio, most of the 10,000 to keep his title of “Emperor” and to inhabitants of Elba didn’t take any keep a personal guard of 600 men. notice of this historical date. The new Finally, he received an annual pension sovereign was a Frenchman facing of two million francs. Although he was his new future on this wonderful green nominally the sovereign of Elba, the island nestled off the Italian coastline. island was watched (more or less) by It was a Tuesday afternoon on the British naval patrols. 3rd of May, 1814, when Napoleon I well, most of us know how the story Bonaparte, former emperor of France, ends—Napoleon returned to Paris after reached Elba upon an English frigate only ten months of restless “holidays” and set his first steps on the island. away from international policy and Following the treaty of Fontaine- battlefields. He had another 100 days bleau, the French emperor was exiled at the head of his army until he finally to Elba after his forced abdication lost his last battle at Waterloo on June on the 2nd of April, 1814. No longer 18th, 1815. This time, in October 1815, a big wig in Europe anymore, he he was exiled to the not half as nice WOLFGANG PÖLZER

Porto Azurro 40 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Business as always, pearls of the a fisherman is repairing his nets Ria Marina, a picturesque village in the north of Elba Elba mediterranean under King Philipp III, the fortress, San Giacomo di Longone, which was placed on a protruding peninsula of land, has overlooked the harbour and Barbarossa Bay. This wonderful building, unfortunately, is not often visited these days because it is used as a national prison. Markus’ dive center is the only building at Barbarossa Beach. He owns a small pier, which is the starting point for all the daily dive expeditions on the two full metal diving boats, the Matteo Sandro and the Sisto. Both boats are specially constructed for diving. The flagshipMatteo Sandro, at 13.5

harald apelt metres in length, is a fully equipped island of St. Helena in the south Atlantic, and quite where he died only six years later. comfortable Maybe his life would have taken vessel a better turn if he had been more with a interested in the beauty of the island of his first exile. Certainly, Napoleon Bonaparte was not really interested in seamanship, and of course, he didn’t know anything about diving. This is probably the reason why the resigned emperor saw only half of Elba’s paradise! harald apelt Omnisub wolfgang pölzer Dive Center speak fluent anything else Markus Schempp is a Italian, and too heavy German dive instructor Markus has in the diving sundeck and the owner of become a very business, requiring too for “apres dive” sun Omnisub Dive Center keen driver of his much muscle power to bathing and enough space for at Porto Azzurro. He was “Ape”—an ugly be burdened by in the heat groups of divers on the short daily not exiled to Elba but little three-wheeled of a typical Italian summer. diving trips. discovered this place with mixture of a “cabin- Markus’ dive center is located at the The Sisto is about 3.5 metres shorter his Croatian wife, Mirjana, motorcycle-van-car”. This vehicle is the Barbarossa Bay just 15 minutes walking and has space for ten divers. It is more than ten years ago. modern Italian replacement for the distance from Porto Azzurro harbour. It is mostly used by diving groups or They decided to stay here donkey. It really has nothing to do with a nice walk, which everyone who visits dive clubs. With this boat, they can in order to begin a new apes, but with busy bees, which is what this picturesque seaport should do. customize their individual daily diving life with their dive center. the Italian word “ape” means. It is fun porto Azzurro, thus named in 1947, plans beyond the regular diving Since then, Markus and driving an “Ape”, even if you are not was called Porto Longone in former schedules. Mirjana have learned to transporting dive-tanks, weight belts or times. Since its days of Spanish rule Both boats have a power wolfgang pölzer harald apelt 41 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED pearls of the Elba mediterranean a few seconds, these huge, lazy and dull looking animals take up an unbelievable speed and disappear into the deep blue. There is just one wolfgang pölzer thing that is missing around Porto Azzurro swimmers at the southeastern to make it a perfect part of the island. But neoprene- dive destination—a wreck. coated divers aren’t Around Elba, there are quite a bothered by this curiosity of lot of wrecks to be found but in w olfgang pö l z er nature. However, irritation depths that are out of range for for divers does come recreational divers. from some really huge however, to make everybody carpets of filamentous happy, there is a really nice algaes, which completely wreck on Elba accessible even cover the sea bottom for sport divers. Unfortunately, at some of the dive you’ll have to exchange the sites during the comfortable boat ride on the summer. Matteo Sandro for a 40-minute There is car-ride to the other side of the another island. My advice, make that phenomenon trip. Take your dive equipment which happens and go to the southwestern during summer coast of Elba. There, you will find

wolfgang pölzer months when a small village called Pomonte. the surface water Thirty- five years ago, temperature is warm the cargo noaa and the sun ship compressor on board, as well as weight are close to the coastline, so that 40 metres. The good vis allows for is constantly belts and dive tanks. No diver likes to the longest ride to a dive spot takes a fantastic view of the diverse shining. carry these items before and after a just a little more than 40 topography of these Mediterranean Divers have dive. With Sisto, this equipment can minutes. The rocky dive sites. reported stay on board for the duration of coastline of the Canyons and caverns, fields of big extended your diving vacation. island continues rocks and breath-taking wall diving— encounters

into the deep my favourite spot for night dives—offer with sunfishes, w olfgang pö l z er Diving blue under quite a lot of adventures, even for keen which seem to All the the surface. divers. Sea fans and colour changing enjoy the escort dive Most of the red and yellow corals can be seen of the divers. sites dive spots are continuously. Morays, conger eels, Sometimes they between 15 spiny lobsters, octopus, baracudas and have even been and 40 metres even big groupers can be found by found sleeping depth and the Omnisub divers on their daily diving on the surface. have mostly trips. But if you get too good visibility Sometimes, during the recent close to them, of unusually hot summers of the their instincts kick 20 to Mediterranean, big populations in and their alarm- of nettle jellyfishes have angered clock goes off. Within

harald apelt 42 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED pearls of the Elba mediterranean

harald apelt

The dive center Omnisub Elba has a private pier for its dive vessels Sisto on the left and Matteo Sandro on the right.

wolfgang pölzer A day of diving at the Elviscott crashed on the small rocks depth of only 14 metres, during an Pomonte wreck and a long located 200 metres away from extended one-tank-dive. It’s just a exploratory tour of the island Pomonte beach. It sustained machine 200-metre snorkel trip from the beach to of Elba can only be finished damage and sunk directly at the rock. the left side of the island rocks. You will with a good Tuscan red

Now, it is one of Pomonte’s attractions. not be able to fail this wreck. H ARALD A P ELT wine and an Italian pizza. Even while snorkelling, you can have If you are on the car once again on I know that many of our Matteo Sandro, owner of Omnisub Elba your wreck experience there, and your 30-kilometre trip back to Porto readers believe they know gives a dive briefing scuba divers can explore this wreck Azzurro, you should use the chance to what it means to have a nearly completely, at a maximum add some more kilometres to your trip real Italian pizza with a great and discover the other, northern side of If you are looking for more glass of red wine. But let Elba. Narrow and winding roads lead adventure, you can enter Monte me elaborate... I am talking you around Monte Capanne, which is Capanne by foot. It’s a nice but not about sitting together with 1019 metres tall and the highest hill of so easy trek of about four hours. But at friends on a warm summer the island. Fantastic views are offered the station on the top of the hill you, night, outside, with a great at several sightseeing points. And if will be rewarded with an awesome pizza on the table, smelling you would like to walk in Napoleon’s view overlooking the island. And in the Mediterranean Sea, wolfgang pölzer footprints, you could see his former villa good weather conditions with good seeing the stars above, and and his museum. Or you can just take visibility, you will see the other islands of can stand in one of these cages drinking good red wine until a walk and try to find Napoleon’s life- the Tuscan archipelago and sometimes without panicking. (Every ski-lift you are tired enough to fall sleep sized stone statue on a wall in the small even Corse Bring good shoes to take I’ve ever seen have been more and enjoy a night of wonderful mountain village of Marciana north of this route. If you want to tour the hill in comfortable and intelligent in dreams. Good night, Elba. I’ll be the Monte Capanne. flip-flops, you better take the cable- construction than these cages. back again next year! ■ lift. It is really spectacular and takes Maybe they were used in a The versatile three-wheel you up and down the slope in small “former life” as a white knuckle *Ape’s are now seeing a metal-cages. With luck, two people ride in a “tunnel of horror”?) HARALD APELT renaissance all over Italy 43 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED factElba, fItalyile

Further reading about Elba

harald apelt

History The oldest known group following years, Elba’s sovereigns Climate Mediterranean climate card. Visitors from all other countries of humans living on Elba were the changed quite often. Eventually, the with mild winters and long warm need a passport and a classic visa. Ilvates who had roots in Liguria. Later island was split. Finally, even Porto summers. Average yearly tempera- on, from about 750 BC, the Etruscan Longone, today’s Porto Azzuro, was tures are around 17°C. Spring is warm Travel info Airport at Elba: were located on Elba. They were captured in 1596 by Philipp III of and mild with many hours of sunlight “La Pila”, Elba International Airport the first to use iron ore on the island. Spain. and infrequent rains. Summertime Tel: +39.0565.976011 Much later, around 500 BC, Greeks During the revolutionary wars, the from June to mid-September rarely www.elbaisland-airport.it occupied the island and called it island was occupied by England, gets very hot, in the range of 35 to Located two kilometres from Marina Aithalia, which means fuming, due to and later on, after the peace con- 37°C. Late summer and autumn di Campo. The next largest interna- the endless fires of ferrum production ference of Amiens, Elba was given occur from mid-September up to tional airport is located at Pisa. There and the carbon black in the air. It to France. After the short era under end of the diving season at begin- is a train connection from here to Napoleon, Elba was given to the Piombino marittimo (Ferry Harbour). was 246 BC when the Romans con- ning of November when water tem- Just off the coast of Elba a treasure wreck - the Plolluce dukedom of Tuscany, and later on, Ferries depart around every 30 min- quered the island. Elba was under peratures are still very comfortable. was excavated in 2005 under heavy surveillance by the Roman influence for more than 800 joined the united kingdom of Italy. Water temperatures normally do not utes during the high season from Carabinieri. Right-cliick on the cover to download or go years. become less than 10°C. In summer- Piombino to Portoferraio at Elba. to this link: www.x-ray-mag.com/pdfs/articles/Feature_ In the sixth century AD, the Geography Elba is Italy’s third time, it climbs up to about 24°C (sur- Direct connections from Piombino to PolluceWreck_07.pdf Langobards integrated the island largest island located about ten face temperature). For divers in the Porto Azzuro are also available, but into their empire. In 787 AD, Elba kilometres off the Ligurian coast- winter and springtime, a semi-dry suit only during the high season and just was given as a gift to the pontifex in line. It is around 225 square kilome- is quite comfortable, a drysuit is per- few rides per day. Car tranfers to the Rome. But the Roman Church never tres in size and the largest island fect. In summertime, 5-7 mm wetsuits island during the high season should influenced Elba’s development and of the Tuscan archipelago with a are perfect. be booked ahead of time. Two ferry finally gave the island as a gift to the coastline of about 150 kilometres. lines serve this route. The price during important naval force of Pisa. Pisa The island is divided into eight dis- Currency Euro. Exchange rates: the high season for transportation of had supported Rome for a long time tricts: Portoferraio (the capital of 1 EUR = 1.48 USD, .74 GBP, 158.13 JPY, one person and one car is about 43 in the continous fight against the Elba), Campo nell’Elba, Capoliveri, 1.47 CAD, 1.66 AUD, 2.09 SGD Euro (round trip). For more informa- Saracen, an Arabic Muslim people Marciana, Marciana Marina, Porto tion, timetables and prices, see www. who had attacked Italian seaports Azzurro, Rio Marina and Rio nell’Elba. Language Italian. Most people, torremar.it or www.mobbylines.it for a long period of time. Elba’s highest mountain is Monte especially those working in tourism Under the control of Pisa, a lot of Capanne with a elevation of 1019 speak English and perhaps some Information Info-portal about the monumental buildings were con- metres. Porto Azzurro is a small sea- Spanish, French or German. island of Elba is at www.elbalink.it structed on Elba. In the 13th century, port on the southeastern side of the Available in Italian, German and Elba was attacked several times island. In the winter during the off Visas & Permits All members of English. by forces from Genova, the major season, there are around 3000 inhab- Schengen countries of the European rival power during this time. In the itants living in Porto Azzurro. community need only a valid identity Link to Google map of Elba >>> Part 2 - the excavation. Right-cliick on the cover to down- load or go to this link: www.x-ray-mag.com/pdfs/articles/ Feature_PolluceWreck_TheRecovery_08.pdf

44 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Socores of holiday mak- ers frolic in the waters around Sharm el Sheikh oblivious the cave explo- Well, rations going on nearby I’ll be darned ... There’s a

The darkness below Ras Mohammed Cave Technical divers have discovered an extensive cave system far below the fish and coral at the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula. Leigh Cunningham recounts an ambitious project to dive and survey these mysterious Under caves, which are already being Ras dubbed “the new Wakullah”. Muhammad Text and photos courtesy of Leigh Cunningham

45 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED THIS PAGE: Heavily equipped divers investigate the depths of Ras Muhammed Cave feature the cave and take measurements Back in the summer of 2001, I was diving ney to the second chamber. with Francisco Ortigosa, a good friend After several dives in this cave, we of mine who had just completed the established that there did not appear to advanced trimix course with me. Fran is a be a passable passage leading to any geophysicist, and we were diving in the further chambers. Thomas and I contin- Ras Mohammed National Park when he ued searching for more entrances close suggested there may be cave systems in to the original 65m entry, and deeper deep water in the Jack Fish Alley area on along the wall, we were rewarded with the eastern wall of the famous headland. another cave entrance at 80m. Later, after several exploratory dives, we planned a deeper and longer dive I found a cave close to the old Jack to explore this cave. When we entered, Fish mooring, with an entrance starting we found ourselves on a sheer wall, at 65m. I explored the cave with Fran dropping to what appeared to be well and my deep diving buddy, Frenchman in excess of 100m. This was obviously one Thomas Chabanne. We laid a guide line hell of a cave, and it was very tempt- from the right hand corner of the first chamber leading down a chim-

46 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED THIS PAGE: Scenes from the expedition to the cave Ras Muhammed Cave feature under Ras Muhammed ing to continue exploring, but at that I agreed at once, but shortly after- point, I made the decision to halt fur- wards, I realised I was about to blunder ther deep cave dives altogether until I into a highly dangerous situation with- acquired cave training. out the proper preparation. Six years previously, I made a clear A case for cave training decision to stop diving caves altogeth- For the next five years, I was kept busy er until I completed full cave training. with the Yolda Wreck Project and run- Now, today, with still no cave train- ning various various courses. However, ing, I had given a similarly untrained in early 2007, my friend, the technical diver detailed information regarding instructor, Gennadiy (Gena) Fursov, the exact location of the caves. Even asked me for information regarding the more stupidly, I had agreed to put a exact location of the cave entrances team together and lead them into in the Jack Fish Alley area. I gave Gena these unknown caves. It was time to the information that I had gathered get properly cave certified! during my dives, and over the next I got in touch with Cave Diving few weeks, I was regularly informed by Instructor Trainer and Explorer, Andreas Gena of his exploits inside the caves. Matthes, or Matt to his friends. Matt After he had reached 110m in the was responsible for much of the most deeper of two systems, Gena asked extensive and logistically complicated me if I would like to put together a cave exploration and surveying in the team and push deeper into the system. Yucatan from the early to mid 1990s,

as well as being an active tech- • To explore the deeper cave and who also provided 12 manifolds nical instructor trainer. Matt was conduct a survey of the explored of Trimix plus intermediate’s and an excellent instructor, and after areas hyperoxic Trimix mixes, EANx, O2 two weeks in Mexico, the team as well as a fair few spares each and I felt well prepared for the A group of eight cave divers, day. Ehab, Ocean Tec’s “mix mas- challenges that lay ahead in Ras including Valentina Cucchiara ter”, kept the blending team busy Mohammed. (Deep Cave Videographer), throughout the night until sunrise plus five technical support divers each day. Medical support was The project made up the dive team. One provided by Dr Adel Taher and Dr Once back in Sharm El Sheikh, a dive a day was conducted for Ahmed Sakr from the local Sharm plan was formulated for what we four days, all using OC scuba. The Hyperbaric chamber. Further named the Jack Fish Alley Cave very experienced dive team was logistical support was provided by Exploration Project, the goals of a combination of technical divers Hamdy Sammy, director the local which were: instructors and instructor trainers. Search and Rescue (SAR). The • To find out if there may be a cave diving team split into three passable connection between Vital support smaller teams with Valentina, the the shallower and deeper known Our boat for the project was videographer, swapping teams caves, or a passable connection provided by our main sponsor, each day. to any other caves Ocean Tec, run by Mr Chad Clark,

