Tabla de contenidos para Issue 6 - 2016 en Scuba Diver/Asian Diver

It is said the world is a small place these days, and that if every plane in the world was grounded at the same time there would not be room to park them all. So, are there any truly remote destinations left? Well, yes, plenty! In this jam-packed issue we go Off the Grid among the majestic icebergs and fjords of Greenland with Tobias Friedrich; to wild St. Kilda, the most remote archipelago in the UK with George Stoyle; to distant Truk Lagoon with Andrew Marriott; and review a fantastic new book on the haunting wrecks of tiny Palau by wreck expert Rod Macdonald. We also visit the remote Tubbataha reef in the Philippines and the faraway Solomon Islands in our fantastic special feature on “Islands and Liveaboards”, which also…

WITH FANTASTIC ROCK FORMATIONS, ancient and modern shipwrecks, clear waters and prolific marine life, the waters around Cabo De Palos-Islas Hormigas and Isla Grosa make for a wonderful diving experience. This is all easily reachable from Madrid for a perfect long weekend away. La Manga, a small fishing port and one of the prettiest on the entire coast, juts out into the Mediterranean on the southernmost tip of Cabo De Palos. Overlooking the harbour is the lighthouse, first lit on January 31, 1865. The marine reserve is a brilliant example of successful sustainability with fantastic biodiversity and a great ecological value. It also offers spectacular diving. There are certain restrictions, however, and some sites require advanced diving levels. Providing you plan ahead with the necessary paperwork – insurance, qualifications and…

WHEN It can be raining and pretty windy with lowered visibility from October to December with the onset of the monsoon. The best time is normally from late January to September. HOW There are multiple flight options from Bangkok to Phuket, Koh Samui or Surat Thani; then a bus and boat to the island. Alternatively, you can travel all the way to the ports by bus, or train and bus. STAY/DIVE Stay From budget bunk beds to king-sized rooms, Koh Tao offers great variety. Those after simple accommodation can bunk in shared rooms that feature on the beachfront, whilst those looking for privacy have the option to sleep like kings in air-conditioned rooms. • Budget – Big Blue Diving Resort (www.bigbluediving.com) • Budget mid–range – Thalassa Hotel, Koh Tao (www.thalassakohtao.com) • Luxury –…

If you ask any diver what brings them to Derawan Island they will probably exclaim that it’s all about the big stuff. The manta rays, sharks, barracuda and turtles. However, along with 100-percent guaranteed turtle spotting, you can also find some of the smaller, rarer creatures which live in this biodiversity hotspot such as frogfish, blue-ring octopus and the exquisite Lembeh seadragon. Derawan, the largest island in the Derawan archipelago, is situated just 30 minutes’ speed boat ride off Tanjung Batu harbour on the northeastern coast of Indonesian Kalimantan. It is a tranquil place – 40 minutes walk will take you right round the island. Derawan is one of only two islands in the group which are inhabited, but 30 or so others have names and are home to scientists…

The spectacular and pristine reefscapes of Tubbataha are only accessible via liveaboard for a reason; there is virtually no land in sight no matter how hard you gaze at the horizon. One such vessel is the comfortable and highly functional Solitude One. Since divers discovered this remote reef system in the late 1970s, it has become recognised as one of the most remarkable coral reefs on the planet. A renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site – and now an ASEAN Heritage Park – Tubbataha is well known for its stunning reef scenes, dizzying amount of reef life and amazing visibility. The three reef areas – North Atoll, South Atoll and the Jessie Beazley Reef – comprise the 130,000-hectare marine protected area in the middle of the Sulu Sea in the Palawan…

