Awesome By Tim & Wandy Hochgrebe Australia Diving Down Under the Land Down Under A coproduction with 28 X-RAY MAG : 14 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIEDYANN SAINT-YVES Australian Appetizers DownIntroduction text by Wandy and Tim Hochgrebe under Down Under Underwater photography by Tim Hochgrebe all state summaries by Wandy and Tim Hochgrebe Topside photography by Yann St. Yves A coproduction with underwater.com.au YANN ST YVES Australia—the land ‘Down Under’— Australian wildlife, but there is also the renown for Uluru (the rock formerly know incredible Spiny Ant-eater (Echidna) and the platypus who both lay eggs, as Ayers), its red desserts and kanga- but suckle their young. roos. But the smallest continent on earth Most of the 20 million Australians are features one of the largest varieties of descendants of nineteenth and twen- tieth-century immigrants. The five larg- habitats ranging from tropical rainfor- JOHN SMITH - UNDERWATER.COM.AU est groups of the Australians who est to old-growth temperate forests were born overseas come from and alpine heaths—and that goes for the United Kingdom, New underwater as well. Zealand, Italy, Vietnam and China. Only a very small Due to the unique environment with percentage is made nutrient-poor soils, highly variable up of the indigenous weather patterns and geographic people—mainland isolation, a high percentage of Aborigines and Torres Australia’s flora and fauna is Strait Islanders. endemic and extremely well adapted to their unique sur- Relaxed rounds. Australians are known The koala in its gum tree for their relaxed atti- is probably one of the tude, their open- best-known icons ness and their love of of the nature—and all of that is KAREN WILSHAW - UNDERWATER.COM.AU true. Australia is home to many races and religions, and on the whole, every- body accepts each other’s way of life—and they all love their beer … With the increase of air travel, Australia has become a popular destination for tourists from all over the world and anything to do with CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Uluru formerly known as Ayers Rock; Seahorse; Dolphin trio; Wobbegong; map of Australia; resting Kangaroo STEVE GRIFFIN - UNDERWATER.COM.AU 29 X-RAY MAG : 14 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED RON WALSH - UNDERWATER.COM.AU travel Australia YANN SAINT-YVES So where the Koala bears snuggle in deep sleep, nestlied in the branches of their favourite Eucaliptus tree ‘bloody hell’ water is extremely popular with as their close relative the endemic locals and tourists alike. The 2005 and incredibly beautiful Weedy are ya ? Surfing World Tour featured five Seadragon have found their home. Australians in the top ten—surfing Further south, kelpforests, seal col- is a cultural icon of Australia. But onies, rock lobsters, abalone and a other watersports like diving and multitude of sponges and ascidians opportunity to see the majestic Great White reef, called Ningaloo provides a magic and snorkelling enjoy growing popu- colour the rocky reefs. Shark from the safety of a cage. unspoilt dive destination. Fantastic coral larity. Off Adelaide, divers have the On the other side of Australia, a fringing gardens and walls not far from the main- Although most tourists land and snorkelling with whalesharks and are aware of the Great manta rays are some of the highlights—as Barrier Reef off the North- are spotting dugongs and dolphins. East coast of Australia, There are plenty of wrecks to explore, more and more people are YANN SAINT-YVES caves to dive, off-shore islands to dream discovering the excellent of, endangered animals, aggregation diving in other parts of the sites for rare species such as the Leopard continent as well. With a sharks, the Grey Nurse Sharks, stingrays, coastline of almost 26,000 cuttlefish and of course the annual coral km—much of it still reason- spawning events. ably unspoilt—it should not About 89% of temperate fish species are come as a surprise that unique to Australia, so there is no excuse there are plenty of spots to not to come and visit the cooler regions. find amazing marine life. This feature about Australia is aiming YANN SAINT-YVES In the harbour of Sydney, to go slightly beyond the “road well trav- TOP: A pair of Nurse sharks, or the largest city in Australia, elled” and includes some destinations that Ragged tooth sharks, patrol the in only a few meters of some divers might not yet have heard waters for prey. ABOVE INSET: water dumpling squids, about. Australia is a fantastic place to live Discover Aboriginal culture anglerfish, Port Jackson