47 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED feature Ras Muhammed Cave Day 1: The Reaper’s Lair Healey and Suzy Coombs, laid a Team 2 (Jim Dowling, Jimmy The team met bright and early at guide line from the bottom of the Jewel and Dave “The Cave” Ocean Tec, where gargantuan decompression station to the 65m Summerfield) followed an hour amounts of gas, countless dive cave entrance (we had called it later, counting knots on the line crates and the deco station were The Reapers Lair) while the cave and recording depths at key being prepared. Mohammed teams decide on their goals for points, all the while drawing the Salem, director of the Ras the day. contours of the cave. Team 3, Mohammed National Park, had For the first dive, Gena and I consisting of Paul “Doozer” Close given permission to use the old were the first team in. We laid a and Neil Black, finished our first mooring at Jack Fish Alley; it’s not survey line in the Reapers Lair, day by confirming depths at normally allowed, but the proxim- and conducted a survey to the survey points. They also started ity to the site made general diving furthest explored point from the measuring distances from survey logistics much simpler and safer. cave entrance. Valentina filmed points to the cave walls, ceiling Divers kitted up on route and the first chamber to the connect- and floor in the first room. once moored, the floating deco ing passage (Dead Mans Shoot) station was deployed with EAN80 in the right hand corner of the Day 2: The Devil’s Eye and O2 staged. first chamber, with Thomas and Gena and myself were now The support divers, led by Jilly Oxana Istratova in support. focused on exploring the deeper

Devils Eye Cave

ABOVE: Preparing for the dive. LEFT: Diagram of Devils Eye cave

of the two caves—The Devil’s twin sets solely for cave gas. We a secondary tie off at 100m. On Eye—leaving the other two cave travelled to the cave entrance the way out, we noted the main teams to continue work on the with an intermediate Trimix, stag- vein of the cave appeared to Reapers Lair, working towards a ing this mix and another mix of run of to the right, (facing line) comprehensive Grade 3 survey. hyperoxic Trimix at the cave bearing North. Our torch beams Gena was using twin 20’s, and I entrance. We laid 45m of survey disappeared into a narrow, had twin 18’s on the back, plus line from the cave light zone seemingly endless void. More to another five 12-litre cylinders vertically, to a little over 100m, explore tomorrow! required to complete the rela- before veering off to the left and As we exited the cave, our tively long bottom time and the following a passage leading to support divers, Nina and Oxana, required four hours of decom- a major restriction in 108m. I tied were waiting with fresh gas to pression. the line off and followed Gena exchange for our intermediate This was very much the day of back up the main line to 95m, mixes en route along the guide

the cylinders—we needed loads then turning right over the Devils line system to reach the pure O2 to cover the 25-minute bottom Eye, explored another passage to cyclinders staged on the decom- time to explore between the a max depth of 113m. pression station. cave entrance at 80m and 130m, when it was time to head back The second team completed and the idea was to use our large to the main line, we approached a 20-25 minute bottom time

48 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Diagram of the cave system

between the cave entrance and ued North along the main 90m, with two hours of decom- vein, laying 45m of survey pression. Both teams made good line, while depths ranged progress pushing further with the between 100m and 110m. in Grade 3 survey, obtaining com- We reached the end of the line with pass bearings from survey points, the open maw of the cave passage travelling back to the Karst Worms tie plus measurements from the survey still demanding further exploration. off. Once there, we tied into the line line. Meanwhile, Dave and Val, When I looked for a place to tie off with another 45m of survey line and teamed up to get footage inside the the line, I saw some bizarre worm laid 25m of line horizontally along Reaper’s Lair as well as removing the casts in the cave. There was life in a winding passage. After a while, old guide line, which had been laid the cave! the passage narrowed, but when six years earlier. I looked down, I noticed the cave Day 4: Infinity beckons widening, so we dropped down to Day 3: Temple of Doom The already outrageous quantity of 130m before our safety line finally ran Dave and Neil were the first team in, gas ordered over the last three days out. taking measurements in the deeper doubled on day four due to all cave I shone my torch down into the chamber of the Reapers Lair, which teams planning an exploratory dive black void; there was no cave floor we had named the Temple of Doom. in the Devil’s Eye cave. Mr Chad, of in sight. With no time for sketching Whilst there, they discovered a small, course, never even broke a sweat, as or taking notes, we made our turn, round, orange sponge-like organ- Ocean Tec pumped dozens of mani- eager to match our entry speed on ism. Val was shooting video from the folds and cylinders with an increas- the way out to stay within our one cave entrance to the bottom of this ingly complicated order of gas. third reserve gas management rule. chamber. Dave entered first with Thomas in Due to the increase in depth, we Gena and myself entered the support and Val filming. Both used had reached the absolute maximum water next, heading for the Devil’s a twin 12-litre manifold, plus another safe gas reserve limit. For exploration Eye cave. We had the same mixes as 12-litre single of bottom mix. They fol- beyond this point with open curcuit, the day before, and our plan was to lowed the main line to the 100m tie we would need to carry more cave follow the main line to the second- off, then made the jump left and fol- gas and/or stages within the cave, or ary tie off in 10m. Then, we wanted lowed the line for another 45 metres, consider the option of rebreathers. to make a jump and explore what before turning at the worm cast tie The importance of the caves is appeared to be the main vein, run- off and starting the journey back to evident. I can only speculate about ning north. After passing over the the light zone. just what could lie below our recent Devil’s Eye boulder, we explored the Gena and I entered the water an route. The cave will surely continue same passage as we had the day hour later, using the same volume of to provide further challenges for before to a major restriction in 121m. gas and mixes as the previous two Sharm’s technical divers and the We then reeled back out and contin- days. Our plan was to waste no time wider caving community. ■

49 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED science The increase in world temperatures due to the rise in atmospheric CO2 levels is currently much in the news, with the many references to warmer summers, droughts and rising sea levels. Most of the information available concerns the effect Edited by of rising global temperatures on terrestrial Michael Symes environment i.e. desertification, flood- ing, etc. Yet the global warming also has important impacts on the marine envi- We have previously looked at the various properties of water ronments. Not only do increasing tem- peratures affect the physical properties which have an effect on aquatic fauna, some of them a bit out of water such as its density, and its ability of the ordinary, such as surface tension. However, one of the to dissolve salts and gases; it has a also most important properties influencing the marine environment is great effect on marine biological proc- one we perhaps notice first of all, the temperature of the water, esses. Fish populations and other aquatic resources are likely to be seriously affect- especially when we go swimming or diving. ed by higher water temperatures. How aquatic animals will cope – or not – with changing water temperatures

By Michael Symes As pure water is only a liquid between Temperature0ºC and 100ºC, it is not surprising that life, at least as we know it, which depends on water, is to be found on earth where this condition obtains, though most life on Earth lives at temperatures of less than about 50ºC. Yet, the so-called hyperther- mophiles can live in extremely hot envi- ronments i.e. hotter than about 60ºC, with an optimal temperature above 80ºC. The most heat-tolerant hyper- thermophile is the recently discovered Strain 121, which can exist at tempera- tures of up to 121ºC. The toughest hyper- thermophiles live on the superheated walls of hydrothermal vents, and require temperatures of at least 90ºC to enable them to survive.

50 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The temperature of the oceans is thus ter declines slowly to between about 0ºC occurring due to global warming. How- given by a dynamic balance between and 3ºC at greater depths. Even below ever, the Intergovernmental Panel on incoming heat and outgoing heat. There the hottest tropical regions, the water at Climate Change, based on a consensus are naturally great differences, though, in a depth of 2000 to 3000 m hardly ever ris- of many hundreds of scientists from many the temperature of the water between, es above 4ºC. There are, of course, some countries, state that the global average say, equatorial waters and polar waters, few exceptions to this, for example the surface temperature has increased over at least for the surface waters. These water close to hydrothermal vents where the 20th century by about 0.6ºC ± 0.2ºC. It surface water temperatures range from the water can emerge at temperatures should be noted, though, that this warm- some 40ºC in shallow tropical lagoons to of up to 400ºC, although it rapidly cools ing has not been globally uniform. The –1.9ºC (the typical freezing point of sea to the surrounding water temperature of most recent warming has been greatest water) in polar regions. Apart from the 3 – 4ºC. (See X-RAY MAG issue 5, 2005) between the latitudes 40ºN and 70ºN, Mediterranean and Red Seas, any warm while the North Atlantic Ocean, for exam-

NASA water in the open ocean is restricted to Increasing ocean temperatures ple, has cooled in recent decades. an upper mixed surface layer of about There are various opinions about the The present temperature 100 – 200 meters depth. magnitude of the temperature changes These temperature changes are, howev- of the oceans er, still mostly confined to the upper water The oceans store vast amounts of energy However, whatever the surface tempera- in the form of heat, which has the sun as tures are, the temperature falls to about its primary source. Infrared radiation from 5ºC at about 1000 m depth and thereaf- the sun plays an important role in that ultimately all the forms of energy in the oceans, such as the long-term circulation ally less than 0.3ºC. Below ten meters and the evaporation at the surface of depth, there are practically no variations the sea, depend on input from the sun. in temperature. Unlike for creatures living There are only two sources of energy that in inter-tidal waters, which can be sub- do not depend on solar heating. These jected to great differences between day are tidal energy derived from the gravi- Stein Johsen and night-time temperatures, plankton tational pull of the sun, moon and—to a levels. Work by the Scripps Institution of and fish are unaffected by temperature small extent—the planets; and geother- Oceanography has modelled the time changes over 24-hour periods. mal heating through the seafloor from the variation of heat content for the various molten core of the Earth. ocean basins. In both the simulations and Not only are there vertical changes in observations, the heat content in most temperature, there are also the oceanic The net heat input to oceanic heating is of the oceans increased only slowly with currents, which circulate the warm waters given by the direct solar input and geo- depth, consistent with a diffusion proc- and the cold waters. Whilst most marine thermal heating. These are estimated at ess. The water had been warmed below life has evolved as a function of the en- 150 watts/m2 and 0.01 watt/m2 respec- about 1000 meters only in vironments brought about tively. So, it is obvious that the geothermal the north and south Atlan- by these regular currents, heating is negligible compared with the Wiki p edia tic, reflecting strong verti- Even below the hottest irregular currents such as solar heating. The net heat loss is given cal convection there. El Niño can cause biologi- by black body radiation (50 watt/m2), the tropical regions, the wa- cal and physical function- conductive heat loss to the atmosphere The mean daily variation in ter at a depth of 2000 ing to change quickly (10 watts/m2), and the loss due to evapo- Annual mean sea surface temperature from the World Ocean Atlas 2001. surface temperature in the to 3000 m hardly ever over both small and large ration (90 watts/m2). Temperature here is in degrees Celsius open ocean is, however, areas. It can disrupt the very small, being gener- rises above 4ºC whole marine food chain The amount of sunlight arriving at the sea surface varies, of course, according to the time of day, season, and weather. The following table shows the average temperature for the various thermal ocean layers at the Equator.

Global average surface Thermal layer Depth in meters Average temperature ºC temperature has increased over Mixed surface layer 0 – 150 26 Permanent thermocline 150 – 750 7.5 the 20th century by about 0.6ºC Deep layer 750 – 2000 4.5 Bottom waters >2000 3.3 STEIN JO Hn S e N - u v foto . no www. 51 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED W h ite T ony v ia liC K r F A boiled egg has a different s consistency because the proteins takes shape by B e v S yke being heated

the proteins become irreversibly Denaturation changed during the four minutes means that the or so at 100ºC. To counter the DNA helix strands effect of high temperatures in na- separate ture, the thermophiles, for exam- ple, mentioned above, have had to evolve special proteins, as DNA White will normally be denatured above sharks, 60ºC. Denatured means that the like other fish, DNA helix strands separate. When are often viewed as “cold-blooded”. Nothing is further from the truth. The internal tem- perature of great white sharks is generally many degrees higher than that of the ambient water. In the North Pacific, salmon sharks have been found to maintain red muscle temperature between 20°C and 30°C (68°F and 86°F). Deep-sea predators such as swordfish, tuna and sharks also warm their eyes and brain to give them superior vision when hunting

measured by oxy- being the invertebrates and fish. It gen consumption, is well known that different poikilo- and can be catastrophic for some these factors will of all poikilothermic thermic animals differ greatly in species such as the Peruvian an- effect life in the organisms is greatly their ability to tolerate high tem- chovy. oceans. increased with rise peratures although the time of of temperature. exposure is also very relevant. This Although there might be some Effect of According to van’t is in part due to the effect of tem- disagreement about the magni- increasing Hoff’s rule, the increase is two to perature on nerve velocities in pe- tude of the increase in oceanic temperature three times for each 10ºC rise in ripheral nerves, which can have temperatures, one thing is certain: on biologi- temperature within favourable sharp upper and lower limits. For even small changes in sea surface cal proc- limits. This can be of great con- example, in some Antarctic poikil- temperature can have drastic esses sequence for life on earth in the otherms heat-block was found to effects. There will be changes in Biological proc- years to come. occur at around 31ºC. Poikilother- oceanic circulation patterns, the esses, like all mic animals generally have more polar ice will melt (it is already other chemical Effect of temperature on complex metabolisms than the starting to doing so) giving a rising processes, are marine animals homoiotherms (warm-blooded sea level, and giving fresh cold rate-dependent on temperature, double stranded DNA is heated chemical reactions Marine animals, like their terrestrial water which, being more dense, and biological molecules are gen- up to between 60 to 80ºC, the two A rule of thumb is that for most counterparts, can be divided into Poikilothermy – This refers to tends to sink. These variations erally very sensitive to increased strands unbind into single strands. simple chemical reactions the four main types with regard to creatures whose internal tem- in temperature and salinity will temperature levels. The rate of They will recombine if allowed to rate approximately doubles for their thermal behaviour. peratures vary, often matching control vertical ocean currents. reaction increases with increasing cool slowly. Such organisms will every 10ºC increase in tempera- Firstly, there are the animals the ambient temperature of the Water temperature also partially temperature up to a certain point, probably be totally unaffected ture. Thus a reaction at 35ºC will whose body temperature varies immediate environment (Greek: “poikilos” ποικίλος = “varied,” determines the concentration of where either the reaction reaches by any possible increase in the go about twice as fast as at 25ºC. with the temperature of the sur- “thermia” θερμία = “heat”). dissolved gases, such as oxygen an equilibrium or the reactants/ Earth’s temperature. However, biological reactions roundings. They are the poikilo- (In medicine, loss of normal and carbon dioxide, in sea water. products decompose. An exag- are far from being simple from thermic animals, the so-called thermoregulation in humans is These gases are fundamentally gerated example, perhaps, but The temperature the chemical-kinetics point of cold-blooded animals, (from referred to as poikilothermia.) linked to biological processes. All just think of a boiled egg where dependence of the rate of view. The rate of metabolism, as Greek, poikilos, various), these

52 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Bald rock cod are so NOAA well adapted to very low Peter S ymes temperatures that there is a possibility of develop- ing commercial antifreeze products from them in a previous issue, that have Greek, stenos, narrow) which sophisticated mechanisms for are restricted to narrow tem- maintaining body core tempera- perature limits. These include the tures, which are close to that of reef-building corals, for example, humans, 37ºC. For example, the which require a minimum tem- Humpback whale has a body perature of 20ºC and a maximum temperature of 36ºC, with the av- temperature of not much more than 30ºC.

Species, which are cold–steno- borchgrevinki, a common fish thermic, have a wide geographi- which lives under sea ice at tem- cal range, being found in the peratures of –0.5ºC to –1.8ºC , and shallow waters of the Arctic as which dies at temperatures over well as at depths of 2000 – 3000 6ºC (this is the lowest known tem- m where the temperatures are perature to kill an animal). How- about 4ºC. An example is the ever, in the long term this may not bald rock cod, Pagothenia be true, see below.

