Tabla de contenidos para Issue 7 - 2016 en Scuba Diver/Asian Diver

Vava’u group, Kingdom of Tonga CONNECTED WORLDS By Darren Jew Everything came together this day... the swell had dropped and so had the wind. It was late in September and we decided to head seaward to take advantage of the conditions. We went south, to search amongst the shallow patch reefs where we can often find mums resting with their calves. The mum we met gave us quality time, happy for us to watch and photograph while she bonded with her calf, sometimes 10 metres down, other times right next to us on the surface. “Dreamcatcher” drifted toward us on the calm sea presenting this chance to bring the the two worlds together. Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia PRETTY IN PINK By Stefano Scortegagna It was the last dive of the…

“As of yet, scientists are unsure why the whales gather here, but for many this lack of clarity simply feeds the sense of mystery and intrigue that surrounds these incredible creatures” It’s winter in mid-July on the Great Barrier Reef, north of Cairns, and the sea is rough and cold. I’ve been floating in the ocean, hanging to this snorkel line for 15 minutes now, and I can’t help but question: “What on Earth am I doing here?” But just a few seconds later, two massive dark shapes appear from the blue depths. They glide gracefully and effortlessly through the ocean, just a dozen metres away from us. They’re beautifully streamlined, with sharply pointed snouts, large dark-grey backs covered with complex patterns, white flippers with dark tips at their sides,…

“At times I felt dizzy, my throat was dry, causing some wheeziness, this then changed and the dizziness returned” ABOUT MICHELLE: I began diving three and a half years ago, have completed 80 dives, and my profiles are always within no-deco limits. I’m in my later fifties and am active and healthy. DCI ENCOUNTER 1: KOH PHANGAN, THAILAND, 2014 Day 1 – Sail Rock Dive 1: Max depth 32.4m for a total dive time (TDT) of 37 minutes, surface interval (SI) of 70 minutes. Dive 2: Max depth of 25.8m for a TDT of 43 minutes. Day 2 – Angthon National Park Dive 1: Max depth 15.9m for a TDT of 65 minutes, SI of 54 minutes. Dive 2: Max depth 15.6m for a TDT of 60 minutes. Day 3…

 As certified divers, we should already have a pretty good understanding of how to dive safely. But many of us have found ourselves in unsafe diving situations such as diving beyond our training or diving despite apprehension or discomfort. Many of these dangerous situations result from poor decisions made before a dive, but why do divers make bad decisions when we know better? “We must not take the inaction of others to mean that everything is as it should be” I have found myself in several unsafe situations while diving. Once a dive operator encouraged me to go on a dive that was deeper than I was trained to go. Another time one put together my equipment for me, and when I went to double-check it he told me not…

Many marine animals undertake migrations over thousands of kilometres every year, often returning to the place of their birth to breed, or known food sources. Humpback whales have been recorded only altering their trajectory from previous migrations by a staggering 0.4 degrees. The question is: How do they know where they are going? The answer is not simple unfortunately; little is known about this phenomenon, and navigation methods can vary from one species to another. It is believed the animals use a combination of different cues such as the Earth’s magnetic field and the sun. For those species that have sonar, they can “map” their environment, and for many species that migrate in groups it is also possible that the veterans lead the way, passing the rituals on through the…

DAY 1 The Opening Ceremony attracted the biggest crowd of the afternoon, with Executive Director of Asia Dive Expo (ADEX), Publisher of Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd and Founder of Underwater360 Mr. John Thet kicking off the celebrations, together with the Vice General Manager of BeiAo Convention & Exhibition Co., Ltd, Ms. Wenxi Zhao giving their opening address and announcing the main highlights and activities of ADEX China 2016. Keeping with the tradition of hosting celebrities that adore the world below the waves, ADEX China 2016 introduced a star-studded lineup of Ambassadors: Famous Hong Kong actress, Joyce Tang, as ADEX Ambassador for Greater China; Lee Yoon-Mi, South Korean actress and entrepreneur as Ocean Ambassador; Hong Kong-based Hidy Yu as Ambassador for Mermaids; international freediving instructor Dada Li as Ambassador of…

Diving the best destinations in the world often requires adventure-seekers to embark upon long journeys to remote and distant locations. Their reward for travelling off the beaten track? Rare underwater encounters and unspoiled dive sites. In this regard, nowhere can compare to the Galápagos. The nearest land mass to this famous archipelago of volcanic islands is the coast of Ecuador, some 800 kilometres away. Their isolated location in the eastern Pacific is also a meeting point for three different bodies of water. Over thousands of years, the Cromwell, Humbolt and Panama currents and their prevailing winds delivered an incredible diversity of life to the islands of the Galápagos, and it is this abundance of animals both on land and underwater that makes the diving here so special. Nutrient rich upwellings…