These days it is challenging for divers to find truly isolated dive locations, but Mary Island – known locally as Mborokua – is one such haven. You are very unlikely to run into any other people in this stunning location. Part of the Solomon Islands, a country consisting of over 900 islands, Mary is an uninhabited volcanic island located 30 kilometres west of the Russell Islands. A crescent-shaped island about four square kilometres in size, Mary is reachable only by liveaboard. Due to its isolation and extreme remoteness in a large body of water, any bad weather prevents boats from getting there. On the other hand, it means that Mary is often exposed to currents which bring in huge schools and some mesmerising fish life. Therefore, a visit to Mary…

Fiji is often referred to as the “soft coral capital of the world”. Healthy reefs thrive and burst with a kaleidoscope of pristine soft corals which, along with untouched hard corals, guarantee unsurpassed diving experiences in Fiji’s underwater world. However, this is certainly not all that Fiji has to offer. In Namena Marine Reserve and Nigali Passage there are sharks – grey reef, silvertip and whitetip sharks, and more. During Fiji Siren’s liveaboard cruise in July 2016, the guests were absolutely thrilled by a school of no fewer than 40 scalloped hammerhead sharks cruising along with them on their dive. More than 1,000 different species have been identified living in and around Fiji’s reefs. Turtles, dolphins and eagle rays cruise around the Siren’s dive sites, while May and October are…

BUNAKEN NATIONAL PARK lies near the centre of the unparalleled biodiversity of the perceived Coral Triangle. It is at the very tip of the very north of Sulawesi, the largest of 7,000 islands in Indonesia. Beneath the classic volcano shape of Manado Tua, off the west coast of the nearest city, Manado, are spectacular walls, fringing reefs, slopes and seagrass areas hosting more than 70 percent of all the known fish species of the Indo-Western Pacific. This picture shows a typical wall scene with countless dazzling schools of red-toothed triggerfish and crinoid feather stars in a rainbow of different colours. COMING IN NOVEMBER EPIC JOURNEYS No journeys on Earth are more epic than those that take place in the vast blue beyond. Join SDAA on extraordinary migrations of marine mage…

WHEN May to September is best, although diving can be done all year round but water temperatures drop to 16°C from November to December and many dive operators close. August is very busy due to Spanish holidays. HOW There are many international flights into Madrid, around four hours’ drive to Cabo De Palos. STAY/DIVE Prices vary from €50 to €160 per night and weekend deals are usually available. STAY CABO DE PALOS • Apartments – Apartamentos María Guerrero (www.apartamentosmariaguerrero.es) • Rooms – La Casa de Julia (www.lacasadejuliacabodepalos.wordpress.com) • Hostel – Hostal Micaela (www.mikaelacabodepalos.com) CLOSE TO CABO DE PALOS (15–20 minutes walking) • Rooms – La Estancia del Rincón (La Manga) (www.laestanciadelrincon.es) • Apartments – Apartamentos Tesy (La Manga) (www.apartamentostesy.com) • Hotel Entremares (La Manga) (www.entremares.es) • Hotel Mangalán (La Manga) (www.hotelmangalan.com) • Hotel Sierra Mar (La Unión) (www.hotelsierramar.com)…

To most Europeans, the island of Lanzarote is known for its nightlife and relentless parade of sunbathers, but it has another side that most tourists never experience. The easternmost of the Canary Islands, it was born in fiery eruptions, creating a stark landscape of arid mountains that plunge into the cobalt-blue Atlantic Ocean. Underwater, you swim over steep sand slopes and moonscapes of frozen lava. At first, the environment seems drab compared to a coral reef, but you will come to realise that these subtropical seas are brimming with life. The sand is thick with flounders and weeverfish, while seabass and Moroccan bream flit around in mid-water. You can find octopuses and seahorses on pretty much every dive. In deeper water, you will find an array of predators. Tuna and…