To mingle with the in-crowds Thirdly, there are the animals that below, humans need an attire can exist in environments with a that perserves body heat wide temperature range; they

Tropical corals only thrive between 20° and 30° C B ernardo S ambra creatures), having four to ten Marine mammals must maintain a core temperature enzyme systems that operate almost identical to that of humans—about 37º C at different temperatures. are known as eurythermic (from erage body temperature of Ce- In general, poikilotherms do Greek, eurus, wide). These species taceans being ca 35.5ºC, which is not use their metabolisms tend to have wide distributional low for a mammal. In comparison, to heat or cool themselves ranges, or they live in regions the elephant seal has a body although the swimming of considerable temperature temperature of 36.7ºC and the muscles of the Tuna fish fluctuations, such as temperate Weddell seal 37ºC. are warmed by a heat ex- inter-tidal zones. Such animals are, changer, with a network of for example, the periwinkle (Litto- fine veins, the rete mirabile, rina litorea), the common mussel providing a thermal barrier (Mytilus edulis) and the common against loss of heat. One ob- cockle (Cardium edule). vious means of temperature control for poikilotherms such Finally, there are the aquatic as fish is to change depth in mammals that are homoiother- the water column to find a mic (from Greek, homos, same) suitable temperature. i.e. they maintain a constant body temperature, and are usu- Periwinkle Secondly, there are the ally referred to as warm-blooded. (Littorina Heller stenothermic species (from These are the cetacea, discussed litorea) J ason 53 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Control of temperature body temperature, these cells by vasoconstriction of the capil- Like in their terrestrial relatives, generate pulses at a certain rate laries, shivering will be induced the aquatic mammals, too, in aquatic mammals M arcelo M ammana In terrestrial mammals, tempera- which indicates the pulse set point to increase heat in the muscles, have a very sophisticated tem- ture is controlled by a number of of the system. If, for example, the and there will be secretion of the perature control system. Al- mechanisms. The central organ core body temperature falls be- hormones norepinephrine, epine- though very similar, it is obvious for temperature control is situ- low 37ºC, then the nerve impulse phrine, and thyroxine to increase that some of the mechanisms ated in the hypothalamus, which rate slows down, and a message heat production. There may also used by the human body can- contains the control mechanisms is sent to the hypothalamus. The be ‘goosepimpling’ of the skin, not be used by the aquatic as well as the key temperature body will then initiate a number which raises the hairs on the body. mammals. Sweating, for exam- sensors. The body core tempera- of positive responses to conserve This is a residual effect from our ple has no function in controlling ture is detected by these sensors, heat in the body and to increase evolutionary ancestors who were the temperature of these crea- which change their rate of nerve heat production, and with imme- covered in hair or fur, and erect- tures. Up to 45% of the impulse generation according to diate cessation of sweating. Flow ed the hairs of the fur to increase the temperature. At the normal of heat to the skin will be reduced insulation. body weight of a whale can be made of blubber Peter S ymes

Whales require a thick layer of blubber to maintain their body temperature in water

fin. Concurrent circulation, on the This mass extinction, although the other hand, minimises heat lost worst, was but one of five that from the arteries to the surround- have occurred over the past 550 ings. In some ways, temperature million years. The temperatures control may be easier for the are estimated to have been cetacea, for it is easy to get rid of about 6ºC higher than today. The heat in cold water—if the water is most recent event was the Creta- cool enough. ceous-Tertiary, which occurred 65 million years ago, when tempera- Adverse effects of increas- tures were about 4ºC higher than Aquatic mammals too have a very sophisticated temperature control system ing oceanic temperatures today. but cannot use perspiration to cool themselves It has been discovered that glo- bal warming caused marine mass The mass extinction 251 mil- If the body temperature is too Whales require a thick layer of extinction at the end of the Per- lion years ago appears to have high, it can be cooled by radia- blubber to maintain their body mian period 251 million years ago. happened because of the slow tion, conduction, convection, and temperature in water because It is estimated that 95 percent of decline and death of deep sea evaporation of sweat. The first heat is transmitted much more marine species were killed off. creatures, which were the first to three factors are not under con- easily by water than by air. Up to trol by the body; they are purely 45 percent of the body weight of physical effects that depend only a whale can be made of blubber, on the actual temperature of the which serves not only as an insula- body and the ambient surround- tor but also as an energy reserve. ings. Naturally, we humans can Ocean water is relatively cold in increase their effect by removing contrast to body temperature, but clothing, to improve radiation, or a fast swimming whale does pro- fanning our bodies to increase duce a lot of heat, which has to conduction and convection. be removed. This is carried out by However, the body itself can means of blood vessels leading to actively induce sweating, so that an extensive network of capillaries if the skin temperature increases in the flippers, tail flukes and dorsal above 37ºC, sweating will begin almost immediately. There is nothing like a good layer of

Marcelo Mammana blubber to make you all comfy M ar c elo M ammana 54 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Dolichorhynchops osborni, a plesiosaur from the Late Cretaceous when temperatures were about 4ºC higher than today Because they have positive con- The eurythermic animals, which A clear example of what can

Weasley trol over their body temperatures, have evolved to survive in envi- happen to an ecological sys- the homoiothermic animals will ronments with a wide tempera- tem in delicate balance when

A rt h ur probably be the least affected ture range, will probably have temperature changes occur is by temperature increases, at little difficulty in adapting to in- given by starfish and mussels in least initially. Those best suited to creased temperatures. the tidal waters of Oregon, USA. go, followed survive will therefore probably be It was found by Eric Sanford of by the shallow water terranean species, have been the aquatic mammals which, like The greatest effect of changing Oregon State University that a 5ºF inhabitants. It indicates that observed around Britain, even as humans, have a large measure of temperatures will obviously be on (ca 2.8ºC) change is enough to something was arising from the Whether or not a far north as the Shetland Islands. control over their body tempera- those creatures that have no, or lit- change dramatically the feeding deep oceans which possibly was mass extinction is soon Apparently, warmer sea waters in tures thus making them, to a large tle, control over their temperature, habits of the starfish. This creature the very toxic hydrogen sulphide to occur, it is believed the Mediterranean is boosting the degree, independent of increas- because this is a function of the feeds mainly on mussels along the produced by deep-ocean anaer- jellyfish numbers by increasing win- ing water temperatures. ambient water temperature. These US Pacific coast. obic bacteria i.e. those that don’t by some climatologists ter survival and lengthening the are the poikilothermic animals and he found that a drop of the use oxygen in their metabolism. that a rise of 1.5ºC to breeding season. The increasing The first type of aquatic animal to to a lesser degree the stenother- same magnitude caused the These bacteria were favoured by water temperatures then allows be really effected are those who mic species. As heat is required for starfish to virtually stop feeding on the fact that the warming of the 2.5ºC is likely to take them to move north. Generally are restricted to narrow tempera- many chemical changes to take the mussels, which then allowed surface water had decreased the place before the middle speaking, most jellyfish are posi- ture limits i.e. the stenothermic place, including those needed a rapid expansion in the mussel ability of the oceans to absorb ox- for muscle activity, the activity of population. They can then crowd ygen. However, whatever mecha- of the century poikilothermic animals depends out algae, barnacles and other nism it was that caused the mass greatly on the temperature of organisms. On the other hand, an extinction, it was probably tied to is near the top of its local food the surrounding water. Therefore, equivalent increase in tempera- the ocean circulation processes. chain in the shallow waters of the these animals mostly flourish where ture caused the starfish to go on a The emission of hydrogen sulphide southern North Sea. Research car- the water is warm, near tropical feeding binge, which caused the from the oceans could also ac- ried out at the Alfred Wegener In- coral reefs, for example, where mussel population to drop drasti- count for the great demise, 65 stitute in Bremerhaven, Germany, there is an abundance of fish cally. The consequent collapse percent of the terrestrial species, appears to show that the fish face species to be seen. On the other of the mussel communities then which occurred at the same time. an oxygen constraint because as hand, there are relatively few fish affects the crab, sea cucumbers the water warms up, it contains and invertebrates to be found in and worms, which are part of the Will a rise in temperature less dissolved oxygen. With less the cold depths of the oceans. ecosystem. lead to a new mass extinc- oxygen available, the eelpout tion? Whether or not a mass gives birth to fewer young, so their extinction is soon to occur, it is population declines. This also ap- A temperature drop of the 2.8ºC caused the starfish along the believed by some climatologists pears to be the case with cod in US Pacific coast to virtually stop feeding on the mussels, which that a rise of 1.5ºC to 2.5ºC is likely the North Sea, which are finding it to take place before the middle hard to maintain high reproduc- then allowed a rapid expansion in the mussel population. of the century. If this is true, then ibility. A permanent increase in between 20 percent and 30 per- water temperature will probably cent of animal and plant species not mean that these fish will be- could die. Sea water temperature come extinct, but that they will affects faunal distribution and, as move from their ancient homes to we have seen, water tempera- new, cooler aquatic pastures to tures can vary both horizontally in the north. the surface and vertically down into the depths. So, these tem- The invasion of jellyfish Jellyfish swarms are becoming more commonplace perature changes have a great A typical example of what hap- significance for the faunal—and pens ecologically when the sea tively affected by global warming, animals such as the corals. There floral—distributions. Faunal distri- temperature changes even slight- not only by the increasing water is already evidence that this is bution depends to a large extent ly is given by the mauve stinger temperatures, but by the fact that occurring with the bleaching of on a given organism’s ability to jellyfish. Recently, millions of these the increased concentration of corals. adjust to the ambient conditions. creatures drifted into a salmon carbon dioxide affects creatures If they cannot adjust, they must farm in the Irish Sea, killing more with acid-soluble shells which Freshwater pearl mussel (Margariti- either move or die. For example, than 100,000 fish. Several more compete with jellyfish. fera margaritifera). Mussels have a the eelpout, Zoarces viviparous, swarms of these jellyfish, a Medi- wide temperature tolerance but may be affected by change in predation

55 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED NOAA Aspergillosis is caused by the terrestrial fungus Aspergillus sydowi. The gorgonia counteract the disease by encapsulating His study thus suggests that if a key However, temperature affects of only a few degrees above the usual fungal hyphae in purple pigmented galls species in an ecological system is many life history parameters such maximum can kill corals. However, there sensitive to temperature, a slight as fecundity and the development is a great variation in susceptibility to warming or cooling can trigger a time with the development time bright blue coral, found in Caribbean changing temperatures between dif- cascade of rapid changes that from egg to adult being acceler- and Florida Keys, has been dying in some ferent coral species, so that some cor- will affect every animal within that ated under increasing tempera- places at a rate of over 20 percent. The als may survive an increasing oceanic system. tures. Increased temperatures can sea whips have also been found to be temperature—if not too great. There is also affect the sex ratios. It has also dying of the bacterium Scytonema in the also the effect of the increasing solubility Some cold-stenothermic fish, been found that this accelerating Florida Keys. The optimal temperature of carbon dioxide in the warming surface however, may be able to adjust effect of increased temperature for many of these pathogens to flourish waters of the oceans, resulting in the re- to increasing water tempera- has a life-shortening effect cor- is about 32ºC, the temperature at which duction of the amount of dissolved calci- tures. For example, in the case responding to the rate of reaction bleaching is prevalent. um carbonate available to reef-building of the bald rock cod mentioned increase with increasing tempera- corals. above, it has been found that ture. For these creatures, it ap- There are also the secondary effects of when these fish were exposed to pears to be a case of ‘Live fast, die warming such as predator-prey interac- Apocalypse soon? long-term changes, they could young’. tions. These again will have a feedback Many climatologists today feel like Cas- compensate for those changes. effect on other plant sandra of Greek mythology who was Dr Frank Seebacher of the Univer- If the changes in temperature and animal species, thought to be endowed with the power sity of Sydney has found that they occur very slowly, then the spe- with the bleaching of Although of prophecy but fated never to be be- could adjust their cardiovascular cies can adapt. The fact that an corals due to increas- the oceanic lieved. So, are we facing another mass system and metabolism to survive Antarctic fish, the bald rock cod, ing water tempera- extinction event? Not immediately, in warmer waters. The cod were has the capacity to compensate tures being a well- temperature perhaps, but all the realistic prognoses first acclimatised in 4ºC water for for chronic changes in tempera- known phenomenon. changes are, as indicate that there will be a great loss of four weeks and then transferred ture means that we must be care- species by the end of this century. And to water with temperatures of up ful in our predictions regarding Coral bleaching yet, small, they the great tragedy is that with the bulk to 10ºC. The fish appeared to live the catastrophic consequences As described in a can still have of marine species still undiscovered, we as happily in the warmer water as of global warming. Unfortunately, previous issue, corals some signifi- will lose species before we even know they did at -1ºC. the current increasing changes in are a symbiosis be- of them. And it is not just species we will tween small polyps cant effects. lose, it is whole ecological systems.

NOAA and a type of algae water temperatures are happening too called zooxanthellae, In the short-term, it is possible that cor- fast for many of the current species to which are packed into the cells of the als, for example, can adapt to the rising adapt, and they will therefore disappear. polyp tissue. The algae use the photo- temperatures either by acclimatisation, Of course, evolution will ensure that spe- synthetic process to produce energy-rich with changes in their physiology, or by cies will appear that can survive—and compounds. The corals can utilise some natural selection. However, it may not be flourish—under the new conditions. of these products in their own metabo- the relatively simple effect of an increase lism and, in return, give protection to the in water temperature that is the most Although the oceanic temperature zooxanthellae. important effect. It has been suggested changes are, as yet, small, they can still that great changes in the oceanic cur- have some significant effects. Climatic- Corals and zooxanthellae, like all biologi- rents can occur, both horizontally and, related pressures can act directly on cal life, live within a preferred range of especially, vertically. Such changes could aquatic animal life through physiological temperatures. Summer sea temperatures drastically change the environments effects such as changes in food de- that are 2 – 3ºC above normal can kill for all marine species, both the bottom mands, in growth rates, and in abilities to corals. At these temperatures, the symbi- dwellers and those who live in the sur- reproduce and survive. It has also been otic relationship will eventually collapse face waters. Most species would be quite shown that increasing temperatures can and, as the corals cannot escape to incapable of coping with such changes be favourable for disease-causing patho- more suitable environmental conditions, and would therefore be wiped out. gens in corals. being attached to the reefs, the corals will die. As it is the algae that give colour More relevant for the diving community, For example, it has been shown that a to the corals, the loss of them from the regarding the relatively near future, we fungus, Aspergillus sydowii, is a pathogen coral will cause the corals to become may see a total loss of our beautiful coral for the sea fan, Gorgonia ventalina. This pale or bleached. Many corals appear to reefs. So divers, visit the reefs while you be living close to their upper temperature can, for many of the more susceptible Deep sea mussel beds are likely to be limit, and transient temperature increases may not exist for many more years. ■ least affected by temperature change 56 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ecology TranssexualsThey are all Edited by Michael Arvedlund, PhD The popular anemone fishes are & Peter Symes, M.Sc. mostly known for their symbio- sis with giant sea anemones, their interesting behaviour, and beautiful colours. But they also have another lesser known but interesting side to their lives: Their life cycles includes trans- sexual ‘stunts’

Anemone fishes are hermaphrodites. They have both male and female gonads. However, once hatched, the female gonads are supressed, thus turn- ing them all into male when juvenile. Among young fish, it’s all boys, no girls.

In the early part of their life cycles, after some days out in the blue as pelagic larvae, anemone fishes settle on the coral reef once they find a suitable host sea anemone. Usually, there are a small group of anemone fishes in one large sea anemone. The first one in the peck- ing order in a sea anemone turns into a female and mates with number two, which will remain a male. The rest of the fishes in the pecking order also remain males. They are not allowed to mate with the female. Only the number one male in Michael Arvedlund and Peter Symes the pecking order, the alpha male, can mate with the female.

The phenomenon of sex reversal is a fascinating part of anemone fish life his- tory. Sex change occurs in many fishes. For example, it is now well established that most wrasses (Labridae) and parrot-

A reared batch of anemone fishes of the species Amphiprion melan- opus, and they are all boys! 57 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) is a wrasse that is mainly found in coral reefs. It is also known by the name “Napoleon wrasse”, “Maori wrasse”, or “Napoleonfish”, or “So Mei” (in ecology Cantonese, or “Mameng” (in Philippines). Some males grow very large, with one unconfirmed report of a Humphead Wrasse Boys, girls or what? that was 229cm long and weighed 190.5 kg

fishes (Scaridae) begin adult life from male to female. As men- gonads are functioning ovaries functioning or latent ovarian as females and later assume the tioned above, the largest with remnants of degenerated cells. If the dominant female dies more colourful male phase. Similar and most socially dominant testicular tissue. The smaller male, or is experimentally removed, changes are widespread among fish in a particular anemone which in species such as A. frena- the male’s gonads cease to groupers (Serranidae). is generally the female whose tus and P. biaculeatus may be less function as testes, and the egg- than half the size of the female, producing cells become active. Sex change the A leader with no balls has gonads that Simultaneously, the largest of other way around What sets the anemone fishes are function- the non-breeding individuals apart in this respect, how- ing testes but becomes the functioning male. Some fish change sex from males to females, like the ever, is that the also pos- This adaptation allows anemone fishes. In different species, it may be the sex change sess non- continuous reproduc- other way around, such as in humphead wrasses. goes tion; with- Adult females are known to change into adult males. out it, an adult The factors that control the timing of sex change are would ► not yet known, nor how ‘decisions’ are made about which fish changes sex. We still have much to learn The clownfish, or anem- about the biology of this species. The humphead onefish, are the subfamily wrasse is long lived, but breeds very slowly. It takes Amphiprioninae of the quite a long time, possibly up to five years, with the family Pomacentridae. fish reaching about 35-50 cm in total length before Currently 27 species exist, individuals reach sexual maturation. This has made of which one is in the it an endangered species, as it is not being regen- genus Premnas, and the rest are in the subfamily’s erated fast enough to compensate for fishing. Its type genus Amphiprion. meat is in high demand Southeast Asia, selling at The other pomacentrids over US$100 per kilogram. are called damselfish. Humphead wrasse mate in pairs formed within Clownfish and damself- larger social groups that form temporary aggre- ish are the only species gations. Sometimes spawning aggregations can of fish that can avoid number several hundred fish in areas with no fish- the potent stings of an ing pressure. Planktonic eggs are released into the anemone. There are water column and drift away from the spawning several theories for how this avoidance is accom- site. plished. After hatching, the larvae stay in the water until In a study published in they settle on the substrate. Population sizes and the journal Nature, evo- structures are not yet known for this species. lutionary biologist Peter Juveniles occur in coral-rich areas of lagoon Buston and colleagues reefs, among live thickets of staghorn Acropora report that clownfish in sp. corals, in seagrass beds, murky outer river Papua New Guinea reefs areas with patch reefs, shallow sandy areas can change their sex at adjacent to coral reef lagoons and in man- will for social reasons. ■ grove and seagrass areas inshore. They tend to move into somewhat deeper waters as they grow older and larger. ■