The controversial Captain Paul Watson has become a legend of alternative culture. He has managed to captain a career so brutally loyal to his cause that thousands of “aware” individuals stand by him and support his global efforts. Co-founding Director of the Greenpeace Foundation, and Founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Watson has created a global movement few could ever have predicted. Famous for captaining a fleet that directly blocks the slaughter of cetaceans from whales to dolphins using direct action and interference, Captain Watson has been vilified and prosecuted, yet nothing will stop his passionate pursuit of his just cause. Underwater360 Editor, Oliver Jarvis, managed to pin down this real-life superhero for an exclusive interview. The full interview, as well as a riveting timeline charting Captain Watson’s incredible…

WHALE SHARK BASICS 1 Whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, are the world’s largest living fish 2 There are two major sub populations, in the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific, with 75% of all whale sharks found in the Indo-Pacific 3 Whale sharks are found in both coastal and oceanic habitats. Whale sharks spotted near coastal sites are usually juvenile males 4 They are a migratory species, following warmer waters in the spring, and will travel on average between 24-28 kilometres every day 5 They have been recorded as diving to at least 1,928 metres 6 The longest reported whale shark was found in Taiwan and measured 20 metres. The average whale shark is around 10 metres long 7 They are filter feeders, one of only three filter-feeding shark species. They eat plankton,…

There is nothing like finding a subject you’ve searched for years to find. But there it was, right in front of me and in our own backyard Researching a subject prior to looking for it can happen in many ways. There are books to learn from, internet searches to glean a wide cast of slightly ambiguous information and first hand stories. All of which are like a trail of breadcrumbs that often times lead to a dead end. Such was the case for me with the elusive Melibe colemani… that is until recently. Most books say that a Melibe “forages on the bottom” and many do. However, after years of relentless searching on the bottom, I had yet to find one. Late one evening I spied an image once again…

The ocean is home to some of the world’s greatest travellers: Sharks, turtles and even rays undertake phenomenal journeys, usually in search of places to feed and reproduce. Unfortunately, human fishing pressure is making these epic journeys more perilous than ever before. Take the whale shark: This year it slipped further towards extinction shifting from Vulnerable to Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, one of the main reasons for this status change being the danger of illegal fishing in the South China Sea. With policies changing across international boundaries, animals such as whale sharks can easily be swimming between protected and unprotected waters. Understanding the movements made by marine megafauna is needed to identify and help reduce risks. However, there is still much we don’t know about…

“EVERY DAY IS WORLD OCEANS DAY. SMALL CHANGES CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. EAT SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD. RECYCLE AND MINIMISE PLASTIC IN YOUR WORLD. BECOME A CITIZEN SCIENTIST. AND MEET THE OCEAN – SET A DATE WITH THE SEA.” – David Doubilet On World Oceans Day I saw a social media post from National Geographic that featured a number of classic images by underwater photographer David Doubilet. They were legacy photos, representing a few highlights from a life well spent documenting the world beneath the sea. As strong as the photos were, the quote at the end resonated with me most: This came from a guy who has been diving and shooting for more than half a century, and it reinforced a persistent thought I’ve had over the past few…

1 Pack Light! You will be spending most of your time in your swimsuit or your wetsuit. A couple of pairs of shorts, T-shirts, sarong, and something a bit warmer for the evenings is ideal. No need to rival Jackie O in the wardrobe stakes! 2 Location, Location, Location! Check your arrival and departure locations. Make sure you know where the boat leaves from and where it will dock; you might not end up where you started! Also check to see if the operator provides transfers. 3 All Inclusive? Do your research and find out what will incur additional costs. Dive gear? Drinks included? Remember to let the operator know well in advance if you have any special dietary requirements. 4 The Sun Has Got His Hat on. Take sun…

Self-taught, Matt is passionate about capturing his subjects for what they are, allowing people to see the raw beauty behind his images. He prides himself in using only natural light. This, combined with his freediving skills, makes for minimal disturbance when photographing marine life. These images are from Matt’s “Black Series”. His goal with this series is to show an intimate side of the animal, to try and draw the eye into certain features one might often miss, and not be distracted by the background. Matt’s editing process, though very minimal, took him a long time to nail – he seeks to create fine art photography, and through it, change any fear to a respectful fascination and love for the ocean. Beautiful Beast When photographing sharks, I really like to…