Moments after a giant manta ray blocked out the sun I was amid a tornado swirl of thousands of chevron barracuda. Simultaneously, the deep, bassy grumble of a nearby erupting underwater volcano reverberated through my ears and chest. The water was deep, clear and warm and I moved my camera aside to absorb it all. With a smile so wide I almost lost my regulator I thought, “this is what diving is all about.” Barra Point on Mary Island was one of many fantastic sites I visited during my seven-day liveaboard on the MV Bilikiki. Named after a distinctive local shore bird, she is 38 metres of steel-hulled stability built specifically for the South Pacific with 10 air-conditioned, en-suite cabins, a fully appointed, well-stocked camera room and a large dive…

 The island of Malapascua lies in the heart of the Philippine archipelago, just across a strait from the island of Cebu. Nearby, oceanic thresher sharks spend the night hunting in the abyssal trenches that lie close to the Philippines, but as dawn approaches their minds turn to a different behaviour. Having picked up parasitic copepods while hunting, they have to find cleaner wrasse to remove the stowaways. The sharks are adapted for life in the abyss, but the cleaner fish are diurnal, so there is a golden hour around dawn when the ritual has to take place. The presence of the threshers has created a thriving tourism-based economy on the island The setting is a submerged island called Monad Shoal, a 35-minute boat ride from Malapascua. Each morning, a small…

Jim swept into the arrivals hall at West Palm Beach airport with a huge grin on his face. He had come to pick me up via Florida Atlantic University where he had collected one of the highlights of our trip. Safely packed in the back of his pickup truck were four baby turtles ready for release. Their temporary home was a small cool box, the kind you would normally expect to see a few iced beers in, but this one held a far more precious cargo – two greens and two loggerheads. Jim Abernethy is best known for his adrenaline-fuelled shark-diving expeditions, but he is always looking out for that little added extra to make the trip a bit more special. The moment a newly-hatched sea turtle reaches the sea,…

Rod Macdonald dived the wrecks of Palau with his research team in 2015, after an initial visit in 1990. The new book in his wonderful wreck series, Dive Palau, explores the incredible and, until now, quite sparsely documented wrecks in this small island nation on a remote Pacific archipelago. ROD MACDONALD FIRST started diving in the early 1980s and developed a keen interest in shipwrecks after diving in Scapa Flow, Scotland, home to the German High Seas Fleet that was scuttled on June 21, 1919. He published his first book in 1990, Dive Scapa Flow, and after publishing a further eight books on diving and shipwrecks around the world, is now known as very much a wreck diving expert. Divers know Palau well for its beautiful reefs, walls and prolific…

THAILAND, THE “LAND of a Thousand Smiles” is blessed with a huge variety of diving opportunities. There are many miles of jaw-dropping white sand tropical beaches and dive sites including fringing reefs, deep drop-offs, wrecks, caves, pinnacles and seamounts way out in the blue. The first backpackers discovered Koh Tao in the early 80s and as word spread, so did its popularity. It wasn’t long before Koh Tao became a diving “go-to” destination. Not only is this lush little piece of paradise blessed with crystal clear water and coral reefs shallow enough for beginners to explore, it is also one of the world’s most popular places to get your dive certification. Koh Tao has managed to hold onto its authentic island feel and retain its unique culture, despite the thousands…

WHEN April is excellent if you want to see icebergs in great visibility of 30–50 metres. August is nice and warm with many whales along the coastline, but fjord visibility is very limited. HOW Reykjavik by major cities in Europe, North America and Canada by Icelandair. From the international airport, transfer to the domestic one and catch a propeller aircraft to Kulusuk in East Greenland, a flight time of about two hours. From Kulusuk, transfer to Tasiilaq village by helicopter. This will all be arranged by the operator when you book. STAY/DIVE Northern Explorers is the only dive operator in East Greenland (www.northern-explorers.com). Accommodations are in small huts in Tasiilaq, the capital of East Greenland. TOPSIDE During springtime dog-sledge tours are available as well as snowmobile tours. In spring and…