58 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Some sea anemonaes like this Stichodactyla haddonii host unusually many specimens of anemonefish. We don’t know for sure but this high number of fish may be to due to a lack of mature clownfish in the host.

two hours. Once it commences, the tiny, conical ovipositor of the female is clearly visible. A number of eggs are extruded through this structure on each spawning pass, when the female swims slowly and deliberately in a zig-zag path with her belly just brushing the nest surface. She is followed closely by her mate, who fertilizes the eggs as they are laid. Numerous passes occur dur- ing each spawning session. The number of eggs deposited ranges from about 100 to over 1000, On edge depending on the size of the fish Several days prior and on previous experience. In to spawning, there is general, older, more experienced have to await the increased social inter- pairs produce more eggs than do How to determine the sex on a fish arrival of a fish of action, as expressed recently formed pairs. Often you cannot determine the sex of a fish just by looking at it. the appropriate sex by chasing, fin-erection, Determination of the sex and gonadal maturity of a fish is often (which it would be only and nest preparation. The male Anemonefish eggs are elliptical necessary to determine the sex. A typical sex identification prob- 50 percent of the time), thereby becomes particularly bold and or capsule-shaped, are about 3-4 lem is facing biologists in groupers. A newly developed method losing valuable breeding time, or aggressive, chasing and nipping mm in length, and adhere to the by the fish sex change expert, Alam Mohamed at Sesoko Station, it would have to seek out a mate, because newly hatched larvae his mate. He also displays by fully nest surface by a tuft of short fila- Japan, is an accurate and reliable determinate of the sex of live leaving its anemone and thereby are attracted to light, moonlight extending his dorsal, anal, and ments. They incubate six to seven groupers using 5–10 mg gonadal tissue samples, harvested using risking predation both on itself may draw them towards the sur- pelvic fins, while remaining sta- days. Just prior to hatching, the non-lethal gonadal biopsy. Alam’s fish survive the operation and and on its symbiont. face, thereby facilitating their tionary in front of or beside her. embryo, which has undergone there is no serious infections resulting from the surgery. Alam’s subsequent dispersal by waves During the nuptial period, he rapid devel- opment, is method is therefore quickly spreading around the world. ■ Within the tropics, spawning and currents. selects a nest site, usually on bare clearly visible through occurs throughout most of the rock adjacent to the anemone. the trans- parent year, although there may be sea- Anemone fishes are unique Initially, the male spends consider- egg sac that is responsible for the gen- The embryos hatch one night sonal peaks of activity. In subtropi- among damselfishes in form- able time clearing algae and mem- eral colour of the entire egg mass after about a week (depend- cal or warm temperate seas, as, ing permanent pair bonds that debris from the site with his brane: when viewed from a short dis- ent on the species) and the tiny for example, in southern Japan, sometimes last for years. In other mouth; he is eventu- the tance. Throughout incubation, the embryos swim to the surface reproductive activity is gener- damsels, one male may mate ally joined in these most nest is guarded and cared for by guided by the moonlight and out ally restricted to spring and sum- with several females during a activities by his noticeable the male. He chases other fishes on the open ocean, away from mer when water temperatures single spawning episode, and dif- mate. features are from its neighbourhood, espe- predators, and to a life as pelagic are at their highest. At Enewetak ferent sets of females are often the large cially potential egg-eaters (e.g. larvae for one or two weeks (also Atoll (located at about 11°N in involved in subsequent spawn- Spawning, eyes with wrasses). The male frequently visits dependent on the species). Out the central Pacific), spawning ings. However, pair-bonding in which occurs their silvery the nest to fan the eggs with his on the blue the larvae grows by is strongly correlated with the most species of anemone fishes most often pupils, and the pectoral fins and to remove dead feeding on zooplankton, and lunar cycle: most nesting occurs is very strong and is correlated during morn- red-orange yolk eggs and debris with his mouth. returns another night to settle on when the moon is full or nearly so. by the small size of their territories ing hours, The female is mainly occupied the reef, detecting a suitable host Moonlight may serve to maintain (centered on their sea anemone) generally lasts with feeding during this time, but sea anemone, and the life cycle a high level of alertness in the which is, in turn, correlated with from about Red and black occasionally assists the male with has once again made on full male, which assumes most of the the unusual social hierarchy that 30 minutes - or tomato his duties. round. ■ nest guarding duties. Moreover, exists in each “family” group. to more than clownfish

59 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 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 HAS NOT BEEN tested BY x-ray MAG STAFF, NOR ARE THE ITEMS warranted, information PROVIDED IS CONDENSED from manufacturers DESCRIPTIONS. Texts are usually edited for length, clarity and style Links active at the time of publications Dive point & click Jewelry on bold links by Eva Baumgartner filigree worked treasures made of of fine 925 sterling silver. Edited by Find dolphins, Gunild Pak Symes sharks, divers, all images courtesy of the manufacturers manta- rays, Gifts for the special diver in your life... sea tur- tles and even Nudibranchs... a large Sparkling Manatee assortment of scuba diving jewel- It is said that diamonds lery rich in detail, perfected by hand are a girl’s best friend, Dazzle Your and beautifully processed with the but what about the lov- Wreck Detective so- called “Opal of the Ocean”, the able manatee? Better Spanish 1/2 Real Coin Pendant Paua-snail from New Zealand. 100 % free yet, a manatee with a is dated from 1738. Hand- of Nickel. The jeweler contributes to the pres- diamond: 14K yellow made frame is 18K gold ervation of our unique underwater world and takes gold manatee pendant with .21TW sapphires and part in important nature conservation projects sup- with .05CT diamond. .06TW diamonds. Find porting them via donations. Manta Ocean Design Price: US$250.00 the Crowned Arms of With Moonstone (above) €65.95. Dolphin Necklace Cedarchestsanibel.com the House of Bourbon With Shiva Eye (left) €49.95. International shipping. surrounded by legend, Internet shop available in German, coming soon mintmark and assayer in English at Taucher-schmuck.de Email English- identification. On the speaking staff: [email protected] reverse side are Lions and Castles Quartered Within Cross with the date above and legend around. US$1225.00 Boy on Dolphin Seahorse Love Greek Coin Handmade silver and Pendant is gemstone seahorse Joyful spirit dated around pendents and jewelry of dolphins 272-235 B.C. by Pippi Konstanski of Give your ocean Has 18K Wood River Jewelry lover a wave of dolphin frame. Both make unique and per- love.. Six Dolphins in Bronze coins can sonal expressions of love Finish Sculpture makes a be found at to give to your special wonderful piece for home Cedar Chest someone. International or office. The art sculpture Fine Jewelry visited shipping available. is hand crafted and cast in often by tourists from See more of her work solid brass with a nice bronze finish the Sanibel and Captiva Islands near at her online galleries. that enhances the details. Dimensions: Florida. Cedarchestsanibel.com Click on: Gallery One 18x10.5 inches. ON SALE: Was $524.99. You and Gallery Two. Email pay only $262.50. Dolphinsunlimited.com the artist to order cus- tom-made jewelry: [email protected]

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61 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Biologist, rebreather diver, inventor profile of Pyle Stops or... database manager

X-RAY MAG catches up with the ever-inventive and contemplative pioneer, Richard Pyle, to find out what makes him tick, insights into his theories, and the stories behind his accomplishments.

Who is Richard Pyle really? A biol- all about it on my website—and hats. I have my fish hat and my ogist or a rebreather diver? then decided not to give up on rebreather hat. They are two very deep diving but to learn to do it different things to think about, Excellent question, many peo- properly. That led me to Bill Stone. as the topics are very different. I ple have asked me that. I am I read his article about trimix div- enjoy being able to think about definitely a biologist. My whole ing—this was before technical div- them both. life I have been interested in ing became a common term—in fishes, and I don’t know why but 1987. (See Interview with Bill Stone The reason I ask is that you seem it always has been that way. I’ve in X-RAY MAG #15). So, I wrote to have not just one, but two had an aquarium since I was a him a little letter and I asked,“How claims to fame. little kid, so fishes have always do you do this?” And he then come first. Scuba diving was wrote me back and told me, “We It is actually more, as I have four a tool to get access to fishes. do it this way…” So, I learned how worlds that I move in—and my The most exciting part for me is to do trimix diving from Bill Stone, family is my fifth world. The four finding new things that nobody and through him, I also learned worlds that I travel in are: The ever found before, and I quickly about rebreathers, as he was saltwater aquarium world—I am learned that the only way I already building rebreathers at actually more known to people could go where my Ph.D advisor that time. So, I got into rebreath- in the saltwater aquarium world P.H.Randall hadn’t already found ers through fishes, and if I had to than any of the other worlds— a fish was—and he has been all give one of them up, I would give and I always get invited to give over the world other than down— up rebreathers before fishes. keynote presentations at aquar- so I got into deep diving to try to ium meetings, but generally, I get into a new place and find I am definitely a biologist first have been too busy to do that. new kinds of new fishes nobody and a rebreather diver second. The second world is the fish world found before. There is a lot of his- But I will say that I get almost as where I know a lot of people and tory there, but I started off with much enjoyment out of thinking then, of course, the rebreather regular scuba, going deeper about the technical aspects of and tech world. But there is a and deeper and deeper. And the diving. I enjoy thinking about completely different world from I found out the hard way what rebreathers and technical diving which I get my pay check, and the problems were. I got a bad almost as much as thinking about that is for programming databas- case of the bends—you can read fishes, so every day I change es. Most of my travelling goes to RichardA talk with Pyle 62 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED profile Richard Pyle meetings to discuss standards for But you are the one that is widely What is the computer databases, so we can credited with coining the term—or “Twilight Zone”? exchange data about biological in some way being synonymous diversity from different computers with—“The Twilight Zone” around the world. I am chang- In this context, the ing between all these hats all It actually started out with Walter coral-reef Twilight Zone the time and between all these Starck who I think got credit for is roughly defined as cor- Divers on scuba different groups of people. A lot recognising that this depth zone, al-reef habitat at depths have mostly of times, I joke about…you know however we want to define it, say between about 200 feet explored reefs what a nerd or geek is, someone from 50 to 150 meters, is await- (60 meters) and 500 feet down to 60m who is too much into something ing to be explored. (Scubadivers (150 meters). … I have found that in those can rarely go beyond 40m and Dr. Walter Starck is one of the worlds there are geeks in every submersibles rarely operate shal- pioneers in the scientific investi- The upper limit repre- one of them. Some are science lower than 150m – ed.). Walter gation of coral reefs. He grew up sents the approximate nerds about the fish, and some Starck, aside from his fame as a in the Florida Keys and received maximum depth to are dive nerds. photographer, his most signifi- a PhD in marine science from which stony corals tend cant contribution was to build the the University of Miami in 1964. to dominate the reef There are different sorts of gen- very first electronically controlled He has over 40 years worldwide structure, and the lower iuses? rebreather, the Electrolung. He experience in reef studies, and limit represents the maxi- invented this rebreather to do his work has encompassed the mum depth at which The funny thing is that across what I do, to find new fishes on discovery of much of the basic significant photosynthe- the topics, they all have the the deeper coral reefs but this nature of reef biology. In this sis occurs (the maximum The “Twilight Zone” same characteristics, and I am was back in the 1960’s. Of all the process, over 100 species of fish- depth to which the living one of the nerds. In fact, I am a known technical divers, es, which were new to science, coral reef extends). We may know more about nerd in all four categories. I am the least pioneer were found as well as numerous, the ocean floor than we I can have the same sort because rebreather corals, shells, crustaceans and The reason the coral- know about the coral-reef of excited conversations diving. in the other new discoveries. reef Twilight Zone is Twilight Zone over dinners regardless sense of what shallower than the of whether it is about I use it for, was In the early 1960s, he began the open-ocean Twilight databases, fishes or already invent- first extensive exploration of coral Zone stems mostly from rebreathers. I am sur- ed by Walter reefs at night. the difference in water prised how similar it is. Starck when I clarity between the two came along. In In conjunction with this work, he habitats. In fact, I am a that was among the first to adapt nerd in all four and use SLR cameras and elec- In the open ocean, tronic flash underwater. This, in the crystal-clear water categories turn, enabled the first underwa- allows sunlight to pen- ter macro photography. In 1964, etrate considerably he developed the optical dome deeper than around Submersibles port now used universally for coral reefs, where the have mostly wide-angle underwater photog- water is often teeming explorerd raphy. with plankton. depths below 150m In 1968, he developed the Therefore, the biologi- Electrolung—the first electroni- cally important transition cally regulated, closed circuit, zone between light and mixed gas scuba. With the dark exists at somewhat Electrolung, Dr Starck began shallower depths around exploring the deep reefs beyond coral reefs. ■ the frontiers of compressed air diving, and many exciting new discoveries resulted. ■ Source: www.goldendolphin.com

63 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED respect, I am just a late he used the phrase about all it. One, is that we know so Bio comer. There was also anoth- the discoveries awaiting to little about it, about the spe- Deep Stops = Pyle Stops Dr. Richard Pyle was born and raised er guy, Pat Colin, who was a be done in the twilight zone. cies and about the interac- in Hawaii, where he caught an inter- bit later than Walter Starck He was probably the first, tions that go on there. The est for fish from a very early age. He and was also inspired by him. and then I started applying other thing is that it is a transi- set up his first aquarium when he was He also built his own rebreath- that term, and then I started tion zone. One environment Deep stops seems to This is an excerpt from an arti- five years old, and started scuba div- er to go down to the deep talking about it. But then where the coral reef meets cle Richard Pyle wrote 10 years ing when he was 13. By the age of 19, be the latest buzz-word reef zones, so I am not the biologists got angry with me, another environment, the ago: he lived in Palau where his passion for when it comes to promot- discovering new fishes lured him into first, by a long shot. because that term already open ocean, deep water, resulting in a crippling applies to something in the and this zone While you may ing the latest models of Back before the concept of case of decompression sickness while But I seem to be the lucky middle of the ocean, about is the bridge think that it dive computers. Deep “technical diving” existed, I diving with world-renown ichthyolo- one who was around when a 1000 meters deep, and between stops allow you to com- used to do more dives to depths gist John “Jack” Randall. Jack then technology was finally ready in the cave world, it means the two, and is a mix of of 180-220 feet than I care to plete your safety stops offered him a job in the fish collection to do this. Walter invented something else. So, it is a little very interest- species from remember. Because of the tre- of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in his own technology, but at overused. I then started call- ing things at depth. The amount of mendous sample size of dives, Honolulu, where Richard continues to that time, they even had to ing it deep coral reefs, but happen. above and I eventually began to notice a work. stops needed, as well as make their own oxygen sen- then they discovered these The coral from below, it the depth at which they few patterns. Quite frequently sors. They built them them- coral reefs a 1000m deep. reef is clear, after these dives, I would feel Determined to continue exploring the selves from scratch, whereas, So, now I don’t know what to obviously is actually a are required, depends some level of fatigue or malaise. coral reef “Twilight Zone” in a safe I can just go order them from call that zone that I am work- a sunlight completely new on the maximum depth It was clear that these post- and responsible way, Pyle was among Teledyne or whoever. I was ing in. It is the “coral twilight driven eco- reached during the dive. dive symptoms had more to the pioneers of modern Technical lucky in being 20 or 30 years zone” or what? I don’t know, system where set of species. do with inert-gas loading than Diving in the late 1980s. In 1994, he later, because now I have but that is the area that I am the energy with physical exertion or thermal was a test-diver for the prototype Cis- access to technology that interested in. comes from the sun and is But Deep Stops are not all that exposure, because the symp- Lunar MK-4 closed-circuit rebreather, and travelled the Pacific in search of they didn’t. I don’t think that I passed on through the algae, new and were in fact discov- toms would generally be much new species of fishes on deep coral was the first person to use the But what is so special about into herbivores, etc. But once ered by Richard Pyle by coin- more severe after spending less reefs—which he and his colleagues term “Twilight Zone” either. this zone in a biological you get below the light zone, cidence—hence the alias Pyle than an hour in the water for a are discovering at a rate of 11 new Walter Starck wrote an arti- sense? you only find scavengers and Stops—as he started noticing 200-foot dive than they would species per hour of bottom time. cle, I think it was in 1972, in carnivores that rely on ener- that he was much less fatigued after spending four to six hours Recently, he has acted as consultant National Geographic where Two things are special about gy from elsewhere. after deep dives if he had taken at much shallower depths. for Poseidon in developing the new some breaks in the decent. Cis-Lunar Mk VI, which will be mar- But my zone represents that The interesting thing was that keted in 2008. I was lucky in being 20 area where one system trans- A “Pyle stop” is an additional these symptoms were not terri- or 30 years later because forms into the other. And one short deep-water stop, which is bly consistent. Sometimes I hard- Richard has authored over a hundred now I have access to tech- of the things that is most sur- increasingly used in deep div- ly felt any symptoms at all. scientific, technical and popular arti- prising that we have found ing. Typically, a Pyle stop is two cles and has been featured in dozens nology that they is that while you may think minutes long, and at the depth At other times, I would be so of documentary films (including the didn’t. that it is a mix of species from where the pressure change sleepy after a dive that I would IMAX film, Coral-Reef Adventure). above and from below, it is halves on an ascent from the find it difficult to stay awake on He was a founding member of the actually a completely new bottom to a shallow the drive home. I Board of Directors for the Association for Marine Exploration—a non-profit set of species. This zone is water decompres- tried to correlate organization dedicated to conduct- unique at the species level, sion stop. For exam- the severity of the ing innovative scientific exploration and there are lots of new ple, on an ascent symptoms with a using advanced diving equipment species there. But every spe- from a maximum wide variety of and techniques. In 2004, he was cies we find is somehow depth of 60 metres factors, such ► selected by Esquire magazine for the related to the shallow reefs 7 bar to a decom- “Best and Brightest” issue, and was rather than the deep ocean. pression stop at 20 Modern dive com- also recipient of the “Genius Award” The big question we had in metres 3 bar, the puters now incorpo- from General Electric which helped the beginning is whether the Pyle stop would rate Deep Stops in support his research. In 2005, he was zone was mostly like the shal- take place at the their decompression awarded the NOGI award—coinci- low ecosystems or the deep- halfway pressure, models. Suunto (D6 dentally, simultaneously with another is shown) is one of er ones, and it is definitely which is 5 bar at 40 X-RAY MAG interviewee, Bob Evans. the most prominent ■ Sources: Bishop Museum mostly like the shallower sys- metres. proponents tems, except that we almost