and dive—so, as they say down under, sharks and seahorses as well “Where the ‘bloody hell’ are ya?” ■ SMALL INSET LEFT: Kangaroo X-ing LEFT: A view of Kata Tjuta from afar 30 X-RAY MAG : 14 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Catch a Tiger by the Tail! Explorer scientists, I have been studying the shark populations out at Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea, 60 nautical miles off the north-east coast of Queensland. Undersea Explorer visits some of the most pristine and remote reefs in Australia and provides a unique chance for tourists to do four dives a day whilst interacting with research scientists. Each week divers are able to join expeditions featuring projects on Sharks, Minke Whales, Nautilus, Coral Monitoring and Water Quality. Osprey Reef Osprey reef is an ideal dive site and a hot spot for sharks. White tip reef sharks, Grey Reef Sharks and Silver tips are guaranteed and hammer- heads also seen regularly. To study the sharks here I need to insert a small id microchip underneath the skin, and for this I need to bring the shark up to the boat. This is easier said than done. Even the smaller sharks are incredibly pow- erful and quick, so I developed a technique of underwater shark rodeo! A crate of bait is placed on the reef and while the shark is preoccupied by the food, I grab hold of its tail and slip a rope around it. After that it is a gentle swim to the Undersea Explorer where we can do the necessary Text by Richard Fitzpatrick Many people think I must have a death in aquariums around Australia but even- research with the aim of having Photos by John Rumney wish because tiger sharks are known to tually left the aquarium world to move real field data on growth, repro- be pretty aggressive. I have stopped into underwater filming and to pursue duction and home range of these Hanging onto the dorsal fin of a telling people what I do at social gath- my dream to do hands on research with sharks. Our goal is to obtain the tiger shark as it swims is a truly erings, it is a guaranteed conversation wild sharks. I teamed up with a research information to work towards long stopper. “What do you do?” “I tail rope and adventure diving venture Undersea term sustainability and conserva- awesome experience. Feeling sharks in the open ocean”. People either Explorer to help establish a long-term tion of sharks. the immense power and strength think I am liar or a loony! shark monitoring program. For the last of these animals is incredible. I started off working with captive sharks nine years, in conjunction with Undersea THIS PAGE: Researchers tag tiger sharks in Australian waters 31 X-RAY MAG : 14 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Australian Tigers Queensland How? The Claw The first hurdle was ‘How?’ My ini- After a year of development and testing tial idea was just to up scale the I successfully used my new safer inven- existing technique. After all tigers tion—The Shark Claw’. On the end of are just big reef sharks. The saving a long pole, the ‘Claw’ is designed to grace to capturing an animal of clamp on to the shark’s tail. I attract the this strength and size is the bizarre sharks using a floating bait. Approaching way that sharks behave once their the bait in a small dive tender the tiger tails are secured. Nobody really often comes over to investigate. The PETER SIMPSON - UNDERWATER.COM.AU knows why, but the minute the tail claw has to circle the peduncle in exact- is caught they stop swimming and ly the right place so timing has to be lie relatively placidly in the water. perfect. When we are close enough - I However until the moment that can grab the sharks tail using the ‘Claw’ that tail is secured the shark is far without jumping in the water. The ‘shark from placid! Grabbing the tail of a claw’ is attached to a rope and large thrashing three and a half meter float which the shark drags through the shark is pretty difficult, especially water till it stops swimming. This new tech- as the power of the shark turns nique is much quicker and less stressful Of course everybody has heard of the the water to foam and visibility for both the animal and me. Great Barrier Reef and its numerous drop becomes almost nil. The only way offs, coral atolls and coves. The waters I could get hold of the tail was Adam here are home to 1500 species of fish by jumping in the water with the The most recent tiger shark I have alone in addition to thousands of dif- sharks. I managed to catch four tagged was a 2.5 metre male, named ferent molluscs, crustaceans and other tiger sharks like this, but it was ‘Adam’.