 The Egyptian Red Sea has been a must-go destination since recreational diving became popular around the 1960s. Early pioneers would hire trucks, build compressors and camp along the empty coastline, with a backdrop of the ethereal Sinai Desert and only Bedouin villagers and camels for company. Since mass tourism took hold in the 1990s, the coastline has become unrecognisable. Hotel after hotel and swimming pool after casino after “manufactured” garden. Thankfully, high-rise developments are forbidden. The Red Sea itself, the creatures and scenes and encounters it delivers have not changed So, why should you go? Because the Red Sea itself, the creatures and scenes and encounters it delivers have not changed. Tourism has taken its toll at some more popular dive sites, but there are still masses of life and…

 Lundy Island is the largest island in the Bristol Channel, lying 19 kilometres off the coast of North Devon, in the west of the UK, where the Atlantic Ocean and the Bristol Channel come together. Looking out beyond this 140-metre-high granite outcrop there is no landfall until you reach America. Affectionately known as plain “Lundy”, it is just five kilometres long and 0.8 kilometres wide and managed by the Landmark Trust. Lundy has some of the richest marine life found outside the tropical zone Washed by the Gulf Stream meeting cooler, northern waters, Lundy has some of the richest marine life found outside the tropical zone. A staggering 2,500 creatures can be found in a single square metre of seabed and it is the only place where all five types…

Wakatobi is itself a secluded haven, offering a unique and enriching experience in a spectacular marine environment. But Wakatobi goes one step further in providing unparalleled diving experiences with its luxury liveaboard, Pelagian. Venturing into remote and seldom-visited corners of the Tukang Besi archipelago, guests enjoy cruises of discovery and adventure to distant reefs, verdant island lagoons and unbelievably productive muck diving sites. With more space per guest than any dive yacht of its kind, and a fantastic dedicated camera room, Pelagian gives you exclusive access to remote and untouched sites where you will have the luxury of being the only divers for miles around, able to enjoy your dives in secluded peace and relaxation. Along the way, guests enjoy the personal service and exclusive amenities of a world-class motoryacht.…

Christmas Island is often cited as Australia’s Galápagos. It occupies an isolated spot in the Indian Ocean that is actually much closer to Jakarta than to Perth. What makes Christmas Island unique is that it sits on top of an extinct steep-sided volcano which rises from the sea floor 6,000 metres below. This exceptional confluence of Nature means that many deep, ocean-going marine animals like dolphins, manta rays, whale sharks and tiger sharks often come in very close to the reef. So when diving around Christmas Island you might be admiring a host of powder blue surgeonfish nibbling the algae on the coral reefs, only to turn towards the deep blue and see an ocean-going manta ray or whale shark cruising by. There are a great variety of dive sites,…

CHAIRMAN The Honourable Krov Menuhin (Australia) Krov is internationally known for his lengthy career in underwater film and photography, working with the BBC and Channel 4 in the UK, and 25 years with the French programme Ushuaia, among others. His diving background includes both military and commercial diving and he is the author of numerous maritime articles published internationally. He was a longtime friend of Professor Hass, who personally appointed him as Chairman of the Committee. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Leslie Leaney (England) The founder of the Hans Hass Fifty Fathoms Award and one of the industry’s few recognised diving historians, Leslie learnt to dive in Singapore in 1969. In 1992 he co-founded the Historical Diving Society USA and in 1993, he founded the Journal of Diving History. The recipient of numerous…

WILL FOSTER-GRUNDY is one of the in-house cameramen at Scubazoo, a major force in underwater filming and photography around South East Asia and beyond. Will describes his journey from watching wildlife films as a child to now working in his dream job, based in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on Borneo. What made you want to become an underwater cameraman? I’ve always had a real fascination with the natural world. I grew up religiously watching anything with David Attenborough and studied zoology at university. After graduating I trained as a PADI divemaster in the Caribbean. I suppose I really wanted to become an underwater cameraman to share the beauty of the ocean with the world and get important marine conservation stories out to the masses through the unparalleled, powerful medium of film.…