64 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED only found new species. The interesting Not all was new, but many. Richard Pyle What is interesting from thing was that an ecological perspective these symptoms is the transition from one as the magnitude of the exposure, the amount of extra time I spent on the ten-foot decom- were not ter- habitat to another and, from a species viewpoint, pression stop, the strength of the current, the ribly consist- the fact that everything clarity of the water, the water temperature, within the zone is unique. how much sleep I had the night before, the ent. Sometimes level of dehydration...you name it...but none I hardly felt any Is it just the species’ com- of these obvious factors seemed to have any- position? thing to do with it. Finally, I figured out what symptoms at all. it was—fish! Yup, that’s right... On dives when It is a bit of both. In fact, I collected fish, I had hardly any post-dive you find hardly any herbivores down there, fatigue. On dives when I did not catch any- which makes sense as there are not many thing, the symptoms would algae down there. You find a lot of omni- tend to be quite strong. I was vores, wrasses for example, fishes that will Finally I fig- actually quite amazed by how eat almost everything, and there are a lot consistent this correlation was. of those. You’ll find planktivores, fish that eat ured out what The problem, though, was that plankton, like damselfishes and anthias, for it was—fish! it didn’t make any sense. Why example. The fishes you find there are the would these symptoms have ones most adapted to just surviving. So, it is a Yup, that’s anything to do with catching little of both. fish? In fact, I would expect right... On more severe symptoms after Do you have any pet theories? dives when I fish-collecting dives because collected fish, my level of exertion while on I have one that we stumbled upon. It is pos- the bottom during those dives sibly a little complicated to communicate, I had hardly tended to be greater (chasing but I give it a try. I don’t know if you know any post-dive fish isn’t always easy). that in the tropical Pacific, the most diver- sity you’ll find is in the western parts, around fatigue. There was one other dif- Indonesia. And as you move away from ference, though. You see, there, there are less and less species. And most fishes have a gas-filled this holds true for fishes, crabs and corals internal organ called a and what not. Whatever you look at, the “swimbladder”—basically a fish buoyancy pattern is the same. So, for example, in the compensator. If a fish is brought straight to the Indonesia-Philippines region, you have about surface from 200 feet, its swimbladder would 2500 species of coral reef fishes. In Palau, you expand to about seven times its original size have about 1500. In Fiji, you have around and crush the other organs. Because I gener- 1000, and Hawaii about 500. In Easter Island, ally wanted to keep the fishes I collected alive, they have about 100... so, fewer and species I would need to stop at some point during the as you go. And this pattern is so consistent ascent and temporarily insert a hypodermic among all these organisms. There is a lot of needle into their swimbladders, venting off the scientific discussion going on about what excess gas. causes that pattern, and there are two main ideas. One, is that species evolved along the Typically, the depth at which I needed to do periphery of the Pacific and accumulated this was much deeper than my first required in this area as they, over time, migrated and decompression stop. For example, on an aver- that is why you, in this area, have this mixing age 200-foot dive, my first decompression stop of species from all over the place. That is why would usually be somewhere in the neighbor- there are so many here. hood of 50 feet, but the depth I needed to stop for the fish would be around 125 feet.►

65 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Not being a person who dive in 15m and then looked at because it is more diverse.” But So, whenever I collected As the years passed, I became Here is my method for incorpo- enjoyed confrontation, I kept Cook island also at 15m, the dif- once we got there, we did find fish, my ascent profile would more and more convinced of rating deep safety stops: ference is huge. Fiji has thousands new species but in no greater include an extra 2-3 minute the value of these deep stops quiet about my practice of of species, Cook island a few numbers than we found on Cook. stop much deeper than my for reducing the probability of 1) Calculate a decompression including these “deep decom- hundred. It is a completely differ- We thought that this was strange, first “required” decompression decompression sickness (DCS). In profile for the dive you wish ent diversity. But if you go down and it was perhaps because we stop. Unfortunately, this didn’t all cases where I had some sort of to do, using whatever soft- pression stops”. to 100m instead, then the islands were just not in the right place. make any sense either. ware you normally use. look comparable. There is no But as we went on to visit more When you think only in terms The other theory is that species more diversity in one place than and more locations, we found of dissolved gas tensions in 2) Take the distance evolve in a hotspot—in the mid- in the other. So, this pattern of that the emerging pattern was blood and tissues (as virtually between the bottom dle and radiate outward. And the high diversity versus low diversity the same—new species, but not all decompression algorithms portion of the dive (at farther you get from that hotspot, seems to only apply in the shallow a greater number of new species in use today do), you would the time you begin your the fewer species you find areas. over there than here. expect more decompression ascent) and the first because of the distance. Both problems with the included “required” decompres- of these mechanisms, which So, here is my pet theory deep stops because more sion stop, and find the the scientific community are about this: It occurred time is spent at a greater midpoint. You can use the arguing about all the time, to me that the sea level depth. ambient pressure midpoint are operating at evolutionary goes up and down if you want, but for most timescales—in other words, at every hundred thousand As someone who tends to dives in the “technical” least hundreds of thousands years with the cycles of have more faith in what diving range, the linear or millions of years. So, they ice ages and glaciation. actually happens in the distance midpoint will be are thinking of it in terms of How much does it go real world than what should close enough and is easier biology. up and down? About a happen according to the to calculate. This depth will hundred meters. Where theoretical world, I decided be your first deep safety But we found cue patterns is the break between to start including the deep stop, and the stop should that we didn’t expect on shallow and deep reef stops on all of my decom- be about 2-3 minutes in deep coral reefs as com- fishes? About a hundred pression dives, whether or duration. pared to shallow reefs. The meters. not I collected fish. Guess first pattern we found is that what? My symptoms of 3) Re-calculate the there is a higher rate of ende- What I think happens fatigue virtually disappeared decompression profile by mism here. So, if you go to a is that every hundred altogether! It was nothing including the deep safety particular island and go down thousand years, the sea short of amazing! I mean stop in the profile (most deep, you’ll find that 70 per- NASA Astronaut image of Astove Island (Aldabra level drops, and the spe- I actually started getting software will allow for cent of the species are only Group, Seychelles) in the Indian Ocean cies of the shallow reefs some work done during the multi-level profile calcula- found at that island. On the die out because all the afternoons and evenings of tions). other hand, if you go shallow, shallow habitats, the days when I did a morning perhaps only ten percent of the So, it is almost like the ocean is lagoons, the fringing reefs, all of deep dive. P - v ia li c kr F 4) If the distance species are endemic. The deeper layered? that disappears. Because when between your first deep you go, the more unique the spe- you look at an atoll, they come I started telling people about safety stop and your first by A aron cies are to that one island, which Yes, so it appears. And that up straight to the surface and my amazing discovery, but “required” stop is greater is strange, and we did not know makes you think, what is it about are flat on the top. And if you was invariably met with than 30 feet, then add a why this would be. The second the deep reef fishes that 1) makes dropped the sea level a hundred skepticism, and sometimes on ph oto second deep safety stop pattern is, if you go to say Fiji and them unique to each island and meters the island just sticks out stern lectures from “experts” at the midpoint between 2) makes them no more diverse of the water it just doesn’t erode about how this must be based the first deep safety stop in the Western Pacific than in away. So, when the sea level is wrong. “Obviously,” they and the first required stop. Endemism is the ecological the Eastern Pacific? We started high like it is now, you have a would tell me, “you should G ra ph i c state of being unique to a the deep reef stuff in the Cook lagoon and all of these habitats get out of deep water as Technical Diver doing a deep 5) Repeat as necessary place. Endemic species are islands—which is low diversity— up shallow. When the sea level quickly as possible to mini- decompression stop until there are less than not naturally found elsewhere. and we found all these new spe- then drops again, these habitats mize additional gas load- 30 feet between your last The place must be a discrete cies and thought, “Wow! If we dry out, and all the species on ing.” Not being a person who post-dive symptoms, ranging from deep safety stop and the geographical unit, such as an go over to the Western Pacific the oceanic island’s shallow reefs enjoyed confrontation, I kept fatigue to shoulder pain to quad- first required safety stop. island, habitat type, or other where the diversity is higher, we may die out. But if you go to the quiet about my practice of riplegia in one case, it was on a defined area or zone. are going to find five times as Western Pacific, which lies on including these “deep decom- dive where I omitted the deep — Richard Pyle ■ many new species down deep the continental shelf, a shallow pression stops”. decompression stops.

66 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED profile Richard Pyle Richard Pyle was instru- mental in developing the original Cis-Lunar CCR rebreathers into an useful tool for researchers in the 1980s. Two decades later, his experienc- es were put to use by Poseidon, who had acquired the Cis-Lunar brand, in developing the new CCR for sports-divers that is being launched on the worldwide mar- Depth profiles (left) over the Pacific show ket in 2008 that the archipelogoes of Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines sit on the shal- lower continental shelf. If compared to a chart of biodiversity (above) the high I explain this to the biodiversity on the shallow reefs corre- dive nerds, and they lates with these areas just go,“Uh...Okay–if you say so.” plateau, you don’t have all these The species in the shallows, on which was full of these people tion. and I expect that there will islands just sticking up from the the other hand, are never there arguing about the two theories, be no problems, as the question We are also interested in seeing deep bottom. When the sea level long enough to become new and amidst all their bickering, is both exciting, interesting and if this holds true for other kinds of drops here, all what happens is species. Instead, what happens they all became quiet. important. organisms, not just fishes, but also that you move the habitats down when the water comes back, the corals and other stuff. If the pat- a slope, so you don’t destroy shallow reefs are repopulated Can’t this be settled somehow? Well, I get excited and interested tern is different, then something them. Whereas, in the Eastern from the Western Pacific. So, the and ask myself, what I am doing else may be going Pacific, they die. However, if you idea is, that it is not evolutionary Yes, and it is going to be. The only on a dive magazine? on. go down deep, the fishes are time scales that creates this pat- way you settle it is to contrast the already living along a vertical tern, but ecological. You wipe it shallow reef fishes to the deep It all comes back to the nerd But we’ll see. ■ habitat, the wall, so if the sea out, you fill it out, you re-populate fishes. If there were no deep reef thing. You are also a biologist and level changes the fishes just move it—over and over again. Down fishes, you couldn’t settle it understand. But usually, when I up and down with it, nothing deep, it just goes up and down, —even with DNA techniques. But explain this to the dive nerds, they really changes. That means that up and down. since the deep fishes are higher just go, “Uh... Okay—if you say the deep fishes don’t get wiped endemics, and the shallower spe- so.” out every hundred thousand years This hypothesis would be predict cies are more connected to the or so. If this model is true, the shal- two things: One, that there are Western Pacific, that means that low reefs gets wiped clean every more endemic species on these they came from there—while the time the sea level goes through islands because they would have deeper ones have been there all a cycle, except in the Western more time to become endemic; the time. The shallow ones have Pacific—where the deep fishes and two, you wouldn’t expect been recolonising, whereas the don’t get wiped out. They sur- the same pattern in the east deep ones were unique there. vive for many hundreds of thou- and the west. And what do we That is what we have a grant pro- sands of years or millions of years, find? Exactly that pattern. So, it is posal submitted to do—to inves- and therefore, have the time to a very complicated equation. I tigate this phenomenon. We just become unique new species, presented this idea at a meeting have to have more preliminary because they are isolated there. in Taiwan a couple of years ago, data to support to the applica-

67 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED shark tales I find myself reading the following recom- mendation; “Never dive with tiger sharks without the protection of a cage”. There are no cages on this trip

Spring 2006, I was sitting behind That night I lied awake. What had I dition was started, and I must admit that my desk as I was surfing the done? What would my impulsive act the word expedition was rightly chosen. bring? I wondered what species of sharks The vessel was very small, and it took a internet. A review about a shark I’d meet and whether the trip would be lot of effort to get everyone with their expedition in the Bahamas drew safe. I spent the rest of the week search- luggage on board. my attention. The pictures that ing the internet for information. The main Because of the size of the vessel and target of the expedition was spotting tiger its shallowness in the water, one felt accompanied the article were sharks and great hammerhead sharks. I every movement of the sea. The weath- very impressive. I had always Googled the first species, the tiger sharks, er was bad, and we faced an impetu- dreamt about diving amongst and I found myself reading the following ous night crossing. As I stood on the rear sharks. My enthusiasm took recommendation: “Never dive with tiger deck staring at the horizon, I felt sick. On sharks without the protection of a cage.” top of that, I was pretty nervous for what control over me, and ten min- There were no cages on this trip. the next week would bring. Was it wise utes later, I had booked the trip. One year later, I was heading for the of me to book this trip? Maybe I was just Bahamas from West Palm Beach, Florida, a bit tense because of the challenging Text and photos by Karen Brusssard on the vessel M/V Shearwater. The expe- week I was about to experience. LemonShark expedition off the snapping Bahamas

68 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED feature Sharks Tales

Never look to hold the tube vertically in front of themselves. longer than 5 photographers could, of course, seconds through use their camera to protect them- the viewfinder selves from curious Tiger sharks. Finally, we received one very of your camera important instruction: never look and immediately longer than five seconds through the viewfinder of your camera search the area and immediately search the in a 360 degree area in a 360 degree angle to be absolutely sure no Tiger shark is angle to be abso- surprising you. lutely sure no Tiger shark is sur- prising you. According to Tiger shark grabs camera I was sitting on the vessel’s diving Abernathy the present platform for my first dive, and I sharks in these waters could see lots of Caribbean reef are not dangerous sharks in the water beneath me. Before entering the water, I had to humans. There is to think twice. one exception and During the dive Reef sharks Safety their prey, for example turtles, when were circling around the divers. After dealing with the formalities at the breathing for air on the surface. For this that’s the tiger shark. They were making movements customs in West End, Jim Abernathy, reason, snorkeling was not an option Whenever a tiger towards the so-called bait boxes owner of Abernathy’s Scuba this trip. —boxes with fish remains meant Adventures (JASA), provided us with a According to Abernathy, the sharks shark is near it’s very to attract the sharks. thorough briefing. present in these waters were not dan- important that the I was beginning to deal with my Jim informed us how to act as a gerous to humans. There was one fears and actually started enjoy- group in the presence of sharks. “Safety exception, and that was the tiger shark. divers work together ing diving among the sharks. first” was his statement, and anyone whenever a tiger shark is near it’s as a team when the third dive was about ignoring the safety rules would receive very important that the divers work to start, I was the first diver in the a warning. A second warning would together as a team. Divers should water. At first, I was a bit cautious, mean immediate and absolute exclu- point out the shark to each other so but then I let the sharks approach

sion from the trip. that every diver could turn towards the me at short range in order to take Aw M i ch ael Our diving gear and its details were direction of the predator. not allowed to be finished in bright Tiger sharks will approach anything colors. We were obliged to wear gloves they meet, and everything of interest to because white hands can be mistaken them would be investigated with their for fish by sharks. A shark could “acci- noses. When the shark realizes that the dentally” bite a diver. object is not edible, it will continue on we were instructed to slide cautiously its way. into the water and immediate descend A safety precaution is, therefore, to to the bottom of the sea. Leaving the hold an object between yourself and water should also be done quickly as the shark. Jim Abernathy provides the greatest danger for the diver is on everyone with a PVC tube about one the surface. Tiger sharks often attack meter in length. The divers are obliged

69 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED than the reef impressed by the five-meter long turns. Sharks Tales feature sharks, and animal, that I sought protection At a certain moment, one of they seem behind Abernathy. the divers was approached by to ignore The shark ignored us and a shark from behind. The diver the divers gracefully swam away, exactly as didn’t see the shark, because he Abernathy predicted in the brief- looked through his camera too ing. long. The next day, we met more Abernathy took action. He good Tiger sharks, and as crazy pushed the shark away using his pictures. it may sound, I was camera, but the shark was not The getting used to the amused. The shark opened its scent of rotting fish presence of enormous mouth, grabbed the remains spread out these camera and aggressively swam through the water, mas- away with it. and more and more sharks were sive I felt very uncomfortable with attracted. The second species predators around me. It had the situation and again won- we got to see was the Lemon presence become almost a common activ- dered why I was so keen on mak- shark. totally. ity to dive between the second ing this trip. Fortunately, the shark Lemon sharks are recog- Occassionally, I felt most dangerous sharks species of dropped the camera before dis- nizable by their yellowish to the Lemon sharks touching the world. appearing into the depths of the light brown-gray color. They look my fins on their way around the During our dive just before sun- sea. very impressive because of their divers. At that point, the first Tiger set, we spotted four large Tiger crooked teeth. They approach shark showed itself at a distance sharks. The divers worked as a “Are you crazy?” the divers even more closely of about ten meters. I was so team, and we took pictures in Back on board, Abernathy asks whether anyone managed to take pictures of the frightening scene. “Are you crazy?” I asked As crazy it may the man. But that night, I found out that sound, I’m getting one crazy person had taken pic- used to the presence tures, and that crazy person hap- of these massive pened to be me. we talked a lot that night predators around about what happened, and, me more importantly, how a scene like that is to be prevented. I become more and more aware that we were dealing with lethal predators. I realized that one must not think lightly about it, and I felt forced to sharpen the safety pre- cautions. Supermodel The next day, we dived at Tiger beach. According to its name, one would expect a beach, but there is none. During the expe- dition we only saw one island,

The shark opens its enormous mouth, grabs the camera and aggressively swims away with it. Fortunately the shark drops the camera before dis- appearing into the depth of the sea.