Blue sharks are nomadic animals, have an extremely widespread distribution and can be found in both temperate and tropical waters. Perfectly designed to cover great distances, their long pectoral and tail fins and slender body help them to make lengthy migrations to reach areas of dense food resources and find potential mates. Tagging studies have revealed these sharks commonly travel distances of up to 2,700 kilometres, and it is thought they use open ocean currents to conserve energy and follow a clockwise pattern around the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately for British wildlife enthusiasts, this route brings these beautiful sharks close to the southwest coast of England during the summer months, where local diver and photographer Charles Hood runs regular day trips for those interested in swimming with them. Having travelled to…

“We know that the South Ari atoll is virtually unique worldwide in hosting a year-round population of whale sharks” 1 Can you give us a little background on the history of the project? The MWSRP actually started out as a standalone research expedition in 2006, funded by the Royal Geographical Society. The team went back the following year to gather more data and we’ve been there in one capacity or another every year since. 2 What is your mission? What do you aim to achieve with the research you are doing? Why is this important? Our stated mission is to advance the field of whale shark knowledge and to advocate for sound conservation policy in the Maldives. What that means in reality is to build a comprehensive overview of the…

 The current is so strong you can hear it roaring like a waterfall against the rocks. At full throttle the tender is not moving. At all. “Out of nowhere, the water to our left begins swirling. In a matter of seconds, a whirlpool as deep as a man has formed like a black hole” Out of nowhere, the water about three metres to our left begins swirling. In a matter of seconds, a whirlpool as deep as a man and the width of a dining table has formed like a black hole, sucking everything into its vortex. The boat starts to spin. Erwin moves quickly to engage the second motor and we accelerate hard to safety, away from the furious water. I can’t help but wonder if being here is…

AT DAN ASIA-PACIFIC (DAN AP) we are starting to see an alarming number of cases where divers have continued diving, often for days, with symptoms of decompression illness (DCI). Despite having symptoms, some divers even decide to fly, which can sometimes be dangerous. As divers, we need to consider the possible consequences of our actions, including the potential worsening of symptoms, a higher number of possible chamber treatments required, and therefore, greater associated costs and increased potential for permanent injury. Mild DCI can often be managed effectively with surface oxygen and the diver may be able to return to diving relatively quickly (4–6 weeks), depending on expert medical advice. However, if the diver ignores the symptoms of DCI and continues diving, a mild case may progressively worsen and the symptoms…

“Immersion therapy offers me an environment which removes the restraints experienced on land” – Ben Everson (C4–C5 complete quadriplegia) In 2007, life as Peter Wilson knew it changed forever, when he lost control of his motorbike and was run over by a car. At aged 27, married and a father of two children, he was given a 20-percent chance of survival. Peter passed the critical survival stage and was told to prepare for the fact he may never walk again. Peter refused to believe this and within 12 months of the accident was walking again, not perfectly, but proving the doctors wrong. Some two years later, Peter was getting on with his new life, when he came across a full set of scuba gear for sale. This triggered a memory…

1 YEH LIU GEO PARK An alien landscape of incredible rock formations, weathered over the years to form a veritable geological Disneyland 2 YANGMINGSHAN NATIONAL PARK Escape to a magical, volcanic world of hot springs, butterflies and birds, just outside Taipei 3 NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM One of the world’s largest collections of ancient Chinese artefacts, home to over 700,000 relics of antiquity 4 LONGSHAN TEMPLE One of the largest and oldest temples in Taiwan, built in 1738. Buddhist and Taoist deities both get a look in 5 TAROKO GORGE A breathtaking gorge whose name, Taroko, means “magnificent and splendid” in the language of Truku, the aboriginal tribe residing in the area. In one afternoon, go from coastal cliffs to subtropical forested canyons, up to subalpine forests in some of Taiwan’s…

Port St. Johns, South Africa. There’s a reason why it’s called “The Wild Coast”. This year Shark Guardian and a team of diving enthusiasts, explorers and photographers travelled from around the world to be in this place, at this particular time in June. Each year from June to July a large migration of sardines make their way up north along the eastern coastline of South Africa, bringing with them several species of sharks, dolphins, whales, birds and so much more, all at the same time. This is the greatest diving event anywhere in the world! After arriving in Durban international airport, we made our way one hour south to a town called Scottburgh. We spent the first three days diving the famous local reef, Aliwal Shoal. This was planned for…

RAJA AMPAT, or the “Four Kings”, is an archipelago of over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands that give the area its name – Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo. This is the part of the Coral Triangle which contains some of the richest marine biodiversity on earth. Our home for the ten-day journey around this famous destination is the Raja Ampat Aggressor. The diving is as diverse as advertised, with sites ranging from fully submerged sea mounts to small islands that spread out below the surface like giant icebergs, to piers and bays. We are told that we will see the cutest pygmy seahorses on most sites, plenty of colourful nudibranchs and, moving up the size scale, multiple species of anemonefish, cuttlefish and stonefish to…