70 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED John Collins Do White Sharks Lurk In Have we met before? You look familiar Counterfeit Shark Fins Start the Waters Around Britain? Hitting the Asian Markets Facial recognition Using thousands of photos In a paper to be published A mutilated gray seal found washed software used in submitted by researchers this month in the journal, up on a lifeboat slipway in Norfolk, forensic science and others, Bradley Norman Ecological Applications, the Wang Chia-chuan, a chef special- has now been put to of Murdoch University in researchers report repeated izing in cooking shark fin soup and England, may have been attacked sightings of many individual use to identify indi- Perth managed to adapt working for a restaurant in Taichung by a great white shark. vidual whale sharks software originally devel- sharks from year to year, has warned consumers that many around Ningaloo Reef oped for telescopes to suggesting that the shark Lifeboatman, Chris Taylor, who has a in Western Australia, a recognize patterns of stars population, in that part shark fins bought on Taiwan’s market biology degree and studied sharks and prime sighting area for these and other celestial objects of the ocean at least, is are fake and might pose a hazard to found the seal’s body in Sheringham, huge fish. to identify individual sharks. healthy. ■ their health. told BBC News that the wound to the seal bears all the hallmarks of a great He said that many of the shark fins sold white attack. “The bite measures over on Taiwan’s market are actually made a foot (0.3m) across, so I don’t know which was uninhabited. Sunbathing and ized that a Lemon shark had bitten into Great Hammerhead ever! of a mixture of mung bean starch what else could have taken a chunk relaxing under palm trees is not what this the domeport of my underwaterhousing. This shark moved in a very different gel, fish skin and gelatin—a substance of this size. Seals hit by boat propellers trip was about. Fortunately, the domeport is made of way than all the other sharks I had ever extracted from the boiled bones, skins have a zipper-like pattern across the Tiger Beach is a dive spot with a shal- an acrylic material. What remained was dived with. The movement started at the and tendons of animals. top of the neck, because they don’t low sandy bottom. Depending on the a big scratch mark—a souvenir—and an head and then the body followed. I was swim upside down—but this seal was tide, we would dive to a depth of three image I had always dreamed of taking. very impressed by this animal. According to Wang, the manufactur- hit from below, which is how sharks to five meters. There are a huge During the last part of the expedition, I had always wanted to see Great ers of these fake shark fins would use attack their prey,” he said. amount of Tiger sharks in this spot, and we searched for the Great Hammerhead Hammerheads, and had never man- hydrogen peroxide solution to bleach Mr Taylor sent photographs of we got to meet one of them—Emma, a shark and the Bull shark. The Great aged to actually see them. This moment their products to make them look like the carcass to Dr Ken Collins, of the six-meter long Tiger shark. Hammerhead is a very shy made me a very happy diver! genuine shark fins, and that those National Oceanography Centre, She is called a supermodel I had always animal, and it will not show Later that day, we balanced behind who unknowingly consume the look- Southampton, who confirmed that the because of her graceful itself easily to us. the boat for our safety stop, and three alike shark fins could be endangering injury is indeed consistent with the bite movements in the water. wanted to see Great Hammerheads came to take a look at their health. Even real shark fins are from a great white shark. ■ Hammerheads, and End of the Map me and my buddy. not all safe to consume, because Lemon snapping had never managed We were heading for a place when holding your breath, they some restaurants soak dried Between two dives, called, The End of the Map. approach you at short range, but the fins in chemical solutions to Great White Shark Abernathy suggests we’ll to actually see them. Again, we dived a spot with slightest movement makes them dis- speed up the process of sof- Tracked Over 3000km go “lemon snapping”. This moment made a sandy bottom, but this appear as quickly as they had tening them for cooking, he Ten surprised guests on time, we dived to a depth of arrived. added. Also shark fin products A great white shark’s record-break- board stare at the captain me a very happy 23 meters. Upon descending, Because the sharks swim just are known to have dangerous ing swim between New Zealand because no one knows the diver! we immediately spot the first under the surface, we need- levels of heavy metals. and Australia could be far more meaning of this word. Bull sharks. They can by rec- ed not worry about our impressive than previously thought. It turns out that the crew attracts the ognized by their strong, muscular bodies. decompression time. We The chef suggested that before Lemon sharks with bait towards the rear Tiger sharks are not to be missed, and dived in two groups tak- buying such products, consum- The 4.4m shark, nicknamed Kerri, start- end of the boat. The sharks will snap at a large one was swimming right towards ing turns every two hours ers should learn how to distinguish ed its journey at Stewart Island in March the bait, and at that point, we get the me. I could feel my heart pounding in my until dawn to enjoy as genuine shark fins from fake ones. with an electronic tag attached to its opportunity to take pictures of the wide throat. The shark hit the port of my cam- much as we could of He said the method involves judging dorsal fin. The tag recently showed open mouths of the sharks. To do so we era with his nose, and I made a turn fol- these amazing and from the look, smell and taste of the up 3000km away, near the Great have to hold our cameras half under the lowing the movement of the shark. magnificent animals. fins, as well as using the fingers to Barrier Reef. The journey is the longest surface and take shots at random hoping I had to make three turns with the when dawn fell stretch or break up the cartilage. ever recorded by a shark from New for the best. shark striking my camera with its nose and it became too Zealand. before the shark continued on its way. dark for shooting, May we suggest that giving up But Department of Conservation sci- Big bang Abernathy made clear that I acted in we realized that consuming shark fins altogether entist Clinton Duffy said it could have It was not so easy to take pictures on a the right way. this exciting and might be a better option for eve- been thousands of kilometres longer. rocking boat with snapping sharks at my very special ryone concerned? ■ “I would say it’s unlikely it would have feet. It certainly provided me with a lot of No time to relax expedition been a direct route with her being at adrenalin, which was rushing through my I had no time to relax, because a bit had come to This is, unfortunately, how large for nine months. She could have veins! after this adventure, I heard someone an end. ■ the real product looks as been all over the place.” But the activity was absolutely safe, shouting through his regulator. I thought seen on display at a Duffy said sharks were known to according to the crew. At a certain I could hear the word Hammerhead. high street restaurant travel up to 1000km a week. ■ moment, I heard a loud bang, and I real- When I turned around, I saw my first in Bangkok

71 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Be Enchanted by the Where to Dive when in media Creatures of the Deep Washington or British We forgive you if you had Columbia Books Film DVDs flipped through this book The title may be a mouthful, but Edited by and wondered if the pho- don’t let it deter you from picking Catherine GS Lim tos were actually meant for up this book if you are headed a sci-fi book. After all, with for Washington State or British point & click creatures like the glass- Columbia. 151 Dives in the Protected on bold links head grenadiers, spookfish Waters of Washington State and and pigbutt worms, where British Columbia features some 151 else would you have recommended dives in the two found such intriguing areas. Writer Betty Pratt-Johnson has weird creatures? dived in all the locations featured in How Do I Woo Thee? Well, the answer is the book, so you can be sure that Let Me Count the Ways simply: The depths of the information in the book is based It’s been said many times that sex sells. Well, if that’s the the oceans. Yes, we do on first-hand knowledge. Whether case, this book is bound to find its way into the bestseller share our world with such you are a diver or a snorkeller, this lists in no time. After all, with a name like Kama SEAtra: creatures, which dwell in book details what you can expect from each site, be it marine life, Secrets of Sex in the Sea, what else would you expect? places we could never corals, marine parks, wrecks, etc. Other useful information In this new book, aquatic scientist Sheree Marris hope to venture. The deep ocean occupies 85% of the include nautical charts, photographs, describes the mating behaviour of some marine crea- oceans, and is therefore the world’s largest habitat. Yet, maps, GPS coordinates for the boat dive, tures that can be intriguing, mysterious and oftentimes while many of us look towards outer space in the spirit as well as the contact details of dive just plain weird. The females of some marine species of exploration, it is sobering to note that only 5% of the shops, charter boats and marinas. tend to be the dominant partner, getting the males to ocean floor has been properly mapped. ● ISBN: 978-1-59485-043-1 bear the burden of pregnancy or become their perma- It was this fact that prompted journalist Claire Nouvian ● 432 pages nent sex slave. to embark on The Deep. There are more than 200 photo- ● Paperback And then, there is the deep sea angler. When the graphs in this book, some of which depict creatures that ● Publisher: The Mountaineers Books female is in the mood for love, she sends out a ‘perfume’ have never been photographed before. There is the into the water. Any male that catches a whiff black-eyed squid that carries its 2,000 eggs in a pouch goes into a mad frenzy, so much so for up to nine months, the siphonophore, a 40-metre that he bites onto her and never rope-like superorganism that swims silently through the Diving in Africa - Looking lets go. In time, he becomes waters and the naked sea butterfly that uses hooks Beyond the Red Sea fused into her body, and all that to pull sea snails out of their shells and swallows them Think Africa, and if you’re like us, is left of the love-sick male is a whole. A few of the creatures featured in this book diving the Red Sea is one of the first pair of testicles. are unnamed, being still unknown to science. things that come to mind. Well, this Talk about giving up everything Concise non-technical write-ups and essays by new book by Thomas P Peschak - in the name of love…. top marine biologists accompany the photos, giv- Wild Seas, Secret Shores of Africa - is Then there is the other side of ing background and explaining the behaviour here to expand on this thought. You the coin, in which female elephant and personality of these fascinating creatures. see, diving the African waters does seals choose the biggest males in A depth chart, glossary, oceanic statistics and not have to be limited to the region photographer the colony as their mates, only to be bibliography also provide useful information. up north – have you ever thought and marine biologist, sometimes crushed to death by the To call this a coffee-table book seems to about the marine environs in the Peschak specialises in writing heavier male during copulation. diminish its contribution to marine science, other lesser-known African waters? and photographing Africa’s oceans. In all, this book gives a light-hearted both as an archive of deep-sea creatures, Flip through Peschak’s book He is also a photojournalist for insight into the little-known facts of the and also a beautiful treasury of the fascinat- and be taken on a captivating WWF-South Africa and Save our amorous lives of marine creatures. While ing creatures that inhabit the depths of our oceans. photographic journey through the Seas Foundation. This is his third it entertains, it also manages to engage This is a must-have on any nature lover’s bookshelf, kelp forests and coral reefs (and book focussing on Africa’s marine and educate anyone who picks up this offering up endless opportunities to be awed by the more!) of southern and eastern environments and animals. book. variety of the creatures of the deep. Africa. His technical mastery with ● ISBN: 9781770075900 ● ISBN: 9780330423687 ● ISBN: 978-0-226-59566-5 the camera enables every photo ● Hardcover ● 128 pages ● Cloth to tell a story, through characters ● 184 pages ● Paperback ● 256 pages as diverse as tiger sharks, whales, ● More than 145 photos ● Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia ● 220 color plates dolphins, jellyfish and starfish. ● Published: 2007-10-01 As an underwater ● Publisher: Struik Publishers

72 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Learn about Decompression media Illness to Prevent Books, Film, DVDs, CDs Decompression Illness when it comes to decompression Learn Yoga to Dive illness (DCI), ignorance is definitely Better not bliss. This becomes more It’s not every day that relevant when one notes that DCI you come across fellow can even strike divers who follow divers exerting themselves proper diving procedures. So, to in yoga poses before help divers learn more about DCI they enter the water. Visit America’s and what to do if they get it, DAN Well, if Kimberlee Marine Sanctuaries has come up with a new DVD, I Jensen Stedl and Todd with the Cousteau May Be Bent… Now What? Stedl, the writers of a Family This 40-minute programme highlights the symptoms new book Yoga for This book reads like a of DCI, reiterating the fact that they may be similar to other Scuba Divers, have great adventure into the health conditions. So it is important to be alert at all times and not anything to say underwater realms of succumb to self-denial, as this often leads to delays in seeking help, about it, this scene America, a journey the thus compromising the diver’s treatment and long-term health. may well become reader is privileged to presented by DAN Medical Informational Specialist Marty more common in the share with members of McCafferty, the DVD is available free of charge to dive clubs near future. the esteemed Cousteau and dive centres. It is perfect to be used as part of a dive training According to them, yoga can help divers family. It chronicles the syllabus, or at your next dive meeting. improve their diving skills, and train up the muscles experiences of the Cousteau family as they explore the used during a dive. The poses and techniques 13 American National Marine Sanctuaries and one Marine featured in the book run the gauntlet from pre- National Monument for a two-hour PBS television special. dive warm-ups, general conditioning, post-dive America’s Underwater Treasures depicts the beauty and Swim in the Ocean Without Getting Wet recovery, pose positions, etc. The mental aspect variety of marine environments in America’s backyard. Okay, we admit being a little skeptical about this video is also covered, in the form of visualization Readers can expect to venture into kelp forests, coral (?) game. Before we got our hands on it, we were told that techniques that divers can indulge in. A reefs and even historical shipwrecks. players would not be issued with any weapons, as there unique skill featured in the book is a special In the words of co-author Jean-Michel Cousteau, would be no bad guys to eliminate. All we had to do was way of breathing that simulates the way one “People around the world know the names Yellowstone, to explore and enjoy the ride. There wasn’t even going to breathes from a regulator. This is especially Yosemite or the Grand Canyon. But, few have ever heard be a mission, no damsels (or dashing Mr Right) to save. useful for divers as it helps divers to learn to of Cordell Bank, the Gulf of the Farallones, Gray’s Reef or Still, we gamely played the game, aptly called breathe calmly when underwater. Flower Garden Bank.” Endless Ocean, secretly expecting a whaling ship to writers Kimberlee Jensen Stedl and In the process of doing the book, Cousteau’s team had charge in out of nowhere. Todd Stedl are both certified divers, so an adventure of their lives as they traversed thousands of Fortunately, there was none. And we say fortunately don’t worry about having to read a lot of miles from the Northeast to Key West to American Samoa. because this game is soothing and idyllic. You get metaphysical mambo-jambo in this book. These protected waters turned out to be a microcosm of the to swim around, explore the underwater realm, What you’ll get is solid and practical world ocean, both in the variety of their ecosystems, marine investigate shipwrecks, photograph marine life, advice and instruction on how to life and the problems they face. feed the fishes, etc. Along the way, you learn incorporate yoga techniques into your This book shows how the sanctuaries differ from one another, about more about the fishes (there are some 150 dive routine, with the aim of achieving yet all require proper management to preserve their unique varieties), and even get to befriend and train a more fulfilling and efficient dive wonders that are frequently under attack from human some dolphins. experience. intrusion. All copies of this limited edition title (only 1,000 copies For a break, dive up topside and plan your have been printed) have been autographed by Jean-Michel next dive. Like on a real dive trip, you can even ● 128 pages Cousteau. watch the sunset, check your emails (make- ● Soft cover believe ones, of course!) and even chat with a friend ● Publisher: 8th Element Yoga ● Hardbound with dust jacket and slipcove onboard who’s a marine biologist. You can even get a friend to ● More than 250 colour photographs by Carrie Vonderhaar join you on your next dive, via Wii’s WiFi Connection Service. ● Written by Jean-Michel Cousteau, President, Ocean Futures In all, this game is a welcome alternative to contemporary Society, and Julie Robinson action-pack shoot-‘em-up games. But play it at the end of a ● Published by Ocean Futures Society long day at the office, when you are in need of a little solitary R & R to calm those fazed nerves.

73 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED technical matters Try something different...

Column by Cedric Verdier

Text by Cedric Verdier

Photos by Cedric Verdier, Jakub Rehacek and Wes Skiles

It has been a year now Then some kits like the Armadillo Also, in some locations, you can’t twinset configuration with an iso- since I started to exclu- or the Dive Rite came into the find a twinset with an isolation lation manifold—not really DIR but sively side-mount the market and gained in popular- manifold, a side-mount configura- used by a fair amount of Open off-board tanks of my ity as there are definitely some tion is a good alternative to the Circuit cave divers worldwide. rebreather—either a advantages in using this kind of traditional independent tanks. It’s Megalodon CCR or an configuration. simple, reliable and much easier Rebreathers Evolution CCR. Why? to carry than a twinset, which is a Unfortunately only very few (and Simply because it’s much Carrying each tank on the clear benefit when you have to they are homebuilt) rebreath- more convenient! side, under the armpits, makes carry all the equipment for a long ers can be truly side-mounted. away with the large bulk a twin- distance, either for sump diving, Tanks and canisters are worn on Open Circuit set strapped on your back is. or for a long trip to an unexplored one or both sides of the body A few years ago, there was no Side-mounted tanks give a very Cenote deep in the Mexican jun- to streamline the complete rig. commercially available side- streamlined profile when swim- gle. Some manufacturers speak about mount kit for open circuit cave ming horizontally or exploring low a side-mounted rebreather as explorers. In the dark ages of passages for a long time. Side- But like so many other things the ultimate solution for a bail-out cave diving, those who wanted mounted tanks are also easier to in diving, it takes practice and rebreather, but nothing is com- a sidemount configuration had to detach and brought in front of experience as the diver now has mercially available yet. build their own equipment, mainly the diver when the time comes to to manage two independent gas based on BCs and inner tubes. go through a major restriction. supplies instead of the traditional So, for most of the units, the canis- A m atter of convenience 74 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED a big bungee loop coming from the top of the back- plate. The goal is to hold the tanks just under the armpit along the axis of the body. The off-board tanks Instead of a sling tank rig, the attachment is very simple. A cam-band with a dog clip is positioned in the middle of the tank (depending on the size of the tank and the diver). This clip will be connected to the “butt- plate”. No hardware is really nec- essary on the tank valve as the bungee loop does all the work. Nevertheless, some people prefer to have a clip here, mainly when they carry the tank on land or want to stage it somewhere. The cam-band can also be used to put a lead weight to offset the buoyancy of the tank. With an How to use it Everything fell apart during a dive. aluminium 80 (11 liter), it’s only I toyed around with the idea of That was all it took to convince necessary for an Open Circuit a sidemount kit for my CCRs for me that while the configura- diver who will breathe the gas in quite a while. My first attempt was tion was clearly interesting for a the tank. A full bail-out tank (that a homebuilt project based on an rebreather diver, the manufac- ter has to be carried on the back. er divers carry with them. Most of is not supposed to be used during old OMS butt-mounted EDS (the ture had to be much stronger. Therefore mounting the cylinders the divers rely on the Open Circuit the dive) will stay neutrally buoy- soft plate you use to store on the side doesn’t really change bail-out option as the last resort ant all dive long. SMBs and small canis- My next project was to much in regards to streamlining. to come back to the surface ter) I found in Thailand. use the local Thai industry, Or does it? alive, and it often means carrying The regulators The idea was good, find a small workshop that at least one or two tanks. They First stage and sec- but the final result could understand my poor In fact, most of the Closed Circuit are usually clipped on the ond stage, a small didn’t last more drawing skills and my Rebreathers on the market use chest and waist D-rings SPG and a LP hose than 20 dives. even poorer Thai lan- very small on-board cylinders and, honestly, it’s not a with a quick con- either inside the casing or simply good place for them. nect fitting (if attached to a central canister. In Their valves protrude, and the rebreather either case, side-mounting these the cylinders push on the has this option). tanks do not make much of a front-mounted counterlungs, That’s it. It could change. You can save a little bit increasing the Work Of Breathing also be convenient to con- of space on your back, but then and uselessly opening the figure two regulators sym- you need longer LP hoses every- OverPressure Valve. metrically when two tanks where, and it becomes difficult to are carried. It helps to have keep your rebreather as simple as Anatomy both second stages and LP possible. I tried it and didn’t like it. of a Side-mount kit hoses at the place. The “butt-plate”: The core of the On the other hand, side-mounting kit is an additional plate attached comes in really handy when it to the bottom of the usual back- comes to changing the position plate as an extension to clip the of the off-board sling tanks and lower part of the tanks. The upper bail-out tanks that most rebreath- part of the tanks is simply held by Unt praessi. Per sim dolorperci bla

75 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Homemade (left) versus the manu- factured one (right). In the end, the manufactured one proved better

The beauty of a side- mount configuration is that it’s not only designed for cave diving. It can The CCR Side-mount kit is clearly sim- easily be used in any ple to use, but most divers need a diving environment few dives to properly adjust the tanks and the regulators. A good idea is to measure the distance between one’s guage, and transform it First of all, the butt-plate is not armpit and waist, as it will be the dis- into a shiny and almost made of metal, so it doesn’t hurt tance between the cam band and indestructible Stainless my back anymore, and it doesn’t the tank valve. Steel “butt-plate”. The concept of a add any weight to the usual butt- Only a little bit of practise is neces- Side-mount configuration is quite sim- heavy rebreather diver position. sary to clip the tanks at the surface ple, and I became the happy owner Consequently, the trim is better and or to remove them underwater. The of a Side-mount kit. The result was the rig is still as robust as my previous trim is great. You really feel stream- not that bad, but not as cheap as I one. The two rings onto which the lined, as there is no tank in front of expected in this part of the world. The tanks are clipped on are much more you. Everything is under your arm, but plate looked nice, but the welded accessible as they slightly protrude on the bail-out second stages are still D-rings were not all that practical. The the back. And there’s even a place ready to be deployed within seconds. only black bungee I cound find came to put the crotch strap! With Aluminium 80s (11L) tanks, you from a motorbike shop, and the qual- The attachment strap holds two can easily go through restrictions or ity was questionable. bungee loops that are actually much small passages you will never imagine thicker and more elastic than the doing with conventional sling tanks. The kit I use now is the Armadillo CCR ones I used, and it definitely helps to With Aluminium 40s (5.5L) tanks, you Side-mount kit designed by Jakub quickly and safely attach the tank simply forget them, as you don’t feel Rehacek. It comes from a completely valves. I don’t know how many times them at all. different world, and I sometimes won- I used to squeeze my fingers between der why people like me even attempt the valve and the bungee before. So, The beauty of a CCR Side-mount to built their own equipment when all in all, Jakub made a wonderful kit configuration is that it’s not only people like Jakub can do it much bet- really adapted to rebreather divers. I designed for cave diving. It can eas- ter for almost the same price, in less would have preferred black bungee, ily be used in any diving environment. time and with so much less hassle! but that is a minor detail… ■

76 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Improving Safely in Cave Diving

On Friday night, Frédéric and row sump. Jean-Michel Vallon went on a The re­­bre­ dive and brought back some at­­­­her divers photographs, so we spent the first had to go part of Saturday studying their in while images in preparation for the task trying to ahead. Then, we went on the test balance the stretcher. Our main dive bringing the stretcher down concern was whether­ we had to a depth of 25 meters. enough space for the stretcher The end of the afternoon was at the bottom. If we inflated it then dedicated to the prepar- too much, the handling would ing of all the gear, analysing the become very challenging. gases, planning the stages and we took the stretcher down decompression stops under the around noon. I was in the front, watchful eye of the camera. That Jean-Michel was in the rear, while day, the outside temperature did Olivier Lanet oversaw the man- not make it above 0° C (32° F), so agement of gases and stops. we enjoyed being inside the rela- Frederic handled the camera and tive warmth of the cave. acted as the fourth man. The next morning, we were The beginning of the descent joined by Michel Labat and his went quickly through a small gal- small team. Their task was to pho- lery sloping at 45 degrees. Olivier tograph the evacuation as the did not have enough space to stretcher exited the sump. We keep his position through this sec- completed the last preparations tion, so Jean-Michel had to untie and suited up. the ropes in his place. The conditions were a bit tricky handling the stretcher was dif- with four divers trampling around ficult. It was necessary to make in the confined space of the nar- stops, as our victim (Michel Ribera,

A Stretcher In Deep Water That’s it! We managed to take a Vaucluse, Southern France – The calen- The group Spéléo-Ragaïe was there to stretcher to a depth of 54 meters dar shows it is the weekend of December shoot a film and brought in hundreds 29-30, 2007. We have already spent long of meters of electric cables, dozens of and a total distance of more evenings and weekends in preparing this spotlights and cameras everywhere. The than 450 meters. What a human test. With Frédéric Martin, we finally want- cave seemed to be transformed into a and technical achievement! ed to do a live test of our stretcher under film studio. the real conditions of a real current dive. Our group was made up of ten divers, At the same time, we had to observe and we didn’t have one quiet moment By Jean-Pierre Baudu the rules set forth by the Spéléo Secours as we had to bring in 70 tanks, of which Spéléo Secours Français Français—the French Cave Diving the biggest was a 50-liter heavyweight Reporting by Michel Ribera Association. We set up a trimix dive, with and the smallest was a 2-liter tank. Two of Photos by SSF nitrox decompression and oxygen. our divers use rebreathers.

77 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED commenced the ascent two Olivier joined me and informed Finally here, it seems: minutes later. me that the computer did not Ambient Pressure Diving put Suddenly, at 50 meters, eve- indicate the planned stops. their long-awaited Bailout rything stirred up, and I had Apparently, some handling error Mouthpiece on display no idea of where I was. I had had messed up the computer. I a grip on the stretcher, and I took out my backup tables and could only hope that my team joined the stretcher to assist in member had the life line in his the ascent. hands. Minutes seemed endless we connected the oxygen while I sat in the middle of that and hoses. Everything went well. cloud clenching my fists. Meanwhile, other team mem- Other News Finally, we got out of the fog, bers collected the tanks at the and I saw Jean-Michel’s hand bottom and brought them out. From the Tech grasping the life line. Everything The stretcher finally made it up was fine, and the continuation 93 minutes after it went in. Diving World of the ascent was just going to It was a good experince. We be very physical. achieved our objective, made — seen at BOOT At 30 metres, we reached a deep dive with our stretcher, our first stop and change of using different gases, while tanks. We now breathed 40 handling a team member’s percent nitrox after using Trimix rebreather or open system. This Not the very latest news, but almost. The Sentinel came about because more 21/37 for the bottom parts. simulation also allowed us to test The Sentinel can in many respects recreational divers want to move into Sebastien Rocheil, Carlos the full face mask, the safety be seen as the younger sibling of the rebreathers, but the vast majority of Placido and Thomas Parnet set-up, the dry garment and the high-end Ouroboros Closed Circuit divers will never be able to fully utilize the now joined us to assist us dur- team work. Rebreather. performance of the advanced and cost- ing the ascent up to six meters points to be improved are the lier units. The Sentinel is a bid to make a while Olivier oversaw the balancing of the stretcher in rebreather more cost effectively but still decompression. constricted spaces, the location have an acceptable (and high) degree we ascended slowly, three of tanks, the protection of the of performance and be designed for meters at a time. At 24 meters, VR3 against the manipulation a wider spectrum of the general band and the com- diving market. munication with the The Sentinel comes with an victim during the land- intelligent but simple to use life- ings. If everything had support system (LSS), which gone perfectly, we provides the user with a simple would have already Check-and-Dive functional- X-RAY MAG co-editor) had been at -100m. ity that makes the Sentinel the trouble equalizing his ears. The But still, we negoci- quickest and safest LSS to pre- gallery then became horizontal ated the narrow pas- pare for diving. for 45 meters. We reached the sages of a 450-meter It uses intelligent monitoring lowest point at a depth of 46 siphon with a stretcher and design experience to deter- meters and turned the stretcher and took it down to a mine the appropriate tests and around. We kicked up some depth of 54 meters of checks that the diver needs to sediment in the process, but the depth: This is a record! perform to get the LSS ready for visibility remained very good, The next exercise will diving. Any problems or remedial and we ascended to 40 meters take place in March action are described clearly on to re-position the stretcher. where we will attempt the full-colour graphics screen. ■ The final stretch was in a gal- to carry the stretcher lery sloping downwards at a across a sump of 1400 Sentinel is available in 3 user levels: 45-degree angle, so we brought meters. ■ • Level 1 - 40m no decompression the stretcher forward slowly. • Level 2 - 60m Normoxic We made it to 54 meters, and • Level 3 - 100m Trimix I decided to turn around. After Michel Ribera acted crossing out our checklists, we as the victim in this valuable exercise 78 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Photo & A matter of balance Videography

Edited by Kurt Amsler & Peter Symes

It is sad, but true— underwater pho- tographers do not Doing it right: Holding have a good track eye-contact with the record or reputation subject, maintaining perfect buoyancy, for behaving well and finning care- in nature. But being fully is precisely how the photographer environmentally gets his or her cam- aware and conscien- era into the perfect tious about conserva- shooting position tion issues should be as much part of the preparations as load- ing the camera with a memory card and fresh batteries.

EnvironmentalText and photos by Kurt Amsler Awareness For Underwater Photographers 79 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED body surrounds the tank at the back environment and your fellow divers, not photography of the diver. That creates a constant just be fixated during those important and firm dive position. Also, the depth moments on getting close to the sub- gauges and hoses should be tucked ject. It is of equal importance to think silver in and fixed close to the body, so that about how to get away in an orderly they will not dangle and damage the and smooth manner once the shot is reef. What is of importance to divers taken. in general also applies to those han- In this regard, wide angle photogra- dling camera-equipment. Experience phy is easier to deal with. It is more of It just seems that quite a lot shows that the complete photographic a challenge for macro photographers, equipment system should not have who need to remain steady on the of divers do not remember, or more than 250 grams of negative or reef to avoid camera shake. To avoid worse still, were never taught positive buoyancy. damaging the reef, the photographer properly how to be in control should take a lot of care in regards to Procedures where and how to touch the reef. To of their buoyancy Most of us have witnessed the follow- obtain the smallest possible contact ing scenario: An underwater photog- with the reef, the photographer should The underlying fundamentals for rapher has made his shot, and then, use the so-called “finger grip” (images underwater photography is master- with two or three sudden fin kicks, turns next page) to stabilize his position. After ing the basics of diving. In order around hunting for the next subject. the shot, it is easy to push oneself back to obtain good photographs, it is Unfortunately, in doing so, he also man- into the free water without using the paramount to be able to control ages to kick up a lot of sand and sedi- fins. Another way to leave the subject buoyancy. ment and chase away the fish, leaving is to use lift. Just take a deep breath or Mastering hovering is, essentially, nothing to be seen for other members inflate your jacket, remain still and be down to what we were taught in of the dive group! It’s necessary to happy about your shot while you drift our first diving course. It just seems show consideration towards both the clear of the reef. that quite a lot of divers do not remember, or worse still, were never taught properly how to be in control their buoyancy. So, let’s start with a short recap. If you are fully equipped with an empty jack- In order to obtain good et, drifting vertically in the water, photographs, you must the water surface should be, while be in complete control cinema of dreams normally breathing, at the level of your buoyancy of your mouth. Once you exhale deeply, you should slowly begin to sink. Trim To find the perfect pose under- water for photography, it is of the utmost importance that two criteria are met: 1)Your weights must be distributed correctly, and 2) your jacket must fit snugly. It may sound silly, but if your jacket is just a little bit too big, it will move around and make it quite difficult to obtain and maintain neutral buoyancy. The complete www.seacam.com For underwater photographers, rig should have wing jackets with integrated less than 250 weights seem to be the most suit- grams of nega- able buoyancy system. Their lifting tive or positive buoyancy

80 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED photography

First you adjust the camera and flash

Side kick: Move the fin blades sideways in a horizontal sweeping The duck kick employs a gentle circular motion, a bit like a propeller Then move in motion. Try to angle the blade against the motion closer to the subject How to use the fins The movement of the fins is not ing wave is then also directed able to dive, and make the hunt It is sometimes just the way you up and down but goes in a semi- sideways rather than down where for the perfect shot more effec- use your equipment that makes circle done by the knees. If you it would disturb sand and sedi- tive and comfortable. And, by Pause for the for perfect results. The technique need more power and speed, ments. the way, if you consider yourself right moment of using fins is much more compli- you can use the duck kick: Knees These techniques can be to be engaged in environmental for the shot cated than commonly thought. are bent while the fins are being learned and practiced by any protection issuees and a careful Using the right finning technique flipped up and down through diver, especially by those who diver, you will be respected and helps to preserve the environment ankle movements. These tech- are beginners or have less experi- welcomed at any dive center and makes working with photog- niques are mostly used by cavern ence. The time invested in train- in the world. Certainly, only this And then raphy much more comfortable. divers where avoiding stirring up ing these buoyancy and finning kind of underwater photographer slowly slide What I refer to is the “flutter”, sediments is a priority. techniques will benefit any diver will be introduced to the hidden away from the sidekick” and “duck kick”. If you Another finning technique is but in particular underwater-pho- secrets and secret dive spots of subject are diving just above bottom, the side kick. With this technique, tographers! the diving center—spots that a the flutter kick with wide angled the fins are not moved up and why? Because a perfect buoy- photo-rogue will never be offered knees is best and keeps sand down but sideways in a swaying ancy and optimal use of fins will the chance to encounter. ■ and sediment where it belongs. or fanning movement. The result- make it easier and more enjoy-

Applying posi- tive buyancy by inhaling or inflating your vest can gently lift you clear of the reef

Macro-photos require a steady hand and a calm situation around the subject. Once you have your shot, gently push Look for a dead spot of the reef and use the “fingergrip” to steady yourself yourself backwards

81 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Fit a Nikon lens onto a Canon body 16:9, known for their tests and reviews of lenses by a variety of manufacturers, has introduced an adapter that allows Nikon G-type lenses to fit Canon EF-lens compat- ible cameras. 16:9 states the motivation was to enable the use of Nikon’s “new 14-24mm f2.8, which provides the sweetest ultrawide solution for the 22MP 1Ds Mark III.” The adapter includes an AF-confirmation chip and maintains infinity focus, but disa- bles VR, auto-focus, and auto-aperture functions. At £79, only the lever-free version (where the lens is stopped open or stopped down by rotating the lens in the mount) is currently available with a 35-day turnaround, but a lever-operat- ed version is also planned. www.16-9.net ( via Matt Segal, WetPixel.com)

Floats The best ideas are often the sim- plest ones. German photo-acces- sory specialist, Michael Finger, exhibited all kinds of interesting little gizmos at the recent BOOT Expo. Here, we found these floats that can add the necessary buoy- ancy to a heavy lamp or housing. Just strap them on and you are all set. www.mike-dive.de Berkley White runs D300 Sony unveils 25 megapixel through the paces SEALUX housing for full frame chip His conclusion: “Nikon D300 offers the most significant advance in underwater digital pho- Nikon D300 Sealux CX580II housing The increasing user requirement to shoot tography since the Nikon D100. It’s beyond for Canon Speedlite from the same focal length and angle as instant digital feedback and produces The Compact and lightweight 580EXII flashgun 35mm film cameras using interchangeable images on par and arguably better than CD300 is made out of one block lenses has led to significant interest in the results I’ve ever achieved with 35mm film. of aluminium, development of 35mm, full size CMOS image When considered at ISO 400, the results which is then sensors. are clearly better than scanned slide film. hard-anodised Enter Sony who has just The Sea & Sea MDX-D300 housing might and spe- announced the not be perfected in high end ergo- cially sealed. development of a nomics, but it is clearly a professional The memory 35mm full size CMOS level housing at a great price. If Sea card can be Image Sensor with 24.81 & Sea continues on this MDX design replaced while Effective Mega pixel res- and invests a little more in tactile the camera olution and extremely high smoothness, they could easily posi- is mounted. signal conversion speed for tion themselves as the best hous- Get the full list use in Digital SLR Cameras. ing / best price on the world mar- of features on who said the megapixel ket.” Read the full review here www.sealux.de race was over?

82 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ED_X-ray_61x110 09.11.2007 22:16 Uhr Se

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83 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED See our very first issue: Go to www.x-ray-mag.com and enter “Baikal” in the search window. Unique Dive Site Or download the article here: “Tea, Nitrox and Vodka: Diving Lake Baikal”

Lake Baikal is in every aspect something spe- cial. Not only is it the old- est and deepest of the Text by Peter Symes world’s lakes containing Photos: Topside images and nearly 20 percent of the ice diving images courtesy of world’s unfrozen freshwater Gennady Misan / Baikaldiving.ru reserve, it is also home to Other dive images: Peter Symes a unique ecosystem with an outstanding variety of endemic flora and fauna, which is of exceptional value to evolutionary science. Diving here is like touching down on Lake Baikal in Winter another planet.

Situated in southeast Siberia, far deepest lake in the world. Known of the world’s most diverse and tine state that had been seriously Russian government’s reversal of ignated as a national park, and from pretty much everything yet as the ‘Galapagos of Russia’, most unusual freshwater faunas. threatened by planned industrial decades of anti-environmental Baikal is, today, a naturalist’s easy to get to, the 3.15-million ha or one of the seven underwater Lake Baikal, long ago, became development in recent years. industrial policies. Since 1992, paradise and an idyllic holiday Lake Baikal is the oldest (25 million wonders of the world, its age and famous for the purity of its waters Luckily, Baikal was one of the first Lake Baikal and the entire sur- destination —also for a worldwide years) and with its 1640 m also the isolation have produced one and surrounding shores, a pris- regions to benefit from the new rounding area have been des- audience of divers who are slowly Translated by Valentin Dosiere 84 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Giant anthropods in Lake Baikal; Diver inspects lush green corals; Packed ice stacks up on the surface of the lake; Panarama of Lake Baikal feature Lake Baikal and the surrounding landscape

realizing what treasures this unique location holds. X-RAY MAG has described, in an earlier issue, a live-aboard safari during summer on this magnificent lake. that allows divers to observe its beauty by Baikal might feel as if they are hovering over But you can also dive Lake Baikal during swimming through caverns of ice. Siberian win- a meadow on a sunny day. Looking up from the winter. Why not join an ice jeep safari on ter on Lake Baikal is not at all severe as some a depth of 20 meters, they can see clouds in Baikal? Lake Baikal’s ice is not only uniquely people can perceive. National Geographic the sky. Looking down, they sea fields of fluffy beautiful, it also has a complicated structure has written, “Divers exploring the shallows of green algae.”

85 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED feature Lake Baikal So what’s on offer? Accommodation of dif- ferent comfort levels with diving close by where you can walk or drive a snow mobile. On Baikal ice safa- ris, the journey starts when you leave Irkutsk Airport. Beautiful roads leading through the forests, steppes, and mountains, is an excur- sion in itself that will see you occupied for nearly the whole first day. It is just another trans- fer from Irkutsk to Olkhon Island, but a fascinating and informative tour to the steppes and foot- hills of Baikal. One passes Siberian villages and hairy cows that find their food under the snow, stop near “burkhan”—local spiritual sites—and have before the ice road. ice, others skate or take their car for spin. lunch Buriat style while you enjoy the vista Baikal ice is a different. It forms late Some go ice fishing, others dive. Still oth- of breathtaking mountains tops and pan- and, in the southern parts, not earlier than ers observe the ice through the window oramas over Baikal—the obligatory stop January. Whereas, the northern part of of “Khius”—a fast hovercraft—or perhaps the lake gets its from a helicopter. ice cover soon- er. After all, the 4WD and ice diving trips lake is 630 kilom- These tours are based in the main town of eters long. Olkhon Island, Khuzhir. There are two types Soon, as wind, of accommodation: economy and delux. changing tem- From here, the safari starts. Diving tours peratures, frost take the whole day. Driving on ice roads and sun starts is always tricky; there are cracks and to work, creases ridges that have to be safely negotiated. and shapes start Besides this, there are a lot of stops on to develop and the way: near beautiful ice formations, on form cracks, the fields of completely clear ice where ridges and you feel like walking on the water, near mounds. The ice caves formed in rock openings by beauty of these freezing surf. The traditional places where ice sculptures BaikalTek guides take their jeeps for diving is what draws under the ice are Khoboy Cape, Shaman many travellers Rock and compression cracks in the to Baikal at this middle of the Small Sea. Needless to say, time of year. all transportation on the ice is conducted THIS PAGE: Scenes from under the ice in Lake Baikal Some people in 4WD vans chauffeured by local guides just walk on the who know the ice conditions very well. ■

86 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Todd Essick

MERMAIDS& MANATEES

87 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED It’s been a couple of years since we last sat down with the good- humored Todd Essick to listen to his latest stories and adventures in un- derwater photography. We caught up with him recently to have a chat and check out his lat- est images. Here’s what he said about his new projects and the impe- tus behind them.

What was the inspiration be- hind the project with the mer- maids? When we were photo- little of their fantasy. I am very mulative of everything that I’ve other options now. You can graphing humpback whales in amazed at how many of them, shot over the years. Probably have ashes on land or scat- the Dominican Republic, the women and girls, who have at the ten-year mark, which is tered at sea or have them models were having a tough made their own mermaid tails. three years from now, I will put formed into something. I’m time getting down to depth What’s interesting is that I get out a retrospective of all the into choices. People should without wearing any fins. So, to hear those tales as well. I get projects I’ve worked on. And do whatever they want, you I was trying to think of a way to hear the story behind why in that book, I will probably know, as long as it doesn’t hurt to give them propulsion, and they want to do it. include some of the mermaid anybody. I’m a kind of live and the best way to do that would One of my models found this photos, because it did garner let live kind of guy. If you want be fins that are hidden. Well, underwater memorial park. She some interesting images. to do it and it’s an option, what’s the best way to hide a thought it would be cool for why not? There are so many fin? Inside a mermaid’s tail. So, some pictures. I was basically Looking at the cemetery imag- restrictions on morality and that was kind of the impetus trying to create something to es… you have a model with a ethics, why should anybody of how it happened. I am not illustrate it, to give to the peo- mermaid tail and another in a question this? I am so used to sure I like what happened with ple that owned the memorial white dress? What is the signifi- being questioned about my these pictures... I am not com- park—the fantasy image being cance of that? work because I work with the pletely convinced that it goes about mermaids greeting the The woman in the white dress body. It shouldn’t be such big to the heart of my project, spirits of the departed, the is the spirit, the dearly de- a deal. People should be able which is to show the connec- mermaids as angels. It was a parted. She is sitting next to the to do what they want. There tion we all share with the sea. creative outlet. grave markers where people has to be a certain amount of It’s our beginning. Mermaids who have been cremated freedom in life. If you want to are more of a whimsical topic. Are you going to make an- and formed into a starfish or be formed into something and It’s more of a break from what other book? Maybe not of the a piece of brain coral are buried under water, why not? I do. I am just kind of playing mermaid series. I am working placed. They put them in a I don’t want to see restrictions with it. Through the course of towards getting more and bet- cylinder and put them inside on people. Why should one not Text edited by Gunild Symes it, I am finding a sub-culture of ter pictures for another book the columns. They put a name be able to do it? Photography by Todd Essick women who want to be mer- with more images of whales, plate on each spot. maids. They want to be photo- whalesharks and maybe man- In the past, you have talked ABOVE: Mermaid, Fish and Lion. TOP LEFT: Mermaid and Child graphed. They are extremely tas. And then maybe down the How do you feel about this about the Golden Rule in your PREVIOUS PAGE: Manatee Parade motivated and get to live a road, I will put together a cu- practice? Fine. It’s one of those work and the ancient Greek

88 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED LEFT: Where’s my safety diver? portfolio RIGHT: Shark Dreams Essick year, and they got the most you can almost guaranteed that those by the book. But it’s interesting to see the letters to the editor from it— are going to be the ones that come up people that come. You can really tell almost all of them positive to you and be friendly. the people that know the rules and know from all over the world. The how to appreciate them. And then you one negative letter was from a Aren’t there rules about touching the get the guy or the woman who has never fairly religious person in Amer- manatees? The Marine Mammal Protec- swam with the manatees, and they are ica. tion Act has some loose wording which really all over the place, flying with them when I am in Europe, peo- is called harassment, which can be or chasing them. You just want to go up ple are loving the work and interpreted in so many different ways. If to them and shake them and tell them, standing behind me. My Euro- you go to Crystal River and see the cat- “You know, if you just hang back, you pean friends say, “Let me get tle boats drop all these people in, you can really enjoy this.” The manatees will this right… The place where could interpret that exactly what these eventually come to you. they produce the most and people are doing as harassment. They I probably dove with the manatees the best pornography doesn’t touch them, play with them. It basically the most times, but have the least pic- like your work, which is fine art, comes down to not impeding their travel. tures. It really has to be the perfect storm stand-alone beautiful pictures They are really only going to stop you before it all works. When I say “storm”, done very tastefully, and yet, when you are cornering the manatees I mean that it has to be the right cold they are afraid of those pic- and impeding their travel or standing on front. The tides have to be at the right tures?” That’s pretty much the top of them. Basically, you are not sup- point. I can almost look at a tide chart truth. It’s very ironic. posed to go underwater with them, but and a weather chart and tell you if its any photographer knows it’s really dif- going to work out a few weeks ahead of Tell us a little bit about the ficult to get a picture from up above, so time. But there are certain days in Janu- manatee images you are now you are going to go under the water. If ary and February that I think are perfect doing and what’s behind it… they wanted to reinforce that rule, they days, tidal wise, and if there’s a cold front Well, it’s kind of the thinking: could. In theory, you are not supposed coming through, you are almost guaran- Mermaids and Mermaids, to touch them at all, if you follow the rule teed a great experience. Not that you based on the old mermaid story of sailors thinking mana- tees were the original mer- maids. Some models who lived near the manatees in Florida contacted me, and it was a no-brainer. They kind of put the idea in my head without realizing it. I love going to Crystal River (Florida) and photographing the manatees. ideal of beauty. Yes, it’s been around any balls! The US magazines seem to be I go all the time in the winter. for thousands of years. You put a statue so afraid of losing readership and of- It also has that kind of whimsical feel to it, somewhere like Venus or Michaelange- fending people, that they don’t want to and I thought that it would make some lo’s David… Why should my work be take a chance. And what’s even funnier interesting pictures. Everyone knows the more or less offensive than that? I get far is that I’ve been published in so many old stories that sailors thought manatees more response and reception in Europe magazines around the world, even in were the original mermaids. for my work. People like it here too (in what is technically a Muslim country—Sin- The interesting aspect of manatees America). They’re just afraid to say it. In gapore—and they don’t have a problem is that you can look at the herd, or the one breath, I will meet somebody at a printing it. They find pictures that are not grouping, and you can almost tell which show like DEMA, and they will love my offensive and can publish it there, and ones are going to be friendly by the fact work, and yet, they’re afraid to display it yet in America, even the inference that that the cleanest ones are cleaner from and/or publish it. I always get this, “You there’s nudity, or you’re doing something people petting them throughout the know, I really love your work, but we that’s off the beaten path—it upsets season. They don’t have any growth on couldn’t put that in a magazine.” That them. them. If you see 15 or 20 manatees in an kind of says to me that you don’t have But I was published in Scuba Diver this area and a few of them are really clean,

89 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED portfolio IN OUR NEXT ISSUE Malta & Gozo Wrecks The Baltic

wolfgang pölzer

LEFT: Stairs, shot at the underwater cemetary. ABOVE: Inspiration, Essick works a model

can’t have one on other days, I’m just phy? It’s fascinating to me how digital talking about the most optimum time. photography has just opened up un- It’s very difficult to get the cold front, derwater photography to divers. Tak- the tides right, the manatees, getting ing a new underwater photographer the models there—have everything and letting them see instant gratifi-

fall right into place—but I keep trying. cation can show them so much, so wolfgang pölzer I love going and swimming with the quickly. Underwater, they can make manatees. It is never a wasted trip, the adjustments to make the good but I just don’t ever get exactly what I pictures. It’s such a learning tool. want. Which is true of all my pictures, They’re going to come back from a actually. I never get what I want dive trip—even with a reasonable (laughter). point-and-shoot camera and hous- But, there’s going to be some dra- ing—they will come back with some matic images, and I am just looking really nice pictures, which I think really forward to people’s reaction to them. promotes diving and photography and opens people up. At the same When you look around, what do you time, for all of us who have been see or what would you like to see taking pictures for a long time, it can happen in the future in the dive in- almost be disheartening. For teaching wolfgang pölzer dustry? I would like to see an Ameri- people, it’s great. It’s funny how long can dive magazine publish my work it took me to learn through so many (laughter). But of course, that would lessons. Now, someone can go out on be the beginning of the Apacalypse, a few dives and learn it instantly. The COMING IN MARCH or hell freezing over, but I would still learning curve is so much shorter now. Subscribe now FREE! like to see it! For more information about Todd Es- www.x-ray-mag.com What changes do you see in the at- sick and his photography or to order titudes towards underwater photogra- prints directly, visit: Toddessick.com ■

90 X-RAY MAG : 21 : 2008 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED